dev 10 - conflict with everyone

The valiant messengers from the mountain return.

With two in tow, absolutely unharmed and unscathed, the young Cruor waves upon approach- he doesn't seem all too down on the mood either, which means... it probably went okay?

Considering how much they demanded before, it went good.

"Hello."

"We're back. I bring mostly good news, and a bit bad news."
(Nathan Cruor)

"I hope the bad news is 'one of us is injured but it's not really bad and just a little tune up will do'. And not 'One of the many children that have been captured have eagerly thrown themselves into joining the 'dark side'."

When did Kaila become such a pessimist, a quiet rolling motion of her eyelids, suggesting that the eyes beneath were rolling.

She didn't really even bother opening them fully. Instead offering a soft yawn of exhaustion as she leaned back against the nearby fence. Sleepy medic was sleepy.

"Still some good news is better than no good news, and some bad news is better than no news at all, right?"
(Kaila M. Eggsworth)

Nathaliel, while unscathed, watched Nathan's back with no small amount of unease written on his face. It was clear he was upset by his posture, the stiff way he walked.

The ice crunching under ever step despite having left the chill of the mountain behind.

"After you deliver it, I have... Questions." The teen said, frigid and staring all the while.
(Nathaliel)

Miyoko was happy to return to the warmer climates.

"Ah.. I'm not use to that weather! Need to warm up!" Soon after Miyoko speaks, light embers shine off of her to raise her body temperature a tad. She looks at Rachel and grins.

"I'm back! Miss me?"
(Miyoko Hayako)

A mere glance is given back to Nathaliel. He could already tell there would be questions, but.. he mostly put it into light-hearted disregard, as if Nathaliel was asking something unimportant.

"Sure, sure. Ask away."

Regardless, his eyes turn to the group they arrived to. It doesn't take long before he speaks out once more.

"Okay, so-"

"Bad news first - they also have Sifiso, and we weren't able to negotiate for Venomira. Only for Deirdre and Sifiso."

There's a pause, and he continues.

"Good news - none of them will die, and they will just be kept around. Unless they do something very stupid like tell Ultovex that he sucks."

"Sifiso and Deirdre will be released if we bring the following - five invisibility potions, three smoke bombs, three rage pots, three swiftness potions and five thousand coins."

"I'll also have to share with them my Biomancy notes, but... whatever. I can make that sacrifice."

He looks over at them again, and adds.

"Well, I guess it's improvement over one hundred thousand, Cordelia's life and a Spire Shard, yeah?"

"It's almost like idiot Rin should've let me negotiate from the start."
(Nathan Cruor)

The waiting had been killer, and Rachel had been perched up - waiting, and watching; staring until she saw the first sign of her group. The three walking and approaching together, seemingly unharmed, safe and above all else Rachel noted again that they were together. None of them got left behind, and she had waved at Miyoko with a returned grin.

"How couldn't I miss you? Of course I did."

And then looking to Nathan? She would listen to the news. Almost immediately the news was given; and the near audible sound of glass shattering was heard as Rachel's grin turned into a tight lip frowned.

Sifiso? Captured? A third? In a single day? Taking the numbers up to five? That's...Tragic.

"Well that's a manageable trade I suppose - we're low on Alchemists but we can travel into Gehenna and gather what we can."

"What about Venomira? She was one of the ones I sent you to ask about anyways, before I knew about the Sifiso situation. Why can't we negotiate for Venomira?"

Arms crossing firmly at her chest Rachel frowned, and felt like she was missing something on that end; abruptly scowling as she referred back to his previous comment.

"...Did Venomira tell Ultovex that he sucks?..."
(Rachel Beckett)

"Because we got two." Nathaliel was precise with his wording, more than usual. Everything about him was a bit on edge. His fingers kept twitching. "Venomira. Or Siofiso. We got to choose." His gaze hardened as he stared at Nathan.

"And apparently. Fuck Venomira."
(Nathaliel)

"Well, haha... it's not that we can't do that at all... it's just we couldn't at that very moment."

