[Mini Event] there’s two sides to a fair fight

the first cut was the deepest, but it healed up whole

Flowerbirth in Torchline was yet another event that he missed often enough. But just like King’s End, it’s still frigid, though there’s no snow. It’s at least some solace. He’s bundled up still, not nearly as much back in the Grounds, but he does still sport a thick sweater, rolled up at the sleeves and a nice pair of pants, boots only messed up by the travel here. He posts on the notice board of the meeting, greets a few familiar faces in Haulani, before taking his place to host a meeting of his own.

So he waits for any of those interested to gather, head nodding to those he knows, easy smiles offered to those he doesn’t. “It’s been a while since I’ve gathered a group here in Torchline. But given that war is on the horizon, I have an opportunity for those interested.” He cringes a bit on the inside at realizing just how much like a sales pitch it sounds. It doesn’t deter him, though. He clears his throat, continuing on. “With the help of Frey, I’m creating a safe haven in King’s End. It’s a space where it will be wholly neutral — no shifts, magic, upgrades— which I know sounds difficult given that we’ve all become so used to the abilities given to us. But it is possible. It’s a place where those that may be vulnerable in the war to find safety. We will be hidden, protected by Frey.” He pauses, glancing around the crowd.

“Those of any race are welcome, including Ascended. But Frey and I have worked together with the Voice to make this a possible reality.” Another brief pause, not wanting to delve too far in if people harbor questions. “I’m going to cut myself off here before I dive too deep. If anyone has questions, please don’t hesitate to ask.” And with that, he steps back, awaiting any questions.

And if he doesn’t, he supposes he’ll continue.

---

The first ME for Sunjata’s safe haven! Feel free to join and ask any questions. It’s open for everyone!

the flood

and the next one was a soft touch, but i bled out below

totally sniped from odd ilu

we are like birds of a feather, we are two hearts thrown together

Tempting as it was to stroll into the meeting as a manticore, it was within a much smaller body that Remi chose to attend Sunjata's little event. Circling above the crowd for a few moments before descending to perch upon a nearby roof, the hawk would, for the time being, remain silent and unobtrusive. In this form at least he could hear if Sunjata was passing out additional information via the attuned bond, and the height of the rooftop would give him an advantage when it came to shifting and attacking should there be any fuckery.

Were it not for the fact that his twins had aged themselves up past the point of Safrin's protection, Remi wouldn't even be here; but they had, and so he was.

THE ALCHEMIST

we will be forever as one, my brother under the sun

I will fight the end

Ronin doesn't have any questions, and he has arrived on two feet, though blue eyes do flick up to the rooftop as he spots a pale flutter of settling wings. His hands are tucked in his pockets and his light jacket remains open, though the breeze that ruffles through his hair is uncharacteristically brisk for Torchline. Shrugging off the shiver that tries to creep up his spine, he keeps his distance and leans against the wall of a house to hear the Flood out.

While he only dislikes the idea by virtue of who it has come from, it would cause more problems than it would solve to object, and he's had enough of people raining on his parades to do it to someone else right now. And so he merely gives a nod of acceptance; he might not be willing to help Sunjata in his endeavours these days (not unless he absolutely has to, aka if Mateo decides to grow up overnight), but he won't stand in his way either.

'til the end is here

Coding base by Sky!

Isla

Unlike the Taliesins, Isla isn't keeping her distance, and actually looks like an active listener in the proceedings. Even with the cooler Torchline weather - and barely needing the protection at this point - she still keeps a dark parasol over her head. All the better, really, because it means she doesn't see Remi on the roof, and she stops herself trying to look for him as she hears Sunjata out.

Once he's finished she offers him a small smile, nodding. "I will help any way I can," she tells him. "I know there are a few in the Grounds who would be eager to take advantage of such a place. Just let me know what we need to do to make it a reality, and I will be there."

sooner or later, we all have to wake
and try forgetting everything

the first cut was the deepest, but it healed up whole

He certainly doesn’t see the arrival of a hawk on the wind. But he does notice Ronin – his steel gaze scanning him as if in a bit of apprehension, uncertainty lingering for the moment in the unsteady beat of his heart. Though, despite what had happened between them, he likes to think he still knows Ronin to an extent. That perhaps this would be of mutual benefit, for anyone that he knew that wished to be protected and safe. But his gaze flickers away immediately to find Isla with the dark parasol over her shoulder, a bright smile shot his way that alleviates and cuts through any lingering worry due to the arrival of the leader of Stormbreak.

“I will be hosting another one of these events in the Wilds in case those that are here have any questions they think up later. For now, though, we need to build. I appreciate the help, as always. It’s quite an undertaking.” A nod is given Isla’s way, a soft smile shot back to her before looking back out to the crowd.

He takes a deep breath, straightens up his shoulders a bit. “If any of you know anyone inclined to help and I’m no longer here in Torchline, a raven sent to the Grounds should find me. For now, though, we intend to make the safe haven wholly self-sufficient. I’ve planned a rotation of crops and with the help of a man named Darkeye, we intend to get it to function as any city would without the help of magic to move things along. Again, it’s an adjustment, but we can do it.”

He pauses again, sending out little feelers to the crowd as he waits for any more potential questions. And if none come, well, he’s at the very least spread the word.

the flood

and the next one was a soft touch, but i bled out below

totally sniped from odd ilu

I will fight the end

Fuck Sunjata, because he does still know Ronin to an extent. Such is the way of having a (former) best friend, he supposes. Letting out a sigh that drags his shoulders down away from his ears where tension has started to gather, he hears the other man out until he's finished - and pointedly doesn't look at Isla, because the last thing he needs is to have the yeah that's the Ascended that caused so many issues talk with Remi right now - before giving another nod.

