Fellowship of Animus | First Council of Sages

[sageprincess]

Characters: THE FELLOWSHIP OF ANIMUS aka pretty much everyone
Setting: Floor 38, early afternoon - forward-dated to July 29
Format: Party style - pick your poison
Summary: After repeated delays, Zelda and Gandalf have finally called the populace of the Tower to discuss productive means of dealing with their situation.
Warnings: None yet, will edit should something come up

It's taken far too long to get to this point.

Come Sunday, the various couches and armchairs of the uppermost lounge have been arranged in vaguely semi-circle-like patterns, with chairs from other floors scattered amongst them to increase seating even more. The semi-circles face inwards towards a central point to facilitate discussion among a large group of people. Though this is by no means a party, small slices of Lembas bread are available on tables around the perimeter - though there is no shortage of food, the hungry tend to be less cooperative, all the same.

Outside, the sun shines brightly without a cloud to obstruct it, but the atmosphere inside is much less carefree. Considering the purpose of gathering here this day, it's to be expected. Should this council succeed, it may very well change life in the Tower as everyone knows it. If not, well... one should certainly hope individual efforts begin to bear more fruit than they have in the past.

Comments

[childhero]

[Link's voice is quiet, but clear. Again, he doesn't have a whole lot to say, but... This is set up to voice your opinions, so that's what he's going to do.]

I agree. So much time is spent fighting with each other... But don't we have a common enemy? Shouldn't we be focusing that energy on the administration, not one another?

[the_white_rider]

[ Gandalf intervenes here. Oh no, bad idea. It of course originates from good intention. But all evil was good originally. Even in his homeworld, Sauron, enemy of the free people of Middle-Earth. He was good originally, much like himself. And then...

He shakes his head speaks gravely. ]

Siding with The Evil is not a solution. It has never been, it never shall be. I do believe some people who once walked upon the wrong road can return and redeem. And of course, they must be welcomed, for that all who live are condemned to commit mistakes and learn from them.

[ He pauses and looks at the people around. ]

But here, we are speaking about people whose soul is blacker than that of our hosts for the most part. They only lack their powers, and I would rather not imagine what would happen if they had the power of our hosts.

[pengeen]

Even so... working together with them is better then fighting with them. Why not have strong people on our sides then having them against us?

[And after a pause he adds on quietly]

...and even the evilest of people can be turned to the side of good after a while.

[wildfiresage]

[There's a loud grunt, and Darunia speaks up once Gandalf finishes.] The wizard is correct. I will have no alliance with evil forces! [Link gets a...somewhat confused look. Sworn Brother, what are you saying?] Especially those whose ranks include a man who attempted to destroy my people twice over.

[childhero]

[Link, to his credit, manages not to flinch when Darunia looks at him. He intended to wait and watch the reactions a little more, but... He feels he has to speak up now. He's going to stay quiet, though.]

I still think it's a good idea. I don't want to have to fight two sets of enemies at once. I don't think we can afford to. I would rather try to convince them that they have more to gain by working together with us than by trying to undermine us.

[sorewahimitsudesu]

[Xellos rises, staff in hand. He "looks" at Gandalf, but does not open his closed eyes.]

Now, now... "Evil" is such a strong term. Would you rather continue your petty squabbles, hm?

[the_white_rider]

I for one would rather know who my allies are and who my enemies are. For an alliance to be effective, there need to be trusts between its members.

[ He looks at Kidou. ]

Kidou, I would trust you with my life as you would trust me with yours. But would we do the same with with one of those "bad guys"? Would we turn our back on them? Would we trust them with important missions? Would you trust them with a friend's life?

Of course, we do not all know each other. Some of us do. That's, in part, why this reunion exist.

The day we work with the Evil, we accept to allow mistrust in our alliance. Soon paranoia would grow as we wouldn't be able to differentiate our enemies from our friends. As paranoia runs rampant, our noble ideals would be lost and our alliance would fall.

[pengeen]

...I.. [There's.... not a lot he can say about that. It was true, he wouldn't trust his life or his friends lives with some of the villains in this Tower. But that doesn't change his opinion that much.

He shakes his head and speaks up again.]

There's one thing you're forgetting, Gandalf. And that is that they may be evil, but they're still sentient beings. They have hearts, minds, and souls, like the rest of us. And I believe that each of them has some good in them, waiting for the chance to break out.

[He stares at Gandalf with a look of determination.]

I believe that we'll be able to get along with them. Maybe not as comrades, but we'll be able to work along side with them. And, with the help of everyone in this tower, we'll be able to return to our homes again.

[notontheflowers]

[Sorry Gandalf, Reno here completely disagrees with you.]

There's a difference between siding with people and working with them. The kid's got a decent idea, but not because it'll give us more people or anything.

It'll get them off of our backs and give us a chance to scope their abilities out and figure out how to make them ineffective.

[a pause]

Dying doesn't matter, so there's no threat of it to hold over their heads as an ultimatum. Brute force and all the firepower in the world won't break a stalemate here. People come back and they're pissed about it.

This is far more about who can get the most people on their side; politics not gun waving. We have the advantage of being able to appeal to people's morality, but somewhere like this... those who can wave a gun the best are gonna have people thinkin' they're the best protection from the monsters and then side with them.

[another pause]

It would take a lot of delicate planning and stuff falling just right but we can get them to off themselves by 'accident' and think they were the ones who thought up the whole alliance thing.

[keybearer]

You've got a point, but who says they wouldn't stab us in the back later on?

[He narrows his eyes, fingers drumming on his thigh.]

