Fandom Final Fantasy: The Age of Ophiuchus [Closed]

[Arcanist]

Reva was right. Cid knew that, and he couldn’t change things. But hearing them from the mouth of another cut him deeper than knowing this in his own thoughts. Any time he had even remotely considered contact again, he shied away. It got harder to do as the years passed, especially after giving up an impossible chase.

All those years were a precedent to the hardest part - facing them again. And he was bound to them, as Reva said, regardless if he had thought of making his own escape from the storm or not. He owed it to the dead.

Despite Reva's calmness encouraging them to think forward, Cleon was afraid of that path forward. Awakening all of the Twelve sounded like a challenge, because of course, it would be. The main problem was discovering how to awaken each power in the marked.

Now that it was determined that they wouldn’t be smuggling anyone off Hyune, Reva probed Cid for more information, for something that he thought would help them in moving forward. He was silent for a moment, trying to think back to any conversations that could have been significant. The oddest one stood out in his mind. “I remember him telling a tale as we travelled one night. That all the old heroes in those bedtime stories had to undergo a trial of sorts before receiving a god’s help.” He shrugged at Cleon, who seemed desperate to hear more. “Said it was to prove their worth, or something along those lines. I don’t know if that helps you in your cases.”

Cleon let his expectations lower, though, he started to think out loud. "We know how Phoenix was awakened," Cleon murmured, "and I know the story of how you woke Leviathan. The two were different from one another. We don't know how Aquarius was awakened, but maybe it was different too. Each of them must have different conditions for us to awaken them.”

~***~

Of course, there were the moogles. Sesario rubbed the back of his neck. “Right, right. That certainly wouldn’t be any good.” He was more worried about incriminating the priestess in all of this, though, the contacts Hector had among the moogle messengers were the best in their line of business. Whatever and wherever their letters had to get to, they could rely on them to get to their point of contact quickly.

Though, he wondered how that would work with the Empire seizing control now.

“I don’t want to be the one to tell her about the prince running a sword through the Empress,” Sesario admitted, folding his own arms. “That’s gonna be complicated to explain.” There were little complications, really. Cleon didn’t like what was being said, and so put an end to Zariel in retaliation. Somehow, he knew a priestess wasn’t going to take that behaviour well towards another marked one.

“Une,” Sesario ventured before he realised, “nope, that was the bartender’s wife from Nalia...” Their trip there was cut rather short. Asking him if he wanted to join was a very wrong decision. He thought further, before he said, “Oma.” Certainly wasn’t a name he heard anywhere, though, he assumed the fae gave her it, else, Oma gifted it to herself. “She’d be the only one able to open that temple. At least then, we might be able to find answers inside there too.”

If they could pry her away from what seemed to be all she knew.

Sesario put a hand on the despairing Hector’s shoulders. “We’ll get her back, kid. And then you can tinker at her to your heart’s desire again.” He despaired at the loss of the Valkyrie himself, but he needed enough optimism for the both of them to carry on, even if they did land in some serious shit.

“Let’s not get too ahead of ourselves, shall we?” Sesario advised. “We need to earn their trust first and get to the temple, as annoying as that is. That Viera’s been giving me pointed stares the whole time we’ve been together. And they’re not the good kind.” She was alert, guarded, as she needed to be for the prince’s sake. His position alongside Zariel threw out enough red flags, and so Hector seemed naturally suspicious being associated with him.

Though, he knew where he might start with earning more trust. “You and that Lalafell have been hitting it off pretty well,” Sesario noted, trying not to let an impish smile play on his lips. “Maybe she could help our case. Considering you treat her as a gentleman should.”

~***~

She was rather light, that she would admit. Being a smaller size afforded that, and she felt a little better that it was her Didymus had to carry, and not anyone else. Shame about her skirt, but then again, she could imagine that would have to be replaced eventually as they continued travelling.

Kikiti, of course, had never been to Escander, though, she had heard enough stories from customers and anyone else who happened upon Ucantis about the place. A city caught in the grips of its own vice. And if Diddy, who came from Escander, said it was bad, Kikiti was sure he hadn’t been lying about that.

The girl swallowed her food ruefully, frowning at the unfairness of it all. “Surely there must be something we can do for her...” Though, there was even a knowingness in her voice. Escander was too big, too dangerous for a big group such as them. And if they all had bounties too...well, that wouldn’t make things any better for them.

“She’s tough,” Kikiti reassured him, “but I hope she does too.” Whatever that may have been. It was something she was struggling to think about over the little time they had to ponder all the information given. “I don’t know what the right thing to do is,” she admitted quietly. Yarrow paused his feast to cock his head at Kikiti. “I don’t like what the Empire is doing, and I sympathise with how Cleon feels...” Of course, came, “But should we really be fighting them if what the faeries said is true?”

Things were not so black and white any more, which made Kikiti all the more unsure about their situation. Things were complicated and questions continued to mount. Very few times did she consider that they might have been wrong when running from the Empire.

 

[Lucyfer]

Stories.

Reva was not surprised with the answer. In truth, it was in some ways what she expected, the problem being she did not know much about Asura. Despite having Leviathan, she had not dedicated herself to studying the Twelve. Leviathan was an honor, but Reva thought she would find the answer in traveling, or Leviathan would tell her.

Yet, Leviathan hadn’t known Phoenix was dead.

Leviathan did not know what was going on. That was troubling in many ways. Still, Reva nodded, murmured, “I suppose kidnapping Aquarius would not grant us much.” Just another story in how it happened that was unlikely to tell them much about how to make the others appear. “I do not know as many stories as I ought. I did not study it as I should have, being one of the marked.”

She felt silly for it now.

“My people will have stories,” she said, “but it is likely Ibec we should consider going towards next,” although it was Imperial territory, and she knew the dangers of it. “Their clergy maintains an oral tradition, or so I have heard. It may be they know something we do not that would reveal the sort of trial that needs to be undergone for each of the marked.”

Although wouldn’t it stand to reason, then, that Oleander would also have his Zodiac?

Or even Zariel would have had hers sooner? Then again, the risk inherent in Phoenix might detour from that.

~***~

Hector’s eyes narrowed at the explanation of who ‘Une’ was, but he didn’t comment, he let Sesario continue to the name of Oma. He repeated it several times in his head so he’d keep it in mind, even as the weight of Sesario’s hands fell on his shoulders and he tried to cheer up a bit, tried to look forward to tinkering with the Valkyrie again.

And not ask the question of whether or not it would even still exist.

He could imagine Zariel destroying it out of spite. He would.

He just sniffed, nodded, and hoped for the best. And sighed as he was told to slow it down again, and frowned, but listened. Sesario had a point. They probably needed to actually make friends with these people. ‘It isn’t like Kikiti’s that bad.’

Kikiti might be the only one, and he scowled even as he blushed when Sesario began to mention her, and tease him, a little, “At least one of us knows how to be a gentleman.” He said, though Sesario was right. He should get to know her better – not just for the sake of this working out. He also wanted to, but then he’d seen how close she was to Didymus.

She went running after him…were they a thing?

“I planned to catch back up with her. Make sure she was okay, but she seemed friendly with that turncoat,” he huffed, “I know you said not to start anything, but are we just gonna let this go on as if we don’t know anything about him? He could report us to the Empire at any moment, you know…maybe you should work on him.”

Well, Sesario needed to make some sort of friends, too.

It couldn’t all be left to Hector. And he wasn’t going to advise the viera. Sesario would just make things worse with her, he knew that. “Or at least help Cleon understand what’s up, and maybe a bit about how to be a prince. I can’t believe we met someone worse at diplomacy….” Although if Sesario was staring down someone who killed his mother, or was responsible for it…it might have actually gone worse.

Hector didn’t think of that too long. He liked thinking Sesario was better.

~***~

Jagger was tough.

And Jagger had made her decision. Didymus knew, and Didymus wished he had escaped at the airship, wished he had somehow – well he didn’t know. Gone with Zariel? He wasn’t sure he’d survive that well. Ran to Escander and sought mercy at Jagger’s feet? Probably. She might have been able to speak better of him to make sure he wasn’t eviscerated and kept barely breathing by the Empress for the hand he played in this.

At least he wasn’t the only one doubting things.

He lifted his gaze from the ground, to Kikiti, and wished he had a way to make it all make sense. To balance the scales for them both, but his mind felt like a whirlwind instead. “Maybe we should be fighting them,” Didymus said, “but maybe this is the wrong time to fight them. Maybe we can fight them after Ophiuchus.”

Because Didymus believed it.

Jagger believed it, and Jagger wasn’t suckered in easily. Not by anyone. He didn’t think the fae had reason to lie about it, and the stone sunk deeper into his gut. He was perhaps in the Right to be with this group, but they were also very, very Wrong and could be what destroyed the world if they didn’t get their shit together.

He stepped away from the food, “Sorry. I know you lost Ucantis and everything,” he said. The wound of losing Escander was never large. He never cared enough. “And I don’t like the Empire, but…well. I’d take it over losing the world. Don’t tell Cleon, though.”

He meant to walk off, to try and sort his own thoughts out, because even saying all that, he still felt uncertain, he still felt wrong.

Perhaps there just wasn’t a right in this situation.

 

[Arcanist]

Cid raised an eyebrow at Reva. Honestly, he had been surprised at that, especially with how much she travelled before settling in Ucantis. And especially if she had one of those supposed marks. “Right,” Cid murmured before looking to Cleon, “what about you? Know any niche stories?”

Cleon considered past stories he read. He had picked up a few stories he had read from his childhood. Moral lessons and creation stories made for the masses, and ones Cleon assumed passed through many mouths and hands until its original meaning was watered down. It happened with plenty of texts over the years. Regardless, trying to come up with any important themes with stories that had meld together over time was difficult.

“Any that I do remember, for Asura, at least, involved physical trials and fighting of some degree. Like with the stories involving Severance.” Cleon indicated to the falchion, sitting nearby the tree.

Cid raised an eyebrow. “It can’t be as easy as swinging your sword about.”

Cleon shrugged before sighing. “Clearly not.” In all honesty, he hadn’t thought too hard about it, not with everything else that was swirling in his head. He wondered how difficult it had been for Aquarius when Reva had mentioned them. Though, thoughts turned to Reva’s suggestion of heading to Ibec. However daunting it may be, it was better than any other leads they had so far.

Cid seemed less than enthusiastic about the idea as he rubbed his nose. “And what’s to say the clergy wouldn’t turn around and report us, if they found out why we were looking into this?”

“It’s a holy city, isn’t it? Plenty seek out knowledge about the Twelve for a lot of reasons,” Cleon countered. He looked to Reva. “They’re bound to have some sort of answers that we don’t. And maybe we’ll find some answers we can use to help us find Capricorn.”

Cid grumbled something again, before he sighed. “We’re in Imperial territory nonetheless. It’s not like moving to Ibec is going to shield us from them anyway,” he reasoned.

~***~

“I can be a gentleman,” Sesario countered, taking his hand off his shoulder. When he wanted to be was something he should have added. Hector knew him best though, and was never afraid to call him out for that. He folded his arms as conversation turned further to the Lalafell, and more importantly, that thief masquerading as friend.

“He had plenty of time to drop the others in running up until Rozari, and yet, he never did,” Sesario noted. “Maybe he feels sorry for the prince. Or maybe he has a soft spot for the Lalafell,” he added, watching for Hector’s reaction once again. There were few people that he tolerated, and with this one, he seemed to tolerate her a hell of a lot more. He’d not embarrass him further. Just yet. “I’ll see what I can come up with.”

Talk even turned to making good with Prince Cleon himself, and he scoffed a little. “Me, teach him how to be a prince? The world really is falling apart if I have to do it.” He was hardly the glowing example of one, but it did seem like he could do with advice with someone in his position.

Sesario gave in with a sigh, “You’re right though. Cleon’s sheltered from what I heard. That’s hardly done wonders for his diplomacy skills.” Strange how his mother never reached out towards them. Then again, from what he knew, his parents hadn’t reached out either. Perhaps things could have been different if they had.

No matter. What was done was done, even if it had earned the anger from Hector, and some resentment on Sesario’s part. That poor ship…

“Let me speak with Didymus first. I’m sure Cleon and Cid have plenty to catch up on, considering he was looking for the man in the first place.” He wondered what the story was behind that. He’d be nosy with Cid in his own time over that.

~***~

The very thought of trying to fight the Empire, even after Ophiuchus, made her stomach churn. That seemed hopeless in and of itself. At least if they tried with the Twelve’s power now, they’d at least stand a fraction of a chance. After saving the world…at least Zariel had power to fall back on. What did Cleon have?

“Maybe,” she murmured. Kikiti didn’t even want to fight anyone. She had just wanted to help people and be on her way because she hadn’t understood why the Empire invaded Ucantis other than out of greed. But she supposed the Empire would have found her soon enough in Ucantis, so she would have been dragged into this either way.

Still.

Kikiti shook her head, nonetheless, at Didymus’s apology. “It’s okay.” It wasn’t really. “I guess if we really had to choose…” She knew, deep down, what the better choice was, long-term, but she knew what she longed for in the short-term. She felt that uncomfortable itch in her left foot again and tried to rub at it with the sole of her boot.

“I won’t tell him,” Kikiti assured him, not that she needed to. She knew that would most likely flare up his emotions.

He didn’t need that with coming to terms what they had all discovered with the fae.

Kikiti put the food back. She felt full, and yet, surprisingly empty at the same time. She picked up Yarrow, who could only burp in response to being lifted, and held him close to her chest. “I hope you can get some rest before tomorrow.” She wouldn’t hold Diddy back if he wanted to go. She had plenty on her mind to think about too, what they would do next.

Though, she supposed that was naturally up to Cleon to decide.

 

[Lucyfer]

Most of the stories Reva knew with Asura, also involved the sword. A sword that Cleon had used to ill effect not long before meeting Zariel, a sword he still needed to practice meditating with, to get to an understanding. Could it be as simple as mastering a sword? Somehow, that didn’t seem right, despite the connections to Asura. It had to be something more.

But what?

That was what Reva remained uncertain of. Asura was among the Twelve more known for emotions – rather like Leviathan. Yet, she had not come yet at any of Cleon’s emotional turning points. Certainly he’d felt enough anger, desperation, and helplessness. Would it be tied to something like that?

‘She has many heads….’

Reva tried to puzzle it out while Cid and Cleon spoke, not tuning out the conversation, but not focused until Capricorn was mentioned – the single Zodiac they did not know. Would the Empire find them first? ‘Always possible.’ And not a good thing.

“I am not certain it will be Ibec that points us to Capricorn,” Reva noted, “we seem to just be…drawn to each other.” Kikiti and Didymus just dropped in. Hector was with Sesario – and now with them. If anything, their lack of looking seemed to bring them together more than anything else. “But it would not be a bad question to question. They may know something, and of Imperial territories, it is one of the safer ones. Ucantis citizens and Rozari were still allowed to travel to Ibec, even when tensions were high and other routes began to have military posts set up on the other side.”

Yet the war ended up not to be a terribly drawn out thing.

Ibec was always open. “We may yet have to deal with outposts but…we will manage.”

