Return of the Emblem Chapter Six: Enemies Abound

[Acacia Sgt]

''Of course.'' Sophia answered. ''I even got something already from that game.'' She said while holding up her hand to show the ring.

''A ring, huh.'' John said before facing back to Shadrak. ''Say, you mentioned you also played that game. What did you got?'' He asked.

[Snowy_One]

Hurredly Robin rushed down through the hallways of the mansion, a blur of blonde hair and deer-skin clothes as she made it to the main floor and flew out the door. How long the fair was to last and how much of it she had missed, she did not know. Until Domo had spoken, she hadn't even known that it was even there. Once she was outside, she quickly turned to look about, trying to spot any signs of which general direction it was in, finally catching the sounds of the festival on the wind. She quickly dashed off towards the town. When she arrived, she was out of breath and could feel her body laboring. She was used to stealth and slower marathon-type runnings to bring down deer, not dashing wildly about to reach a certain spot. Before her now was the massive throngs of people that made up the fair and festival. She could even swear that she saw at least one of the group members inside the crowd already, though she felt oddly certain that they would not desire to talk to her after her most recent outburst.

Once before, as she had done at the flying stones celebration, she started to push her way through the crowd, weaving in and out with a surprising degree of agility, made easier by her having left her quiver and bow back at the house. About her she could see many stalls, people with contests of strength and, she felt sure, rigged games. Sights she wasn't sure she understood or that she was sure she would never understand of magic, some races, and other wonderous things. Things far greater than what she would have seen back in Ohka.

"Excuse me." she asked as she pushed through a small knot of people traveling down the main street. This place was a wonder to her, and she had no clue where to start!

[Mercakete]

"Curse!"

"No, Grandmother, the word is 'bless.' Bllleeeesssss."

"Curse family! Curse rich! Curse doll!"

"Grandmother, stop saying 'curse!' The word is 'bless!'"

"No, curse!"

The argument got nearer and nearer to Robin until the two were standing right in front of the Neviskotian archer. They were an old, very short (around 4'7") old woman and a young woman who looked to be in her 20s, both Kigenese. They were both carrying baskets of a great variety of hand-stitched dolls. There were some minature vasili, a few of Nature, Wrath, Mercy and Truth, some looked like various animals and there were some generic human dolls in the baskets, too.

"Now, Grandmother, watch me. I'll show you how to advertise." With that, the younger gave Robin a warm smile and began doing as she'd just told the older she would do. "Hello! Would you like a blessed doll? They were all made by Stitches Asociated! We make clothes, dolls, cloth furnishings and we even repair damaged cloth items! We're giving away these dolls during this festival week to show our fine quality. We even managed to get these dolls blessed by their various priests! The Truth dolls, for example, were blessed by a Truth priest. The animal and people dolls have specific blessings. Some will make you wealthy, some will make you healthy! Here, take one! And be sure to tell everyone about the fine quality we put into these!~"

"Curse dolls! Curse family! Curse health! Curse luck!" the old lady almost angrily shouted, thrusting her basket towards Robin. Her little eyes held a very intense, frightening gaze. It was that look that an angry mother gave a disobediant child...

[Zsword]

Shadrak sighed a little. "I got this little bauble here..." he said, tapping his new brooch. "The thing is, he refuses to tell me what it does... which upsets me a little more than I think I should express..." he added on, the wrath edging into his tired voice, his posture also seeming to get as edgy.

[Acacia Sgt]

<He got that much upset that easily? Talk about a short temper.> John thought.

Can't he just try to figure it out on his own? Sophia wondered.

They glanced at each other, then back at Shadrak.

''I think we should be going.'' Sophia said. ''There is still more of the festival left to see after all. Farewell.''

''If you wish. Well, see ya later Shadrak.'' John added before both went on their way further down the road.

[Snowy_One]

Robin looked at the two women oddly for a moment, her face torn between a mixture of feelings. Old women offering cursed dolls and... other strange things? Fairs were certainly quite weird places. "Statches... Ass-oh-ciated?" she asked, trying to pronounce the word as best as she could. She looked down at the dolls offered by both women, a confused, but slightly repulsed, look on her face. "You did not make these on your own? How can you know if they are good or not... Nevermind." she quickly shook her head free of the question of the quality of the dolls. A chill rocked through her back though as she intentionally avoided eye-contact with the older woman. She knew the stare well and could feel it crawling up upon her skin despite the lack of eye contact. It was like that of a snake. Powerful, overwhelming, just daring for you to break eye-contact so as to strike.

