2017-04-01: Because I Choose To
- Log: Because I Choose To
- Cast: Kourin, Talise Gianfair, Lemina Ausa, Morgan Newkirk
- Where: Adelyn Ranchlands
- Date: April 1, 2017
- Summary: The saddest member of Althena's Guard has a run-in with a Fiend, a Fiend sympathizer and a foofy foxboi. Tears are shed and choices are proffered.
<Pose Tracker> Kourin has posed.
It's strange, Kourin reflects, that she is extremely proud to be a member of Althena's Guard--even though she's not OFFICIALLY one of the regular troops, but rather a low ranking mage attached to the unit--she doesn't seem to actually like spending time with the regulars. She often feels them staring at her, judging her. She hears them whispering about her behind her back. She knows they know how worthless she is.
Aside from that, she's struggling a bit with a dilemma--how can she do her duty to Althena but not betray the kindness Hiro has shown towards her, even though he knew she was an enemy. If anyone in the Guard learned that she was even slightly delinquent in her duty to report him immediately, it would be trouble, of course, but Kourin is more worried about what it means to her relationship to the Goddess herself.
So she's gone for a walk, a habit she's often resorted to when she needs to get away from those who would judge her, and one she has been cultivating even more than usual since coming to Filgaia. The Adelyn Ranchlands represent a lot of open space to wander in, and with the added benefit that Spirit has lots of room to run, barking happily and dashing back and forth. Oddly, though Kourin comes on these walks for solitude, Spirit often has a way of finding interesting or kind people of late, and Kourin has to admit that she's yet to really mind the company. The people here don't know her, cant' see the stain of failure that defines Kourin's life, and Kourin's finding that she likes the opportunity to actually talk to people who don't know or care about that, even if she is still painfully shy.
There Spirit goes again, barking at someone, from the sounds of it. Who now, Kourin wonders...
<Pose Tracker> Talise Gianfair has posed.
Sometimes Talise needs to get some exercise in. In this case she's found herself standing on a hilltop outside Adlehyde, out in the ranchlands. She hasn't put her armour on; in fact she's taken a lot of things off, putting her down to a pair of shorts, her boots and a white tank top tied off under her chest.
Slowly, she sweeps her sword out in front of her, then takes a step back, drawing it into a guard stance, both hands around it. Her eyes are closed through it all; she's moving entirely based on the feel of her body and the sense of balance her limbs and feet and arms transmit back to her. Yet it doesn't seem to matter. Angling the Rastaban Sword shallowly, she holds patiently for a moment, then sweeps into a counterstrike, pivots, unleashes a swift backswing, then a rising blow, then -
A dog is barking. She finishes her combination and drops back again, eyes still closed.
Then she lets her breath out in a slow rush, and she opens her eyes. A bit of sweat clings to her forehead. Looking down the kill, she spots the wandering dog and the woman, a faint smile on her face. Sword resting over her shoulder, she waves to Kourin across the distance.
<Pose Tracker> Lemina Ausa has posed.
Somehow, the Adelyn Ranchlands -- despite their large open spaces -- often attract strange encounters. It might be that the flat lands lend themselves to wandering near only a handful of landmarks; it might just be fate. Whatever the case, though, at least one of the potential options for Spirit to be barking at --
--is Lemina Ausa, of the Magic Guild of Vane!!
Don't act like you aren't impressed.
The barking startles her, but in spite of that, she moves /toward/ it rather than away. "Who's there?!" she calls. Surprisingly, she has -- rather than a staff -- a /shortbow/ at the ready, though she doesn't have an arrow nocked or anything. ... for now.
<Pose Tracker> Morgan Newkirk has posed.
Ah. The ranchlands. A very familiar place to be for one Morgan Newkirk. The beastman from mysterious places gets called around here at least once, maybe twice a month if weather is good. Bandits. Russlers. Beasts. There is always someone out here that requres a little personal Guild attention.
Which is why he was here in the first place.
Ears perked up, the foxman strolls down the road. He's decided to walk today, since it seems like its a nice day out. His usual horse left back in town so he can just enjoy the stroll. The request wasn't urgent. It wasn't like the group of bandits he was heading towards was going anywhere. So taking it easy was something that he could manage.
