Fields of Wilting Roses (1g,PSys,CL)

[Seethe]

"Travelling far from the roads in that land is certainly a dangerous proposition," the nekojin agreed. "But this matter is an important one, so I am still not deterred."

Brinala looked at the flower pictured in the notebook. Rare as it may have been, it looked a little easy to miss. Probably wouldn't stand out in a patch of weeds.

"So we are to retrieve that flower, then?" she asked. "We may need to borrow that picture for reference. I would not want to go to such a dangerous place and return with the wrong plant."

[Christian]

"She does, does she?" the scrawny, sickly pale engineer looked up at the message-girl with his hollow cheeks sticking out in a frightening way from the food that had been tucked in there like some smaller species of mice-like creatures tend to do. It was a sight at both times revolting and fascinating, because there seemed to be no end to the space inside his mouth.

Mikhail looked over to Katherine and gave a somewhat strained smile... thankfully keeping his lips together. "It would seem I have found myself in a most resourceful crowd of, would I dare say it, adventurers?" his eyes travelled from the priestess to Kumo, whom he inspected for a split second, perhaps evaluating what the small man had told them, or well, told Katherine, about himself. Mikhail never eavesdropped, he had just a particularly good sense of hearing from time to time.

"If I may be so bold to send a message along back," he seemed amused at the distrought look of the girl, "Inform her that whatever task she requires done, we will make sure it will be thoroughly performed. And," he held up a bony finger as if what he was going to say next was of utter importance, "reimbursements of any kind are certainly appreciated, but I frown upon the tradition of payment in advance, even though some do consider the unvoiced bond of trust formed between the task-giver and the recipient and subsequent extended hand because of prior advance payments with promises of more to come to be far worth the risk that the recipients carry little respect for bonds of such kind."

He rose suddenly from his seat and took up several napkins and began, without much fuss or ceremony, to put chicken drumstickis, slices of vegetables and whatever else in a condition not completely liquid into small enveloped of cloth before putting them down the many pockets of his coat.

[Dragon Sage007]

Kumo sighed as he dug out the gil needed to pay for the meal, in addition to a hearty fifteen percent tip, and stood up himself.

"I'm alright-and as for feeling it, Taiar's actually quite good at not making himself known when he does it. I don't think I've ever actually -felt- him. But...if you don't mind, I think I'll invite myself along."

[FF Fanatic 80]

Katherine smiles at the moogle.

"I'm sure your friend will appreciate you coming along. As do I."

[Mechanisto]

Kivet apparently held little interest in the food and drink being served to the Ivory Horn's patronage, and even less interest in acquiring a meal for himself. He was however, obviously quite curious bout the patrons themselves. He'd spent the last few minutes eyeing the customers, listening as they spoke, watching as they ate. Even these people, different as they were from his own kind, seemed to treat their daily meals as a highly social event. Observing social intercourse was all well and good... though his lack of subtlety or discretion had quickly become obvious as he began actively staring at the customers as they ate, peering over their shoulders and sniffing at them inquisitively.

His head snapped upward just in time for him to notice the others he had arrived with, speaking to someone. A brief glance showed that they had now given their undivided attention to a rather shy looking hatchling. he darted off towards them, slipping between a handful of tables. The end of his tail scraped slightly against the legs of several chairs (and a few customers). He returned to the group, his head arching over their shoulders curiously. He sniffed the air and darted his eyes between those gathered, but said nothing; he seemed to be waiting for someone else to speak.

[Christian]

"As I perceive our motley party has gathered," Mikhail said with a slight twitch at the corner of his lips, obviously bothered by the somewhat clumsy way the lizard-man had moved close to them, "I suggest we proceed to the upper floor, so that we may meet with your mistress," he gave a nod towards the young girl, stifled a low burp and wiped his somewhat greasy fingers on one of the few remaining cloth-towels. As he moved to pick up his scarf the tools in his belt clinked and clanged as they wavered by the motion, and his imposingly large handgun looked almost alive; ready to shoot anyone who wasn't watching...

which, of course, was silly. It was just a gun, a large gun indeed, but someone like Mikhail would have made certain to install some kind of safety system... right?

