[IC] Time Stops For Fire(Altered Tundra and Hero)

[AlteredTundra]

“There’s no shame in admitting it, Shion,” Jaakuna advised Shion cheerfull. He was trying to convince her that there’s nothing wrong with showing love for their soulmate. To further prove it, Jaakuna motioned to Emiri, to which she would return the gaze.

Turning away from Emiri briefly and looking at Shion, he clearly saw that she was embarrassed. He kind of knew why. She was, if nothing else, proud and hated to show weakness, but maybe she needed a refresher that showing love was not a weakness, but rather it was actually showing strength. To bear your entire heart out there was what true strength was made of.

“It’s true that it’s not my place to but in, but--”

“But you’re going to do it anyway,” Savayna said, scoffing.

“Yes,” JAakuna simply stated to Savayna’s uncalled for comment. “Anyways, what I was going to say was that, if you truly do love Francis, then just embrace it. Life is too short. And if on the off chance that Zodiark kills us all, ya gotta enjoy every moment to the fullest. Plus,” Jaakuna smiled, patting Shion on the shoulder as he looked into her amber eyes, “you’re not getting any younger. So why not enjoy your prime of what little years you have left of it?” Jaakuna smiled at Shion, eyes closed, patting her shoulders a few more times.

“Idiot.”

Idiot.

[Hero]

Emiri slowly inched away from Jaakuna as he spoke, not liking the direction he was headed. Oh, she recognized that look alright. As the words left his mouth, she pulled Keiran to his feet, pushing him behind Jaakuna. The black haired man was confused, though he nearly let out a scream as he caught the look in Shion's eye. There was a light blue aura, glittering around her as her rose would glow ominously. She took Jaakuna's hand rather gently, tilting her head to the side as she smiled at him tenderly. She released his hand, taking a step back, and turned around. For a moment, Keiran assumed she had dismissed Jaakuna's content as she would begin to walk away. Instead, she ran towards Jaakuna, leaping in the air. Her leg emerged from her kimono, kicking Jaakuna square in the stomach.

One, two, three--the impact connected, sending Jaakuna flying into Keiran, and the pair collided with the wall, the entire place shaking rather dangerously. Lorenzo let out another low whistle, though he burst into laughter. "Top three things to never ask a woman: her bust size, the color of her underwear, and her age! You should know this by now!" He managed to tell Jaakuna between laughs.

Grant rolled his eyes, though he couldn't help but give Emiri a look. The brunette bit her lip, though she heard Keiran let out a frustrated yell. "Admirable how you would use Keiran to cushion Jaakuna's hit with the wall. Albeit a little mean,"

Emiri let out a nervous laugh. Nadeline shook her head, standing from her seat and going over to the pair, holding her hands out as she would cast a healing spell.

Shion flipped her hair over her shoulder, indifferent. "I have plenty of years to go, thank you, Sky Pirate!" She huffed once more, practically stomping her way out of the lounge despite her attempt to stay composed.

"Sensitive, aren't we?" Reia commented, smirking.

"Ah, how it is to be young again," Roman added.

[AlteredTundra]

For just a brief moment, Jaakuna thought maybe he might actually walk away from this scot free. He did go a bit too far and knew that as soon as he had heard Belias. He knew this and had hoped that Shion wouldn’t react in the way that he feared she would. When she took his hand and looked at him with a gentle, tender smile, he had the thought that maybe she wasn’t going to do anything violent to him. He thought, in that moment, oh this is going to go exactly the way I hope. However, when she let go of his hand and even before her flower shone faintly with a blue light, he knew exactly what was coming.

And yet, as her foot would make direct contact with his stomach, he didn’t anticipate how strong of a kick she had. He knew she was wickedly strong in every sense of the word, but something about this kick felt just a tad...personal. Surely a bit uncharacteristic for Shion, but perhaps Jaakuna did touch on a sensitive subject. Thankfully, however, Emiri would shove Keiran behind Jaakuna at the height of that kick, or else he’d be dealing with much more than a few bruised ribs. Brightside of all this, that kick shoved any and all hunger he had been feeling. Downside? He shat his pants.

Jaakuna lay there seeing stars for a few seconds until he heard the wisdom of Lorenzo state the three things to never ask a woman. As he came out of his daze, Jaakuna gripped the man’s collar, bringing the Rozarrian prince close, whispering “why didn’t you stop me?” As he would say that, Nadeline came over to heal both him and Keiran.

After a few moments, Jaakuna would be fully healed, only to see Shion walk away but not without giving him a firm reminder that she’s plenty young. It was in that moment that he had thought of a final retort, but then Belias nudged him not to do it. If you value your life, I wouldn’t dare say it.

Jaakuna was almost going to ignore Belias, but then he caught her glimpse before she walked out. Right then and there, Jaakuna knew that telling her that Francis would sure appreciate that was not in his best interest. Especially if he wanted to walk to Dalmasca. So instead, he would simply wait until she left the Aerodome and her Mist was no longer in Archadia until he would stand up and sit next to Emiri. “Jeez, all I did was tell her one thing and she kicked the crap out of me. Literally.” Jaakuna pouted, arms crossed and lips puckered. He then looked to Lorenzo, “I mean, it was a fair assessment, right, best friend? Shion clearly looks..beyond her prime.” Jaakuna hoped to get some support from Lorenzo. Then, as his gaze went to Reia, he said, “kind of like you.”

[Hero]

Lorenzo grinned again, watching the blond man take a seat once more. Still, it seemed he was a glutton for punishment as he would decide--rather unfairly--that Shion was past her prime. Boy, he certainly had a skewed perception of 'prime', didn't he? He thought long and hard about Jaakuna's words, though he then realized he had decided to compare Shion and Reia. Lorenzo raised an eyebrow, shaking his head at Jaakuna. Rookie mistake, that was, though he felt just the slightest pang of guilt as Reia let out a rather haughty laugh as she would stand.

She walked over to Jaakuna rather quickly, grabbing him by his hair. "Please, young man, don't go insulting me by comparing the two of us. Clearly I'm still in my prime!" She tugged his hair with every word she emphasized.

Grant scoffed. "Is that why there's a parade of men coming from your room every morning?" He asked sarcastically. "I assume they each tell you how much in your prime you're still in?"

Reia's eye flashed, and literally yanked Jaakuna, still by his hair, and managed to summon the strength of ten men as she threw him at Grant. "What I do is MY business!" She yelled in anger.

Emiri sighed, shaking her head. "The two of you really need to learn some restraint," She said.

Roman let out another laugh, though he paused, just remembering something. "Ah, I almost forgot, the Ifrit is undergoing its maintenance. It won't take long, but you'll have some time to do as you please," He said, chuckling as Reia reclaimed her seat. "Do try to be on your best behavior, brother, you still need to accompany Lady Reia to Dalmasca, after all."

"Ah, Jaakie...still so much to learn. Still so much left to teach ya. Women are fickle creatures! They never tell you what they want yet they expect you to just read their minds," He said wisely, still grinning.

[AlteredTundra]

He knew that he had screwed up. Probably more than he did with Shion. At least in Shion’s case, he would get off easy and Emiri had saved him, but as the events would unfold and Jaakuna would look directly into Reia’s eyes, he saw something that he hadn’t seen in a long time. That look of an anger so unchanging that it resulted in a vocal squeak from Jaakuna. Next thing he knew, Reia grabbed his golden locks, pulling him straight up to his feet and she made it clear to him that she was still well in her prime.

Fearing the worst, Jaakuna did his best to guard his face. A moment of relief briefly came to him as he heard Grant speak. He thought that, even if for just a few seconds, that she wouldn’t punish him further and maybe instead of hurting him like Shion had done, she would take it out on Grant. And as it would turn out, Jaakuna was both right and wrong as Reia had used her fearsome might to hurl Jaakuna straight at Grant. As he clashed with his more emotion-inclined friend, Jaakuna’s butt would take most of the impact from being thrown to Grant. As soon as it did make contact, Jaakuna let out a wicked toot that wreaked of beans and would last for a slow, five seconds, Grant’s nose getting the full brunt of it.

In those seconds, Jaakuna had laid in a daze until he felt a shove from Savayna to get him off of Grant. Rolling on the floor, Jaakuna would hear Emiri. “You know you love my outbursts!” Jaakuna exclaimed to Emiri, giving her a cheek-to-cheek grin with a genuine chuckle.

Moments later, Roman would advise Jaakuna to behave himself. In that very instance, Jaakuna just realized what Roman would go on to say: he had to go with REia to Dalmasca and him being acting the way he had towards two of the scariest women he had the pleasure of knowing was not a wise move. This much he knew and would further be emphasized by Lorenzo, citing that he had much to learn. This was the truth. He was just thankful that Emiri hadn’t decided to punish him for his wrongdoing.

“Then how’d you and Karolina get so good at knowing each other so well?” Jaakuna asked Lorenzo, taking a seat between him and Emiri. His eyes had a rather innocent curiosity to them as if he looked to Lorenzo as a teacher of sorts.

[Hero]

Grant let out a groan, wondering what in the world he had done to deserve his punishment. He wasn't lying! Though he was surprised at Lorenzo's 'advice'. He couldn't help but roll his eyes as Jaakuna asked how he and Karolina got to know one another so well. It was akin to a child admiring their older sibling, and Grant of all people knew what a bad influence Lorenzo could be. Lorenzo, on the other hand, was loving the attention, showing as much as he would sit up properly, ready to bestow his wisdom onto the eager lad.

"I could go on a lecture about how you could do little things--a little gift, a show of affection, actually remembering birthdays and not forgetting for the third year in a row--but the biggest thing about love is listening. It's a two way street, once you get your head out of your ass and actually listen, you learn a lot," He stated, clearly impressed with himself. "Once you know what they're saying, the rest of it comes real easy!"

Now it was Reia's turn to roll her eyes. As thrilling as this had the potential to be, she decided she would rather be anywhere but here. She quietly excused herself, deciding to take a stroll to see the rest of the Aerodome. Grant shook his head, though he chose not to add anything. It was Nadeline who decided to interject, "You never listen to me."

"Now, now, my precious treasure who I love just as much as life itself if not more, this isn't about you, it's about your mother! The love of my life, my soulmate! I love everything about her!" He sighed dreamily. "The way she pins her hair up in the morning, that cute giggle she does when I tease you, how she concentrates real hard whens he's reading. It all sounds dub but I love everything about that woman. And...she has a great rack, too."

"Father!"

"You should be happy! Mothers are usually a good hint at where the daughters are headed!" Lorenzo stated, clearly enjoying his teasing. Emiri's expression fell, though she wouldn't comment.

"My chest is perfectly normal and I am alright with that!" Nadeline insisted, her face turning red.

"You'll get there, sweetheart, you shouldn't worry too much about it. You're a growing girl."

"I'm twenty two!"

Grant decided that he, too, had enough of the conversation, politely excusing himself as he stood up. He chose to head to the bar on the other side of the lounge, taking a seat. His eyes seemed to roam the walls, trying to decide what he could sample. "Hmm...whatever you recommend. And...make it a double, please." He said as he heard Nadeline whine.

[AlteredTundra]

Among everything that had transpired today, Savayna sighed heavily out of pure annoyance. Seeing Jaakuna and Lorenzo actually engage in such a topic not only made her miss Levi, but she had a thought of slicing her throat with her sword. Hell, she had half of a mind to get Grant’s gun and end it all right in that moment. But, of course, she didn’t because that would enable them to continue their absurd conversation.

The former Archadian General would follow Grant’s lead just moments after he had gotten up and joined him at the little bar that was well across the room. She noticed what he was going to pour and Savayna motioned towards him. “No, he doesn’t want that one,” Savayna stated.

“Are you sure?”

“Positive.” She looked along the shelf of assorted ales and liquor, “ah yes, that one.” Savayna pointed to an aged Bangaa Spiced Ale. “Two of those. Neat.” She ordered of the barkeep as she took a seat next to Grant, sighing, her fatigue showing through it.

Savayna remained silent as their drinks were being poured. She simply would down it as it went somewhat smoothly down her throat, the afterburn of that Bangaa special spice tickling her throat just a tad too much. As much as she had drank over her years, that one still held a candle all on its own.

Time would simply pass as Savayna and Grant drank in silence. Lorenzo and Jaakuna engaged in their annoying conversation all the while Nadeline would shake her head constantly at said conversation. After a while, Reia had returned and seemed to share Nadeline’s sentiments regarding the two blonde buffoons. All the while, Emiri seemed to just laugh nervously. At least someone didn’t mind it all that much.

But, as father time would have his way, the good times were soon coming to an end as one of Roman’s guards would arrive. Well, it wasn’t just a guard, but rather one of the top guys in Archadia’s Engineering team. “Attention Ifrit Party,” he announce clearly and in an elevated tone. “My deepest apologies for keeping you waiting, but we’ve run into a slight...problem regarding the Ifrit.”

