2017-05-20: A Solemn Vow

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  • Log: A Solemn Vow
  • Cast: Riesenlied, Hiro, Jean
  • Where: Adelyn Ranchlands
  • Date: 20th May 2017
  • Summary: After the trip to the Otherworldly Hollow, Riesenlied spends time speaking to Hiro and Jean, sharing their experiences of Malevolence. Riese makes a heavy request of the Fiends and.... gets very, very drunk on whiskey.

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

Fresh after the Vile Fiends' trip into the Otherworldly Hollow, they made camp. Riesenlied had also come along to carry people who weren't feeling very well, and did her best -- as someone who wasn't feeling particularly ill or affected by the Malevolence -- to assist in setting up their place of rest for the night; after the requisite precautions had been taken, the winged woman had taken the time to speak to Gwen for a while before returning to the main body of the campsite, by the fire that they'd built. A little iron pot with dinner was cooking away, likely one of Jean's trusted recipes.

Odjn was still totally out of the experience, dozing off like a light by the fire, overwhelmed by her experience with Malevolence and pork carnitas. In no particular order.

The metal demon was quietly ruminating to herself, looking just a bit heavier and more contemplative than she usually is -- where her cloak had once concealed her feathery wings, her sacrifice in the Pyre had now revealed the battered, warped draconic wings underneath. Chitinous and sinewy, with a black colouration that highly matches the look of her horns, with a shredded and tattered leathery membrane between the 'fingers' of her wings.

<Pose Tracker> Hiro has posed.

Hiro had been mostly silent on the way back, tending to Ruby. Back in camp though, he'd quietly gathered more firewood, and got the fire started for Jean.

Ruby is curled up right beside Odjn, still mostly wrapped up in Hiro's orange scarf, though in sleep she'd instinctively draped a wing over Odjn. Every so often she shifts, and mumbles- but she's much better than she was before.

But after spending some time in mute introspection, the youth turned his attention upon others...

Which is why he eventually walked up to Riese from behind, ground crunching beneath his feet, before he places a hand on her shoulder in a friendly clap. It's hard to ignore how he had to aim his hand there so he wouldn't disturb her wings, "Thanks for your help tonight. We couldn't have done it without you."

The hand is removed in short order. Afterwards, he shifts for a moment in his stance, obviously somewhat out of sorts still. "So Jean and I- we'll respect your privacy if you don't want to talk about it but..."

His expression softens as if it the thought, the experience had struck him a little hard, "...is the Blue Star the type of place where you feel like you have to hide who you are to fit in?"

He'd assumed Riese was a Beastperson of some sorts, having been raised by his Grandpa, who was one. On Lunar they're treated no differently really, but here... things are so different here.

<Pose Tracker> Jean has posed.

Jean wasn't feeling particularly good about the Malevolence, herself, but the nausea and the memories didn't stop her from helping to carry and work. She's done harder work while feeling worse in the past.

Jean remembers what she said to the pyre inside the Hollow; she dwells on it as she cooks, distracted from that only by the parts that require her focus and attention. Her little bottles are all put away by now though, and the pot can be left to rest for a time. She glances more than once to Riese and her wings. But she doesn't approach until...

"...We won't judge you either way," she agrees with Hiro.

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

There's a look of rumination upon Riese's face, her eyes reflecting the flicker and ebb of the flame before them. She has a quiet, sad smile for Hiro as he approaches, expressing, "It isn't an issue. I myself had a personal reason to head deep within that cavern... and I would not have made it anywhere near as far without your teamwork and help. Everyone's help."

There's a sudden gasp and a wince as Hiro touches her shoulder -- it was freshly bandaged from where Gwen had sought attention to it, but there was a clear injury on her left one. It looked old, though -- had she borne that injury for the entire run...? "Ah, sorry, there's an injury there that I'd been tending to for a while... please."

She reaches over to quietly pet Odjn and Ruby on the head both, adjusting that scarf to be a bit cozier. Aww, aren't they cute together?

"It's difficult for me to explain," Riesenlied admits, but closes her eyes. "I am..." she stretches her wings out softly, before placing a hand to her chin in thought. "I am uncertain if you can feel it yourself, but Filgaia is a highly spiritual planet. It has a bond with its children, blessed as they are. Those with a strong connection with this world are beloved by it, spiritually resonating with it, in various forms."

Her eyes open softly as she tilts her head. "I am not one of those beloved children. As you have seen, I cannot sense Malevolence. My spirit is... weak, shall we say." She smiles very sadly. "And in turn, if I were to show to the world who I am, I would no doubt have to bear its scorn..."

<Pose Tracker> Hiro has posed.

Hiro quickly puts his hands up in a show of apology, "Ah sorry!" He winces at his own little gaffe there, looking genuinely apologetic at least. "Just wasn't thinking."

His eyes drift over to Jean briefly by the fire, giving her this look of embarrassment as if to say to a big sister 'Whoops I really goofed.' as he rubs the back of his neck.

But turning back to Riese as she pets Ruby and Odjn... he pays attention to what she has to say. Hand shifting to scratch by his chin instead. He's not the most spiritual person himself. He can only barely feel malevolence and can't even sense Seraphs unless they're angry at him, so he has to consider that.

