Shit, forgot to title this one. It's Generically-titled Fire Emblem Quest Gen. 2 # 11.

Marrius, eponymous leader of the Marrius' Group mercenaries, heads Southwest alone, seeking an audience with one of the duchesses of Noba.

The rest of his company, followed by their clients, travels back East through the desert to Elza Oasis, having finished their job but left unable to warp home safely due to a need to recover. It is here that overall protagonist Lloyd, his lover Leigh, and the respected second in command of Marrius' Group, the witch Irene, are.

While Marrius' actions right now have no bearing over the actions of our usual heroes, they may have effects of their own.

That being said, they can be skipped without missing much.

>A. Show Marrius' travels to, arrival at, and actions in Noba. Maybe influence them..?
>B. You'll find out what there is to hear from that in due time. Stay with Lloyd.

>>43761363
Also, in the same vein as options to take a Gaiden chapter or not in the past... A minimum of 20 minutes to gather votes.

>>43761386
Time limit renewed and the like. Back down to "vaguely-defined."

>>43761634
Wouldn't be Generically Gen. 2 without a lot of time limit renewals at the start.

>A. Show Marrius' travels to, arrival at, and actions in Noba. Maybe influence them..?

>>43761363
>A. Show Marrius' travels to, arrival at, and actions in Noba. Maybe influence them..?

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>>43762080
>>43762284
You are, for the moment, anyway, Marrius.

Bidding farewell to your team, you begin your travels Southwest.

They're in good hands, you figure. Irene will get them back to Elza Oasis safely, and they can all put the conspiracy you've stumbled into out of mind.

With only your Greatsword and your supplies, you still don't suspect you'll have very far to go, though apparently some recent natural disaster has left the quickest road to Noba in need of repairs, and the fledgeling nation still hasn't quite worked out how to go about... Actually maintaining themselves, to your limited political knowledge.

You'll probably pass through Willowstead when you get into Malva. Say your hellos to Riga's uncle and mother. You're heading that way after this detour through the woods, anyway.

As you sit one evening, just finishing a meal you've prepared yourself, you pick up the sound of flying overhead.

A pegasus then lands in front of you, its rider a young-looking woman with a scarred face. Less than certainly, she glares at you, waving a Steel lance.

"You picked a bad day to travel alone, buddy. Now, gimme all that nice-looking shit you've got!"

>A. Cut them down quickly
>B. Taunt them (specification allowed but not needed)
>C. Ask who's addressing you
>D. Threaten them. Make it clear who you are
>E. Write-in action
>F. Stand silently

>>43762366
>>C. Ask who's addressing you

>>43762447
"Who's asking?" You say, keeping a level tone.

"What do you..." She shakes her head. "I'm asking! Is that so hard to understand? You're being robbed. Mugged. Burglarized!"

"Burglarized isn't really the same as those other things," you tell her.

She looks embarrassed for a moment, faltering and nearly dropping her lance as she groans. "Y-you're... You're going down anyway, though!" Her fingers tighten around her weapon of choice. She's... Holding it way at the back end of the weapon, and it keeps falling forward a bit.

>A. Attack her
>B. Is she alright
>C. Introduce yourself
>D. Ask what she's trying to do
>E. Point out her error
>F. Write-in response
>G. Do nothing

>>43762584
>B. Is she alright
>E. Point out her error
>D. Ask what she's trying to do

>>43762584
>B. Is she alright
>C. Introduce yourself
>D. Ask what she's trying to do

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>>43762673
>>43762708
"Er... first off, you're holding your lance wrong."

"...oh, so I am!" She is quick to correct her mistake, saying, "a-anyway... Now, I'm going to!"

"Oh, my... Are you alright, miss?"

"Fine! You won't get the better of me with your qu-" She shuts her mouth and sounds about to gag, before continuing, "questions!"

