Return of the Emblem Chapter Fifteen: Alliance

[Phoenix]

Fire Emblem: The Gathering

The group was still scattered and disorganized. The avians and Lumi had eventually showed up at Weyland Enterprises, but others had left in the meantime. Greta was off in town selling off Lexi's cargo, and wouldn't be present for the meeting at this rate. Fizza was just plain missing, and Amon had no idea how to find her. Perhaps the biggest issues he had on his plate were Norbert, whom Nadya hadn't brought back yet, and Canaan, their new demon 'friend' and ultimate liability. He'd nearly had a heart attack when they brought him to meet Canaan, not because of his appearance. He looked almost human. Amon's fear came from the implications; if anyone found out about this, they would have to fight their way out of Arugai or die trying. Assuming they survived, and weren't hounded by the army, they would be facing enemies on two sides, the Kigenese army on one side, and the Fallen on the other. They were good, but not that good.

Anna was still gone, presumably looking for Norbert, so Amon had spent some time in the meeting room that had been set aside for the group and Hikibain guest. There was nothing to do, and entirely too much to think about. What was Ra doing, right now? What were Fizza and Ayano doing right now? How much time did they have left until the Fallen finished their gate and sent and army through it? What would it take to bring down Valdimarr and claim his emblem piece? How were they going to keep up this chest charade with Canaan, long term? There were no answers yet, leaving Amon to slump at the northern style meeting table.

The meeting would be starting as soon as Daichi arrived, so Amon made sure to keep himself free, and not venture off the premises. There was only one problem he could solve right now, and that was getting Kigen's cooperation with the Fallen working on the siege gate. Daichi was the first step in bringing about that cooperation, and so it was the sancturan's top priority, now. He wasn't alone in the meeting room, which was mostly good. Amon was no diplomat, so having others help would be good, provided it was the right sort of help ...

Zero Escape

Anna's own search had begun with a trip to the docks, the scene of Norbert's initial bolt. Some people had moved on, but others recalled the pegasus rider and his rapid departure. Anna used these leads and questioned every anchored person she could find along the way, leading further and further inland. Before reaching the outskirts of Arugai, Weyland's agent ran into Nadya, who was also still in the middle of her search. Anna's witnesses and Luca's nose were both leading them in the same general direction, and so the two joined forces and headed to the outskirts.

Eventually, Norbert and Rizen came into view. Why he'd come this far wasn't clear, but Anna sorely wished he would be more considerate next time and just go have a drink at a tavern like a normal person when they were having a bad day. He'd be much easier to track down that way~ He probably didn't want to be tracked down, not even by his allies, but he still had debts to pay. "I can't wait to hear what he has to say about that stunt back in town," Anna said, none too happy about the roughly two hour search.

[-Cynthia-]

Nadya

Nadya and Luca had spent the past few hours questioning about the location of the pegasus rider, to little success. Anna joining the search party was a welcome addition that had eventually led them to their target. "Somethin' or other probably got his feathers all riled up. Just gotta let him vent a little and he should be back to normal," Nadya remarked to Anna, as Luca sauntered up. "Howdy Bert. Ya are a tough guy to find sometimes," she greeted him.

[Mercakete]

After wrapping up with Amon's mysterious group, Daichi and his entourage had gone directly to the Neviskotian embassy to learn more about the situation on the water. According to Eva and Amon, their ships were unaligned with the respective navies, though they were affiliated with the Ursian inventor, Professor Seth Weyland. Since they suspected that the Neviskotians were being chased by the Ursians -- but didn't know why -- that meant that it had been the easternmost northerners who had chosen to sail to Kigen. So, that was where he intended to start.

After some expected time waiting in the lobby, Daichi had managed to meet with Ambassador Alin Ungur. After the usual, though shortened, pleasantries, it was right down to business. First, of course, Daichi asked if he had received word from the Neviskotian naval ship docked in the harbor. He had. The Hikibain then asked why the northerners' war had been brought into Kigenese waters, including a request for the full story. The Neviskotian representative, obviously, could only relay what he had been told, and made sure that was understood before divulging the story as it had been explained to him.

According to Ungur's sources, after the attempt to secure Port Urquium failed, and the fleet's flagship was neutralized, the Neviskotian fleet began a fighting retreat south, attempting to sail back to Imperial waters. (It seemed they had succeeded, in Daichi's view, though their retreat had brought them to the waters of the wrong empire.) The Ursian fleet chased them, and has been attempting to surround portions of the fleet by restricting eastward movement and forcing them steadily southward towards Arugai. In short, they were trying to keep themselves out of the Ursians' net, and said "net" had been pushing them unwillingly into the waters of the southern empire.

Besides the simple answer to his question, Ungur also mentioned that the naval soldiers' morale was low because there was no telling where their flagship had gone to, and may have even been claimed by the Ursians, which would put the Neviskotians at a huge disadvantage. When he asked about it, Daichi was told that the Ursians likely had some sort of warping device, which they had used to separate the ship from its crew. That was definitely something Daichi was going to ask about later.

The next question Daichi had, however, was about the two unaligned ships that had come into port with the Neviskotian and Ursian naval vessels. The question was simple enough, asking what the ambassador knew about them. Ungur didn't know much. He speculated that they were Ursian-commissioned ships, and probably still helping said navy. That was about it, though, as, evidently, he didn't actually have many details regarding what, exactly, took place during the battle that pushed the countries' ships to Kigen.

Figuring that was about as much as he'd be able to get on that line of questioning, the Hikibain reverted to one that was much more practiced between the two men. He asked if the man had heard any news regarding demons in Neviskotia. As with every other time, no, there was no news on that front. And so, questions answered, the meeting came to a close.

Daichi wasn't done yet, though. His next destination was the Ursian embassy, and this time, he would be meeting with Ambassador Casimir Ospina. The first portion went about the same as it had in the Neviskotian embassy, from the wait time in the lobby to the confirmation that, yes, the ambassador had received word from his countrymen, and to the following question about what was going on. And, of course, Ospina and his fellow Ursians blamed the Neviskotians just as much as the Neviskotians blamed the Ursians...though Ospina was a little more spirited in his storytelling than his counterpart had been.

According to him, after repelling a vicious and cruel attack on Urquium and the civilian populace, the Ursians gave chase by necessity in order to inflict as much damage on the Neviskotian imperial fleet as possible to keep them from rallying. The risk of being attacked again if they turned around or dispersed had been too high. As for why the navies were so close to the Kigenese mainland, Ospina suspected -- or rather accused -- the Neviskotians of seeking Kigen's sympathy by playing the victim, with the ultimate goal of getting the Kigenese navy to bolster their forces in case the fighting worsened.

