REFORGING THE EDGE

Summary: Tiffany writes down everything she can remember about the personal storyline. The next morning, Tiffany and Fiona discuss a plan for bringing Logan and Rytlock together. It is begun when the sisters visit Logan Thackeray in his office. Afterward, they head to the Chantry of Secrets, where Vriré has a new mission for them. An alternative to the word 'whatever' is discussed.

Chapter ten: Mesmer (See Also: Cheater)

Author's Notes:

I am SO sorry for the loong delay! On that note, seasons greetings! Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, etc. (They took up a lot of my time the last few weeks or two!)

And also, because I realized something. Guild Wars 2 exists in Virtual Reality! O_o It made me think how AMAZING that would be. Just think about it. And then, I realized that's what Tiffany and Fiona are doing every freaking day. And that they didn't have nearly as much of an awesome reaction as they should have upon entering Tyria. How could I omit that? How could I have been so stupid?

And also… you've all read those books where the name of the book is completely irrelevant until the end of the book, right? Like, you have no idea what the name of the book means until the very end. (Honestly, the Eye of the World I didn't get the name until somebody explained it to me, three books later.) So anyway, I've always wondered why anyone would name a book something that has no meaning until the end. (Honestly, though, the Eye of the World was the only thing that the Eye of the World could have been named, so… got me there.) But… *sigh*… I'm afraid that's what this book will be. Of course, we all know what United We Stand signifies, but it'll be a long time.

Chapter name is because mesmers are just too OP! I'm having to try harder than you'll ever know to stop Fiona from doing her thingy and Elder Dragons just go boom. I mean, think how different this story would be if Fiona wasn't a mesmer! Think about it! And it's just revealed even more as not just combat-cheating-ness, hence the name. You'll see.

Okay, here's the story now:

That night, Tiffany and Fiona exchange information about their day, and Fiona agrees that skimming Edge of Destiny for reminders and hints is a good idea.

The two sisters skip reading a bit of the book that night in favor of refreshing their memory. As only one of them needs to do this, and Tiffany needs to write down the things she doesn't want to forget, Fiona refreshes herself on the book.

Tiffany's recollections are scarce at first, but she remembers more as she thinks on the subject. She quickly jots down everything in English - she hasn't done much writing in Tyria, so while she knows how to write in Tyrian from her memories, writing in English is still more natural.

She starts with things happening around the time of Twilight Arbor and works forward. She remembers that Twilight Arbor is about Faolain, but not much else besides for the interactions of Destiny's Edge - Rytlock leaves in a huff at the very beginning, and she doesn't remember what happened to Logan. She does know that the group fights Cadeyrn, the first secondborn and founder of the Nightmare Court. She had taken particular note of that when she'd played it the first time.

After Twilight Arbor… the events of Claw Island, which she is not likely to forget anytime soon, and, given the historical proximity of the attack on Claw Island and Destiny's Edge's attempt to reform at Twilight Arbor, Claw Island isn't far in the future.

The next dungeon should be Sorrow's Embrace; which is about dredge. But Zojja is in it, and Caithe is there. Was Eir there? She might've been. The only ones with Zojja in it have something to do with Kudu. That must be the time Kudu had escaped, because he does escape the first time. But why were the dredge in it? Tiffany discards the question as irrelevant, and thinks about the interactions of Destiny's Edge. Right, Eir was there, and Zojja had sent her off with a "nobody needs you," upon which Eir had left. Caithe hadn't said a word of protest, Tiffany is sure, or Zojja would have sent her off as well.

But Tiffany cannot remember how Kudu got away - but hopefully this time all of Destiny's Edge will be there.

After Sorrow's Embrace is the Citadel of Flame, Tiffany decides, that or the Honor of the Waves, which Tiffany thinks is the last but for Victory or Death. 'Hey, they could alter it slightly and put it in place of Hearts and Minds - Victory and Death. I suppose it doesn't sound as cool that way, though.' But the Citadel of Flame is the one with Logan and Rytlock - for what reason Tiffany does not know, Logan is at the Citadel of Flame and gets in a fight with Rytlock. But later in Logan saves Rytlock from a falling bridge. That part had stuck in her memory, mainly because she had read about it before she had played it, and kept thinking that Rytlock had been out on the middle of the bridge, the bridge broke, and Logan did some magical Tyrian equivalent of the Summoning Charm to pull him back. When the actual version had happened, Tiffany had felt stupid. Of course that's how people save other people from collapsed bridges - be right there and grab them as they're falling, not stand ten feet back and magic. But after that, Logan did his awesome guardian shield and the group defeated Gaheron Baelfire, the same idiot who signed the alliance agreement with the dredge to make the Molten Alliance. And probably one of his lieutenants carried on the agreement, in the original.

