Ad Libitum Synopsis Pt. 4
Part 4...
Midnight Mission
Stahn Aileron's Arrival
Anise Tatlin's Arrival
Report to the Guild
Rest Easy
Pursuit of the Knowledge of the Here and Now
Introduction
Midnight Mission
Jay decides to execute his plan to learn what Yuan does when he visits the World Tree on a daily basis. He sneaks out of his room in the middle of the night and runs into Asch as he's just finishing his shift. Jay could tell that Asch has detected him, and he proves to be correct. So Jay goes ahead and greets him, asking if he's keeping up with his debts. Asch growls that his debts are none of Jay's business, and demands to know why he's sneaking around at this hour. Jay admits that he's heading to the World Tree to spy on Yuan. He also admits that he's not certain if he'll learn anything useful, but this is the only lead he has currently. He then offers to help Asch with his debts, which Asch completely refuses. He goes into his room and slams the door. Jay gives him the "Asch the Crabby" title. Asch returns the favor by giving Jay the "Jay the Nosy" title.
Jay heads to the World Tree and talks for a moment, vowing that he will save this world, but he needs a sign. He then chooses a hiding spot in a nearby tree and falls asleep for a few hours while waiting for Yuan. He awakens at the crack of dawn, just in time for Yuan to arrive. Yuan doesn't suspect that anyone would arrive at the World Tree before he would, so he doesn't realize that Jay is watching. Yuan speaks to the tree, considering the idea of having the guild members transfer mana to the tree, but they wouldn't be able to control it. He then places his hands on the tree, forming a pair of angelic wings. Jay is thoroughly stunned to witness this. Yuan begins to transfer mana to the tree, causing it to glow. He only transfers enough to keep Martel's consciousness alive, for he knows better than to exhaust himself and to give the tree too much mana. When he finishes, the glow dies, and Yuan begins to leave. Jay seems disappointed that he hasn't learned much, but ponders a way to use what he did learn. But then Yuan stops and asks the last question Jay wants to hear: "What are you doing here?" Jay remains silent, hoping that Yuan is addressing someone else, but when Yuan tosses a stone in his direction, it becomes clear that he has spotted Jay. Yuan promises to uproot Jay's hiding place if he doesn't show himself. Jay is unable to think of a decent course of action, so he complies, dropping out of the tree rather clumsily. He stares at Yuan, having been rendered speechless after seeing only a small sample of the seraph's true power. Yuan senses Jay's fear, incidating that the boy had seen everything that had happened. He tells Jay not to eavesdrop again if he wants to remain a guild member, and adds not to let anyone see him when he leaves. Yuan leaves the clearing, leaving Jay still paralyzed with fear.
The trunk of the World Tree begins to glow, catching Jay's attention. He snaps out of his trance, wondering if Martel is beginning to wake up. He tries using his eres on the tree to help bring her out. The trunk of the tree begins to fade away, revealing an elegant female figure. Jay immediately recognizes her to be Martel. She appears to be speaking, but there is no sound. Jay is unable to make out her words, or do anything as Martel disappears as quickly as she appeared. Jay decides that he must report the experience to Yuan, and leaves the clearing.
Stahn Aileron's Arrival
Stahn is lost in the woods, wondering if he's even in Dycroft. Lloyd is chasing a Mandactrus, but trips and falls on his rear. He notices Stahn and asks if he's a new one. Stahn laments that he was in the middle of the sky a few seconds ago, but Lloyd points out that he's definitely in a forest now. Lloyd can tell that the World Tree has summoned Stahn. Stahn is shocked by the revelation, but apologizes for not helping Lloyd up and introduces himself. Lloyd explains the situation about Atlas and the World Tree. Stahn points out that he was in the middle of saving his own world. Lloyd ponders that the worlds might be connected, and that the problem with Atlas could spread to the other worlds. Stahn concedes and decides to help, and Lloyd recommends joining Ad Libitum. When Lloyd points out that the mana is declining, Stahn wonders if mana is something to eat. Lloyd explains that mana is energy that's required to pull off special moves. He then admits that he's not really good at explaining things. Stahn asks to be escorted to the guild building, and Lloyd agrees.
