My First Hour [Mission lead out]

[Reila Tsukino]

Reila Tsukino head of Fort Briggs had been reduced to a mere human being after being faced with the wrath of her half-sister. She herself had let forth a storm without thinking. She could have killed everyone... As she slept, these dreamlike thoughts plagued her, making her toss and turn in a feverous frenzy. Life...was so difficult sometimes. And the guilt was slowly eating her alive. Never again...never again would she allow herself to give into emotion and let her alchemy go wild like she did. But...but she had been about to die... About to die...

Reila snapped awake, panting in hysteria. Her blazing golden eyes flew throughout the room that was, at the time, empty. But it didn't feel empty. Someone must have just left. Maybe they had gone to get something or...the bathroom? She didn't know nor did it matter that much. She was just glad that no one had seen her like this... This weak and defenseless side of her--this side that was so ordinarily human. No one at Briggs could see this. She had to be strong and swallow the misery. Reila was still alive. And Saga... had to have died.

She noticed a few sheets of papers laying on a stand next to her bed. Moving weak limbs, she reached for it and grabbed the parchment. Her fingers were clammy as she turned the pages, reading with her lightning-like speed. So no one had died from the tornado... The casualties were mostly from the fires and explosions of which had nothing to do with her. Vaguely, she wondered if the perpetrator had been caught. But that was Central's problem. She was at Briggs now. Of that she was sure: the window was covered in thick layers of snow. But who had left this here? Wait... Mura! Murazar Dauthi. Who else would it be?! How could she have...forgotten...him for...a second...?

A chill so cold ruptured her spine. Her eyes widened and she dropped the papers to the ground. Forgotten? Something was missing. It was as if...she had forgotten something extremely important. She couldn't remember but... everything seemed lethargic and dull. Colors weren't as pretty...it was cold. Was Briggs always this cold--this lonely? She clutched the sheets and took a deep breath, rising from the bed. In her silky pink pajamas (that she didn't remember getting into), she walked carefully into the middle of the room. Her bare feet froze to the tiled floor of the medical wing. She knew exactly where she was...and yet...felt so lost.

She looked at a vase of red roses on a table by the door and stared at them, transfixed. Red... Her heart skipped a beat. What was it about that color? She shuddered and quickly looked away. How long had she been unconscious? Who had pulled her from the festival after Saga nearly stopped her heart? She touched her chest, feeling the familiar steady beat. She was okay. But...something in her mind wasn't. It scared her. But just when she felt the fear spiraling through her soul, she heard footsteps coming closer...

"...Who?" Reila stammered.

[Murazar Dauthi]

Murazar had nodded off once again, the doctors and nurses were as worried about him as Reila. He had done almost all of her paperwork, he had taken on the responsibility of briggs to himself in a personal way. As if it fell into disrepair or anything happened to it he would be letting reila-chan down. He was sitting in a chair, his hair ruffled all to hell, his eyes had small dark circles beginning to form under them from being both the intel head and the head of briggs whilst trying to maintain a strong standing among amestris. After all it wasn't unknown that reila had temporarily fallen into what appeared to be a light coma.

No one knew how to react to the infamous Murazar Dauthi. He decided to lay the few important reports that would lay Reila's mind at ease near her every time he recieved that kind of paperwork. His dreams were a disturbing reliving of his childhood. All the insults, his fathers death, his mother's mind faltering and not even remembering him anymore. He stumbled out of the chair and onto his feet in a combative stance while looking for trouble as he heard a noise. A small pip-patter of barefeet on the floor in Rei-chans room?...Oh my god." He began to walk towards the door and heard her say as if lost and maybe a little afraid.
He stopped and spoke from the otherside of the closed door while beginning to tear up," Its Mura..." He was crying with a big smile on his face as he opened the door and rushed to hug her in his arms. He felt more tired and exhausted than he looked, and yet so happy that she was awake. He pulled his head away from her shoulder while still hugging her and said with as much humor as he could manage while he looked like he had both just woke up and hadn't slept in a long time. His hug wasn't he filled with much strength, as if it was a struggle to lift his arms.

