Heeere's the new one! We finally arrive at Sedgeridge!

Hope you're all looking forward to it! ;)

Obligatory Disclaimer: I own nothing.

A Not-So-Quiet Town

The quaint, cozy village was exactly like something out of the old fantasy books he used to read, and Yu felt a strange wave of nostalgia overcome him. What came alongside it was even stranger; a thrill of excitement that made him almost cave to the childish urge to run down and begin exploring everything. Everything . . .

"Wow, this place actually looks pretty nice!" Chie commented, smiling.

"Didn't Korval-san mention there being an inn here? I wonder if the architecture's western oriented, or more eastern like ours," Yukiko hummed thoughtfully.

"I don't think the terms 'East' and 'West' really matter here, Yukiko-san," Yosuke said, "But it is better than caves, I'll give you that."

"I wonder if its too much to hope for a hot spring," Rise added, toying with the curled ends of her hair as she were already contemplating a nice, steamy sauna to wash in.

"They promised us baths," Yu said, "A failure to deliver would leave us no choice but to riot."

"Uh, you sure you wanna riot against these guys, dude?" Yosuke questioned, pointedly glancing at the group behind them.

Korval had taken the horses and was standing a little ways down the road they'd come, acting as a sentry-and a rather intimidating one at that-while Nyras and Rhysana talked to the head of the caravan in quiet voices. Tirin was perched on the edge of the last caravan, looking smug as he chatted up one of the caravan girls while idly tossing a knife around as if it were a baton. A really dangerous baton.

Yu closed his eyes, "Point taken."

"Come on, what are we waiting for?!" Teddie demanded, eyes glistening with excitement as he began to walk forward, "There's a whoooole new town down there waiting to be explored, and a whoooole lot of girls waiting to meet Teddie! Let's g-egh!"

His foot sunk deep into muck as he stepped off the road onto the hill, the reeds and tall grasses having hidden the marshy ground below. A shiver ran up Teddie's body and he stuck his arms up out of reflex, staying still as the stone as he whimpered, "Eeeeew . . ."

Yosuke sighed in resignation, "I should just accept that there's going to be nothing left of that outfit by the time we're out of this place . . . I really should."

Teddie tried to pull his foot out, but the swampy mud held tight, and eventually the bear looked back at them with pleading eyes, "Help me."

Kanji grunted in annoyance, but reached out anyway to help. With one hand, he grabbed the boy by the collar and pulled up, the mud squelching as his foot was pulled loose. Setting him back on the ground, Kanji said, "Next time, watch where your steppin'."

"Ay . . ." Teddie said with a pout, cringing as he put weight on his foot and heard mud squash in his boot, "Eugh . . ."

"Well, good thing we're getting baths soon," Rise commented.

A flurry of activity near the last ring of houses by the town's border caught Yu's attention, and he looked to see that a small contingent of men were marching away from the town. The sharp, steely glint that bounced off their bodies told him they were armored, and no doubt armed even if he couldn't see their weapons from this distance. They began to ascend up the hill right between the curving juncture of the one they stood on and the large knoll on their right, and as they came closer, Yu noticed that one of the caravan's men was in the lead.

"The town gaurd," a voice said, and Yu glanced around to find that Rhysana had taken up a spot behind them. Her hood was drawn over her head again, but he could still see her smile, "They've come here to take the bandits to the bastille for transportation."

"Transportation . . . ?" Yu asked, puzzled.

"To Alvorod, the capital city of this particular kingdom," Rhysana explained, "There, they'll stand trail before the Queen, who'll supposedly pass judgment on them for their actions. If we're being honest about it, though, a case like this will most likely be passed down to one of the Commandants instead."

"So I take it there's no judge and jury waiting for them when they get to wherever, is there?" Yosuke asked.

Rhysana's eyebrows furrowed, "Hm? There's a court system waiting for them, if that's what you mean. Normally, the plaintiffs would be going along as well, but seeing as there's already a bounty out for these guys, there's no need."

"Ah . . ."

By now, the group of soldiers had arrived and were being led to the caravan where the bandits were being kept. The bound fugitives were ushered out, many of them glaring hotly at their captors with bared teeth and snarls. Others, however, just looked afraid.

