(no subject)
Who: Lancer, Rhyss, Yuna
Where: The Hub.
When: Some time at ungodly o'clock.
What: Rhyss stumbles out of nowhere, trying to scam Yuna and Lancer into helping her, somehow. Yuna buys it hook, line, and sinker. Lancer... does not.
Watch For: Yuna gets annoyed again! Lancer seems to have that effect on people.
Addendum: I think Rhyss needs a tag.
Late evening nearing nighttime within the Hub. The sound of bells softly hitting each other as the Besaidian Summoner walks. She brings a hand to her mouth as an small yawn escapes her lips. She blinks and shakes her head slowly before going to look around. She stops as she looks around trying to figure out if she should spend the night here or attempt to go back to the Devil's Nest before it gets too late.
The sound of bells catches the attention of one blue-haired girl who had been leaning against a building, forehead resting on the wall. Swallowing hard, Rhyss slowly turns her head, blank eyes focusing on the approaching summoner. She pushes against the wall, slumping somewhat as she takes a few pained steps toward Yuna. No words come from her mouth, though the poor thing looks to have been traumatized.
It's late. That much is evident by how reduced the traffic through the Hub is. That's never been one to stop someone who avoids crowds, though. Silence is a blessing, stillness a virtue. He's come to appreciate these things in the mad rush of activity that constitutes daytime hours.
"Yo. Girl." This, from the shadows near to the Besaidian Summoner. There's nothing there, it would seem. Just a familiar voice, with the faintest hint of an Irish accent, leer almost palpable in the tone. Some short distance away from the girl, the Servant shimmers into being, stepping out of the aether with hardly a pause. "Hmm... we meet again. You look lost," he comments idly, watching her as she hedges over her descision.
Those red eyes turn sidelong, then, to catch the sight of another young woman shambling over. Lancer frowns, though he doesn't back away. "Tcheh. Looks like you've got company, too. You know her?"
Yuna lets out a soft gasp at the sound of the familar voice. "Hello, Lancer." She speaks as she remembers the name of the voice. "Yes, it seems that we meet again. Have your wounds healed?" She inquries as she goes to turn to face him. She lets out a small embarressed chuckle and softly nods. "I am a little lost." She then tilts her head. "I do?"
She goes to look and spots the blue-haired girl and shakes her head. "I have never seen her before. She looks hurt." She states as she begins walk towards the blue-haired girl, bells softly hitting each other.
A new challenger has arrived! When Lancer steps out of the shadows, Rhyss' gaze shifts to him for a moment. Her mouth opens as if to try to say something, but no words come out. When Yuna approaches, the Zoidian takes a step forward and stumbles into her, hands weakly grasping the summoner's arms. Her mouth opens again, finally speaking wit a weak voice, "You can... help me?"
"...No." Lancer folds his arms, glancing sideways and avoiding the Summoner's gaze. He's a little slow to answer her question, but he does, with a wordless, derisive snort. A little siphon of mana fixed up his armour, but he's still battered beneath. "Without the proper conditions, if you will, I won't be fully healed. But it's not a burden to me. Don't you worry your pretty little head over it." Well, even if it was, he's sure not going to let it show.
Lancer returns to looking over the other young woman, frowning in what almost seems contempt.
"Looks like you get to do your thing, girlie." He gestures vaguely to indicate the shell-shocked young woman, though there seems to be a little unrest in his posture and voice. His hand drifts to his side; and in a flicker of red haze, that blood-red spear shimmers into being. Rather than menace it, though, the Servant merely uses it as a pole to lean against. His eyes are fixed on Rhyss. "Better do something for her, girlie. She looks just this side of pitching face-first onto the ground 'neat your feet, aye?"
Yuna continues to look up at Lancer and can't really help but to giggle as he avoids her gaze. She gets an concerned look at his words. "And what are those conditions, Lancer?" She goes back to quickly focus on the girl that is grasping her arms. "What happened?" She inquires of the girl. She then goes to study her carefully.
After the studying of the blue haired girl. "What do you need help with?" She then shakes her head. "Hold still and I will heal you." She spoke in a commanding tone of voice. She closes her eyes, goes to rest her hands against the girl and moves her lips in a chant. An green-goldish aura surrounds her before going to her hands. It pauses though as if she is waiting for permission before going to the girl. If permission was granted, the light would leave Yuna's hands and surround the girl before entering her. Either way, the Besaidian Summoner will open her eyes and gently smiles at the girl.
It's true. By the weight against Yuna, it seems that Rhyss can barely stay on her own feet. That aura is a bit disconcerting, but it doesn't seem particularly dangerous, so she gives a slight nod. The spell definitely feels odd, but she can feel something going on at least. Her grip on the summoner grows noticably stronger, though she makes no move to stand up yet, still leaning heavily. Good thing she doesn't weigh very much. "G...gone. They're all gone." Her gaze slowly travels back and forth between Yuna and Lancer, though those eyes of hers still look blank as ever.