Honor of the Waves… Tiffany remembers liking that one. Oh, but there was also the Crucible of Eternity first. Or maybe that was the last one. Whichever. Crucible of Eternity was funny - "Isn't Kudu a girl's name?" had been hilarious when she'd first heard it, and even more hilarious when she realized that, yes, Kudu is a girl's name, even for asura. Zojja's "who are you and what have you done with Logan and Rytlock?" had been funny, especially when followed up later by "I think I liked it better when you hated each other." Crucible of Eternity was more Inquest and Kudu, but no dredge this time.

Honor of the Waves was Eir's heroic attempt to go out in a flash, which is what inviting Eir to the Twilight Arbor is designed to prevent. There were kodan, which Tiffany knows something about, and a ton of Icebrood (obviously) and it was far north. Tiffany remembers taking an offered Teleport to Friend item to get there, instead of trekking through a zone or two of snow, Icebrood, and Sons of Svanir the way she'd had to to get to the Citadel of Flame (but with ghosts and Flame Legion instead of the Icebrood and Svanir). But the actual dungeon… well. She remembers dying a ton in one specific fight. And Eir learns how to not blame herself for Snaff's death through showing somebody else the same thing. Only, who was Eir teaching about that and who died? There was a kodan, and maybe Icebrood kodan as well, and the ship was sinking or something…

Tiffany shakes her head at her faulty memory as she writes down what she knows.

Victory or Death will be the hardest, Tiffany decides, because she'd only ever played it once. On Tiffany Soulstrider, her first human ranger. That character hadn't played any dungeons but that one (because it was part of storyline anyway), but she'd gone another round with an identical character, Tiffany Solestrider, and played the dungeons. But she hadn't got to Victory or Death on that character yet when she had been pulled into Tyria. So what she is left with is that the now-united Destiny's Edge and the Pact airships kill Zhaitan. Tiffany strains her memory, and she thinks she remembers a laser-battle with Zhaitan's champions and maybe Zhaitan himself…

"Bah," Tiffany mutters aloud. "Some of these are irrelevant - I'm sure the Commander won't ever be left out of what the plan is to kill the Elder Dragon. Same for the kodan guy in Honor of the Waves, and a couple other things. I'll just write down what I know I dont know, and go off of that."

"Careful, Tiff," Fiona mumbles, skimming Edge of Destiny. "Don't let anyone overhear you talking like that."

"Right. I'll do it in Shilgni, or - hey, Fi, why don't we talk in English for secret code, instead of Tyrian-based Shilgni?"

"Because it won't feel secret," Fiona shrugs. "We used to talk it all the time, and so did the Tyrians with the echoes, so no way it'll feel secret and secure enough."

Tiffany nods. "Fair."

After Zhaitan's defeat… the Molten Alliance, the Toxic Alliance, the Consortium and Southsun Cove, the Aetherblades, the Queen's celebration thingy being messed up by Scarlet, Countess Anise's first act that made Tiffany dislike her (which was making an illusion of Rytlock for Logan to fight, quoting bad-Rytlock things and airing Logan's personal issues to all of Divinity's Reach) the Queen being an illusion the next time Scarlet struck, Logan being upset over not being told (Anise's second bad act)… Lord Faren being noble, for once, and being captured… Tiffany particularly remembers Scarlet's line upon rescuing Faren, it was something about his "pretty panties," that Tiffany had laughed her head off at.

There was something else in the Twilight Arbor in season one, too, and Tiffany remembers one of Scarlet's lines when speaking to Caithe. "There's something I know about you that even Faolain doesn't know! Does that make me your dearheart?" Caithe hadn't reacted much (typical Caithe), but it shows there was something from season one in Twilight Arbor. And eventually Scarlet attacked Lion's Arch on her gigantic airship, the player kills Scarlet but the gigantic airship wakes up Mordremoth.

Tiffany quickly jots down the more detailed bits she remembers; Kasmeer had taken down the Nightmare Tower in Viathan Lake, Canach had been a part of the Consortium, the karka had attacked Lion's Arch and stuff… 'oh, and Ellen Kiel was voted into… something… to do with the Captain's Council. Lion's Arch people had to vote because there was only one vacancy and… wait, wasn't the other guy whoever the person who founded the Black Lion Trading Company is? Some charr guy. He had a grumpy last name. But why would he want to be whatever Council thing… No, no, it had something to do with gaining the favor of… somebody… gahh! What do I care? Politics again! I have no idea what the pros and cons to each person - shut up! Your vote won't make a midget of a difference, if that even ever happens in the first place! Back. On. Track! After Season One, was Season two.'

