Consequences

"Consequences" is a BOTGD 2 thread written on July 14, 2019. 
== Summary ==
== Full Text ==
=== Part 1 ===
Yun Milae: “Chief Grey!”
For such a small frame, the goat had a commanding voice. He stood in the front door of the Great Hall, the light from his scars dwindling, and he began striding up to Grey and Brandt. Coming to a stop in front of them, he frowned up at the chief. He was holding his weapon, and he looked more grim and exhausted than usual–which was saying something.
“So you haven’t found the Red Card,” he stated, trying to keep the heat he felt out of his words.
Grey Bergman: Brandt immediately noticed the weapon in Milae’s hand and was about to step in front of Grey. However, she placed a hand on his chest stopping him. The Chief had a funny feeling that he was going to want to talk to her, and she was ready to take it.
“No, Milae, I haven’t,” she said simply, “but thankfully, there have been no reports of anyone being infected.”
Yun Milae: "Not yet." He lifted his hoof to press it to his mouth and then sighed, lowering it again. His entire body was a mess of tension and stress. "Chief, I have been looping, and I don't know exactly what happened, but I have enough reason to believe the Card is still here. May I see the bottle?" He held out his hoof.
Grey Bergman: The Chief quickly reached into her side pocket, and pulled out the now empty vial. “I’m still trying to figure out how this happened,” she explained. “You saw Rhenco give it to me, and according to Malak, Rhenco would never fake something.”
Yun Milae: “He didn’t. That was the real thing.” He looked closely at the glass, seeing the remaining stains of the liquid on the inside, real as anything. “I need you to tell me where you have been keeping this, ever since Rhenco gave it to you.”
Grey Bergman: “After Rhenco gave it to me, I kept it in my pocket until we got back here,” Grey began to explain, “and then once we returned here, Brandt and I personally put it in the floorboard in our room in our house. No one had access to it. Not even the kids.” 
Yun Milae: “Are you positive?” he pressed. “Because if Rhenco gave you the real thing, and now you don’t have it, it either got lost or stolen in between then and now.”
Grey Bergman: “Yes, I’m positive,” Grey replied. “Believe me, I’m just as confused as you are. Brandt and I personally have been checking on it, and no one out of the ordinary ever set foot in the house. And I would’ve felt it if it slipped out of my pocket. I took the vial out of my pocket when we returned home.”
Yun Milae: He squinted at the bottle, his frustration mounting. “I have been looping this complication. In the other timelines, nobody has been near your house. It may not be the same here, but if it is, then…the only people that have been near the vial was…everyone that was present at Rhenco’s arrest.”
The half-breed looked up at her, distressed. “Chief, we may have either a traitor or an impostor among us, waiting to use the Red Card at any moment.”
Grey Bergman: Grey and Brandt both widened their eyes at Milae and then looked at each other clearly distressed. The idea of a traitor or an imposter on her island made Grey’s heart pound waiting to infect their entire island.
“Could it be someone from Central?” Brandt mused aloud.
“I…I guess,” Grey replied scratching her head and wracking her brain trying to figure out likely suspects. “Opie told me that the man Sven helped escape was a citizen of Central. He probably knew about the Red Card and gave word.”
“But that doesn’t make sense,” Brandt replied. “I mean, I get someone from Central, but we saw everyone at that meeting with Rhenco. We would’ve noticed if there was someone we didn’t recognize.”
“Rhenco is another suspect,” Grey offered, “but he…disappeared after,” her hand went to the markings on her neck, “well…you know. And Malak said that he was running away and that he wouldn’t fake anything. And why go through with attacking me if it was fake?”
Yun Milae: “He was attacking you for the spread of information, I believe. That was his secret and you broke it open for everyone that was present. He was willing to kill you to stop you from speaking. And then he escaped.” He ground his naginata into the ground and grumbled under his breath, “Damn Warden.”
