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Post by Veliky on Mar 19, 2023 18:47:33 GMT -5
You never know what it'll be when you get a letter from Veliky: sometimes, it's an expedition into a subterranean city that ends with a massive battle against her own constructs; sometimes, it's a sudden call to shovel sentient rocks out of her driveway; sometimes, it's to dress up as maids for what she describes as a "marketing experiment." The importance of these tasks is often difficult to glean for anyone but herself, and often apparently random considering her status as a renowned and feared CEO of a shadowy organization.
But this time, the request is not strange for its outlandishness. Indeed, given her track record, what makes this request so unexpected is just how ordinary -- how mundane and, indeed, how seemingly altruistic -- this particular endeavour is. The recent epidemic of beached manta gliders is common knowledge amidst the Crescent Isle by now. But the fact that Veliky apparently wants to aid the situation is information privy only of a certain rabbitaur, who hadn't heard from the tyrannical quarterling in months. And yet a letter was sent, and a letter was received, noting a location at which to meet along the Crescent Coast.
And it's here that Veliky waits, watching the morning-lit ripples of the westward Luna Sea. Gathered are her myriad constructs, standing ready -- albeit not in military formation, as they usually are. They tin hulls gleam in the morning sun as they stand watch over their mistress.
She lets in a deep breath, tasting the sea-breeze as it wafts into her nostrils. The coast... she hates it here. Too much sand; makes laundry that much more of a bitch. But she's put herself through more egregious conditions in order to accomplish a task.
Still, she can't begin until her compatriot arrives... Damned letters, she never knows whether or not they've actually been received. Someday, she'll create a better system for all this.
Bringing Minions Bishop-12 (Warlord) Fisher-06 (Corsair) Gutter-04 (Corsair)
Bringing Pets Lag Switch-07 (Ashlands Jackal) Raider-01 (Baby Bone Naga) Vampire-04 (Vampire Bat) {Sleigh Bell}
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Post by Leni-Aura Thunderpaw on Mar 19, 2023 19:32:51 GMT -5
Leni-Aura received a letter; as an exile and runaway, she understandably does not often receive letters. As a traveler, she also does not often receive letters; and as a woman with few allies, and fewer friends, she still does not receive many letters.
So when she does receive a letter, she is surprised; and then she is not pleased to receive this letter, because it is from a particular quarterling with a habit of asking for favors for questionable reasons. In fact, she considered ignoring it altogether under the excuse that she has already answered one of Veliky’s callings months ago in taking Astrid across the Lightning Fields… however, the contents of the letter do give her a slight hesitation that keeps her from ripping it to pieces where she stands.
She still has it now, in fact; held between her hands as she steps through the shifting sands of Crescent Isle’s coast. Leni-Aura looks out towards the Luna Sea, ears tilting back as she spies the gulls crying above, circling around the waning tides before drifting down to the packed silt to peck at bubbling holes in the earth. She looks over her shoulder as Nimbus chatters curiously, his claw-tipped wings shifting against her armour; he holds a look in his eyes as though he wants to join them and see what’s so interesting out there.
Leni-Aura waves her hand dismissively, which is enough permission for Nimbus; he hops off and glides towards the seagulls, instantly scattering them back into the sky with his presence. She glances after him for a moment, before looking off towards her intended destination.
Of course she can’t see Veliky; but she can certainly see her bots.
As the sun rises over the azure horizon line, bleeding crimson into the pale sky, Leni-Aura steps up to the closest Blixtbot™. She offers it a side-eye, “Where is Veliky?” She requests, gazing past it into the myriad of arcanic tech that Veliky keeps with her at all times, with hopes of spying the quarterling amongst their hulls.
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Post by Veliky on Mar 19, 2023 20:06:33 GMT -5
The process of the Blixtbot™[1] turning to look at Leni is a long one, beginning with a creaking rotation of its head followed by a gradual tilting of its entire upper body in order to look down upon her. When it finally casts its crimson glow on the defiant little rabbitaur, gears and other mechanisms click in its mechanical mind as it processes the image.
