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 Posted: Fri Oct 05, 2012 3:47 pm
"Apparently order found what it was looking for." She sighed in exasperation, twirling a long strand of pale hair around her fingers. "I wish it had taken a different path to do it, but while I'm wishing I want a pony and a million dollars."
She couldn't say Remarque was wrong though. The side of Order was remarkably... disordered.
"The Zodiacs are more closely knit." Was that sharing too much? Maybe. It didn't really say THAT much. "...Otherwise I don't know what to do. Snap my Barbie accessory at them? Wait till it upgrades to the Malabu Penthouse and drop it on someone like the Wicked Witch?"
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Posted: Sat Oct 06, 2012 7:38 pm
Remarque could have responded bitterly or with typical stoicism; instead, he let out a slight laugh. "At the very least, it would be an interesting sight, I'm sure. Truth be told," he shrugged, "I suppose I always thought the Zodiacs were the more organized of the senshi, though I suppose that comes with being some mystical team and having your very on patch of land in space. Your lot really seemed to have it together up there."
Except, they didn't—at least not in his book. He remembered how the senshi had all rushed around, trying to make sense of things. Certainly the other Zodiac Senshi had gotten along with eachother, but form what he'd seen, the successful interaction with other senshi seemed a bit limited.
"Seems that the rest of the senshi could learn a thing or two from your lot. Where is your queen—Chronos?" he prompted. A part of him was simply curious; the other part still longed for some sort of vengeance against her. "Could she not provide the rest of the senshi with guidance, perhaps give them a boost in the right direction?"
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Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2012 6:54 am
She debated this. It was the answer she wished people would take, but from what she remembered of the Senshi visiting the surrounding. "You'd be better off asking someone who's met more Senshi. But let me turn it around. If someone else came along, and they were as strong as Ares, but they weren't Ares... would you follow them? If you were searching for Ares and hadn't found her, would you follow someone else?" That seemed, as far as she could tell, to be the gist of it. They were proud, and perhaps on some crazy level it made them feel disloyal to take orders from anyone who wasn't their Moon Queen. Or their little self appointed court, like that rude little group who decided to go smashing things just in case. Like walking into someone's house and ripping down the drywall just in case there were termites.
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Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2012 3:45 pm
"That's a complicated question with a lot of 'if's involved. If I was searching or Ares but couldn't find her and someone else came around, would I follow them instead? Maybe. But it wouldn't be as simple as that. Ares has a strong, meaningful belief. What she's doing isn't for her, it's for the good of all senshi. It's to save as many senshi from the White Moon before they suffer the betrayal she did. Before they wind up disappointed in their leader. Now, don't get me wrong—I don't much like following anyone, but I've made an exception for Ares because I believe in her goal, and she hasn't let me down yet. If she disappeared and some stranger showed up, trying to garner my alliance…they'd have to make a pretty damn persuasive argument."
Remarque was truthful in that aspect; if Ares disappeared, was he just supposed to pine for her? More likely than not, he suspected they'd try to find her—or pick up where she left off. He invested faith in her, though he was not so foolish as to seal off all other options. If someone were to appear with a argument that could convince him—then, yes. He would consider allying himself with then. 'Following' anyone, however, was a different story. They'd have to be a god to sway him. And so far, nobody seemed to have any better ideas in this war, so he was sticking with Ares.
"But I don't think this is really about me," he concluded. "This is about the Zodiacs and the rest of the senshi? …What hope is there for the rest of them if they can't even listen to 'a good idea' when it's hit them in the face? I mean, realistically, I think you're all wrong, but I can be open minded for the moment. You're both fighting for the same thing. 'Rid the world of evil and keep everyone safe'. Why the hell are the Zodiacs bothering with the rest of the senshi if the rest of the White Moon is so uncooperative? If they're just itching to lash out at you? Why do you put up with that? Isn't it bad enough that you've got to deal with us? Why haven't you just broken away from them already? What do they have to offer that you don't have already?"
He crossed his arms, tilting his head expectantly. Whatever was actually going on inside his head, on the outside he certainly seemed like he cared about the plight of the Zodiacs.
