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Needless to say, the gunshot had certainly gotten everyone's attention.
It was as if all life around them had frozen in place, with no one willing to take the first daring action to resume it. While nobody believed that the famous Lord Yupa had any malicious intent to harm anyone, the mere sight of him holding such a weapon at all, let alone firing it, let them all know that whatever he wanted, he was dead serious in getting it. And if anyone stood in his way, they believed he would make them regret it.
Of course, the legendary sword fighter took no joy in resorting to such measures.
Never much cared for these things, he thought on the gun. No artistry in wielding them.
As someone who was not a dedicated member of either the Valley or Pejites, Yupa was perhaps the one person in whom both sides could trust to at least some degree. It hadn't helped quell the tension by that much, though ... hence the drastic measures he was now taking to ensure he'd get his way now.
He didn't have all the details of the current situation, but he had heard and seen enough to form a basic idea in his mind ... a rather worrisome idea at that. As such, he proceeded to fill in every blank he could. No nonsensical noise this time, no interruptions that spiraled the matter out of control; for once, the people would comply with at least a basic form of order.
Lord Yupa proceeded to interrogate every single person at the scene. He asked who saw what. Who was told what by whom. Who was the last person to see the princess. When they last saw her. Anything that could fill in the gaps of his knowledge, he ordered everyone to tell him. And his possession of the firearm meant that, like it or not, everyone complied, showing him the respect in answering that many of them had refused to show one another. Many eyebrows were raised when they observed how much more relaxed he was for Asbel's questioning, but they gave him what he wanted regardless.
When it was finally all done, Yupa had enough new pieces to begin putting everything together. He compared stories, looking for anything that matched or didn't match.
And as he went through it, the evidence started piling up more and more as damning for multiple people ... one in particular.
Nigai's story was that Nausicaä had slept through the morning, followed by leaving for the jungle with Utsu. However, Yupa could now confirm with complete certainty that this was not true. Not only did Teto's presence cast serious doubt upon that already, not only did he know that Nausicaä wouldn't have just left without informing either him or Asbel ... but only a few other individuals had claimed to have actually seen her leave themselves. This may have added credence to the notion, except for the fact that others who had been in the same area, at the same time Nausicaä was claimed to have left, said that they never saw her. If Nausicaä had been where and when Nigai and several others were saying, then there was no chance she would have been missed by others.
Which means this lie was not just Nigai's, Yupa thought. It was coordinated, discussed and agreed upon by multiple people ...
Additionally, no one had claimed to see Utsu or Gisei today ... outside of these same liars. This confirmed to Yupa that not only was Nausicaä not on the ship that many had seen leave this morning, but neither was Utsu.
Further, a man from the Valley - the same man who had tried to ask for Nausicaä's whereabouts when things were getting ugly - claimed to have seen several riders heading for the edge of the Valley the previous night. Another witness backed up this report. Yupa then quickly realized that this would put them right near the path that Nausicaä was going down on her walk.
Combining all of this information together, as the gears in his mind continued turning as everyone looked on with deep, uncertain worry ... Lord Yupa had come to a realization.
One that he had to act on. Now.
The swordsmaster approached Nigai, who kept as neutral a stance and expression as she could. And finally, after the minutes of tense, unpredictable silence that had passed, he spoke again.
"Nigai," he said, speaking in the most cordial tone he could bring himself to emit. "I'm terribly sorry for all of this fuss today. I think it's safe to say that this was not our finest hour."
Nigai paused for a moment. She eyed the legend in front of her, searching for any contempt he might have held against her. And yet, to her surprise, she found none. He didn't seem to hold her accountable for any of this. Rather, he appeared to view her as the partial victim, swallowed up by the feuding around her.
She realized that, even after all his intensive questioning, her ploy may have very well been a success.
So, she kept an innocent demeanor herself and replied, "Oh ... Indeed. I may have been ... a bit too brash. But I promise you, Lord Yupa, my intentions were always good!" She added just the right amount of conviction to sell the act.
"Hmm," Yupa hummed in acknowledgement. "I suppose we all have our moments."
"What?!" Asbel cried. Surely ... surely, Nigai hadn't been able to fool Yupa as well! If she accomplished that, then ... what hope did he possibly have left?! "L-Lord Yupa, how can-"
"Asbel, please," Yupa said, as kindly as possible. He needed Asbel to go along with this, just for now. Turning back to Nigai, he said, "Well, how about this? You and Asbel can both come with me to my quarters. We'll make amends, and hopefully in the end put all of this behind us."
"Him?" Nigai said sharply. "Why, I would-"
She stopped herself from snapping at the idea. She needed to maintain her facade ... even if it meant having to tolerate the boy's presence for a little longer. If it got her out of this, she told herself, it would be worth it.
"Why ... I would be honored, my lord," she finished, sickly sweetly.
With a light grin, the older man turned his head back and said, "What say you, Asbel? Care to take part?"
The look on Asbel's face was one of pure betrayal. It stung deeply to witness, seeing the Pejite believing his one and only hope was about to abandon him as well. He could also see that the fiery lad was not about to let this slide, and Yupa couldn't blame him.
So, before Asbel could respond, Yupa silently mouthed, "Trust me," his lips obscured from Nigai.
Asbel paused. His eyes went from hurt to confused. He wasn't sure what Yupa was getting at. Did this mean he trusted him? It seemed so from this silent message, and it was the ever-slight boost of encouragement he dearly needed right now.
But at this point, Asbel didn't know what to think anymore. About almost anyone.
Regardless, he warily agreed. But not without against eyeing Nigai with utter contempt. The woman kept herself from shooting back a glare of her own, simply looking away.
With that, she, Asbel, and Yupa made their way towards Yupa's room together, with the latter acting as if hardly anything was wrong.
The walk there was, unsurprisingly, tense. A far cry from Asbel's earlier stroll with his two trusted friends, a wallow in discomfort and distrust rather than security and safety. He didn't say a word the entire time, fearful of any repercussions from either Nigai or Yupa. Nigai only ever addressed Yupa, attempting to keep herself on his good side now that she was apparently on it. If she could satisfy the legendary warrior that all was fine regarding herself and her allies, then her single biggest threat was out of the way.
