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Post by Slytherclaw on Feb 12, 2018 0:28:56 GMT
Amber stays pointedly quiet as Christine and Cecil bicker, and remains that way while she drives, deep in thought. She does follow Cecil, looking around curiously and in frank admiration following Cecil's massive windfall. "Who would have though that some eggs would sell so well?" She'll ask absently, peering at Cecil's massive intake of MREs with an air of delight. Better she doesn't have to track this sort of thing--she misses the vault's easy access. Never had to worry about food, back then. The visit to the redsmith is quick enough, as she lets Cecil haggle and simply watches in quiet admiration.
It's only as they're approaching Slane that she'll pause, tugging on Cecil's sleeve. "Is your rock friend okay with the plan?" She asks suddenly, frowning. "And...how much do you want him to know?"
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Apr 10, 2024 12:51:43 GMT
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Post by Robot on Feb 12, 2018 0:49:49 GMT
"Slane... don't exactly like Pokemon. Scrimshaw might know more then he does, but I guess it can't hurt to ask him if he's heard of anything like it." Cecil commented distantly. "Sides, I'm sure he'd rather go over the Jalopy more with you, and the improvements you could make to it. I can try asking Fan while you get up to that, and see if I can get an answer. Don't expect a lot out of an echo of a person though." He ran a hand through his hair. "We can broach it to him when he ain't handling her. I'm liable to kill him if he takes a hammer to her, don't really need to pull it. Worst case scenario we can't use the jalopy anymore..."
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Post by Slytherclaw on Feb 12, 2018 0:53:45 GMT
Amber hums, and nods. "It would...probably be smart if we had you talk to her before we go in, so we have a game plan," She says after a pause. "I'm still not sure how this whole psychic thing works, with the pokedex warnings and all."
She runs a hand through her hair, considering. "I don't think he'll stop us from using the jalopy, though. He seemed fond of the improvements from last time--can't imagine he'd be too bothered with this lot."
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I'm not going to say it was damage, but it was damage.
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Post by Robot on Feb 12, 2018 2:17:19 GMT
"I'll try, not like I've given her a good nudge in a few days." Cecil settles beside Slane's gate and slips a hand into the pocket with that strange rock. "Hey, I know you're in there somewhere. That you're tired, and it's really hard to understand the world around you. If you could have a body again, would you want one?"
The muscles in Cecil's forearm tensed as he pressed his thumb harder, and harder against the pointed edge of the stone, until his mind was clear save the discomfort he was causing himself and the question he was asking.
HkW_dsyY2d6+1 AP Spent2d6+1
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Post by Lockdown on Feb 12, 2018 6:01:49 GMT
Cecil feels a faint hint of longing and acceptance from the crystal. A desire for rest... and yet a yearning to have what had been denied.
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I'm not going to say it was damage, but it was damage.
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Post by Robot on Feb 12, 2018 20:33:59 GMT
After a minute of looking at the ground, his eyes found Amber's again. "She's really tired, but wants like... company, and food... I think. She starved to death alone, so... that seems about right. Maybe Slane'll know something about helping her feel energized again."
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Feb 27, 2023 22:33:22 GMT
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Post by Seya on Feb 13, 2018 23:20:21 GMT
Kat looks around at Christine's question. "Mushroom spores, yea... as to where he is, shouldn't be hard to figure out. Or ask." She thinks to approach someone nearby, then hesitates. "Maybe.... maybe you should be the one to ask."
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Post by DataNinja on Feb 14, 2018 0:41:42 GMT
"Uh, alright..." Christine says, surprised. Kat's usually the one who's first into... whatever, and this is her home. It almost feels like the surface girl's lacking in a little bit of confidence right now, which concerns her. She follows through on the suggestion, though, walking up to the nearest person who looks like they probably wouldn't mind a stranger talking to them.
"Pardon me," she asks, a little bit hesitantly, "But do you have any idea as to where we might be able to find the Blue Sage?"
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Post by Lockdown on Feb 20, 2018 22:52:03 GMT
The woman looks up from where she'd been tending to what you assume is her child, and gives you a look of surprise. "You don't know about the Blue Sage? Ah you must be from one of those really isolated settlements. He's set up over in the little courtyard by the diner. Just look for all the kids hanging around... and be careful of icy patches, he seems to have set up a midsummer snowball fight again." She points in the direction for emphasis, before turning her attention back to her child.
Following her directions, the group of four comes to the indicated area. There are indeed quite a few children around, playful laughter and shrieks of glee as they run around tossing... you guess those must be "snowballs" at one another, the chilled white powder shaking off of what you at first mistake for a massive tree that had somehow sprouted in the courtyard, before it reaches down and scoops up a few snowballs for youngsters that are having a hard time.
