What has begun.

[tntoverlords.livejournal.com]

Characters: Any who attended the Heads of State meeting.
Progress: In Progress
Summary: After the meeting adjourns, there are private conversations to be had.
Location: Dali
Date: January 1804, before the Epitaph invasion
Warnings: N/A

After several hours over the table, the meeting was adjourned; many parties left dissatisfied, disgruntled, and in some cases, even afraid. Compared to the last meeting aboard Regent Cid's Invincible, the meeting in Dali had been a joke. There were even more present than the first time, and somehow, it was less productive. The only thing everyone seemed united on, was that Kefka, Weiss, and others of their kind needed to be stopped. At what cost is where everything fell to pieces. As the crowd dispersed, the old mage factory was left with stirred-up dust and the heavy feeling of words and feelings unspoken.

[ Party Style! Tag in, and tag each other. If there's people you need to talk to while you're still in Dali, this is the place to do it. Threads can occur anywhere in Dali, from the factory, to the Inn, the fields, etc. ]

Comments

[crowned-jewel.livejournal.com]

It was a disaster. A complete and total disaster. Half those gathered at the table seemed more inclined to squabbling over their own histories. Those who did not seemed just as frustrated with the lack of focus, not to mention disinterested in these foreigners pasts. Of all those gathered that day, Garnet was the only native Gaian, aside from Minister Artania, but he had taken a back seat, offering no suggestions or solutions. Once again, Burmecia had gone unrepresented, and Garnet couldn't help but feel a strong animosity coming from Mjrn's sister.

The only thing Garnet knew for sure, was that she wanted out of this factory; too many heavy, unpleasant memories.

[dynast-king.livejournal.com]

The young queen was not the only one exceptionally displeased with how the meeting had gone. He had given the others too great an opportunity. He had banked on their soft natures giving way to his desires under the guise of the greater good. Something beneficial was to come of this. Sadly nobles who would speak ill of him had ruined their credibility with their tantrums. Not all was a loss, and yet, Vayne never liked when anything was outside of his control.

Part of his irritation lie in how upset Larsa had become by the bickering, the troubled expression on Garnet's face. And there she stood, alone and melancholy.

He stepped up behind Garnet, so diminutive in comparison, and rested hands on her shoulders. It was a bold move, familiar. And in that moment, he was aware of a feeling unfamiliar to him before, but unable to identify what it might be. Something.

"Garnet, I apologize," he said in a low tone. Apologies came rarely for him, and he was not about to identify what for. There was enough for her to draw her own conclusions from. "You are troubled. I bear the blame for this."

[crowned-jewel.livejournal.com]

At the touch, Garnet's shoulders straightened. The young queen craned her neck, folding her hands to hide the ring on her finger. She did not accept nor reject his apology, merely looked up at him, and then turned beneath his grasp, so that she could face him properly.

"What were they going on about? What was all that about your father, and sparking a war?"

[dynast-king.livejournal.com]

Not one to let anyone see him in a moment of weakness, Vayne opted to step out and allow himself one very annoyed sigh. They were imbeciles. The whole lot of them. Wrong. Garnet was not. The rest could hang themselves.

Except the rest included Larsa.

Vayne found himself torn out of a sense of concern for his younger brother, and outright irritation that he'd not only made a rather embarrassing show of himself but then took the part of that fool Ondore against him. There was an unrelenting sense of betrayal which he could not shake, and could not forgive. One more sigh. He would have to at least put forth the front of being at peace with it.

"Larsa."

[marquisofthesky.livejournal.com]

The Queen's positive remark about the nethicite truly won Ondore's scorn for it was easy to tell that Vayne had the woman wrapped around his fingers. It was perhaps this reason why the Marquis allowed for the truth to be told about the nethicite before any more nobles flocked to this idea. However, in his crusade to speak of the truth that Vayne has done well to hide; Marquis Ondore added salt to wounds still not healed.

It seemed that this conference did nothing more than put a wedge between them all. There was a clear divide between the counsels, one that will surely counter any endeavors made in the future.

Taking his leave of the hidden factory, Ondore searched for something to take his mind off this horrible ordeal. Unfortunately or rather fortunately, it seemed that Lord Larsa had a similar idea.

[marquisofthesky.livejournal.com]

Horribly bitter about today's meeting, the Marquis of Bhujerba couldn't help but feel as if this counsel was made up out of naive fools who seem all too willing to wield a power that none of them understood. He shocked by how many nobles were eating out of Vayne's hands, amazed that only a few of them showed to possess thoughts of their own regarding Kefka. In short, it surprised Ondore greatly to be met with such fierce opposition despite the truth that was spoken about both the House of Solidor and the damned nethicite they seemed hellbent in marketing.

The only good thing that came from this Mummer's farce was the fact that his dear niece didn't have to suffer through this. If the Queen of Dalmasca were there, things surely would have been worse.

Especially since Vayne seemed quite fond of manipulating Ondore's words...

[marquisofthesky.livejournal.com]

With the intent of quitting Dali as soon as possible, the Marquis had no desire to linger here any longer than need be. "Once the wheels of history repeats itself, then shall they listen to reasoning." He muttered aloud once Lord Nabradia fell in step with him.

"But to try and divert such an disaster now will only continue to put him on such a pedestal."

[te-dirige.livejournal.com]

There were a few people Tseng was more interested in speaking to than others. Marquis Halim Ondore IV (of Bhujerba) was perhaps the most pressing - and therefore the one who left the room first. It took a bit of legwork to find where me might have gone - and the Turk was waiting at the door to the airship bay when the Marquis appeared. A stroke of luck the other had been delayed, a better stroke that he'd bribed one of the locals to show him a shortcut through this maze of ancient machinery and tiny rooms.

