Mercenary on the Winds

Roxanne seemed to have a moment of clarity when Jeremiah introduced himself; it seemed like she knew who he was, or had heard the name. Either way, she took his hand for the handshake without any issue. Some of the other tigers started to funnel in, Miria, Nyxied, Cinead, and the odd one out of the unit, Syndra. As far as he could tell, she was the genuine article, the daughter of Nicolas Belrose. It was... odd to have the daughter of the most powerful warlord, and arguably one of the most destabilizing forces on the continent right in front of him. It was a simple reminder that as misaligned as the Belrose were towards Lufiria, there was still a family there. The Tigers hadn't removed her thus far, and even Owen seemed to believe in her, so there was nothing to do hope that it didn't come back to bite the Tiger's tail. Gean and Renais were both still missing, as well as Lani, the greatsword wielding cat, Versaris and both creations, the blue wolf that had been alongside Iris, and the commander herself--it was still early so there was plenty of time. A part of him hoped that the Evokers would drop by as well; they would be able to impart more assistance to the mages by way of actual instruction; magic was a skill like any other, and it helped to have experts along to assist. It would also give him an idea of their caliber; see the work of mages credited with dispelling a mana storm up close. "It's unfortunately the least I can do in this situation, Cinead. I'd take a more active role, but even this much could be problematic." Jeremiah shrugged, "Could be. In this line of work, you don't have the luxury of working in certainties. Both a boon, and a detriment wrapped into one. So I'll do what I can, and take whatever other opportunities come my way." The fact that Cinead didn't appear to know Roxanne seemed to lend credence that she was either one of Owen's, or a new arrival; making her apparent knowledge of him all the more curious. I suppose things will become apparent soon enough. "We'll wait for a couple more people, and then head ourselves to the training grounds--the others will know where to find us."

Rina hesitated on talking the blade until he finished, returning his words; Rina certainly was... arrogant, definitely wasn't the right word, especially as she was quick on the uptake, and began pushing to the east. Sure of her self was more akin to the idea forming on his lips, sure of what her place was, and what she was going to achieve. It was... familiar. "...Perhaps I have forgotten. I guess we'll have to see if I can be made to remember." Rivane's whispers were only for his ears, but his following words were clear. "Falcons, break to the east! Break through the bandits, and then make for the south. Fly!"

It had been an early start for Jeremiah; putting this all together wasn't exactly the easiest thing, even if it was just training. Training was something that had to be handled properly, or it wasn't going to be as effective, and Jeremiah wanted to be sure that the Tigers were prepared for what was coming. He couldn't be there on the ground, and if he was to go entirely detached, the Tigers ousting Kazran was a net benefit for Lufiria. However, he was more concerned with those in the Tigers he cared about, and the possibility of a place for Clouded within Lufiria. Even if it was something that could come back in the future, this was the best path forward for everyone, and so he was going to do what was within his power to do. Alvira was the first to appear--no longer surprising after their early morning talk--he smiled at the dragon, "Just about, Alvira. I guess I shouldn't be surprised that you're the first one down... but the 2nd one certainly is a surprise." Jeremiah looked over at Roxanne, with a raised eyebrow. At this point, he was sure that he had at least seen every member of the tigers, and at least spoken. Owen's cast was a bit less filled out--except for the Alchemist--but the sheep in front of him didn't seem like she belonged with Owen's entourage either. The use of sail was even more telling. Jeremiah turned his smile on her, "Of course not. If you're allied with the Tigers, then this can be as much for you as it is for them." Jeremiah pondered a moment before shrugging, if the Tigers were allied with her for the moment, then there wasn't much reason to keep things hidden, "I don't think we've been introduced so far... my name is Jeremiah Noire, and I'm assisting the Tigers for the moment." He held out his hand, "I'll do my best to assist you as well." It was a little earlier than Tio would have liked, but for once, she wasn't completely exhausted to wake up. As much as she hated being so drained after their encounter with Mercuria, she had been sleeping on time, so waking up at a reasonable time wasn't awful, and after visiting the baths the day before, she was clean for what felt like the first time in forever, so she was actually feeling quite good. Not 100% but more than well enough to be up and about, and considering that Jeremiah was planning on instructing the Tigers a little bit, Tio thought it best to get herself up, and wander her way down to assist as she could as well. It would be a good way to continue getting back into her stride; while she was sure that she wasn't losing her touch, magic was something that one needed to keep on top of if they wanted to keep improving. "Elisa, dear, are you coming with me, or are you going to look more into that tome? Frankly, I'd like to see how Jeremiah handles himself. but more interestingly... I'm tired of being on the sidelines, and unhelpful, so I'd like to go and help out as much as I can." Tio looked over herself, making sure that everything was in place, and then held her hand out in front of her to conjure her staff, "Ah... It feels good to be able to do that without feeling that tinge of exhaustion... how are you feeling, by the by?"

"Yes, I am aware that is the case... and to be frank, I didn't receive much information at all from the chain of command prior to arriving here aside from our stated mission. That is to say, that I would supply that information if I had it at all..." She was going to have to play a little carefully now that Leon and Kazue had made their meeting more contentious than it needed to be. Kazue turned to reply to her order, and Sia had almost had it, but Daeran was quicker to the punch than she was, and whatever Daeran whispered got Kazue to finally back down. Leon offered his apologies as well. The way the mercenary spoke made his intentions clear, but they weren't the most helpful in quelling Sia's annoyance. Sia almost audibly huffed at both Kazue and Leon, but it would have been far too unbecoming in the moment. Things then proceeded smoothly. Arielle really did give off the vibe of a true, through and through corporate type, who was enjoying her almost autocratic control over the moon. There wasn't anything in her tone that suggest a militaristic malice, and that seemed to be confirmed by matters of defense falling to her head of security. It was odd to not have someone who was definitely pivotal to the conversation around, but having such power in the situation likely made her feel supernaturally safe. It was uncanny, and Sia wasn't interested in having to be here longer than necessary, but questions needed answers, "I must agree with Lieutenant Park; it would probably do for us to speak with the head of security and get the full scope of the situation from her. We did manage to collect one of the machines and salvage the black box, as it appears that we are aligned in what we're both after, I don't see any reason why we wouldn't hand it over. Though, I would ask in that case if you would wait for us to to do our own testing on it." Hopefully with enough spin onto her sensibilities she won't try to exercise more authority than I would like here... This never gets any easier. At least... it doesn't seem as if she has much on her mind beyond her business, and those goals. So long as we can keep things aligned there... The conversation did confirm that this was another rogue element, so there were now three factions in play, the rebels, AHI, and another force that was abusing AHI's authority to act with impunity. It did quite feel like that they were there for other reasons... Mmm... no, I can't ascertain that without speaking with the security chief. There was one more question that was on Sia's mind, "Regarding the theft... In the event that we're the first to encounter these rebels once more; what are we to do with the parts? The safety of my pilots is paramount so in the event of conflict, I can't quite guarantee the safety of your project without knowing what I'm looking for. If there is nothing more you can share, then that's that, but anything at all would be preferable. Otherwise, Ms. Avyndor," Sia saluted the woman, "We are at your back, and will assist in the way that we can."

