After the shock of seeing my own wanted poster, we hurried out the door and into the street, pushing for our inn. I kept expecting to hear someone call out to stop us, but the buzz of normal conversation never wavered.
“Wanted by the church.” I muttered. “And for what!?”
Soriya tapped her lips. “It is a bit of a puzzle. We haven’t had time to do anything, really. And the things we did do, the empire would be the ones with the wanted poster. We didn’t even see one, I wonder if Khine or Isha has even admitted they lost a ship to a girl?”
Eshaan frowned. “You can’t cover up the loss of a battleship, even the loss of a small corvette would be impossible.”
“Well, we didn’t really sink any of the ships.” I said. “Just put holes in them.”
“We stole a shuttlecraft though.” Eshaan said.
“Did we?” Soriya said. “Remember Darshanna said that it was hers?”
“Well, yes, but the mountains…”
“We didn’t sink any of their airships there either. I think Khine might just be covering up how bad things are for him.”
Eshaan frowned grimly. “He won’t be able to do that for long. We were sent on a reconnaissance mission; he’ll need to report his actions.” He suddenly blinked. “Now that I think about it… we might have been sent out as a favor to the church…”
I perked up in surprise. “How’s that? I thought Khine was empire through and through? Is the empire the church?”
“No. Well, sort of. The emperor is extremely religious, and is close friends with the pope himself. If the pope was worried about such things… he might have asked the emperor for a small favor.”
Soriya’s eyes widened. “A battlefleet is a small favor?!”
Eshaan looked at her in confusion. “That wasn’t a battlefleet. That was a battleship and two light escorts. A battlefleet would have twelve capital ships and dozens of escort vessels.”
“Oh.” Soriya deflated a bit. “I didn’t realize the empire could just… throw that kind of might around.”
Eshaan puffed up a bit. “The imperial navy is the strongest fleet in the skies!” Then he deflated a bit. “I used to be so proud of that fact.”
I shook my head. “You can still be. Remember, even a battlefleet is just a tool. How it’s used, the reasons behind its use. Those you can agree or disagree with, find fault or pride in. So if you admire the martial power of the empire’s air navy, then that’s… you can still feel that.”
Eshaan frowned. “I don’t know anymore. What have I been serving all this time? What is the empire really looking for with the dig sites!? I don’t know anything!”
“That is why we’re heading to the capital, you know.” Soriya said lightly. “We’re going to find some things out. Can you think of anything that Khine might have wanted? Any clues he might have dropped?”
Eshaan shook his head glumly. “No. Not really. He was just… just my mentor.” He squeezed his hand into a fist. “I can’t believe how casually he just… threw me away.”
Soriya and I looked at each other, and I patted his arm lightly. “Hey. Remember? You’re going to do your own thing now. Your own person.”
He nodded, and looked up at me, his face filled with gratitude. “Thank you, Lily. You’re right! I’m my own person now. I’m whoever I choose to be!”
We headed back to the inn in a somber mood. Upstairs, I bolted the door shut, and then summoned Gate. The room should have been far too small for him, but space was an illusion to him, I guessed. And so we returned to Breezewood with a flash of purple black light.
Unlike last time, none of us ended up in the fountain, and all of us remained dry and upright. A very nice change.
It was good to be back in Breezewood. Really really good. I didn’t realize just how much I’d missed the ordinary simple life.
Soriya laughed at me. “Go on, go see your mom. I’ll meet up with you at my house, and we’ll see just how much damage Darshanna has gotten up to.”
I blinked in surprise. “But she’s supposed to have set up in the old barn near my house?” I protested.
Soriya slapped her forehead. “That’s right. She’s building things, not just making plans. Well, then I’ll come see you. I’ve some sparkle wine that should just about be ready.” She smiled at me.
“Oh!” I clapped my hands, feeling memories of past events that otherme had attended filter into my thoughts. “That sounds wonderful! I suppose I owe you the tomato tortellini soup then.”