Little did she know, as the three rounded up the stairs to Yupa's room, that she was farther from that goal than she could have imagined.
They finally arrived. Yupa opened the door, offering for Nigai to go first. She happily obliged, sneering at Asbel as she passed. Asbel held in his irritation, walking inside after her, looking back at Yupa with a pleading look in his wide, shimmering grey eyes.
And finally, Yupa himself entered.
He then locked the door.
He walked up to Nigai.
And he swiftly withdrew his sword and held its tip right at Nigai's throat.
"Yupa!" Asbel exclaimed in shock.
"My lord!" Nigai shouted. "Wh-Whatever is the matter?"
It was a foolish question, and she realized that as soon as she asked it. Like a loyal animal whose master had suddenly turned on it, her initial instinctive reaction was passivity and submissiveness, attempting to insist that it meant no harm and remain in good spirits.
But of course, the sword against her throat should have been her instant sign that such efforts were futile now. As was the suddenly stone-cold look of tranquil fury Yupa was now shooting at the traitorous woman, saying everything necessary in lieu of words.
It was in that moment that Nigai could finally see it; Yupa was very much not on her side.
And so, the facade dropped. Her icy blue eyes narrowed, matching Yupa's stare with a contemptuous one of her own. She stiffened in anger, feeling her pride endure the ever-sharp sting of her deceit having failed.
"Asbel," Yupa said lowly. "Get some rope from my drawer."
Nigai's eyes shot up wide again. "... No ..."
"Yupa ..." Asbel gasped. He was barely able to register the foreign mixture of shock and relief at what was in front of him, let alone respond to the order. It was clear what the rope was to be used for, and Asbel was clearly hesitant. "I-I don't know if I should-"
Without a warning, Nigai suddenly ducked and slid down, sweeping a leg to knock Yupa off his feet. The man collapsed, but managed to keep his weapon in his grasp.
Nigai then bolted for the door, desperate to escape what she thought would be an invaluable, unwitting ally to her mission. But just as she clasped her fingers around the knob, Lord Yupa had gotten back up, sprinted over, and wrapped an arm around her waist. He pulled her back and forcefully threw her down, knocking her head into the post of his table.
"Gah!!" Nigai cried. "My lord, what in blazes has come over you!?"
She tried to get back onto her feet, but the swift hero used his much larger frame to pin her down with ease. He put his knees on her legs, gripping her wrists and holding them with minimal effort, despite their frantic tugging and pulling.
"Asbel! The rope, now!" Yupa shouted.
The intensely pressing tone in the master's voice and the situation at hand snapped Asbel out of his hesitations. He rushed over to the drawer in the corner of the room, pulled it open, and ran back over with a decently-sized coil of rope. He barely even thought about what he was doing; all that mattered was Yupa's plight, in the wake of him realizing that he had not lost yet another needed friend.
But then came the confirmation of why the rope was needed.
"Tie her wrists to the table leg!" Yupa ordered.
"NO!!" Nigai's struggling intensified. "You don't touch me!!" She would not dare allow herself to be at this lowly Pejite's mercy, nor be left defenseless in front of Lord Yupa himself!
The prince's apprehension shot up. He nearly froze. He managed to take one step forward, but found himself unable to go any further. He was already in hot enough water; restraining a Valley civilian like that couldn't lead to anything but more trouble, as much as this particular one more than deserved it.
But then, Yupa shouted out, "Asbel, please! Trust me!"
'Trust me' ... It was amazing how difficult such a thing had become. Days prior, Asbel would have had no trouble putting such trust in Lord Yupa. He and the swordsmaster had grown fond of each other since they first met, forming almost a student-teacher sort of relationship. The two accompanied each other on several trips, and Yupa had even begun training Asbel in the ways of the blade. Not to mention their shared connection through Nausicaä.
And yet, Asbel found himself struggling to put his faith in him now. Everywhere he went recently, he felt like a hunted animal, barely protected from savage predators who lurked even in what should have been the safest places. Lord Yupa would never put him in harm's way with such an order ... or so, he could only hope now.
And yet, ever cautiously, he continued forward. The urgency of the moment was just enough to power him through his apprehension, and focus his mind enough for the simple yet frightening task.
Despite her wild flailing and ferociously loud protests, Asbel brought himself to wind the rope around her wrists, lash them together, and tether them to the table as instructed.
"RELEASE ME!!" she screeched. "YOU BLOODY, BACK-STABBING TRAIT-RRNNGH!!!"
Yupa knew they couldn't have her alerting anyone else to her plight. So, thinking quickly, he tore off a dark-green sleeve from a piece of attire laying around, shoved it into her mouth, and fastened it tightly around her head and jet-black hair.
"RRRRNNPH!!!"
Nigai's roars of indignity continued on, but were now muted and made worthless by the piece of clothing digging into the sides of her mouth. Her sharp, irate blue eyes pierced those of her captors as her short hair was tossed over her face. Her arms and elbows twisted and contorted in any direction possible to find any angle that would slacken the ropes. The toes of her boots were squashed as she pushed them against the floor with all her might. But the table she was bound to was too heavy for her light frame to do anything other than budge an inch. And even that was rendered pointless when Yupa simply pushed the furniture back with his foot, eliciting another enraged growl from the gagged woman.
This needed to be between them for now. Even Yupa knew they couldn't rely on others in this uncertain mess; they needed to learn the truth themselves.
Getting to that, Lord Yupa stepped up to her, his standing height towering over her.
"Now then," Yupa began. He no longer attempted to hide the scorn in his voice; he held nothing but contempt for this woman for what she had done. "Allow me to explain myself, Nigai. You have-"
Her gagged shouts persisted, drowning out the man's own words with her garbled nonsense. Impatient, Yupa gripped the back of her hair and yanked it up to silence her.
"You have not fooled me!"
"Rrrmmgh!!" Nigai growled, still struggling.
"I know you've been lying about Nausicaä," Yupa snarled. "You are behind her disappearance. You and several others. I have everything I need to confirm that."
