Another Horizon IC

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It was rolling sensation that was present in her hands. Even when sealed with one of her more powerful spells, the core was moving ever so slightly, expanding and deflating like the lungs of an animal. The raven-haired woman turned it around once more in her hands, observing the smooth, pearl-like texture of the core, before looking up towards the sky. The airship, a vessel of blue steel and white sails was descending as well, the damage of the beast having being more than sufficient to provide it with landing space. As anchors descended and retracted, pulling it down to the ground, Ellenil nodded at Fion Seyour, reciprocating his acknowledgement, if not his caustic criticism of the children's efforts. At the very least, the errant knight of Astopol, Elthrad, looked like he survived with little injury.

"Board the ship," she declared, in a voice soft yet brimming with authority, "The staff will tend to the rest of your injuries, at least until we arrive at Cykes."

With that, the petite woman turned around, ascending the staircase that fell down from the entrance of the vessel. It was a long day, one filled with new discoveries.

It would appear that she would be changing the reason for her visit.
 
[BCOLOR=transparent]Between the Times - <Day 3>[/BCOLOR]​

[BCOLOR=transparent]Verek wandered through the hospital halls on the way to his sister's room feeling worried and disappointed for a multitude of reasons. His own greedy distraction, the events of the rift beast day, his sister's condition, her severe injury, the fact it had been two days since the incident and he'd barely seen his sister. He'd let his baser emotions overpower him and didn't have a good excuse. Hopefully she wouldn't be mad, Escellar had been there to occupy her time after all, as had some classmates the previous day. Arriving at her room he knocked on the door, briefly paused awaiting a confirmation to come in, then entered. "Hey Ashe." he said.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]"Oh, hello there brother," Ashe had said with wrench in mouth, a mechanical arm sitting on her lap. The replacement prosthetic was something Escellar had dropped off for her earlier, along with some tools so she could make any adjustments she felt were necessary. It was a wonder how the man had been able to sneak all this in for the girl still bed-bound from the incident a few days beforehand, but was all the more grateful to be working on something once more with her one available hand. "What's up?" she said, not taking her eyes off of the small project in front of her.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Verek walked into the room, again struck silent by his sister's injury and her seeming nonchalance about it. At least she did have an easy route to recovery with her skills and knowledge. He placed a paper bag on the bed next to her, the aroma of the crepe like things so popular in Dansila quickly filling the room. "I brought you some food, hospitals aren't the best restaurants around." he managed to crack a small smile at that though it quickly disappeared. [/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Ashe murmured in response; grateful to brought something edible, but too immersed in what she was doing to give more of a thanks than that. It was only after a brief silence that followed her continual tinkering, and Verek's quip did she look up. "Is something the matter? You seem… quiet." Saying this, she had some thought to show her appreciation and grabbed the bag, taking out the food and beginning to eat.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Verek's eyes, which had been drifting towards his lap, shot back up to his sister's face. There was clear worry on his face as they briefly glanced to her missing arm before returning. "Are you … are you ok?" he asked. There was another brief pause but it was clear he was still finding words to speak, "I'm sorry. About the day. We weren't meant to even be near the beast and we ended up almost on top of it. Then under it. And .." A piece of his guilt came out in apology as his eyes glanced to her arm again. He hadn't been able to protect her and, he had no proof but did have a sure feeling, she had protected him instead.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Ashe's face mirrored her brother's own for only a moment -- thinking there was something that was truly troubling -- but as he went on, guilt and worry apparent from the way he spoke, Ashe lost the worried expression. Instead, it was replaced with puffed cheeks and tears forming at the corner of her eyes; an obvious attempt at trying not to laugh. It failed, as she began kicking up her feet and clutching her stomach. "Verek," she managed between fits of laughter. "This isn't a result of the rift-beast's attack," she said pointing at the stump. "This has been a part of my life since you left Dansilla." She tried to look him straight in the eye as she said this, with a straight face and all, but couldn't manage, bursting out in insensitive laughter yet again. [/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]"I'm just glad you're alright and not in my place;" Ashe said, returning to a more serious state of mind while finishing her food, "could you imagine the look on father's face if he heard you were to get trounced so easily after sending you to that fancy combat school? With petite me, it's at least a little more understandable."[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Verek was understandably shocked when his sister's response to his worry was repaid with quite exuberant laughter. It was turning out to be a day of being struck silent for him, as her explanation did nothing to alleviate his shock. "H-how did it happen?" he managed to get out, his voice a little hoarse but at a normal loudness. She'd kept a secret like that from everyone? Could she be hiding other things as well? He wasn't sure their father would be any less horrified by the news though, his biggest runetech ambitions were on Ashe's shoulders. [/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Ashe sat silently as Verek worked through his shock, and continued to do so, even after his question was asked. "Oh, you know," she began, denying eye contact as she continued to work on her replacement arm, "accident at work, explosion, a rune for a propeller blade activating when it shouldn't have; it was honestly such a small thing for me and such a long time ago in the scheme of things, I can't say I remember."[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Verek could tell his sister was trying to play tough, putting off what had happened as something casual. He leaned back in his chair and took a deep breath, processing all that had just happened. His thoughts he had entered the room with had been swept from his mind completely. "So," he began slowly, "I guess things … aren't as bad as they seemed?" he said, managing a bit of a smile, "I'm sure everyone will be relieved."[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]"Yeah," she shrugged, sweat on her brow. "Poor Raiga over there," she pointed to her roommate's empty bed, "was completely gone for the first day of our stay; all things considered, we could be dead. A miracle, really…" Ashe shook the thoughts of the flame from her head. "Anyways…" [/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Before anymore could be said, a blonde nurse had walked into the room. Upon seeing her patient's brother -- an unwanted visitor in her eyes -- the nurse's mouth turned into a scowl. "You, the doctor needs to perform one last check up before we let Ms. Harper check out; we need you to leave." Without hearing a word from the boy, the woman proceeded to tug him of of the room by his ear. Ashe gave a weak wave goodbye. Verek just managed to return it as he was thrown out the door.[/BCOLOR]
 
Between the Times - <Day 1>​

Ashe had awoken rather late considering the time she had collapsed the day beforehand, yet was still ungodly early by the standards of any normal person. She was awoken to an unfamiliar ceiling; unfamiliar bed from that of which she was used to. Looking around, she found the sleeping form of another of the battle's combatants, and the sterile whiteness that indicated the room of a hospital. Ashe grimaced, many of the previous day's events blurry in detail, yet crisp in impact.

She remembered the towering rift-beast and havoc it was able to wreak just by being dropped and spilling the contents of its "cauldron" to the ground. How it had buried her alive. How the flame crept on her and asked its haunting question… She inadvertently tried to clutch her stomach, feeling as if a rock had settled in its place, only to remember the damage her mechanical limb had sustained in the battle. She frowned.

Meanwhile, Alexa entered the room, clutching a surprisingly unopened bottle of decent wine in her hand. "Ashie!" She cried out happily, setting the wine down on the table next to Ashe's bed. "The princess finally awakes!"

"Alexa." Ashe managed a smile through this at the sight of her acquaintance. "Honestly, what did you expect after an encounter like that? Instant recovery?" She chuckled. "Not all of us are made of talentium like you are."

"I do have to say, though; I'm surprised that you turned out to be my first visitor for the day… Granted, I did just wake up, so it's not like I know who's stopped by or not."

