Fanelia

[Nairohe]

A music box sung a familiar tune, an old tune that was said to have been hummbed by the girl from the mystic moon herself when her great... in reality, she didn't really now how many greats, but the song sang to the children of Van Fanel since the Girl from the mystic moon's arrival.

"Hitomi... That was her name wasn't it?" She closed her eyes and listened to the quite breeze and the music box. She hummed along to the familiar tune till it stopped playing and it would be quiet again. She closed her eyes dreaming. She pictured her mother and father when they were alive. It wasn't always this quiet. Then, she gained courage when she recalled the stories, the stories of Van Fanel how he himself was an orphan and grew up to be the greatest hero of them all. "Her name, there's a nice ring to it." Even after the song was gone, she contnued to hum it again... it was the only way that she could really hold her tears back.

Tomorrow, she was to be crowned Queen of Fanelia...

[Nairohe]

(((OOC: Just to let you know that it's up and will be running pretty soon. tralalalala!)))

[Kayay]

“M'Lady?” A slender woman stepped into the room, feline features softly highlighted by the light that spilled through the windows.

“Yes?”

“The delegation from Freid will be arriving in the morn.” Pale green eyes glanced out the window to the setting sun. “They’ll be here shortly before the coronation, if all goes well. Are you going to greet them yourself, or should I send someone?”

She looked up, finger still lingering along the gilded edge of the music box. “Send Crimmius to receive them. He can get them settled then, if they wish, escort them to the coronation.”

The cat woman nodded, pausing to look upon her queen – her friend – with concern. “Will you be all right?”

“I don’t know.” He voice wavered a bit, but she turned to grace her friend with a smile. “It’s just my nerves, nothing serious. I-I’ll be fine.”

“Hikari-sama, don’t you go letting those advisors and politicians go pushing you around today.” She placed her hands on her hips and, although she was the younger of the two women, adopted a motherly demeanor. “Find someplace where you can rest. Tomorrow will be more than chaotic enough to make up for stealing a bit of solitude today.”

“Thank you. I will.”

[Fairybane]

In the brightly lit temple, a large figure kneeled humbly before the fierce stone visage of a dragon in flight. Low chanting could be heard by anyone who dared cross the threshold of the small chamber, a deep earthly rumble with hints of a snarling accent. Briefly, the massive form bent forward and bowed deeply beneath the dancing torches and thin haze of incense smoke. In one smooth motion that bespoke many years of practiced ease, the powerful figure rose from his kneel and turned around gracefully, black robes fluttering behind.
With a deep breath, Crimmius Renault took a lungful of the scented smoke, and then released it with a purging exhalation, all part of his morning worship routine. The breath, powered by the mighty lungs of the lion-man sent stray currents of smoke curling through the confines of the temple, which were then broken as Crimm strode down the center aisle towards the engraved double doors that marked the only entrance to his temple. Emerging into the halls of the palace, Crimm stared solemnly at a trio of young initiates in his path who cowered at his grim gaze and scuttled past quickly. Continuing on his way, he nodded briefly to guards at their posts, maids tending to their daily chores, and scholars emerging from their studies, but growled menacingly at a court advisor he saw, swaggering arrogantly through the corridors. As the man scurried off, cowed by the sight of the massive priest, Crimm shook his head and continued on his way.
"Today..." he spoke to himself in a deep baritone voice. "Today brings much promise..."
Stepping through a portal into a lush courtyard, Crimm meandered through the garden, letting the morning breeze ruffle his tawny mane. Bumblebees buzzed lazily through the branches of rosebushes and birds twittered far above in the clear skies. It was a typical day in Fanelia but Crimm could feel that there was something different about it...an omen sent by the Dragon God.
A fresh breeze rolled in and Crimm opened his fanged mouth wide to breath in the clear air. Suddenly a bumblebee broke away from the roses and made a line straight for Crimm. Moving with suprising agility, the lion-man darted his hand out and crushed the insect in midflight. But when he opened his palm revealing a sticky mess, the dead bumblebee's stinger was lodged in his flesh.
Silently, Crimm pondered this development. "An omen indeed," he growled to himself, pinching out the stinger with his claws.

[Lady Fanel]

Deep in the bellows of the castle, the little-noticed palace workers were hard at work. To pass the time, they often gossiped about what was going on in the country.

On this particular day, a young woman named Aethaeus was scrubbing laundry over a hot kettle. The older women around her were gossiping, as usual, but this time the news was interesting enough that Aethaeus decided to listen in.

"....A delegation from Freid, are you sure?"

"Of course I am. I was there when the messenger brought the news." The speaker looked indignant at being questioned.

One of the other women looked up from folding the laundry. "Well, why are they coming here? It's been a long time since Freid has visited Fanelia."

The old woman shrugged. "I'm not sure. Someone said it was because a new war was starting."

The work suddenly stopped as everyone stared at her. "I would hope not, Mai," said the woman who had spoken first. "There's not been many battles since the Great War, and I would hope there won't be any more."

A younger woman spoke up. "Well I heard they were coming because the Duke wanted to marry our princess."

Aethaeus sighed and dried of her hands. "I'm going to take this laundry outside and hang it to dry," she said, picking up the basket of laundry she had just washed. As usual, no one noticed her.

She walked outside and immediately felt the cool air stick to her skin. She held the door open a moment to allow the cool air to enter into the steamy basement, and then shut it behind her. Slowly she made her way to the garden, as if every step she took made her life seem more endless and tiring. Making her way over to the ropes that were hung up to use as clotheslines, she started draping sheets over them. Hearing a noise to her right, Aethaeus turned around to see a lionman standing by the roses, his back to her. She looked at him a moment, wondering why he was there and what he was doing, and then remembered that she had work to do. Softly sighing, she resumed hanging up the sheets.

[Kayay]

Tail swishing languidly behind her, Maeko strolled through the palace, the rolled parchment the messenger bird had brought at dawn in her hand. The delegation would be arriving later that day it stated, and possibly in time for the coronation. Upon passing a small courtyard, the catwoman stopped, watching the washerwomen hanging the laundry to dry. She leaned against a pillar and absently rapped her long nails on the stone surface, relaxing in observing the women perform such a mundane yet necessary chore. Closing her pale jade eyes, she felt the warmth of the sun on her face, tinting the backs of her lids orange-red, and her lips curled into a peaceful smile. It was the quiet before the storm that would be the coronation ceremony, and she intended to enjoy it while it lasted. Afterwards, she’d be kept plenty busy helping her friend adjust to her new official position as Queen.

Walking out into the yard, the scattered trees cast dappled shadows upon her tawny velveteen fur. Peering over the wall, she could see the city sprawled below, a much different place than that of a scant hundred years ago. After all, a few decade were nothing compared to the vast history of Gaea. True, it was not the most advanced countries, but no longer was Fanelia seen as the backwater land of farmers. Still, if a curious soul wandered the outlying areas, one could find scattered crumbling remains of the old city, scorch marks from the massive fire faded but visible. Maybe that was why no one had the heart to completely destroy those ruins, tiny monuments, of sorts, to how far the land had progressed since the reign of the legendary Van Slanzar de Fanel.

Turning from the view, Maeko went back to people watching amid the sweet perfume of the roses


((OOC: We’ve got a time warp to deal with. Freid is still in the evening, the ship having left at 8pm. Fanelia is already in the morning. Somewhere along the way the two times will have to catch up since the ship is supposed to arrive in Fanelia before noon.))

[Kayay]

The room was lit by the morning sunlight shining through stained glass and tall clear windows, creating cascades of fractured light and shadows that intersected at various points and reached across the floor, up the walls, and along the columns that lined the room. A particularly intense shaft of light illuminated the sunken center of the temple, where once the White Dragon itself had been hidden. Along the sides of the wall there are miniature shrines within carefully tended alcoves, the centerpiece of which are gleaming multifaceted energists, each seeming to contain a power, pulsing…sleeping…waiting.

No one other than the royal family and high-ranking priests entered the place for decades, but it was here in this holy silence that a bright pillar of pale blue light shot down from the sky. People in the city pointed and whispered, some recalling the last time such a sight was witnessed centuries ago, before the Great War. Some viewed it as a sign of prosperity to come, others made gestures meant to ward against evil, but all knew it to be a vision of great importance.

Needless to say, Silvern, Elisan, Dryan, Fangolas, and Dream, all slowly waking from the smothering grip of unconsciousness, would not be remain undiscovered for long.


((OOC: FYI, it is still early morning in Fanelia))

[DrkZealot]

((OOC: Ugh...hopefully my posting will get better as time goes on...Though it hasn't happened in the FF rpg, I'm sure this one'll be different...heh heh :heh:

The sun elegantly acended above the palace casting a light blue tint across the cloudless sky, banishing the darkness of night, giving it the appearance of still ocean water, devoid of ripple or wave caused by the salty breeze. It was a beautiful sight, the air was clean and sweet to the nose, the several fragrant blades of grass and flowers did well to perfume the air. Contrary to the dull grey mornings in Zaibach where steam and sulfurous gas clogged the lungs, one could take in a deep breath without doubling over in long fits of coughing resulting in bloodying the hands that covered the mouth. The young man extended his arms away from his body in a much needed stretch, his sore bones voicing their displeasure with low cracking sounds and momentary flashes of pain, as if warning him from doing it again. His muscles on the other hand rather enjoyed the stretch, the night before they worked near their limit, lifting several supply crates into the Fanelian Palace and Guymelef storage, while several of his peers struggled with one. That night’s sleep proved unsatisfactory as well, the small, stern looking cot they supplied in his tentative dwelling was so stiff a rigid it could have stood at attention with the best of the Fanelian Samurai. It was all too reminiscent to his nights in his Zaibach barracks, the only exception being the annoying chirping of crickets and other nocturnal creatures through the small window…and the lack of twelve foot rats living underneath the floor he failed to ever see. His chambers where on the first floor, where much of the military slept, though it seemed they forgot he was no longer a criminal and never cleaning tool. His room was nearly the size of a prison cell, the air reeked with the odor of several sour cleaning materials, and he could have sworn late at night one of the maids removed a broom and mop from the corner opposite his cot.

Well, it mattered little now, the morning more than made up for the terrible night(though the fumes made him sleep considerably well and deep). Birds happily welcomed the new day with cheerful songs, children laughed and played their games in the open yards running circles around disgruntles maids, all the while worried parents continued to yell words of caution to the oblivious offspring. His arms where crossed loosely over his chest, the undersized black Zaibachian shirt still stretched over his upper body, and the oversized trousers still bunched up at the ankles and swooshed in the air against each other as he walked. It may have been a good idea to do as Maeko said and remove the clothes of his former masters, but he saw no real reason for it. All the guards and soldiers had been informed of his presence here, and would not mistake him for a spy. The people near him regarded him with only limited suspicion, scrutinizing this odd stranger in unfamiliar garb who suddenly appeared in their yard, like one of the recently uncloaked Zaibachian Guymelefs in the stories told to them about days long past. Besides, it was much more comfortable and fashionably tasteful than the jumpsuit he was offered for his work.

He still had a quite some time until he was to report to the palace again for work. With his help the night prior, they were well ahead of schedule and were granted leniency on the time they had to report in. Working in the Guymelef hangar wasn’t all that bad, though it was painful watching the Falcate being converted into a work Guymelef. Upon first entering the hanger he watched as the mechanics worked on its damaged exterior, welding closed the gaping wounds in its armored chest. Removing several pieces of Crima Claw that had become deeply lodged into its’ back. Hammering out the dents from several powerful blows and sanding over the misshapen features from severe burns of the pursuing Melef’s flamethrowers. In the little time working in the Guymelef storage area, he watched as they removed the left arms flame thrower, replaced it with a normal arm with the thicker reinforced fingers required for moving equipment, rather than the thin deft digits used in the wielding of weapons. The right arm remained the same, the long scythe still rest at the end of the crima claw, the last of the metal used in the formation of this weapon. He sighed longingly as he thought about the damaged Guymelef that lent him the last of its strength, and allowed him to escape from that accursed place…And though it was the first time ever piloting a Guymelef, he felt a strange bond to it. Fate had been with him that night…

[Megumi H]

((OOC: Good morning, and how are you?))