He considers it for a long while- not interrupting her, meeting her eyes when they open, watching her sad smile. "You know. Back on Lunar we say that everyone is blessed by Althena. I guess that's how it's usually interpret who's beloved- by the strength of her blessing."

His eyes drift upwards, to the Silver Star- the Moon- which he knows is Lunar but can't really prove it. "But some people are weaker than others. They can't really make use of her blessing- and some people look down on those folks who don't have that connection." He crosses his arms, "We'd be considered strange folk back on our own world for saying that's not really fair, or just- because Althena shouldn't play favorites like that."

Shaking his head, he turns his eyes back on Riese, frowning, "So I guess Filgaia and Lunar have more in common than we thought. It's almost like the planets are... choosing who to favor, shunning those it doesn't."

There's a moment's silence, as he turns to look at Ruby and Odjn sleeping together, two dragons from different worlds... as if it's representative of what he's talking about, "Shouldn't have to be that way for you. It's just not right. You deserve to be accepted for who you are."

<Pose Tracker> Jean has posed.

Jean can agree easily that they all worked together in the Grotto; that's generally the way of it with this group, in which she includes Riesenlied at the moment. But the gasp catches her attention. "...Do you need help looking yourself over?" Jean asks Riese, picking up her voice a little bit to make sure she can be heard. After that she returns Hiro's look with a small smile, shaking her head, as if to reassure him not to worry about it.

She glances down at Odjn and Ruby, too. But Riese does start to explain. She explains, and Jean listens.

"...I sense some of it," Jean answers. "More, over time. But I'm not really from this planet." A pause, as she looks up to Lunar, too. Jean shakes her head. "There are a lot of people who think they know what the Goddess wants as long as it lets them look down on someone else. It happens all the time."

"...It's rough, to be left outside that way. I've seen it before, though not in the same way you're talking about."

She lets that hang on the air before, "Well, we're your friends! If this world won't accept you, then we will. Maybe you can come back with us to ours, if you're really unhappy here."

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

Riesenlied looks embarrassed and says, "Ah-- actually, Gwen already resealed the bandages on this wound, but thank you. ... I just have this problem with wounds not healing properly, at times."

The winged woman looks mildly surprised as Hiro shares the story of the Silver Star, nodding very gently. "... it is a bit like that, isn't it?" She drapes her arms a little tighter. "These worlds are full of mysteries, and at times, they can hurt." She looks at Jean as she offers to take her to Lunar. "It is tempting, and I definitely want to see Lunar with my own eyes. But I ... love Filgaia. I can't imagine abandoning it."

In context perhaps made more clear in the future, this is perhaps one of the most ironic things a metal demon can say.

"Regardless of what its Guardians think of me, regardless of what its people believe, it is where I am born," she speaks a bit firmer. "And I strive, in the ways that I can, to help prevent the course of destruction that I see it heading towards. I do not want to see this war blossom in Ignas. I do not wish to see people misuse ARMs and Gears to tear this already wounded planet even further apart."

Hiro and Jean's words both make her smile, and she says, "You all know that pain quite well, individually, and as a group, I think..." She thinks to how the adventure of how Lucia came to be branded as the Lord of Calamity came about. "Thank you. It does mean a lot to me."

She places a hand to her forehead. But soon, they may end up on opposing ends of the battlefield... she couldn't see the Vile Fiends letting what she seeks to do alone. Their sense of justice is too strong for that.

But whose justice is she fighting for?

<Pose Tracker> Hiro has posed.

Hiro nods when Riese says it's a bit like that. But his face splits into a grin when she says abandon it, "Well if that's how you feel, then we wouldn't ask you to abandon it. It's your home right?"

He looks Jean's way briefly, as if feeling like he has some idea of what she meant, "Just come visit us on Lunar sometime- once we find a way to get back. I bet you'd love how green it is, everywhere. Just vast fields and forests. Rivers and streams- more than enough water to drink for everyone."

He claps his hands together and crouches down, "There's so much I'd want to show you. Heck, there's a lot of Lunar left to be explored, and I'm the kind of guy who wants to see it all once Lucia completes her mission. Maybe you could even explore it with us- be considered-" He puts up a hand, shifting it to the side as he speaks, as if writing in the air, "-the 'Great Explorer Riesenlied- Pioneer of the Blue Star.'"

His grin doesn't dim any, "I bet they'd write stories about you."

But Riese, talks about the course of the world, how it's moving towards destruction. How the flames of war are spreading like blossoming flowers. The grin vanishes from his expression and all he can do is nod. He doesn't know Filgaia well enough to talk about a solution to it's problems. He can only offer to help however they can, put out the small fires to try to stop the bigger ones. "You really love this world don't you- you want to save it so much and yet..." He trails off, he can't understand why such a spiritual world would forsake someone who wants to help save it.

His smile teturns, though it seems rueful, wistful and- "If there's anything we can do, then we'd like to help. I mean- we have to prioritize our mission and all, but this is Lucia's world too. And just because we have to save our world doesn't mean we're gonna forget that everyone up here needs a hand too- uh... more than a hand really." He winces as he realizes he vastly understated the scale of it...