That was about enough of that in Daichi's opinion -- sometimes he forgot how much of a headache some northerners could be, no matter how well-intended they were -- and so, he asked about the unaligned ships, just as he had asked the Neviskotian ambassador. Of course, he knew better than to even hint that he had already spoken with Ungur. Not if he wanted a sincere, unedited response from the politician, even if the Ursian managed to stay on topic.

As it turned out, Ospina knew about as much as Ungur had, and so could only speculate about the third-party vessels. He guessed that the two were from Urquium specifically, and noted that they had been moving near both fleets all the way to Kigen. He also acknowledged that they might have had something to do with the disappearance of the Neviskotian flagship, the Basilisk, but he didn't have any sure answers. According to Ospina, Ursium's regulars hadn't been behind the ship's disappearance, but it was his best guess that the ones responsible were either a unit of Ursium's special forces -- which was a field he knew virtually nothing about -- or these ships, which had really been involved in that long chase more than they reasonably should have.

Next, Daichi asked about the Neviskotian flagship itself. Ospina was adamant that the reports weren't specific, but it was clear that the ship in question was spearheading the attack on Urquium. It was his guess that either aforementioned party -- either an Ursian task force, or a third party -- sunk it. It hadn't been seen since the battle, after all, and it was far too big to hide it anywhere for long. Again, however, he noted that it was only a suspicion, and that he didn't know enough to give any definite answers.

So, Daichi again moved on to a much more regular topic: asking if there had been any demon activity in Ursium. Unlike the usual response he got from Ungur, however, Ospina had grim, informative news.

There had been a demon attack on Europa. The local garrison and various others had put a swift end to it, however, killing the unusual invaders. Unfortunately, that was about as much as the man knew. That was far and away not enough for Daichi, however, and he politely but firmly encouraged the man to gather as much information on that attack as he could, and then to pass along anything he learned to Daichi himself. According to the Kigenese man, this information was of paramount importance, both to Kigen and to Ursium. Though Ospina agreed, Daichi couldn't help but suspect that that particular issue would be shelved at least until the Neviskotians withdrew from Kigenese waters. Still, there was nothing more he could do about it. So, the Hikibain left the embassy.

On his way back to the garrison, Daichi mulled over what he'd learned. A demon attack in Europa... It was very disturbing news. He'd have to inform the emperor for certain, but first he wanted to consult a map to see how deep into Urisum the city was. The further away from Kigen, the more alarming the news would be. The ignorance of the northerners was one thing, but how could a force like that -- however big or small it was -- travel unnoticed by Kigen, which stood between the demons' lands and their northern neighbors? It wasn't just disconcerting because it meant that they had been blind. It was blood-chilling because it meant that they could be flanked at any time. It was a good thing that they were consolidating their forces in the north. If there were demons north of them, they couldn't afford to have their backs turned to those foes...or any others who had managed to quietly reposition themselves...

That was when a thought struck him. Amon and his group had something private to convey to Emperor Yamato. If it would cause a panic, like having demon forces poised to strike from all sides, that would certainly make a private meeting prudent. Furthermore, something of that scale would definitely needed to reach the emperor's ears as quickly as possible. Grim concern that this was all connected began to grip at Daichi's heart and mind. If he was less disciplined, he might have gone to the Weyland Enterprises building right then and there. It wouldn't do to follow every impulse, however. No, there were still things to do, even as important as the supposed information would be. There was that map to look at, for one. And, of course, he and his men still needed to eat. Even disregarding more practical preparations, though, a Hikibain in a hurry was something of an alarming sight. No, there was no need to prematurely panic anyone. He'd take this slowly...and only write his report once he had all relevant information.

So, they returned to the garrison and had something to eat. Daichi didn't take time to relax or think about family matters, however. Instead, he checked reports that had been left for him by various subordinates, reassigned people here and there, had a look at that map -- which revealed Europa's location to be rather concerning, given how far inland it was -- and then, taking a man with him, made his way to the Weyland Enterprises building.

"Hello. I am here for a meeting with Amon," Daichi informed the receptionist after walking into the building. He was closely followed by the fleet-footed soldier he'd brought along, but said soldier only shadowed his superior in silence. Daichi, himself, wore a much more serious, professional air than he had upon his introduction to the group. Still, he wasn't being overly stern -- just businesslike, and a little no-nonsense.

~~~~~~~~~~

Norbert and Rizen were in the same place as they had been in for the last couple hours, the former in a deadlock with himself in his mind. He was still wrestling with the revelation at the docks, and it had rapidly spiraled out of control, though there was nothing a casual observer would notice. As far as anyone was concerned, he was deep in thought, scowling at nothing with unfocused eyes, seated under a tree while his pegasus milled about beside him. She'd noticed the horse and two women's approach long before her rider had, and was looking in their direction curiously, even before their arrival. Their scent had been on the wind. Norbert, however, didn't look up until Nadya spoke to him, flinching a little as he was startled out of his thoughts, though his face didn't shift from its dark glower.

A confused collision of memories and internal, heated arguments had sucked him in and held him captive. There was someone arguing within him. It wasn't arguments he could make words out of, but impressions. Impressions he refused to listen to. And then, there were his deep, thrumming emotions, obscuring his thoughts and twisting the pathways of his mind into confusion and obscurity. He'd fought passionately against whatever the voice inside was trying to say. Whatever it was, it was simultaneously calling to him and disgusting him, causing him to vehemently reject it while being unable to ignore it. He was filled with the same fire he felt in battle, but everything was also...closer. Much, much more...frightening. He felt like he was scrambling against some unseen foe, and only narrowly escaping a multitude of its strikes, unable to even attempt to return any. He didn't fear injury or pain, or even death...but this was something else.

Time was wasting out here, outside of Arugai. The group was in town, and he was obligated to help them, not only to pay off his debt to Weyland, but because he felt a compulsion to fight, and to protect. The Fallen would come and destroy the lives of all humans and Avians if they weren't stopped. He couldn't turn away from that task, not just cognitively, but because of who he was and what drove him.

And yet...those rational thoughts were only clear as flickers which showed up in the turmoil from time to time. A strong need to survive was pressing so strongly against his mind that he couldn't make his body move. Not towards Arugai. Not even to get up, which would be the first step in returning. Rather, his instincts were yelling at him to flee further inland with no one else but Rizen accompanying him. However, rationally, he knew that even if he still tried to face the Fallen, he couldn't beat them alone. He would only doom Rizen and himself. So, his conviction was pushing him to return to the city. These equal, but opposite forces were holding him in place, as a result. Leaving to fight the Fallen alone would mean death. And returning...

Here, some locked-away...monster had been released from the dark corners of his mind. It was what kept him from the city. It was what had compelled him to live in the wilderness in northeastern Ursium, even if he had assigned valid, more rational reasons to it. Something irrational, but extremely real, was telling him that if he went back to the others, terrible horrors would befall him. That was when the memories began. If he'd been able to make sense of them, he would have been able to locate the incidents in his memory banks as times his sisters had abused him at the orphanage. But right now, the most he could tell was a simple rule that had been fastened in his mind, forged from those incidents: never show your vulnerabilities to your adversaries.

Every time he was losing a fight and couldn't take much more- every time he began getting winded- every time he told them to stop, it would rally them. If he showed strength to the end, their afflictions wouldn't last as long or be as bad. And, more importantly, in this way, he learned to stave off his own fear. It was exactly why, now a man grown, he didn't fear whatever punishment he'd endure in whatever fight he faced.

But back at the docks...he had shown weakness. He hadn't been able to hold himself together when that confusing flood of emotion overtook him. His faculties had been overwhelmed, and his will, thrown. His emotion had been so strong, it had been like he was drowning (and he knew what that was like; his sisters had nearly drowned him a couple times.) He'd lost rationale, and had to rely on nothing but instinct. Just as a suffocating person instinctually did everything in their power to breathe, he'd done everything in his power to regain his rational thought- to regain his feet- to get out of the vulnerable position he'd been flung into...

And people saw that.

They saw him out of control- his vulnerable, weakened state. If he'd been in combat, he would have died for certain, his guard had been so thoroughly thrown. They knowing of this vulnerability, his only chance to survive was to flee, according to his irrational but powerful compulsion. He fought against it, but it was too strong. His mind was at war against it, but also against that strange voice he kept shutting out, which bade him to... No, he couldn't even think about it. Thinking about it would legitimize it, the wretched, appalling, disloyal scum. It was a battle on two fronts. His own determination and rational mind was busy shutting out that impression, which was combating his thoughts concerning the man who claimed to be his father.

He argued again and again against it, mentally screaming over what it was trying to tell him, filling his thoughts with his family, and feeling his heart shredded with that black thought that he could ever betray them. No. It wasn't who he was. What did that impression want, anyway? He wouldn't listen to it, so he didn't know. He couldn't know. What if it tempted him away from his family? He loved them too deeply to consider abandoning them. Was that it? Some secret desire for that man to truly be his birth father? Norbert rejected it again. Again, he reminded himself that even if the man was his father, he'd effectively abandoned him and his mother twenty years ago. He commanded himself with as much force as he could muster to forget about him. But then, he was in that port town... It was another reason not to return...but wasn't that also selfish?

But he couldn't go back. He couldn't. Death and betrayal awaited him there. Going back would be foolish. He had to survive. He was the only one who could or would ever ensure his survival. All others would betray him, given the right circumstances. His own sisters turned against him. He was helpless. He was beat down. He was left to freeze in the snow. He was nearly drowned. He was bruised, broken, cut, lied about, disbelieved, unsheltered, unprotected-

Panic gripped him again, subconsciously anticipating these afflictions to befall him at any moment, aspects of his memories blending with what his eyes were taking in. Still, Bert kept his outward appearance completely steady as he fought to regain control over his emotions. Slowly, he forced his eyes to move. They settled on Nadya first. They moved to Anna as she walked up. His glare hardened at the redhead: the one who had indentured him. Threat.

No. Stop. Bert's rationale tried to subdue his hyperactive survival instinct. He strained at the task as he fought to keep himself fully under control while also thinking of something to say. No weakness. Speak normally. Like nothing's wrong. Nothing's wrong. He returned his glare to Nadya, his form as stiff and tense as it had been when they arrived. He spoke just as stiffly, not having realized that he'd been holding his breath since he became aware of the women's presence. "What do you want?"

[-Cynthia-]

"Well no one knew where ya were so we wanted to make sure everythin' was ok. If ya just needed some space to yourself, then that's fine by me," Nadya explained to Bert with a shrug. He seems a little on edge- wonder if somethin' happened or not.

[Phoenix]

Reception

That could have gone better, Shadrak mused as he headed back to the lobby. While waiting in the meeting room with Amon and some of the others wouldn't have been a bad idea, the druid honestly wanted some fresher air after his talk with Nena and Canaan. The former was so protective, Shadrak wondered if she wasn't the demon's actual mother. The latter looked like a lost puppy up close, which gave Shadrak the chills. At least if he acted more like Norbert, uncomfortably defensive, it wouldn't be as unsettling. As good as Canaan's intentions were, he was a demon. There had to be something there, hidden beneath the surface. That was what really set the druid on edge, not knowing for certain. Seeing something so gentle and friendly--if a little timid--on the surface, but also seeing the untapped, raw destructive potential, was paradoxical. Demons were purpose built, so whatever Canaan's demeanor, his four lean arms, claws, draconic feet, and massive tail suggested there was an incredibly dangerous side to him, something they hadn't seen yet.

Arriving in the lobby, Shadrak saw the man from before, Daichi Kazemi, speaking with the receptionist. She'd just given him a respectful greeting and was pointing in Shadrak's general direction--more accurately the meeting room not terribly far behind him.

"Oh," the receptionist noticed the druid heading there way, "What timing. I believe that is one from their group, now."

Shadrak gave a small wave as he steadily closed the distance.

Deception

People had come and gone over the last couple of hours, being introduced to Canaan and eventually being sworn to secrecy by Nena. One of the least entertaining discussions involved Shadrak, who was a little too worried about all of this. His doomsday scenarios--and there were an awful lot of them--did give Nena some ideas. If Canaan was discovered, he could attempt to restore a bit of the group's credibility during his escape. They discussed some of their options after the druid eventually left.

"I mean ... this group has enough healers on hand," Nena noted with a slight frown, "so as long as you didn't tear off someone's arm or break their neck ... basically you could just make as convincing an exit as possible. I'm not sure if anyone would buy a mind control story, but that would also help."

"M-mind control?" Canaan's face paled.

"Yeah, if you got caught, you could bark orders at us, pretending we're you're puppets, then be all shocked when it doesn't work and run off. That would at least imply that we weren't helping you willingly. We'd still be in serious trouble, but I don't think they'd kill everyone on the spot. It's not so much about a perfect cover up as it is about buying us time to get things back under control."

"... oh ..."

Nena's frown deepened. "You were 'mind controlled' at one point, weren't you?"

"No ... n-no," Canaan shook his head. That wasn't quite it. "Just ... bad memories."

"If you say so. I guess the only thing about the escape plan that's bothering me is where you'd go after the fact." Nena stood up from her spot on the floor. Canaan looked a little funny, sitting cross legged in the open chest, the blanket wrapped around his waist, and the junk completely cleared out. "You know ... I don't really have a personal stake in this group. If it wasn't too much of a bother, you could use me as a hostage to try and sell the deception. That would mean I'd be escaping right along with you. I did promise Nong I'd help you so I don't want you going off all on your own. It's just a worst case scenario, though. You don't have to think about it too much."

"Don't want to ... think about it too much," Canaan echoed part of what he heard, earning a smile from Nena.

Inspection

"I was starting to worry that you were abandoning the team and the mission," Anna admitted, "I'm not sure why you came all the way out here, but if you need to clear your head, you should at least let someone know where you'll be." As funny as the mental image of a Kigenese version of Bert the Crusher looked, Anna would prefer not to have to chase him all over the place to get Weyland's money or bring him back into service in order to pay off his debt.

[Mercakete]

Daichi gave the receptionist a nod before turning to face Shadrak more formally, since the younger man was walking up to him. He thought Eva had mentioned his name before... It was rather foreign-sounding, as he recalled. Shya... Shyarou? No, that didn't sound foreign enough. Of course, thoughout this mild speculation, Daichi didn't break his straight face. He decided to just ask the man for a refresher later. There was much more pressing business to attend to right now.

He gave Shadrak a shallow, brief bow before greeting him. "Hello. Are you here to take me to the meeting?"

~~~~~~~~~~

Nadya answered first, which was perfectly well and good since the question had been aimed most directly at her. He could only pay so much attention to it, however, given all the other things going on in his head that were vying for his attention, demanding he do this or don't do that. His ability to reason was rather compromised at the moment, and so the turmoil within him wound up coloring what his preoccupation allowed him to hear of Nadya was actually saying. While her words, given what they were, would have normally calmed him down a bit, and he would've appreciated the healer's respect for his space, right now, all he could think was of how dangerous it would be to return to the group. He felt like a wounded beast hiding from opportunistic predators, and about to have his location uncovered.

Then, Anna spoke. Even when he was in a more controlled state, his guard was up around her, so right now, he was borderline accusatory, just waiting for something bad to happen. It didn't help that she brought up what was her obvious stake in all of this: she wanted him to do a job. People taking away his freedom and getting him to do their bidding...

His head had already been angled downward, but now his shoulders rose, the muscles in his back and shoulders supporting those in his neck, intuitively expecting to be attacked...or to attack, if he had to. For now, though, there was just talk. Speaking of talk, he could tell that there were things he wanted to say, but he couldn't find the words. That, and it didn't feel worth it at the moment. Everything was fine. But what would he say if that was true? He couldn't tell right now. Probably something about going back to the others...but no. He couldn't do that. "Everything's fine."

[Phoenix]

Timing

"Take you to the ...?" Shadrak wound up shrugging. "I guess I am," he grinned, somewhat amused by the sudden turn of events. What timing, indeed. "I'm not sure where everyone is, but Amon decided to wait for you, so he should at least be in there." They should be able to get started right away, so good on the Sancturan for setting aside what might have been the rest of his day to save them some time.

"Follow me," Shadrak waved Daichi over. He waited until the Hikibain was at a comfortable following distance before starting off toward the meeting room.

Whereabouts Knowable

Everything's fine? Hardly. There was something bothering Norbert, that much was certain. Anna wasn't going to press him on it, though. Curiosity aside, he'd come out here to get away from something, not find someone to open up to. "How long are you going to be out here?" Anna grimaced slightly, "I don't mind you handling your own business, but if something comes up or they have to get out of town quickly, we'll need to be able to find you."

[Nanami Touko]

Sorry, Nena... Eva was really getting it, huh? Her own fault for getting so excited over the lizard. "Maybe," she gave Thales, folding her arms, "but he's obviously a pretty calm, nice guy. Tell me you think he's about to jump on any of us, seriously, tell me. You'd be crazy to." Luckily, it seemed like Thales was going to see reason, and Jam only had one concern. It was a good concern, but at least that was all. "I can keep helping move him, if you need it, Nena. And I'll, uh... Be less excitable. Promise." A sheepish grin followed, hoping things were fine on that front.

---

Gods, Angelica was exhausting. At least they'd gotten a few things figured out... Huh. Soldiers on the premises? And one was with Shadrak... He didn't do something wrong, did he? Catching up to them, Eva didn't recognize their new hikibain friend from behind, a tiny, "oh!" popping out when she caught up, his face jogging her memory. "Mr. Kazemi! And Shadrak. What's up? Is... Something wrong?" It couldn't have been Canaan, else they wouldn't be walking calm like that, there'd be a fight going on. Was there something she'd missed, having gone off with Angelica? Probably. She was always missing something or other...

Edited November 6, 2017 by SnakeMomMelissa

[Snike]

Pete was not pleased. Now, to be fair, he usually wasn't too pleased, but he was feeling exceptionally irritated, given the two most recent events.

First, there was the demon Greta's new hire was keeping upstairs, presumably at the former's discretion- he had seen her direct the large chest out of the wagon. As soon as the door opened and Canaan was revealed, the ex-soldier realized exactly how selfish and short-sighted the merchant was. So, he stomped off, without even bothering to hear an explanation, to give her a piece of his mind.

That was when annoying event two happened, and Lumi came in with the Avians, saying that she had decided to stay, after all, just as a noncombatant. Or something to that effect.  Which, meant that not only did the group have yet another civilian to protect while fighting, but it made the demon situation so much worse if they were caught as well. But Pete wasn't about to bring that up at all, in case they were being overheard. Instead, he acknowledged her, said something along the lines of "it's your call," then resumed his search for the idiot merchant.

Naturally, though, Pete couldn't even complain properly, as Greta had already taken off to sell Captain Lexi's wares, and from the sounds of things, the second meeting with the Hikibain was soon to come. Consequently, he found himself sitting in the meeting room, simmering. Was it bad that, in one way, he wanted a fight between the Ursians and Neviskotians to break out? It'd be a good way to relieve stress.

Still, he couldn't boil over just yet. There was still the meeting to attend to.

Edited November 6, 2017 by Snike

[Mercakete]

Daichi motioned for his subordinate to follow just before walking after Shadrak, himself. When he heard someone coming up more brusquely behind them, he figured it was one of the workers going about his business, but soon, Eva came into his peripheral vision. Seeing as his guide stopped walking when the woman began speaking with them, the Hikibain and his subordinate halted as well.

Though he politely turned his attention to Eva, he was certainly in a much more serious mood at the moment, and was only cordial, rather than cheerful. He didn't understand why she asked about what was up, but he gave the ceiling a quick, discreet glance, just in case. Everything appeared normal. With a nod, he gave the woman a simple greeting. "Eba-san." Only after that did he explain his purpose. "I agreed to meet with Amon again today, when we spoke at the docks. We have very important business to discuss."