"Please," Alexa scoffed at Ashe's first words, albeit smiling. "I just got lucky and didn't get hit too badly. It hurt, certainly, but at least I could move after. And I'm surprised as well. Thought either your brother or your little boy toy of an underclassman would show up before me."

"Boy toy? Underclassman? ...Do you mean Araki?" Ashe put a finger to her chin, looking as if she was putting serious thought into the statement. She then began to speak in a rather playful tone. "No, no. He really doesn't have any sex appeal, not like a certain somebody I kn-"

Almost as if on cue, the exact person she was mentioning, Escellar, walked into the room, and Ashe froze. Putting the one person she had a romantic interest in and Alexa in the same room didn't bode well for the runetechnician; a fact she was well aware of as she shot a glance that would say it all to Alexa. Not a word from you.

The visit, while brief, certainly felt like an eternity for the young girl as the man of her dreams apologized profusely for what had happened with gifts and promises of future favors. The most Ashe could do in response was mutter some banality while an increasing blush overtook her face. When the man finally left, all Ashe could do was let out a sigh, and wait in silence for the teasing that was sure to come.

"Well," Alexa grinned broadly as Escellar left, silently enjoying Ashe's discomfort the whole while. "He did promise to do anything to make it up to you. Suppose you could use that to your advantage, eh, Ashie?" She snickered, reaching for the wine bottle she set down before popping it open, offering it to the bedridden girl.

"You know, I probably shouldn't…" she said, recovering slightly while still thinking of the discomfort in her abdomen. Still, it wasn't exactly as if the doctor had prescribed against it… yet. Thinking of this, and the agonizing embarrassment she faced only moments before, she reached for the bottle, and downed a third of it before passing it back to Alexa. "Good stuff," she said wiping the side of her mouth, "and definitely not happening… Not yet at least."

"Oh, come now." Alexa sighed, taking a long pull from the bottle of wine. "Just because he's your teacher doesn't mean he's off-limits. People have needs, and I dare say I've never seen him do anything not related to runetech. Maybe he's been secretly pining after you all along. Perhaps that's why he was so apologetic earlier." She laughed, handing the bottle back to Ashe.

"Oh, I'm related to runetech alright," Ashe mumbled coyly as she brought the bottle to her mouth and waved the stump of her right arm slightly. She took only two more gulps before passing the bottle back to Alexa with a small hic. "And I wouldn't read too much into it. I'm his subordinate, who offered their assistance knowing full-well the ramifications of doing so. He knew how much of a 'cheerleader' I am when it comes to a fight, so he offered a job meant to keep me away from the front-lines. When that went ary, of course he's going to feel responsible in some way."

"You keep telling yourself that." Alexa said smugly as she downed more wine, still looking in better shape than Ashe. "Of course, maybe I'll just have Aresia pretend to seduce him, if that'll get you motivated. I'd do it myself, but…" She shrugged, setting the bottle back down on the table. "You know my tastes. Not interested, even if it's just pretend."

"Oh, I have first-hand experiences with your 'tastes', Alexa; there is no need to remind me." Ashe, still not slurring her words, and knowing just how much it was going to anger her doctors, grabbed the bottle from where it had been set and finished what little was left. "And, if you send even one person to do such a thing, do not be surprised if one of your bottles has the faint taste of walnuts. I swear, I will kill you, no matter how far we go back." Despite the threatening language, the drunken tone Ashe had adopted held little in the way of threatening.

"Then I suppose you better beat them to it." Alexa smiled, satisfied that she had gotten to Ashe. "Besides, you know I wouldn't actually make my maid do that. I like her too much to force her on someone." She made for the door, looking back with a grin. "Enjoy the rest of your day, Ashie. Can't wait to hear what your doctors say when they find you in here drunk."

"I hope they're absholutely pished!" Ashe had said as her friend left. "I hope they're sho pished…"

Not much later, Ashe was back asleep, tossing and turning in her sleep the entire time. When she next awoke, the girl had been greeted by a nurse, who informed her that Verek had stopped by, but seeing that she was asleep, had to be dragged out by the ear by the nurse for disturbing her sleeping patient. Outside of these minor events and some expected check-ups, not much happened to the girl for the rest of her day, and spent the hours with a book on runetech Escellar had given her during his visit.
 
[BCOLOR=transparent]Raiga & Elthrad[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]Between the Times - <[/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent]Day 3>[/BCOLOR]​

[BCOLOR=transparent]Raiga leaned against the doorway, awaiting his companion as he gingerly put his full weight on his two legs. It felt strange being able to stand on two legs so quickly; and it was an even stranger feeling to be alive. Ever since he blacked out, he was confident that would be the end of him. However, from what he'd heard, the Rift Beast had been defeated, and it was Elthrad that was the first to come to his aid. Without the help, some of the doctors had said Raiga might not've fully recovered - and that was certainly worth huge gratitude, to say the least. Raiga figured he could fully thank his comrade over a drink.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]The knight had visited Raiga a couple of times in the hospital, feeling responsible for his injuries since he had led the charge against the rift-beast, but Raiga had assured him there was nothing to worry about. The chipper martial artist had even invited him out for a drink, so Elthrad was on his way to the inn where they had first met. He had left his room there for a more discreet part of the city, where he would not be noticed, but for nostalgia's sake he didn't mind heading back for a round. As he rounded the last corner, he caught sight of Raiga leaning nonchalantly against the doorway to the inn.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]"[/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent]Well, if it isn't my hero.[/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent]"[/BCOLOR] [BCOLOR=transparent]Raiga remarked with a joking grin, ceasing his leaning. He'd recently come off crutches, and was finally back in his usual gear apart from the odd bandage here and there.[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]"[/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent]Glad you could make it. I owe you some drinks… at the very least.[/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent]" Raiga said in a more serious tone, pushing open the door and holding it open for his comrade. There was a lot on Raiga's mind, and something strong would probably stop his clouded thoughts. He was grateful for Elthrad's previous visits; the feelings of not being able to stand were beyond tormenting. Now that he was back on his feet, Raiga was certainly more optimistic than usual, but he'd probably get to serious talk soon.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]"[/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent]I should be buying you a drink, after everyone followed my lead and I turned that fight into a mess,[/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent]" Elthrad said, his jovial tone hiding the sincere guilt he felt for that fiasco. He'd gone into that fight thinking he could handle a rift beast, and then flailed uselessly on the ground after just one attack. It was clear to him that his techniques were disastrously flawed, and he would need to train vigorously to avoid a repeat of that battle. [/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]He passed Raiga, clasping his shoulder in greeting, and entered the tavern. He waited until Raiga had followed, and then he passed up the bar where they would attract the most attention and chose a table a middling distance between the bar and the back wall. Putting his back to the fire, he sat down.[/BCOLOR]

