While they hunted Marikit, signs of a larger movement emerged.
Creature communities worldwide reported unrest—younger beings questioning the "soft" approach, older ones nostalgic for times when creatures were feared, not loved.
"It's not just Marikit," a kitsune elder warned from Japan. "She's tapping into something that already existed. Discontent. Anger. Fear of being forgotten."
Glad addressed the council urgently. "We need to counter this narrative. Show creatures that our way works—that coexistence brings safety, not weakness."
"How?" Lakay Ambo asked. "Traditionalists don't trust us. They think we've sold out."
"Then we go to them. Listen to them. Address their concerns." Glad stood. "Not all traditionalists are bad. Some are just scared—scared of losing their identity, their culture, their purpose. We need to show them there's another way."
The outreach began.
Delegations visited traditionalist communities, listening more than talking. They heard complaints about lost heritage, diminished power, fading respect. They acknowledged the pain without endorsing the violence.
And slowly, some traditionalists began to listen.
"Your way isn't ours," an ancient kapre admitted. "But maybe... maybe it's not wrong. Just different."
"Different can coexist," Glad replied. "That's what we're trying to build."
But Marikit watched these developments with satisfaction.
Let them talk.
Let them think they were winning.
Her plan was bigger than they knew.