Fairyland Chronicles - Character Side Stories

[Aaronock]

OOC: Katarin is a fake character I made up to play this story out.

You may also take this time to write your own stories involving your character(s) as it pertains to the current heRO storyline.
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The twenty-six year Ezekiel Stalker old stood in front of a mirror. His hair decided to act more disagreeable with him than usual today. He had tied the knot as usual at the bottom of his mid-back length hair, but the bangs decided to splay and split across both his eyes. He puffed his cheeks and blew at them in frustration. This would certainly put a damper on making a good appearance for when his visitor arrived. Normally this wouldn't matter much to the man, but he liked looking professional for fellow Rogue's Guild members.

Especially ones that would help him practice proper manners.

Not that he didn’t know about proper manners, he learned about, and used daily proper speech patterns some long ago time as a small child. “Just, how did that saying go?” he pondered a moment, “Ah yes, you either use it, or lose it.”

He had to remind himself why he'd bother to go through all this work to learn something that didn’t seem that important so long ago. It really came down to his client. Someone who held what seemed like mighty powers wanted him to find a way to subdue a most rambunctious fairy. The fairy called herself “Lucretia.” She had already a month earlier went and run amok summoning plants and insects on a Fairy Auction. Spewing out nonsense about how she’d take the world back to a state that didn’t have humans living in it.

The employer had left the details of the task vague, and left Ezekiel with the impression he could use any means available to subdue the fairy and her plans. Why his current employer would want his assistance on this task went beyond his head. He didn't ask questions about his client’s intentions. Ezekiel never asked unless it could break a rule from his personal moral code. And once he took a job, he made sure he'd do what it take to complete it to a proper, successful conclusion.

And just after taking the job, that fairy Lucretia coincidentally began an attempt to conquer Payon. The attack echoed many similarities to the one previously seen in Fairy Land about a month prior. She made headway to the Payon Castle, to find some sort of treasure. However, he struck a path hastily to her in the Payon throne room. A few moments between them made hardly any dents in her violent psyche. Instead, she conjured more monsters to at his face. He blamed himself for this failure to assuade her, and now had to rectify it.

A knock came to the door at that very moment as he finished his thoughts. He'd have to forgive his unruly hair, and just push the bangs behind his ears. A few more adjustments on his jacket and pants in front of the mirror, he called out to her, "Please come on in Katarin."

She let herself through.

"Ha ha, nice try Ezekiel, but proper decorum would require you to actually remove yourself from the mirror long enough to open the door for a lady of my status." She made her way to him and gave a flick at the back of his head. A smile shined towards the reflection before the both of them as she saw her new student’s face turn to a scowl.

"Now, now, you called for me. Taken time out of my own busy schedule just to help you practice proper conduct with people." A compliant Ezekiel to her, always equated to the most interesting one. He knew how to act professional in his work, but outside of the actual job, everyone at the guild knew how little civility he showed. Him coming to this realization on his own would mean too much fun for her. She'd milk these next few days to see him wince and fail miserably at this task with glee.

And Ezekiel had already failed right at the beginning.

Katarin took his hand, and moved him from the mirror to the table right behind them. Ezekiel managed to take charge and pushed one of the wooden chairs out for her. She kept a straight face now, and sat herself down. He took a place in the chair opposite from her. The female stalker placed her hands on the table, and crossed her hands, then gestured to her student to do the same. Her back went straight, and then he followed.

Nodding, she found herself pleased, and ready to finally begin. Practicing for hours seemed futile. He had figured out for the most part when to use a 'please' or a 'thank you,' but always received a flick at his fingers for missing to state ‘yes ma'am’ and ‘sir.’ His voice the whole time sounded mechanical. Could he not at least fake some sort of goodwill with her? The day nearly came to a close with no fix to the robotic voice problem. Until near the end of the lesson, Ezekiel spoke out of turn while they played out a scene where she gave him her coat.

"Oh great and mighty teacher, I am at a loss! I do not know how to play honest with beautiful words," Ezekiel’s voice quivered with desperation. She didn't know why he wanted these lessons, simply that he asked for them. Her continuous flicks to his still crossed hands on the table hadn't helped alter his speech patterns. He tried so hard to not growl or act unpleasant every time, but the hilarity of her tactics had already begun to wane. What work did he have in mind that required him to face her torture? She truly began to feel sorry for him, especially with the sudden change of tonality with his speech patterns. But...what he just said actually had an inflection of sincerity. She continued to just give a cold harsh stare. She'd break him and see a true moment of candor from him yet.

