2019-09-24: Do the Right Thing
- Log: Do the Right Thing
- Cast: Lunata Croze, Belize
- Where: Macalania Temple
- Date: 24th September 2019
- Summary: Belize finds Lunata distraught by the revelations of Jyscal's sphere. Takes place in the midst of and modifies Villain.
<Pose Tracker> Lunata Croze has posed.
Maester Seymour killed his father.
Those were the contents that were revealed to the dining party at large -- through the sphere that was accidentally dropped, and then destroyed by Trommel Guado.
Lunata's retreated to one of the outer hallways, before the inevitable and fateful attack on the Temple by Odessa's forces. Her mind is already racing, chaotic and fearful. She looks towards the Antechamber door nearby. Seymour... Seymour went in there, didn't he? And-- and the Summoner Yuna and her Guardians--
Oh no. What's going to happen?
Her chest is burning. It's a trick. She has no beating heart. She's grabbing hold of it anyway. She grabs hold of her hair.
Do the right thing...
Do the right thing...
What would that ... where would that leave her? She's in a lot of distress right now...
<Pose Tracker> Belize has posed.
A lot of people are in a lot of distress. One of them is Belize, fellow member of Seymour's retinue.
When Jyscal's sphere had gone off and played his final message, their mind, their entire body, had gone numb with shock. Many fellow Yevonites had expressed disbelief, in a decision to pretend they hadn't seen it. Belize... Belize doesn't know what to believe. Seymour has always been such a kind, understanding man, so full of care and thoughtfulness. Yet that had been unmistakably Jyscal, and for what reason would the late Maester lie? Had there been a misunderstanding? After all, it only showed his /claim/ that Seymour was going to kill him, not the deed itself.
Either way, the Summoner can't bear to simply believe the accusation out of hand. It's so--so out of *character* for Seymour-- (hadn't he screamed in terrible, terrible fury in Luca, that day on the battlefield)-- and he's always treated them so well. They can't... they just *can't* believe this. They need to find him and talk to him. Surely... surely he'll deny this accusation... surely it's a misunderstanding, or a cleverly made fake... Where had this damnable sphere come from, anyway? Why had it been in Yuna's possession? They can't imagine that Yuna would try to frame Seymour, but...
They almost stumble over Lunata on their way to the Chamber of the Fayth. Managing to catch themself on the wall just in time, they whirl around. "How dare you loiter on--oh." They shore up their reflexive anger when they see Lunata. They don't know how to feel either, but--perhaps if they speak with Lunata for a moment... they'll both find themselves with clearer heads.
So, they kneel down next to her. "Are you waiting for Maester Seymour to return?" they ask quietly.
<Pose Tracker> Lunata Croze has posed.
Lunata's mind is racing further. Like Belize, she's not certain where the truth lies right now. She's not even /familiar/ with the technology of the spheres. How easy is it to fabricate something in a recording? That seemed incredibly real to her. Yuna didn't seem the type to be able to get an... an actor? A body double? And make him act out an entire script. And what of Trommel's reaction?
"I--"
She whips and turns towards Belize when she hears their anger, frowning. "I... Belize..."
She whimpers for a moment, feeling drier and drier in the throat. "... he asked me to watch over this door," she admits.
A pause.
The sheer /implication/ of that just starts weighing down further and further down on her, and it's very readily written on her face. Her mind is trying to play a thousand imagined scenarios of what is happening behind closed doors and every single one of them is hurting her.
<Pose Tracker> Belize has posed.
Belize's gaze gentles when Lunata whimpers, and they stroke her hair with a soft hand. "I see," they murmur. Naturally he would not invite her in; only summoners, apprentice summoners, and their Guardians may enter. It's... strange, to think of propriety at a time like this. But comforting someone else brings Belize some comfort in turn.
"We don't actually know the truth yet," Belize murmurs. "Lord Jyscal may have been deceived, or manipulated, or even simply confused. There was no evidence in that sphere that Lord Seymour actually did any wrong, only a recording of Lord Jyscal's suspicions." They take a deep breath; slowly let it out. "Lord Seymour has been kind to you and I both. Don't you think it's a poor way to repay that kindness by believing the worst possible thing with no true evidence?"
<Pose Tracker> Lunata Croze has posed.
Lunata finds herself wringing her hands, without even realising it; it's a motion almost like washing them, feeling the clamminess present. No, they were always clammy. A dead, corpse-like hand. Any semblance of life in them is a trick.
"That's... that's true," she whispers. "I don't know how that sphere got there. What the history between them is."
Did Seymour mention his father, once upon a time? Someone did... it seemed like he had a dark reaction. Vinsfeld, perhaps. It's all incredibly hazy now. She's grasping at straws that look like handholds.
"I'm-- worried about him and Lady Yuna both," she admits, a bit hoarsely. "The Guard or Odessa may launch another attack. ... maybe-- maybe guarding this door would be... best."
<Pose Tracker> Belize has posed.
Belize nods. If Lunata lets them, they'll continue to stroke her hair in an attempt to calm her (them) down. If not, they'll offer a hand for her to hold, rather than just wringing her own. "Perhaps this is the result of another's machinations," they murmur, thinking of Tromell shattering that sphere so decisively. Had... he perhaps deceived Jyscal, then killed him or had him killed so Seymour would be able to take his place? That also boggles the mind, but it frankly seems more realistic to them than Seymour having actually killed his father. Why would he even do such a thing?