He looked back at the Chief and her soldiers and he looked very serious again. “Chief, I know it is natural for you to trust your friends, but there were many members of the Rebellion at the arrest, as well. We cannot leave them out. The Red Card was taken and now we must find out whether it is still on the island or whether the traitor sent it off into enemy hands.”
Grey Bergman: Grey sighed as she slumped in her big chair and placed her hand over her eyes in frustration and sadness. She thought of all the people present when Rhenco was arrested. Brandt…herself…Ander…Deoiridh…Nala…Milae…a few council members…and a few guards…the possibilities were endless, and it scared her. Of course, both she and Brandt knew that the other was innocent, so that left them out as two suspects. But everyone else…well, the council members…they had been loyal to her predecessor, Chief Hroar and now were loyal to her.
They didn’t initially believe her when she explained Milae’s powers to them. Why would they turn against her? Same for the guards. As for Ander and Nala, they had been her family for years. Surely, neither of them would betray her and Haligan Island and the Rebellion. And then…Deoiridh…there was no way she would have evil intentions for the Red Card. While Grey didn’t know Deoiridh all that personally, she knew the man who had been reincarnated into her. It was her little brother, Greg, and he would never betray her or do anything that could put his kids or his wife in danger. 
“Grey,” Brandt began, “I hate this as much as you do, and I know that we may have figured out the cure. But if someone has it and gets funny ideas, it could get really ugly. We may have to question them.”
Grey tapped the armrest of her chair and sighed in defeat. “Only Ander, myself, Brandt, Deoiridh, Nala, and you were there, Milae,” she said. “I think it would be best to question them.”
Yun Milae: “At the very least, I can assure you that the Warden was not there. Not the Warden you know. I borrowed another version of her from a different timeline to create the contract. From the time she was with us to the time I returned her to the correct timeline, she did not leave my body, and I have not touched the Red Card.” He flicked an ear, realizing the position he’d put himself in as being included on the list and messing with timelines, but he said nothing, waiting to see how Grey would react to the initial information he had given her.
Grey Bergman: “Yeah, well–” Grey stopped and looked at Milae with the most confused look on her face, “wait…so…that wasn’t the Nala that we know in this time period? And you used her to make that contract with Rhenco?”
“Why didn’t you just ask the Nala from this timeline?” Brandt asked.
Yun Milae: Milae straightened a little and grew a very dangerously angry look on his face.
“Because she made this whole mess in the first place, she ruined everything, and I’ll have nothing to do with the Warden in this timeline any more.”
Grey Bergman: The Chief glared at the goat in front of her. Hearing Milae talk badly about one of her closest friends made anger boil inside of her as she stood up to face Milae.
“What exactly do you mean by that?” she asked.
Yun Milae: “I beg your pardon, Chief Grey,” Milae said, in a dry voice indicating that he wanted no pardon whatsoever, “but this is not why I approached you. We should focus on interrogations.”
Grey Bergman: “I understand that we need to focus on the interrogations,” Grey said firmly. “However, I would appreciate it if you did not insult one of my closest friends. Whatever it is that Nala did…” she honestly had no idea, “she is still an important part to the rebellion.”
Yun Milae: He pinned his ears back, tapping his thumb rapidly against the wood of his staff. He kept talking himself into corners with the leaders of the Rebellion and he was starting to get sick of it. “Well, the Warden’s record of redeeming herself has been…abysmally positive, if past experience is anything to go by. Maybe it will happen again. But this does not mean I have to love her or forgive her anytime soon. I will restrain myself from naming her past wrongs, if it comforts you for me to do so.”
Grey Bergman: The Chief glared at the goat with a look she learned from King Haddock. It’s the look he’s given to her a few times in the past. “I think that would be best, Milae,” she said simply. “After all, like you said, we need to focus on finding this supposed traitor or imposter.”
“Alright, look!” Brandt said suddenly. “Milae, we’re not saying that you have to love the Warden. Whatever quarrel you have with her is not for us to judge, but like Grey said, she’s a part of this Rebellion and our family.”
