[World Map, Home World]

Norris sat quietly on the small raft loading his pistols as the small vessel made its way towards the last known location of Lynx.

"Just what do you think he's been up to?" One of the Porre Troops spoke to his partner. As they saw the approaching cliff at a distance.

"I dunno...the guy gives me the creeps. That man gives me the creeps. Something just isn't right about'im, makes sense Lynx'd go back on the agreement though." Leaning out as he took in the fresh sea breeze. "S'nuthin we can't handle, though...we got a member o'the Black Wind with us." He nodded towards Norris as their raft slowed, banking lightly on the steep rocky shore.

Norris stood quietly and stepped off. "It would be best for you two to dock at Termina. We know something has happened, but I'd rather only have to worry for my OWN well being. Take the land route from there.

The two men nodded in acknowledgement and headed off. Norris began the climb up. Determined to discover what had happened.

[Viper Manor, Alternate World]

Norris' ears listened intently on the ramblings of the guards in the other room. Taking special heed of what they said, "So it begins..." he said quietly to himself over the sound of the running water. Twisting the nozzle, silencing the water as he finished the last dish, he removed his apron and took his leave. "I'm on break." He spoke calmly to the stout cook. Quietly he began to scan the area around him. Beginning his own investigation while the distraction persisted.

[Viper Manor, Alternate World]

Serge stood up tall and squared his jaw. He set his gaze into a blank stare, then turned to look at Marcy. "I'm ready when you are, Deva."

[Arni Village, Alternate World]

Leena's last errand to run was to stop at Lisa's element shop. The woman greeted Leena warmly, and they quickly got to talking about pleasantries.

"Y'know, a CUTE guy was in here today. He had blue hair and a bandana. He said his name was Serge."

"I know" Leena responded. "I saw him at Arni a few days ago. It's strange, he is just like the Serge I used to know . . ."

"Well, I'm holding you up, what did you want?"

"IceBlast."

Leena left the shop feeling a little energetic that every one of her errands were completed. She looked at old Viper Manor and . . . something seemed wrong. That Kid lady that Serge was with mentioned something about Termina. The only thing really worthwhile was Viper Manor. That Kid was probably trying to rob the manor. Laughing at her own overactive imagination, she decided that it wouldn't hurt to look. That Kid meant business, and Leena was determined to find out fair or foul.

[Viper Manor, Alternate World]

Luccia sighed, stepping out of the main room. Even if she did decide to follow this odd group of misfits, she'd still need to return to her lab for a few things.

She tilted her head to the side, neck cracking. It was during this motion that she noticed the bright-blue eyed male striding down the hall towards her. She paused, squinting. He looked familiar, but not all at the same time. With all the odd happenings lately, it seemed odd to see someone new.

"Excuse me," she called towards him, tilting her head to the side, "Kan I help you? You look a bit out of place."

[Viper Manor, Alternate World]

Viper Manor looked omnious as Leena approached it steadily. As she got closer, she could almost feel as if something terrible was about to happen. Entering the manor by the side, through an open window, she felt extremely wrong. It didn't seem like anything was going on, but she heard voices coming through the door to her side. The only weapon she had was the frying pan she purchased in Termina, besides the couple of elements she picked up. She opened the door to reveal . . .

[Viper Manor, Alternate World]

Norris stammered for a moment as he was caught somewhat offguard by the young doctor's voice. He looked over examining her closely, Must be the Scientist the guards persisted to speak of. Quite attractive, no signs of the strangeness they mentioned, but it's best not to let my guard down.

"I couldn't sleep, I decided I'd walk it off. Why? Is there any way I can help you Miss..." he paused racing through the gibberish spoken by the guards for her name, finally it came to him, "...Luccia?" He gave a slight smile. Perhapse she could be his key to discovering more about the manor, and Lynx's plans. The Porre Military still were uncertain if he could be trusted.

