View source for 3647/Perspective In Potentia

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2016/01/11
|Location=Land of Steel
|Synopsis=A return to the Land of Steel, where a Liner settlement is revealed and a few new actors take the stage. Feat: FIRETRUCK RED, THE TRUE MAIN CHARACTER.
|Thanks=
|Cast of Characters=7, 42, 518, 525, 527, 687, 711, 887
|Tinyplot=
|Tinyplot2=
|pretty=yes
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{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:687|Ark Line (687)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>THE LAND OF STEEL is a lonely, desolate place. The warp-gate the Union (and friends) takes to get there highlights this excellently, being on an island of dead soil amidst a number of nearly-identical islands in what once once a city park. The ruined husks of skyscrapers fill the dull grey skyline, towering like the corpses of giants.<br /><br />The gate itself is one of several sets of huge concentric stone rings in an old piece of art, gradually narrowing at one end and widening at the other. A gazebo rests on a nearby island, across waterless trenches and dilapidated bridges. On the face of the decaying gazebo facing the gate, the shape of a feline face with too-wide eyes has been crudely carved. What looks like a tarp with unidentified scraps of meat and the occasional and identical empty silver wrapper is laid out beneath it.<br /><br />The meaning is clear: leave your gifts and go.<br /><br />The path the group that came this way previously took does not lead to a cottage surrounded by a grotesque fence. Instead, it leads to an old road, cracked and pitted, which stretches into the distance. Checking for signs of life reveals nothing, and the world is covered by uniform grey sand. Scanning instead for signs of /civilization/ finds strong signals coming from nearby, signs of communication from technological sources clearly evident.<br /><br />The old road leads to a river, and on the river sits an honest-to-goodness settlement. It's a dark grey dome, curving out over the edge of the wide river where it meets a bay. The water is grey and rippling, motion carried from enormous pipes that go from the side of the dome into the waters. What looks like patched and battered watercraft skim the surface, moving towards a huge, well-lit opening in the side of the dome where metal docks jut outward.<br /><br />The group can see what looks like a group of hovercrafts descending a hill on the near side of the dome, not too far from them. They move in single file, with perfect formation and obvious purpose, towards a giant gate that yawns open to admit them into the interior. It looks like even the most desolate of worlds still has trade, if a caravan like that is running.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:518|Yuuki Kuran (518)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Yuuki Kuran is a normal girl, possesed of an extremely high-school nosy busybody Good Girl who just wants to help people! And that is why her bodyguard (she is a normal private high school girl with a bodyguard because she's also nobility, or something, look do I have to explain it beyond 'hella shojo as hell' and throw some flower film-filters on it?) had to remind her to wear PROTECTION, because deadly air abstinance is the best form of death prevention.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;As she heads through the circular Gate, in her snow coat and jeans and fuzzy boots, she spots the shrine, and approaches the tarp. "Oh, this is so dirty! Shrines should be clean." She murmurs, and brushes the detritus to the side, before reaching into a pocket, and producing a pencil case full of candy that she upends. There! Candy for the totally innocent catgod.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Standing and turning, she looks to the rest of the (ostensible) group. "Should we get going? We should find some people to help out! In the settlement, maybe?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:711|Corona Arclite (711)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Well ain't this a cheerful place," Corona remarks with so much sarcasm in her voice it's hard to miss even with her thick Southern-esque accent. She's use to deserts and spansive wastelands, but at least the ones back home have some color to them! This is just grey, gray and more of the same. Then again, at least it's not all shades of brown. That would be even worse.<br /><br />She really doesn't want to stick around and find out what they would be leaving that much meat as an offering too, though. Let's just keep moving along, once we've made sure we've got the proper protection and everything.<br /><br />The cosmic cowgirl pulls out her steampunk analyzer device and after a bit of fiddling with the toggles and dials that work the settings gets a ping on the signs of civilization. "Well, that's good of direction as any Ah reckon." She shrugs and keeps moving. Because these kind of places it's usually best to not stand in one place for too long, less you be found by something you really do not want to be found by.<br /><br />At least getting over the trenches isn't hard, she just uses her Matter Manipulator to set down some plankway for the people that can't just jump or fly over them. Onward towards the habitat by the river!<br /><br />Speaking of river. "Smelt my rivets, even the goddamn WATER is GREY here."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:42|Staren (42)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Hm." is Staren's only comment on a ruined city. Ruins are just part of the world, after all -- He's visited what's left of lower Michigan occasionally with his uncle, and the peninsula is /covered/ with them. And there's the ruined parts of Toronto and Hamilton closer to his home, of course.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;When the armored young man steps out and sees that the ring is part of an art installation, that gets a "Huh." He scans the idol for magic, although who knows if he can detect--<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;His screen whites out.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;--right. Staren turns that off. Staren looks around, checking other sensors, and holds his hand to his helmet to indicate what he's doing. "I'm picking up electromagnetic emissions from that direction." He points, looks around again, and starts walking. Sometimes he flies for a bit to break up the monotony. Of course, if anyone actually brought a vehicle, he's happy to hitch a ride.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;A... dome city? Behind his visor, Staren's eyes widen and he gasps slightly. /That's/ an interesting sight! He quickens his pace slightly as he approaches, waving.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:525|Inga (525)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span> Inga is at least somewhat familiar with the place. If no one else is more so, she's likely in the lead...which means everyone has to go out her pace. BWAAHAHAHAH! <br /><br /> Ahem. <br /><br /> Inga moves over to the little shrine, recognizing the figure the shrine is made to. "Ah...well, of course I brought meat," she says, digging into her pouch. She pulls out a scrap of red meat, probably lamb, and lays it out before moving on. "This way..." she says, motioning to the others to follow. <br /><br /> She stops where the cottage had been, looking around with a small frown of disappointment. "I suppose Grandmother has moved on..." she says quietly, shaking her head. Inga is sure she'll meet her again. <br /><br /> Onward they go until the settlement is reached. Inga wrinkles her nose slightly, looking to Corona. "Be glad if you do not need to sample the local anima here," she comments. <br /><br /> Staren spots the dome and starts walking fast. SIGH. That didn't last long. "Well...lets approach then I suppose.." she says, eyes scanning, perhaps on the look out for the telltale glowing eyes of a certain feline.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:527|Zero Kiryu (527)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The bodyguard is always irritable, if not knee deep in a bad mood. Zero trails along behind Yuuki wearing the most flat expression his face can carry, to the point where his eyes aren't even really focused. He vaguely follows her positioning in his head. The rebreather he's wearing is a simple one that doesn't look much different from what you might expect in a hospital or a depressurized airplane cabin, although it's been beefed up substantially so that it can't be damaged too readily.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;He's fairly confident the environment here isn't actually a problem for him, but he has an image to maintain. So does Yuuki, for that matter, although she's blown her cover so many times he doesn't really know why he bothers playing along anymore. The same is true of himself, if he's being honest about it, but not acting like a vampire is more a matter of personal preference for him than a die-hard secret.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Mm?" He makes a vaguely questioning noise as Yuuki laments the dirtiness of the surroundings. Then, encourages everyone to find somebody to help. "What?"<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Zero's eyes come back into focus. He looks at Yuuki properly. Something something clean. His expression becomes somewhat disbelieving. This world, as far as he can tell, is just kind of all-around a steaming pile. Incredulously, he asks, "You want to clean?