2017-08-22: Wayside

• Log: Wayside
• Cast: Riesenlied, Jacqueline Barber, Shalune Amira, Ethius Hesiod, Kourin, Fei Fong Wong, Elhaym van Houten
• Where: Wayside
• Date: 22nd August 2017
• Summary: The first Drifters arrive at Wayside -- the CaraKin, fresh from the warfront, and Elly and Fei as well.

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<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

Wayside Village.

The ... 'village' part is a little embellished at present -- after all, the Tainted and the Ebony Wings have had a scant few days to set up shop in the nestled hidden valley at the neck of the mountains headed towards the Badlands proper past the Aveh-Kislev warfront -- but it is nonetheless a place of sanctuary and safety, at present.

The village doesn't resemble one so much as it is a large ring of caravans that have been brought from the eastern part of Ignas -- though several makeshift buildings are already underway, overlaid atop the more ancient masonry that the previous village consumed by banditry and hardship have similarly used. It's rather heartful to see the Tainted go at it -- they're hardy workers and fast as well, rather used to the whole 'tear it down and rebuild' angle in the wake of Old Petra and perhaps other settlements beforehand.

A large campfire sits at the middle, serving both as a beacon and a place of gathering. Further away up the hills, there is the start of what appear to be a project undertaken to create a waterway of sorts, with square fields marked out for what one may assume is agriculture.

It's a warming sight, perhaps -- humble in all senses of the world, but for those that have just freshly escaped the battlefront... it is a welcome change.

In the midst of this, Riesenlied -- rather heavily bandaged and leaning on her rotund yellow dragon for support -- is speaking to several people when the CaraKin arrives.

<Pose Tracker> Shalune Amira has posed.

Noeline appears to have been coaxed away from Riesenlied's side by the sheer power of narrative force - or, more plausibly, because she's helping to organize and oversee the construction of the qanat, better able to bounce back from significant wounds than the majority of Tainted. True enough, a familiar blob of black and crimson is kind of moving back and forth up in the hills along with some of the larger Tainted.

There had been shouts from some of the lookouts when the CaraKin appeared on the winding path through the mountains - the merchant caravan does have a Golem and a Gear alongside it, after all, and opinions on both are kind of low at the moment amongst the ranks of the Tainted - but forewarned as they are, Riesenlied and Noeline are able to quell the initial suspicion long enough for the Caravan to arrive properly. Big Shal has already been fitted out with its DON'T SHOOT I'M NICE sign - though the most awkward apology in the world was required from Shalune to Big Shal before that could happen.

The mechanic still doesn't look in amazing shape; she's slept, and probably more than Jacqueline has, but she still looks kind of haggard and beat up, squinting from underneath her hair and her bobble hat as she leans out of the driver's cabin to regard the village. "W-woah... I didn't think /anyone/ was buildin' villages these days, y'know? Not like I've been west all that much, but I heard it was pretty bad for that kinda thing..." she comments to those that are there with her, chewing at her lip a little as she takes in the sight of the building works and trying her best to be charitable, rather than conflicted.

But they're here to rest, and it's with someone that Jacqueline trusts - so she peeks out of the door once more before opening it to hop down to the dusty ground.

<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

It would be incorrect to say that Jacqueline had slept well. She had, at least, thanks to Ethius and Shalune's words, managed to sleep at all. That, if anything, was a blessing. A further blessing was that, after setting out, they had run into the Honeybee.

It had been a relief to see Matilda alive...if not necessarily well.

So when the Carakin arrives at Wayside Village, it is accompanied not only by Big Shal, but the Honeybee, as well.

Jacqueline knew, of course, that considering everything that happened, they might be a little...uneasy, to be visited so suddenly like this. Riesenlied would recognize Big Shal and the Carakin, but those with her might not. Therefore, she had arranged to fly a banner of peace on their way in(in addition to Big Shal's 'DON'T SHOOT ME I'M NICE' sign).

Though its exterior carried some damage, the Carakin itself still ran smoothly. It seemed all the preparations Jacquline had made weren't for nothing.

"I imagine the situation is a little different for them..." Jacqueline comments from behind Shalune.

She waits for Shalune to step down before exiting the caravan as well, and begins to move straight toward Riesenlied.

"Riesenlied, hello. Thank you for pointing us here." She greets. "We have a couple of wounded in the Carakin. There was only so much I could do for them with what I had, unfortunately."

Of course, all of them were wounded in some fashion, but Jacqueline's priorities were on those who had suffered the worst of it. While Jacqueline herself certainly looked hurt, she was up and about even if she carried a rather tired look to her...mentally and physically.

<Pose Tracker> Ethius Hesiod has posed.

Ethius appears after he takes the time to go back and check on Kourin and Spirit, and then Matilda, in that order.

The Potion Berries work miracles, but the wounds that run through the Caravan Kinship are more than physical in their nature. Even with most of the clothes he likes to wear on his top half back in place, he continues to reek of blood. The bullet holes in said clothes should say plenty themselves. In so far as the emotional scars go, well... Ethius still has that stare going for him. His quarterstaff is in his left hand, as a makeshift walking stick. He does not seem intent to move too quickly as of yet.
The Tainted may recognize him as the one who assisted in the mass burial efforts at Old Petra. For once - once! - Ethius being present may provide a net bonus to the diplomacy check. (Unless one of their number would like their coffee mug back, as the prime suspect of its theft.)
He says nothing, as he stands a ways behind the mechanic and the merchant.

<Pose Tracker> Matilda Whitehead has posed.

It only took about a day for Matilda to reach coherence again -- though the physical toll of her adventures in and around the Guardian Temple was somewhat more significant. Even with the help of Freischütz, the compounder has had some difficulty getting around; the surfeit of healing talent surrounding the Carakin means it won't be /too/ long before she's ready to go adventure again... but right /now/ she's not doing so hot.

Her white coat has been replaced with an ill-fitting green one taken from a fallen soldier, and she's fashioned a cane out of a few salvaged weapon barrels. She's hardly recognizable in her present state, though she's at least managed to wash up.

The compounder looks... uncomfortable here, to say the least.

She sticks close to Shalune and Jay, saying, "People'll /try/ to build villages anywhere. Sometimes it's just -- necessary. You build where you can, I suppose..." She staggers forward a little bit, looking toward Riesenlied.

"... Kislev took Kaguya and one of our other traveling companions," she says. "Kaguya asked me to tell you." Jay's handled the pleasantries, and frankly, Matilda is just too worn out to manage more of them right now. She isn't even entirely comfortable talking to Riesenlied, still, even if Riesenlied /has/ been taking visible steps to do more than just terrorize like some of her Metal Demon brethren... but she was asked.

Her expression, at least, starts to resemble a Matilda-shaped expression a little more once they're in the village proper; she seems a little -- nervous. Off-balance -- and not just from the bullet wounds in her leg and hip. "Jay," she whispers. "Is -- is it really okay to be here...?"

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

Riesenlied looks on with some relief when she sees the CaraKin -- though she does have to wave towards some of the advance scouts to indicate that it's all right, as the Honeybee approaches in tandem. She wasn't quite familiar with it, but Noeline had mentioned a Gear of its like at some point.

To say that there is relief streaked across her face is a bit of an understatement as Jacqueline and Shalune moves towards her, and she just-- gives the beleaguered, tired alchemist a hug, perhaps sensing that in her own way, she looked like she could use it.

She nods towards Ethius as well, perhaps... well, she can't help but feel a bit nervous, but... distrusting people is just not what she is like, and she holds very true to Wayside's principles. Where one has been wounded, injured and cast to the wayside... they would be welcome here.

"We have a triage and medical camp set over there, and there is water and food next door," she advises to the open-air tent where several of their number have also been wounded; though the Tainted have by and large learnt to avoid skirmishes, they were still caught in the crossfire with how they had to cross the Great Aveh Desert. "I-- where is Miss Catenna, Mister Cyre...?"

A pause, as she hesitates to say, "I had heard they were travelling with you... I-- hope that the worst did not...?"

She seems a little bit emotionally exhausted, as she frowns as Matilda addresses her. She looks rather alarmed at Matilda's state, but she knows that between Matilda and Jacqueline's talents, they were probably okay... but she would be happy to mend to their wounds nonetheless.

"K-Kaguya was...?" her eyes widen as she steps a little closer as she murmurs, "Where--" A pause. No, that was a useless question at present. "... likely Nortune, or one of the forward encampments. We have scouts that have canvassed this area for months in preparation for our move here. I'll send them out to see where the supply lines are going -- prisoners don't move that quickly. We can track them."

It kind of sounds like she's trying to convince herself as much as Matilda.

<Pose Tracker> Shalune Amira has posed.

Shalune does at least turn, immediately after exiting the caravan, to offer first Jacqueline and then Matilda a hand in stepping down from the carriage; none of them had quite realized yet that life on the road might occasionally require a stool to get up enough height to get back into the caravan given the ground clearance it requires, but Shalune will fix that pretty quickly.

(She doesn't help Ethius not out of rudeness, but mostly because he appears to not need the help. Or any help, most of the time.)

