The Meager

"I just started looking," Noct said defensively, "I don't know everything yet."

"Clearly," Mortal replied.

Noctis did not like being on the receiving end of sarcasm, least of all from someone who was probably using sarcasm for the first time in her life, "Listen, I just need you to be my bodyguards so I can continue to search, will you help me or not?"

"I already agreed."

"Fine then," Noctis said, turning and heading back to the Fort, documentation in hand.

*And so they take off, headed to Lesalia.*

~Besselat~

*The Orator checks all of the papers.*

<These seem to be in order. Very well. The cretins you are looking for asked about any detained Corpse Brigade troops. It was not recorded whether they left the city or on what road, but no one has seen them since.>
=========================================
~Ziekden~

*An old man flies down from the sky, stretching out his staff & blasting all of the knights & Argath with lightning. One of them drops dead. Argath pops another potion. Ramza finishes off another knight. As Argath moves to shoot the chemist, Delita slashes him in the back. The wanker pops yet another potion.*
=========================================
~Lesalia~

*The group arrives without incident. On the way, they were filled in about how the Corpse Brigade is rumored to have attempted a siege, how the Northern Sky has eliminated most of their dens, & how they're making a final stand at Fort Ziekden.*

"Did they meet with any of the detained Corpse Brigade troops, and if so, may I speak with them?"

<No, I have no Corpse Brigade prisoners on record, & even if I did, the prisoners here are seldom allowed visitors. That will be all, I trust?>

Noct let out a small sigh, "Yes, I've had more than enough of this place to last me."

"So, what now?" Mortal asked.

Noctis stopped to think, "There is Limberry to the west, Dorter to the east, and Lionel to the south, where would they have gone?"

"I don't know," Mortal replied flatly, "I just asked you."

"Quiet, it was a rhetorical question," Noct chided, "Perhaps even further south, to Goug."

E"Stop being rude to Mortal. And that's another thing, we have to discuss payment."

"I wasn't being rude," Noct said incredulously, "As far as payment, what is it that you want?"

"Help destroyin--."

"Stop that, we'll go over that later," Noct said, "What about you Euryale. I doubt I could buy you with a pretty dress."

"She has a pretty dress."

"A NEW dress..."

"I'm fine with a new dress & a share of whatever treasure we come across. Mortal, however, is not. She has no home, no legal identity, no weapons to protect HERSELF, let alone you, no knowledge of human social structure, & no formal education."

Mortal felt kind of insulted.

"When this is over she can come live with me. My family will see to it that she is well taken care of, and perhaps with a better education I can talk her out of getting herself killed."

"Wait, but what about Euryale?" Mortal asked.

"Oh, I won't be going anywhere for a while. I'm not absolutely sure I trust her yet."

"Wait, you don't trust me?" Noct asked, once again, incredulously.

Reiter: <You're... really improving.>

Rhea: <Thank you!>

*Rhea casts Blizzard on Argath as Reiter runs up to him and slashes at him.*

=====

Parker: <...That was easy!>

"Surprisingly so."

Parker: <So... about that money.>

"Ask my mother to be paid for it."

*The three make their way up to the Fort.*

~Fort Besselat~

E"Should I? So far, you've done nothing but imply that Mortal should be institutionalized."
--------------------------------------------
*When they get there, they happen to overhear a knight who says that Order Intelligence has determined that the Corpse Brigade officer has left the Limberry-Lesalia area, heading in the direction of Eagrose, to the far west.*
====================================
~Lesalia~

<Well, nothing happened, so don't expect much.>

*She hands her 500 Gil.*
====================================
~Ziekden~

*Delita rushes Argath when he moves to shoot again. Once Argath is down, he picks up a rock & smashes his smug face in. Delita stands up & tosses the bloody rock at the knights. It misses, but they all scatter anyway. With that, he & Ramza head to the bridge.*