"Who are you?" she said, trying to shake the chilling feeling of the older woman's gaze as she looked down into the basket of dolls, trying to look at the ones made of animals.

[Mercakete]

"Oh, we work for Stitches Associated," the younger replied, "We did help work on some of these, actually. It's a big organization, so everyone pitches in to make lots of things. Today, my grandmother and I are advertising." The whole time the younger was cheerfully talking, the older was still keeping that intense, unnerving glare on Robin.

"....Currrrsssssse....."

"Just a moment." The younger told Robin before switching to her own agitation, directed at her grandmother in Kiegenese. <"Grandmother, you're terrible at this! Start treating the lady nicely! It's sort of amazing I speak better Common than her, but she can still help us advertise! Now stop saying that terrible word! You'll scare her off!">

<"I told you, you ungrateful granddaughter, I can speak Common well enough to sell these dolls! Show your grandmother some respect!">

<"You keep saying they're cursed!">

<"I know a curse when I sense one!">

<"They're blessed!">

<"They're cursed! Stupid child, let me take over!">

<"No! You'll ruin everything!">

"AIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!! CURSE DOLLS CURSE DOLLS!! TAKE ONE NOW!!!"

<"By the dragons..."> "I'm terribly sorry for her ravings. Would you still like one of the dolls?"

[Snowy_One]

Robin looked down at the plushies, interested. Could the dolls be cursed? Such a thing wasn't impossible, she was sure, but still... Robin thought about it for a moment, the idea of having something warm and soft for her to hold and cuddle when she was lonely in this strange world was a tempting one to be sure. "Yes, I would." she said after thinking it over. "May I have that one?" she asked, pointing to one of a small bear stuffed away under a doll of the Nature Goddess. "Why does your grandmother think that these are cursed, and... Ummm... Are you from Keigan? I do not recognize your language."

[Mercakete]

"Yes, we are," the younger replied as she handed the six-inch-tall bear to Robin, "As for why she thinks they're cursed--" "CUUUUURRRRRRRRRRRSSSSSSSSE!!!!" "--I think she's trying to say 'bless.'" That last bit was a lie, but oh well.

[Snowy_One]

Robin took hold of the bear and quickly grasped it tight, squeezing the bear into her chest as she hugged it dear, her nose rubbing its head. A small feeling of joy came over her as she held it in her arms. It's warm and cuddleable nature, small body, and soft stuffing giving her a rare moment of peace. Then she looked up, still avoiding eye-contact with the older woman. "I do not think people go around crying out that things are blessed. I think your grandmother believes it is cursed... but... it is so cute! How can it be cursed?" she asked again, turning to look at the grandmother... before raising her bear up to block the gaze from connecting with her eyes.

[Mercakete]

"I mean, she doesn't know Common very well. So she's trying to say 'blessed' but is accidentally saying 'cursed' and she won't listen to my corrections," the younger replied.

"Kuma curse you!" the old lady pointed an accusing finger at the bear doll, "Bad luck!"

"No, grandmother, it's 'good luck!' It's a lucky doll," the younger tried to reassure.

[Snowy_One]

"I have a lot of bad luck already, so if this doll curses me with more bad luck, it will not matter." said Robin, snuggling the bear. The mental image of a army of merchants, each armed to the teeth with iron knives, leaping over one another in a mad rush to sell the crude barbarian girl one quickly formed in her head before being dismissed by the mental image of snuggles. "May I have your names though? My name is Robin."

[Mercakete]

However, by the time Robin opened her eyes again, the younger of the Kigenese pair had already ushered her grandmother through the crowd and away and Robin was left standing alone with her new, plush bear.

[Phoenix]

The Hunt

While Norn followed an almost straight path through Europa, Runa followed along, slowing her down every now and then whenever she spotted something interesting. Having come into Europa from the south, they had been getting rather close to the middle of the city, and it was getting more and more difficult to travel, anyway. Norn found herself bumping into humans every few seconds trying to stay on her path. Meanwhile, Runa gracefully avoided people in Norn's wake and even apologized for the Princess when necessary.

Eventually they passed by a shop and the shopkeeper waved to them. Norn ignored him and kept walking but the shopkeeper didn't give up just yet. The moment he mentioned food for the rabbit, Norn stopped walking. They both came up to the man and Runa stepped into the spotlight again. "Hello! You have food for rabbit, yes?!"

