Accession || Ongoing ||

Eight: Sorry I Can't Read Your Mind

"I didn't think it was that important," Farron shrugged defensively. "You hadn't mentioned anything about needing help. In fact, you didn't really mention anything." 

Was it just me, or did he sound vaguely bitter?

"Of course I didn't mention anything," Reiley shot back. "I was only toying with the idea. Why would I tell you if I wasn't sure about it? Also, isn't requiring help obvious? The three of us obviously can't get Alyxia her throne back by ourselves."

"Well I didn't know," Farron muttered, visibly miffed. "Sorry I can't read your mind."

"He apologises for once," Reiley drawled sarcastically. "Anyway, what're the details?"

Farron sighed as he grabbed a paper and pencil from the rickety old desk and began to explain.  "There's a secret group of dissenters against the monarchy called Ignis. Practically nobody knows that they exist. They mostly use violent means to defy the authorities, and are highly elitist as well as virtually untraceable. That being said, it wouldn't hurt to have some firepower on our side."

"You said they hate the monarchy," Alyxia questioned. "Wouldn't they want to kill me at first sight?"

"We don't know," Farron admitted. "Maybe with the changes going on, they hate the military junta more. We won't know for sure unless we establish contact with them and find out what their agenda is about now."

"And how exactly do we do that?" Reiley inquired, furrowing her eyebrows. "You said they're virtually untraceable."

"There is a place they might be found, if I'm still right," Farron mused. "Their front is this obscure club hidden deep in the streets of Confetti, the party district. It's called Fireworks. They get their funds by catering to the higher end crowd in town, even some people from Glitz who wanna slum it down with roughworlders. If we get in there and talk to the right people, we might be able to get an audience with them."

"So all we have to do is get into the club and somehow smooth talk our way into finding Ignis," Alyxia summarised. "Sounds good enough."

Reiley however didn't seem too relieved. "Yeah." Alyxia caught her furtively glancing at Farron with a look of suspicion in her eyes. "But what if we get denied entry at any point in the plan?"

"I'll pull some strings, make it happen," Farron assured them with his trademark gleaming smile. "With me on your side, Ignis will definitely want to hear what we have to say."

"That's great," Alyxia sighed with relief. "I think that we'd be able to achieve our goals a lot faster with Ignis on our side. Thank the skies for Farron, huh?"

Farron directed that dazzling smile at her, and she felt as if she might break and splinter into a thousand pieces. She was so glad that she had someone like Farron to help them, and plus he was easy on the eyes. 

How did I get this lucky?

"Yeah sure," Reiley muttered under her breath. "Thanks a lot, skies."

***

"Welcome to Confetti," Farron remarked as the three of them looked on at the glittery streamers and bio-luminescent graffiti that lined the streets.

It's certainly a far cry from the dusty simplicity of the Hipster, Alyxia thought to herself as they made their way through the crowds of people obviously caught up with the party fever. People went absolutely overboard with their neon coloured dresses and even campier makeup, and Alyxia felt hopelessly under-dressed. It seemed that the nightlife in the roughworld was a world away from the sophisticated banquets of the exaltworld.