"Tcheh." Lancer's response comes in the form of an exasperated snort and the Servant rolling his eyes, huffing a long-suffering sigh. "Do you really think I'd bother wasting the effort telling you, even if there were something you could do? Sufficed to say, you can't help me. End of story. Go take your charity and bother someone else with it. That girl you've got there, she looks like she needs it more than I do."
"Gone." The warrior seems content to lean on his spear. He watches the two young women with a lazy, hooded stare, but he seems loathe to move or take action. "That doesn't really help us, girlie. We're going to need more to go on than that if you're expecting any help."
Yuna half-closes her green eyes at his response. "When are you going to let me help you, Lancer? How would you know if I can't help you if you won't let me try to help you?" She speaks in a mild annoyed tone of voice. She goes to focus her gaze back on the blue haired girl. "Shh... It's alright. Tell me everything that happened. Whose gone? Why are they gone?" She inquires with sheer gentlness as she continues to watch her and hold her.
This man in armor... he may be a problem. But it seems that the summoner is enough of a bleeding heart for this to work out well. "Everyone's gone. The whole village." Maybe a little bit of explanation is in order. This was so much easier with Van and Fiine, but they knew what was going on. "Zi, my world, has been war-torn for longer than I remember. Bandits are everywhere. Some bandits came... they came, and I hid.. and..." She breaks off there, pressing her face against Yuna as her grip falters into trembling.
"Worry about your own business, girl." Lancer turns his face away, waving a hand in a dismissive gesture. There's really not much she can do to help him, and he knows it. She can wield those pretty lights, and perhaps those lights can even do something, but she isn't a magus. She lacks the capacity for a command seal, for a proper siphon of mana... all of the qualifiers.
His eyes turn next to Rhyss, that hooded red stare anything but believing. Lancer shifts his weight, leaning against the spear and listening to her story with the look of someone who's listening only because they have to. Or, in his case, because he has nothing better to do. Quite frankly, the Servant is bored.
"And then what?" His response is lazy. The Servant looks like the antithesis of the bleeding heart, apathetic as he watches from a short distance. "If you're looking for someone to wipe out a nest of bandits, then you can keep looking. I don't do charity cases, and I doubt this girl could hold off a group of brigandiers." Lancer indicates Yuna with an errant wave of the hand. "Looks like she patched you up nicely. That's good. Now run along and go bother somebody else," he snorts.
Yuna casts an concerned gentle look at the girl in her arms. "You are having troubles with bandits?" She feels the trembling. "Shh... Shh, it's okay. It will be alright." She looks back towards Lancer with an brief annoyed expression before shaking her head and going back to focus her mismatched gaze on the girl.
She fights the urge to get an very annoyed even mad expression on her face. She isn't weak! "Do you know how many there are? I can probably take care of them for you. Despite what he said since he hasn't seen me fight, I can hold my own very well." She states.
Rhyss shakes her head slightly, speaking a few words which are muffled beyond recognition by Yuna's clothes. She finally pulls her head back after a moment and tries again. "They left. They're gone, and they killed everyone." No tears, though. She doesn't even seem to be able to muster up enough consciousness to do even that. That shell shocked expression is all she can manage. Mentally, Lancer is filed away as someone who can't be easily manipulated in this fashion. There are always other ways, at least.
The Servant finally deigns to move closer, that red stare focused down on the blue-haired young woman. There's absolutely no pity in his eyes as he watches her. There's plenty of disdain and derision. He makes a small sound in the back of his throat, shaking his head. He crouches down until he's at eye level with her, settling for just staring at her. Very conspicuously and very pointedly. And, in his ineffable wisdom, the great Hound of Culann gives an answer that -- to those who know him -- shouldn't come as any surprise whatsoever.
"...So what?"
It's not a careless tone of voice, though. In fact, it's almost measured, and he gives a snort, rising. Almost bonelessly, he settles back into his lazy lean against the spear. "So they've gone away. What should it matter to you any more? There's obviously nothing more you can do for them, or you wouldn't be here, begging for help in this place." He snorts, disgustedly. "Then again, I don't really understand the percentage of that, either." Lancer tilts his head, earrings clinking softly as he pins her with that blood-red gaze. "What's done is done, after all."
Yuna continues to do her best to comfort her. The poor girl, losing her village like that. She gets an surprised expression on her face at his words. She just shakes her head and turns her gaze back on Rhyss. "This is something that you seem not to understand, Lancer." She spoke very quietly. She gets an look of sheer gentleness on her face. "I would love to help you, miss but... I can't go looking for the bandits that destroyed your village. I have an vow that I must keep to an man." Greed and his plan to fight Shao Kahn.
