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Post by Deleted on Aug 15, 2017 19:30:09 GMT -6
Hello Starborn, and welcome to Plot 404: Seeking Justice Team Leader: Antiope Participants: Othala, Renata, Farsight, Torsten, Tansy, Sonador, Harper, Perseus (NPC), Serene (NPC), Jun (NPC) Please keep the following in mind!- Posts must be a minimum of 175 words. There is no maximum!- No strict order is enforced, but there must be at least two posts between your own character's.- No god-moding or reading characters' minds (unless your pony is a literal telepath, anyway)
- Always get consent before harming another character!- Your team is precious. Try to interact with everyone. <3- Have fun! Even if your pony isn't. 8'DPrompt: After the bloody sacrifice of Emperor Hawkeye's young daughter Bethel, the Freedom's Flight hold the murderer Jun accountable. Perseus has gathered the Flight to speak their minds, and pass judgment on Jun inside the very council chamber where many Talori pegasi had been doomed to terrible fates. The irony is not lost on the flock, who congregate grimly in the auditorium for the trial. They stand in the same place their Talori oppressors had stood for centuries, the fate of yet another young pegasus hanging in the balance. They must decide what justice means: is it punishment for the murderer of a child, or is it revenge on an age-old monarchy of killers? Jun is not the only one on trial-- today, the true nature of the Freedom's Flight will be revealed. Location:: Grand Council chamber at the palace in Flight-occupied Inaria Time of Day: Mid-morning Current Weather: Bright, but cloudy Notes: Some info on the Flight's justice system: whenever one of their own commits a crime, the Flight's method of trial is basically the court of public opinion urging Perseus towards a decision. Every member of the flock gets the chance to speak, but Perseus is the final judge, and makes a ruling based on what he heard. Everyone in the Flight is part of the judicial process and is welcome in this hearing! NPC bystanders are available to add into your posts and get involved for added dramatic effect if you so choose. Only Flight members are in attendance; no Talori, or any prisoners of Torrine are present. |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 16, 2017 23:12:16 GMT -6
antiope
i feigned umbrage at my bruising fist
Antiope watched pensively as the Flight filled the huge chamber, the sounds of hooves echoing grandly in the vaulted ceiling. The room had the acoustics (and gargantuan scale) of any of Aquore's cathedrals, and even when horses stopped filing in to stand on the tiers in the stadium before her, the Flight couldn't quite fill it. Her face and eyes were hardened, staring forward, always scanning, but the truth of it was, Antiope felt strange viewing the room from this angle. She stood at Perseus's side, as she always did, her hooves on the same spot where the Defender had stood only a few short months before. She kept imagining depressions in the stone beneath her feet from Thaumas's mighty weight, but it was her mind playing tricks on her. This whole room was playing tricks on her.
She'd been here once before, as a child, in her short years training as a cleric in this very city. She had been looking at this dais from the other side, then. The Council had looked so huge from below.
She wondered what Perseus looked like from there.
There was a stirring as Jun entered the room in chains, escorted by a particularly grim-looking Tabitha. It was an unnecessary restraint, and unnecessary show of force; Jun looked peaceful, and moved with compliance and grace, as if the chains didn't exist. She thanked Tabitha when the hulking guard left her to stand in the chamber's center, on the floor far below the dais Antiope watched from. Jun looked up at the auditorium full of angry faces, her back to the Flight's leadership. She turned politely to listen when Perseus began to speak.
"We are gathered to decide the fate of one of our own." Perseus's voice carried grandly, even though his words were bare and to the point. Antiope was lukewarm on calling Jun one of their own. Jun was a new recruit, had joined the fight only after Inaria had been seized. Antiope wasn't sure she'd earned the title, but remained silent as Perseus went on: "Jun stands accused of sacrificing a child." His tone did not make it easy to discern whether or not he was sorry. Antiope had a good guess.
"We will begin with an open forum-- everyone will be heard."
Antiope followed his gaze into the audience, waiting for whoever would be first to speak.
post 1 | 394 words |
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Post by data-bull on Aug 17, 2017 10:59:00 GMT -6
Sonador
When word had reached him of Jun's actions, Sonya had been appalled and heartbroken; he hadn't known the child personally, but he was perhaps naive enough to believe such pointless deaths would end when the Flock took power. It seemed he was mistaken.
Perseus' call brought the churning emotions within him to the surface; his brows furrowed as he addressed the gathered Flock.
"Much as it pains me to condemn our wing-sister, I find no justice in committing the same folly as our oppressors.", he stated solemnly, eyes finding the Primary's. Years ago, the bay stallion might've caught a glimpse of Perseus' thoughts, but they were strangers now, and the stone-cold gaze he received stung with a bone-chilling unfamiliarity.
He stepped back, wings pulled tight against sunken flanks. Looking to the accused, the serenity on her face was unsettling; she felt no remorse for taking the life of an innocent child. Had they not been so quick to bolster their numbers, maybe Bethel would still live. Her death was more than the loss of a child; it was a prelude to the Flock's destruction. Of that, he was certain.
"Wasn't it a sacrifice just like it that brought the Emperor to his knees?", the Pegasus reasoned, "That we should do the same can only lead to disaster. Jun's actions have given Talori a chance to unify, and they will no doubt be poised to rise against us."
