A Suikoden III Short. Usual disclaimers apply.
Main Characters: Nei, Toppo, Borus, Anne, Landis, Reed, Joker and Ace
Pairings Warning: Mildly implied one-sided (at least) Borus/Chris
Chapters Read: Up to Chapter 4, after setting up in Homeland
Explanation: You know, it has to be annoying at least for some of the groups when you only take part of their clique along with you on a mission…
~ * Dealing with Downtime * ~
(There are downsides to everything,) Nei decided sadly, nodding in agreement with her own thoughts.
Nei appreciated the new Flame Champion and all his hard work to protect the Grasslands from the insane masked bishop and Harmonia's own designs, she really did. And she was happy she and her two friends had found such a wonderful place to stay in Budehuc Castle. It was much nicer than Vinay de Zexay had been, that was for certain.
She was pleased that little Shabon, in particular, was enjoying their stay at the castle. The youngest of the busker trio found plenty of friends with the various inhabitants, including the Flame Champion himself. She was even becoming an even more talented martial artist thanks to her training and battling the odd monster here and there.
And yet, therein lay part of the problem. Shabon's development into a fierce little fighter also meant the Flame Champion chose to take her along on more and more missions: a recruitment run here, a dungeon dive there… Leaving Toppo and Nei behind while they ran around.
Nei understood that there were many other long-range fighters and magic users in the ranks of the Fire Bringer, and many more talented than the juggler and herself. Honestly, she didn't enjoy fighting all that much anyway, so she didn't mind just staying in the castle while more capable warriors went off to take care of business.
But… When Shabon was away with the party, the other musicians couldn't perform. Their melodies didn't sound complete without the playful rhythms provided by the little girl's bodhran.
The blue-haired elven lass looked over at her silent companion. Toppo was using their time off to tune his fiddle. She smiled and shook her head; it wasn't like his instrument ever had a chance to become off-key, since he took such great care of it. Much in the same way she treated her bouzouki…
(What else can we do, however? I already took a bath a few hours ago… Mio and Yumi were so polite, we talked for so long afterwards… It's far too early in the day to turn in… Perhaps a walk will help pass the time?)
She moved to push back her chair, but before she could do so, the door connecting the tavern with the main castle banged open and a fuming blonde man in armor stormed inside. Surprised, Nei watched him take a seat at the bar and impatiently motion the bartender over.
"I need some ale as fast as you can pour it, Anne," muttered the knight.
"What's the crisis this time, Borus?" Anne sighed, clearly frustrated. The Karayan barkeep did immediately move to fill his order, however, since he was the only inhabitant in the tavern other than the busker pair.
"Lady Chris decided to go on another training trip," Borus replied sullenly, taking the offered mug and draining half its contents in one swig. Setting it back down on the counter, he added, "She took along Louis, of course, as well as Salome, Ayame, Rhett, Wilder, and…"
"Percival?" Anne supplied helpfully.
"Yes." The rest of the ale disappeared down Borus's throat, and he slammed the mug back down before burying his face in his hands.
"Thought so," and Anne hid a smirk as she refilled his flagon. (Never fails. Every time Chris heads off and decides not to take him along, he comes right here and whines about it while drowning his sorrows.) Aloud, she said, "Well, perhaps she simply feels you don't need as much training as the others do right now… Rhett and Wilder are the newest arrivals, correct?"
"Yeah, a couple of ducks. I was left behind in favor of a couple of ducks!" wailed Borus.
"Sounds like fowl play to me…"
Both the knight and the bartender groaned at the horrible pun, and the latter rolled her eyes as well.
"Go away, Landis," she commanded, not even looking up at where the Winghorder hung from the rafters.
"Yuh huh huh… Booze! The Grim Reaper demands it!"
"For the last time, Landis, I'm not giving you any liquor. Spirits know the last thing we need is a drunk Winghorder running around Budehuc."
Landis continued to cackle and hang off the rafters, summarily ignored by the rest of those gathered inside to the best of their ability. Nei looked back toward the door as once again it swung open to admit another blonde man, though this one was clad in neat leathers instead of shiny armor, not to mention his hairstyle was rather… distinctive.
"Ah, you actually have some time off, then?" Anne cheerfully asked of the new arrival as he took a seat at the bar.
"Sort of…" Reed sighed, a few coins clinking onto the polished wood surface as he quietly ordered his usual refreshment. "Milady is with Samus, Hugo, Fubar, the Sergeant and Shabon on a mission. There have been rumors of a dragon sighted around Caleria, and they went to investigate…"
"I see." Anne nodded and slid the requested concoction over to the Tinto guardsman. Tilting her head slightly to one side, she remarked, "But you don't seem as happy about it as I would have thought…?"
