"Prepare for the Gathering."
Mr Hanged Man's voice suddenly rang in the ears of the fellow tarot club members, whom coincidentally, 9/10 are all currently in Backlund, with one still stuck in The Forsaken Land of the Gods.
—
Atop the world of the gray fog, 8 figures emerged as their silhouettes was formed from 8 red dots of lights swirling within the pillars of the castle.
"Good afternoon, Mr Hanged Man." The voice of Miss Justice reverberated across the ears of the other 7 members, faintly, but sweet, and calming for that matter.
Mr Hanged Man nodded gently before Miss Justice turns to face the other members, and greeted them in accordance from the most senior to the ones that have recently joined.
Every one then took their seat, with Mr Hanged Man sitting at the seat of host, Mr Fool's seat to be the temporary overseer.
However, on the matter, there's a bit of a slight difference.
"It appears everyone have something on their mind they wishes to communicate with everyone as the date for the gathering have been brought forward, i too have something to say." The host calmly interjects before everyone to make it clear for the gathering's sudden advancement which is still a few days.
But within his voice, there was a bit of a hidden anger slowly rousing for the Spectator of the Club to notice.
(Angry, they're probably mad and needed to discuss the hunt for me on a more secluded space.) Miss Justice raises a hand, and covers her lips to cover the slow twitch she's unable to stop widening in her mouth.
"I just came along since i have nothing better to do." Miss Star raises her hand for everyone to see, bearing a position of a spectator whilst everyone will have a serious discussion they need to address succinctly, and immediately.
"Me too." Little Suns voice follows right after Miss Star.
Everyone else nodded for their mere participation.
"First things first, Miss Justice, the quest you've given us, it seems it would probably take a few more days to be accomplished."
"There's no rush, Justice doesn't come late or too early anyway, it arrives when it needs to be, fufu." Audrey giggled a bit with a bit of teasing remark in her words.
But unbeknownst to her, behind Miss Star, Miss Hermit who's calmly oberserving listening through, a small smile appeared on her mouth, taking glamour and humour at the sudden occasion and Miss Justice obvious prank.
"10,000 pounds is a generous offer, Miss Justice, but i feel like where are missing out on something." Alger said.
"Why, what's wrong with 10,000 pounds?" The Spectator slowly turned her head towards her fellow member, who's currently the host of the current gathering.
"The pervert you mentioned, she's probably a sequence 5 or above-"
"Are you perhaps implying that im somehow at fault for my lack at knowledge and you wanted to increase the reward for this mission?" Audrey didn't bother to prolong and further Mr Hanged Man's words, and didn't to cut to the chase after being able to read his true intention.
Her words cut sharp like a knife slicing through butter, cutting succinctly without much effort to read through him.
Alger gulped his throat at her excellent deduction, and lean back to his chair.
"No, im not making a fool out of anyone, but the money we're talking isn't sufficient, would increasing it be a little too much for your situation?" Alger decided to follow along for there is no hiding worth intentions towards a Spectator.
"This job, it's been quite a few days... I heard rumors and some short stories of endeavours surrounding Empress Borough of a pervert who appears at night and have been causing trouble lately...
"I have given this as a cause for everyone, along with the money to chase whoever that is and made sure the people would be safe, it's a simple task really...
"If everyone finds it difficult that it took till now for everyone still not getting the desire result, then i also have to do my part, and push through with what i can..."
"So no, i won't find it difficult to increase the prize, Mr Hanged Man." Miss Justice talks for a quite a while and taking the whole table for herself and captivating everyone of their attention, even the sequence 4 Miss Hermit was one.
The other 7 were thoroughly enhanced and appalled at Miss Justice wealth, that they once again felt the cheap in their pockets, not even coming close to her's.
"Thank you, for your understanding, Miss Justice." Mr Hanged Man nodded his head before clearing his throat.
Deep within Alger, for some reason, he couldn't help but be proud seeing the growth of Miss Justice, from the weak, noble girl, to someone who could talk back to him, it's small, but it's still impressive in his book to say the least.
(Quite a speech, you made there, Miss Justice.) Miss Hermit then turns her head away.
"Everyone, while we're talking about increasing prizes, i think i made the right call for voting and for pushing the advancement of our early gathering, Miss Justice, Mr Hanged Man, Mr Star, Miss Hermit, and Miss Judgement can count on your financial liquidity and stability, right? What about another one?" The Moon stood up and made his voice be heard clear amongst for the members to be heard.
