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Post by Slytherclaw on Apr 19, 2016 1:25:24 GMT
Amber's interest is slowly drawn away from the junkyard as she realizes that most of it is shells. Certainly still interesting, but not /the/ interesting bits. She wanders over to the gate with the group in time to hear the door open, still looking back to the junkyard for anything she might have missed--and turns to see who emerged after she starts to comprehend the first few things he said, expression confused. She stops beside Cecil and watches the show with vague amazement. Was this normal, for nonvaulters? This could be normal. She'd have to ask Kat later. Maybe this was a result of poker--
And all further thoughts drain away into blank amazement as her gaze falls on the most glorious bit of tech she's ever seen. Is that an /owl/? She gapes at it for a few long moments, until she realizes that the man has stopped talking. When nobody else starts to talk, she takes a hesitant step forward.
"We...wanted to know if we could borrow you jaloopy." She says firmly, nodding to herself. "We need to be somewhere fast, and the guards said you could help."
She pauses, gaze flickering back to the owl as she tries to restrain herself. She licks her lips.
"What's...what's your friend's name?" She can't resist asking.
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Post by Lockdown on Apr 19, 2016 18:51:45 GMT
The man looks intrigued by the question about borrowing the jalopy and needing to be somewhere fast, but his eyes positively light up when Amber asks about the mechanical owl. "Ah, Bubo here? He's a cranky ol' git, make no mistake. But pr'aps you could come by once this pressing business of yours has been dealt with eh? He'd prob'ly love to chat." He claps his hands, switching gears. "BUT! You're here fer the jalopy he? Well so long as you bring her back to me in one piece, I don't see the harm."
He leads you all over to a lumpy tarp-covered object, and whips the cover away. Underneath is what could charitably be called a vehicle. It has four large knobby wheels, four seats bolted to the extensively repaired frame, and a bin large enough to fit two people snuggly bolted to the rear of the chassis. Beyond that it's almost entirely framework, with some sheet metal surrounding the engine, and a warped plastic windshield. "Ere she is. Beaut ent she? Took me a while to find all the components to make a proper solenoid engine, but you en't never have to worry 'bout running out of fuel, so long as she's properly maintained."
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Post by DataNinja on Apr 20, 2016 16:36:57 GMT
"That thing... er, Bubo... can talk?" Christine asks. It sure didn't look like something that could hold up a conversation.
Okay, he seemed easygoing enough, ending them the...jalopy. Whatever that was. Finally some good luck.
It certainly is a...something, she thinks of the jalopy when it's revealed. It's impressive that he'd built the whole thing himself, though, even if she has no idea what a 'solenoid' is.
"Uh, Amber... are... are you able to work this?" Christine has no idea where she would even begin on something like this, but she hopes the Vault technician would be able to figure it out. Or maybe everyone up here knew how to use it. "Or...Kat, maybe?"
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Post by Slytherclaw on Apr 21, 2016 1:12:20 GMT
Amber's train of thought is completely steamrolled by her first sight of the ...vehicle. She blinks, quietly gaping. She /liked/ tech, but this was...maybe a bit beyond her. She'd need to study it more, figure it out. She could mostly see how it worked, operating it wouldn't be /toooooo/ complicated if he was willing to do a run down on maintenance and all, but much more than that was going to take some experimenting and studying.
She hums in appreciation. "What would routine maintenance consist of?" She asks, leaning forward to get a better look at some of the controls inside.
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Post by Lockdown on Apr 21, 2016 3:10:47 GMT
He grins. "Not much at all lass. Just gotta keep the oscillators aligned, make sure that the coolant tract stays completely sealed, and maybe give give the wiring a check every now and then to make sure that there's no breaks that could cause a short. Other than that, just make sure the battery isn't leaking or anything, and you can go for miles before it wears out. Then you just need to find a new one. That's the nice thing about Old World tech. It can take a hell of a beating, and there's always interchangeable parts to be found if you're smart and know where to look."
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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 Apr 21, 2016 5:07:31 GMT
Cecil had been quiet, even for the brooding young man. It was taking a lot to choke back on his anxiety. They needed the jalopy badly, and now wasn't the time for him to loose his cool. If he blew it now, it'd be three times as long, easy, before they reached Bunnie and ensured the gene children weren't making her into some kind of freak. What bothered him worse then that, was the knowledge that a little handful of berries had made him piss blue. If someone was trying to infect Bunnie, it wouldn't take much. All of the things that the boy had always done to occupy his hands when he was agitated would come off as threatening or bothersome. Christ I need a smoke. "I'll be outside, remember we're on borrowed time and a life is at stake." Was all he managed to force out. Whether or not Amber heard the greaser was anyone's guess, but sure enough Cecil left the structure without further discussion. One cigarette after another disappeared in rapid succession. He wasn't counting, or mediating. This was full on, nervous chainsmoking. Something he hadn't done in years.
