2017-10-22:Chance Encounters

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=====================<* November City - Market Street *>======================

November City is the greatest and the largest of the Seed Cities. When it appeared after the Night of Falling Stars, it was already a large settlement, built by the survivors of that day quickly. It has since grown enormously, appealing to people in the Badlands in search of some security and the refugees from failed and lost Seed Cities. Market Street, its main thoroughfare, demonstrates this. On the outskirts of the city, shantytowns and shacks pop up along the street, gradually becoming the larger buildings in the heart of November.

The street is named for the huge market that has sprung up across it, occupying the three and four story brick buildings along each side. It's a wide, paved road (a rare thing in the Badlands) and connected to Central Station, where all of the railways come. Here, one can find anything they want. The laissez-faire nature of November City's government makes the black market an open one, and this is one of the few places where ARMs and stolen goods from Aveh and Kislev can be bought with ease.

There are also saloons, taverns, restaurants, and hotels to be found. November City is a true melting pot, where Drifters from across Filgaia mix with foreign merchants and locals of every class. Men wearing suits brush by peasants in homespun, while Drifters and knights bump into each other. The police force usually prevents outright gunfights in the streets, but November City's officials are infamously easy to bribe.

BGM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFi2pwQRRzQ

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

        Riesenlied is headed to November City, under her usual guise as Nazgul al-Rashid, rookie Drifter... not that it's a particularly compelling disguise for those in the know. At the very least, it prevents her from being recognised from her wanted posters by randoms, and that's perhaps the least that she needs to do.

        She's carrying Mikaia on a rare trip outside Wayside, smiling gently as they walk towards the market and stop by a candy stall. The littlest beastman orphan perks up as she says, "Candy...!" as Riese tilts her head to ask, "Would you like some, Mikaia?"

        Janey -- an eight-year old with blonde hair and a pillowcase for a cape over her overalls -- is already trying to sneak some, much to Riese's consternation as she peers at her. "W-what? I was gonna pay!"

        "Be nice, or I won't buy you a treat..." Riese expresses gently. 

<Pose Tracker> Malfi has posed.

Malfi has accompanied Riesenlied to help keep the children in line (and, of course, to replenish her coffee stores). Children aren't that different from rambunctious monsters, really.... Malfi's disguise is pretty effective: all she needs to do is swap her golden skin tones for a human one. At least, it's worked for her so far. 

<Pose Tracker> Neriah Parringer has posed.

Nazgul isn't alone. Okay, well, she has the kids with her. But there's someone else, too.

"It was a long walk, Nazgul. I think they deserve a treat," Neriah comments from where she pads along beside Riese. In a true rarity, she's smiling - a small smile, but a warm, genuine one. It's the kind of smile she hasn't had much cause to experience in awhile.

Once again, Neriah's feeling sure of herself enough to put her excavator's uniform back on, complete with the grey newsboy hat that's one of her calling cards. With a smile for Mikaia, she soon lifts her eyes to Nazgul, adjusting the cuff of her right sleeve. It falls over a newer, less bulky glove that hides her right hand. "What do you think we should get? I've heard there's a shop nearby that sells sarsaparilla," she suggests. 

<Pose Tracker> Ashes has posed.

Candy...!

Possibly no larger than Janey, but certainly more ill-behaved, Ashes is perusing the stand's selection from the side, possibly by feel. The proprietor has noticed her, and is waiting for the most devastating moment to announce this, while she stacks roast walnuts on an open notebook.

Certainly it's not that she intends to skip-- she'd never get walnuts again!-- it's just that she's a bit focused. She nearly treads on Janey's cape as she circles around to pay up, and trips everywhere. "Ash!"

No walnuts or orphans are harmed in the composition of this pose.
Ashes


Aeschere is a tiny girl, not even a meter and a half tall; her build is slim, but sturdy. She has an islander's soul-deep tan, which is doing its best to conceal a permanent pallor, and her father's platinum-white hair, tinged with a hint of copper and falling past her knees. Her eyes are slate grey, wide, and slightly sunken despite her smile, more evidence of her illness. She stands straight and tall as she can, though, and moves precisely and decisively.

She wears a heavy white cotton shirt, short-sleeved, edged with boldly colorful embroidery, and over it, a careworn breastplate of light steel over quilted padding. It was painted red, once. Maybe. Below that, a skirt, quite short-- for mobility, of course-- of black cloth, with more of that vivid embroidery. Under it she wears a pair of plain black shorts, for modesty. Her socks, totally ordinary socks, come to her knees, and her shoes are unpolished black leather, with blued iron toecaps and a plate guard rising over her foot, tied with the laces at her ankle.

<Pose Tracker> Iskandra Grendorre has posed.

The winged girl behind the stall is easily mistaken for a beastman herself, she's hiding her malevolence to avoid unnecessary attention, and has a variety of candies and snacks covering most of her stall, including a bunch of fruit gels. Because tasty and healthy is the best candy there is. She keeps an eye on anyone, but especially kids, getting close to her stall.

"Welcome to Iskandra's Itinerant Imporium, today's sale: Candy of all kinds." She greets 'Nazgul' and others who approach with a smile, "I provide bulk purchase discounts." She insists to Nazgul, then goes back to eyeing Ashes, somewhat distrusting.

<Pose Tracker> Kourin has posed.

Kourin is out on a walk with Spirit. This is fairly normal and common for Kourin, who even as a member of a group does enjoy the solitude and opportunity to wander and think presented by walking a dog. She's also got the Caravan Kinship's other two dogs, Snowlune and Taara, on leashes with her--Spirit is well trained enough not to need a leash, but the puppies still haven't quite learned to come back on command the way Spirit does, so they're leashed.

Kourin is wearing a blue dress today that accentuates her figure, not her usual practical-first garb, but the dress her friends bought her because she'd never had nice things of her own.

Spirit lopes over to the group at the candy stall, recognizing some familiar smells and interested in the unfamiliar, and Kourin joins him, curiously, though silently for the moment. The puppies jump up excitedly at all of the people, happy to make new friends that just don't know they're friends yet. 

<Pose Tracker> Malfi has posed.

