Fire Emblem On Forums: Mortal Transgressions (IC)

[Blasbo]

Months. It's been months since she was sent here by the cowards too afraid to keep her locked within their jails on their false pretenses, scared of the prospect that justice might come to them in the form of a blade to their throats. She's been sitting here, alone, rotting, just so murderers and thieves wouldn't have to be held accountable, for months. In short, no shit she's pissed and no shit she feels like strangling the life out of the warden the moment she has a clear shot--but a rational part of her abstains. It'd do her no good to kill the warden and die to the crude blades of who knows how many guards. Still...if she's going to be out, she'd rather take anything she can get out of this chance.

 

She's locked in the room with seven strangers--of course she doesn't immediately trust them. She'd be a fool to do so. But she's also the only people she's been able to actually interact with for a long time.

 

"....Idea. We hide behind the door's blind spot and choke out the first guard to investigate. Maybe snap his neck if he's too much trouble. Take his weapon. Hide the body out of sight. Rinse and repeat."

She figures she might as well break the ice.

[Flannelmagician]

"Your brain must have rotted while you were locked up in here. You really think we'll be able to take out armored guards with our bare hands...? Honestly.."

 

Despite the hostility in her voice, Tabitha was glad to finally be able to interact with others. Due to having lived a majority of her life in a monastery, long periods of solitude were familiar to her, However, despite this contact with her fellow inmates was something she craved. She shakes her head at Reiko and folds her arms and begins looking at the guard furrowing her brow as she mutters to herself. 

"Imbeciles, me? Huh, maybe if one of those guards was able to use a tiny portion of their brain power to listen to the direction the fire spell was fired off in I wouldn't be here wasting my time with the rest of these clowns..." 

 

Tabitha's mind began to wonder to thoughts of the monastery, how under normal circumstances she'd offer a prayer to the gods to seek safety and rescue from this situation. She briefly considered folding her arms to pray but stopped herself. She knew the god's she once held dear wouldn't intervene in what was about to transpire. 

 

Despite the anxiety overtaking her, Tabitha would be lying if she wasn't interested to see how things would transpire from this point forwards. 

Tabitha folded her arms and stared intently at the guard furrowing her brow as she muttered to herself. 

[Aurorix]

Baldur wasn't too fazed by the recent course of events. These corrupt men were nothing but a blight on this world, taking advantage of it's weakened state for their own personal gain. If anything he was glad their blood has drenched the ground. This is just one small step to something much grander. He kept these thoughts to himself, however. Don't need to raise unnecessary tensions. He should start working on Phoenix orders.  "Alright, time to patch up Dragon and... Fiscus... ugh...  Baldur tried to avoid the street rat looking boy as much as possible during his time with the group. He couldn't understand why he would choose to wear such tattered rags. It disgusted him just getting a glance. Lets try and avoid dealing with that as much as possible. However, something more important caught his attention and that's the reason why they're heading to the prison.

 

"Phoenix... I question your source of allies. Is breaking into a prison REALLY a good idea? Sure they may help us and most of them may not be criminals but some of those people deserve to be there. I'd rather not let in a wolf to our herd that would sell us out for a few sacks of coin."

[Unlurking Sentinel]

Near the wall to the left of the room's entrance stood a man in tattered, loose training clothes, barely concealing his muscles. It was likely he had been exercising regularly behind the guards' eyes. He wasn't a particularly massive individual (in fact, he was a tad short), but it was nonetheless clear that you did not want to get into a fight with him. Thankfully for them, he was in a significantly better mood than anyone in that prison had any right to be. In fact, somehow, it appeared that prison life had not fazed him one bit, as if it were simply normal life for him. One might think he has been here for many years and had finally snapped under the loneliness, but he was too young, and had only been here for two months. 

"An escape plan, already?" He had not thought much about leaving the prison before this. I mean sure, he likely wouldn't die here, not if he could help it, but breaking out now? "Even if I were interested, the girl in red is right. Besides, you think they'd approach one at a time, lining up to your hands in single file? As soon as more than one shows up, you'd be ended on the spot."

[Blasbo]

"Yes, an escape plan, already. It's something. Excuse the fuck out of me for wanting to make something of this besides social time for ten minutes and then back to rotting in the cell for another however many months. What the fuck does 'already' mean, anyways? Should we wait for a more convenient season to want freedom?" She snaps, crossing her arms and looking out to the corner of the room at, well...nothing in particular. It was, admittedly, a somewhat far-fetched plan, but it was more than the nothing that was being said previously. It's....irritating how little interest they all seem to have in getting out. Well, maybe they don't have anything beyond those walls but she does, and like hell is she going to rot here forever. (Why, no, all that time in solitary didn't do wonders for her temper, why do you ask?)