That was about as well as he could answer her question. He also gave Shadrak an expectant look after that. Pleasantries could wait, as far as he was concerned. This discussion couldn't -- not if what he suspected as true.

~~~~~~~~~~

"What's it to you?" he snapped, glaring darkly at Anna as he pulled his legs under him, swiftly transitioning from a simple, seated position to a spring-ready crouch. One of his hands had also snapped to the grip of his mace. The other was ready to steady him or swing out in a fist, though none of these motions were chosen by the man. All of his conscious effort was going into maintaining composure...not that he was doing very well with that. Steadily, he rose to his feet, suddenly aware of, and trying to smooth over, his hostile readiness. He never broke eye contact with Anna, though. He didn't let go of his mace, either, even though he tried to make his arms appear relaxed. It wasn't working very well.

Speaking just as much to cover that up as to relay his thoughts, Norbert added, "If everyone tries to run away they'll come this way anyway."

Edited November 6, 2017 by Mercakete

[Ether]

So the Hikiba was coming already, was he? Just great. Well, there was nothing to do for it but sit in on this little meeting of theirs, and try to figure out where they'd be going from here. It was sure as hell better than sitting outside and figuring out later on how utterly boned they were, at any rate. So with that decided, and any pretense of having a relaxing day on arrival quashed, Angelica found herself sitting on a chair in the designated meeting room, waiting for Kazemi to arrive.

[Nanami Touko]

Hoshi's lessons had been really helpful! Really... But Haruhi hadn't been able to manage the Nosferatu whatever thing. It made sense, she'd never been formally taught anything, and trying to get it in one day would be ridiculous. There was something Hoshi had to attend, some sort of meeting with the group, but it was probably gonna all be in Common. She didn't wanna suffer through that. If something important was going to happen, she'd get told of it... Probably. That just left... The town. Arugai. Knowing that Rin was likely hopping about made it feel a bit better to walk around, but that didn't make it entirely comfortable.

Taking a stroll out of the Weyland place, Haruhi started to wander herself through the town, keeping a tight hold on her tome. Hopefully she could just take a look at some of the market's wares and not get herself into trouble. Or have trouble find her.

[Xinnidy]

Going through the suggested idea of easing people to Canaan had been a bit more time-consuming than Thales hoped, but it was his suggestion, so he didn't mind seeing it through --even if he let Nena do most of the talking. Now it was mostly over, so he thought to take a break. Too much worrying lately, and he hadn't even gone out to explore the city. Thales would get grumpy on that pace.

But no sooner had he realized that outside the port the city itself was very daunting --he wasn't that knowledgeable about Kigenese that he felt good trying his chances, and there was always the possibility of messing up customs. Great. Now he'd have to be on the lookout for people that could help him. Was there anyone from his group around? Or maybe an Ursian here in Kigen for whatever reason--

"Haruhi!" Oh, thank goodness, that could work. He rushed to her side almost immediately after seeing her, thanking Mercy for his good fortune. "<Hey, need help. Arugai is confusing.>" He made his worries quick and easy to understand, but there was a bit of pleading to his tone. "<Where are going alone? Said Kigen was dangerous.>" That was another thing, wasn't he supposed to help her around? Silly Haruhi, good thing Thales caught her.

[Phoenix]

Meeting Room

"You may as well come along," Shadrak invited Eva before starting back toward the meeting room. The druid opened the door and gave Daichi and Eva to enter before going in, himself. Amon looked depressingly bored until the instant the door had opened, and then straightened up. One could say he woke up as well, from the look of him.

"Good to see you, again," Amon greeted, sounding a little tired, "I'm sorry I don't have something better to talk about than what you're here for ..."

Outskirts

Anna was thoroughly irritated now, though only a hint of it showed on her face. "Just make sure someone in the group knows where to find you when you run off to sulk. We spent hours looking for you." She clearly thought that hadn't been the best use of her time in hindsight. "I'm going to head back, now. Thanks for the help, Nadya. You too, Luca."

[Mercakete]

Before entering, Daichi motioned for his subordinate to wait there, in the hall. The man did so, standing nearly at attention with his back almost against the wall while his superior and those with him entered the meeting room. He was only there to relay emergency communications, after all. He'd hardly be doing his job if other messengers couldn't reach him.

Now in the meeting room with the others with the door shutting behind them, Daichi took in his surroundings as he listened to Amon's greeting and apology. Two stood out, but he recalled Eva mentioning that they had Avians with them, and assumed these were they. To Amon, the Hikibain answered grimly, "In this instance, I prefer to bypass idle talk anyway."

He took an empty seat at the meeting table, then leveled his serious gaze onto Amon. "Your ally, Professor Weyland of Ursium, hired a group of mercenaries called <Kai's Mercenaries> to perform some sort of task here, in Kigen. These mercenaries were attacked here, in the north, by a prominent demon called <The White Devil> and almost all of them were killed. A survivor of the attack named Katsu told me that they had accepted their job from your Professor Weyland, and he is the one who told me which demon was involved. I only found him after they had left him to die. He is fine, now, and is hunting <The White Devil>, along with performing some other work. I've been investigating the incident, and also following Emperor Yamato's command to consolidate our forces in the north. It is...alarming that she could have traveled so far without any of the Hikibain hearing of it. And now, I hear of a demon attack in Europa, in Ursium, taking place after <The White Devil> was seen on our northern border. Since I found Katsu, I have been extra vigilant, but I have not seen any signs of demon activity in the north. Somehow, the demons were able to pass through Kigen and enter Ursium. Once in Ursium, they would be able to move more easily, since the northerners suspect nothing, and do not know what signs to look for. ... And, evidently, neither do we. But demons have gone to Ursium. Unless it was a rogue group of them -- which I do not find likely -- and they were all killed in Europa -- which, as effective as the Ursians are in fighting Neviskotians, they are uneducated about demons, so I do not find this likely either -- then they are withdrawn, not defeated, and will attack again to strengthen their position. They will continue to grow and to destroy until they are killed, or are strong enough to destroy Ursium and to attack Kigen from both the north and the south. I believe that the attack on <Kai's Mercenaries> and the attack on Europa are connected, and that the demons are attempting this strategy. The Neviskotian ambassador reported that there have not been any demon attacks in Neviskotia, but I hear about an attack on a city in the country that the contractor of <Kai's Mercenaries> is from. And now, you have news for Emperor Yamato himself that is too dire to share in public. You, who are allied with Professor Weyland."

Though Daichi maintained an extremely stoic tone and demeanor -- one just shy of serene, really -- he had a dangerous quality about him, too. His probing, yet poised gaze never faltered or veered from Amon, as he searched for any tells the southerner's unconscious had to offer. The dangerous undertone the Hikibain carried increased without compromising his relaxed posture or his controlled air as he concluded, "Tell me what I do not know."