Tilting his head back to look into the sky the Guildsman, piece of straw caught between two of his teath, contemplates the wide blue expance. A slight smile on his face as he lets his mind wonder and his feet walk.
At least until there is barking and someone shouting.
He blinks twice in the direction of the owner of said shouting. An easy smile curving across his face as he drawls out.
"Easy there darlin', I don't think the pup means any harm." His accent? Defintally not from around Adelhyde. A firm giveaway along with the cut of his outfit and the Adventurer's Guild badge on his shoulder.
<Pose Tracker> Kourin has posed.
Kourin returns Talise's wave, but then she sees none other than Lemina Ausa of the Magic Guild of Vane! And worse, the fugitive is armed!
Spirit barks and rushes up to Lemina, tail wagging happily, tongue lolling, and tries to greet her in a true Good Dog fashion.
"Don't hurt him, I beg you!" Kourin calls out, her fear for her dog once again overriding her duty to immediately apprehend one of the companions of the Lord of Calamity. Talking worked last time, true, but Hiro was not already holding a weapon...
Spirit is a good dog! He's a good boy and he's eager that Lemina should know that! He's showing her his Good Boy tricks, all at once. It's a little confusing, maybe, even for such a Good Dog, because he finishes by chasing his own tail for a moment, flopping onto his back, and exposing his belly for rubs.
Kourin rushes over, plainly concerned beyond reason.
<Pose Tracker> Talise Gianfair has posed.
Trust me, Lemina - Talise would be very impressed if only she knew who you were. She simply spots a blonde girl with a bow and arrow, blinking a time or two.
The sound of another voice draws her ear. Smiling widely, she starts down the hill, tugging her tank top back down to her waist and sheathing her sword. "Morgan," she calls with good cheer. "Hey! Good to see you again."
Her pace down the hill quickens as the dog dashes up to Lemina and Kourin loses her shit over it. Blinking with surprise, she speeds up into a jog, boots thumping in the grass, then against the road as she heads for Lemina, the pooch - and the concerned woman in blue. "Hey, I don't think anyone's hurting each other here," she says, her own sword hanging back in its sheath now. Casting Lemina a smile, she asks, "You're not, right?"
At least the dog doesn't seem worried.
Talise's eyes brighten a little, then, and she widens her smile, bringing it to bear on Lemina. "Hey, haven't we met before?"
<Pose Tracker> Lemina Ausa has posed.
Lemina is not so heartless as to kick a puppy. She kneels down, shoves her bow under her armpit, and starts giving Spirit petses once he exposes his dumb belly. "Haha, wow! He's mega-cute! I didn't think I'd see this kinda breed on Filgaia at all..." She doesn't quite become Full Stupid when exposed to an animal, but it's clear she's excited.
"I'm not gonna hurt him! He's the best!" Lemina calls, before looking up to the other assembling individuals. "... Hey, yeah, I think we /have/... uhhh, /once/? I don't think we talked -- it was in a bar in... ugh, /where/... I had a little bit of a talk about magic with someone..."
She looks off to the side, and ends up spotting the foxman, who she gives a small wave to.
<Pose Tracker> Morgan Newkirk has posed.
The foxman in question gives a wave back as he changes direction of his travels. His ambling steps take him in the direction of the group. "See there," His words aimed towards Kourin. "No need to worry, no harm done." He adds with a flash of a grin as Lemina decides to give the dog all the attention he wants.
He defintally seems to be a Good Dog.
Morgan doesn't seem to mind dogs, despite being a fox. He's an accepting sort.
"Ha! Talise, fancy meetin' ya out here." He adds with genuine good humor as the warrior woman comes striding up. With those ears he can't help but catch the comments from Lemina and a flash of a grin crosses his features.
"Bars have a way of sapping memory from people round here." A pause. "Well no I figure thats a universal power."
<Pose Tracker> Kourin has posed.
Kourin comes up short, realizing that Lemina doesn't actually intend to hurt Spirit after all, and lets out a sigh of relief. Her hand, having unconsciously been hovering near the hilt of her rapier, drops back to her side.
"His name is Spirit," she says, quietly, looking down and allowing her hair to fall in front of her eyes a little. "And...he's not from Filgaia," she adds in a neutral tone. This will likely put Lemina on alert, she knows, but she hopes that they'll be able to talk, and not fight. "And I am Kourin," she adds, as an afterthought--which is really all she is, after all...
<Pose Tracker> Talise Gianfair has posed.
"Yeah, I remember now! You were talking to Sorey, I think," Talise says with a grin for Lemina, before touching her hand to her cheek and smiling a charmed smile at the sight of the girl playing with the dog.
Hand coming to her hip, she grins across the pooch and the magical girl, eyes catching Morgan's. "That's definitely everywhere where you can get liquor," she laughs. "But don't worry, I /definitely/ remember you." The tall woman flashes Morgan a quick wink, then laughs again, pushing her free hand briskly through her hair.
As Kourin jogs up, Talise gives the woman a quick once over, her eyebrows curving shallowly upwards as the woman reveals herself. "So our numbers grow," she muses, eyes dropping a moment to the rapier - but they lift soon enough to Kourin's face again, climbing her on the way as if taking stock of her. "Well. Nice to meet another person from my neck of the woods. I'm Talise."
<Pose Tracker> Kourin has posed.
Spirit is the happiest doggo! Very happy to get belly rubs! He must show how happy he is, so he rolls over (aw no more belly rubs) and starts giving Lemina happy kisses!
<Pose Tracker> Lemina Ausa has posed.
"I didn't even have anything to drink that time," Lemina says, scrunching up her lips. "I guess it was just... ehhh, whatever. I'm not going to worry about it." It's not like it's /that/ weird to forget the particulars of someone who merely happened to be in the same room, after all!
Lemina shifts her bow to her /back/, now, and commences two-handed vigorous belly rubs. "Oh..." she says, a little disappointed, at the mention of the dog not being from Filgaia. She's already put two and two together. "... Iiiii really don't want to fight over this or anything," she adds.
Then, to Talise: "Yep, that's me! I'm Lemina Ausa, of the Magic Guild of Vane! Care to make a donation? The future of mega-magical scholarship is in your hands!"
<Pose Tracker> Morgan Newkirk has posed.
"Huh, now ain't that a thing. I'm from around here and I'm still in the minority. Since..." A grin towards Kourin. "...I'm gonna take it that if he's your dog then you arn't from around here either."
He does though reach up to tug his hat down. "Morgan Newkirk, Adventurer's Guild. Pleasure to meet ya both."
His eyes sparkle though at Talise's words and he laughs. "Well good, I'd be mighty dissipointed with myself if you did."
Crossing his arms lazily over his chest the beatsman watches the three. Ears perked forwards, his tail swishing left and right. "Huh, just...personal curiousity here. Just how does one get /to/ Filgaia if you arn't from Filgaia?"
He did notice the talk of a fight though, and his eyebrow creeps up slightly. "Well I'm not aiming to fight anyone here. So you're safe from me at least. Miss Lemina Ausa of Vane."
He has no idea where Vane is. But Mega-Magic at least sounds intriguing.
<Pose Tracker> Kourin has posed.
Kourin speaks slowly in answer to Morgan's question. "Some seem to have come through ancient traps. Others, I believe, used some kind of magic carpet..." She avoids looking at Lemina. "But I came here with a group...by a spell."
Yeah it's probably pretty obvious who Kourin is with.
Still, the shy woman seems loath to engage in conflict. "We at least can't return until our duty is fulfilled. I personally hope that it can be done non-violently...as I said to Sir Hiro."
Wait, 'Sir' Hiro now? Whatever that's about, Kourin bows her head and stays where she is. She does glance at Talise, however, to see how the other woman takes the news of Kourin's allegiance. She's heard that not all the Lunarians here on Filgaia are...devout, after all.
<Pose Tracker> Talise Gianfair has posed.
"You did good," Talise assures Morgan, reaching out to give him a firm clap on the shoulder. "And trust me, if I knew /how/ we all got to Filgaia, I kind of have a feeling a lot of us would be on the way back. It's kind of as big a mystery to us as it is to you."
Lemina speaks. Talise isn't shocked the woman doesn't remember much; she didn't remember Lemina's alias, after all. She just shrugs, smiling easily and resting a hand at her hip - but the smile fades to surprise as the blonde reveals who she is. "Whoa, you're an /Ausa?/" she asks, and there's a touch of awe in her voice. "That's amazing. I know all sorts of songs about the Ausas - Lemina, Mia -- /Miruka,/ for Althena's sake. I'm honoured to meet you!" Folding her hands together, she nods respectfully, but that smile's back.
