The Valiant

~Zeklaus Desert~

E"Well, I was actually saving up for some perfume. I can't remember the last time I smelled...feminine. But then I, ah, changed my mind. But, enough about that, let's get going!"
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~Limberry Castle~

L"I don't really see what I can do about it. When you get right down to it, I'm just a nameless Southern Sky knight. If anything, I'm even less important now than I was before I started the investigation."

"You taken on Lucavi, defended friends, and I think at one point freed slave laborers. You're not some random nobody, you're Lilith. I know that, at the very least."

--

Mortal wiped her face of the oil that was still there, and let out a sigh, "Yes, lets get going."

Noct looked at Sab, who seemed to notice the awkwardness as well. When she moved over to Mortal and wiped away more of the oil, and when Mortal let her, Noct blamed her for the tension, figuring she must have said something. If it wasn't for the fact that it fucked up Noct's plans, she would almost be proud of Sab for getting between Mortal and Euryale.

~Limberry Castle~

*Lilith blushes & scratches the back of her head.*

L"Yeah, well...I had help. Not to mention an official edict. Now, now I don't know what I have."
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~Zeklaus Desert~

*Euryale does a double-take in Mortal's direction, then rushes over to her side.*

E"Oh...Mortal, I'm so sorry, this is the first time I've gotten a good look at you since I--woke up, I guess. Are you okay? Do you need me to heal you?"

"You have, hm..." Zac let out a nervous laugh, "Well, you've got me, for whatever that is worth, but I can't really speak to anything else. Sorry if I'm kind of bad at raising spirits, I've not been in the best of them myself lately."

--

"I'm fine, I was already healed," Mortal said, "Noct gave me a potion. You don't need to dote over me."

Noct stared daggers at Sab, By Ajora, just what did she say to her?

*Clyde looks at the thief's dead body, almost in disbelief.*

Clyde: <[What was that...?]>

~Warjilis~

<You son of a-->

*He repeats the feat before the second thief even stands up.*

Gaffgarion<You kids don't learn very quickly, do you? I've no qualms with killing you all & moving on to the next group of thieves. It's your choice: Financial success, or unceremonious death.>
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~Zeklaus~

E"Oh...well, as long as you're okay...I guess. Yep. Yeah. Like you said, let's go."
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~Limberry~

L"All the same, I'm not on-duty, so I could take a job or visit another town. As long as I don't go too far away."

Clyde: <You're really willing to just barge in and kill whoever says no?>

~Warjilis~

Gaffgarion<I just did. Twice. So, I would say so. Better make that thrice.>

*A thief had snuck around behind him & stabbed him, so he dispatched him by stabbing his sword into the ground & making the spike that way. This also healed the stab wound.*

<I'm thinkin' maybe we should do what he says.>

Gaffgarion<Pleasure doing business with you boys! I assure you, you won't regret it.>

Zac smiled, "Good to know, but how about we just try to enjoy our drinks and company for the time being. It feels like forever since I have just had a moment to rest without knowing some battle was going to be taking place the next day; not since I met you in that shack in Dorter."

--

Mortal nodded and waited for Euryale to lead the way.

~Gollund Coal City~

*As usual, Gollund is covered with a thick lair of snow, with more falling on top of it. Euryale pushes through it, stone-faced & making an embarrassing attempt to pass all of her shivers off as nonchalant enunciations.*

E"S-o-o-o...there's sn-o-o-o-ow on the ground, if he's following our f-o-o-otsteps, he's probably hiding nearb-y-y-y."
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~Limberry Castle~

L"Agreed. One more."

<Are you drinking that stuff, or are you secretly pouring it in the plants?>

L"Is the comedy routine an extra charge?"

Mortal walked closer to Euryale and was going to put an arm around her to warm her up, but stopped herself, thinking it might be a bit awkward given what had happened between them. Instead she backed off again, looking crestfallen.

Noct glared at Sab, who returned the look with a naive smile and wave. Noct did the same in return, before turning around and going back to scowling.

--

"Well, you are pretty as a flower," Zac said, before laughing and shaking his head, "I'm sorry, that one was pretty weak. I blame the wine, I'm not really a heavy drinker, myself." Zac said, nursing what he assumed was his third glass. Still, he felt as if he was only drinking half of what Lilith was drinking.

~Limberry~

L"Yeah, I've never been much of a drinker either. But I think I might be taking it up as a new hobby."
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~Gollund~

*From Euryale's vantage point, it looked like no one was reacting to the situation, so she took that to mean they weren't going to go after Senthose.*

E"You kno-o-ow, I think there's only two places in Ivalice where it will sno-o-ow."

"I'm not so sure that is how it works, exactly," Zac said with a chuckle, "Still, if anyone has earned the right to a stiff drink, I'd say it is you."

--

Sab nodded eagerly, "I know, and we're in one of them!" She exclaimed, "Oh, sorry. I'm trying not to get too excited... I just really like the snow."

