[Luna]

---

Securely moored to a weathered dock in the secluded La Noscean cove sits the Wright family merchant ship. What once was an impressive vessel for transporting goods and folk now sat a husk. Burns, fire damage, entire holes in the side formed from presumably cannon-fire all now besmirched the craft, leaving it nearly a ghost ship of it's own. The group had made their way to where one Luna Neaucant had persuaded the Maelstrom to hold this vessel until a proper investigation could be done - their job now.

The group neared the dock and craft. Gair, Vinalo, Luna, and Lucatiel (plus her ever-present glowing blue Carbuncle) now on the scene, prepared to find out what brought this once prosperous vessel down to the cindership it now was.

Immediately as they stepped on the dock, the young girl hesitated with a slight whimper. Where she had engaged in cheery conversation and talk on the travel over, she now was reticent. “Uhmm… Oh man… It's so scary! It's… it's so much worse in the light. I can still see the ship we all worked on, but it's… it's dead!” She finally begins to move once more, though apprehensively and from behind Gair as if he were a giant hulking shield.

The tall snow-haired knight looked over at the now cowering girl, pausing in her steps. “Lucatiel… I understand your fears, but we are here to establish certainty and knowledge. We shall pull back the curtains that shade the fates of your parents. Be strong, for them. I know you are possessed of it.” The woman nods to the girl before moving ahead to start setting up the boarding plank to allow them on to the ship.

[Vinalo]

The ship that once carried their student's parents safely across the sea, now sat in front of Vinalo as a charred husk. Unlike the rest of the group, the Lalafell hadn't seen what was left of the vessel before, and words did not adequately covey just how dire the damage was. A look of sadness crossed their face as Lucatiel's fears seemed to erupt once again. They shook their head a bit and looked back at the ship as Luna moved to secure the plank.

“Luna's right. However it turns out, we're going to get some answers,” they said, turning to Lucatiel and trying to give a confident smile. “Might not fight the answers we all hope we will, but… we'll know more than we did before. And that's worth something.”

[Gair]

Gair is dressed down in regular clothes for this, he bears a falchion and a small shield that dangle from his left hip. The latter of which is embossed with a sigil of the sun. “I didn't get a good enough look the first time 'round, dead of night 'an all.” The thick soles of his riders boots clack on the dock as he nears the ship of cinders. He looks down at his feet for a moment before he rolls the rowels of his spurs along the wood beneath him.

“Here's hopin' we find more than holes in the hull,” Gair turns to Vinalo to query. “Think you might be able to muster anythin' as a hearer or somethin'? All I know 'bout divinin' is from cards 'an a Twelveswood lass I worked with.”

[Vinalo]

“Hm? Oh, I'm not a proper hearer or such. Never've heard the Elementals far as I know. And… focusing on the aetherflow'll not really tell much at this point,” they say, turning up to Gair. “At the least, though, a set of eyes closer to the ground might help a bit. More looking, the better.”

Vinalo stretched their arms over their head, an idle gesture as they thought more about the task ahead. They were wearing their short traveling tunic in lieu of their favorite robe, as it probably wasn't the best suited for rummaging around a burnt ship. Though they doubted they'd have a reason to need it, they had a simple branch wand tucked into the belt. Just in case.

“If there's something to find, we'll find it,” Vinalo stated with a distinct tone of optimism.

[Luca and Luna]

Lucatiel looks at Vinalo from the Rhalgric statue of a man, nodding. “Right! I wanna know what happened! Then my mom can stop visiting me in my sleep and I can stop sleeping next to Luna every night!” The girl tries to put on a face of confidence, managing only just. Her attention is drawn to Gair as he speaks, causing her to shrink a bit more as she remembers her desperate actions on that night.

Having set up the plank now, Luna gestures for the others to come over. Lucatiel scurries out and joins the woman's side causing Luna's arm to automatically move itself to the girl's shoulder.

“Once more must I thank you for your soon-to-be efforts. Gair, Ser Vinalo. I was able to convince the Maelstrom to leave the ship in the state it was recovered in, with no efforts to sanitize. Unfortunately…” She squeezes Lucatiel's shoulder gently. “This also means that any remnants from a skirmish are still on board as well.” She looks down at the girl softly for a moment. “I'm sorry Lucatiel, but that could include blood and bodies. I will nary be far should you find something horrific, alright?”

The girl looks up at the woman, a look of worry on her face. She nods at Luna's words, trying once more to look confident. “I'll be fine! I'm an adult now!” For now, she manages to sound sure of herself.

Luna turns back to Gair and Vinalo, nodding. “Watch your step as you board. Once we are on the ship, my suggestion would be to pick either myself or Lucatiel to accompany you as you search, just in case. I have no reason to believe anything dangerous yet remains, but still.”

She beckons the others on board.

[Gair]

“I can always delve into the bilge, make certain there ain't hapless stowaways're a sahagin're somethin' hidin' away,” Gair crosses over from the docks across the plank and into the deck of the ruined trade ship, his nostrils flaring to take in the scent, for all the good it would do.

“I've little preference,” Gair shrugs, looking down at Vinalo. “If you'd like to be with your protege, you've first pick.”

[Vinalo]

Vinalo carefully stepped onto the plank and crossed onto the wrecked ship. They felt the deck sway a bit as the ship gently bobbed up and down on the calm waters. A brief look of unease crossed their face as they idly stepped in place.

“Suppose one of the 'perks' of healing is learning to stomach grisly scenes. Being on a ship on the water'd be the bigger problem for me, usually,” Vinalo said, smiling weakly. “Luckily for my stomach, doesn't seem like the ship'll be swaying much in this cove.”

Luna's suggestion bounced around their mind as they found stable footing. Pairing up makes sense. Before they could think much further, Gair made his position known. Vinalo looked up up him and nodded, and then looked back to the knightess and her ward in front of them.

“Right. Was thinking maybe Lucatiel would feel a bit safer with Gair, but I'd be happy to go along with her to try and make sense of all this,” they stated, turning to face Lucatiel. “…As long as it's okay with you, Lucatiel.”

[Luca and Luna]

The girl looks over at Vinalo, nodding. “Well, Gair is big and strong but he'll still be nearby and so will Luna! That sounds good Vinalo! I'll look around with you! I know my way around the ship and and and where everything should be!” She smiles, walking over towards the Lalafell with her Carbuncle in tow.

Luna nods, turning to Gair. “Then it shall be yourself and mine as well, old friend. I shall be the ever watchful Eye of Halone over your back, ensuring naught escapes our gaze.”

[Gair]

“Halone watchin' my back while we seek truth to do Nald's work,” Gair's tone is dry as he strides across the deck, holding up three fingers over his shoulder. “Got a triad of the Twelve lookin' at us now, let's hope they never wage war.” He was trying to be something resembling good-natured, in spite of the grim work they had to do. It was easier to wear a wry grin as he jabs his chin for the stairs that lead below deck.

[Vinalo]

A confident smile crossed the healer's face as they gave Lucatiel an affirmative nod. “Then lets get started. I've never been on the ship, or really much of any ships at all, so I reckon you'd know better where to start than me.”

Vinalo looked to the other pair before heading off with Lucatiel. “Good luck, you two! May we all get to the bottom of this.” They looked back to their student and nodded. “Lead the way!”

[Luna and Luca]

The knightess follows in Gair's footsteps, moving across the deck to head below. “War awaits after the investigation, surely…” Her tone is dark and followed by a furtive glance towards her ward, smiling before she disappears below deck.

Meanwhile, Lucatiel seems almost excited for a moment. “Oh! Oh! Let's go to my room! I wanna see my old plushies!” She smiles wide and begins to move toward the stairs, turning back to Vinalo. “Yea! Come on!” She gives Luna a quick wave as she practically barrels past the pair of warriors, bounding down the stairs and all the way to the end of the hall, standing next to a door now charred considerably. She looks a bit concerned by it's state, but still excited. “Come on Viiin!”

[Vinalo]

Vinalo watched Lucatiel zoom ahead before they had much of a chance to slow her down. They managed to chuckle a bit despite the grim scenario ahead of them all. Some bit of levity before beginning in earnest, maybe. They much more carefully followed Lucatiel downward to the charred hallway, spotting her at the end of it. Vinalo's nose wrinkled as the smell of burnt wood and other things filled their nostrils. Lucatiel's declaration of wanting to see her old toys was an odd contrast to the obvious ruin that had befallen the ship.

“Gods… it's even worse down here…” they said quietly as they made their way towards Lucatiel. Vinalo looked up at her as they approached. “Now, Lucatiel. There's a… good chance that your toys and things're damaged or missing. Just try to keep that in mind when we go in, okay?”

[Lucatiel]

The girl watches Vinalo finally catch up to her, smiling uneasily. “I know… But maybe they're not! There's only one way to find out, right? Maybe… Maybe my room is fireproofed! It's been a couple years since I've seen it all anyway! So!” With that, she happily grips the doorknob and twists, pushing open the door. As she looks inside, she smiles widely but also recoils a bit, making a squeaking shudder and putting her hands over her mouth.

[Vinalo]

Damage everywhere. Less actual fire damage than Vinalo expected, but a mess regardless. They took a step into the room, eyes scanning the various objects that had been torn apart or strewn about. Was someone looking for something? They didn't have much time to think of it, as they finally noticed the body slumped against the wall and let out a short gasp. The healer was no stranger at all to dead bodies, and Luna warned them all that there could still be some around, but they'd hoped not to run into any.

“Oh no… Lucatiel. Maybe you should stay here. For now. I'll… go and try and see what happened, or… some other idea,” they said, looking up at the shocked young woman. Vinalo turned back to the body and slowly approached it, kneeling down to get a good look. As it'd been while since the attack, they hoped there was enough left of the man to get some sort of clue.

[Lucatiel]

The girl quietly nods her head, watching Vinalo.

[Vinalo]

Vinalo winced once it became obvious what happened to this man. Any worries that they'd somehow find the man alive were very quickly dismissed. Grisly as it was, they kept at it. They squinted upon seeing the text on the man's sleeve, barely making it out. 'Reavers.' Their eyes follow his arm down to his hand, and the key within it. They carefully slide the key from the dead grip, and hold it up to get a good look at it.

“You… should probably stay over there. This man's got a key of some sort. And… a labeled shirt?” Vinalo says, turning back to Lucatiel for a moment. Their face is a combination of concern and sternness. “Says 'Reavers' on the sleeve. Aren't those some pirates around here?”

[Lucatiel]

Lucatiel is fighting her curiosity, standing at the threshold of the room but not daring to enter yet. “O-okay… A key? What does it look like?” She pauses as Vinalo mentions the embroidery. “Reavers? Umm… That definitely sounds like a piratey name. But I don't know any specifically.” Her head is peering into the room now, scanning around. “Ohh… My plushes! They're all over the place!” Her tone shifts to upset as she finds something to distract herself, coming into the room now and sitting down on her knees to look at the dolls and such.

[Vinalo]

A closer look at the key. “It's a skull with an eyepatch. That's… very pirate-y, I guess. Maybe Luna or Gair'll know what it means. Either way, there was some so-” they said, cutting themself off as Lucatiel walked in, distracted by her dolls. Vinalo quickly glanced back to the headless corpse, and then back to Lucatiel. There wasn't any way to hide what happened here. They took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, putting the key in one of their pockets and going over to Lucatiel.

“R-right. There was some sort of… fight or such in here. But…” they started to say, looking over the torn apart toys. “Why would these all be ripped up? Was like they were trying to see what was inside them.”

[Lucatiel]

The girl seemingly did not notice the brutality, too focused on her assailed toys. “Wuhh… Why would someone do this? These were my favorites!” Her face is absolutely stricken with grief as she looks over the torn remains of her childhood toys. Her eyes fall on the bed, noticing the stuffing covering it. “Nooooo!” She lets out a pitiful whine, looking over all the cotton carnage.

[Gair]

“War for man, not the gods,” Gair's chin lifts as he stops in the hall of the hold, his gaze finally noticing the placards whilst it isn't quite literally on fire and so recently soaked in blood. Might as well see what 'Arming room' means, get some insight about what sorta resistance they mounted. He peers passingly into Lucatiel's room from across the hall, he tests the handle on the door to the arming room.

“If we're to wage war on the seas, might be we'll need some boardin' axes,” he suggests to Luna as he makes his way inside.

[Luna]

Luna follows the man, looking around curiously herself. “Yes, well, we are man are we not? It is not the Twelve we shall be chasing to exact revenge, surely.” She watches the man push open the door to the arming room and stroll in casually, frowning. “Do be careful. These are not your belongings.”

[Gair]

Gair looks over his shoulder as he is cautioned to take care with the ruined ship's belongings. “I assure you I'll be kinder to the ship than the blisterin' arses that ran roughshod 'round here.” He eyes the myriad of rifles and pistols curiously, immediately noting aloud. “Gil weren't a motive, and if it were, what they took far outstripped the value of these guns.” He exhales a sigh and pinches the bridge of his nose. “Privateers, mercs'n pirates never waste good steel and powder, they always sell, and can be used.”

