Sunrise

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<Kaeru> Run initiating. Name: Sunrise; Arc: Orpheus Looks Back. Theme: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r39d5d4MYsY
<Glacon> Kaeru: Local Natives - Sun Hands - length 4m55s - 3507↑50↓ - 724,847 views - Jessica Viscusie on 2011.09.22
<Soulless> Avery arrives where he is bade.
<Krydderi> Jakey follows Avery.
<ArseneLupin> Bastian is there and sits in his chair with a small smile
<Nemi> Ophie shows, wrapped up in a cozy jacket and otherwise in jeans and boots.
<War_> Maddy scoots in a little bit later, looking like he'd made for the briefing room at a mad sprint
<Kaeru> This briefing was called on rather short notice, so it's not surprising to see Maddy arrive a bit frazzled. Files are already sitting on the table ready to be viewed, and an impatient-looking man in an officer's uniform stands at the head of the table with his arms crossed.
<ArseneLupin> Bastian flips through it
<Soulless> Avery sniffs around, then settles by Bastian.
<Nemi> Ophie settles into a nearby seat, already flipping open the files and looking at them *intently*.
<War_> He takes a file to read
<Soulless> While he opens his file and reads it, he says, idly, not looking at Bastian. "Maybe this is Time."
<Krydderi> Jakey nabs a file and begins to read.
<Kaeru> The file is brief, to say the least. Just some summaries of reports of spikes in anomalous activity that haven't been successfully investigated yet at all, to spite their frequency of late. It also has an image, and four personnel files— security agents Michele Kurt and Maliki Baker as well as doctors Simon Wesley and Everett Vega. A destination is summarized as an old storage facility that's been abandoned for some time— apparently a spike
<Kaeru> was detected there and a transport (with those four agents) was detoured to investigate.
<Kaeru> the image displays a transcription of something. For a visual— https://imgur.com/rt7cabA . The briefer begins to explain.
<Kaeru> "I'm going to keep this short. What you need to know, in case you don't already, is that we've been detecting a lot of seemingly random bursts of anomalous activity worldwide in the past month or so. Spikes that just show up on scanners and don't turn up a damn thing when teams go out to check. Yes, we've ruled out scanner malfunctions, and yes, we have a reason think this is more than the nothing we've been finding. There's an exception. One
<Kaeru> of these locations turned up something weird. One of our researchers found some sort of symbol written on a wall in what she described as 'glowing red paint.' We're lucky she took the time to copy down the symbol, because by the time recording equipment got there, it was gone. No explanation, no trace. Just gone."
<Kaeru> "What she got down is in the file. Might be useful, seein' as where you lot're goin' is the same type of anomaly, far as we can tell."
<Soulless> 4df+8 science + phd in anomalies- does avery know
<Glacon> Soulless: science + phd in anomalies- does avery know: 10 (4df+8=+, -, +, +)
<Nemi> "Did she manage to at least record *how* it vanished? Faded out, wiped away..?"
<Kaeru> Avery, you've heard about these 'spikes'— they're hard to explain, but they appear to be short-duration anomalous events that don't usually leave any trace once they've ended, preventing any decent investigation so far.
<Krydderi> Jakey takes notes on his CMI as questions are asked…
<Kaeru> "Nope," he shrugs at Ophie's question. "Says one second it was there, next it wasn't. I got nothin'."
<ArseneLupin> Bastian is quiet and frowning
<War_> Maddy's just keeping all of his attention on trying to make sense of the lot of it.
<Kaeru> "I shouldn't have to say that some people are starting to get a little anxious for results. So we've been upping the priority of these occurrences, especially recently. Here's where all this ties in. Less than two hours ago, we got a ping— one of these spikes. We had a transport in the area take a detour to investigate, but lost contact the minute they got close to the place. We can get to them the fastest, so that's what we're doing. I can't
<Kaeru> really tell you what you're heading into, because we don't know. But the priority is the agents from that transport. They're in your file— get them and get out. Any investigation, any containment, that's all secondary. We're hoping our guys are still alive, and just out of touch because of whatever's scrambling all other scans and signals from that area. You're not there to engage. Just get our agents back home, and come home with them." He
<Kaeru> takes a breath, looks down a bit. Nods, and looks back up with a determined sort of expression, neutral. "Good luck, I suppose, if there ain't any more questions I can answer for you lot."
<Soulless> "…"
<Soulless> "We go."
<Soulless> Avery gets up and begins to go.
<ArseneLupin> Bastian does as well. "No point waiting."
<Nemi> ".. Understood." Ophie rises, shouldering her bag, and hurries out.
<Krydderi> Jakey nodsnods and heads out!
<War_> Maddy sits for a moment, thinking, then leaves.
<War_> When he's next seen, he has his usual heavy-duty rucksack and body armour.
<Kaeru> He nods, respecting their drive to head out ASAP. "Transport's already waiting for you."
<Kaeru> (timezoom to where you need to be?)
<ArseneLupin> (YE)
<Krydderi> (Zoom zoom!)
<War_> (yah)
<Nemi> ( nyoom)
<Kaeru> The transport doesn't take you too terribly far, and you stop just off the road at the entrance to a forest path that's rather overgrown from lack of use and travel. Another foundation transport is parked nearby, empty— must be from the folks you're here for.
<ArseneLupin> Bastian makes sure his sniper is loaded and the safety is off, ready to go
<Soulless> Avery looks around as he steps out.
<Nemi> Ophie feels at the handgun inside her coat. She's not very good with it, but it'd help. Hopefully. She peers around, especially at the transport, and if there's tracks or similar indicating egress.
<War_> Maddy, unsurprisingly, looks very uneasy. Even more so on seeing the abandoned transport vehicle.
<Kaeru> There are tracks— clear tiremarks from the vehicle as it pulled off the road, and standard bootprints leading away into the forest. They weren't really trying to hide, it seems.
<Krydderi> Jakey gets his gun ready, staying more in the center of the group if he can.
<Kaeru> The way into the forest is fairly clear, if a bit overgrown, and well-lit by the afternoon sun through the trees.
<ArseneLupin> Bastian takes the lead because he is probably the shootiest person here
<Kaeru> There's a light wind, and movement in the forest— granted it would be concerning if there wasn't. Just wildlife. Probably.
<War_> Probably???
<Kaeru> Probably.
<Nemi> "Looks like they went that way," Ophie points out the tracks.
<War_> concern.jpg
<ArseneLupin> (Concerning that you'd point that out but okay)
<War_> 4df+7 actually can maddy mcFuckin see any traces of people with his weird life-sight bullshit?
<Glacon> War_: actually can maddy mcFuckin see any traces of people with his weird life-sight bullshit?: 9 (4df+7=0, +, 0, +)
<ArseneLupin> Bastian heads to lead and follow the tracks
<War_> GIVE ME ANSWERS DAMMIT.
<Krydderi> Onward! Jakey follows!
<Soulless> Avery follows.
<Soulless> He is a little to the side and away, sneaking about.
<ArseneLupin> Bastian is trying to stay a bit out of sight himself
<Kaeru> Maddy, you can! You can see more life than you usually see with this perception— it's rather beautiful, really. Birds in the trees and underbrush, small doglike creatures— foxes, maybe— jumping around in the near distance, squirrels skittering up and down trunks of trees.
<Kaeru> It's hard to discern much further away through all that's there.
<Nemi> Ophie shivers in her coat. She was apprehensive just being here, but.. She did have medical training courtesy of Novavida, and equipment enough to match, not merely to take samples. She was going to help as much as she could.
<Sax> Away from the party, Nathan approaches from a different vector, watching their progress through Veronica.
<War_> He seems to relax a little bit. Nothing in the forest at least that wants to eat them.
<Sax> Maddy, you could probably see Nathan's outline from far away.
<Kaeru> Maddy, hey, that's a coyote, you think! Bouncy little fella over there. You go, buddy.
<War_> Yeet the 'yote
<Soulless> Avery glances where Nathan is every so often.
<Soulless> He looks for anomalous signs.
<Kaeru> Nothing so far, Avery. Nothing obvious, at least. But this is where you're meant to be— or, at least, the path leading to where you're meant to be.
<Krydderi> Jakey looks around, follows the group, keeping all his dialogue as internal monologue so hooray. He's learned to shut up.
<Sax> Nathan's at a farther distance.
<Kaeru> Maddy, with your perception, you're the first to notice. But you quickly realize your life-sight isn't needed to see this animal. It stands peeking out from some bushes on the side of the path, tipping its head a bit at you. A fox? Looks a bit big for one, but it's got the orangeish fur, so probably a fox. It's a ways off, though.
<Sax> Serving as overwatch.
<ArseneLupin> If the big fox is pointed out the snipers have scopes
<Kaeru> Roll perc if you want to look around.
<Kaeru> Minus Maddy, who already has
<ArseneLupin> 4df+5 lookie
<Glacon> ArseneLupin: lookie: 5 (4df+5=-, -, +, +)
<War_> "Huh…fox."
<War_> "…thought they were more nocturnal, though…"
<Krydderi> 4df+4 Lookie cookie
<Glacon> Krydderi: Lookie cookie: 4 (4df+4=-, +, +, -)
<Sax> 4df+7 As Nathan would be on overwatch, Strongeye tagged
<Glacon> Sax: As Nathan would be on overwatch, Strongeye tagged: 8 (4df+7=0, +, 0, 0)
<Nemi> 4df+6 big brain girl uses big brain eyes
<Glacon> Nemi: big brain girl uses big brain eyes: 5 (4df+6=0, +, -, -)
<Kaeru> Nathan, you see it. Bastian, Jakey, Ophie— you don't. It's shadowed a bit, not moving around much, so it doesn't draw much attention to itself.
<Sax> «All stations, eyes up ahead, I've an unidentified contact at (so and so…). Approach with caution.»
<Kaeru> It's just staring, curious and looking a bit jumpy.
<War_> «Dude, it's a fox.»
<Nemi> Ophie .. carefully shifts herself to the middle of the group, so she's surrounded safely by well-armed people.
<War_> «I…think?»
<Soulless> 4df+2 no perc
<Glacon> Soulless: no perc: 4 (4df+2=+, 0, +, 0)
<TeslaTornado> Bud's a couple feet from Nathan, but he's been busy setting up his own overwatch. So he didn't roll there.
<Krydderi> "Well, try not to startle it I guess?"
<Kaeru> The radios crackle and distort a bit when used, as if there's a bit of interference. A bit more than general background noise, but not enough to stop them from communicating here.
<Soulless> Avery sniffs at this radio.
<Soulless> Doesn't like it crackling.
<Sax> «Advise, words twice, keep chatter low.»
<Sax> Nathan looks to Bud.
<TeslaTornado> He hears the crackling, and then looks over at Nathan. "Comm distortion. Think that's somethin' messing with our radios?"
<Sax> "either a bug or altered EM interference."
<Sax> "Neither of which is good."
<Sax> "Stick to codewords."
<Kaeru> Now that the fox has been pointed out, folks can try to take a closer look. Those with scopes might be able to get a better idea of if the big guy's just a big fox, or maybe it'd be best to hand off a scope to someone with more knowledge in the area to look.
<War_> "Hey do you think I can feed it?"
<War_> "I mean, I know feeding the wildlife is a bad idea but. It's cute?"
<ArseneLupin> Bastian is pretty quiet, pointing out anything he sees and keeping his trigger finger ready
<ArseneLupin> Bastian tries the better look. "Foxes are cute." He concedes
<Sax> Nathan's also monitoring.
<Sax> to Bud: "You know anything of wildlife?"
<Soulless> 4df+6 avery sneaks up to the fox
<Glacon> Soulless: avery sneaks up to the fox: 3 (4df+6=0, -, -, -)
<ArseneLupin> 4df+5 lookie at the fox
<Glacon> ArseneLupin: lookie at the fox: 7 (4df+5=+, +, +, -)
<Kaeru> Maddy, it looks at you. It's a ways off, but when it yips a sharp little bark, you can hear it in the distance. Cute.
<TeslaTornado> Bud shrugs. "Not much more'n anybody else I'd reckon."
<War_> Maddy mimics a small chirp back at it!
<War_> He likes the fluffy boy.
<Kaeru> Bastian, yeah, you don't know a ton about wildlife, but something's off about this little guy. Too small to be a coyote or something, but too big to be a fox, and its nose is a bit wider than the normal pointed fox snoot.
<Nemi> Ophie remains hovering near Bastian, uncomfortable.
<Kaeru> Maddy, it yipyips right back. Yipyap!
<ArseneLupin> "Huh. Weird ass fox. Cant quite figure out how though. Too big? Nose is weird."
<Sax> Nathan's watching their interactions from far away… like over 100m away.
<Kaeru> 4df+3 (perc) it's a bit distracted! It's having a conversation, after all.
<Glacon> Kaeru: (perc) it's a bit distracted! It's having a conversation, after all.: 3 (4df+3=0, 0, 0, 0)
<War_> He makes more chirpy noises.
<War_> Wonders if it likes cookies…
<Kaeru> Avery, you can sneak up decently close to the little guy, but not too too close.
<TeslaTornado> Bud's also that far back, but with the advantage of binoculars, he can watch everything that's happening.
<Soulless> 4df+5 SCIENCE to examin
<Glacon> Soulless: SCIENCE to examin: 4 (4df+5=-, -, +, 0)
<Sax> "… I don't like this."
<Sax> "Hills may have eyes."
<Nemi> Ophie squints. She's sticking with the big gun guy, so she's not close enough to really give it a good look, but that IS odd. She's going to try to suss out what's *wrong* with it.
<War_> He takes a bit of cookie, kinda waves it about and tosses it closer to the fox thing.
<Nemi> 4df+8 (filling in the blanks, per or insight)
<Glacon> Nemi: (filling in the blanks, per or insight): 8 (4df+8=0, +, 0, -)
<War_> Because, it's just a fox, right?
<War_> Probably.
<TeslaTornado> Bud is laid out a couple feet to Nathan's right, propped up on his elbows with a pair of field binoculars. His AN/M2 is set up on its bipod next to him. "Yeah I don't like it either, but we've got position right now. So less somethin' gets us from the back we've got the upper hand."
<TeslaTornado> "F'r now."
<Kaeru> It takes a few steps hesitantly, out of the bushes towards the little cookie bits that it's offered. Sniffsniff. Yip. Now that it's out in the open more, it's easier to see— Ophie, that is not a fox. Well, it's not not a fox— but the nose is too wide, and it's not slender enough. Built more like a small and slender coyote than like a fox, but with colors and ears like a fox. Odd.
<Sax> "Should've brought some claymo- the fuck is that."
<Kaeru> Avery, with how close you are to it, you realize the same thing.
<Sax> "That ain't a fox."
<Nemi> ".. Some kind of hybrid? Looks like a coyote, marked like a fox."
<Kaeru> It's busy nibbling.
<Kaeru> Weird puppy likes the cookie.
<ArseneLupin> "A foxyote if you will…"
<War_> "It's adorable."
<War_> More cookie offerings for the foxyote!
<Sax> "Are they feeding the wildlife?"
<Sax> "Isn't there a law against that?"
<Kaeru> It's cute, but it flashes sharp little chompers when it snatches a thrown cookie bit out of the air. Munches and bounces a bit, yipyips at Maddy.
<ArseneLupin> "Should move forward, it's cute but we have a job to do. Keep an eye on it in case it's anomalous."
<Kaeru> There's another, more distant, yip, quiet enough that you're not sure it was there in the first place. Maybe it's got a buddy.
<War_> "Hey if there's anything I was taught, it's don't piss off the wildlife."
<War_> "Baaad luck man."
<Nemi> "Sure, but you don't want to feed them too.."
<War_> "Yeah I know, I know…"
<TeslaTornado> Bud squints a little bit, but otherwise remains quiet. He makes note of the fact that the thing is… Not normal, but he hasn't noted any behavioral abnormalities yet - so he's put it aside.
<TeslaTornado> He looks to Ophie and Nathan in turn. "Think we should prob'ly pull up sticks and catch up with the rest of the team," he says, lowering his binoculars. "We're gonna blow too much time if we keep sittin' here."
<Sax> "I'll lag behind to keep overwatch, but I will be tailing."
<Nemi> "R-right.." Ophie hustles back on up forward to join Bastian. She's not straying far from Gun Guys.
<Kaeru> The weird orange canine-of-some-sort yaps at you all. Another yap answers it from the bushes off to the left, distant but sound carrying well.
<War_> He distractedly flicks another quarter of a cookie at it, then stands straight.
<War_> "Yeah we should probably keep moving, though…nice to see something cool at least."
<Soulless> :…:
<Kaeru> It turns towards the sound, ears perked. Adorable. Yipyip. A little exchange like a couple of excited small housedogs.
<Soulless> "…"
<Nemi> Ophie swivels toward that direction, increasingly anxious.
<Soulless> Can Avery try to get a leash on it?
<War_> Do Not Leash The Foxyote
<Kaeru> Does Avery have a leash?
<TeslaTornado> Bud had been on the move to catch up with Bastian and co. The answering yap raises the hackles on the back of his neck, but there's nothing amiss about it yet other than confirming the presence of more than one of these things. He makes time pretty quickly, and arrives alongside Maddy in short order.
<Sax> Nathan intentionally lags behind, keeping eyes open with Veronica scanning the hills.
<ArseneLupin> Bastian turns to Bud as he catches up. "Hey you mind switching lead with me? Sniper."
<TeslaTornado> Bud nods. Light machine gun? Makes sense for him to be in the front.
<War_> He's still making chirpy noises tho at the Foxyote(s?)
<ArseneLupin> Bastian nods and heads back, keeping a 60 Meter distance between him and the squad, probably ending up next to Nathan
<TeslaTornado> "We oughtta get movin'. If we gotta grab one of these things we might's well just call in to the site an' have somebody bag one."
<TeslaTornado> "Ain't like we're too far away."
<Nemi> ".. Yeah," Ophie agrees, without her usual cheer or slyness. She's watching the bushes that answered the first 'fox' with wariness.
<War_> "I mean it's probably just some mix-breed? Nothing weird about them."
<Kaeru> Eventually a nose pokes out of some bushes and sniffs a bit before a paw and then a face peeks out from the shadows. This one's a good bit smaller, more the size of a largeish fox, but strange also in structure, bones jutting and exaggerated as if influenced or inspired by cheetah or hyena physiology. It yips a sharp little bark and the other one barks back happily, excitedly.
<War_> "…ohohohokay /that/s a weird one."
<TeslaTornado> Bud looks at this other muttfox, eyes narrowed slightly. Markedly different from the original muttfox, right?
<Soulless> Avery tries to make a leash out of his ropw.
<Kaeru> The bigger one bounces around the little one once it's out of the bushes, butting playfully at it with its head.
<Soulless> Can he try to leash the bigger fox?
<TeslaTornado> Right. "Yeah we're gonna… Avery, don't - that's a bad idea man."
<ArseneLupin> Bastian is silently awwing
<Kaeru> Avery, the lil' fellas are distracted, so you could try— but you might scare them. They're just animals.
<TeslaTornado> "That's a real bad idea."
<Nemi> ".. Foxyena?" Ophie guesses.
<War_> "Avery…no…"
<Soulless> Can Avery hear Bud?
<TeslaTornado> He's speaking at just above a whisper.
<Kaeru> Avery can! He's not too far off.
<Soulless> Avery puts his rope away.
<Kaeru> The puppies can also hear him, and the littler one looks up and yaps sharply at the large man.
<Soulless> Avery looks at Maddy, head tilted. He doesn't know what people want.
<Soulless> Or what to do.
<TeslaTornado> Bud looks at the smaller muttfox. Blinks. His finger stays on the trigger-guard of the Stinger, but he makes no indication of hostile intent.
<Sax> Nathan keeps a 50m separation from the group.
<TeslaTornado> He kind of yips back at it.
<War_> "…god I wanna hug one of them"
<War_> "But we really, /really/ need to, like, get going."
<Sax> He's watching this interaction from afar."
<TeslaTornado> Then makes a shoo-shoo gesture at it.
<Kaeru> It yapyaps. Yapyapyap. Its bark is sharp and high-pitched, carrying well, and it stands its ground, yipyapping away.
<ArseneLupin> Bastian is a few meters behind Nathan then. "Think this is the first time we've worked Overwatch together."
<Kaeru> Eventually there's- oh! There's another one! It's above them, in a tree- okay, that's not where foxes are supposed to be, but it sure seems happy up there. You only notice it because it yips at those below it. It's sleeker, with darker fur, maybe a bit more feline than canine in the ways it deviates from normal foxes.
<TeslaTornado> Bud makes the gesture a couple more times, then sighs. It's persistent, and noisy, but… Debatably, not a threat. For the moment. He looks to Maddy, shakes his head. "Well I cain't get rid of 'em. So we should prob'ly just ignore 'em for now and move on."
<Nemi> Ophie winces at the noise. Jumpy.
<TeslaTornado> He hears the tree-yip, looks up, makes a startled "bwahmp" noise.
<ArseneLupin> Bastian makes note of the cat fox. That is so going on a sweater
<War_> "Yeah we should just…walk…aroun'…"
<War_> He's looking at the tree. Making a ',:| face.
<Kaeru> Its reddish eyes reflect light from the branch it's on. Yip.
<War_> "Boy what in /god's name -"/
<Sax> What kind of light?
<Kaeru> Just light from the sun through the trees.
<ArseneLupin> I imagine that glowy eye thing cats do
<TeslaTornado> "Yyyyeaaaaahhh, I'm all for movin' on as quickly as possible." Bud indicates the way forward.
<Kaeru> It's a bit like that, yup
<War_> Maddy tries to skirt around the pups as well, following Bud
<War_> Tosses bits of cookie behind him further away to distract
<TeslaTornado> "This's just unbearably cute 'n all, but I'm startin' to get the heeby-jeebies standin' around gettin' watched by these things."
<Sax> Nathan keeps to the outskirts, keeping on moving.
<ArseneLupin> Bastian as well. Sniper buds
<Kaeru> The cat fox hops down and runs across the trail in front of you, then back across it, and back again but stops in the middle of it this time. Sits down on its back legs and yaps at you.
<War_> Maddy keeps walking! But tries not to scare the things at the same time
<TeslaTornado> Bud stops momentarily when the thing stops in the trail in front of him, but just for a second. He tries to skirt around it, and keeps going.
<Kaeru> It seems a bit jumpy as you approach it, sniffing, eventually hopping around in little circles around your feet while it sniffs, seeming ready to bolt but curious about the strange new people in its home.
<TeslaTornado> 4df+4 (PERC) He keeps his eyes on his surroundings as he does so.
<Glacon> TeslaTornado: (PERC) He keeps his eyes on his surroundings as he does so.: 3 (4df+4=-, -, 0, +)
<War_> "…I am /this close/ to petting this furry motherfluffer," he mumbles
<Kaeru> It's a quick little fella. Reminds you of a tiny panther or something, with the wide stubby nose and the rounded ears.
