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Post by Banshee on Jan 5, 2024 23:08:33 GMT -6
Aelita had to bite her tongue to let Athena speak. She didn't mind the fact that the woman had placed a hand on her shoulder. But what she did disagree with, was how she was willing to explore Rex City and its facilities. She cringed at the thought of being caught in one of them. “Ugh. Filthy area. Full of pollution and machines that destroy Nature. Have fun if you will.”
“It's not your decision, Aelita. Remember, you were only appointed as Idol because the prior one to you had perished due to his actions. Don't let history repeat itself a second time because I'm afraid that your student isn't ready to handle such a massive task yet.” She narrowed her eyes at the Idol before turning her attention to Athena.
“And it doesn't concern me with what you do with your side of the fence either. But unfortunately, a couple of our criminals had made a run to your side. They are considered a danger-some of them. Thus we did what we could to wrangle them. We did manage to get one of them but the rest are still at large. But I suppose the best way to deal with it was to locate the officials first before taking them on our own. And for that, on behalf of Cornelia Corp, I apologize for any inconveniences.”
“What a load of crock.” Aelita mumbled under her breath.
“Idol Aelita, it's not our turn to speak. Allow them to finish their conversation.” Lionel said to her while trying to keep Aelita from butting into the conversation again. “It's rude. She is equal, if not higher ranked than you are.”
Edna continued to ignore Aelita for the time being. “As for your request, you are allowed to walk Rex City. But you are not allowed to step foot into our facilities. I do not know anything about you, nor do I trust you. Plus it is not of my ability to admit entrance without the permission from Cornelius himself. And he's currently dealing with something else. However be warned, I cannot be held responsible for any actions of criminal activity.” She frowned. “We may have high security and produced a great deal of protection, but there are still some that slip through the cracks. I'm sure you're well aware of this.”
Edna then waved her hand. “Which brings me to another problem. We've been having some sort of issue with a small group of folks from your side of the fence, Dear. I'll be blunt with you. I've issued them a threat, warning them about their pursuit.”
“You've been causing a lot of trouble. So don't act all innocent.” Aelita hissed at her. “Cornelia Corp has been pushing at the borders for years now. They consume and destroy everything they touch. They attack those who stand against them.”
“You are also blocking the Mayor from one of the areas he actually runs. It's an act of treason.” Edna frowned. “We're only doing what we are told. No different than soldiers in a war.”
“You are destroying the environment. And as a citizen from Fae, I do not want you contaminating Fae.” She frowned. “Quit your innocent acts.”
Edna returned her attention to Athena. “Dear, a war with us is nothing in comparison to the threats that lay outside of all of our realms. Just keep that in mind.”
“What are you hinting at?” Asked Lionel.
“Just that there's someone worse out there than a corporation.” She crossed her arms.
- - - - - -
Nox quietly poked his head into the room where Mark was in. He didn't hear the whole conversation but he knew that Mark wasn't in a good mind set. Slowly, he crept further in. “Mark?” He asked in a worried tone.
“Everything going to be okay with you?” He sheepishly walked closer to him and Ikuki. “You're not going to do anything crazy. Are you? Will I have to find a way to get Lux involved?”
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Post by Moe on Jan 6, 2024 10:09:50 GMT -6
"While I do appreciate your understanding, Miss Edna, there is something you don't quite grasp." Athena said to her. "There is no side of the fence. This world is under my protection, and that includes Rex City now that it's part of Earth. Your laws are your own, but it is still part of the same world that I'm tasked to protect. That's why I'm trying to avoid further dispute." Then she turned to Aelita, and nodded in an apologetic manner. "I apologize on Miss Edna's behalf. We are all equals while we're on neutral grounds. Not one of us is any higher ranked than the other." she shot a glare at Edna, as she said that.
"I'm also very much aware that you've threatened my creator. As I've said, there is no side of the fence. Now that Rex City is part of Earth, it falls under the protection, or judgement, of the gods. I'm here to try and prevent war, but if he decides to declare it, then I don't have the power to stop him. So, then, I should be warning you to back off, because if he enlists me for help then I am obligated to do so. And Miss Edna," she leaned forward to look her directly in the eyes. "A war is something you will not win. That much, I can promise."
"I'm also very much aware now of the impending Terian threat. Your city could be an ally, against them. However, if you don't back down and continue on with your idiotic escapades, then we've both lost each other as allies in a much bigger threat. All of your citizens will fall, and you shall have nobody to blame but yourself, for not heading my warning."
She then nodded to Edna, and then to Aelita. "I have no intention of infiltrating your facilities, without permission. I thank you for your time, and will be on my way to observe the city and see if Miss Aelita's claims are true. If so, then that's enough of a reason for me to consider you an enemy. The district on Earth grounds is yours, but remember, Fae is not. It was a pleasure speaking with you, Miss Edna."
---------------
"Nox," Mark sighed. "Everything I do lately, is crazy. This is probably the most sane thing I've done, in a long time. Don't worry...I'll be fine. Athena is talking to Edna right now. She's probably ticking Edna off, real good." he said with a smirk. "That calm demeanor in heated situations is infuriating, I swear." he stuck his tongue out.
Tiffany also had bounced in, having followed Nox, and climbed in her dad's lap as well. "Is this the same lady that's mad about her treasure getting stolen?"
"Something like that, yeah. At this point, I think she's just always angry about something. Doesn't know how to just sit back and have some fun." Mark said, trying to explain it the best he could to her.
"Aunt Alex says people like that just have a stick up their-"
"OKAY NO MORE STAYING AT AUNT ALEX'S FOR A WHILE." Mark interrupted before she could finish.
"Anyway, I've been thinking abut how we could draw out Edna's son." Ikuki chimed in. "We obviously can't make the first move and give her reason to strike back, and it seems like she's doing the same thing to us. So, I think we might have to do something really crazy. Probably the most insane thing, so far." she said as she leaned on Mark's shoulder.
"What could possibly be more insane than-...oh. No. No no no. You know I HATE doing that." Mark caught on to what she was hinting at. "Please, anything but that. I've been avoiding media for years, please don't make me make a public speech, now." he whined.
"It's the easiest way to put a target on Edna, without directly threatening her. Tell the public that we're the ones working on getting communications back up, expanding the railway and shuttle, sending supply cargos out to cities who need it, and so on. Then claim that we're doing all of that in spite of Cornelia Corp sending threats and trying to stop us. It's subtle enough to get the point across and to have the rest of the world on our side." Ikuki explained.
"Uuuugh. But that means I'll have to admit that this whole mess was my fault in the first place, and that's just as likely to backfire on me as it is to turn people against Edna." Mark continued to whine, not particularly fond of the idea.
"Not necessarily. Just state that this was an act of god, which isn't a lie, and you aren't admitting to anything. Even if Edna tries to turn things around and claim it was you, your powers are still locked. Nobody would believe her. Think of it like...another secret identity." Ikuki continued to try and persuade him.
Mark sighed a long, annoyed sigh, but eventually obliged. "Fine. But only if you're with me. Unfortunately, everyone else is going to have to stay out of the spotlight since you're all wanted by Cornelia Corp."
"I'm not!" Tiffany beamed. "I wanna be on the news!"
