Impact Subplot Escalation #4 (Ingo’s Lie)

Upon arriving, Kō is greeted by Ingo’s tohunga. He immediately notices Kō’s moko, and

Tohunga: Who gave you these moko?

Kō: I gained them from a battle with water–

Togunga: and fire, yes, I can see. These are warrior moko–they give you–

Kō: Mana. Yes, the mana to command the elements. You knew all this?

Tohunga: Why, yes. Who told you?

Kō: Mataora told me. I was sent there by–[Kō realizes at this moment that Ingo has sent her on a wild goose chase]–Ingo! [directed at Ingo].

Why did you send me there? To get lost? To die?

Ingo: No, n–

Kō: I was nearly killed by his crazy wife!

Ingo:… I… how was I to know that they were so unhappy together?

Kō: You… I never said anything about them, I said she attacked me. You knew–you sent me there to teach me a lesson, to make me doubt my love. Well I won’t learn your coward’s lesson, asshole.

[Dialog: Mō explains the whole story of Mataora and his wife. Kō and Aroha have a conversation about them:

Kō: Such a waste. It’s sad to see such a love broken.

Aroha: Poor people. That won’t ever happen to us…

Kō: … of course not.