A/N: Good morning/afternoon/evening ladies and gents!
Ah Mustadio, after he went through all that trouble.
Disclaimer: Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions belongs to Square Enix.
TYNAR ROUGE
"A present… you say?" Ramza raised a brow questioningly whilst he took a small sip of his milk.
"Yes-" Mustadio bit his lower lip "But I haven't a clue what to get!" The young machinist's shoulders slumped "And my pockets aren't anything to be too proud of." He said in a softer and embarrassed tone.
The Beoulve smiled "If it is coin that you lack then fear not-" Ramza finished his milk in one drink and wiped any remnants of the dairy beverage from his face before jerking his thumb towards his face "I am more than willing to lend you any amount you desire."
The machinist's eyes lit up and he smiled widely, taking Ramza's free arm and shaking it frantically "You have my eternal thanks!" The blond mercenary laughed "Well- As long as said amount is inside my reaches."
Mustadio shook his head slowly and smiled contentedly "No problems, I have never took Lady Agrias to be the type to like extravagant things" The machinist loosened his grip and Ramza withdrew his hand, smiling "Actually, there is… one problem"
Ramza smiled sheepishly, earning a questioning look from Mustadio "We've not the slightest idea what to get her"
"Ah…" The machinist's mouth fell open but no words had come out "… Right."
"Pardon?" Alicia, the shorter but older one of the two knights that accompanied Agrias, furrowed her brows at the two blonds "Something that lady Agrias would like… you say?"
Lavian, the younger one of the two knights that accompanied Agrias, stifled a giggle while saying her thanks to the merchant that she had just bought from "How about armor polish, yeah?" She laughed, placing the vegetables that she had just bought in the basket that she had.
Alicia furrowed her brows even further and snorted "A tad bit too bland; even for lady Agrias' standards." Lavian hummed in a teasing manner "If not armor polish, then how about this lotion for the skin?" The younger knight wiggled her eyebrows at Mustadio "You can even apply this on Lady Agrias yourself~"
The older of the two knights quickly took the body lotion from Lavian and returned it to the stall next to them "You're thinking wrongly about this" She said in a reprimanding tone, earning her a laugh from the younger knight.
"Why the sudden interest though?" Alicia asked curiously, earning a smile from Ramza "Truth be told- I know not." He shrugged "Eh?" The older knight furrowed her brows even further now "What's the point of getting Lady Agrias a birthday present if you've no motive whatsoever?"
Ramza's eyes widened and he quickly looked over to Mustadio, who was rubbing the back of his head and trying to evade his gaze "So it was her birthday, hmm?" The Beoulve smiled mischievously "Mustadio did not even bother telling you why he wanted to give Lady Agrias a present?" Alicia laughed.
"Well- " Mustadio smiled sheepishly "If I told you that it was her birthday… We might end up clearing your coffers outright."
Ramza laughed heartily and patted his friend on the back "Do not think about this too much" He smiled at the Machinist "What is important is that we find something that will truly satisfy Agrias"
"Well, you could also sleep with her-" Lavian was briefly punched in the gut by Alicia, which earned another laugh from Ramza.
"Something that the lady knight would like?" Ladd, a squire that once worked with Gaffgarion, rubbed at his chin thoughtfully "I haven't the slightest idea." He shrugged "A sword, mayhap?"
"Simple and plain" Lavian stuck her tongue out, earning a snort from the squire "You two have been with the lady knight as long as I can remember-" He started in an irritated tone "Mayhap you suggest something, yeah?"
Alicia sighed "We have been thinking of possible gifts for the Lady ever since this morning, and we have not thought of anything… special enough." Ramza nodded while Mustadio looked deep in thought.
"I already told you-" Lavian smiled mischievously at Mustadio "Sleeping with the lady will be the best birthday present she's ever had." The younger knight quickly ran away as Alicia chased her, screaming profanities and reprimands.
"Not a bad idea." Ladd nodded his head with a smirk, earning a laughing Ramza and a flustered Mustadio.
"I-It is not like I like her or anything" The machinist said sheepishly, trying to avoid the gaze of his companions.
"Not a soul in this company of ours said you did." Ladd grinned mischievously, making Mustadio flush even harder. Ramza wiped a tear of mirth from his eye and waved Ladd off "Come now- It is not the time for teasing."
The squire crossed his arms and snorted, silently acknowledging the Beoulve's request "Enchanted armor or weaponry, perhaps?" Ramza chirped, snapping Mustadio out of his flustered trance.
"That would be perfect!" The machinist smiled "Oi, that's what I said earlier!" Ladd furrowed his brows in irk "You stated that we should give her a sword." Ramza smiled "Well if miss knight hadn't said it was 'boring' and 'plain', I would have suggested magickal armor or weapons." The squire finished with a content look on his face.
