Honeyed Words, First Impressions [Ashe]

[Yuffie Kisaragi]

step right up you're the next contestant,

in this sweet charade~

Odd treasures, and old relics was the first thing to capture her interest. There was quite a few baubles and artifacts housed within the treasury of Dalmasca. Ones that she wouldn't mind parting with if the Resistance took control of the Royal City once again. Her hand reached into her jacket and wrapped around a small ball of nethicite. Amalia didn't have those treasures for now, and she certainly was about to get them anytime soon. She didn't know what the little sphere was, but she knew it was valuable.

The next thing that hit her was Auric's blatant way of flirting with her. The women was a little flattered, but she wasn't about to let it go on the first meeting. She had standards, one that Auric didn't meet. Instead she withdrew the Dawn Shard and placed it on the table in front of her. The old relic let out a little puff of mist, alluding to it's magical properties. "This, is all I have for now." She said, pushing the Dawn Shard towards Auric with one finger. "I except it back, but for now it is all I can pay you with. Think of it as collateral."

The old relic sat in front of Auric, free for his examination. Amalia motioned with one hand, giving him permission to examine the strange object. "Of course if you don't wish to join the Resistance, we shall take the relic back." Amalia said, avoiding the things name. In all honesty she didn't even know what the object's name was or what it did exactly. But she knew of it's power and she wasn't about to let it go. A slim, yet sly smile spread across her face as she drew to her last statement. "For now I shall remain alone in my own bed, but perhaps the future shall bring changes."

[Auric]

Auric had searched out such things many times now. His collection was growing -- but more than that, was what was in them. Objects of intrigue, weapons of power to trinkets that defied their set limitations... there was a great many things that were priceless in the world; he'd sought them out and found the most before most. While others spent time piecing their place in the world together, he'd already taken it upon himself to begin exploring... finding such valuables and claiming them for his private study. Where they were now was of no concern beyond that they were safe and accessible. Most thought little of him beyond a simple mercenary who attached the words 'professional hero' to his occupation. But, as it had been stated... he didn't actually quite need the money.

Amalia had done well in asking him if his motivations were strictly driven by money. They weren't. He'd given his answer and it was the truth. Still, she persisted... and with that even went as far as to offer him an item which no doubt held quite some value to her. Nethicite; the Dawn Shard. Yes, he'd seen it before... not as it was, but a picture in the Archadian archives had documented its likeness... along with the hasty experiment which had lead to the destruction of the 8th Fleet. He looked it over, mildly curiously as it gave off a pulse of mist. He reached out but paused when it stirred, lightly glowing from his near-touch. Unlike her... he knew exactly what this was. The ones owned by Archades were in his possession, as well.... but this was something she wouldn't have known. Nor would she have known of its value.

He gripped timidly in his hand -- the glowing stopped and it grew quiet. Lifting it up his eyes look upon it... but to anyone who might have seen him do this before, they'd have known that it wasn't what was in his focus. Not form. Not nature. Not structure or limitation... but essence. The very thing that it was... was what had caught his eye. A depleted stone of deifacted nethicite. Hungry for power and eager to be used... it was so different from what he'd observed of what he currently owned. The other stones were still charge... full of relatively untapped magic; a well spring of power those stones were in many ways bloated and fat. But this one? This stone was starving to take in whatever was offered... it was something he'd been curious to see for the sake of comparison. He closed his eyes briefly as he memorized a visual pattern...

Auric's eyes blinked open and looked to Amalia, smiling at her rejection. "So, you're saying... I don't get into your bed, I get to hold a paperweight and don't even get to keep it when we part ways?" he put back quite cleverly. With a sip of his drink he shook his head as his lips curled to a smirk. "You ask for a lot, don't you think? Well, if this is a negotiation... how about this? You and I share a drink every now and then... that way you get to have me for yourself... and I support your resistance in my own way. In exchange, I'll keep this until the day you so ask for it back. And I'm willing to give you a very useful piece of information as an incentive." he countered, taking the bottle of wine and offering to refill her glass.

[Yuffie Kisaragi]

step right up you're the next contestant,

in this sweet charade~

She carefully watched the man as he toyed with the small object. Her heart almost leaped out of her chest as it rolled through Auric's fingers. Something deep within her told Amalia that it was important. Something she had to keep. Thus she wanted it back, but for now she had nothing else to give the hero for hire. "When you have finished your task I will reward you in full," Amalia simply replied. Leaving much to Auric's imagination. Let him think what he wanted about her, and how often she would awake in his bed. She knew it would never happen... At least it wouldn't any time soon.

"Although," she went on, a sly smile on her face. At this point the young Resistance Leader was leading on Auric. On of her hands rested atop the wine goblet, as if she was about to pick it up from the rim. "I wouldn't mind another drink with you in the future." Her fingers swirled along the glass like the liquor swirled through her head. "And the information, that is a little bonus towards your cause." Amalia finished as her fingers descended to the glass stem. The little smirk on her face remained as she brought the glass to her lips, the vivid violet wine flowing past her parted lips. It seemed like the deal was done.

[OCC :: Ew, this one was really short. :v Oh well, next post should be my last. Cuz I don't want to drag out all my threads. ]

[Auric]

The inevitable truth of it all was that there was no need for him to agree. He didn't need the stone any longer; its nature well-memorized, it was an imprint in his mind. But when it comes to the affairs of the world most heroes would attempt to champion their favored cause and promote its spread. However, it was more difficult to look beyond the self... to stop seeing the world from the eyes of a single person. That one cause was no different from any other... but rather, that even in war there was the opportunity to make more than money. To side with one in order to benefit all... the true cause he fought for was for them all and yet he wouldn't be able to speak of it. But even great people need vassals to pull them through the darkest times... a good friend knows that to help someone worthy of following, sometimes you needed to take the option away. The power of nethicite wasn't one you could scoff at.