She's silent as Riesenlied greets Jacqueline with a hug, dithering a little on the spot but much too polite to think about interrupting - besides, her curiosity is spiking as she watches the various demons clamber over the half-built structures of buildings as they make quick work of the construction. "... pre-fabs, or somethin'..." she mumbles, an unfamiliar work but presumably one she picked up somewhere in her time around Elru.

The pink-haired mechanic hesitates for a long moment as she thinks on that, but a slow mechanical noise makes her look upwards as Big Shal begins to walk past her, looking towards where several wounded Tainted are doing their best to work together and help raise a roof up to the top of one domicile. Slowly, the golem turns to look at the mechanic, and Shalune can't help but bite her lip, still feeling rather chagrined over her outburst yesterday. "... y-yeah. It's okay," she says after a moment, Big Shal nodding in recognition before moving to assist.

"We-- we were invited, so it's okay," she adds afterwards to Matilda, hesitating once before her voice strengthens, and she pumps her fists. She definitely seems to do better when encouraging other people, rather than herself, perhaps mistaking Matilda's hesitancy for pure nerves rather than anything else. "Besides, I'll take the noise of hammers over gunfire any day, right?"

Her expression falls when she hears about Kaguya, her mouth open as the attempt at a good mood is knocked back out of her. It's another reminder of those who they've lost, and she wraps her arms around herself abruptly, thinking of Lunata.

<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

Jacqueline is a little uncomfortable to let Ethius and Matilda up and about, admittedly...but she knows that it'd be difficult to keep the two of them down, and forcing them to do so would probably make their situation worse.

When Riesenlied moves in for a hug Jacqueline accepts it readily. It was not inaccurate to say that she could definitely use it.

She nods when she explains where the medical facilities were...and then Riesenlied poses her question.

Matilda's the one who answers it, and Jacqueline looks away sadly. She had been surprised to hear that Kaguya had been taken, as well. What would Kislev want with the flower girl...?

Their behavior was sickening, and Riesenlied's reaction was heartwrenching. Jacqueline can't quite look her in the eye, though she was tempted to give /her/ a hug now, in return.

"...They took Catenna, as well. We were attacked by Kislevi soldiers as we were trying to escape the battlefield. Cyre stayed behind to hold them off, and Lunata..." Jacqueline stops herself. Shuts her eyes and takes a deep breath. It still wasn't easy to talk about. A hand falls to Shalune's shoulder, gripping it gently. It was as much for Shalune's benefit as her own.

"...I'm not sure what she did. She and her Gear vanished, taking some of them with her." She explains. "That about sums up our current situation..."

She glances back at Matilda, then, as she whispers a very valid question. She didn't blame her for being unsure. Jacqueline offers her a smile, albeit a weak one.

"It'll be alright...we can trust them, I'm sure of it." She replies. And then, a bit more sternly -

"Come on, let's start moving towards the medical facilities."

She didn't know how much they would actually be able to treat human injuries, but if came down to it as long as they had the equipment they could do it themselves.

<Pose Tracker> Ethius Hesiod has posed.

Something about the man - even when his presence might approach being /welcome/ in times of a need that exceeds discomfort - just seems to put so many around him at arm's length. He does not move to initiate any hugs, and appears to expect none in return. The white-haired lump of suspicion and violent melting keeps his bandanna-hidden maw shut as sympathies and explanations exchange between one another. The name Kaguya does not seem to register.

His eyes trail away from his fellow travelers and the Metal Demon that wants most to co-exist, as though following Big Shal moving to help some others with a roof. At first, it is a mere sideglance to his left. He progressively fails to hide his interest, showing his left side to those present as he seems intent to watch the activity of Wayside. Watching. Judging? Maybe he sees someone he recognizes from the funeral proceedings and is too shy to want to say hello?
He will be the last one to make it to the medical facilities. Somehow, a man like him manages to find a scenic route through on the limitations of 'using quarterstaff to keep himself upright' and 'almost out of the picture on blood loss alone from prior.'
As seems to be habit, as seems to be horror, his lack of much in the way of meaningful verbal interaction seems to convey an intent to remain a passed-over presence although virtually all here are well aware of him and many of his peculiarities.
Who is he fooling?

<Pose Tracker> Matilda Whitehead has posed.

When Riesenlied calls attention to who /else/ is missing from the Carakin's number, Matilda looks to Ethius, then to Jay. /She/ has no idea, of course, having been separated from the rest of the group. "Eeerrm..." Fortunately, Jay has the answers -- and they're not /as/ dire as they could have been, at least.

Jay reassures her -- and then takes charge a bit, and Matilda nods. "Ah -- y, yes." She moves along at as even a clip as she can manage, which is to say, 'not very even at all.' "I suppose you're right," she says to Shalune with a nod. "... we'll get them back," she whispers, a little quieter. "We'll get them all back." She doesn't sound as convinced as she wants to.

She looks to Riesenlied again, now, more able to fully answer her. "Kislevi prejudice against Beastmen is high, and Kaguya's ears and unusual bone structure give her away," she notes, ever practical even as she continues toward the medical facilities. "We want to move fast... in this, at least, you'll have my cooperation. Kaguya is -- important, to me."

Sitting down seems -- difficult. Matilda's whole face contorts in pain as she does it. "... Flesh wound at my hip," she notes -- though the new bleeding makes that painfully (heh) obvious. "... I don't know if the bullet's still inside or if one of them," a gesture to the Carakin with her cane, "removed it."

Her eyes rest on Ethius as she says that, for some mysterious reason.

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

The doctors and nurses present are... well. One of them is just Cetiri, who's probably used to all kinds of physiologies, and given that Kalve has supplanted their stocks with all kinds of unguents as the Mercurial Doctor is wont to do, they find that there's quite the well-stocked supply of medical odds and ends. And, you know, Kaguya also probably helped point out how to heal other kinds of physiologies like Verunis and human.

It isn't to say that they could use more tips, though.

"Yes... of course, you're all welcome here," Riesenlied reassures everyone, along with Shalune's. "Also, in order to make it clear."

"Wayside... is a village, where all that are ailing are welcome, no matter who they are. This is /not/ a Metal Demon base, in the way Old Petra was. We shall have no military action here." There's a certain tone that seems more affirmed and reassured than ever, perhaps for her own benefit as well. "Tainted, humans, Veruni... if ever Filgaia is to cast you aside... we shall welcome you here."

She does look contrite at Jay's explanation of the fates of the different members of CaraKin.

"We'll find them," she reassures her. "I assure you, you'll have my help on that front."

There is, perhaps, something a bit different about the Metal Demon even from just a few days before -- there's a new kind of resolve within her that doesn't seem to be present; a splitting of the hesitation that seems to so subtly cloud her before.

She nods towards Matilda, rather certain as she gestures for one of the people on the side -- they're already marching towards what looks like a 12-ish foot flame dragon with a familiar heavyset Demon standing by it, Jedan. With a brief conversation, there's a casual salute to Riese, and then he's climbed aboard to head off into the air.

<Pose Tracker> Shalune Amira has posed.

Despite her warm words to Jacqueline last night, the mechanic can't help but shiver a little at the thought of Lunata being gone, hugging herself rather tightly as the alchemist offers her a hand on her shoulder. It takes her a moment, as she sucks in a breath. "--she's-- she's gonna be fine," she mutters to herself as they walk along, biting her lip as she gives away how much trouble she's having believing that right at this moment. Still, it bears repeating, so she repeats it under her breath for good measure.

As if galvanized a little by that, she looks back up to watch Big Shal carefully take the roof from the half-dozen neonate Tainted, lifting it slowly and carefully up to the right level to allow those atop the house's framework to maneuver it into proper place. That, at least, is some kind of comfort, and she grins just a little at the sight of it.

"I-- we'll help save her," she blurts to Matilda all of a sudden, and then immediately puts a hand to her hair and looks away. "Well-- I dunno how much we can even do right now, honestly, but..."

She chews at her lip all over again, listening to Riesenlied with a solemn sort of frown that looks alien on her but doesn't seem to want to go away. "I--" it's a beguiling thought, and one she's glad to hear, but she does kind of have to wonder: "... um. I don't wanna be rude, or anything, but-- um, this is kind of different to what I expected. Did somethin'--... change?" she wonders. After all, it's a long way from Adlehyde to this.

<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.

LAST TIME ON, IS THAT LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL DAYLIGHT OR A TRAIN, FEI FONG WONG

Fei Fong Wong has heard rumors about Wayside Village but more to the point there's a nagging feeling pulling on him. Following gut instinct has, aside from a few explosive exceptions, generally worked out for Fei Fong Wong. Right now he's on the way back to take Elly... 'somewhere'... in Weltall but he thought he'd make a stop here to see if Riesenlied was in the area so he could leave a message with her. He figures telling her this message would give her something to be happy about. Or, you know, not....but it's probably important that she has the message at the very least. Naturally, a gear approaching tends to cause concern--doubly so when it's 'Orca' which has been doing battle with the Metal Demons with some frequency. Orca is WHY some of these people are 'Tainted' to begin with. Still, rather than opening fire, Weltall actually lands outside of the 'town', parking next to any other gears in the area. The hatch opens up.

Fei's companion will have an easier time hopping out first. Afterwards, Fei follows suit.

