File: BaelGBAIcon.gif (2 KB, 78x68)

2 KB GIF

So, after that... Eventful meeting with Lady Ymira, you all spent the next few moments discussing things.

Une met you all on the way out with a devious grin on her face.

"Weren't you... At the bar?" Leigh asks.

"Oh, she doesn't really drink," Ansi reveals.

"Zip it, loudmouth," Une says, scowling now. "That how you treat someone who's snooped out some prime information on our host there?"

"She's a Chameleon, right?" Ansi says.

"We... Sort of learned that ourselves," Leigh continues.

Irma nods.

Une's face faults. "Well, then. I... bet you didn't know that-"

"She hired the New Flight? Yeah, she just sort of... Told us," Leigh says.

"Right, right... Anything ELSE you already know?" Une sounds ticked off now.

>A. Nope, nothing
>B. That we should keep her Chameleon status a secret
>C. That we should keep her Chameleon status a secret (let's not, though)
>D. Write-in response

>>43990090
>B. That we should keep her Chameleon status a secret

>>43990143
"Well, she asked that we keep that all a secret, so... Let's not rock the boat just yet."

Une nods. "Not big on Ice Dragons either, so... I guess I can respect that."

"So anyway," Ansi says, "we've figured out what the New Flight is doing here, just like the general asked. Time to just freeze for a week?"

"Wh-what?" Leigh asks. "I mean, yes, we KNOW, but... We're just going to let them take on the Ice Authority? This rebellion is... Being championed by the people who killed Marrius!"

"And what're we supposed to do?" Ansi asks. "We'll just die, and this really isn't our business anyway. Irma, we have our answer, don't we? The Ice Authority and Magical Senate have no sort of alliance."

Irma nods, Une chuckles.

"But..." Leigh says, "I mean, we can't just... Leave this be."

>A. Let's stay put
>B. Let's go to the capital!
>C. What's so funny, Une?
>D. You have nothing to say
>E. Write-in response

>>43990257
>C. What's so funny, Une?

>>43990404
"Er, what's so funny?" You ask.

"Eheh, just what Yvette wanted to know back in Elza. This whole discourse reminded me."

Leigh asks, "really? What'd she ask?"

"Well, to be more specific, Princess Shea asked about the details of what happened in Ulir. Pertaining mainly to Lupus."

"Wait, so... Princess Shea's group is tailing them too?" Ansi asks.

"By the sounds of it."

Immediately, Ansi's stance does a 180. "Well, then, that means that they would be up heading towards the capital too! What the fuck are we still standing around for then?!"

"Yancy, calm down," you say.

"Don't tell me to be calm when Jolie could be running right into certain danger!"

>A. Why didn't Une mention this earlier
>B. Try to slap Ansi
>C. Alright, we'll go!
>D. This is still a bad idea
>E. Write-in response
>F. Be silent

>>43990488
>B. Try to slap Ansi

>>43990488
>A. Why didn't Une mention this earlier

>>43990553
>>43990555
You slap Ansi.

"What the... Lloyd, what was that for?!" Ansi barks.

"Well, you're still shouting. Mind cutting that out?"

"Urgh..." Ansi responds.

Next, you turn to Une. "Why didn't you mention this earlier?"

"No one asked," she responds with a shrug.

"She doesn't volunteer information, Lloyd," Ansi adds.

"But... She was just about to tell us about Ymira, wasn't she?" Leigh asks.

Une's eye twitches.

Ansi continues at a more reasonable volume, "so anwyay, Lloyd, when are we shoving off?"

>A. We're not!
>B. Right now
>C. Tonight
>D. Tomorrow morning
>E. Write-in response

>>43990637
>D. Tomorrow morning

>>43990757
>>43990757
"Er... Is the morning alright? Gives us time to prepare, less suspect than just... Running on out."

Everyone just sort of agrees, and you spend much of the rest of the day uneventfully socializing with locals.

That evening, at an inn you've been put up in, you're sitting around with Leigh.

Ansi can be heard in the next room over, ranting about Jolie to... Nobody. You're not sure where Une is.

You don't really pay attention to Irma's whereabouts anyway.

