And so here he sat, massive muscular frame draped in a simple white Haori and wearing the thick white pants and sandals he had been gifted in Joya. He waited patiently for his new partner in crime to arrive so that they could finally discuss their plans moving forward.
A Return to Form [Closed|Jove]
Mon Feb 21, 2022 8:16 am
And so here he sat, massive muscular frame draped in a simple white Haori and wearing the thick white pants and sandals he had been gifted in Joya. He waited patiently for his new partner in crime to arrive so that they could finally discuss their plans moving forward.
Mon Feb 21, 2022 9:34 am
Blond slicked back hair, green tinted sunglasses, and a business casual style of dress. It was the well known style of Seika's fellow Rune Knight, Jove. The two had not seen each other in quite some time, their jobs requiring them to often tackle jobs on opposite ends of the country. The last time they had met there had been a bit of tension between them. The Demon Slayer had expressed his exasperation for both Jove and the Council, both of whom clipped the knights metaphorical wings. His expressed disdain for the so called "light guilds" which did nothing to stand up in the face of darkness wasn't completely unfounded.
More and more often, it seemed as if the Light Guilds existed in a space more like light-leaning neutrality. They did not step up to check the powers of Eternal Nightmare or Sleeping Calamity, and only in their occasional mercenary work to take on odd jobs did they provide for the safety of Fiore. Still, Jove could not fault them. At the end of the day, this was the responsibility of the Knights and the Council until King Reign deemed it otherwise.
"The past year or so has treated you well, I see. You're looking fit as ever."
Mon Feb 21, 2022 12:06 pm
His fingers clenched softly in his lap hidden away from Jove's view as he thought about those particular memories, however his actual face betrayed very little as he grinned at his rather strained companion. "Well months of fighting in the deserts of my homeland will do that to you. Though if we're both honest, I was already this large". He gestured at his massive frame with a chuckle.
Mon Feb 21, 2022 4:03 pm
"Captain-Commander Seika," he began finally, adopting a much more formal tone with his superior officer. "I would hate for you to feel uncomfortable discussing the real reason you requested my presence here. Please, feel free to be open." It was a bit presumptuous, perhaps, but the two hadn't exactly parted on terms of joviality. Seika had been upset, perhaps one could even say furious, at the end of their last encounter. He was interested to see what was on the mans mind now.
Mon Feb 21, 2022 4:18 pm
"Let's start off slow before we jump to that shall we, Captain-Commander Jove", he stated before he continued, "How about you update me on how Fiore has been doing ever since I had left two years ago".
Last edited by Seika on Wed Feb 23, 2022 8:15 am; edited 1 time in total
Tue Feb 22, 2022 11:24 am
"Essentially more of the same. I did some travel myself, worked on my shortcomings, and believe I have made some progress. How were your travels?" Jove's wrapped up scythe leaned on a nearby pillar, and his new ring sat upon his finger. Both of which were odd additions to the mage who had once never used items of any kind.
Wed Feb 23, 2022 8:23 am
It was enough of an irritation that a single floorboard would crack underneath Seika's left foot, the pressure the appendage had suddenly applied crushing the decades old lacquered wood without so much as a fanfare. The loud crack snapped through the congregation causing many to pause at the sound, but at the stone faced look on Seika's face and the lack of actual indignation or surprise kept it from escalating further.
"Do you intend to tell me about your love life as well?" He didn't mean for it to come off as snappy as it did, but it really did irk him that Jove played these games when he could be more... straightforward. He understood it was just how the man operated, but it never ceased to drive him up a wall when he did it.
He would continue, "I did not ask about you. I asked about the country. Something we're both tasked with looking over and something that I know you know far more about than you let even the King know. So don't play these word games with me Jove. We're far too old for those."
Thu Feb 24, 2022 2:48 am
Seika then snapped at Jove in irritation, asking if Jove would share about his love life as well. [color=#0066ff]"... Certainly. Rather dry at the moment, but I do have some prospective interests."[color] Jove's deadpan way of speech hadn't changed at all, but it seemed as if during the past two years he had come a bit more alive. Seika's frustration boiled over as he finally spoke to Jove about needing to know what happened while he was absent.
A part of the 9-5 Sorcerer wondered what this desperation for information was, and where it had come from. Jove sighed, shaking his head. "Nothing has happened. Small crimes throughout Fiore, bandit troupes rising and falling. Sleeping Calamity and Eternal Nightmare still operate within the shadows, though with a bit more willingness to step into the light with each passing month. If there was something of significance you would have heard about it regardless of where you were at on the continent." The answer was a bit clearer this time, likely to Seika's appreciation.
Thu Feb 24, 2022 6:02 pm
Frowning in remembrance, he sighed and leaned back, easing up on the magical pressure he was exerting. He was letting the past and Jove's rather maverick attitude get to him again. Relaxing his weight onto the wooden bench, causing it to groan underneath him, he settled for turning his head back forward and at least admiring the mass, even if fundamentally, his religion wouldn't allow him too.
