Xinnidy Posted November 8, 2022 Share Posted November 8, 2022 "Huh..." Called by that number because she was the sixteenth to be made. It made sense in an utilitarian view of things, but it was rather... impersonal, even Üllr could see that. Like she was more a tool to be used than a living being. Not entirely unlike his captivity... Üllr quickly shook his head, he didn't want anything to do with those memories, they were years past him by now, anyways, and he found someone to trust through it all, even if he passed away. "Hm." But he sort of agreed Sixteen needed an actual name, if not for her sake, then for his. He was likely to make the association with his past now that he knew the truth, and what better way to shed it than casting that name off... He stopped in his tracks, frowning. "I'm not that good with names..." It was frustrating because he didn't want to name her something equally off and weird, but he wasn't exactly learned. Far from it. How could he think up a name to make her justice? Hmm... What would feel like Sixteen... She was a lot of things, excitable, eager --perhaps too much so--, curious, innocent to a fault... though he wasn't exactly better. She was also a lot of things, a lot of colours, and a lot of monsters, from her own account, and he'd seen enough of how people struggled to process what she was. None of this was her own fault, Sixteen always seemed like a ray of sunshine, and even continued to stand up for him against the knights. She was pretty, she was innocent, she didn't warrant people's fear. She deserved a better name than Sixteen. Something that was unequivocally pretty and evoked nice thoughts, but did he know any? Back in Mura, there were a few... "Iris." Üllr gulped, hoping it didn't sound weird or offended her. "Does... does that sound like a good name? I think it sounds nice." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanami Touko Posted November 8, 2022 Share Posted November 8, 2022 (edited) "Iris..." Sixteen hadn't heard Iris used as a name before. To her, it was the part of someone's eye. But it's... It was the most beautiful part of someone's eye. Full of color and lines and shapes and unique bits. The realization hit her all at once, squeezing Üllr into a tight hug. "That's a wonderful name..." She felt herself sniffling, overcome by an emotion-- happiness. She didn't understand why she was crying, though... Happiness was laughter and smiles, not tears. She was smiling, though. Smiling wide, very, very pleased. "Iris. Iris~ Hee, haha! I love it... I'm gonna keep it. Thank you Üllr..." Edited November 8, 2022 by Mel the DM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xinnidy Posted November 8, 2022 Share Posted November 8, 2022 "O-Oh." Üllr was relieved, a long exhale as Sixteen-- no, Iris, embraced the name. "G-good. It's pretty, it suits you." Even he couldn't help a smile at how elated Iris was at the christening. He held onto her tighter --to make sure she didn't fall off, of course. "To... to the book place then. Iris!" It was very pretty, he enjoyed saying it, too. He felt very light, but nothing changed about Iris' weight. Weird... but not bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanami Touko Posted November 8, 2022 Share Posted November 8, 2022 "It's pretty, so it suits me, huh? You think I'm pretty, Üllr?" She giggled, her sniffling dying down for some rather hyper happiness, her tail wagging in long, exaggerated strokes as he walked. "Heehee... Well, thank you. I think you look good too. Today's turning out to be one of the best days of my life. Definitely top five! I hope the book store keeps it up~" She sighed just a little bit, eyes looking around the town. It had taken her a long time, but finally, Iris had a place to belong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xinnidy Posted November 8, 2022 Share Posted November 8, 2022 "E-eh? Uh..." Üllr couldn't really fight against her words this deep in, "Y... yeah, I think you're pretty. You're different, but that's not a bad thing. I don't think so." Blushing, the wolf boy continued to carry Iris along town, the attention they no doubt would get from locals was hard to care about when Iris was being this happy. Soon enough they'd walked towards what seemed to be the proper storefrone. More books, definitely more than the past store, and less magical artifacts. "Hello... is, this the bookstore." Üllr called out, still carrying Iris. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MRDRHAWK Posted November 8, 2022 Share Posted November 8, 2022 Rude. Saiga wasn’t all that keen on sitting there while someone insulted his ability to raise his wyvern, but he also wasn’t keen on picking a fight either. For one, he wasn’t much of a fighter anyways, and he also didn’t want the Evokers or Sarasin to catch flak for him losing his cool. Besides, he was just here for feed, not a fight. ”I’m a messenger, on assignment from the Lord Sarasin of Liste.” Technically still true, since Sarasin did put Saiga on his current mission, even if it meant a practical change in employer. “We’d intended to restock after our last outing, but the lord sent us on another assignment quickly after, and things aren’t exactly lush out in Liste.” Hm. Part of Saiga wondered if maybe he should mention the Evokers, but he thought better of it after a moment. Might not want to risk running them into trouble just because someone at an outpost was giving him grief. “Plus, you’ve never met my Ishii. He’s a pretty moody sort on a good day, and normally we have no issues with feed. But he’s gotten grumpy that we didn’t get much rest before having to travel again, and… well, stress ate, as it is. And he’s a big one, too, since he’s gotta haul me around.” Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scorri Posted November 8, 2022 Share Posted November 8, 2022 Cin stared down at his plate, feeling like a cloud had suddenly appeared in front of the sun. He didn't know why this bothered him so much. Versaris hadn't even had details, but just knowing that his family was apparently hated by most of a nation was enough to put him off wanting to know more. They were always presented as being dead to me. The kind, lovely and perfect type of person that you can only be when you're dead. Maybe that's it. That perfect picture was cracked with that vision from the fortune teller and then Sari completely shattered it... "Maybe. I would want to find out more information before I went looking for them though. Know what I would possibly be getting myself into. Maybe Sari has a contact he can ask, or... something. I don't know." He sighed, pushing back away from the table and pulling out his coin purse. "Probably best to focus on cheerier things in the moment though. It's not something that can be sorted through today no matter what we try, so... Lets just enjoy the day. I can try and show off for you in the arena and then we can go shopping. Or just walk around town. I'm not really picky. It's just a relief to have some down time, if I'm being honest. Nice to have a break from everything that's been thrown at us recently, you know?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursali Posted November 9, 2022 Share Posted November 9, 2022 "Mhhmm... Maybe. Don't spend all of it on me, don't know if test will work yet or not." Despite her soft rejection of his offer it was based in not wanting to feel as she was using him for food and gifts, rather than rejecting how their shared lunch had gone. Perhaps illustrating this fact best was that she didn't pull her claw away as he took her hand, following along just behind and off to his side. "Why are you surprised? Books best way to learn if no teacher or can't experience for self." She had no qualms about his order of places visited, so long as she ended up with some new books at the end of the day. She took in the sights as they walked through town, though only really looking for any street vendors selling food in some vague hope there was a churro equivalent somewhere to be found. Alas, none on their trip from the restaurant to the library. The bell chimed as Versaris held the door open for her, Alriana stepping inside as a voice, most likely the librarian, from the back bade her look as she pleased. "Will do." She answered back, though she didn't take the effort to shout so she doubted the voice heard her. However, rather than wander off she turned to the not-elf in her company. "Should wait here to ask for books? Or should look around?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanami Touko Posted November 9, 2022 Share Posted November 9, 2022 "Heehee~! Pretty!" Iris was ecstatic at this point, almost swaying atop Ullr's back, stopping herself simply so they wouldn't fall over. As the bookstore came into view and Ullr opened it a little to call in, Iris slid off his back and crawled inside, hopping up to her feet. "Hello! The lizard man at the magic store said that you would have more books on dark magic and stuff!" She pulled out her gifted flux tome and held it up, waving it around some. "I can use it, so I figured we should come here to see what you had!" "Mhmm..." It seemed as though she'd ruined his appetite with the talk and he was very quickly trying to distance himself from it, leaving Siorel so very quietly sighing. "Let's get going then, yeah? You can show off in the arena as much as you'd like~" She pushed herself up from the table, stretching, and pulling out fifty gold to leave for the food. "That should cover stuff, yeah? Maybe I can do my own rounds in the arena and make some of it back~" She wasn't a slouch when it came to combat, or so she thought. It would be fun to stretch herself some and work those muscles. "... Yes, I shouldn't be surprised. My apologies." Sari smiled at her claims of wanting to teach herself, assuming too readily that because she was so skilled at combat, it removed her from settings of academia. As the library owner called out to them, Sari let Aly call back, also doubting he heard them, but not too concerned about it. "We can go in. It's a library, after all. See if you can find yourself something that you like." Pulling her inside ever so gently, Versaris began to look around the place, the shelves lined with many books, as he'd expected. He didn't have anything he wanted to specifically look for here. Not anything he expected them to have, anyway... So books on cooking would have to do. He was far from a master chef, but he knew how to make a decent meal without ruining it. He pulled a few books from the shelves and idly began to flip through them for things he thought he would enjoy, or that Aly would enjoy, being particular to focus on seafood and beef dishes. "Hmm, hmhmhm~" Slowly he began to start humming, rather pleased by the reading they'd found themselves doing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcd900 Posted November 9, 2022 Share Posted November 9, 2022 Laniva moved up to the stands to watch Syta's run in the arena, gladly taking the opportunity to sit and rest for a bit. She was distinctly less excitable in the stands than Syta had been for her - it wasn't exactly in her nature to be cheering like that - though she was focused quite intently on Syta's fights. She'd entered the arena with dark magic, from the looks of it. It was somehow more apparent how much Syta usually carried now that she was free of most of it, though