As the afternoon turned to evening, and evening tonight, the Tigers enjoyed finally a peaceful night of rest, no problems, no further surprises, just well deserved time to relax. Even a bit of a rising morale seemed to be present in the city of Eslcas, the rumblings amongst the populace was that something big was going to happen in the near future. Perhaps it was finally the turn they needed, perhaps Kazran's days were finally numbered. Yet, even as the days went on, and preparations continued, it suddenly becoming clear that something was happening in Islexia. The Tigers were neither the first, nor the last people to arrive in Eslcas; merchants, civilians, and many more began to arrive in Eslcas, all saying something similar, and all fleeing from something happening in southern Islexia, but the stories were so varied, so piecemeal that nothing concrete could really be made out of it. But the words were truth; there were many things happening in Islexia. The Tigers were at the center of but one story within the arid country, but, stars willing, they would find themselves chosen to push the game forward. While the Tigers rested, preparing themselves for the battle at hand, the world about them continued to turn. There was still an unanswered question for some: Where had Princess Lucille, and her entourage vanished to? The figure at the center of a theft that threatened to throw the continent into turmoil disappeared without much of a trace after the Tigers retrieved the Escaflowne from her. Some were not content to let the Princess flee from sight, some had questions that only she could answer. Alliance in an Unlikely Place The clock continued to tick away as the Tigers found themselves starting to get back on their feet. Two solid days of rest after their arrival came to an end on the third day, at the request of Jeremiah Noire. The head of Lufirian Intelligence had been scarce since their arrival between assisting with planning the assault, and his own reconnaissance as well as conversations with relevant folk appeared to have one more trick up his sleeve. He'd pitched the idea of a bit of a training exercise for the Tigers to get them prepared for their first real assault. Training with one of the most lethal men alive was not an opportunity that the Tigers could pass up, so it was agreed that the exercise would take place on the 13th. But as always, the world about the Tigers was continuing to turn, and the ever present threat of Kazran Serdio was going to appear before them in a shape that few would have ever seen coming...

Rivane clicked his tongue, of course they would take the bridge--a small cohort of knights, but given that it was Evelyn in pursuit, she wasn't sparing much. They looked to be well outfitted, and trained. Charging that bridge would be more difficult, and more time consuming then they needed it to be. Jilyn seemed to have noticed the other dilemma, other bandits in the area. They had done well to avoid them so far, but it was just their luck that at this moment, they were right in their path. "Yes, we have to be cautious, but if those men over by the bridge are who I believe them to be, we won't have much time to be cautious. Breaking through the bridge is a fools' errand, but I doubt that is the only path to our destination. We break to the east," Rivane pointed in the direction of the bandits, "Bandit are far less trained, and likely to be less maintained as well. It pains me to have to turn our lances on the destitute, but I'm sure they won't have as kind words for us. We break through them and move south." Rivane then turned his eyes on Rina, freed of her bindings, and rode up next to her, her blade in his outstretched arm, "Here. You'll need that." Rivane looked into her eyes for a moment, seeing that spark, the spark of honor and shook his head, "We break to the east. You charge in now, and you'll simply be tightening the noose around our necks. First order of business now, Dame knight, we do not have the luxury of honor, we only have the necessity of survival. Keep that in mind, and none of us will die today. We have a war to end, not honor to defend."

Jane stuck with Miredy as she had the whole time; the Tigers seemed safe but Miredy was absolutely safe, and trustworthy. They left the chained man with his woman, and Miredy slithered her way back upstairs, and into yet another conversation. Jane hadn't been interested, snuggling close to Miredy until Jane heard something. It was her name, and not in Miredy's voice, nor in Tio's. Those were the only two who knew her name, unless the bouncy woman had said something to someone, but... that wasn't the strangest part. Jane's head popped up, and turned, and... Jane stiffened, and gasped, "R-R-Roxi!" With a surprising amount of speed, Jane was out of Miredy's arms, and practically barreled into sheep's legs, grasping tightly, "Roxi! It's you, it's you! Is, is, Momma with you!? Where's Momma!?" Jane looked back at Miredy, "Look, look, it's Roxi! She's momma's friend!" She looked up at the sheep expectantly, Roxanne didn't go many places without her mother... or anyone for that matter. The shopkeeper looked Iris up and down, and flashed a toothy grin, "Well, ain't you confident? You gotta be to just say something like that. Place could use a lil' more of that nowadays." She bounded up, and quickly peeled the dress off the display, "Yeah, we got some shorts," The feline pointed with her tail as she worked with the dress, "Over there, all kinds, ponchos on the other hand... not a good a selection, you'd wanna go to somewhere like Cerezia for that, but we got some workable ones." She finished with the dress, and started her way over to counter, "So mercs, huh? Hope you ain't all of you, or Kazran gonna eat you as a snack. Dumb as hell, but maybe stronger than that. Survived the collapse when a lot of the soldiers didn't. You hear all sorts of stories from back then--so you get an idea of how messed up that conflict was. Living through it all's no easy feat, and he didn't do that by runnin'." The feline looked Iris and Ullr over, and then shook her head, "Maybe together you'd give him trouble, but he'd snap you both like twigs if he caught you. Ah, there I go again... Topic of that bastard always does it..." She looked over at Ullr, "Hey, you lookin' for anything more than a poncho, or are you just here to get turned on by the lil' lady?" She flashed the toothy grin at Ullr, before settling back on Iris, "Dress is new, but, I like your moxie. I'll cut the price a little on it, but get your shorts first." Barios nodded, "My eye is rarely wrong, and--" The cat behind the mage wrapped her arms around her, and nuzzled with her, all while singing her praises. Barios chuckled, "Well, as they say, Lightning is the prelude to thunder, and if you are a thunder mage..." Barios pulled out an unusual looking tome, "It's a bit beyond my expertise, but it is a rather peculiar spell--working in a reversal sort of fashion compared to the other spells of its type. If your expertise is thunder, then it may be an excellent addition to turn the tide on unsuspecting practitioners of dark magic." Barios then turned as one of the women seemed to have found the new merchandise. "Aha~ It seems like we have someone with a proper eye... Yes, you guess correctly, miss. That is... a weapon that I was very fortunate to come by; I have connections that come across all sorts of unique equipment, and one of them received that from a friend. I admit that I am the last person that should handle a firearm, but if you're magically inclined, you may have noticed a slight magical signature to it? That, as I am told, is because the core of that revolver has been... magically modified. It works all the same as a revolver, but with unique qualities. It's rather impressive, and incredibly difficult to come by--I believe that only Lufiria even remotely has the technological know-how for something like that," There was a wistful look across the man's face for the faintest of moments, before he returned to his pitch, "Though, because of that, it's rather expensive, and would be rather hard to maintain--it's not simply enough to know firearms. Still, I'd certainly part with it for a reasonable price--same as with the blade. The blade I can see as about... 2200 gold, the revolver... let's say 3500 gold." Jeremiah looked over at Versaris, and Lucretia while he waited for Tanya to break from her daze. It was... a familiar sight, but in an odd way, knowing that Lucretia was not Serena, but so incredibly close. Renais had moved on to Kise, and Jeremiah had been about to move on when, Tanya finally spoke up, "Ah, I'd thought you were deep in thought." Jeremiah ran a hand through his hair, "To my recollection, your father should have been returning recently from an excursion. I can't imagine that he'd be sent out again so soon, even with the situation being as it is--we're not strapped for operatives. Though, considering that Certificus has been in charge while I've been out in the field, I can't exactly say where your father is or isn't..." Jeremiah sighed, the fact that there were so many questions, and holes forming within their organization meant that a return to Lufiria was going to be met with more work. Something really wasn't right, and he didn't know what it was, or where it was originating from. "More to the point... what are you doing, Miss Maldoche? This is rather far for your family's motto, but I don't quite know where you fall in everything."

