Bluemask 96 Posted August 23 Share Posted August 23 (edited) Gean raised an eyebrow, but simply took the elf’s incentive to see for herself, and what was waiting for Gean made her gasp. In Kise lap was a second kitsune, being absolutely doted on. “How, this is-” Kise swore that she was alone, Gea still remembered the hatred in her voice when she said that; yet not even a day after their conversation on the ship, here was proof against that. Gean teared up at the sight. “Kise, I'm so happy for you. You're not alone.” In this moment, Gean didn't care about revenge, or the idea of Kise and her family fighting. All she cared for was the happiness in her girlfriend's face. Gean turned to Thalia, and her companion. “Hello. I'm Gean and this is my girlfriend Kise. There's plenty to explain, and I'm sure Kise will talk your ears off… Thalia was it? All of that aside, it’s great to meet you, even if this is the last place I'd expect to run into another kitsune.” Gean then turned to the elf, who had been thoroughly dismissed by Kise. “Sorry about stealing your friend, your name is?” Talulah was dead set on watching the matches, and although she acknowledged Jesse's presence, there was not a single glance directed in her direction. Someone is into combat, though that makes sense given the warrior impression she's giving. “Straight to the point then, alright. I wanted to ask you about your armor. I feel the same connection to you as I do Miria, and I've been looking for answers about these Shrouds, as I've learned that's their name. Any info you have would be great. How you came about it, any uniqueness to it, whatever you're willing to share.” Jeremiah had yet to return, so this was Jesse's next best lead. “If it's a long story, I'll be participating here until the arena closes up. We can talk after.” Edited August 23 by Bluemask 96 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanami Touko Posted August 23 Share Posted August 23 (edited) Versaris stared back at her boredly, almost rolling his eyes, but it was more than clear that this was coming from a place of severe insecurity. She'd been jaiuled in her own body for years, and the first taste of freedom was being met with perhapy unbelievable acceptance, planning, and a course of action to keep them both alive and well. Still, he meant every word, and if she was going to demand that he prove it with actions, then he would act. In one fluid motion he put a hand around her waist and slid in close, almost kissing her, staring into her violet eyes and waiting. "Last chance to back out before I prove myself, Mira. Do not doubt that I intend to act on all that has been said of you." "Wha--" The creation had zero expectations for what the not-elf would do to try to prove himself to her. It felt like she had blinked and within that second his arm was wrapped around her waist and his nose was brushing against her own. She could feel his breath on her face. Her eyes were wide, until they narrowed with him holding himself just shy of any actual 'action'. "G... Get out of my face. Words are worthless." Caught off her footing, the only option left to her was to dig her heels in. "If you were going to do something you would have done it already." "I was only being courteous, you know?" Her scowl didn't scare him any, pressing forward into a kiss, and holding her and it for a long tender moment, finally letting her go and running his fingers up along her shirt and her spine, still holding her close. "And if you require another, feel free to come and get it. I will not falter in my path forward... No matter what." "My armor? If I knew anything about it, I would tell you. All I know is that it comes from the blade," she grasped the hilt of it, the armor flashing and encapsulating her as it had during her rounds. She struggled a moment to get her hand off of Yscavelne, the weapon barking for blood as always, but having not drawn it today, she was able to sever her connection with moderate ease. The armor remained, glorious violet hues reflecting the setting sun. "My blade reacted to Miria all the same, demanding I fight her... It wanted her blood, but I denied its purpose. That's all I know of this armor and anything related to it... If yours are similar, then they must surely have an origin. Find it, and much will be revealed... As for the Yscavelne, why it contains a 'shroud' is beyond me. I did not inherit this blade, nor am I its caretaker... I stumbled upon a 'cursed weapon' in a market in Karavel. The shopkeeper had been using it to kill prospective buyers, as the blade demands much of the wielder when drawn... The average traveller would be consumed completely. I can only imagine that was why he was so afraid when I drew the weapon and was not slain on the spot..." She sighed and ran a hand across the sheathe, feeling the pulse of the 'demon' inside, desperately reaching for her, unable to find purchase. "It is a mysterious tool, but I will take anything to become stronger, no matter how dangerous. If it does not kill me, I can, and will, use it... So I must see how that elf fights--" She'd slowly turned her head to look at Jesse as they spoke, only now turning back to see Versaris kissing the lizard beside him!? Her face grew flush, almost pure red, both in embarrassment from spotting something so intimate and in great frustration! "How can he be so complacent!? Is he that confident!? Fie on this mockery... He sits at the end behind that great warrior and engages in s-such... Such, lascivious acts in broad daylight! Ugh! Someone must put him in his place!" Eva growled as Syndra rebuked her intimidation without remark, folding her arms and keeping herself put next to Lumina. "Self important bitch." She huffed and let them talk, unable to put her hatred of the Belrose family aside. They're all the damn same. They'll just do whatever with whoever to get what they want. I won't trust you. I don't care of Pashmina helped you, you've got their name, their blood, and until I see you personally killing your brothers without hesitation, you won't get a pass from me. The arena isn't a battlefield. Lots of things can be covered up as an accident, Syndra... Or perhaps you get caught out of place and I 'didn't see you were in trouble'? Act confident. Act cocky. You'll get yours if you step a single toe out of line. "It's not like we need your help, anyway. You stick to what your people are best as doing: stabbing others in the back. Give us a good show when it comes time to putting a spear of ice through brother dearest, eh?" She couldn't help herself from her barbed comments, knowing full well what this family had done to Islexia, to Pashmina, to everyone of her kind that lived here in constant and utter fear. Despicable... "Coral... Why would she think they were all dead? Thalia even had a father, before they... mmm. Kansei has not been the kindest country as of late, but if she had a father, he had to come from somewhere. If you ask me, your girlfriend simply hasn't looked hard enough." Coral received a glare from Kise for their words, but with the fox so completely enamoured with Thalia, a glare as cold as ice was all they received, Coral doing their best to glare back, faltering some at the pressure the woman gave off. What in the world... "Whatever. Could you take a moment to get her off of my friend? If she'll even listen to you..." "Whhha, th-that's, different! Hey... That's, so not fair... Rrhhnn... I'm... You're... Sh-Shut up. I's different." Sylmaria had no real coherent argument to deny Miria's words, the girl stumbling plenty already. Sylmaria wasn't finding it that hard to keep her balance steady, but maybe the constant swaying her tail was doing as aiding in keeping her centred. "Iiiiiiii'm gonna take on the arena... Nuffin' you can do t'stop me. Rrh. Gotta, wanna, see what these powers can do... Whoa! Hey!" Miria nearly fell over, almost taking Sylmaria with her, managing to get the girl standing as a few others walked up to them. The mage and her... friends. Sylmaria managed not to scowl, taking a step to the side with Miria in tow, helping her stay steady. "We're, jus'... Waiting for food, is all. An' more wine. Maybe. Dunno... haf to ask him if i's okay if we have more..." "Awhhhh, Ullr~ I like you too! That doesn't mean you gotta buy me anything, silly." You should get him to buy you something to aid your-- Quiet, you. I'm busy! And done listening to you. Shoo, shoo. I'm on a date~ Iris once again battered the voice in her head away, kicking her feet some as the man at the pub explained their seating arrangement. "You got it, mister~! We'll take two of whatever the house recommends, for drinks, and any dried meat you've got on hand for an hors d'oeuvre~" She'd always wanted to use those words. She had no idea what the meant, but it was always there in the sacred texts during the restaurant scene, and then things panned to under the table, with their legs starting to-- "Oh, right, this means I gotta get down." Iris quickly hopped off of Ullr's shoulders and ran on all fours into the pub, crawling under the table and up into the seat before finally sitting still-- as still as Iris could, swaying left to right, her tail swaying in opposite momentum behind her. Left, right, for her, right, left, for it. "This is a real fancy place! I hope the fish is good. I'm so used to it raw, I can't imagine it tasting better cooked... I mean, Miria really likes 'em campfired, something about a pair of sites and stomach troubles, buuuuut... Tasted better raw, I tell ya. No stomach troubles either; I dunno what she was on about." Little did Iris know, her makeup as a creation was preventing her from discovering the terrible side effects of worms. "Hopefully the pan seared fried bar food kinda fish makes it taste great." "You tryin' to convince me or you with that? Content to wallow up there alone, pft. You wouldn't have called for me if you were, idiot!" Marigold laughed as Kieran really tried to play it all off, smirking wider as he claimed able to keep up with her. "And I don't feel pain at all. Think you can outlast me, Kieran~?" He finally pulled ahead, Mari latching onto his arm like they were a funny little couple on a date, walking alongside him. "Take me away to Lezard's fish stand, then~" They both knew where it was, but she would play the part for fun. Though, it seemed as though they'd be waiting some time, a congregation of people already waiting for fish... and, drink, from the sounds of Miria and Sylmaria? "Look at them go. Young 'uns getting drunk for the first time... A beautiful sight~" Edited August 23 by Nanami Touko Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRoon Posted August 23 Share Posted August 23 The pinkette did her best to keep her mind off of her heartache by following the couple's words and focusing on what she needed for the moment. When it came to the staff Renais realized it wasn't in her budget if she was going to get Kise and Gean something special. "I'm sorry, I'll have to pass for now. As lovely a staff as it is." Barios seemed to know a group of women, a dragon and another girl with rosy hair. They travelled with a Liza, and while they didn't get a last name it was a lead Renais had wanted for so long. Her heart rate picked up, her eyes widened, and she found herself arched over the stand slightly to throw more questions at the couple's direction with a balled fist in front of her chest. "Really?! Did they mention where they were going? Are they still in town? Who were they looking for? Anything else you have would help me more than you know. That woman is my sister, and I've wanted to see her for so long." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scorri Posted August 23 Share Posted August 23 "Ah, yeah, some of it was luck, some of it was unlucky matchups... Syndra using ice magic meant I had no chance against her. That stuff just hits me so much harder than any other kind of magic." He shook his head, still frustrated. "You're right, our group doesn't really train together all that much. Probably because we've been so busy just staying alive with the way things have been thrown at us one after another, but still. Not keeping up on your skills is a good way to have them fail at the wrong moment. Or, uh, so my dad always told me. I don't really have enough experience to prove him right or wrong but, well... He has a pretty good argument for being right." His dad was strong, he knew that, but the missing arm told a different story, one of someone who hadn't been able to be perfect and it had cost him. He sighed and ran a hand through his sweat soaked hair, grimacing. "We're likely to have more fights today, there have to be others who want to test their skills, but maybe once we start traveling again we can practice together. Get some bouts in, not that I expect to be able to do much against your armor. Not unless I swap to my magic, ha. That would feel a little cheap though, for just a friendly sparring match. Better to practice my main way of fighting, yeah?" He grinned at the two, glad for the break. It was nice to reset his mindset and get a chance to spend time with his companions. Hopefully it would translate into a better showing in the next few matches. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluemask 96 Posted August 24 Share Posted August 24 (edited) Jesse crossed her arms as Talulah explained her armor, the source of said armor, and how she obtained it. “It seems we have similar stories, though yours is more deadly than mine and Miria’s. My armor can hurt me with it's functions, but at most it just requires a lot of energy.” While Talulah said she knew nothing about her armor, there was plenty here that was new to Jesse. A named sword, one that sounded similar to the sword that led to Jesse first meeting the Tigers, a voice that spoke to her, demanding blood. “Yeah, finding that origin is my goal, though it's interesting that you, Miria and I all received our shourds in different places, but in similar methods. Mysterious people whose motives were just as confusing as them.” Talulah mentioned her desire to grow stronger, and Jesse folded her arms and thought to herself. Maybe I could train with her. She was pretty capable in the gauntlet. Jesse was broken from her musings however, as Talulah stammered and pointed in the direction of Sari. Jesse looked and found the elf in a rather intimate moment with another one of the tigers: Alriana. “Yeah, those two are pretty close from what I know. As for his skill… well, I'm not the best judge but I can attest he's one of the strongest here, and was a big part in the Tiger's fight with the Underground.” Jesse paused and blinked. “Oh right you wouldn't know about that. Prior to reaching Eslcas, the tigers got attacked by the Underground, they had their sights of a few of the people traveling here, and yet the Tiger's mamaged to recover and rescue their friends. Point is, he's incredibly skilled with a blade. His teacher helped train the Tigers in preparation for the fight against Kazran too. He and the woman he kissed are fierce opponents for sure." Edited August 24 by Bluemask 96 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanami Touko Posted August 24 Share Posted August 24 "I refuse to accept him until I can fight him for myself." Talulah was fuming over the brazen display, almost growling, huffing to try and quiet her frustrations. "Make no mistake, Jesse, I did not acquire this weapon from its original owner... The merchant knew nothing of its origin either, leaving me without any means of knowing further what it wants beyond to feed on the mana of the slain. Damnable tool... but needs must, and I must use it all the same." She didn't share the same interest in the shroud as Jesse did, finding it useful armor and a means to tame the blade, nothing more. "Mmm... Looks like the next wave of challengers are approaching." Stepping up to Lucretia was someone who had been rather hidden away since they'd hit Islexia. Siorel swayed up to the woman in a stunning all white, strapless dress, with sleeves held onto her arms by bands, a hefty contrast to her black scales and yellow spots. She brushed some hair out of her face and twirled a knife out from seemingly nowhere behind her, leaning on one leg as she looked up at the pink and teal haired healer. "Mind getting everyone all together for me? I'm gonna give this a go." Syta wanted to say more to Cin, but it seemed someone was going to be challenging the arena... This is my moment. I can do this too. "Sorry to cut this off early, but, I'm gonna join her." She ran past the two, over to Lucretia, tome in hand as she unlatched it from the chain that had been carrying it on her belt. "Me too!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JakezuGD Posted August 24 Share Posted August 24 (edited) Elisa had let a quietly held breath go once they finally saw the Tigers again, at least happy that this risky venture had paid off with seemingly little issue, even if Natalya's humbleness regarding the situation was amusing in its own way. She knew the tiger was well capable of speaking authoritatively, but maybe she wasn't used to doing so with a proper crowd? Either way, such thoughts were best left to their own value, and they shortly made the unfortunate but necessary conversation of what they'd learned over the time their mercenary friends had been away on mission. Unpleasantries aside, today was still supposed to be a jubilant one, now that things had even gone somewhat better than they could've expected insofar as Kazran was concerned. The strawberry blonde unsurprisingly joined her wife and tried to assuage her concerns, all the while giving her a spot to rest if she needed to... and there, relaxing at the park, the child the Tigers had rescued managed to find her mother again. Sweet as the sight was, Elisa quickly turned her eyes to Tio, gently pulling her in for a half-hug around the shoulder. Their duty regarding Jane was done, and she deserved to feel good for it. Alvira and Roxanne joining their gathering came as a bit of a surprise, given Elisa figured the former would spend a day like this with her girlfriend, but the reason for their approach got a slight bemused frown for a moment, even if it did explain everything. "Well, at least it's not Mercuria again... but the name doesn't ring a bell for me, either." With a shake of her head, the younger Evoker fixed her countenance a bit, trying to recall anything she might regarding such a person. "I'd need a lot more information to narrow things down in any kind of way. Obviously they're a very powerful mage of some description if they're able to contact you like that, but you don't suppose they're a similar being to Mercuria? Did they give any indication as to who they are beyond a name, or from where they were contacting you?" Through her follow-up questions, her arm still remained around her wife, fingers lightly drumming on the shoulder as she thought about it. Though Tasha's first instinct upon learning about the storm they were heading into was to start immediately preparing for the march ahead, she stopped herself to focus on the moment and the celebration they'd earned for themselves. Yet if the situation was dire enough that there'd been an attempt on Nicolas's life, she didn't want to just make merry all day either - she'd figure out a way to make use of her time with what was available to her. ...And eat well again, of course. She wouldn't miss out on a chance for a proper dinner. To that end, the makeshift arena they'd prepared for some of the Tigers to show their skills in sounded like a good idea. Her axe skill was lagging behind her firearm skill thanks to just how often she made use of her rifle in combat, and putting on a showmatch against some of the others with her weaker side would make for good entertainment, at least. But before that, another idea had been slowly brewing in her head thanks to all of her newly accumulated battlefield experience... the issue with that was that firearms were difficult to come by in these parts, and she didn't want to sacrifice her trusty rifle for an experimental purpose. However, she'd had the sense to ask around about it a little, and some had mentioned that a specific merchant at the Eslcas bazaar was selling guns. Surmising she had no better way to put her just acquired extra pay to use, with a bit of seeing the sights ostensibly put on for their enjoyment out of the way, Natalya soon found herself standing behind Renais, who seemed to have her own inquiries with the merchants. "Oh, hey, Renais. Am I interrupting something?" Although the nagging feeling in his head wouldn't shut up about all of this being frivolous considering the situation they were still in the middle of, Ferid hadn't had much time outside of the room he'd taken, and the crowds now lining the streets of Eslcas made him stick out quite a bit less. If he left his armor behind, his Hecatian connection would remain unknown, allowing him to get some fresh air, and more importantly, some fresh food. Going through the Tigers' rations wasn't going to be a permanent solution regardless. Half lost in thought, the tall wolf wandered the streets, not paying much mind to the Tigers that he caught a glimpse of. Their performance in their battle against Kazran was certainly exemplary, considering they were here and breathing, but he could ascertain their abilities himself if he wanted to... and with him passing by the temporary arena they'd set up for exactly that purpose, at least watching them go at it sounded like a decent use of his time. Until he'd finished the meal he'd gotten as a recommendation from the fishmonger-cum-barkeeper, assorted smoked fish tightly baked into a bread shell, Ferid was content staying in the shadows. Laniva, the now noticeably less armored than usual cat, showed most of the challengers the door rather easily, making him wonder if he'd not see Versaris fight before he himself stepped in... until one of the others ostensibly associated with Celine made it there with the use of a rather flashy power and a tactically sound choice of weapon, but it wasn't enough to prevent the man from making quick work of her. I wonder if even I can defeat him. The cat shouldn't pose much of a problem... Edited August 24 by JakezuGD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ether Posted August 24 Share Posted August 24 Well, it hadn't come quite so easy as either Evoker knowing the name outright, which was a bit of a shame, but to be expected really. Taking a moment to look down and confirm her notes, committing what she had written to memory and to keep the earlier conversation fresh in her head, Roxanne extended her hands out towards the pair, offering her notes in case they wished to look them over. "She said... quite a lot, yet most of it begs more questions than answers. To start with your questions... no, she said she was different from Mercuria, that they were spirits. Called her, Fomalhaut, and another, a Spirit of Earth held by Galari, the Three Angels. According to Miz'Githon, she herself is a dragon. A true dragon, to be precise... Alvira said they were a myth, but I don't know enough on the subject matter to hypothesize much." Roxanne clarified, the words from earlier ringing through her head in Miz'Githon's voice as though she had been hearing them for the first time, the experience so peculiar as to have been burned into her memory. "As for where... more questions. The Gate of Providence. A large crystal located in Astralis... at least that's what they were called in the past. She said her own people sealed her away to the West of the Empire's Capital... we can narrow it down to the Rise of Galari and King Lucian's rebellion, but before the Holy Empire truly fell. Somewhere in Hecatia, but I've not encountered either of those names in my own studies." Roxanne shook her head, watching both Evokers to see if anything said seemed to spark recognition. There were a few more points that had