" I miss you so much, I dont think I could take losing one more person..." He barely finished the word person before more tears fell from his eyes and he digged his shoulder back into her shoulder. He had never looked like this before, he didn't even think to himself that he had ever felt this way before. He believed he truly loved Rei-chan, he just didn't know how to go about it. He didn't know what to do, he felt ready to collapse right where he stood. He was bursting with positive emotion and yet felt so tired. He wanted to stay with Reila just a little longer if he was going to pass out.

[Reila Tsukino]

So it had been Mura that-- The door flung open after his soft, muffled reply and he nearly smacked into her with a giant un-Mura-like hug. Reila's skin jolted with surprise and the sudden closeness between them. ...he was crying. She creaked open a taste of golden orbs and assessed the situation before shutting them again and burying her face into his tall shoulder. How long...had she been asleep!? W-was it...a year or something?! Reila started inwardly panicking, unable to handle this strange Mura that she didn't know how to react to.

He pulled away slightly and she felt his eyes on her. She slowly, very cautiously opened her own and met his flooding ones. She felt tears prick the edges of her eyelids at the sight and a hand flew to her mouth. She couldn't take seeing him like this. Whatever it was that happened... Never again. She wanted to tell him, but then he started speaking. Her full attention snapped to his words whereas she intently stared at his lips forming them. It was that... The fact that she had nearly died by the hands of her half-sister. She hugged him tightly back, shutting her eyes as a few tears glistened to the floor. And then she pulled away, a vicious grin on her face. "Ha ha ha!" She added in the false bravado for kicks, "you think I would be killed that easily?! Never!" Her smile changed it tones to softer ones and she stepped back into his hold, hands no longer on her hips in defiance, but on his shoulders. She looked at him seriously, a dangerous smirk on her chapped lips. "Don't worry I'm not going anywhere. Now..." She gripped tighter on his shoulders and yanked him towards her bed, forcing him to sit down. "Relax so you don't fall into a coma again. Jeez, now you know how I feel!" She stuck out her tongue, trying desperately to lighten the mood. Come on, Mura smile!

Like the sun coming out after the rain... Her eyes were vibrate and tingling with life. But inside her mind it was still storming. "Mura...I..there's something important that I can't remember...something really important. Did...did anything happen? How long has it been?" She had sat down next to him and as soon as she had finished speaking, she let her head fall onto his shoulder. It was too much...this all was too much to handle. They needed a break. The two of them definitely needed an emotional vacation. Starting...now. She clapped her hands together. "I'll go make cookies!"

[Murazar Dauthi]

Murazar smiled as she buried her face into his shoulder and his thoughts spun in circles in a wild manner. He loved holding her as he did now, he wished she felt better. He had no idea if she remembered or knew that Dai had betrayed her, him, Xan, Briggs itself by joining the enemy. It was different than when he did so, he tried to repent and nearly killed himself in the process. It worked however to his dismay. He would never do that again, his loyalty to Rei-chan skyrocketed into a blooming love.

He smiled to her cheerful replies and comments, the promise however was unexpected as her pushing him to sit on the bed. He almost fell over asleep the instant he hit the sheets, even though it wasn't the absolute most comfortable one in briggs. He replied as he smiled lightly to Rei-chan, the tears and blurry eyes still there. " I'm just glad your back. Its hell trying to be the head of briggs in your absence and the head of intell at the same time." He glanced at the flowers he left for her nearby her bedside, opposite of the news he constantly left.

