2018-08-02: Tragedy on Taben's Peak

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<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

    Taben's Peak has been a rather lively site as of late, with two communities joining each other to form a cohesive and amiable bond in the last coming months.

    Hidden to most viewing angles from the base of the mountain is the Fereshte, which has had a miraculous rough landing atop peaks of the mountain nestled into the ancient war-structure, the Grindery; here, the survivors of Wayside and their children have been mingling with Nall and the children he looks after for a while now.

    Three kids chase each other, hopping over chains, nets and ropes as they traverse an impromptu obstacle course of both the Fereshte and Grindery's goods; they pass a few Waysiders preparing to process a foraging haul from the Peaks into paste for dinner. It's a lively and warm scene, away from prying eyes...

    ... until now.

    In the midst of this, Riesenlied is seated amidst a group of both Wayside and Taben's Peak children, who're eagerly looking up at her as some of them munch on dried fruits and nuts.

    "And then the great cucco swept into the air, saving the three children from an impending doom...!" Riesenlied expresses, as she continues her story. "Ooh..." "Ooh!" "What was a cucco again?"

    Not far from them, several other children are rapt in awe as Janey turns the crank on a six inch-tall... Butler? toy, grinning as she goes, "And now, with my latest addition, the Super Magdalen DX (pronounced 'Aaaargh') can serve you at your whim!"

    She lets go, and the tiniest Butler marches forward with a platter of nuts and...

    ... whoops, his arms break at the joints under the load. Hang in there, Super Magdalen DX...

    "... oh ..." 

<Pose Tracker> Hiro has posed.

 
Nearby the obstacle course a girl who couldn't be more than seven years old held a boomerang as if it were something she was scared to break. In front of her was a target - which was simply a bucket suspended by a rope a good ten meters away. Hiro was crouched down in front of her. "You remember right? What I said last time about throwing a boomerang right?"
 
The child started to nod hesitantly - then halfway through the gesture started to shake her head. "Nuh-uh."
 
Hiro broke out into a grin a moment later. "Well don't worry."
 
The girl looked at him expectantly. Just before he said - "It'll come back to you!"
 
Which is the exact moment Ruby rammed into him full speed in the shoulder, knocking him over from his arm-flailing pose until he was flat on his backside. "HIRO THAT WAS TERRIBLE! TEN YEARS IN THE FOREVER DUNGEON!"
 
The little girl finally snerked into a little snort laugh at Ruby.
 
From on his back, all tangled up in his orange scarf Hiro grinned, "Come on Ruby I couldn't resist!"
 
A moment later there was a clanging noise of the bucket. And Ruby had to hastily dodge as a shape swpet by her. "AHHH!" The little girl caught it between both hands, then toed the ground shyly with a smile as Ruby gawked at her. After a moment she just shrugs.
 
A moment later Hiro is caught up in a laughing fit that's so hard that he's wheezing.
 
"Hiro! Hiro that's not funny at all!"
 
Hiro almost roars with laughter after that, before sitting up straight, grinning and shaking, a finger wiping away a tear. "But-But Ruby... it came back to her!" And then he's doubled over again.
 
Ruby just looks like she hates everything. Most of all life. Before finally just flying away towards Riese.
 
"Riese please tell me everything about cuccos and save me from stupid boomerang jokes."
 

<Pose Tracker> Lemina Ausa has posed.

Lemina -- Lemina Ausa is here!! -- squeals with delight at the Super Magdalen DX's presence. Normally Lemina tries to be too cool for school about this sort of thing, but, well. She has specific tastes and they are being catered to as we speak. Even when it marches forward and fails, it's still sort of delightful, really...

"Oh -- you need to, um, reinforce those... are there screws in there, or just bands, holding it together?" Lemina scoots in a little closer, looking at the toy carefully. "This is mega-good craftsmanship for your age, though..." Lemina you're like... less than six years older than some of these damn kids. Come on. "... and some of these parts are really familiar..."

Lemina's lips purse slightly. ... she's just going to let it rock, though. Even if she can't *quite* stop her cheeks from puffing out. 

<Pose Tracker> Ambrosius has posed.

Ambrosius had maintained distance from Riesenlied and the Wayside crew for some time. He was...afraid. He knew a time would come when they would be set against each other once more. It was a pain he was not sure he was ready to inflict upon them or himself...

...but after an incident a few days ago, where Ambrosius awoke to Resonance and was terrified by what he saw, Riesenlied had helped him through the experience. Out of gratitude, he accepted her invitation when she asked him to come back with Vane, even temporarily...and in the end, he even agreed to come out here to Taben's Peak, when he was asked.

He's kept to himself, primarily offering quiet assistance where possible and mostly just staying out of the way. His eyes briefly stray over to where Janey is displaying her work...and there's a hint of quiet pride on his face, even as he takes mental notes on what lessons he should teach her next to improve her creation. 

<Pose Tracker> Jean has posed.

For all that Jean's been away hunting trouble, she welcomes the chance to get back to Taben's Peak. So here she is right now, amidst the same group for now--she'll get back to dancing in a bit, but at the moment, she was just walking back over to see how things were going with Hiro and--

'It'll come back to you!'

"Snrk." Jean stops right where she is, puts a hand against the wall to support herself, and cracks up. The dancer is too busy laughing to say anything for the moment, here amidst the kids with her long, green hair.

"It came back to her!" Jean report back, delighted. "That's so bad," Hiro, you're the worst at this!

She even gets a shot at the tiniest Butler and--and--obviously she's only laughing at Hiro's joke, not the poor robot.

Give her a minute. Just... Just give her a minute. 

<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.

    Noeline might not be the first person you'd think of as someone who enjoys sitting around all day in a rustic landscape such as this one, but then she's always been the sort to enjoy people-watching, and it doesn't necessarily matter to her whether she's watching prim socialites or a bunch of children happily playing. Besides, she's also terribly protective when she wants to be, and many of the orphans here are 'theirs' as far as she's concerned. She might not be the sort of mother that sits in a circle and reads to them, but she's certainly prepared to look out for them all.

    ... she is also Noeline, however, which means that rather than sit on the ground, she's instead found herself a battered old armchair that the children salvaged some time ago. One armrest is missing, and bits of the chair have been taped and patched over time, but it's still enough for the Crimson Noble wannabe to draw her legs up and curl up like a cat, a slim book open on her lap as she nestles in to read and occasionally glance up at Riesenlied's story. That part happens often; she's placed herself just next to Riese, after all, and keeps offering fond looks in her direction.

    Janey's rather sad note makes her look over in that direction, letting out a fond if rather teasing snort of air. "I think he's got a way to go yet, unfortunately," she grins with a fang showing clear, leaning forwards to peer at the little robot who surely will not be giving up any time soon. "But with a bit more in the way of reinforcement on those arms, and something on his back to act as a counterbalance, I dare say it will go a lot better."

    Straightening up, she shoots Ruby a look of understanding, letting out a theatrical sigh as she shifts across to offer a perch on the armrest of her chair. "Of course," she notes, flicking out her hair. "Come sit with the civilized lot, Ruby." Dang!! 

<Pose Tracker> Seraph Ragnell has posed.

    Ragnell, as usual, comes and goes as she pleases. Today, in Mt. Taben, she's sprawled on the roof of a nearby building, overlooking the playing children. Ruby may had Hiro's puns, but they apparently meet the approval of the servants of the Goddess Althena, because Ragnell snorts and cracks up both at his initial joke and when he loses his shit over the boomerang going back to the little girl. Is she laughing at the joke, though, or is she laughing at Hiro?
    
    Why not both? Especially if she can catch Jean's eye and wink at her, grinning, over it. Otherwise, though, for now she seems to be content to sunbathe and watch the others from above. Janey's showing off of her robot butler, and its consequent falling apart, get her an amused grin, but hey, at least she doesn't outright laugh. You're doing better than Hiro, Janey! That's something!! 

<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.

Fei Fong Wong has returned from Uzda Tasty Jam with Lily and he tooootally also left for Uzda Il Jam with her in the first place even if nobody actually saw that happen and he didn't really mention he was going in the first place but that's not really unusual for Fei. Even if you don't remember him leaving, he always comes back.

Like a boomerang.

Fei does seem to be feeling better after some rest and he has returned, after meeting up with Elly, to check up on the Wayside/Taben Peak kids with Elly. It JUST SO happens he comes to a stop near Hiro and Ruby, close enough that he actually laughs at Hiro's dumb dad joke (FORESHADOWING???) but he does smile at Ruby sympathetically. "I have a small question." He says. "If he's only in the Forever Dungeon for ten years, is it really a Forever Dungeon?"

Another child asks what a cucco is and Fei asides quietly to Hiro. "Should we tell them they're unstoppable killing machines or....preserve the fantasy?"

He still remembers the Cucco Queen destroying his entire party... Perhaps this...is what led Rosaline to becoming a hellion today. It's not impossible.

Lydia naturally spends a fair amount of time around Hammer of all people these days to help work on the Fereshte, but she isn't going to miss family time like this. She is in a weirdly unabashed positive mood even as SUPER MAGDALEN DX'S arms fall off. She rests a hand on Janey's shoulder.

"Don't fret, things going wrong here and there is all part of the process." Pat pat. Pat pat. She looks over to Ambrosius and says to him, "Stronger alloy or more arms, whatcha think?" 

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

    Cetiri perks up from where she's lazing in her basket next to where Jean's moving closer. Her blinkers light up a few times as Hiro doubles over in laughter. "Word play. Boomerangs return to their thrown wielders. Memories, too, return when recalled. It is amusing. I get the joke!"

    She looks -so- pleased with herself....