yet to come up in her notebook, but surely Alvira would chime in with anything she felt prudent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursali Posted August 24 Share Posted August 24 (edited) Her scowl was swiftly defeated as Versaris leaned in and completed the kiss, eyes widening back in sheer disbelief. She was stunned, her body frozen and stiff as the not-elf held her close and kissed her intimately, a heavy azure spread across her cheeks. She felt her body shiver as his hand traced along her spine, still held in his embrace, her limbs feeling heavy. "..." She had no words for him, it felt like her brain wasn't working, like everything had been shutdown by one kiss. This wasn't an act, wasn't something he was faking. He was willing to accept her, willing to treat her as he did Alriana. This not-elf was more than she could've ever asked for. It was too good to be true, but it was true. Alriana, for her part, was experiencing the rare sensation of being smug. Told you he was serious. You even knew better, too. Shut. Up. She growled, externally and internally, bested by forces within and without. She squirmed out of Versaris' hold, still unable to find her external voice as she retreated over to Lucretia whom he had pointed out before. A line seemed to be forming and she did her best to glare the blush off her face. Finally, now that she was at least a hundred feet away from Versaris her everything seemed to be returning to normal. "I'm participating too. Someone has to put the not-elf in his place..." Edited August 24 by Ursali Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy12510 Posted August 25 Share Posted August 25 Ryfia was beginning to growl hearing Eva talk to her boss and friend like that. It was one thing to just act like Syndra was at fault for what was happening to Pashmina just by her existing, that happened all the time with Syndra, but the idea they didn't need help, especially seeing as the wyvern rider was likely told to go get help by Pashmina herself, it just felt off to her. "You can stop acting like a tough girl Eva, it's not working. Everyone here knows what kind of shitbags the Belroses are and everyone here knows you're just pissed off because you might have to rely on one of them to save your boss. So stop acting like a child-" Then Ryfia felt a hand on her shoulder, it was Syndra's. "Hm?" "It's fine Ryfia, honestly, just let her get it out. I don't need her approval to go and help Pashmina; I already have that as a member of the Iron Tigers, if she doesn't want their help she can go tell Natalya herself." Syndra then turned back towards Lumina. "Five years apart? I can't say wanting to get out of this wasteland's a bad idea, since it's been about three years since I left for Glacies in the first place. Still even if you say you aren't on writing terms you can't hate each other that much seeing the lengths you're going to to rush to her aid. I know I couldn't say that about my brothers or my father. We'll rescue her, I know we will." Syndra then turned back to Ryfia. "Come along Ryfia, we're done here for now, and we need to go to the bazaar to prepare for the rescue operation." Ryfia sighed a little. Leaving and going shopping might be the best option for now. "Alright alright I'm coming. Seeya later Alistar! Oh, and good luck for the rest of your fights, judging by the quality of fighters taking the challenge, you're gonna need it." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mercenary on the Winds Posted August 25 Author Share Posted August 25 (edited) Elisa confirmed that she hadn't heard any such name either. It wasn't surprising; such an unusual name would have stuck in their minds, especially if they were as strong as they would have to be in order to be speaking to both Roxanne and Alvira. Roxanne launched into further explanation, first explaining that this Miz'Githon was not the same as Mercuria, and Fomalhaut, calling them Spirits, and linking them to the Three Angels, and mentioning the Spirit of Earth--held by Galari. "...If she can confirm that, then she would have to be--" Tio's sentence ended with a gasp as Roxanne's explanation also contained two very familiar names, first the Gate of Providence , and then Astralis. "She... she called them that?" Tio looked over at Elisa, disbelief carved into her face, before looking back at Roxanne, "I, wow, that would mean that this woman was..." Tio took a breath, and then shook her head, "W-well, those names, I've heard, and actually... am fairly well aware of where those are. Astralis alone would have been enough, but the Gate of Providence as well? That can only be one place. You surmise correctly--that's located in Hecatia. Astralis was the name of Capital of the Holy Lufirian Empire... and is now the current day capital of Hecatia, Amaranthe. Not exactly the most common information, but Elisa and I have visited enough ruins, and poured over enough books in our life to be sure of that. The other... well, I know it has been called by that name, but I am unaware of why. The Gate of Providence, Axios Hall was called by that name before the Six Tribes won their final battle there, finally killing the Emperor and Empress of Demise. The resting place of the Escaflowne, and the," Tio blinked, waved her hand, as if trying to pull the word out of the air, "Verdantia, that's it, Verdantia. And, important to current day events, where Princess Lucille attacked to steal the Escaflowne." Tio looked over at Roxanne, she wouldn't have been brought up to speed on all that had been happening just yet, so no better time to start than now. Tio's hands then fell to her hips, "If I were to then hazard a guess... she means west of Amaranthe, and not too far..." Tio turned once more to Elisa, "Dear, didn't we theorize that there were ruins to the northwest of Amaranthe? Back when we were searching for continuation on that mural?" The man raised an eyebrow as Iris immediately got down from Ullr's shoulders, and then, with poise almost unbefitting the fact that she had been sitting atop Ullr's shoulders a moment ago, ordered for the pair. The man blinked. Boy, you really do get the fascinating ones out here... geez. First, him, and now this... Wild. The man smiled, "Two of what the house recommends, huh?" He studied the pair, and nodded, "The two of you look like juice kind of folk, night's still young, don't want to ruin it by getting sloshed immediately. And, dried meat, before the salmon. Yeah, I can do all of that for you two. Probably throw in some fish bread; Mike's made a ton of it for the evening. Oh right, you can call me Alphonse. It'll be out in a moment, so chat if you'd like~" Both Lathams looked at one another as Renais exclaimed over the mention of, apparently, her sister. It was Kiri stepped up, "They didn't mention any of that... only that they were looking for someone. They asked for help with their... rifle, and Barios here is quite adept with those. What I can say for sure is that they aren't in town anymore--haven't been for a while now. Though... hmm." Kiri looked at Barios again. "They did mention something odd. They mentioned... royalty. Which is quite strange given that Islexia doesn't have royalty, not anymore, anyway. Neither does Hecatia--though I suppose the Saint would fill that role. Perhaps it was just something I overheard, but it sounded important..." Barios nodded, "It seemed innocuous enough that it's likely nothing, but... that is all we have on them. They did say that they would be in Islexia, though not where." Barios then noticed Tasha walking up behind Renais, "Ah, another customer--are you with the young miss, here?" Kieran sighed, he couldn't refute Marigold. He had called for her, and he couldn't deny that being down here amongst people was better than being off by himself. Even if he felt like he might deserve it. He had all but handed the Tigers over to Luthier to keep his own head, and that of his ailing mother. If his mother hadn't been the shell of her former self, she'd have gut him herself for being so spineless. He couldn't help but feel like he deserved it. Of course, Marigold, ever the one to know how to drag him out of his own put--whether entirely intentional or not--latched into his arm, anchoring him. "Outlast? Probably not. But you'll get bored eventually, you always do, so I won't have to worry about walking that long." He smirked down at Marigold, and led them over to Lezard's... only to find that there was a pretty big congregation already there. The mercenary trio, Amera, Seila, and Ember, and then, Kieran raised an eyebrow as he also spotted the dragon who tried to kill Owen. They'd connected in a way he hadn't expected to; a hatred of themselves, but her's was far more ingrained, painful. Yet, here she was, alongside the girl-in-golden-armor, both slurring their way through their words. Kieran sighed, "I sure hope it's not for the first time... If I'm looking at that bottle, right, they're in for it. Damn, I didn't actually think he'd bring out the good stuff..." Kieran's eyes fell slightly, hoping that their drinking escapades would keep him out of sight. Unfortunately. Lezard exited the building with two steaming plates, and placed them in front of Sylmaria and Miria. Sylmaria's looked like a supremely well prepared dish, a golden brown sear on the skin of the carefully cut slices of fish, with light butter on top, with some leaves about. Miria's, on the other hand, looked more red than gold, similarly prepared but in place of the butter was a dark brown sauce--contributing to the scent of spice emanating from the plate. "Apologies, but needed to get everything right for the two of you. For you, miss, that's a Glacian Tilapia cooked with butter, and some Muran herbs. And for you, this is Scyilan Trout, named for a town past Madeseyme, where they're known for their love of spice. It's... very strong. If the two of you need anythin--" Lezard looked up, and saw two familiar faces, grinning, "Aha! It seems like two of my favorite customers have come by on a wonderful evening~ Kieran, Marigold, nice to see you both--I'll need to handle the people before you, but I expect that I know what you two are after~" Kieran didn't have a chance to wave his hands to tell Lezard to stop, left with his hand on his forehead. Lezard then turned to Ember and her group, "You're in luck~ If you're with our friends here, then I have no problem parting with more of the drink. I'll just simply have to see if I can ask Miss Celea to hook me up with more later~" Lezard swished back inside, and then quickly returned with three more glasses, and two more bottles of the wine placing them. Lumina let Eva continue angrily engage with Syndra. It wasn't like she disagreed with anything Eva was saying. The Belrose family, in one way or another, were responsible for direction that their country was heading in. Even the Islexian Collapse had the fingerprints of the Belrose family all over it--Elliot was the one who pushed for the conflict after the assassination attempt. Only twenty-seven years later, and now they were once more in that situation--but with her sister being the one implicated. Then, Eva herself was a dragon, a monster, within Islexia's borders. Monster and clouded sentiment had only deteriorated since Nicolas came to power, and many were hunted and killed for nothing but sport. The stories of the monster caravan came to mind... seven years ago, towns in the heartland of Islexia were razed to the ground following an uptick in monster hunts, and what followed there had been an even larger uptick. Eva had to live through all of that, and much of it was condoned, if not pushed by the Belrose family. It was when Syndra finally responded, cutting off Ryfia, that Lumina felt her own disdain for the Belrose rise to the surface, "...Thank you for stopping your friend, before I did." Lumina glared at Ryfia, "...I can't say that I don't agree with what Eva said. Am I going to say that we don't need your help...? No, I don't have