~***~

‘Cleon is kind of pitiful.’ Hector didn’t say that, but kept his frown steady as Sesario offered some ideas about Didymus. The frown deepened at the mention of Kikiti, and a soft spot. He didn’t like that idea, though it also seemed pretty obvious that there was some mutual concern there.

Maybe it was just friendly.

‘You barely know her.’ He still wanted to get to know her better, and would take the time to do just that, because he wanted to. Also because they needed to.

He did shrug at the prince thing, “Just an idea, but Didymus is probably the safer bet. He’s at least…well…not our kind, but close enough.” Just on the wrong side – maybe not the wrong side, actually – and potentially, well…dangerous. More dangerous than the others knew, anyways.

“I’ll talk to Kikiti,” he said, “we’ll regroup later this evening,” they had sleeping spots near enough to each other to hash over any information they got before sleep. If they slept. Hector wasn’t sure he’d get much, before he lifted his hand in a brief gesture of farewell, before turning off to figure out where Kikiti was.


Thankfully, that wasn’t hard.

It didn’t take much more than venturing near the food – food he craved anyways – to see her not quite having left the area yet, Yarrow being a nuisance about trying to get more food. “I guess faery food agrees with Yarrow,” Hector chuckled as he approached, a bit cautious. A bit uncertain, “I—I’m sorry things have ended up this way, Kikiti.” He had a hand in arranging the kidnapping of the Empress that then went, well, awry.

Thanks to Cleon, but he still shouldered some guilt.

~***~

Didymus wouldn’t force an answer out of Kikiti of choosing. He knew that struggle. He was feeling it now, and was likely going to keep feeling it until…well, until he had to really make a choice. He felt that Kikiti at least had an idea of what might be better, whether either of them felt good about it.

A problem for later.

He nodded, appreciative, of her silence.

“Yeah…you too, Kikiti,” he lifted his hand a little in a wave, before he turned off, intending to head back to the bags and dig out some rations for himself. That wasn’t too hard, there wasn’t anyone in his way, and no one standing guard over the bags, which seemed odd to trust it out in the open among fae like that, but he wasn’t going to complain.

He took out a couple of bars for himself, and made his way back towards the small bed space he’d claimed as his own, one of those that were isolated. It wasn’t a problem, there weren’t too many terribly close together, and those went to Hector and Sesario, as well as Reva and Cleon. There were no splitting up some people.

 

[Arcanist]

Cleon nodded. It was lucky how all of them had been brought together as they had. Though, he had to wonder why it wasn’t done sooner, not with them specifically, but with anyone marked in the past. Leander had a mark. Wouldn’t anyone marked under the Twelve had naturally come across him?

Conquest was to ensure that would happen if Leander had even been marked in the first place. ‘That was just his own greed,’ Cleon instead told himself. There was very little, in his mind, to justify the Empire sweeping over Hyune like they had.

“I hear Imperials leave the clergy well enough alone,” Cid said. “I doubt things will change too much, but there’s no saying that they’ll be more vigilant while we’re running around.” Approaching as a large group, especially with a few high-profile figures in the mix, was a no-no.

And that was just the city. The outposts were just as much a pain in the ass too. He scratched his jaw. “Regardless of whether it’s an outpost or Imperial occupied cities, the last thing we need to do is stick out.” Cid’s gaze moved from Reva to Cleon, who suddenly stiffened. “You need to cut that hair.”

“I’m not doing it,” Cleon responded, his words overlapping the end of Cid’s. He meant to sound steadfast in his words.

Cid just heard the sound of a childlike protest instead. “It’ll grow back.”

“That’s not the point. You know it’s worth so much more than that.” Cleon, again, responded curtly, as if to end all discussion of the topic entirely.

Cid only had enough patience to go around. It was wearing thin, despite trying to keep his cool, annoyingly, for the man’s sake. “Cleon, you’re a long way from Ucantis. You’re a fugitive. You might have gotten away with it for this long, but after what happened, people are going to be able to pick you out of a crowd in no time.”

“They can recognise any one of us,” Cleon argued back, trying to keep desperation deep down. He knew it would come to this, that it would never stop at Didymus, but he was desperate to hold on. “Sesario, Reva, Kikiti, it’s not as if any of us aren’t obviously recognisable in some way.” Zariel stared him right in the face. If she didn’t recognise the others, which he doubted, she would remember him most of all.

~***~

Sesario agreed on tackling the problem of Didymus first. His Grace would have to wait his turn, if he ever got one, and Sesario was secretly glad of it. Speaking to him was probably going to be likened to opening a can of gigaworms. But for now, the two split, Sesario giving a low, “Alright,” as farewell, before he started to wander off to find Didymus.
He had some time to think during his search, mainly back to the conversation between Zariel and Didymus. That should have been enough to incriminate his involvement with the Empire, and Hector was almost hellbent on bringing that involvement to light. Sesario should have been just as eager to reveal all and revel in it, and yet, he struggled to come to grips with what Didymus was trying to do. He didn’t sound entirely like he was on the Empire’s side, even if he claimed to Zariel that he was.

It sounded as if he grew a set of morals in the short time he had integrated himself with the others. Funny how people of both their calibres could do that.

Eventually, he found Didymus snacking on some rations, in his own little sleeping hovel for the night. Isolated. He supposed a few of the spaces were, but given how he was here, now of all times, meant he wanted to be alone. Shame that Sesario had to try and make friends with the thief.

“Didymus,” the sky pirate greeted as he approached him, hands in his – or well, the fae’s - pockets. “How are you holding up? I’d be exhausted if I were you right now.” They both knew what the other knew. It was the fat chocobo in the room where they and Hector were concerned. He sat down at the trunk of a tree, groaning as he did so, giving Didymus some space at least to breathe.

He looked like he could have used a drink. Twelve, a drink would go down well. “I’m not here to rub your current predicament in your face,” before he thought blackmail was on the cards, “but I am interested in how you got into it in the first place.”

~***~

Kikiti was indeed trying to hold the still hungry Yarrow back from digging his paws into more food, when she heard Hector approach. She managed a smile at his comment on Yarrow, though, even so, remained just as hesitant, considering what happened to Hector and Sesario’s ship. She was a little surprised at him apologising first.

That was all everyone seemed to be doing tonight. Apologising.

“It’s okay…” She started, then backtracked, “well, not really. But it’s not as if we can change what happened now, right?” The girl shrugged. She wondered if any of the Twelve could manage that. Maybe they would have already done that somehow, if they could. Kikiti sighed, before she issued her own apology.

“I’m really sorry about what happened to your airship,” Kikiti frowned, looking terribly guilty. “I just hope the prince isn’t too upset about it.” Ses was the name she understood that he gave to the fae, though, it still felt odd addressing him by his name alone. Cleon was a different case due to their short time together.

Prince was a mouthful when you added all the titles and niceties together.

 

[Lucyfer]

Reva heard such rumors, and hoped they would be true, but she knew the route would not be easy. There would be Imperials on the way, through Rozari and through Ucantis. Through everywhere, really, even Ibec. The holy city itself might be an exception, but everywhere else was likely to be difficult to traverse, complicated by Cleon’s hair. Though, Reva still leveled a gaze at Cid for suggesting it.

“Cleon is not the only male with long hair. It is not uncommon within Ucantis, and it may be unusual in Ibec but nothing impossible.” Meanwhile, she gestured to herself, “Do you know how much I stand out?”

Not only as a viera.

“Would you have me find a way to lighten my skin? Change my eyes? Cut off my ears?” Even among viera, she was unusually dark, her eyes abnormally red. She was not the only one, but many of her sisters had more hazel eyes, or lighter skin.

So she knew, among viera that roamed Hyune, she was unusual. She had seen it often enough. She stood out among her own kind, that made her all the more unusual. “It is more likely that it will be I that is picked out,” she said, “which is why we have traveler’s cloaks. It is not perfect, but it has sufficed. It will cease to suffice for me long before it does Cleon.”

She knew what his hair meant to him.

Perhaps it was irrational to defend, but she thought her point was strong enough: it might work for Cleon, but nothing was going to hide Reva, and she had been known before they came face to face with the Empress.

~***~

Didymus was not in the mood to humor the sky pirate. He lifted his gaze when the man approached, not smiling, nor answering that first question about how he was holding up with anything more than a grunt, as he stuffed the rest of the ration bar into his face and hoped the man would get the hint.

He knew he wouldn’t.

He was there for something.

And so he continued to observe as he drew closer and hunkered down. He didn’t believe Sesario wasn’t there to use his cards somehow. So, Didymus’s look remained dubious and unimpressed. “Yeah, I’m sure you would. Just as I’d like to know how you ended up in your entanglement,” he waved his fingers idly at Sesario’s face. “Pretty obvious you were able to just walk the Empress over. And there was enough talk about your engagement to her.”

Politics. He knew it was all politics. “Can’t imagine that’s not going to blow up in your face when Cleon finds out.” Though Cleon might understand things arranged through parents. Still, Didymus wanted it to be clear he’d find a way to drag Sesario down with him if he tried.

Even if he couldn’t do much about Sesario’s friend, Hector. No, he was fucked there, and he knew it. He had nothing on Hector.

~***~

No, it wasn’t really okay. Hector managed a half grimace, half smile, at her attempt, and backtrack on it, before he sighed and shook his head. Ses was upset. He was, too, but what was done, was done. They all knew that. They were all living with that, too. “He’s probably managing better than I am, honestly. So long as he’s moving, he’s okay.”

Hector offered with a bit of a shrug, and he lifted his gaze from Yarrow to Kikiti, then walked forward, “Let me take him,” he reached to take Yarrow from her, while adding, “Ses and I have been in plenty of messes before. Usually just us, though.”

This group thing, while not entirely unfamiliar, was unusual with the thought that it was likely going to be a while, “So this is a bit weird to me, but we’re going to try and stay and help,” they were supposed to get in good, but Hector did want to stay around Kikiti. And help. Even if ‘help’ was going to be trying to figure how to reconcile everything.

Shame they couldn’t do any work on the Empress’s side.

Unless they could get that sneak thief to go running back to her side.

“We’re all in this together now, to figure out the mystery behind the Twelve,” he added with a chuckle, “You know, Alexander – Virgo – was always considered the savior of Escander. Seemed weird to me. Seems more weird that he’d be attached to someone who’s forsaken Escander, but,” he shrugged, “it probably feels odd to all of us to be chosen.”

Maybe not Zariel and Oleander, who were a part of a legacy, but…well, they were special cases. “You know much about Libra?”

 

[Arcanist]

Cid had expected Cleon to protest, of course. He had learned enough being in Ucantis and around Cleon Senior to understand its significance. Asking that was always going to ruffle feathers, though, Reva’s defence shouldn’t have come as much of a surprise to him, and yet...well.



He found it all superfluous. Cid was a hypocrite for thinking it, but those were things Reva couldn’t change. At least Cleon could try and make an effort. They weren’t in Ucantis any more. The need to maintain tradition shouldn’t have far outweighed the need to stay low until they knew more about what the Twelve required.

Cid grumbled before he sighed, “No. I suppose I can’t ask you to do that, Reva. Just like I can’t ask you to lop off your hair,” he added to Cleon, “but I just don’t think it’s practical to keep, given our situation..”

Cleon’s nose wrinkled. He had appreciated Reva’s run to aid him in this debate, but he never expected Cid to see how important it was to him. He hadn’t bonded with him in the way Reva had. “I appreciate you voicing your concern.” He didn’t. “But let me deal with the consequences of that decision. I think I can manage it, Cid.”

‘Not if you rely on a Viera to help fight your battles,’ Cid had been close to saying, but it had been one of the rare occasions he held back. Not tonight. Perhaps another, where he would then risk it. “Fine. That’s your decision to make.” The next time, he imagined he wouldn’t keep his mouth shut.

He only did for his parents’ - and Reva and Cleon’s - sakes.

Cleon was quiet for a few moments after that. Both were stubbornly stuck in their ways, immovable from them. Trying to see that Cid was attempting to look out for them was difficult when he had suggested something as significant as he did. He eventually looked to Reva, trying to break the silence with the confirmation of potential plans. “So, Ibec, after we deal with this creature wandering the swamps.”

~***~

Sesario clicked his tongue. “You’re not wrong there, kid.” There was a reason that it hadn’t been mentioned, of course, from the negotiation, right through until now. That, and there was no good time to mention it, in between Cleon’s rather cloudy and moody moments. As much as he wasn’t happy with how things had gone, he did pity the lad, really. It wasn’t the right time yet.

But when was a good time to drop secrets and to come clean? Especially one Didymus has held close to him for so long? Regardless, he knew Didymus held one on him.

“I wasn’t so enthusiastic about it,” Sesario explained, rubbing his nose. “Came home and my parents said it was arranged, and I just had to show up. Only it was harder to run from that when it’s the Empress calling the cards.” And yet, he had managed it, just in the worst possible way. “We all know what happened to Ucantis when the Empire didn’t get their way. I understand why they did it.”

That was what responsible people did. Stood and faced their problems instead of running from them, regardless of whether they liked the options they had or not. And now, regardless of cooperating, Rozari would suffer for it.

“It was a situation I was thrown into. I didn’t have much of a choice in it,” Sesario shrugged, looking back to Didymus. He didn’t expect much sympathy for it. That was paltry compared to the things that others went through, and what he had seen others experience. “Anyone else hired for this kind of gig would have jumped at the chance of extra gil. Sure, the viera’s a problem, but I’m sure you were prepared for any and all circumstances. You could have wiped your hands of them when you got to Rozari, and yet...” Sesario raised his arms. “You’re still here with us.”

In all honesty, Sesario didn’t want to throw Didymus into it. Not unless he posed a serious threat to any of them or Hector. No, let him come clean himself. But Sesario wanted to know what the hold up was. Why the hesitance?

~***~

Hearing that Hector wasn’t fairing much better in this whole scenario saddened Kikiti, but again, it was a consequence they would have to live with. At least Sesario was trying to move forward, deal with the situation that they were in. She nodded a little, trying to show she was at least glad of that. “Plenty of messes?” Her interest piqued as she thanked Hector, handing the squirming Yarrow over to him. Surprisingly, he seemed to settle in his arms.

Probably because he was even further away from the food now.

Somehow, even with all the trouble that had been caused, Kikiti was relieved - or rather, glad - that Hector was sticking around. I mean, he had no reason not to with him and Sesario having marks of their own, and them all being fugitives together now. But Hector was nice, and he was at least trying. Plus, Yarrow liked him, and she trusted the carbuncle’s judgement.

Kikiti giggled a little at his comment. “Yeah. I mean, I didn’t really know about any of this until I fell in with the others. I guess I sort of forgot about that mark on my foot until it got brought up. I guess the Twelve like making odd choices for people they marked.”

Her parents never made much of a big deal out of it, because there never seemed to be a big deal surrounding it. That she understood now. With where it was anyway, people spent more time pointing out how chubby her cheeks were, or how tiny she was, or even how big her eyes were. The apparent flaws in her, according to those who would rather Lalafell were out of their sight.

Though not everyone was so bad. Lalafell were naturally friendly and welcoming to those outside their circles. Some humans had treated her nicely too. Hector was one of them, after all.

