Fourth.

[azumods]

ENCOUNTER. Perhaps it's a good thing that the people of Floaroma Town seem to be exhibiting curiosity, because that's how you end up getting the tip. It isn't much, in the end - a question of where you're going from one of the ladies in the flower shop, followed by a brief look exchanged between them and a soft shrug. There's a mention of the Valley Windworks just across the way, a short walk from here, and something inside that will shave a week's time off of the journey south. Something that should put you right in the heart of Jubilife City, should you be able to gain access to it. It's likely clear that whatever would be blocking your access to such a thing likely isn't going to be pleasant; it doesn't take them long to tell you that Team Galactic has owned the Windworks for a while now, but at the same time it's only ever staffed with low-tier employees on the chain of command - the Commanders themselves haven't cared about it since they took over, and the grunts... Well, for one reason or another, they haven't been changing with the rest of the world. It likely seems obvious, when put that way - the people of the town haven't lied to you in the entire time you've been here (they aren't many things, but at the very least they are honest), and if they're correct about this, that's a week's less travel that will need to be done. Over a distance this large, every day counts; as such, you might as well check out the Windworks for whatever it will bring you. As it turns out, the townspeople were right about several things - the Valley Windworks is only a short walk away, surrounded by tall electricity-generating windmills that are turning away at a good clip in the windstreams traveling through the valley; upon entering it, it seems fair to say that it really is generally only staffed by grunts. In light of the changes the world has undergone, their appearance may be a bit jarring, a reminder of what the entire place used to look like - they're completely dead-eyed and listless, lacking any sort of individual initiative, and while they look up as you enter and their eyes track you as you move, they don't seem inclined to do much about you as a whole. Unfortunately, the ladies in the flower shop seem to have been mistaken about something - it seems that one of the Commanders, at least, seems to care very much about this place, given that she's waiting for you in the lobby. As with the others before her, she looks distinctive from the others in both her style of dress and the fact that she's still emotionally intact; she's small in stature, the heels on her boots doing nothing to help that fact, and she's incredibly slight in comparison to Jupiter. She also seems displeased about being here; the smile she offers in greeting is sharp, and it's not a pleasant look. More along the lines of baring teeth. "It's pretty rude of you guys to barge in here like you own the place. Not like I was expecting much from you people, anyway. I'm Commander Mars, and it's about time we met."

Comments

[azumods]

I haven't heard from them since they went to deal with your little group. And now they're gone and you guys are still running around. So! Which one of you is going to tell me what happened?

[thunderwolf]

[Ignis has the play-by-play covered, so Eustace probes a little more on the details. For what it's worth (and for how little expression he gives), the questions are genuine like it's a surprise to him too.]

Their transmitters go silent? [That's some tech Eustace actually knows, and he assumes Galactic has them if they have a damn portal device.] Or are they missing from their posts entirely?

[azumods]

The important thing is that they're gone and I have no idea what happened to them. So quit trying to redirect the conversation and tell me what happened.

[thunderwolf]

You're not going to get what you want to hear from us if the explanation we've given you isn't good enough.

[And he's well aware it isn't.]

[azumods]

And you really think all of you are going to hold up that lie of yours? I don't believe it. Someone's going to break eventually.

[thunderwolf]

Is this your method of trying to break us? I figured you'd be more creative if fieldwork is your forte.

[...he shouldn't be giving Mars ideas. But really, this is getting them nowhere.]

[azumods]

You guys aren't worth any creativity.

[thunderwolf]

And yet you think we took out the other commanders somehow. [...] If I had any suspicion that someone did something to my co-workers, I wouldn't settle for just talking circles around the suspects.

[azumods]

Are you asking for me to beat you all down? Because I can do that. I'd enjoy that. But I figured I'd give you a chance to explain yourselves before beating the answers out of you.

[enjoymyatelier]

Honestly, we're as surprised to know they've vanished as you are.

[...well, not so much Saturn, but Jupiter didn't seem to be emotionally affected by the encounter the way Saturn was.

And nobody exactly wants to sell out Saturn, so like, he's not going to elaborate, even if it's pertinent...]

[azumods]

Yeah, sure. I'm not buying it. How could they just vanish after talking with you guys?

[enjoymyatelier]

[he thinks about it.......]

Honestly, if the answer you're looking for is "we murdered them and hid their bodies in a ditch," it's not the answer you're going to get. If that's what had happened, we wouldn't be talking politely right now.

[hmmmm.......]

I'm trying to puzzle it out myself. The only explanation I can come up with is that Cynthia's ambushing them and has them tied up somewhere or... something.

[azumods]

[...huh.]

You really think you can just distract me with something like that? I haven't heard anything about Cynthia's whereabouts recently. You guys, though? You've been in contact with both Saturn and Jupiter, right before they disappeared. Surely you don't think I'm just going to dismiss that as a coincidence.

[enjoymyatelier]

Hm. Nobody told you Cynthia's back, then?

[he kind of wants to throw Saturn under the bus here, because he definitely saw Saturn and Cynthia have a little confrontation before Saturn apparently went missing.

but he'd probably end up exiled or something even if it saved their asses because y'all like that loser or whatever.]

[azumods]

Saturn did. I know she's around, I just don't know where she is right now.

[enjoymyatelier]

Oh, well, we don't either, but I have reason to believe she knows our position, given she's dropped off a few care packages for us.

[takestheblame]

How do you know they're missing and not simply hiding or anything like that?

[They could be on the run for one reason or another. If they were sent to deal with this little group, then maybe Cyrus wouldn't take their failure kindly so they decided to hide to avoid him. Somehow]

[azumods]

[That actually seems to have caught her off-guard and for a moment the smile fades.]

Hiding? You really think either of them would turn their backs on Master Cyrus like that? What did you guys talk about?

[takestheblame]

Was it your boss who said they were missing, then? It's not that they haven't contacted you?

[Well if Cyrus says that then that'd be kind of different[

[azumods]

They haven't been in contact with me, no. That doesn't answer my question.

[takestheblame]

[Alright, let's see...choose the words carefully]

They met us to talk about us and see how much trouble we could be. They both determined we were uncapable of doing anything, so they left us alone.

Whatever they did after they left isn't any of our business.

[Nothing Kiryu said was a lie, but judging by how Mars has reacted towards the rest of the group here, he doesn't really have any hopes she'll be deterred]

[azumods]

I've noticed how none of you are giving any actual information on what you guys talked about. Sounds like you've got something to hide.

[takestheblame]

The general gist was them saying we were too weak and that going against Team Galactic was useless. Our response was agreement and that we'd stay out from their way.

We hardly talked about anything else.

[bloodspent]

Jupiter threatened to beat the one-armed guy's face in.

[helping!]

[swiftasacoursingkawa]

[Sena's been largely quiet during this whole thing, if only because he's not entirely sure just what he can contribute to this mess other than more denials that won't be accepted.

But this? At least here he can give some information.]

U-um...Jupiter and I, we'd agreed that at some point we were going to battle...with everything that we both had, so...

[His voice squeaks even when he tries to assert himself, but something about his next statement is filled with determination.]

I...I don't think she'd vanish before that kind of thing would happen. She wouldn't break that kind of promise, I think...