knightscode: Kicked puppyeyes (♠39)
Lancelot du Lac ([personal profile] knightscode) wrote in [community profile] undergrounds2016-01-14 02:44 am

GUARDIANS GONE WILD [ Active/ Open ]

i) The Build up [ Locked to Faolan ]


It was a normal enough Monday for Lancelot. Or, it had been. He'd gotten up, gone to work, caught up on things he'd missed, answered some emails, dealt with a minor fracas near the station when someone turned suddenly to jump lanes after realising they were in the wrong one and scraped another person's car.

He'd not even been home that long when the door went, still half sipping water to try and calm a headache threatening again and playing with Lily. It isn't really late, truth be told, but part of him really just wants to grab something to eat and relax. Whenever his doorbell goes it rarely results in him relaxing.

Lancelot sips a little more water, the doorbell goes again.

Defeated he sighs, recaps the bottle he was drinking from and accompanies Lily to the door.

When he opens it his expression does something complicated, a flip from 'oh' to 'ah' to 'hang on, why are you here?'

"Faolan?" he manages, and inwardly hopes this isn't about to begin another round of Faolan angrily beginning a tirade followed by Lancelot's headache worsening and furniture moving.


ii) The Jail Bird


In truth, Lancelot isn't exactly worried. He isn't exactly worried because he hasn't done anything wrong. He knows he hasn't. He has a lot of witnesses who'd testify he was, in fact, at work or shopping or some-such rather than wherever he was meant to be murdering people.

The problem is the fact that people have, equally, given an exact description of him doing these things.

Magic.

It's the only answer, and Lancelot knows less than he'd like about magic.

He certainly doesn't know about any sort of magic that would somehow enable a person to look like him and do this, nor does he know why anyone would. To discredit him? Or Daybreak? Or the Night Council? There's no shortage of options, but that's hardly a reassuring thought.

Luckily he gets the impression Sylvia is fairly sure he isn't lying, but equally she isn't just letting him out. He might not be lying, but -- unsettling as it is -- that isn't proof he hasn't done something awful unwilling.

So here he is, Lancelot -- Metropolitan Police Office and Guardian for the Night Council. In jail. He wishes he at least had something to pass the time while he waits it out. After all, surely someone will catch the true culprit soon? Surely they will find evidence it isn't him?

He's mentally in the middle of making a list of things to consider, people he may have upset, factions who might dislike him etc when he hears someone approaching. Lancelot himself is a little tired and dishevelled but he perks up at the sound of footsteps, inwardly hoping for news, and stands to approach the bars of his cell.


iii) The Free Bird [ Pick a location to meet the fae! ]


The fact that Lancelot was a reasonably harmless, friendly sort of person makes the fae's job a whole lot easier.

Few people were rarely scared of Lancelot, and few suspected him of anything sinister. He had plenty of friends in and out of the supernatural community, and although that did mean suspicion raised quickly once it began work it also meant that people were loathe to believe the rumours.

If anything, it was beginning to wonder why it hadn't done this before.

The fae's glamour was perfect. It looked like Lancelot, its voice was Lancelot's voice and its smile was his smile. It was missing his dog, but it always had a reason if anyone asked. It helped that Lancelot always had an aura of fae magic about him too, which meant that the fae's own magic did not seem out of place to those who could sense it.

Things are a little trickier once the real Lancelot is arrested, of course, but that's neither here nor there. It can brazenly tell people that -- oh, no no! It wasn't him who was arrested! There's a fae about, you see, that's made itself look like him. Good job they caught it!

It's trickier with people who know Lancelot well, but an easy smile often disarms them quickly.

When that doesn't work, there's always a little good old fashioned violence to escape.


iv) The Chase [ Late on Wednesday onward ]


Lancelot is entirely glad to be out of jail, but entirely less glad that the thing is still out there causing trouble.

