(out here on this shoreless sea)

SIRIUS: =It sounds like a great place to explore! But really Sirius is somehow drawn to the place, the feeling that she must be there. It was a little different from when she felt she must be somewhere; this separated desire from the pull and despite it all, she was tentative regarding what little stories she had heard from it.=

SIRIUS: =Taking the necessary precautions taught to her time and time again by her parents, Sirius cut the power to her engines after she had broken through the atmosphere for minimum noise, turning her ship into a glider. She would only to turn them on again once she was prepared to land.=

SIRIUS: =After perching Red Comet in what was hopefully somewhere isolated, she locked up her ship with voice and fingerprint controls to where the ship's computer responded.=

COMET: "Valediction: Be safe, my friend!"

SIRIUS: (hehe i always am er...i always try)

[[She happens to land in a quiet clearing, the only noise seems to be bird calls echoing from the tall trees above. Its a gorgeous day, the sun is shining bright, and the humidity is not TOO terrible. The skies are so clear, not a cloud can be seen. Except... perhaps the wisps of chalky smoke puffing into the sky from a far distance. How odd.]]

SIRIUS: (right)

SIRIUS: (that seems the obvious direction to go)

SIRIUS: c:

SIRIUS: =and making sure she had a couple foodstuffs, some water, and the weapon she never had to use in real life, she's off!=

[[Its a few hours of walking to get closer towards the source of the smoke. She must leave the clearing and move through a dense location of jungle to get to it, but the further along Sirius goes the more easy the path seems to become. As though its been cut down and pruned over hundreds of years, so the jungle just parts ways for the traveler. Eventually she will stumble across the source of the smoke, a small, sealed hut that is oozing smoke through cracks and a chimney. Its a food smoker.]]

SIRIUS: =She is accustomed to rough terrain and easily able to trek through it. She notices when the path becomes easier and it has her on alert. Nothing really to worry about, right? However, when she finally came across to small structure to see it was not a settlement as she has initially guessed, she turned from it, her eyes skimming over the rest of her surroundings. Maybe heading right for the smoke wasnt such a good idea after all=

[[It is somewhat strange for the smoker to be here, on an unpopulated planet, running on its own without any obvious supervision. It seems to be powered by a beat up, small generator.]]

[[Its really quiet now, just the noise of Sirius moving, and the hum of the working battery. Oh, and now a whistling sound. That gets higher and higher pitched like its getting closer until OH would you look at that!! A red smoke gas grenade landing just a foot from her location!]]

[[BOOM! It goes off and quite suddenly this cleared out area is filling up with over powering, noxious fumes!]]

SIRIUS: =SCREECHES in a surprised yelp!! She first backpedals then stumbles away from the gas grenade, using the long legs of hers to make a quick escape. However, she couldnt prevent herself from inhaling some of it and began coughing and wheezing, trying to breathe through her glove to filter out the air.=

[[That gas is rather potent stuff! Its meant to render those who inhale it unconscious, so Sirius at the very least will start to feel a bit dizzy from breathing in some of it. As she runs, the jungle around her springs to life and there are at least four figures rushing after her through the haze of smoke and gas, however they are protected by identity hiding old fashioned gas masks! They arent chasing Sirius to offer her a spare though, they've got spears and swords in their hands.]]

SIRIUS: =She is able to get a little ways out due to her overall stature, but the effects still took its hold and she brushed against the trunk of a nearby tree to keep her balance. She was still trying to breathe in some normal air and lifted a hand toward the figures, trying to show she didn't mean harm.=

SIRIUS: (no...please)

SIRIUS: =Even in her state, she stumbled into a run again, when she saw them continue their approach. Avoiding them the best she could, Sirius ran.=

[[The pursuers pay no mind to her pleading and spread out, following Sirius not only from behind but now coming up on her sides. Its clear they know the terrain very well, and if she wants to avoid them she is going to have to keep forward on a very specific path. And in another three hundred yards, there is a gathering of ferns and undergrowth that hides a very specifically placed net trap that if stepped on will ensnare and lift its unfortunate victim high up into the air.]]

SIRIUS: =welp, her next plan is out. Unless she can get to a tree quick enough to avoid them. If not, she reluctantly follows the path they have set for her. Along with her blurring surroundings, there's blurry pictures in her head about something(?) lying in wait among the foliage just ahead. Once she gets close enough, she makes a desperate (and messy) leap through the air to try and clear it.=

[[She JUST makes it. For the most part anyways. When she lands it triggers the trap and the very edge of the netting snags her foot. while its not enough to pull her into the air and keep her there, it will at the very least trip her up long enough for the hunting party of four to surround her on all sides.]]