Jaakuna stood to his feet so fast that no one even saw him run to the engineer and grip him by his tunic. “What did you do my baby? I swear to god, if you hurt her, I’ll--”

“My apologies, my liege,” the engineer said, arms up. “I meant no ill-will, but the engine seems to have encountered some errors. The Nethicite Core seemed to have an unforeseen reaction to the amount of Mist that plagued Archadia not long ago, so we will need some additional time to get it back to stable levels.”

“Oh,” Jaakuna stated rather calmly, a drastic change to his posture just a moment ago. “You should have said that.” Jaakuna let go of the engineer, patting his tunic free of any dust and wrinkles.

“How much time do you require?” Savayna asked the engineer.

“I reckon about twenty-four hours, maybe more.”

“Well, that’s perfect. I suppose other means of transportation are in need.” Savayna mused aloud, biting on her thumb. “Grant and I came here one of his--I mean Lorenzo’s--bikes, so we’re covered. I’m sure Jaakuna and Emiri can use the Aegis, so that just leaves our Rozarrians.” Savayna bit her thumb again, “oh wait that’s right.” She suddenly remembered something, “Jaakuna, didn’t you have a contraption that could seat about four people?”

The blonde Archadian prince looked to Savayna, smacking his balled fist against his open palm. “You know what, you’re right! The Valefor should do the trick,” Jaakuna smiled to Lorenzo, “you’re going to love it. It’s something I’ve been working on in my free time. It’s modeled after a Rozarrian airship but more compact and a lot faster. It's like that one boat you drove back in Rozarria when we encountered those evil fish things, but of course, a lot better,” Jaakuna stated smugly, snickering.

[Hero]

Letting a smirk crawl onto his face, he let out a low laugh, one that could be mistaken as malicious if they didn't know him any better. One could see a twinkle in his eye as he rubbed his hands together, clearly eager to go. Nadeline looked at him from the corner of her eye, a grimace plastered on her face. Oh she recognized that look alright, the look that every child had as they wanted nothing more than to rip open the package and play with their new toy. Grant shrugged, having nothing to particularly comment on. If that was the plan, so be it.

Emiri, on the other hand, was equally delighted, outright hugging Jaakuna's arm. "Shall we, then? It sounds like we should get going," She said.

Roman seemed to agree as he would stand. "I, too,must get back to things. I can rely on a message should the need arise," He said.

[AlteredTundra]

As everyone had went to their various shops to stock up for the voyage ahead of them, Jaakuna would personally escort the Rozarrians to his personal garage. First they would hail an Aircab to the destroyed Emperor’s Tower. Jaakuna didn’t need to go inside the tower itself. There was a secret tunnel along the east entrance to the tower. It had a special mechanism on the left of the iron door that responded to Jaakuna’s specific Mist. It was engineered by Jaakuna in his teens. This garage, much like for Lorenzo, no doubt, was Jaakuna’s escape to tinker and play with whatever was on his mind at whenever time he felt like building something.

He placed his palm on the panel and it shined various colors before a beeping sound would confirm Jaakuna’s Mist signature and it would open up the entrance, but differently how it normally would open. Instead of going up how it usually did, the door would split into three parts like a triangle and the ground beneath the four of them would lower about five feet. From there, twenty steps separated them from an underground tunnel that led straight to Jaakuna’s garage. The tunnel itself had steel tubes that were embedded with magicite of various colors that illuminated the path in brilliant colors. Copper coils and other various wiring gave way to allow electrical energy to surge through the tunnel and power the garage mainframe.

Eventually after the group had walked through the tunnel, they would reach the end to a silver, metallic door with blue lights. Upon Jaakuna surrounding his left hand in his mist and placing it against the center of the door, must like the tower door, it split into three parts and opened, allowing them to enter Jaakuna’s garage. It was much like Lorenzo’s back in Stigma, instead of being connected to the water, its main feature was how it had a transparent roof, showing exactly how far away from Archadia it really was. The view of the sky placed it far east but still very much in the marshy lands of the Tchita Uplands.

“Well, here it is,” Jaakuna let them gaze upon the perfection that was his secret getaway.

Inside his garage, there were a few unfinished projects that Jaakuna has yet to finish. He had a more compact version of the Ifrit that was in one hangar. There were a few aircars and motorbikes that had been taken apart with several of their interior being ripped out and hanging freely. Then, as they would turn, they saw a few giant monitors that were hooked to something resembling a supercomputer. Just one of the perfect examples of the Archadian technology prowess. Jaakuna walked over to the computer, pressing a button near the top of the clunky keyboard. A sudden loud noise of hangar doors opening was heard. It was hard not to hear it, for it could deafen anyone who was directly next to it. Though, as the doors would open and lower a platform, there rested a beautiful ”contraption” as Savayna put it. Slim and red like a candied apple, the Valefor was out for the viewing public.

“And that is what you’ll be driving, Lorenzo,” Jaakuna couldn’t help but let out a jealous chuckle, “this is my greatest achievement. This is the only one to ever exist. Lorenzo could gawk if he wished. Meanwhile, Jaakuna would step up to the platform and let the engine purr. “This here is a magicite-powered Aircar that can achieve speeds nearly as fast as the Ifrit can when it's not warping. Equipped with a mist-activated throttle, it reacts to the mist of whom is helming it. The higher the mist output, the faster it can go. In case of battle, it’s also equipped with various cannons and lasers. Oh and it sits up to four people.” Jaakuna informed Lorenzo, gazing at the blonde Prince with a serious look. “I must admit, not even I have tested it out completely. To be frank, I’m a bit afraid to.” Jaakuna murmured that last part. “I’m sure it’ll be quite the experience for you.”

[Hero]

The man was all over the vehicle, practically jumping from place to place as he inspected it carefully. Nadeline ignored him, though she couldn't exactly ignore Jaakuna's rather...hesitant explanation. A silence blanketed the group as only the sound of the engine occupied the garage. Everyone seemed to be thinking the same thing, but no one knew what to say first. Lorenzo straightened up, scratching the back of his head, one eye closed. Both Nadeline and Reia would notice, neither one liking the expression of uncertainty on his face.

"I'm fully convinced everyone here is trying to kill me," Keiran ended up being the first to voice his displeasure at being Jaakuna's guinea pig.

"I admit this is...probably not the best idea," Grant couldn't help but agree, letting out a sigh. "Maybe it's best if I take Reia with me...at the very least she has a better chance at survival."

"Why does she get to go with you?" Nadeline squeaked. "I want to live, too!"

"As the ruler of our empire, I'm important. I agree with Grant," Reia immediately cut off Nadeline's train of thought, though humorously unable to contain her own nervousness. "Lorenzo is more than likely to handle things better with his precious daughter in the back seat."

"You and Savayna are sturdier than a woman who's never so much as lifted a finger to do anything herself," Grant reminded Nadeline seriously, trying to be the voice of reason. "If something happens, the two of you are more likely to survive."

Emiri let out a nervous laugh. "Don't exaggerate, I'm sure it's fine," She tried to reassure the group.

Keiran looked her dead in the eye. "Then you come along."

"I'm riding with Jaakuna, end of story," She stated rather coldly, immediately putting down any differentiating ideas to her seat.

Nadeline looked at Emiri, tears in her eyes. "You'd abandon us so?! How cruel!"

Grant rolled his eyes, shaking his head. "Lorenzo, say something, you're making them nervous," He prodded the man.

Lorenzo shrugged, causing Reia to stiffen and Nadeline to let out a wail of despair. Keiran didn't know these people, but apparently Lorenzo shrugging was akin to bad news. Very bad news. He coughed, deciding he'd try--and probably fail--to amend things. "It's up to the user to control, so as long as we're careful, everything should be fine," He stated, hands on his hips. "I can gladly assist if any errors show up."

"Eh, that's good enough for me. No one lives forever, right?" Lorenzo said, nonchalant.

[AlteredTundra]

Jaakuna couldn’t believe how easily frightened the Rozarrians were. He understood why Nadeline and grant were cautious about entering his untested prototype, but the surprise was seeing that Reia was just as--if not more--wary of riding in the Valefor. Despite how much faith Jaakuna obviously placed in Lorenzo, there was still a clear hint of doubt from all of those who had shared their opinions about Jaakuna’s crimson car.

As Jaakuna would sigh, he seemed to prepare himself to speak. However, before he would get the chance, Savayna stepped in front of him. “A bunch of pussies, the lot of you.” They would all hear her crassly state. “Nadeline and Grant I can understand. Frankly, you two are known for your constant complaining. But Reia? Where’s your sense of adventure? You’re Lorenzo’s sister. Surely you share some rebellious streak that he has copious amounts of.” Savayna stated as she approached Reia, giving her a sort of smirk, “I mean, Grant did say you had a lot of men leaving your room. If that isn’t rebellious to what an Empress should act, then I don’t know what is.”

And after she was done, she looked around the room, then to Jaakuna, chuckling to herself. “Oh, my apologies, ex-husband. You were going to say something.” She gestured towards him, slightly bowing her head, “please go right ahead.”

Jaakuna laughed but shook his head slightly. Obviously, she had said what needed to be said. The only thing that was left to be decided was what Reia would have to say to all of that.

[Hero]

Back to insults, good to see Savayna back to normal. Nadeline crossed her arms, though she looked at her father, who still seemed uncertain as he continued to examine the craft, mumbling something to himself. She let out a sigh, knowing she wasn't going to get out of this as she had hoped. She should have left with Aloa when she had the chance--at the very least, her magicks were much more reliable than this...thing Jaakuna expected them to go in. Grant, on the other hand, was used to Savayna's insults, so he just outright ignored it. He had another motive behind wanting to go with Reia, but it looked like he wasn't going to get out of it.

"Adventure, as if I haven't had enough adventure to last me a lifetime," Reia scoffed, clearly much more vocal about her thoughts. "There's a set difference between uneeded risk and just being stupid. And I know exactly what I'm doing when it comes to my personal life. I don't need someone with your reputation to tell me otherwise."

"No one's budging, so let's just go already," Grant raised his voice impatiently, turning on his heel and simply walking towards where the Thorn was parked. "See you in Rabanastre."

"If we make it there alive," Nadeline huffed, slapping her father's shoulder. "Steady! Do you hear me? I don't want you killing us!"

"Shotgun, if we crash I want to be the first to die," Keiran called as he raised his hand, circling the vehicle to enter his seat comfortably.

"I'm sure it'll be okay. Probably shaky. As long as the body doesn't come apart...oi, Keiran, make sure you keep an eye on the Mist for me," Lorenzo said, helping Reia in. "Hopefully it's fully mist-operated and not partial...though if that's the case then wouldn't the engine's output be predetermined?" He delved back into mumbling to himself as he would take his own seat.

Emiri watched Grant leave with curious eyes, though she wasn't sure what had happened. He certainly wanted to get the show on the road, but she felt like something had happened. She gave Jaakuna an apologetic look, leaving him behind as she would run to catch up to Grant. Boy, was he a fast walker! As she finally caught up to him, she couldn't help but grab his arm. "What's wrong?" She asked him, frowning.

"Nothing. Why?" He replied, though he would reclaim his arm from her.

"You're moodier than usual," She smiled. "Tell me when we get there, okay?"

Tell her what? How he felt right now about what had happened? He didn't want to talk about it. As he mounted the Thorn, he caught Emiri staring at him intently. "Sure. Some stuff happened while you were away...I'm sure you'll find out sooner or later," He said, simply waiting for Savayna to get on. Emiri nodded, running back to Jaakuna. Grant let out a sigh once more, letting the engine rumble beneath him. At least Dalmasca wasn't too far. It should be a short trip.

[AlteredTundra]

Though there was a brief moment of awkward silence after SAvayna practically ripped into not only Grant and Nadeline, but she also did so to Reia, whom in which seemed to not take too kindly to it. That was obvious when she retorted nastily back at the blonde, claiming she had no right to talk down to her given who she was. After she spoke that harsh truth, Savayna threw her hands up in the air as a sign of defeat and went over to The Thorn until the others were ready.

Meanwhile, the other two parties would also begin to make the final preparations. Jaakuna had joined Lorenzo over by the Valefor just so the latter Ivalician Prince was aware of how to operate it and how much mist output was recommended. Of course, the numbers that Jaakuna gave him seemed to be lost on the Rozarrian prince, much to the exasperation of his daughter and sister. Instead, Jaakuna simply showed him a visual reference of exactly how much mist he normally would put in for a long journey. So that Lorenzo had it etched into his mind, he would show him as many times as Lorenzo didn’t convince him that he understood how imperative it was that he’d use that exact amount of mist. Not less nor more. Jaakuna wanted to make sure Lorenzo understood the risks of even a smidge over the showcased amount of Mist could cause instability to the Valefor’s systems.

And after ten additional minutes of Jaakuna teaching Lorenzo what to do and what not to do, they were all ready to finally hit the old dirt road. Jaakuna and Emiri took their places on the Aegis Warbike, Keiran and the Rozarrian Royal Family were all seated in the Valefor, and the newly-engaged couple of Grant and Savayna were firmly placed on The Thorn.

As the computer AI would monitor their movements, a sound went off that signaled the back door to open, revealing a clear path about ten feet high from the Tchita Uplands. As it would, Jaakuna smirked. “I know we want this to be a safe and pleasant journey, but just so you all know, I’m--I mean we--are going to beat all of y’all to Dalmasca.” Suddenly Jaakuna began revving up the Aegis rather worryingly as he snickered lowly, looking back at Emiri, winking.

“HA! Jaakie my boy, you have much to learn in the ways of--” Lorenzo immediately barked back, only to get slapped twice by both his daughter and his sister.

“We’ll get there when we get there, this isn’t a race,” Reia huffed at him.

Keiran raised his eyebrows at her, though he would pull up a digital menu displaying the status of the Valefor in front of him. “The synchronization is at ninety-six percent. Outputs are steady. We’re free to go whenever,” He told Lorenzo with a dull expression on his face.

“Don’t go encouraging him! Please, we have to be careful! The vehicle hasn’t been tested!” Nadeline told him, but once he had gotten the all clear signal, Lorenzo grinned madly, shifting the vehicle as it would burst forward. “I’M GOING TO KILL YOU JAAKUNAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaa….” The words were distinctly heard as they flew off.

“I think she’s blaming you for that,” Emiri told Jaakuna, smiling. Grant didn’t bother replying, though once he figured he was set, he would follow Lorenzo’s lead. “Let’s leave them in the dust!”

Letting out a chuckle, followed by a louder, more ecstatic, almost maniac-esque battlecry, Though the Aegis was plenty fast on its own, Jaakuna knew that wouldn’t be enough, not with the Valefor in play. So instead, he would use his own Mist to empower it almost twice its normal output. Burning and surrounded in a thick, red and orange aura, the Aegis would only need a single moment until it took off.

It was like a blur that zipped past the Tchita Uplands, sending whatever monsters that were in the way on a one-way journey to the Gods. Whether it was a malboro or just a flying garuda, they stood no chance against the distorting Aegis that made quick work of the distance of the Tchita Uplands and did the same with the Phon Coast.

Good thing for Jaakuna and Emiri, the Aegis had a strong GPS system that was already locked on the coordinates to Rabanastre. Though the speed that they were going was faster than intended and Jaakuna had heard Emiri’s initial--and continued--screams as sharp turns were taken and monsters were vanquished. Though it was all happening so fast and too quick for Jaakuna to even adjust himself to the speed, he could have sworn he heard Emiri to tell him to slow down. However, before he would even register, they had already made it past the Salikawood. As they entered it, Jaakuna saw The Thorn. Though, Jaakuna wouldn’t see it for long as, when they passed it, he gave Grant and Savayna a very sportsmanlike middle finger and he stuck out his tongue at them. Then, just as quickly as he had done that, he zipped past them, forcing them to crash into one of the many trees in the wood.

Brisking past that rather quickly, Jaakuna and Emiri came to the Mosphoran Highwaste. For the most part, he expected it to be busy. Jaakuna made swift turns to evade any strong monster attacks. Though, as he would notice the sight of the Valefor, he heard screams coming from it. And he knew why. Lorenzo had forgotten what Jaakuna had told him. He has forgotten that any output above the absolute recommended would cause it to go faster than preferred. The screams from Nadeline and Reia were an obvious hint at that. Still, Jaakuna wasn’t about to let him beat him.

“I know Nadeline is going to hate me for what I’m about to do, but just watch this,” Jaakuna snickered back at Emiri as he revved up the Aegis to full speed. Up until before this moment, he was going about half the max speed, but as he shifted it into turbo speeds, Jaakuna zipped through the vast ranges of the highwaste as the green and red bike would mark itself right next to the Valefor as he exchanged looks with all of those in the Valefor. “Forgive me,” Jaakuna stated, offering an apologetic smile before returning to his usual mischievous smirk.

“The Valefor has overclocked its capacity based on your Mist,” He stated, unfazed by the speed, though he did show some slight concern as he noticed the look on Lorenzo’s face. “You want us to go faster, but I’m almost certain that you’re going to end up passing out at this rate.”

“Ask not the sparrow how the eagle soars!” was Lorenzo’s only response, clearly having gone crazy from power. Or maybe he was just that stupid.

“WE DON’T NEED TO GET THERE SO FAST!” Nadeline screamed in terror, her body practically forced back into its seat.

“That’s loser talk!” Emiri laughed, though she held onto Jaakuna tightly. “We’ll see you in Rabanastre!”

Jaakuna knew his machine. He knew how it operated. He knew exactly what he needed to do to render it useless for a brief moment. He knew how much output of mist he would need to do that without making those within it be in any mortal danger. This was an easy feat and someone who was in control of his own mist, Jaakuna could easily do it. Though, the trick here was not what he knew to do but rather how it would affect his friends’ opinion of him. He did ponder on it but in the current position that he was in, there was no time to think, only act.

As easy as breathing came to him, Jaakuna maneuvered a sharp turn. In that same moment, he sent a wave of his mist towards the Valefor that would, for a few, long moments, shut it completely down. Of course, he had programmed it into the Valefor’s mainframe to reactivate after thirty seconds of being forcefully shut down. However, that didn’t change the fact that Jaakuna willed his Mist to cause the Valefor to shake and rumble as it would find itself in a ditch. Meanwhile, Jaakuna, laughing as excitedly as he possibly could, pushed through the Highwaste and had made it to the Estersand.

As Rabanastre was on the horizon, Jaakuna had not only ensured his victory as he and Emiri left their competition in the dust, but in the process, he proved once again that Jaakuna Hinoko, proud pilot of the Ifrit and Archadian Crown Prince, was the best there is, the best that was, and the best that ever will be. He would further prove that as he came to a stop at the gates of Rabanastre as he and Emiri simply waited for the others to catch up.

[Hero]

"I don't understand why I was a target."

A pretty disgruntled Grant somehow managed to make it back to Rabanastre, already in a foul mood. He dismounted the Thorn, shoving the key in his pocket as he threw a glare at Jaakuna. Why the hell was he always getting punished for the stupid shit Jaakuna and Lorenzo were doing? The Thorn was more stable under his own control, so they managed to get there in one piece but still. He huffed, making sure to fix his hair as Lorenzo and company would finally arrive. Lorenzo was pretty giddy, already fully engulfed in some techno babble as he would repeatedly ask Keiran about the numbers that he had pulled. Said demon didn't really seem to think anything about the speeds--though Grant assumed it was because to a creature of darkness, simply going fast wasn't anything to write home about.

As for the other passengers...

Nadeline and Reia looked defeated, their expressions one of exasperation. Reia let out an uncharacteristic whine, managing to climb out with shaky limbs. As Lorenzo hopped out, he offered her a hand to help her stand. As she got on her two feet, she was silent, though as she looked up, Grant instantly recognized that murderous glare in her eyes. He numble hands had grabbed Lorenzo's neck, wringing him in a frenzy. "How many times do I have to tell you I'm not your damned guinea pig?!" She yelled, slapping him repeatedly. "There isn't a reason in the world why you would subject me to that AGAIN!"

Emiri looked like the remembered something. "I suppose she's still traumatized by the first ride of the 'Royal Carriage', huh?" She asked Grant, trying not to laugh.

He let out a sigh, though he looked over at Nadeline. "How long are you going to stay in there? You should lead the way to the castle," He pointed out.

The princess whimpered, though she would finally get out. Letting out a small sigh of defeat, she would dust herself off, fixing her hair so she looked more appropriate. After regaining her composure, she placed her hands on her hips. "At least the trip was short," She grumbled, though after letting out a cough, she was back to her usual self. "Now then. Follow me, if you would please," She informed the group as she would lead the way.

"So good to see our princess snap back to it," Emiri couldn't help but grin.

Lorenzo let out a hearty laugh, though he was distracted as he looked around. "Rabanastre, eh? It's...pretty hot here," He stated as they walked, constantly taking in the sights. "I mean, I knew this place was surrounded by deserts, but it's still a bit of a shock. The heat, that is."

Reia, who had reclaimed her composure as well, nodded. "The city is magnificent."

"Capital of Old Dalmasca, and before that, many other kingdoms stretching back into the storied history of the Galtean Peninsula." Nadeline would state as much as they walked. "The story of the city's people is the story of three cultures, those of Valendia, Ordalia, and Kerwon, who bore trade goods along the many well-frequented routes leading to her welcoming gates. The town proper of Rabanastre is divided into four sections by the cardinal directions of the compass. The east and west are merchant districts, the streets lined with shops and stalls of every description. In the north, the streets widen into a large piazza facing the palace, and to the South can be found three gates leading beyond the city walls to the Dalmasca desert and Giza Plains. The aerodrome can be found in the western outskirts of town, surrounded by numerous privately operated airship docks. In the northwestern part of town stands a splendid cathedral built in the Galtean style, the bell of which, when rung, sounds through every hearth and home in the city."

Keiran stopped in place, sensing something. Emiri looked at him curiously, though to her surprise, he'd walk right up to her. "The castle is...hm," He paused his thought, looking for the right words. "I suppose the prince truly is in a dire state right now."

"You...can tell?" Nadeline asked.

"The Espers and their hosts give...a rather unique Mist that's easily discernible from common Humes," He stated, pointing to the castle. "If you know how to read Mist, you can determine location, condition...even emotional state." Emiri nudged him, shaking her head at him as a clue to stop. He lowered his head. "Best to see the situation first hand, I suppose."

"Whatever the case, we must meet with Lady Cassandra," Reia reminded them.

[AlteredTundra]

They acted as if they were being attacked by Zodiark or something terrible like that. Jaakuna didn’t quite understand what the big fucking deal was. It’s not like he maimed them. If he really wanted to win using dirty tactics, he would have summoned Belias. Did he do that? No, he didn’t. He simply exerted his obvious dominance and proved once and for all that there’s only one winner in both the skies and lands of Ivalice.

Though, as he would see how furious Reia was at Lorenzo, Jaakuna was reduced to a laughing mess, falling to his knees and pointing at Lorenzo. “Serves you right, huh!” Jaakuna laughed but suddenly felt a large bonk on the back of his blond head, sending him about one foot into the ground. He looked back and it was Savayna who, much like Reia to Lorenzo, gave him a murderous glare, ready to pummel him even further if he didn’t shut up.

Joining the rest of them, he had always been amazed at how beautiful the sight of the main palace was. “Ya know, I once had a job to sneak into this place and steal the crown jewels.”

“What kind of person would commission you to steal the crown?”

“Oh, you know, people.”

“What kind of people?”

“The ones with pockets full of Gil.”

After a moment, Savayna sighed, knowing he was full of shit,“you did it on your own volition, didn’t you?”

“What? No, I could never--”

Savayna simply looked at him, saying nothing.

“Okay, fine yes. I did it on my own. I wanted to see if I could get away with it.” Jaakuna scowled, finally admitting why he truly did it.

“And did you?”

“It’s complicated.”

“Uncomplicate it.”

“I had it in my possession, but then I got caught by -- wouldn’t you know it? Wesley’s late papa.”

“What happened?”

“What do you think? I was thrown in the dungeons and wasn’t let out until the next solstice.”

“You could have just said that instead of beating around the bush.”

“But this was more fun.”

“Just tell me what’s the point of this story.” Savayna demanded exasperated

“The point, my dearest ex-wife, is that this place is beautiful, double goes for the inside.” Jaakuna shrugged as he heard Reia.

He simply would keep his mouth shut from here on out, and go along with what she wanted.

---

Wesley’s condition had been felt throughout the kingdom. As someone who was just as loved as he was respected among the nobles and common folk, it did something that no one had seen since the era of Queen Ashelia: a unity of the rich and poor. With the help of Old Dalan and the leaders of the noble houses, there had been vigils scheduled to show support for their king. Though most could do nothing but pray, they did so as much as they could. The temples that were thought long-abandoned were being crowded with people asking the gods to help their king as much as they could.

All the while, in the Royal Palace of Rabanastre, Wesley has had several doctors come and investigate his condition on the order of the Queen Mother of Wesley, Isabelle. She didn’t know what else she did, so she would spend as much gil as it took to get the best doctors to Dalmasca. They ranged from medical doctors to psychological doctors. She even arranged for a Jarif shaman to see Wesley. She was desperate and she wanted nothing else but her son to open his eyes so that she could see his beautiful eyes again. She wanted to hear his voice again. She wanted to know that he was okay and that she could actually have good news for his fiance when she returns. She wanted all of that.

And yet, after over a dozen doctors have went into his room, every one of them told her what she feared.

“I’m sorry, your grace, but there’s nothing I can do.”

They all said a variant of that. Additionally, they expressed how saddened they were to hear that their king, Wesley Henry Alexander, seemed to have no reaction to their various treatments. Even the Garif Shaman, who was said to be the best Jahara Shaman there was, couldn’t do anything. His condition was more complex and unlike anything that were in any books of known ailments.

There was still one more healer waiting. A Viera by the name of Myrn. Originally, she sought out Aloa, but due to some unexplained reasons, Aloa wasn’t available, so she had who they called the second-best healer after Aloa. This Viera was her last chance.

As she waited outside her son’s room, Isabelle's’ squire approached her. “My deepest apologies, your grace, I know you are eagerly waiting on our king’s recovery, but there’s a group of people in the main hall claiming to know you.”

Isabelle looked at her squire. He was a young lad. The nephew of her late husband by marriage. He had been under her service ever since she made the decision to return to Dalmasca and resume her duties. “Very well,” she bowed her head slightly to her squire as he led her to the main hall.

It wasn’t a long journey. A simple series of turns and down one flight of stairs. Once there, the Queen Mother saw someone she immediately recognized. It was Nadeline. Upon further inspection, she saw a few others she knew. Of course, there was the rest of the Rozarrian royal family, Grant, Lorenzo, and the Empress, Reia. though she did notice that famed Archadian General Savayna Glacie was among them and the formerly-deemed traitor, now a hero, of Archadia, Jackson Darcone, though he did seem to prefer Jaakuna. Oh, and of course the always-cheery Emiri. Wesley had told his mother so much about this group of people.

“Welcome to Rabanastre. My son has told me so much about you all. As friends of my son, you are more than welcome here.“ Isabelle greeted her son’s friends went open arms and a warm smile, inviting them to take a seat in the highly decorative chairs in front of them.

Jaakuna was the first to take her invitation, not at all shy about taking what was so obviously offered to him for free. “Man, I forgot how dope this place was. Though I gotta be honest, Wesley never said how much of a babe his mother was.”

And as if world war was declared, Jaakuna felt the glares through the back of his head. Maybe they were still mad at him for what he did to the lot of them getting to Dalmasca.

[Hero]

The brunette was determined to let Jaakuna know she wasn't at all pleased with his comment as she sat down, glaring at him the entire time. Lorenzo snickered, lightly patting Emiri's shoulder in an attempt to calm her down. "Now you've upset the lady, Jaakuna." He grinned, though he would wisely choose not to comment any further as he would take his seat.

Reia was less than pleased at his comment, though she would sit nonetheless. "Thank you for your hospitality, and for meeting us on such short notice," She stated as much.

Nadeline couldn't quite focus, though she nodded in agreement. No, she had to ask. It couldn't wait any longer. "How...is Wesley?" Her voice came out a lot quieter than she had meant it to be, and a lot more hesitant than expected. "I...ahem, I don't suppose anyone has had any luck with his condition, have they?"

"Did you try to do anything for him? You would think Espers would be able to heal someone better than most, all things considered," Grant couldn't help but ask her, clearly not used to this rather timid princess in front of him. Where the hell did her backbone go? It was honestly such a surprising change of character--one he didn't find himself liking at all. "Don't tell me you didn't even try?"

Nadeline shook her head. "Of course I did! I tried everything I knew, and still he slept. Ultima offered no assistance, as always, and...I didn't know what else to do," She admitted.

Emiri looked slightly downcast, though she noticed Keiran staring off into the distance, beyond the wall. It was obvious he was looking towards wherever Wesley was, though she then remembered his earlier comment. "Is there something else you see that no one else does?" She asked him.

Keiran looked at her, eyes wide. "Hm? Oh, I don't think regular magicks would be able to sole this. My assumption is it's an attack of the psyche...or something." He shrugged, though he certainly had a rather thoughtful expression on his face. "It feels like...he was in contact with the Creature for some reason."

[AlteredTundra]

"I am to understand it's urgent. Or at least, that's what Leon, my Squire, has told me. Though, he didn't specify what it was specifically." Isabelle mused, finding herself even more curious about why such a group of well-known figures had traveled so far and away from their respective countries. So, of course, it was quite interesting that they would seek out Isabelle in such an urgent manner.

"Something like that," Jaakuna stated rather calmly, feeling the all-piercing glare from his beloved. "We--well, I--have a proposal for you. But, maybe--

Suddenly, Jaakuna was interrupted by Nadeline's sudden question. That made Jaakuna to let her finish whatever she was saying.

When Nadeline had inquired about an update on Wesley's condition, Isabelle didn't know what she was going to say. Every doctor that she could find had told her the same thing. Though she didn't know what that Viera that was currently looking into his condition would say, at this moment, it was as bad as when Nadeline had left for Archadia earlier in the day. And as she would look at the blonde girl, she couldn't help but smile just a little bit. Truly, she loved Wesley with all of her heart. It showed any time she spoke his name or thought about him.

Taking just a few more moments to ponder on her words, Isabelle spoke. "There is still no change. I've asked every doctor I could. All of them said the same: there's no change I've asked the Jarif to send their best shaman and still there was no change." Isabelle said, her voice starting to crack due to her emotions, "I..I even pleaded with the Viera. I asked for that one you said is the best healer you know, Nadeline: Aloa, but apparently, she was unavailable, so they sent the second-best thing: Myrn."

"Really? Her?"

"I take it you know this Myrn."

Jaakun nodded, arms crossed. "She's kind of a bitch."

"In what way?"

"Like Aloa, just with more snark."

Savayna snickered, "then I can't wait to meet this one."

Even though Isabelle barely had been able to keep it together, she found herself chuckling at the banter between the General and Jaakuna. "You two bicker like an old married couple," she noted.

"Close," Jaakuna simply stated.

"We were married once, but now I'm engaged to this silent lug of a man," Savayna softly punched Grant's shoulder.

"That explains it," Isabelle also would nod, seeming to accept the reason they gave.

After a moment would pass, she would shake her briefly as to get her mind back on what she was saying. Though, as she would go to continue, she heard the black-haired young male speak about this thing called The Creature. "Is there anything you can tell me about this..creature?" Isabelle asked the young male.

[Hero]

Aloa. She did take her leave with Shion and Vlyn, though he hadn't the slightest clue where they had gone, or even if they were together. Grant listened to the conversation, a mild look of polite interest on his face, though it turned into a scowl as Savayna punched him. He shifted in his seat, a more relaxed, yet proper posture, though he was interested in what Keiran was talking about. It was the first he had heard of it, though he noticed Keiran was...nervous? No, it was uncertainty. He unintentionally let out an irritated sigh. What was it with everyone suddenly being hesitant lately?

At Isabella's prod, Keiran crossed his arms, trying to choose his words carefully. "It's...foul. I don't know, the incarnation of darkness itself? A corrupted mess? A monster? There's nothing else like it, I can tell you that much," He stated, tilting his head to the side. "It revels in negative emotion, that much I can tell you. It certainly likes to mess with the mind, that much is for sure."

"That...that was that thingwe saw in the Westersand, wasn't it?" Nadeline asked, though another thought came to mind. "There were definitely dark magicks at play with...it." She stopped herself in her tracks, a hand to her mouth. Now that she thought about it, she never did reveal that it was Sylvester that Wesley had encountered, that it was he who had directly affected Wesley. She suddenly felt very sick, a pit in her stomach that refused to go away. How would she break it to a mother that her two sons were going to fight?

