[closed]

[wroughtiron]

Characters: An NPC (wroughtiron), Annabeth Chase (sophos), Hellboy (histruename), the Doctor (iwaspromisedtea) and Zatanna Zatara (backwordscompatible)
Date: November 25/28th.
Location: The Mainland.
Situation: These characters are tracked down by an NPC and given some information, as well as asked a few things in return. Individual scenarios are in the main body of the post itself.
Warnings/Rating: Shouldn't stray much above pg-13, but if it does I'll let you know.

Comments

[wroughtiron]

[Eva stares a moment, and then just shakes her head with a chuckle.]

She may be all mighty and powerful but she doesn't control Tu Vishan. The Great Turtles that make up our continents are billions of years old.

[backwordscompatible]

Hmm. In that case, she must not be happy with our latest detour.

[wroughtiron]

Oh, I expect not. And I hope it's put a right proper bee in her bonnet.

[she drops the plaques into a drawstring bag with some finality and tucks the whole mess away at her belt.]

I can't say it breaks my heart.

[backwordscompatible]

Not a fan?

[She says this completely rhetorically, of course, considering what she'd just learned.]

Do you know much about the Emperor? Aside from the fact that she apparently destroyed your home for some reason.

[wroughtiron]

I've only met her a couple of times, and came off the worse in both. She's a piece of work, that one.

But if you mean in a more... general sense. She's several hundred years old. She's been the acting Emperor of that silly little thing she calls a city now for several hundred years, though you'd never hear her say it outloud, and I bet you wouldn't hear it out of any of the kedan either.

[Brainwashing. It's a thing.]

[backwordscompatible]

[So either the kedan are really, really loyal, or the Emperor was influencing them in some way. Zatanna stored away this information for later.]

Why'd she attack your cities?

[wroughtiron]

Why does anyone in power do anything?

[She lifts a hand, two fingers held up.]

For more power.

[she drops her middle finger.]

Or to keep what they already have.

[She makes a fist.]

[backwordscompatible]

I...don't quite follow.

[Those were fairly generic explanations. What 'more power'? She was the Emperor. What threat could they possibly have been for her to resort to this?]

[wroughtiron]

[... sigh.]

Does your world have... you know, space travel? Airships?

[backwordscompatible]

It's not a common means of travel...but yeah, we do.

[wroughtiron]

We've got half a dozen orbital defense stations orbiting this world. I have no idea if they're active or not anymore, it's been... a long time.

[She glances upwards, regardless. The ARSHEPELIOS were supposed to last 'in perpetuity', but...]

Some people didn't like that they were developed, what they might be used for. I'm sure I don't have to explain the whole story and frankly I only know the footnotes. The end result was a war that killed off all these poor critters.

[She taps a hand down against the rock she's perched on - although she means the turtle making up the bedrock.]

Eshai saw her chance. Did some sort of crazy voodoo to separate her little floating city from the rest before the sickness spread. And by the way - she's not a real Emperor. Not born to the title, or even elected. She got there by being meaner than everyone else. Before the turtles died she was... well, I don't rightly know. I'm pretty sure she wasn't anything more important than you or me. But having the last living turtle made her powerful, and so she started bringing people here. First the kedan, then others-- since she couldn't trust any of the rest of us. And when she had enough of an army, she attacked us.

The war had crippled our trade with the other continents. Made everything a right mess. We had almost no contact with the others. Maybe they're still around. Maybe Vailequios was just... you know, a warning shot. But I wouldn't bank on it.

[backwordscompatible]

[Zatanna listens to the full story with a solemn expression.]

Is that what we are? Her army?

Because, I can tell you right now, nobody told me any of this when I was brought here. In fact, nobody really told any of us much of anything.

[wroughtiron]

It's what the last group was.

[And then she just rolls her eyes.]

Do you really figure she'd spell it all out for you guys? If she knew I was telling you this she'd have my head on a plate. And yours, if you let it slip to her that you know.

[STERN LOOK.]

[backwordscompatible]

[Zatanna hardly blinks. She's been on the receiving end of far too many stern looks for such an obvious thing to really affect her.]

Why would I tell her?

[Because, really, what possible reason could she? She'd just made it clear she had no interest in being a part of her so-called army. Robin had already made it clear he didn't trust the Emperor, and that was enough for her.]

See, I kinda like my head. Figured I'd keep it for a while.

[wroughtiron]

People do strange things.

[She shrugs, reaches out for a little morsel set out on the handkerchief from earlier and pops it into her mouth.]

[backwordscompatible]

That's not strange. That's suicidal.

You said before...about the kedan being loyal to her...was that always the case?

[wroughtiron]

[She points at Zatanna.]

See now, there's the thing. When she brought them here, she... did somethin' to their minds. Another one of you foreigners I met mentioned that there've been gang wars and the like? Maybe she's losing her grip on them. Karmic retribution if you ask me.

[backwordscompatible]

I only arrived a few weeks ago, so I haven't seen it for myself yet...but I heard that sort of thing was going on. From a few people.

[It would make sense.]

You're talking total mind control. Is it even possible for one person to be able to take over that may minds? [Well, obviously, if that was what was going on.] We're in danger, aren't we? [Again, mostly stating the obvious. If . A big If, but a plausible one.]

[wroughtiron]

I'm not even certain it's mind control. Could be that she just damaged their minds when she pulled 'em through. I'm sure there's a science to it.

But if it is possible... Eshai'd be the one to do it.

[There's. A grudging trace of respect to her tone. She doesn't like the woman, sure enough, but there's no denying that she's the head bitch in charge around here.]

[backwordscompatible]

[Zatanna wasn't sure what was worse. A loss of free will, or an outright damaged mind. At least the former, horrible a fate as it was, could be reversed.]

Is there anything we can do?

[wroughtiron]

[Eva's look is... not terribly optimistic, and she sighs.]

How many of you are there? ... Better question, how many could you speak for?

[backwordscompatible]

If you mean from my world, specifically...there's two. And I trust them both. Aside from that, maybe a half dozen others.

I couldn't even guess how many of us there are total. [Since she was still so new. And, not being a Bat, hadn't yet made it a point to find that out.]

[wroughtiron]

Feh. That ain't anywhere near enough to do anything more than... sit pretty and hope the Emperor doesn't toss you off the turtle. The last resistance, when I was a child, was seventy thousand strong. Two and maybe a half dozen others, that won't make a dent.

[Back to sounding a little morose.]

[backwordscompatible]

[If it wasn't so completely true, Zatanna might've seemed offended by the notion. She slumped back.]

I'm guessing, even with my magic, we wouldn't stand a chance.

[wroughtiron]

I'd say that depends on what your magic's like, but a wee little thing like you can't have been into it long. I've been practicing all my life, but I can only save up power when Tu Vishan docks and use it sparingly when it's gone.

[which is irritating, let me tell you.]