Stone. Cool. Air. Light. Red....

Eyelids opening slowly as the physical world reappeared before her, Dream Chang awoke with a groan, wondering in her haze why there was an unfamiliar ceiling above her, and why her arm was stretched across a man's midsection. Confused, she lifted her arm away and made an effort to sit up, still looking at the man beside her.

His eyes had not yet opened, but his face, framed by blond hair, seemed so familiar. Dream's eyes traveled further down. There was a rough, round wound in his left arm next to her. A concerned frown crossed her face and she reached a hand out to touch it-- and stopped. Her own hand had blood on it.

Suddenly she flinched, as struck by a torrent of memories. She saw smoke, the man, her own arms reaching out.... She saw bright metal, skin parting, blood... so much blood.... and a cruel face.

She blinked and her eyes were wide, her mouth gaping. Her eyes went back and forth between her bloody hand and the man's arm, and she whipped her head around to see that she was not alone with him. She saw another man, a creature... and again the face, no longer cruel but blank and unconscious.

[Kayay]

~~~~Silvern~~~~

He awoke to pain and warmth. His left arm alternated between throbbing numbness and sharp stabs of pain, and the entire left side of his shirt was stained with blood. Groggily, Silvern tried to right himself, immediately regretting the action as the room began to spin. Mentally he cursed the idiot Elisan for not only indirectly injuring him but also for the brutal slaughter of the Kamakura policeman.

Taking a few deep breaths, the blonde waited for his vision to clear and the room to remain still before taking in his surroundings. Dryan and Fangolas, to his surprise, lay nearby, and the girl Dream sat wide-eyed beside him. She appeared scared and confused, but otherwise unharmed. Too weary to speak, Silvern crawled towards the still unconscious foxwoman and Fang, ignoring Elisan and secretly hoping he was dead. A trail of smeared blood marked his path, and he reached to feel for a pulse on both. They were alive. Silvern breathed a sigh of relief then looked back up at Dream.

“Where are we?”


~~~~ Maeko~~~~

“By the Goddess, what was that?”

Past the women hanging laundry and past the gardens she rushed. Of all the people in Fanelia, there were few who knew the legends as well as she, and the shaft of blue light that engulfed the temple was exactly like the one of the tales that had been passed down from generation to generation.

Maeko pushed open the smaller access door beside the heavy ornate double doors. Her feline eyes immediately adjusted to the change in lighting and she spotted what looked like four…no, five bodies. Two were shakily sitting up, and the distinct scent of blood hung in the air. Silhouetted in the doorway, the catwoman turned her head and called out into the courtyard.

“Fetch guards and a medic, now!” She paused. “And find Crimm while you’re at it!” The priest was one of the few who were allowed access to this temple. Maybe he’d have some answers.

[Lady Fanel]

Aethaeus looked up from her laundry, startled by the pillar of light that appeared in the sky. A slender catwoman started running past Aethaeus to the temple. She resumed hanging up the laundry for a moment as thoughts raced through her mind.

It's probably nothing important. Maybe it's an illusion to give the people something to talk about, she reasoned. But what if it's not? What if it's a real pillar bringing our saviour like the legends tell? Is it wise to stay here? Yes, it would be much better if she stayed. If she were to run off and not finish her task, she would get in much trouble.

But eventually her curiosity got the better of her. She dropped the laundry on the dewy grass and ran after the catwoman.

[Megumi H]

Dream had turned toward the wall, facing away from the others. She wasn't sure who was alive, but she couldn't bear to see them with such uncertainty. Her head throbbed, and she rested it on her knees, folding her arms tightly around them. She heard faint sounds of someone stirring, but didn't move. She was not at all certain she'd be prepared to see who it might be.

She felt so vulnerable and helpless. She wished for someone to give her good news. She wanted someone to tell her everything would be all right. She wanted someone to comfort her in this unfamiliar place.

Then she heard it. "Where are we?"

Dream started. She let go of her knees and stood up, turning to see the man with the blond hair.

He's awake... He's okay... Oh, he's alive!

This reassurance overwhelmed Dream, and before she knew what she was doing, she ran to Silvern's side and threw her arms around him, ignoring the blood on his body and burying her head in his side, starting to cry in all her mixed emotions.

She barely knew when the door creaked open and someone yelled from the doorway. Her eyes were shut and streaming, and her ears heard only the sound of her own sobs.

[Phantom Angel]

~----Dryan----~


She could hear the falling of water inside her head. Drop, by drop, by drop, the water fell, ringing in her ears.

It sounded like screams, screams she didn't want to rember, screams she had struggled to forget.

"Gwira..." she whispered softly, feeling her stomach convulse. Nausea washed over her, yet when the fox struggled to open her eyes, they simply fell back like prison gates.

"Get her now! Over there! She's getting away!"

Her breath came in ragged gasps, as the sensation in her stomach intesified by apprehension.

"She's getting away! There will be hell to pay if we lose her now!"

The voices were familiar, yet strange. Their nasal tones matched her own way of speaking. She could feel the scent of the night's air invade her nostrils. It was so pungeat that she choked, and forgot to breathe for a few moments.

"Come on! Chase her off the cliff! That way the chief will never know she was here!"

Their voices were like mallets pounding in her brain. Each syllable hurt more than the next.

Then she fell.

"Oh lord!" Dryan yelped, and struggled to sit up on the cold, dusty floor.

The feeling of nausea from her stomach swam up to her head, making her disoriented, while still maintaining the urge to vomit.

"Where am I?" she asked, her voice sounding alarmingly hoarse and broken.

"It's okay darling. You're home, and you're safe." The familiar voice of her alternate personality whispered softly.

An unfamilar warmth spread through her body at the sound of the deep throaty voice. A tear of happiness rolled down Dryan's cheek, as the foxwoman sat on the dusty floor.

"Gwira...

[Kayay]

“It’s okay. You’ll be fine.” Silvern stroked Dream’s hair comforting her as one would a child. “Dryan?” He turned his head at the other woman’s yelp, one arm still draped around the crying girl’s shoulders. “What is it? What’s…”

“Who are you?” Maeko’s curt, no nonsense voice interrupted. Her shoes clicked sharply on the marble floor as the catwoman approached, eyeing the strangers suspiciously. The conscious blonde appeared to be the only one injured, but the wound didn’t seem fatal; then again, she was no doctor. As the foxwoman struggled to sit upright, Maeko stepped to the side to keep an eye on her as well. “Who are you, where did you come from, and how did you get in here?”

Footsteps behind her announced the arrival of a medic and a pair of guards, but when the catwoman turned to gesture for them to enter she caught sight of one of the washerwomen she’d been watching earlier peering into the temple. Wonderful. Her tail swished with irritation, but she reminded herself it was to be expected, and bit her tongue against the sharp reprimand she was tempted to give. The pillar of light had been seen by dozens of pairs of eyes, and it was only natural a few would come poking around.

“That one’s hurt.” She jerked her head in Silvern’s direction, and the medic hurried over to the man. “And you there by the door, make yourself useful and fetch Crimmius.”

[Eydtman]

Slowly Elisan began to hear the faint sound of voices and scuffling feet fade in from nothingness in which he was envelpoed. With each passing moment the sounds grew louder until they became clear enough that he could make out what the voices were saying.

“It’s okay. You’ll be fine.”

Elisan recognized that the voice was Silvern's. Slowly he began to open his eyes. His eyelids felt heavy as if there were tiny weights attatched to each of them trying to keep him from seeing the world around him.

“Who are you?”

Another voice, this one Elisan did not recognize, but it was in Gaean and not that foreign language that the people tend to spoke in this place. Elisan was now beginning to get feeling back into the rest of his body. Under his hands he could feel the cool hardness of a flat stone floor. Elisan's eye's flashed open quickly upon feeling the the stone beneath him. He quickly began to realize that he wasn't in the same place that he last remembered himself being. Instead of being in the forest outside of the Doc's house he was now in a stone room. As his vision became clearer he noticed that around him lay the familiar faces of the people he had met since arriving in the strange land. Dryan, Silvern and the girl were awake, but Nik and Fang were still laying unconcious on the ground.

"We've been captured?' was the first thing that ran through Elisan's mind. The last thing he remembered was turning to see how Silvern had made out in the battle. Had there been more pursuers in the forest than they had realized? Did they jump me when I turned?

“That one’s hurt.”

There was that voice that Elisan didn't recognize again. He sloely turned his head to face it. In front of the door stood a woman, a feline woman actually. Elisan caught a glimpse of some movement behind her and then saw the two armed gaurds.

"We have been captured." he thought to himself again.

Elisan slowly and laborously tried to force himself into a sitting position. It was then that he noticed that they all still had their weapons with them. Normally if one were to be captured, the removal of their weapons would be top priority. Something strange was going on.

Elisan saw someone hurry over to Silvern's side carrying a medical bag. It was then that he saw the wound in Silvern's arm. Elisan chuckled quietly at the sight of the wound.

"Hey Silvern," Elisan called to him in a quiet voice while rolling up the left sleeve of his shirt and slowly unravelling the bandage that was on his own arm. "Look, now we're like twins." He said pointing to the nearly identical wound he had recieved when he had first arrived in the strange land. With this Elisan broke out in laughter. Regardless of the situation they had found themselves in, and even though he didn't know why he found it so funny, he couldn't help but laugh.

[Megumi H]

Her sobs lessened and she eventually quieted as Silvern stroked her hair, and moved closer to him as he murmured encouraging words to her. Someone came over to them and tried gently to move Dream away, but she clutched tightly at Silvern's clothes in silent protest.

"It's all right," he assured her with a slight wince as she accidentally pulled against his arm. "He's only trying to help."

Dream looked up at him, but loosened her grip and slid her hand down into his, giving the medic enough room to work on Silvern's wounded arm.

Her throat was still tight with fear and from crying and she, in an attempt to still her trembling, squeezed his hand, turning her face away as the medic peeled back Silvern's shirt. She wiped her tears from her face with her sleeve.

Then she heard another voice and her skin prickled. "Hey, Silvern," it said, "Look, now we're like twins." Dream's face hardened and she gritted her teeth. How could this man be so casual? He began to laugh, and each ring sent shivers running up and down her spine. Her nose stung and she felt hot tears building behind her eyelids.

"Make him stop..." she pleaded softly to no one in particular. "Stop...."

[Phantom Angel]

Dryan could barely contain the happiness that seemed to want to spill down her cheeks. They were home, and she could feel the pulse of the presence at the back of her head. Gwira had returned, and never in her life had Dryan felt a more acute sense of relief.

"What happened to you? Why did you disappear all of a sudden?" She asked, breathless with anticipation.

"I can't explain what happened. After the doctor gave you that poison.... after I saw you dead...." Gwira couldn't continue, as a sob constricted her throat.

Dryan felt the cat's tears spill down her cheeks, and deep in the space of her mind, she felt Gwira's comforting presence envelop hers. For a moment, but just for a single moment, Dryan was allowed to feel all the fear, the relief and the happiness in the other's heart. It was a dizzying feeling.

"But I wasn't dead. I don't really know what the poison was or how it acted, but it didn't kill me."

