Magna City Shining Congress – Bar Lounge

[Jackie Cat]

Matthias gave Nova a bemused look, and made a response of his own on the board. Clack. A knight sallied out alone.

"I was speaking figuratively. If I knew it were truly impossible, then I would not be trying to fulfil it."

"If that’s the case, does it really matter?”

Matthias gave a soft, nasal sigh. "You should believe whatever you like about 'fate'. I don't mind what you think about that. What I was really asking about, before... Tsk."

He glanced aside as he considered a different angle on what he was trying to talk about. It didn't seem like he was just being circumspect in case of eavesdropping, but like he found it mentally difficult to be blunt or direct. Perhaps this was one of those 'cultural' things he'd alluded to before – the way he knew to talk about things was to talk around them.

"You know, we heard a rumor out west. Some people were saying that, that there might've been another summoned hero, just last year." More recently than him, in other words. "Have you heard anything about that?"

"What do you imagine the Beacon that summons us is like?" he asked, with an insistent edge to his voice. "Many in the Covenant believe that it must be a wise and noble being – perhaps one with deep insight into destiny, and therefore... This is what lets them believe in 'heroes' like me. If we were summoned, then everything we do will work out like it's meant to. Doesn't that sound... reassuring? Comforting?"

There was no way Matthias held an opinion like that himself. His tone aside, he said he 'wouldn't forgive' Auriga for summoning him. He didn't seem comforted by the notion that he was a chosen one – he was trying to get the Wayfarers to think about this from a different angle to Covenant doctrine about 'destiny'.

He swallowed around his oversized tongue. It looked... uncomfortable.

"Everyone's too polite to say it, but most know I was in another organisation before I joined this society. They don't hold it against me – after all, there must have been a good reason things had to happen that way!"

He laughed lightly. It sparkled. He must have had a lot of practice to sound that way at will.

 

[Namohysip]

"In other words," Mhynt said, "a fallible entity trying to summon help in times of crisis. But sometimes, perhaps the tasks are too great... in your case, for the crisis or task you were assigned. Somewhat of an inferiority to heroes of the past?" She shrugged. "Not sure how we should feel. Whatever we were brought for, it required a whole squadron of 'heroes.' Some not even human." She grunted, thinking about one they'd recently dispatched: "Some hardly Pokemon."

 

[Chibi Pika]

So it was pretty clear from his tone that Matthias didn’t exactly share everyone else’s high opinion of the infallibility of the World-Spirit. Of course, he must have known that the Wayfarers weren’t summoned by Auriga, right? But that probably wasn’t common knowledge… Not safe to talk about openly.

“I can see how people would assume that the Beacon knows best just from having been around a whole lot longer than most people.” Same with the Legendaries. “But I guess there’s some lessons that can only be learned from failure.” Powehi sure would have thought so.

They are chosen ones, chosen by the 'Beacon', or the World-Spirit, or whatever you want to call it. Hmm... I wonder, do you believe that such a thing is true? If so, then that is my destiny, isn't it?"

Jade furrowed her brow. If it was his destiny, then it was also Starr’s.

“I guess, more on the hypothetical side… If there were another hero out there with less experience than you, and you could meet her, what would you say to her?” Had he spoken to her already? Would it be possible to glean that from his response?

 

[Ambyssin]

"Many in the Covenant believe that it must be a wise and noble being – perhaps one with deep insight into destiny, and therefore... This is what lets them believe in 'heroes' like me. If we were summoned, then everything we do will work out like it's meant to. Doesn't that sound... reassuring? Comforting?"

"No." Nova's cheek bolts slowly turned. "It sounds... demoralizing. Why put effort into leading a life or doing anything when the powers that be have dictated a course of events?" He looked at the ceiling. "Besides... if the legends about the Living Sun are to be believed... things often don't work out like they're meant to. For summoned folks. For Forlas."

Hell, some combination of Auriga and Betel led to Alexander's presence here. And the previous summons had weakened the world's barriers enough for Cipher to brute force their way in.

"If anything, it's deeply flawed."

 

[Shiny Phantump]

Gladion shrugged. “Based on what I’ve seen from the embodiment of Shadow, I don’t think ‘Beacon’ or, y’know, whatever you call her is all-knowing, just experienced.”

