View source for 2023-11-29: A Long Time Ago In Kamogawa

{{Log
|cast=Ranka Lee, Sheryl Nome, Laffinty Fin E Ld Si, Yurikano De Metrio Lu, Izo Sofiro Karia Los, Kirius Racus Lestine Ha, Array Danon Ci, Moid Balance T
|location=A meeting room in the Expedition Fleet
|summary=While discussing various matters of state and pastries, the princesses of De Metrio and Le Garite are given cause to open up about the problems of their people, about the surprising history binding them to Earth, and about the demons that destroyed the world.
}}
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|phase=1
|turn=3
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 <Pose Tracker> Laffinty Fin E Ld Si has posed.
<poem>
Somewhere in the Frontier's analytics division, someone is idly reviewing data provided by the Zuvorg. It's nothing important, but it's something that needs to be analyzed by Earth's own eyes, just in case. Trust, but verify; the old adage.

Then the young officer straightens up in his seat, pulling his monitor closer to peer. "Hold on...that's not right. That would mean..."

He leans back in his chair, calling across the empty room to a Meltran counterpart. "Quen! You double checked these figures, right?"

She grunts, barking back, "Obviously! What about 'em? There a problem?"

He scratches his head and runs the simulation again, two planets' orbits spinning rapidly toward each other... "Not for...''us''..." he says, slowly.
&#42;

Princess Fin E Ld Si Laffinty, Lan to her friends, is currently sitting in a very important briefing room, the kind they expect proper young ladies to find their native habitat. Moid is behind her, as always, while a few men in suits have provided some fair from a Frontier shopping mall for lunch, while she's on the ship overseeing whatever Mekibos is up to.

She has half of a german-style pretzel in her mouth. nom nom nom
</poem>


 <Pose Tracker> Yurikano de Metrio Lu has posed.
<poem>
Yurikano is playing an important role in today's briefing proceedings. An extremely important role. She's playing the "Princess who is obviously here because of royalty hierarchy and here just to observe things for the benefit of her own understanding of politics" rather than any real capacity. There's not much power she can exercise in this state, nor does she have the capacity for much more.

What she ''does'' have, while in that meeting room, is a giant churro she's chomping on. Sugar for the brain, and for the absentminded wonderment of the ship in general. Always take care of yourself when you can, so she says to the students under her purview. (Whether she lives up to that creed is another matter altogether.)
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Yurika Misumaru has posed.
<poem>
       And of course, where there are two princesses, there must be those who make sure they don't get into trouble, either from outsiders or between each other. (Yurikano can defend herself from anyone, really - but can Lan defend herself from ''Yurikano''?)

       "Lady Laffinty. It is an honor to be in your service for the day. Should this vessel fall under attack - may the three demons curse them, and may my blade cleave them in twain." Kirius even goes so far as to do the whole bowing to one knee thing. For a moment, he sparkles so radiantly that roses threaten to fill the vision of onlookers. ...The effect is probably ruined observing him chewing on a big celery-like vegetable.

       "Man, this is like the third week we've been seeing the princess out and about while we're stationed to help out here...you're still being that reverent...?" Izo digs into Kirius's calf with the foot of one shoe, just a bit, but he is like iron in his diligence. He, personally, is nibbling on beef jerky.

       ...Array, of course, is absentmindedly in the back, forcefully focused on gaming, but he seems to be...hiding a box inconspicuously every so often. It's only when Yurikano's turned away for a while that Array spirits away...a big eclair from it, scarfing the pastry down in record time...

</poem>
 <Pose Tracker> Sheryl Nome has posed.
<poem>
       Sheryl was invited to this very important briefing. Why? Because she's Sheryl! Or so one presumes. She hasn't actually heard the details yet; she assumes it's something to do with a concert or the song she's been working on for Yurikano with Lan and Ranka. If it's something more serious than that, she has no idea.
       
       What she ''does'' have, since everyone got some food delivered before the meeting began (how courteous!), is a pain au chocolat. That flaky dough, the dark chocolate within--delicious! She'd have gone for an eclair but ''someone'' has mysteriously made off with them.
       
       When she's done, she dabs her lips with a napkin and cleans her hands. Kirius's reverence to the princesses, and Izo's complaints about it, get a smile out of her. "Why not? It's his whole ''thing'', isn't it?"
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Ranka Lee has posed.
<poem>

Ranka is meanwhile, jotting down notes on a little notepad while waiting for the briefing to start, on occasion sharing it alongside with Sheryl, parts of her work in process.