"You know," Fei says to his companion. "Seeing such a small village like this reminds me of Lahan. It's pretty homely." He stretches out his arms from side to side. He doesn't seem to be comparing it in a trauma related manner.

The red voice is subdued at present, but listening. He's always listening and watching.

He starts to move closer, heading for the medical tent, but he stalls as he sees the nervousness of the Tainted.

<Pose Tracker> Elhaym van Houten has posed.

Elly had been in the vicinity of the Yggdrasil only briefly, and looking at it, she felt a certain humble dawning anxiety in the face of the thought of: I'm going to come back here... and next time...

Well.

She had also thought to herself, while riding in SLIDE-1 (as it's known to her), that perhaps she should try to take it. However, she reasons further, that's thinking short term. And also, Elly only has this conversation once inside of her head, which is blessedly unified, at least, as far as Elly can tell.

Elly is the first one out. She was able to get a new blouse on the Yggdrasill, which is ill fitting and has a lacy collar. The belt makes it work better. She hooks a foot in the descent line, lets it whzzzzz her down nearer to the ground, and then steps loose before giving it two tugs so Fei can take it down. Or jump out like a gangster. His mech (for now).

"Really? I suppose I never knew the place," Elly answers him, and then she steps forwards, not quite at Fei's side but not /not/ at Fei's side, either. When Fei stalls, she stops, though she looks up at the assorted people with a little wonder and a lot of solemnity. She doesn't call out a greeting.

<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.

Fei Fong Wong jumps down like a gangster. He then looks back and seems surprised the descent line is even there.

....Has he never tried using the descent line before?

(Yes).

<Pose Tracker> Elhaym van Houten has posed.

(Elly discreetly points out where the drop switch is on the leg/ankle area, so you can drop the access cable without being up there. The More You Know.)

<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

"She certainly will be. We'll make sure of it." Jacqueline murmurs toward Shalune.

Jacqueline was admittedly concerned about Ethius going off like that on his own...but that was Ethius. Even if she tried to stop him, she knew he'd just do it anyway. At the very least she could probably trust him not to pass out somewhere...

...Hopefully...

Once everyone is onboard with the 'go to the medical facilities' plan Jacqueline begins to make her way there along with everyone else. Matilda gets a nod.

"Yes. I'm not going to leave anyone to their devices...Catenna or Kaguya, especially." She says. Catenna was one of hers and Kaguya...well, beyond seeming like a person who didn't deserve to be in that kind of situation, she was close to Matilda and that was reason enough. Fortunately, Riesenlied had pledged her help, as well. Her resources would undoubtedly make things go a lot more smoothly.

It was a little interesting to see the wide variety of Metal Demons present, however. They really were a diverse lot...though Jacqueline finds the mention of 'Veruni' interesting. Weren't they just a myth...? Did that mean there were some present here, too?

...Not that she'd recognize one if she saw one.

As for Matilda's injury...

"I did what I could, but I was low on resources...I didn't want to aggravate the injury further." Jacqueline explains.

She doesn't yet acknowledge the new arrivals. Perhaps she just hasn't noticed them yet?

<Pose Tracker> Ethius Hesiod has posed.

Ethius, making up the back of the team who has yet to go into the medical tent (perhaps in hunt of another precious coffee mug to take), is the one who first notices the approaching Gear. The Gear of such great infamy. The Gear that got away with the Golem he sure tried to destroy, back days where modern Adlehyde's innocence shattered to tiny bits. Its presence here is an emotionally charged... thing.

"Visitors." Ethius says aloud, loud enough that those who follow Riesenlied will hear. The words do not imply any further connotation in which he may identify the visitors as anything other than visitors - simply that there are some. He holds the quarterstaff in his left hand as something of a walking stick, but otherwise does not show any immediately overt gestures of aggression.
His eyes imply staring, instead, because that is what he does, watching a certain long-haired man and a red-haired woman speak amongst themselves.
He does not move from his current spot outside.

<Pose Tracker> Matilda Whitehead has posed.

"Ah..." A village for those who Filgaia has cast aside... that gets Matilda thinking for a moment. Conveniently, it keeps her silent while her wounds are checked out again. The nastiest one is at her hip, as mentioned -- though there are others all up and down that side. The /other/ side, meanwhile, has some shrapnel wounds, here and there -- but /most/ of that was stopped by the armor, at least.

She sits bolt upright at the new arrivals -- and then immediately thinks better of it, going into a full lie-down thereafter. "... I'm sorry -- I barely caught who was actually there," she notes, gesturing with her cane to the new arrivals.

Jay mentions she did what she could, and Matilda nods. "I thought I remembered someone treating me... ahah, thank you." She shifts her coat a little, before asking quietly, "... are there any Veruni here now?" She glances around -- she doesn't /see/ any, but... her vantage point isn't particularly great, either.

Matilda unclips the breastplate of her unusual armor, and gestures with her cane toward Shalune. "Ah -- Miss Amira... this doesn't have to be now, but -- could you help me repair this, before we go to rescue our friends...?" The material is unusual, but not drastically so -- the protective gear probably only dates back to the Day of Collapse.

'Only.'

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

Had something changed?

It was a good question. Though it didn't exactly go from Adlehyde to here -- there were so many other steps along the way... but it's undoubtedly jarring for those that were not part of the journey. Even the Ebony Wings themselves had not been present for all of it, for everything that had happened at the Guardian Temple, and all that had happened within...

... even if she's not certain, it is the path that she has been set on. For better or worse. For those that still linger behind, incapable of moving on their own power... for those that have yet to be visited by the atrocities of her kin in the future.

Riesenlied does spot Weltall, however -- her eyes widen just for a moment... but some part of her -- twinges just for a moment, especially as it just parks next to some of the other Gears already assembled, and she holds her hand to caution the scouts that are already en-route.

"... Fei... oh-- Miss Elly?" she expresses, before beckoning closer. She hadn't seen her since she taught her how to use a combat rod (or thinks she did) back in Adlehyde. "Welcome to Wayside."

They... have never really seen Old Petra in a time of peace, has it? If there's a particular theme to the people here, it's that... they are all, to varying levels of uniqueness, people that have lost something. Where Big Shal helps support the roof, she works with a carpenter with only one arm, and a more limber Metal Demon that's rappelling on a rope despite having only one leg and what looks like accordion tube replacing it, and the lady over at the food counter appears to have a refrigerator for a body and a pair of binoculars jammed into her face where her eyes used to be.

She's also standing next to a flower wagon which Matilda may note is Kaguya's.

Ethius sees a familiar red-headed young woman -- a Metal Demon who he helped bury someone back at Old Petra. "U-uh, should I... do you wanna sit down? I can-- look at your wounds...?" she's not sure, though she looks at Riese and gets the nod from her.

She also moves closer to Matilda and... well -- she starts to help along with another nurse towards that hip wound, if allowed. There's a grimace and a wince as she murmurs, "We'll have to stem this bleeding first -- do you have it on hand?" The nurse nods as she works with a kind of curious precision, given that her hands aren't so much hands and more... uh, drills. Little drills. She seems remarkably adroit given what she has to work with, actually.

<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.

Fei Fong Wong sees the flower wagon too. He stares at it for a moment before moving onward. It's specifically 90s rpg length. You can tell because there's a moment where he has a character portrait that says '...' while he's looking at it. He looks up and sees Ethius. Ethius has had a tendency of hurting Fei Fong Wong, but he doesn't comment on that either. He just stares right back at Ethius for a moment too. He feels like he has all the pieces of a particular puzzle but doesn't know where they fit just yet.

"Huh..." He says, looking up to Riesenlied. "I didn't know you knew Elly." He looks towards Elly and adds, "I don't know if you knew, maybe you did, but Riesenlied's one of the Tainted too." He's actually repeating this, largely for the sake of being polite, and he turns back to Riesenlied after--well not quite, he stares at a lady with a fridge for a body and binoculars for a face. It's kind of a horrifying visage in its own way. He manages to twist his face to look back at Riesenlied.

"I guess you had a hard time breaking the lines too. I'm guessing Siegfried isn't here. Did you see the Guardians too?"

<Pose Tracker> Shalune Amira has posed.

"O-oh, Mr. Fei--" blurts Shalune as she turns to spot the newcomers, her eyebrows raised in a clear and obvious surprise; there's a woman along with him that the mechanic doesn't recognize, but that's okay, because Shalune can form assumptions faster than news can travel. "Ah-- you're okay. That's-- kind of a relief," she adds with a quiet sort of smile, her normal enthusiasm badly dented with the loss of Lunata. Fei being alright is a good sign, though, because the way Shalune sees it, if there's anyone who wouldn't handle a battlefield well, it's Fei.

She automatically reaches to help Matilda back down to her cot, puffing out her cheeks after a long moment. "Uuu, be careful-- and just call me Shalune, okay? 'Miss Amira' is really weird." Briefly, she's given an excuse to fall back into a more comfortable topic, her eyes automatically flicking towards the shattered armored vest as she fingers the material and for once manages to look serious. "If you've got some shards I can take a look at-- then probably. I'd need to know how it works, but--"

The thought seems to make an idea crystallize in her head, though - and she looks up, her gaze finally taking in the array of Tainted amongst them and finally realizing the state that each of them are in. The only way she can describe them is--... familiar, she realizes. Each of them, somehow, echo her early experiments to get Big Shal working, or even before that her first years working with scrap, using whatever she could to get by, improvizing as necessary just to be able to build something and call it complete.

