Return of the Emblem Chapter Ten: Converging Destinies

[Parrhesia]

Rook looked faintly injured. "Of course."

[Eail]

"You can count on it Mar, with you having my back the only thing I'll have to worry about is more arrows." Zach said with a grimace, that thing had really hurt. "But I guess Rook will be good for that while I kill the heavy stuff yeah? Go super team yay"

[scorri]

"Well, I don't know about super team. I'm just trying to keep us all alive. And sorry if asking that was insulting Rook. I just wanted to make sure you hadn't gone off and found some new person to protect your sorry self while you're shooting holes in people." She grinned at him to make it clear that it was a joke before standing up and stretching. "Well, better figure out what the plan is."

[Mercakete]

After she freshened up, Gytha walked over to where she found the others all stirring and talking. In particular, the mariner walked up to Robin. "Hoy, Robin," she greeted. She was still recovering from her shakiness from the dream. Actually, a better term was probably "nightmare."

"Ye look a bit down. How'd ye sleep?" She'd lost track of Robin after she'd run ahead to attack at close range. She'd assumed Robin had stayed behind the front lines shooting at the enemy from a distance the whole time.

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

Rizen didn't stay in the air for too long. It was just long enough for her to calm down, feeling secure now that she was able to fly again. That'd been near-traumatizing... What a strange dream. Her dreams weren't usually that...complicated.

After freshening up and tending to Rizen, Norbert vaguely wondered if he had time to train some before they set out. Well, from the smell of things, breakfast hadn't been prepared yet. Then again, he didn't know if they were even planning on cooking up anything of if he'd just have to take a portion of the group's rations again. He also wasn't entirely sure how soon they were planning on setting out. Habit compelled him to keep his mind on training, though, and so his thoughts drifted from there.

Speaking of training, last night was intense... I think I might've improved some since the last fight. It's hard to tell without a guild score, but I was able to take a couple magic attacks. Maybe it was a trick of the mind... After all, we were all dreaming. Though...I still don't know who some of the people in that dream were. Raquel looks busy, though. I'll just ask later. Stewing on it for a few more seconds, the pegasus rider thought back to when they were making plans for the training. That dragon head sure offered some strange ideas... He also said if we wanted to, he could help us some more. Hmm...

Norbert grimaced some as an idea came to mind. He felt a bit silly, but he was standing far enough away from where most of the group was gathered that he decided to follow through on it. "Hey, dragon head," he muttered, "can you hear me?" Ugh, I'm talking to the air, aren't I...?

[Snowy_One]

Robin looked up at Gytha. "Not well at all." she answered plainly before giving a small shudder and pulling her legs up to her body. "I failed Gytha. I was the first to go down. It seems to be set in these battles. Whenever a fight starts, I get the brunt of the action. Even when there is not a fight, I seem to be a target for any and all forms of abuse. It is... disturbing. I get shot by you, pushed to the side by others, and seem to be the general focus of ill-will. No offense intended. I am beginning to wonder if, somehow, I have angered one of the goddesses and they are taking their wrath out on me. Did I kill one of their pets by accident? Did I shoot at one without knowing? I do not know."

Edited April 1, 2013 by Snowy_One

[Mercakete]

"Ye were taken out?" Gytha asked, both surprised and a bit guilty as she flinched at the news, "Sorry about that... I shoulda watched ye better. I thought ye were keepin' yer distance, so I rushed in. That was...my fault. If we team t'gether again, I'll be more careful about keepin' ye safe. I promise." For now, that was all she cared about addressing, having ignored the talk about the shot to the leg entirely.

[Snowy_One]

"There was nothing that you could have done that time. It was a dark magic attack that took me down and, unless you can block magic, you could have done nothing. Gytha. I do not know what to say. Every battle seems to be like this, with me just barely escaping getting maimed. My father would be calling me weak and say he is ashamed to have his daughter, a girl he taught himself to survive the wilds, defeated so easily and constantly. My mother would say I am a poor diplomat and should just stop. My brother would mock me endlessly for my constant failures and my friend..." she looked over to where Zach and Marella was for a moment. "My friend died two years ago. When I took down a bear, it was the single best moment of my life until that point. The danger, the fear, and the accomplishment at defeating such a dangerous foe who could remove my head from my shoulders with a mere swat of his hand. Yet, today, Rook, a drunkard, took down a bear without even being sober. My greatest accomplishment before leaving Ohka, arguably since then, outdone by... him. Even in dreams I lose, not just the one we took part in tonight, but my own, private ones."