[Luna]

“Her parents were known traders, coin surely factored in. Mayhap they were unable to take some of the armaments due to time or being defended against.” The woman theorizes as she pokes her head inside, looking around.

[Gair]

“Maybe,” Gair sniffs audibly, taking in the sweet, sweet damp and smokey air. The entire below deck smelling of a campfire, if that campfire had a generous bucket of blood and water splashed over it. Just wet embers now. He steps over to one of the racks to pull a pistol off the rack and firstly check if it's loaded. “If the navy didn't see any ship sailin' away, I'd wager they had plenty'a time. Of course, it's just my first blush.”

[Luna]

Luna looks at the door for a moment, curious. “It would appear this room is normally locked. Given they once had Lucatiel during her youngest years on this ship, that is surely for the better. I wonder what became of the key…” She looks around on the floor for a moment in hopes of finding it, but to no luck.

[Vinalo]

Vinalo looks over the array of totaled toys all over the bed, not sure what to make of it, other than it looking intentional. As their eyes scanned over the bed (and a very distressed Lucatiel), they took note of the bowl sitting next to it. A filled bowl. They tilted their head to the side, thinking. More and more confusing.

“Lucatiel, I'm right sorry… and confused, about all your toys, but did anyone else use this room for anything?” they asked, trying to get her attention as they approached the bowl for a closer look. “Looks like someone was using a bowl for something here. And… recently, seems like.”

[Lucatiel]

The girl looks over at Vinalo, ever so slightly distraught. “Umm… No, it was just my room! Before it was for me, it was just another storage room I think.”

[Gair]

look axe

get axe

look chest

“Smart,” Gair voices as he looks over the latch, testing it's surety with a slight tug on the barrel. For the best, if not for these, we might not have the little miss with us in this age. “Might have been too much trouble'ta rip the rest off'a the wall.” Idly he paces around the room and steps up to the paired axes on the wall, reaching for the haft of one to try and take it in hand if not latched down as well. For good measure he steps up to the chest, intent to sift around the munitions chest.

[Luna]

Luna looks over at the man fiddling with locks, likely echoing a similar unspoken sentiment in her own mind. “Considering the ship was ablaze… Though this room appears untouched, the halls must have been an inferno.”

[Vinalo]

“Even more stuffing! What were they trying to do here? It's like… like…” Vinalo trails off as they tap their chin in thought. After just a few seconds, their eyes go wide. Their voice became quiet. “Like they thought something was… inside one?”

They looked back across the room to the headless body and patted the pocket holding the key they'd taken just a moment ago. Torn open wardrobe. Scattered papers. 'They knew something was here,' Vinalo thought to themself. They'd just begun to turn back to Lucatiel to discuss this revelation, when they noticed the notebook wedged behind the mattress. They pulled it out and looked to Lucatiel.

“Lucatiel. Is this yours?”

[Lucatiel]

The girl looks up from her torn plushes, confused. “Huh? Oh! Hey! That's one of my old drawing books! I used to just doodle in that!” Her expression changes to one of joy and excitement, smiling widely at the papers.

[Vinalo]

Though it felt odd to be doing this, given everything happening at the moment, Vinalo smiled at their student's happiness and flipped open the book. They positioned themself so both Lucatiel and them could see the pages. Upon seeing the first page, they quickly realized what this notebook was filled with.

First page. Second page. Third page. Three people; a happy family. More pages. Two people; a… sad family and a familiar blue 'dog.' Vinalo tilted their head to the side, slightly confused look. More pages. Three people; another happy family. All the way to the end. Happy.

Vinalo turned to Lucatiel, a soft look of sympathy and understanding. A few seconds passed before they spoke. “Lucatiel… These're your parents? I didn't… didn't know about your dad.” They flipped back to the beginning, but a page caught their thumb, revealing a skipped page. Comfort, but… sadness. Again, they turned to the young woman, trying not to look too glum.

“I'm so sorry, Lucatiel.”

[Lucatiel]

There's a wide smile on Lucatiel's face as she relives her old doodle book with Vinalo, even with the sadder parts. “Oh. Yeah, my birth dad died when I was young. He was a pirate, even though my mom tried to get him to stop. He did, kinda, but I guess… The life he used to live just caught up with him.” Her tone only changes slightly to reflect the sad topic, and she still wears that smile. “Huh? What are you sorry for? I'm fine! Besides, it made my mom happy when she was really sad, so it's worth it! Even if I had to be sad and down, she wasn't so it's fine!”

[Vinalo]

Vinalo gave an affirmative hum in response, smiling. “I'm sure she appreciated it. And I'm glad you were able to make it through all that, just like you're going to make it through all of this.” They closed the book, meaning to hand it to Lucatiel. “I think you should hold onto this. Reckon it'll do no good sitting here. And… I wonder if there's anything else that'll help us in here.” The healer again looked around the room on those last words.

[Lucatiel]

The girl nods, happily taking the book. “Thaaank you! Maybe I'll show Luna when we get home!” She stores the book for now, standing up and looking around. She intentionally tries to avoid looking at the body, opting instead to hone in on the wardrobe and moving over there. “Ohhh! My old party dress!” Likely through fixation and distraction does she overlook all the other things on the floor near the wardrobe.

[Vinalo]

The Lalafell followed Lucatiel over to the wardrobe, but stopped to look at the discarded dresses on the floor. They gently picked up the fabric of one, wondering again about any possible pattern.

“There anything special about these other dresses, Lucatiel? We might've already found what they were looking for,” they say, patting the pouch with the key. “But they seemed pretty intent on getting into everything here.”

[Lucatiel]

The girl looks at her dress for a moment before turning around. “Oh yeah! The key! Umm, yea maybe we should keep going then.” She turns back to look at her old dress again before sighing. “I'm not that small anymore.” She quickly turns back around to follow their companion.

[Vinalo]

“Are you sure there's nothing special about these dresses on the floor? It's… odd that they got tossed down and your party dress didn't,” Vinalo asked again. “Or… is there something special about the party dress?”

[Lucatiel]

Lucatiel blinks, thinking. “Umm… Maybe they didn't think they could fit in it either? It's too small for an adult, even for someone like me who's already small! Maybe they were big buff men!” She nods, still thinking to herself.

[Vinalo]

“…Suppose that could be. But since they threw everything around, maybe there's something else in there that'll help. Dropped something, maybe. If not, I reckon we've got enough to go tell Luna and Gair about,” Vinalo said, peering into the wardrobe. “A quick look shouldn't hold us up long.”

[Lucatiel]

The girl watches as Vinalo examines the Wardrobe thoroughly.

[Vinalo]

The wardrobe really didn't have much else inside of it besides the very fancy dress. Vinalo sighed and stepped back. Before they could turn around, something on the floor caught their eye. Kneeling down, they noticed some scuffs and scratches around the base of the wardrobe. They tapped their chin and stood back up.

“Looks like someone scooted this away from the wall at some point. Since everything else in here's been torn apart, guess they thought something was behind it?” Vinalo thought out loud. “Still wondering a bit why they left your party dress in there, but…” They trailed off with a small shrug.

“I think we've enough to go report to Luna and Gair. Might be more in here, but…” they said, taking one last glance back at the corpse. “There's a lot of ship to get to, and I don't think everything'll be solved in here. You think so, Lucatiel?”

[Lucatiel]

“Huh… I don't remember ever hiding anything behind my wardrobe. Maybe some papers fell back there or something sometimes but nothing valuable. Oh! Yeah, we should tell them what we found!” She nods, quickly moving out of the room to distance herself from the corpse. “Let's go find them!”

[Vinalo]

“Reckon they couldn't have gone very far, and they'll surely want to know what we've found,” Vinalo said, following the young woman out of the room. “Can always come back if we need to, I suppose. Let's go.”

[Lucatiel]

Lucatiel stands in the middle of the hallway now, looking around curiously. “Umm…. Ummm… Oh! The door to the arming room is open! That's.. not good. That's always supposed to be locked! I bet Gair is looking at my dad's axes!” She immediately takes off down the hall. “Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaair! They're not for yoooooooou!”

[Vinalo]

Vinalo watched Lucatiel rocket down the hall in hopes of getting Gair's attention. Despite the grisly scene the two just walked away from, they couldn't help but smile a bit at her continued enthusiasm. “Something she'll need with everything happening,” they said to themself.

The healer followed Lucatiel at their own pace, taking note of the other rooms in the hall as they went to the arming room, where presumably Gair and Luna were conducting their own search.

[Gair]

Gair was in fact looking at the axes, had she arrived a few moments sooner she would have seen him trying to pluck one off the rack to no avail. There's naught of use here, only a void of molestation from these invaders…which speaks volumes. He was already on his way out, beckoning Luna to follow. “All we can gather is that they we're in a hurry, 'an that they had bigger fish'ta fry than petty profit.” Welcomed to the sight of a bounding Lucatiel heading toward his room from across the hall, yelling out in her higher pitched trill.

“A collection to rival my own, we could use that chest of ammo for the fight to come.”

[Luna and Luca]

Luna has cast her icy gaze upon the cloth-covered chest in the corner, noting to herself that it had a lock on it. At Gair's encouragement though she turns to follow the man. 'I have never seen Hilda nor Zirndoen protecting themselves but I do wonder if they were formidable enough to push the attackers and cause them to miss things.“ As she exits the room, she spots Lucatiel running down the hall, raising an eyebrow curiously. “Lucatiel? What is it?”

Now having caught up to the other pair of investigators, Luca looks between the two. “Umm! We found a… umm, a dead guy… in my room…” She sounds scared and deeply uncomfortable, shifting in place. “But we also found a key! Did you guys find anything?”

Luna flits her gaze to Vinalo behind Lucatiel for a moment before thinking aloud. “A key? Perhaps to that covered chest in the arming room then.”

[Vinalo]

“Yes. We found a key. The, erm, corpse in the room was holding onto it,” Vinalo said, walking into view next to Lucatiel. “Must've been a fight, too. Looked like he had his head cleaved right off at the window. It wasn't in the room, so… I assume out it went.”

They pulled the key out of their pouch, holding it up in clear view. “Not sure if this was what they were looking for, but the whole room was torn apart and such. Wardrobe, desk, bed… everything.”

[Luca and Luna]

Lucatiel goes white for a moment at Vinalo's words. “HIS HEAD WAS GONE!? OH MY…” She claps her hands over her mouth to stop herself from yelling, instead letting out a very muffled screech.

Luna looks ready to grab the girl and hold her but resists for now, letting only her face show her concern. “That is quite barbaric. Though, I would not find myself surprised of such violence when one's livelihood is suddenly under assault. If you would be so kind, Ser Vinalo, I would like you to try that key on a chest in the arming room. I have a feeling it is matched to it.”

[Vinalo]

Vinalo looks to Lucatiel's sudden shock, only realizing how good of a job she did of not looking at the corpse. They bit their lip and turned back to Luna, a tiny look of guilt on their face. “Ah. Well… reckon we'd be right lucky if the key was this close to the lock. Let's try it, then.” With that, they started to walk into the arming room.

“Oh, right! There was another thing. The corpse's outfit had 'Reavers' stitched into the sleeve. That sound familiar to you or Gair?”

[Gair]

“Just another word for pirate, or a type'a robber,” Gair steps off to the side to make way for Vinalo's entry and path through the arming room. His mossy gaze flits to the myriad of guns and axes latched onto the wall for safety purposes. “Nothin' too special about this room, far as I could tell. Untouched, the fire might've had them in a hurry, or somethin' else.” He scuffs his boot on the floor of the room, looking about at the walls and racks one more time, then the floor. Searching for something more, any signs of passage that weren't them, maybe. “How 'bout you two, found more than a dead man? What was the missus room like when you got to it?”

[Luna]

[Vinalo]

The healer walks in past Gair and spots the chest Luna spoke of. They pull back the cloth, revealing the lock. “Like I told Luna, Lucatiel's room was torn apart. Papers everywhere, wardrobe almost emptied out and… moved at some point. Even her toys were ripped up. This key might've been what they were looking for, I suppose,” Vinalo said, holding the key up to the lock and nodding. “Key and the lock both have the same symbol on them. Unless this is some sort of trick, I reckon we've found the right one.” They fiddle with the key a bit before inserting it into the lock and giving it a gentle turn, squinting and stepping back a bit, as if they were anticipating something.

[Luna]

[Luca and Luna]

Lucatiel has entered the arming room out of curiosity, over the terror of the thought of a beheaded man. She glimpses over Vinalo at the now open chest and her mouth goes wide. “OHHHH! I think that's umm that's my dad's pirate sword! And his pirate gun! Umm… My birth dad!”

