Party time and more [Action]

[idkmybffalfred]

[In a ballroom at Central City.]

The auction was done and a hefty pile of wealth had been gathered to help pay for the reconstruction of Amestris in the wake of the devastating undead invasion. All that was left at this point was the after party, and EVERYONE has been invited. The majority of the party has moved to a huge ballroom, complete with an in house orchestra, several tables of light snacks and drinks, a large dancing area, tables around the edges of the room, and servants with trays of drinks making sure no one goes long without a glass. Brag about your newest acquisition, seeth with jealousy at the guy who bid more on the piece you wanted, enjoy fine food and drinks from across the empire, get drunk, dance, have fun. Mr. Wayne is footing the bill tonight.

[Elsewhere, later that evening...]


A dark figure edges close to the tall wall surrounding the manor belonging to the mysterious man known only as The Major. It produces a grappling hook from under its cloak, and is perched atop the wall in short order to get a better look at what it has to contend with here.

Comments

[genuine_human]

The Major could go on and on about describing the beauty behind those flames along with the fairies that burned along with them. But he won't. He still has a sense of duty towards the Fuhrer. To preserve his name, the Major has to watch some of what he says, which is of no concern to him. While he enjoys talking, he much prefers action and it is through action and conflict that he will be rewarded later on for a little bit of silence. The Major notices the anger in Mitsunari's words. The poor king can't even keep his emotions in check. His grin only stretches across his fat cheeks in sheer amusement.

"Our enemy was a kingdom that has long isolated itself from the rest of our empire. It owes no allegiance to our Emperor and establishes itself as an independent force separated from our affairs. Does such a kingdom even deserve a declaration? Hardly.

If they should keep their actions secret, then very well! So shall we. We have only acted in the interests of our dear Emperor. For the sake of his fragile, peaceful wishes. Why should you take it so personally, Regent Governor?"

[fox_of_sawayama]

Why should you take it so personally?

Ringford was far from Sawa - everything in Dagaria was far from Sawa, where aristocrats kept vacation homes for when they tired of the stresses of the capital. Mitsunari had no personal stake in Ringford, despite the fox-fairy blood muddled in his bloodline, so why couldn't he forget the look on that fairy girl's face when he'd been unable to help her? She hadn't even looked that much like Hayate, even though his imagination had started to conflate the two.

He wouldn't be able to save everyone. He might not be able to save anyone.

"Don't presume to speak for the interests of the Emperor!" he snapped back, his sharp tone silencing all other conversations in that corner of the room.

[genuine_human]

The bark hardly elicited a response from the Major. He pauses and begins sipping the last of his champagne instead. There's no rush. The Major takes his time with imbibing the last of his drink, adding further to this oppressive silence he intentionally generated. After drinking the last drop, he takes his glass away from his lips and gives Mitsunari the same, superior look that he gives a petulant child. In the Major's eyes, that's all Mitsunari was. A whining child who didn't know much about the ways of the world, but was firm with his silly illusions.

"I advise you to keep to an indoor voice, Regent. We have other guests among us."

[fox_of_sawayama]

"And most of them are your countrymen, so they're already well aware of your activities." Mitsunari spoke through clenched teeth, but even his more conversational tone seemed unnaturally loud in the quiet room. "And the rest already know that I won't remain silent when injustices are being committed."

Words were all he could offer to the oppressed, he thought with a stab of guilt. Sawa's army was small and almost entirely dedicated to the defense of the kingdom's capital and small heartland. Mitsunari commanded what was likely the best intelligence service in the Empire, but ever since the mistake he'd made years ago that cost an innocent woman her life, he'd been hesitant to use even that power. He lowered his voice further, until it came out as a harsh whisper.

"If you'd spend more time containing the Rift, as his Majesty the Emperor commands, and less time invading sovereign states, perhaps Amestris wouldn't have suffered such heavy casualties against the undead. Mind your own people before you commit genocide against others."

