Eternal questions (Ithea)

[Merc]

"Pass. Also, now isn't exactly the best time to be making that sort of trip. We're trying to prepare an assault initiative against Lixer."

[Anastasia]

"Alright then, so now what?" Balyss asks right back.

[Merc]

"Well, I need to talk to Vul'lath, see if he's figured anything useful from 27's words. I'll also pass on your words a while ago, and your insight into those sisters. I may also pass by the library and tell Tepen I should probably be passing on the research on the chains given that contamination Hanna found. He probably got most he needed from me yesterday, I hope, and Sylvie's probably still helping."

Ithea pauses and asks, "Speaking of Sylvie, have you heard of what she did or talked with her yet?"

[Anastasia]

"I've been distracted," Balyss says blandly, before wincing a little bit. "Tell me she didn't do something rash after yesterday's disaster."

[Merc]

"Weeeeeell...does giving up your mortality count as something rash?"

[Anastasia]

Balyss stares a moment, "What did she do?" she asks after a long, uncomfortable moment. "How? Why?"

[Merc]

"Remember that device in Medi's quarter? She bribed Ohgma to look the other way with a book about mortality and promising to write a book about immortality. It worked."

[Anastasia]

A long stare at that, Balyss slumping back. "...at least the damn device worked. So she's an outsider now? Did it change her at all? Moonmaiden's love, Sylvie.'

[Merc]

"She seemed the same old snarky Sylvie to me, but you've known her longer, even if she does prefer my obviously superior company."

[Anastasia]

"Fantastic," Balyss groans, "An outsider of her power might have trouble on the Prime. Did she even think about that? Of course not, she was too all up in her own...argh!" Balyss gets up at that, "I'm going to go find her and give her a few pieces of my mind."

[Merc]

Ithea manages to resist the crack about Balyss not being able to spare any pieces of her mind, and instead notes, "Before you fully focus on yelling at her, remember that access to Medi's quarters requires permission from a general. So some of the blame lays on me as well."

Ithea shifts, preparing for Balyss to start yelling at her. Better that she gets some of it out of her system before she gets to Sylvie. Still, she'll take advantage of Balyss wrapping her head around the sequence of bombs she's dropping on her. "Also, don't forget that she has pretty weak ties back to her own Prime. You and Simmer are her in Aurora. What's in Balmuria for her? Sure that isn't the only Prime, but I asked her if she'd considered everything. If she'd done eveything to prepare... which she had given she had already considered Oghma and tried to curry favor."

"Muirfinn and Lief's death hit her really hard, and frankly I made the judgement call that even with its risks, she'd do something worse AND more monumentally stupid if I didn't give my support. Not sure what exactly, but she's smart enough to figure something, and unwise enough to go for it, probably with a heck of a lot less prep."

[Anastasia]

Unfortunately, Ithea only gets as far as 'weak connection to her Prime' before Balyss loudly interrupts, "WEAK? WEAK?!" Her golden skin turns darker, a flush coming to her as she stands. "I'll tell you what's weak! Weak is her son asking Auntie Balyss when his Mommy's coming home! Weak is her mother wishing her child would come back again! Weak is her friends missing her every day, like a piece of their lives that's just not there!" She gets to her feet during all of this, voice rising to a shout.

[Merc]

Ithea weathers the response and decides to wait for Balyss to finish before continuing, deciding to hold the rest for now.

"I can agree with that. I can also tell you that Sylvie had no plans to go back. When does her life there come up without you, Simmer or I bringing it up? I barely touch on it because of how she gets."

"Besides nothing stops those people from coming here if you want them to come. Open a gate, extend them an invitation. No one would stop you. Aurora is pretty safe, right? Though given her past behavior, I'd assume the only reason you've never tried is that you're afraid she'll still find a way to avoid them. If that's the case, how does her doing this change anything? Your base problem remains the same."

[Anastasia]

"Oh yes, like ninth circle magic is a practical solution to this problem," Balyss snaps, "They aren't heroes who travel the planes, they're her family! They shouldn't have to be dragged over here for Sylvie to give the slightest damn about them!"

[Merc]

"No they shouldn't. But they could. I have a gate item crafted under Sylvie's direction. I could easily expend the effort to do it. Frankly, I wouldn't even consider it an effort."

"Are you wanting some sort of moral victory? I agree that its not right. But they have means to come here, if they really wanted to see her. Is my other point less valid? Do you think she'd turn them away even if they had the means? Again, before you answer please keep in mind that I will gladly use ninth circle magic for such a 'non-practical' solution."