A few moments of silence occurred between them, and a pout crossed her pupil's face. Finally he undid his crossed hands, and propped them on the table to pull himself from his chair. A bow came from his head. "I'm sorry teacher, but I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong. You, of all fellow Rogue's Guild members, know how rarely I turn to any of you for personal help. Desperation pursues me, if I don't learn how to do this properly, it could mean failure of a job..."

She held up her hand to cut him off. No need to hear anything further. Katarin heard exactly what she had looked for all along from these lessons today.

A deep breath came from her chest, "You pass today Zeke, just next time, no need to bang your hands on the table." The man's jaw dropped. He still wanted an explanation, and Katarin would finally throw him a bone. "You need to share more sincerity. You already know how to act professional while doing the actual work. Now you need to back your words with an inflection of caring instead of venom to your clients and friends too. In other words, drop the stupid tough guy act for all of us every now and then!”

The point would have almost gone over his head had he not already been berated on this exact subject the previous night by Catherine (Cutty) McWren. A new, personal challenge stood before him. How best to speak your truest feelings when he didn’t want to? His client didn't kid when telling him he'd be tested to his limits to stop Lucretia. However, he staked his own reputation on succeeding, and he wouldn't let this bit tie him down forever.

Katarin brought him back from his thoughts one final time while giving him a small pat on the top of his head. "We've had enough practice today. Tomorrow, let's get ourselves some tea, and enjoy some more proper conversation and practice those table manners." She walked herself to the door, this time giving a signal that she could handle the door alone without facing disciplinary action.

He took a sidestep back to the mirror, taking a long moment to look at himself. His bangs had gone astray once again. A frown almost formed on his lips, but the man blew it out last second. Instead, the most encouraging smile he could muster crossed his face. A Tuesday meeting with Cynbel would arrive sooner than expected. His own current situation at hand certainly lacked dull moments in between at least.

[Aaronock]

OOC: RP event last night means I get to write another short story, huzzah!
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A small lamp light glowed on a table within a room on the second floor of the Prontera inn in the western side of town. Outside, crickets chirped, this at least lessened the deafening silence of the room. The space had been occupied approximately one week now. The occupant hardly kept up with time very well though, unless counting the days before his next meeting. He relished living in the moment, but lately found himself unable to enjoy that. Now he found himself stuck counting the days again before meeting Odin himself.

His gut feeling a few weeks earlier that the life he lived the past two years would end burned in his mind further. People…counted on his success. Not just Kotori, whom he’d been charged to protect, that he could handle. Yet, the events almost played out poorly and fell from his control last night when she got taken captive by Lucretia. Success came about due to Cynbel’s help, and he paid a price of his own for doing so. Now their sudden ally laid captive in Mystra’s old castle. Nameless faces afterwards turn to him asking, “What now Ezekiel?” And then that echo of failure also coming with it when some goofy Professor simply said to him, “I told you so,” as if he needed further reminder that they played too perfectly into Lucretia’s hands earlier. No desire existed in him to play the big shot hero, but for some reason, forces worked hard to push him in directions he never seen, much less felt, before.

The options at least available to him widened. However, with no aces in their sleeves, none of them could hold Lucretia at her word. So now he must find something that can pin her down long enough to cause her pause. But now the question turned to, ‘how to obtain such an ace?’ Investigating Cynbel’s home could yield some further clue, but also lead to a dead end. Another ace to pursue involved researching possible medicines to restore the fairy’s wings. The others in his group wanted to talk to the lord of Payon, but that didn’t seem worth pursuing to him, so decided to leave it to everyone else. Odin also could potentially provide power, but a God’s powers always came with a cost. Did he have the ability, or even the desire, to pay it for some Fairy who would more than gladly kill him? What of the others in the team as well?

He stopped pacing and sat down on his bed. To him, this problem belonged to the humans alone. One of their ancestors performed the action that triggered the cruel fairy’s angry spiral. The gods getting involved could have higher consequences than they imagine right now. A ripple effect that meant humans and fae and everyone in between the worlds they inhabited no longer existing with full autonomy for their lives. Ezekiel trusted his own wits and skill to solve this, but time also was of the essence. The more he and the others failed, the more likely everyone would choose to destroy Lucretia instead.

Cynbel said something that bothered him, that despite Lucretia harming the humans, he did not wish to see her killed. Could the fairy’s love truly be so blind? Or did he still yet miss a piece of solving the puzzle? Too many thoughts all at once just made his head hurt after all the battles and stress of earlier. A grunt came from his throat. He better come up with something soon, or else lose the current favored position he had gained somehow with his allies.

