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Before the crew entered the next world, Akiko caught the rather boring glimpse of Rose's life. The five seconds she saw for Rose equated to literally just her sitting at a classroom gazing out the window. How exciting indeed. Though, that certainly meant there was something to leverage a position with Rose in. Though, she had to admit, somehow the rest of the party kept seeing her as this shift and uncaring girl. Sure, she didn't really care for the party, but so far she felt like she hadn't been too malicious with them, if at all. In the end, she was a member of the party, and like it or not she was going to help them. She couldn't do this on her own, after all.

All that was currently besides the point, though. After entering the world and looking around, the group was passed by a thief and then swarmed by the nearby town guard. On their hips were tomes and in their arms were spears. They raised their spears in defense and demanded for Black Pentacle to explain themselves, though it was certainly only about three seconds before a loud roar interrupted the guards as everyone else around, sans the guards themselves and Black Pentacle, rushed into hiding. From behind the guards emerged a massive beast, and from atop the beast sat a woman, no doubt the commander to the soldiers.

[quote=Rivenwood Commander]
[color=crimson]"A crowd of foreigners barring the road in time for a brigand to escape my justice. Complicit or not your fortunes are as ill as mine this day."[/color][/quote]
Well, that was certainly a statement. Quite the one to open up with, too. 

[quote=Rivenwood Commander][color=crimson]"I see no Tomes upon your person yet look neither like a peasent or a member of gentry. Are you some mummers troupe here to entertain, or perhaps you hold some Warovian allegiance we should be awares of? Speak candidly, for Durgan will sense dishonesty, and his appetite is already stoked from that cloaked coward's flight."[/color][/quote]
Nobody in the group had spoken yet. It seemed like if anyone was going to talk, it was going to be the Bard. Oddly fitting. She paused to see if anyone was going to speak, but when everyone else remained silent, Akiko took the initiative and slung out her fans, putting herself into a bow in one fluid motion.

[color=hotpink]"Pardon our obstruction in your path, commander of Rivenwood. We're only a simple party of nomads, travelers, and adventurers, whom have which banded together to make our own journey less dangerous. We've brought with us no ill intent towards you, the nobility, or the peasantry of Rivenwood."[/color] Akiko's opener was as genuine as she could fake. No doubt it'd be difficult for Durgan to sense any sort of dishonesty coming from the bard, as for the most part, her words were in some way genuine. She didn't want any trouble with the guards, but she certainly didn't agree with them being a "spears first, questions later" mentality. [color=hotpink]"I before you am the bard known as Akiko. I'm afraid I've no knowledge of any Warovian customs or circumstances. We all hail from a land far east, so please excuse our ignorance regarding any sort of dispute that your town is currently going through."[/color]

While Akiko was explaining herself and Black Pentacle's position, trying to avoid any sort of trouble, she couldn't help but look at the commander with a single small [u][color=ed1c24]glint in her eyes.[/color][/u] Certainly if it helped her see Smitten Kitten and Rose's past, she could find out something about Lorelai to help keep her from being threatening.