<ArseneLupin> (But would it purr is the question)
<Nemi> ".. so many fox everythings," Ophie sticks very, very close to Bud, eying the little zippy dude and .. studying it close.
<TeslaTornado> "Please don' try pettin' those things, they might have rabies," Bud countermumbles.
<Nemi> 4df+8 filling in the blanks, what the heck's your deal lil' guy
<Glacon> Nemi: filling in the blanks, what the heck's your deal lil' guy: 6 (4df+8=-, 0, -, 0)
<Kaeru> Ophie, it seems like some mix between a bunch of animals. Traits from foxes, something like panthers, maybe other canine or feline species too. What the hell could've made that happen you've got nothing. Things like that can't just cross-breed on a whim. Plus, three of these guys with completely different combinations? Unlikely.
<War_> Maddy does the inadvisable anyway and sticks out a closed fist for the creature to sniff, making sure it can't make off with one of his fingers.
<Kaeru> It jumps back a bit before approaching slowly, sniffing. It gives a tiny yip and licks your hand with a tiny lil tongue.
<War_> /"Oh my God."/
<War_> He seems thrilled with this
<Soulless> Avery follow.
<TeslaTornado> Bud lets out an audible sigh.
<Soulless> He begins to draw their shapes.
<Sax> «Stay focused on the mission,» Nathan chides through the radio.
<TeslaTornado> "Mother a' - Maddy."
<Soulless> Detailed notes.
<Soulless> «Yes.»
<Nemi> "Artificial chimerae, maybe?" Ophie hazards, frowning. "They're- I mean, canine hybirds, that's one thing, but these just have *too many* traits that don't happen."
<TeslaTornado> "C'mon."
<Soulless> Avery looks for someone else to go.
<Kaeru> The other two guys are nowhere to be seen. Must have jumped away into the bushes. Probably still nearby, since their buddy is still here.
<War_> "I'msorrybutit'ssocute -" he squeaks out
<TeslaTornado> To Ophie: "Mebbe somebody's got some kinda… Messed-up breedin' operation goin' out here."
<Kaeru> It yipyaps and runs in a tiny circle before sitting back down and looking up at Maddy. Barks. What a weird little dog.
<TeslaTornado> "Dog breeders are friggin' bananas."
<ArseneLupin> «Seriously guys we need to move. People could be in danger."
<Nemi> "No- I mean, these are biologically impossible."
<War_> " - I'm - I'm sorry little guy I gotta go -" he tries to scoot past dogfriend!
<Kaeru> Sure, but they're pretty damn cute, too. The catfox looks at Ophie and yaps.
<Kaeru> It whines a bit and scurries out of the way, jumping around near the bushes a decent distance away. Yipyapyipyap.
<Sax> «Anderson, cover 50 marks to my 9, and we keep scanning. Find the path.»
<TeslaTornado> Bud takes a look at Ophie with eyebrows raised. He's not exactly an expert in taxonomy. He does some quick mental math as he starts forward again. "Might be able t' get it in my backpack if we uh. Huh."
<TeslaTornado> Specific bushes?
<TeslaTornado> Or just generally running around in the brush?
<Sax> (50m left of me, and lookout for threats to the party)
<Kaeru> Not that you can tell, no. Just near a place it could hide, but keeping on its toes, watching from a bit of distance. Excited little yipyapping.
<ArseneLupin> He does so, trying to disappear into the brush as he does, sneaky boi
<Kaeru> Roll them sneaks, boyo
<Sax> Nathan is not sneaking, but instead looking out ahead for threats.
<ArseneLupin> 4df+6
<Glacon> ArseneLupin: 5 (4df+6=0, -, 0, 0)
<TeslaTornado> 4df+2 (SPD) You expect this fat motherfucker to sneak?
<Glacon> TeslaTornado: (SPD) You expect this fat motherfucker to sneak?: 2 (4df+2=+, -, -, +)
<War_> (I think the sneak was just for Bastian)
<Kaeru> You're watched by a few birds, Bastian. Maybe worth a look, with how weird the other wildlife was, but they're just chillin'.
<Nemi> Ophie smiles faintly at the catfox. "Sorry," she says- though curiosity does draw her to peer into the bushes where the lil' guy stopped. Is he trying to show her something? Hmm.
<TeslaTornado> \\whoops
<ArseneLupin> He scopes in on the bird for a lookie
<Kaeru> Finding the path is easy enough— it's a bit winding, with some offshoots and detours, and overgrown especially on these paths, but it's followable.
<TeslaTornado> Bud, who's already suspicious, keeps close to Ophie as she veers off to inspect the bushes.
<Soulless> Avery follows the inspections.
<ArseneLupin> 4df+5 in case I need a perc roll for birb
<Glacon> ArseneLupin: in case I need a perc roll for birb: 7 (4df+5=0, 0, +, +)
<Kaeru> Yeah, that's a sizable bird— bluejay sized, but with a face more like a woodpecker. Hi buddy! It's lookin at you.
<Soulless> Avery is utterly silent, looking around, cautiously.
<ArseneLupin> He reaaaally hopes no one is looking through the animals. He gives it a small wave and keeps moving
<Soulless> This is nothing what he expected from Orion. Maybe he was wrong?
<Sax> Nathan stops at the foot of the path, and looks up the path with Veronica.
<ArseneLupin> «Weird birds too»
<Kaeru> It doesn't make any noise. Just watches.
<ArseneLupin> «Think it might be watching me, probably nothing but note»
<Kaeru> Flutters a bit, pulls a bit of dirt out of a wing, pruning idly and shifting its stance on the branch.
<TeslaTornado> «Heard.» Bud looks over at Ophie: "Birds're weird too. There's a pattern here."
<Soulless> Avery folloes Ophie. Whwere we go?
<TeslaTornado> "I don't like patterns."
<Sax> «Assume hills have eyes, stay silent.»
<Sax> Nathan turns off his radio after this.
<Nemi> Assuming Ophie doesn't find anything notable in the brush, she returns to Bud's side and nods. "Looks like all the wildlife is chimeraic- hold on." She inspects the trees, too, looking for hybrid traits in the plant life as well.
<Nemi> 4df+8 filling in the blanks
<Glacon> Nemi: filling in the blanks: 6 (4df+8=-, 0, 0, -)
<Kaeru> Nothing in the bushes, nope, that you can see. The birds are similarly strange, more subtly— but the strangest thing is something that isn't noticeable.
<Kaeru> No birdsong.
<Kaeru> They're silent.
<Nemi> ".. why is it so quiet?" Ophie suddenly notes.
<Nemi> "The birds- they're- not singing."
<TeslaTornado> Bud looks up at that statement. Scans the trees.
<TeslaTornado> That's… Not right.
<War_> "They're…not?"
<War_> "…huh."
<Sax> Nathan pulls back the bolt on Veronica, its action probably deafening given the silence.
<ArseneLupin> «Alright I dont like this we move now»
<Kaeru> The breeze through the leaves makes rustling noises, and there's skittering of wildlife nearby and the occasional excited yip of a familiar little buddy. But no, no birds, when you start to listen for it.
<Sax> He flicks radio back to TX.
<TeslaTornado> He draws in a slow breath, then looks back to the trail. He also racks the bolt on the Stinger. «Heard. Keep it tight. Noncoms in the middle.»
<TeslaTornado> Bud gestures to Maddy, Ophie, and Avery, signaling that the inspection tour is over, and gets back on the trail.
<Sax> «Anderson, scan the 9, I got three and rear. Beineke, cover front.»
<Kaeru> It gets a bit more shadowy further along the path, but you're free to head onward…
<Sax> «Something tells me we're not alone.»
<War_> Maddy follow!
<Kaeru> The further you go the jankier coms seem to get. They cut in and out erratically.
<ArseneLupin> Bastian covers, still 60 Meters back and 50 meters to the right
<War_> Can he See anything else?
<Sax> Nathan's opposite, keeping watching.
<Kaeru> A lot of birds. Lots of birds, but no birdsong.
<Kaeru> A lot of birds. They move around a bit, but not as much as you'd expect. They mostly just sit around, like they're waiting, or watching.
<TeslaTornado> Bud raises the radio to his mouth as he walks. «Anderson, Audley. Comms're going spotty. Expect to be fully in the blind soon.»
<War_> "There's so many…" he mumbles
<Kaeru> Bastian, Nathan, you get bits and pieces of Bud's message— enough to understand his meaning, though.
<Sax> «Got it. Keep it tight.»
<Sax> Nathan begins moving close to the group.
<ArseneLupin> He scopes in on them so he can keep watch on them, keeping his 60 meter distance for the moment
<ArseneLupin> But moving so he's in view of them
<TeslaTornado> Bud returns the radio to his belt, and reaches forward, turning on the flashlight that's been attached to the barrel of the Stinger, and scans it along the trees ahead of him. Partially to gauge the birds' reaction to it, partially to ensure the lights don't suddenly go out.
<ArseneLupin> No more stealth
<Soulless> Avery stays in the middle.
<Kaeru> Nathan, as you're walking, you notice a bird on the ground in your path. It seems surprisingly unafraid of you, looks up at you from maybe 10 feet away.
<Soulless> He looks for signs of the source of the animals.
<Kaeru> Bud, the birds flutter away from the sudden light, seeming agitated.
<Nemi> Ophie remains close to Bud, visibly anxious.
<Sax> Nathan keeps Veronica pointed at it as he slowly approaches.
<Kaeru> It hops away a bit to keep distance from him. Doesn't make any noise, though.
<Kaeru> Flutters to perch on top of a nearby bush. Keeps watching.
<Sax> "… alright."
<TeslaTornado> Bud seems calm, or at least he's putting forward as though he is. He looks down to Ophie for a moment, then back up at the trail. "Y'all got flashlights?"
<Sax> He keeps on moving.
<TeslaTornado> "They don't like it when the light gets on 'em."
<Soulless> Avery nod.
<Kaeru> It watches you as you go, Nathan, but seems content to let you keep moving without getting in your way.
<Sax> He keeps on moving, rejoining the group.
<Nemi> "Y-yeah," Ophie nods, fishing out her flashlight.
<Kaeru> Scanning lights over the trees reflects off of a lot of pairs of little round eyes. A lot— Maddy wasn't kidding. But they always quickly duck out of the light, fluttering and irritated.
<ArseneLupin> To be clear we're moving while all this happens right?
<TeslaTornado> Bud keeps moving, but he reaches back at one point to gently pat Ophie's shoulder. "This's gonna be fine. Just stay close, eh?"
<TeslaTornado> Bud has been moving forward, yeah.
<Sax> Nathan takes a light and secures it to Veronica's stock.
<Kaeru> Ophie, your flashlight finds a bird and it doesn't move, this one. It stares at you and fluffs up, shuffling from foot to foot and shaking its wings, opening its beak slightly, slowly. That's one unhappy bird.
<Nemi> Ophie.. squeaks and lowers her flashlight from its face. "Sorry..!" She practically bumps into Bud as she tries to evade.
<Soulless> Avery keeps moving down their oath.
<Soulless> *path
<Kaeru> It seems to relax a bit, pruning a wing, once the light is off of it, but it's harder to see in the shadows.
<Soulless> Towards their destination?
<Kaeru> Little clearings and less overgrown areas dot the path, but nothing too noteworthy, at least for a while. Just the strange wildlife.
<TeslaTornado> Bud does a quick little sidestep when Ophie almost runs into him. Something occurs to him, then. Old woodsman's logic. Unfamiliar trails, hostile wildlife… He takes the knife out of his belt and calls a halt to the group.
<TeslaTornado> Then steps off to the side of the trail and looks for a suitably girthy tree.
<Kaeru> Easy enough to find.
<Sax> Nathan halts and holds ground.
<ArseneLupin> Bastian overwatches, checking behind him as well to make sure they're not being followed and no one is trying to sneak up on them
<TeslaTornado> Bud carves a quick mark into the tree trunk. Just a circle with a slash through it.
<Sax> Nathan looks at Bud.
<Soulless> Avery looks to Bud.
<Soulless> He chirps.
<TeslaTornado> "If we get broken up 'r lost," Bud says as he returns to the trail, putting the knife back in its belt holster, "look fer that."
<TeslaTornado> "Gonna make a few more every now'n then."
<Nemi> "Y-yeah- good thinking.."
<Kaeru> After a bit of walking, there is something notable. A clearing around a bend in the path. There's a figure, sitting against a tree and gazing up lazily at the clouds through the opening in the canopy above. One of the foxthings is curled up beside him, and his hand rests on its side gently. He wears foundation security gear, with the heavier pieces discarded with his weaponry to one side of him. Seems content, smiling faintly at the clouds.
<Kaeru> This is especially odd once you notice the severe-looking wound to his side that stains his uniform dark red across his side and abdomen. His hands are similarly stained by drying blood, and some has gotten on the little fox where he's pet it.
<Nemi> Ophie's immediately unnerved. She tucks her flashlight under an arm to check her satchel for medical supplies.
<ArseneLupin> And Bastian is gonna duck into a bush again
<ArseneLupin> Hidy time
<Kaeru> He doesn't seem to really notice any of you. A bit spacey, happy with looking up at the clouds.
<War_> Maddy switches into Medic Mode(tm), but is looking to the rest of the team for advice
<ArseneLupin> 4df+6 Sneaky Boi for safety
<Glacon> ArseneLupin: Sneaky Boi for safety: 8 (4df+6=-, +, +, +)
<Kaeru> Oh yeah, he definitely doesn't notice you, Bastian
<TeslaTornado> Bud stops. Pulls up the gun. Puts the flashlight beam on the security agent. He's discarded his plates and his weapons. Severe wound to the abdomen, plus blood loss - he's likely in shock.
<Nemi> ".. We need to secure and stabilize him. That kind of injury-"
<TeslaTornado> "Nate. Got somebody."
<ArseneLupin> He pulls out his Heavier Sniper and set up with a good view on the clearing from 60 Meters back, ready in case whatever got him is around
<Sax> "Got it."
<Sax> Nathan checks radio.
<TeslaTornado> Bud looks to Ophie, then to Maddy. "Okay. I'm gonna move in on him, one of you stay close behind me. Prep him for triage, an' be ready for somethin' bad."
<Soulless> Avery looks ober.
<Kaeru> Getting closer, you can recognize him from the personnel files from the briefing. One of the two security agents. Maliki Baker, the name was— mostly a scout and front-line fighter.
<Soulless> He looks for signs of a fight.
<Nemi> "You got it," Ophie stays close, looking to Maddy with a firm nod.
<Kaeru> Nathan, the radio's out. It's still functioning, but it's distorted to shit— nothing's getting through.
<War_> Maddy nods. He's set his bag down and is gloving up already.
<Nemi> Ophie tugs her gloves on. She wasn't a doctor proper so she's content with following the more well-trained operative and assisting.
<Kaeru> The fox fella looks up when you approach, seems a bit wary, but stays where it is under the man's hand. The man himself just sighs and keeps staring at the clouds. He seems to know you're there, now, but doesn't seem to care that much.
<TeslaTornado> Bud waits for Maddy and Ophie to get ready, then approaches with the Stinger at port arms. He closes until he's about two feet from Baker, then crouches down. "Agent Baker? Agent Beineke, Psi-7. We're here t' retrieve you an' your fireteam."
<TeslaTornado> "I have medical personnel with me. Can you move?"
<Kaeru> The fox hops up and bounces around to the other side of him to keep some distance from the unfamiliar person. Maliki, himself, doesn't look over. Just sighs again. "Oh. That's alright, I suppose. Bound to happen eventually." He speaks slowly, as if tired, low-energy and unenthusiastic.
<TeslaTornado> Bud looks uneasily between Maddy and Ophie. "That's… You s'pose it's alright?"
<Soulless> No signs of combat? Fight?
<Soulless> Signs where the injury came from?
<ArseneLupin> Bastian is actively looking for anything moving in the treeline
<Kaeru> Avery, you see some signs of fighting— flattened and disturbed grass, a few bullet holes in nearby trees. Nothing too blatant, nothing to tell you exactly what happened here.
<Sax> "I've no radio coverage."
<War_> "With an injury like that there's a chance he could be in shock."
<War_> Maddy gets close to assess the damage, hovering around the agent as not to be too intrusive.
<Sax> "Either he comes with us, or we need to get out of the dead zone to get an extraction."
<Kaeru> Bastian, rustle rustle. It's a forest, buddy, there's wildlife around.
<Nemi> "I think he's in shock," Ophie chimes. "And- Uh- hopefully?" She looks to Maddy for direction even as she examines the agent. She's trying to figure out what's wrogn with him- if it's just shock and bloodloss or something else afecting his brain.
<ArseneLupin> Yeah, he's looking for anything out of the ordinary for a forest
<Kaeru> Hard to tell, but everything seems normal.
<Kaeru> Well, normal-ish. Nothing new that's abnormal.
<War_> "I wanna say hypovolemic shock with the amount of blood. Going off of that until we figure everything out."
<ArseneLupin> He is not moving from hidey hole still, getting his Heavy Sniper nice and prepped for fucking anything that needs it
<TeslaTornado> Bud maintains the perimeter, about two feet back. He's watching the edge of the clearing for movement, listening for sounds. Now that the medics are at work, his job has become point defense.
<War_> To the agent: "Hey, uh, any chance I can get ya to lay down for me?"
<Sax> Nathan's assisting with maintaining a perimeter as well, covering what Bud and Bastian aren't watching.
<Nemi> ".. doesn't look like he's been affected by any anomalous agents or chemicals, as much as I can guess," Ophie chimes. "Can't really tell without taking samples."
<Kaeru> He lifts a hand slightly to lazily wave Maddy away as if dismissing an offer. "That's alright. I'm fine here. Don't feel bad, look. See?" He points up at the clouds. "Beautiful, really. And hey, force of nature, right?" He chuckles tiredly, then sighs. "Some things are just meant to be, I guess. And it's not such a bad place to be."
<Soulless> "…"
<Soulless> "Please explain what hurt you."
<Soulless> "And where the others are."
<TeslaTornado> Bud looks at the guy for just a second. Chews the inside of his lip.
<Kaeru> He points again, smiles faintly. "Look, look. You can see the stars, if you look closely. See them?" A deep breath, content and relaxed. "They sound so pretty, too." He doesn't answer the question, Avery.
<War_> "…yeah I'm gonna definitely say this man is in shock."
<War_> He very carefully tries to get him to lay down, waving over Ophie in case he needs help.
<TeslaTornado> "Agent Baker, you may be in shock. I'm gonna need you to explain what you meant by that statement."
<Kaeru> He pushes Maddy away very gently, staying where he is. "I can see the sky from here," he objects. "I want to see the sky."
<War_> "N' I promise you can still see it when you lay down. Promise."
<War_> "It's important."
<TeslaTornado> 4df+4 (PERC) Just gonna roll this to be sure I can see anything that might be sneaking on us
<Glacon> TeslaTornado: (PERC) Just gonna roll this to be sure I can see anything that might be sneaking on us: 5 (4df+4=+, 0, -, +)
<Kaeru> He looks over at Bud, tearing his eyes away from the sky for a moment. "You can't hear them?" Looks back at the sky. "That's a shame. They're singing. I'm sure they'd want you to listen, if you could."
<Kaeru> Bud, you don't see anything out of the ordinary.
<TeslaTornado> Or hear anything?
<Kaeru> Nope.
<TeslaTornado> "How can you hear 'em, Agent Baker?"
<ArseneLupin> 4df+5 Double checking that perc because paranoia
<Glacon> ArseneLupin: Double checking that perc because paranoia: 3 (4df+5=0, -, 0, -)
<ArseneLupin> Noooope
<TeslaTornado> \\The pollen count in this forest is super high isn't it Bastian
<War_> Maddy chews his lip.
<War_> Uncooperative patients are never easy.
<ArseneLupin> \\Allergies are a bitch
<Kaeru> He takes a deep breath and sighs. "I don't know," he admits tiredly. "They started singing, and said I could listen. The others couldn't hear them, either. It's sad. They're so beautiful."
<Nemi> Ophie is already by Maddy, ready to assist. "Singing? What-?"
<Kaeru> Maddy, he seems to either be ignoring your request, or has forgotten that you asked anything of him in the first place.
<War_> He tries again to coax the man to lie down, with a little more strength but not enough to harm.
<War_> "This guy's gonna bleed out if we can't get him to cooperate."
<TeslaTornado> "I can restrain him if we gotta."
<Sax> "Restrain him or put him out of his misery."
<Kaeru> He doesn't seem to bother to resist this time, Maddy. He's tired, doesn't seem to muster the energy for it. Just sighs.
<TeslaTornado> Bud has been making mental notes this whole time. "Nate, he knows somethin'. If we lose him we're in the dark."
<Sax> "Then make him better against his own will."
<TeslaTornado> He reluctantly gets up, releases the grip of the Stinger. Moves to carefully adjust the wounded agent into a laying down position.
<TeslaTornado> And then, even more carefully, he puts his hands on Baker's shoulders.
<War_> He huffs a sigh of relief.
<War_> He tries to remove what bits of the uniform he can - either by tugging it or cutting it away - to look at the wound.
<Kaeru> As he's moved to lie down, it's clear that he's been injured more than just the obvious injury in his side. One of his eyes has a cut across it that damages the eye itself, but old enough that the blood has dried over. Scuff marks and scrapes, his right hand that had been sitting in the grass by his side mildly mangled by what are clearly bitemarks of some kind. None of this seems to bother him.
<TeslaTornado> Bud knows enough to put two and two together when presented with that much obvious input. "… Somethin' bit him."
<Nemi> Ophie remains close, attentive and ready to hand Maddy whatever implements hen eeds.
<TeslaTornado> "Somethin' mean."
<Kaeru> The wound on his side is a series of four slashes, middle two deep enough to cause serious damage. Like clawmarks, but big enough to be concerning.
<TeslaTornado> "Clawed him up diresome, too."
<TeslaTornado> To Maddy: "Get a blood sample off 'im."
<Kaeru> Maddy, roll medicine, if you will
<War_> "This is, this is gonna take a while to clean up. He's gonna need stitches."
<War_> a healy roll or a flat 4df+medscore roll?
<Soulless> 4df+8 anomalous examination, wtf
<Glacon> Soulless: anomalous examination, wtf: 11 (4df+8=+, 0, +, +)
<Kaeru> just a roll, to see what more you know.
<War_> 4df+6 tell me things
<Glacon> War_: tell me things: 7 (4df+6=0, +, +, -)
<Soulless> Avery wants to know what's wrong.
<Kaeru> Avery, okay, you notice— that's not quite right. The way blood has dried on his side, on his hand— Maddy, you see it too— it's not just that.
<Soulless> Why he's being like that.
<Kaeru> You thought it was at first, but it's not right.
<Kaeru> It's shaped wrong. Little jagged points like crystal shards in the wounds, tiny and almost not visible, covered over by drying blood.
<Soulless> Can Avery try to extract a crystal?
<Kaeru> But they're not foreign objects, not debris or projectiles. They seem to have come from him, not from somewhere else.
