Swirling Consequences Start

[voidtreckermods]

On day Seven of the Month of Quicksand as passengers are beginning their day there is an announcement over the ICP system. “Attention voidtreckers and passengers of the Voidtrecker Express. Please give your attention to the following message from the void ministry.”

A blurring of the screen and it fades into a video of an elderly woman, skin a swirl of purple and blue sat behind a dark wooden desk hands folded neatly in front of her.

“Greetings crew of the Voidtrecker Express. I am commander Orlaith of the void ministry. As you will be very aware, you were recently involved in a dangerous and somewhat foolish experiment of the tethering system which we assume was initiated by your voidcraft. We received your call for emergency assistance, and were able to stabilise your craft enough to allow it to focus on ensuring crew safety. We are under the understanding that it was a crew member who used the emergency signal given by the Inspection Arm of the ministry, and that member should be commended. So too should you all, for we have reports that the crew of the Voidtrecker Express took part in a risky and difficult anchoring task to ensure the safety of all. As ever, the crew of the Voidtrecker Express exceed expectations for a crew with no formal training.

However, in less positive news, the actions of your Voidcraft have had a ripple effect throughout the void. Worlds that are non void active have reports of seeing void activity in their skies, with residents reporting dreams and uneasy feelings. In void active worlds there are more serious incidents. We have voidcrews in thousands of systems working towards stabilising the void access points.

We understand that after such an ordeal, your crew may be exhausted however we do need your help. System #5739 is a hub world that is extremely void active. It is used to weathering void storms and the barrier between the world and the void is thin. However, it is currently experiencing an unprecedented amount of void activity and world bleeding effects. We need a team to go in and help the citizens there, clearing out any issues and helping stabilise things from within.

The people there know about the void, and are used to void travellers. However, try not to stir up any extra trouble.” The last sounds almost exhausted. Their reputation may precede them.

The video ends.

I assume no one has any objections as voidtreckers have chosen to work with the Void Ministry. Please see your mission briefs. This is not a catastrophe mission."

They have a couple of hours before landing, a few hours to study their briefs and prepare for what is to come. Teams might chat, people might give out equipment gathered over the months, some of the passengers who have been on the train since the very early days of the month of Apple may have advice to give.

Either way a couple of hours later there is another announcement. “Shortly arriving at System #5739. Exiting the void in ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one...”

---

SWIRLING CONSEQUENCES: START

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WEARY WANDERER ~ FOREST ~ SCRUBLANDS ~ FARMLANDS ~ COMMS

QUICKSAND 7-10 ~ TEAM OBJECTIVES ~ LOCATION INFORMATION ~ OTHER DETAILS
ASK QUESTIONS ~ SHENANIGANS ~ TEAM PLOTTING ~ MISSION TASKS/REWARDS

---

ARRIVAL

The train shakes as the view of the void leaves its windows, giving way to a cloudy and wet sky in its descent. There's a small bump, and they land on a set of tracks that lead them uphill. Grassy mounds can be spotted on either side, occupied by sheep, goats, and the occasional six legged antelope grazing. In the farther distance are secluded farm houses, or small clusters of buildings.

Things don’t seem so bad, until the clouds spark with colour that sends animals running, far skittish for anything they're used to.

The sparse hills give way to more trees as the train weaves through them, until finally comes to a stop at a small station, no more than a raised platform in the woods. With a sigh, the train doors open, and passengers can walk out into the clearing. Once everyone who wishes to leave disembarks, the train sets off once again, flying up into the air and out of sight.

"Oh good. You’re here!"

Looking over, voidtreckers will spot a young girl at the edge of the clearing.

"Ma said we should expect some void heroes any day now. She’s put some stew on."

And she’s off. For any who wish to follow her, she leads them to an inn, The Weary Wanderer written on a sign. It’s a large inn, larger than might be expected in such a remote place, and the innkeeper Albany quickly organises rooms and food for any who wish it.

