The Exploits of Misfit Company

Yvan merely glances down at the beaten Kothrog, before turning his attention to the remaining attackers, and continues to fight on.

Yvan is shaken out of his thought when he feels a hand at his back, then a feeling of warmth wash over him soon after, knowing the feeling well enough to easily deduce that Alys had made her way over to assess his wounds. As he turned, his hardened and focused gaze softened once his eyes met with hers, giving the cleric a crooked smile as she offers to help him dress his wounds. "Thank you, Alys. I would like that very much." 

When the next day comes, Yvan is rested, but still relatively sore from the battle, not having exerted himself to that degree in a very long time. As he wasn't a healer, he had no problem whatsoever in helping clean the battlefield. When Bix and Stella make their way to the tower, he simply waves them off, finding that he would definitely be more useful here than there. 

On her way by back to her room to wash up Alys would stop to check in on Vastra (if she stays behind), Yvan and Kasha. Their Druid seemed to be fairing just fine the next day, she’d be good at hiding it if she was sore, but the cleric could tell Yvan was a little stiff today. This was a hard battle, on all of them and it takes its toll.

Alys will knock lightly on something to alert Yvan of her presence in case he was deep in thought, before approaching him. “Hi.” She’d offer a soft smile before stepping closer to him. “How are you doing?” The cleric will usher the Goliath to sit where he’s comfortable. She’d take a seat with him, pulling a vial of oil from her ‘special’ pouch. “May I?” Alys will pluck the top from the vial and offer him to smell it if he wanted too. Should he let her, the elf will pour some oil in her palms and begin massaging it into Yvan’s muscles, starting from his forearms to his finger tips. “It should help.” She’ll smile. 

After some silence, Alys will have to confess. “Yvan...” She’d glance down then back up to him. “I... may have...” She sighs staring up at him, pausing before continuing, “convinced Kasha to help me steal Bixby’s box.” 

 Yvan's eyes were on his hands when Alys had alerted him of her presence, the goliath lifting his head to look to her and return her smile with one of his own. "Hi," He would say in response to her greeting. She had always been a welcome distraction from his thoughts. "I'm feeling okay... just a bit sore, but I'll be fine soon enough." The barbarian would opt to sit on the ground, as it usually was able to accommodate to his size, but he is sure to find something cushiony for the cleric to sit herself upon for more comforts sake. Ever the gentleman he was.

He would take a curious sniff at the vial, unsure of just what it was by the scent alone (something extracted from her plants perhaps?), but he would trust her when she says it should help him further heal. Her hands were gentle on his skin, having quickly relaxed as she rubbed the oil in on his forearms, slowly making her way to to his large calloused hands. He couldn't control the slight frown that made itself present on his face, however it is quickly gone when she speaks.

His brow would crease at the revelation, a bit confused and wondering why she would ask Kasha to do such a thing. While he was sure the druid had no issues in doing so, there had to be a reason for it, right? Bixby had been acting vastly different, there was no denying that. Could it be that Alys believed the cube was the cause of it? ... Or was it just a harmless prank? Even so, the other didn't really seem all that bothered by it, and wasn't that the reason why pranks were done in the first place? He uses his free hand to scratch the side of his head. "... Why?"

Bixby and Stella: You make your way to the tower the next day, explaining how you wish to speak with General Brakkus about your pay. A page informs you that the General is incredibly busy today, but that he can speak to the general and see if he can't fit you in today. He leads the two of you into a small room and asks you to wait until the general says he can meet with you. You spend hours waiting in this small room and a lunch is brought to you, beef stew with a roll of bread and a plate of butter. The same is brought to you for dinner. It's late in the evening when you get the chance to speak with the general. He looks fairly tired when he meets you. "Is there something I can help you with?" He doesn't look like he particularly remembers who you are either.

"Our apologies for disturbing you on the following eve of such a terrible battle. But, it is the matter of our payment. Now, if there's a concern of a resurgence to the conflict in the near future, we will of course be happy to stay on board... for the appropriate price. But seeing as things should calm over the next few days now that the Orc horde is leaderless, we would like to be on our way with our due... with some interest." Bixby said.

"Seeing as the Misfits -- the Mercenary band you and yours hired, if you would recall -- were responsible for taking said leaders head -- Not in coin, mind you." Bixby says curtly, realizing quickly that he might be losing the general interest. "But in either one or both of those confiscated weapons of said leaders for an exceptional job well done." He expresses. "Preferably the staff, if only the one, if you would be so kind. It's not as if it will do you any good just leave them as mere trophies."