Luna lifts an eyebrow as she looks between the girl and the opened chest. “What would his weaponry be doing on the ship? Did he not perish quite some time ago?”

The girl looks over at Luna, nodding. “Yeah! But my Mom really loved him, so I guess she held on to them as keepsakes. I… I think dad knew about it and was okay with it. I mean Zirny, not… umm… not my birth dad, Baldric.”

[Vinalo]

Vinalo gazes at the two weapons closely, tapping their chin thoughtfully. “Suppose if that man had the key, these're what they were looking for? Couldn't be worth burning the ship over, though…” they thought out loud. “This is just getting more odd and confusing.”

[Gair]

“Old keepsakes from a long gone pirate,” Gair shakes his head after peering into the crate. Wait… He homes in on Lucatiel, obnoxiously thick brows furrowed in thought. “Wait, he was a fuckin' pirate? Could this be the crew he ran with or somethin'?”

[Lucatiel]

Lucatiel looks up at Gair, nodding. “Yeah! Umm, maybe! I think his old crew came back to hurt him and us after he left them for my mom. But that was years ago!”

[Vinalo]

Vinalo seems to be distracted by the closer look at the weapons, pointing and tracing something as they look at the bloodstains. After a moment of tapping their chin, they turn to the others.

“Lucatiel. I know none of this is pleasant or such, but… how did your birth dad die?” they asked, trying to maintain a gentle tone. “And… how'd your mum get a hold of the weapons here? They look like the last time someone used them, it went right poorly.”

[Gair]

“Aye, it looks a bit more like…” Gair has more than a few crude words there, Vinalo's assessment has him realize something rather grim. It was easy to miss without a body near them, but these weapons are how they hit the ground when he fell. “Someone's last stand, I've a few unpleasant thoughts as to why they weren't cleaned up as regular 'ol keepsakes.”

“None of it I can prove yet, at least,” Gair hastens to add.

[Luca and Luna]

The girl looks over at Vinalo, thinking. “Umm, well, I don't remember any of it but my mom told me what happened. So the pirates he used to do… piratey things with got mad that he stopped doing stuff with them, and they came back and attacked the ship. There was a lot of fighting on the weather deck and the other pirates, umm, killed him. My mom said the Maelstrom stepped in and stopped them from hurting her and me, but I really don't remember that. I just remember her telling me to play below deck and it sounded like a thunderstorm. I never really thought about it much but…”

She walks over to the chest, kneeling down and picking up the cutlass and pistol. She seems fixated on it, thinking.

Luna walks over a bit, looking at Gair before kneeling down and putting a hand on Lucatiel's shoulder. “I believe it is as Gair speaks - the pistol likely misfired. I have seen similar results from the knights training with Skysteel firearms. Judging by the damage, it did much to work against it's owner.”

The girl pauses, her lips shaking. “What? So you mean… he… dad he… You mean it…?” She is unable to say it, the very thought hurting her.

[Vinalo]

“It… seems that way, Lucatiel.” It was all they managed to get out as they watched Lucatiel put the pieces together. Vinalo's face was one of sympathy, but the mystery still weighed on their mind.

[Gair]

“Misfired, sabotage. Maybe the gun was kept around as a reminder?” Gair asks rhetorically as he takes up perch in the doorway of the arming room, his gaze flitting into the holds halls. Considering the rest of the doors within eyesight. “Anyroad, we've more of this place'ta search. We've only a group name with motive we can only guess at so far.”

[Luca and Luna]

Lucatiel just stares down at the pistol, transfixed. In one gentle motion, Luna pulls the girl to a stand and plucks the gun from her hands, storing it in a pocket for now before pulling Luca in for an embrace. “I am sorry, dear Lucatiel. But you must remain strong, that we might find out what has transpired with your family.”

The girl looks up at the woman, her eyes watering. A pull tighter and the girl shuts her eyes, trying to stop the tears. “R-right! For mom and dad! We need to keep searching! Come on Vinalo! Let's go check another room!” She breaks free from Luna's hold, smiling at her before turning to her Lalafell companion and marching into the hallway, looking around.

Luna meanwhile looks a bit surprised at the girl's sudden resolve but quickly stows her feelings. “Onward Gair. Time is ever on our side and yet I would not wish to tarry.” She too enters the hallway, looking around at the remaining doors.

[Vinalo]

Vinalo seemed used to Lucatiel's rapid mood changes by now and smiled as they followed their student out into the hall. They looked around at the remaining doors, tapping their chin. The other pair's arrival into the hall caught their attention.

“We've plenty of places to search, still. Anything comes up, we won't be far away. Hopefully we'll find some answers instead of more mysteries,” they say to Luna and Gair before turning back to Lucatiel. “So. Where should we go next?”

[Luca and Luna]

Luna offers a nod to Vinalo before turning back to looking at the hallway.

“Umm…How about you pick somewhere this time!” In truth, she was still a bit scarred by finding a body in her room.

[Vinalo]

“Me? Well, suppose my guess'll be as good as any…” They eyed the various doors, particularly the ones close by. Right next to Lucatiel's was her parents' room. Vinalo bit their lip and looked back to her.

”…There's a chance that something'll show up in your parents' room, Lucatiel. But I know it might be hard to go searching through there now. So…“ Vinalo said, clearly trying to float the idea gently. “If you'd rather Gair and Luna look in there, we can go somewhere else. Don't think we can avoid it, though. Not after everything that's happened.”

[Lucatiel]

There is a moment of hesitation writ on Lucatiel's face as Vinalo explains the dangers, but she holds her arms down and clenches her fists, breathing in. “No! I'm ready! I'm an adult, and I can do this, and it's for mom and dad! Let's go in!” She marches over to her parent's room and pushes the door open with momentary confidence. As she does, she lets out an involuntary whimper and shrinks before breathing in again.

[Vinalo]

Vinalo let some manner of grumble upon seeing the state of the room. More searching. More furniture torn apart. More broken belongings. ”…Another body. Even wearing the same color.“ They turn and look to Lucatiel. “I can… take a look at the body, if you don't want to get close. Not the proper situation to get used to this sort of thing.”

The Lalafell starts to walk slowly over to the body, but stops when they notice the pulled up rug. They kneel down take a closer look. 'Another hidden somesuch?' they ponder.

[Lucatiel]

“N-no! I'll do it!” Lucatiel approaches the body, her breath held. She carefully kneels down next to it, looking over it. She looks on the verge of crying and as if she is fighting against her own fear.

“Umm…. He was shot… Maybe by Mom? She practiced with guns a lot… And umm… h-he has a little dagger.”

[Vinalo]

“Someone surely was looking for something under the rug here. And… there's some coins,” Vinalo reported. They started to reach for the gil, but stopped after seeing the bloodied one. “Only one… why would it be aw- Lucatiel?”

They were focused enough on the rug and coins that they didn't notice the young woman had gone over to check the body herself. Vinalo went over to her side, leaving the rug alone for now. Kneeling down and looking over the body confirmed what she'd said.

“Lucatiel. I was going to… I mean, maybe…” they said, trying to find words. Vinalo sighed and gave their student a weak smile. “Was brave of you to take a look yourself, but… maybe we can find a bit more together.”

The healer turned back to the body and carefully looked it over, hoping to find some more detail that'd help with this mystery.

[Lucatiel]

[Vinalo]

Vinalo sighed after a very squinty reading. “Same outfit and same name on it. Reckon this confirms some things,” they say, looking over the rest of the body. ”…Looks like this one was killed before he could use his dagger. And you think… your mum shot him?“

[Lucatiel]

“Yeah. She used to practice with guns and stuff. When we would stop back at Limsa she would go train with them. She showed me her guns when I was younger sometimes, maybe hoping I'd get into them, but I never really did. Dad would tell me she was really good, too. I… I mean he's dead so I guess she really was.” Lucatiel is doing her best to hold back too much emotion, her voice on the verge of breaking but she stays resolute.

[Gair]

walk storage 3r

Gair stood there in the arming room pensively, staring at the floor for a long while before he moved out after Lucatiel and Vinalo. “S'pose we should go see the storage…might have an idea of what goods they'd have gotten out.” He moseys the way back he came, settling in the right side of the hallway. His heavy riding boot clacks against the door before he reaches up to try the handle, intent to go in and investigate.

[Luna]

Luna nods before following the man, looking around as they move.

[Vinalo]

Standing back up, Vinalo finds themself nearly eye-level with their student, both of them still looking down at the body. Seeing that Lucatiel was trying her best to keep it together, they slowly and gently placed their hand on her shoulder. “We're going to get to the bottom of this, Lucatiel. I'm sure of it.”

After holding for a moment, Vinalo turned around to look at the rest of the room. Bloody coin with unbloodied coins. Everything torn apart. Every- A pause. The Lalafell's eyes stopped when they reached the painting on the wall. They squinted for a moment and rubbed their chin.

“The painting up there. Anything special about it you know of? It's… the only thing in the room that hasn't been ripped apart or such,” they said, continuing to gaze at the painting. “Invaders were so determined to find something that they went through every drawer and even your toys in the other room. But… never touched the painting?”

[Lucatiel]

Lucatiel feels her resolve bolstered, looking over at the painting. “Umm…. No, it's just a pretty painting I think. Maybe they didn't want it for their lair? Or umm… I think there used to be more paintings so I guess they took the rest.”

[Vinalo]

“There were more? I… guess they might not've wanted this one for some reason. Still odd, though…” Vinalo pondered, walking over to the painting. “Can't hurt to take a closer look, I reckon.”

[Lucatiel]

[Vinalo]

“Was worth a look, I suppose,” Vinalo says as they carefully return the painting to its position. “No hidden key or somesuch behind it. Still… bit odd to that it's been left alone. Liked Limsa Lominsa too much to hurt it? Sentimental pirates?” The Lalafell shrugged and walked back to where Lucatiel was still kneeling.

“There's a few coins on the floor by the rug. One's bloodied up. I… don't know what to make of that,” they say with frustrated tone. “Really, I don't much know about how pirates… hide messages or… symbolize things. We'll just keep looking for more obvious things, I guess.”

[Lucatiel]

The girl blinks. “Umm, I'm not sure pirates do a lot of symbolic things. Maybe the guy who got shot just, umm… bled onto one of the coins…” She makes a face that makes it clear she's grossed out by the idea. She comes to a stand, looking over at the rug and scattered coins but doesn't seem to notice anything Vinalo hadn't. Her gaze drifts over to the dresser and she looks curious. “Oh! Maybe there's something in there!” She quickly moves over to it, bending over to look at the over-turned dresser.

[Gair]

Not wanting to exactly dirty his hands yet and take a cursory look sifting from on-high at six fulms, Gair frees his broad-bladed falchion as a poker from on high. Intent to sift through the various knick-knacks all over the floor, even hooking the edge of an errant crate to turn it over and jostle anything obvious of it's contents out. “Pretty sure this is one of the rooms I ran into when it was still burnin'.”

After a pause, he asks of Luna. “So, what's the plan, we to charter a ship, or hire a crew'ta go after these fuckers?”

[Luna]

Luna looks at the man, thinking. “My immediate response is to visit Halconic judgment upon them, by hand. But I must act with forethought. Perhaps we shall hire a ship for a short venture to find these men. I know not how it shall resolve from there, but it will not end well for them.” Her tone is icy and neutral as ever, but it is clear she is holding back considerable emotion.

[Vinalo]

Vinalo managed smile a little at Lucatiel's response to the idea. “Like I said: don't know much about pirates.” They join Lucatiel in looking over the coins and rug again, giving her a little shrug as they both don't know what to make of it, and follows her over as she dives into searching the dresser.

[Lucatiel]

“Oh! Oh! There's so many of my parent's clothes on the floor! Umm… That is Zirny's!” She points to a fine button-up shirt, smiling. “Oh! And Mom had such nice dresses! She taught me how nice they are, so now i wear them all the time!” She gestures towards a couple tattered dresses on the floor. “I don't like seeing them like this - all scattered on the floor and thrown around. I wonder what they were looking for in the dresser…” She turns back and begins to look in the remaining drawers, to no avail.

[Vinalo]

“Looks like one of the drawers they really wanted into. There's… cuts all over that part of the dresser,” they said, pointing to the damaged drawer slot. Vinalo knelt down and gently moved some of the clothing around to help look for anything. “Does seem like it's just clothes here, though. Maybe there's-” Their hand suddenly met something solid, causing them to stop. Hands worked their way through the shirt until a silver pocketwatch revealed itself. Vinalo held it up, looking at the detailing for a moment before turning to Lucatiel.

“Don't know if this is it, but… there's a pocketwatch here. Your dad's?” they asked, holding it in view of the young woman.