Perhaps learning those manners hadn’t been a waste of time after all. Certainly needed them in this situation when working with so many others for once. Silently, he thanked Katarin, and a proper thank could come once the situation reached a conclusion. Despite his own misgivings, Kotori managed to have Ezekiel agree to visit Odin this Friday. Hopefully this test the god had prepared for them could help to release some of those pent up feelings that now stirred inside him. Especially if that test involved killing lots of monsters. That idea he certainly appreciated. His mind began to calm, and decided to boil a pot of tea before bed. The taste would probably not match the one the sage girl made earlier, but the familiarity of his own cooking could help ease any further worries for the time being.

[Yurrechire]

((OOC: A little post, while RL keeps me away and the text RP continues to flow.))

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Sound score: Faster by Within Temptation.
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The world was gray, and white, and sand. It came with the dust in the eyes, and the scent of gore on the nose. Iron and sweat.

Across the dusky plains south of Hugel, a small whirlwind ripped across the wastelands. Bronze feathers flashed red in the sun as the recovering bird tore at the ground, eluding the enemy by a breath. Slick green creatures followed, pink underbellies showing at sharp turns, and when they died. They died often.

They fell, pierced by the old and reliable lance, and under the vicious lashings of the peco’s feet. More dragon-kin rose from the bushes, to claim the place of the dead. The great avian banked, and rounded on the attackers, laying about with the crimson-stained beak. The rider? The rider just laughed, and brandished her spear, and lived in the moment.

This was how the story was supposed to be- loaded with mirth, and blood; with loving comrades and a trusty mount, either of whom would bolster one against the world. The story was a freedom to slay anything, and be anyone; the birth of a true hero. The rider laughed because she knew her story to be a lie- an illusion of an adrenaline rush.

A piece of folded paper lodged above Catherine McWren’s heart, tucked under the breastplate. It smoldered there quietly, a ticking time-bomb, complete with the black feather, tucked therein. The latter was still wet with the ink of a fey-eyed magician messenger, who had delivered the bad news.

The missive began with a lengthy address to the Lady McWren, faithful follower of Erebos, and sworn vassal to the legion. Written in all dismal red ink, the thing still had the word “sworn” emphasized. There was no mention of their leader, Sir Melot. Not a single title to refer to themselves, this shady organization- standard practice, it was not, at all, strange.

One passage was stunningly familiar- the careful outline of Ezekiel, and Kotori, and the dark fey. It revealed knowledge that McWren thought was held secret between the members of her small group. It hinted at worse, to come.

In monotone, the letter asked the recipient to prove her fealty, and return to service. For an undermined amount of time. With a promise of aid, or needed supplies, should the task require them. The nature of the task was unspecified, but there was a given date to report back to, and it was too soon.

That was how the universe worked, was it not? In between the empires falling and old truths burning at the stake, in between her whole little world shattering, three times over? One was always called back to rebuild, to serve and protect in the absence of light.


"The fairies would go on with their dramatic dance, and the gods would scheme, and the silly mortals would throw themselves this way and that, in order to please the whole bloody circus," This, she whispered, even as something monstrously human lurched amidst the sleek hunting-dogs of the novii. A massive scaly arm reached forth to snag itself a peco-wing.

Catherine McWren laughed softly to herself.

The still-mending bird stumbled, as the slimy reptiles swarmed it in the moment of weakness. The woman, who was not the knight of Odin's preference, launched herself from the saddle at the besieging, writhing mass. Foes fell, and if there was a madness in her own laughter, McWren did not hear it.

[Aaronock]

OOC: Holy crap did I have to fit in SO much in my range of 1k-1.2k words. I hope I have done this some level of justice...
----

The letter to Catherine McWren was long overdue. The days kind of blurred for Ezekiel. He couldn’t quite ascertain how many days exactly he should have written the said letter. However, he decided, it needed writing, tonight. Not that he had any desire to draft the damned thing after another stressful day of dealing with gods, dead little sisters, and plot thickening twists.

A groan slowly crawled its way out of Ezekiel’s throat. Prolonging the inevitable only made the impending words he had to write further challenging to make. An elbow went on the table and his head tilted to quickly rest on his upraised hand. Another cup of tea waited near the other side, but he didn’t have the strength to bother picking it up. He believed himself unworthy of the reward.

The world needed to make sense to Ezekiel again. When he took the job to subdue Lucretia, it exploded far beyond his usual cut and dry work. Not even the fairy herself complicated it any longer. Fellow men and women with selfish desires at play worked hard to complicate the job far more than necessary. The only payments received for all this stress came through Pixie, and only of meager worth to him. He had no fear of going poor, or hungry, but this man chose not to work on the cheap. A price his clients paid for his honed use with a dagger, the skills he spent half his lifetime to acquire, and a reputation that he built alone with hard work and sweat.