Anise Tatlin's Arrival
Anise finds herself on the game trail after falling from the Tartarus and is very disoriented. At first she mopes about failing to protect Ion, but forces herself to composure and goes on, hoping to meet Jade at St. Binah. But ironically, Jade is walking from the game trail where he meets Anise. He immediately asks about Ion's well-being, considering most of them have been "conveniently" pulled from Auldrant. Anise is very confused to see Jade here, wondering where the Tartarus. She explains the situation about Ion, and that she kept the letter safe. Jade tells her that he's already seen the letter, but Anise pulls it from her person. Then Jade tells her bluntly that they're no longer in Auldrant. He now realizes that the reports of inconsistent timelines between worlds are true. Jade tells Anise about Atlas and its mana and the World Tree, and that the goddess within is responsible for bringing them here. He then tells her that the summoned people have joined a guild called Ad Libitum in hopes of finding answers. Jade begins to lead Anise to Blessenwood, recommending for her to visit the inn as well as the guild building. The inn piques Anise's interest, and Jade inquires about her devious concoctions. Of course, Anise cutely denies anything devious. Jade sees right through her, knowing her desire for money. He offers to take her to the inn and pay for whatever she orders. Anise only accepts grudgingly, and only because Jade is paying.
Report to the Guild
Jay goes into the guild building to confront Yuan. As expected, Yuan is not in a good mood, and definitely not happy to see Jay after the spying incident. Jay calmly explains his reason for watching him at the World Tree, pointing out that he has some vital information. Yuan denies hearing anything "vital," but Jay's not finished. When Jay drops the news about sighting Martel, Yuan's temper explodes, demanding the details, startling the boy. Jay holds back tears as he gives his account. Yuan calms down, telling Jay not to be so soft and that this can only be the beginning. He then adds not to give the World Tree too much mana or eres. Jay assures him that he has no intention of stopping, and agrees that shedding tears no purpose. Yuan advises him to work on his weakness of showing emotion to others. Jay is puzzled by this, as he believes that holding back his emotions has led to his weakness. Yuan points out that the allies may falter if Jay shows weakness, because it endangers the whole. Nevertheless, Yuan quietly thanks Jay for the report on Martel's appearance. Jay offers to keep Yuan updated, and Yuan tells him to talk to Lloyd if he's not around. Then Jay leaves the building.
Rest Easy
The children of Blessenwood have become restless with the recent disasters. Tear gathers them in the Blessenwood square and sings the Grand Fonic Hymn to soothe their nerves. Asch is trying to stay busy, but stops to listen to the song as it leaves him with a rare sense of serenity. The children are also calmed by the melody, and the parents begin to carry them off. Tear doesn't expect thanks, as she doesn't fight for recognition. She addresses Asch, who admits that he doesn't like crowds. He seems nervous, but Tear doesn't address it. She explains that she was singing the hymn to relax the children, who were having nightmares. Asch inquires about the first part of the hymn being called "Nightmare," and Tear says that's why she sang the whole thing. Asch makes a strange comment about dying while hearing the hymns, and Tear believes that Van knew that he was going to lose. Asch grumbles about Van being a sick idiot who took is hatred of the Score to ridiculous extremes. Tear is angry, for she had already vowed to stop Van by whatever means necessary, even if it cost her life. She felt that responsibility as his sister. Tear and Asch discuss trying to convince people to live without the Score, and as members of the Order, it is their responsibility.
Flynn passes by the town square and hears Tear's hymn. He wonders about the dieties of Atlas while he feels like he's melting into the song. He nearly falls asleep, dropping the bag of gels and bottles he's carrying. He begins to pick up the items as he recognizes the singer as Tear. When Tear finishes her song, she explains the purpose of the hymn to Flynn.
