Path to Usurpation (10/09)

The spaded tail sways behind her. Less lazy, as it cuts through the air back and forth like a dagger. Not that it's capable of harming anyone like a dagger. Though a thought occurs to her, briefly, of how she could attach one.

"Chiriel's always been good at pressing people to where he wants them," she replies after some thought, rolling her shoulders.

She's about to say something else. Her eyes flick around.

"If we're going to talk about this more, we should do it inside. People apparently like hiding in the trees here and eavesdropping."
(Dura Levante)
[18:37:10] DeLisle Creux says, "...Probably. I guess we should. This seems like it's better to think about now than later."
[18:37:26] Dura Levante says, "Yeah. There's a long list of things I'd rather do. I can start on it after."
[18:38:03] Dura Levante says, "Take a couch. Or don't."
[18:38:05] DeLisle Creux says, "Is this... your house?"
[18:38:24] Dura Levante says, "Kinda'. I don't use it all that much."
[18:38:37]
Dura flops down unceremoniously on one of the couches.
(Dura Levante)
[18:38:37] Chat command attempt: /emote Dura flops down unceremoniously on one of the couches.
[18:38:45] DeLisle Creux says, "What the f**k. I have an apartment."
[18:38:48] DeLisle Creux says, "And I'll stand."
[18:38:57] Dura Levante says, "Suit yourself."
[18:39:07] Dura Levante says, "This was the old 'Long' estate."
[18:39:17] DeLisle Creux says, "Eww. Yeah, glad I didn't touch anything."
[18:39:24] Dura Levante says, "I bought it to spite him. Then Gin's people came around forever ago and I let them use it as a base of operations."
[18:39:37] Dura Levante says, "Oh, the furniture's new. Don't worry."
[18:39:53] DeLisle Creux says, "Oh. Okay. Good."
[18:39:56] Dura Levante says, "Do you think Dee would've bothered to have had that many books?"
[18:40:17] DeLisle Creux says, "Yes. And he'd think he read them."
[18:40:30] Dura Levante says, "It's a special kind of delusional."
[18:40:30] DeLisle Creux says, "But he thinks reading is looking at a page and confirming its there or something."
[18:40:40] Dura Levante says, "Anyway - where were we?"
[18:40:45] Dura Levante says, "Something something, Urosil vassal state?"
[18:41:47] Dura Levante says, "You talked to Camilla at all about this?"
[18:41:56] DeLisle Creux says, "F**k no."
[18:42:14] Dura Levante says, "Because you haven't had the chance, or you think she'd take exception?"
[18:43:12] DeLisle Creux says, "She thinks most of the things I say are stupid, it'd be like talking to a wall. Also, yes. She's married to Iriel'sa and until she spent most of her time on Nephilim island, she spent most of her time in Urosil."
[18:43:54] Dura Levante says, "Spent most of her time there without consulting us beforehand."
[18:43:57] Dura Levante says, "Which I'm still not stoked about."
[18:44:20] Dura Levante says, "I feel like something signed and less bloody as a notice would've been nice too."
[18:44:25] DeLisle Creux says, "Right. To be a nephilim on the virtue it counts as spying. Or something."
[18:44:43]
Dura sighs and rolls her eyes.
(Dura Levante)
[18:44:43] Chat command attempt: /emote Dura sighs and rolls her eyes.
[18:44:50] DeLisle Creux says, "Even though I told her the best way to stop someone from using the wind apheiron is using a different one. Whatever."
[18:44:55] Dura Levante says, "Depriving them of an Aipheiron use, yeah."
[18:45:02] Dura Levante says, "It's good on paper, but now that we know more?"
[18:45:03] Dura Levante says, "Moot."
[18:45:23] Dura Levante says, "You've already talked to Camilla about her 'state', right?"
[18:45:32]
Dura does the benefit of air quotes.
(Dura Levante)
[18:45:32] Chat command attempt: /emote Dura does the benefit of air quotes.
[18:45:34] DeLisle Creux says, "I told her if she just wants to do it, she should just do it then."
