I know she's got an attitude of a pit viper with the voice of a screaming banschee, but I promise, her bite is far worse than her bark.
Please know that I'm not ordering you--as a Black Order Guardian--to stand down--but please. Watch yourself. I'll have your back--I promise.
But if something goes down hard and the Higher Ups at the Order start to see you otherworlders as a problem--it's highly likely they'll start making moves to eliminate you.
She talked of “restoring order”. I know one other group that’s as obsessed with restoring order as her and they’re all treacherous vipers at best.
I’ll be careful. But you realize that if she harms any one of you, any one of us, I won’t, can’t let that rest?
Also, I’ve already lived with the threat of wholesale elimination hanging over my head once before. It’ll be almost like home again, except nobody’s sticking fuses into their beard.
I don't think anyone in The Order has a big enough beard to stick fuses into, at least. Even if there's more than one guy with hair long enough for it...
Anyway.
The Order Guardians will likely be safe, so long as we 'play' along. I'm going to play my part as a 'good' Order member. Years of experience as a Tv Actor has me prepared for this. But what I'm worried about are people like you.
They won't hesitate to remove anyone they feel is a threat to the Order--or their goals.
...I won't let it rest if they threaten you, either. Trust me. I might be with the Order. But it was never a choice for me. I do this because it was either do, or die, myself.
I'll put my life on the line to protect the people I care about, here.
People like me can take care of ourselves, for the most part. [There are the kids to worry about.] What's that you all like to say on the Internet these days? Fuck around and find out? If she tries anything, she'll find out what the consequences are soon enough.
But until then, aye, I'll be careful.
If you and Lapis or anyone from the Order need a place to lie low, you can stay at my house or at the Jackdaw. I've already offered as much to Jun and Mikleo.
I know. I think the same as well—I'll not let anyone, including some arrogant vengeful tart from the Order, lay a hand on you. [I'll kill her if I must.]
Captain, my Captain. I appreciate the offer. and I'll make good use of it, if it comes down to it. Let me just continue with my wording: I've worked for the Order for 10 years. I know their methods, I know what will happen if Certain Things come to pass. If it comes down to a fight. We have to be careful about it.
As strong as everyone here is--they'll bring stronger and stronger members to 'suppress' those who need suppressing. If that means killing you or 'sealing' your memories, your powers--who you are, they'll do it.
Which is why.
...
If something needs to be done. Please let me help find a way that won't trace back to you.
Jesus. Consider me warned, although I will say that sounds more than a little familiar.
Fine. If something needs to be done, I'll let you know first before I do anything.
But you need not worry too much about me leaving a trace. I know how to disappear when I must. Pirate, remember? Not all of us got caught, and they'll not catch me.
The truth is, I'm a lot more worried about you. Me and the other isekais, we're not her coworkers. Will you and Lapis and the rest of your lot be all right?
Thank you, Edward. I don't... have many friends outside of the Order. It's good at making you keep separate from the entire world. Before I came here, I used to have to carry a lantern that made people forget me once we stopped talking.
...I've come to care about you as a close friend. Two months on a ship changes your brain chemistry, probably.
And I trust you. I do. It's just that--if there's anything I can do to help make sure you disappear and stay out of their sight, I'll do it.
And we'll be fine. I trust you to keep a secret, but. I'll soon be leaving the Order. Alongside Lapis. Haraboeji--er. Zhongli has offered his hand to me--a way out, where they can't see me, or Lapis on their radars anymore.
So I don't fear these people. Not anymore. I am only staying long enough to help Jusis.
...He's the first Black Order admin who has ever treated me like a member and not an inconvenience.
That sounds like a bag of bloody shite. I'm glad you stopped carrying it.
Yeah, imagine that but with more people and for a longer time. Two months isn't so long a time on a ship to me, I've been at sea for longer. I will say, though, nothing forms a bond quite like being in the belly of a beast from the depths of the ocean.
He's a good man, from the one time we talked before we all went after Mara. I can't think of a better man to command your loyalty. [Edward himself included.] I'll keep your secret, no one will hear of you and Lapis leaving from me. Tell Zhongli as well that if he needs anything, the Jackdaw and her captain are at his disposal.
[A pause.]
