2018-10-15: The Source of Impurity
- Log: The Source of Impurity
- Cast: Riesenlied, Lydia Seren, Leah Sadalbari, Elvis, Noeline
- Where: New Petra
- Date: 15th October 2018
- Summary: Elvis returns on Avril's behest to examine Riesenlied's condition, and the conversation turns to a certain dog-shaped scientist...
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Not too long ago, Riesenlied, Noeline, Lydia and Avril went off on an adventure to the Glint Valley, where they discovered several disconcerting facts about the spread of ferroflora and a 'Gigas' caretaker that'd since gone rogue. Riesenlied went in part in order to keep active and to try to beat back her degeneration through exercise...
... and she's still keeping active now, since she's spending some time with the children again. "Aah..."
Nom! The child seated in front of her giggles as Riese spoon-feeds some porridge to her, and she smiles and wipes her mouth with a handkerchief. There's a mix of children here, ranging from below five to their early teens; Azadians mixed in with their own, that they've protected from the Filgaian wilderness since a year ago, and they're mingling in just fine.
<Pose Tracker> Lydia Seren has posed.
Lydia Seren is a very loud person usually, often--frankly--to her own detriment but today she arrives at New Petra without shouting or screaming at all. She drags a cart behind her filled with some more tools to replace some that broke during previous work throughout the city. She is getting several looks all the same, though, simply due to Lydia having changed her appearance again--this time in a particularly drastic way that may be comparable to when she /changed heads/.
Not that she changed heads this time. This time it's her body that's different, having taken on a decidedly metal and plastic form and a notably robotic appearance.
She grins (she still has very sharp teeth) when she sees Riesenlied doing what Riesenlied does best. "Hey there, Riese!"
She presses a segmented finger against her cheek. "At least I don't have to worry about you getting lonely."
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
A nearby Tainted with accordion tubing legs, a big generator for a torso, and pistons and hydraulics for arms takes one look at Lydia, then himself, then goes:
"Lookin' good, Lydie!!"
<Pose Tracker> Leah Sadalbari has posed.
Leah Sadalbari, too, took a visit to the Glint Valley to seek the secrets beyond its mirages. ...Different trip, though, different group... different findings. But there's other places to explore now that she's returned to Ignas, other places to look into, and one is a wilderness of a different kind:
The efforts to keep civilization far from home--poignant. ...And as Leah comes into town, she does so with a gentle look at refugees who look her way, and her spear kept firmly stowed on her back, rather than out and threatening... though a woman with one eye isn't always comforting anyway.
"...Riesenlied?" she asks, as she steps from around Lydia's wagon. She wasn't hiding in it, just, walking along the road.
"...That's a popular name in this settlement, it seems."
<Pose Tracker> Elvis has posed.
So. it has been three individuals now asking for help with Riesenlied, the leader of the Wayside Outreach. THe msot recent having been Avril Vent Fleur, a young lady that he did not know, yet... was so strikingly familiar. Perhaps it was wanting to solve that enigma that held his interest on this tangent so long.
Regardless, to solve one's own problem may require helping with those outside the equation. Insight can eb gleamed fro mthe most unlikely of sources, even when a being is so biologically different from one's own kind.
A figure looms nearby the gathering, and upon spotting their kind intrepid leader, stomps his way to her, almost casting a massive shadow on her. A large finger points out. "You!" he says, in an imperious voice.
His tone softens abruptly afterward. "Are you currently occupied? I have been requested by multiple people and beings to visit you." Elvis has been seen in and out of Net Petra quite a bit as of late. And no, he hasn't stolen anything. He is actually minding his manners right now, though the gears got to working upon seeing Avril's Medium...
The Sentinel promptly near-dumps out a satchel of carefully wrapped equipment as he starts sifting through it, no explanation given. Odd tools and sharp objects are produced, and a strange looking sealed bottle. Glasses are put on, and tools are measured. Still no explanation whatsoever.
A pair of shears. A needle, some prongs. The hell was he planning to do?!
Oh wait. He's shoving almost all of it back in the bag. Maybe false alarm?!
No, he is still holding some prongs.
Hum. [OOC] Leah Sadalbari says, "ahahahaha"
<Pose Tracker> Lydia Seren has posed.
Lydia pushes her goggles down like she's some cool sunglasses wearing person but they're goggles not sunglasses but she does it anyway.
She mimes a gun finger at the Tainted and says, "You know it! Glad to see you're still empowering others!"
Even though she's being toitally cool, she freaking jumps when Leah just steps out from behind her. She was so busy being cool she wasn't paying attention to her surroundings!
"Oh, Leah." Lydia says. "Trying out a new look! What's up?"
She then turns around suddenly, spins on a heel, and jams a finger in Elvis's direction.
"YOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!"
She doesn't add anything else.
<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.
Noeline isn't reading to the children this time around. Partially that's because she's getting to see Riesenlied mom out in a major way instead; the sight's heartening, and she has a quiet smile on her face as she watches on from a little distance away. She knows full well that the other Hyadean is much better at this side of things than she will probably ever be, and that thought makes her huff a little bashfully. Bashful or not, though, she'll still stop to watch it whenever she can.
