eswareinmal | [Orb]

[The video feed opens to show what appears to be a back corner of a tavern that is likely not the most reputable establishment in this or any other world. Judging by the sound of the surrounding noise, there's a fight going on elsewhere in the tavern. Ryo's sitting at a table in that back corner, and he doesn't really seem to care about the noise.]

So, that sword stuck in the stone...did anyone actually--

[Whatever Ryo was about to ask is cut off by a drunken brawl raucously crashing across his table. He should probably think about going somewhere nicer in the future. Before he can do anything other than look a bit ticked off, one of the men who slammed into the table drunkenly rolls to his feet.]

Hey! Hey! It's one 'o them heroes what's supposed t' be stoppin' them thorns!

[The guy's clearly had too many drinks to be thinking straight. He's now giving Ryo an aggressive prod to the chest.]

But he's just sittin' here on his bum like the rest 'o us! Huh? You got somethin' t' say t' that, hero boy?

[Good job, random townsperson. Of all the heroes you could have chosen to tick off, you've irritated the guy this place has pegged as a berserker. Ryo wastes no time in letting the drunk guy have it with a punch to the face, and now the drunk guy's equally drunk friends are a little upset. Looks like this could turn nasty, and Ryo has forgotten that he's got an audience on the Orb.]

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It only takes one thread to start tracing the pattern.

[She sighs.]

Did the voice give you any idea what to look for at all? Or where?

[As she asked, Liara rested her hand absently on the hilt of her sword. With something of a start, she stopped walking and turned towards him.]

Would you like to see the sword? I should have asked earlier.

Hopefully it'll show up soon...because I didn't really get too much other than a little bit of cryptic advice. At least it was better than that one that shows up over the orbs...

[He nods.]

I wouldn't mind. I'm curious to see what all the fuss was about.

Damn.

[She shook her head and drew the sword. Despite the fact that it looks like she's been practicing, it's fairly obvious that a sword in not a weapon with which she is fully comfortable. Laying the blade across her arm carefully, she offers him the hilt.]

It seems to be well forged, at least. The blade is quite well-made. As for what it is supposed to do? Well, that's a good question.

[Ryo takes it and scrutinizes it.]

I guess it's supposed to do whatever a sword does, if nothing else.

[He's not too experienced with handling swords. There's no need, not when he can become his own weapon.]

Doesn't seem to be anything particularly special about it.

Well, all the guards have swords. No one here got excited about them. And I doubt they were stuck into a rock in the middle of a fountain.

[She sighs.]

Goddess, I'm starting to buy in to the story around here. Magic. There were stories, when I was little, about magical swords and great heroes. Powerful justicars doing the right thing across the land, fighting for the innocent and the weak. Old stories, maybe, but I always like old things.

[She rubs her arms, looking at the sword.]

But it's just a piece of metal.

I know some people just get them when they get here...hell, I wound up with an axe, even if I don't use it.

[He'll hand the sword back to her.]

We had similar stories where I came from. Some people still try to do that sort of thing as best they can...

[He kind of shakes his head. It's a foolish dream, but that's kind of what he'd started doing what that business with the Unknown had been taken care of. Wandering around, righting wrongs...]

Yeah. Doesn't seem to be anything particularly special about it.

Oh, the Justicars still exist. They are a...complicated part of Asari society. But just about everyone I knew as a child wanted to be one at one point or another. They're romantic, until you grow up and realize how lonely the life is. Most Asari are happy when they aren't around.

[Because Liara, though a good person, is hardly innocent, and that makes time spent around Justicars, well. Dangerous.]

Still, the locals see it as a symbol, at the very least. Maybe I can use it to get them to play along with whatever it is we need them to do.

[Carefully, she sheathes the sword.]

[Oh, he knows that feeling. He knows it so well.]

We've got Kamen Riders where I'm from...it's...sort of the same thing, I guess. They fight for the people, even if they're mistaken for monsters themselves, and then when the trouble's over with, some of them go back to their normal lives...or start wandering if they find they can't settle back down.

[He nods in approval.]

Yeah, they seem like they'd be the sort to rally around a symbol easily enough.

Justicars...I don't think they ever go back. Their code would prevent it. It's very strict.

[She runs her fingers over the hilt of the sword, almost absently.]

I agree. I just hope it doesn't come to that. Because if we need them to rally, I imagine things are probably going to be very bad.

I knew a Rider who claimed to fight so that everyone would have a place to belong...he was lucky enough to find one and return to it once we were done with everything. There's not much, if any of a code there.

[He'll nod.]

If we have to rely on them for anything...that's not going to end well.

This is their world. There will come a time when we will have to use them.

[Her face is hard, now, and mostly expressionless.]

I'd rather not do it without their consent, but I'm not going to need it.

[She looks over at him, giving him a long, appraising look.]

We all need to start being prepared for that possibility.

[He'll nod, and there's a bit of a smirk.]

I'll help where I can. I'm...not exactly very good with people.

[A wry smile.]

I hadn't noticed.

[Besides, someone who can scare them...well. Not always something to ignore completely, whatever moral qualms one might have about it.]

[Orb] | GHB 18

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Lord, I thought I'd replied. It got buried by about 100 emails last week. Sorry.

That's all right! ^^

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Inbox ate this, sorry! DX

No worries~

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