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Ida stood tall and regal before the fire pit, choosing to don princess attire tonight when so often she didn't. Tonight she wanted to inspire confidence and offer reassurance, so the wings and flowing purple gown were a necessity. Even if most knew her best as the mortal woman, fear was a powerful thing and any weapon she could use against it, she would.

Out of place in this ethereal picture of glowing henna and golden cuffs was the worn mug she cradled in thin fingers. From it she sipped hot tea to stave off the chill that came as the temperature dropped with nightfall. Patiently, she waited for those she had called to join her at the common gathering place. Around her, logs and rocks formed benches and seats, enough for everyone hopefully. She wasn't sure how many would come, but she had insisted people find someone else to perform their duties while they attended. Even if the rumors were unfounded, Ida wanted to be prepared. It could mean a difference in how many lives were saved.



Everyone is welcome to attend this meeting Ida has called! Most will have ties to the hospital but it's entirely possible for people to see the gathering and wander over or get invited by someone more in the know. Rumors have been circulating about someone feeding the Negaverse the location of HQ so first and foremost Ida wants to reassure everyone.

If you have questions for her, please feel free to voice them! DMC who are trusted at HQ have also been called to attend.

"Hi Ida, it's been a while" the source of the voice was a small tabby bobcat with purplish eyes, wearing a jade collar from which a book charm dangled, padding his way closer to the warmth of the fire pit.

Although Liryn didn't really have any ties to the hospital, there had been rumours circulating around that the Negaverse appeared to be being tipped off about Resistance activities. That was bad enough, however he had also heard rumours that the Negaverse had finally managed to catch wind of the Resistance location and that had been disturbing enough for Liryn to decide to make his way over to the where the meeting was being held once he got off duty from his Guard shift.

He gave a curious glance to the Dark Mirror princess, over in the shadows, although he didn't say anything about her presence there - there was enough shared history between Ida and Liryn for the tabby bobtail to trust the transcended princess' judgement about the unfamiliar (at least to him) Dark Princess' being at the meeting location.

The presence of dark mirror senshi in order spaces would never sit exactly right by Europa, but Oenone had long ago decided he was alright with Chariklo and she respected his judgment. And if Ida tolerated her, well... Europa had never found another princess to swear allegiance to the way she had sworn to Chibimoon, but Ida was a good senshi who lead with compassion. If she followed anyone, Europa was content to follow her.

She did not know why she had remained an Eternal senshi when so many of her compatriots had crowned themselves royalty over the years... but likely it was a matter of too many cooks in the kitchen ruining the soup. Europa was a warrior through and through, and footsoldier meant for the fields of battle. The magic that crackled through her veins was meant to stun and to terrify, to shock and to awe. She was a healer by trade but not by birth. If the rumors were true and the camp was in danger, she would happily take to the front lines.

"Princesses," she said as she approached the gathering space, curtseying slightly to both women. In wartime, you took comfort in small routines. There was reassurance to be found in courtly formality. Europa moved to stand by a log, slightly distant from Megrez, but she didn't sit. "Do we want to give credence to these rumors and move the camp? Evacuate the hospital?"

Even if it was unsubstantiated, just fear tactics meant to make order sloppy... Europa would rather be safe than sorry. She had people she loved here, and she'd already lost too many people to Chaos's advancing grasp to take such gossip lightly. Her parents, Kaatje... countless others. "We're outnumbered now, but we'll be even more outnumbered if they strike us where we're weak. Our homes. Our civilians."

Azzo had joined with Snowball on his shoulder, it'd been almost a month since they'd showed up in camp and when Laney had mentioned the meeting he was more than willing to help if he could.

He settled quietly and watched though he'd seen some of the people present before he'd left the city and around the camps, their names he wasn't sure of and he looked curious at the people present. Shortly he turned to Laney and while he only knew the basics of sign language but he'd managed to learn to ask something rather important. Who are the princesses? He managed to sign though it took him a pause to remember how to sign princess. Honestly he didn't want to be over heard asking since he had a feeling he should know them.

Snowball was more than happy to join the party. In fact it seemed as if it was a good idea that he did because the power levels present he shifted suddenly into helping the other cats mask the power signatures in a knee jerk reaction. "Ah it's good to be needed again." He purred out.

