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Return of the Emblem Chapter Eight: Affairs of the World


Phoenix
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A faint twinge of red shot across Robin's face. She had thought Bert to be flirting with the maidens, not simply asking directions. It didn't justify him blowing her off like that, but still... "I thought... Oh... Ummm... You were just asking for directions. I need some too to a place where I can wash my clothes on my own. Still, why so early? Something planned before breakfast?"

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"If I can, I always work out and practice with my weapons before breakfast," Norbert gave the brief explanation to Robin, "Today I was hoping to practice using my poleaxe against Blake since we have the time. This poleaxe was made to be particularly effective against people with a similar fighting style to his but I haven't gotten the hang of using it yet, so it's good practice for both of us."

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"Blew you off?" exhoed Norbert, somewhat surprised, "You think I did that? That's why you're in such a huff?" Now it was beginning to make some sense. "I just don't know how to help you with your problem, so I advised you talk to someone who does. Since there wasn't any reason for me to stick around, I left so I could continue on with my day while you continued with yours," he explained.

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John watched the small scene unfold. <So that was it huh.> He thought. <Although it sounds like she made a hasty judgement. Anyway...> ''Practice huh.'' He repeated. ''You don't mind if I join? Sounds like a good chance for it.''

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Norbert shrugged at John's question. "Sure. I don't mind. We can ask Blake if we can find him. If not, we could just practice together," he simply replied.

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"You could have listened, you could have said something like 'I hope you make the right decision'. Just... Nevermind." she groaned as she rubbed her forehead in the palm of her hand. "You clearly care about your practice so much it does not matter."

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Robin opened her mouth as if to speak, only to close it, before trying again with the same result. "I do not know. I really wish I knew what was going on myself and I do not even know why I am so mad at Bert for blowing me off. It seems like every time I try to do something nice I have bad dreams, get shot, or something else and when I try to talk to someone about it, someone who was part of the dreams, I get blown off for early-morning practice."

Edited by Snowy_One
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"Wait, I was a part of your nightmare?" Norbert asked. That was...kind of interesting...a little unsettling...and even somewhat flattering. Well, regardless, his curiosity was piqued. Though it was somewhat awkward that now he was in two, possibly three conversations at once. He'd just listen to whoever spoke up next and wrap up the others as their involvement of him ended.

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"Yes. You are. Rather, when I gave you the blanket, I ended up having a nightmare the following night. Last night, you were part of a pirate crew lead by Gytha along with the rest of the group telling me to apologize and grovel so I could become part of it or die. <God I have strange dreams!>"

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''You got a nightmare huh.'' John said. But before anything else she had already went on explaining it. ''... yeah, that is a strange dream.'' <And here I thought that guy and his wyvern were weird, and recurring, but anyway...> ''Well, I'm no expert on this matter, but I'm sure there is a meaning behind it, considering things.''

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"I'm not an expert either, but it's probably just that you've been thinking about those sorts of things a lot," Norbert replied with a shrug, "But really? Pirates? And with Gytha as the leader? That just doesn't make any sense. I guess dreams don't make much sense anyway, but... Bah, I don't know anything about this sort of thing. Like I said, you should talk to someone knowledgable about this. Maybe you just hit your head really hard or maybe you're afraid of something... I don't know." It was sort of frusterating not being able to figure out what was wrong with Robin, even if his inability to do so made sense. Then a thought occurred to him. "Hey, wasn't there someone travelling with us who had weird dreams, too? You could look for her, I guess, but I don't remember seeing her around recently..." he suggested. Actually, there are a lot of people I haven't seen recently... Hmm... I wonder where they're all disappearing to...

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"I think I know what it is I am afraid of as well. Before the pirates I heard a voice in my head, my own, accusing me of lying to myself to try and become friends with other people. That by giving you the blanket, apologizing to Gytha, and whatever else, I was selling myself out. That... is terrifying to me, to not be myself, so it does make a degree of sense. Still..." an idea popped into her head. "Bert... Remember our fight about hunting all that time ago? I... I was frustrated and mad about how you seemed to not know what you were talking about and did not realize you were talking about plains hunting. I am sorry. I would also like to watch you practice and many go shopping with you for a iron skinning knife. The tools I made myself are clearly of inferior quality and should be replaced."

