The Manipulative & the Subserviant

"And who are you?"

Noctis smiled, "Thanks, I needed that bit of positive reinforcement," She said, returning the hug. She then stood up and excused herself from the table, "Excuse me, I need to ready my things if we're going to leave today. Oh, and I'll have to tell my mother to--" Mortal gave her a pointed glare, "Fine, tell my father that I'll be leaving with you again. I imagine it will go swimmingly."

Once Noctis bounded off Euryale smiled and looked at Euryale, "Thank you for that. Noctis can be a bit down on herself at times, and she really doesn't like to talk about what upsets her. It is a bit maddening really, I want to help, but she won't allow me to." After a small sigh she changed the subject, "So, why Zeklaus?"

--

"That isn't a great sign," Zac said, drawing his pistol, and leveling it at the farthest target he can reach, unloading a Barrage into it.

Iliad also went for the furthest target he could find, and launched a thunder bomb at it.

Sab cast Haste on herself, and was close enough to Iliad that it should have hit him as well.

OOC: It upsets me that Dawn hasn't realized Euryale was there this whole time.

~Lesalia~

"I'm always ready to help a friend. But, it's simple really, Zeklaus is the quickest route into Lionel. But, we could go around it, if need be. Like I said, it's a pretty dangerous place. It's worth noting that we don't call Mt. Bervenia 'Death Mountain.'"
==========================================
~Eagrose~

<Ser Folmarv Tengille. The commander of the Knights Templar.>
==========================================
~Balias Tor~

*The Piscodaemons, being squishy, are both killed. Roatha intercepts the Ceourl as it bounds towards Sab & he & Lilith attack it. The Mindflayer walks towards them, blasting Iliad & Sab with psychic energy. Both are confused by the attack. The goblins just start swimming towards them.*

"Ah I see. How is the church's militant branch these days? I never much needed to know these things but these are trying times."

OOC: How does confusion work again?

Zac shoots the Lovecraftian Horror with a barrage.

--

OOC: I can change that!

As Noct is off preparing for the trip, Dawn walks in for some breakfast. "Mathew, prepare--" She immediately takes note of Euryale, "What is one of the maids doing sitting at the table?! Wait, I thought I got rid of all the female house servants."

Mortal dipped her head slightly, "She isn't a maid, she's--"

"Oh great, another one of Noct's whores. You're supposed to leave during the night, not stay for breakfast you wench. Go, before I have security escort you out."

"She isn't that either, she is a friend of mine," Mortal tried to clarify, "You've met her once before."

"Oh, you're the untrained, ill mannered sod who doesn't have the good decency to bow to your social superiors."

~Lesalia~

*Euryale tries & fails to stifle a laugh at someone, with no sense of irony, calling her a whore, then a sod, & ill-mannered, all in the same breath.*
==========================================
~Zaland~

OOC: However I want it to! Fear my power!

*Sab & Illiad start waltzing. The Mindflayer, being only slightly less squishy than its Piscodaemon cousins, never stood a chance. By this point, the goblins are about halfway across the river & the Coeurl is dead, though it did manage to poison Roatha.*
=======================================
~Eagrose~

<Stronger than ever. Recruitment has soared these past years, & we've not had to deal with peasant revolts. Add to that the death of Lord Barbaneth Beoulve, & we may well be a contender for the strongest Knightly Order in Ivalice.>

*He chuckles.*

<That is, if the Southern Sky's Thunder God doesn't have anything to say on the matter.>

"Who is this thunder god you speak of? To proclaim oneself a god would be blasphemy in the eyes of the church wouldn't it?"

*James takes the hit and gets away from the two of them by a few steps. Clyde happens to be walking by and sees everything going on. He decides to step in as well.*

Clyde: <What the hell did you get yourself into?>

James: <Not my fault. I SWEAR it isn't.>

*Mimiru counters and punches Parker. Taiyo begins the Mincing Minuet dance. Azuma slashes Reiter.*

OOC: D'aww, a fuckin' waltz is the best way things could have turned out.

Zac shoots one of the goblins with a Barrage.

--

"Is she daft?" Dawn asked, "What exactly is she laughing at?"

"Nothing," Mortal said, "Euryale, we should probably go."

Dawn had stopped giving a hoot about the two of them and strode on over to the kitchen to bitch at the cooks.

~Grogh~

*She does no such thing because Esuna missed. That's what happens when you have 20 faith.*
========================================
~Warjilis~

Woman<Never mind him. You & me should go do something some time. You look like a big, strong man.>

*She stretches, thrusting out her chest. This is definitely how Steal Heart works.*
========================================
~Eagrose~

<I should hope Duke Larg isn't plotting treachery with you, if you can't even recognize Count Cid by name. Perhaps the Northern Sky has fallen on harder times than the loss of the eldest & youngest of the Beoulve family?>
=========================================
~Balias Tor~

*Sab suddenly breaks off of the dance & decides to aim a haymaker into Zac's crotch shortly after he kills that goblin. Roatha & Lilith are wading out into the water to meet with the other 2.*

OOC: Fact=Confusion is my favorite status ailment.
==========================================
~Lesalia~

"Did she forget I'm here? Have any White Mages examined her for madness?"