With that, the letter could not write itself. With his other hand not on his head, he grabbed the paper and pen, and began to jot the exhaustively long note.

Catherine McWren,

This letter probably arrives long overdue. However, just so you know, I do not personally care all that much. No, instead, think of this as an update to all the things Kotori and myself have seen. We two probably seen every wonder you could imagine in just one week’s, no, one day’s time. How do I even begin? Let me just write a list of what occurred to us this last evening instead…

We met with Odin first. The man seemed interested in testing us just as he stated in his announcements. However, just as we were to begin, Surtur found a way to break through his seal in Muspelheim. After much fighting, with Odin at charge, we defeated the bugger. The god also came to harm, and after a warning of plots and being in brown, disappeared. As expected, you can’t rely on a God’s power after all.

Next we met with the lord of Payon. The Professor Nikki Sixx and High Priest Sacerdos helped us to gain audience with the man in the castle. Earlier, I had stopped Lucretia from obtaining the treasure she wanted to find inside. Apparently the lord informed us that he held a replica of the Moonlight Bell. We went to go gather the thing to protect on our own. However, after arriving to the secret location of the bell, Ciar just simply leaves a suggestion to the professor to ring the bell, and the doofy professor does it without question! For the man’s foolishness, we had to fight his own dead sister, while he stood there in slumber beneath a curse.

The man’s lucky however, that we could easily cure him with the help of Prontera’s clergy. Afterwards, we attempt to get the bell from Nikki himself, but find it suddenly gone. I quickly pieced together that Ciar was up to something, but nobody would let me intimidate the man to the truth. It became a waste of time however, as Galoo went in secret, holding the bell, to Niflheim. This gave Ciar a chance to take the bell from her at her hidden location, and summoned the old spirit of Jin. The raised man told us of someone's supposed betrayal towards Lucretia, and the information matched perfectly to Cynbel.

Far too many of you people chase ghosts…

He paused a moment. Deciding to leave out the details of Cynbel’s possible betrayal. The evidence seemed to match, but then the reasoning made little sense itself. The stories he’d heard from each party still didn’t match up, how could he write a proper series of events to it? Catherine would come to her own conclusions once she returned anyway. Said conclusions most likely would not match his own. What could happen due to that, he chose not to think about in this moment. He did however, have one more order of business to attend to in the letter.

Regarding Kotori, she stays safe with me currently. She’s mainly self-sufficient, might even become fully so if she keeps up with her current training regimen. But about that… I’ve taken care of the girl for a full week now, and think that about covers the cost of the 2 million zeny you threw on the ground for me awhile back.

As the rogue wrote those words, he began to tap his pen on the table. Now this suddenly got complicated. No way did Catherine exude any sort of ability to further pay him. However, how does he tell a silly sage girl he no longer had him at her beck and call? His head turned upward towards the ceiling, as he sat deep in thought. A simple compromise came as he realized he could give time for Catherine’s response before taking further action. His face turned back downward as he began to write the final sentence.

Let’s discuss payment the next time we meet.

-Ezekiel Stalker

With the letter finished, he looked out the window next to the bed. Lucretia wanted a world without humans, and in this moment, he truly wanted the same. A natural world that contained only the fae and forest, without human malice and selfishness mixed in. That world might still hold some level of chaos, but the problems of that world where only green grew brought some level of peace to the rogue. But could he tell the others this very thought? No, and that just strangely hurt him inside. They didn’t know the real him, nor did he hold the desire to open his heart to them. He believed they’d take advantage of his weakness…

And he realized that’s exactly how Lucretia felt.

[punisouffle]

>> I am worst person for not checking grammar. Nor a single pass of editing. Olala, enjoy.
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I've done it. I've gone and become a thief. What'll the others make of me? They say once trust is lost, it is gone forever. Now is too late for that. This is all for Master Ciar. I'm sure he'll praise me...

Through the moonlit night in Niflheim, a girl was running. Blue gown cut across thick purple mist, carrying with her a golden bell. Past the ghostly town square, there lied curious stone spires. She trudged up the rocky stairs. Her master's waiting atop the highest peak. Her face flushed, but with joy. "Galoo, you make me proud." Yes, that's what he'll say. Her first successful mission, after countless failures. There would be a reward, perhaps? He may even give her head a petting. Breath failing to catch up. There he stood, facing the cliff, majestic in black. She handed him the bell.

"Yea. Good job. Whatever."

Huh. That's it?

.....

