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Open Grimoire of Dragons

Thalia shuffled the book her her arms around a bit, smiling shyly at Sonja. The Moogle seemed nice enough, she hadn't said mean things to Thalia yet, or ignored her, so it looked well. As she moved the book in her arms, the gem-eye seemed to...watch Sonja.

"Well...Ming s...saved me from some bad people. So I joined her clan. Everyone else is really nice...have you met them?" Thalia said, her tail wagging a bit behind her.

Outside, Choco lifted his head from the feed trough and made a crooning sound at Luroa and Abelat, bobbing his head up and down in greeting. Another Chocobo stood nearby, this one clad in protective battle armour; the mount of a Judge. Kate walked out of the door and had started untying Choco's lead from the post, a sword in hand.

Upstairs, Edward the Solider wandered down the stair to the main pub, and sat at a table already occupied by a large Bangaa and a Hume Hunter, and the three started into hushed conversation, only halted by the approach of a Viera waitress.
 
Winry stretches her arms and strolls out of the room she slept in, her guns holstered on his hips and her coat fit snugly on her body. She look sup at Thalia and gives her a short greeting before hopping down the stairs and looking around a bit. She spots Edward and the others and leaps into the air a bit, her wings beating over to them. She lands with a thud on the top of the Bangaa's head, looking over at them with a smile.

"Hey guys, whatcha doing, Kupo?"

-------------------------

"Come on Kiddo. Don't want to keep the Rabbit woman waiting."

Cid gets off of his bed and walks over to Roy and Al, tapping their heads together lightly before heading for the door. He smiles as he hears the muttering under Roy's breath about "getting him back" and just laughs a bit.

Roy on the other hand pulls his cloak on and places his hat on his head, looking over at the White mage Nu Mou. Both nods and grab their gear, heading out the door with Cid. Al stops for a bit and smiles a Thalia, telling her good morning.

"Making new friends, Thalia..?"

"I'll leave you here with your girlfriend, man."

Al spins and glares at Roy, the inside of his ear's turning pink from blushing. Roy just laughs and makes his way downstairs with Cid in tow.
 
"Hrmm..." Lodrick tugged at his bandana. "They're not all outside yet," he muttered to Abelat. It was awkward, he thought, being outside while the rest of them were still in the pub. "'haps I jumped the gun a bit?"

The Moogle shrugged. "Unfortunately, they are not all what you would call... morning people, kupo."

"I guess since they're not all outside anyway," Lodrick began, walking away, "there's no harm 'n poppin' in t' see what's up."

Once the Bangaa got to the pub doors, he peeked inside. There were a great number of people getting their bearings and preparing for the day, but which ones were of Virtue? Peering from table to table, he tried to spot some familiar faces, though the only glimpse he had of any other members was the night before, when he had been recruited. He lingered on a table with a two humes, a large Bangaa and a small Moogle perched upon the Bangaa's head. Deciding arbitrarily that they were the most eccentric people in the pub, Lodrick casually made his way toward that table.
 
'Besides Ming, Kupo?' Sonja responded, ducking her head to the side and giving a moment of thought. Not as much for her question, though, as that book.. how awkward. 'Can't say I have, Kupo.. A little more used to working alone, but there's supposed to be something big going on, and recruitment was a shoe-in, Kupo.'
Taking a moment to glance into the mostly empty rooms on the upper floor, she spoke up again, bouncing towards the stairs. 'But speaking of which, we may want to go meet them, Kupo~po. I think we're meant to be leaving soon... Better late than never, Kupo...'
At the edge of the staircase, Sonja bounced downwards, fluttering softly downwards - her batlike wings softly beating and controlling her descent.
'Ancient powerful book.. That one Thalia was holding... But she's just a young scholar, Kupo, it wouldn't... Creepy Nu Mou magic kupopo...'
At the bottom of the stairs and in the pub, Sonja opted out of eyeing out her clan mates in favour of fluttering towards the bar counter itself, getting herself a small glass of water and keeping eyes out for Ming and crew.
 
Gradivus decides to go inside, ordering a cup of beer and sitting at the table and closing his eyes. He enjoyed hearing the mix of noises in the bar sometimes, and he liked closing his eyes once in a while too.
 
Thalia flashed Al a shy smile and nodded when he spoke to her, tilting her head down a bit and her hair flopping over her face. She jerked her head up again when Sonja spoke.

"Oh! Yes, we should go, shouldn't we...Ahahah..." Thalia said, nervously following Sonja with shaking steps. The book in her arms felt so much heavier than before, like it had grown. But that was merely her imagination; books didn't get heavier unless you put things in them, and they certainly didn't grow!