"You do?" Asbel said with surprise, still getting over the shock of this sudden turn of events.
"Hrmph," Nigai huffed through her gag. Clearly she didn't believe him, thinking it was a mere bluff to get her to talk.
However, Yupa then proceeded to share his entire series of findings, explaining the thought process that led him to this conclusion. The details that didn't add up, the overwhelming evidence that came from his knowledge of Nausicaä as well as the observations of others. All the while, Asbel looked on in outright heroic awe. By now it was obvious that Yupa was on his side. But hearing him talk everything out, so rationally and firmly ... despite the still-distressing situation, he couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief.
This man had just saved him from complete disaster. He had succeeded where Asbel had miserably failed.
Nigai, on the other hand, obviously looked as far from relieved as possible. Her tugs on her ropes began intensifying again, her glare of fury attempting to burn its way into Yupa's soul ... but she could not conceal that her anger of being held captive like this was now turning into something far more foreign to her: fear. For the first time, her plan stood a strong chance of failing, and the consequences for someone of her prestige and influence were frightening to her. That much couldn't be hidden in her vulnerable state, as much as she tried.
Satisfied that he had her squirming, literally and figuratively, Yupa reached a hand up to the rag over her mouth. The woman flinched, but Yupa spoke again.
"Here is what will happen," he said. "I'm going to take this off. There's no point screaming, as I can just put it back in. Instead, you're going to tell me everything. The truth. Don't think about lying further; I'll ask around again to make sure your story holds. If it doesn't, well ... we'll just try this again, won't we?"
Asbel felt a chill go down his spine. He knew Lord Yupa was a good man, so seeing him resort to measures like this was jarring for him. It went to show just how seriously he was taking this ... which only made Asbel more afraid for Nausicaä.
Yupa didn't wait for Nigai to give some sort of muffled, nonverbal response. Instead, he promptly reached up and roughly ripped the gag out of her mouth, freeing her speech.
Nigai coughed for a moment as soon as her airway was free. She was receiving but a brief taste of what she and the others had put Nausicaä through in binding and gagging her like that, and yet could barely stomach a taste of her own medicine even for those few measly minutes.
Silence then filled the air; the two males stood there, waiting to see if their makeshift prisoner would indeed scream out again. Yupa held the cloth in his fist, prepared to use it again should he need to.
But instead, Nigai spoke at a normal volume. Albeit with the bitterest of tones.
"You ... You degenerate, insolent turncoat! I wouldn't have put it past that wretched boy to pull a stunt like this," her head nodded to Asbel, "But you ... I expected so much more from you, Lord Yupa!"
"Funny," Yupa said. "I could say the same for you ... barely."
"Nnrgh!" Nigai impulsively lunged at him, humiliated when she was pulled back by the ropes. "Why should I tell you anything?!" she demanded. "How long can you really keep me here?! Hours, at most! It doesn't matter if I lie, or say nothing!"
"That is true," Yupa admitted. "Eventually, I would have to let you go ... but you may find that to not be any better."
Nigai's expression contorted into a hate-filled confusion, so Yupa explained. "I can walk out of here right now, Nigai. Walk out, and tell everyone what I've realized about you and your little allies. The Pejites will believe me, obviously. But even your own fellow Valley people would be hard-pressed to deny my logic. Especially with the reputation and respect I have among them."
Nigai squirmed some more. Her lips curled inward, her shoulders tensing, as she began to now realize what Yupa had over her. "How ... How dare you-"
"If you tell the verifiable truth," Yupa interrupted again. This was his time to talk. "I will give you my word to withhold it from the people, and convince Nausicaä to do the same. They will not suspect you, and you will be safe."
"What?!" Asbel exclaimed. "Lord Yupa, we can't just-"
"If you refuse, however," he had to finish, only giving Asbel a brief, stern look. "I will expose your lies to everyone and leave you to suffer the consequences. Your reputation will be in shambles. Pejites and Valley people alike will fully turn on you. You will be shunned, perhaps cast out, or worse ... I don't think you can deny that some of them won't be as merciful as me."
"What you have is circumstantial!" Nigai fired back, with one final desperate point. "You have no conclusive proof!"
"Even so, you can't deny the clout I have over you, or really anyone else around here. They wouldn't dismiss me if I made such a drastic accusation. Besides, when Nausicaä continues to remain missing, well ... I expect whatever tale you've conjured up for that will then wither up quite quickly."
More silence followed. Asbel was feeling nearly sick to his stomach, but didn't dare speak and risk compromising Yupa's ploy. Yupa himself glared at Nigai, his expression filled with more malice than it had worn in a long time. This woman had very likely endangered Nausicaä's life; if he were being honest, he had to hold himself back from outright beating the information out of her.
He would if he had to, though. That girl was one of the most precious people in the world to him. He regarded her like a daughter, even more so after her actual father had perished. He would be damned if he let anyone get away with taking her from him.
"It's your decision, Nigai," he concluded. "But I suspect that even you are smart enough to realize what the right one is. I have you cornered; you might as well save yourself over your sacred plot."
As Nigai lay sitting there, hunched forward, shoulders raised nearly above her head, a range of emotions could be read across her face and body. Anger at being found out at all. Humiliation at being subdued and helpless. Frustration at how all of the elaborate planning was now falling apart, after it very nearly had gone off with but a few minor, inconsequential bumps.
And once again, fear. Fear of the consequences that would come from her deception being exposed to all. Above all else, she held value in her pride, both in herself and her place as a person of the Valley. She had made allies from this scheme, yes, but no friends. No one who would stick their necks out to protect her rather than fleeing to save themselves ... Further, even if she didn't say anything, she doubted that her fellow plotters would have the will to not talk once exposed. And if Yupa had already figured out precisely who was involved with her ...
Neither Asbel nor Yupa knew what she was going to do. She had enough incentive give everything away, but enough pride to withhold it. She could choose to only give them part of it, but they wouldn't be satisfied until they knew how to get Nausicaä back. And she couldn't tell them why they had taken her without revealing their plot. It was all or nothing.
All they could tell was that she was afraid. And that was perhaps their greatest weapon.
