Crimea Castle: Wolf Gods Don't Eat At The Table

[Mage]

The peaceful nation of Crimea was attacked not too long ago, but saved thanks to the efforts of it's defenders and newcomers. But after the long fight, many of them were obviously weary from the war, so Elincia decided to use the meeting room as a dinning room. This way she can feed their stomachs and minds.

The princess saw as servant after servant came in the room, serving fancy dish after fancy dish. "I hope you all find this food to your liking." She looked around the table. "I know you all have many questions, so please just say whatever is on your mind." Elincia was willing to do everything she could about the newcomer's problems.

Mist didn't have questions for Elincia, but she definitely had plenty for Ike. Of course, she wanted to save THAT for home. So the girl could only pick down at her plate with her fork, anxiously awaiting that moment.

As for our hero, he didn't even have his silverware in his hands. In fact, he wasn't even looking at his food or indeed anyone at all. Ike simply sat there in the seat with his eyes closed and his arms crossed, too deep in thought to even notice that the world around him was still in motion. "..." His thoughts trailed off to the Black Knight. What were his motives, why would he bother to help him? And who was that silver haired girl with him?

[Lans]

Meanwhile, the twins were attacking the food like the little, hungry, kids they were.


Sheena ate as well, but at a more...modest pace. "Well, the only think I wanna know, is how do I get home?"

[xenomina]

"I wanna go home," Bridget sighed between bites of roast chicken. "I bet Mom and Dad miss me. I mean," The boy blushed when he glanced at Mist. "Not that I don't like it here, this place is amazing!"

The goddess had been given her own chair , with a cushion so she could reach her plate of smoked meats easier. Ammy hadn't eaten so well in days, and she was absolutely in heaven with the food she'd been presented with. Surely a there wasn't a more suitable offering for the wolf...

Except for Mrs. Orange's cherry cakes, of course.

Issun, meanwhile, was up on the table chowing down on a slice of apple, watching Sheena with hearts in his eyes.

[Mage]

Mist's trance on Ike was broken by her blond friend, Bridget. "Ah, no I understand Bridget. If I were in another world I would want to come back as soon as I could. After all, Ike would be sad too." She looked to Ike. "Right, Ike?"

But Mist couldn't reach him. Ike was still too focused on the knight. 'Why would he protect us...I just don't under...'

"IKE!" The girl had it. She picked up the closest thing she could and chucked it at her brother.

"!" Suddenly, Ike found a piece of roast beef in thick sauce stuck to the side of his cheek. "..." He turned to his sister. "What..."

"Sheesh Ike, you look like your in your own world. At least have the common courtesy to acknowledge us!" Mist bellowed out at the blue haired man.

The mercenary took Mist's words in, and nodded in agreement. "I'm sorry, Ive just got a lot on my mind..." He didn't bother to take off the meat, in fact it looks like he doesn't even notice now.

Well, now that Ike was back. Elincia decided to go on. "I am sorry, but by myself I do not have the power needed to send you all to your homes. However, our creator might be able to do something."

"The Master Hand." Continued the hero of blue flames, as he peeled off the slab of beef. "If he can make a world through his own will, surely sending people to their homes isn't beyond him."

-------------------------

Outside of the meeting room, Ranulf was leaning back on a wall with his arms crossed. Looking at a certain knight walk up. "Well, hello there Geoffrey. Good to see you again."

As the general approached the catman, he gave off a confidant smile. "The feeling is mutual, sir Ranulf."

"So, what took you all so long to reach Crimea. It's not like the knights to be so lax in guard."

"My apologies, but we encountered this strange new area we haven't seen before..."

"Hm?"

[Lans]

"The Master Hand, huh?" Sheena said with a frown as she held a fork-full of food idly. This sounded an awful lot like someone similar to Yggdrasil.

[TurkwithStyle]

Azel had been with Ranulf and peered around the doorway that Ranulf was leaning near. He muttered softly, "Hello Geoffery." then nodded. "And what may be this new area you speak of?"

[Mage]

"With everyone arriving in This World, I'm sure he already knows the situation and is working on it. But still, we should locate him and ask his aid." Said the princess, then she looked over at Ike. "Sir Ike, would you..."

"Escort these people to the Master Hand, right?"

"Yes, if it's not too much trouble."

With a smile over at Elincia, he agreed. "No, not at all. Newcomer affairs ARE what you and Ranulf hired me to take care of."

But then Mist intervened. "Ike! You're not going alone again!" She frowned at her brother. "Besides, your still hurt from the battle today."

Ike knew Mist wasn't going to let him out of her sight a second time, so with a sigh he complied. "Alright, we'll go together then."

With a grin on her face, the girl nodded at Ike. "Good, now you won't get hurt while I'm around."

-----------------------

"Ah, Azel. Well this new area was quite dark, it was a large forest filled with strange monsters. Just a few paces away from Serenus and here."

