AChapter 2
The morning after the parties rather unhappy reunion with Sovorn dawns bright and cheerful! The sky is clear except for a few fluffy clouds and the air is fresh and crisp! Kal is outside looking after the chocobo's harnessing them to the cart and petting their feathers as he bobs around in the air around them waiting for the others to finally appear so they can get going. Rabanastre awaits!
Marduke is making his way outside, and if it was possible storm clouds would be hovering over his head. A glance around and a nod to Kal, "Think it is possible we might pick up the pace a bit? I had a few disturbing thoughts on some things." Though as to what he isn't going to say as he walks over to get himself a seat, a few pieces of paper in his hand and impatiently drumming his fingers.
Lee's down and at the cart a moment later, grumbling to himself under his breath. Doesn't appear Lee slept too well, eyes slightly bloodshot under the shadow of his hat, and he climbs up into the back of the cart before offering a hand to Ainsley to help her do the same, "Speakin' of, how far we got left t'go 'fore we reach Rabanastre, anyway?"
Ainsley makes sure to gather up her own set of supplies before they all clamber up onto the cart, toddling along with Lee. She's apparently in no better mood than Marduke is, though she seems to more silent about it. She nods in agreement with Marduke, apparently sharing his sentiment on the matter. She accepts Lee's help onto the cart, and assuming he picks a comfortable spot, she'd cling to him somewhat, making sure that the journey to Rabanastre is at least not filled with stressful worrying thoughts.
While Silmeria doesn't quite *look* as though she's had a sleepless night, she still seems rather preoccupied herself, as she clambers into the cart, arranging herself comfortably by the back end. "I'm sure we've all had our share of troubling thoughts, Master Marduke," she says after a moment, stretaching the kinks out of her shoulders. "Certainly, last night left fertile ground in which to sow them... which, sadly, is the order of the day, for that one and his like."
Kal settles back down atop the single bird that pulls their cart, "We will go as fast and no faster then Tutti can manage whilst pulling all you lazy arses in the cart." he watches Marduke's papers and shakes his head "If you have thoughts then don't keep secrets Marduke share." He looks at Lee and Ainsley and smiles at them and waves his tail before grinning at Silmeria, "See she summed it up, no sense worrying about it, the braggart will get what is coming to him in due time." ) [Spoofed By: Silvante]
Marduke shakes his head slowly as he leans back with a sigh, "Well two things we need to keep in mind more then anything else. Anything Ainsley hears or knows, the enemy can get a hold of. That much is given." sighing softly as he reaches up to rub his head, "Which is the most difficult part, and one that makes sharing of secrets all the more difficult." Handing a paper over to Silmeria, "Yet I had a thought, a thought as to why they havn't taken Ainsley yet." A glance to her and a shake of his head. "I suspect the very items we need, they may need as well. That it isn't a simple matter of one's will being broken, but needing items like things to free her completely. They may very well be using us to find where they are and then race us to them."
Lee wraps an arm and part of his cloak around Ainsley as he settles comfortably amongst the cargo, nodding with Silmeria, "Yeah, bet he's 'avin a grand laugh at th'idea that he caused us a long night. An' if what's comin' t'im includes 'is heart in my 'and, then I'm all for it. 'Ell, I'd settle fer 'im jus bein' dead an' outta our hair." He cocks his head as he listens to Marduke, "Think y'may be onta sumfink there... Though, if they was racin' us, I'd think it's be both easier ta deal with, an' harder t'andle. I'd suspect they're lettin' us do all tha 'ard work for 'em instead, rather than tryin' ta get th'items afore us, were such need as you speak of the case. And it'd fit that damned Savory's infuriatin'ly smarmy style." Yes, the name was intentionally mispronounced, Lee's own way of digging at the absent antagonist.
Ainsley cracks a soft giggle at the mispronounced name of the badguy, cozying in some more with Lee. "I have a lot of knowledge in my head that would be very useful for someone with the skills to put it into practice," she warns at the party, quietly, "If they know everything that I know, it's quite likely we won't beat them in an information battle. Our best bet is to find a way to kill them."
Silmeria nods once to Marduke, his concern apparently shared by the Esper, to a degree. "Though honestly, it's as likely as not we'd be best served in not attempting to doublethink ourselves, given how easily that cold lead to some truly horrible decision-making... Also, Master Lee has a very good point. Likely, our best bet will be to simply assume that our plans will be known, and that knowledge used to make obstacles for us... and simply defeat them anyway."