Despite all that's been happening, he imagines that it's actually a manageable trade. Though.. with all these things happening? There's only so much that Nathan would keep doing. It's a waste of resources - time and time again.

For children that were basically asking for it.

"It's just I was offered to get Deirdre, and then one more - and so I picked Sifiso." Then, Nathaliel says it. Rather than being embarrassed by it or trying to avoid it--

He only smiles.

"Yeah, that. Fuck Venomira. Maybe a year or two on the mountain will teach her how to not be annoying."

"Don't worry though. None of them will die - and we can just return for her later on."

Well, hey. It was better than nothing, right?
(Nathan Cruor)


Moavug Zayllur says, "..."

Nathaliel says, "What the hell is wrong with you."

Nathan Cruor says, "Me? Nothing."

Nathan Cruor says, "I was given a choice, and I made it."

Nathan Cruor says, "Two out of three. We were initially only given one."

Nathan Cruor says, "I already got us one more than we otherwise would get."
Moavug rubs his fucking head.
(Moavug Zayllur)


Ray Invidia says, "I'll tell you this much, a year or two on the mountain will just make her an enemy."

Ray Invidia says, "You shouldn't say such things, Nathan."

Nathan Cruor says, "Pff."
"Invisibility potions feels like we're just trading five kids for five other kids." She'd comment with a lazy raise of her shoulders and a sideways glance towards the mountain.

"So it's a bit more.. Okay news than good. But, way better than a spire shard, a hundred thousand coins, or Cordelia's life." Her teeth clamp together, silently grinding against one another. All the while her shut-eye'd gaze would begin to 'wander'.

"Biomancy notes too huh? Bit spooky, donno what they'd do with that kind of magic... Still, at least we've got confirmation that they're y'know... Not gonna kill 'em. Annnnd no set time limit to procure the alchemical goodies."

A soft mumble following soon after..

"Even though I'd rather give them nothing. And find enough people to march up there on our own... Kind of- I donno. Sick of being afraid? Like... Gehenna, Leven, Haung, if we use the time to unite them against the mountains... Well.."

Her shoulders raise in a quiet, lazy shrug. "Easier said than done. Sorta. Isn't there like a mutual hatred of the place?"
(Kaila M. Eggsworth)


Moavug Zayllur says, "..."

Nathaliel says, "No one's going to risk their lives for kids that aren't their own."

Kaila M. Eggsworth asks, "Soo feck the younger generation, essentially? I mean has anyone tried yet?"

Nathaliel says, "Siofiso tried to get Elyon to do it."
"Yeah, I get it - it sucks to even give them anything at all, Kaila. I actually agree."

"But it's not like we can actually battle them on our own, and adults won't bat an eye. I bargained, and got the most I could out of situation."

There's a pause, and he adds.

"Pretty sure it's better than offering 'anything' like Rin did and then getting bled dry, so yeah."

In his eyes, it was better than nothing. Even if they weren't going to carry through with the deal, it would at least postpone things - enough to actually organize something.

"Just did what I could. We were going to be dropped off with one anyway, but I made it two."
(Nathan Cruor)

Rachel visibly twitched.

Maybe a moment of weakness or maybe just that she had tipped over, that the balance had fallen over onto its side and crashed into the dirt; her face abruptly firm as she stepped over to Nathan. A finger was brought down, and poked into his chest; her thin lipped frown showing more and more as she had very clearly been angered, yet in a much different way than when she had originally heard about their capture.

"You did fine. You did good, you made the choice to save who you could but you also don't get to make that decision, understand? You can't just say fuck someone if you don't like them, not in this situation."

"Her life isn't something you can just shrug off. When I sent you, I asked you to retrieve Deirdre and Venomira. I did that because Venomira, for all of her faults, is a competent fight."

The whole thing was off. She scowled, angrily and walked across the grass, pacing. She barely knew Sifiso and Deirdre, angrily stalking as she glared around; they didn't have a lot of competent fights.

Venomira was one of their competent fight. Egotistical, but competent - as she had beaten everyone present at least once.

"Ugh. This is all fucked up. Okay, we'll gather the materials and then we'll get those two back and negotiate for Venomira on higher terms."