In their heart-of-hearts, he suspected many knew they couldn't maintain their grip on Aquore forever; a perfect storm had led them to Inaria, and so much as an unexpected gust could send them on their way again.
Still, what punishment was there for a dissenter of Jun's caliber? Would calling for her head not be proving her path acceptable, righteous even? And it wasn't as though banishment or imprisonment would be effective; Torrine was already overcrowded, and its residents would likely tear her limb from limb for what she'd done. If she was simply sent away, there was no guarantee she wouldn't return, and they couldn't control her then. She would be a wildcard; a horse who killed children in cold blood would not stop on her own. They would have to make her. One way, or another.
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Post by ebbarie on Aug 17, 2017 12:14:34 GMT -6
Othala | Freedom's Flight | Medic
I don't wanna hurt you, it's not my nature.
Blended in the large Flock the young medic walked into the council chamber, a place she shouldn’t even be allowed to enter, unless she had done something wrong. But here she was, not as an accused, but as...yeah as what? A bystander? A judge? She had no idea.
In the crowd she recognized the dark coat of her former mentor, the Flock’s apothecary Renata. And then, another familiar face. She didn’t wanted to stand between rather unknown horses, so she made her way to Sonador. His warm fur was also relatively easy to spot.
Othala placed herself next to him, and silently lowered her head as greeting. Usually she would have welcomed him much warmer, but she didn’t wanted to break the unpleasant silence that hung in the room.
Suddenly the rattle of heavy chains flooded the large room and Othala’s hair stood on end when she saw the peaceful expression on Jun’s face.
She hadn’t spoke with the mare yet, that just recently joined the Flock’s ranks, but the pegasus mare with the blue wings had always smiled friendly at her when their ways crossed.
Othala wouldn’t have been so shocked if June would have carried any other expression on her face, anger, scorn, guilt…anything, but not this.
How could someone with the blood of an innocent child on his hooves look so calm and content?
Eventually she was able to tear her attention away from the accused, and towards Perseus. The Primary asked for opinions. And he would get them.
Sonya was the first to answer. His words didn’t surprised her, actually Othala would have been shocked if he’d spoken in June’s favor.
However, what he said hung heavy in the air, because it raised a question. What to do with the accused if she was found guilty?
Othala had no answer for that.
Before anyone else could speak, or before she could decide not to speak at all, she raised her voice.
“I have to agree with Sonador. How comes, that we even have to discuss this matter in such a framework? A child was murdered. Murder alone is condemnable enough, but to violently kill an innocent child? Her guilt shouldn’t be in question” , her voice was stirred with anger and bewilderment.
Also, she didn’t only addressed June with her words, but all of the Flock members. So many of them were guilty with murder. So many of them had the blood of innocent citizens on their hooves.
“How much better are we than the horses we are fighting, when we seek revenge and bloodshed? I haven’t joined the Flock to live in the grudge of the past, but to help building a better future for all our winged brethren in Aquore. We can’t justify any more bloodshed. If every citizen has to fear the rage of a pegasi, how should we ever life together in peace?” she asked.
Her family was still in Torrine, and Othala had spent enough time in that overcrowded hell hole to know the suffering of the prisoners.
None of them had thanked her for curing their illness, or tending their wounds. Just their fear, and underlying hatred.
If they didn’t searched for a diplomatic solution now , the gap between pegasi and the other citizens would become too great to ever overcome it.
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Post by FaunaFawn on Aug 17, 2017 15:59:07 GMT -6
 Farsight the HarrowerYou all say I’ve crossed a line,
But the sad fact is I’ve lost my mind
Praying to the gods have left him far more cursed then ever blessed. The dreams haunted him, and it seemed a new one had lingered within his mind. Dreams that could lead a horse to the impossible, the unthinkable. Perhaps it was why he was tugged along here, following the hoof steps of strangers. New family, some had called him, but he felt more like an outcast once more. Still having to prove his worth to those that think less of him. When would the madness ever end? When would he be good enough?
Shaking his head, exhausted eyes lifted up as he entered this place. A place where lives were determind. Farsight has never entered here, but prayed he never would. But the gods cease to care for his prayers, falling on deaf ears as he numbly walks forwards. Still dreams plague him, and he worries if this is not all a dream still? His curse still lingering in the back of his mind. Clairvoyance was nothing but a walking nightmare. Moving along, he took his place among the others a soft sigh escaped his lips as he passed by Sanador. A long time friend, but was he truly? Was Farsight? He didn't know, he didnt care. He came to listen, he came to see how the Flock did things. To learn. All of it he needed to better understand.
A few equine away from Sonador, Farsight took his spot on somewhat shaky legs. Tired consumed him like a sickness, and sadly there was no cure for the mind, at least not one he had found yet. Soon Peruses began to speak, with the fellow Antiope along side of him. Peruses hardly spoke and allowed the crowd to speak, odd. It was not something Farsight had seen and he wondered how it would go. Sonador was the first to speak and Farsight found it odd how easily he claimed this one as a sister, but perhaps for those that can switch sides as if it was nothing can grow bonds out of thin air. Still he took in the words of what was his friend and snorted a bit.
