2017-07-09: Hold my Hand

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  • Log: Hold my Hand
  • Cast: Riesenlied, Noeline, Kaguya, Cetiri (NPC)
  • Where: Lacour
  • Date: 9th June 2017
  • Summary: Kaguya arrives at Lacour with Cetiri, in search of Riesenlied and Noeline.


<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

Kaguya has likely had quite the journey after she discovered that Old Petra is... uh, not there anymore on account of being torn down to the ground by a Crimson Gear. It didn't take her long to be contacted by the Ebony Wings, and fortunately her wagon survived the destruction! She can thank the binocular-eyed bartender (nicknamed 'BinoBar') for that particular moment of thoughtfulness. But now, after receiving missive from Noeline, the Ebony Wings have had reason to chart a course for Lacour under disguise, which is perfectly easy for humanoids and...

...

...

... for a certain dog-shaped scientist, not so easy. Draped with a hooded travelling shawl and a flowery sundress that looks kind of boxy in her frame, Cetiri is attempting to do a swaying two-legged walk and is bobbling back and forth, slipping the closest thing imaginably fitting to her nuzzle-shaped head: A plague doctor mask. Which possibly stands out even more than if she were just a metal dog.

"This requires... considerable balance and care..." intones the Ebon Wing quietly. "... but fortunately ... Riesenlied and Noeline should be around ... very shortly..."

She trips at that point and flops onto her front. "Ow."

<Pose Tracker> Kaguya has posed.

Oh, she had some journey all right. Once she got back to her wagon--which was fine minus a few scorchmarks--there was no one left, and the young-ish Veruni found herself heading out for the nearest city on her map. Lacour loomed ahead of her, with its tournament. She /would/ thank BinoBar... If she could meet her anyway.

But Kaguya got a message, and she /did/ say she was willing to help. She just expected that help to come in the form of destroying something. Kaguya has gotten to know Lacour reasonably well though; it's a small city by her standards.

There aren't even any skyscrapers.

But Kaguya watches the dog-shaped scientist try to move. It's a... two-leged walk. A plague doctor mask, which she oesn't recognize at all. Kaguya frowns.

"...Yeah uh... It'll be nice to see them and all Cetiri but you want me to just get my wagon? I can get you in most anywhere with it, nobody questions me when I have it."

Not entirely true. Kaguya just tends to shout down anyone who does.

<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.

[OOC] Shalune Amira approaches the fallen figure with a screwdriver, a spanner, and a happy look. :)?

Wait, no--

Fortunately, there are two figures on the horizon that might look rather familiar. At least, one of them certainly does - while Riesenlied may still be finding it necessary to hide her face underneath an eared hood, Noeline has no such worries, walking along with the Tainted Commander loud and proud. She certainly makes for a very obvious figure as the two of them walk closer - and if there were any doubt as to her allegiance, the pleasant cackle she lets out when she realizes what exactly the odd-shaped bundle next to Kaguya is leaves no doubt.

"--oh, dear, really?" she adds with her eyebrows raised as she leans down a little, doing her best to peer under the poor scientist's hood. She's still sticking close to Riesenlied, an arm practically around the other woman - regardless of how affected she still is by the remnants of Id's shadow upon her. "I can certainly offer points for trying, but somehow I don't know that you'd pass muster. On the other hand-- well, some of the things I've seen around the town, you just might."

She pauses, and nods in a slightly more friendly fashion. "I believe we do have one of Kalve's devices around. I kept one nearby in case of emergency, after all. Strife, if you would," she adds, sending one of her little spherical ARMs bobbing back towards the town with a wave of one hand. [OOC] Noeline says, "aw nearly" [OOC] Noeline says, "first grey is off" [OOC] Kaguya says, "that's amazing" [OOC] Kaguya says, "like even missing the bracket and the gray being different"

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

Cetiri mumbles rather grumpily from the heap she's fallen down on, "It-- will be fine," she reassures Kaguya as her mask clatters. "Somehow, I do not think I will need to go too far in at all."

