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year 5, quarter 3
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Post by Caius Dragelion on May 17, 2021 12:33:49 GMT -6
The Dragonglaive
Caius had been going back and forth between Torensten and Provo for a little while now. The disaster related to the Kraken had pulled Caius' attention to Torensten, while the disaster in Provo related to the rampaging swordsmen had pulled him there as well. Trying to settle things in both cities as well as to calm things down in Provo in order to make way for a proper branch of the Dragonblades in Provo. Caius and Celes had discussed it a handful of times, but it was going to be a heck of an endeavor. But they knew it was a necessary one. They had gained a lot of ground in Torensten, but things were going to be busy there after the whole Kraken thing, and that meant less ability to help out elsewhere. So something had to be done. They needed to gain enough ground to establish a perimeter in Provo, and find someone capable of leading the Provo branch while Caius and Celes handled things in Torensten.
Today was a Provo kind of day. He had taken a job assigned to the Dragonblades alongside Vincent, one of the newer members of the Dragonblades who Caius had previously met in Sonora. Celes had vetted him by the sounds of it, which meant he was all clear to go. He hadn't seen Vincent in some time due to his busy Caius had been as of late, so he certainly looked forward to seeing how the cloaked warrior was doing with his new role in the Dragonblades.
The two would be meeting in the square. Ironic, as this was the site of all this trouble. The place was still in the middle of being fixed up, but it was starting to see some sort of normalcy again. Caius had arrived early, so he would find one of the tables strewn about. It was next to the shopping district, so typically these tables, with an umbrella overshadowing them, would be used to encourage regular eating here. Not all the tables and chairs were back in their old spots, but it was getting there.
While he waited, he looked over the letter. A missing boy. 15 years old. It contained some information on who might know where he was last, but indicated they were clamming up and being quite obviously suspicious, but would tell the mother nothing, nor the guards. Thus the need for the Dragonblades.
Running away from his personal problems was something Vincent excelled at. Why fix his own life when he could devote all his time and effort to helping others and fixing their problems? When he’d heard of a Dragonblades job in Provo he’d immediately jumped on the chance to join in. It would give him more time after his meeting with Cissnei, more time to run away from personal struggles and give them way too much agonized thought. At least his coping methods benefited others, he told himself. Sure, he might be repressing his emotions to a fault as usual, but if he could help find the missing kid in the process, then that was all he cared about. [break][break]
Vincent was dressed casually in black for the job, the only spot of color was his red cloak. It was the new one he’d bought recently, lined with gold and black and a far sight better than his old tattered one. And he’d taken some notes from Aerith on his hair. He wasn’t going to braid it, but tying it back away from his face… that really made a difference with the heat at this time of year. Cerberus was holstered on one hip and a small dagger on the other.[break][break]
He was supposed to be meeting Caius here. He’d not worked with the man since that fateful day he first arrived in Zephon. It had been Celes who welcomed him into the mercenary group and he’d barely seen the cofounder since then. Caius was clearly busy, and Vincent had gathered he didn’t enjoy city life too much. It would be interesting to meet again after so long, after Vincent established himself in the world and was no longer a lost wanderer. [break][break]
The square seemed to be a bit in disarray. Something had happened here, clearly. But what? Vincent wasn’t exactly privy to the current news coming out of Provo. Torensten was his base now and he rarely left. He shrugged, surely if it was important Caius would fill him in. Speaking of the blond-haired swordsman, it didn’t take long before Vincent found him. He stood at the edge of the square with a letter clutched in his hand. Vincent approached, cloak billowing slightly in the breeze. [break][break]
“Hey,” he said in a simple greeting when he got close. “So what do we know about this job?” he asked after a moment, gaze shifting to the letter in the mercenary’s hands.