~ ~ ~ ~​

[BCOLOR=transparent]As Raiga sat at the chair opposite to Elthrad's, the bartender delivered two mugs of ale to the table before Raiga even began to talk.[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]"On the house. We heard about the Rift Beast." [/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent]The bartender said simply to the two men, before heading back to his post. Raiga blinked, unsure what to make of the fact that he, and the others without doubt, were starting to become known in Dansila.[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]"Uhh… well then."[/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent] Raiga said with a nervous chuckle; he was a little uncomfortable about his slight fame.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]"Anyway, you aren't seriously blaming yourself for that, are you? I mean… I know you were the first, but I don't think any amount of planning would have got us through that unscathed. I was… well… stupid… in that fight." [/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent]Raiga mumbled, hanging his head a little. [/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent]"...Did you see what happened to Ashe in that crater? I know I could've stopped... that... from happening to her if I hadn't been dumb enough to get stuck."[/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent] Raiga muttered guiltily.[/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent] "I was beyond relieved when I saw her in the hospital - opposite bed from me, actually. She looked fine as ever, but still..."[/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent] Raiga quietly said; he was silent for a few moments. Raiga didn't even think about the severity of his own injuries - perhaps he didn't care.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]"But… yeah. Anyways - nobody died, and at least we've all learned from that big bastard of a beast. Next time, we'll smash the monster to dust!" [/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent]Raiga said with a slight smile, thumping his hand on the table for emphasis - being careful not to break the table. [/BCOLOR]


[BCOLOR=transparent]"[/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent]Yeah, I suppose you're right. Most of us could have fought better… most of us,[/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent]" he repeated for emphasis, thinking of the scythe wielding Raela who had been partially responsible for taking down the beast. He took a sip of his ale morosely, letting the mug sink back to the table. "[/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent]But my powers were utterly useless against that thing, not just my tactics.[/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent]"[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]"[/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent]Anyhow,[/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent]" he interjected. "[/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent]What do you think of this feast being held in our honor?[/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent]" he asked. Personally, he thought the whole thing was a little too theatrical. It didn't seem real in comparison to the battle he had just gone through.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]"The feast?" [/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent]Raiga snorted, as if such a thing was a joke. "I… uh…" He sort of wanted to say a 'bunch of crap', but that would probably be a ungrateful. Raiga wettened his mouth with ale as he decided his words.[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]"It's a little… unnecessary. I mean, it's nice and all, but… because of what could have happened out there - the feast just seems… y'know." [/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent]Raiga ended with a shrug, taking another large swig of ale. [/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent]"I'm just grateful we're all still alive n' kicking. Maybe the feast is just a cover-up to hide how we botched the job up." [/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent]Raiga suggested jokingly, although that could indeed be the actual reason for the feast.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]"As much as I appreciate their invitation, I don't think I'll be attending the feast myself. Ellenil Esprit will be in attendance, and I don't have any interest in seeing her again," he said. Elthrad had probably been beneath her notice back in Astopol when he had served under Mariwen Keep, but he had noticed her. Those were, however, days he had no interest in remembering. He downed the rest of his mug in one long draught, setting it down on the edge of the table to be picked up.[/BCOLOR]

~ ~ ~ ~​

[BCOLOR=transparent]"I'm going to be leaving Cykes," he stated abruptly. "I'm not going back to Astopol, not yet, I still have quite a while before I can return there. I'm thinking of seeing Illiserev, I have yet to go there… perhaps I'll see your home isles too, but that would be farther in the future." He paused. "I just know that nothing I've learned so far has been enough to fight these beasts, and there are things I need to find out on my own." [/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent]Elthrad planned on training, and advancing his sword art, Gaea. Perhaps changing it entirely. He hadn't even been able to use it against this rift beast, and he had a feeling that wouldn't be the last special rift-beast to strike the world. The sword art he so painstakingly trained with had been utterly left behind the moment the battle started, and nothing had been quite as eye opening as that.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]"Hey, don't put yourself down like that." Raiga replied, specifically to the part about 'nothing I've learned is enough'. "You weren't even wearing your armour, right? And besides… I doubt all beasts are as powerful as that one. That's why I'll be signing up for the next hunt. Before, I thought it'd be a way of seeing how strong I'd become. Now I know that's stupid. the real goal here is to just get rid of them." Raiga said in a more serious tone, slightly tightening his fists as he looked down at the table.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Soon enough, Raiga's eyes peered back up at Elthrad again.[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]"Heh, and if you see my home isles… do me a favour and tell me if they've been rebuilt. If we ever cross paths again. Hopefully mum - erm - my mother… is doing alright, still." Raiga said, smiling faintly. He'd been so obsessed with training, he hadn't even thought to write… perhaps he was regretting that now, knowing how serious death could actually be.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]After a pause, Raiga figured to brighten up. Whilst no trouble was around, they might as well enjoy the moment.[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]"Anyway! I'll see if we can get another round of drinks; one's never enough, eh?!" [/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]With a laugh, Elthrad nodded. [/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent]"I agree, wholeheartedly!"[/BCOLOR]
 
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[BCOLOR=transparent]Between the Times - <Day 2>[/BCOLOR]​

Verek walked up to the inn and pushed the front door open. It was a cheap place and the look didn't do anything to disguise that, though it was Cykes so it could be worse. Entering the building he saw it wasn't very full, and spotting Aresia was an easy task with her mane of new, long hair. She had her arm back, as well as her clothes, he felt a small stab of guilt and wished his sister could heal the same way. Shaking his head to clear that away he walked over to the woman and sat beside her. "Hey." he said in greeting.

It was truly a blessing that Alexa picked the tavern she did. Here, the now unwillingly famous maid butler seemed safe from all those annoying people who asked tons of annoying questions. Heck, even the few snarky comments from the Innkeeper himself died down rather quickly. For now, there was a soothing peace, though the red-eye was sure that, just like any other place where they could have stayed overnight, it would get pretty full as it became later. But for now? Aresia was abusing the peace she had, and sightseeing through the city at night would maybe reveal to be a actually pretty smart idea? All in all only time could tell.

And then, her peace got broken, by no one else than an old friend, someone who also fought alongside her...or did he now? She could remember seeing Verek there, that for sure, but launching any offensive attacks? No. Regardless, giving him a slight smile she returned the greeting. "Hey."

She seemed glad to see Verek which was relieving. Given her sudden fame he wasn't sure if she'd want anyone bothering her. "I'm glad to see you've recovered well." he said, "That fight was much worse than expected. Sorry I dragged you into it, but it was good you were there."

Recovered well? Hah. Was he trying to say sorry? "That fight was annoying. If my suit wouldn't have been damaged in the first place, thanks to the actions of a certain someone, I wouldn't have gone out the way I did in the end. Truly annoying." And ultimately, even that wasn't enough. "And you didn't drag me into anything, I knew just too well that my employer wouldn't pass up on that chance, and I was right."

It wasn't hard to guess who that certain someone was. Verek was pretty sure everyone who had been in that battle was annoyed at a certain someone. "Yeah, there was a certain surprise 'factor' that made everything a lot worse." If he encountered that person he'd have some words for them. He decided to move onto one of the main reasons he'd come to see her, "How is it being famous all of a sudden? You and Raela are part of the talk of the town."

Aresia gave a quick, annoyed, look at the question he presented. "oh right, I'm famous. Thanks for reminding me of that." She sighed. "I don't know about this Raela person but I prefer to walk down a street without getting swarmed by a flock of gossiping hens. I hope my fame stays inside the walls of that city." She nodded in self agreement. "It's a miracle truly that this place is literally a sanctuary. You were the first one to talk me up since a few hours." She took a small sip from her mug before continuing. "Well, considering we didn't get any pay out of it I guess I should consider myself lucky to have gotten at least a new suit for free." That did remind her though that she was basically naked for a way too long duration? Did he see? Did anyone see? The mere thought of that made her now blush a little.