"Being cute would add some points in our favor, but I think this time you should stay with Uncle Nox." Mark said to her.
"Awww. I wanted to be on tv." Tiffany crossed her arms and huffed, in a pout.
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Post by Banshee on Jan 9, 2024 12:36:24 GMT -6
A twinge of anger ran through her nerves when Athena declared herself as Rex City’s protector. All because Earth was now attached to them. She gritted her teeth while keeping her serious look and let her continue to prattle on about what she knows, what she thought of the situation, and the small amount of underlying insults.
She then gave Athena a wry smile. “Fine. Have it your way. Oh, great God.” Edna sarcastically said with a quick bow. “Protect us with your mighty presence. But my words still stand. You and your little friends will not be welcomed to step within my facilities. Do so, and our alliance is cut short.” Edna turned away and started to walk towards Lionel and Aelita.
She stopped short before Lionel and glanced downwards at him. It was always a shock to see a Draygar be so vertically challenged. But there he was. “This falls onto you as well, little Draygar.” Her frown deepened. “Don’t attempt to be a pint-sized hero.” She then stepped around him to keep walking on.
Lionel wasn’t going to take her insult to his height to heart. All he could do was smile at her. “Sounds fine to me! Just lay off the attack and we’ve got ourselves a deal.”
“Whatever.” She waved on as she continued to leave.
Lionel turned to Athena and said; “Well, that could’ve gone better.”
- - - - - -
Nox winced. He wasn’t so sure how things will turn out. Being confident that no one would believe Edna was a bit of a push. There were bound to be loyal followers of hers who would find this attempt to be absurd. But Nox decided to keep his opinions to himself. As he didn’t want to keep on the subject for too long.
“It’ll be worth a shot...” He finally said at the end of it. “I just hope Lux and Jet’s opinion of Lucian is...true...” Nox looked back at the doorway he had entered the room in. “He’s bound to be very similar to Edna...”
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Post by Moe on Jan 10, 2024 12:22:34 GMT -6
"It could have gone worse, as well." Athena replied to Lionel's comment. "She's clearly upset, and has a very bad case of superiority complex. The fact that we are all leaving this meeting without physical violence, is a win in my book."
"Now if you don't mind, I would like to see the inner workings of the city and make my assessments. City ethics and laws are not my concern, but should they pose a threat to the outside of these walls, I might have to tighten security on other city borders. After I make my assessments within the city, I would like to meet back up with the two of you in the Northern district, you said? If what you claim is true and she is attempting to infiltrate Fae, then we don't need to wait for her to make an attack as that's reason enough to enlist my army's help in the fight against her."
"I would also like to discuss establishing a railway station on your district's borders. I might not have the jurisdiction to build within the city, but outside these walls, Edna has no control. And we're going to need to make sure there's a station nearby to run supplies into the city, should anything happen to her." she said with a smirk, as she continued to leave as well.
--------------------------------
Mark carefully chose his words when preparing the speech, careful not to directly insult or call out Edna herself. He didn't bother dressing up or looking nice, and certainly wasn't going to speak to any kind of media or reporters. Instead, he stayed in his office in his lab and made his statement with at least that small amount of comfort. The signal wouldn't have reached further than about a sixty mile radius anyway, so there was no point in leaving. After the head of security was made aware of what he was doing, he took a deep breath in and prepared himself for one of the things he hated most in the world.
Public speech.
"Hello, Kaiser City!" he said with the best radio voice he could muster. "As I'm sure you're all aware of by now, the planet recently got a bit weird, in what can only be described as an act of god." he said with a slight wince, but he couldn't risk admitting that he was the cause. Not yet. "Security forces and my own team have been working tirelessly to restore communications and radio signals as well as ensuring a sense of safety. Rest assured, the borders are still secure and nobody is going to be able to enter the city without the same clearance that was always needed."
He glanced over at Ikuki briefly, who was giving him a thumb's up and a smile, encouraging him to keep going.
"However, after discussion with Miss Athena and my team, we have decided to expand our efforts to other cities that have been affected. We plan on expanding the railway and shuttle system and building stations throughout the New Expanse, sending supplies out to smaller cities and towns that need it. We've been mapping out areas and beginning work on the new railway system and have been making great headway, despite Cornelia Corp attempting to claim territory and sending threats against us."
"Not only that, we also plan on expanding communications as well as establishing trade. Our world just got a whole lot bigger, and there are other cities out there just as confused and panicked as we all are. Even though Cornelia Corp has been making threats against my team, what we're doing feels right and I'm sure as heck not going to stop helping people, because one greedy CEO hates me. While protecting Kaiser City's borders and citizens is our security officers' top priority, my team and I have felt it's also our responsibility to make sure other affected towns and cities feel safe as well. I will be personally supervising the operations after I restore communications to Kaiser City, but rest assured, the city is in safe hands. Athena herself plans to make a more official statement after she returns from Rex City, so until then all we can do is hang tight and wait things out just a little bit longer."
He started to make a motion to turn off the broadcast, but made a more solemn expression as he decided to drop the act.
"I never was so great with public speeches. It's so hard to tell everyone to hang tight and trust us, when I don't even know what's going to happen next, myself. All I can tell anyone is that somehow, I know things are going to work out and everything is going to be okay, in the end. There's a whole world out there now, and we're no longer trapped in the same city doing the same thing day after day, for our entire lives. We're free to travel, to meet new people and to see things that haven't existed on Earth for thousands of years. Listen, I know you're all scared. I am, too. I'm freaking terrified. But maybe it's just change, that's scary. There haven't been any changes to this planet since the cataclysm, and this is a big one. But y'know what? We're all in this, together. If there's one thing I know about humanity, it's that we can survive anything. We survived the end of the world and still came out pretty okay, so I know we can survive the beginning of a new world."
"And if there's a certain CEO hearing this, I wish all the same for you, too. If the whole world can change this much in an instant, then I'd like to believe you're capable of change, too. For now...that's all I've got to say. Peace out, Kaiser."
Ikuki gave him a soft smile as he turned off the broadcast, moving over to give him a hug and a kiss on the cheek. "You did good."
Mark exhaled deeply and let his head fall face-first onto his desk with a harsh impact. "Oh my god that was the most terrifying thing I have ever had to do." he mumbled.
"There's the Mark I know." she said as she held back a laugh. "You think that'll be good enough to draw out Lucian?"
"I dunno." Mark sat back up. "But we can't wait around too long for him to show himself. Once Athena finishes the railways, we need to plan on going back to those towns to set up communications and try to form allies in our fight against Edna. She's got a massive team working on it, should be done within a couple months or so. That should give us enough time to finish the bots' new shells and finish setting up communications within the rest of Kaiser."
"On a related note, Nox? You said you're from the Northern district, right? How close to the borders do you think we can get a station? If it's outside of the city, then Edna can't really stop us, and we're going to need one close by to get supplies into the city. Since we're going to be taking another road trip, maybe we can make some assessments and layout plans and you can give us a tour of your home while we're there." he said with a smile.
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Post by Banshee on Jan 10, 2024 20:34:26 GMT -6
Aelita frowned at Edna’s departure. There was certainly a huge list of topics that she wanted to fire at the petite woman. So many things in fact, that the whole argument could’ve lasted for much longer. But the more she pondered over these ideas, the more she began to realize that she was wasting her breath. And with that she turned away to hear Athena speak to her and her pupil.