" I realised that now, but after your conscience faded from your mind, I was left alone to search for you and..." Gwira was unsure of what to say next. She knew that under no circumstance was she to retell to Dryan what had happened after she lost consciousness. "Somehow, I begun to fade as well. And then everything I know was that you were back here, and you were dreaming that horrible dream. " She whispered, trying to sound as truthful as possible.

Dryan's suspicious nature was eclipsed by the happiness she was feeling at their reunion. If it would have been any other time, the fox woman would have instantly known she was being made a fool of.

However, as Gwira saw it, it wasn't lying. It was simply concealing a truth, and prolonging a painful decision for the time being. She ardently hoped it would be forever, but her experience argued against that fervent wish.

"Anyway, we should pay attention to what is going on around us." she suggested, meekly.

"Fang!" Dryan exclaimed.

The last thing she remebered from the sequence on the Mystic Moon was the taste of her salty tears, and Fang's chaste, but brotherly embrace. Then.... everything had faded and they had ended up here.

[Lady Fanel]

Aethaeus was startled as the catwoman addressed her. "Yes, m'lady," she bowed. Then she turned and ran towards the gardens. Looking around, she saw her laundry lying on the ground and winced at the thought of the punishment she would receive. Spotting the tall lion-man standing by the rosebushes, she ran over to him.

"Pardon me, m'lord, but I was sent to get you. There is trouble at the temple," she said, bowing low.

[Kayay]

It was quite clear from the glares the blonde one shot towards the other man that there was hostility between the members of this little group. Maeko chewed thoughtfully on her bottom lip as she observed them for a few seconds. With the arrival of the Freid delegates and coronation ceremony that afternoon a bit of paranoia wasn’t unreasonable.

“Search them and confiscate anything that even looks like a weapon,” she ordered the guards. The catwoman crossed her arms over her chest and, tapping her carefully manicured claws against her arms, scrutinized, them before turning her attention to the medic. “How is he?”

The elderly man looked up from binding Silvern’s arm. “He lost a good amount of blood, but he’ll be fine.” He rose and walked stiffly to the woman’s side, lowering his voice a bit. “What puzzles me, however, is what caused a wound like this. It’s most unusual.”

Maeko wrinkled her nose and let out a rather unladylike little snort. What did she care about what the man’s wound looked like? The fact was, she had five strangers who’d appeared out of nowhere, one bleeding, to add to an already busy schedule. Her foul mood was interrupted by the grating laughter of one of the males and frightened sobs of the girl. Paces away, the dark skinned man was also slowly regaining consciousness, in response to the fox’s gentle urgings.

“I don’t know what you find so amusing, stranger,” she spoke icily to Elisan.

[DrkZealot]

Long minutes ago the sky erupted with a pale blue glow emitted from a shaft of light piercing through the clouds like a javelin, stabbing through the Temple below. It took long….very long moments for the raccoon to come to a reasonable course of action. For he was torn between his need to prove himself to those of Fanelia; he wished to work for them, protect them at all cost. He was torn between that and an unimaginable fear that clutched at his stomach, pinched his spine and immobilized his lower body when he tried to move forward (Yet moving backward, away from the light didn’t seem to be a problem). His eyes glanced from left to right, watching as some of the people from the yard abandoned their work to Investigate to the odd disturbance.
Under normal circumstances Wraith would have ran home crying at the unnatural sight before him, his overactive imagination conjuring images of Zaibachain engineered giant wererats being transported with the long pillar of light into the city, wreaking havoc on the cities cheese supply, then when all was consumed turning their attention to the ripe flesh of the Gaens (their preference being raccoon) inhabiting the large Kingdome. But he did finally come to a consensus, his loyalty to his new home took priority over his own life, he pledged it to Maeko and the rulers of Fanelia, and no scary beam of light was going to keep him from fulfilling his duty. He wouldn’t let those large rats from Zaibach destroy this city; he had grown quite fond of it in recent days. And while the sleeping accommodation weren’t what he would have liked them to be, and the food was lacking the subtle hints of iron and other metallic ore found in his Zaibachian meals, he came to accept it as home.
With that settled, and his course of action decided, he quickly made his way to the nearby temple his strong legs propelling him quickly across the city.

((ooc: Mwahahhahah feel the wrath of a rushed post))

[Fairybane]

Crimm looked up sharply as Maeko dashed past the gardens, vanishing before he could call to her.
Something is afoot... he thought to himself, a low disapproving rumble sounding deep in his throat. The old lion was aware that a youthful catgirl like Maeko was far lighter on her feet then he was, and immediately decided that attempting to pursue her would be fruitless.
If fate chooses to enlighten me...well it shall send me a sign. For now, I shall await its answer while enjoying this fine morning.
There was the sound of hasty footsteps upon the gravel walkway, and then a feminine voice broke the silence of the gardens.
"Pardon me, m'lord, but I was sent to get you. There is trouble at the temple."
Ah, so that's where Maeko was headed. Crimm turned around and smiled to the young maid who was bowing to him. Her face was unfamiliar, and looked to be of mixed ancestry but the feline features clearly bespoke her heritage.
"Please rise young miss, I am no lord but a humble priest," he said, bowing in return. "Please call me Father Crimm...but come now, let us see to this matter."

Crimmius was quite familiar with the path to the old temple, in fact he considered himself its caretaker. Though rarely used, he would still keep the grounds maintained for the rare times that one of the royal family would visit. And it was a peaceful place to meditate, knowing the stories associated with the temple, it made him feel closer to the gods just by being within the hallowed confines of the ancient building. But the omens of the morning weighing heavily in his mind, Crimm wondered just what kind of 'trouble' had occured. Glancing behind, he saw that the maid was trailing behind and he considered asking her for details.
"Miss, what sort of trouble has befallen the temple?" he asked in his deep baritone voice.

[Lady Fanel]

"Please call me Father Crimm...but come now, let us see to this matter."

Aethaeus bowed and followed the lion-priest to the temple. He led the way down the well-cared for paths as if he knew every curve, every direction he must take. He was quite a bit taller than Aethaeus, and she found herself wondering what he did as a priest.

"Miss, what sort of trouble has befallen the temple?" he asked in his deep baritone voice.

She almost jumped as he addressed her so formally. "Please, m'lord," she said, "call me Aethaeus." She bowed her head. "I am not worthy of being called a 'miss'." There was a pause. "I'm afraid I don't know much of what's going on at the temple, only that it has something to do with several people that were lying on the floor. They seemed hurt, because the catwoman who sent me called for medics. That's all I know, m'lord." Aethaeus lowered her eyes, embarassed at having talked to formally to one of her superiors.

[DrZepp]

Findel wearily looked up from the wash bucket, his face still red from the warm liquid.
*I've never spent this much time in the wash room.*
The samurai mused idly, thinking back to his Basram patrol days: Long months in the wilderness with little means of cleaning oneself. It was rough, but Findel had grown used to being dirty and unkempt at all times. Things had certainly changed as of late, though. He had barely even touched a glass of ale since Asturia, and he was secretly starting to like Freids airy attire. Yes, things were slowly beggining to change for the once proud (once slightly manlier) Basramian. He now found himself greatly anticipating the levi-ships arrival in Fanelia...
Thus, as he finished up with his wash he made for Gwyndolins main chambers, where he had left the Asturian with Aaron the night before.

*

"Morning..."
The Basramian said roughly, revealing his shirtless self to a groggy looking Gwyndolin. Her room was just as elaborate as the one in Freid had been (compared to the dull shades of Basram at least.) So, after checking out the interior designs, Findel dully noted that Aaron was gone.
"Where has he run off to now?"

Gwyndolin shrugged, standing up to face the Basramian.
Findels eyes showed immediate irritation at the thought that Aaron was wandering around, stabbing people, but that was soon washed away as he realised a new sensation, or rather a lack thereof... "The ship has stopped moving."
Gwyndolin nodded again.
"Yes, we have docked by now. We should be going."

[Fairybane]

"Hmmm..." Crimm's voice thundered and his tail swished back and forth. "Strangers in the temple?" The lion-man's hazel eyes glinted dangerously, and his stride suddenly lengthened so that Aethaeus was forced to scurry in order to keep up with him. For a moment, he had been a little hopeful, knowing the old stories associated with the temple and this land...that the ancient tales had come back to life. But if this was nothing more than a pack of bandits desecrating his temple...
At his hastened pace, Crimm and Aetheus arrived at the scene shortly, passing through the small crowd of onlookers, right up to the entrance to the temple. Glancing around, Crimm was relieved to see that nothing seemed to be damaged or stolen, but that a number of oddly dressed strangers were sprawled about the floor, with medics tending to a few.
"Maeko!" he called, recognizing the catwoman amongst the guards surrounding the strangers. "What on Gaia is happening here?"

[EvaRobby]

<<OOC: I'm going to make a sorry attempt at controlling Findel a little, forgive me ^_^;; >>

It suddenly clicked in Touji's head. The left. The lack of sleep he had last night wasn't helping him think at all. He had a hard enough time staying asleep, let alone getting that way. Nightmares kept finding him as he slept.

When he arrived at Gwyndolens door, he spent a short moment remembering what he was doing, and choosing his words for once he entered. He hoped she wouldn't still be asleep.

He knocked on the door, and it soon opened to reveal an unfamiliar topless man. Touji made an automatic assumption, though he didn't want to make it obvious. He daydreamed for a momet as he considered Gwyndolen's character, and the possibility that...

"Yes?" The man interrupted his toughts, Touji finally remembered where he was.

"Oh. Excuse me." He tried to remember his planned words, but failed miserably. "Is Gwyndolen here?"

[Kayay]

Many scathing words were on the tip of her tongue, but before the catwoman could verbally skin these people alive, Crimm arrived with all his usual forwardness.

“I have no idea Father Crimm. These people just appeared out of the blue,” Maeko make a dismissive little wave at the strangers, “and so far I haven’t gotten any explanations.” She arched an eyebrow and looked aside at the leonine man. “I assume you saw the light pillar. It sounds crazy, but at first I thought, well, you know the tales, but, except for the fact that they just spontaneously appeared out of nowhere, they look like average Gaeans. Unless,” she lowered her voice so the others did not hear, “you have any insight that they may be otherwise?”

The priest had no time to reply, for it was at that moment that the small crowd assembled at the door pushed forward, inadvertently shoving Wraith into the temple.

“Oh for the love of…” The anthro woman hissed, then noticed the raccoon anthro. “Wraith, since you’re here, do me a favor and watch the door, and keep any more nosey busy bodies OUT, or I’ll use them as my personal scratching post!”

Meako turned back to Crimm. He was an imposing figure; perhaps he could get some answers. “Father, the visitors from Freid will be here soon, and I must go meet them, so I’ll leave things in your hands for now. The guards will take them to an extra room near the servant’s wing, but I want them kept together, so have extra cots brought in necessary, and since Wraith and that other girl,” she nodded at Aethaeus, “are already around, they can assist you.”

[Phantom Angel]

Suddenly, the room was filled with strangers that seemed to just appear out of nowhere. For a moment, Dryan was taken aback by the fact that she could understand what they were saying.

"Well, no duh, it is Gaea...." Gwira replied silently.

Dryan rolled her eyes but stayed silent. She didn't like them. In fact, the first thing she wanted to do was to stand up, then to go find the nearest tavern and get drunk, pass out and wake up in the morning all nicely refreshed, minus a splitting headache.

It wasn't often that the fox woman got drunk. In all her life, she had only done so two or three times. The urge to do so now, however, was overwhelming.

"You handle this. They disgust me." Dryan motioned to Gwira.