You were never an inconvenience. You know that, right? If anyone in the Order ever made you feel that way, they're daft old bastards with rotten pudding rattling in their skulls in place of brains.
It was required of us. Talk to any of the order folk who was assigned outside of the city--we weren't allowed to make bonds outside of the Order.
Kaisou is a special case.
[ what with Zodiac and the broken spirit vein... ]
Haha, two months isn't long for you, but trust me when I say it felt like an eternity to me. Not that I'd mind doing it again if push came to shove, but. ...I'll make better preparations for bathing next time. Going two months without a hot shower was akin to torture...
[ he pauses. Trails off, and thinks. About that sentence. Just as Theresa's closing comments to him made him feel gutted--Edward's words rise him up a little more. He can't help but to smile. ]
...Thank you, Edward. It means a lot to hear that. Before I came to Kaisou, my only real power was staying hidden. Even the ghost that haunts me much like Blade's doesn't give me much else but an allergy to the sun and bad luck. He's been silent for ten years and shows no sign of waking up anytime soon.
As a result, most of the Order treats me pretty poorly.
...Not here, though. Kaisou is my home, now. The people here are important to me. So I want to protect it.
It's not a requirement that makes a lick of sense to me. All that does is cut you off from the world outside the Order, and if you're to work in the world, isn't it better to have places to go where you know you're safe?
[He wishes it weren't a special case. But talking to Jinwoo and Lapis, and seeing the lengths Zhongli was willing to go to for his own freedom from the Order's bondage...
He thinks of the Templars, and their prattle about guiding all men toward the straight and narrow path. Guiding implies that someone is tied to you in some way, and they can't pull away no matter how they try, if they even want to. He shivers.]
I'll see what I can do about installing a hot shower if there is a next time, but I make no promises.
If your ghost does wake up and make things worse for you, let me know and I'll do the same for you that I did for Blade. With hopefully less stabbing involved this time. But besides that.
You're a good man, Jinwoo. I consider myself fortunate to know you, and most of the Order unfortunate for not realizing what they had before they started leaving in droves. If it comes down to a fight, I'll stand with you.
I think that's the point. You didn't hear this from me, because saying it would be considered blasphemy and insubordination; but I think that's the point. It's only because we have dealings with Zodiac that we're not isolated here--which has given some of us freedoms we've never had before.
[ it's... a lot to think about. He's never felt rebellious before this. ]
I trust you. And the others. if anything ever goes awry, you'll all be the first to know. But it's so silent, all the time. So long as I keep paying my 'price.'
[ he reads edward's final words over--once and then twice. A little laugh escaping him. ]
It's strange. Having people in my corner.
I could get used to it. I'm so used to going solo... this is a good change.
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text: un: arise -- during Theresa's post. Feb. 1
Please know that I'm not ordering you--as a Black Order Guardian--to stand down--but please. Watch yourself.
I'll have your back--I promise.
But if something goes down hard and the Higher Ups at the Order start to see you otherworlders as a problem--it's highly likely they'll start making moves to eliminate you.
...I don't want to see that happen.
no subject
I’ll be careful. But you realize that if she harms any one of you, any one of us, I won’t, can’t let that rest?
Also, I’ve already lived with the threat of wholesale elimination hanging over my head once before. It’ll be almost like home again, except nobody’s sticking fuses into their beard.
no subject
Anyway.
The Order Guardians will likely be safe, so long as we 'play' along. I'm going to play my part as a 'good' Order member. Years of experience as a Tv Actor has me prepared for this. But what I'm worried about are people like you.
They won't hesitate to remove anyone they feel is a threat to the Order--or their goals.
...I won't let it rest if they threaten you, either. Trust me.
I might be with the Order.
But it was never a choice for me. I do this because it was either do, or die, myself.
I'll put my life on the line to protect the people I care about, here.
no subject
But until then, aye, I'll be careful.
If you and Lapis or anyone from the Order need a place to lie low, you can stay at my house or at the Jackdaw. I've already offered as much to Jun and Mikleo.
I know. I think the same as well—I'll not let anyone, including some arrogant vengeful tart from the Order, lay a hand on you. [I'll kill her if I must.]
no subject
Captain, my Captain. I appreciate the offer. and I'll make good use of it, if it comes down to it.
