I’m embarrassed to say that I should have figured out two things far soon than when I was slapped in the face with them: One, Evelynn got here with her mossy carpet, not any other vehicle. Two, something called a [Speed] is, obviously, a light hovercraft that focuses most of its specs on pure speed. Three, [Spatial Pouches], or similar implement, are probably relatively common above a certain hierarchal position.
All of that to say that I shouldn’t have been surprised when the green lady pulled something that looked like a metal raft with a circular sail, out of her back pocket.
I mean, she almost literally pulled a boat out of her ass, so I think that it’s pretty fair that I didn’t know how to react beside being surprised.
Neither Sheeno nor Undine hesitated to board it after the [Colonel], which meant that I should only helplessly shrug my confusion away before hopping on myself. After that, we were quickly off, almost as speedily as advertised.
“This was… actually slower than I thought”, I couldn’t help but think, while also slightly miffed that there was a [Barrier] all around the vehicle that stopped you from feeling the wind at all, and since it wasn’t one of mind, I couldn’t perceive the movement through the sense that normally lets me perceive things that interact with anything I’m magically linked with.
A new sense that I struggled to adapt to, at first, but after I did so make me feel sort of blind when I don’t use it at its fullest.
Like right now. Fortunately, I had a solution that should be beneficial to us all, and shouldn’t look like a petty way to have things go my way.
“I have boosting [Speel] that also works on machinery: Do you mind if I got the [Speeder] to go faster?” I asked as casually as I could, but my fake tone didn’t go unnoticed by the vastly more experienced people on board.
“I’m sorry, but this vehicle is crafted ad hoc to precisely deal with its designed top speed, so if it were to go any faster it might compromise its structural integrity”, Evelynn probably thought that by turning me down with a technicality would make me drop the matter, but, unfortunately for her, insinuating that I didn’t know what I was doing with my own [Spell] felt extremely insulting, at least to me.
“Who do you take me for!? Of course, my [Spell] is also going to make this thing both sturdier and more flexible, exactly to prevent that kind of problem, but I guess your consideration might be fair, since, to you, I’m an unknown”, I admit that I started my response off a bit too strongly, so I deliberately trying to soften the blow as I kept talking.
Given the slight frown on the face that had been forcefully placid until now, I don’t think that I did a good enough job of it.
“Well, excuse me if I’m not going to believe your claim at face value, but such convenient [Spell weaving] sounds beyond the capabilities of someone that just got access to magic less than half a year ago. On a related note, the [Speeder] is [Army]’s propriety, not mine, so that alone doesn’t allow me to permit undocumented and untested modifications, even temporary one, in fear of damaging the propriety”, was her response, and while yes, she also definitely started off a bit too strong for my liking, it was a fair rebuttal, and definitely more controlled than my own.
There was only one possible response that I could give here:
“Yeah, that’s fair.
Also, sorry if that came out too strong, but my mood is still sour from the mistreatment from not too long ago.”
Just tell the truth 4Head.
Speaking of ‘head’, I somehow feel like that didn’t sound nearly as good as it did inside my own.
But maybe that’s just the uncomfortable moment that seemed to spread among all those present, evident either by their expression, their awkward silence, or more clearly by their [Aura].
Have I ever mentioned how much I love feeling [Auras]? Other people’s feeling an future-sight, all in one neat package.
“Don’t worry about it”, her smile slowly came back, thou slightly more genuine this time, “I’m used to dealing with new hot-headed recruits, especially [Human] ones recently, so I know how when spirits run high it takes a while for those not used to it to get back to a controlled state of mind”.
And all I could think was: Wow, maybe she really is just that nice.
And I would’ve believed it too, if it wasn’t for the fact that, again, you can’t lie to me within reach of my [Aura]: She wasn’t as over it as she made it look like, and there was definitely a hint there of reprisal that she would have delivered if I had been anybody else.
“Damn, they sent someone capable at politics to deal with us: I’ll be better of if only Sheeno gets to interact with these types.”
Honestly, you would be better off if she were the one to talk in your steads almost always, really.
“…and you were doing so well, before…”
Faux disappointment apart… yeah, my mate was that actually been brought up to deal with this, and generally speaking, which excludes the moment before a fight, she was a much better orator than I was, vastly so.
“On the topic of new recruits, anything noteworthy on that front? Anything a functioning mixed [Team] with a [Human] in it could weight on? We’re here to help and, even if this isn’t what we’re here for directly, we’re willing to lend a hand where possible”, as if spurned by my thoughts, the [Banished Princess] gets to mending broken bridges and get some [Information] out of it.
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The elven [Colonel] takes few moments to check a weird device on her wrist, mostly akin to a smart-watch but with a grated half-sphere instead of a screen, either for navigation or directives from someone up above the chain of command.
If I were a betting man, I would bet on the latter: I used to have a terrible sense of direction, but I have yet to get lost here, so I’m pretty sure [Stats] help with that.
“A few outstanding exceptions, as expected, but nothing too out of ordinary. What does stand out, though, is that they display a surprising amount of individuality, while, at the same time, remaining sort of congruous in the spread of their capabilities”, when the response came her voice was subdued, making it clear that there was more she wanted to say, but it was in the best interest of the [Army] to not do so.
Or, at least, that’s who I think was contacting her through the watch.
“How so, if you don’t mind me asking? Both how they display their individuality, and how they remain similar despite that.”
Undine wasn’t having any of that, and immediately jumped in when she felt that something was wrong. Something might dismiss her polite tone for idle curiosity, but I know full well that her professional politeness hides a well of maternal worry for those that got [Transferred].