"Look," you say, "my name is Marrius. I consider myself a pretty experienced sellsword, and you're certainly no experienced or hardened bandit." You squint your eyes. "Looking at it now... That's not a scar at all, is it? Yeah, that's... Dried blood." You sigh. "Miss, what do you REALLY want? Whatever it is, you don't need to mug me over it."

She tries to maintain her strong look for a moment, but it falters quicker than she realizes. "I... I'm not thinking straight. I've been lost, we were attacked by entombed when we took this detour... I'm all out of vulnerary now, and... And..."

Yeah, she's looking increasingly weak as the conversation carries on.

>A. Ask if she was hit by any of them. She might be poisoned
>B. Ask if she was with anyone else
>C. This could be a trick, on second thought. Don't take the risk.
>D. Write-in

>>43762861
>A. Ask if she was hit by any of them. She might be poisoned
>B. Ask if she was with anyone else

>>43762861
>A. Ask if she was hit by any of them. She might be poisoned
>B. Ask if she was with anyone else

>>43762939
>>43762963
"Entombed... Were you attacked by any of them? You might have been poisoned!"

"P-poisoned, huh..?" She exhales, dropping her weapon. "Yeah, that... Makes sense. I've been burning through all our healing supplies..."

Yeah, and with that stuff coursing through her, it's reasonable that she might... Act unreasonably, such as thinking she needs to mug the first passerby she sees. Another thing has your curiosity, though. "'Our,' 'we...' It sounds as though you had companions?"

Oh dear. Sore subject. Tears look about ready to well up. "Mom and I were... Visiting my aunt. We were just... Camping out here, enjoying the return to nice weather with our Pegasi, and..." She pets her pegasus. "We were the only ones who lasted long after the end of the battle."

>A. Find her some antitoxin. Never leave the oasis without 'em.
>B. Let her rest here
>C. Ask her where it happened
>D. Ask who she is again
>E. Write-in
>F. Not much more you can do for her

>>43763082
>>A. Find her some antitoxin. Never leave the oasis without 'em.
>D. Ask who she is again

>>43763082
>A. Find her some antitoxin. Never leave the oasis without 'em.
>C. Ask her where it happened

>>43763116
>>43763150
You nod. "Right... My condolences about your family, but... For now, some antitoxin. Let me grab you some." About a minute's worth of rifling through your bag passes before you can hand her the proper substance, which she is, naturally, as quick as possible to use.

"Th-thank you, sir..." She clears her throat, breathing in deeply and dismounting. "Mind if I sit for a moment?"

"Go ahead." You watch as she does so. "And again, may I ask who I'm speaking to?"

She clears her throat. "It's... Sheena. My name is Sheena."

"Right, Sheena... Tell me, where did this happen? I assume somewhere in this forest, but... I would like to know if you're comfortable returning."

She nods. "It's... R-right this way."

Leading you along on foot as her pegasus rests at your campsite, Sheena doesn't have much to say.

>A. Be silent until you arrive
>B. Say/ask something more (write-in)

>>43763261
>B. Say/ask something more
Some small talk on our way there to keep her mind off the present.

>>43763317
"So... It is a beautiful season, isn't it?" You say, hoping to get her mind off what she's being taken to.

She nods, sniffling. "Y-yeah... That's why we went camping. See, this forest, is... Well, it's way prettier than the ones back home in Ulir. We would try to go here every time we visited my aunt if the weather was nice enough, ever since I was a little kid..."

"You're from Ulir?"

She nods. "The... Northernmost island in particular. Pretty place, all in all."

She sounds nostalgic, at peace for a moment, but all that changes when the remains of her campsite comes into view.

The remains of two older women and pegasi, torn-up tents...

Sheena buries her face in her hands.

>A. Give your condolences
>B. Offer to help put them to rest
>C. Return. Sheena needs rest
>D. Write-in

>>43763561
>A. Give your condolences
>B. Offer to help put them to rest

>>43763561
>A. Give your condolences
>>B. Offer to help put them to rest

>>43763623
"I'm... Terribly sorry that this has happened," you say to her rather matter-of-factly. "You have my condolences."

