Author's Notes: Hey, whaddaya know, it didn't take me over half a year to update this time! I ended up rewriting most of this chapter. No matter what I did, I couldn't get things to fit the way I wanted them to. I also realized that I have no earthly clue how to write Bastian, so don't expect any original speaking lines for him. Not yet, at least.
Holy crap, I think I finally gave every Greil Mercenary at least one line in this chapter!
"Ya know, I get why it's important to maintain a lookout in most circumstances, but the Greil Mercenaries' base is the middle of nowhere," Phoenix said.
"That's true, but the fact that we're based in rural Crimea might potentially make it easier for an enemy to stage an ambush," Garland replied from her perch in a nearby tree as she looked out over the horizon.
"Doesn't change the fact that it gets amazingly dull playing sentry out here," Phoenix complained.
"There's no sense in complaining, Phoenix," Garland admonished. "If it means we get a roof over our heads, food to eat, and people we can trust, then I'd stay out here all day if I had to."
"Yeah, and the fact that you prefer being out here to being indoors probably makes it an easy choice for ya," Shinon drawled as he made his way over from his post at the opposite end of the fort.
"I already told you, Cherry, I'm not a fan of enclosed spaces," Garland replied. "It's like being trapped in a cage."
"Just the same, I don't see how you're able to do this every day," Shinon said, grunting as he hoisted himself up the tree and onto a branch adjacent to Garland's. "Especially in this weather; it's hot as hell out here."
"Ya know, nobody said you had to keep watch out here," Garland pointed out.
"I know, but if I stayed inside I'd be depriving you of an opportunity to bask in the glow of my sparkling personality," Shinon snarked, his lips curling up into a smirk. "What kind of heartless man would I be if I let that happen?"
Garland rolled her eyes before reaching out to nudge him playfully with her foot. "You're full of it."
Phoenix smiled as the two archers bantered back and forth. Out of the three of them, Garland had been on her own the longest and had the hardest time opening up to the rest of the mercenaries. He and Riven were starting to worry that she wouldn't allow herself to bond with anyone in the company besides Soren, so they were pleasantly surprised when their former leader found a kindred spirit of sorts in Shinon; the two of them were extremely skilled and phenomenally snarky archers who tended to keep most people at a distance but Phoenix knew first-hand that once Garland's trust was earned, there probably wasn't a person on Tellius that was more devoted than she was. Phoenix suspected that Shinon was similar in that regard. The red-haired sniper kept almost everyone in the company at an arm's length and made no effort to hide his disdain for Commander Ike, but he also made no attempt to leave the company for more lucrative employment.
"Hold that thought, Cherry," Garland's voice startled Phoenix from his thoughts. "I think I see someone headed toward the fort."
Phoenix glanced up to see Garland squinting out into the distance. He followed her gaze toward the approaching figure. There only appeared to be one person approaching the fort, but he couldn't make out any of their features from their current distance. "Any idea who it is, Boss?"
Garland shook her head. "No clue. Judging from what I can make out, it's a blond male. I'm guessing he's some type of mage, given the robes he's wearing. Definitely not from around here, though; the quality of his clothes gives that away almost immediately." She was silent, studying the unknown male as he drew closer. "Okay yeah, he's definitely a noble of some sort. He's even got those weird pointy shoes that I've seen some of 'em wear."
"Blond magic-using noble with ridiculous shoes, huh? Sounds like Count Bastian to me," Shinon commented.
"Who?" Phoenix asked.
"Some bluestocking that we used to know from the Mad King's War. He's serving as Queen Elincia's adviser now, from what I understand," Shinon explained.
"What's he doing all the way out here, then?" Garland asked. "We aren't exactly walking distance from the capital."
Shinon shrugged. "Who knows. Probably wants to bore us to death with stories peppered with words normal people can't understand."
"Interesting guy," Garland commented before turning her gaze to Phoenix. "Go and grab the Commander, 'Nix. Let him know Sir What's-His-Face is here."
"Alright everyone, we've been contracted for a new mission," Ike announced later that evening. He, Titania, and Bastian had spoken privately for a long while once the Count had arrived. Bastian didn't give the rest of the mercenaries any hints about what he needed; he'd only said before leaving that it was 'a matter of great importance that would effect the balance of power in Crimea'.
"Are we protecting Queen Elincia again? Like we did during the war?" Mist asked.
"In a sense," Titania replied. "Apparently there's been quite a bit of unrest among the noble circles in Crimea lately. A large faction of the bluebloods aren't exactly happy with Queen Elincia's reign."
"Why not?" Rolf asked. "I always thought she was doing a great job."
"You can't tell me that you didn't see this coming," Riven commented.
"What do you mean, Riv?" Boyd asked. "The Queen's been doing her best to keep Crimea safe. The past three years have probably been the most peaceful the country's ever seen."
