Null's Game

[Idran1701]

Considering Rhyme's words, Kyrie still can't help but continue to glance towards the riot, thinking of Calamity stuck in the mess of things. "So...if we get Glory out of there, everything ought to at least quiet down? Without him stirring them up, maybe they'd be more willing to talk."

"Why's he so eager to stir them up? Does he care about the others, or does he just want an excuse to start hitting people?"

[Shinigori V2]

"Easier said than done. Glory is probably one of the strongest Clockwork in the world."

"Yeah, but..." Rasmus chimes in, stifling a disinterested yawn. "...clockwork, they're still just machines. How strong could he possibly be?"

"Calamity an' Glory, they're parta a set. Twelve kids changed t' Clockwork as part of an experiment t' see if the part replaced by a Clockwork bit made a difference in th' abilities o' the fully transformed Clockwork. Twelve o' the finest machines ever made, grafted int' them kids." Rhyme says. "And Glory's been killin' his brothers an' sisters an' harvestin' them for parts. So it ain't just normal clockwork we're dealin' with. It's th' collection o' some of the most potent parts ever made."

[Oleai]

"K..Killing his brothers and sisters?!" Oleai spoke up, stepping closer to the front. "That's awful! That.. That monster!" Her cheeks puffed out, ears and tail standing on end. There was a swirling gust around her fists, not visible but easily felt by those nearby. Angry bunny.

"We have to stop him!" And now she was advocating violence. For a Plainsrunner with eight siblings (Maybe more by now..) the idea of siblicide was unthinkable. "You have an airship, don't you? Can't we just drop a big rock on him?"

[Kelne]

"Let's hold off on indiscriminately dropping rocks on people for now," Triya said, "I doubt it'd work, we might hit somebody else, and remember, he wants a fight. So let's see how we do with diplomacy. If he does want to force a fight, well, hopefully we can contain things, rather than getting others drawn in."

"Best not to give him any more time to stir people up," she concluded, leading the way down into the market.

[Idran1701]

Turning to look at Oleai, Kyrie's shocked by the intensity of her reaction. She's never seen her this enraged before, and she has to admit, it's an impressive (and slightly terrifying) force of anger. Not that she can blame her; family bonds are almost as strong for Nekana, in their own way, and the thought of this child indiscriminately slaughtering his own kin just for power...

She watches Triya head into the market; well-meaning, to be sure, but she can't really think that the peaceful approach would work for someone like this, can she? She didn't think her so idealistic. Looking back to Oleai and resting a hand on her forearm, Kyrie offers her a smile, hoping to pull her out before she falls to a bloodrage (or whatever the plainsrunner-equivalent would be). "He'll be stopped, Oleai. He won't go any further after today. When Triya's methods fail, we'll be there to make sure of it."

[Shinigori V2]

Triya heads into the market place, finding her current minimized, floating status something of a boon as she makes her way through what would be an ever shifting wall of angry metal otherwise. Behind her fall the others, assisted by what seems to be the fickle hand of fate causing some of the angry Clockwork to happen to shift out of the way at just the right time, find something valuable on the street worth picking up, or generally shift out of the way for no particular reason.

Approaching the center of the mass, the acrid smell of smoke fills the air as some of the stalls burn and others are crushed into splinters to fuel the fire. The Clockwork here are a bit more obviously clockwork, many not even bothering to wear cloaks or panchos to cover up their Clockwork...ness, though it's not as horrific or unsettling a sight as some might think- Like Calamity, most have an outer shell protecting their clockwork innards, making them appear as just oddly dressed humans.. And in the mass of them is who could only be Glory.

He's younger than they might expect; older than Calamity but no older than in his mid-teens. He wears his Clockwork as a badge of honor, no pancho or full cloak, though he has large heavy looking epaulets attached to a plush royal blue cloak. His short blonde hair is immaculate, and everything about him seems as if he's taken hours to get it just so. He talks to a number of similarly unashamed Clockwork, talking just loud enough to be heard over the din of the crowd, and gestures to another set of merchant stalls that have gone thusfar undamaged. Though judging from the movement of his disciples, that's not going to last much longer.

[Oleai]

Oleai's ears flatten to her head at the sight of Glory. Knees bending, bringing the otherwise tall Lagomora closer to the ground, ready to jump in the moment talking this monster down fails.

In truth, she was terrified. She wasn't a new woman or anything, but riding this outrage kept her strong.