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Robin seemed to get closer to some sort of reason why she was having these weird nightmares (which apparently was because if she did something nice to someone it sickened her to the point of having said nightmares)...then, she suddenly dropped it and said she wanted to watch them train and go into town to get a skinning knife. What? "Uhh... Yeah, sure, you can come watch if you want, though...don't you think participating would be a better use of your time? Not that you have to, just that you're welcome to. As for going to get a new knife, Valter and I were going to head into town later. You could come with us then if you'd like," he replied, "But I don't remember the argument very well, so don't worry about it. Though, about your nightmares... You're basicly saying you're betraying who you are by helping other people and so your subconcious punishes you for it. Is that right? 'Cause...that sounds like a curse or something a cleric should look at. Or some sort of mental illness. Either way it can't be healthy." Robin has a weird way of thinking... Maybe she just needs to figure out that it's okay to change your mind on some things? This...isn't something I'm good at. She needs to see a doctor or something.

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<This whole thing sure seemed to have solved itself just fine. Although... it does sounds like she has quite the problem.> John thought. ''Oh, you guys are going into town?'' He asked.

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"Yeah. Valter and I were talking about it last night," Norbert simply answered John.

OoC: Wrong person.

Edited by Mercakete
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"I am not sure of what use I could be in a sparring fight without my bow. I only have my skinning knife with me normally and I have never had to fight in close combat with it." she said as she shuddered at his last words. A curse? That didn't sound right at all to her, but mental illness? Maybe not right, but certainly close enough. A mental voice in her head chastising her for changing. A personification of guilt?

"I... Think you may be right on the seeing a doctor though. Though for all our sakes, let us hope that it is not destructive."

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<Hm, that may not be a bad idea either. Given that we're here and all, it would be a waste to not have some sight-seeing of the city.> He thought.

''You can be of use even with a bow. You could try to fire your arrows in order to make it more challenging for the ones doing the actual dueling.'' He suggested with a laugh.

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"Hmm. Not a bad idea, but this sparring session will probably last longer than I initially thought. It's a good idea, but I want at least one round alone against Blake. I'm not used to this poleaxe at all yet so I'd like to focuss on that at last a little," Norbert put in as he considered the suggestions, "But Robin, you could still practice maneuvers to avoid getting hit since our enemies won't care if you can't fight at close combat. Actually, they'll probably take advantage of it, so it's better to prepare for that with people who aren't after your blood."

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"I am not sure it is a good idea to fire into you guys as you spar. Even without a tip, a arrow can really hurt if it hits, not to mention I could put your eye out or shatter your knee. Still, if you will have me, I will come with you, both to spar and out shopping."

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Battle Preparations

The three Sancturans flew off into the night atop Isis, the Second Queen. Many hours passed before they arrived in the area they were to search for their targets. Haythem put Isis down right near the mouth of a small rocky canyon. He knew they were in the right place, seeing a faint group of campfires inside the canyon. The canyon walls were illuminated and casting a golden tint, while everything outside was a midnight blue. Amon, Haythem, and Malik quickly dismounted and began making preparations, as well as discussing their plan of attack.

<"First, you should muzzle that wyvern so she doesn't make any noise. Second, we should scout the area and make sure they don't have any patrols. Lastly, we have to get in there and destroy their food and water, and kill anyone who gets in our way."> Malik explained.

<"Okay, first off, Malik, Isis doesn't need a muzzle. She's plenty quiet. Also this area is pretty well known for dragons, so it's not strictly necessary that she be quiet. That could even work to our advantage if we need a 'dragon' in the area for whatever reason. Second, we need to avoid killing these people. It defeats the whole purpose of the mission to just go around stabbing anyone who detects us. If we get spotted after we complete the objectives, all is well and we can just run."> Haythem replied.

<"I'm not killing anyone tonight."> Amon declared with a serious look on his face. He then pulled a small veil over his mouth, leaving only his eyes and hair visible.

<"How ironic."> Malik muttered.

