2019-03-24: This Is Spira
- Log: 2019-03-24: This Is Spira
- Cast: Layna Manydays, Clarissa Arwin, Ethius Hesiod, Quin Rosenberg, Tetra, Dean Stark, Tesni Inoue, Marivel Armitage, Seraph Boudicca, Ganondorf Dragmire, Brad Evans
- Where: Mi'ihen Highroad
- Date: March 24th, 2019
- Summary: So it turns out a place Lunarians thought a myth - the assurances of the likes of Mihaya and Prissa aside - is very real. Some time after their first misadventures, there are a large number of surprised people coming together in which to share what meager information most of them have to work with until they can bother one of the two above named people for more information. Some of them are just passing by on... other business. Other business of a sort clearly unrelated to anything of import whatsoever.
=================================================<* Mi'ihen Highroad *>================================================= Many years ago, a man named Lord Mi'ihen, commander of a mercenary group known as the Crimson Blades, was summoned by the Grand Measter to Bevelle to answer the challenge that his group was a threat to Yevon. Though his followers suspected he would be executed and begged to follow, Mi'ihen ordered them to stay behind and walked along an old path to Bevelle, without stopping to rest. Moved by the display of piety, the Grand Maester formally adopted Mi'ihen and his soldiers into Yevon as a defensive force, known now as the Crusaders. In recognition of the momentous moment, the path Mi'ihen walked now bears his name. ...except not really, because the original one was wrecked by Sin a few hundred years ago. You can still see bits of it as you pass along the Highroad, on which the Djose Temple can also be found. BGM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8tfe_H7bzw
<Pose Tracker> Layna Manydays has posed.
It was a little surreal to be in Spira. For the longest time, it had been a myth - the land sailors had passed around stories about, but none of them truly believed existed. A theory - or perhaps just a flight of fancy. It was, in a way, a joke.
It was also, apparently, very real, and now Layna was here.
This warranted exploration, and so, at the moment, Layna's elected to travel down the Mi'ihen Highroad. It was a fascinating place, littered with the ruins of what was, apparently, the old road, before it was destroyed. Layna can currently be found standing atop one of these ruins now, her telescope out and peering far into the distance.
She's elected a lighter fare this time around, due to the warmer, more tropical weather - her coat has been shed for the lighter armor underneath. But she still has her hat, she couldn't do without.
From where she's standing, it's hard not to spot her, honestly.
<Pose Tracker> Clarissa Arwin has posed.
"It's so warm here," Clarissa Arwin groans, fanning herself with one hand. She has not taken off her waistcoat or her turtleneck; she's still dressed for a much cooler climate.
With Felius wordless at her side as always, the girl trudges down the open road, looking down periodically to check the nodepad in her hand. "I didn't think that it was even possible for anyone to live on the Silver Moon," she admits, her voice still mystified as she looks up towards the sky - and overhead, the Blue Star filling it.
"...But we have to get back there," she says quietly, hand at her hip. "Felius... Rupert's still out there. And that Commander Vinsfeld...."
Felius just nods towards the nearby ruins. "Look over there."
Blinking, Clarissa follows her brother's gaze towards the ruin - and towards the figure standing atop it. The blonde girl blinks, then starts forward, tucking her notepad back into her pocket. It wasn't helping much anyway. Neither her nor her mother have ever been to Lunar, after all.
"Excuse me!" Clarissa calls up to Layna, her smile polite. "My friend and I are looking for some directions. Would you be able to help us?"
<Pose Tracker> Ethius Hesiod has posed.
It's been a blur of activity since arriving. Not only was Ethius passed out because someone managed to bludgeon him by accident where he lie in wait as he tried to observe the emergence of Odessa, the first hours of Spira were... well, that's a story for another time.
He largely adapts to the local dress, aside from what appears to be a penchant for hiding his face. Culturally, the Al Bhed tend to be the ones who do that. This man lacks the proper pigmentation to come off as one. It's a detail that doesn't belong. Most of his body is obscured under the clothing. It's warm. Apparently hiding the Symbological crests is more important to him.
The strange man turns his gaze towards Clarissa and Felius as they approach. He's not that far off from Layna.
A hand goes to his forehead. He does not commentate.
<Pose Tracker> Quin Rosenberg has posed.
Whistling is something that's going on now, as Quin heads down this Mi'ihen Highroad. She seems to have come through her arrival here relatively well, since she looks as though she's got some new supplies. Unlike many of the rest here, she's still wearing what looks like Filgaian fashion as opposed to Spiran. Which probably has got her some looks by passersbys, but hey, she's never been one to care about being stared at.
<Pose Tracker> Tetra has posed.
It's a sad thing indeed to be a pirate in want -- if only temporary, hopefully -- of a boat. Tetra is unfortunately in just such a situation, though -- she's been transported here boatless, and she and the lads have been trying to get something together. ... It's probably going to have to involve stealing one. Hopefully they can find people jerky enough that no one feels bad about it!
The pirate looks fairly comfortable on Spira, though; unlike many of the others here, she's dressed for the occasion. She doesn't really have the lay of the land, though, which means she's more than a little lost as she comes across her fellow pirate -- and others.
"Hey!" she says, mercifully not following it up with 'listen!' or 'look!' "Do any of you guys have any idea where we are? I was off the coast of Elru, and..."
<Pose Tracker> Dean Stark has posed.
Once again, Dean Stark finds himself on Lunar. This being a totally different part of Lunar, though, he may as well be on a completely different world entirely. ...You know. Another completely different world. It's pretty darn warm around here, too, as Clarissa has observed. It makes Dean wish he had his bare midriff shirt again. He stayed nice and cool in that! ...while still wearing his scarf and jacket. Sh-shut up.