Riesenlied has her hood draped rather close to her, yes, though she gasps rather quietly as she hurries towards both Kaguya and Cetiri, who just trips within eyesight of her. "Kaguya! Cetiri!" she exclaims with a rather evident note of concern and worry in her voice. She smiles towards the Veruni botanist as she places a gentle hand on her shoulder, then gives her a gentle hug -- if allowed. "I am rather glad you are safe and sound..."

The scientist dog looks up with a quiet grump, before mumbling, "I refuse to pass as a Filgaian dog."

"Y--you don't have to..." Riesenlied pats Cetiri on the head as she kneels by her side next. "Ah-- I hope your travels here have been relatively peaceful?"

<Pose Tracker> Kaguya has posed.

Kaguya happens to catch sight of familiar figures from a while away, and glances over in that direction before she looks back to Cetiri again. Cetiri is reassuring /her/ and Kaguya frowns in concern anyway before she shrugs. "Okay, if you say so..." Is Cetiri older than her? She doesn't know. "But offer stands. Though, I guess that'd be hard. I dunno."

She looks down the way again as she hears a gasp, hears hurrying... Of course Kaguya's actually hear, since the Ebony Wings actually asked it of her. Not thta she'd say it that way. Noeline leans down and Kaguya shakes her head. "I dunno. I think it's a weird disguise idea, but all /I/ have to do is change my clothes and they accept me, so I can't reallysay it's fair..."

A look up to Riesenlied, "But uh, hi Riesenlied." She blinks in surprise at the hand on her shoulder and then the hug, though Kaguya steps forward to close the rest of the way, Putting an arm around Riesenlied. "Y-Yeah I'm... Y'know, fine. It's fine. Fine, right?" She's a little embarrassed, but also pleased.

"My trip was easy," she answers. "Well, kind of easy. Whatever. I've been looking at the tournament, and selling flowers. How... Are you?" She looks between Noeline and Riesenlied, worried. Then down to Cetiri again. "Wagon's still an option..."

<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.

"Are you quite sure?" Noeline wonders aloud, a teasing tone in her voice - but at the same time, she huffs softly, rather obviously detaching from Riesenlied to give the commander the chance to scurry forward. Her approach is more measured, but she does keep watch, almost as if she's taking a moment to drink in the sight of the winged woman reconvening with her mother figure. Metal Demons are an odd bunch, okay.

It takes her a moment to shake out of it, in fact, pulling her pride back around her as if it were a blanket. "I am not terribly convinced that we've counted as 'fine', this last week - but we are on the mend, that much is certain," Noeline decides, flicking out some of her hair. Not exactly Riesenlied's second-in-command but something faintly similar, the Crimson Noble would have been pointed out to Kaguya as the rather eccentric person to talk to if she needed information around the area - even if she didn't get the chance before Old Petra's destruction.

She's here now, though, her hands on her hips as she regards Cetiri for a long moment - and tilts her head in a quiet greeting towards the short Veruni. "It has been rough, that much I will admit. I did wonder if we might draw you here earlier, to be honest. I'm quite sure that Riesenlied's missed you both."

After all, whether Kaguya's a veteran or a new recruit, that sentence is likely to apply when it comes to Riese.

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

Riesenlied looks just a little bit wan, though she's doing better than she would've been even a few days ago. There's a telltale weariness and fatigue in the woman's expression, but it's rather clear that she's going to cope with it and power through. She always does.

"... mm," Riesenlied nods, patting Kaguya again on the shoulder. "We have an inn room here, and I believe we've the space to hire more..." she looks to Cetiri, who... just grumps again.

She finally acquiesces to say, "... if you request it of me, then I /suppose/ I can use the wagon. And the disguise. But only because you asked."

Riesenlied has to pause and look just a bit embarrassed, and expresses, "Cetiri, of course I'd like to spend time with you too. You are my mother, after all," a fact that Kaguya might not have picked up yet. Wow, Metal Demons really are quite strange, aren't they?

"I told you to not use that term," she sulks. "Does it not conflict with Mother?"

"Even so... 'creator'?" Riesenlied tries to think quietly. A pause. "But, yes, I rather would love to spend time! And -- this is Noeline, I wasn't quite sure if the two of you have met...?" She smiles.

<Pose Tracker> Kaguya has posed.