“Well, there’s a whole lot more of you than there was.” She takes in the group after Maia explains that they are from the Voidtrecker Express. “Storms are getting worse, we’re getting reports of stampedes, landslides and monsters coming through the colours.” She explains. She has some maps of the area and happily allows her main common room to be turned into a planning station. She’s clearly used to void travellers.

THE WEARY WANDERER

The inn has a large and open floor, the entrance close to where a fire crackles, chairs and a table beside it. To the right are places for eating, and kitchen doors that lead in and out, while to the left is where a counter separates another route to the kitchen, and to the family's own private quarters. By here too are the stairs leading up into the bedrooms, with some also available on the ground floor.

There's enough room for the voidtreckers to squeeze into the front at once, and the tables can be joined to create a more team atmosphere.

The problems are everywhere it seems. Farms need help, dralite chicks need rescuing, and their parents reassured before they go on a murderous revenge spree. Voidtreckers can stay or plan or jump right into things - the forest and scrublands are the closest to reach with both behind the inn, while the farmlands will take half a day to reach. Alabany will mark on the maps where to go for the farmsteads, or ones she knows about, and allow her inn to be used as an intiial base.

For those whose skills lie more in cooking and maintaining camp, she will happily take their help in the kitchens, or suggest They go down to the nearest farmsteads and lend a hand there. It'll take about half a day on foot to reach the nearest few, but many hands are needed. They will have better tools for moving debris and making repairs; she has a few, but not enough for everyone, and she'd rather they be used around the forest if anywhere. She needs those!

Albany will warn about the dralites, and to plug your ears if you're going through the forest. Their screeching can stun and slow people even at a distance, and with everyone worked up, it makes it hard to get through. They happen to like bugs, and a fruit called matts - similar to dates, fruits that grow off certain small trees in the forest.

---

YELLING HEIGHTS: FOREST

Location of: Dralites, young and old, their nests; monkeys, voidblobs (uncommon), fruit cups and purple stars. Displaced people.

The Yelling Height's forest reach spreads far, wrapping around the lower third of the great Ciyesia mountain and its budding fellow heights, with trees as tall as redwoods making up most of its wood. This gives plenty of space for travellers to move through, but the treetops create thick canopies that shroud the world below, the dots of penetrating light visible in contrast. Against some trees can be found what look like bushes, and there's plenty of them around, along with moss; but looking closer, these have hollow middles, made up of pin needles, twigs, feathers and all sorts. Some have been ruined, some have eggs inside.

High-pitched cries can be heard echoing, but it can be hard to tell how far, or what distance they come from - there's too many, making what should sound distressing, sound like a racket. While there's paths that can be followed, some of the wood has fallen, with ways disturbed by rubble that's tumbled all this way down from the mountain. There are signs to aid - those that haven't been knocked over - to give some sense of direction. Still this wood is hard to navigate, and Voidtreckers will want to be careful about rushing in without a plan. Trouble lurks in all manners...

Dralites can be found scattered around this forest, big and small - Albany will tell them as much. The youngest are easy to locate, unable to fly, and make a lot of noise. Slow-moving and dragging their heavy wings, they need help moving with any speed. They can be found alone, or attracting the attention of the great chinchillas or monkeys (who see them less as prey, and more as something to bully and take out their frustrations on).

Some will accept help from the first person that approaches them, jumping on them and wrapping their wings around their neck or head, clinging on and accepting them as their ride. They will need to be returned to their nests, and will reject any nests that aren’t theirs. It'll be very similar to escorting a toddler, often throwing screeching fits if they don’t think their helper is trying hard enough, which can make it difficult for people to move around.

They are hard creatures to please, even so more the adults who are furious that their nests have been disturbed. As large as a sheep with larger wings and powerful talons they might just swoop down and grab smaller unsuspecting voidtreckers and carry them to their nests as workers to help fix them. Some of these adults may be near their nests, or will be seen swooping around above-head at startling speeds, searching for their young.