Then Kourin also reveals herself. Setting her jaw, she inhales and gives her shoulders a jerk as if to try and shake off the pleasant surprise and jolt herself back to reality.
Sliding one heel back slightly, she seems to brace herself - but Kourin's preachments about non-violence help enough that all she does is fold her arms under the substantial curve of her chest, scowling slightly. "Knowing what your duty is, I have a feeling you're not going to have much luck with that," she says. "But I don't want to fight you. Unless you people want to break my musical instruments again, in which case everything's out the window."
<Pose Tracker> Lemina Ausa has posed.
That... certainly narrows the playing field. Lemina scoots toward Morgan subtly as Kourin explains how /she/ got here; even if she's not being aggressive, there's a certain natural worry there. "... Good to hear, Mr. Newkirk," she says, very carefully /not/ saying anything to Kourin.
"So, uh, about Hiro... did /he/ tell you the 'sir' title or are you giving that to him right now?" Lemina asks, making a face. Did Lucia knight him when she wasn't looking? ... Is that a thing? Can /she/ get knighted? Is /that/ a thing?
Talise nabs her attention before she can get too far down that rabbit hole, though. "Ah... thanks. Wow -- I'm not really used to hearing that kinda thing... usually all I hear are complaints about Vane being a dump 'cuz we let everyone live there rent-free, and the books keep getting stolen, and..." She straightens herself out, before adding, "No, really, though, uh, Vane's mega-great. For sure! Everything's looking up! Uh, thanks."
<Pose Tracker> Kourin has posed.
Surprisingly, perhaps, Kourin smiles at the memory of the songs Talise speaks of and the stories they tell. "I, too, remember those songs," she says quietly. Then Talise mentions a destroyed instrument, and Kourin flinches at the accusation in Talise's tone. "I...I do not wish to destroy or harm anyone," she insists. "I understand that my chances are low of successfully convincing Miss Lemina to come with me peacefully. Still, it is my duty."
Spirit trots over to Talise now, to say hello and demonstrate how he is such a good dog for her as well.
Kourin pinkens slightly in response to Lemina's question. "N-no," she says, "I just thought that calling him just Hiro wasn't...respectful enough." She scuffs at the dirt with a toe, awkwardly. "I always found Neo-Vane to be...ostentatious and unpleasant," she offers when the subject comes up. "I hated it there."
<Pose Tracker> Morgan Newkirk has posed.
"Someone broke it? Well that just is a cryin' shame." Morgan frowns about the damage Talise's musical skills have taken. "You're a fair hand with it. Can't really see why music would upset anyone enough to stop it. I mean...its music." Thats something to be shared, not broken. Right?
One hand reaches up to scratch at the side of his nose for a moment as he watches the byplay between the three of them. "Just Morgan will do, miss. I'm not all that important in the Guild." A quiet kind of lie. He's one of the biggest developers of the Kislev branch. But he doesn't quite bring that much attention to himself.
At least he doesn't like to normally.
There is a quiet shift in his position, just a half-step infront of Lemina. Enough to give her cover should trouble start, but he doesn't think it will. He does seem willing to do it just to give Lemina that tiny extra piece of mind though.
He's just like that.
"Rent free? I think I just heard a half dozen merchants collapse from shock." He says, his grin bright and warm as he chuckles slightly. "But that doesn't sound like that bad an idea." A longer pause. "...and...just sort of spitballin' here, Talise. But...if magic brought some of the people here. Would make sense that magic could get y'all back." A glance towards Lemina, since she seems like a mage. "I mean if you had tha' right spell and all." A chuckle as he adds. "But I might not know much 'bout that. I'm more a gears and guns kinda fella. But...destroyin' and harmin' I'm glad that ain't high on yer priority list there, Kourin? Right?" A pause. "You don't seem a bad sort." A longer pause. "I mean Spirit there seems to be a good boy, and he seems to like ya. Thats a plus on the ledger I'd say."
<Pose Tracker> Talise Gianfair has posed.
