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Post by SlvrNight on Sept 15, 2017 23:57:10 GMT -5
Sasha silently watched the exchange between Norman and SEEKER, silently approving of its result. She was relieved to see the geistmech figure some way out to reassure the CEO. On top of that, her idea to claim SEEKER as her own personal assistance golem was accepted, so that problem was largely covered as well. She nodded at Norman as he bid his farewells and left.
"Wait." The detective said to no one in particular. "Show SEEKER around the city? I've barely even been here myself!"
She turned to Mars, Duster, and Selatia.
"You guys wanna take the lead in showing SEEKER around? If it's just me we'll probably get lost and you'll just end up finding our corpses."
Sasha was tempted on asking to join the trio when they went for their drinks but decided against it. She didn't want to force herself into it. The three of them obviously knew each other very well and she herself was only a recent acquaintance.
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Post by Tokrochiru on Sept 19, 2017 9:29:16 GMT -5
Selatia gave a chuckle and a smirk to Mars as thanks for his cynicism. "I'm half tempted to argue that you aren't giving yourself enough credit. Fortunately for you, I don't mind playing the role of tour guide. Whatever would you do without me?"
"He'd brood," said Duster with all the subtle nuance of an oncoming freight train. Much better hidden was his smile which only Mars would be able to pick up on, having known him for so long.
After firing a glare at Duster for his lack of courtesy, Selatia looked to SEEKER, who in turn looked back. "We should properly introduce ourselves first. My name is Selatia. Sorceress, helping hand, and the most graceful soldier of fortune you'll ever meet!"
"Duster. Merc," was all that the messy-haired mercenary was willing to give for an introduction. SEEKER found the lack of detail and effort curious, but it was enough. He was more concerned with just how unemotive he was compared to the other three humanoids in the room. He had spent enough time watching civilization from afar the recognize and understand the most basic forms of body language. Even amongst his own people, movements and gestures were used to communicate, with each individual using whatever movable parts it had to create a language of their own.
Duster had almost none of that. Perhaps there were subtle traces, ones that Mars could notice since he seemed to know him. But to SEEKER, every movement seemed unnatural, as if each and every action required force and focus to accomplish.
SEEKER pushed those thought to the back of his mind, reminding himself that he was still a novice when it came to interaction with sentient organics. In all likelihood, Duster was a breed of Akma that didn't rely on body language to communicate.
His thoughts were brought back to the matter at hand with an energetic clap of the hand. Selatia spoke up. "Well, first things first. We should enter Agria through the eastern gate. Once we pass through customs, we'll skip passed the lodgings district and stop at the free market. Follow me, boys."
SEEKER followed, as did the other three, the silent akma guard saluting each of them as they passed through the door. A few hallways later, they were greeted by the cold air of the Skaldran night. To the west, glowing pillars of chrome illuminated the land for what felt like miles. The recently constructed skyscrapers and the towers that were still under construction lorded over the city's outer walls, which were heavily guarded by an eclectic combinations of humans and many-shaped akma. Scouts were perched on the walls, observing the landscape and its occupants while collossal reptilian creatures guarded the gate.
The gate was their first stop. The incomplete city's size presence only became more grand up close. After a trek, Selatia was brought the group up to the city's open doors. A large, green, bipedal crustacean stopped them in their tracks. "Hold on," said the crab-like employee in a low, dimwitted tone. "Gotta scan your bot real quick."
"Come on now, Gurlic, you know I wouldn't bring anything dangerous into the city." Selatia tried to deflect the guard's curiosity with her charm. Mars had met Gurlic many times before; he did things by the book. He wasn't one to be swayed by personal attachment. This knowledge was affirmed when Gurlic replied to Selaia. "Just doin' my job. Sorry."
The akma approached SEEKER and pointed a rectangular device in his direction. The electrical current flowing through his body increased in voltage as he felt himself turning tense. He looked to Sasha and Mars, hoping they had some sort of way to rescue him from this awkward situation.
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Post by SlvrNight on Sept 23, 2017 19:00:02 GMT -5
Agria was a grand city, even in its incomplete form. From the skeleton of the metropolis, even outside its gates, Sasha could already see that the place would be an absolute marvel once finished. Perhaps rivaling JX City. A part of her was happy that the people living in this horrific frozen wasteland could manage to live a life like this. Besides all that though, she was happy Selatia volunteered to be the tour guide for SEEKER and, inadvertently, her too.