 

It seems that even here, where they're all suffering together, humans are so rarely reliable.

"Hey, though, if you've got a better idea on how to spend the time we've been graciously allotted together, let's hear it. Maybe knitting? Meditation? Praying the Warden doesn't get bored and execute us tomorrow, perhaps?"

[rokubiraijuu]

Quiet since they loaded into the wagon, Ferdiad has been sitting up near the front, mostly looking out of the window at the hills passing by. He listens to Kane's explanation, unable to help the worries that stream in like water through a sieve.

 

How is Kane certain that the ones they'll be freeing are innocent?

What if innocent, unassociated people are harmed in collateral damage from what will almost assuredly be a violent prison break mission?

What are the ramifications of freeing prisoners of other countries?

Will killing the guards and freeing some prisoners truly shut down the prison? What's stopping the authorities from simply putting new, even crueler guards in and making the situation even worse for those still there?

 

He's only paying half-attention to Baldur when he speaks up. He doesn't want to question Kane, not in front of everyone. It's poor for team morale, and anyway Kane is always so sure in his beliefs of what is right and wrong, what should and shouldn't be done in the name of justice, that he hasn't the heart to pour cold water on him, so to speak.

 

His fingers drum restlessly against the open windowsill.

[Unlurking Sentinel]

"You think if we start praying now, the Horse will answer us?" The man chuckled at his own words. "Hinabe, two months. Three counts of manslaughter. How about you guys?" This was his attempt to break the ice. 

[Swordstar]

"Ah! Fey!"

A purple and green blur rushed past the others chatting about murder, and slammed into one of the other prisoners.

 

"Can you believe that they locked us up in here? Those bastards! Ooo if only I had my potion equipment, they would all regret it. But noo they had to take it as payment for my crimes. And then they separated us! Well, once my family finds out, we'll get out of here but still! So rude of them."

 

She hardly seemed to be taking the chance to breathe here. But still, their time in prison didn't seem to have dampened her spirits too much.

[Blasbo]

"...Tch. The Horse answering anyone's prayers. That's a good joke." If she's learned anything over the past six months of her life, it's that if the Horse did exist then it cared little for mere mortals like them. After a few moments of silence, though, she lets out a sigh. "Reiko Masuda. Six months over a variety of prisons, four months in this one. Some bastards killed my father, stole our heirloom and pinned the murder on me."

 

She's silent for a few more long moments. "...I need to recover it. It's dangerous in the wrong hands, and Father deserves justice. But I can't do that while I'm rotting in here."

Edited February 7, 2019 by Blasbo

[Flannelmagician]

"Well if everyone's sins are being laid out.." Pausing she began to twirl her hair around her index finger as if to show her interest in her fellow inmates. "I'm Tabitha Bellmonte, I'm in here for torching a brothel while the owner was still inside. I guess you could say that's manslaughter, but that man was far from being human." 

[RedMageCole]

Kane just seems to pause for a while after Baldur voices his concerns.

 

"...yes, I suppose that was a silly ideal to think about. I'm certain this prison houses innocents... but for our safety, we shouldn't be hasty to recruit them at all. Forgive me, Orchid, it was a bit brash of me to assume so... it's just been rather hard to get new members. It used to be much simpler... I remember when I recruited you, Ficus; I didn't even expect to recruit you, I just meant to give you something to eat... but you were so insistent that you help me, you didn't even know I was the leader of Virtuous at that point. But we don't need new members that badly. You seven are more than enough to ask for... I just wish I didn't have to ask so much of you all."

 

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

 

The man in red simply lets out a rather loud scoff at Reiko's plan, but soon his sarcasm turns into annoyance.

 

"What's the point of sharing our names and crimes? If I told you what mine was, you'd all tell me I was full of shit. Now, if one of you can miraculously come up with a way out of a concrete room with two locked doors with guards on each end that doesn't involve us using our bare hands against solid steel, I'm all ears because I don't have time to waste in this shithole when I have actual crimes to commit rather than just getting locked up based on bullshit."

 

The man in grey stirs.

 

"Ye need t' calm down, Red. Why must ye be so hostile towards potential partners in crime? I for one am happy t' share things about meself; I be known 'round these parts as Simeon, a blacksmith who was locked up because some'a these guards don't know how to hold a crossbow, and somehow a bolt in the eye be me responsibility. I don't plan on stayin' long, though. A month... that's all I was locked up fer, 'n that's all I plan te be locked up fer."

 

'Red' does not look pleased with being told off.

 

"Blacksmith my ass. You look like the type to pillage for weapons rather than make them yourself. What's your real deal here?"