In the split second that passed between Gwira opened her mouth, the fox's eyes turned a vibrant shade of green.

"Hey, you cat woman over there! And you priest man! How about you help us get our wounded out of here and treated, instead of marvelling stupidly at the fact that we've suddenly appeared here."

"I didn't mean for you to be that rude..." Dryan sighed inside their mind.

"Well, you never said be nice either." Gwira argued back.

"It was implied. After all this is their country and their castle. Would you want to be imprisoned on account of your big mouth???"

Looking around the room, Dryan saw that it fit the description in the old history tomes, that talked about the arival of the seer on Gaea. Undoubtedly, they were in Fanelia, and this were members of the Fanelian castle.

"This is juuust wonderful." she thought, a tinge of sarcasm in her inner voice.

"You're the one that didn't want to talk to them.... "

"I don't, they disgust me."

"Then don't complain about my way of doing things. " Gwira concisely ended the argument.

The argument made Dryan feel fuzzy inside, and she complied, knowing that one way or another they would manage to smooth things over with the others. And if not, she could always find someone willing to get her out of the city without anyone knowing.

"Come on you guys, let's get out of here... They're oviously of little help." Gwira whispered softly to the others, as she slowly crawled towards Fang, trying to shake the slayer into consciousness.

"What is the extent of Silvern's wound?" Dryan asked, trying to smooth over Gwira's not-so-suble insult.

[DrkZealot]

One minute Wraith remembered himself mulling about outside the temple with the swelling crowd, unsuccessfully working up the courage to enter. Even the behind view of Maeko stepping inside, as tempting as it was, was still not incentive enough for the young ex soldier to enter. Yet, the next he was tossed prematurely into the Temple like the innards of an over ripened grape being pinched from the sides by the small crowd that continued to massed outside. His chin slammed painfully onto the hard marvel floor, and he could feel the tears welling in his eyes, and fought hard to quickly suck up the pain and stagger to his feet.

“Wraith, since you’re here, do me a favor and watch the door, and keep any more nosey busy bodies OUT, or I’ll use them as my personal scratching post!” He heard Maeko grumble impatiently.
“But…but I just got here…” He whined dusting himself off. But before he could continue his protest, a sharp glare from the oddly authoritative catwoman shut him up seemingly indefinitely. With his snout shut and his tail between his legs he cast the woman another pleading glance that was (in his eyes) rudely ignored and made his way back outside the temple. Secretly relived he didn’t have to stay inside he slammed the door behind him and held out his right arm and shook his head at any meddlesome soul that got up enough courage to take a curious step towards the entrance.

“Nothin’ ta see here people, go on home.”

He yelled in the strongest, most commanding voice he could muster. Sadly enough it came out with a slightly soprano pitch which led many to merely chuckle under their breath and turn around returning home.

[Kayay]

I’m going to kill them. No, first I’m going to shred them into tiny bits and THEN kill anyone who survives.

With forced politeness and a false smile, Maeko walked lover to the fox, hands clasped behind her back. “’Stupidly’, hmm?” Her jade eyes narrowed and she looked haughtily down at Dryan. “’Stupid’’ is running off your mouth when already up to your neck in hot water, so you’d better shut your shut your trap before you end up drowning yourself.”

Maeko took a step back, and her eyes slid over to the one the woman identified as Silvern. “And your friend will be fine," she continued in a slightly less hostiel tone. "The doctor has already patched him up and tells me he just needs some food and rest and,” she added noting the rather ragged state of the group, “a bath. In fact, you all could use one.” Her ears twiched and swiveled in response to the guard's movements. "Remember," she repeated, "search them thouroughly and confiscate anything that looks like a weapon, even if it's a harmless little nail file."

“You can stop shaking me now Dryan,” Fang groggily muttered and slowly sat up. Once his eyes adjusted to the light, he looked around at the stained glass, the tiny altars, at Maeko and Crimm, and finally at Dryan. “Either they’ve joined the rest of us on the mystic Moon, or we’re back home. The second answers seems the most logical, but that doesn’t tell me exactly where we are other than some sort of holy place.”

[Eydtman]

"Oh forget it." Elisan thought to hismelf. Noone else seemed to be laughing except for himself, but that was ok. He never even bothered to respond to the catwoman who asked him what was so funny since she wouldn't understand anyways. It would just be a waste of breath.

He was still rather confused about this situation however. At first it appeared as if they had been already captured, but now it appeared as if they were just about to be captured by the people here, and on top of that they were most definately Gaean. The last thing Elisan remembered was still just turning to face Silvern to see how he had made out in the battle and then he woke up here.

The catwoman ordered the gaurds to take their weapons, which Elisan didn't like one bit. He hoped that since his blades were retracted into they housing on his arm, that anyone who looked at them would assume them just to be some sort of arm gaurd. One thing was for sure, he most definately didn't want them finding out what the gun he had stashed behind his back was, or what it was capable of. Upon the guise of maneuvering himself into a more comfortable position Elisan slid the gun deeper down into the back of his pants so that it could not be seen. If they frisked him they would definately notice it, but if that happened he'd simply lie and say it was something else, and not a weapon. No weapon such as this existed in Gaea so he felt it safe that they wouldn't be able to tell it was a weapon, unless Silvern or one of the others ratted it out. In which case he would skin them alive and use their face as a hat. Elisan chuckled inwardly to himself at the thought of what an ugly hat Silvern's face would make.

Another anthro, this one much more intimidating, had arrived on the scene and began talking to the cat woman that seemed to be the person in charge here.

“Father, the visitors from Freid will be here soon, and I must go meet them, so I’ll leave things in your hands for now. The guards will take them to an extra room near the servant’s wing, but I want them kept together, so have extra cots brought in necessary, and since Wraith and that other girl,” she nodded at Aethaeus, “are already around, they can assist you.” said the cat woman.

So they were going to be taken to a room in the servants wing? It was a hell of alot better than a dungeon atleast. This only made the situation more confusing though. Just why were they here? Were they to be prisoners?

"Guess i'll just have to play this one by ear for now." he thought to himself.

If they were indeed back on Gaea, things could get messy if anyone recognized him. He wasn't going to go back to that hell without a fight...

[Princess Samari]

OOC: Wehaw! I be movin through threads!

[DrkZealot]

E…excuse me Miss Maeko” A meek voice sounded from behind the cracked door of the temple, and a fuzzy masked face popped from the behind the open door, the gap only large enough to fit his small head.

“The crowed has lessened, I…I don’t think there’s need for me to watch the door anymore”

He stated with a slight wince, bracing himself for the oncoming reprimand he could feel about to explode from the disgruntled catwoman. For long moments he patiently waited as she continued to address the large lion Monk who calmly spoke or nodded his head in accordance to Maeko’s words. “But…but if you want me to stay out here, I’ll be glad to do so” He continued, still waiting for an answer, his clear blue eyes lowering to the temple floor in embarrassment, knowing he was interruption an important development.

The short amount of time he was outside had been quite an eye opener for the young anthro, he recalled standing before this woman, bloody and bruised, pledging allegiance to Fanelia (and to her afterwards). He would give his life for a second chance, a chance to break himself away from the fetid body known as Zaibach, an entity that would not hesitate killing thousands of men and women alike to advance but one step foreward towards their goal. Maeko was the reason he was standing there (though scared to death) at the moment, the reason he wasn’t rotting in one of their prisons as a Zaibach spy; it was because of her. He continued to stand, refusing to enter the temple until given word by her, or the Monk whom he was informed about, and who he held in high respect for the sheer fact he had little to no religious history.
His clawed finger skid upon the surface of the temples outer wall as he waited, his muscles tensing ever now and then when he noticed a quick movement from the woman he owed his life to. It felt as if he broke his mothers favorite vase and awaited punishment from the woman who was now so angry couldn’t speak; her anger standing watch in her throat, violently blocking any statements that stumbled too far near the opening. Maeko seemed so different this day, so angry, tense and irritable…because of this he decided to bother her as little as possible, and offer his services in any way possible. ~ please don’t yell at me, please don’t yell at me~ The words began to scramble throughout his head, bouncing off the walls of his skull like a rubber ball, stealing away every bit of his attention like a greedy child snatching away another’s favorite toy. ~Please…I hate being yelled at…~

[Kayay]

Like hell I’ll let you keep any weapons while we are unarmed.

“I’d take those gauntlets from him if I were you,” Silvern coolly told the guard searching Elisan, “and I’d frisk him too, just in case he’s hiding anything, then again, I think he’d like that.” He smiled as he willingly handed over his saber to the other soldier, figuring it was best to cooperate.

Maeko cocked her head and stared at Elisan for a second. He didn’t seem like that kind of man, but then again…

“E…excuse me Miss Maeko”

She looked dispassionately at the raccoonman. Honestly, he was one of the most timid creatures she’d ever met. “No, it’s all right. Come in.” Wraith shuffled in a few steps and she shook her head with a small amused turn of her lips. Her temper was like quicksilver, changing with unexpected swiftness, and it was hard to be angry towards one so meek. “You can come in a bit more than that Wraith. Father Crimm may need your assistance.”

[DrkZealot]

Still ashamed and a tab bit confused with the sudden change of mood in the temple the young raccoon took a few more cautiously steps within at the sweet call of Maeko, never once lifting an ashamed eye from the floor. The short raccoon was outwardly frightened, his steps were quick and uneven, and his head remained lowered as if trying to evade invisible arrows he could feel whizzing by his head from the mass of people inside. He could think of nothing to say, nothing to do, she scared the living daylights out of him and he was afraid to say the slightest thing, in fears of offending her and bringing back that horrible, angry look on her face. That image burned deep upon the youths brain like a searing hot cattle brand, and that look convinced him to try, at all costs, not to ever make her angry like that again.
He hated the fact people of authority scared him witless, but the because he held the woman and the monk in such high respect, he couldn’t bare to see a disapproving look from either of the two. He knew that if he stayed quiet and out of the way, there would be nothing for those in charge to yell at him for, so he did just that, remained silent and obedient.

He crept further into the temple, his pace quickening as his peripheral vision caught the sight of the catwoman off the corner of his eye, his head remained down even after passing her, the clear blue orbs dead set on the floor as if making an honest attempt to count every weathered crack on its surface. Standing beside Crimm he remained silent, even his long oversized tail took heed of his mental notes, as if it too were afraid to make any sudden moves.
There was no need to speak now, he had his orders from Maeko; he was to assist the large Monk if need be, but the intruders seemed cooperative on the most part, so he assumed he would have little to no work. So, until he was asked to speak, or do anything further, he remained quiet, just like back in Zaibach. Needless to say, the nostalgia wasn’t at all welcome.

[Megumi H]

Dream felt even more confused. Where were they, and what did that cat-like woman just call them? And why did the fox-woman- Dryan, her name was- suddenly seem a little... less normal than before?

Then she sighed deeply at the mention of rest and a bath. With all that running through the streets and tripping through the woods, rest and a bath were the comforts she now craved most. Looking down at herself, she noticed besides the blood some smudges of dirt and bits of dry leaves. She wrinkled her nose in disgust. She looked over at the others, wondering if they'd gone through close to the same thing.

Dryan continued to shake the man named Fang, and he quickly regained consciousness, looking around and mumbling something about 'the mystic moon,' 'home,' and 'a holy place.'

Which again begged the question: Where are we?

Dream gave Silvern's hand a quick squeeze and asked "Silvern...san...sir... do you know where we are?"

There were so many more strange-looking people here besides Dryan... there was of course, the cat-woman, and then that huge lionish man, and then... what looked like a raccoon-man. Was this Dryan's home?


((OOC: I know this is a crap post, but I'm just making sure we all know I'm still here.))