Rhyss could have already predicted the lack of sympathy from the armored one. It's why she's taken great pains to get one of her insects to secret itself in his armor. Best to keep an eye on this one. "Don't... don't want revenge. Just want to be safe." She's still scared, and Lancer's gruff attitude doesn't seem to be helping much. Granted, she's not shying away from him particularly.
Rather than step in to help, Lancer just shakes his head, leaning against that blood-red spear. He looks like someone without a single concern in the world, not to mention someone very bored. Possibly annoyed, too, but more for the sickening quality of the current situation. The rampant concern and good intentions turn his stomach, as he seems to be going out of his way to show.
"You're wasting your time." There's a bored yawn to greet the traumatized young woman's words, and he turns those eyes on her, lazy but intense. He lets his R's roll in laziness, or maybe because he's still bored... and getting a little standoffish. Her story seems a little too much like a perfect sob story. "We're not able to hunt down an army, and even if we did, do you think it would be worth our time to take them on? What do you really want from us?"
Unfortunately, the warrior doesn't quite notice something creeping up his leg, something small and vaguely insect-like. Not just yet. He's too busy casting Rhyss a hard stare.
Yuna shakes her head at Rhyss. "I am sorry but I can't think of a place for you to be truly safe, miss. Perhaps, stay here in this place will help you." Spira's too dangerous for her. She looks towards Lancer and closes her blue eye, tilting her head at him as he asks those questions.
Rhyss notices the stare, but doesn't pay it any mind. It would be suspicious to react to it much, after all. "Do... do you think so?" The Zoidian's eyes close as her grip on Yuna relaxes again. Yes, she can just stay here and be safe. The insect on Lancer finds a nice, out of the way place to hide on his armor, and clings there. But don't worry, Yuna, you can have one too! It will just secret itself in the summoner's robe and keep watch for Rhyss.
Lancer shakes his head, absently reaching over to scratch at some faint, prickling sensation along an arm. The mechanical insect skitters under the jointed shoulder-plates, but not before Lancer happens to notice... movement, there. His fingers freeze, spear balanced in the crook of his elbow. Those red eyes narrow sharply, focusing on the shoulder-plates. He frowns, slowly and carefully pushing the jointed steel aside to reveal... an insect.
"Tcheh. Damned bugs. I thought the Hub was safe from them." He snorts, plucks it off, and tosses it away.
That done with, he glances back over to Rhyss, openly frowning this time. Movement catches his eye, though, and that red gaze levels on the Besaidian Summoner. Looks like she has a bug, too. "Don't move." He reaches over and plucks the insect off, giving it much the same treatment as he had given to his own. Flick and release! His eyes turn again towards Rhyss, though, and he frowns a little more deeply.
Doesn't look like she has any of those bugs on her. The Servant smiles, then, and it's the lazy, langorous grin of a dog on the hunt that knows its quarry is close.
"Just how many of these bandits did you say there were, there, lass?" He takes a step closer to Rhyss, leaning on his spear, but he keeps his posture a little straighter this time. He's tall, even if his lithe build tends to detract from that height. "And surely there must have been survivors, if they stormed through a village as you said, then someone must have gotten away in the commotion. Raids are a messy affair... it's terribly difficult to keep track of the details. Especially when the attacker is a party of disorganized bandits."
Lancer veritably looms, if that's possible, and he doesn't look pleased. "I don't appreciate being lied to, girl." He folds his arms, Gae Bolg balanced at the crook of an elbow. "And I appreciate being used even less. For your sake, you'd better hope that story of yours is true."
Yuna nods softly towards Rhyss. "Yes, I think so." She doesn't notice the bug on her robes and she focuses on Rhyss. "What is your name, miss?" She blinks as Lancer speaks to her and turns her gaze over to him but obeys and remains still for him to pluck the bug off of her. She blinks at his actions but then smiles at him. "Thank you, Lancer. I wonder when it landed on me?" She shrugs and looks towards... Why is he smiling like that?
She watches him as he speaks to Rhyss. What is he talking about? What is he trying to do? She wonders as she listens to him. She takes an glance towards Rhyss before looking back towards Lancer. Why does he have that look on his face? He doesn't look very pleased... At all. "Are you saying that this girl is lying?" She inquires.
