[closed] time to fess up

[yugo]

Who: Those accused in the recent framed plot-- Yugo, Zelos, Zelda, and Jacques.
What: It's time to bring everyone back together and see what they've found in their investigations. It should make things clear that someone is behind it, and there are a certain number of weird inconsistencies that point to... well, we'll see.
Where: Let's say, somewhere in the village.
When: I'm leaving this open-ended, for the most part. After the barrow dens have been cleared, at least!
Warnings: None, but let me know if anything needs to be changed.


[After spending a couple hours interrogating the townsfolk, Yugo is confused and a bit alarmed at what he was able to find out. The truth was: not much. Obviously there was a liar about, but these people were so sure about what they'd seen, or rather what someone else had seen... It's almost like they were told something, and made to believe it.

There's no doubt that someone drew on their faces and did those other things, as he's seen the proof... but the 'eyewitness accounts' are a bit lacking in detail and sense, and it's really telling that only the black and bronze dragonflights were able to go into the village for a while. Maybe there's some magic they don't know about.

Thankfully, he's at neutral, but Yugo's still not happy. He wonders what the others have found out, and so he hangs out by the gates, hoping to grab them before they go back to their sanctums.]

Comments

[ninjacques]

[His pale gaze slips back towards Zelda at her confirmation.]

...but why would he do this?

[He's looking at Yugo as he speaks up again.]

[yugo]

[He lets out a sound through his teeth, kind of like a growl.]

Qilby...!

[Okay okay time to be a mature person here. ... No, it's not working. His hands ball into fists as he glares downward. He never thought that his entire flight-- no, all of the Dragonsworn would be inconvenienced by Qilby's grudge. He thought Qilby might set things aside so they might get back to their homeworld.]

... He's a traitor. Because he was from before a certain time, I thought we could call a truce. It didn't make sense to fight each other when we have the demons to deal with.

If it really is him, he's probably found some way to make people believe he's a king, or that he's a good guy. He's really good at talking to people.

I can believe he'd try to do this to me. Maybe you guys ended up involved because he was angry at this whole place... I don't know. He can attack me all he wants, but if he's dragging innocent people into this, it has to stop.

[highrules]

[ Listening to him speak, Yugo's outburst only raises more questions for her. Qilby is a king--or feigning it? Interesting, it does explain why he thought she was royalty herself.

(Fine, she really is a princess, but she rather not tell other people that.)

Lifting her right hand to her mouth in thought, her eyes focus on the back of it to remind her of everything she's fought for so far. Getting caught in another conflict worlds away from her own isn't her ideal way to help Hyrule be free of demons after all. ]

How was he able to convince them of our supposed wrongdoings? The accusation is strange now that I think on it. [ Really, how many people were there in her world that know of the power of the Ocarina of Time? It makes little sense that someone here would know if it. ] When has music ever offended one's ears?

[ninjacques]

[Jacques has fallen silent again, but he watches Yugo, although the tone of the boy's voice is enough to say how he feels about this Qilby person. It still doesn't make much sense to him as to why someone would do something to jeopardize the relations of the Dragonsworn. They were supposed to fight together...to help this world, and maybe even keep something from happening to their own worlds in turn.

...why did people like to complicate things?

As Zelda brings up her questions, the hunter considers the accusations he'd received. In his case, it was all too convenient, really.]

[yugo]

I don't know what he has against music. Maybe he figured out that you were from the blue flight, like me, and he decided to pick on you because we might know each other.

[He shakes his head. Okay... okay, he can breathe, he can deal with this...]

The witnesses were confused when I tried to ask for details. It was almost like they were told what they saw. But... can this world's magic really do that?

[highrules]

If not this world, it may be an ability he has retained that wasn't known to you before.

[ Zelda calmly brings that up, not wanting to downplay what he may know of the man. What is clear is he did something that wasn't anticipated by someone who knew him and whether it was something this world bestowed upon him or not, it was something that caught them all off-guard. ]

It is likely he included the others to draw suspicion away from himself... if he is the one responsible, that is.

[ninjacques]

......

[His thoughts may have drifted a little as he recalled that Qilby had showed up during their gathering to figure out how to deal with the prisoners in Sin'thalas.]

...Blacksworn. Maybe they can use magic like that..?

[yugo]

When he tricked people before, it was always through lies and pretty words. If he had the ability to force people to believe him, things would've turned out differently...

[Yugo might not even be here.

He ponders on this for a moment, at least until Jacques speaks up.]

Maybe. It's the only answer that makes sense.

... What do you guys want to do?

[highrules]

[ If the Blacksworn were given an ability akin to manipulation in any way, wouldn’t that bode unfairly for the rest of the other flights? Tension was already present between friends separated into different factions, what kind of mania will spread if news of this got out to the others? ]

First, I believe this is a matter we should keep to ourselves. [ Frowning, she knows it may not go over well with the more popular ones of the group, but it was worth mentioning. ] If we make a big spectacle of it, not only will he know we were affected greatly by his actions thus encouraging him to carry on with them, but it will also cause panic to spread throughout the other dragonsworn. It pains my heart to hint that we should keep it from our allies, but until we know what it is the Blacksworn can do, should we not encourage the others to find out on their own?

We have done our part here and made peace with the Kaldorei.

[ninjacques]

[Nodding slowly, Jacques considers Zelda's suggestion, although not necessarily in agreement. He can understand her reasoning, however...]

...not panic. It might make them wary about the Blacksworn, though... Won't help if we're trying to all work together.

...should we talk to Qilby?

[yugo]

I... I guess.

[He frowns, looking down at the ground.]