Soon the one next to him spoke. Othala. She was angry and had every right to be, but the fact she did seemed shocked they were having this trial made Farsight wonder. Was Justice served fairly here? Form how it seemed to him, any crime was brought before them all to determine fate. He flinched at that thought of that word, something he had refused ever since his guilty nature allowed him to see his own fate. It made him grimace. Her words filled the silence, until once more there was silent,if not a few murmurs of agreement or a simple shake of ones head. Suppose now as good enough as another to speak.
"Im sure my words here carry little weight to them." he remarked his voice calm, but etched with exhaustion which was so clearly seen on his face. Although he was quite young, he seemed to age so harshly within the past few months. "From what I've seen we all have gathered to allow our voices to be heard, something that was not always appreciated." he remarked. "As for something I have never gained, I appreciate knowing I can speak freely." he remarked glancing at Othala, so perhaps she should understand another point of this trial was not to condemn life but to assure those with concerns, those with voices could still speak. So that the sword would not be swung without the accordance of others to know.
"As for the one that stands on trial, I know nothing of them, but the words you all have spoken. They have killed a life for nothing better then self serving vengeance. Clearly they did this on their own, and with everyone trying to settle these lands, we cannot afford members acting out in such a way. Taking justice of their own tasting to be served. I believe what the others said to be held true. Something needs to be done, but death is not always the answer. The crowd, all of them need to witness us fixing this crime that was not only held against us, but those in Torrine as well. If we want peace, if we want to live a better life we must be better then the ones before us."
Farsight dipped his head signalling he was done speaking and he wondered if they all wanted Jun to die for the crimes. While death of course would be an acceptable thing to due. It felt wrong in this sense. Something needed to be done before the eyes of all, to show the Flock is not like the others. Not the enemies all have sworn against. They had to right this wrong, and surely more death was not the answer. But who was Farsight to say? Death and bloodshed, seem to be long time friends with him anymore.
WC: 834 | Post #1 |
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Post by MapleEgg on Aug 17, 2017 20:49:02 GMT -6
Tansy has simply followed the crowd in. Her inner self had been nothing but a roiling mess for sometime now. The headaches and migraines that occasionally pestered her now plagued the mare. Day in and day out she now felt more like fleeing. To be alone, be on her own and disconnect herself from all around her.
The flights presence in Inari disquieted the black and white vanner even more so. With the sacrifice of a child, it had only made her more skittish. But she had heard Farsight speak of this meeting to decide the murders fate and something held her back. It brought her hooves to the very hall those before used for important council. She had been an early arrival and stayed quiet. Head lowered she watched as a few familiar faces came within the walls. Then as everyone had, her attention was focused on Perseus, Antiope and Jun.
After the flights lead spoke, others were quick to words. Sonador and Farsight being a couple. The mare nodded in agreement with what was this far said. Wrong was done here that could lead to the breaking of everything these horses, and ever herself, had striven to accomplish. Some dark part of her saw Jun's reasoning. So many pegasi had been thrown to what? A god? Would it hurt to readjust the numbers to be a little closer? War was indeed war after all. The death and pain they had already brought? Why not shake the royal family so they could feel what had been done to so many before.
Tansy wanted to puke. She snorted. Loud. It startled her to note that her sound brought attention to herself. She felt silly having to follow three well worded speeches. Tansy seemed to lack that luster with her words anymore. Having no one who wanted to listen much really didn't make for a social butterfly. Straightening herself she took a step forward and tried to be brave.
" I agree with everyone, this is wrong and something needs done but we all know this...it's why we are here now. I do side with Farsight...death should not be accompanied by death in all cases but whatever we do should be public, like stated already. My only disagreement is to assume this was done by Jun and Jun alone. Will their actions bring others out who wish to seek vengeance on the hippocampi who brought ages of grief to winged horses. Perseus... Pardon my directness but this presents and opportunity to speak about the plans for our future. Will we condemn hippocampus and become exactly what we fought to end? Will Torrine continue to be a prison for those who were born and raised thinking that sacrificing a pegasus was normal and honorable for the victim? It was our past... Let's not make it the future."
Tansy had managed to shock herself. Although Jun was definitely the forefront issue, there was much more under the layers of it all that needed assessment. Sighing, Tansy lowered her head against and took a step back to signal she was done. Figuring she had said more than her fill as she tried to avoid eye contact with most horses. (537)
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Post by brindletail on Aug 17, 2017 22:26:09 GMT -6
 TORSTEN"Where you recognise evil, speak out against it, and give no truces to your enemies "- Viking proverb. ...
He was as still as amber. The Flock's trainer recognized fewer faces than ever before, and due to this he remained towards the back of the gathering. Years of habit put him at Antiope's side, but today felt foreign, seeing her up there beside the Primary. Much had transpired since he had arrived, alien to the bloodshed he had yearned to be a part of. He felt like a brand new recruit, and the feeling was further cemented when Jun was brought out before them.
He had barely been briefed on who exactly Jun was, and Torsten had made a decision already that she was dispensable. The death of the Emperor's daughter ricochet through his mind like loose change in the wash. Child. Death. Child death. Dead child. Dead Clark. Dead pegasus. He was a wreck.
