with knowledge comes great responsibility

[anythingforyou]

[What an absolute ordeal all of that was.

Today was certainly one hell of a day, that's for sure; they've managed to take care of another Guardian and gain it's trust (or at the very least, something resembling it), they managed to find Candice and manage to...well, maybe not get her back in a state that's altogether wanted, but ensure they managed to get her at least into a place where she could possibly regain herself. It will likely be a process, as such things are, but they've done their best, and they should have no regrets.

The center is definitely going to be a welcome reprieve for all of their suffering, at the very least. The Kompot is certainly more than enough to likely get everyone warmed back up and in a stable condition, along with the copious amount of blankets the locals have provided. They've got the time to rest and get ready for their next adventure.

Rest well, ye merry band of travelers. You've earned it.]

Comments

[heritrix]

[Lobanja, you are truly a hero to us all. Not the one we deserve, but the one we need...!]

Mm? I won't say I don't contribute, but a few of the others do a better job than me, normally.

[Zelda comes to mind, aside from everything that happened earlier. Ignis, Emmeryn, Sena, and even Kayneth are helpful too, depending on what personality they're working off of, and Michael of all people has been consistently helpful. Who knew an actual demon that used to torture people could emphasize with others so much?]

That said, I wouldn't call it pro bono. I don't do anything for free, but I'll always settle my debts.

[bloodspent]

You're usually the one that figures shit out, at least partially. Like the Uxie shit. So I figure we probably owe you something by now.

[heritrix]

[???]

Th-That's not how it works.

[Rin crosses her arms, temporarily flummoxed and holding herself as red crawls into her cheeks. She likes being praised, but what does she even make of the rest of that. Don't turn her weird honor system back around on her?? Someday someone will figure out it's a sham cover, and worse, they might even tell her.]

The group's success is my success, and it's only natural I'd look out for myself. I insist you don't owe me anything.

[bloodspent]

Jesus, I'm not going to buy you the Hilton, just let me get you dinner or something next time we're in a city that isn't located somewhere in this world's Siberia.

[This is so dumb?? This is so dumb.]

[heritrix]

[SHE'S VERY DUMB OVER SPECIFIC THINGS, JAKE, I'M SORRY.

But like. Dinner is good. She's a Fate character, so of course she is, and eating out at a restaurant is the kind of simple luxury that appeals to her sense of a good time. She's warming up to it.]

...That could be fun. Yeah. I think I'd like that.

[...]

Not that I've even seen a proper restaurant since we left the resort, now that I think about it.

[bloodspent]

That...is a really valid point, actually. What the fuck do these people do around here?

[...]

Okay, besides the really obvious "nothing, since Cyrus happened."

[heritrix]

Aggressively travel? Adventures seem to be the norm.

[And they passed a bike shop back in Eterna.]

Maybe there's a defunct cruise line somewhere.

[bloodspent]

We actually haven't seen too much of the region, have we. It feels like we have, but that's because getting anywhere requires walking for a goddamn week.

[heritrix]

It was fun at first, but even I'm starting to get tired of it. They really should invest in some public transport...

[bloodspent]

I don't mind it too much, but I'm gonna have to reconsider that stance if we end up in the middle of another two hundred fifty kilometers of waist-high white bullshit.

[heritrix]

Maybe we could use that device Maylene gave Rey to take a shortcut back to Eterna City. It would at least save us the trouble of having to backtrack through Route 217 again.

If we can't, I hate to break it to you, but that's another week wading through snow that goes up to our hips for us.

[bloodspent]

[ugggggggggggggggh]

Oh, trust me, I've already considered that, and if it happens we are splitting up, Cynthia be damned - I am going to wait right here until it's time to go punch Cyrus in the head.

[heritrix]

[PFFT.]

It'd be boring not to have you around, so I guess I'll have to chat with Rey. [She taps her chin.] Hopefully that thingamajig still works.

[bloodspent]

I mean, Rey's pretty great, so it's not like that's a loss.

[...He sounds really fond of Rey, Rey is in fact pretty great.]

Here's hoping, though.

[heritrix]

[...that's really heckin' cute, Jake.]

Either way, once we're out of here, it'll be on to Lake Verity. If I remember the map right, that's in the southwest corner of the region. It'll be a long trip, so we'll probably pass through several towns. Maybe we'll get to see something interesting.

Any sights you're crossing your fingers for?

[bloodspent]

A viable way to take out up to four gods, if we have to.

[Jake.]

It's...been a really, really long day.

[heritrix]

[—well, that definitely sums it up.]

Yeah.

[Her eyes flit back to his hands, mindful that once they got back to town, Jake no doubt went and made that day even longer for himself.]

I should let you rest. Or barring that, sit back and unwind. [Because it's obvious he didn't earlier.] I meant to check on how Sena's holding up, anyways.

[bloodspent]

Yeah, make sure the kid's taking care of himself, God knows he doesn't like to sit still.

[...]

Thanks.

[heritrix]

I will.

[With a small smile, she waves and turns to go.]

See you later, Jake.

[...after she's done, she might come back and sit with him? Set up her bedroll and such not far off. Like that night two weeks ago when he encouraged her to stick around, it's not necessarily to chat, but just for that silent companionship, if he finds it welcome.

Jake's a good man. She should talk to him more.]