<Pose Tracker> Jean has posed.

"I'm sorry. That's a scary problem to have." Jean looks if anything more sympathetic about Riesenlied's plight, but the dancer doesn't press about it; if Gwen handled it or even just if Riese is embarrassed, she isn't going to press right now. Besides, there are other stories.

"...Having a home is really important," Jean says after Hiro mentions it. She's not grinning the way he does.

Jean doesn't join in talking about Riese exploring; his enthusiasm's good enough, while she looks back to check on the fire and the pot. She looks back a moment later.

"It's hard to do. When people start fighting one another that way, it can lead them to do awful things." A look down. "As for pain... Hiro's good at getting someone past that enough to act."

A beat, "You're welcome. Like he says, you can call on us for help. I have something I have to do... But I can't even start until I'm back on Lunar. I may as well do good while I can here."

But... "Are you all right, Riese?"

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

Riesenlied looks just a little embarrassed to say, "Great Explorer... it would certainly be fun if I could. Noeline is much more the adventurer of us two, though. She's canvassed the world to the far west, whereas I'm largely bound to my homelands in Elru."

She imagines that for a moment. The selfish fantasy of just being able to spread her wings and explore, in laughter and excitement with fellow friends, without the worry of protecting those back home, without the anxiety and uncertainty of navigating murky political waters, without the difficulty and patience required to bridge a long cultural gap.

It'd be fun. But she knew the duties and responsibilities that she'd tasked upon herself.

"And thank you," she answers to Hiro and Jean's offer to help. "But you're right -- you have your mission, and I can't impose this upon you. You already have the Chosen of Althena after you, and you cannot afford to make too many detours. And my own mission has its own dangers, and I cannot risk drawing you into another prolonged conflict as I observe..."

Jean... asks the prevalent question, though, and she shakes just a bit. "... I felt hurt and frustrated," she admits. "Perhaps the reason I went into those caverns was out of some desperate attempt to feel this Malevolence that had been hurting people... if there is one thing that makes me feel isolated, it is not being able to empathise with what people are struggling with..."

She places her hands to her knees. "It ties back to that spiritual weakness I speak of. Being completely unable to understand...."

<Pose Tracker> Hiro has posed.

Whereas he comes from a place of optimism- Jean is the more empathic of the two, older and wiser. He admires how attuned she seems to be to Riese's feelings. Sometimes in his enthusiasm, he misses some cues, doesn't quite understand the situation. "Really it's not an imposition." He takes a deep breath- as if to draw back, to remind himself not to press so far, "But I understand."

But Jean asks how she feels, and his visage changes into a look of sympathy as he gets some insight into what she's really struggling with. "Riese..." He says, then trails off in consideration.

His gaze drifts back to Ruby, "I guess I can understand why you'd want to. It hurts not to be able to understand- it hurts even worse when you didn't realize they were hurting at all." He takes a deep breath, then slowly dips his gaze and he starts to make a quiet confession- "I'm starting to feel it myself. Being around Lucia makes me... really ill from time to time. It's from her curse. It's embarrassing in a way- how I sometimes fall apart around her. And it's gonna get worse, if I become any more sensitive."

He looks at Jean out of the corner of his eyes, as if to apologize for not saying anything before, "Someone offered to help me with it. To make it so- I don't have to deal with it, so it won't get worse. So I won't turn into a liability at a bad time."

But then he levels his gaze back on Riese, "I turned them down though. Because... if I'm suffering so much, then how much worse must it be for her? She's going through all that, enduring so much each and every day... and noone knows how she feels. So I feel like I need to bear some of that too, so that I can understand."

He takes a breath, then from his squatted position rubs the side of his neck, "I guess what I'm saying is- I think I get it why you'd be so hurt and frustrated, not feeling something that hurts the people around you. It's the worst huh? Not being able to understand how someone feels- what they're going through." He takes a deep breath, "You're a really kind person Riese... to want to try to understand the pain of others... I really admire how strong you are."


<Pose Tracker> Jean has posed.

"Elru, huh?" Jean has some interest, but she definitely doesn't know where that is. ...Or maybe, she has interest in giving Riesenlied a chance to talk about her home if she wants. Either way, she watches her winged friend imagining it. "Noeline would be welcome too, of course. I wouldn't pass up the chance to watch you two together again anyway!"

She softens her expression. "I don't mind danger. In fact, I can't escape danger. It's your decision whether to tell us anything, but you don't need to worry about my safety."

"Ah..." The dancer looks to her friend with obvious concern in her eyes. "That's..." She stops, and looks levelly at Riese. "Your heart's in the right place, but that's terribly irresponsible." She has a lot of care for Riese's feelings, but she says this very seriously, even if it is gently.

But she glances to Hiro as he speaks up. He mentions how it hurts, what he's been feeling and sensing. When he looks at her her expression is still soft, and a little regretful. Then surprised, at someone offering to help.

"I..." Another look down, and a sigh.

