Kinh, still picking over various dishes, chimes in. "The scent of a ripening fruit. The feel of the sun on my back, and my hands in the earth. And of course," he pauses for a rather large bite, "the taste of a fresh harvest!"
When you get home and feel it safe, you open the note. "Meet tomorrow night @ Underline Bridge. An hour after lights go out. Only bring yourselves. If there is an owl on the bridge, stay clear."
Hearing those reasons she chuckled lightly.
"Peace, it is such an interesting thing. How does it make you feel to live in such a peaceful place?" She already knew her answer. Without her horse it would feel....empty.
"Nevermind, silly question."
"It's not a silly question, Kizuato. I know I feel lucky to live in such a peaceful place," Mizuki says, smiling.
Regin is puzzled by... he references Book... Kizuato's question. As I have always felt, I guess. he answers in spite of her trying to dismiss the topic. There has always been peace in this community.
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Regin reads the note later while helping clean up the Celebration. He is puzzled by the note and quickly slips it into the appropriate place in Book. He dismisses it at first, but something rare happens. The note, or specifically memory of it, Sticks in his mind. It occupies his thoughts to the point of distraction. Noone was likely to notice, however, because of his "condition".
He cannot sleep that night. He tosses until half past lights out, then stands, dresses, gets Book, and follows Book's directions to Underline Bridge.
Kinh is rather curious about this note and who may have slipped it to him, briefly entertaining the notion that perhaps his wife had actually had received notification it was time to start a family, and wished to make a surprise of it. Trying not to get his hopes up too much in that regard, he once more pocketed the note and head out to satisfy his curiosity.
Kizuato smiled at their answers, nodding. "Indeed." Shifts and would continue eating letting the conversation ebb and flow.
_____________________________________________
After she was home she headed into her room. Pulling out the note after closing the door she would read it and frowned slightly. It didn't take her long to decide her course of action. Settling in she would wait. Letting the sounds of her father settling and eventually going to sleep. Dressing in something with a little more weight she would slip out easily checking around making sure no one was up and noticed before heading towards the Underline Bridge. Kizuato would head the route the horses would take off the beaten path and would look around cautiously looking to see if an owl was there.
Mizuki studies the note, wondering if perhaps her new partner-to-be is trying to arrange a private meeting. Feeling a slight thrill, she decides she will go. She slips on a comfortable, but simple outfit and leaves quietly. She approaches the bridge, checking to see if an owl was present.
All of you see no sign of an owl perched on the bridge. The coast is clear to venture underneath the bridge. You see a small marking similar to the one drawn on the note you received from the gnome. Once all of you have gathered, before either of you can speak, the gnome appears out of nowhere. "Get in. There is much to discuss and not much time." A door opens and leads down through a burrow opening into a well lit cave filled with sharp metal instruments and stuffed men shaped dolls on polls. "We have food and drink in the common area, please make yourselves at home. The Captain will be in shortly."
Regin is shocked into speechlessness by the cave. Secrecy on this scale was unthinkable! But it was too late to turn back now. He fills a couple pages of his small notebook with scribbled notes as they are led to the "common area". The fact that they even have a "common area" implies that there are areas that are not common, another oddity.
In the common area he puts Book on a table with a heavy thud and starts transcribing everything from his notepad into it.
Kizuato's eyes scan over everyone there and she can't help but grin. Following them in she would look around noting distance between the exit and where they were going by counting her paces. Watching Regin start scribbling notes she found a blank space along the wall to watch everything.
Mizuki's eyes widen as they are led inside. She joins Kizuato at the wall to watch... I wonder what's going on here, she wonders to herself.
Kinh pours a drink, taking in the scenery. "I am somewhat confused why people would be gathered here like this. If there is information many need to know, why not share it at the celebration where all could hear?"
Kizauto looks at Kinh.
"Because not all information can be shared with everyone is my guess."
Regin scoffs as he writes. Nonsence, young one. In order for peace to reign information must flow. This is bad, my children. Very bad.
"This worries me as well," Mizuki adds, as she fixes a drink for hersef.
Just as you are voicing your concerns, a middle aged human walks out from a cavern on the left wall. "Kizuato speaks the truth. To keep perfection, there are things the Counselor does not want known by the general public." He nods to all of you.
"I am Captain Charlie. I will skip all of the small talk and get right to the point. We have been watching you for some time. Yes, we know your names. But we know a great deal more about you than you know and a great deal more about this world than first glances have you."
He sits at the head of the table, putting his elbows up and his chin on his hands.
"Each of you has a spark in you. Tell me, have you ever felt that you had a stronger connection with something outside of the community itself? Ever feel for something besides the duty of service? There is much to explain and not very much time. I can open your eyes. This world is not as it seems and much more sinister happenings are afoot. If you want, you can leave now and we will never bother you again, but if you want to know the truth, stay here with us for a while. Let us show you what is real and what is fake.
Kinh sips his wine, not sure what to make of things just yet.
