[ another Oscar Wilde fan? ] Unfortunately the truth is always is either fogged by the perception of the bearer, or something so damning that it threatens to break everything apart. Curious, that. You heard it straight from the god of lies.
[ there's only brief glance up at him, but there's some amusement in his tone. sometimes his dominions didn't correlate, both chaos and lies were different sides of the spectrum, and where the collided came the concept of story, some woven together myth, the prospects of reality. possibly expressed potential, perhaps. ]
We're running out of time for everything, not just pleasantries. And I was finding it interesting to watch my bread rise, regardless ... to what do I owe the honor?
[ it wasn't every day that he got a message from a Seelie, he thought there was some business involved, but it meant he needed to be a bit careful. it's too bad that with the coming apocalypse he felt all the looser of the tongue. ]
There might be some merit to the truth being the best thing to keep a secret. Still, if I'm speaking to the god of lies, then I'm in good company, though your reputation has possibly been a little damaged with the truth you and Hiro gave about the metal monstrosities we're currently facing.
[With the amount of lies he's made, he should consider becoming a devout follower of Loki, honestly. Joshua might also be taking a calculated risk in name dropping Hiro like that.]
I've been here long enough to have heard both sides of the story. [To the point where he almost convinced himself that he's totally for the Seelie side. Thankfully, he's been listening to a little voice in his head instead.] But, somehow, it doesn't paint the whole picture. Something is missing and nobody on my side has been able to find that missing thing for one reason or another. Unless they have, but the jigsaw puzzle isn't forming the full picture because they're still missing key pieces.
So, here I am, trying an unconventional method to see where it takes me.
[ the quill wiggles between his fingers as he listens, partially distracted by whatever it was that he was doing (it's not quite clear, actually, but they are in the midst of battle and he'll probably lie if asked). his dark brows lift just enough at Hiro's name for recognition, but nothing else.
truth and lies were always an interesting spectrum to adventure along. while everyone considered something one extreme or another, Loki considered it more of a bundle of possibility. there wasn't just one or the other, it was never that simple, and to him, should never be that simple. it drained all the fun and adventure out of everything. ]
You think I may have what you're looking for.
[ he tips his head to the side, curious. ]
All right, shoot. What do you know?
[ a little quid quo pro, and also a good place to start. ]
[Joshua is more than willing to humor him in this matter, at least. He's rather tired of this cloak and dagger nonsense.]
I know that Solais and Ridire have been firm about how their path is the right thing to do. Since the death of her husband, I believe she's been even more set in their judgment. I'd also hazard a guess that she's hoping her husband will be returned to her after the rebirth. I know that both sides require shards to do what needs to be done for their respective resolution. I don't believe that the Seelie Monarchs were lying about the rebirth of everything.
Of course, there are things I have mere conjecture and educated guesses about. For example, I've got my suspicions that the gods of this world have roles they're forced to play time and time again. Then there are my suspicions that perhaps a certain someone didn't destroy the Drabkeeper's Palace just to deprive us of its potentially unbiased knowledge.
[There's a hint in Joshua's tone that suggests he doesn't really believe that it would've been totally unbiased.]
I also have a strong suspicion that there's more of a need for Shardbearers than originally thought. Most on my side assume that we're here as soldiers to fight for a cause. This suspicion has been bolstered considering the relationship the gods have with Avatars and this insistence that we are able to cause a bigger impact in this world than the gods can. I suspect the reason is because we're not being forced into roles, and thus we have the freedom to change how this story ends. I find it interesting that for as long as this cycle has been going on, nobody has rewritten a different ending. Curious, isn't it, with so many Shardbearers they bring here that not a single one has been able to do this?
So, really, there's very little I actually know. It's quite frustrating.
[He doesn't sound frustrated, though. Joshua also has other suspicions, but, hey, Loki's probably got the gist of it.]
[ that's where it all started for him. months and months ago (longer, it seemed, time was an interesting thing when it came to gods), he had his suspicions about the destruction of the Drabkeeper's castle which stemmed from suspicions of the Drabkeeper, himself. it was confirmed by Morla, not just by her words, but by the scathing look of hatred she gave him when she spoke about him. he wonders, now, if it was a squabble between friends, or a helping hand aiding another into a long sleep. that's what the documents had referred to, those that came at the time of Da, and those that were given mercy before the Void swallowed them whole.
he continues working as Joshua speaks, green eyes intent on whatever task that he's preforming. finally, he looks up, quirking his head in bitter amusement. here Joshua comes now, in borderline desperation and wrought with frustration, just when it seems too late. oh, irony. ]
This war was never about chaos versus order—that's ... [ he waves a dark nailed hand. ] Lack of foresight. Chaos and order aren't places on a scale that slide back and forth, we don't go from point A to point B and choose between inevitable extremes.