>A. Spend time with someone (specify who, topic specification allowed but not needed)
>B. Skip to the next morning
>C. Wander town aimlessly

>>43990847
>A. Spend time with someone (Leigh)
Wandering around aimlessly is tempting.

>>43990927
"Weird to just... Be in a cozy mountain cabin again."

"I know, right?" Leigh responds, "I mean, it's... Yeah, this feels nice."

She leans into you, a gesture you match with an arm around her waist as you shift your positions slightly.

After a few slow moments of this, she says, "I mean, it is... I like where we are now, wouldn't trade it away that easily, but... I missed this."

"Same here," you reply.

More monologuing from Ansi in the other room. Leigh chuckles. "The... Screaming long-haired man is a new touch, though."

From there, you try to ignore him to the best of your mutual abilities and spend the evening enjoying one another's company.

>A. Say something more (specify)
>B. Skip to tomorrow morning
>C. Write-in

>>43991012
>B. Skip to tomorrow morning

>>43991043
The following morning, after you and Leigh get ready, you head out and meet Ansi and Une, the latter muttering something about "giving away all my secrets" while sipping what you now know is completely non-alcoholic from her flask. Is she just trying to look cool?

Anyway, the four of you together prompts Ansi to ask a question. "Wait, where's... Whatshername?"

"I'm here," a voice grumbles. You turn to face it and notice none other than Irma approaching.

"She speaks," Une says with mock-wonder.

"Hey, it's not like I COULDN'T," Irma replies.

>A. Whatever
>B. She just hasn't needed to
>C. Why hasn't she
>D. Write-in response

>>43991184
>B. She just hasn't needed to

>>43991254
"She just... Hasn't felt the need to speak up," you say in support of Irma.

"Thank you," she says, stretching her arms out. "Anyway, let's hurry."

"Wait." Another voice calls, this one more clearly belonging to Monique. She runs out, silver sword sheathed and off of her side.

In response, Une and Leigh rest their hands on their swords, but Irma raises her hand to stop them. "What's this about, Monique?"

"I know what you're planning," she says straightforwardly as she hands Irma the Silver Sword. "But... I have heard how dangerous and volatile this Lupus character is. You'll require this more than a simple maid, and Master Ymira has more weapons in the house anyway."

"Wow, this is some beautiful stuff," Irma says with amusement, "appreciate it, I do."

>A. Invite Monique along, if she's willing to help
>B. Tell Irma to give it back
>C. Ask why Monique is doing this
>D. Thank her
>E. Write-in response
>F. Be silent

>>43991440
>C. Ask why Monique is doing this
>D. Thank her

>>43991577
"Er... Thanks, but. Why are you doing this?"

Monique responds matter-of-factly, "It's... my job to help."

Irma nods. "Just get back to what you were doing. Don't keep Ymira waiting."

Monique nods as well before hurrying back. Une and Ansi frown.

Your trip to the capital from there is... Well, most of it's not particularly eventful, at least until it is.

>A. Spend time with someone (specify)
>B. Skip, once again, to the next thing to happen

>>43991739
>A. Spend time with someone (Irma)

>>43991844
"So... Irma," you start, and she just grunts.

"Not one for idle conversation," she says.

"Alright, alright..." You mumble something about Gonzo saying exactly the same thing as you end the interaction.

That night, however, Irma does say something. "Someone's watching us."

Naturally, this reaction prompts everyone to get up and explore the surrounding area.

>A. Stay put and wait for whoever it is
>B. Go out and seek out whoever it is

>>43992008
>B. Go out and seek out whoever it is

>>43992143
You head out into a wooded area, quickly accompanied by Leigh, sword drawn.

Together, you look around, giving suspicion to every single noise or something spotted in peripheral vision.

"Alright, Lloyd, stay close," Leigh suggests, "we... Don't know what we're dealing with."

You nod. "Yeah, don't you do anything reckless either."

"When am I ever-" She blinks, "point taken."

You hear snow crunching behind the two of you, softly... Softer than anyone in your group walks, bar maybe yourself.

>A. Attack!
>B. Just turn around
>C. Don't move
>D. Say something (specify)
>E. Write-in

>>43992287
>B. Just turn around

>>43992484
You turn around, and Leigh follows suit.