It appeared that was a sore spot, but she was quite eloquent in her reasoning why which answered most of his questions in a way. He had been hoping to learn a little more about dealing with people. If he was ever going to have any chance of leading. He gave her a small smile, "I guess the party won't be much fun for you then. And hopefully Cykes doesn't require any more heroes anytime soon so you'll be free once Alexa leaves." That would be nice, for the danger to be over. He didn't think that was a wish that would come to pass. A small blush rose to the woman's cheek and it brought confusion to his own face. What was she thinking?

Oh right, there was also this annoying party she was forced to attend. "Well, I'll just hope those people at the party have enough decency to know the meaning of privacy." Now, she let out a mocking grin. "And heroes? Us? It's simply the power of Talentium, most people are capable of such feats nowadays, no?" The chance for Alexa leaving before the party would happen was a solid zero, after all, she would never let the chance for free alcohol escape.

"Well it still takes courage to stand against the rift beasts with Talentium." he replied, "Or fast legs so you get there before the time limit is up." Considering the latter was how they had all ended up in the battle. Not that much courage had been involved. He looked at his hands which were empty of any drink, unlike Aresia's. "I think I'll get going now though, there are other things I need to get to. It was nice talking with you." he said. With a final wave he departed.
 
Between the Times - Days 1-3​

Interspersed with short periods of consciousness and the sight of two distinctly different ceilings, Raela had remained out of commission for the entirety of a day. From what she could recall upon waking, her two locations were a hospital room, and eventually, her own room. She was left to assume they patched her up and returned her home so she could rest alone. Despite the ache that remained in her arm, she was sure the more "dire" issue was her exhaustion having used her sword art too many times. Even then, such things only required a day of rest, though she still suffered from a mild headache she could easily pass off as a hangover.

As she rose from her bed and rubbed her bandaged-up shoulder, she sighed and smiled. Though she witnessed the orb falling with her, Raela wasn't completely sure of her victory. The Rift-Beast was so utterly alien, it seemed, it would be unwise to think it had even more tricks up its sleeve. Looking out her window, she could see the city was still standing, with no smoke rising, no demolished buildings. That was as good a sign as any.

Raela grabbed herself some water, before clothing up and heading for the door. She'd have to go ask the others that were present what had occurred during her sleep, if she wanted to know anything about the current situation. Upon opening her dorm room door, she was met with an entourage of various individuals standing, sitting, even sleeping in the hallway. She stood there for a moment, confused, until they all suddenly jumped up and crowded around her door.

SLAM.

Raela threw the door closed and turned away back into her room, eyes darting back and forth. What happened? Why was she now suddenly the target of a paparazzi willing to sleep outside until she woke up? Raela scratched her head, debating whether or not to confront them outside, or to jump out her window and head for what she actually needed. She tapped at her sharp tooth and hummed to herself.

She turned back and opened up the door with a smile.

----------------------------------------------------------------------​

Having figured out early on what had earned her such attention, it came as no surprise to Raela that the following days would be filled with a perpetual buzz of reporters, big and small, and the looks of a gossiping populace. Her status as a vampire didn't mesh well with the publicity she was getting in many cases, especially when it came to the fellow students who hailed from Astopol. Still, she didn't expect any danger out of them, given she was granted a virtual army of bodyguards 24/7 through the reporters and 'fans' that pelted her incessantly.

The reporters, some from well-known news agencies, and others from simple school clubs, brought up the same questions every time, no matter how often she answered them. Raela could only imagine how flooded the papers had become with the same conversations.

"What's your full name?" they would ask. "Where were you born? How long have you trained? Who was your teacher? Why did you choose to go fight the beast? What did it look like? Were there any casualties?" It went on and on, and even as she answered some of them with the truth, she'd still come across papers with larger-than-life depictions of either her or the Rift Beast itself. It astounded her that someone could play up the creature even more than it was.

Soon enough, Raela tired of the publicity, and had become increasingly reclusive and careful. She began using her window to escape her room, walking about the city dressed in full-body clothing and sunglasses, never having meals in the same place twice. It would die down, she knew... she hoped. Raela imagined that this what it was like for some stars, and summarily felt for them. It wasn't enjoyable, much as people would like to believe.

Through the papers she'd read, she gleaned a bit of information she could have otherwise pulled from her friends, though she was skeptical of many of their words. If she was being sought after, Raela assumed the other participants, too, were feeling the same clamp. She'd consult with them during the dinner that a certain Espirit had planned.
 