Persuasion: 26.

Stella takes her seat quietly and lets Bix do the talk for now, hands folded in her lap while she listens.

"Upon the defeat of the Orcish leadership those weapons were taken to Father Tarkus, who was able to identify them as artifacts with a great amount of dark power behind them. Now I'm not sure what that means to you, but Father Tarkus is a cleric of no small renown who has been providing spiritual guidance to the soldiers and officers that have been guarding this tower for 45 years, if he says that these are dark artifacts that shouldn't be distributed about, I'm going to take his word for it. But I'm willing to provide whatever compensation you might want aside from that."

Insight: 22.

Bixby leans back in his seat and strokes his chin, seeming to carefully consider his next words. Perhaps as a result, any thought of over analyzing the general flies out the window. Finally, he sighed inwardly and shakes his head.

"In which case, let's make it a modest 10% increase on the original gold promised, word being spread through circles you and yours travel about our band, and... if word ever reaches yours or a friends ear about less 'dark' artifacts general rough whereabouts, do have someone deliver the news our way. I suppose... oh! And if you could recommend any friends or merchants that might acquire rare oddities, that too would be appreciated." He then looks to Stella. "What do you think? More than fair?"

Stella listens calmly, tilting her head. She nods. "I think that sounds fair enough." She gives the general a smile. "And of course, should you find yourselves in need of our assistance again, do contact us, and we'll remember how amicable you are to work with. And if we find anyone you could use who...isn't otherwise occupied, we'll send them your way. In time, we could have an excellent, mutually beneficial relationship."

Alys would sigh at herself after blurting the secret. She'll hold her hands ready for when Yvan was done scratching his head at her to begin working on that arm. It was a simple question. Everyone else, even Bixby would probably have an easier answer to that question, but not her. "A list of reasons. And all probably selfish." The cleric would avoid eye contact, focusing on staring at her hands. "I struggle to accept this 'B'." The words came out of her like poison. She hated it. "At least not as a whole. A piece of him, sure. But as a whole?" She shook her head, obviously in denial, but would continue. The elf would suddenly mimic grabbing things from the air as if counting each personality they witnessed, remembering how vibrant and full of character they were, and bundling them into an imaginary group cupped in her hands. Then she'd relax her hands as if letting go of the 'pieces'. "But I also wonder if that's what he wanted, to be free?" She'd sigh, finally looking up at Yvan and reaching for his arm for something to focus her again. "Who am I to judge who someone is and wants to be?" Her nose would wrinkle. "I feel like it could be the box. Or maybe I just want it to be." She'd look back down to work on his arm. "After how hurt Kasha was... After it sucked the life out of our burst of energy... It didn't matter how I felt any more... It was affecting our little family..." Alys' voice would go soft, almost a whisper at the end. "I could of done it by myself.... but I knew she'd help me. I knew she'd make it fun." And Kasha did. The rush, the excitement, the bonding she felt, all of it. It was an invigorating high. "I enjoyed every beat my heart pounded from the mischief." But it came at a price. A low. Did they even have to steal it in the first place? Could she not have just asked? The guilt of stealing from a friend behind their back; influencing Kasha to do something 'bad'; trying to keep a secret after a battle like they had; not keeping the secret and unloading it all on Yvan... The emotions that churned in her was enough to send the divination wizard further down her rabbit hole of madness. And was it all worth it? "But now I just feel awful." She'd sigh, moving to work on his hand and fingers. "I want to solve the cube. A part of me believes I could maybe even do it by myself. But..." She thought about them all doing it, together? Alys would scoff at herself in her head when that thought boiled down to 'an intervention'. At minimum, she hoped Kasha would be with her and be the one to help her. "I'm sorry Yvan." She felt like she needed to apologize for the wordiarreah she just dumped on him.

Yvan hands falls back into hers for her to continue the massaging in of the oil, the giant falling into a silence as Alys begins to try and explain herself. He would note of her avoidance in eye contact, watch her mime what she meant, and listen intently to her words to focus in her tone. When she went back to his arm, his gaze settled on the floor, processing what she had been telling him the more she added in. His expression had been rather neutral had she try to deduce how he felt of it all while she spoke, he himself unsure of how he was supposed to feel.