She padded down the stairs and into the main pub, her tail dragging across the floor behind her and her head lowered, hoping to not draw much attention. There was a good amount of noise in the pub for a morning, and the smell of breakfast. Thalia's stomach growled at her as she walked towards the other clanmates' table and sat down. They greeted her warmly, having halted their conversation when they saw her, and their faces brightened a bit.

"Hey Thalia!" chirped the hunter, removing his hat and bowing his head to her slightly, then returning it to his head. "Good morning. You hungry? Why don't you go sit over with that Moogle girl you were talking to and get some food, I've got you covered."

He winked. Thalia smiled a bit in return and obliged, shuffling towards the bar and Sonja. The Hume's face immediately returned to it's former grim frown.

"Hello Winry." The Bangaa said, grinning widely and showing sharp teeth, before also going back to the conversation.

"Ssso, Ed, as we were sssaying, we have to be careful with the girl around...ssshe has a price on her head from what I heard." He whispered, his voice holding a slight hissy quality like many others of his kind.

"Who would do that, anyway? They want the Grimoire that badly...?" Ed replied, frowning.

"Well it has lot of magic in it, you know what the old man said! The power of Dragons...lots of people would want that, no?" The hunter interjected, sounding more excited than he probably should. "I mean, it could be a key to a whole other world or something..."

Outside, Kate had finished untying Choco, and grabbed hold of the collar around his neck, hoisting herself onto the large yellow bird's back. He churred and bobbed his head, letting the Viera mount him, then trotted around in a small circle.

"Woah, calm down Choco!" She laughed, patting his neck. The Chocobo stopped, and turned his head to nuzzle her, cooing. "Hey, Abelat! How did the mission go?" Kate said, scratching the Chocobo under the chin.

((Look at me I like to talk to myself with NPCs 8D!))
 
"A whole other world, you say?" Lodrick interjected, reaching the clan's table. Having seen Thalia come and go to this table, his hunch was confirmed and these people must be from Virtue. "Sorry t' interrupt, mind if I join in? Name's Lodrick, I'm one 'a th' new guys from last night," he explained, in case they didn't recognize him. "The goin's on are relevant t' my interests."

--

"Oh, Kate!" Abelat beamed. "Good morning, kupo! My mighty sword sent that pack of fiends in Camoa packing!" he told Kate proudly. His "mighty sword" was nothing more than a toothpick to a Bangaa and the "pack of fiends" was only an unruly bunch of Dreamhares led by an Alraune, but it kept him busy and got the clan money, so he was not about to devalue his own victory. "The lot of them would be fools to return anytime soon." He paused, and added with a snicker, "Especially the poor Alraune who doesn't have a drill now. So how went the recruitment campaign, kupo? Those two Bangaa I met moments ago seem to be such gentlemen."
 
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Gradivus drained a cup of alcohol, and looked around to see Lodrick talking to a bunch of people. Shrugging, he passed his cup back to the barkeep and launched himself toward the conversation, skidding to a halt right next to Lodrick.

"Sssorry to be a busssybody, but I'm curiousss."
 
Winry waves at Thalia before returning to the conversation at hand. She frowns a bit as they become to talk about the bounty on the Nu Mou's head. Her bat-like wings drooped a little as she let out a sad sigh.

"Ming will only take that as a Challenge...Kupo"

Winry then closes her mouth when a odd Bangaa walked over. From what he said, he was a new member of the clan. She lifts her hat and waves it bit before replacing it back on her head. She leans down a bit to one of Greed's ears and whispers if they should include this one in their previous conversation or if they should switch gears. She then noticed that another had come over to join in the conversation.

"How many joined us anyways?"

------------------------------

"You're a little quiet Kiddo."

"I just have a lot on my mind...about this whole Grimoire thing..."

Cid shakes his head a bit, laughing under his breath and placing a hand on the Black Mage's shoulder. He then pull his hat over his face and give the poor guy a shove down the last step of stairs. Roy waves his arms comically before falling flat on his face with a muffled 'umph'. Cid laughs at the poor Hume and walks around him, passing the entering Ming with a wink.

"What am I going to do with you..."

She walks over the Roy and pulls his hat off his head, grabbing the back of his robe and lifting him back to his feet. She hands him his hat and glances around the pub for her clan members.

"Looking for your Members, Miss?"

"Yes, Good Pub owner."

"Well, if you want to know, they ordered food before leaving. So you may have to wai- ...Umm...where are you going?"