"Thank you," Sia turned to Huang, "Yes, we shouldn't keep her waiting any longer." Her gaze around the area found only security personnel, not at all out of place for a corporate building. But it was always good to keep eyes out for anything strange, anything that much assist them if something were to go wrong in the future. Surely, that wouldn't be the case here. Sia remained quiet on their way up, making sure to gather her breath, and apply her inhaler just in case--it wouldn't do to have her first meeting as captain marred by an episode. She needed to gather her thoughts too; there were many questions about this whole situation. The rebels, the force used to meet them, the insurgents masquerading as AHI security... even the whereabouts of Ambassador Virion Shiva; there was a lot to go over, and Sia was sure that more questions were going to come up quickly. However, the first thing to keep in mind was to remain as a mediator; they were here on peacekeeping duty, and that had to come first. Making an enemy of AHI would not go over well, especially at a juncture where they remained in the dark. The use of force by AHI was unacceptable, there could be no doubt of that, but they'd need to ease into that--hopefully an easy task with Huang's assistance. Moments later, they were in Miss Avyndor's office, and the dossier was spot on so far--even down to her current attire. Her speech left a little wanting; she seemed to know very well about the rebels, and about their run-in with the automated security, so it seemed likely that the use of force was no accident. Quickly focus shifted onto them, and away from the 'malcontents' so to speak, Huang deftly guiding her in, "It is a pleasure to meet you Ms. Avyndor, as the Ambassador mentioned, I am Captain Selensia Silverwind, Captain of the Imminent Dawn. We have heard reports that there are... events taking place here on Callisto, and with a special task force, we were sent to investigate the veracity of claims made, and if necessary, take action to protect lives." So far, so good, it seemed like. It was obvious that Ms. Avyndor wasn't pleased about the situation, but it would have been more surprising if she had been, and hadn't requested for the support herself. Questions then, "If we're going to get straight down to it, then--" As if on cue, Kazue was the first to the punch, and immediately laid the cards on the table. There was no two ways about it, Kazue was correct; the amount of force would have been criminal in any other circumstance, but such meetings needed to start slowly. If Ms. Avyndor knew more about the situation, then it was now in her best interest to keep anything damning. Leon then reinforced Kazue's haphazard start. If there was anyone she expected even the slightest bit better from, it was Leon. A mercenary of his apparent caliber would have had to have deal with similar scenarios, and had to know how they worked. Sia's hand twitched, and she took a deep breath--this time not to catch her breath--and turned to both Leon and Kazue, "Ensign Fujiwaru. Lieutenant Silvavolke. Please do not forget why the both of you are here, nor your place in this conversation. Please do not think myself, or Ambassador Huang incapable of handling talks ourselves." Sia's tone remained calm, but there was a biting cold underlying it. They were not here to deal with one incident, they were here to deal with the whole issue, and they weren't going to be able to do that without the necessary information--information that may slowly find itself out of reach. Sia then turned her sidelong glance back onto the woman of the hour, "My apologies, I was given authority over a special task force so its structure is a little different than most CEN outfits, perhaps considered better suited to handling a more delicate situation. That said..." Sia sighed and shook her head, "My cards are already laid out on the table, and you have to be aware of what stance we took in the skirmish. Surely you knew that we would have questions about the measures currently in place? Though... I have to say that even that wasn't the most troubling part of that skirmish, Lieutenant Park mentioned it just now. There were malcontents that were posing as AHI security--a separate entity from the rebels rescued earlier as far as we can tell. Do you have any information that confirms this belief of ours? And to be clear, our objective here is a swift, and amiable end to any hostilities brewing on the surface, and that is what we are devoted to at this moment." Well, time to see how she takes this... The one time I don't think to inform Kazue of the protocol, she throws it to the wind... She and Leon have only made things more difficult I suspect... Might not be able to mention the missing Ambassador if this gets too heated now.

Rivane shrugged his shoulders, "We all do a number of things without knowing why things need to be this way. A small part of me finds it comforting, even. I think it childish now, mindlessly following the call of someone who stands above you solely because you believe in the cause of your country, but its freeing in a sense... knowing that what happens because of what you do is simply... following orders. I don't know what the empress carries on her shoulders, but in the same vein, I'm unsure if it matters to me." Rivane looked down at his hand, "I just want the war to end with a few more casualties are possible, if what she knows can do that, and she refuses to share more, I know what I need to know. The rest will either come, or it doesn't." Rivane's response was solemn, almost lacking any vibrance his voice might have normally had; it was more akin to the voice of a soldier who had seen more than any one person needed to see in a lifetime. Quickly, though, his smile returned, "You have a point there at least; I'll have to hold you to that. I figure you know more about Bravia's drinks than I do, so you'll know where best for such a conversation." Rivane raised an eyebrow as despite what Rivane had been thinking, Cyrus wasn't from Bravia, but from the Western Isles. He knew little about the Western Isles, only that compared to the mainland, it was said to be paradise. Cyrus painted a bit of a different picture, one that paled in comparison to even his own. His family weren't wealthy, but they lived in comfort and were able to live as they needed to. It was only recently that the country had been hollowed out to such a degree. Cyrus then pulled out his firearm, and began explaining the unusual instrument. There had been a point where the mechanical tinkering had gone a bit over Rivane's head, but it was intriguing, certainly. The relics found the Western Isles were beyond normal technologies, and it appeared that Cyrus's firearm was one such instrument. Rivane snickered as Cyrus's stammered over realizing that he'd gone more in depth than he'd planned to, "There was a bit of pride in your explanation, explaining how you got to where you are, especially from circumstances of your own affords you the ability to do that, Cyrus. You apologized enough with your compliment--I've always been fond of a good story. So your fire arm is a relic from the Isles, and your skill with those relics is what cause Bravia to put you to task?" It answered another of his questions, it seemed... odd for them to entrust Cyrus to such a task, especially by his lonesome. Though, it was an assumption that it was by his lonesome. Though, the mention of relics did place some thoughts in Rivane's mind. "Very well then, Cyrus... I think that flows nicely into what exactly you were tasked with doing, if that's shareable."