In the corner of the schoolyard, I was always

The word after has been crossed out numerous times, into various iterations, a mess across the pad, sketched in pencil.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Alternatively she bites into a single banana nut muffin.  Quite a simple treat, it definitely has no meaning whatsoever.

Mid-bite, she listens in on Kirius and Izo, before bobbing her head in agreement.

"Honestly it's pretty endearing.  His devotion is up there with some of your biggest fans."

Wait...  ''up there''...?

How passionate do Sheryl's fans on the Earthsphere get that some could top Kirius?!?

</poem>
 <Pose Tracker> Laffinty Fin E Ld Si has posed.
<poem>
A knock on the door!! Lan looks up from her pretzel. Moid steps over to receive them.

A young man in a Frontier uniform leans in, looks around, and then looks up at Moid. Some hushed murmurings between the two of them, and Moid bids the man on his way, before returning to the table, eyes flicking over the documents. "Ah," he sighs.

"Moid?" Lan prompts, setting her food aside. Moid sets the documents in front of her. "A communique from the Frontier analytics team. I believe they've identified the Thousand Year Problem, your highness."

Lan wilts. "Ah. ...good of them to notify us, at least..." She sighs, and picks up the papers looking through them.

"Truly an intractable issue," Moid says. His eyes don't unsquint any, but perhaps Yurikano can sense his attention on her anyway. "One requiring quite drastic measures, I fear."

</poem>
 <Pose Tracker> Yurikano de Metrio Lu has posed.
<poem>
There's only the silent chewing of the churro was she awaits the report. The fact that Moid immediately brought about documentation about the entire effort...There's little she can do but frown at that minor stack of papers, only having to give a quick glance to understand what she already knew.

"I was wondering when they'd find out about it. Not exactly a problem that can be hidden up so easily..." A minor edge in her voice as she picks up one of the documents, reading it over. Nothing new on this. "There's nothing here that we don't already know."

She is doing her best not to meet Moid's gaze. The boys are allowed to do as they please; She ''did'' drag them along upon pain of more exercise to understand others.

"...At the very least, we can trust that they'll notify us of anything wrong in our own vicinity." Optimism!

</poem>
 <Pose Tracker> Yurika Misumaru has posed.
<poem>
       "Devotion...Miss Ranka, this is nothing more than duty and loyalty." Unflinching with each attempt to cow him, Kirius ''does'' have a bit of a flush across his face at Sheryl's tease. "...Mm. My whole...'thing', you say. I fear that in my efforts to leave a noble impression upon our esteemed guests from afar, I've perhaps overdone it. I promise you, this is simply the expected demeanor of those who aspire to join the ranks of Le Garite's royal guard. Members of the family and visitors alike must be treated hospitably."

       To that end, Kirius doesn't even show the slightest hint of cowing at Moid's presence - he's simply another member of the royal court. "Gh...the rumors are true, are they? ...If they are, then for Le Garite to be so poorly fated...Sir Moid, what do these drastic measures entail, in your estimation?"

       "He's not gonna just tell you top level plans, Kirius," Array mumbles in, swallowing down the last of an eclair, cream left upon his nose. "We're still just students here. I wouldn't be surprised if he has all of us leave save for Laffinty. Besides, what ''can'' anyone do...well...hm. Maybe King Dizelmine can get over his spat with Emperor Posaydal, and ask about just what the hell happened to Darbnes..." For someone who doesn't so much as look up from the high-octane shoot-em-up he's engaged with, Array's already thinking on that type of strategic pondering...
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Sheryl Nome has posed.
<poem>
       When Ranka shares her notepad with her, Sheryl looks over and either nods her approval or makes suggestions on how to improve a line. It's a relaxed time at first. It helps of course that she doesn't actually know why they're here.
       
       "If only Alto were that devoted!" Sheryl faux-laments, before grinning. "Just kidding~. Alto wouldn't be half as charming if he weren't so grumpy." A pretty face, beset with a scowl... It's that gap moe working in his favor!
       
       Kirius tries to protest, but Sheryl only smirks his way. "Oh~? You don't think devotion has anything to do with duty or loyalty?"
       
       But then someone knocks at the door, and Sheryl glances their way. She watches the whispered conversation with mild curiosity, but her eyebrows only start to furrow at the words ''Thousand Year Problem''.
       
       "What's that?" she wonders. Based on the way they're talking about it, especially with the kinds of names Array drops-- "It sounds like a big deal."

