◣ OPEN ◢ HATCHING LOG 001

[raiamods]

WHO: All PCs
WHAT: New characters arrive on Ethyraia, get interrogated, and settle in at the basecamp.
WHEN: May 21 onward
WHERE: Basecamp Leviathan
NOTES/WARNINGS: Potential character nudity, violence, trypophobia (images) as well as light mentions of gore, alcohol and drug-use, light aphrodisiac effects (optional), and references to mass death.

HATCHING LOG 001 ❀

CONTENT WARNINGS: potential character nudity, violence, trypophobia (images) as well as light mentions of gore, alcohol and drug-use, light aphrodisiac effects (optional), and references to mass death.

Players who participated in our TDM are welcome to keep their CR and the content of those threads. Please make sure to chat this out on the OOC intro & CR meme before making assumptions. Please take your time reading the hatching and basecamp bullets, as some items have been altered or expanded.

❀ HATCHING

Congrats, you've woken up in an egg. I'm sure this is exactly how you wanted to spend your Saturday, right? There's no time to get curious and check out the other egg sacs. By the time you've fought your way out of the membranous sac, spilled electric blue goop everywhere, wiped it out of your eyes and sundry other orifices to get your bearings, you have a spear (or a gun) leveled at your face, throat, or other vital organs. Even if you might be inclined to fight, you can barely lift your arms to protest being grabbed and dragged off. Before you can even get a word in edgewise, you've been thrown into a holding cell.

Characters will not have a chance to retrieve their items at the time of the first hatching, and may not even know there is anything left in the remaining eggs.

The holding cell stinks of something sour and acidic, like rotted citrus, but you are not alone. Several other detainees sit in similar squalid confusion, dressed strangely and equally gooey. Time to make nice, ask questions... figure out what the hell is going on, and maybe do something about all that slime?

Over the next few days, a few things become clear. Despite the alien greeting, your captors speak a language that you understand, and the unpleasant circumstances are revealed to be a matter of necessity, not choice. Supplies are low, but they ensure that the new arrivals' time imprisoned is as painless as can be — they offer hot communal showers of less than three minutes, some strange starchy meal-replacement, and medical treatment to those in need. You might strike up a conversation with your new best friend in the shower over a low soap dispenser or when you realize you might need to share towels.

The cost of these luxuries comes in the form of touch-and-go interrogation by the security officers keeping tabs on the cells and supervising the shower time.

A few notes:

☆ Your character may get pulled away for interrogation at some point. No torture, no drugs; just questioning. If you would like to thread this out, please reply to CAPT CHILDE'S top level comment! A caveat: threads will not go beyond (TEN) NPC replies, and new tag-ins will not be responded to after MAY 24.

☆ Locals will be stopping by outside the freestanding holding cells to ogle or ask questions. Are you really going to be mean to that little kid staring at you with wide eyes?

☆ Characters will be let out for bio breaks. No one has to pee in a bucket, that's just inhumane!

☆ Attempts to escape will probably get you tasered. If your character composes a genius jailbreak, you are welcome to submit it in the MOD QUESTION comment to work out how that might go with the NPCs!

❀ EXPLORE THE BASECAMP

On the heels of a little benign interrogation, a medical inspection, and a stern talking to by Captain Childe, the survivors at Basecamp Leviathan determine one thing: you don't appear to be an active threat.

Released from the detention center after three days, you are given the run-down by the locals — you're on a planet called Ethyraia, and the people around you are survivors of the catastrophic crash of the UCSS Adamant several years prior. You, in fact, showed up on the third anniversary of the crash. Weird coincidence, huh?

The first order of the day is having a proper meal at the mess hall — some of the Adamant's survivors will be friendlier than others. They've been stranded here for years, remember? Some of them will be so desperate to talk to someone who has news of other places, and some will be giving you the cold shoulder.

You'll be fed the same as the rest of them. A plastic plate of crumbled protein of unidentifiable origin and gravy over rice with a single wilted stalk of broccoli and a cup of the worst coffee you've ever had. Maybe somebody bumps into you and spills said coffee, maybe you make it all the way to one of the long tables set out for communal eating.

Time to strike up a chat with your neighbor — maybe ask them to pass the salt?