[[They stand around her, blocking off exits, and in complete menacing silence.]]

SIRIUS: =She tumbled horns over heels and landed hard on her side. Her movements were much slower now and she pulled herself up to rest on an elbow while the other hand gripped at the dirt underneath her, lifting her from the ground. She managed to get one leg beneath her and staggered to her feet again. The movement itself made her want to fall back down again, and she held out an arm to steady herself.=

SIRIUS: =Desperate to find another escape route, Sirius glanced above her. Were there any low lying branches she could reach? She wasn't even sure she could make them if there were. Her vision had blurred to the extent she couldn't see straight and Sirius shook her head, trying to refocus.=

SIRIUS: =However, she can tell that she's going to be unconcious soon and this scares her shitless. But as scared as she is, she still doesn't want to hurt anyone and raised her arms defensively=

SIRIUS: (im ssssssorry ill just go) =Her own voice sounded distorted and slurred to her ears as she swayed dangerously in place.=

SIRIUS: (please let me go)

[[The hunters look between themselves and whisper in words that are probably lost on Sirius's hazy mind. And while she sways and rocks unsteady from the effects of the gas one of the gas mask wearing pursuers steps forwards from the ring, closer towards Sirius and removes their mask.]]

[[Underneath is the face of a human woman, older in age and with a scar crossing over her lip. Dark skin, dark hair cut close to her scalp, and the deepest brown eyes you have ever seen. She somehow manages to scowl down her nose at Sirius, despite being almost two feet shorter then the troll.]] CARRIE: -Sirius may not be able to understand her if she can hardly hear her own voice, but she does speak with a rather commanding tone.- Fear not young maiden. No harm will come to you. While you rest.

SIRIUS: (mmphg) =she says intelligently, her arms still shielding her.=

SIRIUS: =Swaying on her feet a little more, Sirius collapsed in place, the effects of the gas finally overcoming her conciousness.=

CARRIE: -The last thing Sirius will see is her blurred form moving towards her when she falls.-

[[When Sirius wakes up she will find herself laying on a cot in a small room. There is some natural light coming from the setting sun that is filtering in through a small window that is barred to prevent anyone climbing through it. The rest of the room is bare except for a small table nearby the cot that supports a glass of fresh water, and there is a grass curtain that hides a very simplistically made "Bathroom" (if it can be called that) There is a wooden door, with a slot, that leads out of this room, but if tried Sirius will find it to be very firmly locked. Sorry Sirius you are in jungle jail.]]

SIRIUS: =her legs are likely hanging off the cot tbh=

SIRIUS: =She jolted awake, her head still throbbing. Slowly, she stood and took in her new area of temporary (hopefully) residence. Creeping to the bars, she peeked out of them, trying to get a glimpse of outside before she tried ripping these bars out the wall.=

[[Sorry no dice! The bars are well stuck in place. What Sirius can see outside is what appears to be......... (Drum roll) ....... LAUNDRY!! Tubs of steaming, sudsy water sitting outside and hanging damp clothes.]]

SIRIUS: =She pats herself, looking for her sylladex. Did they take it? What about her jacket? It was a bit flashy...being red and piratey...and all...=

[[She still has the clothes she was wearing, but her sylladex has been completely emptied out of all useful items like weapons, spare parts, food, electronics, music and extra clothes.]]

SIRIUS: =needless to say, this upsets her. She doesn't care so much about the food, but she's had her weapon since she was a wiggler. Karkat and Terezi had taken her to the UU's armory and told her to pick whatever she liked - she began training that day. Also in her sylladex were all of her most recent personal notes, journals, and captain's logs! There were photos of her family, her entire life! It was a treasure trove of personal information, she might as well have had her social security number in there too! This was bad.=

SIRIUS: =...holy shit, her starmap was in there too. Yes, it was locked by a very specific code, but the very thought that something incredibly dangerous might have fallen into the wrong hands gave her a fright.= SIRIUS: =She swiftly moved to the door and tried it. She might as well. Upon seeing that it was locked, she searches the room for anything else useful, like any intelligent person in Escape the Room games. She eyed that glass of water but did not touch it. It might be spiked with truth serum. She's heard the stories of the UU's own adventures.=

[[Photos and journals have remained within her sylladex, however perhaps not in the same slot they were before. Her star map was indeed gone though. The water is not laced or spiked, but asides from the glass there really is nothing to be seen or found.]] [[Not too long after Sirius starts looking though, scuffling and muffled voices can be heard outside the door.]]