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:518|Yuuki Kuran (518)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"The temple, Zero. The little shrine?" Yuuki points at the little cat shrine with the now-cleaned off tarp and pile of candies she had left, with all the detritus pushed to the side/off/out of the way/onto the desolate ground. She picked up the wrappers, though, those go in the garbage. The ground is not a trash can!!!<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Ok, so the entire planet may be a trash can, but... BESIDES THE POINT.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"I wanted to clean a shrine, it seemed in use. Come on, Zero, we should make sure to leave any place we come to better than when we left it, even if only a little bit."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Then she hurries off to follow the others heading towards the Settlement, following the river. It seemed like the THING TO DO.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:887|Kevin Graham (887)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Kevin had little knowledge of this place when he was invited to assist in the Land of Steel... and as he steps through the gate to this place, he can immediately see why. "...dear Aidios..." The priest's words are quiet, and mostly to himself. He has seen devastation, but he'll never be used to it. This is something that is never seen in Zemuria. Not to this scale.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It only takes a moment before he recovers himself. The priest quickly hefts the bag he brought with him onto his back, and sets himself into showing confidence for what they're here to do. He looks out to the city in the distance, then back to everyone else. He watches Inga's actions first, then speaks up. "...should we leave somethin'?" He's already starting to look through his pockets, a bit worried about not being prepared for such a thing.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:7|Kotone Yamakawa (7)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Kotone Yamakawa had not come to this dead 2world in a long time but there was a good deal of things to learn. So here she was on this dead world. She'd got her safety systems online, heck she had a rebrether on. Why? Her remaining bits of flesh still needed air and this stuff was taited, she didn't trust all her onboard systems against something almost magicxal. She was wary on this place as she looks at the hovercrafts coming down near them. She sees them movingout in perfect formation. She also has spotted Inga whom she homes iun as she looks over to IUnga nodding, understanging her powers needit. <br /><br /> "Grandmother Inga? You have been this way before?" <br /><br /> She keeps with her viking friend for a moment and nods. <br /><br /> "Given what hell the grain is to me? I can't even guess what it does to you, Inga. Right, let's go." <br /><br /> Kotone is being a bit more bold as she heds out to the front of the group to meet these people head on.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:525|Inga (525)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span> Inga looks to Kevin, nodding. "It is wise to leave something...certainly cannot hurt relations any. I believe I met the being that shrine is dedicate to last I was here. Archer of Green," she replies. <br /><br /> Inga looks to Kotone then, walking still, leaning on her staff with one hand, holding her skirts up with the other. "Yes, with Riva and Finna," she answers, lips pursing. "Yes the grain is...I got sick, using it. But it can be used," she explains. "It is simply unpleasant to do so."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:887|Kevin Graham (887)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Kevin gives a quick nod to Inga, until he finally finds something in a pocket and withdraws it. It seems to have been a small bun of some kind. He went to that bakery on his way back from Arteria and intended to have it as a snack later. ...but he can live without it.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;As such, the priest steps to the altar, next to Inga, and settles down on a knee. He offers a softly spoken wish for a prosperous future. He sets the pastry down next to the meat and other items that have been left behind.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The priest spends the next moment in silence before he pushes himself onto his feet and gives a quick nod to Inga.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:687|Ark Line (687)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Cleaning off the makeshift shrine and putting things on it... doesn't really give Yuuki a /good/ feeling, but certainly alleviates the vague sense that something is watching her very intently. Whatever comes here must do it apparently at random, because there's no signs in the sand that others have been around, beyond a set of footprints that Inga would recognize as being Riva's panicked running back here the last time they came.<br /><br />Keeping an eye out, though, is wise. The quiet is oppressive and pervasive; not even wind blows through the skeletal structures. It's unlikely anything will sneak up on the group unnoticed. Still, there's a glimpse of gleaming eyes at the corner of Inga's sight, a familiar look to them for just a second...<br /><br />The caravan moves into the settlement. The group can follow it in on-foot without issue. It stops in an enormous garage, waiting in a neat row while the gate closes behind it. There's a hiss of air, and a siren that briefly fills the chamber as the enormous airlock is cycled. It doesn't cleanse /all/ the Grain from the air, for those paying attention, but it significantly lowers the density. There's an impression of things being somewhat run-down, somehow, like maybe this place is in need of a better caretaker.<br /><br />The far wall opens, revealing the interior -- and the grey monotony is broken with a riot of color.<br /><br />The interior of the dome is full of white walkways along light grey streets. Where most cities would have planters or little gardens along the roadside, projected images of dancing lights or waving streams of color take their place. The inside of the dome itself looks to be simulating a blue sky, though the shade is a little bit off for those people used to it. It's like someone took the suggestion of one and found a different but appealing shade to use, all filled with the artificial light of day.<br /><br />People walk the streets. Human-looking people, devoid of life support apparatuses or armor or radiation suits. They dress casually, with a mix of shirts and trousers, flowing robes, and durable jumpsuits, all in a huge variety of colors, from the subdued to the garish. Most of them have hair and eyes of similarly wild colors, and are speaking animatedly to one another, or ignoring each other to examine tablet computers, or just moving on their way and bobbing their head to a beat.<br /><br />A much, much smaller number of people here look almost boring by comparison. The two or three you can spot dress primarily in white, with boring, muted hair and eye colors on the normal human spectrum. Each of them wears a transparent breath mask, but it doesn't seem to stop them from talking to the more colorful fellows. They're given a little extra room, as if others are afraid of their fragility.<br /><br />The hover-convoy starts to move, one by one, travelling down the streets towards wherever it is they're going. A calm, electronic voice speaks over a loudspeaker as they start to move, chiming, "Welcome to River's Edge. Please enjoy your stay."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:711|Corona Arclite (711)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Corona Arclite reflexively cringes at the alarms, those are hard on the ears! Well hard on her ears. Sometimes having highly tuned sensative hearing is a pain in a tail. Fortunately it doesn't last long. Her device beeps a signal at the 'magic radiation' mostly purging from the air, but that is quickly forgotten by the walls opening to a much more colorful sight to see. "Now that's a bit more like it!" Well at least with the low radiation signal she can take the breathing device off. Bleh. Her nose always feels funny after using these things.<br /><br />Speaking of breathers, that gets a brief look of curiosity from her. "Wonder why some folks are still wearin' 'em even in here."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:525|Inga (525)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span> Inga notes that glimpse of glowing eyes, but of course Archer of Green has spoken to them now over the radio. Her advice is taken, and Inga will remember it. There is much in the world, most in fact, they still do not know. Some of the politics were explained to her, Riva and Finna by Baba Yaga last they were here, but of course not all the complexities could be covered. <br /><br /> So, Inga steps inside the settlement and looks around, taking in everything. She notes the different looks of people, wondering what the different clothes and what not signified. She thinks those brightly dressed are likely the wealthy, while those dressed plainly and without so much color are likely the slaves or servants. Still, better to find out than to assume. <br /><br /> She looks around when she hears the voice welcome them, blinking, looking around for the source of the voice. "Thank you...?" <br /><br /> Inga looks to the others. "Well, lets see what we can learn. Be careful," she says, then begins to head further inside, eyes roaming. More than just her eyes, her Sight. She focuses in on one of the pale people wearing the mask, wondering what she might be able to gleen from her wyrd-sight.