It always comes back to fear now, doesn't it? Yupa thought.
In the end, despite the shame that was pouring over in every fiber of her body, Nigai came clean.
She told them everything: their plan to steal, kill, and frame Pejites, their encounter and capture of Nausicaä ... and where she was now.
Nausicaä was being transported at this very moment. Utsu had apparently discovered a small outpost, many, many miles away from the Valley, which had somehow managed to remain free of the Decay. He and Gisei were currently flying her there, having traded their ship off with Nigai, who had actually left on it earlier this morning. They intended to keep her there for the rest of her life ... despite Nigai's opinion that she should be outright killed, as she made clear.
After pressing her for the outpost's location, Asbel and Yupa knew the direction Utsu had gone ... and thus could chart out a path to reach his ship.
They left Nigai in the room, bound and gagged again, until they could ensure Nausicaä's safe return. Yupa had promised to protect her if she told the whole truth, a decision that Asbel had been strongly against ... that is, until Yupa told him that that had been a blatant lie on his part.
"If she's willing to tell such lies to meet her goals, so am I," he said bluntly. The warrior would never have allowed for such scandalous deeds and murderous intentions to be covered up. Honor be damned at this point.
So, he spread the word, backing up Asbel as he did the same. As expected, to say the reactions from everyone were shocked would be the gravest of understatements.
The Pejites were obviously deeply shaken to the core. How could they not be, after being told that some of their own, including their prince, were so close to being mercilessly killed, the culprits sneaking by right under their noses? And that the rest of them would chased away from the Valley, while the guilty parties remained untouched? Many of them already distrusted the Valley before, but now ... Asbel didn't see any way the damage could be undone now.
He himself even began seeing many Valley civilians in a new light. Once again, he felt his trust wavering, his faith in the goodness of those around him buckling. A dark part of his mind had considered keeping this secret and finding another way to foil the plot. A part that believed this would be the final straw that convinced all Pejites to leave, giving up on any chances to unify with these people. But he knew the foolishness of such a choice.
Those in the Valley, however, were rattled in a different way. Ever since this whole conflict began, many of them saw it all as cut-and-dry: the Valley was the innocent victim, and the Pejites were the guilty instigators deserving of whatever treatment they received. Nothing more to it than that. But now, because of this earthshattering revelation, that easy ideology had to be scrapped entirely. Their princess was in danger, and it wasn't the work of the Pejites they had grown so spiteful towards; it was the work of people they had chosen to trust over them. Unconditionally.
The princess ... as much as the plot to kill him terrified Asbel, it still didn't compare to his fear for her.
As he briskly paced in the midst of the Valley, working to keep his panicked heart under control, his fury could speak for itself. This was his absolute worst fear nearly fully realized, with the only solace being that his friend was still alive and would not be killed. But that thought only helped slightly. She was still in the hands of cutthroat, ruthless monsters, who had been ready and willing to meticulously kill him and several other Pejites, innocent or not. She was still being sentenced to a life of captivity and isolation. The idea was terrible on its own, but Asbel winced as he thought about how Nausicaä in particular would fare. She was a free, adventurous spirit; one with the wind and the land, born to venture out, follow her passions, and give as much to the world as she deserved to be given back. The thought of her never roaming free again, never gracing another soul with her wonderful, beautiful presence ... him never seeing her again ...
His fists tightened and shook.
He had to get her back.
He heard Lord Yupa approaching. His eyes bore a deeply grim look that mirrored Asbel's own. This news was no easier for him to hear than it was for the boy, and he was just as resolved as he was in saving the girl and bringing her home safely.
And, of course, seeking out some - any - solution to the infestation of hatred and manipulation that had embedded itself so extensively into this valley.
"We have to go, Lord Yupa," Asbel said. "I'll try to get a Pejite gunship going. We know where they're heading now." The ship transporting Nausicaä had been the only one of such size the Valley had any rights to; all other airborne vehicles were either a few tinier gunships, or the properties of other Pejites, who Asbel didn't think for a second would help them now. But they had to do the best with what they had.
"I fear it may not be enough," Yupa responded. "The ship we're up against isn't the largest, but it's well-armed and armored. If we take it on with even two gunships, there's a chance we may still fail."
"We can't just do nothing!" Asbel cried. "I don't care how small the odds are! I'm not leaving her behind!"
"I know," Yupa said, only a hint of his resolve seeping through. "I just want you to know what we're up against."
"Guess it's lucky you'll have more, then," another voice said.
Asbel recognized the voice as Matsuge's before he even turned around. When he did look, however, he saw that his friend was not alone.
Mujitsu was with him too, as were several other Pejites that he recognized ... but there were more still. Mixed among them were people of the Valley. But it was unlike most prior gatherings that consisted of bitterness and anger. Instead, this joining of the two peoples appeared ... united. Rather than looks of distrust towards each other, each and every one of them were wearing identical looks of determination. A shared determination, towards a common goal, rather than goals against each other.
Mujitsu stepped forward. "We're coming with you."
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, and the characters of Nausicaä, Asbel, and Yupa, all belong to Studio Ghibli. The image used was made by Yalleo.
This thankfully didn't take quite as long to finish as Part 5, but I still wish it could have been done sooner. Oh well, the important thing is that it's out now. I admit that there are small parts in here that perhaps could have been reduced or flat-out removed, but it just didn't feel right to do so. It's the exposing and checkmate of one of our main villains; I couldn't skim over that, especially when we need to see Asbel processing it all. Plus, while Nausicaä isn't in this part, I still snuck in a bondage scene for Nigai, my first time ever giving one to an OC! It was lighter than Nausicaä's, but hopefully seen as a nice little treat to tide over fans of that specific aspect of the story. ;)
And we end with a much-needed sight: Valley and Pejite people seemingly coming together. I was going to have it go on for longer to show that full scene, but ultimately didn't want to overstuff the chapter, so next time we'll kick off with it ... where you may find that this unification may still not be whole.
