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 Posted: Thu Mar 14, 2024 7:52 pm
It was very dark. Kemi had known that the city that her target lived in was dark, but the fact of seeing it was so different from just reading it in a scant briefing. Each world she visited was always so different from her own, and while she appreciated the differences…she always enjoyed going back to her own asteroid at the end of the day.
Or mission. Whichever came first.
The lighting on the road to the castle was lovely, it made the darkness feel less oppressive, and she appreciated it.
She was admitted to the castle with little fuss, which was proper. She was a Senshi herself, after all, and this was supposed to be a diplomatic mission, the start of a new alliance, or so she had said.
It wasn’t, but nobody had to know that.
Nobody would know that. This was simply a job, and within a few weeks, it would end.
She had been paid ahead of time, and that was what truly mattered. The money would help, as money always did, but now. Now she waited, sitting in a high backed chair that…could stand to be a bit more comfortable, waiting for Vilenius to show himself.
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Posted: Mon Mar 18, 2024 3:32 am
Viconius had not been expecting company. He’d had a long day already and so much on his mind that entertaining a foreign guest was the last thing he wanted to do. He needed to go to his room, decompress, think. Why was she here? It was so late.
Not that a foreigner would know. He supposed it all looked the same. The lights hung around the city shrouded in darkness had been dimmed to reflect the hour but to an outsider it might just seem normal.
The city had an ancient feel to it but was clearly well maintained. Cobblestone streets had few weeds or trash, but maintained a pretty patina. So much of its details were lost in the shadows.
A dark forest surrounded the city, and though it was not impossible to pass, it was still dangerous to those unprepared to make the journey. As such, it was uncommon to receive a surprise guest, but it would have been callous and rude to decline them.
The world was not without a sun, and on other parts of the world there was a regular day and night cycle. Here, thanks to the world’s gravitational pull and a perpetually frozen moon eclipsing the sun, its citizens lived in eternal night.
Perhaps, if this area wasn’t so rich in natural resources, cultural history, and magical veins, no one would live here.
The night wasn’t so bad.
Viconius’ eyes burned. The lights inside the castle were so much brighter than the ones lining the streets. He had to take a moment outside the door to compose himself. He stood up straight and tried to will the stress from his shoulders. He rubbed at his eyes and breathed.
He powered up and could feel her presence immediately, but by then he’d already shifted into Sailor Vilenius. He walked with more confidence and had a prestigious air about him. His expression was stern, but not aloof. He offered a polite nod and faint smile because he had manners and as the representative of this world he had to be mindful of first impressions.
“Good evening, Sailor Kemi. I’m told you have a room and dinner being prepared. To what do we owe the pleasure of your visit?”
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Posted: Thu Mar 21, 2024 8:22 pm
Kemi stood at Vilenius’ entrance and her tail twitched slightly behind her as she looked the Senshi over. “It is lovely to meet you. It shouldn’t be a difficult visit, just a standard alliance offer.” She held a hand out, the usual smile on her face. “You have a lovely world, from what I’ve seen. The darkness though, that’s something I’m not very used to, how do you cope with the lack of natural light?”
Honestly, it was something that Kemi was interested in. The capabilities for life were so…narrow, and this world had adapted to something so vital…it. Was interesting. “If it is some kind of a state secret, feel free to tell me to mind my own business, I just. It’s very different from other worlds that I have seen, and I find it quite interesting.”
Kemi herself knew that she could never survive in darkness that was prolonged. No matter how many artificial light sources that she could provide.
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Posted: Fri Mar 22, 2024 8:45 am
Kemi moved quickly. Vilenius thought he might have liked it more if she’d stayed seated. He took her hand and shook, but was quick to return to his own space. “You’re the third person this week to ask me that. It’s not a secret. This is what I was born to, this is what I am used to. The same can be said for any of us here. Other parts of this world have adequate sunlight, but it’s common to get sun-sickness if you’re used to these conditions.”
He shrugged; it wasn’t as interesting to him as it was to her, but only because this was his everyday.
“I like the dark. But we’re very good at seeing without the light here, if we need to.”