Soriya grinned. “Yep. I can’t wait to see if your {Gourmet} class has changed anything.”
I frowned. “I don’t think so? It’s the same recipe after all?”
Soriya shrugged. “Who can say? New skills can produce unexpected outcomes.” She waved, and started off down the street.
Eshaan and I turned and headed in the other direction, towards my house.
Eshaan chattered to me about various things, making small talk, commenting how glad he was to be back, how Breezewood felt like and unlike his home town as we walked the gravel path back towards my house. I shared a few memories of my otherself, and we laughed together at how foolish children could be. It felt odd to admit that, this otherme was only 17, by my standards she was largely a child herself! I could feel otherme bristle at that.
You said you remembered ‘me’ and were waiting for me to bloom. You must have known I’m considerably older than you!
That doesn’t mean we’re a child!
It means that while you have a lot more experience in being female than I do, I have a great deal more life experience than you do. Age and treachery will overcome youth and skill.
How can you stand to live like that?! It’s so bleak and hopeless!
Oh? You seem perfectly willing to accept my knowledge of events, my ‘seer’ skill as Eshaan calls it.
That’s… that’s totally different.
It’s no different at all. I sighed. If I’m being honest with us, I do admire your optimism and enthusiasm. I just think maybe we could stand to be a little… more cunning.
I don’t like our cunning! It’s bitter and cynical!
It’s right.
It is not right! You’ve been hurt so many times you’ve completely forgotten that good things happen too! Eshaan was convinced by our honesty! We rescued Soriya! We’re helping Darshanna find herself!
I paused, half stumbling. Eshaan immediately offered me his hand.
“Lily? Are you ok?”
I smiled weakly at him. “I’m fine. I just… had a lot on my mind.”
He nodded back seriously. “Oh. Yeah. I guess it’s all a lot to take in!”
I nodded idly, but my mind was spinning. Otherme was… right. Those things had happened… this world ran on a JRPG plot logic, but… by that logic, good things did happen to those who were earnest and willing to strive for their ideals.
Both of me were silent as I mulled this over. It was a lot to take in, this idea that you could be idealistic and actually succeed at something.
As we reached the door to my house, a loud BANG echoed from the rear of the house. I almost jumped out of my skin, letting out a little shriek, but the immediate loud swearing of Darshanna’s voice and the calm rumble of Daniyal’s words in response reassured me.
Eshaan grinned nervously at me. “Well! Looks like they’re having fun!”
I nodded shakily. “Yes! I suppose I should see what they’ve done to my house… but first I should say hello to Mother.” I opened the door and called out. “Mother, I’m home!”
Mother came out of her still room wiping her hands on her apron, the smell of potions wafting through the house.
“Lilyanna!” She called out gladly, trotting towards me to wrap me in a warm hug. “You’re home! Did you have a good trip?”
“Ah, well, we’re still in the middle of it, you know?” I smiled awkwardly.
“Oh yes, yes, that’s right, your special gift! I would have given my left arm for such a trick in my adventuring days! So, come in, tell me everything!” She frowned in concern. “Soriya’s not with you?”
“She’s fine, she’s visiting her house first, something about a batch of sparklewine.”
“Aah.” Mother nodded sagely.
Eshaan raised a finger and spoke up “Urm… about that explosion in the back yard?”
Mother laughed. “Happens fairly regularly, you get used to it.” She frowned. “Though I did have to insist that they stop working when the light goes, the explosions in the night were completely unacceptable. Once that girl gets an idea in her head, she’s like a terrier, she just won’t let it go!” She looked at me slyly. “A little like you, actually.”
I felt a blush rushing into my cheeks and both of me spoke up in tune. “We are not!” and stomped our foot angrily.
Eshaan rubbed the back of his head then said “Actually…”
I turned to glare at him, and his comment died on his lips. “I’ll just… ah… go see how Darshanna is doing, shall I?” He stumbled.
“Yes. Do that.” I said, my voice frosty.
He beat a hurried retreat out the back door leaving me alone with mother.