Ming crosses the room, a cold look in her eyes as she nears the seat behind the Hume Soldier, leaning over his shoulder and places a hand on his head.

"Eating. Really...at a time like this, you want to eat before we leave? The enemy nears every moment, and you want to sit and eat at a time like this."

"Oh chill out Ming. It's not going to kill us to have a bite to eat before we leave."

Ming rolls her eyes and glances at Roy, seeing that he followed her and with his arms crossed. She let out a soft groan, waving him away.

"Fine. Then get the others from outside so they can eat. But after that, We. Are. Leaving."

Roy laughs and walks away, muttering how amusing she looks when ticked. He shuffles outside and leans in the door way, looking at the members before him. He noted that Abelat has returned safely. He knew that Ming was a bit uneasy, thinking that he may have been captured out there at some point by the people hunting them down. But that wasn't much of a worry now that he was back safely.

"Ming says to get inside and have some food. We'll be leaving right after...plus, it gives the Choco's some time to rest a bit."
 
"Hurrmm..." Lodrick shifted uneasily, then paused to think a moment. There was himself, that giant Bangaa who just slid over next to him, that Moogle that sounded a bit grumpy, and Thalia. "Four?" It didn't seem Lodrick was able to tell if Winry's question had been a rhetorical one or not.

---

It was just then that Abelat's stomach rumbled dangerously. "Ha, ha, kupo. It seems that I had totally forgotten about food. I shall dine at once!" He hopped out of Luroa's saddle, tying her reins to the trough Choco had just been feeding from, and skipped over to the pub's entrance. He burst through the doors and strutted over to the bar, seating himself a couple chairs away from Thalia and Sonja. He didn't recognize them as new Virtue members, of course, because he had been away.
 
"Well, there'sss me, him, the Nu Mou girl, the moogle, and isssn't the white chocobo rider new?" Gradivus said, counting off on his fingers with a frown.

"Which remindsss me, are all the membersss that elaborate with their ssspeech?"

---

Avan strutted into the pub, his cape billowing behind him as he walked over to the counter. A quick conversation with the barkeep had directed him toward the members of Clan Virtue that he felt he was to join.

Scanning from a distance, he wondered if there were any beauties in the group, and gave a satisfied grin after looking at the female members. Deciding it was time to make his entrance, he pulled a single red rose from his cape, and grandly walked over to where Ming was sitting, before giving a bow.

"My dear lady, after seeing your beauty, I'm afraid my heart can no longer allow me to stay silent," he said with a gentle smile, before before placing the rose in the table in front of her and giving a bow.

"My name is Avan Argismo, newly of the Clan Virtue, at your service."
 
The three at the table looked up when Lodrick approached, the Bangaa, Greed, nodding and offering a scaled hand to shake. The two Humes flanking him smiled a bit, and exchanged glances, nodding. They seemed a bit excited, and leaned closer together to whisper to each other.

"Nice to meet you, friend. You can call me Greed, but that'sss not my real name." He said with a small wink. "But you don't need to know what that isss. Anyway, yesss... The Grimoire. We felt we needed a bit more manpower to protect it, ssso that'sss where you lot come in. We have to take it to a place - we don't know quite where yet - ssso nothing happens to it, or the girl. Ssshe'sss the key, after all. But we need you to keep it under your hat, got it? Ssshe can't know."

The Hunter perked up a bit.

"Yeah, so keep it quiet! People are looking for her, so we gotta pussyfoot around a bit until the heat's off. Word is her father's got a price on her head." He whispered, a bit louder than Greed would have liked, but quiet enough to keep Thalia from hearing.

The girl, meanwhile, had sat down next to Sonja and smiled at her. She was a bit awkward on the barstool, her bulky body and stooped stature making it hard to sit on one, but she managed.

"Hey Sonja...what're you doing?" She ventured, quietly.
 
Lodrick smiled. "Greed, eh? Ming mentioned you before." He gladly took the other Bangaa's hand to shake it. He seemed friendly enough. This Greed fellow seemed like his type of guy. Lodrick followed suit and leaned forward with the others. "Th' girl... Thalia?" he whispered. "I thought that book a' hers looked a bit off. So it's a Grimoire..."

"But we need you to keep it under your hat, got it? Ssshe can't know."

To this Lodrick grinned and pretended to tuck something beneath his helmet. " 'Gotcha." With this knowledge, he'd have to refrain from any special treatment that would seem suspicious. He needed to keep it casual. "So... where do we figure out where t' take this book?" the Bangaa whispered. "Have we a lead?"