He noticed Nyras say a few last words to the man she was talking with before passing something into his hands. Something that glinted gold . . .

The man stowed it away before Yu could accurately make out what it was, bowing reverently to the ranger before turning away and barking orders to the rest of the traders. As activity began to resurge, the knights started to move away with their prisoners, but not before many of them gave Nyras and the rest deferential nods and respectful words.

"Is it just me . . . or do a lot of the people we see seem really amazed when they meet these guys?" Yosuke prompted as he looked on.

"I've noticed that as well," Naoto said, "I don't know what they are saying, but it is obvious to any who look that they hold our counterparts in rather high regard."

"You got anything to say about that?" Kanji asked bluntly, looking at Rhysana.

Rhysana smiled mysteriously as she winked, "Oh, I'll let your imaginations run wild on this one."

They were still looking put off as Nyras walked up to them with Tirin in toe, pushing a few flyaway strands of hair back into the recess's of her hood, "Well, now that that's taken care of, we can be on our way."

Rise looked between Nyras and Rhysana, looking puzzled, "Why did you put your hoods on? It's not that cold."

"I burn easy," was Rhysana's immediate reply. She said it so blandly, too, that it was heard for Yu to decide if she was being sarcastic or not.

Nyras provided a more complete answer, "More than that, we'd rather avoid any inquiries as to why it appears we're traveling with a troupe of doppelgangers, no?"

"Yeah, those would be good questions to avoid," Yu agreed.

"Hey, we goin' or what?" Korval asked from where he stood, looking impatient.

"Coming, Korval," Rhysana chimed sweetly, "Keep your tusks in."

The half-orc grunted as he turned away, taking the horses with him.

Nyras gestured for them to follow as she set out for the narrow gulch between the hills, Korval already leading the horses down. Thankfully, it looked like the ground was much firmer there, and Yu was glad they wouldn't have to wade through any mud just to get into town.

"Heehee, stepped into the marsh, I see?"

Tirin's chortling made him look back to see that the gloaming was walking next to Teddie, lips curled up into a teasing smirk as he laced his hands behind his head. Teddie hunkered down, looking defensive, "It was hard to see, okay? A perfectly innocent blunder that anyone could make!"

Tirin grinned, "Oh, 'anyone could make', hm? I don't see anyone else with muddy feet."

"Grr . . ." Teddie mock growled.

Before he could make a comeback, Nyras interrupted him, "Tirin, up front! The less attention we draw to ourselves, the better."

Tirin frowned, looking disappointed at begin torn away from his fun. But he did as she asked, as he walked by, Yu heard him mumble, "Too late for that, I think . . ."

He was right. As they approached the first worn stones of the cobbled path, Yu could see a small crowd of people gathering along the sides of the road. Some stood on the edge of the small, half-finished fences that surrounded some of the houses to get a better view, while young children gathered in front of the adults, their eyes wide with wonder. Dogs barked at the heels of some of the people, their coats ragged and their paws caked with muck, but they wagged their tails energetically as they came near.

The sloping of hill gradually petered out to flat land and the hard earth underfoot gave way to nodular stone, and as they began to pass by the first houses and the crowds, Yu began to see things with great more detail. The homes were very small, maybe twenty-by-twenty foot squares with a height of maybe fifteen. The outside walls were comprised of shoddily constructed stone 'bricks' that looked like they'd been plucked straight off the ground and hastily thrown to together in uneven clumps, the roofs made of a patchwork of wood and straw. Small windows lined the walls, most flung open to let in the evening air. The vast majority were empty, however, as most everyone was outside watching their procession. The men and women were dressed in patchy clothes obviously meant for work; for the men it was loosely cut tunics and trousers stuffed into their heavy, mud-crusted boots, while for the women it was long, simple dresses with aprons and head scarves. The children were all much the same, just in smaller sizes. All eyes were on the four armored figures up front, most barely sparing a glance for the ragged sortie of children tailing them, and all around, Yu could hear them whispering to one another, a sort of creepy background noise overshadowed by the barking canines and the occasional whinny from Bone.

And then, seemingly out of nowhere, someone in the crowd started to cheer.