Lionel nodded, agreeing with Athena about the lack of fighting being a win. “Personally, I like solving problems without fighting. But I know for some, it’s just what they need to get the realization pounded into their head.” He crossed his arms to listen to her speak on about investigating the area. “Hey, it’s fine by the two of us. We’re only looking over the Northern portion of Rex City.” He then glanced to Aelita. “Are you willing to come back for another discussion about our possible future plans, Idol Aelita?”
She stopped to take a good look at Athena. Aelita didn’t know who the woman was, so trusting her wasn’t something she was willing to do so easily. “Trust is earned. We’ll see.”
Lionel frowned at her response. He had a good gut feeling that Athena wasn’t going to pull any sneak attacks on them. And after a solid few moments of watching Aelita walk away in a gruff huff, he turned back to Athena. “Apologies for her actions. She’s...normally not this irritable. Edna has a way with getting under her skin. But if Aelita isn’t willing enough to repay you a visit, then I will. If there’s anything that I can do to help, just let me know.” He gave her a quick bow when he heard Aelita call his name. “Hope to see you soon, Ma’am.” Lionel then turned to catch up with Aelita.
“Do you think she can be trusted?” Lionel asked her in a whisper.
Aelita frowned. “I don’t know who to trust anymore. Just keep your wits about you. And we’ll find out.”
- - - - -
Sitting at a table drinking a beverage that one would only assume was stolen from a helpless fifty cent soda machine, was Lucian. He was attempting to mind his own business but his friend Llani was yammering away about something dealing with toxins? He wasn’t sure. Lucian was just letting her spill out her radical theories and insane thoughts to him, which he knew made her feel happy. Occasionally he’d smile at her, letting her think that he was actually paying attention to her. This only fueled her excitement as she continued to enthusiastically expel more details about her thoughts.
Beside them, an old man was smacking the side of an old CRT tv. With one final whack, he managed to get the screen to flicker onto Hyper X’s face as he gave his speech. Lucian recognized him from their last attack and was surprised to see him making a speech. Quirking his interest, he motioned for the old man to step to the side and allow him to watch the feed.
“Oooh!” Llani said with excitement. “That’s the guy you met, right? What’s he doing in the tiny magic box? Don’t tell me he’s trapped!!”
“It’s called a television.” Lucian said right before taking a swig of his drink and shoved her out of his way. He managed to distract Llani so he could listen to the speech given. At first, the speech seemed fairly alright for a novice. But then it sort of faltered when he began to be personal. “Aw man. What a bummer...He almost had it.”
“Who is he talking about? What CEO?”
“Eh...” He shrugged. “Just trying to get Mom all wound up with his little jabs. Dunno if it’ll work completely but it’ll be kind of fun to watch.”
“Can I watch?!”
“No. You go with Lux and the new kid.” Lucian yawned as he lazily looked over at her. “You’ll just get in the way.”
“Aw...Well, you’re not wrong. I may accidentally poison him-“ She began to deviously giggle. But when she went to go speak with Lucian once more, he had slipped away. Llani frowned and whined; “Aw, he always goes and has fun! I get stuck with the bratty purple haired boy and the Rookie...”
Lucian had transformed into a bird and took flight. Thinking to himself; ”Bud, I’ve been trying to change my Mother for years...I doubt you or any of your God friends can completely change her...” His eyes narrowed as he began to soar through the air. ”But who knows? Mom’s always been the kind to enter deeper waters than she could swim...Maybe there is a chance of saving her?”
- - - - -
Nox thought for a moment before answering his questions. “Mmm....” He scratched his head, showing a lot of thought was going into how he was going to answer Mark’s question. “I guess it really depends. Without Idol Aelita’s permission, you won’t get very far at all. Rex City is kind of in a circular pattern, where it’s split into four major sections and the middle of it all is the heart of the City.”
Jasmine butted in and drew a pretty quick but detailed drawing of Rex City. “I know your question was directed at him. But I’m from the Eastern side of the City. If you go that route, Cornelia Corp pretty much destroyed that district. It’s also known as the wastelands. It’s...nothing like how the Expanse was but it’s filled with abandoned buildings, junk piles...you may come across some of my Scavengers as well as enemy Raiders. But other than that, if you ask me. It’ll be the best route for you to take to make that railway. It’s the least watched area.”
“Yeah...” Nox said with a nod.
“East side sucks.” Jasmine wrinkled her nose. “But if you go through or around that, I can tell my Scavengers to help keep enemy Raiders at bay. They know a thing or two about fighting so don’t worry about them. However, if you plan on making a path INTO the North District, you’re going to need to communicate with Idol Aelita. And she’s no trip in the park.”
“She...doesn’t take too kindly to technology. So you’re going to have to talk big to her.” Nox said to Mark. “She’s...very brash and short tempered. But...she’s also very new at her position. I mean, she’s been an Idol for a decade but she’s still considered pretty green. Which is why I think Edna’s been harassing her. Testing Idol Aelita’s skills as a protector of the Northern District.”
“Though...” Jasmine wagged her finger at Nox before looking to Mark. “She’s got a cute apprentice. If you can’t get a word in with her, talk to him.”
“J-Jasmine...” Nox flailed.
Jasmine smirked and added; “If you want my suggestion, go for him. Lionel’s his name. He’s going to be your key to getting through.” Then she frowned. “But I won’t be able to go and neither will Tex.”
“Why?” Asked Nox.
“I’m not from the Northern District nor am I magically inclined. I’m all about technology and I’ve done my own enhancements. Tex is a robot, she’s only going to short out walking through that barrier she set up. The only one that MIGHT make it through okay, would be Emily and that’s because she’s from there. If...her spiritual energy can be suffice enough to get her through, that is.”
“Well...” Nox said as he rubbed his head, looking back at Mark. “A road trip home, huh? I-I guess that’s not so bad... I forgot Lionel was her apprentice. And...well I would’ve said different words but Lionel’s really a nice guy. So it’d be nice to see him and his family again.” He smiled. “They took care of Lux and me after we left you!”
Then his smile faded VERY quickly. “Oh...You’ll meet Reese too. I guess there’s that...”
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Post by Moe on Jan 11, 2024 16:09:06 GMT -6
"I know you're trying to find the easiest route, but I think it's better if we play by the rules for right now." Mark said with a sigh. "We can't build inside of Rex City, because we don't have jurisdiction. If we break in and start claiming territory, how are we any better than them? They took over under the claim of helping people, too. If we do the same thing, then we're just replacing them. However, if we're able to get your idol's permission, then we can at least build a station outside of the city walls. It might take longer to get supplies in, but if we plan everything right then we can have caravans going into the city after we take down Cornelia Corp."
"Politics suck." Ikuki stuck her tongue out.
"Yeah, but them's the rules." Mark shrugged. "We've got plenty of time to plan, though. For now, we need to focus on getting things up and running here, before we go on another adventure. Plus, we promised Emily and Jet new shells. If we don't completely cut them off from Cornelia Corp, then there's always the chance of that scrambler getting compromised. It is their tech and we don't know if they'll be able to hack it or disable it, or how long it'll even last. If that happens and Edna gains control again...it's not gonna be pretty."
