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year 5, quarter 3
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The rain pattered on the tin windowsill of the cafe where Ashe waited. Her fingers wrapped around the warm porcelain mug filled with the coffee she had only really bought to blend in with the others surrounding her. She was waiting, her eye scanning every new face that walked through the door and passed by the windowed store front. She saw strangers and nothing more. It was stupid, this plan of hers, and she knew it. Still, she had not thought of what to do besides try to find her companions. In her mind's eye she almost hear Vaan loudly complaining to Penelo about the state of the weather.
Ashe drank the last sip of her black concoction before getting up. She'd explore some more of this city. Listen in on the gossip and rumors that were forthright and plentiful in well populated areas. For some reason, people seemed to think their words protected from others by the mass amount of volume. Slinking about and gathering intel, as she had done trying to weaken the empire, had never brought her much honor, but honor was hard to come by anymore. Her honor was linked directly to her kingdom's prosperity and what a frayed link that was. Even worse, she could do nothing in this world away from Ivalice but start over from the beginning: figuring out her bearings.
Her feet had moved almost as fast as her thoughts. The streets were much less populated than they had been the two sunny days prior she had been here. It was mostly just people rushing to reach their destination before the sky could open up even further. Although it wasn't uncommon to see people about with weapons adorning them the days, the general gaze was still caught by the massive blade she clutched as she made her own way. She paid it no mind as her eyes searched for rabbit ears and a tufts of blonde hair.
The rain began to come down harder. It was the first time in a while Ashe had actually taken in her surroundings. She had ventured further from her hotel than she had planned. She chastised herself for her folly, but it was no large matter though, she would just turn around and head back..."Awfully nice sword you have their, miss. It'd fetch a pretty penny on the market."
The words caused the already formed goosebumps on her arms to tingle more. Ashe turned as a man came from the shadows. "And yet the blade is not for purchase," she answered feeling her grip tighten on the hilt. Living among the dregs of society had taught her a few life lessons. She was too wise to know this was anything but an attempted robbery. Was he so daft as to think she would carry a blade she could not use and give it up freely?
He struck at her quickly, dagger at the ready, a move she was not entirely prepared for. She had thought there would be more banter before he tried to intimidate her into submission. She reacted quicker than she could think. She sidestepped and swung the blade upward with all her might. She connected with the man's elbow cleaving right through. The squelch of the arm landing in a puddle mixed with the guttural scream of the man as he feel forward.
Ashe looked at her carnage with shock. She had only wished to disarm him. The shock swelled into adrenaline as the the man continued to scream. The bloodied water began to creep towards her feet as the arm rested in the puddle and she backed away slowly. It was not the most mortal wound she had ever inflicted. He deserved his lot, but a twinge of remorse hit her. Had she not been in the company of two sky pirates, thieves, for some time now? Even though Ashe knew them better than the type to attack strangers for their loot, Did she believe that if they were caught they deserved the same fate as this man?
She knew she could not mend the appendage back, but she cast her best curative spell to staunch the blood flow. "I leave you your life, perchance you do more with it now," she chastised before briskly making her exit away. The blood on her blue glowing sword washed away and down the sewer as she escaped down an alleyway. She didn't need to be seen by the crowd that was surely to form to help the thief.
Serah lingered in the shelter of a building’s awning, momentarily out of the pouring rain. The pinkette’s drenched ponytail hung loosely by her neck. She felt momentarily self-conscious of her current appearance and presence of the moogle who floated closely behind her. It wasn’t common for people to have moogles was it. The young woman wasn’t outfitted in classical adventuring gear either. Noel would have fit in better with this crew.
Mog drifted closer to say close to her ear: “We should find shelter, kupo.” She raised a finger. Something told her to wait here. It was far too much to hope that someone would mention ‘The Harvester’ in passing. That topic didn’t seem like polite conversation if she dove into a place that gave travelers a respite now. It was a lead she felt called to follow while she was here. By Etro’s will she would find her sister Lightning.
The townspeople’s gazes made her nervous. She continued to wait fiddling with her necklace. Mog was right. They couldn’t linger here for long. Who knew what kind of unruly types would approach them? She did not have Snow or Noel’s protection if it got rough. Calm down. An opening would make itself known as it always did.