"Nadeline...?" Emiri asked her, a hand reaching out. "Are you alright?"

"That's the expression most people have when they see the Creature," Keiran stated, raising his eyebrows, though he would stand from his seat. "If it's alright, I'd like to take a look myself. At least to know what it is that's going on."

"How nice of you," Emiri couldn't help but smile at him.

The dark haired man scoffed. "It's a two way street, your kindness is...infectious," He grumbled, though without waiting for permission, he would walk off towards the direction Wesley was.

"Ah, hey! I...I apologize for him," Emiri let out a small laugh, bowing to Isabella. "If you'll, um, excuse us, I'll go, too."

Nadeline would also stand with rather shaky legs, though she seemed to get a hold of herself. "I need some air, forgive me," She mumbled, unable to shake the guilt off as she would also take her leave.

Grant let out a sigh, though he looked at Isabelle. "If it's alright, could we see Her Highness? At the very least we could get one thing out of the way," He said, motioning towards Jaakuna and Reia.

"A mother's duty is to her kids, Grant," He reminded him.

[AlteredTundra]

As Keiran began to explain what he knew about this Creature, Isabelle couldn't help but notice how anxious he got when he was describing what it not only was but what kind of emotions it fed off of. Based on what he was describing and how on-edge Keiran felt about it, it seemed as though this thing--this Creature of Darkness--was what the nurses told children when they wanted a scary story instead of some happy-go-lucky tale of a hero or something in that regard. And to think that not only something like that exists, but that Nadeline had encountered it.

Hearing about this being of darkness brought a moment of dread to Isabelle. to think something like that actually existed in the world. Though, perhaps because she chose to be blissfully ignorant and that she didn't want to know about the darker things in Ivalice led to her being easily shocked about what lurked in the deepest parts of Ivalice's darkness. Perhaps it was her refusal to accept anything else but goodness in the world that led to her being completely surprised by what this thing was. Though, as she would take her time to adjust to what it was this thing was, Keiran would request to see Wesley, but he didn't wait for her permission. He simply did so as he wished. The Iniko girl would follow him, apologizing on his behalf.

Then, just right after her, Nadeline had to take a moment for herself. Obviously talking about Wesley was too much for her. Isabelle would check up on her in a few. She would have done so already, but Grant would inquire to Isabelle about seeing Cassandra. She blinked as if the request to see her daughter was lost on her. "Why do you need to see my daughter?" Isabelle asked Grant.

Before Grant would be able to answer, Jaakuna would speak for him. "It's why we've come here," Jaakuna started, standing up. "I'm not any good at this kind of thing, so perhaps Reia should explain it," Jaakuna admitted, giving Reia the floor.

[Hero]

The Empress couldn't help but give Jaakuna a look of disapproval. It was his suggestion! Although admitting one's weakness was probably a step in the right direction, so she would cut him some slack. For now. She cleared her throat as she would stand as well, preparing herself for a brief explanation. "In light of recent events--that is, the disturbance that is Zodiark currently wreaking havoc on our countries and attempting to turn us against one another--our good prince here (no need to hide your surprise) believed it best to form a treaty of peace, at the very least for the moment. He is the current representative of Archadia, I of Rozarria. Together with her Highness we had hoped to form a truce, if only to unite one another against the darkness."

Grant decided he was no longer needed, quietly excusing himself as he would follow Nadeline to the balcony. She was gripping the wall for dear life, swaying this way and that. "Nadeline, what's wrong?" He asked her, placing a hand on her shoulder.

To his surprise, she would pull herself away from him, shaking her head. "I cannnot--it's..." She stumbled over her words, though she finally took a deep breath before responding. "There was a part of me that foolishly believed he would be alright when we got back. I abandoned him when he needed me...the reality of the situation is finally getting to me, I suppose."

"What is wrong with you?" His words may have come out harsher than intended, but his patience had run thin. "What happened to the princess who wanted to rise into ruling the country without the need of a prince? You were always so strong, so definite in your desires. This mess before me is a sad shadow of who you used to be."

Seeing his disappointment made her feel so much worse, but she didn't have anything to say to defend herself. "You're absolutely right...however, I fear for him. Ultima continues to bless me with her gifts and still I cannot do a thing for him! Why?! Why do I have these magicks and still can't do anything for him?! It's maddening!" She raised her voice, both her hands on the wall before her. "I got Zodiark to admit I was a challenge...and yet I cannot do a thing for him. If only I hadn't followed those rumors of his brother...if I hadn't been fooled by the false image of Sylvester..."

---

"Keiran! You can't just go into someone's room like that!" Emiri scolded him as Keiran pretty much walked into Wesley's room without so much as knocking. She almost braced herself to get yelled at, but there he was, still as stone. It was disheartening to see him like that--and the last time they had met, it hadn't been on good terms considering her brainwashing. She watched Keiran approach him, the man inspecting the prince carefully. "What do you think?" She asked him worriedly. "Is there anything we can do for him?"

"It stinks like It," Keiran murmured, narrowing his eyes. "...But this isn't just It. There's someone else's trace here...Hashmal is trying to help him, but it's a battle of the mind. Trauma is a fickle thing, huh."

That didn't sound good. "You haven't answered my question," She pointed out.

Keiran crossed his arms. "Well, if he hasn't woke up by now, then he might just need all the help he can get. This should look familiar to you, anyway. Doesn't it remind you?" He asked her, raising an eyebrow.

"You know my memories, too? Do I have any privacy from you?"

"No. But that's not important. Try to remember."

This situation was familiar? Was it? Wait, Keiran was right, it was. That time Jaakuna was affected by the Shard...but was it truly the same? "So we need to delve in? Or one of us does? But...the situations aren't the same," Emiri frowned.

"You could be right. You could be wrong. It's one way to look at it...she said a viera was coming, wasn't she? I'm sure it's a possible solution," He stated. "Though...I have to admit, if someone does decide to dive into his psyche...they'll be in for a rough time with this corrupted Mist. It won't be as simple...it'd be more along the lines of what you experienced in Nabudis."

She nearly cried out loud in horror. Lola was the one behind that madness--and he thought it would be worse than that?! Shaking her head, she tried to think. "I'm sure Jaakuna would be busy with the treaty. Perhaps myself, Nadeline, Grant, and Savayna? Though Savayna doesn't seem like the spiritual type...and Grant...I don't know what's wrong with him, but he's been acting strange. I feel like something happened in Archades, but I don't know what."

Keiran fell silent, looking at the sleeping Wesley. His expression was calm, but underneath that, much turmoil lingered...