The completion of this thought is a definite thing, like when a loaf of bread is complete and ready to cool. "Conscript Leni-Aura, report: Mistress Veliky is currently-"
"Right here." interjects a familiar voice as the little quarterling steps into view, arms crossed and expression unmoving. She barely seems to have changed at all, though there is a notable difference: now, inscribed in arcane lettering on her lapel, is her name in both Common and another script that's recognizable as the language of the Crescent Isle. "It's been some time. Sorry for the short notice; things have been overbooked with the incursions lately. Feels like the Ziev incident has turned the whole country into a damned circus."
She eyes the rabbitaur up and down -- and back, too. She doesn't know too many people that're so present in the Z-axis as Leni-Aura of the Thunderpaw Warren. The rabbit-warritrix still utterly dwarfs Veliky, despite her humanoid body not being much larger than Veliky's own. Though they have definitely upgraded their armour: plates now guard where there was once only leather.
She also looks to the sky, where Leni's drake is currently terrorizing the local wildlife. Nimbus is... definitely bigger now. Veliky lets out a little groan, hoping that it doesn't come down any time soon.
But that's a later issue. For now, Veliky has something quite serious to ask her conscript whom she looks back to with blank eyes.
"Are you doing alright? After all that?"
1. Fisher-06
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Post by Leni-Aura Thunderpaw on Mar 19, 2023 20:33:08 GMT -5
The sand shifts underpaw when Leni-Aura steps back, hazel eyes narrowing skeptically at the Blixtbot™ as it shifts towards her; her ears lie flat to the sides of her head, lips pursed defiantly as it looks down at her.
It says nothing at all until it’s fully turned towards her; when the screech of metal ceases, it finally starts to talk— only to be interrupted by a familiar, stern voice. The fur along Leni-Aura’s back bristles, gaze turning sharply to catch Veliky in her peripheral as she steps back to make room for the quarterling’s arrival. “Veliky,” she greets, her ears lifting as her eyes search the little woman’s figure: she looks almost exactly the same, save for something pinned to her chest.
Now that Leni-Aura is learning how to read, she understands that it simply states Veliky’s name above a bunch of illegible scribbles. She does not really understand why she has this; does it save time in introductions?
Leni-Aura dips her head in greeting nonetheless, “It has been a while,” she answers curtly; but there’s a sharp and notable shift in the rabbitaur’s stance at the mention of Ziev. Brows furrowed, the rabbitaur offers Veliky a shaded leer, ears tilting back as her paws sink deeper into the silt. “…Yes.” She answers chokingly after a moment, “It seems that way, doesn’t it?” Slowly, Leni-Aura raises her head while avoiding eye-contact.
The encounter with Ziev had left her with scars both physical and mental; with the realization that Avasha was not only dead, but had been dead for every moment of her young life. Every prayer, every thought of acknowledgement, had fallen upon deaf ears for all this time; a gift in which she thought the goddess had chosen her, deemed her worthy enough to live, was but one of Ziev’s many manipulations scattered across the lands of Charon.
Even now, she still uses that gift; and sometimes, it feels wrong.
The flapping of wings brings her back to the present; where she stands with Veliky on the shore of the Crescent Isle. A weight falls upon her shoulder, where Nimbus has returned; she looks up towards him, watching a few feathers drift from the corners of his mouth. She does not know if he’s eaten one of the birds, or if he’s only plucked their feathers; she will not ask.
“I am as good as I can be after all that happened, miss Veliky.” It comes out blunt, with little room for more question; at least, she hopes that’s how it comes across, because she feels her tone comes quieter than usual despite her intentions. She reaches up to brush her fingertips against Nimbus’ snout as he lowers his head towards her, his clicks sounding similar to the loudness of a cat’s purr. “You seem well given all that has happened; but I am guessing talking about this is not why you have called me here, yes?”