Pursuit of Knowledge of the Here and Now
Rita Mordio wonders how she suddenly found herself in a forest after being in a frozen wasteland. Stahn is grateful to see someone else, hoping that she would be more helpful than Lloyd was. Rita hopes the same thing as she spots Stahn, but feeling that it would only lead to disappointment. She addresses him, asking for information on where they are and how to get back. Stahn shares what he learned from Lloyd, that they need to save this world before they can go back. Rita hesitates, but accepts his handshake, confused by his response. Stahn reiterates that the different people came from different worlds. Rita doesn't believe that she's in a different world, so she asks for proof. Stahn suggests that they head back to the village. Rita nearly loses her temper, but realizes that doing so would make her lose her only lead, so she agrees to follow Stahn.
Introduction
Early in the morning, Jade brings Anise to the inn to buy her a meal and acquaint her on the current situation. Anise is a bit more nervous than usual, being a in a whole different world. She apologizes for getting mad at Jade, and he replies that he, ever the old man, has the patience of a saint. To get her acquainted with some of the other guild members, Jade briefly points out Jay at the bar. Anise briefly ponders that Jay might be a knockoff God-General. She then confirms what happened before her arrival in Atlas; she and Ion were captured, and Anise was thrown off the Tartarus. Jade points out that Jay comes from the Legacy. He then suggests that the Fon Master should enforce some courtesy in the Order. Anise fumes that it wasn't Ion's fault, but then abruptly changes the subject, asking about Ad Libitum. Of course, Jade prefers to have Asch or Jay explain the details.
Jay is in the inn, seeking to talk to Jade about the Martel sighting. However, upon seeing Anise, Jay decides to wait until Jade is done with her. Jay decides to talk to Asch in the meantime. Asch is furious that he has to play waiter for the day. Jay orders another glass of milk, and comments that Asch seems to be getting more frustrated with his job by the day. The God-General assures him that the cooks actually know what they're doing, but Jay still declines to order anything else. He explains that he's waiting for Jade to finish talking to Anise. Asch doesn't quite follow the logic as he moves on to wait on the other tables. Jay looks at Anise, recognizing that she knows Jade, which meant that she comes from Auldrant. Jay is frustrated to see yet another person from Auldrant. Asch returns, claiming that Jade and Anise are calling Jay to their table. Jay doesn't quite believe him, but reluctantly approaches the table anyway (but not before leaving Asch another insanely large tip).
Anise spots the tip that Jay had left and decides to put on her cute charm. Asch finally decides to take Jade's order while Jay is distracting him. Jade orders black tea, and points out that it's Anise's birthday. Jay wants to know when Jade is finished with Anise so that they could speak privately, but Anise beckons him to stay. Jade seconds the request, asking Jay to explain the situation to Anise, and Jay offers his explanation.
Anise spots Asch, very briefly mistaking him for Luke before correcting herself. She wonders why Luke and Asch have the same face, and wonders if they are the same person. Asch wonders how she could think that, knowing that Anise has seen them both together (even though Anise denies this). They are both very confused. Asch doesn't know how to ask if Anise is from his past, so he asks her to explain what's happened. Jade assures her that Asch must be trusted, even though he's not entirely convinced himself. Jay offers to arrange a meeting with Asch if he wishes, as he has other things to talk to him about as well.
Anise reluctantly follows Asch to the bar, worried for Ion's safety. Asch shows her that he is unarmed, knowing that attacking Anise in front of Jade would get him kicked out of Ad Libitum. Anise reiterates that she still can't trust Asch, armed or not. She only tells him that the God-Generals attacked the Tartarus, but it was over a year ago for Asch. Again, they are both confused, so Asch once again asks for Anise's order. Anise orders pancakes, and Asch promptly gets them for her. The whole conversation is awkward for both of them.
Jay watches Anise and Asch for a moment, jealous that so many people from Auldrant are together in Atlas, while Jay is still the only one from the Legacy. He gives himself the "Jay the Lonely" title. He assures Jade that he's fine, and that he's gotten over his food poisoning. Jade once again ponders his questions about Tear, then asks Jay about the food poisoning incident. Jay tells him about eating Arche's cheesecake and getting sick from it, warning Jade never to eat Arche's cooking. Jade thanks him for the warning, while wondering about people developing positive feelings for Asch. Seeing that Asch and Anise were busy, Jade then takes the opportunity to speak with Jay alone. Jay summarizes what he's learned about mana, and mentions preserving the World Tree's seed in order to save the world. Jay also adds that he's seen Martel, and he's learned that Yuan and Martel were engaged. He then mentions the idea of feeding their mana to the World Tree, but doesn't think it's a good idea. Jade has the idea of searching for records of previous civilizations in Atlas. There's an area near Blessenwood that he wants to explore, and promises to contact Jay if he finds anything interesting. Jay thanks the colonel for his time, and Jade decides to return to Anise, pointing out that she may be more interested in Jay's money.