Tiffany knows considerably less about this one. Mordremoth had woken up, but not really being active. Something happened at the Grove - something about one Mordremoth's champions. At some point Rytlock had disappeared into the Mists - failed thing with getting rid of the ghosts, Tiffany recalls. Basically season two was everybody getting ready to fight Mordremoth.

And then came Heart of Thorns. Tiffany sits up straighter, takes a deep breath, wiggles her fingers to work out the writing cramp, and carefully writes down all of Heart of Thorns.

Rescuing the crashed Pact survivors, Rytlock's return, the sylvari suspicion.

The terrible hard time it took getting to one of the few waypoints in Verdant Brink - 'the lore explanation maybe was that nobody'd been to Verdant Brink before, and so there weren't very many waypoints yet?' Tiffany wonders - and the hardships of talking to the scout people. They pointing her way to the Itzel, her helping the Itzel and then going to the place where Eir was held prisoner, Faolain's tricks and Eir's death and Braham mourning.

Then moving on into Auric Basin and doing things with Caithe and the Egg, finding and activating the ley-line map, losing the trail, heading to Rata Novus, Magister whats-is-name dying after telling them to head due south, the gigantic chak pit full of (guess what?) chak. Taimi suggesting they go to Rata Novus anyway, the Commander agreeing, Scruffy's destruction, Taimi being upset because she wanted to be "a member of this team, not its mascot," finding the dragon lab and leaving Taimi behind in the city.

She documents her team catching up to to the others and freeing Logan and Zojja, fighting Faolain, following Trahearne and talking to him, entering Mordremoth's mind, coming back out, Trahearne asking for Caladbolg, and the following conversation (which Tiffany gets right almost word-for-word, and also writes in English-based Shilgni, with the letters upside down so that nobody (probably not even Fiona) will ever decipher it).

Tiffany leaves the end there hanging, as she is not likely to forget what happened next, and seriously does not feel like leaving written record of that lying around Tyria, even in English-based, upside-down Shilgni.

Fiona looks up. "Did you scribble all over that last bit?" she wonders.

"No, it's written in English-based, upside-down Shilgni. I'm sure you know what I don't want left lying around Tyria, and I didn't even put that part in."

"Well, you are thorough," Fiona observes. "It's late - the only thing I found of much interest is that Logan and Rytlock won't try and murder each other if they're too tired."

Tiffany snorts. "So all you have to do is make it look to Rytlock like Logan isn't there with your mesmer-magic, and after a lot of fighting, Rytlock will be too tired to be grumpy about Logan having been there the whole time."

"What, veiled?" Fiona asks. "Then Logan wouldn't be tired."

"I was joking," Tiffany grumbles. "And I have a handache."

"A headache?" Fiona checks.

"A handache," Tiffany corrects. "I just documented the entire dungeon storyline, plus Living Seasons one and two, and all of Heart of Thorns. And they're all as detailed as they can get.

"Don't forget the personal storyline with the Pact," Fiona reminds.

Tiffany groans. "All I know is that we blew stuff up with Tonn, Tonn died, and then a bunch of things in Orr. There was one failed attempt to cleanse Orr, a succeeded attempt to cleanse Orr, and killing Zhaitan. There was an arc where I went, killed a ton of spiders and the spidermancer making them, set up a lighthouse beacon to misdirect Risen Bone Ships or whatever they're called - "

"Hey! Whatever you!" Fiona protests.

Tiffany's mouth drops open. "You're defending Risen from the curse?" she demands after a full minute of shock.

"Oh," Fiona realizes. "Nevermind then. Go on?"

"Then something happens and we're on the Risen ships, and then somehow or other we do stuff and stuff happens and Zott dies. Anyway, ah… stuff… and stuff… and there was some stuff with Grenth, and whats-her-name the priestess who normally we did stuff with if we'd chosen to do the summon whats-her-name the pirate's spirit, uhm, there was stuff… hmm. I don't - oh, there was killing a couple Eyes and Mouths of Zhaitan, oh and the one where we cut of Zhaitan's corpse supply - "

"Corpse supply?" Fiona demands.

"Where d'ya think all the Risen come from?" Tiffany asks. "I know, it sounds weird, but still. "And so then there was stuff, I know we killed several Eyes and maybe two Mouths, there was a couple missions with Sayeh al'something-or-other, and we kind of got to know each other slightly. And… humph. Oh! And guess what else?" Tiffany says, cheering up slightly.

"What?" Fiona asks interestedly.

"We get to kill a million Risen!" Tiffany hollers in a whisper. "Literally!"

