RP [Phoenix Team] - All That Good

Discussion in 'Phoenix Team' started by Luca, Jan 13, 2018.

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  1. Luca

    Luca Administrator Staff Member

    I'm gonna tell ya one more time
    I got the lovin' that is so sublime (uh huh~!)
    Now you got a right to change your mind
    And give me all that good loving all the time

    Come on, give it up! Give it up give it up
    Come, on, give it up! (C'mon, give it up baby)
    Give up the booty~!

    Jimmy Smith - Give Up The Booty

    Sargasso, Ferros Beach, Billy Boy's Burgers
    Bright and sunny noon, mild wind from the southeast bays cooling a hot day.


    A few days had passed since the showdown at Helion Overlook. The time so far had been used by Luca to recover and gather his senses after what he'd been on the receiving end of. Even so, he had to leave his apartment at least once a day to stretch his legs, buy groceries, eat out, and the like. He hadn't made any requests of his team after how hard-fought their previous battle was, other than to do as they would to recover.

    Today, he'd taken a walk down to the beach just west of his apartment block, dressed in shorts, a t-shirt, sandals, sunglasses, and a floppy boonie hat with a UDD camouflage pattern - hungry for a cheeseburger and fries. Without the Grapple Stunner over his right arm or the red jacket, it was possible to see a some of the scars he'd accumulated from close calls throughout the EAD days. Otherwise, the idea was to keep a low profile, and the sunglasses and hat kept Luca's identity concealed - he was just another beach bum looking guy enjoying the day with a burger.

    Looking out onto the beach, he saw a relatively flat bay, small waves washing against the shore. Suntanned, muscular lifeguards were keeping an eye on the beachgoers, the water, and for swimmers in trouble. Umbrellas, towels, and the occasional tent were dotted around on dry sand. People in swimsuits were taking refuge from the sun or a break from the ocean. Immediately in front of Luca was the cheeseburger and fries he'd ordered, and a blue fizzy drink. He had time to enjoy everything he was looking at, and munching on.

    The news about the mecha appearing at Hellion Overlook had stayed fresh in the minds of many of the Greasehearts living around Flatiron's Hill. Suddenly, their jobs were looking less safe and secure as outrageous incidents begun threatening their livelihood and their mates. The rhetoric of the press had been escalation - that the gangs would respond to increased policing by becoming more audacious and violent - hypothetically. A couple of men on lunch break from a shop renovation job were soaking it in from the radio. The tension was almost as contagious as the journalism on display was yellow - inciting material even.

    Must be the editorial or talkback. Impartial my foot.
    Luca pondered, overhearing a few choice words from the broadcast over the sound of adjacent patrons chowing down. Words included EAD, terrorists, damage, unsafe, and 'what happens next?'. It was the same song and dance he'd heard when EAD was falling apart, sentences designed to hook listeners and evoke emotion, while pretending to be impartial. Luca had heard enough, and decided to focus on the burger, biting down, following up with chips, and washing it all down with soda.


    On the other end of town in Featherwell at Galacta Candy, Seiren had noticed a decline in accidents, incidents, missing stock, and operating errors since the defence of the factory grounds. Perhaps the Blue Sky Society, or the Apachoppers had decided to back off for the moment. The last couple of days had been spent coordinating and capitalising on the ceasefire to tighten security in the future.

    After some coordination with the dogs, a new set of security plans were drawn up and put into action - their live fire experience earlier had taught them more about the threats than Seiren had realised, now that they had time to sit down and plan instead of dealing with annoyance after annoyance in the factory. Mind at ease, perhaps he could find something to do with the unfolding day too, or call around and see what his companions were up to. The day was his - it seemed like everyone's day too.
     
  2. Ashlinn

    Ashlinn Member

    Gold's Gym, Sargasso - Hightide beachfront.
    "Stronger Than Excuses"
    Apashe - I'm a Dragon Ft. Sway (IP-MAN)

    Breyja leaned into her punch, rotating at the hip and thrusting with her shoulder as she pummeled the heavy bag under the sun.
    Being able to be re-assembled on the fly was always a nice thing but the ache lingered and the fact she'd been shot off a building left a lingering sour taste in her mouth. The fact there hadn't been anyone in the Mech hadn't made things any better on her Ego as she shifted and brought her left leg up into a hard kick into the side of the bag before resuming her pummeling of the bag while the hard tones someone piped across the beach filled her head and helped her relax a bit. At least the bag wasn't shooting back at her, yet. She was thankfully well away from anyone who bothered listening to the news or she probably would have shot the radio to spite the newscaster so she could focus on working the ache from her ego and her ankle at the same time. She almsot missed a beat when the personal trainer holding the bag shifted and thrust it forwards at her nearly clipping her fully in the face with it as she brought up a knee and checked it's forward momentum.
    "Head out of the Clouds, Sarn. Next time I beat you with the bag if you aren't going to take this seriously."

    She'd actually been surprised when the wiry old man had offered to help her with her form. She was used to being hit on, but that had been a new one. Until he'd laid her out on her ass ten seconds into the workout against the heavy bag, "Yes'sir."
    Every so often he moved the bag, forcing her to correct a stance or move outside of her comfort zone. He was forcing her to improvise adapt and flow. Something she'd never done and as the bag swung around and lifted her off the ground, neatly depositing her onto her back to stair at the clouds overhead the old man grumbled, "Maidenhands today! I swear, stupid kids, lot of ya! Spend too much time with yer heads in the clouds!" He threw a towel at Breyja's face, "Tomorrow. Again. Yes?"

    A thumbs up greeted the old man, "So long as you lighten up old man."
    "HRUMPH! Kids!"

