Senco's Transgressions

"Your parents are down here, in a cabin underneath the town? Why? Do they run the tree farm? Actually, a better question, how are trees growing in the first place?"

She pulled the arm she was pointing with back and physically hesitated to answer.

"Well, yes, they are.. down here.. They're down here thanks to Sensen.. they do run the farm.. If I remember correctly, the trees grow using the same moss that covers the beaches of the island.. all the water for the trees to grow is brought in from the beaches through the moss, and you see how the trees don't have leaves? They are a breed of tree that works with the moss to grow without sunlight. They really only grow with water."

I had to blink a couple times while going over that.

"... So the trees grow by using water that goes through the moss. By which they then grow only using water. That is not as weird as it could have been."

"These trees are weird?"

"Not really, no. But what is kinda weird... Nevermind. Rain through that hole in the ceiling or excess water from the trees probably created this lake."

"That's... exactly it. I can also tell you that the water that goes through the moss is drinkable."

'So there's just a random thing that could act as a water filter? That is something I need.'

"Wait, you have all this knowledge? If you have more, I think I'll only need to help you a little bit rather than from scratch! Who'd you learn from?"

"My parents kinda taught me."

"Oh. *Sigh* Okay then."

'They might've been helpful if they weren't like.. stuck down here.'

"Oh right! On that topic.. why are your parents down here in the first place?"

She paused for several seconds before speaking.

"It's a law of the Zealots of Anudikelto that heretics are killed.. you might know?"

"Kind of. Especially with you telling us, indirectly, it is now very obvious."

"Uhm.. yeah..." she just shook of my words and continued.

"Since everyone here on the island decided to join and follow Anudikelto, the laws were put in place, including the way to take care of heretics. But my parents didn't exactly.. agree.. or join in. When their disagreement with several laws came out to the rest, they were labeled as 'heretics', not just by the people, but also, Sensen."

"That... Doesn't explain why they're down here."

'And it adds reason to just get rid of Senco.'

"But when he learned of me and my abilities, he asked me to help him get off this island after he learned about me. He also swore to let go of their transgressions against Anudikelto in exchange for my expertise. This wasn't very long ago, but he has kept them alive in exchange for my help.."

"That.. that right there sounds like blackmail."

"IT'S NOT BLACKMAIL!" She was immediately defensive after my accusation. "It's help in exchange for help!"

"That's... basically what blackmail is, but you left the part out where he is keeping your parents prisoners, and the fact that their lives were on a string before. If you didn't help him, I have no doubt he would've let them be killed."

"NO! HE WOULDN'T DO THAT!"

"I have a question for ya, since you won't listen to reason. I already have a good picture in my mind from your words, but let me paint it out for you: who brought this.. quote unquote, "religion", to the island? It couldn't have been any of the heretics, because they all arrived AFTER Senco."

"You're..."

"From your previous words, That's an approximation of what happened."

"..stop.."

"Senco, the guy you want to help, has already blackmailed you, keeping your parents away from you, and he is the very same reason they would've been killed in the first place."

"... please, just..."

"I don't think he even deserves to be able to leave the island really. If he wants it indoctrinate the people who have lived on this island into doing whatever he wants, through some laws he probably made up, then manipulate people using them, then I don't think he deserves to even live really."

"SHUT U-"

She had been backing up slightly, letting her head fall slightly more with my words, up until she wanted to yell out. She stopped when she looked up at me.

"What."

I felt the venom in my words and immediately knew what had happened, and so I turned around.

'LUCIFER! STOP! I was fine with this morning, but threatening Lona? Please, stop!'

No words came from my own mind in response.

'Of course you aren't gonna say anything! You never did before, so why start now?'

I had to use Observation for a second as I watched my own eyes change to their normal black color before turning back around to face the still frozen Xetalona.

"Sorry. Let's uh.. just leave that conversation."

She didn't respond, so we just stood there for a minute, Xetalona's breathing had become faster, but was slowing down while calming down. Taking this time, I looked at all the materials Xetalona had brought me down to look at.

'It's just gonna be simpler to use the materials near the actual mouth of the cave. I mean, what else was all of that gonna be used for? More ships? The Ark Valus is a bit odd in size and possible capacity, but even if a second one is needed to be made, then it doesn't need the 20 masts that were there. I just need a replacement and the flight system I haven't actually made yet. I mean, what can Senco do other than set a while town on me? Actually.. that's a moral question.. would I really be willing to kill people indoctrinated into a cult that they had no control over? Better yet, how'd he even get everyone to join?'

"Hey..... Buggy?"

"Hm?"

Being pulled from my thoughts, I changed gears to pay attention to Xetalona at the moment, pushing what I was thinking to the back of my head.

She asked in a shaky voice: "Did.. didn't you say.. you... wouldn't do anything?"

"Did I?" I had to think about it, and ended up putting my hand to my chin.

"I don't think I did? Oh, wait, I did. I didn't have control over what you fear, but there must've been a trigger or something. I don't know what would've caused it aside from... I dunno, maybe talking about Senco? Learning about some things he has done? This is just a guess, but if it's right, I don't know why." I took a second and turned my head. "I really need Rem to help so I can talk to him directly. Sorry again for that happening, but it's really out of my power to control. I'm just gonna go, I know the way. You can calm down without me to freak you out or anything."

She didn't say anything, and partially slumped down, as I walked away, using observation to see in the dark.

•

"...."

"Senco has done more than I thought, Rem."

"That.. that's uhm.."

I had just finished telling Rem and Taki about what I had learned from Xetalona, and while Rem was trying to figure out what to say, I noticed Taki not really paying attention, which was why I was addressing Rem rather than Rem and Taki.

I had sat down next to Rem on one of the couches, Taki still in the chair, Rem in the closest seat.

"A lot? Yes. Learning that you were being blackmailed to do something in exchange for the lives of your parents is something.."

We just sat in silence for a second, it being broken by Rem herself.

"I... get what she's going through."

"Really? How?"

This was news to me, as I hadn't learned Rem's full history aside from Roy and Rianna with their destruction of her art.

"It's slightly different, since the thing in exchange is someone's life, but in the same words you said.." Rem took a quick breath and brought her knees to her chest before continuing. "...I was blackmailed into doing whatever everyone wanted, my art as the hostage.."

"Are those things... comparable? No, wait, nevermind. I can already imagine myself in that situation, probably extorting something out of me. I'm probably powerful enough to stop such a thing from happening, but not everyone is strong enough to stop such things."

"... And you want to stop Senco?"

"Hm, yes."

"You want to help to stop Senco's blackmail?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

I dunno? Because Anudikelto is fake? Because Senco brainwashed a whole island into joining a cult of that same fake deity? Because he's been extorting someone who apparently wants to defend him? Because he's using his defendant's parents as leverage to have THAT..." I pointed to the Ark Valus to our right, "... being built? Because the ship could've been built without him?" I took one look at Rem in the eyes for a response to my own, and found a slight reflection of my own eyes in them. My own eyes were partially red, and so, I let out a long sigh.

"Rem, because I want to get rid of the person who is responsible for these things. Now, onto a bigger topic: I, no, WE, need to figure this out, and quick."