She jumped at the sound of a scuffle. Hesitantly, without regard for her safety, she left the awning to investigate the cause of the conflict. A man was harassing a young woman who appeared around her age. Before Serah could intervene, the young woman had assaulted the man in self-defense and fled. It took all her bravery to not cry out and give her position away. Who knew if there were other men waiting on the sidelines.
Seeing no one else appear, she knew it was her time to act. When the woman turned the corner, Serah quickly jogged to the injured man’s side and applied a Cure spell. A shocked look appeared on his face as the man hadn’t expected this random act of kindness from a stranger that could have left him injured. He who had meant to harm the person who had fled further into the alleyway. Serah couldn’t bear to not help the man even if he did something horrible.
She let a small comforting smile cross her face for the man’s benefit. Mustering her bravery she attempted to give him words of wisdom, “I’d take her words to heart. Find a better way to contribute to the world with your skill.” It was the least she could do. The spell faded away, and she ran after the woman.
She almost passed by the alleyway in her rush. The woman looked alone and in need of aid, much like she was in this strange town. It would be of use to both of them to band together in a place such as this. “Excuse me, Ma’am. I couldn’t help but watch. Did he hurt you? You look as lost as I am.” Her hands are folded before her to appear as non-threatening as possible. Mog floated concernedly behind her, silently observing the meeting.
Ashe let the rain soak into her hair and clean the blood from the Treaty Blade. The tiny alley proved to be no respite from the increasing volatile storm. The rain came down harder than it had been, and Ashe hoped this would work to her advantage. She hoped less people would be out, and that by the time the maimed thief would be able to point her out as his attacker, she could either be halfway or out of town and well beyond the repercussions of her accidental violence. Ashe hadn't found what she was looking for here, and she doubted she would. Best to move on and see if anyone other than Meliadoul had heard of Ivalice, or if rumors of such a place existed with these people.
And she would have been gone in the blink of an eye if someone hadn't called out to her. Instinctively she held her blade tight as she spun to see who had followed her into the narrow passage. If they were a companion of the thief, she had no qualms in administrating a similar fate. Instead of a fearsome fellow with malicious intentions on his mind, Ashe made out through the downpour a woman with hair pinker than a carnation. Her eyes flickered to the floating presence behind noting that it was there before returning her gaze to the woman.
Ashe stayed silent for a moment as she thought of a response. It didn't seem that she was there to assault her or report her to the authorities. Still even as lost as she actually was, Ashe didn't like that this woman could so easily tell so. Perhaps she needed to be less noticeable from here out. Find clothes that matched the common garb of this realm, find a sheath large enough for her god-made blade, and resume her role as Amalia at least until she could find the answers she so desperately needed. Or at least until she could become unnoticed by the every watching public.
Ashe stood as tall as she could as she brought her blade to rest in front of her. It's hue was still blue but had faded significantly since she had struck the man. She could use help, but first she needed to test this girl to see if she were in fact a friendly stranger rather than a foe in disguise. "If you were watching then you should know it was I who caused more harm than received. A watching eye is worth nothing if the hand is not quick to act in response." She had to half shout as the roll of thunder crackled across the air. "And if you're as lost as you plead, then why take refuge with one equally so and not find your bearings at the taverns instead of treading in a storm?" It was a fair question. Ashe was barely figuring things out herself; she didn't need a tag along to babysit. She carefully slid a wet bang from her face so that she could clearly see the woman.
I thought it would be more natural to set her up coming into the thread first rather than throwing her immediately into the action.
Use your own eyes, and see for yourself which side I'm on.
The rain was like a beast unto itself -- solid, vengeful, and alive. It roared with crashing thunder, and it was all Celes could do not to square herself against it. They’d said the Reignstorm had ended. That days like these were of the past, but words like these did little to ease her nerves anymore. They’d said that this world was immune from vengeful gods scorching fire from the sky. They’d said that she didn’t have to worry about being alone again. And now they said that the storms had passed.
Celes stood in the rain and raised her eyes to the sky. So much for empty promises.
This sector of Provo was known for its thieves, street gangs, and the shady deals that went on under bar tables, but Celes hardly cared. If anything, it felt good to have a reason to carry her sword in public again. Setzer had sent her here for a few of what he called “favors to new friends,” but which she took to mean “bribes with smugglers,” and she hadn’t yet been proven wrong. It wasn’t exactly her cup of tea, but she was hardly in a position to complain. Setzer let her stay with him, after all, and she’d have paid off half a million criminals before she even thought of parting ways with someone she knew from home.