"As much as I hate rushing my meals, I am quite interested in meeting Lady Flitoverlakes," he wrapped the scarf around his face, once more covering the lower part entirely, and as he continued to speak his tone was once again the slightly muffled, yet thankfully less talkative voice. He slid his hands through the arms of his trenchcoat and the shuffle of cloth came as a surprise to those who'd seen him take it off; it looked stiff enough to give off crackles when moved.

"Now then, do lead the way," he said to the girl, yet before she could give him a response he had put on his thick gloves, given a final low burp and then begun to walk towards the staircase, once more showing either complete disdain, restlessness or simple absent-mindedness.

[Nekogami]

Lillian gave a small squeak, like a mouse being stepped on. She had to jog to get in front of Mikhail but it was uncertain whether she wanted to lead them or simply escape the situation, as she flew right up the stairs. She did, however, wait at the stop hiding behind a post watching them ascend.

When they were close enough she skitted back to the table. Lady Nasana smiled and before closing her book she placed her hand on the page and murmured an incantation in some elvish sounding language. The page seemed unaffected except for an intense flash of hyperexistence and the returning to looking like a normal page. She slipped a perfect copy of the page from the top of the original and shut the book. "This is for you and your friends, should you all agree to journey to the Forbidden Plains," she said to Brinala as she stood.

Her attention turned immediately to the assembly of concerned citizens, as mismatched as they seemed. She took a special shine to Kumo, breaking into a full grin at seeing him. She bowed politely and then turned to Kevit and her smile widened even further. She bowed to him as well and then gazed at the more humanoid members. She gave a polite bow to Katherine. "Mother Ishtar bless you," she greeted.

She then tuned to Mikhail and raised her brows slightly. It was the look a mother gave to a child that had just appeared covering mud and smelling questionable but so absurd is the filth rather than be angry she could only be amused that one person, seemingly without help nor purpose, managed to so unkempt. "...Greetings," she said with a noticeable hint of uncertainty.

"I'm sure you as well as your friends have questions that need answering. I will do my best to provide. Please have a seat." She motioned to the array of chairs that seemed to appear from nowhere but a keener eye would have seen poor Lillian silently obeying more unseen commands from her mistress and arranging the chairs.

[Dragon Sage007]

Kumo smiled widely at both Lillian and the lady Nasana, bowing deeply to the latter.

"Ishtar's blessed me too much to count already, miss." he replied as he took a seat-his feet dangling off the edge, naturally-and turned his full attention to the woman. "I'm Kumo-apprentice to the House of Healing that's near Glass Square. I'm sure I can help with this-but I don't really know much beyond the fact that it's some sort of skin disease, as miss Katherine told me. Any other information would be very helpful, miss."

[Seethe]

Brinala accepted the copy of the picture with a bow of her head. She then turned her attention to the stairs as Lillian returned, leading whoever had followed her. Hopefully the whole party.

Deciding she should relay the information she had gotten and get the rest of the group on board with the mission, she followed Nasana's example and stood to address them as well.

"I must thank all of you for the faith you have placed in Tiar and myself in appointing us as the official spokesdemon and spokeskitty of the Secret Health Organization," she announced. "Furthermore, I am pleased to announced that we have secured for any of you who wish to come along the rare opportunity to challenge the dangerous lands of the Forbidden Plains. Here we shall be haunted by vengeful ghosts and stalked by bloodthirsty predators as we endure the torturous elements in a quest to recover a rare flower that grows far from the established roads of that region. Should we fail, those of us who aren't eaten alive can expect a slow and painful death of thirst and hunger far from civilization, our bodies either dried into prunes by the sun or frozen solid by the cold of night, and our minds driven into madness by the wailing spirits. I assume nobody here could even comprehend passing up on this chance of a lifetime."

The enthusiastic grin on her face and the inviting tone of her voice may have been more disturbing than the words themselves.

