thebastion | Day 151 - The Truth is Harsh

Entry tags:

Day 151 - The Truth is Harsh

Who: The Kid and You
Open: Open
When: Day 151
Where: The Monument
What: Time for the truth to come out
Format: Any
Warnings: Drama, Perhaps foul language, Perhaps even violence

[After a short while of waiting for people to gather, The Kid eventually rose up and stared out at the small crowd that had gathered; Zulf hadn't been kidding about there being more people here...not exactly an emboldening thing to think about if he was being honest. He took a deep breath and set his hammer down as he began to speak...either which way, he wasn't going to need it for this, no matter how secure it made him feel.]

Thanks fer comin', I got some things I need t'straighten ya'll out on here, even if what I'm gonna say sounds crazy.

[He sighed deeply, knowing that it was going to sound crazy...but crazy or not, it was the truth.]

I ain't good with speeches, so I'm gonna give ya'll the quick version. I knew about t'Calamity a'fore it happened; I had a first hand experience with it and a group of us tried to stop it from happening...but things didn't end up going as planned and as y'can see, it didn't work.

[Memories of his fights and struggles came flooding back; the only indication held behind the mask of apathy he'd managed to build up over many years of hardship...to a normal person, he would look almost uncaring as he explained the situation, but if someone knowledgeable looked into his eyes, they'd see all the sincerity they could handle.]

In t'end though, this all falls back t'me. I made t'choice to try 'an fix things before they could break...and it was that choice that lead everythin' to where it is now.

[He cast his gaze out on the crowd, focusing for a second longer on Nathaniel than the others, but eventually he had met everyone's gaze; just to make sure they understood what he was saying.]

I might not have started the Calamity, but I sure as hell did make the choice to fight against it; so if any ya'll got an issue t'take up with me, you got all the right in the world to. I made this mess, so I'm gonna own up t'it; what ya'll do from here is yer business, but know I ain't gonna fight any decision y'make. All I ask is y'leave my friends out of it; they ain't got nothin' t'do with any of this.

[He gaze was sharp as he finished, leaving no room for doubt that if anyone tried to bring Zulf or Zia into this, his offer of not fighting their decision would be tossed right out the window. This was his burden to bear, not theirs, and he was going to keep it that way.]

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

[AZ raises his voice, quiet as it is. It's a little hard to miss the giant man, though.]

Your intentions were good. If you tried to fix it, then we're all glad, I think. Sometimes things happen... and those who build weapons are motivated by many things. It's not always possible to stop them.

But thank you for trying. I don't think the blame rests with you.

[Amongst the gathered group, there was an Ura present, but not the one others might have expected. The quiet and generally reserved Zayna, with her constant stern expression and rigid posture, lingered some steps back from most of the small crowd.

She said nothing. She did nothing. Even with the Kid's admission of guilt (however misplaced it might have been), no emotion registered on her face. She simply remained quiet, staring at him.]

[Colin watches The Kid curiously, and when Kid gives Nathan a look, so too does Colin. He still doesn't know enough about the Calamity to say anything, one way or the other, but he's never one to be angry about weapon development. The circumstances behind deployment? That's another matter. He... may need to grab the kid and talk to him, later... but right now, he's got enough on his plate at the moment.]

[Plus, there's the fact that he was engaging in conversation with a very charming and understanding dragon.]

Not quite what I was expecting, actually...

You don't seem to have much of a reaction towards all this.

[Of course, Saix is similar, watching everything impassively. The fact that scientists have fucked up again is something he's already had to deal with. At least this time all those responsible are dead, saving them the trouble.]

It makes one wonder if there are others who know more about this tale.

[Paarthurnax keeps speaking to Colin, but his head is raised high so that he can look through the small crowd with a watchful eye.]

The truth is immortal, while a lie is destined to die an ignoble, bloody death.

[Colin frowns slightly.]

I don't see Zulf or Zia around. I'm not sure if they were in on this little message... Noble as it may be, it does give us a whole new set of questions.

I have spoken to neither. Tell me, what did they tell you?

May I climb onto your back? Or alternately, lower your head to my level? I'm happy to tell you, but with our size differences, I'd have to speak louder than is prudent unless I were

Not everyone wants to hear this.

[He can't help but glance at Nathan and Rin at that.]

Discretion. [A low sigh. The skies truly are dim for their Bastion.] I understand.

[He shifts his massive body, wings folding up further underneath him while he lowers his head from its height.]

Speak.

Yeah.

[He makes a face, clearly disgusted with it himself. He'd be happy to say it for everyone to hear, but not everyone WANTS to hear this... He steps a little closer to Paar so he can lower his voice.]

I talked to Zia first. She told me that Nathan accused Zulf of "being up to no good." Apparently, Caels have been racist to Ura for quite some time before our arrival. It... affected her pretty hard, she thought I was defending Nathan when I was trying to find out what was going on.