the ability to say that, not when I don't know how Pashmina fares. I'll take every hand I can get, even if it belongs to a Belrose. What I will not do, is trust you until all is said and done. The Belrose are well known for doubling back on their debts. Even better known for taking everything they can before choking the life out of what remains. You've got way more to pay for than just what you owe, Pasha." Lumina huffed, missing the fact that she'd used her sister's name of endearment. It had been years since she let it slip. "We'll rescue my sister, and then we'll see where things stand. Not before." Lumina turned to see Lucretia bouncily signaling that things were about to get underway. Syndra had already started making her way away, so there was little more to do, than to get ready to perform again. Lumina looked at Eva, "I'm not going to say you're wrong to feel the way you do, Eva... But there is a time and place for it. We both know that she, as a Belrose, has more to answer for. So we'll have to see if she remains true to her family's name, or if she's serious about becoming her own person. Even a Belrose is capable of changing, loathe as I am to say. Come on, they're waiting for us to get ready." The arena came back into swing as new challengers approached. Three more talented fighters stepping up to see where their weapon, and wits could take them. The first was unexpected, a small lizard clouded in a white dress stepped into the ring. More than a few thought little of the woman now taking up residence opposite side of Lumina, but when her dagger dispatched the mage in a single go, the atmosphere changed. The grace, and skill with which she moved was not unlike that of the violet haired elf before, but there was a flair to her that kept eyes on her. Cinead stepped forward, and with a spin, and weathering the strong counter from Cinead, Siorel came out victorious, and then once more against Jesse. Evangeline, as she had proven in rounds before, proved to be too much for a precision specialist. Siorel could not find the big openings she needed in Evangeline's defenses, and the large sword at her side proved too difficult to avoid. Yet, the cheers were loud for Siorel, an impressive, if surprising, showing. Then Syta stepped into the ring, sporting a bow. The fighters each had to change their weapons, and for some, that might have been what made the difference. A single shot for Lumina, two shots for Cinead, two shots for Jesse. Those watching correctly identified the woman now moving through the arena at pace was the young woman who had been cheering loudly for the feline warrior who would come to stand in her way if she continued her path. What was different in these fights was that the young woman was showing a resilience had hadn't been present with many of the others, a blast of flame from Cinead, a Spear from Jesse, and two well placed swings from Evangeline, yet every time, she continued to come out on top. Then Alistar approached, and it was the same story, a powerful hit from Syta, and a counter hit from her opponent, before finishing them off. Now came the fight that everyone had been preparing for. Undefeated so far, Lani took the field to loud cheers staring down the young woman who moments before was making up the bulk of those cheers for her. The battle began, and as everyone expected, Lani's greatsword connected, launching her challenger into the air, and then to the ground. It was just like all the rest... except Syta got up. Many of the arena watchers could have sworn that there was a change in Syta's composure when she rose again, a difference to her hair, a difference in her strength as the return arrow knocked Lani back. Then, the unthinkable--Syta notched another arrow and fired at Laniva's sword arm... and connected, knocking the instrument from Lani's grip. The arena was quiet, before, a loud cheer erupted. Finally, someone had pushed beyond Lani, bringing the final opponent to bear. The second elf walked out, sword crackling with energy... could she do it? Could she be the one to best everyone? So far, no one had ventured this far, so the crowd was unsure what to think of Versaris as he stepped out. The battle began, and then ended as quickly as it did. Syta's arrow was evaded as if the man had seen it coming but a day ago, and with a single flick of the blade, Syta was launched from her feet, and unlike with Lani, she did not get up. The cheers continued either way, so far, she'd done what no one else had been able to do. The final challenger was a curious sort. Pure white lizard, and yet, didn't seem to share too many similarities with the one from before. That was until she, in the same sort of way as Siorel had, cleaved through Lumina, Cinead, and Jesse with an alarming amount of ease. Then came Evangeline--truly the most difficult for those with the knives. It was not a quick fight--both trading strong blows with one another, and Eva's countering nearly getting the better of the white lizard. Then, for the faintest moment, there was a shift in the way that the challenger struck, far more force behind her attacks, almost an innate hostility to them, but the battle ended all the same. Alistar was yet another victim of the lizard's pin point strikes, leaving her facing down Laniva. Lani immediately went into it, slamming her sword into the lizard, and once more shattering the armor she wore. Two quick strikes, but unable to completely bring Lani down, then a third. Faster still now, the lizard slid by Lani's first crushing strike, and countered with jab of her own, but whether it had any effect was left up to anyone's imagination, as Lani found enough time for a second swing, and batted the challenger away. A tough fight, but Lani was proving to be an incredible wall to overcome, and as Syta had shown moments before, even if that wall could be scaled, there was another, taller one to follow... Edited September 1 by Mercenary on the Winds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursali Posted August 26 Share Posted August 26 One by one the challengers fell before her without much fanfare, save for the dragon with a greatsword of her own. It was impossible to get a clean hit on the woman, her guard too unmoving to entirely escape the reach of her claws when she moved in to strike. Combined with the woman's own counters it was enough to break her armor, the original pushed further than she had patience for. She felt the root of her creation begin to stir as the fight dragged on, awoken by what it thought was a fatal battle. Mira welcomed the urge, knowing the strength it let her tap into, ending the fight decidedly. It wasn't until she was flung out of the ring by the damn cat's greatsword two fights later that she thought more about the incident, lying on the ground and refusing to sit up as she was healed, a scowl on her face. There had been no desire to kill the dragon, to slaughter her where she stood, to drive her knife the extra few inches needed to make it fatal. The rush of strength was long since gone, but as she recalled the fight there was an unexpected clarity to her actions, no haze of murder blending the beginning into the end. No matter how positive a change it seemed, it was unsettling all the same. The 'Beast' inside her was her survival instinct, incredible strength at the cost of being driven almost purely by that survival instinct. Given what she knew of herself, it wasn't possible to have one without the other. What had caused this change? It was there, deservedly, during her bout with the bitch fox, what had changed within the span of two hours? Was it good, was it bad? Only one person knew, and she wouldn't be caught dead here, not with Jeremiah so close. She finally sat up as Lucretia finished healer her, nodding at her but not actually speaking a word before she marched back over the Versaris. Whatever this change was wasn't going to be solved by either of them so it could wait. She stared as she stopped in front of him, arms bent with her hands on her hips, suddenly struggling to speak as the sight of his face up close forced her to remember the kiss. "...You'd better not think that because I lost to the cat you're off the hook for our duel. I never said I had to beat everyone in front of you, just that I had to beat you. So you'd better be thinking of where you're taking me for food and what you're buying me." She let out a quiet 'hmph' as she finished, waiting for the not-elf's response. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcd900 Posted August 26 Share Posted August 26 (edited) The witch laughed as Amera dragged her and the hellhound off towards the fish stand, having sufficiently flustered Ember to her liking. It was always cute, seeing that side of her; she could be soft at times, much as she didn’t seem to enjoy letting that on. It was, admittedly, a little unfortunate that they weren’t going to be ending up with their dear companion hitched to a lord (and all his coffers), though. As they arrived at the fish stand, finding Miria and Sylmaria just about having made their way through a full bottle - and showing it, too - with two more following up and joining the line, she smiled sheepishly. The fish does look good. Amera will be happy... but I wonder if those two will even remember what they ate tomorrow morning. She inclined her head in thanks to Lezard as he headed inside; a rare expression for Seila, actually - typically the hat was rather disagreeable to such a maneuver. And he was back just as quickly as he’d left. Seila gave the cat and hellhound a quick pat on the back each, urging them to sit. “Two bottles... hm, looking at how those two are getting along, maybe we should make sure we get the most of that. It’d be irresponsible to let two first-timers get too deep in a bottle and have a bad time, right~?” She took a bottle before anyone could lay claim and began pouring some healthy glasses for Amera and Ember, not to mention herself... “No, it’s fine, I mean... mrah.” There was something of a thought in her mind about wanting to make Syta happy, and another thought entirely baffled about the exact mechanism of how she’d do that without actually flinging her greatsword around in a serious manner, though both were muted in the presence of Cin. For what it was worth, Syta briefly looked to be having some internal monologue (dialogue) about it... Laniva’s tail flicked briefly, uncertain of what direction it was taking. Before she could come up with a response, though, Syta went and dashed off to join the competitors, and her ears flicked with mild uncertainty. “Oh, um... okay. Mm, good luck?.” She blinked briefly, before remarking - both to Cin and herself. “I... don’t know what I’m gonna do if she makes it to my round...” Soon enough that decision would be made for the cat, though; Siorel was stopped by Evangeline, but Syta swiftly made her way through with a bow. She calmed herself, focusing, letting muscle memory take over to fight, and knocked Syta to the ground with her first swing - as she’d done to a few others, by now. What came as a surprise was that she rose from the arena ground - distinctly empowered by Kisara, and with a couple magically empowered arrows Laniva soon found herself in the dirt with a groan. Owww. I should have figured... Her third fight - it was Aly, but not quite, and she couldn’t place the differences, but it was consciously apparent, almost disconcertingly so - but such hardly mattered in the press of battle, and soon the lizard-ish being found dirt too. One of the closer fights she’d had for sure, out of the ones she’d won; certainly there was a chance it could have gone either way. After her last challenger, she returned to the arena fighters’ side of the waiting area, leaning on her greatsword, tip planted in the earth, waiting for Syta to run by (with all of her usual lovable excitement, presumably). Her tail swayed idly. Mrahh, this is so... embarrassing. After all that cheering... and I’m still in this