[18:45:39] DeLisle Creux says, "And being a witch? Yes."
[18:45:57] Dura Levante says, "She told me she'd talked to you about it. Wanted to make sure."
[18:46:15] Chat command attempt: /who
[18:46:31] DeLisle Creux says, "I'm not big on that either. Luka got a f**king coup, she gets... to do whatever she wants."
[18:47:03] Dura Levante says, "...Yeah. You got every right to be mad about that. I tried giving her an ultimatum to get it taken care of. Because there are literally ways to break that shit."
[18:47:18] Dura Levante says, "That was when I was still in research though."
[18:47:27] Dura Levante says, "And then, y'know. The entire f**king war broke out."
[18:47:53] Dura Levante says, "And it broke out hard."
[18:48:19] Dura Levante says, "I actually know, right now, where a relic that can fix her is sitting. But she'd have to be willing. And she's not."
[18:48:47] DeLisle Creux says, "No, the best plan she has is 'be a nephilim and maybe nevanerro gets her soul anyways'."
[18:49:03] Dura Levante says, "Aaaall she'd have to do is drink from the little cup. But noooo"
[18:49:26] Dura Levante says, "Ugh. Okay."
[18:49:39] Dura Levante says, "Underlying point. Camilla is a potential conflict of interest, you're right. "
[18:49:49] DeLisle Creux says, "Ugh, yeah. Also. Like I do want to state..."
[18:49:57] DeLisle Creux says, "And this is going to SUCK to say. For everyone."
[18:51:18] DeLisle Creux says, "I'm prefacing this with 'I am regularly slapping my tongue on her wife's tongue'- no I don't like admitting that, shut up- so that introduces a lot of complex feelings and biases on the topic. Uh. It's open on both sides, but you know. I can't deny the possibility that's an angle for me."
[18:51:35] Dura Levante says, "..."
[18:51:41] DeLisle Creux says, "So do keep that in mind while I make decisions related to this. I'll... trust you to call me out if I'm being like... you know."
[18:52:19]
DeLisle rapidly clenches her fist. "You see my concern on several levels though, right."
(DeLisle Creux)
[18:52:37]
Dura slowly reaches into her armor for - yep, it's another flask. Does she just keep several of these now? She doesn't unscrew it yet. It sits there in her hand, a temptation.

"...Boy, yeah. I do," she sighs. Then gives into the temptation.
(Dura Levante)
[18:53:05] DeLisle Creux says, "Johan is Iriel'sa's sister. "
[18:53:24] Dura Levante says, "He's also very malleable. Suggestible. "
[18:53:33] DeLisle Creux says, "That one is a secret too, so don't spread it."
[18:53:34] Dura Levante says, "I've been trying to teach him, and I can already tell that much."
[18:53:40] Dura Levante says, "I mean."
[18:53:42] DeLisle Creux says, "Yeah... same."
[18:53:45] Dura Levante says, "He called Chiriel 'dad'."
[18:53:46] Dura Levante says, "So."
[18:54:07] DeLisle Creux says, "Yeah but not in the way where everyone in Urosil calls everyone else mom or dad."
[18:54:12] DeLisle Creux says, "Like, blood-related."
[18:54:15] Dura Levante says, "..."
[18:54:28] Dura Levante says, "The researcher in me is intrigued how that one works."
[18:54:31] Dura Levante says, "But also."
[18:54:32] Dura Levante says, "What the f**k?"
[18:54:47] DeLisle Creux says, "Yeah, I don't f**king know. But it is a concern."
[18:54:58] Dura Levante says, "No, definitely. I mean, Johan I already had marked as a 'concern'."
[18:55:06] Dura Levante says, "Sweet kid, sure."
[18:55:16] Dura Levante says, "But he's not fit to lead."
[18:55:33] DeLisle Creux says, "I hope it's retroactively becoming a little more clear why I always appreciated Luka."
[18:55:41] Dura Levante says, "Not with how he is. His disposition, his close ties to Urosil and his dad being the Seer - not Seer? Yeah I don't know what Chiriel is down there anymore."