[Phantom Angel]

“’Stupid’’ is running off your mouth when already up to your neck in hot water, so you’d better shut your shut your trap before you end up drowning yourself.”

She had mouth, Gwira admited silently. However, just because she had mouth that did not mean she had to use it so freely.

"Shall I teach her a little lesson?" Gwira asked.

"Just as long as you don't get us imprisoned or otherwise restrained from the nearby supply of food, sure." Dryan, who was not too high on people insulting them agreed from within.

Gwira openly licked her lips, a lopsided grin stretching her smile.

“a bath. In fact, you all could use one.”

"You're just jealous that we travelled to the Mystic Moon and you didn't. But it's okay. We brought back presents." Gwira snarled, slowly.

"Now, if you're a good kitty I'll even give you some mothballs to chase. But... first you have to show me the way to the nearest bath. I want to smell of home again." Gwira added, arcing an eyebrow in silent challenge at the cat girl.

"I think she'll be really pissed now... Dryan commented with a sigh.

"No one, absolutely no one, calls me STINKY!"

"Aye, aye. I'm so not getting involved in this." Dryan added with amusement.

There was no need for her involvement. Gwira was perfectly capable of insulting the cat girl all on her own. The fox's attention strayed towards Fang who was struggling to stand up.

"From the way this chamber looks, I'd say we're in Fanelia." Dryan burst out, in response to his question.
"But, a lot might have changed in 100 years."

[Fairybane]

Silent but by no means idle, Crimm's acute feline hearing was taking in everything the strangers were saying. It was much to comprehend, but the huge lionman quickly uttered a mantra in his throat to keep his great heart from beating right out of his chest.
By the gods! The Mystic Moon!
He had not noticed the beam of blue light, signalling the arrival of these outlanders, otherwise he immediatly would have recalled the old stories...but at least Maeko had arrived to take control of the matter. But knowing the fiesty catwoman's unpredictable temper...
Crimm firmly placed his paws on Maeko's shoulders, gently but powerfully pulling her away from the strangers and towards the door. "Listen not to her taunts young one, she would like nothing more than to see you angry..." Glancing back at the sharp tongued foxwoman, he saw that her attention had already drifted back to her companions. "I think it would be best to make sure that the arrival of our...guests here does not trouble our future queen, as she has quite enough to worry about. In fact, you might tell all the guards that discretion would be preferred in this matter."
Movement from below caught his attention, and glancing down, he noticed the black and grey masked face of a racoon looking back at him with glittering eyes. "Ah, Wraith...I did not notice you there...I suppose Maeko wanted you to help...?" The monk suddenly recalled the shy catgirl that had brought him to the temple. "Aetheus! I would like our guests to be well-fed before I speak with them. Wraith here would be glad to help you bring some breakfast to the guest wing if you would be so kind?"

[Kayay]

With Father Crimm left to deal with this minor crisis, Maeko breathed a bit easier. Wraith, she noticed, was still staring determinedly at the floor. “Relax a bit Wraith and remember to breath, or you’ll pass out on us, and then what?” She sighed and took a few steps towards the exit. The boy would have to grow a spine one day, but until then…

"You're just jealous that we travelled to the Mystic Moon and you didn't. But it's okay. We brought back presents. Now, if you're a good kitty I'll even give you some mothballs to chase. But... first you have to show me the way to the nearest bath. I want to smell of home again."

Her ears slicked back and she whirled around and strode over to the still sitting foxwoman. So this one was a little smart ass was she? Maeko opened her mouth to retaliate but was thankfully interrupted by Crimm’s levelheaded actions. Reluctantly she let him guide her away. Were it anyone else, she’d be clawing his eyes out, but the Priest was one of those few she listened to without too much protest…usually.

“Yes…yes thank you Father Crimm.” She inclinded her head in a little bow and turned to leave, first shooting Dryan a venomous glare that made it clear that their little battle was far from over.

“And I thought Silvern was the only one with a death wish around here,” Fangolas dryly muttered under his breath to Dryan as he watched the angry catwoman leave. “The friction betwixt he and Elisan and you and the feline are enough to send us up in flames before long.” Shifting his weight to a more comfortable position, he shuddered as one last wave of pressure washed through his body, the origin being his energist. Then the pain finally left, and he breathed a bit easier. Now more than ever, however, he wished he could extract the damned gemstone, or at least figure out how to control it.

Silvern, meanwhile, ignoring Elisan’s furious looks for revealing his stash of weapons, focused upon the girl Dream. “We’re in ‘Fanelia’, although it’s no city I’ve ever heard of and…wait, how is it you can understand their language now?” He shook his head. “Nevermind. It’s not important. They’re all on edge, but they don’t seem to mean us any harm.”

[Hitomi_333]

*Everything in Gwyndolin's head felt fuzzy, as if she was unable to get a hold onto reality. The entire night had been spent trying to question Aaron or to keep a watch to prevent him from escaping. However, the questioning was a disappointment as Aaron refused to say anything, despite Gwyndolin's "persuasiveness." She knew that sleep wouldn't be possible for a great many hours though.

"Where has he run off to now?" Findel demanded.

Gwyndolin shrugged, her brain partially not comprehending what he asked. "Oh, he's in the other bedroom," she finally added, dully.

The levi-ship had come to a stop and at that moment the two knights realized it. "The ship has stopped moving." Findel remarked.

"Yes, we have docked by now. We should be going," Gwyndolin replied. She made a move to get her bags and to get Aaron. As little as she trusted him alone anywhere, she knew that from that additional bedroom (which she assumed may have been meant for Touji, her young charge) had no means of escape. However, before she could do that there was a knock at the door and Findel answered it.

"Oh. Excuse me. Is Gwyndolen here?"

Gwyndolin heard Touji's voice from behind the door. "Yes, I'm in here," she called out to him. "Come on in." She moved about her room, gathering the few belongings that she had taken out, though for the most part she was fully packed and ready to leave in an instant.

"You look tired," she told the boy, as if she hadn't stayed up all night. "The levi-ship has landed in Fanelia and I'm told that there are to be carriages waiting to take us to the palace. Are you ready to leave?" she asked him.

Gwyndolin sighed, putting the last of her things in her bag. Traveling with Aaron made her duty much more stressful than it would have been. He'd needed to be watched to prevent him from stabbing anyone or otherwise causing trouble. However, she hated to have him near Touji, whom she was also in charge of keeping out of trouble (though that seemed to be easy). At least having someone to protect prevented her from feeling sorry for herself as she had in Freid, for which she was ashamed. From here on out she would only do her duty.*

OOC: heh, due to Kayay's relentless harassment, I've returned from my extended absence ^^ heh... sorry for not posting.

[DrkZealot]

The large clear blue eyes rose from the floor, and the black tipped triangular ears perked upon hearing his name and being assigned a task. He nodded his head in compliance but couldn’t help but wonder the logic behind it. He heard Maeko’s words of false warning and let out a small sigh, forcing a smile even less genuine than Maeko’s concern that seemed lined with annoyance. His small paw passed through the short fuzz over his head as he pondered how to word his question to the rather intimidating Lion.
“Excuse me…Father Crimm” He mumbled in low tones, taking a quick moment to glance over his shoulder to the sharp tongued intruders, most notably the one exchanging harsh words with Maeko. “I mean no disrespect in what I say, I just want to know why it is these people who intruded upon such a sacred place, blatantly lie to you and Miss Maeko about being from the Mystic Moon, then continue to insult Miss Maeko get treated to breakfast? It’s just…they’re story is such an obvious lie…and instead of being heavily interrogated, they’re given a warm meal, a warm bath, and a room more than likely twice as large as mine….N-not to say the living accommodations you’ve given me are unsatisfactory” he hurriedly corrected himself with the lie, “it’s just that…they’re intruders, just as I was. And they’re being treated as honored guests…”

He wished he could have retracted that statement. Thinking back upon it, it was obvious, even to him he was only jealous. His naivety took control of his mind and he wondered why it was strange intruders of the Temple, who claimed to have come from the Mystic moon flaunting multiple weapons get treated better than a bloodied, bruised, beaten and weaponless ex Zaibach soldier in a nonfunctional Guymelef. He was thrown in jail like a common criminal, and even when Miss Maeko finally managed to get him out, he was stuck in a room that he still believes at one time housed only cleaning products, and he knew there were still several spies watching his every move. He looked down, ashamed at himself for such thoughts; even more so he voiced a sliver of them before Father Crimm. Scratching the back of his head he quickly apologized. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said anything….I’ll get their breakfast now” He mumbled shaking the thoughts from his head, standing upright and swiftly walking past the group, casting Aethaeus a quick look, signaling he was not waiting for her.

((OOC: Wraith doesn't know anything about the story of Hitome coming from Earth. He wasn't taught anything about it in Zaibach; knows nothing of the legends, and still belives anyone claiming to be from the Mystic Moon is stark raving mad.))

[Kayay]

~~~~outside the temple~~~~

“Where are you off to in such a hurry, young man?”

A cool voice called to Wraith, and a thin, wiry middle aged man dressed from head to toe in finely tailored black approached the anthro. A leader of sorts among the merchant’s, Foucault was a familiar face on the palace grounds, often speaking to the council on behalf of his guild, and while he was an excellent negotiator and politician, he was also, to be blunt, creepy. From under a fringe of limp shoulder length black hair, her regarded the world from cold, distant eyes of an inky black, and he smiled that slick politician’s smile, his lips turning upwards slightly in mild amusement at Wraith’s nervousness. Something interesting was happening, and the merchant was the type who liked to be in the know.


~~~~leviship~~~~

Most of the time was spent showing the girl around the ship, stopping by the library, the small meditation room, the bridge, the dining area, and the observation deck. “This ship is designed for speed and comfort, but it’s not a recreation vehicle, so most people spend their time reading, meditating, or games suited to two or three people,” Dharr had explained. Midway through a stroll on the deck, a deckhand paused by the pair, informing them that the carriages had arrived to take them to the palace. Dharr nodded, and held out his hand to Chigusa to lead her to the gangway. “Your luggage will be brought along ahead of us, so unless there’s anything else, we can see if your friends are already waiting for us.”

*

Aaron, still in something of a daze, emerged from the bedroom, the journal, hidden from sight, weighing him down, an albatross around his neck so to speak. Ignoring the knight, samurai and the newly arrived boy, a face familiar from Freid, Aaron stood silently in the doorframe. His sword was still by his side, not surprising once one realized that any attempt to separate him from the macabre blade might set him off. Somehow he’d managed not to lose control during the night long interrogation, but there was little he could explain. Looking down at his hand, he wondered just why he’d done it. What had come over him, and why couldn’t he remember?

*

He was far from healed, but at least he felt somewhat better. Then again, he thought wryly, anything was “better” than slowly bleeding to death. Early that morning Seth had managed to talk the guard watching the infirmary to help him to his quarters. It had taken more time than usual, but he’d managed to don a suitable uniform. A shame I can’t do something about this crutch. It makes me feel like and old man, he chuckled to himself as he leaned his weight upon the supports. Checking one last time that everything was packed and set aside for the porters, Seth walked out to be escorted to the waiting carriages.

[Lady Fanel]

"Aetheus! I would like our guests to be well-fed before I speak with them. Wraith here would be glad to help you bring some breakfast to the guest wing if you would be so kind?"

The young servant bowed. "Of course, m'lord, as you wish. If you'll excuse me." She saw the racoon-man give her a quick look as he walked by and out of the temple. Aethaeus gave one final bow as she followed him outside.

She heard someone calling to Wraith as she stepped out the door, blinking in the sudden light. Placing her hand above her eyes to shield off the sun, she saw an odd-looking man dressed in black approaching Wraith.