The ice Imp rolls his eyes, "Blah blah blah! Can we stop with the head thinky second guessing ourselves Marduke and get on with this! Rabanastre is like half a day away, we'll be there in time for a long lunch and then you can all decide which bit of the royal palace you want to poke your noses into first and I'll take us there!" he shakes the reigns and Tutti starts forward with a WAAaaRK! Moving off firmly, large clawed feet puffing up dust as Kal moves the cart out of the inn-yard and toward the road heading across the plains toward the ruined city.
Marduke glances to Kal and chuckles softly and smiles, "Some truth in that. Im not second guessing, just mulling over things." Shrugging his shoulders as he closes his eyes to relax and smiles faintly, "A pity we couldn't ask Lord Rael for a favor, a third party distraction that they don't know the plans of could prove rather favorable. I mean one imp could be a distraction enough, but get dozens of them playing pranks on you?" Wincing with a grin, "but those are my thoughts, let me know when we get there." crossing his arms as leans back all the way against the wagon edge.
Lee nods, grinning at Ainsley's suggestion, "Kill 'em. Yeah, sounds like a plan t'me. I'll settle fer defyin' their expectations 'bout defeatin' us or delayin' us or whatever in the meanwhile, though." As the cart starts moving, he glances up at Kal, then forward over the buckboard, "'Alf a day? Not too shabby... Dun' mind me, I'll jus catch a few winks in th'meanwhile, eh?" That said, he pulls his hat lower over his eyes, getting comfortable beside Ainsley, and proceeds to nap. It's the best cure for a night of rough sleep, and the motion of the cart seems to offer him no trouble whatsoever.
Ainsley watches Lee's face as he starts to doze off, cracking a soft smile at the display. Likewise, she closes her own eyes, and naps, waiting for them to reach the ruins of Rabanastre. She doesn't seem to have much else to input on the matter of plans and obstacles.
Silmeria, rather than napping, draws a small, multicolored bag out of a side pouch on her backpack, removing a pair of polished-bone knitting needles, and a decent-sized ball of yarn; the latter, deftly unrolled and wrapped about the toes of her boots. "It seems, Master Kal," she says quietly, attempting not to disturb her traveling companions while making idle conversation, "that your night was rather as sour as our own... perhaps we could pass the time more cheerfully for now, hm? Would you like to tell me about what your Progenitor has done with the parts of the castle he's claimed for your people?"
Grumbling to himself about "Not" being their "Distraction Imp" Kal drives along, though he eventually stops grumbling and steers the Chocobo firmly across the giza plains. He settles down and starts to tell Silmeria of Rabanastre, really there isn't much to tell, they repaired the core of the royal palace, refurbishing it. The old staterooms decorated in the style of the elemental shrine they now hold and the old throne room the altar chamber to their Lord. He paints pictures of it for Silmeria in the air out of icy illusions as he talks, weaving the pictures of the palace's new grandeur and beautiful scenery. The tapastries, the gatherings of imps, the parties and music and the pilgrims who come. He also explains how there is no cleared route through the city to the palace, they don't want people to just wander on through as they like. There are several routes through the under city and over-city to the palace but they are thwart with challenge! As the sun is moving into the noon-tide Kal starts to slow Tutti down as they move over the crest of one last hill and laid out before them are the mouldering ruins of stonework and tumbled walls that is Rabanastre. Kal gestures at the city, its once proud upper city a crumbling heap with the palace dome visible in the centre and the odd still standing tower or roof glinting in the sun. As Silmeria is the only one awake to enjoy the sceneary he waves a hand and the shard of ice down the necks of the other three has Ainsley and Marduke literally leaping out of the cart in shock. Lee however is totally just not phased by it at all. "We're here," Kal sings out in a pleasent tone of voice, a grin on his muzzle.
Marduke sits up after the forced shock and rubs his back and sighs softly, "you know I wasn't asleep." Muttering under his breath and offers a glare to the imp. Grabbing his staff he hops up out of the cart. The summoner actually is rather awake, he might actually of slept well last night. Glancing over it he sighs softly, "Its been a long time, wish I was here under better circumstances. Shall we?" Glancing to the others.
As Lee finds ice down his back, he calmly tips his hat back from over his eyes, turning his head to have a look at Kal, mouth curled in a wry grimace, "Well, least it isn't th'worst way I've ever been awoken." He stretches, working out a few kinks before sitting up, readjusting his hat to a more proper wearing angle and turning where he sits to look at the ruined city, whistling impressed, "Seen it from afar a few times, but never bothered t'get this close. For all tha deterioration, sure is a sight nonetheless."
