Milo is pacing around the fountain, seemingly bothered by something.

Rika wanders in from the west, clothes fresh, hair washed and pinned into a neat
bun, and arm undamaged. She's quite a contrast from yesterday, looking
perfectly calm and collected.

Marino sits on the benches that circle around the fountain area, she gazes up at
the sky and wanders off in her own daydream.

Milo turns his head at the footsteps. He nods and forces a small smile at an
old... 'friend'. "Hey."

Rika smiles at Milo, almost warmly. "It's been a while, hasn't it?" She
settles on one of the benches. "Don't worry. We have no reason to fight."

Marino looks at Milo and Rika and then shrugs it off. She goes back to
daydreaming.

Milo settles next to her. "Yes, yes it has. And, true, we have no reason to
fight each other. There have been some worrisome goings-on, though."

Rika smirks, looking away. "Trust me, I know." She turns to face Milo again.
"...Someone is... interfering with me. With my dreams and my waking hours
both... And it reminds me far too much of Jango."

Milo talks softer, preffering not to be overheard by the other people in the
area.

Milo says 'Dreams... that's what bothers me about him. He's always taunting,
and affecting people from a distance. It's never really clear what he actually
wants or plans.'

Rika sighs. "I should have the clearest insight, but even I have no real idea.
So far, the visions have just concerned Vice and myself."

Milo says 'I've had an odd dream of my own a while back. I don't think it was
sent by Jango, though...'

Rika looks over at Milo. "What was it? I'm pretty good at recognizing his
visions."

Milo thinks for a moment. "How much do you know about Sarai, though?"

Rika shrugs. "Not much. What I learned training as a priestess of Tenor and
not much else, which means just the basic legends."

Milo says 'That should cover my question... what avatars does she like to use?'

Rika pauses. "For some reason, I believe a tiger provided one of her primary
avatars. As well as a young child. Why?"

Milo says 'I... see. Would that be... this tiger?'

Milo holds up a cuddly plush toy.

You hold A cute, cuddly, white and black plushie tiger in your hand.

Rika nods. "...I... think so." She studies the tiger closely. "Where did it
come from?"

Milo says 'Excellent question.'

With a smirk, Milo adds, "I already checked it for manufacturer tags."

Rika sighs. "It would appear Sarai has chosen you as a representative, which is
very rare." She pauses. "Although, if I'm Jango's champion and you're Sarai's
champion... Are we married?"

Milo puts on a face of disgust. "I sure HOPE not."

Rika smirks. "Don't worry, I don't like koopas that way. Besides, I'm already
married."

Milo tries to think of a subject change. Hard. "I hope being the divinely
chosen champion of a deity does not confer me any special duties. Since I was
never really told what I'm supposed to do."

Rika smirks again. "You're doing better than me, it would appear." She looks
up at the night sky. "I went blind and deaf yesterday."

Milo says 'Fun. Looks like you got better.'

Rika nods. "It was just for a few moments, but it was enough..." She looks off
south. "I think he caused that rockslide."

Milo says 'The moogle caves? Hmm... I hope they're alright. Why would he do
that?'

Rika grins at Milo dangerously. "Conversion through fear. His favorite
tactic."

Milo says 'Well, there are a few people from Truce helping dig them up. Not
much the Militia can do, though... last I checked, rocks do not cower in fear
when you wave a sword at them.'

Milo sets the plushie down on his lap.

Rika closes her eyes. "We tried heavy explosives, freezing them, turning them
to mud and then freezing them, thorns, all of these put together..."

Milo says 'Have you tried shoveling and drilling? It tends to work better in
situations like these.'

Milo says 'Save the heavy explosives for enemy fortresses.'

A cold breeze flows through Truce, as the sounds of heavy boots walking on the
path are heard, and a cloaked man walks through. (Bahamut in disguise.)

Rika sighs. "We don't have the parts to make a proper drill..."

Milo says 'As I said, people are on it now.'

Rika smiles at Milo. "Thank you, Milo."

Bahamut slowly walks through the room and stops for a moment, to look over at
Rika.

Milo says 'So aside from the fact that the world is going to end, how's life
been treating you?'

Rika shrugs. "I need to find a new job and to send a letter to Vice explaining
where I am, but otherwise everything is fine. You?"

Milo says 'Well, stopping the world from ending sort of IS my job. It can be
tedious sometimes.'

Bahamut says 'Interesting... Tell me how is it your job to save the world...?'

Rika laughs. "Does saving the world pay well? The traditional reward is a
princess, which doesn't have much resale value..."

Milo says 'Unfortunately, the only koopa princess I know of is Wendy.'

Rika leans back. "So, any job openings for a reploid engineer?"

Milo says 'You want your old job back? No-one's taken it yet.'

Bahamut walks over to the fountain, and slowly sits down at the edge.

Rika smiles brightly. "That'd work. And maybe..." She shakes her head. "No,
I shouldn't bring Vice into it."

Bahamut sits down and thinks deeply.

Bahamut stands up and walks over to Milo, tapping him on the shoulder. 'You
know, you should talk about such things in a... more secure place.'

Milo shrugs. "Our membership isn't highly classified, you know."

Rika looks up at Bahamut, tilting her head.

Bahamut says 'Oh well then, excuse my warnings then.'

Milo says 'Actually... we've begun to work on insignias for identifying our
members. The preliminary designs should be due in a few days.'

Rika nods. "That's good. What's the insignia?"

Milo says 'Simple flag, one to three pictures displaying rank and affiliation...
I'll introduce the system publicly once we actually have them.'

Rika nods. "That works... So, am I allowed back into the militia?"

"Sure." Milo jots down some stuff on a piece of paper.

Bahamut says 'So then you would have to be the leader of this group, Mr...?'

Milo says 'Sure. We've had problems before with not having an engineer. I
don't think Sunflash likes you, though.'

Milo nods at the... other person. "Milo's the name."

Rika shrugs. "Tell him I'd be happy to give him an alternate arm and eye that
match better, if he wants."

Milo says 'Just try not to kill each other in your sleep, and we'll be fine.'

Bahamut says 'Interesting... very interesting...'

Rika laughs. "I mostly kill people while awake." It's rather difficult to tell
if she's joking.

Bahamut says 'Tell me Milo, there have been a number of incidents of late... has
anyone found to be the cause of these?'

Milo says 'No... at least, none with any sort of reliable evidence. We're
looking.'

Bahamut shakes his head. 'That is most... disappointing news... but I guess it
can't be helped.'

Rika removes a laptop from the bag around her side and begins to type avidly.

Milo says 'However, I assure you we are alert and prepared for any future
attacks.'

Bahamut says 'I see, I've heard rumors of someone trying to... 'activate' the
mana stones...'

Milo says 'Who, what, and why should we care?'

Bahamut says 'I see, I think I may have touched a sensitive area...'

Milo says 'Umm? No. I just have no idea what you're talking about.'

Rika shrugs. "I never cared about mana." She types more. "...Does anyone know
where I could find a large source of steel?"

Milo says 'I find mana is a useful tool for things that cannot be achieved in
other ways. Steel... hmm, Joel? I dunno. What do you need it for?'

Bahamut says 'You have no idea about the mana stones...?'

Bahamut says 'That is a shame... I was most interested in the rumors...'

Rika continues to type. "Drilling device, what else?"

A dull-grey reploid walks into the Truce Fountain area from the north, looking
quite bland save for a pair of black wings on its head, folded down covering
it's face. (And it's our other disguised enemy in disguise!)

Bahamut looks over at Nocturne, and stares for a little while, but then takes a
seat near the fountain.

Nocturne walks over to the fountain and takes a seat on the bench.

Rika looks up and waves at Nocturne.

Nocturne turns its head in Rika's direction, but the wings covering its face
cover whatever expression it has.

Rika leans back. "...Hmn."

Bahamut says 'Hrm... quite the gathering.'

Milo says 'Well, I set up my place here because people come here a lot. We're
not all gathering for a single purpose.'

Bahamut looks over to Nocturne. 'I don't believe we have met.'

Nocturne -glances- at Bahamut. "...I would have to agree... Who are you, might
I ask?"

Rika continues to type, then pauses for a moment. She types a bit more and
music begins to play, which she sings quietly along to. Very annoying music.
"Shirou no paaaaanda~"

Bahamut says 'I'm... a traveling researcher... the name's, Tumahab.'

Nocturne says 'I'm... Serah... I suppose you could say I'm a wandering pilgrim.'

Milo nudges Rika and whispers. "I may tend to be trusting usually, but don't
you think that sounded a little like he came up with it on the spot?"

Rika nods and gestures at the screen. One text file reads, "Noone would name
their son after fish."

Bahamut says 'I see... so what god do you study under...?'

Nocturne says 'Hmm, I don't really study any -one- god. I'm more of a person
that likes to study temples and shrines. I'm not quite sure what that's
called...'

Milo blinks at the odd message.

Bahamut says 'I see, very interesting indeed...'

Nocturne says '...So Tumahab, what do you research exactly?'

Bahamut says 'Oh, I've been researching this so-called magic and the ways of the
world..'

Rika types more. "Oh, wait, it's Tumahab, not Tunahab. My bad. Still wierd."

Nocturne says 'Ah... sounds like interesting subjects of study. How goes your
research, might I ask?'

Milo looks at the screen. Seeing the name as letters rather than sounds makes
him notice something...

Milo runs his finger along the name, right to left.

Bahamut says 'Very interesting, the mana stones have been generating a few
rumors of late...'