The bartender smirked at Nyx, "Well, ye didn't start too well there..." The woman snorted, "Ye, things are pretty shit round here... not Owen's fault, ne even th' clod or whatsit--th' ones wit' tails, and such. Kazran," The barkeep rolled her eyes, "Damned bastard been attacking lots as o' late. What's more is there's been some stories from south--people running from central; something te do wit' th' Belrose. Messing wit' trade and such, so lack o' supplies, on top o' Kazran being--settle down o'er there, I'll get ye drink!" She turned back to Nyx, "Some people needier than a soldier crossing th' sands... Anyway, it's been getting pretty bad... started not too long ago." As Miria walked up to one of the stands inside, an ice blue haired child ran through the small group that amassed in front of the, "Oopsie, sorry!" As she made her way through the group, she made a sharp turn, and disappeared behind the curtain into the back, and the man standing in front of the stand, hand raised as if he had been about to speak, was now putting that hand on his face. His hair, too, was an ice blue, his face weathered, but not nearly enough to imply that he was in the autumn of his years, a well kept moustache and beard adorned his face, "Lila... you know you can't just--and she's already halfway towards the back," He sighed, and then turned his eyes back towards Miria, appraising the girl for a moment, before nodding, "...Yes, you seem to have a look about you, a familiar look, which is why," The man reached into the back behind the curtain, and pulled out an odd looking sword, "This appears to be a relatively good fit for you... rare as well, don't come by many weapons like these, especially in Islexia." He pointed at the sword, "Runes inscribed into it--not an easy practice--makes it easier to handle magic tossed at you!" The man pulled the sword back, and then bowed to the group of women now in front of him, "Apologies for the pitch before the introduction, my name is Barios Latham, and I am... a merchant of sorts, dealing in all sort of interesting weaponry, and items--we find, and refurbish all sorts of items here, and have contacts with a number of merchants from all over owing to such finds as this blade here!" He pulled his eyes back up to Miria, "Was there something in particular that you were searching for? There are quite a few items that we have around--perhaps if not you, then maybe you?" His gaze turned on Seila, "I can see from your garb, and the simple way you carry yourself that you are a mage of some sort," The man held out his hand, and ice appeared in it, "I doubt I hold a candle to you, but I do have the eye for mages, and I do believe there may be something that may interest you. However, I return the conversation to you, what, if anything, might I help you with?" Ullr and Iris didn't enter quietly, but the shop itself echoed with just the two's voices, but on one of the shelves to the side was a feline, kicking their legs back and forth as Iris perused the selection stopping right in front of one of the newest outfits, "Whew... that's a real good choice there~" The feline hopped down from their perch, a colorful patchwork of orange, black and white made up their fur, and complimented the grin on the cat's face, "That's a new one; got it a couple days ago, but alas, not a lot of people out here being that bold when Kazran's doing his deal--You ain't careful, he'll snap you up too... though, I guess you're a monster so maybe he'd just off ya instead!" There was a long pause, and then the cat waved their hands, tail flicking from side to side, but a close inspection revealed that the tail was jagged, damaged in some way. "Sorry, sorry, words get away from me sometimes... Donna's the name... this all you're in the shop for, or are you still looking around... and look at this guy... might not be filling some of the clothes in here, but those arms... You got the look of a fighter about you... and I ain't seen either one of you, so that makes you tourists, or mercenaries... hopefully the latter because ain't a good time of year to be touring around here."

Another buzz, almost as soon as she had finished typing--that was probably a good thing, since it meant that there wasn't much pressing on their patrol and they'd be back in short order. Sia quickly scanned the message, as she started to make her way off of the bridge; by now the Ensign who appeared during the fight would have docked, and that needed to be taken care of sooner rather than later, and perhaps she'd run by the doctor in that time too--she wouldn't have the time when everything really started ramping up. Sia looked down at her phone again as the door off the bridge slid open. [Expectation and execution are too very different things--A captain can expect the best of her pilots, but her pilots then have to execute. You all did, which is reason enough for praise--] Sia looked closer at the message. She'd mulled over it three times, but perhaps her moment was still bothering her a little as she missed an important word, 'Date'. She hadn't thought about it, but it did come off as that, didn't it? It had been a month since meeting everyone, and so far, she and Louise appeared have a good rapport, "It really has been a month since we boarded... time moves so quickly..." Sia returned to her phone. [And yes, we'll have to put off our private time at the range until the dust has settled... Thank you for the kind words, hopefully I can continue to meet them.] Sia hit send finally, and started making her way down to the hangar to find their ensign, slowly--she'd always been instructed to never hurry after an episode lest she relapse at an inopportune time. Sia clicked her tongue, and then held her head high; even with her moment of weakness, she'd made it through her first encounter as captain and everyone returned alive. That was more than some people expected of her, and she'd continue to prove that she deserved her place even in spite of her frailty. The whirlwind of events that followed their impromptu combat were just as exhausting as the fight itself--first her conversation with Ensign Nishimiya alerted her to the fact that their top contact, Ambassador Virion Shiva, was missing and had been for some time. Had it been at any other moment, Sia would have believed it was just a case of the man slipping away, but at this moment foul play was just as likely, and all the more damaging. She didn't find the time to hurry over to the Doctor, so she'd just have to make do with what she had. Arrival at Remansburg went without much of a hitch at least, and selection for their detail went quickly--Kazue, Louise, Bonner, Daeran, Leon with H4na as support, and without much more fanfare, the group was off, and away from the Dawn. The streets of Remansburg were as utilitarian as the buildings were built almost entirely to facilitate the terraforming effort of the moon, but some people were out and about now that the Dawn had moored at the dock. Sia was quickly jotting down notes as they drove, some points about Remansburg to remember, questions to ask, lines of thought to follow later... by the time she'd run out of things to write, they had arrived... where as the city had been utilitarian, the headquarters of AHI was more aligned with the dwellings of the wealthy, opulence shimmering on every surface. Even Huang seemed to be placed more at ease by the sight; Sia herself had seen such enough times to be less intrigued by the sight, and more by how stark the differences were. "Yes... it does appear that there is a bit more than meets the eye on the moon... That may be part of our problem..." The inequities were stark, but not out of the ordinary especially on such projects. They were swiftly met by the receptionist, confirming that they had been expected, "Ah, yes, our apologies for being a bit behind schedule. Introductions appear to not be entirely necessary... Is there an elevator that we are to head to in order to make for the top floor?" Sia kept looking around as she spoke, looking to see if anyone else was around--it had been quiet so far.

