Jeanne listened to Talulah's update and gave an approving nod. As long as Talulah didn't go seeking out suicidal dangers, nothing truly catastrophic would unfold on her watch. Fortunately, Talulah was far from reckless these days.
"I'm leaving things in your hands, then. Don't let me come back to find our home gone. If you do, I'll pluck the scales right off your tail!" Jeanne teased, casually grabbing hold of Talulah's tail despite her immediate, thrashing protests.
"Let go of me!" Talulah demanded, wriggling with all her strength the moment she realized her tail was trapped. Yet, no matter how much she squirmed, she couldn't break free from Jeanne's iron grip.
"Not a chance." Jeanne held fast, refusing to budge. After a few futile minutes, Talulah gave up on her resistance entirely, sitting slumped in place, resigned to her fate.
After a bit more playful banter, Talulah tossed Jeanne an annoyed glance and walked off, leaving the troublemaker behind. Though as she left, her tail gave a nervous twitch—clearly exhausted from the ordeal.
Watching Talulah depart, Jeanne turned on her heel to go check on the young dragon she was raising. Long before she reached the enclosure, she spotted a figure swooping through the air and throwing herself right into Jeanne's arms.
"Jeanne! You're back?" Fafnir looked up with wide, delighted eyes. It had been days since she last saw Jeanne, and she had missed her deeply.
"I'm back!" Jeanne offered a somewhat bashful smile. Knowing she would have to set out again shortly made her feel guilty toward the young girl.
"Are you leaving again soon? Can you take me with you this time?" Fafnir asked, her eyes glittering with hopeful anticipation.
That heart-melting expression tugged firmly at Jeanne's heartstrings. Whatever thoughts she had about leaving the child behind to guard the city dissolved into hesitation.
After a brief pause, Jeanne gave an approving nod. Reunion's administration was running smoothly now; it wasn't as though Fafnir's constant presence was required to anchor the city's defense.
"Alright then. I'll take you along this time," Jeanne said, gently running a hand through her hair.
Hearing that she was allowed to come along, Fafnir cheered and snuggled happily against Jeanne's chest.
And so, having originally intended to drop by just to say goodbye, Jeanne ended up departing the mobile city with Fafnir in tow. When the news spread through the ranks that their powerhouse dragon had taken off, panic rippled through a few of the higher-ups. Their premier asset had just vanished!
By the time they realized what had happened, Jeanne and Fafnir were already far away on wyvernback. No amount of discontent could alter the outcome now that the pair were out of reach.
When a anxious group approached Talulah to demand answers, Talulah merely gave a quiet nod, acknowledging the news before returning to her work without taking further action. Her lack of distress left the group even more uneasy.
Murmurs and debates broke out among the cadres over Fafnir's sudden departure, until the restless chatter grew so loud it began to grate on Talulah's nerves.
"Quiet, all of you!" Talulah barked, fixing a sharp gaze on those visibly shaken by the news. "Fafnir merely took a trip; she hasn't abandoned us!"
"But without Fafnir here, what do we do if the Ursus Army launches an attack?" one individual, long weary of conflict, voiced discontentedly.
"So, out of fear of battle, you wish to chain a child to this city? Or perhaps you were hoping to find a way to control her for your own convenience?" Talulah's eyes swept across the room, taking in the faces of those whose resolve had softened under the comforts of their new life.
She knew these individuals were losing their edge, content to rest on their laurels rather than keep striving forward. She had been looking for an opportunity to address this growing complacency, and this moment suited her purpose perfectly.
"If losing Fafnir's presence deprives you of the courage to face an enemy, then her departure is the best thing that could have happened," Talulah reprimanded them harshly, disappointed by their weakness. "She is not your private property to command at will."
The reactions in the room varied greatly. Some harbored bitter resentment at being spoken to in such a manner, while others flushed with shame, suddenly recognizing the error of their mindsets.
"Now return to your posts and perform your duties. If a simple journey is enough to strip you of your courage, you had better spend time reflecting on your future choices."
Talulah's commanding presence silenced the room. Several cadres opened their mouths to object, but under the weight of her steady gaze, they quietly backed down and dispersed back to their assignments.
Talulah let out a long breath as the group filed out. Managing an expanding organization was a grueling task, and she still had much to learn.
Her thoughts turned to the individual Jeanne had praised as a brilliant all-rounder—the Doctor—as well as Nine, the informant dispatched by Wei Yenwu. She pondered what assignments would best utilize their respective skills.
"Higher! Fly higher!"
High above the clouds, Fafnir cheered from her perch atop the wyvern's back. She was thoroughly enjoying the wind rushing past her face, finding the experience far more thrilling than flying under her own power.
"Don't go any higher! Any further and we'll end up in outer space!" Jeanne called out, patting the wyvern—who was already visibly unsettled by Fafnir's demands—before flicking the young dragon lightheartedly on the forehead.
"What is with you today? Why the sudden urge to reach the stars? Are you trying to fly straight into the sun?" Jeanne chided, equal parts exasperated and amused as she watched Fafnir clutch her forehead.
"Ouch!" Fafnir rubbed her forehead, her eyes welling with dramatic tears. She turned and threw her arms around Jeanne's waist, burying her face into her chest to act spoiled.
Since when did this child get so affectionate? Jeanne shook her head with a fond smile. The little girl was growing more attached by the day. Where had that cold, distant child from before gone off to?
Even knowing Fafnir was playing up her tears, Jeanne felt her heart soften at those wide, watery eyes. How could anyone resist such charm?
Even sharing Talulah's face didn't dampen her appeal—or perhaps, seeing that stern visage express such childish innocence only made her infinitely more endearing?
Fafnir snuggled closer, nuzzling against Jeanne contentedly. She had grown increasingly clingy as of late. Jeanne held the small girl close, running a hand through her hair as she looked out over the passing landscape.
While her hand gently stroked Fafnir's head, Jeanne's thoughts drifted far ahead toward the border of Iberia. She pondered how one could possibly tackle such an overwhelming threat, or whether her priority should be helping construct massive shelters for the populace.
"Jeanne, is something bothering you?" Fafnir asked softly, noticing Jeanne's silence as she looked up from her chest.
"A bit, yes," Jeanne replied, glancing down at the girl with a gentle smile. "There's a particularly troublesome group of foes out there, and I'm trying to figure out how to handle them."
"If they're causing you trouble, then let's just wipe them out!" Fafnir declared, waving her hands in the air. If those creatures made Jeanne unhappy, then they were her enemies too—and enemies were meant to be destroyed!
"Haha, you make a good point, Fafnir! Wiping them out sounds like a fine plan. You're a clever one!" Jeanne laughed, her heavy mood lifting at the straightforward logic as she patted the child's head.
Pleased by the praise, Fafnir grinned happily, her head bobbing up and down.
Jeanne pulled the young girl tighter into her embrace, continuing to tease her as the wyvern cut through the dim sky, making steady progress toward Laterano. Beneath the twilight canopy, the silhouette of two riders atop a flying beast held a quiet, enigmatic beauty—a hidden miracle lost to the vast sky above.