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:42|Staren (42)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Uhh, hello?" Staren approaches the caravan inside the massive airlock, and then the hiss of cycling and the siren drowns out further attempts to communicate.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;He stares in interest at the city. It's certainly... a contrast to the outside. Maybe it's safe to breathe here, but he's hesitant to open his helmet just yet all the same. The lack of plants is kinda weird too -- the garish colors, he chalks up to local culture. And while his world doesn't have such hair and eye colors, he's seen others that did, so it's not weird... until he sees the 'normal' ones. Huh?<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Hey, uh," Staren starts towards the convoy again, but it's off. How rude.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Well then. Time to do things the Staren way.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Staren walks up to the closest person. "Hi there! Excuse me, we're from another dimension, can you tell me about this place? I mean, mostly this city in particular, although my information on the world as a whole is probably pretty incomplete..."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:527|Zero Kiryu (527)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"No. It's not that strange."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Zero reiterates an exchange he just had with Yuuki over the radio. His gaze sharpens a bit as pinpricks start to appear on his radar, alerting him to their proximity to a number of someones. They're abnormal enough, but fuzzy on his radar for the most part. Not vampiric, but certainly not ordinary either. A few of the beings out there don't ping on his radar at all, so they must be relatively normal humans. It seems like a miserable environment to try to survive in.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The air. The surroundings. The lunatics.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Don't you think he forgot that weird place where nobody thought to just knock on the door.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;They end up following a caravan in and cycling through an airlock setup, presumably which cleans up the air. Even with the mask on, Zero can tell that it gets less nasty around them as they cycle through. The interior opens, and visual contact is made with the many different pings on his radar. There are a lot more pings, all told, than there aren't any.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Some might be predators. Mostly, they just look like regular people.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The hunter tenses visibly, unable to ascertain the difference in the circumstances. More importantly, some of those people out there are wearing breathe masks like some members of their group. Why? Wouldn't the locals be used to the way this world is?<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"I'll take the normal people." He says to Yuuki, wandering off immediately towards one of the people who doesn't look like a potential shounen protagonist. Surprisingly, he doesn't have a particularly odd approach, all told, but it is blunt.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Are you locals?" He asks, then gestures at his own rebreather and adds in explanation, "I was under the impression locals don't need this kind of equipment." Well, more like he didn't pay enough attention...<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:887|Kevin Graham (887)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;There's a flinch under the alarms and once he knows it's safe, he slowly pulls the respirator off. He looks at it with a somewhat disturbed look, then turns to look back at the air lock. Through the walk to the settlement, Kevin had made the decision to not try to 'poke' at his surroundings with his spiritual senses. The conversations he's heard were enough to tell him to not do such a thing.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;After the wall has opened and they have been let into the settlement proper, Kevin begins to study individuals visually, watching them move to and from place to place, and studying their attire and mannerisms. He does notice the masks on some and mumbles idly to Corona's question. "...somethin' else seems off wit' 'em." With a heft of his bag- probably medical or other supplies should they be needed. He was, afterall, a part of the Union medical staff, and he promptly follows after Zero.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;There's a wave from behind the hunter as the priest joins up. "'ello!" Kevin seems awfully cheerful, as he greets the same person Zero's approached. "If there's a need fer anythin' t' help, we can see 'bout tryin' t' offer it, as well."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:7|Kotone Yamakawa (7)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Kotone Yamakawa looks through her own pockets for a moment, should she add to the tribute? But it's hard to figure out, thanbkfully Inga is here and she's been here before she keeps with the wise woman. She's also acting as protection, seemingly forgetting Inga is far more durable than even Kotone's combat spec body is. She looks over the settlment for a moment as they move into the airlock. Kotone will check for public wireless if there is any just to see if she can get any information about this place. <br /><br /> "Well this is interesting." <br /><br /> She looks at the humans walking about without enviormental protection that gets an eyebrow rise and soon they get greeted. <br /><br /> "Thank you." <br /><br /> She looks over to Corona. <br /><br /> "Can you fault them I don't think the airlock was able to get rid of all the grain, it's likely not as thick in here however." <br /><br /> She pauses at Staren to just /stare/ at him with her mouth hanging open under her breath mask.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:518|Yuuki Kuran (518)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Yuuki was going to tell Zero to go talk to the colorful people! They looked interesting! And maybe he'd join them in an interesting conversation about having red eyes and white anime hair and the colorful joviality and such would rub off on him and...<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The airlock cycles loudly while Yuuki is deep in the tank, daydreaming about how to make Zero happy in all the worst, most meddling sisterly ways she can think of.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;But, Zero picks the BORING people, so... Well, ok. Yuuki will follow Staren! Yeah!<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Hard Science Lad and Hyper Sparkle Shojo Girl, this team-up could not possibly go wrong.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Yes hello! We came from the gate, as people interested in helping and such! I'm Yuuki, it's nice to meet you!" She bows. Then she remembers that shaking hands is also appropriate, so she sticks her hand out for a good shaking.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;With the person her sniffer goes THIS IS NOT GOOD NOPE NAH over. Thankfully, she's too polite to sneer.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:687|Ark Line (687)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Inga's Sight actually finds threads to follow in here, wonder of wonders. As far as she can tell, though, the person she's looking at, and everything about them, is and has been... normal. There's impressions of a life like any other, if one eked out on a desolate and dead world, and of all the things life brings. There's always a haze of violence, though, as if it's just over the horizon of everything they do.<br /><br />She doesn't get a response from the AI, either. How sad.<br /><br />Staren walks right up to one of the colorful people, a (fire engine) red-haired man with his eyes firmly focused on a small computer of some sort. He looks up, clearly startled, and looks between him and Yuuki as if they had two heads. He glances down, and then up again, and a look of recognition crosses his face. "Oh! You must be the guys the military is pulling in to help with the A-RAYS! Awesome!" He takes Yuuki's hand and shakes it enthusiastically, grinning. "I think I speak for everyone," he really doesn't, "when I say we're /really/ glad you're helping out."<br /><br />"River's Edge is pretty small as far as cities go. This is just a waystation for Eye of the Stars, up the coast, though; I mean, we're not really that interesting," he says, a touch apologetically. "But like, if you want to know stuff, you should go there. Doesn't the military have briefings and stuff you can go to?" The man eyes the pair a bit oddly. Not /as/ oddly, but a bit.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:525|Inga (525)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span> Inga sighs quietly as Staren and Yuki go forward and badger a random person. She supposes that's one way to go about things if you're short on patience and subtlety...Ah well. Staren is asking for information, nothing much wrong with that. They are obviously outsiders. <br /><br /> Inga's sight doesn't uncover anything particularly surprising. She doesn't see what the difference is between those plainly dressed and those who are not. Still...it tells her more about this world. The violence that seems to hang over everyone's lives. A very difficult existance. <br /><br /> Inga looks sidelong toward Yuki and Staren. Military? Oh dear. She doesn't think they should let him assume they are something they are not--and what they are not, presumably, is choosing sides in a war they don't fully understand. "No, we are not military, simply travelers from afar," she interjects, thinking she needs to stop that right there.