[EvaRobby]

"Are you ready to leave?"

Toujis stopped to consider his long list of possessions, these clothes, those clothes, this sword, that sword, and his watch. He silently pondered how much they'd pay for such a 'magical' device here, he'd probably get enough to buy some extra pairs of underwear.

"I guess so, though I don't know where my other sword has gotten to."

Touji spotted Findel in the corner of his eye, reminding him of his suspicions. He wondered for a moment whether he actually wanted to hear her answer.

"Who's that guy?"

He considered the possibility of something like a male concubine existing. The idea of it made him shudder.

[Eydtman]

Elisan shot mental daggers at Silvern. It looked like Elisan would be planning on making that ugly hat soon now. If Silvern had only kept his big mouth shut they might not have noticed. Bastard. Oh well, if Silvern ended up in trouble and needed to fight but Elisan had no weapons because of him, he'd simply watch and laugh. Well he would have watched and laughed anyways, but that's beside the point.

"Why of course, I was just planning on handing these over to you." Elisan said faking a cheerful expression. "I had no intention of keeping these on here anyways, it's not like I'd need them at all here right?" Elisan carefully undid his weapons and placed them on the ground infront of him. "Be careful now, there are some quite sharp blades within those." He said to the nearest guard.

Elisan knew that Silvern would rat out what the gun was if they found it on him by frisking so he reluctantly pulled it out aswell and motioned for the guard who was picking up his gauntlets to come a little closer, which he did. Normally in this situation Elisan would have attacked, but he couldn't see any way of doing that and escaping in this situation, so instead he tried to play it smart.

In a quiet voice so that noone but the guard and himself could hear what was being said Elisan spoke to the guard. "See this here, this is actually my medicine dispenser but that guy over there doesn't trust me and thinks it's a weapon of some sort. He's a crafty one, he is. Always trying to get me into trouble and all. I really don't know what's his problem. Anyways, I'll still give this to you so that he doesn't make a fuss. When I leave I'd like it back though please. I can;t go too long without my medication."

Elisan worked the action quietly on the gun several times ejecting the bullets onto the grounf infront of him, counting them as they fell a few inches to the ground until they had all been ejected.

"...two, three, four, five..."

Again he spoke to the guard. "I'll need these now though, or else I'll get deathly ill." He said as he picked up the handfull of bullets and swallowed them one by one before handing over the gun to the guard. "There ya go. Don't go losing it now." He said with a faked smile.

As the guard turned his back to walk to the next person he shot an icy look toward Silvern.

"I hate you SOOOOOOO much!."

[Fairybane]

Crimm shook his head quietly as Wraith departed and Aetheus followed quietly. He didn't know too many of the details surrounding Wraith's harrowing escape from Zaibach, but he found the young Racoon-man's personality endearing. The impetuosity of youth, it would be hypocritical of me to berate him for speaking his mind... He would find Wraith later on and tell him some of the ancient tales of Fanelia.
But back to the matters at hand...Crimmius looked up just in time to notice the chilling look that one of the strangers sent towards his companion.
"...looks Zaibachian," muttered one of the guards, tinkering with the clever mechanisms of the retracting blade-gauntlets.
Clearing his throat thunderously, Crimm stepped behind the guard, lowering the gauntlet with his sinewy paw.
"If the guests have entrusted all their weapons to our safekeeping, let us move them to a more accomadating location." Rattling his prayer beads, Crimm subtly drew their attention to the fact that they were in a sacred temple of all places.
Giving a collective superstitious wince, the guards milled about, helping the strangers to their feet and neatly filing them out of the temple until Crimm was left by himself in the hollow emptiness, the mild din from outside echoing within.
"What darkness approaches these peaceful times that requires the aid of the Mystic Moon?" Crimm asked nobody in particular. Others of his faith might have been skeptical, But Crimmius had always trusted his instincts over all else. And his instincts told him that interesting times had just begun.

[Chesta chesta chesta]

Outside, in the glorious sunshine, two forms leaned against the side of one of the carriages. A feathered beast sat perched on a shoulder. Neither of them had any luggage, though one did seem to hold a pastry of some kind.

“I’m going to give it to Chigusa and she will talk again.” The pastry was rather lopsided as if someone had sat on it or perhaps dropped it.

Tonton brushed his hands against it, like you straighten a shirt, but the pastry didn’t seem like it felt like responding to the touch and remained deformed.

“I don’t think she would want to eat that.”

“Of course she would. Chigusa is…what do you call us…”

The earth boy pressed a chubby finger against his chin and tried to think harder than he had ever done before. All it did was to make him hungry. Eitre never moved his gaze from the gangway, it flickered from passenger to passenger as he tried to see if he recognised anyone.

The two had come to an agreement that they would refuse to share carriage with anyone that they didn’t know. Neither did it seem that anyone wanted to question them on why they hogged a carriage. Maybe they were intimidated by Tonton and his lopsided pastry.

“Trouble?”

“The other word. Earth people.”

There was no sight of her as yet, nor anyone they knew of the name of.

“Mystic moon.”

“Yes, Mystic moon eats food.”

If Tonton could’ve been anymore prouder then he would’ve exploded. He had a master plan. He was going to find all the mystic mooners and they could go on a big nice picnic. Everyone loved picnics.

[DrZepp]

Findel grasped his bandaged shoulder, realizing that he should probably put a shirt on before entering Fanelia. He glanced across the room, noticing his pile of sparse belongings. Brushing past Gwyndolin in several strides, Findel cocked his head as the young boy spoke.
"Who's that guy?"
Touji said, seeming to ignore the fact that Findel was standing no more than five feet away. There was a moment of silence as Gwyndolin turned to face the samurai, but she was soon cut off.

"Findel Falor. I hail from Basram."
Findel said routinely, looking down at his Freidian tunic.
"And you are the Mystic Moon boy..."
He continued, slipping the shirt on with an air of disinterest. He remembered Toujis story from the throne room, yet with all the new faces it was unlikely that the earthling recognized him.
Findel furrowed his brow. Just seeing Touji again reminded him of all the revelations concerning the mystic moon... information that the Basramian would have been better off not hearing.
In a fit of inner frustration, Findel immediately started to doubt Toujis tales from Freid, despite the fact that only a day before he had been quite convinced that Risa and the others travels were true. Findel proved too stuborn to be changed overnight, and there was no doubt that it would take time for his beliefs to shift. With a huff, the samurai tried to push the thoughts to the back of his mind.

"I am departing... if you care to join me, so be it."
He exclaimed gruffly, striding past Gwyndolin one last time and heading for the exit.
With his head downcast, Findel barely noticed Aaron, standing quietly at the door. The two men bumped shoulders as Findel brushed by with a low cough.

[Kayay]

~~~~Foucault ~~~~

Not waiting for a reply nor an invitation, Foucault fluidly fell into step with the raccoonman, arcing a brow in acknowledgment to Aetheus’ arrival. Two servants, nervously hurrying from the temple off to who knew where to do who knew what was enough in itself to catch his interest, but after the commotion, it was reasonable to assume something quite important was happening.

“I hope you don’t mind my joining you on your way to the palace, but I myself was just headed that way for a meeting with the Representative of the Guilds.” His interest increased when from the temple behind them emerged several more people, among them the Priest, a handful of guards and medics, and five unfamiliar faces. Well, well, well… Not just anyone gained admittance to the royal family’s temple, and guessing from their escort and the sour looks on their faces, these strangers weren’t exactly welcome.


~~~~Aaron~~~~

Aaron barely acknowledged Findel, looking up blankly at him as the man bumped him aside. It was hard to believe this usually emotionless young man had attacked Seth the previous day, but Aaron was full of surprises, not the least of which was his Draconian heritage that only a handful of people knew about, so whether he’d lose himself in another irrational haze of rage, no one, not even Aaron himself, could say for sure. One thing he did know was, although part of him wanted to seek solitude, he had to talk to Seth again and try to figure things out. So while Gwyn was preoccupied with Touji, Aaron slipped out after Findel, silently shadowing the Basramian through the hallways.

[Hitomi_333]

*Gwyndolin was irritated by Findel's complete coldness, but she put on a happy face for Touji's benefit. "Well, we'd better head out then," she saw that Aaron was following Findel and decided that it would be best to ignore the strange young man for now, as it seemed that there could be little to gain from keeping him captive.

For the nth time in the last few days Gwyndolin picked up her bags and began carrying them down the hallway. In all reality, she cared little for most of her personal belongings, but the bag that she was entrusted with from the King was precious to her. Gwyn missed King Arien although she'd only been his personal guard for a few days. The young king was always very kind and hospitable... unlike certain people that she'd been in the company of as of late.

"We'll grab your luggage and then take one of the carriages to the palace," Gwyn interrupted her own thoughts and announced. "Eh," she realized with a sheepish grin, "I don't even know which direction your room is." Some guardian I am... not even knowing where his room is-- I couldn't have checked in on him if I tried.

[DrkZealot]

((ooc: Things don't seem to be going very well for me in the rpg. I can't seem to get into character *sigh*))

In the early morning hours it could be heard blocks around. The high pitched, woman like scream that erupted and fell upon the ears of all within it’s vast radius. The epicenter? The medium sized raccoon male now sprawled on the floor, his right hand clutching his chest, his face twisted in terror as the screams continued to echo off the stone walls of surrounding building.
His mind had been elsewhere since he exited the temple, his thoughts wandering here and there, most about Maeko and Crimm. Others consisting of his surroundings, such as the beautiful day; how that strange woman across the street seemed to have something caught in her eye by the way she seemed to only blink with her left when looking at him. He also noticed the two guys there across the street, both of them seemingly forgetting the other wasn’t a woman the way they were kissing and all. These thought took over the majority of his attention and he was unaware he was being followed by Aetheus, let alone the grimy merchant who’s creepy face seemed to pop out of nowhere when the young man turned to look to his right. And so there he was in the present. His screams had now subsided, and the initial shock was worn off, but his heart still felt as if it would shatter through his chest with the ferocity it continued to beat. After a few minutes of deep breaths and pounding on the left side of his chest to get his heart going again, he somewhat gained control of himself and propped himself up with his right elbow, shakily trying to bring himself to his feet before mumbling in a low trembling voice answering the Merchants question.

“I..I…I d-d-don’t m-mind at all”

[Endurance]

Nothing had annoyed Ecli quite as much as hiding inside leviship full of busy people for a whole night. It had been quite a challenge to remain completely unnoticed by everyone and at the same time locate Chisuga's whereabouts too.

He had spent rest of the night in half slumped position, silently musing over the situtation again and again to come up with a proper plan of how to deal with both Chisuga and Aaron,who had in some mysterious way managed to obtain Dryden's journal. Ecli swallowed hard, effectively digesting a clod of disgustingly bitter herbs he had been chewing.

This is a reckless gamble.... but I'd rather risk some mild side effects of unboiled herbs than falling down with a sudden, uncontrollable seizure

Ecli observed calmly how Dharr came to escort Chisuga out of the leviship. He was too far away to hear what they were talking about but it looked like they were about to leave soon. Ecli waited for them to leave first and after that rose up, stretched his sore muscles and started pursuing the unaware couple. For Ecli's dismay Dharr and Chisuga were visiting just about every crowded place inside the leviship, including meditation room, bridge and dining area just to name the few.

Finally Dharr and Chisuga started walking to direction where Ecli knew gangway to be. Smiling ominiously Ecli fondled the tip of his dagger as he pondered his next action.

I will blend into crowd and slip inside the palace grounds with them. I have watched that Chisuga long enough to notice that she tends to isolate herself from the others. If she does that again I can easily capture her.