"Iskandra! Good to see you again," Malfi says. They had once gone exploring Blackmoon Forest together. It hadn't ended well, but that was no one's fault. "I didn't know you made candy." Malfi doesn't see Iskandra's Malevolence because she has all the resonance of an average potato. Wait, a potato might actually have more. 

<Pose Tracker> Hiro has posed.

 
"I'm just saying. That if this city was really so advanced, it'd have a better fish market."
 
That's Hiro and Ruby, both out for groceries. Though he's the only one really capable of carrying them, which he is in a burlap sack slung over his shoulder. "Ruby... again, we're in the middle of a giant dust-"
 
He steps past Riese's group, "-bowllllll-"
 
His pace stops and he double takes as he looks back, "-of candy?"
 
Now it's Ruby's turn to be confused, as she turns around, "Eh? Hiro do you have a sweet tooth today or something?"
 
Hiro just offers a little wave with his free hand. "Ah hey." He says to Riese, "Out shopping for some candy I see..."
 
He seems a little confused about the kids though. "So... babysitting today?"
 
Ruby flutters along and then eventually comes back to peer at them. "Oooohhhh... I see." She lowers her voice, "You're not just using the kids as part of some disguise right?"
 
Though Hiro seems taken aback a little when he sees Kourin, "Oh wow, is that you Kourin? I almost didn't recognize you." A beat, "I like your dress, didn't know you liked that kind of thing but it looks good on you."
 

<Pose Tracker> Malfi has posed.

"Hiro, Ruby! Fancy meeting you here!" What are the odds, Malfi wonders, of running into so many people she knows? She drops to a conspiratorial whisper. "You wouldn't happen to know where I could buy some coffee, do you? The unbrewed kind." She spares Kourin a glance. Evidently she knows Hiro, too. 

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

        Mikaia's eyes are attracted to the various kinds of fruit gels on display, with Nazgul smiling warmly towards Iskandra to nod her head and say, "Hello, Miss Iskandra." They did meet before at the bunker's lounge and other places, and she'd be happy to provide patronage to someone she knows! She does nod and acquiesce after Neriah points out it's been a long trip.

        Janey pumps her hands and says, "H-hmm, I can't choose! Apple Gel, Pine Gel, or should I get a mix and go for the Melange Gel?? It's so hard to choose!"

        "They all sound and smell so good..." Mikaia whispers in turn, looking towards Neriah as she asks, "What flavor do you like most, Miss Neriah?"

        "Oh, Miss Kourin, Hiro!" Riese speaks as she smiles warmly, looking appreciative to the dress she's wearing and waving towards Ruby. "This is Mikaia, and this is Janey..." She furrows her brow at Ruby to whisper, a bit more insistent and anxious, "No, I take care of these children." Mikaia can't help but gawk at Ruby, finding her -- really adorable! 

<Pose Tracker> Neriah Parringer has posed.

Neriah doesn't have to fight as hard as Iskandra to hide things. Just don't touch her right hand when she's in a gloomy mood.

"Oh! Hey, it's you again," she says with a blink as she spots Nazgul behind the candy stand. "Hello again. How's business?" Today Neriah's not in a maid outfit or heavy makeup, at least. It's better this way unless you like French maids.

The arrival of Kourin and Hiro is met with a deep incline of her head. Ruby, though, gets a curious look from her. "Hello," she says with a polite nod and a tip of her overly floofy hat, before she looks down to Mikaia.

She can't help but smile again. Having a little buddy is new to her. But she's finding she likes it. "...I like the Pineapple Gel best," she admits with a hint of a blush. "But sometimes the Lemon Gel is a nice change of pace, too...!" 

<Pose Tracker> Kourin has posed.

Kourin spots Hiro around the same time he spies her, and immediately blushes. "S-sir Hiro! Yes, it is me. I...I have never actually owned a dress like this before, to be honest. I am glad you like it." She turns so he can see the dress from other angles.

"Because I was raised by the Church, I never really had such nice things for myself, but now that I am travelling with the Caravan Kinship, I...Miss Jacqueline said it was only right that I should have some things to call my own." She smiles shyly. "I'm glad you like it."

She nods a greeting to Riesenlied, then takes a moment to take in the children--who the dogs are all curious about too. "Are they...orphans?" she hesitantly asks.

Kourin knows all about being an orphan! Her manner, normally shy and reserved, changes a little as she crouches to greet the kids. "Hello, Mikaia, hello, Janey. My name is Kourin, and this is Spirit, this is Snowlune, and this guy is Taara. It's very nice to meet you." She smiles, a warm, slightly sad smile, different from her shy one before--it seems Kourin's got a soft spot for children. 

<Pose Tracker> Ashes has posed.

Ashes will be lost quickly in this stand of trees if she doesn't speak up soon.

She doesn't speak up, though. Of course. Instead she waves her book of candied nuts over Janey's head, and a handful of some number of gella that prrrrrobably covers it.

"A bag? Do you have it? Can I if you bump again into me we'll fall over both of us, please don't, you with a cape." Her attention now split between not stepping on capes, not dropping walnuts, and providing moneys to Iskandra. "Help," she adds, conversationally. 

<Pose Tracker> Hiro has posed.

 
Hiro grins at Malfi, then points just a few stalls down, "Can't attest to the quality, but they're selling some down there. Jean says I just don't have the palate for that kind of thing." Before nodding at Neriah, "Hey there miss."
 
As Riese introduces the kids, Hiro offers his only free hand towards them to take if he want. He doesn't expect them to, most kids this little are too shy for that but he still does anyhow. "Hey nice to meet you both."
 
He says cheerfully, though the 'I'm not babysitting but I take care of these children' really starts to sink in a moment later. The cheer doesn't really fall away from that.
 
"The name's Hiro. And that's Ruby." Then he says quietly, almost conspiratorially, "The two of you are giving her an easy time today right?"
 
Ruby on the other hand seems to have a staring contest at Mikaia. Before she crosses her pink pawsies and looks away. Only to be met with Mikaia staring more.
 
Eventually it's very subtle, but she flies in a touch closer, trying not to be obvious about it.
 