She hesitates visibly, almost freezing on the spot - before she looks towards Jacqueline, her hand at her chest. "--s-say--" she mumbles to the medic when she's not so busy, and glances towards Riesenlied. "Do you-- need any parts? I've got a bunch of raw materials with me. I can pretty much make whatever, long as I can understand it," she adds. It's part a chance to repay some kindness, part a chance to make friends, and... part a chance to simply learn something new.

<Pose Tracker> Elhaym van Houten has posed.

Elly gives Riesenlied a slightly wan smile, as if with apology.

"Oh," Elly says. "Yes, we met a couple of times."

She gives Riesenlied another glance. And then, past her, towards... Towards someone. Her hand goes to Fei's wrist for a moment and she tells him, "I'm heading over there - I don't know how long you expect to stay." And with that she drifts away from Fei towards --

NURSE DRILLHANDS, and her AFFILIATED MATILDAS. To the nurse with the drill hands, she asks while sidling around to avoid being in the way, "I don't mean to intrude. Can I help?" Elly's eyes drift towards Matilda for a fleeting moment and she smiles at her.

<Pose Tracker> Shalune Amira has posed.

"O-oh, Mr. Fei--" blurts Shalune as she turns to spot the newcomers, her eyebrows raised in a clear and obvious surprise; there's a woman along with him that the mechanic doesn't recognize, but that's okay, because Shalune can form assumptions faster than news can travel. "Ah-- you're okay. That's-- kind of a relief," she adds with a quiet sort of smile, her normal enthusiasm badly dented with the loss of Lunata. Fei being alright is a good sign, though, because the way Shalune sees it, if there's anyone who wouldn't handle a battlefield well, it's Fei.

She automatically reaches to help Matilda back down to her cot, puffing out her cheeks after a long moment. "Uuu, be careful-- and just call me Shalune, okay? 'Miss Amira' is really weird." Briefly, she's given an excuse to fall back into a more comfortable topic, her eyes automatically flicking towards the shattered armored vest as she fingers the material and for once manages to look serious. "If you've got some shards I can take a look at-- then probably. I'd need to know how it works, but--"

The thought seems to make an idea crystallize in her head, though - and she looks up, her gaze finally taking in the array of Tainted amongst them and finally realizing the state that each of them are in. The only way she can describe them is--... familiar, she realizes. Each of them, somehow, echo her early experiments to get Big Shal working, or even before that her first years working with scrap, using whatever she could to get by, improvizing as necessary just to be able to build something and call it complete.

She hesitates visibly, almost freezing on the spot - before she looks towards Jacqueline, her hand at her chest. "--s-say--" she mumbles to the medic when she's not so busy, and glances towards Riesenlied. "Do you-- need any parts? I've got a bunch of raw materials with me. I can pretty much make whatever, long as I can understand it," she adds. It's part a chance to repay some kindness, part a chance to make friends, and... part a chance to simply learn something new.

<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

Visitors?

Jacqueline glances back, spotting Fei and Elly. The latter was a new face, she hadn't met her before. She offers them a nod of acknowledgment before looking back to the others. She nods toward Matilda and offers her a smile.

She glances toward the nurse, then.

"It? Do you mean the bullet? Hold on a moment..." Jacqueline replies. She reaches into her bags, eventually drawing out a small vial in which she had placed the offending bullet. She'd kept it, just in case.

"Here it is...I also have a few remaining potions, if you have any need of them. I'll have to put together some more...are there any stations here where I could do that?" She asks.

She glances toward Shalune and offers her an approving smile, before glancing toward Fei and Elly once more.

"It's good to see you alive and well, Fei and..." She pauses. "...I'm sorry, miss, I don't believe we've been introduced."

<Pose Tracker> Ethius Hesiod has posed.

The mysterious white-haired Symbologist looks away from Fei's gaze after roughly the same amount of time as the last time they looked into one another's eyes - three seconds, tops - and blinks a few times before abruptly looking over the wrong shoulder in which to address the red-haired Tainted who invites Ethius to sit down and have his wounds appraised.

Ethius goes zero for two in staring contests against Fei, and is once again not at all smooth about it. The subtle embarrassment's silver lining is that it allows him to take watch of Elly as she draws closer to Matilda. To correct and level his gaze means having it cross Fei's eyes again, which he does not appear to have the desire to do, so he turns all the way around to face the red-haired drill-handed Metal Demon addressing him.
His free hand goes to his opposite shoulder - hesitation? - and nods once as he walks over. He'll have to disrobe all layers of clothing about his upper body, which reveals a wealth of Symbological symbols that are greater in number than most Symbologists anyone might have seen.
...Only a few symbols seem like they might match sigils and the like used in what Symbology schools are in practice in the region, or much of anywhere. The rest may well be artful gibberish. Early bandaging (and resulting bloodstains) are fine indicators of where he has suffered what is called 'Ouchies.' Gunshot wounds.
The red-haired Metal Demon caretaker will find that there is a) a lot of Potion Berry pulp in there, and b) any actual bullets have been removed - and in two instances, none too gently.
His ears remain open. His eyes... open. (Unless he catches Fei looking his way with anything more than a passing glance.) If he is disturbed further by the prospect of being looked at by someone with drill hands, he doesn't voice it.

<Pose Tracker> Matilda Whitehead has posed.

"Uh?" Matilda seems a little dizzy as she looks up toward Riesenlied. ... it wasn't /so/ long ago that she helped Riesenlied in not so dissimilar a way, was it? "Er -- yes... please, feel free to take a look." Getting a closer look at Matilda also reveals what looks like it might be an injection or impact site -- poison? -- not far from the wound Matilda just did a great job of reopening and aggravating.

Matilda's half-shattered breastplate falls to the ground for Shalune. "Er -- thank you, then, Shalune," Matilda offers, shortly before the drills get a little closer and she freezes up a bit. She knows she's going to be fine, but /gosh/ that's unnerving. Elly reaches out to help, too, and Matilda offers no resistance to the idea.

It's at this point that she spots the wagon, and says, "Ah -- if one of you could... please wheel that wagon out into a sunnier spot until nightfall," Matilda requests -- shortly before some more treatment starts in earnest, which gets her to clam up /real/ fast.

She looks toward the Gear now, taking brief note of it but offering no grand comment before turning her attention back to Jay. "I think I'm fine on curatives -- I was making many for Kaguya, but I'm afraid I don't have a patient for the moment... ahaha... ha."

She then looks pretty crestfallen.

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

Riesenlied places her hand to her opposing elbow, wincing a little bit as she manages to almost tipple over after she lets the nurse get to work on Matilda -- fortunately, the adorably rotund ahri-dragon is there to prop her up, as if that's her only duty at present. Yeah, someone's probably got to sit down herself, given the injuries she sustained at the battlefront, the temple /and/ the escape. But stubbornness is one of Riesenlied's chief characteristics, after all.

"... I did," she answers Fei plainly. "... I spoke to one too."

There's a kind of gravity that's undercut by how plainly she answers that, so matter-of-factly -- but it doesn't take deep intuition to see that the experience has changed her considerably. "... we had a... I can't say it's an amiable chat, but... perhaps, it was everything I'd ever hoped for."

There's an almost self-effacing chuckle that's prompted at Shalune asking her about parts -- and her eyes widen for a moment. "Ah-- if it's all right with Jacqueline..." She wags her finger towards the hills gently. "I'm sure the construction crews are always in need of more materials, and for my own project up there... we're missing some parts to repair the water purifier unit still. That's the key to making this entire place work."

Nurse Drillhands backs away for a moment as she says to Elly, "Oh-- yes, if you're able to help?" she says as she... actually unhinges one of her drills at the knuckle, where she screws a pair of tweezers on. Wow, a literal swiss-army hand! She dabs at where she's finishing up with one of Matilda's shrapnel cuts.

Riesenlied listens to Jacqueline, then gestures towards the nearby caravan. "That's my office at present... I've mixed some herbal remedies a while back -- it's probably not what you're used to, but..." She's only a novice herbalist compared to Jacqueline's more advanced alchemist concoctions, after all, so there's going to be some tools missing like burners and other such stations.

She frowns gently towards Matilda as she comments with some alarm, "Did Kislev use poison?" she turns and looks to the nurse and Elly, and says, "Hold on, I'm going to bring some of the antidotes out," as she steps towards the station she pointed to Jacqueline just now.

The red-haired caretaker -- who's actually just Sibyn, since we know her name -- gawks just a little as she stares towards Ethius' body, not because that chiselled hunk of beef is worth a double-take (but it might), but because the presence of symbols just seems to ... confuse her. "Geez, you're bleeding all over," she murmurs, starting the process of dabbing alcohol on his wounds and fixing him up. She's got assistance from one of the other doctors.