The other reason is sat in front of her on a table where she's been quietly studying it - a ferrofluid flower, thankfully a tiny one, sprouting from a old and cracked flowerpot. Samples of the metal they managed to recover included some seeds, and raised the question of whether they might be able to grow the stuff themselves in an enclosed space - and whether it might be suitable to help heal the Tainted, as a source of somewhat-living metal. Noeline isn't really sure yet, and certainly isn't a scientist on Kalve's level, but she at least knows to handle the thing with kid gloves, and a small jar placed over it ensures that it's not about to feed on any metal in the vicinity.
She pauses, when Lydia shows up, and has to take a brief moment to identify the girl. Once she does, her eyebrows abruptly soar - and until the shaman sounds perfectly chipper, a spike of concern as well. In the end, she lets her expression dissolve away to an aggrieved sigh. "... honestly... what did we tell you about putting strange berries in your mouth, let alone metal ones?"
She's used to Drifters showing up, and Leah gets a nod of recognition - but she barks out a laugh at the comment, playfully taking it as read. "There is only one Riesenlied, sad to say," she notes with a lopsided grin. "If there were multiple, it would definitely make it easier on everyone involved."
Elvis' comment also gets a significant snort of amusement, as well as a jolt of pride that Riesenlied's managed to touch so many people. She can't exactly bring herself to be intimidated by the man's approach, at least not for long - there's something about the Veruni that manages to disarm her, or perhaps she's just getting the idea that everything he does is over the top just as a matter of course. It's the sort of personality tic that's fun to gently encourage, if only to see what happens next. Besides, he's been around Petra enough as of late that Noeline's just sort of gotten used to the baseline volume being a little higher than previously. "... at the very least, can it wait until after dinner, perhaps?" she hums.
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Riesenlied looks just a bit surprised to see Lydia's new look, but she's been around the girl enough to know she has her own difficulties with her metal arm and t-that ferroflora seed she used to GROW A SPARE ARM aaaa--
But it's a bit different today; it feels... deliberate, in a good way. Like Lydia's chosen this form for herself. It might just be a hunch, it might be the chipper way she approaches. "Lydie, hello..." as she smiles as a nearby Tainted waves, then blinks as Leah approaches.
"Oh, hello, miss... welcome to New Petra. My name is Riesenlied, yes..." as she pats the child she's caring for. She bashfully smiles at Noeline as she pouts to say, "... if there were multiple, I might just be jealous if you picked a better one."
She scoops another spoonful of porridge up before--
You!!
"E-eh? Eh?" Riesenlied's horns wilt as she turns and Elvis looms over them. "Oh, Mister Elvis--" she yelps just a little bit as she looks onward at shears, needles, prongs--
Riesenlied's face goes half-blue with lines of terror. Her horns are wiggling up and down in panic!
"H-weeh??"
<Pose Tracker> Leah Sadalbari has posed.
"That is a /very/ different look," Leah answers Lydia, looking her up and down as if studying a new outfit. "...It's beautiful," she answers, and though she's clearly surprised, well, she doesn't freak out or anything. Cool, right? Cool like Lydia is being cool.
She laughs at Noeline's quick-witted reply easily, though. "Might be convenient, hm? ...Well, I wouldn't want to sow discord in the family," she says, with a half-bow of introduction and apology, one hand up to her chest briefly as she dips her head. "But your name is on a lot of lips here; I heard on my way in."
She turns to Elvis, though. She watches him. That's a lot of weird tools, frankly. And he's.. been... requested?
"...Ah," she comments, and looks back to Riesenlied, "My name is Leah. I heard about the situation out here and thought I'd see for myself... and bring a few supplies for the trouble of my presence, of course."
She pauses.
"..."
On the bright side, seeing a scientist break out strange tools on a subject who has no idea what's happening really reminds Leah of home.
<Pose Tracker> Lydia Seren has posed.
Lydia sticks out a tongue at Noeline because she is a RUDE TEEN. "I'll have you know this has nothing to do with the berry. I decided I'd stop acting as if I was ashamed about being a cool tech girl, that's all. My moms are also cool tech girls after all." Even if Lydia isn't a metal demon, of course, but that doesn't mean she isn't metal.
Lydia gives a look over to Riesenlied for a moment, expression going quiet for just a moment as if she's trying to gauge a reaction, but whatever she finds isn't commented upon because a woman just called her beautiful.
Lydia's cheeks tint silver in embarrassment, though it is hardly as if she took offense to it. It kind of ruins her whole 'being too cool to not be in school' effect, but she does manage a smile. "Well I'm not the only one. You've got a sweet pallette going on too." She nods towards her right leg.
<Pose Tracker> Elvis has posed.
Elvis just works the prongs to make sure they are calibrated correctly. tiny notches can be seen another the joint edge, with tiny numbers. Looks like they may be more for measuring something rather than grabbing or piercing flesh, as what they look like at first glance. Those perceptive or with medical backgrounds may pick up what they are.
"M-Me?!" he says, not really expecting a copied response of similar emotion from Lydia. Has he seen this young lady before? She looks familiar. "Do I know you?" he asks, curiosity lacing his voice.
