Breath of Fire Arc

[Dracos]

"You lied to us.  You are no heroes, bearing of divine favor.  Now tell me the truth young one.  What are you and why have you come to our peaceful city?  Travelers from the forbidden city of death, reveal your true purpose."  The old woman looked grim.

Fearless Leader

[RangerShade]

"I told you the truth."

Something about that old lady just didn't feel right.

"We don't know anything about this city of death.
We just want to find our way back home."

She glanced toward Hotaru, drawing strength from her friend's comforting presence.

"We prayed to your Dragon god, so why do you call me a liar now?"

[Dracos]

Up at the shrine...

A slight fluxation became visible to ryder...for a fraction of a second before disappearing.

Fearless Leader

[RyderHakubi]

Ryder's mouth slowly formed into a smile as he continued to watch the shrine intensely...

'Well, I wasn't obliterated.  That's a good sign...' Ryder thought as he continued to watch and wait for the dragon's sign.

[Dracos]

"True heroes would have been blessed with the favor of the Great Dragon God.  This is the task you asked for in order to prove the truth behind your words.  You have failed this, and returned in defeat.  Your original words were lies designed to deceive us.  So why should we believe that you aren't merely trying to play upon the sympathies of us poor townsfolk."

Fearless Leader

[RangerShade]

"Why haven't we been blessed by the Dragon God's favor?"

How to prove themselves when their test seemed to have failed.

She hadn't failed a test since pre-school!
No matter how hard she thought about it, nothing came to mind.

She had been so certain about that distortion though...

"I did see something there..."

[Dracos]

The old crone's eyes narrowed...

"What?  You saw something in the shrine?"

Fearless Leader

[RangerShade]

"Yes..."

She noted with interest that the old lady apparently hadn't expected that from them.

Ami's brow furrowed in deep thought as she pictured again what had happened.

"A...ripple in the stone...as if someone had thrown a pebble through a still pond..."
She studied the old woman more closely, trying to gauge her reaction to this info.

"Does that...mean something to you?"

[Asrana]

Hotaru stood there, trying to reassure her friend with her presence.

She looked around a bit, not really noting anything in partic- Where was Ryder?

Blinking, she turned around for a moment so she could look completely behind her.

'He must still be at the shrine...' She mused silently, her thoughts split between staying with her friend to back her up or going after Ryder to make sure he didn't cause any problems.

[Dracos]

The woman's eyes drilled into Ami intently, seeming to see right through her.  "A ripple in the stone?  You must be something special...but...  that's no indication you are a hero.  A true hero would have returned with the favor of the Dragon God."

Fearless Leader

[Asrana]

Hotaru sighed only slightly, leaning forward to speak to Ami in a low voice, "I'm going to go back and check on Ryder, Ami-chan."

Smiling reassuringly, she quickly turned and headed back up the steps at a brisk pace, her fingers unconsciously reaching for the collapsed form of her scythe.

[RangerShade]

"You're right."

She had been foolish to give up so easily.

"So I'm going back to get the Dragon's favor."

Ami turned back and started back up the stairs.

"I *will* prove we are who we say we are!"

[Dracos]

"Interesting..."  The old hag narrowed her eyes and considered.  "Young pride..."

At the top of the stairs Hotaru found Ryder praying before the shrine.  Another slight wave being visible over the clear stone.  Above the sun shone hotly down from the position of high noon.

Fearless Leader

[Asrana]

Hotaru's eyes widened, 'So that was what Ami-chan was talking about..."

She slowly walked before the shrine, kneeling down and beginning to pray again. Hoping for any sign. Hoping it wasn't just the heat affecting her. Her eyes remained open but slightly downcast, so that she could just barely see the entire stone.

[RyderHakubi]

Ryder continued to stare at the shrine, watching the occasional ripple...

He noticed Hotaru appear, but gave no indication that he saw her.  Instead, he kept his attention on the shrine, hoping for something to appear...