Continue assembling

As much as you'd like to get better acquainted, you can see the sun is already overhead... and you still need to make the trek through the city two more times if you want to get your party assembled by sundown. "I actually have a pretty full day ahead. Why don't we save the full introduction for tonight, when the whole party can hear it?"

You notice a barely visible narrowing of her eyes...unsure what exactly she's thinking with no other features to work off. "Of course, my lord. Whatever you desire." Asuka gives you a single, curt nod before almost gliding across the ground to your side. "Though..." the word sounded uncertain as she whispered it. "They didn't tell me there would be others." As you make your way out of the temple garden, you have to constantly glance back to make sure she's following you: as she doesn't say a word and her steps are virtually silent throughout your entire walk. Outside, the second guard takes the lead: walking you back into the central districts to The Capital Menagerie.

The men manning the gate give your entourage a quick salute as you pass in with the other sightseers; the Menagerie being a public facility funded by the crown. Just walking past the first line of cages put you at ease: reaching between the bars to let the tame monsters nuzzle or lick your fingers. Yet, you still don't feel entirely comfortable...constantly feeling as though somebody was watching you. You knew it was Asuka...it must be, yet each time you glance back she's facing one of the exhibits; seemingly disinterested. Near at least one enclosure though; one containing what looked like a puffy-furred, black and white bear, you could swear you saw the blur of her hand shooting back out from the beast's head...or maybe it was just your imagination

You briefly consider of having to fight their wild counterparts; the reality that this wasn't how monsters REALLY were something you accepted but never really thought about. But, seeing Asuka stare them down so calmly...it helps you feel a little safer about the unknown ahead. Eventually, you come to the great stone drum-keep that served as the mage's academy's research facility. Most of the doors are shut tight; only faint echoes and flickering lights from the cracks showing there was currently something going on inside. Eventually though the lead guard opens one of the doors, revealing a small examination room where a mangy, slobbering boar-like creature was flailing weakly in it's bindings; a girl in a purple dress holding a vial underneath his mouth to collect reddish saliva. She turns towards you as the door opens, giving you a smile so warm you'd think she was taking a pie out of the oven, rather than handling a demonized animal.

"Hey there," she said casually, "You must be Ridley. Give me a..." her words are interrupted as Asuka springs forward, standing straight and composed as she places herself between you and the beast. "Um...I just need a second." The initial shock quickly wears off, pulling the mostly-filled bottle of saliva and returning it to it's storage rack.

"Shall I dispatch this demon, master?" she asked, still facing away from you. She was certainly...diligent, but it almost seemed like she was trying to prove something. Strange.

"It's not a demon," she answered Asuka quickly, rubbing the beast behind its ear. "These boys came from farms near the border...the man who brought them in said they were pigs just a few weeks ago. I'm still trying to figure out just what brought this one." She sounded a bit surprised...but still fairly happy: focusing on you rather then the ninja.

"That won't be necessary," you instruct, placing a hand on Asuka's shoulder as she silently falls back into place. "Sorry about that. You must be Eleanor." You take a good look at the creature she's working with. "So these are pigs, eh? That can't be good." Clearly, there was some kind of black magic at work here; the signs of a curse not entirely dissimilar from a few spells you knew.

"That's me. And you need no introduction, my prince." She gives a small curtsy after scribbling down a handful of notes. "I've been trying to figure out things here. But there's only so much you can do in the lab. You won't mind if I do a little field work on the side, would you?" She smiles cheerily at both you and Asuka.

Asuka cleared her throat in response. "So you're one of Prince Ridley's other companions. I hope you won't let your...field work distract you from our primary mission. The Prince's well-being must come before anything else." You can't help but shake your head slightly at the exchange...figuring having woman compete for your affection meant you'd have to deal with this kind of thing every now and again.

"It won't be any problem at all." you assure her. "We'll need to learn exactly what we're up against before we can take it down, right?" Eleanor closed the tome she'd been writing it, placing it under her arm as she walked up to the guard's side.

"I'll give it my all." she said, straightening out the lower half her dress, the guard glancing towards the door in expectation of leaving. "The Menagerie staff should be by soon to get this big boy back to his exhibit, so we can leave now if you want...unless you needed something else?"