Both beetles seem content to fly lazily away once they're flicked off. One makes a brief stopover on Rhyss' sleeve before flying off again. Bugs can get anywhere, don't you know? Beetles aren't as bad as some others, but maybe they hitched a lift on someone's clothes? "Rhyss," is said in a small voice to Yuna, though that armored man's insistence is getting annoying. She'll have to deal with him if he doesn't stop. "I didn't. I only saw Zoids coming and hid." Ah, and here's where just a little research on her part has helped. She knows that Zoids are native to her world only. Few would know what they actually were. "When the noise stopped, there was nobody left and, and, and..." She trails off there, eyes blanking out again. This Lancer fellow doesn't seem to have much of a sympathetic conscience, but Yuna... Somewhere in Yuna's head, there's a little nudge, as Rhyss tries to play up the summoner's own nature. See what you did? You scared the poor thing and made her relive those awful memories again! She's obviously been through so much!
For his part, the Servant merely folds his arms over his chest. He looks neither sympathetic nor concerned. In fact, he looks rather annoyed by this point. He watches the insects fly off, noting curiously the way one of them stops on the young woman's shoulder. Interesting.
"I don't believe you." Lancer leans down, reaching out to cup her chin with a hand, gently but firmly turning her head this way and that to inspect her face. "You don't have any wounds. You aren't even dirty. No blood, no burns, no soot." He snorts, releasing her a little harshly. "I know what a survivor from a raid ought to look like, and you don't match that description."
"Honestly. If you're going to lie about something for money or to hire a sell-sword or two, have a little grace about it. Yuna, it's best you not get pulled into this." He has a bad feeling, but he's not about to out and out admit it.
"You, girl." He turns, casting those red eyes at Rhyss in a hard, blood-red stare. His mouth slants in a humourless, angular grin. "Rhyss, was it? Go back to your home. Go find someone else to bother. There's no need for you to be picking on those who can't defend themselves." And he's not talking about the physical, either. "If there's one thing I can't stand, it's being lied to. I'm tired of hearing your false words." He advances on her, drawn up to his full height and staring scornfully down at her; his posture unwavering. "Get out of my sight."
Yuna nods softly as Rhyss tells her her name. "Lady Rhyss it is then." She listens to Rhyss's story and tilts her head. "That almost sounds like either a Sin attack or an attack by fiends..." She looks towards Lancer as she states what has been going through her own mind. She blinks as she feels an nudge and goes to attempt to wrap an comforting arm around Rhyss. But though she might read at least 9 other minds within the summoner.
She blinks and looks towards Lancer. "Get pulled into this?" She blinks some more and reaches an hand up, confused by what's happening. Why was he acting like this? This poor girl has been through a lot.
And along comes the downside of limited knowledge of her world. Most survivors of a Zoid raid tend to look like Rhyss does now. It's rare for anyone not piloting to be injured in any way and not killed or mangled. When Lancer moves to look into her face, he'll see that same look she's had all along. Her eyes can show little emotion, as the girl was obviously traumatized by the what happened. Once she is released, Rhyss buries her face back against Yuna, preferring the comfort to the interrogation. Those other minds within Yuna's head are carefully avoided. If the summoner has more than one consciousness, Rhyss knows better than to try to mess with them without more information. Still, she can continue to touch those heartstrings. Rhyss isn't trying to pull anyone into things! She even said she didn't want revenge, just safety. That can't be too much to ask, could it?
"Aye, pulled into it, ye feckin' eedjit! You really are naive, aren't you? Can't you see she's lying? If her village was destroyed, why the hell isn't she injured?" Lancer gestures to indicate the shell-shocked Rhyss. He's certainly quick to bristle at any slight or lie, real or imagined. "I doubt anything happened to her. Maybe she just wants your money or something. I don't know."
"You're a good actress, aren't you, girlie?" Lancer leans down again, frowning at the girl. Those red eyes are merciless, and a little disgusted. "But you can't fool me. No, you're going to have to try a lot harder if you want to sucker me into something. Tcheh. Take your feckin' sob story and find some other poor sucker to use it on."
He straightens, casting a glance over to Yuna. "And you, you're no feckin' better. Don't you have a lick of reservation? Eh, I guess it doesn't matter. A fool is soon parted from his money. Or hers, as the case may be." The Servant shoulders his spear, snorting. "I'll have no part of it, meself. Good luck with your new charge, Summoner Yuna." The title is mocking; sardonic. "But don't come crying to me for help when she robs you blind."
And with that, Lancer turns, muttering to himself as he heads back towards the more populous areas of the Hub.
Yuna blinks and looks confused at his words. She goes to wrap her arms around Rhyss in a comforting manner. "That is true... Why isn't Lady Rhyss injuried?" She is confused. One of the other minds quickly goes to her own and 'speaks' to her. She looks up at Lancer and shakes her head. "I will only provide her a place to stay for the night... I cannot do more for her." She spoke as she looks back to Rhyss. "Come now... Let's find you a place to stay."