Flpping the collar of said jacket to get some air around his neck--the neck around which he's still wearing a long red scarf--he trudges up Mi'ihen Road, trying to get a feel for the area so he can let Avril and Rebecca know what's up when he sees them next. With no particular destination, there's no need for directions, but... Well, spotting Layna means, hey, there's someone he knows around! Even if they aren't super-closer or anything. Brightening, he jogs on up to join her and Ethius as Clarissa asks her for directions. "Layna! Hey! It's good seeing you again!" He gives Clarissa and her companion a smile and a wave in greeting, then turns a thoughtful look over at Ethius. He knows him too, but... well. It's Ethius. Dean knows by know it's barely worth the trouble saying hi.
Quin's passage grabs his attention, too, and Dean looks at her with an interested, "Oh, hey!" That's entirely because of her familiar Filgaian-style clothes; he has no idea who she is otherwise. But Tetra distracts him next, and he looks at the pirate with a rueful grin and a sheepish shrug. "Honestly, that's what *I'd* like to know."
<Pose Tracker> Tesni Inoue has posed.
Tesni Inoue had never heard of Spira at all, the warning it had a fear of technology nearly made her die inside a bit more, thankfully there seemed to be no ban on music, dancing or drinking. So you win some, you lose some you win some. She had been out to explore the local area to get a better feel for things. She was clad in the archer outfit while she'd been kindly provided with some clothing she'd taken them to get altered just a bit to fit better for her.
She adjusted her banda a bit and backpack from which one could see a sword, bow and there was quiver at her hips. After all, there were hostile things out beyond the city but she didn't seem to be looking for a fight, she also had some exposed symbology tattoos. Which could be strange. The Structure of her face is also rather odd for someone from Lunar as well.
Then someone comes asking for where they are she calls out to Tetra.
"Spira or so the locals call it."
Her accent is also a bit strange too. Well to natives of Lunar and Spira at the very least she's also giving Ethius a bit of stink eye too.
<Pose Tracker> Tesni Inoue has posed.
OOC Tess' outfit https://i.imgur.com/3dnghP0.jpg
<Pose Tracker> Marivel Armitage has posed.
It's been a couple days since Marivel ended up locking herself in a treasure chest underwater in the hopes of being rescued at some point. Well, it just so turns out that she had been rescued at some point and now? Well, now she is getting a feel for the land much like all of you are! This has essentially placed Marivel to Behind The Scenes Master of All to 'drifter' which is quite the demotion in her opinion but she'll just have to regain that status with patience and--
--well, you'll see.
A shrouded woman in patched up robes and with an umbrella over her head, and a scarf around her lower face wraps an arm around Ethius's back suddenly. It is the arm with the umbrella, so she keeps the darn thing over both her own head and Ethius's.
In her other hand is bloodpack that seems to have been halfdrained. There is, additionally, a straw of bamboo which has been scraped smooth plugged into the bloodpack there. Beggars can't be choosers.
"Hey," she tells Ethius. "We should be incognito here, but you're standing out like a sore thumb. Aren't you worried that everybody is going to recognize you aren't from around here?"
Marivel turns her head towards the blood pack straw and...
...takes a long sipfull before exhaling in a relieved way. "Mmm.... hits the spot." The bloodpack is now like 40 percent full.
"Let's try to be more sneaky in the future." She suggests to Ethius before finally letting go of him.
She turns to Clarissa for a moment.
She blinks once.
She waves a hand at her in a friendly manner before her gaze slants towards Dean.
Then she looks back to Clarissa. She smiles without showing her teeth.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Boudicca has posed.
"Ah - um - excuse me," says Boudicca, to a tall blue man with a horn. This is, normally, the sort of query which would receive no reply at all, because Boudicca does not have a big, obvious vessel any more.
"Nice horns," he grunts, instead, and alarm crosses her face.
"My -- you can hear me?" She is unused to expressions; her alarm is obvious. More, in fact, when a few other citizens glance over at her tone.
"Mm," he replies. "What."
And that's how Boudicca got the short and dirty explanation of Luca from a Ronso who was too polite or taciturn to ask whether she'd taken a swim with Sin recently.
...
This might also explain why there is a woman in plate armor hiding behind one of those ruins.
It isn't very effective, because she is rather a large woman, but she's doing her best. She has decided that being seen by everyone is actually very, very unpleasant, and there's this nice road up here and there are a few less people here and...
And if they can see her, they'll be able to see her inhabit a vessel, and that's just weird?
Also, a Ronso's explanation leads a few things to be desired. This is rather an alarming shift in scenery!
Boudicca doesn't know many of the travellers well -- but there's one face she spies and thinks, ah, yes, this is someone who will be able to help. And that's how Dean Stark will find a large stranger appear from one of those ruins beside the road and approach at a fast clip, waving a hand. "Dean!" She calls. "Dean, thank goodness! I had thought everyone gone!"
She completely forgets to explain, of course.
<Pose Tracker> Ganondorf Dragmire has posed.
The Mi'ihen Highroad; a principle artery of trade, a wide, well-patrolled pathway between cities. A critical, indispensible means of moving people and goods about the country...
Yet he finds himself more interested in the information on peoples' lips. The man who approaches this small gathering next is dressed in a manner not quite familiar to most; most similar to the fashions of the upper class of Guild Galad, a long robe with wide sleeves. It looks like it should be absurdly warm, but he wears it with comfort. The robe is dark in the front, with icons like grasping claws; the back sees those claws spread out across it, splintering into a shape like a demonic face.
Friendly sort. But perhaps not entirely unlike what some of the priesthood here wears. The man has deep skin, almost green; and flame-red hair; and eyes set deep in his head.
He sweeps his gaze across the gathered, noticing their conversation. Well. How fortuitous, he thinks.
<Pose Tracker> Layna Manydays has posed.
Layna pauses as she hears a voice calling out to her. She turns her telescope, focusing it on the source of the voice. A blonde girl, in unseasonably warm clothing.