"Yeeeeaaaaah, I'm fairly sure your chances of taking any of us into custody are /really low,/" Talise points out, even as she reaches down and scritches Spirit between the ears. What is it with the Guard always having dogs?
She glances at Lemina and smiles lightly, clearing her throat. "I've never been to Vane... but I've read and sung a lot about it. If we ever get back home you'll have to show me. It'd be nice to learn how to use magic, anyway... I don't know much about doing that."
Gaze turning back to Morgan, she brings her shoulders up in a slow shrug. "Yeah. One of this young woman's friends," she says with a jerk of her chin towards Kourin, "saw me playing it and decided to walk up and smash it and give me a nice long lecture about how singing and playing music is evil. I fixed it, of course. I'm not usually the sort of person who lets religious zealots tell me what I can and can't do with my life." As she speaks, her eyes are turning to Kourin again, steady and watchful.
"So if you hate Neo-Vane, then why not ditch on the Guard," she invites. "They don't know what they're talking about anyway."
<Pose Tracker> Lemina Ausa has posed.
Lemina can't imagine what it'd be like to not bring attention to yourself at all times. She does, however, breathe a sigh of relief at Morgan's movement. At least this guy seems reliable! "Yeah, no kidding," Lemina comments. "Trust me, I'm one of them."
She then gives Kourin a slightly flat look, adding, "And -- yeah, you've got that right. Sorry, no can do. ... Unlike her, I don't think I can convince you to come with us instead, even if you've got the right idea about Neo-Vane, though." At least this woman has her head on her shoulders the right way, Lemina reflects.
Talise gets a smile. "Membership is just 98 silver per month! And I think we can /probably/ actually teach you magic... though we don't have anyone versed in the gifts of light or shadow who can /teach/. ... yet."
<Pose Tracker> Kourin has posed.
"Duty," Kourin explains to Talise. "I was...abandoned as a child. The Church raised me and when my talents with magic were discovered they sent me to learn, that I might offer my services to the faithful. I owe the Goddess everything. I owe the Church everything." She frowns. "Even though I don't understand the Goddess' commands, it is not the place of a pitiful orphan whose own mother saw that she was worthless to question the very Goddess herself." Is that a tear?
She turns to Morgan. "Thank you for your compliment, but I am...unworthy of it," she says. "I cannot even do my duty properly. After I met Sir Hiro, I...delayed reporting that I had seen him, for as long as I could. I warned him that I would have no choice but to do so. But I delayed...I have put the interests of the Goddess second to my own." She's actually trembling, now. "If not for my debt of obligation to the Church..." she trails off. It's not clear, even to Kourin, how she would have concluded that sentence.
Spirit, in the meantime, has gone to greet Morgan in the same manner as the others.
<Pose Tracker> Morgan Newkirk has posed.
There is a slight wince from Morgan.
"Ooph. Religion." He mutters as he shakes his head slightly. "The only thing that can get people more fired up than politics. It ain't easy to argue with faith." He opinions as he breathes a slight sigh before turning a curious eye back to Kourin.
"Well. Ain't no reason we all can't be civil to each other right now. At least we can all agree that Spirit there is a mighty fine dog."
Common ground at the very least.
He always strives to find that.
There is a chuckle though at Lemina. "Plunked down on a new planet, and yer just off runnin ta get a new Guild set up are ya? I'm impressed. Most people would leastwise have a moment of crisis first." A pause. "Or maybe a lot o' moments. Depends on the person. More than just a pretty lady ain't ya?"
As Spirit trots over, Morgan kneels down slightly. One knee touches the dirt as he flicks a glance towards Talise, trusting her to keep an eye out while he pets the dog. Spirit is going to get so many skritches.
"Mmmm, I don't really pretend to know what religion yer talkin' 'bout." He adds as he keeps his eyes on the dog, but his words angled towards Kourin. "But seems to me that yer caught between what someone is tellin' ya ta believe, and what yer heart is tellin' ya is right. Not the best place to be to be sure. But...you just let me give a compliment where I think its due. And more importantly where, Spirit here thinks its due. I mean really, how can you deny this guy."
<Pose Tracker> Talise Gianfair has posed.
"Get back to me on that," Talise advises Lemina, raising two fingers and cracking a smile. She's gonna have to check the Gella-to-silver exchange rate.