Instead of her communicator, it was her phone that buzzed as she stood up. She rummaged through her pocket, taking out her inhaler, and then studying her phone. She blinked for a moment reading over the message; she hadn't expected anything of a sort so soon, but it was in text on her screen. [I don't see why not... but I have to say that may be a bit longer than you realize. We won't be able to properly debrief before we arrive at the capital, and that will be our first order of business. After that... well, the best I can say is that we'll see--there's no telling when such a break will arise with all of his other nonsense to decipher our way through...] Sia sent the first message, and mulled over the other half of the message. There were a number of things that she could have done better, but for what she did do, she didn't particular feel as if she'd made any errors in judgment. Until proven otherwise, they were on a peacekeeping mission, and that meant that the lives of the rebels were to be protected. The terrorists made their choice, and were content to push forward. [That's supposed to be my line... you all performed admirably, and thank you for taking something of a supporting command role for Lieutenant Commander Bonner. I'll have more to say when we get a chance to debrief. Thank you Lieutenant Park.]

It seemed like Cia was on her way to calming down. Good, she was the voice of reason when it came to the engineers, and if she was heated, everyone else was going to be so much more annoying. Her phone buzzed once more, but the swing of work had begun, so there wasn't going to be too much down time as the pilots started to fly in. Cia did give her one more jab about her zipper--she was one of the few women mechanics aboard, and definitely the only one who was as frontloaded as she was. Amy just smirked at the woman, "Well, maybe they could use a bit of a morale boost~" A joke, really, a lot of the engineers definitely weren't people she'd be flirting like that with. She had no hesitation with showing off, but it was more fun to show off with someone who she cared about, and a lot of the engineers certainly didn't care much for her beyond her good looks--if they could even get beyond her reputation. Jest over and done with, it was Avery's turn to call her attention--it took her a bit to remember the woman's name. She had been one of the nicer ones, likely someone who didn't quite know of the deeds foisted upon Amy, but if she didn't know, she didn't know. "Drachenheim... Scylla, oh, yeah, I can handle that one, and then... Cowboy playing tag with bulls?" Amy paused for a moment to let that vision play out in her head, and then slowly nodded, "I... got that, I think, but yeah, if we divide like that, we can work on that one together." Now Scylla was someone she could mess with, provided combat hadn't gotten to her too badly, but hey, maybe a good tease or two would help with that. "I'd... appreciate it, XO. Ugh... That combat lasted longer than I would have liked it too... I should have prepared a little better." Sia then nodded her head, "Yes, assuming we... make good time, between getting the HEXes aboard, repairs, and other things, debrief... simply doesn't fit." There were a lot of things that didn't quite fit. This fight was something that didn't make much sense at all. At first it was simply an excessive use of force from AHI, and then there was terrorist involvement, and to top it all off, there appeared to have been someone watching them. To what end? Then there was the fact that the rebels vacated the area without so much as explaining what they were doing here; helpless or no, their actions might not have been entirely permissible... "...Mmm... no, in the absence of enough information, the preservation of lives is always the correct step." Sia mumbled the words to herself, as if to confirm her decisions. Sia eventually, slowly, pushed herself out of the chair, and looked at Alrenne, "...I suspect that... that our musings... about this mission not being as simple as we thought... may have been spot on."

Alouette let out a deep sigh, body deflating as she did. She knew better than to mention that--she was well aware of the attempts on the princess, and the scrutiny that all gifts to her underwent. It was hardly the same thing; the princess's concerns were borne of something real, and hers... Don't finish that thought Alouette... You are yourself before anything else... Mother's plans for you aren't plans that you wanted for yourself... You're no trophy... Alouette shook her head, "I know she isn't... I really do. She's one of the first in a long while to speak to me as if I am a mage of my caliber. I know my limitations better than anyone else, and I know how I appear to others... But Ichika was able, and willing to acknowledge what I'm capable of, and not just... what I am." Alouette found a sheepish smile, and fixed her hairband--she'd tugged it out of place in her panicked response, "I... it means a lot to hear that, princess. Really." The formal tones in Alouette's voice melted away for a moment, "I'll... try. It's... not like I didn't wan--" Alouette flinched slightly as Ichika showed up immediately, "Ah, Ichika... there you are. I, err, sorry for running off like that. It, uh... b-bad memories, perhaps... I'll explain a little later." She cleared her throat, and scanned the park, looking for, "There it is... Let's, uh, first start with the garden. There's a good amount of history in that garden, and, well, there's almost every type of orchid that you'll see in the festival inside... It's honestly one of the most beautiful attractions in Crecia, and it's here around the year... Mmm, and by the time we get through looking at it, more of the performers will be out and about." There was a noticeable spring in Alouette's step as she started leading the pair over to the garden--it had always been her favorite place to be when the festival came around.

Sia took another breath before turning to Alrenne, "We'll move on... as soon as we're able... If we're in sensor range, then they should... have picked up combat... they'll know something's happened." Sia shook her head, air was starting to flow normally, but it was difficult get back to normal after an episode--it would be a little while longer before she was up and about again. "Understood... Lieutenant Vhane, please... keep us updated on the ensign's wellbeing, and if necessary, hail if you need further... assistance. Navigation... we'll remain her until all are back aboard, and then... full speed towards the capital..." Perhaps two of them would need to be looked at by Doctor Delarosa, but for now, focus, she didn't need to have her breath completely to do her job. Galatea responded, turning the screen to her, with the shimmer still on the screen, and the harrowing phrase, 'We are under observation.' Sia clicked her tongue, and pulled her hat down over her eyes for a moment, "Well... until we can figure things out, I suppose we'll have to give our onlookers a show to remember... We'll talk more about this when we have... time to debrief... Haah... Hopefully my breath comes back by then..." Amy jumped as Cia caught her chatting, and not actually yelling her, more teasing her, "That's for me to know, and for you to find out, chief~" She almost finished zipping back up when the phone buzzed again, rather quickly, but her attention was taken by the first HEX to land, and one that was in rather bad shape. Cia was not pleased with the seeming lack of care over the damage, "Easy, easy..." Amy looked over the HEX--the damage was pretty bad, and a lot of parts were going to need to be fixed, or swapped out but there was nothing that couldn't be dealt with. "This one'll get put on expedited repair... joints look pretty exposed, and banged up... but they still work, or we'd have a HEX faceplant." One of the other engineers was already stepping up to the plate, so Amy unzipped, and took her phone back out, first smiling at Azame, "Hiya~ Said something about a refill?" A quick glance, and stepping out of the way as other engineers started to rev up work, "Your machine looks in fine shape, so that's probably gonna be one of the last things we do--you weren't on the ship before, I worked on all the machines before... Anyway! I'm Amelia, another of the engineers! We'll get it done, but... if you weren't here before, you'll probably have to get an okay from the captain--believe me, you can't miss her." Amy took a deep breath, and then finally looked down at her phone--likely the last chance she was gonna get for a little bit--and a smile crept across her face, and the faintest of blushes. Her hands typed quickly, [We'll see how things go down here... a lot repairs, and stuff, but I'd be delixcited... Might be a little pooped but yeah!] She hit send before she noticed the portmanteau, and tapped her forehead. Too late, it was sent, and now things were getting underway, the phone had to go into the safe place.