Robin took a deep breath. "All I seem to do is make enemies and fail. Maybe, maybe, come the next town, I should just ask Raquel if I can leave and return to Ohka. Everyone here is broken up about losing several people, so better to spare them the loss of one more or... worse... to not have anyone care about the loss."

[Parrhesia]

"I wasn't drunk, you stupid cunt," said Rook breezily as he passed by.

[ReformBlade]

A nibble to her hair got aneda up in an instant, the egg rolling from her grasp from her flailing retaliation to the nibbler, Hannah. This was mere child's play to the Pegasus of course, having years of practice at this sort of thing and pulled her head back just in time for Aneda to swing at nothing but air. Trotting back a step, Hannah neighed in victory (or mockingly, who knows with these types) and then proceeded to repeat the whole process before Aneda caught on and 'woke up' for real. "OK! OK I get it, friggin... winged son of a... zzz" Nibble neigh. "AGH! I'm up I'm up, stop iiiiit!" Fucking hell she doesn't let up!

There wasn't too much going on for Mushirah to really take great interest in and so she found her belongings and decided to do an inventory check, just to make sure. I've got my tome... my shot put, papers, I need to organize this stack later, pencils though some broke it seems... oh well, empty canteen, spare clothes, and some very minor rations left... I shouldn't have dilly dallied at the port, should've gotten what I needed instead of... Sighing, the cloaked woman brought out a piece of paper and a pencil, trying to recall the scenery of the dream she had last night, a little perturbed at just how unreal yet strikingly detailed it was to her eyes. So that was purgatory, or at least that's what it looks like? Makes me wonder what Heaven and Hell look like, though I also feel it wouldn't be that impressive after actually seeing them.

[scorri]

Marella glanced over at the pegasus who seemed to be attempting to eat her rider. Giggling slightly, she walked over to Aneda and offered a hand up. "Here, let me help. Your pegasus sure is persistent, huh? What's her name?"

[ReformBlade]

"Thank you, yes, and Hannah is this insufferable flying beast's name" Hannah neighed and started clopping here and there. "girl just needs some exercise I'll bet, gettin antsy and whatnot but i'm too tired for her flying antics right noooow!" Nibble, swipe, pull back, frustration achieved. Aneda covered her face in her hands and let out an obscenely frustrated groan. "Give me. A FUCKING minute!" she yelled as loudly as she could, but Hannah couldn't have given less of a shit really, trotting a little here and there, neighing in excitement.

[scorri]

Marella grinned. Walking over to Hannah, Marella patted her on the nose. "Now, calm down here. Can't you tell your rider just woke up? Give her a break." Turning back to Aneda, she asked, "So what's it like being able to fly? I've never had the chance and I've always wondered." Glancing back at Zach and Rook, she saw Rook say something to Robin and then walk past. Sighing, she muttered under her breath, "Hope that isn't going to cause trouble..."

[Ether]

"Ohohoho my~ It looks like you made yourself very comfortable, Discovery~" The playful voice rang out, as Kit's head popped out from above the Dauntless, giving the waking couple an amused grin, as well as one towards the armoured man who was with them.

"See, there's no harm in keeping me around~" She added, adjusting herself slightly so her legs would gain a better grip on the dark sphere, that she could only be described as lovingly straddling, which seemed to be responsible for keeping her afloat.

********

As Faatina continued to sit beneath the tree, nursing the elixir to the point that it was pretty well at it's end, she wondered when one of the waking party members would bother to spare a look in her direction... she was slightly embarrassed at the prospect that she was still in her nightclothes, but getting her leg fixed took priority at this juncture.

********

Fuck waking up, that shit was too weird. And with that, Arietta remained asleep.

[ReformBlade]

Now there's a subject the rider could latch onto. "Flying? It feels great, honestly. Wind rushing past you, sound blurring around you as you look down upon a landscape! It's exhilarating! Well, until you get that random bug flying by in your eye and into your mouth. That's how I quickly learned to keep my head as close to my mount as possible when flying~!" Hannah liked flying because flying was flying. A pat on the nose made her snort but over all the lady seemed to have a better grasp of the situation and decided to perhaps not be such a jerk to Aneda.

[scorri]

Marella raised an eyebrow at the snort and shook her head at Hannah. Grinning at Adena, she said slightly wistfully, "That sounds amazing. You're really lucky, you know? To have a chance like that. Well, there are lots of people who would do anything to have the chance to fly." Shaking her head slightly, she changed the subject. "So, are you hungry? I was going to go try and figure out what we're doing today what with that big meeting happening. I hope it doesn't end up as a fight but I suppose we had better prepare for the worst... What do you think? You've been around this group longer than I have. Do you think this Sardis fellow will actually let us go without a fight like what's his name, pretty boy over there claims?"