Fiona flops backward on her bed with a loud, long groan. "Go write it all down," she sighs.

The next day, Tiffany and Fiona find another bit of help in Edge of Destiny - the tokens Logan and Rytlock had exchanged on their way to defeat the Dragonspawn. Tuffany explains to Fiona how reminding Logan - and, later, Rytlock - of them would remind them of how close they were before.

"It would remind them that they were brothers," Fiona observes.

But then Tiffany brings up the potential disaster that would happen if, for example, Rytlock had thrown away the scarf that Logan had given him, or if Logan had thrown away the Blood Legion pendant that Rytlock had given him. When the two realize the implications of such a thing happening, Tiffany freaks out.

"They'll never be friends again if one of them threw away the other's gift!" Tiffany stresses. "I have no idea whether they kept them or not - this was never brought up in the original timeline! I don't know what to do! Fiona, this is important. The Pale Tree said - shortly after Claw Island - that Destiny's Edge was vital to Zhaitan's downfall. I'm not going to be stupid and assume that isn't true - we needed them!"

"This is only a problem if they didn't keep the tokens," Fiona reminds Tiffany.

"But we don't know!" Tiffany fires back. "And by the time we do, it'll be too late! Fiona, I don't konw what to do! This could be the piece that brings them back together, or it could push them apart irrevocably. I don't know if I want to take that chance."

"It's real," Fiona nods. "There won't be any second chances. From the game, we're used to things just working out in the end, because they have to work out. But it's not like that anymore."

"No second chances..." Tiffany shivers. "That's scary, Fiona. I don't - no. It's real life. I don't... We're alone, Fiona. Nobody understands us, because we're not native Tyrians. 'Real life' was hazy, back home, because it had always been that way. But we've always seen Tyria as 'oh, nothing can go wrong, Anet won't let it! It'll all come out okay - if just barely - in the end.' Now, it's not."

"Anything that happens is permanent," Fiona nods. "We just have to make the best of it."

"The only reason we're having this problem is that we know more than we did before we came to Tyria," Tiffany realizes.

"We're not going to ignore this information," Fiona says. "I mean, I suppose we could - how do they get to be friends in the original?"

"Rytlock almost fell off a bridge and Logan saved him," Tiffany responds. "But I don't think we can count on that happening - we've changed enough, certainly. Meaning that this is our only chance. The only one we'll have control over, anyway."

Tiffany is freaking out, big time. Because of her, Destiny's Edge might not come together. Zhaitan might not fall. That diaster she wants to avoid, at all costs. But either she doesn't bring up the subject with Logan, and rely on luck - which is really what the Citadel of Flame had been - or she does, and have a seventy-five percent chance of either not having kept theirs, and Destiny's Edge never reforming. Tiffany is going absolutely nuts.

"Why don't we tell him about us knowing things?" Fiona suggests.

Tiffany blinks. "Tell him we're from another world and used to play at being a Tyrian in our spare time? How would he take that?"

"No idea - but if we drop in that we're Whispers - we were going to tell our friends - and then tell him that 'mysterious sources' have revealed the future to us, who knows what he might believe."

"No, we're not dragging the Order into this," Tiffany replies. "We can't blame any Tyrian thing for our future knowledge. We could just ask him not to ask - tell him it's a personal thing or something - and hopefully he'll leave it be. But we'll only tell him if one or the other of them didn't keep theirs."

Tiffany and Fiona head to Logan's office. They hadn't seen him in weeks, and are looking forward to the visit, even if there wasn't potential Destiny's Edge healing going on.

Upon Fiona's knock, a Seraph soldier opens the door. A soldier who instantly recognizes them, of course.

"Captain Thackeray!" she hollers upon seeing them. "The Heroes of Shaemoor to see you!" the soldier moves out of the way and gestures the sisters to come in.

Tiffany and Fiona enter the room, and Logan greets them cheerfully. "Tiffany! Fiona! I hear you did quite a number on the centaurs the other day."

"We did, Logan," Tiffany smiles. "We assassinated their War King - and made sure the whole centaur base knew about it - and then decimated their forces when they attacked. I'm sure the Seraph will have little trouble finishing the war soon."

The Seraph around the room throw up a loud cheer.

Logan smiles - a relived, almost wondering smile. "Kryta won't be in war any more, thanks to you, my friends. We've been at war with either the centaurs or the charr since Kryta was established."

"It'll go down in history," Fiona smiles in return. "As well as the fact that you were the head of the Seraph during the years that ended the war, and that Queen Jennah was the ruler who started the negotiations for a peace treaty with the charr."