[Lucatiel]

Lucatiel watches the Lalafell rummaging through the strewn clothes, looking at the pocket watch as it's withdrawn. “Oh! Yeah! Mom gave that to Zirny for an anniversary I think! He looooved it!” She makes a motion to grab at it curiously, stopping herself. “I remember how happy he was when he got it…”

[Gair]

“Don't look like there's much here, they smashed'n grabbed whatever in the fuck they was after I think,” Gair taps the blade of his falchion over the rim if one of the crates, tink, tink, tink, it echoes in the storage room. “In other words you don't got the logistics all figured out, we need a vessel…” He laments as he looks to the wardrobes, empty as they are, he thumps a boot against it to ensure nothing is hiding that can't be knocked free or hidden behind. “I should've kept in touch with The Black Cats, a sky pirate's airship would do us well 'bout now.”

[Luna]

Luna's icy gaze is held on Gair. “Nay, it is not often that i must travel across the waters to hunt down pirates so you shall surely forgive my lack of expertise in the field. Luckily I know a man who ventures through the realm aboard an airship and personally deals with pirates that may know better than I.” She returns to looking around the room curiously, though nothing catches her eye.

[Vinalo]

“Then… maybe you should hold onto it, regardless if it's what they were looking for,” Vinalo says, now holding the watch palm-up towards Lucatiel. “Something to remember him by. And… probably would want you to have it.”

[Lucatiel]

Lucatiel takes the pocketwatch, holding it in her hands and looking at it. “Ohhh… You're right!” She holds it close to her chest, sighing happily. “It might be all I have to remember him by…”

[Vinalo]

“You'll still have the memories inside, but I reckon this'll help keep them close. Looks like a right good pocketwatch to have, too,” they said in a gentle tone. Vinalo watched for a moment as the young woman held the watch, though their face took on a curious look. “Little odd to have it stashed in a shirt put away, though. Is it is still running?”

[Lucatiel]

The girl pauses, having not thought about that. She pries open the cover, revealing the watch face. It had stopped, unfortunately, likely damaged during the attack. “Ohh… No, it's not working. Maybe i can get it fixed later! Umm… But for now…” She closes the cover once more and stows the pocket watch on her person, coming to a stand and looking around. Her eyes fall on the table pushed up against the wall, and she carefully moves over to it to examine it.

She picks up the journal and begins reading it. She begins to smile, but after some moments she quickly holds the book away from her face. “OH! GROSS!”

[Vinalo]

Vinalo blinked and went a bit wide-eyed as Lucatiel suddenly recoiled from the journal. They stepped closer to look up at her. “What's wrong? What'd you read in there?”

[Lucatiel]

She quickly shoves the journal into Vinalo's hands, looking away and disgusted. “Ewww! I didn't wanna read that about my parents! It's sweet but EUGH!” She continues her dramatics for a moment, trying to unread part of it.

[Vinalo]

“Parents? Oh… ah!” Vinalo manages to say before the journal is forced into their hands. After fumbling with it for a moment, they take a look inside, landing right at where Lucatiel probably stopped. They snirk a bit and grin. “Ah. Well. That is sweet to say, but yes. Right awkward to read that about your parents, I reckon. We'll just… skip ahead a bit, okay? Might be something more, erm… useful.”

Vinalo did just that, flipping forward to more recent content. They paused on one page, a small smile forming on their face. A short sigh and another page turn.

The next page caused them to stop for a different reason. Vinalo looked back up to Lucatiel, hoping her attempts at mentally washing out those read words didn't keep her from listening. “Lucatiel. This last entry here. Your dad wrote down where they were going, and why,” they reported, holding open the journal for the young woman to see for herself.

[Lucatiel]

“IT'S REALLY GROSS!” Luca continues her whining as Vinalo mentions the entry again. Thankfully, she is still paying attention as the journal is held up for her. “What? Oh! Oh! The New World! yeah, we've been there before! I remember Mom and Zirny talking about that when me and Luna met them on the pier! Umm, spice is pretty expensive, so maybe that's why pirates attacked? I wonder if they had delivered it already or not… I guess we'll find out when we go down to the hold.”

[Vinalo]

“That's possible, I suppose. But…” they say, looking again around at the scattered and broken furniture about the room. “This is a lot of tearing apart for looting some expensive spice. Reckon you're right that checking the hold'll tell us more.”

Vinalo looked across the room at the very disheveled bed and tapped their chin. “Not likely there's a secret under every pillow or shirt here, but… can't hurt to look a bit more. If the invaders thought something was here, then maybe we'll get closer to following what they did. Let's see if together we can find anything.”

[Lucatiel]

[Vinalo]

Vinalo pulls out the box of chocolates, looks it over for a moment, and takes a peek inside. A small smile. “Must not've been saving this for something, looks like.” They place it on the bed in view of Lucatiel and keep searching until they pull out the book. They get a look at the title (and how used it looked) and suddenly this felt more invasive than before.

“I… oh. Not another journal. A… romance novel, looks like,” they say, flipping through a few pages to confirm. And indeed the text confirmed it. The added writing caught their eye. “Right. Looks this was, erm… used a lot.” Another glance at the notes. ”…Two people wrote in this. There's different handwriting.“

The Lalafell looks back at Lucatiel, book open, biting their lip. “This might be a bit odd to look at, but… do you recognize the styles here?”

[Lucatiel]

Lucatiel smiles at the half-eaten box of chocolates. “Oh! I think my Mom used to love those little chocolates!” She turns her head to Vinalo, curious. “Huh? Umm, lemme look.” She moves over and shoves her face practically into the book, looking at the writing extensively. “Hmmmmmm! I thiiink this one is my Mom's… and this one…. that definitely looks like Zirny! It's so goofy and wobbly compared to Mom's!” She nods, not quite putting together what that actually meant yet.

[Vinalo]

“Yes. Well. They must've really… enjoyed the book,” they said, seeing Lucatiel's semi-oblivious look. “And each other's company. Though… not sure if this helps much more for finding out what happened.”

Vinalo placed the book down on the bed for now, not entirely sure what to do with it. They looked around to see if there was anything else worth investigating. The coins were still a mystery. 'Maybe we should ask Gair about them later,' they thought to themself. Vinalo walked over to the smashed mirror and lamp, looking down at the bloodied shards.

“Doubt there's a secret message or such here, but this is such an odd situation…” They carefully look over the mirror and surrounding broken bits, hoping to find anything more before moving on.

[Lucatiel]

[Vinalo]

Vinalo stood back up and sighed. “Nothing else here, I suppose. Looks like some of this was used as a weapon, but we already knew there was a fight here,” they say, glancing back at the body briefly before turning to their companion. “What do you think, Lucatiel? Anything else you can think of in here?”

[Lucatiel]

The girl puts a finger to her lips, thinking. “Ummm…. Nope! I think we should check another room now. Maybe umm… Oh, the study maybe? There's lots of books and things in there!” Getting ahead of herself, the girl sits up and practically bolts from the room, dashing down the hall towards the study's door.

[Vinalo]

Once again, Vinalo found themself watching as their student shot off to the next destination before they could say another word. They look one last look around the room before making their way out the door to catch up with Lucatiel.

“Hope Gair and Luna've found more to work with.”

[Gair]

“Unfortunately he don't know much about siftin' through the ashes of a ship to find a damnable lead,” Gair spits on the floor of ash-littered and fire damaged room. “I feel like little more than a waste of space in this fuckin' place.” His voice raises, no small amount of irritation leavened in his tone. He looks to the Ishgardian woman to query, “Shall we move to another room? The longer that little goes found, the more I want to expedite this ship's descent to the deep.”

[Luna]

Luna exhales, putting a hand on Gair's shoulder. “I would not worry - that is surely a skill no one wishes to develop. Would that you had proficiency in it that I would have grave concerns. Remember you are doing this for Lucatiel - would she refer to you as a waste of space? Surely not. Come.” She nods at the man and exits the room, going back into the hallway and looking around.

[Lucatiel]

Lucatiel stands at the door to the study, watching Vinalo approach. “Come on! There's so many cool things in here!” As they finally arrive, she happily opens the door, looking inside.

[Vinalo]

Vinalo steps into the room, immediately getting a feel for the the cozyness of their new surroundings. They practically expected to see another white-clothed body slumped against the wall, but that thankfully didn't seem to be the case. Still, they couldn't ignore the blood splattered on the posters. After a few moments, they turned to face Lucatiel.

“Something happened in here, but… doesn't seem like anything ended here. No bodies to search this time, thankfully.” They glanced up at the bookshelves, craning their neck back to get the full scope. “These'd fit right in at the Shroudrose library, I reckon. And no one bothered to tear everything apart in here. That… might make it easier to find something.”

[Lucatiel]

The girl nods. “Yea! It's really nice in here…. Umm, a little bit less so with the blood. But, umm…. no bodies yeah!” She walks further into the Study, looking around.

[Vinalo]

Following the young woman's lead, Vinalo begins to look around as well. Not having every square ilm of the room torn to pieces makes it bit easier to get a handle on things. Their eyes are drawn to the desk where clearly something happened and they walk over to take a look.

“Did either your parents study in here, Lucatiel? Maybe something'll turn up that'll point us in the right direction or somesuch.”

[Lucatiel]

“Yes! Mom and Zirny would spend a lot of time in here reading and looking at maps and stuff! And so did I! Sometimes I would just play on the floor while they read, but I remember reading a lot of stories in here!” She is looking around at everything with a clear sense of nostalgia.

[Gair]

Gair grunts pettily thumps his boot against the doorframe of the storage room on his way out, rattling the burned wood audibly. “None'a that shit matters, we either produce results or we don't. Luca's kindness aside, or your understandin'.” The damaged placard catches his eye as he looks back the way they came, that one can't be a dud too, can it? He steps passed Luna, arms crossed over his chest in consideration. He tests the door with his boot.

[Luna]

Luna sighs as she follows the man once more. “We will dredge that which the waters wished to claim, bear no concern. I believe in our abilities Gair. Worry not.”

[Vinalo]

Vinalo starts looking through the scattered bits on the desktop, trying to find anything like the other journal that'd give the group something more to work with. Lucatiel's recalling of happy memories made them smile a bit as they searched. They looked at the unlit for a moment and silently thanked the Twelve that it clearly wasn't lit at the time.

“Well, not much on the desk here. Though, someone got up in a right hurry,” Vinalo says after searching the desk. “Ink spilled and the chair on its side, and… blood elsewhere. And looks like the attack might've happened during the day? Candle here wasn't lit when whatever happened in here… happened.”

[Lucatiel]

“Huh?” Lucatiel turns to Vinalo, clearly having been absorbed into looking at everything else. “Oh… Umm… I guess someone was writing something when it started maybe, or maybe the whole thing made the ink spill!” She blinks, looking around again. “Ohh! So many of these books have blood on them now, and my posters…”

[Gair]

Gair scowls as the door is stayed by his attempts at entry, motherfucker… He looks back at Luna and motions for her to step back. “It's my job'ta worry, and-” he directs his welling up ire toward the barred door impeding his progress.

“Git the fuck outta my way!” He barks out, his fist raised as he cocks it back. The scent of forge-hot iron fills the air as the main hallway of the ship begins to warm up considerably. As if he were performing a controlled breach with a shotgun, he slams his knuckles right against where the knob would be. With his impact, a fine-controlled blast cracks out and reverberates through the deck like a deafening gunshot. A surprising amount of control on display as he motions to try and blow the door from it's hinges and shove his weight inside rather than…blow everything up behind the door.

[Luna]

Luna braces herself against the wall as the ship rocks for a few moments, a look of unease across her face until it ceases. “Do you mind!? We are trying to locate the girl's parentage, not destroy their ship!”

[Lucatiel]

In the study, Lucatiel looks around in confusion as the ship rocks, though she seems quite used to it and isn't thrown off-balance. “What!? What's going on!?”

[Vinalo]

“Could see if you recognize anything they were writing, or maybe some of the books here on the floor…”

The sudden rocking of the boat catches Vinalo off-guard. They stumble a bit to one of the bookshelves and brace themselves against it. A small bit of color seems to have drained from their face and they don't look the best. After a moment of slow breaths, they look over to Lucatiel.

“Did… did that come from another room? What happened?”

[Lucatiel]

The girl walks over to Vinalo, offering a hand to hold them stable if needed. “Maybe? I dunno. Usually the ship rocks on big waves but we're just at a dock so nothing should be doing that! I hope the others are okay…”

[Vinalo]

Perhaps surprisingly, Vinalo does take Lucatiel's hand for a moment to steady themself. “Thanks much, Lucatiel. Was hoping there wouldn't be any swaying or such with the ship docked. I get seasick real easy,” they say, letting out a last sigh. “Think I'll just…. sit down for now.”

Vinalo releases her hand and settles down on the rug, making sure not to sit on any books, bloodstains, or other things.

[Gair]

“A FUCKING…!” Gair throws his hands up in defeat and frustration, part of him wishing he just levelled the room further now. “Privy! That's it, I'm nigh done with this.” His patience is at it's last tether, he's not even at a point to answer to Luna for his violent entry. A pointed finger lifted to the Ishgardian. “Pick a room, pick a fucking room.”

