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

[loisfuckinglane]

Did you think I was going to get the vapors? [ despite herself she steps forward, almost like she's tempted to just touch him and make sure he's real, half lifting a hand, even ] How did you--

[clarkfuckingkent]

[He just always assumes anyone knowing would be very very bad. Thanks mom and dad for conditioning him for that instinct (but no really thank you for being great parents).]

I'm still me. [He holds out a hand, palm up.] I've been this way for as long as I can remember.

[loisfuckinglane]

"This way", meaning ... the superstrength? [ she looks at him with glittering eyes ] Is there more?

[clarkfuckingkent]

I'm also pretty fast. [He tries to downplay it because he's just a humble farmboy okay!!]

There's more, but I don't have much control over it. [Brushes other powers under a rug since he didn't have power points for them yet.]

[loisfuckinglane]

How have you kept this a secret so long?

[clarkfuckingkent]

Years of practice. And it helped that the farm was big enough that I could play around with some of it as a kid, figure out what I could do without worrying about someone seeing. [Until high school basically.]

My parents were terrified that if anyone knew, I'd be taken away. Studied. Ive only recently started to get comfortable with the idea of people knowing. Besides my parents, it was pretty much only Chloe and Pete for a long time. Only a handful of the Knights even know.

And now you. I'm trusting you with the biggest secret I've got, Lois. And I need to know that you can keep it for me.

[loisfuckinglane]

But... why me? [ there's a surprising vulnerability in the question, something he's not used to seeing very often in tough-as-nails lane. ]

[clarkfuckingkent]

[That's a good question. He has an instinct to joke that she was bound to find out eventually so he may as well come clean. But that's not really it. He's trying to be more honest here, so he pauses for a moment before continuing.]

Because I know I can trust you. And because things are about to get really dangerous. So I need you to be able to trust me, too. Especially if we're going to possibly work together.

[loisfuckinglane]

[ her breath hitches a bit at that, a feeling of importance flooding through her that causes her to straighten up a bit ] I do. Trust you, I mean. I didn't do any of this because I didn't trust you, Clark.

I thought you... I thought you might need help, at first.

[clarkfuckingkent]

[A smile twitches at his lips. She may be pushy and get in over her head often, but having someone track him down and dig into all of this just to make sure that he was okay? It feels nice.]

I'm okay. [He feels like giving that reassurance is the least he can do.] But I didn't just come here to come clean about everything. I've got a friend waiting in the car. Well...he's kind of like a supervisor. Not for my section, but... [He shakes his head] Maybe I should just go get him.

[loisfuckinglane]

He's not about to flash some thing in my eyes to make me forget all this, is he?

[clarkfuckingkent]

[Clark chuckles and shakes his head.]

Nothing like that. I promise.

[loisfuckinglane]

Alright then. Let's meet this big shot.

[clarkfuckingkent]

[With a nod, Clark gets up and heads for the door so he can wave for Koraith to head on in.]

1/2

[koraith]

[ lois watches clark carefully, folding her arms with uncertainty about what is happening, but trying to look tough anyway. koraith moves out of the car and has to duck a bit to get in the doorframe. he looks around before offering a disarmingly gentle smile to lois ] Hello, my dear. Honored to make your acquaintance.

[loisfuckinglane]

[ lois' eyes widen a bit at the sight of the huge half-dragon, glancing to clark like ??? but managing to keep her cool ] So you're Clark's boss?

[clarkfuckingkent]

Yes and no. [But first...] Lois, this is Koraith. He's above me, but for a different... department, you could say. Sir Koraith, this is Lois Lane.

1/2

[loisfuckinglane]

Nice to meet you. [ she will go to shake his hand firmly ] Any friend of Smallville's....

[koraith]

I'm glad to hear that. [ he glances at clark ] Clark, perhaps I could speak with Lois for a few moments alone?

[clarkfuckingkent]

[He's a little surprised by that.]

Oh. Uh... yeah. I'll just... [He gestures to a nearby room where he will stand around awkwardly. No biggie.]

[loisfuckinglane]

[ IS HE LISTENING IN OR BEING A GOOD BOY ]

[clarkfuckingkent]

[When has Clark ever let people have a private conversation when he was curious about it? Unfortunately, he doesn't have super hearing, but the dice made up for it by giving him a nat 20 on that listen check so...]

[loisfuckinglane]

I'm gonna preface this by saying that if this is a cult and you've dragged Smallville into some kind of pyramid scheme, you will be appearing the front page. Just so we're clear on that.

[ the casual threat gets a warm chuckle from koraith.

"Your concern for your friend is admirable, my dear," he says, "but unnecessary. We are, you could say, a modern day Knighthood of sorts, whose concerns lie with protecting this world from threats that come from others - and from protecting those pilgrims who come from other worlds who may not find safe harbor here. We operate in secrecy from the public, but we are on good terms with most governments of the world, where the protection of all citizens is a priority. Clark claims that you may find an interest in this sort of work - and that you could be built for it, in a way."

she sounds mildly surprised as she replies. ]

A pretty glowing review. Not what I would have expected from him.


... You really think I could help?

[ "He is certain of it. Our leader, Wynnefalshond, is unfortunately currently missing in action... So recruitment falls under the purveyance of those of us who lead in his absence. I work as head of the Dragon's Tongue, our regiment of diplomats, you might say. And if you'd like, I'd like to chat with you about the possibility of your joining us..." ]

[clarkfuckingkent]

[It sounds like it's going well, which is good. He's already committed to eavesdropping, so he's not going to quit now. (legit rolled his listen check again and got another nat 20 what the hellllll).]

[koraith]

[ "I mean, I wasn't exactly job hunting when I came here, but-- wait, what do you mean 'missing in action'?" ]

Just that. He stayed behind to save some of our Knights on a dangerous mission, and we've yet to determine whether he survived or not. We are, of course, optimistic.

[ "... Right. I'm uh, sorry to hear that. What kind of skills does someone have to have to join your operation? I don't exactly have superstrength over here." ]

A spirit to do well by all living creatures. An intellectual curiosity, which you've already demonstrated, and the intelligence and gumption to apply it. It of course helps if you can hold your own in a scrap.

[ "Military brat. Kind of got that one covered." ]