[center] [img]https://78.media.tumblr.com/a3b148938837c8380c1eb6e43f0d31fc/tumblr_pcvta2YxeN1w6599so1_1280.png[/img] [hr] Clinic [/center] Donovan approached Grisaia. [b]”Well that's a relief!”[/b] He raised a finger to his chin. [b]”Kid, I ain't quite sure myself. Tensions were gettin' pretty hot between some humans and Quill. I stayed back here to watch over the patients, and it seems Quill and one of them was talkin'. Just talkin'.”[/b] He shook his head. [b]”They musta got spooked though. The others ran in, and a fire started. I'm still not sure what the real cause was, seems like some alcohol was spilled and set on fire. A shame, I don't know if I can replace the tools and supplies that were damaged.”[/b] Donovan shook his head. [b]”But everyone appears to be safe.”[/b] Once the two walked out of the Clinic, they could see a familiar hooded adventurer approaching them. Aer's eyebrows flicked up. [color=FFDEAD]"What happened?"[/color] [b][color=00ddaa]”AHHHHHH!”[/color][/b] Crunch ran onto the scene. [b][color=00ddaa]”I was too late, the cultists already arrived!”[/color][/b] Donovan placed his hand on his face. [b]”I just want today to end.”[/b] [color=FFDEAD]"Grisaia! It is most fortunate to meet you here."[/color] She placed a hand on her chest. [color=FFDEAD]"Upon asking around, it seemed that Mistress Vertti told someone to locate me specifically and to direct me to her location. I didn't get the full story, and the good Samaritan didn't seem to fully understand it either."[/color] Aer nodded. [color=FFDEAD]"But she is safe and unharmed. I found her in a pretty dangerous part of the city, so you might want to hold off on questioning her too much. Let us go see her together."[/color] Aer Lead Grisaia away from the Clinic. [b]”Thanks kid.”[/b] Donovan smiled. [b]”Stop by again sometime. Maybe the situation won't be so grim then.”[/b] [hr] [center] Hideout(?) [/center] [color=dab666]“Excuse me?”[/color] Quill snorted. [color=dab666]“I do not take orders from humans, brats, or weaklings, and you are all three!”[/color] [b][color=orange]”What if the order came from me?”[/color][/b] [color=dab666]“NnnnnnnGH!”[/color] Quill pointed at Chieko [color=dab666]“What value is there in teaching her anything!?”[/color] [b][color=orange]”The situation is unusual, Quill”[/color][/b] Elder Sibling looked over her shoulder at Chieko. [b][color=orange]”besides, you seemed to think she was alright a moment ago.”[/color][/b] The oni dragged her hand over her face and looked at Chieko. [color=dab666]“Only. Because. I was asked.”[/color] She waved for Chieko to follow her. [hr] [center] !?!?!?!?!?!?!?!??! [/center] The angel's smile broadened. [b]”I've been watching, children. I know what you have all gone through. I am unsure where Hiro's spirit is, but it still exists. All I can say is that while it may be tempting to give into despair, you must remain vigilant! You will never finish the journey if you give up, and as long as you have my love, you will always remain in this world.”[/b] He slapped his hands together. [b]”Aside from handing out blessings, I have no other gifts to grant you. It is likely that we will not meet again for some time.”[/b] His hands started to glow a radiant white. [b]”But remember what I said. As long as you have faith in yourselves, and can weather what hardships this world throws at you, you will be able to defeat Talus and get what you desire.”[/b] The two boys knew instantly when they had been bestowed with their gifts. They knew how to use them and everything. [b]”We have run out of time. May Od Laguna ever bless you.”[/b] In a flash, Ashton and Flame were separated. [hr] [center] Clinic (after Grisaia and Aer left) [/center] Flame found himself dropped right back where he was prior to Ashton murdering Hiro. Gris was on his feet now, and Donovan was healing his wounds. Gris turned to Flame. [b]”Look here, Flame.”[/b] he was breathing heavily. [b]”I have no idea what just happened, but I genuinely want to believe you had no part in it.”[/b] With a howl, he erected his spine and stood up tall. [b]”The day you pay it forward is closer than I anticipated.”