Thank you again to everyone who's been reading, faving, and commenting! I know I'm going at a slower speed here, but I just hope that the wait has been worth it for each chapter! Especially now that we're about to hit the final stretch! :D
It was as if all life around them had frozen in place, with no one willing to take the first daring action to resume it. While nobody believed that the famous Lord Yupa had any malicious intent to harm anyone, the mere sight of him holding such a weapon at all, let alone firing it, let them all know that whatever he wanted, he was dead serious in getting it. And if anyone stood in his way, they believed he would make them regret it.
Of course, the legendary sword fighter took no joy in resorting to such measures.
Never much cared for these things, he thought on the gun. No artistry in wielding them.
As someone who was not a dedicated member of either the Valley or Pejites, Yupa was perhaps the one person in whom both sides could trust to at least some degree. It hadn't helped quell the tension by that much, though ... hence the drastic measures he was now taking to ensure he'd get his way now.
He didn't have all the details of the current situation, but he had heard and seen enough to form a basic idea in his mind ... a rather worrisome idea at that. As such, he proceeded to fill in every blank he could. No nonsensical noise this time, no interruptions that spiraled the matter out of control; for once, the people would comply with at least a basic form of order.
Lord Yupa proceeded to interrogate every single person at the scene. He asked who saw what. Who was told what by whom. Who was the last person to see the princess. When they last saw her. Anything that could fill in the gaps of his knowledge, he ordered everyone to tell him. And his possession of the firearm meant that, like it or not, everyone complied, showing him the respect in answering that many of them had refused to show one another. Many eyebrows were raised when they observed how much more relaxed he was for Asbel's questioning, but they gave him what he wanted regardless.
When it was finally all done, Yupa had enough new pieces to begin putting everything together. He compared stories, looking for anything that matched or didn't match.
And as he went through it, the evidence started piling up more and more as damning for multiple people ... one in particular.
Nigai's story was that Nausicaä had slept through the morning, followed by leaving for the jungle with Utsu. However, Yupa could now confirm with complete certainty that this was not true. Not only did Teto's presence cast serious doubt upon that already, not only did he know that Nausicaä wouldn't have just left without informing either him or Asbel ... but only a few other individuals had claimed to have actually seen her leave themselves. This may have added credence to the notion, except for the fact that others who had been in the same area, at the same time Nausicaä was claimed to have left, said that they never saw her. If Nausicaä had been where and when Nigai and several others were saying, then there was no chance she would have been missed by others.
Which means this lie was not just Nigai's, Yupa thought. It was coordinated, discussed and agreed upon by multiple people ...
Additionally, no one had claimed to see Utsu or Gisei today ... outside of these same liars. This confirmed to Yupa that not only was Nausicaä not on the ship that many had seen leave this morning, but neither was Utsu.
Further, a man from the Valley - the same man who had tried to ask for Nausicaä's whereabouts when things were getting ugly - claimed to have seen several riders heading for the edge of the Valley the previous night. Another witness backed up this report. Yupa then quickly realized that this would put them right near the path that Nausicaä was going down on her walk.
Combining all of this information together, as the gears in his mind continued turning as everyone looked on with deep, uncertain worry ... Lord Yupa had come to a realization.
One that he had to act on. Now.
The swordsmaster approached Nigai, who kept as neutral a stance and expression as she could. And finally, after the minutes of tense, unpredictable silence that had passed, he spoke again.
"Nigai," he said, speaking in the most cordial tone he could bring himself to emit. "I'm terribly sorry for all of this fuss today. I think it's safe to say that this was not our finest hour."
Nigai paused for a moment. She eyed the legend in front of her, searching for any contempt he might have held against her. And yet, to her surprise, she found none. He didn't seem to hold her accountable for any of this. Rather, he appeared to view her as the partial victim, swallowed up by the feuding around her.
She realized that, even after all his intensive questioning, her ploy may have very well been a success.
So, she kept an innocent demeanor herself and replied, "Oh ... Indeed. I may have been ... a bit too brash. But I promise you, Lord Yupa, my intentions were always good!" She added just the right amount of conviction to sell the act.
"Hmm," Yupa hummed in acknowledgement. "I suppose we all have our moments."
"What?!" Asbel cried. Surely ... surely, Nigai hadn't been able to fool Yupa as well! If she accomplished that, then ... what hope did he possibly have left?! "L-Lord Yupa, how can-"
"Asbel, please," Yupa said, as kindly as possible. He needed Asbel to go along with this, just for now. Turning back to Nigai, he said, "Well, how about this? You and Asbel can both come with me to my quarters. We'll make amends, and hopefully in the end put all of this behind us."
"Him?" Nigai said sharply. "Why, I would-"
She stopped herself from snapping at the idea. She needed to maintain her facade ... even if it meant having to tolerate the boy's presence for a little longer. If it got her out of this, she told herself, it would be worth it.
"Why ... I would be honored, my lord," she finished, sickly sweetly.
With a light grin, the older man turned his head back and said, "What say you, Asbel? Care to take part?"
The look on Asbel's face was one of pure betrayal. It stung deeply to witness, seeing the Pejite believing his one and only hope was about to abandon him as well. He could also see that the fiery lad was not about to let this slide, and Yupa couldn't blame him.
So, before Asbel could respond, Yupa silently mouthed, "Trust me," his lips obscured from Nigai.
Asbel paused. His eyes went from hurt to confused. He wasn't sure what Yupa was getting at. Did this mean he trusted him? It seemed so from this silent message, and it was the ever-slight boost of encouragement he dearly needed right now.
But at this point, Asbel didn't know what to think anymore. About almost anyone.
Regardless, he warily agreed. But not without against eyeing Nigai with utter contempt. The woman kept herself from shooting back a glare of her own, simply looking away.
With that, she, Asbel, and Yupa made their way towards Yupa's room together, with the latter acting as if hardly anything was wrong.
The walk there was, unsurprisingly, tense. A far cry from Asbel's earlier stroll with his two trusted friends, a wallow in discomfort and distrust rather than security and safety. He didn't say a word the entire time, fearful of any repercussions from either Nigai or Yupa. Nigai only ever addressed Yupa, attempting to keep herself on his good side now that she was apparently on it. If she could satisfy the legendary warrior that all was fine regarding herself and her allies, then her single biggest threat was out of the way.
