thenearshore | we'll take the world back from the heart-attacked

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we'll take the world back from the heart-attacked

Who: Zelda and anyone who has been investigating the cult or is interested in learning about their activities.
When: December 21
Where: The Temple of Metis
What: Zelda holds a council to discuss the cult and get everyone on the same page regarding them and other related incidents.
Warnings: Cults generally aren't pleasant things. Please mark any threads with relevant warnings.

[The message goes out two days prior.

it has come to my attention that several among our number have been pursuing their own investigations regarding the organization responsible for the forest incident and their activities. as such, i would like to propose a gathering to share and discuss our findings as well as subsequent courses of action and, if necessary, potential defensive measures to ward against future strikes against us. to this end, the temple of metis will be open to all willing to participate in this sharing of information in two days time, with formal discussion beginning after noon.

as the bbs is not the most secure vector for distributing information, i would ask all recipients of this message to please pass it along to any interested parties that i myself might not be aware of.

thank you for your time,
zelda, princess of hyrule

p.s.; chikusa, i will have a new hat for you if you extend our deal to this meeting.

In summary, come to Metis Temple in two days ~~for an asskicking~~ if you wanna talk shit about cultists. Tell your friends.]

[The day comes and the dumb puzzle door that usually bars outsider entry into the temple's underground complex has mercifully been left open. Luminescent crystals light the way as visitors descend a stone spiral staircase that eventually opens up to the temple's main living area. A large dining table is the central focus and many chairs surround it, including some that were clearly brought from other spaces to accommodate a large group. Some couches off to the side have also been turned away from the fireplace that banishes winter's chill in order to provide further seating for those in attendance. A beanie sits unclaimed on one of the chairs. For refreshment, a kettle of tea is available in the kitchen, as well as a plate of festive sugar cookies. Store-bought, unfortunately for those who are picky about those kinds of things, because any attempts made by the temple's current residents to cook are met with utter and complete disaster.

Speaking of festive, the entirety of the temple's interior is currently covered in glitter, tinsel, and mistletoe. Dear Amaterasu, there is so much mistletoe, and you likely aren't leaving here without finding glitter still stuck to your person hours later. Zelda would really prefer if you would not point any of this out. Minako is just very... enthusiastic about the season, that's all. Be thankful she couldn't get a tree down here.

At a certain point in time, Zelda will formally call the meeting to begin, but until then everyone is free to mix and mingle at their leisure. Just... please don't ruin her house, okay.]

_{(ooc; so this is a free-for-all meeting to discuss various aspects of the metaplot! anyone and everyone is invited; you can just say your character learned about it from word of mouth if they don't know zelda that well or at all. and if you've got any other questions, you can reach me via pm or at jamizoid!)}

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[Chikusa says nothing in response to the conversation which begins, away from the rest of the individuals who'd made up the meeting. He knows himself; anything he would say would probably make things worse. Things like how he doesn't care if she's scared, or if anyone would kill her.]

[He might not be good with people, but even he can recognize that if Gojyo got stupid just about people talking about her, he'd definitely react unfavorably to that.]

[Instead, Chikusa just adjusts his position to stand near to Hakkai, hands still in his pockets where he can keep his fingers curled around the tiny metal box holding Mukurou. His eyes stay mostly on Gojyo, trying to gauge if he'll have another outburst. Without having any idea what is going through Gojyo's head, watching his actions is the best Chikusa can do.]

No, you didn't tell me. [Although... things have been difficult. Hakkai can't entirely blame Goku. He's been blighted half to death, he lost his shinki in a deeply painful way, and he's barely recovering from that. Gojyo, on the other hand?

Gojyo should definitely have told him. Listening to the description, though -- she's a scared kid, there's some asshole basically keeping her prisoner -- Hakkai finds himself unsurprised that he did not. It's exactly the sort of situation calculated to coax Gojyo into making very bad decisions. He supposes he should consider himself lucky that Gojyo hasn't actually run off on his own to find and kill this "asshole" yet.]

All right. If she's really the god that they're looking for, I don't doubt it's true that she'd be executed if they caught her, and likely without asking too many questions about other responsible parties first.

That doesn't necessarily mean anyone down there is going to turn her in.

[He glances between Gojyo and Goku, and adds, more quietly:]

And it doesn't mean that she might not be working against us, either. Children often trust what their caretakers tell them.

