"At your earliest convenience, bring yourself, and your support team to Delovine's Legion Command," Tribunus Mariko Manuella said to Yuriko after she accepted the Ambrosia gathering mission. "If you wish, there is a scheduled voyage of the Fortuitous Stone on its way to Realmheart, acting as the cargo ship. They will depart Rumiga in three days."
"Three days," Yuriko mused. "You mention I can bring a support team?"
"Of course, no one expects Imperial Agents to act alone. Although the operational budget remains the same. You can requisition additional gear from Legion Command."
"What's the budget?"
Maruko glanced down at her notes then said, "Five hundred thousand. Ah, but you can only draw fifty thousand Sovereigns in coins, the rest must be used to outfit you or your team. The commissary in Delovine should do."
"I see. Quite generous."
"Not if you're trying to outfit a full company." Mariko laughed. "Then, it's barely up to par." She pulled out a set of papers, affixed a stamp, and Animus signature at the bottom of each page, then handed it over. A quick perusal told Yuriko that it was a requisition order with the details and limitations on her commission. "Don't forget to say your farewells. Thank you for your time."
Yuriko stood up and nodded to the Tribunus. The two Legates had already departed earlier and left Manuella to fill in the details.
Well, first things first. She needed to inform her parents then decide on who she was going to bring. Gwendith and Heron. Desire, too. Maybe Devotee? Then Saki. Hmmm, should she bring Ryoko? Her handmaiden was not a Knight so she wouldn't be able to withstand open Chaos in case of accidents, but Yuriko's Anima was strong enough to protect the woman in such cases. Besides, she had a feeling that Ryoko would be deeply hurt if she was left behind again.
Hmmm. Although Ryoko was taking care of the Davar Household. Well, she could just ask.
She flew off towards the Watchtower where her Da was stationed. Mum was staying near the centre mountains, inside a mansion she had built for the purpose of watching over the planar core. Da went home there every evening rather than the house in Faron's Crossing. Marron and Niamh were staying in an apartment near town hall, so it was only Yuriko, Rami, Gwendith, and her handmaidens living in the old house. When she leaves, it will just be Rami's. Ah, she should ask her eldest brother to stay there again, or her parents, really. It was their home!
She found Da on the same platform. He was in meditation but woke up when she came near.
"Yuri." He smiled in greeting. There was a sharp pain behind his eyes, but it disappeared soon after she saw it.
"Da. I'm going on a mission."
"As a Legionnaire?"
"Imperial Agent."
"Ah. A mercenary then." He shrugged. "It's not bad." He patted the space beside him, inviting her to sit. "What's the goal?"
"Ambrosia. In Bella and Kogasi plane."
Virgil's eyes twitched. "Ambrosia hunting? That's dangerous."
"I've found some there, though I lost most of it in the Pure Lands."
"I remember." He chuckled. "A veritable fortune lost to the dead." He frowned. "Do not attempt to return there."
"I won't."
"Good. When are you leaving?"
"In three days."
"I see." He pulled her into a hug. "You've grown so quickly."
"Ah!" Yuriko squealed and tried to push him off. But despite the fact that her physical strength was much higher than his, she couldn't.
"Two years for me, and now my baby's leaving again, haaaah," Virgil sighed.
"It's only to Bella," Yuriko pointed out. "It's not that far from Rumiga."
"It's only a hundred Waypoints, huh," Virgil grunted. "That's at least a hundred days of travel."
"Oh, well, it's not that bad."
"Hmmm, you're a Davar as much as you're a Mishala. The itch to explore will get us no matter what." He sighed. "If Sadeen weren't with child, we'd be wandering off, too. Rami's almost that age."
It was inevitable, Yuriko knew. Davars were blessed or perhaps cursed, with wanderlust. It was why the Clan property in Ulmira only had a few people residing there. Hundreds more were wandering the Empire and probably the Coalition of Independent Planes, too. If they didn't just explore the Fysallis and Waypoints in the surroundings.
"Go tell your Mum," Virgil said after breaking the hug off.
"I will."
She flew off afterwards, heading towards the centre mountain. Of the villages that used to be on the way to the Imperial Pass, only Horswick had recovered. The rest had been demolished by the Obsidian Titans, fell victim to floods, or earthquakes, or were simply abandoned. New villages had been constructed along the western plains, but none were all that large yet.
Horswick was where Mum stayed for the most part. That was where the Silver Tiger was berthed, too, as well as where her Aunt Kiyo stayed. She didn't look for the cat-eyed woman but headed straight to Mum's meditation chamber.
Sadeen was about a Season along with three more to finish. As it was her first Season, she didn't really show all that much.
"Baby," Mum said with a grin as soon as Yuriko entered her meditation chamber. Eli'Theria was berthed in the same building, with her animating Spirit wandering about.
"Mum," Yuriko said with a soft smile, "I've a mission and will leave in three days."
"Oh?"
"Ambrosia. Bella."
"Ah. Legion Incursis is having trouble?"
"I don't know which legion," Yuriko admitted. "I haven't read all the mission details yet."
"I see." Mum looked a bit down. "I…you still have trouble reading?"
"It has not been resolved," Yuriko admitted. "But I make do. I'm thinking of bringing Ryoko and Saki along."
"They are your handmaidens. They should be by your side."
"But Ryoko is still a Journeyman."
"Does that matter? You aren't going to ask her to fight, are you?"
"No, I guess not."
"Then I don't see a problem." Mum pursed her lips, then said, "I've asked the Progenitor to check Kato's Fate. The results were the same."
