[There's a moment or two of silence, a few steps between Cid's question and Barnabas' answer as he thinks over telling Cid the details. He owes his doppelganger no loyalty, especially after they refused Barnabas' proposition, and yet...Barnabas cannot help but be curious about it.
And so...]
There is a specter that appears on the lake. [Something he had observed from his cabin in the dead of night, and his extra awareness besides aiding in knowing of its existence.] It seems to be little more than spectacle.
[Not fully true, there is something weird about it, but that should be enough to throw Cid off the trail of his double.]
[The flat note of his voice does little to emphasize his legitimate curiosity, but by now Cid probably knows his tones. As they approach the flag poles, Barnabas pivots to face them, waiting for the time to lower them, but gives Cid his attention otherwise.]
[Of course Cidolfus would run into them, and of course he'd see through it. Even without Ramuh affording him special insight to things most men cannot hope to know, Cid would know Barnabas better than anyone. Well, save for Sleipnir.
Barnabas doesn't react to the news, not really. His expression stays stoic and controlled, and while he does look to Cid as he talks, his eyes express nothing. No surprise, no annoyance, no concern... Though, that's to be expected.
He looks to the flag as he silently considers the question.]
That will not be necessary. If the creature can take on my likeness, then so too could it for anyone else. We would only sow distrust amongst our number, and in the resulting panic, it would gain the upperhand.
[Barnabas takes the ropes for the flags, readying himself by watching the light on the poles.]
Obfuscating true objectives is not entirely unheard of.
[It also was something he considered at first when he was tailing his doppelganger, yet after speaking with them, he isn't convinced that it is actually that. For the sake of this, however, it is advantageous to humor Cidolfus. It grants him some means of control.]
However, we should garner more information ere we jump too swiftly to conclusions.
Therefore, we should speak with all of the other counselors. Between all of us, we can do head counts. And it would be much easier to show you to them than it would be to describe you.
[Since describing Barnabas would just incriminate him.]
You claim there is a "skinwalker", yet you end this on the assertion that we should speak with the counselors. A suggestion most convenient when one considers I declined your earlier invitation.
[Barnabas glances to the flags, and then begins to lower them as the sun is now creeping below the horizon.]
Do you believe feigning an urgent matter would convince me?
When one hunts you do not alert everything else in the forest that you are doing so, why would this be any different?
[As he suggested to begin with: they should be the ones hunting, telling multiple people will just cause panic and chaos, so he doesn't see why Cid would think he'd change his stance on that.]
We proceed as normal, but remain observant of aught that is amiss. You are a social man. Know you well our fellow Etrayans? Certainly we two should perceive the discrepancies betwixt the real and the fake, just as you had previously with me.
[He continues to lower the flag, it's almost to the bottom, but then he adds:]
[Thats why he wanted to reach out to other counselors. He doesn’t know everyone well enough to know if they’re a fake of themselves. It’s sort of a point of shame. He’s slipping.]
[And then Barnabas needles him about perhaps lying about this.]
[He is absolutely suggesting that Cid might be doing this for attention. It's true that Barnabas is absolutely part of why Cid lies and learned to manipulate, he left his mark on the man, indelible as the mark Cid has in turned left on him, but even still!
He is also admitting his negligence here. That doesn't mean he's going to correct the negligence, don't get it twisted, but he will admit that it's there.]
[He'll just let the whole ghost thing slide, because even if he has no interest in investigating it, that doesn't make it fictitious. Cid seems particularly rowdy, and he has no interest getting into circular arguments about two things.]
What do you seek, then? I agreed to pursue this questionable claim of yours even if I am not fully convinced of it.
Alright, fine. Then… we start during free time and go through camp fire. But this guy seemed really insistent to be left alone. I wonder if he’ll be anywhere everyone is at once.
[Cid stares at Barnabas for a moment.]
…Wonder why he picked you to wear the face of.
[Cid is barely wondering this but he wants Barnabas to say it out loud. ]
[Most men can't handle looking him in the eye, especially back in Valisthea. A single look would make most people's blood run cold, though here many do not know much about him to know better.]
We can scout the perimeter as well, see if there is aught that might suggest movement outside of the camp grounds.
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odinpusrex) wrote2016-06-28 11:46 am
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And so...]
There is a specter that appears on the lake. [Something he had observed from his cabin in the dead of night, and his extra awareness besides aiding in knowing of its existence.] It seems to be little more than spectacle.
[Not fully true, there is something weird about it, but that should be enough to throw Cid off the trail of his double.]
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[Cid finds a smoke in his tiny, ridiculous shorts and lights it up.]