Talk turned to that of Libra. Kikiti pondered before she spilled what she knew. They were investigating the Twelve after all. “Kirin. The Balanced, I think a lot of people still call them. I used to look at pictures of them trying to figure out if they were a dragon or some sort of other beast. People have a lot of different interpretations of what they are.” Too many to make an astute judgement on. It was the same with plenty of the Twelve. They changed paintings of them every so often. “They were in a lot of those moral stories for children. Probably to scare little kids like me into eating my vegetables and doing no wrong.”

In her mind, it was not so wrong if you hit a boy with your staff after they called you names. She hoped Kirin would understand that.

 

[Lucyfer]

Reva’s eyes were hard on Cid, even as he said he couldn’t ask that of her. Or ask Cleon to lop off his hair. His tone wasn’t entirely convincing, but Reva would leave it lie for now. There was no point in pressing the matter further. Tonight. Reva didn’t believe the topic was finished, even if she thought her point was clear that the most recognizable of the party couldn’t be changed.

That it might not matter if Cleon cut his hair, although a treacherous thought wondered if a man with short hair, and a darker viera, would draw as much attention together.

Reva let the conversation move to their next steps. “Yes. After my home,” she said, sighing, “it may amount to nothing, but I sense it is important to see what they may known or may have learned since my departure. And to…to warn them.” They heeded only the Wood, and the Wood would not know of what was coming.

Its knowledge ended at its borders.

Reva doubted very much that Zariel and the Empire wouldn’t attempt to find them. To find all viera, now that they knew a viera could be marked. What if Capricorn was so, hiding in the woods somewhere, blissfully unaware, and not wanting to leave? It seemed plausible to Reva. Much seemed plausible at this point.

And anything she could think of, would likely be considered by the Empire.

The viera deserved a fighting chance.

A warning.

Even if she was unwelcomed among them.

~***~

Politics. Exactly what Didymus expected, and exactly what Didymus knew to be true. Zariel had plenty of suitors – people in power always did. That she tried this for Rozari was obviously a political move to put an end to things bloodlessly. It didn’t work, obviously. Sesario wasn’t married to her. That would cause plenty more issues in this group.

But politics was an excuse someone like Cleon would understand. He was a prince. He could have been forced into a political marriage, too. Perhaps to someone from Rozari to strengthen defenses for Ucantis, if the Empire had taken long enough.

It hadn’t.

Didymus didn’t show any sympathy.

His gaze averted at the mention of the gil, and the viera. He had been prepared. He had a special bomb all prepared for the viera, but he never used it. He didn’t even have it anymore, either. Zariel took that with the rest of his bombs. He’d have to make all new ones, soon. Maybe he could work on that here. The fae had plenty of interesting ingredients….

He swallowed, “Yeah. I could have,” he agreed, “I might have.” But he had been around them a while, and he didn’t exactly like the Empire. “I should have.” A terrible conclusion, perhaps, but one he was feeling more and more with the knowledge that Zariel hadn’t lied staring them in the face. With the thought of Jagger at the back of his mind. “But I didn’t.”

Did that count for something? Maybe. Maybe not. “I was forced into this. It was work for the Empress, or rot in prison. I tried to steal something from her, and I got caught. My friend works for her, though. Aries.” Friend, he realized he said, not sister. Oh well. “I didn’t know what it all meant then, and I didn’t know how serious it all was. I was sent to Ucantis to find the Prince if he escaped, because that was always a possibility.”

Zariel planned well. Excessively well. “And I did. But there wasn’t a good opportunity…and then there weren’t any as we traveled…and Jagger sent me a letter summarizing all of this and I thought if I could just get them to Jagger, to Escander, where she could explain it, it’d be okay, we’d find—we’d figure something out. But we didn’t.” He glared at Sesario, wanting to blame him, but the gaze softened, and he looked back down. “I would have found a way to present it to them better.”

To present it to them, without revealing what he was to the Empire. “Look, if you and Hector can just stay quiet, I’ll slip away to Escander as soon as we get out of this damn forest. Everyone knows I was already planning to leave on your ship, anyways.” He didn’t sound convinced. Or convincing.

The grass about his feet moved in a chaotic gust around him, though it didn’t spread far.

~***~

Hector had assumed his height would help settle Yarrow, but he wouldn’t say that as he held the carbuncle that much higher from the food, and against his chest. He was soft. And Hector liked Yarrow. He never had a pet. He should have considered getting a pet, except he had enough to look after when it came to Sesario. He was enough of a pet to deal with, in a way.

Hector easily grinned along with her comment on the mark, and then what little she knew about Libra. For the Twelve being so renowned, their stories easily passed out of knowledge once childhood fled.

He nodded, though. He’d heard Kirin referred to as the balanced. “Always thought it was rather more like a unicorn. Just a scaly one,” Hector laughed a little at his comment. A scaly unicorn still sounded more like a dragon, but that one horn thing and horse-like body made him think of a unicorn more than a scary dragon.

Of course, the dragons were Leviathan and Bahamut. Which, apparently, Sesario had Bahamut. Not really what he expected. ‘How long before he starts calling himself king of the skies?’ Probably not too much longer, knowing Sesario.

“Not so bad to use Kirin in those stories, though. Kirin always seemed like a peacemaker. Not the, you know, blow shit up and hope for the best, like Ifrit,” he chuckled, though noted to himself that the majority of the fire signs definitely seemed to lean to violence, even in their stories. No matter what stories he knew of Phoenix before, blowing the ship up wasn’t exactly making it easier to consider otherwise.

“Alexander didn’t really have any morals. Well, unless you call fighting to your literal last breath a good moral,” he sighed, “people prayed a lot to Alexander in Escander for protection. I’m not sure he ever answered.” Maybe because he couldn’t. Because he was down here, within Hector, and couldn’t help anyone.

He didn’t want to think of that. “I think Kirin made a good choice with you, at least. Not so sure about Bahamut and Ses, though.” He let that be a bit more teasing, so as not to sober the mood too much. “He’s going to start calling himself King of the Skies within a week.”

 

[Arcanist]

Cleon had heard of Reva’s home from her a few times as a child. Children could never help the natural curiosity they possessed, and given Cleon’s active imagination, questions were asked. Reva, as she had been, was honest with him - or as honest as you could be with a child. He learned more as time went on, and he always wondered how she had the strength to leave her home as she did. But there was much that Reva would refuse to show to him.

But even here, as much as she tried to shield herself from them, Cleon understood the worry in returning home. What was once her home.

“Warn them? Of Zariel?” Cid asked, practically answering his own question, but regardless, Cleon nodded.

“If Reva possesses Leviathan, then the Empire surely would include other viera in their search for the marked.” Now that the thought of it, the same could have applied to Kikiti and her own race. He could only knew what that meant for Lalafell Town, if the Empire hadn’t combed through them already.

“And the Empire wouldn’t be worried about infringing on viera territory, just like with the rest of Hyune,” Cid murmured. He would admit, the Empire had some balls for bringing every corner of the continent under their banners. “She clearly wants to find the rest of the marked, and quickly.”

“We just have to find Capricorn before she does,” Cleon resolved, looking from Cid to Reva, “and hope that your sisters take heed of our warning, if they know nothing else.” To discover more would be helpful to their cause, as well as see some of the place Reva once called home, but he wouldn’t get his hopes up.

From his knowledge, they were particularly guarded.

~***~

Politics. Exactly what Didymus expected, and exactly what Didymus knew to be true. Zariel had plenty of suitors – people in power always did. That she tried this for Rozari was obviously a political move to put an end to things bloodlessly. It didn’t work, obviously. Sesario wasn’t married to her. That would cause plenty more issues in this group.

But politics was an excuse someone like Cleon would understand. He was a prince. He could have been forced into a political marriage, too. Perhaps to someone from Rozari to strengthen defenses for Ucantis, if the Empire had taken long enough.

It hadn’t.

Didymus didn’t show any sympathy.

Bingo. There it was. No sane man would take their time trying to kidnap a prince where the Empire was involved, especially if they were given a second chance. Most - even those who despised Imperials - would have jumped at the chance of breathing in the fresh air instead of languishing in prison. It was a warped freedom, to be working for the Empress, but it was freedom from prison, at the very least.

Then again, he found marrying the Empress to be a complete violation on his freedom. Regardless of whether Zariel let him gallivant as he liked, he still felt leashed by her. He sympathised with Didymus’s situation just a little, perhaps even if he shouldn’t have.

He noted his addressing of Jagger, Aries, as his friend, not as his sister. Sisters could be friends of brothers, Sesario knew that best, but that lie was another shovel for Didymus to dig a deeper hole with. He remembered the viera’s surprise at not being told his sister was someone who was also marked, so it was clear they had come face-to-face before. Just not as Zariel’s underling.

Oh, Didymus. How did one keep track of the lies?

Sesario let him get it all out, what had been stuck inside his head for Twelve knew how long. He was looking for someone to pass the blame onto in all this, to relieve himself of all guilt of the charade he had been pulling for as long as he had. “There’s no telling how Cleon would have reacted even if it was presented in a different way. It’s all well and good thinking of what ifs, but that doesn’t have much bearing on dealing with the here and now.”

'Do you see it? The winds of change.'

So good of Bahamut to drop in. Sesario sighed, rubbing his head. He thought he saw the grass swaying, yet, there hadn’t been as much of a breeze this whole night. Sesario looked back to Didymus again, smiling a little, "You're hesitant. I get it. This situation is pretty shit to be in." He did manage to let his smile drop into a more serious look. "But how much longer can you keep a secret, before it comes out in a way you regret?"

~***~

Kikiti giggled. “I guess scaly unicorn also works.” Much of the art of Kirin’s apparent form blended and merged together in Kikiti’s mind. It was all interesting to see how others saw one or the other in Kirin. Just like herself, she supposed.

Kikiti nodded, remembering Kirin as a peacemaker. "A symbol of justice and fairness," she added, smiling again at his comment of Ifrit. "I suppose they would be much calmer than the likes of Ifrit. They caused quite a stir in all of the stories told." Stubborn and hot-headed. She knew a few born under Aries, and they were all just as bad-tempered. Jagger hadn't come off as such when she met her, though, she didn't know her very well. Not like Didymus would anyway.

Kikiti hummed. She couldn't imagine a god not answering someone's prayers. They didn't always answer directly - or so she was told - but in other ways. "I'd like to think he still heard them," she tried to comfort him in a sense. "I don't think a god wouldn't be able to hear prayers." But did that mean the Twelve were likely to ignore prayers? She couldn't say that thought was comforting.

Though, Hector had steered such thoughts away with a compliment, she beamed. "You think so?" She hoped so as her cheeks burned. She grinned a little at Hector's comment on Sesario. "I think it's rather apt for a prince. Though, I could say him and Bahamut might have a long argument over who gets to rule the skies."

She couldn't imagine proclaiming yourself as King of the Skies in front of Bahamut would do you any favours.

"Speaking of…" Kikiti laughed a little, "I meant to ask more about Sesario. What kind of Prince goes galavanting around the world in an airship? And how did you even get to do it with him in the first place?"

 

[Lucyfer]

Reva also nodded at Cid’s further question, but let Cleon speak. Capricorn did need to be found, but then what? Reva hesitated to be certain. The roads all seemed to lead back to Zariel, who knew what was going on – more than they did, at any rate, and perhaps even more now that Phoenix had shown himself.

Yet, how could she say that?

How could they even think it?

Certainly, Zariel would be looking for them, but somehow, it had to be on their terms. Even finding Capricorn didn’t feel certain enough to turn the tide. Shiva and Phoenix had manifested on the other side.

They had Leviathan.

Only Leviathan.

‘We must get the others.’ Then, only then, could they consider how to approach Zariel, and the rest of this mess. “No, the Empire will not be concerned with our borders if they now know we may hide marked.”

No doubt, other viera civilizations had fallen.

Lalafell, too.

“I am not certain how we will find Capricorn. I think it must be left to luck,” Reva noted, “what we can do is pursue stories of the Twelve, and find ways to bring them out. It is the only way we will gain an advantage in this situation.”

If, even, then.

~***~

Didymus was only too aware that all the what ifs with Jagger were ruined. It was another reason to consider running, and quickly, because when it all came out, Cleon was going to be pissed. Everyone was going to be pissed. Kikiti would feel betrayed…he didn’t want to face that look most of all, quite honestly.

“I’ve kept plenty of secrets for years,” Didymus pointed out to Sesario. Perhaps not the thing to be bragging about, and keeping a secret that never came up was far different from this secret. “All I’m asking is long enough for me to get out of here.” Not that he knew precisely how long that would be.

Certainly when they cleared this swamp, he could vanish, right?

Find the nearest city, and get passage to Escander. He wasn’t familiar enough, and Rozari not so far gone, that he couldn’t get passage easily. “After that, if you want to out me for what I was,” again, odd that he didn’t say ‘am’. He didn’t feel that was accurate.

He wasn’t sure in the moment what he was.

What he would be.

“Then fine. But I just need until we get out of here, and I can find civilization again.” He’d figure out escaping then, before they got to the viera, before everything else came to pieces with their plans. “I won’t…I won’t mention where any of you have been. I never traveled with any of you beyond the airship.”

He could make it convincing.

~***~

‘Maybe.’ But what use was hearing prayers when nothing could be done? It must be a special kind of agony, though Hector wondered how good Alexander had been anyways, considering the shithole that was Escander. That didn’t happen overnight. The Empire couldn’t fix it overnight. Or over years. If they were even trying.

He knew Oleander apparently liked it how it was.

He wouldn’t come back to that, of course. He kept on the trail of the compliment with an easy smile and nod to confirm he did, in fact, think so. There was no need to ask him to clarify, he meant the nice words.

He chuckled a bit and rolled his eyes at the thought of an argument, “He’d argue with Bahamut, trust me,” which then led to a sigh as he recalled Sesario, and Kikiti’s further question, “Sesario doesn’t exactly want to stay in Rozari and rule. Easiest way to do that is not be there. I’m not sure if he plans to give up the throne to one of his siblings or not.”

He thought that might break Sesario’s mother’s heart. Probably a thought that kept Sesario from being entirely clear on that, too. “He also just has a lot of wanderlust. Can’t stay put. Not even a week in one place. It can get tiresome.” But not always. Hector liked traveling, but sometimes they really did need to stay one place for a while for repairs, or for a job, and dealing with Sesario during those was irksome.

“I met him in Escander,” there was the ‘heroic’ rescue story.

His past as a slave.

He didn’t want to tell what he once was, though. People always looked at him…different. “I was in a bad situation,” it was vague, purposefully, but he hoped Kikiti would accept that for now. “He was a way out. I didn’t owe any money or kill anyone,” he said quickly, lifting his hands, “Just…things weren’t good. I don’t like to think of it.” Or explain it. “How did you end up with your prince, anyways?”

He kind of got a story, but now he wondered how much had been glossed over.

 

[Arcanist]

Pursuing fairy tales. That, and Capricorn, were their only leads. But they couldn’t sit here, in foreign fae lands waiting for a miracle to fall right into their laps. As far as Cid understood, their miracles, if they could be considered as such, lay inside the likes of Cleon and the other marked.