A certain someone came to mind when Geoffrey described the place. "Tell me, did you manage to see or hear about a short knight with various weaponry on your way through?"

With a slight nod, he said. "My men have stated seeing some people there, so a knight might be in the crowd as well."

"Hmm, he's tough, but from your discription..." Ranulf was going through some ideas in his mind, but finally decided... "Geoffrey, I hate to drag you out of the kingdom after your glorious return. But can you take me to this place?"

"Sure, but why?"

"Ive got a hunch that a new friend of mine might be there, and possibly in danger."

[xenomina]

Suddenly, Amaterasu's ears perked up. A sudden feeling of darkness and dread hung over her, a feeling she had had only once before. She got down from her place at the table, walking to the balcony. The goddess could feel it, deep in her bones, evil had issued her a challenge, one that she knew she could not back down from, or risk the doom of all.

She growled before letting out a howl that shook the kingdom wide, even spreading out into the country side. If the whole world was silent, they could hear the faint howl of a warrior god. It was not one of fear or sadness, but of anger and courage. Whomever this evil was, she was ready for them, and she would win.

[Lans]

"I hope this Master Hand likes guests..." She muttered to herself as she returned to finishing her meal. You'd think that after helping to save the world...twice...that she'd be able to relax and maybe even get into a comfortable routine or something...but NOOOO....

[TurkwithStyle]

"Hm..." Azel thought to himself, "I wonder if that man that attacked the treasure room had come from this new location. He seemed to have this odd power to turn invisible." He spokee up, "Ranulf, I will accompany you. Not only because I wish to aid you, but I must look for this mysterious thief. I'm not sure if he is where we are going, but I can only hope that he encounters us and allows us to take back what is rightfully the castle's. Besides, I haven't left this castle since you found me in my brother's dungeon and gave me a home..." Azel's eyes shifted toward Ammy, "Is the wolf okay? She seems to be angered by something."

[Mage]

When the wolf goddess went over to the belcony to simply howl at the kingdom, Ike looked over in a confused manner. "Ammy?" He asked over, seeing if she was alright.

Mist was also worried, but maybe that was just the newcomer getting anxious to go home or something. "Not to worry Sheena, the Master Hand is pretty friendly...at least, that's what I heard." She then looked back to the others. "We'll make a quick stop at our home in Greil Fort to prepare for the trip, then we'll leave."

"Very well." Said the princess, as she rose out of her seat. "I wish you luck then, I need to get back to the reconstruction."

"Ok, we'll get ready." He also stood up and looked over at the princess.

With a nod at Ike, she gave one last word. "And please, be careful." Then she left the meeting room.

-----------------------

"Azel, are you sure? Her highness has insisted you be under protection as a guest, after all those rough years..." Geoffrey remembered helping with Azel's rescue after his brigade raided that Velthomer prison, and his brother Alvis was nowhere to be found.

"Why sir Geoffrey..." spokee the smiling catman, as he started to stretch out his arms above his head. "Azel is not simply a noble handmaiden to be pampered and kept locked up in a castle, he is a grown man with magic at his side. I see no reason to turn down his help." He looked over at Azel. "The more the merrier, right?"

Ranulf was right. Azel wasn't a child, he can make his own decisions regardless of the situation. "Very well, then I shall prepare two steeds." The general started to walk down the hall. "I'll be waiting by the gate, prepare yourselves."

[xenomina]

It was then that Ammy realized just how strange her actions would have seemed to the others, especially her companion Issun.

"What's wrong with you, furball?!?" Issun hopped over to the wolf.

In an attempt to save at least some face and relax the others, Ammy turned around and gave a happy bark, wagging her tail before letting Issun hop onto her nose and returning to the table to finish her meal. Still, a dark, knowing cloud hung over the goddess. She would have to find out who this dark being was that dared to challenge her new world, especially her own village of Kimiki. Ammy thought for a bit, starting to wander if it be a good idea for Sakuya to plant new Gaurdian Saplings troughout This World....

Better to ask this "Master Hand" for permission first.

"Hey Ammy? How about after we see this Master Hand guy, we take them to go see Sakuya??"

Perfect. Ammy smiled inwardly, thinking that there may be more hope for This World than she first thought.

[Lans]

"Sounds like plan to me," Sheena said, before looking to the twins. "How about you two?"


Porom quickly spokee up before her brother could. "Yes, Miss Sheena. It seems to be the best plan at current for us as well."

[TurkwithStyle]

The boy nodded. "I'm ready when you are Ranulf...And thank you."

[Mage]

As they all rise up, Ike walks over to Sheena and the others. "I don't believe we've been properly introduced. I'm Ike, leader of the Greil Mercenaries. And it appears you already know my sister, Mist." He held out his hand to Sheena, offering a shake.

With a nod, she agreed with Ike. "Yep, we met a while ago."

--------------

The catman patted the mage's back smiling. "Come on, let's move!" He ran down the hall, eager to find this new area as soon as possible.