Scene #709: Story Time With The Hunter

Owner	Pose
Xau'ra Tayuun	Shirou expressed interest in the events that took place that day that would bring about the Calamity. That dark day burned in the memories of so many. However, Xau'ra knew one very cruel fact-- he only knew what others have told him. The stories from the Grand Companies men and woman, for he himself--- was not there. So instead of meeting in a place like a tavern or in one of the buildings, no-- Xau'ra gave Shirou some instructions to a location that was actually off limits. It went up a ramp, under a natural rocky area that once a tower stood on, and the out to a platform-- a white stone platform that had been ripped apart. It is here that Xau'ra stands, looking out over the ocean, over Limsa Lominsa. He is wearing his white armor, his goggles off due to the fact it being night and staring out at the light towers off in the distance that challenge the stars for light. His tail barely moves as he stares out with those gold eyes. Though when Shirou arrives, the young man may see the Miqo'te's ear move back, before he even looks over his shoulder, "Hey Shirou.."
Emiya Shirou	Shirou's in the same clothing from his forays at the docks, so as to not stand out. He's none too sure about roaming into a restricted, off-limits area, but after double-checking the coordinates, well... Either way, the boy emerges onto the platform, but only slightly - as if afraid the thing might give way. This place IS off-limits, so presumably it's for some good reason! "Yo, Xau." The redhead smiles a bit. "You sure picked a weird place. Are you worried about being overheard? I didn't think this was anything secretive..."
Lou	Having read network reports about this beleaguered realm, or more accurately having had it beamed directly to the Host Lou, and the threats it faces, it made perfect sense to dispatch a field unit to Eorzea, in order to do some snooping and information gathering more directly. While this world is presumably used to a few otherworldly travellers by now, discretion seemed far better, and the figure she strikes as she makes her way around the Limsa Lominsa's suspended walkways is one in white cloaked garb. It completely conceals her more alien features, but does perhaps lead to a few odd glances - only reason someone would want to cover up like that is if they've got something wrong with them, right? Thankfully, it's Limsa Lominsa we're talking about, here. There's likely few around here that don't have a skeleton or two a-clattering around in their closets. She's mostly left to her own devices, range-finding eyes seeming to stop every so often at a stall along the market rows, almost as if cataloging the goods that have been set out. A gloved hand reaches out, for a moment, to pick up and examine some native fruit more closely, before something catches her eye, the concentric rings of her iris shifting to zoom in as a fellow stranger makes his way to his private meeting. There's something very suspicious about it, probably according to some heuristics and algorithms, plus noone else seems to be heading up that way. Breaking off from her window shopping, leaving the impatient fruit stand merchant grumbling, she pursues with no great speed or particular cause for secrecy. This place honestly looks condemned, and as her hydraulically-cushioned footsteps can be heard to approach, she calls out her analysis of the situation to the suddenly two figures, "You should come down from there. The terrain in this area does not look safe." ..that's exactly the point, Lou. For now, little can be seen of her, though, save the white cloak and a blue-green eye practically seeming to glow from inside the hood of it.
Xau'ra Tayuun	Xau'ra turns to face Shirou, "In some ways, aye. For many the events of Dalamud, of that day, even though now it has been.. mm.. what is the multiverse term.. mm.. ah.. a month or so since then." He hand extends out to the ocean, "The world still feels the pain and still settles with the Multiverse to survive." His hand the lowers, "And this place.. this place was where a water fountain statue of a bird flying high use to reside-- lower down from it was the goddess stone of the Navigator.." Xau'ra looks back at him. "The stone was found and moved to a new location, but the scars still remain of what Bahamut has done-- and in some places, like the Black Shroud.. or known by some as the Twelveswood-- they will forever remain and never heal." The male Miqo'te shakes his head, "I can't give you much details on the battle itself, as I was not there. I was in the deserts of Thanalan and managed to survive the wraith of Bahamut by virtue of Menphina's grace.." He then takes one of the silver strands within his black hair, "..though she left me a nice reminder she had done such." He snorts at it before letting the strand of hair lay back with the rest. "So, this begs the question my friend-- what do you really wish to know? Because though I may not have all the answers, I've been around the block enough that I can possibly piece together a good enough factual retelling of some things." And yes, thankfully for Lou this was Limsa Lominsa, a place of pirates, scoundrels, and around this time-- much drinking to be had! Unlike Ul'dah where security is kinda tight right now... When Lou proclaims herself by pointing out the obvious, Xau'ra looks past Shirou, with his tail doing a few swift motions side to side, before a final flick. He examines Lou closely, before he looks to Shirou, "..A friend of yours, by chance?" Sadly-- Xau'ra has /yet/ to meet Lou or even heard of her voice until this very moment.