Little did she know, as the three rounded up the stairs to Yupa's room, that she was farther from that goal than she could have imagined.
They finally arrived. Yupa opened the door, offering for Nigai to go first. She happily obliged, sneering at Asbel as she passed. Asbel held in his irritation, walking inside after her, looking back at Yupa with a pleading look in his wide, shimmering grey eyes.
And finally, Yupa himself entered.
He then locked the door.
He walked up to Nigai.
And he swiftly withdrew his sword and held its tip right at Nigai's throat.
"Yupa!" Asbel exclaimed in shock.
"My lord!" Nigai shouted. "Wh-Whatever is the matter?"
It was a foolish question, and she realized that as soon as she asked it. Like a loyal animal whose master had suddenly turned on it, her initial instinctive reaction was passivity and submissiveness, attempting to insist that it meant no harm and remain in good spirits.
But of course, the sword against her throat should have been her instant sign that such efforts were futile now. As was the suddenly stone-cold look of tranquil fury Yupa was now shooting at the traitorous woman, saying everything necessary in lieu of words.
It was in that moment that Nigai could finally see it; Yupa was very much not on her side.
And so, the facade dropped. Her icy blue eyes narrowed, matching Yupa's stare with a contemptuous one of her own. She stiffened in anger, feeling her pride endure the ever-sharp sting of her deceit having failed.
"Asbel," Yupa said lowly. "Get some rope from my drawer."
Nigai's eyes shot up wide again. "... No ..."
"Yupa ..." Asbel gasped. He was barely able to register the foreign mixture of shock and relief at what was in front of him, let alone respond to the order. It was clear what the rope was to be used for, and Asbel was clearly hesitant. "I-I don't know if I should-"
Without a warning, Nigai suddenly ducked and slid down, sweeping a leg to knock Yupa off his feet. The man collapsed, but managed to keep his weapon in his grasp.
Nigai then bolted for the door, desperate to escape what she thought would be an invaluable, unwitting ally to her mission. But just as she clasped her fingers around the knob, Lord Yupa had gotten back up, sprinted over, and wrapped an arm around her waist. He pulled her back and forcefully threw her down, knocking her head into the post of his table.
"Gah!!" Nigai cried. "My lord, what in blazes has come over you!?"
She tried to get back onto her feet, but the swift hero used his much larger frame to pin her down with ease. He put his knees on her legs, gripping her wrists and holding them with minimal effort, despite their frantic tugging and pulling.
"Asbel! The rope, now!" Yupa shouted.
The intensely pressing tone in the master's voice and the situation at hand snapped Asbel out of his hesitations. He rushed over to the drawer in the corner of the room, pulled it open, and ran back over with a decently-sized coil of rope. He barely even thought about what he was doing; all that mattered was Yupa's plight, in the wake of him realizing that he had not lost yet another needed friend.
But then came the confirmation of why the rope was needed.
"Tie her wrists to the table leg!" Yupa ordered.
"NO!!" Nigai's struggling intensified. "You don't touch me!!" She would not dare allow herself to be at this lowly Pejite's mercy, nor be left defenseless in front of Lord Yupa himself!
The prince's apprehension shot up. He nearly froze. He managed to take one step forward, but found himself unable to go any further. He was already in hot enough water; restraining a Valley civilian like that couldn't lead to anything but more trouble, as much as this particular one more than deserved it.
But then, Yupa shouted out, "Asbel, please! Trust me!"
'Trust me' ... It was amazing how difficult such a thing had become. Days prior, Asbel would have had no trouble putting such trust in Lord Yupa. He and the swordsmaster had grown fond of each other since they first met, forming almost a student-teacher sort of relationship. The two accompanied each other on several trips, and Yupa had even begun training Asbel in the ways of the blade. Not to mention their shared connection through Nausicaä.
And yet, Asbel found himself struggling to put his faith in him now. Everywhere he went recently, he felt like a hunted animal, barely protected from savage predators who lurked even in what should have been the safest places. Lord Yupa would never put him in harm's way with such an order ... or so, he could only hope now.
And yet, ever cautiously, he continued forward. The urgency of the moment was just enough to power him through his apprehension, and focus his mind enough for the simple yet frightening task.
Despite her wild flailing and ferociously loud protests, Asbel brought himself to wind the rope around her wrists, lash them together, and tether them to the table as instructed.
"RELEASE ME!!" she screeched. "YOU BLOODY, BACK-STABBING TRAIT-RRNNGH!!!"
Yupa knew they couldn't have her alerting anyone else to her plight. So, thinking quickly, he tore off a dark-green sleeve from a piece of attire laying around, shoved it into her mouth, and fastened it tightly around her head and jet-black hair.
"RRRRNNPH!!!"
Nigai's roars of indignity continued on, but were now muted and made worthless by the piece of clothing digging into the sides of her mouth. Her sharp, irate blue eyes pierced those of her captors as her short hair was tossed over her face. Her arms and elbows twisted and contorted in any direction possible to find any angle that would slacken the ropes. The toes of her boots were squashed as she pushed them against the floor with all her might. But the table she was bound to was too heavy for her light frame to do anything other than budge an inch. And even that was rendered pointless when Yupa simply pushed the furniture back with his foot, eliciting another enraged growl from the gagged woman.
This needed to be between them for now. Even Yupa knew they couldn't rely on others in this uncertain mess; they needed to learn the truth themselves.
Getting to that, Lord Yupa stepped up to her, his standing height towering over her.
"Now then," Yupa began. He no longer attempted to hide the scorn in his voice; he held nothing but contempt for this woman for what she had done. "Allow me to explain myself, Nigai. You have-"
Her gagged shouts persisted, drowning out the man's own words with her garbled nonsense. Impatient, Yupa gripped the back of her hair and yanked it up to silence her.
"You have not fooled me!"
"Rrrmmgh!!" Nigai growled, still struggling.
"I know you've been lying about Nausicaä," Yupa snarled. "You are behind her disappearance. You and several others. I have everything I need to confirm that."
"You do?" Asbel said with surprise, still getting over the shock of this sudden turn of events.