"Still, though. It would be good to have Aelita's permission to build, before we infiltrate." Ikuki agreed with Jasmine. "Even if we start building outside of the city, if we get permission first then we can plan on building inside of the city, once Edna is out of the picture. Plus, I really really want to punch Reese in the face." she said with a devious grin.
"I don't know if you're joking, or not." Mark said with a concerned look. "Anyway, it's probably best if you planned on stayed here. We don't know how long it'll take for Athena to get a railway built that'll get us close enough to the city."
"I'll be fine. We're just taking a road trip, not planning an immediate invasion." she said as she leaned on his shoulder. "In fact, it might be nice for us all to go. If this Aelita person has kept the place safe for this long, then we don't have to worry about anything exciting or dangerous happening."
Mark thought about it for a moment, not really wanting to risk hers or Tiffany's safety, but he also felt guilty for leaving Tiffany behind, so often. "Only if I know it's safe enough, for you both to be there. Right now, we don't even know if they'll let us in at all. If either of you know how to contact Lionel, then that should be on our priority list as soon as we restore communications. Wait, would that even work if they hate technology? I still haven't worked out this whole astral thing and I don't think I can contact somebody I don't have a connection to."
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Post by Banshee on Jan 11, 2024 19:17:24 GMT -6
Due to communications being down beyond Kaiser City, Nox wasn't sure how he could call Lionel. He knew that he could get a hold of Josephine but it wouldn't do either any good if they couldn't go beyond the city. So as Mark questioned how they could contact Aelita and ask her for permission, Nox rubbed his chin and looked around the room. At first, he didn't say anything to answer Mark's question. In fact, he fired back another question which was open for anyone to answer. “Got anything sea related?” “Sea...related?” Repeated Jasmine. “Yeah. Sea shells. Starfish. A fish. Even sea weed or a toy boat?” “Nox, what are you getting at?” Jasmine was conflicted with his weird direction of thinking. “I doubt we'll find anything like that around here.” “Okay. So...let me go on a little side quest.” Nox said as he left the room without filling in anyone about what he was thinking or why he was looking for such items. Jasmine shrugged. “I'd question him but I don't think I really want to know.” She glanced to Mark and Ikuki. “So, I'm going to go back to working on those robots. Peace!” She walked out of the room. But not before she swiped someone's bread off their plate. No one knew why there was bread there. But she took it anyway. Later that day, Nox returned with great enthusiasm and an abrupt shout, which may have startled some folks who were unaware of his sudden return. “I GOT IT!” Above him, he held a small statue of a sexy Siren sitting on a rock. At this point, RJ was on his break and when Nox burst into the room, he had nearly jumped out of his own skin. “N-N-NOX! Where the heck did you find that? It's so...uh...” “Jet found it in someone's abandoned car.” Nox said as he rushed over to the corner of the room. He placed the statue on the table and fished in his small backpack for something else. This attracted the attention of RJ, Jet, and whoever else was in the room. Nox held up a small notebook and sat down before the statue. “I hope he doesn't mind me using this statue here...but I've got nothing else. So hopefully it's ocean-like enough.” He then flipped through his book, skimming over notes that he had scribbled away. “I really need to move this spell in a better-” “You're doing a spell?” RJ gaped. “What kind? It's not...evil?” Nox stopped for a moment, staring up at him like a scolding librarian would to a stupid question. “No.” Then he looked back down at his book. He quickly found the spell and held his hand over the statue. Closing his eyes, he mumbled something incoherent to everyone. His hand suddenly glowed a soft green color, sparkling with light and flickering energy. He then wiggled his fingers which gave the light a sprinkling motion. Nox poorly sang; “So bring forth the brilliant song There's much truth to be told Bring forth the brilliant song To break you out from hold Talk to me my dearest friend You are the one I need right now This spell is to be unbend I need you here anyhow!”
He paused for a moment before adding; “Huh...could use some work-oh?” The statue began to glow brightly as a fuzzy green cloud began to emerge from the Siren's statue. Glowing brightly an image of Lionel's face appeared. Grinning. “Oh?” He took notice of the statue right as soon as he could see Nox and everyone else. “ Huh...Going into the naughty section in stores, are we?”Nox blushed at the idea and frantically waved. “No! Someone else grabbed it for me. I was trying to find a seashell or something...” “Right, right. I forgot. You're not Lux.” Nox's brows sank at the idea of Lux sneaking into naughty places in a store. But he quickly brushed the thoughts away and asked; “Lionel, quickly. Are you okay with us trying to get into the Northern District?” “I dunno. What sort of devilish deeds have you done now?” Lionel grinned. “Have you killed a man?”“What? No. Of course not. Lionel, please be serious.” “Wait! I've got one more. Hold on! It's really good!” He paused with his hand held up to stop Nox from speaking. Then with a serious expression he asked; “Did you call me to finally confess your attraction to one of my daughters? Because you can't hide that from me. I know you've got a thing for M-”Nox could feel his cheeks turn red. “N-no that's Lux. Again.” “No, I know Lux doesn't wear glasses and he likes J-”“That's not the point, Lionel! Please, we need your help.” He could feel some folks snickering at this interaction. But he was doing his best to stay on point. Nox then explained to Lionel what they needed help for. “So...that's why. We need permission to enter Northern District to further our plans. We don't want to harm Aelita or the environment. But if anything does happen to Cornelia Corp, we need to have a backup plan.” “Ah, good thinking.” He wagged his finger. “I think I know a guy that can help you out! The perfect one who could potentially sing her a really good Sea Shanty-”“Lionel, please this is serious.” Nox frowned. “Don't make me call your wife and have her slap the snot out of you.” There was an amused laugh from behind Lionel. A girlish laugh. Lionel then smirked. “Oh now that's not fair. She's behind me and said that it wouldn't help.”“Please!” “Calm down, Nox!” Lionel laughed. “Kid, the older you get the more tense you become. You're going to turn yourself into a heat seeking missile like your brother, if you don't loosen up.”Nox frowned. “And for the record, she's only a friend. Just like Dawn.” Lionel let out an amused laugh, clearly not believing Nox. “There's TWO girls? I dunno man, to me you're beginning to scream Bard. Impressing the ladies with your exuberant personality!”
Nox was trying so hard to not die in front of everyone. So instead of reacting in such a way that would egg Lionel on, he calmly said; “When we get into North District, I'm going to smack you so hard in the face.” “Hah! You're so short! You can't touch this!” He motioned his face. “Give me a year. I'll be taller than you.” “I'll kick your knees!” Lionel was clearly having a blast with messing with Nox. “Nah, I kid. You guys all sit tight. We're becoming pretty aware of what's been going on. We met with Athena not too long ago. So...Aelita's already been alerted on you guys causing such a ruckus with that arrogant Shape Shifter. I'm pretty sure it's going to go a lot smoother than you think. Though, big recommendation? No robots.”“...Dang...what...about Mom? Err-she's...from there but uh...she's turned...” “I...wouldn't hold your breath on it, Nox but I'll do my best to persuade Aelita into letting you guys in. Alright? Just give me a day. If I hear back sooner, then I'll get a hold of you. Well...regardless, I'll get a hold of you.”“Thank you so much.” “PEACE!” Lionel said with great energy before shutting the connection down. After, Nox sighed and flopped over onto the couch. “...I love the heck out of him but man, did he really have to go and embarrass me like that?” “Hehe...Nox as a bard...” Jet giggled.
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Post by Moe on Jan 11, 2024 23:43:18 GMT -6
While Nox left, most everyone had gone about their own business and aside from Mark being slightly annoyed that Jasmine stole his garlic bread, the mood had begun to lighten just a bit. Jasmine and RJ were continuing their work and Apollo had begun making some adjustments here and there to the designs he liked, for his own shell. Mark, meanwhile, had been trying to work with city security on a plan to restore communications for the rest of the city, although that had to be set aside as Tiffany had hijacked the tablet he was using, to draw on. So, while Tiffany was bugging her dad to create a masterpiece with her, Ikuki took over with talking to city security.
When Nox made his grand reappearance, it caused Mark to glance up from what he was doing, and blush profusely when Nox held up the questionable statue. Tiffany had peaked her head over the tablet, but Mark quickly moved it back up to prevent her from seeing it. "NOX. You can't just..." he took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "Please take that to another room." he said in a much calmer tone of voice. He knew Nox wasn't like that, after all, but some boundaries did have to be set when Tiffany was around.
Tiffany was still trying to see what it was that caused such a reaction, but Mark moved the tablet to block her line of sight, every time she tried, causing her to make very frustrated toddler noises.
"You should probably be a part of this." Ikuki said to Mark, as she took Tiffany. "I'm not so big on politics, so I'm happy to stay here and keep an eye on her. Also, ask Nox if I can have that when he's done with it. For reasons."
"Ikuki!" Mark blushed, to which she only responded with a shrug and a grin. He just rolled her eyes at her, but didn't judge. He then followed Nox to the break room, walking in on only a portion of the conversation.
It struck a bit of a nerve when Lionel called Nox out for liking two girls, which was clearly causing him to get flustered and frustrated, but he didn't butt in. Nox was doing a good job of trying to keep things professional, and he was proud of him for that. He quietly listened as the two spoke, not wanting to interrupt as Nox seemed to be doing a good job on his own. When Lionel shut the connection off, Mark set a hand on Nox's shoulder. "Hey, don't take crap from people like that, okay? I know he's a good friend, but that's all the more reason for him to respect boundaries. You like who you like, and if you don't feel any way toward anyone, that's also okay. Don't ever let anyone tell you it isn't." he said as he ruffled Nox's hair.
He sighed as he turned his focus on the more political side of the conversation. "So, I guess Athena's been making lots of new friends. I'll see if I can contact her again, and get her to talk with either Lionel or Aelita herself, to get us into the city. It might be safer if your mom didn't come along, based on what he was saying. We've done so much to save her, I don't want to take the risk of you losing her all over again, if she can't get past the barriers. Unless Ikuki can do some temporary necro-magic on her while we're in the city, it's probably better to play it safe."
"I guess in the meantime, we've got plenty of time to give her and Jasmine and RJ a tour of the city." he said, sitting next to Nox on the couch. "Maybe you can introduce her to Spicy Nugget, too. Yours and Lux's room is just the way you left it, y'know."
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Post by Banshee on Jan 12, 2024 10:47:19 GMT -6
Despite the objection from Mark, in regards of the trinket that Jet found, Nox handed the item over to Ikuki anyway. He didn't want it as he wasn't into collecting those kind of statues. He then turned to Mark when Mark ruffled his hair and spoke about not taking crap from others. Nox couldn't help but smile at him. “Oh, I'm honestly not bothered by that! Lionel's pretty harmless. Actually, it was one thing he teased me about. But in return, I teased him about his issues with asparagus. He really hates them and will not touch them for some reason.”
He paused for a moment and then added; “He's pretty much like a Guardian for Lux and myself when we went our separate ways a while back. Lionel convinced Reese to let us train with him and his brother-in-law. Though, a big chunk of my training did fall under his Mother-in-law. She's amazing!”
Nox then sat back and added; “Though, it would be nice if Mom could tag along. But you're right. I doubt Aelita will be willing enough to let her cross the borders without actually meeting her herself.” He frowned. “And from the sounds of it, Edna's making sure that Aelita's hands are pretty much tied. But hopefully in the end, we can manage to break that...in favor of Aelita, of course.”
“I've only been to the Northern District a few times in my youth.” RJ said. “It's really a beautiful place. It's not a wonder why Aelita is fighting so desperately to keep it free from Corporate control. Believe me, if she's blocking a lot of the attacks from entering, it's probably going to be a ton more safer than any other place on the bridge.” He said to Mark, knowing his concern over Ikuki and their unborn child as well as Tiffany.
“Plus!” Nox added; “If we meet up with Lionel, Tiffany won't be the youngest one there. He's got two little ones...I think they're about three? And then his brother-in-law also has kids around the same age too. So if she comes along, she'll be content with some new friends. Maybe!”
“Well, sounds like a cool plan then?” RJ shrugged. “I'm going to go and check up on Jasmine to see how she's making out.” He rose from the chair he was in and walked out of the room.
“Man...so lucky. I've kinda wanted to see what the Northern District looked like.” Admitted Jet. “But...even before turning into this...” He gestured to himself. “I wasn't allowed in. As a civilian, you have to go through a ton of trials and tests to be allowed to step foot into that territory. So when they say, Aelita is tough with defenses, they really mean it. Even folks that I know who were pretty docile, didn't make the cut. So if that Lionel guy can help you get in, you're really lucky.”
Nox patted his arm. “One day Jet.”
“Eh, I wouldn't hold my breath on it.”
“But you don't have lungs.”
“Exactly.”
“Doesn't make sense but that's okay.” Nox laughed. “So let's get ourselves ready! And yes! I'll show Jasmine Spicy Nugget! She'd love that little dino! Or...well growing dinosaur!” He clasped his hands together and smirked. “Maybe I can show her while she's on break.”
- - - -
As promised, Lionel did actually call Nox back with information about Aelita's opinion on the situation. He mentioned that it took a lot of talking with her to allow them to cross the borders. However, as expected, none of the robots were allowed to pass through because the barrier that separates North District from the rest of Rex City, would disable them and cause major damage to their circuits. She had played with the idea of letting down the barriers for just that moment but unfortunately she worried that Cornelia Corp would be watching and would take advantage.
Disappointed, Nox wished that his Mother could actually pass through. After all, she was once a member of the Northern District. And when he expressed his opinion about it, Lionel reassured him that perhaps once Cornelia Corp steps down or gets into the hands of someone else better than Cornelius himself, then she may pass through. But like everyone else, Lionel wasn't able to give him a comforting and definite answer.
Nox appreciated the work that it took to convince Aelita into allowing them through. He then informed Mark and the rest of the crew about what they could do. But then it was brought up that they would have to wait until Athena could finish her railway system first before they initiate their next move. Until then, Nox decided that he was going to do whatever he could to help everyone in anyway he could.
Then before they all knew it, a few months passed on. Tex was completely finished and everything was in complete working order. During the time passing, Emily was having a lot of difficulties getting used to her new body. She would randomly shut down or lock up. Several diagnostics were run on her before they could finally figure out what was wrong. And by the time the final month slipped past, Emily woke up for the first time without any issues.
