A Foreigner

A hurried pace carried the Ambassador through the wide halls of polished granite, every move forward accompanied by a slight echo of his steps. The way that situation had been handled had been less than ideal, but a letter from the Magic Council was not something to be put off for later. He had yet to start that report, but that could wait until he had the minutes to spare. He wouldn't exactly leave a new recruit waiting for him if he could at all avoid it ... at least, not too long, that was.

It wouldn't take Johann long to reach the Throne Hall, and subsequently, the entrance to the domed, palace-like guild hall constructed from grey granite and marble, where he had told the girl to wait for him, for the time being, already administering the stamp. In his perplexed hurry, he had pushed off all questions and assessment he would normally conduct for later, though, now, at least, returning, clad still in the black and red uniform that signified his status as Ambassador of the guild. He would return to the entrance, luckily, spotting the girl standing there from a distance, she, seemingly, having followed his command.

The silver-haired man took a somewhat relieved breath, tucking in loose strands underneath the militaristic hat that complimented his uniform, approaching her once more, though on the way not failing to give a nod to a Soldier wearing a cap he had not yet seen before, cocking an eyebrow at him. "My sincerest apologies for the hurried introduction earlier. It's not an everyday occurrence, I can assure you. Regardless-", he would move on swiftly, his tone shifting from a genuinely apologetic one to a more practiced, neutral one, his expression reflecting this change "-I have not yet introduced myself, it would seem. I am Ambassador Johann von Weiss, one of the two guild masters of Dies Irae. Normally, there is a certain procedure associated with joining this guild, though since that part is already dealt with ...", he would shoot a quick look to her guild symbol, "... why don't we rectify that now? Let's start with your name, I don't believe I caught it earlier, and the rest we can discuss over a cup of tea in the Mess Hall".

His gaze would also wander over to the other man, who seemed to linger, and if Joh hadn't been mistaken, had also talked to her, if only in passing. Did they perhaps know each other? Well, regardless, the man looked like he could use a cup as well. "Why don't you take a break and join us, Soldier? I don't think I've met you before, either. Getting to know one's guildmates is, after all, not such a bad initiative, wouldn't you agree?"

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Word Count: 463
Personal Word Count Total: 463
Thread Word Count Total: 884

"Miss Corbeau-", Johann would repeat smoothly, choosing to address her in a more formal manner than he would, say, someone he was more in some capacity familiar with. She was, after all, the newest recruit of Dies Irae. "-The pleasure is mine". At least the girl seemed to have a set of manners, something that, to the Ambassador's disappointment, more and more people seemed to lack entirely these days. Regardless, she would quickly accept the invitation to tea, a smile once more finding its way onto the silver-haired man's expression. "It will be quite alright. I'll have to spare the time for tea, at least", he would quickly dismiss the latter part of her response in a manner that he hoped was understandable. In truth, familiarizing himself with the members of the guild and their ideals was an important part of the recruitment process for Johann especially, conviction and belief constituting motivations that drove the man. He would at least make sure that her ideas and morals were comparable to and compatible with the guild's, and by extension, his own.

His gaze, too, would fall on the other man, who had promptly answered him as well, the friendly smile on his face, which, as particularly perceptive individuals might've realized, contrasted a set of eyes that seemed in some manner ever-cold and calculating. "JJ? Of course. Quite the intriguing nickname, Soldier. Very well-", he chuckled, turning away from the two Soldiers of the guild towards the hallway he had come from not too long ago, the same steps, accompanied by a "-follow me" carrying him towards the guild's Mess Hall.

It wouldn't take long for the small group of three to reach their destination, the marble hallway that was to one side lined with wooden doors quickly traversed until they reached its end, a heavy double set of oak frames forming the entrance to the wide hall behind it. Immediately upon entering, smells of grilled and fried meats, vegetables that had been cooked, baked, roasted, and prepared in other manners, as well as several different soups, beverages, and even a small selection of desserts, which had been introduced not in small part for Dies Irae's other Ambassador, reached Joh, and undoubtedly, the other two Soldiers as well. Both foods and drinks could be found lining one side of the hall, presented in a buffet-like style, open for any member of the guild to pick and choose according to their desires. Behind the counters and tables that made up this buffet, an open kitchen would stretch out, the shouts of cooks and staff, paired with the ever-present sizzle of pans and rattling of pots giving the environment a distinctly busy atmosphere.

"Here we are. The Mess Hall. By all means, Soldiers, help yourselves to whatever might catch your interest. I'll be waiting over there", with those words, directing the two towards the buffet, though at least one of the two would probably already be familiar with it. Johann himself, though, would head over to a small table, pouring steaming-hot water in a plain porcelain cup, grabbing a single bag of Earl Grey tea and sugar to go with it before making a beeline towards the empty table he had pointed at before.