SIRIUS: =dashes across the room as fast and as quietly as she can and hides behind the grass curtain (ie the "bathroom")=

[[The noises get louder and then the slot on the door opens up and out comes a small platform that hooks to the opening, and then moments after that a tray of mashed tubers and cold slices of smoked fish are provided.]]

SIRIUS: =Pokes her head out from behind the curtain, eyeing the food.= SIRIUS; =she cleared her throat=

SIRIUS: (thank you)

?????: !! -Someone speaks from the otherside, not having expected to hear a thank you. First timers rarely ever thanked people who brought food.- Oh!!!!!!!! Well you Are pretty welcome hAhA........

?????: -Whoever it is cant see Sirius from this angle.-

SIRIUS: (its not)

SIRIUS: (poisoned is it)

SIRIUS: =she's still in the bathroom, but leaning partially out to see if there is any way she can see who she's talking to.=

[[The only way to see whoever it is would be to go all the way up to the door and take the food out of the slot.]]

?????: Nope its cleAn!!!!!!!! If it wAsnt A lot of people would be in A bAd way, heheh

SIRIUS: (oh)

SIRIUS: (then i guess i should thank you again)

SIRIUS: (hehe)

SIRIUS: =the person sounds nice...And they didn't kill her when they had the chance, at least?? so Sirius climbs out and knelt on the ground to take the food. Her gloves are a vibrant red, like what only a couple of people wore on the UU.=

?????: -They are pretty nice! Thanks for noticing.-

?????: -When Sirius goes to take the food the voice on the other side of the door gasps a little.- Oh!!!!!!!!

?????: Those Are cool gloves

SIRIUS: (oh thanks) :D

SIRIUS: (my lusii had them made for me from pupation silk) =In her attempt keep from giving information, she only give more. oops=

?????: Oh mAn thAts reAlly neAt your lusus must be reAlly cool

SIRIUS: (yes hehe) =she nibbles a fish, peering through the hole=

SIRIUS: (you seem really friendly so i think there has been a misunderstanding) SIRIUS: (i was led to believe this planet was uninhabited) SIRIUS: (needless to say i now know it obviously isnt)

????: HAhAhA yeAh crAzy right? I thought it wAs too

????: Turns out its ActuAlly crAwling with people........ -She happens to think Sirius is very friendly! And through the hole she can see the knees of whoever is outside because she is also sitting for this lovely chat. Its clearly a troll at least.-

SIRIUS: =she perks at this=

SIRIUS: (how did you come by here if you mind my asking)

????: I dont mind At All

????: I cAme here........ like I think several months Ago???????? MAybe A yeAr????????

????: Me and some buddies I mAde were looking for cool cAmping spots And we heArd About this plAce from An old trAveling guide in A hostel

????: Thought it would be A cool experience you know???????

????: Well A few hours After we lAnded And set up cAmp we get Ambushed And well Im guessing its pretty much the sAme story As you

????: Dont worry though it might be a rough Adjustment At first but this plAce grows on you!!!!!!!!

????: Its pretty much A second home to me now

SIRIUS: =behind the door like D8=

SIRIUS: =it takes a moment to sink in= (a-adjustment) =???=

????: -Well someone had to tell her.- YeAh Adjustment!!!!!!!!

????: You're in quArAntine right now just to be sure you dont hAve Any serious diseAse or contAgious conditions but in 48 hours you'll get out And be Assigned to A job given A plAce to sleep And new clothes

SIRIUS: =this has gotta be a joke...=

SIRIUS: (haha...)

SIRIUS: (what if i like my clothes)

????: Oh you get to keep whAt you Are weAring now!!!!!!!!

????: But you'll be given more

????: Although if you hAd more clothes with you I cAnt promise you will get the sAme ones........

????: We kind of recycle outfits here, And pool together new clothes found And mAde And distribute them where they Are needed

SIRIUS: (hhhhh) =She doesn't mind losing a couple t-shirts and pants. If they take up her jeans, it would literally be a drag, but maybe they can make dresses from her shirts? who knows how far they've gotten with them by now. Hopefully they hadnt found her ship just yet, since she intentionally ran the opposite direction.=

SIRIUS: (um)

SIRIUS: (thats very nice)

SIRIUS: (but i mean no offense when i say i cant stay here)

SIRIUS: (this was supposed to be a day trip see)

SIRIUS: =now the gears are turning to where her things might possibly be kept. Maybe she can convince this girl her star map is a bowling ball=

????: ........................ -She is silent for a time. Its always the worst to break the news to newbies.-

????: Sorry to be the one to tell you but there is no eAsy wAy off this plAnet

????: There Are hArdly Any ships And they belong to the "seArchers"

????: HArdly Anyone gets to use them unless Approved by the ChAncellor And I've never heArd of A Newbie getting permission

SIRIUS: (if its a secret problem i promise i wont tell anyone you guys are here) =there is slight desperation to her voice=

????: Sorry its not me you gottA convince........