    And that was that as the old man stomped off while Breyja settled onto a bench nursing a bruised back now, Ego long forgotten as she hissed, "Gonna leave a mark, that will. Crazy old bastard..." Came a muttered drawl as she dried off and glanced upwards, "Probably should head back and check on our med supplies...." Eye crawled along the beach as she took in the sights and then grinned as she adjusted her shoes and took off at a run down the sidewalk she had a plan. And it involved alcohol. Copious amounts of it down at Heroes Arms after she got home and showered.
     
  3. Jimmy

    Jimmy Member

    Heroes Arms Hotel, Sargasso

    The pub was quietly bustling at this time of day as people came in to take a break from the sun and get a tall dewy glass of something strong and cold, such was Allison had to deal with not only Snuffles and their pet yelling bird, but a small contingent of their cousins too. Fortunately, the group of chelti weren't living up to their reputation and were behaving themselves in a booth discussing something of importance while the bird creature hustled card games on the edge of the table with other customers, using its claws with surprising dexterity to shuffle and play the small thumb sized cards.

    The chelti themselves were also rather more than a little protective of Allison whenever she had to deal with an unruly customer, but being Allison, the customer was usually either mollified, or decked to the floor before she turned around to find all the chelti in the room barely out of their chairs standing sheepishly before shuffling back into their spots.

    After they'd each had their third cups of coffee Allison was starting to question if she should cut them off before they really started causing trouble...
     
  4. Sham

    Sham Member

    Sargasso, Briarpatch Mountain
    Morning, Clear Skies.


    Ravnir scanned the mountain in front of him with his brow raised. He had walked through much of the city on a casual stroll, seeing as he hadn’t been called by Luca or the others in some time. After recovering from blacking out, he had taken a few days to rest and recuperate. He wasn’t injured, but his body had felt tired, heavy, as if he was missing something to move it. When he had woken up early in the morning today, he had felt invigorated and the idea to take a long walk around the city struck him. Without delay, he had set out.

    “Hmmm… a spot of nature amidst all these buildings. At least the squishy humans haven’t destroyed everything,” Ravnir mused aloud while his eyes admired the sea of green and browns before him, a welcome distraction from all the gray in the city. His feet carried him forward as he stepped off the paved road onto a dirt path that he had spotted leading up the mountain.

    It reminded him of his home on the outskirts of Ormroth. A keep nestled in the foothills, surrounded by trees thicker than any Raiken and taller than the keep’s walls. A shadow in his mind, something he could only recall with fuzzy uncertainty.

    He took a deep breath, inhaling the crisp morning air, dew still clinging to the broad-leaved trees. He could still taste the stench of the nearby city in his mouth, smoke and pollution, but he supposed this would be as close as he would get to being home. His feet left deep prints in the soft earth as he trekked up the winding path, climbing over a couple tree trunks and boulders that had blocked the way with a grunt of effort, his claws leaving deep marks in each one he passed. His tail dragged along behind him, the tip tapping along to the trills of some birds nestled in the branches above.

    - Wardruna - Odal -

    His tail had instinctively tapped to a different beat long before he had actually picked up on the sounds of drums being played. The slow, but deliberate *thump* traveled along the ground and through the trees, a deep, primal sound. Ravnir turned his head towards the sound and began walking towards it, barely registering the thorny bushes that clutched at his worn robes. Fragile branches snapped as he made his way forward, only bothering to push the largest of branches out of his way.

    He picked up on several voices after another minute and he stopped to listen. Although most of what he heard was spoken in basic, he was surprised to hear his native tongue amongst it all. His tail froze behind him as he mulled the information over. He hadn’t seen many of his own people during his travels and he certainly hadn’t spoken to any of them, afraid that they would know his magical talent by his markings alone. If kin are here, it’d be best if I left.

    But his body didn’t move. As the drums grew louder, so did the voice speaking in his tongue and he finally picked up on what was being said. It’s a storyteller. What are they doing out here? He resumed walking forward, although he put more care in every step. It’s been so long since I heard a story.

    Other voices joined the first, as chanters echoed the storyteller’s words while different instruments began playing. Feet stomped, hands clapped, bows ran over strings, and sticks clacked together. Ravnir closed his eyes as he listened, nearly oblivious to the fact that he had stepped out into a wide clearing full of Raiken and non-Raiken alike. Raiken of all colors, Maidenhands, Greasehearts, and races Ravnir didn’t even know were all gathered around. A bonfire burned in the center, its crackling and popping accentuating the music being played. Ravnir’s appearance didn’t interrupt the almost ritualistic story telling. Instead, he was welcomed into the throng of people circling the fire, his feet and hands joining the primal beat.

    The chanter’s calls only grew louder as the stomps from those present followed suit. After a minute, the storyteller brought his staff down on a drum nearly as large as Ravnir was, demanding silence. The echo from the instrument reverberated through the trees, seeming to shake the very ground they stood upon.

    Ravnir opened his eyes as the chanting, stomping, clapping, and playing came to a sudden halt, his eyes drawn to the storyteller, who sat atop an upraised platform next to the roaring fire. Only the crackling of the burning wood remained.

    The storyteller, an elderly male with faded brown scales scanned the crowd, his gray, gold-tinged eyes seeming to pierce through every individual with their critical gaze, despite their cloudy appearance. When they fell on him, Ravnir froze. The storyteller spared a few extra seconds on him before striking his drum once again. He spoke in the native tongue, but Ravnir could hear Raiken scattered throughout the crowd translating his words for those who didn’t understand.