 

Simeon just lets out a hearty chuckle.

 

"Ye'll see me real deal soon enough... jus' give it some time, Red."

 

'Red' simply mutters a few choice curse words under his breath in response, and Simeon leans against the wall, rather close to the locked door where all of your cells were, seemingly waiting.

[Twinwolf]

On the wagon ride, Cecily would plop herself down next to her sister. She had... well, she wasn't sure what to think of recent events. She knew that killing would happen when she joined up. She didn't like it, but it had to be done, right? At this point, she was more worried about her sibling... 

 

"Hey, sis." she began... a bit bluntly. "There was some... heat, earlier. How're you feeling about it all?"

[Blasbo]

Well, whoever Red is, he's certainly a peach. The actual noted desire to leave is appreciated, but the rest of him leaves....much to be desired. Honestly, with almost every person she meets the desire to never interact with other people again just keeps growing stronger. Simeon, though, seems...reasonable enough.

"...If 'Red' is finished letting us all know how above us all he is, maybe Simeon could enlighten us on this 'real deal'? If it involves a means of escape I'm all ears."

[Zetaark]

"Well one can hope we can get out of here. Seriously though, this place seems to have gotten real gung-ho about throwing people in jail for whatever they want. Notorious pirate terror my ass," Fey remarks to the girl who bumped into her, while muttering the last bit so that no one else could here.

[Swordstar]

"Oh, don't worry, we'll get out of here."
She'd been about to say more, when she got distracted by the man in the red cloak. Walking over to him, she smiled up (very up) at him and nodded at his cloak.

 

"I like your cloak! Nice and fluffy, just like my clothes! Are you from the mountains too or do you just get cold a lot? I miss the mountains... It's too hot down here, you know? So is your name Red then? Why did they lock you up and what are the real crimes you want to be doing? Also you probably shouldn't talk too loudly about wanting to do real crimes, so I don't know why I asked you that. It would be silly to admit to something like that in a place where you don't know who is listening. So what kind of fur is that on your cloak?"

[Chevaleresse]

"I'm doing alright. I knew what I was signing up for, don't worry about it." Justine shrugged, and took on a slightly lighter expression.

"Besides, all I had to do was prance around a little bit and shake my butt to motivate people. It beats having Mother asking me when I'm going to find a husband or, you know, not find one."

[RedMageCole]

Red just gives a small 'hmph' in response to Reiko, turning away from everyone and keeping to himself. Simeon gives another hearty chuckle.

 

"Don't ye worry yer little head for now... Reiko, is it? I'll just suggest ye get comfortable with these lads and befriend 'em... even if some of 'em are a little tricky to get used ta."

 

Red didn't have very long to keep to himself before his silence was interrupted, and he looks briefly annoyed for a moment until Mim started talking, until he starts to look... confused. Flabbergasted, even.

 

"...You're... seriously talking to me? After- oh, whatever... alright, slow down a little, I'll talk. My name is not Red, I assume that man just gave the nickname to me. However, my name... it's not something I intend on talking about at the moment, similarly with the crapshoot of a guess they put me in here for, no matter how correct they were, and the crime I intend to do when I get out of here. So Red is fine with me for now... hm..."

 

Red pauses for a bit, as if to mull over a few facts, notably his supposed new name.

 

"...I am from the mountains of Ria, yes, and I'm pretty sure this fur is bear. As for Red... I'm averse to the idea of someone else choosing a name for me, but I'll admit the concept of the name intrigues me. You may refer to me as Crimson for now."

[Swordstar]

"Hee, ok Crimson! It's a nice name. Fits. And oh good, it's nice to meet someone else from the mountains. I think the fur in my outfit is hare? I forget, it's been a while... But bear is impressive! And warm too, which is nice. Hmm... if we're not giving real names then... Ah, yes! You can call me Snowbird!"

 

She giggled, thinking about the cute fluffy birds that flew around the mountains she called home.

 

"So what's your plan for getting out of here then? I'm pretty sure my family has enough money to get me out of here when they find out but that could take foreeeeeeever. I wanna get out sooner if possible. Get back to my travels. I make potions, you see, and they tossed me in here for selling without some stupid license. Fuckers. They just wanted money from me. But I didn't have any to give! Not right then at least... And then Fey tried to help but got tossed in here too. So I need to get her out, cause it's all my fault she's in here in the first place. Sorta. Well.. Yeah. My fault."

[RedMageCole]

It seemed that whatever Crimson was expecting from this gaggle of people, it was the exact opposite of this. His intimidating aura seemed to diminish as his face continued to show nothing but confusion at the girl he towered over excitedly engaging him in conversation. He notably raised his eyebrows at her f-bomb; the casual usage of it was rather astonishing to him. Whatever the case, it seemed to make him feel just... slightly more willing to talk.