In no particular hurry, he would prepare his own tea, waiting for the other two to join him sooner or later, only taking the word again when both had sat down as well, speaking up from a state of quiet contemplation with a "So-" before expanding upon his words, his head turning to the girl. "Pivoine, if you allow me to call you that-", he would pause briefly for either confirmation or opposition, "-as the Ambassador of Dies Irae, I am, naturally, somewhat curious. If I may, what brings you to this guild specifically, and what makes you want to be a part of it? Further still, and forgive me if it sounds presumptuous, are you familiar with Dies Irae's goals, morals, and modus operandi?".

He would turn his head to Jariel, or, as he had called himself, JJ. "What about you, Soldier? My question applies to you as well. What made you join Dies Irae?". Of course, the man that appeared not much younger than Johann himself was already firmly integrated into the guild, and the question was asked for the sake of not much more than idle conversation, or at least, so it would seem. The ever-curious Ambassador was actually quite interested in their responses to his inquiries.

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Word Count: 750
Personal Word Count Total: 1,213
Thread Word Count Total: 2,352

Johann would listen intently, Pivoine taking the word first, as expected, Johann taking a sip from the amber-colored liquid that swirled calmly in his cup, small strands of steam still rising from the container. The girl explained swiftly and in a manner that was easy to follow, not just in terms of her actual reasoning, which seemed pretty fair, but also the way she structured her explanation, Johann nodding when she'd finished. Self-improvement was as good of a reason as any, though this wasn't the only thing the guild focussed on, of course. Piv would find that out sooner rather than later, he supposed. In essence, though, she appeared to embody the ideal of a mage of Dies Irae, or at least, would seek to do so through her stay in the guild: Grace and, as she had said, kindness that could easily transition to unrelenting strength where necessary was entirely appropriate. "Interesting. A noble goal, Pivoine", he commented almost idly, though not in an unfriendly manner. The way the girl presented herself, the way she acted was a difference from at least some of the usual candidates that joined the guild. She lacked eccentricity, at least at first glance, something that the silver-haired Ambassador found himself appreciating silently. "You are not incorrect. You will find that Dies Irae is the right place to hone your skills- or rather, your martial and magical prowess, at least. It is not uncommon for a mage of Dies Irae to train with their peers, to fight, and what better way to improve oneself is there than to challenge others?", Johann joked, though his statement remained at least partially true.

If one was to pursue one of the various bounties administered by the guild and placed on notorious dark mages, these same individuals rarely gave up without a fight. Granted, if she chose to be a Soldier and partake in such, that was.

The other Soldier, Jariel, or JJ, as he'd said, a nickname the Ambassador, for some bizarre reason, found quite befitting, would be the next one to take the word, delving into his own reasoning for joining the guild and becoming part of it since. Once more, the Ambassador listened intently, in no small part captivated by the story JJ had to tell, not least due to the, for the lack of a better term, demonic aspect he had been talking about. Johann suppressed a sigh of grief. Of course, the silver-haired God of Ishgar could entirely relate to that bit of the man's explanations, knowing full-well how ... temperamental and eccentric such creatures could be. He, of course, wouldn't exactly advertise that fact to his two Soldiers. Mars was his business, and his own business alone, not to mention the fact that the Second Seal's constant antics were anything but helpful or pleasant. "I see-", the Ambassador would thus respond with an absent-minded grin, lost for not much more than a moment before he continued, "-Demons are strange creatures, are they not? I can never tell if they seek to be a force of evil, haphazard chaos, or enigmatic good. Perhaps they are no different from humans in that regard ...? Ah, forgive me, I digress ...", he would quickly catch himself and snap out of his state of contemplative thought. "I'm glad you appreciate our work, in that case-", Johann smiled to Jariel. "-I look forward to working with you".

The Ambassador would pause briefly, taking another sip of his tea, though swiftly turning to Pivoine once more. He had one more question for her, a question, though, that was perhaps the most important one to himself, and perhaps, he felt, the guild as a whole. "While we're on the topic of Dies Irae's goal, though, Pivoine-", he would directly address her, "You are new, but I suppose that you know of the nature of this guild and its ... somewhat unconventional ideals, goals, and perhaps most importantly, methods? If you do know-", he paused for only a passing moment to think about the wording of his next question, "-then tell me, do you agree with our methods, our goals? Would you, say, fight to perpetuate this institution, or is self-improvement the only virtue that interests you?".