He understood that this wasn’t going to be easy.

“Then we’ll go to the viera, see if they can help us.” Cid was doubtful of whether they would be of any help. They may have had stories, but very few stepped foot into viera territory without escaping unscathed or alive. Reva, from how she spoke, would not be a guarantee for safe entry and passage.

Cleon nodded, knowing that plan was already approved. There was no need for him to add further to it, even though it brought uncertainty to what all their futures held. He wished the Twelve could clarify their situation, form a plan. He wished Asura would act as counsel and speak with him, as Bahamut did with Sesario. But even then, the Dragon had little to say to him.

But until then, they would have to move blindly onto their next revelation.

“I think we’ve exhausted all chat about what to do next. We should rest for the night if we’re to fight that creature tomorrow,” Cleon resolved. He had tired of chatting, and of the day’s event, not that he imagined he would get much sleep after the day they all had.

Cid agreed with a hum, also standing. That was the first decent decision the prince had made all day. “Yeah. And we can talk more about how we’re gonna kill that Cucu, or whatever its name was, tomorrow.”

~***~

‘And your winning streak has come to its end.’ Secrets never remained secrets for too long. And now, Didymus panicked that his secret would come to light, all because of that hesitance inside of him. But the temptation to say he’d slip away with him was all too real. It was so easy to run.

But it was even harder to hide.

Sesario was silent for a moment, considering Didymus’s plea. As much as Hector was eager to out Didymus on the spot, he knew the consequences of doing so at a tumultuous time such as this.

“I’ll stay quiet for now. But,” Sesario pointed a finger, “only because revealing it while the prince is in a foul mood would make hanging out with everyone even more awkward than it already is.” He caught the despairing and sulking expression of the young man earlier, and he didn’t wish to sour it further with another revelation. Things were tense enough as it was, and he didn’t want to deal with Cleon trying to murder someone else.

“You’ll get your time to think about what you really want to do,” Sesario told him. And in that time, Sesario would suggest taking the other to meet the priestess. They all would have to decide on where they would go from there, and he intended on pointing them in her direction. That, and the temples had some significance too as Hector had pointed out.

She would not be their saviour by any means, but it was better than wandering confused through Hyune with a target on their backs. It was either her or go grovelling to Zariel.

~***~

“I see,” Kikiti couldn’t help a thoughtful frown. It was strange to see a prince shirk his responsibilities, and to venture so far from his home. She could never imagine Cleon being like that, seeing how much he loved his home. Though, the two weren’t cut from the same royal cloth, and had differing backgrounds and priorities. Cleon, as hard as it would be to imagine at this moment in time, seemed to be more disciplined when it came to responsibilities.

Then came the wanderlust, and Kikiti hummed. “I suppose that would be kind of annoying,” she agreed. “But at least he’s been out touring the rest of the world with you. Cleon’s never set a foot out of Ucantis.” Perhaps that had been a bit too personal, but it was obvious. Sesario seemed more worldly, whereas Cleon’s only world had been Ucantis.

Kikiti, as much as she had more questions to fire at Hector during his piece, stayed attentive and silent. He must have noticed her concern, for he started to add that he hadn’t done anything morally or lawfully wrong. Not that he seemed the kind of person to do that in Kikiti’s eyes.

She tried thinking up several different scenarios in her head of why Sesario was kind enough to get him out of his ‘bad situation’. But she decided she wouldn’t push him. The last thing she wanted to do was make him uncomfortable. Especially considering they were already in an uncomfortable situation.

So, she decided to humour him with her own story. “Cleon and Reva ended up trying to hide in the infirmary I worked in. Diddy ended up trying to hide in there too.” Strange, that she hadn’t thought of the place and the old woman who taught her until now. The event seemed as if it was so long ago now, Ucantis forced far to the depths of her memory. “I was staying late and kept low when the invasion started. Then they came in, explaining how they were trying to find another way out of the capital.”

She often wondered if this next part showed how kind she was, or how naive and foolish she was to help others. “I decided to show them a way out by way of the sewers. I figured I could show them the entry point and then be on my way again,” she paused, and well, it would be more than obvious what had actually happened. “I ended up having to come with them anyway, since some soldiers caught us in the act of trying to escape, even with some smoke to cover us. Didymus’s doing,” she added.

“And, well,” Kikiti shrugged, “I’ve been tagging along ever since.” Thus, ended that part of the tale, for the rest of it still needed to be written over time. She realised she scrunched up her dress in her hands during the retelling, and released it upon finishing. “I guess the Twelve have a way of pushing people together. It all seems a little funny, now that I think about it. I was worried about having to travel with them, but they’ve all been kind to me.”

She was glad, in a sense, to have met them. She felt safe in their company, despite the trouble they had gotten into. “And now, here I am with you and Alexander,” Kikiti beamed, though, reddened, and quickly added, “and Sesario and Bahamut. And Oma, and...” She stumbled, the name of the wolf faded from her mind in a surge of nervousness. “The...wolf.”

Same difference.

 

[Lucyfer]

There was, in truth, little more to go over. Perhaps if they had more details on Cucu, they could have spoken about strategy, but they did not. Reva intended to keep her ears peeled, though she didn’t think the fae would leave them completely hopeless. They were the Marked. And they had offered to help.

“I agree,” she said, “We will all have time to adjust by the morning,” though there was likely little else to consider, sleeping did tend to help bring fresh awareness, or at least, settle nerves. Reva was hoping mostly for the latter, for all of them, after what had happened.

And some ability to digest the information about Ophiuchus, and reflect on whether they knew any more, from old stories. Reva didn’t think she did. The only serpent she truly knew was Leviathan, more often thought of as a dragon.

Not quite like Bahamut.

Who talked but did not show himself.

She tried not to sigh at her own thoughts. “Good night, Cid. Cleon,” she gave a small nod to both, before she would turn away to return to her own space for sleep, though she doubted she would be able to do even that.

~***~

Didymus’s gaze went down to the finger pointing at him, frowning at that, even with Sesario’s agreement to hold his tongue. The reasoning was selfish, which meant it was trustworthy. More than if Sesario had claimed to be doing it out of the goodness of his own heart, at any rate. He rolled his eyes at the ‘time to think’, bit, but just said, “Yeah, yeah,” aware he was uncertain but not needing anyone else to know.

He just had to escape, and it would be okay.

“I still appreciate it. And if you could convince Hector to hold out a bit….” He somehow understood why Hector wasn’t, there was that odd link between two escapees from Escander, but that didn’t mean he appreciated it. “He might not care about the awkwardness as much as you do.” Which also made sense.

Royalty always tried to avoid awkward situations. It looked bad. That’s why they were trained in diplomacy. ‘Fat lot of good that did us.’ This was probably the most royal screw-up in the history books.

Well, depending on who wrote them.

Didymus wanted to be on the side that wrote them. “And…yeah. Thanks. For giving me time.” He needed it. Desperately.

~***~

‘Yeah, that was obvious.’ The sheltered nature of Cleon continued to be obvious. He probably could use the advice of someone like Sesario, for some things. Obviously not about shirking duty. He might have a little more discipline. At least, for Ucantis’s sake, Hector hoped. Assuming he ever got to return to Ucantis. Or rule it.

He was grateful when Kikiti didn’t ask anymore about his past, and just explained how she got involved. Pure luck, it seemed – the prince and his bodyguard – and Didymus – just stumbled into her shop and needed help. She was forced to go along, “I’m sorry you weren’t able to stay at Ucantis,” she could be with her family, her loved ones.

Though they wouldn’t have met. ‘Sure we would. We’re both marked.’ They’d come together…somehow, someway.

“It’s good they’ve at least been taking care of you. Hopefully this will all end soon, and you can return home,” he smiled, “maybe even give me a tour of it. I’ve never really spent any time in Ucantis’s capital,” Sesario avoided political hotspots, so he avoided places like that. “It’s Fenrir,” he added, “the wolf. We actually found a temple dedicated to him, before we crossed paths with you.”

He opted to leave the priestess out, for the moment, “I guess Oma’s going to have a hard time adjusting when she comes with us,” to Hector, it was a given, the only logical thing, “at least it won’t be just me and Sesario as the new ones. We should probably think of some ways to help her be comfortable.”

And by default, integrate himself into the group…which would help Sesario, too.

 

[Arcanist]

Cleon wondered how true Reva’s assertion was. He - and Kikiti and Didymus for that matter - had adjusted to things as they travelled. Could they adjust any more as things constantly changed as they did. But hadn’t time to dwell. All they could do was move forward with what information they had. Cleon wished they didn’t have to do that, and that they had time to hide for a little longer. But time was a luxury ill-afforded to the likes of them now. He wondered how long he could keep adjusting for.

The sleep was well needed, and he hoped he would at least get some. As did Reva and Cid. At Reva’s farewell, he called softly, “Goodnight, Reva.”

“Night,” Cid murmured before he turned to make his own good night tidings to Cleon. “Sleep well.”

Cleon nodded again, though, almost with a demure air. “Thank you. And you, Cid.” He waited for Cid to acknowledge it, and no longer before he made his way to his own makeshift lodgings for the night. As he walked, he felt hard eyes on his back. As he peered over his shoulder, Cid had moved to find his own sleeping spot.

He wondered if he failed to catch him staring in time, or if the trees here had eyes.

~***~

Hector would be harder to budge on the matter. Sesario knew that when he made the deal with Didymus, but he would convince him, one way or another. And with difficulty, but he was no stranger to a challenge, or to convincing Hector.

“Yeah, he’s a little like that. But I’ll talk to him about it. ” Sesario reassured Didymus, despite not quite knowing if Hector would keep his trap shut for the time being. He promised him time. He had until they would leave these magical forests behind, and he hoped that they would somehow convince him of sticking around before that happened.

“And no problem,” Sesario said with a wink. He just had to think of how to keep them all glued together, even with the cracks that were forming.

Even if he had thought of running with Hector not so long ago. Only, he discarded that idea, because now the two of them had no choice. Hector was willing to stay and make this work. Again, not as if they had a choice.

’Thanks, Bahamut.’

His divine guidance was always appreciated.

Sesario rose to his feet with a long groan, rolled back his shoulders, and let out a satisfied sigh. “I won’t pester you, kid,” not any more than he already had. “We got another big day tomorrow after all.”

As if they hadn’t already suffered enough today as it was.

~***~

Kikiti was sorry too. She missed her parents and her home dearly as much as Cleon did. She never wanted to eclipse his tragedy with her own, nor with Reva’s, for that matter. They both had lost just as much as she had. Still, it was nice that the fact that she couldn’t go home was noticed. She hoped her letter had reached her dear parents. She wondered if a Moogle would truly travel the whole way out here to deliver a letter from them...

“Yeah, hopefully,” Kikiti smiled. She had to have a glimmer of hope that she would see Ucantis and her parents soon. And show Hector her home, like he suggested. The Lalafell nodded, "I'd love to give you a tour. It's a very…well, traditional looking place." In some ways, Lalafell Town differed structurally from the rest of the capital. She thought that was why people didn't like it and Lalafell much when she was younger.

The mention of Fenrir and a temple had piqued Kikiti's interest. Her memory took her back to Phoenix's - supposed - graveyard, and the temple found there. If Phoenix had one, and Fenrir also had a temple, then perhaps the rest of the Twelve had one too. Though, talk turned to Oma, how she would be integrated into their group. Kikiti imagined she had little choice in her coming with them, and she could only imagine the distress she would have in leaving the only home she knew.

"That's a great idea," Kikiti beamed, already trying to think of ideas that they could use to make her feel more comfortable with them. "I'm sure there's something here she could bring with her to remind her of home." That was one idea at least. She did glance around, as if she thought the subject of the moment would appear, though, it was still the two of them. "I guess it's going to take time for her to adjust though. But it'll be nice having a few more people along," Kikiti smiled.

They just needed to fight this Cucu first before they would reap the benefits.

Yarrow, who had long since given up hope for reaching food, yawned.

"You couldn't be that tired?" Kikiti asked him. "Though, I guess our falling asleep wasn't the greatest nap." It left a long sleep to be desired.

 

[Lucyfer]

Hector looked around at all the nature, and wondered at Kikiti’s suggestion of bringing something along. Plants died too quickly, but perhaps there were some notable stones, or something that could be brought along to help. His mind went to necklaces, or bracelets, that could perhaps be strung together and brought along. An anklet? He didn’t have much of an artistic eye, but he could certainly make something work.

He chuckled a bit as Yarrow tried to burrow further into him and sleep, “You probably need to rest, too. Those aren’t really real sleeps,” he knew enough about that. Not that he was poisoned frequently, but he knew what being sick and sleeping was like. Hardly restful. “I’ll take you two back to your spot, and maybe we can find some stones, or…something…that we could craft a bracelet or necklace out of, and give to Oma later.”

Doing it immediately might not come off as well as doing it later. He wasn’t entirely sure, but thought a few days out from here, Oma might appreciate a small thing like that. “It’s the only thing I can really think of…the flowers here would probably die…maybe we could talk to some of the fae in the morning before everyone else is up about what Oma likes.”

Integration.

He would help with it, for Oma, and so for himself and Sesario.

But for now, he would talk a little longer with Kikiti and take her to her resting spot, with promises to show up in the morning so they could conspire this kindness together, before he would return to where Sesario and he were meant to rest, and briefly fill him in on the conspiration as well as learn what he’d gathered from Didymus…and make his begrudging promises to hold his tongue about Didymus’s relations with the Empress.

At least, for as long as Sesario hinted at.

He wasn’t sure if he wanted Didymus gone, and it was that thought he carried with him into a fretful sleep. Didymus was Gemini, like him or not…traitor or not…prisoner or not. And they needed all of them, as he was acknowledging with Oma. With himself, and Sesario, too. ‘So I guess I have to play nice….’

At least, a little.

~***~

Zariel, Empress of Hyune, Leo, Chosen of Phoenix, had all but deified herself when she appeared in Rozari upon the back of Phoenix. To say Rozari laid down immediately would be an understatement. She barely had to say a word; the cheers that had risen from the soldiers she brought had been deafening, and the fear of Rozari at the sight of the flaming bird had been equally so.

A flaming bird that all of Hyune venerated as a god.

The Kavalieris monarchy fell under the yoke, and were stripped of ‘King’ and ‘Queen’ with a mention that their son had attempted her assassination with Prince Cleon. The blood on her clothing, and within the Valkyrie, were enough to prove it. The Valkyrie would not stay in Rozari, but was shipped off immediately to Amarum.

The Kavalieris were deemed innocent of knowledge, and made governors, all the same. Zariel knew the real intent of Sesario – but didn’t care much where it came to what the public knew. A bounty was put on Sesario’s head, alive, only, of course. He was no good to her dead.

A bounty was added for Cleon, Reva, and Didymus. The lalafell, Kikiti, she heard Hector call her – but knew little else. Nonetheless, she was put on the list, along with Hector, who Sesario’s parents knew more about. Alive, as well, for both of them. She wasn’t foolish; she hadn’t checked them for a mark, and there was a possibility. With how things were working, they were all coming together…just on the wrong side.