????: The high dignitAries Are reAlly serious About not letting Any word About this plAce off world

????: But its reAlly greAt here honest Asides from the whole mAle slAvery thing they hAve going on this plAce is kind of pArAdise???????

????: Food And pArties And this greAt sense of community

????: Once you Are one of us you Are ONE of us your neighbors will do just About Anything for you

????: -See its not all bad!! Shes doing her best to ease Sirius's worries.-

SIRIUS: =CHOKES on this fish=

????: !!!! -Oh dear-

????: Are you okAy in there????????

SIRIUS: =wheezing!!=

????: Oh jeez........

SIRIUS: (but i cant i have a job and a family and friends and...)

SIRIUS: (and people who will worry)

SIRIUS: =truth be told, she's gone for months at a time. She doesn't know when people will realize something isn't right=

????: -A sigh can be heard coming from the other side of the door.-

????: ThAt is kind of Another downside of this plAce isnt it,,,,,,,,,,

????: Sorry I wish I knew A better wAy to help you

????: If it mAkes you feel Any better I know how you feel

SIRIUS: =there's the sounds what appears to be the start of panicked breathing on the other side, but--=

SIRIUS: (you)

SIRIUS: (youre trapped here too)

????: Hhhh well!!!!!!!!

????: TrApped is kind of A word I try to Avoid

????: More like,,,,,,,,

????: I wAsnt expecting to be living here but now I Am

????: I'm mAking the best of it And its not too hArd to do

SIRIUS: =is freaking out a little bit=

SIRIUS: (trapped is exactly the word i would use)

????: -She is really bad at this whole comforting thing isnt she..-

????: But thAt sounds reAlly negAtive And is just going to bum you out if you keep thinking About it

SIRIUS: =tinest and softest sob=

SIRIUS: (i cant stay here)

SIRIUS: (it means ill be stuck here for all my life)

SIRIUS: (i wont be able to go anywhere ever again)

SIRIUS: (theres so much i havent seen yet)

SIRIUS: (what will my family think)

SIRIUS; (i went somewhere and never came back)

SIRIUS: =the way she's talking, it sounds like she's been told she's about to die=

SIRIUS: =it's true, in a way=

????: (Oh geez)

????: Um!!!!!!!!

????: Hey its okAy!!!!!!!

????: Its not so bAd!!!!!!! You'll be okAy its going to be okAy

????: It feels reAl bAd right now but give it time!!!!!! -Ahhh how do you make someone feel better about not being able to ever see their families or go back to their old lives again?? Oh god damn it now SHE is feeling sad too.-

????: HAhAhAhA....... MAn you Are stArting to mAke me A little homesick

SIRIUS: =through muffled crying= (its because youre trapped here) =!=

????: -AW JEEZ-

????: Fffffffffff---

????: Um!!!!!!!!

????: There there??? Its okAy????????

????: Hey whAts your nAme????????

SIRIUS: (whats it matter)

SIRIUS: (boo hoo hoo)

SIRIUS: =then even softer=

SIRIUS: ((my name is sirius))

SIRIUS: =starts to cry again= (i have two sisters my dad was a therapist on the uu and my mom was its communications officer shes now a lawyer and works with government reform on alternia))

SIRIUS; ((the academy just titled me and ive just fucked it like an asshole))

????: .............................................................................. -There is so much silence coming from the other side of the door it is unreal.-

????: S-........S-Sirius????????

????: Sirius Pyrope VAntAs whAtever????????

SIRIUS: ..........................................

SIRIUS: =There is nothing beyond the door now. No sobbing, no whispering, nothing. She's gone silent too.=

SIRIUS: =After ten thousand years (more like ten seconds), Sirius quietly shuffled forward and peered under the food slot at the friendly also-trapped person she'd been speaking with.=

????: -There are already eyes down there peeping and waiting for her to do the same. -

HELENA: AAAAHH Oh my god it IS you!!!!!!!! -WHAT ARE THE ODDS???-

HELENA: Sorry Im yelling but WOW????????

