Now without colour!
:)
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Shadow of Light 1257163274|%e %b %Y, %H:%M %Z|agohover
in discussion IC writings / Character Diaries » Sang's Crossroads
Sang woke to the sounds of conflict.
She was up instantly and out the chamber door with guan dao in hand within seconds. The disturbance had not roused her alone; doors were slamming open along the outer passage. Typhenon, who’d been keeping watch in the corridor itself, yanked open Maiko’s door and hurried inside. Kukulkan (in human form) came out of a nearby door while Shayu (wielding a large sword) and Isadora (wearing a sheet) emerged from the same room further down the hall. Isadora noticed Sang, gave a guilty squeak and fled back the way she’d come. Shayu merely gave the bushi a glance, looked at Maiko’s open door, then rushed in the other direction to the stairs leading down.
There was another crashing sound. Sang forced her mind away from Isadora and Shayu for the moment, and followed Kukulkan into Maiko’s room. The wooden framework and ricepaper window was broken and torn; she went over and looked through to the darkened grounds a couple of storeys below. Maiko was tearing off towards a distant building with Typhenon following some ways behind.
She’s all right.
A cold knot in her stomach loosened, but her muscles remained tense. She absently rubbed at her featherfall ring with a thumb, tempted to follow Maiko and Typhenon out the window to chase and destroy whoever or whatever the assailant had been, but restrained herself. Shayu had already gone out after them, and Sang could just make out lights as far-off doors opened and people looked out to see what the commotion was. She could hear Maiko’s voice raised in anger: “Gaijin assassin!”
Guards would be coming, and probably an official regarding security.
Sang glanced wordlessly at Kukulkan, then left the room to find herself an outer robe to throw on over her sleeping shift. She did not see the shapeshifter stoop to examine the floor once she’d left, then collect the drops of blood which he had found beaded atop the polished floorboards.
**
They had been lodged in an estate called the Palace of Eternal Sunset, a name with unpleasant connotations to everyone who realised how dangerous their current position was. Twenty guards arrived in short order, crammed into a ground floor room. Some of them came up to the apartments to usher Sang, Kukulkan and Isadora (who had dressed) downstairs, and here they rejoined Maiko, Typhenon and Shayu at a table. Servants brought them tea while they waited, but not everyone drank or even sat, either busy in their roles as bodyguard or maintaining an icy, affronted mask at having almost been murdered in the not-so-impenetrable Imperial City.
Sang sat, turned her chawan without really thinking about it, sipped and carefully set the bowl down. The peppermint-infused ocha rippled for a moment then settled to a flawless flat surface.
If only I could find calm so swiftly.
Maiko appeared unharmed, but Sang’s relief was countered by her anger that someone had tried to slink into the Jin’s room and murder her. They had known, they had all known that they would not be safe, that attempts would be made on their lives, but a strike against a companion would always shake her more deeply than one against herself.
She’s fine.
Sang sipped again, her eyes on the tea to avoid looking at anyone. She wanted to hear that Maiko was fine from her own lips, but didn’t want to ask with the guards and everyone else around in case the Jin felt obliged to keep up appearances by going on an angry tirade. On the other hand, she wasn’t even sure if she’d be able to ask in private. With her recent luck, Maiko would be insulted just as Shayu had been earlier in the evening.
She lifted her eyes ten minutes later, when the Prime Minister of the Interior and the Emperor’s Champion entered. The former gave the party a deep, sweeping bow, while the Champion barely nodded.
Once he’d looked over the party with a stern gaze, the Champion said, “I’m going to need to know everything that happened.” Sang had never heard the man speak before. His voice was quite deep and gravelly.
Maiko spoke her piece. The sound of a whiplash had brought her awake, and her trained warriors instincts had allowed her to react quickly enough to grab a nearby weapon and deflect the attack. Her attacker had been dressed in foreign clothing. She had chased him out the window, striking him a few times before he used some kind of trickery to render himself invisible. She’d tracked him as best she could, but once he reached hard ground it had become too difficult to follow him further.
Something in the Jin’s account didn’t ring completely true, but beyond the usual embellishments Sang couldn’t guess what.
The others followed up in turn saying what they did and saw, but nothing else had happened that Sang had not seen.
“The Empress Dowager is aghast at these proceedings,” the Champion intoned. “Until morning, these guards will remain here for your protection. When morning comes, more secure accomodations will be arranged for you.” He turned to leave.