(What do you mean, there's no salt!?)

During this time, characters will be able to return to the Central Chrysalis where they hatched. While there are no clues as to how they got there, they might find items — their own, or someone else's. Everyone is strapped for supplies, but try not to snatch up anything that isn't yours. The security officers don't look kindly on people chasing one other down the hall, trying to get back their dirty magazines.

A few notes:

☆ Feel free to help out anywhere. Every little bit of assistance you offer to the locals will raise their estimation of you. You could easily help clean dishes after the meal, help fix leaky piping or repair hammocks. You could stop by the aid station and assist with the wounded. You'll be watched closely and some of the survivors will be warier than others, but most will appreciate the opportunity to have a 'break'.

☆ If your character leaves the basecamp and wanders outside the Leviathan, they may begin to notice that what they perhaps took as a giant cave is actually an enormous dragon. Everything that seems human-made will look varying levels of worn down, patched, repaired and patched again. This is not a place of prosperity and happiness. Many people are recently injured, or have new scars or missing limbs.

☆ PCs will be warned about the acid rain and inhospitable wildlife that they'll face if they venture beyond the shade of the dragon's wings.

❀ RECRUITMENT FAIR

You've been here for a week, had a chance to show your mettle. Maybe you've demonstrated a propensity for fixing gadgets (or plumbing!) or you have the command of a natural leader and the ability to wield a gun (or a tire iron!) to great effect. Either way, the Adamant's survivors are eager to put you to work so they can have their first real 'days off' in three years! Survivors have set up their various areas in the hopes of catching your attention and (possibly!) bolster their numbers! Feel free to wander around, talk to other PCs, and get the lay of the land.

ENGINEERING CORPS

Thorkil has welded a sign to a post out front, cheerfully painted by a gaggle of children to say "WELCOME!" The children are crowded around the area, and Thorkil is telling them stories about one of his many tattoos as you approach — he has a magnificent eagle tattooed on his arm, and in a hush he is explaining how it landed on him and tried to bite him like a mosquito, and how he slapped it and it just splattered right there on his arm and he's never been able to wash it off!

The children seem mesmerized by the story (maybe you are too?) and will scatter at the story's conclusion, tugging you over to the various areas, pointing things out excitedly. What is an Ehlers-Chau sublight engine? You're about to find out whether you like it or not! Or maybe you can teach them a thing or two. Those who seem to know their stuff will be eagerly invited on board by Thorkil.

The Engineering division has salvaged its tools and scrap from the Adamant’s wreckage, so it has all of the essentials from metal mills to CNC routers to circuitry tools. A holo projector throws schematics on the wall — a drill, a few potential shelter ideas for long-term settlement, and a new communications tower.

SECURITY DIVISION

Rémi has barely deigned to participate — and seems to have done so only at the request of some of his companions. He's sitting at an unadorned table and he is cleaning a variety of weapons. He will scowl if approached, and seems openly mistrustful of your intentions should you speak to him. Questions about how a conversation with Rémi might go may be posted to the MOD QUESTIONS thread. (Note: We will not be threading Rémi, so these questions will be handwaved!)

Characters who make a positive impression on him will open up the avenue to work for the Security Division later, but he will not be extending any offers now — please allow for a realistic period of development here!

Feel free to lean into another PC's space and comment on how frosty that dude seems! You can also survey the various weapons stored in racks, help out with building spears, the usual suspects.

THEATRE

The theatre doubles as a childcare center, and many of the NPCs bustling about seem very excited and eager for the chance to talk to anyone who ventures in to visit. The theatre is bright and cheerful, paintings have been done on the walls of scenes from children's stories featuring colorful characters.

The thespians will not only try to recruit you (for acting in a play, for teaching, for script writing, for drawing on the walls or caring for children) but they will actively put you to work if they see you standing idle longer than a moment! Your character may find themselves with a paintbrush in hand, or taking part in a recital for a play (you're free to invent one, or put a new spin on an old classic! Romeo and Julio, anyone?) or building a set piece for one of the many local productions.

The Theatre doubles as the protective hub in times of need, so beyond arts education and babysitting, your character may also be tasked with shoring up those defenses, helping to fortify the walls, or other such tasks. And who knows, they may be paired off with someone else rather unexpectedly!