She just... Nods in silence.

"If you would like, I could... Help you put them to rest. By the sound of things, they deserve a better grave than rotting here."

"That would... I would appreciate that."

You miss a morning's worth of travel digging graves for Sheena's mother and aunt.

Thankful for your actions, Sheena can't help but throw her arms around you gratefully. "Th-thank you, Mr. Marrius... I... Y-you didn't need to do any of this, and... Gods, anyone else probably would have killed me and my pegasus when we approached. H-how could I repay you for all of this?"

>A. No need
>B. Get home safely
>C. Be silent
>D. Write-in

>>43763753
>B. Get home safely

>>43763753
>A. No need

>>43763817
>>43763786
"You don't need to do anything for me but promise to get home safely."

She nods. "I... Won't let you down, Marrius."

After a moment, she pulls away, still smiling sadly. You think you detect a bit of a flush in her cheeks, but just hope it's either your imagination or her exhaustion over the past few days. You aren't particularly welcoming toward the prospect of admirers.

You decide, at the very least, that she isn't fit to travel alone in this state, and she convinces you to at least let her tag along until you reach Ennas, the capital of Malva. You can arrange something for her then.

You're about a day away from Willowstead, anyway.

>A. Skip to arrival
>B. Show some conversation with Sheena

>>43763949
>B. Show some conversation with Sheena

>>43764034
I forgot to ask that the topic be specified.

>>43763949
>A. Skip to arrival

>>43764058
Ask about her pegasus?

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>>43764096
"Beautiful thing, your pegasus. What's it called?"

She smiles at your question, petting her. "I call her Buccaneer. She's been... So patient with me the past couple days, that I've been... Poison in the brain and such."

You nod. "I'm glad you have each other."

"Yeah..." Sheena says as she finally stops her pets. "Still not sure what we're gonna do when we get home, though..."

"Well, I hope you'll think of something. You're a good kid, have potential for great things."

"I'm not a kid, Marrius. I mean, sure, I've never traveled alone before, but... I'm still nineteen!"

You aren't sure of the tone she said that in, but... Again, what are you going to do? Kick her out for POSSIBLY being smitten?

You make it to Willowstead rather soon after that (before you can actually address her tone), approached by two guards.

Immediately, what you can see of their expressions soften when they see you. "Oh, Marrius, good to see you around! How's the company doin'?"

>A. Pretty good
>B. Same as ever
>C. Could be better
>D. Ask if Riga's relatives are busy
>E. Write-in

>>43764216
>B. Same as ever
>D. Ask if Riga's relatives are busy

>>43764271
"No different from usual, I suppose. Since I was passing through, roadwork and all, I figured I'd see if Derrick and Marigold were available."

"Oh, yes, of course! It about Riga?"

You shake your head. "Er, I suppose it... Pertains to her. Not in the way you imply, though."

"Ah... Hey, Bob, go tell Derrick Marrius wants to talk, alright?" After the other guy leaves, the guard notices Sheena standing around sheepishly by her pegasus. "And WHO is this? Newest spry young recruit? Takin' her along for your vacation, ya sly dog?"

>A. No.
>B. Her family died like two days ago
>C. You're just helping her out
>D. You're not on vacation
>E. Write-in response

>>43764404
>A. No.
>C. You're just helping her out

>>43764404
>A. No.
>C. You're just helping her out

>>43764426
>>43764468
"Nothing of the sort," you say, clearly showing your lack of amusement. "I was traveling along, and ran into her alone. She needed my help, so I offered it."

The guard backs off. "Alright, alright... Din't need to be so grumpy about a little joke... Wait, that mean she's single?"

"Lawrence!" An unamused voice calls from just behind him. You look over and actually register the bald head approaching. You didn't recognize him in guard's armor at a distance. "Leave Marrius' friend alone."