A smirk crossed his face. He was going to enjoy saying this. He lowered his voice to make sure he wasn’t overheard. “And yet I’d say you did have good reasons to be working with the Vanguard, given everything. A shame that fell through.”

 

[Jackie Cat]

Matthias nodded with cool approval at the various, similar perspectives the Wayfarers offered. Yes, of course, who could deny that Auriga had made bad calls, that she was surely not all-seeing and wise beyond reproach?

"It sounds like you've thought about this long enough to understand something about it," he said, mildly. "Although, isn't it strange that the Beacon would summon... first me, to resolve a Crisis that was either minor or yet to be discovered... then another, only a few years later— Now all of you, breaking so many conventions. Isn't that odd?"

A rhetorical question, of course. Matthias knew that the Wayfarers weren't summoned by Auriga, but by Betel. Betel, who really didn't seem to know what they were doing...

"Whether you want to think of the Beacon as experienced yet imperfect, or as deeply flawed, you are still seeing things more clearly than someone blinded by the light. Too devoted to see the contradictions... such as how two summoned heroes could end up in conflict with each other..."

“I guess, more on the hypothetical side… If there were another hero out there with less experience than you, and you could meet her, what would you say to her?” Had he spoken to her already? Would it be possible to glean that from his response?

"...that's a situation that would present a real problem to both of us, don't you think?"

Matthias gave Jade a slightly more serious look, narrowing his eyes. The dim electric lighting in the lounge reflected off his damp skin.

"If one hero hasn't been slain, but another is summoned... it implies the first has failed, either by lacking the ability to solve their Crisis, or going about it in a way the Beacon doesn't approve of. The second, then, is naturally in conflict with the first... I expect I'd tell her to think carefully about who to side with, and who to fight against. To not make the wrong choice."

Had Starr made the 'wrong choice'? Had Jesse?

“And yet I’d say you did have good reasons to be working with the Vanguard, given everything. A shame that fell through.”

Matthias dropped his smile, his polite schoolboy veneer peeled away, and the Greninja was cold beneath it. How had he seemed charming, and young, and sheepish? He was an operative, a professional spy and assassin. Always controlled, never sentimental.

(And yet, if he were truly in control, the facade would not have dropped, surely?)

"It really is a tragedy when those that simply want to do the right thing just can't find common ground," said Matthias, in a tepid voice.

He glanced at the chess game, ignored by his hoped-for opponents, and glanced up again. At Betel? (At Auriga?)

"Gladion, I want to let you know... I have a plan in mind, one I've given a lot of thought to. I'm going to see it through. You can count that as a promise."

 

[Namohysip]

"Humility can take someone far in a game of cooperation," Mhynt mused idly, practically observing Matthias like a case study. "I knew of someone in my world who had quite an ego, but also a great deal of skill, knowledge, and luck. He seemed to believe that everything would go just right if everyone simply listened to him. I wonder how such egos are at play here."

 

[Ambyssin]

"Which is why you're probably not gonna tell us," Nova mused. "We do have a reputation as plan demolishers to uphold, after all."

And as if that required demonstration, Nova picked up the king piece nearest him in his beak. Like a dog with a bone. A very tiny bone for a beak his size.

 

[Shiny Phantump]

If Gladion was pleased to have gotten under Matthias’ skin, he didn’t show it. “I would expect nothing less from you.”

He looked sharply and pointedly into Matthias’ eyes. “I do wonder what your idea of the right thing is. Since it would be a shame if… Well, I needn’t repeat you. That’s the catch with trying to work with you: Never can really tell what you want. Or want to do. I’ve met someone who’s been burned by that behaviour before, as you know,” Valere, of course. “So you’ll have to forgive me if I’m leery of allowing the same to befall me.”

That was fine. As long as he kept his guard up and his expectations down, nothing Matthias could do would really hurt him. It was only when his guard was down or he trusted someone that he had cause to be anxious.

 

[Chibi Pika]

"If one hero hasn't been slain, but another is summoned... it implies the first has failed, either by lacking the ability to solve their Crisis, or going about it in a way the Beacon doesn't approve of. The second, then, is naturally in conflict with the first... I expect I'd tell her to think carefully about who to side with, and who to fight against. To not make the wrong choice."

So, what, he was implying that Starr had made the wrong choice. Where had that choice landed her? Every inch of Jade was screaming that she should demand that he tell her, but that wouldn't work, wouldn't help.