[Lucatiel]

Luca smiles at Vinalo, patting their held hand gently with their other before letting them down gently onto a rug. “Ohhh! I'm sorry! Just sit down and let me look around, okay?” She quickly moves and plops down into a comfy chair, letting the cushioning absorb her slightly. Her legs stick out comically as she enjoys the feeling, sighing and looking around.

[Luna]

Meanwhile, Luna looks between Gair and the now thrown door, putting a hand to her temples. “Unbelievable. Very well.” She looks around, spying an open doorway. “I believe that is the kitchen area. Let us examine it, lest you bring this ship down to the bottom of the sea.” She walks on over to it, going inside and looking around.

[Gair]

The young highlander stepped through the threshold of the kitchen, displeasure writ on his features. Accompanied by the scent of hot iron that wafts into the kitchen with Gair, his ire can be felt in the subtle rise of the room's ambient temperature.”I'd bet my best gil the kitchen were built'ta not catch fire as easy, wouldn't want a grease fire'ta sink you.“ He steps up toward the brazier and barrel in particular, looking around for any signs of rummaging or passage that preceded these two.

[Vinalo]

Vinalo sits comfortably on the rug, hoping that whatever caused the rocking wasn't anything to care much more about. While Lucatiel plopped onto the chair, they closed their eyes to try to relax and clear their mind. Deep breaths. In and out. The Lalafell remained in this position for a while, outwardly looking calm.

[Luna]

Luna watches Gair saunter over to the barrel before looking around the kitchen herself. “That makes considerable sense. Loathe as I am to contemplate the logistics of living upon a ship, not burning it down trying to make breakfast seems smart.”

The woman walks over to the cabinet, looking it over.

“How queer…” Luna picks up the small burned pan, looking it over curiously.

[Lucatiel]

Meanwhile, Lucatiel sighs in the chair once more, looking out over the room from her haphazard position. “Umm…. Maybe we should look at the bookcases next…”

[Vinalo]

After a couple minutes or so, Vinalo slowly opened their eyes and looked around. Whatever it is they did, it seemed to work for calming them down. ”…They seem to be fine, at least.“ The healer rose to their feet and looked to Lucatiel. “Mhm. Hard to know what we're even looking for with all the books and such, but with both of us, maybe we'll find something.”

Vinalo turned to one of the bookshelves and began their search for anything of interest.

[Lucatiel]

The girl pushes herself up from her considerable cushion, walking over to the bookcase to look with Vinalo. “I remember some of these…”

[Vinalo]

Vinalo takes a look at the book they happened to pull from the shelf. They snirk at the cheesy title and flip it in their hands, noticing the many pages effectively bookmarked. With a grin on their face and cover in clear view, they turn to Lucatiel. “This one look familiar?”

[Lucatiel]

“Huh?” Lucatiel turns before seeing the book cover and gasping loudly. “OOOOH MYYY GOOOOOSH!” She takes the book from Vinalo excitedly, flipping through it and naturally landing on many of the bookmarked pages. Her eyes are glued to the book now. “I haven't read this in like… 2 years! Oh my gooosh!” She continues to flip through the pages rapidly, smiling wide.

[Vinalo]

“Looks like it's an old favorite!” they said, smiling wider now. “No matter what we find here, reckon you'll be taking a few things back with you. Glad the fire didn't much make it to this room.”

[Gair]

With something to look at and think about, Gair's ire is abated, slightly, the kitchen is still a few degrees warmer for his presence. “Either they use this water to cook or someone tried'ta fight a fire from here.” The sight of the burned and warped pan in Luna's hands illicits a passingly amused look from him. “Looks like someone left the fire crystals out for too long under that one.”

[Lucatiel]

Lucatiel smiles widely. “Yeah! I'm surprised, there's so many books for the fire… But it's okay! It got lucky!” She continues flipping through the book, reading passages here and there. “Oh man… I'm definitely gonna show this to Luna when we go home! Ah… home…?” She pauses, looking forward. “I… guess her house is home now, isn't it? It's a lot better than that apartment in Ul' Dah but… I miss this ship…” She exhales, looking around with a tinge of nostalgia.

[Luna]

Luna looks from the pan to Gair for a moment. “Do you suppose this is a pan they purchased just for a very young Lucatiel? Surely Miss Hilda is more accomplished as to not burn it so badly, and Sir Zirndoen seemed quite capable as well.” She looked back down at the pan again, smiling a bit.

[Vinalo]

Vinalo nodded up to the young woman, their wide grin replaced with a more relaxed and gentle smile. “Home is where you feel comfortable and safe and cared about, Lucatiel. Sometimes… home changes. My apartment's been my home for a while, but it's also been Misha's home ever since she moved in.” They joined Lucatiel in looking around the room. “And… you can have more than one. Reckon in some ways Luna's house has been a home for a while now.”

[Lucatiel]

The girl nods. “It's been a long time since I started living at her house. After mom and Zirny asked her to take care of me. I thought she was gonna say no. She's some knight person in Ishgard, surely she would too busy for me! I'm glad she didn't though.” She puts a hand on the bookcase, sighing wistfully at it. “I guess… Even if I wanted to go back to the ship I can't anymore, huh? It's gone. It would take years to fix it by myself, if I even could.” She closes the book and holds it tight to her chest. “Still! I wanna see the world, so I need to adapt! I can't live with Luna forever, I don't wanna ruin her career!” She nods, mostly to herself, before looking at Vinalo. “I'm so jealous of you and Misha! That sounds so romantic!”

[Vinalo]

The Lalafell's ears turn a tiny bit red as they keep smiling. “Been right wonderful, it has. Suppose there was a chance it was too soon, but everything's worked out great! Hard to imagine waking up and not eating breakfast together and such,” Vinalo said, looking quite pleased saying it all out loud. “But… I reckon you'll always have a home wherever Luna is. Even if you travel around Eorzea and elsewhere, you'll have somewhere to come back to.

[Lucatiel]

Luca nods. “Yeah… But that's not for a long time! For now…. OH! MY POSTERS!” The wall covered in posters and flyers catches her eye, and she rushes over to them, happily looking them over.

[Vinalo]

“Looks like All Saints' Wake's been your favorite holiday for a while now,” Vinalo remarks, pointing at the circled bits. “Parties you went to?”

[Lucatiel]

The girl gazes at the posters with a wide smile. “A couple of them, yeah! But some of them I couldn't because we'd be out at sea. But when I did get to go, it was really fun! I miss going to those parties!” She smiles and sighs, once more nostalgic but in a happier fashion. “I'm gonna go to one next time I see one! I'll get a costume ahead of time!” She nods, mostly to herself, before turning back to Vinalo. “Umm… I don't think there's anything else in here, is there? This room's been really fun, but…”

[Vinalo]

“I'm sure you will. Maybe we'll all get a chance to go to one next year!” Vinalo responded. They turned and gave one last scan around the room, humming a bit. “Doesn't seem so. Could spend a whole sennight looking through all the books, but I don't think that'll help right now.”

Vinalo looked back to Lucatiel. “Where should we head next? You mentioned checking to see if the spice was ever delivered, but there's more rooms up here, right?”

[Lucatiel]

Luca pauses, thinking. “Uhhhh, yeah we should finish the rooms up here before going down into the hold. It's probably just gonna be a lot of spice! So, umm… you pick this time!”

[Vinalo]

“Oh. Right. I… suppose it's my 'turn' to choose.”

Vinalo stepped past Lucatiel, heading back out into the hall. The smell of freshly smashed wood and… odd burning filled their nose. Fire? Again? They looked across the hall to their right and quickly spotted the source of the scent. Taking a few steps towards the wrecked door confirmed it. Vinalo sighed and turned back. “Suppose that explains that. Hope he's, erm… more careful elsewhere.”

They look across at the unlabeled door, tilting their head to the side a bit. “What's in here, Lucatiel?”

[Lucatiel]

Lucatiel follows Vinalo out of the study, stowing the book on her person as they do. She too looks towards the destroyed bathroom door, plugging her nose. “Eugh, it smells terrible! Is that what happened, did Gair kick down that door? STOP HURTING MY PARENT'S SHIP GAIR!” She shouts across the hall in no particular direction, before looking at the unlabeled door. “Oh. Umm…. I think this room never got used. Just an extra one. I used to come in here and play as a kid, but not all the time.” She happily grabs the doorknob, but finds it stuck. “Huh?” She jostles it harder, using all her strength practically to finally open it. As she does and looks inside she freezes instantly, letting out a shrill scream of fear.

[Lucatiel]

[Luna]

Her ears pricked by the scream, Luna turns toward the hall immediately. “Lucatiel!?” Without even turning to Gair, she drops the pan with a clatter and rushes out of the kitchen, rounding the corner and seeing Vinalo and Lucatiel stood in front of the now open door. Loud thumps echo through the hall as she sprints to them, immediately putting her hands on Lucatiel's shoulders. “What is it, Lucatiel?” The girl doesn't respond, just instinctively hiding her face in Luna's chest. The woman looks into the room, letting out a shocked gasp and closing her arms around the girl, shielding her from the horror.

[Gair]

With what Gair believes to be all avenues of the kitchen to be explored, he trails out behind Luna, he was hardly surprised by the shrieks of distress by now. It was going to happen sooner or later by bringing this girl along. She's going to be better at abating the girl's terror than I. Cautious, but not overly expecting any actual danger, he strides in behind the trio with his offhand resting on the pommel cap of his falchion.

“Shit,” is all he can utter at the gruesome sight, I sure hope they died by a blade rather than the fire. A terrible way to go. His gaze trains down toward Vinalo, ready to mosey on in and inspect. “I think it best you and I have the closer look. Hm?”

[Vinalo]

Vinalo let out a audible gasp once the door was forced open and the grisly scene was laid bare in front of them. “Gods…” It wasn't the first time they've seen fatal burns, but to see a body so utterly mangled by fire was something else. Lucatiel's scream snapped them to awareness, but it wasn't long before the group was reassembled. The Lalafell looked up at the embracing pair with a sympathetic frown. A tiny sigh. Gair's suggestion met their ears as they turned back to the horrible scene.

”…Right. We'll have to be… careful here. Body's so horribly burned…” Vinalo said with a slow nod. They took a tentative step into the room, charred floorboards creaking oddly underfoot. “Don't know if we'll even be able to tell who this was, but we'll have to try.

[Luna and Luca]

Luna nods, Luca still fully buried in the woman's chest out of fear. “IT LOOKS JUST LIKE MOM AT NIGHT!” The girl shouts, terrified.

Luna looks from the girl to Vinalo and Gair, frowning.

[Vinalo]

Mom at night? Vinalo looked back to Lucatiel, memories of previous conversations flooding back into their head. Nightmares. Hallucinations. Their eyes went wide as they snapped back to the charred corpse against the far wall. “Oh no…” they said quietly, barely above a whisper.

[Gair]

Something weighty in Gair's chest dropped right to the bottom of his stomach, Lucatiel's shrill words force his eyes wide open. No, no, no, no, no…we shouldn't have brought her in here. Rather suddenly he forces his way into the room, passed Luna and Lucatiel both. Interceding himself between the charred corpse and Lucatiel, Exactly what I feared might happen. He looks right down at Luna and asserts, “Havin' her look on any longer is a cruelty, Luna. Get her outta here.”

His mossy green gaze passes over Lucatiel, the frustrations he'd expressed prior having their fire effectively doused entirely. What he felt didn't matter any more, it was all about Lucatiel, and piecing together the ashes.

[Luna and Luca]

There is a nod from Luna in agreement as she begins to shepherd the girl off the ship for some time, but as she begins there is resistance. The terror-struck girl seeming to find something in herself to wriggle against the woman's hold. “NO!” She shouts loudly, fighting to break free from the woman and bolting forward. She moves up to Gair, quickly giving him a tight hug before moving around him. “I'm not gonna hide! If it's my Mom, she's… she's been calling out to me for so long! It's only right that I… That I…” Her sudden passion came head to head with the grisly scene in front of her, causing her to freeze up again with a pathetic whimper.

Having found herself shocked at the girl's sudden bravery but supportive, Luna has moved up to put a hand on Lucatiel's shoulder, squeezing gently.

The gentle touch does much to free the girl from her transfixion, as she swallows down both fear and air audibly, looking closer with another whimper.

Through gritted teeth and whimpering does the girl cautiously examine the burnt body. Her hands hovering ilms away as her eyes scan it all. As she retrieves the locket, she is audibly on the borderline of tears, but she seems to hold it in for now. A light squeeze and the locket pops open, revealing the truth to what they feared. Given the size of the body, extreme similarity to the girl's night-time haunts, and the possession of the locket, this was Hilda Wright.

Having looked over the girl's shoulder, Luna lets out a hushed, “Merde…” and lowers herself to a kneel, putting her arms further around Lucatiel.