Like a dam breaking, the sound swelled out until the whispering dissolved into a din of riotous noise as the onlookers took up the cry like a clarion call, cheering and clapping filling the once quiet air. Nyras, Korval, Rhysana and Tirin carried on as if it were little more than ordinary birdsong, but to his eyes, they seemed to carry their heads just a little higher than before. Yu shared a puzzled look with Yosuke, finding nothing in the brown-eyed boy's gaze save total confusion. The rest of his friends weren't too far behind in that regard.

Except Teddie, who's eyes began to sparkle as he puffed up and grinned, "Now that's a greeting worthy of moi! Ladies, there's plenty of me to go around!~"

Yosuke eyeballed him hard, "It's not you cheering for, dude . . ."

"Uh, is anyone else kinda weirded out by this?" Kanji said, struggling to make himself heard.

"Yeeeeah . . ." Chie murmured, voice nearly lost in the din.

" . . . is it bad that this is weird for me in the totally opposite way? Like, I know it's not me they're clapping for and that's why it's odd?" Rise asked, looking awkward.

"This . . . would be the sort of thing you'd used to, huh Rise-chan?" Yukiko said, folding her hands into her sleeves self-consciously.

" . . . Risette's fans are what you would call 'highly energetic', if even half of the live performances aired on tv are to be believed . . ." Naoto put in, wincing as the noise somehow increased.

Despite the noise, Rise smiled in pleasure, "Aw, you watch my live performances, Naoto-kun? That's sweet."

A faint hue of scarlet crossed Naoto's cheeks, "Occasionally . . . if one airs while I am working or otherwise occupied, I never saw a reason to change the channel."

"But were they ever this energetic?" Yosuke asked, looking pointedly at the crowd, "These guys are acting like the just witnessed the second coming."

"Maybe these guys are like celebrities here," Yu put in thoughtfully, "In some way, at least."

"You really have to wonder for what, though, because I doubt its a singing career," Chie said.

"Well, the armor is kinda telling me it was for something a lot different," Yosuke said.

"Maybe . . ." Yukiko's eyes lit up in realization, a short gasp escaping her, "Maybe it has something to do with being heroes? Like in fairytales!"

"Do you really think so?" Chie asked, looking hesitant to believe that, "I mean, all the cheering implies something, definitely, but real, fantasy heroes?"

"Yeah, that does sound too good to be true . . ." Yosuke said, somewhat dismal.

"But . . . perhaps not."

Everyone turned to look at Naoto, who met their gazes with a thoughtful silence, "Us and they have our differences, obviously. And they most likely know nothing about personas or shadows, even if their world is full of magic. But that does not mean we do not have our similarities, either."

"Tirin and Teddie, for example. Both of them are quite flamboyant, somewhat childish, and have an astonishing propensity to flirt with everything that moves," Naoto continued, "Korval and Kanji, as another, both share an aggressive streak that is tamed by an underlying sense of compassion, and have a willingness to stand at the forefront of a fight despite any disadvantage they may suffer."

"So . . . what are you getting at?" Yosuke asked.

"What I am saying is that these similar characteristics may not be the only things we share," Naoto told him, "It may be that they embarked upon a journey of their own at some point. After all, we once saved our world . . . who's to say they did not save theirs?"

They stared at her, falling into a dumbstruck silence, because holy shit, that actually made a lot of sense. The armor, the weapons, the all around enchanted world they lived in, it was all an unapologetically perfect setup for such a tale. And looking at the way the four in front of them carried themselves amongst the cheers, like they'd heard it before and accepted it as it was, really ground that idea in.

"A roaming band of heroes . . ." Kanji mumbled, "Holy crap . . ."

"But for what? What'd they do? Oh man, why didn't we ask this before!" Chie demanded, looking to her friends as if they could fill her in as to why.

"Glitz, fame, and fortune . . . wow . . ." Yosuke mumbled, lost in thought.

All eyes fell on the figures ahead of them, a deeper sort of awe filling them this time. Oh, they'd been amazed by the things they could do before. But if that guess was true, then . . . whoa.

Curiosity ate at Yu even as they reached the inner portion of the town, the small houses giving way to larger shops and buildings. The stonework became noticeably better, as did the pavement beneath their feet, and Yu found himself struggling to see everything as they walked.

The road curved westward, and they ended up skirting the edge of docks, where fisherman of all shapes and sizes were swarming over the wooden piers like ants. Ships, both large and small and very old-fashioned, were in port, large nets full of fish being dropped onto the platforms where their slick, silver bodies would flop and twitch. Unwittingly, his stomach growled, mind falling back to the days (and nights) he'd spend fishing by the riverbed. He'd never really eaten the fish there, yeah, but he couldn't help but wonder what the fish here tasted like.

The road branched inward again, and the docks were left behind as they entered the central square of the town. The circular plaza was actually quite wide, with larger buildings running the entire circumference of the square. A fishery of some sort was on the right, set a little apart as the strong smell of fish wafted up from the open doors. The other shops (for shops they must be), had small signs hanging above their doors with pictures to tell what they were. He couldn't see them from where he was, but he figured he'd find out soon enough. The opposite from them he could make out a particularly huge building, and he heard a heavy amount of activity through the windows, which were suffused with the orange glow of an internal fire. That must be the inn.

At the center of the plaza was a large statue of a man standing at nine feet high, the marbled stone looking weathered by the passing of many years. His face was carved into a stoic stare, head uplifted with his foot braced against a fake rock. The definition of noble. He wondered who he was.

"The founder of the town," Rhysana answered his unspoken question.

"This way," Nyras said, walking around the ring of shops.

The people who were milling about the plaza quickly skittered out of their path, leaving the way perpetually clear and easy to cross. Still, the constant adulation was starting to get overwhelming, even though he knew it wasn't for him.

They approached a smaller shop with two stories and a tiered wooden roof, the sign dangling above the open door swaying gently in the wind. The symbol of a sewing needle adorned the surface, the paint chipped and worn but still clearly legible.

Rhysana spoke up then, "Alright, I trust you guys can handle yourselves here. I'll go get things sorted at the inn."

With that, she broke away, every step a graceful sway as she made her way to said inn.

"Aaand I'm going with her," Tirin said, trotting after the woman.

Nyras, surprisingly, made to follow, "I shall take the horses to the stables. I know you can take care of this."

With that, she left.

"Come on, sooner we get this done, sooner we can head over ourselves," Korval said, brusquely walking inside.

They followed the man inside, finding the building surprisingly more cramped than he would have guessed. The interior was lined with all sorts of racks lined with different articles of clothing, from shirts to breeches to tunics and back. Near the back, a man with a short, scraggly beard and salt-and-pepper hair looked up from his sewing utensils, eyes looking huge behind the rims of his spectacles. His mouth fell open with shock, hurriedly scrabbling to rise in order to beckon them inside. His hand knocked against the underside of the desk in his haste, jarring the utensils laying across the table, and he shook his hand out in pain. Korval asked him something, but he quickly waved him down, smiling reassuringly.

There was a sudden gasp to their left, and Yu looked to see that a young woman had appeared from within the numerous racks, eyes flying open as the load she was carrying fell to the floor. Her hair was long and brown, the same color as her eyes, her dress a soft shade of blue that stuck out amongst the more earthy colors of the rest of the clothes. She stared at Korval until the spectacled man made a sound, and she jolted and shot to the floor, hastily gathering the fallen clothes. The man then said something to Korval, sounding apologetic, but the big man merely waved him down.

The man seemed to get over his shock after that, the pair talking quickly until the half-orc gestured to the group behind him. The man nodded before stepping up to them, politely gesturing for them to follow.

"Go on," he said said, "He's going to get your measurements."

Ah . . . well, that was easy enough.

It was exactly as easy as that, too. With the help of the girl (who he assumed was the man's daughter) the man expertly gathered their measurements in quick time, writing them down for later use. As time went on, he noticed Korval doing the same. It went by fairly uneventfully, save for Teddie trying to hit on the girl only to receive puzzled looks in return.

Once he was done, the man asked Korval a few more questions before nodding respectfully and saying something to the girl behind him. The girl nodded and, after bowing politely to their group, hastened to the back, where she disappeared. Korval then pulled out a small pouch, and Yu heard something metallic tinkling together as he shifted through the pouch. When he withdrew his hand, Yu's eyes went wide when he saw the small, circular coins of pure gold resting in his hand.