[ReformBlade]

"Oh, I know... I guess I get what you're getting at, anyway, and I don't take it for granted!" Just a little defensive, but she went back to a more natural tone when the prospect of food came up but that happy thought got squished underneath the thought of dealing with a guy who is supposedly misunderstood. "I uh... I ain't the best person to ask about that. I'm no tactician, I don't know if this is some sick mind game of his or someone else;s design or if it's an honest to god civil meeting on equal grounds. All I know for sure is that letting my guard down isn't the most logical option. We've been met with violence at a lot of turns, hell, I found these fuckers in the middle of fighting demons. Yes, demons... Violence seems to be a running theme with these folk, if not physical then political or mental."

[Phoenix]

Dauntless

"I don't think she needs a chaperone so much as a crash course on alcohol and how to deal with, handle properly, or avoid it," Reign commented. "Iii'll go get one our healers and then check on her," he added. Of course Kit's appearance erased those thoughts from his mind for the moment. Reign tilted his head at her, donning a confused-intrigued expression.

"Ack! Uuuuurgh. I prefer you as a small little fox that doesn't say much," Raquel muttered, looking away from the upside down woman.

"... I don't know exactly how you're hanging like that, but you might want to right yourself," Reign advised, wagging his finger in her direction twice with a somewhat apprehensive and concerned look now on his face. That top is nothing but strings and a couple of patches of cloth. Suddenly the academy's skirted uniforms look pretty conservative.

Campfire(now all burnt out)

Not wanting to deal with Colin and having a very good alternative relatively close by, Shadrak came over to Mushirah and sat down beside her trying not to make things awkward or come across as creepy, but for all his efforts ...? "Uh, good morning, Mushirah." Hmmm ... probably best not to bring up the battle just yet. "What are you doing there ...?"

[-Cynthia-]

Veronika

Things started to get very disorienting in dream world before Veronika found herself waking up in a cold sweat, her hand immediately going to her weapon. Not eager to do that again...what was the point of all of it I wonder? she puzzled as she got up.

Nadya

Nadya woke up with a start along with the others and decided to give Luca a pat on the back as soon as she got up. "Pretty different from my normal dreams...probably pretty different for you too. What do horses dream about anyway?" she wondered aloud, sticking close to Luca for comfort.

[Ether]

"You're mean, Raquel. I was even gonna exhaust myself in that little ordeal last night before you blew everything away with that Emblem of yours." Kit replied, before sticking her tongue out at Raquel and adjusting herself to better face Reign.

"Well I'm using dark platforming, silly. Dark spheres float, and if you don't make them volatile, they won't hurt you... it takes some practice to hang on to them because they're kinda slippery, but I'm pretty good at keeping things tight between my thighs~" Kit replied, giving the man a flirtful smirk.

[scorri]

"I... see. Demons. Interesting. Well... I suppose that we'll just have to wait and see what Raquel has in store for us, huh? Anyways, how about that food I mentioned earlier. I know that at least I'm starving. All that training in our dreams seems to have left me with a huge appetite. How about we leave Hannah here and go figure out what's up?" Glancing at the pegasus, Mar grinned and continued. "And maybe if she behaves while you're gone, I can give her an apple after."

[Balcerzak]

The world shattering changes simply continued to occur. Almost no sooner had Sinbad's mistaken impression been corrected, but the developments had quickly gone beyond the point of no return. Even gravity had abandoned them, and thus all attempts at bracing himself had been rendered entirely useless. Reflexively, he brought his left hand to his head, to hold onto his hat. The ice magician seemed to struggle to put a smile on his face, while the wind mage had started screaming and flailing about. One of those reactions was perfectly normal, the other was not. Everyone else was far enough removed from the immediate vicinity he couldn't tell what was going down elsewhere, nor was it even important. In fact, things were happening pretty much too quickly for much in the way of conscious thought at all.

I mean, honestly, if he'd truly had the time to think about things, surely Sinbad would have realized that in the long run, reaching his arm around her and pulling her close to try to calm her down certainly wouldn't have any meaning when they slammed into the ground. But it was something instinctive to try to provide some measure of comfort, perhaps, and fruitless though it may have been, he was content with the situation. "---" he tried to say, but at this point the speed of the rushing wind made just about everything inaudible. He couldn't even hear screaming anymore and...