Still, why did it have to be Provo?
This was a place brimming with memories, but where wasn’t in this world anymore? Here, she’d had her first run-in with police. Her first friend too, and eventually, something that could have been more. She knew these streets better than anywhere else on this impossible dimension, but she didn’t think to wander them as she waited for whatever shady, back-alley deal Setzer had arranged for. No, instead she simply watched the storm and let the warm rainwaters seep into her hair, jacket, and boots.
She stood still and breathed slowly, listening to the sounds of the city. Thunder, distant and echoing. A door slammed shut by the wind. Footsteps in shallow puddles. A scream-
Screaming. Strangled, desperate cries for help. Celes stiffened and then took off running towards the source. Her breath was tight in the back of her throat. She’d heard that sound before, too many times to count. That was the kind of sound you only heard on battlefields or at the hands of soldiers too merciless to know the difference between civilians and rebels. Her heart was pounding before she turned the corner, saw the blood, heard the murmuring of the crowd, and spotted a hand, wrist, and half an arm pooling blood in a puddle nearly two feet from its wailing owner.
The man was still screaming, even after the remaining stump of his arm had been healed shut with magic. There were murmurs from the crowd about a woman with a sword. Short hair, golden armor, a pink skirt, gone fleeing down a back alleyway. Celes glanced in the direction the woman had fled before darted backwards and down a nearby street. She’d wandered this city too many times to count, and she knew where that alley led. If she could head off the attacker from there…
...Then what? A woman like that could only be another like Celes. A stranger from somewhere else lost and abandoned in this place that shouldn’t exist. Hadn’t Celes done worse when she’d been cornered and confused on these very streets? Then again, she knew all too well that not everyone brought here was so well-intentioned.
What would she do? Celes didn’t quite know yet. Just that if the woman was only startled, she’d need protection from the city guards soon or they’d have another massacre on their hands. And if the woman had acted intentionally…
Well, then someone needed to stop her.
Celes charged into another alleyway, the only exit of the one that woman had fled into. They had to run into each other eventually, and when they did, Celes would head her off the only way she knew how -- with a stern look and a sword. The rain pounded heavy against her shoulders as she ran. The chill of it bit into her skin like something alive.
Common sense told her to stop what she was doing. The proper authorities would take care of the mess. Lightning and Snow would be worried sick if they knew she had rushed ahead in the rain. In an unfamiliar town like this, she could be harassed or even worse attacked. It gave her a little relief to know Mog watched out for her. If he wasn’t a perceptive creature, she would be more concerned for herself.
Her beating heart led her to believe that perhaps she could trust this young woman. It was the worst feeling to stand out from a crowd and have no clue where you were going. Serah had felt the men and women’s stares at her white and pink clad form. The two strangers stood out like a flower in the middle of weeds or vines. Unless you cut off or hid the blooms - they’d always stand out from the rest. It was naïve of her to think so - yes. Following a warrior when she needed to find another warrior seemed like the best course of action to her mind.
Her hopes for shelter from the rain were dashed when she continued to feel soaked from the rain. Her heart was starting to feel about as heavy as her clothes and her sodden hair. As much as she wished it to be, this would not be a simple encounter. The woman
She squeezed her necklace’s charm for strength. The silvery memento reminded her of the loved ones who depended on her. She liked to believe she was brought here for a reason. Since her arrival she had not had one of her visions and she felt a fog over her brain when attempting to know why. Did she find where she was looking for? Instead of Valhalla was she searching for this world all along?
“I couldn’t stand by when there were people in need. I did what I could for the man.” Healing magic helped the physical. Let him go nurse his wound. Dedicated healers would assist him in ways she could not. Surely - he could find a way to be of use to society instead of wasting away in humiliation. He could do better than harassing a capable woman for a dangerous weapon.
“I felt ... guided to continue this way. I’m looking for other warriors. Those chosen by fate.” In this turbulent moment she figured honesty would be the best policy in order to reason with this woman. What would be the use in lying when she was alone and sodden in the rain? Well she knew how much she stood out here. “I-I need to find someone. She’s not from here either. Are you looking for someone too?"
"I'd rather get chilled to the bone if it means finding a lead. I don't know how trusting the townspeople are of strangers."