"Whoa . . ." everyone murmured in tandem.

Yu could swear Korval's lips twitched in amusement before counting out two coins and handing them to the tailor. After that, it seemed the business was concluded, for Korval and the tailor shook hands before the half-orc gestured for the door, "Right, we're done here."

"Um . . . weren't we supposed to get new clothes?" Rise asked, "And what about patching up our old ones?"

"You'll get the new ones in the morning. Man can only work so fast," Korval said, "As for your old ones, I can patch those up just fine myself."

Silence. Then Kanji spoke, "You sew?"

Korval rolled his eyes, the beginning of a growl sounding in his throat, "If you're gonna say something like 'orcs can't sew', I'm gonna-."

"No no no, I sew to!" Kanji interrupted, "I just didn't know you did."

At this, Korval became noticeably more interested, "Really? Heh, so it's a profession where you're from too?"

Kanji rubbed the back of his head, "Um, kinda? My Ma owns a textile shop back home. I picked it up from her."

Korval grinned, "Same here! What kinda stuff you make?"

"Whatever I feel like, really," Kanji replied, smiling in return. Both were looking more and more relaxed as they talked, and Yu felt good to know they'd found kindred spirits in each other.

"Aw, they're bonding," Rise commented with a smile.

"Shouldn't really be surprised, huh?" Yosuke said, crossing his arms.

There was a rustling by the door, and Yu turned around to see that Nyras had stepped inside again, "Korval, is everything alright in here?"

"O-oh, yeah!" Korval looked sheepish, "Just got done, actually. Sorry if we worried ya. By the way . . ."

He went to Nyras' side and held something out to her, and Yu furrowed his eyebrows together when he noticed the slip of paper he'd written their measurements on.

"Figured you'd want to get this over to the armory as quick as possible," Korval said, "That way you can get at least a few decent sets sorted out by tomorrow."

Armory?

Nyras smiled, accepting the note, "Excellent. Thank you, lieling."

Lieling . . . Yu knew that that was a term of endearment in some way or another. It was a good thing no one actually knew what she was saying.

. . . Even if it was quite adorable.

"Tirin and Rhysana have booked several rooms for the night, and have requested that baths be prepared," Nyras informed him, "So, if you will escort them to the inn, I will take this to the armory. I would hurry, however. They are already making a scene."

Korval grunted, "Yeah, they would," his face softened a touch as he looked at her, "Right, see you at the inn later?"

"Of course," Nyras replied with a gentle nod. Then she turned and walked out the door.

Korval gestured to them, "Come on, inn's a'waitin'."

"Food!" Chie cheered.

"Baths!" Rise cried elatedly.

"Girls!" Teddie added in his own exuberant way.

The walk to the inn was quick and painless and filled with gawking spectators, but Yu had come to expect that by now. The sound of rancorous cheering and hollers grew noticeably louder as they came closer, and Yu caught the whiff of cooking meats and vegetables. His stomach, along with everyone else's, let out a long growl.

"Oooh, that smells like meat!~" Chie said, salivating.

Korval pushed the door open, and they could barely contain themselves as they stepped inside. It was surprisingly warm, heated by the large fire that roared in the brick fireplace in the northern wall and the numerous bodies that filled the room. The room itself was very large, maybe forty feet long and thirty feet deep, filled with wooden tables and chairs occupied by various groups of men and women. A large bar was situated on their right, an equally large man dutifully polishing a tankard as he made small talk with the patrons sitting in front of him. Maids wove between the crowds, smiling and serving out plates of food and full mugs of drink. The flat ceiling was crisscrossed with numerous support beams composed of thick oak wood, and on some of them Yu thought he could make out small knives embedded into the bottom rafters. Stairs rose up to the upper level on their left, the railings all ornately carved from wood. It was all so medieval fantasy it left Yu's head reeling.

As soon as they entered (or rather, as soon as Korval entered) the drinking people lifted their glasses and cheered, rosy faces filled with smiles and merriment.

The half-orc held up a hand before moving on, walking towards the vey back where a larger crowd was gathered. A long table comprised of several smaller tables pushed together was situated there, and Yu could see both Rhysana and Tirin sitting upon it, laughing and talking with the people around them, a tankard in the gloaming's hand and a wine glass in the bard's. Several young men and women had gathered particularly close to them, vying for their attention, which they supplied on occasion. From where Yu was standing, the flirting didn't seem very biased either.

