opportunitycosts | [ empatheias ] message box

[ Was it odd? Maybe a little, but Red shrugs his shoulders. ]

Why? It wasn't anything special. I didn't reveal a big secret. [ It wasn't exactly the type of subject that could make him feel like crap or anything, for another example. ] And you apologised, remember?

[ He kicks a foot against the ground, a hard thump against the end of his shoe. ]

If I didn't think you meant it, I wouldn't have said anything to you. [ He kicks his foot again, sour tone slipping into his voice. ] Maybe it was for the best you did what you did, too.

[Less odd, more random. But hey, he's not planning to interrogate the kid. Instead there's a small, amused chuckle.]

Well I appreciate that you actually accepted it. [But let's not dwell on that, shall we? Breaking the ice a little more by reaching out and giving him a bit of a hair (or hat) ruffle.] Anyway, just trying to look out for you. So if you ever need to talk about something, even if it's something random like what the heck the Arehtei are up to now, feel free to call me up.

[ Red doesn't say anything, but the ruffle isn't that appreciated, eyes squinting at his and then a quiet huff coming from him, shoulders tensing. Okay, okay, old man. ]

Is it really that random? People care about what the arehtei are up to all the time. [ A look back. ] Or you just want to prove one wrong.

[ Which maybe isn't a bad thing but we're still going to sound a little like a huffy kid right now saying it. ]

[Typical reaction. ...Never stops him. Ever. (Perhaps it's the very reason why he does it.)]

Just a little. [Makes the pinching gesture with his index and thumb.] But you sure you don't have your mind on something else?

[Because if that's really all... Well like Red said, no need to push his luck and take up anymore of the kid's time.]

Edited 2015-12-10 20:32 (UTC)

[ His mind on something else? He wonders that himself, though he already knows that isn't right. No, there were a few things, but- ]

No. [ No reason to share those, but he does lose the slight sour note that had been in his voice previous. ] A lot's been going on lately. It's been one thing after the other.

[ A pause. ] It's not just the arhetei, but--what do you think about it? Did you go to that city?

You mean Shaarnath and those protesters? [A heavy sigh as he leans against that stone structure.] I didn't go down there. Planned on it, but things came up. [Things he will not discuss.] But sad to say, I'm not too surprised by everyone's reaction. Actually experienced a bit of it myself in my world, both discovering a whole new place full of people and the cultural divide.

Can't really blame either side, honestly.

What about how they reacted? I know it was a shock, but everyone got so--violent about it so quickly. I heard people went after the arehtei in Lake Niras too.

[ It wasn't as bad as it could've been, probably, but it still shook him, the reminder knitting his brows. ]

What happened in your world?

It's really about power. [...Hm... How to explain.

There are a lot of other factors involving his world's situation, but he can focus on one main source of conflict.]

To make the explanations quick, my world has two countries. Elympios, which is kind of like Verens, and Rieze Maxia, which in some respects is kind of like Shaarnath. [Although in other ways, they're also kind of flipped, but he won't go into that.] I'm really oversimplifying things, but the people in Elympios couldn't use spirit artes—or magic—like Rieze Maxians could. So when they first saw people able to casts spells and do all kinds of things on their own, they got pretty frightened and threatened real quick.

Although in my situation, the hostility would be more on a threat assessment and resource necessity than feeling like they've been lied to. [And this is where the two roles flip. In another respect, Shaarnath is like Elympios since it existed outside the bubble and kind of knew about Verens, making Verens more like Rieze Maxia in that regard.

Weird how that worked.]

So... did Elympios attack Riez... [ uh ] the other country?

Yep. Surprise attack, too. [The memory of the Elympion army suddenly entering through the schism after the Lance broke the barrier... He'll never forget it.] Granted I'm leaving out a lot of important details here, but there had always been plans to invade it somehow.

[Just...not quite like that, or at least that's what he had though. Well that whole Lance thing just went completely off the rails from what he had understood so.]

...Do the important details justify what they did to them?