Renais blocked Versaris's strokes well, but it was easy to see at a glance that she wasn't prepare to block strikes from someone like Versaris, and the fact that her arms were shivering while was holding back... Though, that wasn't unlike Catherine--she wasn't the strongest woman around, so she couldn't really take clean strikes from someone like Versaris either--but Catherine understood that too. Perhaps it was borrowing from Serena, but Catherine didn't rely on her strength to block attacks, instead using her staff to redirect, and using her footwork to adjust. Even slightly throwing an attack off was enough extra time to open a gap. Of course, that was always the last resort--Catherine's magic was easily her most powerful tool at protecting herself, and others. However, perhaps imparting that to Renais would be for the best... but for now he could leave that be. Jeremiah walked back over to Tanya, who had been left waiting, almost lost and wordless, "Apologies for just disappearing like that. I had something to tend to... you wanted to ask me about your family earlier, did you not?" It was a policy to ignore people who just... sat down, and refused to speak up. Even if it was something meek, or quiet, the acknowledgement of interest was something that she was interested in. Besides, there were people who were actually speaking up--it was a little busy today. So when Nyx finally spoke up, an auburn haired woman walked up with a cocked eyebrow, "Ye come te a bar, and ye asking fer kiddy stuff?" She tilted her head, "Weird tourists... picked a time te come around here... good words'a pretty tough te find." Tio smiled over at Elisa, "Sounds like I'm going to be pretty lucky myself then~" Tio was about to set about putting her things in place when she froze, and turned back around to Elisa, face red again, "...It really does seem like you're starting to get back on your feet... Really are just trying your hardest to fluster me..." She sighed, and then smiled, "Yes, you're lucky that we have been a bit spent, or we wouldn't have slept much at all. Spent so much time trying to take care of you, and rest..." The smile turned into a small pout, "Haven't even had the ability to just cuddle..." She shook her head, and set about getting things done, "We should at least try to see if there's baths somewhere... if not, I... suppose I wouldn't be adverse to a moonlight dip."

Rivane smiled as he stepped inside, "You can rest assured that I won't pry into more than I'm able to know. If I am not to know of what we are delivering to Bravia, then I am not to know, if it is to die on the lips of you and the princess, then either I have to make sure that it reaches its destination, or lament that it will not see the light of day." Rivane's shoulders rose as he spoke; on one hand he was interested in was so secretive that he could not know, but on the other, he was unsure he would care so long as it brought an end to the war. "All of the above sounds preferable, but as for a place to start... Perhaps how you came to be a part of such a mission? I can't imagine it was too different from how most came to fight for their country, but these days I have been nothing but surprised..." Rivane chuckled, the whirlwind of events up to this point were almost unlike anything his parents had regaled him with, and well beyond what he'd done as a knight.

Just like that, it came to an end--Iris pushed herself away for a moment to explain what had happened with Ullr. It was clear on the boy's face, a familiar sense of apprehension. Iris quickly uttered a thank you before bounding off into the wolf's arms, asking to go into town, and saying that she was going to find something that was going to make him bark. Jeremiah couldn't help a chuckle, but then the wolf's eyes were locked on him again. Looking a bit closer, the young man was short, but there was obvious definition to him; his arms looked to be larger than Jeremiah's own--if it were simply a contest of strength Jeremiah didn't like his odds. However, it was the flame that flickered behind his verdant eyes when he spoke that brought a faint grin to Jeremiah's face, "...Yes, I know that. She'll need people to stand beside her." Slowly the two trudged away, and Jeremiah sighed. Looking down at his hand, he never imagined that he'd have been saying sorry, much less hugging a creation. Yet... it hadn't been so long ago that he'd thought them similar to people like them. When had he lost that belief? It was frustrating, frightening even... but what mattered now was that the spark was here again. Jeremiah saw them off, and turned back to the group he had arrived with--but not without taking note of the group now surrounding the Kitsune. She was arguably one of the most confusing things present. She was obviously a powerful kitsune; one of the very rarest types of monster--in part because of Lufiria's actions. This was the last place he'd expected to see one, and much less expected that one would be so close with Aegean. There was one new face among then--the others he'd seen at least once--a sheep it looked like. His eyes returned to Renais's training exercise, Sari moving in with the flat of her blade, only time would tell how well she took to it. Lucretia was one of the better instructors he could think of to show Renais how to guard herself with her staff, the others at the top of that list, was Lucretia's doppelganger, and Catherine. Catherine always surprised people with how adept she was a staff in her hand; she wasn't strong, but Catherine could move when she really wanted to. With those thoughts in mind, Jeremiah almost didn't notice the tear that had formed at the corner of his eye, and the faint smile on his lips. Kieran faintly flinched as Marigold continued to tease him, though, not for the reason that she might have expected. It wasn't much of a secret amongst their group where Kieran's eyes tended to wander, and a particular trait of those he fancied. "Shut up... I had other reasons for not looking. It's not like it's nearly the only thing..." Shit, does she know I use cannons for Bella, and she's just using that to tease me, or did she just accidentally trip into that? Bella was almost supernaturally well endowed, so a different word was needed for her... Kieran then let out an exasperated sigh, "It's not like I can stop you from napping, I guess..." The small blush on Kieran's face couldn't really be hidden, "You really are something else... Never had any goddamn intention, and again," He jingled his chains, "Even if I was some kind of monster who would do that, I couldn't because I'm chained here still!" He just leaned up against the wall, and resigned himself to being a pillow for the time being. It could have been worse. A lot worse actually... Maybe you don't have Bella's cannons... not a lot of people could... but... Ha, shut up, and just sit Kieran. You've got a lot of work to do in the future before you can even think about any of that. Tio snickered, "Even if the channel is right there, I'm not exactly too keen on giving someone lucky a show. Besides... that water is likely quite cold, and while water is water, I'm more in the mood for a hot bath..." Elisa flopped herself on the bed, and Tio had half a mind to follow her, but she was sure that if she touched that bed, she wasn't going to get up. "We could at least plan our movements past this excursion, but... you are right that there isn't much that we can do right now. I'm certainly feeling better, but not nearly enough to be expending magic... A bath is really sounding like the plan here..." They'd been so exhausted that they hadn't been able to do much beyond talking and resting... even cuddling had been off the table for a majority since Elisa had been so out of it, and then her collapsing after the attack on the compound.