"I'm sorry," Jean says. "It's not my place to call you reckless over this. I'm just... protective, and personally... Well, sometimes it's better not to understand someone's pain. Sometimes, all that does it spread it, rather than make it better, serve as punishment on the person looking."

"I can feel it, too. If you think it would help you... I can describe what I feel, when I'm near Malevolence. I've hidden it myself, but if Hiro's going to admit to it, I may as well too. It's... strong, to say the least."

"I mean it though. Your heart is in the right place, I think."

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

Riesenlied looked just a bit surprised at Hiro's comment about Lucia, and her mind thinks back to what Agatha had said. She didn't know that the Pyre Witch had visited the Fiends on a separate occasion, after all. "Her curse..." A pause, as she bites her lip. "I didn't know, myself. She bears such strength, and yet holds so much pain within her..."

"I think... I want to believe you made the right decision, though," she looks at Hiro, to try to reassure him. "Little to nothing can be gained from looking away from a problem. No matter how painful it is... I have learnt that we must not face away from it, in order to truly understand."

She nods towards Jean as she describes Malevolence, saying, "I spoke with Gwen, and she says the same thing. That it feels like a chain that tries to wring around one's heart, and that it touches on some of your most painful memories. And... I do understand that." She-- looks just a bit embarrassed. "Noeline has called me nosy, just as much. So if I intrude too much... I apologise."

That smile of hers redoubles in strength as she expresses, "You all are just as strong, if not stronger, to share the pain defiantly, regardless of what the world thinks of it. Ever since I have met you all, my sense of camaraderie and solidarity have only been rekindled, and it has reminded me of how powerful and unbreakable that kinship can be."

There is just the slightest bit of hesitation, at that point. "... I think I know what favour I would like to ask of all of you, now that I think on it."

<Pose Tracker> Hiro has posed.

Hiro smiles, though he looks a little embarrassed, it's pretty obvious how much he admires Lucia and her strength to anyone who has eyes. "She does, doesn't she? So many people I've met call her an innocent waif but..." He shakes her head, "They don't really know her and her strength."

He does nod when Riese says he made the right decision, his smile growing a bit. He's glad he got that validation because he sure isn't sure he made the right decision. "I hope I did at least. It could come back to bite us all though if I'm ever useless in a scrap because of it..."

But Jean calls Riese's feelings irresponsible- and he looks visibly taken aback, looking at Jean as if she'd struck Riese right there. But he doesn't interrupt her, he tries his best to listen- to understand.

Then at Riese as he calls them strong- what they remind her of...

He slowly stands back up, walks closer to Jean, then crouches back beside her. Maybe he double checks to make sure her shoulder doesn't have bandages first before he puts a hand back on her shoulder, "I won't ask you to share it if you don't feel up to it-" He murmurs, "-but there's nothing you could ever tell me that I think would be punishment. Nothing. I care about you Jean. I worry about you a lot."

He'd ask if she wants a hug but right now he's pretty sure that'd just be awkward for her. So instead he squeezes once, in a gesture of camraderie, of the like that Riese says has been awakened in her. Something he smiles at as he looks back her way and he releases Jean's shoulder.

"Name it."

He really doesn't feel like there's anything she could ask, that'd make him say no.


<Pose Tracker> Jean has posed.

"Lucia's incredible," Jean answers, and she says it sincerely, despite the fact that it works on more levels than just her good qualities. The blue-haired woman has grown on Jean easily in their time together. "Hiro's right. Well, it's complicated. She's special."

That's the kindest way to put it, and most appropriate to Jean's feelings. It's complicated though.

"You'll be fine, Hiro. I'll just step up your training to compensate for it."

Hiro may look at her that way, but Riese answers. "Mm... I wouldn't think of it as a chain, but it's hard to describe otherwise. As for being nosy... Well, maybe. But back at the caravan we had a lot of gossip, I don't mind nosy!" She smiles warmly.

"...I'm not that strong on my own," Jean says, calmly but with conviction. "Without Hiro I'd still be back at the caravan, when where I need to be is here." She's talking when Hiro starts to stand, and indeed her shoulder doesn't have any bandages. She took some wounds, but her main problem from the Grotto was the fact that she came out soaked, and she's already changed clothes to let her other outfit dry.

He puts a hand on her shoulder and talks to her, and she looks at him in immediate surprise. "Hiro," she murmurs, and then laughs faintly, not quite awkwardly, and lets out a small sigh and a nod.

Riese has asked about a favor, though. Jean turns fully to face her; the pot can wait a minute. It's doing fine.

"I'm listening," she says, and smiles.

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

Riese can't help but chuckle at the to-and-fro between Hiro and Jean. Their relationship is multi-layered -- they're friends, they're comrades, and they're learning from each other, honing different facets of themselves.

She clutches at her chest closer. "... I originally came from the frozen north of Elru. It was a frigid and barren land, even more stripped of natural resources than the relatively lush regions of Adlehyde. For the longest time, I travelled with my band much as a nomadic tribe would, and we encountered much hardship with various military forces, one from a kingdom from Garlyle in particular..."