It was, of course, a reference to the guild's view on dark mages and dark guilds in general and, in certain ways, the absence of a certain sense of mercy and restraint other guilds were not just adhering to, but forced to adhere to. As much as members of Dies Irae tended to be eccentrics, most of them, in some way, had been wronged by a dark mage or a dark guild before, and as such, most of them were passionate about this topic. Some of them, it would seem, even the leaders of Dies Irae considered extreme in their quest for vengeance, retribution, but it was what it was. Righteous fury was, after all, a good reason to try and make the world a better place where it wasn't misplaced. The Ambassador, though, was simply curious where Pivoine would stand on this issue.

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Thread Word Count Total: 4,552

Pivoine nodded as she listened to JJ’s story. It was quite the tale! The demonic character of JJ’s mentor left a lot unanswered. But, Pivoine supposed that was the nature of such creatures and such characters. JJ probably had mixed feelings about it, so she decided not to pry for further details. She took a sip of her tea, pleasantly taken in by the aroma and smooth taste. It was a little different than what she was used to, but not unpleasant. Indeed, this would make for a fine souvenir to send back to her mother.

“Ah, that is the question,” Pivoine echoed.

“On one hand, it’s plain to see that individuals and guilds who have no respect for the law would need to be brought to justice under extraordinary means. Bounties and manhunts are some of few methods that seem to keep such criminal elements under control in my own homeland. But, on the other hand, what is to stop such methods from overflowing into the general populace if someone is labeled as a dark mage or an organization labeled a dark guild? You could say that the justice system prevents this from happening, but can you truly believe in a justice system that can’t keep a handle on the dark guilds and mages in the first place?” Pivione asked, in between sips of her tea.

Regardless of her questions, Pivoine happily dug into her fruit parfait. A wide smile spread across her face and a dreamy expression of happiness. Ah. This was nice. The smooth sweetness of the yogurt was contrasted by the sharp sour-sweetness of the fruits. And there was granola inside to further contrast with a mellow crunch. Now, this was a fine culinary invention.

“I personally believe that extraordinary methods will always be needed to combat those who flaunt their disregard of the law. If a law exists, some people will always find a way to manipulate it for their desires, or outright disobey it. Simply: some people just want to watch the world burn. I won’t lie. One of the reasons I decided to join Dies Irae was to find out if this worked in practice, not just in theory. I will always lend my magic towards what is just, especially if it is a means to protect the general public from scum who would see them harmed,” Pivoine answered.

Hopefully, Johann would find her answer sufficient.

She had not seen a lot of personal pain from dark mages or dark guilds, but she had seen the results. Her mother’s relatives were always fighting and scheming against one another. Many sought to turn the Raven Empress’s own children against each other, or even against their imperial mother. Always with the manipulation. Always with the backstabbing. It might have worked if the Empress’s children hadn’t been magically screened to be resilient against such methods. But, the imperial drama—she was always there. So Pivoine wasn’t unfamiliar with the damage, and civilians, that were often caught in the crossfire of nobles who weren’t as so high minded.

“JJ, if I may call you that, I hope we can work together in the future. I would feel at ease working with someone who understood culture in Fiore better than I do,” Pivoine smiled.

Johann watched on as the two Soldiers seemed to indulge in the benefits the Mess Hall had to offer. Even if it wasn't necessarily the grandest or luxurious institution, that much was undeniably true, the selection of foods and drinks the guild hall offered its members was fairly good, certainly well balanced for those who risked their lives in pursuit of their mission daily. Despite that, Pivoine seemed to enjoy her dessert greatly, the Ambassador wondering if the increased selection of sweets and desserts the Mess Hall offered these days had been a decision the kitchen staff or his fellow and ever-hungry Ambassador had made. He wouldn't mind it, either way. It wasn't like the silver-haired God of Ishgar was one to pass up a delightful dessert every once in a while. Jariel ... well, the Ambassador wondered if the man's tea could be called a dessert as well, given the amount of sugar he seemed to mix into his drink. Either way, the Soldier's habits were admittedly eccentric, but also none of his business.

What was more important was, after all, Pivoine's answers, something that intrigued the silver-haired Ambassador way more than tea or sugar, listening curiously to what the girl ... or the woman had to say. Johann wasn't quite sure himself.