[18:55:53] DeLisle Creux says, "'Executioner', I believe."
[18:55:59] Dura Levante says, "Blegh."
[18:56:01] DeLisle Creux says, "But prime seer or something in practice."
[18:56:08] Dura Levante says, "Pretty much. Got his hooks in everything."
[18:56:39] DeLisle Creux says, "It'll get worse soon but I don't want to say how. "
[18:56:46] DeLisle Creux says, "Trust me though when I say that."
[18:56:52] Dura Levante says, "Please, please. Do not do that."
[18:56:55] Dura Levante says, "Just. Just f**king tell me."
[18:57:16] Dura Levante says, "Tell me so I can drown myself and move on with my day."
[18:57:22] DeLisle Creux says, "Motherf**ker. Do I have to. It's a 'me' thing."
[18:57:38] Dura Levante says, "If it's going to affect Providence? Kinda'."
[18:57:41] Dura Levante says, "I'd prefer it."
[18:57:46] Dura Levante says, "And I going to punch you until you do? No."
[18:57:50] Dura Levante says, "I'm not a tyrant."
[18:59:08] DeLisle Creux says, "Iriel'sa is probably going to ask Zayne for some surrogacy thing. Which I'm fine with and realistically will enjoy messing with them about. DON'T TELL HIM THOUGH. But. That means she'll have a child that's kind of important to me. And Zayne. And will biologically be Johan's niece."
[18:59:18] DeLisle Creux says, "I f**king hate my life, by the way."
[18:59:21] Dura Levante says, "..."
[18:59:50]
Dura drags a hand down her face, closes her eyes, and muffles a long, stifled groan into her crystal palm.
(Dura Levante)
[18:59:50] Chat command attempt: /emote Dura drags a hand down her face, closes her eyes, and muffles a long, stifled groan into her crystal palm.
[18:59:54] DeLisle Creux says, "I JUST WANTED TO MAKE OUT WITH THE ELF THAT WAS NICE TO ME I DIDN'T THINK THIS WOULD BE THE OUTCOME."
[19:00:05] DeLisle Creux says, "PASCHA DID THIS. THIS PREDATES MY REINSTATEMENT. "
[19:00:13] Dura Levante says, "..."
[19:00:24] Dura Levante says, "So everyone is in some weird kind of f**king Urosil polyamorous thing right now."
[19:00:27] Dura Levante says, "But me."
[19:00:43] Dura Levante says, "Hoooomyf**kingGOD."
[19:00:56] DeLisle Creux says, "I DIDN'T WANT TO BE. "
[19:01:03] Dura Levante says, "'Sure you feel like the odd one out, Dura. It's fine. It's all in your head'."
[19:01:10] Dura Levante says, "But you all are just in a fking PILE!?"
[19:01:21] DeLisle Creux says, "NO. THERE'S NO PILE. THIS WAS AN ACCIDENT."
[19:01:42] DeLisle Creux says, "I DO NOT WANT TO BE IN THE PILE ."
[19:01:54] Dura Levante says, "Then don't!?"
[19:01:56] Dura Levante says, "Okay, okay."
[19:02:09] Dura Levante says, "...We need to f***ing."
[19:02:17] Dura Levante says, "We need to keep Urosil out of our Court as much as we can."
[19:02:34] Dura Levante says, "We need to be a separate and independent entity."
[19:03:03] Dura Levante says, "I am going to start with saying - Johan cannot become Duke if we want to not just get f***ing eaten by Urosil."
[19:03:10] Dura Levante says, "Are we in agreement?"
[19:03:30] DeLisle Creux says, "YEAH THAT'S WHAT I'M GETTING AT. I CAN SEPERATE MY PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL LIVES BECAUSE I'M A BORDERLINE SOCIOPATH AND IF I COULDN'T I WOULDN'T HAVE BROUGHT THIS UP."
[19:03:38] DeLisle Creux says, "And... yes. I kind of agree there."
[19:03:40] Dura Levante says, "...God, DeLisle. You make me so, so unironically happy I'm in the longest f***ing dry spell right now of my life."