Still, he's a Guardian -- thankfully he hasn't been fired. Which means it's his job to keep the peace, and he absolutely intends to keep the peace by stopping the creature pretending to be him.

He arms himself, dresses casually with a stab vest hidden under his shirt and begins to try and track it down.

The problem now, however, as much as the fae itself is the people who met it. It's done all sorts of violent, awkward and incredibly strange things in his name -- including starting a tab at a few places. Lancelot secrets away a silver knife as he picks his way through the streets. His headaches have begun to slowly clear, at least, and now that he finally understands what they are it helps. If he can sense magic, then maybe he can sense the fae before he sees it. Maybe that will help him track it.

Which means he's so focused on trying to sense things (which, unfortunately for him, he isn't very good at yet) that he nearly bumps into someone in the narrow alleyway -- lifts his hands quickly in supplication just in case they're angry about it.

"Ah -- forgive me, please, I was miles away."


[ ooc; Plot details here if you missed it! ]
reticence: (modern uneasy)

THE BUILD UP

[personal profile] reticence 2016-01-15 01:22 am (UTC)(link)
It'd been a relatively normal day for Faolan as well. He'd been sitting in the main room of Hillingdon House doing some catching up on his work and not really paying the rest of the folk in the place much mind, idly listening in as they'd chatted to each other about the various news on the underground. He might have even missed it if he hadn't finished his most recent cup of coffee and had been making the move to get another. A murderer, they say. Rogue fae. But as their description pans out, a sinking feeling settles in Faolan's chest. He'd recognize a man like that. Hell, he knows where such a man lives. And Lancelot isn't exactly quiet about who he is. He's half willing to bet that someone else might reach the same conclusion.

He heads off almost immediately towards Lancelot's. He has to check in with him. He has to warn him about the bounty. How, if it isn't a match, he's close enough to the description for there to be concern. It couldn't possibly be him that they're looking for. ...could it?

He doesn't care how many times he has to ring the bell. He'll let himself in if he has to. Once again he's reached the other man's door without calling him. He thinks about calling him now, if he keeps ignoring him like this. Maybe he's working? But no. Faolan's stuck around him long enough to have his schedule somewhat memorized at this point. He should be here...

He lets out a breath as the door finally opens and Lancelot warily peers out at him. Faolan glances behind him as if searching to see if he's been followed before slipping in the door. Without having been invited, it should be noted -- usually he at least waits for that much. There's no time now, however, and he's not about to give Lancelot the opportunity to shut the door in his face. (Not that he expects he will, but there's a first time for everything.)

"I need to talk to you," he says.
tearmeanewone: (016)

iii - THE FATED PARK

[personal profile] tearmeanewone 2016-01-15 04:26 am (UTC)(link)
It's another nippy day in around Westminster, which means that Elizabeth is, again, enjoying the day with a cup of coffee and a book in her favorite park. Since she'd last met Lancelot there, and they'd had a nice and friendly conversation, she's hoping that maybe the meeting could be repeated. If coincidence was on their side, at least. If not... well, Elizabeth liked the park.

Coincidence, of a different and terrible sort, is on her side today. She sees Lancelot coming down the path-- no Lily, though. Elizabeth wonders vaguely where she is before she raises a hand to wave.

"Lancelot!"
Edited 2016-01-15 05:47 (UTC)
reticence: (modern well you see...)

[personal profile] reticence 2016-01-15 05:16 pm (UTC)(link)

Faolan doesn't miss the way that the other man seems to be steeling himself for...well, him, and he winces at that. He glances towards the door and then back again, hesitant for a moment, at contrast with his brashness seconds earlier.

"Sorry," he says, awkwardly. Not knowing quite how to explain that he didn't want to give the other man the choice to refuse this conversation, so just dropping it after another moment. "Something's come up. There's a bounty out, and I think you should know about it." He pauses for a moment, noticing the way the other man's sipping his water at him, and winces further. He really has to make a note to call ahead of himself next time.