*Nonetheless, Euryale gets up & follows Mortal.*

"I think it may be the opposite. I fear the Duke Goltanna may be the one plotting behind the scenes... wait... what do you know about Ramza?"

Zac, didn't even see it coming before dropping to his knees, "I... I just got punched in the genitals by a nun..." He said, cupping his nuts with one hand.

--

Mortal actually nodded, "Noctis says they simply determined she has a bad attitude, and a bit of a short attention span."

Noctis showed up then, "Alright, I'm ready to go whenever you two are."

~Balias Tor~

*Illiad & Sab are too busy Zoidberg-walking to be sympathetic to his plight. Roatha slashes the one gobling twice, dodges an attack aimed at his eyes, & runs it through. Lilith is tackled by the other one, but then stabs it.*

The battle is won!:

===================================
~Lesalia~

"We'll have to stop over at the tavern to get my belongings, but other than that, I'm okay."

*Euryale looks at the back of Mortal's head, then at the direction Dawn went, then frowns.*
===================================
~Eagrose~

<Yes, I've heard of the recent attacks. The question is, how many of them were actually Goltanna's handiwork, & how many were Northern Sky in disguise? As for Ramza...I know that he's a half-bred failure who ran away from Ziekden with his tail between his legs.>

"Can I get the whole story?"

Mortal looked at Euryale, "Something wrong?"

--

Zac takes a deep breath, and stands up, "Alright, I'm good, I'm fine..." He said, taking a few small hops in an attempt to "walk it off", as it were.

*Clyde gives James a potion to heal him and then slashes at the female thief without saying anything. James is healed and attacks the male thief again.*

~Warjilis~

Woman<Ow! You dick!>

*They each stab their respective attackers & step back.*

Man<I'm not sure we can win this one. Mayhap we'd do best to leave?>
========================================
~Zaland~

*Sab gives him a big ol' hug right before the confusion wears off of both of them. Lilith laughs.*

L"I don't suppose you'd mind if I interrupted your throes of passion to discuss divvying up the spoils?"
========================================
~Lesalia~

*Euryale jumps at Mortal's apparent ability to see through the back of her own head.*

"I--I was just--nevermind. It's nothing."
========================================
~Eagrose~

<I've not the time nor the responsibility to deliver a history lecture. I've pressing business to attend to back in Mullonde.>

*He turns & begins walking away.*

Seems like everyone involved with the church and the two orders has something to hide... Sorrel thinks to himself before walking away.

Astarte sighed and looked at Seraph, wondering whether to try initiating another conversation or not.
"So... remind me, what are we going to be doing?" She decided she couldn't stand the uncomfortable silence anymore.

OOC: "Mortal looked at Euryale..." Didn't think I needed to specify that she had to turn to do so, fucking retard. But hey, if you want to establish that Mortal can see behind herself while looking forward, I'm totally fine with that.

Mortal furrowed her brow a bit, "If you say so."

Noctis just kind of waited there for one of them to move, "So... are we going to-"

"Right, right, a bit distracted," Mortal said, "Lets head on out."

--

OOC: I'm assuming Sab hugged Iliad.

Zac snickers along with Lilith for a second before the throbbing pain in his crotch wipes the smirk off his face, "Right, how about we split it evenly from here on out? This way we won't have to continue wondering about the loot."

Sab, holistically ashamed, let go of Iliad, "I wasn't, we weren't, I couldn't!"

Iliad let go as well, slightly embarrassed too, though more for the fact that the simple act of hugging him led to Sab's outburst, rather than the act itself.

~Lesalia~

OOC: If it's heeded as much as establishing that Mortal was facing the other direction, which is to say not at all, then sure.

*Before too long, they reach the tavern. To call it a dump is putting it lightly. Most of the windows are broken, & several of the planks near the bottom are broken off. As they're watching, someone has broken off one with a hatchet, gives them a look, & shuffles off down an alleyway. Because of this, the whole building is leaning slightly to one side.*

E"I'll just be a minute."
========================================
~Balias Tor~

OOC: The other one, actually, but whatever.

R"That works until we find an amount that isn't divisible by 5."

L"Oh, come now, no need to be a shamed. We know it must have been lonely in that monastary. You see a man for the first time in a month or so, things begin to stir."
========================================
~Eagrose~

*By now he's found himself in the slums, & there's no one else around.*
========================================
~The Free City of Bervenia~

*Seraph stops & looks back.*

"Eh? Who are you, again?"

*A patrolling knight in a red cloak approaches them.*

<Are you from the Northern Sky? I thought we just finished telling your envoy that we are not allowing any armies to march through the city!>

James: <Leave if ya want to. No guarantee I'll let you get away.>

*Clyde continues attacking the female thief.*

"Hmm. That person got away huh. Might as well head back."

Sab was red, "B-be quiet! I've never had such vulgar thoughts! My life is dedicated to the church!"

Zac shrugged, "If the number ends in a 0 or 5 it is divisible by 5. And if it isn't we'll just split it as evenly as possible. Iliad and I are happy to take the smaller share in such a situation anyway."

--

They both wait there, waiting for the building to cave in on itself, and hoping that Euryale makes it back before that happens.