He put a arm around her mini-waistline and spoke softly as her head laid against his shoulder. His heart skipped a beat and increased in speed, he felt nervous around her. As if tongue-tied when he had a silver tongue, he didn't know what to say except." We can talk about that later when we're both better rested." He smiled softly to hear when she exclaimed she would make cookies and clapped her hands. He commented lightly, " And I remember how much I liked the cookies you baked. Although you should take it a bit easy. Or change out of your pajamas, as cute as you are in them you might want to put something a bit warmer on." He took his coat off and put it over her shoulders, it should be good enough to keep her warmer.

Afterwards he pocketed the papers and picked her up into his arms as if she weighed naught but a feather before smiling and saying lightly," Alright, where does Rei-chan want to go first? I'll carry you there at least until your wearing shoes, the floor is a bit chiller than you remember it last to be." He didn't want her to get a cold or something , right after she had woke up.

[Reila Tsukino]

It was almost as if...there was something else she had forgotten... As she sat there like a rag doll against Mura's side with her head splayed on his shoulder, she dove through the currents of her mind. Such disarray met her, leading the girl in confusing circles that only took her back to the beginning. She knew everything about herself--about Briggs; there were no holes in her memories. Just a feeling--there was just a simple feeling that something was missing. She turned her head to stare at the man who had worked so hard for her while she was out of commission... It was the mercenary she hired a long time ago on a whim. He betrayed Briggs once...once, but he had come back. And she had a feeling that he always would. They shared the pain of losing Houka together. There was just so much about him... Her trimmed golden eyes watched him carefully, studying him for any hints about the aching feeling she felt in her soul. Nothing. She only wanted...to just stay like this. She just-- A coat was thrown about her shoulders, wrapped around her embarrassing pajama top. Good. Hide it. More warmth surged around her, clinging to her skin, and shielding her from the burning cold outside that snow-covered window. She met his eyes and smiled. "Thank you, Mura."

He was worried about her. Something had to have happened. Did she really come that close to death? Running a slender hand through long strands of strawberry blond hair, she turned her eyes to the papers that Mura tucked away. They hadn't told her much. It wasn't enough...she needed to know more, but... Mura dodged the subject so... It was obvious he was worried about more than just-- Reila was whisked off the bed and into his arms like she were one of those pieces of paper. She gave a quiet yelp of surprise and instantly clung to his neck as if she were going to fall. Shyly glancing at his eyes, she suddenly got the sense that maybe she wasn't seen as just another piece of paper. He had no need to do this. He could have just left her there and been paid the same amount. Why? Why?! She felt tears gather into her eyes and she struggled to blink them away. There was just something so wrong. But she found herself excepting this touch so easily, blushing furiously, and hiding her face in his collar. She couldn't be seen like this. He was being too nice. Silent tear drops slid down her cheeks and spotted his shirt. She would be patient.

"I...I'll just get dressed and then could..could you wait outside and then take me to the kitchen?" She needed him there.

[Murazar Dauthi]

He smiled to her as he held her tightly in his arms, he paused for a moment. He could smell her, her touch of her arms around his neck, her quiet yelp of surprise, her shyly looking at him and burying her face into his chest. He blushed fiercely and was glad she couldn't see it, he rarely if ever had felt this way before. He vageuly felt the small wet tear drops the spotted his shirt. He knelt his head against hers and he held her a little closer. Murazar made a Shhing sound and spoke softly as he walked out the room with her," Its alright now, if you start crying your going to make me cry too." He had a sweet smile on his face, the blush was somewhat faded although it was slow to fade at all and still remained.

He felt like his face was on fire and his arms freezing in the hallway as he walked in long smooth strides to her room. Once he made it to the door he opened it and set her down inside with a smile. He spoke softly and with a little flirtiness hinted at subtley. It might be obvious to her, but otherwise not so much." If you need help just let me know, its a bit hard to work around just after a coma." He kept the smile as he halfway was between deciding to shut the door or not. His arms were beginning to shake visibly as the cold was leeching the warmth out of them and he decided that if she shut the door he'd just take up a position leaning against the wall and put his hands in his armpits to keep them warm.

