"So Anyway!" Fishy said as their meeting continued, having now been brought back onto track by Ziu. "Everything that I'm about to say stays in this room. If any of this information is leaked outside, there will be dire consequences."
Whilst no one in the room would ever think of such a thing, they felt the weight of the threat.
Slight nods came from all around as they agreed.
"Alright," said Fishy. "Our enemy is the church, that hasn't changed. But if we declared war against them, we'd be making an enemy of 80% of the world. Not only that, but our city cannot handle full-scale war. If this city went to war, we'd be destroyed."
"I can train them better," Ziu interrupted. "I can improve our recruits and train them to fight quicker than before."
"No, that's not what I want to do. The church attacked us when we sheltered Vogef, but that was it. Which means that both sides are playing cautiously. I don't know why, but if they were going to take us out, they would have done so by now."
"What do we do?" Silmor asked.
"First! We strengthen our borders and prepare scouts towards Tanba."
"Tanba?" Clara asked, "Why Tanba?
"Because they are still annoyed at us."
"He's right," Ziu interrupted. "We've already stopped 10 Tanban suicide bombers this week."
"Then let's go stop them. With your power, Fishy, we can easily take over the city." Clara's suggestion was ignorant, and everyone around the table knew it.
"Why? Fishy replied. "The reason I've decided not to attack Tanba is that there's nothing we can do with it. It's trapped in eternal winter. Its people are starving to death. No leader wants anything to do with it. No one goes against them because if they win then Tanba is left in their hands."
"What? We've been able to accommodate everyone new coming here, so why is Tanba different?"
"Because there are politics involved. It's fine if people from Tanba want to try and brave the blizzard and come here. But if we force them to, that will only put eyes on us."
"Then what do we do?" Clara asked.
"For now we just keep them at bay. We push them back a little, but we never attack."
"..."
Clara had no words at what seemed like the coward before her. She strangely thought differently to Fishy before, but after seeing how he acted recently, she couldn't help but be annoyed.
Her mind rattled around, trying to understand Fishy's logic, but then she rose from her chair and said:
"Alright, but if we are fighting Tanba, I want to be on the front lines."
"What?" Tin said, fearing to lose Clara so soon after they lost her grandfather. "That's stupid. I won't let you."
"I agree with Tin," Silmor said.
"Why? Because I'm weak? Because I'm not Fishy?"
"It's not that…" Tin said, desperately trying to calm Clara down and change her mind.
However…
"Yes," Fishy said. "You are weak."
Clara's face turned with anger as it snapped towards him. The room was silent as Fishy and Clara stared intently at each other.
"What did you say?" She said with a clenched fist. "Who are you to call me weak?"
"Calm down…"
"Why are you the one in charge!" Clara's voice started to raise as she looked down to Fishy who sat below her.
"Why were you put in charge, because you're strong?" She continued.
"Why was it you! Huh! If you're so strong, then why! Why did my grandfather have to die! If it wasn't for you, my Grandfather would still be alive! If you're as strong as you say you are, why didn't you save him! Why isn't he here with us!"
Tears were rolling down her face as her world started to fall apart. Tin tried to approach her, wanting to wipe away the tears they shared, but…
"Hey, Fishy." Clara muttered, "Did you plan all this? Did you want to rule a city so you helped any old random place in need? Were you waiting for him to pass so you could take over?"
She didn't know what she was saying, as her mind was too red with anger. She dragged her body over to the door, unable to look away from the ground that she drowned with her tears.
No one could stop her.
They all watched with fear, worried that after everything that happened, they would quickly return to how things were before Fishy arrived.
And then, SLAM!
Clara had left.
"What do we do?" Silmor asked.
"I'll go talk to her," Tin suggested, already on her feet, but Fishy stood up with a depressed, exhausted sigh.
"No… I'll go."
Even if Fishy was the reason for the current situation, they all had a warmth in their heart, as if they believed that only Fishy could help them.