Return of the Emblem Chapter Ten: Converging Destinies

[Phoenix]

Sharing Is Caring

"Oh sure," Suzume instantly replied. Wait, do I slide the whole bowl over or have him reach over here and ... no. Uhhh ... do I feed it to him myself? Well that makes sense but ... Imagining feeding Gar the soup looked slightly suggestive, naturally. Ohhh, fine, it's not like I care what anyone thinks or I wouldn't be here. She slowly offered him some of her soup from her spoon, being careful not to spill any. She wasn't particularly swift, but she knew a thing or two about balance and not a drop was spilled. She still kept her palm under the spoon just in case. "H-here," she said with a somewhat forced smile. She'd likely feel better once the awkward moment had passed.

[Script]

C Man Called Gar

Gar conducted himself in an entirely normal manner as he took in the soup offered to him. The thought of making some comment or scene occurred to him and while it would have been hilarious and totally worth it he resigned. For now. "Mmm, pretty good," Gar noted. "Soup wasn't half bad either." Okay so he couldn't control himself fully.

[Phoenix]

It's All Good

Suzume smiled when Gar said the soup was good. It felt nice when people agreed with her. Then he followed up with what she thought was a redundant comment, but then she blushed in embarrassment when she realized it wasn't redundant at all, just cleverly worded. She sat back down normally in her seat quickly and just stared across the table with the spoon back in the soup, arms down at her sides, and her shoulders slightly raised. "W-what are y-you talking abo-out?" she nervously replied, her gaze staying anywhere but on the man's eyes.

[Script]

D Man Called Gar

"I think you know perfectly well what I'm talking about," Gar said with a light chuckle. He kept his eyes on her in clear difference to her averted gaze.

[scorri]

"Hey Lightning Head and... Blake was it? Nice seeing you two." Plopping down next to Zach, she sighed. "You should be glad you left the Dauntless when you did. Rook and Robin managed to get into a fight over... something. Still not a hundred percent sure what. Something to do with a random water mage we picked up and Rook not using 'proper' language around her. I don't even know why Robin cared, but she ended up punching Rook, who headbutted her because, well, that's what he does, and then she threatened to shoot him. Thankfully someone, uh... Veronika?, stepped in and stopped them. She then docked their pay until they apologize which isn't going to happen at least on Rook's part." She sighed, and buried her head in her arms. "I don't even know why I try with him anymore."

[Eail]

"Oh gods...." Zach said with an exasperated sigh after Marella had finished explaining what had happened back at the Dauntless. "This is the kinda stuff that happens when I'm not around to babysit.... at least Veronika managed to stop it before they did anything idiotic and start a scene. Then we would end up in trouble with the Ursian army." Thinking about the conversation he'd just had with Blake on the subject. "Rook doesn't exactly seem like the type to apologize... for anything, and I doubt Robin would either for this, she's stubborn like that."

"But uh, enough about that I suppose. Get all of your gear together and ready to go?"

[scorri]

"I would have stopped it before it went much further. And no, Rook holds his honor too high to apologize for something when he does not view himself as being at fault. I tired to get him to apologize, but he refused." She shrugged. "But as you said. Enough about that. I have everything I need. At this point, we're just waiting for the others to join us here I suppose."

[Eail]

"Yeah, really nothing to do now but sit around and plan for the next fight I suppose." Zach agreed, shifting to try to get a bit more comfortable against the wall. "Hey Blake quick question. Just who is supposed to be in charge if something happens to both Raquel and Veronika? Do we even have someone designated in case that happens?"

[Phoenix]

Replies Ship Within 2-3 Business Days

Wow, you never really know just how inept you are until you're in the moment. What am I supposed to say to that? She took a moment to eat a little more of her soup, buying herself time to think. 'Thanks', no ... 'Oh stop~' ... eeesh, no ... ...

[Snike]

"Hello," Blake said automatically after being addressed by Marella. He was still distracted by roster experiments, so he didn't say any more, but the mention of Robin and Rook getting into a fight drew both his notice and a frown. The swordsman quickly added notes to try and avoid teaming Rook and Robin up, alongside a note that they had a new mage apparently, and that Rook apparently was somewhat driven by honour. As a result, he didn't immediately respond to Zach's question.