If the girl was nothing else, she was forthright with her intentions. Ashe had to strain to hear the pink haired girl's words as the thunder bellowed as though it too were trying to speak. Other warriors. Those chosen by fate. The words kept her planted instead of leaving the girl to her own devices. Ashe, however, did not consider herself a warrior. A warrior conjured images of those sworn to their bloodshed a devotion to the art of violence and war. She hadn't wanted to wield the blade, but necessity had called for it. She was simply a princess doing right by her kingdom. A girl taking back what she had lost.
Are you looking from someone too? Her breath caught as she thought of why she was about in the maelstrom happening about them. Still something about why this girl was looking for those with strength caused Ashe's distrust to flare. Why would one need such might to find a missing person? What kind of person did this girl take her for? She may have maimed a man in defense, but she was not a sword for hire.
"Fate may have brought me here," Ashe yelled into the downpour making sure her voice was steady and louder than the rain the pelted at them both, "but it's chains do not bind me." How true was that though? Was she not trying to find the fated Sun-Cryst with a weapon only those fated to hold held? Was she now bound to Occurian will and path or could she still forge her own way? If she were to defeat Vayne and protect Dalmasca, as Queen she must be willing to do whatever it took no matter the cost.
"And you think you'd find better trust in a stranger?" she inquired with the same forceful tone she had been using. Now wasn't the time to be thinking of her Ivalice. She knew that there was only a matter of time before guards would be hunting the alleyways. She didn't have the time for the hassle of them or helping this girl find whomever she was looking for. Ashe turned away from the girl and began to walk briskly down the alley. "I am not who you seek it appears, and it does not do well to stand and prattle in passivity," she called just in case the girl dared to follow. She needed to find somewhere to pass both storms over until she could slip out of the city unnoticed and without commotion.
No awnings protected her from the water falling as rapidly from the rooftops as it was from the sky itself. She blindly pushed ahead pass the sodden trash and unwanted items of the buildings inhabitants. If it were any other circumstance, and especially if Vaan or Pennelo had been with her, she would have taken the time to search for anything of value. A misplaced potion or something of value to later resell for profit. Living in the shadows after the Empire and Marquis Ondore had announced her suicide had taught Ashe how to survive in alleyways such as this.
Lost in thought as she rounded the corner into another alleyway, she almost didn't see the person charging down the same path. When she finally looked up to see the human briskly coming her way, Ashe instinctively raised her sword in defense. "Halt," she barked at the approaching shadowy visage of a woman. She'd given fair warning of her presence and hoped they were just passing by. Something told her that no one would be in this alley without reason now. She knew too well how slow guards were at the up taking and pursuit, so she worried that it might be a fellow companion of the maimed man she continued her warning speech, "If you've come to claim what your thieving brethren could not take or exact vengeance in his stead, I implore you to see what became of him, retreat, and let me take my leave." The Treaty Blade began to ebb a faint blow that shone through the rain as she continued to hold it aloft. She hoped both her words and the sight of her blade would deter whoever was approaching from impeding her.
You guys want to learn about the world? I sure can show you.
Use your own eyes, and see for yourself which side I'm on.
There wasn’t much time.
Celes had no way of knowing that, but she had the feeling it was true. People like this attacker (people like HERSELF) were crafty. Hardened. Difficult to catch. She’d been alone when she’d first come here -- alone, scared, insecure. She’d done more damage than she liked to admit. If there hadn’t been someone there to hide her and fill her in...If she hadn’t gotten lucky…
No. Celes wasn’t a villain. Or at least, she tried not to be anymore. Whatever this was, she’d face it down and settle it for herself. If there was still time, that was.
The clouds had grown darker by the time that she spotted another figure approaching from the opposite direction through the storm. They were both coming so fast that they would have run into each other if either woman had been less perceptive. As it was, they moved in an almost perfect mirror of each other. Their eyes connected. They both stopped, raised their heads, squared their stances. One sword was raised as the other was drawn.
”Halt.” The woman looked exactly as the witnesses had described: short hair, golden accents, a pink skirt, and a magical sword. But there were several details the gossip had missed. The cool edge to the woman’s eyes for instance. Or the ease with which she angled her blade. In an instant, Celes knew that this woman was not to be trifled with and that she’d killed before -- and many times before at that. She saw a woman of equal parts danger and dignity.
Someone not so unlike herself, really.
”If you've come to claim what your thieving brethren could not take or exact vengeance in his stead, I implore you to see what became of him, retreat, and let me take my leave."