"Miss?
"Little miss?"
Small wicked voice calls her. Galoo's pulled back to Prontera, next to a deviruchi, carrying groceries. Squeezing through the crowded market on their way home. That bell job has been bugging her mind since yesterday. The little devil has in its hands a well-sharpened pencil and a form. The paper reads - Dark Legion: Personel Assessment for Promotion.
"Shall I repeat the question?"

"Ah -- sure." She lets the devil lead the way. It turns looking over the shoulder, "You're at a fair. A boy has dropped his vanilla ice cream, he's about to cry. What is your action?"
The girl hops over the devil as they break the crowd, almost dropping an something from the paper bag as she lands. Readjusting her blue pointy hat, "I'll buy him another one, Gaia" she answers. "But make it an immortal heart flavour."
Gaia -- the deviruchi -- scrawls with devilish giggles. "As expected from milady. Next up, would you say the first word that comes to your mind."

More mind games - the Legion loves these, and she knows what they want to hear.

"Dark," it begins.
"Ritual." A classic answer among those running for clerical positions.
"Innocent."
Someone flickers the corner of her mind, right before her word. Kotori - a girl as honest as a puppy. One of a handful of people to greet Galoo with a warm smile. Why would she think of Koto just now?
"Victim."

"Apple." Someone offered that to her recently. Calmed her stomach that growled. Balawan the bard. Midgard boasts many adventurers, but few are kind to strangers on the road. "Rotten."
"Orange." Yes, the citrus-clad lady. Too busy throwing herself between friends and harm. "Sour."
"Fun." "..."

Galoo flips through her memory. The one time she tricked Lily into joining Prontera's autumn harvest festival - Lily who remained unfeeling after Galoo pushed her around trying her darndest to cheer the black priestess up. She wonders if they really had fun. "Fun... is something best had at people's expense?"
Gaia raises a brow. The street is almost empty around these parts.

"Ally." Cutty, their meeting was recent, sharing similar goals. Fiery girl whose care for her peco may be the only thing topping her care for allies. "Tools."
"Love." A shadow of Ciar's. "Blind."
"Trust." Ezekiel's cold, frozen stare pierces her from inside. "Betrayed."
"Family."

The devil looks up meekly, realizing they've arrived at the door.
A single room in one rundown apartment, near the church.
They stood there for some good minutes. Gaia nervously wiggles its little wings.
Until finally, the girl pushes open the door.
"We're ho--"

Cackling sounds of party poppers and confetti cover the room in a colour of rainbow. Two more deviruchis spring from under the table, yelling congratulations, "on a mission well done." The third one darts and join their demonic dance around the table fledged with dinner and cake.
Galoo thumps down the groceries. They freeze. Shivering if they've done something wrong. The girl let her hat roost on a nearest chair. She grabs a bottle and, in mere seconds, soaks down half of red mushroom wine -- sighing the weight of the nine worlds. Then, much to the devils' relief, shining into a bright, starry smile. The three's dancing, and singing, continues. "We're home."

A henchman's job, a creaking apartment, and three irreplaceable minions. Galoo knows this is not much, but it is enough. Enough for now.

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[Summerstream]

(Proofreading? What is that? 8D)

The moon filtered into the bedroom in Prontera's former Swordsman Association building. A woman sat at the base of the window, maintaining a sword, soft ringing filling the air with each draw of the whetstone. She looked down to the blade before gazing at her view of the capital city. Yet another sleepless night, yet another sunrise to wait for.

The woman's gaze drifted back to the sword, and she lifted it to check the blade.

“....Sharp... This will do for now.” the woman called out softly, standing to lean outside. Guards were patrolling below, so she drew back into the dark, moonlit room until they passed and continued on their way.

No one was supposed to be in the old, rundown building.

She looked up at the starry sky, pushing her glasses up. She went over the day's events in her mind; from Odin and Sutur, to the trip to talk to the Payon Cheif, to looking at the house of the missing fairy Cynbel's home. On the old desk there was the orange-scented cloth that kept the fragment of the wing she pilfered from the shattered wings of Lucretia, resting atop of a small, leather bound book. A book of the biology of a fairy. To the side of the desk was an alchemical blade. She returned the blade she had just sharpened to its sheathe before unsheathing the alchemical blade. The grip had three different coloured leather straps wound around it; orange, turquoise and a mint green. She sat at the foot of the window again, and tilted the blade so both the moon and her face reflected on the silvery surface. Magenta eyes, bordering on wine red store back at her. Her face was pale like the moon's light, a lotus-shaped mark peeking out from under her bangs. A smith's signature was carved in Mandarin near the hilt.