Post by Caius Dragelion on Jul 13, 2021 10:38:18 GMT -6
The Dragonglaive
Caius had of course had no context on Vincent's meeting with Cissnei, and it was unlikely he would be unless Vincent saw fit to express it himself. So all Caius could do was hope that the man was adapting well to life with the Dragonblades, and being outside of the cold hellscapes of Sonora. He hadn't seen him since recruiting him, as he had been busy in the wake of the incidents happening in both Torensten and Provo. The Kraken attacking Torensten, the anime swordfighters causing mass destruction in Provo. Plenty for the Dragonblades to handle in the aftermath, which had meant both Caius and Celes had been incredibly busy, and didn't have a whole lot of time for themselves.
Now that things were settling down though, Caius could get back to the guild's goals of establishing in Provo. So he was able to breathe a sigh of relief and get back to working with the others more often. As he read through the letter, the man himself would make his presence known. Caius almost didn't recognize him at first, looking the man up and down. While the cloak was intact, the mercenary had gotten himself a bit of a makeover, from hair down to his clothes. Caius nodded his head in approval.
"It suits you" he brought up, smiling faintly. It looked like he may well be acclimating alright after all. That was a good thing. "You'll have to regale me on what you have been up to since we last met, when we have a moment" he added as he then moved to business -- answering Vincent's question. "Missing kid. 15 years old. Has been gone for about three days. Mother's asked around, but nobody's seen him. She asked his friends, they said they didn't know, but they were incredibly suspicious about it. She's given us where they usually hang out at, so I was intending to start there. It being a few days is alarming, so I would consider this a very time sensitive mission. The child is very likely in danger if it's been this long. If they're still alive."
The Dragonblade seemed surprised by Vincent and his new look. He supposed he must look a far cry different than when he first arrived, lost and confused in Sonora. He felt much more like his old self, before the experiments at Nibelheim. Apparently he looked it too. Vincent pushed his hair back and nodded. “Fits the climate here better,” he agreed with a self-conscious shrug. [break][break]
When Caius mentioned that Vincent would have to tell him about what he’d been up to he snorted. That would certainly be a long tale. “I’m sure you have your own story,” he commented. They could share sometime. But right now, there was the matter at hand. The Dragonblade mission that had brought them together. [break][break]
His brow furrowed as Caius filled him in about the missing kid. He felt a sinking feeling about the length of time the kid had been missing. Three days? That sounded suspicious. Either the kid really didn’t want to be found or something nefarious was at work. “Think the friends are just covering for him? Maybe he ran away,” he mused. It certainly wouldn’t be outside the realm of possibility. But Caius seemed concerned. Regardless, the first order of business would definitely involve finding the so-called friends and talking to them. Maybe they’d be more forthcoming to Vincent and Caius than to the mother of the kid. [break][break]
“Lead the way,” he said, then asked, “Do you know anything else about these friends?”
Post by Caius Dragelion on Oct 14, 2021 16:10:11 GMT -6
The Dragonblades
They could share their stories when they had an opportunity, then. Work first. Still, Vincent looked a lot more comfortable in his own skin than before, if that was possible. He didn’t really understand why, but he at least seemed better off than the man he had plucked off the streets in Sonora. That was good, at least.
“I agree, they’re definitely covering. All I have about them is the usual spots they frequented with her son” he brought up as he rose to his feet. His expression had turned much colder as he got to business. And with a child’s life on the line, no less. Vincent told him to lead the way, so he nodded his head and turned on his heel to get moving. He walked with a speed in his step. Sure, it had been three days. But any minute could be the difference still. He would be warping if not for Vincent.
It didn’t take long for them to find a group of teenagers that matched the description the kid’s mother had given him. They were conversing amongst themselves, and it just happened that Caius caught “he hasn’t come back yet” in the process.
“Come back from what, exactly?”
The poor sods turned and jumped when they saw the large, armored man and the large and suited man standing behind them.
“I-it’s not polite to eavesdrop, you know!” one of the kids remarked pointedly, stamping his foot. “And it’s not polite to hide things, either” came the calm, but frigid retort. “Where is Desmond? I was told he is usually with you. His family is worried, lad’s been missing for a few days now.”
