The Council of Four Beasts:

Dragon

Phoenix

Unicorn

Ninetail

Venue: The Celestial Conclave

The Celestial Conclave perches upon a floating island suspended in the uppermost reaches of the skies and serves as a sanctified meeting ground for the Council of Four Beasts.

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Phoenix: A meeting of such gravity requires a chairman versed in tradition. I nominate myself.

Ninetail: How noble of you! No one could possibly carry the burden of responsibility like you. Perhaps we should all step aside, lest we tarnish the brilliance of your tradition with our unworthy presence?

Dragon: Enough. We don't need games. What we need is a swift discussion, not another performance. If anyone should preside, it's the one who'll get us through this efficiently. I'll take the chair.

Unicorn: I'm afraid efficiency without harmony is merely haste. We are here to deliberate, not to rush to conclusions.

Phoenix: Harmony sounds convenient when it lets you sit at the head of the table, doesn't it?

Unicorn: It's all connected if you think about it.

Ninetail: Why not just flip a coin? Or would that be too predictable for us?

Phoenix: Particularly when you toss a coin...

Dragon: That's enough. Unicorn, preside. Now, can we get started?

Unicorn: Very well. I will preside over this meeting, though let us not forget that a chair is but a human place to sit—it holds no sway over wisdom.

Phoenix: How poetic of you. One wonders if your wisdom will be enough to keep us in line.

Ninetail: I give him one minute before Dragon interrupts.

Dragon: One second, if we keep wasting time like this.

Unicorn: Then, let us begin. Today's agenda includes several questions. We start with the first matter: the nature and interpretation of the prophecy about the girl and the dragon. Before we dive into the meaning of the prophecy, let us first address the obvious: it speaks of a dragon, yet the Dragon Sect seems to have nothing to do with it. Dragon, can you explain?

Phoenix: Indeed. The prophecy foretells the appearance of a dragon, and yet it seems this particular dragon was not under your watch. A curious oversight.

Ninetail: Well, well. Looks like the mighty Dragon Sect lost their sense of smell. Or perhaps the pink dragon was never in your story to begin with?

Dragon: We anticipated many things. But not this. The pink dragon is... an unexpected outlier. A deviation we could not have predicted. For generations, our focus has always been on what we can control. This dragon came from elsewhere, outside the laws we follow.

Unicorn: Perhaps this reveals a deeper flaw, Dragon. If the Sect relies so heavily on tradition, could it be that your methods are too rigid to recognize what lies outside the expected patterns?

Dragon: That is not a flaw. It is precision. We do not waste our efforts chasing the improbable.

Ninetail: So you ignored what you couldn't explain. How delightfully practical.

Dragon: Not ignored. Prioritized. The Sect's duty is to monitor what we can control, not chase fancies. The pink dragon is a testament to this prophecy's oddity.

Phoenix: Everything has its time, you know.

Unicorn: "The girl born of two realms shall ride the pink dragon, and all that exists shall teeter on the edge of ruin." And what is the essence of this prophecy, in your opinion?

Dragon: It's about power—power that must be controlled. The prophecy warns of ruin if we fail to harness it. The girl and the dragon together are forces we cannot leave unchecked. They must be contained.

Unicorn: Contained or controlled? There is a difference, Dragon.

Dragon: Control is containment. If we have control of the point where timelines and realities converge, we can ensure stability. Without it, ruin is inevitable.

Ninetail: Well, that's one way to make things worse.

Unicorn: You risk shattering everything by trying to control it. This is the Axis of Existence—a return to the origin, the point where all realities began. If the girl and dragon end up there and disturb the Axis, the entire Multiverse could unravel.

Phoenix: Or perhaps ruin is a part of the plan. I believe that the prophecy hints at a Grand Alignment—a convergence of all realms. The chaos you fear is the flame from which new worlds will rise.

Ninetail: Let me guess, Phoenix, this is the part where you tell us everything has to burn for us to learn anything.

Phoenix: I don't tell you. I merely invite you to observe the inevitable.

Dragon: You mean to let all burn, then wait for rebirth, right?

Phoenix: You fear ruin, Dragon, but ruin is not the end—it is the beginning.

Dragon: Spare me the poetry. Rebirth through ruin is still ruin. This prophecy is not about metaphors—it's about consequences. We have a choice: take control or let chaos win.

Unicorn: A dangerous notion. The prophecy warns of teetering on the edge of ruin, not falling into it. Our task is to maintain balance and prevent collapse, not surrender to it.

Ninetail: Balance, balance, balance... Always such a weak word. What if this edge we're teetering on is where we don't need to be? The binding breaks, the game resets, and new possibilities open. Isn't that more exciting than clinging to some old pattern?