Tristan took over her duty of announcing an end to the hostilities, obviously picking up on her trying to catch her breath. Definitely was going to have to see Rosa after this, just for clearing's sake. Louise took some issue with her orders, also offering herself to patrol as an overwatch, "Very well, Lieutenant Park... All four of you remain on patrol for now... Haah... and yes, we'll talk when you arrive, Ensign Fushimiya." The communications clicked off, and Sia further deflated into her chair before looking over at the XO. "What... did Galatea find out? I missed... all of that conversation." Amy rejoined the other engineers as they started to get ready for the returning machines. With everything that had just happened, she could expected that there was going to be a lot of work to do, and that the Captain was going to want the machines back in fighting state as soon as possible in case of another skirmish like this. Something told her that it was going to be a late, long shower tonight, or perhaps tomorrow morning. Her phone buzzed surprisingly quickly, and Amy flipped through it and smiled at the simple, '😉' emote. Combat was done, but there was still stuff to do it seemed like. Amy thought about what to send back, and then quickly sent back ❤️❤️. She slid her phone back back into her top--it was safest there--and zipped back up, hurrying over to wait for further instructions.

"What do you mean 'where I'll go'?" Kieran shook his hands to jingle the chains, "I'm not going anywhere until the commander above decides I am, and then after that... It's not like I can disappear into the shadows like a certain someone." Kieran then softened, and leaned back into Marigold, "I said I had to pay back all of my debts, I've got Owen, I've got the Tigers, and I've got this woman on my arm who swears that hope sounds terrible on her voice. So... I'll find a reason, or at least, I'll try." There are people you can ask about this... A way to... Hah... Lady gives you one moment of heartfelt feelings and here you are trying to figure out how to make them real. You're so soft, Kieran. ...You're so... Ha... Maybe it would have been better if I had been from the start. Maybe. In that one moment, Jeremiah did something he had only allowed himself to do in front of his family and friends; let his guard down. So when Iris dashed forward, even one of his caliber, at this distance, and her speed was left helpless to... her half hug, and half slam of her fist against his chest, claw tapping against the necklace he kept out of sight. It had been instinct almost, because by the time that Jeremiah realized all that had happened, his arms were already halfway around Iris. He paused for a long moment, before finishing his gesture, "...That's what I took from you, and I'm sorry for it. Now I have you in tears again... Catherine and Veltica would be furious with me. It would have been simpler to let you hate me for what I did... but I already took a potentially brighter future from you, and... I couldn't let myself take more from you. You... deserve to understand what the world is like without fear, and hatred... so I have to start with this." Jeremiah turned his gaze to the blue wolf, obviously very confused with all that was happening at this moment, "We haven't met directly. I'm Jeremiah, and... years ago, I had to kill Iris's father. Justified it may have been... not apologizing for what it did to Iris, was not." This is... the way forward. It always has been. It's what I believed to start... but fear, and anguish changes a person. You saw that when she attacked you that night... How poignant a representation... Well, start believing again if that's where you believe to go. Even if it is only these two... two is enough.

Sia waited a moment longer for a response, but it seemed like the decision was made for their target as his compatriots continued their push. "I hoped it wouldn't come to this... Gunnery Officer. Target lock, and fire!" The third time the cannon fired, it was clear at the calculations were spot on this time. The machine moved to try to evade, but its entire area of movement was obliterated by the blast of energy, leaving almost nothing left of it. Sia clicked her tongue, knowing that was one of the few that they might have been able to capture, but perhaps that show of force would have-- Sia's vision blurred for a second, and she felt her lungs tighten. Shoot... Sia's hand immediately went for her pocket, and pulled out an inhaler as her breaths became shorter, and shorter. There was a calm in her movements despite the labored breathing, an experience with what was happening. The instrument touched her lips, and Sia breathed deep as she pressed the button, and after a moment, she removed the inhaler and put a hand to her chest as she took another deep breath, "...Damn it, what a time..." Sia waved at Alrenne, acknowledging his suggestion, "All units... try to... capture that last unit. Have the Dawn strike first." Sia puffed out, face starting to warm... Just keep focused on the mission, things are almost done... Sia plopped herself back into the command chair, and the Dawn was back into the fray, followed by Iskra, and then Scylla went in for the capture... all too well, her strike wasn't too heavy, it was too precise and it was clear from the crumpling of the machine that its pilot wasn't long for this world. "Damn it..." In the end, everyone was still alive, well... they, and the rebels were still alive. The terrorists were no longer amongst the living, one or two frustratingly so. "Yes, we'll have some of the less damaged remain out on patrol... everyone else I want back in for repairs..." Sia was starting to regain her breath, but she was no less embarrassed. Sia perked up a little as her communicator switched on, first for their new arrival, and then for Markus, "Ah, you're from the CEN Embassy, Ensign? It is a... a pleasure to meet you. Sorry if... I appear a little out of breath. But... a search and rescue? Are there... specifics that you can share about that?" If Sia didn't already have a bad feeling about all of this, a lone CEN ensign on a search and rescue would certainly push her over. The terrorists and the shimmering were bad enough already, this was another wrinkle. "Lieutenant Stewart... I... tentatively grant you permission to be on patrol, but you will remain close to the Dawn--you took several... bad hits, and I won't be risking more at this time. Lieutenant Commander, and Lieutenant Silvavolke, I'd... like the both of you to remain on alert for the moment, everyone else, return to the Dawn. I'm... unsure if we're done with all of this." The fight was hectic; more than a few of the machines had come in and out for resupply, and repairs, but Amy felt almost right at home. She breezed through her repairs, quickly, and efficiently. She couldn't watch the engagement, lest she make herself anxious, but she had a feeling that everything was going at least reasonably well. None of the other engineers had started panicking or anything, so the only thing she could do right now was keep her head down and focus. Especially because she didn't want any of the others to give her trouble if she started to lose focus. In truth, she much preferred working outside of combat because she wasn't going to have to worry about working with the others, she could do it easily, but there was always that implicit disdain, always that look of derision. 'Hey, isn't that the Plans thief from Boston?,' 'Careful with her... she might steal your work,' She kept a smile on her face, but it certainly wore on her. Well, the chief didn't seem to believe any of that nonsense, and neither did Tristan, so she wasn't quite interested in trying to prove anyone else wrong. Just keep her head down, and do what she needed to do. She could do things on her own time. Speaking of which, Amy moved over to her communicator as things slowed down, and opened Tristan's chat, [Hey, are things alright up there? Are things finished?]