AID STATION

Sunya Hyacinth is the local medical doctor, fueled by coffee and spite. She doesn't have the time to recruit personally — she's flitting about the aid station seeing to the injured.

If you follow her, she will put you to work. Hold this stent, articulate this dislocation, take this blood pressure reading. If anyone appears to have a proficiency for this sort of work, she may inquire after credentials — and anyone who seems to have medical experience is going to immediately be handed the medic's armband, a white band with a blue cross emblazoned on it. This armband will grant any PC an extra amount of respect and trust from the Adamant's survivors — but you'd better be able to live up to it!

Feel free to treat any injured PCs, converse with other 'recruits', help pin that white and blue arm-band on... you know, anything under the sun. Some of the patients in the medical bay seem to be suffering from the adverse effects of some of the local flora — itching hives or burning pustules. One unfortunate soul seems only able to speak in limericks, which the medical staff will admit is one of the odder things they’ve seen.

SANITATION

CONTENT WARNING: DRUG REFERENCES

It's a dirty job, but somebody's gotta do it! There are always latrines to be dug, pipes to be repaired, general maintenance to be done on the various sanitation systems.

A nervous-looking janitor will approach your character almost shyly, and ask if you wouldn't mind giving her a hand. If you are willing to help her (fix a pipe, dig a hole, etc), she will gradually warm up to you and seem more animated and lively and very, very grateful. Won't you please consider working with the Sanitation crew? Sure, it's not as glamorous as some of the other duties, but they're the backbone of the Basecamp and they could really use the help!

She'll even let you in on a little secret if you really butter her up or show an interest — the Sanitation Crew? Totally has a little underground greenhouse where they're growing marijuana. They're totally willing to share...

Feel free to dig latrines alongside your fellow PCs, or maybe even share a joint. It's a way to pass the time, right? PCs serving in sanitation will also have an easier time overhearing the gossip that spreads around the base, since no one looks twice at them.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH

CONTENT WARNING: REFERENCES TO MASS DEATH

During their first two weeks in the basecamp, any character who stops by one of the various houses of worship (in addition to a church, a synagogue, and a mosque, there is a temple with small statues to fifteen different unfamiliar deities, many of whom seem to be from different faiths), the gymnasium, or the mess hall will come across a stand that hosts a dozen or so packages.

Wrapped in the black emergency blankets that many bring with them to and from the bunks, these packages are about one cubic foot and contain folded clothes in roughly the same sizes. The styles are all different and highly individualized. Some are luxe, some are basic, and some are clearly the undershirt (but not the proper outerwear) for uniforms of the Adamant’s crew. Warm-faced folks eagerly give out a single package to each new hatchling. Along with the clothing and blanket, hatchlings will receive basic packages containing basic toiletries — bar soap, a toothbrush, a straight razor, etc.

Come by at the wrong time, and you might see a fight break out. A young person, red-faced, shouts at the volunteers working these stands, “Those were our people! Our families! We should be the one to decide what’s done with what they left behind.”

In hushed tones, clearly trying to keep this from becoming a conflict, the lead volunteer insists, “Take it up with Captain Childe.”


A few notes:

☆ Feel free to have your character sign on to help out with any of the listed divisions, with the exception of security.

☆ Characters may collect one (1) care package from the community outreach program. If your character intends to come back for more, please let us know in the Mod Questions thread.

☆ Feel free to ask for light NPC interactions in the MOD QUESTIONS header; we can give you a general idea of how a conversation might go! Like with the Captain Childe threads, none of these threads will be lengthy, and new tag-ins will not be responded to after MAY 24.

❀ THE DREAMING

You are standing at the edge of an immense, underground lake. Water laps at the shore, echoing in the cavern. There is a sense of peace and warmth and — welcome.

A creature emerges from the lake and approaches you. Its gills flutter, its eyes are a faint bioluminescent glow in the darkness. It reaches out to touch you — one long, elegant finger presses against your chest. It feels as if it might crack your sternum open and ferret beneath your bones as if looking, looking for something. Yet, there is no malice from it, and you feel no fear.

But the creature relents. It backs up. Bows to you once, and then turns and walks back into the water.