HELENA: This is crAzy

SIRIUS: =her eyes get sphrical when at last she SEES and briefly she doesn't even mind the yelling because she's doing some herself!=

SIRIUS: (helena holy shitballs!! what are you doing here??!)

SIRIUS: (nevermind you already told me that!!)

SIRIUS: (oh my god???)

HELENA: YeAh I did!!!!!!!!

HELENA: Im!!!!!!! WOW!!!!!!!!

HELENA: How hAve you been

SIRIUS: =she's just amazed and has flipped from sad to happy in a nanosecond= (ive been good! i mean as good as one gets here hehe) =She lifted a hand, gesturing the room=

SIRIUS: (how long have you been here???)

HELENA: I think its been like........ mAybe Almost A yeAr????????

SIRIUS: D:

HELENA: Uh oh -Frowns a little with concern- AAAAh pleAse dont get upset AgAin

SIRIUS: ((thats so sad....))

SIRIUS: ((did they take your comms devices))

SIRIUS: ((have you tried escape))

HELENA: They did for A little while yeAh,,,,,,,,

HELENA: And by the time I got it bAck it wAs Almost deAd bAttery wise

HELENA: Not thAt it mAttered this plAnet hAs no interstellAr service

SIRIUS: (how did you get here to begin with)

SIRIUS: (did you come in your ship)

HELENA: Like I sAid before I cAme here with some guys I met up with At A trAvel stAtion And when we lAnded BANG

HELENA: Took our stuff And our ships And I've been here since........

HELENA: But hey!!!!!!!! Get this I'm A fArmer now HELENA: And AppArently A greAt one heheh they dont hAve Any other communers here so Im bAsicAlly the best livestock keeper plAnet side -She beams about this information.-

SIRIUS: (helena um thats great you like your job) SIRIUS: (i think) SIRIUS: (but if youre right that its been a year) SIRIUS: (no one knows where youve been) SIRIUS: (for a year)

HELENA: I mAAAy be over exAgerAting I dont know I've kind of lost my sense of time here its been A while since I've thought About it HELENA: MAybe like........ two thirds of A yeAr HELENA: Over six months or something

HELENA: -Trying to make it sound better for Sirius-

SIRIUS: (...) SIRIUS: (what was the date you went camping)

HELENA: Ummmm HELENA: It was eArly June. First week of it mAybe????????

SIRIUS: (im afraid to ask what year)

HELENA: -Scoffs- okAy I hAvent been here THAT long

HELENA: It wAs still this yeAr HELENA: Unless new yeArs hAs been A thing

SIRIUS: :c SIRIUS: (it has) SIRIUS: (todays the sixth)

HELENA: .................Oh

SIRIUS: =awkwardly looks at the dirt= SIRIUS: (happy new year) =?=

HELENA: HAh........ YeAh hAppy new yeAr -Forces her smile back up. Boy... What a day.-

SIRIUS: (...come with me) SIRIUS: (lets get out of here while we still can)

HELENA: Huh?

HELENA: WhAt do you meAn?

SIRIUS: (i mean lemme out so we can go home)

HELENA: Oh!!!!!!!!! HELENA: WAit how???????? -80- HELENA: Not how do I let you out but how do we go home????????

SIRIUS: ((how do you think i got here)) SIRIUS: c:

HELENA: CArrie and her troops brought you here -DUH Sirius-

SIRIUS: (hhhh) SIRIUS: (i mean before that) SIRIUS: =she lifted her hands up to mimic steering= SIRIUS: ((nyoom nyoom))

HELENA: OH!!!!!!!! HELENA: Mmmghhhhhhh Sirius I dont know even if they didnt find you with your ship they Are probAbly out looking for it right now HELENA: Unless they've AlreAdy found it........

SIRIUS: (no no helena) SIRIUS: (you mustnt think that way) SIRIUS: (i have it locked up) SIRIUS: (they cant get in without my hand and my voice)

SIRIUS: (we need to stay positive) SIRIUS: :'o

HELENA: You sure???????? HELENA: WhAt if we just wAit HELENA: You'll be out of quArAntine soon And then we cAn try tAlking to CArrie HELENA: She might even be Able to get you A meeting with ChAncellor AnnAeA!!!!!!!! HELENA: The ChAncellor is pretty fAir who knows she might let you go home

SIRIUS: (will she let you go home too) SIRIUS: (what about the others who came with you) SIRIUS: (where are they)

HELENA: Hmm well TrAcy left to work the north outpost two weeks Ago HELENA: And I hAvent seen the two boys since we got Ambushed........

