[b]Eli:[/b] “No, no, I mean, yeah, but I meant like, if the houses have themes then what’s the typical diagram of interacting with each other? Like, if one represents more mad science and scholar stuff so you can have those mad scientists in it, and another is more hard traditionalist knights and feudal honour, what usually happens when those two mix? Like, do they tend to feel mutually superior to each other for being progressive and traditionalist, or do they kind of end up having a mutual respect for each other’s level of commitment or ambition or… Actually no, ignore literally all of that, I think showing it in a few individuals is the best way to do it, you’re totally right, it’s like synechdoche - I think that’s the word I want, when you use a piece to represent the whole? Like, couples that represents the entire house dynamic. So at least two each, one kind of like - you want a rivalry relationship where they’re antagonistic for the reasons you’d expect their houses to be, and one romantic one where they actually work for the reasons they work well together. I guess you can use one relationship to show both, though? That’d be spicy.” “For starting points, I guess like, have you ever tried to compare notes when you’ve tried to date the same person? Like, oh yeah they’re great with Red, but absolutely don’t go anywhere near Black, that kind of thing? Would that be anything for you? Otherwise I have to get into like, fandom shit to show you what I mean, haha.” She’s actually paused in her walking, like the destination’s too close but this bit of the conversation’s too interesting to interrupt right now. [b]Knightly[/b] “I’m a leader, not an agent.” Knightly shakes his head. “It’s good advice, but people are looking to me to lead by example. If the conspiracy is as real as you say, then it’s even more important the people I’ve pulled into this can’t see me acting like a broken shell of a drunk. Worse, if it stops being an act, people aren’t going to know I need help.” His smile is charmingly self-deprecating. “No, ma’ams, I’m afraid the admiral stands on deck with the red jacket and the brown trousers and accepts he might get a whiff of grapeshot for it.” He pulls a digital whiteboard from the corner of his office. He presses a thumb against the frame and demands in a clear voice; “SES organizational chart, most recent.” The e-ink just below the surface of the whiteboard fills out the shape. [img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/401980784975806474/1165695924840960070/SES_Diagram.jpg[/img] Knightly grabs a green and red pen and begins scrawling on it. “Green means they’re one of mine. Red means I’m suspicious of them. Easy enough, right?” [img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/678663207837106216/1165698308157739159/SES_Diagram_Marked_Up.jpg[/img] “They definitely don’t have security, which is interesting to me. I think they were scared if they got it wrong, then they’d lose everything else to a sweep. Right now they’re more a terrain risk for both of us, since I’m not about to win a game of he-said she-said right now. They have more people than I thought, though. Or at least, I think they do. I think this means they couldn't get the chief administrator directly, so they had to cherry pick their priorities as best they could underneath it. That's the only thing that makes this pattern make sense to me, anyway." [b]Monk:[/b] “See, I think that’s the kind of thing she wanted me to do, but…” Monk-as-Ribaldry puts her weapons down on a coffee table behind her, just so she can hold out all three of her right hands and, in perfect synchronicity, wibble them back and forth. “You know?” “It does lose some of the impact from repetition.” Singh agrees. “I hope you don’t plan on doing this with every Zodiac engine you find, they’re not all going to want the same things you do.” Oh god he’s using Dad Voice with that one. “She is such a [i]little[/i] sister sometimes.” Monk agrees. “Did you not give her enough attention, when it was her turn?” “What? No, of course I did, we loved her just as much.” Singh sounds mortally offended until his brain catches up to the question enough to actually think about it. Then, under his breath, he adds, “Though, the novelty had worn off and it was getting a bit routine at that point. Did that change anything, I wonder?” Monk slackens a knee to lean with arms crossed over her chest and makes an ‘mmhm’ noise. “Maybe that’s why [i]Snakebite’s[/i] such a little drama queen. You know she recognized me while I was performing and, [i]during my act[/i] she started throwing stuff at me just like I threw rocks at Ox. Yes, it’s sweet that she remembered that-” “Performing?” “I do live theater, now.” “How lovely.” Singh claps his hands together and beams proudly. “You were a very convincing avenging spirit. You’re not really mad at me?” “We just thought-” Monk switches to Monkey, “By the time we got out, you’d lived the rest of your life. And we’re… not Monkey anymore.” There’s no irony in her choice of face to say this with. It’s her internal expert on who she used to be, and only a fraction of who she is now. “I thought going back to this part of my past might just make it harder to move forward.” That cuts Singh deep. “Did I do anything wrong?” “No.” Monk shakes her head. “I mean, if that time is painful to revisit, was there anything more we could have-” “No. It’s painful because it was good, Dad.” Monkey emphasizes, gentle but firm. Tranquliity switches in, that calm blue face. “And there is suffering in wanting the things we cannot have.” Singh calms down. He takes a hand away from his chest and fumbles his fishing vest for an inhaler, and he finds it in the third pocket he pats. “Well. Do you feel like that now that you’re here?” Tranquility looks to Orange first. “No. It’s really good to see you both.”