A recruit had shown insubordination, that was deservedly punishable. But were her actions not akin to their mission? And did she act alone or was this a plot hatched long ago? Torsten was too damn old to think anything was a coincidence anymore.
The upset that poured from the crowd made his stomach churn. So they said nothing when the great Defender took his last breath, when bombs obliterated non-combatant Talorian citizens, but one child dies and suddenly its pacifism or bust? His blonde eyebrows set harder over his already razor sharp expression. One child. Child. Child. Clark. The tiny face of the child pegasus the Divine had killed only months prior also flashed behind his eyelids. Were they monsters? Or did the enemy deserve it?
He chose to remain silent until he knew, if he ever knew which he believed.
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Post by moonlightwalk on Aug 20, 2017 15:21:28 GMT -6
Renata | Flock - Apothecary
As much as Renata’s hard had bled before, at the news of what one of their own had done, her heart bled even more. It was with heavy hooves that she dragged herself into their temporary court room, not even bothering to look at its architecture. Whether it was impressive or not, she didn’t care. It was big though and she spared her family old and new a glance to see who was present. Familiar faces stood out. Perseus with Antiope at his side. Sonador and Othalla. Torsten. She made eye contact with each, slightly dipping her head in greeting. She had no smile to spare today, face instead set, trying to keep thz turmoil out of her expression as best as she could. Her eyes however, everything laid bare in them for those who bothered to look. She choose a spot from where she could easily keep an eye on Perseus least someone try something. She wasn’t quite sure what this meeting would bring.
It was hard not to feel disgust as Jun was brought into the room. She didn’t seem at all guilty about what she had done, calm as ever. Renata couldn’t quite understand how or why. Jun had always seemed so… well normal? Didn’t she see how wrong it was to kill another horse like that? That it was a mere child made it even worse! How you could do that to anyone was beyond her. It made her sick. How many more would think such actions were justified? They were crossing a line, a line she had been afraid of crossing from the very beginning.
Perseus announced the hearing open and horses started to speak up. It was with relief she noted most condemed Jun’s action. It was her turn to agree, voice strained so it would not quiver. “I agree. What good will it bring if we decided this let this sort of action go unpunished. This was murder, not mere a casualty of war. Revenge perhaps, but it was unfounded. Blood cannot be repaid in blood. It is the very thing we fought against. Will we start this ridiculous chain over again, but the other way around? What they did to our kind was wrong, very wrong, but if we do the same, we are no better.” She shook her head sadly. “I say she’s guilty of murder and should be brought to justice for this crime.” What justice meant however, she was unsure of. Imprisonment? She didn’t think putting her with the talorians would do them much good.
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Post by GingerBlues on Aug 21, 2017 14:44:54 GMT -6
SereneI'm slipping into the deep end
Feel the current within
I can't help, I give inThe little brewer sighed heavily, stamping her forehoof of the ground in irritation. These revolutionaries acted as though this was some heinous crime, when in fact, of all the death and bloodshed that had occurred since their attack, this seemed the most important. Bethel's death wasn't needless violence like the others had been. Her death made a clear and concise point about equality and sent a message to those who needed to hear it. The fact of the matter was that the Flight was no different from the Talori, The fact was that pegasi and Hippocampi were equal in all ways... And yet they seemed so appalled by that idea. It gave the mare pause as she wondered if it was truly equality they were after.
"How can you condemn this act of violence while rejoicing in others? Our victory here was obtained through violent means, and we keep much of the herd locked away in a prison, while deciding how we will "change" things. " She snorted softly. "Yes, a child was killed, but so were many others in the wake of the attack. As one of the Wave Mother's own, I am sure Bethel's soul has been received and will be returned to us soon, as is the way it has always been, But least this child's death wasn't as needless as the others. There was a point to be made about equality, and while I may not have done it that way myself, I can not condemn such as act. How can you claim we are so different when we want nothing more than to be treated the same? "
She paused, her gaze sweeping across the faces of those gathered. "I have seen many things in my time on this earth, and one thing remains true. Sometime, violence is the answer." She inhaled sharply, shaking away some unwanted memories. "We can't just sit down and have a tea party with the Talori and expect things to change. They need to see the error of their ways, and if this demonstration planted even the smallest seed of doubt in their hearts and minds, then it was worth it. If this brings even one of those imprisoned in Torrine pause, and truly makes them think, then what Jun did is commendable. Sometimes you must fight to secure peace. Sometimes the pendulum must swing before it can find balance. and it has been stuck so far to one side for too long."
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Word Count: 411
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Post by data-bull on Aug 23, 2017 22:12:56 GMT -6
Sonador
As his comrades vocalized their opinions, Sonya found many of their opinions aligned with his own; it was reassuring, that was, until Serene spoke up. She was the voice of their misgivings, their fears and desire for vengeance. Her thoughts weren't without merit, but she was wrong in thinking it was acceptable to kill a child just to make an example of their death. Taking a beat to see if anyone else would respond, the former Entertainer raised his concerns.
"You're mistaken if you believe we relish in the deaths of the Talori. Especially considering some among us were once part of their number.", he said with a nod to Othala, Tansy and Farsight. "I cannot speak for us all, however I believe that we have shifted the balance of power to its tipping point. If we refuse to tread carefully from here on, we risk losing everything we've gained these past seasons. By coming this far, the Flock has established its willingness to fight, and our actions thusfar have proved our mettle."