The words were eloquent. Steady. And they sought to avoid violence even as violence was promised. The woman’s sword gave a faint magical glow as she spoke, as though roused to action by the promise of blood. Celes stood her ground, eyes never wavering.
”I don’t know why you acted and I’d never met that man.” Celes took a sideways step to center herself in the alleyway. ”But I know you’re not from here, and I know how things can get...out of hand. If you don’t know what you’re doing.” Her eyes flicked to the woman’s sword and hardened there. ”And I’m not a fan of seeing people dismembered.”
”With a scene that public, the police force will be coming any time now and something tells me that’ll lead to more blood. If you want to avoid hurting people, I can help you. If you welcome it, then I’ll stop you where you stand.” Her blade raised between them, ready and waiting.
The longer she stood out here, the more she dreaded ending up sick in the near future. She considered herself to have a hardy constitution when it came to the common cold, which was fortunate when she worked with kids. However, the downpour was unlike any she had encountered before. If only this conversation could hurry up so they could go indoors or under some better shelter.
She felt like she was in a tutorial mission of one of those games Snow liked so much. It would feel more like part of the main quest or side quest if she was getting somewhere with this conversation. Her query was simple. Perhaps she should have explained she was looking for someone who looked like her.
“I don’t see any townsfolk wielding magical weapons, do you?” Serah stubbornly continued to follow. A part of her did not want to give up on a possible lead when she had one. It was almost too much to hope that this encounter would turn out well in the end.
For once in this wet day, she was grateful that she wasn’t wearing a dress or coat. No need to lift her skirt over the sleek puddles and trash littering the alleyway. Her eyes lingered a moment on a thrown away doll. It looked intact. The rain would wash away the muck. Her head tilted up to look at Mog. Her friend bobbed in the air (his version of a nod) and picked up the doll. A less fortunate soul would be grateful for this lost toy.
She caught the tail end of her new ‘friend’s’ words and the start of the new figure’s speech. Finally, someone who made sense around here! Her eyes alighted on the confident figure ahead of them, blade outstretched.
“I’d like to see this end peacefully as well. You acted in self-defense. There’s no fault in that. I thought if we helped each other out we could make sense of this place. I didn’t mean to be rude, Miss… “
Ashe watched as the woman drew her own sword. She could tell this woman had no qualms with it either as she watched her body. It didn't tense or shake as she had seen Penelo's do when she was forced into the action. This was a swordswoman through and through. Thankfully it seemed that the woman would only strike if Ashe were to strike first. She claimed no knowledge of the thief. "My actions are my own. I know what I have and can wrought with this blade." She had been irked that this woman thought her reactions baseless It was when she claimed she knew Ashe wasn't from here that her clutch about her blade grew stronger. and its light brighter. Still the promise of help from someone who clearly knew more than she was welcoming. Sighing she lowered her blade,"I only do to others as they would wish done to me. This sword is a defense not an offense. Your promise of help, if truly so, I'll conceded to you offer."
Ashe had lowered the treaty blade enough to show she had no intent of using it, but she still held it tight if the woman's words were false. As she began to walk towards the woman, she heard the voice of the girl she had tried to escape from behind her. Ashe gave a very disgusted sigh before she turned to the pink haired girl. "If I've not made myself clear already," she allowed her a sharp inhale before she continued again, "I'm neither who you are looking for or a sword for hire. Your fate is not bound to mine." She thought of leaving with the warrior but something softened in her. Ashe didn't want to see this child left to fend herself from guards if they should think she was the one to have caused the carnage. It was almost as if she were looking at Penelo "Still, my actions should not cause consequences you should unfairly bare. And you may call me," Ashe hesitated for a second thinking about what could happen lest her name be overheard by any other from Ivalice from eith their mouths, "Amalia." Ashe turned to the blonde woman. "I amend my statement. I shall only accept your help if you should provide safe passage for us both."
Use your own eyes, and see for yourself which side I'm on.
It became quickly apparent that this woman, for all of her dangers, was not out for blood. Celes eyed her suspiciously once more before slowly lowering her sword to match the state of the woman’s own. This woman had been acting in self-defense. A woefully uncalled for amount of self-defense, but it had been reactionary nonetheless.
Not unlike Celes in her first days. She hadn’t been expecting a world of such unskilled bandits and incompetent guards. Add in a little panic, and it was a recipe for disaster.