"Then magickal armor or weaponry it is." The Beoulve nodded once then advanced towards the nearest Outfitter, who was shortly followed by Mustadio and Ladd.
"What rotten luck" Ladd sighed in disbelief, sitting on the stone steps near the marketplace "I was expecting magickal artefacts and the like in this city- seeing as how the 'great' Saint Ajora was born here." Ramza leaned on the wall near Ladd and shrugged "I suppose today is just ill luck for us."
Mustadio sighed in defeat and sat on the floor besides Ramza and groaned in irritation "I should have bought something whilst we were in a castle town." The machinist furrowed his brows and pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling extremely fatigued and irritated.
The machinist exhaled through his nose and hugged his knees, surveying the people that passed by and the different stalls that housed different items. Various gemstones, accessories and assorted knickknacks littered the different stalls that were in front of the three. Something shimmered in the low sun and had successfully caught Mustadio's eye.
"Hmm?" The young machinist furrowed his brows and squinted his eyes to get a better look at the thing that had just shone. He stood up and slowly approached the stall, as if in a hypnotic trance "Eh?" Ladd raised a brow at Mustadio, who had suddenly stood up. Ramza furrowed his brows and followed shortly after his friend "What is it, Mustadio?" The Beoulve asked in a curious tone, placing his hand on the machinist's shoulder.
Mustadio took the small cylinder in between his thumb and index finger, looking at it curiously. It was light and the cylinder itself shone a bright gold, making the machinist squint his eyes because of its shimmer "Ah, I see you've an eye for rare items, good sir." The peddler smiled "And what exactly is this?" Ramza raised a brow, earning him a chuckle from the man "A beauty item for true connoisseurs-" The merchant nodded "This item here is truly the cream of the crop."
Ramza was about to speak when Ladd had suddenly joined in their conversation "It's lip rouge." The peddler raised a brow at the squire "You've quite the informed fellow in your company, good sirs." He smiled "But it's not just any old lip rouge-" Ladd snorted "It's Tynar Rouge- Made by the prestigious Feyforge company." The squire crossed his arms, looking smugly at the peddler "Hmp." The merchant furrowed his brows "Yes, quite."
The Beoulve shrugged "Mayhap this is a tad bit too… feminine for Agrias?" Ladd laughed whilst Mustadio frowned "She's quite feminine, mind you." Ladd was about to retort something when Ramza had suddenly raised his hand, prompting the squire to shut up "Psh, it's better than nothing." The brunet remarked, earning a nod from the Beoulve "Well then, I think everything is in order?" Ramza smiled, nodding at the two.
"How much is this, good sir?" Mustadio asked the peddler, earning him a laugh "I like you lot- So I'll give you a lower price" He nodded "Five hundred thousand gil" Ramza frowned as Mustadio's face paled "P-pardon?" The machinist asked in a nervous tone "Five hundred thousand." The peddler repeated smugly, earning him a laugh from the squire "Leave this to me, Ramza." Ladd smirked "Go look for the lady knight, make sure she's available for when Mustadio here gives his little present"
"Strangely enough-" Ramza smiled sheepishly "Not one of our companions have any clue as to where Agrias is as of now." Mustadio sighed exasperatedly as he and Ramza stopped at outside of the Tavern. The two of them had already searched the entirety of the Free city of Brevenia and strangely enough, they have yet to see the female knight.
The machinist leaned on the walls of the Tavern, crossing his arms and grumbling something incoherent under his breath "I am sure she is just off somewhere." Ramza smiled "She will be back soon." The machinist sighed "Perhaps you are right…" A high-pitched whistle rang through their ears "Oi!" Ladd waved at the two, smiling smugly.
"Ah-" Ramza waved back at the squire "How did your endeavour go?" The Beoulve asked curiously, earning him a large grin from Ladd "Here you are." The squire handed the lip rouge to Mustadio, earning him a look of disbelief from the machinist "What? How?"
Ladd's smile grew ever larger like his ego "Well, you could say I've quite the glib tongue" Ramza chuckled "How much did the merchant ask for it?" The squire snorted, waving the Beoulve off "If you're thinking of repaying me- Then think nothing of it" The blond mercenary raised a questioning brow at this "I am still curious as to how much you paid for it." Ladd snickered "Come now, our main objective is finding the lady knight, yeah?"
"What ill luck." Ramza sighed in defeat, entering the Tavern along with Mustadio "Well, not the most ill of luck." The machinist shrugged "To think that Ladd had managed to procure this item for only a tenth of its price!" The Beoulve laughed "That man can be quite the surprising fellow indeed."
The tavern was… smaller than the other taverns that they had gone to in the past. About a third of the space was taken by the counter and the shelves behind it. The rest of the space only provided six tables, which would probably house about five people. Mustadio was about to go to the counter when he had noticed a familiar mop of yellow hair, making him stop in his tracks.