Dragon: Excitement is a luxury we can't afford, Ninetail. Games have consequences.

Ninetail: Exactly. This is why you shouldn't be so certain that control will win you this game. What if the girl and her dragon are meant to break the rules?

Phoenix: A delightful thought. Perhaps the prophecy urges us to step aside and let things unfold as they should. Resistance could disrupt the alignment and make things worse.

Unicorn: And yet, leaving the prophecy to fate is no less dangerous. Balance requires vigilance, not abandonment. We cannot be passive observers when the realms hang in the balance.

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Dragon: There is no balance without control.

Ninetail: You know, Unicorn, you keep saying balance like it's a lifestyle.

Unicorn: It is a lifestyle. It's called composure, Ninetail. You might try it sometime.

Ninetail: I'll stick to dancing in the wild, thanks.

Unicorn: Neither passive surrender nor aggressive control will save us. It is not the binding or the break that matters—it is how we navigate the edge.

Ninetail: Ah, navigating edges. Now that sounds exciting! Much better than sitting around arguing over control and balance.

Dragon: Excitement is not our goal. The Multiverse is not a playground.

Ninetail: And yet here we are, debating who holds the rules to a game that's already begun.

Unicorn: If the prophecy comes to pass, the most immediate effect will be on Eterna. This city has long been the heart of the realms, acting as a stabilizing force. If it fractures, the realms connected through it will begin to drift apart, severing their shared connections. Trade routes will collapse, magical conduits will fail, and entire regions may find themselves isolated.

Phoenix: You talk about isolation like it's a death sentence. Maybe some realms could use a little breathing room.

Ninetail: Breathing room? Sounds fresh!

Unicorn: Isolation invites destruction. Without Eterna's stabilizing influence, weaker realms will crumble under the pressure of maintaining their existence. The magic they rely on will scatter, and we'll see smaller realms fade into oblivion, piece by piece.

Dragon: If that happens, the Multiverse will become a battlefield. Each realm will compete for whatever remnants of power and stability remain. Eterna's collapse will trigger a struggle for dominance—those with strength will seize control, and those without will be consumed.

Phoenix: You're obsessed with control!

Dragon: When Eterna falls, it won't be a slow fade—it'll be an instant rupture. And ruptures spread. First, the city, then the realms tied to it. Eventually, everything collapses. Chaos will spread!

Phoenix: Not necessarily chaos. Some would call it opportunity. The fall of Eterna might loosen the old constraints, freeing realms to reshape themselves as they see fit.

Ninetail: Or they'll adapt. Break a few chains, and suddenly those weak realms aren't so weak anymore. Old rules go, new rules come. Maybe that's what they need!

Unicorn: And at what cost? Without balance, we risk destroying the foundations that connect these realms. Magic flows in its way—remove a keystone, and this way breaks off!

Ninetail: It's like a deck of cards—you have to shuffle things up sometimes to get a good hand. Maybe the prophecy is just a cosmic shuffle. What's lost can be rebuilt, and what's gained might be worth it.

Dragon: Only if we survive the shuffle. The risk is too significant. Without intervention, the collapse will spiral out of control.

Unicorn: Then we must act carefully, ensuring that whatever change occurs does not destroy what holds the realms together.

Dragon: Carefully? If we were any slower, we'd be fossils long ago.

Phoenix: Considering your affinity for order, I'd have thought fossils were your ideal timeline.

Ninetail: How about the girl? And her fate. She's at the center of all this.

Phoenix: And at the center of transformation, I'd say. Painful, yes, but necessary. She'll come through it changed, just as the prophecy demands.

Ninetail: If she survives it. That's the catch, isn't it? Prophecies don't give anyone a free pass. She has to play her part, whatever that means—and that might not end well for her.

Phoenix: All change comes with sacrifice.

Ninetail: Yes, like sacrificing half our lifespan listening to Unicorn's speeches.

Unicorn: You're free to step out.

Ninetail: And miss out on your weekly call to balance? Not a chance.

Dragon: The girl is a wild element tied to something far more dangerous. Once she bonded with the dragon, she became unpredictable—a force we can't control. Every moment we hesitate, she becomes more dangerous.

Phoenix: You speak like danger is a bad thing. Transformation demands it. The prophecy is here to break comfort and stability. Pain will change her and through her, everything else.

Unicorn: She's a child. Not a tool to be broken. Our responsibility is to protect her, not sacrifice her to forces she can't control. They can pull her apart.

Ninetail: Let's not get ahead of ourselves.

