The house of PUNCH

[nietzsche_waifu]

[You've been invited to the Kwan family house - which turns out to be but a small, practically arranged home. Sure, the surroundings are swarming with barely-hidden security agents and it's probably a step or two up from what a normal Gucun citizen can afford... but still, a Chairman General could live in a giant, luxurious mansion if he so desired.

He did not. And more importantly, neither did Devon - who is sitting in the living room equivalent on a simple chair, thoughtful and serious like a ruler of a vast empire in her throne room.]

You came, good. It'll be a while yet before dinner - my daughters are still busy playing outside. But I promise it will be edible.

...

Do you think I should stay here, in the State?
Give me your sincere opinion.

Comments

[saikyocivrobo]

Hmm...

I don't think staying would be much like you, no.

[nietzsche_waifu]

It's not about me.

It's about the State.
Han Zhi is doing a good job running Gucun during my and Cheng's absence.

But being absent for such a long time...
It can't be good.

[saikyocivrobo]

I see.

It's certainly better for Gucun if it had its actual leaders around, not just an appointed right hand man playing replacement. Look at what happened in Zeon because its queen decided to run around with White Chalice and play soldier instead of ruling stuff.

[nietzsche_waifu]

It's not the same. Han Zhi is not just a hastily nominated replacement. His work was what managed to put Gucun on its legs. Without him... I'm sure we would not succeed.

As for Zeon... Haman Karn is part of the problem, not the solution.

[Oh boy, I hope there aren't any outside agents eavesdropping. Or we'd have a political scandal in the making.]

[saikyocivrobo]

It's the same principle though. Even a very good replacement is still inferior to the real thing. And I'm sure the people don't like how their leader is running around the whole world, chasing phantoms, instead of actually governing them.

[nietzsche_waifu]

Han Zhi said something different - that people of Gucun are happy to have an active Chairman General, who goes out to the world to cave skulls in, rather than growing fat and lazy.

...

As far as I can tell, he is right.

[saikyocivrobo]

You're running a strange country, you know that?

[nietzsche_waifu]

Would you expect a country I'm running to be normal?

[saikyocivrobo]

I don't think I even need to answer this, do I?

Well then. Which option will it be? Stay, or leave?

[nietzsche_waifu]

It's not a choice I can make so quickly. Or haphazardly.

[saikyocivrobo]

That was a trick question, actually. If you answered it already, it'd probably mean you made a decision beforehand, and now are just asking me for confirmation.

[nietzsche_waifu]

Am I the kind of person who needs confirmation on her actions?

[saikyocivrobo]

It's the opposite. If someone thinks something you want to do is a bad idea, you're even more eager to prove them wrong.

[nietzsche_waifu]

Ha... you got a point there.

[saikyocivrobo]

Well then.

What's for dinner?

[nietzsche_waifu]

Gucun Surprise.

[saikyocivrobo]

It's going to have gunpowder in it, isn't it.

[nietzsche_waifu]

Only enough to add to the taste.

[saikyocivrobo]

I'm looking forward to it already.

[rushing_wings]

How edible are we talking?

[Oh look Ichi is avoiding giving an opinion on that.]

[nietzsche_waifu]

You won't die, and probably won't get an indigestion either.
Probably.

[rushing_wings]

That's not reassuring!

[nietzsche_waifu]

Let me put it this way.
I'm the head of a family of four, myself included. If my food was inedible, don't you think they'd notice?

[rushing_wings]

Well one of them is Cheng...

[nietzsche_waifu]

Even he can take only so much abuse in a given time.

Trust me, I know what I am talking about.

[emorangerpink]

...The Chalice has lots of fighters, even if it always seems like we could do with more.

Gucun only has one Chairman General, and one Yun Li. So the real question is, what does Gucun need that only you two can do?

[nietzsche_waifu]

Punch misbehaving politicians into obedience.

Or rather, provoke them into a position when this punching is acceptable.

[Not sure how serious this answer is.]

[emorangerpink]

Somehow I suspect you do more here than that.

But out with the Chalice, you represent Gucun on the spot for all the crises that flare up out there. That's valuable too.

And I don't suppose either you or Cheng would want to stay here with the girls while the other goes with the Chalice.

[nietzsche_waifu]

I do not actually do that much. Han Zhi handles most of the details - I am a warrior, not a politicial or an organiser. All I have is a vision, a direction for this country to follow - and I make sure it does not stray from its path.

That aside, we shouldn't split. Being together is what gives us strength.

[emorangerpink]

So if you're confident in Han Zhi, and don't think it puts the girls in too much danger, it make sense to stay with the Chalice.

Of course, I'm biased. Having you with us is what I'm used to - I only saw a little of your life in Gucun.

[nietzsche_waifu]

White Chalice is the single most powerful force in Earth Sphere. That makes it both a safe place, and a target.

...

Once this whole mess is over, you will be able to see more. Of my life, I mean.

[emorangerpink]

I think it's safe to say the girls couldn't be any safer than they are with their mother. And their father and godparents aren't exactly slouches, either.

Once it's over... that'll be something to see. With everything that's been happening lately, everything that's still coming to a head... I wonder if there'll be one big dramatic event to end all the chaos or if we'll just look around one day and realize nothing's trying to blow up the planet any more.

Either way, it'll be nice to be part of one another's ordinary lives. If you can call your situation ordinary...

[nietzsche_waifu]

Ha, I wonder myself. It surely would be easier if it was the former.

One way or another, it will be over one day. And until that happens... let us protect all things that are precious to us.

[hobo_lantern]

So... no food?

[nietzsche_waifu]

Food comes later. I wanted to talk first.

[hobo_lantern]

Talk is cheap. Food is costly.

[nietzsche_waifu]

I know.

Which is why we're having it later.

[hobo_lantern]

Promise?

I guess I should answer your question then. I think you should stay in White Chalice. AND RULE THE COUNTRY FROM HERE!

[nietzsche_waifu]

That's not easy when the country to rule is so far away.

Not easy - or rather, almost impossible.

[hobo_lantern]

Can't you rule by IM or something? Why do you need to be here in person?

[nietzsche_waifu]

Would you rather if other individuals told you about what is happening, or experience it yourself?

This is why being on location is important.

[hobo_lantern]

Well, I understand the thing about experiencing things. Since that's my reason to travel.

But what things do you need to experience in Gucun by yourself anyway? I thought ruling a country is mostly just about sitting in a boring old room all day long. You can experience that anywhere.