oftheletter | ic inbox (aefenglom)

What would you have me do? Break ties with him without a worthy explanation?

[He shakes his head.]

No. The threat of information being revealed is there whether or not we have anything to do with each other. What I've done complicates things for him more so than for me in that event. If we were not bonded, he could set about my demise with no repercussions to himself and potentially with me being none the wiser, depending on how the information was shown to him.

I have more of an advanced warning now. I'm closer to the epicenter of things.

[Coming across as somewhat trustworthy only works up until the man learns the awful truth. But until that happens, which can still be never, being in this position does help him.]

Quite the opposite.

[The kind, concerned thing to do probably would be to counsel distance from Light; but Myr knows L too well to think his successors would accept that, any more than the detective had.

Besides--they were as much, or more, raised to conflict as he was, even if theirs was an entirely different battlefield. Telling a fellow soldier to quit the fight for his own safety would be insulting.]

I'd find a way to convince Yagami of the ultimate futility of what he intends, and of any action he takes here affecting the outcome he's doomed to. Not only that, but convince him that your version of events--your full knowledge of who and what he is--will be released to the Coven and the Mirrorbound should any of you die under suspicious circumstances.

He relies on ignorance of what he is and what he can do to achieve his ends; you've said as much. Deny him that.

[There's a pause after Myr speaks. If Near was anyone else he might have followed up with some unfriendly, disbelieving laughter in response to the other's words. Instead, his voice just sounds cold.]

So instead you would back him into a corner? A wounded animal can be the most dangerous.

No. I won't do that.

[Myr means well. He knows that. But this answer, in a place where a permanent death is uncertain and they are connected to each other by their very souls, could potentially be more hurtful to everyone.]

Right now he has no reason to rush any plans he might be putting together. You would give him one.

You've said he's at his best when he's leisure and space to plan, [Myr points out, with ruthless logic.] And--presumably--worse when he's rushed.

He's still ignorant of much of this world and--we can only hope--has yet to sink hooks into anyone in a position of importance. The longer he's left alone, the more allies he will accumulate, the stronger he'll become as a Witch--and the more chances he has to suborn Linden.

Will you have any better chance than you do now? Or am I missing some part of the plan where you, and Malakai, and Linden will have accumulated the resources to overpower him in a year or two or ten when he's at the apex of his abilities?

We don't have a fully formulated plan either, which is exactly the problem.

[Near remains entirely unmoved by Myr's words.]

Malakai still hasn't been here long, and there are tensions between him and Linden. That's one problem. Linden was attached to Yagami before he even arrived and doesn't have enough regard for his own safety, which is another problem. Both of these are only a couple issues atop of many.

We need to work out a better course of action ourselves before we end up rushing just as much as he would be. And once again - he would be the one backed into the corner in that scenario, with less to lose.

We are not heroes. This isn't a battle that can be won by charging in sword first.

[Myr does not sigh at this. Eli is an expert in a different field--one he's still able to practice in, unlike Myr--and deserves respect for his viewpoint.

It doesn't make it any less frustrating to have run into just as much of a wall as the Faun had with L, albeit one that at least has a rational actor maintaining it.

There's a quiet jingling from his side of the call, indicative of some small motion, before he speaks again.]

It is, however, a battle that may not wait for Malakai and Linden to resolve their tensions, or for Linden to learn the self-regard he lacks. You may not have the luxury of solving any of the problems you've identified before you need to do something about Kira, and the advantage of knowledge you have over him will likely evaporate long before that. I'm not asking you to go against him without a plan at all; I am suggesting you substantially accelerate your planning to exploit your present advantages.

[And then,]

How much do you know of what he's doing, day-to-day? Do you know who his other allies are? Do you have a notion of how you might neutralize him if it comes to a physical confrontation and none of our Witches are in a position to be of any use?

Do you have anyone outside of Malakai and Linden positioned to help you against Kira?

With all due respect. Myrobalan. I think you should leave my planning to me.

[The cold tone has returned to Near's voice. This sort of backseat driving is why he works with a limited amount of people on his cases. As L, it's a given fact that if he takes on a case he isn't going to stand for others stepping in unless he asks for it.]

In my position, the less I share with anyone, the better. I don't need further arguments.

[He has someone outside of Mello and L, and he's currently talking to him. He knows the Faun will step in even if they're not on good terms. Making sure that doesn't happen at an unnecessary time will be the hard part.]

Do not act on your own, either. You run the risk of upsetting things.

With equal respect, Serah Eli, I am your--and Linden's--ally, not your servant or your tool. Even if I were, you do not know me nearly well enough to make best use of me.

[His tone is equally cool.]

And I do not know you well enough to lay aside my own plans and sit idly by on your say-so. I respect your acumen and Linden's appraisal of your skill and intellect. But I know too well the blindspots his upbringing has left him with, and how much trouble he's found when I've taken his word he's dealt with them.