Audrey found it a bit surprising due to Mr Moon suddenly joining something that doesn't revolve around himself, and outside his normal activity, leaving her mouth agape abit.
"... Oh, uh, sure, you can!" Unable to respond for a quite a while, Miss Justice snapped out of her small predicament, and tried to answer just in time.
"Mr Hanged Man, Mr World has given me a task, that he didn't give me a reason for the cause of it, but i would like to join this hunt too...
"Would that be alright? Am i late to join the fray?"
In response, all the Tarot Club member's eyes were then pointed back at him after making his speech, just like Miss Justice in both instances.
(Klein? What task did he give Mr Moon that he needed to join this hunt?) Leonard suddenly questioned as usual whenever its Klein is involved.
"I allow it."
Emelyn White then heaved a sigh of relief, and took his seat, but before he could, someone immediately stood up before him.
"Everyone, in regards to this Hunt, i would like to voice out my frustration." The ever small Xio arises from her seat and her hands on the surface of the table, trembling in anger and frustration she's been building up from since earlier.
"Miss Hermit, it's been quite a while, but don't you think you're spending a little too much time at sea? You said you were gonna participate, right?"
"Ooh...? Are you mistaking me for someone who doesn't abide by their words?" Miss Hermit retorted a bit with a glance towards her side, to Miss Judgement.
(Bitch, who you think you foolin?) Mr World recalls the time when Mr Fool punishes her for her indecency.
"Well, given your track record, i don't think your words are something of noteworthy, is it..?
"Im just saying, if you're not really gonna participate, then don't, i rather have Mr Moon on our side." Xio glared back, her voice rising for a little bit.
Miss Hermit gripped her fists at the obvious provocation and insults hurled at her, making her recall of the past when she was punished.
"I will participate, just give me a day, and i be on Backlund, i can't have the authorities eyeing me once i entered the place." With her words, everyone suddenly second guess what she meant.
She's already in Backlund, but she cant enter really at the city due to the amount of authorities guarding it.
This gave Miss Judgement a bit of an idea, since she's also a bounty hunter, and someone who works with the officials, from time to time.
"...
"Don't come to Backlund, i don't think it would sit well right with me." Xio then blurted out her true inner feelings, the fact she can't work with a proper criminal.
"Are you perhaps making fun of me, i was ready to let it slide, but i don't think you have the right grasp of situation since you're in the territory of assumption towards me." The Hermit stood up from her seat, and decided to confront the Judgement right beside her.
"I don't like it when other pry their noses and make terrible judgement of other people, you get what im saying?" She towered over the Judgement, doominering over her with simply her height.
However, the Arbiter didn't flinch, not one bit.
"Does the status and sequence number you possess perhaps clouded your judgement, get this in your head, you're in the territory of Mr Fool, in HIS castle, you have no power here, Miss Hermit!"
Xio's voice echoed around the castle, and everyone heard her properly.
Miss Hermit was left a bit sweating due to her ignorance and overbearing charge that she might found herself trudging too much at a point where she shouldn't.
"Stop it, Miss Judgement, Miss Hermit is our ally, and our Senior, we need to respect her situation and simply abide, even if she didn't participate, she wouldn't recieve a share of the reward anyway, apologies Miss Hermit." Leonard spoke out his mind to deescalate the brewing intensity of the situation.
"None taken." Miss Hermit gladly accepted his words.
"But Mr Star, you saw what that pervert did to you, right? She pissed on you and put a psychological cue on us!" However, Judgement lashes out instead, not because of her hatred for criminals like Miss Hermit, but due to Mr Star being the most hardworking among then by the pervert they've been chasing since.
"I might not be part of this so called hunt of yours, but Miss Judgement, isn't it hypocritical to say you don't want Miss Hermit to participate, but would gladly accept Mr Moon for that matter, since in technicality, he's also a late participant." Little Sun voices out his mind, and everyone heard him clearly.
(He's right, if Xio would hate on Miss Hermit for being late, but accepting the help of Mr Moon who will participate late, then that would just be prejudice on her part to hate on Miss Hermit since she's a pirate?) Miss Justice tried to think deeply of the situation.
"But that's-!" Xio was then flustered and took a step back to her chair.