Jade sneaks up on Anise, startling her greatly. Anise brings up the incident where Jade gathered a group of people in Daath so that Anise and Ion could escape. Asch growls for them to stop bugging him about bothering Ion. Anise then asks Jade about joining Ad Libitum. She would like to join, as it's their only hope of getting home. Jade jokes with her, asking why she'd want to leave such a quaint little town. Anise plays along, saying it'd be crazy to want to go home. Jade then asks her for her quests preference as well as the member to accompany her, and Anise is open for anything as long as her partner isn't Asch. Asch is aggravated at the comment, musing that he doesn't babysit anyway. Jade teases him about attracting drunkards with his sex appeal. He then suggests assigning Asch as Anise's partner anyway, adding that she could either ask Tear, or Yuan, the "pleasant" man in charge of Blessenwood's guild. Anise immediately detects Jade's sarcasm, thinking that Yuan isn't quite so pleasant. She then suggests that Jade could oversee her test. Jade admits that he did over see Jay's trial quest, but it had drained him of his meager energy. He puts on the "old man" act, claiming that he struggles to keep up with the youngsters. Anise points out that she had to run in order to keep up with Jade, but Jade insists that she must have been running backwards, still maintaining that he's been in poor physical condition. Anise then brings up Jade carrying Ion onto the Tartarus, but Jade claims that he injured his back in the process. Asch scowls at him, frustrated with the "old man" act. He then gives the bill to Jade, who pays for the meal.
(Note: I'm not going to bother summarizing the last part of the thread, since it didn't get far, and nothing really happened.)
Midnight Mission
Stahn Aileron's Arrival
Anise Tatlin's Arrival
Report to the Guild
Rest Easy
Pursuit of the Knowledge of the Here and Now
Introduction
Midnight Mission
Jay decides to execute his plan to learn what Yuan does when he visits the World Tree on a daily basis. He sneaks out of his room in the middle of the night and runs into Asch as he's just finishing his shift. Jay could tell that Asch has detected him, and he proves to be correct. So Jay goes ahead and greets him, asking if he's keeping up with his debts. Asch growls that his debts are none of Jay's business, and demands to know why he's sneaking around at this hour. Jay admits that he's heading to the World Tree to spy on Yuan. He also admits that he's not certain if he'll learn anything useful, but this is the only lead he has currently. He then offers to help Asch with his debts, which Asch completely refuses. He goes into his room and slams the door. Jay gives him the "Asch the Crabby" title. Asch returns the favor by giving Jay the "Jay the Nosy" title.
Jay heads to the World Tree and talks for a moment, vowing that he will save this world, but he needs a sign. He then chooses a hiding spot in a nearby tree and falls asleep for a few hours while waiting for Yuan. He awakens at the crack of dawn, just in time for Yuan to arrive. Yuan doesn't suspect that anyone would arrive at the World Tree before he would, so he doesn't realize that Jay is watching. Yuan speaks to the tree, considering the idea of having the guild members transfer mana to the tree, but they wouldn't be able to control it. He then places his hands on the tree, forming a pair of angelic wings. Jay is thoroughly stunned to witness this. Yuan begins to transfer mana to the tree, causing it to glow. He only transfers enough to keep Martel's consciousness alive, for he knows better than to exhaust himself and to give the tree too much mana. When he finishes, the glow dies, and Yuan begins to leave. Jay seems disappointed that he hasn't learned much, but ponders a way to use what he did learn. But then Yuan stops and asks the last question Jay wants to hear: "What are you doing here?" Jay remains silent, hoping that Yuan is addressing someone else, but when Yuan tosses a stone in his direction, it becomes clear that he has spotted Jay. Yuan promises to uproot Jay's hiding place if he doesn't show himself. Jay is unable to think of a decent course of action, so he complies, dropping out of the tree rather clumsily. He stares at Yuan, having been rendered speechless after seeing only a small sample of the seraph's true power. Yuan senses Jay's fear, incidating that the boy had seen everything that had happened. He tells Jay not to eavesdrop again if he wants to remain a guild member, and adds not to let anyone see him when he leaves. Yuan leaves the clearing, leaving Jay still paralyzed with fear.
