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+---- Thread: [SE] If it isn't the consequences of my own actions (/showthread.php?tid=10672)
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If it isn't the consequences of my own actions - Sah - 02-02-2025
Sah had sent Elizabeth a note, asking her to meet him in private to discuss their mutual problem. The letter from Dahlia had been terrifying to receive and perhaps he'd been hasty in his response. But even in hindsight there wasn't much else to add. They couldn't give the bird back. Not without asking Deimos to risk his life and go to Starfall, possibly alone if he couldn't get the Demi-gods to assist him. No one else in Halo was powerful enough to go and the Wild Thunder couldn't bring himself to make such a request of his friend. Especially not when the man had a family.
He paced where he waited at the edge of Snowcloak and away from the general population. He'd rather have met in a more isolated place, but the Tundra had only just been cleansed, and he didn't want them to be too isolated should Dahlia go back on her word and approach before the deadline.
The hybrid glanced up as he heard footsteps approaching. On edge, lightning crackled just beneath his skin, ready to be unleashed if the newcomer was a threat.
RE: If it isn't the consequences of my own actions - Elizabeth - 02-02-2025
Her feet crunched in the snow, soft with uncertainty but loud against the emptiness of the streets. She didn't notice as her thoughts roared through her head. What had they done? What had they done? What had they done? And what should they do now?! Luckily, Sah's note had suggested that they might be able to brainstorm some solutions (if any existed), so she'd left her house immediately, rushing to meet the Hybrid at the edge of Snowcloak.
When she spotted him, Elizabeth let out an exasperated sigh that turned into a chuckle. Glancing around to ensure they were alone, she said quietly, [say]"Well, that certainly backfired."[/say] Perhaps they'd been delusional to think there wouldn't be consequences, but she hadn't been expecting to receive a letter from the Reaper herself. And the point about 'eyes everywhere' was certainly creepy, making her slightly paranoid.
Trying to be the calm despite the storm of worry, Elizabeth gave Sah a warm smile, not a trace of fear in her brown eyes. She placed a gentle gloved hand on his arm, guiding him down the street. [say]"Follow me. I've got some mini pies in the over, and we probably shouldn't talk about this in the open. It's so cold out, after all."[/say] For emphasis, her body shivered dramatically against the thick layer of clothing that blocked out the chill.
RE: If it isn't the consequences of my own actions - Sah - 02-03-2025
Sah let out a snort of laughter: [say]"Indeed. But we have options."[/say] He blinked at the unexpected touch before returning Elizabeth's smile: [say]"Pie sounds like the perfect snack for strategies."[/say] He resisted laughing at her fake shiver as Sah let his fellow mage lead him to her home.
When they arrived and got settled, the hybrid pulled out a sheet of paper and a quill and sketched out a list. [say]"I think we have three options. But if you have any other ideas, please share."[/say] He pointed to each one on his list as he went down it, [say]"First, we can return the bird to buy us time and then come up with a new way to fulfill the quest."[/say] The hybrid grimaced, "It's probably the safest option, but I can't say that I'm a fan of it. I don't know how else to complete what Vi asked of us. Not without bringing us back to square one."[/say]
He took a breath, letting Elizabeth process, [say]"The second option is that we offer to do a favor for her. We'd need to be specific, such as offering to retrieve an item or create something with magic. Otherwise, I'm worried we'll get stuck with a dangerous request."[/say] He tapped the page in thought, [say]
"However, I think we might be able to negotiate with her. If that wasn't on the table, I imagine she wouldn't have given us a deadline and would have just shown up."[/say] Which was a terrifying thought.
[say]"Third, and my least favorite is that we prepare for her to come to us during LongNight and refuse to negotiate."[/say] They would be risking life and limb and the safety of Halo overall. It didn't seem worth it, but it was an option.
Sah sighed, [say]"What do you think? If we can form a base idea, we can bring it to Deimos and get his assistance in finalizing it."[/say] Deimos was probably going to be frustrated with them for keeping this from him at all. But the Wild Thunder wanted to have a rough idea of a solution before presenting it to their Warden. At the moment, only Sah and Elizabeth had personal targets on their back. The second they brought in Deimos, all of Halo would. Granted, the region already was under attack, but this would surely make relations with the Family worse.