Ecli had always trusted on his instincts. He would succeed no matter how dire things might look.

[Kayay]

“Hello. You’re the boy with the owl,” the Freidian soldier greeted Eitre and Ton Ton, as if the former was now forever cursed with the title of The Boy With The Owl. “I can’t in honest say I’m sorry to see you go, but I wish you better luck in your future.” Another anonymous porter strapped what little luggage the travelers had into place, and Dharr stepped out of the man’s way then bowed to Chigusa, preparing to take his leave, but then he spotted Jirair and Seth disembarking, and the elder soldier gestured for Dharr to come over. “Excuse me.”

The trio stood far enough away from Ton Ton, Eitre, and Chigusa that none of their words carried over above the din of the landing platform, but from their very posture it was obvious that whatever the subject it was serious. From time to time Seth, who leaned on his crutch as casually as if it had always been there, glanced at the group waiting by the carriage and then at the gangway. Even Jirair and Dharr wore concerned expressions. Finally, the conversation ended, Jirair clasped Seth’s hand in farewell, and the two Freidians boarded the leviship again, leaving Seth to slowly make his way to the waiting carriages.

“Good morning, as soon as the others arrive we can leave.” Seth nodded a greeting towards the trio in an absentminded manner, his thoughts obviously elsewhere, but upon noticing the feathered creature on Eitre’s shoulder he looked curiously at the young man, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “It’s not exactly the most important thing to know, but where did you get that?”


~~~~Foucault ~~~~

“Already people are whispering of conspiracy and cataclysm and miracles.” The merchant carefully adjusted the smoke colored glasses he wore, peered back at the strangers not far behind him, then turned his attention back to Wraith. His voice was friendly enough, but there was an intensity in his eyes that made many a man tremble. “So tell me, my boy, who are they, prophets or madmen or charlatans?”


((OOC: Poor Wraith is going to have a heart attack.))

[Fairybane]

The short journey to the palace was uneventful if anything. Crimm and his small entourage of guards ushered the newcomers quietly to the courtyard, past the rose garden and towards the guest wing of the castle. As they passed through an ivy-draped archway, the lionman glanced up at the tower where the princess' room was.
I hope Maeko has a chance to inform her majesty of these visitors before anyone else does. Crimm returned his gaze to the motley band before him, his sad gaze passing right through them. Poor girl, a pity she will not be able to savor her youth...
Since leaving the temple, their little parade had apparantly gained a sizable number of followers, all curious onlookers who trailed behind them with hushed whispers and suspicious glances. Turning around suddenly, Crimm growled lightly, letting his lips widen into a mild snarl. "Please good people, do return to your duties and trouble us not to stare." Crossing his burly arms, Crimm stared down the small mob, mostly servants and bored guards, though a few nobles could be seen among them, standing out rather sorely in their finery. Satisfied that he had done all he could to break up the crowd, Crimm turned away and walked quickly to catch up with the guarded strangers.

"Ah! Naughty baby, come back here!!" came a woman's cry, accompanied by a shrill squeal. Crimmius looked back in time to see a small catgirl in a tan smock emerge from a side door, her tiny legs carrying her into the midst of the entourage, and right smack into one of the outlanders. The one with the ugly sneer that they had to take the knived gauntlets from...
Peering out of the doorway, a bedraggled looking catwoman appeared with arms akimbo. "Milia! Get away from that man immediately!"

[Phantom Angel]

Gwira heard the priest order the crowd of people that had turned to stare away from them. She watched with delight, the big curious eyes that clung to their every step, a plan slowly taking form in her mind.

"You can't possibly want to do that!" Dryan exclaimed, a bit taken aback by the cruelty of what Gwira was proposing.

"And why not? As I recally, we don't have enough money to take a levi-ship home. So, we must make money." Gwira retorted.

"But that's tricking innocent people!" Dryan bit back.

"And you think they wouldn't trick us if they were in our shoes? Gwira asked.

"Well, you do have a point, but we cannot afford to tarnish the image of our business."

"And yet, we need money."

"Yes, that's why we'll sell that blasted figurine I bought from that man in Asturia. And we'll charge extra because it's been to the Mystic Moon." Dryan proposed.

"That could work... and we could somehow try to get our hands on Elisan's weapon and present it as a harmless decoration, and sell that for a lot of money as well."

"Well, we'd have to make it so that it wouldn't be dangerous first, but I'm sure we can get a very comfortable sum for that 'artifact'."

"It's a plan!

"Excuse me, but what has happened to our weapons now that you have promptly disarmed us?" Gwira asked Crimmus. "Will we get them back when we want to leave the castle?" she asked, falling into pace with the priest.

[Fairybane]

"They'll be kept in a safe place for now until we find out why you encroached on holy territory, laden with weapons..." replied Crimmius rather severely. Distracted, he darted a glance back at the catgirl who had fallen on her face after having collided with one of the strangers, and was now wailing loudly. The air was soon filled with the sounds of ear-piercing cries, and the clipped scolding tone of the mother catwoman as she shrieked angrily at the strangers. Out of the corner of his eye, Crimm could see the group of onlookers gradually return as the new ruckus echoed throughout the palace.

[Chesta chesta chesta]

“Oh no. They’ve run out of food!” Tonton exclaimed and pointed an accusing finger at the huddling group. “They want to eat Tonton. Eitre will not let them hurt Tonton, will he?”

If the true path to joy was food - then being said food was the ultimate nightmare for Tonton. His chubby fingers pressed against his cheeks and rocked from side to side whilst repeating “no no no”.

“I’m sure that they’re talking about something else.” Eitre gave a ‘couldn’t care less’ shrug and clumsily clambered into the carriage. Leaning against the side and with a ‘cat who ate the canary’ smile he proceeded to give Tonton a theory of his own. “They’re going to feed you to the dragons instead.”

Tonton who, understandably, had never been near a dragon, after all they were only mythical creatures on the mystic mood, didn’t know how to react at first. He wanted to laugh and say that there were no such thing as dragons but no matter how dim he was, not even Tonton could escape the fact that there had been several un-explainable things in these parts. And Eitre wouldn’t lie.

“Chigusa, don’t let them hurt Tonton.”

The round boy grabbed hold of girl in a tight bear hug and lifted her off the ground. At least she was lucky, he wasn’t trying to swing her over his head like he had tried to do to Eitre at that fateful meeting in Zaibach.

“Tonton will be nice. Chigusa protect me.”

To prove how nice he was, Tonton lifted her higher so that she wouldn’t need to climb up those suspicious carriage steps. He followed quickly after, sat down by her side and leaned slightly against her, not noticing how she seemed to try to scoot further away. Mind you, he was only trying to show how nice he was.

The three sat still, waiting patiently whilst drumming fingers against the sides. Someone sighed heavily. People outside were getting into carriages, some seemed to know each other and others didn’t. Seth was familiar, but Eitre couldn’t put a time or place to his face. He should’ve have done something noticeable like saving their lives, that had imprinted Findel forever on the boy’s mind. But no, this guy just had to query about the bird.

A stale smile spread across Eitre’s lips as he tried not to shout abuse about leaving people alone and not to be so curious. “She found me.”

“It’s someone else’s feathery…” Tonton added.

“Apparently, according to that scholar what’s-his-face Hooter belongs to some minister. She doesn’t seem to miss him too much.” To which Hooter voiced her agreement.

[Eydtman]

"Ouch! Hey watch where you're going!" Elisan let out a startled cry as the little fanelian feline (say that 10 times fast) ran into him and fell backwards onto the ground. His brash words had obviously scared her, and combined with the impact of running into him, tears began to well up in her eyes.

"Milia! Get away from that man immediately!" Cried another cat woman who was obviously her mother.

"Bah, stupid kid! Look what you've done to yourself now."

Normally Elisan wouldn't have cared at all about someone getting hurt, but this wasn't just a regular little human girl. It was a cute little kitty cat that was crying out for his help.

With a sigh Elisan crouched down infront of the little girl. She trembled out of fear and as he stretched out his hand toward her she slowly tried to push herself away as to run away from the man.

"It's ok, i'm not going to hurt you." Elisan said as he gently wiped away one of her tears with one of his fingers. Even if he had wanted to, he knew he couldn't hurt her. "Are you alright? You should really watch where you are going or else you could get hurt like that. Now let's stand you up and make sure that you didn't injure youself." Elisan helped the little girl up to her feet and and gave her a quick visual survey. "Well it doesn't look like you mangaed to hurt yourself too badly. Now you should go back to your mommy before she starts worrying about you." He said as he gave her a nice little pat on the head before standing back up.

The little girls tears had stopped and big smile spread across her lips. "Thanks Mister!" said the little girl excitedly and began to run to her mother. About half way to her mother she stopped and turned back to him. "My name's Milla, what's yours?"

"Elisan. Now hurry up and get back to your mother. I've got to be going now to. Bye."

"BYE!" Shouted the little girl with a big wave.

Elisan turned back to face the others and was met with several odd stares.

"What?!" cried Elisan. "Don't look at me like that!"

[Megumi H]

Dream forgot her own fears for a moment, completely concerned for the well-being of the little girl... cat-girl. She'd seen what Elisan could do... what he had done....

To Dream's surprise and utter shock, he was quite courteous to the poor cat-girl. The Earth girl never would have expected kindness from someone like Elisan... not after....

"BYE!" called the little girl as she ran off. Joy from Elisan...? It couldn't possibly be....

Dream turned away and leaned slightly against Silvern, still holding his hand.

She didn't want to remember... but she knew she'd never forget.

"Silvern.... how can one person.. do something so terrible.... and then... do something so...." She hesitated, not knowing if she could say the word.

[Kayay]

~~~~Seth ~~~~

The knight settled next to Eitre, grateful to be off his feet, and leaned his crutch against the side. Although there was easily room for two more, Gwyndolin, Findel, and Touji would have to ride in the second carriage.

“Scholar what’s-his-face? You must mean that Freidian Scholar Dare,” Seth continued on the pleasant conversation to pass the time. “Actually, I do remember Dharr mentioning a minister who owned an owl had died recently, so I doubt he would miss ‘Hooter’ much.” Automatically he reached to check that the journal was in place, stopping when he remembered it was no longer in his possession and instead checking his throwing knives were secure, as if to cover his error. He wasn’t even sure he wanted nor even had a right to take the book back. He should have and could have handed it over to Aaron and Owen and parted ways back in Palas. But I didn’t. And he didn’t regret that decision.