"Well, Milady's father does wish for us to protect her. It is our job, after all." Reed sipped his strawberry daiquiri before sighing again, adding, "Perhaps Samus would enjoy this sort of break more. He does like to disagree with Miss Lilly. But then, that may be why she opted to take him along instead…"
The Karayan bartender shook her head; she couldn't possibly begin to guess at what Lilly's motivations were. She wouldn't put it past the girl to pull such a scheme for whatever reason, however…
Speaking of schemes… Anne took a broom from behind the counter and used it to bat away the scythe that was currently trying to loop through the handle of one of her mugs.
"Bad Landis, bad," she chided.
"Yuh huh huh… Beer, woman, beer!"
"No!"
"……" Reed glanced up at the Winghorder hanging off the ceiling for a moment, then quietly edged his seat a bit further away from the bar.
"Pansy," Borus muttered under his breath, shooting both the Tinto swordsman and the cackling Landis dark glares before draining his mug for what was at least the fifth time. Nei had lost count of how many glasses the knight had, distracted as she was by others entering the establishment.
That was when another barged into the bar, though this newcomer used the door connecting to the outside courtyard instead of arriving from the mansion.
"The usual, Anne," Joker declared loudly, striding up to the bar. "I need a few drinks to take my mind off my troubles!"
"The usual few dozen, you mean," interjected Ace, popping his head in through the open doorway.
"Shut up! This is your fault, anyway!"
The mercenaries glared daggers at each other, heedless of the stare Borus was throwing them or the curious glance Reed tossed their way. Anne shrugged, used to their bickering, and set about drawing a few more pints for two of her best customers.
"Um… What exactly seems to be the problem?" Nei asked, since Anne appeared to be too preoccupied to try breaking up the two before things got ugly.
"Boss left us behind because he was sick of the old man's griping," explained Ace glibly.
"You have things backwards," Joker spat acidly. "He was tired of your constant complaining about everyone and everything!"
"I'm sure he figured you needed a break thanks to your latest hangover!"
"More he needed a break from listening to you!"
"I'd say he was sick of the both of you bickering," Borus muttered into his mug.
"It's a shame, really," Anne soothed with a smile. "Did he take anyone else with him instead?"
"Yeah," Joker replied. "That ninja kid and the girl with the naginata."
"Watari and Sanae," supplied Ace, more sullenly than helpfully.
"Yeah, those two." Joker shrugged. "Can't keep track of everyone with all the new arrivals lately…"
"Sure, that's your excuse…" Ace rolled his eyes, then added, looking over at the buskers, "Actually, I think he was looking for you originally, Toppo. How come you didn't answer when he sent for you?"
Nei glanced at her partner in surprise: he'd had an offer to join a party too? But why would he refuse to go along?
"……" Toppo shrugged noncommittally, barely glancing up at the mercenary.
"…You know, you remind me of someone I know," Ace muttered after a moment with a shake of his head.
"Hey!"
Everyone turned to see Anne swinging her broom at the retreating Landis, who swooped away cackling at the top of his lungs, a dripping mug of overflowing ale gripped in each hand (as one as one of his taloned feet). He nearly bowled over Ace and Joker before bursting out the door and into the courtyard.
"Booze! Booze! Booze! Yuh huh huh huh huh!"
"Stop him!" shrieked Anne. "He didn't even pay for those!"
"Let's go, Joker! That guy stole your precious beer!" Ace cajoled, elbowing Joker hard in the side once before turning and dashing out the door.
"Oh, like you weren't going to drink too!" retorted Joker while following his partner outside.
"Ooooooooooooo-kay. Let's go, Seed," Borus slurred, pushing out of his seat and gripping the startled Tinto swordsman by the arm. "The pretty lady asked us for help, and we're gonna give it ta her…"
"Um… it's Reed, Sir Borus," corrected Reed, looking more interested in quietly finishing his drink or just slipping away unnoticed than going after a liquor-crazed Winghorder.
"…Whatever."
As Borus all but dragged Reed out of the tavern, Nei blinked. After a moment, she couldn't help giggling, and pushed out of her seat, standing up.
(To think I was almost bored for a while there… Budehuc proves more interesting everyday…)
"Let's go help out too," she suggested to Toppo with a smile.
Toppo just nodded, and the busker duo headed outside to assist in the search and subjugation of Landis.