"And that Tiffany Tassof was among those defending said negotiations from disaster, and that the both of you assassinated the centaurs' War King." Logan explains.

"But it was mostly Fiona that made it possible for that last to happen," Tiffany protests.

The three look at each other, before they all begin to laugh.

"Here we are, worrying about who will go down in history," Fiona giggles. "Why can't we all? Anyone can distinguish themselves."

"Yeah, Logan, you're probably already in the books - you are a part of Destiny's Edge." Tiffany agrees.

Logan frowns ever so slightly. He hadn't missed the present tense when speaking of Destiny's Edge.

"Hey, Destiny's Edge was awesome," Fiona explains. "The dwarves sacrificed their entire race to end the Great Destroyer, a single champion. Destiny's Edge - seven of you - killed three with no losses."

"Let me guess, you've got to know Eir?" Logan says.

"Yes - but how did you know?" Tiffany wonders.

"Almost nobody includes Garm in the number of Destiny's Edge," Logan smiles.

"Hey, I'm a ranger, I understand the value of companions," Tiffany protests, gesturing to Beorn, who is sniffing around the room like a curious dog. Upon hearing that thought from Tiffany, he comes bounding back to her side and pretends he hadn't been doing anything. 'Just like a dog caught in trouble,' Tiffany smirks at him. Beorn pouts at her.

Logan nods. "I like to think I gained more of an appreciation for that while working with Eir. She never leaves Garm out of anything."

Tiffany smiles.

"That also means you know all of Destiny's Edge except Rytlock and Snaff," Logan continues, his face souring when he mentions Rytlock, and softening to sadness on saying Snaff's name.

Fiona nods.

"Logan, is there a reason that the room is suddenly very close to being empty?" Tiffany asks amusedly.

Logan cracks a smile. "Yes, actually. They're just waiting for me to blow up at you for daring to mention Destiny's Edge in my hearing."

Tiffany grins. "When was that supposed to happen?"

Logan pauses a moment, as if calculating the time, then says, "precisely four point five seconds ago."

Fiona smirks. "You turning into Sieran?"

"Who is…?" Logan prompts.

"My mentor. She's been teaching me about the Priory," Fiona explains.

"It's easier to turn into an asura than Sieran, from what I've heard of her," Tiffany inserts.

Fiona nods. "She's one of a kind. Speaking of, Tiffany, she really wants to meet you."

"So you said yesterday," Tiffany smiles. "So, Logan; how's life in the office been?"

"Boring," Logan replies promptly. "I'd much rather be out on the front lines."

"It's what you were made for," Tiffany shrugs. 'Didn't Queen Jennah say in one of her letters that the last thing she needs is another polished courtier, and she would much prefer Logan fighting battles for her? I just wish I could mention these things to Logan, but I get the feeling that our book is one of a kind.'

"I doubt you would have come here without some reason, though," Logan notes.

"Can't come visit our friend?" Tiffany asks, pretending to be hurt. "But yes," she says, recovering her brisk manner. "We did have a reason to come. Destiny's Edge - or, more accurately, Caithe."

Logan gestures for her to continue.

"She wants you to come meet her," Tiffany says, and when Logan opens his mouth, she interrupts, "not for a simple disaster like that last meeting, but because she needs your help. Her nemesis, Faolain, has a strong presence in the Twilight Arbor, a nest of Nightmare Courtiers. She wants our help putting her down."

"Faolain?" Logan asks sharply. "Yes, of course. I don't see why Caithe didn't do this before."

"You have history with this Faolain?" Tiffany asks. 'This must be a part of Edge of Destiny we haven't got to yet, but I won't object to spoilers. Technically, this happened five or six years ago, so it shouldn't be spoilers.'

"She earned the ire of all of us," Logan says vaguely. "Trust me; Faolain is not good for Caithe."

"She's Nightmare Court," Fiona shrugs. "That's bad enough on its own."

Logan nods. "Is she planning on springing any surprises this time?" he asks resignedly.

"We talked her out of the surprise part," Tiffany replies. "Rytlock will be there, as well as Eir."

"Not Zojja?" Logan asks.

"No. It was my idea to ask Eir to come - Caithe had only been planning on you and Rytlock - and I thought Eir could use some time with the group away from Zojja. You know what she's like."

Logan nods. "If you haven't noticed, I am trying to… repair relations with Rytlock. I don't think he will listen, though."

"We noticed," Fiona says dryly.

"What do you think it will take?" Tiffany asks.

Logan shrugs. "No idea. But if he stopped to hear me out, he might. That's the problem, though."

"I can make you look like somebody else. If Rytlock didn't know it was you…"

"Getting him to think rationally is the problem," Logan explains. "If we bring up the topic, he might blow up, no matter who was doing the talking."