</poem>
 <Pose Tracker> Ranka Lee has posed.
<poem>

It is a nice, relaxed back and forth, and soon enough Ranka is sharing an updated pad, but...

...  Ranka actually puts a hand over her mouth, smiling behind it, "Well...  um." She nibbles on her bottom lip, "...  you won't hear me disputing that.  He's pretty cute when he's, grumpy."

Ranka says, thinking of ...  various incident.  Idly she takes another bite of a muffin.

Kirius' dispute causes Ranka to look back at him as he tries to protest it, "Hmmm, is that really so?" Ranka says, not quite thinking he's LYING but perhaps being modest, as she refutes it politely, "Personally I think you go above and beyond!"

As if she's STILL very much in agreement with Sheryl.

When Moid comes in, Ranka sits up straighter, looking sidelong at Sheryl again for a moment, before back his way.  When he mentions...  the 'Thousand Year Problem', Ranka mouths those words as an almost interrogative?

Sheryl, indeed asks more on it, as it sounds like a big deal, as she adds. "I know we're just a small expedition but...  if it's anything we could help with..."

She indicates at least, willingness to help despite knowing nothing about what anything big enough to be a 'Thousand Year Problem' could be!

</poem>
 <Pose Tracker> Laffinty Fin E Ld Si has posed.
<poem>
Lan titters a little at Yurikano, and at Kirius' rigid manner. He ''is'' funny... "To be honest, not even the seneschal I have when Moid is with my brother treats me like this. It's kind of fun?"

She nods to Yurikano, too. "It's reassuring, I agree. But...I suppose..." She gives Sheryl and Ranka a briefly thoughtful look. Then she gathers herself, coiling up as she assumes a far less relaxed persona, her eyes reopening cold and reserved. "According to our models - and yours, apparently - our planets, De Metrio and Le Garite, will collide in about one thousand years." She nods to Kirius. "The information isn't widely distributed, but the rumors are already starting. It's not like we can suppress orbital mechanics...My brother Dizelmine believes strongly that it must be handled now, in our lifetimes, so that future rulers don't delay until it's too late." She should smile here, but she doesn't, eyes narrow and intent. "I agree. I've been preparing to help him do whatever is needed to save our worlds for my whole life. But..."

She hesitates, and glances to Moid, who takes over. "Prince Vilagiulio of De Metrio disagreed with his plan to an extent that chilled relations between both worlds," he says, precisely. "Very sad. They were as good as brothers, before that."

He turns his attention on Yurikano. "Which reminds me. Have you seen your brother lately? I haven't had word of him in some time."

Lan responds by balling her fists in her lap and staring dead ahead at the numbers with an eagle-eyed focus. She spears Array through with it, nodding. "Yes. Right now, in the time of a ruler who wants to save his world, everything is faling into disarray in the Zuvorg nations. Instead of helping each other survive, people are..."

Moid very quietly clears his throat, and Laffinty's eyes dart to the side, before she draws in a breath and centers herself again. "...sorry. I'm sure you're not interested in interstellar politics. I appreciate the sentiment, Ranka. But this isn't the sort of matter that concerns the Frontier."
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Yurikano de Metrio Lu has posed.
<poem>
There's a slow chill up Yurikano's own neck, her back instinctually straightning as she read through the documents. Nothing new, nothing that she didn't already know, didn't already ''suspect''. No chance, near-certain movements, all the data that she could parse understood and reinforced. No escaping the inevitable.

There's only the lightest of 'harsh' glares at Kirius before settling back down, allowing Array to take the lead in that. He's getting a churro later. (And another eclair.)

"I was hoping that the simulations from another civilization entirely would be able to find something we didn't know." A sigh and a shrug, setting those documents back down and nibbling on her churro. "My brother's still gone missing, same status as the last week, the week beforem, and every week before that." The barest hint of an edge in her voice.

"The point of the matter is, the Thousand Year Problem is something King Dizelmine wants to resolve. So far...We haven't found anything." It's the truth, and how could they disguise something so obvious as orbital trajectories?

There's a pointed glance over at Moid. She's doing her job. She's trying. "Unless there's something planetside that your side did to move an entire planet?" ...At least, there's the search for something.
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Yurika Misumaru has posed.
<poem>
       "If it's a whole planet-scale problem, then King Dizelmine's probably onto something. It's not like a thousand years is a lot when it comes to a planet," Array concurs, before carelessly stuffing his face with an eclair right where Yurikano can see. "It's clear the guy's preparing something big. Why all the military bases, otherwise? Why go to war over a place like Pa Dros? ...You all from Earth probably wouldn't know this, but Le Garite wasn't always this expansive. For the longest time, we kept mostly to ourselves, protecting the fire of legacy and all that. It's only since Dizelmine took the throne that there's been so much war and conquest. Sure, he says it's to do with how Grados and Pentagona are doing the same thing, but he's had a loooot of opposition."