She was about to call out, when someone spoke.

[Kelne]

For all that she was going to try diplomacy, Triya really wasn't predisposed to like Glory. Nor was seeing him acting as the centre of attention a positive thing. Surely there must be better role models for his fellow Clockwork.

"I don't think that's necessary," she said, voice carrying thanks to some subtle trickery on Sana's part. One more cluster of stalls wasn't going to make a difference one way or another, but the smashing and rioting had to come to an end at some point, and it might as well be now.

Floating gently slightly above head-height, Triya revolved slowly to face each part of the crowd in turn, rather than just addressing herself to Glory as the ringleader, "If we can, I'd like to sit down and talk about what's happened, with an eye to improving the situation in future."

As opening gambits went, it lacked polish, but it represented the start of a dialogue, at least.

[Shinigori V2]

"Well, look at that." Glory says, locking eyes onto Triya and completely forgetting everyone else. "Looks like we finally got some attention. What do you all think, though? Is it time to talk?"

The crowd boos and hisses around him. Some shout angrily about being left to die, treated as less than human, or about the spare parts fiasco. Glory simply shrugs. "Looks like we're not in the mood to talk. Also, you might want to send a, ah, human next time? They're a little more...Well, you know."

With the Clockwork's attention focused on Triya, it's simple for Isol to position herself nearby, ready to cut off the head. All she needs is the signal.

[Idran1701]

Though a part of her would've liked to join Isol on this, watching the scene ahead from here is a much better view (and she can't imagine Isol would've been in favor of that anyway). She can spy the signs of her presence nearby, though she's aware enough to keep from looking in her direction, instead keeping near Oleai. Despite her attitude in this situation, Kyrie still can't help but be a bit protective. Keeping at her side, Kyrie readies her own subtle combat form, ready to strike out in concert with her, just as they've trained over the last days.

At Glory's comment, though, the least she can do is add to the distraction. And hopefully, Triya won't be too offended by her words. "A little more what? I'd think humans might be the last people you'd want to talk to right now. We all know how they can be, after all. That's what all this is about, right?"

[Shinigori V2]

"A little more important." Glory says bluntly. "You, you have no...no power. No clout. You can't possibly do anything for us. I know exactly how humans are, which is why I can say that with such confidence."

[Oleai]

Trying VERY hard to remember Glory was only playing the leader - and that these Clockwork surely had issues that made them unhappy here, which is why they've gathered behind the ponce.

In a slight crouch (As she often was recently not to stand out too much), Oleai was at head-level with the rest of the group. Now? She stood upright and let herself tower over them (With a little help by standing on tip-toes).

She shouted, "You don't just get to talk straight to the chief, y'know! But you CAN talk to us, and WE can talk to them! We just want everyone to be at peace, isn't that what YOU want?" She took a breath, her arms and legs were shaking. She was so incredibly frightened right now, and was pulling from a well she didn't know she had.

"So come and talk with us, and we can work something out!" Oleai had always been oblivious to any racism or bias played against her for being a Plainsrunner in a human city - It might have been her employer keeping them at bay, it might have been what a spectacle she was, but all that meant was she couldn't try and draw comparisons between herself and the Clockwork.

Maybe they could, though!

[Idran1701]

Nearly as oblivious as Oleai, if for different reasons (even in her travels, she's rarely spent much time among large groups of humans, before or after the start of this investigation), Kyrie doesn't entirely know exactly what the experiences of the Clockwork are like, but she can at least stand alongside the others in trying to dampen down the chaos. With that, she keeps near Oleai, supporting her through her fears, glancing to her with an encouraging smile.

[Visavis]

Rasmus had, on seeing the destruction caused by the riot, at least gained a bit more appreciation for the strength of the Clockwork. Or maybe they just had superior numbers. He found he didn't especially care, even with the group facing down the Clockwork's self-appointed leader.

"If Clockwork're better than other people they got a real dumb way of showin' it. Five silver pieces says he tries killin' one've us in the next five minutes," Rasmus says in his normal volume, believing it to be quiet enough to be out of the Clockwork's earshot.

Even with his tough talk, Rasmus was looking closely at the assembled rioters and assessing their strength, or at least trying to. Breakable machines or not, metal could actually hurt him in strong enough hands.