There are eggs that have gone missing too. A place they can hatch safely is essentia, since they can easily become pray or be snatched by the monkeys who live in the forest and steal from the inattentive.

As well as helping the dralites, there are herbs that can be collected here. Purple Stars are leaves that grow at the top of tall trees. These can be found deeper into the forest, and are different from the other trees by their branches only growing at the very top, their bark stripy. They will need to be climbed, or flown up to - not getting startled by adult dralites is essential, or becoming target practice to the monkeys. They have rocks.

Deep in the most dampest sections of the fores, Fruit Cups grow in a tangle around spider plants, that will ensnare the unwary into it’s sticky grip. For every few flowers, there's a wide trapping of the spider plants, vines impossible not to get stuck to. But as difficult as they are to collect, they are useful, and the potions they make will be handy to the communities that require help. Some voidblobs have gotten trapped here too, and they'll become active once people get close.

---

YELLING HEIGHTS: SCRUBLANDS

Location Of: Farm animals, some voidblobs, great chinchillas, farmers in need; ruined paths, craggle leaf. Some dralites, mostly adult. Displaced people.

The trees eventually give way to a mix of rock and dirt, stone jagging up from the ground underfoot that travellers will need to watch out for. Vegetation is littered around, patches of shrubs as often easy to catch the eye as grazed grass poking out around mossy-coated stone. There are paths, or were, but only the remains of them can be found, the area reshaped by landslides.

Animals can be found isolated or in some groups, spooked by any newcomers around, and the odd shepherd trying their best to get their herds under control. But there's further trouble than blocked paths to deal with - because these jobs can never be simple.

The farmers' plans are to bring the grazing animals back down to the lower ground and to their farms, but they'll need help clearing up paths and guiding them off the mountain and back to their farmsteads. Not only will it mean moving debris and locating animals, it will also mean protecting them from the predators in the area - and other trouble.

The horned goats, often a worry on these slopes, have grown even more aggressive. They ram into herds and farmers alike, even attempting to send them rolling. They need driven off, away from the herds. The chinchillas are also more aggressive, running rampage through the hills and attempting to down the livestock and to take them back to their nests.

There will also be sightings of the voidblobs for the more unfortunate, dubbed such by the locals. Gelatinous and luminescent, they are a mess of what were likely multiple creatures that have been fused together, patches of fur and teeth and claws held together with thick veins of colour. They attack indiscriminately and without reason, and are difficult to take down, never responding to blows of any type. You only know when they're taken out by when they stop moving - otherwise, they will continue.

During the first night there is a disturbance on Ciyesia. Trees are felled, the mountain seems to rumble and more animals flee, spilling panicked down the mountain to the farm lands below. For whatever aid is giving to the area on the first day, this event causes more damage to the surrounding areas.

---

LOWER LANDS: FARMLANDS

Location of: Voidblobs (common), great chinchillas, a few horned goats; ruined pathways, farms in need; people to craft balms and potions, access to tools.

While not as high as the Ciyesia mountain, nor as shrouding as the blanketing forest, the rolling countryside shows its sloping and uneven distance, varying fields split by tones and sandy paths - or what should be sandy paths. But the damage to the earth is noticeable, chunks of the various mounds ruined, broken at parts. You can see trouble, ensuing or approaching, just by looking around long enough.

And the biggest trouble will be reaching it.

Buildings squeeze against fields and fencing, separated far from anyone that could be called a neighbour. But there's a few of what can be called villages, where trades are conducted and visitors are sure to stop. There's usually a singular inn, but people looking to call on the help of a void traveller to help with this mess. They can promise hot meals and some goods in exchange, but first needs to come the help.

Though moving the herds closer to the farms is a sensible idea that doesn’t mean the farmlands themselves are safe. Landslides have cut communities off, some of the chinchillas and horned goats have made their way down the mountain and angry dralites stalk the plains looking for their young.