When she finished, he remained quiet, wanting the words to fully sink in before he weighed his opinion on the matter. "Don't be sorry, Alys." He begins softly, wanting to reassure her that he doesn't see her in any negative light now due to this. "I don't think what you did was selfish... I believe you did it with the right intentions. I... can't speak for B. The way he spoke back there sounded as if this was what he wanted, but..." He pauses for a moment, his brows furrowing in thought, hoping to word it correctly, as best as he could. "I don't think he took into consideration how the... 'removal' of his personas would affect us... While I understand that, ultimately, the choice was his... I wish he would have consulted us about it. I thought the family we forged meant more to him than I think it actually does." He frowns at the thought, then considers retracting that statement. He didn't want that to be true. He believed that, maybe, deep down, they had a special place in his heart, but it was too difficult to see with this new personality.

Yvan takes a deep breath and continues on. "Kasha always has a way to make anything she does fun," A soft smile slowly forms on his face as he speaks of the druid. "She's always been the ray of sunshine in our family. Always finding ways to make us smile, even through the hard times..." The smile slowly fades. "Seeing her... seeing her after what happened in the wilds... It was as if a rain cloud blocked her shine, a-and it frustrates me that I can't recall what happened." His face scrunches up at the crack in his voice, but he pushes on. "While I think stealing from one of us isn't... good... I know you asked her with good intentions. While I can't stop that awful feeling you have now... Know that doing what you two did helped bring her shine back, and I personally thank you for that, Alys."

"As for the cube... I'm not very smart, but if you want help, then I would be willing. Maybe... Maybe it has some answers for us...?" He considers it briefly, having wondered about why B was so invested with the thing. Finally, he looks at her. "I... am also glad that you felt comfortable enough with me to confide this with me. I don't think it was easy for you to admit, but I want you to know I don't see you any differently because of it."

"I suppose that I can agree to those terms. Tomorrow I'll set it up so that each of your party is paid 3,000 gold pieces for the services that you've rendered and I'll make sure that word of your exploits during the battle spreads. As for a collector of rare and magical items, I think that Master Zeppeli is your man."

Bixby weaves his fingers together, and almost seems to smile. "Master Zeppeli? Love the name, and I look forward to meeting them. If you could supply directions or include the means by which we might meet him in a note along with the gold, that would be most appreciated." He said, and once the matter is fully settled, he stands up, and bows deeply in thanks. "Well, this has been most productive. Again, if you ever need us, you know how to reach us. Thank you for your time, General. May the rest of your tenday be a little less eventful."

Stella rises as well, giving the General a nod and a bow. "Thank you for your time and assistance, General. It's greatly appreciated."

Alys constantly feared judgement and punishment for her sins, big or small, the anxiety eating away at her core. The only thing she knew to do...  was to do what her father always instilled into her with his teachings. You confess and atone for your sins. You are not freed until you ask for forgiveness.

The cleric would listen intently, with her whole heart, to what Yvan had to say. To the sound of his voice. Yes he was normally very quiet and always claimed he wasn't smart, but he was wise. And above all else, gentle and caring. Maybe it was her natural affinity for earth, but she was drawn to him because he held himself strong like a rock. As sure as the ground beneath her feet. It felt like, bit by bit, his words could lay down the safe foundation to build one's soul up and mend it. She's witnessed his tenderness with Kasha and in the garden they tended. And now she believed she felt him grounding her at this moment.

Feeling overwhelming emotions of relief wash over her, she'd lean forward so fast it'd almost seem like she'd fall. Alys would bury her face into his chest giving his hand a squeeze to hide her biting back some tears. "Thank you Yvan." It was muffled.

After a moment or two, Alys would sit herself back upright and fix her glasses. She'll grab the vial of oil and slip it into his hand, closing his fingers around it. "I wanted to mention that we all had a hand in making this. You had a hand in creating this. Made from the medical herb we grow at the mansion." The cleric wanted to leave him with a reminder that he has the power to heal and do good with his hands.

Finally, she'd look back up. As much as she'd appreciate Yvan's help with the box, she knew she needed Kasha. She wanted Kasha there. Truthfully, Alys had thought she'd find their druid here with Yvan. She had almost come to expect them to be found together like peas in a pod. They had a special bond that was beyond endearing to her. "If it's not too late... I'm hoping Kasha will still help me. It was supposed to be our thing..." The elf would nibble her lip, feeling her heart sink. "And in case we couldn't do it, I was sure Vastra would be smart enough... So I suppose... I thought we could do it as a group while B was away? Distracted?" There's that guilt bubbling up again. "Should he be there too? Would he stop us?" And the anxiety. "And Stella! I don't want to forget about Stella..." She hated feeling left out, therefore she hated leaving people out.