Maidens and Redwrists

Once again, before Rasha could answer, another conversation or two came, though this was perfectly fine with her. Like before, she motioned for Amina to pay close attention to what they were saying, and then once there was a long enough pause for Rasha to feel comfortable ending the immersion lesson, she responded. "I'm sorry, I wouldn't know anyone in particular. The guards keep an eye on who comes and goes and blue hair is a rare color, even among your group, so if he's left the building or been anywhere, one of the guards might know."

Meanwhile one of the rexians found himself being asked about Amon. He simply shrugged at first. "Ask a maiden." He honestly didn't know, and maidens were typically the best place to start when it came to finding others on the staff.

Raquel

When Veronika brought up the meeting, Raquel put her head down a bit. She was trying not to think about it, but that was admittedly selfish of her. Her decision would affect the group as a whole. "She wants a part of it. Unlike Lilith, she didn't just take it. She wants a part of it for herself. She and Lilith had a talk about it, and she doesn't seem to care either way, now. The thing is ... she tagged a condition onto it that I just don't like, and I'm also worried about what it might mean down the road."

Church

"Major General, just who is your enemy? Who could make use of an artifact that in times past, the church could not? Whatever urgency the Order of Wrath sees in gaining this artifact is clearly-" "Careful, Worthington." Desmond interrupted. "It was Lord Wrath himself that has given us this task that you so foolishly kept hidden. We will do only what he requires of us, so be careful what you accuse us of doing."

Crackdown Continues

"The forest is so close to that entrance, that you will have a hard time leading them back here. Try to subdue them, but be especially careful." Langley instructed. "Taylor is going to have to catch any stragglers in the woods with just his own men, unfortunately. I should probably file in a request for more specialty units. These hideouts are being well thought out, and it is getting more difficult to adapt."

Darksider: Heroic 4

"Yes my horses do not seem very fond of me. Perhaps what I need is a pegasus!" Simon realized. "With a pegasus, I would be able to travel through the skies with the two of you. Oh, but the pegasus would have to be black, a pure black stallion with menacing eyes~"

"Hahahah, that's not physically possible! No pegasus could carry you!" Cecily nearly lost control. "Besides, three is company, and four is a crowd." she added, noting Cloe.

"I count three of us." Simon muttered in a confused tone.

"Black pegasi are extremely rare too, now that you mention it ... and a male would probably be too much trouble for you." she noted.

Kigen Barracks

<"Ah, that is good news."> Katsu looked up down at his feet for a moment and grimaced. <"I suppose one more day won't be the end of me but, after that, I must get back on my feet. I have to do something."> While Katsu felt a need to train that bordered on obsession, what he was really concerned about was escaping his and his friends' defeat at the hands of the fallen Matriarch and Admonitor. He hadn't become any stronger since his battle with them, and so the defeat was linger over him and haunting his thoughts. <"Has there been any word from my employer in the north?">

Edited by Phoenix
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"Alright. Thanks," Norbert responded to the maidens and making a note to ask one of the guards if they'd seen Blake. For now, though, he turned his attention to John. "So, what did you want to talk to me about?"

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

"A'right; thank ye!" thanked Gytha before heading back to that sparkly room where she saw a bunch of maidens before. Selecting one of them randomly, she brusquely adressed her. "Ahoy! D'ye know where I can find Amon?" she was smiling her usual, jolly grin and just being loud and friendly in general, as was her usual, happy self. It didn't occur to her that others might not see this as normal and she might be perceved as...overly exuberant. She also was fully equipt, her belt holding her puch, sheathed sword and holstered pistol. Her fists were on her hips, sure, but her obliviousness probably wasn't helping her much...

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

Cecelia began muttering "I don't see why they don't just send specialty units in advance and save us the trouble" but cut herself off after "I" and instead replied, "Understood, ma'am." And with that, Cecelia took off into the sky to relay the tactics to her pegasus knights. "Alright, ladies! As soon as you see them emerge, dive in and subdue them! Let's not let them hide in the forest! Maiming is preferrable, kill if you have to, but don't let them under the boughs of those trees! Understood?"

"Yes, ma'am!"

With her soldiers' affirmative cry, Cecelia took her position at their head, watching and waiting with her sword drawn.

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

<"Well, this did come for you,"> Daichi replied as he handed Katsu the letter he'd been carrying. He wanted to ask more questions, but decided against it to allow Katsu to read the letter first.

