Zack/S1Lude5

Five_Pillars heads up the stairs again, not to Camel's room, this time, but to see Diamond. He knocks on the door.

Diamond 's voice answers from behind the door. "Who's there?"

Five_Pillars says "Five Pillars."

Diamond takes a few seconds to answer, before it says, "Come in--it's unlocked."

Five_Pillars opens the door gently, stepping into the room.

Diamond sits on the floor, his legs folded into the lotus position. His arms seem to be folded behind his back, and his face is creased in concentration. Sweat runs down his face, leaking past his headband, which is illuminated by the clearly shining castemark of the Zenith that glows straight through the white fabric. In front of him, two feet above the ground, a pebble... floats?

Diamond is barely visible in his movements, but when you look, you can see it--his arm unfolding from behind him, then lunging forward to strike just under the pebble. It comes to rest between his two outstretched fingers, before he retracts his arm just as quickly as it was extended. Twice per second, he lashes out and keeps it 'floating'.

Five_Pillars waits patiently, in silence.

Diamond catches it, and his hand shakes suddenly, causing the pebble to drop to the floor. He grits his teeth and smiles, bemused. "It's always harder to stop." He rises up, and wipes the sweat from his brow. As the castemark slowly fades from sight, he says, "Yes?"

Five_Pillars says "Just wanted to come up and talk to you." He considers, for a moment, before sitting down across from Diamond. "About the raid."

Diamond nods, and sits back down. "Of course."

Five_Pillars says "You did a good job. I mean, everybody did. But when it came down to brass tacks, you were there, in the thick of it, sword to sword with the other Exalt."

Five_Pillars says "Even if you /do/ need to work on hitting him more than you hit me" he grins.

Diamond smirks. "Yes... that was a neat trick, wasn't it? Did you manage to see how the charm worked when he used it on you?" His eyes glint mischeviously. "Or did you intend to give Camel that friendly pat on the chest?"

Five_Pillars says "Well. Nobody ever said they'd fight fair." He grins. "But I know when I need to, we can all count on you to be there." He frowns. "Soran's made a mistake, and we're going to have to deal with it. But it could just as easily have be me lighting things up, and not you, if I'd had to deal with a vicious assault like that. And I would have." He says "Getting yourself killed wouldn't have helped anybody."

Diamond frowns. "It was a lone terrestrial--hardly the most dangerous thing in Creation. I need to learn more control." He nods to Five--no, to behind Five.

Five_Pillars says "Well." he considers a moment. "Do you want to know something, Diamond?" He frowns, as he settles himself."

<Five_Pillars> "One of the saddest ways I've seen a man die is to a garden hoe."

Diamond simply arches his eyebrows, not commenting. If Five himself won't look, we'll get a neat shot of a full-body mirror attached to the back of the door immediately behind the older man.

Five_Pillars says "And it wasn't sad because he was killed by a farmer, or because the hoe still had pigshit all over it."

Five_Pillars says "It was sad because he died because he ignored the man. He underestimated him. You have a noble heart, kid. I can't fault you for that."

Five_Pillars says "But responding credibly to a credible threat isn't a weakness. It's just using the brains your mother gave you."

Diamond allows Five one of his increasingly frequent sad smiles. "I appreciate your coming here--honestly, I do. But this lesson isn't unknown to me, Five Pillars. Soran didn't tell me anything about you, so I can only assume you know as little about me. I spent the better part of the year following my Exaltation alone, in the Desert."--

Diamond capitalizes the D in Desert, and you can hear him do so. "I've crossed the South, and crossed blades with most the South has to throw at a man. I know not to take seemingly innocuous things for harmless--I skirted borders with the fae, for goodness' sake. I know enough not to get killed, old man. The trick is learning enough to avoid getting the rest of you killed in the process."

Five_Pillars says "Well. Don't worry about me." he laughs. "And I think Scarab can take care of herself, too. In her own way."