“That won’t be necessary,” Maiko said coolly. “Come morning, we will seek other arrangements in the outer city.”
“That will be discussed,” the Champion threw over his shoulder, and left with the Minister on his heels.
Sang drained her tea, stood and went back upstairs without a word, Lord Yu’s Blade against her shoulder. Earlier in the day she’d come up with the idea of using the weapon for everyone to communicate without speaking aloud, which had worked. Of course, the catch was that everyone had to be touching it, and there was little hope of this being discreet with twenty guards observing. She saw no reason to stay awake if they couldn’t discuss what had happened, and besides… she felt tired, drained, and had a responsibility to at least try to recover her strength by morning.
In part… it had been an eventful day. Only this morning there had been proclamations in Tokai, Kaji leaving for a southern kingdom, Sang’s father operated on, her mother’s fear and anger and Typhenon’s open display of divine magic. In the afternoon, the long flight to Nakashibetsu. Their arrival, and the walk to the Imperial Palace that had seemed almost longer than Moonlight Brilliance’s passage through the skies. A great feast had followed, only to be abruptly terminated when, at the back of the grand hall, the Chugi delegation had stood and drawn steel. The guards had reacted at once; teleporting to the table the Chugi at either side of it had been cut down. The remaining six had plunged their blades into their own stomachs and cut from left to right in a ritual motion almost as old as the Empire. The Emperess Dowager had screamed her anger, declared the feast over and ordered the Chugi (alive and dead alike) to be dragged out, torn apart and thrown into the river for the carp to eat. The brutal, shocking command had not ended at that. About an hour later, back at the Palace of Eternal Sunset, the party (specifically Sang) had been presented with a covered platter with a message that the Dowager hoped this would ‘satisfy the Queen of the Yu that justice had been done’, or something like that. Given the savage way in which the bodies of the Chugi had been dealt with, Sang had not been at all surprised to find that the platter held six human hearts. The organs had burst into flames when uncovered; Maiko had launched from her chair and drawn her hookswords with a curse, but for some reason Sang had not flinched. She could remember staring into the conflagration, feeling the heat on her face, but aware of a cold fury building inside her. The blazing hearts were a warning, a threat. The Empress Dowager knew who they were. Two of the hearts had been missing—there had been eight Chugi in the hall, and Kukulkan had taken care of the six that had been delivered in the hopes he could spare their souls being imprisoned by the daemon who had done this to them.
And then there was Isadora. Sang had approached her while Kukulkan was busy with the hearts and the others were exploring the grounds. Isadora needed blood. Sang had asked the girl to promise that she would go to Sang whenever she needed to feed. The reason she’d given was that, even with Isadora’s skills in discretion, their position was too risky. The Dowager Empress only needed one good excuse to dispose of any of them. Sang had another reason for requesting Isadora’s word, but didn’t voice it. The fact was that she didn’t want Isadora feeding off anyone else if she could be the willing alternative. It would protect anyone else she might choose to prey on (and as much as she didn’t like to use the term ‘prey’ with her friend, it was getting harder to deny), and Sang believed she was strong enough to handle the after-effects of Isadora’s bite. So it had happened, with Kukulkan in watchful attendance in case the proceedings harmed Sang’s children, and while Sang had been prepared for the weakness that followed the feeding, she’d not expected the sweeping ecstasy of the bite itself. It had literally buckled her knees, and as Isadora’s arms had kept her from falling Sang had concentrated her will in an almost panic-driven reflex against the euphoria threatening to overcome all sense of her self control. It was the most fantastic feeling she had experienced, and it would have been easy, so very easy to let go, enjoy it, love it, be lost in it. That was the danger, and so she fought against it and strove to convince herself that what she felt was loathesome, an effect brought on by something that had turned her friend part daemon.
“I eat when you eat,” Isadora had demanded afterwards. “For every day you enjoy meals, I get to feed once.” Kukulkan had protested, but Sang had seen no choice but to agree in order for Isadora to keep her word. Seeing her emerge from Shayu’s room that evening had given her pause, but she shook it off. So long as no biting was involved it was none of her business, and she trusted Isadora still. She didn’t want to suspect her. Maiko probably wouldn’t be impressed if she discovered Shayu’s new bedmate, and that was even more reason to keep quiet. Shayu knew Maiko’s opinions of Isadora, he even knew what Isadora was.