Dragon: Innocence doesn't exempt her from the consequences. If the girl is tied to the prophecy, she's not just a bystander. She's a wild card—unpredictable. We can't assume she'll stay innocent once the pink dragon's involved.

Ninetail: You say this as a dragon! She'll become whatever the prophecy needs her to be. That's how it works. Trying to shield her from it is like stopping the tide with your hands.

Unicorn: We're not here to shape her destiny—we're here to help her survive it. She deserves a chance to make her own choices, not be dragged along by prophecy.

Phoenix: Ah, the winds are shifting again.

Dragon: And if those choices destroy everything? She's tied to forces far greater than herself. Ignoring that won't help anyone.

Ninetail: Protect her? That's wishful thinking. The prophecy won't give her the luxury of safety. She has to fulfill her role, no matter the cost. That's how these things work.

Phoenix: Exactly. Change requires sacrifice. The girl will come through this as someone new. Whether she rises or falls, she won't be the same.

Dragon: And if that new version of her decides to tear everything down? Power like hers is unpredictable. If left unchecked, she could be the spark that ignites chaos across realms.

Ninetail: And what's wrong with a little chaos? Break some chains, shatter old rules, and those so-called weak realms might surprise you.

Dragon: I've seen what happens when 'a little' turns into 'a lot.' I prefer my disasters organized, dear.

Ninetail: Such a charmer, Dragon.

Dragon: Are we ready if she chooses destruction? Or do we gamble everything on the hope she'll make the right choice?

Phoenix: You keep clinging to control, Dragon. Not every ending is a disaster. What looks like destruction to you could be the start of something better.

Ninetail: Or something unexpected. She might burn it all, and something entirely new could emerge from the ashes.

Unicorn: We agree on one thing—we cannot leave this prophecy unchecked. But we still have no consensus on how involved we should become. Monitoring the prophecy without interference may be the only way to prevent further harm.

Phoenix: Ah, the familiar tune of caution. But standing still won't help. Change demands a nudge. We can shape the fire, Unicorn! Let it burn where we need it to.

Dragon: Fire doesn't need permission, Phoenix. If we fail to act decisively, chaos will decide for us. We must act swiftly, or the girl will become the spark that ignites it all!

Ninetail: Or maybe chaos is the point. Haven't you wondered why we keep talking about shaping the prophecy? What if it's not ours to shape?

Unicorn: Then whose is it?

Ninetail: The girl's. Or the dragon's. Or someone else entirely. The prophecy will use us just as surely as it uses them. We aren't in control—we never were.

Dragon: Then what do you propose, Ninetail? That we sit back and let fate run its course? That's reckless, even for you.

Ninetail: Reckless? No. But I know better than to waste time fighting the inevitable. I'll follow my own path—and see where the girl's destiny leads me.

Phoenix: That's the problem with destiny—it's rarely polite enough to ask for permission. But I've always preferred fire to stagnation. If something must end, let it end in flames.

Unicorn: You would burn everything to save something. And you, Ninetail, would break the rules for the thrill of it. But the worlds hang on the choices we make—or don't make.

Dragon: And that's why I'll be watching closely. If she steps out of line, I'll stop her before she can do any damage. No hesitation.

Phoenix: Ah, Dragon, always with the sharp claws. But fate isn't a prey you can pin down or slice apart. It slips through even the strongest grip.

Ninetail: Exactly. That's what makes it fun.

Unicorn: There's nothing fun about what's coming. The girl deserves protection—not from fate, but from us. We're the danger she doesn't see.

Dragon: Then it's settled. We each follow our own way. If we cross paths again, so be it.

Ninetail: Oh, we will cross paths. Of that, I'm certain. The girl is not the only one with a destiny to fulfill.

Unicorn: Do you mean the Multiverse Gatekeeper?

Ninetail: Perhaps. Or the Arcanist.

Phoenix: The Arcanist? Now that is a name I haven't heard in a long time. I wonder if even he knows which side of the game he's playing.

Ninetail: He always plays his own game.

Dragon: Whoever he sides with, it changes nothing. If the Arcanist returns, it will only complicate matters. He always leaves ruin in his wake.

Ninetail: Exactly. Which makes things far more interesting.

Unicorn: You think this is a game, Ninetail, but the stakes couldn't be higher... if we misstep, it won't just be Eterna that suffer.

Ninetail: And yet, here we are—choosing sides and rolling the dice.

Phoenix: Let's hope the girl's destiny runs smoother than the one the Arcanist once tried to carve for himself.

Dragon: Well, then, let's wrap this up. See you when all's over.

Ninetail: Alright, alright. I guess it's time to part ways. Until next time!