Scene #7091: Nomadic Impetus (4/?)

Owner	Pose
S6	The derelict residential sector of Old Indus is at it ever was-- A mass of tightly packed skyscrapers being consumed by the encroaching desert. Several structures have sunk, many have completely collapsed while others lean precariously. This produces a series of disjounted canyons and clearings between the buildings which is nowhere near as grid-like as it was obviously intended to be. It is this maze that the nomads of Manda have claimed as their own, and the previous location that Kanson and his group had been encountered at is now empty. Aerial recon via drones has, however, located the village's new location and it is this new waypoint that Striker unit Six homes in on. Cresting a dune built up against the side of a dilapidated structure, the party soon finds itself overlooking a tent-village, tucked in amidst the rotting husk of more contemporary buildings. The people wear robes and broad hats, ideal for desert life, though at this distance it seems none have noticed their visitors just yet. Or perhaps a group of humanoids isn't seen as a threat like the more monstrous Nullborn.
Ishirou	I4 walks with the group, though he's not showing signs of limping or damage, he does take a back seat instead of walking forward with S6, that or S6 put his AI on 'stay at range'. Probably not, because this isn't a game, right? I4's scanners move around the group and the wider area. The last thing this group would need is the Voids jumping in on the town to get at them. It also serves to see if they can find their target around here just hanging out. Failing that, and if the coast is clear, he walks towards the tent town itself, to try and talk to people.
Yang Xiao Long	Yang's tagging along. She's been busy with other commitments and hasn't had a chance to follow up on Manda before now. She's wearing her coyboy-esque outfit, and it's rounded off by a rather fancy looking cowboy hat she didn't have before. Her present from Corona. She looks between the two Androids, then sets off at a jog to approach the townsfolk. "Ooooooi!" she bellows, trying to get some attention as to not alarm people by simply appearing next to them... that's what bad protagonists do, after all. "Y'know where Father Kanson is right now?" she asks one when she's close enough. "If not, y'got anything needs doin'? I've got a strong pair of arms, and can punch a hole in a steel beam."
Shyra	Shyra has never been here before. However, she wants to help fix other people's worlds just like they are helping her! Therefore, she she quickly follows along with S6 and I4 to look around at the various locations. The desertic and ruined vistas cause Shyra to stare in shock and some kind of growing latent horror, but she does stick close to the others as they move along. Maybe a little /too/ close to I4, as she peeks around the fellow support to look down at the tent-village. Those poor people... She says, before she follows I4 down into the village, sliding along the dunes. Constantly, she glances around, watching the people with concern in her eyes.
S6	The first to approach the village is I4. S6 accompanies him, if for no other reason than to be the muscle her model is intended to be. However, the reaction to the two androids is fairly chilly. Most of the townsfolk make a concerted effort to ignore their presence. One mutters something about FANTOM under his breath. That same man, however, perks up once he identifies Yang's voice. Turning, he raises a hand to greet her, "Ah, greetings! Miss Xiao Long, was it? I should have expected you once FANTOM started sniffing about again." Gesturing to the androids, he adds, "I take it they're with you, then?" Shyra's dialogue box, while unintrusive, still catches some folks off guard. This man is no different, blinking a few times. After some glancing about, he seems to discern the source, gesturing towards the Holy Healer, "Was that you, missy? That's something I've never seen before." Raising a hand, he gestures to himself with a thumb, "Name's Smalls. Kanson left me in charge while he's out with some of the elders. Important ritual, you understand. Can't put that off." He props his hands on his hips, "So, what, yer lookin' for work? Those aristocrats aren't keeping you busy enough?" An eyebrow lifts towards I4, "And they gave you their dolls, too?" His gaze settles on Yang again, "I mean, there's always somethin' needs doin', but those are only good for a few things."