Kourin opens up the floodgates and tells her entire story. Shifting her footing just a little to subtly give herself some room to swing if she has to, Talise nevertheless listens to what the sad priestess has to say. For a moment, the tall half-Beastwoman brings her lips together in a tight line. "You're pretty forthcoming," she says in a subdued tone; internally, she weighs whether or not Kourin is just lying to try and win their sympathy so she can pull some kind of trick. The old I'm-a-pitiful-orphan trick is one of the oldest scam tactics in the book, after all.
"I don't think you have an obligation," she says slowly, "if the Goddess has gone crazy. And I'm fairly sure she's gone crazy. These rules you enforce about music and singing destroyed my life. That's why, when we get back, I'm going to Pentagulia to ask her /myself/ why she's done this to her people."
Catching Morgan's look, she nods once, then clears her throat. "Remember, there was a Lord of Calamity who was a Priestess of Althena once," she points out to Kourin. "Your church could be wrong."
<Pose Tracker> Lemina Ausa has posed.
Lemina... doesn't really /want/ to believe Kourin, meanwhile, but finds herself doing so in /spite/ of herself. On the other hand... "I mega-don't have time for people to beat up on themselves like this," she says, with a small roll of her eyes. "Don't act like you don't have a choice just because you owe someone something!"
Crossing her arms, she says, "That's not how charity works, anyway. If you're gonna do a favor and ask for payment, that's a business! ... I mean, not that there's anything wrong with running a business, but..." Lemina runs out of ways to express her sentiment with words, and settles for a gag noise. Turning to Morgan, she notes, "People with dreams don't have /time/ to have crises. Obviously." And, to Talise, "We'll talk about that when we get back, right? I'm... not really feeling giving the discount rate again. Full price or bust."
<Pose Tracker> Kourin has posed.
Kourin bows her head in silence for a time, not saying anything as Talise speaks of the possibility of the Church being wrong. "I am not saying I don't have a choice, Miss Lemina," she says, after the other speaks. "I do have a choice. I am /choosing/ to approach with words rather than violence. I am /choosing/ to delay reporting your whereabouts, just as I did with Sir Hiro. I am /choosing/ to be a failure, just as I always have been. Just as I always will be."
Yeah, that was definitely a tear.
"I don't know what to do anymore," she says. "You're not wrong--the Goddess's commands have been...strange. But...! Even though you say I don't owe an obligation, still, without the Church I would be dead. Perhaps they should have let me die, because now I am /choosing/ to hinder my rightful duty." She finally looks up, her eyes pleading. "But don't ask me to defy Althena. Whether her commands are strange or not...she is my Goddess."
<Pose Tracker> Morgan Newkirk has posed.
Morgan chuckles softly before he starts to stand. "Go on, Spirit." He murmurs towards the dog as he nods his head towards Kourin's direction. "Go on back." He adds as he stands and dusts off his hands.
There is a chuckle as he turns his attention to the odd faithful there and her dog. "Seems to me, beautiful." He adrawls as he adjusts his hat to be the perfect angle on his hat again. "That your heart already made up its mind, just gotta wait for your head to catch up. That happens sometimes. Believe me. Either way though...Spirit likes ya, and thats good nuff for me."
Since she doesn't look like she's gonna start trouble at least, which is double good. Since bullets cost money and don't grow on trees. Well. Beyond the ones from his ARM at least.
"People with dreams eh?" A smirk at Lemina. "Well, I ain't plannin on standin in the way of any dreams. Powers know I got a few myself. Besides, I get the feeling with you that its either stand with you, or get run over by you when it comes to dreams."
"But...I'm not gonna get in the middle of a disucssion of a religion I don't know a thing about. I'll leave that to the experts." A grin is flashed towards Talise at that. Who at least knows more history than he does.
<Pose Tracker> Talise Gianfair has posed.
"Oh, for Althena's sake," Talise sighs. She listens as Lemina speaks, folding her arms and nodding gravely along.
As Kourin shares more, Talise gives her head a slow shake. "I've got a sad story too," she says tartly, "but I don't hide behind it or use it as an excuse to hurt people. Maybe you are a good person at heart. That's fine; not everyone in the Guard is an asshole. But crying and asking me to pity you doesn't mean you aren't hurting innocent people, or chasing after Lucia and her friends without knowing anything what they're about. And...." Her eyes narrow, and she squares her jaw. "...your silence isn't doing anything to stop maniacs who use their zeal to hurt common people like me," she says, tone flatter now.