The trunk of the World Tree begins to glow, catching Jay's attention. He snaps out of his trance, wondering if Martel is beginning to wake up. He tries using his eres on the tree to help bring her out. The trunk of the tree begins to fade away, revealing an elegant female figure. Jay immediately recognizes her to be Martel. She appears to be speaking, but there is no sound. Jay is unable to make out her words, or do anything as Martel disappears as quickly as she appeared. Jay decides that he must report the experience to Yuan, and leaves the clearing.
Stahn Aileron's Arrival
Stahn is lost in the woods, wondering if he's even in Dycroft. Lloyd is chasing a Mandactrus, but trips and falls on his rear. He notices Stahn and asks if he's a new one. Stahn laments that he was in the middle of the sky a few seconds ago, but Lloyd points out that he's definitely in a forest now. Lloyd can tell that the World Tree has summoned Stahn. Stahn is shocked by the revelation, but apologizes for not helping Lloyd up and introduces himself. Lloyd explains the situation about Atlas and the World Tree. Stahn points out that he was in the middle of saving his own world. Lloyd ponders that the worlds might be connected, and that the problem with Atlas could spread to the other worlds. Stahn concedes and decides to help, and Lloyd recommends joining Ad Libitum. When Lloyd points out that the mana is declining, Stahn wonders if mana is something to eat. Lloyd explains that mana is energy that's required to pull off special moves. He then admits that he's not really good at explaining things. Stahn asks to be escorted to the guild building, and Lloyd agrees.
Anise Tatlin's Arrival
Anise finds herself on the game trail after falling from the Tartarus and is very disoriented. At first she mopes about failing to protect Ion, but forces herself to composure and goes on, hoping to meet Jade at St. Binah. But ironically, Jade is walking from the game trail where he meets Anise. He immediately asks about Ion's well-being, considering most of them have been "conveniently" pulled from Auldrant. Anise is very confused to see Jade here, wondering where the Tartarus. She explains the situation about Ion, and that she kept the letter safe. Jade tells her that he's already seen the letter, but Anise pulls it from her person. Then Jade tells her bluntly that they're no longer in Auldrant. He now realizes that the reports of inconsistent timelines between worlds are true. Jade tells Anise about Atlas and its mana and the World Tree, and that the goddess within is responsible for bringing them here. He then tells her that the summoned people have joined a guild called Ad Libitum in hopes of finding answers. Jade begins to lead Anise to Blessenwood, recommending for her to visit the inn as well as the guild building. The inn piques Anise's interest, and Jade inquires about her devious concoctions. Of course, Anise cutely denies anything devious. Jade sees right through her, knowing her desire for money. He offers to take her to the inn and pay for whatever she orders. Anise only accepts grudgingly, and only because Jade is paying.
Report to the Guild
Jay goes into the guild building to confront Yuan. As expected, Yuan is not in a good mood, and definitely not happy to see Jay after the spying incident. Jay calmly explains his reason for watching him at the World Tree, pointing out that he has some vital information. Yuan denies hearing anything "vital," but Jay's not finished. When Jay drops the news about sighting Martel, Yuan's temper explodes, demanding the details, startling the boy. Jay holds back tears as he gives his account. Yuan calms down, telling Jay not to be so soft and that this can only be the beginning. He then adds not to give the World Tree too much mana or eres. Jay assures him that he has no intention of stopping, and agrees that shedding tears no purpose. Yuan advises him to work on his weakness of showing emotion to others. Jay is puzzled by this, as he believes that holding back his emotions has led to his weakness. Yuan points out that the allies may falter if Jay shows weakness, because it endangers the whole. Nevertheless, Yuan quietly thanks Jay for the report on Martel's appearance. Jay offers to keep Yuan updated, and Yuan tells him to talk to Lloyd if he's not around. Then Jay leaves the building.