"Hrn? Oh." He looks to Noeline, who seems the most itnerested out of the party of what he might be up to. "Hm. Certainly. I've no where to be at the moment." He lowers those prongs. They glint sun off their edges, and look in impeccable condition.
Oh man she is turning blue. She is in worse condition than he expected! He really should hurry to help her, it could be an advanced stage of degeneration! Oh, what, no. It is that other thing. Emotions. A look between those assembled. Leah gets one longer for someone unknown. "I uh... I may have forgotten to mention what I was going to do."
He sets the tool down. "I have had a good number of people ask me to look in to your condition. I have had a long career in genetics, and they all thought perhaps I could do something to aid you. A young lady by the name of Avril Vent Fleur being the most vocal about it."
His eyes are trained on Riesenlied at this point. Points of her forced form being studied closely. His vision is quite sharp. "Hm."
"We can certainly take a bit of time. When you are ready I can ask some questions, and I may need a sample from you. Some skin and a scale or something." He seems rather, well, excited isn't quite the word. Enthused was more like it. A chance to try to some the issue of Filgaia almost attacking several races at once. VR. Zopt.
Part of him wonders if they are all related somehow.
"I think I also forgot to say hello. So... Hello!"
<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.
Noeline's smile back towards Riesenlied is terribly fond, and she chuckles under her breath. "Rest assured; as far as my feelings are concerned, there could be none better than you," she states in return, placing each word deliberately and with feeling behind it. She's so swept up in the delivery that she doesn't even flare up in a blush when a trio of girls at the dinner table swoon into each other and start giggling amongst themselves.
... at least, not at first. She can't help but huff a little to herself as she looks up from her chair towards Leah, and slightly nods her head. "Riesenlied is the leader of our settlement, and of the Wayside Outreach," she notes freely, her eyebrows slightly raised as she studies the newcomer. "My name is Noeline - I am her second, and her partner. Welcome to New Petra - such as it is, at present. We are still building what shelters we can, even now, but we certainly get by."
Tilting her head, she accepts Lydia's comment with an amused sigh. "You can hardly blame me for assuming, at first. ... but, that is a good reason, I can certainly say that much." It might be strange to say coming from her - she is decidedly the least metal-looking Hyadean around, let alone amongst the Tainted, and has spent a good deal of her life pretending to be something she's not - but at the same time she's always insisted that she's living true to herself, and that others should do the same. If Lydia wishes to pick her own identity by the same rules, so be it.
Noeline's already surmised that much about Elvis' reasons for being here that she manages to take it all in stride, nodding a greeting past a quiet snicker. "Ah. Miss Avril is rather the sort to stick to a point as hard as she can, it's true," she hums richly to herself, before pausing - and at the sight of Riese quietly quivering, she's quick to hop to her feet and make her way over to the other Hyadean, resting a hand on her arm to help still her. "... truth be told, I am not sure if there is much to find out, but-- another pair of eyes probably cannot hurt, I suppose?" she encourages.
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Riesenlied does take the moment to pause at Lydia with a softer smile, though, when she expresses her intent and desire. She nods alongside Leah as she laces her hands together and says, "You look amazing, Lydie." And she means that, even if some part of her knows it's her way of telling her, hey, you don't have to feel bad about how you look.
And she really appreciates that.
"It's nice to meet you, Leah... we don't have much here, but-- we certainly would welcome anyone, it's an open community here," Riesenlied expresses, trying to calm down from her initial terror from Elvis' outburst!
Not that it makes her any less nervous, as Elvis scans her form; indeed, a great portion of her visible form not covered by her Fereshte dress is deformed. Dark and dull scales with an erratic and slightly jagged finish; most prominently in how her horns have contorted since, though the fact that her two feet and one hand look... what could only be charitably described as draconic is certainly no less striking.
"M-my... condition? Ah-- er, Avril did, did she?" Riesenlied laces her fingers together as she pats the child she's taking care of. "Sweetie, I'll just be a bit, okay? Can you finish your bowl on your own...?"
"Uh huh! I can!" the child precociously perks up. Such a good girl!
There's a redness on her cheek that's not particularly subtle as Noeline gives her encouragement in turn. "Skin and scale, um... w-well, I'm not much of a scientist, but I think mom-- er, Cetiri probably has some on hand for you. She's our resident scientist, if you'd like to come see her at her lab?"
<Pose Tracker> Leah Sadalbari has posed.
Silver blush is definitely distinctive. ...Noeline's swept-up style is, too. Leah glances Noeline's way again instead of over at the swooning girls, and puts on a small smile. It fades into more general greeting as Noeline begins business, however.
"It's good to meet you both," Leah answers Noeline and Riesenlied, her single-eyed gaze on Noeline and then Riesenlied in sequence. "I'm a Drifter, a businesswoman, so I don't expect that I'll linger too long... But I can at least offer some assistance while I'm here. It's quite the gathering you have here--and good of you to make it."
Leah turns to Lydia then. In point of fact, the palette of her mechanics, visible here and there, is black fiber and chrome steel; there is not even a pretense that her prosthetics are flesh if one can see them, though she does wear long gloves and tall boots that do some to conceal.
"Thank you," she answers. "I don't often get much appreciation for it; usually just odd looks, or polite silence."