The girl is crying now, despite every desire in her mind and body to be strong. “No! No no no! Mom!” The girl's eyes begin to move frantically between the locket and the corpse, and while it is thankfully restrained she attempts to embrace the body. It almost seems as if her dramatics from the original discovery of the ship would begin again, but she instead just falls limp in her caretaker's arms. Her sobs interspersed with pitiful declarations as she looks at the locket and then the corpse. “No! it can't be! Mom I…! I should have been there to help you! It's my fault! I should have been there… I should have…”

There is a tightening of the hold Luna has on her ward, one arm moving up to stroke the girl's hair gently. Perhaps due to having seen her mother as a bedside visitor for so long, or just having come to terms somewhat with her demise sometime ago, the girl only sobs, putting her own hands on Luna's arms as she is held. There is no wailing, there is no dramatics. Only confusion and grieving.

[Vinalo]

They were afraid this could happen. Vinalo stepped forward slowly, stopping next to Gair. They were both surprised and impressed that Lucatiel managed to search the body of her mother herself, but it didn't keep their heart from sinking as the young woman sobbed into her guardian's arms. 'What a terrible way to discover this…' they thought to themself. They looked over to Hilda's body. Despite the tragedy on display, they couldn't help but wonder.

“I think… something very odd and terrible happened here,” they said to Gair quietly. “It… looks like this is where the fire started, but there's nothing except…” Vinalo simply trailed off, the conclusion to the statement being more than obvious.

[Gair]

Gair was a rock for Lucatiel to take to as she took him in an embrace, he was a little too shocked to return the gesture in affirmation or to even try stopping her. Nothing except her. He finishes that thought inwardly. That isn't ash. He was immediately set on sparing Lucatiel the sight of setting her mother charred and dead before her, reaching over his left shoulder to tug out the deep red shoulder cape affixed to his raptorskin shirt. Unfurling a large section of cloth that he holds over the former Hilda Wright and drapes over her as a sort of burial shroud. Uttering a near-silent, “Be at peace,” under his breath.

“I shudder'ta think what happened in here leadin' to this…” He exhales, lost for words. “Twelve above.”

[Luca and Luna]

The girl begins to rise shakily, still sniffling. Gently aided by Luna, she takes one last look at what used to be her mother as the body is covered by the shroud of cloth. She stares at the covered corpse, rubbing her eyes, before letting out a weak, “I love you, Mom. I'm so sorry.” After some elongated moments of silence, she rubs her eyes again with a final sniffle, her voice a bit shaken still. “Let's find my Dad.” The girl's usual cheer and tone is missing, instead a quiet resolve taking it's place. Moving from her caretaker's grasp, she walks out of the room and pauses, looking around.

Luna looks from the girl going off on her own before looking at Gair and Vinalo. “Perhaps you two should check the last room here. I believe Lucatiel needs some air, and I intend to give her some. We will be back down shortly.” With that, she walks off after the girl, gently placing her arms on Luca's shoulders and redirecting her back up the stairs. The two of them take a seat on the weather deck, utterly silent.

[Vinalo]

Vinalo stood in silence after the grieving girl and her guardian left for the weather deck. After several moments of this, they ran a hand through their hair and sighed. Without looking up at Gair, the healer finally broke the quiet.

“I knew this could happen. Finding her parents like… this. Even when I was there in her room at Luna's, trying to calm her down, saying that we don't know what happened. That they might still be alive. That she couldn't give up hope… I knew,” Vinalo said quietly, their voice oddly lower in tone. “I'm an optimist, Gair, but I'm not naïve. Luna told me what happened. How the ship was found, and what you and her and Lucatiel saw. The chance of both of them being alive was… very slim.”

They shook their head slowly, finally looking up to the Highlander. “I think the best we can do for her now is just… find out why this all happened, and who did it. Lucatiel and I found a few things, and there's got to be more here. There has to be.” Vinalo's voice regained it's usual tone with those last words. “Let's do our best, okay?”

[Gair]

“An optimist and a bleedin' heart, we'll get along like a house on fire.” Gair seems to cling to some sort of irreverence in Lucatiel's absence, it was easier than confronting the reality of the situation in front of them for the moment. He tsks audibly, his gaze fixating in the shrouded corpse for a moment. Shit, I should have come here when I had the chance. Might have found her before she perished.

“Luna and I unearthed fuck all, only that the kitchen was intelligently made 'an other useless shite.” He can't take his eyes off the dead woman, as if there's a question at his lips for the other living inhabitant that he both does and doesn't want answered. I'm not sure I wanna know just how she died, it might be better not to know.,

[Luca and Luna]

Meanwhile on the weather deck, Lucatiel has begun to fidget in her spot as she becomes restless. She turns to her caretaker as she comes to a stand. “Luna… I need to keep looking. I… Thank you for taking me out here but…”

The woman also comes to a stand, putting a hand on her shoulder. “It is alright, Lucatiel. Let Gair and Vinalo finish up below, there is one area up here if you so desire.”

The girl nods, turning towards the aft of the ship. “The Captain's Quarters.” The two of them quietly head over to the room that holds up the steering wheel, opening the door.

Lucatiel walks over to the table in the middle of the room, looking around as she does. “It's been so long since I've been up here… It feels… wrong now.” Her eyes fall on the various instruments and items, the pang of nostalgia no longer feeling cheery and whimsical but dark and painful. “No going home now…” She settles in front of the map, looking at it for a moment.

[Vinalo]

“We found…well, some things of Lucatiel's that she'll be keeping. Old sketchbook. Her father's pocketwatch. Suppose the most useful thing was his journal,” Vinalo reported to Gair, hoping that the information would help the mood, at least a little. “Zirndoen and Hilda were delivering spice to the New World. Don't know if they were coming or going when the attack happened, but Lucatiel said it'll be in the hold if it's still here.”

Looking back to the now-shrouded body of Hilda, Vinalo took a deep breath and walked over to it. They shook their head slightly and began speak quietly.

“I'm… sorry I never got to meet you, Hilda. Lucatiel was always excited when she mentioned the two of you. We've a lot of work to do, so… I just wanted to promise that we'll all help her the best we can. It's the least we can do.” With those words, Vinalo nodded to themself and bowed their head. While their gaze was pointed at the floor, they couldn't help but notice some odd drawings on the floor right next to the shroud.

”…What're these here?“ they asked, kneeling down to take a better look.

[Luca and Luna]

[Gair]

Gair's gaze rests on the wedding band that rests on the floor beside the former form of Hilda Wright at the mention of things Lucatiel will be keeping, another thing she should keep. His chest rises and falls with a heavy sigh, he knows he's acted somewhat shamefully in the duration of this investigation. It visibly weighs on him with an almost imperceivable slump of the shoulders. “We really are just lookin' for answers ere we send whoever did this through Thal's gates. I was a fool to hope.”

He looks to the doorway to ask of Vinalo, trepidation and hesitation in his voice. Given who might walk in and what knowledge could be availed. “Should we…find a cause of death? The eyes were missin'. Loathe I am to disturb the dead for answers.”

[Luna and Luca]

Luna has come over to her charge, looking at the map with her. The girl doesn't even look up at her, just speaking to her, “So it definitely was The New World.”

Not knowing what to say, after a bit Luna leads the girl back out of the room and they sit near the stairs once more, taking in the salty air in silence for now. The woman holds an arm around the girl, holding her close.

[Vinalo]

The sight of a young Lucatiel's doodles brought a smile to Vinalo's face, even in the shadow of such a grim scene.'Always wishing for her knight to come to her rescue,' they thought to themself, sighing. The Lalafell shook their head slowly and gave the drawings another look, hoping to commit them to memory. They turned back to Gair after he spoke.

“Never foolish to hope, I don't think. Even if seems like it is,” Vinalo replied, trying to reassure the young man. Their expression dropped after hearing his question, however. “Cause of… I mean, it looked like she died to the fire… Eyes'll burn to nothing right easily with how… horrible the burns were. I… don't know.”

They also looked back at the door for a moment before continuing. “I'd not want Lucatiel to walk back in, just to see us picking through her mum's remains. But… the only other odd thing here…” Vinalo says, turning back and pointing at the doodles. “Small bits of the drawings here aren't burnt as bad. Little round spots. Could be just coincidence, but… it's something.”

[Gair]

Gair frees his falchion from its scabbard and steps over to the door at the mention of any picking through Hilda's corpse. He shuts the fire damaged door and plunges his blade right into the foot of the entrance as an improvised holding bar. The mention of eyes burning to nothing no doubt invoking some terrible memories for the Flame soldier. “Right…” He shakes his head, it's like Ifrit got to her, how could I forget all those burned-out voids?

“You have your security for a closer look.” After a pause, he hastens to add rather bluntly. “I think it'd be kinder to tell the lass her mum didn't fuckin' burn to death.”

“Even if it's the truth.”

[Vinalo]

“Wait, I didn't mea-” Vinalo started, not expecting Gair to actually jam the door for an inspection. They let out a sigh after the deed was done. ”…Right. That would be kinder. And maybe there's more than the obvious here. But… Lucatiel deserves to know the truth. No matter what it turns out happened.“

The healer turned back to the body of Hilda and began to slowly pull back the shroud that Gair had laid over it just some minutes ago. They were met again with the horribly burnt figure of their student's mother. Vinalo frowned as they laid the cape to the side and began to examine the body, looking for any other signs of injury beyond the fire. “I'm sorry, Lucatiel,” they said quietly, barely above a whisper.

[Luna and Luca]

[Vinalo]

The healer finished their examination of Hilda's body. Stepping back, they began to pull the shroud back over, sparing the view from anyone else. A long sigh. They turned to Gair with a not a terribly happy face.

“It's what we thought. Unless something else was hidden by all this damage, then it surely was the fire that killed Hilda. She was… right close to the flame, no farther than this, maybe,” Vinalo said, holding their hand less than a fulm from their own chest. “Whatever the source of it was.”

[Gair]

Gair watches Vinalo do their examination with a sort of detachment, as they finish he takes the hilt of his falchion and pulls it from the floor with a sh-tunk. “Let's hope the truth don't start a fire that can't be put out. Wouldn't blame her if she wanted to put every last one of these reavers to the stake.” He shakes his head. “Hell, I'd even get the pitch ready.”

At the mention of a source, Gair steps into the middle of the room and lowers himself onto a knee. He holds his palm to the charred floor, his eyes fluttering shut as he takes a moment to focus himself.

[Vinalo]

“Yes, well. Suppose we'll deal with that if it comes.”

Vinalo raises an eyebrow as Gair gets into position in the center of the room, but quickly recognizes what he's attempting to do. They simply stand back and watch for the moment.

[Luna and Luca]

[Gair]

“It burned, in a fire,” Is all the input Gair has. “Regular arse fire that was started right there, great. Either the Reavers are sick and set her on fire…” His eyes shoot open as the gears in his thick skull begin to turn. “Or Hilda did, to deny these bastards the satisfaction of taking her and plundering the ship as they like.”

[Vinalo]

“Had a feeling this wasn't a crew of thaumaturge pirates or somesuch. And… what Lucatiel and I saw in the bedroom, Hilda wouldn't hesitate to take action,” they said, walking away from the shrouded body. “Was another corpse in there with a bullet hole right in the head. Lucatiel said her mum was pretty handy with a pistol, so she must've done it.”

Vinalo looks around the charred room once again, spying nothing else of note.

“Suppose we should check out that other room, then. Was the one at the end of the hall no one got into, right?”

[Gair]

Gair bobs his head at Vinalo and works the door open once more, intent to be the last one out and shut it behind them. A fight and a fire…your mum was one tough son of a bitch. Can't blame you for choosin' fire than whatever some pirates'd had in store for ya. “Surprised Lucatiel ended up so soft…then again. It's the rough ones who coddle their kids the most.” He shakes his head. “A'tera was featherin' Imps at fourteen, now she wont let any of her kits touch a bow.”

[Vinalo]

Vinalo walks out into the hall, content to leave Hilda's body to solitude now. They look across and down the hall, remembering where they've been already. Both bedrooms, study…

“You and Luna've just been in the kitchen, right? I saw the dining room for a moment when we first came down. Think there'd be much in there to see?” they ask Gair as they look across to the open doorway across and to their right. “Was also another door with no sign at the end of the hall, across from her parents' room…”

They turned to look up at Gair, trying to smile just a bit. “Lucatiel's stronger than she seems. Doesn't come through a lot, but I've seen it. She'll make it through this somehow.”

[Gair]

“We were, had a saltwater barrel a quarter used, nothin' too useful,” Gair shakes his head down at Vinalo. After a moment of consideration for the dining hall, he shrugs. “We got time to check both, though I wager the dinin' hall might just have more signs of the fight. Let's mosey into this unmarked room first.” He steps on toward the Wright's bedroom, looking toward the door opposite of it. Intent to check and ensure it isn't locked and open it to make way for the duo.