RE: If it isn't the consequences of my own actions - Elizabeth - 02-04-2025
[say]"Pie is the perfect snack for any time."[/say] She countered, her smile widening as they made their way down the street. Luckily, it didn't take long to enter her cozy home, the fireplace burning bright enough to cast a warm glow across the multitudes of books filling her shelves. Elizabeth gestured for Sah to take a seat at one of her plush chairs that faced the fire while she scurried into the kitchen for a moment.
The pies were perfectly golden when she removed them from the oven, making her mouth salivate with anticipation. But they needed time to cool, and there were more serious topics to attend to at the moment. She gathered some mint tea, hoping it might calm their nerves against the threat that had quite literally landed on their doorsteps.
When she entered the room again, Sah had already begun rattling options. Elizabeth listened as she offered him a cup of piping tea, settling into her own chair comfortably. She removed her notebook from the small table between them, full of patient meetings and observations, and flipped to an empty page. Her pen elegantly wrote out the choices before coming to sit at the corner of her mouth. None of them necessarily appealed to her, but she agreed that they didn't have many other options.
She quietly took a sip of her tea like it might provide some clarity. When it didn't, she hummed thoughtfully to herself. [say]"Hmmm... I fear that returning the bird or refusing to return it may send the wrong message to the Family. They would either see us as definite enemies or people to be bullied into submission."[/say] Tilting her head, she looked to Sah. [say]"I also agree that our other option for completing the quest would be much more difficult and time consuming."[/say] A trip to Starfall would be dangerous and was not guaranteed to succeed where they currently had a solution in their possession.
That left only one option.
Sighing, she shrugged her shoulders. [say]"As difficult as it may be, I think our only choice is to negotiate. We present it as a lapse in consideration on our parts and request an exchange of some kind."[/say] She spun the pen through her fingers as she thought. [say]"I'm not sure what they'd ask for, but I think that alone would give us a lot of information. If we can find out what they want, it could be easier to stay on their good side."[/say] Unlike many others, Elizabeth wasn't against making deals with people deemed 'enemies.' Everyone had their reasons for their actions and decisions. She didn't judge. She only analyzed and assisted where she could.
RE: If it isn't the consequences of my own actions - Sah - 02-04-2025
From the table, Sah admired the pies as Elizabeth placed them in the oven. They looked delicious, and if it weren't a health risk (or possibly risky in angering his friend), he might have snagged one of the smaller ones to snack on, raw or not. The moment passed as she joined him at the table and began to add her own thoughts.
He nodded along, [say]"I agree. I don't want to overly antagonize them, nor do I want Halo to appear weak."[/say] Granted, the way that they'd quickly dealt with the Tundra and the following Titan implied otherwise. But physical prowess and mental steel were vastly different. Halo would need both in the coming storm.
Sah hummed, [say]"Negotiating, it is. It goes without saying that we can't provide something that will directly put Halo at risk."[/say] His brow furrowed, [say]"How about we brainstorm a few things that we're comfortable with either doing or providing and then present that list to Deimos for review? From there, we offer Dahlia the choice of one."[/say] By ensuring that they were as content as could be with the options, they would also have a fallback should the Reaper go and declare that the entire list needed to be fulfilled.
RE: If it isn't the consequences of my own actions - Elizabeth - 02-06-2025
Elizabeth nodded along with Sah's assessment. At least they were on the same page about the other two paths. Now they just had to agree on their strategy for negotiations. Tapping her pen against the edge of her pursed lips, she said, [say]"As much as I want to agree with you, we don't even know what they'd want. If we only give them one option and they say no, that leaves us without any other choice but to return the bird and come home empty handed."[/say] Which was everything they were trying to avoid. It seemed counterproductive to be too stringent on their own terms for the negotiation.
Tilting her head, she lifted her hands to cradle her mug before letting out an assessing hum. [say]"I think we should brainstorm some ideas of what we'd be willing to agree to but give them a chance to suggest something first. Obviously, we don't have to agree with whatever they suggest. That's the point of negotiations."[/say] She'd grown up around so many merchants and seen so many compromises in relationships that she knew the art of mediation and how to get people to come to an agreement. It was one of her superpowers as a therapist to be able to read people and know how most would react. The Family may not be the same, but she was willing to try. Leaning forward, Elizabeth gave Sah a disarming smile. [say]"Instead, we counter with one of our options based on what they request. That gives us information and an upper hand on what they may actually agree to."[/say] It also gave them an idea of whether or not a deal was even feasible. They might be wasting their time entirely.