When I went to talk to Nathan, he seemed to indicate that he thought Zulf was behind the calamity. He couldn't give me a reason why, though... other than that two Ura had supposedly been seen in the area, and that Zulf had responded angrily when confronted. I tried to tell him that such behavior is unbecoming of someone that so many people look up to, but... I don't think I got through to him. Hence why I wanted you to watch out for him leaving. I suspect he wants to prove me wrong.

Zulf, when I talked to him... didn't deny that he responded angrily. He's displeased with the Mancers in general, and he had wanted to retreive Venn's journal for Zia. Venn is apparently her father. He told me the Mancers had constructed a weapon that would have wiped out the Ura if it functioned properly. Apparently, that weapon is the source of the calamity.

[Every word is taken in as if it were precious metal, and Paarthurnax thinks on them for a moment so that he can come to his own thoughts. That adds more to the story still. Yet the old dragon cannot help but suspect there's more missing.. Well, that is inevitable. Secondhand information can only do so much.]

Anger makes fools of us all. Anger and hatred.

[Even though he keeps his voice as low as he can... That's all he says. Hopefully Colin understands. After a certain size, you lose the ability to properly whisper.]

[Colin also suspects that they're missing something vital. Too much doesn't add up to the final result.]

That's exactly my thought...

And now this.

[Colin nods to the Kid]

I don't know what to make of all this, but I don't think it's going to do what they want it to... Or maybe it will. But I am having trouble finding an optimistic reaction to this.

I shall wait and watch. If it is needed, I shall intervene. That is all that can be done for now until more knowledge becomes available to us.

Whose actions worry you most?

[For all their adventuring, strangers like himself and Colin are still just that- strangers to this land. He's not certain if anyone would leave or fight at this revelation in their ranks. Of course, there are always those daring enough to try a life on the Skyway... And then there are the natives to this land. Nathaniel and Zulf have already shown the aggression that could erupt.]

[He thinks about that for a moment.]

I wish I had an answer for that. I don't understand people anywhere near as well as I understand machines. My instincts tell me to worry about Nathan, but... Too many variables, too much can go wrong in too many places.

... I'm most worried about Rin, actually. She should not have been exposed to this in this way. Zulf's a big boy, and Nathan... is being forced to grow up faster than he should have. Rin was there for the fight, and I don't think she took it well. I need to go check up on her...

Then do so. [Paarthurnax begins to straighten himself up once more.] These are uncertain times. So much can make one feel as though they are too low to the earth and may crash at any moment. To have friends comfort you is to bring air back beneath your wings so that you may continue your journey.

[There's a shift in his own wings.]

I shall remain. Should more happen, I will tell you of it.

All right. Thanks, Paar. You're a good friend.

[Colin gives the assembled one more look, and he shakes his head.]

This is gonna get worse before it gets better...

Neither do you.

[Telling it like it is, Saix.]

Honest before now would have saved a lot of headaches. Frankly, though, I'm not surprised the survivors here have been told nothing until now.

[Nathaniel had come to Rin while Bon was still in the kitchen with her, and while she hadn't exactly been as warm with him as she normally would have, she didn't refuse his request for everyone to meet up at least.

The two of them had gone together, hand in hand, but Kid's admission only confirmed what Rin had been told, and what she had also been suspecting since that conversation - that people she had come to know and trust in just three short months knew more than they were letting on.

It had left her uncharacteristically quiet, holding on to Bon's hand and looking thoughtful and distant.

In the end... she couldn't think of anything to say. So much was still too over her head to grasp fully. She just knew that she still felt betrayed, and hurt, and she didn't want to deal with it anymore.

Feeling tense, worked up, she still couldn't push the anger fully out of her system. But the kitchen wasn't going to take another hit from her rage. Standing, she spoke quietly to Bon and told him she was going to go to the onsen alone and wandered off in that direction.

A bath wasn't the answer to everything but it would help at least...]

[With Rin breaking off from the rest of the Bastion's inhabitants, it left Colin with a perfect opportunity to talk to her. He jogged after her, keeping his footfalls relatively quiet until he was practically on top of her, and he fell into step beside her with ease.]

Rin-Rin.

[He gave her a slight nod as he walked.]

[Rin had damn good hearing. It was part of being a demon after all. But fuck if Colin didn't throw her every time with being so quiet.]

Fuck--! Colin! Don't do that!

[With feigned surprise, Colin put his hand to his chest and blinked in shock.]

Such language! And do what? I just wanted to talk to you.

[You're getting a shove, Colin.]

Don't play that shit with me! You snuck up on me! You're the only one in this damn place that can do that!

Now don't be like that. I'm sure lots of people could sneak up on you if they bothered to try.

[So cocky. Much assured. Very smug. Wow.]

But seriously... how are you doing? I heard you were there for that dustup.

[Wow excuse you Colin she hears like a dog okay.]

... I'm fine.

[Lyyyying.]

So... what I'm hearing is, you want me to poke and prod until I find what I want to hear, AND get you even more pissed off?

[He offers her a smile, his tone friendly and teasing.]

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

Page 1 of 14

Day 151 - The Truth is Harsh

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

For Colin

Re: For Colin

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject