So it is done

Jonathan waited the dozen minutes it took for Ghira to send off the ambassadors, magnates, and a host of other Menagerie elites before there were only the two of them left. Well, there's Ghira's family as well of course, but that's beside the point.

Thankfully, Ghira and Jonathan's friendship was well-treaded news, so the fact that Jonathan stayed after all the guests had left won't be a cause for any gossip or news later on... Though, joking about it was also something Jonathan didn't want to entertain at the moment.

So, as he exited the building, Jonathan paused for a moment, looking at Ghira sending the last guest's motorcade away. As Ghira turned, he seemed to be shocked to see that Jonathan was still here, he could see that Ghira had become somewhat pale.

Nodding slightly, giving Ghira a sign that it is time, and Ghira could nod slowly, reluctantly, in response.

In the end, they both had known that today would decide the fate of Menagerie

And the friendship between the two men.

Silently, Ghira started walking back to his home, nodding to the side towards the direction of his office, and Jonathan followed close behind, the two not saying anything.

Both rulers under the protection of their intelligence agents, and yet Ghira looked as if he was actually heading to the gallows, rather than his office. Of course, he knows that his Secret Service has no protection against Jonathan.

And it's not like his protection would be there when the fate of Menagerie would be decided. No, this would be a closed door meeting.

When they reached the place that Ghira had deemed most suitable for negotiations, Ghira nodded to his subordinates. They would wait just outside the door. "Stay here."

Jonathan repeated Ghira's actions, nodding to his agents, then entered the room after Ghira, closing the door behind him.

"I see you got rid of your cane..." Ghira, in an effort to lessen his nervousness, started with some small talk. Without going straight into a serious and unpleasant conversation, Ghira pointed to a detail in Jonathan's appearance.

"I left it at home." Jonathan said slowly, and then fell silent, the dialogue between the two friends dead in its infancy, the last word hanging in the air with an unpleasant, sticky atmosphere.

"I think we'd both better sit down..." Jonathan said forcefully after a few seconds, then nodded at the couch next to the coffee table. Ghira could only nod his response, his tongue feeling lead. As they sat down however, while Jonathan looked, at least, relaxed if only on the outside, Ghira could barely appreciate the soft couch. He was too nervous to even rest his back, sitting ramrod straight with his hands on his laps.

The uncomfortable silence that had been dispelled for a moment returned with renewed vigor as Jonathan found himself unable to speak the words. So now there's simply two friends, staring at each other, both waiting for the moment for the other to start talking first, even when they already know what they would say.

A second, a second, a third... The deafening silence that pressed on his ears forced Jonathan to open his mouth and, licking his parched lips, to say what he had to say: "I came here to put pressure on you, Ghira."

Ghira did not react to the perhaps too blunt statement, already well aware of what Jonathan is going, no, needed to do as soon as Ghira shows any ounce of independent movements. Seeing Ghira's lack of reaction, he continued, forcing each of the words out.

"I... You understand why I have to do this, don't you, Ghira? I'm just trying to do what I have to do, help the people of Glenn, protect their interests, lead them to a new tomorrow that will be brighter than yesterday..."