    Lemina helps Janey out, as she beams up to go, "Oh, hmm, I used to have screws but they didn't really work out if I wanted the arms to move? There's a ball and socket joint here but it... doesn't cope with the stress well, huh?"

    Janey-- looks up and her eyes widen, looking back to her mother, then back again. "Mister Ambrosius? Whoa, it's really you! When'd you get back? Are you-- um, you know, just back for a bit, or??" she looks really hopeful, like someone who's just found her most favourite uncle* again. She looks like she might be able to cry.

    (* Uncles that aren't four-armed with a bug like appearance, sorry Kalve.)

    Riese warmly smiles to Ruby to go, "Oh, please, join us for storytime..." She clears her throat, looking back to Noeline. She waves very softly to Ragnell when she comes about, though Janey doesn't seem to have the resonance needed to detect the beer ghost of Althena yet. Alas.

    "Well, it would turn out that arrows and slings are no match -- for the mighty magical cucco, Vidopnir. On gossamer wings Vidopnir flies, bringing the good children over the rainbow bridge Bifrost to the roots of the World-Tree where he resides!"

    Riesenlied is taking *incredible* ad-libbing rights with Hyadean mythology... 

<Pose Tracker> Gwen Whitlock has posed.

    Gwen is here too, having made the usual load of deliveries to one of her nearest locales. There's not many, of course, besides some odd requests and orders here and there from merchants equally happy to establish a new source of trade, but what sort of business could be possible for a location full of orphans with no significant means of income?

    Give them a few years. They'll figure something out.

    For now, well, there's Heath. Heath, a newly traumatized orphan from Lastonbell, who thankfully does not have 'burn survivor' to his list of injuries, thanks to some secret intervention from Loren. With Gwen, Tabitha, and Loren having helped him from a burning building (mostly because Gwen insisted on going in), naturally, the tow-haired boy latched onto the courier, ever after she delivered him to Taben Peak as a sort of 'safe spot' free from the cares of the ongoing war.

    He's pretty much tired the normally tireless Gwen, the hapless young woman lying collapsed in a hammock as the young boy continues to ask her worried, irrelevant questions, one failing to lead solidly into the next, clutching the stuffed toy bird Gwen found as a small gift. "... Gwen, Gwen. What if a snake comes in and bites you in the middle of the night and you don't know it did? What if it was a metal snake? Would you know? What if it was a boomerang? Or a cucco? I don't know what a cucco is, but do they hurt people?"

    "Nngh..." Gwen cracks one eye open. "... nothin' gits in the wagon wen I sleep... Jus need t'check th'blankets fr snakes n' spiders.,,"

    "Spiders get in your wagon too?! Are they poisonous?! Did you ever get killed by one?!"

    "N-no..." 

<Pose Tracker> Elhaym van Houten has posed.

 
Elly, for her part, is glad to be here. She seems a little drawn, possibly from having had a close encounter of the Tabitha deVriese kind on the field of battle. She had to go save Rolance from, like, losing to gunmen, and that takes it out of you, especially when a small Veruni child beat ten shades of shit out of her.

OK, more like seven.

"Maybe it's just the name," Elly says about the killing machines, before smiling at Ruby. "How have you been?" she asks the fearsome* dragon, sweeping her hair back with one hand even as Magdalen Arrrgh starts to have technical difficulties. "Mm - maybe we should ask Hammer for a consultation..." 

<Pose Tracker> Hiro has posed.

 
Hiro grins like a fool at Jean and Ragnell and maybe is a fool to Ragnell. And then Cetiri, "See Ruby? She gets it too. At least some people here know how to appreciate a good joke."
 
"When you actually tell a good joke maybe I'll appreciate it!" Ruby was never made to think of the intricacies of the forever dungeon before. "It's... it's because it feels like forever while you're there Fei duh!"
 
Hiro sits up straight, and leans over to Fei to murmur. "Ah. Maybe not. Though we should teach them not to harass them. Remember that poor kid back in Adlehyde?"
 
It's a solemn moment as Hiro remembers the kid that had to die for his sins of punting a cucco.
 
Hiro does cock his head to the side though as he listens to Riese's story. "You know the first time she told it it was a giant rooster instead of a cucco." Is it okay to be a revisionist for the sake of kids? Survey points to mayyyybbeee?
 
The little girl though thrusts a boomerang back in Hiro's face and Hiro takes it back. "Hey thanks Matoya. Nice throw by the way. You're definitely getting it." "Um. Can you make me one of my own sometime?" "Sure! Of course! It might take me a while though if I want to do it properly."
 
Matoya considers this then states, "'kay. Thanks!" As Matoya runs off to check out the broken tiny butler.
 
Ruby chats with Elly. "Elly! I'm doing swell. Yourself? You didn't have no trouble getting up here right? None of the rug rats hit you with a water balloon or something?" Ruby then murmurs, "You don't wanna know what they actually fill them with."
 
And then as Elly suggests Hammer take a look, "What you think Hammer would know better than Lemina on this? Ehhhh..." Ruby sizes up Lemina, then just says, "Ma-Maybe?"
 
Finally picking himself up and brushing himself off, Hiro says idly to Jean, "Not too long until we have to hit the road back to Meribia right?" A beat, "For the tournament?"
 

<Pose Tracker> Ambrosius has posed.

Lydia is the first one to approach Ambrosius. He assesses her quietly, and then...

"...It depeeends on what one seeks...but with the right mateeerial...both would be possible..." He replies, with a nod of consideration. And then he sends Janey a nod, as well, when she realizes that he is here.

"A few days ago..." He answers. "Sadly...there will...come a time when I must depart again..."

And then, he smiles.

"...However...your mother told me...there was something you wished...to show me..." He explains. "Of course...after that...I simply could not refuuuse..."

He then turns his eyes to her creation.

"Is this it...? Either way...it is an admiiirable creation...Miss Janey..." He compliments. 

<Pose Tracker> Seraph Ragnell has posed.

    Ragnell rolls over onto her stomach, managing somehow not to fall off the edge of the roof, and wiggles her fingers back at Riesenlied. Her gaze goes from her over to Gwen and her new pet orphan. The Seraph puffs out a breath that she strictly speaking does not need to breathe, leaning her chin on one hand. Seems to her like pet orphans are all the rage these days. Ragnell's not in a hurry to get one for herself, though. Seems sort of tasteless.
    
    And from there, Elly. Huh. Feels like it's been a while since she saw her last, though it hasn't actually been that long; it's just that they didn't speak much if at all the last time they were in each other's general vicinity. And, hm, there's Ambrosius. Haven't seen *him* in an age. It seems like he's still on good terms with Riese and especially with Janey, if her excitement and shining hopeful eyes are any indication.
    
    But for now, aside from returning Riese's greeting and that earlier wink at Jean, Ragnell just watches the people meandering and conversing below. Today, she has decided, is a chill, people-watching day. 

<Pose Tracker> Lemina Ausa has posed.

Lemina pauses for a moment, thinking about Janey's answer. "There's a way to do both," Lemina says, with a grin. "I'll show you later." She doesn't want to interrupt the action with a lengthy tutorial on mechanical toy joints, after all.

She turns to Ambrosius, who seems to have the same idea, and is still all smiles -- before turning back to Janey and giving another nod. "He's right, though -- it really is pretty nice! And, uh, I think stronger is better than more arms. More arms makes it weird."

Talk of hitting the road back to Meribia ends up pulling her attention away. "That's right -- the tournament! ... I might end up going to settle up with Ramus or something while we're there," Lemina notes. "After Lacour I'm kinda.. all tournamented out, a little. Though if you guys participate I'll be cheering you for sure!"

A pause. Then: "More than standard cheer volume can be yours at a slight surcharge..." 

<Pose Tracker> Jean has posed.

For Jean, the chance to just be around a tight-knit group is... a little like home. Maybe the caravan didn't have quite so many kids, but it's not like she's complaining. Cetiri gets a grin. "Right? It's awful!"

She has little aftershocks of laughter about the Forever Dungeon. "Don't underestimate Ruby." She winks back at Ragnell in turn, because it's definitel both for her. But...

"Snakes mostly don't like to wander into wagons," Jean says. "They tend to be more scared of people than people are of them." She... She does not answer about cuccos and whether they hurt people. She definitely does not answer that.

"A story's a story--a little embellishment just makes it more fun!" she offers Hiro. But, more quietly...

More quietly, she answers Hiro, "Yeah. Soon." A glance to Lemina, "...It's better if you don't--" More than standard--

Jean picks up a handy pillow and throws it straight at Lemina's face. Like an adult. 

<Pose Tracker> Hiro has posed.

 
Civilized?" Ruby questions Noeline. I mean is this what civilized people do? Sit around. Talking about cuccos. Civilization - built around... chatting angry birds."
 

<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.

"It doesn't work if you announce it, you realize," Noeline grumbles to Cetiri with a rather glum expression - but she's in too much good cheer to really mean it, an amused light twinkling in her eyes as she says it. She seems to pick up the arch expression out of nowhere, because next she's turned it on Fei as she flicks her hair out once more, apparently playing up her imperious nature for a moment. "And of course it is. It just means he can be put back in it at any given moment."

    She does almost seem to hold her breath when Lydie asks for Ambrosius' advice; something in the back of her brain suggests that this might be a tug-of-war between Janey and Lydie's 'more arms' plan and Ambrosius' more measured approach, and she's quite eager to see how exactly that shakes out.

    The metal demon pauses, and lets out a contented yawn as she turns the page of what appears to be a rather bad dimestore novel - but at least Noeline seems to be eating it up, pausing only to lean forwards over the arm of the chair to offer Riesenlied an affectionately light touch against her hair. Her hand does still for a moment, her eyebrows shooting upwards as her partner sums up a legend that's been touched more than a little by artistic licence, but then she just chuckles and accepts it for what it is.