dress... mrgh. “M-Mikooon... Y-Yeah, of course I’m real, g-gawds... could you let go of me now? Jeez...” Thalia grumbled as the larger kitsune’s embrace continued, tails squirming underneath. “T-Three centuries? Um, I don’t really know... where I was born or anything, but I grew up in Kansei...” It was... awkward, to say the least; there was obviously quite a large part of the story here that she was out of the loop of - one that had deeply emotional meaning to this woman, clearly, but as the hug tightened she found her mild discomfort growing. “Wha... what are you talking about...?! Are you trying to be my mom, or something...? And, hey, what do you mean, weak?!” Thalia blinked slightly as Coral, usually so untouchable, paused at Kise’s snap. She paused her grumbling, idly wondering if this was a situation that it was safe to be so, ah, vocal in, before blinking briefly at the other woman approaching - Gean, introducing herself as this Kise’s girlfriend. “Uh, hi... if you’re her girlfriend, can you do something about...” - she gestured vaguely at herself - “this? Maybe? ...Please?” Edited August 26 by mcd900 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoldsbroTSG Posted August 26 Share Posted August 26 (edited) Miria's tumble was saved by Sylm, but she was still fully assured. "I-Iii still think you, sh-sh-shhouldn't go to the arena. nnnNNnnaht yet." She tried her best to stand herself up, patting the sides of her head. "S-Seriouslyy... I don't want you to get hurt..." She shook her head. "You c-can't... give a good impression if you drunly fumble in the arena, even more if you get reaaaal hurt..." A sniffle escaped Miria's nose, followed by a tear from her eye. She hadn't even noticed how worked up she was getting over the dragon doing something so foolish. Those feelings all got put on hold as she heard Lezard returned. He placed down the two dishes, and Miria was locked in. Her mouth was agape, and "Wooooaaaaaaaah... Have I had trout before...?" The tiger asked herself. She probably, but a combination of her hunger and her drunken state made it so it didn't really bother her. The spice was enough to start sating her. She hadn't even eaten it yet. "Th-Thank youu, serr~!" Miria clapped her hands together, and gave a bow, almost stumbling again. Standing back up, she took her dish, looked to Sylm as she waited for her to get her food, then looked to see all the people she knew that turned up here, waving to Marigold. Then, she directed herself at her fellow mercs, "D-Do you want me to find a plaaace, ah gods. Hah...! Want me to find a place we can all sit, orrrr...?" She didn't even finish the thought, she went to the next concern she had, "E-Either way... I don't think I'm waiiting to eat. I'm s-ssoo hungry I could ride a horse.... wait, no. Eat. Eat a horse," She tried laughing off the daze she was in. Then, remembering she wasn't by herself, turned to her fellow drunken partner. "What d-do you wanna do?" She left any plans of drinking more wine with Sylm. Despite being inebriated, and very willing to go further into a bottle, there were now three extra people to share two more bottles with. Edited August 26 by GoldsbroTSG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanami Touko Posted August 26 Share Posted August 26 (edited) From Tio's surprise at Roxanne's information, it seemed as though they would receive an answer... And a confusing one they did, leaving Alvira's mouth ajar for a long moment. "Wait, why hasn't anyone found her yet, then!? You'd think if she's so close so fucking Axios Hall that someone would've wandered into that cave and cracked that crystal... unless, you don't think, they're hiding her there on purpose...?" It was incredibly confusing, Alvira sighing and scratching at her head. "Yes, Elisa, like Roxanne said, she called herself a true dragon, which... If she's as old as she claims and able to contact Roxanne this far away from home... I can only assume she's not lying. For, clarification, I am a dragon, of which I am quite proud," she said with something of a huff, "but... the myths of the true dragons are very, very old, older than the spirits, Galari, the three angels... They're myths that go deeply into the very creation of, my species... So the stories go, dragons used to be giant beasts, walked on all fours, were winged, mighty, breathed fire, ice, thunder, all sorts of elemental powers... And were highly intelligent. But, those are all myths. Stuff written down in scripture like... L-Like Fomalhaut, hah. Haha... I don't know why I'm having such a hard time believing all of this over, him, I just... If we were meant to have been so strong once upon a time, what happened? How did we end up, like this?" She gestured towards herself and sighed. "If this Miz is telling the truth and she's the last of a species of ancient dragons... Then I owe it to her to help Roxanne find her and set her free. If she's my great ancestor, it's the least I can do... But, that brings me to what I had to ask the two of you about." She took a deep breath and shook her head a bit. "If, after we save this envoy, and resolve things here, you leave to go to Lufiria right away, take me with you. I will do anything you ask, handle any obstacle, make sure not to get in the way... but I have to go to Lufiria. I have to find that spear... and Gods willing I'd like to meet my aunt for the first time. Maybe I'll even be lucky enough to pick up my brother and sister..." She glanced back towards M, still desperately clinging to Jane, her heart tightening in her chest once again. "I started this journey for them. Left them with someone I knew I could trust... And I'm strong enough to go back to them. Go back and face everything attached to my name and my fate... So please." She glanced at Roxanne rather apologetically, knowing that going to Lufiria likely would stop her from helping with Miz. M slowly rose from the ground with Jane in her arms, a smile finally on her sobbing face. She didn't know what the Evokers and the others were speaking about; she wasn't trying to listen, only looking up once she realized Roxanne was with them. She did her best to hold her smile, resolute in what was to be her life going forward. "Thank you. Thank you all, so much..." There was nothing else she could say, no words would ever thank the Tigers for saving her daughter's life and then her own. Not wanting to intrude further, she bowed slightly and started to walk away with the young spider girl in her arms. "Come on, Jane. Let's go do something fun. Everyone's celebrating~ We should join them. It's okay. It's okay..." Versaris waved Mira off, genuinely hoping she'd make it to him in the gauntlet. When Syta was the one to do so instead, he was truly stunned for a moment, eyes locked on Lani's form against the ground. Even if the girl was borrowing magic from that fox of hers, to think that she'd survived a blow from Lani's weapon... She was made of sturdier stuff than he'd expected. That wouldn't deter him, as a single swipe from his own magical blade sent her reeling to the ground. "Hahh..." Mira didn't make it past Lani as well, falling short of defeating the armored menace, barely, sending her stomping back over to the stands while Versaris attended to his weapon. "Already have somewhere in mind. Spied a little pub while everything was being set up. I'm willing to bet the stuff they cook in there beats the street food by a decent margin... Proper fire and all the right seasonings. You like salmon, I'm assuming?" He smirked, leaning forward some. "As for what to buy you... I think a nice ring would suit you to go along with the necklace, don't you think? Though, I'll have to get another once you're both separated. Can't have you two sharing something that important... I don't know if they'll have something jewelled here, but silver is certainly your color~ What do you think?" He wasn't going to let her off that easily, suddenly standing and pulling her in close for a hug, smiling down at her. "Maybe I should let you pick out your own? Or does the surprise excite you, Mira?" If you think being standoffish is going to stop me, think again... You're just getting cuter. "Yeah, keep barking little girl, you couldn't get past Lumina, let alone make it to me. Would love to see you break your hands against my guard. Bitch for the bitch any longer and we'll see how long this fun little game stays friendly..." Her tail angrily beat itself against the ground as Syndra stopped her guard dog and finally left, sighing in some form of defeat as Lumina reminded her of time and place. "For a Belrose? Any time and any place... Ugh... If she'd faltered even slightly, bowed her head and apologized, maybe I'd have gone lighter on her, but it's that fucking ego. That confidence. Holding her head high like she even deserves to... Yeah Syndra, you're so cool, you came back here years later with people way stronger than you at your side, now they'll stop your family. Like you never could. Fuck you. Grovel and beg for our aid. You don't deserve respect; you ran away from Nicolas the same as the rest of us did..." She let her vitriol out in full and finally sighed, shoulders sinking, shaking her head. "She doesn't get it. She'll never get it. Even if she stands alongside us and flings her magic his way... It won't change what they've done. Can't bring myself to smile and act nice. Can't do it. This country's been through enough." Needing it way more than she realized, Eva pulled Lumina into a sudden and tight hug, biting her lip hard to give her some real pain to focus on instead of the emotional turmoil building up inside of her. She wouldn't cry over this. "Sorry. Thanks. Let's get back to what we're supposed to be doing here..." The fighting didn't help take her mind off of much. While she'd managed to stop the first lizard and that fox from before, she was feeling sorely outmatched the more people showed up. It only hurt because of what the wolf had spouted, trying her damndest to stop Mira as she ran through the arena, still falling short. She collapsed onto the benches reserved for the fighters and leaned against her sword, sighing. "Not gonna ask her for help. Never. Even if it kills me." Syta was stunned when Lani fell and didn't get back up, watching things through the veil of Kisara's control, which lasted mere minutes, Versaris reminding her and everyone why he was the final rung of the arena. With the fox back in the amulet for now, Syta groaned and picked herself up, swiftly running to Laniva and latching onto her arm, not in excitement, but heavy worry. "Lani! Are you okay!? I, I mean, I'm sure you're okay, you're made of sterner stuff than most, I just... K-Kisara didn't go too hard on you, did she?" Oh, shush, your cat is fine. You're fine, right? With Syta clinging onto Laniva so tightly, the amulet was pressing into the cat, letting Kisara speak with the both of them for the moment. If I made her hit you too hard, you'll just have to get her back later, privately-- Syta let go of the embrace to yank the amulet back and scowl down at it, blushing profusely. "Ugh! You! You damn fox... Urghhh... Y-You, are okay, right, Lani...?" Siorel sighed as she picked herself up, glad to have made it at least to Evangeline, but... not going further was just a testament to her needing more training. She sauntered her way over to Cinaed as they all dispersed from the rounds ending, smiling up at him. "Hey~ Bet you didn't expect to see me today... Up and about, even her, taking part in something like this?" She propped her hands onto her hips and tilted her head a bit, smiling wide. "Been getting some help with my issues... You think it's paying off, Cin?" She'd managed to defeat him in their little gauntlet of sorts, but it wasn't as though it had been easy to land that hit on him. She was still doing her best to learn from Jeremiah's teachings on knives. Dancing suited her better, anyway. "When this is all over, you wanna hit the town and relax some? You guys did just finish killing, like... The