Learning the Ropes of Being a Driver
After the fight against Vandham and his men believe Rex and Rana's group were being ambush only find out it was just a test, and now the large old man had offer them to eat at their village which is also where Risty and Swan were raised in before leaving as bounty hunters. Rex commented that he is a strange old goat as Pyra told him that she sensed Vandham didn't mean any real harm.
While walking with Vandham and his mean, Rex told him of how he got himself involved with Pyra and where they are trying to go as well.
"Helluva story. So, you headed to the World Tree to reach Elysium, but got swallowed up whole instead. You got some crazy luck." Vandham commented.
"I'm not sure if luck is the proper word I would use." Ymir said.
"I'm just glad we're all okay." Agata sighed in relief.
"Though I am feeling a bit hungry right now." Rana rubbed his stomach a little.
"I see you still do the patrol of what the Titan eats otherwise we wouldn't have run into you back there." Risty said.
"Yeah, we all know how this Titan gets all fuzzy on what it eats." Vandham nodded.
"You actually go down the stomach whenever the Titan eats something it probably shouldn't?" Cattleya asked.
"Just to see if there is anything we can use to help ourselves with the village, but mostly I only found your sorry mushes." Vandham explained with a joke at the end.
"Yeah, sorry about that." Rex said.
"I don't think he meant that as an insult." Rana guessed.
"Here we are. Welcome to Garfont, ain't much but it's home." Vandham gestured to the village they have just arrived.
"Look at that Risty, it's still the same as how it was when we left." Swan smiled.
"Yeah, glad to see the old place is still kicking." Risty smiled as well, feeling good to be back at her small hometown.
The rest of the group are looking at the village feeling the peace yet strong presence around it though they also notice something a little odd about the village.
"The village has a lot of children." Pyra stated.
"Lots of Drivers and Blades here too!" Tora added as Poppi nods.
"So, this village is also serving as business for mercenaries like yourselves." Ymir guessed.
"Yep, we're in the business of dispatching Drivers and Blades all across the world. Most of the kids are war orphans, took them in while on the job." Vandham said.
"Looks like we're not the only ones who managed to find a good home after losing families." Rana pointed out to Rex.
"Yeah, good for them, I say." Rex nodded.
"So, you're saying that you take them under your wing?" Dromarch asked.
"Just till they're about to make it by themselves." Yew said.
"Some of them might grow up to be Drivers like ourselves, but then others might become tailors." Zuo mentioned.
"Sounds like both of those options sound good if you want to make some money to have food." Rana commented.
"It doesn't matter what they wanna do with their lives, we leave it up to them to decide." Vandham stated.
"Aye, us "Justice Busters" just wanna help." Yew said.
"I see, so you become a good father to them and help them as much as you can until the day comes for some to leave the village to walk their own path. Such a thoughtful thing a parent would do." Cattleya complimented.
"Aw, don't think too much into that. Just helping the little buggers out when I see fit." Vandham smiled proudly.
"You are such a good egg." Nia grinned.
"You said it, I've been called worse." Vandham chuckled.
"Come on, let's eat! All this egg-talk is making me hungry." Vandham said as the group follows him to the food tent.
Rex and Rana stood there for a moment looking at Vandham with smiles on their faces even though they're not entirely sure why, meeting this man and the kind of life he lives makes the two brothers feel at ease a little. Almost like the kind of father they never had in their entire life.
"Rex! Rana! If you don't hurry up, then we're gonna eat your plates!" Ymir called out.
"We're coming!" Rex responded.
"Save some meat for us!" Rana said as they quickly caught up to the group.
Everything gathered at the food tent where the meals that has been given to them is very delicious, probably not as good as the food served in those fancy restaurants, but it's still very good from the flavors and all.
"Oh my, it would seem one of your own is planning on becoming a chef." Cattleya surprised.
"Yeah, the guy has been working hard on improving some of the recipes he made over the years and plan to present to one of the big fancy restaurants, some day even to the queen." Vandham nodded.
"Well, with food like this, I believe that dream is within his reach." Pyra smiled.
"You think so, huh?" Vandham chuckled.
"Tora would like seconds!" Tora raised one of his ear-arms.
"Tora, what have I said about eating too much?" Ymir asked with her scolding eyes.
"I'm going to get some water, you want some, Rex?" Pyra asked.
"Huh, no, I'm good." Rex said.
"Vandham?" Pyra asked the old mercenary wondering if he would like a drink.
"Cheers love, gimme a beer." Vandham requested.
"Beer? Coming right up!" Pyra nodded and made her way to the back of the counter.
Vandham notice how Rex is looking a little down on the dump while Rana is enjoying the food though feeling concern for his brother.
"What's up, Rex? The grub don't suit you?" Vandham asked getting the boy's attention.
"So, do you fight in wars too, Vandham?" Rex asked which got Rana and Cattleya to stop eating as they are concern for Rex.
"You got a problem with mercenaries?" Vandham asked firmly.