    "We are certainly not short of assistants when it comes to mechanical matters, even if you limit it to the people here," she adds towards Elly, not getting up from her seat. "It's almost strange, to be short on spiritual sorts by comparison for once. There's a pause, and Noeline glances up at where Ragnell is also indulging in a bit of people-watching; the demon hesitates, mulling something over, and then lifts up a half-drunk bottle of what appears to be rather cheap and cheerful red wine from where it's sat next to her battered armchair, waggling it in silent offer.

    "Let's be quite fair," she adds to the little dragon who sits down amongst their group, lit up with mischievous cheer. "Civilization has discussed much more stupid things in its time." 

<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.

Fei says, "Ahhh, time dilation. Good choice." He pauses as Hammer's MAD SKILLZ are called into question and he says, "Well to be honest, I had no idea Lemina was a mechanic too until now so...Maybe? It's basically a tiny gear right?" Will Super Magdalene DX be the downfall of Taben Peak??? Probably not.

Fei spots Ragnell a moment later and waves to her. "Oh hey," Fei says in an aside to Elly, still oblivious to what really happened between them. "Your friend Ragnell's here."

Lydia says, "Civilization's overrated." and then frowns. "And multiple arms AREN'T weird!" She crosses her own arms, apparently on good enough terms with Kalve to speak up on arm count. Well it's probably thanks to him she still has arms so she has good reason. 

<Pose Tracker> Rudy Roughnight has posed.

 It has been a long few months up here, in a new place and a new world. For Rudy, the outsider looking in, it is like starting from scratch. Only the aid of new friends keeps him from being more distant than he was and the usual confused and aloof self had been in Adlehyde in what seemed like forever ago.
 
 But there are people and one of them has invited him here. So, with pack loaded with requested supplies on his back, a long figure makes his way toward the group in question, his bandana fluttering behind him. Hiro and his group of allies are noticed by Rudy as well as the (ex?)Metal Demon pair. He doesn't really say anything to anyone in particular, now the rest of the people. Well, save for two words that seem to pair well with his awkward smile as the supplies are placed in front of the woman who requested them, Gwen.
 
 "Hey everyone." 

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

    Janey can't help but wipe her eyes off. When Ambrosius went off because of how Wayside'd become too dangerous for him to affiliate with, it was as if some part of her had gone missing -- seeing the workshop emptied like that... but she's kept the few pieces of homework Ambrosius had left for her--

    --which is why Super Magdalen Arrrgh is here now. "Hehe, yeah... and, actually, actually? You don't have to wind him up anymore now, cause Lydia and Lemina showed me how to plug a little power source at the back!" she sounds proud. "But uh, carrying capacity... needs work Multiple arms... mm, maybe for the Spider-Magda version!"

    Somehow, Spider-Butlers have a place in the tree of Janey's butler variants.

    "... 'm glad to see you again," Janey murmurs to Ambrosius in that way that nuh uh DAD i'm not crying!! way. "Even if it's just a couple days..."

    Speaking of the truth of cuccos, Riesenlied herself seems to be immune to the reality, despite the fact that--

    The Pleasing Gardens, several months ago;

    The Black Wolves make bid for a desperate escape against some berserking sabrecats. A claw is swept through the air--

    --and hits a cucco in its centre of mass.

    Riesenlied's pupils shrink as sabrecat blood splatters over her face.

    --Perhaps she's done the characteristic Riese style of blotting out unpleasant traumatic memories as she usually does. As Noeline draws her hand in to stroke her hair, she can't help but lean warmly, even as some of the children make faces and go 'ewwwww they're being adults!'

    "Oh, Elly, I didn't see you come in... I hope everything's been all right," Riesenlied expresses, before returning to the story. She glances at where Gwen's trying to doze off a bit, smiling as she watches him interact with the orphan she brought from Lastonbell. Hopefully Heath has had an okay time here...

    "Vidopnir ruled over the roots of Yggdrasil, permitting passage only to the kindest of children. The magical cucco would not allow evil to permeate the World-Tree! Dark forces loomed in the distance, and it was only with the children's help that the day could be saved..."

    "Ooh, I wanna be a hero!" "Me too, me too!"

    Riesenlied perks up as Rudy enters, waving just a bit bashfully -- and self-consciously; she still knows there might be sore spots over what'd happened, and though she's trying her best...

    "Hello, Rudy..." 

<Pose Tracker> Elhaym van Houten has posed.

 
"She's not my friend," Elly answers Fei, with a momentary face best summarized as :T.

"I'm glad I'm not in Rolance any more, that's for sure," Elly answers Ruby. She adjusts the shawl that's keeping mountain cold off her tender shoulders. "... Oh, dear. Well; I think I've already been lashed to the mountain as the fire lighter, so..."

She giggles a little.

"I only thought of Hammer because of his skills in maintaining Gears," she answers Ruby. Her voice raises a little to call "Hello!" to Lemina.

To Riesenlied, she says with another sort of weak smile: "It's certainly getting better. I'm worried about what's happening in Rolance, but..." Well, but, there are children present, is the implication of her side-glancing. 

<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.

Fei blinks a few times. "Huh?" Pause. "Oh you're not? But she said." Pause. "Oh, uh, sorry, I guess I totally misread that situation. Sorry about that." He gives one more look towards Ragnell oh no is he re-evaluating? Or maybe he's just deciding to step away before he truly shoves his foot into his mouth. He decides not to ask about it in front of like fifty people but it's hard to find a segue at this point but then...!!

Oh hey! It's Rudy! Fei grins widely upon seeing him. He makes his way towards Rudy with conviction. Perhaps he's going to give him a small nod as he often does though why would he be stepping away to do that??

The answer comes when he closes into melee and he gives Rudy a shoulderpat with one hand, looking into his eyes for a moment.

And then he just flat out gives the mysterious kid a quick hug (he might lift Rudy up if he's not careful all the same).

"Missed you, man!" He adds, if he gets far enough to set Rudy back down. "Haven't seen you since...well since coming here, I think! Didja have trouble finding us? You eating alright?"

MEANWHILE

Lydia says, "Fair, fair." to Janey, smiling over to Ambrosius. "Y'know, you could stick around a bit longer. Not like we're goin' anywhere and it's pretty dangerous out there right now. I think Janey'd appreciate it." 

<Pose Tracker> Hiro has posed.

 
"Time what now?" Ruby says before giving Noeline an exasperated look. "Like what?" Before suggesting with a needling tone, "Fake Crimson Nobles?"
 
Hiro waves towards Rudy, "Hey guy - you were Rudy - Cecilia's friend right? Good to see you again."
 
Before nodding at Lemina, "Hrmm. Yeah. I'm tempted myself but in this case I kinda feel like it might be best if I watch Jean's back... given what we're-"
 
And then he watches a pillow careen into Lemina's face. "Ah." Hiro notes. "Hope you two aren't starting a pillow fight because... that makes me decidedly unarmed."
 
Ruby shrugs at Elly and Fei, "I mean sure - he's got madd skillz but he was also captured by kids and couldn't mechanic his way out of a net."
 
Ruby then puts a pawsie to her chin. "Then again I guess he did... find a way to send the word out by... hot wiring... a person so... maybe I'm being overly critical."
 
A few moments later she decides, "Nahhhhhh."
 

<Pose Tracker> Jean has posed.

Rudy's arrival gets a glance from Jean; of course she notices him coming in, notices the stuff he brought along, and smiles his way. "Delivering to Gwen?" she asks with a little laugh. She doesn't interrupt Riesenlied's tory. ...And neither does she step into talk of friends and not-friends, for that matter. She's a little focused on what's right in front of her. "I don't think cuccos are so bad a choice of conversation!" Jean offers Ruby. "...Though I'm starting to get hungry..."

Jean would eat a cucco. This hasn't stopped being true.

"Starting nothing," Jean comments about the pillow, "Though Ruby... Did you forget that we all ended up in the net?" 

<Pose Tracker> Ambrosius has posed.

Ambrosius smiles. He can tell Janey is tearing up a little bit, but he politely doesn't call attention to it. "I see... Very iiimpressive..." Ambrosius comments, nodding his approval. He looks the machine over.

"Yes...that is an...iiimportant step to take... As for the carrying capaaacity...I would suggest eeeither a lighter...sturdier mateeerial...or iiimplenting more support in the construuuction..." He comments. The latter would probably be easier than the former, but might take more figuring out...

...But that was part of the fun!

Ambrosius would never knock Spider-Butlers, though - a butler would, of course, require many arms to do adequate work!

Lydia's question does, however, give him pause. He has to think about it for a moment.

"...We shall see..." He replies, a rare moment of uncertainty on his face. He didn't want to say 'yes', if something happened that required him to leave...but perhaps he was afraid of committing one way or the other. 

<Pose Tracker> Lemina Ausa has posed.

"Aaa!" Lemina promptly gets hit with a pillow, and deservedly so. "Rude!! Mega-rude!" Lemina says, grabbing the pillow. She considers throwing it back... but then decides to be an adult about it inst --

-- no, she doesn't. Grabbing the pillow and hugging it tightly to her stomach, she says, "This pillow is mine now. It doesn't matter where it came from or anything. It belongs to me and is for my personal, exclusive use."

Elly gets a wave back, though Lemina keeps one arm firmly on the pillow. It's important that she has follow-through on this one. 

<Pose Tracker> Gwen Whitlock has posed.

    "Mhph." Gwen cracks open one eye at the addition of a new voice, raising her head to look at Rudy.

