dissonates | [action/written]

Entry tags:

[action/written]

[He's so stunned and disoriented to be alive again that he doesn't notice the lost connection inside his own head for at least three minutes.

For a while Asch just lies there in the grass, staring up at the sky and trying to figure out what the problem is. More specifically, what he's missing. He's not blind this time, that's a pleasant enough surprise. All his limbs and other senses are working. He thinks back to as many significant life experiences, pleasant or otherwise, and he can't come up with any gaps or missing memories. If he'd lost any, they weren't important enough to matter, apparently.

It's only when he finally sits up and tries to contact Luke and find out what's going on that he realizes he can't. He tries five times, wrestling with his fonons, prodding at the mental wall that used to be an open passage between his mind and his replica's. With that not working, it's easy to figure out what the problem is. He tries fonic artes- each of the four spells he's mastered, a few others learned from the Daathic books he'd gotten over the years. None of them work.

So. Answers that question. He'd kind of rather have taken the gap in memories, but it's not like anyone has ever asked him what he wanted.

Arriving at an empty house - aside from a noisy cat and a frantic cheagle - is just icing on the cake of his crappy life, so Asch wastes no time on sentimentality. Best to just get it over with: he opens the journal, jotting down a quick and emotionless note.]

I'm back.

Arietta the Wild has returned to Auldrant.

If anyone is willing to give me a debriefing on how the Zompania battle ended, I'd be grateful. I'll reopen Good Spirits tonight.

[True to his word, Asch'll be at Good Spirits that evening, though the atmosphere of the bar is significantly less cheery than usual. And with him tending the place, that's saying something.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Ah, double sided-questions. His favorite kind. He assumes a casual smile as he glances towards the redhead, constrasting his stonefaced expression.]

A simple glass of wine, and an update on your current condition on the side. I believe that someone also put in an order for a debriefing...?

[Asch scowls at that, but turns away to fetch a vintage of an old red from his collection, pouring it out and sliding it across the counter to Jade. Knowing the man and his tendency to discover the truth one way or another, it's probably just pointless delaying not to give him what he wants. He'd told Luke the truth anyway, so it wasn't likely to stay a secret for long.

Still, he doesn't have to pretend to be agreeable fight off the bat.]

I hear the phrase is 'quid pro quo'. Give me mine, and I'll give you yours.

My, my. So you were taught complicated phrases after all. [He says lightly as he catches his glass, not yet drinking from it. Jade doesn't quite mind having to exchange information; it's a natural bartering system for a military mind.]

I suppose that I'm feeling generous enough to present my half upfront. For starters, I suppose that it may not be surprising by now to know that we were not horrifically wiped out by the Third Party. In fact, it could be classified as a victory of sorts.

[Years ago he would have snapped or stormed off at that; as it is, he stands behind the counter holding his whine bottle and wishing very much to pour it all over the man's stupid smiling face. Sometimes it is exceptionally irritating that people forget that he was going to be a king.

Though in Jade's case, it's easy to suspect that it was on purpose.

Whatever. Whatever. It's all noise, and he is - was - the head of special operations. Information gathering and bartering was woven into his training like the embroidery in his uniform.]

Please. Tell me something that wasn't immediately apparent as soon as I arrived here.

[If they'd been wiped out, there would've been a whole lot less of them in town and likely a much more grim situation in the rest of the world.]

How long did the fighting last?

[Asch's patience certainly seems to be better than it used to be. He wonders if he should go easier on him. The prince he met is still relatively fresh on his mind, after all.

He takes a sip of his drink before responding.]

After you were lost? Not much longer. The fighting came to an end within two days, when the Commandant finally arrived. There weren't exactly any significant turns in the battle over that period of time, aside from the Third Party being relentless in attempting to seize all the ground we had taken. [He pokes at the bridge of his glasses.] We were able to hold onto that ground quite nicely, as well as the captive scientists.

[Captives... right, that had happened, hadn't it? When the bomb was stopped. He hadn't personally been a part of that, but the news of their success had spread when they didn't blow up after a couple of days.

Interesting.]

Were we able to gain any information from them?

Nothing significant, I'm afraid. We did learn quite a bit about the bomb, however, from a variety of sources and deductions. [He's not quite sure if Asch was aware of that much, if that information was ever passed over the fonic link.]

[Some, but not all; the fonic link had certain consequences, to both he and Luke, and those effects were stronger without the influence of the barrier. He'd been cautious about overusing it when he didn't feel it was necessary. He doesn't let that show much, though.]

I suppose I should be glad we found out anything at all. It's been a long time since we've had new information from either side.

That's right. At this point, I'll appreciate any information that can be gathered, even if it isn't immediately useful. And what we've learned this time may just be enough to help us to avert any further bomb threats - that is, assuming that the Third Party has the time or resources to form any more of those bombs. They're certainly becoming more ambitious in terms of achieving raw destructive power.