[Shinigori V2]

Glory's face twists up; something Oleai says strikes him as foul. He twists, looking at something--Or someone-- behind him. He nods ever so slightly, and turns back to Oleai and the others. "Very well. Tell them what you want!"

In an instant, the relative silence of the meeting is gone. Hundreds of angry, frustrated voices begin to shout all at once. Many shout about wanting to leave; being trapped in Partia with no option to leave is akin to imprisonment. Others shout about wanting work so they can earn a living, rather than being forced to live off the charity of others. Many more demand simple decency, respect, and dignity. A young Elven clockwork girl cries that she simply wants to go home.

"So?" Glory asks, crossing his arms. "What could you do for them?"

[Idran1701]

Kyrie finds herself taken a little aback at the breadth of the Clockwork, the wide-spanning nature of their issues. She finds she can't really argue with any of the concerns, they all deserve to be heard. But getting the Partians to agree to so much...

At a loss, she looks to Oleai, who to her seems to have largely taken the reins on this issue; this sort of situation is far from her wheelhouse. Maybe if more of it was economic in nature, she'd have some clue, but this? She's never seen anything even close to anything like this; certainly Nekana's never had a situation like this, as far as she can remember ever hearing.

[Oleai]

Oleai was a rabbit in headlights. The sudden cacophony of demands, pleas and requests made her long ears lay back on her head. She shrank, but only a little.

"Sana? Triya? Who can we talk to? Why.. aren't they being treated like everyone else?" She came from a society where everyone had a role, and an important one at that. We had our chief, but otherwise there was no doubt that if any one spoke in the wheel came undone the wagons would stop. The Clockwork suddenly seemed more like the road, than a part of the machine.

Clearing her throat, she bought some time by speaking back to the crowd, "O-okay! Now we just need to talk to those in charge! They'll hear you, and us! We just need to keep this at talking and not violence!"

Seeing the variety of Clockwork under Glory's banner had rapidly cooled her fire. While she wouldn't mind smashing Glory with a mallet, everyone else here seemed genuinely mistreated and deserving of help. Hadn't they left Wells to find Null? How did Oleai find herself settling riots? Or rescueing undead Nekana? Or battling unnatural monsters? Not the time for a crisis of purpose, she shook the thoughts away and looked to Triya.

[Shinigori V2]

"She's right!"

Another young Clockwork steps out of the crowd, standing opposite Glory and throwing back her cloak. Her body is red and white, clearly a Paragon like Glory, though she wears a dirty brown cloak to keep the dust out. "We've tried it your way, Glory. It never works." She says, emerald eyes burning. "We've tried this before, and all it leads to is more oppression! More rules! More beatings! We won't get them to listen by destroying their city, we're only reinforcing what they think about us. We need to show them that we want to talk, not that we want to hurt them."

Glory grumbles as the crowd begins to agree, some of them already starting to disperse--Others actually stopping to help clean up the mess. Soon enough, Glory flicks his cape and begins off, clearly not pleased with this turn of events.

[Oleai]

Oleai is absolutely stunned. She stands upright again as she had before, this time just staring at the newcome Clockwork woman.

She shouts, "Thank you! We can do it!" Emboldened by the unexpected support. Back to her friends, she just beamed like the happiest lagomora in the world. "I think I did good."

[Idran1701]

With a quiet laugh of relief, even Kyrie cracks a slight smile, ears perks. She looks to Oleai, giving her hand a quick squeeze. "I think you did. I was worried for a few moments there...I really wasn't wanting things to descend to violence here. Though...I can't imagine Glory will just let things rest here. He's still upset...he still has plenty of reason to be too."

[Kelne]

Triya nodded sadly, "Things have been building for a long time now, I think," she said, "Something has to change, and maybe today's events will provide the impetus for that change. Sana and I ought to be able to get a proper dialogue going, but it's not just going to be about change at the top. It's about attitudes all through society. I think everybody has to some adjusting to do." Oleai taking charge like that had certainly been impressive; Triya wasn't sure she could have put forward such a heartfelt plea for understanding.

"I expect I can exercise a bit of influence," Sana said, "Having the djinn on-side wouldn't hurt, and we'll have our own part to play in how things change going forward."

Not for the first time, Tirya had to wonder how the djinn felt about their own role in this society of theirs. So many of them took what the djinn did for granted as the way things had always been, but having seen rather different societies in the outside world, Triya knew that this was by no means a natural arrangement. Still, this was a topic to sound out with Sana another day. For now, the clockwork were the focus.

