World Tree MUSH

    Stelle watches Talia leap after Blade and Kafka... she then turns to shake her head to March. "I don't think she'll catch them."

    March huffs. "What're we gonna tell the Master Diviner?!" she asks, causing Stelle to shrug. "If what she said is true, we won't have to explain anything."

    March blinks. "Did she brainwash you or something?"

    That's when everyone turns back to look at the tree... the Ambrosial Arbor. It stands tall now, like a calligraphy picture turned three dimensional. It's 'leaves' are ghostly green-white flames that lick at the sky, and Luofu symbol writing seems to scribe itself in the air like rain falling from the branches...

    Tingyun seems strangely enamoured by the sight.

    Talia did not in fact catch them. She returns a while later, looking rather like a dejected child who didn't win a contest. "I didn't catch them. I slew one but Kafka escaped us." She says with an exasperated sigh. "I know, that was reckless of me."

    "You slew one?" Svarog asks, optic lingering on Talia. Before the big robot man DOES chide: "That was absolutely reckless. What would have happened if you need support and none of us were present to aid you?"
    But...
    That's just Svarog's way of showing that he cares as Clara gives Talia a tight hug.
    "Don't go running off without us again, okay?"
    But then they both look to the tree.
    "So ummmmm. That's bad right?" Clara asks.

    It is very pretty, but Jessica scratches at her head, behind one ear, and frowns. "Well... that is kind of true. I mean, if the Diviners are doing their jobs, wouldn't they already know this?" It's a reasonable question, but it's also from someone who still doesn't quite get the limitations.

    She looks at Talia and nods, "Well I'm glad you're safe!"

    "It was reckless," Bi De agrees. "Unusually so for you, but perhaps it is for the best. With any luck, this is at least a minor inconvenience for them." He hops up to peer at the strange tree. "At least you are back safely."
    Now he ponders, cocking his head to the side. "Is this normal?"

    "Wasn't that the dead tree Qingque showed us on the way here?" asks March. "How'd it grow all of a sudden?"

    Tingyun, meanwhile, is almost vibrating with excitement, her eyes wide dishes as she seems to be trying to drink in the entire sight at once. "Amazing, absolutely amazing! Even the long-lived might not witness something like this in their lifetime! I'm so lucky!" she's almost breathless... leaning on the fence around the edge of the viewing platform, leaning WAAAAAY out, as if she could touch the tree from where she stands.

    Welt, meanwhile, is rubbing at his temple, tugging his glasses off so he doesn't bend the frame. "Such, extraordinary energy..." he says, then snaps his eyes up to look at the tree. "It's the Stellaron."

    The group then start moving, and find the General, and the Master Diviner just finishing a conversation. "... Please Master Diviner, I still have forces to deploy!" says the General jovially, as his hologram turns to look at the approaching group. "ANd the Stellaron Hunters were kind enough to bring us together with the Astral Express and their allies -- how could I look the other way?"

    Stelle starts trying to explain, with March's help... but Fu Xuan cuts in. "It's my fault. I had higher expectations of the general..." she drones monotonically. She then turns to address the hologram. "Please! We can't keep getting them to do everything for us! Since when did we run out of people on the Luofu?!" Jing Yuan says nothing, but turns to smile beatifically down at the small Diviner. "... why are you staring at me like that?" she asks... "... Do I need to remind you, general, that the Ambrosial Arbor's access point is a closely guarded secret? Allowing outworlders would be--"

    Jing Yuan cuts her off. "A violation of the rules and regulations." he completes. "I would like to remind /you/, Lady Fu, that the Xianzhou comes before its rules and regulations -- expecially in times of crisis."

    Yeah, Talia doesn't disagree. That was a huge mistake and she takes the criticism on the chin, nodding as she says nothing. Being hugged by Clara does shake Talia out of her funk. "I...I'm sorry." She says. All she wanted was to get answers out of Kafka, a straight answer out of her. All Talia got out of it was just more questions.

    As she watches the tree, Talia narrows her eyes. She is about to VOICE those questions, but it seems that Jing and Fu Xuan are going to squabble. Lovely. "We have more important things to worry about compared ot this, Kafka's still on the loose!"

    Bi De ruminates on this, but lifts a wing at Talia. "What is done is done. Learn from it and we continue on. It was reckless but at least you only put yourself at risk. Some of us have made far worse mistakes."

    The rooster peers at the tree, then back to the discussion the others have. "If your traditions and rules are not sufficient, then it is the time to consider alternatives."

    Jessica flicks ears and thinks, just watching all this with a bit of mild concern about Tingyun. She moves over there, hooking a hand at her clothes so Tingyun doesn't like, fall off or something.

    "Maybe we need to figure out priorities," she points out. "I hate to say it, but if catching Kafka won't fix the big problem, shouldn't we ignore her? Even if it's an intentional distraction, um... you shouldn't ignore your house burning down just because you know it's a distraction."

    "That's exactly my point." remarks Jing Yuan to Bi De and Jessica. "The Stellaron Hunters aren't our concern anymore. The Matrix of Precience doesn't lie. Kafka was here to bring you to us. Nothing more... the real enemy here is a shadowy group of Denizens of Abundance called the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus... only they could have accessed the Ambrosial Arbor and planted the Stellaron there, and they did so now because they're out of time... the Cloud Knights are closing in on them, and we're in position to snatch them all up in one swoop."

    The General looks around the gathered. "As such, I am about to make a desicion counter to those rules and regulations... actually decisions, plural. What a rare pleasure." he chuckles. "Lady Fu, I issue you with the military tally -- You will be in command of the Cloud Knights and act in concert with other forces on approach to the Ambrosial Arbor through the Alchemy Commission delve."

    Fu Xuan looks perplexed... she clearly didn't divine this outcome. "Under... my control?" she asks in a squeaking voice.

    "You've been eager to discover for yourself what it is to be a general, have you not?" he asks in return.

    Fu Xuan trips over her own words, blurting out an admonition about 'not being given the chance before', then she controls herself with a simple, curt "As you wish."

    The pair turn to the Astral Express and the others. "As for our outworld friends... I hereby formaly welcome you to join our operation to seal the Stellaron. Lady Fu will lead the Cloud Knights, and the bulk of our forces, but I would like you to advance ahead. Take a shortcut through the Artisanship Commission, and reconvene with Lady Fu further down the line."

    Jessica sees the whole thing where Fu Xuan is given control, and how she stumbles. That's something she can kind of relate to! The girl looks back and forth, then offers a timid, uncertain smile. "Oh... congratulations!"

    She huffs, "Don't worry, I'm sure you'll do fine! The most important part is figuring out where the best passages are for enemies, so you can lead them through a killzone."

    Bi De fluffs his chest up and listens. "You wish us to scout ahead? Very well, we will do that. Perhaps our differing abilities will make anyone that awaits us unprepared to face us," he reasons.

    He hops down, turning to look at Fu Xuan. "Put forth your best effort. Your superior believes in you, and now is the time to show them you have earned that trust."

    Talia gives Jessica a very quizical look before she clears her throat, fixes her hair, and then steps toward Fu Xuan. "Gladly, General."