~~~~~~~~~~~

No. was Bert's immediate response to Anna's order to let people know where he was going to be the next time he bolted. Right now, he didn't care that Anna and Nadya had spent the time they had to find him. That was their choice and their problem. Anna was going away now. Fear began to knot Bert's stomach, but he held steady. She might tell someone where to find him. The compulsion to run further away was getting stronger. But no, patience. Patience... If Nadya went with her, especially. Once they were gone, he could flee again, and people wouldn't know where he was again. Maybe he'd keep running this time. If he got far enough away, he could escape. He'd be days ahead of them. And with the search area getting wider and wider, they wouldn't catch him. He could live in the wilderness with Rizen again, and wouldn't have to deal with the group or possible fathers again. Everything would be-

Destroyed. A small grimace tugged at a corner of his mouth as he recalled the less-immediate threat. It was why he was a part of this group to begin with: to stop the Fallen. He couldn't abandon that mission...and so, he continued wrestling with that to do. He had to escape, he had to go back, he had to help the group, he had to escape them... His eyes turned to Nadya. What was she planning on doing?

Edited November 7, 2017 by Mercakete

[scorri]

The lesson had been promising. Haruhi had been much quicker to pick up on how the manipulation of dark units worked, even if she hadn't figured out Nosferatu. Hoshi hadn't exactly expected her to, so it was a bit of a relief that she hadn't. Hoshi wasn't sure what she would have done if her pupil had progressed that quickly. It would indicate that soon Hoshi wouldn't be able to teach her much. Still, it was a good start.

Haruhi hadn't been interested in joining the meeting, which was most likely the right choice given who they were meeting with. The younger mage would have just been uncomfortable. Instead Hoshi had been waiting with Amon and Pete when Dachi arrived. She'd given him the proper bow, but had not had a chance to talk before the man went into an extremely long winded explanation of what he wanted to know. Which was anything the could tell him about the information they had for the Emperor. Hoshi wanted to speak up, but the question wasn't directed at her, and she couldn't disrespect Amon like that in front of the important Kigenese man. To do so would potentially ruin their chances for moving forward with this. And so she remained quiet.

Edited November 7, 2017 by scorri

[Phoenix]

Dire Straits

Daichi, as it turned out, was frightfully close to the truth about Weyland and Steinn's scheme regarding Siv. Skirting around that issue might actually be impossible to do without raising suspicion, especially since it was that very scheme that ultimately led to the attack in Europa. Amon had no idea how the fallen were getting around unnoticed ... maybe the army just couldn't cover enough ground ... though if that was the case, the fallen should have had outposts set up all over the place by now. There had to be some sort of trick to it. All he could do was speculate. Well, really, he couldn't even do that right now, not with Daichi probing for information. This could go very badly if not handled very delicately. If one of the mercenaries survived and told Daichi everything, then the Hikibain probably already knew about Siv, even if not by name. Forget Canaan; he was just a demon. Steinn was a fallen prince for crying out loud. There weren't many generous ways to interpret their cooperation with a figure that high up the demonic hierarchy.

"We don't know how they're getting around unnoticed," Amon began, as honestly as he could, "but we know what they're planning to do. That's why we're here, and it's what we need your help to stop." It probably wouldn't get Daichi's attention completely off of the mercenaries, their mission, or Weyland's involvement, but it really was what mattered most, here. "The fallen are going to attack Kigen, Ursium, and Neviskotia at the same time. They're setting up some kind of gate in each country to let their armies through ... probably to get around any defenses. I don't know how much time we have or where the Kigen gate is, but there are some possible areas to check."

[-Cynthia-]

Nadya

"Happy to help," Nadya said to Anna, not turning to leave just yet. "Ya sure everythin' is ok?" she asked Bert, raising an eyebrow. I guess bein' tense is understandable given the circumstances- but I don't think we're about to be attacked just yet.

[Snike]

Daichi arrived soon after, and for a moment, the meeting seemed as though it would be relatively stress-free. That impression lasted about as long as the delay before the Hikibain opened his mouth.

He had gone about explaining what he had known about the situation- including a prior operation Pete had no knowledge of, because of course that would happen-, and linked it all together with the information the group had given them, and concluded that the message was linked with both the earlier mission and the attack on Europa. Pete was certain that the latter was linked, albeit indirectly, but as for the former, he didn't have enough information to make a judgment call.

Amon responded, providing a vague enough answer that brought up the siege gates but hid the source from where they received the information. He looked a little nervous, though, so Pete decided to prop him up a little, indirectly.

"Amon, if I can jump in?" he asked the Rexian first. When he received a nod, he turned to Daichi. "Before we go into talking about search areas, I just want to clarify something about the Europa attack. I was present for the attack on Europa, and while the demons indeed attacked Weyland Enterprises, you should also know that there was a royal ball thrown for Princess Athena on the same night, where I'm told the king and both heirs were present. I think that, linked or not, they were ultimately trying to kill off Ursian leadership and send the whole country into chaos. I can't say anything about the other mission, though, as I was not there."

That should support their narrative enough, as it was the truth. Pete's truth, in any case. Any further questions could be deflected. To Anna, perhaps?

[Mercakete]

"I did not intend to begin discussing 'search areas' so soon," Daichi assured Pete, referring to the Ursian's opening. He'd shifted his gaze to the man when he began speaking, occasionally glancing back at Amon, but his eyes were leveled at the Ursian while he addressed him. Honestly, he may have focused a little more on Amon's concerns had it been left at that, but Pete had unwittingly given him more information pertaining to his own theories and mission. Still, it was no small thing Amon was suggesting...and it was a little confusing, quite honestly, but that was probably just the wording. His eyes returned to Amon. "What you describe makes little sense. In order for a gate to exist, it must be connected to a wall of some kind. What are you trying to describe? How would a door in each country allow armies through?" And now for questions that probably had less to do with language barriers. "How do you 'know' what they are planning to do? Did you speak with one?"

He turned his gaze back to Pete. "I was unaware that the professor's establishment in Europa was attacked. Thank you for that information." Daichi then looked at each of the room's occupants as he went on, attempting to convey the seriousness of the situation. "Demons are not humans -- or Abians. They do not think like humans. They do not fight like humans. They do not have human goals." Again, his focus rested on Pete. "If they wanted to spread fear and confusion, they did not need to kill your king or his family, and they know that. They only had to show Ursians that they are not safe from them. Ursians do not know how to fight demons. It must have been a difficult battle for your people to win, if after so long fighting them, we Kigenese still have trouble with them. Choosing targets outside of battle is not how they fight. They choose resources, then attack. Humans and demons do not view the same things as important."