She then remembered about what she had told Ezekiel before. She had stopped him from interrogating Ciar, and then had calmed him down enough to speak about their next steps. She had suggested that they could use the sap of the Yggdrasil as an ace. The sap of her Yggdrasil. She had intended on checking on the World Tree later on in the week. The knight who had helped her tend to the tree had gone missing. Mentally, she weighed what good would come to Midgard if they relied on the power of Yggdrasil itself.

A quiet growl rose in her throat at the thought of the followers of the Dark defiling it with their greedy gaze, and her fingers curled around the blade. She opened her hand suddenly and watched blood trickle down the blade, before being absorbed.

“Tsk. Calm, Summerstream. Calm like the rivers endlessly flowing.” Summerstream murmured aloud as she bandaged her wounded fingers. She hadn't even noticed how sharp the blade was. “We will talk to Pixie, and then trek to my Yggdrasil...” She looked back at the silver blade in her lap, and tilted it to reflect her eyes, hidden behind glasses, and the moon in the sky. She could smell pine filling the air around her, and she smiled.

“So you came. What do you have for me?” Summerstream asked to the shadows before rising to join them.

[Summerstream]

(So, Aan doesn't want to post anything so I decided to~)

After travelling to the Yggdrasil with Pixie, the foolish professor and a handful of others, Summerstream had gone to the bar in Prontera. Yggdrasil was bleeding. It worried her, and she swirled her drink as she wrote down in her journal the events of the day. It was a fast walk to the roots, as she had promised. Everyone had been awed at the sight of her beloved tree, even those allied with the dark, but the moment she noted that it was bleeding sap, their group was attacked suddenly. Minutes later, the fighting stopped, and they grouped together to discuss what to do. Summerstream had advised everyone to gather the seeds and berries of Yggdrasil to limit the amount of sap that would be needed. While Pixie spoke among the other adventurers that gathered, she had stooped to gather some of the golden sap in a small bottle, and corked it. One hundred and fifty berries. That's what they needed, and she had gathered sap to accommodate that.

Her third screwdriver wet her mouth roughly as she sat at the bar reading the book on fey biology. Ezekiel had come and spoken to her. Reluctantly, she entertained him until the note arrived. She leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes to recall the conversation.

“So what have you learned from that book so far?” Ezekiel had asked her, “Anything about fairy psychology, or something of interest?”

She had paused before replying to him. “Flipping through the pages in Cynbel's house was what had lead me to suggest to Pixie to use the sap of Yggdrasil. The book is regrettably only about their bodies. I grabbed a little more sap than I thought would be needed earlier,” she had admitted to him, “I want to try applying a little to the wing fragment I have to see what will happen.”

“But in order to give her the sap, we need to get Lucretia to trust one of us. Someone with a close emotional bond.”

Summerstream raised her eyebrow at him. “And how do you propose we do this? Pixie should not venture into Niffleheim, and Cynbel is Lucretia's captive.” She was curious as to what the stalker had on his mind.

“This, we must fix the bond between Lucretia and Cynbel.” Ezekiel commented waywardly, sipping his own drink. Summerstream let her mind wander.

Her mind entertained her own thoughts, and a smile crept onto her own face. To fix the bond between them, they would have to get more information out of Cynbel, and to get more information, someone would have to sneak into his prison and talk to him. Yes, that might work, but she would have to be careful. Extremely, at that.

“That might work,” Summerstream mused aloud, unsure if she was agreeing to her own thoughts, or to what Ezekiel had said, “If we cannot fix the bonds between them, I have a way that might work.”

“Don't say that one of us should open up to her; I already say I am not it!” Ezekiel had said this while tapping his chin. Summerstream blinked, and tilted her head a little.

“No, I don't even know who to ask. I was her prisoner, remember? I do not know who shares what kind of bond with her.” she reminded him gently, taking a long sip from her drink. Why would he have said that he had wanted no part? Her gaze drifted over his face and revealed no information. She cursed mentally.

The note had arrived only a couple minutes after later. She took it out now that Ezekiel was no longer around.

“Morikage-hime, we have looked into the matter of the fairies as you have asked. We have found no new information. Please forgive us.”

That's what the note had read, unsigned as always. She bit her lip, and sighed. Of course there would be no new information-- that would have been too easy. With a sign, she tucked the note into her bag and returned to her drink. She enjoyed the mix of vodka and orange juice, and it helped calm her down and relax her nerves. Summerstream made a mental note to ask her friends, as she had called them to Ezekiel, to see if they cannot find a way to enter Lucretia's now-sealed castle.

“Barkeep, could I get another drink, please?”