she seemed to not really be missing it, at least for the first couple fights. Hmm. She's actually pretty good... what was she so worried about? Maybe she's just not really into this sort of thing. She clapped from the stands as she won the first four fights rather handily - it was looking like Syta was going to do at least as well as Laniva had. Once she came up against the archer, though, something seemed to come over Syta, and visually quite noticeably - her hair changed color, her stance seemed to change. Is she... she looks like she's really enjoying this all of a sudden... The fight went by pretty quickly after her... shift, she supposed it could be called. The next fight, though, against the light mage that had defeated her, was over in a flash - quite literally, at that, given how powerful the light magic seemed. She winced as Syta went down, getting up from her seat to rush down to the ready room as the healers worked their magic. It seemed like Syta was still unconscious, which was a little odd - these were supposed to be practice fights, after all... She looks, uh... back to normal, though, at least...? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRoon Posted November 9, 2022 Share Posted November 9, 2022 Seeing Mikoto stand before Renais' defense put her at ease. She had a feeling she was a strong spellcaster considering her ambitions. 'I have to admit I misjudged her...' She turned back to Alvira in concern, she didn't say anything despite wanting to tell her things will be alright. That would've been a lie. Renais had no idea what was going on, it was beyond her studies and experience. It frustrated her not knowing how to help. "Mm..." That being said, her downward thoughts turned up when the fox's tails brushed against her. "O-oh!" She couldn't help but be distracted by the softness and fluffiness before her, she almost put on a small grin in fact...but immediately realized the situation was still serious so she snapped back to reality and took a small step away from the tails. "T-thanks, Mikoto..." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mercenary on the Winds Posted November 9, 2022 Author Share Posted November 9, 2022 The woman finished speaking with one of the other patron before turning back to Saiga with a raised eyebrow. "You're one of Sarasin's messengers? Huh. You have to be new or something, I'd recognize you otherwise. Leave it to him to sniff out a good chance for gold. Though, sending you off without some time to rest, eh? He pays his messengers well, and usually gives them some break in between their runs, so you've got to be up to something important... or you're just helping him try to break the ice with another one of his interests." She shrugged, and then rolled her eyes, "And, even if I haven't met your wvyern, it helps that I've been riding them for... I don't know, almost thirty years, twenty-seven to be exact. Like it or not, that is still on you to keep an eye on your feed." She sighed, and then pointed over to a storeroom, as she started writing something down on a note. "When I'm done you'll take this, and head over to that storeroom, and hand it to one of the lasses in there. They'll hand you some feed, but don't come back in here asking for more; Knights and mercenaries on mission in the search have priority, and as far as I can tell, you're neither of those. What does Sarasin have you doing out here, or what has he told you? I would think that he would have at least notified me if one of his was out here, and he's not a forgetful sort, especially not with me. I'm half expecting you to drop a letter on me when I say Portia Eclair--that's my name." The door to the bookstore opened, and the place was dark, hazy and smelled of smoke. There was a sweet smell to the place, amongst the sparse number of books, though the books themselves seemed more intricate, and worn. There was silence for a moment before both Ullr and Iris heard the scrapping of a stool against tile, and then unsteady footsteps from the back. A old, tanned man appeared from behind the curtain, a pipe in one hand, and a book in another. "Who in--" He looked down to see Iris in front of him waving a tome of dark magic, a flux tome on quick study, but she was... what was she? He placed the pipe on his lips and inhaled, before looking back down at Iris, blinking, "I had to check if it was working. People tell you that you're insane enough time and you start believing it, and then you have whatever, you, it," The man looked at Ullr, "She? He? Is, and I wonder if I should sssssstop." The man shook his head, and wandered past Iris, swaying his head back and forth, before lazily spinning. "Welcome... to Takastore, I'm book and these are Taka." He paused, a hand on his long beard and another in his dishelved hair. "Wait, no, I'm Taka, this is a bookstore." The man nodded, and then pointed at Iris, "Dark magic...? I have some of that, yes, somewhere. I don't think I used them as kindling. No one out here, except me, uses it, and I don't use it. Sssssssso, I guess you're not from around here... or anywhere, maybe, I don't know." He pointed towards the ceiling, "Oh right... it's over there. I think... Elflux, maybe some Earth? I don't know, you'll figure it out, look around there's some alright stuff." "Of course... That's more than we had a moment ago, but I've never heard of something like that." The term Overarch was a new one for Tio, but at this point, surprise was not an emotion that she cared enough to feel. Exasperation would have to do, and amplified with their only clue potentially being in Lufiria. Well, that wasn't entirely true. There was still someone else who might of had an idea of what was