You stay for some time at the edge of the lake. Eventually, it seems as if another person is here with you, or perhaps they simply came into focus after being here just as long as you. Should you speak with them?

A few notes:

☆ PCs may interact with one another in the dreams. They will be in a semi-conscious state, not wholly aware they are dreaming and not wholly under the impression of its normalcy.

☆ Your character will wake up naturally from the Dreaming, they will feel peaceful and refreshed.
The lake, if they choose to swim in it while dreaming, would be perceived as the perfect ambient temperature for them — some characters may prefer it to be warmer or colder!

☆ If they duck below the water, they will see far-off glittering city lights, but no matter how they try to swim towards them they will never get any closer!

☆ If your character tries to drink the water, they might notice that for a few minutes after they wake they can hear little snippets of NPC thoughts. Weird!

☆ Every character will have a small, pale lilac mark where they were touched on the chest. It will fade over the next few days.

❀ FETCH QUEST

CONTENT WARNING: REFERENCES TO LIGHT APHRODISIAC EFFECTS

A small, perky woman corrals you somewhere near the latrines. "Hey!" she says insistently, pushing her hat back and sending a spill of inky curls askew from her forehead. "We need a hand. There's this plant we get for Sunya — the Doc? You met her yet? — it's a painkiller. Go through a shitload of that, which I'm sure is quite surprising," she says all this in a single breath, and her expression is sour despite her cheery tone.

"You any good at botany? We need another round of Starspire root. Can't harvest the ones we've got in camp, they've been a little cranky lately. You'll have to go about four kilometers due west, towards the old Adamant wreck. Just watch them — if they start to sweat, you'll need to get under cover, means the acid rain is coming. I'll upload the specs to your Comm."

Seems like you're being partnered with somebody else for the run — another person looking perhaps about as equally haggard as you, and at least as equally voluntold. Hopefully you won't run into any difficulties — how hard can retrieving one plant be?

A few notes:

☆ Feel free to have random monster encounters along the way! Don’t forget to wait for approvals on bestiary submissions before incorporating them into threads.

☆ The plants are at a high elevation, so they will exist on rocky outcroppings along a cliff-face. The landscape here is mostly high desert, which means it is full of thin, calf-high grasses, scrub plants, and non arable land polluted by dense, alkaline soil and rocks. Be creative in how you get there!

☆ Somebody gets hurt? Here, chew this root! They said it was a painkiller, right? What's the worst that could happen? (People can get a little ... flirtatious, shall we say.)

☆ Or you could go one step further and try exploring portions of the Adamant! Remember, the ship itself was built to house seventy thousand people — it's the size of a city, and it cannot be adequately explored in an afternoon! If you'd like anything specific to come of this, or if you’d like to know specifics about the Adamant’s layout, please consider submitting a plot request!.

NAVIGATION ❀

Comments

[portolan]

[1] Holding Cell
[ the hot water is a luxury after nearly twenty hours caked in goo. when he was on the run in the dalmasca eastersand when he first left home, he often went days without bathing -- but never caked in the mucus-and-nutrient sludge he's been scraping off here. safety be damned ( though he suspects everyone's been searched ). he plunges into the water with his clothes still on, then proceeds to strip, hoping to salvage both his skin and his garments.

Praise the gods of hot water and good food.

[ he says it more to himself. if he's found the first, maybe the second will come. ]

[2] Explore the Base Camp

[ his limbs no longer feel heavy and swollen, though there's still some stiffness in his left leg and jaw. he doesn't know if it's from fighting his way out of that vile egg, or from the explosion before...well...this.

Balthier takes a seat near the middle of the mess tables. he's been to a myriad of places in his two and a half decades, and sitting down in the middle of a meal space has never steered him wrong when trying to find new crew mates. and he's not going back in there alone -- not without his gun, and not without knowing if his magic works here. ]

Anyone up for a jaunt around the park this afternoon?

[ if there's any chance Fran is here, too....maybe the wreckage of the eggs will have some clues. ]

[3] Aid Station

[ he might as well not have left the wreckage of the Bahamut. there are so many dead here, and so many injured. they aren't his people, but does it matter? Archadia or Rozarria or whatever is here -- a life is a life. war and power and sickness just keep eating. that cannot be the legacy of man.

his connection to the Mist is weaker here, but he's had some luck with his magic. it's something he can do to help, and being useful never hurts for making allies.

he steps up to the next patient. bedside manner is the same as charming a mark. ]

What seems to be the problem today? Besides the general space time displacement and lack of fine tea.