"I guess that means she's not around here, then," Jade said in a low voice, tail swishing. "That's a shame. I would've liked to meet her."

"Gladion, I want to let you know... I have a plan in mind, one I've given a lot of thought to. I'm going to see it through. You can count that as a promise."

Jade furrowed her brow, trying to keep the blunt frustration from showing. It was the same exact kind of argument she'd heard from Stalker countless times. He had a plan. He knew better than everyone else. He couldn't be their ally, or even tell them why he had to keep screwing them over, no, of course not.

"Must be a pretty solid plan if you're so sure it requires you to carry it out all by yourself," Jade said dryly, before she could think better of it.

 

[Jackie Cat]

"Which is why you're probably not gonna tell us," Nova mused. "We do have a reputation as plan demolishers to uphold, after all."

And as if that required demonstration, Nova picked up the king piece nearest him in his beak. Like a dog with a bone. A very tiny bone for a beak his size.

Matthias' face momentarily displayed confusion, then irritation, then settled on amusement.

"If you can change the game, then by all means do so," he replied, smoothly. "Just be prepared to deal with your own messes."

"I guess that means she's not around here, then," Jade said in a low voice, tail swishing. "That's a shame. I would've liked to meet her."

Matthias said nothing, but for a moment... was that genuine sympathy on his face? Remorse? More than she'd ever get from Stalker, certainly. He nodded, as if agreeing. But then the opaque mask returned, the emotion a mere temporary ripple on a pond.

"Humility can take someone far in a game of cooperation. I knew of someone in my world who had quite an ego, but also a great deal of skill, knowledge, and luck. He seemed to believe that everything would go just right if everyone simply listened to him. I wonder how such egos are at play here."

“I do wonder what your idea of the right thing is. Since it would be a shame if… Well, I needn’t repeat you. That’s the catch with trying to work with you: Never can really tell what you want. Or want to do. I’ve met someone who’s been burned by that behaviour before, as you know,” Valere, of course. “So you’ll have to forgive me if I’m leery of allowing the same to befall me.”

"Must be a pretty solid plan if you're so sure it requires you to carry it out all by yourself," Jade said dryly, before she could think better of it.

Matthias' face took on a rueful look.

"Trust is hard to build, that much is true. I can understand that you have little reason to trust me... That goes both ways, of course. I can't really say whether you're going to help put things right, or make terrible mistakes – I don't know everything that's going to happen, any more than that person does."

'That person' being Auriga.

"I've been too weak in the past, and I can only pray that I won't fall short like that again. I'll tell you what I think about the 'right thing', though. If you know something terrible is going to happen, but you can't bring yourself to change that future, just because it means getting your own hands dirty... A person like that cares more about not feeling guilt than they do about 'doing the right thing'. If the world ends, and someone had a chance to stop it that they refused to take, it's as much that person's fault as anyone's. It doesn't matter how ugly that chance was, or if people will hate them for it. But I don't care if anyone hates me, or even kills me, afterwards. That's the true power of a summoned hero – not having anything to lose."

In other words, the means justified the ends, the stakes were high, and he would pull the lever to swerve the trolley – killing one to save five.

But when Matthias said he didn't care if anyone hated him, and that he had nothing to lose... It was subtle, but was that swallowing motion around his tongue a tell? Matthias sounded ever so slightly like he was lying.

 

[Namohysip]

"We also have little to lose," Mhynt said, "and I've done plenty in my own world when I did have a lot to lose anyway. Just what is it you have to do?" This time, she asked it more directly, glancing around to be sure nobody was quite listening in. Her shadow shifted as well; Owen was keeping a look out where he could, even if his Perceive didn't work anymore, not like this.

"You've been stuck for a while. Being alone isn't helping. Cooperate. The worst that can happen is we tell you a better approach. And the best is you won't have to bear that burden alone... And if more people are working with you, perhaps you can get more information, too."

 

[Chibi Pika]

Jade had to stop herself from digging her claws into the table in frustration, though her tail kept swishing in agitation. She really wasn't sure why she'd expected anything different out of him. Mhynt was going for the practical approach, and maybe that'd work. Maybe there was some kind of agreement that he'd go for. But Jade had a message she wanted to convey too.