Noct stopped glaring daggers at Sab long enough to smile at that, "How cute. Do you not get a lot of snow at Mullonde?"

"Honestly, sometimes I'm not even sure if the sun is shining from within the library at Mullonde..."

~Gollund~

E"You don't really get much snow anywhere, but I don't much care for it anyway. How about you, Mortal? I don't think it even rains in the desert much, much less snows."

*Euryale's odd speech habits have been replaced by a constant chattering noise.*
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~Limberry~

L"Damn right! Only now that I've had four of those, I'm starting to feel a little dizzy. Maybe I should get a drink to clear my head."

"Perhaps you should get some bread to absorb the alcohol from your system," Zac said, "I wouldn't want to see you stumbling around."

--

Mortal finally relented and put her arm around Euryale, pulling her close so they could share body heat. "No, it didn't snow at all, but it doesn't seem to really affect me that much. Guess you get a bit of a resistance when you can breathe ice."

"Well, it is new to me," Sab said, "I've always wanted to see snow. The books make it sound so... wondrous. I can't say I'm disappointed by what I see."

Noct smiled again, genuinely enjoying Sab's almost childlike glee with the mundane.

~Gollund~

*Euryale puts her arm around Mortal.*

E"Yep. Us not-cold-girls gotta stick together. I think we're almost at Lesalia."
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~Limberry~

L"I could really go for a sandwich right now, come to think of it."

"What kind?" Zac asked, "My treat."

--

Mortal let out a small sigh, "I know you're cold, Euryale. That is why I'm doing this."

~Gollund~

E"I'm not cold! Who said I was cold? Oh...(I gotcha. Don't worry, you can count on me to keep you warm!)"
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~Limberry~

L"I could really go for some tuna. And soup."

Mortal giggled a bit, guessing it hard to stay upset at Euryale, though she wasn't really to begin with. She figured that what was really hard was trying to stay distant from Euryale. She simply couldn't help but be drawn in by her. Mortal eased up a bit, and held Euryale in a much less awkward and tense way. "Thank you, Euryale. I wouldn't want anyone to think I was cold in a snowstorm..."

Noct damn near jumped for joy. The only thing stopping her was seeing that Sab was too busy having fun walking in snow to realize Mortale was back on track.

--

Zac ordered two orders of that, "Wait, what kind of soup?"

~The Royal City of Lesalia~

*Euryale had been resting her head on Mortal's shoulder. Seeing the city gates open, she lifts her head.*

E"So...I guess you & Noct are going to have a lot to talk about with your parents, huh?"
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~Limberry~

L"Tomato, of course."

"Tomato it is," Zac said, finishing off the order. "So, how did you wind up joining the Southern Sky anyway?"

--

"It will most likely only be father we're going to talk to," Noct said. "And I don't think he'll have much to say. We already know what is going on."

"True enough, but I've got things to discuss with him," Iliad said.

OOC: Huh, with Seraph no longer in the RP I've lost a lot of story with Iliad. I mean, I guess I could just go and murder the Convolts...

~Limberry Castle~

L"My mother and sister are healers, in the employee of the Marquis, but I haven't the talent for magic. My skills lie in battle."
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~Lesalia~

E"You forget, we just recently learned this man's name, and saw that he joined up with another persecutor that your father is as-of-yet unaware of. Oh, also the Zodiac Stones. I think there have actually been a great deal of new developments."

"I can't wait to time-skip have this talk with my father."

--

"Interesting," Zac said, taking another sip of wine, "I didn't know you came from a family of magic. I don't think your skill on the field of battle is a bad trade off for a lack of skill with magic, it seems to suit you. I can't imagine you at the back of a fight, wearing robes and chanting."

~Limberry~

L"I don't know, I feel like I could be really good with magic, slinging a sword in one hand while blasting off fire with the other. If it weren't for that damned faith thing."
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~Lesalia~

*Once inside, Euryale gently tugs on the dress of a maid who's walking past.*

E"Could I have something warm to drink? Please?"

Zac laughed a bit, "Yea, that is a barrier to entry huh. I've been meaning to ask about that actually. You seem to be the only person I've ever met as atheistic as I am. I'm kind of curious as to why. Did you just never study the faith, or did you just find all the plot holes incredibly glaring?"

--

The maid was about to walk away from the random homeless girl but a double glare from Mortal and Euryale had her scurrying off saying, "Yes ma'am, right away."

Noct looked at Mortal and Euryale, "Do you want to come too, or should I just go in?"

Iliad stepped forward at that point, "I'm going to speak with him as well, and I doubt we'll be doing anything other than relaying messages as soon as we get out, so how about we all just go in at once."

Shrugs were shrugged, and Noct opened the door.

Divum looked worried, and relieved at the same time, "You're back, are you alright?"

Noctis nodded, "Quite fine, though not for a lack of trying..."