Ishirou	"These people choose to live here instead of in the city with the other humans. It's not something they should be pitied, Shyra. They choose to face the harshness of the world without relying on the systems that are killing this world," I4 says, there might be a little bit of that illusion called hope in his voice. "If you want to help, maybe focus on what can be done to make their life a little less harsh in the face of things." "You know for someone named smalls, you sure have a large mouth. Is it fifty percent of your body mass?" I4 says without even thinking about it, it was an automatic reaction that seems to even catch him by surprise. Arms crossing, however, he decides to ride the flow. "I'm Inspector 4, Model 31C. I4 is what you may call me. You may hear my friends here calling me Foureyes, in case they do that I have informed you of that name," He says, firmly enough. "We're looking for a renegade model, and before you assume nefarious purposes, we are doing so without support from the government and instead are doing it for the sake of the world itself." A pause, "How long will the ritual take? Should I conduct my business for you? Are you capable of speaking on behalf of the leader?"
Shyra	I4 helps clarify what's going on. She nods to him. All right. That makes a lot of sense... She doesn't seem to quite look like she gets it, but she rolls with it. When directly addressed, Shyra looks up, her expression very deer-in-headlights for a moment before she relaxes. Finally, she separates from I4 to approach Smalls. She smiles to him, bowing lightly as she speaks again. Hello. My name is Shyra of Finaria. My Sphere is Holy Healer. It is a pleasure to meet you. She tilts her head and looks around. Your people seem to be having a hard time. Is there anything I can do to assist? I admit, I am unfamiliar with the kings or queens of this land. The disdain for the pair of robots seems to fly /right/ over Shyra's head.
Yang Xiao Long	"I'm here with them, actually... but yeah, I kinda wanted to catch up with the bossman, but if he's on business, can't be helped." remarks Yang with an easy grin. "If ya got work needs doin' and no hands to do it with, You've got eight more here." She then hears what I4 just said, and bellows out a laugh. "Whooooah man, you got an upgrade to the sass stats there, huh?" she remarks after getting the most of the laughing fit out. She's still chuckling, as she turns back to Smalls. "He's right though, y'got a problem with them? I can tell ya first hand they're as much people as you are."
S6	Smalls pauses when I4 just tears into him. The expression is genuine surprise, and he raises both hands in a sort of defensive surrendering gesture, "It ain't that they ain't people or anything. It's the organization they're part of. Most folks here have bad blood with FANTOM." Lowering hands, he points rather aggressively at S6, "Especially that one, wearing the uniform and strutting in like you own the place makes everyone pretty nervous." S6 straightens her posture, but doesn't say anything. She does set her jaw, but with her eyes hidden behind her visor it's impossible to tell what her expression is. Wordlessly, she tilts her head down as if in thought...while accessing clothing stores through her HUD. She hadn't considered alternative outfitting, but... "I mean," Smalls closes his eyes with a shrug, "I can work with you lot, just know folks are gonna be on edge. Now--" An eye opens, as Smalls folds his arms, "We're installing a new water tap. An extra set of hands wouldn't go amiss there, digging it out and such. There's also the sick, if Missy Healer here wants to help out in the infirmery." Regarding the androids, he raises a hand to his chin, "Aside from killing things, what exactly do you do?"
Shyra	Oh! Something she's familiar with! I would be happy to help people in the infirmery! She says. Just direct me towards and and I will begin work right away! An enthusiastic one, it seems. But then, anyone who knows her might notice that it's something that's much more... her normal speed than what's been happening lately in her own world. She smiles pleasantly to Smalls, bowing to him again. The moment she is pointed in the proper direction, she heads off that way, stepping into the area with a little sweep of her purple robe. Immediately, she sets to work applying healing magics, tending to the fallen with a soft touch and a soft, optimistic bedside manner.
Ishirou	"Oh yes, how terrible that she ware clothes. Would you rather she act like the dolls in the city who aren't military androids? Seriously, guy, how did you get left in charge? She's my partner, not some android oppressor. I'd really appreciate you toning down the racism. If you got problems with INDUS, take it up with them, we're just the help." "You want help? Sure. We can help. As for what I can do, I am an Inspector model, specialized in being an expert on the Nullborn. I am also good at data analysis, tactics, and various designs of the old world. Right now, I am looking for a rogue android. Help me and I'll make sure that you'll get help." "Assuming you can stop being offensive for like five minutes. If I wanted this crap I'd have stayed in the city."