If this thing ever went off then all she knew and loved would be gone -- in the blink of an eye all the defiance and desires of the future would be little more than a smoldering ruin. Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely. But every leader -- be it man or woman, that was worth following was defined by their decisions during moments of crisis. She saw Archades as an evil empire no doubt... but would she have understood that the means she fought her war by were as important as the victory she craved? To wield the stone and crush her enemies would only wreak havoc. Cyrus had always told him that a single cautious strike could do the work of thousands; likewise a single strong leader was all it took to inspire the masses -- power could come from others... to garner their support was to add theirs to your own. Her resistance was meager compared to what she required... but in time that would change and when it came to Auric the aid he could provide was numerous. He couldn't swear to be a knight that would charge on her mark or be the bulwark that would prevent her from harm. And that explained why he would only support her in his own way. Subtle small things that didn't involve questionable acts of possible horror.

If his years in Aurelis had bred a single valuable lesson within him it was that to coddle was to do more harm than good. If the Desert Rose was to live up to her name then she needed to remain as beautiful as ever -- even in the harsh world that was like her Dalmasca. For only in adversity could she become proven.... or found wanting. Ultimately, to strengthen her was to strengthen his cause... and now as he smiled at her words, he shook his head and refilled his glass -- stopping whn he realized how light it had become. "Neither would I." he smiled, swirling as he took a good measure of how much remained. The last sips of a bottle were always the sweetest... giving himself only a tiny bit whilst doing the courteous thing and providing her with the rest. Her reward had gotten him curious but he wasn't as far gone as other might of thought. A reward was a reward and he wouldn't turn it down.

His eyes looking to the bottom of her glass as he'd tell her what he'd promised.

"Draklor Laboratory." he began, as her cup was brought back to full. "Heard of it? Well... recently it was attacked. Destroyed." he told her, knowing that the news had yet to make the rounds. Word traveled fast -- but it didn't travel at all when a city was locked down to find the perpetrators. Auric and Faye's recent stint with Archades was a very effective pre-emptive.

[Yuffie Kisaragi]

step right up you're the next contestant,

in this sweet charade~

His hushes words of Draklor's fall brought an end to their brief meeting. Amalia brought the her wine glass to her lips at his words, finishing off what little remained of her wine. "I thank you for your information," she simply said. Her mind racing with ideas, plans. So many things were impossible with Draklor standing proud within Archades. The metropolis seemed almost impenetrable, yet now so many things were possible. The Emperor Larsa was now vulnerable with out his precious lab of science protecting him, and so was the cities paling. If Draklor could be taken out, why couldn't they strike at the very thing that shielded Archades from the Cocoon?

"Please, keep the rest of the wine." Amalia continued. The excitement in her voice was clear. The Desert Rose had big goals, almost impossible ones. But she would find a way to succeed, and to restore Dalmasca to it's once glorious state. Yet the wine bottle wasn't nearly as glorious. Less then half of the expensive wine remained. "Think of it as a gift. But I regret to inform you that I must take my leave, I have business to attend to." Amalia said before turning around and began her descent towards the first floor.

As the Resistance Captain reached the top of the stairs she turned around once more to face Auric. "Until next time, hero." She said, before she disappeared into the crowd on the first floor. The stress on the world hero was important, not only in respect to Auric but to Amalia herself. Everyone needed a hero, and maybe Auric would be that man in his own 'subtle' way.

[OCC: Amalia out. '3' ]

[Auric]

It's not every day you hear that one of the most secure cities in the world has had an incident. Getting in and out of Archades wasn't easy, all things considered... status denoted access and to be able to even get close to certain military officials or get into certain parts of the city, you couldn't just dress up incognito and expect not to have people asking questions. Security was top notch, as well.... so it was no surprise to his ears that Amalia finding this particular piece of news to be of note was a sign that the opportunity had represented itself. On the contrary... infiltration from that point on was likely to be a lot harder now and Archades -- with its loyal citizens, wasn't going to so easily let something ill come to pass.

Still, the rebel leader was tenacious in her own right; what would come of it was already clear to him. A single piece of information -- once known, had a habit of guiding the future actions of others. Plucking the strings of fate was easy for one such as him. And he wasn't alone in that... the paperweight she now left in his possession was a tool for such means... and with it in his hands he was now freeing her of the burden one tended to carry with having a choice. But this particular deal was done... she was eager for his support and it might be that she needed it. Meddling in the affairs of others wasn't his main concern but never the less, Amalia was someone who could influence the city he was now in. He only intended that this never turn into some unwanted tragedy.

He offered her a coy smile at the offering of the rest of the bottle... something he would no doubt share with Faye when she got back. "Mhmm.Be seeing ya', Amalia." he fare-welled, emptying his glass. The Hero for Hire sighed to himself... knowing this was one more thing he needed to monitor a little carefully. He wondered how his schedule would be like; to put it in with his agenda and to watch over the resistance... but none the less, sometimes it was the price of being a hero; to not be able to look away when you were needed. He cradled his head as his mind processed how things would factor in advance. He lifted the Dawn Shard in his free hand, frowning as it stirred at his touch.

"I guess you and I should get better acquainted." he snorted putting it down and going back to nursing his drink.

--Auric, out.