    Ravnir didn’t recognize the story, but truth be told, it had been so long since he had been with his people, he probably wouldn’t know if he had heard it in his halls. The storyteller began describing a warrior known as Delran, the first Hero of the High Fires. As he listened, Ravnir felt a mix of emotions building within him, happiness to finally hear a story told by a storyteller and to be with other Raiken, and sorrow at how long it had been since he had heard one. He clung onto every word, each one feeling powerful with how the storyteller enunciated them.

    “... and he looked to the flames with one hand held high, set to tame them like any other beast. ‘Follow my will!’ He roared. The flames obeyed.”

    Ravnir shuddered as he heard those words, one of his hands clutching his chest as a distinct burning began to flow through his veins, engulfing his body. He clenched his teeth together and closed his eyes, hissing as it only grew hotter, the heat beginning to focus on his palms. He cracked an eye to look down at them, surprised to see them glowing a bright red, small flames licking at his scales.

    A single word echoed in his mind, growing louder as he tried pushing it away. But it would not be denied. “Sadi!” Ravnir roared while holding his palm out towards the bonfire blazing a few meters in front of him. His palm glowed a brighter red before flames erupted, spewing forth and disappearing into the bonfire. It blazed brighter, flaring as it nearly doubled in size from the addition. The intense heat from the inferno was short-lived, as the fire abruptly died out after mere seconds.

    Shouts came from the crowd, their eyes turning to him as many backed away a few steps. Ravnir glanced around, his eyes meeting those assembled. It’s just like before. His heart raced as he regarded his kin’s eyes, many of them narrowing.

    A deep boom from the storyteller’s drum called for their attention. The elderly Raiken stepped off his platform, walking over to Ravnir whilst leaning on his wooden staff, his thick robes swaying with each step. He glanced around at the crowd before waving them away with a hand, adding a few words to call the telling to a close. Many hesitated before heading out. Some remained a bit longer, until the storyteller’s eyes fell on them and he told them to leave once again.

    Ravnir watched them go, waiting until even the most hesitant had disappeared down the many paths that had led to the clearing.

    “Shameful that our kin regards our blessings with suspicion. The Roshya have granted us their strength, the strength of the heroes of old, but our kin do not see it,” The storyteller said in their native tongue, voice laden with disappointment. “I have spent many moons away from home. I can see you have as well. They called me Ulrinyar on Ranil’inas, you may do the same, youngling.” Ulrinyar reached out to grip Ravnir’s shoulder. “I see you’re gifted, but untrained. What are you called?”

    Ravnir had remained silent while Ulrinyar spoke, partly out of disbelief, mostly out of respect. It wasn’t his place to interrupt an elder. “I am Ravnir. Thank you for your story, elder.”

    Ulrinyar chuckled, pulling his hand away from Ravnir’s shoulder before taking a couple steps towards one of the paths leading into the trees. “When the moons are empty, come speak to me here, Ravnir. I will help guide you to greater understanding of what the Roshya have blessed you with, even if it may feel like a curse.” Ulrinyar glanced over his shoulder with a smile and a nod. “May the Roshya watch over you and guide your path.” The old storyteller turned his attention back to the path in front of him and bowed his head. Ravnir heard him mutter ‘Celsk’ under his breath before he disappeared, a faint blue glow on the earth the only indicator that he had been there seconds before.

    Ravnir blinked a few times, scanning the trees before letting out a heavy sigh. “I suppose I should see what everyone else is up to.” He began trekking back the way he came, tail dragging behind him. As he made his way back to the part of town the Phoenix Team called him, he mulled over the experience of hearing a story again, as well as contemplating what Ulrinyar planned on sharing with him. The entire time he walked, he rubbed his chin, humming aloud at the endless possibilities.
     
    Last edited: Apr 25, 2018
    Luca likes this.
  5. Moogle

    Moogle Administrator Staff Member

    Sargasso, Galacta Candy Factory Roof
    The rooftop landing pad of the Galacta Candy factory/office complex was decked out in artificial grass and a lawn chair/table combo, shadowed by a large umbrella. Under the umbrella but on the chair lay a very lightly dressed Seiren Isbala, coolly sipping on some fruity drink a nearby MBF in a bartender's uniform at a prop mini-bar mixed up and continued mixing up.

    This pleasant, calm reverie found itself interrupted by a white MBF of Kishu Inu persuasion that entered from a roof access door, trotting over to Seiren and presenting him with a little slip of paper.

    "Hm?" Seiren vocalized, taking the slip and reading it over. "Ah, Cosmo's done stripping the bad wiring and all the other stuff from my big project? That's good. Have him start on the replacement panel painting. I'll be down to begin work in a bit."

    The white MBF nodded, leaving Seiren and the borktender to their quiet calm for a few more precious minutes before Seiren stood up, stretched, and walked to the edge of the pad and heeled a button built into it. The umbrella folded up and laid itself down as the grass, chair, and minibar retracted into the floor, leaving only the spiffily dressed dog.
     
  6. Luca

    Luca Administrator Staff Member

    Sargasso, Ferros Beach, Billy Boy's Burgers
    Bright and sunny noon, mild wind from the southeast bays cooling a hot day.


    Luca had finished his hamburger. Sauce stains littered the paper wrapper he was using as a dinner plate, and an empty chippy box laid on its side, the last few fried snacks poking out onto the paper. Watching and listening to the ocean sounds and the beach, Luca heard something behind him and turned around, head still resting on elbow. Familiar metal steps against the outdoor eating deck were accompanied by whirring hydraulics. The waft of petrol confirmed the identity of who was approaching.

    "Heya Blue." Luca said, raising a half-drunk can of fizzy drink up as the crude approached. He didn't see her walking around earlier in the morning, so he welcomed the company. The burger joint was a common place to meet up or walk to and back, taking about fifteen minutes and being within reach of a small supermarket chain. "What coaxed you out of the barrel?" He inquired, looking towards a bag hanging on her forearm.

