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

[mauve]

"I'll go wherever my scythe is most needed," Elsa said simply, "although that room called 'necroani.... Necroni... Nec..." She pointed at the door in question, "That one, looks like the culprit to me." She was getting anxious to fight something. The waiting and the quiet were grating on her nerves.

[Menarker]

Ark held out of his hands out toward Bello, whom had opted to go with the other increasingly larger group.

"Prompt: Remedy requested as per prior agreement."


Ark then briefly looked toward the group's current division. The larger group were practically all casters. And he was currently isolated.

"Proposal: The dark knight accompanies data room group to protect casters. The remaining casters" Ark looked toward Kole and Raltz, "can follow me to examine for supplementing evidence and resources. Rejoin data room team once procurement is complete."

Jugan hobbled toward Raltz and Kole curiously, its playful growls still emanating during this momentary peace.

[IHateMakingNames]

Now that he was asked directly, Kole had to state his intentions and reject the android's suggestion.

"I'm going with the bigger group," the blue mage looked around nervously before continuing, "we're do for an ambush or monsters or cult encounter soon, so I want to be in the group with the best chance to survive."

[phil_]

"Prompt: Remedy requested as per prior agreement."

"Oh, right, sure thing," Bello replied. Stretching to place the Remedy in Ark's extended hand, he added, "Sure hope you don't need it."

[Bard The 5th LW]

"The remaining casters" Ark looked toward Kole and Raltz, "can follow me to examine for supplementing evidence and resources. Rejoin data room team once procurement is complete."

"I don't see why not," Raltz responded with a shrug of the shoulders and curious glance cast at the dragon.

"I'm going with the bigger group," Kole said in a paranoid fashion, "we're do for an ambush or monsters or cult encounter soon, so I want to be in the group with the best chance to survive."

"Well someone's gotta get attacked," Raltz replied with a bit of a smirk, "if you just go with the bigger group, your leaving the fall team understaffed. Wouldn't that be a bit counterproductive?" He wasn't really sure they were going to get attacked, but Raltz figured he may as well delve further into this jumpy guy's logic.

[mauve]

"Proposal: The dark knight accompanies data room group to protect casters."

"Fine by me," drawled Elsa. "I'm always happy to follow the healer." In this unnerving hell-hole, Elsa couldn't think of a better place to be.

The nervous blue mage then decided to switch teams, apparently in an effort to put the most teammates in between himself and danger. Elsa grinned and wrapped an arm around the poor man's shoulder.

"Well hello again, friend," she said. "Good to know you'll be on my side this time. Haven't seen you around much lately. Have you been avoiding me? That's not very nice."

The smile widened.

"Well, we're all in this together now. When the horrible enemy finally shows itself, I hope we can count on you to step forward to defend us with your life. I know I will. That's what teamwork is all about, riiiight?"

Oh look. Elsa found something to take her anxiety out on.

[Riin Whitewind]

Jhennek watched with a small frown as Elsa pulled the blue mage into an one-armed embrace he was clearly uncomfortable with. Kole seemed to shrink in on himself the longer she spoke. The scythe-wielding woman smiled, managing to twist the knife deeper into his psyche.

"Well, we're all in this together now. When the horrible enemy finally shows itself, I hope we can count on you to step forward to defend us with your life. I know I will. That's what teamwork is all about, riiiight?"

Bangles restored to both wrists and ankles, the dimunative mage noisily clambered her way up to Kole's shoulder, accidentally tugging on his shirt hard enough to pull him away. All innocent smiles, Jhen looked up at Elsa through her wild, curly copper hair.

"He's gotta stay back and protect me!" Still trying to be comforting, the Tarut patted his blonde hair, even managing to make some of it look brushed. "Can't bring me into the front of the fight, oh no."

"Besides!" The mage looked excited to be talking battle strategy, throwing her arms out into a wide gesture. "There should be someone in the back, guarding the pretty Arden!" Both hands went to her face in simulated horror - the gesture ruined as her hat slipped down over her eyes. She hurriedly fixed her hat. "It would be difficult for the nice White Mage to heal you if she is being menaced from the backlines."

[Teal Mage]

Jhennek, Bello, and Kole each stated their preference to travel with her in turn - for various reasons. Pushing back her hood, the ghost of a frown appeared on Arden's face. She glanced toward the hallway stretching behind them, seemingly in thought.

