Chapter 13: A Foot in the Door (The Bars Make it Easy)
I stare at the man and dragon sitting opposite me, the stern expressions on their faces not making it difficult for me to deny them. "Like I said, you guys aren't the sort that I would trust with this information," I spoke, staring Claret Sword dead in the eye.
The dragon lets out a surly growl, "You couldn't be more transparent in your disdain of me, but you aren't in the position to complain about your interrogators. You should be glad that we haven't been given clearance to push you harder for more information given what you've babbled in the air near those Star-vaders!"
"Oh no, I've just said things that they already know. If you don't mind me asking, how's Kanzaki doing these days?" I make a point to sound as genial as possible and watched the Abyss Dragon's every muscle tense. "He common knowledge to your comrades?"
And that is a rather large sword about three millimeters from my nose. Right Grade 3. Can kill me before I blink. "How do you-" Claret's bolting from his chair, all but roaring at me.
But, before he can actually take my head off, and now I'm wondering if I would survive that, the knight has grabbed his arm, "Claret Sword Dragon, you do not have the clearance to kill or harm this prisoner, desist. Now, what do you mean by what you just said?"
"Kanzaki, that's the name of Claret Sword's vanguard on Earth. I'm guessing that's not common knowledge?" I smile shakily at the knight as I explain, because he most likely saved my life. "I wonder what else he's hiding? Ooh, ooh, I know a good one! Has he told anyone about his encounter with Chronofang Tiger?"
"Chronofang Tiger?" The knight asked, casting a curious glance at the dragon who was now looking more than a little uncomfortable.
I lean back in my chair now, smiling like a cheshire cat at the dragon, "You didn't tell them? Anyone? My, oh my, that's a dangerous thing to do… Hiding the existence of a... new, old, or all of the above... and potentially powerful Clan from your Nation."
"You don't know anything!" Claret Sword exclaims, slamming his off hand down on the table and smashing a hole in it in his outrage.
Staring at him, I can't help but laugh, "Clearly I do, or you wouldn't be reacting the way you are. Actually, given how… hungry… you are for recognition, I'm surprised that you aren't on the frontlines, hunting down Star-vaders. Could it be that I'm important? Amazing."
"Stop, both of you. Star-vader, you will be escorted back to your cell, Claret Sword Dragon, I believe that there is much to be discussed from what we've learned today," The knight declares, eying both me and the Shadow Paladin.
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"So, you made trouble for them?" Fenrir asks from his cell as I'm let back into mine, and I smile at Raging Form.
He's been such a swell guy this entire time.
Still, I shrug at the beastman across the hall, "Eh, less that and more that I tattled on a little internal issue that they have going on."
"Oh, sounds juicy, care to hook me up?" He asks, leaning forward a bit. And here was the conundrum of possibly breaking time.
I shoot some finger guns at him and reply, "Can't, I'd probably get killed if I did."
"If it's in regards to some secrets of the Sanctuary… I think that it would be much more conductive to your continued existence if you didn't tell it those who aren't cleared to know it," Rumbled Raging Form Dragon from his position in the hall, his eyes cracked open to stare at us.
Under the pressure of the gaze, I fidget, "I wasn't planning to…"
"Seriously? I got you that pizza, and you're saying that the info isn't worth at least that much?" Fenrir inquires, sounding entirely unenthused with my refusal to spill.
"I'll admit, I'm quite interested in whatever it was that could get such a reaction," Gravity Ball muttered from his cell.
I flash a finger out of my cell at him and reply, "And there's half the reason why I'm not saying shit." You could practically hear the eye roll from Gravity Ball Dragon.
"The other half being?" The beastman asks, smirking at the exasperated Star-vader.
I shrug, "I have something of a sense of self-preservation."
"Ha! Pull the other one! It has bells!"
The Colony Maker pipes up from her own cell, "Outside of certain situations, Trent Blackmore has exhibited a strong sense of self-preservation."
"Pfft, seriously? This guy's willing to mouth off to the people who are jailing him, and you're saying that he can actually look after himself?" Fenrir burst out laughing at that, clearly having a ball.
"Affirmation: Given that he has been able to survive confrontations with a hostile Яeversed Luquier and unknown entity with Temporal Magic during which he acted reasonably rationally, yes I do."
I slam my face into my hands at that. "…Colony Maker, sweety, those aren't things we wanted them to know. Especially Gravity Ball over there."
"Hm? Oh, those two were you?" he asked, actual curiosity in his voice. "The patrol did pick out two other signatures before going dark…"
"Hey, Gravity Ball, eat a dick!" I tell him, because clearly, he needs more in his diet.
The little bugger actually sounds offended when he replies, "Well, if you wanted to keep it a secret you sure did a wonderful job at that, seeing as that little bit of hocus pocus even got the Clown's personal interest!"
My heart almost stopped. "Welp, time to fucking kill myself, because that's preferable to dealing with that crazy asshole's scrutiny!"
"Oh, not you, but the temporal magic he considered quite… What is the colloquial word? Ah yes, 'Cute.'"
"I don't want him to have time magic, that's an entirely too terrifying world to live in," I reply, feeling my stomach churn at the thought.
"How badly was your brain scrapped?" he asked in almost genuine concern. It took a discerning palate to hear the sarcasm in his voice. "We have Temporal magic. However, this planet wasn't considered a viable enough target to use it. The only interest was how subtle the entity was in its use. Hardly any temporal flux even with the magic active."
"I mean, you guys have macro-scale because it was used to freeze that one planet in time, but I didn't know how much it could be scaled down," I explain, feeling a bit superior for it. "Quick Raging Form, tell everyone, they have Time Magic!"