[Viper Manor, Alternate World]

She heard two people talking. One was male, the other female. The man, she knew, was Norris, captain of the Black Wind, commander of the Porre Army. The woman was tall, had a shock of purple hair, wore thick glasses and a lab coat. They were discussing something, although Leena was too far away to hear. She moved steadily closer, inching towards them, but she kicked her foot on a heavy metal box.

She pressed her lips together, somewhat impress that he knew (and remembered) her name. She made a mental note to ask him where he'd heard it at some other time.

[Viper Manor, Alternate World]

She was just about to open her mouth to speak when suddenly a strangely dressed girl opened the door. God, what a night!

"And vho are you?" she asked the girl, eyes narrowing. Viper Manor was just crawling with intruders, the guards *had* to be better than *that*.

She turned her attention back to Norris, but she was actually speaking to both of them. "I vant you both to kom vith me. De guards vill be dovn dis vay very soon, and I have a feeling at least one of you does not vant to be found. Odder dan dat, I have questions for both of you."

[Viper Manor, Alternate World]

Leena eyed the scientist strangely. She definately had an accent, pronouncing w's as v's "I was here because I suspected that a few other people had snuck in as well. I was just checking to make sure everything was all right."

[Viper Manor Ruins, Home World]

Norris sifted through the crumbled remains, "What kind of man can do this much destruction? We sent no Ballistics with Sir Lynx...to cause this much damage."

He shook his head as he found the remains of Viper's desk amongst the rubble.. Rummaging through some old notes, "The dead sea, today we take the offensive, Lynx will know well the suffering he has caused. We shall enter through the cave near Marbule. Lynx has not yet learned of our plans. Sir Radius, if we do not succede it is up to you, and the remaining Dragoons."

Norris paused, surveying the rubble as he found a dustcovered postcard, "S.S. Zelbess..." he silently read the note on the back, concerning the lost Deva, Dario. "Why would this be near his combat journal?" He asked himself as he walked off the mountain of debris that was once Viper Manor.

"Seargent...you will stay stationed here with your men. I'm going to take the Manta and investigate some mentioned sites. Report any new findings to me IMMEDIATELY." With his orders given, Norris made his way towards Termina, and from there, onward to the ship the Zelbess.

[Viper Manor, Alternate World]

Norris quietly looked between the two ladies, a growing annoyed stance taking hold on his body language. "I work here...as you can see my card allows me to be here." Norris flashed his military forged Acacian worker's permit, to go with his fabricated job. "I work with the cook...Orcha." He crossed his arms, "Though I understand your apprehension..." he then finished in a lower tone almost mumbling, "..and being detained by two young women is far less a burden than the guards."

He followed Luccia, lightly tapping the young red head on the shoulder, once he had her attention he placed a single finger across his lips, giving her the signal, "Sshh...not speaking is far better than saying you're here checking up on the infiltrators." He gave a slight smile, though few would have noticed.

[Viper Manor, Alternate World]

Glenn, after hearing the speech of the Sage, steps up beside Serge. "Marcy, I hate to defy you but if what the Proffit says is true, then I have to help this person out. I hope you understand." He pulls out his sword and nods to Serge.

[Viper Manor, Alternate World]

Luccia shook her head at Leena and moved to start clicking towards her laboratory. Once she was there she opened the door and ushered the two of them inside. Once the door shut she turned to Leena with a stern look.

"I tink I knov of de people you are looking for. I helped a young man escape none-too-long ago, and he met up vith a group of otters. But my major koncern at de moment is to find out exactly vat is going on in dis manor. Never before has dere been dis much trouble, or dis many people vandering around de manor vithout permission." She gave Norris a look now.

"And you, I remember vhere I had seen you before. De kitchen, da? But you vere not alvays dere, I want to knov if you have a position in dis mess as vell."

[Viper Manor, Alternate World]

Leena remembered Norris's words, and wisely took them to mind. Although it was too late to not reveal her purpose, she would not disclose any other information. She only followed Luccia...

[Viper Manor, Alternate World]

"Don't you, like, think he should PROVE himself?" Marcy asks Glenn. "If he, like, can't beat a little girl, what makes you think he's important?"

