AU: Mesmeric Leader

Context: Hesitantly, with no other choice, Light is forced to talk with the village Sabre lived in since there was an incident where the entity taking people was seen after a failed attempt to take two people. Time volunteers to be the one that speaks with him, although he makes it very obvious that he doesn't want him to be there.

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[Light's POV]

I stop on the edge of the village, two of my Guards behind me.

Time is already waiting there, seemingly blocking the pathway that leads into the array of houses and shops. I can see people peering through windows of buildings, looking concerned. The streets are empty, everyone probably fearing the entity too much to risk being outside.

...Or fearing us.

Time steps forward, meeting me at the village's edge. He stops and stands a few feet away from me. I can't see his face because of his mask, but I can tell he's not very happy to be doing this. There's a moment of quiet hesitance before I speak.

"Time Steve." I greet him. "Thank you, for... being willing to share information about the entity."

"...Light." He replies. "It's nothing."

More silence. You could slice through the tension in the air with a dull knife. After a few moments, Time speaks again, finally breaking it.

"It happened a week ago." He begins. "One was a Yellow Steve, the other Green. The two villagers were searching for their roommate, as he hadn't returned home yet that night and they were worried. They were just outside the village, still in everyone's view, looking into the forest."

He turns to his right, and I look to see an area of trees sectioned off by a rope, handmade signs attached to it depicting warning symbols. On the grass inside the roped off area is a strange dried liquid, mostly red with what looks like some violet or pink mixed in. An arrow lays nearby, the substance on its pointed tip.

"According to the Green Steve, they were still looking for any sign of their roommate when the Yellow Steve said that he just saw something strange, then completely froze." Time continues. "The Green Steve tried to get his friend to respond, and when he couldn't he glanced up to see what he was staring at. And... that's when he saw it. The entity. He screamed as soon as he did, leading to one of the village hunters seeing it too and quickly shooting it with his crossbow. The entity teleported away right after, but then the Yellow Steve collapsed. After being examined, it's been revealed that the entity seems to put people into a trance somehow, putting them into a state that's almost comatose. It must be how it's been taking people, making them sleep so they won't fight or try to run."

"That's... unsettling." I reply. "Were you able to get a proper description from either of the villagers that saw it?"

"A vague one, at best. All they could really see was a red and magenta figure, always smiling, wearing regal clothing and covered in gold jewelry. There's theories that it could be an ancient malicious entity, like one recorded in history, or an altered Chromatic."

"Either could be plausible. Was there anything else?"

"No. You could look at the scene, but there isn't much there."

Before I could ask another question, Time interrupts.

"Well, you have your information now, so please feel free to leave." He says, turning to walk back into the village.

"Wait, Time-" I try to get him to stop for a moment, but he just interrupts again.

"Nope. You got what you needed, so we don't need to talk anymore."

And with that, he makes his way through the village, and is out of my sight in seconds.

I stand there for a moment, then turn to my Guards, motioning that it's time to leave. We begin to walk back to where we teleported, needing to get this new information about the entity to the Leaders.

...I understand why he acted that way. But it doesn't mean that it didn't still hurt.