She listens to Elvis, though, thoughtfully. ...He's a very... interesting man.
"...I'm no doctor," Leah offers to Riesenlied. "Would you prefer some privacy? My introductions can wait."
"...Regardless I appreciate the welcome. And you do have a vibrant community." She smiles at the kiddo and steps to the side, closer Lydia's way for the moment; she knows her, after all. Ish. "So this is your family?" Leah asks, warmly. "You're a lucky girl; I see a lot of love here."
<Pose Tracker> Lydia Seren has posed.
Lydia says to Elvis, "Dunno. Probably did a dig at some point or another." This may not be correct but Lydia is also an eccentric type. "Name's Lydia! Nice to meetcha! Your mustache is the most amazing mustache I've ever seen. Same with your....neckerchief...?"
She is relieved to see that the message is delivered and appreciated. Lydia gives Riesenlied a big goofy thumbsup, though that faint blush doesn't ever go away because Lydia is easily embarrassed so that happens a lot around her! She doesn't distract from the business otherwise. Elvis may be able to help her. After all, that mustache speaks volumes.
"It's okay," Lydia tells Noeline. "We're blame free. But not tease free. I get it." She smiles at Noeline. Since that day she's confessed her fears to Noeline, she has been--to say more comfortable wouldn't be quite right, since she was always pretty comfortable, but more open is perhaps a better way to put it. "Thanks again for talking with me about Rigdobrite and stuff." She rubs at her neck sheepishly but decides not to ram that conversation topic through after all she's on the lamb from Solaris agents.
Not from Leah, though, who is a totally normal Drifter. Lydia feels some sense of comradery from Leah due to her also wearing the new flesh even if it seems way less extreme than what's going on with Lydia.
"They must be jealous," Lydia says. "Since otherwise it's not really polite." She manages a smile though and adds, "But it doesn't stop it from being cool." There is an awkward moment before she adds, "Oh, uh, well--yeah I'm pretty lucky." Lydia laughs awkwardly. "I was just a hassle for my old parents, but Noeline and Riese wanted me and I really liked Janey and Mikaia so..." She trails off for a moment before adding, "But yeah, there's an ocean of love here really. You get used to it, mostly."
She looks over towards said moms, "Leah and I did a dig together not too long ago." Lydia tells them.
<Pose Tracker> Elvis has posed.
A look over to Noeline. She is quite the dresser! An interesting type, seems interested in everything present. "No offense to others looking in to it, but I have equipment they probably do not, and have trained all my life in the genetics field! I.. amd a man of SCIENCE!"
A hand is gripped in to a fist. roiling muscles can be heard. The earth even shakes a little. Perhaps an unintended side effect. Or Elvis is getting a little rambunctious, and his ether is reflecting that.
"AH!" he says, holding a hand to his forehead, waxing dramatic at the thought of a fellow scientist. "That would save you some discomfort if specimens are already available. I would certainly be interested in meeting this Cetiri person!" Huh, mom, eh? Truly a kind who has turned against their proper progenitor. Duly noted. Not that he plans to run to the Metal Demons. He's already iffy on being strong-armed in to helping them.
And Elvis is not a man easy to strong-arm.
Just look at those arms.
"Not at all," Elvis comments toward Leah. "Any small amount of examination is no sordid affair. Feel free to stay." Not that he asked anyone else present if it was fine.
"Why thank you!" the Sentinel says, rubbing one of the tips of the perfect facial accessory. "I manicure it to-- GH!"
He looks like he has been shot through the chest.
"A... neckerchief...?!"
An eye twitches.
"IT'S AN ASCOT!"
Elvis starts waving his hands around as if trying to explain something huge and convoluted. "They are different!!! How it is tucked and prepared, the finery they are made of, the stylized sewing watermarks, everything! H-How could you...!"
And then it dawns on him. She is a young lady. Do they even know what ascots are? "S-Sorry. Someone made fun of it before and I am overly sensitive about it," he adds, gently re-pluming it.
<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.
Noeline keeps the hand on Riesenlied's arm, offering an everpresent support. She seems completely unruffled by the deformation of the scales there; they might be rather sharp in places to anyone whose hand isn't made of metal, but the Crimson Notble just takes it in stride. "... that's a good point," she agrees thoughtfully. "If Riese is willing, it might even be worth comparing notes with Cetiri - I dare say she has the most information about everyone's state of health here," she adds, but-- pauses, and looks to Riesenlied as her partner risks getting swept up. "But that is if you are willing," she makes sure to add.
She sets anything else on the subject aside as she glances in Leah's direction. "We try our best. I think at this point the matter of construction is something we have mostly handled - we have a tendency to move around a lot, so we've gotten fairly adept at standing up a village in a short amount of time. That said, there are always more things to do," she sighs, tugging at a long strand of hair for a moment. "Still, should you need it, we can at least ensure you've got a place to rest and enough water to fill your skins. ... thank you," she adds to the compliment, tilting her head. "There are those who would say otherwise, but... we appear to be winning them over bit by bit."
Noeline can be said to still be finding her feet around Lydia, bit by bit, but she's definitely getting there. It's not a matter of the different energy levels they each tend to have - she's used to sparking a situation then watching it envelop, enjoying the low-level chaos of their new family life - but more that she's still not terribly used to being so open about some of the topics they share in common. So in a way, she's just as sheepish when she chuckles. "Really... it's quite alright. We'll get there," she promises quietly.
