In The Name of Love

~Zeltennia~

"He's probably counting on it."
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~Lesalia~

*Euryale gets whatever it is that Ivalician women wear under their clothes, & then they're off.*

"My thoughts as well, but if you have a better idea, I'm all ears," Zac replied.

--

TO THE PARK!

~Zeltennia~

"We have no choice but to follow them & get the Princess back."
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~Lesalia~

*The park is lined with occasional small crowds gathered to listen to a bard, & 1 or 2 odd Dancers standing rigidly while swaying their arms.*

"Hey, Noct, don't you play the harp?"

"No."

"Yes I do, calm down Mortal..."

"No she doesn't," Mortal said.

"I do, and I'm not bad either. Here, I'm sure someone here has one, I'll show you."

Mortal looks at Euryale grimly.

--

"Then lets go, the more time we waste up here the bigger the distance between us and them grows."

~Lesalia~

*She, in turn, looks confused. Most Bards she ask clutch their harps like an infant, but one tentatively holds it out.*

<I guess, if you're a fellow musician...just be gentle with her.>

"Cool, isn't this exciting, Mortal?"
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~Zeltennia~

*While travelling the road to Zeltennia, they see a Chocobo dash into the ruins of the church. Tied to the Chocobo's back is an unconscious Ovelia.*

Noct nods, takes it, and begins to pluck away at it. The result of the uneven, and nonrhythmic notes, and Noct's singing voice, tantamount to the death gurgles of a cat, is enough to physically hurt. Somewhere birds are crying out of sadness. Her soul crushing mockery of anything musical is brought to an abrupt end when she plucks a string and snaps it. "Oh, sorry, here you go," She hands it back, along with a few coins of gil to replace the string. She then returns to the group, "See. Not too bad right?"

Mortal has a thousand yard stare, "I... I'm trying to find the pieces of my crushed soul."

--

"There!" Zac said, rushing after it.

~Lesalia~

*The bard had collapsed to the ground & started digging a hole with his bare hands. When given back the harp, he puts it in the hole.*

<There, there, it's over now. No one can hurt you any more.>

*He drops one of the coins in.*

<Give that to the ferryman.>

"Umm...it was something, all right."
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~Zeltennia~

*Once they're inside, a fire springs up at the doorway of the ruins & the Chocobo jumps up to the far wall. Leaning against said wall are an archer with a crossbow, & a knight. Near the Chocobo, a chemist climbs up. Seraph teleports up to the remains of the tower.*

S"Oh, you made it, I'm so thrilled."

*The chemist pulls out a silver gun with a gold handle & points it at Ovelia's head.*

L"Don't attack."

Zac eyed the gun the same way he eyed Grimm's lance, but didn't do anything, for fear of provoking the Chemist into pulling the trigger.

--

"Sab?" Noct asked.

"You're... a great dancer."

"Bah, you guys just don't know what good music is."

~Lesalia~

*The bard whips out a second, cheaper harp & begins twinging the strings slowly. As he continues, he adds a reverb in the background, making a slow dirge. He sings about decades of companionship tragically ended in a violent murder. At the end, he adds a light flutter, looks to the buried harp, & suggests it's in a better place. Euryale is teary-eyed, & clapping.*
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~Zeltennia~

S"Oh, we're going to kill her, make no mistake. I just want to see you try so hard to save her, and your reactions when you fail."

*Unseen by Seraph's troops, Ovelia has regained consciousness, reached into her skirt, & is now cutting herself free with a knife.*

"I didn't kill it, he could have replaced the string," Noct said.

"After what you did to it," Mortal said, "It needed to be put out of its misery. I doubt even with a new string that that harp could ever bring beauty to the world again through music. It was just a husk; a shadow of its former glory."

"That was melodramatic..."

Sab patted her on the back, "But you're a great dancer!"

--

"Oh, well, in that case," Zac shoots the chemist with an arm shot!

~Zeltennia~

*Once free, Ovelia is hit by a fire spell & topples off of the wall. The knight then attacks her, & the archer shoots her. She begins chanting a spell, & runs towards Lilith & Zac. Seraph is just laughing. The chemist proves to be immune to disable, & raises his gun. At a hand signal from Seraph, he shoots Lilith in the face, nearly knocking her Circlet off.*
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~Lesalia~

"And you did, technically, create beautiful music, by inspiring that song."

"Dammit," Zac muttered between clenched teeth, shooting a barrage at the archer.

--

"Whatever," Noct folds her arms.

Sab gives her a hug, "Hey, don't be all upset. We can't all be good at everything. It would be fair to be beautiful, a great dancer, and a great singer. Leave the singing to men."

~Lesalia~

*As if on cue, the Bard begins singing a love song.*
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~Zeltennia~

*Lilith steps in front of Ovelia, draws a sword from her belt, & swings it through the air, dousing them both in healing rain. A second later, a translucent barrier surrounds Ovelia. The archer points his crossbow at Zac & begins notching it. The knight attacks Lilith, who grabs his blade.*

S"Amazing what money can buy, isn't it?"