"Y-yes, Captain Derrick." He looks over towards Sheena. "Sorry, miss... It's just that you're real, er..."

"I'm... Flattered, really, but I'm not looking for anything right now." Sheena chuckles and rubs her arm uncomfortably. "And... Don't know you. At all."

Thoroughly humbled, the guard leaves, and Derrick approaches.

"Ah, but Marrius, to what do I owe the pleasure of your visiting?"

>A. Captain?
>B. It's not a pleasure, sadly
>C. You were passing through heading to Ennas
>D. Write-in response

>>43764537
>A. Captain?
>B. It's not a pleasure, sadly

>>43764537
>>A. Captain?

>>43764663
>>43764796
"Captain?"

Derrick nods, frowning. "I swore never to fight again over 20 years ago, but... These are not living things, that plague the world. I'm not going to rejoin the military or anything, but coming out to fix up the local guard of this hamlet my brother built..." He looks a bit nostalgic. "It's what your father would have suggested of me."

After a moment of silence, he approaches Sheena. "My name is Derrick, by the way. I... Own and operate a general store with my sister-in-law. Supports local artisans and is the closest thing to a tourist attraction in Willowstead."

Sheena shakes his hand as he offers it. "I'm... Sheena. I was visiting my aunt over in Smallton with my mother, but we went camping, and... Basically, Marrius is letting me tag along until he can find me a ride back to Ulir!"

"Ah... My condolences," he says.

"Anyway... 'tis not a pleasure to see you, sadly. I bear bittersweet news about Riga."

"Ah..." He says, frowning.

>A. Let's take this inside
>B. Tell him right here
>C. Write-in?

>>43764813
>A. Let's take this inside

>>43764845
"Er... Marigold probably ought to hear this too."

Derrick nods. "Of course. Come, she's... Home with a slight cold. No longer contagious, but still fighting off the last of it."

Sheena looks uncertain before you indicate that she can come along too, which leads to her following you both.

A woman opens the door to a small house as Derrick knocks on it. "Ah, Derrick. How are you?" She notices you and Sheena before smiling. "Ah, Marrius! You're passing through, are you? Come in, come in! Don't mind the mess..."

Despite her embarrassment, there's... A couple crumpled up papers on the ground. Hanging above a fireplace is a picture of a fellow who looks like a younger Derrick with the woman, Marigold. Of course, this figure has a full head of hair, which Derrick hasn't since before your father left Traban Outpost. It must be his brother, Roderick. Marigold is visibly pregnant in the portrait, dated about 25 years ago and signed as the work of some famous Dain artist who you recently heard committed suicide. The portrait is set to a lush forest backdrop, Willowstead even younger than it is now.

"Marrius says he has... News about your daughter," Derrick says.

"Ah, Riga! How is she?"

>A. Captured by evil Necromancers
>B. Missing, but you know she's alive
>C. Just tell the whole story
>D. Write-in

>>43764957
>B. Missing, but you know she's alive
>C. Just tell the whole story

>>43764957
>C. Just tell the whole story

>>43765014
>>43765108
"Well, the short version is... She's missing, but we know she's alive, and I was passing through to Ennas to share them with Duchess Victoria."

"M-missing?!" Marigold exclaims, "wh-what... How?"

"I was just getting to that," you say before, to make a long story short, getting to that.

"...so you're trying to do right by your company's mistakes, you say." Derrick says. "That is... noble. Knowing my niece, though, she might end up breaking herself and the nobles out of whatever place they've been brought to before you even make it to Ennas."

"Don't encourage him to slow down, Derrick! My baby girl's in danger!" Marigold looks you straight in the eyes. "She promised she'd visit, and I won't let you make a liar out of my Riga!"

"O-of course, Marigold! You know I wouldn't let that be the end result of our friendship!" Few people can make you flustered as quickly as Marigold here when she's in one of her "moods."

