Reforging the Broken Blade: Preparations are Underway to Deal with the Returning Giants So We Have to Travel to The Volcano?! (Tyr)

September 27th, OE 102
Perindor Outskirts, Perindor
Crescentia

A week had passed and the two otherworlders had been given time to prepare for the next step of their journey, their quest to save the land. They were ordered to assemble at the western side of Perindor for their next task, and would be greeted by one of the Regis Knights, Opheria. A short girl clad in white armor, with a helmet that covered her face.

Mumyo had arrived, newly found scars and bruises along her arms, no doubt a result of the hell week training she had gone under this past week, training by the hand of Kusanagi himself. She grunted and looked exhausted, though mentally was at least present.

Once Liana had arrived as well, Opheria would introduce herself and begin reading her orders.

“Unfortunately the Grand Reine is busy with preparations so she was unable to attend this see-off, but in her stead I’m here to give you our instructions. We’re heading out to Dravania, my home town. Within Dravania is one of the few volcanoes where we can reforge Kusanagi’s katana.”

She began reading the paper line for line, holding it up to her face to read.

“Enlist the aid of the fire elementals to reforge the weapon. It will be key in the fight against the Giants.”

There were some other minor details that she read off, but the main goal was plain and simple. Compared to their previous task, this one seemed much less violent, so maybe it was a chance for Mumyo to recover.

“No Questions, yes? Good. Let’s go.”

The three machines had been made ready and set to depart, so it was simply the journey that would take roughly a day’s travel. Plenty enough time for Mumyo and Laura to talk, should they desire it.

“I… don’t think we’ve had the chance to properly introduce ourselves. Call me Mumyo.”

She started the conversation, looking to Laura.

When Laura walked up to the designated meeting spot, she had one arm raised and she was sniffing the sleeve. She seemed to regret it though, as the instant she sniffed she was already rapidly withdrawing her head, both ears and tail jumping up in shock as she stared at it in apparent disgust and turned up her nose on it. "Hey, can you guys give me some new clothes? I'm afraid I didn't bring much of a wardrobe when I was definitely consensually brought here - ones with pockets, preferably."

Her chattering came to a stop as she turned to look at the two and blinked owlishly at the knight, a grin spreading on her face. "Nice to see another shorty. Armor must be a pain to clean after every battle though. Have you ever blinded someone with it by shining so bright after polishing it up?"

She listened along the explanation, staring at the machines next to her Vernie while the explaining was being explained. Just a simple mission to go to a volcano and make something in it. Easy.

Now which immortal would they stumble upon this time, with how this place seemed to be full of them? Which - Laura stared at Opheria suspiciously once the debriefing was over, dramatically squinting her eyes. "I've got to ask, are you another thousands years old immortal?"

She then turned towards Mumyo, giving her a friendly enough grin on the surface. "Laura Woodweaver, nice to meet you Mumyo. You're looking better than you were when we got taken here according to the charming local customs. Does the local air agree with you? It agrees with me at least, much fresher here than in space."

“Were funds not allocated to you last week? I was told such things were taken care of.”

“...I received them.”

Mumyo spoke up.

“...Strange. If it helps, Dravania is well-known for textiles, so there will surely be a shop or several where you can find what you’re looking for.”

Opheria handed Laura several gold coins from a pouch tied to her belt.

“Try not to lose it.”

While helpful, her tone of voice was rather sharp, if but a bit too much.

“The armor is a necessity, mostly for my partner. Keeping it clean is simply keeping up the image of the Regis Knights. I dare not shame the Reine, nor my partner by keeping it filthy.”

It was hard to tell if she was arrogant by pride, or by loyalty to her queen, but despite her similar stature to Laura, she could get the sense that Opheria was looking down on her if but a bit.

“Us Regis Knights, along with Heidel and Kusanagi are the remaining ‘Immortals’ of Crescentia. We Knights were handpicked by the Reine at the end of the war to carry out her word and stay loyal to her until the end. In return we received a fraction of her power, a contract that binds us to her existence. So long as she lives, we do as well.”

She began moving to her Welsdine, which strangely, was one of the footsoldier’s machines, despite her being one of the Knights.

“The two you encountered a week ago, Xifas and Tenka, are the most loyal servants of the Giants, each having played a significant role in the War millenia ago, one way or another. As a reward they too were granted Immortality. There are four in total, but we’ve only ever encountered three of them. The last one has been a mystery since the beginning.”

She gave a sigh, a somewhat long-winded explanation, but hopefully it answered all of Laura’s questions.

“It’s definitely a change of pace.”

Mumyo responded to Laura. Perhaps freed of the burdens of the Kusanagi Clan back on the moon, and her acknowledgement by Kusanagi himself, optimism filled her being more than before.

“I’ve had time to reflect, and move along from the past.”

She held the broken blade that was wrapped in cloth in her arms, a symbol of both her deficiencies and her potential. She was determined to improve, and there was no better target than the rival that laid on the other side.

“Not to offend, but you don’t seem like the kind of person to simply help others out of the good of your heart. What are you sticking around for?”

Laura was an interesting character to Mumyo, not quite like anyone she had met before. There was a part of her wanting to get to know her ally, but also general curiosity that probed her forward.

Laura received the alms gratefully, nodding gravely as befitting of the occasion. "I can't say I received any, but thank you, I will protect them not with my life, but at least with my fur, until I can spend it. I look forward to shopping in a place famous for its textiles!" Tails weren't rare here from what she had seen, so perhaps the clothes would fit her without any altering, unlike over in Earthspace 2. That'd be nice.