Elcid was thrown on it, too – dead or alive. Make them panic a little. She knew he didn’t have a mark, and while he had not offended her in the least, there was a new exhaustion in her that had little time to consider mercy any longer, when threat could bring others to her, to protect those they cared for.

All of this was done within Rozari, as Zariel established her presence, and airships came with her soldiers to secure Rozari. Registration rolled out just as quickly, all of it in less than a week – less than a couple of days, really – before Zariel took flight again on Phoenix to return to Ucantis.

Phoenix was faster than airship, but draining. Terribly draining.

Not that Zariel noticed a great difference, which was something that nagged at the back of her mind. She felt empty, no matter how many elixirs or ethers she downed. It was supposed to help offset the fact Phoenix was draining her, quite literally. Leander had done it. She had his memories, as she had Phoenix’s.

And the endless nothing.

The endless oblivion that she felt as if she was still within as the cold wind from the clouds pierced her overheated skin.

But she did not feel it, even as it steamed off of her. She barely felt any need to blink, and there was no thrill to the flight.

Just a small voice that nagged at her, that this wasn’t good. This wasn’t normal. And there was one person who could help – if not immediately, eventually.

Phoenix descended from the clouds above Ucantis castle, and flew down to one of the balcony entrances, vanishing into smoke and fire before Zariel touched the ground – which she did so with grace, as if his fading was planned. Not that he was gone.

Fire lit her eyes.

Smoke came with an exhale.

Zariel opened the door to the room she used in Ucantis, only for guards to rush in at the sound of an intruder. Two steps in, and she collapsed. One of the guards caught her – but only for a moment. The heat was too much, and he let go more in surprise than pain. Pain came after, metal melting to his flesh, and he let out a horrified, strangled sound.

Needless to say, he ran for medical attention, and the other ran to get Lixue for the Empress as the floor warped beneath her, and she focused on trying to cool and contain Phoenix as Phoenix needed to rest within.

The floor was smooth, and was cold for a few seconds before it took on the heat and threw it back. Oblivion beckoned sweetly where life was hell, and Zariel finally understood the siren song of the suicidal as her too-bright eyes focused on the wall in an effort not to sink into that sweet oblivion, by sleep or death.

‘Lixue.’

Fragile Lixue.

She had to contain the heat before she burnt him, too, and she forced herself back to her feet, fire spilling from her fingertips as she sought her supply of tonics, spilling an ether down her throat and grasping control of the flames once more.

She grabbed a second before sliding back down to the floor alongside the bed, leaning against it and drinking the blue liquid which had become far more important than water to her existence.

~***~

Escander was ever the same, and in that way it was difficult for Oleander to become too distracted by it, even as his actual job began to consume more and more, as he had to enforce identifications. No more just letting people walk off like that prince, Sesario. He also had to compete with the fake identifications, something Jagger was more suited to handling, and thank all the Twelve she was sent to Escander.

He didn’t know if it was as obvious to her, as it was to him, that it meant Zariel was displeased with the handling of Didymus. He didn’t say it, at any rate. He just knew what it meant when Zariel moved someone to another job.

It’d happened to him often enough. He knew it was why he was taken off the Prince’s case. That, and she probably didn’t want him wrecked by Leviathan again. Even if he’d be better prepared to deal with Leviathan. ‘Well, that, and everyone knows who the fuck you are.’ Unlike Didymus, and Jagger, for that matter.

He was blissfully unaware of the happenings with Cleon.

With Zariel.

News spread quick, but it had yet to reach his ears, too filled with the noise of malcontent over the tinkling of gil and the sobs of desolation. Imperator Oleander Arkidos of Amarum, had no idea he was now Imperator of all of Hyune. Not that it would have changed much for the dark-haired man, so accustomed to getting his way anywhere, anyways.

So it was another rough day of handling assholes not wanting to be identified, and then getting a lead, at last, to the origins of some of the fake IDs. A lead that he slapped down in front of Jagger as he joined her at the Gilded Pompom – a themed tavern where moogles who couldn’t cut it as couriers tended to work. Why they thought they were good for running drinks instead of letters, who was to say, but Oleander liked it sometimes.

“Lookie here,” Oleander said as he slid the paper towards Jagger, “I think we have the name of our ID guys,” he grinned, “I guess it's more than one -- going by Magus Sisters?” His mind conjured three, though he knew not why. “Haven’t heard of them before. You know of them?” He frowned, as he leaned back in his seat, and would let Jagger look over the intercepted information as a moogle came flying over.

“Kupo! Welcome to the—”

“Yeah, yeah,” Oleander waved it off dismissively, “Just bring me some strong ale, all right?”

“Ku-kupo! Right away!” And off it fluttered on its little wings.

 

[Arcanist]

Lixue could not return to Ucantis without at least paying a visit to his mother. Despite both being very busy people, she still expected a modicum of respect, and he would humour her as per expectation. He was the preferred child of him and his sisters, that they all knew, but he could not escape his family’s customs and expectations on that account alone, even if they revered Imperial traditions.

Lady Virys sat in one of the castle's several parlours, kind enough to procure some herbal tea for them both. It was one of the rare occasions she wasn't indulging herself with a cigarette. Lixue was thankful for it. Regardless, he had been wandering the parlour with notes, leaving his own cup on its lonesome.

“Have you been working long nights again?”

Forward, as usual. Lixue continued pouring through his notes, “The work I've been undertaking recently requires it." Or so he told himself. He glanced to his mother in the silence that followed with a, "Why?"

"You look tired. Awfully pale too," Chyou observed, taking a sip of tea.

"I have Shiva to thank for that." Lixue was sure she would be amused at that.

"Paler than usual," his mother clarified, with a small dose of chasitation in her tone.

Of course, Lixue had been working long hours, but that wasn’t unusual. As per his last report to Zariel, none of the viera appeared to have any of the Twelve marks. Though disappointed, Lixue hadn’t been surprised either. They had to comb through every part of Hyune to find them, and they had been lucky that three were in Amarum, and a fourth had fallen into their lap. The rest were elusive or uncooperative.

Like elsewhere, plans for screening for marks were being implemented. Though, he knew Ucantis’s citizens would have their misgivings about it. If Lixue had his way, every one of those citizens would have been subjected to it. Only few knew of the significance of these screenings, of finding the marked. If they knew that significance, they would understand, and they would thank them for it.

At least they could continue tests with the Mist.

“You’ve heard from my sisters?” Lixue changed the subject. He had recently seen Yenay when he was in Amarum briefly, though he was curious as to whether his mother had kept in contact with them recently.

“All is well, I hear,” Chyou remarked, not making much else of the question. Unless there were major problems in her own household, she had little to be concerned about. “Yenay is busy with her work, and Sying says the baby has finally settled into a good sleep. She’s been bringing her to your father on her visits to him. I suppose he needs a different sort of stimulation to break up his day.”

She made it sound as if it was a distraction from the bottle, most likely, because it had been.

Any more brief conversation of their family was interrupted by a curt knock at the parlour doors. Behind it, a guard, flushed and almost breathless. “My Lady Chyou, Lord Lixue,” the guard briefly gave a quick nod as a gesture of apology, but hadn’t lingered in her immediate address to Lixue. “The Empress has returned, but she needs your immediate attention.”

Lixue stiffened in clear anticipation but loosened as he moved toward the door. He saw the usual tautness in his mother’s face slacken and gestured for her to seat herself. “Stay here, and not a word of her return,” he added, despite the tug of displeasure at his mother’s lips. She was not one to be told what to do, but this was not her matter to involve herself in. He looked to the guard as he reached the door, and didn’t stop moving. “Take me to her and tell me what happened.”

Along the way, the guard explained everything from Zariel’s entrance to the state of the guard that had been with her. What was telling was Zariel’s bout of weakness and the sheer heat that radiated from her and inside the room upon her arrival. It had been obvious that Phoenix had finally arrived, but already questions formed of His arrival. Weakness was not uncommon after such a manifestation; he knew so himself with Shiva. But the sheer power that he heard had radiated from Zariel had alerted to something far beyond their knowledge.

That terror inside mingled so beautifully with thrilling fascination.

“Wait outside,” Lixue ordered the guard, who expressed concern that he would be going into what was practically a furnace alone. “And not a word of what has happened to anyone else until I have spoken with her.” He needed to determine what was going on, maintain her image as best as they could. Lixue could not quell the whispers of Phoenix’s descent from the sky, but he could at least silence the aftermath of Zariel’s return for now.

The sheer heat hit hard like a gust when he rushed into the room. The chill he normally felt, Shiva’s constant presence, heightened the heat that made his skin prickle and burn, made the suffocation from the air all the more noticeable. He knew long before he entered the room and had followed the warped trail made by Zariel, that Phoenix had finally come. Had Zariel not downed as many ethers as she had, he was sure to have suffered worse.

Lixue rushed to Zariel, as eagerly as any servant to the Empress would do, though, had to remind himself not to venture too close to her, before crouching down. Phoenix’s presence was aptly felt, and considerably so by Zariel out of the two of them. Bottles of ether lay empty beside her. The fire in her eyes cast a physical hue now. He needed to know more. He needed to know what happened now that Phoenix had emerged.

But as desperate as he was to glean any and all information that Zariel could spare, he knew she needed to recover. But this was far beyond what he expected for Phoenix’s manifestation. Something wasn’t right - not that there was a right way, so far as they knew, for the Twelve to be called forth. But Zariel’s eyes told him enough to know something about Phoenix’s manifestation was unique.

“What can I do?” Lixue was forward, but all notion of noble behaviours and manners was cast aside. Most importantly, he probed, “What happened in Rozari?”

~***~

Didymus had still not replied to her letter. Jagger expected it with him being on the run, though, part of her urged for some sort of confirmation - or maybe even rejection - that he would make his way here. Patience was a virtue that Jagger lacked. Get in, do the job, get out. That’s what her mantra had always been. Being stuck in Escander, twiddling her thumbs and waiting, ate at her.

Though, she had a job to do here too, so it preoccupied her as she waited for news from Didymus. Like the Imperator, she was oblivious to the happenings in Rozari, and equally oblivious to Zariel and Didymus’s encounter. Jagger would require more attention than her having her focus shifted elsewhere, and she was unaware of the consequences of that meeting.

It wasn’t terrible being moved from one job to another. Jagger had done it often enough, chopping and changing clients at the drop of a hat, never sticking around in one place for too long. And though it was a flashy cesspit, Escander had its pleasures and vices, enough to keep Jagger and her lot satisfied in between dealing with the enforcement of identifications.
She was at least allowed some clout with her. Not all of them though. A couple were left behind in Ucantis, in case Jagger got the bright idea of dipping. Not that she would. She knew there were fewer shadows to hide in now.

Jagger could hide in a tavern, briefly, at least. Most knew to find her there if anything came up, and ale had become too much of a firm companion to resist its company. Jagger would have frequented another tavern, mind you. She had a different idea of what the Gilded Pompom would entail than Oleander knew. Who knew actual moogles would work here, and very few women dressed as promiscuous moogles? Disappointing, but at least the ale had made up for it.

She debated the advantages of having a quieter evening when Oleander arrived and shattered all thoughts of such a notion. She was in the middle of a long swig of ale when he slapped the paper down in front of her. She watched the paper slide towards her.

A lead.

Jagger swapped the ale for the paper, listening to Oleander as she started reading it. “I’m sure I’d have told you if I remembered some women going by that...” She murmured. Jagger rarely forgot a face or a name. And the other mercs would have gotten back to her on them if they heard anything about some sisters making fake IDs. Then she remembered some of them weren’t the brightest of the bunch.

“There’s an address on here, for Downtown.” Downtown was a district that distracted tourists and locals with an obscene amount of gift and antique stores, boutiques, and anything else flashy enough to match the rest of Escander. Despite the flash, Escander had developed it as much as someone considered putting a fresh lick of paint on the walls ‘remodelling’. It distracted from the rundown buildings if anything.

“Looks like they’re using one of the stores as a nice little front for their ID printing hustle,” Jagger smirked. It sounded fun, honestly. Though, she wondered if it really was that easy to just walk into their store, ask for some fake IDs.

 

[Lucyfer]

Had Oleander been in Ucantis, it would have been him entering, because sometimes her guards were too stupid to go with the logical choice, and let emotion dictate their actions. As Oleander wasn’t, it was Lixue, just as Zariel expected, who strode in and was hit with the heat. She’d apologize, but there was naught she could do about it, except cradle the current ether bottle in her hand and wait until she felt her control waver.

None came with Lixue, and he approached, despite whatever discomfort he may be feeling. Zariel didn’t move to greet him, but let him come, not playing at more of a show of strength than necessary. That could end badly for them both if she pressed too hard, and she knew that.

He asked the two important questions.

“Lavi was right,” the comment came with what humor remained to the Empress, which wasn’t much. Clarification would follow, “I was killed in Rozari by Cleon in a parley.” The only way that whelp would ever get the best of her. She’d not be seeing him without a weapon in hand in the future, and preferably, a couple of guards. Or more. “Phoenix brought…us…back.” Saying ‘me’ was terribly inaccurate.

She wasn’t whole. Nor Phoenix.

“Phoenix was killed by Ophiuchus.” Now she knew that, too, a secret Leander had kept, along with much else. All of those were in her head just as well, too muddled to really sort through until she had some peace of mind, and body. “He’s…literally bound to me. He’s draining me. Right now, he’s resting. He spent too much energy flying.”

A sigh, more smoke came out, “It’s like when Shiva goes to the aether. She restores herself. Phoenix can’t do that any longer.” She took down the ether as she felt that control waver. Saw the air waver with heat in front of her eyes.

Neither of them had a good rest. Zariel wasn’t sure she could rest, though she knew she would have to. Sedatives might be required for that. The thought of sleep held a new element of terror to it, after the oblivion of death, the darkness of it, despite the way it also called to her.

She shook her head a bit. “I need….” What had Leander done? Picking through the memories showed plenty of ethers and elixirs utilized as well. There was a circlet down the line, but she’d never seen it, despite the many markings it bore in common with her blade. Her mind couldn’t focus well enough to try and follow it through Leander’s memories.

Or Phoenix’s memories of Leander, really.

Navigating another mind, particularly one asleep, was quite new.

Yet, she felt that change, that relief, attached to it.

“I can’t live on ethers like this. I need…something regenerative. I know Leander had a circlet – I don’t know if your mother would know it or know what happened to it,” though if she knew anything of it and its place, that meant it was likely in Amarum. She couldn’t make that flight right then. “When Phoenix wakes I can inquire on it, but until then…I need a temporary way to boost and regenerate mana. That’s what Phoenix is draining,” which made sense, all the Twelve seemed tied to that, creatures of aether rather than material.

It was why Shiva could return to the aether, even if she couldn’t return to the sky above.

And Phoenix could not.

~***~

Oleander arched a brow at Jagger’s brief protest as he settled into his seat, and watched her examine it. ‘Uh huh, sure.’ Jagger might have mentioned it if the women were pretty. If they weren’t, and didn’t seem important, she probably would have neglected to mention them at all, since they’d have no reason to care about them.