That immediately got the kids even more jumpy. Jackpot.
“W-we don’t know where he went!”
“Oh, so he went somewhere?”
The kid tried to interject, but had nothing and so the kids just clammed up and turned away from them with their arms folded. Caius sighed and pinched his nose. Children. He looked to Vincent, as if offering to let him take over.
Caius turned all-business as Vincent asked about the kid and his suspicious friends. He took charge easily, leading them away into the city towards some of the usual haunts of the kids. Vincent kept up easily with the mercenary, matching his long-legged stride. He seemed eager to get on the way. Though privately Vincent wondered if there was a need for haste, since it had already been three days. But he didn’t voice those concerns. This was a job and he was here to complete it to the best of his ability. [break][break] In not too long, the two men found a group of unruly looking teenagers. Though, perhaps, that’s just what all teenagers looked like. As they approached, Vincent heard them talking together about someone not having come back. The ‘someone’ had to be the missing kid, right? Caius certainly seemed to think so as well. The Dragonblade interjected into the conversation, his question pointed and abrupt. Vincent stood behind him like a shadow, watching and listening. [break][break] One of the kids seemed indignant that Caius would listen in on their conversation. As if they weren’t talking loudly in the middle of the street in broad daylight. Vincent closely watched the reactions of the teenagers as his partner continued to question them. He analyzed the body language and cues of each of them silently. They were all jumpy, but a few seemed more afraid than angry or annoyed. [break][break] Caius was getting nowhere fast with them. He seemed annoyed and pinched the bridge of his nose before looking at Vincent. Apparently that was his cue to take over. He held back a sigh and stepped forward. He was actually kind of used to dealing with children and teenagers. Marlene, Shelke, Yuffie (though she’d murder her if she knew he considered her a kid) had all liked him fairly well despite his generally dour demeanor. [break][break] He focused on a pair of them, not the loudmouth that had stomped his foot at Caius. They were hanging near the back, a girl and a boy. Siblings maybe? He spoke to them, moving around past their supposed leader. “We’re interested in making sure he’s safe. We don’t care if he’s involved in something illegal,” his voice was calm and reassuring. He tried to make himself look a little less menacing. “If you know anything, we’d appreciate you letting us know. And if he’s running away from something, we need to know that too.” Because maybe there was something else at work here. Perhaps, despite her eagerness to get her son back, the mother was part of the issue. Of course, that was just him considering all possibilities. Unlike Caius, Vincent hadn’t actually spoken with the mother.
Post by Caius Dragelion on Oct 17, 2021 18:49:52 GMT -6
The Dragonblades
Caius understood that he wasn't getting anywhere. The best thing to do here was to get a fresh perspective on the matter and see if Vincent could make anymore progress. Vincent went for a less direct approach meanwhile, choosing not to interact with the snobbish leader of the group of kids. Instead, he went to the ones who had kept silent and followed his lead. Perhaps because he thought they would be more likely to give something up? Caius realized what he was doing quickly, and silently nodded his head in approval. It was a good idea.
There was a long pause by the two kids. They seemed to be struggling with Vincent's words, and really this whole thing, before the sister finally spoke up.
"Promise not to tell his mom?" she almost whispered. The leader of the batch would raise a hand to protest, but Caius placed a hand on their shoulder. It was a calm and gentle motion, but his grip was slightly tight. The kid froze and didn't intervene further. Granted that Vincent gave a satisfactory answer, the girl didn't seem able to contain it anymore. And honestly? Even if he hadn't, she would probably spill anyway. The guilt was too much to bear.
"Des and his mother live in the slums. His dad died when a monster did something to him and the other adults that were working in the hospital, and his mom wasn't able to support them both after she expended most of their savings trying to save his dad. Desmond hated seeing his mom like that and thought it was because they didn't have enough food -- so he started stealing food from the markets, started telling her he was helping them out in exchange for food. But it wasn't going to be long before his mom started to catch on that it should be impossible to get food for both of them so often, and he was getting desperate. Then the guards caught him one day, and he was almost taken in when he was able to use some kind of magic to get away. He told us that he was approached by this man, who said he could teach him how to better use his magic and be able to help his mom. He said not to tell her and to make up a cover story, because he didn't want to worry her and he didn't want her to know she was stealing."