Raltz spoke up - she couldn't see his smirk, but she could hear it in his tone. "Well someone's gotta get attacked," The red mage observed, "if you just go with the bigger group, your leaving the fall team understaffed. Wouldn't that be a bit counterproductive?"

"Raltz," Arden replied, turning a mild green gaze, "let him make up his mind - there's no need to make fun of him for being cautious."

Elsa had thrown an arm around Kole during this time, and was speaking to the Blue Mage. Her words seemed companionable, though it didn't take a social genius to see that they weren't meant to be reassuring - it seemed the Blue Mage was a popular teasing target. Thinking quickly, Arden opened her mouth to try and rescue him - again.

To the silver haired mage's surprise, Jhennek beat her to it.

"He's gotta stay back and protect me!" The small black mage had clambered up her ally's shirt, and now sat atop his head, patting him companionably. "Can't bring me into the front of the fight, oh no." Eyes shining cheerfully, Jhennek gestured expansively. "Besides! There should be someone in the back, guarding the pretty Arden!" Her hat slipped down from atop her head, covering her eyes for a moment. "It would be difficult for the nice White Mage to heal you if she is being menaced from the backlines." The tarut observed, straightening her cap.

"That's a great idea, Jhen!" Seizing on the opening the Tarut created, Arden smiled broadly, clapping her free hand crisply against the hilt of her still-loaded-firearm. "Its settled, Kole will guard the Taruts while they explore the Data Storage and Analysis room and download the files we need. Elsa?" She turned toward, the Dark Knight, "While they're handling that, should look into the Necroeanimation - you mentioned wanting to see it, right?" Moving quickly, the White Mage grasped hold of the Dark Knight's wrist and began to - try - and draw her away.

Wait, how was that Jhen's idea?

"Ark, you and Raltz take care of scouting the other rooms when you're finished looting stolen goods!" Arden called cheerfully to the Android and Red Mage - she decided that now was not the time to lecture them on the immoralities of what they were transparently planning to do.

Now, as long as Elsa didn't resist her, Arden started down the hallway!

"Let's finish this mission!"

[IHateMakingNames]

Apparently Kole's decision became the group's focus point, which he did not like. It wouldn't surprise anyone to learn that he did not like the be the center of attention. Harder to figure out if anyone with ill intent is watching you.

Kole was going to answer Raltz, but then the likely cultist Dark Knight decided to draw the blue mage into her talons. Obviously, to a normal person, even if Elsa was evil she wouldn't try anything right now. But paranoid Kole was wishing he had the magic resources to self destruct, just in case.

Again, Kole's potential response was interrupted by another party member. This time the energetic child had climbed onto his shoulders again. This calmed the blue mage a bit, since now any surprise arrows from the angle the little black mage roosted on would be blocked. Jhen suggested that Kole stay to protect the youngling, which he had no problem with as if the group did actually travel together for once, that was the role he saw himself in. Though Jhen also suggested Kole protect Arden, due to her being a white mage, but he was pretty sure that she was actually a thief.

Kole didn't even try to speak this time, since as he expected Arden then took the floor. She once again split the group into three smaller groups. Perhaps it was the paranoia, but Kole was beginning to think that this thief white mage may also be a cultist. The best way to ambush would be to divide the groups and attack the smaller ones, as Raltz mentioned.

"You know..." Kole finally spoke up, but with little authority. "Maybe we should stay together and just finish the mission with the data files. Then if it still seems safe maybe we can do extra searching. We are in an abandoned building filled with corpses and evil cultist lurking about, after all... Seems dangerous to keep splitting up."

[phil_]

"Don't be silly, Blue Mage," Bello said while reassuringly patting Kole on the back of the leg (his shoulder was far too high to be worth the effort). "Nothing's happened so far, right?"

...

"Ok, yeah, that's not exactly convincing. But still, you have us," he gestured up to the other Tarut on Kole's shoulders. "Tarut are protected by the espers, you know? We'll be fine. Let's just go get this data; we can meet up with Arden and the berserker afterward."

Now was the time Bello had been waiting for. Now it was time for his secret technique which rendered the taller races putty in his hands. His eyes were shining. His smile was like a child's. The glow in his cheeks lit up the darkness. Clasping Kole's hand between his, Bello looked up at the neurotic mage and, gathering all his powers of cuteness into one manipulative syllable, asked, "Kay?"