SIRIUS: O_O

HELENA: YeAAAAhhhh........ 8888(

HELENA: Hmmm

HELENA: How sure Are you that your ship is still there????????

SIRIUS: (i dont know but i still have to try)

SIRIUS: (also i) SIRIUS; (have a hunch its still there) SIRIUS: (for now) SIRIUS: (hopefully)

HELENA: -Hhhh she isnt really sure how she feels about this plan. But Sirius is a friend and she wants to at least try and help her. So after a few moments of silence the sound of locks being opened sound and then the entire door is being opened a crack.-

HELENA: We got to move quick

HELENA: Do you think it would be possible for you to find your wAy to your ship on your own????????

SIRIUS: (but)

SIRIUS: (what about you)

SIRIUS: (what about your friends)

SIRIUS: =she placed the tray gently on the table and slipped through=

HELENA: -She quickly shuts and locks the door behind her and looks around to be sure no one saw. The hallway they now both stand in is short, and the exit is not far down the end of it.-

HELENA: Well I meAn

HELENA: I wAs thinking I would stAy here And mAke sure you hAd enough cover to get bAck to your ship 8888I

SIRIUS: 8|

SIRIUS: (no) =???=

HELENA: Oh........

HELENA: Well I kind of AlreAdy put thAt plAn into motion by letting you out

SIRIUS: (now that i know youre here im not leaving you helena)

HELENA: Hgghhhh but Leslie is About to hAtch her bAbies

SIRIUS: (i...)

SIRIUS: (im hazarding a wild guess leslie is a chicken on your farm)

SIRIUS: (she can come too)

HELENA: Leslie is A beAtle bovine 8888)

HELENA: PArt cow pArt some sort of insect thing she's greAt

HELENA: She lAid A clutch of thirteen!!!!!!!!

SIRIUS: (oh)

SIRIUS: (she sounds pretty cool)

HELENA: YeAh shes reAlly greAt And is going to mAke A greAt mom

SIRIUS: (im sure she would)

SIRIUS: (if you dont want to leave her behind we can figure out a way to transport her)

SIRIUS: (we can pick tracy up too)

SIRIUS: (and the others...they didnt die did they) =?=

HELENA: ................Nghhhh I dont reAlly know if they did 8888(

HELENA: All guys go strAight to center city for processing

SIRIUS: (where is that)

HELENA: Well we Are in the outside villAge juts beyond the wAlls

HELENA: Its a reAlly eAsy wAlk And you cAn go through the gAtes And see the big mArket plAce for trAding And the council members live there its reAlly cool

SIRIUS: (i dont suppose theyd let me waltz in there)

SIRIUS: :c

SIRIUS: =She's pressing her back flat against the building, feeling a little more anxious now=

HELENA: Well sure you cAn 88880

HELENA: Any citizen is welcomed in Center City

SIRIUS: (hrk)

HELENA: -Chin hands at her while still standing up.- You don't sound convinced 8888T

SIRIUS: (im supposed to be in quarantine for the next two days)

SIRIUS: (right) =?=

SIRIUS: (i dont went to get you in trouble)

HELENA: -Nods- Yep!!!!!!!!

HELENA: Its just to mAke sure you Arent sick with Anything thAt is going to cAtch with the LegAcies-- OH!!!!!!!!

HELENA: Does this meAn you're thinking of mAybe not trying to get off plAnet yet 88880

SIRIUS: (i dunno ive never been sick) =wrings her hands looking around= (im thinking about reconsidering our strategy)

SIRIUS: (it would be easier if it was you and me but your other friends are scattered and we dont know where some of them are exactly)

SIRIUS: D:

HELENA: YeAh thAts true 8888(

HELENA: Its A big plAnet

HELENA: Oh but hey!!!!!!!! If you stAy here, just for right now, mAybe I cAn try And find your ship if the scouts hAvent found it yet

HELENA: And then if I do I cAn hide it so you cAn still get off world lAter

SIRIUS: (yeah that would be goo-)

SIRIUS: (we)

SIRIUS; (so we can get off world later)

HELENA: Oh right we

HELENA: WhAt did I sAy???????? 88880

HELENA: Well whAtever it wAs yeAh "we" hAhA

SIRIUS: ...