[Reila Tsukino]

Even after a near-death-experience, Reila was still as sharp as ever. She felt her bare feet touch the rough surface of the dorm room she used to share with Ilona. Now she had it all to herself. Things were strewn about the place, unattended; she didn't always have the time to tidy it... However, it all appeared organized; all the shopping bags were in one corner, all her clothes were piled up in another, and miscellaneous objects were collected into other various arrangements. She whisked off the coat he had given her and threw it about his shoulders with an all-knowing smile and a wink. And then the door shut in his face and locked. Soft padding of her feet was heard across the floor as she stripped off her pajamas. She didn't bother with a shower, because she felt some urgency to get back to Mura. Whether is was her own seeking or some strange energy about him, she didn't know.

She threw on a tan-colored tank top with frills on the sleeves and a pair of black, long skinny jeans. She, of course, did not forget socks and her favorite white doc marten boots. Slipping her arms into a brown leather jacket, she stepped towards to door. Wait, she forgot to brush her hair...whatever. She gathered it into a fail pony tail and then swung the door open. "Sorry to keep you waiting~ Onto the kitchen?"

[Enter Xan here]

[Xan]

The sudden sound of someone clearing their throat nearby would most likely serve to reveal the presence of a certain nearby Homunculus, as well as give both Mura and Reila near heart-attacks. A sudden shadow would dim the lights in the hallway, and a chill would likely crawl up the spines of those standing within. As quickly as the shadow had appeared, it would disappear into oblivion, leaving only a rather imposing Ishvalan.

Colonel Icarus was dressed in full regalia; his Amestris military uniform was pitch black with silver lining, making his many accolades and ribbons stand out gloriously on the left side of his chest. Looking higher, one could see his silver Colonel insignias glistening in the artificial light of Briggs, as well as the light coming from nearby windows. The Twin Blades of Ambition hung in their sheathes at his waist and a cold fire was present in the Ishvalan's crimson eyes.

After looking at both Reila and Mura with a slightly cold expression for what seemed to be minutes, but for what was in reality only around five seconds, Xan closed his eyes and sighed. The cold fire seemed to have diminished when he opened his eyes again, a much friendlier, if much more tired expression replacing it.

"Well, it's about time that I found you both awake and well. Very well, it seems. Though the mind digresses. Reila, what are you doing out of bed exactly? Should you not be resting still?"

The Colonel had looked at Mura with a knowing expression upon the word 'very,' as though he knew something that most likely should have remained unknown. It was well known by those who had studied such things that Pride had a power of gathering information through his use of shadows; exactly how much did Xanthus know about the events that had transpired?

[Murazar Dauthi]

He smiled to himself as he put his coat back on since she left him with no choice when she closed the door. He wasn't going to open it, after all that would be ungentlemanly and probably cause a uproar of some kind. He pushed himself of the wall as she appeared in minutes, almost seconds now that he thought of it. She really did care about him in a special sort of way didn't she? Why the hell didn't he pursue this earlier? What did he put her through by betrayal and comas? He felt a a great sense of urgency to just take care of her, she felt precious and fragile. He wouldn't let her break if he could, he would make sure she was happy and all smiles as much as he could. She deserved that.

As soon as she was out he grinned and asked with a wink, " Want me to carry you again?" He wanted to see her reaction, a sort of reaction that would reassure him he had not made the false outcome to his long awaiting ideas and predictions he had never taken up before. As soon as he said it there was Xan's usual flashy approach and appearance. After his statement and questions Murazar analyzed his speech as he always did. Xan always was fond of using double speak and other subtle ways of communication.

He figured it out quite quickly due to the emphasis Xan put on some particular words and their usage. Apparently Xan knew the feelings between them and for each other. Him and Rei-chan... That alone confirmed it, he however couldn't discern Xan's opinion on what was happening. After all Murazar still hadn't extracted what he thought of Dai. Damn traitor, I may have done it once but I also returned in the same day. I didn't go join the damn Cretan King as an advisor for the long term. I dont know why he would do such a thing, but if I find him. I will tear apart this world to finish what I should have done right before he left!