Let me just continue with my wording:
I've worked for the Order for 10 years. I know their methods, I know what will happen if Certain Things come to pass.
If it comes down to a fight. We have to be careful about it.
As strong as everyone here is--they'll bring stronger and stronger members to 'suppress' those who need suppressing. If that means killing you or 'sealing' your memories, your powers--who you are, they'll do it.
Which is why.
...
If something needs to be done.
Please let me help find a way that won't trace back to you.
no subject
Fine. If something needs to be done, I'll let you know first before I do anything.
But you need not worry too much about me leaving a trace. I know how to disappear when I must. Pirate, remember? Not all of us got caught, and they'll not catch me.
The truth is, I'm a lot more worried about you. Me and the other isekais, we're not her coworkers. Will you and Lapis and the rest of your lot be all right?
no subject
...I've come to care about you as a close friend. Two months on a ship changes your brain chemistry, probably.
And I trust you. I do. It's just that--if there's anything I can do to help make sure you disappear and stay out of their sight, I'll do it.
And we'll be fine.
I trust you to keep a secret, but. I'll soon be leaving the Order. Alongside Lapis. Haraboeji--er. Zhongli has offered his hand to me--a way out, where they can't see me, or Lapis on their radars anymore.
So I don't fear these people. Not anymore.
I am only staying long enough to help Jusis.
...He's the first Black Order admin who has ever treated me like a member and not an inconvenience.
no subject
Yeah, imagine that but with more people and for a longer time. Two months isn't so long a time on a ship to me, I've been at sea for longer. I will say, though, nothing forms a bond quite like being in the belly of a beast from the depths of the ocean.
He's a good man, from the one time we talked before we all went after Mara. I can't think of a better man to command your loyalty. [Edward himself included.] I'll keep your secret, no one will hear of you and Lapis leaving from me. Tell Zhongli as well that if he needs anything, the Jackdaw and her captain are at his disposal.
[A pause.]
You were never an inconvenience. You know that, right? If anyone in the Order ever made you feel that way, they're daft old bastards with rotten pudding rattling in their skulls in place of brains.
no subject
Kaisou is a special case.
[ what with Zodiac and the broken spirit vein... ]
Haha, two months isn't long for you, but trust me when I say it felt like an eternity to me. Not that I'd mind doing it again if push came to shove, but. ...I'll make better preparations for bathing next time. Going two months without a hot shower was akin to torture...
[ he pauses. Trails off, and thinks. About that sentence. Just as Theresa's closing comments to him made him feel gutted--Edward's words rise him up a little more. He can't help but to smile. ]
...Thank you, Edward.
It means a lot to hear that.
Before I came to Kaisou, my only real power was staying hidden. Even the ghost that haunts me much like Blade's doesn't give me much else but an allergy to the sun and bad luck. He's been silent for ten years and shows no sign of waking up anytime soon.
As a result, most of the Order treats me pretty poorly.
...Not here, though.
Kaisou is my home, now. The people here are important to me.
So I want to protect it.
no subject
[He wishes it weren't a special case. But talking to Jinwoo and Lapis, and seeing the lengths Zhongli was willing to go to for his own freedom from the Order's bondage...
He thinks of the Templars, and their prattle about guiding all men toward the straight and narrow path. Guiding implies that someone is tied to you in some way, and they can't pull away no matter how they try, if they even want to. He shivers.]
I'll see what I can do about installing a hot shower if there is a next time, but I make no promises.
If your ghost does wake up and make things worse for you, let me know and I'll do the same for you that I did for Blade. With hopefully less stabbing involved this time. But besides that.
You're a good man, Jinwoo. I consider myself fortunate to know you, and most of the Order unfortunate for not realizing what they had before they started leaving in droves. If it comes down to a fight, I'll stand with you.
no subject
It's only because we have dealings with Zodiac that we're not isolated here--which has given some of us freedoms we've never had before.
[ it's... a lot to think about. He's never felt rebellious before this. ]
I trust you. And the others. if anything ever goes awry, you'll all be the first to know. But it's so silent, all the time. So long as I keep paying my 'price.'
[ he reads edward's final words over--once and then twice. A little laugh escaping him. ]
It's strange.
Having people in my corner.
I could get used to it.
I'm so used to going solo... this is a good change.