Sang pondered this as she reached the passage leading to her chamber, Kukulkan following her and a small army of guards in their wake. Perhaps, since Shayu himself had once been infected by daemonic power, he was not so quick to judge Isadora. Having been cured, maybe he was even working up to convincing her to take the same chance.
Speculation… speculation… perhaps, maybe. They could just be enjoying each other.
She entered her room and shed the outer robe she wore as Kukulkan and the guards took up various points in the large chamber. She was glad of the shapeshifter’s presence, even as she doubted she’d get much more sleep tonight. She was also sorry for having to ignore his advice, that carrying on her deal with Isadora might be dangerous for the twins. He was, however, good at keeping secrets, and she knew he would not break a trust unless there was a good reason to do so. Not that it was a secret, mind, but if Typhenon knew he’d probably order her to stand aside and offer his own neck and Maiko…gods only knew. If anything, berrate Sang for knowingly weakening herself at a time she needed all her strength.
By the time she finds out, it might be something I need to hear. How long will I be able to keep this up? How long before Isadora realises how far she’s gone…
It was hard. Lord Yu had praised her, saying that what she did for Isadora was good, even assuring her that her children were strong enough to handle this, but it was hard. She didn’t want to enjoy what Isadora had to offer. She didn’t want to encourage her and make her think her abilities were something good. Even though the girl’s affliction had none of the outward mutations of Taint that Sang was familiar with, wasn’t it still similar at the core? How could she accept Isadora and be the friend she needed when she feared the daemon inside her?
“I don’t know what to say to her.”
“I am a warrior too,” Lord Yu had replied with understanding. “Perhaps this is something that Jin could aid you with.”
“Maybe,” Sang conceded but the Angel of Courage sensed her hesitation.
“You have an issue with my sister?”
“Not… as such. Maybe I am just not used to her.”
A half truth? A full lie? Lord Yu had either let it pass, or not seen it. Sang did not want to seek Jin’s aid, because she thought she knew what the angel’s advice would be—or part of it, at least. Being an Elonan angel, Sang feared that Jin would openly advocate having the time of her life with Isadora. If it wasn’t hurting anyone, if it helped Isadora, then why not?
But now we’ll be under guard. How will I find a way to let her feed tomorrow?
She set Lord Yu’s Blade down, frowning to herself, then set it aside to worry about tomorrow. There was plenty to dwell on, like the Emperor, and getting everyone out of here alive. She’d seen the Emperor for the first time at the feast today, and Sang had felt her hopes lift at last, for she’d fretted at his absence during their arrival. She’d waited for three hours as a succession of artistically presented meals were brought forth, expecting at any minute for him to speak to her mind like he had in Tokai, but the gold-shrouded figure never even moved. She’d begun to wonder if it was even him under the material. Kukulkan had later said that whoever had been beneath the golden shroud seemed to have been asleep the entire time.
Too many questions. I have to be patient and calm. I have to play their damn game. I’m starting to hate games. I can barely look at a go board anymore.
She stared at the great bed for several seconds then climbed in, unable to help feeling how very large, empty and cold it was.
I hope you are doing better than we are, love. Please be safe…
As long as you use some simple rules, like the colours on metals rule in European Heraldry, then it should work out, a lot of late European ones can be very complex. On the other hand, personal choice goes a long way.
I still prefer it in two-tone; it just feels more credible.
The idea of having a mon with that many different colours is damaging to its purpose; it becomes harder to recognise at a glance with every bit of added complexity. Which means either every single soldier bearing the mon has to have the multicoloured version, which becomes expensive and pointless; or you have a variance in the mons, which can cause confusion.
Ergo, Maiko herself would favour a simpler colour design for practical reasons.
"Mon are essentially monotone; the colour does not constitute part of the design and they may be drawn in any colour."
What I interpret that to mean is that the colour of the mon is not important, only the design. Two mons identical in design but different in colour would be considered the same mon. By extension, they could be any garish rainbow mix, because only the design would matter.
It may also be relevant, before we get too wrapped up, to point out that historical accuracy isn't very important, and indeed may be detrimental.
Mon could be any colour, but were traditionally only two-tone - one colour design on another colour background.
Well, unlike European heraldry, there are no set rules for the design of Mon, so I suppose it's wide open.