The shaking of the earth and the landslides have caused damage and debris. Trees have been felled bolders moved, barns and houses have been damaged. There’s a big clean up operation required. Farmers have wheelbarrows and shovels and Albany has some more that can be borrowed. It will require a team effort to clear the roads and make sure essential supplies get where they are needed.

Most of the farms and villages have protections in place, but they are overstretched and exhausted. Villagers take turns patrolling, protecting the herds and the people from creatures should they be goats, chinchillas or the new and terrifying void blobs.

Extra people to set up perimeters are very welcome, as are those who can drive the creatures back into the forests. It’s not just the homes themselves that need protecting but also the paths between them, so voidtreckers and others can deliver supplies to the further afield communities.

Making the herbal remedies will mean finding the right people for it, but locating the villages is a good bet. Tinctures and teas are the best method, boiling the plants and breaking them down over hours. Even if you're not experienced, people being around to help monitor the pots and bottle them will be helpful. The craggle leaf are good as they are to feed upset livestock, but also as medicine, for helping against the voidstorm's headache-inducing effects.

---

FROM THE VOID...

DISPLACED PEOPLE: Once or twice a year, people can be found in the Yelling Heights, wandering around dazed and confused, hailing from a whole other world. Since these storms have begun there have been at least two a day, perhaps more that have yet to be found. They have no memory of arriving, some might not even have memories of who they are, or where they come from.

For now they need found, gathered in once place and care given to them.

VOIDBLOBS: The voidblobs, as they have been dubbed by those who have seen them, are truly monstrous creatures. Perhaps once multiple creatures they have been fused together, a mess of fur and teeth and claws held together with thick veins of colour these creatures have one instinct and that is to kill.

They are rampaging, strong in their urge to destroy. Fighting them is difficult as nothing seems to slow them down until they die, it’s hard to know how hurt they are and injury doesn’t seem to stop their brute strength or will to kill. They rarely will stop and fight either, requiring a team just to keep up with them as they will lash out and fight but keep rampaging on, drawn towards groups of people or creatures. They can be found anywhere.

VOIDTEARS: For now, it's Red Team's task to find these tears and secure a perimeter on them - a difficult enough job that will take the first few days of the mission. They aren’t visible except in the storms, and so finding them requires braving them, where the wind sings with void music, rain pouring with hail, and a strong sense of unease growing until it too unbearable to endure. But the exact point of the tears must be found: a spot where the kaleidoscope of colours shines down onto any under it, only visible in that area.

STORMS: These are scattered around the lands, never moving despite the clouds that do. In the storms, the voidtears pulse with colour. Being near them is uncomfortable, and there is always the risk of a voidblob coming through. Being near the voidtears for too long even outside of voidstorms will lead to headaches, and so it is wise to rotate who is guarding them.

THE FIRST NIGHT: Late into the first night, there will be loud noises, the earth rumbling and a worrisome show of lights as the full moon hangs in the sky above. There may be word from fellow voidtreckers what's going on, but either way, this disturbance will bring out trouble into the night, breaking fencing and some buildings that were on their last legs.

OOC NOTES

OOC Post ~ Questions ~ Shenanigans ~ Tasks Check-In & Mission Rewards
This log lasts for 7-10 Quicksand, with the next log going up on the 21st March (11 Quicksand). Please remember that we will be determining the progress of the mission by task objectives being fulfilled, so PLEASE visit the task objectives toplevel and let us know what your character has been working towards! We accept handwaves (especially if your character is around but you're on hiatus), but actual thread links will count more towards success!

An extra list of prompts for ideas, arranged by team (click):

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RED TEAM

You've either wandered into a group of voidblobs or see some approaching. They're annoying on their own, but as a group, they can cause serious damage.