[4] Fetch Quest

[ the woman smiles, but it's the kind that says she'll like balthier a lot better when he's returned with what she wants. fair enough. he's met that type everywhere he's ever been. when he brings her back what she wants, he'll have something closer to an ally, and his reputation will be for someone who can get work done. both are valuable. ]

Acid rain, rocky cliffs, quarrelsome plants -- and here I thought I was going to get homesick.

[ he's relieved that the people and landscape have offered some familiarity, even as the words sit heavy in his stomach. was rabanastre home? will he ever get back there? today, it doesn't matter, and a mission is something that will keep him tired and focused enough not to think too deeply.

exploring the base camp

[neversmall]

[ Nina is tucking in to the bland bit of bland... bleck with slightly more enthusiasm than it deserves. Sure, it's not good, but she's had worse, and she's hungry. She's sat a bit more toward the edge of the table herself, but she glances up when - ugh, again -- perfectly accented Ravkan comes out of the mouth of someone she's sure has never set foot in her country. ]

What did you have in mind?

[ Her tone is open, interested. ]

Re: exploring the base camp

[portolan]

[ a bite. excellent. ]

Feeling the need for sun on my face and wind in my hair. And I've heard rumor of people coming back from the Leviathan with their possessions. From before waking up here. Makes you curious, doesn't it?

[ he watches for her reaction. she looks young and healthy, though not so young to be a viability. her clothing and mannerism suggests a world not too removed from his, although any good pirate knows not to jump to conclusions. still, it's a little more familiar than, what were they called, robots. he's certainly interested in learning more about that resource later, but today comfort is welcome. ]

[neversmall]

[ Nina takes a deliberate bite of her food. Going back to what brought them here in the first place does seem like a good idea, and from the look of this place anything that could be scavenged would be a help. It seems strange that anything would follow from home, but then again, this whole thing is strange. ]

It sounds worth checking out. [ She glances over at him and gives a small smile. ] I wouldn't mind the company.

[portolan]

[ he's not sure what to make of her. no defensiveness, and no information revealed. either she's a fool or she's very clever. based on her still being alive, he expects the latter. ]

I would be most happy to have you, madame. Balthier.

[ he holds out a hand in greeting. ]

[neversmall]

[ Nina's expression lights up in amusement. She's not strong enough to resist a straight line like that. ]

I'm sure you would be, but let's not get ahead of ourselves. [ She extends a hand that is surprisingly firm, considering the overall softness of the rest of her, but not calloused. ] Nina Zenik.

[ As always, her awareness of someone's heartbeat and overall self is increased when she actually touches them. This is not something she can control. She's learned to keep her handshakes brief. ] And where are you from, Balthier?

fetch quest

[fossils]

[ A raised eyebrow. What's it like where you come from, pal? ]

Always the strangest things that get you...

[ Homesick, he means. It's spoken half distractedly, most of his attention on the terrain ahead of them. They've been partnered up for the excursion. Steve's got on his dark blue stealth suit, and metal attachments on each arm. Ready for quarrelsome plants, or whatever else might assault them out here. ]

Re: fetch quest

[portolan]

[ his partner wears a skin-tight suit made of some material balthier has never seen, bright metal on each arm. he'd wager the man is a trained soldier, or royalty, or maybe both.

I'm not looking forward to when the tea craving sets in. Something tells me there isn't a booming market here.

[ balthier shifts his pack slightly. it's heavy, and won't be any lighter by the time they get back. he's brought as much water as he can carry and plans to replace the empty space with the plant. ]

Spent much time in deserts? By the time you're thirst you're already nearly dead, so drink up.