L"Whose money?"

*Seraph shrugs.*

S"Would you believe me if I told you I had a secret overseas bank account overflowing with billions of Gil?"

L"No."

S"Oh ye of little faith. This is why I have such a love-hate relationship with you."

Zac furrowed his brow at that and shot a barrage at Seraph.

--

Now that the mood is being set, Mortal puts her arm around Euryale, "It is a beautiful song."

Noct also lightens up, and holds Sabs hand, "I guess you're right."

~Lesalia~

"Not half as beautiful as you."

*She moves in for a kiss.*
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~Zeltennia~

*At the first hit, he tilts back, dropping behind the wall.*

S"Aaargh, I'm hit, I'm goin' dooooown!"

*Lilith slashes at the knight, who deflects the attack with his shield. The archer keeps pulling back on his bow. Ovelia holds her hands in the air & retreats closer to Zac. The Chocobo hops down behind the wall.*

Mortal giggled a bit, then leaned in and kissed Euryale.

--

Zac gets in front of Ovelia, the shoots the archer with an arm shot.

~Lesalia~

Ramiel<Twilight conditions in this city are always so peaceful, & beautiful. Particularly if you look towards the palace.>

*Ramiel is standing at a wrought iron gate, looking out onto the imperial gardens, & the bright red-orange dusk sky beyond.*
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~Zeltennia~

*The archer fires a high-powered arrow into his gut, opening up a large gash. He then kneels. The Chemist then drops an X-Potion down to him. The archer slips to Lilith's side & stabs her. A translucent barrier then surrounds Zac, giving him a host of status boosts.*

Mortal jerked slightly and looked up at Ramiel, "Oh, uh, hi."

Noct didn't allow the guy to interrupt the kiss she decided to give Sab. When they were done Sab was blushing, still unused to kissing in public, and Noct looked up, "What brings you here?"

--

Zac furrowed his brow and shot the archer with a barrage.

~Lesalia~

*Ramiel turns around.*

<Oh, I would rather wait, & tell everyone at once.>

*At that moment, a loud fireball explodes at the base of one of the towers, which partially collapses. Everyone in the park hushes & turns to look at the castle. Ramiel spreads his arms, as though preparing to give everyone a hug.*

<Nobles of Lesalia, I am glad to receive your attention! You may not have yet heard, but Lord Dycedarg has passed. Because of this, I am declaring myself King of Ivalice, effective immediately.>
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~Zeltennia~

*The archer drops back into critical condition. Suddenly, the knight dashes towards Zac. As he does so, the Chocobo runs over the wall, carrying Seraph. Seraph smacks Lilith in the back of the head as he rides by, knocking him over. He then hops off of the bird, which starts pecking at the downed Samurai. The Chemist heals the Archer again.*

Zac shoots the archer with a barrage again.

--

"Join the line," Noct said, "If someone isn't trying to claim ownership of Lesalia then something is wrong."

~Lesalia~

<I will return Ivalice to a Golden Age it has not seen since the time of Ajora.>

*A crowd gathers, shouting at him. The few who are carrying knives or swords draw them & begin to advance. He sweeps a hand out over the crowd.*

<You should know, I have also hidden explosives in the foundation stones of dozens of random homes. One of them could be yours.>
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~Zeltennia~

*The knight gets in the way, taking the shots. He then slashes at Zac as the Chemist resumes medicating the archer. Lilith catches the bird by the beak & stabs it, but Seraph jumps on her & beats her a few times with his weapon.*

Zac shoots a barrage at Seraph, then makes his way over towards the Chemist, having quite enough of his shit.

--

"Wouldn't they go off anyway?" Noct asked, "That seems like something I wouldn't tell an angry mob."

~Zeltennia~

*He is still busy being attacked by a knight. Of course, he's been taking quite a few barrages, so the Chemist hops down to throw an X-Potion at him. The knight repays his effort by stabbing Zac. Ghosts fly out from around Lilith, tearing into Seraph & his mighty steed. The archer moves to one side to get a better shot at Zac.*
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~Lesalia~

"They won't go out if we REMOVE them. Did you forget that YOU'RE a noble? Stop being inappropriately sassy & COME ON, the Lionsguard can handle him!"

*Euryale grabs Noctis's arm & begins leading them back to the Talea house. Ramiel smashes open the lock, opens the gate, & strolls off to the castle as the crowd disperses.*

Zac, splitting this damage with the Knight the entire time, steals the Knights sword, because fuck him, he doesn't get to hurt people anymore.

--

Noct superman flies her way back while everyone else is running.

~Zeltennia~

*The knight bats aside his theft attempt with his shield. He retreats to the Chocobo, who heals him, itself, & Seraph. The archer then fires at Zac. As Lilith slashes at the Chocobo again, a translucent barrier surrounds her.*
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~Lesalia~

*When they get back, Euryale gets down & starts examining the foundation stones, looking & feeling for any alteration to them.*