She pauses, and then says, "Recently, as of a few years ago, Garlyle was obliterated by an unknown force. I first came here to Ignas and Adlehyde in pursuit of rumors about their resurgence. And I have seen their shadows in my travels here, amongst others'. There are key players in the backroom of various political stages seeking to incite further chaos. Unfortunately, I do not believe that some of these figures can be reasoned with. Take for instance the Prime Minister that has forcefully wrested the throne of Aveh and is using its capital to surface weapons from the past, in the Sand Ocean..."

"You've heard of Lahan and the destruction that happened overnight within it. I absolutely do not want to see a repeat of it."

"... and that is why I will be truthful with you. My compatriots and I seek to intervene with arms against people like that. People that would stoke the flames of this war Warhawks, ARMs dealers, the opportunistic who seek to weaponise artifacts of the past... but, fighting violence with violence is an extremely obvious contradiction."

Her eyes open at this point, and that resolve has returned to her eyes. "Thus... if I were to ask of you all a favour..."

"Check me, that I do not stray from my ideals. Stop me, if I were to ever lose my way, and become that which I wish to stop. I realise that that is a deeply selfish thing to ask of you... but there may be times where I will need the outside perspective. And I know that you are extremely capable... but more than that, that your hearts, too, are in the right place."

<Pose Tracker> Hiro has posed.

"There's no shame on being strong only because of others Jean. That doesn't diminish your strength or anything- if anything it just adds to it." He does this little fake punch her way that taps her bicep, and fakes this tiny wince as if to say they're rock hard. "Doesn't change you being one of the strongest people I know."

But then he turns his attention back to Riese. He doesn't know much about the geography of Filgaia, so he's having to furrow his brow, and concentrate really hard on taking in these details. He looks a little pained, uncomfortable when Riese talks about how Garlyle was obliterated. "That's horrible."

Though it's like any other tragedy without much context, he can't really understand the weight of it, only understand Riese's determination to pursue the rumors. His eyes flicker with recognition as she mentions Shakhan, or rather just his position. And

Lahan- it's an uncomfortable thought, how she talks about Garlyle, then Lahan and how it might be connected.

Intervening with violence against violence...

His lips press together, and he doesn't say anything though- as she gets to her favor, which nearly bowls him over. "Riese..."

He takes a deep breath, then stands up, pacing one way, then the other, as if his thoughts were drawing him in different directions, feet crunching against the dry ground. "It's a lot to take it. It sounds like you think Garlyle is connected to Lahan... and that you're intending to..."

His head dips, and he sucks in a breath- he might be a little self-depreciating when it comes to his intelligence, but he's not a fool, not really. He thinks he understands what's going on and it makes him uneasy. "I'm not the kind of guy who's going to tell you that fighting violence with violence is wrong- that raising arms against folks who are hurting other people is wrong. When there's injustice in the world- you have to do what you can to combat it. None of us in the Vile Fiends want anyone to die, but we're sure not pacifists either."

He eyes Riese after a while, "What's important I think is that we all weigh every action by how much suffering- how much grief it's going to cause people who don't have any power at all. The people who struggle just to get by, each and every day. If you're raising arms against folks to change things for the better, then never forget the people you've never met that you might be sacrificing just by clashing with those in power."

His head slumps, "You're asking a lot of us- but you're our friend- so I don't mind that you are. So I'll promise you that if you start to stray- we'll tell you. And if you become what you wish to stop- we'll stop you." He lifts his head, a smile upon his lips, "Open offer- no matter how far you think you've gone, no matter what you find yourself doing- you're always welcome to come back to us and make a fresh start. Alright? I've got a lot of faith in you."


<Pose Tracker> Jean has posed.

"Thanks, Hiro." Jean smiles again at Hiro, but this is a smaller smile; she isn't fighting the statements, but that's not the same thing as agreeing. It does make her a little happy though. ...His punch sure gets a laugh.

The names of places in Riese's explanation mean little to Jean, but she listens regardless, taking in the story behind the details she doesn't know. It's enough to note them as markers until they reach these, because obliterating kingdoms is concerning enough on its own. Jean is quiet as she watches, expression firm, rather than shifting in empathy as one might expect.

It's not that she doesn't care. It's... Something else.

"Yes," Jean agrees, "horrible." But she hasn't interrupted other than that so far. Sh considers, and is happy to let Hiro be the one to answer first, to be the one to talk first. Maybe he can offer some inspiration, like he has for her. But...

"...I left behind pacifism when I came on this journey. Using your strength to help others is a noble goal, if you can keep to it." She sounds... if anything, sad, as she talks, her eyes distant.

She shakes her head. "...I'll try. To be honest, I would want someone to do the same thing for me, if I ever..." She hesitates, shakes her head again. It's a difficult subject.

"What I mean is... I'll do it. I'll stop you with my own two hands, if I have to, no matter how hard it is. And if I can I'll help you avoid getting there. But either way, you'll have a place with us, just like Hiro says."

"I believe in you, too, Riesenlied. You put yourself in danger just to be able to feel what troubles others. If that's not a good heart... I'm not sure what is."