The voidstorms are easy to find by the literal storms they bring, but the tears themselves? They're a pain to, only visible once you're right under them. How will your character persevere in the search? Flying, if you can, might seem the quickest option, but a closer level to the sky seems to make the headaches and disorientation worse.

You've somehow been convinced into fixing up a fence during watching the perimeter. Yes yes, that's important, but the area is clear for now, and what if an animal gets loose? More hands will get this done quick.

BLUE TEAM

What kind of people will you find out there in the wild? Someone desperate for an offer of aid, or someone suspicious, distrusting? Are they even human, or some other race - or sentient object?

The dralites aren't good at in any way but wailing. But their eggs are unique, obsidian in appearance. So if you see a monkey carrying any such thing, or see one being carried by a great chinchilla - that's no lucky lump of goal. That's your way of calming down the ticking time bombs of angry parents.

PURPLE TEAM

Farm work isn't your chore, but the farmers need all their herds before they go anywhere, so you're getting involved whether you want to or not.

Make a good impression on the farmers, and they're likely to help you out. Need to borrow tools? Or can you convince the farmers to let you and your friends borrow some, passing them onto the people who need them?

ORANGE TEAM

Herb collection is hard enough with tall trees and spider plants but watch out for the monkeys who want to steal the prize.

Once herbs are collected they can be made into potions. They aren't too difficult to make and Albany has recipes if asked.

Herbs aren't the only things monkeys want, there's a group converging on a dralite nest, those eggs look very shiny.

ALL TEAMS

Distance is a real concern. Who will go where, where are places and people in need? Scouting is a good idea, and so is organising who will be best, where. ... or, you can just go and do your own thing.

Image Sources: Top header - Tavern - Farmlands - Void coours

Comments

[yondu]

"Got some plants in my home universe that can glow." Just some vague bioluminescence. Nothing terribly impressive. "And I can picked up the knack for changin' plants for a bit, but it takes some work."

Glowsticks would, he thinks, be easier. But he can grab the occasional tree and leave a glowing patch. It shouldn't take as long as the very specialized flowers he made Anan, which took hours.

But he's ready to go, so he starts off himself. "We find an easier way along the path we can always take that."

Crowley | OTA

[agathokakological]

Coffee Break

The inn is the perfect opportunity for Crowley to get a taste of the local culture. He can't turn down a good coffee, anyway. Finding himself a seat among the crowd, he nurses a mug, the contents of which miraculously not fogging up his dark glasses.

"Been a while since I've been in a kitchen," he muses aloud to no one in particular, overhearing the innkeeper accepting help. "Do you think they have recipe books?"

Herb Collection

It's a rare sight to see the demon on a mission, but sometimes those with low stakes Crowley will treat as a sort of holiday. While he doesn't necessarily assign himself with any team aboard the Voidtrecker Express, the task of gathering herbs is appealing to him. Crowley enjoys keeping plants of his own, but he'd been forced to learn a bit of culinary and herbalist skills after some time spent nearly-mortal in another world. He'd rather not talk about it.

The purple star leaves stand out because of their color, a few stray leaves marking the ground beneath a very large tree. Crowley checks around him, taking a few steps back from the trunk. "Stand clear," he warns any passers-by, a pair of large black wings opening behind him with a loud WHOMP! -- such things may be necessary to reach the branches above.

Scrublands

Crowley's gathering has taken him upstream, looking at the wrinkly leafs and trying to determine if they're the correct colorways as he's been warned. The smaller herds of animals bleating doesn't bother him, but suddenly the animals seem a bit more skittish, running quickly in the opposite direction. The demon stands quickly, looking at the herd with a furrowed brow, then turning slowly behind him to find the source of their flight; a much larger goat, huffing as it runs in the demon’s direction. Crowley's seen worse, but it still catches him off-guard and he trips as he tries to get out of the way, landing face-first in the stream, cursing all the way down.

Wildcard
[Always welcome. You know the drill.]

