chapter five ♔ it'll be a day like this one when the sky falls down

[eldritchweaver]

the blues - switchfoot

WHO || The Knights
WHAT || Failboat returns from the disaster in LA as the Knighthood goes on lockdown
WHERE || The castle, London
WHEN || Directly after this, Fall 2017
HOW || Actionspam

Hasmed's announcement does not brook any rebuttal: all Knights are recalled to the Castle, where they must remain until the Section Heads and Jack Chessing have spoken about the events in Los Angeles that have left the Knighthood without their usual leader.  

The entire Los Angeles area is now covered with a dark miasma that has interfered with any signals that might be sent out from phones, etc., leaving the whole world wondering what exactly is happening down there.  Final images showed horrendous monsters, a panic of citizens, looting and violence from humans and Shadowkind alike.  

Hasmed has warned of extra magical wards on the castle, and anyone arriving will immediately take notice of one very prominent one: above the entire roof of the excessively large building hovers a black and red sigil in the air, a pentagram in a circle surrounded by runes or words in an unknown language, stretching for miles.  

[ This is the social log for post-LA lockdown.  Failboat must complete the top log before being allowed to tag outside of it. ]

Comments

[valdrin]

But you're not. One of his Knights.

[ he shakes his head slowly ] This isn't the first time the Knighthood has dealt with this sort of thing, you know. I've seen how it ends. Wynn saw how it ended.

I'm not going to be the one to make a call that might get our people killed, on the word of someone who's just admitted to having lied to us for so long.

[hacker]

Val'drin, please.

[ she takes an attenuated step towards him. that's the wrong move, though. she remembers that move. tears burn her eyes, fresh with the memory. no. of course it looks like this. of course he doesn't know how to deal with her right now.

she exhales slowly. ]

Then who's going to make the call? I'll explain it to them. And until I do, I won't— [ it hurts, having to act like ... like a threat. in her own house. except it's not her house — it never has been. he's right. it was a lie. and she had fooled even herself. ] Just tell me what I have to do to make this right. But at least give me the chance to explain. This is more important than what happens to me.

[cabot]

How do you 'make it right'? [ his incredulity rises, to a point where he seems to find the entire thing a bit darkly funny ] I imagine... [ he shrugs exaggeratedly ] Being willing to accept any and all consequences without running off. Trusting in our leaders to make the right call. That would go a long way.

That... may mean turning yourself into custody, for the time being.

[hacker]

That's not a good idea.

[ she says it like she doesn't like having to say it. ]

[cabot]

Yes, well, fielding traitors isn't quite my department, now is it? I'm making this up as I go along, but I do know a thing or two about what's likely to make them listen to you, if that's truly your priority.

[hacker]

Would you stop calling me that? [ she snaps it out. every reaction she has, every twitch, just makes her testier and more frustrated — not just with the position she's (put herself) in, but in her own reactions. it's like staring into a funhouse mirror, because she can still look back and remember ...

and it hurts. and she gets it. and she hates that she gets it, and she hates that she has to convince herself that it's different, this is different, she's different, and that it's not working the way she wants it to. ]

If I were a traitor, I wouldn't be telling you. I wouldn't be offering help. Of course my priority is to get them to listen because my priority is LA. [ her home — at least, the closest thing she ever had. the only place she really feels like she 'comes from.' it hurts more than she can talk about, seeing it this way. being on the other side of the world when it happens. ] But you can't just lock me up and keep me here.

I have to be able to get to the airport to meet my contact. If I don't show, he's — It's going to be bad. He's going to assume that this went ... Well, that it went the way it's going so far, but worse.

[cabot]

If you leave, I can't guarantee anyone will let you back. It's a risk you'd need to take. And I'd... well, I'd pass this information along and tell them you want to speak to them.

But I can't be certain they'll listen if you run off after admitting this.

[hacker]

[ she draws in a breath, visibly biting down some upset. she tilts her head back and looks at the ceiling. skye isn't one to pray. no matter what the nuns said, she never felt like anyone is listening. but right now? she wishes she were. it'd feel good to think someone, anyone, was listening. that someone might guide her. ]

What do you think they're more likely to listen to? Me running off, or SHIELD coming down trying to get me back? [ it sounds sardonic, biting, but ... there's an honesty to it. she feels cornered. neither option is going to be the right one. but she had to tell him. maybe it would be worth something, coming clean. ] I'm not asking for me. We — [ no, he doesn't group her among them. she sighs. ] The Knighthood needs to stay focused. And they need back-up. This is bigger than me.

[cabot]

Judging by the rather gaudy display over our roof at the moment, I think we've already located some allies. [ he sighs ] But I said I'll tell them. And I mean that. But I think it's best you go.

[hacker]

Val'drin, I don't want you to think I ... [ but it's a waste, she realizes. nothing she says is going to change what she did, or the reaction he's having to it in the moment. she bites her lip. ] Thanks.

[cabot]

Just don't get anyone killed. [ he sounds weary, tbh ] We've had too much of that.

[hacker]

[ she nods. there's nothing else she can say that won't sound like an excuse. she's trying to save lives by coming clean, though; not end them.

she readies to step past him, then stops and glances back. ]

I know that you don't trust me. But thanks for at least listening. If, when I come back, they want me to submit myself to the Knights' custody ... I will. I'm going to make this right.

[cabot]

I hope you're right. [ a beat ] And for the love of all gods, please don't bring my name up as the one who told you to go off. I'm going to say I did everything in my power to talk you into staying.

[hacker]

Yeah, well, lucky you, I've gotten pretty good at lying.

[ there's a bitterness in the way she says it. she doesn't want to engage that further. she turns away and strikes out. ]