Raiga & Ashe
[BCOLOR=transparent]Between the Times - <Day 2>[/BCOLOR]​

[BCOLOR=transparent]Ashe was bored. It was only the second day since she had been told not to leave the confines of her bed, let alone the room, yet the feeling that she could be doing something -- especially since she had arranged for multiple jobs to be worked upon during this span of time -- loomed ever presently at she sat literally twiddling her thumbs. This mind-numbing boredom, however, had yet to take a hold of the room's other occupant, still sleeping in the same spot from which she had first viewed him. [/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Feelings of jealousy and playful malice soon overcame the girl, as their lunch for the day was brought in by a nurse. Taking a single, tube-shaped noodle into her fingers, she flicked it into Raiga's face, who appeared to be rousing at the smell of the hot food. "Oyyyyy," Ashe said, a shit-eating grin spread across her face, as she rested her head on her one hand. "You awake yet, big guy?"[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]"E..eh…?" Raiga groaned, being awakened by the feeling of something weird and somewhat warm on the bridge of his nose. Cracking open his eyes, Raiga slowly blinked as the room around him came into focus. Was he… he was alive? Did that mean they'd actually won back there…?[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Subconsciously bringing his hand to his face, Raiga pulled what looked like a noodle off it, squinting in confusion as he sat up a little, almost visibly flinching when he saw the face of the girl opposite him. Not only was it a somewhat terrifying smile, but it was… her.[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]"W...wait a minute… you're…" Raiga croaked, before clearing his throat and sitting up properly, his legs slightly painful. "You're… okay? Does that mean we did it? Did anyone die?" Raiga spluttered, clearly confused. [/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]"You mean the battle with the rift-beast?" Ashe sat back for a minute, thinking with a finger on chin. With a sombering expression, she began to speak. "We lost so many… It was a massacre; I'm surprised we survived…" After a minute had past to let her little joke set in, she cracked a smile. [/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent]"Nah, we killed the bastard with only a little help from the outside; still surprised we survived, though." She stuck her tongue out at him. "Did I have you fooled, at least?"[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Raiga frowned with a slight blush as he realised he'd been tricked; for a minute, he was convinced the mission had been a total failure. With a sigh of relief and annoyance, Raiga found the noodle and threw it back at the witch. Headshot.[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]"Yes… you little minx." Raiga admitted, sticking out his tongue back with vengeance when the noodle hit. "I'm surprised you're still smiling after what happened back there… I… I would've helped, if only I wasn't so stupid." Raiga said half-guiltily after a pause, grunting a little as he sat up further on the bed.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]"Don't be surprised," Ashe said in response to her joke from before, flicking a stray pea at Raiga's nose while not even bothering with the noodle that was hanging haphazardly from her forehead. "I took acting lessons as a hobby while still in school; they were very insightful."[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]"And it's not hard to smile, even after a traumatizing event like the battle before… Life is full of them; all you have to do to live with it is to learn how to deal with them." Ashe looked pensive as she sat in bed, obviously thinking of her own past and how the many missteps had led her up to that point in life. She returned her stare to Raiga. [/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent]"What do you mean, 'I would've helped' by the way?"[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Wiping the pea off his bed, Raiga thought about Ashe's somewhat inspiring words. Whilst it was good advice, Raiga didn't find it easy to recover from traumatising events. Well… this injury was nothing; he was used to it, but seeing his destroyed homeland had left a lifelong scar. Hearing Ashe's question, Raiga turned on his side to face her.[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]"Well… I could've paid more attention to my team mates. If I wasn't so busy staring at the Rift Beast, I could've picked you up out of the way of that… stuff." Raiga mumbled, looking down from Ashe's bed for a moment. "I was way too late, though. Someone must've got you out… thank the Gods." Raiga whispered. After a brief silence, Raiga changed the subject.[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]"Are we the only ones who were hospitalised?" He asked quickly, wondering if Elthrad had pulled through without injury.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]"Oh, that nasty stuff," Ashe shook at the very remembrance of it, but most of all from the eerie event which had taken place after it. Not thinking anything of it, she repeated the strange flame's words to her, "Do you wish to live?"[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]"Don't blame yourself for what happened; my brother and I weren't even supposed to be near that thing if it hadn't been for that little case of friendly-fire…" She chuckled, trying to brush off the incident. "And yes, it appears we're the only ones; in fact, a couple of friends of mine had stopped in to visit. One of them, Escellar," she blushed and brushed a stray strand of hair at the mention of his name, "had said we were the only ones seriously injured. A godsend, really."[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]"Escellar, eh? Hehehe..." Raiga said with a quiet chuckle, teasingly raising his eyebrows as he caught onto Ashe's blush, trying to change the subject when he noticed her discomfort at the mention of the previous incident. "Well that's good. At least it wasn't a complete failure… still, it was way more hard than I anticipated. Serves me right for being stupid enough to think it was the 'ultimate training session' or whatever. Idiot…" Raiga cursed himself under his breath. Noticing there was a plate of food by his bed, Raiga ate it within seconds before continuing to talk, wiping his mouth with his arm.[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]"Well, call me soppy, but I'm glad you're alright..." Raiga said with a nervous chuckle. "uh… what was your name again? This idiot's called Raiga." He said, pointing to himself jokingly.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Ashe only managed to blush further from the light teasing Raiga was doing at her expense, but was quickly able to turn around at the return of the battle from the day before. "Now, now, don't be so hard on yourself," she said, trying to wave out the man's self-criticisms. "We all have to get motivated in our own ways; do you think I would have gotten anywhere near that creature if it weren't for my own selfish motivations?" The red in her face returned, an obvious signal to anyone around of who Ashe was thinking of at that very moment.[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]She furthered chuckled as Raiga went to introduce himself. "I can't believe we held a conversation like that without at least knowing each other's names! I'm Ashe, Ashe Harper; last name taken from my adoptive mother's family… How do you do, Sir Raiga the Idiot?" [/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent]Raiga snorted with amusement. [/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]"I'm doing fine, so long as I don't discover I'm missing my legs." Raiga paused for a moment, and looked under his blanket, before looking genuinely relieved. [/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]"That better not be my official nickname, by… the… way." Raiga slowed down his words as he only just noticed Ashe was missing an arm. He would ask what happened, but she already seemed uncomfortable - which was understandable - about the previous incident. Best to pretend he didn't notice.[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]"Well, uhm… Harpy," Raiga said somewhat dumbly, living up to his title of 'idiot' hence how that was the best teasing name he could think of, "next time, I'll remember what you said about motivation, and be less of an idiot. I guess my motivation was punching things… eheh…" Raiga cleared his throat and became a little red at how stupid that sounded.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Ashe chuckled. [/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent]Not like you've been missing your arm,[/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent] she thought lazily to herself. She was going to further respond to Raiga's comment about his nickname, but as he continued speaking, Ashe couldn't help but laugh loudly enough to clutch her stomach. "Well, it wasn't, but now I think I'll officially call you 'Sir Raiga the Punchy Idiot'. That work for you?" With that, came an extended yawn, and the realization that Ashe was feeling tired after their little spat of conversation. "Well, seeing as you've had a full day of beauty sleep and then some, I think I'm going to catch up on mine…" Ashe lied down, pulling the covers over herself and nestling in for a nap. "Good day to you, Sir Raiga the Punchy Idiot…"[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]"Night… noodlehead." Raiga whispered to himself towards the end, with a victorious grin. He'd had that whole conversation with her whilst that tube-shaped noodle was dangling from her forehead. He wasn't sure if she'd noticed or not, but it was funny nonetheless.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]After Ashe was clearly asleep, Raiga smiled a little to himself, his cheeks turning a little rosy as he rolled onto his back. He hadn't made anyone laugh like that before… and… well, even if he was a little insulted at his new title, it was a nice, warm feeling. Perhaps this new change in his life rather than: train, train, train, train was making him regret his cutoff to society… he'd never really cared much for talking, but as he'd discovered... it was exactly what you needed to cheer you up.[/BCOLOR]
 
Between The Times - <Day 1>​

"Get out of here!" Alexa roared at the crowd of paparazzi that seemed to be crowding the entrance to Aresia's hospital room. When that failed to make even any of the prospective interviewers budge, Alexa drew her sword with an audible 'SCHWING', getting their attention.

"Right, now do I have your attention? I just want to see my maid. If you lot still persist in this nonsense, I'll bloody forbid her from giving out interviews if I have to. I hand out her paychecks; I have that power." Alexa narrowed her eyes, her free hand crackling with lightning. "On the other hand, if you won't disperse after that, I can shock you all unconscious if you'd like." That finally seemed to get their attention, and the crowd parted to allow Alexa and Charlotte through.

Charlotte sighed as the sea of reporters dispersed enough to create a path for the two girls. She was never fond of people that would knock on doors and wave around pens and paper, so she still had to crack a smile at Alexa's shenanigans. She felt her pain; after all, when she went bankrupt, the same inane paparazzi nearly broke down her front door, and that shit was supposed to be strong.

Popping into the room, she held up a bunch of flowers and a small package of rice dumplings with an apologetic smile. After all, she did nearly kill everybody and blow up Aresia's clothes, so it would be heartless to not bring gifts to everybody and apologize.

All those pesky and annoying people, couldn't they see she was resting? If not for her being weakened, Aresia would have made sure to do exactly what Alexa did in the end. But instead, she just gave them half-assed answers here and there. It was a nice change when her employer, and the teamplayer Charlotte decided for a visit and cleared the entire room of any pesky visitors. "Thank you, Master, I really needed that." Now, master was a title the maid butler wasn't using all too often, but it really showed how glad she was about Alexa's actions. Shifting her gaze towards Charlotte she gave a small sigh, before responding with a smile. "A new suit would have been nicer."