    Like a switch, she shoves her fatigue to the side, raising up with the expected amount of bedhead (the dreaded curse of short hair). "-Heeey, Rudy!"

    Heath blinks at this wondrous transformation, looking from the newly woken Gwen to the quiet Rudy, then back. Turning to the young Drifter, Heath looks up at Rudy, his eyes wide. Admittedly, he doesn't need to look up that far.

    ".... bandanna...."

    He remembers Rudy, alright.

    Gwen, meanwhile, glances from Rudy to the story-telling Riesenlied, specifically to her shy greeting.

    Oh. Wait. Riiigghhht. There's that whole unresolved tension, which even Gwen has to admit is extremely understandable. Rudy has put his all into getting Adelhyde City back to its former glory, collecting what has to be now at least two forms of currency towards this goal.

    Gwen tries to think of something to say, but thankfully, there is now a Fei, and he is hugging Rudy, and it is the most adorable thing ever. "Oh, you n' Rudy know each other?" She really shouldn't be surprised; Fei seems to have a liking for fellow underdogs. "Yeah, I figured Rudy'd be a great help in gettin' stuff up here. I mean, sure, I could handle it myself, but it makes it a lot easier with two people, y'know?"

    Gwen looks at the people gathered around. "Oh Rudy, y'probably know a bunch more here." She consciously skips over Noeline and Riesenlied, giving them each a gracious nod for continuing to be good sports. "Over there's Hiro n' Ruby. They've helped me out of many jams, and I'm lucky to count them amount my friends." Being they're from Lunar. "There's Jean over there. She's a great dancer! A great fighter, too. Mixes them up real nice! And Lemina, who knows lots of magic, n' is great with money!" And they're... pillow fighting. "N' over there is... Ambrosius..." Speaking of unresolved issues....! BUT that's a matter for another time.

    Lunar made a lot of people have to reorganize their allegiances, after all.

    "You probably know Elly, if you know Fei. Biggest heart ever!" ... wait, he just may already know everyone here. "I'll have to let Nall know you're here. Otherwise he might try t'draft you into doin' chores." Though, Rudy might actually appreciate that, Gwen realizes. ... Nah, let it be his choice. 

<Pose Tracker> Rudy Roughnight has posed.

 As the Wayside woman greets Rudy, there is a long pause as Rudy takes her in. He doesn't speak, doesn't react. He just watches her. It's hard to tell what thoughts run behind those soft brown eyes. It seems after a ten seconds or though, however, the response to her is merely a nod; listening to conversation is enough for Roughnight for the moment as talk of Rolance and what it means for the children. Is that good or bad? For the moment, perhaps no news is good news.
 
 As usual, the thoughtful young lad takes in the conversation all the way until Fei moves up toward him. He nods toward the friend of the fierce fists as the shoulder pat turns into a hug. Rudy doesn't really do much save let it happen, merely waiting patiently to be put down. He gives a small smile in response, his tone quiet as usual outside of combat. "I'm doing okay. I just wandered around a bit. They said it was weeks. It didn't feel like it," Roughnight observes to his odd post-Berserk battle state. He shrugs faintly. "Other than that, doing okay. I thought I was going to have to kill someone I didn't want to because they seemed like they were going to hurt people, but it's okay now." There is an oddly calm smile despite his words. "I like not having to hurt people."
 
 In the wake of his explanation, Jean's question gets a nod with his trademark phrase of "I like helping."
 
 Then the woman herself arises, but he doesn't answer on how he knows Fei, figuring the man himself can do that. As Gwen introduces people, he merely nods and waves to all of them. Even those he's already met, no need to correct her after all! 

<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.

    Noeline watches the newcomer for a moment, feeling oddly nostalgic; she's seen him before, but that feels like a lifetime ago - and in some ways it really was. Another world, a completely different surrounding, and Noeline furtively trying to relay what information she could to the Princess of Adlehyde, still uncertain where exactly she stood in the midst of the conflict.

    She's grown since then, far more than she ever did in the centuries she wandered Filgaia, and she returns the awkward smile with a quietly amused one of her own, and then tilts her head in a nod of respect. She wouldn't say it out loud, especially not in front of Riesenlied, but-- she owes him, at least in some respects, for what happened atop the Pleasing Gardens.

    The spy can't keep her cool at her partner's story much longer, though; Riesenlied waxes lyrical about magical cuccos teaming up with humans to protect the World-Tree, and she has to quirk an amused eyebrow at the gaggle of children drinking up the story for all they're worth. Not that she can talk, and at least she knows it - looking down at her own page she shakes her head with a laugh and carefully marks her position before closing the book.

    She totally folded the corner of the page down. What a monster.

    "Why not?" Noeline answers Ruby with an upbeat smile. "After all, there are worse topics, and there's nothing wrong with a little whimsy. You're not telling me you're going to sulk at a good story, are you?" she teases openly, with another glance at the children gathered around Riese; a shrug of her shoulder points in their direction, as if to suggest that she reckons the current plan is working out just fine.

    "We already have enough in the way of diversity here, don't you think?" she notes towards Ambrosius with a quiet huff of air. "I doubt a little more will hurt, at least for a while. I mean, by my count, you are maybe the fourth most improbable person here, perhaps the fifth." 

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

    As if to illustrate the point, Muni the blob-shaped yellow Dragon bounces lazily in the background, chased after children trying to whack her with colorful pinata sticks. 

<Pose Tracker> Hiro has posed.

 
"Part of the Vane Restoration Fund?" Hiro teases Lemina lightly. Before heading over towards Gwen. "Ha. Introducing us all? Well I can't complain. And I don't think you need to even report him to Nall. He seems to know everything that's going on up here all the time."
 
Hiro shrugs, "Guess that's necessary when you're looking after so many kids."
 
"Yes!" Ruby answers to Noeline, before changing her answer. "No - well maybe shut up!" And onto Jean, "Yeah but we'd just fought - that guy! They had an unfair advantage!"
 
But then Ruby gets distracted by Muni-Muni and starts flying off after them. "Heyyyyy kids what do you think you're doing!? Don't whack such a majestic creature with sticks! She's not full of candy or something - come on!"
 
Before she asides to Muni-Muni. "(Would it kill you to act more majestic every now and then?)]"
 

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

    "Oooi!"

    A child pulls up excitedly from up one of the ropes. "Y'all should see what I got! Jimmy's found a whole treasure trove of chestnuts and needs some help pickin' it up!"

    Some of the children look up to Riesenlied, and she nods as she says, "All right, we'll save the rest of the story for another time."

    Janey stretches as she sighs to go, "Yeah... I've got some ideas. You-- lift with your legs, right? So Super Magdalen's gonna need strong knees if it's gonna keep anything held up."

    She grins and rubs her nose, saying, "I'm gonna go with the kids -- the workshop I'm using's down there, just sit tight and I'll be right back!"

    A group of kids wander off with Janey, with that. "I'm gonna get the most chestnuts of them all!" "You got a mouth like a chestnut, buster!" 

<Pose Tracker> Jean has posed.

Adlehyde was a long time ago--a set of memories Jean won't forget soon, even if they feel farther away now that she's back here on Lunar. It's not much nostalgia, really.

"You deserved it," Jean retorts to Lemina, and then laughs. "Is that how it is? Well, I guess you can consider that my donation," Jean answers Lemina with a grin.

As she's introduced, Jean offers a wave Rudy's way. ...Though she hesitates at being called a 'great fighter', not exactly... loving that part. But--

Rudy not wanting to kill people is a mark in his favor, though the topic isn't. "Helping's good," she answers.

"Sure sure," to Ruby, "Super unfair. Hey--" She looks over, and shakes her head with a sigh. "Oh, Muni..." 

<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.

Lydia says, "...Yeah, okay." to Ambrosius, masking her dissapointment with a glance away and some fiddling with her hair. "It's cool, I get it, but...Well, you know the drill." Ambrosius is a smart guy, he can figure it out. She turns as a child comes up excitedly. And talks about CHESTNUTS. WOW! CHESTNUTS. Actually, Lydia lives from a desert so it's still pretty cool to her even if she's aware this is Lunar so it's still a dorky kid treasure.

"Well y'need strong arms right?" She looks back to Riesenlied. "Don't worry, I'll keep an eye on 'em."

And she follows after Janey and the others.

MEANWHILE

Fei listens to Rudy's story. It's...uh...not much of a story, but it is a dialogue about a thing that happened and reading between the lines adds a bit more to what's going on. He, like Jean, approves of his sentiment and he smiles.

"Yeah, I don't like it either. You're a good man, thinking like that."

He is still oblivious about what happened with Berserk but surely Rudy was talking about someone else he thought he might have to kill.

He turns to Gwen and laughs at her comment. "Is it so strange? We've run a dig or two together, met each other in Adelhyde."

He reddens a bit when Gwen says Elly has the 'biggest heart ever' but...

...he doesn't dispute it. 

<Pose Tracker> Ambrosius has posed.

"...I understand." Ambrosius replies with a nod toward Lydia. To appear only for a short time, and then to go away again... Was this perhaps more painful than if he had stayed away...?

...He was not sure. Even in his long life, this wasn't an experience he had faced before.

Ambrosius's eyes meet Gwen's for a brief moment as she points him out. ...Ambrosius looks away. He can't help but feel guilty, after the way they parted, though it may be difficult to tell what he is feeling at first glance.

Instead, he distracts himself by glancing toward Noeline with a raised eyebrow.

"...Only the fourth...? Perhaaaps...I need to try harder..." He comments, with a hint of a smile. ...Did he just display a sense of humor? "...And who is the first...?"

It's at this point that the children decide to head off to help bring chestnuts in. Ambrosius sends Janey a nod.

