A/N: Yeah, I WAS going to upload a Dreams chapter first, but I have slight writer's block for it.
By the way, just one vote on my poll? C'mon. Surely some of you care.
Anyways, pretty much no action this chapter, though you could consider these support conversations... Soooooo... Makes up for my lack of a decent support log.
Ravel
Damn it.
What to do...
I could have Niro scout out the potential area, and that would-
No, I would risk losing Niro.
I could have him go to Ylisstol and rally some...
No, he's too essential for battle.
Gods, I don't even know where this will be or how many people we'll even be fighting. For all I know, this 'rebellion' could just be two people.
But no, those Grimleal were too tough for this to be easy.
Or... They were...? I don't know. I just don't remember too much about them.
Which is a bit weird. Not that it-!
"DUDE! GET OUT OF THIS ROOM ALREADY!" I hear Geoff's muffled voice from behind the door.
I sigh. "What do you want?"
"You've been fucking sitting in here for two days! I think you can imagine what I want!"
"Lissa?"
Silence? Hah. This is priceless.
"I didn't hear a no."
"J-Just... Shut up and get out of there!" I can imagine him blushing right now. Hehehe... I'll make sure to not tell him about his future children. Or child. Gods forbid that he name Owain Link.
I shrug and walk up to the door.
"You win." I quickly yank the door open, surprising Geoff and sending him stumbling a bit down the hall.
After scrambling on the ground for a minute, he soon climbs back up and glares at me. "Why the hell are you locking yourself in there?" he asks.
"You remember that uncoordinated mess that was the Battle of Myra? Yeah, doing that this time will get us killed."
"W-what?!" he gasps. "You're already planning on fighting the Grimleal?! It hasn't been three days since we left!"
"And for all we know, Ylisse could be burning right now. Including Lissa..."
His face glows a hint of red, and he immediately punches me on the shoulder.
"Sometimes, I hate you."
"Then the feeling's mutual." I grin.
Susan
Do-dah-do-dah-deeeee...
"Hey Olivia, you seen Lon'qu?" I ask our resident dancer.
"No. Maybe he's out training." She then immediately shifts her gaze down the hall.
Oh, it's Staaa...
Olivia?
"Olivia? Why are you hiding behind that plant?" I ask. Gods, she'd be hidden perfectly if she wasn't wearing white.
"N-No! You'll blow my cover!" Okay, fine.
Wait for him to pass...
Okay.
"It's safe to come out now." I announce.
"Um... Okay." she cautiously climbs out from behind the plant, her gaze shifting in multiple directions.
"Why do you do that anyways?"
"N-no... I don't want to talk about-"
"Can you pleeeeaaasse tell me?" I put on my puppy-face and try to look as adorable as possible. Now if only I could imitate Alan- er... Ravel...? I still haven't gotten used to that name. But gods, he used to be so adorable.
"No... I just can't-"
"Tell me." my face shifts to a more frightening look.
"F-fine!" she yells. Er, as much as someone like her can yell.
I sit down at a nearby chair, grabbing my nonexistent popcorn.
"I... About four years ago, some man took me and tried to make me his wife. I-I'd prefer not to mention what he had tried to do... But.. A few days before the wedding, Khan Basilio found me and helped protect me from the noble. To this day, I'm still indebted to him." Oh gods, now she's starting to cry. "T-that's why I get shy around most men. I-I'm afraid... Afraid of..." OhgodsOhgodsOhgodsOhgooooods. No I feel guilty.
"Olivia... I'm sorry, I didn't-!" Nooooo! Don't run!
Oh shit. I think I just ruined our friendship.
Gods daaaaaam-
Oh, there's Lon'qu.
I immediately rush to his side and proceed to wrap myself around his arm.
D'awww... Now he's all red.
"I love it when you're embarrassed." I giggle.
He simply groans, and I pretty much drag him away to the dining hall.
Ravel
"Why don't we go to the tavern?" Geoff asks. Just like he has for the past couple of hours.
"No. We both know what happened last time." Self-explanatory.
"How about the arena?"
