The Friction where both Light and Dark meet

[empress_without_a_throne]

[So.  Even though SolSavior's second encounter with SolEraser didn't go as well as everyone would've liked, it still had a perfectly good showing against the Lady's Good Men without falling apart or anything.  So clearly things were in the clear, right?  Wrong.  A new group of mechanics have come in from Solaris, performing more work on the DuskBird.  And Mizuki's getting in a heated discussion with her father.]

- But the last time we formed there wasn't any problem!  And for that matter the time we broke down it took me using the Sol Salvation and drawing out all of my-



That doesn't mean the threat's not there.  After we heard from Ken's parents about how that second battle against SolEraser went, we got worried.  Started looking more closely at the data gathered from when the DuskBird combines with the other machines.  And Mizuki, I'm... sorry.  Nobody was blind to the risks of mixing Sol and Void energy together, but what we say, it's... this is...



...... Dad......

Don't lose your nerve here.  You were supposed to be my adviser.



... As you say.  Very well then.

The findings, needless to say, were not heartening.  Sol and Void energies are contradictory, we've always known that since the earliest days of our conflict.  And having a machine draw on both would be like have an individual with both forces flowing in their veins.  If it could've been done safely that would've been one thing, but... our hopes were ill-placed.  The energies are in conflict, forcing each other below a certain threshold lest they destroy SolSavior... and what you experienced during your second battle against SolEraser was the result of you trying to push past that.

And that's just the machines themselves.  Flesh and blood aren't as easily mended as servos and conduits.  This isn't something that can just be powered through either; when one burns a hand it doesn't become more resistant to flames for the next encounter.   Just now you called me your adviser... so please heed my advice: your last combination didn't lead to tragedy, yes, but if you continue one of them will.  Or your bodies may fail you in between battles without warning.



But Dad... after that incident we've all pressed on and are doing fine.  It's not as if we're doubling over with pain or-



And that's exactly it!  We don't want that happening period!  Salanshiel, myself, Director Harper, Ken's parents, everyone!

[There's a pause as Zangango collects himself again.]

I'm sorry for that outburst, but it's true.  The deaths of the Balmung Team hang over Solaris's heads, even your mother's and mine.  I wouldn't be a good father if I just let this run the risk of happening.  So...



You're... not going to make us stop piloting, are you?



No, but we're not going to let the three of you pilot a ticking time bomb.  Not when it's endangered all three of you once already.  That's what they-

[He gestures at the mechanics.]

-Are there for.  SolSavior cannot be treated as a reliable weapon because... it isn't.  It never was, and we were well-intentioned but naive and unaware of the dangers it could pose.  Forming it now will require two overrides... one from Director Harper and one from the Unity Group's higher-ups... and only in times of absolute need where its strength would make the difference between life and death.

Please understand, Mizuki.  It's bad enough worrying some times when you're fighting out there.  It's another thing entirely knowing that SolSavior could wind up killing you.

... I'm sorry.



[Mizuki has no words for her father.  Just a nod and resting a hand on his shoulder to show that she'll comply.  But when she looks back up at the DuskBird and its Sol-aligned companion mechs...]

... Ten years supporting each other and still this happens...

[And thus she storms off.  Wouldn't this just be delightful news for Sara with all her talk of the limitations of heroes?]

Comments

[actuallyselfish]

"Whoah, Whoah!" Dido shouts, getting in-between a group of mechanics hauling in components. "What the hell do you think you're doing? I'm Solaris's on-site Engineering Chief! You come to me first before doing any installation work! No, I don't care if you have authorization. Does my head look like a scenic mountain hiking trail? You don't! Go! Over it...!"

Someone should probably talk Ms. Sybil down...

[empress_without_a_throne]

Miss Sybil, please.

[It's not Mizuki, but her father who steps in... though he gestures for the mechanics to take five and go somewhere else for the moment.]

It was hard enough explaining this to Mizuki without trying to come across like some... some paranoid father trying to keep her from dancing! I don't want to have to go through the same thing with you and then Ken afterwards!

[Yes he'd watched Footloose recently. What of it?]

[actuallyselfish]

"It's...but..." Dido quiets down, and actually thinks things over.

"Is it that bad?" She asks.

[empress_without_a_throne]

Not yet, but if things continue as they have they likely will be. You and Ken have already been harmed too much by Void energies, and the more you pilot the greater the risk becomes. The same with Mizuki herself... after all, a world of Light does not take kindly to those of Darkness that try to make a living in it.

[actuallyselfish]

Dido mumbles something under her lips, staring off into space. Then she squares her shoulders. "Alright." She says. "I don't have to like it, but things are what they are. A institutional override makes sense.

She turns to face Mizuki's Vizier-dad. "However, I want a copy of the medical reports and dual-energy resonance data. I'd like to take my own crack at the problem."

[empress_without_a_throne]

You'll have it then, as soon as we get everything compiled. And if you could find a solution...

She's my daughter. ANd you're her friends. I don't want to see you stuck in a situation where win or lose, you'd still die.

[actuallyselfish]

Dido nods. "What the hell." She says, giving Mizuki's father a thumbs up. "We're the Savior Team, that means we should be able to save our own necks too."

[empress_without_a_throne]

[And the thumbs-up is returned!]

That's everyone's hope. Solaris won't rest until we find a solution to this, I can promise you that, and we'll be on the lookout for any kind of solution.

[mistaken_for_monster]

...Mizuki?

[Volya was hesitantly standing not too far away with a small potted plant. Flowers of some sort it seemed. Seeing her mood he shuffled a little in place.]

[empress_without_a_throne]

[She hadn't quite figured out where she was going, just that she was going somewhere else. But when Volya calls out...]

... Sorry Volya, this isn't a good time.

[mistaken_for_monster]

Alright.

[He feels guilty for being disappointed about it. Mizuki's having a hard time right now, he shouldn't be unhappy that she isn't exactly in the mood to talk. He turns away, figuring he can give the present he managed to grow later. He pauses, glancing over to Mizuki and calling out to her.]

...Hope you feel better. See you later Mizuki!

[empress_without_a_throne]

[Hearing Volya call out to her makes her pause, biting her lip. Did she speak to Volya too harshly just then? She hadn't thought so, but then again this is Volya.]

... Going somewhere?

[mistaken_for_monster]

I need to put something away before I go water Interitus and get some homework done with some of my friends...

I-

[Wanted to thank you for everything and give you one of the flowers I managed to grow in my garden before I headed off.]

I didn't know you were busy... just thought I'd let you know.

[empress_without_a_throne]

Alright then.

Talk to you latter, Volya.

[jianai]

Mizuki! Mizuki, please wait.

[Ren calls while approaching without much haste.]

You seem upset.

[empress_without_a_throne]

[And seeing that Ren's not going to catch up otherwise, Mizuki pauses.]

Upset and... disappointed.

SolSavior's contrasting energy sources remain a problem, unfortunately. In fact it's worse than ever, even if none of us are in the Intensive Care unit just yet.

[jianai]

I see you know where the problem lies. So I'm sure that you also know - everything your father said just now was only for your own safety. And for safety of your friends.

[empress_without_a_throne]

I know that, but the problem is like...

The idea was like we could join the two powers. That Dido, Ken, and I would be able to join forces even and move beyond the conflicts of the old.

But the natural order of things is saying "No, even when you're allies you're still going to be killing each other. You're supposed to be enemies."

[jianai]

Even if it says that, you're still friends aren't you? Even if combining your powers is risky, in the end you are allies.

[tiger_ken]

[Guess who was eavesdropping just down the corridor?]

So... Sol Saviour goes on ice for a while then?