Meanwhile Hiro chats with Kourin some, giving her a great big smile, "Hey that's great! I'm glad they're taking good care of you." Spirit gets a skritch of course, while Ruby mutters something inaudible. "You deserve to have nice things you know?"
 

<Pose Tracker> Arleph Ardan has posed.

         November City is becoming to be something of an interesting city to delve into. Of course, people are not very... open when you start digging a little too deep into their history. That is a lesson he have learned rather early, instead keeping his own investigation on a more... low key level. Observation, looking at things, asking a few more discreet questions, making some correlations.
 
         Thus, the symbologist can be seen browsing the area, his hands into his jacket's pockets and giving thoughtfull looks up around at the features of the city, keeping his attention on some of the kiosques of the area. Occassionally, he takes out a note pad, scribble a few things with a mechanical pen before shoving it right back down.
 
         He seems absorbed into his work, for the moment. 

<Pose Tracker> Iskandra Grendorre has posed.

"I make lots of things, I'm an alchemist. Lots of tasty candy can be made through alchemy. Cooking is just a form of applied alchemy, after all." Iskandra answers Malfi with a smile, She next answers Riesenlied, "Nice to meet you again, miss Nazgul." She looks at Janey, and smiles, "Then don't choose. I'm sure miss Nazgul would love to get you all of them. At least, if she wants you to be happy." Manipulative much, maybe.

Ashes is handed a paper bag, then the hand stays there to ensure there's time to put the money in. She'll count it later to make sure.

<Pose Tracker> Neriah Parringer has posed.

"Really, your church didn't let you have nice things?" Neriah asks with a blink towards Kourin. She sizes the woman up with a quick glance over. She and Spirit are recognized - they were there with her during the exhibition match back in Lacour anyway. She in particular recognizes Spirit:

        such pup
                                        very companion
                        so priestess
                                                very dress
wow
                        most pritty
        amaze

Looking up to Hiro and his little pink companion, Neriah bows her head shallowly. "Hi, Hiro," she greets him with a quiet warmth. "I'm Neriah, an excavator. I'm here for gels." Then her eyes dart to Ruby and her mind again goes into a momentary blank:

                such pawsies
                                                most pink
                        wow 

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

        Janey yelps a little at Ashes and peers at her, grumbling as she says, "Hey, I'm not trying to push and shove or anythin'!" she pauses, before grinning to say, "Oh wow, is that armor?! Cool! Are you a Drifter?"

        Mikaia's staring contest only lasts a little longer, because she shyly looks away, before stammering, "U-um, Miss Ruby, are you a-- are you a Dragon like Riesemama?" Mikaia has wings of her own, but they're very tiny and feathery...

        Mikaia doesn't reach out for Hiro, expectantly shy, but Janey totally grins as she holds her hand up with a tiptoe to Hiro. "Hey! I'm Janey -- Calamity Janey, Future Lord of Calamity!" she boldly proclaims. "I'm gonna be... the Calamitest!!"

        Said with such certainty, like a kid declaring she's a superhero.

        "Hmm... Then, we'll get a mix for the children, and some Pineapple Gel on the side," Riese does get suckered into getting a tasting platter as she hands some gella to Iskandra.

        She takes note of Arleph at a distance, but her eyes are back towards Kourin as she-- looks to the children, then silently nods at her. "We live together at the Wayside Orphanage." 

<Pose Tracker> Malfi has posed.

"Thanks," Malfi mutters. She glances over at the children to make sure they're behaving themselves (for the moment) before scurrying over to the coffee-vending stall. She never would understand Riesenlied's fascination with human young: they were loud and fussy and demanding. And utterly, utterly dependent. And the infants were even worse. And it wasn't such a good idea to get attached to them. 

<Pose Tracker> Ashes has posed.

Usually it's them getting attached to you, though.

Ashes is on some degree of tip-toes, emptying approximately the right pile of gella into Iskandra's hand while simultaneously emptying her notebook full of walnuts into the provided bag. Which bag is balanced on Janey's head for a moment while the transaction resolves, as though this were in some way a reasonable thing to do. It's probably gone before she thinks to complain.

"O Janey, chiefest and greatest of calamities," she fields as a distraction, "I do drift. I haven't been calamitous very, just late." Quite a crowd has assembled while she's had all her attention on her physics problem, and she might be a bit trapped. 

<Pose Tracker> Kourin has posed.

Kourin smiles shyly at Hiro again. "It's...yes, I'm glad to have them. It is very different from travelling with the Guard." She glances at Ashes at this, though doesn't seem to feel forward enough to comment directly to the other.

In response to Neriah's query, she nods once. "The Church raised us orphans on humble piety, though not all of the followers of Althena were so frugal. Those of Neo-Vane in particular remain prone to excess and extravagance...and though I trained in magic there, I never grew accustomed to living in wealth while others suffered in poverty. It is...it is one of the reasons I am no longer counted among those loyal to Althena's Guard." She sounds...sad, but there is also a firm resolve in her voice.

Janey earns a serious nod at her declaration of being the future Lord of Calamity. "You should listen to Miss Riesenlied, she will help you grow up to reach your goal. And give you candy." She smiles again. "And what about you, Mikaia? What will you be when you're older?" 

<Pose Tracker> Hiro has posed.

 
"Nice to meet you Neriah. Gels huh? I go for old fashioned herbs myself..." "Only because we're on a budget!" Hiro winces, "Yeah. Because we're on a budget. I do grab some apple gels from time to time though."
 
Mikaia is too cute for Ruby to be Ruby at, and she called her a dragon. And thus she snaps out of it as she rubs a pink pawsie behind her neck, "Aha yeah... just so you know I'm totally the Red Dragon of Lunar. That's a really big important position back where we come from." But then she repeats a word under her breath, "Riese... mama?"
 
Whereas then Janey takes Hiro's hand, and midshake, his head snaps back in that exaggerated anime way. Without his smile ever changing.
 
Slowly his brain starts to work again. "Aha... you know when I was a kid I wanted to be Dragonmaster."
 
He still does but that's besides the point, "Ah. Well..." Slowly as he takes his hand away he raises it into a thumbs up, "...follow your dreams Janey!"
 