    The woven shopping bag had the One-Stop Garage and Parts logo stamped on it, filled out by a pair of two litre cans of iridescent blue paint. A a bag of glimmering ceramic pigments, and a bag of golden craft glitter. Essentially, Yttrium was indulging in the candy of her diet, after the household business got awarded for driving the Apachoppers away from Cransky and Sons' Self-Storage.

    The Units covered the rebuild of the warehouse after all the damage Driver and the Choppers had caused, and some bounties of Apachoppers caught fleeing the scene by police got cashed in - with a cut of UC25000000 towards the Phoenix Team's bank accounts. Luca doled out UC400000 to Breyja, Seiren, Snuffles, and Ravnir each for their contributions. The remaining UC9000000 was put towards 55 Midway Beach's coffers, for something useful in the future.

    Minding her head, Yttrium tiptoed around to the other side of the table Luca was sitting at, and getting in the way of the beach view before squatting down to get to eye level. Something she knew about humans was that they liked to talk at eye level, even if it meant taking up most of their field of vision. "I was just getting some things." She trilled, twirling a finger around before pointing towards her bag, and giving the contents a shake. Luca was glad she hadn't tried to sample the goods on the way home. "Do you need to get any human things on the way home?" The oily giant asked.

    Luca had also been sizing up what to do with his share of the paydirt, rubbing his chin as he looked up and over Yttrium's shoulder.

    Something had caught his eye out in the distance. Some yahoo had managed to pay for the privlege of parking a ultralight spacecraft on the grassy area before the beach. The sleek craft's ramp was down, its crew huddled around a barbecue under the shade of the vessel. Its landing gears were wheeled, raised above the grass level while spikes kept it in place. Luca was looking at engines at the back of it, and they looked like a post-purchase addition. "Yeah, but I'll get in touch with Longhands first and see if he can get me a better deal."

    "On what?" Yttrium guessed. "Cable TV?" She listed the first of many possibilities while Luca headed towards the counter, leaving a tip and some cash for his meal before stepping onto the sidewalk. "A subscription to a Frame Running magazine?" The huge crude shadowed him, able to extend to full height and walk with a longer stride, before long stepping in front of him to get his attention and stop him. "Motorcycle parts?" She dimpled her fingers against her cheeks, pushing and pulling at her face in mock frustration, all while her voice rose. "Come ooooon~! What could it be?"

    The crude's theatrical sense of naivete and guesswork amused Luca as he snapped his fingers and pointed towards her chin. "Better than all of that combined, just you wait and see." He said, nodding and stepping around her to continue heading back towards Ferros Block. Along the way, he made a call to Johnny Longhands, walking and talking to invite the merchant to his place to discuss a deal and have dinner together. It was the least he could do after the less pleasant experience down at 55 Midway Beach.


    Sargasso, Flatiron's Hill, The Heroes Armaments
    Between Ally and Snuffles spending their day indoors, the waitress had been taking and transporting orders throughout the day to a number of customers. The chefs were in overdrive and one of them was taking a break from the grills and ovens of the pub's kitchen. The man was supervising apprentices tasked with picking up the slack to learning the signature dishes of the pub: Steaks and sides, hearty pies, burgers aplenty, battered and fried fish, and chicken parmas for days - all washed down with Greaseheart beers and fruity wines made from Ogonori Island's boutique wineries.

    A lull had started to seep into the business as the lunchtime hour had drawn to a close, midday ramblers and office workers filtering out back to their next distractions. Ally had begun collecting plates, stacking them and their cutlery tall before returning to the kitchen's sink. After clearing all the empty tables for new customers, putting dishes away and taking another round of orders, Ally caught her breath with a drink of cool water and some time out behind the pub where the loading dock was for the tapped brews.

    Looking at the sand and the pier on the beach, Ally saw this portion occupied by a couple of metal fishing boats with outboard motors and fishermen. The rockier composition of the sand, and larger sandbars made it less appealing for traditional beachgoers, but Ally kept on seeing people digging in the sand for shellfish or fishing off the pier. They made frequent customers and sellers too - the freshest fish went the best with chips.
     
  7. Ashlinn

    Ashlinn Member

    Sargasso, Flatiron's Hill, The Heroes Armaments
    The throaty roar of Breyja's bike was a hard sound to miss as she pulled into the parking lot, around the the side and into the back where she parked it out of the way of any delivery drivers who may or may not arrive anytime soon, but where people would have to actively be trying to get at at her bike. She took a few seconds to actually stretch out after the drive over and paused to wave in Ally's direction as she hopped off the bike and gave the other Maidenhand a grin, "See anything weirder than usual tonight, Ally?" She sing-songed towards the women before taking a glance back towards the beach and the activity there with a mild bit of interest. Fishing wasn't her forte so most of the goings on eluded her.
     
  8. Moogle

    Moogle Administrator Staff Member

    Sargasso, Galacta Candy Factory, Secret Sublab
    Seiren, by this point, was back in his element. Relaxation was nice and all, but it hardly kept his mind occupied enough for him to be satisfied. Now, he worked on something very grand. Sure, the weapon was merely in its prototype stages before his recent windfall, but now he could afford to upscale it to a much heavier use model - and afford other choice upgrades as well.

    "Ballistic audio wavelength. . ." he mumbled, stenciling the side of the device. "Hrm. . . Going to need to think about that one. Cosmo! You got those propulsor tires in yet?"

    The MBF in the corner of the room barked in affirmation, gesturing to a pallet bearing a crate. It looked to Seiren, a twinkle in its eye.