SIRIUS: =looking at Helena all concerned-like=

HELENA: -Shes smiling until Sirius starts looking concerned, shes just really happy to see someone from the UU.- WhAt

SIRIUS: (are you um)

SIRIUS: (planning)

SIRIUS: (to come with me)

HELENA: If we cAn get off world then sure 88883

SIRIUS: =hhhhhhhhh's in relief=

SIRIUS: (that is a thing i promise will happen)

HELENA: -Sirius is great-

HELENA: Heheh

HELENA: OkAy

HELENA: Well if we Are going to wAit I kind of need you to go bAck into the room Im the only "guArd" tonight but thAt doesnt meAn no one is going to come this wAy

HELENA: Also if you need Anything you cAn AlwAys just Ask Anyone As long As its reAsonAble you should be Able to get it

SIRIUS: (oh yeah it would be a bit awkward wouldnt it if anyone saw me out here)

SIRIUS: (if you can please check where the boys have gone)

SIRIUS: (if theyre still alive they couldnt have gone far right)

SIRIUS: (or there would be signs that they were no more) :c

HELENA: I cAn totAlly Ask Around And see whAt I cAn find out!!!!!!!!

HELENA: No worries Sirius Im on the cAse BBBB)

SIRIUS: =her smile broadens=

SIRIUS: (we can figure this out)

HELENA: Yesssssssss -She then moves aside and opens the door to the room so Sirius can go back in-

SIRIUS: =ducks her head so she wont bonk it on the doorframe as she reenters, smiling=

SIRIUS: =she hold out her fist for a bmp!=

HELENA: -SHE BUMPS IT.-

HELENA: I'll stop by tomorrow before I go feed the AnimAls sleep tight Siri!!!!!!!!

HELENA: -She then shuts and locks up the door again before walking away.-

SIRIUS: =little do they know, but Sirius had followed behind. It wasn't so close as to give away her presence, but she felt the vibrations in the vents and knew what path had been taken. Dun dun DUN....or was it? Because lately she hadn't misplaced a thing and always knew where to look.=

TAALAY: =Then they're still here playing in the water essentially and thinking about cute dogs and dumb brothers. Sirius' presense had gone unnoticed for the most part=

SIRIUS; =she watched them for a moment, a little torn between intruding and just slinking off again, but they were so upset earlier...=

SIRIUS: ((hello))

TAALAY: =tenses a little at the voice and grumble growls.... they remember her face at least. Squints and frowns= whatchu wan?

SIRIUS: (um)

SIRIUS: (i just)

SIRIUS: (wanted to know if you were okay)

SIRIUS: (because)

SIRIUS: (you seemed a little upset)

TAALAY: =Huffs and eyeballs her= i made a arse a' meself n further proved me bruver's point

TAALAY: a'course i feel like flamin shièt

SIRIUS: (I think everyone has gone through that at some point)

SIRIUS: (i mean proved their siblings right about something)

SIRIUS: (not just your brother)

SIRIUS: (though if it were your brother all the time i can see how that might get pretty old haha)

SIRIUS: (um)

SIRIUS: (not that hes right either)

TAALAY: =looks back to the water and huffs= ye it don't matter none wiff 'im, he thinks cause 'e's older

TAALAY: got more 'thority on tha ship, i don't even wanna be thar all me life =curls up and pouts=

SIRIUS: (then)

SIRIUS: (dont) =?=

SIRIUS: (if it were me id go bananas if i stayed in one place too long) SIRIUS: (but i still like the option of coming home)

TAALAY: =looks up at this tall, tall troll= well then... wassit ye do? oh 'm taalay by tha by...

TAALAY: since we makin friendlies er wat 'ave ye

SIRIUS: (taalay) = :D holds out a hand to shake= (im sirius and friends call me siri)

SIRIUS: =FRIENDS ALREADY!! she might cry=

SIRIUS: (im a student) = :D PAUSES=

SIRIUS: (but im paid to boldly go even though i do it anyway hehe)

SIRIUS: (im) =shyly= (part of the research team trying to collect data on whats beyond the furthest ring)

TAALAY: =perks up at that... stareyes even, shakes her hand excitedly= bleedin 'ell are ye for real??? 80

SIRIUS: (hehe of course)

SIRIUS: (i just got back from a short trip today)

SIRIUS: (it was a dwarf planet so the gravity was pretty crazy)

SIRIUS: (you could fall from a ledge and land gracefully on the ground like a gentle little feather)

TAALAY: oi oi i been ta a dwarf planet in one a' me assignments! mades me a pressure cannon fors ta shoot me knife at a bloke!

TAALAY: =snickers and bounces on their toes= i like em foresty planets n oceanic environments ta swim n tussles wiff beasties!

TAALAY: ye been to places like that sirius?