"All the way in Ferox? I'll pass."
"What about the Outrealm gate?"
"Until you suggest something that either won't take a week to get to, or get us wounded or drunk, NO."
"How about-?"
"Gods damn it, Geoff! I'm NOT going streaking with you!"
"How did you-?!"
"I've seen what you do when you drink. And I don't want to cross that boundary."
"Fineeeee... I'll just get Gorge to come with me." He acts a lot more like Lissa than I originally thought. Huh.
He walks toward the door, opening it and turning toward the other side of the dining hall.
"GORGE! YOU WANNA GO TO THE TAVERN WITH ME?!" he screams.
"SURE GEOFF!" OHGODSHOW?!
D-DUDE! Gorge was just two feet away from me!
Not even Wilson's that-!
Where is he, anyways?
Dammit.
He immediately gets up, and the two rush out of the room.
Sigh.
I wonder who else is... Alyssa? Hmph. She seems pretty dolled up.
"Hey, Alyssa? Care for another game of chess?" I ask her.
"A-Actually..." Huh? Niro? W-What? Are you wearing a tuxedo? "Alyssa and I were about to go on a date."
Oh. OH. OH. OH. OKAY!
"By the way, you tell anyone else, I will tell everyone else about your drawings." she sports an evil grin.
W-wait... "You know about those?!" I gasp. Oh come on, those are not supposed to be seen by any person from this universe, let alone by some girl who loves blackmail!
"I do now." Oh. Damn it.
"That's my girl." He leans toward her and... No... Not here. Sick.. Dude... DUDE!
"Save it for the date guys." I groan. Seriously, I don't think I've ever really seen these two talk outside of battle... or meetings or anything like that.
They nod and walk out the door... Leaving me alone... Again...
Sigh. Maybe Ayla has something interesting to say.
"Hello." I wave a hand.
"S-Sorry Ravel, I don't have time to talk. I've gotta return this book to the library before it closes!" She pushes past me and out of the door, which is still wide open from my past two encounters.
In all seriousness, this is just getting cliched.
Sigh... I walk over to the next room.
"Jafray?"
"Nope. Calina's got a fever. Can't leave her unattended!"
Gah! Stupid! I bash my head into a wall out of pure aggravation, before turning back toward the hall.
What about Wilso-
Oh wait Wilson's not here. He's just out there being forgotten about us.
Sighhhhhhhhh...
Y'know, I may as well just venture off into the woods. Not like I'll get murdered by any serial killers.
...Right?
... Hmph. Thought so.
I open the door and pace out. I honestly forgot what time of the year it was, though it seems pretty cold, so probably late winter. Not enough to freeze me to death.
Onward!
Tom
"So we're almost at the town?" I ask Laurent.
"According to this device... Yes." Oh yeah, we got a compass. And I showed him how to use it.I am a damn genius.
Sniff. I smell fire. Not 'everyone's dieing' fire, just plain fire. I guess that mean's we're almost there.
"I think we're here." I announce.
"Excellent. Perhaps I shall be able to finally resolve the origins of this tome." Oh yeah... My tome. Don't remind me, plz. Oh, whatever. Maybe the tome will have something with me finally being able to get home. And getting back on my computer.
Sigh... Just a little more time, my precious.
Laurent? Laurent?
Man, he ran off fast.
Maybe I'll just arrange something at the inn. Surely there's a room.
"What do you mean, there's no room?!" I yell.
"I mean, the inn's packed with a bunch of Grimleal! Don't worry, though! They'll probably leave by tomorrow. Though I do wonder why they are in Ylisse..." she begins to say some more nonsense, before turning around and chatting with some random man.
I just gotta... Step over this drunk guy.
...Huh. He looks kinda like Geoff.
Haha. Funny convenience.
Damn logic.
Anyways, I better go get Laurent and tell him-!
"Oh, wait! Maybe you can go ask the mercenaries if they can let you stay the night there!" The innkeeper yells.
Who?
"They're just a few buildings the right... Kind ol' folks." she laughs and goes back to working, though I'm pretty sure I see that book she's trying to hide.