"I sure do, missy~ I couldn't help but notice that you two had a cute little critter with you and wanted to make sure the little guy was well fed." the shopkeeper replied cheerfully.

<"It's a female. His nose is pathetic."> Norn muttered in Kigenese.

<"Princess, humans have to rely on their eyes to sex things and you've got the rabbit all covered up in your arms. Kind of hard to judge with just her head sticking out like that, you knooow."> Runa commented speaking with a bit of a rhythm in her tone.

<"Ask him about the food."> Norn ordered before gently nuzzling the rabbit.

<"Fine, fine.> Sir! You have food for rabbit, yes? We'll take ... uhh ... <How much do we need?"> she turned to ask Norn again.

<"... all of it.">

"All your rabbit food!" Runa finished.

"Err ... all of it?!"

Norn raised an eyebrow. She was unfamiliar with human customs but sensed that their request was a bit outrageous by his reaction. "O-ooone ... food-meal. One meal for ... bunny." she said in common, picking words that might make a bit more sense.

"Oh I see, you wanted all of one meal ... or ... something ..." We get foreigners in these festivals sometimes, but this is new.

Festive Festival Festivities (I'm not sure if this phrase even works )

While Amon was being dragged around on a wild blonde chase, he could only catch a brief view of anything that caught his attention. As Gytha led them around, a stage came into view and some of the crowding had broken into channels with large open areas in between them. Going through those open areas was faster but they were also apparently still looking for someone. Every time Amon thought he saw Silvia, a closer glance before being tugged again revealed that something was too off to actually be her. As they passed the stage, Amon noticed someone else that wasn't Silvia but that he'd seen before ... that winged cleric.

Joanna stood around with some other people holding a small Goddess Mercy plushy in her hand as well as a basket full of other things she had gotten at the festival. She never noticed Gytha or Amon and just kept her eyes on the stage along with some other standing near her. Soon a trio of dark avians dressed in spring season dresses stepped out onto the stage in a rushed but cheerful manner waving and exciting the crowd. Joanna was quickly accosted by one of the people standing near her.

"Hey, you know them?" a young man asked.

Joanna didn't look much different from the three winged performers in both coloration and clothing, even she would have admitted. "Oh, no. I've never met them. I only learned that there would be a traveling group performing at this festival and when I heard they were avians, I wanted to see them for myself." she answered shyly.

"Hahah, well that's too bad. You should be on stage with them. You certainly look the part." he complimented with a wink.

"Oh ... well ... my singing isn't that good and I have a weak voice to begin with ..." she replied with a weak smile.

"You should give yourself more credit. Besides, I heard these girls aren't exactly a choir. They're one of those lyrical groups, apparently. Guess we'll find out, huh?" he added with a smile.

Joanna smiled back. "Yes, I suppose we will."

The music started playing before too long, a more upbeat variety that nearly caught Joanna off guard as the three girls began singing together ...

"Signs of looove overshadowed by dreeeams

Baby, don't worry cause ... you aaain't alone

Onlyyy time running days without niiiights

Teeears pass throooooough~"

With each held note, the three girls would make long and wide gestures together in perfect unison. At all other times, a humble but noticeably stationary dance was repeated. The girls always did the same thing save for the lead singer who would on rare occasion exaggerate whatever the other two did. Joanna eventually found herself swaying with the music.

"Seriously, sign up." the man next to her said, joking lightly.

"Every time look at the picture in the fraaame

Gaze in fascination sooooo hard

You still think that is nothing but looove

Raaain still faaaaaaaaalls~

Signs of looove overshadowed by dreeeams

Baby, don't worry cause ... you aaain't alone

Onlyyy time running days without niiiights

Teeears pass throooooough~

He said-I'm the one, who's got to leave

I said-nobody's, really got to leave

Cause I don't, hear enough explanation

All I need, is admiration

Big frustration, bro he goes

Life is short, we gave a shot

But didn't work, honey cause

We had a whole lot going on and on and on...

Signs of looove overshadowed by dreeeams

Baby, don't worry cause ... you aaain't alone

Only time running days without niiiights

Teeears pass throooooough~

Every time look at the picture in the fraaame

Gaze in fascination sooooo hard

You still think that is nothing but looove

Raaain still faaaaaaaaalls~"

Right on cue, came applause from the audience and Joanna as well. "I like them!" she said to the man next to her, raising her voice so he could hear her over the clapping.