<War_> He looks at Avery looking, tilts his head in question.
<War_> Silently asking 'are you seeing this too?'
<Soulless> Avery's eyes widen.
<Soulless> Can he try to remove one?
<Soulless> He looks to Maddy. "…This injury is not."
<Kaeru> Avery can try, if he wants— they're mostly fairly small, but a few are large enough to try to extract. You can't be sure what it'd do to Maliki, though.
<War_> "…I have sample bottles in my bag. We should take it for analysis."
<War_> "….if it's safe to."
<TeslaTornado> Bud pulls in a breath, lets it out. "I got a feelin' that safe ain't gonna figure into this for too much longer."
<Kaeru> Maddy, you know it could hurt him, especially if these little things are more connected to him than imbedded debris might be.
<TeslaTornado> "An' we gotta get what we can outta this guy. Even if that means somethin' literal."
<War_> "…and if we try to extract a foreign object without the correct equipment, we could do more damage."
<War_> "I have /field/ equipment, not an entire department in my bag."
<TeslaTornado> Bud, who isn't a medic but is definitely familiar with… Exotic injuries, grimaces.
<Sax> "Focus on keeping him stable until we can extract."
<Kaeru> He doesn't seem to take much notice of the discussion. Just stares up at the sky, smiling softly, content and serene.
<TeslaTornado> He quickly checks Baker's pulse. To Nate: "We stabilize him, we might be able to keep him with the group 'til we extract."
<TeslaTornado> "We leave him behind, there's a chance whatever got 'im before might catch his scent 'n come back to."
<War_> "I don't know if I can close these wounds with these…things in them."
<War_> "The best I can do is treat the more minor injuries, stabilise him as best we can and pray he actually. Actually stays, stays alive 'til we can, get him out."
<TeslaTornado> "… Finish the job."
<Nemi> ".. it doesnt look like it's a foreign object. It looks like it grew from inside him." Ophie studies the crystalline growths, trying to see if she can figure out what they *are*.
<Nemi> 4df+8 (sifting through, sci/med?)
<Kaeru> Oh. Bud, that's odd. That's a bit too slow. He probably should be awake. But he is? Maybe it's why he seems so spacey, low-energy.
<Glacon> Nemi: (sifting through, sci/med?): 12 (4df+8=+, +, +, +)
<TeslaTornado> To Ophie: "What, like they were growin' there?"
<Soulless> "…"
<Soulless> "There was a fight."
<TeslaTornado> "Also I just gotta make a note, this guy - he shouldn't be awake by now with his pulse."
<TeslaTornado> "He'd be out like a light right now if this were normal."
<Soulless> "…"
<Soulless> "Then he would not be finished off."
<Soulless> "He's being put here."
<Kaeru> Ophie! The crystals are red on their own, even without the blood, a dull sort of scarlet and semi-transparent. They do seem to have grown from the wounds, and there are quite a few tiny little shards that you hadn't noticed before.
<War_> Maddy's looking increasingly anxious right now.
<War_> Is there any way he can safely stabilise the wounds?
<Kaeru> Maddy, you can't be sure how the strangeness of the wounds will effect things, but you can certainly try to patch him up normally
<Nemi> ".. there's more of them growing from him. I think his biomass is slowly being converted..?"
<TeslaTornado> Bud hears Avery's words, and one hand immediately raises away from Baker's shoulder to grab the grip of his 1911 and withdraw it.
<TeslaTornado> 4df+4 (PERC) Perimeter security
<Glacon> TeslaTornado: (PERC) Perimeter security: 6 (4df+4=+, 0, 0, +)
<ArseneLupin> 4df+5 Bastian joining in on that one
<War_> 1d4+3 (Bonus from heavy wound stabilisation)
<Glacon> ArseneLupin: Bastian joining in on that one: 4 (4df+5=0, 0, -, 0)
<Glacon> War_: (Bonus from heavy wound stabilisation): 4 (1d4+3=1)
<War_> boy
<Kaeru> Some nearby rustling, Bud, that catches your attention, but nothing after a few seconds of watching. Probably just some forest animal. Nothing else noteworthy
<ArseneLupin> >Probably
<Sax> 4df+8 Nathan's also maintaining the perimeter (Strongeye tagged)
<Glacon> Sax: Nathan's also maintaining the perimeter (Strongeye tagged): 7 (4df+8=0, 0, -, 0)
<Sax> (Meant 4df+7, whoops)
<Kaeru> You see the same thing as Bud, Nathan
<teslatornado> \\missed everything after my roll
<Kaeru> Bastian, you don't see much of anything
<ArseneLupin> Bastian Bushman continues his watch then silently
<Kaeru> Maddy, it's a bit tricky, but you think you manage to stabilize him…
<Kaeru> It's hard to tell if he's really stable, though. His pulse is still so slow.
<teslatornado> "We got movement in the bushes," Bud says quickly. "Get him stable 'n ready to mobilize because we cain't stick 'round here much longer."
<Soulless> 4df+5 logic- can Avery put together what happened here?
<Glacon> Soulless: logic- can Avery put together what happened here?: 2 (4df+5=-, 0, -, -)
<Kaeru> He sure can't
<teslatornado> \\It was a furry convention
<teslatornado> \\He never stood a chance
<War_> "He's. Gonna need a transfusion as soon as we can get one. The fact he's even alive right now is, is…"
<Kaeru> Unusual. It's unusual.
<Kaeru> He probably shouldn't be
<Kaeru> Hell, if you'd guess, you'd think somehow those crystals are keeping him alive. Because they're the only additional variable
<Nemi> Ophie is going to try to see if she can't suss out what all happened here herself. Tagging logic and Sifting Through to try to piece together the TRUFF.
<Nemi> 4df+7
<War_> "…God, what is this…" he hisses out.
<Glacon> Nemi: 7 (4df+7=-, +, +, -)
<teslatornado> "Maddy it's bait is what it is." Bud looks urgent. He waits patiently for Maddy to finish stabilizing Baker, and is ready to lift him into a carry position and move him.
<Soulless> Avery is also on high alert, as much as he can be anyways.
<Kaeru> Ophie, there was a struggle. Bullet shells and flattened grass, a few places where blood has dried on grass or leaves. At least three if not four combatants, and whatever they were fighting was- well, 'big' would be the first thing that came to mind. Big enough to half-uproot a tree off the side of the clearing after, presumably, running/crashing into it.
<War_> Maddy has done all he can.
<Kaeru> Big enough to cause those slashmarks on Maliki's side.
<Nemi> ".. large creature- possibly all four team members fought it. It struck Maliki down, thus causing the larger wound. Possibly infected him with something..? The crystals seem to be growing out of him and they're still growing as we watch."
<Nemi> "But- it's keeping him alive, too.. Maybe hybridization vector like with the wildlife-..?" Ophie's muttering half to herself.
<teslatornado> Bud first releases his grip on Baker's shoulders. He quickly breaks down and stows his machine gun, then - once he's stowed it - he makes a few adjustments to his field gear and then gingerly lifts Baker into a carry.
<teslatornado> "Might behoove us to try'n get a couple live ones on the way back out then," Bud says. "If this's the same situation."
<Kaeru> Ophie, combining what you see of the area with Maliki's wounds, you'd guess some kind of animal, feline or canine— claws like that, and teeth to cause the wounds on his hand.
<War_> Maddy's hovering about like an anxious worrywart, making sure the agent doesn't wind up any more hurt than he already is.
<Nemi> ".. large canine. Maybe feline. Claws."
<Kaeru> Maddy, he looks at you, smiles softly. "Wish you could hear them," he murmurs in barely more than a whisper.
<War_> Maddy just looks more /uneasy./
<teslatornado> Bud already looks uneasy. He glances to the other two hitters. Gestures to the trail.
<teslatornado> "We gotta motor now."
<teslatornado> "Don't know what got him or where it is, but it's big, it's got bite, an' it might not be dead."
<ArseneLupin> Bastian hops out of his bush and switches back to normal sniper. "Rodger."
<Kaeru> He looks back to the sky, sighs. "Don't piss off the birds," he sighs. "They don't sing like the stars do. Don't want to hear that. They don't like the light. Don't like it at all."
<Nemi> Ophie nods and straightens up. "So noted.."
<ArseneLupin> Bastian is still staying 60 Meters back for reference
<War_> "Told you guys we, we shouldn't piss off the wildlife."
<Soulless> He looks for other injured animals.
<Kaeru> Bastian, the mentioned birds are watching you
<teslatornado> Bud hears the muttering from over his shoulder and his ears perk up. He pulls back the hammer on his pistol and makes sure Baker is secure before he moves forward. "What about the foxes?"
<Soulless> "…"
<Soulless> "Like the stars do."
<ArseneLupin> Yeah he knows, and he does not like it
<Soulless> "The sun is also a star."
<War_> He looks to Avery, tilting his head.
<Soulless> "We should take him and keep going. He is a subject now."
<Soulless> "…I believe it was written that Julian Gale had a long-healing wound, also."
<Soulless> "I do not know if it is related."
<Kaeru> He chuckles tiredly. "The foxes are just nervous," he murmurs. "Hostile, if you- scare them. Don't scare them. They don't want to fight you. Don't want to."
<Kaeru> "But they will. Can. If they have to. Quick little guys…"
<teslatornado> "Yeah, figured." Bud snorts. "Think ev'rybody else on the team might tear my guts out if I shot one anyway."
<Kaeru> "Watch out for the little ones," he sighs before falling quiet, just looking up at the sky, breath faint and shallow.
<Soulless> "…"
<Soulless> "We go now."
<Soulless> "We bring him."
<ArseneLupin> Out of curiosity, how long have we been here In Game Time
<Kaeru> Maybe an hour? Bit more?
<teslatornado> Bud, who has been standing there with Baker over his shoulder the whole time, just blinks.
<teslatornado> "Naw, I intended to stand here with him fer another hour."
<ArseneLupin> Bastian is gun ready and set to move out
<Sax> "I'll take point."
<Sax> "Anderson, cover rear."
<ArseneLupin> "Way ahead of you. Well, behind you technically but you get the point."
<Kaeru> The old warehouse isn't far off. It's where the anomaly was detected. Should be able to see it once you round the corner here.
<Sax> Nathan sets off to take point.
<Sax> And praying that today isn't his lasy.
<Sax> last*
<ArseneLupin> Bastian is gonna sneaky while they walk
<ArseneLupin> 4df+6 SNK
<Glacon> ArseneLupin: SNK: 8 (4df+6=+, 0, +, 0)
<Kaeru> sneaky boy!
<ArseneLupin> The sneakiest!
<Kaeru> Even the birds don't seem to pay you much mind.
<ArseneLupin> Heavy Sniper Ready while he walks
<ArseneLupin> Yeah fuck off birds
<teslatornado> Bud drifts to the middle of the formation, Baker restrained by one hand, the 1911 in the other.
<teslatornado> Fuckin' birds.
<teslatornado> Dumbass feathery bitches.
<Kaeru> If they could hear you, they'd be offended. They're watching, shuffling and agitated on their branches.
<Kaeru> Fewer, though, as you get nearer to the warehouse.
<Nemi> Ophie remains close to Bud, bag tight to her side.
<Sax> "Animal life is thinning out."
<Kaeru> As a matter of fact, there it is— ahead of you all, tall and shadowed in the trees.
<Soulless> Avery begins to follow.
<War_> Maddy is still here. Following. Probably.
<ArseneLupin> 60 Meters Back there's a Bastian in the bushes following
<Kaeru> It's large and somewhat rusted-out, old in design and damaged by time. Doors are half-open, damaged enough that they probably can't close completely. Rusty, glass long since shattered in the doors, hinges half-broken.
<teslatornado> "Ain't sure if that's good or bad," Bud says softly to himself. As the team approaches, he scans the warehouse's general vicinity for any outbuildings that he could secure Agent Baker in.
<Kaeru> Inside is dark, but no darker than the shadowy forest outside. There are a few lights, but barely any seem to be working, and even those that work are dim and flickery, spark in and out of use.
<Soulless> Avery looks for signs of people.
<Kaeru> It seems to be the only nearby building.
<Soulless> He shines a flashlight in.
<ArseneLupin> How well can Bastian see in once they start shining flashlight in?
<Kaeru> Avery, tracks lead up to the building, and your flashlight catches cobwebs and lengthens shadows. But nothing too noteworthy.
<War_> 4df+7 people? Eh. Spec thing.
<Glacon> War_: people? Eh. Spec thing.: 6 (4df+7=0, -, -, +)
<teslatornado> Bud makes that frustrated 'mmm' noise in the back of his throat. He just tries to keep out of the way for the moment.
<Kaeru> Maddy, something weird with your life-sight. Blurry. You can't quite be sure, but there might be people- or at least something alive- further on.
<Sax> Nathan stops where he is, 50m from the door, and kneels down, steadying Veronica.
<Sax> "Harpur, you got anything?"
<War_> "Something. Dunno what."
<ArseneLupin> How big is the warehouse anyways?
<Kaeru> Inside the doors, looking forward quickly is obstructed by a half-fallen set of metal shelves that's propped up against some still-standing ones on the left. Fallen boxes, wood and cardboard, broken and splintered and covered in cobwebs and dust. On the right, almost all of the massive metal shelving units have fallen like dominos atop each other.
<Kaeru> It's rather large— industrial, probably, but an old building.
<Nemi> "Oooold. Probably decades abandoned."
<ArseneLupin> Probably not gonna be able to get a good shot from the outside in huh?
<Kaeru> The kind of warehouse that's just one massive room with a bunch of shelves throughout it.
<Kaeru> No, there's too much in the way to see in very far.
<teslatornado> "Structurally stable from the outside, at least."
<teslatornado> "Probably not gonna fall in on us." Bud says that 'probably' like it's not off the table for the whole building to blow over in a stiff breeze while they're inside.
<ArseneLupin> Thought so. Bastian switches back to normal sniper and heads up to join the rest, still sneaking
<Nemi> "Yeah- the construction itself looks solid."
<Nemi> "Not seeing much decay in the concrete or anything. Prrrobably.. forties, war-time vintage?"
<teslatornado> "That or shortly after, I'd bet."
<Kaeru> As you all approach, a reluctant little foxcreature— one of the small, hyena-like ones— runs out from behind you to stand in front of you, facing away from the doors. Yips, stands its ground. Not really guarding, but it doesn't seem to want you to go inside.
<Sax> "Harpur, keep eyes open, and let us know if something changes."
<Kaeru> It bristles like it's on-edge.
<Sax> "Something's inside."
<Nemi> ".. something bad's in there, isn't it, little guy?"
<Kaeru> I say 'one of the', but you haven't ever seen two of the same type near each other. It's possible there's only one of each kind.
<Soulless> Avery blinks at it.
<Kaeru> It yips. And yaps. And runs back and forth in front of the door before sitting down in front of it, tail flicking irritably.
<Soulless> "Yip twice if you understand."
<Kaeru> It looks at you, Avery, and blinks. Yaps. But just once, responding to your voice more than to any kind of understood meaning.
<Sax> "…"
<Soulless> "No answers."
<Soulless> "I understand there is a way to secure an entrance before we move in."
<Sax> Nathan begins walking around the building, looking for a second point of ingress.
<Soulless> "Tell me how I can help d that." He doesn't seem to be talking to the fox at that point.
<teslatornado> Bud shifts uneasily. With Baker over his shoulder, he seems pretty out of sorts, even with his sidearm in hand.
<Kaeru> It's hard to get to the sides of the building, the forest thick and no path to follow. But looking at the sides, you don't see any other doors besides the one in the front face.
<teslatornado> "Just gotta make sure the exterior of the buildin' ain't got any traps on it. Nothin' leanin' out over you, nobody with a gun on you."
<Kaeru> Avery, something knows you're there. But it doesn't respond. At least, not yet.
<Nemi> Ophie is not exactly a pointman either.
<teslatornado> Bud frets for another minute, and then finally puts down Baker, trying to at least place him in an area where he's visually obscured and mostly safe from harm.
<Kaeru> There's still a very small guard in the way of the doors.
<teslatornado> Once he does that, he gets his Stinger back together, and waits for Nathan to come back with information.
<Kaeru> Baker doesn't seem to object, really.
<teslatornado> 4df+4 (PERC) He also takes a cursory glance at the exterior of the building, looking for fire exits or ladders, roof access, et cetera.
<Glacon> teslatornado: (PERC) He also takes a cursory glance at the exterior of the building, looking for fire exits or ladders, roof access, et cetera.: 5 (4df+4=+, +, 0, -)
<Sax> Nathan follows the building sides anways.
<Kaeru> You don't see anything, Bud. Anything like that has probably long since rusted and broken away anyhow.
<Sax> 4df+5 Visually scouting without Veronica for anything of interest
<Glacon> Sax: Visually scouting without Veronica for anything of interest: 3 (4df+5=0, 0, -, -)
<Kaeru> Nathan, you don't see anything at all, really. It's dark and the forest is thick, making progress slow and difficult, and only getting worse.
<teslatornado> "… Alright." Bud sighs. "We gotta get in there. An' this is the only way."
<teslatornado> "Unless somebody's got int'rest in climbin'."
<Sax> Nathan returns.
<Sax> "Forest thickens significantly."
<Sax> "No good."
<teslatornado> "Not good."
<teslatornado> Bud shuffles his feet. Looks anxious. "… Guess we gotta go in this way. No choice."
<Kaeru> The little door guard-dog runs tiny circles, yipping irritably.
<Soulless> Avery looks around.
<teslatornado> Bud kneels down and looks at the muttfox. "What's in there, buddy?"
<teslatornado> "We gotta do this."
<Soulless> Does he know what that something is?
<Soulless> "Hello?"
<Kaeru> Avery doesn't, no. Can't be sure.
<Kaeru> Bud, it stops running around and looks at you, yips and yaps and jumps around a bit.
<teslatornado> Bud headtilts at it. Points inside the warehouse.
<Soulless> "…Something knows we are here."
<Soulless> He rubs the back of his neck. "We should head inside."
<Kaeru> Stops moving around to stand in front of the door, yaps. Two little shards of reddish crystal seem to materialize on either side of its head, floating just above and beside its pointy little ears. It yips and haps and jumps, grabs one out of the air with its teeth and gives a more muffled yipyap.
<teslatornado> Bud blinks. "Weren't… Ophie, this thing just - it made those."
<ArseneLupin> Bastian scopes in on one of the crystals that wasnt grapped
<teslatornado> "The crystals that Baker had in his chest."
<Kaeru> Bastian, it's clearer, less foggy than quartz, more glass-like and almost transparent, or would be if it were thinner. A dull but vibrant scarlet color, like dark rubies but shaped like crystal shards.
<Kaeru> Small, maybe the size of pencils, but shorter and a bit larger around, jagged.
<Nemi> Ophie's staring. ".. Yeah. Just like the ones inside Baker."
<Kaeru> One is in its mouth and the other floats beside it, just hovers in the air.
<ArseneLupin> He ducks out of hiding. "Can we take that one little guy?"
<Kaeru> He snarls a bit around the one in his mouth. Not exactly intimidating, but he's trying. Yapyap. It's hard to bark with a crystal in your mouth.
<teslatornado> Bud… Picks up the fox.
<teslatornado> Just reaches it out and puts one big hand on either side of its chest.
<Soulless> "…"
<Soulless> Avery tries to grab one.
<teslatornado> Lifts it up like a puppy.
<Kaeru> Bud, roll defense. Acro or res.
<Sax> Nathan watches carefully.
<Kaeru> There's just the one there, at the moment.
<ArseneLupin> (shockedpikachu.jpg)
<teslatornado> 4df+6 (TOUGH:ACRO) Beat this you little shit
<Glacon> teslatornado: (TOUGH:ACRO) Beat
<teslatornado> 4df+6 fucking formatting
<Glacon> teslatornado: fucking formatting: 5 (4df+6=-, 0, +, -)
<Kaeru> 4df+6 playing darts
<Glacon> Kaeru: playing darts: 6 (4df+6=0, 0, 0, 0)
<teslatornado> \\This is what I get.
<teslatornado> \\You try to pet one doggo.
<Kaeru> It yaps and bristles a bit, on-edge as you take a step forward. The little crystal that isn't in its mouth flies, a blur of motion that imbeds itself in your forearm as you start to reach for the fox. -1php
<Kaeru> It yips and runs in a little circle. Yaps. Drops the other shard in the grass so it can bark more easily, yipping and yapping irritably.
<teslatornado> Bud also yips.
<Sax> "The fuck is that!"
<Sax> Nathan shoulders Veronica.
<teslatornado> It's not a bullet, but it's still a high-speed projectile piercing his skin, and the kinetic force and surprise is enough to get him to sit back down. He raises an open hand and waves. "I'm fine! I'm fine! Hold fire!"
<teslatornado> "Ophie!"
<teslatornado> "Ffffffffuck that stings."
<Sax> Nathan looks at the "fox".
<Kaeru> It barks.
<Nemi> "Oh- shit-" Ophie hurries over. "Mierda- you okay, mijo?" She checks to see if it made penetration and attempts to remove it if it has. She does NOT want more to grow in anyone.
<Kaeru> A distant yap answers it from somewhere to its right.
<Kaeru> Ophie, it seems to just be a little projectile. Nothing weird that you can see, and safe to remove.
<ArseneLupin> "We need to get in now. I dont want a horde of these guys angry."
<Soulless> ".."
<Soulless> "Ophie-"
<Soulless> He hands her a sterile baggy to put the crystal in.
<teslatornado> Bud quickly returns to a kneeling position. He lets Ophie remove the crystal shard without complaint. "Somebody get Baker 'n get him inside, I had a thought but I don't wanna test it out with six hunnerd of those pups crawlin' all over us."
<Sax> "I'm going in."
<Sax> "Cover me."
<teslatornado> "Bastian, take rear guard, ev'rybody else get behind me an' Nate."
<Kaeru> The fox looks at you, Nathan, as you approach. It chatters and yaps and barks like it's trying to scare you off, the tiny thing it is.
<Sax> Nathan sets Veronica to automatic, and is ready to barge in and kick ass.
<ArseneLupin> Bastian gets his rifle ready and gets to the rear. "No one attack the foxes, we dont want them mad."
<Nemi> Ophie plucks the crystal and bags it before adding it to her field kit. She nods up at Avery with thanks. "Graci, mijo- let's see.."
<teslatornado> Once the crystal has been baggie-ed - not how Bud wanted to get the sample, but okay - he gets in position behind Nate.
<teslatornado> "On your go, man."
<Sax> "Going!"
<Sax> Nathan ignores the fox, and barges on in, Veronica raised up and hungry for blood.
<Kaeru> There's another one a ways to your right, at the treeline. The larger one, coyote-like. It yaps and bounces forward as if to stop you, but you're all inside before it gets to the doors, and the two little guys— soon joined by the third one— pace irritably outside the doors, yapping and yipping and not willing to follow inside.
<teslatornado> Once the team is inside, Bud looks back at the Foxes and - hopefully - Baker. He makes a mental note that, if they end up bringing one of these things home, he's gonna need to get a copy of the Sunday Times and a garden hose.