[ No. No, they don't, but even if the story is long, he wants to know what had justified it, beyond what Alvin's already said. ]

Probably in some perspectives. [Small sigh.] All right, here's an abridged version of the story.

Elympios was dying. In our world, spirits produce mana and mana is needed to keep nature running. But Elympios had produced a technology that used mana so well, it killed off the spirits. Two centuries earlier, Rieze Maxia sealed itself off and is basically the last refuge for spirits. It was forgotten and thought of only as a legend until recent research and accidental findings rediscovered it.

So you can imagine, for a place that was on the brink of self-destruction and extinction, a place like Rieze Maxia is a treasure trove of resources and a hope for survival. Whether or not they would have invaded militarily or diplomatically—that was actually still on the table. A lot of things about it were. But certain power politics came into play and they took advantage of some opportunities. [He really should have considered Gilland's actions, but he had been so focused on his own goals... Well, not like he could have done anything. Just kind of wished he knew what was going on the whole time.]

Of course the Rieze Maxians fought back and it wasn't like it was a complete all out war. Only lasted a couple of days, honestly, and peace agreements and negotiations were worked out. But nevertheless, that whole tension and friction of there being "other" people completely different from what each side is used to can really turn into a hot powder keg if not handled right. Even now we still have some of those prejudices and distrust.

[ So

someone on the Elympios got greedy, acted desperate. Sympathy isn't what comes to Red first, but he's quiet, through the explanation and some after, because it's a lot to take in. Diplomacy could have come up in the at the beginning, discussions of the situation for the country of Elympios; there was no knowing whether Rieze Maxia would have helped out or not, and that an agreement had come at the end--

people were a messy business, weren't. Red stops thinking too deeply about it (it doesn't matter entirely, not here, what could have been, what ifs), when there's something that occurs to him with that. ]

Thras told someone a war between Shaarnath and Verens was possible. [ His mind goes back over Elympios and Rieze Maxia, to the red posters that had covered every surface in Verens, a thought already on his mouth--but he holds it, and instead- ] What do you think?

[ Alvin's the one who's been through this already, seems to know what he's saying. Any issues between them can be put aside for this. ]

[People are indeed very messy business. Especially when they're adults.

With a sigh, Alvin just raises a hand and shrugs.]

Honestly? I think it's very possible. But only possible. [He makes sure to stress that.] Although we have some folks here who are afraid, I think most of it is because of the sudden unknown. I mean, they believed all their lives they were the only people still living in this entire world, and then all of a sudden a new thriving city has been there underneath their home? It's a lot to take.

But I think it's also because there are so few humans left, they won't take hostile action. At least, if the council here are sensible people, and so far the Chief seems like one. But in any case, the need to survive is strong. I think more people than not realize that working together would be better than fighting.

Especially if fighting and wars is what brought the world to how it is now.

So it's really going to depend on how the political leaders act.

[ There should be a relief in that, but it's a heavy subject, and so it doesn't yet come. Nevertheless, Red nods, humming along with it to let Alvin know he listened. It was all up to the government, possibly, than just what some people slung up onto walls. Right?

But it leaves him silent for a few seconds, posture shifting in place in an unsure manner before something catches his attention by his side. A voice-- a man's voice, speaking mumbled under his hand from the petals collected. He wants to peek to see what it is, quiet as he tries and listens, but turns away after a second. Not really the best time for that. ]

...I hope you're right about the Chief. [ An awkward pause, before he sighs. ] But I've got the feeling someone's going to do something, even if it isn't a war.

And if it isn't about the arehtei, then it's going to be some other reason. [ ... ] Some people are willing to make sacrifices to get what they want.

Yep. [It's just one word, but there's a hard, heaviness to it.] If they believe it's a good reason, even if it's a selfish one, they'll do whatever it takes.

Still—[And his tone lightens.]—doesn't mean we have to sit around and wait either. The more we can at least keep the people think that the Arehtei and the others aren't our enemies, the better. Or at least hold the pitchforks until later.