devil, to my understanding." "Always, huh... Heyyy Lezard! We'll take the usual when you're done with the first timers and the new folks. Don't mind us." She wasn't going to cut on anyone's line, leaning into Kieran some and sighing. "You're super dense if you think I'm gonna get bored, today. Just a complete brick wall. Honestly. Can't believe you... Open your eyes some, huh? You think I'm grabbing your arm because it makes it easier to pull you along?" This time, she slowly wrapped her arms around his and held him close, staring up at him with a cocky, smug, all too confident smile. "We're on a d a t e, tough guy~" Amera's eyes were locked onto the fish as it got served, following it as it was taken away, nose sniffing at the air. "I'd like some of that, sir! The first dish!" The spicy one was too much for her, but that first one smelled divine, taking her glass and leaning into Seila some as she drank from it. "Ahhhh... This is truly the life. Good food, good drinks, good people, and a warm, cozy atmosphere... And I mean, maybe, buuuuuut..." Sylmaria snatched the second bottle and her food, huffing and helping Miria walk away without falling over. She was certainly feeling it, but she wasn't stumbling much, at least, managing to stay walking moderately straight. "C-C'mon, Miria, we can, find somewhere to eat..." "Too slow~ Hahh, first time drinkers... So funny to watch. We should get one more bottle for the three of us anyway, I'm sure we can all put back two and still remember things in the morning... Right?" Sylmaria pulled Miria away and found a bench to sit down with her, sighing. She'd escaped the situation so quickly because, despite her attempts, being next to a bunch of clouded like that was still a damper on her mood. Stupid... stupid stupid stupid... She didn't go into the food first, immediately popping open the second wine bottle and downing several large gulps of it, finally setting it down and flopping against the bench. "So stupid..." She huffed and glanced at Miria, then her food, realizing most of it was already gone. "Sheesh, you weren' kiddin'... Guess I should, try this 'fore I drink, too mush... Hahh..." She realized they didn't grab anything to eat with, but she was so drunk, the thought of eating with her claws didn't disgust her this time. "Mmhn... Ish good. Good foo'..." It really was, despite her inebriated state, perhaps the best fish she'd put in her mouth. Edited August 26 by Nanami Touko Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluemask 96 Posted August 26 Share Posted August 26 (edited) “So yours passed through a number of hands… it’s never tried to possess you has it?” Jesse sighed, the Escaflowne incident and the image of a berserk armored lady flashed in through her mind. Just how deep does this rabbit hole go? Talulah was still in a tizzy over Versaris’ confidence, but Jesse had no more to say on the matter. “Maybe you can ask him for a duel after this? I’m sure the crowd would love an exhibition.” One-on-one fights could be entertaining to watch, but that would happen later, as the next wave of fighters began lining up. “Well, time to get knocked on my ass again.” Sure enough the next three challengers would all defeat Jesse, though she managed to get some hits on Syta and Aly. “Better than nothing I guess, that dancer lady hurt…” Jesse walked Charlon over to the fighter’s waiting area, where there were people already waiting around. Syta and Lani were bunched up together, the two seemed to be another one of the many couples in the group. Syta however looked really worried, Jesse assumed it was because of the results of their match. Sure it was impressive that Syta managed to defeat the wall that was Laniva, from Jesse's perspective it seemed like a higher level of worry for what happened. "Congratulations you two. You both really showed your stuff out there, and it'd be no exaggeration to say Lani is the star of the night." Jesse half chuckled. "Is everything ok?" “Again, very long story, and the three centuries part was not a lie. She can explain more, when she’s out of cuddle mode.” There was some tension between Coral and Kise, the two like oil and water, but nothing rose beyond just glares and barbed words. Kise had gone full protection mode towards Thalia though, which made sense to Gean, even if she was a little envious of the attention. You have to earn that level of attention back Gean, and it’s gonna take some time. Thalia was from Kansei apparently, and had a father who was kitsune too. “That probably explains why; Kansei and Lufiria have a great distance, and there’s probably no need to explain the history of a place you’d have no need or want to go to.” Gean placed a soft hand on her girlfriend’s shoulder. “Kise, l understand you’re ecstatic about meeting another kitsune, but could you possibly let up on the cuddle time? You have just met her, and it sounds like she’d appreciate some breathing room. Runt also sounds fairly rude for someone you just swore to protect.” This’ll be something to talk about later. Hopefully she’d consider Gean’s opinion, and Thalia’s request. Edited August 26 by Bluemask 96 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanami Touko Posted August 26 Share Posted August 26 "Mikon?" Kise finally perked up without a snap as Gean put a hand on her, tilting her head in confusion. "It's not rude? She's a runt... She only has two tails. That means she's weak-- I don't mean physically, little one; you swung that axe around like a true beast~ I mean, your magic... It's struggling, and I can help you with it." She finally relented and released the girl, letting her pull herself away, sitting there in her rather revealing qipao, tails swaying, smile beaming. "Unlike your rude little friend, I mean you no harm... Gosh, Kansei, you must've been born in the last few decades... I've been there plenty, but I found nothing. Hawawawa... What a mistake on my part to not return sooner. Gosh. Gosh! How many more of you are there!? If so many are still alive..." What have I been growing so strong for? That thought bounced around her head like a shout in an empty theatre, echoing in her mind, but she finally managed to catch it and crush it. Lufiria still harmed us. Still killed us. Still butchered us. Survivors don't change the facts. "Hahh... My name is Hikari Kise, but you can call me mom if you'd like~ I'm certainly more than qualified to be your mother... Thalia, was it? Your magic. It's dark magic. We have the same affinity, kihihihi~ Isn't that wonderful? I can teach you anything you want to know about it and would be more than happy to do so... Given you've restored some of my faith in this world with your beautiful little existence, it's the least I can do, right?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoldsbroTSG Posted August 26 Share Posted August 26 Miria was ready to dig in, but she found herself being dragged away by Sylm. She waved at the other party with her goofy smile as she followed. As much as she wanted to eat, she wasn't sure she can multi-task being drunk, so she waited for when they reached a bench that Sylm was ready to sit on. She snagged one of the bottles, and went into it. Miria wasn't quite ready for that yet, as the lack of silverware became... a problem. "Huh..." It would've been good to have brought her pouch. She had some stuff perfect for eating with. Oh well, I guess. Aww, but I don't want to wipe my hands on my dress... well... Miria sat down, and started going to town on her fish. She was careful, surprisingly holding the fish precisely with two fingers; the pointer and thumb. If Sylm could see, the heat reddened Miria's face even more than the flush from her inebriated state. It was delicious, and the kick was enough to throw Miria in a bliss. Even if all they did that night was drink and eat fish, Miria felt good. She was having a nice experience with a new friend, and the cub couldn't ask for anything else. After erasing the fish from existence, she first gave a relieving sigh, "Mmmm... that was nice...." After looking for a bit for a safe place to properly dispose of her dish, she did the best she thought of; laid it under the bench. After licking her fingers, she grabbed the bottle after Sylm. She was ready to drink straight away, but she realized, and didn't want to accidentally flashbang Sylm with the spicy leftovers of her trout. So Miria did what she thought would be the best... if not smartest... best thing. She tried holding the bottle above her face, and pouring the drink into her mouth. While she got a good amount in, there was an inevitable splash onto her face, Miria making a small "Agh...!" but otherwise getting some good drink in. She set the bottle down, and just watched the people for a bit. "Mmmm... h-how'ree youu beeln', Sylm? I ho-hoope, whhh, hope, you-you-you'rree, having fun." Miria gave a smile, despite feeling like her body floating on a cloud. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ether Posted August 26 Share Posted August 26 (edited) Finally, some good news, and a bit of an outpouring of it as well. Tio had managed to narrow down Astralis and the Gate of Providence to the current Hecatian capital of Amaranthe, and the Axios Hall. She even seemed to recall some ruins nearby to the city that seemed a reasonable target. The fact that Miz had known those names seemed to spark further realization from Tio as well, though she was yet to elaborate. Of course, nothing was ever quite so easy. Tio had followed up that Princess Lucille, who there was little mistaking, had attacked Axios Hall and had stolen the Escaflowne, one of most significant national treasures of Hecatia. On top of what Alvira had said... if Miz lay so close to Amaranthe, how had she not been discovered until now? The whole area would be in high alert if Axios Hall had been not only attacked, but successfully infiltrated... how bothersome. Roxanne couldn't miss Alvira’s apologetic gaze as she followed up, though the sheep couldn't fault her request as she tried to think things over further. "Aaaah... if they ARE trying to keep her hidden, then an attack on Axios is probably the worst possible thing that could have happened. The whole area will be in high alert if not total lockdown... how have I not heard of this? Surely news would spread of such a brazen act. At least we know where to begin looking... I've never been to Hecatia myself, even with such a clue it may be rough." Roxanne began, eager to start sprawling in her notes again but not wanting to withdraw the book so quickly in case anyone intended to look it over. Holding back the urge, Roxanne began to cope for her mind's denial in another way, voicing whatever thought came to her head. "Miz seemed to feel rather abhorred by the acts of the tribes against monsters and clouded as the war began to turn in their favour. She even said that life was little better than under the heel of the Empire. Perhaps the Hecatian Crown has reason to want her knowledge kept from the people. This could be complicated... if she is just yet to be discovered then it might take time, but if she is being actively hidden and suppressed... that might explain why the seal did not release when she thought it would. If it has been maintained over time purposefully... how would I even begin?" Roxanne pondered, her nose crinkling as she tried to imagine some sort of solution. After a few moments, she snapped from her thoughts, hands flailing in Alvira's direction for a few moments as a look of realization flashed on her face. "Ahh, sorry Alvira, I didn't forget what you said, I promise! My mind simply wanders too easily... mmmn... of course I would appreciate your help with this, but it sounds like your business in Lufiria is very personal and of express import. Do not worry about putting your own mission first... if I manage to find her, I'll do my best to wrestle information about the lineage of dragons from her, for you. If I were to be stonewalled in Ametrine, I would feel immense