“Mom!” Chimed Nox as he saw her for the first actual time since she went into repair. It had been months. “You look...amazing!”
She looked herself up and down. Tex's old frame was not recognizable. The frame had a complete overhaul of appearance and had some alterations with the types of metals that resided within. Her frame still remained petite in size and thin but now was equipped with blue wings and a soft blue color scheme instead of the stark white. When she opened her wings up, they had a similar appearance to a Blue Royal butterfly. One of her favorite creatures.
“So...” Nox said a good while later. “Lionel said that he will meet us at the terminal point. Which is where everyone who goes through, has to be checked over. He suggested no mechanical weapons of any kind. Though, I'd reckon it may include your mech-suits too? Unless you have an alternate super hero outfit you can wear.” He looked down at his notes that he took while speaking with Lionel about their plans.
“Uh...He says that he also has a place for us to stay at. It's one of those neat vacation houses. I guess his Dad owns it and he's allowing us to stay there. I guess it's pretty roomy and has enough space for us to have our own room and personal space. Aelita even mentioned meeting with us at one point but didn't give us a time because of the ongoing issue with Edna.” He looked back to Mark and Ikuki. “I guess I'm tagging along and the others will have to stay?” He motioned to Jasmine and the robots.
“I can't go. Not if ya'll want to be carrying me.” Jasmine frowned. “Dang, I'd love to see the other side.”
“I could probably go.” RJ spoke up. “I don't have any mechanical enhancements or anything like that. And if there's an excessive amount of magic, then perhaps I could be of some use. Considering I am part Fae to begin with. Any information I obtain, I can bring it back here for Jasmine to better prepare herself for the next step.”
“Man, we really need to get Aelita on our side though.” Nox said with a frown. “I cannot blame her for being weary about us. But she needs to know that everything isn't so black and white. Even the horrid side of Rex City has some good folks in it that are willing to help her.”
“I'm sure once she speaks with you and Mark, things might go a bit better. Because right now, we just need her to be on our side. I don't think us alone can take down that company, not without destroying the entire economy.” RJ said. “But I'm willing to try this. And besides, who knows what else we might find?”
“Well!” Nox said with certainty. “I'm ready whenever!”
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Post by Moe on Jan 12, 2024 15:42:00 GMT -6
Mark had been in and out of the labs, prepping things both in the labs and back at home. Communications within the city had finally been restored, and a tower in the new underground had been set up and connected to Kaiser. Smaller towers had been set up in smaller towns, allowing for communication between cities to finally be possible. Back at home wasn't any easier either, as Nathan had returned to the city to begin moving his stuff out of Mark's house, since he and Beth were able to get a place of their own. It felt a bit weird since they had been roommates from the start, but it at least gave them an extra spare room since Mark was still adamant on leaving Lux and Nox's room the way they left it, just in case.
When the time finally came for them to journey into Rex City, there was still much preparing that had to be done. Packing, planning, and deciding who would be in charge of security while Mark was away. Packing was the easy part. Mark and Ikuki had already loaded their supplies onto the shuttle, and Ikuki waited there with Tiffany while Mark left to pick up the others.
The others were at the labs again, having been working out some issues with Emily's new frame. Mark had also been working on Jet's as well, but designing something to hold a human spirit was a lot more challenging than just designing extensions. However, there was another robot being worked on. While he wasn't able to fully function without the artificial brain, Apollo's shell was fully designed and ready for when Mark had the time and the knowledge to complete it. For now, Apollo was able to control it remotely as an avatar, though the signal couldn't reach further than the labs.
"You just missed Emily awakening. It seems as though all the bugs have been smoothed out, and she's fully operational." he said as he walked alongside Mark. "Now that we know what to look for, we can finish Jet's new frame as well. I would be lying if I said I wasn't a little jealous."
"I know." Mark responded. "Just give me time to get Cornelia Corp off our backs. Those two already have blueprints, at least. Yours was lost with your creator. And I haven't quite learned how to create life, yet alone create something that functions as an organic but is build like a robot."
"That is fair." Apollo shrugged. "On another note, have you decided who should be in charge of security while you're away? Athena will be in Rex City as well, and with the both of you gone, Kaiser will be left vulnerable to attacks."
"Yeah. You. You've got access to everything you need, here." Mark set his hand on Apollo's shoulder. "You know everything I do around here, if there's an attack on the city or if Edna tries to breach our borders, I trust you."
"Hm. I see." Apollo tilted his head, somewhat confused that Mark would trust him with an entire city. "Then I shall protect it with my life. I will go make preparations on my part, then. Your team is waiting for you, in the lounge. When you meet with Edna again....hm. How did your sister say it? Shove a fist so deep into her face that she shits it out? Yes, do that to Edna for me."
"Absolutely not. And stop repeating things my sister says." Mark poked Apollo in the chest. "But I can promise that she'll get what she deserves. Meanwhile, you take care out here, too." he said as he gave Apollo a fist-bump. "I got faith in ya', buddy."
When Mark met up with Nox and the others, Nox was in the process of instructing them not to bring any mechanical weapons.
"Don't worry about the suits. The only thing really high tech on them, are the helmets. I don't think my EM cannon is really considered a weapon, but I can always deactivate it. Other than that, there's not really anything mechanical on them, and I'd be the only one bringing mine. Ikuki isn't, for obvious reasons." Mark said as he rubbed the back of his head. "You think she'd be okay with it if I could just convince her it's more like an armor? It was made to resist bullets and shrapnel and take hard hits, so I'd much rather have it than not."
"Other than that, we're pretty much all set. Ikuki and Tiffany are waiting in the shuttle, and Dawn is meeting us if she isn't there already. So if you've got everything packed and ready to go, let's go for it before the shuttle leaves us behind. Oh and Jet, Apollo's in charge while I'm gone, so he'll be able to help Jasmine finish your new frame. I'm sorry I couldn't be much help with all of this. There's just...been a lot going on."
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Post by Banshee on Jan 12, 2024 20:31:38 GMT -6
“I'm sure armor is fine. Some of her own warriors wear them.” Nox said with certainty before turning to his Mother to give her a hug. “If I see Lux at all, I'll tell him that you're here. Alright?” He said to her with a small smile.
She returned an equally soft smile to him. But there was a hint of sadness behind this said smile. She truly wanted to spend more time getting to know her real son more. Even though it's been nearly a year of them being reunited, she still had so much to learn about him. But one thing for certain was, she knew that he was going to grow into a fine young man. “Thank you. And do be careful, sweetie. I don't...want to lose you again.”
He chimed; “You won't. You'd like Lionel and his family. They're amazing people.”
When Mark spoke to Jet, he nearly jumped out of his skin. He was busily watching Emily and Nox interact and had thought it was the most sweetest sight to see. A Mother who longed to know her son, gets to witness who he was becoming and it was...nice. Something that he wasn't so sure he'd ever encountered with his own parents. As he had hardly any memories of them himself.
“Oh!” Jet let out a cheerful laugh. “Man, don't worry about it. My time will come. All I have got to say is thank you for giving me the opportunity. That alone means a ton.” He held out his fist, for a bump. “Look, I'm good with waiting. It's really not a big deal.” He chuckled. “Besides... It's just...nice to see Emily finally be broken free from their control and be reunited with her kid. So that alone is worth more than anything that anyone could possibly give.”