Rest Easy
The children of Blessenwood have become restless with the recent disasters. Tear gathers them in the Blessenwood square and sings the Grand Fonic Hymn to soothe their nerves. Asch is trying to stay busy, but stops to listen to the song as it leaves him with a rare sense of serenity. The children are also calmed by the melody, and the parents begin to carry them off. Tear doesn't expect thanks, as she doesn't fight for recognition. She addresses Asch, who admits that he doesn't like crowds. He seems nervous, but Tear doesn't address it. She explains that she was singing the hymn to relax the children, who were having nightmares. Asch inquires about the first part of the hymn being called "Nightmare," and Tear says that's why she sang the whole thing. Asch makes a strange comment about dying while hearing the hymns, and Tear believes that Van knew that he was going to lose. Asch grumbles about Van being a sick idiot who took is hatred of the Score to ridiculous extremes. Tear is angry, for she had already vowed to stop Van by whatever means necessary, even if it cost her life. She felt that responsibility as his sister. Tear and Asch discuss trying to convince people to live without the Score, and as members of the Order, it is their responsibility.
Flynn passes by the town square and hears Tear's hymn. He wonders about the dieties of Atlas while he feels like he's melting into the song. He nearly falls asleep, dropping the bag of gels and bottles he's carrying. He begins to pick up the items as he recognizes the singer as Tear. When Tear finishes her song, she explains the purpose of the hymn to Flynn.
Pursuit of Knowledge of the Here and Now
Rita Mordio wonders how she suddenly found herself in a forest after being in a frozen wasteland. Stahn is grateful to see someone else, hoping that she would be more helpful than Lloyd was. Rita hopes the same thing as she spots Stahn, but feeling that it would only lead to disappointment. She addresses him, asking for information on where they are and how to get back. Stahn shares what he learned from Lloyd, that they need to save this world before they can go back. Rita hesitates, but accepts his handshake, confused by his response. Stahn reiterates that the different people came from different worlds. Rita doesn't believe that she's in a different world, so she asks for proof. Stahn suggests that they head back to the village. Rita nearly loses her temper, but realizes that doing so would make her lose her only lead, so she agrees to follow Stahn.
Introduction
Early in the morning, Jade brings Anise to the inn to buy her a meal and acquaint her on the current situation. Anise is a bit more nervous than usual, being a in a whole different world. She apologizes for getting mad at Jade, and he replies that he, ever the old man, has the patience of a saint. To get her acquainted with some of the other guild members, Jade briefly points out Jay at the bar. Anise briefly ponders that Jay might be a knockoff God-General. She then confirms what happened before her arrival in Atlas; she and Ion were captured, and Anise was thrown off the Tartarus. Jade points out that Jay comes from the Legacy. He then suggests that the Fon Master should enforce some courtesy in the Order. Anise fumes that it wasn't Ion's fault, but then abruptly changes the subject, asking about Ad Libitum. Of course, Jade prefers to have Asch or Jay explain the details.
Jay is in the inn, seeking to talk to Jade about the Martel sighting. However, upon seeing Anise, Jay decides to wait until Jade is done with her. Jay decides to talk to Asch in the meantime. Asch is furious that he has to play waiter for the day. Jay orders another glass of milk, and comments that Asch seems to be getting more frustrated with his job by the day. The God-General assures him that the cooks actually know what they're doing, but Jay still declines to order anything else. He explains that he's waiting for Jade to finish talking to Anise. Asch doesn't quite follow the logic as he moves on to wait on the other tables. Jay looks at Anise, recognizing that she knows Jade, which meant that she comes from Auldrant. Jay is frustrated to see yet another person from Auldrant. Asch returns, claiming that Jade and Anise are calling Jay to their table. Jay doesn't quite believe him, but reluctantly approaches the table anyway (but not before leaving Asch another insanely large tip).