"Lord Marquis Halim Ondore IV." Tseng greeted, when the man was in sight, bowing formally for good measure. "May I request a moment of your time, sir?" He knew the man wanted to... to flee would be the best word - but he seemed the most competent to inform Tseng of what the hell much of this had been about. (And was also likely to be one of the most biased, but even biased information told you important things...)

[suavesunglasses.livejournal.com]

Al-Cid was completely and utterly exhausted. He hated open meetings like this; there were simply too many people. It was perhaps his more roguish streak, the one that had helped him become a man of espionage, that made him long for the old days when deals were done in secret. He was a man of peace, but this... this was a mess.

Lightly tapping his sunglasses against the table, the Rozarrian glanced around the room. He had to speak to Vayne about going back to Wutai, and would likely leave with Rasler to visit the man's newborn son and the Lady Ashe, but for now...

For now, he really just wanted a very strong drink.

[midgar-born.livejournal.com]

Rufus had been more than frustrated with how the meeting had gone and the fact half the occupants were more interested in rehashing their own pasts than focusing on the problems at hand. The solutions offered were interesting but none seemed to be anything that could be implemented quickly enough to be of any use if Kefka took it into his head to attack somewhere else.

He exited the room with a faint sigh, Tseng following a few steps behind before he turned to speak with him briefly, issuing a few orders. That done, Rufus left the building intending to head for the inn.

[dynast-king.livejournal.com]

Among those wanting to rehash the past, Vayne was not one of them, beyond discrediting people who could cause him headache. That list of people was growing rapidly, and he privately cursed whatever kept multiplying his problems.

Rather, he chose to seek out Rufus, hoping to learn more about these problem men from their own world. Enough had been out of his control, and the more he knew, the more control he could wrest back. Beginning with putting aside his annoyance over the request for Wutai, and becoming approachable. He followed along, finding a chance to call out, "Pardon me. Do you have a moment?"

[knowshermachina.livejournal.com]

Rikku was lingering in the room, if only to watch the people leaving until there was a safe chance for her to slip away. She had been quiet for most of the thing, besides the occasional comment about her people. When she'd arrived she'd thought about all these people as epic leaders, and now they seemed more...human. Also rather petty.

She bounced from foot to foot as she waited for her chance to slip away.

[suavesunglasses.livejournal.com]

Rubbing his forehead slightly, Al-Cid looked over to notice the blonde anxiously waiting for her chance to leave. Stepping away from his seat at the table, the Rozarrian nodded toward the door.

"If you wish to go without being forced to speak with too many, perhaps I could be of assistance. This meeting was quite the mess; I cannot say I blame you."

[te-dirige.livejournal.com]

Tseng had been dismissed and Rufus was returning to the inn, Elena waiting to escort him safely. The President might have been done with the group, but Tseng had further information to gather... Even though petty arguments were useless for getting anything done in regards to Kefka, it didn't change that it informed him a great deal about the people here.
Knowing about potential threats now, instead of later, was the best way to remain alive.

Which was why Tseng returned to the room, eyes scanning across the space and the pockets of conversation, reading lips where abale and listening to what carried. The question was, who to approach first....? He was still new to these peopole- and he'd been of no use whatsoever in regards to Wutai - the city itself had been forgotten in all the politics.

[dynast-king.livejournal.com]

There was one unwilling to wait to be approached. Vayne always worked on the premise that by being proactive, he could command a situation. There was a great deal he wished to know, and there was no mistaking that this assistant had a marked resemblance to the others in Wutai.

He approached casually, then rested his hands on his hips, sighing in frustration. "We'll all be dead by the time they finish discussing this in committee. I came to strategize, not rehash tired politics. It's foolishness."

[notathiefcole.livejournal.com]

There was a reason Locke did not venture much into politics. He desired action, not this incessant bickering about who had the biggest (not going there). This wasn't solving anything. He wished Celes was here as she had more experience in these matters.

As such he waited quietly for his ride to finish the business at hand, before he would be able to leave this arena, and return to the arena he knew best.

[dynast-king.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately for the treasure hunter looking for escape, he was not to execute a retreat to the exit yet. Vayne pulled himself up straight, schooling away his general irritation and approached the one with knowledge about Kefka.

Possibly the most important soul in attendance.

"I apologize for the manners of my brother. He seems to have forgotten that we are to put the needs of others above our own. I will remind him otherwise."

[prez-leg-cramp.livejournal.com]

This was exactly why Laguna hated meetings like this. Back home, he had been able to set a time limit and get things done. But this was just like when he had first started out as president. All the arguing, all the turn arounds, and all the people who brought up their personal woes in an effort to show that they had the better point than others.

Yes, they were all from different worlds and so not everyone knew each others histories. Hell, some of the folks were sketchy at best and it was the precise reason why he didn't mention too much of his own. Just what they had done with Adel. But now, nothing had been accomplished. They couldn't decide to seal or destroy Kefka on account that the method was dangerous and not trustworthy. Not in his opinion anyway. He almost wished Dr. Odine was here just so he could try and create something that could help, rather than use unknown magic.

Or worse, manufactured. Anything man-made should be a machine, not magic. That's what Laguna thought. Too many people could abuse natural magic alone, having something created was just asking for trouble.

"Oh boy," He murmured, leaning back in his chair and looking up at the ceiling. He was probably the only one still in this room.

[dynast-king.livejournal.com]

Vayne had indeed left, gone out to clear his head. He was so angry with the foolishness of the others, it took every ounce of self-control in his possession not to lash out and physically harm them into compliance. Alas, it would not serve his purposes.

He eventually re-entered the room to find Laguna by himself. "This, was not what I had hoped for." No mincing of words. Vayne was not happy with the outcome, with nothing resolved.