“So, it sounds like things have been exciting here.” I said, letting out a little sigh. “We hitched a ride on a ghost pirate ship and found a map to buried treasure!”
“Oh, that sounds exciting! You must have visited the Wake!”
I blinked at her cheerful acceptance. Mother didn’t even seem fazed by the sheer illogic of my statement.
“Wait, you know about the Wake?” I said, taken aback by her cool aplomb.
“Oh yes! When we were in the Salazar Desert, near the Sand Sea. It’s all in my journal.” She added.
“Ah. Well… pirates don’t tend to be in the desert.” I said, lamely.
“No, but the Wake is everywhere. And you’re back safely, so you have clearly survived.” She sighed. “No mother is ever entirely happy with her daughter in such danger but…” She smiled bravely. “You said it yourself, you’re not a potion bottle. You’re making me very proud, Lilyanna.”
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I flushed. “Well… anyway. We made it to Port Eburah.” I opened my mouth to tell her about the wanted poster, and otherme gently chided me.
We don’t want to worry her! We’re already doing dangerous things like riding ghost ships and fighting pirates!
I nodded internally and changed the subject. “So, aside from the explosions, have Darshanna and Daniyel been good guests?”
“Oh yes, definitely! A right saucy pair of air pirates, both of them!” She chuckled. “They’ve set up beds in the old barn and are building that airship of hers. That Moananin girl you brought over had been pestering Mr. Morelet the smith with all sorts of requests and suggestions!”
“Eideth has?”
“Yes, that’s right. She’s probably there now.”
“Do they need a lot of metal work for the airship? I thought she was going to use wood?”
Mother laughed. “Well they can hardly make the engine out of wood! Though I don’t doubt that that Darshanna girl would be willing to try. Girl is a boundless font of ideas and energy, it’s a wonder she doesn’t explode.”
I shrugged and smiled. “Maybe that’s why she makes small explosions all the time?”
Mother laughed. “Yes, I suppose so. Now go on, I know you want to see her. We’ll talk more later; I know you’re eager to see what she’s done.”
I nodded sheepishly. I was rather curious.
The back yard was a scene of controlled chaos, with Darshanna working feverishly over a large mechanical contraption that looked like an unholy hybrid of an engine, an antenna and a piece of particularly abstract modern art. Eshaan was standing nearby, engaged in conversation with Daniyel.
They caught sight of me as I stepped out the back door onto the patio and beckoned me over. I approached nervously, eyeing the machine.
Darshanna waved excitedly. “Lilyanna! You’re back! Look, look! We’re making real progress here!”
“Ah… and the explosions?” I asked nervously.
Darshanna made a dismissive nose “Pfft! Progress is always a little destructive!”
I blinked and then coughed. “Darshanna… I’m glad you’re excited, but you don’t actually need to make explosions. Those are mistakes. Maybe slow down?”
Daniyel laughed heartily. “You may as well ask the sands of the desert to stay put in the wind as ask my lady to ‘take her time’ and ‘go slowly’.”
I sighed. “Well, I can’t deny that we do need an airship. Is the wood frame idea working?”
Darshanna nodded excitedly. “It is! The engine has to be metal of course, but the frame can work just as well with minor reinforcements!”
“So, how long until she’s ready to fly?”
“Oh. Well.” Darshanna was about to respond when Eideth arrived from the barn.
“Oh, you’re back!” She exclaimed. “Well, you’ve been only gone a week and a bit, I didn’t expect you back so soon. I guess there’s that travel ability for you!”
I nodded, and gestured to the engine and Darshanna. “Darshanna tells me you’re making real progress.”
“That we are! Girl’s got a good Monanin head on her!”
Darshanna ducked her head in embarrassment and muttered something.
“So, how long before the ship is ready?”
Eideth stroked her chin thoughtfully. “Well, that all depends. Do you want it barely airworthy and likely to explode? Do you want it finished in all particulars? Or do you want it somewhere in-between?”
I scowled “I expect the answer is ‘years’ if we want something out of prototype stage, but I would like the worst hiccups ironed out.”
Eideth nodded agreeably. “Then it’ll be a month minimum. Two weeks and then another two weeks of test flights.”
Darshanna groaned. “I still say we can accelerate the testing phase-”
Just then the engine beside her gave an unpleasant sounding whine and started to glow disturbingly. Eideth’s eyes got wide and she hurried over to it, shouting something to Darshanna about etheric stabilization and crystal alignment. I sighed and felt my shoulders sag in frustration.
Eshaan patted my shoulder gently. “It’s ok. They’ll work it out.”
“I know, I know… I just… wanted it sooner.”
Eshaan frowned. “But… you’re worried about the shadow, and now the church thing as well…?”
I nodded miserably. “Time pressure sucks.” I grumped.
Eshaan nodded. “Well, even if the airship was ready to go right now, we can’t fly the ship through Gate, can we? So even if we had it, we’d have to retrace all our steps, but this time with an airship. It’s not really that much of a problem, I don’t think.”
I blinked at him in surprise. “You know… you’re right. I hadn’t thought about it that way.” I grimaced. “I guess no matter how we do this, we’re doing it slower than I’d like.”
We went back inside and I talked with mother for a little bit, while Eshaan settled himself back in our guestroom.
Soriya arrived shortly thereafter carrying a few bottles of her sparkle wine. I caught her up on events while we had a glass. Well, I had a glass and Soriya had several. Her cheeks were quite rosy by the time I finished explaining what Darshanna had been up to.
“So!” She waved her half full glass around to summarize. “We’re going to have to get to the capital on our own, and the airship won’t be ready.”
“In addition, Eideth said they needed some pretty high caliber materials to properly finish the ship, so we’ll need to go shopping in Spyre for some pretty expensive stuff.”
Soriya flipped her hand dismissively. “It’s fine, it’s fine! We’ve got money now, 2000 zeni!”
I sighed. “The price Eideth quoted me was more like 20,000.”
Soriya stopped, and she blinked owlishly at me. “That’s… a lot.”
“Yeah.”
“Well… do you want to try for the pirate captain’s treasure?”
I shook my head. “No, there’s no telling how long that will take. The contest is in less than a month now, and we’re still not sure what the shadows have been up to!”
“I suppose we could always turn you in to the church for the reward money.” Soriya joked.
I glared at her. “Not even funny. You remember how that went with the pirate plan!”
Soriya sobered slightly. “I do, yes. I’m sorry Lilyanna. I didn’t mean for things to go quite that way. But the truth is that we don’t know why they so desperately want you, and this would be the fastest way to find out. Oh!” She fumbled in her belt pouch. “That reminds me!” She pulled out a small inky black vial. “Hair dye! I mean, technically it’s anything dye, but it’ll work on hair just fine!”
Mother walked in, wiping her hands on her apron. “What’s this? You’re dying your hair? But why, sweetie, you have lovely hair!”
I gave another sigh and resigned myself to explaining the church situation to mother, and the panic that was sure to ensue.
***
Several very loud and long minutes later, and with a great deal of gesticulation on my part, I found myself kneeling next to a tub of inky black water with my hair unbound.
Soriya knelt next to me. “Don’t worry! I know you’ve never done this before, but it’s really simple. Trust a witch!”
I eyed her, one of my eyebrows climbing into my hair. “Really? That’s what you’re going with?”
“Why not, surefire sales line at the fair!”
I sighed. “And what about my eyebrows and my eyelashes?”
“A little cotton swab and we’ll have those pitch black too!”
“You seem really sure about this.”
Soriya smiled. “My daughters dyed their hair almost compulsively; I’ve done it a lot.”
I blinked in surprise. I was on the verge of asking for more details, but otherme poked me sharply.
Look at her eyes. This is obviously a topic that causes her pain.
She was right, I could see a hint of pain there, and let the topic go. Soriya was my friend, and she was confident. I could trust a witch, especially one that made sparkle wine for me.
