I don't often make posts about rp because who in the hell cares but me? But there's some neat character interaction going on right now that could bloom from a little squabble into a full, international incident. This is so rare in player-driven rp that it's noteworthy. What's more, I'm just happy to be part of it. I don't want to seem that I'm bragging about it, because they're all character-motivated things-- not things we planned out, which just makes them more fascinating. So, to spare those who aren't interested, zee crap is below

So, some background is some time ago, Zidane offered Setzer the position of directing Tantalus and all that entailed. He accepted, using the Clocktower as a Figaroan embassy. As Setzer does, he began to wander with the kids of Tantalus in tow. In his time in the Converged world, he picked up a motley crew, including an old friend (Sabin) who traveled with him. As is typical within the Converged world, he disappeared suddenly, leaving the crew leaderless. Lani, his body guard and I suppose, effectively, first mate stepped up to take over on the theater ship he designed after the Prima Vista.

Now, word gets back to Zidane that Setzer has disappeared. Naturally, he's concerned about the orphans' well-being. However, they've been separated from Setzer's crew by the most recent Convergence event. At first, Zidane is going to go find them himself, but his duties as Regent keep him tied to Lindblum. He had only just returned from a quest to find The Invincible. Lani is there conveniently and he charges her with finding the kids and returning them to Lindblum. She was going to search from them anyway, but (if I remember right) she lacked transportation. He lent her one of the Regent's fleet to find them.

For a long time, he doesn't hear back from Lani until they're barging into Vector's territory with little warning in one of the Regent's ships. Zidane scrambles to send clearance ahead to Vector just in time for them to enter the borders and search the land there for the Prima Donna (the new Tantalus ship).

Again, he hears nothing from her for a long time until he sees one of the crew (Sabin) at the international banquet. Seeking out the Prima Donna on his own, he questions Lani, but never gets around to bringing up the subject of the kids since it seems something else is on her mind. Sabin ambushes Zidane and Garnet the day after the ball and grills Zidane about wanting the kids back. Despite their best efforts, they couldn't convince Sabin that Lani was a worse person than he knew her to be (because fluffy bathrobes and kittens mean-- I don't know, that she can't be all that bad? wtf, Sabin?). They come to the agreement that they all want what's best for the kids, but there's more involved than just his own feelings. Sindri's name came up several times, so Zidane determined they would seek him out and talk with him candidly about Lani.

Zidane and Garnet adopt disguises as repairmen and sneak on through the Aerodome in Bhujerba to the Prima Donna where they meet Sindri. Sindri welcomes them on board and invites them down for drinks. It's in the galley that Zidane reveals his identity (or rather, his cover is blown by one of the kids and he confesses) and explains his reason for deceiving Sindri. Together Zidane and Garnet recount some things about Lani in their travels together. Sindri isn't sure what to think, freaks out, and gathers the children into a room and locks himself in, sobbing uncontrollably.

Not long after that, Lani barges into the galley demanding Zidane's blood. She insists on fighting and carving his flesh, etc., in retaliation for making Sindri flip out (oh, and also for trespassing). Lani is completely beyond reason and rather than leave without the children and allow them a chance to escape, Zidane agrees to confront Lani for the children. The epic battle ensues during which they both Trance. Garnet is doing her best to be white mage support in battle and finally summons Ramuh to help finish Lani off. Shortly after Zidane partially disarms Lani and drives her to her knees, Sabin comes crashing down from above, destroying the stage of the Prima Donna which served as their battlefield.

After a "Shame on you" speech, he throws Zidane and Garnet off the ship. Zidane tells them that if they leave there will be dire circumstances. Garnet tries to plead their case, but leaves with Zidane too. Bloodied as they are, the trespassers can't go back the way they came without raising suspicion, so Zidane takes Garnet through the external (dangerous) route around the Aerodome back to the Hilda Garde III which is also docked there.

I'll have to confer with Garnet about what to do next ICly, but Zidane is leaning heavily toward sending a moogle immediately upon their arrival to Ashe to implore her to order the Prima Donna be locked in port under suspicion of holding children hostage. However, there's a chance Sindri will have fled with the children into the city-- possibly the estate or even the wilderness beyond the city.

On Lani's ship alone, the fight would have been entirely on her jurisdiction. Bhujerba wouldn't have been able to step in except to ban them from docking anymore at the Aerodome. However, with Sindri having fled and Zidane pulling Ashe into this, it will make it a Bhujerban affair and possibly get he and Garnet in all sorts of political trouble.

Obviously, things haven't gone as Zidane has planned. He didn't calculate all the things that could have gone wrong, but that's a perfectly IC thing for Zidane to do. He leaps without looking. Also, he was handling things as he knew how, which meant disguises, sneaking, and lying to get to the heart of the matter. Fighting is also a part of that, but he really didn't come prepared to battle. The stealing onto the ship under a false identity is going to get him, Garnet, and the clerk who allowed them to pass into big trouble as is. It also makes it seem more suspicious since he didn't go through a more official channel or attempt to meet Sindri in a public place to speak with him. Only Garnet, Sindri and the children were witness to Lani being out of her mind and insisting on the fight. There's a chance Sindri won't be able to delivery a steady testimony and Garnet is an accomplice.

On top of all this, Lani keeps insisting Zidane is a hypocrite for calling her a murderer and a kidnapper when he's done the same thing. She insists they're of the same blood and that he has no right taking from her, turning people against her, etc. Zidane wants what's best for the children, but he also knows Lani is right. He has to re-examine his feelings about her, but he doesn't want to languish in that while the kids may still be in danger.

So, there are a whole bunch of sore feelings and conflicted feelings IC. Lani has snapped. Sabin and Sindri has the wrong impression of Zidane. Ashe is going to be pissed that this happened on the tails of what was to be a peaceful gathering. I'm not even sure how big this thing will eventually go, but there could be long-reaching ramifications. The anticipation is very exciting! And that people are so into it make even more enjoyable. I can't wait to see what comes of this!


Fun times.