[/b] He rolled his shoulders. [b]”Crunch told me that you people were something special, and I really want to believe that. And for that reason, you're going to train with us.”[/b] He patted Flame's shoulder. [b]”It won't be easy, but you'll get enough food to fill your stomach. If you're important to these cultist bastards, I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure you can contend with them... But if I find out that you and Ashton are working together, I will gut you like a fish, and [i]no[/i] amount of training will save you.”[/b] It seemed like Ashton's innocence would be difficult, if not impossible, to prove to Gris. [hr] [center] ...the following week... [/center] That day of death and carnage came and went like a memory. The forieners trained, and the natives went about their lives. But regardless of the path set before them, all knew something was amiss. Today was the day everything came together. [hr] [center] Hideout (Suttling Basin, old mill) [/center] [color=dab666]“Finally, something you're not instantly picking up.”[/color] Over the past week, Quill had gone from being an extremely scary person to one of Chieko's closer friends in the organization. Quill had defended Chieko from a few demihumans that wanted to make an example out of her. Of course, such behavior from the other Demis only lasted a few days. Not because Elder sibling made it evident how important she was, but because Chieko became very powerful, very quickly. Few people were a match for her, and she was feared and respected like any “hero” should be. Even Quill and Chiyo had difficulty against her in sparing matches. Of course Chiyo couldn't use magic, and what magic Quill had didn't last very long. She had inherited the best qualities from both of her teachers, and even had some custom armor made for her. They thought the rate in which she learned was unusual, but Elder Sibling explained it away, saying that as a clairvoyant she could simply look into the future and learn faster than normal. Chiyo holstered her wooden swords. [b]”Elder sibling is here. She wants to talk with Chieko.”[/b] [color=dab666]“Good, gives me a chance to recover.”[/color] As soon as Chiyo left the room, Quill cleared her throat. [color=dab666]“Before you leave, I have a question about your homeland. You don't talk much about it.”[/color] She folded her arms. [color=dab666]“Last week, that girl, she said she was okay laying with Elder Sibling. She even seemed to know Elder Sibling's identity. A woman, that is to say.”[/color]Quill scratched the back of her head, avoiding eye contact momentarily. [color=dab666]“Is that type of behavior unusual where you come from? I mean.”[/color] She gestured with her hand. [color=dab666]“You've been training with Chiyo for a bit. She's about the same age as you, looks nice, even if she's a bit on the short side. If you were into girls, I wouldn't be surprised if you liked Chiyo.”[/color] [hr] [center] Vertti household [/center] The week was rather uneventful. Mistress Vertti was [url=https://i.pinimg.com/564x/15/b5/48/15b548a4e5025134a193ef4b325ff740.jpg]back to her normal self[/url] and in perfectly good health. She didn't say much about her disappearance, only that after seeing a friend overseas, she came back and found herself enjoying a pit fight on the recommendation of a friend. She assured Grisaia she wasn't in any danger. However, to help calm the boy's nerves, some actions had to be taken. She gave Grisaia a media that pointed to the location of her necklace, and even hired Aer “just in case” something bad were to happen. But Vertti stressed that nothing was wrong, and she felt this was all a bit excessive. But it was clear things would never be the same after that long absence from the manor. But that was a week ago, and it was time to serve breakfast. [color=lavender]"I never realize how much I miss home until I eat your meals, Grisaia."[/color] She lifted a forkful of fish to her lips. [color=lavender]"I remember the first meal you cooked me. Everyone was cautioning me that you might try to poison me. 'He's a demi' they'd say. But I never believed that, not for a second."