"Oh, don't worry." Alexa grinned, reaching up to the sack she was carrying and taking out a custom, well-tailored suit. She hung it up by the window, gesturing proudly. "It's a good thing I know your measurements, isn't it?" She walked back over, plopping down in a chair. "I'm not even going to cut into your pay for this, really." Alexa paused, her smile growing wider. "I cut it out of Charlotte's. But yes, good work out there, Aresia. How are you feeling?"

The bankrupt girl made a wry face. So in the end, she still ended up paying for the whole thing. Oh well, worse things happened.

"Well, if they're letting you eat solids again, I brought you something I think you'd like," said Charlotte, holding out the wrapped wax paper package toward Aresia. "I call them rice dumplings, but they're named dangos here."

Aresia's face lightened up in a fashion as if night was becoming day upon seeing the suit. Now this was a truly, truly, great gift. Aresia loved suits after all. "Thank you very much!" Making a small pause she gave a small sigh. "Well, my body is perfectly fine. I'm just exhausted and need some more rest." Giving a look to Charlotte she tried to recall if she ever used her rejuvenating Sword Skill in front of her? Yes, once. Regardless, she explained. "I am very well capable of eating solids. My Sword Skill puts my body in top notch form, it just costs a lot of Stamina. And after using my Art before, yeah. All I need is rest, which I wasn't capable of getting because those idiots kept annoying me."

Alexa shrugged, still smiling all the while. "Right. I'm just glad you're alright, Aresia." She began before snickering. "I mean, if you died, I'd have to replace your services with Charlotte's. And that would just end in tragedy and sobbing." Alexa giggled, leaning back in her chair.

"Indeed," said Charlotte with a smile, making a mock maid pose. "It's good to see you're doing well."

Aresia joined the giggling at first before turning a bit red. "W-Well. I'm not dying that easily you know! But enough about me. You seem pretty unscathed overall! That's good. So I don't have to worry about that at least." Right. Her employer dying would suck just as much, and regarding Charlotte, well, she was helping.

"Well, I suppose I'll leave you to your recovery, then." Alexa said, rising from her seat as she reached for her satchel, pulling out a bottle of wine. "I still need to see Ashie as well. Get better soon, Aresia."
 
Between the First to Third Days​

Given that Araki had basically been unharmed by the encounter with the Rift Beast and only ailed by a bit of exhaustion, he was the first to leave the motley crew's company. In the end only two of the most severely injured participants had to be hospitalized for a while, or so he had heard. Not a bad result for a hastily assembled group of volunteers up against a never before seen form of Rift Beast; at least that's what the papers were singing the following day.

Not quite dead on his feet, Araki had nonetheless made his way back home after departing the massive airship that everyone had ridden back to the city. Given how the creature's attacks had all been successfully diverted there wasn't much in terms of destruction and some residents had already returned from the Burrow by the time he'd been walking home. The gates didn't swing open as easily as Araki was used to, he hadn't been this tired for quite some time now, and eerily enough his home seemed to be completely empty.

While it wouldn't have been a surprise to find his aunt and uncle out helping out in some manner, Araki had at least expected his brother to be present along with some of the hired help. As the gates swung closed behind him, he glanced around the empty yard before he shrugged and entered the main building. While normally he might have been concerned, Araki was simply tired enough to not care at the moment; the situation was strange, not dangerous as far as he knew.

A quick bath and change of clothes, and Araki was slumped out on his bed, sighing lazily as he sunk just a tad into the soft mattress. His last thoughts before blissful sleep took over were on the events just an hour or so prior to this.
That had been a few days ago and while his aunt and uncle had been around when he awoke, the following talk hadn't been too harsh. Still… the experience did go to show just how far from being ready to face the "real" world Araki was. His "brother" had also been present for the talk and while it hadn't been vocalized, Souya had nonetheless made his thoughts on the matter rather clear when the two of them went to train afterwards. Personally he'd liked to have been able to do more, and it seemed his family members agreed with that line of thought. thus the usual regime was intensified and for the past two days he'd spent just as much time in the small dojo as outside of it.

For not even the first or tenth time today Araki found himself laid down on the dojo floor, gasping for breath as he winced in pain. Without his brother's directions though he slowly stood onto his feet and resettled into the practiced stance once more. Between him and auntie, Araki hadn't been without a sparring partner. While he had gone to the hospital to try and check up on Ashe and the other injured member yesterday, he'd apparently chosen a bad time and missed the both of them. Aside from that excursion there hadn't been much contact with the outside world on his part.

"Gah!" The small building shook on its foundation, dust falling onto Araki's collapsed form as he slumped to the ground, cracks spreading through the stone wall behind him. He blearily tried to stand up, but wasn't able to muster enough strength and could only manage to prop himself upright. A dull thump, the butt of his brother's weapon being dropped to the floor caught his attention and Araki stopped in his attempts to stand for the moment. "That'll be it for today. Go wash up." With that dismissal, Souya turned and walked out of the dojo, leaving Araki alone with a slight clank as the sliding door was closed. It'd be a few more minutes before Araki finally stumbled out behind his borther, shaky steps bringing him back to the main building.
 
The afternoon sky, looming with clouds dyed orange by the setting sun, was filled with a sense of festivity that day. Delicate paper lanterns were strung up through the botanical courtyards of Seyour University, creating an intertwining pattern that brought up artificial stars over the lush garden. Tastefully sublime roses were grown in elegant patches, while vibrant curtains of wisteria intertwined with the paper lanterns, their fragrance brought out by the heat of the candles. Stone paths circled around a circular field of wild flowers, dandelions and chamolines bringing out the image of the sun, while corn-cuckles and bluebottles provided a dash of more luxurious colors in the field.

A few feet off from the display of wildflowers, a small bridge crossed over a trickling, man-made stream, from which petite fish with colorful scales could be observed, darting from one end to another. Walking past the bridge would lead those under the stark white branches of a tree, its leaves shed to reveal its proud form. It silhouetted grandly, and overlooked the chefs that worked underneath it, crafting delicate morsels of food or stirring large pots of curry. Long tables were readied to serve food, and servers ran to and fro in order to prepare for the dinnertime feast that would soon be amongst them. Though all Dansilan citizens were invited, only a few were allowed into the garden, which was serving as a more 'private' event for figures of authority, the 'heroes', and whomever they decided to bring along.

On top of the trees, musicians became accustom to their rather interesting positions, dressed in kimonos of green, mimicking the leaves that had been shed. Though it was the third day of the twelfth month, the warmth of the paper stars warded away the chilly temperatures. They plucked their strings, tuned their instruments, and awaited the guests that were to come.

It was going to be a night of food, dance, and merry-making.

And, as the sky darkened, a black veil falling over the city, a swarm of bats formed around the roof of a tower, becoming a man.

With baleful red eyes, he looked down on the festivals, before slipping into the shadows of the hidden moon.

~{ Chapter 1 ; Moonnight Veracity }~
Lyrics​
 
Verek clipped up the dark blue peacoat over his much lighter blue shirt. A pair of navy pants and black boots finished off his attire for the evening. He did little with his hair beyond making it presentable as it was. Slicking it down made him look odd in his opinion and the medium length was difficult to work with. Maybe it was time for a haircut. He was dressed well enough for tonight. His dagger was safely tucked onto his belt, after the incident whose defeat was being celebrated tonight it was probably more smart thinking and less paranoia to carry a weapon everywhere.