“Once things are sorted out at the palace, I assume you’ll be leaving our little group to go back home,” he asked Eitre. “You did tell Duke Mahad back in the throne room that you’re from Fanelia, didn’t you?” Casually Seth included Chigusa and Ton Ton in the conversation. “If I understood the whole explanation correctly, you Ton Ton and Touji are all from the Mystic Moon, or Earth as you call it, but somehow ended up in Zaibach, and that’s where you met that agent Cen.” Seth folded his arms across his chest and gave a small laugh. “Well, she’s been something of a thorn in our sides for some time now. I wouldn’t be surprised if she shows up again.”


~~~~Silvern ~~~~

“I don’t know. Some people are like that, kind one moment and violent the next, but there is always a reason behind it, even if it only makes sense to the madman himself.” Silvern gave her hand a gentle squeeze, comforting her as he would a younger sister.

Fangolas, who was feeling better with every passing minute, fell in step along Dreams other side and patted her shoulder. “Do not worry Little Miss. Silvern and I will see that no harm befalls you.”

Silvern nodded in thanks to the other man, so imposing in appearance and yet so soft spoken and gentlemanly. “And I’ll make sure our hosts know just what kind of man he is,” he added with a sharp glance at Elisan.


((OOC: *Seth learned their names back in this post (http://animeboards.com/showthread.php?s=&postid=537634316#post537634316 ) when they almost all ended up in prison.))

[EvaRobby]

Touji paused for a moment and played his journey backwards in his mind. He pointed to an area down the hallway, he could have been pointing at any one of several doors.

"I think it was that one."

He then started forward.

When at the door he stopped. He opened the door slowly, as quietly as possible, hoping that if he'd made the wrong choice, he'd be able to close the door without them knowing any better.

A familiar pile of clothes laid in the corner of the room. He stepped inside and bundled them under his left arm. An embarrassed smile spread on his face. Damn. I need money.

"Well, this is everything, except for my other sword."

[Fairybane]

It was not what Crimm was expecting at all. Though he didn't know this "Elisan" yet on a personal basis...he had seen the vicious looks that the man wore, and the silky treacherous attitude that he used on the guards within the temple. As the little catgirl ran back to her mother, Crimm noticed the incredulous stares of Elisan's companions.
But yet...he didn't seem to be acting. It was just another detail Crimm would have to remember about these strangers. They were becoming more and more intriguing by the moment.
With that little distraction out of the way, they continued through the palace, into the first floor of the guest wing. Clean and rather spartan, the furnishings were sparse and inexpensive, but these rooms were meant for messengers and visitors of low rank, as well as the servants who actually lived within the palace. Crimmius himself had a room within these plain hallways, as did Wraith.
Softly, Crimm laughed to himself....the young raccoon must have believed that the 'visitors' were being given rooms in the upper floors, where dignitaries and ambassadors were quartered.
Briefly, the priest conferred with one of the passing servants, who showed him a large room that was unoccupied. Quickly and efficiently, several maids pulled the dust covers off the cots and furniture and opened the blinds, allowing daylight to stream into the room through the frosted glass windows. Standing at the doorway, Crimm stepped aside to let the maids file out, and then turned to his guests. Bowing with paws clasped, the monk addressed them humbly.
"Please, let this room be your home for now. Some food should be here soon, make yourselves comfortable until it arrives."

[Megumi H]

She smiled and looked up at Silvern's comforting squeeze of her hand, but her expression changed in an instant. Now that they were finally in broad daylight, Dream could see clearly what Silvern was wearing. She abruptly dropped his hand and stepped away from him, using all her willpower to refrain from screaming "What are you wearing?!" She wasn't sure she wanted to know. It was pink, and it looked rather tight on him; in fact, it looked like a woman's shirt....

She decided to keep her little distance from him the rest of the way to the palace.

((OOC: Oi, I'd love to actually see that scene! I wonder if it's as funny as the way I wrote it?))

The lion-man finally stopped by the doorway of the guest room, politely announcing that they had reached their destination. Dream hesitantly poked her head through the doorway, then, realizing that there were more beds in the room than she had expected, turned and timidly asked the lion-man, "Excuse me... um.. sir.... are we all... expected to stay in.. the same room?" She was sure she knew the answer already....

((OOC2: It's about time I added some comic relief already...
The shirt came from this post. (http://animeboards.com/showthread.php?s=&postid=537663787#post537663787)))

[Kayay]

~~~~Foucault ~~~~

From the raccoon man’s stammered half explanations Foucault gathered that Wraith knew very little about these strangers, but the words “Mystic Moon” slipped out amid all the other meaningless babble. Shortly before they reached the kitchens the merchant took his leave from Wraith and the unknown catwoman servant who hovered in the background. He dismissed the quiet woman as unimportant. She didn’t seem to have much to say, but the nervous Wraith he wagered might be useful. People often forgot servants were about. In fact, for many nobles a truly valued one was one who was near invisible until needed, which meant they often overheard things of interest.

“It’s been most pleasant chatting. Perhaps we can continue out little conversation at another time.” The merchant flashed that cold smile again as Wriath gathered the food to be taken to the ‘guests’ and finally left the anthro in peace.


~~~~Silvern ~~~~

Dream's sudden withdrawal and the look on her face surprised and confused him, until he noticed the way she stared at his shirt. After the small mess Fangolas and he had caused back in the doctor’s house, the pair had hurriedly grabbed whatever reasonable clean shirts they could from the scientist’s closet. Unfortunately, the only one Silvern had found that fit looked as though it had inadvertently been dyed pink in the wash. Up until now, however, Silvern had figured either no one had noticed or they’d all forgotten about the ill fitted shirt. He sighed. Hopefully they’d be brought a change of clothes along with the food. All of them could definitely use both.

[DrkZealot]

It wouldn’t be far off to say that Wraith was happy to see the Merchant leave, in fact, even though he enjoyed the company of people, that certain human gave him a weird feeling in his stomach. It was a feeling that reduced him and the girl trailing behind to a deep, awkward silence. The young raccoon tried to break it many times, but a large lump seemed to always gather in his throat at the start of each attempt. He looked down at the large quantities of food the servants began piling on the cart for the “guests” and couldn’t help but feel a bit neglected. It seemed the only way to be treated nicely in this place was to sneak into a sacred temple and claim you were from the Mystic Moon. The youth shook his fuzzy head, banishing such thoughts; jealousy and envy were both quite rude emotions, or so his mother told him. “Appreciate whatever you got” He smiled softly at these words, words from a woman who was far away in Zaibach, a woman he’d never see again. He couldn’t help it, his friends constantly teased him about his extreme cases of homesickness, and while he didn’t think there was anything wrong with crying, other people oddly thought it was a quite a humorous occasion. They always seemed to laugh so hard when he began singing old lullabies to himself in the middle of the night, or when he whimpered in his sleep while holding onto his favorite blanket he managed to smuggle into the compound.

He sighed lightly to himself and continued to help the servants load the food onto the cart, his mind once again shifting gears, thinking about that merchant that seemed to show so much interest on the ongoing events with the strange guests.

“Miss Aetheus, did you know that strange man who was just with us awhile ago…I don’t think he should know what’s been going on.” Lowering his head level with hers he glanced around with those clear blue eyes, suspiciously scrutinizing all those in sight before speaking in a low voice, as if his next words kept the most dreaded, and important of secrets. “I don’t trust him” He whispered standing upright (or as upright as his pure blood could manage him) scratching the side of his head. “Do you think we might be able to get some of this?” He said, again obviously loosing interest in his other thoughts and moving onto something more appealing. “Sure looks good and I haven’t eaten yet…you think Miss Maeko’d get mad if I took just a little nibble?” Well, it was obvious he wasn’t looking for an answer, as he already began picking at the food even as he spoke. And after the servants shooed him off from hovering over a different cart of pastries, and gave hurried directions to the guests quarters, larger chunks started vanishing from the guests food cart into his bottomless pit of a stomach with the passing of each second and step.

[Fairybane]

"Hmmm..." rumbled the lion man as he put a single clawed finger to his chin in speculation. He hadn't really thought about it, but it would be more proper to give the women a separate room from the men. "Well I suppose we can provide a different room for you and the lady fox, young one. But for now, I would rather have you all together." Crimm gestured to his left, towards a simple wooden door within the room. "There is a washbasin and other facilities in there if any of you need to clean up." With those words, Crimm left the strangers to themselves, trudging back to the door's entrance where a pair of guards still waited outside. "Wraith should be along shortly with a young lady and a meal for our guests," he informed the men, as he closed the door quietly. "I must visit the royal library for a moment, do make sure that nobody else enters but those two."
As the towering form of Crimm disappeared down the hall, the two guards exchanged glances, wry smirks on their face.
"Wraith, eh?" said one guard, snickering. "Let's have some fun with him and his 'lady friend' when they get here."

[Eydtman]

Finally they had made it to their room.

"There is a washbasin and other facilities in there if any of you need to clean up." Elisan heard the lion man say.

"Perfect." he thought to himself. With a groan Elisan put one hand over his mouth and the clutched his stomach with the other. "I don't feel so good," he said, "I think i'm going to throw up..." Elisan quickly made his way over to the washbasin with his back turned to the others and stuck his fingers down his throat, causing him to throw up. Keeping his hand over his mouth he used his fingers to filter out the bullets he had earlier swallowed from everything else. There was no way he wasn't going to keep these with him. Afterall, he did keep them from the guards for a reason. Having finished throwing up, Elisan washed his hands while still keeping the bullets hidden within them washing them at the same time. When he was finished he quickly pocketed the bullets under the guise of drying his hands on pants.

"Noone would have been able to see that." He thought to himself as he finished rinsing his mouth out.

"Yeuck!" Elisan said loudly. "I don't know why that happened, maybe I'm allergic to a certain someone's shirt." Elisan said mocking Silvern. Elisan himself hadn't really noticed the shirt Silvern was wearing until the girl pointed out just a little while ago.

"Real men don't wear pink."

[Kayay]

Another look out the carriage window to the gangway only proved that Gwyndolin, Findel, Touji, and Aaron had yet to disembark the leviship, and Seth began to grow concerned. There was much he’d leaned from Jirair that he had to tell the other knight, and he wanted to be sure Aaron had been under her watch the whole night. The Freidian soldier didn’t suspect Aaron or any of the others in Seth’s group were responsible for the latest incident, but he also didn’t know that the young man was responsible for Seth’s injury, and the knight would rest easier if her knew for certain...

Where are you Gwyn? What’s taking you and Falor so long? Seth shifted in his seat, tempted to find out for himself.

[Phantom Angel]

Dryan felt the need to avert her eyes as the fat slob who called himself Elisan found it fit to throw up all over the wash basin.

"Yes, you're very right, he is a fat, ungrateful, ungraceful, slobbering, pig." Gwira admitted, unflinchingly.

A smile tugged at Dryan's mouth. Gwira certainly had given name to her thoughts, and more.

"I think we should teach him what it means to willingly throw up in front of us." Dryan suggested.

"You're right, the sounds he was making were awfully strained. Gwira agreed.

"I can't believe he polluted the water. What a jerk. I so wanted a bath." Dryan replied, scrunching her nose.

"Hmm, I say we blackmail him."

"But we don't know if he actually did it on purpose or not."

"Well, that never stopped us before. And he polluted the water. He deserves punishment."

"True."

"Hey, slob-face, why didn't you use the damn window? Now we can't wash because YOU polluted the water with your barf." Gwira growled.

"Yeah, don't you know any manners? It's the girls that get to use the washroom first, then the men, and then you." Dryan replied with a smirk, stealing an amused glance towards Dream.

Elisan made her skin crawl. There was just something about him, that made her want to punch him in the face. He was just so... slimy. There was no other word that could better describe him, and Dryan had tried.

"Even pinky here knows that." Gwira said, pointing at Silver. "Where the heck did you grow up?"

[Hitomi_333]

*Gwyndolin and Touji made their way through the levi-ship and down to the carriage. Although the hallways all looked the same, amazingly Gwyn was able to find her way out. This was ironic, considering the problems that she always had in the palace in Palas, even though she had been there many times.

As Gwyndolin sat down in the carriage with her luggage, butterflies fluttered in her stomach. Whatever it was that King Airien gave her to deliver must be of great importance. She held onto it tightly.

At this point she no longer longed for home... all she could see was the task ahead of her.*

ooc: nice *subtle* hint, Kayay... lol /ooc

[Lady Fanel]

Aethaeus followed the raccoon-man all the way to the palace. Deep in thought, she hardly noticed when they entered the palace and he began to speak to her.

"No," she replied in answer to his question. "I thought you knew him by the way he was talking to you. It was strange though," she started, walking away. "It almost seemed that he knew what was going on." Glancing back over her shoulder, she saw her companion ho