So, you're wrong. We are being forced into roles. [ he closes an eye and looks thoughtful. ] When a story is told a lot of times, details change, but the bulk remains the same. How do I know? Because if the Unseelie had won, even once, we wouldn't be having this conversation, would we? There'd just be a whole lot of nothing. Zip, nadda, the end. Choice is an illusion when you're locked into the resonance of your given nature. [ he shouldn't sound so bitter about that, but he does. ]
For chaos, it's an antithesis. Chaos isn't confined, it's the opposite. It's choice, freedom, wants and needs. Order always has the advantage because within the place of destiny; order always works within its means. Thus, you could say that the Unseelie fight a double war. We fight for the right of our own choices, and we fight to express those choices.
But that's just part of it.
It's also a family feud. That's how the gem was broken, after all, why shouldn't it stay that way? Think of it this way: if you had a sister who loved you, who was bound by fate and suffering beneath it, what would you do? Here, we're given two choices, aren't we? You fight to struggle from beneath the reins of fate, if only for a few moments to reunite and stop fighting before the suffering ends and you become nothing; the other option is continue the cycle, no matter how bad it gets, just so you can continue to have the company of those you love.
[Joshua listens to all of it, and nods after a moment.]
Perhaps I'm wrong and naive, but I don't believe that these roles are as restrictive as we think they are. I believe someone is contriving against us as a whole. For example, the Shardbearers who came long before us could use their magic in ways only now are we of the current generation starting to see. We've been at a disadvantage the moment that knowledge was lost, save for a handful or less of people. The Cult is yet another symptom, but I have doubts as to it being the source.
And it may be that the lack of knowledge limits how we can do anything. It doesn't help that we were brought here with a hidden time limit of a little less three years to figure out what's truly going on.
[He knows what it is to be confined to strict, divine rules, but he's found ways to bend them. He sees no reason to stop now.]
With this antithesis to your side, I would imagine that your High Queen and or your High King have been feeling that much more in comparison.
[One or both embody chaos. It's only natural that they'd feel this strain far more keenly than any other.]
I liked Hecate more than I liked Janus. ['Life's little crossroads....'] We're presented two choices and told that they're the only ones we're to choose from. Or you could choose a supposed third, which is to reject these paths and make your own. It's the hardest path, especially in this damaged world. But I'm not here to debate this, as much fun as that would be.
[Funny how this feud reminds him of something that's been bothering him since his Game had ended in his world. Funnier still how it's only until this moment that he makes peace with a possibility he's long suspected.
It's not lost on him at all that Loki is talking about Solais and Morla, either.]
As for a sister who loved me and I knew was suffering? It's quite simple. I'd destroy whatever the source of this suffering was, even if it caused her to cut all ties with me. If destroying the source destroys her as well, then I'd feel that the cost was too high to pay, though it would alleviate her suffering in the end, too. The self-sacrifice route is all well and good, but I'd be leaving her alone and causing her a different kind of suffering. I can't abide by that choice, either.
Regardless, there's going to be a deep wound between us. I can only hope that it's not so deep that it can't be healed, for we're stronger in harmony than we are in dissonance.
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no subject
[ there's only brief glance up at him, but there's some amusement in his tone. sometimes his dominions didn't correlate, both chaos and lies were different sides of the spectrum, and where the collided came the concept of story, some woven together myth, the prospects of reality. possibly expressed potential, perhaps. ]
We're running out of time for everything, not just pleasantries. And I was finding it interesting to watch my bread rise, regardless ... to what do I owe the honor?
[ it wasn't every day that he got a message from a Seelie, he thought there was some business involved, but it meant he needed to be a bit careful. it's too bad that with the coming apocalypse he felt all the looser of the tongue. ]
no subject
There might be some merit to the truth being the best thing to keep a secret. Still, if I'm speaking to the god of lies, then I'm in good company, though your reputation has possibly been a little damaged with the truth you and Hiro gave about the metal monstrosities we're currently facing.
[With the amount of lies he's made, he should consider becoming a devout follower of Loki, honestly. Joshua might also be taking a calculated risk in name dropping Hiro like that.]
I've been here long enough to have heard both sides of the story. [To the point where he almost convinced himself that he's totally for the Seelie side. Thankfully, he's been listening to a little voice in his head instead.] But, somehow, it doesn't paint the whole picture. Something is missing and nobody on my side has been able to find that missing thing for one reason or another. Unless they have, but the jigsaw puzzle isn't forming the full picture because they're still missing key pieces.
So, here I am, trying an unconventional method to see where it takes me.
no subject
truth and lies were always an interesting spectrum to adventure along. while everyone considered something one extreme or another, Loki considered it more of a bundle of possibility. there wasn't just one or the other, it was never that simple, and to him, should never be that simple. it drained all the fun and adventure out of everything. ]
You think I may have what you're looking for.
[ he tips his head to the side, curious. ]
All right, shoot. What do you know?