You stay the night in Willowstead and leave without much more of note happening, aside from Sheena dropping a few more, er, hints, both there and on the path to Ennas from there.

>>43765229
Fuck, I forgot to actually PUT THE CHOICES IN. Good one, dumbass.

>A. You talk to her about this
>B. You ignore it to the best of your ability

>>43765253
>B. You ignore it to the best of your ability
Probably won't have to see her again after this so we don't need to make it a big deal.

>>43765253
>B. You ignore it to the best of your ability

>>43765289
>>43765362
You're really in no mood to discuss this sort of thing, so you just try to act disinterested without being mean.

You make it to Ennas without much trouble from there.

"It's... a pretty city," Sheena says, looking around.

You nod. "And I've written ahead to Duchess Victoria. I... Still need to double-check when exactly my meeting with her is, but for now I'll speak to some of my connections with Ulir. Get you a ride home as quickly as possible."

Sheena nods, fixing her hair a bit habitually. "I, er... know I've said it before, Marrius, but... Thank you for all you've done for me."

"And I've said that it was a pleasure to help."

"Thinking about it more, though, there... Really isn't anything more for me back home, with mom gone. Just... Me, Buccaneer, and my aunt's lance. You, though, you're... A hero, to the best degree possible! So, er... Instead of sending me back... Please, let me work for you."

>A. No.
>B. She couldn't handle it
>C. This is an awfully large decision
>D. Tell her to give it more serious thought first
>E. Sure, why not
>F. Write-in response

>>43765508
>C. This is an awfully large decision
>D. Tell her to give it more serious thought first

>>43765586
"Look, Sheena, this is an... Awfully large decision, to... Throw everything away just for the sake of becoming a sellsword."

"I know, but... I'm ready! I am!"

You shake your head. "I'm not fond of refusing people a new start on life, but... Please, think about it more seriously, Sheena."

She nods. "I... I'll keep thinking about it. I appreciate your concern, though."

You get two rooms at a sufficiently pleasant inn, giving her plenty of room to herself, thinking about this without your input.

The following morning, first thing, you head to the palace of Duchess Victoria, greeted by some inexperienced new guards. Apparently, Malva's military has been required to be... Exceptionally weak, in order to appease the paranoia of Neir's Queen Eva (she and the duchess have a bit of a... History). She eased up a bit when the undead started appearing, but that's still... A bit unpleasantly recent. You've had your fair share of business in Malva in recent times.

Calling you into her throne room, the Duchess, with her long, silver-blue hair, heavy, rounded frame, and noble style of dress, greets you like an old friend-a fair enough thing, since she personally worked alongside your father and calls his greatest pupil one of her closest friends. "Ah, Derrick. No, no, for you, the formality may be dropped. For our health and time's sakes, hurry up and give me the details you felt too delicate to put to paper."

>A. How is she doing
>B. Just do so
>C. Write-in dialogue

>>43765792
>B. Just do so

>>43765811
You waste no time, telling her all about the incidents with the Groznyi Group. About their warnings of a Necromancer, and so on.

"So, a Necromancer surfaces at last among... All of this." She closes her eyes.

"You were expecting this."

She nods. "It was only a matter of time before a 'face' of undead-raising surfaced. So you say this... Groznyi Group, claims to know nothing about this person's appearance?"

"Apparently they wore a mask. Coupled with disappearing with Duchesses Devon and Phia's children shortly before we arrived, a lot of them suspect some sort of set up was planned from the very start of this newcomer's time in the group."

She nods. "I see... I'll tell Devon and Phia about this immediately. In the meantime... Stay for tea?"

>A. Sure
>B. No thanks

>>43766057
>A. Sure

>>43766057
>A. Sure

>>43766072
>>43766193
You agree.

Tea is pretty nice, all in all, and you also speak briefly about Sheena. Nothing big, just that... She's there, and how you've helped her, and that she's strongly considering becoming a mercenary.