Ruby flies by him and whispers harshly, "Hiro don't encourage a kid to be the Lord of Calamity!" Whereas Hiro whispers back, "Do you think I really want to discourage her!? It's not like Riese is going to raise her to go destroy the world or something?" "And what about when she hits her rebellious phase?!? Huh?"
 
Hiro suddenly looks like he hadn't thought of that.
 
After a moment, he sort of awkwardly turns to processing what Kourin said, and confirming it. "Yeah. It was like that all over back on Lunar. Wherever the Chosen went... even in the most ramshackle of towns, the Church would be the nicest building in town, the Chosen always the most well dressed. Demanding people give more and more."
 
There's the shade of a wry smile there, "I'm really glad you're living your own life now Kourin."
 

<Pose Tracker> Neriah Parringer has posed.

For lack of wings, Neriah just touches a hand to her cheek and quietly charms herself a bit with thoughts of how adorable Ruby and Spirit are.

She gives her head a shake and tries to clear the colourful thoughts, with little success. "Mm! Pineapple is an awfully good choice, Nazgul," she says, flashing a smile to the woman who is absolutely not Riesenlied. "I'll pitch in for some of it, too." Reaching into her pouch, she begins to count out gella with her fingers.

In reality there aren't many gella there. Her work in Wayside is the first real work she's had in a long time, outside of digs and being a maid sometimes. Nevertheless, she fishes a few out like it's not a problem, adding them to Nazgul's pile of coinage.

As Kourin speaks, Neriah nods to her quietly, a hint of sadness behind her eyes. "I'm sorry that happened to you. I can understand why you would want to leave that. There are a lot of people in the world who have it rough. But you don't seem cruel or privileged to me. Just the opposite."

With a look towards Ruby and Hiro, she smiles a little more easily. "Oh wow," she murmurs. "They have dragons on Lunar that aren't metal? That's kind of interesting. I mean, I always thought the moon was made of cheese." Her eyebrows grow up. "What's a Dragonmaster? Is that like someone who raises dragons?" she asks. 

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

        Janey grumps a little as the bag of walnuts is balanced on her head, but being called 'chiefest and greatest of calamities' is indeed enough of a distraction for her. "Hum-- hummm, well, you know what they say about my being a nut-head!" Janey proudly exclaims, like she thinks it's a compliment. "Gosh, there's so many Drifters here! You're all so cool! I wanna Drift someday too! Like Alan Smithy or Nightburn Acklund!"

        Mikaia stammers at Kourin, "I--I'm going to be an alky-- alkee--" she stumbles, to Riese's backup of, "Al-che-mist," with a sweet smile, to which Mikaia finishes, "and make medicines for mama so she can be healthier!" Jay's been rubbing off on someone, rather clearly.

        To be fair, Janey probably wants to be Lord of Calamity because 'calamity' is the coolest and longest word that she's bothered to remember, and she'll latch onto a bigger, longer word in a year. Lord of Armageddon!

        "... the Badlands has been a bad time for communities," Riesenlied expresses gently to Hiro and Kourin. "You've heard of the Wels -- villages around the frontier've been ripped apart... we've been doing what we can to shelter those that need it. The orphanages in November City and surrounding cities are full, and..."

        Well, she doesn't want to bring up that they aren't always kind to non-human orphans, like Mikaia, but the look as she gazes down on Mikaia is perhaps clear enough. 

<Pose Tracker> Arleph Ardan has posed.

         Arleph do not take notice of Riesenlied, per-se. The louder componments of the chance meeting of several people is what get his attention first, as he is not superbly familiar with the disguise as of yet. What he IS far more familiar with, however, are the kids there. They are rather hard to miss. The logic then do itself. Similarly, he recognises Hiro at the very least as well as several other people, now that he takes the time to peer at the gathering proper. He gives a look at the vendor before him, trying to not make eye contact with the vendor. That's just the best way to aggro them, making eye contact. Then you need to make awkward conversation about greetings, sales and how you're not interested. Of course, against the most scrupulous and courageous vendors, this is of no help.
 
         Fortunately, this one is not of the hardiest of seller, Arleph skips by unharrassed, making his way to that suspicious gathering of people he know and some he do not know. For the moment, his eyes are set on Hiro, but the kids as well. Kourin is at least known. That dog is very hard to forget... not to mention the attention it gets. Like now.
 
         "Good afternoon." Arleph lets out, his tone polite and cordial as he approaches, taking his gloved hands out of his pockets. "A good time to shop, yes?" 

<Pose Tracker> Iskandra Grendorre has posed.

"You're gonna be the calamitest, huh? Well, little miss Janey. I'll believe you can do that when you can beat my special challenge." She then takes out a box from behind her stall and opens up what appears to be a two pound jelly. "If you can eat this in a single sitting, you get your money back." Then she gets to fulfilling Nazgul and Neriah's orders and asides to Hiro, "If you do some odd jobs for me I may give you a discount on gels." 

<Pose Tracker> Malfi has posed.

Malfi purchases some pineapple gels for herself while eavesdropping on Hiro and Neriah's conversation. Non-Metal Dragons on Lunar? That was bound to be interesting. She would very much like to capture one and study it someday. Provided it really existed. She still isn't sure how the Old Moon can support life when it looks so dead through a telescope. 

<Pose Tracker> Hiro has posed.

 
"Huh?" Hiro says to Neriah, "Ah yeah. The dragons there are nati-" He scratches his chin, "Actually you know they may have been native to Filgaia starting off... now that I think about it." "Whether native or not though, dragons are always the most magnificent creatures on any world!"
 
He only mulls this over for a second before shaking it off, "Anyhow yeah. But nah, it's more like Althena's chosen Champion. Even if they're 'chosen' by earning it through trials held by the dragons."
 
Riese's description of the Badlands though has his lips sort of crease out of the smile, "Yeah I've run into a village overrun by them. Me and Fei did."
 
That's all he's going to say about that though with kids in earshot. He intuits though why Riese might be taking care of Mikaia. He was raised by a Beastman so he's rather... unimpressed by Filgaia's attitude towards that part of the population in general.
 
