A burned out failure

[stupidhonor]

...

...

By popular decision of the Lords, Ankaia will wage war on Earth. Ishin will be first in line, no doubt using his extraordinary might for great effect.

[Sielje is a mess. She sits with her head lowered, not bothering to change from her fancy dress - now torn and dusty from the fight.]

And it is all my fault.


If only... I was strong enough to face and defeat him...

If... only... I was stronger...!

[Her eyes are full of tears and you can hear pretty undignified sniffing.]

Comments

[keep_your_dignity]

SURVIVE, YES. BUT FROM WHAT I KNOW, NO MATTER WHO YOU ARE YOU COME OUT OF IT A HELL OF A LOT WEAKER THAN YOU WERE. AT WHICH POINT WE CAN TAKE HIM.

AND WHATEVER YOU KNOW COULD BE USEFUL. MAKE A POINT OF WRITING IT DOWN. AND IF YOU CAN THINK OF ANY WAY TO FIND OUT MORE, THAT TOO.

[stupidhonor]

I know... a way to find out more.

Ynya and Kimhone are most well oriented in such ways. From all Ankaians, they will remain your closest and best allies.

[Then why is Sielje so hesitant to say it?]

[keep_your_dignity]

THEN SEE IF YOU CAN GET THEM TO GIVE YOU SOME DATA. THIS IS RATHER MORE PRESSING THAN YOUR ISSUES WITH YOUR EX-FRIENDS.

[Kagura waits for a couple seconds after that for Sielje to react, before continuing]

AND NOW I IMAGINE COMES THE BIT WHERE YOU TELL ME YOU HAVE NO ISSUES AND I REMIND YOU I CAN DETECT WHEN YOU'RE LYING, SO IF IT'S ALL THE SAME TO YOU I'D RATHER MOVE PAST THAT AND TO THE PART WHERE YOU TELL ME WHAT THE PROBLEM IS.

[stupidhonor]

I do not lie, lying is dishonorable. My relationship with them... will not be a problem.

The problem is that Ynya and Kimhone stayed on the Ankaian side. To seek support against Lord Ishin, no doubt. But it means we cannot talk unless a gateway is opened from the other side.

[keep_your_dignity]

YEAH RIGHT. THIS ARMOR MAY NOT HAVE ACTUAL EYES, BUT I'M NOT BLIND, KID. [Kagura does not believe you for a minute, Sielje. Still, no point pressing Sielje... yet. She turns to start going away, speaking as she does.]

THE GATEWAY ISSUE IS EMINENTLY SOLVABLE GIVEN ENOUGH TIME. OF COURSE, THE QUESTION IS WHAT YOU WOULD FIND THERE. DON'T PUT ALL YOUR STOCK ON THEM.

AND ON THE THING YOU WERE CRYING ABOUT, IF YOU WANT TO GET STRONGER, POKE AROUND THE TRAINING FIELD TOMORROW. YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BEAT A CHEAT LIKE ISHIN IN DIRECT COMBAT, BUT IF YOU'RE WILLING TO USE YOUR HEAD I CAN PUT SOME FIGHT INTO YOU.

[stupidhonor]

...

...

What have you in mind?

[keep_your_dignity]

IF YOU'RE NOT GOING TO CHICKEN OUT, A FULL PROGRAM. PHYSICAL CONDITIONING, FIGHTING FORMS, THE WHOLE LOT. LEAVE YOUR PRIDE AT THE DOOR BECAUSE WHAT I DO WORKS BUT IT ISN'T PLEASANT. [Kagura's elite executors sure as hell would agree with this. There's a reason all of them are among the very best, but also why they dread training sessions more than PRAYER attacks.]

ALSO BASIC TACTICS. THAT YOU REFUSE TO USE THEM BECAUSE YOU'RE AN IDIOT DOESN'T MEAN EVERYONE ELSE IS GOING TO. SO IF YOU TAKE THIS UP YOU'RE GOING TO LEARN SOME BASIC TACTICAL DOCTRINE SO YOU KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT OTHER PEOPLE TO DO AND NOT GET MY SOLDIERS KILLED.

[stupidhonor]

I see.

[keep_your_dignity]

WELL THEN. I HAVE WORK TO DO. IF YOU TAKE IT UP, TOMORROW AT EIGHT, FIELD THREE. IF NOT, YOUR LOSS.

[And with that, Kagura leaves. She doesn't entirely expect Sielje to actually show up the next day, granted, but hey, she's bet on wider chances, and it's not like it loses the fairy major any if she doesn't show.

And if she does, hey, Sielje gets to learn a few tricks (because whatever else Kagura is, Kagura is very good at what she does) and Kagura gets a new recruit to yell at to let go some of that frustration she's been dealing with for the last month. Everyone wins.]

[stupidhonor]

[This is when a hero of a story would be all fired up, ready to take everything Kagura throws and show them what they're made of.

So the next morning Sielje is not there, or anywhere nearby, at all.]