Again, he looked to Amon. "What drew the demons to Ursium first, if they plan to attack all three countries at the same time? And not only Ursium, but Professor Weyland's building, whose mercenaries <The White Devil> herself pursued all the way to northern Kigen, and possibly beyond, into Ursium?" He was steadily beginning to figure it out. His eyebrows lowered as some unpleasant potentials began to stir in his head. "Did he take something important to them?"

~~~~~~~~~~~

"Everything's fine," Norbert repeated a bit forcefully. Go away. He wanted to escape. At least a couple more miles. It'd give him time to sort things out. But really, would he go back? Would there ever be enough time? Running away again would draw attention. It was showing weakness again. No. I can't. If he ran, he'd have to keep running.

But what difference would that make? He didn't like it; he wanted to pay his debt, not break away like some criminal. That'd be dishonest, even if the group didn't actually need him. Which they didn't. They didn't even want him around. He knew the way they looked at him and talked about him. There were some who didn't mind him as much, but they left him to die before. Why would they care now? They tolerated him because they thought they had to. Well, who needed them anyway? Here, he had the perfect chance to escape all that. No more obligations to work for anyone, no more risking his life for people who probably wished him dead anyway... He could just live in quiet solitude. Well, not solitude, really. There'd be Rizen, of course.

He thought of Darcey, Cameron, Valter, and Raquel... Bert reasoned that they were beyond his reach anyway. He couldn't return to Ursium, even if he wanted to, having made such enemies there. The Wrathites would be all over him. He'd have to find some way to communicate with the Kigenese or learn how to be completely independent. That meant maintaining his weapons when he'd normally go to a blacksmith, finding some way to sew, hunting, cooking... It'd be worth it, though.

But would it? Something in him was pushing back against this half-figured plan. It felt like...principle. He couldn't just abandon the mission. He couldn't stop fighting the Fallen, and fighting for those he wanted to protect. But he had to survive, too. He had to escape... They'll come for me. The thought struck him with fear, and again, he was pulled into another memory.

He was a child again, curled up in the snow, receiving blow after blow, begging for his sisters to stop. Norbert's eyes became distant and a heavy grimace came onto his face, his muscles tensing as the memory played out, replacing his current reality. Stop... Stop hurting me! Quietly, barely a whisper, Norbert mumbled, "Stop..."

[Snike]

Unfortunately, his explanation did little to sate the curiosity of the Hikibain. Time to elaborate a little more, and deflect the problematic questions.

"We were told they were called 'siege gates', and nothing more, so they're probably some kind of warp system. Like, if I had to guess, they might be doorways of sorts back to their homeland, or something along those lines," Pete said, with a shrug. "As for Europa, I am aware that they aren't like anything Ursians have ever faced. I have the scars on my back to prove it. However, and I mean no offense, but I believe you are underestimating Ursians, if you think that one attack would cause a panic. It shocked the nation, obviously, but I don't think there's been total chaos like what you're implying."

"Now, with regards to their goals, they might not think the same ways humans do, but they do think. It's not like they just appeared out of nowhere in Europa. The attack started from near the middle of the city and spread out," the ex-soldier continued, "Which means, unless people in that neighbourhood really need to get out more often, they must've popped out from the sewers. That's the only way that many demons could've been missed. And, given they were willing to be patient enough to make or smuggle in enough of those monsters to pull the strike off, you're suggesting it's a coincidence that they picked the one night when most of the Ursian nobility would be in the city to strike? I'll concede that they don't  think like anything we've experienced before, but they have shown knowledge of tactics. So, if their goal was resources, they would've waited a day longer and taken the whole city. If they wanted to target Weyland, like you're implying they might have, they would've again, waited. If they just wanted to make an appearance, I guess  they did exactly that, but the easier explanation, given that the attack must have been planned, is that they were going for the event and underestimated our guardsmen. We do not know them, but they don't know us, either."

"Lastly, with regards to that mission, and how we know about these 'gate' things, I'd ask that you question one of the full-time employees, like Anna. We're mostly part-time hires, to deliver that message, so what little we do know would be under confidentiality," Pete concluded, frowning. "I'm not trying to obstruct you, it's just that I don't know all the details myself, and I don't want to get short-changed over misspeaking. Don't shoot the messenger, please."

[Mercakete]

It was beginning to get a little confusing. Was this Ursian the spokesman for these hires of the professor, or just had a lot to say? If the former was the case, Daichi would give him more attention, rather than predominantly speaking to Amon. The Hikibain adjusted a little to face Pete more comfortably, just in case. "I mean no disrespect. Ursium must be strong to oppose its neighbor so continually. Howeba, it is also true that for a very long time, Kigen has offered to share our knowledge with you, suggesting that your people divert their efforts to fighting our common enemy, the demons. Ursium and Neviskotia both have continually refused, instead fighting one another. Because the demons were so far away from your homes, you did not see them as a threat, and so you never learned how to fight them. They are no easy foes, nor are they familiar to you. It must have caused your people great pain and fear. I guess this because they cause us great pain and fear, even though we know them so well. I do not think Ursium is weak. I only think that people are even more afraid of things that we do not understand, especially after many are suddenly attacked and killed."

Daichi paused a beat, honoring those that died in the Europa attack was well as he could with so many other issues pressing in. Unfortunately, there was no way he could really offer his condolences. All he could do right now was attempt to save those still living. So, he continued. "Thank you for explaining what you meant by 'gates.' I believe I understand, now." The thought of a doorway that could take you anywhere in the hands of the Fallen was absolutely nightmarish. Indeed, this needed to be investigated, and quickly. "But you must understand them if you are to fight them. They do think; you are right. But you also assume too much, with too little experience. You claim to know what the demons wanted based on their actions, and on the circumstances, but you do not understand their minds."

Again, Daichi paused a moment, this time mulling over what the Ursian and the southerner had said. His conclusion brought a light, disturbed grimace to his face. "They were...testing you. Gathering the resource of information... They know humans, but they do not know Ursians, and they understand this. They could have only arrived that day, too. It is hard to tell when they arrived in Ursium, and when they decided to scout in order to plan. All we can do is guess...but more accurate guesses come from the informed." His brow furrowed. "If they are building these 'gates' in three, separate locations, then they already know how to make them. Perhaps that is how they passed us without notice, by using smaller 'gates' to warp." He really hoped he was wrong. If he was right, it'd be stupidly easy for them to outmaneuver their foes.

Daichi closed his eyes, his voice becoming a shade quieter. "Perhaps I should have addressed this sooner. My apologies..." He opened his eyes again, looking to Pete. "but you are the messengers. As such, you will give me the information I need. I cannot go to the emperor with only what is convenient for you to share. You must tell me where you got your information, or you will not be considered..." Oh, what was that word? <"credible.> to have trustworthy information. Also, I will not relent in my investigation. If you have relevant information, I must hear it, including how Professor Weyland angered the demons. What were those mercenaries hired to do? What did they take from <The White Devil?">

