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

[discutio]

Commander, I'm afraid we don't have the answers you want. We encountered Saturn briefly at Lake Valor some time ago, and Jupiter we spoke to back in Snowpoint more recently. The latter made reference to losing contact with the former, and by the sound of things you now infer you can't locate either of them.

We did nothing more than speak with them. Wherever they might be, I can speak for the group when I say we've no idea.

[azumods]

You expect me to believe that? Do you really think I'm going to buy that they just happened to vanish after talking to you? Try again.

[greydients]

It's the truth. What exactly do you think we did to them?

[azumods]

How should I know? They should've been able to handle themselves against any sort of threat, and yet they went missing. So quit messing around and tell me what happened.

[greydients]

[...

this isn't going to end well, is it.]

I swear to you, all we did was talk to them. Could they have been summoned by your master, without your knowledge?

[azumods]

What, you want to blame Master Cyrus for their disappearance?

[greydients]

Not blame him, no, just...could it be a possibility?

[azumods]

No.

[That actually gets the smile to vanish.]

[greydients]

[...huh. That's interesting. Rey had originally suggested Cyrus' involvement as a way to move attention away from their group, but Mars' reaction wasn't quite what she expected.

It's probably ill-advised, but...]

You seem very sure of that. There's really no chance...?

[discutio]

Let me pose a different question: what is it you think we had the capacity to do to them? In the interest of transparency I can certainly say murder is not beneath me, but I've no desire to be involved in the death of misguided children under the guidance of a man with a god complex.

[azumods]

"Misguided children"? That's a new one. You can quit talking in circles at any time and just tell me what you did to them. Did you kill them?

[discutio]

We did nothing of the sort. As I said, all we did was speak to them. Whatever happened after those two incidents is something we know nothing about. In fact, I confess myself a bit confused to hear they've both vanished as well. Perhaps tey've returned to wherever your master might be.

[azumods]

No, they're missing and the last thing I heard was that they were going to deal with you guys. So you can drop the act at any time now. I don't know what you're hoping to gain from lying to me.

[discutio]

[Ignis sighed, briefly taking his glasses off to press a hand to his eyes. Hemera bristled slightly at his side, but did nothing.]

Commander. We are, I should say, being very patient in explaining this to you, so do make an effort to listen.

We have done nothing to them--and in fact could do nothing to them even if we desired to. And if we possessed such an unbelievable power that you seem to think we do, what would be stopping us from taking out you and everyone else here rather than wasting everyone's time?

Yet here we are, not doing whatever you think we could. Does that not strike you as inconsistent somehow?

[azumods]

"Inconsistent"? I don't even know what it was you did to them in the first place, and you expect me to start making assumptions about what you will or won't do now? Come on.

[discutio]

You're missing the point, whether out of anger or just sheer stubbornness. And you're not answering the question, on top of that.

If you presume we had power enough to take them out one way or another, tell me what you think is stopping us now.

And if you can come up with no substantial answer, then perhaps the explanation is that we are regrettably outmatched and could in fact do no such thing.

[eudaimonikos]

Honestly, I’m a little offended that you think this is what our best attempt at lying looks like. What are we, Kantians?

[azumods]

And I'm a little offended you'd think such a stupid lie would work on me, but here we are anyway.

[eudaimonikos]

I’ll have you know that my lies are always excellent. Granted, three-fourths of these people would be a real handicap...

[Mmm, plotting out a hypothetical scheme probably isn’t that helpful.]

Anyway, I guess I’m flattered that you think we’re competent enough to defeat literally anyone from this place. And then lie terribly about it for no good reason. Like we felt guilt or something?

[niceoppai]

Wait, they're gone!? But we wouldn't've even been able to scratch them!

[azumods]

Yeah, you shouldn't have been able to. Jupiter could destroy all of you and Saturn...

[...]

Well, he should be able to handle himself.

So what did you guys do?

[niceoppai]

They confronted us, we talked to 'em, they left saying stuff like we could never beat Cyrus and them. If you guys have whole actual gods locked up in your basement or wherever, I don't know what you think we could do, but whatever it was, we didn't do it.

[azumods]

You people sure are persistent, aren't you? I can admire that, I guess. I'm just surprised you guys actually thought this would work.

[niceoppai]

What, telling the truth? Seriously! I mean, the last thing Jupiter told us was that she'd come back and cause trouble for us again -- well, technically she only just said that we'd probably be seeing each other, but either way, there's no way those two ran off someplace to hide. But whatever happened, it wasn't us, and if it was us, how? Unless -- Wait. Were they kinda listless before disappearing into thin air?

[azumods]

No, they weren't. They were just as they always are.