Fox had remained quiet for a spell, preparing himself for the encounter with Peacock to the best of his abilities. He would simply stand leaning against the wall with his arms folded near to Rain Feather.

Not close enough to have invaded her space, but to allow her some distance as well as him being able to pounce should anything happen

Dusk Rat follow Shining Peacock into the room and on seeing Rain Feather, stops and lets out a slight surprised gasp. She frowns at the obvious hostility being directed at Shining Peacock and her expression veers from shocked surprise to a strange mixture of confusion and perhaps suspicion. She eyes the person who appears to be a living/ breathing Rain Feather and glances between her and Shining Peacock, evidently wanting to see his reaction.

When his eyes moved over Rain Feather, Shining Peacock stopped cold, genuine surprise showing on his face and staying there for a long time, even after the girl herself had spoken.

Eventually, though, the Magnakai seemed to collect himself, as he let out a long breath and said, to nobody in particular:

"Well. I guess this was, indeed, quite the shock."

He then narrowed his eyes as he focused on Rain, and adressed her directly, tone surprisingly mild.

"So, I do hope that, if you are actually the real Rain, you will not be offended by my need to check it out for myself. Do you have some ideas on how you could prove to me that you really are my student? Or should I devise a way to make sure of it on my own?"

There was no threat in the question - it seemed as if Peacock was genuinely curious over wether his doubts had been anticipated, and a response to them prepared in advance, or not.

The image of Peacock with a genuine look of surprise on his face was something those bright eyes of hers just took in and made very sure to commit to memory in exacting fashion.   It was obvious that he was off-balance because of it- and she immediately kept pushing to keep him off-balance.

"...I remember the instructions you gave to me, before we left on this mission.  If you are who you would say you are, you would remember them, too: 'Rain, I ask you to carefully monitor the ones you will have to interact with, and either find a way to make them look positively on our goal, or remove them as an obstacle to them. I leave the methods to accomplish these missions, both of them, to your discretion.'"

She would lean back, blade and spear still in her hands.

"...committed to memory, perfectly.  Just like you taught me, all those years ago.  Or do you not think I remember our training sessions?  Where you would set Dawn upon me, to break my mental defenses and leave me broken open on the floor mentally?"

She was hitting her stride now, and her teeth grit together.

"...or your interactions with my -mother-? Have you spoken to her, lately?  Has she told you how she disowned me, perhaps because I finally became disillusioned with this whole mess when I finally got a chance to think for myself, perhaps?  I'm fairly certain people here can vouch for that, yes.

Or... should I tell you how it felt to hang there, above an artifact of such darkness, to finally feel some very familiar minds nearby, with my life leeching from my body... from where I had been tortured to ensure compliance from a young woman who is stronger than I will ever be... thinking my prayers had finally been answered... only to realize that whatever you were doing out there, among the Acolytes, was more important than me.

Do you know what it felt like, to hang there, yet know that the solution to my situation was not to be rescued by my friends, or my master, who had, for more than a decade, told me I had been his special project, one of the most special people for his plans, but to realize that the very thing I had to do... was not to rely upon my Kai strength... or my mother's birthright... or even anybody else... was to hold back my power and to bleed out so what remained of my life could not be used to force that same woman to proceed with the ritual to unleash Vashna?  How I willingly went into the light because apparently I wasn't worth your time to come and save, even if one of the things you were looking for was in the same room?

...is that enough to prove myself, or do you need yet more from me?"

Peacock shook his head, slowly, and answered, his tone soft:

"No. No, I do not. Your first sentence would have sufficed, even. Nobody but you, me and Dawn would have known it, and Dawn would not tell anybody without my explicit order. If you had not had something like that ready, I would have asked you something from a conversation between just you, me and Dusk Rat, so that she would confirm, but as always, you were ready when called upon. So, I can believe that you are yourself, Rain, and nothing else matter to me."

When he looked at her, then, his eyes were glistening as he asked:

"So, you were still alive then, when I reached the temple? Are you really saying that, if I had been faster, if I had just blasted the place to bits rather than leaving your rescue to Sun Snake, I would have been able to save you? Have I really failed you that badly?"

As strange as it was for anybody else to hear it coming from Peacock, there was no denying the sense of guilt and sadness filling his every word.

"...they tried to come, too."

She'd nod to the rest of them- Sabre and Sun Fox, obviously- and continue.

