FFD6 The Dicening, Group 1, Chapter 1, Mission 1

[mauve]

If Elsa noticed Kole's nonverbal reaction, she did not show it. In all honesty, she was probably judging how much booze she could buy with the 200 Gil that would be supplied for the cost of a chocobo cart. Pity if that money got misplaced. It's not like half of the team couldn't use the walk anyway.

Their prospective employer had stopped talking.

"Hm?" Elsa said, snapping back to attention. "Oh. Yes. We accept."

An entire city dropping off the map. Any way she looked at it, Elsa saw nothing but potential profit here. If it was merely a technical malfunction of some communications equiptment, hey, free paycheck for no actual work. If some sort of "clandestine organization" was holding the town hostage, there'd surely be some fine opportunities for fighting stuff in the name of privately-funded heroism. And wholesale slaughter with a paycheck was what Elsa liked best. And if the blackout was caused by the entire population of the town being wiped out by something.... well, hey, no one would miss the loss of whatever easily-cartable valuables were left behind. Looting with a paycheck was the OTHER thing that Elsa liked best.

[Krylo]

"Very well, then," Malik said simply to the affirmations that they were ready to go.

He led them in relative silence, only speaking when necessary to keep track of any adventurers who had gotten distracted and nearly wandered off, and it wasn't long before they reached a tram station, where Malik paid for their transport to the Airship docks, and within moments they were standing in front of a small, but very luxurious Airship.

The outside seemed somewhat plain other than a stamp denoting it as a diplomatic courier for the Council, but the inside was lushly carpeted and decorated with gold trim and marble furniture, complete with crystal lamps to provide adequate, and comfortable, lighting. There was even a small bar stocked with many types of spirits.

A magitek hand plate on the wall could be used by any mages for the smallest expenditure to make the floor and walls see through from the inside (though still opaque from outside), allowing passengers who wished it, to see everything around them as they flew.

Though the pilot's chamber remained unviewable and completely locked off from the rest of the airship. It seemed they didn't want passengers harassing him.

Malik, however, didn't bother commenting on any of the creature comforts, merely standing outside the door until the last of your number stepped inside. Once the last of you entered he took exactly one step in, pulling a small folder from his jacket, and setting it on a nearby table, before stepping out of the airship once more.

"The folder is Case File 576-B, that is to say, the file on the Organization we suspect is responsible. There have been some redactions, but it is mostly everything I have already told you. Also contained within, is the 200 gil for your wagon upon arrival in Altair, and a computer disk. As you will see in the file, the Organization purchased some rather complicated computer systems which we believe have ended up in Maris. That disk, upon being inserted into their systems, will compress and download as much data as possible. Find the system, bring us the disk. We suspect it to be somewhere in the hospital."

With that he slapped a hand on the side of the airship causing the door to slide shut. "Good luck."

[Teal Mage]

Face hidden in the shadows' cast by the red boarded white cowl of her mage's robe, Arden sat quietly through - what had passed for - their group's negotiation. A blond Tarut - probably Bello, if the brief notes she'd received before her assignment to this team were worth the paper they'd been printed on - had quickly voiced the only concern she'd had. Taking full advantage of the situation, Arden had listened silently from her self-appointed seat, and done her absolute best to cultivate an image of White Magely Serenity.

Which meant doing her best not to snap at her companions when they asked questions that, to her highly trained business senses, seemed less than professional – or important.

Thankfully, their employer - probably little more than a bureaucrat - did not seem to take offense to her group's actions. He quickly acknowledged their acceptance of the contact and led them from the chamber. For her part, Arden silently rose from her seat and, with all the grace and serenity she could muster, followed him from the room.

It was far harder to walk quickly in a full length robe than she remembered.

This is, Arden decided, clenching her teeth to keep herself from biting her lips - the only part of her face visible under her hood's shadows - the last time I try this.

Apparently, Adventurers didn't need to be Professional.


