A Family Business

In Principle and Pride
"What do you mean you're fighting temporarily?" Mangetsu asked, his voice groggy but presently annoyed. They had come to the arrangement within the Council to gather up the Ten Wizard Saints and one of the Top 4 was Godfried; another was a Councilor, Lucy Heartfilia, but Godfried was key. After Victor was finally letting him through to talk to him personally via Thought Projection, the Master of the Phoenix Guild told him he'd permit a 'temporary' leave to fight for them.

"Exactly as I said, Councilor," He replied, his velvet red chair cushioning him and revealing his straight postured sitting stance to show he was quite serious; beyond the smile of cheekiness armed on his face. "I run a company, and the Guild is a means of defending my company's assets. Through my connections I've managed to help escort and protect the citizens of Stella to safety, placed in specialized bunkers so they are uninvolved in this grudge match of Iceberg's with its sister people's. If that wasn't enough of a virtuous act you demand-"

"We asked-"

"-demand," Victor intoned, his smile slipping for a moment as he raised his voice to intone emphasis of displeasure at their alleged request. "Use of my Guild's Ace, Godfried the Thundergod Saint. As it stands he's ranked fourth of the titular Four Gods of Ishgar and is one of my oldest colleagues from the good ol' days. If it wasn't apparent just how valuable he is to my company, you're demanding I relinquish command over him to fight in your war that you failed to halt proper. Excuse me if I don't sound the least bit thrilled at the prospect."

As Mangetsu palmed his face, stretching it out in front of the rest of the gathered Council, now all seated at the table, Maria was listening in through her bedroom's door by the newly adjacent "hallway office" not far away. She was listening through a cup, trying not to mush her face against it, while she left Morgan to use her sharp hearing next to her as they both squatted near their room's doorway. The conversation had started not but a few minutes after they both woke up, cuddled with one another on Maria's spotless bed; despite the rest of the room restored, the pair hadn't slept separately since their rekindled sibling bond had been mended.

More importantly, the mental imprint of war was now cemented in her mind. She thought war had been established ever since Faer's attack on the Seven Towers during the Noble Tournament. While they didn't know the ranks, the battle lines or the factions, they had been in a war against the faceless enemy for some time. Now that it was realized she could scarcely belief that her father was talking about the Phoenix Guild being employed for battle; that and he was being stingy about his Mages being used freely about the Council baffled her. Didn't he want to help stop the bad guys as much as she did?