She was doing her best to stay calm, but she was clearly uncomfortably annoyed - looking to Nathaliel.

"Is their anything else I should know?"
(Rachel Beckett)


Kaila M. Eggsworth says, "Who runs Haungzhou. Maybe I'll ask Thalia and Illui- might be pointless but eh. Better to say I done tried then not at all. "
Standing aside and examining the group and listening in on the conversation while staying quiet. It was out of character to not weigh in but all that needed to be said had already been said. His blue hues watched over his friends as they argued and discussed the agreement from the mountain before a hand came up to his forehead.

"Good grief.. At least we can handle this demand and get some people back. Look's like this is mostly a victory for our team at the end of the day." He said while scratching at his chin.
(Katsu)

The reaction from young Cruor is an immediate frown.

Where Rachel seeks to poke against his chest, he immediately slaps it away; to be 'judged' this way isn't something he was looking for. Not when he practically ensured they wouldn't die, even if they had to stick around for a while.

"Rachel."

"I do not need your lectures." It's spoken in a stern voice. Of course, she should expect that from Nathan..

"To begin with, Venomira isn't even that great of a fighter. I toppled her easily." And he was young. That only meant she isn't that great at all.

"I sacrificed my personal belongings in form of Biomancy to getpeople saved. Even then, despite my own annoyance with Venomira - I still made sure she isn't going to get skewered like some fish. I still made sure that she would be safe."

"So another deal, with a bit of extra payment, could be made for her."

The heat rises around Nathan's form. So much, that it threatens to break loose- the young Cruor never enjoyed such confrontations of any sort, and it'd seem as if such pokes only made things worse.

"So don't talk to me as if I have no right to say what I want to say. I don't like Venomira. I don't even know her. All I've seen her do is do stupid shit, time and time again."

"She doesn't deserve your praise. She doesn't deserve my effort. Yet, I made it for her anyway."

"I'll say this again - do not get at me with this, Rachel. Just don't."

He huffs. His arms crossed, displeased and with two brows knitting together in a frown.
(Nathan Cruor)

A nod was given towards Nathan, along with a small yet appreciative wave of her hand. He'd done more than she'd done after all. Her shut-eye'd gaze soon finding its way towards Mao of all people. Either noting his presence or waiting for the man to actually say something. But she didn't hear anything. Not even a peep.

The staff raises and she jingles it in the Drakanite's direction.

"And what about you? Any suggestions? Or... Does nothing comes to mind."

Polite, cordial- perhaps a little too formal all things considered. Her lips pressed into a firm yet deadpan expression. Though she offers no words towards either Nathan nor Rachel when the two discuss their differences about Venomira.
(Kaila M. Eggsworth)

Leaning against the home, his eyes slowly shut.

That was a dangerous trade.

Those of the mountain are very aware of what Ray does, and now they'd have a chance to do it back. Meaning he'd have to be on higher alert. Invisibility attacks can be the most dangerous. Still, material things for a life is rarely a bad trade.

Although Venomira isn't exactly the person Ray wants around. It wasn't fair to leave her there, but again there wasn't much of a choice in that matter anyways. Not to mention she had the highest probability of becoming someone vile if exposed long enough. Ray was in deep thought and the longer he stood there the more his fear rose.

Ray didn't have an answer, or even a plan.

How non kingly of him. His idea of a plan was just to fight with equal force until they surrendered, and he couldn't even execute that correctly. This was the worst situation ever. "Tsk." Teeth grind against one another as he looks deep for something that they could do now.

Yet he couldn't find a thing. Upon realizing this he just accepts it, "Good job, Nathan. I'm glad that everyone made it home safe."
(Ray Invidia)

Nathaliel didn't respond, he couldn't. He was seeing red, he had been ever since Nathan had said it, but didn't act on it until now. "So what about that oath? Guess it doesn't apply to some people if we don't like them." Of course, Nathan had already answered this, but again it was brought up.