"...Of course...I would like to see it...when you get back... I must ensuuure...that you are working...with the proper equipment..." He replies, and then offers a slight wave of farewell. 

<Pose Tracker> Lemina Ausa has posed.

Lemina pauses. Trapped in her own gimmick...!

"... Yes. Yes, that's right. This pillow is now a donation to the Magic Guild of Vane," Lemina says, straightening her hair a little bit with the hand that she'd previously used to wave to Elly. "Which... means... I have to honor... the terms I just set." She nods slowly. Okay -- bit achieved. She can be a normal person again.

She watches the kids wander off, and can't help but smile. It's... it kind of reminds her of home, somehow, despite the fact that Vane has never had that many children from moment to moment.

She turns her attention back to Jean and Hiro, affirming, "I've never deserved anything other than love and affection expressed in the form of gald and silver." She grins brightly, turning back toward Rudy and Gwen as she hears herself mentioned. "I know *tons* of magic. Mega-tons." That's a separate measurement... 

<Pose Tracker> Gwen Whitlock has posed.

    As the children run off, Heath hesitates.

    "You should go with Janey n' the rest, Heath." Gwen reaches out to ruffle the child's hair. "It'll do ya good. I'll still be here when you get back, so don't worry. Lydia's gonna be there, too."

    Heath frowns at Gwen, his bottom lip beginning to poke out. Then, looking at Rudy for a moment, he directs his attention downwards. "I like... being helpful too... and people not getting killed..." Slowly, he walks off, then gains speed as the infectious cheer of the others draws him back into their circle.

    Gwen laughs, looking back towards Fei. "Not really, I guess. It's just kinda funny, how it feels like the world is just what's in front of ya, but then you realize there's a whole bunch that happens outside of your awareness. I'm so used to everyone being in their separate bubbles." Her smile brightens. "I like it better this way. Different people, different ideas." Her gaze drifts, coming across Ambrosius. She looks to the side. "Even if we fight, sometimes, because of those differences. But, I wanna believe we can always find a way to come together on something, when it really comes down to it, y'know? Even if we're from different planets. Or are dragons!" She purposely doesn't say 'cat dragons'.

    After all, Muni Muni is here too. 

<Pose Tracker> Rudy Roughnight has posed.

 
 There is an awkward pause as Rudy looks toward Hiro as he mentions a restoration fund for Vane. A small jar is pulled out and investigated, the various currency from a variety of lands mingling about within. It's a sizable amount, the result of odd jobs, successful digs, and glorified begging over the last few months. Brown eyes look up from the jar toward Lemina and Hiro, perhaps not understanding there might be jest involved. "If you guys need help restoring your town" The jar is twisted open, the label of 'Adlehyde Restoration Fund' revealing itself as Rudy briefly struggles to open the tightly sealed jar, balancing the strength needed to open the thing without giving too much and shattering the glass with his bare hand.
 
 After the jar is opened and offered out toward Lemina, the Drifter looks toward Heath. "Hey," he offers softly with a small nod. And then the child speaks of what he enjoys before he walks off. There is a small frown and a questioning look toward Gwen, as if silently making sure everything is alright with the child. After all, a true hero should wait until they are like 12 or something before they start killing people and monsters.
 

<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.

    The more flamboyant of the two Metal Demons watches the children gaggle together and head off together. "Be careful," she calls with a lazy sort of wave, then looks towards Riesenlied with a pleased smile that mixes with relief. Uzda Il-jam was not a terrifically pleasant experience, even if it ended well - the fact that it has the opportunity to fade into a memory for the time being is welcome, and she can't resist petting the blonde's hair once more for good measure.

    That much done, she levels an amused glance at Ambrosius and tosses her head. "For a start, most of the people here have travelled the stars by now. Perhaps even more than us Hyadeans, I should point out! Some of them are on their second trip and counting," she points out cheerily, a fang showing. "Others amongst us are choosing to bridge the gap between races - rather rare, these days - or are straight-out doing something impossible. A Crimson Noble Metal Demon Vampire Shaman surely rates highly," she adds blithely and richly, playing up the fact she is not at least two of those words.

    It's meant purely in jest, of course, but she follows it up by flicking out her hair once more, levelling Lemina with an amused look. "Oh, really now. Haven't you heard that knowledge of magic is undergoing severe inflation these days? Seems like everyone has a spark in them now."

    She pauses when she overhears Gwen's hopes and dreams; she doesn't look guilty, per se, but there is a solemn expression on her face for a moment. Circumstance and society aren't always so kind, she knows that, but-- well, they truly have all come a long way in every sense of the word. 

<Pose Tracker> Pearl has posed.


    It would take a lot to disturb the peace and serenity on Taben's peak. More than a rustling in the trees, more than a footfall in the shadows. The children have marched off, and are well in the process of collecting chestnuts, with Lydia the designated responsible 'grown up'.

    It makes for an easy target.

    The shadows make for Lydia first. First a gloved hand suddenly covers her mouth from behind. A palm strikes into her back, and then a burst of dark purple energy bursts through her chest. Silver blood begins to drip to the floor. The children don't even have a chance to turn around, before a body is thrown into the pile of chestnuts. And then more shadows surround the children.

    The screams can be heard all the way up to the treehouse. 

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

    Riesenlied nods very gently as she waves to Lydia, expressing, "There are cotton bags in the dispensers downstairs, if you need them," since she's been trying to equip the kids with the proper tools for foraging as they're needed.

    Muni-Muni pauses with a :D? expression as Ruby draws nearer and she mentions about acting more majestically.

    Instead of being regal and serene or anything like that, Muni's eyes squint into lines and she sucks a breath--

    --and transforms into a big crown instead. "Wooow, a crown!" "I wanna put it on, I wanna put it on!" "It's too big for any of us to wear..."

    Muni-Muni is a very literal individual.

    Riesenlied pauses for a moment as she looks to Ambrosius and-- can't help but snigger a little, expressing, "You're fine the way you are, Mister Ambrosius." She nods between him and Gwen, looking towards him as he bids Janey off. It'll be all right... she has the exact same hopes and aspirations as Gwen.

    Her eyes blink as she sees that jar of Rudy's. It reminds her of when she... well, off-loaded all of her assets that she managed as 'Olivia' Carver prior to Adlehyde onto Jacqueline... though it seems like he's managed to make a very heavy jar out of the restoration fund. Amazing!

    She's about to reach for it--

    And then she hears the scream.

    Her eyes are wide open, like the worst of all adult fears had just been realised in her. It couldn't be, here? No-- she knows that kind of scream--

    "I-- I must go--"

    She scampers frantically to her feet and throws herself out, towards the balcony and down the rope. "Janey...! Everyone...!" 

<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.

    Even Noeline, often able to act aloof and unaffected when under duress, practically scrambles out of her chair at the first of the cries that waft up to meet them; she catches herself, figuring for a moment that it might just be a bit of rough play between children, but then the first is joined by the second - and that has her up out of her chair at the same time as Riesenlied, her eyes wide as she hears the third.

    Her jaw sets itself hard, teeth clenched together; she practically vibrates in place for a moment, then has silently flung herself after Riesenlied, perhaps even more recklessly given the way she doesn't even bother with the rope - instead, she just pitches over the side, trusting in her ARM pods to wing down to her side to catch her. 

<Pose Tracker> Jean has posed.

Jean laughs again at Lemina's reply, but good-naturedly. She smiles her way, too, as she starts to take a breath, just enjoy... the peace of the moment. The peace of the moment, and Lemina's greed, which by this point is practically nostalgic anyway. "Of course, of course," she says to Lemina, and does not, for a moment, think of 'deserve.'

There's a part of her, later, that will wonder if she shouldn't have expected what happens to happen, if she shouldn't have imagined it as soon as she started to feel the peace of the caravan again. But all of that comes later. In the moment... Jean hears the screams, and her blood goes cold. "The children--"

She runs, dropping everything else she'd been even thinking about after where Lydia went--and just in time to see the shadows that to her, are more than mere shadows.

"You," she says, and it's half a gasp; her nightmare, made manifest.

"Let them go!"

Her hands are out; her stance is clear.
Jean pages Pearl and Hiro: hey Pearl
Jean pages Pearl and Hiro: do you want us to recognize you in particular
Jean pages Pearl and Hiro: (the masked you, obviously)
Jean pages Pearl and Hiro: (since... we haven't seen your face) 

<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.

Lydia waves a hand to Riesenlied. "Hey hey, I've been here how long? Don't worry, take it easy for once." And then she's off.

In fact, she's just about gathered up those bags and is sorting them when a palm taps her back. She starts to turn questioningly but--

--Lydia doesn't see it coming. Purple energy bursts out of her chest. She looks down at the gaping wound in her chest for a moment. "whuhh?" is about what she manages before she's bodily hefted up (she's heavier than she looks but not heavy enough) and thrown into a bunch of chestnuts. She sinks down, unmoving.

"S...sis..." She manages before she convulses once and goes limp, eyes staring ahead but seeing nothing.

AND THEN

Fei is listening to Gwen and is about to remark on her optimism when children start screaming.

"Shit...!" Fei shouts, caught a bit flatfooted. He runs after Jean and the others. He never expected that they'd get into Taben Peak. The kids were resourceful and Nall seemed to know what he was doing, but it's another mistake isn't it Fei?

One more mistake for the generous supply that make up your life. You relaxed because the howling negative emotions that lurk within malevolence were a little less loud and now--

Fei slows to a stop only upon seeing the position the children are in. There was no telling what kind of trickery they could engage in. That's part of what made them so difficult to catch in the first place.

