melodiesoflife | Hidden Truth [Log]

What: A log for everyone to gain the information in the Hidden Truth video tape.
Where: The Observatory.

There had been a flurry of letters sent out from Jack and Chiaki, first to Zelda to ask to borrow the Observatory, and then to every Hero of Light, alerting them that they had uncovered some intelligence received in the Heran Empire before the Capital had fallen to Crystal, and that everyone needed to see it immediately.

Jack, Chiaki, and a few others brought in a screen connected to a machine that some would recognize as a VCR. "With our peace mission to the Imperial Capital over Christmas, we returned with a recording made on 20th-century Earth technology, the kind that doesn't have an analogue on Crystallis. It took us time to build a machine to be able to play it. This information comes from Kalki, recorded what appears to be years ago. We obtained it from the Imperial Spy, Jenni. As of right now, we still have no reason to believe that Kalki is alive. But this comes from her, and I apologize to everyone who might be upset by seeing her again."

With that, Jack plays the recording. He stands by the screen and repeats the words for everyone to hear, for those who cannot understand English. Since Kalki's first words are to explain why she is recording it this way, it makes sense why he has to do this. He keeps his own emotions in check throughout, until the explanation of the Bard song that everyone gets to hear. That seems to upset Jack.

Once the recording is over, Jack pauses. "We will need some help from any other English speakers to create a written transcript of the recording so that anyone can access this information at any time. The tape and player will remain here for any Heroes to review. We ask that you please be careful with the machine."

Finally, Jack sits down to let the room descend into the inevitable chaos.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

There is a specific point at the tape that Kaji gets visibly upset. The normally cool information broker startles, and starts fidgeting for a cigarette. He looks first at Zelda, and then, unconsciously, at Ib. He looks at her for a very long moment, before his eyes start searching back and forth to locate the exits.

As soon as the tape is done, he is far too deliberate about standing up and walking right over to one of the desk drawers in their makeshift administrative area, where Zelda (and now Kaji, too) get some of the mountain of paperwork about the Heroes done. He quickly opens a drawer and pulls out a small metal tin. Zelda knows what's inside, and it's very clear that he's about to take it and head for the damn door if she doesn't stop him.

Zelda knew exactly what Kaji was doing and before he was able to take flight from the room she stepped in front of him. Her hand lightly rose and rested on the box within his grip while her eyes stared determinedly into his.

Her voice was low, carrying on the air like a whisper so that no one might over hear. "Wait, Kaji."

"It's up to you what you want to do but you can't run." Her eyes didn't move from him but she was very aware of those around them. "You should speak to Ib." Zelda didn't think this was the time or place to make what he had public knowledge. There was enough for them to absorb before adding more uncertainty. They don't know all the details yet and Zelda felt that Ib should learn of them first.

The young girl should be granted that much.

Kaji's hand clenches on the metal tin, and he takes a deep breath, as if trying to steady himself, but he looks at Zelda sharply. "No." His voice wavers slightly. "Absolutely not. This thing has just become even more dangerous to her than we realized it was. If I tell her, she's going to think that it's her responsibility, and I will not drop this in her lap!"

"I should never have been keeping it around her in the first place." And yet, Kaji doesn't try to shrug Zelda's hand off, or move around her. He knows he could still make for that door, get this time bomb away from Ib. So why does he feel rooted to the spot?

"That won't protect her. Hiding the truth will only make it worse."

She didn't know what the best course of action was anymore. She always followed what she thought was right and that had failed her on so many instances here. Yes, she's changed since she first arrived. She won't run and she didn't want Kaji to shy away either. Ib was strong and they would both be there; if only to make her understand that she wasn't alone.

"No one has to do this alone."

Zelda's voice grew more firm as she stared up at Kaji.

When Kaji looks back up at Zelda, there are tears beginning to spring to his eyes. "Don't they? She's not alone, but she's the one alone who might get hurt if we use this thing. There is some connection to Ib! All because- because she made the most Ib choice she possibly could have last time..."

"She wanted to talk, instead of fight. To talk to the thing that might destroy us all. And for that, she gets put at risk?"

But Kaji looks down, at Zelda's hand barely on his, stopping him from going anywhere. He speaks again, before he really thinks about it. "What would you do? If there was a thing, that could stop total destruction, but it might come at the cost of the person you care about most in the world?"

He almost can't believe he said that, but the look in his eyes is too raw. Kaji The Liar has finally said something completely true.

"I would protect the person I care about." She answered without hesitation. "But this isn't connected to our Ib. It's a different soul who looks the same. I know this because of who I saw in the past. The goddess Hylia, she is me, we share the same soul but the woman I saw was outside of my time. I wouldn't be alive if her soul was trapped here." She hoped that he might understand.

"There isn't a way to know until we try. I WON'T let Ib get hurt." She'd do everything and anything to keep her alive and well. Even if it meant her own life, Zelda didn't care.

"Our future is in the hands on our children. Hasn't that always been the case?" Zelda was twenty going on twenty one, she was still a child in some respects but has been forced to grow up. "I just... I won't stop you if you really want to leave but please consider. We don't even know what this is."

Kaji stops, he looks Zelda deep in the eyes, and is trying to hear what she is saying. It was Ib, his heart still hurts when he sees the image of her digging in the dirt, searching for something that she can never find.

"They should be able to grow into the future. I don't want it placed in her hands too early." But some of the fight is gone out of his voice.

Kaji very slowly opens up the tin, and he pulls the still-wrapped crystal out of the tin, holds it in his hand without touching it. "I don't trust...everyone in this room to hold Ib's safety as their highest priority." That's reasonable, at least, right? Wouldn't just hand this thing over to anyone.

"Then wait; tell Ib first or we can hold a smaller meeting. We can do what makes you comfortable Kaji but you shouldn't run." It will only make things worse if he left now and it would make people wonder why.

Not only that Zelda still believed that Ib should be the first to learn of the crystal and where Kaji got it.

"I will. I'll. I'll talk to Ib. But I don't just want to turn this over to the Crystal Laboratory. So many people are in and out of there. If there was a way to ensure that the only people to work with it were people who had her best interests in mind..."

Kaji pauses and looks up slowly. Now there's an idea. He vaguely points to Zelda while he is thinking. "I think...no, I know. I can actually make that work."

"But you're right, we have to speak to her first."

Zelda nodded her head and gave Kaji a confident smile. "And we will. Right now it's safe here."

She placed another hand on the box but didn't move to take it. "Let me put it down stairs where it will be safe and out of the way." She had a small vault she could lock it in.

Kaji hesitates. "Let me-" He shakes his head. "Let me show it to Ib first. I do think it's finally time to talk about this."

"Would you- mind being there?"

Her expression softens. "I don't mind being there." She'd do anything to help Kaji. This wasn't easy and it wasn't going to be.

This world tested them again and again leaving little room for error. She only wished that Ib would be alright.

Hidden Truth [Log]

Kaji and the "Black Crystal"

Kaji and the "Black Crystal"

Re: Kaji and the "Black Crystal"

Kaji and the "Black Crystal"

Re: Kaji and the "Black Crystal"

Kaji and the "Black Crystal"

Re: Kaji and the "Black Crystal"

Kaji and the "Black Crystal"

Re: Kaji and the "Black Crystal"

Kaji and the "Black Crystal"

Re: Kaji and the "Black Crystal"

Kaji and the "Black Crystal"