happening, but the chances of running across him again were vanishingly small at this point. Who exactly are you... Chris? Why would you have power similar to Mikoto's Voima, and then also shares similarities with this Mercuria being? Tio then focused her attention on Alvira mentioning something about candidates, that Alvira was surrounded by them, and that herself and Elisa were considered as such as well. "That's... troubling. What could that possibly mean?" Tio let out a sharp breath. Every word seemed to exponentially multiply the work that was set out in front of them. The mention of the relic in the conversation was also a cause for concern; were they some how related to higher beings? That might explain why the weapons were said to be so powerful, but then the question became how the Holy Lufirians would have lost if they had the ability to craft such weapons? The fact that the Escaflowne was now in play thanks to the theft, she could only hope that they didn't come across the weapon to find out. Drawing this Mercuria's attention to them again was not on her list of things to do. Tio's hand was on her forehead, "Yes, I think taking her back to the inn is for the best at this moment. We can do anymore speculation there, Elisa, would you help me lead the way?" Despite asking, Tio spun towards the direction of the inn, and stalked off. Her hair still its vibrant green, and her nerves still frayed as she kept a feel out for Mercuria. Perhaps even a metaphorical storm cloud above her head. So many questions, and not enough time, or clarity, or anything... Mercuria, Overarch, Candiate, the Relics, Fomalhaut, how and where do I even begin... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanami Touko Posted November 9, 2022 Share Posted November 9, 2022 "Not at all, Renais... My apologies for my tails, I'm a bit distracted." Mikoto wasn't going to let this information slip from her view, quietly following after Tio without any further mention. She did glance back at Renais and Gean, though, giving the two a wink. "If you wish to continue without us, by all means. I didn't mean to get in your way that much... But if you're curious, feel free to follow along. I'm sure the Evokers won't mind witnesses being there~" With a swish of her tails, she turned completely to match pace and catch up with the Evokers, humbly walking along after her. Alvira nodded. There were a few things she could mention and clear up in the moment, but it would be best to avoid that just in case people had been listening. They'd already caused a scene in the middle of the street... "Hey, Mikoto, wait, don't you need to-- Oh." The fox's stand was already gone. "Must've missed that... Your magic sure is crafty." She was still a little wobbly, but with the poncho Gean had provided giving her just a bit more warmth, she managed to walk after Tio without too much issue. "She? I think. I haven't really thought about it, but that's how folks refer to me." Her voice was rather feminine and so was her body, Iris nodding along with statements and assessments. She didn't quite know what else to make of the elderly man, though, crawling in on all fours and circling him a few times before squatting and staring at him. "What do you mean people call you insane? Did you do something to warrant that, Mr. Taka? Do you use dark magic or not? I'm not from around here, I'm from Lufiria! I think. I'm not really sure! How much is your dark magic? Do you want gold or something else for it? How old are you? What's in your pipe? Is it safe to smoke? What else do you have? Any magical trinkets? Anything pretty? Ullr said I was pretty, so I wanna get stuff to match!" She rattled off an exhausting amount of questions, tail wagging the whole time, the man's tempo and weirdness rubbing off on her quite effectively. "Oh! I'm Iris, by the way. He just named me," she said, pointing over at Ullr, "and I'm very, very happy with it~" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MRDRHAWK Posted November 9, 2022 Share Posted November 9, 2022 Saiga’s immediate thought process upon hearing Portia’s name was to find it cute. And it really was, even if it made him hungry for some sweets. Maybe he’d have to go sniff out a confectionary once he was done here. Although that’d definitely have to wait - fortunately, the big man’s brain caught up with him, and realized he’d been asked a question he really couldn’t answer all the way. Hm. How to go about this…? “Well, he’s got me on… a bit of an escort mission, so to speak, so… technically, I’m on loan to some friends of his travelling through the area. They’ve also got a mercenary company with them, so I’m mostly just there so Sarasin can make sure someone’s keeping tabs on ‘em, and also keeping ‘em upright with my healing staves.” That seemed plausible enough, and entirely true, to boot. Although hopefully Portia wouldn’t ask too much about said friends, or he might have to reveal more critical information than he’d like. “Oh, thanks! Yeah, sorry, I swear, normally he’s good about this stuff, but Ishii is so temperamental sometimes…” Saiga grumbled a bit at the end, but his usual cheer picked back up as he added, “But he’s my trusted partner, so I’m more than okay to let him indulge a little, given what we’re doing right now seems pretty important to Sarasin.” It helped that he was getting paid a fair bit for it, too. Nyx hadn’t watched a good arena scrap in a while, and regrettably she’d missed Lani presumably run through the whole thing. But she definitely caught the fights that Lani’s new friend had, and… well, Nyx really didn’t know what to think of it all. Mostly because she seemed to just, kinda… change, right before everyone’s eyes. And not quite in the same way as Moonie did, either; no, this was something else entirely. Almost like someone kicked the door in and took over, but that sort of thing made no sense to Nyx in the slightest, so she didn’t really focus much on that. What she did focus on, though, was the fact that apparently, Lani took off to go be by her new friend’s side, as Nyx shrugged. “Meh, woulda been nice t’ave a friendly face in me corner when I go in, but let the cat do wha’ she wants.” Especially since Nyx hadn’t really known Lani to be particularly close to anyone before; not enough to go rushing to their side right away, at any rate. It was fine, Nyx figured. May as well let Lani deal with her new pal. She had some skulls to crack. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluemask 96 Posted November 9, 2022 Share Posted November 9, 2022 The door to the knight outpost opened, as a green lightly armored girl approached. She brushed her bangs out her face as she entered. What she wasn't expecting to see upon entering though, she wasn't expecting to see a large and imposing lizard man as the customer in front of her. He had a staff on his back, so she could only assume he was a healer, rather than a fighter. Lowering her guard, the girl reached into her satchel and pulled out a letter. Okay, still have the message from the Commander, probably should get some water for Charlon, I'm still set on feed... While making a mental checklist on the things she need to get while in town, the girl turned towards her traveling companion. "Is there anything you wanted to pick up while we're here Ren? We have some time before the commander gets here, and aside from making sure Charlon is good I don't really have any plans." Gean watched as the for heading for the inn departed, Alvira still a little shaky but stable enough to make the trek with the others keeping an eye on her. Truthfully, Gean wanted to go with her, the name Mercuria was still giving her a bad feeling and it bothered the mermaid that she couldn't tell why, but there were enough cooks present at the time, and she could always talk to Alvira later. That left Gean and... Well now the the rollercoaster of events had ended, it was now Gean and the person she was both anxious and wanting to be alone with. With her poncho going the way of the inn, Gean's scale glistened softly in the afternoon sun. Putting her hands in her pockets, Gean decided she'd be the one to break the silence. "Well, now that's over, do you still want to get those earplugs? Or should we head somewhere else?" Gean mentally slapped her forehead as she dodge the elephant in the room, but Vira's advice was still fresh in her head, and she wasn't done panicking over whether she had rushed things a bit too much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanami Touko Posted November 9, 2022 Share Posted November 9, 2022 The person that had come into the room behind the green armored girl nodded gently to their questioning, before spotting the taller fellow inside the outpost and unwittingly letting out a squeak. "G-Goodness..." They took a moment to calm down, slowly taking off their hat. Their hair was a rather matte violet, their bangs just low enough to start hiding some rather large, almost sparkling pink eyes. They smiled, taking off the hat they'd been wearing while travelling, a priestly looking piece of attire, with an ornate design on it. "If you wouldn't mind, looking into this town's conduits would be helpful. This one seems to be nearing its limit. I might've pushed it too far with my magic..." They furrowed their brow a moment along with their smile lessening, the staff clipped to their belt showing a few cracks to the crystal adorning its peak. "Otherwise, it's nice to see society again. We're waiting here until she arrives, yes? It might be good to look into an inn, or at least somewhere to spend the day... And maybe some lighter clothing." They were wearing a simple tunic, that part wasn't causing issues. It was the tights that were just peeking out between the tunic and their thigh high boots. Black wasn't the best color for heat, nor was skin tight material. "A longer dress or some shorts would be more practical for this weather... But, that's personal stuff. Let's get your business settled first." They did their best to maintain composure in the face of the weather and the imposing fellow, tugging gently at their tunic to fan themselves just a little bit... "Maybe a good book..." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluemask 96 Posted November 9, 2022 Share Posted November 9, 2022 "Right, a little bit of shopping would be nice. Plus a bit of food would be nice." They had been riding for a while to get to Cerezia, and with what the letter entailed, who knows when they'd get another chance to relax. Jesse took a look at Ren's attire, their outfit gave off the appearance of a healer, but it was nothing like what the knight girl had ever scene. She could tell however that the tights and hat weren't doing them any favors in handling such a sunny environment. Ren was right, there were more pressing matters to be handled first. Looking around the lizard man in front of her. Jesse spoke in a louder voice. "Um excuse me, I have a letter for Miss Portia, also was looking to stock of on some supplies for my horse?