[ a little quid quo pro, and also a good place to start. ]
no subject
I know that Solais and Ridire have been firm about how their path is the right thing to do. Since the death of her husband, I believe she's been even more set in their judgment. I'd also hazard a guess that she's hoping her husband will be returned to her after the rebirth. I know that both sides require shards to do what needs to be done for their respective resolution. I don't believe that the Seelie Monarchs were lying about the rebirth of everything.
Of course, there are things I have mere conjecture and educated guesses about. For example, I've got my suspicions that the gods of this world have roles they're forced to play time and time again. Then there are my suspicions that perhaps a certain someone didn't destroy the Drabkeeper's Palace just to deprive us of its potentially unbiased knowledge.
[There's a hint in Joshua's tone that suggests he doesn't really believe that it would've been totally unbiased.]
I also have a strong suspicion that there's more of a need for Shardbearers than originally thought. Most on my side assume that we're here as soldiers to fight for a cause. This suspicion has been bolstered considering the relationship the gods have with Avatars and this insistence that we are able to cause a bigger impact in this world than the gods can. I suspect the reason is because we're not being forced into roles, and thus we have the freedom to change how this story ends. I find it interesting that for as long as this cycle has been going on, nobody has rewritten a different ending. Curious, isn't it, with so many Shardbearers they bring here that not a single one has been able to do this?
So, really, there's very little I actually know. It's quite frustrating.
[He doesn't sound frustrated, though. Joshua also has other suspicions, but, hey, Loki's probably got the gist of it.]
no subject
he continues working as Joshua speaks, green eyes intent on whatever task that he's preforming. finally, he looks up, quirking his head in bitter amusement. here Joshua comes now, in borderline desperation and wrought with frustration, just when it seems too late. oh, irony. ]
This war was never about chaos versus order—that's ... [ he waves a dark nailed hand. ] Lack of foresight. Chaos and order aren't places on a scale that slide back and forth, we don't go from point A to point B and choose between inevitable extremes.
So, you're wrong. We are being forced into roles. [ he closes an eye and looks thoughtful. ] When a story is told a lot of times, details change, but the bulk remains the same. How do I know? Because if the Unseelie had won, even once, we wouldn't be having this conversation, would we? There'd just be a whole lot of nothing. Zip, nadda, the end. Choice is an illusion when you're locked into the resonance of your given nature. [ he shouldn't sound so bitter about that, but he does. ]
For chaos, it's an antithesis. Chaos isn't confined, it's the opposite. It's choice, freedom, wants and needs. Order always has the advantage because within the place of destiny; order always works within its means. Thus, you could say that the Unseelie fight a double war. We fight for the right of our own choices, and we fight to express those choices.
But that's just part of it.
It's also a family feud. That's how the gem was broken, after all, why shouldn't it stay that way? Think of it this way: if you had a sister who loved you, who was bound by fate and suffering beneath it, what would you do? Here, we're given two choices, aren't we? You fight to struggle from beneath the reins of fate, if only for a few moments to reunite and stop fighting before the suffering ends and you become nothing; the other option is continue the cycle, no matter how bad it gets, just so you can continue to have the company of those you love.
no subject
Perhaps I'm wrong and naive, but I don't believe that these roles are as restrictive as we think they are. I believe someone is contriving against us as a whole. For example, the Shardbearers who came long before us could use their magic in ways only now are we of the current generation starting to see. We've been at a disadvantage the moment that knowledge was lost, save for a handful or less of people. The Cult is yet another symptom, but I have doubts as to it being the source.
And it may be that the lack of knowledge limits how we can do anything. It doesn't help that we were brought here with a hidden time limit of a little less three years to figure out what's truly going on.
[He knows what it is to be confined to strict, divine rules, but he's found ways to bend them. He sees no reason to stop now.]
With this antithesis to your side, I would imagine that your High Queen and or your High King have been feeling that much more in comparison.
[One or both embody chaos. It's only natural that they'd feel this strain far more keenly than any other.]
I liked Hecate more than I liked Janus. ['Life's little crossroads....'] We're presented two choices and told that they're the only ones we're to choose from. Or you could choose a supposed third, which is to reject these paths and make your own. It's the hardest path, especially in this damaged world. But I'm not here to debate this, as much fun as that would be.
[Funny how this feud reminds him of something that's been bothering him since his Game had ended in his world. Funnier still how it's only until this moment that he makes peace with a possibility he's long suspected.
It's not lost on him at all that Loki is talking about Solais and Morla, either.]
As for a sister who loved me and I knew was suffering? It's quite simple. I'd destroy whatever the source of this suffering was, even if it caused her to cut all ties with me. If destroying the source destroys her as well, then I'd feel that the cost was too high to pay, though it would alleviate her suffering in the end, too. The self-sacrifice route is all well and good, but I'd be leaving her alone and causing her a different kind of suffering. I can't abide by that choice, either.
Regardless, there's going to be a deep wound between us. I can only hope that it's not so deep that it can't be healed, for we're stronger in harmony than we are in dissonance.