"They hurried.  I felt them.  It was like a last touch, a last goodbye... the redemption I'd been looking for.  But you... you never came.  You were there.  I was bleeding out... what, a hundred yards from you?  And you were so busy doing what you do best to one of the Acolytes that you didn't even try.  You didn't even come in and try to find me."

There was, surprisingly... genuine hurt in her voice.

"...more than a decade of you trying to turn me into a weapon.  Intensive training every day of my life from when I was a young girl, and you cast me aside because you had better things to do than come help them.  Are there others at fault?  Yes.  Snake could tell you of them.  But you were there and you couldn't even come for me?  Did you not know I was trapped... or did you just not care until I didn't appear?

At the time... I considered it a final insult.  That you were all talk, and you had always been more concerned about what kind of weapon you could mold me into instead of what I wanted to be as a person.  I'd held out hope that I could at least have counted on you to at least see that... and in the end, it meant as much as a puff of breath on a winter's day- fading away until it vanishes at last.  You only saw the weapon I was, the union of darkness and light, that you didn't see the person behind them except as the controller of all of that power.

All those years... and it meant nothing."

Dusk Rat, true to form, says nothing during this exchange, merely standing unobtrusively to the side and watching the interaction, evidently forming her own silent conclusions about what seems to have occurred.

Shining Peacock closed his eyes, and watching carefully, they could see tears falling from them, even as he answered, his tone soft:

"I could make excuses, here, you know? About how I could not know how bad your situation was, how I trusted you to be able to make it out on your own, and plenty more. But I will not. You are right, if not in the way you think you are. It did not meant nothing to me, it meant everything. But despite that, I have failed you, and that is all that matters to me now. Is it penance you want from me, or revenge? How can I ever make you forgive me for the way I have failed you? Just tell me, Rain. I am guilty, so it is only proper that you cast your judgment on me."

There was a clear tone of defeat in the Mentora's voice, his complete capitulation to Rain's arguments appearing quite genuine to any of the others watching the conversation unfold.
This message was last edited by the player at 10:26, Sat 19 Jan 2019.

Swift had sidled in behind the rest of the group, and was now leaning against the wall at the back of the room, the mirrored shield still on her arm propped in front of her body.

She had shown a noticeably satisfied smirk at Peacock's initial surprise, although as the conversation went on her expression had faded back to an emotionally-dead looking neutral mask that gave away nothing of her inner thoughts.


OOC: Still lurking in the background :)

Sun Snake had been standing in the shadows, blending in and staying out of the conversation. He did not show either joy nor concern for the conversation to start with, as if merely observe it to discern the truth. When Shining Peacock metnioned the fialure to rescue Rain Feather, his eyes narrowed briefly in Shining Peacock's direction.

However, then something about what Rain Feather said made Sun Snake turn a look to her instead.

"Valador," Sun Snake said out loud to the room oat large. "That is one of the people to blame. He appeared in the temple the moment we defeated the leader. And casually disenchanted the leader's items while trying to bargain for out agreement to his grand plans. One of the items he disenchanted was the item that released the door to the lower levels. We all rushed to your aid Rain Feather. I...I felt you dying." Sun Snake composed himself. "But only when we could finally open the door, and only then could I I realise it would be too late. That Valador had stolen the seconds we needed to save you out from under us. We would not have tarried a second if we could have felt your mind, not with the high priest nor Valador. But the door blocked thought, as did the walls of the temple itself so even Shining Peacock could know nothing of what was inside." Sun Snake looked curious. "So how did you know Shining Peacok was outside?"

Shining Peacock's features were marred by a frown as Sun Snake spoke, and even though he didn't open his eyes nor turn to look at him, it was pretty clear who he was adressing when he said, sounding genuinely annoyed:

"Sun Snake, that really does not matter to me. It is our duty as Kai to save those who need it by any means necessary, and it was and is my specific duty as her Master to keep Rain Feather safe. I failed that, and quibbling over details will not change that."

It was pretty clear that, even as she berated him, Peacock wasn't very inclined to let anybody criticize Rain.

"This reunion, as thankful as we can be for it, was not from Kai. It was Valador's doing. While we were having the coversation we should have had weeks ago yesterday, a conversation that would have saved the lives of the acolytes and Rain Feather, Valador did this. I do not believe he brought her back from the goodness of his heart, or even just for the obvious pledges from Sabre Fox. Any more than I beleive it was accidental he stopped us all from rescuing Rain Feather. So I think it significant that the point of no return for her mentally in her relationship to you is something she should not know. It makes me think either you lied in how much you knew of her fate, or she knows something she should not, that may also be tied to Valador. I did say we needed to recover from the shock of this and move on. Rain Feather deserves her answers. But this is further time we lose against a cruel, hateful foe."