"If all information flowed, then there would be no peace. Not in my mind. Some information could disrupt the peace. Just like their statements is disrupting what we know of peace. Even if it is not true, I am sure all of you are now thinking about it now." Kizauto was surprised by her own words but they did make sense.
It was clear as she settled back against the wall she was going to stay. Sinister things afoot sounded....exciting and scary at the same time. Part of her, inside of her though relished this feeling and her heart soared.
Regin is slow to answer. He carefully chooses each word as he says it. I will see what you claim to be true, Captain, but your words ring with the short sighted optimism of Youth. Present your case, and I will judge.
"I'm willing to listen," Mizuki says, looking curious.
The Captain smiles and nods. "Alright, well we have something to show you all." He beckons you all to follow him as he advances towards the far back of the main room. "I think you will be shocked at what you find. Last chance to change your mind because when you come out of this room, you will be changed forever."
"I'm already in too deep to back out. The wondering would drive me crazy," Mizuki states quietly.
Kizuato nodded to Mizuki. "Indeed, even if we forgot it would still nag me as some undiscovered dream."
Following the others, Kizuato seemed unafraid of what was to come.
Kinh continues to follow, curious at what could possibly merit this much buildup.
Regin scoffs. Rhetorc and wordplay. Show me and see if I am changed before declaring it to be so, Young One.
You are led into a long room lined with large polish stones. They look like they are sections taken out of the same rock with the flat surfaces polished so much they reflect whatever is in front of them. They don't seem to be held by anything, but they don't look like they could stand like that on their own.
"Each of you, take a step in front of one of those rocks. Let's find out what you will see..." The Captain steps back.
As you step in front of the large reflective rock, you see yourself. Nothing happens at first, but then the mirror you opens Book and flips to a page. It then puts its hand just above the pages, all while staring you in the eyes. It winks and then starts to mouth something. His hand glows with light and he shoots it towards you.
You see yourself, for a moment. Then the image of you winks and transforms into a long, slender humanoid fox. Its fur very similar to your hair, its body similar to yours. She does two back flips and lands crouching down with one hand to steady her on the ground. She looks up at you.
You step in front of your mirror and see your reflection, but then it wavers. You see a deer, then a light haired elvish woman, then a huge oak tree. It keeps shifting and changing but each of these things shown you feel are you...
You see a speckled horse aside you. Beautiful and strong in the metal plates that seem to protect all of its weak points. You look at yourself. You're just as strong and just as beautiful. You have a long sharp metal... stick? It looks like a huge, slightly curved knife. The reflection spins the stick, slashing it through the air with precise aim. The horse noiselessly whinnies and rears up, proudly.
After the scenes take place, it fades back to just you standing there. The images on the other side, however, aren't quite the reflections you are used to greeting in the mirror anymore...
Kinh looks appreciatively at everything the mirror has to show. "I admit, this device is far more interesting than anything I expected to see."
Regin is clearly struggling mentally with what he saw. What are you playing at, Young One? This mystery and trickery is most inappropriate!
Mizuki stares, slightly shocked. "That looks like the image that popped into my head yesterday..." she mutters to herself.
"Regin, honorable elder, there is no trickery here. There is no way our world could do this type of trickery. These rocks are special. They are what is called magical. There is no word for it here because it does not exist here in this world. My honorable elder, this rock shows you who you really are. Yet we do not yet know how to make this a reality."
Just then the gnome woman comes into the room. "Save for me, Captain?" She looks at Regin and Kinh in kind. "You can do things such as this," She snaps and a flame is produced from her finger for just a breif second. but we must be careful here. They have powerful magic; much more powerful than the magic I possess. They can detect us but we dont know how... Thats how Kizuato's moth-- Er.. Thats how people disappear."
Kinh chuckles somewhat. "It would seem then, there is some degree of confusion as to what my 'true self' might be... but all these strange sights aside, there seems to be a tone of some great concern in the air, which could stand a fair deal more elaboration."
Kizuato spun her hand slicing out as she pointed towards the gnome having been listening as she studied herself in the stone.
"What about my mother?! What do you mean disappeared? I was told she died in childbirth?!" Her voice got louder and had a cutting edge to it that said she would get an answer.
"What do you mean, who we really are?" Mizuki asks, confused. "I'm just a librarian with a cat."
Regin stands by, arms crossed, eyebrows low, while this Sargent explains himself some more.
At the gnome woman's fantastic ability, he just stares stubbornly, still thoroughly convinced that this was all smoke and mirrors.
The gnome decides to shut her mouth, but the captain continues to speak. "We don't know quite what it means, truthfully. But we have intel that says it has to do with the Counselor... We fear that this world is dangerous; an explosion waiting to happen.. All we know is that some people have a spark.. The Lieutenant can see that spark and we bring them here to show them what we have." He lets that info sink in.