How do we do that? Maybe if the arehtei talked to the people, that might put some minds at rest- but Peromei got worse and Elios is still taking care of her, and Thras and Daimonia haven't been around.

Still...wouldn't that help the most? [ actually ] I know the arehtei will listen to ideas if you have them-- they listened to me when I asked them to help out with the wishes plan. [ His eyes flit to the tree ahead, but only briefly. ] To be honest, I thought- what would help make people feel better after everything that happened with Sosyne? Sure, some people weren't going to like to see them, but we're all here together, arehtei and human and every other single life. So...

[ ...he hesitates, uncertain if that way of thinking was really right, but carries on. ] Aren't the ones who can help the arehtei the most right now the arehtei? We can try and help them stay strong, at least...

[...Heh. There's a light grin before he answers.]

That's definitely one way, and you're right. At least most of the Arehtei here want to help. After all, we all have one common goal: survival. Usually that's a pretty strong selling point for people to band together.

[....And also stab each other in the back, but he's not going to say that.]

But having the Arehtei be able to speak with the locals would be a good idea. I guess the problem is unlike us, there are hundreds of thousands of them. I don't know how they'd be able to hold a real conversation unless it was just with the council.

Well- [ he shifts, looking up at Alvin, a hand going out in gesture as he speaks ] what about someone who can take questions to the arehtei when we have them? Like the representatives otherworlders have? [ quickly- ] And don't leave it just to the otherworlders either-- otherworlders and people born in Empatheias could represent the arehtei. Everyone working together, like it should be.

[ Anyway. ] They should talk to the council too. It helps to be on the good side of the city you're staying in, right? [ He purses his lips. ] I don't know how people organise that kind of stuff... but if people have questions for the arehtei and if the arehtei are willing to answer them, why not gather them and tackle the bigger ones that come up? Why don't we all just talk more to each other? There has to be a way to do it, even with hundreds and thousands of people.

[ ...he's certainly on a positive train right now, even if he's a kid talking about building a palace with a toy hammer. ]

[...This is CLEARLY something that should be brought up in that Town Hall meeting thing, huh.]

You know. Having a representative or even a representative or two for each Arehtei might not be a bad idea. And I agree having the locals involved would also help bridge the gap between the whole "us vs. them" mentality.

[ Have fun with that, Alvin. Red isn't going into to your restaurant!!!

But for now, he's nodding. ] People crowding around them asking the same questions over and over-- it has to be exhausting even for an arehtei, and no one's going to get any answers when they're crowding around talking over each other. And if there's people who know how to speak to the arhetei when they come around...

[ There was a thought he was going with there, but it drifts away from him a little. Regardless... ]

When I talked to Elios, it didn't sound like they really needed to stick around humans in the past. So right now, even they need help knowing what they can do to get along with everyone better.

[Dammit, you mean Alvin is supposed to bring that up with all that apathy stuff going on?? Fine, fine, it can probably be swung around...]

It sounds weird to hear that they didn't want to be with humans. All these memories and visions seem to indicate they at least once used to be with people. [...Hm.] Maybe things changed over time. Spirits in my world were the same.

They're guardians of the planet, not humans, is what Elios said it. I guess I get it more now than I did when we talked; everything was fine, so they decided to go to sleep. They got visions and feelings of what was going on in the world, but it seemed like whatever people used in the war back then woke them up pretty suddenly. I mean, if it wasn't that bad for them to wake up before that...

[ It's a subject to soften his mood some, mouth dropping at the memory of the discussion. ] All they knew to do was to get rid of the problem by then, and then they carried those emotions for all that time... so many people lost their lives, and the arehtei continued to suffer.

[ ... ] I hope it never comes to that again.

Wait, they were asleep? Like... Hibernating?

And then to wake up to a mess like humans and wars... [Still, that's a lot of new things to mull over.]

He said a war wasn't anything strange; it was how big it was, and what they used. He wouldn't even describe it to me. [ So, pretty bad. ]

I guess it was like hibernating, though. It sounded like it lasted a long time... long enough for people to forget the old ways, or something like that.

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