[COMPLETE] Congregation

[demon_pachabel]

The look on Cassandra's face was one that had a proverbial cup of tea being sipped as she looked around the room at the shouting going on. She wasn't differentiated at all, so she wasn't sure how she felt about any of this.

Then again, wasn't the reason why she'd never differentiated because being stuck as anything hadn't sounded appealing to her at any given point in time? Sure for a passing moment it had sounded fine, but she really didn't want to know how anything was for longer than that. Nope. Nope. Nope.

And now they were talking about control commands of some sort. Her head turned from one person to another as they spoke before they quietly spoke up as well:

"So kind of like the laws of Robotics only for the Geas?" she pipped up at Leila's suggestion. Not really helpfully, however. If it was a leash, it should have been more of a 'tug back and stop' thing, rather than a 'ASSUMING DIRECT CONTROL' and the Reapers fall from the sky.  

[cibarium]

"Well... yeah, maybe," Leila shrugged at Cass. "There has to be some boundaries most of us could agree should never be crossed, right?"  

[demon_pachabel]

"Yeah, I think that fair," Cass nodded. "I mean, I know I have a small list of boundaries."  

[Grey Dragon]

Getting down to business was no more comfortable for Kaleb than milling about with his social awkwardness, there were so many serious things to discuss, and he always felt as though he knew only half the story on any one topic. There were some pretty heavy decisions to be made.

During the talks he had migrated to Shiloh's vicinity despite the anger radiating off his friend. Being scared off didn't cross his mind once, he was right where he needed to be if Shiloh could take any support from a supportive presence.

"I agree with Leila, consent... it's really important." His voice was small like usual, perhaps not even enough to hear over the crowd, but those nearby might pick up on it. "Magic comes with a lot of power, and people don't always use power well... It shouldn't be used towards causing harm, there are too many ways to do that even without magic."

cibarium

Leila is the voice of reason

Melancholies

frands

saedusk

hello lovely person

 

[saedusk]

It was like a slap in the face hearing Shun deny his attack on Shiloh, as if Shiloh would lie about who had approached him on the street with a goddamn knife. Jamie could feel the anger burn across their mental link and his eyes grew narrow and harsh. "If not you," he asked Shun, "then who?"

It was Oliver's projection that interrupted his thoughts and reigned him back in. Put a muzzle on Shiloh? Rude, really, but it reminded Jamie that they were all here for a reason and that reason wasn't fighting. Of course he wanted things to go his and Shiloh's way, but if they were forced to cast votes and play at a democracy then that's what they'd have to do.

Trying to be reassuring, he squeezed Shiloh's hand. Tightly.

"I think we should keep differentiation," he said aloud. "It's a good concept in theory." It would help keep things balanced, he thought. "But it should be a choice. People who want to take on the responsibility will be more likely to actually try, right?"

On the topic of the geas, Jamie was torn. He didn't like when it was used against those he cared about, but he could see its pros in situations that got out of control. Not that it had protected anyone from the wrath of the Spinel Lady or Burning Man, as far as he knew.

"Why not keep the geas as a fail safe?" he asked, "Or something similar, maybe not as invasive... There's the potential to... to make it applicable to everyone. Or at least to the spirit-bound, if we make them a thing." Which, well, he sort of wanted to. "I agree with Oliver, though, spirit-bonding should be something wargs and weres can choose to work toward if they want, not something that's forced on them."

Blade Kuroda

Melancholies

 

[saedusk]

"Suit yourself," Eli said with a half-shrug, not all that bothered by Ro's departure. With that out of the way, he'd just head over to Oliver and Horace. After all, though he wouldn't admit it, he felt like a fish out of water just as much as he enjoyed the chance to be lost among the crowd.

In the real world, among normal, non-magical social circles, Eli could schmooze with the best of them. Here, intertwined with people who knew so much more about this apparent dire situation than him, he almost felt like an outcast.

As he turned back around, he found himself face-to-fuzzy-face with Nugget.

"Hello," he sing-songed, reaching up to give the bat a little scritch. Horace's comment made his smile slip into something a bit more genuine. Things were getting heavy with a quickness—there was Silk in all her irritated glory—and Eli found his place squeezing into the group near Oliver and Horace.