Korval pushed his way forward, barking something over the din. The people backed up, the ones gathered around the duo looking particularly disgruntled as they moved away. Tirin and Rhysana said something to them, waving farewell as Korval took a seat, setting his hammer down within arms reach. Without the group, the area became surprisingly secluded, no one coming close now that the three had sat down.

"The baths are going to take some time to warm up, so you may as well sit down and eat," Rhysana told them, gesturing to the empty chairs.

Yu and the others did as she suggested, taking up positions around the table on small chairs of fairly sturdy make, the seats cushioned with small, built in pillows that were comfortably soft.

No sooner had they sat down did a young maid come up to them, curtseying respectfully before asking them a question. They bandied back and forth for a moment when the maid suddenly turned to him, asking him something in that strange language he knew nothing about.

"Uh . . ." he floundered, not knowing what to say.

"What do you want to eat? Just tell us, and we'll tell her," Rhysana told him patiently.

"Oh! Chie jumped, "Do they have any steak? Please tell me they have steak!"

"Oh, they have steak," Rhysana said, "How would you like it?"

"Ooh, they do that here! Well-done please!" Chie shouted, so excited now she was practically hopping out of her seat.

Rhysana smiled in amusement before turning to the maid, filling her in.

"What about the rest of ya?" Korval asked.

"Well, what do they have besides steak?" Yosuke asked.

"Fish stew, fish fillet, cooked chicken, vegetable stew, baked potatoes, and pork," Tirin listed, winking at the maid.

Hm . . .

"Fish fillet sounds good," Yu decided, nodding.

Yosuke, after a moment of pondering, said, "I'll take the baked potatoes."

"Hm, I think I'll go with the vegetable stew," Yukiko said, though her voice was somewhat absentminded as her eyes continued to dart around the room in fascination.

"I'll take that too," Rise said.

"I will be satisfied with the cooked chicken," Naoto said, looking uncomfortable with the amount of people present despite their relative seclusion.

"Uh . . . how 'bout pork?" Kanji mumbled. Then, with a punch more certainty, said, "Yeah, pork."

"Steak for me!" Teddie called out, sticking his hand in the air.

Rhysana relayed all this information to the maid, who curtseyed again before leaving. Left alone, Yu began to become aware of the eyes that were still on them, people continuously glancing in their direction despite the noise.

Yukiko, on the other hand, didn't seem bothered at all. In fact, she looked quite excited, "This is the first time I've been at an inn without having to work! This is so exciting!"

"You're an innkeeper?" Rhysana questioned, looking intrigued.

"Well, in training," Yukiko said, "I've been catering to people at my family's inn ever since I was little. It's kind of nice to have the tables turned!"

"I can imagine," Rhysana said in agreement, "Although, I'm a little curious over what constitutes as an 'inn' in your world."

"Mostly like this, I guess," Yukiko said, looking thoughtful, "But the architecture and thematic styles are totally different. Not to mention the food preparation."

"Ooh, sounds fascinating," Rhysana said, taking a small sip of the dark red liquid in her glass.

"If even half the servants are as lovely as you, Yukiko, I'd love to visit!" Tirin remarked casually, leaning back against his seat with a leg crossed over the other, the liquid in his tankard sloshing.

"Um . . ."

At that moment, another maid rushed to Korval's side, holding out a large tankard of something to him. The man took it with a grateful nod before taking a long draught from the mug, sighing in bliss as he took it away. Holding it up to the group, he said, "Good ale."

"Whoa, so that's real alcohol?" Kanji asked.

Korval quirked an eyebrow at him, "Yeah, what else would it be?"

"Um . . . well . . ."

"Uh . . . are you sure it's safe for you to be drinking that?" Yosuke was looking right at Rhysana and Tirin, who both looked somewhat offended.

"I'm sure I've been craving a glass of good cabernet since I left Kennebrecht. Forgive me if I indulge," Rhysana replied crisply.

"And I'm sure I want mead. I'm not a little kid," Tirin shot back just as quick, taking a pointed drink from his tankard when he was finished.