It's true that they don't have a lot to gain here, but bad habits die hard. If we do form an alliance with them, we'll have to be cautious. Otherwise, they'll walk all over us.

[It's something he's very familiar with after what happened to his Sora.]

[pengeen]

[And now it's time for Kidou to speak up again.]

I will take full responsibility if they end up stabbing us in the back, being the one who suggested the idea. [But then he smiles.]

It won't be easy for them to walk all over us, though. We're a strong team, aren't we?

[notontheflowers]

We just have to plan it right, time things out.

[Riku, you are talking to a man who's worked for a company who gained control of an entire planet within a single person's lifetime and was trained in how to manipulate situations from some of the best.]

Caution is always important, and what will give us an advantage is teamwork.

[the_white_rider]

You are correct, there are advantages to having them with us rather than against us. But where we can scope their abilities, they can hence scope ours.

We would have only a temporary advantage by siding with us. On the short-term, yes this alliance is positive. But what on the long-term? There is no saying we will win against them. They will not fight fair while we will.

[ Sorry Reno, that just doesn't work for him. ]

Taking risks, yes as long as they are not inconsiderate.

[crouching_sin]

[Naoya just chuckles quietly from his corner of the room, voiced raised slightly in order to be heard.]

'Evil' is a point of view, first of all. Second of all, who are you to judge who is evil and who is not? And above all else... what if those whom you consider enemies have resources that can help you? Would an alliance not be better, to use those resources? An alliance has the possibility of helping you - spurning them can only harm you.

[pitiedthefool]

It is not simply a matter of differing points of view, but what actions tell of our character.

[He'd been in the center, and even so... he hadn't spoken up until this very moment. After all, his hands weren't exactly clean in this, either.]

Whether or not refusing to ally with those who are of opposing opinions 'harm us' depends on who they are, not what is plainly seen at first glance.

[crouching_sin]

[He turns to face Yu, a grin still on his face.]

And your view of what actions are correct or not is absolute because...? What may harm one person may be good for the larger whole.

[the_white_rider]

"Evil is a point of view" has been used too often throughout history to justify horrors of all kinds. People causing misery and disasters only for the sake of their selfish interest. Some may even do it for the greater good- But the end doesn't justify the means. I will not enumerate you every cases and possibilities, and I will not be alone to judge. But I believe we can determinate what is good and evil.

Of course as I said I believe redemption exists... But some do not wish to redeem. Some cannot any more.

[ He pauses. ]

I would rather obtain those resources another, a harder way, than getting them by betraying what I believe in. By threatening the very harmony and trust in which this alliance lay.

[crouching_sin]

And I believe you cannot. Even those who claim to be higher beings in my world still make flawed judgements frequently. Sometimes you must walk a harder path in order to obtain the resources you need - and sometimes those who have walked the path before has led them to a different place.

Betraying what you believe in? And what exactly is this that you believe in? Would harmony not be better achieved by working together, even with those you don't like? Even children can be taught to understand the concept that sometimes you must set aside your differences for a larger goal - surely someone such as yourself can grasp this concept as well.

[firstofthefallen]

A bit dramatic, are you not?

[Her voice is bored. You are boring, Gandalf. Boring and offensive to listen to. You remind Lucifer far too much of YHVH and his cruelties. Of his use of the terms "good" and "evil", of "pure" and "unclean" in order to justify the destruction of races. Of worlds.

It's too close to home. To disgusting to her ears, and she can feel the hatred she feels for Heaven and it's forces welling up and pointed at the wizard.]

Tell me. Who are you to judge the soul of others? It has always been those who claim such authority who have ordered the greatest atrocities.

[blackstranger]

Really, it's always a gamble. But hey, who can be a real judge, am I right?

But in all seriousness, trust? [He chuckles.] Oh good luck to all of you on that. I am positive that will work!

[firstofthefallen]

It's not a gamble because of good and evil. Good and evil do not exist.

And trust is a necessity in order for any alliance to function. It may be undesirable but if you're unable to fathom even the concept of faking trust, why bother coming here?

[Lucifer herself does not trust. Not entirely. But she will at least work with others or aid them if the situation truly demands it and seems worth the gamble.]

[the_white_rider]

Me?

[ Then she better doesn't learn that Gandalf is an Ainur, it is to say the equivalent of an Angel back in Middle-Earth. Gandalf stares at her gravely. ]

I am no one to judge another soul. Yet we can judge actions and reason whether they are right or wrong. But I may agree that those who claim such an absolute authority without wisdom are often those who have ordered the greatest atrocities.

[ Morgoth and Sauron probably being the greatest offenders in this category. When you have dealt with Dark Lords of their kind, you're doomed to see the world black & white. ]

[firstofthefallen]

And yet you judge anyway.

[It would be better if she did not, yes.]

Only subjectively. Tell me, who is it that defines good or evil? Who has the authority to decide what that is and why it is?

[myblueskies]

But mister Gandalf the bad people... the bad bad people who run the tower hurt even the people here who aren't good... I don't think we should be friends with nasty people but sometimes we got to work together when badder people want to hurt us all.

[In his mind it was simple, like when the Black Brothers made a truce with the Wolf Pack to stand up against the adults who wanted to hurt Alfredo and Bianca.]

[the_white_rider]

Romeo, the issue is not to ally with them now, it is the consequences of such an alliance.

[ He pauses... Sorry Romeo he really doesn't want to go against your opinion, but... ]

The only reasons those bad people are a lesser threat is because they lack power. If we defeat those in charge of the tower, they will attempt to gain power and may become a greater threat than those in charge of the tower ever were. Allying with them would take us only closer to a virtual victory.