    Orbit Above Noir, Concord Park, Core
    "Well, at least he didn't take any lasting damage from his fall," the pandalike woman said, watching Seiren's feed through Cosmo's eyes. "Still, the whole thing is. . . unfortunate. Mono, set up some additional units to be sent to the Sargasso store, just in case. I want it to be ready in case of anything in the neighborhood. And in case my brother wants to up his stock."
     
  9. Luca

    Luca Administrator Staff Member

    Sargasso, Flatiron's Hill, The Heroes Armaments
    "Oh, the evening's barely getting started, but Snuffles' extended family has been making themselves at home," Ally replied, rolling her shoulders as she finished off her water. "I don't do evening shifts on the weekend," she indicated, looking towards her chained up pushbike resting against the wall, "so I'll be headed home soonish - but first..." She tapped her foot against a metal pail filled with gooey tidal mud, red things wriggling about in it.

    "I gotta sell some bait worms to the fishermen over there. Side business." Ally pointed her thumb towards two yellow-jacketed fishermen, who were inspecting their equipment prior to the evening session of fishing. "For how gruff these guys show they are, they don't like getting their clothes dirty." She picked up the bucket by the handle and started sauntering over to them, unlocking a gate in the fence which separated the back of the pub from the rest of the beach. The red-headed Maidenhand called out "Hey boys! I got some fresh bait for you!" waving before hoisting the bucket up to show them the goods.

    Sargasso Mudworms were disgusting and basic little creatures, but considered essentially harmless by people and Units alike. The worms spent their lives burrowing through sand and muddy soil for nutrients. Fish and birds were their main predators, as well as the fishermen who used them for bait. Ally plunged her hand into the bucket and produced a large, wriggly specimen a foot long, washing it in the ocean water before passing it to a bearded man with a floppy hat.

    Once he paid her UC600 each for five worms, the worms were popped into a bait bucket to be chopped up later. Ally found that she was sold out. "Thanks! I'll be sure to grab some more tomorrow!"
     
  10. Sham

    Sham Member


    Sargasso

    Noon, Sunny


    Ravnir had been walking for a few hours, wandering through Sargasso, though his general direction was taking him back towards the Heroes’ Armaments, where he figured other members of the Phoenix Team would be. Barring his new supposed mentor, Ulrinyar, Ravnir didn’t have anyone else to speak to at length. And he wants me to return when the moon is empty. Some company was better than none at all and in the wake of being in the company of a storyteller and some of his own, the desire for companionship had only strengthened in him. He hadn’t quite grasped what ‘Phoenix Team’ was supposed to do or what exactly he was doing by helping them, but it was better than wandering around aimlessly.

    Ravnir chuckled to himself as he thought over the recent antics he had gotten into with his new ‘friends’. Outsiders are strange creatures. His musing was interrupted when he picked up on his mother tongue being spoken. Stranger yet, it seemed it was being broadcasted over speakers. His brow furrowed as he quickened his pace, his heavy footsteps cracking the ground beneath him, seeking out the source while his mind processed the words, his mood dropping at ‘Tiam vi Raiken’. What’s the Alliance doing here?

    - Broadcasted Message -

    The black-scaled Raiken turned a corner, spotting what appeared to be an electronics store of some sort. A pair of employees were frantically busying themselves with their stock while a crowd gathered around the TVs in the window display. Ravnir spotted a couple Raiken in the crowd, just as transfixed as he was.

    The message ended with a series of coordinates, which flashed on the black screens for several seconds before every TV abruptly cut back to what they had been playing before. The crowd began talking amongst themselves, but Ravnir just shook his head.

    “Hmph… talk? The Alliance doesn’t talk. The clans don’t talk. Hmmm… what are they after?” He mused aloud, ignoring the glances he got from others who had heard him speak. The Alliance barely tried talking to the other species they found. What’s their game? Ravnir’s gut told him it was wrong. When he was much younger, he had heard that the Alliance had found alien life for the first time. By the time of his exile, the Dralu had been conquered and the Alliance were busy subjugating the Rorin. He had seen some of them on his travels, but hadn’t taken the time to speak to them. Not like they would want to talk to a Raiken.

    Ravnir continued musing to himself even as the crowd dispersed and several news stations began commenting on the broadcasted message. Eventually, he began heading towards the Heroes’ Armaments once again. Some food and company sounded even better with the Alliance on his mind.
     
  11. Luca

    Luca Administrator Staff Member

    Sargasso, Flatiron's Hill, The Heroes Armaments
    Ally returned from selling her wares to the fishermen, washing her hands underneath a tap on the side of the building. The red-headed Maidenhand sauntered towards their bicycle, preparing to mount it. "Anyway-"

    The screen door into the back of the pub opened up beside Breyja. It was the bald headed Greaseheart barman and owner of the establishment, Joey. The man was built stout with a prominent brow, glancing towards the guest Maidenhand before looking towards his waitress. "There you are - I think one more of your super-hero friends is here. The lizard one. Someone saw a Raiken from the front parking lot."

    Ally was sitting on her bike, blinking towards Joey. She glanced towards her communicator to inspect the Phoenix Team's groupchat. No specific plans had been laid down, or any indication of a meeting. She wasn't even sure if Ravnir had a device. "Oh, mister Ravnir, then?" Ally confirmed, looking towards Breyja to confirm the 'big guy's identity.

    Joey may have been pulling rank to coax his waitress back into work, but he was a fair guy. "You'll make double overtime if you stick around," he said. Ally nodded and put her bike back into the rack, locking it up.

    ♫ old booth - Grey Eyes ♫

    Heading through the kitchen of the humble pub, Ally and Breyja walked past swirling steam motes emerging from pots and smoke from barbecue grills. One station was staffed by a red skinned humanoid wearing a white apron with a matching hat over a shirt and shorts. They had opaque, black eyes and a pair of slits for a nose. They were in the middle of cooking up a feast, as sous-chefs flittered about to put the garnishes on the next order.