This world is an explosion waiting to happen, and you're gathering sparks? Tell me, Captain, why not bring your concerns to the appropriate authorities? The City has been at peace for... flipping through Book ... 371 years two months, thirteen days, five hours . Why not trust the system that has held our security and provision in its capable care?
As for this "magic" I'm going to need something a bit more solid than this. He waves his hand to encompass all he's seen so far.
Kinh is still more generally bemused than anything at all of this. "I see... so I am to someday spontaneously transform into a pale and pointy-eared beauty, and thusly unravel the thread of our society? Well, rest assured, should such a day come, I will be sure to march myself into exile, so as not to tempt my neighbors from their wives!" He grins. "Have you any further prophecies of doom to foretell? These stories have left me late to greet my wife after today's labors... quite the tempting one herself as it would happen."
Kizuato eyes narrowed and she moved towards the gnome. "Don't think I am going to just let you not saying anything. You said something about my mother. Tell me what you know. You wouldn't casually mention something unless you knew or suspected something."
"Did they really do something to Kizuato's mother?" Mizuki asks, concerned.
The gnome looks unsure of herself, but the captain nods to her.
"Kizuato.. Yes.. We don't know if your mother lives, but about 2 years after you were born, she went to the Counselor before we could get to her... She was feeling off, like she didn't belong in this world. She went to the 'proper authorities'" She glares at the old dwarf. "She was never seen again... Your father has no memory of this. He truly believes she died in childbirth even though she spent two years with you after you were born... We don't know why, but believe it to be because of magic."
The captain shifts his gaze to Kinh. "You are free to go at any time, but think on something; your father never lusted after a woman, did he? The way you crave her body, that is not normal in this realm. Think on that, young man." He looks at the old dwarf. "You are also free to go. No one is keeping you here. Just be ready, every time you look in that mirror, you will see the reflection you saw. The true you." The wise captain raised an arm gesturing that they can leave if they wish.
Kinh grins again. "While I am certain that will add an extra level of challenge to any future grooming concerns, I must still assume you have further purpose in sharing all this. Is there some special task you would ask of all those you have gathered here, or do you truly mean only to present strange revelations and for us to resume life as if you had not done so?"
The captain nods to Kinh. "There is indeed something we would have you do, but if anyone wants to leave, I wish for them to before I disclose anything further and go with the Lieutenant." He frowns at the thought.
Kizuato stared at the woman a type of anger boiling in her she hadn't felt before. 'My mother could be killed by the very people I believed in. Or even...even, she could be alive. Some where out there.'
Looking down at her hands she saw them trembling when they were normally still. Clenching them into fists she would move over to the rock and staring at her reflection she slammed her fist into it. Kizuato didn't care she would probably break her hand against the stone. Something welled up inside her that action seemed the only way to release it.
"NYAH!" A guttural cry left her lips. So close to knowing something and yet torn between believing it and the pain, that if true, it would mean her father just forgot....or was forced to forget someone so important in his life.
Panting slightly she stared at her reflection.
"Will I really see that strange reflection from now on? I mean, I know I like foxes.... but I've never dreamed of being one," Mizuki says softly, turning to stare at the reflection again. "Aside from that weird daydream yesterday, but surely that's all it was."She lays her hand on the polished stone, tracing the features she sees in it.
Regin Ald was disgusted. Offended. Here stood rebels -- nay! Traitors! -- to the city! They should all be hauled in and turned over to the Delartment of Justice!
And yet something held him fast to the hard floor. However much his will demanded that he leave and report this filthy infestation, his feet refused to budge.
Instead he stands, and scowls, and says nothing, but does not refuse.
Kinh simply helps himself to another glass of wine, and hands one off to Kizuato who clearly needs some help calming down.
The captain nodded. "Mizuki, you've seen the truth and the truth is ot something the heart forgets, even if the mind refuses to believe it." He looks at Regin, a wise sparkle in his eye. He might not be as old as you, but you sense he has been through much more than his years let on. "And Kizuato, I am sorry about your mother. There was nothing we could do. We tried our hardest. But the emotions you are feeling are legitimate. I was angry, too..." He put a hand to his brow, tiredly.
"So, I take it you're all staying then? That means I can brief you on what lies ahead. We believe this goes all the way to the top. We don't know why or how, but this realm seems to suppress 'magic' and we want to know why and how. I believe, if we do some undercover work, we can find the source and stop it. This isn't right, this suppression.. It is forcing us to believe falsehoods about ourselves and the people around us. You all just seem to have more of a spark than everyone else. We will give you assignments as they come up, but be wary. Don't let the officials see your true plans. Firstly, the library; the big one in the main square with the roped off area; we believe there could be something of use to us there. Thats where we would like you to start. Anything that looks as if it pertains to magic, history, or the offical board bring back here. Do you accept?"
Regin sighs and flips pages in Book. He goes about half way back before stopping and flipping Book so the others can see.
What you see is a page of scribbles and margin notes. I manage that area, just like all the other areas. Which one do you want? Regin demands, apparently forgetting that his script is illegible to anyone save himself.