The girl looked away and wiped her eyes, as the tears started falling. "But he hasn't come back and his mom's been putting pressure on us because we've run out of excuses. We thought he'd be back by now, but we don't know where he is! He said that the man lived at the docks, but we went ourselves and couldn't find him anywhere. If I'd known it would come to this, we never would have agreed to hide it! We thought he'd come back by now, honest!"
All three kids looked uncomfortable and looked away, a mix of shame and just overall being upset at how it had turned out. Caius had found himself pacing back and forth throughout the story. Finally, he stopped.
"I know this is hard, but... We need one of you to get in touch with his mother and tell her the truth" Caius brought up, which caused their eyes to widen. Even if Vincent had possibly made it seem like he wouldn't tell, Caius hadn't said anything of the sort. "I know you're afraid. But your friend is very likely to be in serious danger, if not worse. And that's why I need another of you to tell what you know to a guard. My friend and I will head to the docks and investigate ourselves."
”Promise not to tell his mom?” The girl’s voice was barely audible. She was clearly terrified. Vincent nodded solemnly in response while Caius silenced the mouthy leader of the group. The girl told a tale about Desmond and his rough childhood, a lost father and a struggling mother. Stealing food was such a minor offense, to think his life could be at stake simply for trying to help his mother survive. The man who supposedly taught the kid magic stuck in Vincent’s mind. Who was this mystery man and what was his role in the disappearance? [break][break]
Caius was calm but immediately contradicted Vincent’s promise to not tell Desmond’s mother. Well, if the kids told her themselves, then no promise was truly broken. Vincent stood straight and glanced across the city towards the docks. He let Caius talk to the kids a moment longer, before whispering to him, “Do you think involving the guards is the best idea? Do we trust them? Is it possible this strange man is protected by the guard?” Vincent had a more than healthy distrust of any type of government authority or police figures after Midgar and Sonora. And they’d wanted to arrest the child for the crime of stealing food in the first place. ”I agree about the mother but…” he trailed off with a shrug. Vincent appreciated the Dragonblades because they were a sort of vigilante organization, unaffiliated with official guards and governments. [break][break]
”I don’t know Provo well enough, though. It’s your call.” Then he turned his attention back to the children. ”It may also be best if you wait together with his mother so you’re all in a safe space. And we know where to find you if we need any more information or have anything to share.”
Post by Caius Dragelion on Jul 15, 2022 8:42:33 GMT -6
The Dragonblades
The kids seemed deathly hesitant, but Caius emphasizing just how serious this situation was seemed to strike a chord with them. Vincent would insist they return to their friend's mother to be safe. Well, it seemed they didn't need much more convincing from there, as they nodded their little heads and rushed off. Vincent asked Caius if they should really trust the guards, and Caius frowned as he considered his words.
"That's not exactly something I would like to think about. Provo's guards have yet to show any corruption that I am aware of, but I am sure it exists in any police force. I'm sure it will even exist in pockets of the Dragonblades, the larger we get. It is a consequence of organizations like such" Caius admitted somberly. "It is possible, though. So it's definitely best we investigate ourselves first. We should be able to get some work done before any guards show up. If a corrupt guard gets in our way when we find this guy though, then we'll do what we have to. Provo's law enforcement won't like it at first, but considering what it sounds like we're dealing with, I doubt they'll be mad for long."
It was a risk that Caius was willing to take to protect people. And they didn't have the luxury of time to debate this for too long. With that, the duo were off to the docks. They seemed empty for the time being, with no signs of anyone being here right now. It was lunch hour, he supposed. Figures folks would be off on their breaks. Though suddenly, Caius would motion for Vincent to back away before a dragon of all things would land before them, growling at the air.