Ramza had noticed the sudden petrification of his friend and looked at the far end of the tavern. He saw Agrias, sitting by her lonesome "Not the most ill of luck indeed." The Beoulve laughed.
"Hmm…" Mustadio gulped audibly, feeling a strange fear encompass over his body "Well, are you not going to give it to her?" The machinist smiled nervously "G-give what to… whom? I've not the slightest idea of what you are talking about." The Beoulve snorted "Come now, Mustadio!" Said man sighed in defeat and waved Ramza off "F-fine, fine."
The machinist slowly approached Agrias as she was reclining in her seat, her gaze far away and full of thought "Ah… Agrias!" Mustadio smiled sheepishly "I hope that this is not a bad time…" The blonde knight blinked a few times before turning towards the machinist, eyeing him strangely "Hmm? Is something the matter?" Mustadio gulped audibly "I- ah… no! It's just that… I…" The machinist shuffled through his pockets and outstretched his left arm "Here!"
Agrias eyed the small box that was on Mustadio's palm. It was plainly decorated, though the ribbon that held it together had a strange shimmer "What's this?" She asked curiously "It's a… ah… um- A present!" The machinist scratched at his face using his free arm "I… heard it was your birthday today so I, well-"
The knight took the parcel from Mustadio's hand and placed it neatly in front of her "Today is my birthday, is it not? I'd have nearly forgotten." The machinist quickly withdrew his hand and smiled sheepishly "Who told you? Lavian? Or Alicia maybe?" Mustadio bit his lower lip whilst Agrias shook her head "Those two simply cannot still their tongues, can they?"
Mustadio gulped audibly "Um… anyway-" He smiled "I… ah- Just wanted to give you this…" He rubbed the back of his head "It isn't much" "May I open it?" Agrias had suddenly cut Mustadio off "Ah… b-by all means, please do!" The female knight easily undid the ribbon and the colorful paper that covered the box had slumped. Agrias removed a portion of the paper and opened the box underneath, revealing the lip rouge that Ladd had bought.
"Lip rouge?" Agrias raised a questioning brow at the item, making Mustadio fluster a bit "Y-yes… You're always busy fighting a-and…" The machinist cleared his throat " Well, I know you've small time for such womanly things but… I though mayhap-" Mustadio smiled sheepishly "Y-you would like to have… that."
A comfortable silence fell upon Agrias whilst a suffocating and awkward silence threatened Mustadio to just outright run out of the tavern and scream like a girl. The machinist was about to speak when Agrias had cut him off again "I've little time, yes." The female knight smiled slightly "But this is the life that I chose- And I regret nothing of this choice that I've made." Mustadio breathed slowly, trying to compose himself "Still, there are times…"
"Still, is it truly alright for me to have this?" Agrias returned her gaze at Mustadio, who was silently thanking the gods that he wasn't flustered anymore "But of course! Why do you ask?" The machinist violently instructed his arms to stop shaking, why was he so nervous? He was never this nervous in his whole life "It cost a lot of coin, did it not?" Agrias asked questioningly, raising a brow "Perhaps a gift such as this is waste on a knight such as myself?"
Mustadio gulped audibly and can't help but think how adorable Agrias looked- "Ah… No, I insist that you keep it!" The female knight smiled at Mustadio "Very well then, thank you." She removed the cap of the lip rouge and applied a modest amount on her upper lip "Ah!" She pressed her lips together before looking at Mustadio "Well?" The machinist was at a loss for words, he couldn't believe that Agrias could look even more adorable- "Do I look odd?" Her words snapped Mustadio out of his staring trance "N-no! Not at all!" The blond laughed nervously "You look wonderful… truly, you do!"
The female knight gave a small giggle "Thank you, Mustadio. I will treasure it, as I do our friendship."
"Friendship…" Mustadio mumbled as he dug his face on the wood of the table, earning him looks of sympathy and a laugh from Ladd "Worry not, I am sure she will warm up to you one day" Ramza placed a comforting hand on the machinist, earning him an irritated grumble.
"Mayhap you could try sleeping with her?" Lavian stated mischievously "That would certainly make her look at you as a man~" Alicia sighed in defeat "You've been going on and on about this ever since morning." Ladd laughed as he took a swig of his ale "We could all arrange an inn room for you two." He winked at the machinist.
Ramza laughed heartily as he drank his milk, Mustadio slowly raised his head and he looked deep in thought.
"That may just work"
Alicia smacked a laughing Lavian in the head as Ladd nearly choked from his ale. Ramza shook his head and laughed along "Mayhap on her next birthday, yeah?"
A/N: Better luck next time, Mustadio.
Hope you guys had a nice read.
Good day and Cheerio.