As Opheria explained things thoroughly, Laura's eyes narrowed ever so slightly in recognition, before she began to smile a positively beaming and glowing - and perhaps weirdly enough, entirely genuine - smile with a hint of self-satisfaction at the knight. She still had it, her well-honed ability to make the worst first impression possible. "Thank you very much for the thoroughly thorough explanation miss Opheria." She simpered, gazing admiringly at the knight. "You are very good at explaining things! Have you ever considered a career at a school? You'd be amazing at it with your simple-to-understand explanations."

She turned towards Mumyo with a pensive expression. "You know, I don't think anyone's ever asked me that before, why I fight. Mostly it's just variations of 'why are you like this', weird right?"

Her tail was waggling cheerfully.

"Many reasons. This 'Crescentia' seems to be a fascinating place, that I can take enjoyment from, despite it being plagued by more immortals than a teen girl's notepad. So might as well be here instead of somewhere else." Laura laughed. "But there's also information to be found here that I've found myself needing."

She snapped her fingers, as if just remembering something. Turning serious in an instant, eyes hardening with resolve. "And what the Giants do is inexcusable, if what the Crescentian propaganda has even a hint of truth and they do in fact mind control people and take their freedom away. That is inexcusable. Even though most people never do anything with their freedom, it is the most important thing we have." The moment passed, and she was back to her usual self. "Wouldn't you agree Opheria?"

She shrugged. "Those are the reasons, they work better than most. What about you, why are you still sticking around? Training?"

Opheria gave Laura a smile and moved to her machine.

“Don’t think much of it. I’m just doing my duty as a knight.”

It was hard to tell if she was either appreciative or dismissive of Laura’s praise, but either way she seemed committed to the cause. Her and the group began their journey, heading westward to Dravania.

It was a strange feeling, both unfamiliar and nostalgic. Before the encounter with Tenka, it had been nearly half a year since Mumyo had stepped inside a mobile weapon, let alone swung her sword. For her, who had practiced her art everyday since the day she learned, it was a revelation to feel the weight of her weapon in her hands again, to hear the familiar hum of the mobile suit's systems around her. Yet, as she settled into the cockpit and prepared for the journey, there was a sense of unease lingering beneath the surface. The events of the past months had changed her in ways she hadn't fully comprehended. Gone was the reckless confidence that had once driven her into every fight with unwavering determination. In its place was a newfound caution, doubt born from the bitter sting of defeat and the realization of her own fallibility.

Mumyo contemplated deeply before responding to Laura’s question, giving a great sigh.

“...I have nowhere else to be. I’m lost without a path to follow.”

There was no denying her current situation. Mumyo could admit it at least. As she spoke, her facial expression betrayed a mixture of resignation and determination. Her brow furrowed slightly, lines of worry etching across her forehead, while her lips pressed into a firm line, revealing the inner conflict she grappled with. Yet, behind the weariness in her eyes, there was a glimmer of resolve, a spark of determination that refused to be extinguished. Despite her admission of being lost and directionless, there was an underlying strength in her words, a quiet determination to find her way again, no matter how daunting the journey ahead might seem.

“This whole looming war with giants… mind control and whatnot, it's all too fantastical and I can’t say I’m invested in it to any extent… You seem to have your reasons for standing opposed to it.”

She paused and thought for a moment.

“But by sticking around here, I have a feeling I’ll find the path I need.”

Her mind was sent back to the prior week and her training sessions with Kusanagi, the hero who saved the world and who’s will protected the world for millennia. His spirit was slowly imprinted in Mumyo’s granting her some semblance of direction and helping her find purpose.

The journey to Dravania was… uneventful. Aside from the sightseeing along the way, taking in the sights of a different world, there was no opposition that stood in their way on the way to the distant city.

“Let me handle the entry procedures.”

Opheria spoke to Laura and Mumyo, before proceeding ahead of them to the city’s border.

Dravania, a bastion of civilization ensconced within the craggy embrace of towering mountain peaks, presents a breathtaking tableau of natural grandeur and human ingenuity. The city's architecture seamlessly melds with the rugged landscape, as if sculpted by the very hands of the mountains themselves. Much of Dravania is hewn into the mountain's rocky face, with dwellings, walkways, and terraces intricately carved into the stone, creating a labyrinthine network of passages and alcoves. At the heart of Dravania lies the pulsating core of its power and resilience - an active, yet stable volcano that looms over the city like a watchful guardian. Its molten veins breathe life into the surrounding land, nurturing fertile soil and sustaining the bustling city below.

Earth-toned spires rise majestically from the mountainside, their rough-hewn surfaces a testament to the city's harmonious coexistence with its surroundings. These formidable structures serve as both residential abodes and communal spaces, their interiors adorned with tapestries depicting the city's storied history and intricate carvings paying homage to the dragons that dwell nearby.

Above, the sky is alive with the graceful arcs of dragon wings, as these magnificent creatures soar through the air with a regal grace befitting their status as revered companions and protectors of Dravania. From their lofty perches, they survey the city below with watchful eyes, their presence a source of comfort and reassurance to the city's inhabitants.

“We welcome the Princess of Dravania and her companions!”

Shortly after, Mumyo and Laura heard an announcement over their comms.

“Once we get settled in, we’ll proceed to the Volcano and meet with Elder Vin’Kael. He should be able to get that sword forged.”