"I can see why you'd want to take them in." He offers mildly.
 
He may have more thoughts on that, given Wayside, but being an orphan himself who was taken in... they feel too complex to discuss near a market stall.
 
When Iskandra offers that though, he turns to face her, and grins, "Hey that'd be swell. I may take you up on that sometime when I'm in the area." After a moment, he nods to Arleph, snapping his fingers together as if trying to remember him, before he finally points, "Hey- Doctor Ardan right? Doctor of Symbology? Good to see you again!"
 

<Pose Tracker> Ashes has posed.

Ashes purveys only the best in worst advice and contributions to the delinquency of minors. Or miners. "You can do it, too, do you know. I bet you could now. Carry messages, hunt rats, for sure." She casts a glance to Riesenlied, and then another few glances, because she hadn't properly appreciated her yet.

"If your mother says you can." She extracts a sugar-coated nut from the bag and crunches it, and presents another to Janey. "Or if you outrun her~"

Her evil deed done, she attempts to flee the scene, and instead ends up in the rough center of the knot of Lunarians, face to chest with Kourin. "Er." 

<Pose Tracker> Neriah Parringer has posed.

"You're gonna be a great alchemist," Neriah says with a smile as she looks towards Mikaia. "I'd definitely buy your potions."

Adjusting her hat, the Excavator looks up towards Riese-as-Nazgul, pressing her lips together. "...I've seen those. The Wels, I mean. They're pretty unnerving."

When Hiro speaks again, Neriah looks back towards him, her gaze searching his face for a few seconds before finding his eyes again. "Huh. I'm still amazed anything lives on the Moon at all. I figured you'd be, like. Human cheese people or something. But I guess the Moon is a place people can live, so it's not so weird." She scratches at her cheek, pushing her tongue briefly against the roof of her mouth as she mulls over something Hiro said.

"So what's the deal with this Lunar stuff, anyway?" she asks. "I don't know much about Althena except that she's the goddess Lunar people follow. So you guys somehow got to Lunar from Filgaia and then came back? Did you, like... come on a spaceship?"

Neriah's eyes dart to Ruby, brightening. "Did you use dragon magic to come back? That'd be really neat." 

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

        "Dragonmaster...?" Riesenlied murmurs as Hiro explains the title briefly. She hasn't heard of the title before, but it would seem to make sense, how it's arranged. She wonders quietly how the Shepherd aligns with that title.

        She's also maybe glad Noeline isn't here to make a totally inappropriate joke about it.

        There is a knowing look to Hiro as the two catch glances, and she does look like she'd be happy to explain more, but... not here, yes. Especially as--

        "Ah--"

        Janey's drooling with her eyes shimmering into stars as she gawks at the two-pound Jelly. The Doom Jelly. "I want to eat all of thaaaaaat...."

        "J-Janey, you're going to turn into a roly-poly if you eat that!" Mikaia complains. "You're going to be ruined for Drifting!"

        "U-uuu, that's true, but...! How can I resist the challenge??" Janey complains back in turn. A pause. And takes a sugar-coated nut from Ashes. "Ooh, thanks!"

        Riesenlied does nod towards Arleph as she expresses, "It is a nice day, isn't it? It's nice to take Mikaia and Janey out to see the city, once in a while..." she listens to Hiro and Neriah's conversation, but she's not quite at liberty to express what she's learnt about Althena and the Guardians. Though the spaceship part, she knows about. The wondrous Magic Carpet ride... 

<Pose Tracker> Kourin has posed.

Kourin has drifted into thought for a moment, considering advice she might offer to one who wishes to become an alchemist, when she's bounced into by Ashes.

"Ah," she says, then blinks. "I...wondered if it was you," she says quietly. "But you said nothing to me, so I..."

Spirit wags his tail excitedly and eagerly greets Ashes!

The puppies, by the way, continue to be cute and puppies.

"I...did not think to see you again. I suspect you feel much the same about me." 

<Pose Tracker> Arleph Ardan has posed.

         "The badlands are rather... troublesome in the last few months, I agree." Arleph says, adjusting his hat and speaking with his usual light drawl. "It's best to wander it with people, usually, even if you know what you are doing. You never know."
 
         Not that he obeys that rule at all, and neither does anybody else here. That's just a good thing to say.
 
         "That's correct, and you are Hiro, and this is Ruby, if I am correct? Good to see you outside of the spectator stands of a blood sport, both in such good health and heated discussion." The Symbologist nods, turning to look at the other people gathered there, smiling. "I will not impose myself very much on your reunion, friends."
 
         Arleph tilts his head at Neriah. "As far I am aware, the moon is not made of cheese, but rock and metal, much like here. As far the Althena 'problem' goes, it seems that there is some religious ... disagreements happening on Lunar."
 
         He turns to look at Riese. "That's good. Kids should be able to get out and see things other than what they are used to. It's good for them." 

<Pose Tracker> Iskandra Grendorre has posed.

"Oh that's not a problem." Iskandra insists, taking out a glass vial containg a mysterious teal liquid, "I eat whatever I like and how much I want, I just need to take a sip from this every day, and I'll keep my figure. It's an alchemical secret that I'm not allowed to share, and it's expensive to make, but just one sip for someone who beats the challenge will be quite fine." She lies what she tells herself is a little white lie to convince that won't be a concern, "And besides, you're children. You should be worried about not eating enough, not about eating too much. You're going to need to be strong and tough if you're going drifting, can't do that if you don't eat enough."

<Pose Tracker> Hiro has posed.

 
"Cheese people?" "Only in the sense that we cut the cheese all the time." If anyone ever wonders where Hiro's bad sense of humor comes from, they don't need to look too far...
 
"Lunar... stuff?" The two say in almost synch. "Ah. Not so much, all we know is the Goddess Althena took most of Lunar's ancestors there after some great disaster... here. I'd assume it was with magic." Whereas Ruby pipes up to answer the dragon magic question, "Nope! It was a big dumb flying carpet accident! Dragon Magic can't screw up like that! Blame Lemina!" Hiro sighs, "She's never gonna let that go." "Nope."
 