Now, of course, pretty or ugly, or just mediocre, they had every reason to be noticed.

“Yeah, noticed that. Anne said it’s a souvenir shop, I guess it sells fancy die, shot glasses, and other stupid little trinkets,” she had gone in there, because Anne was a hopeless tourist at heart, and drawn in by shiny things. So was his daughter, so of course, they’d already spent time in the place, “Anne hadn’t noticed anything off when she visited – ah, thank you,” he grasped the ale as it came his way.

He also tossed a few coins towards the moogle, far more than the ale was worth, and the moogle went away without bothering any further as Oleander returned his focus to the situation. “Probably not going to be as easy as walking in. Pretty sure people know me, and you have a reputation, too,” he pointed out, “but then again, odds are they’re going to hear that I know soon enough.”

Which meant they could pack up shop and affix themselves somewhere else.

There was no real point in sending anyone else to try and find it, either. Or make sure of it. It was also quite possible these sisters had already moved shop, and this was old information. “So what I figure to keep Zari happy, one of plays drunk and wanders into the shop, wanders into the back…and if there’s nothing there, we play it off as just that. Drunk wandering. But if there is,” he smirked, shrugged, “well, we shake off the drunk act and take action. Not like either of us have a reputation as being, well. Sober.”

It also gave them a good excuse to put down a few more ales before heading out and stumbling around looking for clues. “Better than just invoking things and getting Zari upset ‘cause there was nothing there, and now she has to deal with people complaining. Or Lady Virys has to deal with them.”

He chuckled, before he paled at the thought of how Lady Virys would then bring it back on their heads and make them suffer, somehow. A pay cut to restore anything that went ‘missing’ or got broken, or any injuries.

“Less you have a better idea?”

Oleander knew he wasn’t always the best with these. He really did prefer just punching his problems, after all. He had to learn a little about politics and subtlety, but not enough to think he could just waltz in and talk his way through the situation to see the truth of it. That was not one of his skills.

 

[Arcanist]

“Lavi was right.”

That had been all Zariel needed to say, and Lixue knew what had transpired. He didn’t need to ask how it happened, nor who, for Zariel had clarified that anyway. He stiffened at the reveal of her killer before his expression tightened in transparent displeasure. The brat hadn’t taken well to Zariel’s words and that meant more complication to face. He would have been better to give himself up to the Empire.

But then Zariel would not have Phoenix if he had done so willingly.

Lixue’s displeasure shifted to surprise at Zariel’s explanation of Phoenix’s death, how he was bound to her. His own connection to Shiva was intimate as it was, knowing what hurt her would come to hurt him. The Twelve, he concluded with prior knowledge, were not entirely separate from their hosts. But from Zariel’s words, Phoenix depended on Zariel much more than any other of the Twelve had - from his knowledge currently.

Something in the back of his mind harkened back to Leander, trying to remember what he had heard of him, though, brought up nothing as of yet.

“Of course,” Lixue nodded, But she was right. Chugging ethers wasn’t sustainable for her in the long term. Leander’s circlet would be a boon if it could be found - but the chances of finding it in the short-term were slim. And that was if they had no information of its whereabouts if his mother - or even if Phoenix - had little to say of it.

“You’ll need an external source of mana to keep up with your body’s demand, preferably someone with a high reserve.” Or something, should it really become a desperate situation. “I would propose mana transfusions, along with an armlet as temporary measures. It won’t solve the problem completely without Leander’s circlet, but I imagine it’ll take a little more time to burn through mana with a slightly bigger reserve.” Armlets, though useful for boosting her mana slightly, would not cover it in Zariel’s case, but worked in the short term. Mana transfusions could at least cover the large quantity she...or they, needed.

“It’s safer than my...other procedures.” Enhancements were better than they had been when he first attempted it with himself. Mana transfusions were helpful, considering many could live with a low repository of mana or with none at all. “We find a source with a large pool and high potency, and you won’t have to rely on ethers so often.”

They would just need to find the right subjects for Zariel.

~***~

Jagger raised her brows at the mention of them running a souvenir shop and hummed. Not unfounded if they were Downtown. She remembered Juno used to pick up silly trinkets like that as they travelled. Jagger always found it silly, considering she'd have nowhere to put them. She wished she had kept some of it now with the wonderful gift of hindsight.

And of course, Oleander had vocalised her own thoughts. Walking in really wasn’t going to be as easy as she thought it was, especially not with both their reputations. Jagger was a loudmouth as it was, and Oleander was the Imperator. It wasn’t as if they wouldn’t get noticed by people, much less the sisters. So, what she was surprised at was Oleander’s plan to play the drunkard and wander into their shop to catch them out. Jagger didn’t hate the idea, not by how she started laughing.

“And you think your sister won’t be upset with us if she finds out the method we used to find that out, eh?” Jagger continued to laugh, shaking her head. She was sure she could hear Zariel chastising them for such a hare-brained scheme, no less if they had been downing a few ales before they carried it out. She’d be sneakier, play them at their own game, like some political psychological mind game bullshit or other.

Jagger leaned back in her chair, hissing at the thought of Lady Virys getting involved with chastising them over wasting resources instead of their drunk meandering. “Tch. Licksoo’s mom would complain no matter what method we’d use anyway.” The way Lilia said his name was just too cute. And Jagger knew rightly it would piss him off if he ever heard her use it.

“Ahh, shit…” Jagger sighed after swallowing her last gulp of ale. “Guess we’re doing it ourselves. Sending someone to get their own ID is boring anyway. Your way’s way more fun.” She grinned, reaching into her pocket as she whistled to one of the serving moogles across from their table. It was only a moment before the moogle flew over, and Jagger stacked some gil on the table. “A few more rounds of ale for me and my friend here, yeah?”

“Of course, kupo!” The moogle chirped, grabbing the gil provided before fluttering off once again.

Jagger turned back to Oleander, shrugging with a smirk. “Might as well milk it until we actually go out investigating, eh?"

 

[Lucyfer]

Lixue listened attentively. Zariel expected nothing less, just as she expected no frivolous words wasted on sympathies for what had happened. It would be right to business as he took in the details and understood, as best he could, what the situation looked like. The ideas flowed quickly, as well.

Armlets would help. Zariel knew that plenty of accessories had the potential to be more than just pretty things. They could add benefits. She’d humored wearing a ribbon constantly, but in the end, chose to more naturally boost her resistances. She was no stranger to transfusions, or even ingesting strange things, for the sake of her health. Or to prevent being murdered.

She still wrinkled her nose at the thought of transfusions, and a ‘someone’.

Obviously, it couldn’t be Lixue, which meant it had to be someone else. Someone who would need to be unaware of why it was going on. “Slight might not cut it,” although it just might, too. She had made it this long, with no rest, and ether upon ether. Once she got her own strength back, she could better handle this.

Once Phoenix had his strength back, too, they could meditate and negotiate. Watch out for each other, better.

They weren’t there, yet. “Nonetheless, you have a point. I’m sure there’s merchants somewhere in Ucantis, the castle itself seemed devoid of anything too magical,” that went with the general Ucantis thought of magic, though. Still, not everyone held to that, and she knew somewhere, someone would have a useful armlet. “Or there may be some among my soldiers. We’ll find something.”

Exhale.

Smoke.

She leaned back into the wall, cocked her head to the side, “However we manage the transfusions, the ones donating are not to know the reason,” it probably went without saying. Lixue understood discretion. Which meant, “Those guards….” How far would it have spread now? Tale of her stumbling in, weak, burning?

The thought was sickening, and followed by the uncharacteristic one of just murdering them outright. She forced it aside as she shut her eyes to refocus, to clear her mind of that pressing thought that there was no more time for mercy, that it was mercy that brought her here. “If they’re alerted this is something notable to hide, it won’t go well. They should be promoted for doing their jobs,” she opened her eyes, “I’ll want to see them both later to discuss it and move them into the…elite realm.”

It might mess with their memories. More importantly, it would bring them closer into the fold and put them through similar bouts of weakness. It might also kill them, but that wasn’t the goal.

It would remove them from the rank and file.

She shook her head, “I don’t want Oleander alerted to what’s happened. Nor anyone else.” She knew Lixue could keep a secret from his family. That was a given. Oleander needed to be stated.

She swallowed down the guilt of masking what happened. Of creating another lie – but she couldn’t tell him that Lavi was right, when she’d lied to him about what happened, and made him believe those lies, too. For his own sake. “Find an armlet. I’ll get myself…decent.” More ethers. A change. A quick wash.

Then she’d be ready to go forward, and see about this transfusion nonsense. “I’ll trust your decisions regarding who, or what, for the transfusions.”

~***~

Oleander’s grin widened a bit at Jagger’s question. ‘Not as upset.’ That was what he wanted to answer, but in truth, he thought any anger would be mock, once he explained it actually was a tactic he thought through, and not just actual drunken stumbling around that led to a discovery. He planned it! That had to mean something, right?

At least Jagger was on board; he’d been worried for a moment until she started laughing, and it didn’t seem to be in mockery.

When she said Licksoo? He lost it. He burst into laughter hearing it from her and not Lilia. Only Lilia got away with that kind of thing. “That’s true,” he agreed, “Licksoo’s mom really isn’t ever happy.” He had to say it, just because he had the chance.

“I’m glad you’re in,” he grinned, just as he was glad more ale was on the way. He slammed back what remained in his pint and set it aside, “I really should complain to Licksoo, though. All these procedures,” he sighed, “makes me an expensive date. Takes forever to get drunk.” Not that he needed to get real drunk, but at least tipsy would help.

Probably.

“I guess I shouldn’t complain too much about it,” he leaned back as well, “so, anything notable from all your – I don’t know, monitoring, today?” the drinks would come, they’d talk of anything else, until it was time to get moving and stumble into the very right store to find out what was going on.

And hopefully find something to report back home about. “Twelve, you’d think it wouldn’t be this hard to find people with marks. You know how many people try to pretend they have marks for the money? But the real ones….”

He shook his head.

It was baffling.

 

[Arcanist]

“Slight might have to cut it,” Lixue murmured, just as disappointed with it coming to a series of ‘maybes’ and ‘mights’. That was the joy - and bane - of researching and experimenting. He reminded himself this was only a temporary measure, for they would find something more suitable in the long run. The sooner, the better.

Zariel’s survival was a priority. Without her, the Twelve would be lost without her and Phoenix to guide them all. He wished Cleon had the sense to see this.

For now, an armlet, and a willing participant for a transfusion. He doubted either would be difficult, though, the timing had to be quick. Lixue had much to learn himself, but Zariel at least needed to be stable first. Lixue nodded as Zariel moved onto discretion. “Of course.” He watched smoke billow from her mouth. Smoke was never promising. It alerted to something broken, something wrong in Lixue’s eyes. Zariel was running on fumes.

Her instructions were not foreign to Lixue. Quelling loose-tongued soldiers was something the Empire had done for years, he knew this. If it was not to maintain their image, it was to stop information from falling into the wrong hands. They could not risk it, and he would not risk the same fate befalling his Empress again.

Though he raised his brow at keeping this concealed from Oleander, he did not argue. Oleander’s sensitivity did not equip him to handle such revelations, and this was not Lixue’s secret to spread. They still needed those marked by the Twelve, even if one was a murderer. That wouldn’t be possible if Oleander came into such information. “I understand.” He rose, silent, though, uncomfortable as he regained sensation away from the tingling in his feet. “I’ll handle things. I’ll return as swiftly as I’m able to.” Another quick nod, leaving her to her own devices for now and leaving with a renewed purpose.

The other soldier witness to Zariel’s entrance and her colleague’s event was still stationed outside the door. Lixue kept her there to continue doing her job, and avoid getting someone else involved. She glanced to Lixue, eyes burning to ask after her Empress in an exchange for an explanation. But not a word, she was told, and she knew better. He knew it would take some time for the other soldier to be treated. Nothing a rogue fireball or some other manner of story couldn’t fix.

As Zariel said, the armlet wouldn’t be found within the castle itself, but either in Ucantis or with one of their soldiers. Finding one among the ranks hadn’t been so difficult as he thought it would be. One commander was able to tell him of a battle mage with an armlet in their ranks, stationed in the watchtower near the gates. One trek later with little convincing, Lixue procured a mythril armlet, which the battlemage assured gave a great boost to mana. While Lixue had examined it himself, the soldier mentioned picking it up from a human in the aptly named Lalafell Town. The comment was enough to garner a narrow stare from Lixue, unsure if he had heard him right. He would have to visit for such items - and for the spectacle - in future.

As for candidates for transfusions, Lixue’s mind moved back to one of some of the viera he had brought to Ucantis. It would be easier to extract mana from one, given they were not in a position to ask questions nor would the soldiers guarding them ask any. Sedation was regularly administered to keep them calm, heavier, if really needed. Lixue had little choice but to give it unless he wanted them to kick off and put one of his colleagues or a soldier out of service permanently.

The process would be quick and simple. He had the necessary preparations made for it while he returned to Zariel to deliver the armlet.

He had wondered after he had knocked as a warning and entered, how Shiva must have been feeling. ’What will Phoenix think of your riddles and your small talk?’ They would soon discover if she withheld information, else, knew little to expand upon, and would not admit it.

“I found an armlet,” Lixue told her as he walked further into the room. “Mythril. It should be a boon for now.”

~***~

She snorted a little at Oleander’s own stolen opportunity to use Lilia’s moniker for the scientist and hummed in agreement on his mother. Glad to see they were both on the same page, but that had never been in doubt considering the scheme they were about to pull.

“Oh, please. There’s booze involved. Of course I’m gonna be in.” No one was immune to its allure, especially if it promised you a hazed limbo.

“That was probably an added extra to stop you from getting so drunk,” Jagger teased, though, she wouldn’t have been surprised if that had been an added extra factor slipped in. The idea of being poked and prodded at by the scientist sent a chill rippling up her back. It wasn’t her idea of a good time.

Jagger groaned at Oleander's question. "Don't even start about the monitoring." For the most part, people complied and didn't ask questions. You got the rare protestor, claiming Imperials were infringing upon them - which she supposed wasn't untrue. And of course, the ones who claimed they had the marks in the first place. "You know we had one claiming he had Aries's constellation? Had a whole bloody backstory about where it was and how he got it and on, and on he went. Meanwhile, I'm standing there, trying to keep a straight face the whole time he was talking to me about it."

It was ridiculous. Jagger chuckled at the very notion of this man, but she wondered how desperate people really were to get in good with the Empire. Apparently very, if Oleander's observation was anything to go by.

And like Oleander hinted, the real marked slipped from their grasp. Else, some of them let them get away. Her mind shifted back to Diddy, to those he seemed so adamant to protect. "Yeah. Ironic doesn't even cut it, eh?"

By then, the moogle arrived with a tray full of drinks, and Jagger rubbed her hands together, before grabbing the drinks and passing them to Oleander. "Thanks." Jagger lifted one ale as the moogle fluttered off. She held it up to Oleander, smirking. "To drunken investigations."