Leaving the dorm room he wasn't far from the site of the party but hesitated. He was ... pretty sure Escellar would be escorting his sister to the event from her home. Well if he was he'd try to sneak away without being seen, otherwise no big deal. He took off towards the apartment with a slight limp in his leg where he had stabbed himself.

***

He turned up alone at the site of the party fifteen minutes later. He'd spotted Escellar on his way to Ashe's apartment and quickly turned on his heel and headed the other way. For a man brought up in the boringly flat lliserev, with only the coastal cities bringing any beauty to the land, it was quite a different environment. He moved through the University to the sealed off garden and was allowed in due to his 'status'. Looking around there weren't any of his classmates there yet and he couldn't help but feel a bit awkward. He'd done pretty much nothing at the battle except save his own ass from the initial fall. Moving further into the garden he stood and waited for anyone else to arrive.
 
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Ashe threw some cool water on her radiantly smoldering face. Despite earlier reservations while speaking with Alexa, she had done it. She had used the promised "favor" from Escellar to have him escort her to the party that was set to happen that night. It had been a nerve-wracking, stuttering sixty seconds for Ashe, yet she had somehow managed to get through it, alive, surprisingly. The rune-technician was elated, even if her stomach was going to protest as much as it had been.

The girl hadn't much attire for the looming event, yet still fastened the obi of her old graduation kimono -- a green garb, fading as it went to the top with a pattern of bamboo stalks and grey herons -- in a "puffed sparrow" knot; forward, but hopefully a message Escellar would be able to read into. Her hair was pulled back into a bun, held in place with a pair of hair sticks featuring dangling charms of the same bird which dotted her kimono. Overall, it was the same outfit she wore when she had left Gael's boarding school, yet it was some of the only "girly" formal attire she owned.

A series of hurried knocks drew Ashe's startled attention to her front door. Glancing at the time, it was only then that the girl realized that it was the appointed hour of which the pair had set to meet. Ashe rushed to the door while managing to slip her shoes on. She met Escellar outside, not wanting the man to see the disheveled state of her apartment from all the home projects she had been attempting. She met him with a smile, but the constricting feeling in her throat didn't allow her to do much more. He offered his arm to lead Ashe to the university, an offer of which the girl gladly accepted, yet it was also a gesture more out of formality than any real sort of interest; a realization Ashe had come to on her own.

The two walked along the streets quietly, yet together. The stone-cobbled streets were laced with numerous sets of couples; together after having their lives foolishly flash before them days before during the rift-beast's attack. This was a fact which only increased the knot which had taken Ashe's voice, yet only increased her sense of enjoyment since, by many, it would appear that the pair were much the same.

The tentative "couple" made their way to the garden, where Escellar had run to fetch some drinks for them, and Ashe finally managed some small talk. Throughout this obviously awkward time, Escellar managed a smile for the girl, a fact that made Ashe's heart flutter all the more. It was a fact that was meaningless as the man was pulled away by a dotting, red-headed woman sporting a kimono of cardinals and fallen leaves, altered just so the sleeves revealed more of her arms and held up by a black, gold-threaded sash to match her equally golden hair pins. Escellar had at least tried to give Ashe an explanation, noise which was drowned out by the chattering, engulfing crowd.

Left alone, Ashe stopped a waiter carrying a tray of fried hors-d'oeuvres. She popped one, then another, and finally a third in her mouth before simply munching on a fourth of what were essentially donuts with a rich cream filling.

Eating your feelings always helps, eh Ashe?
 
The day had finally come. A calm amidst the aggravating storm Raela had been subjected to. She knew it was unlikely she would be spared freedom from prying eyes when it was all over, but for the time being she'd enjoy what she could get; not that the event was anything to scoff at. While the general populace and their incessant desire for stars had cooled her sense of pride in her prior heroic actions, being in a new environment -one of aristocracy and wealth- she'd have an opportunity to 'wow' a completely different crowd. Raela stood in front of her bedroom mirror, looking carefully over the red and black dress she'd been given from her father long ago. It was her mother's, as she'd been told, and apparently fit her perfectly. Staring into the mirror, she liked to imagine what her mother had looked like, being the same size as she'd come to realize.

While the presence of fans asking for signatures and pictures was still ever-present, the number of reporters had died down significantly, leaving Raela the freedom to walk outside without encountering a wall of loud, hurried requests. She walked to the party alone, a smile on her face as she fantasized about the exclusivity of it all. Though her father had stressed to her the importance of humility and compassion, she couldn't help, as a young vampire who'd been declared a hero, but to feel at least temporarily special. How many young girls and boys would she be able to woo into giving her a drink, she wondered?

Crossing over the bridge, she couldn't help but be a tad bit faster than was becoming of her noble appearance. Indeed, she hurried over the river into the secluded garden, too excited and mesmerized by the extravagance of it all to bother keeping up a composed look. She hurried towards tables with drinks and free food, immediately grabbing a few things before skipping off to other places.

She passed by a lonely Ashe, immediately turning around backtracking to her, a collection of pastries held precariously in her arms.

"Hey, you're," Raela was about to raise a hand in greeting, but a glance at her quarry had reminded her why it would be a bad idea, "You're here! I haven't seen you in forever... Well, of course, besides the battle and all. You're not still hurt or anything from the fight, are you? I fell unconscious and all, so..." Raela gave a quick look around.

"Please tell me I'm not the only one that's been bothered by reporters since then, am I?"
 
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Elthrad ran the comb through his hair one last time, making sure the unruly mop was as neat as he could get it without the assistance of magic. Then, when he was ready, he left the Inn and began walking to Seyour University. Against his better judgment, he had decided to attend the feast after all, and had spent the day preparing himself accordingly. Although he was of noble descent, a knight-errant did not travel with silk finery taking up precious space in their baggage, so he had been forced to make do with his armor. It had taken over an hour to polish the dull and dirt splattered metal until it shone with an inner luster, but he had succeeded. With his armor he wore his usual eyepatch, and a fierce red cape trimmed in white which was his only notable adornment. With a sigh, he hoped it would be acceptable.

He returned greetings and congratulations from Dansilan citizens with a polite wave or a nod, but otherwise kept moving. Although he wasn't the most renowned from the battle, Elthrad was one of the most conspicuous members of the team, so crowds parted to let him through as he neared Seyour University. Eventually, he passed the display of wild flowers and reached the bridge that led to the main event. He straightened his posture, took a deep and relaxing breath, the crossed the bridge. He hoped to see Raiga soon, the fighter seemed so out of place amidst the Dansilans it would actually prove to be a comfort. For now, however, he would just try his best not to enjoy himself.

After accepting a drink from a passing server, he found a comfortable and remote place among the festivities from where he could watch the shifting party. A dour expression serving to deter anything more than brief greetings from strangers.
 
With the party practically being at their doorsteps, and as a hero having no choice but to answer, the maid butler attended said festivities, and even if she had a choice, with Alexa being present here too, she would have come either way. Regardless, with her outfit, and her hair finally shortened to their glorious best size again, some could have easily mistaken the black hair for some sort of staff. Thanks to her fame though, that was not the case at all, and while her employers attempt may had worked at the hospital, it wouldn't come so well here, and ultimately the maid butler was forced, in one way or another, into the garden.