       Izo's just been kind of sipping at a juice box this whole time, throwing a brief glance to Yurikano - one eyebrow raised at the slight tension in her glare. Of course - the Princess of De Metrio can't be too pleased about all this, especially with what some radicals are saying ought to be done. Overnight, public opinion of De Metrio started to slowly sour despite centuries of alliance...

       A churro offered to Yurikano. "...you're looking kinda tense from all this. ...Take a deep breath, alright? Don't pay too much attention to Array's...getting like that, he doesn't know squat."
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Sheryl Nome has posed.
<poem>
       Teasing Kirius will have to wait now. Even chewing out Array as he CLEARLY AND SHAMELESSLY EATS ALL THE ECLAIRS will have to wait. When Lan's demeanor chills into seriousness and she explains what the Thousand Year Problem is, Sheryl's eyebrows remain furrowed, but their inner tips tug upwards. She could say something pithy like 'so it ''is'' a big deal,' but she doesn't. She's lost her home, but to lose an entire ''planet''... It might not be happening for a long time by a human scale, but on a galactic scale, that's basically in an eyeblink.
       
       Not only that, but it sounds like ''both'' planets are inhabited. That's some truly rotten luck. At least they've noticed now when there's still time to do ''something'' about it, but... it sounds like it's not doing them a lot of good right now.
       
       "What didn't he like about your brother's plan?" she wonders. She falls silent as Moid discreetly cuts Lan off, then essentially says it's not their problem. "No wonder you were all so tense at first," she says. "I hope you all can figure out a good solution."
       
       It would be nice to be able to offer help like Ranka did, but now that she actually knows what the problem, it sounds like Moid's right and this is thoroughly out of their league.
       
       She leans back in her seat, legs and arms folded, to glance over at Yurikano. The planetary problem might be out of their league, but the political problem... Of course, Sheryl would need to know more before she could weigh in on it. Much as she'd like to criticize Vilagiulio for being irresponsible and running off without word, she suspects Yurikano wouldn't appreciate that flavor of support.
       
       So Array coming in with the exposition about Le Garite and King Dizelmine is very helpful. It gives a lot of context to why Prince Vilagiulio might have a problem with whatever he's proposing. "It's new to me, certainly," she tells him. "Knowing about this now, I'm a little surprised any of you have time to deal with visitors from a wholly different planet."
       
       ...Unless they're being shoved out of the way or something like that. But Sheryl keeps that thought to herself.

</poem>
 <Pose Tracker> Ranka Lee has posed.
<poem>

"Huh?" Ranka Lee's eyes just grow that much wider.  It's not the kind of shock which causes her hair to leap, it's more a mute horror where she's...

...  processing...

"That's horrible!? I-  a thousand years."

Ranka sits back, takes more time to process, "That's...  a lot of time, at least, to figure out something."

Indeed so shocked is she that she misses Array eating those eclairs.  Indeed, she gives time to process, as Sheryl asks about her brother's plan.

She can understand at least why it's not something they'd bring up immediately, even if it's something that'd likely be all consuming to the culture.

Indeed she looks up at Array, as he speaks of the political change.  "...  War and Conquest..." Ranka repeats softly.  Her expression sad, perhaps distant.

She doesn't like the idea, but she can at least ''understand'' the desperation that might drive such an act, with a thousand years left.

"Well...  on Earth, a few years back, a really awful man tried to crash an Asteroid about the size of a small planet into the Earth to drive everyone off of it into space.  It was...  averted, by this miraculous light, that pushed it away.  We called the event the Axis Shock."

Ranka had begun slowly, but there's not any real, enthusiasm behind it.  Because... "But I imagine it's not that simple, because...  even if we could move one world, or the other, changing an orbit...?"

She shakes her head, as if in understanding that it won't work.  Ranka isn't the most scientific minded, but even she knows enough from her life on the fleet - the education that comes with the intention of colonization, to understand...

... it'd cause widespread destruction, changes to the climate.

"It doesn't sound like there are any...  good choices, that aren't just...  leaving, on fleets intended to settle somewhere else."

And that certainly doesn't sound like a solution that's viable in the current...  political climate.


