15[20:18] The Four Fangs reconvene, the heavy rain inaudible within the Prolix & Terse. Is this meeting just them? Either way, they've all learned things to share with the others, so as to formulate their next moves. The hour draws late; dinner has come and gone. 15[20:18] How's everyone doing tonight? [20:20] 14How's Rinca? 15[20:22] Pretty good for someone who's been told to spend the next several hours demineralizing in a puncbowl vinegar bath. Caxi sounded optimistic. [20:24] 14Then Piu's sort of pent up and anxious under the surface but presents as her normal, even-keeled self. [20:24] 14Bad weather for sailing. [20:25] 10Daizo's pretty okay. So, yes, the excitement of the Ignition nearly caught up with him and he was starting to believe in their mad plan for a little while.  [20:26] 14Piu's only real problem with it remains their action item. [20:27] 14The idea of a broad united front with the Golden and Silver Anathema? Absolutely correct. [20:27] 10But it's his assessment of it on their parting with Brother Rikai that's convinced him— "It's all too neat. All the pieces fit together seamlessly." [20:27] 14Piu: "What do you mean?" [20:28] "And killing their chosen ones every time one doesn't work out? I thought they were trying to do better than the Dynasty." [20:29] 14Piu: "Wait, have they previously succeeded?" [20:30] 10Daizo: "They have a story that explains everything—everything wrong with the world, every piece of rot and decay traceable back to a single source, and all of it fixable in just a few easy steps— gods, no! At least, I hope not. Has there even been an eclipse?" 15[20:31] Not in a while... [20:31] "But, that's their plan to deal with failure. Take their beautiful, perfect Sun child and let her destroy herself." [20:32] "Then start over." [20:32] 6Zhangyu looks as calm as he usually does in private. The grimaces and angry looks are for walking around without being bothered, and that's unnecessary here. "That's. Quite a 'plan'." [20:34] "Rikai, for his part, intends to be the new Mouth of Peace in his own lifetime, on the basis of this plan." [20:34] 14Piu: "Why am I consistently the most loyal and least insane member of House V'Neef?" [20:36] 10Daizo quickly runs through several joke attempts in his head and rejects all of them. [20:37] 14Piu: "Well, whatever their plan and however truly nuts it is, there's at least one deathknight in camp with his fingers in it. Maybe two. The one we know about is a child." [20:38] 10Daizo: "The deathknights sink that low, to recruit children to their side?" [20:39] "Why is it that everywhere we go we find people in the business of buying and selling innocent souls?" [20:40] 14Piu: "I suppose they're simply cheap and fungible." [20:40] "It was this boy who turned Rinca half-stone and turned one of Budokan's scouts fully into stone. Should figure out who he is, actually." [20:41] 6Zhangyu: "It would be good to know who to avoid in order to avoid becoming stone, yes." [20:46] 10Daizo: "I should note that we still don't know how the Igniters are summoning and controlling elementals on a large scale. But, perhaps the boy with the stone gaze might have some relevance in that department." [20:52] 14Piu: "Maybe. You've sent off a note asking when the next eclipse is?"| 15[20:55] The daimon announces itself with his telltale crackle. "Daizo, you have a caller." 15[20:55] "The call is coming from inside your cabin. Inside a tiny glass box." 15[20:56] "I shouldn't editorialize; I'm sure the box is a normal size." [20:57] 10Daizo: "Wha—ah. Pardon me just a moment." [20:59] 10The surprise only lasts a moment—he'd expected to receive a Messenger in return. He'll duck out to get the flower. 15[21:01] Whether it's because it's coming from a delicate silver lotus or because it's under glass, the facsimile of Clara's voice Daizo hears (and brings back to the meeting room?) is tinny and small. "There you are. How are the birds treating you?" [21:03] 10Daizo: "We don't chat as much as I would like—seagulls don't make for very interesting conversation partners, I've found." [21:05] 10He's staying in the cabin for the moment.  15[21:06] Clara: "Seagulls can make fine company but they're very easily distracted." 15[21:06] "I got your Messenger! Doing some astrology?" [21:13] "Not exactly. We've encountered a rogue Immaculate sect who are eagerly awaiting the next eclipse—we'd like to know if we're talking about days, weeks, or months to see their plan come to fruition." 15[21:13] "...what's their plan?" [21:15] "Not that I'd be opposed to some education in the art, but— ah, a summoning ritual, as best as I've been able to ascertain." 15[21:19] Clara: "Well that's not good. The eclipse is like Calibration; the borders open up, the veils draw thin... if your monks are summoning something at the eclipse it's going to be nasty. A greater demon, at least." 15[21:20] "Or maybe they've gotten into necromancy... but that's a dragon of a different color." 15[21:22] "You've got no idea what they're calling down? Who are these Immaculates?" [21:22] 10Daizo: "Right. I'm not even sure they completely understand what they're calling up. The theme of an eyeless face is unpleasantly prominent in theor iconography." [21:25] 10Daizo: "But they think they can call down the power of a recently deceased Golden Anathema and invest it into a chosen host." 15[21:26] "Oh." 15[21:26] There's a long silence. 15[21:27] Back in the meeting room, the daimon remarks, "Ping." [21:28] 14Piu: "Hmmm?" [21:30] 10Daizo: "As for who they are: rebels who used to be part of the mining operations at Putu-on-Neck. Gu Len and V'Neef Rikai are leading the dissenters. They've come up with this theory, you understand." 15[21:30] The daimon: "I'm being hailed. The Commodore left instructions not to be disturbed between the hours of 2100 and 0300. That makes you two the ranking officers. This is a ship-to-ship communique from the Golden Barque." [21:30] "That the Sun isn't the Sun—" 15[21:31] The Daimon: "Not opening a channel; just requesting heading and coordinates." 15[21:31] Mildly: "I have to comply unless ordered not to." [21:39] 14Piu: "Well. Uh." [21:39] 6Zhangyu looks to Piu. "Interesting name for a ship." [21:39] "Kind of want to see where this goes." [21:40] "Yyyyyeah. Saying no to Mercury at this point is probably a bad idea anyway." [21:40] "No countermanding order given." 15[21:40] Daimon: "Acknowledged." 15[21:41] After what feels like fifteen minutes Clara comes back, "Oh, that sounds bad." 15[21:41] "That'd put you in, uh... the far northwest, is that right?" [21:46] 10Daizo: "Putu-on-Neck, right. You should see it. No one's going to be pulling any jade out of here for a long time, no matter what happens." 15[21:46] "You're right." 15[21:47] "And it'll make predicting the eclipse easier to explain if I can show you the charts in person." 15[21:47] "You've got a few days at least. Can y'all keep a lid on things in the meantime? How's unity? How's morale?" [21:49] 10Daizo: "The situation is stable for the moment. Dryas wants to go fishing—not for sport, but because everyone stuck in the middle of all this are going hungry." [21:49] "As long as Cathak Budokan doesn't mount another attack…" 15[21:50] Then: "How's Piu doing?" [21:52] 10Daizo: "Furious, but keeping a lid on it." 15[21:53] Clara: "Mmm. I'm sending you all my best. I'll be down as soon as I can clear my schedule, okay? I'll bake you something." 15[21:54] "Just... keep it together. I know you can. I have total faith in you, Daizo." [21:55] 10Daizo: "…thank you. You're too kind." 15[21:55] "And you don't need to send a Messenger! Holler into the flower if you want to reach me. The bond between master and pupil is sacred." 15[21:56] "Take care! Best of luck!!" [21:58] "'Til then."