"But what if we reminded him what it was like before you split up?" Tiffany suggests. "Everyone will be there but Zojja. Me, Fiona and Beorn could stay out of the way and let you guys have some bonding time. Particularly if Destiny's Edge has history with Faolain."

"I can make you look as much like you - but also not you - as I can," Fiona inserts. "Or, Rytlock might already have been doing some thinking."

"I get that feeling," Tiffany replies. "He didn't seem hostile toward me and Caithe when we went to see him, and… I can't describe it. Your name didn't come up, but…"

Logan nods. "I know what you mean. It's always been confusing whether we're friends or enemies. Particularly from the time we met to the time we…" Logan trails off a moment before resuming, "to the time we were going to slay the Dragonspawn."

Unconsciously, Tiffany nods slowly as she recalls what she knows from Edge of Destiny. Then she realizes; Logan had just mentioned 'the time we were going to slay the Dragonspawn.' En-route to that, or going to slay was when Logan and Rytlock had exchanged tokens. But he also had paused; he doesn't want to talk about it. She and Fiona shouldn't bring it up, and he already has been reminded. 'Is that how the Order of Whispers operates in situations like these? Get people thinking without the person knowing the Order got them thinking on purpose? Which is very confusing, but that's the Order for you.'

Fiona frowns. "So, should we wait to disguise you, and see what happens? But it would be too late by the time he sees you."

"I know!" Tiffany suggests. "You tell them that you have another friend coming - and we can arrange this with Caithe beforehand - and if Rytlock blows up at Logan, Logan can leave, and then come back disguised."

"What if Rytlock doesn't?" Logan asks.

"Then Fiona just has an illusion following her around," Tiffany shrugs. "She does it all the time, it'd just look different. Trust me, she had a ton of practice…" she glances around, making sure no one is in earshot. "practice at subconscious illusionary disguises - she kept the both of ours up for four weeks straight without a hitch."

Logan nods with the trace of a smile. "This could work," he realizes. "What will happen after?"

"If Rytlock seems in the mood - mentioning Destiny's Edge, perhaps - we'll drop the disguise. Or we could melt it."

Logan motions for her to explain.

"While we're fighting, I can melt the illusion. Change the illusion to your actual features, thus making it look like the person you are illusioned as is melting into the actual you. If he gets into a 'fighting with Logan' mood, he might not even realize it. However, that would set us up to drop it completely - if it's still there - at the end, whether Rytlock is in the mood or not. Or I could reverse the melting partway through."

"This is all assuming that Logan needs to leave and come back disguised," Tiffany inserts.

Fiona shrugs. "Good to have a backup plan. But you're right - let's hope for the best."

"And plan for the worst," Logan advises. "Dropping the illusion gradually is a good idea - but only if it's the right time."

Tiffany and Fiona nod.

"You know, we might have a fair shot at this," Fiona realizes. "Particularly if he's willing to hear you out at the end."

"And then what?" Logan sighs.

"Then we root out the core of Zojja's dislike for Eir," Tiffany says determinedly.

"But what is it all leading towards?" Logan wonders. "We've been apart for so long… and without Snaff…"

"Getting you together is the first, and most important part," Fiona tells him. "If you don't see any rising dragon champions to defeat, perhaps you could return to the arena in Lion's Arch - give the crowd a show, not to mention learning how to fight together again after all these years. But we don't know better. You're Destiny's Edge, and together, you can do anything."

Logan smiles. "You're actually giving me hope. You'll do a lot of good in your respective Orders."

"Thanks for that, Logan," Tiffany smiles. "You have no idea how much your friendship means to me."

Fiona sighs. "You really have no idea," she tells Logan. "Her friends are her world. She needs them to be happy."

"Who wouldn't?" Tiffany asks.

"Faolain," Logan replies with a grin.

"Fair," Tiffany nods with a laugh.

Later, Tiffany and Fiona check in at the Sartini house, where Ayla is still unresponsive. Katherine assures Tiffany that she will tell Ayla she stopped by.

Deorar is also there, to Tiffany's surprise, but when Deorar points out that it is Aelius' job to find missions for the warband, and that he hasn't yet, and she might as well be training Mat's elementalist abilities, Tiffany has to admit she shouldn't have been surprised.

As the two are leaving the house, Fiona suggests returning to the Chantry of Secrets to report in on what they have accomplished, and see if Vriré has any missions for them. Tiffany quickly agrees, and the two head back to the gate in Divinity's Reach.