[/color] She ate the fish on her fork before setting aside her utensils and and going over her lips with a napkin. [color=lavender]"Aer has not come downstairs yet. I think she said she was running a fever. I sent a servant to her room with some wine last night."[/color] She folded her napkin and placed it beside her plate. [color=lavender]"See how she's doing, then report back to me."[/color] [hr] [center] Gris's courtyard [/center] Gris had come to see Flame as a companion rather quickly. While the oni was stern the day Chiyo was almost taken away from him, he was actually a very kind soul. He taught Flame diligently, but the boy was far more suited to magic than the blade. Crunch made frequent visits just to check up, and even sparred with him a few times. But for the most part, Gris was his teacher. [b]”I think that's enough for the moment.”[/b] Gris chuckled and placed his hands on his hips. The courtyard had a number of targets set up for Flame to shoot. They were made of stone or metal, and it was evedent that if flame went all out on them, he might actually break them. Of course, breaking one's training equipment wasn't very helpful to the training process. [b]”I've actually got some errands to run at home today, so if you wouldn't mind, I'd like you to go shopping on my behalf.”[/b] He held out a coin pouch. [b]”You're not going to spend all of it, but I like to tip the shop keepers a little extra, especially if they look like they're struggling. You've eaten here enough times, I'm sure you know what to get.”[/b] [hr] [center] Irene's Library [/center] Alistair had learned a lot about the world, spirits, and the witches from Irene's personal library. It didn't contain all of the most safely guarded information, but it made him competent on all matters regarding gates, spirit magic, and everyday things. He normally wouldn't be able to read the texts, but Irene was able to teach him in a relatively short span of time. She'd never seen someone learn so fast, and Alistair was able to put that fast learning to work absorbing all the knowledge in Irene's library. He was also able to practice his magic, and even went on bandit thwarting outings with Irene and Vasilis, just to test his skills. [color=fed024]"I've never been much for reading."[/color] Vasilis was polishing his halberd. [color=fed024]"Unless it's a cook book that is! Real men need to know how to feed themselves."[/color] Irene was reading a book herself. Sitting just so with a thick tome in her lap. [b][color=afafaf]”So how does Alistair's mana taste now?”[/color][/b] Odessa leaned out from behind Alistair. [color=BF81DC]"His blue is almost entirely pure now."[/color] [b][color=afafaf]”I assumed as much, the smell dissipated a few days ago.”[/color][/b] She turned to look at Alistair. [b][color=afafaf]”Vasilis is going to make breakfast soon, but we need supplies for our next outing. I have some letters to write this morning, and it would be most helpful if you could do some early morning shopping for us.”[/color][/b] She stood up and held out a bag and a list. [b][color=afafaf]”Try to keep Odessa hidden. She's still not very good around people, and spooks easy. Not that you needed me to remind you of that.”[/color][/b] Irene set aside her book and walked into her office. [hr] [center] [h1]?[/h1] [/center] [color=c577bb]”Awaken, Lust!”[/color] A boot slammed into Aerith's ribs, rolling her over the leaf covered floor of a forest. If she chose to open her eyes, she'd see an extinguished camp fire. If she cared to look at the person who kicked her, she'd see [url=https://i.imgur.com/2bWRAAe.png]one smexy elf[/url] looking back at her. [color=c577bb]”Today is the day we lay siege on the city of water! The day we free her from her prison of stone and steel! The one who loves us is just a half a day's march away!”[/color] Again, the boot struck Aerith in her sour spot. [color=c577bb]”Arise, Lust! That which we've been fighting for lies just beyond the veil. Or my name isn't [b]Vaux Maximilianus, Divagro von Theodoric und Hieronymous[/b]! But I can assure you, it most certainly is.”[/color] He broke out into laughter. [color=c577bb]”Is getting hit by my boot one of your fetishes?”[/color] Vaux drew his foot back to deliver another kick. [color=c577bb]”Disgusting creature!”[/color]