[19:03:49] Dura Levante says, "Somehow, you put a positive spin on that."
[19:03:50] DeLisle Creux says, "In THEORY. He's a good pick. In- SHUT UP."
[19:04:18] DeLisle Creux says, "I WAS VERY DRY SPELL. I DO NOT F**K THE ELF. I HAVE A LOT OF PERSONAL AND EMOTIONAL PROBLEMS THAT MEAN KISSING IS ALREADY A LOT."
[19:04:32] OOC - GeekMasterGM: hahahaha
[19:04:35] Dura Levante says, "Look - relax."
[19:04:48] OOC - GeekMasterGM: Mmmm a depressed friend, jerky time
[19:04:53] Dura Levante says, "If it makes you feel any better, my last lay was Orion, and BOY did that go f**king sideways."
[19:05:17] DeLisle Creux says, "I JUST LIKE WHEN THE ELF HOLDS ME AND TELLS ME THINGS WILL BE OKAY, AND THEN MAKES ME FEEL LIKE A PERSON AND THEN P- "
[19:05:22] DeLisle Creux says, "Wow. Get it I guess."
[19:05:32] DeLisle Creux says, "WOW is that why you hated Juniper."
[19:05:37] DeLisle Creux says, "I KNEW IT."
[19:05:44] Dura Levante says, "F**king - YEAH?"
[19:05:47] Dura Levante says, "KIND OF?"
[19:06:12] Dura Levante says, "Look. Orion did the same shit for ME. He made me feel like maybe I was f**king valid and then, 'Haha, hey, whoops, by the way I'm f**king this ex-Deliverance spy and she's had my kid'."
[19:06:38]
Dura upends the entire flask in her mouth. Like she's going to die if she doesn't.
(Dura Levante)
[19:06:38] Chat command attempt: /emote Dura upends the entire flask in her mouth. Like she's going to die if she doesn't.
[19:07:02] DeLisle Creux says, "I'm glad you can empathize somewhat with my position."
[19:07:17] Chat command attempt: *Goood* I hate that I do so much.
[19:07:22] Dura Levante says, "God I hate that I do so much."
[19:07:31] Dura Levante says, "And then I hate to appoint him as f**king Inquisitor god I hate him so much."
[19:07:36] DeLisle Creux says, "I have a crazy idea. "
[19:08:01] Dura Levante says, "Does it involve burying people?"
[19:08:02] Dura Levante says, "In the ground."
[19:08:42] DeLisle Creux says, "What if we petition the capital to provide you with a title and you become a duchess. I'd nominate myself barring the conflict of interests. But the empress is probably a f**king nephilim too so maybe that angle will help."
[19:09:12] Dura Levante says, "...Uuuuuugh. Do you really. Really think they'd want to give a Kal Azulan a title?"
[19:09:14] Dura Levante says, "Let's be real."
[19:10:07] DeLisle Creux says, "Okay. What if you marry Ying Long, take her name, and then we kill her?"
[19:10:31] Dura Levante says, "Tempting. I mean. We can...we can f**king try to petition?"
[19:10:38] Dura Levante says, "We did just fend off a bunch of bullshit or whatever."
[19:11:00] Dura Levante says, "I'm just not holding my breath."
[19:11:32] DeLisle Creux says, "It's worth mentioning too Pascha was a controversial pick because let me tell you- people in the capital ARE NOT BIG ON WILDKIN AS OFTEN AS YOU'D HOPE IN THIS CENTURY."
[19:11:38] DeLisle Creux says, "You could be fine."
[19:11:41] Dura Levante says, "No yeah, I get that."
[19:11:48] Dura Levante says, "Let me like. F**k. Think it over. We don't have a lot of options."
[19:11:56] Dura Levante says, "But Johan can't be Duke. And..."
[19:12:04] Dura Levante says, "And we need to edge Camilla out of decision making or something."
[19:12:09] Dura Levante says, "Though she's kind of doing that on her own."
[19:12:44] DeLisle Creux says, "Yes. I think two or so years we can probably find a replacement for her and it wouldn't feel like a slight."
