the messenger (2025)

[darcangel]

🕊️ Who: Jeannette d'Arc & YOU!
🕊️ When: March 4 & shortly after
🕊️ Where: Your email inbox, and also Matsuba
🕊️ What: TIDINGS FROM THE MAID.
🕊️ Warnings: Chuuni so thick you could cut it with a holy sword.

[ So you know how the Director of the Dreamer Union messaged all Dreamers about the Disturbance? Yeah? A day or so later, somebody has a Reply All Incident. And everybody gets this in their inboxes.

Enjoy. ]

From: jehamne@dreammail.com
To: [ dreamer union email goes here ]
Subject: RE: Disturbance Updates

✝ JHESUS MARIA ✝
Dear and good friend, Director Chloe Yoshino: Jeanne the Maid, Dreamer La Pucelle, sends thanks for your missive and commends the Dreamers she fought alongside. It is good to know that only by working together may we prevent Disturbances, or end them quickly, for the sake of the Disturbance's center and the good folk of our town.

I therefore beg and entreat you to form a Dreamer Union Army with me at the head as Commander of War. An angel declares I have the qualifications to command such a force. Were it not for her recommendation I would not speak to you thus, as it is not my station; but she claims I can best protect Yumemigaoka in this way.

Know that by "army" I do not mean a faceless rank and file which seeks victory by force of numbers. That helps no one. Instead I ask that you let me oversee the dispatching of Dreamers where each individual can do the most good, using their unique skills to support each other, for "so long as the commander gives the right orders and each soldier does their best, one can find a way to win any battle". Thus also spake the angel. As I am soon to graduate, I offer the whole of my time to this cause, save of course the Sabbath.

When I speak of this matter to others, they do not believe; so it may be that you or your counselors may request I offer some sign by which you know my words are true. And I say to you, in God's name I did not come to make signs; but send my army into the Dream Sphere, and I shall show you the sign for which I am sent.

Do you set me bravely to work, and I will drive the Torments from Yumemigaoka, and make a good and lasting peace.

God bless and keep you. Reply soon.

JEANNE

Written this Shrove Tuesday in the year of our Lord 2025

[ ......If you would rather speak to Jeannette in PERSON, she'll be found around the Domremy Apartments. Catch her sometime on Wednesday the 5th and she'll have her bangs pulled off her face and ashes smeared in a cross on her forehead. LENT HAS BEGUN. IS THAT NOT EXCITING?! ]

Comments

mail;

[traceofeffort]

[It takes a long time for Lisa to read through the e-mail. Director Yoshino's message was much as it always was, and while she felt a certain amount of ironic satisfaction at the Union finally noticing people on hard times tended to yield Disturbances, that left her wondering if she was next. So she set it aside and tried very hard not to think about it, until the ping of a second Dreamer Union message came in, this time......... huuuuuh.]

I'm still working through some of this, but you didn't get any less ambitious while you were gone, did you, Jeannette?

[darcangel]

I merely wish to protect my home and the people I love.

[traceofeffort]

We're in agreement on that. And in that sense, you've got my support any time you need it. Or, well. Not right NOW, though, I'm on a leave of absence for a bit. But when I get back, I'm all about protecting my home.

[Jeannette, who has recently heard Lisa's opinion on what home and heart are, likely doesn't need a reminder.]

Even if I think "army" is kind of a strong word.

[darcangel]

You, too.....?

[ Everyone seems to focus on the word "army" and she does not understand why. ]

[traceofeffort]

Well, for starters, remember that Japan is a country that doesn't even truly HAVE an army - we told ourselves we're not allowed to. So those of us that grew up here aren't really used to it, and it sounds really alarming that we need one.

But for another thing, look at the way we fight. We all do really different things, move at different speeds, have different ranges. So it's hard to say that we're a big, coherent fighting force with an expected way to take care of things - the thing most of us think of when you say the word "army" - when you and I can't even fight one Torment the same way. But if I'm reading your message right, I don't think that was what you wanted to make anyway?

[darcangel]

[ ....What Lisa is describing is exactly what Zeke had described when he had failed to understand. Jeannette's heart sinks. How odd that so many people can think different things when they hear the word "army". ]

Not in the slightest. Our differences are our strength. I wish merely to coordinate those strengths to make the most of them. To help each Dreamer be themselves even better, and work together!

Would that Chloe Yoshino reply to me soon so I may show what I mean.