...Yeah, she sticks out like a sore thumb. Definitely not from around here. Layna stows away her telescope and jumps from the top of the ruin, landing nearby. This kicks some dust up, but she doesn't mind.
"Lad." She greets Dean with a brief nod of the head, before looking toward Clarissa and Tetra.
Layna's never met the latter, but she's got a familiar look in her eye. She can spot her own type.
"The lass has the right of it." She says, with a nod toward Tesni as she mentions Spira. "This is Spira - specifically, we're on the Mi'ihen Highroad, connectin' the city o' Luca to the rest o' this hunk of rock."
She then looks toward Clarissa.
"I'm new here too, lass, so I dunno how much I can help you."
She also takes notice of the others around - the man covered in concealing clothes and the shrouded woman with the umbrella who addresses him.
Quin, whistling as she passes by. The armored woman who runs up Dean. Layna assumes they know each other, why wouldn't she?
And also the man in the dark robes and the flame-red hair. They all get a polite nod, even the last one. Hey, he's probably a perfectly reasonable fellow, right?
<Pose Tracker> Clarissa Arwin has posed.
Evidently it didn't occur to Clarissa to change up her style for Spira. Her coat and turtleneck look quite warm.
When Dean comes strolling up, Clarissa smiles and nods politely, folding her hands. "Hello!"
It's Tetra who gets her attention. Clarissa's eyes widen slightly. "I was in Elru too!" she gasps. "We were in Elluria when those Odessa people did something to teleport us all here. Wherever here is...."
Fortunately someone else is here whom she recognizes. With a gasp, Clarissa calls out, "Miss Leviram! You made it here too? Thank goodness...."
At least Clarissa's not completely adrift in a strange world. It helps.
When Layna explains things, Clarissa draws her notepad again and begins taking things down. "The Mi'ihen Highroad in Spira? Wow... that's pretty interesting," she says. "I guess we really are on the Moon, then, aren't we? That's incredible...." Once she's finished writing, she looks up again, fussing with the collar of her overly warm turtleneck.
The man with the flame-red hair is met with a nod, his fashion recognized as Galadian, as is the arriving Boudicca - and she smiles politely. "I guess we're all in this together, then! It's nice to meet you all. I'm Clarissa Arwin and my companion is Felius."
Felius nods crisply and goes back to looking at Ethius inscrutably.
<Pose Tracker> Quin Rosenberg has posed.
Quin pauses when she hears voices in familiar dialects, and turns to look in the direction of those who just spoke. She smiles broadly, and raises a hand to wave in their direction, and then heads over in that general direction. As well, she nods to the mention of the name of the world. "That's about all I managed to figure out too," she agrees. Well, there's a little more, but like, they can read signs (presumably?) so current location isn't a big deal either. Nobody here is stupid, so no need to exposition the crap out of them. Or at least, if someone's going to do it, it's not going to be her.
A lot's going on, and Quin doesn't really have a lot to say in response to it, so she stays quiet and takes in the look of things. Specifically of the dark-skinned gentleman with the bright red hair. It's an odd color scheme, one she hasn't seen before. But similarly to Layna, she doesn't think too weirdly of it. She just gives him a polite wave and a friendly smile.
<Pose Tracker> Dean Stark has posed.
Dean looks over at Tesni in interest when she walks up to join the burgeoning crowd, this time with some actual information that Layna promptly verifies as true, with a bit extra to boot. "Spira, Meehen Road, and Luca, huh? Huh! That's good to know." He pauses. "I never heard of it before, though... I guess that makes sense. Sort of. Maybe?" He scratches his cheek, thinking. He'd sort of heard of Lunar in general back on Filgaia, but he hadn't known if it was really real or not until, well, he actually got there.
Marivel catches his eye. He gives her a smile and a wave too, noting her, uh, drink. That sure is a vivid fruit punch, he thinks, and then pays it precisely zero more attention. He's about to say something to her in greeting, or maybe say hi to that nice-looking man in the robe with the devil face, when someone runs up to him and talks to him.
"Oh! Oh, hi!" he utters, turning to Boudicca, blinking rapidly. Does... does he know this person? He can't remember ever meeting someone like her before. Yet she knows his name and talks to him like she knows him? Her voice *does* sound kinda familiar... Oh gosh, did he meet her somewhere and forget? That's just terrible. Geez, if only Avril or Rebecca were here. He's sure they'd remember.
"Yeah, it's been pretty wild so far, huh? But we'll get through it! This isn't the first time we've been through this kinda thing!" Dean tells Boudicca regardless. He nods firmly, once, then pauses. "So, uh... How've... you been?" he attempts.
Clarissa introduces herself and her companion. "Hey! My name's Dean. Dean Stark!" he says with a friendly smile. "Is this your first time on Lunar?" He looks around at the growing group. "How 'bout all you guys?"
<Pose Tracker> Ethius Hesiod has posed.
Ethius is suddenly embraced...! ...By an arm around his back. Under the shade of an umbrella, he turns his head towards--
--someone who he has internalized as a 'Miss Valeria' but has not been inclined to ask her name or even say it aloud. From beyond the presently-desc-unspecified eyewear, he somehow manages to communicate the Standard Ethius Stare as she regards this missteps in his dress.
It is a tense moment where, in spite of differences in their size, he seems almost helpless. Like someone could've torn his neck out, eyeing her manner of dress. He doesn't seem to have it in him to comment.
Hand back to forehead, soon as he is released.
"It is as she says, yes," he remarks broadly in that almost scripted way the man tends to speak. Maybe a bit defeated, even a sign of being flustered as multiple people in interesting dress and lost for directions comes by. "South of us is the town of Luca."
