FFd6 - Group 1 Part 2

[Teal Mage]

Shooting Keith an annoyed look, the Elvaan Paladin grudgingly accepted their version of events - which were as true as they could be. Keith suspected it was only his testimony under question, their captor had shown nothing but patience with Ziegmund and Ark. He did allow himself a measure of satisfaction - Mondiale was being taken for a threat, that was a victory, small and petty though it may be.

Unlocking their cell with a resigned sigh, their captor spoke "In any case, follow me." He turned away, obviously expecting them to follow as he began to walk away, "I'll take you to that moogle you mentioned earlier."

Keith glanced over his shoulder toward his companions, before giving them an ironic smile, "He obviously doesn't like me." The geomancer stated, before shrugging light heartedly, "You guys go first-" He let out a low laugh, before slipping to the side of the entrance and gesturing them onward. "-and I'll follow."

Another short laugh, and a bright smile with only a hint of mockery followed, "I wouldn't want to make our oh-so-generous guide uncomfortable." Keith winked mischievously at his companions. "I'll be right behind ya."

[Menarker]

Ark wordlessly followed the guard, satisfied that at this point, they'll be that much closer to at least coming into direct contact with the target. The next step, perhaps negotiation, can be decided after the initial encounter.

[krogothwolf]

The guard motioned for them to follow him and Ziegmund nodded at the man and then looked around. Ark was heading to the door as was Keith. Keith took a stop at the door and then looked at them and smiled at them.

"He obviously doesn't like me." The geomancer stated, before shrugging light heartedly, "You guys go first-" He let out a low laugh, before slipping to the side of the entrance and gesturing them onward. "-and I'll follow."

Another short laugh, and a bright smile with only a hint of mockery followed, "I wouldn't want to make our oh-so-generous guide uncomfortable." Keith winked mischievously at his companions. "I'll be right behind ya."

"Of Course," Ziegmund said with a nod then returned a smile to Keith. "But don't wander off my friend, You can't seem to lie or act your way out of anything here, and they don't really trust you either."

He looked at Keith and started grinning at the man.

"Not that I blame them after all!" He said with a quick laugh before patting him on the shoulder. "Come now, don't lag behind us, wouldn't want you to have to try anything else that might get us in more trouble."

He then followed after Ark and the guard while chuckling to himself.

[Teal Mage]

"Of course," Ziegmund said, with a smile and a nod, "But don't wander off my friend, You can't seem to lie or act your way out of anything here, and they don't really trust you either."

Keith glared at him, breaking into a short, ironic, laugh.

It was true.

"Not that I blame them after all!" The paladin barked a quick laugh, before giving Keith a companionable pat on the shoulder.

That earned Ziegmund a curious look.

"Come now," the Paladin continued, seemingly in good spirits, "don't lag behind us, wouldn't want you to have to try anything else that might get us in more trouble." Ziegmund departed, chuckling quietly to himself.

Keith shrugged, before following as well. He decided to maintain a short distance behind Ziegmund - and a larger one behind their guide. This was partly done out of consideration for the guard's dislike of him, and partly because he had no intention of appearing to show deference to the Elvaan.

This, in retrospect, might have been the wrong battle to fight.

[Truce]

The guard only makes a quick stop to tell the monks that were guarding you before to follow him. They do not accompany you for long, though, as he gives him other instructions as you walk - and the two of them soon go off in different directions.

It's just as well. He seems confident enough to escort you alone, and he continues to lead you wordlessly. Eventually, you arrive at a hospital. Though compared to other cities it was small, it was one of the bigger buildings in Cornelia. Though it only has one floor, it's been stretched to cover a fair distance; only the first half of it appears to be currently in use.

One patient in particular seems be kept a fair distance from the others, however. The door is also locked, keeping the patient inside. The guard pulls out a key, however, and unlocks it - revealing a bandaged moogle inside.

"Well boys," the guard said, glancing back at your group. "Is this the Jrkass that you were looking for?"

[Menarker]

Ark stared at the moogle in medical custody, evaluating the comparision between him and the portrait that their client had showed them prior to the mission. Little point in going into extensive conversation with the wrong person.