Whatever else she was about to say is lost as the Veruni scientist becomes an explosion of noise and energy, and Noeline is right back to 'enjoying the low-level chaos'. Suddenly, she realizes why she's so disposed towards liking Elvis; there's a nostalgic pang and a grin she can't hold back, a memory of rattling machinery and enthusiastic yells and another figure, just as large as life, proclaiming that they too were A Man Of Something They Believed In. "Really! ... here I thought it was a cravat," she picks up the thread immediately to run with it. "Though I suppose those are technically longer, and I dare say that neither would particularly suit me. I suppose I'd like a bit more in the way of ribbon, usually."
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
"We get a lot of Drifters in and out here... we're friends with a number of them, so it's nice to make your acquaintance," Riesenlied expresses warmly to Leah. "I hope we'll be able to offer you something too, even if it might just be a place to put your feet up and a comfortable bed for the night. There aren't too many communities out here anymore, with the desertification ongoing..."
She shakes her head, though, as she says, "Oh, no no, Cetiri's place is open to all. ... in truth, she always says she wants to see more people."
She smiles more vibrantly at Lydia as she thanks Noeline for her encouragement, chuckling again as she nods towards the metallic beastgirl. "And that won't ever change, Lydie."
There's a kind of sweatdroppy-look as she scratches her cheek as Elvis gets upset about his ascot; she can't say she's terribly knowledgable about the different kinds of neckerchief, but she'll have to keep that in mind...
"Do you think so? I wouldn't mind seeing you in something formal..." Riesenlied expresses to Noeline, though she leaves it at that as she leads them towards the airship itself.
~*~
Cetiri's laboratory is fairly humble -- it's a room within the Fereshte itself, and there's an appreciable amount of scientific equipment that's been affixed to mounted boards along one side such that it suggests this ship gets into a great deal of rough-and-tumble. A number of the equipment is also Hyadean in nature, though a little bit crude, culminating in an examination table along the centre...
...
... which is being occupied by a fairly large, sleek black metallic dog-shaped Hyadean curling up in a basket, her whip-like tail lazily waving back and forth. When Riesenlied enters, however, one of her 'eyes' -- actually a metallic flap with a blinker lights up--
"Daughters," she intones, with the dulcet tones of an alto combined with a cement mixer. Plural, apparently, because Everyone is her Daughter.
"Cetiri, I've brought some people who were interested in the Tainted condition," Riesenlied expresses warmly. "This is Leah, a Drifter, and Elvis."
She shifts a little, as if it's teeeeeeerribly hard to get out of her comfortable basket-bed that's totally not inspired after a dog's, and paces on all fours onto the floor and looks up to the Drifters.
"Charmed. I am Cetiri, Riesenlied's ... original creator, a long, long time ago, but we've since moved onto mother and daughter."
... w-why does she look like she's expecting pets??
<Pose Tracker> Leah Sadalbari has posed.
It /is/ a very impressive mustache. ...And Elvis is, apparently, a man of science. Leah turns towards him briefly enough to watch that particular display. She notes the muscly arms; she notes the enthusiasm... the feel of ether in the air. And of course, his /personal/ permission, though not his subject's, and really does that part count?
"A geneticist," she replies, clearly impressed.
And then a smile back to Lydia again--it might be the same smile as before, just brought back to mind--and Leah nods back. "The family you settle with is the most important, I think," Leah answers. It's even sincere. "...But maybe you're right--disturbed, jealous... I can think of a lot of reactions. The simple truth is that they serve me well, even if I wasn't born with them."
Leah looks to Riesenlied next, facing her as perhaps an answer to that warmth. "There's little I need... But seeing people coming together in times like these is a treat of its own. I'll be glad to stay the night, and share some of what I have. ...I'mpressive that you can set up the village so quickly, though."
The matter of fashion... Well, Solarian fashions...
"It's quite fine," Leah answers. "I like a man who understands style, personally."
-=-=-
Leah follows along with the others--of course she does. Stepping out with the others, she looks over Cetiri.... who does seem as if she was terribly comfortable.
"It's a pleasure and an honor to meet you," Leah says smoothly in greeting, hand at her chest before she lowers it. "...Though it's the professor here who's the geneticist, not me."
<Pose Tracker> Lydia Seren has posed.
"If we were tease free I'd be pretty much out of luck," Lydia admits. She gives Noeline a fond nod but then LOUD NOISES from ELVIS who didn't seem to enjoy being called a neckerchief-wearer!
Lydia's response to his freak out, education, and apology. "Hey it's cool. I get it. Ascot it is then." She couldn't care less but it's important to Elvis so she'll play along. Honestly it's weirdly endearing. "I don't know what genetics are but I'm an engineer. Nice to meetcha."
She is hardly book taught though it's way easier for her to get books now. She glances over to Leah for a moment when she reveals she knows what even studies genetics. A geneticist. Makes sense to her.
"I wasn't either. Didn't ask for 'em. One day I'll find the guy who did it and I'll..."
She considers this.