I know about it from first-hand experience, after all.
And she’s so genuine about it that even before I had an [Aura] I couldn’t help but latch onto her. It’s still embarrassing to talk about her like she’s my big sister, but I doubt I could think about her any other way.
“Sorry, but that is confidential”, that was an obvious, if disappointing, answer.
“We’re supposed to work with you, but how can we do so if you don’t tell us what to expect from our collaborators?” Surprisingly, or maybe not, Sheeno was the one to take her evasion personally.
“…I’m not allowed to speak about restricted [Information] outside of secured spaces: We can’t know if we’re being listened to, outside in the open”, was the Elf’s defines, which was fair…
If I didn’t know that most of it was bullshit, and she knew it.
“Maybe I should mention that I would be able to tell if anything or anyone was listening in on us, but I doubt that me busting open the lie from the higher ups would win me any brownie points with the [Army].”
Yep, I didn’t even need [Buddy] to chime in to tell that was a terrible idea.
Hurray for personal growth!
“Hurray!”
“Understandable. We won’t push further on the matter until we’re given the go ahead”, Sheeno broke the stalemate with a stoic nod, although she did throw me a look afterwards-
“Oh, yeah: She also has a [Royalty] worthy [Pyramid of Privacy], meaning that she also had an almost sure-fire way to make any and all conversations private.”
Or maybe she was also thinking that I could do something about it; but, since I never displayed such capabilities, I doubt that’s where her mind first went to.
“Thank you for the comprehension. I can tell you that, as soon as we get into the Command Tent, the [Generals] inside will be able to answer most of your questions”, and the [colonel] only looked stiffer after the matter was dropped so easily, adding something to her phrase that I know she did so of her own volition.
“Only ‘most’? Not ‘all’?” My mate jumped at the perceived weakness of her statement.
“Apologies, but some [Information] has to remain a secret to all but a chosen few, for security reason”, surprisingly, miss Evelynn was entirely truthful this time.
That made all those incomplete truths until now even stranger.
Buuut… I guess it makes sense: We’re sort of ‘hired help’, and even though we have an ex [Princess] and a [High Priestess], an organization as big and important as the [Army] definitely has a lot of stuff that wants to keep secret, both relevant and not to the matter we’re getting involved with. Namely, the sudden appearance of a [Demon Lord].
“Yeah, that’s fair: I can only hope we’ll be given any [Information] we may need to perform to our best with our [Mission]”, going against my previous plan of leaving the talking mostly to Sheeno, I spoke up in defence of the [Colonel], hoping that she would recognize the life-line for what it is.
“What he said”, and it looked that my ‘princess’ was fine with it.
“I can assure you that they have compartmentalized most of the relevant [Information] in a way that should make it possible to share any you might need without entering secretive territory”, and the Elf responded in a tone that made it pretty fucking obvious that it wasn’t the response she wanted to give us.
Again, with the incomplete answers. The situation gets fishier the longer it goes on for.
“The more you talk, the less I like what I’m hearing; I hope you understand that, [Colonel].”
Despite the complete lack of threats in both Sheeno’s words and tone, there was definitely an edge to the meaning of what she said, confuted by the light stiffening of the Lush’s shoulders.
Honestly, ALL of this was staring to test my patience, between subterfuge, undermine, and what generally looked like infighting between allies in the face of a more serious threat; meanwhile I just wanted to close myself off in a room for a day or two to tinker with [Spells], and then help the world with their demonic nuisance.
Fortunately, my patience wasn’t the only one getting tested, and this time it was for the best: Covering with one hand the crystal of her not-watch, our interlocutor began speaking in a harsh whisper.
“You have no idea how much your arrival’s stirred the pot: There’s so many things happening under the desk that even the old timers are left scratching their scalps.
My superiors, in particular, are acting strange: All this secrecy is not normal with collaborators, even less so when said collaborators are known to have a [Divine Quest] to help us!”
The device on her wrist blinked green once and she reluctantly removed her hand from it, immediately acting like nothing had happened, except for her said, that screamed at us to act like she hadn’t said some very concerning things.
I so, so, so wanted to pester her about it, but Sheeno was already putting one hand on my shoulder and with a pat I was dissuaded otherwise.
For now.
Because, obviously, I wasn’t going to let this go, even if it will probably get me involved with a cadre of [Demon]-sympathizers, dubious schemes, back stabbings, and what else. I was kind of joking, but unfortunately all these things are starting to become more and more possible the more I think about it.
“Maybe not a [General], or at least I hope not, and things would have been much worse if it were so, but there is someone, either singular or plural, although I’m personally betting on the ‘plural’, pretty high-up that has been hindering the [Army] from within with petty squabbles, and feeding [Information] to the [Demons]- Oh, maybe all these protocols aren’t specifically there to just annoy us, but are an actual countermeasure for this double-agent, that unfortunately is also inconvenient to us. Evelynn’s superior sounds pretty shady, with all this hush-hush, but maybe it’s their superior that forced him to command her this way, so who knows?
So many threads to follow, but so little information to link them to anything. Truly, this situation couldn’t get- NO, I DID NOT THINK THAT!!!”
Too late, multiple hostile pings in my [Detection] adverted me that there was a small group of [Demons] moving in on us even faster than this stupid [Speeder] could go at.
“Three [Demons], coming from the left, fast!” While commiserating myself on the poor choice of thought, I still reacted accordingly and informed the others of what was happening.
The difficult mood in the air became charged, and immediately got to discuss battle plans.