[Viper Manor, Alternate World]

"That's not fair and you know it, Marcy. You are too strong for a one on one."

[Viper Manor, Alternate World]

Kid blinks, scratching her head in puzzlement as she becomes torn. "I s'pose she DOES seem to have a point there Serge mate. Lil' brat seems awful small fer all of us to be pickin' on." Kid takes a small step back. "I'll watch from here fer a sec 'n see if ya actually NEED my help out."

Kid examines the child, her arms crossed. "Everyone keeps sayin' that but she doesn't look all that bloody strong to me." Kid shrugs. "If she really IS powerful enough to have one man demanding to help another bloke out then no way I'm gonna miss out on it. That'll be interestin' indeed!"

[Viper Manor, Alternate World]

Norris paused listening intently to Luccia's words, his eyes wandering about the lab investigatively, "With THIS mess? No...none at all. Though I have been told I'm not much of a dishwasher..." he gave a piercing gaze amongst the two of them, "However, I AM quite curious as to what the manor's guest has to do with all this..." he stated as he rested his left hand where he would normally find his pistol.

His posture to a trained eye spoke volumes about his military upbringing. Son to a noble family in his home on the Zennan mainland. His posture was by no means that of a laborer. "...I've heard he's not all-together human. Have you met him...Dr. Luccia?" His head lightly tilted to one side curious as to her response.

[Viper Manor, Alternate World]

Luccia "oh ho ho!"ed at Norris, shaking her head. She knew perfectly well he wasn't some normal dishwasher. . . But she'd need to talk to him privately about that. Obviously he wasn't willing to give up his cover, and the girl would make such things harder to coax from him. She wasn't a scientist for nothin', she could spot these sorts of clues from a mile away.

"Vell, girl," she turned back to Leena, placing her hands on her hips. "Do you vant to find dese people? I kan tell you vhere dey've gone." She frowned a bit, she wanted to question the girl further, but the man was far more intruiging. She'd have to give up one of them, so she made the choice.

"Dey are in de library, but I vould be kareful going dere." And as quickly as she could she gave instructions towards the library. Luccia wasn't aware that she was sending the poor girl right into the midst of a battle, nor would she have cared much if she did know.

"You, I vant to stay." She pointed at Norris, just incase he misunderstood.

[Viper Manor, Alternate World]

Norris looked at the lady scientist, "So you're leaving her to go alone? You realise you're probably letting her get caught." He looked between the two, "I'm not leaving the manor regardless. Must we speak now?" Slowly he grew uneasy, there was little likelyhood of another chance to get more information on Sir Lynx's plans than during this distraction. And he knew well, that Lynx was not one to wait around.

[Viper Manor, Alternate World]

"I won't be of much help if I get caught. I will stay with you two."

[Viper Manor, Alternate World]

"But Glenny," Marcy starts. "You're supposed to be on, like, MY side!" She looks up at Glenn with the sad puppy face.

[Viper Manor, Alternate World]

"Fine, she kan stay if she vishes." She waved a hand non-chalantly, "But if you," she motioned to Norris, "are going anyvhere, I am koming vith you." Both brows raised, she expected him to protest. Really she was just curious to see what was going on (curiousity killed the scientist).

[Viper Manor Ruins, Home World]

Dear Zippa,
I'm going to find out just what happened. I'll see you when I set things right, whenever that is, and however I do it.

Zappa hoisted his axe onto his shoulder, tired of carrying it swinging at his side. Hitching a ride with the Porre army hadn't been the easiest or most pleasant task in the world, but after his experiences in adventuring, he figured he could handle anything. No, forget adventuring. After raising Karsh, there was nothing he couldn't handle.

So this be where he died, he thought gravely, his good eye scraping the area. It was worth putting up with those...those Porre snobs...to see this place. He stepped up to the blonde one--the prettyboy master of the combover--and tapped him on the shoulder. "Wha' happened here?" he demanded gruffly.