”No, that’s...That makes sense,” Celes said. ”You’re not the first to draw blood here and you won’t be the last. But if you’re new, you have a lot to learn about…” Her eyes were drawn to a new figure that came running behind the swordswoman. She seemed a little older than Celes, but had a youthful glow about her that gave the impression of a young girl. Her eyes were bright with conviction as she stepped forward and made her plea.
“I’d like to see this end peacefully as well. You acted in self-defense. There’s no fault in that. I thought if we helped each other out we could make sense of this place. I didn’t mean to be rude, Miss… “
The swordswoman was visibly annoyed by the girl, and from the sound of it, had already told her to leave more than once. Celes glanced between them, a little wary at their obvious conflict. There was something about the pink-haired girl that seemed familiar in a way. Something about that look in her eye or the way strong, but delicate way she carried herself. Celes couldn’t quite put her finger on it.
"Still,” the swordswoman went on. “My actions should not cause consequences you should unfairly bare. And you may call me," she hesitated as though searching for the word. ”Amalia,” she finally decided before turning to Celes decisively. ”I amend my statement. I shall only accept your help if you should provide safe passage for us both."
”Fine,” Celes said though there was something about the woman’s tone that bothered her. Perhaps it was her sharp eyes or just the air that she had a right to give Celes orders. Still, Celes forced herself to take a breath and gather the last reserves of her patience. Hadn’t Celes been worse than this when she’d been in her shoes? ”Just follow me…Amalia.” She spoke the name with the same level of hesitance that Amalia had herself. No one had to pause that long to remember their own name. ”And you.” She gestured towards the excitable girl before sheathing her sword. ”The guards are coming for you and while they’re not much of a threat, they’re not terrible people either. Facing you would be a bloodbath.”
Not long ago, Celes would have blamed her adversaries for picking a fight they couldn’t win. Too many times she’d seen the tragic results of rebels and lawmakers and thugs trying to get the best of her, but she knew now that it was her own responsibility to show self-restraint. The blood on her sword was hers to bear.
”Come on.” She turned and started back the way she’d come. The storm was a blessing and a curse in one. The rain was an obstruction and as they slipped out from the alleyway into the city’s wider streets, it provided them some cover from prying eyes. Celes couldn’t be truly grateful for it, however, when it pressed down upon her in oppressive sheets -- drenching her to the skin and bringing with it an almost deathly chill that brought her to shiver. They needed a safe haven with a roof and a fire. Somewhere that suspicious guards wouldn’t go asking too many questions.
Her path changed, routing an almost instinctual course for the place where this had all begun for her. To the inn that another kind woman had led her to when Celes’ blade had been slick with unrightful blood. The thought of it turned her stomach as she reached for the door, pulling on it once and then twice before the wood gave way and the hinges creaked open. The inside was cramped and humid. These were more Setzer’s type than hers with a hint of Shadow thrown in for good measure. There were gamblers and mercenaries and doubtlessly thieves among them, huddled at rough wooden tables that smelled of sweat and liquor. It wasn’t the kind of place Celes would come to willingly, but it was the kind of place that wouldn’t answer questions if they came calling. Celes glanced at the two behind her. ”It should be safe here,” she reassured them before heading to the counter herself. The manager didn’t seem particularly interested in the three harsh, foreign women drenched in rain, and Celes didn’t say anything more than she had to. She slipped a few coins across the counter, grabbed a key, and led the others upstairs after her.
The stairway creaked under her weight, and her heels wobbled on the sagging wood. It had been a long time since she’d last been here, and yet, it seemed like very little time at all. Years, maybe? Time was hard to tell in this place.
Celes unlocked their designated door and led them inside. It was cramped. Just one bed, a couch, and a washroom, but she didn’t expect they’d stay long. ”Just a place to wait out the storm,” Celes said as she waited for them to join her. ”If you have any questions, I can try to answer them. I’ve been here a while. Too long, though I don’t know where else I’d go. If this is all real then it’s about the best I could have hoped for.” Celes bit her tongue, wondering why she felt the need to share so blatantly, before closing the door behind them and crossing her arms to face them.
”I’m Celes, by the way. And I can almost guarantee no one will know you here if that’s what you’re worried about.” Her eyes darted to Amalia. ”No one's recognize me, and I have more than a few enemies who’d know my name.”