"If you're thinking about him trying to get you guys to join up, then you don't have to worry because Vandham is not the kind of man to force these kinds of things onto others." Risty assured.
"Yeah, we're not that desperate." Vandham nodded.
"Okay, good to know." Rex said, cheering up a little.
"You don't like wars, do you, kid?" Swan asked.
"Who doesn't? I don't see why people have to keep on hurting each other when they could have just work things out peaceful." Rex sighed.
"Hmm, Rex, you're a salvager, ain't ya?" Vandham asked.
"Yeah, so is Rana with Cattleya too." Rex answered.
"But Rex made a rule to never fish out military supplies, he doesn't like to get himself involve with those sorts with things believing it would make things harder for us." Cattleya explained.
"Yeah, especially with the fighting and the Titans dying." Rex added.
"I get that some would want to stay out of those things like the government and all, but what you might not know is that you'll be involve already." Risty stated.
"Really?" Rana puzzled.
"Ai. Compasses, valves for ether stoves, armies need all these things. The breads you're eating, it made from ruska flour. Supplied by Ardainian government." Vandham gestured to the breadbasket.
"It seems like regular flour to me." Rana said.
"I believe he is saying in a different matter." Cattleya pointed out to her adopted son/Driver.
"This world is full of war. Don't matter if you're a soldier or not, as long as you're alive… you're in the war, some way or another." Vandham stated.
"It sounds like a hard life, but that just how it is most of the time as life can be crueler than you know." Swan said deeply.
"Couldn't have said it better myself." Vandham nodded before turning back to Rex.
"That's why I set up this little band, so I could protect the people I care about." Vandham gestured of the village around him.
"Kid, you got to remember you're the Driver of the Aegis which means the whole world is gonna come after you and Pyra just to snatch her away, they'll all be gunning for you." Risty pointed out.
"I believe we may have experience that much." Cattleya sighed.
"It'd be easy to run, all you need to do is ditch that girl." Vandham advised, as his own way of testing the boy again.
Rex looks to Pyra at the counter getting the drinks and clutches his fist, there was no way he would ever ditch Pyra just because he didn't want to get involve with wars and stuff, he made a promise to her and plans to stay by her side even to the very end.
"Despite things looking bad for him, my big brother isn't the kind of guy to run away and leave those he cherishes behind like a coward." Rana vouched, this made Rex smile.
Vandham can see in Rex's eyes and hearing Rana's words is all that the old mercenary needs to know that those two will always have each other's back, even if they were far away from each other and can tell they got a lot of strength than they realize.
"C'mon, gotta get ready!" Vandham said as he stands up.
"Oh, so we're going to be doing that. Man, it's been years since we left the village." Risty smiled.
"What are we doing and where are we going?" Rana asked.
"Don't worry, you'll know soon enough." Swan assured.
Rex and Rana look at each other with the former shrugging, thinking it would be best to just see what they're about to do and call in the others telling them to get ready for whatever Vandham has plans for today.
A few minutes later, the group met up with Vandham and Roc outside of the village as they're about to be brief of the activate today.
"We just got a job to go check out some kinda crazy energy effect. Somewhere up around the blowhole. Whaddya say? Fancy being a mercenary for a day?" Vandham asked.
"I think it would be a good experience, plus we can work to earn our keeps for being in the village for a while." Rana stated.
"Yeah, that's a good point." Rex agreed.
"Okay, we're in." Rex said to Vandham.
"Good, now follow me, we'll be going through this gate." Vandham said as they began walking.
They travel through a path Vandham is taking as Rex and Rana hope they will do well on their first job as mercenaries, and maybe learn some more things from Vandham as well.
Sometime later, they came to a stop in front of a large air sphere that appears to be little dangerous.
"What is that?" Rana asked.
"That's an ether miasma, pretty nasty stuff." Risty answered.
"What exactly is it?" Rex asked.
"It's a load of poisonous waste products spewed from Titan's guts. Y'know when you get gassy? Kinda like that." Vandham explained.
"In other words, a fart that can actually kill you. Got it." Ymir nodded.
"Meme! Stick smell not to smell!" Tora scared.
"Not to worry, Masterpon, Poppi can't get hurt from bad smell." Poppi said confident in herself.
"That's good for you, Poppi, but that thing being there blocks our path of where we need to go, and we'll need to find a way through it as I can't see any way around it." Nia stated.
"Hey, no fear." Vandham said as he walks forward a little to the ether miasma.
"Roc, mate! You're up!" Vandham said taking out Roc's weapons.
"On it!" Roc nodded and flew up, using his wind power to power up Vandham and he unleash a strong wind slash to cause the miasma to vanish.
"The Miasma died down." Rex said.
"Wow, that was so cool!" Rana amazed.
"Yup, nothing to it!" Vandham laughed in victory.
"It was only a smelly air, old man. No need to brag about it." Risty rolled her eyes.