His gaze falls upon Felius for a short while before Dean speaks, in that creepy way where this man's natural body language tics are so surpressed at times he seems more like a statue or a mannequin who only makes the very barest moves in which to accomplish something.
"I would suggest stating 'is this your first time in this region of Spira.'"
A large, imposing man with red hair comes by. His gaze meets his.
...
...
...
Within three seconds, Ethius looks away and goes back to looking at Felius inscrutably.
<Pose Tracker> Tesni Inoue has posed.
Tesni Inoue just stares at Mariveel for a moment with how she behaves with Ethius she just kinda gaping for the moment as she gets all up close with Ethius more than Tess would ever dare to do so. She also makes note of Dean for a moment "Looks like at least it's a nice day and the name is Tess."
She notes to the gathering she might as well introduce herself right she'll take a look at Boudicca for a moment trying to puzzle her out a bit before she'll make note to Layna.
"Seems like some of us are fate's chew toys when it comes to traveling."
She sees the hulking redheaded man coming towards them just kinda stares. There was a species of near-humans she knew of that got about that big but it's not quite right with his skin tone, who is this guy other than built like a Gear. She then notices Ethius is getting intio a state down for a moment with him, this could be bad.
"Well it is my first time in this region of Spira."
That is no lie at all for once.
<Pose Tracker> Tetra has posed.
The hair on the back of Tetra's neck starts standing up *immediately* as the mysterious man in the robe approaches; she feels her shoulders square and then slide back slightly, her posture straightening out. She, in fact, briefly forgets her own question. She'd *intended* to respond to Dean, and even had her mouth open -- but something has thrown her a bit.
... but she can't place it, so she moves along. "... Spira, huh?" she reflects aloud, nodding. She glances along the road in either direction, thinking about that for a second. "So where on Spira are there jerky guys with boats, who really shouldn't have boats anymore? I feel like that's the best place to start." She cracks her knuckles, then pushes a stray hair out of her face, drawing brief visual attention to the points of her ears, before finally folding her arms across her chest and grinning.
<Pose Tracker> Ganondorf Dragmire has posed.
The man in the dark robes and the bright hair watches Ethius from behind deep-set eyes. Yet from below him - as most people see him - they see a man with a broad jaw and strange, yellow-orange eyes, piercing with intent.
But when Ethius breaks his gaze, the man seems to move on with his attentions, mainly to Tetra. His eye narrows a few hairs. It's a tension in the air, like tinnitus of the soul, an awareness that something is happening if not, precisely, what.
"Ears," the man says to himself, quietly, and turns to leave, long steps carrying him away. Acquiring ships, is it? Well, they shall have a merry time of that, he thinks.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Boudicca has posed.
The man with red hair and ill-suited clothing might seem a bit of an odd fit, but Boudicca sees little reason to call him on it, given her own appearance. Which is visible. To, just, anyone here, apparently.
There are also pirates, but Boudicca, tragically, has little truck with pirates, and does not immediately recognise their piratical ways. She is, after all, trying to get Dean's attention. Which she does!
... she completely misses that he doesn't recognise her at all, because, look, he's acknowledging all the weird stuff they've gotten into together and everything.
"It has been quite a shock," she says. "I mean - I am used to being visible, but now I am not supposed to be, yet I am?" She gestures in a circular motion with her hands. "At least there is little Malevolence here."
She'd been quite scared of that, initially, but everything's been completely calm.
"Oh -- yes!" She realises, a moment later. "I am... the Seraph Boudicca," and there's this little pause before her name, as if she's not really used to it. She envies Ethius, in this moment, for his stony expressions, because her bashfulness is completely apparent.
Perhaps he'll be more amenable to giving her advice now she looks less threatening.
"And I had long thought Spira a myth of fanciful men," she says. "To think - I am home, yet in a forgotten place..!"
Perhaps her shock is too much for the stranger, but Boudicca won't stop his passing. She's sure he has important things to see to.
<Pose Tracker> Marivel Armitage has posed.
Marivel seems fond of Ethius. It is not the same kind of fondness she has for, say, Clarissa but it is fondness nonetheless, just of a different flavor. Marivel's own kind of dress is, well, pretty suspicious considering the weather. In fact, she sees a fellah over there watching them also dressed like an Organization 13 member minus the hood. But, well, she has elected to not make presumptions on what this world is like just yet.
Clarissa just uses a completely different name for her than the name she gave Ethius. Marivel doesn't even correct her to Miss Valeria just to make things simpler. She just lets it stand. Maybe by never giving a real name she has a method of escape back into the incognito if she so desires.
Or, you know, if she wears less clothing than this she will start combusting. Which is significantly more suspicious.
Nevermind the fruit juice.
"I am." She says. "I was summoned into the ocean, it seems, and I am doubtful that was an accident. Luckily a passing salvager crew picked me up without asking too many questions."
They didn't ask too many questions because they thought she was a corpse. And later, well, the scene hasn't happened yet in the past.
She tilts her head at Tetra but elves are hardly unusual, but she smiles at the pirate too, giving her a small nod.
Pointy ears are the best.
"So, I know some of you have been to this world before..."
She looks over to Dean. "Is this your first time in this region of Spira?" Her gaze turns towards Boudicca as if she's asking her that too.
"Who'se your friend?" She asks Dean of Boudecca, as if it were any of her business.
"This is my first time on Lunar. But I have heard a lot about it back on Filgaia. It is a very beautiful land but far too hot. And not enough shade."
<Pose Tracker> Layna Manydays has posed.
"Aye, you're on Lunar! You musta got swallowed up by that light, too." Layna confirms with a nod toward Clarissa and her companion.
She looks toward Quin, then.
"Can't say I know much more than the lot o' you - that's why I was checkin' the place out." She says.
Clarissa introduces herself and gets a grin from Layna.