Hiro sorta drifts away to listen to the kids being kids, a smile on his face.
 
... Part of him wonders how long kids are going to be able to stay kids on a world like Filgaia.
 
It's a sobering thought.
 
Hiro does turn his thoughts away from it back to Arleph though, "Eheh." Ruby pipes up, "Yep! Still being persecuted though!"
 
Ruby sighs, Now we can't even go near Krosse or like... we'll probably get jumped by banana peddlers who are really secretly part of Althena's Guard."
 
"That really doesn't seem like Leo's style Ruby..."
 

<Pose Tracker> Ashes has posed.

Waaaaaaaaagh, it's a dog!

There's nothing wrong with dogs except that some of them are awfully close to her size; that aside, Ashes hasn't registered Spirit just yet, she's busy handling a collision error. It happens depressingly often, do you know.

Instinctively guarding her nut sack, she looks uuup to Kourin, and favors her with a too-wide grin. "Maybe you didn't? Would that work?" Clearly she's ticking over escape plans, and ranking bystanders by collateral acceptability. "Did you look for me?" 

<Pose Tracker> Neriah Parringer has posed.

Just as she's about to get an answer, Arleph starts talking down to her. Neriah lowers her eyelids a little. Her inner voice produces some ugly thoughts.

She forces them down. Sassing back at him in front of Mikaia wouldn't be right.

"I was mostly being factious," she says with a shrug and a wan smile. "But I really don't know anything about religious disagreements on the Moon. I don't even really know about them here, except this Guardians thing."

As her attention returns to Hiro and his friend with the pretty pink pawsies, Neriah folds her arms beneath the curve of her chest, shifting her weight a little as she listens to the two tag-team on their explanation. "I've never been on a flying carpet," she murmurs with a quick blink.

Her shoulders lift, then settle. "Okay. So it sounds like you guys were originally from Filgaia in the first place. I wonder if it was the Metal Demon War and you've been up there for the past five hundred years or something like that. But I don't know enough about all the past calamities here. Who knows what happened in ancient history that we just don't know about?"

She jerks her head to indicate the shovel peeking over her shoulder. "'s kind of why I went into excavating. Sometimes I dig up neat stuff that we can use to learn more." 

<Pose Tracker> Kourin has posed.

Kourin shakes her head. "As I was saying before...I am no longer among Althena's Guard. I don't believe a particularly strenuous search was made for you." she sighs. "Unlike me."

Kourin does indeed have a bounty on her head,there's posters around and everything.

"You need not fear on my account." 

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

        Riesenlied does try to travel with her partner, though she's off browsing the latest sampler of trashy bodice rippers that Riese's very desperately trying to hide from the eyes of the orphans, lest Janey get another curious idea about what it is Mr. Darcy really is about.

        "November City has been an eye-opening sight for myself... I've never been to a city this large either," she expresses. Mikaia says, "It's so much busier than home..."

        Janey huffs just for a moment, as she looks up to Riese... and then says, "U-uuuh-- you've defeated me with your Doom Jelly, but the Future Lord of Calamity will be back...!" A pause. "With an emptier stomach." She covers her mouth and lets out a little 'urp'.

        "From what I understand, the great exodus to Lunar happened far before the Metal Demons invaded Filgaia," Riese shares. "Though I do not understand what calamities happened at the time to necessitate it... Miss Neriah is right. I too have a vested interest in discovering truth in the Ruins." 

<Pose Tracker> Ashes has posed.

Do not you think that Ashes hasn't got that bounty and its collection conditions memorized, along with the rest of the the wall's postings this week. She's still grinning, with teeth. It's the only grin she has, unfortunately. "And not you for mine, either," she agrees.

"In front of children, anyways."

She offers walnuts; none for you, Spirit, unless Kourin says it's okay. "Bold, you came to market, then?" 

<Pose Tracker> Arleph Ardan has posed.

         Arleph keeps looking down on Neriah, observing her before nodding. "I see. My apology, then. I did meet people that geniunely thought that it was made of cheese, I should have not assumed." The Symbologist replies, shoving his hands back into his pockets, to nodd at Hiro and Ruby, the easy mascot. "Persecution seems to be what is happening. I am not too certain on the nature of things, but I suppose we are not there right now."
 
         He leans back on his heels for a moment, before peering down. "I cannot say I understand the plight on a personal level.
 
         His attention turns at Riesenlied "That's correct. And from everything the Lunarians says, it is quite a different place." He turn back to Hiro. "Which must be even more of a shock to be on Filgaia." 

<Pose Tracker> Kourin has posed.

Kourin shrugs. "The Guard know of my movements and my travelling companions. For now they have not moved to interfere, and for now I have not been hindered. I am...capable of defending myself should someone take it upon themselves to try to collect on my bounty." She sighs. "I suspect they have not approached with force because they hope to lure me back to the fold. I will...not go back. Not while the excess of which I spoke, and the abuses of power that I have witnessed, stand uncorrected. I told as much to Sir Leo himself." She glances at Hiro, blushing slightly. "I am now free to live my own life and...pursue my own goals."

Anyone with eyes can see how Kourin feels about Hiro. Except maybe Hiro himself.

Spirit and the dogs are being Good Dogs and not, to their minds, getting enough attention. Tails are wagging and thumping the ground as all three sit and behave nicely.

Kourin's been teaching them well. 

<Pose Tracker> Iskandra Grendorre has posed.

"The Church of Althena needs to be torn down and rebuilt from the ground up if it's every going to be anything but a house of lies and hipocrisy." Iskandra opines after Janey gives up on trying to eat the giant jelly, closing the box back up and putting it away once again. Then, to Ardan she adds. "It is quite the shock, but you learn to manage or you die. Easy choice, if you ask me."

<Pose Tracker> Kourin has posed.

Kourin glances sharply at Iskandra after that outburst. "I may no longer be one of Althena's Guard, but that borders dangerously on blasphemy. The Goddess' mercy still moves me, and while I agree that there are...many problems, I believe that change and reform can happen without the destruction you speak of. There are good people within the Church, like those who raised me!" 

<Pose Tracker> Neriah Parringer has posed.