[19:12:59] Dura Levante says, "Cool, great."
[19:13:01] Dura Levante says, "So that solves..."
[19:13:02] Dura Levante says, "Two things."
[19:13:04] Dura Levante says, "Two of the things."
[19:13:06] DeLisle Creux says, "I mean I guess she'd be spending more time with her wife, so maybe we can give her some busywork job to- oh. I'm doing it."
[19:13:07] DeLisle Creux says, "F**k."
[19:13:16] Dura Levante says, "Doing what?"
[19:13:25] DeLisle Creux says, "Nevermind keep going."
[19:13:39] Dura Levante says, "Nah nah. You were on a roll."
[19:13:57] Dura Levante says, "Cuz guess what - you're in this mess with me. The professional mess."
[19:14:12] DeLisle Creux says, "Yes. I COULD just resign. But I'm not."
[19:14:20] Dura Levante says, "Yeah. I thought about it."
[19:14:34] DeLisle Creux says, "There... really isn't anyone else, huh."
[19:14:38] Dura Levante says, "..."
[19:14:40] Dura Levante says, "There isn't."
[19:14:46] Dura Levante says, "Y'know."
[19:14:54] Dura Levante says, "Speaking of Chiriel pushing people into places."
[19:15:03] Dura Levante says, "He's literally the only reason I took the Director spot after you, by the way."
[19:15:30] DeLisle Creux says, "What the f**k was his logic there."
[19:15:52] Dura Levante says, "I don't remember it all. Something about 'these positions taking people of will' or whatever."
[19:15:55] Dura Levante says, "It sounded convincing at the time."
[19:16:19] Dura Levante says, "Now I think he just wants to push us into positions that help Urosil. Like the whole 'Pascha thought of you as a daughter' shit."
[19:16:33] DeLisle Creux says, "Right. Well I think it's worth considering most of his ideas to be at least partially self-serving, given all this."
[19:16:58] Dura Levante says, "I'd say 'mostly', but sure. Let's be charitable."
[19:17:21] Dura Levante says, "So."
[19:17:34] Dura Levante says, "The Apheiron shit...Aipheiron?"
[19:17:36] Dura Levante says, "Big rock things."
[19:17:39] DeLisle Creux says, "Right. "
[19:17:43] Dura Levante says, "We at least good to do the swapping bullshit?"
[19:17:51] DeLisle Creux says, "For now. I had an idea there..."
[19:18:05] Dura Levante says, "Chiriel's 'suggested' meeting at the Earth one later and spinning it up."
[19:18:09] Dura Levante says, "He wants to talk."
[19:18:17] Dura Levante says, "If you got ideas? I'm listening."
[19:18:25] DeLisle Creux says, "I want to do the water one. "
[19:18:45] DeLisle Creux says, "I think Chiriel wants us to use the earth one so he can use the water one next time with less cost."
[19:18:52] Dura Levante says, "I do too, but he's getting finicky about getting Earth."
[19:19:10] DeLisle Creux says, "Well, f**k him. If he wants this deal, we get to pick which we're doing."
[19:19:15] DeLisle Creux says, "They offered we take the first one."
[19:19:18] Dura Levante says, "You know what the water one does?"
[19:19:21] Dura Levante says, "Er."
[19:19:22] Dura Levante says, "What it takes."
[19:19:39] Dura Levante says, "And if we take the water one. We gotta pick between the two of us to do it. You know that, right?"
[19:19:50] DeLisle Creux says, "Not offhand. But I figure we could just march up there with most of our treasury, go in, and use what we need."
[19:19:57] DeLisle Creux says, "And I'll do it. I want to do it."
[19:20:06] Dura Levante says, "I mean I want to do it too."
[19:20:13] Dura Levante says, "That's our problem here. Who's on first."
[19:20:52] DeLisle Creux says, "Well. I was stuck in Providence for about five years because I was waiting on a trial from a coup."
[19:20:54] DeLisle Creux says, "So."
[19:20:57] DeLisle Creux says, "Me. "
[19:21:15] DeLisle Creux says, "'It'll just be a year max!' they said. F**kers."