Kaguya is starting to get an impression of Noeline already, as well as of a connection between these three that is obvious. Kaguya is aloof from a lot of social factors, but she's not blind. Riesenlied seems to be having trouble...

At the second pat Kaguya lets Riesenlied go, if reluctantly. "Oh..." A pause, "Flower sales don't make that much, so..." She might appreciate that herself. She hasn't been earning a lot of money lately, though she still has some of her original left.

Noeline mentions not fine, and Kaguya glances away awkwardly. "Oh, yeah, I... guess you wouldn't be, huh?" She doesn't apologize, but she thinks about it. She recognizes Noeline anyway, even if they hadn't had a chance to speak. But between Cetiri, Noeline, and Riesenlied...

"M-mother!?" Kaguya says, staring. "Whoa, reall--" Oh. Cetiri doesn't... like it? Creator? "Hh...huh..." Kaguya is pretty conused at the moment. "Eh? Riesenlied has no reason to miss me, we just met..." But she looks a little red at the thought, embarrassed here too. "I mean it's great that you're all okay..." Mumble mutter. Pause. "Oh yeah! I didn't get to meet her, no. Uh, hi Noeline. I'm Kaguya. You probably knew that. Botanist and ARMs-tinkerer extraordinaire. I'm good with whatever. Do you need me to leave to get my wagon? Since Cetiri said..." Kaguya glances at her. "Cooler than /my/ mother," she mutters. [OOC] Kaguya says, "have a pose"

<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.

Noeline, too, looks ever so slightly ruffled still - though Cetiri's the only one who could actually know that, and she certainly doesn't look as bad as Riese does, rather committed to being her support right at this moment.

"... I am sure we can make space somehow. The innkeeper owes me somewhat for some services rendered, after all. These things can be useful, after all, at times like these." She pauses, and quirks an amused smile in Cetiri's direction - and does the unthinkable, bowing her head lightly. Gasp! "Your staying would mean a great deal, I'm sure. It only needs to be until we reach the inn, hm?"

Straightening back up, the spy tilts her head to Kaguya once more; it's another greeting, but mixed with an appraising look as well. "It's good to meet you - at last, at least. Ha~ah, really. Our orientation process needs some work, don't you think?" she adds airily to Riese, shrugging her shoulders as she does so. Her smile is a little lopsided, perhaps, but still strong.

"Provided your wagon is safe enough, it should be fine - on the other hand, if you wish to get it, that's fine. And-- rest assured," she adds, snickering quietly to herself. "Whether you have been a member of the Wings for a day or a year - Riese would miss you all the same."

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

Cetiri snorts just a little bit further, before remarking, "If we are to get Kaguya's wagon -- which we should, if only so that it is not thieved upon -- we should all go together," as she paces away ahead of the three.

Riesenlied blushes just a bit to stammer, "A-ah, wait--" she sighs as she watches the metallic dog walk off, before looking apologetically to Kaguya. "It is as... she says. A long time ago, she was the researcher who... constructed me." A pause. "She had a humanoid form then, but as she tells me, she had an accident that left her trapped in that form." A hesitant pause, as if she's not quite sure that's the story. And to Noeline, indeed, 'accident' is debatable -- there are rumors Cetiri deliberately did it to get out of the backstabbing rat race that was Photosphere's R&D.

"But yes... we'll walk with you," she offers Kaguya a hand and a smile again, feeling very motherly and already more cheered. "And of course I miss you -- I was worried for your safety, after what happened. I know you can care for yourself, but given you came all the way out here on our account... I felt myself responsible."

<Pose Tracker> Kaguya has posed.

Kaguya sure can't tell that the other spy is ruffled, and spy Kaguya is here in this city. The shorter blonde looks after Noilene for a moment at the talk of inn rooms and what can be done and... All of that. Noeline bows her head a little. "Aaah..." She is not sure what to say here. But Cetiri moves up, and Kaguya blinks. "Oh um, it's not going to get... uh..." She looks sheepishly beside the others, "I have thorny vines and a bomb set up to scare off thieves. I also made a sign!'

ELSEWHERE:

The owner of this shop will also be conveniently equipped to sell flowers for your grave. Only a small grave will be necessary.