Once in Lion's Arch, waypointing to the island is easy enough, before they enter the Chantry. Vriré meets them near the entrance - due, Tiffany supposes, to Whispers mysteriousness and technology.

"Initiates," Vriré greets them crisply. She takes them back to the Whispers database terminal. "Report," she orders.

"The centaurs' War King is dead, and the Seraph are well on their way to winning the war," Fiona responds.

"My team and I traveled to the Black Citadel to inform the charr of the Flame Legion's new alliance. While there, I discovered that all of Destiny's Edge except for Zojja is meeting on Friday. Me and Fiona have devised a way to - hopefully - at least partially mend the barriers between Logan and Rytlock Brimstone."

Vriré nods. "When did you defeat Ulgoth?"

"Who?" Tiffany frowns.

"The War King," Vriré sighs impatiently.

"Oh. Friday. Catava Anoif and Kasmeer Inafit died on Saturday." Fiona nods.

Vriré nods sharply. "I have a mission for you. Agent Akittock has informed the Order that there is a thief among the skritt at Skrittsburgh. Skritt belongings have been disappearing regularly over the past month. At first, it was dismissed as skritt greediness and blaming it on others, or a lucky chance here and there at some outsider. But it has been happening regularly, and, as the skritt are more intelligent together, and Skrittsburgh is large enough that we have a skritt Agent there, I thought it would be worth investigating. Anyone with the capability to rob Skrittsburgh - and regularly, when the skritt are expecting it - is either a sizable threat or a very capable person that we could bring into the Order."

"You want us to find out more about this thief?" Tiffany realizes.

"Us," Vriré corrects. "Not you."

"Of course," Fiona nods hastily. "Is there anything else we should know?"

"Be prepared for a more diplomatic investigation than the last one," Vriré replies dryly. Tiffany isn't sure if that was meant to be humorous or not. "We start tomorrow. I assume you don't know where Skrittsburgh is?"

"We do - roughly," Tiffany replies. "It's in the lands north of Rata Sum, and west of Kryta, not really controlled by anybody. But we haven't been there." Vriré raises an eyebrow in question, and Tiffany explains, "I used to study maps a lot. If I may suggest, instead of setting out from Rata Sum, could we go from the Grove? From what I recall, it won't impede our time any, and it will take us much closer to the Twilight Arbor than starting from Rata Sum. The Twilight Arbor is where Destiny's Edge is meeting up, and I'd prefer not to be late," she adds in explanation.

Vriré doesn't seem fazed that Tiffany had guessed her travel plans, but instead agrees to the suggestion. "The little things are what count, Initiate. Arriving late to a meeting is one of the first impressions a person gets of you - and, as first impressions are often wrong, and the smarter - like Destiny's Edge - know that, arriving late after having given a first impression gives a second impression, which is most always true."

'Whatever works, I guess,' Tiffany decides. "When do we set off?" she asks.

"Tomorrow. Meet me in the Grove - and early, too." Vriré orders.

"Should we update our files?" Fiona asks uncertainly, glancing at the archive terminal, glowing a soft blue.

"They're already updated," Vriré returns briskly. "It detected your aura and automatically started recording the moment you entered the room. If you have any details to add that you didn't mention, go ahead."

'Trying to be mysterious and failing,' Tiffany notes amusedly. 'Or just being efficient.'

"Alright, Fiona," Tiffany sighs, as they finally get home in the late afternoon. "Let's talk about our week. First of all, I want to squeal again about our takedown of Scarlet - we've stopped Mordremoth as close to the source as we can get. Squeal!"

Fiona snorts. "You literally just said 'squeal' out loud instead of squealing."

"I know, right?" Tiffany grins. "I have mentioned my weirdness before now? Wait, maybe I haven't. Have I said it since we came to Tyria? Maybe, because I everyone in Tyria is weird, and I'm the Tyrian type of weird, and you're not, you're the weird one."

"I'm quite sure your type of weirness is still weird to Tyrians," Fiona sighs. "Is there anything else you want to squeal about?"

"No, but there's things I want to grouch about," Tiffany replied promptly.

"Such as?"

"Sergeant Belinda Delaqua," Tiffany sighs, flopping backwards on her bed. "I still can't remember where I remember her name from. She's definitely a Delaqua - she said so herself - but she bears extremely little resemblance to Marjory. Of course, I never saw Marjory's face half the time - you know, because it's a game and after Season one, cinematics were done away with, so I'd only ever see her face in cutscenes or while wandering around a story instance aimlessly."

"You did trace her," Fiona reminds her.