Melancholies

The Semblance of Unity

 

[Melancholies]

"Well then who the heck was it Kuroda? You got an identical twin too?" He laughed a little, "Who also seems relatively un-phased by magic? Who also has crazy a** reflexes?" He snorted a little, "I don't lie about that sort of s**t. That b*****d knew my name and my face and he sounded like you." Shiloh pointed at the mark on his neck, "Or did I try to slit my own throat walkin' home from 7/11?"

"Besides, you already got Mercer over there offering to kill me too. I forgot how everyone has a penchant for killing off their principals. I don't feel ******** safe." His arms folded up. "Or maybe that's just something you gotta work out with your department."

Topic: Geas

"I can agree to a do-no-harm clause," Shiloh said after a long moment, "But until someone figures out a better fail safe—or makes it a Noble-use only or everyone use only—or anything really, I need something to fall back on." He grumbled. "I'm willing to listen to ideas. I just don't wanna be left defenseless. Remember—I'm a Noble too. The geas would affect me just as much as any other Nobility. I'm just looking out for my own skin."

Topic: Deer Triplets

"And I might be jumping ahead here, but I wanna get this thought out for everyone to chew on, whether you wanna say anything yet or not." Shiloh looked around, "But there's the case of the deer siblings too—Noeh, Pride and Pax—if we keep the classes separate, we still might need them as filters, except like, if we're remaking the charter then I want to start over fresh here too." He tapped his fingers impatiently on his arm. "Which would require something—or someone—in their stead, but two of 'em helped make the cage. That kinda conflicts with what I'm going for."

He returned Jamie's squeeze, his mind strained and tired. Suddenly Kaleb had turned up and the combined presence of him + Jamie made him settle down slightly. He didn't want to spook his friend after all, and he knew Jamie was keeping it together for his sake. "Hey bud." He looked a little apologetic; like a switch being flipped.

saedusk

bae...

Blade Kuroda

squints

Grey Dragon

friend!

Quote:

ppl

 

[Melancholies]

Oliver nodded slowly, "I guess the separation is good in theory, but look as where we're at now..." He tapped his chin, "I at least agree with trying to find the root cause, though we're short on time." He sighed, trying to pointedly ignore the Shiloh-Kuroda debate going on just as much as Eve was. "I don't really... want to speak on the geas. But it seems dangerous, thinking someone could command my brother to hurt himself like that. Don't Nobles suffer enough?"

Ollie looked over at Eli as he sauntered by, "About time, a*****e..." He huffed a little, especially because he had been re-chosen by Nugget of all things. "Do you need a run down on anything?"

cibarium

The Semblance of Unity

saedusk

 

[Blade Kuroda]

"Probably the same shithead who tried to kill Mercer and attempted to bomb the Police Department in broad ******** daylight, because as it stands, that is being pinned on me as well. Beyond that much, I am trying to figure out just who the ******** it is," he replied to the two of them, keeping his voice low.

Hearing about the attacker sounding like him was news though. He tilted his head at that. It was probably futile. Evidence was stacked against him with exception of a few things that didn't quite add up. People were going to believe what they choose and if they thought he was really the sort to be assaulting allies for no apparent reason, then he probably didn't need them in the first place.

He rubbed his face, frustrated with just about everything about this meeting thus far.

"I really do not care if we keep differentiation or not. If we remove it, however, we need a way of allowing ourselves to keep or regain knowledge we have accumulated thus far whenever a cycle resets. Leaving around journals and time capsules are not nearly enough in that regard. It has to be first-hand, somehow."

If he had found a journal that detailed everything a past version of himself had written a year ago, when he had just started all of this, he probably would have just thrown it away thinking it was some stupid prank or some other nonsense.

Regarding the deer triplets... it was a thing to think about. Having people take their place did not seem all that ideal, though.

saedusk

melancholies

 

[Daekie]

Alexis just stared at Shun - I hope it ruins you, I hope you rot, I hope you rot, backstabber, traitor - but it seemed to get boring, eventually, and they turned - tossing their head - and walked away. "Never trust a cop." This time, to find a chair near Preacher, out of the action (they didn't belong there, not now, they were just being stupid about it and pretending they mattered).

They sat down heavy, with a sharp exhale, and knotted their hands in their skirt as they looked at her out of the corner of their eyes.

