[@The 42nd Gecko]

Well it's never going to be that easy. Shame what happened to Artoria, personally I didn't really approve of it myself. In hindsight if I didn't make Fran such a weakling, she would've fought to her cessation of existence as well. After all, horny, battle-hungry sex demons are a dime a dozen. It's not as if Fran's unique in any particular regard. Still, Artoria died alone mostly because the only other two who could've stuck around choose to leave; they didn't share your conviction. That meant that in the end, you're the only one following the "stick to your guns" mentality, which is something I'm hoping to fix with this ragtag alliance I'm putting together. Taking desperatos and other misfits who don't like and probably aren't liked by proper authorities and making them rely upon each other. Demons and Miyu need to rely on Graf/Endian because he gives them the respect and resources they want, not Eos. In turn they provide Graf/Endian information/resources he needs to continue conquring the rest of the world for the Machina, because even Graf knows that he doesn't stand a chance against any of the big three, but he can accomplish a lot more if he continues working for them with his own interests.

The difference is just working with what you got. As I said, I'm all up for spitting against the Triumphant myself. But I also know that it'll be suicidal and I lack the means to even get that close to them. I'll have to make due with a different plan, and maybe spit at them once I have the means to get that close and survive the retaliation.

See, I think the issue you got Gecko is that lots of your plans, much like my own, have largely been dependent and carried out on our lonesome. Kinda hard to try the whole "cooperation" angle when all you got is lip service for it. It's why I'm specifically going after Henry and Miyu first and foremost instead of everyone else, because I know those two are going to need the support and can't simply look to some other third or fourth power aside from maybe Helena. But who knows what Helena really wants, while I'm quite transparent with what I intend and will do. Even if you might consider what I've told you thus far "meta knowledge", Endian herself will tell you quite blatantly what she intends, which is effectively what I've been saying this whole time, just that I haven't gotten the opportunity to tell you IC.

Really it's just a matter of getting to you right now, which is something I'm working on as we speak.