Extending his wings, the bay stallion stepped forward. His eyes were hollow, his expression worn and tired.
"We should be negotiating for peace, not fanning the flames of war. For the first time in Talori's history, Pegasi are in a position to make demands for equality. To make change happen."
His attention turning to the accused, he wondered what might've driven her to such extremes. What had the Talori done to her? If only she had come to them sooner, they might've been able to help her. Now she stood trial for doing something that he knew many members of the Flock had wanted for years.
"If we don't discredit Jun's actions, we'll have proved every Talori bureaucrat who turned up their nose at us right. That we are to be feared, that we are lesser beings."
Reaching out mentally to Perseus, he hoped the Primary would hear his plea.
"If we act now, we can retain the upperhoof."
He inhaled deeply, wishing away the very idea as it reached his tongue. The humane part of him had died long ago; all that remained was a sick mind, with the will to survive. They would finish what they'd started, for the sake of all the lives that were lost, Talori and Flock alike. Their deaths would not be in vain. He wouldn't allow it.
"We must prove that we are still in control. And that we can take care of our own.", he explained gravely, looking away from Jun. "If death is off the table, then we only have one option: we take away the thing that means more to us than life itself. We take her wings."
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Post by brandvandet on Aug 25, 2017 0:22:50 GMT -6
The pegasus mare stood meekly in the middle of her peers and before Perseus, her Primary. Her gaze shifted with each speech, a look of gentle confusion blossoming with every added condemnation. Every speech seemed to condemn her actions--well, everyone except Serene. This was a group of guerrilla fighters, and the stories had hardly been quiet about the hostile takeover that had earned them Inaria and the control of Torrine. She could pick out the very faces in the gathered crowd that she had heard still boasting about the bombs they'd dropped and the hippocampus cries they'd heard while she was helping to clean the dishes just two mornings ago. That silver dapple peg there with the iridescent wings--he'd been crowing about it and had been commended for it. Now he glared down at her with the rest. And that wingless peg with the cockatoo crest--she'd seen them snarling at the prisoners in the encampment just last week. She blinked up at them and shuffled, making the shackles jingle about her ankles. Jun opened her mouth to speak and managed half of a syllable before Sonador swept in once more. Obligingly, she settled again to listen. Her wings shifted on her back as he spoke about cutting them off and her head tilted as if she were pleading innocence as well as ignorance to at least the wrongdoing in this trial. Complacently, she let a beat go by and then another before she tried to speak up once more. "Um," she said softly, as if testing the waters. "I can get that this is a concerning matter for many," she said, her voice drenched in patient conciliation. "I simply was trying to even the scales even the tiniest bit. Reparations must be made." Her voice trailed off in a tapered show of faltering confidence. The teal backed mare dipped her head before the Primary as the room went silent once more. Jun - Vagabond - Freedom Flight
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Post by brindletail on Aug 28, 2017 14:27:44 GMT -6
TORSTEN"Where you recognise evil, speak out against it, and give no truces to your enemies "- Viking proverb. ...
Reluctantly, the Trainer realized now was decidedly the time to speak. The crowd was on the tipping point of a mob mentality and it was time someone with a little more servitude raised their voice.
"Right or wrong is beside the point by now." He would deal with his own demons about it later. "What matters is what the Talori see moving forward."
His attention turned to the offender and he stepped between pressed bodies towards the front of the gathering to make himself seen. His face stern, fearsome.
"From a tactical standpoint we cannot be seen punishing one of our own." His eyes bore into Jun, cold. Matter-of-fact. She would not escape punishment, had anyone been listening closely. "Any sign that we are not completely united in our cause is chance to bring us down, the Talori are not stupid in thinking so. There is no undoing what has happened. There is no regaining the upper hand if we let them believe we lost it in the first place." His eyes flickered to Antiope but his expression or intent could not be interpreted.
He slowly arced his gaze around the room, a sympathetic look for Renata, Othala, and the newer recruits, ignoring Serene's existence completely, and settling on Sonador. His tone was even, diplomatic, reasonable to his old friend.
"We cannot falter now. We must own this action and soldier on. And when the dust clears, we can decide if Jun deserves to call herself part of the Flock."
He would slit her throat himself if needed.
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Post by ebbarie on Aug 31, 2017 12:13:54 GMT -6
Othala | Freedom's Flight | Medic
I don't wanna hurt you, it's not my nature.
The dark grey mare listened silently as her fellow Flock members shared their opinions. Most of the time she felt relief, relief because she had assessed them correctly.
Tansy raised a really interesting question. If June was guilty, and in Othala’s eyes she clearly was, then was the rest of the Flock any different?
The medic mare had been a bystander to the tragedie that the attack on Inaria had been. She hadn’t thrown any bombs. But she also did nothing to prevent the violence in the first place. Maybe because she had been too naive. She had never ever seen such an act of violence before. In her imagination the attack should have been an act of liberation. Reality was different.
Tansy was right. They all were guilty.
Maybe June had done something even worse, but still…
When Serene spoke every muscle in Othala’s body tensed up and she felt anger flooding her mind.