Several others are clambering over a massive shelled rodent of some kind, and an equally large tortoise with a tree growing out of its shell.
Seated at the far end of the clearing is a smiling old man, his face leathery to being just shy of looking desiccated. He's dressed in worn robes of a rich green and brown mottled pattern. But what stands out the most about him is what at first you take to be a grand hat styled to look like a Blue Royal mushroom cap. Coming closer still... that's not a hat; it's an actual mushroom cap that seems to be growing out of his skull. And the man's skin has a strange bluish tinge to it under the tan.
Slane seems to be as paranoid as usual as the two of you enter his work yard with the Jalopy. He comes out cautiously, closing the door quickly before you can see inside; and scurries over to you, inspecting the new work. "Tis an interesting bit of craft. Hmmm, I like this, I do. Was she any trouble?"
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Post by DataNinja on Feb 21, 2018 6:16:32 GMT
Christine thanks the woman, before heading off in the indicated direction. Upon arriving... well, it's certainly a sight to behold. Apparently the world will never cease coming up with new ways to surprise her. And in entirely unexpected circumstances, too.
Approaching the man that she can only assume is the Blue Sage... her stomach turns a little bit as she registers him. Despite all her years of medicine, and the plethora of images she'd seen from the horror Vault's computers, it still makes her squirm a little bit to see the effects that Pokérus can have on one's body. At least, she assumes that's what it is...
Taking a deep breath to settle her stomach, she walks up to the man, and puts on her brightest face. "Uh... hello there," she says, "Are you the one they call the Blue Sage? Someone suggested that I should... talk to you. And also that you knew much in the ways of curing Pokérus."
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Post by Robot on Feb 22, 2018 13:09:03 GMT
"Amber keeps 'her' in line, yeah. No trouble since the little steelmuncher got after her axles." Cecil thumbed at his nose. "Brought a mess of parts and some raw steel back if you're interested. Also wondering if you might be willing to part with 'her', and what it would cost us." Cecil broached out of the blue. It would be nice to have something they could claim as their own, and the Jalopy wasn't fancy, but it had grown on him. Certainly beat walking.
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Post by Slytherclaw on Mar 2, 2018 3:20:36 GMT
Amber shakes her head, letting Cecil take the lead, and glances around curiously to see if anything seems too different or noticeably new. She does glance back at him in surprise at his request to buy the thing, but upon a moment of quiet consideration, she can admit that it would be nice--easier to get between the vaults and all.
"Could offer labor to sweeten the pot, if you want," Amber adds to the end of Cecil's question. "You know I'm not bad with a wrench, and I learn fast."
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Post by Seya on Mar 8, 2018 2:25:23 GMT
Kat follows behind Christine, some of the hesitance in her chest unraveling at the welcome, familiar sight of the Blue Sage. Despite all the monsters that Pokerus could turn out, she'd always seen the man as a fascinating storyteller and hero-- and nobody would be able to convince her otherwise. She just barely resists the urge to join in the snowball fight, instead flicking her attention back and forth between Christine's approach and the great old grass-types keeping the children busy.
She does, however, remember some manners. She gives a somewhat awkward half-bow to the Sage, grinning. "Good t'see you again, uh, sir."
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Post by Lockdown on Mar 13, 2018 3:31:24 GMT
Slane circles Amber curiously at her pronouncement, inspecting her as if she were a part to install. "Mmm, does the lifting and the ittle bittle spaces where the wrenches can't turn... Yes, yesyesyesyes..." he suddenly nods decisively. "You girl, you'll asisst me. A project I have, secret and safe. But my tools... my tools are too bulky for the fine adjustments I need for her. Your fingers are slender and your arms thin, you can attach wires and turn screws!" He turns and begins shooing Cecil out of the enclosure. "Away wit ye, I've no need of a great lummox to be tripping over components an' spilling parts!"
Like a thrown switch he turns his attention back the Amber, eyes alight with anticipation. "Now, to the workshop!" he declares, striding up to his door and throwing it open. He appears to be in the grip of some kind of manic energy now. Left with little recourse but to follow him, Amber is led into a large area dug out beneath the mini-junkyard. Opposed to the mess and masses of metal that make up most of his living space, here everything is meticulously organized. Parts and pieces are separated by their type, and then further sorted by size. In the center of the space is... some sort of robot; at least that's the best thing that Amber can guess. It's bipedal, with a rounded body shape that tapes into a stubby tail. Odd extensions just from its shoulders, and a set of antennae protrude from the dome of its skull, situated on either side of a blunt spike of metal that looks like it would probably hurt quite a lot to get hit with at speed.
The thing is obviously a mishmash of parts that have been taken and repurposed. Some of the oldest parts she can see the Vault-Tec symbol on. Others have an odd star symbol, and some of the very newest have what seems to be a pokeball surrounded by a gear. Slave walks up to the contraption and lays a reverent hand on it's side; before turning to look at Amber. "Beautiful, ain't she?" he asks expectantly.
