Chapter 7: Cropdale

The Leaflands were not unfamiliar territory for Crick. Far from it; it was the region he once called home. That being said, the last time he was here seemed like a far-off memory. It was at the dead of night, with only the clothes on his back and a precarious hope in his heart. While he knew that the group's travels would not be taking them to Timberain anytime soon, he could not shake off the feeling of unease. It was a good thing Osvald and Ochette were navigating, otherwise-

His line of thought was quickly interrupted by the sound of something colliding against armor, followed by a sharp squeak.

He looked down to find...an octopus? It had tentacles like one, but it was much smaller than he thought one would be. There was also a hat placed on its head, and it looked like it was carrying some kind of item? It seemed dazed, as if it had just crashed into him. Thanks to his armor, Crick wouldn't have been able to feel it if anything had bumped into him. The same apparently couldn't be said for this poor thing.

Before Crick could respond, the creature seemed to snap out of its daze. It squeaked again as it stared wide-eyed at the knight, and then ran off into the woods. What in the world was that?

He couldn't be certain if any of the others saw what happened, but Throné certainly did; she was the only one who had been looking in his direction.

"Did you see that as well?" Crick questioned. Throné nodded.

"It was hard not to," she responded. "It crashed into you so hard that I'm surprised it recovered as fast as it did."

"Indeed. That wasn't like any monster I've ever seen."

"Maybe it's rare," Throné pointed out, after a moment of silence. "If we're able to hunt it down, it might drop something valuable."

Crick frowned. He should have known that Throné would think about something like that. "I don't think we should. Even if what you said was true, it did not seem like it wanted to fight at all."

Throné was silent for another moment before she shrugged. "Fair enough. I didn't mean it, anyway."

"...Truly?" How could Crick be sure that Throné was actually lying? What reason would she have to lie about something like that, anyway?

If Throné was off-put at Crick's scrutiny, she did an excellent job of hiding it. Rather, she rolled her eyes.

"Calm down, puppy," she responded. "If I had been serious about hunting it down, I would have gone after it already. I know an uncatchable target when I see it."

If that was truly the case, Crick was glad for it...but there was one thing she said that he focused on.

"Who do you think you are calling a puppy?!" Crick knew exactly who she was calling a puppy, but he did not want to believe it. First Temenos calling him a little lamb, now Throné calling him a puppy?! The audacity of those two!

"Not like it isn't true," Throné said. "With how you act when Temenos is concerned, it's almost like you're a lost puppy."

"That-" Crick had a feeling that he wouldn't be living down how he needed guidance in Flamechurch, but for it to haunt him in this way was just-! "I was assigned to be his bodyguard! I am a knight, it is my duty!"

"Sure. And why is that?" she questioned. "I don't know exactly how high up an Inquisitor is in the church…but you and I both know that Temenos can take care of himself. Does he really need a bodyguard in the first place?"

"That's…" Crick didn't want to admit that the thought had indeed crossed his mind; several times. As thankful as he was for such a big opportunity to prove himself, the question remained...why appoint a newly anointed knight for such a task? For someone as important as an Inquisitor, would it not make more sense to assign someone more experienced? What was Throné trying to imply...?

"And what are we talking about over here, hmm~?"

Crick had never once felt more relieved to hear Temenos' voice. The cleric seemed to sneak up on the two, watching them with interest clear on his face.

"I was just telling your puppy here," Throné deadpanned, "that the church might have assigned him as your bodyguard, but they most likely meant 'babysitter'."

The remark made Temenos laugh, and it also made Crick's jaw drop. Was she being serious right now?!

"What is that supposed to-?!" Any further protest from Crick died before he could voice them, because Ochette chose that moment to burst out of the bushes.

"There you guys are!" she exclaimed. Before any of them could answer, the beastling turned back and called; "Pops, Aggie! Over here, I found 'em!"

To say that Crick was bewildered would be an understatement - between Osvald's sudden appearance and the newcomer trailing behind him, how could he not be bewildered? "When did we-?!"

'When did we get separated,' is what Crick was going to say. He cut himself off when he recalled; Osvald and Ochette were navigating at the front of the group. Crick and Throné stopped when that strange monster crashed into him, and Temenos seemed to have stopped as well. Did that mean they were separated because of him-?

"I apologize," Crick said, before he could stop himself. "Something crashed into me, and I-"

"Why are you apologizin'?" Ochette questioned. "It's not your fault! I saw someone that needed help, so I offered help! Pops didn't have to follow me!"

"Yes, I did," Osvald responded, arms crossed. "Safety in numbers."