Grey stared at her husband. He didn’t have anything against Nala. Although, she remembered that he was in for such a shock when she first introduced her to him. However, he actually took it well that the girl he fell in love with was friends with the former Warden of the Grounded Dungeon. 
=== Part 2 ===
Yun Milae: Ah, I know that look. That is straight out of the king’s book.
He waved a hoof dismissively. “Fine. Do you need help searching for our turncoat?”
Grey Bergman: “Yes, I would like some assistance,” Grey replied begrudgingly. “I’m too close to some of the suspects, so I think it would be best if perhaps you question them. I mean, I know you were there too, but it might help to have someone else question them.”
Yun Milae: “I would not put myself above interrogation, if I were you.” He put a hoof to his waist in a short bow, an acknowledgement of his position. “But in my defense, given the amount of information I have relayed to you, it seems rather ridiculous to do so. Not to mention the Red Card taking effect on me would be…utterly disastrous.”
Grey Bergman: Grey sighed in exasperation as she pinched the bridge of her nose. Milae had a valid point. However, while he claimed innocence, they still would need to get information as to what he witnessed. Surely, he had to have seen something that Grey and Brandt missed.
“I understand,” Grey finally said, “and I do believe that you wouldn’t mess with the Red Card, especially after how you helped us find Sven. But if we could simply get an account as to what you saw during the arrest, that would be sufficient.”
“And we can have you help another person for the others’ questionings,” Brandt offered.
Yun Milae: “Very well. Is there anyone in particular you would have me speak to the others with?”
Grey Bergman: The Chief wracked her brain trying to think of someone…who could assist Milae with the interrogations. She couldn’t ask her own friends, as that wouldn’t make sense and they were all too close to one another. She surely couldn’t ask them.
However, there was one person who came to mind, and…it hit her like a lightning bolt from Thor. Although, it wasn’t someone she was very fond of.
“I do have one person in mind,” she replied. “A certain mind mage from Central.”
“Oh, Grey…” Brandt said widening his eyes. He knew exactly who she was referring to.
Yun Milae: He hummed in realization. “A very bold move, Chief. But I can imagine how the suspects would feel about that, let alone the rest of Haligan.”
Grey Bergman: “King Haddock made certain decisions that not everyone agreed with,” Grey stated. “It would be no different.”
Brandt stared at his wife. He could tell that she hated the idea of using a former enemy…one that people were not too fond of, and they both knew Milae was right. The minute people realized that their Chief was allowing a mind mage to interrogate, there was going to be some trouble. There had to be a safer…smarter option. That was when an idea came to him.
“What if we asked Nala…the Nala from this timeline?” he finally asked. “I thought you guys once told me she knows how to get inside heads.”
Yun Milae: He set his mouth in a grimace at the mention of the Warden, but he was slowly realizing there was no way to avoid her completely any more. “I am sure she would oblige,” Milae said reluctantly. He was willing to do whatever it took to find the Red Card.
Grey Bergman: Grey looked up at her husband. She had completely forgotten about the former Warden as a possible interrogator, but perhaps…the former warden of the Grounded Dungeon leading the interrogations would be better. The people will be receptive to her and Milae, who helped the Chief and her husband rescue their son.
“Great, then we can just talk to her and see if she can do it,” Grey said as she stood up. “Darien can be our second option if Nala doesn’t agree to it.”
Yun Milae: “Then all you must do is let me know when you wish to start.”
Grey Bergman: “Immediately,” Grey replied. “The sooner we find our guy the better.”
“I’m sure we can catch Nala brooding here somewhere,” Brandt interjected.
The Chief rolled her eyes. “She doesn’t brood,” she added. “She’s just…being watchful.”
Category:Events
Category:BOTGD 2
Category:Act I
Category:Yun Milae
Category:Grey Bergman
Category:Brandt Felman