[yondu]

That makes him chuckle, as usual with that vaguely unpleasant (but nothing he can help) smile.

"Ah, let me tell you. We gonna run ourselves ragged by the end. Don't matter how well rested we get 'cause some shit always happens. And with the so called quakes an' shit I bet we're gonna have some kinda void volcano situation or some shit. Who knows."

He spreads his hands. "Don't worry. If people don't wanna tell you they need help? The SCA'll give 'em up anyway." Which is a wierd thing to say 'don't worry' about, but there is some consolation in that they can't get by on saying nothing. He found that out the hard way when he tried to play bait during the last mission. "You got about ten minutes? We can put together some quick packs for them stragglers what we might find out there."

[goingthroughaphase]

Wiping the sweat from her brow, Kitty nodded. "Yeah. Not exactly what I had in mind when it said we'd be helping the farms, but I guess it could be worse, right?"

[silver_eyes_rose]

“Oh, yes. Back home, dad usually handled stuff like this.” Ruby said. “Ow, my arms are gonna be sore after all this…”

[invigorates]

"Void volcano." She repeated, brows raised. The neon blue lines set upon her skin glowed a little brighter. "Now that is a terrifying thought." And with the unpredictability of everything happening, who was to say it wasn't worse than that? Thanks Yondu - she's going to be thinking about that the entire time.

Telling Lioriley not to worry was like telling water to not be wet. She understood the sentiment, though. "I suppose there is some solace in that." The best she could hope was that it wouldn't come to that, and people would actually think to take care of themselves when given the chance. She started to push herself to her feet, "You have me as long as you need, my friend. I will follow your lead."

[goingthroughaphase]

"Yeah, same here." She sighed, stretching out her body a bit. "Man, fighting off those big animals isn't as bad as building a fence is."

[silver_eyes_rose]

“You can say that again!” Ruby replied. “I wouldn’t mind going another round or two myself!”

Ryou Bakura | Blue/Orange | OTA

[rolltoavoidpossession]

1. Weary Wanderer

[Ryou's off to the side, slowly realizing just what he's in for. He has very little idea of what he's going to do here, since so much of the tasks are way outside his skillset or are things he can't reasonably do.

Want to rope him into something? Now's your chance, while he's wondering what to do.]

2. Herb Gathering

[Herb gathering is something he can reasonably do. Sure, the fruit cups are annoying to get to, but it's not overly difficult.

Unfortunately for Ryou, it seems his hair has caught some of the spider plants despite being tied up, leaving him looking rather disheveled. That's going to be a mess to clean out later, but for now it seems like he's having some success getting the cups.]

Got another one! [He scrambles backwards and away from the plant tangle he was reaching into, fruit cup in hand and a few more bits of spider plant clinging to his hair.]

3. Sympathy

[Later, Ryou ends up helping with the displaced people found so far, and it seems he's able to sympathize with them to a degree on the lost memories to some degree.]

I know, it's awful. Not knowing how you got somewhere is confusing at best. [Admittedly his memory gap issues were possession induced, and not because of being displaced from his world, but it's something.]

Weary Wanderer

[fivemilesdeep]

Ryo is seated at a table, a large, marked map in front of him, and a small stack of smaller, simpler maps. He's not needed to cook or heal tonight, so he's been making copies of the larger map as best he can, using the paper from his train-assigned notebook. The copies are small and simplified, but they work - all they're missing is the markers indicating the farmlands that Miss Albany had added to the larger map he's referencing.

Ryo looks up when he's addressed and offers a smile. He's fairly certain this person is new - he's seen him around but not talked to him yet, or at least not extensively. That would make this his first mission, wouldn't it? "You can help me for now, if you'd like." He pats the empty chair next to him as an invitation. "I've been making copies to give to people who're heading to the farmlands tomorrow - can you mark the farmlands on the copies, please?"