<Nemi> Ophie scurries right after because she is NOT staying out with the angry puppos.
<teslatornado> 4df+4 (PERC) then he's on perimeter security again.
<Glacon> teslatornado: (PERC) then he's on perimeter security again.: 6 (4df+4=-, +, +, +)
<Kaeru> They're some nervous-looking pups. But they won't follow past the doors.
<Soulless> Avery follows with Ophie.
<Soulless> He gently hugs her a little, also nervous.
<Soulless> 4df+2 perc
<Glacon> Soulless: perc: 3 (4df+2=+, +, -, 0)
<ArseneLupin> 4df+5 I have eyes
<Glacon> ArseneLupin: I have eyes: 4 (4df+5=+, -, -, 0)
<ArseneLupin> Maybe
<Kaeru> Inside, old and mostly-fallen shelves and some empty wooden and cardboard boxes, but little else. Only a few of the lights far overhead are functional, and even the ones that are cast dim light and flicker at times, sparking in and out of use. On the other side of the warehouse is a clearing in the trees, much brighter and more eye-catching than the shadowy and poorly-lit warehouse interior. You can't see it well, but you can see the light
<Kaeru> from the doorway. It's going to be difficult to navigate this place, especially without moving things around, but not impossible.
<Sax> Nathan turns out his flashlight.
<Sax> "Alright, things are dark, so don't split up."
<ArseneLupin> "Got it. Everyone be ready for the worst."
<teslatornado> Bud switches his weapon light back on. "Well, here's hopin' they're only gonna get better from here out."
<Sax> Nathan continues leading with Veronica.
<Soulless> Aver is silent.
<Soulless> He begins to walk.
<Soulless> He blinks.
<ArseneLupin> Bastian takes up the rear as always, unfortunately not being as far back as he likes
<Kaeru> On your right, that entire side of the warehouse is a no-go— massive shelving units collapsed atop each other like dominos and one that falls across your path forward, leaning against some still-standing ones on the left. Boxes pile and litter the ground with dust and cobwebs. There may be a way to duck under that one across the central path, if you're careful. Probably your best bet, that or trying to climb through the shelving units on the
<Kaeru> left.
<Soulless> 4df+6 he begins to sneak away, something catching his attention.
<Glacon> Soulless: he begins to sneak away, something catching his attention.: 7 (4df+6=+, +, -, 0)
<teslatornado> Bud looks at the central pathway. "I can prob'ly brace that up if y'all head through quick.
<Kaeru> Avery- it's dark and shadowy, with lots of scattered cover and hiding places. This is easy enough to do.
<Nemi> Ophie turns her flashlight about, lighting the way as they go. She's tiny, fortunately, and shall attempt to.. peek down the central pathway.
<Kaeru> Bud, dude, it's big. We're talking probably thirty feet of metal shelving big. Even empty, it's unlikely you'll be able to move it.
<teslatornado> "… I take that back."
<teslatornado> \\I thought it was a box you were talking about, oop
<Kaeru> Ophie, it's mostly clear down the center past that first obstacle and a bunch of boxes stacked and scattered about later on that you could probably find a way around.
<ArseneLupin> "Guess we'll need to duck under." Says the tiny person
<Kaeru> It's propped up well enough that if you push aside a few empty wood boxes under it all of you should be able to get underneath it easily enough.
<teslatornado> Bud, who's a giant, grimaces. "I'll head under first. Get a big gun on the other side just in case, y'know?"
<Kaeru> Some of the boxes seem to already have been moved a bit, too— judging by where dust is and where it isn't. Someone's been through here before you.
<teslatornado> "'sides, somethin' falls on me, I'm big enough that it might not kill me right away."
<Soulless> Avery hopes that, as quiet as he was for the rest of the mission, people will not notice if he has a detour.
<Nemi> "Looks easy enough to head through- y-yeah.."
<Sax> Nathan's setting up post and keeping overwatch.
<teslatornado> Bud draws in a slow breath. He starts moving toward the central path.
<teslatornado> "Okay. I'm goin' under."
<ArseneLupin> "Covering."
<teslatornado> "Somebody get ready t' grab my ankles and pull me out if things start fallin' down."
<Kaeru> Go for it. It's easy enough— you just have to be careful not to disturb stuff too much, so the propped-up shelf doesn't shift or fall.
<War_> (I'm here. Probably. Idk.)
<teslatornado> \\<3
<teslatornado> Bud gets down and gets crawling.
<Kaeru> Bud, surprisingly, you don't even have to crawl. If you stay close enough to the upright shelves it's leaning on, you can just duck and slip right through with only a bit of shifting boxes around.
<Kaeru> You get to the other side easy enough.
<teslatornado> Awesome. He gestures for the others to start through.
<ArseneLupin> "Noncombatants first. Dont want anyone stuck on one side without a fighter."
<teslatornado> Bud nods. "Ophie, Maddy, one of you c'mon."
<teslatornado> "…"
<teslatornado> "… Where's Avery."
<Sax> Nathan moves up and maintains cover while they traverse.
<Kaeru> If you're careful, it's pretty easy to get through, no rolls needed. Once you're on the other side, you can roll perc to look around.
<Nemi> Ophie, being tiny, slinks in.
<Sax> "… you're kidding."
<ArseneLupin> He blinks. "Oh god fucking damn it."
<Sax> "Fuck it. Leave him."
<Sax> Nathan maintains cover.
<teslatornado> Bud groans. He sets up front cover, facing toward the other warehouse door.
<ArseneLupin> "Honestly I want to argue but we've wasted enough time, we need to get to the others."
<Kaeru> Perc to look around
<teslatornado> ~How come I always gotta babysit whenever I do field work…~
<teslatornado> 4df+4 (PERC) My ambush senses are tingling
<Glacon> teslatornado: (PERC) My ambush senses are tingling: 1 (4df+4=-, -, -, 0)
<ArseneLupin> 4df+5 As Bastian slips under
<Glacon> ArseneLupin: As Bastian slips under: 3 (4df+5=-, 0, 0, -)
<Kaeru> rup
<teslatornado> \\wow ok
<Kaeru> well it's kinda dark i guess
<War_> 4df+7 life sight shit ig. Spot what i can.
<Glacon> War_: life sight shit ig. Spot what i can.: 11 (4df+7=+, +, +, +)
<Kaeru> And a lot of shelves and boxes make it difficult to see most areas of the warehouse
<teslatornado> \\We have flashlights
<Kaeru> oh boy. Maddy. oh boy
<Kaeru> Your lifesight is fucked, my boy. Like something really bright from the other side of the warehouse. But you think you see other things- people, you think- nearby, on the right, a ways forward. Not sure how many, hell, not even sure they're people at all— but you think so.
<Kaeru> Granted, the warehouse's state of chaos and disrepair hides large sections from view without your wallhacks, so there could be a lot of hiding spots.
<Sax> "Harpur, what do you see?"
<War_> He presses the heels of his palms in against his eyes, uttering a low groan. Swaying a bit, because something that bright would be disorientating.
<War_> "…too, too much…God fucking Christ there's a lot -"
<Sax> "A lot of what?"
<Nemi> 4df+6 percin' with her big eyes
<Glacon> Nemi: percin' with her big eyes: 6 (4df+6=-, 0, 0, +)
<War_> "Something."
<War_> "Like, like staring at the goddamn sun."
<teslatornado> Bud looks back through the passage with a concerned expression. He doesn't wanna risk making the return trip in a hurry, so he stays put - but he's worried now.
<Kaeru> Ophie, you notice the same thing about hiding places. Someplace like this, it's easy to find areas where things can't be seen from. Not much open space.
<War_> He finds a place to lean. Brightness seared into his minds-eye that he's trying to blink and rub away.
<Kaeru> It fades slowly, like you'd looked at a lightbulb or at the sun and quickly looked away.
<Sax> "Bud! Keep the Stinger on ready!"
<Sax> "We're definitely not alone!"
<teslatornado> Bud's attention snaps back to where he's set up his defensive position. He focuses back towards the other side of the warehouse, to the opening the team has been moving toward.
<Kaeru> Your voice carries in the enclosed space, Nathan. Echoes slightly. After a few moments of silence, there's a response. A voice, from a small ways away. "This way!" A small accent that's hard to identify or place. "Forward, to the right! Watch yourselves, not sure how stable this place is!"
<Sax> "… did anyone else hear that?"
<Nemi> Ophie swings her flashlight beam, blinking.
<teslatornado> Bud's Stinger traverses toward the source of the sound, the flashlight beam tracing the walls.
<Kaeru> Bud, you look around, directed by the voice.
<ArseneLupin> "Yeah, I heard."
<Kaeru> Investigating these areas hidden from view one by one, you're nearly discouraged, as none are any different from parts of the warehouse you've already seen. Dusty and drab and covered in cobwebs. The lights flicker overhead as something catches your eye. In a small area hidden by shelves and shadows, you see something of a grey-blue color. Getting a closer look, this turns out to be the lighter-colored uniform of certain types of
<Kaeru> Foundation medical officers. It's worn by a man perhaps in his early 30s with near-white dirty-blonde hair. With him are two other Foundation agents, one in security gear while the other wears lighter gear more suited to engineering types. The medical officer is Everett Vega (psychology), and his companions are Michele Kurt (security) and Simon Wesley (engineering). They'd been hiding out there in hopes of backup arriving; they refuse to go
<Kaeru> nearer to the clearing, and Michele, to spite her insistence that she can still manage, seems too injured to risk combat, and the medical officer puts a hand on her shoulder to keep her seated. Speaks softly to her.
<teslatornado> Bud's finger hovers near the trigger for a split-second before the IFF in his brain ticks over and registers the color of Foundation medical personnel. He rests his finger on the trigger guard and whistles sharply to the others, keeping the flashlight beam focused on the vicinity of the away team survivors.
<teslatornado> "We got injured personnel here. Maddy, Ophie, move up. I've got your approach locked down."
<Kaeru> You're easily able to navigate over to them. Everett looks over a shoulder as you approach. Sees your uniform, relaxes noticeably. "About time," he says, a weak attempt at humor.
<ArseneLupin> Bastian marches up with the others, helping cover everyone. "Glad to see you all alive. We got Baker safe so dont worry."
<teslatornado> "Trains were runnin' late," Bud replies flatly.
<Kaeru> Vega blinks at you, Bastian, looks confused, shakes his head. "N-o, that can't be right," he says.
<ArseneLupin> He tilts his head. "What cant be right?"
<teslatornado> "Well," Bud replies, "Safe's a pretty relative term. Guy was, uh."
<teslatornado> "… He was pretty fucked up."
<teslatornado> "But he's. Sorta alive."
<teslatornado> "Got these… Crystals or somethin' growin' in him."
<teslatornado> "We moved him to the front of the warehouse from where we found him, Red over there -" Bud indicates Maddy - "stabilized him."
<Kaeru> "Baker. Maliki- he wasn't just- 'fucked up,' if you'll pardon the language, he was-" he hesitates, frowns. "Dead, agents. He's dead."
<Nemi> Ophie does indeed move up as bid, using her smallness to approach and look over the injured. ".. He was talking. About how the stars were singing."
<ArseneLupin> "…That's not good."
<teslatornado> Bud… Doesn't respond.
<teslatornado> He draws in a breath. Holds it. Lets it out.
<Sax> "…"
<Sax> "How did he die?"
<War_> Well. Maddy looks horrified.
<teslatornado> Bud also looks… Well, he's not kosher, but he's composed enough.
<ArseneLupin> Bastian is concern(tm)
<Kaeru> Michele, the wounded security officer, responds to that. "Something. No fuckin' clue what. Big thing, all fur n' claws n' I could swear the thing ain't got eyes. But shit, it was fast. Took Mal th' hell out 'fore we even knew it was there."
<Kaeru> A small nod from the nervous-looking engineer confirms this story.
<teslatornado> Bud's lips form a thin line.
<Sax> "Did you encounter foxes when you arrived?"
<Kaeru> Vega looks at you, Nathan, and nods. "We did. Made the mistake of antagonizing one of them by startling it. But they seemed reluctant to come anywhere near the warehouse, so that's where we went."
<Nemi> Ophie grimaces and starts doing waht she can for Michele. First, she surveys the officer's injuries. How bad is it looking?
<teslatornado> Bud stays quiet. Listens. Maintains perimeter security.
<teslatornado> He's not an investigator.
<War_> Maddy, being medic, goes and sees what he can do.
<Kaeru> Michele is stable, at least— but not combat-fit. She's taken a few smaller hits, mostly bruising and scraping, probably cracked or broken ribs. The engineer, Simon, seems a bit roughed up as well, but not as much— mostly just nervous, jumpy as hell. Vega seems alright, a cut on one forearm bandaged and manageable.
<Kaeru> Michele's wounds are somewhat treated— not professionally, but by someone with enough medical knowledge to do a decent job. Vega, probably.
<Sax> "And when did the big thing attack?"
<Kaeru> "When we got to the clearing, just outside the warehouse."
<Kaeru> "The one you probably had to pass through to get here."
<Kaeru> Vega steps back to allow medical professionals to do their thing.
<Nemi> ".. alright- not much we can do about the ribs, here, but if you can walk I think we can extract.." Ophie looks up to the heavily-armed boys.
<ArseneLupin> "Yeah, our priority should be getting them all out."
<teslatornado> Bud stays to the back. "Got any idea what's goin' on through the other side?"
<Kaeru> Vega nods. "I'd rather not go back the way we came. But there's a clearing on the other side. There's probably a path out from there, and we can follow back down the road to the transport. Makes it less likely that that thing will show up again."
<Kaeru> He looks at Bud. "I'm not sure anything is, particularly. Did you see something?"
<War_> "…something big. Back that way. I think?"
<War_> He points to where he had seen the really bright lifesign.
<Kaeru> He follows the point, looks at Maddy. "That's the other way out of the warehouse. I didn't see anything strange, but I didn't get that good a look on my way over here. I still figure it's safer than where we came from."
<War_> "…I wouldn't go that way if I were you."
<War_> "I only know something's there, dunno what that something is."
<Sax> "Anderson, Beineke, keep eyes peeled."
<ArseneLupin> "Yeah, might be better to go with the devil we know than the devil we dont. On it."
<War_> Can Maddy try looking again to suss it out?
<Kaeru> Maddy, sure, you can.
<War_> 4df+7 ive exhausted my only good roll for this run…
<Glacon> War_: ive exhausted my only good roll for this run…: 8 (4df+7=0, +, -, +)
<teslatornado> \\Not yet you haven't
<Kaeru> You can shield your eyes somewhat against the bright light that seems to come from a decent ways above the clearing on that other side of the warehouse. It's bright and spidering out into the surroundings, but there's something else there, too. A person, it looks like, standing in front of it, below it, in the clearing. Just standing.
<ArseneLupin> (Concerning)
<Sax> "Whatcha see?"
<War_> "Something. Big."
<War_> "And a person. In front of it. Not moving, kinda just…standing there."
<Nemi> Ophie grimaces already.
<War_> He's looking up and around to follow the spidering pattern.
<teslatornado> "That's… Weird."
<Sax> Nathan checks Veronica.
<ArseneLupin> Bastian pulls a bolt back
<War_> "If you think me telling you about it is weird, you should /see/ it."
<Kaeru> Maddy, the pattern is random-seeming and shifts constantly like ink in water. But one branch reaches towards the figure, and stays there, doesn't move away from the person, as if attached to them somehow.
<War_> "I can only track /living things."/
<War_> "Meaning there's this big, weird…whatever. Cloud?"
<War_> "Connected to a person."
<War_> "And it's /alive./ Apparently."
<ArseneLupin> "Well that's just wonderful. Was hoping this would be simple for once."
<Kaeru> It keeps fairly centralized, to a near-perfect sphere, but branches little tendrils and wisps outwards.
<War_> "Like I said it was. Kinda like looking at the damn sun."
<War_> "Kinda /looks like the damn sun-"/
<teslatornado> Bud's lips purse tighter. Not. Good.
<teslatornado> "Sounds like somethin' outta a goddamn sci-fi flick."
<ArseneLupin> "Yeah, I say we go the other way. I prefer the foxes."
<Kaeru> Vega frowns. "That must be what's showing up on the scans," he muses. "If it's still here, we should investigate. Nobody's been able to figure anything out about these events so far— this may be a rare opportunity. And you said there's a- person, there, too?"
<War_> "Mmhyup."
<War_> "But uh, iono about you man but I kinda wanna see that your lot - /and/ us - get outta here unharmed."
<War_> "…or, at least not any more harmed than we already are."
<Kaeru> "They could be in danger. I understand your reluctance, but Michele and Simon are stable, and so am I— and as far as we can tell, we're safe here."
<Nemi> Ophie grimaces, looks to the pointmen. ".. might be worth at least getting eyes on."
<Kaeru> "Yeah— I think we should at least see what's happening. Get some idea of what's causing these spikes."
<ArseneLupin> Bastian blinks a little. "Yes. Let's go." He starts moving towards there
<Kaeru> Vega checks that a pistol is securely on his hip and stands to follow. "I can help. Simon and Michele should stay here, since Michele's best off not moving— yes, you are, don't push yourself— and Simon, you can keep an eye on her in case anything happens." Simon nods.
<teslatornado> "Yeah. I'm all for at least gettin' an idea of what's goin' on in there before we head back and report."
<teslatornado> "Alternative's the next team comin' goes in blind."
<War_> Maddy just has a real bad feeling. And it shows on his face.
<teslatornado> "We're closest. We got a responsibility to ev'rybody else."
<ArseneLupin> Bastian is already going
<teslatornado> Bud looks at Maddy. He looks nervous but stoic. "You ain't gotta go, Maddy. But we're pushin' up."
<teslatornado> "If nothin' else, at least one of us has to come back alive 'n get these guys back to fifteen."
<War_> "If crap goes south then you need someone who knows how to keep you alive," he argues
<Nemi> Ophie nods. "Sounds good," She says, and exhales. She looks to Maddy.
<Nemi> "Your call, I think."
<Sax> Nathan waits for their decision.
<teslatornado> Bud stands by. He's not about to compromise the team, especially now that Avery has just… Disappeared.
<ArseneLupin> Bastian turns back, waiting impaitently
<Kaeru> Vega looks to Maddy. "You can stay here with Michele and Simon, if you prefer. But it's up to you. Whatever we do, we should do quickly, in case this event ends."
<War_> He shrugs. "Your call. Ain't gonna hold the rest of you back."
<teslatornado> Bud closes his eyes for a second, his brows knitting together. "Then we gotta move fast. We hit the other side of the warehouse runnin', scope it out, and if it ends up too hot, we'll fall back 'n run the forest trail back to the insertion point."
<Kaeru> "Come on, then. We could use you." He beckons and follows after Bastian, pointing out the best route forward as he sees it, skirting around piles of boxes and fallen shelves.
<ArseneLupin> Bastian takes his directions gratefully
<War_> Assuming he means Maddy, he follow.
<Kaeru> Yup!
<Sax> Nathan follows along, making sure Veronica's hot and loaded.
<teslatornado> Bud follows the directions he's been given, keeping the Stinger ready to fire.
<Kaeru> It's easy enough to get forward towards the other door, and the sunlight shines bright through the opening, doors fallen away to the ground inside. Once your eyes adjust, it's plain to see what's beyond.
<Nemi> Ophie .. remains with the other two injured, she supposes?
<Kaeru> High above the clearing, a massive red sphere like a miniature star floats in the air, shifting constantly and spinning like a slow-motion tornado or whirlpool but seeming to be made of some kind of liquid, or perhaps fine particulate such as sand, in how it moves— but its appearance is closer to that of concentrated light, or plasma. Yet it glows only dimly, a deep red, not harsh on the eyes. Thin tendrils of red branch out from it in all
<Kaeru> directions, shifting slightly but remaining relatively anchored in their places in the air, with one larger and spinning branch connecting to something below it. To something in the hands of a figure standing below. Long black hair pulled back and fancy, flowing clothing. He looks forward, not quite looking up at the red, really.
<ArseneLupin> Bastian raises his gun. "Who are you?!"
<teslatornado> Bud's gaze follows the man's. He suddenly feels underdressed for the occasion. Or. Overdressed.
<Sax> Nathan maintains a defensive stance, having taken a kneeling shooting position.
<Kaeru> It makes a strange noise. A hum, not quite easy to quantify or focus on, shifting and strange, like ringing in the ears but dull and low and rising and falling in little waves.
<War_> Maddy thinks for quite a horrible second that maybe this thing is just. All blood.
<Kaeru> The man jumps when he's addressed, stiffening and spinning around. In his hands is a sphere similar to the one above the clearing, but smaller, slower in its spin, hovering just above his cupped hands. A sigil falls to one side of his face over his wavy hair, a symbol like an eye on the fabric. His outfit allows what appears to be a simplistic closed eye tattooed across the center of his chest to be seen. He seems unsure how to respond,
<Kaeru> nervous, shy, put-off. Blinks once, twice, doesn't really seem to look at any of you. "Um- who- I should ask you," he says eventually, voice not quite as steady as he'd like.
<Sax> "Hm?"
<ArseneLupin> Bastian looks a little caught off guard from that before recovering. "You first."
<Kaeru> "U-um." He hesitates, blinks. Doesn't look at you, really. Not at all. His eyes don't move much at all, really. "Omen. I'm- my name is Omen."
<Nemi> Ophie actually secretly followed the others out and is now staring big-eyed like an idiot.
<Kaeru> Ophie, it's not clear if he notices you or not. He might, but he doesn't look at you.
<teslatornado> "Mail's here," Bud says plainly.
<Nemi> ".. dios mio," she whispers. "What the fuck."
<ArseneLupin> "We're from the Foundation. Now what's that giant sphere?"
<teslatornado> Bud blinks. Okay, so we're just going around introducing ourselves now.
<ArseneLupin> To be fair he's being pretty damn vague and anyone who looked at their uniforms could probably tell
<teslatornado> Valid.
<teslatornado> "Yeah, we're here about the uh." Bud gestures with the muzzle of the Stinger.
<teslatornado> "The that."
<teslatornado> "Whatever that is."
<Kaeru> "Oh," he says. He doesn't look up, doesn't look at those assembled. Roll insight, if you like— something's a bit off.
<Kaeru> "It's a rift," he says a bit quietly.
<ArseneLupin> 4df+2 Insight, sorry I left that in my other pair of pants
<Glacon> ArseneLupin: Insight, sorry I left that in my other pair of pants: 4 (4df+2=+, +, 0, 0)
<Nemi> 4df+7 putting the pieces together
<Glacon> Nemi: putting the pieces together: 7 (4df+7=-, +, 0, 0)
<teslatornado> 4df+1 durrrr
<Glacon> teslatornado: durrrr: 2 (4df+1=+, +, -, 0)
<Sax> 4df+2 hurr durr
<Glacon> Sax: hurr durr: 2 (4df+2=0, 0, -, +)
<War_> 4df+1 ive like no insight ironically.
