In Which Zetta Ponders His Options [Open]

[badassfreakingoverlord]

The sensorium took on the image of the Netherworld, specifically the Overlord's Castle. Titanic stone walls covered on every sign of opulence -- paintings, tapestries, other wall hangings, framing large statues of armor than seemed requisite for such a setting. Down the immense, red-carpeted hall and through the doors to the throne room, one might see the Overlord, sitting on a throne meant for his body, not his book-self, and frowning.

For the first time since he'd woken up on this ship, with no Netherworld, no body, nothing but his raw mana power and his determination to get everything back, he was beginning to doubt that it was possible.

"They don't care," he said to himself. "They lost their worlds, but life on this freakin' ship is so great they don't care about getting them back. They don't care about their friends in the pods. They don't care about the worlds the Ohm are destroying.

"...And I call myself evil?"

Not that he cared about losing the election. It was who he lost to, and the message that it sent, that left him sitting there in anger and frustration and quiet horror.

"How the hell am I supposed to do this by myself?"

Comments

[ronnae.livejournal.com]

Ronnae had walked into the sensorium not even noticing it was in use. She was in casual clothing, hood up, head down, hands in pocket. She was lost in thought and it seemed her feet were in the mood to carry her into situations she would have otherwise thought twice about heading to.

[badassfreakingoverlord]

This isn't a terrible one, as far as situations go. Aside from the book, the castle was empty, abandoned though not neglected. Thick carpeting muffled footsteps, and the Overlord was entirely internally-absorbed, so no challenge came as she walked forward.

[ronnae.livejournal.com]

After a bit of aimless walking she paused and looked up to see where she was at. She blinked a bit confused before noticing the book. She sighed, but she was here, and walking back out would seem rude.

She made her way and sat on the floor beside him looking around. "So this is the Netherworld huh? Pretty unique." She just assumed most everyone who used the sensoriums would recreate places they're from.

[badassfreakingoverlord]

The Overlord looked up wearily. "This was my Overlord's Castle, yeah."

[ronnae.livejournal.com]

Ronnae whistled. "You weren't lying huh. I bet this place was filled with all sort of minions running around. I guess every overlord needs a huge castle. That was the trend back home too. Black Temple, Tempest Keep, Serpentshrine Cavern."

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

"Do what by yourself?" asked Zouichi, looking around. He'd heard someone's voice and come to investigate. Okay, the book was talking. That was a little weird. The book also looked depressed, which was even weirder.

[badassfreakingoverlord]

"Beat the Ohm," Zetta said listlessly. "Then wish my Netherworld back."

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

"Isn't everyone here to beat the Ohm?" he asked, confused. "I thought that was why we were brought here."

[badassfreakingoverlord]

"Apparently, people would rather make peace with 'em," Zetta said. He managed to muster up enough disgust to make his opinion clear.

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

Oh, yes. Now Zouichi remembered.

"Ah, you must be one of the candidates for the election just recently. I assume you were unsuccessful in your campaign?

"As I recall, several of the candidates professed a wish to reconcile with the Ohm. If that's possible, would it not be preferable to further conflict?"

[lackofdarkwings.livejournal.com]

There was one person headed for Zetta's castle and he touched down quietly in the grounds. Matt didn't really tell anyone he could FLY, but he only saved it for special occasions, mostly when he had to get across the city asap.

"Zetta I know you're in here," called out Matt. "The castle's a dead giveaway."

[badassfreakingoverlord]

"Well, at least you recognize the fact the castle is so badass it could only be worthy of me," he said from in the throne room, slightly mollified. "It's all open."

[lackofdarkwings.livejournal.com]

"I can see that," said Matt as he stepped up towards Zetta.

"I saw the announcement." said Matt after a moments pause. "I abstained, but that's because I'm council head. Still, if it were me, I'd have voted for you in a heartbeat."

[badassfreakingoverlord]

"'Peace and love' sells," Zetta said. "Easy to say, easy to vote for. People don't want to hear 'let's get something done'. They'd rather wait around for someone to do it for us."

[lackofdarkwings.livejournal.com]

"I know the feeling. I'm an action guy myself." admitted Matt with a shake of his head.

"Still, I feel like you could do more. I'd need to talk to the council about it... but I could use someone who can poke holes my logic since the others tend to just agree on my final decision. Considering that I am teaching one of your apprentices how to shoot lightning..."

Matt grinned. "Humor a teenager? I mean, I don't have the final say but I'd like to see about involving everyone more."

[teethofneedles.livejournal.com]

"Voting is for suckers anyway," Karis griped. She'd ducked in a few minutes ago. "...shit, they elected the two people who probably the most against everything I stand for. Bunch of damn goody-two-shoes..."

[badassfreakingoverlord]

"The Vindicator is too goody-two-shoes to cause any real harm," Zetta said. "Can't steer an Elekk, but that doesn't count. It's making peace with the Ohm that really tears my pages."

[teethofneedles.livejournal.com]

"Maybe. I trust her to be a self-righteous bitch and that's about it."

The undead plopped herself down next to the throne. "Make peace with them... understand them... Why? What's the point in understanding something that just wants to kill you? That burned our worlds out from under us?"

[badassfreakingoverlord]

"Yup. Well, 'peace and love' sells, as a message. No pretending otherwise. I didn't think I'd get the vote." He made a motion that wasn't at all a shrug, because he had no shoulders. "But for everyone to be a peace-lover? That's pretty alarming."

[teethofneedles.livejournal.com]

"Fuck peace," Karis groused, "This is war! We don't have time to try and understand the Ohm's feelings!"

She slumped, cradling her halberd. "...shit, I wish we could just put the military in charge and run with it. But people gotta have their 'voting'."

[on_errantry]

Rhiow had spent a good deal of the day sidled, creeping invisibly around the ship to avoid any congratulations. She didn't want people to congratulate her. She had now stepped so far out of the bounds of her culture that she wasn't sure she counted as a feline anymore.

But it was for the good of the ship as a whole, and because of that in a couple days she would steel herself and get to work.

She rarely came to the sensoriums outside of visiting others - but when she slipped into the room and heard what Zetta had to say, she stepped sideways out of invisibility. "If you think I don't care about all the lives that were lost, you're incredibly wrong."

[badassfreakingoverlord]

What the--?!

Oh. It's the cat. Zetta's moment of surprise faded, and the book was back to listless depression.

"All life is equal," the book said dully. "I seem to recall that being in your thing somewhere."

[on_errantry]

"I did say that. It's in my Oath." Rhiow pulled her whiskers back in a feline smile. "I'm still a carnivore - the Powers don't ask us to give up our nature. And we're still at at war. Minimizing casualties is a good thing, but the obliterated my universe, and I don't forgive destruction on that scale."

Her claws came out. Nobody could call one of the People a pacifist.

[badassfreakingoverlord]

"It's only that peace-with-the-Ohm chick I'm really worried about -- that and the people who voted for her," Zetta said. The fact that so many people had frankly scared him. What kind of idiots were ON this ship? "You.... same deal as the alleged Prince and the Vindicator. Peace and love for everyone on the ship. That seems to be the message here."

He made a disgusted grumble. "Not surprised I lost to that. It sells."

[on_errantry]

Rhiow couldn't help it - she burst out laughing. "Is that what you think I meant? I work with tomcats for a living, I know better than to assume we're going to sit around grooming each other all day. My job is to make sure crew members aren't going to get forgotten or left behind because of what they are."

No wonder Zetta was in an awful mood if that was what he thought she stood for.