You both notice a hooded, cloaked figure, mysteriously... Familiar.

You're silent, but Leigh asks, "who are you?"

The woman pulls down her hood and you both recognize the person in question: it's that woman who saved Yone from those bonewalkers way back when you first left the mountains.

Uh, shit, shit, what's her name..?

"I'm... Sorry if I scared you two." She says. "It's me, Valerie." Well, that answers that! "I... Believe we've met?"

Leigh nods. "Uh, yeah, I'm pretty sure we have!"

"Again, I. Apologize if I startled you. See, I noticed your camp, and was... Curious as to who it was."

"No skin off our backs," Leigh assures.

You return with Valerie, and as Leigh calls ahead about it not being a threat, everyone is back to business as usual by the time you get back to the campfire.

In particular, she pays Irma mind. "You are... The Mage General's bodyguard, correct? How is Yancy?"

"Sorry, who are you again?" Irma asks.

Valerie pauses for a moment before answering. "Of course, yes, we... only met briefly, and I look no older than then... Does 'Asra' ring any bells?"

Irma responds with further silence. "Nope, not really. I don't have a good memory."

>A. You remember the Mage General discussing this
>B. How does she not remember this?
>C. Be silent
>D. Say something else (specify)

>>43992685
>A. You remember the Mage General discussing this

>>43992816
"Uh, hey, I... Actually remember Mage General Yancy talking about the last time he saw you."

"So he's the reason you're here. Errands from him, presumably?"

"Yeah, stuff that we need to be in the capital for," you say vaguely.

"I see..." Asra then asks, "are you pursuing the Necromancer?"

"So you've met him," Ansi replies.

Asra nods. "His crew... Accosted me when I noticed his skills. Didn't seem to expect me to survive." She flashes a pair of impressive-looking daggers. "He does not know me very well, clearly."

Une grins. "Experienced, are we?"

Asra looks away, somewhat embarrassed and ashamed. "I have... Been trained in taking lives since I could barely walk."

>A. How could that be
>B. That's pretty cool
>C. That sounds terrible
>D. Write-in response
>E. Be silence

>>43993129
>A. How could that be

>>43993129
>C. That sounds terrible

>>43993288
>>43993299
"That's... Messed up, actually. How does that happen?"

Another pause. "I was... Born into the Peshkatz Group."

"Woof," Une responds, "and you ran from that?"

Asra nods yet once more. "They... Pursued me at first, but that was decades ago."

Une shakes her head. "How'd you manage to skip out on them?"

"I... Wouldn't have been able to without Duchess Devon and her husband's company. They... Took me in, when they had nothing but one another."

"Wait... So you were with the Great Miles, then," Une asks.

"Yes."

You don't have much more to say beyond that, but Asra asks something further.

"Since... We seem to be pursuing the same person, would it be acceptable for me to come along with you?" She closes her eyes. "I... Do not mean to impose, of course, but I don't get very much company."

Why's everyone looking at you? You're not used to being the leader.

>A. Sure
>B. Sorry

>>43993488
>A. Sure

>>43993488
>A. Sure

>>43993561
>>43993587
"I... Don't really see why not."

Asra... Smiles slightly? "Thank you. I'll... Do my best to not get in the way."

The following morning, the six of you set off. Asra attempts to converse with Une's bael at one point, but bar that nothing really noteworthy happens until you approach the outside of the Ice Authority's capital.

More specifically, you approach a camp, by which several men, women, and wyverns socialize. Near them, the gates to the city, appearing to be broken.

"That's the New Flight, alright," Irma observes. "So, we've confirmed they're here, they seem to be trying to take the city in some sort of siege..."

Leigh nods. "So... This is our last chance to figure out what we're doing. What's our game plan?"

"Jolie's gonna be here soon, if they haven't already captured her!" Ansi shout-whispers. "We need to take them down!"

"We... Cannot just run up to a lot of Wyverns," Asra remarks. "Perhaps the... More stealth oriented among us ought to start things off."

"We could just turn back," Une suggests.