guilt in keeping you from your family, had you opted to assist me first." The sheep offered, flashing Alvira a smile once her limbs had ceased their incessant thrashing enough for it to not look ridiculous. As M came over to give a short thank you after her reunion, Roxanne couldn't help but flash her a smile. M had... a lot to answer for, things she would be answering perhaps for the rest of her life. But her reunion with Jane was not the time nor place to harry her with such things. She deserved this tender moment, after all she had been through. "I said I would bring your mom back to you, didn't I Jane? I'm happy to see you two properly reunited." Roxanne noted, about to give the young spider a quick pat on the head, although it seemed M had only meant to stop in to quickly thank them, wanting to bring Jane to the festival. It was understandable, and Roxanne had no intention of keeping them from it, her beaming smile turning back between Alvira and the departing pair. "So make sure you go to them, so you can have your reunion too, Alvira." Edited August 26 by Ether Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scorri Posted August 27 Share Posted August 27 Yet again, Cin found himself facing opponents that quickly dispatched him. The most surprising was Siorel, her skill with her daggers having improved more than he would have guessed given how much she had been hiding in their room after their encounter with the Underground. He was glad to lose to her though, since it showed she was improving in more ways than one, and the other two fights weren't overly surprising losses. Syta was strong and had forced him to fight at range, where every hit cost him, and Aly was Aly. She was an insanely good fighter with pinpoint accuracy with her daggers. It was still frustrating how quickly he was going down, but he had known that this sort of fight might not be his strong suit. Once the gauntlet runs were done, he found himself quickly approached by Siorel. He smiled down at her, pulling her up against his side in a hug. "I was very impressed with how well you fought. Surprised to see you, yes, but that's not why I lost. You've grown. That first hit of yours was something else. Whatever training you've been doing, it's been paying off for sure. I'm going to have to keep on top of my own training to make sure you don't leave me in the dust." He grinned, letting go of her as he glanced around the arena. "I'm not sure how many more challengers we expect to have, but as soon as I'm free, I would love to spend time with you. After that fight against Kazran, I'm looking forward to the chance to relax. I'll need food for sure but I would like to see what equipment there is on offer. With where we're headed, we need to make sure our equipment is ready... Our equipment and our resolve." Koba had been wandering around the city for a bit when he spotted M walking away from the Evokers, Alvira and Roxi with the girl in the picture. He wouldn't mind talking to the other group, especially since he wanted to check in on Roxi and make sure she was doing OK, but he had a mission first. Approaching M, he hesitated and then called out, "Uhm, excuse me? I... have something for you, ma'am. I found it in the castle, after the battle was done. I, would have given it sooner, but you didn't seem very open to strangers and so... I'm sorry. I should have anyways but. Here." He held the photo out, hoping that she wouldn't be too mad that he had taken this long to give it back to her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mercenary on the Winds Posted August 28 Author Share Posted August 28 (edited) Eva's flame didn't extinguish for even a moment, still going on at Syndra until the moment she was out of sight... and then her shoulders fell. "It... is a fair bit offputting, isn't it? Lived basically my entire life under their thumb... it feels so strange to just... accept that she'll be fighting at our side." Lumina looked at Eva, and shook her head, "If life was difficult for us, then I can only imagine what it was for you... especially after things like the caravan. Seven years on and we still haven't heard the end of i--" Lumina had the air expelled from her lungs as Eva pulled her into a hug, not to comfort her for the first time, but for herself. Lumina looked up to see Eva's lip held tight by her teeth, the blood starting to trickle down, and then she released her--before Lumina could shake off the shock of the sudden hug--Lumina held her hand out to the dragon, but the fights were getting underway, and she was the first. That'll have to wait... for the moment, anyway. It didn't wait long. Lumina might of well have been dust in the wind compared to everyone who came through. First the... impressively endowed dancer, Lumina didn't have the time to get lost, having found herself flat on her back in the first strike. Then, the Cat's biggest fan proved herself to be a force, carving through everyone, including the Cat herself, before falling to the demon swordsman. The white lizard that followed was more of the same, a single dagger, had her out of the fight. Evangeline fared better--stopping the dancer, but falling to the archer and the white lizard, yet, the weight behind her blows was unmistakable. Still incensed from earlier with Syndra--the confidence of the Belrose mage was maddening, honestly. An almost detached sort of confidence. Even the promise that she would help with rescuing Pashmina felt like she was just repaying a debt, covering her own ego, rather than genuinely coming to assist the person who had given her the way out that she had sought. Not like you were much better, huh? Years ago, you would have been doing the same, so why are you even getting upset over it...? Lumina wandered over to Eva, "You did well, Eva... better than I could have managed." She sat down next to her companion, "More and more, it appears like you were right--not much of an arena fighter if everyone flattens me in one go, huh?" Lumina ran a hand through her hair, and then looked over at the downtrodden dragon, "Eva... I don't think I need to ask why you're so hostile to her--every self-respecting Islexian should be--but... it's more personal for you. Just know, I'm always going to fall on your side of this. You're right, I think, she has more to answer for, and she should be working towards that. But I care very little about her--if she were to die tomorrow, I wouldn't shed a tear, but... if you need to, my shoulder is there for you, as you were... for me." Marigold took the lead in announcing themselves, and their orders--not that she needed to, Lezard had their orders well memorized--and then, latched herself tightly around his arm. Kieran kept his eyes straight ahead, partially glad that Marigold had... very little definition up top otherwise it would have been a lot more difficult to keep a straight face. "Hah, could have fooled me, but then again, it's not like I could overpower you if you wanted to drag me somewhere." Calmly ignoring the fact that he had walked here with her entirely of his own accord, the date allegations were not being rebuffed by his standoffish nature. Not like you didn't have something to do... Just roll with it... You don't get to decide what other people think you're worth... You just have the choice to live up to it or not... It didn't take long for Miria, and Sylmaria to depart--though most of that was Sylmaria, Miria barely able to walk straight without stumbling. Kieran sighed, "Someone might have to be watching out for that one... Serdio knows if she'll remember anything if she's already moving like that..." The wonder of what Marigold was like when drunk crossed his mind, but he quickly dashed it, remembering that she didn't get drunk anymore, and more importantly, removing the other thought from his mind. You'd have to succeed in your goal for something like that... ha, idiot. Lezard smiled, "Of course, of course, Marigold, though, I am surprised--you and Kieran have come together before, but it hasn't been together like this~" The man then turned to Amera, "You're in luck, my friend~ The fish get done in batches, so if you wait a moment for me, I'll have another present just for you~" He looked at Seila and Ember, "You two can take your time, the night is young~" "Hold on a moment." Tio waved her hand, "I would be rather impressed if Hecatia of all people were able to maintain whatever magic is containing this Miz. More over, I don't think it will be nearly as simple as just wandering into a cave where she's located. If she was using Astralis, and the Gate of Providence, that means she's from at least twelve hundred years ago... which likely means that she's hidden within ruins, which then means that finding her is far, far more difficult than you realize. Many are underground now, others in the mountains... not to mention that we can't exactly take everything Miz says as factual. Lastly, even if someone did manage to find Miz... would they have the ability to open the crystal in the first place? There are simply too many things, so jumping to the possibility that they're intentionally keeping her is... far-fetched, if not ill advised." Tio then sighed, "I'm not surprised that you hadn't heard about the attack on Axios Hall. News doesn't travel as quickly as it should--it was fairly recent, and suppressed for a time. The fact that we know that it was Princess Lucille is information that most people don't even have. And it is not information that should be given to anyone else." Tio crossed her arms, "Though, there is a chance that things may not be... as difficult as they sound. After all, we are steadily approaching July and August, and the Festival of Deliverance, where we all celebrate the defeat of the Holy Lufirian Empire. If you were to coincide your search with the festival, perhaps it's possible that things will go smoothly. That, of course, will all hinge on what happens here, and in the future..." Tio's violet eyes than turned on Alvira. Tio had wondered about this, Alvira had expressed desire in going back to Lufiria, and concern for her siblings, but there were no ways for her to return... not without them. "...Were it anyone else, I would immediately have turned them down. If not for the importance of the mission, then for the fact that we would have to cross the sands. Strength of character, and determination are not enough to cross the Sands; it's dangerous, and any sort of mistake can doom us all. I'm not concerned about Elisa and my ability to take more people with us, but I am concerned about the dangers that extra bodies pose. Still..." Tio looked over at Jane and M, offering them a smile for their thanks, "You have a family to go back to at least, and I can't exactly... turn that away. Elisa and I will have to converse, and perhaps speak with Jeremiah about it--we still have to speak with him about Mercuria as well. Because while I do wish to help you with your family... my first and foremost priority is that of Glacies, so the dangers that your heritage, and the search for this spear pose are something that we'll have to consider. But before all of that," Tio stared at the dragon, "Are you prepared to part ways with the Tigers should we be able to take you along?" Jane kept herself burrowed against M, almost desperate to catchup on the time that she had lost with her. Miss Tio, and Miredy, even Roxanne, whose voice she could hear, all of them would get their thanks, but for the time being, she just wanted to be with M. Finally, she nodded in her mother's arms, pulling back to look up at her with bright, teary eyes, "Yeah, yeah... let's go, momma!" Jane turned, and--suddenly there was a bird in front of her. "Huh?" Jane flinched, and burrowed against M again. Edited September 1 by Mercenary on the Winds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursali Posted August 28 Share Posted August 28 Mira could only stare in absolute disbelief as her taunt bounced off the not-elf like she had, as much as she resented it, bounced off Laniva's armor. "Wh-What the hell!? When did you find the time to think of all this, huh!?" All she could do was bluster at him. She hadn't been prepared for a proper response, her tail flicking as she scowled back at his smirk. "Mrrrrr..." She growled, lacking a response to the genuine thought he had put into his plan. She watched him warily, making sure their faces were far enough apart that she could pull back if he tried to go for a surprise kiss; however, she hadn't accounted for him to grab her again, held against him in a hug as he smiled so genuinely down at her. She struggled and squirmed for a moment, both wanting and not wanting his embrace before eventually giving up and accepting it. "I don't understand how you can be like this..." She huffed, refusing to leave herself any more vulnerable than that. "I don't know if I like salmon or not. And, it's not like I'd know anything about jewelry... You think an absentee, uncaring, bitch," she couldn't restrain her ire, growling, "like Grelbiria bothered to teach me about anything like that?" Her tail had grown more agitated, whipping at the ground. "Even if she did, I don't remember the minor details that much. Neither does th-- Neither does Alriana, probably. I've been 'asleep' for..." It dawned on her that she didn't actually know the current year. Her fists clenched. She'd never had the luxury to consider how much of her time had been stolen from her, only focusing on the fact that it had been. "What year is it anyway?" The words themselves were harmless, but the muted fury behind them was anything but. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanami Touko Posted August 28 Share Posted August 28 (edited) "You, dumbass, why didn' you bring some of the glasses!?" Sylm snatched the bottle before Miria could make more of a mess of herself and waste some of it, groaning. "Jus' drink from it, fuck... I'm not sick or anythin'... Yer so... Rrrr..." Sylm stared at the wine before slowly setting it down, staring up at the sky, the beautiful hues of orange and red mixing in her eyes as the sun got lower and lower in the sky. It was a sight she'd thought lost to her, something she'd have to give up, toss aside, throw away-- Owen was meant to die and her with him. "How... How, did I get here...?" What a question. "Having fun? I shoul' be dead, Miria... An' I'm not... just beating myself up sayin' that. Been... Been livin', twenty one years, hating everything. Myself, my country, my people, your people, the people, hic, I was made to work for... An' is all gone... Woosh. Jus' like that. One life, ends, and everything changes... 's so fucked up." She stuffed the rest of her fish into her mouth and washed it down with another hefty chug of the bottle, eyes glazing over some, mind swimming in the alcohol. It was definitely way too much. "Why d'you care, anyway? You got friends, an', work, folks... y'should go hang out wi' them. Instead yer... wastin' yer first time gettin' drunk on, hic... some, sad dragon. Stupid. Stupid..." "It's fine, Roxanne... I feel worse about leaving you to deal with this alone after you confided in me, but, this is something I have to do, for myself and for the world. Yes, Tio, I have no issues leaving them for the time being. I'll speak with Tasha, let her know everything... But I can't throw away this chance. Even if all you do is get me through the Sands and I have to figure out everything myself in Ametrine... I'm stronger now. I've got the means to make it happen. I WILL make it happen. For Fomalhaut and myself both... Mercuria went too far, too many times. It's beyond me now and not something that can be ignored." Hopefully the two women understood. If they didn't, Alvira would find a different way into Lufiria, but she was beyond determined. This was destiny, as far as she was concerned, from the day Fomalhaut responded to her of all people. I will save you. I will do everything to save you. M had barely gotten a few steps away from the Evokers situation when she was stopped by a small winged fellow, handing her a photo of... Jane. "That bastard must've had this, huh?" She smiled so incredibly wryly, pocketing the photo and holding her daughter tight. "Thanks, kid. You didn't have to get that or even give it back, but... it's appreciated." She hoisted Jane up a little higher so she could get a better sight of everything that was going on once she was finished being shy. "Now, if you'll excuse me... I've got a daughter to spoil. She's been so good, she deserves anything she wants. Let's see if someone can get you something sweet~" M wandered off with perhaps the widest smile she'd sported in years. "Ohhhh, you're just sayin' that~ Can't take all the credit for myself... I asked Jeremiah to help me get my focus back. Always been handy with knives," she said, effortlessly spinning one out so close to him and then sliding it away without harming a hair on either of their bodies, "but practising with him really helped me get used to fighting and dancing at the same time. Big step up... Hope I can help you all more, now. I've been pretty useless since we hit Islexia... and I needed to change that." She sighed, leaning back just a bit, looking him up and down. "You don't look like you need training, anyway. So what you're struggling against a bunch of the Tigers, they aren't who you gotta fight... And, uh, these kinda places, they don't let you show off that you'd get a free shot in a real fight. It's not like you run up to folks and stuff the fireball into their faces before you get punchy. Don't be so hard on yourself, Cin-- but we can still go check out the bazaar, all the same~ Maybe we'll see miss Syta over there picking out her prize, eheheh..." Eva had... hoped Lumina wouldn't touch on things again, but the wound was still pretty visible and open. Better to try and dress it than let it bleed everywhere. "I... wish, she'd bowed her head. Apologized. Said anything humble. It's that fucking ego... Like, this is her doing. Like she brought these people together. Last I checked, that Tiger woman is leading these people, and they're here on the Evokers word, helping the Gaffneys. That it's coming to blows with the Belrose family and saving Pashmina? That's a coincidence, but she still acts like... Urgghhhh...!" Eva's tail smashed the ground, huffing. "That Gods damned ego. How can she remain so steadfast? In the face of everything? Running away from Islexia before, only coming back now... She should be groveling and begging all of us to do our best." She let her anger simmer for a moment longer before tiring out, sighing and leaning into Lumina-- slowly hugging her and pulling her closer again. "You're right. I shouldn't care... She doesn't matter. Saving your sister does. I'll try to keep my mind on track with what's really important, and forget about stuck up mages." She let her go once again and stretched, letting out a groan. "Hope this doesn't last much longerrrrhhhh... Gettin' real tired of having my ass beat~ Can't imagine what you're going through, heheheh... But when this is all over, I'll give you all the comfort you need for getting thrashed. Maybe, privately? Back in your room? I'm not so brazen as to be all over you in public... unlike mister final rung over there. Sheesh, the confidence..." Sari's gaze grew a bit tighter. "The year is twelve eighteen... but, Mira?" He sat down once more, letting her go and just keeping hold of her hands, holding that look on her. "What's past is past. You can be upset about it; I won't take that away from you. I won't tell you to throw it away, either... When we meet Grelbiria, she's going to have a lot to answer for. But, until then, do what you can to avoid letting your past ruin your present, and your future. You can't remember if you like salmon? We'll go find out. You don't know jewellery? We'll try things on until you see something that you like... You're free. You're not alone. You're not going to get locked back into your cage forever. This isn't your last day awake... I promise. And I do everything I can to make sure those promises never break." He didn't know if Alriana was awake in there, trying to tell her the same, but there had been a few twitches and shifts in her expressions... She was probably in there saying something. "Tonight is all about what you want. You want to fight me? We'll have a go when this is over, then get you fed, no matter the outcome, let you try on clothes, give you something to care about... It's all on me. Trust me. As much as you can, at least... I've got a lot to make up for." Edited August 28 by Nanami Touko Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoldsbroTSG Posted August 28 Share Posted August 28 "A-ah..." Miria tried her best to give an answer to why she did that; not wanting to germ up the bottle, but she was taken aback. That was the second time she's been called an idiot tonight... She sat, her head starting to hurt, but continued to listen. It made Miria feel so many emotions she shouldn't be feeling in the state she's in. She didn't understand the kind of things Sylmaria went through, all she did was that the girl was alive now. But, that was part of that naivete that made Miria's person. She took a hand, and held her head, the other soon doing the same, doing her best to remain calm. But... "I care cause I wan'a, okay?!" Miria's word were slurred, but the the fire in her voice was still clear. She stood up, and turned so that her eyes were locked in on the dragon. "I care bec-cc-cause, I know what people can do, and I know... you'll find some way to be h-haappy, and I wanna be there to see it. I don know, okay, I'll n-never know, what you've been through, but a-asssss long as you're wiff us, I'll... I'll always be h-helping, because I wanna b-bee there..." Her fist was balled, but she held her fist. She never intended to hit the dragon. "And i-ifff that makes me stupid, then I'd rather be stupid than not have faith anymore! And no, never sayy you shoulda died... You're alhive for a reason! And you have a chance to be better, to have life be better..." Miria's tone started to wane, as she started to cough hoarsely. "And an-anooother," Another cough, "Another thing-- I was drinking the wine like I was causa me... Imagine all the spicy crap I ate getting into... g-g-goood wine..." And the girl collapsed to her knees and planted the top of her body on the bench. "Hah... hah--" She swallowed, "I-I'm sorry, I juszz... wanted to have a fun time, and you deserve to have one too..." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRoon Posted August 28 Share Posted August 28 (edited) When the merchant couple explained what little they could, Renais' excitement and hope suddenly turned down to sorrow and disappointment. "Oh...is that right?" Though some keywords did stand out for the rose colored cleric, such as rifle and royalty, just hearing they were long gone was not good at all for her. At the very least they were still in Islexia, so it wasn't a complete loss. "Well, thank you both for your help. I appreciate-" Before she could excuse herself a familiar tall tiger approached Renais with a greeting, which caused the girl in white to turn to her leader. "Oh, commander." She did her best to shape up and at least present a professional yet neutral face to her leader. "I was just finishing up actually, I'll let you conduct your business ma'am." She stepped aside to let Tasha up front, but she hasn't left yet. She eyed the tigress quietly, she lost Alvira the same night she lost Kise. The determination she showed during the Underground raid was incredible, it showed how deeply she cared for her partner. "Commander?" She spoke up again. "If it's not too much trouble I'd like to ask for your advice, it's love related." Probably came out of nowhere considering Renais hardly talked with Tasha unless it's work related. Edited August 28 by TheRoon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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