"Find emotional catharsis probably." She looks back to Elvis. "It's a really good mustache. Like I can't even with being a dude but mustaches like that are probably why people decide to be one."
Naturally, she is coming along to Cetiri's lab. It feels like it's been forever. "Hey old lady!" Lydia waves in the dog's direction. "I brought you something!"
She reaches into her toolkit and draws out...
...a bone shaped socket wrench. "Tada! It's a wrench in the shape of a bone!" Is...it even usable?
<Pose Tracker> Elvis has posed.
"Always worth comparing notes!" Elvis says toward Noeline, thrusting a finger in to the air. "Having reference material to compare test findings to makes the results all the more conclusive." A brow is raised toward her latter comment however. "Ah, what is a cravat?" he asks, clearly unsure if that is even a word.
Not /quite/ as sophisticated as he may let on, it seems.
"Yes! The study of the very building blocks that comprise our being," Elvis comments toward Leah. A look toward Lydia. "Here is a good way to look at it from a mechanical engineer standpoint! Genetics and referencing DNA sequences is not unlike metallurgy and looking at the purity of smelted metals!" Not a bad comparison, if a bit heavy-handed. "It is not a study often chased in this day and age, but it has incredible possibility! Especially in solving problems such as Zopt Syndrome." A pause, perhaps a twitch. "And the VR Factor."
---
"A functioning airship! Fascinating." Not many are seen these days. Veruni have their own, and reports of an unidentified group have their own, sensed passing over Control Zones, but one held by those outside of superior tech factions is a sight.
Elvis' eyes alight upon entering the lab. It may be behind what he has at his own, but that did not matter one bit.
And then he sees the Hydaean mastiff-like being. "Greetings, fellow scientist, Cetiri! I am Elvis!" This announcement is accompanied but a body flex. Why was it done, no one will ever know. "I have had humans and other beings request that I look in to Riesenlied with what I can do. She recommended I speak with you!"
He says that in a way that may feel like Riese isn't even in the room, even though she is /right there/.
"So, you are Hydaean as well?" he asks Cetiri. Hum, her insight would be incredibly helpful if he is to try something.
<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.
At least Noeline has the grace to look quietly amused, helping Riesenlied as they begin to walk in the direction of Cetiri's lab. "... I shall make a note of that," she teases gently, but laughs afterwards in a surprisingly genuine fashion. "And, I did try one once. To be honest-- I didn't quite like the way they flap around, but maybe I was aiming too large at the time."
"Cetiri," she greets once they arrive, tilting her head in a remarkably respectful hello. She doesn't provide pets yet, if only because petting the mother-in-law feels perhaps a bit close to treading on Cetiri's toes. "Elvis has been looking into the rich variety of debilitating Filgaian diseases," she huffs after a moment, always a little aggrieved at just how dangerous their planet is determined to be to all and sundry. "And had been asked to help look into Riese's condition as well."
She chuckles lightly at Leah, waving the other woman into Cetiri's laboratory. "Well... you get used to it after a while, I suppose. New Petra is named such for a reason - it isn't the first time we've settled here, let alone the rest of the places we've ended up along the way. Nor would it be the first time we've had to retreat rather quickly, should anything ever happen. Something about an interesting life," she sighs theatrically to herself.
She's about to say something to Lydia's present, but she's not really sure... what. Somehow it seems faintly rude, and on the other hand she's learnt not to underestimate Cetiri's ability to be pampered, and the fervent way in which she dotes over her many, many daughters. Before she can actually say anything, though, Elvis has filled the room with his presence, and Noeline just chuckles to herself as she lets the initial discussions shake out instead. "'Functioning' might be rather generous. It flies, certainly, but it could be better described as a careful hover. For various reasons, we've learned it's best not to try to aim too close to the sun just yet," she adds with a rueful grin. She's clearly rather irked still at the way in which Gebler immediately raced to pluck them out of the air.
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Riesenlied is similarly impressed; she's definitely the least scientific person here, given that the last time Cetiri tried to explain her powers to her, she eventually had to give up and settle for 'spooky action at a distance'. Which is cutting it terribly short, but when you have to come up with one-liners to make your daughter understand...
"We're... used to it," Riesenlied bashfully says to Leah. "We've had a streak of attracting undue attention, from a lot of powerful foes like our brethren, and the Demon of Elru, and Gebler." She leaves it there, since she knows Noeline is probably going to go on a tear about it soon enough about people not being able to leave them well enough alone.
She does smile at her, however; she wants to try new things, for the both of them, and the encouragement seems to spur her onwards.
Cetiri, on the other hand, pauses to intone, blinkers turning light red, "Lydia, are you attempting to bribe me with this... this... treat-shaped handyman's tool?"
She puts on a poker face. But like mother like daughter, she doesn't notice her tail wagging back and forth /very excitedly/...
Elvis flexes. "I see. Yes, I would be able to provide notes and share information," she croons as if proud for a moment; "Peer review is the best way to proceed with an investigation, after all."
She paces towards a back table where there's a vial of red, blood-like substance; several scales have also been suspended in a pure water solution, it seems.
"I've some samples here -- of particular note is the way the Tainted bleed red, like humans do; I know not if you've seen Hyadean blood before, but it tends to be a quicksilver-white."