Emiya Shirou	"... It sounds like he made a horrible mess." Shirou mumbles, expression tinging with quiet frustration. The disaster must've been huge if a farawy battlefield wrecked the -whole world.- ".... Well, I mostly-" He's interrupted by Lou's approach. He blinks down at her, then shakes his head Xau's way. "No, never met her." But he does answer her. "It's okay! If anything happens, I'll just deal with it... thanks though!" He doesn't feel unsafe up here. It's just like rock climbing or something. Maybe. "Yeah... when I asked about Bahamut? The main question is how he broke free, how he made such a horrible mess out of Eorzea... and where he is now. He's a Primal like Odin, right?"
Xau'ra Tayuun	When Shirou states he doesn't know her, Xau'ra taps his chin, before motioning to Lou, "Oi! Come up and join us, my dear lady. I asure you-- the rock here is ever as sturdy as it has been when Limsa Lominsa built upon her!" Xau'ra gives a warm smile to her as his ears flicker slightly, "Besides-- we are probably soon going to get to the good part of this little tale!" Though when he looks back to Shirou to hear the rest of the question.. he'll formulate a proper response soon...
Lou	While the reverse isn't true, the constant network monitoring pays off as she matches some voices to what she had heard, albeit in her mostly passive monitoring of the public channels. Assuming there's no intention to disguse their voices, that is. While the identities are still uncertain, she at least knows she doesn't have to hide as much in the immediate company, bubblegum pink curls falling out as she bends her head forward, sliding back the cowl. "My apologies," she says in her lightly reverbed voice, raising up to face both Xau'ra and Shirou with an almost unsettlingly neutral expression. Even her apology sounded more matter-of-course than from what passes as her heart. "I saw something suspicious in the area, and it is my training to investigate." She is going to have a lot of distractions around this town, if that's the case. "I am Lou," she states evenly, and since it might help put them even more at ease in her company, she also reveals, "I am with the Union." Even if she did have her modesty and shame-processing units active, however, she couldn't help but overhear some interesting data on the way up here. It technically wasn't her business, and were it not for the sudden invitation to hear his tale, she might have simply left on her own. Since at least the one that was doing the telling gave his approval, though.. Her eyes once again glance at the rock, and stepping up the mildly precarious remainder, she does indeed join them, helping herself to a seat. "I am ready to record the data," she confirms, fishing her hat out from somewhere under her cloak and placing it atop her head, and looking as expectant as a CAST of her ilk can.
Xau'ra Tayuun	Xau'ra is surprised by what he see's from Lou, to the point he almost misses what Shirou says. He snaps his attention back over there and crosses his arms over his chest. "Bahamut is an Elder Primal, so aye-- he and Odin have the same classification." Xau'ra closes his eyes as he tries to focus his thoughts. "Our world of Hydaelyn came to this Multiverse cause of his wake-- but before even that, he rained fire and brimstone where ever he flew... That even I saw.." Xau'ra opens his eyes. "Actually one of those damnable burning rocks nearly collided with me, truth be told.. and it is that which knocked me out..when I came too, I overheard those who were heavily injured speaking of that Bahamut broke free from a moon we once called Dalamud." "He broke free, rained his terror-- and then someone tried to imprison him again, but it was not but a failure." Xau'ra frowns at that, "..A failure that angered Bahamut and he washed the area below him in a massive wave of fire. Many died that day... many more were even lost afterwards. Some speak of Warriors of Light-- heroes that have been burned away from our memories but only silhouettes remain of them in our mind's eye." Xau'ra shrugs slightly. "I do not know if I believe in these warriors of light, but many believe they will return to us one day and save us from the Garlean Empire. Hells, for I know-- these warriors may be you Outsiders." "..but as for Bahamut, I'm not sure who imprisoned him in the first place, but it was those Garlean however that freed him upon us-- though I doubt they were expecting to also lose men in Bahamut's wrath." "Weather the Garleans knew what they were unleashing or not-- is.. slightly beside the point you see, at least for me." Xau'ra narrows his eyes dangerously, "It is the fact they were ever so willing to destroy all of Eorzea. Lay nothing left but dust and ruin." The male Miqo'te then shakes his head, "..as for where Bahamut now rests.. none knows."