>A. Let's turn back
>B. Let's try to blindside them
>C. Let's just talk to them
>D. Charge!
>E. Write-in

>>43993815
>C. Let's just talk to them

>>43993815
>B. Let's try to blindside them

>>43993852
>>43993941
"Hey, let's not jump the gun and just... Assume we have to fight. I mean, if you really don't want to talk, I get it, and I'll go with blindsiding, but... Why do we even think they'd have Princess Shea?"

"Their leader has a history of stealing nobles," Irma responds.

"...stealing nobles?" Asra asks.

"Oh, no one mentioned?" Irma says. "The leader of this company, he was very likely involved in the kidnapping of these two Noban nobles... Phineas and Demeter, I think?"

Asra's fists clench up suddenly. "What has he done with them."

"Not a damn clue," Irma says. "Might have tortured them or something."

"Irma," Leigh says, "would you stop aggravating Asra? She just said how close she is to Duchess Devon!"

"She's the one who asked."

"I'm... Going to kill him." Asra says. "That leader, that necromancer... I'm going to end his life. I... He is worth breaking decades of never killing a living thing."

"Can't let you talk like that now," Irma says, abruptly drawing Monique's silver sword and striking Asra.

A voice that is decidedly not "Irma's" calls from her lips. "Hey, you guys! These people are trying to sneak up on you!"

"'Oh, hey, she just started talking for no reason,' they said," Une groans as she pulls out a Killing Edge and immediately tries to hit "Irma." Ansi draws a Staff and immediately takes to healing Asra up.

>A. Again, what the hell is going on
>B. Turn and face the New Flight camp
>C. Attack "Irma"
>D. Write-in response

>>43994092
>A. Again, what the hell is going on

>>43994092
>D. Goddammit Ymira

File: Wyvern_riderGBAIcon.gif (2 KB, 80x69)

2 KB GIF

>>43994144
"What... The hell is going on?"

Leigh, similarly confused, draws her sword. "I... Think Irma was Ymira the whole time? Or, uh... At least ever since we left."

"She shows up late," Une dodges and strikes back/misses, a rhythm which "Irma" matches a few times over, "suddenly voiced, suddenly a jerk, not remembering shit she should remember, and Ymira's maid shows up out of nowhere to give her a sword. And you all told me to ignore this."

Ansi evens the odds a bit with a half-dozen eyeball monsters, and Une manages to get a lucky hit in on "Irma."

"Hrk..." Ymira's form shows more clearly as she clutches the wound, "th-that's... No ordinary sword... Bael venom, right?"

"Someone's done her homework," Une says, grinning. Leigh cringes. "You're lucky you missed a double dose." Quickly, she climbs back onto her giant spider. "Not that that's about to-"

Une's bael walks back a bit as a wyvern rider and his mount whoosh in between her and Ymira from below. "Get to the camp, Lady Ymira!" He says. "You can treat yourself there!"

And from there, about a half-dozen Wyvern riders surround you from above, all but two of the Mogalls destroyed already.

>A. After Ymira!
>B. Hit them with all you've got!
>C. Put everything into not being killed!
>D. Write-in!
>E. Every man for himself!

>>43994252
>C. Put everything into not being killed!

>>43994252
>C. Put everything into not being killed!
The choice between B and C is difficult to me because the FE parts of my brain see them as near-synonyms. Best defense tends to be a rapid murder wave in those games, in my experience.

File: Mauthedoog.gif (11 KB, 94x62)

11 KB GIF

>>43994492
>>43994529
"Shit, shit... Everyone, stay out of their ways and try not to get killed..."

With that, the "fight" becomes a onesided attempt to simply avoid being piked or closed in on. Ansi summons a few more Mogall to try to strike and act as meatshields, and Asra seems far less concerned with her health than you asked her to be, but... You're fighting a losing battle here, and Ymira-as-Irma gets away, flees into the city.

You manage to gravely injure one of them, which... Slows the others' assaults, briefly, but then they're quick to redouble their killing you all efforts, only stopping due to a constant swarm of exceptionally weak Mogall.

