[Gallagher]

With all of the fires out, Gambooge was dismissing the last of the excess water puddled around the crops when he heard the shouts across the farm. Even before he looked back at the arguing pair he knew just which it had to have been that upset the woman. He grimaced and shook his head, dropping his hands and shaking away the ice around them. "Gods help that boy."

Meanwhile, Bag made its way back towards the farm, a cow even slower than the golem itself slogging around in front of it. It saw the mesmer nearing and raised its arms, waving them in the air. "Cattle—acquired. Would—you—like—some—milk?"

[Suzerain of Sheol]

Thankfully, no one is close enough to hear the unspeakable things Tsaerri says to Bag.

[Salone]

Eduardo watched in an awkward cocktail of horror, fascination, and amazement as the two had argued, questions queuing up in a line before a much larger one decided that waiting in line was for chumps and shoved its way to the front. He hurried a little to catch up to them, waving at them as he spoke.

"So what you're saying is that she needs some sort of...public relations firm to spread word of her exploits should no one survive them? Am I hearing that right? I could make that happen. I own several bards."

Meanwhile, in the jagged fractured chasms of Dan's psych...

He'd killed again. It never got easier. Well, that was incorrect. The killing was easy. It had always been easy. The living with it was the hard part. Dan knew what drove men to desperation. Wants. Needs. The realization that something is less than the desired amount, coupled with the gnawing little voice that whispered how easily you could sate that desire. It's okay,it would say. You need it. It's okay if you do it because you need it. It's a good excuse.

Isn't that right Dan?

He shook his head. Below him lay a broken man. Unrecognizable by anyone, missed by who the hell knew. He bet it hadn't always been that way though. Once upon a time that man had been someone's child. Loved by a family, raised with dreams for a better life. But things happened. Things always happened, and the little voice Dan knew so well chimed in again.

What do you think happened Dan? Did the mother die? Was the father a drunk? Did he run away? Did he live a sad, short, miserable little life of nights on the streets and staying tough to survive? Was there a chance for him? A redeeming little quality waiting to be exposed? Maybe it was for others? A child can become a father as well Dan. This is a farm, Dan. What would the poor want from the poor? These people have food. Was it food Dan? Did this man have mouths to feed? Who will feed them now? It won't be you. You've closed them Dan. A man is dead because of you and now you'll have to wonder how many little lives you'll never know about may have died because of what you did here. It will keep you up at night. Think about it Dan. You killed this man with the food he was desperate enough to steal. Now he's dead and more will go hungry. How can you live with it Dan? They want to know how you can live with it. This man certainly won't.

He ran a palm across his face, willing the little voice to go away. It subsided without fanfare. Picking himself off of the corpse, he gave it one more look that he instantly regretted, and quietly walked away to join the rest of the living.

[Quiet Man Cometh]

Facing away from Ed, Syrgei stops walking and plants his face into his palm.

Gods help me, I got up way too early today.

Syrgei approaches Gambooge, who appears to have taken care of the remaining crop fires. "Would you mind speaking with Tsaerri to see if we can get this escort back on track? I can..." he pauses at the sight of BAG with his retrieved cattle, "probably help Diah and Jeb with the cows."

Eyes following BAG's trail he sees the pile of human pulp that was one bandit's face and then Dan, looking despairingly at his sack of potatoes. "Is he going to be okay?"

[Gallagher]

"Uh, what?" Having been rolling the soreness out of his wrists, he looked over at the thief. "Excuse you! What makes you think I should talk to her? You're the one that pissed her off!"

[Quiet Man Cometh]

"That was why. I thought she might be more inclined to talk to you."

He sighs. "Alright, I guess I deserve it."

He starts walking back down the field, but pauses by Eduardo and Dan, who was still looking at the bag of vegetables. See to the rest of the group, or go after the woman who is probably going to sever something if I get too close?

He stops a little short of the Charr. "Dan?"

[Salone]

Dan lifted his head slowly, sadness and regret apparent in his eyes.

"I'm fine, pinky. I'm ready to go. I think we're all ready to go."

Oh I don't think you are Dan. There's a lot of places you never left.

Dan stared at Syrgei, then crooked a furred eyebrow as he stared over his shoulder towards the...hrm. What would describe that Sylvari? Flamboyant? Fruiffy?

