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

[superswank]

Or maybe we need everyone we can get right now.

[certainproclivity]

Indeed. I thought perhaps I was done with men with delusions of grandeur and destructive impulses when I decided Mr. St. Andrew and I were an ill fit for a partnership and turned against him.

This is far worse.

[And he wasn't really that helpful in that fight either from anything more than an intelligence perspective. let's be real, Sydney. he is not that useful.

but he's also arrogant. and a little bitch.]

[superswank]

Are you planning to turn against us, then? Sell out to Blade to save your skin?

[certainproclivity]

That seems counterproductive. What would I do when he's ravaged this world? I think I'm ill-suited to a true apocalypse.

[To prove it, he picks imaginary lint off his suit.] If I were to leave, I would just wait this out somewhere.

[superswank]

If everyone adopts that attitude, how do you think this is going to end?

[certainproclivity]

Don't be dramatic, Agent Bristow. There will always be people willing to throw their lives into the cause.

[He eyes her cautiously.] Do you think I'm one of them?

[It could be a sardonic question, but there's an... odd trace of honesty there. Sark has context for his own life and his relationship with Sydney that she lacks. It will always throw an imbalance into their relationship here.

Had he asked this question back home, he would have received a flat "no," and that would be the end of it. The circumstances here are more dire. He has no masters to serve and hasn't for a long time. A part of him is just highly attuned to being told what to do until it suits him to stop listening.

There is no forward or back here, unless he can be sure of something.]

[disguised]

[ her face is stony as she rises at his words, taking a challenging step in his direction ] I think you've probably lived most of your life as a coward.

Now seems like a pretty good reason to try something else.

[certainproclivity]

[Sark remains where he is, canting his head a bit as she steps closer- almost inviting her to keep bridging the gap.]

I wonder how many people have committed to this organization simply because it guarantees a better chance of survival. [a smirk plays across his lips.] But I do live in this world. Saving it seems to make more sense than anything else.

[disguised]

[ well TOO BAD, she STOPS RIGHT HERE ] Have you ever had a single motivation in your entire life that wasn't completely selfish?

[certainproclivity]

[He can wait.] I believe you already know the answer to that question.

[superswank]

You've literally never cared about anyone else?

[certainproclivity]

[jeopardy music.mp3

actually that's a fucking lie, because he remembers Allison, and how that ended up and where compassion got him, even if he can't quite remember everything that happened.]

Not that I recall. [(bluff... 36. HE ROLLED A SIXTEEN TWICE, OKAY. I DIDN'T WANT THIS. THE DICE WANTED THIS.)] It's a weakness in our line of work. Surely, I don't have to tell you that.

[superswank]

[ wow that was the shittiest sense motive ever. fuck you, dice ]

I've already told you. We? Are not the same. Stop pretending that we are.

[certainproclivity]

It's not pretending if it's true. You're not capable of normal any more than I am. Tell me you don't walk into a building without formulating an exit strategy, as if a simple errand could turn into an attack. Or that you don't know what items you have on hand will make the best improvised weapons if you're caught unarmed. It's instinct coded into your brain just as it is mine. You can't ignore it and you certainly can't deny it. And, more than that, no one will understand it.

[disguised]

I don't shut people out just to be a better spy. We're not robots. We're human beings.

[certainproclivity]

We're weapons. [The correction comes, harsh in how utterly devoid of emotion it is.] If I stay here, that's what I'll still be.

Maybe the Veil didn't take so much of you that you can still remember what it was like to have a life outside of what you did. I wasn't afforded that opportunity. All I have are... a series of mistakes that have taught me plenty about trying to live two lives.

[He might not be able to fail a bluff, but he can fail a will save. Maybe if talking about Sydney's idyllic little life with her friends didn't remind him of HOW HIS GIRLFRIEND DIED.]

[superswank]

So there was somebody. Or something. [ she sidesteps in front of him again ] At least once.

[certainproclivity]

[GODDAMMIT. His jaw twitches perceptively and his usually placid expression turns into a frown.]

Hubris is believing you can have both, Agent Bristow. You can't live comfortably with your loved ones or fight the battles we fight. The Knighthood provides a comforting illusion that you can, but it's far from the life of covert espionage.

[superswank]

It's not an illusion. Plenty of people here live real lives, they have... families, loved ones. [ thinking about it, she's really having like a breakthrough moment of her own here so she's gonna just like... forget you sark for a second sorry ] Maybe it's just that those people live that life too, they understand the risks.

I get it. It's not easy to trust anyone in this line of business, no matter what it looks like. To ever believe anything is real when we're trained at being liars and we know how easy it can be to sell it.

But it's worth trying.

[certainproclivity]

[Sark stares at her for a long time, staring at her even though she's looking past him, body rigid. And then slowly, he starts to relax, and he sighs, softly.] You make a convincing argument, Agent Bristow. I think I believe you.

[superswank]

[ well, that surprises her and draws her focus back to him, something changing in her expression a bit as she studies his.

sense motive 18??? does he?? ]

[certainproclivity]

[YEAH, HE LIKE ROLLED A 4 FOR HIS WILL SAVE OKAY. HE AIN'T LYING ABOUT SHIT, so even though he tries to cover it up... he can't.]

That doesn't necessarily say that it will mean anything for me, but I'm willing to see if your convictions have true merit.

[superswank]

I'm glad to hear it. You just need to find one place to start. Just... try.

And in the meantime, stay and help.

[certainproclivity]

[Sark looks like he just fucking played himself over here. This is not how he expected any of this to go. Holy shit.

So he slowblinks and just... nods.]

All right. [He straightens, trying to find some sense of composure again.] I'll let you get back to your work, then.

[He has to go stare at a wall and think about life for awhile.]

[superswank]

Good idea. [ before this gets weirder ]