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Post by Veliky on Mar 19, 2023 21:12:32 GMT -5
...So it has been difficult for her. Veliky had expected it to be so, but seeing it confirmed is still a surreal thing. Leni is often stoic, her rare bursts of emotion usually coming in the form of righteous anger -- or so her psychological profile indicates. But now, much of her understanding of the world has been torn away from her. She's likely only now building a new outlook, painted with bitterness and confusion...
Not a good prospect. She's likely to go through many changes in the near future; Veliky will need to be cautious. But this job should be easy enough; not nearly stressful enough to warrant a psyche-eval. Hell, it might even be therapeutic for her.
There's little warmth in Veliky's eyes, of course. To see any would be a surprise. But there is a faint softness in her voice -- she understands the gravity of what Leni is experiencing, even if she doesn't sympathize. "...I never put much stock in gods. Didn't change much for me. Wouldn't mind kicking Ziev's teeth in, though... But you're right. We've got things to do."
She turns away and begins walking down the beach, but not before signalling Leni to follow her with a crick of her neck. "A tidal wave hit the coast, recently. Brought a bunch of sea-life with it. Several creatures have gotten beached or trapped in pools. We're going to patrol down the coast and try to rescue any stranded wildlife we see. And, seeing as you seem to have a rapport with animals," she says with a pointed glance at the reptile on Leni's back, "I figured you'd be a good choice to bring along."
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Post by Leni-Aura Thunderpaw on Mar 19, 2023 21:27:19 GMT -5
“I suppose you were smart to do so,” Leni-Aura remarks without a second thought, but there’s little venom in the words; only a regretful hindsight. She looks to Nimbus, watching the drake lift his head to gaze at Veliky— recognition in his cyan eyes tells her he recognizes Veliky from some of their previous encounters. Not particularly keen to talk further of the conversation, she takes the change of topic in stride, “Yes— and what are those things, exactly?”
The sand shifts underpaw, kicking up at her heels as she follows Veliky’s motions down past the shore. “I heard of the tidal wave on my way,” she admits; luckily, or perhaps unluckily, she had been in King’s Valley when she received her letter… which meant her boat-ride to the Crescent Isles was longer than she would have preferred. Of her four legs, none of them are accustomed to the sea.
She blinks slowly at Veliky as the woman admits she wanted her here for her rapport with animals; which, is… well… she shares a glance with Nimbus, who chitters happily at her, before she looks at Veliky. “I see.” She answers; she looks out across the shoreline, watching the waves lap against packed silt. Nimbus’ attention is drawn to a seagull overhead, flapping about at the places the rolling waves have left scraps of seaweed.
Now that she’s looking at it, there is debris everywhere.
She hadn’t thought much of it before, but the evidence grows more clear as she speaks to the quarterling. “This seems…” Leni-Aura trails off, “…not usual, for your line of work.” She remarks, offering Veliky a side-glance without turning her head. “Usually it is deliveries, or something to do with your bots. What brought you here to help the beached animals?”
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Post by Veliky on Mar 19, 2023 21:45:27 GMT -5
'Not an unfair question." Veliky supposes. Considering for a moment; yes, this probably would seem unusual for someone with only a baseline knowledge of Platinum Corp's operations. Hell, Veliky isn't altogether sure that Leni even knows about Platinum Corp. Still, that leaves Veliky with a question of her own: how the hell does she explain it?
It's a moment before she answers. "Platinum Corp isn't just a business. Our mission is to maintain order in society, at every level, and that means fixing problems everywhere. We do everything that adventurers like you do; we just do it with more coordination and efficiency, and less collateral damage. These washed-up animals can be dangerous to passerby's and anyone who might try to help them, so we're here to send them back to where they came."
Then she raises her head, peering into the distance. "...Isn't there some Common saying about talking about devils?" At first, her words seem nonsensical at best. But if one follows her gaze, they can see the subject of her intrigue: some several hundred meters away is a large pool, disconnected from the sea. It's difficult to tell exactly what's happening, but there's some chaotic movement flapping about.