Then I’ve got something much more interesting to tell you about than tricks of the moonlight on the lake. It’s a bit more than spectacle.
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[The flat note of his voice does little to emphasize his legitimate curiosity, but by now Cid probably knows his tones. As they approach the flag poles, Barnabas pivots to face them, waiting for the time to lower them, but gives Cid his attention otherwise.]
What have you to report?
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Gave chase, but he gave me the slip. He can teleport- or turn invisible. Whichever. Lost sight of him too many times before I was out of breath.
[Cid stands upwind of Barnabas, smoking.]
Thinking of announcing it tomorrow morning. What do you think?
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Barnabas doesn't react to the news, not really. His expression stays stoic and controlled, and while he does look to Cid as he talks, his eyes express nothing. No surprise, no annoyance, no concern... Though, that's to be expected.
He looks to the flag as he silently considers the question.]
That will not be necessary. If the creature can take on my likeness, then so too could it for anyone else. We would only sow distrust amongst our number, and in the resulting panic, it would gain the upperhand.
[Barnabas takes the ropes for the flags, readying himself by watching the light on the poles.]
We will hunt it ourselves.
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What if that’s the real mission? Not this staying in bed under watch like a maiden, but hunting and capturing this thing?
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[It also was something he considered at first when he was tailing his doppelganger, yet after speaking with them, he isn't convinced that it is actually that. For the sake of this, however, it is advantageous to humor Cidolfus. It grants him some means of control.]
However, we should garner more information ere we jump too swiftly to conclusions.
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[Since describing Barnabas would just incriminate him.]
Don’t you agree?
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Was this all a ruse to convince me to join you with the counselors tonight?
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[Cid actually seems annoyed by the insinuation.]
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[Barnabas glances to the flags, and then begins to lower them as the sun is now creeping below the horizon.]
Do you believe feigning an urgent matter would convince me?
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Come on, you’ve long relied on others to gather information for you. But now you don’t like seeing how the sausage is made?
[Also fuck right off with that, Barnabas. ]
But fine, you make a good point, though only incidentally. The skinwalker could be among the other counselors. So, you got a better idea?
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[As he suggested to begin with: they should be the ones hunting, telling multiple people will just cause panic and chaos, so he doesn't see why Cid would think he'd change his stance on that.]
We proceed as normal, but remain observant of aught that is amiss. You are a social man. Know you well our fellow Etrayans? Certainly we two should perceive the discrepancies betwixt the real and the fake, just as you had previously with me.
[He continues to lower the flag, it's almost to the bottom, but then he adds:]
If there is truth to your tale.
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[Thats why he wanted to reach out to other counselors. He doesn’t know everyone well enough to know if they’re a fake of themselves. It’s sort of a point of shame. He’s slipping.]
[And then Barnabas needles him about perhaps lying about this.]
Why would I lie about this?
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[He finishes bringing the flags down, thus turning his attention fully on Cid as he stares him down.]
You are not known for your honesty.
[Pot, kettle...]
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[Also he didn’t lie blatantly like that.]
So you should know better. I don’t lie like this. Think. If it was, what would the purpose be?
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[He is absolutely suggesting that Cid might be doing this for attention. It's true that Barnabas is absolutely part of why Cid lies and learned to manipulate, he left his mark on the man, indelible as the mark Cid has in turned left on him, but even still!
He is also admitting his negligence here. That doesn't mean he's going to correct the negligence, don't get it twisted, but he will admit that it's there.]
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[As he scrunches his brow and gestures with his cigarette.]
We could have gone with your little fiction about a watery ghost. Would you rather we do that?
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[Barnabas says with that same gloomy tone as always, but there is an earnest pulse within the words that assert its authenticity.]
Would such a chase prove humiliating for you? You enjoy journeys for their own sake, do you not?
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[But no, he does want bullshit time with Barnabas despite himself.]
Alright- sounds like you have a lead, too. But you’re unwilling to grow some balls and sneak out of your cabin to chase it. So what’s the point?
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What do you seek, then? I agreed to pursue this questionable claim of yours even if I am not fully convinced of it.
Yet still you are not satisfied?
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Well- Let’s agree on the actionable part, eh?
[He was not even sure if he’d break curfew with him- ]
Let’s look for him tonight.
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Cidolfus.
[There's a warning in that tone.]
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[Cid stares at Barnabas for a moment.]
…Wonder why he picked you to wear the face of.
[Cid is barely wondering this but he wants Barnabas to say it out loud. ]
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[Most men can't handle looking him in the eye, especially back in Valisthea. A single look would make most people's blood run cold, though here many do not know much about him to know better.]
We can scout the perimeter as well, see if there is aught that might suggest movement outside of the camp grounds.
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