</poem>
 <Pose Tracker> Laffinty Fin E Ld Si has posed.
<poem>
Lan withers a little under Array's rather blase description of her brother's tyranny. "Is that what it looks like from the outside," she murmurs.

But, she still musters herself to nod. "My brother hasn't told me the full nature of his solution, but...investigating worlds for something that might help is what Moid and I have been doing for some time."

Moid looks as directly at Ranka as he can without actually making his eyes readily visible. "Truly? Remarkable. I shall have to look up the event. If nothing else, it sounds fascinating."

"That...might not be too far off," Lan murmurs. "I think he believes a miraculous power really exists...something from fairy tales. But it's..."

Moid cuts her off to chide her, voice gentle, "It's unlikely that power is as dangerous as the legends say, Your Highness."

Moid specifically does not look at Yurikano.
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Yurikano de Metrio Lu has posed.
<poem>
There's a deep breath in. Right, don't overexert yourself on this. A deep breath out.

"Right. I'm not at liberty to say anything regarding King Dizelmine's practices, so let's leave that subject at that, okay~?" An offered smile as she accepts the churro. Nom nom nom. Relax. They don't know the tangled web of the politics of the Zuvorg Alliance. "Thanks, Izo..."

Nom nom nom nom.

"Leaving your planet...It'd be possible a few decades ago, but with the current poltiical tensions, we're not exactly in luck with convincing people on things." Thanks, Dizelmine. Thanks! "We've already considered that unfeasible."

Yurikano does not bother to even glance at Moid. There's still an invisble air of distaste in his direction. "Legends are legends, so focus on something that can actually work."
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Yurika Misumaru has posed.
<poem>
       "I mean, if moving a planet's impossible, then the only way is to get everyone off of it. And the only way to do that takes time." Izo chimes in with the obvious, braindead answer. "Like sure, it'd be hard to load everyone into ships and find a new place to call home this year, or next year, but if Le Garite's gonna, like, stay intact as an idea, it might take a thousand years. ...Yurikano, you're close with King Dizelmine-" Said in that lowering of his voice, scruffing the back of his own hair. Ah, he's so obviously jealous. "...Tell him to just invest in a bunch of ships and get everyone moving." He can't help but glance between Yurikano and Moid, addressing each other but not looking each others' way...

       Kirius, who's become a bit of a flustered statue sort of in the middle of the idol-princess fray, finally stops covering the bottom of his mouth with a gloved hand the whole time, clapping himself on the cheeks to dispel him of the blushiness from Ranka and Sheryl pestering him a little. "...It won't be that easy. Le Garite's claim to providence is the planet itself. So the founding story goes - that thousands of years ago, our ancestors, the old Kingdom of Le Garite, fled the annihilation of a world known as 'Earth', and settled upon this new world, spreading across the Polyhedron. Without that world as a symbol of our foundation, what exactly do we have to assert our authority over the rest of the system?"

       "...What 'authority'? Do you honestly think Posaydal cares about that? If that guy really is as immortal as they claim, then something from a storybook ain't gonna stop him. And given the debates going on in Grados questioning this whole Earth business as exactly that, a story, hell, they might come and burn down Le Garite themselves to prove themselves. ...bunch of..." Array has that ever so slight 'has been in too many debates online about this' vibe to his tone that he stops himself from launching ''too'' into in public company...
</poem>
 
 <Pose Tracker> Sheryl Nome has posed.
<poem>
       Sheryl hadn't even considered Axis Shock as something to bring up. It might have deflected a colony, but they're talking about entire planets here. Besides, what makes a miracle a miracle is that it can't be whipped up at one's convenience. She raises a dubious eyebrow at Ranka's unenthusiastic suggestion at changing the orbit of one of the planets, too. Sheryl's no scientist either, but she's not sure about that either.
       
       But then Lan brings up an actual literal 'miraculous power.' Sheryl gives her a thoughtful little frown as Moid cuts her off. Yurikano too says she's not at liberty to remark on Dizelmine. "Fair. I don't want to put any of you in an uncomfortable position," she says, flipping her hair over one shoulder.
       
       Her frown deepens as she looks from her back to Moid. There's an odd, unpleasant tension between the two of them... And Izo's practically radiating envy as he talks about Yurikano and Dizelmine. A love triangle, hm... Sheryl can sympathize with that.

       But then Kirius finally gets out of a mental lock to talk about how the people of Le Garite fled Earth itself. "What, seriously?" she utters. "I'll admit it's been through a lot of hard knocks over the past several decades, but it's definitely not annihilated!"
       