    Ally got her apron back on, parting ways with Breyja at the border between the kitchen and the bustling pub floor. "Get an order on me," she said, passing some of her mudworm money towards her. There was enough for a couple of beers and a snack. With that, gave her fellow Hand a pat on the shoulder, and started doing her job. "Okay, two chicken parmas for table six, coming right up..."

    Looking around, Breyja noticed there was a mild discontent in the pub - people were paying attention to the television screens, and muttering something about an interruption to their regularly scheduled sports programming. The latest rounds of Frame Running out of El Hermosa were on the box, flanked by betting information. The odds were in team Fuyu's favour, but team Rotherford was getting ahead in an aerial race. Things seemed fine now, but something must've happened while the pink-eared Maidenhand was out the back of the pub.
     
  12. Ashlinn

    Ashlinn Member

    Breyja grinned as she watched Ally sell off the worms. She had returned to her bike herself and was relaxing on it while she waited for her to return, "That's a pretty nice side gig, noone'll ever say that there's such a thing as too much bait when it comes to fishing." She'd tried it a few times herself, she hadn't exactly enjoyed Rod and Reel fishing. Spearfishing on the other hand? now that was a bit more challenging and more her speed. She mused on that slightly as Ally started to get her bike ready to head out before Joey made his appearance and announced the arrival of Ravnir, "Yup, That'd be him."

    The extra spending change from Ally made Breyja blink as she closed her hands around the credits and mused on it for a moment before a bright idea hit her. It was sneaky, but would be certainly amusing, stepping into the pub proper she whistled slightly, "Man you can physically grab the tension and then assault it with a lead pipe in here..." The quick glance around left her with no sight of Ravnir just yet so she claimed one of the larger booths where she could keep an eye out for him when he arrived and was easily spotted herself. Ally's credits tucked away for shenanigans later she'd wave her fellow hand down, "Steak tips, extra teriyaki and extra meat... oh yeah and start a tab on anything you got that'll take me from sober to properly buzzed." She even flashed the large doe eyes and finished with a pretty please.
     
  13. Jimmy

    Jimmy Member

    When Breyja entered, a single ear from the chelti booth twisted around in her direction, followed a second later by the rest of the head. A pair of large eyes staring at her intently. Then one by one the rest of them turned to stare at her intently, interrupted only by the occasional blinks. Long tight ears standing up in interest but no one saying anything.

    At least until Allison walked past and they quickly returned to something very important they were chattering about in that strange whistling language they sometimes used. Ignoring the thumping even as it started jiggling their glasses on the table.
     
  14. Sham

    Sham Member

    Sargasso, Heroes' Armaments

    Ravnir's musing on the broadcast had taken his attention away from his destination and his routing to it. Paying little mind to other pedestrians or whether the 'walk' light on crosswalks was lit or not, the thoughtful Raiken marched ever onwards towards one of the only places he expected to find a familiar face or two. His heavy footsteps, and the resounding thuds that followed them, heralded his arrival whether he wished it or not.

    He was only roused from his thoughts when his eyes happened to gaze over the sign that marked the Heroes' Armaments presence. He came to an abrupt stop, his foot hovering over the worn concrete sidewalk for the briefest of moments before coming down with another thud. "Mmm... almost missed it," He chuckled to himself as he reached for the door. Just before clasping the flimsy 'pull' bar, the thought of taking care possessed him. He opened it as gingerly as he could manage before stepping inside, bowing his head to avoid the doorframe, whether it was required or not.

    His eyes scanned the pub as he took a few steps forward, noting the scattered patrons dispersed among the tables. His gaze fell on Allison and Breyja last, the barest hint of a smile touching his lips. He made his way across the room towards Breyja, each footstep shaking anything that wasn't nailed down and even some things that were. "Greetings..." Ravnir paused a moment, his brow furrowing. "... slightly less squishy human," He finished with a deep chuckle as he regarded Breyja.
     
  15. Jimmy

    Jimmy Member

    As Ravnir walked in, every set of eyes at the chelti table followed him, the aliens crammed into the booth all chewing in unison as they processed his presence, possibly wondering if he was edible. Observing him interestedly.
     
  16. Luca

    Luca Administrator Staff Member

    Sargasso, Flatiron's Hill, The Heroes Armaments
    Patrons noticed their drinks rippling and their cutlery shaking as Ravnir arrived, and all eyes were upon the door as the Raiken was trying as much as their bulky frame allowed to get inside with some finesse. Ravnir found that the door, while appearing like a conventional human double-door, was very strong at its hinges, allowing him to pull it open. The doorframe was much taller than normal too - owing to the Pub's array of interesting customers human and otherwise.

    When some of the more lively patrons were starting to rise from their seats in apprehension to the new arrival, the owner spoke up from behind the bar, tapping the side of an empty glass with a fork to get his patrons' attention. "Boys, boys, he's with Luca and company. It's all good," Joey said, looking around and watching the people itching for conflict to look elsewhere. "Good. Settle," he ordered, satisfied before looking up to Ravnir, "Now, what can I get you, sir?"

    The only viable contender amongst the 'squishies' was a thing which looked like a humanoid collection of rocks and pebbles sitting on the bench seating to the left side. They were eating strips of mineral-oil drizzled metal. They sat back down with a crumbling thump and resumed pushing their meal into their body - eating it somehow. Ally wandered past the rock creature's table to collect their plate before they ate it too.