[He stirs quietly at his glass as he goes on curiously.]

You've been here a long time, Asch. Do escalations like these seem unprecedented?

...I don't think it's an escalation at all. This has been their goal all along- the annihilation of everyone they come across. Once they broadcasted a sacrifice over the journal system itself.

[He falls silent for a moment, musing uncomfortably, then pours himself a glass of wine for himself as well. With how this conversation is going, it might be necessary. And it's been a crap day.]

Over the years they've just gotten better at it. Found faster methods of taking us out. I'm sure it's going to get worse from now on.

Edited 2014-07-31 06:41 (UTC)

[He gives a quiet smirk as Asch pours his own drink. It's not the usual topic for social drinking, but it's one that Jade prefers to upper-class drivel.]

I'd still consider that to be an escalation in itself. They developed a weapon of mass destruction. Isn't it rare for them to show such a level of sophistication? It's hard for me to consider it a coincidence, when just last year... [He raises an eyebrow challengingly.] You do remember the the Iron Eye's shift bomb, don't you?

Of course I remember. I was on that mission.

[He'd been one of the apparent majority in favour of letting them do it, actually. Not that he'd brag about it - especially in front of his replica - but after years of fighting and getting nowhere, it was time to try something new. Even if it was just a matter of stepping aside and letting something drastic happen.]

I thought you might remember. You're not that old yet, after all. [It's a bit more teasing than usual, as he takes his next sip.]

The two bombs seem to be different in a number of ways, but the fact stands that they're both weapons of mass destruction, being utilized by opposing forces. I can't say that this bodes well for any future conflicts.

[Asch scowls at that first bit and doesn't dignify it with a response. He won't be baited pointlessly, not today.]

So. Iron Eye? Or was the technology stolen from the wreckage after that bombing?

[Maybe they went and damned themselves by voting for it.]

Any guess is just conjecture at this point, until we have more information. At the least, it seems that both types of bomb were different in composure, even if they were similar in effect. We'll have to seize any opportunity to investigate further, should one arrive.

[Voting in favor of the bomb was a gamble. Jade wasn't going to give just light thought to supporting another method of destruction. Maybe it was wrong, but it was in the past now. The only thing they could do now is move forward and try to minimize the tragedies that could come from their decisions.]

It would be useful if we had a more reliable source of information. The most frustrating part about all of this is only ever leaving this place on their terms.

[Doesn't help that escape attempts are so severely punished; they'd have to know something useful is out there to make it worthwhile.]

[He presses some fingers to his forehead.]

Rest assured, such thoughts have crossed my mind in the past. It often seems that it could be impossible to truly gain the Malnosso's trust without joining them. Helping the Iron Eye seemed like it would be helpful in the long run, but... well, you see what's come of that so far.

I doubt the alternative would have done us any good, either. We had a chance to change the balance of power in this world and we took it. Even in these circumstances, I'm not so sure that we were wrong.

Edited 2014-08-16 06:42 (UTC)

I have to agree on that point. At the same time, we won't know for sure how useful that will have proven to be until we find out more about the Iron Eye, as well as the bombs.

But perhaps we've talked enough politics for the night. You've heard all that you've needed to, correct? [But he still wants information himself.]

It'll do.

[He'd have been better off witnessing the end of the draft himself, of course, but when does he ever get what he wants? ...Never, basically. He figures they're done, though, so he starts putting the wine away. Like hell he's going to volunteer information without being prompted. (Or bullied.)]

[Jade may or may not be willing to do both of those. He takes a moment to finish his glass with a slight sigh, then he abruptly starts talking aloud.]

What was it we discussed? Your new vocabulary phrase - 'quid pro quo'?

[....]

What do you want?

[And now he's back to being on guard. Dammit, he should have known better. Jade always has a reason for doing what he does, and he wouldn't have come all this way to tell Asch what happened.]

[He does have his reasons. Pragmatic reasons, emotional reasons. With Jade, sometimes it can be secretly one at the same time as another.]

How have you been feeling since you returned, Asch? [There's just a bit of mock-sincerity in his tone.]

[Psh. If he's looking for a heart-to-heart, he'll be sorely disappointed. Asch scowls and turns away, dipping his glass into the sink to wash it.]

Fine. When you die here, you come back with no injuries.

How remarkable. [He says as if hearing it for the first time. He's not nearly expecting a heart-to-heart. Perhaps on some level he wants to check up on Asch's wellbeing; but largely, Asch's current condition is data for him to collect.]

Yet, when something so miraculous happens, we still find a way to lose a little something. Is that right? [He can tell Asch's senses don't seem to be impaired, and his memory seems to be fine. It has to be something else.]

[action/written]

[Action] IF YOU WILL STILL ALLOW THIS

[Action] WHY THE HELL NOT

[Action] HELL YES

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]