[genuine_human]

The Major looks around and gestures a server to come towards him. He hands him his glass and brushes him away, turning his attention back to Mitsunari. None of Mitsunari's words seem to be doing much to hinder the Major's arrogant disposition.

"... Am I being lectured to by a boy who doesn't know the first thing of battle? It would appear so! You might have participated in your share of wars, but you have never stepped into the battlefield at all, have you?

The casualties were a shame, but if the undead forces have been soundly defeated, then that itself is a victory. What comes after, the rebuilding, the reconstructing, is all the job of politicians like yourself. We have fulfilled as promised and fought our wars. Do not blame the military let alone the military of another kingdom for your own difficulties, boy.

Really, you have quite the temper for a person of your position! But it would appear that that is all you possess."

[fox_of_sawayama]

Mitsnari resisted the impulse to point out that he wasn't young. He was almost thirty, and over half of those years had been spent serving as one of the Emperor's most trusted courtiers. And while he may never have participated in battlefield combat, he was no stranger to the infighting of the Imperial Court. There, wars were fought with rumor and influence... and they, too, could be deadly. Mitsunari knew what it was like to have blood on his hands, figuratively if not literally, and to taste the bitter sweetness of victory.

"Is that what the people of Amestris are to you? Toys someone else has to set up so that you can knock them down again and again while you pretend to be a soldier? Do you need to attack other kingdoms now that you've grown too bloated to play in your own sandbox?" His lips curled onto a snarl as he regarded the Major, and his fingernails dug scratches into his clenched palms.

"Which of us is truly a child, Major?"

[genuine_human]

"You preach about how I am ignorant to the cries of Amestris' people. But you couldn't care less either. Am I not to believe that you do not spend quite some time pondering just how barbaric we are? We are all selfish men. You accept that they exist, but you do not accept that you are one. Your actions are nothing but prejudice and you show favoritism for your own people and disdain for Amestris and others, yet you berate me for my lack of concern for my kingdom.

That is why you are still a child, Ishida. A hypocrite as well whose words are neck-deep in prejudice. The only reason you care for the people of Sawa is because they are your possessions and you feel threatened my men like me. You are not an altruist. Such things do not exist."

[fox_of_sawayama]

"I have nothing against your people, Major. I've opened Sawa's borders to refugees and sent medical aid and supplies to Amestris. It's you, and men like you, that I can't stand."

Mitsunari's response was quick and snippish, but the Major's words brought the taste of bile to the back of his throat. Was he really a hypocrite? Sawa was easily the wealthiest kingdom in Dagaria, and the farthest from the Rift's dangers. It was sheltered from potential enemies by the Imperial City, with which it had always maintained close ties. Mitsunari had never known mortal danger, nor hunger, nor hardship of any kind... and yet he looked down on the hardscrabble kingdoms to the south and east for their backwards militarism and their mindless adherence to Church doctrine. But were he really any better? If King Bradley had his army of toy soldiers, then Sawa was a lovingly crafted toy kingdom, a perfectly functioning model that existed to validate Mitsunari's own idealistic beliefs.

"No," he breathed through tightly clenched teeth. "You're wrong. I may be as selfish and self-centered as you say... but there are good people in this world. Our Emperor is one of them. He's selflessly devoted his life to making Dagaria peaceful and prosperous, so I won't let someone like you destroy everything he's created!"

[idkmybffalfred]

At this point, the host decided it was time to do something before these two actually come to blows.

"Sounds like quite a heated debate over here. This IS supposed to be a party, you know."

[genuine_human]

That's a shame. The Major would have liked to see the Regent of Sawa do something unnecessary. He seemed so close to his breaking point too. With a shrug, the Major gives up for now.

"Indeed! Why, this is a time for us to celebrate and be drunk with merriment at all the festivities. However did we start this in the first place?"

thank you Batman T__T

[fox_of_sawayama]

"My apologies," Mitsunari muttered tersely, looking aside. "The Major and I have certain irreconcilable differences. Perhaps it's best if I take my leave." He headed towards the restroom to splash some cold water on his face and rinse the sticky smear of blood from his hands.