    Walking past Ravnir, Ally didn't seem intimidated by the huge Raiken one bit, knowing that they were on Phoenix Team's - and ergo the pub's side. It didn't take long until another well known client was pulling the door open for himself, and an oily giant. Wearing shorts, a t-shirt with a funny pattern, a boonie hat, and sunglasses was Luca. Standing to either side of him was Yttrium and Johnny Longhands. The two humans were in the middle of discussing something.

    "...well fine, you don't want to dine at my place, this is the next best thing that comes to mind." Luca was saying to the cybernetic-armed merchant, waggling a finger at him. He hadn't looked up from his conversation as he entered.

    "After what happened last time, you'll forgive me wanting to go for another round, even if it isn't at the warehouse," Johnny replied, long arms crossed over themselves like a knot. He looked up and around the bar. "This seems like the next best place..."

    Yttrium looked into the bar and spotted a couple of familiar faces. "Oh! Its the Raiken! And Ally! And Breyja!" She called out, waving enthusiastically on her steel tippy toes after she stepped inside. "And there's lots of Chelti here too, oh my!"

    Tearing himself away from the riveting conversation, Luca looked up, a smile breaking across his face as he spread his arms out wide. "Oh! What a coincidence, hey guys!" Johnny Longhands' heart could be heard sinking in his chest from across the room. Luca was joyed to see familiar company nearby, and perhaps he could get them in on what he was planning to purchase.

    "Guys, I got something to tell ya, gather around!" He made his way over to the reserved bench seats for the team and slid right in - Johnny following reluctantly as Yttrium squatted down outside the booth, metal hands on her knees.


    Sargasso, Bay Grove, Briggs' Gaming Parlour
    Meanwhile, on the other end of town in Central View, just out of reach of the beach and away from the busy streets where the permanent shops and stores hocked tropical knick knacks was a building with a layer of grime which stained the red bricks into myriad shades of grey and black. The only windows on the building were high above ground level, barred and frosted. The entrance was a glass façade - an unusual choice given the Sargasso monsoon weather making glass cleaning a neverending task for the owners.

    Inside, rows upon rows of gambling machines were lighting up, with lifeless seat-warmers depositing tokens and watching slots spin, or balls drop through pegs, or a video version of poker play out. The house was going to win in the end, no matter how much funny money was deposited into them, and any win was a mere fluke to be repossessed by the management.

    ♫ Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake - An Advance ♫

    The upper levels of the gambling establishment were off-limits to normal customers. Only the privileged few were allowed up into a high roller's area for gambling without limits, and for the people devoted to the proliferation of vice and iniquity in Sargasso. Frankie Papadopoulos, an errant louse and quisling for Gruppen Tanhauss was making himself comfortable inside this building, along with his other crime contacts he'd managed to foster locally - and The Driver, who was sitting away from the meeting table, quietly fuming at his previous humiliation at Phoenix Team's hands.

    An encrypted video link was projecting an image of Tanhauss' CFO, Ilsa Mout-Battenberg, seeing off the end of the conversation, "...then it looks like we need to concentrate our efforts, now that we know what we are dealing with," she said, looking down and adjusting her glasses. "I don't care how you do it as long as its done. I - despite my better judgement - trust the rest to you Frankie, and for god's sake - don't fuck this up." She looked towards Driver and snapped her fingers to get his attention.

    "If he fucks up, you're in command, understand?" She instructed before her hologram dissipated. The hulking, half-cyborg man nodded tersely. Driver chuckled low and deep at this information while Frankie tugged at his popped collar, continuing to butter up his contacts with the promises of Tanhauss funding on the low and relative immunity from the law.

    "So - we have the Apachoppers, the Suits, and the Townies with a common goal, yeah?" Frankie restated to his assembled cronies. They nodded and murmured in agreement. "Great! Well, you know where the caches are - go grab 'em and have some fun, yeah?"

    One of the members, a lieutenant of the Apachoppers stood up in her seat. She was a greaseheart woman with red facepaint, and biker's leathers splatted with oil and blood stains. Her hair was thick and styled into spikes while her overall build was quite stocky. "Just watch yourself. I lost several good fightin' men at Helion Overlook," The woman's voice was low and gravelly, a snarl embedded into her accent from years of intimidating underlings, "and dozens more are in jail. Like the boss woman said - don't fuck this up."

    "Oh don't worry Mae,"Frankie assured her, "the guys who got arrested will be out of the clink in no time."

    Tanhauss' best ambulance chasers were on the case.
     
  17. Ashlinn

    Ashlinn Member

    Sargasso, Flatiron's Hill, The Heroes Armaments
    The Maidenhand had paused halfway to her seat when the hairs on the back of her neck raised up a bit before an ear swiveled to the side, much like the Chelti, that ear was followed by the other then her own head turned and she glanced back towards the ...Flock? Gaggle?... Murder? and blinked at them slowly before...blowing them a kiss and dropping into her seat fully. Her order was swift, and by the time Ravnir entered she found herself absently taking the plate and looking towards the large Raiken with half a steak tip hanging out of her mouth. Wide eyes stared up at her companion before she managed to fit the whole thing, gave it a few rapid chews and lifted a hand, "Oi, Hey Ravnir! Stopping in for a bite and drink?" she was by far the shortest member of the group but being called 'slight less squishier' than the rest did bring a rather amused grin to her face as she swiped. She remained wholly oblivious to the current events and the patrons reactions had been missed due to the arrival of her food. She had a mighty need to feed on par with a starving person discovering a feast before them.

    She was actually scooting her chair back to pull the table with her a bit to make a little extra room for Ravnir when Luca arrived, Yttrium and Johnny in tow which caused her to lean aside and look past Ravnir towards Luca at his tone. And then his joy at seeing them all only caused her to have a mild heart attack when he announced that he had something to tell them all, "Is it going to involve more buildings being shot from under me in the near future? OR anyone else being filled with holes?" Said words coming on the heels of her rapidly eating her meal military style. Wherever Luca went, she'd learned - trouble was nearby in spades and food had best be eaten swiftly just in case.
     