Once they reached the gate and the crustacean akma began to scan SEEKER, the detective looked at the sorceress then at the nonhuman. She appreciated her attempt to skip over this ordeal, but if it was part of the city's protocol then it was best for them to obey. Pushing harder and making a fuss over the geistmech not needing to be scanned was bound to attract suspicion, which in turn would bring unwanted attention. Exactly the thing they were trying to avoid.
SEEKER was most likely not the least bit accustomed to this procedure, but Sasha had absolutely no pull in Agria and couldn't say anything that would stop the process. So she did what she could and made small talk, aiming her attention towards the akma.
"Everything should be in order with him. He's just an assistant golem I bring with me that helps keep track of everything I need to do. Always good to get feedback on things in case I forget something, right?"
The redhead placed a reassuring hand on SEEKER's shoulder in an attempt to keep him calm.
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Post by Jisui on Sept 24, 2017 2:06:31 GMT -5
"You're one to talk." Mars said with a scoff to Duster's quip, though the slight upturn of the corner of his mouth showed no real weight to his words. As the group moved through the hallways into the open air, a sharp gust of cold wind and soft snow greeted him, causing the mercenary to slightly tighten the warm overcoat covering him. Without realizing it, casual banter slowly broke out between the group of mercenaries, as light and familiar as the snow that crunched beneath their feet with every step.
It was inane, but he had missed it without knowing it, the mercenary realized. Sasha and SEEKER weren't bad company per se. But this open, informal air wasn't something that could be gained through a few days of harsh travel with relative strangers.
...Or it could have just been Selatia. The woman could talk the ears off a deaf man.
After a few moments of travel, Agria presented itself to the group strikingly, hulking skyscrapers and illuminated structures piercing through the veil of the night. It always seemed to change a bit every other visit. Never the same, always growing in defiance to the frozen wastes around it. His scarlet eyes passed over the familiar sight, eyes lingering on a particular building before snapping back to the gate quietly.
"Gotta scan your bot real quick."
...Well, some things were the same at least. Still the same as always, eh Gurnik?
Mars caught what he presumed to be an anxious glance from SEEKER, and his mind quickly attempted to think of a way to pass the robot over the troublesome guard. Thankfully, Sasha interjected gracefully, causing the akma to breathe a slight sigh of relief under his breath. It was fortunate Sasha was good with her words. Thinking on the spot was never his strong suit. At least, when it came to people. Combat was fine, and markedly more simple at that. People could be so very complicated.
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Post by Tokrochiru on Oct 11, 2017 8:58:48 GMT -5
The process seemed routine. Fairly average fair until the scanner fell over SEEKER's chestplate. Gurlic's eye stalks twitched as his device peeped thrice.
"...The fuck!? That can't be right. Hold up."
The crustacean examined SEEKER once more with his device. SEEKER attempted to stay still and seem unaffected by the procedure, only barely managing to keep himself under control as Gurlic poked and prodded his exoskeleton. A minute later, the akma stepped back.
"Not just one, but two? Either my equipment's broken or this thing's-"
Gurlic went silent, as if cut off. Sasha was able to find the source of his sudden stop; a voice message being relayed through his armor. Having no ears, crustacean-type akma like Gurlic interpreted sound through the small hairs on their body. It would seem that Gurlic's outfit was equipped with a special function that allowed him to "hear" incoming comm transmissions by stimulating those hairs. Sasha wasn't able to interpret the message due to its unconventional delivery method, but she had a halfway decent guess of what it was.
"Boss says you can go on through. Sorry for the hold up." Gurlic stepped aside, allowing the group to pass him by. Eager to enter the city, they did so.
The gateway spread open before their vision to reveal its most precious apparent assets. Men and akma trading freely and openly in the streets. While most of them worked in some capacity for Salm Industries, one wouldn't know by the diversity of their crafts and the way they conducted their business. Shadowed by the imposing monolith-like towers, the residents enjoyed lives very ideal to middle class JX residents.
Children chased each other playfully in the streets. A woman painted her house while her husband brokered with a local mechanic to get his door fixed. The city wasn't even finished, but it was already alive.
But above all the differing spectacles, one stood out the most. Those shining orange crystals. Vehicles drove down the streets with entire crates of them hooked to their afts. Aspiring magicists performed discussed their potential uses.