* * * * * *

With Malik gone and the airship in the air, Arden reclined leisurely on one of the sofas. With one hand, she completed the final adjustments needed to return her robes to, what her highly developed business sense told her, was the proper attire for a future ship captain. Which was to say, a tight fitting, mid-drift baring tank-top and billowy black pants. At her waist, her handgun glinted in the room’s crystal lights. Had she been able to see that, Arden would have determined that it too was appropriate.

Her other hand leafed through the papers contained within Case File 576-B. She'd rushed over to the table - completely shattering her carefully prepared illusion of White Mage Serenity in the process - the instant the door had shut. Her expression? Bored.

Arden sighed.

"This Intel sucks." She pronounced decisively. With a disinterested gesture, she shut the folder on her lap. Her gaze shifted toward her companions, "s'like he said, nothing new in here." One of her hands closed over the spine of the folder, before tossing the thing dismissively into the airship's center. "Go check." She added, shrugging.

Flowing smoothly to an upright position, the silver haired woman elegantly pushed herself to her feet. Arden slid a hand into one of her outfit's hidden pockets, drawing the data disk the folder had contained before her green eyes. She'd taken it - and the 200 gil - from the folder the moment she'd gotten her hands on it.

A moment later, she sighed again, "I have no idea how to use this."

She offered the disk in Bello's direction, then Jhennek's. "Either of you scholars want it? I'll be damned if I'm letting this break, but I'd rather the person holding it be able to use computers."

It seemed a reasonable proposition.

[phil_]

Bello blushed and put his hands on his face. "You think I'm a scholar? Heh, no one's ever called me that before." Obviously, he was glad that there was someone who didn't know he wasn't that smart for a Tarut. Hopping over to "Arden, right? Arden Whitemoon?" Bello put out his hand. "Sure, I'll take it. Just one more fragile little thing to keep up my sleeves."

EDIT: And then Teal wanted to post this, but he will be asleep for four more hours.

Seemingly pleased about something she'd said, the blond Tarut scurried over to stand before the shined black leather of Arden's boots. "Arden, right? Arden Whitemoon?" The small little man extended his hand, looking up at her. "Sure, I'll take it. Just one more fragile little thing to keep up my sleeves."

Arden stared down at Bello owlishly for a moment. She blinked her green eyes, once, twice, three-

"Ohmygoditssocutewhydidn'tIseeitbefore!?!"

Letting out a high pierced squeal that would put most fangirls to shame, Arden swept the adorable little blond up into a gleeful embrace. A wide giddy smile was plaster over the silver haired maiden's lips as she rubbed her cheek into the top of Bello's blond hair, messing it up. She was treating the small man little a Teddy Bear-

Arden froze.

No, no, no! This was all wrong, Captains need to show dignity, composure - they need to be Leaders! They can't go around hugging their crew members, no matter how adorable-

Flushing a brighter red than she thought possible, Arden hurried moved to put the small man down on the couch she had been reclining on moments ago.

"Uhm." Clearly embarrassed, the woman offered him the disk sheepishly. "It-it's Bello, right?" She stammered, trying to best to force the color in her cheeks to go away. "I-I, uhm."

"If-if anything happens to that disk-" Oh bloody Espers, why couldn't she remember the threat? She'd perfected it! That had taken- "-I'll see you turned into a throw pillow!" She flushed even brighter.

No, no, no!

Turning on her heel, she hurried over to the nearest magitech console, pretending to examine it while she waited for her skin to stop being red.

[IHateMakingNames]

Kole froze momentarily before entering the airship. Vehicles he got into tended to not make it to their destination. And explode. Regardless, it was part of the mission, so Kole bite the bullet and boarded.

Immediately, the nervous blue mage used the ship's magitek device to make the interior transparent. If the airship were to crash, Kole wanted to see it coming. The next order of business was to check out that case file. He wanted to learn as much as he could about what the group was getting into. Once the rebellious white mage was done with the folder, Kole picked it up.