"Okay, okay, sorry, forget I said anything!" Yosuke said, holding up his hands.

"Well . . . Yosuke is not wrong to be worried," Naoto put in softly.

"Oh? Why's that?" Rhysana asked.

"Well, given how some of our party acted after imbibing in non-alcoholic beverages, we have grounds to be concerned," Naoto explained, voice flat.

Yukiko, Rise, and Teddie all shifted awkwardly in their seats, looking slightly embarrassed.

"Well, you don't have to worry about us. Cross my heart!~" Rhysana swore with a smile. The slight snort Korval gave made him doubt it.

A sudden bout of cheering rose up from the front, and the crowd soon parted to reveal Nyras walking towards them, hood pulled tight and not turning her head at the cries around her.

"Hi Nyras!" Tirin and Rhysana greeted in turn, holding up their glasses.

She nodded in greeting as she took her seat next to Korval, folding her hands over the table as the maid came to her. A second servant, this one male, was following her, carrying several cups on a tray that he then passed out to the rest of them.

Yu took the cup handed him with a look of confusion, taking a small sniff to see what it was. No scent . . .

"It's just water," Rhysana told him.

Yu nodded and took a sip, enjoying the coolness of the liquid as it surged down his throat. The others all took a drink as well.

"Since you're here . . ." Naoto began, looking at her counterpart, "There's something I've been curious about."

"Ask," Nyras responded.

"I've been wondering this for some time now; why exactly is it only you who understands us? Everyone else we have met has made it quite obvious they do not speak our language, and I find it odd that you do," Naoto said.

"That's something I've been wondering about too," Yu said, "Unless you all come exclusively from someplace like Japan, it's kind of a big coincidence."

"Ja-pan?" Korval mimicked, looking puzzled, "Is that where you come from?"

"Yeah, that's our home. I guess you could say its our 'country of origin'," Rise said.

Nyras smiled, "Well, the answer to your question is very simple-,"

"We've been using magic to talk to you!" Tirin interrupted her.

". . . You have magic that translates languages you've never heard of?" Yukiko asked.

"To put it simply," Nyras replied, shrugging off Tirin's interruption, "Tirin happens to be in possession of Wand of Tongues, a spell that allows the recipient to speak and understand any spoken language clearly. It may be true that this 'Japan' of yours does not exist here, but it is still a language that can be interpreted and thus understood."

"I've had the thing for years, but this is the first time I've ever had to use it so much!" Tirin chipped in.

"Although, we should probably find a more stable solution," Nyras said.

"In time, Nyras. For now, I think we'll survive," Rhysana said to her.

"Man . . . wish we'd had something like that for English class . . ." Yosuke mumbled.

"Hm," Yu hummed thoughtfully, "So we really are just a bunch of foreigners. I wonder if we count as tourists . . ."

"Uh . . ." Yosuke didn't get a chance to finish, as right then the food came.

And what food it was! His own fillet looked marvelous on its own; a lightly broiled fish covered in a pale, creamy sauce flecked with herbs, complimented with a side of cooked vegetables. The rest of the food offered a panorama of delectable smells, from Yosuke's cheese-covered potatoes to Chie's lightly marinated steak.

Now, the utensils on the other hand . . .

"Hm, western cutlery," Naoto said as she picked up one of the silvered forks offered to her, "Interesting . . ."

"Ooh, I haven't used one of these in a while!" Rise said.

"You've used these before?" Yosuke asked, looking skeptical.

"Once. It was at a gimmick restaurant," Rise said, "American-themed, I think."

"Yosuke, how do I use this?" Teddie asked, holding out the fork and nearly stabbing Yosuke in the eye.

"Ah, watch it!"

" . . . You don't know how to use a knife and fork?" Korval asked.

"Well, it's not that we don't know the basics," Yukiko explained, "It just it isn't the common variety of cutlery we use in Japan."

"Well, it's real simple!" Rhysana said. Holding her utensils out as an example, she said, "Just hold them like this, and everything else will come easily."

Of course, actually putting it into practice was different, but it wasn't nearly so hard as some people made it out to be. Soon, they were all eating, and Yu felt his stomach gurgle in satisfaction as he took a bite into the fish. It was succulent and expertly cooked, and the sauce wasn't so rich as to mask the flavor of the fish. The vegetables were just as good, lightly coated with garlic butter and crunching juicily between his teeth.