"I did," Tiffany nods. "But I was horrible at faces. Whatever - and don't curse me back, I'm only insulting myself this time - she still bears little to no resemblance to Marjory. For example, their skin color is different - the main thing I know about Marjory's face, because I do see that while running around in story instances - and the only resemblance is hair color. Heck, even their armor/professions are opposite! Belinda's obviously a Soldier with that plate/chain armor, and Marjory's a Scholar. And we couldn't even ask Belinda herself because, apparently, the Heroes of Shaemoor can't have a chat with random Seraph."

"Well, we never really did in-game, either," Fiona reminds Tiffany afer she is certain the other is done ranting.

"I would've if her name was Belinda Delaqua!" Tiffany retorts.

"And it would probably have a talk option to ask if she's related to Marjory," Fiona nods. "Which we can't do, because we're not supposed to know Marjory exists."

"Maybe we should go back out there, disguised again, and - "

"And how would that help?" Fiona wonders. "We'd have to do that awfully regularly, get to know her, and… all to find out exactly how she's related to Marjory?"

"No, you dolt. So she'll introduce us." Tiffany sighs.

"That'll take forever. Why not wait for Season one?"

"Because I want to talk to her!" Tiffany sighs. "I haven't seen her in months!"

"And she won't be you friend when you first meet her, because she'll have never met you before," Fiona reminds her sister.

"Yeah, but I've got used to pretending like I don't know people," Tiffany responds. "There was Logan, Caithe, Forgal, General Almorra, Trahearne, Zojja, Eir, and, most recently, Rytlock. And I'm still in the middle of not knowing him."

"Whatever, I - "

"Hey! Don't curse Rytlock!" Tiffany says, shocked.

"Hey, I knew him better than you did!" Fiona replies. "I mained charr, remember? You know him better while dealing with Destiny's Edge and Elder Dragons, I know him better pre-Lion's Arch meeting and stuff."

"So don't curse him," Tiffany rolls her eyes. "I might have to curse you."

"Anyway," Fiona says loudly, before the door pops open.

"Anyway you!" Petra says cheerily.

Tiffany and Fiona blink at her.

"Aaand?" Fiona asks after a moment. "'Anyway' isn't a curse."

"But I made it a curse," Petra returns.

"How? What's insulting or curse-y about it?" Tiffany asks. "You're pretty much cursing yourself. You use the word 'anyway' when you were talking about something, but it's irrelevant and you're leaving it alone. Except it's something that you said, not that someone else said. That's the difference between 'whatever' and 'anyway.' So, go curse yourself if you like, but that's no reason to interrupt our excellent conversation about curses."

Petra's mouth works in silence for a moment, before she leaves the room with a huff.

"We are so showing a replay of that memory through mesmery means to Deborah next time we see her," Fiona declares.

"Definitely," Tiffany grins. "Now, where were we?"

"Marjory," Fiona replies, after a moment of thought.

"Right. Well, I think we've found our comfort zones. We're awesome in combat, we're okayish with people we knew in-game before, and we're absolute rubbish with people whose names we can't remember."

Fiona snorts. "I think it's a lot more detailed than that. And don't go thinking you're awesome at combat yet - just wait. I'm sure Elder Dragons will do a lot. I mean, there has to be some way to challenge us after level eighty, right? Since Tyria terraforms itself to Anet's rule."

Tiffany opens her mouth, then sighs. "Can we pick a different word than 'whatever?'" she asks, breaking finally.

"If you want to be dismissive of the current topic without cursing me, say 'whichever,'" Fiona offers.

"Great idea. So, what were we talking about? Oh yes. Things we're rubbish at. Or just things in general. What about Deborah?"

Fiona sighs. "I don't know what got into us. Why the whole 'we're-from-another-world' thing and not just 'we-know-the-future?' Or even just 'we're-from-another-world' and not the 'we-know-the-future.'"

Tiffany frowns for a moment, figuring out what Fiona had just said, before shrugging. "What's done is done," she sighs. "Hopefully by the time we see her again she'll both be out of her shock and also have thought about it a whole lot."

Author's Notes:

Finally! Finally done with this chapter! Sorry again for the long delay, but the end of December is crazy. (And also, I was having my-end problems purchasing Scrivener because my free trial ran out, but I didn't have time to write anyway.)

So… back to the fun stuff! Edge of Destiny, Logan interaction, Vriré/Order of Whispers interaction, a new mission, etc. Fun stuff, like I said! On par with last chapter, I'd say. Next chapter, too. This week is gonna be hectic for Tiffany and Fiona, guys! Next week will give them a breather - well, Tiffany at least, Fiona I'm not quite sure about - and shut up before I give you spoilers!

Chapter name makes sense now, hm?

Well, see you next chapter! (Which I hope doesn't take too long.)