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xinnidy Posted November 9, 2022 Share Posted November 9, 2022 This man... had seen better days, for sure. Üllr was almost concerned for them as he started rambling near-nonsense. "Uh..." He followed Iris into the store, looking about the place, it was kind of a mess, and reeked of the same smoke as the man's pipe, an affront to the wolf clouded's sense of smell. "Hrgh." Fighting back his urge to walk away, Üllr followed Iris, concerned at how she was quickly overwhelming this unwell man with questions. Who knows what he would do. "Iris, c-calm down, give Taka one question at a time. And... we have to find these books. Uh..." The man pointed at the ceiling, but somehow Üllr doubted that would help them. Guess they should start looking, but, Üllr wasn't exactly the most literate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursali Posted November 9, 2022 Share Posted November 9, 2022 "Mhm." She gave Versaris a small noise of agreement, splitting off to find some books that she would enjoy reading whenever she had to occupy her mind. Her preference was mostly towards stories and tales, rather than books of general knowledge; she felt it easier to learn from characters performing actions than from the dull voice of the author telling her how to do something. She picked out a few with interesting titles or particularly eye-catching covers; it was always a mixed bag with books such as these; she felt many authors struggled with making relatable characters, even with her unique perspective. She returned to Versaris, books cradled in her arms. "You read cook books? Want learn how to cook?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRoon Posted November 10, 2022 Share Posted November 10, 2022 The Evokers and Mikoto were about to leave with Alvira to the inn, and as much as it pained Renais to admit it she knew she wouldn't be able to help. 'I'd only just be in the way...' With that in mind the pinkette lifted her head and approached the ladies before they left. "Tio, I'm sorry about earlier, really I am. I'd like to talk with you later a bit more on that, but please accept that for the time being...and that whatever you need I'm willing to offer." She then turned her head to Mikoto. "And you, Mikoto. I'm afraid I've misjudged you. You gave me information that, while frightening, really gave me some deeper insight on issues I've had for a long while. You were even willing to guard me from a threat none of us knew how to handle. I really owe you." Finally, she turned to Alvira. "And Alvira...this is beyond me and my studies, but if you need help I'm here. I'll be hoping for the best for you." She took a step back to Gean and just nodded her head. "Anyway...that's all. I won't take up anymore of your time." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanami Touko Posted November 10, 2022 Share Posted November 10, 2022 (edited) "Owe me, do you...? Care to give me a year?" Mikoto chuckled, shaking her head. "I'll take some of your time later, instead. For now... Rest and relax yourself. We'll see to Alvira. The dragon will be uncomfortable, but alright. The presence is long gone... So long as she doesn't invite it to return, she shouldn't suffer anything further." That was as best as she could assume right now. She was woefully under equipped to handle this, but if nothing else, she was strong. Alvira was too interesting, so she had to do her best to make sure the dragon remained alive and well. "See you later, Renais... Good luck with Gean~" "Ah... Thank you, Renais. It's nice that you care, but I think this is above... All of us. I'll do my best to be okay so you don't have to worry anymore." Alvira glanced past Renais, giving Aegean a knowing look. Good luck with your crush, Gean. Better get to it before the fox charms her socks off... "Mm? Yes, well... If we're to be travelling for a while, it'd be nice if more of us knew how to cook more than the basics. I wouldn't mind making you a proper steak on the road, or something else you enjoy... As for you," he began, peeking down at the books in her arms, "stories and tales and the like? I've got a few I could regale you with from memory, if you'd like. Plenty of myths get tossed around the continent, plenty of stories passed down. Especially in my family..." His expression sunk for a single moment, all smiles the next. "But, yes, cooking. The rest of the Tigers aren't quite up to my par for proper sparring yet, so I should focus on my other skills." "Ah! There you are!" Marigold held a finger out and pointed at the Tiger woman leaving the inn, walking her way with that imposing axe over her shoulder. She realized pretty quickly that it might be taken the wrong way, unslinging it and sticking it into the ground for a moment. "Hey, so, you're the leader of the mercenary group that just came into town, right? Big, tall, chesty tiger woman. That's what that Miria girl said... My name's Marigold. I work for some folks in Islexia... Which, please don't be alarmed by that. I'm Lufirian-- they're good people, promise. Uh, anyway..." She sighed, this was always going to be a hard sell. "Your girl Miria said you were going to be passing through Islexia and your company's mostly Clouded... Which is exactly what my employers are looking for. I'd like to offer you and your mercenaries a deal for safe passage through the country. You scratch my boss' back, they scratch yours, kinda thing... I figure you aren't gonna trust me at my word, given where I'm coming from, but... This felt like an impossible mission in the first place, so I'm taking the only shot I've found so far. If it helps you any, they're the, uh... Gaffneys? Dunno if you've ever heard that name before, but the head, Owen, his sister is Clouded... Despite them being warlords of Islexia, so, he's pretty understanding when it comes to people like us. What do you say? Wanna think about it and hammer down the finer details?" This was a rough explanation, but this was the first group like this Marigold had seen since she'd arrived in