"Enough, Miss Judgement, we will gladly accept Mr Moon and Miss Hermit's help, the decision to participate isn't decided by you, but by whoever wanted to anyway." Mr Hanged Man said.
However.
"Aren't everyone being a little too harsh on Miss Judgement, wasn't she the first one to arrive and made the first chase towards the hunt, isn't everyone's decision to be on equal terms the same as casting her aside since she's made the most effort, and the one getting the least?" Fors then decided to join in on the conversation to defend her friend.
(Hmm... This is getting a bit problematic, isn't it?) Miss Justice, the spectator simply watches from the side and made deep deduction on everyone's part.
"We're not casting her aside, we're just saying she needs to put more thought into her actions and words." Alger, the irony.
"Are you implying she's dumb? Mr Hanged Man?" The Magician then suddenly made a deep glare at the host of the gathering.
"No, that's not what im saying, you woman!"
Everyone suddenly gasp at the Mr Hanged Man's disgraceful remark, unbefitting for a host.
"Hmm... Mr Hanged Man, you're unfit for a host, aren't you?" Miss Magician pointed out a certain flaw for everyone even without being a Spectator for that matter.
"That's not-!
"Enough! Let's just proceed with the gathering and hear no more of this, Miss Hermit and Mr Moon will participate, that's final!" Alger succinctly slammed the desk with his fist and sparks of lightning flew off, his pathway coming into effect.
However, the Hanged Man is under 7 other pathway's vision.
It was to put it simply, unbefitting really for a host.
"Mr Fool would've never done that, Mr Hanged Man." Fors, albeit scared, decided to push her luck, after proving her point for everyone to see.
(Mr Hanged Man?) Sun found it complexing to see one of the figure he looks up to in the club to be someone suddenly repulsived.
Alger's veins were protuding out of his temple in a fit of rage, his fists crackle, and the table shook lightly.
But suddenly, someone stood up.
"Stop it, Mr Hanged Man!" Leonard far from the seat of host tried to confront Mr Hanged Man's intensifying aura, voicing out what's on his mind.
Gritting his teeth, Alger tried to calm his self and took his seat back as he look back unto everyone.
"I apologies, please, proceed."
"As i was saying, im not gonna find a reason to participate in this hunt of yours, but im not gonna let my friend be simply cast aside." The Magician proceeded with the gathering herself.
"We're not casting anybody aside, we're simply saying that Miss Judgement shouldn't protest and hold Miss Hermit from joining in, it would simply be a violation of freedom this gathering upholds." The Star tried to be the medium to connect and correct everyone, for Miss Justice remained a spectator and the interest of their current situation.
"Is that how it sounds to you, Mr Star?"
"Yes, but also, i understand where you might be coming from."
Fors then tilted her head.
"I may probably be a bit jealous to have a friend who they can rely on, and i found it endearing."
"Is that so? Then, continue, fufu." Miss Star giggled underneath her breathe.
"Miss Judgement, im not saying you must like Miss Hermit, but im saying to cast aside the prejuice that stems from within if we all wishes to work together." His voice was within reason, Miss Justice was simply appalled and amazed at how he can calm them down.
"... I understand, forgive me, Mr Star, i was just angry on your part, that pervert will pay for what she did to you! I swear it!" Miss Judgement gripped her fists and turned towards Mr Star.
"No need, please, take your seat." Leonard happily accepted with a smile.
"I apologize too, Miss Hermit, im willing to work then with you, but made sure you arrived by tomorrow." Xio then turns to the Hermit, still wary but more open.
"I try."
Cattleya didn't take it to heart, and they then took their seats.
"Well, that's quite the commotion." Mr Moon dare not to indulge himself as he might get himself into trouble he adheres not to participate.
—
"What, she pissed on your mouth?! That's horrible?" Miss Justice gasped in her voice upon hearing Miss Judgement recalling the situation at daytime.
"Yes, please don't talk about it." Mr Star immediately became depressed and shy away from everyone, becoming smaller.
"But also, isn't it concerning that she suddenly made her appearance on daytime?"
"Well, the westher is hot, so to speak."
"There's no sun for our lands to be seen, or grace us with their light."
"If it's at night, then count on me, the sanguine of this club!"
"Anyone wanted to play a game of cards?"
"I rather not play with an apprentice as my opponent!"
"What, scared? Fufu!"
"With an additional participant, and the days it have taken everyone in this hunt, i would increase it for at least 15,000 pounds."