[ still, it is comforting, in its way. He loves the crispness of high desert air, the way the stars glimmer in the crystal clear nights, the hardiness of cacti and desert grasses. when he first left home, he found them foreign and frightening, but they came to feel like friends; anyone who can survive is kin in the desert, and there are always useful secrets lurking. plus its easy to spot monsters in rocks and low brush. ]

[fossils]

[ Spent much time in deserts? gets a half nod as he shoulders his own pack. The suit's not as breathable as it could be, but on an unknown planet he'll take the discomfort for the extra armor. ]

Can't hurt to ask around. [ About the tea. Might surprise him. These folks've been here for three years, more than likely that someone's found an alternative amongst all the plant life. ]

Military?

[ He asks strides forward, heading toward the rock outcropping in the near distance. Doesn't exactly strike him as a soldier, but with all the different places they come from it doesn't hurt to ask. ]

[portolan]

[ he chuckles at the question, adjusting the cuffs on his fine shirt, aware of the quality of his gilded leather vest, sturdy pants, and boots. there was a time he was almost military, bypassing the regular training and expectations for an appointed position. one of the things he'd hated was the dress code. this was still better than that.

he'd spent the first few days wondering if he needed to keep his occupation and talents private, but everyone here was looking for know-how. it seemed more worth it to share than to keep it private. ]

Sorry to disappoint. My official profession was pirate, although I did spend the better part of a year galavanting around the country protecting a princess and fighting a crazed emperor and several self-proclaimed gods, so maybe there's hope for me.

That blue suit standard issue soldier where you come from?

[ he doesn't think so. he thinks this man -- with his roving eyes, his careful speech, his deliberate footing -- was someone important, and someone who has seen some shit. ]

[fossils]

[ He raises an eyebrow at pirate. Explains the fancy get-up, huh?

To the question he shakes his head. ]

Special ops. [ Not standard. He'd had to find and tear out the gps chip and a second, hidden bug. His tone is neutral when he adds: ] Former.

[ And anyway-- ]

Self-proclaimed gods, huh?

[ Met more than his fair share of those himself. ]

aid station

[sunmon]

I had this strange mark appear last night.

[ she sits up as balthier comes around. she recognizes him from the cells, when they were first hauled out of the central chrysalis. she tries to place his name, but it doesn't come to her. had he given it? the black-and-gold kefta that she had worn that night is slung over the chair beside her. instead, she wears the tunic-length undershirt and pants that fit beneath it.

the mark on her chest is lilac in color, but the top few buttons of her undershirt obscure it. she touches her hand to them, nervous. ]

Are you helping out here? Are you a sailor and a medic?

Re: aid station

[portolan]

[ he remembers her, now that he hears her voice. those first few days were a blur. ]

I have some magical healing abilities but I wouldn't go so far as to call me a medic.

And I'm a pirate, not a sailor.

[ he says it with a smile, then closes his eyes, reaching for the Mist. It's father away here, quieter, like it's behind a fog. he doesn't know if that's because the planet is different, or because he's still recovering himself. still, he's able to find it and direct an esuna spell at her. it flashes gently. it isn't a catch all, but it's a good place to start -- it'll take care of most afflictions and curses. ]

How's that? Any change?

[sunmon]

[ she studies him warily. a pirate and a healer was an odd combination, and she can't quite get a bead on what kind of person would do both. but she cautiously tugs at the top of her blouse and peers at her sternum.

the lilac mark is still there.

alina shakes her head, and then, a bit awkwardly, she unbuttons the first few buttons of her blouse to reveal it. just a small spot, where the creature from her dreams that was so like rusalye, right out of an illustration, had touched her. ]

It's been there since I woke up this morning.

[portolan]

[ the lilac mark peeks out from under her blouse. it doesn't look infected, nor painful, but it's certainly not skin colored and magical ailments can be more dangerous. he doesn't like that it didn't react to the esuna spell. ]

I can try another healing spell on you. Even if it doesn't clear this up, it should probably leaving you feeling rested and clear out any basic illness that might be lurking, so no real risk. However, I think I'll probably have to pass you up to someone whose been here longer than I have. I haven't see this particular affliction before.

[ he doesn't mention that he's been helping out all morning and his stamina is low. a basic cure spell is about all he has left in him. he'll need to recharge after this, and there's no telling how long that will take here. ]

[sunmon]

Really? [ she hasn't either, but she'd hoped for better news when she'd come to the experts at the aid station. that it's unfamiliar to balthier too is a little concerning. ] You should probably work on your bedside manner.