Violence is never an answer, never a solution. It might seem like the easier and faster way but only for a short amount of time. Violence always leads to more violence. It was a vicious circle.
Sonador definitely had a point. They don’t had to prove them that the Flock was a unit, but what they had to show was that they wanted the killing to stop.
The Flock had to publicly condemn June’s actions.
“We take her wings”
A cold shiver ran across her spine when this words echoed through the hall. As a pegasus herself, it was a primal fear to loose her wings, to be bound to earth. Hearing the claim for such a...brutal punishment from Sonador was a little shock for her, and once more in a very short time she realized how much this war changed the horses around her, changed herself.
Othala had managed to stay silent the whole time, waiting for everyone to speak up, but when June finally raised her voice she couldn’t stay calm anymore. The impenitent look on her face, and the slight confusion in her voice filled the medic with blank horror. June really didn’t understood why she was here, why it was wrong to brutally murder a child.
“You were trying to even the scales?” she asked, her voice cold and cutting like ice. “You call the mutilation and murder of an innocent child Reparations?”
Othala knew that her words were useless, they wouldn’t affect June in any way, the mare possessed a sick mind, but she just could resist the urge to display her dismay about her words.
“Torsten, I have to disagree with you. The citizens locked away in Torrine don’t care about the fact if we are united or not, they want to get out of that horrible place. There is no need sweep this matter under the carpet. Sonador is right, we have this one chance, right now. If we don’t show them that violence is not what we have planned for the future, then we lose them. But not only that, we have to find a way to release most of them, or even better all of them from their imprisonment. How many of you have actually been in Torrine? Ask Renata, or any of the other medics which spent their time inside there. What currently unites them against us is not only fear and hate, it’s also the bad condition inside the settlement. It’s a miracle that no dangerous disease had spread inside there yet. Show them that we don’t protect horses like June, that we condemn such acts of violence. We can’t undo the attack on Inaria, but we can, and have to prove to them that our plans for the future are different. They are angry because we attacked their home, and locked all of them away. We have to built an alliance, and not yearn for vengeance. “ for a moment she paused, and took a deep breath. She was nervous. Maybe rightly. It was no secret that she was pacifistic, and young. Her words probably carried little weight to them.
Maybe she was also too biased. Her family was in Torrine. They sided with Talori, all of them. How should she ever justify the act’s of the Flock before them?
Eventually, she was scraping together all of her courage to continue her little speech.
“Or is this what we really are? A bunch of bitter terrorists, bent on vengeance?” her voice was silent, without real emphasis. Maybe because she was afraid of the answer.
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Post by FaunaFawn on Aug 31, 2017 14:41:36 GMT -6
Farsight the HarrowerYou all say I’ve crossed a line,
But the sad fact is I’ve lost my mind
A headache was beginning to crepe into his mind. Perhaps it was a mistake to come here, he should have no sway in the words of others. Having recently joined he was nothing but a low rank. Head glanced to the others as the spoke and the words of Sonador echoed in his mind. He fumed at that, as if they all had not suffered so much to take their wings? Just like that? Farsight shook his head grimly. Bloodshed was not the answer, had they not all have their fill?
Torsten and some spoke of it being no real issue and to agree to their actions and move forwards. A blind eye to the act, oh that would do just as much damage. No, the Flock had to be better then Talori as a herd, Better then its high council and condemning the sacrifices. Those in the torrine could use the child Bethel as their Martyr if they did not fix this action now.
Soon Othala spoke and Farsight was thankful in knowing he was no alone in these thoughts that plagued his mind. He did not become part of the Flock to just be the abuser in this situation. To have the upper hand and throw hippocampus from the cliff's edge. As she mentioned Torrine he huffed a bit, while being in there some, was not like actually living in there. Still she spoke truly and shared his views on quite a few things.
Perhaps he should speak, but he of course is newly joined, would his words matter much? Still they wanted a discussion, so perhaps his words could help aid in the decision. "I agree with Othala. We cannot mutilate our own, nor can we just turn a blind eye to this act. There are equine so many in Torrine waiting their fates. We need to earn their trust, fix the damages this one had brought to us." he remarked casting a look to Jun. "But Jun is right reparations must be made. Make amends for the life you have taken. Everyone in Talori had suffered enough from this war, from the war we are still fighting while not all physically. More bloodshed is not the answer in these tying times. Jun should be locked away, to assure nothing like this can happen again. We need the others to have trust in us if we think we can change anything here." Farsight dipped his head, before taking a step back. Enough with words, there was never pleasing everyone. A harrower knew that, not everyone can be pleased so easily. Not everyone will be happy with the judgement to come. but there will be one, and Farsight only hoped the Primary would weigh in with their own thoughts.
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Post by moonlightwalk on Sept 1, 2017 7:15:17 GMT -6
Renata | Flock
Renata was not naive enough to think that war was without casualties. She expected it, dreaded it. Nothing however could prepare you for the feeling. The knowledge blood stuck to your hooves. Even though she had not killed herself, their cause was a purpose she had fueled and in turn the deaths were as much on her as those who had actually taken them. It was her burden to bear for the betterment of her kind, for the good of the world. This however, crossed a line, and she felt pity for the mare who stood below them, seemingly completly unaware of what wrong she had done. She seemed so much like a child in that moment, a child thinking they did good when in fact it was wrong. A child who’s confidence was slipping under their unwavering gazes. Renata felt her heart soften a bit.