Then, finally, Val -- the bartender who's got the binoculars for eyes and a fridge for a body -- stares at Fei. Stares. Stares as in, 'those binoculars are going on zoom', like she's squinting at him staring at her.

"What's wrong, boyo? Have you never seen a lady with a six-pack in her before?"

She salutes Matilda as she says, "Ah right, that Kaguya girl told me to do that," as she walks without waiting for her joke to land to push the wagon out gently. "Be a shame if she dies... I liked her."

<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.

Fei Fong Wong says, "That's alright. It shouldn't be too long," to Elly and he watches after her for a moment as she offers NURSE DRILLHANDS some aid. He doesn't seem to see it as being stood up. Quite the contrary, he smiles at Elly as she does this. She's not just kind, she's proficient at it. He runs his hand along his arm, thinking. He has a life again, he thinks, and he can lose it again if he's not careful. The Guardian told him--yes, that his salvation lay with people like Elly, didn't he? And Leon and Lily? And Bart? Maybe even Riesenlied herself? He wants to see that smile more.

"That wagon," Fei says, looking to Matilda now that she brought it up. "How did it get here? Is Kaguya alright?" Ugh he missed the exposition about Kaguya! This is what happes when people show up late!

Actually weirdly enough, Fei seems to be doing pretty well for Fei Fong Wong. Shalune probably hasn't seen him looking this refreshed before. "Huh... How about Miss Shalune?" Fei has a sense of humor you know. "I guess it makes sense that these folks would be helping you, Riesen. I guess it's a good sign for what you want to do."

He looks back to her. "The Guardian we ran into was the Guardian of Time. He was, uh, a lot more casual than the others. He was a cat, too. Like, a walking cat. And he was dressed, so I mean, he was decent." He scratches at his arm for a moment. Why did Kaguya know Riesenlied? She was just a flower girl, wasn't she? Actually this is Riesenlied, she's probably friends with everyone. He should just assume she knows everybody. He looks back up. "Look, I asked about helping your people out and he said, uh, that we had to protect the statues or 'Mother' will kill the whole world. I...really, REALLY would encourage you to not help Siegfried destroy those statues. For his benefit as much as anyone else's." He takes in a soft breath. "But he also said you're loyal to her, so it'll be hard to convince your people. I'd like to help save as many of your people I can. He said it was possible. Even Siegfried, I hope, but--" He smiles. "--I guess we've got too much in common so I can't really reach him." He shakes his head. "Either way, I wanted to let you know what he said since it's...good news?"

He looks over to Elly again. "But I guess Elly's already doing a better job at that than I am, heh. Is there anything I can help with? I'm not very skilled, but I can hit things or paint buildings, maybe. I've gotten pretty good at it. I can make 'em nice and pretty."

He is distracted though by Val. Val is staring at him now. With binoculars. She asks that question and he blinks a few times.

"Y'got me," He admits. "Sorry about that. Just surprised me."

<Pose Tracker> Elhaym van Houten has posed.

"Just tell me what to do," Elly says, pausing when the Nurse... attaches a pair of tweezers. That's not nearly as non-functional as she had worried! Everyone is still clustering over towards her, and she says in a loose sort of way, "Don't crowd her too closely..."

Elly then catches sight of Ethius.

Elly looks dead at him for several lingering seconds, which may or may not disturb him.

But then back. She looks at Matilda as she reaches down to... put her wrist right next to Matilda's hand, which, taken in a vacuum, may seem strange. But she says to Matilda then, "I know this hurts. If it helps, please squeeze my arm as hard as you can. Can you tell me about how you got all of these injuries?"

Well, it's not healing magic, but maybe it'll help!

<Pose Tracker> Elhaym van Houten has posed.

"Oh!" Elly says to Jacqueline. "My name is Elly. It's good to meet you. I'm sorry I can't do more..."

Not the flashiest introduction, but it gets the job done.

<Pose Tracker> Shalune Amira has posed.

"M-Miss Shalune is weird too," the pink-haired mechanic answers Fei with a bit of a pout - but seems cheered regardless, picking up on the man's higher spirits and using them to bolster her own. She's basically an emotional vampire, which makes my characters vampires all the way down.

She nods towards Jacqueline, feeling more confident than she has since they left the battlefield. She might be in a very strange place, populated by very strange people, but then she's not all that normal herself, and having something to do will certainly take her mind off worrying. "Water purifiers I can do, for sure," she comments back towards Riesenlied, letting out a breath as she shoulders her pack. "I'll, um, I'll let Big Shal keep workin' on stuff as I go past."

She jogs off in the direction of the hill, the pot bouncing lightly at her side.

<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

"Of course it's fine with me. You're doing good work. A lot of people could use a place like this." Jacqueline replies with a smile toward Riesenlied.

She listens to Riesenlied speak and nods, then.

"I see...well, anything is helpful, really." She replies. Well, if she had to, she could always move some of her equipment into there as necessary.

Matilda and Ethius are in good hands, so she focuses her attention on Fei and Elly. The latter gets a smile.

"I'm Jay, and likewise. Honestly, we appreciate all the help we can get." She replies, then glances to Fei.

"I'm afraid Kaguya has been abducted by Kislev...they got one of my friends, as well. Catenna, I'm not sure if you know her." Jacqueline explains, then hesitates a bit. He seemed to be good friends with Lunata, so...it was only right to tell me. "And...I don't know if you've heard...but...Lunata went missing. I'm sure she's fine, we...just need to find her."

She's attentive as he mentions the Guardians...as well as what they had to say.

"Hm...it seems we've all met with the Guardians..."

<Pose Tracker> Ethius Hesiod has posed.

'It seems we've all met with the Guardians,' said Jacqueline.

...
From Riesnelied's vantage point, if she chooses to look back towards Ethius, she might see something poking out of some of the set-down clothes in their messy little pile. Something other than the glint of the Spectral Lens, which looks very foggy (has he been using it extensively while the caravan tried to escape the battlefront?).
More noticeable was the Stone Medium of Rigdobrite, peeking out like a star obscured by some other celestial body. Which, in this analogy, was a bloodied, sweat-soaked shirt.
For a man that has professed he would rather seek his own answers alone, does this mean he has found them with those she had previously pleaded frustration with...? The Stone Medium there is proof.
...
Ethius brings one hand to his forehead as Sibyn gets to work. He takes the stings of alcohol very well - or maybe the sensations of his body are preoccupied with some other, deeper, more painful shock as she comments about the bleeding.
His response is stymied by Elly's gaze. The one visible eyeball, thanks to that whole 'hand on forehead' habit he has, tracks to her when she breaks away.
His personal contributions to the present conversation are non-existent, taking in the words others let loose around him and filing them away for whatever strange purpose or motive that drives him now.

<Pose Tracker> Matilda Whitehead has posed.

"Ah -- no, that one is... actually me," Matilda says, a little embarrassed. "We were surrounded and I got a little desperate, so -- er, I don't want to bore you with the biochemistry behind it, but, I fashioned, erm, impromptu combat stimulants." She laughs awkwardly as she says, "I -- hope you don't think less of me... but -- things were... desperate, out there, and we were quite surrounded."

At the mention of antidotes, Matilda says, "Th -- thank you. I think I got the proportion of wolfsbane wrong -- I had to fish everything out of my coat blind, so..."

Elly gets her attention, and Matilda grabs onto that wrist without thinking about it for even another second. "Two of the flesh wounds are from a Garlyle attack -- that squad was small, though... we came across a dead Aveh artillerist -- then our escape cart got taken out by artillery... then we ended up surrounded because the situation gave away our position to Kislev. I picked up the rest of the wounds... um... between then and escape."

'We've all met the Guardians'... that sours Matilda's expression. "Yes -- the Guardians made it abundantly clear what it is they care about," she hisses -- and it's not just having her wounds treated that seems to be driving the sharpness in her voice.

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

Riesenlied returns from the station with several herbs, and smiles curtly towards Fei as she comments on the village, nodding very gently as she says, "... it is just a budding start, at present, but I have all the hopes that it will work."

She listens, though, on his adventure encountering the Guardian of Time, her eyes widening just a little. "... 'Mother' will destroy the world..." she hesitates, and then-- looks just a little more stressed as she sighs and places her hand to Muni-Muni's side. "... I perhaps knew. But... but I wanted to believe-- that it was true. That 'Mother' was a kind... gentle saviour -- why would she save us from Hyades at the time of its demise, if she would just eradicate Filgaia? None of it makes sense... all my life I've held close to my heart that she was nurturing and caring. That she would bring the new world I seek." Riesenlied quietly and ruefully laments. "Siegfried said as much. He said I would have liked her..."

She grapples with that thought for a moment longer.

"... but, I had actually wished to speak to you all of that, in turn." she sighs, then addresses the larger group in question. "I won't be helping Lord Siegfried locate or destroy those statues." She casts her eyes downwards, for a moment. "... in my desire to reach everyone, even Lord Siegfried, I had been... more complacent in lending a hand to acts I knew were wrong."

She places her hand to her chest as she sighs and says, "... it isn't enough to try to avert casualties, limited as my power and clout to try to prevent atrocities like Arctica and Adlehyde. It isn't enough to follow in Lord Siegfried's footsteps when I know that what he desires has been clouded by the hatred that has bound him so."