[19:21:22] Dura Levante says, "And I've been stuck as Regent for however f**king long and now might have to sign myself up for 'nobility'. "
[19:21:42] OOC - GeekMasterGM: Ight
[19:21:49] DeLisle Creux says, "Well. You can get it next time."
[19:21:56] DeLisle Creux says, "Here's what I think. "
[19:22:16] Dura Levante says, "Why can't you get it next time?"
[19:22:19] Dura Levante says, "I want nice things."
[19:23:16]
Dura grumbles and peers down into her distressingly empty flask.
(Dura Levante)
[19:23:16] Chat command attempt: /emote Dura grumbles and peers down into her distressingly empty flask.
[19:23:22] DeLisle Creux says, "If you want to play the 'who's been at it longer' game, I've been at it longer."
[19:24:25] Dura Levante says, "Suuuuuure."
[19:24:51] DeLisle Creux says, "Are you saying that's not true...?"
[19:25:00] Dura Levante says, "Ugh. Just take the f**king thing. I'll get it next time."
[19:25:30] DeLisle Creux says, "Look. I have personal reasons for it, too. I don't just want it. "
[19:25:41] DeLisle Creux says, "Either way. I'll get it this time. Next time, Urosil gets it."
[19:25:51] Dura Levante says, "Like everyone and anyone who wants to use it isn't gonna have personal reasons."
[19:26:01] Dura Levante says, "S'fine."
[19:26:10] DeLisle Creux says, "GOOD personal reasons."
[19:26:22]
There's a dramatic roll of eyes.
(Dura Levante)
[19:26:22] Chat command attempt: /emote There's a dramatic roll of eyes.
[19:26:28] OOC - GeekMasterGM: Scouting for xp
[19:26:31] DeLisle Creux says, "The time after that... we claim we're low on everything and get Urosil to bankroll it. Which they agreed to do if we need it."
[19:26:39] DeLisle Creux says, "Then the time after that. "
[19:26:50] DeLisle Creux says, "We do another one. And just see what we can get away with."
[19:26:56] OOC - GeekMasterGM: Ight
[19:26:57] Dura Levante says, "So..."
[19:26:58] Dura Levante says, "I get third?"
[19:27:07] DeLisle Creux says, "Right."
[19:27:30] Dura Levante says, "So. Name of the game is to...quietly leech is what I'm getting?"
[19:27:55] DeLisle Creux says, "Yes. We want to make Urosil spend as much as possible while getting as little we can give them from it."
[19:28:07] Dura Levante says, "Cold, but."
[19:28:09] Dura Levante says, "F**k 'em."
[19:28:28] Dura Levante says, "Two can play at this sleazy political bullshit."
[19:28:48] DeLisle Creux says, "And then eventually, see how they respond to us doing what we want. I don't think they'll do anything, they want control. And a deal with us is still the best way to do that."
[19:29:19] Dura Levante says, "Yeah. I think Asphodel said it real good. Urosil's whole assimilation deal."
[19:29:24] Dura Levante says, "Make friends. Then just eat them. "
[19:29:26] Dura Levante says, "Not, y'know, literally."
[19:30:09] DeLisle Creux says, "Yeah watch what you say around that kid too, he tends to instantly go tell Chiriel things."
[19:30:23] Dura Levante says, "...F***in'. 'Course."
[19:30:30] Dura Levante says, "Is there anyone can trust on this stupid f**kin' rock?"
[19:30:56] DeLisle Creux says, "Not really..."
[19:31:28] Dura Levante says, "...Sounds 'bout right..."
[19:31:37] DeLisle Creux says, "Actually... f**k. Maybe you should use it."
[19:32:19] DeLisle Creux says, "I guess my reason is 'Iriel'sa used it and I don't want to have five potentially lost years between us' but that sort of ties back to the core issue here. Ugh."
[19:32:43] Dura Levante says, "And I can get five more years of..."
[19:32:44] Dura Levante says, "Uh..."
[19:32:57] Dura Levante says, "Doing what I gotta."