"That could be what we're looking or. Come on."
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Post by Leni-Aura Thunderpaw on Mar 19, 2023 22:19:55 GMT -5
“…Platinum Corp?”
No, she has in fact not heard of Platinum Corp; although, even that is not entirely untrue, given Veliky’s reputation… she has heard of Platinum Corp, but has simply not had any connections back to the quarterling to really associate her with it. “So… you are just here to help?” She answers, dumbing down Veliky’s answer to its most simple statement.
Still seems weird; she shakes her head as Veliky peers off into the distance. “Common is not my first language, I could not say...” she responds with hesitation; she, of all people, would have no idea what common saying Veliky is thinking of— but their conversation is cut short suddenly by the splash of water some ways away. Leni-Aura blinks, perking her ears as she turns towards the movement.
With a nod, Leni-Aura follows after Veliky until they arrive to the source of the problem. As the duo crest over the edge of a rocky tide pool, they find themselves looking down upon the motion.
Amongst scattered debris and uprooted kelp lies the bodies of a couple of flat creatures that Leni-Aura has never seen before; they lie amongst a shallow pool, their wings flapping helplessly as they shift and bump into one another. Long, lashing tails thrash through the air behind them— long barbs glinting in the morning sun as they roil and crack against the sandstone— sending shards flying into the sand.
Their gills flare as they raise their wings; and for all of their massive size, they are intimidating; teeth gnashing as they squirm and writhe against gravity— but ultimately, they will only tire themselves out. The tide has fallen far from the pool, lapping quietly at the damp sand, and leaving ribbons of foam against its dark silt— a tauntingly short, but considerable distance for the sea-dwelling creatures, even if they were to squirm their way from this shallow pool.
Leni-Aura frowns; her ears tilt forwards, catching the low, distressed groans of the creatures; whispers of anger, fear, and despair that are almost illegible in their state of anxiety as they struggle against one another— overlapping, trampling, and suffocating one another in their attempts to escape certain doom.
It’s… hard to watch.
Leni-Aura offers Veliky a glance, brows furrowed slightly. “So how do we get them out?” She asks, assuming the woman certainly has to have a plan for this, because… well, this is what she came here to do, right?
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Post by Veliky on Mar 20, 2023 18:55:03 GMT -5
Marching near the edge of the pool, mechanical convoy behind her, she looks down upon the creatures that writhe so piteously. Their slimy bodies intermingling in such an alien way, it's difficult to tell where one ends and the other begins. And knowing that, somewhere amidst the heap of cartilage, there are barbs lined with paralytic venom...
It doesn't welcome interaction.
Veliky closes her eyes for a moment before turning to Leni. "I could temporarily incapacitate them with a spell, then use another spell that should calm them down long enough for us to interact with them. Problem is, the spell is... inhumane. So if you have any other ideas, I'm all ears."
'All ears' is another peculiar Common phrase she's heard, but she's fairly certain that she's using it right. And indeed, she is all ears; if she were on her own, she'd use her proposed method in a heartbeat. But she wants to know just how the fierce Leni would handle such a delicate situation...
"Inhumane?" Leni-Aura offers Veliky a strange sideglance, "I..." She lowers her ears, turning her eyes back to the creatures. "Last resort." she answers, "I would rather not hurt them if we can help it— they are already scared."
So she does have a soft side. Leni's a strange specimen, layered in unexpectedness. Beneath the fluff and cuteness is a fierce warrior, and further beneath that is a sensitive heart -- or part of one, at least. Veliky finds it somewhat amusing.
...
It also slightly pisses her off, though it's no fault of Leni's. '...This isn't how people see me, is it?'
She shakes the thought away. "Well then our options are limited." There's a bit of frustration in her tone before she enters a contemplative stance -- one she lingers in for some time.
"Well... I could summon some food to distract them. Not sure what the hell these things eat, anyway."