On the topic of the Guardians, though...

"I did have the chance to speak with a Guardian. The Guardian of the Sword, Equites..." she ruefully chuckles once more. "It was in a dark abyss that I fell into, where I thought that my life'd been finished. But... I was given a chance to plead my case. My desire for more than just war... and... though I do not know why, he gave me a chance. ... and somehow, that which I had thought impossible had... turned possible. Improbable, perhaps, but..."

There's a bit of silence, as she moves to Matilda and looks with surprise as she applies what Matilda notes are some rather rare herbs for Ignas -- her knowledge of medicine appears to be based around Elru, which isn't a surprise. In particular, she uses a particular snowroot that's rather effective at countering toxins. "... we have to do what we must, Miss Matilda, but... I am sorry to hear that Kaguya has been captured nonetheless."

<Pose Tracker> Elhaym van Houten has posed.

Elly's baleful gaze turns away from Ethius. Perhaps he has been judged already.

Elly's face gets a little drawn as Matilda squeezes her arm hard enough for her to wonder if it's going to snap. (It doesn't. Elly is tougher than she thinks.) "Oh... that sounds so awful. We had to move along the outer edge of the line... there were bandits there already. It must have been difficult for you..."

Her expression turns more grave as she hears about a captive, and about Lunata... disappearing, it seems. A shadow crosses her face for a moment.

"... I felt so bad for them," Elly says. "But I didn't know much about the Guardians in the first place... so I didn't have room to be... disappointed, I suppose, either." Back to Matilda, she asks, "Are you doing alright?" A bit different from the talk of herbal tinctures and so on.

<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.

"Improbable, but not impossible. At least, not any longer. That is a very significant shift from where we were before, hm?" crows a familiar voice immediately after Riesenlied's statement - as a similarly familiar face settles next to the Tainted commander with an amused sort of hum. Her hair might be down, but there's no mistaking the bright grin of a certain Crimson Noble, her arms significantly bandaged underneath the usual accoutrements of her manner of dress. "Equites was a very gracious host, on the whole. Comparatively speaking, of course, and compared to expectations."

Her hand is on Riesenlied's arm in short order, the 'Crimson Noble' listening solemnly to her stance on Mother before she breathes out a slow breath. "I truly cannot say what might happen in the future, as far as Mother is concerned. It is very difficult to say what side might be telling the truth - even the Guardians had to admit that they did not particularly know or care what might have begun the conflict so many centuries ago. It is similarly difficult to know how much we might be able to achieve in terms of altering the Metal Demon's perspective as a whole - but I can at least say, here and now, that I am terribly proud to be helping look after this village.

She pauses, and snorts to herself. "And there are certainly no end of immediate problems that we can help out with, in the wake of all that nonsense outside the Temple," she huffs theatrically--

--before perking up, as she actually seems to focus on the people around her. "Ah, but I didn't expect to see /quite/ this many visitors so soon, hm? Miss Barber, thank you for the small pink whirlwind currently clambering over our machinery. I see you've gotten under way, hm?" she adds with a sort of deadpan but amused tone, then nods at Fei in recognition before realizing exactly who is laid out and getting worked on. The 'oh dear' seems very genuine, but is it to do with Matilda's state or the fact that Noeline's probably been caught out pretty hard?

<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.

Fei is confused. "She sells flowers, and is sick...Why would they..." Lunata he can understand. They'd probably throw her in their battle arena or something. Apparently they have one of those. He supposes he doesn't have to worry about her in that case, she'll just become the Battling Champ and walk out. Easy peasy.

Fei can tell Matilda's sour about the Guardians. He smiles at her, sympathetic. "Yeah...I feel you. I figured if any Guardian could help me out, it'd be the Guardian of Time, but--I guess I shouldn't rely on the Guardians anyway!" He seems to somehow manage an optimistic viewpoint after this anyway. "Though uh, he said as much, so I guess I am relying on them a little. They saved a friend of mine, so I can't get too angry at 'em, but they do seem to uh... be out of touch. But that's why we're here, right?"

He punches his palm into his fist. For once he thinks it's not impossible to make it through this crisis without some sort of major atrocity. His feeling is further supported by Riesenlied listening, and agreeing. It's not an excuse, it's a plan of...

...well a plan of inaction, in part, but also of action. this place is proof of action. He's pretty impressed, honestly, at how Riesenlied has changed. Perhaps he simply hadn't seen it... Maybe he wasn't allowed to see it. Or he didn't allow himself to see it. Still, he can't help but wonder, NOT helping Siegfried--is that enough in of itself too? Riesenlied might have to fight against her own kind one day.

But for now it's a step forward. "People can change. Even 'deities', I suppose. I can't speak that much as to Mother, but I don't think the Guardians would lie about the threat she poses." Even if one were to deem them 'assholes', they weren't that flavor of asshole.

He glances over to Elly again, making another smile, and then adds, to Riesenlied. "Anyway. That's what I wanted to say. I need to drop Elly off somewhere, but I'll head back and lend a hand. Anything I can help with?"

He starts making his way over to Elly though he gives a quick nod to Noeline on the way.

<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

Jacqueline had observed that particular concoction. She hadn't commented on it to anyone. She could only imagine what Matilda had run into that would require her to do such a thing to herself...but then she helpfully explains anyway.

And then Matilda makes a scathing comment in regard to the Guardians. It...sounded like her meeting didn't go quite as well.

"I'm sorry...did something happen?" She asks, concerned. It is shortly after this that Noeline arrives. Jacqueline is a bit surprised, but offers her a welcoming smile before turning her attention back to Riesenlied.

The revelation that her 'Mother'...might not be the kind savior she had expected, seems to hit her rather hard. ...Well, of course it would. And she was even choosing to no longer help in the search for the Guardian statues.

"Will you be okay, Riesenlied? They...won't try to go after you, will they?" She asks, concerned.

She nods toward Noeline, then.

"Oh, I can't accept thanks...Shalune made that decision on her own. She's the one who deserves your thanks." She replies, then shakes her head.

"Mostly, but...not quite. Unfortunately, with our group fractured as it is...things have been set back quite a bit. Our first order of business is going to be getting everyone back together." She explains.

<Pose Tracker> Ethius Hesiod has posed.

"The differing experiences... hm." Ethius murmurs to himself aloud, speaking to no one as delicate matters of allegiances in regards to the supposed nature of the next step of the Metal Demon plan are discussed out in the open... and confirmed.

He mumbles some other things that he does not seem yet willing to share with the rest of the class.
Jay and Shalune may remember his words from when Jay was just shy of completely falling apart at the very wheel of the Caravan. He appears to be withholding much of the encouraging words - or any encouraging words - as unsubtle spite and dangerously treacherous discussions fill the open air, failing to include his own opinions in the mix.
...
Curiously, his eyes follow where his used bandages fall to the ground. He seems to try to lean forward, but the current medical examination on his person ensures he cannot bend his torso without obviously being reminded to relax and cease.

<Pose Tracker> Matilda Whitehead has posed.

... The Guardians would speak even with a Metal Demon? Matilda looks a little -- put off, by /that/ prospect. Horrified, almost. She doesn't render any comment on it, though; instead, she lets everyone work on her wounds. She's starting to feel a fair bit better, at least -- there's more, and more detailed, work that can be done here than iside a moving vehicle. "... Thank you," she ays, oh-so-gently. "I'm doing fine now..."

... Jay asks after her own experience with the Guardians -- and Matilda can't muster enough of a filter, right now, to stop herself. "... They wouldn't even look at poor Kaguya," she says, bitterly. "Apparently a dying young lady doesn't rate for them -- only their precious statues."

She does not offer much more comment than that, for now -- but she does give a nod to Fei. "In the end," she says quietly, "we can only rely on ourselves..."

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

"The Guardians are... but another viewpoint," Riesenlied offers to Fei and Matilda, as fallow as that perspective may be. "They admitted as much that they do not possess the eyes and knowledge to hear all, see all. ... I have no more doubt in my mind now that they, too, are just as much a wounded party of the past as everyone else. ... at least, that is how I choose to believe it... but why would they -- ignore Kaguya so?"

There's a quiet noise from the winged Demon as she says, "I do not think they would lie either, yet..." She thinks towards Fei's offer, and comments, "Do tell Lily and Leon what I said. I offered Lily this place as a safehouse against our efforts against Gryndille, and I would like to affirm that. My commitment to that chase has not shifted."

She narrows her eyes as she glances at Jacqueline and her concern. "Of course, this is an extraordinary risk for everyone here. If we are discovered, I cannot say what will happen. I ... can't say I will be able to renounce our loyalties out in the open -- not yet. There are too many Tainted left at home that are incapable of fending for themselves -- and I wish to bring them here, to a place where they won't be oppressed..."

From any other person, speaking of such treachery in the open is probably foolish. Yet for Riesenlied... she doesn't -- cannot -- operate on such flimsy pretenses. Speaking as she has done to Equites, fervently cementing the beliefs that she has held in her...

There's a surprisingly light sigh.

