Authors' Notes: And here we are again, starting up right where our first part ended. We hope that we're able to entertain and delight the lot of you as we did before, it will have made our efforts worthwhile.

Episode 1.2: The Die is Cast

While Giselle glared down at the gnome bard as he gestured towards his companions emphatically, Neria had to bite her tongue at the slightly offended look he threw at her longtime companion. "Oh come now, we're not that bad once you get to know us... more intimately."

And in typical Giselle fashion, she was completely unaffected by his attempt to charm her. If anything, the glare she was directing at Scanlan only deepened as she let her hands fall on the scimitars on her slender hips. "Your friends don't bother me, despite the fact they somehow tolerate your existence. Now leave us be, or I'll carve you a bloody smile."

"You wound me, dark enchantress." The bard replied and clutched at his chest, acting the part of mortally wounded party even though she hadn't touched a hair on his head, yet.

Neria found herself leaning towards the other, profusely blushing, blonde haired gnome while Giselle continued to glare darkly at the bard. "Was your odd friend dropped on his head as a child, or is he truly this idiotically brave?"

"I would dare to guess a bit of both." Pike whispered back in reply, enraptured by the sight of these two contrasting people trying to win over, or stare to death, the other.

Before a 'winner' could be had, Vax chose that moment to butt in by slapping a hand down on Scanlan's shoulder. "Alright then, enough of this shit. Apologise to the lady so we can get my obnoxious sister's shopping over with. No offense Gilmore." He was quick to say, to which the aforementioned proprietor waved off Vax's apology.

"None taken my good sir. So, now that that's out of the way, what can I do for you fine folks today? And why do most of you like you haven't slept for a week?" It was a good question, now that Giselle bothered to look past the annoying bard, and Neria's attention was similarly diverted to the group at large. The majority of them did indeed look like they had seen better days, beyond the muck, grime, and the gods knew what else covering their persons. Even the cheerful bard, who was the cleanest of the bunch, looked ready to drop if so much as a stiff breeze blew through the shop.

"We've had a very long week. We nearly died, multiple times." Keyleth, the two elves remembered, said as she clung to her intricately carved, vine covered staff, as if it were the only thing keeping her upright.

"Ah, one of those weeks eh?" Gilmore stated, understanding dawning on his face almost immediately. "Reminds me of this time I met these two halfing brothers... but that's a tale for another time. How may I assist you?"

"Oh we'll wait darling, we need a moment to sort out ourselves and get our shopping list sorted anyway. Go, help those two, they were here first anyway." Vex waved dismissively towards Neria and Giselle, the latter of which raised an eyebrow in slight surprise but said nothing to the ranger.

"We thank you kindly." Neria said for the both of them.

It was all the same to Gilmore, since business was business at the end of the day, so he shrugged and nodded to himself. "Very well."

Before Neria could begin to ask for anything, did someone decide it was the perfect time to make his presence known once more, despite the less than subtle hostility he'd been shown thus far. Gisele could barely contain her anger as the annoying little ass known as Scanlan shoved his way past them. "Excuse me, age before beauty and all that. Gilmore, I believe we should get first dibs on the quality goods, what with all that free publicly we throw your way."

"Um excuse me? Fuckstick? We were here first. I don't care if you polish the shelves with your ass." Giselle retorted sharply as she once more glared down at the smug bard that barely came up to her waist.

Proving his love for quick retorts and snappy one liners, Scanlan bowed and swept an invisible hat across his chest in a grand, theatrical bow before he said, "Why thank you, I'm quite happy you noticed my ass."

"Grog?" Vax let out a heavy sigh, and pointed to the arrogant gnome. "Would you kindly take Scanlan outside for a moment? Preferably before Gilmore's floors are stained with blood."

"Uh...alright. Come on Scanlan." Grog wasted no time in picking the bard gnome up by the back of his shirt without any effort on his part at all, but given the goliath's sheer size alone, let alone the strength to match, picking up the small humanoid was like watching a bear drag its cub about by the scruff of its neck.

While the goliath carried the bard away, Scanlan waved his little arms and legs dramatically about, all the while beseeching his cleric counterpart to save him. "Pike! Save me my love!"

"Sorry Scanlan." Pike muttered, even as Giselle and Neria saw her lips twitching in an effort not to laugh at the admittedly hilarious scene playing out before her. "He's so….tall." Only after Scanlan and Grog were gone, did Pike giggle into an armored gauntlet in an effort to muffle the sound.

"I'm going to look over whatever tomes or scrolls I can find. You two don't need any of those right?" The red haired elf druid asked even as she started talking shop with the herbalist. The most striking aspect about the elven woman at first glance was the crown of antlers resting atop the pale druid's long fiery shock of auburn hair. While her green and brown accented attire showed her love of earth tones, her deep blue eyes held a weariness that was at odds with her gentle, almost naive, nature. Ironic, since with her staff held by her side, she looked every inch a druidic.

"We're good." Neria reassured her before bowing gratefully to the group in handling their erstwhile friend. "I do apologize for any trouble we've caused you."

"Oh you needn't do that, every now and again we remind Scanlan he needs to behave himself." Percy was quick to reassure the wood elf cleric, and gently patted her on the arm. "It was overdue if you ask me."

Neria's flick of her blue eyes towards her, oftentimes extremely, over protective companion was sufficient to encourage Giselle to reshealth her partially drawn scimitar with a soft clack of metal. The subtle gesture, while missed by a few of the group, didn't go unnoticed by the twins, or Percy more due to his proximity than anything else, and he took a hesitant step back from Neria. The cleric sighed and gave Giselle a dirty look, which had the Drow holding her hands up in a placating gesture before the wood elf turned back to Percy, an apologetic gleam in her blue eyes. "Again I apologize, she means well, and there are few people I'd rather walk besides, but she can be a bit….overzealous at times."

