Ultimate End

The strange little man had blindsided Lem with his beckoning- it was almost as if he appeared from thin air. Lem paid no more mind to it though once he perused the wares.

"Ah, my dear shop-keep. You are but a drop of color to this otherwise dull day. I do believe I'll be taking me a Titan Armlet from you, my good sir!" Taking out the 200 gil, Lem's eyes roamed over the shiny purple orb that was the Enemy Away materia. He scoffed at the thought of it, 'Hiding from everything, where's the fun in that? ... Buuuuut ...', and he plucked it as a child would candy. '... Never know.'. Giving the man another 100 gil, he looked over his own 'excess crap'.

"For your troubles, good man, do take these materia as well.". Lem almost sang this out as he exchanged the two Lightning Materia for 300 gil. With the business concluded, he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned, smile still clear and brimming- only to have it instantly drop at the sight of Mard's scowl.

"Darius is already in Bone Village. We have tarried too long here.". Mard then thrust the chocobo reigns in Lem's hands, as if telling him to hurry the fuck up. "Fine, fine. Hurrying, hurrying...". The words were barely overheard as he kicked his mounted chocobo into a sprint.

It didn't take them long to reach the outskirts of the village. Lem's bored demeanor instantly changed upon arrival- something was different in the air here, he could tell. His weapon arm twitched in excitement. Thinking on it, he switched out his Bronze Bangle for the Titan Armlet as they rode, fitting the Morph and Ice materias into it as an afterthought. Mard noticed the change, and fell back a few paces, taking his role as observer, ever silently. After a few minutes, Lem swore he heard shouts, and cries of protest. Battle, perhaps?

All of those thoughts were lost as he saw what seemed to be a crying girl in a dress, fleeing the area.

"You there, halt!"

Darian slowly made his way to the meet point, still thinking about the MADJAI's words. I should probably talk to Darius about coming with him when he goes to meet Lord Hadad. I want to talk to Herod again... He quickly shook the thought from his head as he noticed a merchant set up on the side of the rode, possibly the same one he met before the mission. "Good day shop keep. Got anything good in stock?"

Darian slowly browsed the shop keeper's inventory looking for something interesting, "I also have some stuff you may be interested in buying from me. Just tell me your prices and I'll gladly sell them to you."

Modulating Phase
Choco-Mog 800 gil, (1)
Oil Bottle 70 gil, (2)
Star Pendant (3)
Barrier 100 gil, (2)

I'll buy weapons for 50 gil, iron bangles for 75 gil, and magic materia for 200 gil. That independent materia would get you a 20% discount if you wear it.

Darian placed the Smart Consumer materia into his Iron Bangle. The Gunblade and the Glove weapon were placed on the table in front of the shop keep. " I'll also sell this Bronze Bangle and extra Iron Bangle I have. Now if my math serves me right... I should have a total of 656 Gil plus whatever you will pay me for the Bronze Bangle.That should be enough to buy...that." He pointed to the summon materia, Choco/Mog.

"If you would be so kind as to hand that over and I will be on my way."

Modulating Phase
The shopkeep eyes your goods up and down and finally agrees to take them. Then he exchanges his summon materia to you.

Lem didn't know if the girl would stop or not. He tried to shout for a second time, before Mard cut him off.

"What are you doing, Lem? What part of tarrying too long here with such trivialities did you miss? ... If you wish to rise here and now, you will continue to Bone Village, and rendezvous with Darius, or... this assessment is over. Ignore the girl."

Lem's curiosity came to an almost crashing halt at the sight of Mard's stone-faced grimace. He looked from Mard, to the girl, and back to Mard, still wondering who she was, and if she would even listen to his pleas.

Jacken's sudden change in demeanor surprised Priest. The man lunged toward Rashad with much vigor and strange ejaculations; blade drawn. Instinctively, the Demon drew his blade, twirling it around in his fingers. He wasn't sure what game was being played, nor where the dice might fall in this situation, but he wanted to be ready.

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Gaven, worried for the safety of the now-unconscious princess, attended to her, lifting her up onto the saddle of the chocobo and fanning her gently with a kerchief he kept in his back pocket.

Darian thanked the kind shopkeep, and pocketed the Choco/Mog materia and turned to leave.

"I'm not a murderer, nor am I a coward." The MADJAI had struck a sore spot with those words. What right did he have to make such accusations? This is war! People die in war! Darian continued to justify his actions to himself as he walked aimlessly around, "Where the hell was that damned meeting spot!?" Darian started to get frustrated, the MADJAI's words slowly growing on him and causing him to become easily angered. In a giant huff, Darian decided to forget looking for the meeting spot and instead made an attempt to find Darius' strike team. Hopefully he could find them without attracting too much attention to himself.