"Perhaps it is foolish. But at the same time, it is the only tenable way I see moving forward. In the wake of the Golem 'Sado' and the Automation Gryndille that has awakened war at our doorstep... in the revelation of the war that has consumed my brethren and the Guardians in the past... in the wake of Malevolence and what it seeks to usurp next..."

She shakes her head.

"I'd like to work with you all to overcome all of the crises engulfing Filgaia. And that starts with uniting the Caravan Kinship, and establishing a better relation with the Yggdrasil."

<Pose Tracker> Elhaym van Houten has posed.

Fei comes nearer her and Elly smiles at him. He has laid out much of her thought.

"... I don't think that's right," she says to Matilda.

"I think we have to rely on each other," Elly continues, though it doesn't sound like a scold. "Even the Guardians couldn't do more than help a little. I don't understand anything about them, but they seemed afraid. Maybe they don't have any other way that they can act..."

After this speaks the RIESENLIED. Elly looks towards her, blinking several times.

She's given her information, and so it is only fair for Elly to say, even as she turns partially away from Matilda - though not out of ARM GRIPPING RANGE, if Matilda needs more of that - to say, "... I don't know if you know, but... That energy, Malevolence. That is one thing that the Guardians may help."

She glances at Fei then, pausing, as if to see if there's permission to explain further!

<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.

Something that Fei says seems to catch Noeline's attention - her smile is surprisingly bright and fanged as she flicks her hair out, apparently unhindered by the bandages that cover large chunks of her limbs. "Perhaps that is a good way to put it, yes - they are 'out of touch', clinging to old ways and thoughts and experiences. I would like to hope that reaching them is the same as reaching anyone else - you try, and try, and try again, until you manage to forge a connection. After all, the fact that we somehow managed to live through that encounter is rather encouraging news, on that front."

"I have watched humans long enough to know how bizarre history can be at times - and similarly I've found that, on Filgaia, the future tends to be a terribly /exciting/ sort of place." At least here, her humour seems to abate a little - the line is almost sarcastic instead, especially when she glances at Jacqueline as she asks the most important question of all.

"... I can genuinely say that I have absolutely no idea what might happen tomorrow, or the day after - but we have come through the fire and the flames to get here, and can manage a few steps further," she replies, almost teasing. "Our teams were always intended to chase down Golems and prevent their use. In that respect - especially given the escalation we just witnessed - our goal has not changed, just been added to."

The 'Crimson Noble' - really, who are we kidding at this point? - pauses, and watches almost glumly as Big Shal walks across the shot to the next house, giving her a wave as it does so. "... in some cases, rather selectively," she admits, feathers ruffled slightly.

She only continues once Riesenlied has said her piece, tucking some hair behind an ear. "For my part... as touched by a Guardian as I am, I can't say that I hold a great deal of hope that I would be allowed to remain a part of Mother's world," she comments with a rueful sort of grin. "This-- is a chance I wish to take, to see how far we can go. It will surely take a lot of time and effort, but I'm used to Riese working me rather hard," she adds with a sudden grin, nudging the other woman in the side.

The spy pauses, and grins faintly in Ethius' direction as he muses to midair. "I trust this seems like an appropriate course of action?" she comments, and it's hard to tell if she's fishing for opinions to find out more about Ethius' stance, or just throwing the words out there out of sheer curiosity.

Elly's announcement takes her by surprise, though, and she blinks for a moment in honest surprise. "Ah-- is that so? To be quite honest, the tests that I did suggested they were not terrifically concerned about it on anywhere near the same scale as Mother, at least at present." (Where 'tests' are 'I met Agatha'.)

<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

Jacqueline's quiet. The Guardians wouldn't even speak to Kaguya? ...Well, honestly, she can't be too surprised.

"...They were dismissive of us, even as they asked for our aid. I will admit, their behavior could certainly use work, but I never would have imagined they'd outright ignore someone in need like that..." Jacqueline replies with a shake of her head. The reality of the Guardians was...quite a bit different than she imagined.

A hand finds the medium she had been entrusted with, and she clenches it tightly, uncertainly. It was possible, though, that Elly had a point...though hearing that the Guardians could help with Malevolence came as a surprise to hear. She had heard that they apparently hadn't taken much notice of it...though that was months ago.

She nods at Riesenlied's response, and Noeline's elaboration. The danger in her decision was great...but it was an admirable one to make.

"I hope their migration goes well." She says with a nod of her head. She listens, then, as Riesenlied continues, speaking of the difficulties arrayed against them.

"The Caravan Kinship was founded as a merchant group, primarily. I can't say we ever expected to be dragged into anything like this...but we've always said we wanted to make Filgaia a better place. Once we're all together...we'll do everything we can." Jacqueline says with a nod.

<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.

"It's better that way," Fei assures Matilda. "Imagine if the Guardians were reliable." He could only imagine how horrible that would be. He does consider Ethius's words. Differing experiences... that is interesting. Why WOULD they ignore Kaguya? Either there is some ineffable reason beyond his understanding--surely possible--or...

heh... Is that it... If it's not malevolence, then...

Fei glances back at Riesenlied. She says a couple things that require careful thought. He frowns, concerned, "...I hope you're right. To me, it feels certain, but I have to admit I might not be correct. I don't have evidence, but... It felt real. I don't think, uh, I don't think someone who is supposed to be kind would provoke that kind of fear and desperation."

He still feels it, as if it was his own, as if it was all so real and at the same time--it wasn't as if it was his own life, it was as if he was watching someone else. It was like a movie that was particularly powerful, so powerful it provoked an emotional response.

He focuses on Noeline. He underestimated her too, it seems. If one Metal Demon can see the threat she represents, then many should be able to. He resolves to remember this. "Well for what it's worth, I think there's room for you in this world."

He is interrupted from saying what he wanted to say to Elly by Elly being more insightful on the Guardians than him, and he laughs a bit, and he admits, "It isn't like we really know how they work or what they are," He admits, which is basically agreement. But he does say, "It's true, though, about Malevolence. I saw it happen myself." He nods to Elly. He trusts her judgement.

"To be honest, between Malevolence and 'The world being destroyed by someone actively targeting them... I can't exactly blame their focus."

He shrugs though. "I guess Cat Guardian is Best Guardian."

<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.

As for the matter of Gryndille, Fei does say, "Eheh... well, I'll let them know but... That's probably best something to talk with them." He half suspects Lily and Leon would be grateful and just not use it. They barely let him come along after he chased them and that didn't turn out to be the best experience. They do both seem happier now, though, so perhaps that's changed. He doesn't even begin to guess how Bart would react to Riesenlied's offers. ... He kind of would like to see Bart again. "I was more thinking like hard labor. But sure."

a constant chirping in his left ear that started two days ago

<Pose Tracker> Matilda Whitehead has posed.

The worst of treatment seems to be over, and Matilda lets go of Elly. She listens to Riesenlied's speech -- and says nothing, turning away a little bit. She looks... sad, almost. In the end, though, she agrees, "The first order of business really is to get everyone back together. Anything else has to wait until then..."

She opens her mouth to address Elly again, but ends up thinking better of whatever it was she was going to say. Ultimately, she just stays silent -- she still isn't at one hundred percent, as much as she'd like to pretend she's closing in on it, and this gathering is...

... a bit too big for her, honestly. She does, at least, offer another quiet, "Thank you," for her treatment.

<Pose Tracker> Kourin has posed.

Kourin giant hug

<Pose Tracker> Ethius Hesiod has posed.

Ethius Hesiod is in the middle of what could be the beginnings of a turning point for a truly sordid piece of ancient history dragged kicking and screaming into the public. He sits in the company of a coalition of different people of so many walks of life, exchanging what privileged information that may have greater importance to the whole than any of their individual pieces may yet first appear.

As someone who exudes mystery (and, let us not mince words, untrustworthiness), who so frequently acts alone in unpredictable and dangerous ways, he must have something of worth to contribute, as Noeline puts a (playfully subtle) spotlight upon him.
All this, and his first concern seems to be - following the eyes - the bandages on the ground.
...
He sits up, as though attempting to make the narrative itself question the assertion as fears and speculations are aired out. Those eyes of his... they just keep taking in the sights and the lights. How much more must he take into himself, and keep, until he is satisfied?
Riese has put forth the motion to work with everyone to overcome all of the crises engulfing Filgaia. To (re)unite the Caravan Kinship. To take up closer relationship with the Yggdrasil. He should feel strongly about at least one of these items, for how deeply he is embroiled in a number of these conflicts.
His expression remains unchanging, as another great stinging sensation goes across a gunshot wound. Does he disagree? Does he have an alternative to voice? What, exactly, is he thinking? He is thinking, isn't he? Well, he's got a hand to his forehead again, doesn't he?
One awkward pause - no, let's call it three point two awkward pauses later, there is a standard unit of measurement for awkward pauses and this exceeds a singular awkward pause.
Why won't he just give his word on the matter? Is his opinion too precious to risk exposure?
"I will cooperate." That can't be all the words he has to say, is it? He lowers the hand from his face. No rallying cry about entrusting the forces that have brought everyone here, just... a simple reassurance that he will cooperate, as a wounded people act to band together.
Only those three words.