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

"I don't believe they were involved with Lahan, but Garlyle is tied deeply to the existing conflict with Aveh and Kislev..." Riesenlied sighs softly. "When one adds fuel to the flame, sweltering flares tend to occur. This only increases the risk of doing so."

It can't be implied enough, of course, that Riese herself is but fuel to the flame... will she snuff it out, or make it worse?

She nods very slowly at Hiro. "Thank you, Hiro. I know that it is a lot. I've no right to ask that of anyone, save that you have my explicit trust. Perhaps it is that you all are not from Filgaia that I feel that you can help shine a light to our sad and messy history..."

She draws a breath as she looks to Jean, biting her lip. "... I will not pry, but Jean... I, too, will say that I will be there when you need me. You've all helped me, and I think it is fair to say I owe you, after all." She holds onto her heart.

"I am heartened the offer..." She could not tell them of her people yet, however. She could not leave them to their suffering. The temptation to run, once more, is high, but she couldn't just look away from the plight of the Tainted. She tilts her head, her wings spreading softly, feeling as if... some burden had been lifted. Truth always had a kind of lifting effect, after all. "I do hope that it does not come to that. We--"

Whatever else Riese had in mind is kind of abruptly cut off by the most unladylike-sounding 'GROK' sound that Odjn gurgles, as she springs up. "Oogh!" she rubs her head, suddenly awake and-- gasp, finding one of Ruby's wings around her! "Wow, I was out like a light!"

The winged woman can't help but stare in silence for a moment, but-- starts to let out a snicker, then more softly says, in that more usual motherly tone of hers, "Good evening, sleepyhead."

<Pose Tracker> Hiro has posed.

Jean's comment makes him queasy, the idea of... having to stop her, do the same thing for her. But what can he say to that? He wants to reassure her, reassure them both. But he feels trapped, by the feelings of both of them, that if he dismisses the possibility it's dismissing how they feel.

So he instead just quietly accepts it. "Hey it's fine. You have every right to ask it of us. It's what friends do for each other." He flashes a grin Jean's way, "When it comes to knocking sense into me- Jean does what friends do to me every morning in training."

But he grows quietly somber when she says it hasn't come to that. He's about to say something when Odjn wakes up And her motion- causes a chain reaction in who rolls- inadvertently thwapping Odjn on the nose with a wing tip- snorting loudly enough that it was like some giant bear had been disturbed- before exhaling a puff of smoke through her nostrils.

The tiny dragonet paws at the air once, before opening her eyes, "I think it was the carne asada."

Ruby says, as if she were a native of Filgaia. She mumbles, before brushing that paw over her eyes, then licks her lips. "Jean- food almost ready?" A beat- as she offers an excuse, "Odjn is probably hungry again."

Hiro leans down and ruffles her hair just over the bow, "You mean you're hungry Ruby. Hey- you doing okay?" After that experience in the cave... Ruby looks momentarily grumpy for the hair ruffling, before she stretches backwards, arching her back like a cat to make her forepaws look elongated "Fine of course! It'll take more than a spooky cave to get me down." Hiro looks hesitant to accept that, but then smiles, "Heh- course."


<Pose Tracker> Jean has posed.

The meaning is clear. Jean inclines her head about the conflict, about the flames, and about the fuel. She's no expert in wars, but she's seen battles. She's seen people, more to the point.

"Mm."

Maybe it is the fact that they aren't from Filgaia; Jean is willing to try, even if a voice inside her suggests it's not her place. But Riese, in all this, reaches out to /her/.

"Riese..." She hesitates, putting a hand to the back of her neck, through her loose hair. "That's really kind of you." There's more she could say, more but she isn't sure what it should be, so she just shakes her head. "Don't think of it as a debt. We've helped you because we care about you. That's all it has to be to bind us."

Maybe Hiro is uncomfortable about what she said, but he seems fine a moment later. When he grins at her, she laughs back. "You're getting better!"

She can't keep up the laugh at this subject for long, and it was a little weak, but it was there. Riese starts preparing to turn down their offer it sounds like, and Jean hears--not quite what she expected, and then she hears far from what she was expected.

"Oh, welcome back you two," Jean greets. The smell of spices over meat drifts up out of the pot by now merrily. "Well, whoever's hungry, it's just about ready. I made a lot, so I hope you can dig in!"

She looks to Ruby to check on her too... But figures food will be the best remedy.

Jean does, though, turn to look at Riese for a few more moments, thoughtfully, and make the attempt to be encouraging.

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

Odjn squeals and clings onto her nose like she'd just been struck in a devastating fashion. "Ruby's claws strike like lightning--!"

Odjn wiggles her wings and grins as she floats into the air, perking up. "Ooh, I do smell dinner! What's cookin'? I love Jean's cooking, it fires up the flame inside of me! What's your favourite, Ruby?"

Riese looks to Jean again, and -- the look of conflict is evident in the winged woman's face. Eventually, though, that desire to shelter Odjn for just a little bit longer wins out as she apologetically looks to the dancer and smiles, saying, "I'd certainly love some food, after all of that."

Odjn takes a biiiig whiff of it to go, "Oooh, it smells absolutely perfect..."