HERE:

"It's--right ye, good to meet you." Did she say that. Kaguya laughs because dark humor is the way to her heart at the talk of orientation. "Right??? Totally."

Maybe she likes Noeline.

But then there's the matter of mothering, and Kaguya blinks, nodding thoughtfully. "That's something that happens? Huh. I just assumed your species had a lot of diversity of form... Or is it a group of species? If you were created, then... How does reproduction /work/...?" Kaguya pauses. "Nnnot my area. It's fine. But wow, tht's really cool."

To Noeline a grin, "Oh it's plenty safe. I sleep in it when I'm on the road. Really comfortable. Lived through one disaster already, so my wagon's doing better on sturdiness than I am!" Looking over Kaguya, she looks /awful/. Thin, sick, fragile, as if gathered up in nice clothes that could almost be too large. And pale.

Kaguya hears Riese's offer and pauses, before she bites her lip and only then takes Riesenlied's hand. It's... nice. Her fingers curl around the Metal Demons. "Oh... I just wasn't sure you'd..." Care for herself. "Oh. Well, I mean... It's fine. It's not like it wasn't saying I was willing to do." A smile at Noeline, and then a shy look back at Riesenlied. "But um, it's not like I /need/ handholding treatment. Because I don't. I'm a hundred and twenty seven."

She doesn't let go, though; she hangs on a little more tightly.

<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.

"Really, now..." sighs out Noeline, letting out an amused breath as she watches the robot dog buddy scientist slip away before Riesenlied can trap her in too many warm and fuzzy feelings. "If /I/ can be honest with myself for a couple of weeks, surely you can as well? Really, your mother is terribly grumpy at times," she teases the blonde woman next to her, stepping briskly along with them both in the direction of the foothills.

"Even with traps set up, it might be best to collect it regardless. It doesn't do to attract attention, even if it's warranted in as much as someone's chosen to try to steal your things," she advises, one finger up; if she's jealous over Riesenlied fussing more over Kaguya than over her, she certainly doesn't show it, and perhaps recent events have left her more secure on that front for at least a good long while.

She is, after all, the one who sent the initial missive to bring Kaguya and Cetiri out here, knowing full well that their presence would cheer Riesenlied up further.

"Reproduction does not work, as a general rule. We are made of metal, after all, and of a type of metal that does not particularly exist on Filgaia," she shrugs one shoulder with-- remarkable ease, compared to how she should feel about that. "Supplies are quite low, but we do tend to be longlived sorts."

That said, she snorts in amusement. "For instance, my age is about three times yours."

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

Riesenlied has a quietly red look on her face as she struggles to not flail and stammer that talk of reproduction is particularly embarrassing! She does offer to Kaguya, holding her hand and starting to walk in the direction Cetiri has headed off, "Noeline is right. It would also be easier for you to fetch your supplies if it is with us in town rather than outside, would it not?"

At the very least, the way Riesenlied fusses over Kaguya seems so mom-like there's nothing romantic there at all!

"A-and, I know, just..." A pause. "It felt right, somehow. Permit me this small indulgence, after so trying a week?" She knows Kaguya's holding on, though, so she doesn't let go.

<Pose Tracker> Kaguya has posed.

There's kind of a family matter happening that Kaguya can't interact with that well, that gives her a strange feeling. Her own family is a continent away, mosly. Maybe more. She doesn't know where her sister is.

Noeline gives her opinion and Kaguya considers, tilting her head. "I guess. I tend to just make a few things explode when they give me too much trouble." She shrugs, exhaling once as her sharp canines show. Kaguya does... not have much experience at spycraft. It helps that she can pass for close to human.

Kaguya doesn't notices Riesenlied's embarrassmen at first. Instead she looks to Noeline at her explanation. "Oh," she says. "That makes sense. I guess that... works? But--"

A glance to Riesenlied, "That's true, it would be easier..."

But Noeline speaks and Kaguya turns to stare. "Wow, really? Wow..." She looks briefly astounded. "Veruni live that long obviously, but I sure..." Pause. "Haven't." Her tone suggests easily that that's not what she was going to say. "I mean, admittedly... I spent over a century of that time in cryosleep. I've only been awake for sixteen years total."