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Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2012 6:22 am
"Maybe for the same reason most parents don't throw in the towel when their children do something stupid." Hara countered. "Chronos isn't their princess, the way she's not yours, and a lot of people don't respond well to being slapped in the face with an idea, good or bad. It's human nature, the second we think we've been ordered to do something, we tend to not want to do it, even if we would have done it if we weren't told we had to. Even though it's what I was brought back for, the only reason I bend a knee to Chronos is because I know her, I respect her, and there are parts of me that find that it feels right. Like walking into someplace and realizing you just came home for the first time. Anyway why would I stop trying to do my job just because they're having trouble doing theirs? I don't think we're being graded on the curve here. Their performance doesn't change mine. If they want to help me, they'll help me. Otherwise I'll just have to do my best to be strong enough with the resources I do have." His argument sounded like saying that the rest of the class was cutting, so she should too, which was all very fine and good if you wanted to flunk... but she didn't. She'd finally come to terms with being a knight, she wouldn't throw in the towel now... or the... sparkly... pink scarf... Was he testing her resolve? Trying to sway her? What would even happen if she decided to follow Ares? This was worlds different than the battle she'd been part of before, it was more like debate class.
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Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2012 1:50 am
"Quit? Oh, no. I would never suggest such a thing," Remarque said, though found himself rather disappointed that all the knights hadn't just quit yet. "Just—more of a 'why are you tolerating this' sort of thing. I mean, I think I've met more Chronos knights than any other knights." There were—what, our that he knew of, now? Celsus, Bifrost, Pharos, and now Hara. Not to mention the cluster of senshi he'd become so familiar with while on the Surrounding. "I suppose what interests me most is why you're pulling all the weight. Have all the other knights decided to slack off and let you Chronos knights take the burden? Or is it any more your obligation to 'protect' this planet than it is theirs?"
He offered a contemplative shrug, as though this was something he'd really considered for a lengthy period of time before. Realistically, knights were something he'd never understood, so every conversation gave him a few more clues. He had yet to figure out what their purpose was; all he knew was that they were typically a pain in his a** and not worth the effort. Senshi, he could forgive—most of the time. They could be saved—redeemed.
Knights? What the hell were knights? Just Negaversers gone wrong? And what were they even doing on this planet? At least Chronos knights had Chronos to follow, but the others? Why should a protector of, say, Jupiter belong here? He'd never met a Sailor Jupiter (nor had anyone, from what he gathered), so what the hell was their purpose if not just to get in his way?
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Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2012 7:07 am
"I wouldn't say I'm pulling all the weight, or that any of us are, we're merely pulling as much as we're able." She shrugged, eyeing him curiously. "And it is -my- planet. I was here long before I awakened as a knight. It's not like some cosmic diety waves a glitter wand and we appear from thin air. As for why there are more Chronos knights... you're asking the wrong person again. If there's a yellow pages for knights I didn't get my copy yet." There did seem to be very few knights, especially as compared to the Senshi, and she wasn't sure why that was. Why would the senshi awaken to defend earth when earths born defenders hadn't? Strange.
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Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2012 1:00 pm
At her words, Remarque shrugged. "From my perspective, it just seems like an unfair amount of labor you're expected to do but," he shrugged. "I suppose you'd have a better idea of just how much you do compared to others. It just seems that you all get lopped together, and maybe I don't think that's fair. I mean, if you're fine with them getting credit for things you do, sure. I figure I'd just get pissed if I was the only one doing anything in the Dark Mirror Court and yet we all got credit for working so hard. But everyone tries to pull their weight around here, I figure."
Sure, he might have pushed himself a little harder than others, but that didn't mean that any member was working any less than was expected of them, and he wasn't going to pick on anyone if they were busy juggling other aspects of life.
Unless it was Leto, because he kinda figured it was his job to pick on her.
…But even if it wasn't, he enjoyed it too much to just stop. She was Captain, she could handle it.
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Posted: Fri Oct 12, 2012 6:52 am
"We could argue all day, but it's really not about 'fair' is it? It doesn't make it less my responsibility if others aren't doing theirs. Even when the senshi came to the surrounding, the rest of us didn't stop trying to do things. We didn't hide behind the ruins and wait for the monsters to go, we fought too. I can't do less just because someone else could do more." She offered back. "I doubt you would either." She'd died once for those beliefs, it would be hypocritical of her to change them now.
