rakuen | [Backdated to Friday]

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[Backdated to Friday]

Characters: Golbez, Dunleavy
Format: Whichever
This log is: closed
Location: Dunleavy's mansion

After nearly a week of trying to figure things out, Golbez was tired of biding his time. If not a way back home, he at least wanted answers, and no one was providing them.

After classes ended for the day, he stopped by Rakette to purchase a weapon. And before long he stood out front of Dunleavy Mallorough's mansion in the northeastern part of town. If there was anybody who could answer their questions, he was sure it was her.

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Dunleavy was bored, she had been watching most the progress of the week on the screens in her house. There were a few interesting Players in this round, people to watch. But mostly she was even more bored than she had been before everyone got here. The other five where busy since they had been give useful jobs.

So on Friday she was surprised to see someone approaching the mansion. Though really, she wondered what took them so long. She let him stand outside for a while, after all they weren't supposed to come here. But Lee had learnt that people who weren't raised in Shield or Source schools had a habit of breaking rules.

Actually Sources also broke the rules a lot as well, thank the world for Shields. She finally went to answer the door.

"I assume you are one of the illiterate ones then." Was her greeting as she gave him a level look.

Oh, Golbez wouldn't be surprised if there were some sort of punishment for trespassing -- that's why he'd gone to buy a single-use weapon, in case it turned out to be necessary, rather than having Marik come along with him.

"I'm sure you can guess why I am here," he said simply, ignoring her "greeting". "Tell me everything you know."

Punishment would come, but Lee was bored so she was willing to indulge him.

Well sort of. "You skipped the lesson about manners as well I see." She held open the door though, "Would you like a drink? Tea or coffee perhaps." At least one good thing had come from this whole debacle, she was more self sufficient than before and knew her way around a kitchen.

That was a bit of a surprise. He hadn't expected her to be so... accommodating. "No," he replied, and stepped inside when she held the door open. "All I would like is answers to my questions. Are you the one responsible for bringing us all here?"

Really, what was wrong with politeness? Lee shut the door behind him and led him to the main reception room. "No," she started, "I'm not, I like your headmistresses and prefect leaders were those who chose to stay behind. I don't know who is behind this," she smiled at him, "You must be Golbez ay? Day told me about you." Warned her more like, that he might be trouble.

She didn't know? Of course, there was the possibility that she, along with the headmistresses and prefects, was simply lying. That couldn't be ruled out. But there was no way of verifying it, one way or the other. So naturally, he was skeptical when she made that claim.

"Yes," he replied -- Day had, had she? -- then pressed onward. "If the five of you were brought here in the same manner as us, why are you enforcing the will of our captors? What would become of you if you did not?"

"Yes she did," she nodded again, "I do not know, but if we did not enforce that will you could not win, and would be stuck here for eternity." She said this with certainty.

"I don't think you want that do you?"

So they were on the same side... if what she was saying was to be believed.

No, he didn't want that, but he didn't bother responding to the rhetorical question. "Then in order to escape this city, we have no choice but to play along with these roles we have been assigned. Is that what you're saying?"

There had to be more to it than that.

Lee sighed, "I am saying that in order to escape this city you have to win." She met his eyes, "You win, you go home, well most of you."

Except for the six of them who would have to remain behind, as these ones claim they did.

"And how do we do that? I suspect the win condition for the game overall isn't the same as it is for a single round." That would be far too easy.

"In a faraway land, a Knight sought to finally defeat the Demon Lord that terrorised the people. Again and again they clashed, but victory mattered not for the demon always returned, darker and more powerful than before.

After countless battles, the despairing Knight sought the help of an ancient Sage." Normally Lee liked to speak clearly, actually give people answers instead of sounding like a damn Source all the time.

If Karish could see her now, he would be laughing, or saying something equally as nonsensical. Still, the time was not for clear speaking.

"‘How can I defeat the Demon Lord completely, save my people and my Princess, and live happily ever after?’

The Sage told of the one sure way to truly defeat a demon: the source of the Demon Lord’s power lay in six beautiful stars, protected by six devils. Defeat the devils to gain the stars, said the Sage. Only when the Knight held the six stars could the Demon Lord finally be slain.

Only when the Knight held the six stars could she return home." Lee rolled her eyes, "A children's story, but there is truth in them apparently.

Golbez just stared, unamused. He hadn't come here to listen to fairy tales or metaphors.

Six devils, six previous participants who had remained behind... Although besides the headmistresses, prefects, and mayor, he didn't know who the sixth might be. Could that just be a coincidence? He was terrible at puzzles.

"And I'm not going to get anything clearer than that out of you, am I?"

"Afraid not, if I told you plainly you would rush into it, you are a warrior if I am not mistaken." He looked at him seriously, "Hero's have the tendency to rush into things, try and save the say and get everybody killed."

Heroes? He scowled, but didn't bother to correct her.

So this was one of those things where everything would eventually make sense later, was it? A prophecy that would make sense in retrospect. "Tell me one thing, at least. Would it be fair to describe you as a 'devil'?"

Lee rolled her eyes again, "Yes in a lot of ways, it is fair to describe me as a devil, which leaves the question, are you a knight? Or are you a princess who needs to be saved?" Really Karish would be dying with laughter right about now.

This time, Golbez scoffed openly. As if he were either. If anything, he was probably more of a "devil" himself.

"I'm somebody with someplace to be. I have no time to waste pretending to be a schoolteacher or fighting in this ridiculous game. What will it take to defeat you? Is simple victory in battle enough?" His hand tightened around the weapon he had brought with him.

"I know the feeling, my life was just fine before I ended up here," we just fine with a few crazy cultists thrown in but really, she had a purpose she had Karish, and she meant that in the strictest business sense, really.

"No," she shook her head, "Though you can try if you wish, but you would do better to find the stars first."

And if the rest of the conversation leading up to this was any indication... "What you mean by 'stars' is something we will have to figure out for ourselves," he assumed.

"I can't give you all the answers, it would be boring," was Lee's answer. "It's not hard, six stars, six beautiful stars, though I guess beauty is something that differs by person and taste."

He continued to frown. If she really couldn't tell him anything else, there was no use in pressing further; if it was simply that she wouldn't, then there was equally little point.

He turned to return to the front door. "Then I won't take up any more of your time."

Lee nodded, "Very well then," she followed him to the door, "I wish you luck Golbez." She watched him leave.

Well, that had been frustrating. Actually, it probably would have been less frustrating if she'd just refused to say anything; that's what he'd been expecting.

He didn't look back at Dunleavy or the mansion as he made his way back toward the city proper.

As he exited the gates of the mansion ground Lee focused on him, the warning penalty he got would be enough to force him to his knees but it only lasted a minute. When he cared to look he would find that ten raks of his were missing.

He had been interesting but rules were rules, Dunleavy closed the door to her mansion.

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[Backdated to Friday]

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