RE: If it isn't the consequences of my own actions - Sah - 02-06-2025
Elizabeth made a solid point and Sah hummed in thought as she explained her reasoning. He was briefly caught off guard by her change in demeanor, but Sah quickly recovered, and his lips curled into a mischievous grin, [say]"I like the sound of that."[/say]
Turning the page to a fresh sheet, he made a bulleted list. "[say]So then. What are our options?"[/say] He wrote down the ones he's previously stated, [say]"Retrieving something, creating something, what else?"[/say] The longer their initial list, the better. An idea occurred and Sah grimaced, the idea making him nauseous. [say]"Maybe we offer up an un-infected animal? I hate the idea of it, but we can add it to the list."[/say] The Family would then infect the creature, and the trade would be equal, more-or-less. Except that it would cause Halo more emotional pain due to the violation of morality.
RE: If it isn't the consequences of my own actions - Elizabeth - 02-06-2025
Her head bobbed as they came to a consensus, leaning back in her chair to take a sip of her tea. She only set it aside as she made her own notes. 'Retrieving, making, animal trade.' Elizabeth paused to meet Sah's gaze, not an ounce of hesitation or reservations. [say]"Hmm... I suppose if that's what it takes."[/say] She didn't have much attachment to animals more than the scientific observation of a psychologist (although she had a soft spot in her heart for unicorns), so she wasn't bothered by the idea. Others might disagree, but when it came to the life of one animal versus the life of Halovians, it wouldn't be a hard choice. She assumed Deimos would be of the same mind.
Twirling her pen in her hand, the therapist in her turned to more non-tactile solutions. [say]"Perhaps there's information they would be interested in? Or an alliance of sorts? - within reason."[/say] She added the ending clarification quickly, aware that not everyone had the neutral stance on their purple tainted cohabitants. Elizabeth bit her lip as she thought aloud, [say]"Like perhaps a cease-fire of sorts? Or a statement of non-involvement on our parts? It would leave the rest of Caido exposed, but we would be able to complete our quest and take a breather before reassessing our stance."[/say]
RE: If it isn't the consequences of my own actions - Sah - 02-06-2025
Sah hummed, considering the new ideas presented. Elizabeth seemed unbothered about animal sacrifice, but he could dwell on morals later. [say]"Information could be useful but what might we know that they don't? If they truly have eyes and ears everywhere, that is."[/say] If they did know something beyond Dahlia's reach, it likely would be valuable and worthy of trade. But what?
The hybrid ran a hand through his hair,[say] "A ceasefire might be possible, but I doubt Halo would get behind it. So many Halovians were harshly against remaining neutral in the war with the Voice. To the point that there was a coup. Maybe a form of one would be better accepted, instead of something comprehensive. The Family stays out of Halo, and we stay out of Stormbreak. Something like that?"[/say]
The Wild Thunder let out a sigh, [say]"That's probably about as much as I personally would agree to, anyway. I want the Family out of Caido, but my own family's safety will always come first."[/say]
RE: If it isn't the consequences of my own actions - Elizabeth - 02-06-2025
She probably didn't know anything that the Family didn't, although her vision might be something they were unaware of. Shrugging her shoulders, Elizabeth said, [say]"I'm not sure, but perhaps Deimos would know something we don't."[/say] Being the Warden, she had no doubt that he'd have all sorts of information that may be of interest to the Family.
Replacing her lip, she bit on the end of her pen, considering Sah's words. Being newer to Halo, she didn't know much about the culture, but she could see his worries. [say]"Maybe it's more of a ceasefire between rulers? Of course we can't guarantee the people's cooperation, but at least we can say that the leadership of Halo wouldn't act against the Family."[/say] Whether or not Deimos would agree with that was another question, however, it might be one of their simplest solutions. She smiled softly as she said, [say]"I'm not sure 'staying away' would be enough, but it's certainly something we can agree on if they're willing to discuss it."[/say] After all, if the Family was powerful enough to see them take the Void creature, they could probably keep them out by force if they wanted to.