A glance to Riesenlied, and Kaguya stands up a little straighter. "...All right," Kaguya says to Riesenlied, "As long as you need. It's nice."

She smiles further, and there's something gallant in it now that she can pretend it's for someone else.

<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.

Noeline passes Riesenlied an amused, silent grin as she flusters, though the spy doesn't worry about pushing things too far right at the moment; instead, she skips up ahead of them, to the top of the next hillock, to allow her to scan the horizon. "... well-- at least with the Tournament in full swing, no-one is particularly worried about watching the space /outside/ of the city walls. A small blessing, perhaps, if it lets us move around easily enough."

She pauses, tilting her head back towards Kaguya with an amused hum. "... I should introduce myself properly, hm? My name is Noeline Carver, and most know me as a Crimson Noble. It is a useful cover, after all," she adds-- and then flicks out her hair in a very self-important manner that suggests it isn't much of a cover, these days. "I am an intelligence agent, spy, and general bodyguard to Riesenlied - and perhaps one of our flightier members, some of the time. If there's something you need to know about things on Filgaia, I am generally a good first point of contact," she adds as she flicks out her hair.

Her gaze lingers on the Veruni for a moment - but she seems to just hum quietly to herself, thoughtful as she turns back towards the front. "To be fair - most of our number have not been out in the world all that long either. Not necessarily due to cold sleep, so much as inexperience. You could say I am an outlier - like the Tainted, perhaps, except not. At least, not until I chose to join their ranks myself."

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

And for Riesenlied's own part, she has the Ebony Wings -- but there's a certain experience of familial care that's a bit different here than it has, even with Cetiri. "You also refer to yourself as a historian often, these days," she points of Noeline. "Noeline is very close to me," as she -- she dares to reach out for Noeline's hand so she can achieve the fabled and mysterious double hand-holding...! Maybe there's a tiny part of Riesenlied that really wants to do that, even just for a little while. Awww.

"Cryosleep... Kaguya, tell me more about that -- there's so much about the Veruni that I want to know, but do not... do many of your kin dwell in cold stasis? There are a few of us, like Zed, that underwent such a thing..." Riesenlied muses, looking a bit more cheered. [WATCH] Cecilia Adlehyde has disconnected.

<Pose Tracker> Kaguya has posed.

Kaguya keeps walking along, though she's done a lot of walking already so far. It hurts a bit already, but with Riese's hand in hers she makes a bit of extra effort, spikes in her calves or not. "Yeah, they should really be watching both," Kaguya says, shaking her head.

Properly... Noeline Carver. "What's a crimson noble?" Kaguya asks, and the lack of capitals is audible. She has no idea what that is. "Is it a noble on her--" Kaguya glances at the others and coughs, rather than finishing that joke. "Huh. That's a lot of jobs. Good though; Riesenlied needs a bodyguard, I think." A beat, "Wouldn't the ones with wings be the flightiest?" Kaguya grins briefly, waiting for a reaction before speeding along, "Right. Sure, I'll ask if I need it. I don't know much about Filgaia. I didn't wake up more than a year or so ago, so..."

Kaguya isn't used to this particular kind of familial care. Noeline is very close, and a historian. Kaguya glances down at their hands, and looks thoughtful. She is not as subtle as she thinks she is with her inquisitive shipping.

Noeline is looking at her, and Kaguya isn't sure why before she looks away. "Oh... I see. Right, you're not Tainted." A shrug, "I might as well be, if I were one of you."

She glances at Riesenlied and the request is so simple and sweet that, "Yeah, a number do. We've got... a lot of pods. Just, a whole lot. I was in cryosleep because my parents though it'd be a difficult adjustment for their sweet daughter," Sigh, "Arriving here on this new planet. They were going to decant me once they'd finished setting everything up."

"It can be used more or less indefinitely; I don't remember any dreams while I was out, though I woke up with cryosickness, which is common for a little while. ...But, it didn't go away. Turns out I woke up with something else, too."

"That disease I told you about? A lot of us try to escape it that way I guess. But it didn't do me any good." She shakes her head. She sounds... bitter. "Whatever, I'm glad you're doing this at night. The air is worse during the day."