"How's your head?" he derails for a moment. Figuring he should probably gauge that much before he continues further.

reticence: (modern now now)

[personal profile] reticence 2016-01-16 12:23 am (UTC)(link)
Not blacking out is good, Faolan thinks to himself. He would say that he could do without that level of stress, but then he's got other things on his mind adding to his stress levels here instead. At Lancelot's question and the widening of his eyes, Faolan almost wants to laugh. Almost.

"No," he says, reaching up to run a hand through his hair, trying to figure out the best way to go about this. "No, not on me. Not this time, at least," he adds, quirking a wry expression for a moment before he turns to the other man, his expression as keen and earnest as it ever gets. "I've got a bad feeling that it might be out on you though."
reticence: (modern unhappy talking)

[personal profile] reticence 2016-01-16 07:07 pm (UTC)(link)
Faolan shakes his head. This is going to sound crazy to the other man. It sounds crazy to Faolan himself, but he had made the connection to Lancelot, and he's willing to bet he's not the only one in the city who has too.

"Murder," he replies. "There's a bounty for what's being described as a rogue fae. There've been at least three deaths already, that I've heard of at least, that they can connect back to this guy. But Lancelot." He shakes his head again.

"I don't know why, but the description of the guy. It's you. I don't know whether someone's framing you for something, or. Whether this bounty has been a setup. But there's too much of a similarity for it to be a coincidence."
tearmeanewone: (059)

[personal profile] tearmeanewone 2016-01-16 07:43 pm (UTC)(link)
"You'd think I'd choose other places to have my lunch, but you would be wrong. I'm a creature of habit, obviously," she jokes, smiling right along with Lancelot. The fae definitely has it down, Elizabeth doesn't feel like anything is off.

"Where's Lily?"
reticence: (modern are you for serious)

[personal profile] reticence 2016-01-16 11:13 pm (UTC)(link)
Faolan is torn. Part of him wants to fight whoever it is outside. Buy Lancelot some time. But a bounty hunter wouldn't be knocking at the door like that. A bounty hunter wouldn't announce their presence in such a way. Which can only mean one thing... That the Night Council has caught wind of the rumor as well.

He glances between the door and Lancelot again, and looks as though he wants to argue against the idea Lancelot is proposing. But he moves at the last moment to run for the kitchen and grabs the cable ties out of the drawer, heading back to Lancelot and quickly slipping them on. "I'm going to figure this out," he promises the other man quietly. "I know it wasn't you."
reticence: (modern well you see...)

[personal profile] reticence 2016-01-17 02:11 pm (UTC)(link)
It takes a while for Faolan to be able to get through to Lancelot, after essentially being the man to turn him in. There's questioning of him, questioning of what he'd been doing there, although Lancelot's quick thinking with the cable ties seems to have done the job, as well as Faolan's quick thinking on his feet. He tells them the honest truth when they ask it of him, though. It wasn't Lancelot. He knows it wasn't. The man's been ill lately and besides, he's with the police and a Guardian, and no doubt he even shies from killing spiders let alone human beings.

For all the good it does him.

What seems like days later but really may have only been the span of a few hours, Faolan is finally told that he's allowed to see him. He rises from the table as Lancelot is led through into the interrogation room and seated across from him, only speaking once the doors have closed behind him.

"Are you okay?" he asks, as he folds himself back into the seat opposite Lancelot. He knows he probably doesn't have a lot of time here, but it's the logical first question to ask, after taking a look at the other man's face. Even when the obvious answer is no.

ii The Jail Bird

[personal profile] brightwitch 2016-01-17 05:14 pm (UTC)(link)
This entire affair has caused Sylvia far more trouble than she would like. She knows it isn't Lancelot; he doesn't have to worry about that. At first she thought he was under a spell, which was why they had to imprison him. But her witches found nothing wrong. Then the next day she heard a report that the rogue Guardian had struck again – while Lancelot was trapped in his cell.