Accepting a bowl, the winged woman takes an experimental little nip, her guard completely down. Pause. Pause.

Riesenlied starts trembling as she keeps that spoon in her mouth, trying to not betray the stoic expression she's trying to hold onto her face. Her horns, however, have completely bailed their post, because they're flapping up and down in a storm of a panic, much like how an adorable dog's ears would.

Odjn stares and gasps, going, "Oh no! Riese can't eat spicy things at all!" before giggling to say, "But her reaction to it is priceless anyway!"

Et tu, Odjn?!

<Pose Tracker> Hiro has posed.

"That sounds like it could be from a song Odjn..." Ruby giggles at Odjn's comment, before stretching out her wings and flapping into the air. "Everything Jean makes is good! It lights a fire in me every night!" When she answers what her favorite is. Though she rubs her paws together greedily, "Though when I think of how she prepares fish in stew... yum, it's incredible!}"

Hiro accepts a bowl, "Well you're definitely always welcome to eat with us- uh- so long as Jean says so, chef's privilege!"

He blows on a spoonful for a moment, before putting it in his mouth, "Wow Jean, it's fantastic. I can taste the meat, and the heat-" Hiro sees the way Riese's spoon is sticking out of her mouth. "Uh- Riese- you okay? You look a little..."

Ruby is already halfway done, she loves spicy food, as she slurps it up straight from the bowl greedily, she only sticks her head out of it when Odjn says Riese can't handle it- "Wait really!?" Hiro stands up suddenly, spilling his bowl of soup, "Oh crap! Jean- what do we do!? What do we do?"

He quickly thrusts a waterskin at Riese. "Water won't do much Hiro! We need milk!" "We don't have any! Spoils too easily!"

"Well then what do we do!? Town is too far away and you're sure not milking me!"

That comment fortunately doesn't register with Hiro in his panic to help her out. There's a few seconds pause and- "Maybe if we cool her down!" Hiro starts the words of a spell and suddenly "Ferocious winds!" A cross breeze shifts suddenly, and it's like Riese is caught in a wind tunnel of persistent, squall force winds, that are just buffeting her from the front constantly.


<Pose Tracker> Jean has posed.

"Curry today," Jean answers, "With rabbit." The answr takes a moment though, it takes until after Riese smiles at her, "You're both welcome to have some. I made enough for everyone, after all!"

And Jean alone has quite an appetite.

Odjn takes a big whif while Ruby chimes in and the dancer beams. "Glad you like it, Ruby. It's kinda fun! And hey, next time we're near water I'll make fish for you."

Aaand, heat is right. Not too much, of course, but more than enough for Riesenlied. Jean turns to glance at her, seeing her... horns wiggling, and the tremble in her body. She doesn't join in laughing. "Hold on--" she says to Hiro and starts rooting around in her bag before--

"Hiro, stop!" She stares at the wind attempt, "Hey, hold on, let me try this." Jean by this point has made it through the winds and is kneeling down beside Riese. "Best thing to me for heat is this. Just careful, it'll burn going down but it'll help."

She hands Riese a flask, and uncaps it herself, tilting it up towards her mouth though she's willing to let Riese take it and handle things.

It is of course filled with a warm, amber liquid very high in alcohol content.

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

"Hmm~ Maybe it could be one. Oooh Dragon-Ruby was kung-fu fightinn', heeer fists were as fast as lightnin'..." Odjn starts to turn her gears as she tries to grind a song together. She's kind of just watching the unfolding shenanigans with glee, with Riese's spice intolerance perhaps being the one thing she really gets over the lady that often teases her in turn.

Riese still has her spoon stuck in her mouth, perhaps not daring to move it out of fear of agitating the capsaicin already assaulting her tastebuds, and-- her eyes widen as her auburn hair suddenly flies back! "Mm-m-nnnhhh--"

Ferocious winds indeed! Riese hangs on for a while longer, trying to lean forward, but eventually she-- tips over-- and is left grabbing onto the dear log she was sitting on! "MHRHFHFF--"

Fortunately, Jean is there to grab her and hold her down, even if her hair is a right mess at this point, pointing ever which way. The winged woman who was so darkly speaking of stopping war a moment ago has an adorable tear in her eye as she accepts the flask, swallows the spoonful of stew and quickly substitutes it, thinking it might be reprieve, like milk or yoghurt!

Ohhhh how wrong she is--

Odjn watches as Riese doubles over and starts coughing wildly. "W-what'd you give her...?"

<Pose Tracker> Hiro has posed.

Ruby hums along with Odjn's impromptu song, before she stops and asks, "What's kung-fu? Do I know it? And hey this is great curry Jean!"

Hiro fortunately dispels the wind when Jean tells him to, the way Riesenlied was holding onto that log, "Ah- maybe I went a little overboard-"

But then she gives Riese that flask!

"Hey wait, Jean is that really a good idea!?"

"Oh no. Oh no." Ruby scrambles up to Odjn and puts her paws to either side of Odjn's shoulders, right below her wings and asks, "Odjn. I need to know right now. Is that her first time drinking hard liquor? This is very, very, important."

"Oh sweet Althena let's hope she's an old hand at it- I mean- she's a grizzled veteran right?"