Neriah hasn't been privileged enough to see those bodice-rippers, though the truth is she'd have little interest in such things. Right now just having friends who talk to her on a regular basis is new and adventurous to her.

Canting her head towards Nazenlied, Neriah taps a finger against her chin as she soaks up that tidbit of information. "Wow, even before Metal Demons. See, now I'm just kind of curious. I kind of want to figure it out now. Y'know, just so I can say I know."

She takes a half-step back, tilting her head to look back up at Arleph once more. She can't help but feel extremely small in his immense shadow, despite the fact that she's of relatively normal adult height and wearing three-inch heels. "Fair enough," she says.

And then Kourin speaks up. Neriah opens her mouth to say something.

Then she closes it. A spark of realization hits her. She lays a hand at her cheek.

Before she can say anything, though, Iskandra tosses out an incendiary opinion bomb. Her teeth close around her lower lip.

"I don't think 'manage or die' is all there is in the world, personally," she says slowly, almost hesitantly. "I think that, even if sometimes you have to tear down a broken system, you can at least make it better. Or try to. I mean, that's how change happens, right?" 

<Pose Tracker> Ashes has posed.

Ashes shoves the bag of walnuts somewhat more insistently in Kourin's face, in protest. "They'll double your price if you kick the candy stand over." She turns her grin on Iskandra, now.

"And you, that's all not sweet. What kind of confectioner are you?"

She turns her attention to the only sane individual in the immediate vicinity; "What's up, dog?" 

<Pose Tracker> Malfi has posed.

Malfi continues to eavesdrop, though without much interest. Human religious differences do not concern her. She seems pleased with herself, and her backpack is bulging and smells like coffee, yummmmmm. As far as she's concerned, this trip is a success already! She keeps a wary eye on the children -- they're a handful, and one reason she tagged along. They also seem to have no self-preservation instinct whatsoever, Janey in particular. 

<Pose Tracker> Hiro has posed.

 
"Ah yeah... Riese has it. Near as I can tell it either happened before Zeboim, or after Zeboim? No clue. Our history goes back almost five thousand years though on Lunar." Hiro seems a little quiet though, because it's really disquieting thinking about the fact that the Guardians and Althena might have had a falling out over it. And the fact Althena took some but not others.
 
What happened there?
 
Hiro ruffles Janey's hair. "You'll get 'em next time Calamity Janey." He says with a grin. "Hiro! What'd I say earlier?" "Something about banana peddlers." "Agh."
 
But when Kourin brings up the Guard knows about them and their companions, Hiro gets quiet, "Well I'm glad they're not bothering you... yet. I hope that doesn't change."
 
He's not so optimistic about it though. It sounds like they're being held back by Leo being a decent guy and having other priorities, but eventually... "Oh yeah? What kind of goals do you have Kourin?" He offers a smile, "Sounds like if you're travelling with the Carakin you're going to become a really shrewd businesswoman."
 
But then Iskandra says that, and Hiro seems caught in the middle but Ruby seems to backup... Iskandra. "Actually I kinda agree. Sounds like the Goddess has nooooo idea what's going on and probably has some really bad people advisors whispering into her ear. In my opinion as one of the most magnificent agents of the Goddess, I believe once she finds out what's going on she should totally just redo everything from the ground up. It's the Church where all the problems are coming from, not Althena." She nods decisively.
 
Hiro is especially quiet, most of all because he found out the words 'Lucia the Destroyer must die.' being something the Goddess Althena herself said.
 

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

        Mikaia's kind of bouncing back and forth on the discussion of the Church of Althena and the Guard, but other than that people are starting to get pretty more insistent, she's a bit lost on the topic. "Are people fighting...?"

        Riesenlied pats Mikaia on the head to shh gently, and says, "It's okay, Mikaia." She'd rather not burden her with difficult topics at present, though... she does feel happy that Kourin was able to resolve her differences with Leo in a-- well, not particularly nice way, but at the very least, one that ended on a higher note than outright persecution and death.

        She wonders, for a moment, how Siegfried will react. How much she feels betrayed by where he's gone, and in turn... how betrayed he'll feel when he knows of what she's done.

        It isn't pleasant.

        "Indeed... Filgaia has an extremely deep history," Riese speaks to Neriah. "I could show you some of the artifacts we've found on recent digs, as well, if you'd like."

        Janey scratches her cheek as the adults start talking about politics, and her attention's drawn Ruby-wards, as Hiro scratches her head, prompting a grin from her. "Hey, hey! Can Ruby breathe fire? Mama can't breathe fire, so if you can, I'll call you the better Dragon!"

        O-ouch...

        She does spare a glance to Malfi to say, "Ah, did you get the coffee beans you wanted?" She sniffs just a little, and smiles. "They smell strong..." Someone isn't much of a coffee drinker. 

<Pose Tracker> Hiro has posed.

 
Ruby promptly looks left, then looks right. Then turns her head upwards and breathes a gout of fire straight into the air. She then gives Riese a smug look.
 

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

        Riese is trying hard to not have a pouty look on her face, as Janey goes, "Whoaaa!! Totally radical!!" 

<Pose Tracker> Iskandra Grendorre has posed.

"It's not the Goddess I have a problem with, and while there may be some grunts with the church who are good people, but they either are powerless to alter the course of her Church or unwilling to try. Neither of which means the Church can be redeemed." Iskandra answers Kourin without any hesitation, "Though, I do wonder why the Goddess does nothing to stop the Church." She's losing some control over her emotions, and her malevolence is becoming more apparent. "It's the Church's so-called law that killed my brother, my fiance." She's kind of focusing on Kourin right now, ignoring everyone else.

<Pose Tracker> Ashes has posed.

Not that she needs to, but Ashes ducks, on instinct, and her hand goes to her belt. "Blood and ash," she mutters. 

<Pose Tracker> Malfi has posed.

Malfi grins at Riesenlied and gives her a thumbs-up. "They're best that way," she explains to the non-coffee-drinker. She has nothing to contribute to the religious argument. 

<Pose Tracker> Kourin has posed.