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Post by Leni-Aura Thunderpaw on Mar 20, 2023 20:17:11 GMT -5
Leni-Aura frowns, considering the thrashing creatures down below; water splashes beneath their wings, tails flailing desperately for a hold on anything; until they do, finally, tire themselves out. The one atop slows, until it droops and begins to bob helplessly in the shallow water; its face holds no emotion, but it feels despairing nonetheless.
“Food may work… Fish, probably.” she ponders, thinking of the way Nimbus can often be so food motivated. “But if they cannot get out of the pool, feeding them likely will not help much…” She shifts her weight between paws, pursing her lips as she reaches beneath the fabric of the armour loosened around her neck. She catches the twine with her index finger, pulling from it a single piece of jewelry previously hidden; one which appears to be a necklace.
Something about it seems to make her sheepish initially; she turns her gaze from Veliky, brows furrowing slightly as she steps away from the quarterling’s side. Her fingers curl around the necklace, before dropping it.
“Hello,” she greets the creatures down below as she paces at the cliff of the tide pool. “How can we help you?”
Her greeting causes the largest of the two to thrash slightly, its face jerking just enough for one of its eyes to hesitantly falter on her. It seems agitated by her voice, strangely enough; as though it does not understand her, or perhaps it has just noticed her; but then, it makes a sound. Beneath the waves, a low moan gurgles between the manta’s sharp teeth.
“What an ugly fish.”
Leni-Aura’s brows furrow and twitch at its comment, which is quickly shot back by a chattering growl from Nimbus. “That’s my mom!”
“Two ugly fish…”
Her eyes roll as she takes another step around the tide pool; aren’t they pleasant already? “Enough; we want to help you back into the sea. How can we?” Nimbus’ tail twitches irritably against her mid-back.
The other manta speaks this time, “It’s steep!”
“The pool?”
“Too steep!” The manta beneath the other suddenly lunges forwards, its body molding against the slope— but Leni-Aura can see it has so much room left to cover before it could ever hope to make it to the top. Not to mention, it’s going the wrong way completely; heading straight towards the sand. Even if it made it, it would certainly meet a new challenge.
Leni-Aura breathes out, listening to the mantas begin to chatter and bemoan their situation; she looks back to Veliky and her bots, “It’s too steep for them to get out on their own—“
“Too steep!”
“— your things. Can they dig? Could we dig them back out to the ocean?”
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Post by Veliky on Mar 20, 2023 22:11:55 GMT -5
She is talking to the manta rays.
Veliky isn't sure what she was expecting. She knew that Leni-Aura had some sort of rapport, given her keen ability to coordinate with Nimbus. But talking to them? She looks on with a bit of revulsion... even if she could speak to an animal, she can't comprehend having a conversation with them. She can barely tolerate stupid people.
...She is actually talking to them, right? Veliky realizes, coming to think of it, that Leni could just be making shit up. Or she might've been more affected by the incident than Veliky had realized. Either way, Veliky can't help but take Leni's question with a grain of salt, or whatever the Common saying is.
"...Well, yes, we do have the necessary tools." she answers hesitantly. Then he looks to her idle constructs, who stand at the ready to do quite whatever task she might ask them, then back to Leni. "That'll require getting close to the rays, though. Can you guarantee that they'll be docile?"
Leni-Aura blinks, turning her gaze back to the mantas. "Would you let us near you?" she asks, taking a well-balanced seat on the edge of the tidepool. "You cannot climb out, but if you let us near, we can make a path back to the ocean."
One of the mantas flaps wildly, tail lashing, "The ocean?" it bellows, echoed by the other. "You will take us back to the ocean?"
Leni-Aura nods, "Only if you stop moving for a while."
"But... how will we get out if we do not move!?"
"Through the path, when it is finished, but your moving will cause trouble when it is not."
The mantas banter amongst themselves, their voices intelligible from where Leni-Aura stands, until one of them bumbles out, "If it will take us to the ocean, we will wait."