Emiya Shirou	"Warrior of Light? ... us? ... I'm not gonna count on that idea." It just doesn't sound right, y'know? Shirou is otherwise quiet for the entirety of the explanation, and only vaguely gapes at noticing Lou's gynoid nature. Wow, now THAT's something else. Still, the tale has an end, and that's when Shirou speaks seriously. ".... Man, that's even worse news than I thought... he's still out there somewhere?!" There's fear in Shirou's tone. It's snuck in quickly and completely. He gazes out from the platform at the rest of the region and shudders. "Ergh... so what, they thought they could control or ignore something they ALSO thought could cause tons of chaos? ... That's..." He grits his teeth. RIDICULOUS, REALLY. "... What even drove them to want to...? You're still at war with them..."
Lou	If she reacts to Xau'ra's seeming moment of hesistance or Shirou's moment of staring, now that they actually got a good look at her, Lou doesn't seem fazed by it. Instead, she remains the ideal captive audience for the cat-featured man's explanations, tracking his movements with her eyes as he recounts the tale of Eorzea's fall. Some of the terms she has in her database, from having been mentioned while she was monitoring channels - the Host Lou records practically everything unless it has been previously earmarked as private conversation. But, even being a machine, or perhaps especially because of it, she hadn't gotten the proper context, until now. Once things are finished, though, even with her deadened emotions, she can pick up on Shirou's upset at the notion of a scorched earth campaign. That kind of reaction, she's seen it before in a certain young Guardian, that often gets upset in exactly the same way with how the world works. Her eyes fixate on him, then, crossing her hands across her lap, and gives her own assessment, based on unfortunately prior experience and access to vast historical records. "There are those for whom a numerical victory is still a victory, no matter the cost involved." Being a Lou-type CAST, while she knows better than to express the opinion around one such as this, she cannot fault the logic in the analysis, if the goal is simply 'to win'. "It sounds as though they perhaps got more than they bargained for, however: This, too, is usurprising."
Xau'ra Tayuun	"They want to rule the whole world of Hydaelyn." Xau'ra explains as he looks over to Shirou, "We are the only ones really keeping them from this goal, I suppose." The Miqo'te doesn't seem to understand this either, but he does look over to Lou about then, "I guess." Xau'ra shakes his head. "I'm no tactical expert, just-- nrrh... Garleans. Warmongers.. every one of 'em." Xau'ra then inhales the salty air, before he looks between the two, "So.. any more questions?"
Emiya Shirou	"Rule the world. ... I don't wanna make light of that at all, but a motivation like that... except a few nations that got stomped in my world's history, that kind of goal belongs to kid's story villains. And these guys don't care what shape it's in when they get it, huh..." Shirou clenches a fist. This pisses him off. This really pisses him off! There's probably more to it, he's sure, but geeze...
Lou	She might be machine-like in a lot of ways, but ultimately Lou is still a sentient being that shares a lot of the same values, else she couldn't do her job as a Guardian very well. Looking down at her hands, she seems to be soaking everything in, and then in response to this basic fact, gives a nod of her head to the general notion that it's not something that should have been unleashed, and is in the end a foolish endeavor. "Regardless of personal feelings, it seems logical to use the apparent dormancy of this, Bahamut, to rebuild strength. My calculations indicate a ninety-seven percent loss in efficiency when dwelling on past events. Becoming narrowly focused on the offending agent is another deleterious multiplier." Lou really strains to get what she says next out, since it requires a few subroutines she normally keeps dormant, but she stands to her feet, removing a few loose pebbles from her cloak in the process. "I am..unable to speak with the conviction and feeling of either of you, but I -- hope, you will continue your work, to that end. Even to me, lives are important, as a Guardian and a fellow person." While she could ask questions, so many questions, for hours on end, it is probably for the best that she concentrate her efforts. Accordingly, she decides to focus on a suggestion, wrapped up in a query, "This Dalamud you spoke of. Is it an accurate analysis to call it an artificial moon for imprisoning this spirit, then? Have fragments been recovered for study? It is uncertain, though statistically more likely than I being a Hero of Light, that studying it could provide answers about this Bahamut." Ultimately, she can't resist being a bit of a downer, though, "Unfortunately, it sounds like the current experts on the matter are your enemies." She says it in exactly the same tone as the rest of her statements, 'hopeful' or otherwise.