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:687|Ark Line (687)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>The normal people -- person, in this case, since Zero can only really pin down one -- don't startle quite as much when he asks a pretty simple question. The brown-haired woman looks a bit on the older side; she might have seen some shit to make this not quite as weird. She casts a glance towards Hard Science Lad and Sparkle Shojo Lass doing their thing over there, loudly and enthusiastically, and picks up on the same idea.<br /><br />"All my life," she says. Her voice is only barely changed by the mask. "The gentleman your friends are speaking with is a Liner; they've been artificially adapted to Grain, by the efforts of other human beings like myself." The woman smiles a little. "'Last Seeds,' they call us. Sad, isn't it? Like they think we're all made of spun glass..."<br /><br />She turns to Kevin, inclining her head. "Thank you, but I assure you, there's nothing you can do to help me in this particular matter. Unless you're especially mechanically inclined, that is; there's been some trouble with one of the intake pumps at the processing plant, and I was just on my way over to go inspect the premises."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:42|Staren (42)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Staren briefly considers whether to say 'Technically, the A-Rays allied with us, but I'm not so sure I want to fight on /either/ side here' when Inga nips that in the bud.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Staren shrugs. One subterfuge is now traded for another. "What's this about the military pulling in people to deal with the A-Rays? I mean..." He looks around. "Not exactly a lot of /local/ help, so who exactly are they calling?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:527|Zero Kiryu (527)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"I see. My mistake." Zero wasn't aware that any locals needed the rebreather units. Humans can't deal with the environment, so they made humans who could thrive within it. It makes sense, even if it is rather grim. He's a little surprised that the woman shares what seems to be a more personal thought on the subject, and it prompts the young man to look away into the distance. After a moment, he nods. "I suppose it is. But you could be made of steel and this world would still have a good chance of breaking you."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;A grim thing to say, but Zero has seen enough of it to feel his opinion reasonably informed, even if his common sense here is lower than normal thanks to a lack of knowledge of this world. It's a wonder that he doesn't ask much stupider questions, much more often.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Having no mechanical skills of his own, Zero shuts up and defers to Kevin regarding this woman's noted issues. He's no good for a lot of things, and certainly not for fixing complex machinery. Comes with having been raised as a soldier, he supposes.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:687|Ark Line (687)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Corona pulls off her mask and ponders near the entrance. She doesn't directly interact with anyone, but she starts to find that she's directly under the scrutiny of /everyone/. The flow of traffic starts to stop in her general vicinity; a few passer-bys are openly staring, and the more they do, the more obvious the emotions on everyone's faces become.<br /><br />Fear.<br /><br />"A-RAY!" someone calls in a clear and obvious panic. /That/ gets their attention. The people going about their business turn and look, frozen to the spot, as if nobody wants to make the first move to bolt. "A-RAY in the dome!!" Whispers turn to murmurs, murmurs into motion, and it looks like the slightest wrong move is going to turn this from an information-gathering mission to a riot.<br /><br />The tension is cut by a different, older voice cutting in: "Not while I still draw breath, people of River's Edge! Do /not/ panic! Do not relent in the face of adversity! And most of all --"<br /><br />There's a roar of an engine, of the old-school (for here) internal combustion variety. A streak of grey passes over the streets and leaps onto one of the hovertrucks in the convoy, ramping off the slanted package in the back. A motorcycle hangs in mid-air, wheels spinning, belching exhaust into the otherwise clean(ish) air. On its back is an old man clad in what looks like scrap iron, scrawny and bony and with a mad gleam in his eye.<br /><br />"STAAAAND FIIIIIIIIIIRM!!"<br /><br />The bike hits the ground and weaves past the crowd and the Elite visitors. It rushes Corona, the man's arm snaking out and snatching her off her feet with a startlingly strong grip. He doesn't stop, the bike rattling dangerously as he forces it to go right for the closing airlock, pulling her along with him. They just /barely/ clear it as it closes. If someone is standing nearby or has a kind of super-speed, they might be able to dive after them.<br /><br />The moment the door is shut, Corona will find herself planting in a sidecar. The dangerous rattling of the motorcycle reduced to merely worrying levels. The old man barks a (surprisingly youthful) laugh, and says, "I am sorry, my lady -- I could not stand idly by and see a fair maiden in distress!"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:42|Staren (42)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Staren hears that shout.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The tone is the same as someone shouting 'D-BEE!' in certain movies, and hearing it in real life is vaguely disturbing...<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Staren turns to see what it's about -- oh, /dear/. Without thinking, he manifests energy wings and flies towards her, but Motorcycle Dude is faster. He tries to follow, only to be left staring at the closed airlock.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:887|Kevin Graham (887)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;A quick glance is offered to Zero, before Kevin looks back to the woman. He quickly pats at his chest with a hand, letting a smile show itself at that point. "I'm not /th' best/ at technology, but I've got a strong arm t' offer, at least." He doesn't exactly look like it, but he's not skin and bones, at least.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"We've got a few mechanical things where I'm from, an' we gotta be able t' do what we can wit' it." There's a bit of a gesture- an idle wave of his right hand." He seems to be willing to keep up with this when there's the shout to draw his attention.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The priest suddenly twists around- inadvertantly mimicking similar reactions of those around him. He knows the term A-Ray. He knows that there's...<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;What.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;He seems a little bewildered at the sight of the motorcycle. There seems to be a confused noise as Kevin doesn't seem to be able to find the words to say. He suddenly looks to the woman he had been speaking to to gauge her reaction, then back to the motorcycle... then back to her once more, to offer a stage whisper in her direction, "......does this sorta thing happen a lot?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:525|Inga (525)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span> Inga frowns worriedly as things start to turn. She feels the general atmosphere shift as people notice Corona. Oh...she's not human. That is a problem here. Inga swears under her breath. She should have placed a glamour on her! Too late now, but something to remember for next time, certainly. Now though, one of them has just been kidnapped. Inga, being not at all fast, doesn't even try to go after them. That she will leave to someone like Staren who for all she knows, can disappear and reappear elsewhere at will or something ridiculous like that. <br /><br /> Or energy wings. That is equally ridiculous. "Who was that?" she inquires to whichever local is standing nearby, keeping her cool.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:518|Yuuki Kuran (518)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;YES SEE, THIS IS THE PROPER WAY. OFFER HELP, GET SMILING FACES AND NOT AN ASSBEATING. ALL GOES ACCORDING TO SHOJOPLAN.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Or... does it? Well, she gets an excited answer, as she dumbly looks on, in a sort of blank 'yay you are happy so I am happy' as she returns the shake. "I am here to help! And I am, I guess, part of a military?"<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;This is accompanied by no less than three people whose responses sum down to an emphatic and polite 'noooooooooooooooooooooooooooo'.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;But then, before she's able to mess this any up worse, THE BIKER OF LA MANCHA scoops up one of their party and spirits them away. "Oh gheez! Just a second!" Yuuki announces before she hurries to the closing door. "Um..."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She looks around. "Could you open this again?" She asks FIRETRUCK RED, LINER ALLY AND STALWART COMPANION.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Zero is off talking to boring people and getting quests and doing his job, don't mind Yuuki, she is off on Adventure.