Where: The Hub.
When: Some time at ungodly o'clock.
What: Rhyss stumbles out of nowhere, trying to scam Yuna and Lancer into helping her, somehow. Yuna buys it hook, line, and sinker. Lancer... does not.
Watch For: Yuna gets annoyed again! Lancer seems to have that effect on people.
Addendum: I think Rhyss needs a tag.
Late evening nearing nighttime within the Hub. The sound of bells softly hitting each other as the Besaidian Summoner walks. She brings a hand to her mouth as an small yawn escapes her lips. She blinks and shakes her head slowly before going to look around. She stops as she looks around trying to figure out if she should spend the night here or attempt to go back to the Devil's Nest before it gets too late.
The sound of bells catches the attention of one blue-haired girl who had been leaning against a building, forehead resting on the wall. Swallowing hard, Rhyss slowly turns her head, blank eyes focusing on the approaching summoner. She pushes against the wall, slumping somewhat as she takes a few pained steps toward Yuna. No words come from her mouth, though the poor thing looks to have been traumatized.
It's late. That much is evident by how reduced the traffic through the Hub is. That's never been one to stop someone who avoids crowds, though. Silence is a blessing, stillness a virtue. He's come to appreciate these things in the mad rush of activity that constitutes daytime hours.
"Yo. Girl." This, from the shadows near to the Besaidian Summoner. There's nothing there, it would seem. Just a familiar voice, with the faintest hint of an Irish accent, leer almost palpable in the tone. Some short distance away from the girl, the Servant shimmers into being, stepping out of the aether with hardly a pause. "Hmm... we meet again. You look lost," he comments idly, watching her as she hedges over her descision.
Those red eyes turn sidelong, then, to catch the sight of another young woman shambling over. Lancer frowns, though he doesn't back away. "Tcheh. Looks like you've got company, too. You know her?"
Yuna lets out a soft gasp at the sound of the familar voice. "Hello, Lancer." She speaks as she remembers the name of the voice. "Yes, it seems that we meet again. Have your wounds healed?" She inquries as she goes to turn to face him. She lets out a small embarressed chuckle and softly nods. "I am a little lost." She then tilts her head. "I do?"
She goes to look and spots the blue-haired girl and shakes her head. "I have never seen her before. She looks hurt." She states as she begins walk towards the blue-haired girl, bells softly hitting each other.
A new challenger has arrived! When Lancer steps out of the shadows, Rhyss' gaze shifts to him for a moment. Her mouth opens as if to try to say something, but no words come out. When Yuna approaches, the Zoidian takes a step forward and stumbles into her, hands weakly grasping the summoner's arms. Her mouth opens again, finally speaking wit a weak voice, "You can... help me?"
"...No." Lancer folds his arms, glancing sideways and avoiding the Summoner's gaze. He's a little slow to answer her question, but he does, with a wordless, derisive snort. A little siphon of mana fixed up his armour, but he's still battered beneath. "Without the proper conditions, if you will, I won't be fully healed. But it's not a burden to me. Don't you worry your pretty little head over it." Well, even if it was, he's sure not going to let it show.
Lancer returns to looking over the other young woman, frowning in what almost seems contempt.
"Looks like you get to do your thing, girlie." He gestures vaguely to indicate the shell-shocked young woman, though there seems to be a little unrest in his posture and voice. His hand drifts to his side; and in a flicker of red haze, that blood-red spear shimmers into being. Rather than menace it, though, the Servant merely uses it as a pole to lean against. His eyes are fixed on Rhyss. "Better do something for her, girlie. She looks just this side of pitching face-first onto the ground 'neat your feet, aye?"
Yuna continues to look up at Lancer and can't really help but to giggle as he avoids her gaze. She gets an concerned look at his words. "And what are those conditions, Lancer?" She goes back to quickly focus on the girl that is grasping her arms. "What happened?" She inquires of the girl. She then goes to study her carefully.
After the studying of the blue haired girl. "What do you need help with?" She then shakes her head. "Hold still and I will heal you." She spoke in a commanding tone of voice. She closes her eyes, goes to rest her hands against the girl and moves her lips in a chant. An green-goldish aura surrounds her before going to her hands. It pauses though as if she is waiting for permission before going to the girl. If permission was granted, the light would leave Yuna's hands and surround the girl before entering her. Either way, the Besaidian Summoner will open her eyes and gently smiles at the girl.
It's true. By the weight against Yuna, it seems that Rhyss can barely stay on her own feet. That aura is a bit disconcerting, but it doesn't seem particularly dangerous, so she gives a slight nod. The spell definitely feels odd, but she can feel something going on at least. Her grip on the summoner grows noticably stronger, though she makes no move to stand up yet, still leaning heavily. Good thing she doesn't weigh very much. "G...gone. They're all gone." Her gaze slowly travels back and forth between Yuna and Lancer, though those eyes of hers still look blank as ever.
