[Yuya's in no rush himself--he's pleasantly surprised when she does respond, knowing he's probably being a bit of a bother.] That's great! I mean, I'm having fun out here, but it sounds like a lot of work up there.
[He pauses, mulling over what to ask first.] I wanted to ask you some things, but... are you feeling better? I heard you were really upset.
Zangetsu. I--[He stops to shake off a vivid memory.] I went to see Strange after he--uh, when Zangetsu was watching him. He mentioned Lambert made you upset, but not why.
It had to do with what happened with Ignatius, right? Are you okay? [He has reasons to be bothering her, but her emotions come first.]
... Yeah, that sounds pretty mean. [But he can hear her tone, so he's not going to ask exactly what transpired between them--it sounds like it was more than just what they did to Ignatius.]
If you want to talk about it, I'll listen. [But he can at least extend a hand to her.] You know, you're one of us too.
That may be, but I'm also the one that everyone looks to for resolutions. And, debatably, the one responsible for every problem the carnival has had to date.
[She exhales, wearily.]
It's foolish to think I'm anything like you.
[She's clearly taking all of this pretty hard, but her tone is more grumpy and stubborn than heartbroken, at the moment.]
... We have leaders, too. And we have people who hurt and use others like they're tools. And grudges, and we make mistakes. Everything you did--I bet someone else here would have made the same decision.
You feel happy, and angry, and you cry and laugh like we do. You're not that different. And you're not the only one right?
[Wasn't that part of the problem? That the Fae see people like Yuya as something different?
That's actually part of what he wanted to ask about, so he gets right into it.] Something made you change your mind, to see that we're people too, right? Like something changed the Summer Maiden's mind. What was it?
Our power is everything that's wrong with us - everything that makes us so much worse than any other species's cruelty. The things we can do... it amplifies whatever innate flaws sapient life has to begin with.
When you and the others are given the same unlimited control over someone, you begin to do the same thing. All you need is an excuse, a justification.
The only thing different about the Summer Maiden was that she understood that.
So... if you say with the same power we do the same thing, doesn't that mean we really are alike?
[It doesn't sound like that refutes his point at all.] I know the amount of damage is different, but it doesn't change the way it feels. And if the Summer Maiden can understand that... we're people, and we have worth, then others can too.
When I talked to her, it sounded like she lost hope in Arcadia. But how else are we going to change anything? People will still get hurt as long as they think they're justified.
We could be the same, but we aren't right now. Even if you became a True Fae yourself, you'd have this memory of being powerless. Fae never experience that.
...Or at least, rarely. And if they do, it's usually at the hands of iron, or other fae. It has a different impact, psychologically.
[He laughs a little.] That's what I mean! You know, before I found the carnival I'd never met a Fae before. We don't have that kind of magic, but... you know the way Fae treat us, humans do to each other, too. Not every human is powerless.
[There's a pause, and a shifting sound as Yuya tries to figure out how to explain.] What I mean is, feeling like I'm powerless to stop other people, and like I'm powerless to stop the Fae isn't that different. I'm still scared, I still need help. Fae do that to each other too, don't they?
I don't mean we have all the same power, or even live the same way. But we do feel the same.
I wish I could say we did. We're just doing our best, like you.
I think it's easy for us to feel the opposite about Fae, too. But you're not all bad, like we're not all good, and we'll probably understand each other easier if we start with what's similar instead of what's different.
I believe things really can change. For us and for you.
[Because living on the run has kind of got to suck.]
[At some point after everyone is brought back into the Carnival and reacquainted with how things will be, the scarlet eagle will flap over to where the Ringmaster is with a rolled up letter tied at her neck.
She's quite patient about the delivery, but leaves as soon as the letter is in the Ringmaster's hands.]
Those coins look to be Winter Court currency from far before my time. Most likely from when the Prince was still in Arcadia, which would make that one of the first Winter Queens. I'm not sure which cycle, though. I was not alive.
I'm sure they'd be considered a bit of an heirloom novelty in the Winter Court, but I doubt they have any other magical uses.
Cheers, The Ringmaster
[As usual, her florid signature fills up the rest of the page.]
[ It's a bit after her radio announcement detailing the new divisions and for once via radio over, you know, showing up as an annoying bird to crow at her. ]
Ringmaster, if you have a moment, I would like to discuss a matter of workspace with you.
[ Welcome to the wonderful world of dull administrative work, RM. ]
Acquisitions before never needed any single location to gather, but with the addition of research, I was hoping I could take over one of the tents or some other building to use as a single workspace.
[ Yep, no magical problems, no sudden fae incursions, just... that. ]
Or the mirror maze if I wanted to make their lives a little more interesting... [ It's just something he muses on aloud, but in the end, ] However, a tent should do just fine. Thank you, Ringmaster.
Ignatius requests to be taken along on our excursion to Eden and mission to recover the Mirror. I told him the final decision rests with you, but that I'd ask anyway.
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