A copycat.

So she approaches the cell, accompanied by two guards, and folds her arms.

"I have good news and bad news." As she speaks, one of the guards steps forward to unlock the door. "Good news: you're free to go. The bad news is that you have a doppelgänger. It attacked again this morning, right here in Westminster. It could be a shapeshifter, or a witch using an illusion spell, but we think it's a fae. Come out, I have something for you."

The guard who has unlocked the door steps aside so that Lancelot can leave the cell. Silently, he holds out a crowbar for Lancelot to take. There's nothing fancy about it, nothing magical. But it is made of iron.

[personal profile] brightwitch 2016-01-17 06:54 pm (UTC)(link)
Her mouth thins at the mention of causing trouble, but she doesn't comment. Sylvia glances over at the second guard, who holds out his mobile phone, not for Lancelot to take but to show him the screen. On it there's a map, zoomed in on an area of the city.

"The fae was last seen here, less than an hour ago," she explains. "There are already rumours flying around that this is part of Norrell's purge, that you have been killing innocent people. If we don't put a stop to it, I'm afraid this will cause you far more trouble than me. Go now. Kill your impersonator and clear your name. We'll deal with the rest."

[personal profile] brightwitch 2016-01-17 10:24 pm (UTC)(link)
She knows she shouldn't blame him. It isn't his fault that the fae happened to choose his face; it could have been any Guardian or even any Daybreak witch. No doubt the fae intended to work its mischief in order to turn the other factions against them. Lancelot isn't to blame for that.

But by chance or design, it's his mess to fix. She nods, offering a smile to soften her words.

"Go. I know you'll get it done."

She's trusting him to fix it, in other words. The guard with the phone will accompany him at least part of the way, if Lancelot doesn't know how to get to the place on the map. If he wants further back-up, they can provide it.
reticence: (modern now now)

[personal profile] reticence 2016-01-18 02:58 pm (UTC)(link)
Faolan gazes across at the other man, observing him as he explains himself. He certainly looks tired. There's not a whole lot Faolan can do about any of it either, although Lily. With Lily, at least, there is hope.

He offers a nod. "I'll do what I can, though I know that I'm not you. No doubt she'll need a moment to get used the idea of that." He pauses for a moment, trying to think of what to ask, of what to say. Knowing that he won't have forever to do so.

"What have they told you?" he asks. It's probably much the same as Faolan's been told himself, but he wants to know. Wants to make sure that they're all on the same page here. That Lancelot isn't preparing himself for an eternal stay in this place -- he's innocent. They're going to let him out. They just have to prove as much.
reticence: (modern well you see...)

[personal profile] reticence 2016-01-18 07:16 pm (UTC)(link)
Faolan nods. At least they're surprised. At least they're still treating it with suspicion. They haven't convinced themselves he's guilty yet, and that counts for a lot, he knows.

He frowns as Lancelot mentions the tests, however. The idea of the tests. What does that mean? What are they going to do to him? He doesn't ask, not sure that even Lancelot himself will know, but he doesn't like the sound of it. Doesn't like the sound of the idea of someone taking over or controlling the other man either.

"Have you told them about the headaches?" he asks. Maybe it's got something to do with them. Maybe it hasn't anything in common at all. But they're suspicious regardless, and as far as Faolan knows, they're still bothering the other man. He wonders...

III (The Loyal Hound Pub)

[personal profile] protagonized 2016-01-19 05:31 am (UTC)(link)
It may not yet be one o'clock in the afternoon, but Simon tells himself that being drunk on cider and cheap lager in a seedy pub on a Wednesday is his right as an Englishman.

Anything to make himself feel less like a failure.

He looks up from his drink long enough to order another (and a plate of chips because he can't remember the last time he ate solid food) when he spots a familiar face.

"Lancelot!" he calls a little too loudly. "Brilliant. You can buy me another drink. Then we'll be even."

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