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Posted: Fri Oct 12, 2012 9:46 pm
"You misinterpret my words," Remarque said simply, waving his hand nonchalantly as if to dismiss her misconceptions. "You can work all you want, I'm not telling you not to. What I want to know is why you still work with the others outside of the Zodiac. Have you not yet been scorned for being different? From having 'other interests' at heart?" he prompted. "They've not yet tormented you for following Chronos instead of waiting for their fabled queen? —You can work for as long and as hard as you like, and I don't care who does what, I just wonder why you still align yourself with them. I mean, you can do the same thing you're doing now, nothing would have to change. I guess I was just trying to figure it out," he shrugged. "I mean, if whatever feud that was between you two is gone, that's one thing. I just thought they were still blaming you for the death of all those civilians last year? The senshi I've spoken too all seemed to resent you, you and the rest of the Zodiacs. Were always saying something about 'all that trouble' you were always causing." He shrugged dismissively. "I just never could figure out why the Zodiacs would stand to be the whipping post of the rest of the senshi. Rest of the knights. Did you manage to patch things up? You don't much take me for the beaten-dog to its master, sort."
He looked at Hara thoughtfully. "But I suppose I've been wrong before."
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Posted: Sat Oct 13, 2012 5:53 am
There it was. There was the worm in the apple. The rot of chaos that made him feel so wrong to be near, no matter how polite he seemed, no matter how easy on the eye. "No." She let steel into her voice. "No. I don't believe I am mistaken. And I've yet to hear such blame from anyone except you. And it's not the Senshi I'll be fighting for. Not you, not even the Zodiacs... they're stronger than I am. I know that. I made a choice to power up again in spite of that, and it's my choice. Not for anyone else to judge. And if that makes me a dog... or... more accurately... a b***h..." Her lips thinned in a wry smile, trying to imagine delicate Chronos using such language. "Then at least I'll be one with teeth." She eyed his face, searching for traces of his thoughts as she demanded, her voice low and even, which might have sounded dangerous coming from someone stronger. "Are you going to attack if I try and leave, Senshi Remarque?"
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Posted: Sat Oct 13, 2012 10:50 am
"Attack?" he said, flashing a very slight smile. "No, Hara. I wouldn't attack you if you chose to leave."
And what was the point? She was weak, just a small peon in this war. Let Leto have some satisfaction in picking her off one of these. In her own words—what could she possibly do with her little 'Barbie accessory'. Even Virtus could probably stand up to her.
Actually—well, no. With his luck, she'd wind up strangling him with that little scarf.
"This conversation has been insightful. I ought to thank you for it. I've apparently had many misconceptions about the whole thing. But, in the case that I have merely met more senshi than you, I would caution you to watch your back. The Senshi of the White Moon are misguided, and they have wronged more than just the Dark Moon. Be careful with them."
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Posted: Sat Oct 13, 2012 2:20 pm
"Then I choose to leave." Hara added, still eyeing him warily as she wrapped the pink scarf lightly around her. "I'm glad it was helpful for you. It was... informative for me as well."
She granted him a slightly humorless smile as she added "Don't worry about me, Reamarque. This dog has been bitten before, she knows a little something about getting in over her head."
She didn't believe for a second he was worried about her, but it would have been nice to think that both sides really cared. Perhaps the best option was to keep closest to the Zodiacs. Dark chaos on one side, barely organized chaos on the other. What a party.
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Posted: Sat Oct 13, 2012 2:49 pm
"Do as you wish," he said with a vaguely passive air about him. In the grand scheme of things--and, everything was a scheme--this conversation certainly wasn't purely a waste of his time. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Hara Barazaiti. Whatever course of action you choose to take, do take care of yourself. I don't find much thrill in unnecessary casualties."
He didn't bother to make a threat to keep her out of the Dark Mirror Court's way; if she got in the way, they'd take her out. But she was just a Zodiac--already a minority in the war. There were already people out for her blood more so than he. She was weak, now--not worth his time. If ever she was to become a threat to him or the other members of the Court, then he might intervene, but for now?
Let her leave with insecurities and doubts. Let her question the relationship between the Zodiacs and the senshi. Let her wonder, as he said he wondered, why anyone would tolerate things as they did.
To conclude their meeting, he offered her a rather courteous nod and turned. "Have a good evening. I'll see you around some other time, I'm sure."
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