Sun Snake took a deliberate step back to the shadows again to show he did not wish to further intrude upon Rain Feather's confrontation.

Despite the mentions of his name, Fox did not react nor speak in response. He would merely look to Rain to await her next words

"...Snake.  You're thinking too hard, again.  I saw it when you had me rummage through Lobster's head.  He was there, too.  I admit, it was still somewhat morbidly fascinating, but I, well... I had to look.  It was a weak moment of mine... I just... had to know.  I'm only human, remember?"

Then... she turned to Peacock.  Her face was almost unreadable- it was obvious she was putting a very, very large amount of thought into this.

"...I don't know.  There is part of me, that says you cannot be trusted.  That you have not given up on the dream you had, for Dusk... for Dawn... and for me.  That I should send you away, and have you never, ever return.  Or that you should be... dealt with.

But I will concede that Snake does have a point, here.  We don't have the time to waste on something like this.  That... there are still problems that need to be dealt with... and that it needs to be revisited when this is all over.

However... I am willing... to work with you, on this.  Because this is not about me.  This is keeping the Order from splintering apart at the seams, and what may happen to the world if it is allowed to happen.  Do not think, however, that this means our business is concluded.  Or that you will be allowed to do as you please.  We will need to save the Order from the threats against it, before we figure who is right to lead it.

After the battles... then we sort this out.  Once and for all, and we move on, and we heal the Order.

I give you the last drops of trust I have.  Don't waste it."

Peacock nodded at that, and answered, his tone soft:

"And I will treasure it, and make sure it does not goes lost. This, I can promise easily."

He paused, then opened his eyes, which were still glistening, as he added:

"Although, has Sun Snake not told you? I have accepted to not make an attempt for leadership, if his plan can be seen through. So, what you want, I already gave."

"Huh.  He did not... as far as I can remember.   Though that makes me wonder as to who might be put forward to lead... but that is a discussion to be had after we accomplish our goals."

Rain just breathes out, but her face remains still.

"...as I said, I will grant you a measure of trust, if only because we cannot afford to keep fighting amongst ourselves.  Kai are supposed to be better than that, we are supposed to be better than that.  We need to make sure the Order is safe and ready to grow before we spend our time figuring out who ought to lead it.

And no, I'm not getting into who I feel ought to lead, because that will simply do nothing but cause us to start mistrusting each other when we ought to come together and deal with this.

We don't have much time, and we have more that we will have to discuss later... when we have the time and the Order is saved.  Just... keep your mind to yourself, until it is needed.  Save all of that power for the enemies we're going to need it against.  And Kai help me, if I hear about you rummaging through anyone's memories without permission..."

Her hands tensed around the spear and sword once more... but then relaxed.

"Just... don't.  Because I'd hate to have to tell Snake over there I've complicated his life by you and I getting into mental combat and one or both of us are unconscious or worse..."

Peacock raised an eyebrow at Rain Feather's last comment, and answered:

"I do believe I have more tact than that. I do not go around messing with memories unless I really need to, and even then, it is not something I do with relish, or against any who are not enemies. And I never consider Kai as enemies, and never would employ the same tactics against them as I would on, say, an Acolythe of Vashna. You should know this already."

He then frowned, and added, sounding disbelieving:

"I mean, I would have to make the difference clear on which tactics it is acceptable to employ if I was speaking with Red Dawn, but I trusted you would not need that kind of clarification. Rain, I am starting to suspect you misunderstood me at some point. Did you thought, when I said you that you were to either bring your team on board with my plans or remove them as obstacles, that I was asking you to remove them as we would an enemy? As in, by killing them? Because that was not my intention, and I trusted you would know it. What I meant was, obviously, to find some leverage or emotional reasons that could be used to make them stand aside. Why would you ever think I wanted you to treat other Kai as enemies? I have never asked that of you, I know this."

"...because the way you phrased it made it sound like you weren't leaving any limits on the table.  Telling me that I should 'find a way to make them look positively on our goal, or remove them as an obstacle to them' and following that up with telling me you're leaving it up to me to decide what methods are needed... what am I supposed to take from that?