His thoughts were hidden by his smooth facade and smile, he really was happy and wasn't going to spoil that with thoughts of rage and fury. He was happy with Rei-chan, it was one of the first moments of his life so far he had felt such a wonderous feeling. Looking at her smiling face, one that smiled in return to him. His heart skipped beats, he had a fluttery feeling that took a lot of his control to restrain. He felt good, he had never smiled so brightly and happily. The screams that were always present almost disappeared, they were so non-existant that he almost felt normal. Like this was how you were supposed to feel in life.

He replied in return to Xan's comment." Well if I have any experience in these matters she's probably very hungry and not likely at all to just lay in bed. So long as you dont pass out from standing and walking about, your fine." His voice carried a happy undertone that seemed as if to have never ever been there before. He spoke up again motioning towards the kitchen. " Lets all head to the kitchen, I bet Rei-chans hungry." He grinned to both of them and held a arm out so she could steady herself. It might be awhile before she was completely used to all bodily motions again, even walking. He knew he stumbled around for a day or so the last time he came out of it.

[Reila Tsukino]

"Want me to carry you again?" Reila blushed and looked instantly to the side, sweating slightly in nervousness. Did she look that weak...or...? It was something else. She knew Mura and there was a hidden motive in that question. She looked back at him with narrowed golden eyes and opened her mouth to reply with something clever when Xan's stealthy approach registered in her mind. She shot her head around to face him and smirked. Xan. And then well, she threw her arms around his neck, nuzzling his cheek affectionately like a cat. "Xan! I've missed you~" Her voice was slightly off-toned from smoke inhalation, but nothing else seemed different about her in the slightest. She let go and suddenly found herself at Mura's side again, eying him up and down as if a disease had come over him.

Was he always this happy? ...Happy disease.

She shot Xan a strange look, trying to silently ask him if he noticed it too. And then she raised a fist to the ceiling. "Yeah, what he said! We were on our way to make cookies. You should join us. Actually, join us. That's an order." She grinned ear to ear and took Mura's arm, noticing for the first time that she actually may need it. But she took note of Xan's implications and felt that whether or not he was actually right, he would feel like a third wheel. Her eyes gleamed, the overhead lights flickering off their intense hue. And she grabbed the ishvallan's sleeve, taking his arm as well. "Ne, Xan," it was time to try him for the information that the silver-haired head of intelligence was withholding from her. "Did anything else happen after the festival?" Her eyes were now balls of fire, daring him...just daring him to dodge the question.

[Xan]

Xan had appeared no more than a few seconds ago when he suddenly found Reila's arms thrown around him and felt her nuzzle his cheek quite like a cat. The Ishvallan wondered if Reila had always been so...affectionate, or was she trying to put up a facade and going at a little bit strong. Ah, such was the life of a commanding officer of Briggs apparently.

"Xan! I've missed you~"

The Missed One cocked his head to one side, as though he had to ponder the concept of someone actually missing him. He pretended to ponder and ponder...then his face lit up in a small smile. It wouldn't be fair to lie and say that he hadn't missed Reila, so he told the truth.

"Ah, I've missed you too Reila. I really need to see about not having to go from here to Central so much; it gets quite odd to be here and there all the time."

As Reila moved back to Mura's side, Xan caught her look and returned it with a shrug. In other words, he had never seen Mura quite this happy, but he had enough clues to piece together a reason for his overall more positive disposition than normal. And speaking of positive disposition:

"Well if I have any experience in these matters she's probably very hungry and not likely at all to just lay in bed. So long as you dont pass out from standing and walking about, your fine. Lets all head to the kitchen, I bet Rei-chans hungry."