"Tcheh." Lancer's response comes in the form of an exasperated snort and the Servant rolling his eyes, huffing a long-suffering sigh. "Do you really think I'd bother wasting the effort telling you, even if there were something you could do? Sufficed to say, you can't help me. End of story. Go take your charity and bother someone else with it. That girl you've got there, she looks like she needs it more than I do."
"Gone." The warrior seems content to lean on his spear. He watches the two young women with a lazy, hooded stare, but he seems loathe to move or take action. "That doesn't really help us, girlie. We're going to need more to go on than that if you're expecting any help."
Yuna half-closes her green eyes at his response. "When are you going to let me help you, Lancer? How would you know if I can't help you if you won't let me try to help you?" She speaks in a mild annoyed tone of voice. She goes to focus her gaze back on the blue haired girl. "Shh... It's alright. Tell me everything that happened. Whose gone? Why are they gone?" She inquires with sheer gentlness as she continues to watch her and hold her.
This man in armor... he may be a problem. But it seems that the summoner is enough of a bleeding heart for this to work out well. "Everyone's gone. The whole village." Maybe a little bit of explanation is in order. This was so much easier with Van and Fiine, but they knew what was going on. "Zi, my world, has been war-torn for longer than I remember. Bandits are everywhere. Some bandits came... they came, and I hid.. and..." She breaks off there, pressing her face against Yuna as her grip falters into trembling.
"Worry about your own business, girl." Lancer turns his face away, waving a hand in a dismissive gesture. There's really not much she can do to help him, and he knows it. She can wield those pretty lights, and perhaps those lights can even do something, but she isn't a magus. She lacks the capacity for a command seal, for a proper siphon of mana... all of the qualifiers.
His eyes turn next to Rhyss, that hooded red stare anything but believing. Lancer shifts his weight, leaning against the spear and listening to her story with the look of someone who's listening only because they have to. Or, in his case, because he has nothing better to do. Quite frankly, the Servant is bored.
"And then what?" His response is lazy. The Servant looks like the antithesis of the bleeding heart, apathetic as he watches from a short distance. "If you're looking for someone to wipe out a nest of bandits, then you can keep looking. I don't do charity cases, and I doubt this girl could hold off a group of brigandiers." Lancer indicates Yuna with an errant wave of the hand. "Looks like she patched you up nicely. That's good. Now run along and go bother somebody else," he snorts.
Yuna casts an concerned gentle look at the girl in her arms. "You are having troubles with bandits?" She feels the trembling. "Shh... Shh, it's okay. It will be alright." She looks back towards Lancer with an brief annoyed expression before shaking her head and going back to focus her mismatched gaze on the girl.
She fights the urge to get an very annoyed even mad expression on her face. She isn't weak! "Do you know how many there are? I can probably take care of them for you. Despite what he said since he hasn't seen me fight, I can hold my own very well." She states.
Rhyss shakes her head slightly, speaking a few words which are muffled beyond recognition by Yuna's clothes. She finally pulls her head back after a moment and tries again. "They left. They're gone, and they killed everyone." No tears, though. She doesn't even seem to be able to muster up enough consciousness to do even that. That shell shocked expression is all she can manage. Mentally, Lancer is filed away as someone who can't be easily manipulated in this fashion. There are always other ways, at least.
The Servant finally deigns to move closer, that red stare focused down on the blue-haired young woman. There's absolutely no pity in his eyes as he watches her. There's plenty of disdain and derision. He makes a small sound in the back of his throat, shaking his head. He crouches down until he's at eye level with her, settling for just staring at her. Very conspicuously and very pointedly. And, in his ineffable wisdom, the great Hound of Culann gives an answer that -- to those who know him -- shouldn't come as any surprise whatsoever.
"...So what?"
It's not a careless tone of voice, though. In fact, it's almost measured, and he gives a snort, rising. Almost bonelessly, he settles back into his lazy lean against the spear. "So they've gone away. What should it matter to you any more? There's obviously nothing more you can do for them, or you wouldn't be here, begging for help in this place." He snorts, disgustedly. "Then again, I don't really understand the percentage of that, either." Lancer tilts his head, earrings clinking softly as he pins her with that blood-red gaze. "What's done is done, after all."
Yuna continues to do her best to comfort her. The poor girl, losing her village like that. She gets an surprised expression on her face at his words. She just shakes her head and turns her gaze back on Rhyss. "This is something that you seem not to understand, Lancer." She spoke very quietly. She gets an look of sheer gentleness on her face. "I would love to help you, miss but... I can't go looking for the bandits that destroyed your village. I have an vow that I must keep to an man." Greed and his plan to fight Shao Kahn.
