#the only interactions they ever got to have were scarlet attacking kerra or people kerra needs to protect or an entire-ass city

[kerra-and-company]

Heya, I got a question for you 👀 In the light of the new episode, what does Kerra think of Scarlet? What has she heard, has Scarlet proven her wrong/right, etc that sort of thing

Ooh, okay okay!! Excellent question, and one I've been thinking about A Lot, so let's go! :D

Prior to LWS1, the most that Kerra's heard of Scarlet is off-hand. Kerra's friends with Cio, and Cio was working on getting through college during the same time period Scarlet (then Ceara) was in Rata Sum.

Cio and Ceara weren't ever super close, but they did run in the same circles, so to speak--they both were studying Synergetics at the same time, neither was particularly accepted there (Ceara for being sylvari, Cio for her whole Primordus magic thing), and they both really wanted to learn. So Cio definitely knew about Ceara, and they kinda had a dynamic of "we're both focused on our own things, but you're here and a little like me, and that's neat to know".

Kerra's heard some of that from Cio, but she doesn't immediately connect Scarlet Briar, the sylvari attacking the Queen's Jubilee, to Ceara, Cio's kinda-acquaintance-vaguely-friend from college that she mentioned once. Until Vorpp speaks up, that is. (Kerra does connect Scarlet pretty quick with the "B" and "Scar" mentioned in notes she's run into, though.)

(It should be noted that at this point, Kerra has zero clue what Vorpp did to the Secondborn. She still doesn't like the guy very much. He's very confident in his own knowledge to the point of arrogance--which, to be fair, isn't the weirdest thing in the world for an asura. But he's also very set on Scarlet clearly not being as smart as an asura, at the same time that she's doing things he doesn't fully understand. And that he's very willing to talk down sylvari to Kerra's face right before asking her to help him acquire parts for his portal machine. Not a stellar first impression. If there was a diplomatic way for Kerra to work with Cio instead of him on this project, she would have. And she does pull Cio in as a "consultant" later on.)

But anyways, to answer the main question you asked me, Kerra isn't certain what to think of Scarlet right now. And that's actually super frustrating for her!

Kerra's very good at getting a read on people, both thanks to her empathy powers and just because she's good at People (TM) in general. She can't figure out why Scarlet's doing what she's doing--not even in a "plan" sense, in a "this is my driving emotion" sense. There's been too much there to sort through. (In part, that's because she's only been in the presence of the *actual* Scarlet like...twice, maybe, at this point. She can't read the emotions of a Watchknight or a hologram.)

But even ignoring that, the pattern doesn't track for her. Scarlet's a danger, most certainly, but why? Why the bombs? Why take the hostages? What did she plan to bargain for, if anything? The Watchknights are clearly formidable tools, but what does she mean to do with them? Why try to get Mai Trin on the Captain's Council? And was there a point where she changed from being a student to whatever her goal is now, or was there no change at all?

Kerra's not a detective like Jory, but she's also not comfortable with pieces that don't fit. And she's definitely not comfortable with writing Scarlet off as "insane", like Faren does. Scarlet doesn't feel like she's lashing out on a whim, in Kerra's opinion.

And probably what's unsettled Kerra the most out of everything is that...Scarlet's not being blackmailed or forced into any of this, from the information they've found. Scarlet's the leader, Scarlet organized the Molten Alliance, Scarlet's helped direct the Aetherblades (along with Mai), Scarlet's been confident and has taunted them and has meant plenty of the things she's said. As far as Kerra's been able to tell, at least.

So why is Scarlet scared?