"You..." Fei says. "You're willing to go this far?" His fists are clenched but if he moves, it'd be another mistake. They'd kill one, he's certain of it, just to hurt Jean. "Power isn't worth it...!" 

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

    Riesenlied looks -beyond- horrified, her hands to her temples as she screams, "LYDIE!!" as she slumps and falls. 

<Pose Tracker> Hiro has posed.

 
Ruby just sweatdrops at Muni-Muni the Crown. "I mean..." She throws up her pawsies. "...I GUESS!"
 
Hiro looks at Rudy as he offers his money to Lemina. "Ah - Rudy - are you sure you want to..."
 
And then there's screams.
 
For a moment Hiro vaguely believes that is the horror of offering money so freely to Lemina. But that's a passing flight of fancy.
 
BGM Change: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KCjgHrglpg
 
Instead he's tearing off for the balcony and leaping over the side. "Kids!? Kids!"
 
On the way - a woman in blue hair slides around the corner. "Something terrible is h-"
 
She's almost slammed right into by a guy with stripey hair in a green trench who's running off just as quickly. "SORRY PRINCESS!" Nall says as unapologetically frantic as possible as he heads out after the others in hot pursuit.
 
Hiro arrives and stands behind Jean as he skids to a stop. Sword out.
 
"You - Get away from them right now!"
 
Of course he doesn't approach though - what would happen if he did? That woman who was willing to just kill someone on the streets because they were there.
 
He knows real well what'll happen if he approaches right now.
 
"Yeah. They're... willing to go this far Fei." Hiro confirms without hesitation - giving Lydia a worried look. "I don't think there's any limit to what they'll do."
 
Nall gets there soon after, just a touch breathless, but he straightens up, holding his arms out, all but shaking with anger as he faces the cultists. "You filthy cowards - hiding behind kids! Why don't you try taking ME hostage instead of a group of helpless children?"
 
... Nall in what world are any of your kids - or Mikaia and Janey helpless?
 

<Pose Tracker> Elhaym van Houten has posed.

 
There are certain things that can set almost anybody off in an instant. The sudden motion of a spider nearby. The sight of hobgobs rushing out from under a log. Nails drawn down a coarse slate.

The scream of a child.

Elly had been watching matters, in particular Muni-muni's amusing antics, when the scream happens.

It is like a sonic fist through the pleasant glass walls of a tiny greenhouse. Looking up with astonishment, she sees Fei running, and she follows along - a step or two behind, but she does not stumble. She does reach underneath her blouse as she goes, and when they get close enough, she snaps her combat rod into place.

Close enough she speaks. It's kind of soft and rather bloodless, but this shocked, Elly can't get out more:

"Let them go," she says, eyes wide. 

<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.

    Noeline stands over Riesenlied protectively, her gaze sharp and angry; her sword is in her hands, formed from her own living metal, but in her anger she's forgotten to give it any kind of shape - it's just a single, simple point, and nothing more than that. It quivers lightly, her other hand curling into a claw again and again.

    She doesn't lunge, though - she's far too aware of what could happen here, far too aware of the danger the children are in, so she simply holds her ground, watching like a hawk for the slightest, tiniest moment to strike. "... you have no idea the sheer breadth of enemies you have just made today," she mutters low and roughly. 

<Pose Tracker> Lemina Ausa has posed.

Rudy is, conveniently, saved from disaster human Lemina Ausa by the rapid approach of tragedy.

The scream snaps Lemina out of her thoughts of what to do about that money, and her hand almost immediately moves to her staff. "... I hope someone just fell," she says, quietly. A broken bone would be pretty bad, of course, but there are... countless other alternatives which are worse.

She's off like a shot, just behind Jean, though her speed rapidly diminishes after a few moments; she's *really* not built for running. Or really physical exertion of any kind. Even after a year.

When she hears Jean's tone shift -- not even necessarily the words, just the tone -- she gets her staff ready, shifting from 'maybe I'll need to ice an injury' to 'full combat position.'
Riesenlied (Riese) pages Hiro and Pearl: Checking for our plans for tomorrow, did you need assistance with a GS or are we not getting that far? 

<Pose Tracker> Ambrosius has posed.

"Fair enough..." Ambrosius replies with a smirk toward Noeline, and then a thankful nod toward Riesenlied. However...it is not long before this peaceful atmosphere is suddenly and horrifically dashed.

Screams fill the air...and Ambrosius's expression hardens. He follows the others soon after, with a speed he rarely displays.

When they face the intruders, however, he does not act yet. No, he knows well what has occurred to the others, and what danger the children are in. His strength, though great, was not an asset in this situation.

It would not do to cause unnecessary trouble.

It would not do to give them any more information about his capabilities than necessary.

He simply stands there behind them at his full height, quiet and imposing. His fury, for now, is kept inside. 

<Pose Tracker> Gwen Whitlock has posed.

    Oh, right. There's a Vane restoration fund. Gwen's mind begins to think of the possibilities. Maybe the two could discuss strategies, or cheer each other on in a show of support. Or maybe...!

    ... Rudy then opens the damn jar, with a sort of earnestness only he and a few others seem to genuinely possess, in Gwen's experience. "U-... uh." Blue-grey eyes scan the area, pleading with Hiro, then Jean, and- no she doesn't plead with Lemina, that would be an exercise in mega-futility.

    It's probably a sort of blessing that the kids wander off, providing a nice distraction from a potentially awkward situation. Rudy's questioning look is met with an equally oblivious grin from Gwen. Well, intentionally oblivious. Many who knew what sort of town Gwen really came from would know better than to accept that grin for genuine cluelessness.

    Then the screams start, killing the guilelessness from Gwen's outward persona completely. "... eh?" An attack? She isn't entirely scared at first, old memories exerting their influence. Kids scream all the time, after all. But usually, those sorts of screams come in a different sort of key, usually followed by a guilty silence.

    "... Damn it! Monsters must've gotten in the base!" After all, who'd think to attack? She bursts into a run, after the group. 

<Pose Tracker> Pearl has posed.

    The sight that awaits the residents and visitors to Taben's Peak is not a pretty one. Easily ten men and women, all clad head to toe in black. Between them, most of the children who went foraging are held, some slung over shoulders, others held roughly by an arm. Chestnuts lie scattered around, some covered in rapidly spreading silver blood.

    At the head of them stands a woman, clad in the same garb as the others. Her foot is on Lydia's head, and not gently. In one arm, she holds Janey, by the neck. A hold that could easily become a snapping movement. It's hard to tell, but under the mask, she might as well be smiling.

    "I do hope none of you are planning on doing anything reckless." She says, a voiced tinged with cruelty. And familiarity, for some. "I am under no obligation to return with them intact. Or all of them alive, for that matter." Cold grey eyes stare out at the assembling crowd, but her stance doesn't change. For now.

    Her attention turns briefly to Noeline, and there might be a smirk. "I'm sure you're all very strong and threatening, but that's hardly going to serve you here." Then, to Nall. "I'm afraid we see no point in wasting time with someone useless, when there are so many who could serve a purpose right here." Her eyes pass over the many gathered. She scoffs at Fei's seeming indignation. "Your friend there is right. Of course we would. And further, if you want to make us."

    Her eyes finally lock with Jean's. "Now, you wouldn't want to do anything that provokes me, now would you?" 

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

    Janey's somehow managed to keep herself from screaming or struggling, but she's evidently majorly in a not-okay way as she looks to everyone else. "... I'm--I'm Okay..." she tries a tact of bravado. "Mom, just-- keep Lydie safe... okay??"

    Riesenlied's throat is dry, her face paler than it usually is as she breathes erratically and looks between Lydia, Janey and the others. "What-- what is your intention? What do you want, in exchange for them?"

    She speaks fast, frantically; she's hoping that they want... something. Anything. The fact Jean's told her about how they kidnap children for their training is lost on her right now. She glances to Jean, then back towards the assassins.

    "We-- we can settle this with words. Don't-- don't harm the children." 

<Pose Tracker> Jean has posed.

Seeing Lydia's condition, Jean's heart squeezes in her chest for a moment before she determines that the young shaman is still alive. Her eyes dart over the men and women, holding children. ...Over the children themselves. She knows their garb well; how could she not?

And she knows this voice. But she would know most of them, wouldn't she?

"...Everyone," Jean says, though she says it bitterly, "Stay back. The Shadow Dragon Cult won't hesitate to kill their hostages."

The voices and support of those gathered mean something, but how can any of them advance right now? Not one of the lives arrayed against them is expendable, not one is an acceptable loss.

"No," Jean says, the frustration clear in her voice, every muscle taut with a melange of terrible emotions. "...I don't want to provoke you. You don't need to take these children. You--"

Her words cut off as she turns her head to the side, as if struck, or as if trying to find the right words.

"Don't you remember what it was like!?" Jean asks, heart breaking at the thought of it for these. "To be taken so young, to be forced to fight one another, to go to sleep with broken bones and nothing but the promise of worse in the morning!?"

"You don't have to do this. ...The Cult's way isn't real strength. It's just death!" 

<Pose Tracker> Gwen Whitlock has posed.

    Ah. These people. The very people that made Jean's life a living hell, in ways Gwen never found out.

    Gwen's glad for that. Especially now, seeing the damage already done to Lydia.

    Nall is onto something. But a perfectly normal 'useless' human being wouldn't be enough to entice them. No, the stakes need to be raised. "Yeah, y'want power? How 'bout you take on someone who's already got it?" Gwen carefully draws back her right sleeve with slow, obvious movements in order to avoid unintentionally provoking them while at the same time brazenly displaying the metal glinting underneath. "The technology of another land. Y'can't get anythin' like this anywhere else. The same powers that turned the tide of the war down on the southern continent, only it's *embedded* in a person. Y'don't even need bullets. Just metal. No casting needed. Those kids can't do that. Let 'em n' Lydia go."