The Semblance of Unity

 

[cibarium]

Topic: Spirit-bonded

"The root cause is being split in the first place," said Eve to Oliver. "In my opinion. But it seems like a fine compromise to start as something like a moonwalker or warg, and have to work towards a full spirit bond." It would be just as bad to force current moonwalker and warg into power they didn't want, after all.  

[The Semblance of Unity]

"Never trust a cop?" she echoed idly. "Pity, that, since I work fer so many. Don't that make me a cop-by-proxy?" Preacher casually raised her phone and snapped a picture of Alexis before turning back to the crowd. Later on, she planed on drawing the pictures she'd taken. But for now, she was simply debating dinging another cheeto at Chester.

"Also, for tha record," she said, a little louder. "I ain't wanna have a full-on, hard-on spirit bond thing. I like bein' me, even if tha pack touch blows chunks."

daekle

 

[azuredreams]

Jeremiah pinched the bridge of his nose. Mostly because teenagers. At the moment he was not going to even acknowledge Shiloh. The complete lack of understanding- Not the time. Finally, he spoke up (voice still calm and even, as always).

Topic: Geas

"Not only is there the geas for the Nobility but there is the fact that no Noble can act against another Noble. If one does, then the rest of the Nobility go after the offender, their fetches, and their tithes should they have any.

"However, the geas must stay in place unless we come up with an alternative. If we can further refine the situations where it can be used, to prevent it from being used to harm a Noble, then let us do that. As it stands, anyone can use the geas to command a Noble to do something." A bright eyed gaze went to everyone in the room. "So, yes, limitations or refinement of it's use or it stays." Jeremiah could not see a way around it unless they created something else to that would further refine the use of it.

Topic: Deer Triplets

"Regarding Pax, Noeh, and Pride ..." A breath. "Pride has stated that he would rather not. He would rather grow up, get to live his life, instead of being eternally eighteen. Noeh simply wishes to be done with it. What was necessary at the time is no longer necessary now." She was also tired of being judged by people who had no idea what they were talking about. Jeremiah wondered how long until that sentiment was shared by many here. "I cannot speak of Pax but that is what I know of the other two. I am in agreement that if we are starting anew, then we also start anew in regards to their positions. Something or someone, as Beaumont stated, to be there in their stead.

"If we are doing this, it is best that everything is created by our wills and magic."

Topic: Spirit-bonded

"Eve, didn't you once say that moonwalkers can gain the abilities of a warg? Potentially vice versa? That seems like a step towards what you're talking about." Not that Jeremiah would weigh in on wargs and moonwalkers but it was confirmation of information for those present. That perhaps a fully realized spirit-bond was not, already, too far a stretch from what was already possible.

"However, I still agree with the fact that a change like that? It's not going to be wanted by some." As Preacher had just said herself.  

[Daekie]

"You gonna arrest me?" Their hands twisted tighter in the fabric, pulling it into knots; <********>, their thigh hurt. Mostly it was just kind of an uncomfortable idea, a skirt around so many dangerous people, with no self-defense available. "If you are, then yeah. If you aren't, nah."

The candid caught Alexis with furrowed brows, pale-faced, staring fixatedly at their lap as the silky fabric curled around their fingers. A wayward curl hung in front of their ear, in parallel with all the other lines of their face.

"Mostly just figured it'd sound good. Y'know I don't mean it about you. I trust you."

The Semblance of Unity

Topic: Deer Triplets
Alexis shifted in their seat when the topic came up. Jeremiah only had to take one look at them to know what they must have been thinking - not that it was obvious on their face, but it was the same straight line their spine had been in every time the topic of sacrifice ever came up, in the Court. I would. Everyone else deserves to go on with their lives. If it wanted me, I would, I would every time; body and blood.

azuredreams

 

[cibarium]

topic: spirit-bond

"Yes, a moonwalker can eventually bond to an animal companion, but the bond is severely limited," Eve confirmed. "Since so much about us was lost in the Purge, I think the potential flexibility from a fully-restored spirit bond would work in our favor. We could develop abilities more in tune with our own strengths and weaknesses, and with it develop and fulfill more specialized roles... if we so choose."

As much as she had loved shapeshifting, she could still recognize she couldn't do everything a gray fox was capable of when shifted.