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:711|Corona Arclite (711)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>You know she really should of thought of that, but Corona isn't really use to being the odd one out, as it were. Where she comes from humans and animal-folk like her both coexist equally after all. So the thought doesn't even really occur to her until people start shouting, "A ray?" She turns around a few times. "What? Where?"<br /><br />Not realizing it's -her- they're shouting about.<br /><br />The sound of a combustion engine is a lot more familiar to her, but she's scooped up before she can do more than turn around to look at the rather spetacular entrance stunt on the motorcycle before she's scooped up in and sped off. Despite how painfully terrible that bike's motor sounds.<br /><br />She ends up somewhat comically plopped in the sidecar, feet up on the front instead of inside and tail flopped off to the side, looking a little dizzy at how fast that all happened.<br /><br />"Well that ain't what Ah was expectin'..."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:527|Zero Kiryu (527)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Go ahead and help take care of it. I need to go make sure useless doesn't get into too much trouble." Zero asides to Kevin. He can feel you wandering away, Yuuki. You're the sharpest ping on his radar right now. Everybody else is all fuzzy and less predatory, although some of their companions have a sharper feel to them than the locals. He raises a hand to wave vaguely goodbye to the woman to whom he had been speaking, taking off after Yuuki.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;He doesn't seem to be all that concerned by the kidnapping that just occurred in front of him. Mostly, it's because Zero doesn't know that person, and it's not Yuuki so it's not his immediate problem. More than that, there doesn't seem to be any active... hostility? It's hard to read some of the people around here. The whole thing just strikes him as... shenanigans. That's the word.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Just a bunch of shenanigans.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;A few moments later Zero catches back up with Yuuki, appearing perhaps abruptly at her side. Or at least, abruptly relative to her probable attention towards him, anyway. He asks her, "Where are you going?"<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It's just a little kidnapping. Nothing to worry about here.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:7|Kotone Yamakawa (7)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Kotone Yamakawa watches as the locals make assumptions about things, she has no idea who the union's allying with but gets this could be a bad thing for people to assume things on.. "I come from a small town myself. I know how that an go." <br /><br /> She pauses for a moment as everyone, she sees as people get scared of Corona. She had honeslty stoppped thinking much about her friend being an humanoid fox. She sees her friend get out of trouble before she had to act and looks at Inga for a moment. <br /><br /> "I'd like to know yes, who is that as well?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:687|Ark Line (687)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Kotone's superpower of Literally Being Made Of Computers comes in handy. She finds a huge public wireless network, with base access unsecured and free to use. Getting onto it is easy, and gives her a pretty handy feature: an augmented reality overlay that lets her see descriptions, directions, ratings and similar information for various things inside the dome. It explains why so many people are looking at displays instead of each other, at least.<br /><br />One of the most notable things is that there's a faint red haze over the area they're in. Examining it closely and triggering a prompt brings up -- you guessed it -- a 'hazardous environmental warning,' since it turns out either A-RAYS are partly considered forces of nature... or the panic of one getting in isn't something the people in charge want spreading across the city.<br /><br />Inga and Kotone get a response pretty much immediately. The crowd has gone from fearful to starstruck and cheering. A young lady at the periphery sighs, hands over her heart. "Don Quixote de La Mancha! The last great knight in the world!" Yeah... that doesn't really narrow it down if Inga's never heard the story before.<br /><br />FIRETRUCK RED, LINER ALLY AND STALWART COMPANION... kind of shrugs. "Um, it's automated, and I don't have the tag to override the AI, so..." He trails off awkwardly, and maybe a little uselessly. The door sure seems firmly closed, though.<br /><br />"We're all fragile in a world full of super-men," the human woman says to Zero, once the excitement has gone away. She was fearful for a moment, but seems to have calmed down quickly. There's a sort of sense of acceptance around her when the possibility of an A-RAY is presented. Like she knew that there wasn't a thing she could do about it if there was one.<br /><br />The woman smiles broadly at Kevin. "Well, find your way to the plant if you'd like to put that arm to work. I'm sure we can always use it. I should go." She inclines her head to both of them, regardless of Zero's potential grump-status at Yuuki being her own perfectly normal self, and starts on her way.<br /><br />ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE AIRLOCK, the old man stops, dismounting from the bike. The exterior door has closed, leaving them sealed into a huge chamber lit by stark white lights. He walks around, and offers his hand to her, the picture of a gentleman. "Again, you have my sincerest apologies, my lady, but I did not wish to see you come to any harm. I did not think there were any A-RAYS willing to attempt peaceful entry into one of the domes, but it warms my heart to see all the same!"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:525|Inga (525)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span> Inga raises a brow, completely confused. A knight? The last great knight? <br /><br /> Never heard of him. <br /><br /> Inga looks to Kotone, raises a brow. Perhaps she'll know what they're talking about. <br /><br /> Inga looks over toward Kevin then, who's offered to help with something requiring brute strength. "I suggest you don't go alone," she says. Just in case. This is still a dangerous place. At least Corona appears to be alright, rescued as it were by this Knight. If his bike was run-down Inga wouldn't know it!<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:711|Corona Arclite (711)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Most girls would probably be flustered and fawning all over the flattery. Corona's a little rough around the edges for that, but after a bit of wiggling around to get into a proper position she can actually get out of the sidecar she does accept the hand offered to help her up. "Reckon Ah ain't no Aw-Ray or whatever." Once she's on her feet she dusts herself off out of habit, then glances at the airlock doors.<br /><br />Then turns back to her elderly but spry resucer, tail giving an anxious flick behind her as she rubs the back of her head with the other hand. "Reckon Ah didn't consider the fact that Ah ain't exactly human, though. He he he he. Folks come in all kinda forms were we come from."<br /><br />She's already got a grip on one of his hands, so she just goes ahead and gives it a firm shake before lettin' go. "But thanks fer the save all the same pardner."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:887|Kevin Graham (887)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;There's a pleasant smile to the older woman, but it's clear that Kevin's attention is being pulled away. There's another gesture until he waves back to the noise a bit. "...I 'pologize fer th' sudden change, but I should take care o' other things 'ere."<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The priest laughs, though, with a pleasant grin. "...but I don't see any reason why I shouldn't come back if my travels lead me in this direction again. I hope you'll be able t' accept my help then!" There's a bow of his head. "Good luck wit' yer work!"<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;With that said, the priest jogs back towards the others, eventually falling to a stop near Inga. "There are enough things t' leave me a li'l bewildered- though I need t' ask, not go alone t' help?" When he looks to her, there's a far sharper and more serious expression. "Are there issues- motorcycle ridin' knights aside- that we won't see right out in th' open that we need t' be concerned over?"<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Beyond things like... Grain and whatnot. He still hasn't brought himself to attempt use his own senses to examine such things. Forcing his senses to be so 'closed off' makes him feel like he's running around working while spiritually blind, in a way. It's not pleasant.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:42|Staren (42)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Staren relaxes and lands when Corona clarifies over radio that she's safe. The wings dismiss, and after a moment, he turns and walks back over to Firetruck. Uhhhh, where were they? Oh, right. "So, you were saying about the military pulling in help to fight the A-Rays? What kind of help, from where...? I mean... just curious."