Sonador shocked her. The suggested punishment not at all what she would have expected. Torsten shocked her equally. Then Othala cut in her voice cold, followed by the newcomer. Both at least held a little reason. She waited till the room had fallen quiet again, allowing her to speak. Her voice was soft, held back, sadness perhaps audible to those who could read another very well.
“Jun,” she chose to adress their charge directly. “I know that you intended to do good. We all here want to make the Talorians see that these sacrifices need to stop. What you did however was not good. It is murder, a crime. It is wrong. This is not the way for change. If Perseus finds you guilty, which if I’m being honest I feel he should, you’ll need to atone, no matter your intention.” She sighed, deeply, hoping Jun would see, would understand.
She adressed the rest of the room next, eyes crossing a few horses. Sonador, Torsten, Othala and even Persues. Her eyes bored into Serene as well. “I am utterly disappointed,” she said much in a way a mother would tell a child, “that some of you would approve of murder. No matter Jun’s intention, the deed is foul. This child is different from the lives we’ve taken earlier. The Talorian have already fallen, they are at our will. You have attacked one regardless of this and it puts this death beyond a casualty of war.” Her voice had raised in strenght and though Renata did not yell, it showed her passion. “We will not set the way for lasting change by exacting revenge. Blood begets blood. It will be an endles cycle because will they not want revenge? And our revenge on their revenge? This cause did not start with murder. This cause started because we saved a life, not took one. Our success depends of this, the breaking of a chain, the start of a clean slate.”
She took a breath before continuing. “I’m equally disappointed at the mere suggestion of taking one’s wings. I agree this cannot go unpunished and indeed never would I suggest death. Would you however set example like this? An act that has been commited multiple times during sacrifices? Do you want to show the world that it is okay to punish our kind in such way? No, I cannot stand behind this. Let her atone through action, let us show her the error in her ways. If she dedicates her life in sacrifice of others, perhaps she can find forgivenes upon death, a death that shall only be determined by the gods.” She closed her eyes and breathed deeply. Her inner self was in turmoil, but as always she tried not to show. Her head bowed, signaling she was done speaking and thanked the others for keeping quiet and listening.
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Post by GingerBlues on Sept 13, 2017 10:44:29 GMT -6
SereneI'm slipping into the deep end
Feel the current within
I can't help, I give inThe mare snorted loudly, her frustration growing with each passing moment as horse after horse acted like there was no merit to her words.
"I have been here longer than most of you." She started, her voice hard. "Many of you, like myself, were born here, grew up here. I even aided the clerics who delivered some of you." She paused breifly. "I may not have joined your ranks properly until your most recent attack, but that does not mean I have not, and won't continue to fight for our rights wherever I am." She shook her head. "You stand here and claim violence isn't the answer, but it's acts of violence, acts of war that have gotten you this far. If standing around having peace talks worked, you would have never left the herd in the first place." She slammed her tiny fore hoof against the floor.
"While I may not personally care for the death of a child, this isn't about my personal feelings. It isn't about any one equine's personal feelings. This is about equality. It's about making a stand for what is right as a whole and not backing down when one among us does something we don't personally agree with. Should Jun be condemned for trying to further our cause? For trying to even out the playing field? For making a statement that can't be ignored? If your so worried about what the Talori think, and want to be buddy buddy with them, release them. See how they treat you once they're free."
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Post by Deleted on Sept 13, 2017 13:19:05 GMT -6
antiope
and perseus
Antiope watched the scene unfold with growing impatience. The stern commander had a reputation for hard silence, and her face was steeled as the Flight spoke. Outrage crumpled the expressions on her comrades' faces, shook the their voices by the roots. In any other circumstance, Antiope would have admired their conviction. Today, it enraged her.
How dare they turn back on the mission now? Lose their nerve now? The death of child was a shame, but it was the cost of war-- war they had started. War they were winning. "How many children died when our bombs fell on Inaria?" Her voice was loud, sudden. She was rarely known to speak. "How could you cheer then, and weep today?"
Her eyes fell on Sonador in contempt. Othala, Renata... All cowards. Their revolution would have to be pried, bloodstained, from the hands of the Talori. It was something everyone in the Flight had to accept. "You joined this fight for our murdered children. You did so knowing the cost, but now you flinch when it's time to pay. You stand in the place of your oppressors, and demand a Pegasus killed." The irony was not lost on her. "As if it were so simple." Her attention locked on Sonador in particular. "You insult every pegasus who died on that cliff."
She turned her gaze to Perseus's unreadable face. He looked at her out the side of his eye, from the daius where he stood in the Emperor's place. "My Primary, we don't need the sympathy of the Talori, we need control. We cannot appear divided."
The Primary didn't nod, didn't acknowledge her, just turned his cold eyes to Jun to say: "I've heard enough." It ended the conversation abruptly. Antiope's expression remained schooled but grim. She didn't move a single disciplined muscle except to share a look of pained understanding with Torsten.