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Post by DataNinja on Apr 21, 2016 6:07:24 GMT
Christine tries to keep track of the conversation, but gets lost at 'oscillators'... whatever those are. At least Amber is in her element. At least one of them is happy. The same certainly can't be said for Cecil. When he heads outside, she considers going after him, but then decides against it. He probably needs some space, and if he wanted to ditch them again, there wouldn't be anything she could do to stop him.
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Post by Slytherclaw on Apr 24, 2016 16:37:25 GMT
Amber nods, taking mental notes and staring over the machine as the man instructs her. "I can manage that," She says after a moment, nodding. She tenses at Cecil's comments, and whips around to glare at the boy's back. Did he want a broken machine half way out because they hadn't bothered to actually learn how to keep things going? She shakes her head, asks a few more clarification questions as she looks over the parts, and finally says, "Alright. What do you need in exchange for us borrowing it?"
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Post by Seya on Apr 25, 2016 19:13:57 GMT
Kat's eyes glaze over and she spaces out a bit while Amber and the old man chat up a bit, but Cecil's departure from the room brings her back to the present and she follows after him, shoving her hands in deep (and colorful) pockets.
The smell of smoke stirs something within, but she knows better to dwell on that for the time being. She meanders towards him.
"I ain't gonna lie and say I got some sixth sense tellin' me it'll be alright," she says with a sigh, "But I promise ya I'll do everythin' I can to help."
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Post by Lockdown on Apr 25, 2016 23:17:52 GMT
Slane laughs when Amber asks about compensation. "Jus' bring me back the readings from the outing eh? Still tryin' to fine tune the gal. And if yeh die, I s'pose I'll just build a new one, improve on the design in the process. Now off with yeh."
It takes a little bit of futzing, but eventually all four of you are seated comfortably in the vehicle. When it starts, there's a shuddering through the frame, but surprisingly little noise, merely a droning hum that seems more to be conveyed through the framework, rather than being audible in the normal sense. It takes a little bit of experimentation, but Amber figures out how to steer and control the acceleration of the jalopy without making any messes. As the vehicle exits the yard, a path forms in front of it, many people regarding the contraption with a healthy mix of wariness and curiosity. Once Kat and Cecil are loaded up, Amber is able to drive through the gate with little difficulty, the guards taking only a few minutes to check your belongings for any contraband leaving the settlement.
Following Kat's intermittent directions, the group finds themselves practically flying down a path just barely wide enough for the jalopy. Distances that would have taken them hours as a group instead take only minutes, and an hour later, as the sun is starting a valient (albeit futile) effort to break through the cloud cover left from the storm last night, you crest a hillock, and Kat points out a ridge of stone that has a toppled radio tower tumbling down the back side in the near distance. Hideaway Hollow.
There's no sign of smoke, but the kidnappers may still be here. The only question now is how to approach.
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Post by DataNinja on Apr 28, 2016 15:54:14 GMT
"Well, that was... certainly an experience," Christine says, with a little strain audible in her voice. She's glad to have stopped, though.
"So... does anyone have any ideas on how we should go about doing this? Because after what they've done, I don't think that asking these guys for Joe and Bunny back is going to work."
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Post by Robot on Apr 28, 2016 23:11:55 GMT
Alright, so fucking around to get our hands on this wagon wasn't a bad call at all. Cecil smirked in the back seat as their vehicle caused the world to whip by, wind in his hair. A little of the burden was eased, knowing the pace they were taking. If this didn't do it, nothing they could've now would've accomplished anything. He'd given up the front seat to Kat, and settled in the back. There was no question in his mind, the greaser would make someone bleed today. When the car finally came to a halt, he got up from his seat. "Why are we stopping? Is this it?" The small affirmation was all that he needed. Christine's question yoked his advance not two steps from the side of the car. "This ain't going to be something for the lighthearted, Christine." Cecil's tone was hard, but his expression was understanding. "If you got it in you to go in there, knowing that they're killin' Bunnie on purpose, then we're about to hurt people. If you can't commit to that, probably better you stay behind where it's safe and watch the car. Same goes for the rest of you. Time's wasting, Bunnie may well already be gone, but I'm going in there. I ain't fucking this one up."