Xanthus was suddenly torn between wanting to go with them, and wanting to be somewhere else all at the same time. Of course, Reila decided the issue for him, which caused him to pathetically (and comically) whine: "Wow, that's not even fair Reila!" Suddenly he found his arm linked with Reila's, apparently being half dragged down the hallway to the kitchen. However, along the way he was asked about what happened at the Festival...

"Well Reila, I didn't really go to the Festival, and as for anything that happened immediately afterwards...ah, I am not quite sure? Lots of stuff happened."

Not exactly his best question dodging, but then again, it hadn't been expected and for some odd reason Xan found Reila much more difficult to twist words around upon than he did most people. And that wasn't even factoring in Mura's presence; he could detect word play better than...

"Ah, but that reminds me! Mura, someone sent you a letter, a personal letter. I believe that he called himself Lodestone?"

If Mura kept up with information as well as Xan assumed that he did, then he would know that Lodestone was Daigoro's alchemy alias. Xan casually handed Murazar the letter he received from Dai, hoping that the merc would understand to read it later, in private. Whenever he did, he would find the following written down:

Spoiler:

[Murazar Dauthi]

Murazar smiled and helped hold Rei-chan up as she also snagged Xan and started to bring him along. He grinned, he didn't mind if Xan was around maybe it would keep him out of trouble. That and maybe they could bond a bit more, he hadn't had the chance in a long while to do something simple, like that cave picnic so long ago. He played along and grinned to himself as she probed Xan for answers.

He glanced over sneakily to Xan and was glad he at least attempted a fairly decent evasion, more on the side that she was being too vague and he didn't know how to answer her question. It was a fair ploy, but once he heard Dai left him a letter? WHAT!?! That traitor left me a letter? I will at least read it, although I better do so now and burn it before it becomes known to any other person in this fortress. He took the letter and with one hand unfolded it, he had read it a single time all the while keeping his composure and looked pensive whilst reading it.

He folded it back up, tossed it into the air, and snapped his fingers. The letter burned to a crisp. The message was plain and emboldened into his mind. He looked extremely pensive, he knew Rei-chan wouldn't remember who the Lodestone was. No one else was around either to remind her at this moment. He shook the thoughts off as he returned to his world and gave Xan a look that they would talk later, and in private. It was a sharp gaze, one that no one dared disobey without consequences.

To Xan it wouldn't be intimidating or make him fearful, it would make him however wary of Mura until the had their conversation. Murazar looked over to Rei-chan and grinned handsomely as he cut-off at the pass whatever she was going to ask him about the letter."Just news from home, there may be some trouble thats brewing there. I might have to go find out what it is and make sure my relative is safe after I make sure Briggs can hold its own."

He already knew from reports Kanama was recieving terrorist activity and maybe even insurgent activity's. It was just a keg of gunpowder ready to explode. To Xan he simply said, " Thanks, we'll talk in more detail about whats going on and what to do later. First however." He paused to smile to Rei-chan." Lets go get some cookies, its been far too long since i've had any sort of fun." He paused momentarily, his eyes seeming to look through briggs and see for many miles away as he spoke quietly,"Far too long."

He shook his head and came back to reality, the screaming in his mind took a small spike up when he read Dai's letter to him before dropping back down. Rei-chan was like medicine except sweet and fun to be around. To top it off he knew few others who could keep the screaming at bay so easily without effort.

[Reila Tsukino]

"Lots of stuff happened." Stuff, huh? Reila inwardly punched a wall. He was a worthy opponent, a worthy opponent indeed. He was Xan. Why do you think he's at Briggs!? Reila wanted to shout at herself, but decided to remain quiet with her two men on each arm. She needed them and no, not just to stand up. Needing someone... She stared at the letter that Mura read in a split second and vaguely wondered who lodestone was. It didn't sound like a name someone would have from Mura's hometown of Kanama. Reila was suspicious; Reila was extremely suspicious. And the color red burst through her mind again then she felt her eyes fill with tears. She couldn't let them see her like this: so defeated. She was never defeated; she was Reila Tsukino the Head of Fort Briggs god dammit! Cookies...she just had to focus on making cookies. Mura was being dramatic and talking about fun...he was smiling dammit! She clenched her fist and turned narrowed golden eyes at the ishvallan as if saying I'm onto you.