 

[Lucyfer]

Alone, not even with Phoenix’s voice, Zariel had plenty of time to consider her orders about discretion, as well as where things went from here. ‘Everyone will know.’ And no one could know the truth, save Lixue by default. She needed a story for Phoenix and his arrival, all the same.

It had to involve the trip, and not the assassination attempt that the rest of the kingdom would know of. The failed assassination attempt, obviously. ‘It wasn’t even an assassination attempt. It was just a child upset over his mother.’ Zariel understood it in the literary sense, but not the real one.

She’d never had the luxury of two parents she cared so deeply about, nor the sensitivity to be, well, sensitive over practical. And wasn’t Cancer all about sensitivity? ‘So is Pisces. The water signs….’ Which also included Oleander. It made sense; Oleander had a hell of a temper at times, and he’d snapped more than once.

How else would she have two dead parents if not for Oleander?

Not that he was aware of that any longer, either.

Lavi died to assassins.

Bellona committed suicide.

‘And Phoenix arrived as a symbol of completion, the way it arrived as a symbol of the beginning conquest.’

Zariel never died.

Nor did she leave the room, aware it was still too dangerous to that image of holding it together to do so. Smoke wasn’t exactly something that would encourage people, even if there was a part of her that thought it was kind of cool, and wanted to find out how difficult it would be to breathe literal fire. Probably not that difficult, but also not worth frying her internal organs over. She could wait for Phoenix.

And wait for Lixue.

He knew far more about magic than her; she’d only stumbled onto it thanks to Phoenix, otherwise she’d be wholly untrained in the art.

And Lixue returned as she found the energy to pace. The ethers helped. So did Phoenix’s slow recovery and restoration. He seemed able to slow down the rate at which he drained, even in sleep, once he’d gotten enough that he wasn’t as desperate anymore, either.

She was still too hot, and still dangerous, so she didn’t approach Lixue any closer until the armlet was offered. Even then, she just stepped close enough to take it and then stepped back as she slipped it on underneath her sleeve, rather than over. No one needed to see that, either. “Thank you,” she wouldn’t ask how, though she doubted it was anything terrible.

The transfusions might be another story, but…well, priorities.

As soon as she slipped it on, she felt the sensation of the mana pool increasing. To her, it felt a bit like an air bubble expanding, despite there being no literal air bubble. There was just a relaxation, and she tipped back one more ether, before saying, “Phoenix is drawing less. I think he’s aware even while he sleeps to maintain some control of what is taken and how much.”

She combed her fingers back through her hair as she felt the ether reach that new pool. It might steady, for a bit longer, now. A slower drain and larger pools would help.

At least the exhale didn’t have smoke this time.

She was almost envious of his ability to sleep. Which reminded her, “I’m going to need sleeping remedies for at least a week. Possibly longer,” just get it out of the way now, as her hand dropped back to her side. “I haven’t slept since. I don’t think I will willingly, either, but I understand the necessity of it.” So, she’d force it on herself. “I’m immune to the magics, so something else.”

Yet another immunity granted by a wonderful childhood and paranoia-filled adulthood.

“Shiva didn’t know, did she?” There could have been a better transition, but it made sense in her mind, focusing on death and sleep. “Leviathan was unaware that Phoenix was dead. I believe Bahamut was, as well, though I’m not certain—ah, that’s right,” no chuckle where there may have usually been, just exasperation, “Sesario is Sagittarius. He can’t summon Bahamut, but Bahamut talked to him.”

Just their luck.

~***~

Oleander wouldn’t be surprised if it was intentional where Lixue was concerned. The scientist couldn’t hold his own liquor and was probably trying to figure out ways to stop embarrassing himself when he got drunk. Oleander had plenty of stories about him from years when Lixue didn’t seem like he had a perpetual stick up his ass.

Or maybe Oleander was too drunk to notice the stick.

“Probably so,” he admitted, and grinned as Jagger groaned about the job. Of course, he empathized. It sucked. As much as he enjoyed Escander, the job here was shitty. At the thought of one claiming he had Aries, Oleander cackled. “They know we aren’t looking for Aries, right? I thought Aries was taken off the search,” he shook his head, still sniggering at the thought of someone claiming Aries, right in front of Aries.

Not that it hadn’t occurred to Oleander to wonder if some were faked.

He’d wondered about his own. In the back of his mind, he’d wondered about Zariel, but after her near-death experience and fire, he stopped wondering.

He still wondered about his. Bellona had been desperate, after all, for anything that might…well, he didn’t like those thoughts. And the alcohol would remove them swiftly, as he saw the moogle and took his own mug, “To progress!” he cheered, tapping his pint against Jagger’s before downing it swiftly.

And a second.

A third.

He might have drank a little past tipsy to be ‘convincing’, which apparently now meant ‘honest’, as the evening wore on, “We, ah—we should probably go. Can’t let it get too late.” Not that Escander ever closed, but a souvenir shop might.

He was still steady enough as he got to his feet, there was just a sort of constant swaying movement, and he looked around a lot more, focusing, refocusing, “We paid, right?” At least he still had some of his priorities in order. And wasn’t slurring.

 

[Arcanist]

Zariel seemed better for having the armlet. He knew that wouldn’t provide enough for her, of course, but it was better than nothing at all in the short-term. Even Zariel explained how aware Phoenix was of mana needed, so perhaps this was taking a promising turn, even if it was temporary.

But sleep was still necessary, and clearly, not welcomed by Zariel. He could only imagine, given how close he had been to death himself. He wondered how her dying fared to his experience. That loneliness, that despair. That will to cling on, because there was so much left to be done, so much left to change. Lixue did not dwell on it. He did not envy her. “That won’t be difficult. I know of some strong herbal remedies that I can procure for you.” Speaking from personal experience, he knew quite a few. He never was the perfect sleeper as a child, even now, but that only proved useful as time had gone on.

The jump to Phoenix’s death hadn’t startled Lixue at all. Not with how his mind worked. He shook his head. “No, as far as I’m aware.” He almost added that she would have told him - albeit, in a vague and playful way - but he wasn’t so sure of that. Shiva was guarded, but he didn’t understand why it had to be so with him. She knew all of him. It seemed only fair he learned all of what she knew. Unless she knew little, which Lixue had considered.

Phoenix was a larger mystery than even the rest of the Twelve knew. Shiva never mentioned it, Leviathan had not known, and Bahamut–that made Lixue pause and look at Zariel, eyebrows raised. She spoke of it with , and Lixue could understand why. Another slipped through their fingers, in the places they could not look.

And Bahamut spoke to him.

"But Bahamut didn't mention anything of importance," Lixue assumed, folding his arms. “Or Sesario had no cause to believe you or a god.” Because if he had, they would have more than four of the Twelve with them. The Rozari prince would have had more reason to side with them. Cleon would not have killed Zariel. But then Phoenix would not be here had he not.

Lixue reached for his glasses and pulled them off, rubbing at his eyes. “Why must we scramble for the pieces of this puzzle on our own? It’s as if some of the Twelve think this is a game.” His nose crumpled in vexation, most definitely not a jab at one who resided with him. But even then, when he thought of Bahamut, and Sesario, the two fit snugly with one another. A wayward prince. Ironic, really. But how did a man of his status - and infamy - go unnoticed to them for his whole life?

He should be dead with the stories that circulate about him. Perhaps Bahamut had enough luck to spare.

Lixue clicked his tongue, folding and unfolding, the legs of his glasses. “It seems the Twelve and their hosts gravitate towards each other, by fate or coincidence. And five of them with a penchant for those of high status.” He wondered if it was a strategic play to mark influential nobles or if they were desperate after their previous marked ones had failed them. Regardless, if they naturally moved within one another, combing through the continent would not be so difficult.

~***~

Jagger was a skilled drinker. She had been knocking back ale for years, and she usually managed to outlast the other mercs on any drinking spree. Though, those other mercs weren't Oleander, so she had some competition. In all honesty, she didn’t feel so bad. Perhaps a few muddled thoughts and the occasional sway in her seat, unless she stilled herself.

“Eh?” Jagger was summoned from the sea of ale-riddled thoughts before she regarded Oleander’s words. She mumbled something throaty that all seemed to roll into one, a language not common on this side of the continent. She slammed two hands down on the table, rattling empty tankards. She heaved herself up, and surprisingly, managed to hold herself upright, even if the room tippled slightly to one side. She liked to think she acted sober rather well.

The mercenary thought of Oleander's words for a moment, and mumbled as she grabbed her pouch, feeling it in her hand. Lighter than it was several drinks before. “I paid. Rounds on you next time,” Jagger reassured Oleander, returning the pouch to her belt - after the third try. She patted him on the shoulder before announcing with bravado, “Las'ksu!” to the startlement of the rest of the tavern, and shouldering the doors open.

Then the fresh air hit her and Jagger staggered onto the street with an, “Oh, fuck.” She paused, blinking, adjusting her vision to the lights overhead. Was Escander always this bright? The way they seemed to blend and swirl into one another wasn’t a feat she remembered in her times here. She turned, slowly, smirking with a strange realisation at Oleander. “I think, uh…’m a lil’ more drunk than I thought.” She slurred, though, that surely hadn’t been in doubt already. “So far, so good!”

Jagger could still stand, and walk at least, even if she stood swaying like a reed in the breeze.

 

[Lucyfer]

‘No one knows….’ Zariel managed not to clench her fists in absolute frustration with this revelation. Was it no one? She hadn’t heard of the other Twelve during this period rising up, but then again, that could be explained by Ophiuchus’s agents putting them down before it happened. She had already encountered one, and saw they held more subtlety than she expected.

Honestly, she thought they would just kill the Twelve when they found them, not try to manipulate them.

She sighed, “Sesario was with us, until I was killed. There wasn’t really any…discussion when I returned, to say the least,” memory was fuzzy, but she was well aware she’d returned and caused damage, scattering everyone who could get away. Sesario was among those, and she couldn’t say she blamed him for running.

She did, of course – but she understood. Faced with something as incomprehensible and violent as her return, it was the sane decision to run. “Circumstances forced him to run with Cleon, and I suspect now he’s likely to stay with Cleon, but he was the one who opened the opportunity for me to speak with the wayward prince,” she shifted her weight, folded her arms over her chest. “Of course, I had to put a bounty on his head and claim him as part of the assassination attempt to secure Rozari. His parents couldn’t do much in light of that.”

Or in light of Phoenix bearing down on them, gloriously aflame, and keeping his glare present to make sure they did the right thing.

“Gilgamesh was there, too – one of Ophiuchus’s agents,” she said then, adding almost flippantly, “He’s gone, for now.” They returned, she knew that too well, despite having never encountered one of Ophiuchus’s agents before.

“I agree that the Twelve gravitate towards each other. I think that is simply natural for them, so I need to mention that I think two others are with Cleon’s group, though I cannot say which ones they are. There was a…rather tall lalafell named Kikiti, and Sesario’s partner, Hector.” She recalled the names being spoken, and their appearances. “Per Sesario’s parents, Hector has been with him for a while now, and comes from Escander.”

She let her eyes narrow a bit, as she considered that, “Didymus is also marked, but not with Alexander.” It was one of those few things she had suspected about Alexander, and now knew from Phoenix. As Phoenix was bound to her family for now, Alexander was always bound to Escander. “Gemini. I think Hector has Alexander.”

That left…Libra and Capricorn, if she wasn’t wrong about Hector being Virgo. “It’s no surprise some have a penchant for nobles. We are the ones who get things done,” she opened her eyes with a scoff, “Well, or so we’re supposed to, but Bahamut picks a pirate and Asura picks—” she wanted to call him a coward for not facing her in Ucantis, but the wound still stung.

A coward for not facing the truth? Her gaze cut away from Lixue, “—that emotional fool,” it was said with as much venom as coward. Perhaps she was still a touch emotional after being killed.

“But I think most of the Twelve do not know what is going on,” Zariel said it softer. Almost afraid of that truth. “If that is the case…if no other knows…,” she lifted her gaze back to Lixue, “We’re not strong enough to take down Ophiuchus on our own.” By that, she meant with Oleander and Jagger – the four.

Because now she had memory of Ophiuchus’s power, too. Before, she’d harbored some hope, but now – she realized precisely how small they were, how pathetic.

~***~

Oleander nodded, more than necessary, as he agreed that next time was on him. No point to argue, or go over how many times either one of them had paid in the past. He wouldn’t remember well, anyways. He didn’t keep those kinds of tabs. He wasn’t sure if Jagger really did, either. Mood was more how he dictated things.

And mood made him laugh at Jagger’s declaration, as well as her stagger once they got out side. He patted her back, likely with a bit more strength than he should have, but he was prepared to grip her shoulder if it toppled her and hold her up. He didn’t take his arm away, but snaked it around her shoulders, anyways, as they walked on.

“It’s okay. You can lean on me, and I’ll lean on you, and it’ll be fine!” It would probably not be fine.

More drunk was probably a good thing, anyways. No one could dispute their story for something pre-planned and malicious! They were actually drunk, and interested in getting some souvenirs. Which he actually started to consider as they walked, “Ya know—ya know I was thinking we should find something nice for Lilia. I should. Prolly not gonna find it here, but—but might get some ideas. We don’t have souvenir shops like this in Amarum. We should—give the idea. Lil Phoenixes or something. It’d be cute.”

And Lilia liked chocobos. Why not profit off of plush phoenixes? “You think they sell plushed phoenixes in Ibec?”

He’d adjust his stance and hold when either he swayed, or Jagger swayed, to compensate.

And they would eventually get to the shop, which was thankfully still open, although a little girl – or a lalafell? Someone stupidly short – seemed to be moving to close up the shop for the day. “Heeeeey~ wait!” Oleander was quick to grab the door before it shut fully, though it banged his fingers between the door and the doorway. “Ow.”

That actually did hurt.

Or maybe he really was too drunk. Tears pricked his eyes as he drew his hand back and shook it out, the little one opening the door and frowning up at the two of them.

“Shop closes at 8!”

It wasn’t quite 8 – but she had seen the two approaching and decided it was best to just pretend it was 8.

 

[Arcanist]

It had been blind optimism that led Lixue to hope people would surrender to them when Phoenix had manifested. Fear was powerful. Many could submit to it, but not everyone faced fear in the same way. It made their task all the more difficult.

Obviously, he had not been surprised at Cleon and the rest of the group’s escape, though had been pleasantly surprised at Sesario’s cooperation. “A shame it had to come to that, if it’s true there is some wisdom in that head of his.” There would have to be. He was both a pirate and a prince. Negotiation and tact were traits needed in his line of work, both that Sesario at least possessed some of. He could not say the same of Cleon. “At least the Kavalieris were wise to stand down.”

Ophiuchus’s agents, it seemed, did not. The mention of Gilgamesh made the hairs stand tall on the back of his neck, but he had never known a Gilgamesh in his time. That was an omen if an agent found Zariel and Cleon’s little band.

Lixue's expression darkened as he murmured, "The thief Jagger put forward." And right under their noses too. "Did she know about him and Gemini then?" His disdain towards her was no secret. He wouldn't have been surprised if this was something she hid, even with what she was being paid with. She was close to him, or at least, had a soft spot where he was concerned.