       Array has his own take on this too--but Sheryl just frowns. At least that explains why they can't--or rather, won't--just leave the planet. She personally thinks that's the wrong choice, but... it's hard to abandon your home. She understands that.
       
       So she opts not to press on it. "What's this fairy tale about, then? If King Dizelmine believes in it enough to chase after it, then it doesn't matter if it's real or not--it's going to be a point of interest no matter what."

</poem>
 <Pose Tracker> Ranka Lee has posed.
<poem>

Indeed in a sense, she was not ''really'' suggesting that, but trying to offer an avenue of research, instead.  When Moid says he'll look into it.  She nods his way, "Hopefully there's something that can be learned from it."

As Sheryl noted to Ranka in the past, he looks quite untrustworthy, but she's not going to hold back just because of that.  Even if changing an orbit is too much, perhaps...  perhaps there's something there.

Indeed as Lan and Moid exchange words, Ranka blinks, "That power?" She echoes, looking at Sheryl, then at Yurikano as she notes it's not really feasible to leave- while also chiding Moid not to look at legends.

Izo of course backs the answer, and Ranka hesitantly nods his way, it is - after all, what she was raised on, the idea of leaving one's home behind to Colonize new parts of space, the romance of it.

(Earth was never really her home anyway.)

But when he adds in that note of jealousy, she looks between him, and Yurikano. "Ah." Like Sheryl she can sympathize with it.  Perhaps in this moment she's even silently backing Izo some.

This King doesn't sound like a great guy.

Kirius' words instead cause her hair to leap, "Annihilation!?" She gasps, before falling silent, nodding once, twice, at Sheryl's words.

"I admit, I'm pretty curious too." As she backs up Sheryl again.  She knows the Princess didn't want Moid to focus upon it but...

"I'm not really sure how to approach this problem, but for Sheryl and me, it might give us some clarity?  Fairy tales can say a lot about the values of...  the people who preserve them."

</poem>
 <Pose Tracker> Laffinty Fin E Ld Si has posed.
<poem>
Moid chuckles. "Ah, no. Nothing on the order of decades."

The duo's shock at their story earns them a softer look from Lan, though she's clearly too On to relax back to the soft girl nomming eagerly on pretzels. She nods to Sheryl. "It's why we were all so surprised to see you. The military had reported Earth vessels, of course...but for most of the people of Le Garite, they only hear of Earth in the legends of our past. The story goes that many thousands of years ago, the predecessors of Le Garite fled the Earth's destruction. On the vessel that left, they say a single Lagrange flower bloomed, which has been cared for ever since by the Le Garite royal family as a memory of the world we lost, and the costs of losing your home."

She softens, slightly. "I've seen it. It's truly beautiful." ... then she snaps back to cold, and spears Izo on that serious, sharp-eyed look. "...so perhaps a disagreement about just who should have to flee was at the heart of my Brother and Vilagiulio's argument," she says, as diplomatically as possible. "The people of Le Garite still honor that suffering."

Moid of course obligingly falls quiet at Yurikano's cold remark, but he does glance toward Sheryl with a curl to his smile as she requests more information. Lan...cringes? "The story is of long ago," he recites. "It is of the demons that destroyed the Earth."

He steps forward, a bit, seizing the limelight. A little bit of stagecraft, for the performers. "'The green demon tears the skies. The blue demon devours the stars. The orange demon vomits darkness. With a great many sacrifices, the demons were sealed, and the land may be healed. But if you indulge in depravity of the soul, the demons will awaken once more.'"

Lan trembles, and completes the verse: "'Never awaken them. Never.'"

Moid chuckles, lightly. "I do think it's rather overwrought, don't you? The kind of story they make up to keep children in bed at night. But there are reasons to pursue even frightening beasts, I feel."

He's probably not looking at Ranka for any particular reason.

"They are called the Vox," he says, pleasantly. "Despite the legend citing only three, there's been several identified throughout the galaxy, across the years. We believe studying them should be most informative."
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Yurikano de Metrio Lu has posed.
<poem>
Just tell him. The mere notion sets an unusually sharp glare at Izo; the silent admonishment as she finishes off that churro. If only it were so easy. "Unfortunately, he's right." Him, Kirius, and Array. "When the planet is considered the cornerstone of the entire kingdom, leaving that is paramount to leaving a holy place to die."

There's really no way than the hopes of a storybook, is there? A small hitch of breath. The Vox. The fairy tale that Moid's pursuing, the thing that- Leaning back on her chair, giving a roll of her shoulders. It's for the greater good. That's why she's here.