He suspected she didn’t care that much about his world, though. Not when she’d come by with a standard alliance offer.
He watched her carefully. Vilenius’ face was soft but he seemed naturally guarded, like he was always looking for something that wasn’t necessarily there.
“I must admit, this doesn’t feel like a standard alliance offer. Those usually go through my council, and we have documents drafted before we sit down. I don’t know anything about you or your world, Kemi. What do you gain from an alliance with me or mine?”
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Posted: Wed Mar 27, 2024 7:38 pm
Kemi gave a soft laugh and shrugged. “I’m not really one for conventions. I understand that each planet is different, but I prefer talking directly to the Senshi of the world that I’m working for an alliance with, I feel that it gets me a boost, since we’re both guardians, after all.”
She ran a hand through her long, pale blue hair and tossed it back over her shoulder. “I don’t mind the dark, but I don’t think I could live in it the way you do. It’s fascinating. Also, my world is wonderful, thank you. I’m quite proud of it and we would love to host you if you ever wish to visit. There are a lot of rivers and lakes, and everything not made of water is very lush and green. Our grass…”
Kemi gave a sigh, and her expression softened as she thought about it. “There is nothing better than laying out on it and napping. My sister and I do this as often as we can. It’s paradise.”
As to what she gained from this alliance…? Well, she hadn’t quite planned that part of her story out. Yet. But hopefully he wouldn’t press.
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Posted: Wed Apr 10, 2024 8:19 am
"I see," Vilenius said politely. "I don't know how it works on other worlds, usually, but I have to be honest. I don't make these decisions by myself. I don't know how much of a boost you'll get just by speaking with me. Not that I mind the company," he insisted.
"Or the questions." If he were more diplomatic, he might have had some clever words to guide the conversation more tactfully, but there was a reason he wasn't solely in charge of making all of these decisions.
"Your world sounds colorful." And bright.
Like a migraine.
"So I take it that you aren't interested in an alliance for vacation purposes." Unfortunately, he couldn't help but press, no matter how enthusiastically she had side-stepped the subject. "You'll have to forgive me for how little I know about your world. We look after ourselves first and foremost."
He gestured to a window, where only the dim glow of the sun could be seen from behind the moon. "Our world has a bit of hardships, it requires a lot of maintenance." Not that he was complaining, it just came with the territory. "So if it's any sort of help you're after..."
The thought trailed off. He smiled politely. "Well, we'll have to see what we can manage."
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Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2024 11:37 am
“Oh, that’s very interesting. In most of the places that I have visited, the Senshi of the world is the ambassador, if they are not the outright leader. Most everything is negotiated through Senshi.”
No wonder he was a target. If he didn’t hold power, what was the point of having a Senshi? If he wasn’t going to take action, take control. Then someone new should be brought in who could take things in hand.
“We have help too, you know. An alliance doesn’t simply go one way. Trade is one of the biggest factors, and of course it would give you the ability to call upon us when there are unsavory things happening.”
She gave a shrug and made her way to the window, glancing out. “It is. Beautiful in a way. I don’t hate it here.”
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Posted: Wed Jun 12, 2024 12:53 pm
Vilenius stood before her, lacing his fingers together briefly before pulling them apart and then repeating the action. It must have been some self-soothing gesture, or just something he did when he had a lot of thoughts on his mind.
She was trying to goad him, probably.
He pressed his lips together a bit firmer but he still wore a smile.
“I am glad we agree on that at least,” he said, following her gaze out the window. “Though it would be a bit rude if you showed up on your own accord just to declare that you did hate it here.”
She was an unexpected guest. If he’d had more time to prepare for a reception, he’d have made sure she got a better tour. Maybe there was still time. He wasn’t trying to chase her away, he just didn’t appreciate that gentle prodding. He was young and inexperienced but he wasn’t going to just suddenly decide to start throwing his weight around because some stranger came in and told him other people did it differently.
“The worlds that you went to, where the Senshi negotiated. Are they all successful? I don’t have time to learn the intricacies of everything. I think it would be rather foolish to trust me to make so many decisions on my own. I’m still getting my education, after all. I’ve just come back from classes today.”
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