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:7|Kotone Yamakawa (7)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Kotone Yamakawa is indeed made of computers, she's into the network she notices it's unsecured. She's in and soon has the AR systems online. She looks over the data feeds she's getting a better idea aout the people. She notices the red haze and then gets what it is, it's a warning after all but then comes the stranger. <br /><br /> "Wait, did you say Don Quixote de La Mancha?!" <br /><br /> She stares in shocvk she knows the name. She thinks fast for a moment before she speaks up. <br /><br /> "I have ... heard a few tales of you sir knight." <br /><br /> This could be the best or the worst thing, only time will tell here. She's smiling a little bit at them. <br /><br /> "I am Kotone Yamakawa, and my friend would be right. Keeping to a group would be best, given these lands. The grain alone is a reason to keep with a group."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:525|Inga (525)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span> Inga looks to Kevin, shaking her head. "I do not think you are in express danger...but this is a new place, and the people here are obviously put on edge quickly," she comments, glancing toward the door. "I simply do not think anyone else should become too seperated from the group. Suppose there is the radio..." she shrugs her shoulders, sighing. "I suppose I am just cautious. Maybe overly so," she admits sheepishly, looking then to Kotone. <br /><br /> Blink. "A story that comes after my time I take it..." just like most things, really. "Yes, I don't recommend sampling the Grain unless you have to...then, I do not know how your magic works Mr. Graham. Last I needed to use mine...well, it makes you feel ill. I think over time it must really wear on someone."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:518|Yuuki Kuran (518)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Oh! ... Oh." Yuuki seems to dim in her exuberance, as she is told 'no' by FIRETRUCK RED, TRUSTED VIZIER AND PERSON OF SOME IMPORT. He has FAILED her in her time of need, because he is basically a random Liner and doesn't know jack all. Well. WELL YUUKI CAN FIX THA-oh wait Corona is totally fine, ho-hum."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Useless Yuuki drifts her fingers against the closed airlock wall, turning to cross her arms and look up at Zero. "Nothing. I thought someone needed help, but I got some information - there's a much larger settlement, deeper in, with a military. Maybe they'll know more. Did you find out a way we could help? I hope there's something, becuase..." She looks at Zero, and then pauses. "Well, I'll tell you later."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:887|Kevin Graham (887)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Samplin' it?" The priest quickly looks back to Inga. "What? Like... taste it? Eat it? Breathe it?" This seems to have completely confused Kevin before he looks up at the fake sky. It's all very unpleasant. He quickly digs into his pocket and retrieves a small, metallic device that appears to be just slightly smaller than a pocket watch. Only now does he realize that maybe this kind of material is even screwing with his orbment.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;He passes it from one hand to another. "Well..." He says idly to Inga. "Better we find out how it reacts t' my skills /now/ than if we were in some serious danger 'ere." There's a raised eyebrow. "...'specially if I'm ever needed t' use either my orbal or sacred arts." He would be 'dead in the water,' as they say it if something happened and he needed to make use of any of his technology or spiritual skills.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;First, the orbment. The small device is activated- it only acts internally, drawing in elemental force from the stones set in it. He has no intention to do much more than perhaps a minor, water-based art of healing on himself. Kevin is, more or less, convinced from what he's heard of the Grain and the world's effects that a magitech device like his orbment would go mostly uneffected. If successful, he's cast the slightly chilly restorative magic on himself, despite having no need of healing.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:527|Zero Kiryu (527)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Nothing that I would be useful for. The people who wear breathe masks here are the same as off-worlders. They had to engineer people with the ability to process the atmosphere independently, but the locals before that don't have that trait." Zero gestures towards his own rebreather, a little vaguely. "The only thing she mentioned having trouble with is a mechanical problem at a processing plant. I'm no good with machines that aren't firearms, so I have no help to give."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;A glance is cast towards Kevin. He says, "That guy mentioned being a little handy."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Having said all that, Zero looks down towards Yuuki with a very flat expression. "You could call in some of your lackeys." He suggests, not at all seriously. Aido doesn't seem like the sort who would be useful for that, though. Maybe if they needed medicine of some kind.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:687|Ark Line (687)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>FIRETRUCK RED, TRAITOROUS VIZIER AND SECRET MASTER OF THIS LAND shrugs kind of helplessly at Yuuki and Staren. "Sorry."<br /><br />DON QUIXOTE, ACTUAL HERO AND DEFINITELY NOT A CRAZY OLD MAN, smiles in a distinctly friendly fashion. He sweeps his cap off his head -- it looks kind of vaguely peaked and otherwise shapeless, and has a wire feather in it -- and bows in a very courtly kind of fashion. "It is the duty of a true knight to aid those in need. If you are not an A-RAY, though, then..." He looks thoughtful. "...hmmmmmmmm..."<br /><br />On the other side of the wall, someone is pushing through the crowd. He stumbles out, a young man with pitch black hair and stark white eyes. Judging by the lack of a breather, he's probably one of the Liners. "Sorry, excuse me, sorry, I need to -- I need to get through --" He manages to get past the people (who are finally starting to disperse) and straightens out his sleeve, brushing off his shoulder and stopping to catch his breath. He's in some kind of steel grey uniform, the same color as the outside, and has a patch on the shoulder that reads 'LODESTONE', something that seems to get people to actually move when they notice.<br /><br />He heads up to the airlock, fishing out a pair of glasses and putting them on. He's fidgeting, muttering, "C'mon, c'mon," and making tapping gestures at mid-air. He seems to be diligently ignoring the group of strangers still in the general vicinity.<br /><br />Kevin doesn't have any problem using the orbment. Internal forces of magic don't seem affected by the Grain, at least not in here. Outside it might be another story completely; the density is completely different, so he'll have to do more experiments.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:525|Inga (525)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span> Inga blinks, peering over as Kevin pulls out a small object. "This is how you use your magic?" she asks. "Perhaps you will not suffer as Riva and I did--our anima, it comes from the earth...but the earth here is dead," she explains. "I could perhaps reach through my connection to Gaia however...it is very far," she adds with a small sigh, watching Kevin now to see if anything happens. <br /><br /> Nothing explodes, and he doesn't lose his lunch, so Inga is guessing he's just fine. "Alright then?" she asks him. <br /><br /> Her eyes are drawn to the man who appears, noticing how the people move aside for him. Someone of importance then. She raises a brow, observing, but she isn't about to interrupt what he's doing.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:7|Kotone Yamakawa (7)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Kotone Yamakawa looks to Kevin and then back to Kinga for the moment. She nods a little bit. <br /><br /> "Yes I'll explain it later, but yes it's a tale of one last Knight. To sum it up shortly." <br /><br /> Part of her got why Don did what he did in the books and if that man is anything like him? She doesn't have the heart to stomp all over him. She really diodn't she could get why one would want to flee the mundane after all. <br /><br /> "I think trips here should be kept short to limit the effect of grain. I don't use magic but it's causing me issues and I can only guess at what it's like for you. <br /><br /> "She means tying to draw on it for magic, I think..."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:42|Staren (42)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Staren shrugs back. "Well, it was nice meeting you..." He turns to walk away, to talk with the others, but then notices someone pushing through the crowd. He starts watching the man, then realizes he finally has time to respond to Dawn about that wireless network alert, and takes a look in AR to see if what the guy's working on happens to be publicly visible.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:711|Corona Arclite (711)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Corona Arclite scratchs the side of her head for a moment. "We're from very, very out of town," she starts out, trying to piece together a decent enough explaination in her head. Her accent actually gets a little less drawly when she's considering what she's saying more precisely, but that might just be an effort to, well, be more understandable in general.<br /><br />"Like, entirely another world out of town."<br /><br />Then remember what just happened inside she quickly holds up her gloved hands before the kind ol' fellow panics thinking he rescued some alien marauder or something. "We're not here to cause trouble or invade or anythin'! We came to see what this world was like and iffen there was stuff y'all need help with. Y'know," she gives a nod back towards the outside, "seein' what sorta shape it's in out there."