So focused were he and his friends on eating the first proper meal they'd had in a while that no one spoke for the entire duration of the meal, save for the four companions who were speaking to each other in their own language. Perhaps they were catching up, or something along those lines. But other than that, the only sounds were hums of contented bliss as they neared the end of the meal, feeling properly full for the first time in days.

"Good?" Rhysana prompted at the end.

"Very," Yu replied, leaning back with a satisfied sigh.

"So, uh . . ." Yosuke started, "Mind telling us what the whole fanfare out there was?"

"Well, it's sort of a long story. It'd take the rest of the night to tell," Rhysana replied, gesturing to the windows. With a start, Yu saw that it was nearly black outside, the sun having sunk beneath the horizon. The light was now all coming from interior candles and the fireplace. The only reason he hadn't noticed the difference was because the noise hadn't really subsided, the inn still as active as it had been when they'd first arrived.

Another servant bustled by, politely nodding to the four before saying something to them. Then he hurried away.

A bright smile appeared on Rhysana's face, "Well, sounds like the baths are ready!"

"Oh, finally!" Rise said, shooting up from her seat.

Rhysana rose as well, "The baths are all located in your rooms. I'll show you to them, if you like."

"That would be appreciated," Naoto said, rising as well.

Everyone rose as well, eagerly following the woman up the stairs.

(*)

The clang of steely blades and shields echoed out over the mountainside, guttural challenges roaring louder than any avalanche on the snow-capped peaks. Between two such peaks lay a valley of stone and ice, and yet despite the harsh conditions and steadily falling snow, the ground teeming with the large, embattled figures of fighting orcs. The great, green-skinned brutes traded mock blows that verged on serious, cuts and bruises gathered between furious thrusts and jabs, the air alive with energy and crackling with anger. It was as it should be. If training sessions held no danger or chance for pain, then no lessons could be learned.

Such was what their leader thought. He stood above them, a lone figure upon a craggy outcrop of stone that loomed over the valley, a perfect perch to oversee the mock battles. Heavy armor adorned his body, a rough, battle-scarred set of scale mail that held a strength that seemed unnatural. Blood red paint was spattered across the gauntlets and breastplate in the image of a clenched fist, the colors and symbol of his clan. His boots were lined with thick fur, and a pelt from a great snowy bear was wrapped over his shoulders like a grisly cape, the mouth of the beast forming a morbid helmet over his head. His hands rested on the pommel of a great, double-bladed axe, the visage of a screaming skull embedded in the haft between the two black blades. A great, ragged beard of black and gray spilled over his chest, tiny bits of bone tied into the thick strands, and a black eye patch was placed over his left eye, a long, thin, pale scar running down the left side of his face.

The air shifted behind him, and his hands tensed in preparation for a battle.

"Do not fear me, oh Eyeless One."

The orc curled his lip in disgust as he turned around, hefting his axe into his hands, voice a deep, rough baritone, "You have me pegged for a coward, wench? Back your words with blades, if you think you can insult me. You'll learn I fear no demon."

The robed woman held up her hand, "Peace. I am only here to talk."

The orc scoffed, "Demons talk all the time, but you never mean your words. It is in your nature to trick and betray, for chaos runs through your blood."

"As it runs in yours, does it not? But then, that is not all that runs in your lineage, isn't it?"

The orc spat at her, veins bulging beneath his skin as she spoke, "What does a demon care for my lineage?"

The woman smirked, "If you wish honesty, then I will tell you it is not I who cares at all. But you care, don't you? You care very much."

The orc's eyes narrowed, huffing, but he did not strike.

"Listen to what I have to say to you, Grumack of the Ironfist, and perhaps you might finally have a solution to the problem that has plagued you for many years," the woman promised with dulcet tones, "A way to rid yourself of the taint that runs in your line forever."

A gleam of thought entered the orc's eyes, rage diminishing to a slow burn. Then, as the battling below reached a crescendo, Grumack lifted his chin and planted his axe into the rock, blade cracking the stone like an eggshell.

"Speak, demon."

Oooh, another baddie? We'll see. ;)

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