"The Vox has been the source of some research as a sort of..." How to explain it. "Cooperation between De Metrio and Le Garite." The last ditch sort, she implictly leaves out. "We can't not chase something that might work and has a foundation in reality, but at the same time, we can't stop looking for options." To be here because of that, because of that fairy tale...

"But it's still formenting, and most of the general public is either unaware of believing that we'll have a solution before it's too late." Two things: Time and the general public. "They believe in us, so it's our duty to avert this Problem." This Thousand Year Problem.
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Sheryl Nome has posed.
<poem>
       Nothing on the order of decades, huh. Sheryl frowns; something about the way he says that puts her off. But then again, his entire face puts her off. If this 'annihilation' was centuries or even millennia ago, then that might make more sense. She nods to Lan as she expands on the matter, specifying that it was indeed several thousands of years ago.
       
       "A Lagrange flower?" she echoes--and that much, it seems, isn't just a fairy tale. Her eyebrows curve in and up. "It sounds to me like everyone on both planets would have to flee, if that's how things panned out. But..." Her blue eyes slide over to Yurikano. "That being the case, it wouldn't matter either way."
       
       Sheryl can understand not wanting to have to flee your home under threat of destruction twice.
       
       Her frown deepens as Moid tells that tale of the demons. Lan finishes it. It's simple and straightforward, but the details... "Green, blue, and orange... Interesting color scheme. A mix of primaries and secondaries. It feels unusual," Sheryl muses, a couple of fingers on her chin. One of her eyebrows goes up as Moid goes on to specify that there's many more Vox than just those three from the legend. "Are you saying they actually are real, and not just a fairy tale?"
       
       Yurikano seems to say yes, even as she's been ''very'' unenthused about the topic. If these 'demons' are so terrible and destructive, Sheryl thinks she gets it. "Better to keep your options open, yeah," she agrees, nodding to her. "This is the fate of two planets we're talking about. Of course you'd want to look into every possible avenue you can."
       
       She huffs a little breath and leans back in her seat. She glances over at Ranka. Ranka had been kind enough to offer whatever help she could offer, but... "It sounds like there isn't a lot outsiders could do, aside from keep our mouths shut. Still, a thousand years is a long time for us humanoids. If we keep in touch, maybe someone on our end might eventually be able to help you figure out a solution." She shrugs a bit. "That's your call, though. The other thing clear here is that this is a politically fraught situation."
       
       She leans forward, glancing back at Ranka. "The best we could do is put you in touch with the right people..." She looks back to the others with a smile and a wink. "...''or'' open up some ''excellent'' diplomatic negotiations with a concert or two~."

</poem>
 <Pose Tracker> Ranka Lee has posed.
<poem>

Ranka finds herself listening to Lan with a certain fascination, the things she says instantly resonating with her in that sense, After all, if Earth was part of their legends from which their predecessors fled... "A shame we can't see it, the flower."

When Moid starts to tell the tale, her attention turns, and Ranka looks at him in wonder, "The skies, the stars...  the darkness." She repeats, with something that's not quite horror, more like she's working through it.  Lan trembles, with the warning of the tale, and Moid...

Ranka looks at him, and there's something in his eyes which discomforts her.  Perhaps it's the experiences here exploring the fate of the 117th that gets under her skin.  Her eyes get just a touch wide.

A circular window into the darkness the pincers of a beast of incredible size encircling your home your world entire then nothing alone alone alone alone

your fault

A bead of sweat creases the side of her forehead, her lip quavering for a moment.  Then she takes a breath, "Are...  there?" It's so quiet, Moid may not even hear it.

'the Vox' she hears, and she's still trying to settle her stomach, wiping a hand across her clammy face to get the bead of sweat, as she turns and smiles at Sheryl. "Yeah, it was a little premature of me to offer, I guess.  But I think you're right.  It's not insurmountable, especially with cooperation.  There are things I bet the people of Earth could help with, so long as kept communicating."

She perhaps avoids commenting on the subject of the beasts, or the color scheme further. Instead she decides to follow Sheryl's lead here, smiling as she indicates, "In fact I was hoping to hold another, very soon." Perhaps her tone gives way to some of her intent...

...  after all, she had promised both Princesses a song, before they left.

</poem>
 <Pose Tracker> Laffinty Fin E Ld Si has posed.
<poem>
"No operational Vox has ever been found, but...we do have some data. They leave quite an impression, it seems," Moid replies, cheerfully continuing to blithely ignore Yurikano's discomfort. "Enough to research a few key subjects. So no, they are most assuredly no mere legend. Of course, an intact Vox would change everything."