Kourin wants to answer Hiro's question about her goals, very badly. "Those...those are the sorts of abuses I spoke of. Why I left." She shakes her head sadly, and turns to Hiro. "My goals...I...there is someone that I...hope...to attract the attention of..." She trails off, blushing deeply. 

<Pose Tracker> Neriah Parringer has posed.

"Granas. Five thousand years and you remember it all," Neriah reflects with a slightly envious smile as she looks back over to Hiro. "Filgaia, it seems like every few hundred years there's a huge catastrophe and history kind of starts over. Except for the relics, anyway."

As Riesenlied brings said relics up, Neriah turns and nods up to her. "I'd like that," she says, though her smile has a touch of wariness to it. She's made a point of not carrying her ARM around Riese precisely because of how some of those artifacts tend to be.

Somewhere within her coat, a pistol with a Metal Dragon nostril assembly built into it resides, hiding.

"Maybe I can help you find some more," she suggests, reaching back to pat the head of her spade. "Excavators are pretty useful when it comes to exploration. I'm pretty good at finding hidden secrets in caves and old ruins and such."

Then Ruby starts spewing fire. Neriah widens her eyes. "I can't do that," she murmurs with wonder.

The talk turns to theology. Neriah's eyes glaze over just slightly. 

<Pose Tracker> Ashes has posed.

Ashes can't really stare Kourin down from this angle, but Kourin should be informed that she's trying, at this halting revelation. Even more to grin about.

"Is that what the bounty's for, then?" 

<Pose Tracker> Hiro has posed.

 
"Well not all." Hiro says to Neriah, "It's harder recording history on Lunar so some things get... lost. But yeah, our stories back that far."
 
Whereas with Kourin, Hiro blinks his eyes a few times. "Oh like someone you admire? Well hey, a wonderful girl like you, I'm sure they'll notice."
 
Though Iskandra's statement just causes him to look her way, frowning. More and more people he's meeting that have problems with the Church. "I'm sorry for your loss." He says quietly, though he marks her as someone he'd want to speak to more about this later. Ruby is still looking smug about her status as the superior dragon when- a thought occurs to her. "Oh crud! Hiro we were expected back already! We're totally leaving Jean hanging." "Oh dang you're right! Hey gotta go, everyone take care though! Janey, Mikaia, you two be good alright?"
 
And then he starts to jog off, burlap sack in tow. 

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

        Riesenlied can't help but have a bit of sympathy for Kourin, perhaps reminded of how she and Noeline danced around each other without really expressing their feelings. For, uh... a couple centuries. Then she went and ran off for another couple centuries after that. Metal Demon romances are really weird, like serial manga that never, ever end. Find out how their tale continues in next month's installment of Monthly Shoujo!

        "... I'm sorry to her that as well," she expresses gently, patting Mikaia on the head as she starts to burble -- she's gazing Iskandra's way, like she felt an uncomfortable tingle. "Janey, let's keep going!"

        Janey goes, "Aw, shucks, okay! Hey, let's play again sometime, Ruby, Hiro! And thanks for the candy, Miss!"

        Riese politely smiles to say, "Thank you, everyone." 

<Pose Tracker> Neriah Parringer has posed.

"Huh. Well, I got the idea that Lunar was a little behind Filgaia in technology. I mean, a lot of Moonies I meet don't really understand ARMs, at least," Neriah muses with a cant of her head towards Hiro and Ruby. "But I'd love to learn more about Lunar someday. It seems really cool."

As Hiro and Ruby moves off, Neriah flips her hand to wave after them. "Later, you two," she calls.

Moving to stand just to Riesenlied's right, she smiles faintly towards the group, clasping her hands at her waist. "Nice to see everyone," she says, before passing a few pineapple gels to Mikaia for the girl to munch on. "Maybe we'll run into you later, okay?" 

<Pose Tracker> Arleph Ardan has posed.

         Arleph stepped back for a few, just watching the exchanges. You can learn a lot by just observing, watching and listening to other people and this is one of theses times. He takes note of Ruby's gout of flame. Well! Any doubts of her not being a dragon of some kind kind of vanishes from his mind. There's not a lot of creatures that could do that, which brings.. just more questions into his mind.
 
         "Religious doctrines, the mortal side of things," Arleph pipes up, quietly, playing with something in his pockets. It jingles. Maybe it's money. He dig deeps into some old knowledge, reminising on some philosophy classes. "Do have the same problems than the mortals have: being fallible."
 
         He tips his at At Ries, smiling at the kids. "Of course. I should be going on my way, as well." 

<Pose Tracker> Kourin has posed.

"It's you," Kourin whispers as Hiro jogs away. He can't hear her, though, and that's for the best right now.

Because right now she's turning to Ashes and discussing, in detail, why she has a bounty.

"There is a bounty on me because I told White Knight Leo that I was leaving the Guard because the Church is corrupt, that the Guard have no business trying to convert the people of Filgaia to worship a Goddess who abandoned their ancestors and displace the faiths of this land, that there must be some misinterpretation of the Goddess' commands, that she would not have banned singing when there were hymns to her, that the excesses of Neo-Vane and the other wealthy members of the Church went against the teachings of Althena and must be curbed, and that I did not believe that Sir Hiro was in the wrong."

She draws a shuddering breath. "The Goddess taught much of value. I am sorry to say that her Church is, I agree, corrupt. I cannot stand beside it until it is once again what it should be." 

<Pose Tracker> Iskandra Grendorre has posed.

Iskandra calms herself down some, and the malevolence is suppressed reasonably well once again. "If you can reform the Church without tearing it down, that would be fine I suppose. I don't think it's possible, but I'd love to be proven wrong." She tells Kourin, and looks around a bit, "I think it's time for me to pack up for the day. A bit of a commotion, bad for business."

<Pose Tracker> Arleph Ardan has posed.

         There is that brief flicker of a look Arleph gives to Iskandra, as she drops down the malevolence, suppressed once more. There is something of a curious look, a furrow of his brows before tilting his head again curiously, before he looks away. "In any case. Ms. Kourin, if I gathered your name correctly, ma'am." The Symbologist says, nodding at Iskandra and Neriah. "Good to have met you again. I hope you will remain in good spirits, but I have an investigation to continue."

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