To Morgan, she flashes a faint smile, pushing one hand up through her hair. "Well. I dunno about /expert,/" she murmurs with a low chuckle. The joke seems to put her at ease a little more. "All I'm saying is--"
Here her eyes return to Kourin, and she tries a smile at this point. "--that you shouldn't be /too/ grateful. That's how people manipulate you - by playing on your own best impulses!"
<Pose Tracker> Lemina Ausa has posed.
"Yeah, uh -- thanks for that?" Lemina starts, her tone maybe a little more brassy than it should be. "But what you might actually want to do is ask why a Goddess who as far as I know has always been all about this kind of stuff is suddenly wrecking people's instruments and installing mega-gross weirdos like Borgan."
If Morgan just flows like water, and Talise tries honey... well, /someone/ has to try vinegar, right?
Tossing her hair, Lemina says, "Don't get me wrong! Like, this display is working, I feel mega-bad for you! But when you're ready to ask for help for real, I'll be around. In the meantime, this is just... too sad for all the wrong reasons."
She finally gets out of her doggo-petting posture -- which hasn't been necessary for a while, really -- and takes a few steps back, and starts to turn. "... I hope we don't meet again until you figure this out," she says, quietly.
<Pose Tracker> Kourin has posed.
Kourin blushes as Morgan calls her beautiful. She doesn't even protest--she knows it to be just words. She flinches at Talise's words, though. "I...I am sorry that you have been harmed by one of my companions," she manages, in a whisper.
Mention of Borgan elicits a shudder, though. "I...I couldn't change anything even if I did ask," she says. "I'm no one. I'm just..."
Spirit, taking Morgan's cue, returns to his mistress's side, nuzzling gently at her hand.
"I hope so too, Miss Lemina," Kourin says quietly. "I truly do. Can you...can you bring my greetings to Sir Hiro?"
<Pose Tracker> Morgan Newkirk has posed.
"You're you, darlin." Morgan drawls easily enough as he fits he slips his hands into his pockets. A quirk of a smile on his lips as he watches the strange lady from the faith that isn't his own. "Thats worth somethin'. At least it is once you decide it is."
He takes a deep breath though as he watches Lemina turn and start on her own way. She seems serious about that. Not wanting to meet till she figures that out. Its likely for the best. Since he's guessing if any other members of this Guard are there well...it won't be pretty.
"Well, those bandits I was hired to run off aren't gonna do it themselves. So I should be goin' myself. Pleasure to meet ya, Kourin. Miss Lemina. And always fun to see ya, Talise." A chuckle.
"Drop by the Guild offices in town if you need something. The Adventurer's Guild is always willin' to help." As long at said help stays withing the Guild laws at least.
<Pose Tracker> Talise Gianfair has posed.
"Your being sorry doesn't mean anything unless you /do/ something about it!" Talise answers, her tone taking on a flash of anger. "It's just a /word!/ Unless you're willing to stand up against what's wrong, you're just enabling people like your Guardmates. You know what they're doing is wrong but all you're doing is using your past as an excuse not to do anything about it, and /that/ to me is /worse/ than being pure evil, because you /know/ what the right thing is and you don't /do/ it!"
She sets her hand back at her hip once again, scowling irritably. "Miss Ausa's right. When you're ready to do the right thing, I'll be happy for you. But if all you want to do is make fucking excuses, stay out of my way." Scowl darkening, she points one finger at Kourin. "And if you know it's wrong and you keep doing it, I'm not going to listen to your excuses next time. Got it?"
Turning stiffly, she shifts her sword over her shoulder, nodding back to Lemina, then to Morgan. A heavy breath emerges from her in a short chuff. "Nice seeing you again," she offers Morgan. "Don't die out there. And...."
She lowers her eyelids a shade. "Let's get a drink again soon."
<Pose Tracker> Lemina Ausa has posed.
"Sure thing," Lemina says, with a nod, on her way back away from the gathering. It's all she has to offer, really -- and... it /would/ be pretty rude of her not to at least say 'hi' to Hiro on her behalf, wouldn't it?