<Glacon> War_: ive like no insight ironically.: 0 (4df+1=-, -, +, 0)
<Kaeru> None of you are entirely sure, except you, Ophie.
<Kaeru> Ophie, it hits you like a truck when you realize. He's blind.
<ArseneLupin> "Tell us what a rift is then please."
<Nemi> ".. he's blind," Ophie whispers.
<teslatornado> "… Oh. Oooooohhhhh."
<ArseneLupin> ~Huh, that explains a fair bit~
<Kaeru> He blinks, shuffles slightly, looks a bit awkward. His eyes are still, unfocused— knowing, it's easy to tell, now. He can't see, no. "Y- uh, yeah, yes. I'm- yes. It's- why I'm best for this." He pauses. Are any of you looking at the rift?
<ArseneLupin> Bastian is probably flicking between him and the rift
<Nemi> Ophie is mostly looking at Omen, but it means she's sort of stuck looking at the rift. She also wants to figure it out. Of course.
<War_> Maddy's been looking at it for a fair while now.
<teslatornado> Bud's been staring at Omen.
<teslatornado> Not the Rift.
<Kaeru> It's hard to see clearly, in a way that makes you want to focus on it, try to get it to come into focus.
<Kaeru> For those of you looking at it. The anomaly is interesting, almost mesmerizing to look at, spinning and shifting inconsistently like it has a gravity of its own. But as you stare it begins to distort, the peaks and dips in its surface as it spins deepening and rising and shifting more suddenly and frequently as if disturbed by your watching of it. And it seems to grow as it does, growing and shrinking and taking up more of your vision and more
<Kaeru> of your focus, becoming clearer but the rest of the world becomes blurrier. Not right.
<ArseneLupin> As soon as that starts to happen he tries to shift back to Omen
<Nemi> "Oh- shit," Ophie does her best to break her gaze away. No wonder they'd needed a blind man to mind the rift.
<Sax> Nathan's focused on the man, and not the rift.
<War_> Maddy's still staring, more because he's trying to figure out why the hell it tipped his radar so hard.
<Kaeru> It's easy enough to catch, and if you catch it happening, it doesn't seem to stop you from tearing your eyes away from it in any way. Looking at Omen helps— it's only strange if you focus on the thing itself. The smaller one in Omen's hands doesn't seem to have the same effects.
<teslatornado> Bud moves slowly closer to Omen. "What's that you got in your hands?"
<Nemi> Ophie exhales sharply and focuses on Omen and the tiny rift in his hands- and is trying to figure its relationship to the big one. Some sort of controller?
<Kaeru> Maddy— the red is vivid and harsh, the sight hard to focus on and tiring to the eyes. Your heartbeat pounds quietly at first in your head and your vision blurs; you find yourself swaying on your feet, off-balance as tiredness creeps over you, heaviness growing in your body and pulling you to the ground, tugging at your eyes to drift them closed. A pulsing hum begins in your ears and slowly consumes your range of hearing, sound unlike a
<Kaeru> thrumming, warbling engine's roar, distorted and warped.
<ArseneLupin> "Alright Omen, what exactly is this 'Rift'?"
<Kaeru> The smaller one in Omen's hands is connected to the larger one by a long red line, a wisp, spinning slightly in the air. It spins slower than the larger one, which seems to be speeding up, if anything. Omen tenses a bit as you approach, Bud, but doesn't move away. "It's- I'm. It's how I anchor the rift. Um"
<Kaeru> He pauses.
<Kaeru> "A rift is- is a doorway. A place where worlds- intersect. Blur together."
<ArseneLupin> Oh that's raising some huge Red Flags for Bastian. "What worlds?"
<War_> Oh. Maddy became a sleepy human puddle…
<Nemi> "Why are you, er, operating this rift?"
<War_> Whoops.
<Sax|Cloud> "…"
<Kaeru> "If I did not, it would grow," he says after a moment. "Consume what it found. I saw, saw it- destroy, hurt millions, if it went unchecked. A sunrise is- no normal rift. I have to be here. To control it."
<Nemi> ".. is there some way to close it?"
<teslatornado> "An' do you know if somethin's gonna come out of it?"
<teslatornado> "Moreover," Bud says, still nervously eyeing the thing in Omen's hands, "how'd you even know about this thing?"
<Kaeru> He blinks. Looks a bit sheepish. "There's a way to close it," he says slowly, "But not- me. I can't. I'm here to- control it, until the one who created it comes back and closes it. He is. He's- on the other side. Speaking." A pause, a few moments of silent consideration.
<ArseneLupin> "And who might be on the other side?" He is sounding increasingly pissed for some reason
<teslatornado> "An' why did he open it to begin with?"
<teslatornado> Bud is also sounding a bit more irritable now. Maybe it's the big throbbing hole in the universe.
<Nemi> "This- this obviously isn't good. And we need it closed for- for the sake of our world and its people. But- er- that."
<Kaeru> "He's- because he- needed to?" He doesn't seem to know how to answer that— and something cuts him off. He spins toward the larger sphere, looks nervous, surprised, stunned. "I- I'm- no, wait, wait- I need to-" he focuses on the thing in his hands, slows its spin, but it only slows the spin of the larger one slightly. And seeing as the larger one has been speeding up, it doesn't make much of a difference, to spite his efforts. He keeps at it,
<Kaeru> though, focused.
<Sax|Cloud> "…"
<teslatornado> Bud looks to Nathan and Bastian.
<teslatornado> "… So there's a POI on the other side of that big. Red. Sky butthole. Thing."
<ArseneLupin> Bastian's finger inches towards the trigger for just a moment before resting it on the guard again. "Yes, and that's incredibly bad from what I know."
<Sax|Cloud> "… and there is no way to seal it."
<ArseneLupin> "From what omen said not until said POI comes out no."
<teslatornado> "We also don't know what's on the other side of this."
<teslatornado> "Just that it's open."
<Kaeru> "Yes, and-" he stops, says something in another language, perhaps a combination of other languages. "I can't. I can't seal it. He can. I can't. He controls the sunrises. He always has. And I" a swear, foreign. He spins doesn't spin to face you when he speaks again then again, he doesn't have to, seeing as he can't, yknow, see you.
<ArseneLupin> Bastian looks so fucking pissed. "No, I know what's on the other side. And I cant tell you because of a fucking anomaly."
<Sax|Cloud> "… not this shit again."
<teslatornado> "You can't tell us because why?"
<teslatornado> Bud has now trained his gun on Omen.
<ArseneLupin> "I can fill you in at base though, so that's something. If I tell you now it will feel like a hole opened up in my chest."
<teslatornado> He keeps his mouth shut.
<Kaeru> "If I ask you to help me, will you do it?" He asks, voice a bit shaky, nervous. "If I'm not here, it'll— spin out of control. But I can't- I have to. Open it. For a moment, to- keep it- stable. And it's- it'll- if something comes through, I-" he pauses, stiffens a bit. "Please. We're on the same side. I'm trying to help, but I- will you. Will you? I don't want to call the others. The sunrise harms them. And you. You're here."
<Sax|Cloud> "…"
<Kaeru> "You could— help. You could help me." He takes a slow breath. "Please."
<Sax|Cloud> "Fuck it."
<ArseneLupin> "We dont have much of a choice if it's gonna kill millions otherwise."
<Sax|Cloud> "I'm game."
<Sax|Cloud> "What do you need."
<teslatornado> Bud squints.
<ArseneLupin> "But we want answers afterwards."
<teslatornado> He looks to Bastian. "You're the expert here."
<teslatornado> "We help him, how bad's it gonna fuck us over?"
<Sax|Cloud> Nathan passes Veronica to Bud.
<ArseneLupin> "I wish I was. I just know some things you dont, we should help though."
<Sax|Cloud> "If it goes south, blow me away."
<Nemi> Ophie grits her teeth.
<ArseneLupin> "Because this does not sound good if it gets loose."
<teslatornado> Bud fumbles with it, but manages to get Veronica slung over his shoulder.
<teslatornado> "Alright."
<teslatornado> "So we gotta shoot somethin' now I guess."
<Nemi> "Well- let's see what happens when he opens it..?" Ophie fumbles in her coat and withdraws her handgun.
<Kaeru> He takes a breath. "I'll tell you what you want to know, if you help me. What I can say. What I can. I- you have my word. Just- help me stay here, in case something comes through. Something- will. I know. It will."
<teslatornado> Bud is quiet for a moment.
<ArseneLupin> "Got it." Bastian goes to set up in the bushes for Stealth
<ArseneLupin> Actually, could he get 60 Meters away by any chance and have a clear shot? I assume not because trees but gotta ask
<teslatornado> Then he takes his pistol out of his belt. Falls back to a hardpoint, something stable he could brace the Stinger against.
<Kaeru> "Thank you," he murmurs. Then, louder, "Look- look away. Don't stare. I don't know what you'd see."
<ArseneLupin> 4df+6 Either way Stealth Roll for hidden times
<Glacon> ArseneLupin: Either way Stealth Roll for hidden times: 6 (4df+6=-, 0, +, 0)
<Sax|Cloud> Nathan takes Veronica back.
<Sax|Cloud> And holds position.
<ArseneLupin> But yeah, yay or nay on 60 Meters?
<teslatornado> "I try not to stare at the -" Bud makes a confused noise as Nate takes Veronica back off his back.
<teslatornado> But he otherwise doesn't protest. He sets the bipod on the Stinger down, puts his 1911 beside it.
<teslatornado> Trains his gun on the Rift, and waits.
<Kaeru> Bastian, unfortunately, the clearing is too small. You can get some distance, but not 60 meters from the center.
<Nemi> Ophie baaaacks away and looks for a stump or a tree or similar to take cover behind.
<ArseneLupin> And the trees would obstruct sight probably, yeah thought so but worth a shot
<Kaeru> Omen shifts his hands from under the little red sphere and to the sides of it, stilling for a moment before pushing his hands together to extinguish the smaller sphere, breaking its connection to the larger one. At once, the larger one grows more vividly red, pulsing slightly in its glow and spinning more erratically, faster, faster, as if spinning out of control. After a few moments of this, and a sound like rising wind, a branch breaks off
<Kaeru> from the whole like a spear and imbeds itself in the ground, still connected to the sphere for a moment before breaking off and spinning into nothing. But in this moment before it disappears, it seems to open a sort of tear of red, and something takes the opportunity to get out while the spin of the sphere above slows and slows to a crawl.
<Kaeru> What leaps from the rift in this instant is somewhat catlike in its build, but broader and lower to the ground. Not only this, but it's probably larger than an SUV, and appears to be made of overlapping chunks of carved and design-covered stone. Light browns and sandy tans in color, with smooth, polished oval eyes like precious stones that glow a brilliant teal alongside a similar but larger oval in its chest. It bares surprisingly
<Kaeru> sharp-looking teeth.
<Nemi> ".. oh."
<teslatornado> Bud's eyes widen for a moment, in something resembling fear or shock. But it's just a moment, and then it passes.
<teslatornado> "LIGHT IT UP!"
<Sax|Cloud> "AAAAAAAAAA"
<Sax|Cloud> Nathan goes ham.
<ArseneLupin> Bastian calmly lines up a shot for when initiative goes off
<Kaeru> Go ahead and roll initiative, folks. d20+speed
<teslatornado> d20+2
<Glacon> teslatornado: 14 (d20+2=12)
<ArseneLupin> 1d20+3
<Glacon> ArseneLupin: 21 (1d20+3=18)
<Sax|Cloud> d20+3
<Glacon> Sax|Cloud: 21 (d20+3=18)
<Nemi> d20+1
<Glacon> Nemi: 21 (d20+1=20)
<Kaeru> 1d20+3 big cat
<Glacon> Kaeru: big cat: 8 (1d20+3=5)
<ArseneLupin> *Catue
<Kaeru> 1d20+2 Omen
<Glacon> Kaeru: Omen: 20 (1d20+2=18)
<Kaeru> k— that's. Gotta lose those three repeat numbers
<ArseneLupin> Reroll for tiebreakers?
<Kaeru> Bastian, Nathan, roll 1d6 each to break the tie— Ophie, you've got a lower speed, so you're after them
<ArseneLupin> 1d6 SPEED
<Glacon> ArseneLupin: SPEED: 2 (1d6=2)
<Sax|Cloud> 1d6
<Glacon> Sax|Cloud: 1 (1d6=1)
<Kaeru> Alright. Bastian, you're up first.
<ArseneLupin> Does Catue see through Bastian's Bushman Stealth?
<Kaeru> It's just jumped through the rift, so it's uncertain if it's noticed you or not.
<ArseneLupin> Alright, let's shooty before it's sure then
<ArseneLupin> 4df+6 Medium Ranged No Called Shot
<Glacon> ArseneLupin: Medium Ranged No Called Shot: 7 (4df+6=0, 0, +, 0)
<Kaeru> 4df+7 thick skin
<Glacon> Kaeru: thick skin: 7 (4df+7=+, +, -, -)
<Kaeru> Attacker's, you hit
<ArseneLupin> Sneak Attack?
<Kaeru> Yep!
<ArseneLupin> Alright that's just straight 6 damage then
<Sax|Cloud> 4df+6 Nathan fires away
<Glacon> Sax|Cloud: Nathan fires away: 4 (4df+6=-, -, -, +)
<Kaeru> yowch. Well, it sure as hell sees you now. Your shot splinters and cracks the stone of its shoulder.
<Sax|Cloud> Oh okay.
<Kaeru> 4df+7 womp
<Glacon> Kaeru: womp: 5 (4df+7=-, -, +, -)
<Kaeru> pff
<ArseneLupin> Bastian grins and pulls a bolt back for his next turn
<Kaeru> Nathan, your shot bounces harmlessly off the sandstone it's made of.
<Kaeru> Ophie, you're up.
<Nemi> Ophie squints at the thing, surveying for likely weak spots.
<Nemi> (Idk what that'd be- insight, possibly with Sifting tagged?
<Kaeru> Yeah, that'd work.
<Nemi> ( SHe's mostly trying to figure out a place to point out for the others to aim at
<Nemi> 4df+7 Sifting the secrets..
<Glacon> Nemi: Sifting the secrets..: 6 (4df+7=+, -, -, 0)
<Kaeru> Ophie, you find your attention drawn to its softly glowing teal eyes, smooth and featureless like precious polished stones— and the similar oval in its chest, just below its collarbone, larger by a good bit. Probably less durable than stone…
<Nemi> ".. The eyes, the gems, aim for those!" She calls out, and that's all for her for now.
<Kaeru> (shit my bad I'm here)
<Kaeru> Omen is next— and takes a moment to hurry to put some distance between himself and the creature. Calls out to it in another language, hopeful, but it doesn't seem to calm— if anything, this only irritates it. On reaction, he raises a hand, palm out.
<Kaeru> As though with the slash of a knife through the very makeup of the universe, the wave of his hand turns the air to shards of momentary glass, like quartz crystals. They form in an instant and score a line across the creature's side. And the crystalline shards are gone again before they would've even hit the ground, as if only there for their travel through the air, then gone.
<Kaeru> 4df+5 he do a try
<Glacon> Kaeru: he do a try: 5 (4df+5=0, -, 0, +)
<Kaeru> 4df+3 big kitty has no acro
<Glacon> Kaeru: big kitty has no acro: -1 (4df+3=-, -, -, -)
<Kaeru> womp
<Soulless> rip kitty
<ArseneLupin> (BAD MR KITTY)
<Kaeru> The slash doesn't do any visible damage, but the creature recoils, staggers slightly, gives a deep, rumbling roar and spins to face Omen (who looks like he's just realized he's made a terrible mistake).
<Kaeru> bud, you're up.
<ArseneLupin> (It was at this moment Omen realized, he fucked up)
<Kaeru> accurate
<Soulless> (LMK when Avery turn)
<teslatornado> For reference purposes, would the pre-combat round be considered a setup turn for Full Cyclic?
<Kaeru> Sure would!
<Kaeru> So go ahead and go wild, Bud. It's not exactly a small target.
<teslatornado> In that case, Bud draws a bead on the largest of the gemstones that Ophie pointed out.
<teslatornado> And, on that note…
<teslatornado> 4df+7 (STR:RHEAV + Full Cyclic) Bud lets loose an initial burst from the Stinger, aiming for the weak point.
<Glacon> teslatornado: (STR:RHEAV + Full Cyclic) Bud lets loose an initial burst from the Stinger, aiming for the weak point.: 6 (4df+7=0, 0, -, 0)
<Kaeru> 4df+5 stoneskin, literally (- focus bonus)
<Glacon> Kaeru: stoneskin, literally (- focus bonus): 5 (4df+5=0, -, +, 0)
<Kaeru> Bud, that's a solid hit my dude
<teslatornado> 1d10
<teslatornado> d10
<Glacon> teslatornado: 10 (d10=10)
<Kaeru> well alright
<teslatornado> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzMUsD8OB2c
<Glacon> teslatornado: Free Bird - length 9m8s - 57274↑6850↓ - 4,187,542 views - Lynyrd Skynyrd - Topic on 2017.02.07
<ArseneLupin> BUT WAIT THERE"S MORE
<teslatornado> 4df+5 (STR:RHEAV + Full Cyclic) Bud keeps drilling it.
<Glacon> teslatornado: (STR:RHEAV + Full Cyclic) Bud keeps drilling it.: 5 (4df+5=-, 0, 0, +)
<Kaeru> 4df+6 lesser focus bonus
<Glacon> Kaeru: lesser focus bonus: 8 (4df+6=+, 0, 0, +)
<Kaeru> that's a no— you miss the gem narrowly and the stone around it isn't damaged by your fire.
<teslatornado> Bud lets out a long burst from the Stinger, a hail of .30-06 rounds finding their home in one of the gemstones fixed to the stone cat's torso. Bud lets out a celebratory whoop, a grinning devil behind the waves of heat distortion rolling off the Stinger's barrel.
<Kaeru> Your shots splinter the teal glow and cracks spider across its surface, chipping in places. And the creature roars, recoils to protect its chest, bares teeth in a vicious snarl at its most recent attacker. That hurt. And with the way it looks at you, you have a feeling it's looking to make that feeling mutual.
<teslatornado> Bud stares right back at it. "C'mon! You ain't nothin' but a got-damn pussycat!"
<Kaeru> And it's its turn. It braces its feet and readies, facing you, Bud— and the massive thing pushes off with its hind legs and fucking charges you.
<Kaeru> This is gonna be fun. You can try to defend with ACRO to dodge— if you defend with RES, this thing's still gonna hit you, it just might not hurt you (as much).
<teslatornado> 4df+6 (STR:RES) Bud isn't a fast man. And he's been braced in this position for a bit now, and he'll be damned if he lets anything short of a freight train or a cruise missile move him.
<Glacon> teslatornado: (STR:RES) Bud isn't a fast man. And he's been braced in this position for a bit now, and he'll be damned if he lets anything short of a freight train or a cruise missile move him.: 7 (4df+6=0, +, +, -)
<Kaeru> Well, this thing is rather big, but alright.
<Kaeru> 4df+7 that's one angry kitty
<Glacon> Kaeru: that's one angry kitty: 8 (4df+7=0, +, -, +)
<Kaeru> rup
<teslatornado> Bud makes a mental note, just before the cat hits him, to add "giant stone statue of a cat" to the list of things that are allowed to move him from now on.
<Kaeru> 2d3 hits like a bigger truck
<Glacon> Kaeru: hits like a bigger truck: 6 (2d3=3, 3)
<Kaeru> well alright glac
<teslatornado> Annnnd Bud is unconscious.
<teslatornado> 10/16 HP.
<Kaeru> Yeah. This thing lowers its head as it charges and hits you like a damn train, knocking you a good ways away into a tree behind you.
<Nemi> ".. !"
<teslatornado> It's hard to tell what knocked Bud unconscious - the cat nailing him or the subsequent ragdolling against a tree - but the big man is out like a tea candle in a windstorm.
<teslatornado> He hits the ground under the tree like a burlap sack.
<Kaeru> Avery! Welcome to the party, buddy, you're in it to win it. ( Soulless )
<Sax> Considering our meanest beefiest guy just got knocked out cold, this isn't a party that Avery would want a part of.
<Soulless> Avery brings Bud back from unconsciousness.
<Soulless> 1d4 med dice
<Glacon> Soulless: med dice: 1 (1d4=1)
<Kaeru> Well, only +1php, but Bud, it's wakeytime
<teslatornado> Bud's awake. He sits up with a shout, blinks, looks at the tree he just bounced off. Wakeytime indeed. He lets out a pained grunt as he hefts himself back to his feet. Looks at Avery. "… It's still 1983, right?"
<teslatornado> "Cuz. I think I just got knocked forward a year."
<teslatornado> 11/16 HP.
<Kaeru> Vega, who has been a bit stunned so far, sees Avery run past him and quickly follows to help Bud to his feet before aiming a pistol at the catlike creature. "Eyes- eyes, right? 'Cause I don't know, that thing on it's tail seems pretty- important-" he shifts his aim from place to place. And his pointing it out calls attention to a strange flat kite shape on the end of the creature's long, segmented tail. It has a white gem in the center that
<Kaeru> glows faintly as it's flicked back and forth through the air.
<Nemi> "Eyes, gems, whatever!"
<Soulless> "Up." He says to Bud, but doesn't say anything else. His eyes focus on Vega, Omen, the cat, the sun.
<ArseneLupin> "Go for the tail, fuck it!"
<Sax> "If it glows, shoot it!"
<teslatornado> "JUST FUCKIN' SHOOT IT."
<Soulless> He doesn't say anything, but that's his turn.
<Kaeru> He frowns, focuses, tries to aim for the flicking tail.
<Kaeru> 4df+6 this is going to be difficult
<Glacon> Kaeru: this is going to be difficult: 8 (4df+6=+, 0, +, 0)
<ArseneLupin> …is it
<Kaeru> 4df+9 might be
<Glacon> Kaeru: might be: 8 (4df+9=-, -, +, 0)
<Kaeru> oh, attacker's clause, neat
<Kaeru> 1d4
<Glacon> Kaeru: 1 (1d4=1)
<teslatornado> IT IS
<Kaeru> well, he doesn't destroy it— but, impressively, the psychiatrist manages to hit the gem in the center of the quickly-moving end of the creature's tail.
<Kaeru> He swears quietly, then promptly apologizes for it
<Kaeru> Bastian! Top of the round, go wild
<ArseneLupin> Bastian rolls out of his lying down sniper pose and settles on one knee, pulling his pistol out and whistling to grab Catue's attention, then he's gonna aim right at the center of it's eye with a Called Shot, Targeting RES
<ArseneLupin> 4df+7 Called Shot+Light
<Glacon> ArseneLupin: Called Shot+Light: 9 (4df+7=+, +, +, -)
<Kaeru> 4df+10 Big Cat spec: it's difficult to stagger or disable something like this thing.