How about 'arrogant little fop looking to get his face gnawed off?'

Dan figured that would about cover it. For the first time he agreed with the little voice in his head.

"So what's with melon nose over there? Are we just on babysitting duty while he strolls around or what?"

[Quiet Man Cometh]

"That seems to be the case. He wants to sight-see, we keep him alive while he's doing it." Speaking of which...

"I guess we had better see to him."

[Suzerain of Sheol]

In the aftermath of the attack, Farmer Jeb approaches Eduardo, as he is the only member of the guild still nearby. He pats the Sylvari on the back appreciatively.

"I thank you. My cows thank you. Everyone who eats beef and drinks milk thanks you!"

[Salone]

Eduardo looked at the, er...lower class person quizzically, wondering how a person of their financial position could be the appointed speaker for all beef eating and milk drinking consumers, some who surely had much more money than this person.

"Well I suppose the next time all those of that particular demographic convene again, you may instruct them that I accept their gratitude. And now, I must be off. My party waits for no man, it seems. Even if that man is Eduardo."

And with that he was off, hiking up his coat just a little as he ran to close the distance between him and the others.

Eduardo retreats to join the others, but Dan can never run from his past!

"Great. An Escort mission. Been on plenty of those before."

And how many of those did you fail, Dan?

Dan winced, remembering the failed promises and the empty returns home from a lifetime that refused to die down.

"Let's just get this over with before something happens. We took five steps and entered a bloodbath. Who knows what we're up against next."

[Quiet Man Cometh]

"I'm not sure I'd count on 'over with' being any time soon," unless we manage to scare him back into his manor before we make it out of Queensdale.

[Suzerain of Sheol]

Okay... that wasn't very professional. But Goddess, I swear he's here just to make my job miserable.

And now I'm just going to... um... let's see, that way is back to the city, and over there are... some more fields. Oh, maybe I could sneak behind the farm and dive head-first into the ravine. On the plus side, Syrgei would probably feel terrible about driving me to suicide. On the other hand, though... gold.

Grumbling inside all the while, Tsae hops up onto the fence along the roadside, her legs swinging idly through the gap, and starts playing with her gun again, refusing to look in the group's direction.

[Gallagher]

Gambooge only glared at the thief for a moment or two before he heaved a sigh and rolled his eyes heavenward. He was glad the golem was busy looking for cattle which, more likely than not, would find their way back on their own eventually. Despite what he'd said, he made his way to the road, casting one more glance over their scattered group. The sylvari seemed to be finishing up their business here, and Bag was stomping around farther away, chasing an agitated cow along a broken fence. Gods only knew what the other two were talking about. He certainly didn't want to know. "Who even goes out before dropping off groceries? Ugh!" He ran a hand back through his hair and tugged, rolling his neck before he finally paid attention to the road once again. As soon as he had, he spotted the woman. "Hey!"

[Suzerain of Sheol]

It would have been nice to pretend that wasn't directed at her, but, alas, mind reading. She waits until Gambooge gets closer before hopping off the fence, stretching and looking off down the road in the opposite direction.

"So, is this where you tell me that I need to make this work for the good of the guild? That I'm not setting a good example here?"

[Gallagher]

"Uh..." Don't get yourself shot. He frowned and came to a stop near her, peering back toward the others. "No, I was going to ask what the hell he said to make you run off. I mean," he looked to Tsae, "you were acting like a real sunshine—" comparatively "—after the gold came up. Wondering why the act stopped."

[Suzerain of Sheol]

Oh. So we're doing this instead....

Tsaerri sighs and leans back against the fence. "Well, for one thing it's obvious that Ed isn't judging anyone. Which is good, 'cause I'm pretty sure I'd have shot myself in the head if I had to keep that routine up much longer."

But that's not what he was really asking. Fine.

Running a hand through her hair, Tsae pulls out the ties of her pigtails and shakes them loose, pushing the stray strands out of her face while she tries to figure out how to answer him.

"I think it's called a professional disagreement? Hell if I know. He's apparently having a crisis of conscience over there, or something. I don't know what he wants me to do. I can't bring them back to life. Not that I would."