Leni-Aura looks back to Veliky, offering her a nod. Veliky supposes that's about as much confirmation as she could expect, and supposes further that, even if Leni is crazy and/or duplicitous, it'll only lead to the death of one measly bot. And so she signals to one of the bots to approach the pool. It does, saltwater moistening the sand as it steps, and as it comes within reach of those barbed stingers...
...
Nothing. They recoil somewhat at the sight of the tin monstrosity, but show no defiance.
Veliky waits a moment. Can never be too cautious. But, after a moment, it does appear that the rays are non hostile -- or compliant, at least.
She really can talk to manta rays. Veliky isn't sure whether that earns commendation or further skepticism; is the ability to talk to animals a merit, or just a sign of even greater perturbment? Veliky supposes it's a useful ability, either way.
With that settled, she signals to the rest of the bots and the excavation begins. The implements of the Blixtbots™ are a bizarre arsenal. As if they were morally opposed to the use of simple, conventional tools, near every instrument they use is some amalgamation of moving parts, some of which look terribly dangerous. Not to mention that the noises they make unsettle the rays greatly; it's only fortunate that they remain docile throughout the process. But, within the hour, a sizeable channel has been gouged through the sand. It's slightly cramped for the massive rays, but not altogether impassable.
Veliky stands with arms crossed, somewhat astonished that that plan worked at all. "Well?" she evokes with a sidelong glance at Leni. "Tell them they're free to go."
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Post by Leni-Aura Thunderpaw on Mar 20, 2023 22:35:08 GMT -5
Leni-Aura watches the bot approach, her gaze flicking between it and the mantas; the sand sinks with each step it takes, until its tin clicks against sandstone. She looks to the mantas as they recoil from it; one tucks its barbed tail close to it, hissing beneath the water; and the other remains where it is, but takes her advice not to move very literally as it bobs in the shallow water.
She thinks about going over to help Veliky, but instead, she stays where she is; the manta’s shift and writhe uncomfortably with the noise behind them— unable to see, but perfectly able to feel its vibrations.
So she speaks with them through it.
It’s a little odd hearing the one-sided conversation from the outside; but Leni-Aura perched upon the sandstone of the tidal pool, with Nimbus curled up on her shoulder, does her best to keep them calm. She assures them that they are not, in fact, trying to eat them; they are not trying to trick them; nor are they trying to kill them. She learns that they are of the same pod; and one of the mantas is anxious to return to its child, who they can hear calling out in the horizon of the sea every now and again.
The Rabbitaur’s gaze softens at this, and she keeps the mantas attention on her to allow Veliky and her blixtbots™ the most time to gouge through the sand.
She looks up when she hears Veliky’s voice, ears perked; she nods. “The path is done,” she tells the mantas. They wriggle in anticipation, wings beginning to rise and fall in the shallow water. “You may go.”
And, it doesn’t take her telling them twice; they are beasts of the sea, with desires to return home to the ocean. The largest of the two begins to writhe, but with more caution this time; though its barbed tail lashes, it skirts only the sandstone of the tidal pool as it tries to turn, until it’s successfully able to see the path.
Tail swaying, it pushes up through the shallow water, causing displaced waves to bleed into the packed sand. It thrashes and moves, slowly but surely, making its way out out with desperate flops and flaps through the narrow tunnel; followed by its manta companion. Leni-Aura watches them go— they’re not elegant, but their flopping eventually turns into a swim when between the tide and the pool, the channel starts to fill with shallow water.
Finally, the mantas are able to get into the water— and before long, as they reach deeper water— they thrash excitedly, diving beneath the surface and disappearing from their view. Leni-Aura looks after them, then glances into the tidepool where they had once been. “Well,” she remarks, “They have made it.” No sooner has she spoken, does a familiar form breach in the deep water; one of the mantas, joined by a significantly smaller manta— one unfamiliar to both— flaps their wings in the air before diving with hardly a splash back into the deep sea.
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