...suddenly the cowboy landed in what had to have been the single largest cowpie in the universe. At least it cushioned his fall, but there would be a nasty price to be paid for that. Looking around he saw that he was holding tight to a bale of hay, tucked under his right arm, and he couldn't rightly recall what for. That ceased to matter though, as the hay overflowed, piling up all around, and suddenly it wasn't a cowpie, but a gigantic hay pile he'd fallen into, and it was covering him completely, up to his hat. After some moments he felt a soft and familiar nuzzling, as Hatsune had grazed down the hay to a level where he could breath again. "Heh, reckon you'll help me out of this one, won'tcha girl?" he muttered, and indeed she did. Upon being freed, Sinbad was surprised to note that the sun was now a giant flower, and it was raining pollen and nectar across the land. Well, anything to fight the lingering scent of wet dung, that had somehow refused to disappear even when it had been replaced by hay. Following that, they rode off, and encountered the unlikely source of the initial landing cushion: a gigantic blue ox, and the owner, a plaid wearing lumberjack the size of a mountain. They shared a hearty meal, and then the cowboy and his trusty steed parted ways, heading off across the plains to round up feral mustangs.

And then he woke up. It was morning, and aside from a little stiffness, he was none the worse for wear. Well, he probably oughta freshen up, break his fast, and then, with a twinge of disappointment he realized, probably bid farewell to this interesting group of characters. After all, odds were bad they'd be traveling on in the same direction from this point forward. Still, it had been a fantastic set of coincidences in the first place, and certainly left him with some mighty interesting stories to tell. If he didn't understand everything that had happened, that just would make it all the easier to embellish when he'd end up sharing it with other companions across the blaze of a hearty campfire, now wouldn't it?

Stretching, he rose to his feet, and headed off to find some water to splash his face.

Edited April 1, 2013 by Balcerzak

[Eail]

While Marella had stopped to talk to Aneda about her pegasus and Rook did.... Rook things, Zach continued on to the Dauntless. There were a few finer points he wanted to work out with the head honchos before they really get started this morning. The whole going into a possible trap thing still didn't sit really well with the sage. "Hey Raquel, Reign, you guys up... yet..."

'Kit, upside down, revealing outfit.'

'KIT, UPSIDE DOWN, REVEALING OUTFIT, LADY'

'KIT, UPSIDE DOWN, REVEALING OUTFIT, PRETTY FOX LADY'

*thunk*

"stu.... exy... fo... ady..."

[ReformBlade]

Hannah wasn't getting what she wanted immediately but the mention of an apple was intriguing to say the least. After a moment of deep contemplation, the Pegasus snorted in reply, mildly kicking at the ground. "there there, you'll make it girl. Who knows, maybe you'll get more later if you don't nibble me." Food, there we go, great topic. "Food sounds good, yes. Wouldn't mind going for more of that bear's meat, though I'm not sure if it'd be as good after half a day of laying around."

"Oh hey Shadrak, I'm just thinking, killing time mostly. Dunno when we're moving out so I figured I'd just... draw something. Trying to draw things from that dream is proving much more difficult than anticipated, though, and it's getting annoying..." Taking a deep breath and setting it aside for the moment to keep it from making her mood worse, "How are you doing? Sleep well? Er... all things considered of course..." she added rather clumsily, scratching her head.

Edited April 1, 2013 by ReformBlade

[Snike]

"So, when did we pick up this half-naked idiot?," Axel asked, angling his head up to see the newcomer fox girl, who was upside down. In a dress that was not supposed to work upside down. "Right yourself straight up, and for crying out loud, have some decency. We don't need half the mercenaries getting distracted and tripping over themselves."

As if on cue, there was a thunk, and, upon further inspection, a man had fallen to the ground, for no obvious reason. Axel planted an armored hand over his visor. "Case in point."

***

So Kit had appeared, and was upside down - on a globe of dark magic, though Blake didn't really care- which was awkward, since her clothes already left little to the imagination. Upside down, it simply didn't leave anything to the imagination. So Blake looked away, his face reddening. Was she going to be like that for the whole time?

[Ether]

"Just to let you know, this half-naked idiot could turn you into a fine paste within seconds, but doesn't, out of the goodness of her heart~" Kit replied sarcastically, lightly blowing a kiss to the armoured man, before the notation of Zachary's falling over.

"Oh, that's just Zach, pay him no heed, he tends to do that... he'll be fine in a minute or so." Kit replied, waving it off before looking to Blake's blusshing figure.

"Oh my, so you can blush, Blake~ Good to know~"