[ Chikusa can loom threateningly all he likes. Gojyo's written him off -- until he throws a punch, the kid doesn't exist to him ]

No one is going to turn her in? Are you sure?

[ Folding his arms, Gojyo straightens up even taller and fixes Hakkai with a steady (and, for him, oddly blank) gaze. He almost feels like he's not in his body anymore, just floating free a few inches behind himself. It's a little scary. ]

Necessarily? [ He snorts. ] So they might decide not to rat her out to the heavens? Or to run their mouth where they could be overheard?

[ He should have expected Hakkai to come in as the peacemaker, and he knew Hakkai wouldn't trust his word. But Hakkai's suspicion of Votelli still grates. She's just a kid! The rules are different when it's a kid... or they should be. ]

Hell, for all we know her fuckin' Sensei is in there right now, hearing all about how she's been talkin' to us.

[ He leans in, his concern now apparent in every line of his face. ]

The longer we stand around talking about it, the more danger she's in.

I really don't think any of those guys wanna hurt her, Gojyo. [Goku doesn't know any of them very well, but that's the feeling he got. Sometimes his instincts are wrong, but he continues to trust them anyway.] An' I think everyone there knows everyone else, so it's not like some guy could just sneak in, right?

[They're talking now; having a conversation, not being lectured at. Hakkai seems a little less likely to do something terrifying like look at Goku in a certain way, raise his voice or refuse to cook them dinner tonight, so Goku straightens up a bit. ]

Anyway, it's not like Votelli can't look after herself too. Didn't she kick Hakkai's ass already? [No offence, Hakkai.] She's probably really strong.

[A kid is a kid, but there are plenty of strong kids in the world. They still shouldn't have to fight on their own or be in danger, Goku's worried about her too, but still. Anyone looking for her might end up tied up in a tree.]

Everyone down there is a newcomer. I don't know them all well, but I recognize them all -- do you think she's been under the control of that 'Sensei' for less than a year? Ginia claimed she'd said he had been around for at least a decade.

Also, you're clearly not the only two she talked to. Is Ginia telling others about her existence more dangerous than her personally meeting [he waves a hand impatiently] -- who knows how many people in that forest?

What I'm saying, Gojyo, is that I don't think she's in more danger now than she was an hour ago. The Heavens know about that forest, but she's evaded them so far, hasn't she?

[He gives Goku a slight, wry nod, letting himself thaw slightly.]

And it's true, if she was the one controlling everything that happened in the forest, I think she can defend herself.

If anything... rushing about and doing something without thinking... is what's more likely to put either her in danger, or anyone else.

[Chikusa's been quiet for most of this conversation, listening carefully to everything that's going on, since it's not been about his and Gojyo's argument directly. Still, he feels like it's a good time to mention this, and he looks up at Hakkai meaningfully from his usual slouch.]

We still don't know the full effects of what that ritual was doing or has already done to you and the others... For all we know, it could be the equivalent of someone having a shinki's name. You and Shun are Gods of Fortune now... which means you're the biggest and brightest targets out of all the newcomers.

The whole reason people are gathered here... is to figure out a plan, so that no one gets hurt, and so we get answers.

[ Hakkai doesn't believe him.

Chikusa is saying some shit, but Gojyo just tunes him out, staring instead at Hakkai with a look of absolute betrayal.

A scared, lonely kid talking to the people who had invaded her home, and he's supposed to just shrug that off and say sure, fine, since she talked to us it's okay that we break our promise and tell the world about her? Everyone in the room has introduced themselves as new -- he's just supposed to take their word for that? Hakkai's taking so much here on faith, assuming that everyone here is well-meaning, assuming that the heavens aren't listening in, assuming so much... and if he's wrong, then Votelli's dead.

He's going to have to lie, Gojyo realizes, gaze darting between Hakkai's face and Goku's. He's going to have to agree with them, and make it sound good, and then find a way to sneak up the mountain. He's going to have to do something he knows is wrong, and that's going to cause them all to get stung.

He's going to have to be clever. ]

Maybe you're right. [ He speaks slowly, mind a whir. If he's worried enough for her, really visibly worried, will they believe that the stings are from that? He has to try. ] You didn't see her though, Hakkai. She was really scared. If anything bad happened to her... [ He shakes his head, voice trailing off. ]

[Goku's still not happy about everyone breaking their word to Votelli, though he'll concede that's it's not as big of a deal to talk about her to each other as it is to talk to the Heavens about her. He's not opposed to running off and talking to her right now. She's probably due a visit and the important thing- more important than trying to "protect" her, in Goku's opinion- is not making her feel alone.]