There is another question, and--
"I am, indeed, Hyadean. I pray my guise does not give you discomfort. There was an unfortunate..." A pause. "Transformation accident, a long long time ago."
<Pose Tracker> Leah Sadalbari has posed.
One day she'll find the guy who did it. That's probably true for Lydia. Emotional catharsis.
"I hope you do," Leah answers Lydia simply. The story Lydia gives could easily give someone an idea that she'd need to.
Leah's fine with cravats. Elvis's take on genetics as compared to engineering though is... interesting. "My studies are more about what builds us up in society," she answers him. "Rather than on an organism basis. ...I have no real training in biology or medicine, beyond first aid and a bit of healing magic. I'm impressed by those who go into it, though."
A beat, "...VR Factor?" Leah asks, simply.
-=-=-
"Flight--now that /is/ interesting," Leah agrees with Elvis, though when Noeline disputes its functioning Leah covers a little laugh with her hand. "Even so," she offers. "It's quite impressive. I'd like to see it in action one day."
Humans... and other beings. Leah catches that, all right. But rather than focus on it for the moment, she simply lets herself look in some surprise at Elvis at the time--maybe someone will see it--and then turns again to Noeline.
"Ah, yes. It's a curse, in many places--to live in interesting times. I suppose you at least get to see a lot of new people that way. You bear up well under it regardless."
Leah remains gentle in her interactions with Riesenlied so far. 'Undue attention'. She sighs, though, at the litany of troubles Riesenlied gives. "If I hadn't seen the Demon's devastation myself..." She trails off, shaking her head. "I'm impressed that you've thrived under such conditions."
But there's Cetiri, and Lydia's... gift. That's quite interesting. Her own poker face of course is pretty distinct... But this--
Lydia smiles. The smile fades as she glances to the red blood, and looks thoughtful.
"Sometimes accidents happen," Leah answers Cetiri with a small nod, "And we adapt as best we can to the realities of our bodies in their wake."
<Pose Tracker> Lydia Seren has posed.
Lydia Seren isn't really sure what she intends to do about it though. She's come out somewhat strongly against the murders and just beating him up sounds dangerous to more than just herself. She has to think about this still.
Beyond first aid, Leah says, and a bit of healing magic. It makes her think of other medics, most of whom are pretty terrifying.
Elvis explains what genetics are. The comparision is a good one because metallurgy is something Lydia is actually quite good at. "Ohh I get it. Like alloys that make up us instead of like a sword or whatever."
She frowns faintly. Matilda lost her mom to Zopt Syndrome, and a friend of hers is suffering thanks to VR Factor. "So you're Veruni, then?" Lydia asks. "I have a friend who is Veruni that could use help. The Guardians weren't able to help...but if there's something /I/ can do to help, I'd like to."
Lydia can't help but grin when Elvis of all people (who clearly comes from a civilization with a higher tech level) gushes over flight. "Heh hehh...well the sky is just the beginning. Eventually...we'll go right into space." Seems like the report about Lydia wanting to develop space travel is not inaccurate at all. Of course it might be hard to believe that's within her capabilities.
Before Lydia can get too arrogant at Elvis, Lydia looks to Leah. "Some of the tech was already in place, but a big challenge is just getting the structure of the ship to work. They're not supposed to fasten together the way it is, so we kind of have to get creative." She doesn't have much to say about the Demon of Elru but she says, "Pretty much everyone wants to kill us because I guess we don't want to kill people enough? I'm not sur ewhat goes through their head."
But now is the time for bribery. "Yes." She tells Cetiri. "I am totally attempting to bribe you with this treat-shaped handyman's tool." She holds it out for Cetiri and pretends to be like whatever about it.
<Pose Tracker> Elvis has posed.
A look towards Noeline. That was a good introduction! "There is a folding technique you can do to make any sized decorative ascot or similar fit you well," he suggests. If they have some spare time he may even show her it! "Ah, really? Huh. A shame. Though I hope you can find a way to fix it." Admittedly he probably could help with that as well, though one thing at a time. H needed to stick to the goal. Don't spread too thin.
A look to Lydia. She has produced a-- is that some kind of bone shaped tool? And is the scientist actually in to it?! "Uh. Okay. Well I can't fault you for ingenuity on that one," he comments. The man trundles over to the samples, looking close at the blood. "Indeed, I have, ah. What is the easiest way to put this, considering company? 'Investigated' Metal Demons. This was of course a long time ago. Before the current conventions of who is allied with whom."
A thought for a moment. "Something is present i nthe blood that alters its color. I can't say what at a cursory glance. Specific proteins cause blood to be red in Humans. Something that functions similar would be a guess, though normal Metal Demons don't function anywhere near the same."
A small headshake toward Cetiri. "Not at all. You looked rather comfortable on oru entry, so I say it was a good choice."
A look to Leah. A normal facial expression, but one could feel a graven weight to his gaze. "It's a similar issue to Zopt, but for Veruni. Weakness, Frailty, Death. Same pattern in all, and there is no cure, only resistant medication."