Over at the bar, Abelat had just received an order of pancakes. Knife in one hand and fork in the other, he was prepared to dig in. Before the Moogle could, however, he couldn't help but overhear the conversation going on a couple seats over. A Nu Mou and a fine lady Moogle... What were they talking about? Perhaps they had something to say about him? Quietly taking his first bite of pancake, he swiveled an ear in their direction to listen.
 
"Why that low down-"

Roy clenches his fists, staring at the sight before him with vemon in his eyes. His hand holding the rod twitches as a hand rest on his shoulder.

"Easy Kiddo...what's got you so worked up."

"Someone is hitting on Ming. In the bloody Morning."

Cid glances over at the sight, tilting his head as he see a Male Viera pulling a rose from his cape and resting it on the table before their bunny leader. He muffles a chuckle and guides Roy to the other table where Winry and the others sat.

"Don't look now, but it seems Ming is currently being entertained by a suitor."

"What? Where Kupo!"

Winry lifts herself on Greed's head and stares over at where Ming sat, giggling madly at what she saw. She quickly leaned downa nd told the others at her table that a bunny man had just given Ming a rose on her table and pulling some kind of suave thing.

----------

Al stared down the stairs, after watching Thalia walk away with one of the new recruits. He shuffles his feet a bit, looking a little sad that she didn't want to talk to him a bit longer.

"If only I was braver....then maybe I could tell her..."

He let out a heavy sigh and walks back into the room he slept in, glancing around to see if anyone was left. He then spots the back of a man dressed in Armour, his helmet off and looking out the window.

"Maes...are you going to have breakfast with us?"

----------------------

Ming looks down at the rose, surprised by it's appearance on her table. She then glances up at the Viera before her and listened to his little spiel of why he came over and who he was. She leans back in her chair and looks up at him, a sly smile on her face as a wicked thought came to mind.

She was going to have a little bit of fun with this one.

"A new member of Virtue? My my my, that's is something. When did you join that clan, Mr. Argismo?"
 
Avan gave an impressive sigh, giving Ming another smile. "Well, I applied because I heard it was a clan that pursued justice, and of course it would perfectly suit a man of my caliber! Alas, I was supposed to meet up with my new comrades yesterday, but I'm afraid I was delayed by a few ruffians in the streets!"

Pulling a chair up with his foot, he took a seat before continuing his story. "Apparently they take offense to a gentleman offering a simple compliment to a lady, and insisted we have a bout of fisticuffs outside! Of course, Avan Argismo is not one to refuse a duel! We went outside, and in a few minutes I had sent those ruffians to the floor with my techniques of assassination! Alas, a judge had a bit of a problem with our duel, so I was delayed a bit."

Shaking his head at the conclusion of his story, he instead turned to look at Ming. "But enough about me madam, may I have the pleasure of knowing your name?"

---

Gradivus gave a frown as he listened to the explanation, but shrugged and nodded. "So basically, all I have to do is make sure they don't touch the mage girl. Easy, as long as they hang out in the back lines like they always have."
 
Winry looks at Gradivus, a small frown on her face as she studied the Bangaa.

"You seem to have a problem with magic users...and anone that has a long range attack. I'll have you know that our Magic users can hold their own if they are pushed into hand-to-hand. More so if that one is Al over there. He can heal himself and give quite the bash to the head with his rod, Kupo."

She then pouts a bit, laying back on Greed's head. She could feel her holster at her sides.

"Also. Just because they stay in the back line, doesn't mean they can't get hurt. There are people with bows, guns, and cannons out there that can do long range as well Kupo. But guess you'll just have to see how having a long range shot on your side can help you in a fight...unless of course you don't want our White Mage to heal you when you are massively hurt. If that's the case, Kupo, then tell Al that and he'll leave you alone."

"Be nice Winry. Everyone has a reason to dilike something. you're just touchy because you like to play with guns."

"Shut it Roy, kupo!"

Roy just shurgs and returns to watch the odd Viera that went to talk to Ming. He hisses a bit as he sees the strange fellow sitting with her at her table.

-------------------

Ming leans back in her chair and smiles pleasently as the man continues his tale on who he was, why he was late and that he applied for the clan the day before. She closes her eyes and thinks back at the names of the ones that applied, noting that the name had seem familiar.

She then smirks when he asked her name. She opens her deep purple eyes and looks across to him andplaces her hand on the table.