[Taiar]

Unnerved by Brinala's inspiring speech, Taiar turned his own gaze to the rest of the ragtag band of might be heroes, now with a new addition. The Mazoku looked straight into him from his sitting position and turned up the corners of his mouth into a smile...or maybe a smirk; one of those mysterious little smiles that either hints at relief that another person has arrived to help or relief that he won't go hungry.

It's a well accepted fact though that when most demons smile like that, he's probably not thinking happy thoughts... or at least, thoughts that won't end happily for you.

But Taiar isn't most demons, so...who knows.

In the least, Tai gave his own little salute to the Moogle. "What's going on, Kumo? Jumping in on the fun?"

[FF Fanatic 80]

Katherine finds herself in good spirits, as she reunites with the others and meets Lady Nasana. Things are finally starting to look up.

...at least, she felt that way until Brinala's 'pep talk'

Now the priestess has a noticable look of dread on her face.

[Seethe]

Looking from Taiar to Katherine, Brinala wondered if she'd packed a little too much doom into her speech.

"... Er... well... You should all keep those things in mind anyway," she added in a noticeably quieter, more subdued voice. "I mean, it's not going to be any kind of walk in the park... But there's more at stake than us here."

Feeling a bit self-conscious now, she sat back down as she spoke.

"Of course, Lady Nasana says it's not an outbreak yet," the nekojin rambled on, staring into the table bashfully. "But... there's still lives at risk... So, that makes it important... you know?"

[Christian]

"The Forbidden Plains?" there was a bemused tone in the voice of Mikhail as he seemed to opt to remain standing despite the offer given to him by this much woman they had spent the good deal of the afternoon looking for. Or was it prenoon? He never really got the hang of the complicated science of temporal terms. Good half of a day had to suffice.

He had given the lady a polite nod as she'd adressed him, mumbled a "Greetings," more out of reflex than actual politeness... Being polite was one of the things Mikhail had decided to spend less of his brain-time resources on, unless of course it suited in his, at the time, agenda.

Stains of grease had begun to appear at the vaguely bulging pockets of his coat and overall.

"My dear Brinala," he seemed to have an awfully good memory for names when it suited him, "I have no doubt it will be quite as dangerous, if not more so, than you suggested; but as there are..." he paused for a while, "six of us..." his tone seemed a bit unsure, but he continued with resumed vigor, "I'm sure that, purely statistically, at least one... maybe even two, will survive this mission!"

"Anyway, Madam Flitoverlakes," he made a curious bow... without actually bowing... it was more like bending his thin, stick-like body in an angle that seemed impossible for anyone without double-jointed knees, "As I cannot speak for the others, let me at least assure you that you will receive the flower you covet, as certainly a lady's fancies in the ways of herbal beauty shall never be unheeded by those who would risk their lives in the face of... ah... herbivores."

It wasn't entirely clear if Mikhail had any idea of what they were facing... In fact, it was quite hard to tell if he had any idea what he was saying at any moment's notice.

[Seethe]

Brinala could only respond to Mikhail with a nod. Of course she thought they had a chance at making it through alive, otherwise she wouldn't have agreed to go.

She wasn't entirely sure what to make of his speech to Nasana, though. At least it meant he was on board, but...

"I'm fairly certain Lady Nasana isn't looking for a mere decoration," she said, not sure if that was already understood. "I would assume the flower is probably an ingredient in some sort of cure for the disease."

[Mechanisto]

Kivet leaned his serpentine head close over Brinala's shoulder, peering curiously at the picture she had been given. As before, he seemed not to share the same understanding as some of the concept of 'personal space.'

"This flower..." Kivet turned to look at Nasana, but didn't actually move his head away from Brinala's shoulder. "...is it good for curing many diseases? Exotic diseases?"

[FF Fanatic 80]

Katherine is quite intrigued by the plant. While still a novice with such knowledge, she finds the study of non-magic-based remedies quite fascinating.

She leans over Brinala's other shoulder, squinting a bit as she tries to get a good look at the picture.

"I'm curious about the properties of it myself.." Katherine comments, her eyes still focused on the image.