“I've…seen her cry when I threatened to skin her carbuncle. Long story, the Otters didn't serve me any more drinks that night.”

[Vinalo]

The Lalafell gave an affirmative hum to Gair, and followed him down the hall towards their destination.

“She almost cried when I asked her to use a simple spell to scare away a swarm of bugs buzzing around,” Vinalo said with a small chuckle. “Ended up doing it, but she had to work herself up. Lucatiel's right determined these days. She wants to be able to help you and Luna on 'adventures' and such, you know?”

[Luna and Luca]

[Vinalo]

Vinalo braced themself for another grisly scene as Gair opened the door. Though they'd just praised Lucatiel's strength, finding another mutilated body of a parent right away could be too much. They let out a sigh of relief seeing the relatively 'mundane' chaos in front of the duo.

“Just like the bedrooms were. Every dresser and container and cabinet torn apart. The attackers even tore apart Lucatiel's stuffed toys, like they thought something was inside them,” they said. Vinalo tapped their chin. “Though, there was the key to that chest we found, so I suppose there were things stashed away.”

[Gair]

“She'll want to do much more than help, now. Her tears'll turn to anger ere long, 'an she'll rightfully seek blood.” Gair says as he walks over to the pile of black powder on the floor, eyeing it curiously as he kneels down over it, his gaze flitting over to Vinalo passingly.

He takes a pinch of the powder between his fingertips and sniffs it with his obnoxiously large nose before he focuses a heat to his hand to try and ignite that pinch. Trying to discern whether this powder has been spent, or is just that, a live pile of black powder that somehow survived the fire. “Somethin' small enough to hide in toys…powder on the floor.” He taps his boot on the floor beneath him. “Maybe they tried to sink it here, or there's somethin' under here?”

[Luna and Luca]

[Vinalo]

“Under the floor here? Suppose there could be…” Vinalo responded, slowly walking in and looking about. “Over in her parents' room, the rug was pulled up like they were searching for something under it. Was also a few coins on the floor.”

The Lalafell hums thoughtfully as the powder fails to react in any way.

”…Wonder if they gave up in here,“ they say, eyes looking between the large chest and the bloodstain on the wall. “Or they were stopped. Can't hurt much to look, I reckon.”

[Luna and Luca]

[Gair]

Gair is more focused on the powder for the moment, he brushes his hand through it now. The hell? Either it's spent or this ain't what I think it is. His gaze flits all around him as he considers the placement, even going so far as to look under the pile to the floor beneath it. “A fight was put up, at the least.”

“What do you think of Luca gettin' in on bleeding these Reavers dry?”

[Luna and Luca]

[Vinalo]

“Either they were stopped, or… I guess gil wasn't the main reason they were in here.”

Vinalo pulls back from the chest and looks to Gair. They frown at his question. “I… don't think Lucatiel's much the revenge sort of person. Neither am I, for that matter,” they say, glancing again around the room. Their voice had a bit of a resigned tone. “But… if she did want to go down a path like that, I couldn't much blame her. Would just hope she'd understand what it means.”

Gair's sifting through the power pulls their attention back. “What's that there?”

[Gair]

“I don't think any of us know what sorta person she is in this, even her. I can only pray she puts that hate down when all's said and done.” Gair stares down into the pile of powder, plucking up the single lead bullet between his fingertips. He finishes that thought, some shame in his voice. “It's a hard blade to sheathe.”

He holds up the un-fired bullet, little more than a scuffed up lead ball between his leathery fingertips. “Loose ammo 'an powder, no rhyme or reason to the powder neither.” He jabs his chin to the chest. “Aught of interest on your side?”

[Vinalo]

“Just have to hope, I suppose.” Vinalo looks back to the chest at Gair's question. “Small pile of gil. Looked to be some tens of thousands worth. Something like that. And… some of their bank records, looks like.”

[Gair]

“Fuckin' banks,” Gair spits out on reflex. “Never did trust those things. Grubby little Gold Palace lurkin' little bast-” Not here, not now. He shakes his head, and subsequently that thought out of his head. He pushes up to a stand and walks over to the chest beside Vinalo. “Could have a look now, see if there's anythin' odd in the pages.”

[Vinalo]

“Didn't take a close look at them, but they seemed to be from some bank in Ul'dah,” they said with a little shrug. “I don't deal with financial things more than I have to, usually. Had to set some things up to get money for the book sales, but that's about it.”

Vinalo looked back in the chest. “Worth a look.”

[Gair]

“Normally we leave it to the bean counters'ta ferret out sketchy financials,” Gair reaches down into the chest for the bank notes and financial records, intent to at least give the slips of parchment the once over for anything out of place, or any institutions or names that he might recognize in Ul'dah. ”'Least the gil in the chest tells us they weren't just after coin, or it weren't a priority.“

[Vinalo]

Vinalo watched Gair scan through the records, though their thoughts drifted. “Mhm. Everything Lucatiel and I ran into in the other rooms, and what we've all seen… This was about much more than money.”

[Gair]

“Either way, if there's a paper trail to follow, we'll set it alight and burn the fuckers with it 'fore we throw them into the sea.”

[Luca and Luna]

[Gair]

“I ain't too hot with the numbers, but they crossed their ones and dotted their zeroes just fine,” Gair says, completely straight-faced.

[Vinalo]

“Reckon that rules out some bankers using pirates to collect on a debt,” Vinalo says, ignoring the odd wording of Gair's. They sigh and tap their chin in thought. “Doubt they were after the spices in the hold, either. Attackers knew something was hidden somewhere. Or… thought they knew, maybe.”

[Gair]

“Or a business partner scorned, or some windfall'a gil that'd make someone jealous,” Gair drops the papers into the chest, what was organized is just scattered into the container. He turns on heel for the door, his boots clipping along the wooden floor. “Pirates always come to shore sometime, someone in La Noscea's gotta have an inklin'. Nothin' some thumbscrews and a pair'a pliers won't extract.”

[Vinalo]

“Hopefully they didn't just vanish after the attack. I… doubt that the bodies we found were the only ones involved,” Vinalo says, starting to follow Gair. They wince a bit thinking of the torture techniques. “So. Should we go find Lucatiel and Luna? Probably'll want to know what we found, even if it's not much.”

[Luca and Luna]

Having taken their time in thoughtful silence, Luna and Luca have made their way back down the stairs. Luna has ducked into the dining room to give it a once over while Lucatiel now just stands in the hallway, staring off at the stairs down to the hold and lost in thought.

Luna takes note of the room, bending to examine the body further and noticing the similar garb to the rest of the corpses. She comes back to a stand, sighing to herself though thankful Lucatiel had not come with her. She returns to the hallway, coming to a stand with the girl, hand on her shoulder as they wait for Gair and Vinalo.

[Gair]

Gair passes out of the room and into the hallway, he halfturns to Vinalo and bobs his head at their question. “Just so they know aught ain't there.” He exhales a sigh and shakes his head. “Less they're magic pirates who don't need'ta eat or anythin', they gotta come to port for the things you can't get at sea: repairs, provisions, ass, y'know.”

[Vinalo] Vinalo simply nods and lets out an affirming hum as they follow out into the hallway. “Wish there was more to tell, but… we still know more than we did when we all first got here. And that's better than nothing.”

They look down the hall and spot the knightess and her ward at the other end. Giving a little wave in their direction, they glance up to Gair. “Looks like they're ready. Let's go see how they're doing.”

[Gair]

Gair is quiet for what would feel like an entire week as he made his way down the hallway in Luna and Lucatiel's direction. Alas, the clips of his boots took about thirty seconds at most. Nothin' to feel, nothin' that really puts them anywhere on a goddamn map. We've got our fuckin' work cut out for us. He only hums in answer to Vinalo in turn, unable to mask his own dissatisfaction with the fruits of his investigation. “Mmh.”

As if to keep the suspense low for Luna, he reports swiftly, “Nothin' pleasant.”

[Luca and Luna]

Luna turns to Gair, nodding in confirmation. “As expected. We checked upstairs in the Captain's Quarters - headed for the New World confirmed by Lucatiel. There was another white-dressed body in the Dining Room. I would wager we will find more yet in the hold. Our final stop.” The woman also nods to Vinalo, silently greeting them. She gives a gentle squeeze to Lucatiel's shoulder, and the pair quietly proceed down the stairs, the usual bubbly energy around Lucatiel heavily subdued for now.

Instinctively does Luna pull her ward closer upon viewing the scene. “Halone be…”

There is a choked up sound from Lucatiel and she bites her lip, putting forth much effort to not scream in fear and horror. “Please don't be Zirny, please don't be Zirny, please!” She finds herself torn between running out of her caretaker's somewhat comforting grasp to check the big corpse and sticking with her companions for some small amount of solace and support. For now, she chooses to stay with the group as they move.

[Vinalo]

Given how much damage was done, and the disheveled state of every room they'd been in, Vinalo knew the group was bound to run into a scene like this. There was no way every other pirate got off the ship. The Lalafell looked across the room as they heard Lucatiel's desperate pleas. Another parent they hadn't got the chance to meet, and they hoped that this wouldn't be that time. A long sigh as they stuck with the group

“If… if there's any answers left on the ship, suppose they'd have to be down here,” they say quietly, almost hesitantly, “Something. Something more to go off of.”

[Gair]

“A siege,” Gair exhales and shakes his head. Please be merciful, Traders, let this be Nald's work, let someone live. Rather than focus on the larger body, he examines the overall state of the battle that had taken place. Taking note of where weapons fell, the way men were facing when they perished, anything the dead could tell him now.

[Luca and Luna]

There is a gentle “Come on. I'm right here” from Luna to Luca as the two move through down the stairs, walking through the scene of the apparent assault. Once again the girl's hands are on her face, nearly covering all but her eyes as she looks on in horror. She sticks very close to Luna. “They're all… dead… So many of them and they're all…” Her voice breaks a bit and she quiets, just whimpering lightly as she tries and fails to be brave. Luna remains silent, not taking her hands off the girl's shoulders for even a moment as she guides the two of them through it all.

[Vinalo]

“Even more've been beheaded. Someone was… right skilled at it.” Vinalo said still quietly, looking at the decapitated corpses. Their eyes then tracked to the crates along the walls, and they remembered what Lucatiel mentioned earlier. “Don't know if it matters now, but…”

Vinalo went over to examine the crates, hoping the contents (or lack thereof) could at least place when the attack happened.

[Luca and Luna]

[Vinalo]

They ran their hand over the sacks of spice, confirming that they were indeed full. Vinalo then turned back to the others with a somewhat disappointed look on their face. “Spice is still here. So… either they never made it to the New World, or the pirates just weren't after valuable stuff,” they reported. Vinalo nodded in Gair's direction. “Just like that chest. Left too much gil around to be the main reason they attacked, I reckon.”

[Gair]

“Huh, Storm markings,” Gair clips the toe of his boot against one such crate. He asks in general, though directed at Lucatiel, “Did your folks normally move goods for the Grand Companies?” He exhales a grunt and an audible sigh, knowing this line of questioning is already pointless. Coin wasn't the motive. He nods toward Vinalo, “Aye, there's just…nothing that screams larceny. I'd imagine the Wright's would have just handed over the goods rather than lose their lives. Most hit-and-runs are fairly bloodless…but this?” He spits on the floor. “This is a Twelvesdamned massacre.”

[Luca and Luna]

It takes a moment for the girl to find her voice, somewhat spurred on by a gentle shoulder squeeze. “Ummm… Sometimes. They've moved stuff for the Maelstrom before. It's not common but it happens… They're very trusted.”

The pair walk closer to Gair and Vinalo, looking at the crates for a moment. Luna sighs, looking around more at the carnage. “Absolutely brutal. A considerable fight was put up here it would seem.”

As Lucatiel looks around herself, her eyes lay on the group of corpses spread out around one large man. Perhaps panic getting the best of her once more or morbid curiosity, she bolts from her caretaker's grasp. “No no no no! Zirny!”

Running after her ward, Luna comes to a halt behind the girl who is now embracing the late Zirndoen. The girl is sobbing uncontrollably once more, protesting to the heavens above. Blood from Zirndoen's many wounds has covered the girl's front, staining her dress crimson in splotches, and she goes between crying and yelling in torment to sobbing while hugging the body with her head on his shoulders.

“NO! ZIRNY! PLEASE! PLEASE NO! Come on! Please say something! Not you too!”

Slowly does Luna close in, kneeling next to the corpse and now lost child. She places a hand gently on Lucatiel's back silently, looking between the girl and the body.

[Vinalo]

Vinalo was less shocked this time, but no less sad for Lucatiel. The young woman sobbing on the body of her father made their heart sink, and they simply couldn't find the words to say. Perhaps it was better not to say anything right now. They looked up to Gair, and simply frowned and shook their head slowly.