Ainsley lets out a loud SQUEAK as she feels ice against her scales, popping up to her feet and nearly falling out of the cart! She flashes a disapproving look at Kal for the mischief, but then lets out a tired sigh, looking out over the ruins, pausing a beat to take in the sights. "Well... here we are," she murmurs softly, as she starts to calm down from the startle.
"And we truly do appreciate the ride, Master Kal," Silmeria says smoothly, climbing out of the cart under her own power, the knitting returned to its place for now. "So... we'll need to earn our way through, by friends... As Master Kal said while you were resting, the way into their part of the City is purposefully left a ruin; after all, no good pilgrimage was made without a trial, mh?"
Kal just grins and flicks his tail and points down at the building built at the edge of the ruins, the stone building looks like a tavern, it might have been one of the original buildings of the city lovingly restored. "We can leave Tutti and the cart there before deciding what route to take their are three and the entrances are jst past the Pilgrim's Prankster"
Marduke nods as he looks down to the building and hmms a moment, "And none of them go by the canals do they?" A glance to Kal, "tell us about these three routes if you would please." Starting along with a thoughtful smile and relaxing a bit now that he doesn't have ice down his back. "You are correct Silmeria, but I suspect the challenges we will face for what we are seeking will be greater then any Pilgrams challenge is."
"Patience, Master Marduke," SIlmeria says gently, hauling her pack out of the cart and settling it in place. "All will be revealed when we've better time and better surroundings than here and now. So! Off we go, then?"
Kal parks up the cart and the chocobo at the Pilgrim's Prankster, paying the green scaled imp who runs the place for stabling and then floats over to join everyone. "The palace can only be accessed through the palace." He murmurs and leads you past the small row of shops and stops. "Byuy anything you want now before we go in and then.. pick down into the waterways beneath.. or shall we ascend to the upper city or straight ahead into the lower levels?"
Marduke smiles back to Silmeria, "Please no master, Just Marduke. I have yet to earn such a designation." A touch of a faint smile and a glance back as they walk along. A glance to Kal as he considers and shrugs his shoulders, "I will follow whichever path is choosen." A glance to Ainsley, "Your choice, the last time I was here I went through the under city. As I recall that somehow landed us in Blizzna." A sheepsh tone to his voice, "Anyways." turning to look over the shops to see if there is anything he might want in the way of potions or scrolls. he did bring a bit of coin with him!
Lee waits until the cart is just about to the tavern before hopping out, his pack in hand and soon on his back, beneath his cloak, "Whichever path is jus as good as any other, t'me, as I've ne'er had cause ta have ta enter th'city. Though, I'm a middle-th'-road kinda fella, when given th'choice. He eyes the shops for a moment, undecided if he wants to give any a look, and seems to decide against it before changing his mind at the last minute and checking for a shop that sells weapons, entering one if he finds one.
"I know which path would be the least... difficult for our skills as a whole, I read that one of the paths, while it has fiends, it does not have as many fiends as the middle one, and we won't have to deal with the traps and obstacle courses the make up the upper path," Ainsley remarks quietly at Marduke, smiling over at him. She chooses to follow after Lee as he goes to shop, curious about what he's doing and if she can help him out at all. She concludes at Marduke first, though, "Gonna be doggedly tired by the end of it, no matter which we pick. I can deal with puzzles better than athletic things, and we probably have enough strength altogether to deal with most fiends, I guess."
"Then it sounds," Silmeria asners, browsing through the stalls, "that our best bet lies within the Undercity, wouldn't you agree, Ainsley?" Flashing the lizard a smile, the Esper purchases a pair of small trinkets, more keepsakes than things likely to be of use on the way to the palace.
There is indeed a weapon shop for Lee! It sells a variety of weapons most of the basics are availiable for purchase should he wish one and its easy enough to haggle down a decentish weapon from the rub red skinned imp who mans the stall. He is able to find a nice pair of brawling gauntlets, metal backed gloves that fit his hands quite nicely. The funky "Gun loaded Gloves" He was hoping for there is no sign of and the imp running the stall looks at him as if he's gone mad when he asks for something so weird sounding as that. Marduke is similariy able to find the item store, potions, hi-potions, one Ether which is incredibly over-priced but then they are hard to make. There is also a small bag that the imp claims is an "Arctic Wind" and a second that is a "Rainbow Drop" both are expensive and Marduke will only be able to afford one of the larger items. Kal sits down on a bench and waits for the others to come back stretching out on his back and watching the sky, it is nice not to be the "Stranger" for a changr which is what the temple is like considering it is all imps almost!