Anise spots the tip that Jay had left and decides to put on her cute charm. Asch finally decides to take Jade's order while Jay is distracting him. Jade orders black tea, and points out that it's Anise's birthday. Jay wants to know when Jade is finished with Anise so that they could speak privately, but Anise beckons him to stay. Jade seconds the request, asking Jay to explain the situation to Anise, and Jay offers his explanation.
Anise spots Asch, very briefly mistaking him for Luke before correcting herself. She wonders why Luke and Asch have the same face, and wonders if they are the same person. Asch wonders how she could think that, knowing that Anise has seen them both together (even though Anise denies this). They are both very confused. Asch doesn't know how to ask if Anise is from his past, so he asks her to explain what's happened. Jade assures her that Asch must be trusted, even though he's not entirely convinced himself. Jay offers to arrange a meeting with Asch if he wishes, as he has other things to talk to him about as well.
Anise reluctantly follows Asch to the bar, worried for Ion's safety. Asch shows her that he is unarmed, knowing that attacking Anise in front of Jade would get him kicked out of Ad Libitum. Anise reiterates that she still can't trust Asch, armed or not. She only tells him that the God-Generals attacked the Tartarus, but it was over a year ago for Asch. Again, they are both confused, so Asch once again asks for Anise's order. Anise orders pancakes, and Asch promptly gets them for her. The whole conversation is awkward for both of them.
Jay watches Anise and Asch for a moment, jealous that so many people from Auldrant are together in Atlas, while Jay is still the only one from the Legacy. He gives himself the "Jay the Lonely" title. He assures Jade that he's fine, and that he's gotten over his food poisoning. Jade once again ponders his questions about Tear, then asks Jay about the food poisoning incident. Jay tells him about eating Arche's cheesecake and getting sick from it, warning Jade never to eat Arche's cooking. Jade thanks him for the warning, while wondering about people developing positive feelings for Asch. Seeing that Asch and Anise were busy, Jade then takes the opportunity to speak with Jay alone. Jay summarizes what he's learned about mana, and mentions preserving the World Tree's seed in order to save the world. Jay also adds that he's seen Martel, and he's learned that Yuan and Martel were engaged. He then mentions the idea of feeding their mana to the World Tree, but doesn't think it's a good idea. Jade has the idea of searching for records of previous civilizations in Atlas. There's an area near Blessenwood that he wants to explore, and promises to contact Jay if he finds anything interesting. Jay thanks the colonel for his time, and Jade decides to return to Anise, pointing out that she may be more interested in Jay's money.
Jade sneaks up on Anise, startling her greatly. Anise brings up the incident where Jade gathered a group of people in Daath so that Anise and Ion could escape. Asch growls for them to stop bugging him about bothering Ion. Anise then asks Jade about joining Ad Libitum. She would like to join, as it's their only hope of getting home. Jade jokes with her, asking why she'd want to leave such a quaint little town. Anise plays along, saying it'd be crazy to want to go home. Jade then asks her for her quests preference as well as the member to accompany her, and Anise is open for anything as long as her partner isn't Asch. Asch is aggravated at the comment, musing that he doesn't babysit anyway. Jade teases him about attracting drunkards with his sex appeal. He then suggests assigning Asch as Anise's partner anyway, adding that she could either ask Tear, or Yuan, the "pleasant" man in charge of Blessenwood's guild. Anise immediately detects Jade's sarcasm, thinking that Yuan isn't quite so pleasant. She then suggests that Jade could oversee her test. Jade admits that he did over see Jay's trial quest, but it had drained him of his meager energy. He puts on the "old man" act, claiming that he struggles to keep up with the youngsters. Anise points out that she had to run in order to keep up with Jade, but Jade insists that she must have been running backwards, still maintaining that he's been in poor physical condition. Anise then brings up Jade carrying Ion onto the Tartarus, but Jade claims that he injured his back in the process. Asch scowls at him, frustrated with the "old man" act. He then gives the bill to Jade, who pays for the meal.
(Note: I'm not going to bother summarizing the last part of the thread, since it didn't get far, and nothing really happened.)