Yang Xiao Long	"Yeah, I'm gonna back Foureyes here with that. Cut the crap. I get enough casual racism back home against my faunus friends, I don't need more of the same here gainst my android ones." remarks Yang with a folding of arms, the faint flicker of her Aura activating covering her in a faint golden sheen for a moment before it fades. "You want me to go help dig a hole? Sure. Point the way."
S6	Smalls closes his eyes, rubbing the back of his head for a moment, "What a pain..." There's no point getting violent about the matter, though. He can easily tell that any one of these people would make short work of whoever tried to pick a fight. It's not just frustration but a bit of confusion in his body language, before the man simply shrugs, "Fine. It's not like we're equipped to fight back anyway." Smalls turns, raising a hand in a 'follow' gesture as he steps off through the camp, "We prefer a simpler life out here. It's why we left in the first place. It has its risks, but also its rewards. There's something to be said about earning something through your own hard work, after all." Shyra, and any who wish to accompany her, is directed to the infimery tent. There's some half-dozen people in care, mostly abrasions or deep cuts, one with a broken arm, and one cordoned off who seems to be sick by what the caregivers say. Nothing especially severe on all fronts. These folks would recover eventually, but a helping hand would go a long way. Smalls directs Yang to one of the derelict buildings. The Manda colony tends to avoid using the buildings as quarters, preferring their tents, but they do foray into the structures for resources. Such as here. It turns out that a water tap isn't a proper well; there's half a dozen workers here trying to clear rubble from a staircase. One of them gestures her over and, shining a light through the wreckage, points at a set of intact pipes one floor below. They're tapping into the building's original well system, they just need to get to it. Smalls himself stays outside the building, presumably with I4 and S6. Arms folded, he regards the androids, "You're after a rogue doll, huh... What makes you think one of yours would come here? Don't you hunt them down?"
Yang Xiao Long	Yang nods to the people, peering through the opening and quirking a brow. "Huh... clever." she remarks. "I guess it makes sense now." With that, she gestures for the people to stand clear, and grabs onto the largest piece of debris she can get a grip on. She starts to lift that out of the way, letting the others clear the smaller bits, before she hurls the chunk out into the sand outside. Her Aura flickers briefly from the effort, and her hair begins to waft like it was caught in some kind of gentle breeze.
Ishirou	"Look, man, I'm sassing you not burning down your village. If you're gonna take over for the guy when he's not here you're going to have to learn how to watch your words better. If we wanted to throw our weight around we would have started by doing exactly that," I4 says, trying to be calm about all of this. "We're looking for D4. I suggest avoiding questions as to why, because the less you know the safer you'll be. If you need to know something...the world might be at stake. She may know something we need to know and something that we can use to try and remove the nulls." There is a pause, "This isn't an INDUS talking point, it is something based on my own experiences. Trust me or not, that's up to you."
Shyra	Shyra, of course, hears none of this back and forth. She is in her element now, nattering around the wounded people, being very solicitous of their well-being. No matter how inane or serious the wound might be, she seems to have no problems dealing with them and spreading her optimism around. Even if she needs to help set a bone, she tries to use her magic to salve the pain as much as possible when doing so. The sick person gets attention too, Shyra using her knowledge of healing herbs and medicine to help as well as her anti-status effect magics. When her rounds are completed, she hands out fresh-baked butter cookies to everyone who is capable of eating, just to top off the experience. The sick person gets one set aside for them for later.