"And you're not paranoid enough at times." Giselle was quick to shoot back. "Not to mention far too trusting of strange people." Despite her harsh sounding words though, the Drow's hard visage softened now that the annoying bard was no longer antagonizing her at every turn. "At least you lot seem alright for the most part, but we've had our share of trouble in the past from people that were grateful for our help at the time before they decided to try and stab us in the back later. So you can forgive my caution I'm sure."

"Oh we get it darling, trust us. We made the mistake of trusting a mind flayer not so long ago. Silly of us, I know, but I suppose you had to be there." Vex shrugged, sounding utterly nonchalant about the fact they had made an alliance with a mind flayer of all things.

"That might be so, but I'd have simply stabbed the mind flayer and been done with it. I know better than most what they are, and friends of any but their own race, they are not. Any alliances made with them are temporary, if you can ever say your interests are ever aligned in the first place." Those that knew even an inkling about the Underdark, where strange beings, like the mind flayers, or illthids, Drow, and more made their homes, knew better than to trust anything in the dark, lightless depths of the earth. Drow knew that truth better than most, and while Giselle hadn't been raised in the Underdark, she still knew her fair share about the place, where her kin still lived in abundance, forever trapped in their dark, vicious ways.

Having held his tongue save to have Grog carry Scanlan out, Vax chose that moment to break his silence even as he picked up a potion bottle, containing a thick, red viscous fluid that any adventurer worth their salt knew on sight. "Our goals were similar enough at the time, but you're right in what you say."

"That damnable Klorota, and here I thought we were becoming friends. Oh, I see the new copies of Arcane Spells for Dummies Vol5 have arrived." Just as Tiberius had started to fume at the betrayal that, to Giselle's mind, should have been obvious from the start, he changed his tune when his gaze fell on the books in question. He gave an amused harrumph in the back of his throat before moving on. "Never needed the books myself, I've always been good at mastering the arcane." He muttered under his breath, having taken to talking to himself, lost to his own thoughts as he was.

"Yes, we know, we know." Vex grumbled before shaking her head with a roll of her eyes as she headed up the stairs to the second floor. "The dragonborn likes to hear himself talk."

"I never noticed." Neria giggled as she followed after the ranger, having since let her eyes fall on a display case full of rings, amulets, and even a belt that she knew would fit Grog quite well. While it wasn't required, and the gift would be turned down if she brought it up, Neria had gotten it into her head that she needed to make a peace offering of sorts even if Scanlan's behavior and the subsequent need to be shown the door had been his own fault. It was just how she was, she hated causing trouble, even if it hadn't been her doing. She simply held herself to a higher standard, in some ways far too high if one were to ask Giselle's opinion on the topic.

"Your shadow seems to think I didn't notice her skulking up behind us. Rather possessive isn't she? I hope she makes up for it in bed." Vex mused, sidling up next to the cleric, who blushed but smiled at the comment.

"It has not been without effort on my part, to make the occasional offer, but alas, Giselle has remained the perfect friend in that regard." Neria replied as she waved over one of the few assistants in the shop before pointing to the belt on display.

Even as she negotiated a price, Vex continued her conversation with her far prettier, fully elven counterpart. A thoughtful look locked on her face, the ranger nodded and said, "Ah... but you wish otherwise. Just like my brother... wait forget I said that, would you?" She quickly said, to which Neria smiled a little wider and nodded. "Oh good, but my point stands."

Neria sighed heavily at that, but before she could say anything further, the wood elf held up an armored hand to stop Vex in her tracks. "Just because I wish it were different, does not mean I do not understand her reasoning for not taking me up on the offer. We've been friends for so long, she likely sees me as a sister that she never had rather than someone she could ever comfortably share a bed with beyond the need for warmth. And we've had to do just that a couple times, but that's a tale for another day."

"But I'd bet you enjoyed it none the less." Neria didn't respond aloud, but the blush and the gleam in her blue eyes told Vex enough. She chuckled warmly and nudged the woman in the side. "I thought so, darling. But I'll let the matter drop. Besides, I'm surprised she hasn't said anything about our little conversation by now."

Neria looked up then, and was a little surprised herself when she saw that Giselle was nowhere in sight. "That's….unusual. She rarely leaves my side for any reason when we're in a city like this."

"I think I saw her and Vax, along with Percy, head upstairs with Gilmore." Keyleth said, having finished with the herbalist about that time, and had since moved to another section of the shop with Tiberius in hot pursuit. The dragonborn had a heavy looking bundle of books in his arms, and looked about ready to lose the lot all over the storeroom floor as he scanned the pages of the book on the top of the stack.

"Thank you, perhaps I should check on her before the inevitable ensues." Neria replied with a chuckle, not about to tell them how strange it felt not to have Giselle by her side.

Before she got two feet though, having decided not to buy the belt after all, Keyleth gently intercepted her, a question on her lips that Neria had a feeling she knew before she got it out into the room. "Um...I do not mean to pry-"

"Yes you do." Vex corrected her.

Keyleth went on as if she hadn't heard the interruption. "-but how did you two meet, anyway? I don't think I've ever seen a Drow traveling on the surface before, let alone heard one being friends with….well, one of us."

Neria sighed, having answered this question many times before by those much like Keyleth. "It's a very long, and somewhat tragic tale, but the short of it is that her family has lived on the surface for a very long time, so her ties to the Underdark, those that bear the dark skin and darker hearts of their kin, are only that, skin deep. She is as much wood elven as I am. But as for how we met personally, I saved her life after a dragon hunt went awry."

"She hunted a dragon? By herself?" Keyleth asked in utter disbelief.