Rhyss could have already predicted the lack of sympathy from the armored one. It's why she's taken great pains to get one of her insects to secret itself in his armor. Best to keep an eye on this one. "Don't... don't want revenge. Just want to be safe." She's still scared, and Lancer's gruff attitude doesn't seem to be helping much. Granted, she's not shying away from him particularly.
Rather than step in to help, Lancer just shakes his head, leaning against that blood-red spear. He looks like someone without a single concern in the world, not to mention someone very bored. Possibly annoyed, too, but more for the sickening quality of the current situation. The rampant concern and good intentions turn his stomach, as he seems to be going out of his way to show.
"You're wasting your time." There's a bored yawn to greet the traumatized young woman's words, and he turns those eyes on her, lazy but intense. He lets his R's roll in laziness, or maybe because he's still bored... and getting a little standoffish. Her story seems a little too much like a perfect sob story. "We're not able to hunt down an army, and even if we did, do you think it would be worth our time to take them on? What do you really want from us?"
Unfortunately, the warrior doesn't quite notice something creeping up his leg, something small and vaguely insect-like. Not just yet. He's too busy casting Rhyss a hard stare.
Yuna shakes her head at Rhyss. "I am sorry but I can't think of a place for you to be truly safe, miss. Perhaps, stay here in this place will help you." Spira's too dangerous for her. She looks towards Lancer and closes her blue eye, tilting her head at him as he asks those questions.
Rhyss notices the stare, but doesn't pay it any mind. It would be suspicious to react to it much, after all. "Do... do you think so?" The Zoidian's eyes close as her grip on Yuna relaxes again. Yes, she can just stay here and be safe. The insect on Lancer finds a nice, out of the way place to hide on his armor, and clings there. But don't worry, Yuna, you can have one too! It will just secret itself in the summoner's robe and keep watch for Rhyss.
Lancer shakes his head, absently reaching over to scratch at some faint, prickling sensation along an arm. The mechanical insect skitters under the jointed shoulder-plates, but not before Lancer happens to notice... movement, there. His fingers freeze, spear balanced in the crook of his elbow. Those red eyes narrow sharply, focusing on the shoulder-plates. He frowns, slowly and carefully pushing the jointed steel aside to reveal... an insect.
"Tcheh. Damned bugs. I thought the Hub was safe from them." He snorts, plucks it off, and tosses it away.
That done with, he glances back over to Rhyss, openly frowning this time. Movement catches his eye, though, and that red gaze levels on the Besaidian Summoner. Looks like she has a bug, too. "Don't move." He reaches over and plucks the insect off, giving it much the same treatment as he had given to his own. Flick and release! His eyes turn again towards Rhyss, though, and he frowns a little more deeply.
Doesn't look like she has any of those bugs on her. The Servant smiles, then, and it's the lazy, langorous grin of a dog on the hunt that knows its quarry is close.
"Just how many of these bandits did you say there were, there, lass?" He takes a step closer to Rhyss, leaning on his spear, but he keeps his posture a little straighter this time. He's tall, even if his lithe build tends to detract from that height. "And surely there must have been survivors, if they stormed through a village as you said, then someone must have gotten away in the commotion. Raids are a messy affair... it's terribly difficult to keep track of the details. Especially when the attacker is a party of disorganized bandits."
Lancer veritably looms, if that's possible, and he doesn't look pleased. "I don't appreciate being lied to, girl." He folds his arms, Gae Bolg balanced at the crook of an elbow. "And I appreciate being used even less. For your sake, you'd better hope that story of yours is true."
Yuna nods softly towards Rhyss. "Yes, I think so." She doesn't notice the bug on her robes and she focuses on Rhyss. "What is your name, miss?" She blinks as Lancer speaks to her and turns her gaze over to him but obeys and remains still for him to pluck the bug off of her. She blinks at his actions but then smiles at him. "Thank you, Lancer. I wonder when it landed on me?" She shrugs and looks towards... Why is he smiling like that?
She watches him as he speaks to Rhyss. What is he talking about? What is he trying to do? She wonders as she listens to him. She takes an glance towards Rhyss before looking back towards Lancer. Why does he have that look on his face? He doesn't look very pleased... At all. "Are you saying that this girl is lying?" She inquires.