<Glacon> Kaeru: Big Cat spec: it's difficult to stagger or disable something like this thing.: 9 (4df+10=+, -, 0, -)
<Kaeru> i guess it's not
<ArseneLupin> 1d4 Damage, and he takes a -1 penalty to Resilience Rolls
<Glacon> ArseneLupin: Damage, and he takes a -1 penalty to Resilience Rolls: 3 (1d4=3)
<Kaeru> Nice one! Nathan, you're up to bat!
<Sax> Nathan considers his options.
<Sax> What's the easiest target on this cat.
<ArseneLupin> Proooobably the eye Bastian just nailed?
<teslatornado> Either that, or the crystal on the tail that Vega called out.
<Kaeru> It seemed the most hurt by Bud's shot on the gem in its chest. It'd be hard to hit, seeing as now it's protecting it, but the eyes are also a decent idea, or just trying to shoot the thing.
<Sax> If Nathan can take a turn to sight it in, would it help?
<Kaeru> Totally— it's moving around a lot, but it'd give a bonus, at least
<Sax> Nathan does not fire this turn, instead waiting for a better opportunity.
<Kaeru> Alright. Ophie?
<Kaeru> Want to take a turn against the pissed kitty?
<Nemi> Ophie is.. Let's be real, she's not a shooter. But she'll try. Ha. Aiming for its eye gems.
<Nemi> 4df+3
<Glacon> Nemi: 4 (4df+3=0, -, +, +)
<Nemi> She flinches at the gunshot, but she manages to at least hold the weapon steady!
<Kaeru> 4df+6 focus bonus = debuff to res
<Glacon> Kaeru: focus bonus = debuff to res: 6 (4df+6=-, 0, +, 0)
<Kaeru> that's a no— it turns and your shot bounces off a piece of stone armoring on its shoulder.
<Nemi> Ophie squeaks and hides behind the tree again.
<Kaeru> But it turned, why did it turn? Omen stands on the other side of it, looking scared as hell but determined, hands up with palms facing it. But before he can try to get another shot off on it, it bounds forward and pulls back as if to slam its front paws down onto him. The guy looks tiny compared to it.
<Kaeru> Luckily, from what you've seen, he's far from ordinary. He recoils and shields himself with his hands, curled slightly in on himself. And the creature's motion stops, paws surrounded by a wavering as if distorted by heat or steam.
<Kaeru> He looks downright terrified, looks small in the face of this thing. It looks difficult to maintain— but he's got this thing stopped, for however long that'll last. "— Guys -!"
<Soulless> Avery's eyes narrow again at the sight.
<Kaeru> Bud, you're up.
<Kaeru> 1d3 (@ Omen) not an easy feat
<Glacon> Kaeru: (@ Omen) not an easy feat: 3 (1d3=3)
<teslatornado> "We're workin' on it!" Bud gags a little bit as he moves in a way that isn't comfortable for him, which seems to be any direction - considering he was recently a missile.
<teslatornado> He settles back onto the ground, quickly checks the Stinger. Mumbles an oath against the big cat statue. Draws a bead on its tail.
<teslatornado> 4df+5 (STR:RHEAV) Lets loose a burst at the soft point on its tail.
<Glacon> teslatornado: (STR:RHEAV) Lets loose a burst at the soft point on its tail.: 6 (4df+5=+, -, 0, +)
<Kaeru> 4df+9 fast-moving target
<Glacon> Kaeru: fast-moving target: 9 (4df+9=+, +, -, -)
<Kaeru> whelp
<Kaeru> I'm actually going to reroll that with a lesser bonus since cat itself isn't mobile
<Kaeru> 4df+7 flick flick
<Glacon> Kaeru: flick flick: 10 (4df+7=+, 0, +, +)
<Soulless> LOL
<Kaeru> well alright i guess
<teslatornado> well shit
<Kaeru> Bud, that's a no, unfortunately. Its tail flicks back and forth too fast for you to hit.
<teslatornado> Bud huffs. "No good! Need a better shooter on that tail point!"
<Kaeru> 1d3 (@ Omen) not an easy feat
<Glacon> Kaeru: (@ Omen) not an easy feat: 3 (1d3=3)
<Kaeru> ow
<ArseneLupin> Question
<ArseneLupin> Is that 7 with the Called Shot Penalty?
<Kaeru> no no it wasn't but that would only drop it to a 9 total
<ArseneLupin> Yes but that was important info for future
<Kaeru> Avery, Omen has this thing relatively occupied, for the moment. It sure as shit doesn't look like it's fun to keep this up, though. You're up.
<Soulless> 4df+8 Avery tries to understand how Omen is doing this, and if he can assist Omen in some way.
<Glacon> Soulless: Avery tries to understand how Omen is doing this, and if he can assist Omen in some way.: 11 (4df+8=0, +, +, +)
<Kaeru> Somehow, Omen seems to be just barely shifting the make-up of reality to create a barrier of force that keeps this thing off of him. You've got no idea how you'd assist— but maybe you can help get him out of the way before it fails or kills him to keep it active. Because it certainly seems to be hurting him— runic-looking scars across his hands— his palms, his fingers, the backs of his hands and down his arms beneath his sleeves— seem to
<Kaeru> crack slightly, blood beading in places along the lines.
<Soulless> Can Avery shove him out of the way?
<Kaeru> He can try. Guy isn't very big, and he's half-crouched under the barely-held-back weight of a massive stone cat-thing— but if you want to try to pull him away, you can, but shoving him out of the way. It'd be more likely to succeed, but you'd probably put yourself right under the thing's paws.
<Soulless> Avery moves to protect Omen.
<Soulless> What's the roll.
<Kaeru> that'd be an acro or ath (your choice), but specify if you're trying to pull him away or just push him out of the Dangerzone
<Soulless> 4df+3 acrobatics
<Glacon> Soulless: acrobatics: 1 (4df+3=-, -, -, +)
<Soulless> Try pull
<Soulless> wow
<Kaeru> You grab his arm and try to pull him away— he stumbles, and his focus falters, almost allowing the creature to fall on top of him. He makes a startled, scared little noise and waves his free hand through the air. A long slash of red follows the motion and, though the strength of the action splits open the scars on the backs of his hands, the force of it pushes the creature back and to one side to land heavily but harmlessly far enough away to
<Kaeru> not land on either of them. And he scrambles up, grabs Avery, and hurries away with him in tow.
<Kaeru> 4df+6 As you're getting some distance from it, Vega takes a shot. Just aims for the thing itself— nothing fancy, just trying to do some damage.
<Glacon> Kaeru: As you're getting some distance from it, Vega takes a shot. Just aims for the thing itself— nothing fancy, just trying to do some damage.: 5 (4df+6=-, -, +, 0)
<Kaeru> 4df+7 o?
<Glacon> Kaeru: o?: 5 (4df+7=0, -, -, 0)
<Kaeru> 1d4 ey
<Glacon> Kaeru: ey: 3 (1d4=3)
<Soulless> Avery is speeding with Omen. He says, abnormally calmly. "Presence said you would explain some things."
<Kaeru> He stumbles over his words for a good few seconds. "Y-y-you sp-spoke to-??" He looks, frankly, scared as hell— and not just of the cat creature.
<Kaeru> Bastian, after Vega took his shot, you're up
<ArseneLupin> Can he get a good shot at the chest?
<ArseneLupin> Because he's mobile again isnt he?
<Kaeru> No- it seems to have learned its lesson on that one, and protects it, facing slightly away to hide it behind a shoulder.
<ArseneLupin> So
<ArseneLupin> The defense roll on the tail would be 8 now right?
<Kaeru> Seems right
<ArseneLupin> FUCK IT
<ArseneLupin> 4df+8 Light weapon vs Tail
<Glacon> ArseneLupin: Light weapon vs Tail: 6 (4df+8=0, -, -, 0)
<ArseneLupin> Fuuuuck
<Kaeru> 4df+8 oh
<Glacon> Kaeru: oh: 9 (4df+8=0, 0, +, 0)
<ArseneLupin> Worth a shot
<Kaeru> that's a no. Small fast-moving targets aren't the easiest to hit
<Kaeru> Nathan!
<Sax> He's still sighting in. This creature is too fast - he needs a way to pin it down.
<Sax> He looks around for anything that could be shot at to pin it down.
<Kaeru> You're in an open clearing, and it's bigger than an SUV. That's probably a no, unfortunately.
<Sax> "This is absolute trash - we need to lure it somewhere where it cannot use its speed!"
<ArseneLupin> "We dont really have that option!"
<teslatornado> "Backin' it into the warehouse is possible!"
<ArseneLupin> "We need to stay near the rift though!"
<Kaeru> Vega chimes in. "Not going to happen! I'm not luring that thing near my teammates!"
<Sax> "FUCK!"
<Sax> Nathan stands up, and switches to automatic, charging the damn cat.
<Sax> "KILL IT AT ALL COSTS!"
<Sax> 4df+6 FUCK YOU CAT, AIMING HATE AT YOUR FACE AND DRAWING YOU FUCKING ATTENTION
<Glacon> Sax: FUCK YOU CAT, AIMING HATE AT YOUR FACE AND DRAWING YOU FUCKING ATTENTION: 6 (4df+6=+, 0, 0, -)
<Kaeru> It spins and braces, widens its stance, holding its ground and staring Nathan down with a snarl.
<Kaeru> 4df+7 literal stoneskin
<Glacon> Kaeru: literal stoneskin: 6 (4df+7=-, -, +, 0)
<Sax> 2d3
<Glacon> Sax: 5 (2d3=2, 3)
<Kaeru> You get a good few shots off on it, and definitely damage it— a shot to its face has it twitch to one side, but it turns slowly back to face you. This thing isn't going down until it's got no choice.
<Sax> Nathan affixes a bayonet to Veronica.
<Sax> He'll make it stay in place.
<Kaeru> Against something made of stone?
<Soulless> "Yes, I did." He says to Omen. "He said you would help."
<Kaeru> He's welcome to try it, though.
<Sax> He just needs it distracted enough for someone to get a few good shots in.
<teslatornado> Bud shouts out to Nate, "I tried that! It's a bad idea! Thing must way six tons!"
<teslatornado> "You get hit by that thing it'll be like punchinin' a Kleenex!"
<Sax> "It needs to stay still somehow!"
<Kaeru> Avery, Omen makes a scared little noise, not quite finding words for a moment. "U-u-um- I'm- it's- th- um. I'm- yes. I'm the- the bridge, f-for, for the Presence. I- c-can tell you- things when we're not- y-yknow, trying not to get k-killed b-by Teo," he says, managing a terrified little chuckle.
<Kaeru> Nathan, I'll let you try this on this turn, since you're charging this thing. Go for it, if you're sure you want to try this.
<teslatornado> "Hit it 'n move! Stay mobile, if we give it too many targets we can keep it tied down!"
<Sax> Nathan is only charging to grab its attention.
<ArseneLupin> "I would like to say this is an awful idea!"
<Soulless> "You are scared of the Presence? Why- and that is called Teo? It has a name? Does it respond to its name?"
<Sax> Now that he's put some damage on it, he begins a backpedal, preparing to fire more rounds to deaden its charge.
<Kaeru> This is one angry cat. Ophie, you're up, if you want to try anything.
<Nemi> Ophie peeks out. She's decided that she's useless in combat here, so instead, she hurries over to Bud and shoots him up with a hypo. "This'll help with the pain! You can do this!"
<Nemi> 1d4 medical die
<Glacon> Nemi: medical die: 2 (1d4=2)
<Kaeru> Avery, Omen is shaking, trying his best to ignore the blood that drips from his hands. "Y-y-ea-h. Mhm. Teoyaomiqui. It's- heh, it's a- a mouthful, I kn-ow. I d-didn't pick it." He attempts a smile.
<Soulless> Avery- avery Smiles back.
<Soulless> Shocker.
<teslatornado> Bud allows himself to be shot full of good-good painkillers. He has his hands full enough with the actual fight, and is glad someone is running medical support. 13/16 HP.
<Soulless> "I have a plan."
<Soulless> "If it reponds to me calling it, it'll chase me, and give my team a chance to strike."
<Kaeru> He doesn't really react. Avery, close as you are to him, you notice the lack of motion in his eyes, the unfocused way they are. He's blind, Omen is— to spite the eyes of the one he's tied to, he can't see. "It w-won't necessari-ly, but it's w-worth a try," he nods.
<Kaeru> He glances down at his hands. Decides using his abilities maybe isn't the best plan right now, unless it's absolutely necessary. Bud, you're up.
<Soulless> Odd. Avery will have to ask about it later.
<Soulless> "You're pretty injured. If this works, I'll patch you up later."
<Kaeru> He nods, appreciative.
<teslatornado> Bud is, indeed, up. And he's feeling pretty good, now that the endorphins and the painkillers have kicked in.
<teslatornado> 4df+2 (Walking Casualty) He's gonna sacrifice some MHealth and psych himself up for the rest of the fight.
<Glacon> teslatornado: (Walking Casualty) He's gonna sacrifice some MHealth and psych himself up for the rest of the fight.: 5 (4df+2=+, 0, +, +)
<teslatornado> So with a +4 THP boost, he's at 17/16 HP, and gains +2 RES against the next attack made on him.
<Kaeru> Miqui turns towards where most of you are gathered. But doesn't charge— holds its ground, raises its tail above it slightly. Light from the sun and the spinning red sphere reflect off of the damaged crystal.
<Kaeru> [Ability: Lighthouse] Everyone who can currently see the creature, roll acro to shield your eyes.
<teslatornado> 4df+2 (SPD) oh no
<Glacon> teslatornado: (SPD) oh no: 0 (4df+2=-, 0, -, 0)
<teslatornado> oh no
<ArseneLupin> 4df+3 fuuuuuuuck
<Glacon> ArseneLupin: fuuuuuuuck: 3 (4df+3=0, +, -, 0)
<Soulless> 4df+3 acrp
<Glacon> Soulless: acrp: 1 (4df+3=-, -, +, -)
<Kaeru> 4df+4 vega attempts
<Glacon> Kaeru: vega attempts: 3 (4df+4=0, -, +, -)
<Soulless> can avery at least antipsy or determination this
<Kaeru> Unfortunately, it's a blind/stun status effect— no psych hazard
<Soulless> rip
<Nemi> 4df+4 oh no
<Glacon> Nemi: oh no: 3 (4df+4=0, -, +, -)
<Kaeru> 4df+4 lighthouse
<Glacon> Kaeru: lighthouse: 6 (4df+4=+, 0, 0, +)
<Kaeru> well alright
<Sax> 4df+3 osnap
<Glacon> Sax: osnap: 3 (4df+3=-, +, +, -)
<Kaeru> Omen, who's literally blind, is the only one who evades this ability. Everyone else has a -2 to all visual perception checks and a -1 to all defensive rolls until after its next turn
<Kaeru> Avery, you're up.
<Soulless> oh
<Soulless> Well
<Soulless> That's autokill if Avery does anything.
<Kaeru> How so?
<Soulless> (he has 3 acrobatics, now 2)
<Soulless> (lol)
<Kaeru> oh rip
<Soulless> 1d4 Avery spends his turn healing Omen instead. "If I call him can you shield us?"
<Glacon> Soulless: Avery spends his turn healing Omen instead. "If I call him can you shield us?": 2 (1d4=2)
<Kaeru> He smiles gratefully, but looks rather scared out of his mind. "I- I c-can try," he manages.
<Sax> Nathan hits dirt, and prepares to keep on firing to deter a painful charge.
<Soulless> "Okay. Get ready. "
<Kaeru> He nods, steels himself facing the creature.
<Soulless> Avery raises his voice and waves his hand. "TEOYAOMIQUI! OVER HERE YOU BIG PUSS. BITE ME."
<Soulless> Avery puts himself in front of him, so if it fails, Avery is hit first.
<Soulless> (This is also, shockingly, as coherent as Avery's been, according to most)
<Kaeru> It lowers its tail and faces Avery with glowing teal eyes. Snarls, lowers itself near to the ground and shuffles for a moment before kicking off and beginning its charge.
<Kaeru> Bastian, you're faced with one hell of a situation. Have fun
<ArseneLupin> Has this made Teo any easier to hit?
<Kaeru> It's running a straight damn line, which means it's hard to miss.
<Kaeru> Thing is, bullets bounce.
<ArseneLupin> Does that mean the tail is easier to hit?
<Kaeru> No— it's behind the thing. Not really giving a good line of sight.
<ArseneLupin> Alright he's gonna take a shot at the chest if he can manage it, otherwise eye
<Kaeru> Go for it. Pretty much equal chances either way— it's low to the ground, but the chest is a larger target, so it evens out.
<ArseneLupin> Fuck it, chest
<ArseneLupin> 4df+8 Light
<Glacon> ArseneLupin: Light: 11 (4df+8=+, +, 0, +)
<Kaeru> womph
<Kaeru> 4df+7 ok i guess
<Glacon> Kaeru: ok i guess: 7 (4df+7=+, -, 0, 0)
<Kaeru> yeah that's a solid hit
<ArseneLupin> 1d4 Fuck off with your damn charge
<Glacon> ArseneLupin: Fuck off with your damn charge: 4 (1d4=4)
<Kaeru> Oh.
<Kaeru> You hit the gem in its chest solidly, and the shot imbeds itself in the teal stone, sending audible cracks across its surface. It yelps, a little pained sort of noise, and its pace falters. It skids slightly and stumbles, losing balance and falling to one side. Scrambles ineffectively to get back up, not quite successful in its attempts.
<ArseneLupin> He grins and stands up straight. "Alright boys let's finish this thing!"
<Sax> Nathan re-ups and and ready to lay on more hurt.
<Kaeru> Omen stares for a moment, a bit stunned, before snapping out of it. "W-wait! Don't-!"
<ArseneLupin> "Huh?"
<Kaeru> "It won't die. It won't. Guardians don't die. If you kill it you'll just send it back."
<teslatornado> "FUCK YOU WANT US TO DO WITH IT THEN?"
<ArseneLupin> "And isnt that what we want?"
<teslatornado> Bud is shouting now, on his way down from the hard point he'd taken up.
<Kaeru> He shrinks a bit. "I-I'm sorry! I just-" he stops. Blinks.
<teslatornado> "Just what."
<teslatornado> "If we hadn't taken care of that thing, it woulda shredded my teammates like fuckin' tissue paper."
<teslatornado> "It killed one of our guys. Injured others."
<teslatornado> "An' now you want me to just let it lay there?"
<ArseneLupin> "Well considering that one just came out the one that killed that gu-"
<ArseneLupin> "Is… somewhere else."
<Kaeru> A brightened glow from the sphere high above the clearing draws attention to itself, spinning quickly or a moment before a branch hits the ground like the one that'd allowed this creature to escape— but this time, no massive monster leaps from the rift.
<ArseneLupin> (This time it's a /tiny/ monster)
<teslatornado> \\It's two massive monsters.
<Kaeru> And when the branch spins out of existence, it takes the sphere above with it, spinning into a small light in the raised palm of a figure standing where the rift had been. He closes his fist and the light goes out.
<Sax> Nathan's at a loss for what just happened.
<ArseneLupin> Bastian's gaze snaps to the newcomer
<Kaeru> He's difficult to describe. A semi-fitted hoodie and pants allow ease of movement but hold no particular formality, plain and simply designed aside from a sun-like sigil across the chest. Gloves with small circles cut out of the backs of the hands and metal pieces over the shoulders of the hoodie that connect to a structure of metal supports over his back. A smooth, featureless black mask covers his face, anchored to a metal piece along his
<Kaeru> jaw and over his ears. He turns to you- to Omen. "Well, you've made some friends, haven't you?"
<teslatornado> Bud turns. Raises his gun towards the new guy.
<Soulless> "…"
<Soulless> Does Avery know this fuck.
<Kaeru> Avery, it's the same person you saw before.
<Soulless> "Hello."
<Soulless> "I am Avery Solace. You are here again. Please take Teo back."
<Soulless> "Also please come with us into containment."
<ArseneLupin> "Who the hell is this guy?" Bastian asks, annoyed now
<Sax> Nathan looks at Avery like he grew a second what.
<Sax> "… what."
<Sax> second head*
<Nemi> Ophie looks up from where she is by Bud, another hypo in-hand. She stares.
<Kaeru> He looks at the cat creature, still struggling to stand. "Miqui," he calls. His voice is strange and synthesized-sounding from filtering through the mask. The cat looks up and scrambles to its feet, trots almost happily over to this guy, albeit slowly and limping slightly.
<teslatornado> "Who. The fuck is this."
<Soulless> "…"
<teslatornado> Bud directs this at Avery.
<Soulless> "You are coming into containment with us now."
<Soulless> "Please say yes."
<ArseneLupin> "Alright, I was promised some godamn answers first."
<teslatornado> "And where. The FUCK. Did you GO."
<teslatornado> His voice is up on 11 right now, full drill-sergeant yelling.
<Soulless> Avery looks at Bud. He actually seems to see Bud. Like not through him, but at him.
<teslatornado> "FUCKIN' answer me, Avery."
<Sax> Nathan's holding ground, Veronica shouldered to new threat.
<teslatornado> "YOU FUCKIN' DITCHED US IN A HOSTILE AREA."
<Kaeru> He flicks his wrist and a small rift opens behind him, a red tear in space. The cat creature hops through before the man closes it behind it.
<Soulless> Avery's eyes zoop to the tear first.
<Soulless> 4df+8 science! wTF
<Glacon> Soulless: science! wTF: 6 (4df+8=0, -, -, 0)
<teslatornado> "No warnin'. No announcement. Fuckin' NOTHIN'."
<Soulless> "I'm sorry."
<Kaeru> Whoever this man is, he seems entirely unphased by the commotion. Granted, it's hard to tell any sort of emotion— the featureless mask doesn't allow much insight.
<teslatornado> "WHERE THE FUCK WERE YOU YOU DESERTING PIECE OF SHIT ANSWER ME BEFORE I FUCKIN' SHOOT YOU WHERE YOU STAND."
<Kaeru> Avery, it's a doorway, of some sort. You're not sure of much else.
<teslatornado> "YOU DO NOT. GET. TO JUST. FUCKIN'. WALK OFF."
<ArseneLupin> "Can one of you two please talk to us like we were promised?"
<Soulless> "I know. I'm sorry."
<Sax> Nathan maintains a defensive position, listening to Bud chew into Avery.
<teslatornado> "FUCK YOU YOU'RE SORRY, SOLACE."
<Soulless> Avery flinches at the loud noises, though. Seems confused again, less clear.
<teslatornado> "You do that again."
<teslatornado> "I will find you."
<Sax> "… hey assholes, before you continue on, remember where the fuck we are," with Nathan pointing out the masked dude.
<teslatornado> "And I will fucking rip your lungs out."
<Soulless> "…"
<Soulless> Avery seems confused, again, but nods, his gaze far away.
<teslatornado> Bud stares at Avery for a few more seconds. Turns back to Nate. Then to Bastian. Then he's quiet.
<Soulless> He veers over to the masked dude again, but goes to make sure Omen's alriight.