"Yeah, me too! I used to think avians only did that churchy choir stuff but they sure proved that one wrong, just now, hahah! Awesome!"

I noticed that they still like to stay together though ... that's good, and I think it's beautiful. A cheerful tune with the same unity of any choir~ Joanna thought to herself.

OOC:

For the curious, this song is Lyra's theme.

[Mercakete]

In spite of the number of lookalikes and the fact that Gytha only had a description of the person she was looking for, she had not yet assailed anyone. She wasn't one to give up so easily, but she did begin to wonder at how Amon was doing. Her grip was pretty hard and it was only just occurring to her that she might be hurting him. Having wandered around at such a brisk pace for so long helped her to loose her frustration a bit and only now began to slow down. They'd already gone through the festival's circuit, after all. Shows and the like were in one section, the food court was in another, the games in another and the venders were in another. Off away ffrom the main festivities in a field were the boulders for people to sign. Now Gytha and Amon -- and Ranyin, who'd managed to tag along -- were somewhat between the shows and the food venders on the south side of the festival. The venders proper were north of the shows and west of the venders were the games. In the field east of the festival were the boulders.

Releasing her vicegrip on Amon's arm, she more casually took his hand. Where she'd been holding onto his arm had a red handprint wrapped around it, though, and would probably bruise. "Are ye a'right, Amon?" she asked, "Not lettin' ye go, by th' way. If yer not attached t' somethin', ye wind up gettin' stabbed, looks like, after all."

[Phoenix]

Amon

"Y-yeah, I'm okay, I think." he said, checking his arm. It didn't look permanent, so he went back to the matter at hand. "I think we'll be alright so long as we stick together. I doubt she could take both of us." From the look of her style when I first fought her, I'd say she's actually a duelist. That could come in handy in the future.

Weyland

"Now I suppose everything else can wait until the meeting." he said before looking at his pocket watch. "Mmm, about another hour and a half ... maybe two if your friends are slow getting back. Either way things should be ready shortly. Take a nap if you're still tired."

"I guess ... I will." Raquel said quietly.

[Snowy_One]

With the vendors gone, Robin was unsure what to do. She looked down at the bear, confused as to what had just happened herself. The older woman had seemed pretty convinced that the bear was cursed and, well, even if she had been confused there would be no reason to go around shouting 'BLESSS! BLESSSED! BLESSSSS!'. Robin wasn't even sure the doll was of good quality. Craftsmen should always take great pride in their work, struggle to make the best as a testament to their skill, not make goods as part of some organization. But...

Robin quickly glanced both ways, making sure no eyes were on her, before suddenly snuggling the bear one more time. After she pulled back, the thought crossed her mind that Shadrak, as a powerful wizard of the less-than-normal arts, may just know if the bear was indeed cursed or not and, if so, what the curse was. With the bear cradled in her arms, she started to move through the fair once again.

It wasn't easy finding Shadrak though. Though some of the people had gone off somewhere else, possibly to a spoony bard competition, there were still a lot of people in the fair. Even ignoring people who did not match Shadrak's description in the slightest did not make it easier to find with so many people obscuring her vision. At last, however, she spotted him talking with a woman she vaguely recalled as 'Sophie' or something. Pushing her way through the crowd, bear held in crossed arms, she approached the pair.

"Shade Drake!" she called out, hoping her voice could carry above the murmur of the crowd. She squeezed between two people before bursting out before the pair. "I am sorry Shade Drake." she said, her voice oddly subdued. She wanted to apologize to him both for her outburst in the estate earlier and for interrupting the pairs talk, though she wasn't sure if he had been present or not at the outburst (her memory slightly muddled by drink), and wasn't even sure if he was activally in a conversation at the time.

[Rothene]

Trailing the duo became harder than it should as Ranyin had to protect his basket of buns while squeezing through the tightening crowd. Realising that unless he stood next to Amon...and Gytha, he would eventually lose track of them to the crowd.

Using what little strength he had and relying heavily on his lithe nimble form, Ranyin managed to dodge through a small opening and force his way into a head on collision with Gytha...

***

"Hmm...I suppose we should go to the concert," suggested Mireille in response to Zel's question, "It's not every day there is a concert where people do their best to move the hearts and souls of people with their music."