"Right, backups...," Blake said, after he finished making the notes. "If you mean in combat, I don't think we have a backup leader set up, though if they were both defeated I doubt it would affect our performance that much, given last battle as a reference. If you mean outside of battle, I'd probably step up and lead the group to try to save both of them, provided no one else has."

Edited February 21, 2013 by Snike

[Eail]

Zach let out a chuckle at Blake's response "Yeah I could see you stepping up to the plate easily enough. They sure as hell wouldn't let me be in charge if pretty much anyone had say in it." Crossing his hands behind his head Zach gazed up in the sky. "Kinda troubling though to think about that stuff. I honestly don't believe we could continue to function in an emergency without a leader, too many petty squabbles and infighting..... 10gold says Shadrak tries to take command though"

[Script]

E Man Called Gar

Gar lightly chuckled again. Leaving someone speechless was always the best way in the end. Gar's thoughts randomly turned towards realizing that this would just be the most inopportune time for some other force to interrupt them. Luckily nothing like that happened at all. So Gar was content with waiting for Suzzy Q to come to term with her own reactions.

[Snowy_One]

"Robin. I am sorry that, whatever I did, ended up costing you your pay. I still don't know what that fight was about either."

"Do not worry about it. Money is not why I am here. My loyalty runs deeper than that to Raquel and I can survive on my own without it."

"All it would have taken you, though, is to say you were sorry. Even a hollow apology for... whatever it was... would have let you get your pay back and shown you were the better person."

"Better? No. More willing to forgive, maybe. Tia, you like magic, right? Tell me, how would you feel if someone asked you to give it all up because he thought magic was stupid."

"I... wouldn't feel any different. That guy is stupid and not worth bothering with. If he wants to feel magic is stupid, that's fine. He can go without healing staves the next time he gets a illness."

"... ... You missed the point Tia."

"Which is? What? Robin, you are clearly not a pushover. You are clearly a tough woman who stands her ground when she feels threatened. You are also someone who likes to be unquestioned and doesn't like to compromise. There is a time and a place for that, but your teammates aren't that time or that place... Hopefully. I don't know what the guy who named himself after a type of crow did to intrude on your territory or if he or you was in the right or wrong, but does it really matter? Maybe he threw the first blow with his words. Maybe he shouldn't have headbutted you in reply. But you also caused a fight to happen over some ideal. What was that ideal?"

"Basic civility. Minding your manner and ways around a youngster. Not dropping a young girl in a brothel."

"I don't know about the last one, but the first two, if I were to follow your example I would be going around starting fights with every one who said water magic was weak or boasted that his physical might was strong enough to beat any magic spell. I don't want that. I want to show water magic to be the best, but if it means beating anyone into submission who disagrees with me, I haven't shown water magic better. I'll have just shown myself a brute who shuts down other people."

"You just don't get it, do you? I wasn't trying to beat him down!"

"You punched him."

"I... I only wanted-"

"To do the right thing. I know. I'm glad you wanted that, but good intentions don't justify an action always. Wanting to learn how to bring back the dead doesn't justify defiling a body and turning it into a zombie."

"That doesn't change that, what he did, was wrong."

"Sure. But tell me, if I was five years older, would you have done the same thing?"

"N-no."

"So you made the decision for me then?"

"..."

"..."

"..."

"... Well?"

"Are you saying I am a control freak?"

"No. I am saying you hate it when you can't change something. Rook clearly was someone you couldn't change mentally, so you changed him physically. With your fist."

"Aren't you trying to change me now?"

"Yes. But not because I feel myself better or something. Because I appreciate what you were trying to do. But Robin, you can't change everything, and not everything needs to be changed."

Tia took a step away from Robin as the older red-head stood, silent and quiet, not sure what she could say in response to that as she watched Tia walk over to Veronika. "Excuse me, miss? What was Robin being paid? I am a very capable mage skilled in defense and, if you will give me her portion until she makes amends with Rook plus ten percent for myself, I'll gladly work for you."