[Gair]

Gair just stares down at the floor, he wasn't good with others being in abject grief, he wasn't good with coping with grief at all. His hand trembles as it grips the pommel cap of his falchion tight, the fitting on the otherwise tightly forged weapon rattling loose in his grip. They all need to go through Thal's gates.

But-

The highlander speaks up toward Lucatiel, it's Gair's voice, but there is an icy calm to his tone. Nothing like how he presented himself minutes ago, waiting for the girl's sobbing to cease. “What fate do you wish…” His mossy green eyes pan over the broken bodies of the Reavers at their feet, as if carefully considering what to call them. He settles on disdainful and dehumanizing. ”…for these beasts?“

[Luca and Luna]

In the midst of pathetic sobs into the shoulders of a dead man, Lucatiel lifts her head and looks back towards Gair. Her face is completely soaked and she has to sniffle before speaking, her voice shaky and weak. “W-what…? Their fates?”

Luna turns, hand still on the girl's back, glaring at the man donning the veil of another soul. “Gair! Do not tell me you are…” Opting not to speak of the exact nature of his semi-possession, she stops and just gives the man a telling look. “This is no time for thoughts of vengeance. This is a time to comfort. I thought you the better of us two in that regard.” She breaks a locked look with Gair to turn back to Lucatiel, moving to help her back up. The girl clearly resists and latches on tighter, causing the woman to pause before leaning in to tightly hold the girl. “Oh, Lucatiel. I am sorry…”

[Vinalo]

Still looking up at Gair, his chilling words snapped Vinalo to attention. “Gair? What're you… talking…” Their words trailed off as an odd feeling overtook them. Narrowed eyes looked the man over. Something changed. Something was wrong. 'Is it… no. It's not. But…” they thought to themself, mind racing. Vinalo looked to Luna for a moment, her own trailing words concerning them even more. Not exactly sure what was happening to him, they tried to take on a calming tone.

“Luna's right, Gair. We should try and stay calm now. Can deal with… other things later. Lucatiel needs us now.”

[Gair]

The highlander's boot found the side of a decapitated head, using his toes to jostle it to move for emphasis, letting it roll about a fulm under his impulse. “I can't tell if you're cruel or willfully ignorant.” His tone imperious, authoritative and chiding for the two elders in his midst. “What calm or comfort did either you think to provide in bringing her here?” `The only thing to be found on this ship is cinders and sorrow…the kindling that will be needed to stoke the flame of her heart.`

“Justice,” He corrects and steps forward, this time unlacing his raptorskin jerkin and leaving his upper body clad in the plated brass girdle beneath. Intent to lay his garment over Zirny's head to spare Lucatiel the sight of a dead man's countenance much longer. “It's yours by right, whatever the form, vengeance, a trial, or nothing at all…”

[Luca and Luna]

Luna comes to a stand, bringing her ward with her. Her gaze returns to the man, a look of fury in her eyes. “Would you wish her denied closure and reality? You who suggested I spare naught the rod now suddenly vouch for her occlusion!?” A stark scowl forms on her face, though she stops herself from yelling in consideration of Lucatiel. “How fortunate for you that you may take leave of your senses during such a moment as this.”

Lucatiel looks at Gair, visibly confused through her blubbering. “I wanted to come! I wanted to find my parents!” She sniffles loudly, a pathetic sight.

[Vinalo]

Vinalo could feel it. Practically hear it, though not as well as if they were meditating. Something flaring in the most frigid of ways. Gair, but not Gair. They slowly stepped over to Luna and Lucatiel's side, not taking their eyes off of the man. They took no further direct actions, but their right arm seemed oddly at ready.

“Lucatiel was filled with doubt and the unknown. No matter how much we all wanted to believe we'd find a… ransom note, or some hint of escape, or… or something.” Their eyes shifted over to the sobbing young woman for just a second before looking back to the changed man. “She needed… she wanted to know the truth. No matter what it was.”

[Gair]

“Alas, the only way I can leave mine senses is through a fifth of whiskey.” The highlander's gaze flits between Vinalo and Luna. He takes a step back, displeasure on his countenance as he lingers a fulms away toward the door now. “If my necessary questions are to be met with doubt, defense and insult,” his stance widens and his hands clasp behind his back at rest, “I can take my leave, or be window dressing, as it were.”

[Luca and Luna]

“Were that true and not laid bare as a lie at this very moment.” Luna continues, eyes locked on the man.

Lucatiel however bursts into a shout. “No! Don't go Gair! I don't… I don't want anyone leaving without me! Not anymore!” Her mind flits back to the sight of her mother, burned beyond recognition. Of her step-father laid behind her. “What do I do now!? I'm all…. alone…” Her question rings out to all gathered, the girl frantically looking between everyone.

Hearing her ward speak so morosely causes Luna to turn her head. “Lucatiel, you are not alone. We are all here for you. Myself, Gair, Ser Vinalo. We will… find those who committed such a heinous crime and –”

“Hurt them!” The words come pouring out of Lucatiel's mouth with a venom seemingly alien for the girl. She too seems taken aback by her own thoughts, clasping a hand over her mouth. Tears well up in her eyes as she does, of fear at what she wants.

[Vinalo]

The Lalafell's head snaps up and over, looking right at the young woman shocked at her own words. Their eyes were wide with surprise, not expecting to hear such words come out of their student's mouth. Even after all this, it was still a shock.

“Lucatiel… are you…” Vinalo said after a moment of hesitation. There was a slight quiver in their voice. “You don't have to do what he's saying. Just… just think for a moment, okay? Doesn't have to be now, or… soon. Just… think.”

[Gair]

Gair doesn't smile, he doesn't frown, his face doesn't even shift from it's dour and measured neutrality as he stares back at Luna and shakes his head. You wont believe me, anyway. At Lucatiel's plea, his head inclines ever so slightly. The only thing comforting about his icy tone is it's blunt surety of his deliverance, as if a rock were to assure you that it would in fact sink in water. “By thy leave, I will be right here.”

“Not now, but soon. And it's not our choice to make.” There is a twinge of sadness, a downturn of his lips with Lucatiel's emotional outburst and seeming shame at her welling venom. Even he isn't wholly numb right now. “We can only walk it with you, for good or ill.”

[Luca and Luna]

Luna looks incredulously at her ward. “Lucatiel…”

The girl shakes her head, looking almost ready to cry more. “I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I don't… I don't want to be that person but… They killed my parents! Mom… Zirny… I want them to pay for it! I want to… I want to see them hurt! But…”

The girl is pulled in closer to her caretaker, face pressed gently into the woman's chest. “Lucatiel… You need not apologize. No one could ever blame you for wishing such a thing after what has happened… If…” There is a pregnant pause, as if considering heavily what is said, “If you truly wish vengeance… I would assist you in finding it but… I do not wish for you to become mired in such cyclical fates. Violence only begets violence…”

Her voice somewhat muffled, Lucatiel takes a moment to speak. “I don't want to be that person… I just want them to hurt like they hurt my parents…”

[Vinalo]

Lucatiel's words rung in Vinalo's mind. 'I want to see them hurt!' Conflicted thoughts. Uncertainty. They brought their hands up to their face and took a deep breath, resting their chin in their palm for a moment. A long exhale and they looked back up to the embracing pair.

“You don't have to be that person, Lucatiel. And I can't blame you. But… Luna's right. Vengeance is a very dangerous path to go down. So easy to get eaten by it, and I don't want to see that happen to you,” they say in an clearly concerned tone. A pause. Vinalo looks away for moment, as if they're not sure about what's to follow. “And… I'm sorry, Lucatiel. If… if that's a path you decide on, I won't be following you on it. We can talk as much as you want, and I'll be here to mend any wounds or such. But, if you're going to seek blood, then I'll not be there. I'm sorry.”

[Gair]

Gair just stares at Luna and Vinalo both, he exhales a breath and shakes his head again. `It's hard to see something so ugly in yourself.` “Violence is the only way you'll get even a gentler justice.” He spreads his arms and gestures to the carnage around them. “Unless you think they'll cuff themselves when you board their ship and let you haul them off to trial.”

“I am not numb to your pain, mourn as you must…but think on what you want. We need to know soon, Althyk hasn't blessed us with much time.” His gaze finds his feet, countenance softening some. “I'm sorry.” `For so many things.`

[Luca and Luna]

A scowl returns to Luna's face, bared towards Gair. However she quickly turns back to the girl held in her arms, softening. “While this… fantôme of Gair speaks true, it is not the only way. Truly you could not serve justice without sufficient force to make them bend the knee, but you need not draw blood further. To disable, not kill. You –”

The girl pushes away but not altogether out of the woman's embrace. “I don't know! I… Part of me wants them to die!” Her words shouted pierce the relative silence and lapping of waves. Luna looks mortified. She looks over at Vinalo, clearly upset at the idea of losing their support.“But… I don't want to be like that! I… I want to find them! I want to find them and and and hurt them! But… But not kill! I want them to hurt and I want them to be locked up in a gaol!” Her words sound a bit more understood this time as she slowly grapples with the dark desires borne of tragedy.

Luna's face softens again and she pulls the girl in close, placing a hand on the back of her head and gently stroking it. “If that is your wish, Lucatiel. I will support you no matter what path, but I would rather you not put yourself on such a cursed direction. We shall find them, and visit justice upon them. But not death - they must atone.” A side-glance is cast for Gair once more, a quiet fury still in her eyes.

[Vinalo]

“I won't object much them all being locked up away from others they'd hurt,” Vinalo says, nodding slowly to Lucatiel. Again, they pause to consider their words. “But… killing them won't make any of this not happen. Even more death'll not fix everything.”

[Gair]

Instinctively Gair's hands lifts up to his belt, laden with a number of tools, he thumbs pliers and manacles both. “If only I remembered my magic wand of deathless conflict, delusion dust is in short supply these days.” He even goes so far as to turn his pockets inside out. “There will be bodies to stack no matter what we intend.”

The highlander turns on heel and makes to depart. “I will make ready for a mission of mercy.” And he steps on out to find the key-bearing Reaver to take the sleeve that bears their crew's name and insignia.

[Vinalo]

Vinalo says nothing to the man possessed as he makes his sarcastic exit, but wears a look of annoyance instead. “Lecturing either of us about death… like there's something odd with trying to avoid it.” they mumble quietly. A short sigh. They look back up to Lucatiel and Luna, trying to hide their frustration. “Regardless… I suppose there's not much else to be done here. Would you… like some time?”

[Luca and Luna]

The only thing keeping Luna from yelling at Gair by now is the heavily breathing girl she holds, still audibly upset. Instead she just continues the embrace, clenching her teeth in silence.

Lucatiel is repeating herself at this point, speaking into her caretakers chest. “I'm sorry… I… I don't want…” The sobbing has ended for now, but the tears still flow.

Luna looks to Vinalo, nodding. “Indeed, if you do not mind Ser Vinalo. Thank you very kindly for your assistance this day. We both appreciate it greatly, I am sure. We shall be in touch about.” She turns to the man for a moment, exhaling. “Thank you as well, Gair. Your aid has been invaluable.”

[Vinalo]

“It's what I do,” they respond, trying to smile just a tiny bit. “Lucatiel. Luna. Both of you, take care of each other best you can. If either of you need help, or just… want to talk or somesuch, you know how to get a hold of me. I'll find time if I have to.”

With that, Vinalo nodded to the pair and headed past the carnage about the hold. They looked back one last time before heading up the stairs. The healer found themself a bit misty-eyed as they walked back through the ship to the main deck, glancing at the rooms they'd just spent the afternoon searching. Maybe they were holding it back until now. Regardless, the events of the day would take a while to process, but that was something that'd have to wait until they arrived home.

[Gair]

Gair had just returned to the room with his piece of evidence in hand, standing in the doorway now. He smiles sadly at Luna as she hands out gratitude that he clearly doesn't deserve, `no it hasn't, and you know it.` His dryness returning in full force, turned inward. “If you need a someone to make a young woman cry, or to throw tantrums on doors- I'm your man.”

He dips his head deferentially to Luna and Lucatiel before he takes his leave. “Warden's warmth, we'll be in La Noscea if you need us.” On his way out, he would habitually rake his thumb over the pommel cap of his falchion. Spilling sparks on the floor with his passage, frustrated in his own way, at the events of today, and himself.

[Luca and Luna]

There is a quiet nod from Luna towards Vinalo. “Thank you. I am afraid we will likely require such in the near future. Do take care.”

Lucatiel peels herself away for a moment to offer a teary wave to Vinalo, a bit too choked up to really say much.

The two of them both offer a nod to Gair as well, Luna opting not to say much and holding her tongue given the circumstances. The two would remain in the hold for some time, slowly soothing the distraught girl enough for her to say her last goodbyes. On their way out, she would make much the same peace with her mother, and they would leave into the La Noscean evening. It had been a couple bells by now, and the two made a quiet walk back home.

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