"My name is Ming Ryuu, Mr. Argismo"
 
'..And a fried Chocobo egg on wheat, please, Kupo. Clan tab.' Sonja finished quietly with the barman, who whisked off as she had barely finished speaking. He was certainly used to the morning rush. Her drooping ears twitched as she closed her eyes and slowly sipped the cup of water, poking about the airwaves for anyone decent to eavesdrop. There seemed to be a lot of Bangaa hissing.. or maybe they were just that loud with their drinks. She tilted her head as she thought she heard Thalia's name though, glancing sideways she noticed her approaching - seemingly from a table seating two Humes and a Bangaa with a Moogle on his head. She shuddered a bit - she knew it was unlikely she wouldn't have at least one to work with, but it didn't make her any less tense.

'Hey, Thalia, Kupo~' she greeted, shuffling a bit on her stool. 'I'm just.. ordering some food. You may want to, too.. looks like it could be a long day, kupo-po.'
Sonja shot a glance over Thalia's shoulder as she waited for the Nu Mou's response. A male Viera had bombed in with a flourished ruckus. The males were rarely seen out and about, and when they were they were often... desperate.
'Oh dear gods no' Sonja whispered to herself under her breath as the suave rabbit-man offered Ming a rose. Even from the experience of knowing her for all of a day, this wasn't liable to end very well.
 
"I'll believe it when I sssee it," Gradivus says with a tsk, crossing his arms. "The bravessst men and women are the onessss in the front linesss, in my head, where you're alwaysss under danger from the onesss in front and the onesss you can't sssee. And I'd really love to sssee how back line mages would fare against the templarsss or dragoonsss of my race, always camping the back lines doesn't exactly up your defense."

Cracking his knuckles again, he added, "I don't have a problem with all magesss, I use a sssmall amount of magic from my templar artsss, I jussst can't ssstand those who would ssstay while they're comradesss place themssselvesss in the line of fire while they ssstand nearly out of danger and fire off elementsss all day."

---

"Alas!" Avan cried out in joy, seizing Ming's hand and giving it a light kiss before placing it back on the table. "Your name has a beauty that befits you, Miss Ryuu! The very sound of it washes away the three sleepless nights I spent coming here, and makes me feel as if I had just rested in the very heavens themselves!"

Raising up from his chair, he gave a sad sigh. "Unfortunately madam, I must tear my adoring heart away from you, in order to seek out the leader of my clan! I pray the fates will give me the favor of hearing your voice once again, no matter when or where!"

Shaking his head sadly, Avan gave Ming one last, deep bow, before walking over to the table where Roy, Greed and Winry sat, smiling good naturedly. "Excuse me good sirs and madam, the barkeep granted me the courtesy of pointing you out as my new clan mates!"

Looking among them with a grin, he swept his cloak behind him bowed his head slightly. "I hope you will treat me favorably, and if you would be so kind, direct me to our clan leader!"

Gradivus stared at the eloquent man with a slight distaste, noting he was rather odd.

((Dear god, thinking of all those metaphors an idiot would use is hard.))
 
"Mrrm." Lodrick didn't expect Gradivus to know much about cannonade, but early on in the development of hand cannons were potion shells. Just recently ether shells were introduced, and Lodrick had a supply of both on hand. With those he could support the front line, as could a white mage, but there was more magic involved in that art. He didn't make the effort to correct the other Bangaa, though, for he would inevitably learn that for himself in the field of battle.

"Excuse me, good sirs and madam, the barkeep granted me the courtesy of pointing you out as my new clan mates!" said a silky voice.

The green Bangaa turned around to see something he never thought he would lay eyes on in his lifetime: a Viera man. "Eehh?"

"I hope you will treat me favorably, and if you would be so kind, direct me to our clan leader!" he went on, managing to make an even more extravagant show than Abelat.

Lodrick's face screwed up in a wriggly grin as he tried to surpress a laugh. "You was just talking t'her." He pointed to Ming over Avan's shoulder.
 
Ming waits until the male Viera was gone from her table before falling into a fit of silent laughter, banging her fist on the table and pressing her forehead to the surface. She wipes away her tears of laughter and slides out of her seat, walking over to the bar and laughs her way through a order of beer.

-----------------

Winry just stared at the idiot Viera before her with a look of disbelief. Not only had the guy flirt with /ming and survive, but he actually didn't know that he was talking to the leader of the clan he wished to join. She closes her eyes and tried to decide to either feel sorry for the dolt or laugh uncontrollably like their leader over at the bar. She shifts until she was hanging in front of Greed's face.

"Should I tell him or one of you guys?"
 
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