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Post by Slytherclaw on Apr 28, 2016 23:16:31 GMT
Amber nods at Cecil's question. "According to the directions I was given, anyway." She says, turning the vehicle off and climbing out. She lingers for a few seconds to give the mechanical beast a loving pat, already marking 'can we keep it' down onto her list of questions to ask after the emergency is over. She looks up when he starts talking, accepting him as being...something like their leader? At the very least, he's supposed to be their protector, and this is certainly the sort of situation it seems relevant in.
She nods when he finishes his short speech, hesitates for a moment glancing down at the two balls she pulls from her pocket, and releases the small Totodile with a firm nod. "I'm in."
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Post by DataNinja on Apr 28, 2016 23:23:10 GMT
"Like hell I'm staying behind, Deloria," Christine says, a little vehemently. "You yourself even said that they may be killing Bunny in there. Joe too. So who the hell is going to be patching them up? You?" The last bit is delivered almost as a challenge.
But her speech came out much more confidentially than she feels right now. What if she isn't able to save them? Might they be too late already?...
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Post by Slytherclaw on Apr 29, 2016 0:00:57 GMT
Amber tilts her head. "...if it's dangerous in there, you might get hurt, though. If you're hurt, you can't patch other people up. Be careful, okay?" She says, looking at Christine and rubbing her arm. Stealth - QRs58tOe3d6 Survival - 2d6 Perception - 4d6
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Post by DataNinja on Apr 29, 2016 0:06:38 GMT
"Thanks, Amber," Christine says, nodding at the other girl, and trying to give a smile.
Then the other part of what Cecil said, registers, and the brief veneer of confidence fades. "I... I don't know if I can hurt people. That's the opposite of what my life's about. I guess... if they'll survive it, I might. I'm sorry... I just don't know."
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Post by Seya on Apr 29, 2016 23:36:20 GMT
Forgot to add Survivalist +2 to my rolls in the roll thread, the actual results are:
Kat Perception 9, Survival 21, Stealth 10 Hazel Perception 9, Stealth 9 "Hold your Ponytas," Kat mutters as the rest of the group looks to exit the jalopy. "Let me get a feel for the area before we go shamblin' in blind. Won't take but a few minutes."She's all serious movements and narrowed eyes as she peers around the area, one hand reaching back to quietly free a survival knife from beneath the back of her shirt. She glances at the nearby trees, the undergrowth, the mouth of the caverns-- anything that might work well as a trap for unsuspecting kidnappers. And, of course, she searches for signs that they may still be in the area. Beside her Hazel waddles forward with far less of a dangerous expression, but her ears wiggle low and she shifts her eyes about nonetheless.
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Post by Lockdown on May 6, 2016 15:19:23 GMT