Yvan wasn't sure how to react to the sudden feeling of Alys leaning into him, squeezing his hand as if she were holding onto dear life, yet he only takes a second to use his free arm to give her a one armed hug. It may have been a little awkward considering their position, but he felt as if she needed a hug right then and there. While he couldn't hear her at first, it didn't take much for him to deduce what she had muffled in his chest, the goliath letting a soft smile grace his features once more.

When she pulls away and sets the vial in his palm, notifying him that he had a hand in making something that helped and healed others, the smile falters. All his life he had been told that his hands were made to destroy. To maim. To kill. That he was nothing more than an executioner. If his hands weren't around a hilt, what good was he? If he had failed in ending his opponents life, what good was he? If he had not come out of the ring, clothes soaked through with blood, his enemies dismembered head held tightly in his grasp, what good was he? He had been plagued with the mindset for years. Being with the Misfits helped him move on, but the thoughts were like leeches that were impossible to remove. The tiny vial he had in his fist now reassured him that he was more than what his tribe made him out to be. His new found family didn't see him as a ruthless killer, but as a gentle giant, wanting nothing more than to protect them. 

"Thank you, Alys." He murmurs down to her quietly, meeting her gaze before she moves onto speak of Kasha and the others. He tilts his head to the side as she rambled on, though her tone worried him. He set the vial to the size and took the elf by the shoulders, hoping to stop her in her tracks. "Alys," He would say, voice a little more stern now, though it lightens up as he continues. "While I'm sure the others wouldn't have an issue with helping solve the cube, I'm certain you and Kasha can do it yourselves. You're very smart, and Kasha is wise... when she wants to be..." He clears his throat. "Anyways... After it's solved consult the rest of us, without B, then together we figure out the next step." 

She'd stop.

Alys would place her hands on his as she listened. She'd squeeze Yvan's hands, appreciating the gentle but stern direction. He pointed her down a clear logical path. It was simple, but it's what she needed. The elf will nod affirmatively, smile then tilt her head to the side to hug the goliath's hand with the side of her face. If she didnt leave now, Yvan would probably have to psyche her up all over again. Alys will slowly slip from the goliath's grip to stand. But before she'd step away, and to avoid sounding like a broken record, she'd lean down to gently press her lips against his forehead and then mouth the words 'thank you', again, before she'd move to take her leave to search for Kasha.

Hoping to find the druid, the wizard would think to keep an eye out for things that could be 'Kasha breadcrumbs' as she started to wonder about. Last seeing her with Obsidian and so full of energy, Alys would look for signs of mischief along with leaves, pinecones, peanuts and slugs. Thinking of a game she played as a child, she figured she'd give it a shot...

"MARCO!"

Her nod of affirmation caused him to smile crookedly, glad that she was able to refocus herself after he spoke his piece. His hands drop from her sides as she stands, ready to watch her go and seek out the trickster druid, but is taken aback at the kiss on the forehead. He is left blinking with ears burning as she walks off, and soon a hand gently presses to where her lips had been. His brow creases at the heat he feels, however, before he is able to think much on it, he is shaken from thought at the loud name calling.

"... Who's Marco...?" He would question to himself, then shrug it off and return back to what he had been doing.

"POLO!"

Something inside Kasha caused her to blurt out someone's last name when she heard Alys call out the first name. She looked around and saw her. "Oh! It's Alys! Look!" she pointed. Obsidian peeked down, too, from the tree top, nodding in confirmation. Kasha wrapped her legs around the tree branch and dangled from it in front of the elf.

"Hallo, Alys!" she'd wave to her. "We were just playing hide and seek. Obsidian is pretty good!" she'd glance at the black cat from the tree branch, who gave a look indicating the sentiment was clearly obvious. She smiled at Alys and waved.

Alys would clutch her chest in surprise at the immediate response and appearance of the druid, not expecting it to have been so effective. She'd have to take a second to breathe and for her heart to recover. But it never does in her presence. And as Kasha dangled there, beaming with her energy and that smile, the elf couldn't help but perk up too. A smile will spread across her face, ear to ear. "I know I found what I was looking for." She'll reach out and gently hold the druids face, "Would you like to play with me?" The wizard would tilt her head inquisitively before winking. "Do you want to solve a box?"