"You could just e-mail Central instead of always going there in person, but it is more respectful to be face to face. Maybe you can try to do a bit of both?" Reila suggested with a sweet smile. "Far too long..." It hit her; he wasn't talking about the cookies. Man, she was getting rusty or something. Or maybe it was just side effects from almost dying at a festival. A festival. Ugh. It had been far too long since Mura had gone anywhere than be at her side... The long-haired girl thought a moment and then immediately turned to him. "I'd like to see Kanama someday. We should all take off and go sort out the problems there?" Obviously Central wasn't doing their job. They were all slackers... She shook her head and sighed.

"I'm going to run to the bathroom, would you two get out the sugar, butter, two eggs, and the vanilla? Thanks!" Reila grinned and expertly slipped out of their grasp, turning a corner and diving into the bathroom.

[EXIT THREAD]

[You guys need to talk without Rei, right? here's your chance~]

[Xan]

"I'm going to run to the bathroom, would you two get out the sugar, butter, two eggs, and the vanilla? Thanks!" Xanthus Icarus snapped back to Briggs in the instant that Reila had said thanks. For the past few minutes he had been lost to his own thoughts. Thoughts that chiefly revolved around the unspoken problem that was looming overhead. Ever since Daigoro had left Fort Briggs, the fort had been unusually tense; the air itself seemed somehow different, as though Dai's absence affected the weather of Briggs. The weather...Xan watched Reila depart, waiting until she could not be seen before turning his attention to Murazar Dauthi. Crimson eyes met hazel as Xan stared at his friend for a few seconds before sighing with slight exhaustion.

"Well, that was not my best work. But then, how is one to do good work without proper materials?"

Xan gestured in Reila's general direction, noting that she would probably be listening to the conversation if it occurred in this exact location. "So, are we going to go make cookies or stand here to wait for the iron chef?"

Beyond being casual conversation pieces, the questions served as Xan's way of momentarily avoiding the topic that was undoubtedly on Mura's mind. After all, he had read the letter, burning it to a crisp shortly afterwards and giving Xan the 'we'll talk later' look. 'The question is: Is this the later? Or are we to discuss Dai's...defection some other time?' Inwardly Xan winced at the word 'defection.' He was the only person still remaining in Briggs who knew Dai's true intentions. Although, hopefully Mura believed what Daigoro wrote in the letter, for then there would be two. And speaking of Mura...

"Well..?"

[Murazar Dauthi]

Murazar visibly stiffened at Rei-chan saying she'd like to go with him to sort out Kanama. He didn't want to expose her to his own hometowns hatred and fear for him, his only family member didn't remember him, and he would probably have to do some violent effort in the area which would break his shattered heart further. To him, people didn't hardened their heart. Their heart was just already shattered and they hid the pain in the shards because they didn't touch the rest of the heart.

He smiled as she left to the bathroom with the kitchen as a regroup point and with a suggestion to get the ingredients ready. He nodded to Xan and motioned for them to head to the kitchen, "Lets get the ingredients ready for Rei-chan." He spoke with a smile, but the words that came next were creterian. The only language he knew that Rei-chan did not, at this point he was still trying to absorb and probe enough souls memorys to know other languages with little to no effort.

" Pride, my brother. What the hell is this about? Explain..." His tone sounded cheerful to any other who did not know the language. His tone to Xanthus however was cold, frigid, a great frozen rage that had icy spears pointed and with just enough restraint to remember to not attack and kill without thinking. It was obvious Xan had one shot at explaining the letter and himself before Murazar possibly lost control and attacked. Rei-chan being awake and nearby combined with Xan being like a brother to him were the only factors that held him back from going straight for the kill.