"No, nothing like that." Neria replied and shook her head, a smile tugging at her lips despite the sad turn that her tale would take before the end. "She was part of a group, and while they were successful, it wasn't without cost. She was severely injured, and the cleric they had in the group was killed, so the best they could do was patch her up and get her down to the nearest temple. The temple I happened to be a part of."

"Really? It sounds like you were fated to meet." Pike stated, more than a little admiration audible in her voice, let alone visible on her pretty face as she looked up towards Neria. A soft, golden glow seemed to radiate from the stout gnome cleric that had little to do with her perpetually happy nature or her shining blue and silver armor. Her flowing blonde hair, wrangled in by a practical ponytail, only added to the effect. While her rosy hued cheeks spoke to her cheerful, yet humble, attitude. But most noticeable of all were her pale blue eyes, which refused to see the world around her in anything less than a hopeful light.

"You know, we killed a white dragon once. Sorry, shutting up now." Vex quickly said when Pike, Neria, and Keyleth gave her a collection of looks that ranged between slightly annoyed, to puzzled, to exasperated, in that order.

Turning to Pike, Neria shrugged but smiled at the thought that had crossed her mind more than once. "I have often wondered the same thing myself. The gods do work in mysterious ways, as you no doubt know well, Pike."

"Indeed I do." As the words left her mouth, the gnome's right hand gently wrapped around a pendant she wore around her neck. A pendant that, in the shape of a pair of gold, angelic like wings, Neria could have sworn had a crack in it, but she didn't get a good enough look at it to be certain.

"It truly is an honor to meet a devotee of Sarenrae. Her followers seem to be few in number these days, but not in quality of character." it was then that Neria gently clasped her fingers around her own holy symbol, and closed her blue eyes as a whisper left her lips. "At least you are not alone however..."

"What do you mean, darling?" Neria gave a little yelp, having forgotten that Vex had been standing at her side. When she saw Pike and Keyleth giving her similarly curious and concerned, expectant, looks, the wood elf knew she couldn't so easily get out of this conversation without being rude.

Meanwhile…..

Giselle, against her better judgment, had decided to trust those on the first floor as she followed Percy, Gilmore, and Vax upstairs to the second floor, where a number of arms and armor were on display. While she wasn't looking for herself, it was still nice to browse, and besides, it gave her an excuse to learn more about the people that her….darker nature had found unhealthily fascinating. That and as loathe as she was to admit it, she found the gray haired human at her side strangely fascinating for some reason, beyond whatever it was that had drawn her eye initially. It was almost as if she could sense a familiar darkness pervading the man. "So, what's your story?" She asked point blank, both in an effort to break the silence, and to stop thinking about whatever burden he was keeping to himself as she was keeping her own, earning a confused look from the self proclaimed gunslinger.

"Oh, you meant me. Uh, what did you want to know?" Percy asked, now that she had gotten his attention and had had a moment to return to the present himself, having gotten lost in his own thoughts.

"Whatever you're willing to share. I know better than most secrets are kept for a reason." Giselle said as she shrugged her shoulders. Rangers had their own level of secrecy just by their very natures of being generally isolationist if they chose to keep to the wild places of the world. She was no different in that sense, but when it became necessary to head to a city or a town for one reason or another, she kept her stay short and to the point as much as possible. Still, that didn't mean she wasn't friendly, she just didn't go out of her way to make friends beyond the few she had. But, in this case, she was willing to make an exception.

"That is very wise of you." Percy offered noncommittally, before attempting to change the subject by letting his eyes fall on a nearby display case. "Ah, what beautiful workmanship, Gilmore what does this ring do?"

"As you can clearly see on the label, it allows the wearer to detect falsehoods and other treachery." Giselle had to stifle a chuckle with a cough when she saw Percy blush at having missed the sign just beneath the ring in question. Gilmore gave the man an amused smirk before turning his gaze to her. "Perhaps the lady would like to examine it?"

"I think I'll manage without it Gilmore." Giselle replied with an amused shake of her head before nudging Percy in the side none too gently with her bony elbow. "Come on, you're stalling. Talk or I walk."

"Are you always this persuasive?" Vax asked, his attention having fallen on a rather keen looking dagger. While he didn't look over his shoulder, the soft little grin in his voice was still audible to her sharp, elven hearing.

"I could be rougher, but I'm trying to restrain the impulse. I won't even bother trying to get you to talk though, rogue." Vax did look over his shoulder then, and casually flicked his wrist. When he did, one of the daggers on his belt seemed to jump to his hand, or it had always been there, even she wasn't sure, but he tucked it back into his belt with another casual flick of his wrist.

"And don't you forget it, ranger." He shot back, his little grin having taken over his whole face at that point. Turning to Percy, the rogue met the gunslinger's gaze and flicked his eyes over to the Drow, silently telling him to start talking. "Come on, she asked you a question Percy. Best not to keep a lady waiting."

"Right, because you have such a stellar track record yourself." Percy deadpanned, muttering under his breath, just quiet enough that Vax didn't hear him, but the Drow at his side did. Giselle did her best not to laugh aloud, and instead bit her tongue at the banter between the obviously old friends. Noticing her valiant effort not to laugh, Percy smiled and felt his cheeks redden. "Yes, we're always like this. This is actually pretty mild. Just...take my word for it."

Giselle, having finally gotten the impulse to burst into fits of laughter under control, chuckled instead and nodded before crossing her arms over her lightly armored chest. Leaning against the display case she had been looking over, the Drow's almond eyes turned wistful as her mind went back to the days she had had a group of close companions much like the ones around her now, before they had taken a job involving a red dragon that hadn't ended well for any of them. Shaking off the memories, both painful and pleasant alike, the ranger sighed and patted the gunslinger on the shoulder. "Friends like yours are rare indeed, even if they might drive you insane at times with their assorted eccentricities. My advice? Hold onto them, for you never know what tomorrow might bring."