"You," Perseus said to Jun, his voice echoing grandly from his place above the chamber floor. "What do you say in your defense?" 330 words |
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Post by brandvandet on Sept 14, 2017 8:43:49 GMT -6
Jun listened serenely to both the vitriol and the support. Settling her wings across her back, she hardly moved other than her head tilting to fix each speaker with her attention and an occasional clink of the manacles as she shuffled to a more comfortable position or when the speaker wasn't in her line of vision. Her face changed only minutely enough to show she was hearing each point her accusers were making and that she considered it. With a twitch of the ears, a subtle nod, a soft murmur, Jun was diligent in making sure each of her detractors was heard and valued--even if it wasn't necessarily agreed with. From the outside, she could have been discussing personal preferences of sandwiches over tea with friends instead of defending herself in martial court. Only once did she bow her head with any sort of sheepish acquiescence and it was when Serene defended her choices. Jun even went so far as to offer the small brewer a soft smile. Once again, she waited patiently for a break in the talks to offer her input. Before it came, though, the Primary made his voice heard. Unlike nearly everyone else, his request was for her--explain herself. It was a long second before she spoke in response. She had bowed her head slightly, drooped her wings and had tilted her body to create the picture perfection of deference to Perseus. When her words came, they were soft but unmistakable to anyone in the room. "The Talori are our enemy. We punish them as they have long punished us," she said with the patient diction of anyone repeating a well known tenet. It was, word for word, the first code of the Flight, repeated to flock youngsters and newcomers ad nauseum. She paused briefly, as if considering letting that stand for her entire explanation. Then, she continued. "They have not yet begun to pay for their crimes. One day of attack and a simple imprisonment is supposed to be enough for the lives and wings they tore away? Poor repayment." She raised her head, looking up at Perseus while painting awe and admiration on her face. "Forgive me, Primary, but I was just carrying out our own law."Jun - Vagabond - Freedom Flight
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Post by moonlightwalk on Sept 16, 2017 10:33:51 GMT -6
Renata | Flock - Apothecary
Renata was upset. Upset she was caught up between extremes. That nobody sought middle ground like her. Upset that the elder mare called this equality. Even more upset when Antiope gazed at her with contempt clear in her eyes. Insinuated she had cheered that day for the deaths that had occurred. Truth was she cried. Cried because she was so torn. Cried because she was relieved they had finally halted the bloody practises, but also cried for the stain it had left on her soul. But of course Antiope didn't know that. Nobody did, because when she crumbled, she did so alone. She trembled pressed her lips together, keeping herself from speaking. She did not agree that this was payment. Payment was due, but a filly so young was not the one to pay such price. There were more innocent here than guilty. More guilty of ignorance than actual crime. This was not the justice she had been seeking. If any had deserved to die on that cliff, it was not the filly, it was the divine. She who hand-picked the horses who died and if word was to be believed, had done so since the beginning of it all. It were the officials and not the bystander.
She didn't say anything, because Perseus was already speaking and she agreed they could indeed not stand divided. Their strength laid in unity. She felt nauseous as at Jun's words. Not the slightest indication that she understood it was wrong, even saying more such actions were needed. Renata prayed, to Cascade, but also to Perseus. Please let it be known this was not okay. She would not know what she would do if they called it anything else. She feared their cause would quickly go of the deep end.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 24, 2017 0:14:25 GMT -6
The Primary watched Jun for a long time, weighing her testimony, rolling her sentence around on his tongue. He pressed his lips to his teeth, and imagined a scale. On one side was the loud beating heart of his people. On the other side, much heavier, was the war.
Perseus was surrounded by friends -- as close to friends as he could have, anyway. They watched him with bright, hurting eyes, and he could feel them hoping that he could fix this. As if, with a wave of his wing, he could conjure the right answer. He had disappointed them before. He anticipated he would do it again. Renata, who had saved his life those years ago, watched him with indignation and preemptive dismay. If she knew him, he thought, she would know what was next. The rage, the grief, the pain his people expressed... He understood it. He understood it, and had felt it, and would have to shoulder it too, because it didn't matter. Not when there was a war to win. Not when they were so close.
The Talori are our enemy. We punish them as they have long punished us. It was the Flight's Code. It was part of a mantra every pegasus in the room had memorized, their goddamn commandments. Jun was right. She was sick, but she was right, and the Talori had to know the Flight wouldn't flinch. If they were to maintain control, they couldn't be weak now.
Besides, he thought somewhat sourly, it was one Talori child in exchange for an ocean of Pegasus blood. Who was keeping score?
"I have made my decision." Perseus swore he could hear Torsten hold his breath. He felt a thousand eyes burning holes into him. He wondered if they could ever forgive him. "We are at war. We are punishing the Talori for their crimes." The air left the chamber as every horse in it gasped.
"They have felt the price of a young sacrifice. That debt is now repaid." His eyes fell to Jun. "You return to work tomorrow."
He turned away as the room burst into uproar. His Commanders followed with him.
359 words That's a wrap, gang!! Thanks everybody for a tense and exciting thread!! <3 it was a pleasure |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 28, 2017 8:28:00 GMT -6
congratulations! 20 AP and 20 CS to: Othala, Renata, Farsight, Torsten, Tansy, Sonador, Serene, Jun, Perseus. |
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