<br /><br />And then she grabs her hat and gives it a polite tip towards the knight. "Name's Corona, by the by. Corona Arclite."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:887|Kevin Graham (887)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;There's a faint shiver from the cold aura of the spell. He lets out a bit of a breath, then looks at the device. "Ah, partly." He points to it. "This is called an orbment. It's mostly self-functional... but it can be kind of finicky. It's an older model." He sounds like he's had to defend his choice of using an older model before.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Kevin then tilts his head. "This works when I can't use my own arts. So at least I know it's functional." He then returns the metal device to the inside pocket of his jacket. "What I'm a bit more worried 'bout is somethin' else..."<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;A glance is cast towards Kotone and he offers a somewhat worried smile. "...prol'ly fer th' best I learn this /here/ than to hit th' wall while in actual trouble." He shakes his head. "I'm actually keepin' my own spiritual senses 'dampened' - it's a lot o' work t' do this, 'cuz I'm worried o' th' effect th' Grain would have on 'em."<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;That sounds like a good enough cue, if anything. A hand reaches to the medallion hanging from his belt as he closes his eyes. This time, he opens his senses to the world around him. In normal cases, he'd be able to use a sense of the element of Space to get a 'reading' of the number of people around him. It's a simple task, normally, but taking the moment to push his senses to reach further is something that can require more effort... and perhaps be a good way to test this environment.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:525|Inga (525)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span> Inga nods at the explaination. "Curious," she responds. "Some things do hold power, it is true." <br /><br /> As for the dampening, she knows how that is. It is something she must do with her Sight, less she lose control of it--which sometimes, she does. Sometimes for days at a time. "Yes...I can understand. Best to see what will happen while not in a dire situation," she agrees, impressed with his forsight and practicality. <br /><br /> Now, to see what happens.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:7|Kotone Yamakawa (7)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Kotone Yamakawa thinks for a moment as Kevin speaks of what seems to be somer sort of magitech of some sort. <br /><br /> "Ah I see, forgive me, my world doesn't have a lick of magic at all. Also yes it is, it's good it wasn't while you were in danger. Humm I kinda get it like keeping a good barrier, err firewall up when dealing with an unknown network." <br /><br /> She watches Kevin as he makes his next test and moves to see what happens. <br /><br /> She keeps near Inga as she's watching the test as well.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:518|Yuuki Kuran (518)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Yuuki Kuran has a lot of talents. However, few of them are actally practical. She can't fix things (that aren't hey go over there and be really aggressively positive and/or NORMAL GIRL things), and none of her 'goons' are...<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Well they're maids and stuff. In fact none of her friends are 'handy', and Aido loves collecting broken things. Creepily.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"No, I don't think any of them are really useful. Most of them are super smart, but... Well, the staff don't really do that, and my tutors are mostly catching me up. You'd think I'd just /become/ all smart and genius, but I'm /way/ behind." She laments. She has the first-est world problems.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;As the MYSTERY PATCH MAN comes over from LODESTONE, Yuuki wanders over to FIRETRUCK RED again, and, conspiritorially. "What's LODESTONE? What's he doing?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:887|Kevin Graham (887)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Kevin's quiet. Almost unnervingly so, once he made his statement for what he was going to do.... But then it hits. Dizziness and nausea are the first things that slam headlong into the priest. He suddenly shuts down everything with his attempt to scan his surroundings, and suddenly drops to a knee.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;First testing the orbment was a good idea, simply because he quickly reaches for it in his pocket. He only grasps the device, clinging to it tightly, and drawing on the element of water through it, so that he can use its effects to clear out any of the negative effects from even coming in contact to this world's elemental forces.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;But he still feels sick afterwards, and coughs a bit otherwise. "Good goddess.... what on earth..." The words are in raspy whispers, caught between gasps of breath.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;....and it's even weaker in here?<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;There's a moment of panic as he realizes that nothing is right to his spiritual senses and he quickly changes focus to shut everything out again, bringing a hand to his head.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"....okay." He finally says once he catches his breath, and placing a hand to the side of his head, "....definitely not tryin' that again."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:687|Ark Line (687)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"That is quite a ways," the old knight says. "And I cannot in good conscience turn down an offer of assistance from one with so pure a heart as you! Now," he says, looking around the sealed airlock chamber, "where is my squire..."<br /><br />Looking through the AR filter to see what he's doing gets a view of an instrument display with a line leading to the airlock. The actual control panels on it is blurred out; nobody else has sufficient access permissions to be able to see /how/ he's doing things, but it looks like he's interacting with the system AI and the mechanisms enough to override the lockdown.<br /><br />FIRETRUCK RED, GUY WHO IS IN ON IT, speaks at the exact same volume and in the same tone. "They're like the special forces! You know, the Liner Operations Division! All the Ether Liners work for them! Oh man, do you think he's one of /them/? I bet he's got his Knight Arm hidden on him somewhere, just /waiting/ for a fight...!"<br /><br />Beat.<br /><br />"...um..." FIRETRUCK RED, WHO HAS THIS UNDER CONTROL, looks at his tablet. "...opening the door...?"<br /><br />Which it does. The airlock's inner seal breaks, the enormous doors sliding apart enough to admit maybe two people side by side. The Liner with the patch hurries over. "Damnit, Rider, what the hell did you take off for?! We've got a briefing to --"<br /><br />"SANCHO!" booms Don Quixote -- or, as this other guy seems to identify him, Rider of Steel. "My faithful squire! I have need of you this day!" He strides over, putting a weathered hand on the young Liner's shoulder. 'Sancho' blinks owlishly. "This young maiden wishes to help us in our quest! Isn't that wonderful?"<br /><br />The glasses-wearing Liner looks at Corona, and then back at the old man.<br /><br />"She's an A-RAY," he says in a disbelieving tone.<br /><br />"She is /not/ an A-RAY," Rider says brightly. "They're from another world! Isn't that grand? We must make ready to sally forth, righting wrongs wherever the wind may take us!"<br /><br />His 'squire' just kind of stares at him.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:525|Inga (525)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span> Inga is sympathetic. She frowns worriedly when he falls to a knee, but she waits and he seems to get his bearings again. By that point, she holds a bottle out toward him. "Ginger beer. Good for the stomach," she informs him. She knows quite well his stomach will need a little settling. "I did warn you," she smiles.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:42|Staren (42)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"It is true. We are from another world."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Staren has approached the Squire. "I will, of course, back this fantastic claim up, if you'll name some reasonable proof." Staren glances at Corona, then back to the squire. "How fast can you do DNA tests? Also, I was kind of wondering, if humans are so weak here, why I don't see any cybernetic enhancement. Ohhh, does it interfere with magic and noone wants to give that up? That's understandable..." Staren nods to himself.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:711|Corona Arclite (711)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Corona Arclite doesn't seem to be all that bothered by the fellow's ... exhuberence. She's seen a lot of eager to do-well space cowboys act much the same way. Just usually they're a lot younger. She takes it in stride all the same way.<br /><br />'Sauncho' peering at her and mistaking her for an A-Ray as others did just reminds her to put her hat back on, this time tucking her ears inside instead of through the holes in the brim. Not that it really does much well considering she's still got a visible tail and everything. "Rawght. From another world, here t' try and help.... though it's pro'ly best Ah don't go back in until Ah can do somethin' t' cover up my.. well..."