Despite &#42;literally everybody's&#42; obvious discomfort, he seems quite pleased. But, with the topic largely exhausted, he allows Lan to rally herself and continue. "It's already been a wonderful opportunity on that front," the young girl says, and manages a timid smile for Yurikano. "It's...been much too long, Yurikano..." she says. "It's been good to see you again, even with everything in the air."

She then turns her eyes back to Ranka and Sheryl, sliding back to a kind but somewhat neutral affect. "You're right. On a technological level...I'm sure we have much to learn about how we can solve each others' problems. I'll be looking forward to that next concert. I remember you've been working hard."

</poem>
 <Pose Tracker> Yurikano de Metrio Lu has posed.
<poem>
She can't help but frown, biting her lip as she did her utmost, extremely pointed best to not look Moid's way.

"With the basis of power being Le Gartie, we're aware they won't move. De Metrio's population also feels the same, not to mention the ruling monarchy." Herself included. It's her home. To abandon it would be...sacrilege, almost.

It's unfortunate that it had to be reaching towards fairy tales. To be scrambling for things that may or may not exist. "So long as we don't have something, we're at an impasse."

Even if this particular bit was because of Dizelmine, there were still relations to consider. Moid, especially. To slander the King in front of his presence was not her idea of 'fun'.

A slow breath in as the converation turns.

"A thousand years is a long, long time, but it'll come before anyone can tell." Relax. This wasn't the place to lay blame, or to gnaw oneself raw. "If anyone Earthside has anything, then let us know." There's a small smile towards Sheryl's offer, however vapid it sounded in her own mind. Anything could happen.

Her smile's returned by now, maintaining that demeanor of a down-to-earth princess. "Oh...Another concert? With you two? With how the reception was for the first one, I don't think they'd say no to one more."

</poem>
 <Pose Tracker> Sheryl Nome has posed.
<poem>
       "..." Sheryl's eyes flick from Moid to Yurikano. They've had this vibe this whole conversation, but the longer the discussion goes on, the more excruciating it becomes... and despite this fact, and the fact that he ''is'' making everyone uncomfortable, Moid seems to be enjoying himself.
       
       "Uh huh," she thus says, letting her tone fall a little flat, at the confirmation that Voxes are in fact real. She smiles over at Lan and says, "Well, setting all that aside," and thus neatly pushing the topic of Voxes to one side with one conversational shove, "it ''has'' been good for us to get a chance to meet each other. A thousand years might pass sooner than we think, but our own lives will pass in a blink by comparison. Making the most of what we've got going on now is what'll make a miracle happen in the future!"
       
       And so they'll naturally keep communicating, even after the expedition's over. Sheryl nods to Ranka and Yurikano both on that mark. "Ranka hasn't had her turn yet, so I'll let her take the stage on her own this time," she says, winking at Ranka. "I'm looking forward to it, too, Lan. You and I have been working hard with Ranka too, after all."
       
       There's a lot still to be worried about. For now, though, Lan and Yurikano both seem to have cheered up a little. Ranka... might well be faking it. But Sheryl's happy to support her for now. After all, the prospect of her stage has risen the mood of the room.
       
       That's the ''real'' power of a Voice.

</poem>
 <Pose Tracker> Ranka Lee has posed.
<poem>

Vox.  Vox.  Voice.  Something about Ranka is afraid of the very concept.  A voice being a demon.  A voice carrying such power.  She doesn't say a word about Moid's confirmation of the the reality of their existence.

Instead she squirms in her seat, until Lan interrupts him, and she manages a smile at the two...  reconnecting, in a sense, as of late, of this being the excuse for it.

And tries not to think of the three Demons.  Why does it bother her so much?  She loves fairy tales.  She loves them!

Still, she can get on board with Sheryl's feelings, "Yeah, our generation's contributions might be small, but who knows what it could inspire, later on!" Is the enthusiasm a bit forced?  Perhaps, but only in the moment, she truly does mean it.

She does give them both an apologetic look, "As she says, it's just me this time.  I've been working very hard on trying to make it a special day for you all.  But - the day when the two of us collaborate on stage might not be far away."

And perhaps as she says it, her smile becomes more genuine, "So I hope, the two of you enjoy the show, and that you'll look forward to the day we come back because..."

She looks towards Sheryl in that moment, "...  the two of us might be ready to fulfill that request, when we do."

</poem>