"It's okay, he's a friend" Caius promised Vincent with a calm tone, holding a hand between man and dragon to ensure neither were harmed. "This is my partner, Vordun. But it's odd... He doesn't normally land in the cities without my say-so. Vordy, what's going on?"
This strange behavior by Vordun continued as the dragon would slink towards a group of large doors. Cargo holds, essentially, meant to store equipment and cargo to be loaded on ships. The dragon continuously sniffed the air, trading sniffs for growls back and forth. Caius remembered then that Vordun had a more sensitive nose than he did. Though while the smell of fish and the sea masked it well, when Caius tried to pick it out more in-depth, something did smell strange. It smelled like death was in the air.
"I think he's onto something" Caius informed Vincent as Vordun would sniff at each of the doors before stopping at one. Caius noticed that the door seemed to be dented a little from the inside, but it was still locked tight. Caius looked to Vordun as if to confirm that this was where the smell was coming from, before the dragon would promptly slam his head into the door violently to emphasize this.
"Desmond, are you in there?" Caius called out, holding out a hand to nurse Vordun's head. After a few moments of silence, a child's voice would cry out from inside.
"I'm here! Help, please!"
"There you are!"
An adult male's voice sounded shortly after Desmond's did. That told Caius all he needed to know as he held out a hand without hesitation.
"FIRA!"
The large fireball would blow a large hole in the door, enough for them to step in. Inside, the warehouse was swarming with ghostly ghoulish creatures, all beginning to encroach on a boy that couldn't be older than twelve hiding behind a pile of crates. It seemed that the boy's cry had attracted the creatures to his position.
The kids left, hopefully to do as Caius and Vincent instructed. The other man considered Vincent’s concern about the guards but seemed to believe Provo’s law enforcement to be mostly uncorrupt. However, Vincent was relieved that he agreed to investigate just the two of them to begin with. Despite Cauis’ beliefs in the guard here, Vincent couldn’t shake the healthy skepticism of authority he’d learned over a lifetime of battling corruption. [break][break]
The two headed towards the docks in silence for a bit, until Caius very suddenly motioned for Vincent to back away. He did so, brow furrowed in confusion and a question dying on his lips as the shadow of wings suddenly darkened the ground around them. Whatever Vincent had been expecting, it wasn’t a dragon. Sure, he’d heard that Caius had a dragon but there was something very different between hearing and seeing the great scaly beast for himself. [break][break]
The dragon seemed on edge about something, a deep growl issuing from him. Caius corroborated Vincent’s feeling that Vordun wasn’t acting normally. Like a large serpentine dog, the dragon investigated cargo holds and warehouses, his nose scenting the air constantly. Vincent followed at a safe distance, watching Caius for queues about the dragon’s behavior. One hand rested against Cerberus’ hilt, ready if trouble arose. [break][break]
Vordun stopped at a door with a noticeable dent for longer. Vincent opened his mouth to ask Caius if they should break the door down but before he could give voice to the words, the dragon slammed against it. An echoing metallic noise issued forth from the action, certainly alerting anything to their presence. He drew Cerberus and cocked it, mentally reading the materia along the side of the gun as he did so. Between the bullets and his magic, he’d be ready for just about anything beyond that door. [break][break]
The other man called out for Desmond and received a thin cry in return. A fireball from Caius blew the door off its hinges, revealing the warehouse beyond and the boy in peril. The child tried to hide, but the monsters drew closer, seeming to scent his fear. Vincent jumped into action alongside Caius and Vordun. Echoing Caius’ fire magic, Vincent activated his Fire materia to immolate all of the ghoulish fiends, causing them to pause in their pursuit of the boy and cry out in agony. The sound echoed horribly throughout the building, a cacophony of demonic wails. Though injured, they were certainly not dead or powerless. So Vincent took advantage of the momentary opening and lined up a couple careful shots with Cerberus, aiming for heads and chests wherever possible. One or two fell to the ground, but the rest turned their attentions towards the intruders at the door.