[Shinigori V2]

"You're lucky it didn't." The Clockwork girl says, brushing fiery red hair out of her eyes. "Glory almost always tries to angle things that way. Thinks we should make our point by flexing muscle."

Rhyme shuffles in through the stream of exiting Clockwork, spreading her wings slightly and grinning at the girl. "Guys, this is Erim! She taught Cally all she--"

The winged woman is immediately cut off by a harsh glare from Erim, wings folding tightly behind her back and looking away sheepishly. "What are you doing here, Rhyme? And where's Calamity and Isol?"

"Cally's safe..." Rhyme responds. "Annnd...Isol's probably hiding. ...From you."

Erim's face scrunches up in annoyance, before she turns to Oleai. "Good job, Legs. But Glory's the grudgey-type. You might wanna keep watch over your shoulder for a bit."

[Oleai]

Oleai's ears stood on end as she ducked down a little, "Oh.. Great. T-the one time I open my mouth." Once Kyrie had squeezed her hand, Oleai had gripped it in a tensioned paniced - an outlet for her desire to flee while addressing a crowd of angry machine-people.

"Erim.. right?" She spoke to the fiery Clockwork, "Maybe you could join us? Everyone seemed to listen to you when you talked. Sounds like you should be in charge." Moving the credit to someone else by some kind of frightened instinct.

"Can we get out of the street now?"

[Idran1701]

With a quiet laugh, Kyrie glances around the area, letting Oleai take out as much in the way of nerves as she needs on her hand. "I wouldn't mind that myself. This was a little more stress than I expected, coming here." Stepping away from where the riot had once gathered, she bit by bit tugs Oleai away.

She offers a small smirk towards Rhyme as they back away. "We came to catch up with you all, by the way. I can't remember if we mentioned that yet. So...nice seeing you again, Rhyme." She looks to her companion next, greeting her with a slight bow of her head. "And it's a pleasure to meet you, Erim. Thank you for your support, too. I'm Kyrie Watanabe." With her free hand, she gestures to each companion in turn. "This is Sana, Triya, and Rasmus." Raising her still gripped hand, she grins. "And our master of diplomacy here is Oleai."

[Shinigori V2]

"Your friend kicked up a hive of bees." Erim says, crossing her arms tightly. "I can promise you that Glory's not happy about the interference. Thank Null most of his lackies aren't here or we'd already have an even bigger fight on our hands."

"Er... meetin' up with us?" Rhyme asks. "Didja leave somethin' on the ship?"

[Idran1701]

"...Huh? Oh...no, not...exactly..." Barely even acknowledging Rhyme, she keeps all focus on Erim.

"'Thank Null'?"

[Shinigori V2]

"A Clockwork saying 'thank Null' is like...Like an Al Reisian saying 'thank the alchemy', or a Nekana praising the market for their good fortune. Clockwork don't have the complicated relationship to Null that most others do; they've always advocated for us when no one else would." Erim says.

[Idran1701]

"Advocated for you? What do you mean?" Ears back and eyes wide, she's almost physically taken aback by this revelation given so bluntly. "You mean you all have known about Null? For what sounds like a significant amount of time? When was all this? What happened?"

(Hey where's everyone else? I can't imagine Kyrie is the only one with a reaction to this.)

[Oleai]

Oleai was utterly dumbfounded at this. Which is impressive, given she is the simplest in the party.

"W..W.. What? You all know Null? Just like that!" Her shock quickly turned to excitement! Ears standing on end, nubby tail going crazy. "This is great! No! This is better than great! We can help all these nice folk AND get some really solid information on Null! Lets go! Lets go right now!" She reached out and grabbed the nearest member of her group, tugging in no particular direction as, in her excitement, had forgotten where they were headed.

We can wrap this up in a week! I can go back to my tribe and they'll all welcome me with open arms, and maybe a party!

[Visavis]

Rasmus had been stunned speechless when Oleai's appeal to the Paragons' better nature had actually worked. Then everything else had happened so fast, and finally..

"Oleai, lemme go!"

He wriggled free of her grasp, taking a moment to sweep his hair back into place, before turning his attention back to the matter at hand.

"Sounds like you're gonna make this a lot easier on us," Rasmus said neutrally. He was unsure whether to be disappointed that things could end so quickly, or happy because they could succeed.

Wouldn't make much've a story.