"Whatever. Whatever. Here's the question then." He glared at Nathan. "Who are you to her? To Aurora? What's been giving you special privileges ever since I've known you? What's let you walk up there without so much as a fear of attack, to the point that you thought it was important to mention to her!"
(Nathaliel)

"I..." He took a moment to think rationally of everything. His scales and wings coming forth as the only thing that he had in mind was everything he needed. But when it came to the biomancy notes, he had to shake his head at it.

More people, missing.

He simply looks at them, eyes squinting as they were already slanted. "I... don't know what we can do, only thing we can do is give up the notes. Even though I wanted to study them..." He paused as he lets his hand come across his clean chin. What were the things that he could do?

"I really, really hate this. But who was captured now?"
(Moavug Zayllur)

A brief glance is offered to Nathaliel. This was... perhaps a very bad time to catch Nathan with such question- but for the sake of liking this one, he answers, despite the foul mood.

"Honestly, Nath? I don't even have to answer to you about my personal life or my personal business."

"You clearly weren't listening either. I said I might not like Venomira - but I still made sure that she isn't going to die."

"But I am not paying with my own notes for her well-being. I am not going to pay out of my pocket. She's safe by now, so go on, feel free to return later and pay up for her release."

It's spoken with a scowl, a disdain. The fiery Cruor was certainly not liking any of this, not at all.

"And she's an old acquaintance. That's about it."

Now, whether Nathaliel assumes it's a lie or not... it doesn't seem like Cruor will be answering more.
(Nathan Cruor)


Kaila M. Eggsworth says, "Deirdre and.. Sisifo. Did I say that right? Probably not."

Moavug Zayllur says, "..."

Moavug Zayllur asks, "Who got captured... and who ran up there on their own accord?"

Nathan Cruor says, "They all did pretty much."

Kaila M. Eggsworth says, "Who knows anymore Mao..."

Moavug Zayllur says, "..."

Nathan Cruor says, "I'm also getting tired of this. I save stupid kids that get captured and I get scolded for it."

Moavug Zayllur says, "Alright... I'm upset."

Kaila M. Eggsworth asks, "At this rate you're going to have grey hairs at what, fifteen Nate?"

Kaila M. Eggsworth says, "Or are you.. You look kind of older than me actually.."

Nathan Cruor says, "No. At this rate I'll just stop bothering and focus on what I personally enjoy doing."

Kaila M. Eggsworth asks, "You're like sixteen right??"

Nathan Cruor says, "...I'm thirteen."

Kaila M. Eggsworth says, "Bad joke.."

Kaila M. Eggsworth says, "Yeah. I think we're all upset Mao. Coping in our own ways..."

Moavug Zayllur says, "You... can't fix stupdiity no matter how hard you try. You can't stop people constantly forcing themselves up the mountain. At this point, it seems as if they were ready to kill themselves or they just want to see Sors for themselves."

Moavug Zayllur says, "... it's depressing."

"Nathan, you're not understanding me - you're not listening. If you go around choosing who gets freedom because you like them, then you're entirely missing the point of what I'm saying."

"Venomira is loud. Venomira is egotistical. Venomira is aggressive. Venomira? Is often times fucking stupid." Blunt in her delivery, she wasn't trying to sugar coat and make it sound better than it was; trying to get her point across as she scowled.

"Venomira will be the first to die - because I don't care who you are to anyone on that mountain, you're nobody to the big ones that matter most. When you go up there, next time - you need to think about the people you don't like, because they? Probably won't like them either. Those people are your first priority, because those are the ones that need saving most." She was growing a little emotional, but was nodding towards him slowly; trying to make sure he was understanding her.

"I am saying you did good. The negotiations are good, they're reasonable; your reasoning for Venomira's continued capitivity is the problem. It's not a lecture, it's not a speech it's me telling you that I needed to see, as a fellow leader, that you could manage this and look past her faults."

"Because in the next five years, Nathan? You're going to be knee's deep wading in dumbass, and you're going to have to look after them."

She stepped away and rubbed her face, mumbling under her breath about the situation as she sighed.

"And you'd best stop half heartedly threatening me when I try to open a civil discord with you about my problems on you handling things, Nathan. We're going to need to have an equal communication going forward, or else I won't be able to work with you at all."