As for the tall lalafell, Kikiti, and Sesario’s partner, Hector, Lixue could only muse at the Twelve’s choice of heroes. Alexander made sense for Hector, given his origins. Kikiti was the outlier with either Libra or Capricorn, and it seemed Zariel had little information on that. He thought of probing Shiva again, at least, where Libra was concerned. Shiva shared the status of air sign with Kirin and Garuda. She was bound to know more than she let on.

Regardless, Zariel, understandably, still had the bitter taste of death lingering in her mouth. Water signs had complicated emotions. They had both seen it with Oleander, and it was no surprise that Cleon would act the brat when he didn’t believe Zariel or got what he wanted. He would acquire nothing now with the stunt he pulled.

Lixue sighed, putting his glasses back on. “If we cannot do it alone, as you said, then it’s imperative we take further action.” Though his tone was grave, it wavered with the conviction that not all was lost. “Parleying with Cleon hasn’t worked nor will it continue to work. We have to endeavour to take the marked ourselves. As for the less willing of them,” Lixue held his chin for a moment, “perhaps we can find a way to…transfer said god to another host.” It was possible. The Twelve had moved from host-to-host. They were bound, but not unto death.

Lixue shook his head. “A matter for another time. For now, we must consider forcing their hand. Either we corner them ourselves, or Ophiuchus’s ‘agents’ will finish them before long.” Things were more intense than ever. Time quickly turned to sand, minute and illusive, and they could only utilise so much of it. The rest would slip through their fingers if they did not seize it.

~***~

Jagger felt the strength of Oleander’s pat - no, slap - on her back, though, before she could topple over, she was seized by Oleander’s grip. She grinned at Oleander, thankful. “See? It’s workin’, right?” Though, as she leaned on him, and Oleander leaned on her as he said, the two just seemed to zig-zag until they managed to find proper footing. Even then, Jagger swayed, and her footsteps were heavier than she intended them to be.

Jagger cooed at the idea of plush Phoenixes. “Yeaaaah! Big fluffy Ph-Phix-Phoenix. Or feathery. Shit, yeah, no, it has feathers.” Jagger corrected herself among her slurs, meanwhile, thinking back to the times she had been in Ibec on business. “No plushes, but I some fucker try to peddle me Chocobo feathers dyed red and orange, and pass ‘em off as Phoenix feathers. Most pious city around and there’s frauds like that right in the middle of it.” Nowhere was sacred, apparently, but she knew that well enough.

Most drunken walks passed slowly and quickly all at once, and Jagger was almost astounded how they reached the shop in so little time, yet, had felt like they wandered for some time. There was a burst of obnoxious laughter from Jagger as Oleander’s fingers got caught in the door, and the only tears in her eyes were the ones she was getting from pure hilarity. “Dumbass.”

Though the girl insisted the shop closed at eight, Jagger would say otherwise. “Hey, hey, shortie, listen,” she waved her hand at the girl before patting Oleander’s cheek, and then squishing both cheeks with her hands as she explained, “This guy? Loaded with gil. He’s gonna be your best customer today!”

The girl’s frown didn’t shift, and her nose wrinkled at Jagger’s address. “Sorry, but you’re going to have to come back tomorrow. We’re closing.” She emphasised once again, going to close the door again.

Jagger’s foot slid between the door and the frame, careful not to make the same mistake as Oleander. Her hand pushed against the door and managed to open it with a harsh bell chiming above and a bang against the wall. “C’monnnn, we’ll be like, five, ten minutes tops!” She did not wait for an answer as she strolled in, the girl practically protesting behind her.

The shop was illuminated with bright blue teapots, bright red plates, hand-carved figurines, postcards, paintings, knicks-and-knacks, bric-a-brac - there had been too much to name everything that was there. The shop was cluttered with things, despite it’s surprising spaciousness, which only meant it was an obstacle course for someone as drunk as Jagger and Oleander.

“MINDY!” A sharp voice pierced through the shop, nasally and high-pitched that it made some of the more fragile souvenirs rattle. It seemed to come from the very back, which Jagger couldn’t see over the towers of souvenirs. “I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU TO STOP SLAMMING THAT DAMN DOOR!”

The small one - Mindy’s - nose scrunched up and she glared up at Jagger. Jagger sucked in her lips with slight embarrassment - though really, she flushed with the held-back urge to laugh - and put her hand up to admit her crime. “Sorrrrrry! I pushed it too hard!”

 

[Lucyfer]

Zariel wasn’t certain if Jagger had known the entire time. Logic said no, Jagger hadn’t. Zariel had noticed a shift in Jagger during their conversation, when she let Jagger in on everything. It had been enough to pull her off the case of finding Cleon and following Didymus. ‘Then. She must have known then.’ And went to find out more before she considered giving Didymus up.

Yet, she hadn’t done so. ‘Why?’ Was it possible she was ignorant, even then?

A problem for later, “I do not believe Jagger knew from the start,” Zariel offered Lixue, though that was likely to do little for him and his dislike of Jagger. Not surprising. The two were as different as possible.

Lixue’s idea wasn’t far from what Zariel had asked of him in the past. In that case, it had been to find a way to bring the Zodiac forward. She’d also considered removing the Zodiacs all together from their hosts, though she wondered how that would work out. Transferring them to another host had merit, but, “We would have to find adequate hosts. That may be difficult,” they didn’t know what triggered all the Zodiacs.

They knew any host would have to be born during a certain period, but beyond that, it wasn’t precisely clear what they went towards. Did Ashura always pick a noble? What sort of Escanderan did Alexander lean to? Would Leviathan only go for a viera? These were questions they didn’t have answers to, and so little time.

It truly did feel like they were running out of it.

“Once Phoenix wakes, I’ll deal with Ophiuchus’s agents. I can set bounties on them discretely enough.” Whether that would work was debatable, but, “It’ll slow them, at least, until I can get my hands on them myself.” She wasn’t afraid; perhaps she ought to be, but she had seen how quickly she could deal with one, once Phoenix backed her.

The others would fall.

Leander had done as much, in his time, too.

“I believe your research ought to first continue in the vein of trying to pull the Zodiac out, or at least, force it to manifest. Once we know that, figuring out how to transfer it may go smoother, as it is. And we still have Jagger and Oleander without their Zodiac.” And Oleander was ever a willing experiment, as Lixue knew too well.

The thought crossed her mind of having Phoenix separated, briefly, and then it was gone.

That would likely not be good for Phoenix. Also not for her – but being free of the drain would be nice.

~***~

“Mrp.” Oleander wasn’t expecting to have his face molested that day, but he allowed it, frowning only a little through the process, before catching on to what Jagger was trying to do. That’s right, he was rich, they ought to give him the VIP treatment! He got it everywhere else, even in Escander. Usually, especially, in Escander. Why wasn’t he getting it here. ‘Hidin’ something.’ He became surer of it as Jagger managed to get her foot in the door and slam it open. He gave a shit-eating grin to the short one as he wandered in.

It really was stuffed to the brim with nonsense, though of course, he was immediately drawn towards the shiny dice. He liked dice. He liked decorative dice. He also liked weighted dice but he couldn’t tell anyone he liked to cheat at games when he could. “Nice,” he muttered, grabbing one and rolling it, only to land on six. He tried again. Four. Not as weighted then.

He set it aside as someone called out to Mindy.

Someone he couldn’t see.

‘Right, here for a reason, not to look at things.’ But there were so many things, and he was so curious about the things, even if nothing was anything truly revolutionary. “Heeey, where’s the good stuff?”

Mindy huffed, “It would probably be here in the morning, when you had a mind to appreciate it.”

“Is that sass?” Oleander grinned, “That’s sass. You’re adorable.” He staggered towards the counter, “Good stuff is always in the back,” should he be saying it out loud? Did it matter? They couldn’t hide things that quick, right? The counter didn’t have a way to walk around it, just a kind of door that lifted up to make way.

Oleander tried it, but naturally, it was locked.

So he put his hand on it, and tried to jump over the counter. It would have been smoothly executed, had it not been for the fact the wood was cheap, and not prepared to handle his weight. The door-part of it that should have lifted up, cracked in the center where his hand was, and then fell apart completely just as he had lifted himself up and almost over.

He crashed down all the way through it to the ground, toppling a few items that had been on the shelves behind the counter. Precious glass things customers weren’t supposed to be interacting with. Thus why they were put behind the counter in the first place.

Mindy let out a long, irritated groan and stamped her foot, as another woman came back out immediately. “What is all the ruckus?!” She demanded, head held high, before she looked down her nose enough to see the crashed form of the Imperator.

Scorpio.

Her nose twitched.

Was Sandy really going to get a better opportunity to eliminate Scorpio and Aries? She recognized Aries out of the corner of her eye, “Would you get him, and get out of our shop?” With Aries arms full of Scorpio’s dumbass, ideally she could hit both of them hard before they were prepared.

They’d have to pack up business immediately, but that would be worth it. It’d set Ophiuchus’s enemies back by quite a lot.

“I can get up on my own,” Oleander grumbled, pressing his hand against the counter as he sat up. He moved it to his head right after, “Fuck. Why? Why is it always the stupid shit? I swear Licksoo did this on purpose. Nooo, can take a hit from a fackin’ dragon, but doors? Fuck you, Licks.”

 

[Arcanist]

-
Lixue almost turned his nose up at the very notion that Jagger hadn’t known from the start. She was not like other mercenaries, at least from the few he had the displeasure of interacting with. She was much better at holding secrets, more loyal to Didymus than she let on. It should have been obvious with the way she vouched for him, but hindsight once more proved to be a wonderful gift.

But he did not argue with the theory. He would accept it, begrudgingly, and instead insisted they would find a way to keep her in line. If not with gold, then something else.

Jagger was the least of their worries in the grand scheme of things. Though she held one of the Twelve, their sights had to remain on the grander puzzle put before them. Of course, they could not go any further forward in removing Zodiacs from their hosts without knowing what they sought in those they settled with. He nodded, agreeing with that sentiment, of course, but it made it nonetheless frustrating as time marched on.

Ophiuchus’s agents were a blockade, but beyond that, they struck an odd feeling of nervousness in him. Zariel – with Phoenix- had killed one, but could she manage them all? He rarely doubted her, and here, he shouldn’t have, but he was beginning to become more aware of his own mortality – Shiva’s too – when Ophiuchus’s agents were less of an idea, more of a reality.

Lixue nodded again, calming his mind. Small steps. He wanted to solve this all, and quickly, but he understood he would not be granted such a luxury. “Of course. I’ll endeavour to figure out as much as I can, regardless of whether Shiva will give up any information to me or not.” He was used to the lack of assistance on Shiva’s part, her vague riddles and laughter as if he should know - how could he not know? Lack of progress frustrated him and losing sleep over no real developments only sought to sour his mood further.

Perhaps Phoenix’s presence would coax Shiva into some willing collaboration. A more divine authority might quell her silent rebellion.

“A shame they’re not here for me to pick their brains,” Lixue murmured, on account of Jagger and Oleander. It was lucky he had some patience to spare, at least. “But there will be time for that when they return from Escander.” Some extra time if he started brainstorming without them. But as for the moment, they had more urgent matters to attend to.

His eyes moved to the armlet, and back to Zariel. “I hope the armlet’s made some difference?”

~***~

Jagger, even if she had fully admitted to her crime of assaulting the door, decided to duck down and half-turned her interest to a Tonberry figure. She flicked its head, missed the first time, before watching its head bob the second time she flicked. She listened to Oleander’s blundering efforts to pry more into their affairs, Mindy’s sharp tongue that hit back at Oleander. She wasn’t scared of Oleander – but who would be when he was staggering around the shop like he was?

Jagger lifted her head to agree to Oleander’s statement, to see where he would go, only to hear a cacophony of glass shattering and wood splitting before she had seen Oleander actually cause the chaos. She couldn’t laugh, or at least, she wasn’t sure if she should have laughed. She stood aghast before, “Oh, fuckkk,” was the only thing she could utter. Though, perhaps it wasn’t all bad. It was enough to summon another whose screech Jagger recognized from earlier.

She wasn’t surprised by her irritation. Even as she demanded s pick up Oleander’s fallen ass and haul him out, she hadn’t moved, still aghast at the chaos caused by Oleander’s clumsiness…or Licksy’s purposeful ruin of him.

The name didn’t go unnoticed by Mindy, who narrowed her eyes. “…Licks…Licksoo? Your friend has a strange name.” She murmured, unable to help herself but aim a perplexed glance to Sandy. She only raised an eyebrow in return. Where Aries and Scorpio were, others of the Twelve wouldn’t be far behind. They loved to congregate, even if they never intended it consciously.

It was on the tip of Jagger’s tongue to correct Lixue’s name to the proper pronunciation…but she bypassed it in favour of, “Friend is a stretch. More like a, uh…” She fished for another word, something that was a better fit for his station and their relationships with him...though, something in the taller woman’s glare at her unnerving, and she never quite caught the word in her ale-fogged brain. She shrugged. “Whatever. Fuck him, right, O?”

The ‘O’ didn’t quite feel right when she said it, but she rolled with it. She staggered forward as if intending to help Oleander up despite his own insistence. Sandy cast a warning glance at Mindy. She would take this chance, regardless of the consequences and Mindy’s second-guessing stare.

The bell above the door rang, followed by the entrance of a humming, portly. woman, smaller than Sandy, but taller than Mindy. She had been carrying groceries, though, the bag dropped when she saw the damage done inside the store. She looked close to bursting into hysterics at the sight of broken trinkets and their ruined counter, eyes bounding from her sisters to Jagger to…the Imperator.

And she put on a concerned, watery smile. “Oh, gracious! What happened here in here?” She was quick to approach Oleander, playing the part of a concerned sister oh so well. “Are you hurt, Mister Imperator?”

Sandy had to physically stop herself from rolling her eyes, and explained, “I was just about to…get rid of these two disturbing the peace in our shop, Cindy. You’ve seen the damage they’ve done to our wares. They’re a risk if they remain here any longer!” She knew all too well what she intended with those words, watching Cindy’s expression for any recognition of those words.

Jagger snorted, and Sandy’s eyes were on her in an instant. “They’re bawdy trinkets! Look, Mister Imperator over here will cover damages if that’s what you’re so anal about. No big deal!”

“That would be so helpful of you,” Cindy chirped before Sandy could pop a vein. “But first, allow me to take you out back and look you over at the very least.” Even if there was anything so incriminating of their side hussle out back, the two would be dead and buried realised it. She turned to Mindy, her smile so accommodating in comparison to the smallest sisters’ pursed lips and sour expression. “Mindy, help me take care of our Imperator, hm?”

Mindy caught their drift – their words were plainly obvious to her at least, though whether they would be to the unwitting drunkards was another. “Fineeeee,” she gave a long sigh.

“Hey, uh,” Jagger rubbed her head, curious as to what was further out back, and just as eager to investigate if Oleander was being brought around there, “do I get a free check-up? I, uh, hit my--”

“Don’t push it,” Sandy hissed. If Scorpio did accept the offer and her sisters dealt with them out back, she could at least take Aries out front. Not what she planned, but it was hardly as if they’d let them go now. It was perfectly opportune.