Elizabeth let out a long sigh, looking down at their list. It wasn't long, but it seemed substantial enough for a start. [say]"Any other ideas?"[/say]
RE: If it isn't the consequences of my own actions - Sah - 02-06-2025
Sah nodded, [say]"Maybe."[/say] It was very possible that Deimos knew more about the Family then they did. The hunter wasn't privy to what conversations or exchanges happened between the region leaders. As for a leadership ceasefire, he doubted Deimos would agree but they could still present the option. [say]"I guess we can keep it on the list for now, then. Deimos might have a better idea of what a plausible ceasefire may look like." [/say]
The Wild Thunder let out a 'tsk' and shook his head. [say]"Nothing. I wish we knew more about them and had more time to come up with something."[/say] He let out a deep sigh before regarding Elizabeth with a head tilt, [say]"Ready to bring this to Deimos?"[/say] The hybrid's lips twitched, [say]"After pie, of course. Though maybe we should bring him some as a peace offering for the entire ursur we're about to drop on him."[/say]
Sah honestly felt bad for how thoroughly they were about to ruin the Warden's day. Possibly week. Or month. But if they did this without the Sword's input, the repercussions would be far greater.
RE: If it isn't the consequences of my own actions - Elizabeth - 02-06-2025
His response was probably the best she could expect. They were in somewhat of an impossible situation, and until they knew what the Warden thought of it all, they wouldn't get anywhere. [say]"It sounds like we've gotten as far as we can between the two of us, so I guess that's our next step."[/say] Although she was somewhat apprehensive about how he would react to the news. He'd had enough on his plate recently, and now he had to deal with this petty drama.
Laughing lightly, she stood from her chair, setting aside her notebook. [say]"I think that's a fantastic idea. I'll even let you pick the flavors."[/say] She sent Sah a playful wink, leading the way into her kitchen. The tray sat above the stove, steaming and packed with mini pies of all fillings: apple, cherry, pumpkin, pecan, mixed berry. She'd obviously been very busy since she'd found the letter, although the counters were nearly spotless, quickly cleaned with the assistance of her magic and leaving no trace of her frantic baking. Smiling, she pulled out a small basket to carry the pies in. [say]"I'm not sure I could eat with all the nerves, but you're welcome to eat one while we walk."[/say] Once he'd selected the flavors, she'd pack them away and gather her gloves, jacket, and scarf again, ready to bear the cold weather as they sought out Deimos.
RE: If it isn't the consequences of my own actions - Sah - 02-06-2025
Sah let out a snort of laughter, [say]"Why, thank you."[/say] He eyed the pies with wide, eager eyes. Something about their small size made them far more enticing than a typical slice. He grabbed a pumpkin and an apple pie for Deimos. The hybrid wasn't certain which the Warden would prefer but he'd seen the man enjoy the pies made from vampire gourds. And in case he was done with the surplus pumpkin treats from last season, the apple pie was likely a safe choice.
After packaging the two up for Deimos, Sah chose a pecan one for himself. He let out a pleased rumble as he took a bite. Forcing himself to pause he grinned at Elizabeth, [say]"This is delicious! Thank you."[/say] Sah threw on his jacket and fell into step with his fellow mage as they walked onto the street. The Wild Thunder made sure to grab the copy of Dahlia's letter that he'd made. As well as a copy of his own response.
With his pie long devoured, Sah and Elizabeth soon made it to Deimos' office. Giving the Abandoned a nod, the hybrid took a deep breath before knocking on the door. [say]"Deimos? Do you have a moment? It's important."[/say] What an understatement. [say]Life or death important.[/say] He added through the bond, managing to shove down his unease and determination until they only just barely brushed against the Warden's mind.
RE: If it isn't the consequences of my own actions - Deimos - 02-07-2025
Deimos, perhaps foolishly, had believed they had a little time to gather their wits. In the sanctity and security of his favored office, in the Barracks and not the dreaded council hall, he and Erebos had been working. The latter was heavily involved on his father’s lap, over a piece of paper on the desk, with the chunkiest pencil the Warden had been able to create, making a variety of streaks and lines. The former had his head bent low, pressing another outline, diagram, and sketch into the page – more ideas and inclinations for the future.
So when Sah’s voice rang out through the door, with all the ‘importance’ and ‘life or death’ notions, his eyes narrowed. Wondering if this was an impending sign of a brewing headache, he sighed, but kept the other held irritations to himself. [say]Seems to be that way frequently[/say] he pressed back through the bond in a rush of facetiousness, but his machinations were well versed in the potential carnage, and calculations mustered before either the Wild Thunder or Elizabeth could make their way within. [say]“Come in,”[/say] and once they opened the aperture, they’d see Deimos gesturing them towards the desk, seats ready at the front. And Erebos, waving with a wide grin too.