"Clearly," Came the dragon's dry response, an equally dry look on his snout.
"Because what exactly would you want them to do about it, Scrap?" the tiny dragon snorted. "If we used it, then the timeline where they learned of it, this one, would cease to exist as a new one runs its course."
"You say that…" I mutter under my breath, thinking about what had happened with the whole Legion debacle. That whole situation was a hot mess that I hoped to avoid.
The Colony Maker's voice piped up, "Assertion: Even if that evidence was insufficient, it should be noted that Trent Blackmore was the one who crafted and executed the plan to get us out of Star Gate and to the United Sanctuary."
"Huh, I figured that you were the sort who couldn't plan his way out of a paper bag," Fenrir remarks, looking genuinely impressed for a moment. "Then again, you did get yourself captured and tossed in here."
"Video evidence suggests that his plan A is to run," Gravity Ball noted.
I shrug, "Retreat is always a viable strategy when outgunned. Only an idiot tries to fight when they're outmatched."
"It has its place, but when it's your default strategy, one has to wonder why you just don't surrender? Flee too far, and your enemy will strangle you when you have run into its chosen battlefield, that having been only place left to run."
"That's when you hope that you led them to a place where you can kill them, either that or that you made some strong allies along the way," I remark, feeling more than a little sheepish. "Sadly, I seem to only have one strong ally with me. Thanks for sticking with me, Colony Maker."
"You're welcome," Came her soft reply.
The moment was ruined by the sound of false retching. "Ugh, sentimentality. What use has that in war?" Gravity Ball asked. "Losses will be inevitable and production models outnumber the planets. Mitigate them? yes. But to go out of your way to protect non-essential personnel? It only weakens your formation, inviting destruction. That model with you might be fledgling but all Link Joker know this. Ego exists only for the benefit of the Clan. If you are to be sacrificed, it will be for the Clan's progress."
"Wow, it's like we like not being emotionless, soulless machines. What a fucking way to live," I reply, sliding both my hands out to flip the birds at the robot dragon. "Some people like to be more than just spiteful little shitheels."
"Oh? How about we ask the other two? Which thought process is the one that they understand? Reports on the Shadow Paladins state that they sacrifice their own allies for the commander's power. There is less data on Genesis, but their commanders purge their own souls for strength."
"The Shadow Paladin way has changed somewhat, we who currently serve, do so and have decided to of our own wills. We shall sacrifice our lives, our souls, everything about our very beings for the sake of our nation and planet," Raging Form rumbles, his eye having shifted to stare at the Star-vader. Of course, the Revengers would have issues with the implication that things hadn't changed between their current paradigm and what it was under Phantom Blaster.
Fenrir, he just broke out laughing, "Purge our souls? Nah, you're a bit wrong there! We don't purge them, we sculpt and prune them, it's like we cleanse them of the bits we don't want. Like how I'm tempted to cleanse you."
"Charming," Gravity Ball noted. Then he seemed to address Raging Form. "Though if or when you're asked to die for your Nation, will you think it personal? That those above you just hate you and this is the most convenient method to get rid of you? No, otherwise you wouldn't be here, watching over us. The only difference between the two jobs is that you get to rot here as long as we stay. Obviously, you do at least pay lip service to trusting that your Commanders and Kings wouldn't throw away your power and skill wantonly. What exactly is the difference from what I said?"
"You are forgetting the fact that you and yours have done… This to me!" Raging Form howled. The Abyss dragon lunging right to the edge of Gravity Ball's cell. "And everyone is aware of what happened to the Eradicator, Vowing Sword Dragon when under the influence of this curse! How he, one famed and praised for his loyalty, lashed out at the very people he swore to protect! This? I can accept this measure, if it is for the safety of the Sanctuary and her people."
"How utterly disgusting," Gravity Ball huffed. "You all are infected with this base sentimentality and act like it's a good thing! How can you not see that it's leading you down the path of annihilation?"
I shake my head, "Because you're a dumb machine thinks that he's better than everyone. I think that Raging Form's got the right of it here, seeing as Chaos Breaker's running around Яeversing whoever he damn feels like. Seriously, if these guys were less busy fearing the Void, then maybe they'd take it by the horns and steal the power for themselves."
"You believe that you can steal the power of the Void for yourselves? Don't make me laugh, you defect. It's like you believe that the Void is something to be controlled, when it shall swallow up everything when all of the Clan's goals have been completed," Gravity Ball laughs at me, clearly having the time of his life.
So, if only to mock him, I lean against the bars of my cell in an attempt to look at him and remark, "Well, a void is just a lack of something, an expanse of emptiness. Void's are to be filled with colour, sound, feelings, and whatever else you can throw into them. If one holds power, then it's up to whoever is viewing it to seize it for themself. If the void is to shackle people, then it's better to tear off the collar and steal what they can from it."
"Yes, black holes really do hold so much within themselves," Gravity Ball agreed, and you could hear the sneering smile a mile away. "And they use it to devour ever more. I should know, it's my specialty. Devouring Lock. That brought this planet to its knees in one fell swoop."
"To its knees, huh? That's why the Link Joker are having such an easy time conquering the planet," I remark, getting a chuckle out of Fenrir and a snort from Raging Form. I then gesture with my hands outside the cell, trying to pull on the connection I had to the Void, to create a hand with its middle finger raised at Gravity Ball from the Void Energy. It ended up looking wispy and frail, occasionally billowing due to the weakness of the construct.
Truly, I am the classiest.