Cerezia, days ago. She didn't want to miss this chance. Edited November 10, 2022 by Mel the DM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy12510 Posted November 11, 2022 Share Posted November 11, 2022 Well, I can't say I didn't invite this upon me. Syndra thought for a while on how to answer Miria's questions. The best explanation would've meant telling her who she really was, but she given the state of affairs in the group, that would've been an inevitability anyway. "Well, your first question is answered by your second question. My family, the Belroses, are a family of Islexian Warlords. My studying of magic, even from an early age was for our clan's betterment. At least that's the kind of drivel they kept driving into my head anyway. Can't say it didn't work, I'm not sure how far I would've pushed myself without their pressures, but..." Syndra paused. There was just something about talking about her family that ate at her, perhaps just knowing who they were and being around the exact group of people they hated and knowing how wrong everything she had been brought up on was. She continued; "My progress wasn't fast enough for my father though apparently, so they planned to marry me off for political gains. Needless to say, I was against that and ran off to Glacies to continue my studies. How it feels to cast magic? Hmm... I don't know to define the feeling, it's empowering, certainly, but even when I'm executing my spells it never feels... complete? There's still something I'm learning all the time, no matter who or what I'm learning it from. Sorry if that wasn't the answer you were expecting or hoping for, my family's just a sore spot for me to bring up to people, but you can understand why that is." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoldsbroTSG Posted November 11, 2022 Share Posted November 11, 2022 "Hmmm..." The brunette took a moment as she listened to Syndra's story. Even as she reached and pulled her bowl to herself, she refrained from eating it just yet, she thought it'd be rude. An Islexian warlord? And we just happen to be... It clicked a bit, this had to have been rough for Syndra. There is a good chance the group would run into said family she ran from. "Wow..." was Miria's first response. She scratched her head before grabbing a bite of her food. She had to think a bit. "Well, mm... At least, they taught you how to do magic, right? If you feel like you're always learning then... you can feel satisfied that you learned at all~" Even when she tried to be positive, she knew it wasn't the best time for her companion, "I'm sorry all that happened to you Syndra. I can’t imagine how you're feeling, especially since we're going through Islexia as we speak. What'll you do if you run into... no, sorry again. That's not my business." She did her best to smile again, "I'll be here for you, and I'll support you~ Promise~" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mercenary on the Winds Posted November 12, 2022 Author Share Posted November 12, 2022 Taka looked at Iris with cloudy eyes, head tilting back and forth. She deluged him with some many questions, and almost completely ignored his oddities; the wolf boy that was with her was more along the lines of how people reacted to him. A small grin came across his face, "Well... no one comes in here cause of the smoke, how I talk, and what I say. Studying dark magic and old doohickies makes people real weary." He took another hit from the pipe, "They call ya insane when ya talk about something no one else sees or understands. Like, they'd call me insane for saying that ye ain't a typical monster. Boy over there's a clouded, but ye? Ye feel... different, special even, a lot swirling about ye." The man nodded as if everything he was saying was making perfect sense, then put his right hand up as if he were casting, and then a dark sphere appeared in his opposite hand. "I use dark magic, but I don't use it, ye know? And... if you're from the devil's place then I guess it makes sense why you seem so odd. Who knows what the fuck the Lufirians get up to nowadays? I sure don't, and neither does the rest of us!" The man threw his head back and laughed. "As for the books... The earth magic, funny stuff pierces through armor, is probably like 500 gold. The bigger dark tome, fuck if I remember what it's called, I'll say... 800, and then there's that other one, little longer range, but it's the only one I've got. Make it 1100. I'd prefer gold, certainly, but I guess if you could make a case for something else, maybe I, we? could consider it." The man then stroked his beard as the questions took a more personal bend, "Old. I don't remember how old, but somewhere between seventy and eighty. Magically enhanced plants, and... as far as I know? Or remember? I'm still alive, anyway. And yes, there are other things. Two magical bracelets that I brought with me from Mura; but no one trusts me. Whew... I think that was everything?" The man's body swayed back and forth, "Got anything to add yourself boy?" The man realized that he had been staring at one of the bookcase since he started laughing, and corrected himself back to the pair. Portia cocked an eyebrow at Saiga's explanation. The man was making it incredibly obvious that there was more to his mission than he was letting on. If he was working for Sarasin, she could at least trust that it wasn't something problematic. Sarasin was not a dubious man; in fact, he wore his heart, and business, on his sleeve. "I see that your mission is none of my business; though, it is kind of suspicious that you come in here requesting help, but won't relay the purpose of your mission. You're lucky that I know Sarasin, or I might