"What are your plans now that you're back? I assume you also wish to ascend to the station that Shichiro once held. I hear that the Kingsguard now has two open positions. With us being the last two of the proverbial old guard, there are whispers that we're essentially shoe ins for the positions."
It wasn't far from the truth, the two were the most prominent figures left in the organization. Between their previous leader ditching his post, and the mass defections, the Rune Knights from two years ago had effectively been stripped down to a few necessary regiments that each managed their section of the country. This also meant that there was no actual leadership for the Rune Knights outside of the few Captains and Captain-Commanders out there, but those were following strict orders to maintain order in what were considered hot zones.
The whole scenario left Seika with a terrible opinion of his compatriot as well as their boss that they would allow such a situation to even happen in the first place.
Sun Feb 27, 2022 8:38 am
"I'm not aiming for it, but I don't think I'll turn it down if it's offered," Jove finally said, taking a moment to contemplate the question first. "I came to the realization over these past couple of years that in attempting to avoid additional work the traditional way, I've actually added more work to myself. I'm now going to attempt to do additional work to ensure a future of less work."
Last edited by Jove Augustus on Sat Mar 05, 2022 3:35 am; edited 1 time in total
Sun Feb 27, 2022 9:49 am
"Then where does that leave uh moving forward. The King doesn't want us to do anything but our job, but also doesn't want us to do our job if it actually would inconvenience the populace. So it leaves with a bit of a conundrum on how to proceed. So do you happen to have any insights, or are we going to continue to play it by the ear?"
Sat Mar 05, 2022 3:46 am
"Our duty to protect the citizens and thwart acts by dark guilds which may disrupt the country is still the same, and we may still take quite large liberties in order to enforce them. However, your suggestion is a complete upheaval of the status quo. You must keep that in mind." Jove lightly slapped his thighs with his hands, a sudden cut to the conversation. "What else would you plan to do?"
Tue Mar 08, 2022 3:13 pm
"Our duty is to uphold the law, and ensure that all people are abiding by the law to the best of their ability. In doing so, we protect the citizens, and ensure the stability of the King's land. At what point, does allowing Light Guilds to section up the King's land under their rule, and then allowing them to fight over it, uphold the law? Light Guilds are under contract to manage, and maintain the lands that the King has allowed them to use for their purposes. But they do not own or control them."
Seika started where it all began. Where neither the King nor Jove saw eye to eye with him on the problem that the Light Guilds posed. "These people were collecting taxes and fighting over land the King allowed them to use. And not only that, they are contracted to assist the Rune Knights in observing, reporting and thwarting the acts of Dark Guilds directly in their areas. But it seems they completely forgot all about that as Dark Guilds are operating where ever they please. We do not have the resources to be every where Jove. Not any more. We can barely hold on to the areas outside of the Capital and the major cities. We need them to do their job. But if they won't do their job. Then should they not be stripped of the title that gave them the job in the first place? What benefit to the King do they provide aside from existing within some of the major cities and occasionally paying taxes? Some of them even go so far as to harbor Dark Mages within them. Dark Mages!!"
Seika's vein's pulsed as he exclaimed in a hushed voice his point to his current partner and ally. It frustrated him that there were those that were essentially shielded by law from them just because they resided within the general protection that being in a Light Guild provided. Regardless of whether or not these people turned a new leaf, they had to pay for their crimes to society and the King first!
"I'm not asking for Martial Law. I'm asking that they have their status revoked until they prove their allegiance to the King. No more protections, no more preferred status. An even playground for them to prove that they have good intentions. That is all. You don't just allow a wild animal to sleep in your bed do you? No you give it, its own space and observe it long enough to determine if it will bite your neck out in your sleep. Then you let it rest in bed with you. You don't let them bite your hand and then continue to sleep in your bed!"
He stopped his tirade after that, returning his attention back to the mass to let Jove respond.
Thu Mar 24, 2022 5:14 am
"What you say is entirely true; the guilds, both light and dark, took advantage of the chaos within Crocus and the collapsing of the Royal structure in order to take claim of their regions and collect taxes in the stead of Royalty. However, they also stepped up and fulfilled vital roles of protection and governance which had collapsed at the time. To paint such nuance with a single brush would be dishonest to the situation." Jove crossed one leg over the other, resting his ankle upon his opposite knee. He crossed his arms over his chest, dropping his head while contemplating everything else which was said in this church.
"You may not know this, Seika, but the past two years have been quite interesting. I have continued to hunt and capture some of the most vile criminals within the land. However, I've also befriended some of these very Dark Mages which we categorize as threats." He turned his head to Seika. "Should they ever prove themselves to be a threat to the Order, the Kingdom, or the Citizens I would prioritize my work over my personal relationships. Yet that has never happened; nor even come close. Do you know why?" He paused for a moment, hoping Seika would actually attempt to consider his words. "Nuance. Just because they're a dark mage doesn't mean they're evil, nor that they're a threat to society. Sometimes they're just normal people thrust into a bad circumstance."
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