From the looks she got from Percy and Vax, the Drow got the distinct impression that they already knew that from hard learned experience during their travels. Still, the knowing gleam in the spectacled human's gaze made her feel both relief and a bit of sorrow that he understood exactly what she was telling him. "Well, considering we actually lost Pike some time ago, before we managed to revive her with some divine intervention on our side, let alone our latest near brush with death fighting a beholder, you aren't telling me anything I don't already know. Still, your advice is welcome."

It was then, unbeknownst to Giselle, that the gunslinger's earing filled with Vex's voice. She did frown a little in curiosity when the man at her side looked away and tapped at the earring she could see just visible beneath his gray locks. "Percy, listen carefully darling, tell her her skin glisens like a starry night sky, that her hair is the color of celestial moonlight."

"Your advice I can do without." Percy tersely whispered, subtly cupping a hand over his right ear.

While she found it strange he was cupping his ear, what he said had Giselle pushing away from the display case with an angry huff. "Fine then human, I won't waste anymore of my time giving you any."

Her temper cooled somewhat when Percy jerked upright and blushed furiously in confusion before recognition dawned in his eyes. "Wait, what? Oh that, that wasn't meant towards-" He didn't get to finish before Scanlan, having heard the entire conversation, decided to chime in through his own earring.

"Grog put me down! This is an emergency, I'm helping Vex get Percy laid. Thank you. Now then, Percival, say this, I beg your forgiveness for my foolishness, for I am stunned by the mere presence of such a radiant beauty before me."

Percy couldn't help flinching slightly at the disgusted gagging noise Vex was currently making in his ear. To make matters worse, Giselle was now glaring at him suspiciously as he instinctively took a step back. "I don't think I want to be saying that, you can't see the look she's giving me right now."

Raising a silver eyebrow, she took a sharp breath inward when she finally caught onto what was going on. When she did, Giselle none too gently grabbed Percy's ear, before she tapped at the man's earring despite his muttered complaints about her rough handedness, saying, "Stay out of our conversation."

"Percy, you lucky bastard, sounds like the rumors about drow are right after all."

"Ow, ow, ow. You don't have to rip my ear off. And Scanlan, you're not helping right now." Percy winced as Giselle finaly let go of his ear with an apologetic glance before her face morphed into an increasingly familiar dark glare that she directed at the stairwell leading back to the ground floor.

"Excuse me, I need to gut your friend now."

"Please don't, he might be an irritating little shit, but he does mean well….most of the time." Vax chimed in, having since stepped up to do his part in protecting said 'shit' and Percy, although the latter didn't seem to be in any immediate danger, save for where she had grabbed at his ear.

Giselle turned and directed her narrow eyed glare on the rogue next. "Give me one good reason."

"How about five hundred reasons?" Vax asked, his tone slightly more hopeful than he actually felt.

"Brother, you better not be thinking what I think you're thinking."

"Only 500 Vax?! I Feel so cheated."

"Are you seriously trying to bribe her?" Percy asked, aghast at the very idea that they were bartering for their friend's life.

"That's a good question, are you trying to bribe me?" Giselle asked, her tone having dropped to a cold, menacing whisper as her brown eyes lit up ominously about the same time.

Vax wasn't intimidated easily though, and crossed his arms over his chest as he took a step forward for good measure. "Granted, Scanlan could use with being humbled by someone like you, but he is still my friend. As such, if you wish to do him harm, you're going to have to go through me first, and I doubt Grog will stand idle either. In fact, I'm pretty sure most of our group will happily step in if the need arises. Now I don't know what you're capable of, but you seem smarter than the average moron we run into." He was about to say more, but was cut off quite effectively when a scimitar blade stopped just short of his neck in the next moment.

Giselle had to blink and cock her head a little to the side, surprised by how unmoving the rogue was proving to be. She only glanced over her shoulder when Percy drew out one of the strange weapons on his person with nearly as much speed as her sword had flashed from its scimitar, and pointed it at the back of her head. Unintimidated by the show of force, she chose instead to look directly at Vax. "I'm shocked you lived past puberty."

"Mostly my charming good looks, but it helps to have a sister with a pet bear."

"Your loyalty is impressive, I will give you that." With a casual flick of her wrist, the blade she had drawn was back in its sheath and away from Vax's throat. With a small nod from the rogue, Percy also raised his metallic weapon's open end to the ceiling before tucking it back into its holster on his hip. "It's good to know your trust in each other extends so far."

"Well that got out of hand quickly, I used to be able to truthfully say I would never point a weapon at a woman." Percy sighed and ran his hands down his face with an exhausted groan.

"I wasn't worried." Gilmore mused aloud, having remained perfectly calm during the entire exchange. When all eyes fell on the proprietor, he shrugged and smiled knowingly at the group. "Please, she never had any intention of harming a hair on your head. I doubt we'd be talking if she had had a mind to give you a close shave."

"He's got a point," Giselle agreed as her hard glare softened and she was able to smirk at the two of them, "although I don't think I've seen anyone quick draw like that before. Just what are those weapons of yours Percy?" She asked, having since turned to face the man as her eyes fell on the smaller of the two metallic, long tubed weapons with their strange, unusual design that made little sense or reason to her. If she'd have made a guess though, she'd have said they were some kind of crossbow, but even that was a bit of a stretch.

"Here we go." Vax muttered sarcastically and rolled his eyes as he started away to anothe rpart of the second floor.