"Layna Manydays. Pleasure to meet ya, lass." She says. She doesn't call herself Captain of the Ruby Empress here, for one main reason - her ship isn't here. Her crew is, at least. Tesni gets a grin out of her, and then Tetra. Tetra's comment gets a good-natured laugh.
"You're talkin' my language now, lass!" She comments. "Luca's got a port. It's a big city, and there's bound to be a boat or two that could afford to...go missin'."
The large man in the robes comments on Tetra's ears and then...walks away? Layna raises an eyebrow, then looks toward Tetra herself with a quizzical expression aptly described as 'what was that about??'.
Her gaze, though, finally turns back to the armored woman.
"Aye, lass - it's strange to me, too." She agrees, then nods when the Seraph introduces herself. A Seraph, huh...?
"If you're lookin' for shade, seems like some of these ruins are used as rest stops. Some of 'em even still have a ceiling." She observes to Marivel.
<Pose Tracker> Clarissa Arwin has posed.
"It's nice to meet you, Dean!" Clarissa answers with a smile, straightening up with eyes slightly widened. "Yes, I didn't even know it was possible to leave Filgaia! I can't believe how big and blue it looks from here... it's incredible! I would never have imagined it would look so verdant and full of life...."
When Boudicca speaks, Clarissa blinks once, then again. "Are you sure? I can see you. Should I not? I mean, you seem very nice...."
As Marivel explains her circumstances, Clarissa cants her head to one side. She's heard the woman give a couple different names so far - and it bugs her, but at least the woman's familiar and has shown herself to be reasonably kind. "I'm glad you were saved," she says with a smile of relief. "Maybe we should talk later. If we're going to get back to Filgaia, we might need to all help each other. There's so much we need to do...."
Layna speaks of the light, and Clarissa hangs her head slightly.
"The last thing I remember was fighting a woman named Erzebet," she says quietly. "One of the ones who worked for Commander Vinsfeld. And then we were all frozen for that big speech, and then the light took me here."
She huffs and sets her hands at her hips. "And now it's sweltering out!" she says tartly, tugging at the collar of her thick blue-white turtleneck sweater beneath her stiff blue wool waistcoat.
Felius continues to look at Ethius, his expression completely unreadable.
<Pose Tracker> Marivel Armitage has posed.
Marivel gives Layna a dead stare.
"Oh good." She says, non-plussed.
<Pose Tracker> Dean Stark has posed.
Dean almost jumps when Ethius turns in that creepy, mechanical way he does and addresses him. Instead, he blinks rapidly, taking a moment to actually absorb what was said. Once it registers: "Oh. Oh! Oh, yeah, good point, Ethius." He rubs a finger under his nose, abashed, then adds, "Uhh, yeah, what he said."
Tesni introduces herself as Tess. Dean smiles at her. "Nice meeting you, Tess!" Tetra he gives a puzzled look. Jerky guys with boats? Best place to start? "Start what?" he wonders, innocently.
The weird robed redhead speaks. "Ears?" Dean echoes, looking over to him, but he's already walking away. Huh. What was that all about? He scratches his head, then promptly forgets about it as Boudicca addresses him. For a moment, he still doesn't get it, and stares at her blankly; then she brings up Malevolence. The Jeopardy theme music later, and... "OH! Oh, you're a Seraph!" he declares, thumping a fist in his hand. "Wait, are you Beast? Wow! I didn't recognize you without your dragon-y-looking armor!" Wait, but then she introduces herself as Boudicca. Dean's eyebrows furrow. He's *sure* he doesn't know anyone by that name. "Boudicca?" he repeats, confused.
At least those participating in the conversation proper are all on the same page, or at least so it feels like. "Yeah, it is," he tells Marivel. He pauses when she asks him about his friend, though. He glances over at Boudicca, who may or may not be Beast, the only Seraph he knows who he knows is a Seraph. "Uhh... You--*are* Beast, right?" He nods back to Marivel and Clarissa though. "It *is* pretty hot out here, huh? But yeah, I'm all for us helping each other figure out what's what and getting back to Filgai--uhh," he shoots Ethius a glance here, "back to home!"
<Pose Tracker> Ethius Hesiod has posed.
The strange man who will probably get his face beaten in for Al Bhed cultural appropriation down the line breaks from Felius for a short while to consider the differences in name that Clarissa points out. He internally settles on 'this strange woman is Leviram Valeria' and seems to file it away as another headache.
With the acknowledgement of a change of word usage to refer to their situation, Ethius straightens out in an overly stiff way, arms behind his back.
"A cursory examination of Luca reveals that there does not appear to be much trade that happens off the continent." i.e. absolutely none at all. He remembers what he would see passing about the markets throughout Meribus and Glenwood. This became an obsessive behavior back over on that part of Lunar as Jay and the CaraKin kept establishing a market presence despite his best attempts.
Dean mentions a 'Beast.' He may have heard that in passing. What context was it... dragon-y armor? Hmm. That one's a Seraphim, then. They were common - so he would come to understand - back over in Meribus and Glenwood. That's the only confirmed sighting he knows of.
"At present I cannot ascertain as to whether their sea vessels are capable of travel far from the mainland. I would suspect a taken ship would not go far."
Ethius continues to look at Felius, his expression completely unreadable. (He is also cheating because much of it is hidden.)
<Pose Tracker> Tesni Inoue has posed.
Tesni Inoue says "Wouldn't know I'm not one for being at sea most of the time."
A bit of a lie depending on how one might view the sea of stars. She looks to Seraph Boudicca for a moment grins.
"Good to meet you."
Does she know what she is? Does she care? It's hard to tell really but that grin isn't faked at all. If she notices what the Pirates are up to or clicks that they are pirates? It doesn't show for the moment.
"Luca has cold beers at the very least?"
Tess notes in general and she goes back to watching Dean for a moment.
"Good to meet you.