So she forced herself to make unflinching eye contact with Matthias. "Alright, if you've got things handled on your end, then I think we're going to find that other hero and help her out with her quest. We might even try finding the one who called us to Forlas. It'd be cool to see them face to face."

He could make of that whatever he wanted. Maybe it'd even mean rescuing Starr from people he was working with. If Starr really had been cornered by his goons, then he must have already figured out some connection between Starr making contact with Betel, and the Wayfarers showing up. It wasn't new info; it was a statement.

You have your plan, and you don't want us getting in your way? Fine. Whatever. But we have ours, and we're not letting you get in our way.

 

[Shiny Phantump]

That sounded borderline passively suicidal to Gladion, but there was no chance he was gonna say that to Matthias’ face. He found himself unable to make eye contact.

“I… wouldn’t argue it would be a good idea to turn up such a chance, but…”

Concern crept into his voice. To some extent, he wanted to disarm Matthias, but the same time his question was genuine:

“Are you… okay? That’s really not how I’d expect someone to approach that question. If they were, you know, functioning well. As a person.”

 

[Jackie Cat]

“Are you… okay? That’s really not how I’d expect someone to approach that question. If they were, you know, functioning well. As a person.”

Matthias met Jade's stare and held eye contact dispassionately – but there was a twitch, a tension, a thinning of his smile. A barely-there response to Gladion's concern, the empathy he'd likely not received in a long time... He took a little longer to respond, one hand clenching as it rested on the arm of his chair. This question had knocked him off-balance.

"I'm functioning perfectly as an agent of the Sable Office," he said, thinly. "I am always approaching my goal."

That wasn't an answer to the question Gladion had actually asked... which meant it was good as a 'no'.

"Alright, if you've got things handled on your end, then I think we're going to find that other hero and help her out with her quest. We might even try finding the one who called us to Forlas. It'd be cool to see them face to face."

Matthias nodded slowly. "Yes, I thought that might be how you felt. I understand. It doesn't surprise me that you'd be the types to push forward, rather than cautiously observe..."

It didn't sound like he meant this as a veiled criticism... but it was hard to tell with him.

"That's alright, though. A good plan has to have contingencies, and I've had some time to figure out a contingency that accounts for this. I don't think you'll find that other hero today, though. Maybe there'll be a better opportunity soon to get that meeting you're hoping for. I don't expect I'll be around when it happens, which is a shame. But maybe that's for the best – it might be awkward to have me there for something like that! Best of luck finding your Beacon, if you do try to meet them."

The underlying meaning was clear enough this time: find 'your' Beacon – Betel – but don't go for it while Matthias was there to intervene. Wait until he was gone... for instance, on another mission like his trip to Novelux? (It made sense. After all, Matthias would never willingly risk blowing his cover by turning a blind eye or throwing a fight...)

[ ] Chapter Objective: Find Betel while Matthias is gone.

"We also have little to lose," Mhynt said, "and I've done plenty in my own world when I did have a lot to lose anyway. Just what is it you have to do?"

"You've been stuck for a while. Being alone isn't helping. Cooperate. The worst that can happen is we tell you a better approach. And the best is you won't have to bear that burden alone... And if more people are working with you, perhaps you can get more information, too."

Matthias turned to Mhynt and pursed his mouth thoughtfully. It didn't seem like there were any eavesdroppers, but who knew what means there were of listening in? Would he take a risk and be direct...?

"It's true that I'm in a difficult position," he admitted, in a low voice, " and I don't know if you've thought of what the real worst case result could be... but if I'm forced to choose between making my position even more difficult, or taking a risky gambit that could turn the game around, I have little choice but to make that play."

In other words, Matthias knew he'd run out of options if he made an enemy of the Wayfarers... but there was still a chance things would work out for him if he took Mhynt's offer.

"The Crisis I must face is difficult to explain." The rueful grin again. "It comes to me in dreams, mostly. I have to be careful not to misinterpret the real problem, like I did at first when I took so long to join the society. I have a better understanding now."

He laughed his fake schoolboy chuckle from before – how funny, that he spent three years fighting a guerrilla conflict with the Covenant! Such a silly misunderstanding. Open conflict with the society was the wrong call... that part was sincere, even if it was cloaked in pretense.