Xan would know that, although the immense and powerful anger was probably unexpected because Murazar generally treated any topic of Dai with indifference and uncaring openly and had not revealed any emotion on the issue as of until that moment. His hands twitched slightly as if reflexively wishing to cause havoc right then and there. His face was a cold smile as if he knew Xan outmatched him in power, but knew how to fight him and defeat at least his exterior body or evade and fight.

[Xan]

"Pride, my brother. What the hell is this about? Explain..." Explain? The first thought that crossed Xanthus' mind was: 'Explain what? The letter says it all.' This thought was followed quickly by one that gave the answer to the first thought. Simply put, Xan remembered how difficult it could be for one to take another at his word, especially when no observable proof existed except for words written upon a sheet of paper. Of course Murazar was not going to simply accept what he had read. He had not been there when Daigoro left, he had not seen the anguish...the frustration...

Xan sighed, an audible and heavy sound that revealed once again a sense of fatigue, which was strange considering that Pride apparently never could be physically fatigued, given the fact that its physical body was simply a container for something greater. "Sorry Mura, there is not much that I can say at this point that would be beyond a repetition of what was written in the letter. I do not know what the world believes happened to Briggs' Queen, but her memories were not lost, they were...'stolen.' Daigoro, desperate to get them back, made a deal with the Cretan King, and as part of the deal was supposed to take his Gae Bolg with him to use against our forces. However, he now plans to double cross Dietrich sometime in the future."

A small twitch in the corner of his mouth almost betrayed a small urge to laugh. Xanthus could only hope that Mura didn't notice it; then Xan would have to explain something, a certain ironic piece of information that was simultaneously amusing...and possessed a certain looming shadow about it. "Oh, the irony." Xan whispered under his breath.

[Murazar Dauthi]

Murazars eyes searched Xans like a viper looking for weakness and lies and would strike once seen. He looked like this was the most dangerous he could ever be without flying into an uncontrollable rage which he looked short of doing so right then and there. He spoke again this time in Ishvallan, his voice was beginning to change. It took the tone of a old man with spite in his voice and grief far hidden. He didn't even look to have realized he was speaking Ishvallan and that his voice switched. He was drawing close to insanity, the screaming in his skull sounded exploding like missiles cracking the surface of this planet around him.

" I will determine whether his words are true or false when I talk to him personally then. " He naturally paused in speech, but once he opened his mouth again this time it was a giddy little child, this time he spoke Xingese." Guess i'll have to figure out how to wipe out the Cretan army in one blow then?" He gave off a small chime of laughter that sounded both insane and child-like before pausing in mid-laugh and resuming his talk which then switched to Cretan and a cold hard-business woman-like voice." So then Pride, why did he go to you and not me? " It seemed that Murazar had just realized what was ironic.

Out of all the voices, the fluently and natural sounding languages, and different tones there was one thing in common. He sounded beyond frustrated, he knew that he loved Rei-chan and she was beginning to show signs of returning that love to him. She had loved Dai before she loved him however and he returned it. What if he did give her memories of him back? What then? Was he to just back off and let what had happened before continue? Or was he to fight for his own happiness which was non-existant before these moments?

When the time came would he know what to chose? His own selfish happiness while making Rei-chan happy? Or to crush his happiness and in knowing that destroy himself to listen to the screaming and desire nothing but more power and to end the screaming? He knew his only family left was his mother and his own town of Kanama was being reported as to have terrorists trying to incite violence and riots before the cretans attacked. Murazar knew that the town would soon riot, whether it was before, during, or after the attacks he had no idea. He just knew that if he lost Rei-chan and his mother...He didn't know if he could control himself enough to at least kill himself before he became a slayer of the people.

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