Both beetles seem content to fly lazily away once they're flicked off. One makes a brief stopover on Rhyss' sleeve before flying off again. Bugs can get anywhere, don't you know? Beetles aren't as bad as some others, but maybe they hitched a lift on someone's clothes? "Rhyss," is said in a small voice to Yuna, though that armored man's insistence is getting annoying. She'll have to deal with him if he doesn't stop. "I didn't. I only saw Zoids coming and hid." Ah, and here's where just a little research on her part has helped. She knows that Zoids are native to her world only. Few would know what they actually were. "When the noise stopped, there was nobody left and, and, and..." She trails off there, eyes blanking out again. This Lancer fellow doesn't seem to have much of a sympathetic conscience, but Yuna... Somewhere in Yuna's head, there's a little nudge, as Rhyss tries to play up the summoner's own nature. See what you did? You scared the poor thing and made her relive those awful memories again! She's obviously been through so much!
For his part, the Servant merely folds his arms over his chest. He looks neither sympathetic nor concerned. In fact, he looks rather annoyed by this point. He watches the insects fly off, noting curiously the way one of them stops on the young woman's shoulder. Interesting.
"I don't believe you." Lancer leans down, reaching out to cup her chin with a hand, gently but firmly turning her head this way and that to inspect her face. "You don't have any wounds. You aren't even dirty. No blood, no burns, no soot." He snorts, releasing her a little harshly. "I know what a survivor from a raid ought to look like, and you don't match that description."
"Honestly. If you're going to lie about something for money or to hire a sell-sword or two, have a little grace about it. Yuna, it's best you not get pulled into this." He has a bad feeling, but he's not about to out and out admit it.
"You, girl." He turns, casting those red eyes at Rhyss in a hard, blood-red stare. His mouth slants in a humourless, angular grin. "Rhyss, was it? Go back to your home. Go find someone else to bother. There's no need for you to be picking on those who can't defend themselves." And he's not talking about the physical, either. "If there's one thing I can't stand, it's being lied to. I'm tired of hearing your false words." He advances on her, drawn up to his full height and staring scornfully down at her; his posture unwavering. "Get out of my sight."
Yuna nods softly as Rhyss tells her her name. "Lady Rhyss it is then." She listens to Rhyss's story and tilts her head. "That almost sounds like either a Sin attack or an attack by fiends..." She looks towards Lancer as she states what has been going through her own mind. She blinks as she feels an nudge and goes to attempt to wrap an comforting arm around Rhyss. But though she might read at least 9 other minds within the summoner.
She blinks and looks towards Lancer. "Get pulled into this?" She blinks some more and reaches an hand up, confused by what's happening. Why was he acting like this? This poor girl has been through a lot.
And along comes the downside of limited knowledge of her world. Most survivors of a Zoid raid tend to look like Rhyss does now. It's rare for anyone not piloting to be injured in any way and not killed or mangled. When Lancer moves to look into her face, he'll see that same look she's had all along. Her eyes can show little emotion, as the girl was obviously traumatized by the what happened. Once she is released, Rhyss buries her face back against Yuna, preferring the comfort to the interrogation. Those other minds within Yuna's head are carefully avoided. If the summoner has more than one consciousness, Rhyss knows better than to try to mess with them without more information. Still, she can continue to touch those heartstrings. Rhyss isn't trying to pull anyone into things! She even said she didn't want revenge, just safety. That can't be too much to ask, could it?
"Aye, pulled into it, ye feckin' eedjit! You really are naive, aren't you? Can't you see she's lying? If her village was destroyed, why the hell isn't she injured?" Lancer gestures to indicate the shell-shocked Rhyss. He's certainly quick to bristle at any slight or lie, real or imagined. "I doubt anything happened to her. Maybe she just wants your money or something. I don't know."
"You're a good actress, aren't you, girlie?" Lancer leans down again, frowning at the girl. Those red eyes are merciless, and a little disgusted. "But you can't fool me. No, you're going to have to try a lot harder if you want to sucker me into something. Tcheh. Take your feckin' sob story and find some other poor sucker to use it on."
He straightens, casting a glance over to Yuna. "And you, you're no feckin' better. Don't you have a lick of reservation? Eh, I guess it doesn't matter. A fool is soon parted from his money. Or hers, as the case may be." The Servant shoulders his spear, snorting. "I'll have no part of it, meself. Good luck with your new charge, Summoner Yuna." The title is mocking; sardonic. "But don't come crying to me for help when she robs you blind."
And with that, Lancer turns, muttering to himself as he heads back towards the more populous areas of the Hub.
Yuna blinks and looks confused at his words. She goes to wrap her arms around Rhyss in a comforting manner. "That is true... Why isn't Lady Rhyss injuried?" She is confused. One of the other minds quickly goes to her own and 'speaks' to her. She looks up at Lancer and shakes her head. "I will only provide her a place to stay for the night... I cannot do more for her." She spoke as she looks back to Rhyss. "Come now... Let's find you a place to stay."