"It's friendly enough, one of the few places left in the kingdom that won't sell us like cattle to the slaughter," the woman quipped with a bitter smile, "We protect them and they protect us, sort of a mutual agreement we've made. Everything we do is outside of Mutebo so it's not drawing the Church's forces here, or the royal family's attention, or even the military. Far as anyone knows our base is elsewhere, not in some port city tucked away in the hills." They had gone through painstaking measures to make sure that while Mutebo was a haven for people like them it wasn't a well known fact. If one of theirs found a Magi they would approach them, carefully at that, and offer refuge. Some took it, others called them crazy and went to the Church and others still just tried to stay out of matters entirely. "Those fuckers would come here and try and wipe us out in a second if they knew where we were, sure, but they don't. And you brats aren't going to tell anyone where we are either unless you want to have a problem with us, and believe me, I'm a bad bitch even without being your enemy. So don't piss me off," the woman added behind a deceptively sweet smile, "And everything will be all hunky dory, okay?"

Ethan wanted to cover Amuné's ears every single time the woman opened her mouth and spoke so foully. Chances were it was nothing the Ydran girl hadn't heard before but then still it wasn't something she needed to hear regardless. "We won't cause any problems, thank you for helping us again." As if they needed some sign of what this woman might do to them if they crossed her, they'd seen plenty of her and her companion's power when fighting the Varuna and it had been scary enough simply watching it, never mind being on the receiving end. As they began moving again into Mutebo Ethan let out a sigh of relief, smiling sadly when Amuné voiced her displeasure of Asta. "I mean... Any of our magic could accidentally kill someone. Mine, Nymira's, Cecil's, if that's magic... It's not fair to single out Asta then is it?" He was never made aware of any negative stigma towards summoning and Void magic, not from Cedric or anyone else in Kinsgrove. Then again he and Cedric had been the only Magi in their tiny home village and magic itself wasn't something normally taught so that might be why. With all the traveling he'd done he'd have figured he'd at least heard something more about it, yet evidently not. Why was Void magic so frowned upon? 

"I don't suppose you'd tell us why exactly the Church is doing what it is? From the sounds of it you're not on the best terms with them," Nymira pressed, "We've been attacked twice now by the same Magi, and we'll probably be attacked again before long. So why are we being targeted? What have we done to draw their attention?" If there was someone who could finally answer these and other questions for them they had best ask, they should know what they were getting into before continuing on their journey. The inner cities would be where Nymira planned to gain the most support for her clan and yet the same places could be the most dangerous for her to travel. Or anyone in their group, nowhere that far East may be safe for them. 

"We'll talk when we get somewhere to rest, not exactly the sort of shit you speak about in the open. Even here," the woman explained as she waved to a group of fishermen along the river, "Mutebo is safe for Magi, aye, but that doesn't mean we can parade around all willy nilly either. People here aren't all in agreement that we should be around, it's only because of the city's mayor and the guard that we're allowed to stay. Folks here are kind of split on whether they like us being here or hate us, and talking about our problems and fighting with the Church aloud... Well, someone's going to complain, thinking we're going to drag the city into chaos. So business is kept on the quiet side outside." Refuge was only guaranteed as long as the mayor and the guards agreed to protect them, but if enough people complained then they would have no choice but to throw out her and her people. It was annoying, having to tiptoe about like this, but it sure as hell beat being on the run or being under the thumb of the damned Church. 

Their stop was a ways from the entrance to Mutebo and closer to the base of the mountain than many buildings. Beneath the shade of the mountain and down a road partially overgrown and in a state of disrepair they came to the headquarters for the Magi here. It was a three story building that looked more like a storage building than one people might inhabit, but they would take what they could get. Outside there were nearly a dozen people sat about, some playing cards and others simply lounging about, napping outdoors or cleaning up the property. Upon their approach a man in a long, raged coat with unkempt hair and a beard walked out to greet them, waving to the woman and Kensen before peering past at the group. 

"Who's this lot then? Bunch of new recruits?" he asked, frowning as he looked over each member in appraisal, "Don't seem like much of Magi if you ask me. We're not miracle workers, if these kids can't fight then they're just taking up space."

"Not everyone here is a fighter, Gage, and they're not recruits. Just some kids being troubled by the Church, we're doing what we do and helping them," the woman answered as she waved Nymira off of her horse, "Take the horses and the cart out back, help them unload their things and get them put somewhere no one's gonna take their stuff. And I'll need a couple of men to help transport a broken Machina into town. Send someone in ahead of them too, let Richard know he's got some work to do." Helping Nymira off of her horse despite a grunt of protest she then handed the reins over to Gage, circling around to the back of the cart and opening up the rear door. "Come on kiddos, time to get up. Your friend here's going to go into town to get fixed up, and while he does we'll take care of you. Hurry up, we haven't got all day."

Nodding his head once Ethan slowly slid out of the back of the cart, reaching out and lifting Amuné out in his arms. "Cecil's going to go get some help, he'll be good as new once they patch him up." If they had someone like Norman here then Cecil was in good hands, he'd be back on his feet in no time and they'd be back to... Well, wherever they were going next. Holding Amuné was difficult even with two arms tucked under her but he managed, smiling as Wyth followed alongside them as they moved towards the building. "Are you hungry? We have food we could break into, and we should get you cleaned up too. And we should get Wyth someone to look at him while we're at it," Ethan added as he came to a halt, squatting down and petting the moorcat, "How are you holding up buddy? Doing okay?"

"Thank you for helping us, I'll remember this later," Nymira said as she watched men gather Cecil up out of the cart, laying him across a blanket, not unlike one would use a stretcher. "If it's all the same we'll head inside now and rest, though I do hope you plan on answer our questions at some point."

"Awfully demanding for a little guest aren't you? The way you talk one would think you're a fucking princess or something," the woman taunted with a grin, "But I'll answer your questions, sure. Get your asses inside and relax first though, let's make sure none of you die on us before we get to that point, aye?"