⚔ // once upon a dream

[discutio]

[You all know the drill by now. Ignis and Camilla have taken over the nearest kitchen, and there's going to be food in the Pokemon Center soon enough; a warm and comforting vegetable curry. Highwind's even out now, welcoming any and all who might need a large cloud bird to hug after everything that was.]

[It's been a long night. Everyone needs a good meal and a long rest, and luckily one of those things is being seen to immediately.]

Comments

[anythingforyou]

[...Hmm.]

Do you believe that he's someone that can truly be helped?

[She's not being rude or dismissive or anything like that, but her tone's wholly neutral and genuinely curious. Likely just due to keeping her own opinions out, but eh.]

[semistableman]

Depends on whether or not he wants help.

[It's blunt, but honest.]

His reaction, before he... ended the world. When Rey and I were talking to him, he shut down. I've seen it before, it's a coping mechanism. [that's probably as diplomatic of an "it me" that you can get from Bucky] It was a pretty specific thing to do.

Kill your emotions to keep you from feeling anything at all.

[anythingforyou]

[...She's really not sure what to make of that, honestly, but she does listen at least. Camilla had just figured it to be due to the fact that he'd already made his decision and had been frustrated, but...that's...

Camilla finds herself turning away a bit, her expression darkening a tad.]

It is, yes. I wouldn't have expected that from him; he seems so...naturally like the people here. I wouldn't have thought him simply trying to shut himself off from what he didn't seem to have.

[...]

Perhaps the two of you were hitting close to home, then?

[semistableman]

I'll admit, him when he first confronted us, and him after he shut himself out was subtle. Probably easy to miss if you're not actively watching him.

[With only a few of them trying to actively talk Cyrus down, it's not a surprise. He can't blame the others for being angry, or overlooking it.

Still, Bucky nods.]

Reasonable conclusion to make. Not that I'm saying we should play therapist for the guy, believe me, that's the last thing I want to do-- but finding out why he's decided to go on this quest isn't a bad idea.

[anythingforyou]

[...Camilla is silently thanking the gods that nobody caught her fright at the situation, then, phew--

Either way, Camilla actually seems to calm a bit at that last portion--it's good that it's mostly just to find out, rather than trying to deal with him like they dealt with the commanders.]

As long as we don't start forcing ourselves to treat him like an ally, after all he's done, that's reasonable. Certainly, it would give us a better understanding of how to deal with such a thing.

...But he will need to be dealt with, one way or another.

[semistableman]

[Bucky was pretty terrible himself, to be honest. He'd frozen for most of the conversation, because of what they had been dealing with.

He can't help the scoff at the comment about treating Cyrus as an ally. Some things never change.]

No, we don't need to treat him like a friend. Figure out what the hell made him decide all this was a good idea, sure, but that doesn't have to mean friendship.

[anythingforyou]

Good. It'd likely be a fool's endeavor, anyway.

[Camilla states that very bluntly.]

I don't suspect it's going to end kindly, regardless.

[semistableman]

I'd count on it. He's not going to be won over by friendship and kindness.

[Don't worry, Camilla, Bucky agrees completely.]

We might have to prepare ourselves for an actual battle. Not the kind people normally do here, either.

[anythingforyou]

...Most of us should. But we need to keep the children safe, at the very least.

[Camilla's very serious when she says that much.]

I have no problem going to war with his like, and I'll gladly be a soldier if we should decide to do so. I've done it before, and I'll do it again to render him neutralized...by any means necessary.

[semistableman]

Agreed. I don't want to see any of the kids getting hurt.

[He doesn't want any of their group getting hurt. And it's not like he can really do a whole lot with just the one arm, though he will do what he can.]

I want to hope we'll be prepared next time.