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

Riesenlied nods towards the group, as she holds onto Noeline's hand further. She doesn't disagree with Elly, really -- her perspective from the Guardians has only made certain suspicions she's had since Curan Abbey more clear. There was a deep tragedy that affected virtually everyone on Filgaia a thousand years ago, and now... they're experiencing the bitter fruits of what their forebearers had left them. On the Demon side, on the Human side... and the long-lived bear long-lasting wounds in turn.

She is reminded of Miang's words.

"The Guardians can dispel Malevolence...?" Riesenlied looks genuinely surprised. "I see..." a pause, "I think I would know of who was helped too. Thank you." She looks up to the skies, for a moment, as if to thank someone who isn't yet there.

"It will... take more than just a journey," she admits to Jacqueline on the topic of those left back home. "They aren't able to move on their own... we need some kind of transport, if we're to truly make the exodus away from home." It's a point that still hangs in the air for all of them.

Riesenlied almost looks surprised at Ethius when he speaks those words, but... nods, in return. "... thank you, Mister Ethius." It is similarly curt, but in turn, the expression she emphasizes upon it is genuine and heartfelt.

She also looks on with a smile to Kourin, not having seen her since Adlehyde... but--

--to all this, she's spoken enough.

"Please. Rest here, for as long as you need. There isn't much here compared to November City, but each one of those of us assembled here are willing to aid you where we can. I'll follow up with each of you when we have more information on how we'll set out to save Miss Catenna and Kaguya."

<Pose Tracker> Elhaym van Houten has posed.

Elly looks towards the Crimson Noble. "I can only say what I saw," Elly tells her. "But it was real. I know how to see Malevolence - it wasn't a trick."

Fei presents a theory regarding cats. "Maybe... there are twenty-four of them. It would be a surprise if they were all the same, or even all kind or caring... Perhaps those Guardians were occupied at the time."

Her eyes return momentarily to Ethius as he speaks up. They don't linger.

They do linger on Matilda. "Oh - I'm sorry I couldn't do anything more. I just... I couldn't just stand there," she fumbles in Matilda's general direction, before smiling at her: "I hope we'll meet again!"

After this, her gaze returns to Riesenlied and Jacqueline. "... Good luck to you both," she says, raising her arm up absently to her chest and rubbing it with the opposing hand. The nurse with the drill hands is given another look, one that lingers... but too many apologies makes them all weaker.

Then she steps towards Fei. Having lost the train of conversation, she is momentarily nonplussed. "... What about hard labor?"

<Pose Tracker> Elhaym van Houten has posed.

Elly looks towards the Crimson Noble. "I can only say what I saw," Elly tells her. "But it was real. I know how to see Malevolence - it wasn't a trick."

Fei presents a theory regarding cats. "Maybe... there are twenty-four of them. It would be a surprise if they were all the same, or even all kind or caring... Perhaps those Guardians were occupied at the time."

Her eyes return momentarily to Ethius as he speaks up. They don't linger.

They do linger on Matilda. "Oh - I'm sorry I couldn't do anything more. I just... I couldn't just stand there," she fumbles in Matilda's general direction, before smiling at her: "I hope we'll meet again!"

After this, her gaze returns to Riesenlied and Jacqueline. "... Good luck to you both," she says, raising her arm up absently to her chest and rubbing it with the opposing hand. The nurse with the drill hands is given another look, one that lingers... but too many apologies makes them all weaker.

Then she steps towards Fei. Having lost the train of conversation, she is momentarily nonplussed. "... What about hard labor?"

Then she blinks and says, to Riesenlied - if with a little hesitance - "It sounds as though we found a solution to their challenge. I don't know if it's going to be necessary, but... it was in the very depths of the Temple that the Malevolence was removed. Before I leave, would you like me to draw a picture of the solution I used? I don't think it's the only one, but..."

<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.

With a chuckle, Noeline glances at Kourin's entrance, but tilts her head forward to Elly's comment. "I know for certain that they differ quite considerably, in fact. There is at least one Guardian who is sealed away - by the others, apparently, because it perturbs the rest of them something fierce. Why, I couldn't even begin to guess, though the fact it's called the 'Hades' Guardian may explain quite a large chunk of it," she adds with an almost fake innocence, flicking out some of her hair as she shrugs one shoulder.

"Coincidentally, that is the one with which I have forged something of a connection. That said, I doubt their relationship is one of actual animosity," she adds with a light shrug of one shoulder. "I believe the phrase that Equitas used was 'concerned', for all that that might mean."

For a moment, her gaze lands on Matilda - wondering what the girl she considers somewhat mousy might think of this chain of events, and whether they're still likely to head for the front in search of a buried hangar. At least recent events have given her all the more reason to, with a goal on board.

Not the sort of thing to actually say right now, though, so instead she huffs softly in Fei's direction, unable to avoid breaking somewhat into an amused grin. "I dare say we could use more hands around, if you're willing to help. The actual building process isn't hard, technically speaking - there's just a lot to be done. ... though we are a little short on shelter," she adds with a lightly amused sigh. "You may wish to bring something warm, or perhaps hide out in Miss Barber's-- Miss Barber's--"

"--really, what on /earth/ is that thing, anyway?" Grump.

<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.

"--really, what on /Filgaia/ is that thing, anyway?" Grump.

<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.

Fei Fong Wong glances towards Kourin. Then he glances towards Spirit. His eyes widen faintly upon seeing the white dog and he crouches down, reaches into his pocket, frowns, then reaches into his other pocket and withdraws a slab of hob jerky that he had been saving as a snack!

He offers it to Spirit encouragingly.

He has to say to Elly, "Oh like lifting things, painting houses, hammering nails... that sort of thing!" He may not have caught Elly's meaning by 'hard labor' or, more likely, is feigning innocence. He didn't mean it that way but that doesn't mean he doesn't get Elly's comment either.

"Ahh, that's right, Elly knew the answer. I thought there wasn't even 'one', but it turns out there's 'many' answers, I guess, and Elly's made an impression." He stands himself up, possibly after giving Spirit pettings, and adds, "I kind of enjoyed driving through the battleship actually, is that a weird thing to say?"

He pauses for a moment. He thought for a moment Elly was ready to head out, but she might want to pass on the solution first. She keeps surprising him.

There is something about a Hades Guardian too, that was sealed away? That's strange to think about as well. It's hard to think about such abstract concerns when there's very literal ones running you over.

"I wouldn't say I'm a master builder," Fei says. "But I've done some carpenting." He's probably done a lot of vague maintenance work over the course of living in a shithole village!

Like this one!

"It's alright, I'll think of something. I should first take Elly to her destination."

He looks to her. "Whenever you're ready. No rush on my account."

<Pose Tracker> Kourin has posed.

Spirit, drooling, pads over and accepts the jerky from Fei. He is a Good Boy. His tail wags as he begins to chew on the snack!

<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

Jacqueline offers Kourin and Spirit a smile as the two of them approach.

Hmm...the Tainted needed some kind of transport. Admittedly, Jacqueline didn't think it would be quite helpful, considering there must be a great amount of distance between here and wherever the rest of the tainted were, but...

Jacqueline draws her notebook from her bags.

"I don't know if it'd help you...but if you like, you can take a look at my notes and blueprints?" She offers, holding it out to Riesenlied...though Noeline gets a defensive frown.

"It's the Carakin. It serves as a mobile base of operations and storefront for my friends and I." She explains. "It's quite comfortable on the inside, really. I'm sure even you would approve!"

Her expression falls a bit, though.

"Unfortunately...neither of our cooks are with us right now..." She adds. She shakes her head, though, and offers Elly a smile.

"Thank you. And you, as well." She replies, nods, then considers her statement.

"Hm...I got the feeling that there really /wasn't/ a right or wrong answer. I feel...that the task itself was only a formality, and they were judging...something else, about you." She explains.

At least, that was the feeling she had gotten. Something she had done had gotten /one/ of them to take notice of her, and she wasn't sure what it was or who...

<Pose Tracker> Kourin has posed.

Kourin straightens as Jacqueline notes that their cooks are gone, and coughs slightly into her hand. "I...I have decided that I will take up my position as apprentice cook and...attempt to...if that is all right at least..."

Not very certain...

<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

Jacqueline offers Kourin a smile.

"Of course! I don't know if you're familiar with the equipment yet, but I could go over it with you sometime, if you'd like." She offers.

It would probably be wise if that was the least amount of teaching Jay did. Her cooking methods were eccentric at best, though not necessarily in a bad way. ...Most of the time.

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

Riesenlied does consider Elly's offer, before she quietly expresses, "I... think that's all right. The Guardians were none too pleased to have us there -- I think it would be best if we left them alone unless something truly urgent came up. But I do thank you for your offer, nonetheless."

She thinks of Jacqueline's offer to say, "I'll keep it in mind, but... we need a transport for thousands of people, and across the ocean..." And she can't think of a caravan of trucks like the CaraKin working that well across the ocean. "We'll catch up afterwards."

"And, we've got some folks that have some experience with cooking, if we all chip in..." Riesenlied offers. Note to self: Get better at cooking. "And, Fei, I'm sure the workers would welcome any help they get, thank you." She gestures vaguely to where Big Shal is probably holding several builders up as a makeshift scaffold at present.