have turned you down for that sorry explanation." She then smiled, "And don't worry about it, our partners are people as well, and they have their moments. I can't do anything but trust that it is something that only happens ever-- Hmm?" Portia looked behind Saiga as she heard her name called by a woman in green armor who had just walked in. The green was a tad unusual so it made her stand out when she otherwise might not have against the enormous man in front of her. Same for the small cleric that came with her; her attire was incredibly new to her. She chuckled a bit at the irony of being told that there was a letter for her immediately after joking with Saiga about Sarasin sending her one. "That would be me. May I ask your name and where your letter is arriving from? Can't exactly just be handing out supplies willy-nilly with this whirlwind of events going on. Are you a knight, merc, or messenger?" Without looking at Saiga, she handed him the finished note. "That'll get you what you need." Luia had to wonder what on Amaranth was going on today. Ever since Marigold walked in, she appeared to be getting heavy hitter after heavy hitter. Her father and brother were going to be furious about how much money that they were losing today. Fortunately, Lumina was in top form, halting all but one of her encounters saving the Arena a good amount of gold. Everyone else on the other hand seemed like they'd all forgotten how to fight. A group of healers lugged Syta out of the pit, and into the lobby, and quickly began doing their work. The girl had, regrettably, done remarkably well, and then seemed to take on a new appearance when she fought against Deci. Her attacks appeared stronger, but Lumina didn't seem to care, and dispatched her without a second thought. "Mrrr..." She hoped that someone was actually coming to take over, so she could just go and drink her frustrations away. It was one thing for the clouded cat to excel, but it was another to see so many humans doing about the same. But her brother was supposedly heading to the mountains to speak with one of the mercenary outfits about renewing their deal. To her recollection the deal didn't even come due until November, but her family always felt the need to stay on top of things. Being nobility in Hecatia as a clouded family required quite a bit of precaution, precautions that she was very rarely made aware of. Luia stalked over and handed one bag of gold to Laniva, and left the other next to Syta. "I suppose. That I should have expected. With everything going on in Cerezia that we would get an influx of... stellar fighters. Fairly impressive work, the both of you." The healers snickered, and Luia huffed. "I guess that leaves the archer." Tio stopped in her tracks as Renais called out to her, "O-oh, that. W-well, we can worry about that later. A tad flustering, but it's not really that big a deal. For now... I would say to continue enjoying your day, the best you can. You can leave this to us." There were too many questions, many of them magical, which meant that she, Elisa, and now Mikoto were the best equipped to try to make sense of what had just happened. This was far too big to ignore, especially since Alvira had lost her flame, which meant that Mercuria was the real deal. Blocking someone's magic like that was such a high level magical skill that most never considered learning it due to how difficult it was to pull off. Yet, Mercuria was doing it from wherever she was supposed to be. They quickly arrived at the inn noticing that Natalya was just leaving, and being hailed by someone hefting a rather large axe. "Perfect timing, I suppose." She looked over at Elisa, "It's for the best that we mention what's happened to the commander before we head inside." After a moment or two, footsteps came out of the back of the library. The bespectacled man came out of the back holding a book, "My apologies, I was just looking for something in the bac--" He paused as he laid eyes on Alriana. "...Well. I suppose you meet a new monster every day, after all. First a dragon, and then... you." The man nodded at them both, the elf being a fairly known occurrence for him, "Is there something I could help you with or are the both of you alright for the moment?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluemask 96 Posted November 12, 2022 Share Posted November 12, 2022 (edited) Jesse felt a little bit of nerves as she was asked her identity. It shouldn't have been surprising considering the current state of affairs and that she wasn't dressed like most others, but she did feel a bit more on her considering what mission she was on and who sent. "Right, Jesse Flynt of Shield of Calent, currently working with the knight's o' Altair. I have a message for you from Commander Celine, Mrs Portia." Jesse finally realized she was a bit nervous when she caught her accent slip. Nevertheless, she walked around the larger man in front of her and handed the letter over. Gean sighed as her friends walked away, her question about the earplugs seemingly ignored. They were now truly alone again. While Gean wanted to go back to the original plan for the day, there were too many distractions... and one big ball up in the air. With all the panic and wild moments from earlier, just still hadn't gotten a reply for her rather brazen act from before. Taking a hand and rubbing the back of her neck, she pondered what to do next. While it meant she was a little cooler, she had given away her top. Guess I should buy something new,. don't want the girls to be out all day. Edited November 12, 2022 by Bluemask 96 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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