"I understand the discontent in your voice... Everyone needs all the help they can get, my Duchy included," Victoria says grimly. "I've been re-training myself with Ronan." Her eyes widen. "The... treasures of Phile and Fathom, the Dvenad lance and Cymbeline tome, were being wielded by Lord Phineas and Lady Demeter. Were they recovered in Disler Outpost?"

You shake your head. "Gone with the nobles."

"Then..." She puts her hand on her chin. "I don't know if it has significance or not, to be honest. It's worrying, though, to think those have fallen into villainous hands."

"Very worrisome."

Victoria manages to convince you to spend one more day sightseeing in Ennas, and you figure you need an answer from Sheena before you can move anyway. You think you've caused her to overthink this with all your emphasis.

Later that evening, however, a letter arrives from Irene. Mentioning that they've gotten back to Elza Oasis safely, met a new recruit who apparently has a... History with a few of their members, and already sent some people on a mission to the Ulir Archipelago, which may or may not take some time.

>A. Tell Sheena about this. She'll have a lot more time to decide if she comes with you.
>B. Don't mention this. Just send her away separately from yourself, say she was clearly uncertain.
>C. Write-in?

>>43766289
>A. Tell Sheena about this. She'll have a lot more time to decide if she comes with you.

>>43766354
"Sheena," you say, knocking on the door of her room at the inn.

Smiling slightly, she opens it. "O-oh, Marrius. Er... What's this about?"

You matter-of-factly respond, "turns out I have business in Ulir. Irene," you told her about Irene at some point offscreen, "has mentioned that she's... Anticipating a rough time in Ulir, and has asked that I head straight to where everyone else is. Coincidentally, same island as your home."

"So... What you're saying is..."

You nod. "Come along with me, and... Take more time to decide. See what the job is like, and promise to stay out of trouble."

She nods. "It's... That's actually perfect!" She laughs, getting a bit closer to you. "You know, it's weird... Trying to mug you was just about the best thing to ever happen to me." She looks up at you coyly. "I mean, really, just... If I could repay that at all..."

>A. Politely inform her you're not interested
>B. Tell her to cut that shit out already
>C. Accept her offer
>D. Write-in response
>E. Give her some advice (specify)

>>43766549
>A. Politely inform her you're not interested
This is a job, not a date.

>>43766597
"Sheena..." You groan. "I've put off making it perfectly clear for too long, not wanting you to be upset, but... I don't take interest in you like that. It's important for you to know this if we're going to keep traveling together."

Her smile fades a bit, before returning weakly. "Oh, right... Yeah, I... Guess that was pretty obvious. Dropped enough hints about it, you did." She laughs a bit less comfortably than before, before sighing and smiling more genuinely, but still sadly. "Thank you for telling me, at least. I promise not to let this affect anything, sir."

You nod, patting her shoulder. "That's what I like to hear. Now rest. I've already spoken to some of my friends, and we'll be heading for the coast first thing tomorrow morning."

She nods and, after an exchange of "goodnights," shuts the door. You walk over to your own room and get some shuteye.

"Good kid," you say to yourself about her. "Good kid..."

>To be continued next thread
So this was the first Gaiden chapter to... Happen. Also a slight spoiler to certain things that we're about to see happen. Who could this newcomer be, for example?

Thanks for playing, as always. Update twitter and ask.fm are qmgrandflocto and I'll be around in-thread to chat for some time too.

>>43766722
Thanks for running. Was picking up Sheena part of the default planning? Asking out of curiosity.

>>43766854
Nope. Figured that I needed to give Marrius something to do, but that an undead attack would be too formulaic, so I threw in a robbery instead and winged it from there.

>>43766882
Also noticed we didn't have any pegasus knights planned, and figured from the start of the encounter "if Marrius plays his cards right, he can turn this mugger to the side of good," before I figured that this mugger's actions were influenced by a day's worth of fending off zombie poison and not eating/drinking fucking with her head.