"There's likely to be work in a place like Luca. I might be able to sing for my supper at least."
She looks to Ethius with a look trying to size up what he's up to this time. She also thinks there's a decent chance to make some coin in Luca too.
<Pose Tracker> Tetra has posed.
The retreat of the mysterious man in the robe seems to ease Tetra a little. Why, though? She's never met that guy before in her life -- it's strange to think about it. Something inside her was just ready to square up.
... ehhh, maybe he's just got one of those kinda body languages. She resolves not to worry about it for now.
Ah -- like Tetra had kind of half-guessed, a fellow pirate! A big grin crosses Tetra's face and she affirms, "*Great*. Sounds like Luca's where I'm headed next, then! A whole new world full of Treasure..." The capitalization is important.
Ethius mentions that the vessels may not be able to go far, though... that gets Tetra to pout a little before answering Dean. "Start, you know, pirating! Haven't you heard of me? Tetra the Pirate? Scourge of the Deku Isles? Scion of the Great Sea's most legendary pirate lineage? Liberator of lost persons?"
Tetra, so we're clear, is younger than Dean by enough to be noticeable. This fact does not seem to break her stride, though; she just nods once, as if she has laid out her super genius for the world to see.
She does not explain piracy in great deal for Boudicca.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Boudicca has posed.
Boudicca, at least, does not seem hot at all in her armor.
This may or may not be because she is the literal elemental concept of air conditioning.
Marivel, of course, is answered in her introduction. "Ah - it is too warm?" Shortly, she will find a pleasant cool breeze picking up behind her. They all will! What an exciting mystery.
She turns to Layna, confusion crossing her features. "How does one lose a boat?" She asks, nonplussed. "I happened to walk the constructed shoreline, and the ships were all quite large. I do not think it would be easy for one to simply 'go missing'."
No one tell her.
Clarissa's enthuisasm is infectious, though, and Boudicca can't help but smile. "I thought the same, when I arrived on Filgaia! It is remarkable, is it not?" As for why she can see her, she reaches back to scratch at her neck, brushing a braid back. "Ah, well... it is possible to gain the spiritual strength to see spirits over time. But it is... quite strange everyone here has that strength. 'Twas a passing rare thing, in all other places, though I was more obvious than most..."
As Dean points out, quite aptly. Surprise crosses her face, a hand flying to her mouth as she gasps. "Oh goodness, I failed to state such an obvious -- do excuse me, Dean! I - ah - that is --" yup, this is the Beast of Lohgrin. She even does that same little thing where she raises up a foot and puts it back down nervously, though it looks a little stranger on two legs. "Yes - the name I chose for myself is Boudicca, as opposed to the name given me... it, ah, is a long story..?"
Thanks to her fluster she completely misses Dean's addendum to Ethius, who has a lot of practical advice to add.
She is glad to meet Tesni as well, of course, with a smile to her. But there's something there which makes her double-take. She looks down at herself. "... it is just occurred to me," she says, with all the amazement of an alien thing, "I can eat things now."
There's no time to dwell on this, however, because she must state to Tetra, completely po-faced: "You ought not steal things which do not belong to you. It is generally frowned upon in most human cultures."
<Pose Tracker> Marivel Armitage has posed.
Marivel puts the straw to her lips again, hesitates, and then pulls the 'juice' pack away from her mouth. It's tomato juice for grownups. Dean was correct. Not blood. Promise. Also Marivel really is named Leviram.
"Hmm..." She says to Dean. "I don't know..." She cocks her head to listen to Ethius. Very valuable information, she thinks. They might be stuck on the continent due to a lack of better vessel. "The salvager vessel...I honestly didn't get a good look at it. Spoke a language I admit I didn't understand."
Shehe pulls the bloodpack back into her robes where it remains hidden for the moment. She has to partial that out even if she suspects she'll be okay for a bit so long as she limits her vampire powers.
"Actually, Clarissa." Marivel had at some point switched to first name basis. "I wanted to ask you about something, but it's best we do it in private...but on the matter of Erzebet, I may call for your help again. She needs to stop using those guns or she will likely regret it. Tis for her own sake, but I doubt she will listen to me. I'm not sure why, I'm pretty reliable."
She then thinks back to Dean's words on getting back to Filgaia. "I am generally of the belief that we ended up here for a reason beyond simply Vinsfeld's whims. He sent us away, yes, but instead of dropping us in the ocean to drown--for the most part--he left you in this new land. Is it some manner of affection for drifters? Or did he have a purpose?"
She looks up, looking right at Dean, offering him a crooked boogiepop smile. "Besides! We're drifters, are we not? Why are we in a rush to get home? Tis our calling to wander where our feet take us and never settle down. Tis our purpose to unearth the secrets buried under the dirt and, of course, prevent them from threatening those above it."
She fans an arm to the side, partially obscuring Ethius...then she lets that arm drop and gestures with the other one.
"I for one am curious as to why we've been sent here, and what his aims are. And perhaps in searching for that truth we will see a way back."
Conveneintly, Boudicca makes her robes billow dramatically behind her thanks to a nice refreshing cool breeze. Marivel hasn't noticed it came from her at all. She just assumed it happened on its own for her benefit.
Tetra mentions that she's a liberator of lost people. That seizes her attention.
"Ah good. You're just what I needed then." She approaches Tetra.
"Liberator of lost persons! I have lost a person. He is a burly frightening looking gentleman who is about 95 percent muscle and looks as if he maybe has had too much protein? His name is Brad. He is my minion, and I appear to have lost him. Could you find him for me? I have absolutely no money to pay you with."
<Pose Tracker> Brad Evans has posed.
"That's not usually what people like this mean by 'paid in exposure,'" comes a low voice from behind Marivel.