"It was my fault," the newcomer admitted. From the look of her outfit...could she be a dancer? "I was looking for my coin purse when Ochette found me. You didn't happen to see anything like that, did you?"

"Unfortunately...no," Crick answered. When Temenos and Throne echoed his answer, the dancer seemed to deflate.

"Darn...I must have dropped it closer to Cropdale," she murmured. "Um, could you help me find it? I just took my first step on becoming a star, I can't afford to lose it now."

"We'll help," Temenos offered. "Don't you worry. It's possible you dropped it as you were leaving town. Shall we take a look?"

Temenos' hunch was right on target; not long after the travelers arrived in Cropdale, Agnea noticed a village girl holding onto what looked like a coin purse.

"Pala!" she called, rushing over. "You found it! Thank you so much!"

Pala let out a sigh as she handed the purse over to Agnea.

"Agnie...what're you doin'?" she scolded. "You're lucky you came runnin' here when you did, otherwise I'd have marched on over myself! What would've happened if someone else had found it?!"

"I...I don't know..." Agnea murmured. Pala sighed, "You can be so careless sometimes, Agnie..."

That was when Pala took note of the group of travelers. "Make some friends already, Agnie?"

"Oh! Y-Yes, I bumped into them while I was looking for my purse-"

"Must be fate, then!" Pala interjected. "Y'all are travelers, right? Think you can take my sister with you?"

"Wh-What?!"

"She may act like a right fool sometimes, but she can do anythin' she sets her mind to," Pala continued, before anyone could protest (least of all Agnea). "It'll certainly put my mind at ease knowin' she's not alone out there! So thank you kindly!"

If there was any chance that Pala would leave any room for objections, it had been dashed when she walked off. Agnea even called out for her, but she just kept on walking.

"...Well now," Agnea said, seemingly defeated. She then turned towards the group with a shy smile. "W-Well...I suppose it's fate. I'd be lying if I said I'm completely opposed to the idea. Would it be alright for me to join you on your travels?"

Now, Crick couldn't speak for anyone else...but he had mixed feelings about it. Agnea was cheerful and energetic - a breath of fresh air as far as travel companions go. Still, he remembered that their journey could be perilous (and it wasn't like they had seen a whole lot of monsters since agreeing to help Agnea out). If she couldn't defend herself, and something happened...

"I just would like to ask...our journey is a perilous one. Are you sure about this?" Crick couldn't think of any other way to voice his concerns without hurting Agnea's feelings. Even if the decision ultimately was not his to make, someone had to say it. If that someone had to be him, so be it.

"Oh, don't you worry about me! Like Pala said, I can do anything I set my mind to!" Agnea responded, her enthusiasm evident. "I'm a great dancer, and I helped drive off a dourdour just last night! You won't regret it!"

Crick's jaw dropped at the proclamation. She drove off a dourdour?

"Well," Temenos said, clearly intrigued. "With that kind of accomplishment, how can we refuse? Welcome to our little flock, Agnea."

As far as fighting was concerned, Dancers supposedly had a versatile array of abilities provided by the grace of Sealticge. Crick was admittedly a little skeptical of this fact, but seeing the newest member of their growing group fight monsters put those fears to rest. It was like the wind guided Agnea's movements, whether that be adding force to her attacks or assisting with her supportive dances.

There was one encounter that had everyone on their toes, though. The group seemed to have wandered into a nest of some kind, because they were quickly surrounded by Birdians from all directions. Every time one was struck down, two more seemed to take their place. What was going on?!

"I got an idea!" Agnea shouted at one point. "Bewildering Grace!"

Without waiting, she waved her arms and hopped twice. Then she raised her hands so that they made a heart. "I wonder what it'll be~"

As the dance ended, three booming footsteps could be heard. It wasn't long before a Revenant came into view. Crick could just feel his heart plummet into his stomach; he had only heard about these monsters and how strong they were. They supposedly had enough power to wipe out a whole village, and could only be found in the depths of the deepest ruins! What was one doing out here?!

The Revenant launched a fist at the attacking monsters, wiping them all out. Then, the most bewildering part of all; it vanished into thin air. It didn't even leave behind a footprint; the only evidence that it had been there at all was what little remained of the monsters.

For a moment, all everyone could do was stare at the aftermath. Five heads then turned towards Agnea, who seemed just as bewildered as the rest of them.

"...I wasn't expectin' that," she said with a sheepish chuckle.

Another moment of silence passed before Temenos spoke; "I believe that makes six of us."

Bewildering Grace, indeed.