[Questing Country]

[mysunnydisposition]

So... I think we've all figured out by now that we're probably here to get this valence, right? Big powerful magic wish-granting whatsit... It's all anyone talks about around here. Can't blame them.

But I've been wondering, if one of us wins it... What do we even use it for? Like... I can think of a few things I want, but somehow I don't feel like 'there's no place like home' is going to work here.

Should we have a plan or something?

Comments

[howexciting]

... on the contrary, I think the Trumps want one of us to win the Valence. It surely cannot be coincidence that we had a wish-granting device this Jaunt and last Jaunt.

But... what do they want it for?

[mysunnydisposition]

I was a little out of the loop in Melasurei because of... angel things... [ She means murder plots.] ...but what did the last one get used for?

Because whatever it was... obviously didn't make them happy.

Private

[howexciting]

... I had to wish for a grand miracle, so the Name would return to Heaven on its own, to force it back out of Melasurei. I used it to turn the Peregrines effectively into Immortali.

It was either that, or let it be sold to the demon army.

private

[mysunnydisposition]

...oh. Well. That sounds like a really good way to use it, to me.

Do you think it was supposed to go to hell? Not that I'd be surprised, I guess. No one ever said the Trumps'd be fair about this...

Perma-private

[howexciting]

I thought so at the time, but... it was not how the Trumps wanted it to be used, as evidenced by the Liminal Space after.

... I had initially thought the Devil responsible for our last Jaunt, which is why I believed later it was supposed to go to the demon army. Now we are going after the Valence, but there is no demon army. They must want it used for something else.

[mysunnydisposition]

Yeah. At least last time there were some pretty obvious choices. Here... everyone has a different idea what to do with it. And probably all us Travelers do too, if one of us gets our hands on it.

It's not like they're giving us a lot of clear pointers in any particular direction here. I guess we just... do our best and hope?

[howexciting]

... the Trumps never have been the most straightforward about their goals, only rewarded us when we succeeded. It is frustrating to know after the fact how we fared, and yet... that is how the Trumps seem to prefer it. Keeping us in the dark, as it were.

Regardless, I will not go after the Valence. My bondmates might, but I am strongly trying to discourage it. It seems unnecessary in our case.

[inexecution]

[He's not really sure making comparisons to the last Jaunt is really a good thing, but...]

If the Trumps want it, they want it for themselves. All the more reason not to go after it.

[howexciting]

... it would make sense. But if we are to go on a string of Jaunts with wish-granting objects in them, and fail each one by refusing...

[Let's just say he doesn't like the idea of being punished over and over.]

What is more disconcerting is that they feel they need it, for some reason.

[inexecution]

It might show them that we're not just their tools.

[Consequences be damned, basically. Could it really be much worse than what they've already done to various Travelers already?]

Well, they can't do everything, or they wouldn't need us. Maybe someone wants a short-cut.

[howexciting]

... I am used to it. I can understand your concern.

[... it could probably get worse. But that is neither here nor there.]

But who? Surely not all of them. Some group must want it more than the others.

[inexecution]

I am too, but that doesn't mean I enjoy it.

[Now that he knew better, anyway.]

I'm not sure that's something we can determine yet. We don't know them well enough to judge, though I think we know at least one who prefers having things their way.

[howexciting]

That particular Trump is one of my first suspects, in truth.

[If he could make audiovisual posts, Souji might hear a sigh right now.]

It is, indeed, only a theory. I am not sure we can ever determine anything about our situation, given that the Trumps are so tight-lipped.