"Right, let's roll." Vandham said as they continue down the path.
"I think I'm enjoying of learning new things." Rana said to Rex.
"Yeah, me too." Rex nodded.
They walk for about under two miles until Vandham as he saw one large creature close by and seems to be minding its own business.
"An Ardun, just what we need." Vandham smirked.
"Seriously, we gonna want us to fight that thing?" Risty asked.
"Got to see how these little kitties do in a serious fight." Vandham stated before turning to Rex.
"Rex, any good with that anchor?" Vandham asked about the anchor graphing hook on his wrist.
"Yeah, I get by." Rex answered.
"Hand it here." Vandham ordered.
Rex nod knowing that Vandham wants to show him something which maybe something he hasn't learned yet, he gave his anchor to Vandham.
"Risty, how about you show these boys the move I taught you." Vandham suggested.
"Oh, so we're going for that. Okay, I can do that." Risty nodded and took the anchor from Vandham.
"Now, watch." Vandham said.
The boys and the rest of the group watches Risty aiming the anchor at the Ardun and lowering the point to the right back leg, waiting for a moment and then fires the anchor with a couple of movements to have the anchor wraps around the leg. Once the anchor is attached to the leg, Risty gave a mighty pull as with one tug, the Ardun is thrown off falling onto its side.
"Wow, that was cool." Ymir amazed.
"Did you see that, Rex! She just tip that Ardun with just a pull of your anchor!" Rana shouted of amazement, making Risty blush a little.
"Awesome! I never thought of using it that way!" Rex impressed.
"The trick is pull it taut at just the right moment. It's a little tricky it first, but one trick that can help you in many situations." Risty explained as she tosses the anchor back to Rex.
"Okay, you two boys give it a try." Vandham ordered.
"I'm not sure if I can do it." Rana said nervously.
"Don't worry, Rana, the important thing is to at least keep trying." Cattleya stated.
"Good advice, now get ready because the Ardum is looking mighty angry." Risty alerted as they got into their battle stance.
The Ardun roars in rage charging at the group at full speed though they got out of the way and Rex decided to give that trick a try.
"Nia, try keep it distracted." Rex said.
"Sure, why not." Nia shrugged as she and Dromarch started attacking the creature.
Rex aims the anchor at the Ardum while its fighting Nia and Dromach, seeing the legs move around a little waiting for the right moment to fire the anchor until he felt that moment. He launches the anchor at the creature and improving the same trick wrap like Risty did, the anchor wraps around the back leg and Rex gave a strong pull tripping the Ardum.
"Awesome!" Rana cheered.
"Well done, Rex!" Azurda impressed of his adopted oldest grandson.
"Wow, Rex really did it!" Rana surprised that Rex was able to do that on his first try.
"(Now let see if I can do that.)" Rana thought as he aimed his anchor at the Ardum.
He waited for a moment after the creature got back up and roars at Rex, he then fires the anchor though couldn't perform the movement well as the anchor hit its side which gained its attention to the boy.
"Oops, guess I wasn't ready for it." Rana chuckled nervously.
"Rana, catch!" Cattleya tossed her spear at Rana.
Rana quickly catches the spear and using it like a pole to pole over the charging Ardum and strike it twice on the back, Cattleya charges doing a strong slash that send the creature flying and crashes onto the ground.
Rex and Rana quickly finish it off with a combo move they thought of a while back: Rana threw the spear and Rex a fire slash at the same time, combining it certainly kill the Ardum.
"Nice work, more impress that you got it after seeing it once, Rex. Not bad." Vandham complimented.
"Looks I got a lot of to cut out for." Rana stated as he looks at his anchor.
"Don't worry, even I couldn't get it right the first time." Risty said.
"Listen up, you two. Drivers use Arts, but that doesn't mean using the powers your Blade gives you. There are Arts that use your own strength or take advantage of your enemy's. There are all sorts." Vandham explained.
"Rana and his Blade have already got all of that part down and understand that it's a Driver's job to be smart with his Arts and protect his Blade." Vandham stated.
"Wow, it's that how we're like, mama?" Rana asked.
"I believe so." Cattleya nodded.
"Protect my Blade?" Rex asked.
"Yeah, it's a two-way thing, kid. You gotta be aware of the power coming out of her. Don't waste it, channel it through your arts, and protect her. If you can do that, then you're a True Driver." Vandham said crossing his arms.
"Wow, that's a lot to take into." Rana commented.
"Well, you both got what it takes along with the great companions to back up. That'll come in handy." Vandham said as Nia just roll her eyes with a small smile.
"Biggipon has scary face, but he very nice." Tora commented.
"Sussed me out, furrypon!" Vandham laughed.
KO a new chapter is done and hope you all enjoy it!
Rex and Rana's group have learned a lot from Vandham about being Drivers like how to use Arts properly and being smart about it too, Vandham seems to be a good father figure for the boys as they will learn more from the man.
KO comment, favorite, and follow through of how this story will go!