001 (jan. 27) / video.

[dissenter]

[good afternoon Death City. hope you aren't tired of new arrivals yet because here's another one.

it's hard to tell where exactly this particular old bespectacled man is recording from because most of the screen is taken up by the biggest hat in the cosmos. don't be intimidated, though! he seems friendly enough, though his attention constantly flickers from his unseen audience to a point just beyond them -- as if he's almost more interested in the communicator itself than who's behind it. the quiet muttering doesn't help.] A mirror, eh? Curious choice...

[right, he's supposed to be talking to people. whoops! he blinks, starts, and smiles apologetically, refocusing.] Ah-- greetings. My name is Qilby, and I am an Eliatrope.

[an awkward, expectant pause as if he's hoping that by some stretch the term should be familiar to someone out there. or maybe he's just hesitant to address his next point.] ...I don't suppose I'm the only one that finds it rather tragic that by bringing us here and giving us these new abilities, they've stripped us of our powers that arguably could have been more useful to help end this conflict. And now we must figure out how to harness an entirely new set of skills... Well. They say you can't teach an old boowolf new tricks, and I doubt I'm an exception. [and his smile at his own "joke" implies that he is a very old boowolf indeed.]

That aside, I'm more than willing to try and learn. Tell me, how have people's experiences been? I'm afraid I haven't had to fight a war in a long time.

[and at that, he looks very tired.] A very, very long time.

Comments

[dissenter]

[it's more than clear to qilby that this is a sore subject. he quashes his curiosity for now.]

Five months? [his brows make a bid for the top of his head.] I suppose in the grand scheme of things, it's hardly a drop in the ocean but... It must truly be an even struggle if a city filled with warriors from all universes -- with magic powers, no less -- couldn't end the fight quickly and soundly.

... I realise now that I know very little about these Witches.

[topidol]

[Strange is a good word. He pauses for a moment to think of whether or not it's something he's interested in. It could be useful, but there are a lot of ways to be useful that don't involve combat too, right? Still, his flat expression never changes.]

I think I should find out sometime. I don't want to do nothing forever.

[justiceisdue]

No, it is not a very long time from my perspective either, but there are others that have been here far longer. The war predates the arrival of any guest, and has a long history in this world. Our presence may accelerate it one way or another, but every victory we achieve is negated by a victory from the Witches.

[And speaking of those horrible things...] They are incredibly powerful, and simply destructive by nature. My partner and I had the misfortune of encountering a Witch during an attack on their base, and we were very lucky to have escaped relatively unharmed. [She doesn't consider getting stuck full of holes to be that serious.] Despite all the skill and talent we bring with us, it is nearly useless against a Witch.

[kill_some_time]

Hmph.

The noisy fly, my brother and the pet are gone.

[proudambassador]

One of the old races, then.

[That would explain not knowing the Eliatropes, then.]

Some of them came out in our world, not too long ago, but they did not stay. They moved on, beyond the Rim, after dealing with a mess that they had left for too long.

And my name? I am Londo Mollari.

[His rank didn't need to come into things... yet.]

Your own would be...?

[pawned]

Or desperation. I can't say I understand the difference between either -- war tends to do a lot of things to someone.

[Lucky is right, though. Itou doesn't refute that.]

I believe the rest is the same in most worlds. Greed, a thirst for power, recklessness... Unfortunately, I can't tell you much about souls myself. My studies have not reached so far, apart from the age-old mantra here that a sound mind and a sound body leads to a sound soul. [His soul must be... unsettled at best, if that's so.]

[shrug] The library has several tiers, accessible to people depending on their rank. We're at the lowest among Shibusen's agents, at the moment, at the same level as their students.

[blue_wayfinder]

He was very wise. [Her smile was a bit rueful.] Sometimes I wish he was here so I could ask for his advice. [Or just so she could talk to him, really.]

It seems that some of them have fighting experience, but even so, I agree that BREW shouldn't be dragging them here. [She hadn't even wanted Ventus running around fighting evil and he was probably older than some of the people here.]

[thewarisover]

I've been here since July of last year, so that'd be... seven months now.

[A long, long time.]

A handful of others have been around for a bit longer than I have, though.

[dissenter]

[he laughs.] That's one way of looking at it.

Wonderful, then. Maybe in the process I'll gain some insight into... Whatever my new powers are. [nodnod. yes, this sounds good.] I understand there are regular training sessions in the mornings. Perhaps I'll see you at one?

[dissenter]

[a look of wonder...]

They sound... Terrible. Monstrous.

And their goal? It's nothing more than to follow their very nature, to destroy?

