[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

[highrules]

[ The excitement of combat has left her drained, but Zelda heeds little attention to her body's needs. Not when there are things of importance to discuss. Having always been the one to speak up when wrongdoings were going on, she has no qualms about starting things off with: ]

I believe I have proof on who did this to us.

... unless someone else knows without a doubt who our accuser was?

[ninjacques]

[Jacques was not the sort to interrogate people, but he listened and paid attention to things that most usually would overlook. While they were allowed once again into the Retreat, he could sense the tension yet present, if only slightly.

His eagle Hawk had flown in to find him a while ago, so it is with the large bird perched on his shoulder that Jacques walks back towards the entryway. He lifts his head slightly as he notices the others. It's not hard to notice those whom he's had experience in battle with.

He says nothing, but he turns his head towards Zelda when she speaks up.]

[yugo]

[Yugo looks surprised to see Zelda so open about this.]

Really? I wasn't able to find much, if anything. It's obvious we were set up, but I don't know how they did it.

[highrules]

[ She might have not been so helpful inside, but outside she's certain she has an inkling. ]

Aye, it is only suspicion I have. In the forest some time ago, while playing a melody from my ocarina a man I had never seen before chanced upon the clearing. It would be unfair to think of him as the culprit, however... it isn't as if I have many opportunities to play in between demon and bear slaying.

[ninjacques]

[Hawk screeches briefly, nudging at Jacques' head. He looks down at a few bits of greenery that he holds in his hand.]

...something was put in the water. The smell's faint, but...it was familiar...

[He holds up the plant samples that the eagle had found for him. Being Greensworn certainly has its advantages.]

Sedative. It grows around the area.

[yugo]

I guess that's true. Did you get his name?

[Yugo furrows his eyebrows, glancing between his companions. Well, he certainly feels pretty freaking useless in the light of this new evidence. He uh... couldn't find anything, really.

He looks closer at the plant samples, and then he feels something sink to the bottom of his stomach.]

... Uh oh. I saw someone picking these a little while back.

[highrules]

You did? [ Her ears perk up before the rest of her head follows, golden hair falling in place around her cheeks. ] Do you think it could have been...

No, that cannot be right. If more than one person was involved in these affairs, it would be troublesome for the rest of the Dragonsworn. Perhaps that is their goal: to disrupt our work here.

[ninjacques]

[Even if the boy hadn't found anything himself, he could possibly help fill in the blanks. Jacques arches a brow at Yugo, although not without a glance in Zelda's direction.]

...who?

[He's already getting the feeling that this is pointing at one of the other Dragonsworn, but he doesn't seem to understand why that would be either.]

[yugo]

[Yugo puts on a brave face, but he's feeling like all his worst fears are coming to light.]

Qilby. He's got a big hat, like mine but white, and a brown beard. Qilby's an Eliatrope like me. In the past, we didn't get along very well.

... Is that who you saw, Zel?

[highrules]

[ That only confirms her suspicions as her gaze lowers. It isn't that she wants to keep it from them, but it's a bit too much to take in. They are expecting her to keep a level head (no one expects that of her, but she's so used to having to keep her chin up that it springs to mind naturally), so she takes in a deep breath, steeling herself. ]

He is one of the few I can recall that caught me playing my ocarina. [ Said with a calm breath. ]

I rather not be hasty with an accusation, but it appears so far that that's two of us that can confirm him.

[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.