The Sage smiles at the two young women as they approach, Joyce hanging back a bit. "Good afternoon to you miss," he inclines his head to Christine, before focusing on Kat. "And Katora. Truly you continue to blossom even under the duress you have endured. I remember you well little one. And I am sorry for your loss," he reaches out a hand and places it gently on Kat's arm. His eyes, almost solid orbs of shining blue, close for a moment in remembrance.
After a brief moment of silence, he opens them again and focuses on Christine. "So... you've been told I know how to cure Pokerus? I'm afraid they misspoke somewhat child. There is little that can cure the viruses that make up that category, but there are ways to remove its buildup in the body. Please, ask your questions."
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Post by DataNinja on Mar 13, 2018 3:48:49 GMT
"I, uh, I see," Christine says, at the Sage's statement. It's unfortunate... but, she should have expected such a result. From what she had seen before, it did not truly seem curable... but there was always hope.
The offer of answering questions, though... she realizes that she doesn't really have many that come to mind. Any that she could ask, she knew would be without answer, such as curing herself. She simply is not sure of what to ask. And so she asks that. "What should I know? About the world." For there is probably much she cannot even comprehend of.
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I'm not going to say it was damage, but it was damage.
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Post by Robot on Mar 18, 2018 11:36:09 GMT
"I'm gonna trip my foot into your..." Cecil trailed off with a sigh, and gave Amber a sideways glance. Slane seemed mostly harmless. Didn't use Pokemon, and Amber knew her way around machines. It'd probably be fine, he valued her too much, but that was Cecil's Amber. Slane didn't get to just... "Give me a ping from your Dex when you get done, 'fore you leave Slane's place. I won't get far. Probably go have something to eat."
Yeah, that sounded good. Off to the watering hole it was. He could do with a burger and some time away from the girls.
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Post by Lockdown on Mar 28, 2018 1:17:31 GMT
The Blue Sage nods thoughtfully, chewing on a long stalk of grass that bobs up and down with each motion of his jaw. An interesting question. And a complicated one. There is much that I know about the world child, much indeed. But..." he pauses, taking the stalk from his mouth and pointing it at her in the manner of a man with a lesson to teach, "I cannot teach you what I do not know; for I do not know what you should know. Sit child, and tell me your tale." He gestures to a spot opposite him. "In the telling perhaps I may glean what it is you seek me to tell you."
Amber's head was awash in delight and intrigue as she set to work, The old man was odd, but his focus was only for the machine before her. And such a machine! She quickly lost herself in learning its intricacies, even as a small part of her kept notes on what components did what.
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Post by Seya on Mar 28, 2018 1:29:40 GMT
For a moment, Kat felt like a child again. Her memories of the Sage from her childhood were foggy and distant, especially given recent events, but the hand on her arm brought her back to a moment of laughter with her parents standing behind her, one on either side.
She fought the urge to pull away and turn around (just to check, she would always check) and instead relaxed, sighed, and gave him a weary smile. "Guess I underestimated that memory of yours, ah, sir." It actually took her a second longer to understand his reference to 'loss' and when he did, she stiffened, swallowed, and pushed those memories far, far back. Nah. Nope. Not ready to face those ones again. "Is what it is. I'm stronger for it."
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Post by DataNinja on Mar 28, 2018 3:28:27 GMT
Christine hesitates, unsure of whether she wants to reveal things to a stranger... but on the other hand, Kat seems to trust him, and if he's as old as is said, then he's probably someone who could guess much in broad strokes anyways.
"Well," she says, taking a seat, and keeping her voice low, checking to make sure there's no others within earshot, "the short version is that we're from a Vault, one that's running out of time. That's why we came to the surface, to find the parts that we need. Bumped into Kat when we found our way to town. Along our search, we ran into some raiders, who happened to be squatting over another Vault." She takes a deep breath. "Things happened in there. Several of us got infected. Or almost died. Or both. We didn't find all the parts we needed, but we did find... some disturbing information about what was going on in that Vault. That's basically it. We just got back."
She pauses, remembering some of the conversations that they'd had. "Some things, well, were called into question when we were down there, so I guess... what can you tell me about the Vaults?"
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Post by Robot on Mar 28, 2018 11:37:47 GMT
The scene immediately put Cecil on edge. The Pokemon in attendance seemed gentle enough, and the people present were enjoying themselves sure. Shit that size and strength didn't just show up in town though. He gave the tree with it's coating of snow a wide berth and looked around. Knowing the girls, Christine would have stumbled right into the thick of this, unwittingly or otherwise. If they were here, that's where he should be too.
2TOGRE4J3d6 Perception3d6
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