What’s hair dye but a kind of potion!? Just like sparkle wine, come to that. I thought.
“Honestly, if you’d focused a little more on your body control magic, you could probably do a more permeant dye yourself. {Spiritist}’s control body and mind, not elemental forces.”
I blinked in surprise. She was right!
“Now, hold your nose!” Soriya said and tipped my head backwards into the tub of dye. I gave a little squeak and obeyed as she dunked my head up to my ears in the dye.
“Have you given any thought to what kind of clothes you want to wear?” She asked, while we waited for the dye to set.
I frowned. “I don’t know. Won’t any robes I wear just change to fit the healer archetype?”
“Well, if we were to buy off the rack sages robes, sure. But with a little custom work and those soul stones…” she pursed her lips. “Well, you’ll still probably look like a healer.”
“Well why don’t I just wear one of my normal dresses then! We can put the soulstones in a necklace or something! I have {Barrier} and {Aura} after all, those are mostly covered by the sages robes. I don’t have to wear Sages robes!”
Soriya pursed her lips. “Well true, but it takes time to cast those…”
I pulled my hair up out of the dye, and Soriya hastily put a towel under my hair before I stained my robes. “We are trying to hide. I am trying to hide.” I said rather waspishly. “I am willing to put up with a few inconveniences!”
Soriya dipped my head back down into the dye, and lightly swabbed at my eyebrows. I closed my eyes so she wouldn’t get any into them.
“And I know you’re eager to sell me to the church. This is not a good plan!” I said.
I heard Soriya huff a long sigh. “We still need to know why-”
“We’re going to find out!” I cut her off. “We are going to the capital! The emperor is personal besties with the pope! We will find out what’s going on there! It’s practically fore ordained by the plot!”
“Yeeesss…? But only when the heroine is captured… and if that never happens…?”
I scowled. “We’ll figure something out. I’m not doing the pirate plan again.”
“Yes, yes.” Soriya muttered, then dabbed my eyebrows again. “There.” She lifted my head out of the dye, and wrung out my hair. I opened my eyes to see her studying me with a critical glance.
“Yes, that’s looking good.” She nodded firmly.
I turned to look into the mirror over the sink, and was shocked just how different I looked with black hair. It was a tiny bit odd to be so used to this new face of mine. My long pink hair had become a deep inky black, my newly dark eyebrows contrasted with my pale skin and blue eyes in dramatic fashion. I still looked a little too innocent, but maybe a bit less innocent than before.
Now to see if I can sell my healer’s robes back. I thought.
I headed back to my room and changed back into one of my everyday dresses, neatly folding the healer’s robes to carry. I let the rest of the group know I was headed into town, and waved goodbye to mother.
It was a small consolation, but the thumbs up Darshanna gave me when she saw my hair raised my spirits a little.
Heading into town was a strange feeling. The banners and flags of the town festival were gone, and yet it felt intimately familiar and not at all familiar. Down the gravel lane and into the town proper, down to the market shops which I had been to for 17 years and only seen in passing for a few days.
The bell over the Clothier’s door rang as we walked in, and Benard looked up with a smile on his face which morphed to a moderately surprised gaze. “My goodness, Lilyanna?! Is that you? What on earth have you done to your hair?!”
I smiled at him. “You’re our town tailor Mr. Benard. I’m pretty sure you’re familiar with dye and what it does.”
He laughed. “Well I can’t dye-ny it that’s true enough!”
I groaned. “Must you?”
He shrugged. “I get so little opportunity for entertainment; it’s a very small town. Now, what have you come to see me about? I hope my clothes aren’t giving you trouble!”
“As it happens…” I produced the robes and laid them gently on the counter. “They’re holding up fine, but they’re a little too distinctive.”
He frowned, looking down at the robes on the counter. “This has to do with the strange events just before you left, doesn’t it?”
I nodded. “Yes.”