Regardless of her age, her explanation was intriguing, to say the least. Her response was a well thought out one, quite intelligent at that. It seemed that wherever Piv, a nickname the Ambassador would use over the course of his own thoughts but wouldn't dare to speak aloud, had come from the culture surrounding law and order, and by extension, those who defied it, seemed similar to that in Fiore, and indeed, similar to the situation Johann, and further, Dies Irae sought to combat. Who was to say that Dies Irae wouldn't arbitrarily brand someone as a dark mage, something as a dark guild in order to circumvent the usual system of justice? The Magic Council of Fiore, in theory, though as Piv would go on to mention, if the system was corrupt, something that Johann sincerely believed the Magic Council of Fiore to be, though he didn't have evidence to back it up apart from hearsay, the balance would fall apart. At this point in time, the only thing that kept the members of Dies Irae in check were Ambassador Sivvy, Commander West, and himself. They were effective, but they couldn't be everywhere at the same time. Regardless, the guild operated on a strong system of morals. The potential for someone who didn't share these same morals to abuse the system was given, though the leadership of Dies Irae, Johann included, would have to address these things on a case by case basis, it would seem. Luckily, they hadn't had any issues thus far in that regard, though the Ambassador was certain that, at some point, that luck would run out ...

Regardless of his thoughts, the Ambassador would nod and continue to listen. Piv's point of view was a rather interesting one. If Johann interpreted what she was saying correctly, then he couldn't disagree one way or the other. The law was the law, that much was true, but he also knew that there would always be potential for abuse. Some things were indeed lawful, but not just, or even right. His mind would involuntarily wander to the stories he heard of Hargeon Town, the Magic Council of Fiore, and a spell called Etherion. In theory, Dies Irae was supposed to be the Magic Council's army, an organization meant to cleanse the world of its darker elements. If the Magic Council would turn out to be one of those elements, that would mean that, of course, eradicating the Magic Council would not just be the just thing to do, it would be the right thing. Well, that would be a thought for another time. Ambassador von Weiss would worry about such a scenario once it would become likely.

A smile would find its way back on the man's face. "I'm glad we seem to be on the same page and share some of our ideals, Pivoine. Let me be truthful: I think you will make a perfect addition to Dies Irae". Finishing his sentence, the man brought the cup to his lips one more time, emptying the rest of his tea in one last sip before standing up, reaching into one of his pockets before producing a key, and, attached to its keychain, a small, numbered plaque. "I look forward to working with you in the future as well. Until then-", he stretched out his arm, handing over the key to the newest Soldier of Dies Irae, "-this key will open a door bearing the same number in the West Wing. This room will be your accommodation in the guild hall itself, should you wish to use it. Free, of course, just like anything you can find here in the Mess Hall. You will find it contains all modern necessities. The rooms the guild offered its members were, for the lack of a more flowery description, adequate. Not too spacious, but not cramped, either, each coming with their own bathroom, furniture, window, and so on. "I'm glad that we could have this conversation, after all, though as you may know, I have a rather urgent matter to attend to. Pivoine, JJ, I must take my leave, though please, feel right at home". This last comment was, of course, more aimed at the newer of the two Soldiers. "If you need anything else, you will be able to find me in my office". With those words, and a courteous tip of his hat, the man would turn towards the exit of the Mess Hall, taking his leave. He had to get back to that damn report.

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Word Count: 971
Personal Word Count Total: 3,036
Thread Word Count Total: 6,761

Pivoine had to resist kicking her heels in delight at the key. After all, that was something menfolk could and children could indulge in. But, not a lady.

“I appreciate the generosity,” she said, all smiles. She stored the key on a pocket in her uniform skirts. After this, she would have to go and take a look at the accommodations. With the meals served in this style, Pivoine wouldn’t have to worry about hiring a cook or finding a husband who could cook right away, either. That would also keep her pocket book nice and fat.

Yes, this would work very nicely. After all, if Pivoine didn’t have to pay rent, it would make saving up for her own manor much, much easier. She was also quite pleased that Johann didn’t seem to disagree strongly with her. Pivoine could be considered rather blunt where she came from. But, it hadn’t seemed like the time to be wishy-washy for the sake of politeness.

“Please, don’t let me delay you any further,” she said to the Ambassador. Yes, Johann no doubt had a lot of business to attend to. If Pivoine’s assessment of Fiore mages was at all accurate, she was sure Johann was something of the only authority figure babysitting a number of highly dangerous, highly eccentric weirdos. But, then again, that would be quite the judgmental thing to say or think, and Pivoine did not behave in such a manner. It was unbefitting of a lady.

“Do you have a preference for sweet tea, JJ? I’ll remember that if we work together in the future,” Pivoine said.

“I hate to leave so quickly, but the porter will not keep my belongings all day. So I must attend to the room and my luggage,” Pivoine finished off her dessert, tea, and then stood and bowed gracefully before leaving herself.