[Mercakete]

"Hmm. Well, I guess you're safe enough now," Norbert mulled over the situation in his head as he mentioned this to Raquel, "so I'll only still guard you if you want me to while you nap. Otherwise, I think I'll go get a snack or something." And then see about finding that Fallen Prince. I have a couple more questions. I just hope he isn't still playing with...wasn't her name Gabbie? Or was it Wolfy? I guess she's been called both so it probably doesn't matter. Still, I don't know if I want to know what in Wrath's name they were doing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Something small was running quickly towards them. Gytha stopped the little mage simply by holding out her free hand and catching his forehead to stop his momentum. "Whoa, ahoy, there, Ranyin," she greeted, not sure whether to be amused, conerned or startled. To Amon, she replied, "Seems t' be, anyway. She's onla attacked ye when ye were alone at least. Still want t' talk t'er, but guess that can wait."

[Zsword]

SHadrak's demeanor turned down a little when Robin approached, he took a deep breath before speaking. "Oh hey Robin, sorry for what?"

Zel nodded at Mire's suggestion. "That sounds like fun." Krystal looked up and chirped in. "Can I come too?" She asked. "I don't see why not..." Zel said in response, the two of them turning to look at Mire for her opinion.

[Snowy_One]

"Interrupting your time here, making yet another scene earlier, both." she said before holding her new bear up for him to see. "I just got this bear and... the woman who gave it to me had a grandmother that seemed convinced that it is cursed... Ummm... Would you be willing to... look at it?" she asked, a faint blush staining her cheek as she asked the question.

Edited October 18, 2011 by Snowy_One

[Phoenix]

Raquel

Well if I'm going to be paying him to be security, I might as well get my money's worth ... on the other hand, we're in Weyland's mansion right now. Seems like a 'gross misallocation of forces' as my father might put it. "I don't want you to have to wait to eat just for my sake. I think I'll be fine just taking a nap." she replied.

"And I think I'll go take a bath. It's been a long day and I'd like to relax. Weyland, where are your more luxurious bathrooms?" Cat asked the man.

"... you don't beat around the bush, do you, Miss Blanco? Not shy about taking advantage of the hospitality?" Weyland asked rhetorically.

"I'm waiting."

"I'll have someone show you." he conceded.

Amon

"You want to 'talk' to her?" Amon asked, confused. I'm always on edge and ready to fight if I have to and yet Gytha's the one that wants to talk? Silvia's stalking the wrong guy ... Amon thought to himself.

[Mercakete]

"Aye," Gytha replied, "Doesn't mean th' conv'rsation'll stay friendla, though. Actually, It'll probably lead t' a fight. Best learn some things from'er, though, aye?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Oh, so you're not going to give me a reason to charge you extra? Oh well. Keep yourself safe and make sure no one can take that emblem from you when you're not looking. Shadrak's loose lips probably made that a lot harder for you, but I'm sure you can handle it yourself," Norbert half-sarcastically responded to Raquel before asking Weyland, "So, mind giving me a guide to the dining hall? I don't think I can remember the way back to a place where I can navigate myself."

[Phoenix]

Raquel

Extra ... Raquel shivered slightly at the thought.

"Certainly." Weyland replied to Bert, waving over the maid that had led them to the area originally. "I can take Miss Blanco to the 'luxurious' bath myself.

"How kind of you. I suppose we should also talk on the way. You can tell me more about this new wagon." Cat added.

"Yes, I suppose ..."

"Why don't you two follow me, then? Once we reach the quest rooms, your lady friend can get back to her nap, and I'll take you to the dining hall." the maid explained while gesturing for the two to follow her.

Amon

"Well ... now that you mention it. It seems like she only came after me this time to see if I was going to join her. I said no again and then ... instead of getting stabbed this time, she just left." Amon explained with a look of dread on his face.

[Mercakete]

"Maybe ye bored'er," Gytha offered up. Could've meant any number of things, really, to Gytha anyway. That was just the most harmless of them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Norbert nodded in agreement with the plans being thrown around and waited for the maid to start leading them. He'd follow once she did. It was nice knowing he'd be walking at least part of the way with Raquel. The maids weren't as bad as the waitresses, but they were probably in on whatever sinister plot the coup was cooking up. It didn't likely involve Raquel or those under her employ, but their luck with avoiding enemies was terrible so it was better to be alert for the time being than to feel a sudden, sharp pain in your back when someone snuck up to you without making a sound...