I'm sorry the chinchilla prompt is killing me

[unrecovered]

Wash had been taking a turn around the farmlands with Athena, doing his best to herd unwanted or predatory animals back into the forests, when he saw his roommate attempt to tackle a chinchilla and miss, landing splayed out on the ground. There's a moment or two where he struggles to keep a straight face, but-

(He is supposed to be better than this.)

(He is absolutely not better than this.)

He bursts out laughing, leaning against a tree for support. The thud of Aden's landing had been enough to scare the chinchilla off, at least for now, so Wash isn't too worried about being attacked while he's in the process of laughing his ass off. Athena, none too happy with how rough the ride has become, leaps down from Wash's shoulder and pads over to Aden, sniffing his hair. That is fifteen pounds of very curious fluffy gray cat right in Aden's face. Hi there. You okay?

Inn

[fivemilesdeep]

[Ryo sleeps on a split schedule himself, so he's awake naturally in the middle of the night. He's been awake, listening to the howling and watching lights flash across the sky. It's like a thunderstorm, but thunderstorms are natural. Thunderstorms have some warning. Thunderstorms don't worry him like this-]

[He looks up abruptly as Emporio suddenly sits up, then crosses the room to take a seat next to him.]

I don't know, but it looks like it's pretty far away. We should be okay here.

[He can't guarantee that - he has absolutely no idea. It's a reassurance he doesn't feel, but he can still try.]

[schrodingersghost]

Danny holds one arm out for Tidus to grab onto.

"Hold on tight!"

Danny had once lifted his entire class, one person was easy.

Re: Earthmoving

[schrodingersghost]

Danny takes a moment to think the problem over.

"Not moving earth exactly. I could phase it all into the ground, but that would make the ground here a lot denser than it used to be. Or I could freeze it all up and toss it away, or I could make it weightless and move it that way." A pause. "Or I could just blow it all up, but that tends to be hard on everything else in the area."

[schrodingersghost]

The blast of ectoplasm hits and... nothing. It just kind of sinks in.

"Oh come on!" Danny complains. "Nothing's immune to ectoplasm!"

[flameinthedarkness]

“Eeeeehhh!” AHH! Some better warning next time! Damnit! No doubt Idia’s already done more than enough damage to his ears over the years thanks to his headphones he always used, but still, that was loud!

But it seemed to do its job, Idia shaking his head to try and clear the ringing in his ears as he settled himself back on his broomstick again, the sudden sound half scaring him off it. “That was more than just loud!” In other words, thanks Washington.

[flameinthedarkness]

"Maybe," Idia mumbled out, finding that idea equally insulting as no doubt Seto did. "That or they hiding stuff from us... most likely both." Sure, it may be a different system to what they both knew, but all tech had rules and logic to it, it could be worked out with time and practice.

A heavy sigh and shake of his head. "I should had stayed on the train..." Then again. "... I miss having madol..." He was here because of currency, to get more stuff from home. If it wasn't for that then Idia wouldn't bother.

Oh, though he guesses he should make the most of this all. "I heard you have hardware and software available for doing 3D printing designs." Idia's made do with what he can do on his own computer, but it wasn't designed to be his main one, only his portable one. It would be nice to have a place to sit down and work on stuff in its own space, and to work on some design programs made specifically for the printer that is on the train.

[gathersnomoss]

Zelgadis landed. "Yeah. I was fast enough they didn't touch me, but I had a few close calls. I didn't expect them to be so persistent."

[gathersnomoss]

"Yeah. I'll have to see how bad they are, to see if this is a 'shovel and wheelbarrow' problem or a 'magic' problem. If it's big enough to need magic, I'm not going to be able to do as much." Of course, if it's big enough to need magic, they won't be able to get it done with shovels and wheelbarrows.

Re: picking up chicks

[persona_non_ratta]

As they got closer, he realized he wasn't looking at a person, but rather some other sort of animal that a bunch of the dralite chicks had taken a liking to for some reason. The poor thing was clearly trying its best, but it was obvious it was having a hard time moving with all of them clinging to it. Well that wouldn't do. Maybe he could at least disentangle a few of them.