And Ansi is looking pretty tired. "Nnh..." He says, "this is... Getting draining. But... We can't fucking give up now! I mean, either Jolie's ahead of us and in deep shit, or her whole group's close behind and gonna save us!" He summons up a pair of Mauthe Doog. "R-regardless... We're not about to die without seeing her again." He collapses onto the ground while the Mauthe Doogs leap at a man and his wyvern, chewing them both into bits before his colleague stabs them both with a single strike of his Silver Lance.

Four left, (functionally) four of you, but they definitely have the advantage...

>A. All-out attack!
>B. Protect Ansi!
>C. Bail!
>D. Surrender!
>E. Write-in!

>>43994709
>B. Protect Ansi!

>>43994709
>B. Protect Ansi!
With violence!

>>43994814
>>43994881
"Hrg... Alright, none of you abandon Ansi, got that?"

"Like he never ditched me?" Une says.

"You're the one that dropped our partnership!"

"Yeah, yeah, I know... Still." Une raises her sword in defense of... Herself, primarily, but everyone else follows operation defend Ansi to the letter.

Well, Asra gets proactive and stabs a dude, but other than that, to the letter.

So, uh, basically, only Leigh really listens, but you get why no one else did?

The Mauthe Doog is killed taking a hit for its master, and the three remaining riders attempt to swoop in at once...

"Hey, wait," one of them says, "do you... Hear something?"

The sound of hooves on snow, most certainly.

At the very least, the trio hurries to meet it as Ansi takes a deep breath.

"Eheh," one of them says, "it's just some old lady."

"Babe..." Another one says, "that's... Not just an old lady."

"Heh, right. An old lady on a h-"

Her words are cut off mid-sentence.

"Babe! I... Why didn't you listen?! I'll kill you, knight!"

"Screw this!" The third one says, flying up and away towards the city. "A-ah! Who the hell are you?! S-stay back! I'm warning you!"

The timely intervention of three people saved your asses.

"Heh... Old lady, someone in the sky..." Using the last of his energy, Ansi calls out, "Jolie, you're there too, right?!" Then he passes out.

"Ansi!" Leigh exclaims.

"He's... Just unconscious," Asra explains. "Worn out, but he'll likely come to shortly."

>A. Wait here
>B. Go to your presumed saviors
>C. Say something (write-in)

>>43994958
>B. Go to your presumed saviors

>>43994958
>B. Go to your presumed saviors

>>43995019
>>43995136
Ansi hoisted onto Une's spider to carry him until he wakes up, the three of you approach the direction of the described "elderly knight."

Predictably, it's Yvette. Jolie emerges from nearby, and Princess Shea from above.

"Are you alright?" Jolie asks. "Gods, had they not noticed us, you would've been..." She notices Ansi. "What happened to him?!"

"Relax, just wore himself out with too much summoning," Une says as she uncaps her flask, then taking a long sip.

"What's going on here?" Shea asks. "What are the five of you even doing here?"

>A. Explain everything
>B. Explain everything (do not mention Ymira's Chameleonhood)
>C. It's a long story
>D. Write-in response

>>43995200
>A. Explain everything

>>43995245
You start from Yone's tragic death.

From there, you detail your suspicions about this group's leader, your unrelated decision to head North for Yone's funeral, your meeting with General Yancy the morning of, his lending Irma to your mission (you don't find out where Irma went, but all presume that she is no longer alive. You all hardly knew the real her anyway, so... You mean you're not happy about this, but you move on pretty quickly), the maid Monique, the Ellen-impersonating Chameleon (it doesn't sit right with Leigh that you broke your promise not to tell, but she understands the circumstances), and how you all got here and Irma turned out to be... Not Irma.

"Monique... Tell me more about that," Yvette says with unexpected enthusiasm.

So... You oblige, describe her and what you know of her story.

"I see..." Yvette closes her eyes. "I think we might need to pay a visit to that settlement."

"Aye," Shea says, "but we've come this far, so there's no way the New Flight is letting us leave without a fight."

>To be continued next thread
I could probably have made this last a bit longer, but it's late and I didn't want to overshoot it.

Thanks for playing, as always. Update Twitter is qmgrandflocto, ask.fm is also qmgrandflocto, and I'll be around in-thread a little while to chat.