    It's a distraction, ultimately, evident in the shaken, higher pitched tone in her voice. A foolish one, born out of a lack of knowledge of how far these attackers could, and would, go. They can't take her even if they wanted to. An ARM is useless in the hands of someone who doesn't have that needed spark to connect to it, and Gwen's can't be removed. Not without killing her in the process, at least.

    Of course, Heath had to be conscious. At the sight of the metal ARM, combined with Gwen's words providing a direct link between it and the very war that tore his family away from him, he stops struggling, openly staring at the courier.

    Terror is not a pretty reaction for a child to have at someone's presence. Gwen stifles a wince.

    Was he even listening to what the other children were asking her?

    Or did he want to see her as what she tried to appear to be?

    "I usually keep these sorta things hidden, for obvious reasons. But I'm willin' to make exceptions, if you wanna call my bluff here." 

<Pose Tracker> Gwen Whitlock has posed.

    Ah. These people. The very people that made Jean's life a living hell, in ways Gwen never found out.

    Gwen's glad for that. Especially now, seeing the damage already done to Lydia.

    Nall is onto something. But a perfectly normal 'useless' human being wouldn't be enough to entice them. No, the stakes need to be raised. "Yeah, y'want power? How 'bout you take on someone who's already got it?" Gwen carefully draws back her right sleeve with slow, obvious movements in order to avoid unintentionally provoking them while at the same time brazenly displaying the metal glinting underneath. "The technology of another land. Y'can't get anythin' like this anywhere else. The same powers that turned the tide of the war down on the southern continent, only it's *embedded* in a person. Y'don't even need bullets. Just metal. No casting needed. Those kids can't do that. Let 'em n' Lydia go."

    It's a distraction, ultimately, evident in the shaken, higher pitched tone in her voice. A foolish one, born out of a lack of knowledge of how far these attackers could, and would, go. In Gwen's mind, they can't take her even if they wanted to. An ARM is useless in the hands of someone who doesn't have that needed spark to connect to it, and Gwen's can't be removed. Not without killing her in the process, at least.

    Of course, Heath had to be conscious. At the sight of the metal ARM, combined with Gwen's words providing a direct link between it and the very war that tore his family away from him, he stops struggling, openly staring at the courier.

    Terror is not a pretty reaction for a child to have at someone's presence. Gwen stifles a wince.

    Was he even listening to what the other children were asking her?

    Or did he want to see her as what she tried to appear to be?

    "I usually keep these sorta things hidden, for obvious reasons. But I'm willin' to make exceptions, if you wanna call my bluff here." 

<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.

    Noeline's archetypal chatter does serve a purpose, in the end. It's all about stalling for time - building up chances for a situation to change, for others to catch up and join into a standoff and tip it one way or the other. The woman in front of her is already gloating; that's a start. It's a blessing that the assassins are evidently eager to cause a scene - for a moment, her skin runs cold as she imagines what it would be like if they'd just left as silently as they came.

    It's also a chance to control herself; she can feel the rising anger, pushing it down as she grits her teeth. "... you do realize that our numbers include demons, shamans, and those not of this world, yes? That we have faced down Malevolent horrors and ancient gods and lived?" she nearly spits, her eyes riveted on Janey for a moment as she tries her best to check the girl's condition, whether she has anything to hand she can use. Gwen's show helps punctuate her point: "If you take them now... we will stop at nothing to find them again." 

<Pose Tracker> Ambrosius has posed.

Ambrosius spots Lydia, and then he spots Janey. His eyes narrow - the first, subtle sign of anger. He says nothing, instead, he offers the girl a slight nod in the hope of offering some small amount of reassurance.

And then, he begins to assess the strangely-garbed figures arrayed here as well as the woman speaking for them. To get here without noticed was no small feat, and she the way she spoke indicated a certain amount of confidence...

These people certainly were dangerous.

His attention, briefly, turns toward Jean. He understands well enough the story by listening to her speak. Though he doesn't know her, he puts stock in her words about these people - this 'Shadow Dragon Cult'.

He stands by all appearances completely still, save for the movement of his eyes and the turning of his head. He doesn't have anything heroic to say here. His thoughts, right now, are not anything that would be considered particularly 'heroic'...nor, in this situation, particularly helpful. 

<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.

Lydia is probably still alive though it's hard to tell right now. She's been burned to a skeleton and survived--but she isn't healing yet and while Lydia has a tough head even without it being a rock (long story, Pearl!), it's not going to stop a concerted effort to crush it and that, well, it's hard to see even Lydia from coming back from that.

Her eyes stare ahead, camera lenses taking stock. Is she thinking anything? And if she is, is she thinking anything but 'please don't take them'? It had taken her so long to find a family, and it seems even Lunar is not so kind as to provide freely.

And then of course there's this guy.

Do it

Fei is surprised at the sudden and directness of the red voice from within. He slides one foot forward but Hiro's warning manages to stop him before he actually rushes the Shadow Dragon Cult Members. He too remembers that woman's voice and says, "You...You idiots. You think power solves everything, but power hasn't ever solved anything. All power does is create problems. I wouldn't wish 'power' on my worst enemy, but here you killing and kidnapping to grasp at what you can get."

Do it!

I can't, Fei thinks, they'll hurt them.

Don't you want to give them what they want? Power? So much power that they'll LEARN?

Yes! But...I can't reach them like this.

They'll die anyway. What's stopping you? Don't they deserve to experience it? Wouldn't it be nice? Poetic? Artists like poetry, Junior.

Yes, Fei thinks, but ... if we move now we'll never find their leader.

The red voice is quiet for a moment before admitting, a touch impressed, I underestimated you, kid

Fei's posture shifts after that. Jean is saying what K.K said, more or less. Power without strength... Remember, Fei, these are children too. "You want control over your lives." Fei murmurs. "You want to hurt the world because you've been hurt, but the world isn't fair like that. All you'll get is a hero's sword between your ribs. That's the fate of people like you." 

<Pose Tracker> Elhaym van Houten has posed.

 
Elly stares at the woman before her.

And...

She feels helplessness seize her spine. She could probably kill them. Any of them could kill them. She could set them on fire; she could rip them asunder (like she did those other people, she realizes, with a cold cramping feeling); she could make the stone itself seize them. She might save most of them...

But there are ten of them. And each of them has a child close to hand. Can she get ALL of them?

She starts, softly, to hyperventilate. Her grip on her baton tightens.

Vierge, she thinks. I -

Vierge is too far. I couldn't signal it even if I had the fob. And...

AND...

Something kind of trips in her brain, but it is not a destructive unleashing; it's more like a dog reaching the limit of its tether. "You don't - have to do this," she says, as if pleading with them. "Let them go--!" 

<Pose Tracker> Lemina Ausa has posed.

Jean tells everyone to stay back... and Lemina, for a moment, isn't having any of it. Her grip on her staff turns white-knuckled, and she opens her mouth to speak, but... ... no, Jean's right. If anyone knows about this -- if anyone understands how to negotiate with these people, insofar as they can negotiate at all... it's Jean.

"... a -- all right," Lemina says, quietly, putting her staff back at her back, for the moment. It doesn't feel good to do nothing. Not in the least. But she wants these kids to be safe -- and right now, she has to back off a little to do that.

"Listen to Jean!" she pleads. "This is awful -- don't -- why would anyone do this?!"

... She knows why, of course. She's been told as much. But... 

<Pose Tracker> Hiro has posed.

 
Hiro's grip tightens on his sword, but he doesn't otherwise move. Utterly unwilling to put the kids at risk in some daring rescue. "A purpose...?" And then his eyes grow wide as they dart to Jean. "You can't mean-!" Swallowing as Jean tries to talk her down. "Look... taking kids captive..." He looks at Pearl, "It's... not going to prove anything to Jean about who is stronger."
 
Whereas Nall's face spasms as if Pearl struck an intense nerve. Speechless during Jean's whole attempt to talk her down. However he already knew she was of the Shadow Dragon Cult. He already knew. "... Fine - you're right. I'm just a useless fool who was too damned careless in thinking the barricades would keep you out."
 
Nall slumps, "Those kids deserve a better life than what you're intending. So I'm begging you. If you have even a single shred of compassion in you."
 
Nall gets down on his knees, as if all of his pride has left him. "Then take me instead." His eyes levelling on Pearl in particular, "And I betcha that I can prove your assessment wrong to whoever you're reporting back to."
 
Lucia shows up at that moment to say gravely. "Nall." In a tone that causes him to freeze in place. "You are needed."
 

<Pose Tracker> Pearl has posed.


    "I fear you misunderstand." Those cold, grey eyes fall upon Riesenlied. "We already have what we want. Of course, if there's one you particularly want to keep, you could deliver the rest of the children here and something might be arranged."

    Gwen's offer briefly raises an eyebrow, but shakes her head. "I've seen this technology of another world. It's a quaint trick, but nothing more. It's nothing compared to what I already have." As if to illustrate her point, her free hand glows with the black purple energy. It hovers over Lydia's shoulder. "Of course, I could make it so she might be interested. If she survives."

    The anger seething from Noeline and Ambrosius seems to just fuel the cruel fire that stokes the woman. "That's a risk I am willing to take. By the time you find them, they may be ready to oppose you themselves."

    Then comes the begging, and the woman laughs again. "You truly believe asking nicely is going to change what happens here?" A withering glance then shoots to Fei. "And where is this hero, if he's going to stop me?"

    No, now she turns to Jean and Nall. She looks down at the young man. Asking for compassion. A better life? "What better life?" The woman spits the words. "This is the best opportunity they can hope for." She looks back at Jean. "Of course I remember. To be made into something strong. Something powerful." Something, however, changes in her demeanour. "You have no right to lecture me. To act as though you cared about anyone's fate but your own. You were the strongest amongst us. You could have led. You could have killed him. Instead you ran. Maybe one of these ones will do what you should have done."

    Smoke and shadows start to surround the Shadow Dragon Cultists. "I think it's time we left. Find us, if you truly think you can." Suddenly, the space fills with darkness, the magic of the cultists blinding those to what happens next.

    When light returns, all that is left is Lydia on the ground, and the chestnuts the children had been so eagerly foraging for. 

<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.

    Noeline can't truly remember when she was last this angry; part of her wants to loudly swear that she will raze the Shadow Dragon Cult to the ground, and is entirely prepared to do it - but on the other hand, she's all too aware that that would only hurt the people around her even harder, having long since learned that escalation only goes so far.

    As the assassins vanish, all she can do is tamp down the words, holding onto the hilt of her weapon hard enough to drip white blood from the palm of her hand, her arms shaking as she bites back her anger with a low, slow, and almost sibilant hiss. She knows first-hand what exactly Janey has gone through in the past; she has more faith than almost anyone that she'll make it through. But even so... "... we absolutely shall," she rumbles out dangerously. 

<Pose Tracker> Jean has posed.

Jean does not and cannot know the conflict raging within Fei at this time. ...But she can hear the others. "Gwen--" she starts, shaking her head without taking her eyes anywhere off of Pearl. She can imagine what they might do, if they did anything at all with her. ...She can hear Noeline's promise in her words. She can feel Ambrosius's eyes on her--knows that she has revealed a story today even to those who did not know.

Lemina asks why anyone would do this, and Jean's heart aches for the lack of an answer. But Nall--Nall offers himself, and Lucia rebukes him, as--

"You don't need to hurt her further," Jean says to Pearl about Lydia, still stock still. The heroes assembled aren't prepared to stop this right now. But the talk of a better life--

Pearl's response to it, Pearl's answer to Jean's emotional answer--it strikes the former Cultist as surely as any blow, knocks the wind out of her and causes her dark eyes to widen immediately in shock--and quickly, shame. "I--"

Smoke and shadows surround the Cultists, and soon they are gone. Jean doesn't even look away, though the magic blinds her too for the moment. She only, when they're gone, stumbles a step backward, the entire world around her darkened and far away. The light doesn't bring it back to her.

"...What have I done?" Jean whispers, and sinks to the ground. 

<Pose Tracker> Hiro has posed.

 
Nall is up on his feet in a moment, "No! No! Come back! COME BACK DAMN YOU!"
 
Hiro closes his eyes a moment to take a deep breath, then puts his sword in his sheath. "Jean. I know what she said but..." Hiro opens his eyes to look at her face, "...it's not your fault."
 
And then to the rest. "We're going to Meribia. And we're going to find them."
 
Nall finally recover just enough to say, "Sure you are. You're getting those kids back." He adjusts his jacket, "Not all of you are going though. Lucia." In one strange moment where Lucia was so imperious before, now Nall is commanding her. "You're staying here."
 
Lucia is intensely silent for just a few moments - then has a tone that fills like it could freeze the whole ocean. "... What?"
 
Nall gives her this look that seems to obfuscate what he's really thinking, "If all of the rest of them are going then I need more hands here to make sure the kids are looked after. And you've gotten really good at babysitting lately." Lucia says immediately with a little more heat. "I'm going with them. What are you thinking Nall!?"
 
Nall frowns, "Don't you have any compassion? All the kids who are left just got their friends kidnapped - old friends and new friends both. They need someone to comfort them. They need... you."
 
Lucia looks like she's about to dispute that before looking at Jean. "I don't want to leave..." And then her voice falters as she sees Jean, "... Jean."
 
Walking over to her, Lucia crouches over, and puts her hands on Jean's. Before repeating. "Do you remember what I said? Fighting for the future doesn't erase the past. The only thing that changes is yourself."
 
Lucia after a moment looks Jean in the eyes however and says. "But I think I was wrong. You're not the only thing that changes. The people around you can too."
 
Slowly her hands apply pressure to Jean's. "If that's the future you want - then - fight for it."
 

<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.

Lydia lies amongst chestnuts. She's not going to recover in time, IF she recovers.

Pearl throws the concept of 'responsibility' back in Jean's face. She could have stopped this by taking over, by murdering a man. Fei's seen Jean at work enough to know that she's quite capable, but it's altogether possible the leader is even stronger. There's always someone around with a bigger knife.

"Nall--" Fei begins, looking at him. Can HE do something? Lucia seems to think so, but all he's doing is waiting like the rest of them. Strange.

But ultimately he keeps an eye on Pearl. "One always comes. That's the one truth to believe in. Kill him yourself if you're so desperate, there's enough of you."

But then there's a flash of light and it fades. Lydia is still there on the floor. Fei stares ahead like he's having a PTSD flashback. Maybe he is. Maybe it's pushing him in a certain direction.

"Jean," Fei looks over to her. "Don't listen to them. They want to blame everyone but themselves." He shakes his head. "It's not your fault. You didn't do anything."

That's right. You didn't do anything 

<Pose Tracker> Ambrosius has posed.

Ambrosius shields his eyes with a hand as the Cultists are suddenly and abruptly enveloped in smoke. And when it clears...

...They're gone.

...Ambrosius is quiet. There is a world of pain here that he doesn't understand, that much is clear. In many ways, he is an outsider to this place. But there is one thing he does understand.

This could not go unpunished.

"...You will have my hand in this. This is not up for discussion." He states, clearly and plainly, as he puts his hood up. ...And then he turns and walks away with his eyes hidden, to leave them to their grief and to make preparations. 

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

    I fear you misunderstand.

    It was the last thing that Riesenlied wanted to hear. If-- if they wanted money, they wanted... something, anything, she'd have something to work with. Her eyes widen further as she strestches her hand forward--

    "No, no, please-- no! Janey-- no!!"

    Tears are streaming from her eyes as she clutches her arms to herself, with a deep and terrible expression on her face as she drops to her knees. It's only with a great swirl of emotion that she suddenly--

    "Lydie, Lydie..."

    --lurches forward and hurries to Lydia's side, dabbing at her cuffs and holding a cloth to keep the bleeding, trying to help her, anything she can.

    If that's the future you want - then - fight for it.

    Fighting... is fighting what's necessary of her right now? Her vision is murky from the tears streaming from her eyes. 

<Pose Tracker> Lemina Ausa has posed.

Lemina starts practically shaking. It was one thing to hear about these things from Jean -- another entirely to actually see the taking of children. Of children she knew, and spent time with... she was going to -- she was going to...

Her shoulders slump weakly. She looks at Jean, feeling like she should do something, say something... but all she can do is slump down right next to her, close enough to feel her warmth.

After a few seconds, she looks to Jean, then Lucia... but still says nothing. Lucia's said all that needs to be said. 

<Pose Tracker> Gwen Whitlock has posed.

    Gwen's jaw sets in a straight line, looking at the exact spot where those children just were, trying to assess just what happened in such a short span of time.

    And whether how she acted was the right way, especially in front of those children, Heath included.

    So overwhelmed is she that she doesn't move, only snapping out of it when she realizes that Lydia is still there.

    She was spared. Gwen's shoulders relax, allowing for a small sigh of relief.

    Seeing Riesenlied go to Lydia and ensure that she's taken care of, the pale redhead lets out a sigh, her gaze happening to settle on Nall.

    Her grim expression returns, though its edges soften by Nall's show of resolve. Still, she needs to say it, even if it might hurt.

    Even if he may already know.

    Quietly walking forward after Nall's exchange with Lucia, she passes by him, and stops. Her words are quiet, meant for his ears only. "... Don't ever devalue yourself in front of them like that again. It's one thing to act humble, or even be humble, but throwin' away your own strength like that is betrayin' those kids' trust in you. N' that's harder t'heal from. You're their pillar, moreso than any of us."

    She could be wrong. This logic is born from the orphan from Little Twister. You never let anyone see you cry. You never let anyone see you beg. You punched and kicked and made a show of how tough you were, and if you didn't have that, you showed how angry you were. And then you went home, to the safety of the little orphanage, and took off your armor, and mended.

    .... Could she be wrong? "Then again, I'm just a Drifter, so, uh, take my words with a grain of salt." Did she just contradict herself? uh, best to move on!

    A hand settles on Hiro's shoulder, quietly gripping it with the silent offer of a hug, either now or later. "Hiro, Ruby. Y'got me on board." She looks over her shoulder at Lucia, a wide grin on her face. "I'll make sure they get back home safe. My ARM may 'just be a trick', but it certainly gets the job done." The smile dims slightly, her eyes not quite reflecting the sunny nature she tries to exert.

     .... Maybe, Janus had a few points in his way of dealing with things. Violence, sometimes, was just as necessary now as it was back then. Difference is, back then, they only had sticks and fists. 

<Pose Tracker> Hiro has posed.

 
Nall eyes Gwen for a moment, then grimaces before murmuring back. "Look let me level with you. You don't know where I've come from and you don't know where I've been. I know the kind of strength you're talking about. I know the value of it real well. It was taught to me by people who were a lot like yourself."
 
He leans in nearly face to face with Gwen to say, "I was never talking about that kind of strength. You understand?"
 
And with that he takes a hand to dust off a speck of dust from Gwen's jacket. "You wanna be my 'super' courier today? Then deliver those kids back to me."
 

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