  18. Jimmy

    Jimmy Member

    The chelti all stopped working out how to tenderize Ravnir and looked at each other as Luca made his announcement. As a group they stood up, Sparrow packing up his cards with a sigh before tucking them under a wing and hopping an arm onto a shoulder of the chelti that looked like it could be Snuffles in the quilted riding jacket, and hardy pants.

    As the group of chelti crowded around the table, the one carrying Sparrow turned their head to look at the others. After a few seconds the rest of them reluctantly shuffled back to their old table, turning their heads slowly to stare at their cousin as they sat down. The revealed Snuffles turned back to the table and waved happily, before sitting down, Sparrow scratching himself with a claw.

    "Oi, Shagpile, what's up with the used-car salesman?" Sparrow asked boredly.
     
  19. Sham

    Sham Member

    Sargasso, Heroes' Armaments

    Ravnir thumped into the pub without much mind, somewhat surprised most of the patrons glaring at him as he entered, some of whom even moved to stand. Maybe they saw the broadcast. He thought to himself as he stepped inside. It isn't exactly the best news to receive. Even before the owner called for the more rowdy patrons to settle down, Ravnir scoffed and shook his head. "Couldn't do anything if you tried, but perhaps it'd be interesting anyway," He stated flatly without much regard for their reaction. A Raiken didn't mince words, even one as thoughtful as Ravnir. He'd as soon as throw them out the window as shake their hand. The sages of Ormroth, despite all their wisdom, would do the same. He offered a nod to Ally before thumping over towards Brejya, just reaching the booth as Luca and friends arrived.

    At Yttrium's call, he glanced over his shoulder and offered a wide grin, although he still wasn't exactly sure what 'she' was. He suspected Yttrium was some sort of robot, but he had seen much stranger things. With all the oil, it certainly suggested otherwise. He rubbed his chin as he pondered it for a moment, before remembering that it wasn't quite the place for it. He nodded and moved to join them, taking up a spot next to the oily giant, considering they were of roughly the same stature. "Mmm... purchase? Oh... I forget people out here use... 'money'." He remarked.

    His brow quirked as a mob of Chelti approached, if only to deposit Mr. Snuffles and his bird 'pet' within their number. Although he hadn't spoken much, he felt an inherent distrust of the strange creature. Even moreso than the thought of Yttrium being robotic in nature. He fights well enough at least. That counts for something. He mused to himself as he glanced around at the assembled team, though his gaze eventually fell on Luca and the sketchy dealer that Luca had brought, since they had something to share.
     
  20. Luca

    Luca Administrator Staff Member

    Sargasso, Flatiron's Hill, The Heroes Armaments
    Getting comfortable in the bar was quick - it didn't take long for menus to appear, followed by napkins and cutlery as the others had sat down. "After what happened a few days ago, we can all agree having buildings shot out from under you sucks," Luca assured Breyja. He wasn't too keen on telling the others what it was like to be nearly crushed by a giant mecha. "This concerns getting around."

    Before Ally left the table to continue her rounds, a complementary basket of bread and a tray of soft butter was deposited in the centre, along with a few dull knives to spread it. Grimacing towards the owl's commentary , Johnny cleared his throat, "Automobiles aren't my thing." He waved his hand dismissively over the table, "What I've got lined up today beats the crap out of a car."

    Unable to contain his excitement, Luca spilled the beans: "We're getting ourselves a spacecraft!" He gushed. "It means we can travel further, get more clients, see the world some more! The sandbox opens, so to speak!" When all of the cutlery on the table jumped, Luca realised he'd put his fist down. A residing pain slowly went up his arm as the mending cracks in his bones were jolted. Exhaling and calming down a little as the pain turned dull a moment later. "...worse to worse, it works well getting us from place to place around here on the cheap and quick," he stated. It didn't drain much fuel to get around locally.

    "It's only a Fantail." Johnny raised one of his long hands to calm Luca's enthusiasm. "Dime a dozen, my first spacecraft, et cetera. Its a frequent enough vehicle to be overlooked by most, and easy to modify into something a bit more specialised." The cybernetic-armed man reached for a slice of bread and the butterknife on his table. He was beginning to get comfortable with how public the setting was - and the fact that having two giants - respectively the Crude and the Raiken, tended to deter overt threats in such a public space. Well - all except for the mouthy bird who kept giving him the stink eye.

    "I see at least twenty a day in the markets," the salesman continued selling his pitch, arms extended across the table as he buttered up - figuratively and literally. "But I know they're all different in their own, uh-" There was a jab in the ribs from Luca. Johnny waited for his limbs worm their way back closer to him. The bearded salesman left his butterknife behind. "Little ways."

    Luca grabbed hold of the butterknife and helped himself to a couple of pieces of bread, reaching over and dragging the bread bowl closer to the middle of the table. "So you're saying we're going to blend in?" Luca noted, "that would be a useful trait given our line of work. When can we see this ship in person, exactly?"

    "I said after dinner," John recalled, crossing his arms as he watched Ally come back to the table, "so order already and we both walk away from this happy."

    Luca shook his head, looking up towards the bar. "They know my tastes." He spotted the barkeep, who nodded back to Luca to confirm that the usual was on its way. "We're waiting on you."

    "Oh - uhh. Chicken parma with chilli, then." Johnny replied, blustering a little. Ally jotted it down onto her pad, and was prepared to take more from the others. The Raiken at least had 'gemstone soup' on the menu, served with stoneware.
     
    Last edited: Mar 11, 2018
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