There are reasons why the summoner doesn't have much in the way of money and always working odd jobs. Mostly because when he does get money, he tends to spend it. The imp has his attention on the two special items as he mulls them over tapping his chin. "Oh so so so tempting. Already got two potions and two ethers... but those." A glance to Kal, "Thinking im going to pick up whatever this Rainbow Drop is." And a sucker is born every minute, curiosity for new things can be a bad thing. Marduke also proves to have very little bargining skill as he buys the item at the listed price. "Im ready whenever. Hey Kal, any idea what Rainbow drop does?"
Lee hrms over the gauntlets, not looking too disappointed that he didn't find what he was originally looking for; he knew that was a long-shot anyway. He amiably haggles the price of the gauntlets back and forth until finally settling on a price seen as relatively fair by both himself and the imp running the stall, and lays down his coin for them. Strapping them on as he walks back down the line of stalls, he pauses by where Marduke just finished his own transaction, eyeing what Marduke didn't buy, namely that Arctic Wind... He points at it, asking the imp selling it, "Wot's that do, again?" A more prudent shopper than Marduke, evidently.
Ainsley decides to wander about and shop some while waiting for everyone else to finish. She's already prepared to go, having gathered the supplies she believes they'll need already. She's awfully incredulous about some of the wares on sale, particularly when she overhears Marduke talking about the Rainbow Drop. A hand reaches up to scratch at the feathers on her head, ruffling them up, as she tries to remember what that's even for, or if it's just more imp trickery.
If SIlmeria knows what it does, she's not saying, and there's an amused smile on her lips as she rejoins Kal on the bench. "One thing is certainly clear," she murmurs to the ice imp, "this will prove, now and again, to be quite an entertaining quest, as well as important, I think. Again, thank you for helping to make it happen."
The Imp in the Item store grins at Lee and picks it up "This one? It's a one shot blizzard spell though its sadly not for sale now. Sorry about that" he grins at the man and tucks it away under the counter and flicks his tail from side to side. Kal meanwhile is eyeing the small pouch Marduke brought and he shrugs, "I am afraid I have no idea... never heard of it before. I am sure we'll find out so Ainsley" he calls over to her, "What route have you picked down up or middle? Whichever one it is I wish you luck," He floats up and stretches grinning at Silmeria, "It is... my pleasure though sadly I cannot come thorugh the path with you, I'd get accused of helping you succeed if I am with you when you reach the other end. I'll meet ya all in the temple though."
"I just like the name. Hey there." Calling back to the imp, "I did buy this, mind giving me a idea of what it does?" yes a after thought from Marduke completely! He has a odd thing about rainbows really. "I did pay full price." A glance to Silmeria, "Or if you know." Grinning a moment and then nods to Kal, "If we are going the way of the puzzles that makes sense. We should be getting on our way, got a long ways to go still." picking up his staff as he starts to head towards the exit after waiting to see if he gets a answer on what Rainbow Drop does.
Lee tsks at the item-seller, smiling and tipping his hat to the imp, "Ah well... Likely overpriced anyway." Turning away and heading back to the wagon, he smiles, adjusting the fit of his new gear, nodding a bit, coming up beside Ainsley, grinning, "Well, I'm all set, I s'pose. Wot say we get this party started right an' proper, eh?"
"The lower path," Ainsley answers simply enough, "It is better to have something with puzzles that I can deal with and have to deal with some pestering fiends than the difficulty we'd have on the other paths. Less chance of getting eaten, I'd guess. Though I'm not really clear on what sort of fiends will be down there..." She reaches up to rub the back of her neck, frowning at that.
"I imagine it'll be fine," Silmeria says, patting Ainsley's shoulder. Marduke's entreaty earns him a truly amused look, and a raised eyebrow. "These truly are questions one should ask *before* dropping a good deal of money down, don't you think? Besides. Now it's going to be a surprise!"
The imp in the item stall grins, "That wasn't in the price sir! You brought it, its yours to work out!" he grins and waves, "Good luck have fun now ok!" Kal smiles and hugs Ainsley, "You'll do fine, all of you will now good luck" He points to a large man-hole cover just inside the tunnel that leads into the middle level, "Down there... the ladder leads down tot he sewers." He floats over and uses the spike on his tail to lever it open and grins, "See you all at the other end," He gives everyone a grin and a word of encouragement as they pass him to start down the ladder that descends into the gloom below. "Good luck!" Kal's voice echoes after them all as he slides the manhole into place.. their entrance into the city of Rabanastre has begun!
- End
Go back to [[AChapter 1|Ainsley Quest Chapter 1
Go on to Ainsley Quest Chapter 3
Or return to To Free a Soul