"What? You can't do that! You are a young girl who would di-"

"What are you going to do to stop me? Punch me? Apologize to Rook?" snapped back Tia. "I thought you were better than him and wanted what's best for me. So if that's true, you know what you have to do to change it so I don't fight."

[-Cynthia-]

Veronika frowned at Tia's request, hearing snippets of the conversation between her and Robin. "Robin should learn to deal with her self-control issues without your intervention I think. Have you ever been in a battle before? Practice and real combat are two very different things," she warned Tia.

[Snike]

"I wouldn't go as far to say that we wouldn't function, though it was worse when I joined," Blake said, scribbling down a few more notes as he spoke. "And if Shadrak tries to take lead, I doubt most of the veterans would stand by and allow it, given his record with composure. If they present and can do anything about it, anyways."

[Snowy_One]

"No, but I know a bunch of defensive spells. Stuff to protect me and keep me safe from arrows, swords, and other nasty thingies like that. I doubt I would just be going offensive, just trying to serve as some sort of water-barrier-girl-thingy. I'm also not an idiot and know how to run and hide if things get going too bad AND I have to go with you guys until my books get fixed either way. Might as well make use of me!"

[-Cynthia-]

"I do not relish the thought of 'making use' of untrained children in battle," Veronika answered Tia, her frown deepening. "I think it would be for the best if you went inside the Dauntless during all combat situations," she said to Tia. After the fates of Lia and Sammy, underaged combatants seem like a poor idea. And she does not seem especially mature for her age...

[Snowy_One]

Tia sighed as she pulled the stopper off of one of the flasks and began to chant slowly. Like a snake leaving its hole, the water started to flow out and into her hand, curling up into a tight sphere. Then, her fingers tracing about the edge, she raised it up into the air and then... The ob took flight! Hovering about in front of her for a second before, suddenly shooting off towards Nika's face, stopping right in front of her nose before snapping back and turning into a broad shield in front of Tia. Then, it suddenly collpased into a long pole that spun about in front of her before shifting into one long snake-like whip which she quickly lashed out at the sky, cracking it high up and spooking some gulls before returning to her in perfect form and sliding back inside her flask.

"I know how to fight. I may not be as experienced as some of the others here, but I'm not an idiot. Besides, what would happen if you guys lost? The bandity thuggies would come in and try to raid this thing next! I'd be stuck fighting them off on my own without any backup or anything."

[-Cynthia-]

"Knowing a magical trick does not qualify as fighting experience," Veronika responded to Tia, unimpressed. "The Dauntless is often so far from the battlefield that our enemies are unlikely to find it- we often leave a guard with it besides. If you can convince Raquel this is a good idea I will relent, but I won't give this my seal of approval," she replied firmly.

[Phoenix]

Shipping Error

"Uuuokay, I'm glad everything was ... good ... then. I feel really awkward right now. I'm not used to this sort of thing, or those sorts of compliments." She looked as out of her comfort zone as she was.

[Script]

F Man Called Gar

"You certainly deserve them," Gar casually commented. "But I'll hold off if your find them uncomfortable." He promised.

[Phoenix]

Special Delivery

"I do?" was Suzume's immediate reply. She wasn't sure why, herself, but had one other thing to add. "You don't need to stop. I just haven't gotten used to it yet ... but I will." Then again, once this date's over, we'll be going our separate ways I imagine. Wait ... date? Well, yeah I guess it is. The compliments are less strange to me when I think of it that way, heheh. "Actually, I think I'll be fine now." She smiled reassuringly as well.

Oversight

"Oh I forgot you people hire kids too and stuff. That's cool. Take what you can get, right?" Colin commented as Tia performed for Veronika.

"It's not like that ..." Raquel defended.

"Nobody asked you," Shadrak chimed in angrily.

[Script]

G Man Called Gar

"Heh," Gar hehed. "That's one of the things I do like about you."

[Phoenix]

Likable

"Well I'm glad there's more to like about me than just the initial challenge. I hope you're not going to get bored, though. I'm a pretty average person away from mercenary work," Suzume warned, though that was strictly her opinion on the matter. "What else do you like, since you went and worded it that way?" she added, smiling as she waited for his answer.

[roymbrog]

Synthia's and Kat's groups eventually arrived at the tower, because I've been holding this up too much.