------------------
Awareness check I suppose?

[POS Industries]

"That's 'J.R. Kass,' thank you very much," Prasad sighed, giving a bit of a half-hearted wave to the group, "That'll teach me to not work on my penmanship... One lousy alias haunts me for the rest of my kupos! Knew I should've gone with my first choice, but 'Baron Gregor von Huggybear III' just seemed a bit much, you know?"

Hopping up on his bed, the moogle bowed a bit--grimacing in pain upon realizing he totally shouldn't have done that in his condition--and looked over the newcomers. One was obviously a paladin (boring and all up his own arse with morals, but that could prove beneficial), the android looked like enough of a blank slate to where he could be convinced to go along with just about anything, and the third just struck Prasad as an all-around nice guy. A suitable combination to be sure, though not as much manpower as he'd expected...

"Many thanks to you, Adaron," he said to the guard with a striking amount of sincere respect, "If it's all right, I'd like to speak with this fine, upstanding, certainly law abiding gentlemen privately. I don't see them causing too much trouble, but if they decide otherwise I'll be sure to let you know."

[Truce]

"Well, that answers that question," Adaron said as Prasad corrected him on his alias. "But you know, that only makes me more interested in what you guys have to talk about.

"I take it you at least understand why they've probably come looking for you. Something about a gambling debt. I could care less about whatever personal vices you have however - but you should also know that you've brought a lot of trouble over to me. I'll let you talk with them, but I'm not letting any one of you out of my sight while you're in the city."

Adaron stepped to the side, motioning for the adventurer group to enter the room. Roughly the same size as their cell had been, they would have no trouble fitting everyone inside.

[Teal Mage]

Gliding into the room, Keith paused to give their surrounding a quick look over. Locked door, drab stone walls, a single bed and no windows. Cocking an eyebrow, Keith glanced at Adaron. "I can see that you value the mental health of your patients highly." He dryly observed. Then, shrugging off the Elvaan's glare, Keith continued into the 'hospital room.'

Coming up before the Moogle, Keith regarded him curiously for a moment, trying to get better feel for the wounds covering the gambler. Then, nodding to himself, Keith smiled and offered a small wave in greeting - before crouching elegantly before the moogle to spare him from having to stare up at him the whole time.

"Prasad? My name's Keith, normally I'd be the one to talk with you, but -" he glanced back at Adaron, "-I've been messing things up a lot lately. So," He jerked thumb back toward the others, "the Paladin back there - Ziegmund's his name, and no, he's not too much of a stick in the mud - will try to explain things. Oh," he quickly added, as an obvious after thought, "the Android's named Ark and the baby dragon is his pet, he's named Jugan."

Introductions complete, Keith pushed himself up and moved off toward the wall on the guard's right. Clasping his hands behind his back, Keith leaned against the colorless stone and waited.

[krogothwolf]

Ziegmund looked at the room they had been brought to. It looked almost like a cell in a church then a prison. He shrugged his shoulders at that then looked at the Moogle as he greeted himself and corrected them on the alias.

"Prasad? My name's Keith, normally I'd be the one to talk with you, but -" he glanced back at Adaron, "-I've been messing things up a lot lately. So," He jerked thumb back toward the others, "the Paladin back there - Ziegmund's his name, and no, he's not too much of a stick in the mud - will try to explain things. Oh," he quickly added, as an obvious after thought, "the Android's named Ark and the baby dragon is his pet, he's named Jugan."

Zeigmund sighed and chuckled at that.

"You sure friend?" He asked to Keith as he walked to the wall, "You could try to see if the Moogle believe your over embellished lie you mentioned at the gates."

He then grinned at Keith before turning to look at the Moogle.

"Well J.R.," He started, "We have been sent here by Mondiale to shake you down for your money or bring you back dead or alive. I really dislike both of those option as if you don't have the money owing to them they'll just probably kill you anyways, or worse. The best thing I can think of that doesn't involve us doing either of those is to assist you in collecting the 50,000gil you owe them and bring it back for you, although it will have to be through legal means. That way you don't have to have any contact with them at all."

He looked at the Moogle and smiled,

"Does that sound good friend?" He asked.