[ which isn't the kindest thing in the world to say to someone who's already helping her, but alina has never been the likable one. mal was. and mal's ...

well. no sense in dwelling on that. she grimaces a bit, looking back down at the mark and poking it. ] Maybe it's harmless.

holding cell

[unfastens]

Judging by that paste we've been eating, I don't think they're listening.

[ but what does he know? A prayer can't hurt. Bruno looks like he had about the same idea as Balthier; he's stripped off all his outer layers of clothes, and is currently doing his best to wring out and scrape off all the slime from them. Tragically, the expensive-looking white suit looks like it might be a permanent shade of off-blue unless someone here decides to start a dry cleaning venture. Standing in a shower while still wearing anything (let alone the lace bodysuit he's stuck with) is also less than comfortable, but he only has three minutes and he figures this is the best way to maximize how much he can get reasonably clean in that time. Nonetheless, he looks more determined than discomforted as he focuses on scrubbing out the sleeve folded over his forearm. ]

Re: holding cell

[portolan]

Let's hope you're wrong, though I fear you aren't.

[ balthier sees that the newcomer has the same idea he does, wetting his entire outfit and scrubbing furiously. ]

If you get the worst of the caked bits off, with any luck we can soak out the color with some cold water.

[ luck. please some luck. he's gotten blood, monster viscera, and magic out of clothing, but who knows what this material is.]

[unfastens]

... They're only clothes.

[ nice clothes, sure, but clothes nonetheless. He'll worry about trying to salvage them once he's certain he's not about to be executed or experimented on or whatever else... and that he's not just hallucinating this whole thing. For the moment, he gives up on de-blueing his jacket, looking up at Balthier instead. ]

Did any of them pull you away? I've seen people get taken out to be questioned a few times.

[portolan]

Unfortunately I'm quite attached to my material possessions.

[ the water shuts off. he leaves his clothes sopping, hoping that will help them soak longer. truth be told, without the clothes he fears he won't be able to hold onto the person he's built. he's been pulled from home before -- it's amazing how quickly things can fade. ]

I managed to escape questioning with the time-tried strategy of luck. Saw them pulling others away though. Trying to decide if I'd rather go and get information or be left well enough alone.

[ the cold begins to set in as the air meets his wet skin. he looks behind Bruno for towels -- the stack is quickly depleting. ]

four

[bestaround]

[ And alongside the pirate is 9S, who was likewise fortunate enough to be dragged into their new mission. For better or worse, it's no more new for him than it is for Balthier, not that he would know that. ]

You get this often?

[ Where 9S goes, meanwhile, there's a peculiar contraption that hovers silently overhead. ]

Re: four

[portolan]

[ Balthier loosens his cuffs to roll his sleeves against the heat, even as he watches 9S's contraption out of the corner of his eye. Not impossible with Ivalice technology --or magic, of course -- but he's completely uncertain as to its function. ]

Only when I'm between adventures.

[bestaround]

[ It is pretty warm—enough that one would think 9S wouldn't be wearing the coat he does—but he doesn't appear terribly bothered, at least. He treks forward, ready as he'll ever be to make the lengthy journey, and can only hope this won't take them too long. ]

Between... adventures.

[ He echoes the words with a hint of skepticism. Like any android of his world, 9S never truly knew what the daily lives of humans entailed, but from what little he does know it always sounded so... mundane. And so, he has to ask: ]

What kind?

[portolan]

[ his partner for the day isn't much for chatter, it seems. Balthier's worked with that before. ]

You're talking to the captain of the Strahl and Ivalice's most infamous Sky Pirate.

[ he's gotten an amusing range of responses to this information so far. some skepticism, some wide-eyed wonder, some immediate desire to hire him for work. Not that different from home, really. ]

For Roy

[portolan]

[ they head north, away from the muddy ravine. it's likely wet from runoff from the cliffs they're headed too, either that or from an underground water source. other than the gnarled trees hugging the edge of the ravine, everything else is scrub and grass -- high desert. at least that's familiar ]

Done much mountain climbing at home?

[ the was normally an air man, but there was something satisfying about hiking desert vistas. maybe it was being able to see where you were going. ]