Nocturne rubs a metallic feather on one of the wings covering its face idly.
"Mana stones? I'm afraid I haven't heard of those things before... what are
they?"

Bahamut says 'I'm not really too sure myself... information is hard to come
by...'

Nocturne says 'I see. Well, they sound like rare items...'

Rika follows Milo's fingers, blinking before typing more. "Bahamut sounds
familiar."

Bahamut says 'Yes well, they have also been said to appear in many holy texts...
I don't believe in any of that, however there might be some truth...'

The music on Rika's computer changes tracks to something almost as annoying and
catchy.

Milo gently motions for the laptop, freeing space by returning the plushie to...
wherever he keeps it.

You stop using A cute, cuddly, white and black plushie tiger.

Bahamut says '...I think I have overstayed my welcome.'

Bahamut stands up and slowly dusts off his cloak.

Rika hands the laptop over, looking slightly worried about her delicate
equipment.

The wings covering Nocturne's face twitch slightly at the change of music but
quickly -calm- down. "Oh really? Well I wish you well on your research."

Bahamut says 'Thank you, may our paths cross again.'

Bahamut shakes Nocturne's hand.

Nocturne gives Bahamut a quick nod of its head as it shakes Baha's hand.

Bahamut walks over to Milo and Rika, and giggles. 'Well Milo, I hope to see you
again...'

Milo starts tapping at the keys. "Supposedly, Bahamut is some sort of powerful
dragon."

Bahamut's eyes twitch for a second before turning around.

Rika tilts the laptop towards herself and types. "Just looks like a guy who
can't dress to me."

Bahamut goes to leave the room and stops for a second... and smiles to himself.

Milo takes the computer again. "Well... someone who normally has scales
wouldn't need to develop a human fashion sense, would he? :)"

Milo continues typing. "But seriously, it does seem farfetched."

Bahamut says 'I remembered something... about the dark mana stone... it's said
to have some kind of connection with Jango...'

Milo continues typing. "Of course, i"-Milo snaps to attention.

Rika looks up at Bahamut, eyes widening. "...Jango...?"

Nocturne turns around towards the fountain and unfolds its wings slightly as it
brings some water up to its mouth and drinks from the fountain. It doesn't
really seem to be paying attention to the others.

Bahamut says 'Ah yes, a supposed god of darkness, really evil fellow according
to the books...'

Bahamut says 'But I can see that it doesn't ring any bells.'

Milo says 'I see. And you assume we do not know that, yet also presume he would
interest us more than the other mana stones?'

Nocturne covers up its face with the black wings again and brushes off a few
droplets of water before getting off the bench and walking closer to the others.
"Oh, would this god happen to have a temple of some sort?"

Rika closes her eyes before standing. "I should go."

Bahamut says 'I'm not really... sure... if this god does or not... I have only
found it in connection with the other mana stones...'

Bahamut says 'But please if you do have any information, feel free to seek me
out.'

Milo closes the text file and hands the laptop back to Rika. "I would like an
explanation about my question, first."

Rika begins to stalk southwards.

Rika leaves south.

Bahamut says 'Ah, yes. That, well most mana stones are connected to the
elements, few ever mention 'gods'.'

Nocturne gives a glance at the area where Rika left before -watching- Milo and
Bahamut verbally spar.

Bahamut says 'I am sorry too have misled you to such a conclusion.'

Milo says 'Interesting. Which others are associated with gods, then?'

Bahamut says 'There are... but... I have them somewhere in my notes... prehaps
at another time I could help you with that question.'

Bahamut says 'But perhaps your friend there could be more of an assistance if
you are looking for a spiritual guide.'

Nocturne -glances- from Milo to Bahamut then back to some area in between the
two.

/Obvious cop-out... a serious scholar would remember at least their names./
"Too bad. Well, if there's an evil god around, I hope he stays away from us."
(Milo)

Bahamut says 'Anyway, while I love too chat, I have a lot of... research to do.'

Milo says 'Well, I guess I'll leave you to your... "research". Have fun.'

Bahamut slowly starts too walk off to the with a smile.

Nocturne raises its hand at the departing Bahamut but quickly stops itself and
faces Milo. "Ah... Mr... uh... person. Would you happen to know if there's any
nearby temples or shrines?"

Bahamut stops and tilts his head slightly. 'I believe there is an earth shrine
to the south... although I could be wrong.'

Milo says 'Well, there's a shrine to the Mana Goddess in the northern parts, or
at least what's left of it...'

Bahamut says 'Darn... it appears I've missed the ferry... oh well... I'll just
be here a little while longer.'

Nocturne ruffles the feathers on the lower part of its wings idly then gives a
curt nod to Milo and the departing Bahamut. "Ah... interesting. I'll need to
study those areas then. Many thanks friend."