“Bud, you go hard for her don't you?” Jasmine asked while having her face full with bread.
Jet choked on air, even though he didn't have lungs. He stepped back and snapped his attention to her. “Please rephrase that.”
“Okay. Going hard for her?”
“Jasmine...please...” RJ sighed with his hand to his forehead.
“Look, I just care for her alright? She's been through a lot of hell and...I kinda...pushed her in it. So I'm just happy that she can get out of it.” Jet flailed.
Jasmine smirked before looking back to Mark. “Hey, have a good trip. Maybe this adventure won't be as so chaotic as the last one? And when you get home, Tex and Apollo will keep things up and running without anything being blown up. Plus, his body should be done by then.” She then turned to RJ. “Keep an eye on them, alright?”
“And you act like you're super concerned with everything.” RJ snagged her bread and took a bite out of it. When Jasmine reached for it, he held it above her and took another bite. “Tex and Apollo need to be keeping YOU out of trouble.” He then stuffed it into her mouth before slinging his bag over his shoulder and headed for the door. “See ya.”
Nox snickered at their interaction before following Mark out to their next destination. “This...is going to be so...” He stopped talking for a moment to rephrase what he was going to say. “I'm kind of nervous going back home. I just...hope Reese isn't...going to be more annoying than usual...” He sighed and let his shoulders sink. “You all have all permission from me to punch Reese. And you won't need any permission from Mom because she's not his Mother.”
RJ let out a nervous chuckle before turning to Ikuki after they arrived to the shuttle. “It's got me curious to see what sources they have in terms of magical knowledge. It's going to be quite fascinating to see what's there. Nox was telling me that there's a huge library that this Lionel guy goes to a lot. So it'll be pretty intriguing to go in and check it out. Wouldn't you agree?”
Nox smiled at Tiffany. “Look at us! We finally get to go on an adventure together. Isn't this fun?” He then knelt before her. “I wonder if we'll get the chance to see my brother. I don't know if you remember him, but Lux really thought you were adorable.”
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Post by Moe on Jan 12, 2024 22:24:49 GMT -6
"Oh trust me, I already made plans to punch Reese right in his stupid face, as soon as I see him." Ikuki smirked as she punched one fist into the palm of her other hand.
"Ikuki, we need to play nice with the locals. As badly as I'd like to punch him, myself." Mark mumbled the latter part, quietly.
"Why? I have immunity, I can totally get away with it." she continued to smirk, deviously. "Plus it'd be an extra hit to his pride to get decked by a pregnant woman, and that's way more satisfying than actually punching him."
"I...y'know what? Stop telling me. I wanna be able to claim I didn't know anything, and didn't see anything." Mark stopped her, very briefly giving her a knowing grin right back.
Ikuki caught his smirk and cackled deviously, silently planning her assault on Reese.
Tiffany meanwhile, could not stay still and to prevent her from bolting off into the shuttle unsupervised, was being held by Mark. She squirmed and wriggled trying to escape, nearly knocking his glasses off at one point. She briefly got distracted when Nox started talking to her, however. "Nuh-uh!" she shook her head. "It's no fun 'cause Daddy won't let me s'plore!"
"It's a train, Tiffany. There's nothing to explore. It's like a moving hotel." Mark said, his tone sounding tired at this point.
"YEAH!" Tiffany shouted. "I never been to a hotel! I dunno what a hotel is! This is why I should s'plore! My growing mind needs t'know these things!" she continued to attempt wriggling out of his arms to freedom, to no avail.
Mark sighed as he tried to keep her from escaping and bolting off, briefly contemplating all the choices he'd made in life to lead him here. Honestly, he didn't regret any of them, but the thought of having another child, yet alone two, end up with just as much energy as Tiffany, was already exhausting. As they boarded the shuttle, Mark set her down but held her hand to keep her from running off, which she also protested.
"Wait," she stopped for a moment. "We're gonna see Uncle Lux??" her eyes lit up with excitement. "I don't 'member him, but Daddy's showed me pictures!"
"We don't know if..." Mark started to shoot the idea down, unsure if it was better to tell her the truth or not. "Tiff, we don't know if we're going to see him. We haven't talked with him in a really long time, and last time I saw him, he...uh...wanted to have his own adventure, with other friends." he knelt down beside Tiffany and gently explained to her, the best he could. "He might not even know we're there. We'll see him again someday, but it might not be on this adventure."
Tiffany pouted, the excitement fading, but even her toddler mind knew that it was important to spend time with other people, too. She just huffed a frustrated breath, and said "Okay. Can I go s'plore, now?"
"Not yet, we're waiting for one more-"
No sooner did Mark start to speak, did Dawn come crashing into the shuttle doors just as they were about to close. Mark had moved Ikuki and Tiffany out of the way just in time to avoid the crashing dragon, who tumbled in and crashed into the other side of the train.
"Hey, Dawn. Cutting it a little close, aren't we?" Mark teased her.
"Sorry! Sorry!" Dawn fumbled to sit upright, untangling her scarf from her wings. "Time management doesn't exactly run in the family. And I'm still learning how to fly. I've been in human form for so long, it feels weird being a dragon." she dusted herself off and took on her human guise, which caused Tiffany to look on in absolute amazement.
"Okay! I'm ready! Let's do this!" she said, eagerly pumping her fist in the air. "I owe Edna one for making me fight in a dirty gross arena!"
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Post by Banshee on Jan 12, 2024 23:14:36 GMT -6
Right as Nox went to say something to Mark and Tiffany, he noticed RJ grabbing his suitcase and launch himself towards the side. Questioning this motion, Nox then turned around to be greeted by an incoming dragon who crashed into him. Landing on top of him like a landing pad, Nox wheezed as the air was pushed out from his lungs. His glasses went flying out towards the side and clattered on the floor beside RJ who then plucked the lenses up so they didn't get more smashed.
“Ow...” Nox whined as he tried to shake himself from the surprised pain he just obtained. When he realized it was Dawn who had landed on him, he winced; “Hi bestie... Can...you get off of me please?”
Once Dawn shook herself off of him, RJ reached down and offered a hand to Nox to help him stand up. He then pulled the poor boy to his feet and helped him fix his scarf and gave him back his glasses. “You alright, Nox?”
“Yeah...” He coughed.
RJ patted his back and brought him over to the nearest chair and sat him down. He glanced over to Dawn and adjusted his own glasses. “Interesting. I've never seen a dragon transform into a human before. How cool is that?!”
“Where we're going? There's going to be a lot more than just Dawn.” Nox chimed as he waved to her. “There may be more fairies there too!”
RJ smirked at Nox before greeting Dawn; “Alright then! Nice of you to crash in. I am RJ.” He held out his hand to be a bit more formal. “It's a pleasure to meet you, young lady.”
Nox then shot his hands into the air. “Alright! Let's get this shuttle on the road!”