"Hrmph," Nigai huffed through her gag. Clearly she didn't believe him, thinking it was a mere bluff to get her to talk.
However, Yupa then proceeded to share his entire series of findings, explaining the thought process that led him to this conclusion. The details that didn't add up, the overwhelming evidence that came from his knowledge of Nausicaä as well as the observations of others. All the while, Asbel looked on in outright heroic awe. By now it was obvious that Yupa was on his side. But hearing him talk everything out, so rationally and firmly ... despite the still-distressing situation, he couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief.
This man had just saved him from complete disaster. He had succeeded where Asbel had miserably failed.
Nigai, on the other hand, obviously looked as far from relieved as possible. Her tugs on her ropes began intensifying again, her glare of fury attempting to burn its way into Yupa's soul ... but she could not conceal that her anger of being held captive like this was now turning into something far more foreign to her: fear. For the first time, her plan stood a strong chance of failing, and the consequences for someone of her prestige and influence were frightening to her. That much couldn't be hidden in her vulnerable state, as much as she tried.
Satisfied that he had her squirming, literally and figuratively, Yupa reached a hand up to the rag over her mouth. The woman flinched, but Yupa spoke again.
"Here is what will happen," he said. "I'm going to take this off. There's no point screaming, as I can just put it back in. Instead, you're going to tell me everything. The truth. Don't think about lying further; I'll ask around again to make sure your story holds. If it doesn't, well ... we'll just try this again, won't we?"
Asbel felt a chill go down his spine. He knew Lord Yupa was a good man, so seeing him resort to measures like this was jarring for him. It went to show just how seriously he was taking this ... which only made Asbel more afraid for Nausicaä.
Yupa didn't wait for Nigai to give some sort of muffled, nonverbal response. Instead, he promptly reached up and roughly ripped the gag out of her mouth, freeing her speech.
Nigai coughed for a moment as soon as her airway was free. She was receiving but a brief taste of what she and the others had put Nausicaä through in binding and gagging her like that, and yet could barely stomach a taste of her own medicine even for those few measly minutes.
Silence then filled the air; the two males stood there, waiting to see if their makeshift prisoner would indeed scream out again. Yupa held the cloth in his fist, prepared to use it again should he need to.
But instead, Nigai spoke at a normal volume. Albeit with the bitterest of tones.
"You ... You degenerate, insolent turncoat! I wouldn't have put it past that wretched boy to pull a stunt like this," her head nodded to Asbel, "But you ... I expected so much more from you, Lord Yupa!"
"Funny," Yupa said. "I could say the same for you ... barely."
"Nnrgh!" Nigai impulsively lunged at him, humiliated when she was pulled back by the ropes. "Why should I tell you anything?!" she demanded. "How long can you really keep me here?! Hours, at most! It doesn't matter if I lie, or say nothing!"
"That is true," Yupa admitted. "Eventually, I would have to let you go ... but you may find that to not be any better."
Nigai's expression contorted into a hate-filled confusion, so Yupa explained. "I can walk out of here right now, Nigai. Walk out, and tell everyone what I've realized about you and your little allies. The Pejites will believe me, obviously. But even your own fellow Valley people would be hard-pressed to deny my logic. Especially with the reputation and respect I have among them."
Nigai squirmed some more. Her lips curled inward, her shoulders tensing, as she began to now realize what Yupa had over her. "How ... How dare you-"
"If you tell the verifiable truth," Yupa interrupted again. This was his time to talk. "I will give you my word to withhold it from the people, and convince Nausicaä to do the same. They will not suspect you, and you will be safe."
"What?!" Asbel exclaimed. "Lord Yupa, we can't just-"
"If you refuse, however," he had to finish, only giving Asbel a brief, stern look. "I will expose your lies to everyone and leave you to suffer the consequences. Your reputation will be in shambles. Pejites and Valley people alike will fully turn on you. You will be shunned, perhaps cast out, or worse ... I don't think you can deny that some of them won't be as merciful as me."
"What you have is circumstantial!" Nigai fired back, with one final desperate point. "You have no conclusive proof!"
"Even so, you can't deny the clout I have over you, or really anyone else around here. They wouldn't dismiss me if I made such a drastic accusation. Besides, when Nausicaä continues to remain missing, well ... I expect whatever tale you've conjured up for that will then wither up quite quickly."
More silence followed. Asbel was feeling nearly sick to his stomach, but didn't dare speak and risk compromising Yupa's ploy. Yupa himself glared at Nigai, his expression filled with more malice than it had worn in a long time. This woman had very likely endangered Nausicaä's life; if he were being honest, he had to hold himself back from outright beating the information out of her.
He would if he had to, though. That girl was one of the most precious people in the world to him. He regarded her like a daughter, even more so after her actual father had perished. He would be damned if he let anyone get away with taking her from him.
"It's your decision, Nigai," he concluded. "But I suspect that even you are smart enough to realize what the right one is. I have you cornered; you might as well save yourself over your sacred plot."
As Nigai lay sitting there, hunched forward, shoulders raised nearly above her head, a range of emotions could be read across her face and body. Anger at being found out at all. Humiliation at being subdued and helpless. Frustration at how all of the elaborate planning was now falling apart, after it very nearly had gone off with but a few minor, inconsequential bumps.
And once again, fear. Fear of the consequences that would come from her deception being exposed to all. Above all else, she held value in her pride, both in herself and her place as a person of the Valley. She had made allies from this scheme, yes, but no friends. No one who would stick their necks out to protect her rather than fleeing to save themselves ... Further, even if she didn't say anything, she doubted that her fellow plotters would have the will to not talk once exposed. And if Yupa had already figured out precisely who was involved with her ...
Neither Asbel nor Yupa knew what she was going to do. She had enough incentive give everything away, but enough pride to withhold it. She could choose to only give them part of it, but they wouldn't be satisfied until they knew how to get Nausicaä back. And she couldn't tell them why they had taken her without revealing their plot. It was all or nothing.
All they could tell was that she was afraid. And that was perhaps their greatest weapon.