S6	Smalls moves aside when Yang hurls that debris out through the door. He wasn't in its flight path-- but that kind of reaction is hard to resist. Once settled, he folds his arms and dips his head in thought, "D4, huh... There were those dolls we found in the desert." He jerks his head towards S6, "That one collected them though, so it probably wasn't either of them." His eyes close in thought, "Other than those two... Last android we had come through was months ago. Headed south. Other than that, there's a woman with a prosthetic arm who visits sometimes to trade for supplies." "You mean Dee, right?" one of the Water Tap workers chimes in, "Not much of a talker, but she'll finish whatever you ask 'er. Never has much trade-ables, tends to work for compensation." "Yeah that's the one," Smalls snaps his fingers, "Dee. Hard worker. Refuses to join the village, though." An eye opens, fixating on I4, "Removing the Nullborn, though..." Inside, the workmen quickly get a feel for how Yang operates. She's certainly stronger than any of them, though one does at least try to help with the heavy lifting, even if he knows he's outclassed. It's a pride thing! The rest work with smaller rubble, until the path is cleared enough for the smallest of the group to wriggle through to the room on the other side. Shyra's presence is welcomed! Although her textboxy way of communicating still catches just about everyone she addresses completely off guard, they adjust quickly enough. Scrapes and cuts, even the one that needed stitches, are handled easily enough. That busted limb had already been set, and while not healed fully, has left that man in high spirits-- and with a cookie. Similarly, while the sick person isn't cured right away, by the time Shyra walks away they're clearly feeling a lot better than when she arrived. Overall, a big gain in popularity for the pink-clad Healer. Both of the caregivers, a husband-wife duo by the looks of things, keep asking her for details on her healing technique, or what herb that was, or the recipe for these cookies. It's all quite pleasant and heartwarming. "I4," S6 suddenly speaks up, "When we are finished here, I will need your input on a matter unrelated to Organization business." On her HUD, seventeen different windows minimize into the corner. The true reason for why she's been so quiet up until now.
Ishirou	"Dee huh...that could be a lead, and she's good at killing the Nulls? Hmm..." I4 thinks on this, she could be an Android hiding her other features or related to the Android in question. I4 thinks over this for a moment, S6 and he should talk about how to plan this out. "We'll also check south then, I guess. We'll try and keep it from going hot near your village," I4 assures, trying to build a report with these humans. After all, while they're not part of the city, his desire to protect them all is still strong. Turning from the men, he looks at S6, "Uh, ok! Though I think we're more or less wrapped up here. We just need to keep an eye out for Dee and go south."
Shyra	Shyra happily shares all of her knowledge that she can, though some of it is kind of attenuated due to being the result of arbitrary uses of HERBS in the most generic sense. Still, that seems to transfer over enough for her to ID what's useful in the more 'real' location here. The recipe for the cookies are shared, though it seems like it might be hard for the local area to actually assemble it if they don't have a source of, well... Butter. And sugar. And flour, and eggs. But besides that, it's all good. She can't give them healing magic, unfortunately, but the local mana issue might make that a dubious choice of resolution regardless. Shyra brings her own power with her, but who knows how easily it will replenish?
Yang Xiao Long	Yang grins at the guy for helping, actually letting him take some of the weight so he feels accomplished. She then starts helping shift the smaller rubble once the holes big enough for the smallest person to squeeze through, so they can 'not-squeeze' back out again. Yang's Scroll then starts going off. A fairly standard chiming ringtone. She pulls it out, expansds it and taps the button. "Xiao Long... yeah? Really? Right now? Ugh, 'kay, I'll be there ASAP. I'm on another world right now... yes that's how Warpgates work. 'kay. I'll be there. Trust me." she rolls her eyes, then collapses the Scroll, and tucks it back in the pocket it came out of. "Sorry guys, but I gotta run. Something came up on my homeworld."
S6	Smalls shrugs, eyes closed, "I don't know. Never seen her work. But when we send her to fetch things in hostile territory, she doesn't hesitate or complain." Hands resting on his hips, he adds, "And if you're following the one who went south, they were in that kind of uniform when they passed through," He gestures to S6 again. While Yang wraps up and checks out to other obligations, the work crew runs the new water tap in and connects it. Before long, there's a fresh water source for the village's current location. Cheering sounds from the building, drawing Smalls' attention and producing a grin from under his moustache, "Ah, great. I had a feeling about this one." Shyra's answers are somewhat perplexing at times, with the generic HERBS item and such, but the wife of the duo scribbles down the recipe. She waves off concerns about ingredients, "I'll find a way! We always do." "You've been a great help, miss Shyra. Thank you again." "Mmm," S6 dips her head, connecting data in her log, "I had thought they were the same person. So it's two different objectives. Understood."