 

"...Very well... Snowbird. I don't have a plan for getting out of here, unfortunately. If I was the one who set off the Fire tome earlier, I would just blast the door down and cut through this prison like tinfoil, but I was not, so I don't have a plan. But I understand your need to get out as soon as possible... while I certainly have no reason to get out early, I would like to."

[Blasbo]

Hrm....well, that tone, even if he didn't mean for it to come off that way...it does feel ever so slightly patronizing. She simply gives a noncommittal, almost dismissive noise before turning her head back towards the wall, a scowl seeming to re-establish itself on her face.

"Befriend them...? I'm not sure I'd go that far. If I'm to be disappointed and we just go back to our cells, they likely have enough people thrown in here to make sure no one group stays in contact long enough to actually plot anything over a long period of time. Even given the possibility that a freak magical accident occurs and we escape right this moment, I doubt there'd be that much reason for our paths to continue crossing. I have my duty, Red has whatever petty crimes he wants to get thrown back into prison for, and everyone else...I know not their motivations but whatever they are, they don't seem to lend themselves to traveling with someone they have little care for."

Edited February 8, 2019 by Blasbo

[Powder Miner]

Eventually, Lizaveta sighed and got up. Well, she'd already got herself into it, she supposed. And she was about to go fight the forces of Perus, anyhow, and that at least she knew she wouldn't hesitate in. Perus... the greatest oppressor of them all, really. Those who plotted and schemed and robbed and killed, all to make sure they lived in utter opulence while the rest of the world lacked it, those lords of the merchantry who had essentially eclipsed the aristocracy and had taken the opportunity to only further put their feet on the necks of the peasantry or those who would challenge their dominance of the merchantry...

 

...they deserved to be fought, and Lizaveta wouldn't feel bad about that, at least. Perus was pure evil that thrived on exploitation, and she would be happy to free their prisoners.

 

However, whereas she now finally took on some nonhesitance, it seemed that another one of the members of Virtuous was not quite so clear on the subject, looking like... well, probably like she did around five minutes ago. She could tell him why it was justified! Lizaveta approached him.

 

"...Knight? Just a guess, but... are you unsure about the upcoming mission?"

[rokubiraijuu]

Startled out of his reverie by the sound of another, Ferdiad looks up, surprised to see the Lizaveta joining him by the window. He musters up a smile, grateful for the interruption from his thoughts, though it's somewhat chagrined at being singled out so prominently.

 

"That obvious?" He gives a weak chuckle. "I do not feel... right, speaking up about it to Kane in front of everyone." He glances to Baldur, as though to reference his conversation with their leader at the moment. It seems like he'd managed to deflate Kane's enthusiasm somewhat, and the thought makes Ferdiad feel guilty, as though he had been part of it.

 

"But don't worry. I'll do what needs to be done and protect you all, no matter what comes."

[Unlurking Sentinel]

Hinabe gave a sigh. Everyone else seemed to have a reason to get out of here, huh... "That attitude of yours, Masuda... it's either going to be your salvation, or an early execution." 

 

"If you're extra unlucky, both." He thought he might as well keep up the religious humor, as he walked towards the center of the room. "Either way, if no one can stop you, I'm joining you. I'll tackle the guard from the other blindspot, and you can choke him out."

[Swordstar]

"Hmmm well I guess you just seemed like the kind of guy who would have a plan. Though maybe the mystery guy who called you Red is the one with the plan. It has to be better than the plan those two have to try and punch a guard. That's just going to get them killed, you know? Or maybe, if they're lucky, they take out one guy. Then what? They're already on high alert because someone used a fire tome. Not like they're going to just run away because one of us has a spear."

 

She shook her head in a disappointed manner.

 

"You would think people would be smarter. Any sort of move here without support from the outside will just end up with a bunch of dead prisoners. Hopefully they don't kill us all just because two people decided to be dumb. I don't think I would like dying very much. I have too many things to do still."

[Blasbo]

"Think what you want about my 'attitude'. The fact is, there aren't many in this room who've given me much reason to trust them enough to make friends." 

 

She stares at Hinabe like he's grown a second head for a few seconds upon his declaring his intent to go with her plan, before shaking her head. That's...she doesn't understand that. Why is he apparently willing to go with something he thinks won't work just because he thinks she's going to do it hell or high water? "Don't be stupid. You said yourself it wasn't a very good idea. I'll concede that it might not have been well thought out, I just thought that if my idea wasn't good then at least someone would have a better one. Instead what I hear is a group of people more concerned with feeling smarter than someone else than actually coming up with something."