Five_Pillars says "It's the other two." He considers for a moment. "I can keep an eye on Camel, if you'd help Ciel. I think I noticed that she and you share at least some of the same style." He says "Work with her diamond, if you would. And keep an eye on her."

Diamond just smirks, and brings his hand down on the floor. The pebble bounces up, just half an inch, but that's enough for him to resume the practice of catching the pebble. It's going much slower this time, but it seems to be more a distraction than an exercise anyway.

<Diamond> That's taken care of--Soran is attending to her 'personally'. Honestly, you'd think he didn't trust me with a beautiful woman.

Five_Pillars grins. "Well then. I'm sure Soran is taking care of it." He frowns. "I just hope she can be trusted."

Diamond frowns at that, and looks at Five in the eyes. "You trust the rest of us?"

Five_Pillars says "Depends on what for. I can trust you not to run from danger. I can trust Camel to want to learn more about himself. I can trust Scarab so long as her interests don't diverge too far from ours."

Five_Pillars says "I can trust Syla, so far as her Heavenly job is safe, and she finds us amusing."

Five_Pillars says "It's Soran and Ciel I'm not sure how I can trust."

Diamond just resumes a neutral expression, and focuses on his rock for a little while. "Good. To be honest, none of us should trust each other. It's odd, but we do, in little ways. I shouldn't trust you after that display on the first mission, but I find it far too easy to forgive..."

Diamond continues, after a moment's pause, "And Scarab trusts more than you'd think. She followed me into an obvious trap, anyway. It almost feels as if we're being manipulated. Or directed."

Five_Pillars says "The display." He says "Let me paint you a picture, Diamond."

Diamond interrupts. "Don't."

Diamond says, "You spared the eight guards the other night, when it would have been far easier to do otherwise. I trust you."

Five_Pillars says "Nine." He grins, as he extends his hand. "But make sure you thank Scarab. If you can /find/ her. She carried three of them herself."

Diamond smirks. "Three? Honestly, I don't know why she hides those legs of hers. Incredibly athletic girl, but I suppose that goes with the trade."

Five_Pillars says "Indeed." He raises his eyes to the skylight. "The Sun calls all kinds, I guess."

Diamond takes Five's hand, catching the pebble with his other. "That he does."

<Five_Pillars> Five nods. "So. Do you have any idea where Soran is planning on taking us?"

Diamond sours, as they break the shake. "He's planning on making enough of a distraction to draw the Realm from our supporters here, of course. Then, he's depending on Syla to get us far enough south that we can hit the Desert before they catch up. Our final destination is Gem."

Diamond looks Five in the eyes, "I'm still not certain about it, but I have no better plan."

Five_Pillars frowns. "Well. Some plan is better than no plan." He considers. "I'm going to go ahead and pack now, however. Soran may trust his people, and these walls to hide us, but I plan on being ready to leave immediately, if we have to."

Five_Pillars says "You and Camel are the ones with desert experience. You think you could make sure everyone's preapred for the journey?"

Diamond pauses for a moment, and says, "That, I'm not so sure about. I can feed us, though the food will not be pleasant, and grant us a quick journey, though the going will not be easy. It's the endurance of Ciel I doubt the most, although I have the same reservations for Scarab and you. Spending months travelling the sands wears on you, and if you've never gone through it before, you cannot be certain how you'll cope."

Diamond shakes his head, "The right clothes, the right supplies... those things help, but I've charms to rememdy our needs if those fall through. It's the person that matters the most when you're out there, alone."

Five_Pillars says "Well." He says "I think this old hide of mine is good for a few more years yet" He nods. "Well. I'll see it through. You needn't worry about my resolve. But we'll keep an eye on the others."

Diamond simply responds, "It would be wise."

Five_Pillars nods, as he stands. "Alright then." He nods once more, satisfied, as he leaves, and closes the door behind him. Silly boy, talking to mirrors.

Diamond just focuses on his anima flare, as he once more calls on his charms and tests the limit of his unseen magic.