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[img]https://i.postimg.cc/L5r26P82/Star-Fox-Final.png[/img]

[color=5edaf6]Level:[/color] 6 (8 -> 12 -> 30 -> 41 -> 44/60)
[color=5edaf6]Location:[/color] Sandswept Sky - Al Mamoon
[color=5edaf6]Word Count:[/color] 1275 (+3 EXP)
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The Seekers, after a long day that felt like three barely making it to the city, and the rest spent fighting through it to seemingly circuitous ends, hadn’t made it far out of the door before making evening plans to wind down and enjoy themselves. While understanding the need, Fox didn’t share his companions’ collective sentiment. He didn’t feel like he could relax just yet.

Hearing Big Band declare unfinished business of his own reminded Fox that there was more left he could do in the day as well. He wasn’t exactly in a celebratory mood anyhow. Not with lingering doubts and concerns coming out of the court that had yet to be abated. There was, of course, one who could better identify with him than any other present, having what one could assume to be the most stake in and familiarity with the matter.

[color=5edaf6]“How are you feeling about all this?”[/color] At the risk of asking an obvious question, he caught Robin just outside the palace directly following the hearing to make a calm, hushed pry for his opinion.

The tactician had clearly been considering the matter. “I’m conflicted,” he replied, the simple word hiding a lot of baggage. “I don’t trust Validar, and neither should you. As far as I’m concerned, the audience with him was a farce. The pretense of honest discussion...thanks to that spy of his, he knew our group was withholding information, but we couldn’t say how much he knew, nor risk anything with the Resistance members’ lives on the line.”

Shaking his head, Robin crossed his arms. “Still, I wasn’t expecting him to concede at all, let alone so easily. Considering his ambitions, him letting me go free is miraculous. Perhaps he considers you all a threat and simply wanted to get rid of you as fast as possible.” His head adopted a slight tilt. “With Reptile, he gave us the choice to either confront him on his own turf, with all the cards in his hand, or keep our complaints to ourselves. A cunning maneuver really. No matter which route we took, he minimized the chance of conflict with us, and should you return and stir up trouble in the future he’ll no doubt be well-prepared.”

[color=5edaf6]“It’s not [i]that[/i] I’m worried about,”[/color] Fox said, spacing out his speech with a wary glance at his surroundings before continuing. [color=5edaf6]“We’re obviously a threat [b]if we want to be[/b], and he knows neither of us fully trusts the other.”[/color] The latter word of Fox’s reply clarifying for Robin that his skepticism was shared, minus the [i]personal[/i] element or the intensity that went with it. [color=5edaf6]“But if he wants to get rid of us, it’ll be [i]for good[/i], right?”[/color] Fox part asked whilst speculating. [color=5edaf6]“Because if you know us,”[/color] which he surely did, [color=5edaf6]“then you know we have more than he can prepare for, and he won’t want to risk his future on that. Not if he’s really that paranoid.”[/color]

Fox’s mind wandered for a moment between the issue at large against the grand scheme, and the difference in unshared perspectives on them. [color=5edaf6]“I’m sure he’s convinced himself by now that this is all some kind of elaborate plan to depose him.”[/color] His gaze then wandered with his thoughts to the sky above the horizon. [color=5edaf6]“He just doesn’t know we have bigger problems...”[/color]

The tactician seemed to agree, although he still looked wary that someone might be listening in. For all the Seekers knew, letting them go might have been a ploy to bait them into letting slip more information right into an unseen Reptile’s waiting ears. “Ideally, he’s playing nice because he doesn’t want to tangle with your alliance. As long as all he cares about is Al Mamoon, there shouldn’t be any issue in the campaign against Galeem.” Robin allowed his inner conflict to show on his face. “I must confess myself torn. Knowing what I do I would want to stay here, both to help pick up the pieces and to keep an eye on Validar. But the real fight demands all the strength that can be spared for it.” He took a deep breath. “I would offer my aid, if you’d have me. And Tharja would no doubt wish to follow in my footsteps.”

Fox nodded softly, thoughtfully, as he considered Robin’s perspective and what to say next, keeping in mind the mentioned possibility of an invisible spy at their backs. [color=5edaf6]“We’re not abandoning this place,”[/color] he quietly assured Robin, [color=5edaf6]“...or the people here.”[/color] As much as he cared about doing what he thought and felt was right, truth told, Fox was a little short on the same personal investment in the cause that was the liberation of Al Mamoon, specifically, other than by empathetic proxy and a general sense of saving the [i]whole[/i] World. He couldn’t simply reduce the town’s people and their plights to just another smaller objective on their way to completing the bigger mission, nor would he dismiss them as inconsequential by comparison. But Robin was right; he could stand even less to leave their [i]true[/i] oppressor alone any longer than they had to on their way to it. Dropping a hand onto Robin’s shoulder, he continued. [color=5edaf6]“We have the night to figure it out. If there’s anything you want to take care of tomorrow before we leave, run it by me later, and we’ll see what we can do.”[/color]

The tactician shrugged. “For now, I would be content with merely putting some distance between Validar and myself. I’m not the sort to take drastic action without time to plan.” He gave one final look at the palace before nodding farewell to Fox. “See you on the morrow.”

Fox wordlessly reciprocated Robin’s evening farewells and left him to be on his way. He respected Robin’s evident patience with the matter--a quality he didn’t quite share with him--and couldn’t blame him for feeling as he did. He was then hit with a twinge of pity when a simple regrettable, subjective truth crossed his mind: [i]Not everyone deified their father. Not all were so fortunate as to have that--or lose it.[/i] Insofar as he was able to, however, he could understand, and would try his best to.

Fox allowed these thoughts to ease their way from his mind as he turned his attention to more pressing concerns. [color=5edaf6]“Poppi...”[/color] Fox called remotely, intending more to speak with Tora, but resigned to communicate vicariously through her. [color=5edaf6]“Make sure Tora doesn’t get too comfortable yet. I’ll need you both at the station later tonight. There’s something I want to make sure of.”[/color] Upon receiving confirmation, he would sign off and lay low until nightfall, whereupon he would make his way to the train station to get ahead of them. He remembered also that he told Sly to meet back up there around the same as well, and thus aimed to follow through on that. Perhaps they could learn from one another, depending on the difference in how they spent their days. Of course, any valuable exchanges called for ensuring somehow that no [i]third parties[/i] would be attending them there in secret to do their own learning.

Naturally, that much hinged on their devious, thievious new recruit showing up, his hypothetical absence to be otherwise taken as its own sign. It wouldn’t be assumed, in any case, that he simply forgot either. If there were still any lingering elements of subterfuge or sabotage going against them, Fox expected--and intended--to rule them out tonight; to be clear of any doubts before the day came. Doubtlessly, he figured, [i]someone[/i] would be waiting there for them, so he would go accordingly prepared...