Colour? But, that's not traditional… :P
Still, this means I can now properly make a space marine army with them as badges. :3
And you say that like mine wasn't made in paint :P
Cheers though.
Erin made a colourful one in Paint… (I kinda just inverted your one then added colour and shiney blossoms.)
^__^
Pretty flowers are pretty.
Nothing wrong with triangles. Pizza slices are triangles.
Mmm. Pizza of the Three.
What's wrong with my triangle!?
*pouts*
I'd say so. Looks really awesome.
Okay, here's my draft image of Maiko's mon. While I'd like a more precise version of it, I know such a version will not come from my hand; I'll just be proud of what I DID do.
And here's the symbolism within it:
At the bottom of the image are three apple leaves, resembling family in a somewhat insulting manner. From them grow cherry blossums, symbolising Maiko's "growth to perfection" by moving away from her heritage; which climb towards the symbol of the storm as she aspires towards the lofty ideals that represent the pinnacle of the Jin warrior.
Not bad, huh? Better than a boring ol' triangle :P
Well, let's consider some imagery associated with each… symbol could comprise a combination or stand-alone of any of these, or other stuff people come up with…
Maiko:
Hookswords
Waves
(Silver) Serpent
Jin's Amulet (what does it look like?)
Dancing Girl
Admiral's Cloak
Heart (for compassion)
Shark :p
Kukulkan:
Fang
Talon
Scale/Feather
Blood
Quetzacoatl
Reptilian Eye
(Trying to think of something funny he's turned into, and all I can come up with is Sang :p)
Sang:
Guan Dao
Kabuto
Crown
Daisho
Scars
Mountain
Squid :p
First off: What do you actually mean by this? Symbols for the game-map? Their Mon (In the case of the two Silverstari)? Can't really help when I don't know what you're asking…
I was hoping to get an idea for personal symbols for Maiko, Sang and KKK.
Shadow of Light 1255844998|%e %b %Y, %H:%M %Z|agohover
in discussion IC writings / Character Diaries » Sang's Crossroads
Moonlight Brilliance flew west, sunlight shining across his ash-coloured scales and vast wings. The cold wind whipped at his passengers, each strapped and holding fast to the saddle and harness that lay down the creature’s spine. Sang rode at the front. The seating arrangements had been organised by someone who had wanted rank as a priority, meaning Maiko should have taken the second position, but being queen had its advantages; Sang had ensured that the person directly behind her was Isadora, both so that they could talk and in case that discussion about ‘accidents’ came to pass. The fact that Maiko was now seated behind Isadora was concerning, but Sang hadn’t been willing to push the Jin back any further and risk shaming her.
She had managed to speak to Isadora before the departure, but had come away from it less certain of her friend than before. The young woman simply did not see that she was doing any harm—apparently those she fed from made full recoveries and even enjoyed the process, although Isadora had avoided Sang’s query of whether any of her dinner guests had gone back to active duty while weakened. On the one hand she claimed to have little choice where her biological needs were concerned and was upset to be reviled for what she now was, but on the other she said she liked the abilities her changes had given her. She had even smilingly invited Sang to experience what she had to offer. When Sang broached the possibility of returning to full humanity, Isadora could only say she would have to think about it and the choice was difficult.
After some meaningless chit-chat during the flight with the girl in which both avoided the weightier topics, Sang stared ahead with a heavy heart. In her experience, the changes wrought on people who tried to control various forms of Taint within themselves rarely ended well, especially for those who came to enjoy those changes. On the surface perhaps there was no harm in Isadora’s eating habits, but the same could be said of certain drugs or drink. If trouble crossed the path of any warrior not at his peak, it could mean his death or the deaths of his comrades. Isadora, though, did not see this as her fault. How could it be her fault if someone got attacked after being with her?
It was a logical argument, but in the past she had never been so callous. Isadora could have offered to be careful, to say she’d warn her visitors to go off duty for a while, to not accept those who were serving at the time, that would have been something, but it was like she didn’t even care now. Sang didn’t know if it was life experience that had hardened the girl’s heart, or the influence of what she now was. She wanted to believe it was the latter, and that reversing of the change would make everything better, but couldn’t quite convince herself.
I don’t know what to say. I don’t know how to help her.
Why am I thinking this as though it’s something new? When do I ever know what words to use?