She seemed scared but... pretty tough too. [Goku looks up at Gojyo cautiously as well. He can't read his mind, of course, but he knows what Gojyo's like. ] ... We could all go talk to her together and make sure she's okay though.

[Anything would be better than doing things on their own. That's how trouble happens.]

I'd think I'd feel it if there were any remaining drain on my energy. [Hakkai's tone is slightly dry; it is possible, after all, that there's some subtle effect. He doesn't have much practical understanding of divine magic, nor does he know what could be done to a god of this world with the right spells. He does, though, know that things can be done.

After a moment, he sighs. Gojyo is giving him a look as though Hakkai were holding a knife to this child's throat himself; it's clear he's in no mood to listen to reason of any kind.]

But I don't think it's a bad idea to meet her. I'd like to talk to her myself -- and if you're worried about keeping her safe from anyone who might betray her, Gojyo, perhaps we could talk her into going somewhere safer.

[The Heavens do know about the forest, after all. And it's not the only forest in Japan.]

[Something definitely isn't right here. Perhaps it's just that Chikusa has the most negative view of Gojyo out of anyone without having actually bothered to kill the guy (although not of his own will, frankly), but that seems like too much of a concession from him of all people on something he feels so strongly about.]

[Yes, 'maybe you're right and I'm wrong' is too much of a concession from Gojyo in Chikusa's eyes. The same eyes which flick over to him, slightly suspicious, before the rest of the conversation takes Chikusa's attention. So going to talk to her, huh....]

...Then Ken should come too.

[Because, obviously, Hakkai isn't going on his own, and Chikusa is coming along with both of them. It shouldn't even need to be said; this is only more of an idle reminder more than anything else.]

[After a moment, he makes a half-hearted and reluctant offer.] I can make lunch.... for everyone, including her...

[...]

Not Gojyo, but...

[ This is going all wrong. Goku he trusts -- Hakkai he's on the fence about. Chikusa? The asshole would probably just cast a spell on her, tie her up with magic and scare the hell out of her while trying to get answers to his lazy ass questions. And if Ken's there, too?

No way. ]

Fine. Do what you like.

[ He's leaving. Let him leave. ]

I've got a bar to run.

I think she'd like lunch!

[Goku's a little relieved, despite the obvious tension coming from Gojyo. They're talking about this. They're coming up with ideas. Whether or not they're good ones isn't necessarily important just yet; this is what they should have been doing in the meeting with the others.]

There's loads of trees by the temple they gave me and no one ever goes there! [Votelli can have Goku's house, he doesn't mind.] Or, um, if it's no good being that close to Heaven, there's plenty of parks and stuff. If it's somewhere more people visit, maybe she'd like it? Then she could meet more people.

[That sounds like a better situation than her current one to Goku. But just as they're making progress, Gojyo's trying to get out of it.]

But- Gojyo! Wait!

[Damn it, he is not leaving him alone right now. Goku gives Hakkai a concerned look over his shoulder before going to follow Gojyo. They both know what he's like.]

Gojyo. [There's an angry edge in Hakkai's tone: confronting Ginia is one thing, storming out another, but he's treating them all as enemies now. For -- what? Being willing to defy the Heavens to protect this child, but not enthusiastically enough?

Goku's already running after him; Hakkai stays where he is, but his jaw tightens, briefly.]

Let's just talk to her, and not worry about making a picnic of it until we know how she feels about being introduced to your friends.

[Goku apparently already has Gojyo handled and, honestly, Chikusa doesn't want to deal with him anymore anyway. Instead, he turns away with a faint scoff under his breath. Hakkai is the only one who he wants to talk to anyway.]

Kids like food. [Yeah, that's apparently all the wisdom he has to say today. For now, however, he starts to make his way back into Zelda's temple.] I... still have things I have to say...

[He's done here, unless Hakkai says otherwise.]

[Hakkai's silent, looking after the retreating two for a long moment, before he exhales.

He's not stopping Chikusa. In fact, after a moment, he's turning to follow him back into Zelda's temple.]

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