"Yes. Agreed. If the Guard or Odessa attack the Temple, they will no doubt try to come here," they reply, nodding once. "I agree. Standing guard would be wise." They squeeze her hand, or her shoulder, or perhaps a knee, if Lunata lets them. "Think about it rationally, Lunata. That sphere had been in Yuna's possession, meaning she has almost certainly seen it. If she believed it to be true, then she would not have accepted Lord Seymour's proposal, let alone gone with him into the Chamber of the Fayth. Those are acts of trust, are they not?"
They press their hand on their chest now. "We should trust in him as well," they conclude, tone low, heated, and fervent. Like they're trying to convince themself as much as they are her.
<Pose Tracker> Lunata Croze has posed.
Lunata doesn't make much of a motion of anything -- she doesn't seem to mind Belize stroking her gray, white-in-the-light hair down; she idly fixes that one hairpiece of hers tying some of her hair up into a side ponytail.
"I am unaware of what ... politics are happening, unfortunately," Lunata is clearly trying to grasp the words to describe any inner drama happening between Yevon's leadership and Maesters. She holds onto Belize's hand in turn. She's still wearing those half-gloves -- they smell kinda nice and foody, because she's been busy in the kitchen since the morning with wedding proposal reception duties.
"But you're right. Lady Yuna also didn't seem the kind that would go out of her way to find dirt or gossip. I wonder if someone... /wanted/ her to find it," she frowns. "The timing of it dropping in a large room full of guests interested in Maester Seymour's wedding is also... well, it's extremely convenient for someone."
She's reeling a little because she could probably go down this rabbit hole of espionage and conspiracy for the rest of the day.
She looks to the door again, trembling.
"I'm..." A pause. "I'm scared one of my friends will come to the worst conclusion." She frowns deeper, trembling. "I don't want to... fight a friend, Belize." The scenario where one of the otherworldly Drifters takes the worst of the sphere and tries to confront Seymour... that seems likely, and is what's on the forefront of Lunata's mind.
<Pose Tracker> Belize has posed.
Belize doesn't speak of politics. In truth, they'd thought themself in the loop, but everyone loves Seymour. Why would anyone do this to him? Or perhaps it's not Yevon, but one of its many enemies... It's impossible to know right now. There's too little information, and speculation will only make things worse.
"Yes. I agree," they say, nodding as Lunata works things through. "For now, let's both refrain from making any assumptions. It's enough to know that this is suspicious. Maester Seymour..."
They trail off, and follow Lunata's gaze towards the door. "Maester Seymour needs to be made aware of this," they say firmly. They pause at the rest of what Lunata says. Their lips purse. "I understand your concerns... People who don't know him as well as we do might well assume the worst."
They rise, shoulders squaring. "I will go inside. I am a Summoner; it is all right for me to do so. I'll find Lord Seymour and Lady Yuna, and let them know what has transpired. We will find out the truth shortly, Lunata. Until then--I will trust you to remain on guard. If anyone tries to start trouble... Let them know something is being done, and to be patient. Perhaps that will cool any uncontrolled tempers for the time being."
They stride towards the Chamber door, but pause just before entering. They look back over at the young lady. "...I'm counting on you, Lunata. Be sharp, and stand tall--for your own sake as well."
<Pose Tracker> Lunata Croze has posed.
It is extremely difficult to parse speculation and assumptions away from the truth that they know so little right now. Why, even in truth, a father would be driven to speak out about his son killing him -- and what it is Jyscal mentioned about failing the Maester as well.
Belize is calmer. They have a plan. They would go inside -- they are a Summoner, where Lunata is not; she has the right. She will find Seymour and Yuna and figure out the truth. "I--I believe in you," she whispers. A pause, as she starts feeling a bit calmer. Because she does actually feel she can believe in Belize -- someone who she's spent time with ever since her arrival in Spira, and trusts -- to get to the bottom of this--
- CRASH*
oh no.
Lunata instinctively knows the sound of gunfire and explosives; those are not Yevon's tools, or the Guard's. There's screams. The frantic sound of footsteps escaping. "Help!" someone screams in the distance.
Several guards round around the corner. They're Odessan, plainly so from their uniforms. They're carrying automatic ARMs.
Gunfire blazes. Lunata's jacket rips open as one of the shots stray and puncture her through her arm. That black, inky, viscous stuff that passes for blood sprays out.
"Hggk-- Belize, hurry!" Lunata finds herself crying through the pain. Her mind is screaming again. The most she can think of is to keep her summoner friend safe. "Bar the door behind you!"
<Pose Tracker> Belize has posed.
Just as Lunata takes reassurance in Belize's composure and decisiveness, Belize takes reassurance in Lunata's faith and trust. Her whispered words earn her a smile, and Belize nods once, crisp and sharp.
Then there is a crash, and gunfire. Belize looks up sharply at the source of the cacophony, to see Odessa soldiers rounding a corner.
Before they could even attempt to draw their bow, the Odessans open fire. Lunata blocks the bullets with her own body, something that rips a gasp of horror from Belize before they remember that Lunata cannot so easily die. It's for that same reason that, though they half-turn to join Lunata to fend these vile blasphemers off...
"Thank you, Lunata. I will not forget this," they tell her. They hurry on inside, slamming the Chamber door shut in their wake.
Lunata kept Belize safe, and can continue to keep them safe. Perhaps that will help bolster her spirit.