"Pretty much!" Elvis says toward Lydia. Elvis has had some hands working in the metalworks at times, physical engineering is not something he is unaware of. He enjoys building Golems, after all. Well, used to. He hasn't in a looong time. Just talking about it makes him want to try again.
A look to Lydia, followed by a slow nod. "I am." Admittedly his form could be mistaken for some massive human, though more perceptive can see the differences. Like his hand size. Those are big. "/Space/ you say?" he says, chuckling. "That would be quite the venture! Though the important thing would be to make sure to seal the cabins evenly."
Wait, how does he know that?
SCIENCE.
"I can let you know, though at the moment I am stuck in an investigative loop until I find the connections to VR's source."
<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.
Noeline does at least give Riese a faintly guilty look, and though she huffs under her breath she seems intent on leaving it at that, knowing there isn't a great deal to be gained from griping any further. She really has gotten better about that, or at least she'd like to think so - that time has worn her down and smoothed out the edges of that particular irritation. Besides, she knows full well she can take pride in New Petra as it stands.
Cetiri's comment about Riesenlied's blood gives her pause - and it's a mark of how far she's come herself that, after a moment to hesitate, she nods her head towards Elvis. "... if you need a control sample to compare it against, I can provide that. I dare say there aren't many who would call me 'normal' when it comes down to it, but I can at least help out in that fashion."
Leah gets a thoughtful look, then a sigh as Noeline rakes a hand through her hair. "I don't know that I would particularly consider it a curse, on the whole - listlessness is even worse, if you ask me - but I suppose I'm forced to admit I've been spending more time curled up with my books as of late. We have certainly had no end of major worldshaking events as of late - still, it is our promise and pledge to keep going. I don't know that any of us could stop, these days."
"Not to mention the sails," she adds towards Lydia, as far as the Fereshte is concerned, and folds her arms. "I don't honestly know how you managed to come up with those, nor how it manages to keep the thing aloft. I'm sure they should be coming apart at the seams with the drag, and yet-- well. It certainly cuts a unique figure in the sky, and what more could we ask for?"
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
"... it's been a struggle, at times," Riesenlied does admit. "But it's through everyone's efforts that we've been able to pull through, through thick and thin. The passion and dedication is not mine alone -- it's everyone who's made this village possible."
Cetiri has a low rumble that goes through her synthesizers that passes for a chuckle, to Leah. "Indeed." Though those in the know back at the Photosphere would hear that it may have not been an accident at all... but, that's how rumors spread.
Leah does ask about VR Factor, and... Riesenlied kind of lowers her head for a moment. "It's a similar degenerative disease affecting a group of people, some of whom we work with." She nods at Elvis to lower her head. "... weakness... frailty..." She's kind of distracted, stepping a little closer to Noeline and holding her hand tightly.
Cetiri does struggle for a moment at Lydia, before-- clearing her throat (/ha-hem/) which mostly sounds like she broke her microphone. "I will savour it /later/. Science awaits now, and I am a dog-shaped Hyadean of /principle/."
Maybe she has something in common with Elvis...
Elvis muses about proteins, and comments, "It comes from an excessive amount of impurity within the structure of our building blocks -- our living metal." She tilts her head. "From what I have studied, the impurity prevents cohesiveness and causes the material to destabilise over time... much like VR Factor, however, we do not know about the /source/ of the impurity that is causing these ailments."
Cetiri pauses at Noeline, and then has a pleasant rumble once more. "Well, well. I would not have expected that, though fear not. We can provide that information as well, Sir Elvis."
A pause. "I can send you a more detailed report, if you allow me time to prepare. In the meantime, I can part with these samples."
<Pose Tracker> Lydia Seren has posed.
"Fatal, ultimately," Lydia adds on the matter of VR Factor, looking over to Leah. She stops trying to bribe Cetiri at least since she is a dog of principle.
Lydia looks at Elvis with wide eyes. Normally her dreams about space travel are treated way more skeptically! Then again, Kaguya seemed to buy into it too, she thinks. "Seal the cabins evenly! Got it!" This might not be the sort of thing you want your space engineer to say, but she does write it down in a notebook. "Seal cabins...evenly." She murmurs to herself before she nsaps it shut.
"VR's source? Hm...I figured it was radiation but." She closes her eyes for a moment before adding, "Well the Guardians don't know either, I'm afraid. I guess that means I don't have much help to give just yet. Maybe there's a clue in a ruin or something."
She does at least seem to thiink Elvis is pretty cool???
"Fewer crashes?" Lydia offers to Noeline.
<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.
Noeline grumbles in response to Cetiri's comment, and the dog-shaped scientist's dry humour. "... what? I can at least admit that I need to be doing my part as well. Besides, we should at least check if I even count as viable, should we not? The last thing we need is for me to give a-- transfusion, and find that I've just stuck a sliver of Medium into someone else or something."
Given the Medium isn't as immutable as living metal, that fear is probably unfounded, but it's enough for her to look comically glum over, and she tugs Riesenlied lightly towards her to let the other woman cling to her arm. "One step at a time, I suppose," she shoots back at Lydia with a smirk. "Let us be entirely fair - I think it has only crashed under its /own/ power once."
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Outside, the Dragon-shaped bulkhead of the Fereshte gains a # mark and looks strangely more pouty for a moment...