“I’d love to know, but…” He trailed off then changed topics. “If there’s nothing wrong with the material, I can’t give you a refund.” He tugged on his chin thoughtfully. “I suppose I can take them back and give you a discount on something else…”
“Actually” Soriya chipped in “You might have heard we’ve recently gotten a rapid transport system. If there’s something you’ve been wanting from a large town, we can get there and back quickly. We want you to hire us as couriers.”
Benard perked up, and he narrowed his eyes. “What good would that do? Can you get me goods cheaper than my suppliers?”
“Actually, we can.” I said. Soriya turned to me in surprise, and I stepped forward to explain. “We can transport you to Farnah, or Eburah. You could buy supplies there directly, and then we could bring you back.”
“Those are big cities, the price there is sure to be higher.” He countered.
I raised my eyebrows. “Higher than having the merchant ship it to you from those places?”
He sighed. “Actually, very likely. I do not have contacts in either one of those cities, nor do I know the manufacturing guilds. I could buy from the market stalls the same as you, but the prices in a large city are… well you’ve been there. You know how expensive they can be.”
Soriya sighed.
“I can offer you a discount on any gear you’d like to bring me, of course?” Benard said hopefully.
I snapped my eyes back up to him, and felt a little flicker of real anger from both of me.
Why that skinny snake! He could get it cheaper, he just doesn’t want to hire us!
Soriya spoke up with silky grace, picking up my robe from the counter. “You’re right, it’s clear that we just can’t help.” She said. “Thank you for your time, we’re so sorry to have troubled you. Come along Lilyanna, we’ll have to make other plans.” She gave me a look, and turned to go. I looked back and forth between her and Benard, then gave a hasty bow to Benard and trotted after Soriya.
“W-wait a second, you’re just going?!” He called after us.
Soriya and I turned; Soriya raised an elegant eyebrow. “You have no need of our services, there’s nothing we can offer; we’ll just have to figure out other plans.” She said.
“But what about-”
“Other. Plans.” Soriya’s violet eyes flashed and we walked out the door.
Soriya let out a satisfied sigh as we stepped out onto the street. “That felt good.”
I grimaced. “But now we don’t have any ideas for money.”
Soriya smiled and shook her head. “Nonsense! Your mother is an alchemist, and I can brew potions. I think we can afford to wait a week to build up a little stock, and then sell our equipment in the town.”
“Soriya, I don’t think we’re going to be able to make 20,000 zeni just from selling my mother’s potions!”
Soriya smiled. “Maybe not, but a few monster drops might help out. We’ve kind of been avoiding combat. Maybe that should change.” She suggested.
I groaned, picturing an endless series of rank E side quests in our immediate future. “Well, at least Eshaan will be happy.” I said miserably.
We turned and headed back to my home. Once there, we discussed our options with the group. As I predicted, Eshaan was super excited to be given a chance to practice his combat techniques. Mother was willing to help, offering to make potions, but she needed high quality ingredients as well, and on top of that, we couldn’t just take all the money gained from selling the potions, mother still needed to buy food and ingredients!
In the end, we decided on a mix of approaches. We would continue our journey towards Spyre, taking small side quests and encounters as they occurred, keeping an eye out for mother’s shopping list, and any quick cash opportunities that presented themselves. I refused to let us join the adventurer’s guild, since my wanted poster was plastered quite prominently on the wall, and if I was honest, we were all wanted criminals after our escape from Farna!
The next week we spent time shuttling between Breezewood, and Eburah, and making slow but steady progress up the river highway towards Yirath. As expected, the cities grew larger as we moved towards the heart of the empire, and the goods grew more exotic.
Eideth and Mr. Morelet helped us affix soul stones to our equipment, and in Soriya’s case, even made her a little necklace of soulstone. I thought it was rather pretty, it reminded me of my lost necklace.
Mother’s journal once more proved it’s worth as we found useful items more easily, and were able to speed our travel. So, within a week, we arrived at the gates of Yirath with a fair amount of coin in our pockets and only a few harrowing encounters with the wildlife of the heartlands. Even the heartlands of the empire were not entirely free of dangerous wildlife.