[He's well aware of the implicit insult embedded in those words, but it's also no less than the truth.]

I am also not Linden.

[Near has lasted as long as he has on account of not having those same blindspots. He'd like to believe this, anyway. Even where Mello is concerned.]

And you also do not know Yagami. While I understand that you care for your bonded, stepping into a situation like this one with ideals too lofty for what you'll be facing isn't a good move.

You are the outlier here. Do not attempt to direct matters.

No. You finished what he couldn't.

[Credit where it was due.]

But I have a hold on him that you--and even Yagami--don't. [Perhaps not as strong as the compulsion that tethered L to Light, but different in kind, and different in what he could ask of or expect from his Witch.] And my investment in this is not merely because I care for my Bonded. If Yagami is the evil you present him as, then he is a threat to all of us and my ideals say I must oppose him with everything at my disposal. Even if that means intruding on something you believe is your problem alone.

[Then, he does sigh.] I do not want to direct this; I'm made to follow, not to lead. But the lot of you--Linden, Malakai, and Yagami included--are making a serious mistake if you expect to prosecute this battle under the rules and expectations of your world, rather than this one. The first man to deviate from them has a tactical advantage.

I cannot follow you if you insist on yielding him that advantage through inaction. Nor if you refuse me the intelligence I need to do my job.

You stand to ruin all precautions we've taken here so far if you step in where you shouldn't. Do not presume to guess what rules and expectations we're working with.

Exposing what we know of him is not something that can be undone or stepped back from. You are not to do this lightly because you think it will give you an advantage here. If you do this it will make you a threat and I will treat you as such. Do you understand?

Stow your righteousness and don't leap into action just because you believe you know what's best.

I very well will presume to guess if you don't tell me.

[Then a snort, half-amused.]

Oh, I have no intention of deploying your secrets as a weapon, serah. I would have no idea how to use them to best effect. I'm merely advising you do so while they still are a viable weapon--and before I decide the injustice of killing him is less than the injustice of letting him have his way with this world.

[And the harm to L would be outweighed by preventing L's death.]

If killing him is all you wanted, I wouldn't personally care.

[This is stated as bluntly as possible. L's feelings aside, Light is already beaten and dead in Near's world. If he dies sooner, all the less damage to be caused (though he's sure this won't be the case). He will suffer the rebound through their bond if need be.]

You would only need to make certain you got it right and that there was no chance of him returning. If that's the case, a warning beforehand would be preferable.

[...Well, that's rather like having one's opponent let go of the rope in the middle of a tug-of-war, but Myr will take it.

After he's had a moment to process Eli's response.]

--Hardly all, [he admits, ruefully.] I want to be given a reason not to, because it's the worst of all our possible solutions.

[And Myr is not a cold-blooded murderer, even to protect someone he loves as fiercely as he does L.] But I can't overlook the risk he presents.

[Needless to say, their conversation has not left him more sanguine about that.]

Do you intend to keep the Coven entirely uninvolved? Or will you alert them if he begins dabbling in magic he shouldn't?

And what, exactly, do you believe the Coven is going to do? Do you think Yagami is the only dangerous individual that's ever been brought here?

[Near shakes his head.]

I don't trust them to handle the situation the way it needs to be handled. Not unless they're willing to end his existence.

[He gives the communicator a long look, knowing it isn't being seen.]

Unless you know more about how they operate than I do.

[His role on the council is barely mentionable.]

Forbidden magic is the one place they've shown themselves willing to use immediate, ruthless force. [A part of Myr yet admires that; it's very Thedosian, very Chantry.]

It's unlikely, from what you said, he'll give away any evidence he's looking into such things, but if he does happen to, they may take care of your problem for you.

Otherwise, they are inclined to stay out of our affairs. [Which is, truthfully, fine with him; he did as much complaining as anyone about it when it suited him to, but he'd also thought long and hard about the potential horrors that could come of the Coven taking sides on any Mirrorbound's say-so.

Yagami was much more convincing than any of his opponents. No contest which way the Coven went if it came purely down to charisma.] Though I imagine they'll cease to see it as our affairs if he begins exercising his particular brand of justice here. Failing to inform them of that risk could redound on all of us.

If any of what he does can be led back to him.

[Light is far from a fool, that's why it had taken so long to bring him down. He knows he doesn't have his usual following here. He won't be able to make the deaths so obvious if he does decide to start killing people.]

Don't think he'll just go around offing those he has issues with. Things will appear accidental. Untraceable. We would suspect because we know him, which is why it's important to act as though we don't. We aren't targets yet. We will be if he learns what we know and there's very little the Coven will be able to do if he takes out his main opponents at the start.

[After all, once they're dead it would be easy to convince the rest of the town that Light wasn't responsible. He's fairly good at acting devastated.]

ic inbox (aefenglom)

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject