2019-03-13: Thanks For All The Fish
- Log: Thanks For All The Fish
- Cast: Marivel Armitage, Xantia, Hiro
- Where: Port Timney
- Date: March 13, 2019
- Summary: A Mysterious Stranger meets two of the people most likely to instantly trust Mysterious Strangers.
==============================<* Port Timney *>=============================== Port Timney is the Kingdom of Adlehyde's premier port town. The city hugs the southern coast of the ranchlands and several trains terminate in Ardyne Grand Station at the northern part of the town. Cattle brought from the ranchlands tend to end up in the northern part of town, before their meat and hides are shipped as far as Krosse and Nortune. Timney has the look of an industrial city, without much of the simple style that Adlehyde's other cities are popular for. While it has few factories, it has many workshops and tanneries in the northern parts of town. Most of the people live in between the northern factories and southern docks, in apartment homes of varying quality. The markets are functional, meant to serve locals rather than sell the imports and exports making their way through the port. The docks, however, are something to behold: numerous large piers, fit for both wooden sailing ships and the newer ironclads, extend out onto the blue waters of the South Ignas Sea. BGM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9KZlk_t4Ww
<Pose Tracker> Marivel Armitage has posed.
Tis a windy day in Port Timney. An ARMS ship has made dock to fuel up and restock. And while they are working, Leviram (ITS HER NAME BACKWARDS) has left the confines of the ship to explore the town. She is presently covered nearly wholly head to toe with only her red eyes and some of her face (not even her mouth) are visible to the outside world.
It also just so happens to be a big time for the fish market as returning fishong boats are selling their goods in stalls along the harbor. It is here that Leviram walks along, dressed for winter and then some. She may indeed be lost in thought.
<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.
'Gotta go to Elru. Gotta go to Elru.'
That phrase has been going through Xantia's head ever since the events the Krosse. The fact that these things take time due to all the preparations that need to be made is exceptionally frustrating. She has no idea what to do with herself now. When there's something this important that needs to be done, few other things seem to matter so much. It's even put her mind off the incident she caused in Dazil, causing her to completely fail to notice how similar this single-minded need to go somewhere is to when she heard that weird sound calling her.
Of course there's nothing unnatural about this need, it's about saving the planet! That would be pretty dang important normally, but with her having doubled down on the whole I Want To Be A Hero thing, it's somehow become even more vital.
Aaaand then she smelled something good and got distracted. Typical.
Thus, there is now a red-haired girl in combat gear carrying a metal platter on which she balances a big stack of various fish. Who could possibly choose which one to have? Who would want to? Just have one of each, that makes more sense. Just like it makes sense to wear her new armor everywhere she goes. You never know when you might need to fight! Also, an armor with cape attachment is a hero staple, looking the part is important.
Humming a happy tune to herself, she's moving along at a brisk pace, paying more attention to her stack of fish than where she's going. Surely people will notice her in time and know to make way. Surely.
<Pose Tracker> Hiro has posed.
"It's not your fault you know."
"I don't want to talk about it!"
"Okay."
"This is all your fault you know!"
"Uh... it's..."
"You're just too trusting!"
"I'll grant you that but..."
"This would have never happened if you'd just vetted the people who travel with us better..."
"I mean that's not... fair to... do you want to talk about it or not!"
"NOPE! Fish Time!"
"It really sounds like you've got some unresolved issues and... like... we need to talk about the far-reaching implications of how you feel about Fei... Virginia... and other people who..."
"I - SAID - FISH - TIME - HIRO!"
"Okay."
Ruby was moving from stall to stall like a rich conoisseur.
"It'd be a waste to sell that sea bass to a restaurant you know? The patrons just wouldn't appreciate it properly. Put it on my tab."
Hiro was getting fish after fish wrapped in paper slapped into his arms as they moved from stall to stall, until he had a thick stack piled up to his nose. Peeking over it, he looks sideways at Xantia.
"Fish time for you too Xantia?"
There's a stupid little grin on his lips like he'd just told an inside joke that noone else would get.
<Pose Tracker> Marivel Armitage has posed.
Gotta catch em all gotta catch em all gotta catch em all elrumon.
Leviram was certainly not at the events of Krosse and honestly it was decently possible she would have completely missed both Xantia and Hiro (somehow she also avoids getting trampled over by Xantia in the process) had they not started chatting at one another.
'You're just too trusting!'
Leviram turns to look and sees a flying pink pundle of precious harassing poor Hiro. And Xantia or, more accurately, a giant platter of fish attached to a Xantia.
"That's quite a lot of fish." Leviram says to Hiro whom she assumes is also paying for Xantia's fish. "Do you need help with your... 'tab'?"
Then she looks Xantia over again presuming she can see her at this point to say, "Nice digs."
<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.
Xantia hears her name, a screeching sound accompanying her abrupt stop. The stack of fish looks dangerously close to toppling, but only for a moment, Xantia handily correcting its balance. She's had a lot of practice with that - this is far from the first Big Stack of Stuff that she's carried, nor the first time she stopped this suddenly with one of those.
Only once this all-important balancing act is completed does she look at the source of the voice, quick to smile when she sees a familiar face.
"Oh, Hiro, hi! Yep, sure is!" Inside or otherwise, there's no way she ever would've gotten that joke. Then she calls out, "Hi, Ruby!" In a completely casual, friendly, normal way. Maybe she finally learned not to look at Ruby in the same way she looks at food. Or maybe that's just because she already has food right now. Other than that, Xantia seems pretty much the same as always. Though there certainly was a time where she would never have made the offer she then proceeds to make.
"You wanna try some to help you decide? Or are you just gonna get one of each?" She lowers her voice as if about to tell some big secret, just to say, "I got one of each."
It is then that a very suspicious-looking stranger appears, and... Xantia doesn't treat them with any caution at all. When does she ever? She just cheerfully responds, "Thanks! These are fish, though."
The perils of using slang in conversation with Xantia. She doesn't have any idea how anyone could mistake fish for... whatever digs might be in this context, but why worry about that?
<Pose Tracker> Hiro has posed.
Hiro just grins at Xantia's approach, "You're the kind of person who orders just... the whole left side of the menu aren't you Xantia?"
Whereas Ruby flies back briefly to inspect Xantia's pile, and pats a pawsie on her shoulder. "Oh Xantia honey you don't have to do that. Next time bring me with you and I'll tell you exactly which fish are the tastiest."
Hiro turns to regard Leviram with a startled look beyond his leaning tower of piscine power, "I mean... it's pretty big.... are you sure?"
A half dozen more are slapped down atop it, causing him to wobble precariously in a dance to balance it, "What's the catch?"
Did he add a fishing pun onto that? Probably.
"Hiro don't question the astoundingly charitable soul who knows how to treat a growing dragon!"
The youth just sweatdrops for a moment, then looks back between Xantia and Leviram. "Nice... digs..." As if he doesn't exactly get the Filgaian slang - but for another reason. Then eyes Xantia's fish, then he looks back at Leviram.
His eyes then light up. "Oh is this a job offer? Is that what's going on?"
He must think 'dig' is a kind of dungeoneering thing.
<Pose Tracker> Marivel Armitage has posed.
Leviram gets the sense that she ought to be cautious with Xantia and speak as literally as possible. "Pardon the slang." She tells Xantia. "I mean I like your outfit." She glances to Hiro. "You do not need to worry about my finances. You can call me Marie Valeria of the Valeria Household," Her eyes slant towards Ruby for a moment who was telling Hiro he was too trusting and is now, of course, all about trusting her right now. Honestly she's not sure Hiro is distrusting her or just wanted to make a fish joke. It seems about as equally likely to her but Ruby might remember hearing the name 'Valeria' before. Yes, she is now juggling two fake identities at once. She has her reasons.
"But you could explain something to me." She reaches into her pouch and withdraws...
...uh...
...several bounty posters. of Hiro, Lucia, Jean and the other Fiends who have drawn the ire of the Guard.
"This 'Althena's Guard'." Marie Valeria(???) says. "Seems to be concerned you are out to bring the destruction of Filgaia... Could you explain this situation to me?"
She tilts her head and adds, "And then, perhaps, I could consider providing you work if you are in need of it."
She turns to Xantia. "I take it you are an adventurer as well? You look the part. I take it your specialty is in destroying obstacles?" Why would she ever think that with barely knowing her? Maybe she is making an assumption based on Xantia getting confused about 'nice digs'.
Hiro did too but he's not from around here and has a dragon friend so it's understandable.
Marie Valeria pauses after that though.
"Pardon again. You said dragon?"
She lowers a pair of goggles along her face and studies Ruby intently.
<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.
Xantia's response to the whole 'left side of the menu' thing is simple and immediate: "Why just the left side?"
That wasn't meant to be witty or anything, of course not, she's completely serious. Just as sincere as her expression of astonished admiration when Ruby claims to have an incredible ability. "You have that power?" The power to see what is tastiest... amazing, even to someone who, after figuring out what's tastiest, would just end up eating everything anyway.
Of course Xantia failed to figure out what the mysterious cloaked girl was talking about with a 'tab', too. Come to think of it, she's heard that expression before, it just didn't make any sense to her. Something that lets you get things without paying for them? That's called stealing, right?
She at least starts to figure out what 'Leviram' is trying to do along the way, prompting her to point out, "Oh I'm fine, this is all paid for!" Not exactly hurting for cash, is she? Makes sense, if she could afford having some shiny new armor custom-made for her. Granted she got a pretty big discount on that deal, but it's not like anybody knows about that.
But eventually, finally, she gets what was originally said, after it being made plain. "Ohhh, okay. Thanks! Heh heh... I was hoping it would be... what's the word? Eyecatching?" At least she didn't think that was about eyeball juggling.
Upon the introduction, Xantia responds, "Nice to meet you, Marie Valeria of the Valeria Household! ...That's way too long, I'm just going to call you Marie, okay?" Well, she's obviously never heard of the Valeria Household before. Not that she wouldn't have ignored formality anyway.
The bounty posters... Hiro will probably speak for himself there, but Xantia at least chimes in without concern, "Oh, that's all just lies, don't pay any attention to that."
The biggest shocker for her today though has to be being pegged as an adventurer, and her specialty positively identified. "Wow... how'd you know? Does this make me look strong?" She assumes one of the many heroic power poses she's been practising. Yeah... it's pretty clear where her strength lies.
Even so, despite having appeared pretty witless thus far, Xantia does ask one fair question: "What about your 'digs', why are you all covered up like that? Are you hiding? If someone's after you, just let me know, I'll take care of it!"
<Pose Tracker> Hiro has posed.
Hiro actually answers back right away. Not quite as seriously, it's at least half-jest. "Just in case you'd run out of money ordering the right side too." However Xantia reveals not long after that she's not strapped for cash, making it a moot point - but all the same.
"She does cut a pretty fierce figure doesn't she?" Hiro agrees, once Leviram clarifies. However then she introduces herself and- "I'd shake your hand but..." Well, that's fairly obvious why he can't. "Hiro. Nice to meet you miss." Whereas Ruby pipes in and adds, "And I'm Ruby!"
However then she mentions Althena's Guard and... "Oh you already knew who we were."
He says as he tries to hike up the fish within his arms. "Uh. It's pretty complicated but..."
He seems hesitant to just go into it all right here but Xantia backs him up by saying 'It's all just lies.' And he nods solemnly, deciding to give it a shot. The worst thing that happens is this goes badly? And if it does, at least he knew Xantia was on his side, "-we're from the Moon - Lunar - Silver Star... whatever you want to call it. And long ago Althena - the Goddess up there, brought people from the Blue Star - Filgaia to there. And well... let me fast forward. Basically there's this being called the Lord of Calamity who is full of something we can malevolence. And well... Lucia has a lot of it - but that's due to a curse put on her by a guy named Zophar. She came to our world to save it from him - and as soon as she got there - I saw him put it on her. And now Althena's Guard thinks she's... the Lord of Calamity because of it - but they're being tricked."
Ruby then however flies up. "ALSO - Althena has four very awesome Dragon Guardians - and I'm one of them - or at least I'm going to be one of them - the red one - when I'm a little older."
Ruby is all smiles at Marie Valeria.
"... and after I marry Hiro-" "AFTER YOU DO WHAT NOW?" "-which is why I need to eat my fish."
Hiro's trying to fast recover from his shock the leaning tower of piscine power leaning further than ever.
He then assesses Xantia - out of a desire not to examine whether Ruby was truly serious or not about marriage and agrees, "Yep. I'd say you look stronger than ever."
Though whether he means because of the outfit or not is unclear. And Xantia's response was to call attention to how Marivel looked, and Hiro quickly joins in on that, "Hey yeah - is that what this is about? Trying to figure out if you can trust us? Well. I promise you can. If you're in any kind of trouble Miss Valeria - then you don't have to worry. You're safe right here and now."
<Pose Tracker> Marivel Armitage has posed.
Those are two fair questions!
"Those who ask many questions lack answers of their own." Marie says, this time fully expecting her to take her words literally rather than ruminating on the metaphorical meaning here. "But I wear these clothes because I've been sensitive to the sun my whole life. It is not a matter of hiding either. There is nowhere on Filgaia I am not welcome...but I'm impressed you rush to the defense of others so quickly. It reminds me fondly of someone I know. That element, at least."
She pauses with a vague kind of tension. "Marie is just fine."
"Hiro and Ruby..." She adjusts her goggles and then stands up. "Mind if I take a photograph? Ruby is very pretty and I haven't met a dragon like her before." She doesn't comment on Ruby marrying Hiro since...real talk here...she would be totally okay with it but isn't like rooting for it either? Like, whatever floats your boat between consensual parties!
She listens to Hiro explain the situation as she folds the bounty posters back into her bag and draws out a camera instead.
"The moon. There's life there? Fascinating." Her expression doesn't betray surprise. She must have one hell of a poker face or she's determined not to show weakness. It might be the latter here. "I have heard a bit about malevolence."
She lowers her camera and says, "If you wish to be a Dragon Guardian, you will definitely need to eat a lot of fish." She is otherwise quiet about the story for some time before ultimately coming to a decision.
"Then it seems you must take Lucia to Althena and clear the matter up. I am curious about how Althena accomplished her...." she pauses a moment. "Well, to be honest, there is no other word for it other than 'miracles', right? Perhaps her knowledge can be used to revitalize Filgaia."
She smiles at Hiro's assurances, the hints of a crooked boogiepop smile peeking out from behind that scarf of hers.
"And of course this Zophar sounds like unpleasantness for everyone and must be stopped.
She offers a gloved hand towards Hiro to shake if he'd like. "I admit I have been betrayed before, but I don't see it as any reason to stop trusting others. Perhaps I trust too easy as well? Well, history would have to be the judge of that."
She is safe right here and now?
"Oh certainly, right now I am safe." Marie Valeria says. "As much as anyone can be safe on Filgaia. But that safety will not last for long, I'm afraid."
there is a faint gleam in her eyes.
"I have some business on Elru shortly, but should I ever find myself on the moon, I would like to hire you to take me to Althena."
Oh my god!!
A friend who actually wants the same thing Lucia wants??
And isn't from the main party???
And isn't chastizing anybody for trusting Althena????? Yep, she must be someone you can trust.
<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.
Yesss, Xantia is making exactly the impression she was hoping for. Really, even if it had cost a lot more, this armor is already paying for itself, as far as she's concerned. And praise for rushing to the defense of others, too! She's well on her way to becoming a true hero! She was already in a good mood, what with all the food she gathered and all, but it might just be impossible for her to lose her cheer, now, positively glowing from all the compliments.
Aside from that one fleeting moment, where some measure of sadness appeared in her eyes. That was when it was claimed she lacks answers of her own. All too true. She didn't have a retort for that one, and all too soon elected to return her mind to the positive.
Such as casually defending Hiro, who she's completely sure is Good People, of course she'd have his back! He's a good friend of Fei's, so he's a good friend of hers. That's how that works. He just can't depend on her for dissuading Ruby's future plans. Why would she, nothing particularly weird was said.
However, she didn't even know everything that Hiro explains about his situation, and sees no reason to hide that fact. "Huh. So it's a trick instead of a lie. Had me fooled for a bit, I thought there were just two Lords of Calamity named Lucia. Still don't know what that other guy's name is..."
With that, she starts munching on whichever random fish she managed to grab from her pile. Which means she is now balancing her platter with one hand. This seems like a recipe for disaster, but she seems to be managing alright. More previous experience at work, no doubt. Either way, she wasn't about to just leave that food alone for this long. That would be madness.
She slows down in her eating and eventually stops abruptly as 'Marie' continues to speak. Right when she mentions revitalizing Filgaia. Then the mention of Zophar sounding like a villain to be stopped causes her to make a fist. This sounds like a job for a hero...!
"...ew." A hero who just squashed a partially eaten fish in her hand without realizing it.
Wiping off most of the remains, her tone remains casual when she asks, "Business? On Elru? That could only be... stopping the end of the world, right? Are you a hero, too?"
It's the only logical conclusion. There's basically nothing on Elru, there's nothing else it could be! Do not underestimate the brain of Great Detective Xantia!
...presently licking fishy remains off of her glove. Truly a model hero.
<Pose Tracker> Hiro has posed.
"Oh geez. That sounds rough." Hiro says, sounding sympathetic to someone who can't bear sunlight - to a youth who used to play outdoors every day, he always thought at least that no matter the differences in upbringing, everyone had that. "Marie it is then." He agrees quickly, before being a little surprised, "A photograph? I think I heard of that in... the Seed Cities... and..." Ruby is already flying in front of the pile of fish, thus blocking any possible view of Hiro that is not covered by fish. "Be sure to get my good side!" She says as she poses in mid-air.
Presumably after the picture, the conversation continues. "Oh yeah, a whole world even. I don't think it's as big as the Blue Star... but..." And he nods to Xantia. "Yeah - can't rightly say what's his deal is - or what his name is. We just know he's the real Lord of Calamity. All I can say is that Leo and the Guard genuinely believe it. They're not liars." He then considers some of the people they run with. "Well most of them at least."
The pile is starting to dwindle as they talk, because Ruby is now peeling them off one fish at a time with her pawsies, and breathing fire over its length to char the fish to her liking at comically fast anime speeds, before gulping fish larger than her whole in her mouth, and spitting out the bones. "Working on it!" She declares. Hiro's face is at least now visible. At first he has a 'why me' expression. But it swiftly changes to something more positive as Marivel says that. "Yeah exactly. The two know each other so... I'm sure five minutes will clear the whole matter up." That's probably too optimistic of h-
"You want us to what now?" The boy blinks his eyes rapidly as if in disbelief, then smiles, "Well hey - funny coincidence - we're heading to Elru too. And there's no need to hire us. Just come with us and we'll take you for free. Wouldn't feel right to charge you for something like that."
Before he then nods in agreement with Xantia. "She must be." He agrees cheerfully.
Whereas Ruby looks at the half crushed fish in Xantia's name and simply mourns it. "What a shame... wait are you just going to... lick..." Ruby sorta points a pawsie like she's going to help, then withdrawing it like the sight of Xantia licking raw fish off her hands has caused her to decide against it. "...nevermind!" She laughs tinnily.
<Pose Tracker> Marivel Armitage has posed.
"...Are you now?" Marivel asks. "Well, you seem to have me at a disadvantage." There's that faint boogiepop smile again. "What are you saving the world from? I have business on the continent, but it is because I have been asked to by House Valeria. I'm afraid details have been scant." and then quickly to avoid Xantia thinking she asked herself. "It's a noble house, by the way, Xantia. Not strictly part of the name."
"What exactly are you saving the world from? I should like to be as informed as possible before stepping on the blasted continent's shores."
She is accused of being a hero and she actually laughs at that one, a quick short and sharp laugh. "Oh no. No. While I do take threats to the world very seriously and I consider it my duty to remove them, I do it because it is my duty, not my hobby."
That boogiepop smile hasn't left her face. "As the rightful ruler of Filgaia... Protecting Filgaia is my duty. Nothing more."
And then she looks to Ruby, raising up her camera and snagging a nice photograph of her. This is probably going straight to Acacia's newspaper because doing that will amuse her.
"I consider myself a woman of intellect. It is important to not let the whims of fate dictate your thoughts otherwise you too can succumb to deceit as readily as the Guard...though you seem to have some experience with being tricked. Perhaps you and the Guard are not that different. All the more while that I provide some assistance."
"As for traveling to Elru with you... I have my own boat. I fear Brad may frown at me if I bring more drifters aboard but... I am incorrigable. But we are talking about a continent here so I am voraciously curious as to your purpose in Elru in case it is the same--or related--as ours."
<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.
"...What?" Xantia genuinely doesn't understand Ruby's reaction, so she just shrugs at the 'nevermind' and keeps doing what she was doing. You'd think she'd be more worried about how seriously people are going to be able to take her if she does things like that. But for that, she'd have to realize that licking food off of your hands like that is generally considered weird. It's tough to figure these things out!
If she can't even figure that out, it's easy to see how Xantia can't even begin to imagine what it's like to have to avoid sunlight. So much so that she couldn't even fully parse the seriousness of that claim. Perhaps later she'll realize just how bad that would be... perhaps after she starts to take notice of how unusual it is that extreme temperatures don't bother her nearly as much as they should. There's a lot Xantia doesn't see. Like the appeal of photography, whether it's taking the picture or having it taken. She doesn't see much cause to comment on that one way or the other.
At least Marivel is starting to figure Xantia out, who certainly looks confused on the whole House Valeria thing before that's cleared up for her. "...Oh. Ohhh. Okay. I guess I should've known, nobles often have really long names." She did know that much. Doesn't seem to change her attitude in any way though, not even an attempt at increased formality.
A bit puzzled by the question, Xantia explains, "Well, K.K.'s trying to kill a Guardian Lord, and I guess if that happens then it's the end of the world? I don't really understand how it works, but we can't let that happen, you know that, right?"
Only then does she learn that her assumption was false, and this may in fact have been new information she just shared. Which doesn't cause her to clarify what she said. Especially not after that last part, which causes her to scratch her head. Yes, with that hand. Ew, Xantia. Ew.
"I didn't know all of Filgaia had a ruler. That's weird, I hadn't heard of you at all before today. You'd think people would talk about that more."
Nope, still not even considering being any more formal even in this light, even though she believed that completely.
As too many expensive words are happening as she feels herself going a little cross-eyed, she instead returns attention to her fish, holding the platter with both hands and experimenting how effectively she can eat without using her hands. It's harder than it looks, prompting a whine as she looks enviously at Ruby, managing to eat in the way that she would like to be eating right now. "I'm really going to need to sit down and eat all this..." Priorities.
<Pose Tracker> Hiro has posed.
Ruby giggles as Marivel finishes taking it. "Be sure to send me a print! I've never been in a photograph before!" While answering in a squeaky voice to Xantia, "Nothing to worry about!"
Ruby goes back to her fish devouring, which is at least making Hiro more visible, and his arms a little less tired. "Oh yeah." He has an almost wan smile, "We've been tricked quite a bit ourselves but..." "BUH NUFFIN'!" Ruby calls out while chewing. "...I just think being paranoid about it would have done more harm than good. In the end what separates me and Leo is just that I saw what happened to Lucia. If he did, he'd probably be joining us." Ruby finishes swallowing one fish and adds, deadpan, "That's not all that separates the two of you."
Hiro seems to brush that off though because of what Xantia said about K.K's plot. "... Wish I'd known that before - I would have tried to be less rough those two times I fought Luceid. Dang could you imagine if we accidentally ended the world like that?"
However Hiro double takes as Marivel calls herself the ruler of the world, "Say what now?" Maybe it's because Lucia is sometimes referred to as the Princess of the Blue Star. He doesn't know what that means... whether she actually rules anything - but Mother herself and Zophar both affirmed it. For now - and just this at least - he decides to keep it under his hat. He's not good at politics and doesn't want to step on Lucia's toes by messing up introducing her to someone.
"Huh yeah... you'd think they would. Are you like... the 'ruler' ruler? Or like the Lost Princess of a fallen Kingdom? Or like... you know... the Fatima line in Aveh?" Hiro keeps considering it back and forth - not really doubting her, just trying to clarify.
Whereas Ruby indicates to Xantia. "Let's find a table for you! We can't let your fish go to waste!" She starts to fly off just away to the stalls for this common sitting area like it's a food court. When she finds that there are no empty tables, Ruby flutters up to a table of sailors. "Make way - make way - the proper ruler of Filgaia needs a table!"
One of the sailors scoffs, "Too bad for them - because I'm flipping Queen of Adlehyde."
The whole table bursts into laughter.
<Pose Tracker> Marivel Armitage has posed.
Marie Valeria tells Ruby. "I find that hard to believe. If I wasn't in a hurry to get to Elru, I'd take plenty. I will grant your desire the moment I can."
She doesn't seem to care (or notice) about the lack of formality. Perhaps she doesn't actually care about all that nonsense. To her, respect is more important than the theatrics of respect.
Xantia says K.K is trying to kill a Guardian Lord. That makes Marivel laugh briefly before realizing that she is being serious. "That's...strange. You can't kill Courage or Love or Hope or Desire..." She frowns faintly. "...Though I suppose Lucy... Where in Elru is this K.K going, do you know? And you are certain that is what they are trying to do?"
Marie nods once to Xantia and says, "We shall find a table."
Or rather Ruby shall find a table. She flies off and Marivel follows, looking over to Hiro for a moment with that crooked smile of hers. Marie Valeria may have been joking or is just that arrogant or ... well, maybe let's not worry about 'or' right now.
"It's nothing so exciting as that." Marie tells Hiro rather than actually answering these questions of his but as she approaches the table, there are plenty of sailors milling about. She lets them laugh for a bit before gesturing with her hand like as a jedi mind trick.
"Sleep." She says, eyes glimmering for just a moment.
...and then the sailors ... fall asleep right there and then. Marivel helpfully shoves one out of his chair and sits herself in it.
"Thank you, Ruby. You will one day be an incredible Grand Dragon. I am certain of it." She says.
<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.
It's good to hear that it's all just trickery at work here. Just good people making honest mistakes, Xantia quickly reasons every single false bounty must be all about. Of course this one case has proven that to be an absolute truth.
Xantia chuckles at Hiro's concern regarding Luceid, though there's little amusement in it. "I don't think it's that easy. I mean, if I understood what they said correctly... everything that happened in Krosse, and in many other places, maybe everything K.K. ever did, was just to get a weapon that could kill a Guardian Lord. If it takes that much effort, I'm not too worried about what any of us can do."
But it's easy to see that she is worried about what K.K. can do. The Trial Knight isn't exactly known for bluffing. As vexing as it is that it never seems like there's a choice in answering their challenges, that's just what has to happen right now.
She displays none of the previous cheerfulness in response to Marie, taking this all as dreadfully serious as she's convinced it needs to be. "'The sanctuary of your Guardians long since fallen', is what they said. I don't know exactly what that means, but the Black Wolves - the people I'm with, they probably do. I'm just going wherever they go, and then we're going to stop this."
And yet, she can shift between that level of seriousness and seemingly carefree cheerfulness at the drop of a hat. All it takes is the promise to find a table so she can have her food. Unlike Hiro, she doesn't have any questions about the whole 'ruler' thing, having taken that completely in stride. Feels the same to her as having just been told what someone's job is.
She merrily follows along, though she's not entirely sure about bothering others to give up their seat... right up until the sailors make a mean remark. "Heeey, that wasn't very nice," she notes with a frown. That whole 'flipping' remark gave her half a mind to flip the table. She might have, if he hands weren't full.
Instead, Marie solves everything far quicker than violence would have - if not as much fun, in Xantia's opinion. But she's hungry, she'll take it. "Nice! That's some handy magic," is all she has to say about it, once again taking it entirely in stride. Absolutely no clue about what's supposed to be unusual at all. And more concerned about eatin, besides, which she proceeds to do immediately after following Marie's lead and kicking a sailor of their chair.
She's going to be happily occupied for a while.
<Pose Tracker> Hiro has posed.
Killing Courage - Love - Hope - or Desire? Sounds impossible right. Hiro himself second guesses the idea when it's put in those terms. What if he can though? "I don't know what his game is, but best to act like he actually could do it - and will go through with it if we don't stop him." Whereas Xantia clarifies it, "Well when you put it that way... I'm glad it's not so easy. I mean Luceid wasn't that fragile but... it feels like it wouldn't be impossible for some of the folks we fight."
As he nods along on the Black Wolves knowing where to go... and as Marie tells him it's nothing so exciting as that. "Oh yeah? Guess I let my imagination get carried away then."
The sailors all laugh for a while as Ruby seems to grow more and more red and then - "Why don't you scram kitte-" Sleep.
Every single one falls asleep. And Ruby who was just about to go into an all out rage just looks instead at the sailors, who are all now asleep and... Ruby pokes one of them with a pawsie and they just fall out of their seat.
"Whoa..." Then she beams at Marie. "Hey thanks!"
Hiro snaps his fingers in front of one of them, a feat he can now accomplish with his pile of fish halved, "Huh." He considers the feat speculatively - before that sailor overbalances and topples out of the seat. Hiro sits down, and lays the remaining fish down in a stack on the table. Ruby keeps going to town on the fish, as the boy rubs his arms and gives them a break.
"Well better that than them having to fight Xantia."
Hiro's got the feeling that if they did, that they'd all be laid up in bed for a few months.
"Anyhow. If this 'Brad' doesn't like it - we have our own ship. We can always just head the same direction you're heading." He laces his hands together. "So it should be no problem. I should be up front though - we have a lot of enemies - and get into trouble a lot - that okay with you..." He considers her for a few moments before adding, "... your highness?"
<Pose Tracker> Marivel Armitage has posed.
Marie Valeria hadn't commented on it before because of the laughter from the sailors disrupting her focus on the conversation briefly. Violence is more fun than a sleep spell but sometimes you just want to sit down and eat your damn fish. Not that Marie seems to be eating anything. She has yet to buy any fish and honestly--after seeing Xantia's display with the fish, she might not be in the appetite for fish after all.
She considers Hiro's concerns about Luceid. Maybe she should be careful about what she says about him. "You fought Luceid and lived. Twice. That's very impressive, Hiro. Oh--and be careful. While they won't wake easily for an hour or so you don't want to be rough with the bodies." This has not stopped her from shoving one out but, well, sometimes Marie is a bit of a jerk but uh...it is true that she probably saved them a great deal of pain. Though....if Marie knows she's done that, she's made no sign of it.
"Marie is fine. After all, we're comrades now." Wait did Hiro actually agree to anything yet? Well anyway. "The Guard is no friend of mine." She tells Hiro. "So don't worry about your association getting me into trouble. Best to get in trouble together than apart, no?"
She turns to face Hiro more seriously. "There's a story about Luceid that you may not know being from another world so I will tell it to you now. It's not hidden knowledge, but I doubt you've visited many churches of Granas."
"Once, long ago, during the Great Conflaguration.... there was a heroine named Anastasia." Hiro has heard Luceid mention 'anastasia' before though he might not remember it between trying not to be murdered by Luceid. "She was known, eventually, as the Sword Magess and she'd be known throughout Filgaia as the woman who saved our world. But she did not do it alone."
"She had allies. One of those allies...was Lucy. Luceid. With Desire by her side she struck down Lord Blazer and gave us a future."
"But." Marie says. "She could not give herself a future. She sacrificed herself for the world and now all that remains are the echoes of her actions, her memory, and some art in a church here or there. A window."
<Pose Tracker> Hiro has posed.
Hiro rubs the back of his head, and has a little smile at being told some of his feats were really impressive. "It's not like I wanted to fight him - he just didn't give me much of a choice." He does glance at the Sailors, then sort of shrugs, feeling like it was a fate no worse than that of them day drinking. He certainly doesn't intend to punish them for being ruder.
"Marie it is." He says decisively, before... "Heh - I suppose that's right." He grins, figuring that part of the reason they've given the guard the slip for so long is because of all the Drifters who were supporters of them.
However Marie then mentions stories - and he sits up straighter. Because such things always get his attention. Tales of heroics from ages past. And he listens. There is in fact a flicker of recognition in his eyes as Marivel mentions Anastasia, though he does not comprehend it overly well... Luceid had spoken in another language - to Lucia. But that word stood out as a name.
His expression remains solemn, somber even. As he learns more, then there's something even... grim about it.
"That's a good story." The boy says, and for a moment it's like that's the most Marivel is going to get out of him. "Like the kind of stories I grew up on." There's perhaps admiration, but there's sadness too.
"You know it's funny. The more stories I hear about these heroes - I find out all the things they sacrificed for Hope. A Happily Ever After."
There's something almost pained in his eyes, a slow blink, "Always an ending though. They don't tell so many stories about what happened to the people they left behind... you know? The world benefits... but the people they were closest to grieve... and either move on..."
His eyes slide down to his hands, "... or they don't. Luceid who lost faith in humanity - threw in with Boomerang - fighting battle after battle just to get stronger." There's an exhalation of breath, "Ragnell who doesn't much like us either."
Wait how does Ragnell figure into this?
Perhaps he's also thinking of Id. Though he doesn't talk about him.
"I keep getting told that real strength is the strength to overcome sorrow. It's the kind of strength a Shepherd - or a Dragonmaster has - or this Anastasia had..." His fingers seem to be toying with each other right now, fidgety, "... it feels like that strength doesn't get passed on. They give hope to the populace. And they give sorrow to those who were closest to them."
This is not the expression though of someone who is cynical, or has lost his faith in idealism, optimism, after hearing about this. "And that sorrow can eventually breed... something else entirely. It's just something I think about a lot - I guess." There's this light shrug, and a smile. "Someone ought to."
<Pose Tracker> Marivel Armitage has posed.
"Mm." Marie says. "A good story."
Marie's eyes don't look directly at Hiro as she gazes into the distance. She is not sure why she felt compelled to share the story. Probably because he had mentioned the run-ins with Luceid and part of her wonders if it could have been avoided or prevented. It's nothing you can't hear in a church. Sometimes the details are different, sometimes they're flat out wrong, sometimes they dig a little deeper but--of course--not too deep. She rests her feet on a sleeping sailor as she listens to Hiro's words. As he mentions Boomerang and some other lady(?) she doesn't know. And it is thinking of this story that Marivel promptly moves to undercut it.
"Too bad that story is a lie."
Marie smiles that crooked boogiepop smile at Hiro. "Every word I said was true. But the story was a lie."
She pulls her legs, standing up once more.
"You were talking about trust before and it is certainly a tricky conundrum you have found yourself in. Surely, it is better to trust and be betrayed than to mistrust those that would be your friends... but the world does not have many villains twirling their mustaches and bragging about tying women to traintracks, and there are fewer sociopaths who care nothing for others than you might think, no matter how they try and pretend otherwise."
She looks directly into Hiro's eyes. There's something monstrous about how easily she makes eye contact and holds it.
"It is not a matter of believing in others, Hiro. It's a matter of understanding them. They will not make it easy. They never do because until you know the whole story..."
She gestures with a hand. "...Everything. Everyone is a lie by ommission. It's a matter of a keen eye, not a keen heart."
"That's what it means to pass on courage."
<Pose Tracker> Hiro has posed.
And the moment Marivel undercuts it, is the moment he seems to bristle. Though it's more that he's sitting up and paying attention anew. There's something in his eyes which seem startled - and Marivel captures them with relative ease. Such ease it would make him squirm under any other circumstances.
"..."
It's hard to say how he feels about being played with in this way. Being told the official story - being teased by someone who has knowledge of the true one.
"I know that."
He says about the kind of villains the world has. Instead, more often than not, they were people broken by the world. Perhaps they were once like him - all full of ideals - and the harshness of Filgaia - or the harshness of humanity - just broke them.
However - when Marivel states that it's not a matter of believing others - it's a matter of understanding them - it feels like she strikes a fairly critical blow. Whether she knows it or not.
You don't understand anything.
His nostrils flare, not from anger, but from a pain that's so terrible that it makes it hard for him to just breathe.
"I get it." He says slowly, once he thinks he can trust himself to speak. "I get that that's what it takes. And I also get that... I don't understand anything." There's a certain amount of admission in that. "Don't misunderstand me though. I want to... understand."
He allows himself to relax though, just enough that he feels like he can actually breathe again.
"You're right though. Noone makes it easy. Desire isn't enough, is it? A keen eye. A keen heart."
He mumbles a moment later. "I'll remember."
Ruby has finally finished her pile of fish, only leaving bones. Rolling on the table with a now comically oversized belly, she let's out a small belch that she covers with a pawsie. "'scuse me. What were the two of you chatting about anyhow?"
<Pose Tracker> Marivel Armitage has posed.
Marivel.
She's kind of a jerk.
But some stories can't be told. Some stories have to be lies by ommission. And it seems Hiro understands the greater point. And he makes the greater promise.
"Then you will." Marivel says, placing a pouch of gella on the table. Certainly enough to pay for Ruby's fish. You know, so long as she doesn't go off to get more. "When the time is right. I'll tell you more stories someday....but I've been in the sun long enough."
She gives Ruby a small pat on the shoulder. "I too... understand little, Hiro. Perhaps a little more than you, but not as much as I like to pretend. But so long as you wish to understand, and I wish to understand, then we can walk the same path."
One last boogiepop smile, this one with a touch of sadness to it. "See you on the ship, or in Elru. I appreciated the news about K.K."
And with that she heads back to the ship.
<Pose Tracker> Hiro has posed.
Kind of!
"Don't strain yourself." Under most circumstances, it would sound sarcastic. It isn't though - strangely enough.
Instead he just seems quiet, instead just saying to Ruby. "Ah - we're just chatting about stories." Ruby bobs her little head from her sideways position as Marivel pats her. "The two of you sound way too serious for that..." Ruby looks a touch green. "...but you know what - I don't feel well enough to question."
Hiro watches Marivel go, and closes his eyes slowly, "Hey Ruby. You know what you said earlier about vetting?"
"Yeah? I don't mean with her though. Obviously." Like she passed whatever test Ruby counts for having good moral character.
"Well no... I'm not talking about her. I just get the feeling that... if we did that... we'd miss out on something."
"Eh?" Ruby peers at him from her sideways position. "Like what? Betrayal?"
"It's hard to explain... just... I think we'd have missed out on the adventure of a lifetime."