[traceofeffort]

Director Yoshino might take a while to get back to you. Junna, through no fault of her own, is the source of a lot of chaos at the Dreamer Union right now, and the Director is probably stuck sorting things out and herding cats. Forget fighting Torments, have you ever tried to get a group of Dreamers to work on one project?

But, if I can guess... you're thinking more of a moving-pieces-into-place kind of role. Have me go shield someone from a powerful Torment. Tell a long-range specialist to go take out an annoying artillery-type from cover. Have Chaosbringer-san hold a point by waving his sword at the enemy. Not... a single organization that moves with a single purpose and a single strategy, but a collective of many individuals with the same goal, and you directing traffic?

[darcangel]

God bless you, Lisa. You understand....

[traceofeffort]

I really was guessing a little, so I'm glad I was on the mark. But you know you don't need a literal army for that, right? Most of us have never fought for real before - we just have Sandglasses and want to do our parts. So if you guide us, and let us know ahead of time you're watching the whole battlefield and you're sending us where our friends need us, most of us will listen to you even without being formally asked to do it, because we have no idea what we're doing and someone who sounds like they DO is a boon. [Lisa briefly scowls at her phone; why does the Director send these plaintext, does she have to learn HTML or something to format her writing-] That way we can focus on shaping our powers and not battlefield tactics. You don't have to be something fancy like the Dreamer Union Armed Forces Commander of War or something. You just need to be Dreamer La Pucelle, whose specialty is command and control.

The problem is that you need to be able to see everything and still talk to us, though. I know I don't have a walkie-talkie power, and it doesn't seem like it fits with your powers either.

[darcangel]

[ People will follow her....because she is Dreamer La Pucelle.....? Not because she is commander of war.......Jeannette's heart warms. She doesn't want people to follow her because they have to, after all. (She had a whole fight with Chaosbringer about that.) She wants them to follow her because her directions will help them. And Lisa is saying she can do that without an official position.....?

She'll have to consult her angel. But this is a very kind message to receive. ]

My angel has such an ability. I can consult her, but I know not if it can be taught....

[ No, she can't leave such a wonderful compliment unaddressed. She can't stay on topic. ]

Until that problem is solved, how can I best repay your great faith in me?

[traceofeffort]

Our Powers are tied to our dreams for ourselves, right? So if it's something you really want, I think you can learn to do almost anything. It just takes longer if it doesn't really, ah, fit? Like, I told Chaosbringer the other day, I probably COULD learn to be invincible... it'd just take me a while, since my image of how I protect people is with shields. Definitely ask her, though?

[She kinda remembers the angel thing coming up, and she believes Jeannette gets her optimism and her mission from somewhere, just. She puts that woman up on a pedestal and she's... curious.]

Repay me? Jeannette, I meant what I said earlier. So if you want to help me... guide me. I don't think I make good decisions a lot of the time on how to protect everyone, and someone to look over my shoulder would be... really appreciated. Not just in the Dream Sphere, either, I can go a little crazy on this side, too, but that's probably a little too much to ask of you.

[darcangel]

Not at all! I am honored you think my judgment so sound, and aim to live up to it.......! If I can be of the smallest assistance, you have my aid whenever you wish, on any matter.

For you have been a great aid to me today!!

[traceofeffort]

I'll be counting on your support, then. But first... I think I need to make sure a certain person is okay, or it's going to be a while before I'm in any mental state to fight anything.

Speaking of support, if we don't have anything to fight, you sure seem to have a talent for morale boosting. I don't know what you did before you jumped down there, but... a girl could get addicted to that.

[darcangel]

So long as it helped, nothing could please me more. It is meant to encourage others to do their best, and to improve their fighting skill....

Though it has recently developed an activation requirement. I shall try not to sing anything too at odds with your bass.

[traceofeffort]

I'm not exactly a session bassist, but I should be able to figure something out to keep up with you in a pinch. You probably won't get any backing vocals, though, sorry. It's the same way with Hibiki-chan, I'm just part of the mix.

[Anything Lisa can sing that's compatible with "holy saint" is too anime for Jeannette's needs.]

[darcangel]

[ Believe in yourself, Lisa: Jeannette is ALSO powered by Elements Garden! ]

Making music with you is splendid enough. I am a poor singer, but if you do not mind harmonizing with me, I am in your care!

[ Reality check: she's not a lyrics-belter. But she does ok. Very sweet voice. ]

[traceofeffort]

I'm never going to complain about getting to play, and I'm probably never going to complain about getting to sing. I'm with you as long as you'll have me.

[darcangel]

Then let our music resound through the Dream Sphere, and protect our good friends.