"Again. The trades are good. You are good at trading. I appreciate it. Good work - really good work. Better than a Spires Shard kind of work."
(Rachel Beckett)


Kaila M. Eggsworth says, "Power tempts all! Or most."

Moavug Zayllur says, "...I just wanted to be a damn therapist, jesus..."
Kaila stands on her tippy toes and reaches up. Patting Mao's shoulder. There there.
(Kaila M. Eggsworth)


Kaila M. Eggsworth says, "I just wanted to heal people."

His eye twitched. For a long moment, he only stared at Nathan, lips curling up in disgust once more. And then, his head shook. "No, you don't." The words were almost spat out, but he continued.

"You don't explain anything. But it's what friends do when they ask each other questions." Each word came out in a waft of frost, the grass beneath him freezing solid. "It's good to see where I stand with you." The staff came from his back, and was just as quickly tossed to the grass.

"I'm gone. I'll figure out how to serve Agartha on my own." And without another word, the teen began to walk away.
(Nathaliel)

"I did not leave her behind just like that!"

It's almost spoken in a very explosive manner, much like Nathan's own demeanor tends to be. The accusations that he 'decided' her fate just like that were getting to him - but the truth is, it's not like he had much of a choice in the first place. It's one thing if Rachel asked for it..

But is he not allowed to make a decision of his own?

"You're mad at me just because I didn't take Venomira over Sifiso, even if I made sure none of them will die during their stay." That scowl remains. Perhaps, deepens even. "Do you not understand, Rachel?"

"I was given a choice - take two people outof three. That's it. And initially, we were only given one. I decided to take Deirdre and Sifiso, because Deirdre is vulnerable and Sifiso can annoy wrong person. Venomira is mostly silent, and isn't going to get herself in trouble anyway. And they won't even touch her otherwise!" He huffs again. Explaining this time and time again riled him up only further.

"Or what? Am I not allowed to make a choice now, based on my own conclusions?"

Even if she was looking to praise him, it felt backhanded, at best; almost as if she were criticizing him, while at the same time trying to soften the blow. That, however, didn't settle well for the young Cruor.

"If you want me to not sound like that, then maybe you should begin to trust my decision making a bit more, because it went over your head that I did this for a reason."

"Even if I dislike Venomira, even if I left her out in that trio, I still did it for objective reason. How hard is that to understand?"

"I'm honestly beginning to think people keep trying to see some shade in whatever I do - no matter what I do for them."

"And I'm tired of this."

His lips purse again, and his gaze drifts to the ground; if only to shift them to where Nathaliel was heading out.

"Oh? Now you are going to give me shit for all of this? Fine. Whatever."

"Best of luck."

This was horrible on so many levels.
(Nathan Cruor)

"You're allowed to make a choice! I'm saying you are! I can't stop you, and maybe I'd agree with your choice if you weren't sounding like such an asshole about it!"

"I'd likely make the same decision! But you know what I'm not going to do? I'm not going to say fuck her, like she doesn't matter. I'm not going to say a year or two on the mountain will do her good, on the mountain that's tortured and turned out friends into fucking monsters. I'm not going to talk badly about her after just abandoning her."

"That's where the problem is. But go ahead, sure; keep taking it as if I'm attacking you for no reason. We really need more people to cause angry misunderstanding among each other instead of, I don't know - talk like people. Your logical reasoning is sound. It's your emotional reasoning as a person that comes off as fucked up, and that's why I'm angry."

"I trust you. Just think like...a person, for a second, back at what you've said regarding her. You did a good job, you just did an awful job explaining."  Rachel spoke with flaring nostrils as she glared down at Nathan, eyes continuing to stare for the moment as she hoped he would listen, at least a little, before she turned to look at Nathaliel.

Watching him drop the staff, and say her piece - she had ignored Katsu's yelling entirely, walking over to pick up Nathaliel's staff.

A moment of hesitating as she considered begging him to stay.

"Gehenna. Go to Gehenna...Their are good people there, great people; and keep the damn staff with you, for safety. You might find me around there hanging around soon.."

The staff was stabbed into the ground next to the boy, hoping he'dtake it, before she walked the way of Ray.