"That doesn't change the fact that Queen Elincia is an inexperienced ruler," Riv elaborated. "Her entire existence was kept secret from the public and, given that Lord Renning was intended to succeed the throne, it wouldn't be a stretch to assume that she was never taught how to rule a kingdom. Keep in mind, guys, the nobility and average commoners didn't fight alongside her like you all did; they don't know how to gauge her strength or intelligence because they've never seen it."
"Abdicating her right to rule Daein after defeating King Ashnard probably didn't help matters, either," Garland chimed in.
"But Crimea didn't have the resources to rule another country after the war ended," Oscar pointed out. "Even with all the help we got from Begnion and Gallia, we barely had enough to rebuild ourselves."
Garland shrugged. "The commoners don't know that. It'd be pretty easy for one of the Queen's critics to try to spin her moderation as a form of weakness."
Ike nodded. "Apparently that's what some of these noblemen are trying to do. They've been saying that Elincia's an unfit ruler and is going to lead the country to ruin."
"But she's been ruling the exact same way since she was crowned," Gatrie pointed out. "Why are the nobles just raising a stink about it now?"
"Because Daein has won its independence and Ashnard's son has been crowned the new king," Soren replied.
A hush fell over the room for several long moments before Shinon finally recovered enough to speak. "Well...shit."
"Exactly," Soren continued. "There's a good chance this new king will decide to take a page out of his father's book and make another strike. It's not very surprising that people are becoming concerned with Elincia's ability to rule."
"Okay, but what are we supposed to do about it?" Garland asked. "I doubt any ruler has been without their critics and it's not like we can protect the Queen from harsh words."
"Count Bastian suspects that an uprising is in the works," Titania explained. "Officially, he's been sent on a mission to Daein soon to find out what he can about this new king, but his true purpose is to trick the rebels into their own defeat before the uprising even begins. He thinks his absence will give whomever is planning this coup the confidence they need to make their move."
"He honestly thinks that his presence is the only thing keeping the other nobles from rebelling?" Riven snorted. "Seems a bit arrogant, doesn't it?"
"Count Bastian isn't your average noble," Rhys replied. "He's regarded as Crimea's greatest tactician for a reason. His loyalty to Queen Elincia is only unwavering; I doubt anyone is going to try anything with him around."
"Regardless, we can't make a move unless we know what's going on," Ike continued before turning to Garland, Riven, and Phoenix. "That's where you all come in. I need you three to do a little reconnoissance for us and see if you can find anything out about who's organizing this uprising and what they're planning to do."
"How are we supposed to do that?" Phoenix asked.
"There's a tavern in the nearby town," Titania replied. "That would probably be the best place for you to start."
"Hang on," Shinon protested from his spot next to Garland. "Why do only the three of them get to go?"
Soren sighed. "I know it's a new concept, but try to use your head for once. Ever since the Mad King's War, the Greil Mercenaries have become a household name. Most people in Crimea remember our faces, especially around here." He jerked his head toward the trio. "The three of them are the only ones whose identities are still anonymous. Nobody around here has seen them often enough to remember who they are or that they're members of the group now."
"So you're sending 'em out drinkin'?" Shinon asked.
"We're sending them out to get information," Titania corrected. "They're our best chance."
"Are you three game?" Ike asked, turning his gaze back toward the trio.
Garland nodded. "Yeah. I think we should wait a couple days before we start pumping people for information, though. If Bastian's just leaving for Daein today, it'll take a little time for anyone this far from the capital to get wind of an uprising."
"I agree. The Greil Mercenaries should also lay low in the meantime," Soren affirmed. "The less attention we bring ourselves, the looser peoples lips are going to be."
"Good call, both of you," Ike agreed. "Wait for three days and then you three can head out. It's probably for the best if you guys don't leave the fort for the next couple days too." He glanced around the room at the rest of the mercenaries. "You're all dismissed. Go back to...whatever it is you all do in the evenings."
"Oh goodie. Cabin fever all over again," Phoenix grumbled as he stood back up, walking toward Mia to get in a little more training before the sun set.
"I still don't understand why I can't be part of this 'mission'," Shinon muttered, his voice low enough that only Garland could hear him.
"Oh yeah, Cirrhosis the Wonder-Sniper, I'm sure you and your ability to go from completely sober to totally sloshed in record-breaking time will be a tremendous help," Garland snarked as the remaining mercenaries filed out.
"Ffffffffuck you, Blueberry," Shinon retorted, though Garland could see the playful smirk on his face.
"Whatever, ya stupid Cherry," Garland replied with an equally playful roll of her eyes as she stood up. "Let's get out of here so you can waste more of my time bitching."
"My bitching is the highlight of your day. Don't even try to pretend it's not," Shinon argued as he followed the bluenette outside.
Ending Notes: Yeah...Garland and Shinon might be low-key tsunderes for each other. Not gonna lie, I think these two are my non-canon brotp.
Next chapter's gonna see some undercover bar-hopping and quite possibly a rescue of the epic variety along with more of Garland and Shinon's vitriolic best buds dynamic.
As always, feedback and constructive criticism are more than welcome! Thank you all so much for reading! It really means a lot to me! Geekinthepink, out!