"Kindly stuff it Vax. Oh these marvelous little devices?" Percy said with glee as he pulled out his Pepper Box, the smaller of the two, and Bad News, which he placed on the display case they'd been standing beside, always ready to show off the fruits of his rather explosive genius. "I tinker, invent things, and these have served me quite well."

Giselle's eyes lit up as she put the pieces together, and her smile widened a little as understanding came to her. Gingerly taking Pepper Box from Percy's hand when he held it out to her, she raised an eyebrow when she saw a number of names carved into the barrel of the gun. She didn't ask about them, but she got the impression they were important for some reason as she turned the rather intricately, and beautifully crafted, weapon between her dexterous fingers. "Ah, I see, so you're an engineer of sorts. I guess the gnomes I've ran into back home aren't the only ones into the mechanical sciences."

"Oh trust me, they have nothing on me."

She chuckled at that as she flicked the gun about so that the handle was pointed towards Percy once more, although it would have been a simple matter to shoot him with his own weapon if she had had a mind. Still, that didn't stop her from pointing out the obvious flaw in his handing over his preferred weapon to her, a near complete stranger. "I see, and are you always in such a rush to stroke your ego that you leave yourself defenseless to impress someone?"

"Not always, I also have this." Percy casually put an old, worn short sword on the display case as well. "I know how to use a blade well enough on the off chance the worst happens, and I find myself without my guns."

"Clever man. Having a reliable backup shows you've had that happen before."

"Gods, more than I'd care to admit." Percy groaned, and Giselle got the impression that he was indeed speaking from experience in this regard. Experiences that had likely left a bad taste in his mouth, or had put his team in mortal danger because of his questionally reliable weaponry.

Giselle nose wrinkled in disgust when she noticed the rust on the blade however. "You might have favor your guns, but the least you could do is take care of your sword. Rust? There's no excuse for that, not if you're as clever as you claim yourself to be."

Vax chuckled into a leather gloved hand at that. "She's got your number Percy."

The gunslinger wasn't so amused, keeping his gaze on Giselle while he addressed the rogue. "Shut up Vax. Go do roguish things that don't involve interrupting us."

"Alright, but hurry up, we're leaving soon as we get our shit together. I don't know about you, but I need a bath and a hot meal. I don't plan to stick around, even if I have to drag Vex away by her ear." Wasting no time, Vax, having since spotted the items he was after behind the glass of various display cases, had Gilmore assist him in getting his few purchases squared away before heading downstairs.

Percy and Giselle meanwhile, shrugged, and watched him go before the Drow scratched the back of her neck as a sheepish grin pulled at her lips. "Well, I guess we better hurry up ourselves then."

"Quite right." Gathering up Bad News, Percy put it back into its holster on his back before gesturing to the stairs. "After you."

"And they say chivalry's dead. At least with you I don't have to worry about you leering at my ass." She stated as she started for the stairwell heading back down to the main floor.

"If it's any consolation, it is a rather attractive sight." The light peal of laughter Percy's comment got out of the ranger had the gunslinger smiling at her back, and briskly followed in her wake.

Meanwhile...

Pike couldn't help but look at her elven counterpart inquisitively as Neria held up the rather….ugly belt for the sales assistant she was talking to regarding its price. It seemed after the incident upstairs, she had decided to err on the side of caution after all, and give one of the group a peace offering for her friend's rather sharp reaction towards Vax and Percy over Scanlan's big mouth. "Do you really think he'll like this, after all it's meant for a dwarf."

"Are you kidding? It's a big ugly belt, practically screams goliath fashion statement." Scanlan cheerfully stated and spread his arms for emphasis. "Trust me, you can't go wrong with that, especially given the number of enchantments on the thing."

"Quite generous of you, if I may say so. Shall I have the item wrapped?"

"No need." Keyleth muttered, echoing what the rest of the group was already thinking.

"He'll love it," Pike reassured the group at large, before her beaming smiled faded almost as quickly when she laid eyes on Neria once more, "but I still say we should repay you."

"Don't be so hasty Pike, it's the least she can do after her friend threatened my dear brother." Vex retorted, her displeased tone alone making it abundantly clear she was a bit sore over having her brother almost beheaded, no matter the reason behind it.

No sooner had the words left the ranger's mouth did Grog stomp over to the display case, having missed Neria completely, and glared darkly at where the belt had resided until a few minutes ago. With a frustrated growl, the goliath spun on his heel, and declared to the room, "What the ell?! Where'd that shiny belt go? I swear I'm gonna rip out the spine of whoever stole my..." Grog somehow managed to look embarrassed despite his fearsome, towering goliath physique, when Neria held up the belt to him with a satisfied grin. "D'awww….you didn't." He gushed, and chuckled like a kid in a candy store as he took the offered item from the elf's outstretched hands.

"I think he likes it." Neria giggled softly to Pike, who only grinned warmly up at the happy goliath before them as he quickly donned the magical item.

"Making peace offerings, why am I not surprised?" Vex was the first to see the amused Drow ranger standing on the stairwell as she and Percy came down with a quietly smirking Gilmore bringing up the rear. Ignoring the annoying bard as he gave her and Percy a pair of enthusiastic thumbs up, Giselle sighed and stopped before Vex. "I had no intention of harming a hair on your brother's head, just so you know."

"Wait, who harmed Vax? Not that he probably didn't deserve it." A confused Tiberius sputtered as he was distracted from his reading.

"No one, today at least." Scanlan informed him with a slightly disappointed shrug. Having said that, he glanced up at the two rangers as they stared the other down, before whispering out the side of his mouth to Keyleth. "I can't decide if I want to put money on that fight in the making or not."

"No one's fighting anyone today." Vax deadpanned with an annoyed huff escaping him before he pushed the two women apart and turning to Vex as he did. "You need to calm your tits, sis. She apologized, and nothing happened anyway save for some slight measuring of metaphorical dicks."