Alright, I may as well go pick up Laurent, then maybe we'll ask.
Alright... Where is heeeee...
Bingo! There he is, talking to some random girl. She looks familiar also, I just can't put my finger on it.
I walk up to the two, before pulling out a chair and sitting by them.
"Ah, Ayla! This who I was telling you about. Perhaps it would be wise of you to introduce yourself." Laurent smiles. Huh. He knows her, or something?
She turns toward me, notices me... and... Hello? Why is she so freaked out suddenly?
"Uh.. Are you okay...?"
"Why are you acting so strangely? Has the Feroxi wine gotten to you again?" What? What is he... "I apologize, Tom. Though I would find it appropriate to introduce her." he points toward his friend, who is slowly getting back to her senses. "This is my childhood friend: Ayla."
"And I'm Tom."
"E-Er.. Um.. Yes... Laurent already told me about you..." Why the hell is she acting so weird?
Oh, yeah! Almost forgot. "By the way, Laurent, the inn's full. But the innkeeper says that there's some mercenaries in town that will let us stay a night."
Ayla immediate shakes back to her senses and turns toward me. "I-I'm one of them, actually."
"Er... Yes. There's nine of us right now. A couple of them, you may already know." she gazes toward Laurent as she says this, though his face doesn't really show anything.
"So, that's yes to staying the night?" I ask her.
"Yes. Ravel probably wouldn't mind." she lightly gazes toward Laurent again, though in a bit more subtle of a way.
"Who?" I ask.
"Our leader... Sort of. Let's just say he's not the best one." She gives a light smiles and gets up, directing us outside the library.
Ravel
Okay, that was a nice walk. Though I could have done without getting mugged by bandits... TWICE!
Like, seriously?! The one time I don't bring a weapon!"
I walk up to the base and knock on the door.
"Who is it?" I hear Ayla ask. Finally she's back.
"It's the Plegian authorities." I groan. "No, it's Ravel."
She approaches the door and opens it, peeking her head out.
...
"Your clothes are gone." she giggles.
"Yes. Don't remind me."
"Soooo..."
"So? Give me some of my clothes!"
"I'll direct you to my room. Just... Er... Hide behind me."
"Why should I hide?"
"Because I may have invited a few people to spend the night here...?"
I sigh. "Great. Just... You know what? Just bring them to me."
She nods and closes the door, after which I hear a bit of shuffling.
Within a couple of minutes, she pulls out a tunic that was leftover from Ylisstol.
Boo. It's blue. We all know that red's my favorite color.
You know what... Just...
"Are you still here?!" I yell.
"M-Maybe..." Ayla retreats into the building and closes the door, blasting not-very-warm air in my face.
Sigh. I slip on the tunic quickly, ignoring the fact that I just had one of my best friend's potential future daughter see me half-naked.
Alright. You can open the door now.
"Okay." She opens the door and- She's still red. Oh well.
I look through the door, and-
Oh crap, who is that?
Either I'm crazy, or that's Tom and Laurent sitting there.
"What..." Tom stares at me like a madman. "I'm going mad..."
"You two know each other?" Laurent asks. Shit, why is he here?
...I guess that means we don't have to go to his recruitment paralogue. Not that I mind. The farther away I am from deserts, the better.
"Yes. This is my friend, Al-"
"Ravel." I correct him. "You're getting my name mixed with someone else's..." I glare at Tom, a look of confusion passing across his face.
Sigh, isn't this wonderfu-!
I turn around as the door swings open.
"Everybody fear the Gorge rider!" I hear a slurred voice yell. What?
...Is that Geoff riding on Gorge?
What. The. Hell?
A/N: New running gag: Every time Geoff drinks, he has to burst into the room at inappropriate times... Or something like that.
But yeah, Tom's finally met up with us. Will our mercenary group rise to eleven? Do I have to answer this? Of course I don't.
And don't ask about why I included that Susan part. I guess I just felt like adding that all of hell was not breaking loose over there.
Yeah, I managed to write this chapter in a matter of about two hours. It feels like a record to me.