You knew what I was like.  How devoted I was.  What was I supposed to think when I heard such words, other than hearing 'remove them at any cost if needed'?  It's what you kept pressing into me- that our mission was the important thing.  Retrieve the Sommerswerd, and have it ready to present to you when we met up again.  You knew there was no way Snake would have allowed that to happen- would Blue Snake have been swayed by your words?  His protege had the same chance of being swayed through simple words.  So I would be setting myself up to either use my powers on someone who may have had the tools to not only sense what I was doing, but also try to block me and retaliate."

Her eyes just stared at him, seemingly unsure.

"If I had tried that, I imagine Blue would have known about your plans much sooner.  I almost gave in to my darker half just to accomplish all of this.  For you, for my mother, for the Order.  I almost gave up everything I could have been just for this mission- to damn myself simply for your goals, to follow my mother's line and attitudes just as you wanted.  Sabre joined the Drakkar as a ruse to get the blade back because he thought it was the right thing to do.  I would have followed him and stayed with them and stolen it back, making sure you received it, and I'm sure you would have been thrilled at the idea of getting your weapon."

The question she left hanging was somewhat obvious- was she referring to the Sommerswerd... or herself?

"...when you didn't state it clearly, I was conditioned to think you meant all options were on the table.  I'm not like Red Dawn, thank Kai and Ishir.  I can tell nuance, and I can understand implications where it is inferred.  You always had to set things out for Dawn because if you did not, you knew things could end very badly- it's why you were present every time we tried our powers against each other when I was younger.  I did my best to follow every order to the letter... even if it meant I was throwing myself into something I found out I could not go through with."

Shining Peacock lowered his head, and answered meekly:

"I recognize that the fault was mine, for pushing you without being clear. I did not mean to put the burden on you for anything, Rain, I was merely surprised."

He let out a long breath, then went on:

"As for Blue Snake, while I would not be able to sway him by words, I had the means of blackmailing him, should that have proven necessary. This is mostly immaterial now that he killed himself, and what I could get him to do would have been limited, but I try to have something to use against everybody, because it is never certain whether it might someday be needed."

Then he chuckled as he added, glancing at Sun Snake:

"Although I admit that finding dirt on Sun Snake was an hard enough task that I myself failed at it, so I do not think any less of you that you did thought it possible either, Rain. He is annoyingly stalwart."

Shining Peacock shook his head, as if uncertain on what else to say, before eventually asking to the room at large:

"So, what happens now? What plans have you all made, for me to either contribute to or stay out of? I already said to Sun Snake that I was gonna give him the chance to try his solution and prove me wrong, so my own plans are on hold and, as a result, I am at your disposal for anything you might need of me."

He moved his eyes from one Kai to the next, as if checking if anybody had anything they wanted to ask of him, although the main focus of his attention remained Rain Feather.

I may have missed it when looking over the descriptions, but does Peacock or Rat still have the Deathstaff on them?

Yes, Peacock is carrying it on his back. Also, since you would notice, the staff is not letting out any of the creepy, shiver-inducing evil aura it normally did - if you didn't knew what it was, it'd just look like a weirdly overdecorated staff. It seems that Peacock is holding true to his word in keeping the evil within it sealed away as well as he can.

"Well firstly" Fox said eyeing the Deathstaff. "I trust your own missions was a success? And the last time I was in this things presence, it was making me sick to my stomach and even repelled a direct hit from the Sommerswerd. Clearly you must be holding it in check?"

Peacock smiled.

"Obviously."

He smiled at how the one word was answer enough to both of Sabre Fox's questions, but then went on to clarify:

"The Deathstaff proved about as necessary as I expected it to be, and of course, I would not be carrying it like I am if I did not felt confident in my ability to hold its powers back for a time. I am looking forward to finally handing it over to Black Beaver, but until then, I do not think there is any need for you to worry about it creating trouble while in my care, Sabre Fox."

"Trouble and yourself seem to go hand in hand" Fox said with a slight smile "Although at the very least not feeling nauseated in the staffs presence is clearly refreshing so I can at least appreciate your strength over it."

He would then lean back for a moment

"Aside from studying it, did you have a provisional end plan for the staff? Personally I think its too dangerous to leave lying around if it could potentially influence the lower ranks in the Monastery, so I'm interested to see what expectations you may have of it, even if in theory"

Shining Peacock shrugged at that.

"I am not a Craftsmaster, so I have no idea how best to dispose of it or otherwise keep it from falling into bad hands. But Black Beaver is the most knowledgeable in the world on the matter of magical items, so I feel confident with leaving the solution to this problem up to his care."