<Kaeru> Omen turns to Bastian. "I said I'd answer your questions. I'll answer them. I-" From behind him, "Omen." He stiffens, determined, and responds to the commanding call. "I gave them my word, Apollo! Just a few minutes. Please."
<Sax> "… alright, there are a lot of questions, and I don't have the brainpower to process them all," Nathan tells to the masked man.
<Sax> "First and foremost - is this going to happen again?"
<ArseneLupin> He glares at the man. "No, you are not denying us answers."
<Soulless> 4df+5 does he know that name? Apollo? (science)
<Glacon> Soulless: does he know that name? Apollo? (science): 1 (4df+5=-, -, -, -)
<Soulless> wow apparently he does not
<Soulless> Avery moves to step between Apollo and Omen.
<Soulless> Omen isn't going anywhere. He needs answers to things.
<Kaeru> Nathan, the masked man looks to you. "I don't know," he says pointedly, shifting his gaze to Omen. "Is it?" Omen shrinks a bit, seeming ashamed he messed up, somehow, let things get out of control. He was probably distracted and let his control slip when you all arrived.
<Kaeru> Apollo looks at Avery almost curiously, but doesn't seem to react. Crosses his arms, waits.
<Soulless> Avery looks at Apollo with an actual emotion on his face. It's >:|
<ArseneLupin> Bastiam has his pistol out at this point, glaring with hate
<teslatornado> Bud also has his 1911 out.
<teslatornado> He's got a lot of residual pissed-off to work out.
<Sax> "Who are you, and what explanation do you have for this."
<Kaeru> He doesn't seem very put-off by the fact that at least two guns are aimed at him. If anything, he seems mildly annoyed by it. "What, no 'thank you?' I did just close that big nasty rift in the sky, you know."
<Soulless> Avery realizes, suddnely, that Teoyaomiqi must've been a person, once. Stayed too long. Must've. Must've become.
<ArseneLupin> "That you caused you hollow asshole."
<teslatornado> "The big nasty rift in the sky that just shit a statue the size of a pickup truck on us?"
<teslatornado> "Yeah. I'm gonna hold off on the glad-handin' until after I finish shovin' my whole size-fourteen boot up your ass."
<Soulless> He seems to pause a little, then gently approaches Apollo with some rope, and tries to calmly rope Apollo's wrists.
<Sax> Avery, you feel Nathan's 1911 pressed against your forehead.
<Nemi> ".. can we wait until we're not in the field to scream at each other?" Ophie asks, voice tiny.
<Sax> "No."
<Soulless> Avery stops when he feels the gun.
<teslatornado> Bud keeps his weapon trained on Apollo, but his eyes go to Nate. An eyebrow quirks slightly.
<ArseneLupin> "Nathan!"
<Kaeru> He looks at Bastian, puts a hand on his chest in mock offense. "Aren't you a riot, fun-size," he chuckles.
<Sax> "Not until we understand what's happening."
<Sax> Nathan's finger is no-where near the trigger.
<Sax> He lowers his sidearm, and looks back to Apollo.
<ArseneLupin> "Go fuck yourself sunshine."
<teslatornado> "We lose him, we ain't gonna get any closer to understandin' anything."
<Sax> "Apparently the last few hours have been a complete blender of miscommunications, lack of understanding, and secrets."
<Soulless> Avery remains silent after this.
<Sax> "And considering that the dude sealed a portal that could shit out pickup-truck sized statues, I don't doubt he can re-open them."
<Kaeru> He chuckles. "Aw, stand down, hotheads. I just ran into your guy here on my way out the door," he jokes idly, gesturing to Avery.
<Sax> "I'd rather keep those portals shut, and if that means having to do this diplomatically, I'd rather do so."
<teslatornado> Bud appears to be the opposite of calmed by this statement.
<Soulless> Avery begins to wring his hands together.
<ArseneLupin> Bastian squints at Apollo. "And dont. Dont you fu…cking… call me that." His voice falters a bit
<Kaeru> "Unfortunately, you took it upon yourselves to hurt my cat," he says, crossing his arms, tone mock resignation. "I'm allowed to hold a little bit of a grudge, aren't I?"
<Soulless> "My name is Avery Solace. Please call me that."
<Soulless> "I am not that other term, either."
<teslatornado> "That cat. Nearly killed us."
<Sax> "Your friend informed us that shit may emerge from the other side, with hostile implications."
<Sax> "The actions undertaken were done in self-defense."
<teslatornado> "Somethin' like it took a fist-sized chunk out of one of our guys. Damn near killed a couple others."
<teslatornado> "If we're supposed to just roll over'n die to pet your ego, I'm not game for that."
<Kaeru> "What, solstice? What, can't take a joke?" He sounds amused, smugly. Looks at Bud. "Well, yeah, I'd hope so, Guardians aren't exactly meant to be peashooters."
<Kaeru> "I'm not pissed you hurt Miqui. Hell, I'm impressed."
<Sax> "You've one tough cat."
<Kaeru> "But gotta admit we may've gotten off on the wrong foot, hm?"
<Soulless> "I am not capable currently of understanding humor."
<teslatornado> "Just a touch."
<Kaeru> He looks to Nathan. "Aw, thanks, I pride myself."
<Soulless> "Please put on these handcuffs and come quietly."
<Soulless> He is evidently hopinh this fellow will come seemingly willingly the way Orion did.
<Sax> Nathan looks at Avery like he's a fucking moron.
<Kaeru> He looks at Avery. "Uh, hmm. Yeah, gonna go with 'no thanks,' on that one, buddy."
<Soulless> "The last one came quietly, Nathan."
<Nemi> Ophie just looks lost.
<ArseneLupin> Bastian finds his voice again. "Hey! Tell your asshole of a friend to fix my chest!"
<Sax> "And you didn't get blasted to bits? You're incredibly lucky."
<teslatornado> Bud looks just as lost as Ophie, but he's hiding it behind a potent cocktail of endorphins and straight anger.
<teslatornado> "A'right. Okay."
<teslatornado> "Somebody please break down where that cat just came from."
<teslatornado> "An' who the hell you people are."
<Kaeru> He looks at Bastian. "Hm? Oh, sure, I'll say ya asked," he shrugs.
<Sax> To Apollo: "At this junction, I'd be tasked to bring you in, but clearly we don't have the firepower or persuasion to make that happen."
<Kaeru> "Clearly."
<teslatornado> Bud wheezes in protest.
<Sax> "I'd like to think myself reasonable, and I'd rather cut my losses here rather than risk your cat coming back to kick my ass."
<ArseneLupin> He sneers. "Fine, tell them who you all work for then."
<ArseneLupin> "I'll figure out a way to tell them one way or another."
<teslatornado> "Just need t' grab a grenade launcher."
<ArseneLupin> "Make things simple.:"
<teslatornado> "Maybe a couple kilos a' dynamite."
<teslatornado> "Ain't nothin' in God's creation cain't get blown up if you got a gun big enough."
<teslatornado> "But that ain't here nor there."
<Kaeru> He gives an exaggerated shrug. "I don't work for anyone," he says casually.
<Kaeru> Looks at Bud. "Interesting outlook," he muses. "I've got a dog, y'wanna test that out?"
<Soulless> "Guardians that do not work for anyone?"
<Soulless> Avery looks mildly confused.
<ArseneLupin> "Bull. Shit. You know exactly what I mean asshole."
<Kaeru> He seems to genuinely be proposing that, not sarcastically.
<Soulless> "I thought they- always- like Omen and Orion."
<Sax> Nathan shakes his head. "We're fine for today."
<Nemi> "I don't understand anything that's going on," Ophie whimpers.
<Kaeru> He looks at Avery. "Oh, no, the Guardians work for things," he says. "I'm not a guardian."
<Soulless> "…What are you?"
<Sax> Nathan looks to Ophie. "I'm trying to figure it out."
<Sax> "My brain isn't big enough for this."
<Soulless> "These people are related to a dimension known as the red forest."
<Soulless> "I can give you the research and documents known so far on site."
<teslatornado> Bud eventually just slowly lowers his 1911 and goes to stand next to Ophie in the "no idea what's going on" corner.
<Kaeru> By his tone, you can assume he grins under that mask. "Ain't you a smart one," he chuckles. "Me? I'm just another guy."
<Sax> Is the rift gone?
<Kaeru> It's gone.
<Kaeru> Without a damn trace.
<Sax> Nathan checks his radio.
<Kaeru> Works like new.
<ArseneLupin> Bastian tightens the grip on his gun. "No you're not you're a fucking sh-ell." He puts his other hand on his chest, sounding to be in heavy discomfort
<Soulless> "…But if the power spikes are related to the red forest, something must be wrong. It is supposed to be almost entirely separate from our dimension."
<Sax> "Fuck it."
<Sax> "Bud, call for extraction."
<Sax> "Immediate medevac for the remaining recon force."
<teslatornado> Bud's just standing there, his face having turned to the physical representation of system32 crashing.
<Soulless> 1d4 he tries to treat Bastian.
<Glacon> Soulless: he tries to treat Bastian.: 4 (1d4=4)
<Soulless> woo
<Sax> Nathan is now giving clear instructions.
<teslatornado> He picks his radio off his belt and radios in for extraction.
<Sax> "Cierva, check up on the operative we dragged in."
<ArseneLupin> Bastian waves Avery off. "I'm fine…"
<Sax> "If he's still alive, we'll put him in for medevac - otherwise, leave the body for now and we can do recovery when a second ship extracts us."
<teslatornado> As he's calling in the evac, he looks between Bastian and Apollo. Briefly lowers the receiver.
<teslatornado> "Actually. I got a question for this 'Pollo fella."
<teslatornado> "On that."
<Soulless> "I will call the extraction while the question is asked."
<Kaeru> He looks at Bastian. "Ooh, that can't be fun, can it, pal," he replies, mockingly sympathetic. To Avery— "Nothing's wrong. Veil's thin and we're using that shit. Your Foundation'd know damn well we've been doin' it just fine without so much as a blip in consequences."
<Soulless> He calls for extraction.
<Nemi> Ophie nots and scurries off, looking for Baker.
<Soulless> "We? Using it for what?"
<Nemi> Nods, too.
<Kaeru> Apollo looks at you, Bud. Expectant. Waiting.
<ArseneLupin> "I hate you so much you asshole."
<Kaeru> "I'm hurt. You've barely gotten to know me, too."
<Soulless> Avery is alarmed.
<Soulless> How Red is this fucker?
<Kaeru> Avery— uh, very.
<teslatornado> "I ain't. I'm not gonna lie I got no fuckin' idea what's goin' on here."
<Soulless> Avery's eyes narrow.
<teslatornado> "I'm pretty sure I got at least four fractured ribs from hittin' that tree."
<teslatornado> "But. We had a guy out front. Baker."
<teslatornado> "Got bit by somethin' like your Teo… Your cat thing."
<teslatornado> "Started growin' these weird crystals 'n talkin' about singin' stars."
<teslatornado> "An' cappin' all that off - guy was dead, last time his teammates saw him."
<Nemi> Ophie's quick, at least, and she remembers where Bud stowed Baker. She's looking for him.
<teslatornado> "Now you got no right to tell me, an' I ain't gonna figure it out on my own, but - that guy's about the only thing I even got close t'understandin' outta everything I did all day."
<teslatornado> "That'n the weird birds 'n foxes 'n stuff."
<teslatornado> "Now if you felt so inclined I'd just. Love it. If you could fill me in on how a man came back from the dead?"
<Kaeru> "My cat didn't do that shit," he replies simply. "Miqui isn't that much of a— blunt object, so to speak. Red crystals, you said, mm?"
<teslatornado> "Yeah. Seemed like they were growin' outta him."
<teslatornado> "Least they was growin' outta where the guy got bit."
<Soulless> Avery nods. "He mentioned that the stars sing."
<Soulless> "Lethargic."
<Soulless> "There are many animals in the forest that do not make sense."
<Kaeru> "Shalim," he replies, "Salem. Dusk Guardian— the corruption's its MO. Sneaky fuck prolly got out when I opened the damn rift." He rolls his shoulders, stretches. "I'll help out your man. He'll live. Little thank-you for helping Omen fix his fuck-up."
<teslatornado> Bud tips his head to the side. "You just said a lotta things I don't understand but I'm sure somebody else here did."
<Sax> "Alright, we'll lead you to him."
<Kaeru> "The animals, they're harmless. They'll end up outa this world or they'll live out their lives here and then they'll be gone. Kill 'em if you feel like it, I suppose."
<Soulless> "…"
<Sax> Nathan directs people about.
<Sax> "… we'll probably have to capture them."
<Sax> "Just to preserve the veil."
<Soulless> "Bud. There's another dimension. There are people who can go between this dimension and ours called Guardians. There seems to be a person called Salem that is harming people."
<teslatornado> Bud… Does what a Bud do. With no need for heavy weapons support, he's mostly just used for picking things up.
<Kaeru> "Oh, they're not a threat to the veil, buddy. I'd round 'em up if they were."
<teslatornado> He looks at Avery. Nods.
<Nemi> Ophie continues looking for Baker.
<Kaeru> He looks at Avery. Stares for a moment. And laughs.
<teslatornado> "Yeah," he says. Shrugs. "They're like. Jackalopes."
<Kaeru> Ophie, he's where you left him— but you're not sure you can move him alone. Unless you can.
<Soulless> Avery looks at Apollo, looks confused.
<teslatornado> "Kinda."
<Soulless> "…"
<Soulless> "Explain your laughter, Apollo."
<ArseneLupin> Bastian is pretty quiet at this point, mostly because he's fuming with rage
<Soulless> "Also, have you heard of someone called Nova?"
<teslatornado> Bud eventually makes his way back to Ophie.
<Soulless> "We are looking for Nova.]"
<teslatornado> And Baker.
<Kaeru> He chuckles. "Awh, buddy, buddy, we ain't Guardians, us that go between the worlds," he replies.
<Soulless> "…"
<Soulless> "Please clarify what you are."
<teslatornado> \\fucking leafers
<Kaeru> "We're Shells, pal. That fella you just faced off against, eh, my cat? That's a Guardian."
<Soulless> Avery is purposefully keeping himself dissociated in his language.
<Soulless> "…"
<Soulless> "Where is Nova."
<Kaeru> He shrugs. "How 'm I supposed to know?"
<Nemi> Ophie is tiny and not very phyiscally strong. She IS going to check Baker's condition, however, see if the crystals are growing any more.
<Soulless> "Because Nova mentioned your kind, before they went missing. Could you. Please come with us."
<Soulless> "And with Omen coming with us."
<teslatornado> Bud, Heavy Object Lifter Extraordinaire, waits for Ophie to finish with her assessment. "That weird fella with the gimp mask said he'd help out with Baker if we got him back over there."
<Kaeru> "Nah," he replies casually. "I got shit to do. And I doubt Omen's big guy'd be too cool with letting him get dragged off to some facility someplace."
<Soulless> "…"
<Soulless> "Omen is supposed to help me. He will be coming with me."
<Kaeru> "So seein' as I'm sure you lot'd rather deal with me than with that thing, Omen's not going anywhere. Mm?"
<Kaeru> Omen looks more than a bit awkward and shy at all this.
<Soulless> "I require Omen's aid in order to learn how to find Nova."
<ArseneLupin> "We can talk while you heal our soldier."
<Soulless> "Omen must come with me."
<teslatornado> Bud's never been so glad to be at least 100 yards away from plot-relevant conversation.
<Sax> Nathan organizes the medevacs and is preparing to write the AARs for this gong-show.
<Sax> He also has to call upon a containment team to capture said fox-things.
<Sax> Maybe he could tame one. Nicole wouldn't mind a pet, right?
<Kaeru> The birds watch you. They're probably not a necessary containment effort, right? Maybe.
<Nemi> "Well- he's stable and about the same state as he was," Ophie speaks up to Bu. "Let's.. bring him over?"
<teslatornado> Bud nods at her. He gingerly lifts Baker over his shoulder and gestures back towards the others. "You doin' okay?"
<teslatornado> The statement is directed at Ophie, not Baker. It's pretty obvious how Baker is doing.
<Kaeru> Baker's in sleepzone, anyhow. Alive, still, but out cold. Naptime for Maliki.
<teslatornado> Bud silently envies Baker.
<ArseneLupin> Bastian is still in angerzone
<teslatornado> He occasionally grunts when he moves, now that the painkillers have worn off and he's starting to calm down. Bruised ribs. Broken ribs. Definitely.
<teslatornado> At least it's not a punctured lung or something worse.
<Soulless> Avery begins to try and take Omen with him.
<Kaeru> You're able to bring Baker fairly easily back to the clearing with you. Omen seems to want to go with you, but he's hesitant, and a sharp, flat command in another language from Apollo roots him to the spot, seeming torn.
<Soulless> Avery growls.
<Soulless> "Big guy. Said he was going. To help me."
<Soulless> "Take it up with him."
<teslatornado> Bud stops just in time to see this. He awkwardly looks back and forth between the rest of the group.
<teslatornado> "… Oh fuck meeeee."
<ArseneLupin> "Avery! Worry about this when Baker is safe!"
<Soulless> "If you have a problem./"
<teslatornado> "Just - just give him a goddamn telephone number Avery."
<ArseneLupin> Jesus has Bastian ever snapped like that?
<Nemi> Ophie nods dully to Bud. "I'm sick of falling into the middle of weird eldritch shit I don't understand, in the middle of things so I doubly have no context. But. Ugh. Thank you, Bud, gracias- ah- here we are.."
<Soulless> Avery looks over to Bastian.
<teslatornado> Bud nods back at Ophie. "Yeah I'm. I'm with you on that one."
<Soulless> "I can find Nova with him! I can- I could!"
<Soulless> "Maybe!"
<teslatornado> "I never thought I'd say this but - God I wish I was back in the Congo."
<ArseneLupin> "WORRY AFTER OUR MEN ARENT DYING DAMMIT!"
<Soulless> He flinches, and lets him go like he's burned.
<Kaeru> Apollo looks away from Omen for a time to go over to Baker. Crouches beside him when he's put down. The back of his jacket is covered by a web of metal supports, and it seems like there are two cuts in the fabric, vertical, near his lower back.
<teslatornado> Bud… Indicates this to Ophie.
<Soulless> Avery looks to Omen. "Please get in contact with me again."
<teslatornado> 4df+4 (EDU:ENG) Metal supports? On my clothes? It's more easy to figure out than you think
<Glacon> teslatornado: (EDU:ENG) Metal supports? On my clothes? It's more easy to figure out than you think: 5 (4df+4=+, 0, 0, 0)
<Soulless> He speaks a number and a general location for Omen to go to to find him.
<Soulless> He then goes to go by Bastian, conflicted, but out of it enough to just go with him.
<ArseneLupin> Bastian watches Apollo like a hawk while he works
<Kaeru> They're connected to little metal supports over his shoulders and around slightly in front of him. Some sort of support system, but not necessary for Apollo himself, evidently, since it's obviously removable.
<teslatornado> "… Hey what're those little metal bits for?"
<Nemi> Ophie side-eyes the man and tries to see if she can't figure out the system herself. She knows this kind of science.
<Nemi> 4df+8 (edu:eng+fillingintheblanks)
<Glacon> Nemi: (edu:eng+fillingintheblanks): 11 (4df+8=+, +, 0, +)
<Soulless> He is silent then, quiet, uncertain what to do, how to think, how to feel.
<Kaeru> Apollo looks Baker over, raises hands to hover just slightly above his wounds. His palms glow faintly. He replies idly to Bud— "Part of the uniform, big guy," he shrugs.
<Kaeru> Ophie, that's. The little cutout lines in the fabric at his lower back? Those are significant, somehow. The supports seem geared to center around that area, as if to reinforce some mechanism or structure below the fabric there.
<Nemi> Ophie whispers to Bud, "He's got some kind of spinal implant, I think. Might be to help hook him into a .. walker? Maybe? Powered armour?"
<teslatornado> Bud whispers back, "He did say it was part'a the uniform."
<teslatornado> "Mebbe gonna have to get a closer look at that some day. Somehow."
<teslatornado> "Might be able to do somethin' with it."
<Kaeru> "I don't need armor, lady," he says, somehow overhearing to spite their whispering. "But theorize all ya like, I can't stop you."
<ArseneLupin> Bastian continues watching the glowing palms and Apollo
<Soulless> Avery tries to talk with Omen if he can?
<Soulless> Preferrably farther from the group.
<Kaeru> Whatever Apollo does to Baker, the little shards seem to vanish entirely, and the more serious wounds are healed enough to be stable.
<Kaeru> Avery can.
<Kaeru> Omen seems a bit- nervous. To say the least.
<teslatornado> Bud looks back and forth between Apollo and Ophie.
<Nemi> Ophie has decided that magical people are bullshit. She's going to make her own magical armour. BETTER magical armour.
<Nemi> With LASERS.
<ArseneLupin> Apollo is absolutely getting the stink eye, but I doubt they care
<teslatornado> He's decided that he wants to stop getting fucked up by cats.
<Soulless> tooltime? homeimprovement2?
<Kaeru> He doesn't seem to care much, nope.
<Soulless> same room?
<Kaeru> Avery, HI2 if you want to chat with Omen a bit further off
<teslatornado> Bud, for his part, has elected to just squat down on an errant piece of a box and field-strip his Stinger. Focus on what you know.
<teslatornado> Stacking bodies, fixing guns, and not knowing anything worthwhile.
<Nemi> Ophie continues trying to see if she can't figure out the mechanics of Apollo's uniform. The how, the why, the what.
<ArseneLupin> Bastian almost seems to want to say so much to Apollo but doesnt.
<Kaeru> Ophie, if you wanted to know more, you'd either have to get a closer look or see it in action.
<teslatornado> "So you got a uniform," Bud says simply, "But you said you don't work for nobody."
<ArseneLupin> "That's a lie by the way."
<Kaeru> "Never said I don't work with anybody."
<teslatornado> Bud blinks. Looks at Bastian.
<Nemi> Ophie ambles closer, ostensibly to see what Apollo's doing to Baker. She's Very Curious.
<teslatornado> Questioning expression.
<ArseneLupin> "You know exactly what we mean asshole." Jesus Bud this is a far cry from the sweater lad you've seen before. "I cant explain because of anomalous bullshit and I hate it so much."
<teslatornado> Bud just makes a concerned face at Bastian.
<Kaeru> He stands up straight— Ophie, whatever he did, Baker's completely stable. Still a bit beat to shit, but he'll live, that's certain, and he shows no sign of the red crystals.
<ArseneLupin> "If I talk about shit I feel an empty hole in my chest."
<ArseneLupin> Bastian looks at Apollo. "Is he gonna live?"
<teslatornado> It's partially concern directed at Bastian's anger, partially concern at the possibility of retaliation by Apollo - and partially just concern for for his poor broken ribs.
<teslatornado> "Y'mean like. Hollow-out depression or like…?"
<Kaeru> Apollo spins and faces Bastian, gives an exaggerated sigh. "Fine. Get over here, you whiney shit." He beckons a bit with a hand. "And yes, he'll live."
<ArseneLupin> Bastian goes over
<teslatornado> Bud sits tight. Watches Apollo and Bastian carefully.
<teslatornado> Guard's still up, just in case.
<Nemi> 4df+8 drawing connections on apollo now that she's good and close
<Glacon> Nemi: drawing connections on apollo now that she's good and close: 6 (4df+8=-, 0, -, 0)
<Kaeru> Apollo is. Tall. He raises a hand towards Bastian— nonthreateningly, but Bastian, you might be a bit suspicious. React how you will.
<ArseneLupin> He does nothing… for the moment
<ArseneLupin> He is absolutely suspicious though
<teslatornado> Is he Bud tall?
<Kaeru> Ophie, you have- a theory. But it's incredibly far-fetched, you'd guess, and you can't be sure without at least touching the mechanisms or seeing what it does.
<Kaeru> No, Bud, he's not quite as tall as you. But he's decently tall.
<teslatornado> "Big sum'bitch," Bud says to nobody in particular as he continues observing the situation.
<ArseneLupin> He looks taller next to smol lad probably though
<Nemi> Ophie .. tentatively reaches out to poke at one of the visible mechanisms. Very delicate, hopefully avoiding notice. She's /fascinated/. She /needs/ to know how this works.
<Kaeru> Bastian, Apollo puts a gloved hand flat on your chest. Apollo barely reacts to your reaching, Ophie— except that he reaches behind him to lightly push your hand away. Damn, that guy's got some spacial awareness, that's for sure.
<ArseneLupin> Bastian does nothing again, but he has his gun in hand and gripped tight
<Nemi> He may as well have revived a man from death. But- she had a touch. She *felt* it. It's something. Maybe enough for an idea.
<teslatornado> Bud glances Ophie's way, quirks an eyebrow.
<Kaeru> Ophie, they're definitely mobile supports, allowing maneuverability and motion when in use. But they're not, currently— in use, that is. But this only reinforces your wild theory.
<Kaeru> Ophie, you're probably wrong. Almost certainly. But the cuts out of the fabric, the structure of the supports, the mechanisms
<Kaeru> you almost want to think that thing's support for flight.
<Nemi> Ophie's eyes are wide as she backs away. Oh man. Oh man. Oh man she has IDEAS now.
<Kaeru> Ophie, I mean, you could straight up ask the guy. If you wanted.
<teslatornado> Bud leans forward on his seat slightly. That's… A reaction, certainly.
<Kaeru> Bastian, after a moment, he crosses his arms. "There. Now you got nothin' to complain about. Happy?"
<ArseneLupin> "Almost." He then takes a small step back and tries to shoot Apollo right in the fucking face
<Soulless> (holy fuck)
<teslatornado> \\oh
<Nemi> "Is that.. a flight frame?"
<Kaeru> You pull a pistol and aim it at the featureless mask. But just as you pull the trigger, something's in the way. A gloved hand, over the muzzle of the pistol. He stares at you, neutral, irritable. Pulls his hand away and tips it to let the half-crushed bullet fall to the ground.
<teslatornado> And then there's a Bud-shaped missile on a crash course for Bastian.
<ArseneLupin> As soon as the hand is pulled away he pulls the trigger again
<ArseneLupin> And after that second shot is probably when he gets Budded
<Soulless> (budded is now my fav word)
<teslatornado> \\You could say this scene is a
<teslatornado> \\Budding problem
<Kaeru> The second shot is diverted Apollo pushes the barrel of the gun slightly off to one side with his free hand, sending the shot over one shoulder.
<Nemi> ".. Uh. Um."
<Nemi> "What the fuck-"
<Nemi> Ophie is GLAD she's tiny.
<ArseneLupin> He probably takes a shot again as he's taken down but it wouldnt be a good one and probably fly off
<teslatornado> Bastian is then, presumably, hit by almost three hundred pounds of Texas beef.
<ArseneLupin> He does not resist
<teslatornado> Bud gets a hand on Bastian's wrist and uses his other hand to pry the gun out of his hand, planting his knees on Bastian's shoulders. "What the fuck"
<ArseneLupin> He is glaring over at Apollo. "I want him dead that's what the fuck."
<Kaeru> "That wasn't a very nice way to say thank you," he comments flatly.
<teslatornado> Bud drops the magazine out of Bastian's gun, presses the detent to release the slide on Bastian's sidearm. Ejects the slide from the frame of the handgun.
<teslatornado> As he does so: "Bastian I don't care how angry you are, that guy just dropped a cat the size of a Greyhound bus on top of us."
<teslatornado> "He'd kick all our asses."
<teslatornado> "Take nine seconds and think about how dead we'd all be."
<teslatornado> "Not just you but all of us."
<Kaeru> From nearby, Omen darts over to Apollo. A surprisingly straight line, seeing as the guy's blind, and Apollo catches the smaller man, steadies him, pushes him away slightly.
<ArseneLupin> "You seem to forget he's an enemy. And he's obviously toying with us if he's this comfortable. I need to know what he can do."
<ArseneLupin> "So that one day we can put him in the ground."
<Kaeru> To spite the not very nice way Apollo seems to act towards Omen, Omen cares what happens to him, at the very least.
<teslatornado> "He ain't an enemy right now!"
<teslatornado> "He seems pretty remarkably not-enemy-like t' me!"
<ArseneLupin> "I disafuckingree."
<Nemi> Ophie's eye twitches. "He just *basically* brought Baker back from the dead!"
<teslatornado> "What the hell did this guy do to you!"
<teslatornado> "Did he fuck your high school girlfriend in front a'you or somethin'!?"
<Nemi> "I think it's pretty clear that these guys have some *crazy* powers we can only *barely* comprehend so PLEASE STOP SHOOTING BULLETS NEAR ME."
<Soulless> Avery is right by Omen's side.
<Soulless> "What were you saying, Omen?"
<teslatornado> Bud continues sitting on Bastian's chest.
<ArseneLupin> "Maybe being from the organization that made Nova the way they are, acting like we're fucking friends, and taunting me!"
<Nemi> "GRACIAS MIJO DANKE BIENVENIDO MERCI."
<Soulless> "Bastian. Bastian I have a way to find Nova."
<teslatornado> Bud lets out a sigh.
<ArseneLupin> "That doesnt make me want to kill every single one of these fuckers any less."
<Soulless> "Bastian I have a way to Find Nova this is important Apollo is not important but we can find Nova and then we can kill every one of the fuckers ok? ok? please?"
<ArseneLupin> He clenches his fists. "Fine."
<Kaeru> After a moment of watching this back-and-forth, Apollo turns around to face you, Ophie. Calm, collected, unbothered. "You're very smart, there," he comments. "You seen structures like this one before?" He indicates the supports over his back.
<ArseneLupin> He takes a breath.
<ArseneLupin> "Sorry."
<Soulless> "Thank you- also I did not mean to say that about you guys."
<teslatornado> Bud just looks at Bastian. It's a we-are-going-to-talk-about-this-later look.
<Soulless> Avery says 'kill every one of those fuckers' exactly the way Basian said it, which is funny, because the rest of his voice was his own- but somehow, less stilted.
<ArseneLupin> He returns the look, having no problems about talking about this
<Soulless> Less cookie-cutter.
<teslatornado> He puts the slide back onto Bastian's pistol. Takes hold of it by the slide and offers the gun to Bastian again, handle-first.
<ArseneLupin> He takes it and puts it away
<teslatornado> "You go off like that again and I swear I'm gonna put my whole leg up your ass 'till you can taste my foot on the front of your tongue."
<ArseneLupin> "I'm good now, thank you."
<Nemi> "I haven't," Ophie admits. "But just- I get a feeling. Looking at them. The way they interface, and," She takes a sharp breath. "It just feels- sensible? Like that's the way it'd work, if I were to build one. You must have some crazy miniaturized power source or draw from ambient thaums to power it, nevermind biothaumetics and- Maria and Joseph I would love an afternoon looking over
<Nemi> those things."
<Soulless> He looks back to Omen. "Omen, please finish your sentence."
<Kaeru> He chuckles, tone almost friendly, Ophie. "Maybe someday. Unfortunately, I need these things to get my ass home, mm?"
<teslatornado> Bud finally gets off Bastian's chest. He dusts his knees off, bending slightly to do so - and groans as something in his chest pops in a that-shouldn't-pop kind of way.
<Nemi> ".. yeah, yeah, I get you." The little big brain girl deflates. ".. One day, though. You watch your rear, hombre, I'm going to figure out how you tick!"
<teslatornado> "Gyuuuueeaaahhhh that's broken."
<teslatornado> "Def'nitely. That's. Yup, busted ribs."
<ArseneLupin> Bastian gets up, still glaring at Apollo. A very 'I am going to do everything in my power to put you in the ground' look
<Kaeru> Avery, Omen looks at you. Seems to be breathing slowly, deliberately. "I'm- sorry. I just- y-yeah. The Presence, it. Um. I- well." He shuffles awkwardly. "I. Belong to it. So."
<teslatornado> Bud, standing next to Bastian, looks at Apollo in a very 'I'm so sorry for my angry midget friend's rude behavior' way
<Kaeru> Ophie, Apollo chuckles, and to spite his mask, you can imagine a friendly sort of smile beneath. Leans forward a bit, jokingly lowering his tone. "You want to see how it works?"
<Soulless> "…"
<Soulless> "So if I ask for you you will hear me?"
<Nemi> "Si, por favor!"
<Nemi> Ophie nods eagerly. This is what she lives for.
<Soulless> Avery looks to Ophie. Good scientist with healthy curiosity. Avery respects this strange woman instantly, even though they just met.
<Kaeru> Avery, Omen shakes his head. "No. I just. Thought you should know. I-if you try to, to- to go against it somehow, or- or something, I'm. I have to side with it. I don't have- a choice." He looks sorry. Really sorry. Ashamed.
<ArseneLupin> Bastian goes to collect his sniper rifle, making a point not to point it towards the shells lest he get budded
<Kaeru> Ophie, he chuckles a bit and nods, straightens back up. "Alright. Just for a bit." He rolls his shoulders and steps away from her a bit, stretches.
<Nemi> Ophie observes eagerly, even fishing out a small portable camera and notebook. She is Ready.
<teslatornado> Bud watches Bastian cautiously. He's so lost right now.
<teslatornado> All he wanted to do was shoot a big rock cat.
<teslatornado> This has become a Very Bad Day for Big Daddy Texas.
<ArseneLupin> Bastian is well aware of the eyes of Texas on him, tucking his sniper onto his back with his hands out, showing they're empty
<Kaeru> And long, slender, semitransparent wings unfold from beneath his jacket, from the little cuts in the fabric. Lines web across them, like insect wings, almost four long, quick ellipses from his lower back. The supports over his shoulders lock downwards and, presumably, so do those across his back.
<Nemi> Snapsnapsnap goes the camera as she observes INTENTLY.
<Soulless> Avery looks to Omen.
<Soulless> His expression is silent. And then he says, softly to Omen, in a whisper, while people are distracted.<Soulless> "You are aware that I also have to side with it."
<teslatornado> \\"gimme that diiiiiiiick"
<Soulless> "That was the agreement?"
<Soulless> "It will give me what I ask for and in return. I am its thing."
<Kaeru> The fluttering of them is a blur, like hummingbird wings, too fast to see. But they near-effortlessly lift him a few feet above the ground, and he holds his arms out to his sides, shrugging, smug.
<Soulless> "I will ask for you, though, to interpret the Presence if need be. Is that ok?"
<Kaeru> Avery, Omen shakes his head. "I know. But it's not- not the same. You- you made a deal. I'm- part of it. So." He sighs. "Yeah. I can- I can help, probably."
<teslatornado> Now that the party has died down, Bud goes back on the radio.
<Nemi> Ophie is hella trying to run analyses, taking photos from every angle she can, scribing every theory about the mechanics and just generally doing Her Thing. She is in her element after being completely confused for hours.
<Soulless> "I see. Okay."
<teslatornado> More call-ins. More extraction duties.
<Soulless> "Is it possible to become part of it for exchange for /more/?"
<Kaeru> He looks a bit horrified. "Don't," he murmurs. "Don't. Don't try that."
<Soulless> "Why not."
<Soulless> "I do not care the cost."
<Kaeru> Ophie, Apollo sets back down after a moment and the wings disappear, folding neatly back beneath the jacket.
<Soulless> He continues his very very quiet whispers.
<Kaeru> Avery, Omen just shakes his head. "It's not. It's not just you. I'm- look. The- the collectives. They have bridges. Shells that- that speak for them. They always have. And- and I'm. I'm the first- for the Presence. It- the others, when it tried before. T-to make bridges. They n-never survived it."
<Soulless> Avery is quiet.
<Soulless> Then he says, softly. "But it is possible."
<Soulless> "I will consider this."
<Kaeru> "Barely. Barely!" He looks desperate. "I survived, sure, but I'm blind, I'm- it's- it's far from. From a- a good option. Is what I mean. Far."
<Soulless> "…"
<Soulless> "I will consider this."
<teslatornado> Bud is… He sounds like he's asking the extraction team if they can pick him up a double cheeseburger meal from McDonald's on the way?
<teslatornado> Yeah. No, that's - that's definitely what he's asking.
<Soulless> "But I hope you understand that, at some point, I wish I had died a long time ago. If I can have a purpose again, even one that killed me. That's okay."
<Soulless> "Some things matter more than my life."
<Kaeru> Omen just looks sad.
<Soulless> He gives omen a squeeze.
<Soulless> "Now-" A little louder. "How is it that Apollo does not work for anyone?"
<Kaeru> He makes a surprised little noise. He didn't see that coming (literally or figuratively, haha).
<ArseneLupin> "Yes, is October his buddy or something?"
<Nemi> 4df+8 u know that ophie is trying to figure out every detail about how this frame works and if she can make one of her own
<Glacon> Nemi: u know that ophie is trying to figure out every detail about how this frame works and if she can make one of her own: 9 (4df+8=0, 0, +, 0)
<teslatornado> Bud has gone off to work on his gun again.
<teslatornado> Apparently that's his go-to activity once he's out of his depth.
<Soulless> Avery does a hopefully comforting hug!
<Kaeru> He frowns. "Well, um. I'm not sure how you. Know that name, but. Technically, none of the shells work for October." Apollo, who had been casual, whips around to snap in another language at Omen, who shrinks a bit in response.
<ArseneLupin> He grins. "Good to know, thank you Omen."
<Soulless> "Where is October?"
<Kaeru> He blinks. "I don't-" Apollo cuts him off with a sharp comment. He looks apologetic, and just shrugs.
<Nemi> Aha! A back view! Ophie snaps more pictures.
<Kaeru> Ophie, by the way, you're fairly sure you know how this structure works. It's not that complicated, actually, just really difficult to actually pull off. You have to manage a not-too-bulky system that's strong enough and has enough power to not only carry a person, but keep them carried for an extended period.
<Kaeru> See, birds, they can fly. But bird have hollow bones. This Apollo guy most certainly does not.
<Kaeru> It's a question of weight to carry.
<teslatornado> Bud, having basically rebuilt his Stinger at this point, goes off to check on the Foundation strike team.
<Kaeru> And to spite these wings being relatively small (they're big, yeah, but to carry him, they're surprisingly not massive) and mounted on his lower back, they manage.
<Kaeru> Bud, Vega very gratefully goes with you.
<ArseneLupin> "I dont think we're gonna get anymore info here Avery, I think it's time to let them go for now."
<Soulless> "…"
<Soulless> "Vega needs to be contained."
<Soulless> He whispers this to Bastian.
<ArseneLupin> He blinks and whispers back. "Why's that? Also Apollo can hear us."
<Kaeru> "Sure's shit can," he comments back. "So can Omen, just to note." He chuckles.
<Kaeru> Omen looks embarrassed.
<Nemi> Ophie's beaming at Apollo. "Thaaank you for telling me!"
<teslatornado> Of note: Bud headed back to hang out with Vega's team.
<ArseneLupin> Bastian lets out a quiet sigh of rage
<Kaeru> Apollo turns back to Ophie and nods, friendly. The contrast in how he acts towards you versus in other situations is a bit concerning, Ophie, but hey, he's been helpful so far, at least towards your curiosity.
<Soulless> "…"
<Soulless> Avery whispers to Bastian. "I can see Vega is influenced by the anomalous dimension."
<Soulless> "He should be questioned before being allowed to continue to operate as an agent. I will also agree to go into questioning."
<ArseneLupin> "We are gonna have a fucking talk about that but okay."
<Nemi> "Er- showing me, but- you know." She coughs. "I think I know how it all works. It's just a question of lift and power system, now, but I think there's enough anomalous materials I can rig together *something*."
<Soulless> "Yes. You will be allowed to question me."
<ArseneLupin> He sighs. "Let's get home for now. There's a lot that needs to be talked about I think."
<Kaeru> Ophie, he considers that for a moment before chuckling. "Oh, don't try to rebuild this thing down to the number," he advises. "These things?" He indicates the cutouts where the wings unfold from. "Those're mine. Support's just- well, support." He shrugs.
<Soulless> Avery nods.
<Soulless> He goes over to give Omen another squeeze.
<Soulless> "I'll be alright."
<Soulless> "I have a real direction for the first time in a long while. Thank you. And thank the Presence."
<Kaeru> He makes another startled little noise, but doesn't resist this. "Mm-kay," he manages. "Good, that's. Good. Um. N-not sure you should. Thank it. But. Yeah. Sure. Uh. Good, I. Guess."
<Soulless> He then goes back to follow Bastian. He's a little off, floating in between his usual out-of-it-ness and clarity.
<ArseneLupin> Bastian walks off to join the others. "Goodbye Omen, thank you."
<Nemi> "Aaah- I see..!" Ophie nods. "I could probably manage it.."
<Nemi> ".. anyway! Bye!"
<Kaeru> He gives a tiny smile, nods. Apologetic, reluctant, but staying with Apollo.
<Kaeru> Apollo gives a little wave to Ophie.
<teslatornado> Bud's with the original Foundation team.
<Kaeru> Maliki is awake by now. A bit bleary, but seems otherwise clear-headed. Doesn't seem to remember a damn thing about what happened, though.
<Soulless> Avery informs extraction team that Vega needs to be separated and isolated and checked for anomalousness.
<Soulless> As well as himself.
<ArseneLupin> Bastian provides a detailed report of anything he knows to command that he was unable to tell yet
<Kaeru> Avery, the extraction team is a bit questioning of this, but agrees. VERITAS scans don't show anything strange on either of you, but they say they'll follow up…
<Nemi> Ophie scurries on to join Baker and Bud and everyone.
<Soulless> Avery nods.
<Soulless> He blinks at Ophie.
<Soulless> "You."
<Soulless> "Ophie. We should conversationate." He blinks a little owlishly at her.
<ArseneLupin> Bastian is dead for the day, his energy is 100% gone
<teslatornado> Bud just goes off to medical to get taped up.
<teslatornado> He'll worry about the report once he's sure he can count to five.
<Kaeru> Part of the extraction team breaks off to survey the woods, find the creatures they're looking to contain, look for any residual anomalous effects.
<Nemi> Ophie blinks up at Avery. "Uhm. I mean. Okay?"
<Nemi> "About what?"
<Soulless> "Research. Researchers. That is what we are."
<Soulless> He offers his hand. "I am Avery Solace."
<Nemi> Ophie takes the hand. Hers is tiny, like the rest of her. "Ni- Ophelia Cierva!"
<Soulless> "Dr Cierva." His eyes focus on her a moment, and then dissipates again. He suddenly realizes he is exhausted, and he flops over in a quiet corner until they are taken home.
<Kaeru> The team rounds up the containable wildlife and the two teams. Time to go home.
<Kaeru> Plus three weird dogs.
<Nemi> ".. Okay then." Ophie is quiet on the way back, mostly collating her notes.
<teslatornado> Bud is pretty much exhausted and in pain. He sleeps quietly next to Ophie on the ride back.
<Nemi> Ophie keeps watch for the big guy. Helpful.

HomeImprovement2

<Soulless> "Okay. He said you would help explain better what he means."
<Kaeru> "Um." He blinks. "Whhhaat did he saaaay…?"
<Soulless> "Please help me, Omen. My friend is missing and the Presence has seen my friend and I need to-"
<Soulless> He closes his eyes, and begins to reiterate their entire conversation to him.
<Kaeru> He blinks, seems downright impressed that he managed to remember all that.
<Soulless> Pretty much word for word "and then I said, and then he said" the whole thing.
<Soulless> "Now please help."
<Kaeru> He frowns a bit. "Well. Um. You- uh. First, I'm- I'm sorry," he murmurs. "Of the collectives, that one's- not a fun one. It's not the worst, but it's- it's not the best, either. So."
<Soulless> "…"
<Soulless> "What do you mean by that."
<Kaeru> He looks almost ashamed. "The collectives. Some of them are- malicious. Some aren't. Presence, it's- it walks that line. It's far from nice, is what I mean. So."
<Kaeru> "Sorry you have to deal with. With it."
<Soulless> "…"
<Soulless> "I do not care if it is or is not malicious."
<Soulless> "I want to know what it wants me to do. How to do what it told me I can do. /And how to find my friend/."
<Soulless> "It can eviscerate me for its pleasure afterwards if it likes. I care most of all to make sure that my friends are safe."
<Kaeru> He looks a bit horrified by that, but nods. "Uh- okay. Um. You- yeah. Okay." He swallows, shuffles nervously. "You can probably. See. The Forest. Right?"
<Soulless> "Yes."
<Soulless> "You look very Red. Apollo looks even redder."
<Kaeru> He nods. "Seems right," he confirms. "Apollo's older than me. Um. As a Shell, I mean. He's been a Shell longer, so he's more connected than I am. Even though he's not a Bridge and I am."
<Soulless> "I understand."
<Soulless> "So how do I use this to find Nova."
<Kaeru> "Your friend- they're. Um. If Presence gave you that ability, it probably means your friend is connected. So they'd be- they'd look red."
<Soulless> "How does this help me to /track them/."
<Kaeru> "W-well, you'd just- track down places the Forest has influenced. Find- us, I suppose. Anyone who's connected to the Forest, they're noteworthy to us. I don't know for sure, but i'd say if your friend is missing, we've probably already found them."
<Soulless> "…Okay."
<Soulless> "…"
<Soulless> "How do I ask for more from the Presence."
<Kaeru> "You just-" he stops, whips around at the sound of a gunshot. Looks terrified.
<Soulless> "Ignore it. Please tell me."
<Soulless> Avery sounds desperate.
<Kaeru> He looks conflicted, torn, scared. "Y- but- you-" he takes a breath. "J-just talk to it- it- it can hear you. You gave it your eyes, r-right? Let it- let it see- you can. You can- just talk to it. It'll listen."
<Soulless> "Okay."
<Kaeru> "A-and I-" he seems torn for another moment before giving him an apologetic little smile and rushing off towards Apollo.
<Soulless> "W-wait- Omen-"
<Soulless> He moves to follow.