<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.

"--that is true," the faux-vampire admits with an amused hum. "One has kind of led to the other, I suppose. Nowadays, my intelligence-gathering is more about what happened in the past, than what might happen in the future. However, I'm still pleased to admit that some of my plans were what enabled so many in Old Petra to get away safely. That-- that is what I bring most to the Wings as a whole, I should think."

She pauses, and grins, showing a fang. "Call it a healthy paranoia, I suppose."

Visibly, Noeline pauses when Riesenlied reaches for her... but she's in the mood to spoil Riese, after all, and willingly slips her hand into the woman's offered one, giving her a pleased hum and a smile at the same time. "I am not a Tainted by birth, it is true, nor by nature," she lectures at the same time, her voice kept light. "But my goals are not those of most Metal Demons - they align more closely with the Ebony Wings, and I happen to put a lot more trust and stock in their abilities and experiences. So, I took that step."

The girl in black and red - not all that much taller than Kaguya, especially if she's got her platforms on - does at least pause, and lightly frown to herself. "... we are intending to head west next... you should be aware that it can get rather sandy out there. While we are in Lacour, you would do well to stock up on some things to help deal with it."

"As for Crimson Nobles, /well/--..." she doesn't start talking yet, but the way her face has gleefully lit up, she very well just might.

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

Riesenlied blushes at Kaguya to say, "I-- don't look that unreliable that I appear to need a bodyguard, do I?" It's not with seriousness that she asks that, though Noeline certainly would tease her along. "Hmm... I recall -- a number of your kind were stored in stasis as part of your long voyage through the stars, were you not?" A pause, and thought. "Mm... that disease that you spoke of -- the... VR Factor, was it?" She isn't certain if she got the details correct the first time.

Cetiri is waiting by the wagon once they arrive, commenting, "She spoke of it to me as well, on the way here. It is not altogether unlike what we face from this planet ourselves."

She nods slowly... and then tilts her head. "That makes sense... temperature can often slow the stem of a disease, but... it would be nice to find a cure for it."

She smiles at Kaguya again, looking to Noeline as she squeezes the Crimson Noble's hands. "Yes... we are headed out west, to the Badlands. Though sandy, there are methods to deal with such problems -- Old Petra was still rather desert-like for how it sat on the border, after all."

She tilts her head and says, "But you must be tired. There are nice bath facilities and comfortable beds at the inn -- we can speak more once you're rested, if you prefer?"

<Pose Tracker> Kaguya has posed.

"Being paranoid kinda works out," Kaguya answers Noeline, liking the Crimson Noble more as she keeps talking with her. History is interesting anyway, though the most useful history for what they're doing might not be. Kaguya decides to ask late about it. Instead...

Riesenlied blushes, and Kaguya shakes her head. "No," she says, a little spark in her pale green eyes. "Not unreliable. Important! You deserve strong women to protect you." A grin over at Noeline.

She waits a beat, "Yes, that's right. A number of us. My waking years were largely spent on our ship moving through space." A sigh. "It was nice. Our new cities are so unfamiliar."

"Mm, okay. It's nice that you can just choose that. Well, I like the Ebony Wings. I'm supposed to help you out in general... But I'm more comfortable with you in particular." But...The VR Factor.

"It'd be nice to find a cure," Kaguya says with no hope of doing so, "But I doubt it. I contracted it in cryosleep. That's the only explanation that makes sense. And our people die in the pods."

West... With sand. Kaguya lets out a huge teenage sigh, one of /those/. "Ugh. More sand? Does it get even worse? What's with this planet, anyway!?" Her frustration is palpable. "Yeah, I'll... find stuff." A look to Riesenlied. "Okay. Um, I might have to ask what's good for that. I'm still not used to walking around under a sun." It was desert-like...

She waves to Cetiri and then her shoulders slump. "Ugh, I am /so/ tired. I need a bath like crazy. That uh... That sounds good."

"And Noeline can tell me about Crimson Nobles." Pause. "But mostly, bath. Before anything. I'll just... ride in my wagon..." SHe shifts towards it bonelessly.