Cecil and Kat slowly make their way down, keeping to the underbrush, and showing the others where to step and where not to step. It's a painstaking process, but the results are well worth it. You finally make it down to the Hollow; which is a series of caves and indentations in the bluff. There's some stirred mud at the entrances, and what looks like a fire ring several feet inside the cave mouth, just in view. ȨȾɑȉǽȾɐǽɖɌɒǽɉɌɌɈǽȾɏɌɒɋɁȉǽɖɌɒǽɋɌɑɆɀɂǽɑɅȾɑǽɑɅɂǽɀɅɒɏɋɂɁǽɊɒɁǽɅȾɐǽɅɌɌɃɍɏɆɋɑɐǽɆɋǽɆɑȋȃɋȿɐɍȘǽȟɒɑǽɑɅɂǽɂɁɄɂɐǽȾɋɁǽɍɂȾɈɐǽɌɃǽɊɒɁǽȾɏɂǽȾɉɏɂȾɁɖǽɁɏɖǽȾɋɁǽɀɏɒɊȿɉɖȋȃɋȿɐɍȘǽȞǽȱȾɒɏɌɐǽɌɏǽɐɌɊɂǽɐɆɊɆɉȾɏǽɊɌɋǽɔȾɐǽɁɂɃɆɋɆɑɂɉɖǽɅɂɏɂȉǽȿɒɑǽɆɑǽɉɂɃɑǽȾɑǽɉɂȾɐɑǽȾɋǽɅɌɒɏǽɌɏǽɑɔɌǽȾɄɌȋșȿɏțè ̭͙͎̘͍͑̌̌ͥ͛̌͟͟͞͡͏͍͚͔͍͍̘͚͕̌͑̌͑̌ͥ͛̌͛͠͞͡͠͏͍͙͍͕͓͍͕͎͖͑̌̌̌͑̌͑̌͛͒̌͛͑͘͘͘͘͟͜͞͞͡͞͏̘͔͍͖͕͚͕͚͔͙͍̌͑͑͐̌̌͐͑̌͛͒̌͛͑̌͛͒̌͑̌͑̌͘͘͟͜͟͟͟͠͡͠͠͞͏̧͍͚͎͔͍͎͕͍͑̒̌̀͑͑̓̌̌͑͒̌͑͒̚͢͟͟͜͟͞͞͞͞͏͕͚͕͓͔͍͔̙͍͚͍͚͛̌͛͒̌̌̌͑̌͐͑ͣ͛͗͑͐̌͒͛͐̌͛͐̌ͥ͛̌͑͒͑͘͘͟͟͟͠͠͠͞͞͡͡͞͏͕͓͔͕͚͔̌̌͛̌͑̌͘͠͠͠͏͍͚̘͔͕͓͔͕͓͔͕͚͓͎͍͚͔͕͔͍͍͚͍͑̌̌͑̌͐̌ͣ͑̌͐̌͐̌̌͑͘͘̚̚̚͢͟͟͟͞͠͡͠͞͞͏͍͚͓͍̌͘͠͡͞͏̨̨͍͙͕͚͎̪͎̪͍͍͙͙͚͙͕͚͕͚͔͍͓͑̌͛͒̌͛͑̌͗͐͛̌͛̌͑͑̌̌͒͑̌͛͒̌͛͑͑̌͒͛̌͐͑͑͑̌͐͑̌͛͑̌͛͒̌͑̌͑̌̚͘͘͘͟͟͟͟͢͜͟͞͞͡͡͠͠͞͠͞͞͠͞͞ͅ͏̵̧͍͚͎͍͙͕͑̒̌̌͛͛͗̌͛̌͗͑̌̚͘͘͘͢͟͟͜͟͟͟͠͠͏͍͍͎͕̌͛͒̌͒͜͟͞͞͏͎͕͚͓͕͚͔͕͎͔͍͍̌͛ͣ̌̌͑̌͒͒̌͑͑ͦ͑̌̓̌͑͘͘͟͠͠͡͞͠͠͞͏͔͕͚͓͔͓͔͔͙͔͔̌͛̌͑̌͛̌͛͒̌͑̌͠͞͡͠͡͠͠͏̨͍͎̪͑̚͢͞è As the four of you scan the area, you pick up sounds. They're distorted, echoing slightly, but they seem to be a mix of chirps, growls, grunts, burbles... and a somewhat familiar crying sound. As you watch, a group of achingly familiar pokemon emerges from one of the caverns. A male Nidoran leads the group, looking about cautiously, ears up and swiveling. A Grimer burbles as it brings up the rear, while a nervous looking Stunky walks between the two. The trio pauses to consider their surroundings, as the Nidoran lets out a curious chitter. It's answered by a yap and a growl as a Houndour and a Growlithe emerge from another cave, hackles up and regarding the poison types suspiciously. And then with a pitiable wail, a Bonsly scampers from the largest cave that has the fire ring, followed sedately by a Munchlax... that's carying a scrap of red cloth, sniffing it curiously. The three groups are regarding each other warily, the canines licking their chops and their eyes narrowed, while the poison types are obviously quite cautious. The Bonsly is terrified, and circles around, hiding itself behind the bored-looking Munchlax's bulk.
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Post by DataNinja on May 9, 2016 3:47:38 GMT
Oh... are those- yes. Yes, they are. "So... do you think that we should go in where they came out of?" Christine asks, tentatively. "That seems the best way to find Vargas and Tres. But... why would their Pokémon be let out to wander free?"
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Post by Seya on May 9, 2016 9:12:04 GMT
Kat kneels down by the hoof-prints, her face grim. As she speaks, she lowers her voice so only the man beside her can hear. "Shit. They've come 'n gone, Cec, maybe two hours past. We could catch up to 'em in no time with the jalopy I'd think, but... hm." She looks down the road further. "I don't like the feel of this place. It's your call, 'course. I ain't gonna make no decisions when it's your family on the line y'know? If you wanna give chase further, we'll hound 'em."
She straightens up and glances back in the direction of the other girls, then notices the pokemon emerging from the caves. Her hand immediately goes for her ball belt, but she pauses upon hearing Christine's words. "'Cause that's what the Gene-Children do," she sighs in response. "They ain't of the thoughts that pokemon should be locked up in balls. You don't cage your figures a' worship, sweetheart."
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