Hiro looks at Riesenlied and suddenly starts to doubt himself there. After all he's the guy that walks into a bar to order milk.

"Ah- so Riese-" He slowly offers her back the waterskin instead when she starts coughing, something to wash it back down, "H-How are you doing?"

<Pose Tracker> Jean has posed.

Jean might have words about kung fu but she's a little busy at the moment handling an accidental crisis. As she works she gets out, "Thanks Ruby!" and moves. She hasn't seen spice troubles this bad in a while. After all, she has the Fiends pretty well handled. But thre's...

Hair. Jean's hair is a mess too after getting into the wind, waiting for Riese to get the spoon out. The tear in Riese's eye is adorable; Jean's expression softens into something reassuring. It's easier without the wind in hr ears.

When Hiro questions her, Jean lifts a free hand and flops it over her shouler. "It's fine." She sounds... entirely casual about the whole thing.

Though she does extend a hand to take the flask back if Riese wants.

"It's my emergency flask," Jean explains to Odjn. After all, Hiro and Ruby don't need an explanation of Jean's... improbable drinking habits. "Whiskey. Alcohol. I think I'll have some myself now that I'm done cooking."

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

Odjn squints and estimates, "Oh, she's an old hand with--" A pause. "Um. Actually, I've only seen her drink the one kind of really light, bubbly sparkling wine... and she doesn't usually finish her glass... and she says she doesn't like beer or anything harder--"

Riese lets out a little hic as she fumbles up to full height, before stumbling over and sitting back down on the log. She takes the waterskin to drink from it, then returns the flask, at least. "I--I didnnn know drinksss could make you feel so... floofy..." Her wings wiggle upwards and out, and she exclaims, "Odshinn, I feel like a cuccoo again, fly!"

Odjn pauses and lowers her head in shame. "... oh dear."

She sniffles. "We are all cucco...! I felt a warm, happy Understanding with themmm!"

Odjn kind of looks like she wants to crawl into her little tent.

Riese goes 'thunk' as she tilts a perfect 90 degrees onto the log and starts to curl up. "Noeleeen, hug meee..."

Oh, now /that/ is pure gold ammunition right there to use for later.

<Pose Tracker> Hiro has posed.

Ruby's head slumps immediately after Odjn says never finishes a glass of sparkling wine. "We're doomed. We'd better hope she's a happy drunk."

Hiro on the other hand gives Jean this long look, "You're- sure it's fine?" He then turns to looking at Riese and- "Heyyyy Riese- so I think we may have- made a mis-take." "Hiro! She thinks she's the Cuccoo Queen! This is wayyyy beyond just making a mistake...!"

Hiro awkwardly decides to play along, and puts his arms to the side like chicken wings- "W-Well you're among your- cuccoo... friends." He flaps them once, "D-Don't worry- we share cuccoo solidarity- which mostly means if anyone bothers us we swarm them and-"

He sort of pales at the mental picture if Riese took that too much to heart, "-uh so yeah we swarm them and give them happy hugs. And nothing else. Ever. We're very forgiving cuccoos."

"T-The most forgiving... we live in total harmony with everyone. ... Please don't berserk and peck us all to death."

But fortunately Riese tilts up on the log and- Hiro blink blinks, Ruby blinks, the two look at each other, the two look at Jean- "Uh- you think maybe she has a-" "Well those two did get along-"

Hiro scratches the back of his neck awkwardly, "Maybe it's a good thing- she's not here right now... can you imagine if Noeline saw this?"


<Pose Tracker> Jean has posed.

Jean tilts her head Odjn's way as she answers. "Huh." That's it; no apology, no regret, just looking back to Riese again and watching her. Jean looks if anything appraising, checking her over quickly, and then smiling again.

"They sure can make you feel floofy," Jean agrees somehow proudly. The matter of the cuccos however is not as... ideal, and that shows with almost a wince in her expression. "Totally fine. You gave her as much water as she had liquor, too."

Jean doesn't... play along exactly, so much as at that point stand there with her flask trying to hold in her laughter. There's a snrk and a snicker when Riese mentions Noeline.

"S-she's fine," Jean says, and starts to crack up, "HA oh that's incredible, I can super imagine if Noeline were here to see this!" Another set of laughter, "We'll just give her a blanket, don't worry. Haha--She's amazing!"

Jean holds up a hand as if to say wait and manages, somehow, to stop laughing long enough to take a good swig from the flask herself.

...Then she's laughing again so hard that she has to sit down.

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

Indeed, one could probably imagine the possessive grump Noeline will have as she tugs Riese aside. Fortunately, Riese appears to have... assumed her Cucco Queen duties... and has curled up into something resembling a cuccoon, with her wings protectively nursing around her. It looks adorable, if it wasn't also kind of... sad? Kinda. "I'm so comfy...." Well, it looks like she'll be okay for the night...

Odjn points out, "The last time this happened she became one with the cuccos and became a giant singularity we had to pry her away from! I sure hope there aren't any cuccos roaming around these neck of the woods this late at night... ... ..."

Dun dun... DUNNNNN?!