"Awww, not even one sexy cat fight?! You're totally ruining the mood Vax."

"Shut up Scanlan." Vax retorted and turned to Giselle next when Vex blew out an annoyed breath and threw her hands up and walking away, Trinket hot on her heels as she left the shop altogether. Vax shook his head before addressing the ranger that had yet to move an inch. "She'll get over it."

Giselle shrugged and nodded, not about to argue about over spilled milk. There was no point, what was done was done. "It's not the worst thing I've had to deal with."

"It is quite refreshing to see she cares so much." Neria chimed in, hoping to lighten the mood, at least a little.

It worked, as was proven by Scanlan a moment later. "So, where are you staying in our fine city, if I may ask?"

"Of course." Neria replied cheerfully, and was about to speak further, except she was muffled by a leather gloved hand covering her mouth the very next instant.

"You can ask." Giselle muttered flicking Neria a warning glare. The wood elf sighed and visibly seemed to sag a little, which had her companion mentally groaning at the downtrodden look in her light blue eyes. Pulling her hand away, Giselle sighed heavily since it always made her feel like an ass, making Neria upset for any reason. "Fine."

She perked up almost immediately at that, and promptly let her brightening gaze fall on the group around her before saying, "It's a rather nice little inn called-"

"Journey's End? Good gods that place is always robbing tourists and newcomers blind." Vex grumbled with a roll of her eyes, having since entered Gilmore's shop once more now that she was no longer angry and looking to gouge out someone's eyes from their head.

"The Cloudtop District place we found is no better than some of the rat infested places we've visited huh? Good to know." Giselle grumbled, although how Vex knew where they were staying was a mystery to her. Lucky guess most likely, especially since they had been allowed into the Cloudtop in the first place. "Great, well I know where we're not staying tonight."

"But we paid for a room already." Neria pouted, more upset over the news their place of temporary residence had such a bad reputation rather than the fact they had lost money from a bad deal.

"Our loss then." Giselle grumbled, far more annoyed that they had lost good coin.

"Let me guess, you asked around and everyone told you they had the best rates in the Cloudtop. Sniveling little shits conned me out of fifty gold coins." Vex growled out, and Giselle got the distinct impression that the half elven ranger was the group's go to person when it came to their finances. Given her angry tirade over the loss of good coin, it was the only logical conclusion in Giselle's mind.

"Gee, never heard that one before sis." Vax's comment only confirmed the Drow's suspicions on that point. "Well, since you're now officially out of a place to sleep from the sounds of it, you could always come to our keep."

"You have a keep?! How in the gods name did you pull that off?" Neria exclaimed, instantly drawn to the idea of visiting their keep.

Giselle however, wasn't so easily sold, especially when she saw Scanlan's hopeful grin on his face. "No." She stated flatly.

"But Giselle-."

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Remember that one night in Westruun when you-" Neria once more hand a hand over her mouth, except now the dark glow to the Drow's cheeks had more than a few curious glances being directed at the pair.

"Say another word, and they'll never find your body." Despite the threat, the wood elf just smirked in triumph as Giselle pulled back, knowing she'd won this round. With an irritated, and embarrassed growl escaping her, the ranger turned her back to her long time friend. "Fine….fine, just know I don't approve of this."

"I couldn't approve more." Scanlan retorted, with something approaching pure awe in his twinkling brown eyes. Even when the Drow ranger glared down at him, the twinkle in his eye and the wide grin on his face didn't falter in the slightest.

"Yep, we're gonna regret this." Giselle muttered under her breath.

Greyskull Keep

"We might have a problem." Giselle whispered to Vex as they went up to the front entrance of the rather well put together, if small, castle devoted to the group they had somehow fallen in with, her brown eyes falling on one of the half orcs patrolling the walls, a heavy crossbow slung across his back. Vex didn't miss the way Neria's blue eyes followed after the man, or the way they seemed….almost hollowed out, trapped in an old memory better left alone.

"Long story?" Vex asked, before gingerly putting a hand on Neria's shoulder. She hardly batted an eyelash when the full blooded elf jumped and her hand immediately shot for the sword on her hip, but Vex was the quicker as she gently but firmly grasped the cleric's hand. "Easy darling, it's just us."

Blinking her eyes rapidly, confusion etched into her face, Neria slowly came back to herself and gave her head a vigorous shake before she looked down, and saw her hand going for her sword. She immediately jerked away from Vex's grasp, her cheeks turning beat red as she bowed her head deeply. "I-I'm sorry."

"What? The hell was that about?" Grog asked, and looked up to the wall in question before scratching his bald head in bewilderment.

"I think it's better we don't ask." Scanlan said, surprising more than a few people with his sudden burst of sympathy and concern, at least the first one that Giselle had seen from him that wasn't laced with some kind of sexual advance or innuendo. "Maybe it might be best if certain staff avoid our guests, let's leave it at that shall we?"

"O-kay?" Grog said, still puzzled as to why everyone was suddenly walking on eggshells. "I don't get it."

"It's alright Grog, we'll explain it to you later." Pike reassured him even as her gaze fell on Neria's back. If she noticed her concerned, almost penetrative look, the wood elf didn't respond as she walked on with Giselle once more hovering over her like a protective mother hen.

"Percy, you seem to have gotten along with both of them well enough. Why don't you show our guests to their quarters?" Vex offered gingerly, although when Percy looked her way, he knew without having to ask that it wasn't a suggestion.

Mentally shrugging his shoulders, Percy knew when to just go with the flow. Besides, he'd seen how one of their guests had reacted to just a glimpse of one of their half orc friends they kept on staff. There was a small problem though, which he tried to pass off as a simple observation on his part. "Of course, oh I just realized we only have the one guest roo-"

"We'll take it." Giselle stated with such force that Percy didn't bother arguing the point further.