"Liryn, its good to see you." Ida greeted the small cat with a smile down at him. As much as she could have liked to sweep him up into her arms for a cuddle, she refrained. The girlish gesture would have conflicted with the strong, confident image she was trying to project.

More people were arriving as she waited; Megrez, who got a warm smile and a nod from the princess, Europa, Laney and a man she had never met. All got a nod of greeting from her, her smile still easy on her face as she cradled her mug in her hands. The tea was mostly gone, but what was left still warmed her fingers. The gathering was filling out and she was pleased by what she saw.

Soon enough, though, the questions began and it was Europa to start it off with the one that was most to the point. Ida bowed her head to acknowledge the question and raised her voice to address the crowd, her wings ruffling to draw attention.

"Europa's question is much the reason why I've called all you here. Yes, there have been rumors that say the Negaverse has discovered the location of Head Quarters, I've heard them being passed around myself." Ida spread her hands, one glowing palm forward to calm the inevitable murmuring as she continued. "I want to assure everyone that as yet we have no proof that they are more than rumors... but that doesn't mean we shouldn't be prepared. We live every day under the possibility that today might be the day the Negaverse discovers us and launches an assault, these rumors don't change that. This is why the camp has been kept as mobile as it is."

The orchid princess looked around the group, meeting eyes with her own calm gaze.

"This is why I have been drilling all of you on the evacuation plan, why you've all been separated into your groups and given specific tasks. Its so that, when the time comes, everyone knows what to do and the escape is made as swiftly and safely as possible. Now, the other reason I have called this meeting is to inform you all that there has been a change to the evacuation plan."

Turning, Ida lifted her hand to Chariklo in her shadowy post, dark to her light. "Princess Chariklo of the Dark Mirror has been my friend for many years and I owe her my life, as well as the lives of many of you for the supplies she and others of her court bring us on a nearly daily basis. She has agreed once again to offer Order aid and should emergency evacuation become necessary, those of the DMC we trust will be mirrorwalking the injured to safety. What this means is that rather than loading into the trucks as we practiced, you will form a line in the medical tent and make your way through the mirror to the new location. As before, the most critically injured will go first, with the most mobile and sound going last."

As the princess spoke, she studied the faces before her for signs of trepidation and distrust, making mental notes of who showed their feelings. She knew the Dark Mirror was not entirely trusted in the camp, but their abilities were too valuable for her to ignore in favor of small-minded individuals. The things Chariklo had done, was still doing, had many times over won her trust from Ida.

"As a reminder, the evacuation will be done without my supervision. If the Negaverse comes here, they will bring youma with them, which makes me doubly a target. Rather, I and those of you who are also transcended, will be guarding the hospital from a good distance away, both drawing attention away from our vulnerable point and keeping the Negaverse from making it past us. Once the last of the hospital has been cleared, the green signal flare will be fired and we will make our own escape. If everything goes to hell, which we hope it doesn't, there is a red flare to be fired off to signal assistance needed."

Finally, Ida clasped her hands together, gripping her mug, and dipped her head to the crowd.

"If you have any questions, now is the time to ask them. I don't know yet if the whole of the camp will be moved, but you will know as soon as I do."

Laney was glad for Ida's updates to the general evacuation plan. With so few people able to be spared for a meeting like this, it would take some time to get the word out, but they could still do that in a matter of hours, if they all talked to people and got them passing the message on.

She was glad, at the moment, to be transcended. Laney couldn't have been much use for corralling people, considering her injury, and she'd rather have been out holding the line with the rest of the Guard. Now that much was guaranteed.

I agree with Chariklo, she wrote down for Azzo's benefit. We've moved camp before, but never on this scale. It'll take a lot of effort to move everything and cover our tracks. That takes time.

It would be hard to leave some things behind. The little vegetable gardens they'd cleared and planted, the creek where they did much of their wash, the graveyard where loved ones were buried . . . none of those things could be taken along. Lives, though, were worth so much more than remembrances and conveniences. New gardens and graves could be dug, new streams would be found. A personal library lovingly curated for the past several years could be left behind -- maybe that would even give Bischofite something better to do for a few days than terrorize people out of soul-sick boredom.

They'd take each other, and that mattered most of all. They'd survive, and live.