It gave her something else to pray and meditate about as they flew to Nakashibetsu. There was a lot of ground to cover, figuratively and literally, so there was plenty of time. Mostly her thoughts roamed between family and friends as she considered some of the burdens each of them carried: Her father, recovering in Tokai; her mother, who stood guard against her own emotions; her husband, growing into his confidence; Kukulkan, who’d lost so much of his family so brutally; Maiko, whose family seemed to only care for her as a political piece; Typhenon, whose family spanned the world and were always in danger.
I suppose I’m part of that family now.
She didn’t know how to feel about that, but for now the thought of siblings had little to no enthusiasm attached to it. In fact, the realisation was more along the lines of a reluctant admission.
Maybe I just need time to get used to the idea…
*
Three brownish-bronze dragons (one of them the Minister of Commerce) met them in the air when they reached the Makoto border, moving to flank and guide once the travellers were identified. Sang concealed her shock and worry that they were all headed straight for the island of Nakashibetsu itself, not one of the shoreside cities. She hadn’t expected to be received straight away, let alone some of her companions. Did the daemon know exactly who was coming?
Moonlight Brilliance and the other dragons spiralled down into the vast grounds outside the palace, where a multitude of courtiers, guards and servants were arrayed. There was a higher area beyond the guards, a dias, where stood the Emperor’s Champion and the Emperor’s Mother. During the descent, Sang gave in to a sudden impulse and focussed on each of the two figures through the amethyst mask the Historian had bestowed.
The bodyguard was instantly surrounded by a faint glow that verified he was human.
The Dowager Emperess, however, was outlined by an ominous red light.
Sang’s indrawn breath hissed sharply between her teeth. She glanced back as Isadora leaned forwards with an inquiring sound and shook her head, saying she’d explain later. They were landing, and this was no place to speak aloud what she’d seen. Her attention returned to the Emperor’s Mother, respendant in all her golden finery.
Gods… she’s a daemon. But that can’t be the one we’re after; it doesn’t fit with the information Typhenon got from that angel, who said it wasn’t hiding in plain sight. It could be helping Zaddikim’s agent—we know that either or both the bodyguard and the dowager willingly serve the Muse.
But it could also mean mean we’re dealing with more than an agent of Zaddikim.
The Dowager Empress was seated on elaborately carved throne of mahogany and brass, robed in layers of golden material that formed a phoenix pattern of flames. On each of her fingertips were carved and jeweled gold talon extensions, and gold ornaments of various shapes glittered in the hair piled atop her head. A pace behind her left shoulder stood the Emperor’s Champion in full golden plate.
The dragons landed (the Minister of Commerce shrank down into a man with green robes) and the party was aided in dismounting. Though her legs had been secured for hours in a less than comfortable position, Sang managed to keep her balance and walk without falling over. A couple of the others moved more stiffly, but they all managed to keep pace as the group moved towards the dais between the crowd of officials and servants.
The soldiers blocking the way to the Imperial Party split into two groups, forming a path. Sang did not avert her gaze from the dowager and the champion, but couldn’t help noticing during the long walk that the height and build of the guards didn’t seem to differ. They all wore grey lamellar armour, and only their eyes were visible.
When they get to the edge of the dais, a vast wave of kowtows flowed through the gathering. Sang fought a quick but fierce internal battle on whether she should bend knee to a daemon. She was repulsed by the notion—she’d been fighting its ilk most of her life, but there was more at stake here than her honour. Most importantly, there were people with her who would probably suffer if she did something imprudent.
“Would you be terribly adverse to the idea of me bowing to a daemon?” she thought, trying to speak silently to Lord Yu.
“You don’t owe it any allegiance,” he replied. “If you owe it no allegiance then a bow is a hollow gesture.”
“It still feels wrong.”
It was inherently deceptive, and by being submissive she was perpetuating the lie. She tried to soothe her anger against the situation by reminding herself that she and the others were here to rip away that veil. To succeed at that, though, she’d need a more subtle method than remaining stubbornly upright.
Maiko, too, was still standing as the others around her dropped to the ground. Sang tried not to glance too obviously at her, wondering if the Jin was going to do here what she’d done in Tokai. But then she realised the Jin’s manner was completely different; she wasn’t still standing due to a stiff neck, but because something had shaken her so badly she’d frozen. Sang and Kukulkan (she couldn’t see if Typhenon was still standing without turning her head) waited the long seconds until Maiko’s recovery, then kowtowed with her.