Jeremiah walked Iris's movements as she turned his way, clearly tense, but not aggressive. Or, rather... forcing herself to not be aggressive. That was fine, he didn't deserve too much more than that. Though, her eyes had drifted to the sword at his side, the same sword that Aly had requested that he leave behind when they spoke. He sighed, and put a hand on the blade, "It was designed for dealing with the creations years ago. The sword at my hip, I mean. You don't recognize it because it wasn't the sword... the sword that I cut down Del with." Jeremiah sighed, "You know, since speaking with you that evening. I've realized something that I should have early on. As a Lufirian, as a fighter and survivor of the Islexian Collapse, of Lufiria's difficult terrain, I've been used to fighting day in and day out. Every fight is one for my, and others survival... With that thought in mind, it becomes very easy to miss how overpowering one can become... Strength is not just measured in how many people one can kill, but in how many battles they continue to survive, and if nothing else, I can claim that. I lied to you, and to myself, Iris. Because for the longest time, in a world that wishes to see my people torn limb from limb, I've seen us as the cattle waiting to be brought to the slaughter, and blindly pressing onward. You and Alriana were right, I didn't see you as Iris and Alriana, but as a pair of creations, the same creations made to kill my family, and the people around me, my countrymen. The thoughts of a fool..." Jeremiah's tone turned harsh as the words came out, grip tightening on his clothing, before he relaxed. "Even now, the look in your eyes isn't any different from those I've seen before from my friends, my daughters... Only a fool, only a person so afraid of the mistakes that he has made would hide behind the lives of others to hold his tongue on what he's done wrong. That man was the Head of Intelligence, the Moonless Arbitrator, and I am supposed to be Jeremiah Noire. He might not think what he did was a mistake, but I do, and he only made it worse by not acknowledge, what he, I, took from you." Jeremiah sighed, and then gently knelt down in front of Iris. "You're not the first to point out the blindspot that has formed, I am not the arbiter of what is, and isn't true, and what is true for me, does not change what is true for you. I protected my country that day, that is true, but I also took a girl's father. I'm sorry that it took me this long to understand what I've known for almost fifteen years, for longer than that even. I'm sorry that I didn't apologize to you, properly, that night. You don't need to reply, or anything... I simply have to say what needs to be said. I'm sorry for leaving you alone until you found Alriana... I'm sorry for taking from you what I've desperately tried to protect for myself, and my friends. That is what someone of my strength, my standing... should have done, and should have said when we spoke, when you proved that you're not different from my own daughters." Jeremiah stood up, eyes unable to look in Iris's direction, "I'll leave you be to your sparring now."

Alouette jumped a little as Lorelei caught up with her, having wandered ahead almost entirely enveloped in her thoughts. She looked over at Lorelei, and just let out a long sigh. "Yes, I'm fine, I'm just... Ugh... I thought I'd been better about it, but... I guess being back here is spiking my worries." Alouette looked back towards the stand, and shook her head, "I really did want the pin, and... Ichika deciding to get it for me was... I appreciate it, I know she isn't..." Alouette stomped her foot, and tightened the grip on her arms, "...It just brings up bad memories, bad worries, and I know that Ichika, and others aren't like that but... I can't shake the worry. With Ichika there, and with the gift... I could tell that she was genuine about it. But, I'm... I'm sure it's happened to you, Princess, with people trying to... woo you. Flaunt their wealth, how much they're prepared to spend for your affection... how much they'd like to own you." Alouette tasted iron as she spoke the words, "It just spikes anxieties that I worked so hard to get away from... Anxieties that others put themselves at risk to help me get away from."

Jeremiah just closed his eyes at Iris's scowl, and her rather obvious moment of disdain. He couldn't fault her for it; he had killed her father figure, and had refused to properly apologize--only apologizing too late. Admittedly, the reaction would have served just to prove that apologizing would have solved nothing in the first place, but he was the one who placed that barrier, not Iris. Which meant that it was on him to break that barrier. Versaris's gaze was focused on him after Iris's moment, and the look in his eyes... told him all he needed to know about what he knew. So neither told him anything... Is that to protect him, or were they afraid of how he'd react? Jeremiah just shook his head, and moved away from the training session, and towards Iris and Ullr. Iris wasn't going to directly engage, so that fell to him. "The only person that appears to be in the way is me, Iris." Jeremiah spoke up before the two got back into things. "So I thought it best to speak up now, and be on my way, so that I don't bother you anymore beyond that. Would be alright with you? If not, I will simply leave you to your spar." What followed was up to Iris--an apology meant nothing if the target of apology was unwilling to hear, much less speak. It meant that it would have to be another time. Tio nodded her head, "I can agree with that... but I'd disagree that this is the snowfall before the blizzard... this is the blizzard that's becoming a white out, and I think you're right to feel the way you do. We're all out of our element in a myriad of ways, and so--" Tio's ears perked up as Ren, along with another feline clouded walked up, the feline introducing himself as a siege operator--rather uncommon instruments of combat. At another time, Tio would have taken interest in the conversation, but she was still feeling her weakness, and Elisa was taking her hand, and guiding her up the stairs... and also whispering into her ear, and brightening her blush. Tio weakly hit Elisa's arm as they headed up the stairs, turning to her with an unmistakable red across her face, "It's been too long since I've been able to do that... I'm glad that you're getting your energy back, but goodness, you sure know when to push the envelope..." The Evoker pair continued their way upstairs, and towards one of the open rooms. "Well... I guess we'll try to get some work done, and then... relax, finally. I'll have to see if there are baths, or anything here, or nearby... it's been, far, far too long since I've last been able to wash..." Kieran stifled a laugh as Owen took feigned offense at Marigold's words, "Don't worry. I already said it for sure: I'm not allowed to die until I've fulfilled my debts, and they keep on stacking higher and higher. Whatever is decided is what I have to work with. Simple as that." Kieran tried to remain nonchalant, but there was an exuberance to his words that hadn't been there before. As Syndra, and Owen made their way away, Kieran looked over at Marigold and chuckled, "Hope is a good sound on your voice, Marigold. Might do you some good to keep it there." He rubbed where she'd hit him, "I can only imagine how much that would have hurt if you were actually trying to punch me..." Kieran looked back at the ceiling of the cell, "...Thanks, Marigold. For all of that. Now are you going to let go of me at any point in time, or is this my fate until they unlock the cell?"

"I, wh, no! Felicit--" Alouette paused, realized that she was a little more flustered than she need be, and in front of the princess. Alouette took a deep breath, fixed her corset and harness, flipped her hair back, and huffed. "Ichika, I... I appreciate the gesture, but I'm not fond of people getting me gifts on my birthday. I," Alouette glanced at the flower pin in Ichika's hand--she'd picked up the exact one that she was looking at--and shook her head, "I have my reasons. Really, it's fine, you don't have to." Alouette's face remained even, but there was the slightest bit of apprehension. One hand rested on her hip, and the other was messing with her hairband. What are you doing, Alouette... Ichika isn't him, or some of the others... She won't try to... She wouldn't do that... Alouette looked around as she began piquing her anxiety over if that bastard was actually around, and then settled on the pin again. Suddenly she was unsure of what to do, and getting annoyed at herself more and more. "I'll just wait ahead in the park if you're purchasing something. I won't be far." Alouette turned on her heels, and glided away, all the while mentally shouting at herself, and her growing nerves. You... You can trust Ichika, Alouette... she fought with you, she actually acknowledged your magic, and she hasn't... well, she has mentioned your figure but there was nothing lascivious about it, and she doesn't look at you in the same way that the others have... it's just like Lyria getting you a gift... Ugh... why do you let him have so much sway over your feelings?! Why do you let them have so much sway... She could only wonder how her insistence and fluster looked in the moment, only upsetting herself more.