He approached cautiously, not wanting to scare the animal. It wasn't until he got a closer look at it that he realized what he was looking at though. It was a unicorn. A real, honest to God unicorn. True, it didn't look exactly like the traditional picture of such a creature, but it was a horse-like animal with a single horn, walking with a certain grace despite its burden; what else was there to call it? He was just sorry Luisa wasn't there to see it; she'd always loved fairy tales as a little girl, and from his listening in the walls, he knew what she'd never quite given that up.

No, focus, Bruno. It was time to help, not gawk. He wasn't sure how exactly one should approach a unicorn, so he opted for treating it like he would a skittish horse. "Well, you look like you've got your hands full there," he said gently, extending an open hand, palm up for the creature to sniff, keeping his voice soft, his movements slow and steady. "Or your hooves, I guess. I could try and help you out with that, if you'll let me."

[gathersnomoss]

At least for Zelgadis, this is the other shoe. "Found anything yet?" he asked. "People who can duplicate what Lina did?"

It was a safe conversation topic, as whatever Rezo's agenda was, 'not destroy the train and everyone on it' was probably on the list.

Re: Earthmoving

[gathersnomoss]

"I am incredibly familiar with the pitfalls of using explosive powers to do landscaping. In particular what a terrible idea it is." He considered. "How long can you keep something weightless? And do you have to move it using your powers, or are you just going to make it weightless then carry it?"

[redprayer]

Rezo freezes in surprise and confusion when Zelgadis speaks, then relaxes again once he registers the question. Unfortunately, he doesn't have a positive answer to it.

"No," he says, "Not as far as I am aware."

Admittedly, he hasn't exactly been going around directly asking people "Hey, can you cast a Giga Slave? It's the one known spell that can destroy the Dark Lord sealed inside me."

He'd ask Zelgadis if he's had any success except it's fairly obvious he hasn't, otherwise he would have said something.

Re: A sticky situation- Orange

[persona_non_ratta]

"Yeah, that's not going to be be much of a problem right now," Bruno said when the familiar-ish voice told him not to move. The whole issue was that he couldn't move very much at the moment. Still, the hint was taken, and he tried to hold as still as possible.

And it was a good thing he did, because the next thing he knew, he was being cut free by some sort of blade that he couldn't see. He could, however feel it and hear it as it passed near enough to his head to cut some of his hair short. It was warm and gave of a faint energetic buzz that wouldn't have been audible if it wasn't so close. Still the fact that the blade was invisible was a little worrying, even if it did give him an idea of who it was might be wielding it.

Once freed from the plant, Bruno scrambled back slightly before getting awkwardly to his feet. A few bits of plant still clung to his clothes, but at least he was free and his basket of healing flowers was safe. As his rescuer flickered into view, confirming his suspicions, Bruno offered him a sheepish smile an prepared to thank him.

But before he could get a word out, Faux cautioned him to keep his voice down. "Huh?", Bruno said, but obediently lowered his voice. "Who'll hear me?"

Re: Weary Wanderer

[persona_non_ratta]

Marking things one maps, huh? Sounded simple enough. Bruno nodded, taking a seat in a chair next to the white haired young man. "Sure, I can do that," he said, giving a slight, awkward smile before he set to work.

He looked carefully at the larger map, then at the smaller, hand-drawn one, then back again, just to be sure before carefully marking the first farmstead's location on the smaller map. He repeated the process for the second one. Then the third.

...Was his silence while working as awkward for the young man as it seemed to him? He'd never really been good at small talk, but he supposed he should probably at least make an effort. "So... is it always like this?", he asked. "You know, before a mission really gets going." At least he assumed it hadn't really gotten going yet; from what he'd been told, they sounded like they could get pretty hectic. Not to mention dangerous.