They'd try, anyway. And that was all their lives had come to, anymore; nothing was certain, everything was just trying. But trying had gotten them safely through to tomorrow before. It was worth the attempt.

Laney nodded up at Chariklo and Ida, but didn't go to the effort of attempting to make more of a comment than that. It was too much work for her, in a group. Being translated was awkward.

Bohlinia had been watching the crowd from behind Ida, her eyes never leaving the worried tired faces of the resistance before her. It was a sobering sight but one that grounded her. To see the faces, the people she was fighting for and with, this was why she was here. It held at bay the fear that always threatened to consume her, she fought against this as much as the Agents and the Youma that threatened their lives everyday but she had a secret weapon that helped and that weapon was Ida.

Looking at her now Bohlinia couldn't help the tightness that hit her chest where pride and love blossomed for her princess. She was so radiant and beautiful it was difficult to see past her to the damp and dirty camp they called home. She was the figurehead in all this, the one shining star beyond all darkness and she was trying to reassure the masses against an attack that was bound to happen. That was going to happen.

She had heard the rumors herself, heard the whispers from lower agents talking of something big, something that would help tip the scales even further into Chaos reach. It was no surprise Ida had gained the same info, not an update went though this camp without the Princess knowing but Bohlinia had at least wanted to keep it quite until she had solid evidence. She knew what a panic could do to people, especially injured people. Relatives would be the first to react, building into a frenzy. She had seen it happen at other camps, ones that had no lasted this long but there was little she could do, she could only help.

Listening to Azzo's comment about the elderly she couldnt help but speak up, telling them a list of transport they had, that they could afford to use in this evacuation.

"We can spare two, maybe three trucks for the initial evacuation, they will be for the most dire injured though. The other two trucks need to remain here in case we have to evacuate immediately and have yet to get everyone who can not walk out. Those three trucks that go will not be coming back in case they are followed. We must remember that if these rumors are true they have gained their sources from somewhere and we can't rule out we are being watched. I will set up two different routes for the trucks to take that will hopefully confuse those watching where they will be going." She paused for a moment not as use to speaking in public as Ida or Chariklo was, trying to remember everything they had that they could spare.

"Other vehicles will not be used, we need all the fuel available for the trucks. People who can walk...will have too, there is no other way but the benefit of mirrorwalking is substantial, we can't do it without them." She glanced at Chariko again happy that the Princess was on their side and not an enemy. She didnt even want to acknowledge what they would do if they didnt have the mirrors.

"Again though we must be careful, the negaverse will target any mirrors if spotted, we will have to plan for every eventuality."

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Twilight Jaws

Bluefire Dragonz

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Shazari

Ida listened to the questions and suggestions as they came, filing them away with all the other information she kept neatly in her mind. Lifting her head, she addressed them one by one, though part of her wondered how much she should be divulging to the group. How many knew there was a information leak? Was it safe to share that? Would it get people thinking, or only cause a panic? Ida settled for skirting the issue for now and use other, still very valid, reasons.

"I don't know if the leaders will decide on a preemptive evacuation or not, but splitting the camp in two is problematic... It splits our forces, spreads the guards and cats over an even more tiring area... And there is no guarantee the new place would be any safer than this one, because we don't even know if the Negaverse has learned our location, or how they might have done it. They could catch us in the middle of it, unprepared and vulnerable. This is why I'm not even moving the hospital yet... We're not so mobile we can pick up and move every time there is a whiff of suspicion."

The princess nodded to Azzo. "The whole of the camp has it's own evacuation plan, you can be assured our more vulnerable population won't be walking if we can help it. My primary focus is the hospital though, as that is my responsibility. Concerns about the camp as a whole should be brought up with our leaders, but I will keep these in mind. If there is time, maybe our allies can take more than the hospital through the mirrors."

It wasn't a bad question to ask, but Ida felt woahfully under-informed in that department.

"The hospital is in the most defensible place in the camp... If the negaverse makes it this far, our guards and mainstay have fallen. At that point there is little we can do but flee and regroup later. It will be my job, with the rest of us who fight, to hold the line as long as possible. It's all we really can do." Ida shrugged gently to the rustle of feathers, accepting of what she saw in their future. All anyone could do was their best, and keep fighting. When Finn spoke up, Ida's eyebrows went up and she glanced between him and Chaiklo, wondering what the pair had been up to while she was busy.