"Alright then….uh, follow me then." Patiently leading the pair up one of the nearby spiral stairs, Percy only stopped when they had reached the modest guest bedroom, gesturing down the hall behind them. "If you need anything, feel free to knock on my door right over there. Our servants will also be more than happy to accommodate any need you may have."

"I appreciate it greatly, but….some time alone would help the most." It was the first thing Neria had said, outside of apologizing to Vex for almost drawing her sword. Still, the worried look he saw on Giselle's face as she stared at the cleric's armored back as she stood, her head bowed low, in the doorway of the guest bedroom, made him wonder just what they had gotten themselves into this time.

"Right then, well sleep tight. I can assure you you're perfectly safe under our roof. Good night."

"You'll forgive me if I ask one of the guards to stand outside all the same." Giselle stated, but she offered Percy a momentary, heartfelt look before gently shutting the door in his face. The gunslinger stood in the hallway for several long seconds before he heard quiet sobbing on the other side of the wooden door.

Knowing better than to linger, he walked away as quietly as he could, and rolled his eyes when he saw Grog, Scanlan, Keyleth, and Pike peering around the edge of the wall at the end of the hall, all of their faces locked with curiosity or downright concerned for their new guests. Under normal circumstances, Percy would have found the sight exceedingly amusing, but he wasn't so insensitive as to approve of some of his friends' attempt on spying on their new house guests. As such, he let out an annoyed grunt as he crossed his arms over his chest and looked down his nose at Grog, Scanlan, and Keyleth. Pike at least he understood why she'd be so worried she'd partake in such a dubious activity alongside the other three, so he wasn't upset with her, but the others weren't so fortunate in this case. "I'm going to take a wild guess and say you heard most of that."

"Most." Pike admitted with a guilty nod.

"I get it now." Grog quietly growled, his eyes simmering with an all too familiar rage. While the goliath's eyes hadn't started to glow blood red just yet, those that knew him were certain it wouldn't take much to send him into a full on rage as he clenched his massive hands into bloodless fists. "The pretty one had something happen to her involving orcs didn't she?"

Percy was taken aback by the rather astute observation from the last person he expected it from, and he wasn't the only one as Scanlan and Keyleth looked up at the goliath in slight surprise. "That would….be a close guess I'd imagine." Percy said once he had gotten over his mild surprise. Turning to regard the door, the gunslinger all but whispered his next words. "I hope they'll be alright in there. Maybe we should have let them be instead of inviting them over?"

Pike walked up then and put a hand on his arm before shaking her head. "Don't say that Percy, I'm sure things'll be alright in the morning. Besides, we could always ask if they want to go with us to Vasselheim if you're really worried."

"Right, and tell them what exactly as to why we're heading across the Ozmit Ocean? 'Hey, want to help us seal away an evil fucking horn we picked up from a mad beholder we killed in the Underdark?' Yeah….I don't think that conversation will go over well. Besides, we might have started a war between Kraghammer and whatever we left alive in the mind flayer temple. I'd avoid us like the plague."

Any further discussion was halted instantly when they glanced over behind poor Percy to see Giselle giving them her best go the fuck away glower from the partially open door before quietly shutting it. Scanlan summed up the situation nicely a moment later, when he quietly whispered, "I think that was our cue to go."

"Gee you think?" Percy grumbled, but looked over his shoulder towards the door one last time that night before he and the rest of his friends wandered downstairs as quietly as they could. The only exception to this was Pike and her ever present clanking in her full plate armor, but even that was unusually quiet, for once.

Giselle for her part couldn't help but smile despite her earlier misgivings about being in this strange place, surrounded by stranger people. Well, stranger than most they had come across, but in their case, it was an endearing trait, something she could get used to, provided they stuck around long enough to get to know them. Once she was sure they were gone, she turned to see Neria wiping at her red and puffy eyes with her slender, sun kissed skinned hands, having already gotten the worst of her near breakdown from earlier taken care of behind closed doors.

Sitting next to her wood elf companion on the single bed that was just big enough for them both, Neria smiled tiredly as she leaned into her side as Giselle wrapped an arm around her waist, allowing her to lean against her more comfortably. "They only meant well, no need to intimidate them. I have a good feeling about them. And before you say how often my instincts get us in trouble-"

"Good feeling or not, they should learn to respect our privacy. I don't go around eavesdropping on them, they should do the same." Taking a breath though, Giselle's hard visage softened as she ran through Neria's tightly bound amber locks. It didn't take much to undo the bun the cleric kept her hair in, and with a few gentle, and precise, pulls on the bindings, Neria's beautiful brown hair fell down her hair in waves of shimmering amber. "But if it makes you feel better, I agree with you. They might be a bit eccentric, but they seem like good people. Even that fucking bard isn't so bad once you get used to the little turd."

"Smitten, are we?" Neria taunted her with a choked laugh.

"With that shallow little piece of shit? I think I'd rather kiss a spider first." Giselle retored with an exasperated grunt before she stood to her feet, away from the bed so her friend could get ready for bed at her own pace.

"Wasnt talking about Scanlan." Neria chuckled and glanced up at Giselle from beneath amber locks before turning her blue eyes to the task of getting her armor off, starting with her boots. It wasn't long before she was letting out a relieved groan as the metallic, protective, well traveled boots fell to the side with a pair of heavy, slightly resounding clangs. "Oh...that feels better."

"You need to lay down, you're clearly getting delusional from lack of rest." The drow muttered as she began removing her own leather armor. Pulling out a simple white, leather shirt and a pair of brown leather breeches, without the added armored padding, it didn't take much for the ranger to change before she too undid her ponytail, allowing the silver, lustrous locks to fall over her shoulders in much the same way Neria was allowing hers to breathe.