The group trades one overlarge, dark-skinned man for another; this one dresses more like he knows the score, in that it's more of a compression shirt than something you'd wear as outerwear. The outerwear itself appears to be some kind of leather ring harness? He looks like he smells like a steak, with long black hair that reaches down past his hips except for the hair haloing his head, which is shocked white. Lodged in his neck, on the side on which his shirt doesn't have a strap, is a pair of.........something? Jewel-like spheres. The skin around isn't irritated anymore but is veiny and rigid, like it healed poorly.
His eyes scan up from under a dull red headband. "I was looking over the travel sphere. Looks like it's about the same as our Memory Cubes."
<Pose Tracker> Layna Manydays has posed.
Layna shrugs at Marivel's non-plussed response.
"Just a piece o' friendly advice, lass. None o' my business if you're not interested." She replies simply, before looking back toward Clarissa.
"Right, that speech. ...That was troubling, aye." She comments with a frown. Of course, it was troubling for her for reasons probably that were probably different entirely. But at Clarissa's final comment... "...Are ya sure you shouldn't, uh, change ta somethin' a little cooler? You're gonna burn up if ya waltz around dressed like that, aye?"
She folds her arms in front of her before glancing toward Ethius and Tesni.
"Aye, but ships still have to pass through. There could be somethin' to it, aye?" She says, then looks toward Tesni. "I can assure you, lass, they sure do."
...Or some manner of alcohol, probably? She saw something on the menu that sounded like it. She looks toward Tetra, then.
"I can't say I've heard o' you, lass, but it sounds like you know your way 'round the seas. Maybe you oughta tell me 'bout a few o' your journeys sometimes." She says. It's hard to tell if she's just humoring Tetra or is actually interested in hearing them. (In this case it's the latter, actually.)
Marivel asks Tetra about finding a person...and it's about this time that someone else appears - the same exact person.
Layna chuckles briefly at his comment, but says nothing. She makes note of his comment about the travel sphere, though.
<Pose Tracker> Clarissa Arwin has posed.
Clarissa doesn't seem like she's taking Ethius's advice. Lying is bad, y'know.
"Then we should start to figure out some way to recreate what Commander Vinsfeld did to us," she muses, tapping a gloved fingertip against one lightly flushed cheek. "The magic he used was very powerful, but there must be a way to recreate it, or something similar. After all, it seems like some of you have been here before and come back. That must mean there's a conduit of some kind, right?"
Whatever one might say about Clarissa, there's still a certain straightforward earnestness to the way she smiles as she begins to lay out these objectives. Her desire to get back to Filgaia shines through with stark clarity.
Ethius begins to lay out some scouting reports, and Clarissa listens with her head tilted, sliding her notepad out again to begin taking notes. "Alright. Then maybe one option would be to see if we could charter a ship, or even build a seaworthy ship if nothing else presents itself." You don't know a shipwright, Clarissa. "If you all know where you went before to get back to Elru, we can just sail back there and use that method...."
Clarissa pauses in her speculation long enough to smile warmly at Boudicca. "Oh, I didn't realize that you're a spirit! I'm not sure why it is that people can see you. Maybe there's some difference I don't know about."
When Marivel floats the idea of a future question, the blonde girl blinks, then nods quietly. A slightly frown crosses her face as she crosses her arms. "Then let's talk about that later," Clarissa agrees. "I definitely think there's something wrong with her. I just didn't realize it was her ARMS that were causing it. Poor Erzebet...."
When Layna weighs in, Clarissa blinks, then looks down at herself.
"...Er... I'm not sure what else I would even wear," she asks Layna with a sheepish smile.
Brad comes tromping up, and Clarissa gasps with surprise. She hadn't noticed him coming in.
<Pose Tracker> Ethius Hesiod has posed.
For Ethius, discussion about whatever must have transpired with this Odessa is valuable, because--
BEFORE IN ELRU
Ethius has found an excellent vantage point to spy. He could see they were professionals. He's watched the sight lines. Not one was looking his way underneath some of the strewn debris from their short, brutal, efficient campaign. He does not have the best vantage point of the devic--
Then A CERTAIN ALIEN HORNED SQUIRREL leaps full bore on the piece of debris on the way to joining the other Drifters, putting their whole weight on it as they rush over to see one of their favorite human war heroes re-emerge onto the world stage.
Said piece of debris beans Ethius in the head and knocks him out cold.
Again.
NOW
...Ethius has a hand to his forehead again as ideas are bandied about. Something tells him the whole picture needs to be handled with exceeding care.
Maybe when he's done staring at Felius. This feels especially important.
<Pose Tracker> Dean Stark has posed.
"True. With Mother dead, there's no reason to have to rush back home," Dean muses when Marivel points out there's no need for scrambling back to Filgaia. "I mean, there could be? You know, for individual folks. But overall, there's n reason."
Boudicca, flustered by her own lack of manners, confirms that she is indeed the Beast. Dean brightens. "I knew it! Wow, you really do look a lot different outside that armor of yours! Nice meeting you for real, Boudicca. Oh, uh, or did you want me calling you Beast?" Though if 'Boudicca' is the name she chose herself, then probably not? "A-anyway--"
Tetra claims to be a famous pirate. Tetra looks like she's like maybe twelve. Dean gives her a dubious look. He knows what pirates are; he's just thinking that she's probably a kid playing make-believe. He doesn't have the heart to call her out on it, though. It must be scary for a little kid to be on another world without her parents. "Oh! You're, uh. You're *that* Tetra!" he thus lies, despite having never heard of her before. "Wow, a real live pirate!" He shoots Layna a glance. Maybe she can help her out. "Uh, maybe you should talk to Layna here about that...?"
Tesni mentions that Luca will be a good place to find work. Dean makes an 'oh!' face. "Oh yeah, I oughtta go check that place out! I'm gonna need money too." He grins at the others, then moves to break off from the group. "Good luck and stay safe, guys! Let's all meet again soon!" Then he jogs off down the road, headed in the same direction he was heading in when he started.
