Log 083

[ruin_mania]

[Filtered away from anyone who would use this information for harm]

[As always, Raine dictates in a pleasant voice, though this time it's tinged with a bit of frustration.]

I think the castle is rather determined not to let Aradia leave. Every time we would like to leave on an expedition, something seems to happen.

Therefore, we will be leaving next week on the morning of the twenty-first, losses or no losses. In the event of a world change, we will be leaving immediately after it is finished, if the twenty-first sees us in Asgard or wherever. [Okay, she'd really like to visit Asgard, but that's not the point.]

Anyone who would like to go, please be fully prepared by then. We'll be leaving no later than 8 AM. [And she underlines the time and date for emphasis once it's appeared on the page.]

Please feel free to contact Aradia Megido or myself if you have any questions.

[And she writes up a quick bulleted list:]

-Destination is Lastlook
-Part of the journey will be mounted or on carts
-Part will be by water
--If you have a Water-type Pokemon you would like to bring, I can teach it Surf
-Expected travel time is three weeks total, allowing for several days at destination

Comments

[ninjainviolet]

Too bad we can't have the castle bring everyone from the past here to see, then send them back remembering what they saw. Maybe then things would have turned out differently.

[ruin_mania]

No doubt. But in the meantime, we can work to bring about something similar in our own time. Exposing others to what is different to show them it is not bad is a very important step.

[ninjainviolet]

Yeah, too bad some people are just too stubborn to realize it.

[ruin_mania]

Yes, well, there are times to be the unstoppable force and times to be the immovable object, to be metaphorical.

[ninjainviolet]

[The expression says it all: HUH?]

[ruin_mania]

Persistence can wear down a lot of defenses, rather.

[ninjainviolet]

Oh. You mean like what Lloyd did back home for all of us.

[You know, when Mithos was playing with them with illusions.]

[ruin_mania]

[It takes her a moment to remember which event Sheena is referring to, but she sounds confident when she replies.]

Yes, that's exactly right.

[ninjainviolet]

Sometimes I wonder how things would have been if Lloyd had been around 4000 years ago.

[ruin_mania]

Well, it's impossible to say, but--

[Differently. At the very least, differently.]

[ninjainviolet]

I know his circumstances wouldn't be the same, but like he says, "Lloyd is Lloyd", right?

Which means he might have been able to convince Mithos that not all humans were bad.

[ruin_mania]

Perhaps. But all we know in the end was that Mithos was too far gone to consider the possibility.

[ninjainviolet]

Yeah, but maybe back then, he might have listened...

[4000 years of harboring a grudge can do some strange things.]

[ruin_mania]

He may have - or he may not. It's no use reflecting on what might have been, Sheena, when what we can do is influence the future. The fact of the matter is, his actions had the results they did, and we must work to change the society he made. If he could make it fall so far, why, there's no reason we can't bring it back up.

[ninjainviolet]

He also had 4000 years of help by the people who lived on both worlds--especially the people of Tethe'alla. A lot of the nobles aren't happy about the changes, but it would help us if they were.

[ruin_mania]

I'm sure the people of Sylvarant "helped" him just as much when they were the ones flourishing, rather than in decline.

Still, we have a lot of work ahead of us.

[ninjainviolet]

Yeah, that's true. No one really wanted to give up what they had when they were flourishing, did they? So why not help?

[Her expression becomes wry.]

Think 4000 years is enough time to fix things?

[ruin_mania]

Hmph. It had better be.

[ninjainviolet]

I hope so, too. Since it's easier to destroy than build things.

[And they wanted to re-build an entire planet and the people's beliefs.]

[ruin_mania]

Much easier, especially if you're attempting to build them in a particular way.

[i.e., tolerance]

[ninjainviolet]

Why can't people just let things be at times? You know, just let them do what they want?

[ruin_mania]

Because they believe that, in some way, allowing others to continue along the paths they choose would harm them. Whether this is real or only perceived is not something they tend to consider.

For example, do you recall the historical arms race between Sybak and Meltokio before the Third Royal Accord? [this was like several decades ago, well before Sheena would have been born] Each city stockpiled weapons and armor because they believed the other was going to attack, when in reality it all began over a misinterpreted message from a trading caravan.

[ninjainviolet]

[Oh yeah, Raine, she remembers that vividly. Not really, but she sees what her friend's getting at.]

And no one attacked... That's almost like believing that since one person with brown hair has hurt you, then all people with brown hair will hurt you and others. So, you go around protecting people--and yourself--from that imaginary threat.

[ruin_mania]

Yes, exactly. [Or, you know, like being a half-elf.] The perceived intentions of others and the true intentions of others are rarely congruent, and it's this that leads to misunderstandings. An equally strong determination that others mean no harm, such as Lloyd's, is one of the only ways to resolve such a conflict.

[ninjainviolet]

[Yeah, she didn't want to use that example...]

That sounds almost like the Renegades. No one could tell what they were up to from one moment to the next, you know? [She grows quiet a moment.]

Yeah, and he had to put himself in harm's way to prove that, didn't he?