[Snike]

So, Ursium had been offered assistance or some sort of training involving the Fallen, and had turned it down? Pete wasn't surprised by that, but that didn't mean it wasn't annoying thing to hear about. Still, he somehow put his anger aside to keep talking. Though he tried to keep it short

"I think I know what you're getting at, there. Basically, the whole thing was a shock, which didn't help because the army refused any training deal with Kigen. I wish they had, and, if I'm to be honest, I know that decision was made by some less than stellar generals. There'd be plenty of soldiers, rank-and file, who would relish the chance to learn from your soldiers."

Memories of his past life, back before the discharge, flashed by in the the mercenary's mind, as he continued. "I'm going to concede that I don't have the experience, though I want to gather it. The Europa issue, I'm also going to abandon, as while I disagree, it is not immediately relevant. Now, with regards to what I know, for certain. I don't know what Weyland's other mercenaries were doing in Kigen, as this meeting has been the first time I have heard of that incident. I also do not know where specifically Weyland had learned about the siege gates."

"However, from what I've seen, I can guess about both of those things," Pete said, with a sigh. "There were several avians on the estate. One of them seemed to be Weyland's guest, and most of the rest were his attendants. I don't know for certain, but I think he was the one who told Weyland about the gates. I was left with the impression that he might've been a nobleman from the West, at the time, but what you've been saying has caused me to reconsider. As for the mission, I don't know if it was related, but one of the other avians, one with white hair and wings, had been serving as a maid up until the night of the attack. She disappeared during the night, but I haven't seen any indication that she was killed, like the rest of those who had gone missing in the chaos. Again, this is a guess, but I think the Fallen took her, and she was what set the Fallen off, if you're right and they weren't going after the ball.

"I cannot provide definite details, as you can see, because I do not know them," Pete reiterated. "I do know,  however, that Anna, the woman I mentioned earlier, would absolutely know those details. From what I understand, she is the second in command of his business, so to speak. That is why I directed you to speak to her about your questions."

He wasn't about to complain about his expression going over the Hikibain's head, just yet. They weren't out of dangerous territory.

Edited November 7, 2017 by Snike

[Phoenix]

Hints

Daichi was hard to keep off that crucial point. Pete's explanations had bought Amon time to think, but they had also gotten the Hikibain more interested in the information they were trying to hide. What little time he'd gained to think was all but wasted on useless lies and half truths. Daichi already knew enough to conclude that their information likely came from someplace very dark. What could Amon say though? Rather, how could he get Daichi's cooperation and also keep them out of trouble with the Kigenese government? Weyland Enterprises wasn't an embassy ... not that the Kigenese would necessarily care under such extreme circumstances. It was hard to tell ...

Pete tried again, hoping to get suspicion off the group. A dangerous game, but far safer than anything Amon could think of with so much on the line. The fact that Pete wasn't present for so much of what happened and Amon was, made his leading in the discussion something Daichi could jump on at any moment, which was also contributing to Amon's concerns. Pete could continue offering explanations and speculation all he wanted, but it would only stall the Hikibain until Amon's own long silence became too much to overlook. He would have to say something eventually soon if Daichi's interest didn't switch to Anna ... but what?

It was actually somewhat interesting to see his take on the featherfolk present at Weyland's estate. Mentioning Steinn and Siv seemed like a death knell at first, but they didn't come up by name and the similarities between fallen and avians was taken full advantage of. He hadn't given anything away, but definitely left hints that something could have been up there ... something that didn't involve them ... and so soon after admitting the Ursians' general lack of experience with the fallen. Very clever ... though Amon still had his own input to jumble together to help maintain the group's legitimacy, or semblance thereof. Somehow he had to do it without mucking things up, too.

Hopefully Anna was better at spinning things than he was, because he couldn't think of a better way to get out of this than passing the problem onto her. "She would know, yeah. We were hired to fight, and some of the people in our group don't even work for Weyland. Some of us are just here to keep the fallen from causing anymore problems." Now as long as he didn't have to get into specifics about who worked for Weyland and who was just here to beat up fallen on principle, that was another couple of layers of good intentions and non affiliation that might help them. Maybe ...

[Mercakete]

There were some Common expressions mixed in with Pete's explanation that Daichi didn't quite understand -- what was a "stellar?" -- but he understood what he was trying to say, for the most part. Each time he had pressed, Daichi had come closer to the truth. And now, at least from this Ursian, he was certain he had it. He believed him when he said that what he'd said was about all he knew, and it was nice to hear his prospective on Kigen's previous attempts at garnering aid against the Fallen from its northern neighbors.

Amon spoke up again, affirming the Ursian's recommendation to speak with Anna, and clearing up that only some of them actually worked for Professor Weyland. <So, that is what he meant when he said that their leadership situation was "complicated."> It certainly was an unusual setup. He was amazed that they had any sort of organization, what with how loosely-tied to the group some of them sounded. It was a little amusing, but he couldn't focus on that right now. There were much more important things to discuss.

From what the Ursian said, he was beginning to wonder about the identity of two Avians at the professor's "estate." That was some sort of building... Wasn't it a house of some kind? He'd only heard the word a couple times; it wasn't one that came up often. Anyway, it sounded like the Ursian was now thinking that this Avian was actually a demon. It didn't seem likely, if he'd been confused for a nobleman. That one of the professor's...girls? A maid was a girl, right? Well, one of his female workers had white hair and wings. Immediately, Daichi's mind went to the White Devil. And this girl disappeared after the attack... Perhaps she had been a spy that the White Devil had planted? It wasn't typical demon tactics, but they'd never tried a sortie to Ursium before, either. But the mercenaries who were hired by the professor... Katsu's regret at taking the job... That the fight took place in Kigen... It wasn't making much sense.

Daichi released a long sigh, his brow still furrowed in contemplation. "Thank you...for your honesty." He took a moment to refocus, adjusting his posture and countenance from troubled and studious to stoic again, addressing the entire assembled group. "I have tried asking Professor Weyland, himself, regarding the incident with <The White Devil,> but he denied knowing anything about it. I have trouble trusting people who are too closely connected to him, as a result. Perhaps now that I can meet with someone linked to him, face-to-face, however, I will finally gain some information. You have been very helpful...both to my investigation, and to your own cause." Daichi smiled serenely at them. "I can now recommend your word to Emperor Yamato as though it were my own, since you have proven your sincerity in your wanting to help Kigen. And, I can trust that you will tell the truth, as well as you know it."

The Kigenese man frowned again as he sighed, "The professor does not even trust his own messengers with the full message... <What an impediment to trustworthy communications...">

Shaking that mood, he smiled a bit more confidently at the group. "Sa, what is it that you want from me?"