Argath<No...not...by milksop rabble....>

The battle is won!
Gil: 20,000
Reiter JP: 400
Rhea JP: 500

Reiter: <Rhea, that was awesome!>

Rhea: <...Thank you!>

Reiter: <Hey guys!>

*Reiter waves at Ramza and Delita.*

Reiter: <Don't think we've been introduced yet.>

=====

Parker: <Daaaandy. Well, catch you guys later. Good luck!>

*She runs off, waving at them. She then leaves Lesalia on her way to Bervenia Cavern.*

~Bervenia Cavern~

*She finds a bunch of rotting corpses & signs of battle. Everything of value has been taken.*
================================
~Fort Ziekden~

*The pair ignore her as Delita cradles the girl's body, Ramza having just run onto the bridge.*

Ramza<...I'm sorry, Delita.>

*At that, the entire fort rumbles. Ramza notices a plume of black smoke curling up into the sky.*

Ramza<The powder! Delita, we must away!>

*After he says that, a blast of fire knocks him off of the bridge, in the direction away from them. He shouts Delita's name one more time as several more explosions turn the fort into a pile of rubble & flames. The other squires run around the building to look for Ramza.*

"Yes, well, I do believe I've had good reason to suggest so," Noct said, "It is not everyday someone explains to you something as... fanciful as her story. I'm still not sure if I believe her, in honest."

"It is true, I will not say such again, and again," Mortal replied.

"You say you cannot trust me, but I have been nothing but honest with you from the start, I just don't care to sugarcoat it."

"That is one way to describe it, I suppose," Mortal said, "Though honestly, I'd prefer to just not have my intelligence insulted."

Noct let out a small sigh, "You're right, and I'm sorry. Your story may be hard to believe, but I guess you have no need to lie to me, least of all about that."

Mortal furrowed her eyebrows, "I feel insulted again. What is it with people and dragons? I've done nothing wrong."

"Nor have I said you have, but dragons have a reputation for brutality, and killing anyone foolish enough to happen upon them," Noct explained, "Whether the reputation is deserved or not is never the issue, the fact remains that the reputation exists. It'd be wise to stop telling your story to anyone who would listen. They may not react the same way Euryale, and I have."

"So what should I tell someone if they ask about me?"

"Assuming that does happen, you tell them whatever you like, so long as it is about your life as a human. From this point on, do not let anyone know what you once were. You are, and always have been a rather tall, hardy woman, and that is all anyone needs to know," Noct explained, "Now, I do believe the Knights said something about Eagrose. Perhaps we should head out that way, through Dorter."

*Rhea gasps in horror, covering her mouth, before closing her eyes and turning her head away from the explosion.*

Reiter: <No!!!>

*He looks from his sister to the explosion before running off to find Ramza.*

=====

*She runs in to find everyone dead. Covering her nose, she backs out of the cavern. Outside, she looks around, biting her lip, before running dashing at a tree and punching it.*

Parker: <...How can this be?!>

*She drops to the ground and sighs, leaning against the trunk.*

[Reiter and Rhea weren't in there... If they are alive, I have to find them... but how?]

OOC: Stuff. Unless you need me to do anything else with Sorrel before the skip.

OOC: Nope, just need to tie up a few loose ends.

~Besselat~

E"The funny thing about a good liar is that you can't tell when they're lying. Your noble friend seemed to trust you enough to voice her misgivings about the church, but then again that didn't end well."

*She sighs.*

E"Speaking of myths about dragons, in school, I was taught that they are 'ferocious, but not intelligent.' I thought I should tell you that now, to sort of soften the blow later on."
========================================
~Ziekden~

Chemist<He's not here. And reaching where Delita was last is impossible. We'd freeze to death long before the flames went out & we could remove all of the rubble.>

Black Mage<There are footprints here.>

Chemist<Aye, but at the rate of snowfall, they'll be covered in just a few minutes.>

Black Mage<Then what do you suggest we do? Go back to the Order? After what we just bore witness to?>

Chemist<Of course not! But if we return to Eagrose, we should be able to hear words as to his whereabouts.>

Reiter: <And Wiegraf?>

*Rhea catches up.*