<Pose Tracker> Tesni Inoue has posed.
Tesni Inoue takes note of Layna for a moment
"True I just don't like making assumpting and speaking of that bar I mentioned? I think I'm going to head back to town to get one."
She looks right at Ethius and in the most mom tone possible she says a single word.
"Behave."
Before she turns and heads off down the road back to Luca. She'll end up following Dean and maybe even offer the guy Lunch!
<Pose Tracker> Tetra has posed.
"Sure thing! I'd love to swap stories with someone who knows their way around a boat," Tetra replies to Layna, grinning. Now might not be the best place -- or the best rest of the audience -- for that sort of thing, but.
She turns to Marivel, who it sounds like has a job offer. "... Hhhhhuh. Sorry, it sounds like your wallet's a little --" Brad arrives. "Hey, great! Everything's totally handled." She wasn't going to get payment, and thus doesn't ask.
As Dean starts down the road, Tetra makes a bit of a face after him; her nose scrunches up, and she says, "You don't have to lie, you know..." After a second, though, she adds, "... Is that the right way *to* Luca?" Maybe she should head that way, too... if only so she can prove she is, *in fact*, a super cool pirate.
<Pose Tracker> Dean Stark has posed.
Also there's Brad over there. Dean gives him a friendly wave as he breaks off, but, well, he's already on his way out. Maybe later they can swap introductions?
Also Dean will happily accept offers of lunch. But that's a story... for a different time.
<Pose Tracker> Marivel Armitage has posed.
Marivel doesn't jump up comically, but there is a small stiffening in her shoulders that suggests somehow Brad managed to sneak up on her. It does not help that she's sweaty and kind of miserable and surrounded by food sources. Ths is just a small enough pause to indicate that, yes, sometimes even Marivel can be caught off guard--even if she's so arrogant she plays it off.
"Haha, well done Brad! I guess I don't have to hire the Liberator of Lost Persons just yet after all." She... refuses to live in the universe where she deigns to give Brad's quip a response.
"So...I should be able to use the travel sphere to send a message to the rest of the group. It's a good start." She wishes he could have found an air conditioned building first but she'll have to make do.
She looks to Layna and adds, "I appreciate it, it's just not quite right I need." Other than that, she lets the pirates talk shop. She is a monster, but not that kind.
She nods once to Clarissa. "Once I've found a place where I can sit down, I will send a message to you by... 'travel sphere'."
"As for those ARMS. It has been some time but... there's three parts to the ARM. Two guns, the display lens, and...the control chip. I believe she called them... Harborym. To think it still functions after all this time."
It seems that Tetra has more renown than she knew because this Dean Stark knew her... How impressive...!! But ultimately pointless. She has no money right now. She can only promise money in the future. Well, she has SOME gella but, uh, that doesn't seem like it will be useful for a while.
"Speaking of private conversations. Perhaps we should get going, Brad. I imagine we both have a lot to talk about."
Translation: Marivel has a lot to talk about. Brad has maybe a third of that at most.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Boudicca has posed.
"Yes - I am one of Althena's spirits of the wind," Boudicca replies, to Clarissa, with a smile. She pauses, here, glancing aside, and notably does not give voice to what she just thought of.
She does, in fact, look quite different outside her armor. "Ah - I do? I mean - I suppose I must," because of course she looks different. "Boudicca is fine..."
He seems to recognise Tetra, but Dean is friends with everyone, so this makes perfect sense and there's no need to examine it further. Especially not since he's hurrying off, Tesni in tow. "Ah - fare well!" She calls, after them.
Their absence is matched by Brad's appearance. "Greetings," she says, with a wave. She does not know him, of course, but he seems to be an important companion to Marivel, and that is reason enough to be pleased.
(She doesn't know what either of the things he says are, but she supposes they must be important, somehow. Some method of human communication..?)
"Travel safe," she bids Marivel and Brad, who seem like to leave. To Tetra, she says: "This is the way to Luca, yes. I am told it is large, of settlements here. You will likely find what you seek."
<Pose Tracker> Layna Manydays has posed.
Layna frowns, looking over Clarissa...before shrugging.
"...I dunno, lass." She admits. "Some of my crew are better at that than I am - ya'd have to ask one o' them. Or find someone else."
Dean sends Layna a glance as he responds to Tetra. Layna knows you're lying, Dean, but it's okay - she won't give away your terrible, terrible secret.
"Aye! It's always good to run into another woman o' the sea." She agrees with a nod, then a look in the direction Dean's heading.
"Aye, that way's to Luca - I'm headin' that way, myself. Gotta check back in with some folks." Layna agrees. "So if you wanna follow me, lass, feel free. Otherwise...see you roun, me hearties!"
With a wave, Layna begins to walk off in the direction of Luca - this had all given her a lot to think about.
<Pose Tracker> Clarissa Arwin has posed.
Clarissa taps her finger against her cheek, frowning quietly. "I did notice something wrong with Erzebet's glasses. And the way she behaved seemed very strange. I didn't realize there was a control chip, though. It must affect her mental state, somehow. An ARM that does that much to a person's mind...."
She clears her throat before smiling at Marivel quietly. "I'll look forward to your message, then. Please stay safe."
Clarissa blinks at Layna, then, biting down to her lower lip.
"...But I like this outfit," she murmurs.
She'll part ways with the group in a moment.
<Pose Tracker> Ethius Hesiod has posed.
"I will rejoin shortly." Ethius remarks as stiffly as he always does. "I will watch the roads for a time."
For how little the man can move, his NPC disguise is technically flawless.
This also means he has to break his gaze from Felius as he goes to walk over to some unspecified but useful vantage point in which to watch road traffic.
FELIUS WINS
GLARETALITY