No real new information was inside, so none of Kole's thoughts were put to ease. The computer disk and 200 gil were also already missing. That white mage didn't steal them did she? She doesn't really look like a white mage, maybe she is a thief in disguise. Maybe she is in coho-

The paranoid mage's thoughts were interrupted by a sudden ear piercing squeal. Before the folder he dropped even hit the group, Kole had already jumped back and pulled out his katana. If he had the magical reserves to do so, he may have Self-Destructed. After seeing there were no threats, just the thief-mage being a tsundere, Kole put his weapon away. He placed the intel folder back onto the table before heading towards the bar. Maybe a drink would calm his nerves. Though it was not likely.

[Krylo]

The airship ride, despite Kole's tendency toward poor luck, was smooth and easy, arriving at the city of Altair a few hours ahead of schedule. The weather was pleasant and though the people seemed a bit frightened, everything seemed fine. It was near dusk and the sky was orange with the colors of the sunset.

Shortly after you left the airship, the pilot stepped out from his compartment as well, only long enough to explain that wagons could be rented on the east side of the city following the main road out of town, and that Maris, itself, was Northeast. Any supplies could be found on the north part of town.

His knowledge given, he bowed quickly and stepped back into the ship barely giving you time to get clear of the area before the airship lifted off and began its return trip to Rios.

All that was left now was to get a wagon, and perhaps do some last second shopping for supplies. Of course getting a room or two at the Inn might not be a bad idea, unless you wanted to pull an all nighter.

[Riin Whitewind]

Once Ark stood upon terra firma again, his young Tarut passenger decided that being carried had lost its initial appeal. It was through no fault of his, she assured him, patting his coarse hair. Anklets chiming together, the Black Mage balanced on the Android's shoulder as easily as most would a level floor. Launching herself off and into a tight flip, Jhennek landed gracefully onto the rough stone streets of Altair.

"We have everything we need already yes? Brought it to the meeting like asked?" Bright blue eyes peered at the group from under her peaked cap. "No need to go shopping yes?" Each word was spoken breathlessly, as if chased from her mouth by the following word. "Perhaps we should see to the chocobo wagon now before we get sidetracked and maybe accidentally spend the wagon money which would be bad 'cause then you'd all have to walk to Maris." She smiled up at the group, the very image of innocence.

She waved her arm in the air regally, the movement accompanied by the jangling of her bracelets. "Besides! Who can resist chocobos? No one, that's who." Her arms folded across her chest, she nodded firmly. It was obvious, no one could resist chocobos.

Kweh.

[phil_]

Bello raised his hand. "Alright, so that makes Jehn leader of Team 'Get the cart.' Team 'Find a room because disappeared towns are only scarier at night' can come with me." Bello put his arm down and cradled his chin in thought for a moment before adding, "Make that 'rooms.' I'm sure Jehn, Raltz, Arden and the Berserker would appreciate having a separate room from us manly men. Shouldn't be too much more expensive..."

[Bard The 5th LW]

"Yeah sure thing," Raltz said rather offhandedly to Bello, mostly preoccupied with adjusting his scarf, "one room would get annoyingly crowded anyways." Correcting people on his gender was never a priority, he just let them go with their initial presumption.

"I'll go help with that cart," he announced to no one in particular. "White Mage, you have the 200 gil right? Come with us then. Anyone particularly good with animals, speak to the chocobos, give them a reassuring kweh?"

[Menarker]

"Rawr Rawr!"

Jugan hopped off Ark's shoulder waddling with both arms outstretched in front of it attempting to flap its barely grown wings following Jehn, in the antipication of joining the cart group and seeing the chocobos, which for all intent and purpose were cute walking drumsticks! Its mouth had a moist quality as it practically drooled with eagerness.

However, his expectation were shattered when Ark wordlessly stepped into position with the other group as if designating himself for the "find the rooms" team, as if knowing ahead of time what sort of chaos would ensue from bringing a dragon in the bird's stable.

"Auuuuwwwgghhhh..." The dragon hobbled back to its master's side as if defeated, waiting patiently at the dragoon's heel.