[dissenter]

Gone? Sent home by BREW, you mean? Or...

[an interesting thought -- that a god turned mortal could fall in battle. what would happen to their domain then?]

[dissenter]

Qilby. It's an honour, Londo Mollari. [a gracious smile.]

But yes, I don't think any race as old as ours and with the capability of space travel can stay in one place for long -- we would stagnate. To remain in motion, this was the way of our people. Anyone interested in any sort of advancement after countless millennia would likely believe the same.

[he beams.] Although, there's something to be said for settling for a few centuries and building a concrete civilisation! To leave behind relics, monuments, and legends. Things most other kings would have in abundance, but that I've eschewed for so long.

[kill_some_time]

So it would seem.

They have not ended - I would know if they did.

[Incidentally, his thoughts have been straying in a similar direction albeit for a different reason. He and his youngest brother have always formed two sides of an important balance; with one removed, the other should fall to ruin as well. Yet he is still here and there is only mild disarray where there should have been desolation.]

[dissenter]

Perhaps he'll find his way here some day. [a sympathetic look.] Until then, trust in all he's taught you.

...Because neither that nor the children can be helped. [a helpless eye-roll -- oh BREW, you so crazy.] We'll have to adapt and make do with our situation, I suppose.

[and then, curiously:] Have you chosen to fight?

[dissenter]

[he'd have a little something to tell you about what a really long time is...]

Only a handful? [you know, he's been wondering--] I understand that BREW has the power to send its defenders back as well. I wonder how many of its original fighters still remain -- or what the use for its turnaround is? I think it'd stand to reason that if it wanted the strongest army possible, it'd attempt to keep some of its oldest, most experienced people...

[dissenter]

[a wide smile -- AWW YEAH libraries, he knows where he's going tomorrow.]

Sound mind, sound body... Sound mantra. [his smile -- seemingly ever-present -- takes on a rueful bent.] I've got a bit of work to do, in that case.

It's tempting to eschew fighting in lieu of pursuing less-dangerous tasks but... These Witches and their Kishin sound like terrible enemies. As rusty as I am, I couldn't imagine sitting aside and letting people come under threat without doing something about it. [an inquisitive look.] Have you chosen to fight?

[it's a good thing they aren't face to face -- his glance at where itou's other arm should be wouldn't have gone unnoticed.]

[justiceisdue]

From what I have seen, they have no goal other than to throw the world into Madness. Their motivation and reasoning is lost on me, if they have any at all.

If you choose to fight, however, most of your battles will be against kishin eggs. They can be just as deadly, but are... easier to handle, so to speak.

[dragneel]

Your own sister! That's so COOL! Igneel's my pops! Well not my real pops, but he was the closest I had!

[ Of course, the hope of finding him is dashed after the admittance. Natsu is able to keep himself from looking too depressed about it, though. ]

It was a long shot anyway, so don't worry about it. 'm just glad to hear that dragons are still thriving in your world. Ours disappeared seven years ago without a trace. Been lookin' for Igneel ever since.

[hoarfrosted]

Yes, really. Perhaps I can show you, one day. You will like it so much, you will never want to leave, ever. [happy sigh.] Fall in love with everything like a hook into an eye.

[blue_wayfinder]

I guess you're right. [It still sucks, but there's not much else she can do.]

I have. I can't just stand around doing nothing while others are in danger. [Not when she can fight. Not when she'd been brought up as a protector of worlds.]

[voice]

[want_the_world]

Can't say I have.

I assume they take any powers that would let people leave easily, and give us ones useful to them.

How do magic and science go together? [An amused note creeps into his voice.]

[starfruitfrog]

[If it's any consolation, Keroro isn't exactly young either.]

But how come you don't know much about it now if it's the place you came from, de arimasu?

[I-Invaded...well...you don't seem to recognize him, so it probably wasn't a Keronian invasion. That would make this conversation so awkward.]

An invasion, huh. By whom, de arimasu?

[thewarisover]

I can give you figures on that at another date, if you like. I sort of keep track of who goes in and who ends up leaving. As for your other question... well. Let's just say that there's a lot of things that we don't understand about BREW's actions.

[pawned]

[Aren't you the punny one.]

I have, but it's purely out of self-interest. I can't go back home -- there's a bit of a problem with being dead -- so I must fight for this one if I'm to stay here.

[dissenter]

Kishin eggs-- humans who've devoured the souls of their fellow man. [saying it aloud's more for his benefit for Selendis'. he's still learning...] Parasites who've fed off their people in exchange for greater power.

[the wonder turns to contempt.] I should think they'd be easier to handle.