There, it was a lot calmer, while there was talk here and there, and a lot of faces she actually did remember, they knew what it meant to be civilized. Good, this place was perfect to be for the rest of this boring evening. Raising her hand for the sake of manners, she gave a quiet. "Yo." To no one in particular. Maybe she would get some food later and compare it to her own skills, maybe she would even find this super tasty Dango that she fell in love with. But for now, she simply enjoyed the moonlit view of the flowers.
 
It was hard to feel any enthusiasm for the dinner party when his entire body was sore and covered in bruises, but it was a relief to slip into the sky blue yukata. Finally, something that was a bit softer than the training robes that'd been his attire for the last couple of days. As he finished with his hair, Araki finished with a quick one over in the mirror before he slipped on the pair of getas and left the room. The first few steps were a bit shaky given it'd been quite some time since he'd worn them, but like an unused habit the "skill" quickly came back to him and Araki was hopping down the stairs in just moments.

Thankfully no one had given him any reason to pause and aside from a few send-offs, Araki was bounding over the home's wall soon enough. For a moment he paused to bask in the energy that filled the city from his position before he darted off towards the event, his shoes click clacking against the tiled roofs.

The courtyards came into view easily enough and Araki descended away from the bustling crowds softly, getas barely making a sound as he let his magic lower him to the ground. The greenery seemed to be in full bloom and though they held his eyes for a second, a more enticing scent further within pulled Araki forward. For the most part he went unnoticed amidst the party goers; his early departure from the group had ensured almost no one knew of his participation. That and his childish appearance meant that, while he got a few odd looks, nobody bothered to pay him much attention beyond that.

Course the moment he crossed the bridge without any issue Araki could feel eyes shift to him, but by then he was out of the crowd's reach. He dropped out of their sight quickly enough and rolled his shoulders to loosen them with a quiet sigh. A quick glance around revealed that this garden wasn't nearly as crowded with only a handful of individuals present at the moment. More importantly numerous chefs toiled away underneath the tree that served as the garden's centerpiece; tantalizing aromas wafting from their workstations. It didn't look like they were quite done yet though, so Araki reigned in his growing hunger for the moment.

In the end his eyes caught two familiar faces and Araki approached the two older girls with a small wave. "Evening, good to see both of you are alright."
 
Honestly, Alexa had no idea why everyone else had been so resistant to the idea of the dinner party. They'd risked their lives against that Rift Beast days ago, so why not graciously accept their just reward and enjoy themselves for a night? Free food, free drink, and pleasant company. Thankfully, she'd packed along the only dress that would fit into her traveling kit: a little black cocktail dress with matching heels. Clad in such, Alexa eagerly made her way over to the party, getting separated from Aresia and Charlotte early on as she caught up with old friends from her time as a student and partook in the festivities.

By the time she'd finally made her way to the garden, Alexa was on her fourth glass of wine and still going strong. As she saw Ashe and Raela with Araki, she smiled to herself and made her way over.

"Gooood evening, friends!" Alexa said cheerfully, raising her wine glass in salute. "Everyone enjoying themselves tonight? The wine flows freely, and the food comes out soon. Now all we need are some cute little things to spend the night with." She grinned impishly, giving Araki a side glance.
 
The news of a dinner party and the festivities that it entailed was received with ambivalence by Charlotte. A formal dinner event involved quite the preparation beforehand, and such events were usually rather stuffy ones, rife with suppressed manners and cookie-cutter speeches that could put the most studious scholar to sleep. It was one of the things in her past life that she had not missed at all, so the former noble was glad she hadn't taken the spotlight at their grand battle earlier in the week. Although... the promise of foodstuffs and pastries that rivaled those of her formal lifestyle was a very alluring, despite her disdain for such events.

Thankfully, her overtures to Aresia to help with her one remaining formal dress was met with success, and Charlotte didn't have too much of a difficult time with the laces, strings, and frills of her dress made in Illiserev fashion. In Dansila, the folds and frills of her formal garb might have looked out of place, but it was the only formal thing she had at the moment. She could ill afford a more proper yukata, especially after her pay had been docked to furnish Aresia with a new suit.

That said, she was pleasantly surprised upon arrival at the party. It was Charlotte's first time attending any such thing in Dansila, and she was pleased to find the event more casual than she had originally expected. It was actually rather pleasant, with all the plants and music and whatnot, and quickly enough, the girl was drawn in to the desserts and pastries table, where she humbly began to practice the art of "sampling everything," before seeking out her allies and friends.
 
Raiga winced a little in horror as he viewed himself in the mirror. Knowing that he couldn't turn up to the feast in his usual attire, he'd been leant a men's 'kimono' of some sort, coloured black and dotted with a little beige. He'd also brushed his hair into something a little more formal than the usual sprawl of black. Oh, how he hated it. He'd even been forced to leave his precious gauntlets behind, but there was no way he was going to take off his boots as well. He wished he could just skip this whole feast altogether, but just ignoring Dansilian officials sounded like a bad idea in general.

Taking a deep breath, Raiga swallowed his pride as he walked to the feast. Needless to say, he'd never been invited to such a thing before, and he had never dressed in a smart fashion before. This whole experience was beyond weird... it was... alien. Hopefully it would be over quickly. Perhaps he should stay near Elthrad and follow his example; the noble probably knew how to act way better than he did.

Of course, a couple of reporters bugged Raiga on his journey - because that was a thing now - but other than that, the walk to the feast was somewhat peaceful. Whilst he didn't really like dressing smart... it did feel sort of different, now that he thought about it. Some of the girls on the Dansilian streets were even giving him glances. So maybe dressing smart did have its perks, even if he felt like a complete moron right now.

Soon enough, Raiga arrived. Some sort of posh drink was placed into his hand in a glass as he arrived, and it was at this point he sort of waned to turn invisible. He wasn't sure how to act, what to do, what to say, etc. Loads of others were around; pretty much all of the females looked pretty stunning in their choices of clothing. One thing that did catch Raiga's eye was the food, but he wasn't sure if he should eat it just yet - as much as he wanted to dig in to the delicious looking selection of pastries, appetizers and such.

Raiga was beyond relieved when he saw Elthrad, suited in his fancy armour. Raiga wondered if his choice of clothing was... correct. It probably wasn't, but turning up in his usual shirtless n' shorts style sounded like a terrible idea presented by the Gods of Terrible themselves. Raiga approached Elthrad awkwardly, looking self-concious as he did so.
"I have... no idea... what I'm doing." Raiga admitted quietly. Perhaps he'd just wait until the speeches and such rolled in, pretend to listen to them properly, and then enjoy a quick jog around Dansila once this weird event was over. "Think we should meet the others? I know some girls love a tough guy in shining armour." Raiga chuckled.
 
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Verek watched passively as the others from the scouting party arrived and took up various positions around the garden. His sister had indeed arrived upon Escellar's arm though the man had disappeared quite quickly with another woman. His eyes narrowed on the departing pair and he filed that away. Fortunately a group of friends soon gathered around Ashe as others took up solitary positions in the garden like he had. They were like a high school with the popular clique and the loser nerds. Peering through the area he couldn't see the final hero of the battle yet and decided to approach the two foreigners. He wondered if the knight knew anything about the captain. The other foreigner looked quite out of place and uncomfortable. Limping over he introduced himself with a friendly wave, "How're you two doing? I'm betting Danislian parties are a bit different to anything you're used to."
 
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