"The geist crystal trade is positively booming right now." Said Selatia. "Of course, you probably suspected as much. It's the reason this city exists at all, when you get down to it." She stopped midway through the city's flea market. "Oh, Sasha, is there anything you need to buy while we're here?....Actually, when is the last time any of you lot have eaten? I don't know about you, but I'm absolutely famished."
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Post by SlvrNight on Oct 14, 2017 13:31:29 GMT -5
Sasha's heart skipped a beat once Gurlic noticed something amiss. "Goddammit." She though to herself, mind working into overtime to try and think of a quick response to help prevent the situation from escalating. Thankfully, she didn't have to. The akma's superior, possibly Norman, had sent a message to him to let them pass. At the very least that's what she assumed. She wasn't going to question it and simply moved forward, nodding at the crustacean as she passed.
Despite still being an infant, the city was already shaping up to be what many other cities should be. A place where humans and nonhumans could live peacefully and cooperate with one another without the fear of racial-based hate. It made sense in a way though. This was a new city, not an old one like JX or Rovenheim. There was no history here that could be used to spur such violence, no people living here from before the Eight Hour War that would be disgruntled with the state of their city. Essentially it was a fresh start.
Of course, it wasn't like Sasha was an expert on the history of this area in the first place. She could have been wrong, but it wasn't important enough for her to ask about. Instead, her eyes were brought to the vehicles driving by carrying dozens of crates of geist crystals. Selatia was obviously right, the market for those things was alive and well here.
Before the sorceress even turned to ask her, the detective was already looking at several of the stands and tables examining the wares for anything useful. She stopped at one that had several older mechanical devices on it. All seemed to be in functioning order but Sasha wasn't exactly looking for a new phone charger or toaster. She was looking for anything she could gut for parts for her pistol. But she wasn't exactly an expert on making those things, let alone modifying them.
Then her mind went back to her apartment in JX City, realizing she did in fact need a toaster.
Sasha looked at the owner of the table, an avian akma with dark red feathers and white markings around his beady eyes. He wore a thin jacket with a black scarf around his neck. He noticed her and turned his attention to the potential customer.
"See something you like?" His voice was relatively high-pitched, to the point it stung Sasha's ears a bit. Sometimes the enhanced senses were a problem in normal interactions like this.
"Yes, actually. How much for the toaster? Apartment at home is still being set up and I could always use one."
The akma chuckled. "Of course, of course. What kind of household would be complete without one of the most basic kitchen appliances? How does one live without access to toast and crunchy toasted waffles?"
Sasha wasn't sure if he was playing along with her friendly sociable attitude or if he really was some kind of toasted food aficionado. She decided not to find out and paid for her toaster, giving the akma a polite farewell and rejoining Selatia, Mars, and Duster. She had heard the sorceress mention food and smiled excitedly.
"Yes, food would be an incredible idea right now! Don't think Mars and I have had time to eat recently because of everything that happened."
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Post by Jisui on Oct 14, 2017 22:22:14 GMT -5
A breath let out that Mars hadn't realized he was holding. Close... the boss had bailed them out it seemed. They would have to be more careful in the future. Regardless, there was nothing to be now but go forward.
Agria was never the same city twice. Always changing and shifting about, a different ware to sell on the streets on every visit. It was the embodiment of innovation in this era, and a perfect representation of Norman's ideologies.
Immediately upon entering the city, Mars narrowed his eyes at the abundance of geist crystals. Bright. It was almost painfully bright to him, to the point where he felt a small headache rise. He had always been more sensitive to magic than others. The sensation of so much mana moving around gave him a feeling akin to light seasickness.
Mars took a moment to adjust before moving forward, raising an eye as Sasha broke off from the group to shop. The bodyguard unconsciously moved with her without realizing it, shadowing her and giving all of the eager salesmen a dry stare.
Better safe than sorry. He'd equally want to deal with one of those damn gangrite than an Agrian vendor. What would Sasha want to buy? Thinking of the limited experience he had around the detective, he'd imagine that it was something practical. A gun maybe, or warmer clothes? Or maybe...
...A toaster. Hm.
"Practical." Mars muttered, giving a quiet cough upon realizing that he said that aloud. Quickly changing the topic, he glanced at Selatia and nodded in agreement.
"Good idea. We've been living off rations for the past few days."
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