Ex parte

[viditlibertas]

Who: Al Saiduq (NPC version), generic NPC civilians, and you!
Where: Libra Ward, anywhere within it.
Summary: There still seems to be some civil unrest in Hinoto-Ri. You may want to help that floating albino guy deal with it...
Warnings: Possible discussions of the Anoli attack, NPCs being NPCs.

Saiduq was not one who...walked. He could do the motion like most other humanoid-beings, but it felt awkward and unnatural to one who was not beholden to gravity. If he wanted to go from point A to point B, he teleported, or flew. That was it. Even Hinoto-Ri hadn't given him a need to alter that pattern.

Apparently that had drawn the ire of a few people, however, given he'd been all but dragged in to an anti-Guests conversation. And yet, despite the nature of the conversation, he didn't seem aware that his hovering and curious, neutral speaking tone were just irritating the citizens even more. If anything, he just seemed to grow even more confused as the civilians grew more aggravated. Dare you get involved?

((If you tag in, we'll set up the overheard conversations. So, please wait for both the NPC and this account to tag before responding!))

Comments

[ghost_shield]

Hmmm.

Seems like things are getting a little firey around here. That's no good. He wonders if he should get involved in this. Still, he supposes it couldn't hurt to try, right?

"Excuse me, folks, what seems to be the problem here?" he asks, looking around, his posture in as non-confrontational a fashion as possible.

[hinoto_npcs]

“The problem?” the ringleader snapped, turning upon the newcomer instantly. “The problem are people like you! You’re one of the visitors, aren’t you?! You’re the cause of all the trouble in the city!”

[hinoto_npcs]

“Yeah!” another young man crowed. “The attack on the stadium was only because of you visitors! The Anoli would have left us alone otherwise!”

[viditlibertas]

Saiduq gave the man providing assistance a curious look, before turning back to the irate group with a more blank expression.

"Was it not the mayor who called the Anoli to the stadium? I had thought that was the situation."

[ghost_shield]

Nick nods. "Well, he was the one who initially proposed using the tendency towards rumors coming true as a method of luring in the Anoli. Which was a pretty stupid and nasty idea to begin with."

He turns back to the angry crowd. "I'm terribly sorry you feel that way. We're still rather confused as to the reasoning behind our summoning here ourselves. It troubles me that our presence is causing you all any problems. Perhaps there's something we can do to rectify the problem? I'm sure many of us would leave you all if we could, but since we're here, we might as well find a way to coexist." He expects the requests to be... less than reasonable, but diplomacy requires attempting to find a middle ground.

[hinoto_npcs]

"We want all the benefits you strangers are getting!" the ringleader demanded. The crowd shouted their aggressive agreement. "How can we cooexist if you bring us danger, and steal precious resources from us natives?!"

[viditlibertas]

"I have accepted none of the resources or benefits Visitors have received here."

So, there. You're equal to one person, Ringleader NPC.

[ghost_shield]

Nick frowns. "I understand. Or, at least, I understand how you must feel seeing us arriving and provided for. May I ask your own circumstances? I would love to advocate for your behalf, and perhaps help come to a mutually beneficial arrangement, or as best I can get, but I'd like to know how we're impacting you personally," he says, directly to the ringleader.

No confrontational tone. No aggressive or defensive posture. Keep relaxed, calm... and more importantly, turn the conversation back on the aggressor.

Verbal judo.

[hinoto_npcs]

"This isn't about me, or any individual. This is about Hinoto-Ri as a whole, and the entire native population!" the ringleader parried, not even stumbling or missing a beat. "If we come to any 'mutually beneficial arrangement', it would be between the visitors and the citizens of Hinoto-Ri. Not myself and you."

[hinoto_npcs]

"Not that we can! I mean, what can you offer us anyway? That guy says he hasn't accepted any of the resources, but plenty others have! One guy isn't gonna change anything!"

But an angry mob can change things - for the worse.

[viditlibertas]

"If this is how you feel, then I suppose all we can offer is an apology."

It was subtle, but Saiduq had moved towards Nick by then, just in case he needed to teleport him away.

[ghost_shield]

Hmmm. Interesting how he avoided that.

Nick nods. "In that case, allow me, as a representative of the visitors, to discuss with you, as a representative of the natives, precisely the situation. Either way, there is no need to risk escalation, especially when doing so would simply result in potential damage to native property more than it would a resolution of the situation." He points to himself. "And I would find it much easier to know what to bring up among my colleagues if I knew more about the down-on-the-ground situation." His eyes darken. "The government isn't exactly the best at providing us information either, after all."