Mending the relationship between Cynbel and Lucreta would be the best course of action. She wanted to try to request an audience with the fallen fey first. She still did not completely forgive her for kidnapping her, Balawan, Galoo and Kotori, but in order to make amends, she would have to find it in her heart to forgive her. She wanted to talk to Cynbel and figure out exactly why there was a fragment of Lucretias's first wings in his home. It bothered her, a lot.

[Summerstream]

(T-t-t-tripple post! *Hics*)

“I guess I really am an idiot, hmm Bushido? Take care of Tyr and Freyr for me.”

She had spoken those words only hours before. Lucretia had thought she attacked Cynbel. That was that. She could have run, but that would mean being unable to keep an eye on the fallen fey. It was a rock and a hard place for what she decided.

Summerstream had surrendered, and allowed herself to be imprisoned. She was not at fault, and she had kept Lucretia from outright killing her. The downside? She was stuck at the top of a high tower with a ledge for jumping. Oh. And all she had for sustenance was a few dozen oranges and some leftover dried lizard. Yummy.

“God damn it. I'm an idiot.” She chuckled to herself and leaned against the pillar and looked out at the stary Nifleheim sky as she nibbled on some of the lizard. It needed some re spicing. “Wonder if he got that message.... I could try redoing it, I guess.” Speaking to herself would help keep her awake, too. And writing. She looked to her book as she nibbled. Her pen was on it, and the pages were open. She was trying to connect the dots to everything that had happened.

Then throw in this third party who had sent in some sort of machination to try killing Cynbel. Summerstream icily thought back to the words the machine had said.

“You will not destroy what I have worked so hard to obtain.”

She drummed her fingers on the stone. What was it that they wanted? She had gotten Lucretia to trust her, then the machination attempted to kill Cynbel. That was enough to murder the trust she had build with the fey, and have her want to kill her.

Information was a valuable commodity. One that she was lacking right now. The fact could not be denied, though.

Lucretia was in more danger than she realized.

With a sigh, Summerstream put down the lizard she was nibbling on, and cupped her hands. If she blew into them just right, she could emulate the sound of a bird. Put the right tones together, and to the right ear, a message that could be relayed.

It was all she could do for now. Hope, call, wait, and plot.

[Aaronock]

Ezekiel Stalker had become a regular at the Western Prontera Inn. The receptionist at the counter greeted him with a wide smile, and he returned a small smile of his own. This inn had become a bit of a second home with it's familiar lilac wood and white brick walls. Lights glowed with a low yellow and orange hue, which invited one to try and find relaxation within its space.

The rogue had no trouble with the place, he felt he could finally let himself relax a little after the dangerous mission he took to enter Lucretia's palace. It took every ounce of his skill to sneak and only knockdown as few monsters as possible. Without Summer, and her hidden ninjustu skills, they never would have reached the dining room where Lucretia sat. Hearing her tale revealed a possible third party who framed Jin, the knight who hailed from Amatsu. If he could figure out who setup all of this, then he knew finally he could arrive to a final conclusion. Fae or human, they would pay dearly for causing this tragedy.

As Ezekiel opened the door to his room, he noticed immediately his window left open. A growl came from his throat and he started to investigate the scene. He certainly did not remember leaving the window open today. Finally after searching the whole room, he noticed a note laid neatly upon one of his notebooks. He tore the envelope in half, and flipped the letter with one swift motion of his right hand. The contents inside brought him a great sense of foreboding.

It began on the second page, the letter written in a hasty scrawl.

"If you can hear this, send word to Ezekiel. Lucretia is in danger. I saw a machination that was an exact clone of me running down the hall after she had screamed some hours after we parted, Ezekiel. I had caught up to it, and destroyed it, but not before it had some interesting choice words for me. There are enemy spies in her castle, and whoever sent them, does not want Lucretia to get her wings back, or for us to mend her trust in Humans, and her sister Pixie.

Cynbel was critically hurt, and she thought I was to blame for it. I told her to use the salve to heal his wounds. Instead of running, I surrendered. She's imprisoned me in one of the towers after I tried to warn her that she was in danger. I'll probably still be here when you get back-- The only way down is by jumping, and I have a few dozen oranges for food.
I trust you know what to do."

Obviously someone else had received this message, and brought this letter to him. The words from Summer to the messenger left him spiraling. He fell on his bed and just stared blankly at the note. Just as soon as things began to look better, it had gotten worse. But this letter confirmed one thing. Their third party who manipulated Lucretia's emotions still yet lived. Ezekiel only knew of the fae having such extended life spans.

His early judgements that Jin must have done the act now proved incorrect. But he had no time to dwell on the past.