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Veronika

"Well I'm sure Aisha could have taken it from you if she had really wanted it, not sure why she would bother with diplomacy. The emblem might be hard to use if you keep breaking it though...that is if we ever want to try and use it. What's this condition she had anyway?" Veronika asked Raquel. Dealing with fickle vasili wasn't what I had it mind for this adventure, but I guess we have to deal with this.

Selene

Desmond had answered Worthington's questions for her it seemed. "It would be preferable if you aided us in this, or at least did not impede us. We are doing what is best for Ursium, whether you believe it or not, and we will continue to act in her best interests," she said simply to the assorted people of interest.

Clara

"Well if you want to keep up with us, you'll probably need riding lessons. And an uh, big pegasus. Do you have any combat training...if not maybe you should consider a job back at headquarters," she said to Simon. Well he's not the worst company, even if he is a bit odd. Wonder what Cloe would think of him...

Edited by -Cynthia-
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Raquel

"Well," Raquel began. "She never had any intention of letting Amon travel with us after we leave Sanctuary. She'll only allow him to travel with us if I give her a part of the emblem. He's her servant, but it still feels like blackmail, and I've got a bad feeling about splitting this emblem over and over again, too."

Church Folk

"Neither I nor the other three orders will try to impede any of you." Worthington assured Selene and Desmond. He gazed helplessly at the floor and shook his head. This wasn't something he was prepared to deal with.

"It's good to know the word of Lord Wrath is being taken seriously. Good day to you all." Desmond bid his farewell and made for the exit. His next stop was the office of the Head Wrathite, now his office, apparently. Clover followed closely behind. Athrun lagged behind for a moment, reflecting on the situation.

Darksider: Most Dangerous

"Oh yes, a large pegasus! He should have massive wings and a fierce gaze!" Simon added.

"Pft, no wingspan can account for your weight. You should probably take the headquarters job, yeah." Cecily commented. "I guess if you're serious, we should go ahead and see if Layla has a problem with that."

"Oh and to answer dear Clara's question; yes, I am more than capable of holding my own in a combat situation. I am the darksider! I am one of the most dangerous combat shamans the world has ever known!" Simon held out his arms as he boasted. "Behold, my official rankings!" He quickly whipped out a small parchment and handed it to Cecily.

Stamina: 5 Strength: 0 Magical Power: 8 Precision: 5 Agility: 4 Fortune: 1 Defense: 2 Resistance: 4

"An official profile and ranking from the Warriors Guild? Save for stamina and magical power, these scores are kind of pathetic. What made you think they were good?" Simon became instantly teary eyed. "Hmm ... how do they even rank someone's fortune in a testing environment?" she was genuinely curious about that, but handed the parchment over to Clara to examine since there was little else she could glean from it.

These Maidens

"Amon? Amoooon ... Oh! Amon Zeev. I saw him with the High Priestess last night, but that was the last I saw him." the maiden answered. Another put a finger on her lip to think, and then she realized she was able to expound a bit further.

"High Priestess Lulu held a meeting last night. I saw Amon and a lot of the other agents gathered around for a briefing of some sort." The next maiden seemed to mimic the first and was able to provide the next piece of the puzzle.

"Oh Haythem, Amon, and Malik all left, last night. They must be on a mission. I saw them from my balcony, last night while I was stargazing. I would have missed them, but they flew very close to the palace and I spotted all three of their heads; Haythem's fine silver spikes, Malik's blazing red tresses, and Amon's golden mane~"

The first maiden spoke up again saying "I suppose if they left for a mission on Isis, they must be out in the desert somewhere, still."

Those Maidens

With Bert's question answered, Rasha and Amina thought to go on about their business, but then it occurred to Rasha that she might want to check just to make sure they weren't needed for anything else. "Is there anything else any of you need to know?"

Katsu

<"A reply?"> Katsu asked somewhat rhetorically as he reached for and accepted the letter. He quickly opened it and began reading it. For the first time since the battle, he was able to smile. <"Good ... Atsuko is safe, and our payment has been sent off to our village in the south. Though it also mentions that Atsuko does not plan on staying in Europa very long. Hmm ....">

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