What if it isn't just small stuff? What if next time, he does something we can't fix?

[He shakes his head.]

... But... I don't know if talking to Qilby will do anything. I want to try, though. I want to ask him why he did it. I want to know what he wants.

[highrules]

We'd have to approach him cautiously. [ Zelda frowns, knowing that there's probably no way to convince the other two to not take up action against him. She can hardly blame them: they were wronged and in turn they need either answers or retribution. ] If we were to accuse him and he finds a way to convince the others that we were mad, we might end up scorned by the other Dragonsworn.

[ Because even if they have proof, Qilby has once already made people wary of them. Now they might appear to be desperate for anyone else to shift the blame towards. ]

[ninjacques]

[Jacques actually probably wouldn't do anything against Qilby. It's not his thing, but he'd back up the others if they needed it. But he doesn't think it would be right to just pretend nothing happened, either.

He nods at Zelda's suggestion.]

[yugo]

That's true, too. It'd be our word against his, no matter how many of us there are...

[He looks at Jacques.]

But you found evidence that someone put stuff in the water. If we explained, the others would understand that it's not all coincidence. If they don't believe Qilby did it... and honestly, we're not sure either... they can at least believe that we were set up.

[He closes his eyes for a moment.]

I won't talk to him unless you guys want to. He's dangerous, and the outcome could affect more than just us.

[highrules]

I'd just like to know what sort of outcome we are striving for by bringing it up. Otherwise we will spread mistrust among the dragonsworn and while it would be done in their best interest, I fear it will set back all the work we have ahead of us terribly so.

[ It's a great cost to pay, but she shakes her head. ] He must be spoken to regardless... perhaps if only one of us approached him, it might fare well for all? That way he can't claim to be singled out... but then that means whoever does take the task upon their shoulders may be burdened with the thought of doing it alone.

[ninjacques]

[Looking at the herbs that Hawk had brought him, Jacques nods slowly.]

...although...it would still make others question each other if they even knew that someone is doing things like this. Zelda's right...

[He falls silent again, lifting his free hand to scratch the top of his eagle's head. Don't expect him to volunteer talking to anyone. He's not...the best at that.]

[yugo]

[He nods slightly, and takes in a breath.]

We don't have to tell the others, then. We can decide for sure once we have Qilby's answer.

[His hands make little tanned fists at his sides.]

... Qilby is my responsibility, since he's from my world. I'll talk to him.

[highrules]

[ Giving a nod at that. ] Seems as if it's been decided then.

Do you mind going at this alone, Yugo? I know I don't want you to feel as if you're taking it all on yourself, but if he's from your world as well as someone you feel responsible to, will it be all right?

[ She looks towards Jacques at that, wondering if he felt the same. They should be united on this and yet here they are, suggesting a single person handle it. She's placed her faith in Yugo's ability already, so all she can do is hope he will do the same. ]

[ninjacques]

[Jacques doesn't seem to be surprised that the boy volunteers, but he won't go and wash his hands of this business once that's been decided. Although he doesn't meet Zelda's glance when she looks towards him, he does notice it, but he's looking at Yugo.

While he says nothing, he does nod in agreement with the other blond. They're in this together.]

[yugo]

It's fine.

[He doesn't mention that the last time he tried to confront Qilby about something, he ended up in a huge fight that nearly cost him his life.

... Might be a good idea to mention he can be violent, though.]

If things go badly and we end up fighting, can I call on you for help? I'm still not at my best, and Qilby has been here longer than I have.

so sorry for the late!

[wilder]

[Zelos hasn't spoken up. Frankly, he's been downright quiet since they left the barrow. Instead he's standing not too far from the group and listening to the conversation, not drawing attention to himself. Qilby, huh? He tries to think of when he's even met the guy...but nothing comes to mind.]

[He's reluctant to send a kid in, but it's not like there's not much choice either...]

What's this guy capable of? I mean, 'sides the whole manipulation powers thing.

[Which was...creepy to think about, really]

[highrules]

[ Frowning, now her concern rests on whether or not Yugo was capable of defending himself. He's proven he's an adept combatant when it comes to fighting monstrous bears, but what about someone from his own world? ]

Yes, it may be a good idea for us to know what we can expect if things were to go sour during... your conversation.

Zelos was pretending to be Jacques apparently ;)

[ninjacques]

[Jacques is already nodding in response to Yugo's question. Although he'd rather hope that it didn't turn out that way, the hunter is ready and willing to back up his new friends, and especially since they'd all been wronged by Qilby.

But he realizes that what Zelos asks is probably a good thing to know before they get into any mess. ...not that he's not used to working through impromptu ventures.]

[yugo]

Okay.

[He looks up as Zelos finally speaks up. The guy's been kind of distant the whole time-- a good fighter, but obviously a mercenary like he said. He doesn't want to be involved in things that won't benefit him, and while Yugo can't really agree with that personally, he understands where he's coming from.

Most of his party members were like that actually.]

Qilby can use portals like I can, and shoot beams too. But he's older, so he can make more portals and use more lasers. I don't know exactly how many, because when I fought him, he had his power boosted.

I'm... not sure all four of us could be a match for him. I'll do what I can to keep things from getting that far. If I can meet him here, then that will be better. He wouldn't want to fight with people around.

[wilder]

Seriously? You kicked some serious ass in that cave, so if this guy can do more- that could be a problem.

[Maybe he'd be more willing if he had all his powers back to face the guy. But right now? He wasn't so sure and his posture says that much. ]

But...this guy ruining my reputation with the only friendly city around really isn't good, so...I guess I can try to stick around town when you do this in case something goes wrong.