Only his choices now could change the current state. He sprung up from the bed, a new surge of adrenaline pumping through him. Swinging over to the desk, he stood over his notebook, and began to plan. He would do whatever it took to save not just Summer from a fate she did not deserve, but Cynbel and Lucretia too. Everyone else be damned if they tried to stop him.

[????]

Beneath the shade of one of Mt. Mjolnir's giant flowers, Lucretia sat, leaning on the plant's stem. She had freed her hair of the prison that was her dark randgris helm, and simply looked at the sky.

"I've been a blind fool." She thought, as she picked up a small flower from the ground. "I killed Jin, and now I find out he wasn't the one who ripped my wings off..." She held the flower in her right hand, looking at its delicate white petals.

The rustling of the grass nearby indicated someone was close. Turning around, she noticed it was just Cynbel. He left for a few minutes to stretch his legs after having been knocked out for so long.

"Feeling better?" Lucretia asked, looking at him intently.

The male fae nodded. "Somewhat. I still don't understand what's going on..." He said, scratching the back of his head.

Lucretia sighed. "I'll explain again, since we were in such a hurry earlier."

Cynbel sat next to her, and the two looked at the sky together. "While you were locked up, a stalker and one of my ex-prisoners sneaked in the castle to give me some salve made of Yggdrasil sap and berries. It was for my wings." She said, faintly smiling. "They explained they spoke with Jin's spirit, and thought you played part in the act." She closed her fist as she finished the sentence.

"What! I could never hurt you!" Her companion exclaimed, shocked by the accusations.

"I know..." Lucretia replied, as she held his hand. "Anyways... one of them, Summerstream, offered to stay with me for extra protection and to ensure the salve would work perfectly." She took a deep breath, before explaining further. "Some time later, you were attacked. I heard the commotion from the other room and rushed to your aid. The ninja ran off after trying to fight me. I imprisoned Summerstream, not knowing she had been framed." Cynbel didn't reply. He only listened.

"When my fae comrades heard rumors that the humans would try to rescue her and take me down, I hid you in the castle's west tower to protect you." Lucretia went on, looking at Cynbel with a twinkle in her eyes. "The day of the siege, Ezekiel ran ahead of the group, and begged me to escape with him. Apparently, Amdusias was the one responsible for my wings." Her right hand closed and made a fist once again.

"Why would he rip your wings off?" Cynbel asked, failing to see a motive.

"I can only speculate..." She replied, shaking her head. "While we rescued you from the west wing, the humans massacred my fellow brothers-in-arms. Once they rescued Summerstream, she left the group and met up with us. As we exited, the vile humans caught up. I summoned one of the fiends that roam the castle and escaped with Ezekiel and Summerstream, only to come across Amdusias near Niflheim town square." Lucetia's expression turned to that of anger. "He rambled on about traitors deserving only death, and ran off to the aid of the humans."

Cynbel spoke up again. "Amdusias has changed. He wasn't the carefree child we grew up with." He commented, with a tone of nostalgia.

Lucretia nodded in agreement. "The two humans took us to Louyang. This morning, Ezekiel, Summerstream and I left you to rest while we returned to my castle to search for any clue Amdusias may have left. What we found was that the residue found on Summerstream's clone matched some of the substances used by the biochemists that were working on the poring experiments." Lucretia sighed in mental exhaustion.

"We had traitors among us. They'd been feeding information to Amdusias all this time." She murmured, uneasy. "The most unsettling part of it all was that once we were at the castle gate, we found it was sealed with magic... How did it seal itself after we entered?"

"He was still there..." The male fae answered slowly, stricken with dread.

Lucretia nodded, undoing her hairstyle and letting it flow freely. "When we returned to Louyang, I took the opportunity that you woke up to be alone with you. That way I could warp us out to someplace safe." She explained, nudging him. "The two humans that helped us are brave and compassionate, but I don't want them to get hurt. This is between Amdusias and us."

"What's next for us?" Cynbel asked, standing up with Lucretia.

The female fae snickered. "I've heard of an object that allows you to visit a person's dreams and memories. I've got my sights set on that. We will find it, whatever the cost."

"Have you finally given up on your dreams of vengeance on the humans?" The male fae asked, resigning to fate.

"No." She answered, sternly. "Jin might not have broken my wings, but the vile humans obliterated them recently, and killed my comrades in the castle. Traitors or not, they shouldn't have died in such a brutal way. They would have killed me too if I hadn't escaped." Lucretia extended her hand, still holding the white flower. As she stared at it, it burst into flames, leaving the ashes to be scattered by the wind.

She whispered, as if to herself. "They will face my wrath soon enough."