Sighing softly.

"Apologies. You said you wanted to talk earlier? I could use some time to..Cool down anyways."
(Rachel Beckett)

"Uh.. Um.."

The kitsune had nothing to say in this situation as she watched the two people she cared most about bicker. However, Miyoko didn't feel the need to let it continue. She just didn't know how to butt in without getting yelled at herself. She was afraid of something like that. When it comes to ties. Her biggest fear was when the tie began to untwine and break.

"Guys.. can we not do this...?" questioned the Kitsune, feeling her voice getting quiet, smaller, not able to continue. It was like it was clogging up a bit whereas the others were able to boom their volume up more, but they weren't even yelling. Feeling the pressure gathering upon her. The need for her to help was dwindling. Although, the more they continued it would raise slowly as she built up the courage to believe that she could fix this scene. The patches were big, the wounds were untreated. How will she be able to stitch this up?

"Let's just be reasonable, the three of you, please?" Her genuine plead for them to just settle down and accept everything that looked to go down the wrong path. She wondered why it had to be them that had to be captured and not her. They wouldn't be making this argument.

Her eyes drift towards Nathaliel that seemed to finally lose it. Dropping his gear and making a turn to leave. The eyes of Miyoko would look gloomy as things were starting to fall apart. "W-Wait. Don't leave!" she cried, holding out a hand, watching as the items that he held fall to the ground. She runs to pick the stave up and hold it in her grasp. She flickers between both individuals.

Heat began to channel through her circuits. Slowly, the temperature would rise around her.

"Stop!" she shouted, her lungs reaching to the top. Seeing Nathaliel leave so soon as they recruited him recently broke the little Kitsune's heart. It was appearing to her that they... were breaking apart.

"Why must you guys do this! Don't leave Nathaliel. We can still sort this out, I know we can! Believe me, I'm distraught that we can't gather Venorima as well," she'd say peering towards Rachel now.

"But we can't let this get to our heads. We're growing! Life comes with hard decisions that we have to suffer to make. Not each one is easy. Nathan was able to get two of our own with a high price. We need to make that the priority first before we argue!"

Miyoko would hold her chest, breathing hard. Talking that much made her a bit out of breath.

"Please.."
(Miyoko Hayako)

He paused for one moment. Rachel spurred him on to Gehenna. Funny, that's where he was going anyway. He remembered Elyon talking to Siofiso about how he'd helped make the world safer.

Funny how false that seemed now.

The staff came up with a static charge, and was immediately pointed at Nathan, the entire length frosting over in an instant. "Then tell HIM to tell me the damn truth! I'm not going to stay in a place where a LIE is more important than a friend!"

He trembled, the hurt and anger painted all too clear to see. What hadn't been seen when he turned his back became obvious, the tears that were freezing over into perfect little spheres on his cheeks, leaving equally frozen trails.

"I KNOW we would have to make a damn choice! But it shouldn't be so COLD. We're supposed to be GOOD." He shouted, pouring it out, and then finally stopping in a wracking sob.

"I'll save this whole world by myself if I have to!"
(Nathaliel)

"I'm not going to back away from what I said, Rachel. I do not like Venomira, and I do not know her. All I've seen her do is stupid shit. She doesn't deserve your praise or the effort put into her."

"And I will say what I want about people." This, of all things, was treated more like the right which cannot be taken away from the Cruor. As much as he appreciated certain people, some were just... left behind.

And Venomira was one of them.

"You're getting far too soft again, Rachel. Next time, I won't bother with saving people if I can't say what I want to say."

As for Katsu's remark? All he did was glare daggers at him, a frown appearing over his face like no other. He wasn't going to listen and that much is clear. Even then, when Rachel walked off to simply speak to Ray--

-- that frown only deepens, and Invidia's critique doesn't make it any better.

Nathan will remember this. That hidden something remains unto his mind, and he turns to Nathaliel.

"You know what?"

"If you want it, then let's go. I'm tired of hearing all those things around here anyway."

Although he walked into same direction where Nathaliel was... the other teen was expected to follow.
(Nathan Cruor)