RJ walked over to the nearest spot by a window and sat down. He pulled out a small notebook and jotted in some notes. When Nox asked him what he was doing, RJ responded; “Oh, I'm just setting up my notes with a date so if anything interesting shows up during our trip there, I can jot it down and look back at it. It's uh...” He stopped for a moment to scratch his nose. “...When you live with a tornado it's best to date everything that you might feel is important. It's just...a way for me to keep my sanity.” He laughed.
“You two are so strange-OH!” Nox clapped his hands and looked to Ikuki. “I bet we can find more of those strange statues! Like the one that Jet found! They have a ton of trinket shops in the area we're going. So maybe we can take a visit and explore the village?”
“Oh Stars...” RJ winced. “Must you encourage the fascination for such crazy objects?”
“She looked excited to keep the one Jet found. So I figured it'd be something she likes to collect.” Nox grinned. “And Dawn! There's also a library there too! I'm sure you can find something awesome there too!”
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Post by Moe on Jan 13, 2024 7:37:27 GMT -6
"Nox, no. Please don't encourage her." Mark whined. "There's got to he so many other things there that are much more interesting than slutty monster lady statues."
"They probably have more interesting monsters." Ikuki smirked, teasing him, causing him to give her an annoyed glare. "Relax, I'm kidding. It's probably time to retire that phase, anyway. Just don't touch my trashy romance novels." she poked at him.
"Understood." Mark said with a shrug, as the two of them also took their seat once the shuttle doors closed. He held Tiffany close as well, to keep her from running off when the train began to depart.
Dawn sat between RJ and Nox as the train departed, and politely greeted RJ in return. "Nice to meet you formally, this time! I guess I did kinda dip out suddenly, last time we met. Anyway, I'm Dawn! That weirdo's my cousin." She unenthusiastically pointed at Mark, who just stuck his tongue out at her.
She heated her bag into her lap to pull out a notebook of her own, watching out the window as the train began to pick up speed. "You get me." she gasped softly at RJ. "I do the same thing! Though, I want to be a writer someday. It's my dream to meet lots of interesting people, which I guess I have, and to travel to lots of new and interesting places to document them! I guess I have my cousin to thank for that, since I'm no longer limited to two big cities, plus I could be the first one to fully explore and document the new world! This is all quite exciting!" she giggled with excitement. "And you better believe I'm checking out that library! In fact, I may never leave! Ugh. If only we didn't have to deal with Edna, first. I'm not cut out for this hero thing, but I am still mad about her holding me prisoner."
"She'll get what she deserves." Mark assured her.
"Yeah, like you said in that speech a while back? How everyone is capable of change?" Dawn shot back.
"And I still believe that." Mark shrugged. "I like to believe that nobody is just born evil, and they're capable of good. That doesn't mean she shouldn't face the consequences of her actions, though. She still deserves judgement, even if she can change."
"You have way too much faith in people." Dawn shot back.
"Maybe you don't have enough." Mark replied. "I'm not blinded by a bleeding heart. I know there are some truly awful people out there, and some of them don't want to change and never will. That doesn't mean they aren't capable of it, though. Capability and choice are different things, and I always like to give people the choice before they dig themselves into a pit they'll never crawl out of."
"She took me prisoner. Your friend, too. Not to mention what she's done to Nox and Lux. You should be on our side!" Dawn grew annoyed at his zen attitude.
"And I am." Mark continued to keep a calm demeanor. "She's done horrible things, I'm not denying that. I just...want to believe that there's more to the world than just fighting each other, all the time. I'm tired of being the hero, Dawn. The world is different now and we should all be able to just...get along."
"Hmh." Dawn huffed. "I don't think even god can fix that."
"Yeah, I know. But you can't blame me for trying, right?" Mark said as he slumped slightly in his seat, looking out the window with Tiffany as they left the city borders.
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Post by Banshee on Jan 13, 2024 9:59:52 GMT -6
RJ smiled at Dawn as she expressed her excitement towards him making notes. “That's great! Writing novels and bringing forth your imagination for the world to see is an amazing feeling. Especially when you hear folks fan over it.” He stopped for a moment and said; “I never really thought about what I actually wanted to be, in all honesty.”
He shifted in his seat and said; “All my life I was kind of just thrown into situations. My Grandparents wanted my cousin and I to become warriors skilled in martial arts. So we were forced into training all the time. My cousin loved it and actually stayed in it. But when I became friends with Jasmine, I...sort of saw her as an escape and just stuck with her. Mostly because she had the same interests as me and was sort of bored. Teaming up with her was the best thing I could've ever done.”
“What happened to your parents?” Asked Nox.
“Sadly, they both died to Cornelia Corp. Both of them worked for a different company that was much like Cornelia, but had way different views. They were way more helpful and didn't put money in front of society and the health of the world. But a fire mysteriously broke out and killed nearly all of their staff. My guess is, that it was Cornelia Corp that was behind it. But...no proof was ever found. Though if you ask me, since Cornelia had so much power back then, I bet they covered it up.”
Nox frowned. “I'm sorry.”
“It's okay.” He smiled. “My Grandparents did their best. They even took in my cousin too because her Mother just up and left. As for her Father? No one knows what happened to him. So she's pretty much my sister at this point.” He laughed. “If you meet her, she's...intense...to put it lightly. But she's a good person.”
Then the discussion of change versus never changing came up. Nox frowned as he agreed with Dawn the most. While RJ quietly listened to each of their reasoning. And it was when thing quieted down, where he decided to speak up.
“You know, I've had a very important lesson taught to me a while back.” RJ said as he closed his book gently. “Life is a very strange gift. While we all grow up we're taught that there's good and then there's evil. But life isn't always so black and white.” He wagged his finger. “There's gray.”
“Oh?”
“Sometimes, it just takes a small trigger to be pulled for the person to realize what they've been doing was wrong. And if they're lucky, they can turn their actions around and make it better. We met someone like that...all of us here within this here shuttle-even Dawn... You know who it is?” He asked Nox who shook his head. “Jet.”
“But he was forced.”
“Not quite.” He wagged his finger. “In his human days, Jet was a war criminal. Part of an army that brought about a lot of destruction. They would storm through towns and kill anyone they wanted. Him becoming a robot was his way to become more dangerous. However, he encountered two individuals which triggered him to change... Emily and Lux. Had they not ever been involved, there's a high chance that he would be our enemy right now. Their trust and actions towards him, got him to change for the better. Then there was Mark's promise.”
“You're right!”
“Mhm. Grant it, his actions in his past may haunt him the rest of his life but he saw the wrongs he's done and is doing what he can to correct them. Jet told me that he even saved your brother several times during his stay with the company. But keep in mind, what Mark said is also true. Change happens only when the person allows it. Edna has the chance to change too but finding what may trigger this, is something we have to yet completely discover.”
“Dang...” He looked down at his knees. “But her actions...what will happen?”
“Well, it all falls onto her. But her past mistakes will be taken into the hands of law and it will then be for them to decide her fate. If she's lucky, she may just be placed in a holding cell. Though, I guess it all depends on how they treat criminals...”
“What about Jet?”
“I...honestly don't know what will become of him. But right now, I'm embracing the fact that he's one less dangerous robot going against us.”
“Do you think he'll jump sides?”
“I doubt it. He's got quite a fondness over your Mother.” He winked.
Nox didn't like that. “...Mom can totally do better.”
RJ snorted. “Harsh!”
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