It always comes back to fear now, doesn't it? Yupa thought.
In the end, despite the shame that was pouring over in every fiber of her body, Nigai came clean.
She told them everything: their plan to steal, kill, and frame Pejites, their encounter and capture of Nausicaä ... and where she was now.
Nausicaä was being transported at this very moment. Utsu had apparently discovered a small outpost, many, many miles away from the Valley, which had somehow managed to remain free of the Decay. He and Gisei were currently flying her there, having traded their ship off with Nigai, who had actually left on it earlier this morning. They intended to keep her there for the rest of her life ... despite Nigai's opinion that she should be outright killed, as she made clear.
After pressing her for the outpost's location, Asbel and Yupa knew the direction Utsu had gone ... and thus could chart out a path to reach his ship.
They left Nigai in the room, bound and gagged again, until they could ensure Nausicaä's safe return. Yupa had promised to protect her if she told the whole truth, a decision that Asbel had been strongly against ... that is, until Yupa told him that that had been a blatant lie on his part.
"If she's willing to tell such lies to meet her goals, so am I," he said bluntly. The warrior would never have allowed for such scandalous deeds and murderous intentions to be covered up. Honor be damned at this point.
So, he spread the word, backing up Asbel as he did the same. As expected, to say the reactions from everyone were shocked would be the gravest of understatements.
The Pejites were obviously deeply shaken to the core. How could they not be, after being told that some of their own, including their prince, were so close to being mercilessly killed, the culprits sneaking by right under their noses? And that the rest of them would chased away from the Valley, while the guilty parties remained untouched? Many of them already distrusted the Valley before, but now ... Asbel didn't see any way the damage could be undone now.
He himself even began seeing many Valley civilians in a new light. Once again, he felt his trust wavering, his faith in the goodness of those around him buckling. A dark part of his mind had considered keeping this secret and finding another way to foil the plot. A part that believed this would be the final straw that convinced all Pejites to leave, giving up on any chances to unify with these people. But he knew the foolishness of such a choice.
Those in the Valley, however, were rattled in a different way. Ever since this whole conflict began, many of them saw it all as cut-and-dry: the Valley was the innocent victim, and the Pejites were the guilty instigators deserving of whatever treatment they received. Nothing more to it than that. But now, because of this earthshattering revelation, that easy ideology had to be scrapped entirely. Their princess was in danger, and it wasn't the work of the Pejites they had grown so spiteful towards; it was the work of people they had chosen to trust over them. Unconditionally.
The princess ... as much as the plot to kill him terrified Asbel, it still didn't compare to his fear for her.
As he briskly paced in the midst of the Valley, working to keep his panicked heart under control, his fury could speak for itself. This was his absolute worst fear nearly fully realized, with the only solace being that his friend was still alive and would not be killed. But that thought only helped slightly. She was still in the hands of cutthroat, ruthless monsters, who had been ready and willing to meticulously kill him and several other Pejites, innocent or not. She was still being sentenced to a life of captivity and isolation. The idea was terrible on its own, but Asbel winced as he thought about how Nausicaä in particular would fare. She was a free, adventurous spirit; one with the wind and the land, born to venture out, follow her passions, and give as much to the world as she deserved to be given back. The thought of her never roaming free again, never gracing another soul with her wonderful, beautiful presence ... him never seeing her again ...
His fists tightened and shook.
He had to get her back.
He heard Lord Yupa approaching. His eyes bore a deeply grim look that mirrored Asbel's own. This news was no easier for him to hear than it was for the boy, and he was just as resolved as he was in saving the girl and bringing her home safely.
And, of course, seeking out some - any - solution to the infestation of hatred and manipulation that had embedded itself so extensively into this valley.
"We have to go, Lord Yupa," Asbel said. "I'll try to get a Pejite gunship going. We know where they're heading now." The ship transporting Nausicaä had been the only one of such size the Valley had any rights to; all other airborne vehicles were either a few tinier gunships, or the properties of other Pejites, who Asbel didn't think for a second would help them now. But they had to do the best with what they had.
"I fear it may not be enough," Yupa responded. "The ship we're up against isn't the largest, but it's well-armed and armored. If we take it on with even two gunships, there's a chance we may still fail."
"We can't just do nothing!" Asbel cried. "I don't care how small the odds are! I'm not leaving her behind!"
"I know," Yupa said, only a hint of his resolve seeping through. "I just want you to know what we're up against."
"Guess it's lucky you'll have more, then," another voice said.
Asbel recognized the voice as Matsuge's before he even turned around. When he did look, however, he saw that his friend was not alone.
Mujitsu was with him too, as were several other Pejites that he recognized ... but there were more still. Mixed among them were people of the Valley. But it was unlike most prior gatherings that consisted of bitterness and anger. Instead, this joining of the two peoples appeared ... united. Rather than looks of distrust towards each other, each and every one of them were wearing identical looks of determination. A shared determination, towards a common goal, rather than goals against each other.
Mujitsu stepped forward. "We're coming with you."
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, and the characters of Nausicaä, Asbel, and Yupa, all belong to Studio Ghibli. The image used was made by Yalleo.
This thankfully didn't take quite as long to finish as Part 5, but I still wish it could have been done sooner. Oh well, the important thing is that it's out now. I admit that there are small parts in here that perhaps could have been reduced or flat-out removed, but it just didn't feel right to do so. It's the exposing and checkmate of one of our main villains; I couldn't skim over that, especially when we need to see Asbel processing it all. Plus, while Nausicaä isn't in this part, I still snuck in a bondage scene for Nigai, my first time ever giving one to an OC! It was lighter than Nausicaä's, but hopefully seen as a nice little treat to tide over fans of that specific aspect of the story. ;)
And we end with a much-needed sight: Valley and Pejite people seemingly coming together. I was going to have it go on for longer to show that full scene, but ultimately didn't want to overstuff the chapter, so next time we'll kick off with it ... where you may find that this unification may still not be whole.
Thank you again to everyone who's been reading, faving, and commenting! I know I'm going at a slower speed here, but I just hope that the wait has been worth it for each chapter! Especially now that we're about to hit the final stretch! :D
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