"Whatever you say Giselle." Neria replied, still smiling teasingly up at her old friend as she started on the rest of her gear. Unlike her friend however, Neria didn't bother pulling out another shirt or pants, preferring to sleep in nothing but her small clothes, although it wasn't unheard of for the wood elf to sleep 'skyclad', that is to say with nothing at all save whatever blankets she chose to wrap around herself during the night. But for this night, she decided to err, slightly, on the side of caution given their current situation.

Despite the number of times she had seen Neria, with or without clothes on, she still couldn't help but admire the beautiful woman she had come to appreciate above all others, save for one. She knew how lucky she was to have found the wood elven cleric when she had, to have gained her friendship as she had when she had needed it most. The Drow knew she wouldn't have made it half as far as she had if not for her at her side. The good feeling faded though when a familiar, dark presence made its opinion known once more, laughing mockingly in the recesses of her being that it had been pushed to once already. It wouldn't be silenced so easily this time however.

Ahh, another you will inspire to follow you, only to be killed by your selfish ambition. Like all the others you have failed. You're a fool if you think there's a happy ending waiting for you at the end of your life.

"-elle! Giselle!" Blinking rapidly, it wasn't until Giselle's vision returned that she saw that Neria had her hands on her shoulders, her face only a few inches away from her.

"Wha….what'd I do?" She asked, suddenly very afraid that she had done something horrible during her momentary lapse. It had been years since the last time she had slipped up in that sense, but it was not something Giselle liked to think about.

"Nothing, nothing happened, you just blanked out for a moment." Neria reassured her, and relaxed the grip she had on the Drow's shoulders, only to follow her long time friend to the floor as Giselle's legs gave out on her and she slid down the wall behind her.

"Gods….I don't know how much more of this I can take, Neria. Anytime I blackout….I'm afraid of what I'll wake up to….if I wake up." Giselle whimpered into the crook of Neria's neck as she joined her on the floor. Just like that, their roles had changed, from Neria being the supportive one out of the two.

"I know, I know." She whispered, and it was Neria's turn to wrap her arms around her visibly shaken friend.

"You need to leave me before this gets any worse. Let me go before I hurt you, I'd never forgive myself." Giselle started to look away, only for Neria to put a hand on her cheek, keeping her looking right into the cleric's face despite her desire to look away.

"You should know by now that I'll never leave you to fight alone against this thing, Giselle. You're stuck with me, even if we were not trapped in a world not our own. I will never, ever, leave your side, no matter what happens, so never ask me to leave again. And don't even think to try to leave my side, because I'll simply track you down, alone, if I must." Giselle could only look up into Neria's hard set face, before a grateful, solitary tear rolled down her black cheek. The cleric smiled and gently wiped away the tear with the pad of her thumb before a holy, divine, white light started to pour off of the cleric and into Giselle's body. The warmth brought on by the Greater Restoration was all encompassing, coupled with Neria's natural compassion and sympathy for her plight.

When it was over, and she was able to open her eyes without fear of going blind from the light Neria had generated during her casting, Giselle managed a watery smile in response. "Alright, I won't try and run, if only for your glowing personality."

Neria rolled her eyes as she helped Giselle to her feet. "If only I could heal your terrible sense of humor as easily. Oh well, even divine intervention is only capable of so much."

"Ain't that the truth?" Giselle replied, the smile on her face morphing slightly into a grin before it faded completely. "Thank you, for not listening to me, as usual."

Neria's full lips pulled up into a sad, but warm smile as she gently ran a hand across her friend's face, cupping her cheek. "I live to serve, but more importantly, we're friends, and friends stick together no matter what." Despite what she had said to Vex, in times like these, where Giselle was so shaken up as she was now, it reminded Neria that any relationship they might have had would not have been built on solid ground. It didn't change her feelings for the Drow ranger, but it was a sobering thought to know that there was some otherworldly curse attached to her friend, and it had been there for a very long time. It was all she could do to keep her friend from giving into her despair when she had suffered a near miss with her curse taking over, let alone when it actually had the few times it had done in the past.

Damn straight Neria, proud of you girl.

Neria couldn't help flinching slightly at the approving male voice that had spoken in her mind, but given what Giselle had just suffered, she decided not to trouble her with it.

And Pike, stop listening next to the door before I make you roll a stealth check. With disadvantage.

Pike let out a surprised, but thankfully muffled, yelp as she slapped her hands over her mouth before doing her best to walk as quietly, but as quickly, as she could. She did cock her head to the side however since she had never heard of a 'stealth roll with disadvantage', but decided not to push her luck more than she had, deciding a quick exit was the better idea lest their two guests discover her in the hallway. What she had overheard had given her a lot to think about anyway, as had the use of a Greater Restoration spell no less. Something was obviously wrong with the woman's friend, and her heart went out to the pair.

It was only after the hallway was completely deserted and devoid of any of the keep's residents did a figure in a purple robe, the hood pulled low over the man's face, appear as if he'd always been there. Giving the guest bedroom an amused, sidelong smirk, he stared down the hallway where Pike had just quietly walked down before he disappeared in a burst of purple light.

I think they've made good progress already, don't you dear readers?

End Notes: Vergil1989: EPIC FOURTH WALL BREAK FOR THE WIN! Lol joking aside, as you can see, Mercer is lurking about, doing what he does best. Mucking about in his 'pawns' lives' as he sees fit in his godlike power, like usual. You can thank Archer83 for the idea that Mercer has taken a more 'direct' role in this particular tale. Anyway, hope to hear from you guys and gals in the review section, and we'll see you next time. Peace!