"I am not sure how the people of Stormbreak will react," he says, knowing his citizens to be a rather closed-off bunch (let's not even think about what happened to Vai right now), "but I will spread the word. If any want to help, they will find their way to you." And that's it from him, because they aren't friends any more, and because he's got his own bullshit to do. So unless here's anything further, Ronin will turn to take his leave, gazing up at the rooftop as if to invite Remi down as he strolls away.

'til the end is here

Coding base by Sky!

Isla

Unlike Ronin, of course Isla is ready and willing to help out - she has already said as much. So as Sunjata explains about the Wilds, about the help needed, about crops and infrastructure and so on, the Remedy nods and offers a softer smile his way. "Just let me know where you'll be, and I'll make sure I'm there," she tells him, giving her parasol a gentle spin between her fingers.

As for Ronin, she flicks her gaze up towards the Huntsman to hear him out, her brows furrowed as he turns to walk away once more. "It's hard to believe how different things were once, isn't it?" she murmurs under her breath to Sunjata.

sooner or later, we all have to wake
and try forgetting everything

Hadama had waited at the edge of a canal, watching the drylanders talk about a haven from a war that still seemed distant and strange to the mer. It was one that was coming, all the same, and the manta listened intently to what was being described.

It sounded... not so different from how the discussion over the stargate had gone, and his whip-thin tail lashed the water beneath him in thought.

"Without shifts or magic, how would a mer survive in this haven?" He rumbled at last, pulling himself far enough up out of the water to be heard by the man he had been told was a former dryland governor of Torchline. "And how would we reach it?"

There were more questions, but these two were enough for now; depending on the answers, the rest might not matter.

the first cut was the deepest, but it healed up whole

Ronin’s voice is swift to catch his attention, Sunjata’s steel gaze slipping back toward the Huntsman with no judgement within – an open, blank canvas as it were even if Ronin would know (thanks ex-best friend) that it was a mask of sorts, to keep from showing any apprehension or worry. He doesn’t know about the circumstances regarding the group of Stormbreaker’s, but he still dips his chin in agreement toward the other man. “Thank you Ronin.” He offers, each and every word carrying the gratitude within it.

A safe haven wasn’t a place for war and judgement, not when they all should be striving for the same goal, right?

Attention shifts to Isla now, flashing her a small smile and a nod. “Things were easier then, to be honest.” He rumbles right as a Mer speaks, that steel gaze lifting toward him as the question is aired. When it comes down to it, he had expected the Mer to simply stick amongst themselves in the fortress that was their city – not a space that would be picked for a fight and well out of the way for most people to even dare attempt to mess with. But the questions are valid.

“It’s nestled in the Barrows of King’s End, right against the main river there. The mouth of that river feeds into the ocean by the Boondocks if memory serves. You would be able to make it and help out if you were interested in that. We intend to work on a fishing nursery.” He pauses, a smile crossing his face. “Frey has asked for the merfolk’s help with the quest as well, but they haven’t given me details on how one would handle it being within. I can speak with them and get a better idea of how that would work. Perhaps they could make it so you have use of legs while within.” Or some other accommodation that Sunjata would need to hash out. “It’s a space where all are welcome, I don’t imagine that would change to exclude the Merfolk.”

the flood

and the next one was a soft touch, but i bled out below

totally sniped from odd ilu

He listened to the former governor's explanations and the details of the proposed haven, and nodded slowly at the lengths that were being taken. "I will take the word back to our City," he rumbled when Sunjata was done. "So if any want to help they will know where to go."

He paused, considering all that had been said, and another thought occurred to him as he met Sunjata's eyes again. "Have the other gods agreed to this neutrality?" Old with a capital O, but there had been two other names conspicuously absent from the list.

And the merman did not know how many gods the Ascended might have beyond the Voice. It had never seemed important before.

we are like birds of a feather, we are two hearts thrown together

Not unlike Ronin, Remi has very little to say on the matter if only because his distrust of Sunjata runs impossibly deep now. It's a shame really because the Flood's idea does seem like a good one and is precisely the sort of thing that Before-He-Forgot-Who-Isla-Was Remi would have been keen to assist with.

I will let the Greatwood know as well. He says silently with a shuffle of his wings.

As Ronin turns, Remi drops nimbly from the rooftop to glide towards his husband. Landing carefully on his shoulder the hawk trills a low note as he settles his wings against his pale body.

THE ALCHEMIST

we will be forever as one, my brother under the sun

the first cut was the deepest, but it healed up whole

He tries to not let the surprise overcome him from hearing Remi’s voice infiltrate his mind. But it’s there in the way his steel gaze drifts to the hawk now on the Huntsman shoulders, offering a polite nod in response to Remi before he addresses the Mer.

“Thank you.” He says aloud to Hadama, and with casting a glance back toward the hawk he hopes Remi knows it’s aimed at him as well. However, as the mer continues to ask questions it flares confusion within him, one he masks well as he offers an easy smile back to the other man. “I would assume Ludo and Safrin would be fine with it. Safrin has her own starry safe haven for children, and this would help those older than the cut off point for Safrin’s own.” As for Ludo, he couldn’t say. He doesn’t know the god. He’s never met it officially at least.

But no, he hasn’t found explicit agreement in the other old gods, not finding the reasoning why he’d need it in the first place. Safrin’s safe haven didn’t require the other gods permissions as far as he was aware. And when it came to Ludo? He can’t say. “But to answer your question, I haven’t sought them out to ask about it. I am under the impression that they both would be for protecting their people where they could.”

And since no more questions arrive, Sunjata concludes the meeting relatively easily with gratitude and the promise he’d share the news the second the space was completed.

— FIN

the flood

and the next one was a soft touch, but i bled out below

totally sniped from odd ilu