Yuriko nodded numbly. Sadeen pulled her into a hug.
"I missed him." Sadeen sniffled.
"I do, too."
"There won't be a funeral. Not until the proscribed time has passed. It's too soon to really tell but the signs don't look good."
"I understand." Yuriko hesitated, tried to speak, but found she couldn't.
"We will wait for you."
"Alright."
They spent the rest of the day together, and in the evening, she had her dinner with her parents. All three of them avoided speaking about Yuriko's mission and chatted about daily life, at least until Mum pointed out something.
"You're bringing your lovers with you?"
"Eh?" Yuriko gasped. How did she know? And it was only Gwendith, not lovers.
Mum smirked. "It's painfully obvious, especially considering how your Mien has them wound tight. Whether you've been intimate or not, it's only a matter of time."
Virgil just chuckled at Yuriko's crimson face, "Ah, Yuri's all grown up."
"Hmm, make sure that you don't make foolish decisions out of sentiment," Mum said softly, yet her voice was cold. "I do not want my baby daughter to perish by throwing herself in danger to protect her…companions."
Yuriko frowned. "I am stronger than they. It is my duty."
"No, child. You must not sacrifice for them. It is their duty to sacrifice for you."
"But!" Yuriko began to argue, but Virgil cut them both off.
"Enough, dear," he said mildly. "How Yuriko treats her companions is up to her, not us."
Sadeen met Virgil's gaze for a long moment, then she sighed. "Very well. I withdraw my opinion."
"Thank you, my love," he said fondly as he caressed Sadeen's cheek. "Besides, Yuriko is right. She is much stronger, and any occasion which would warrant the others sacrificing themselves for her would only be futile. Child," he turned to Yuriko, "Do not toy with their lives."
"I won't," Yuriko said firmly.
"Then all is well."
The next day, Yuriko asked Gwendith to accompany her on the mission and her girlfriend readily accepted. Afterwards, she sought out Heron who was ready to drop everything for her. Ah, he did have to settle things with the school and he spent the rest of the day doing that.
Afterwards, she talked to both Saki and Ryoko. Both handmaidens agreed. Ryoko nodded with a huff and muttered, "About time mistress brought me along!"
Yuriko resisted the urge to pat the woman's head, and simply said, "Thank you."
However, Rami would be left alone so she had to arrange things with her elder brother. She found them at home that evening.
"I'm going on a mission outside the plane and Rami will be left alone," she said to Marron and Niamh.
"And?" Marron asked, "You want us to stay there?"
"Yes?"
"Ryoko?"
"Coming with."
"Ah." He turned to Niamh. "Would it bother you?"
"Not at all," the woman answered easily.
"Then you can count on us."
"Thank you," Yuriko said quickly.
"Think nothing of it. It's my home as well, and Rami could do without being alone."
Well, that settled that. Yuriko had dinner with her elder brother and his fiance then headed back home.
The next day, she went to her friends. Krystal. Mikel. Zeyn. Millie. Danika.
Krystal had stared at her for a very long moment, then said, "Be careful."
"Of course."
"Don't lie."
"I'm not."
"Then make sure you follow through."
"...are you seeing through your Ennoia?"
"No. I tried." Krystal swallowed. "Past tomorrow, I see nothing."
"Ominous."
"Don't take that to heart though," Krystal laughed. "The Threads of Fate are skittish around you. I don't feel anything dangerous about your actions, but…" she hesitated, "it could be that anything you do will have minimal impact on me, which is why I saw nothing."
"...maybe you should have prefaced your statement with that."
"Ah, and if I didn't I wouldn't have seen your flustered face?" Krystal grinned impishly.
"Hmph!"
"Seriously, take care."
"Always, I said!"
After seeing the others and saying goodbye, she headed towards the Foster twins' shop and said her goodbyes. Both of them gave her encouraging hugs and admonitions of care.
Afterwards, she left to head towards the Tidelands, and as soon as she stepped inside, she called for Desire and Devotee. Within minutes, the two Chaos Lords arrived in front of her. Devotee's male body still looked strange to Yuriko. Compared to her athletic female form, his male physique was practically musclebound. Considering that Devotee's main weapon was a great maul, it sort of fit anyway.
Desire went in for a hug, but as soon as the Chaos Lord's arms enfolded her, she stiffened.
Sniff, sniff.
"Master," Desire said slowly, and somewhat coldly. "You've let her have you."
Yuriko chuckled softly. "I did."
Desire leaned close and whispered in her ear, "Will you have me too?"
"Uhm, if you, er, want to?"
"Hmmm, I do."
"Not now. We're going on a trip. A mission." Yuriko hastily explained while Devotee glared enviously at Desire.
"We will be ready." Desire said while Devotee nodded in agreement. It was funny how Devotee followed Desire's lead considering that he was a viscount while Desire was still a baron. Hmmm, she felt like she was coming close to advancing though.
The day was almost over, but the Fortuitous Stone's scheduled departure was actually around midnight, so she returned home and finished packing her things. The Chaos ship was berthed next to the former Watchtower and all seven of them arrived with time to spare.
They were brought aboard by the ensigns and given three rooms. Heron and Devotee were in one, while Yuriko, Gwendith, Desire, Saki, and Ryoko shared the other two rooms.
The Fortuitous Stone looked different from the usual Chaos ship and looked more like its namesake than anything else. It was ovoid and had a seamless exterior, but there were viewing ports camouflaged along its sides.
At midnight, the Stone lifted off from the Watchtower docks and flew through the newly made Chaos Channel that was just a few longstrides north of the Tidelands. And just like that, she had left home again.