<br /><br />As luck would have it though Staren is not far behind Sauncho. "Ah, good timin' Staren! Ya can explain what we're doin' here'bouts, locals don't seem to like my charmin' good looks much." The foxgirl snickers at her own dumb joke, having well gotten over the point of this being embarassing by now.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:518|Yuuki Kuran (518)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Oh wow! Special forces? An /elite/! Thanks a lot, Red!" Yuuki grins, nicknaming this guy with HALF OF HIS TRUE NAME<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;And then THE MAN OF LA MANCHA APPEARS, TRIUMPHANTLY DECLARING TRIUMPH.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Well, that's what we said at first, too! That we were here to help! And we were from far away! And then we asked if you had problems and it sounds like A-Rays!"<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She elbows Zero. "Right?"<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;COME ON ZERO, HELP OUT.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Also, that's a Servant? Huh! We met... What was it, Rider of Blue? And... Someone of Steel? At that big tower?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:7|Kotone Yamakawa (7)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Kotone Yamakawa looks over at Kevin as he attemps his thing and that's when she gets very concerned as she now goes to help him if he needs it. She looks pretty conerned here, she also moves to check the network for get a smuch local news, or other information that might be of use to everyone later. She's also running searchies on Don to see if she cna ping anything about the last knight of Europe! <br /><br /> "Father is there anything I can do to help?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:527|Zero Kiryu (527)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"We are from very far away. I'm here to keep useless here from getting herself butchered from offering help to the wrong people. She's here to throw herself on every problem conceivable because she wants to be a superhero." Zero chimes in, in response to Yuuki elbowing him. He's been quiet for a while, and isn't liable to stop being quiet. Most of this is none of his business, and too many of these people show up fuzzy on his radar. He wonders what an A-Ray feels like at a distance. Would it be something like the individual who was mis-identified as one?<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Zero asides to Staren, "People aren't disposed towards going under the knife casually."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;As for their prior encounter with weird people here, Zero adds, "We encountered an individual who interacted strangely with our technology and behaved very oddly. Didn't think to knock on a door to get in before trying to force it open some other way."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:687|Ark Line (687)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>'Sancho' stares at each member of the group in turn. AR-enabled people might spot him getting cursory three-dimensional snapshots of them, which is pretty reasonable since they've never been here. He adjusts his glasses minutely, regarding Staren in particular while Rider looks properly enthused. One might assume it is his default expression.<br /><br />"Show me some offworld technology, or something plainly impossible here," he says, finally. "And no, I'm not going to make a list, you'll just have to figure it out." The Squire's expression twitches towards a frown. "But don't do it right now. Right now, I'd like you all to go back the way you came, and --" He falters for a second, but recovers, "-- and I need to talk to command, because this is way over my paygrade."<br /><br />Rider slaps him on the back. "Nonsense! This is good experience for a knight in training of your caliber!" He looks to the others, peering at Zero quizzically. "Interacted strangely...?"<br /><br />The Liner frowns. "That thing Assassin's been after... alright, so you /are/ the off-worlders that got reported before. That's fine. Okay. That doesn't change the fact that I need to make a report and you need to take her," he points at Corona, "out of here, before there's a panic. I've got public safety to think about."<br /><br />His expression turns pleading. "/Please/ don't make a scene. Someone will find some way for you to help if you really want to, just, don't make this a bigger thing than it already is."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:887|Kevin Graham (887)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The priest simply looks up to Kotone, and gives her a weak nod. "I think I'll manage. I know what not t' do here, at this point."<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;With a deep breath, Kevin pushes himself to stand up again. "...glad it was in here, an' not out there." There's a gesture in the direction of the airlock.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"I may need t' take up Inga's suggestion when we get back t' th' station afterwards. I'll probably want someone t' do another examination o' me, though I feel a bit better now." It's clear that he's worried about something that he experienced. But really, there is no way to identify things about it yet.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Thank you fer th' offer, though." He does stop, then thinks to also ask Kotone- "...is there anythin' else ya know 'bout it? 'bout this Grain, that is?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:711|Corona Arclite (711)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Corona Arclite already has her Manipulator off her belt and partway flipping through its inventory when Sancho says 'not now'. She huffs softly, actually looking slightly disappointed in not getting to show anything off as she puts the device back on her toolbelt. While she probably doesn't have much technology they wouldn't she's probably got a lot of it that does the same thing in completely different and possibly relatively absurd ways.<br /><br />"Yeah, Ah get it. Not good fer me to be walkin' 'round these parts without a coverup. Sloppy lack of forsight on m'part, really." She still doesn't seem all too put off about this, even as she turns and starts to amble back towards the portal. "Ah'll just go mosey off inta the sunset, no mussin', no fussin'. See ya folks 'round."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:42|Staren (42)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Staren looks at Sancho (too late, it's his name now!) with a blank stare for about one second after his demands are made, and then reaches into his bag and pulls out a tablet and something that looks like a flipphone except with a see-through upper section/screen. He states flatly: "I doubt this stuff's impossible, but the small one was made by me and the tablet's from another world that was even more advanced in computer development than mine. If nothing else, hardware and software completely unrelated to your own should be interesting enough to justify further inquiry."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;And then Sancho mentions having heard of offworlders before. "Wait, so you knew...?" Staren tilts his head, then straightens up and states flatly again: "Just so there's no surprises later: An A-Ray /has/ allied with us. I don't think any of us are willing to attack humans or Liners just on his say-so, but just so that it doesn't look like we were trying to hide it from you..." Staren shrugs. "Personally, it sounds to me like humans, Liners, and A-Rays /all/ need help so there can be peace between you, though I sure don't know how to accomplish that." He smiles wryly. "I imagine saying /that/ should prove I'm pretty out of this world, but that's a discussion for another time then. Good luck, man."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Staren will follow the others out. For the few seconds or minute or so it takes them to get together and leave, Dawn crawls the wireless network for useful public info and downloads it for him. Could be some useful stuff to know there!<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:518|Yuuki Kuran (518)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Alright! I guess instead of helping you out we can... I guess we can go." Yuuki admits, looking HYPER DEPRESSED NOW. Her huge dinnerplate eyes look like sad puppydog peepers pleadingly staring at Sancho. She wants to help so bad, and you're leaving her out in the rain, what a jerk.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The... dust... rain. The desolate silence of horrible magic particles. The...<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Ok this metaphor is super lost, and the LAST thing Yuuki wants to do is to cause a scene. So she sadmoseys towards the gate. "We'll probably be back, so, um... Yeah do talking and stuff, that'd be good."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Zero is ostensibly in her wake.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:7|Kotone Yamakawa (7)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Kotone Yamakawa looks to Sancho for a moment as she tilts her head over at them. She gets a few snap shots of herself. She thinks for a moment. <br /><br /> "Fair enough give us time I think. It might be best not to do such right now in terms of tech. I can manage something next time but I'd have to get it, I left it on my ship." <br /><br /> She looks over to the Liner for a moment nodding slightly to them. <br /><br /> "Don't worry I don't leave my friends behind, and don't worry. It wasn't our intent to set things on fire. We'll slip out with Corona."<br> <br>


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