"I'm pretty sure of my next steps, at least. I'm really not supposed to tell anyone about my missions, of course, but... something pretty important is coming down the pipe, and I'll definitely be involved. It's exciting stuff, hopefully everything goes smoothly. Might take me pretty far away from here for a while, though. But hey, I'm more useful for my dungeoneering experience than as a glorified security guard, as you can probably imagine! It's fine, though – I'm sure everything will be fine with so many of you guys around!"

He smiled, and rested his chin on his knuckles, looking almost smug.

Matthias had an important mission, involving a dungeon. If the Wayfarers could figure out what it was, they could intercept him, perhaps. And while he was gone... the Congress would be dramatically more vulnerable than if he were here to protect it. (Which of course, he'd be forced to do to maintain his cover.)

[ ] Chapter Objective: Find out about the Sable Office's dungeon mission.

Maybe if they kept Matthias talking, he'd drop veiled hints about where to start...

 

[Namohysip]

"It comes to me in dreams, mostly. I have to be careful not to misinterpret the real problem, like I did at first when I took so long to join the society. I have a better understanding now."

Mhynt nearly lost her composure at that--but it didn't seem to be aimed at Matthias. "Your means of objectives are through vague dreams. Funny; our inexperienced caller has less information, but is far more direct. I see now." Or, put another way: Is your caller high?

But it seemed clear enough that Matthias still had to keep up a cover... And while he was gone, they could do a thing or two while buying him more time to not get in the way for the sake of his cover. Right. This seemed like a lot of dancing when Mhynt bitterly considered if sicking Alexander on the threat and then killing him the old-fashioned way would have been easier.

"Our immediate actions seem clear enough," Mhynt hummed. "When would you like to talk again, after this?"

 

[Ambyssin]

Nova tossed the king piece and it landed on the top of his beak. "Uh-huuuuh." He turned to Mhynt. The king remained precariously balanced, even as he spoke. "With how much this places loooooves its radiance and stuff, how much you want to bet they're poking around for radiant dungeons? I mean... we unshadowed the corrupted ones. So radiant ones oughta pop up like weeds now. That's just maths."

 

[Shiny Phantump]

Weird messages given in dreams. Powehi had spoken to them overtly even at first, and had even come to them in person later. “Strange. You’d think the side of the coin who actually thought it was a good idea to summon humans would be the one to be better at communicating with them…”

When they had first arrived, Powehi had insisted he wasn’t going to break a silence lasting a bunch of mortal generations just because of whatever stuff was going on now. Did that mean he could if he wanted to…

That was not going to be a fun conversation with him. But increasingly, Gladion suspected it was one that someone was gonna have to start. It felt a bit odd to have never had contact with Auriga themselves, but if this was what Matthias was facing too? That was deeply suspicious.

“I suppose we can’t expect to be able to speak to your Beacon either, then. But maybe we know someone who can. Probably a matter for after we’ve handled things with our own beacon. Since, you know, I gather doing that one’s gonna be… timing-sensitive.”

 

[Jackie Cat]

Matthias grinned, amused at something in the Wayfarers' responses. He still wasn't getting into certain details, that was for sure. Not at this early stage, at least...

"Good luck talking to the Beacon, it's something the Covenant are always trying to do. I wish I could tell them more about the light myself, but alas, my dreams are all I have to go off, and they're so hard to interpret..."

The sarcasm was actually noticeable this time. Of course Matthias couldn't be honest with the Covenant about his mission or his relationship with Auriga – if it involved fighting them, he had to have 'misinterpreted' his mission, obviously. Otherwise he couldn't run this deep cover shtick of his at all. His dreams were probably a lot more specific than he made out, and if Auriga had sent first Jesse, then Starr, and Matthias had neutralised them both... they were probably confrontational dreams at that.

"...so in lieu of a direct line to the Beacon herself, the various Offices are always trying to find other ways to learn the light's will, and gain the light's power. Radiance, as you call it."

He winked at Nova.

"Of course, environmental Radiance is pretty hard to get a hold of. I think there's a roundtable meeting about it going on right now, and some of your guys are attending. I'm supposed to go, but... I decided I wouldn't be any use there. I already know I'm heading west again, not north."

 

[Ambyssin]

"If mining for it in the environment's pointless... then the other option lies with folks who actually wield it." Nova stated it as a fact and not a question. After all, there was a wielder of radiance out west. With the power to pass it onto other people.