Xau'ra Tayuun	Xau'ra nods in agreement to Shirou and then stares at the CAST. He just-- stares at her for a bit. "You talk like one of those underground people." The male Miqo'te then shakes his head slightly. "Honest, I have no idea if they do or don't. That isn't my department nor really my concern." Xau'ra's tail twitches a bit as his ears tuck back a tad, "And people /are/ trying to rebuild, the problem is the devastation is harsh. Thanalan is being rocked by earth quakes, the Black Shroud is still calming the elements, and La Noscea area here has the Garleans to the north who are just--" He motions in that direction with both hands, "Just-- sitting there! Like taunting targets of metal death!"
Emiya Shirou	"But they're not pushing very hard against all of the rebuilding... or they're really hurting." Shirou postulates. "... If they're more well-off than here, you think they'd take the opportunity to go full-bore... how much did Bahamut backfire onto them?" Shirou is trying to stay calm and analyze the matter... but honestly, he's more coldly pissed, if anyone knew him well!
Lou	Even with access to the Guardians database, Lou had only begun to collect information about Eorzea and the greater namesake world it exists in. It isn't...precisely an apology, since that's not in her portfolio, however she does seem to want to be reassuring, even if her almost monotone keeps it subdued: "I was simply stating the facts of the situation, by my experience and what information I had available. I meant no accusations, such as that you aren't doing your best." ..yeah, probably digging herself an even deeper hole, if Xau'ra chooses to take it the wrong, but it's not like she can express herself better than that. Staring directly at the miqo'te, with the concentric rings in her irises shifting slightly to adjust to slight changes in the light, she then gives a dip of her head, "The Gurhal system, where I am from - which I can assure you is not underground - is also facing disarray. I had intended to study, and perhaps aid, in your land's recovery, with the chance it might give some insight into ours." With that, she turns to regard Shirou specifically, arms at her side. "There is logic in that analysis," she confirms, though in a classic Lou line like before, "Though it is also possible that their attentions are divided by other problems. Or they are waiting for these people to fail in their efforts. As our friend here seems to suggest, they are not likely to tip their hand anytime soon. Simply continuing their presence is enough." After a moment, her eyes go distant; not seeming to be focusing on anything in particular in the direction she was last looking at, which would be Shirou, but somehow right through him. "Please excuse me, I must depart for now. Thank you for your information and hospitality this evening, sir." Her 'presence' seems to return to be among the two, as she reaches to the small of her back, a brief flash of light emanating from somewhere within the outer cloak, before she withdraws what looks to be two ID cards. Specifically, they have her picture, as well as name and some other contact details in Gurhalian script, as well as several common alphabets in use around the Multiverse. "This is my partner card," she explains, "We Guardians use them to keep in touch with each other. Of course, unification has required a slight redesign, so forgive the inefficiency. Please use this if you require me." She gives a bow at the waist with this, setting the cards on the flat space she had been seated on, giving the same even expression, "If you do not wish to make use of them, please dispose of them to prevent them from falling into the wrong hands. Have a pleasant evening." With this, she once more removes her hat, and dons the hood, to begin making her way back down into the city. You can both breathe easier now.
Xau'ra Tayuun	Xau'ra doesn't really answer Shirou's question-- or perhaps the silence was answer enough. When Lou offers the card he takes it with a warm smile, "I'll keep that in mind." He says putting it away for safe keeping. Xau'ra inhales deeply before letting out a breath of air. "..Well, I'm going to get me something to drink. You want something to drink, Shirou-- let us go get drinks."
Emiya Shirou	Shirou takes the card, though he doesn't have much time to do much of an examination! "Yeah, good evening to you too!" He's still not sure who, exactly, that was, but the card will say. Because man, she acted weird and a little socially lacking. Speaking of socially lacking... "Yeah." he doesn't press on the silence. "Nothing alcoholic for me! But this place is getting dreary."