“You may rise,” the Empress Dowager proclaimed. “We are pleased to receive on behalf of the Emperor our most esteemed of servants, and amongst others who serve our will. Come. A great banquet is prepared.”
They stood and saw a number of servants turn and lift the dais, then begin to carry it towards the heart of the island. Once neither the dowager nor the champion were looking, Sang glanced at Maiko to see if she was all right, and received a quick, deeply concerned look. She could only guess at what Maiko had seen, and only nod in return. There was no way to speak without being overheard. Sang didn’t know any of the sailor tricks the Jin used to communicate, and it was unlikely that Maiko knew enough Yu battlecant to translate any code she tried.
As they followed the dais, she focused on random people through her mask, guards, servants and courtiers, but saw no other daemons amongst the throng.
*
The city was more than a castle on an island. The palace itself rose on the far side, and they passed through a number of walled sections to get there. The walls themselves were not something to ignore, as they were at least seventy feet high and perhaps the same in thickness. After the great area they had arrived in there had been expanses of garden, luxurious mansions and temples, further in there was a massively fortified section with banners, armed soldiers and thick gates of solid iron. Before the palace proper was a great space filled with gardens, but the towers and walls surrounding it, each bristling with crossbowmen, made it clear this section could double as a very effective killing ground. They reached the ministerial offices, where a crush of courtiers and officials ran every which way as they tended their usual businesses. Amongst them and around them roamed patrols of soldiers, some on foot, others mounted on horses or even two-stabbers. The ministerial buildings and offices grew higher and more ornate as the party progressed towards the palace, and the people scurrying between them more finely dressed.
Another wall stood between them and the palace, as high as the previous ones, but the soldiers atop them wore armour that was bronzed rather than grey and held ornate repeater crossbows. The heavily ornamented gate to this wall was carved with characters so archaic it was almost difficult to translate: ‘Gate of Dust’.
Beyond, more gardens. Orchards. Blossom trees. Ponds. Natural-looking areas of reed. Meandering bridges and pathways, pergodas and gazebos. Their own path was dead straight through the undulating grassy hills and led to a final wall, beyond which was the massive courtyard of the Imperial Palace. When they entered, an assemblage of officials kowtowed as one, and silver and purple fireworks were fired from the towers to explode overhead.
Lining the road that stretched onwards, filling the courtyard from one side to the other, was a sea of chrysanthemums.
They were white, the colour of mourning.
The dais with its shining gold-clad passengers moved on between the pristine flowers, and to Sang’s eyes it looked almost like a death barge drifting through foam.
I didn’t expect this. I never thought we’d all get inside at the same time. Gods protect them…help me keep my companions safe.
This is stuff Lauren and I hashed out quite a while ago, but was never solidly decided on or written.
—-
Grew up in the city of Dimrost to noble parents (she has some Silverstari blood in her ancestry, I can't recall if either of her parents were fully Silverstari though). Has at least one brother she is close with, who works with the guard patrolling the surrounding countryside (possibly a captain). She was being raised as a 'proper daughter' but found ways to slip away from her family's estates to explore the city. She found herself drawn to places where she heard music, and started to frequent particular taverns whenever she caught the sound of real minstrels playing or singing for the entertainment of patrons. She learned to sing in places like this, and as time passed she even managed to get paid to 'take the stage' herself.
Eventually her parents informed her of an arranged marriage, and Isadora, not wanting her future decided for her, escaped the city. She managed to get a fair way east (and quite lost) before being captured by orcs, who brought her before Drog, Garreth and Typhenon.
I want to say first off that I appreciate people bringing things up, and feeling confident enough to do so. We all know I'm fallible, made mistakes and declared things without thinking them through properly before, and I bare no ill will. It would be hypocritical for me to do so.
All the reasoning you mention Piro are perfectly valid, and if they were the only factors at play than it would be monstrously inconsistent with Shayu's character to act as he did. As it stands, there are other circumstances at play. For professional reasons I wont state what those circumstances are. All I ask is the benefit of the doubt that I'm playing things appropriately with what I have access to.The best way to find out would be to talk to him IC.
As for Izzy explaining herself, that's unlikely to happen unless pressed. She's been far too secretive so far.
I appreciate people being behind me on this. All will be revealed.