SIRIUS: =her mouth is gradually forming a perfect o as they speak=

SIRIUS: (oh yes plenty of places) =:D= (i actually prefer those over the more populated areas but both are enjoyable)

SIRIUS: (i have to provide research material to the university so I cant...um...wrestle them but i do a lot of running away hehehe)

SIRIUS: (it seems the further from the inner galaxies i go the bigger the animals get)

TAALAY: which uni ye work fer there?

SIRIUS: (the space academy on lauctis) =:D=

TAALAY: mm, ain't been ta lauctis fer a gotdamn fin

TAALAY: ain't known bout no space 'cademy

TAALAY: s'fawkin cool all tha same though.... =thinks briefly then inhales and looks at Sirius with DETERMINATION= ey ye figgure i could come on out thar with ye!

TAALAY: i'ma ace shot, documented engineery n a doctor n ye ain't gotta run from no beasties wiff me thar!

TAALAY: i fought a shitdamn yeti just yester! mountains fulla them bastards!

SIRIUS: !

SIRIUS: (of course you can I mean experience is always a plus but i woulda said yes anyway hehehe)

SIRIUS: (its a big world out there and im glad others wanna see it too) =:D she's so happy she's beaming=

TAALAY: just like tha then? =blink blink then grins and shoves their hands in their pockets= oi ye folk're right generous!

TAALAY: ever 'eard that tha's dangerous trait?

SIRIUS: .... (yes)

SIRIUS: (but you seem like a nice person and i would like to think im an excellent judge of character)

SIRIUS: (and as long as you don't wanna cook me into a stew or put me into a culling train or chase me with a torch well be great friends)

SIRIUS: :)

TAALAY: =Nice person????? DID THEY? REALLY???=

TAALAY: =That's CONFUSING= ehhh.... yeh i ain't a arse enuff fer any a' that mess

SIRIUS: (see were off to a great start already hehehe)

TAALAY: =Snrks= yer gonna get yerself in a 'eap a trouble wiff thinkins like that if ye ain't already! like yer gum though, reminds me a' me old man!

SIRIUS: (yes hehehe but sometimes giving people the benefit of the doubt leads to interesting things)

SIRIUS: c:

SIRIUS: (oh its sour raspberry and the taste lasts for a while) =takes out a stick of gum and offers them some=

TAALAY: !! =Oh.... it's gum. Sticks out tounge= bleh don't cares none fer gum in the chewables i meant like... i liek yer attitude!

TAALAY: pure venture seekin!

SIRIUS: (oh)

SIRIUS: :D

SIRIUS: (it was easy when it happened so often)

SIRIUS: (i remember years ago when our pilot flew through a mine field and they were trailing behind like dangerous little ducklings)

SIRIUS: =she's smiling so fondly at the memory=

SIRIUS: (there were many explosions happening and the ship was shaking but we flew past everything smoothly)

SIRIUS: (ms porrim tried to get me away from the porthole but it was all so exciting i didnt want to look away)

TAALAY: :0

TAALAY: no foolin? thas fawkkin cool, ye member when that was?

SIRIUS: (dad said it was in 2638 almost at the height of the war)

TAALAY: yeh me dads tolt me 'ow yew all were right in alla the thicks of it!

SIRIUS: (mhmm)

SIRIUS: (later on mom showed me the empty spaces in the starmaps that had been engulfed by the green flash)

SIRIUS: (i remember thinking it was going to follow us like the mines did but it let us go)

SIRIUS: =chinhands= (sounds like your dads were in the thick of it too)

TAALAY: ye they was!

TAALAY: dualscar n jamison, well guess jami was in and out it but mostly in!

SIRIUS: =her jaw drops. she doesn't dress like a pirate for no reason=

SIRIUS: (holy cannoli)

SIRIUS: (youre not kidding)

TAALAY: nah thems me old mens! :D

SIRIUS: (thats so cool)

SIRIUS: (youre basically family then)

TAALAY: ehehehehehe! am i? 'o're yer folks?

SIRIUS: (of course you are)

SIRIUS: (you dont need to be related to be family) =She cleared her throat= (karkat vantas and terezi pyrope)

SIRIUS: =star eyes. Sirius loves her parents so much=

TAALAY: oooh i 'eard a them! :)

TAALAY: even nicer ta meet ya then siri!!

DORIAN: hey siri did we bring peanut butter?? -he loves the stuff despite a few of his family member's allergies... he likes to eat it where they can't gaze on jealously.-

SIRIUS: =Red Comet was on autopilot for now. When both terrain and weather were clear, Sirius felt comfortable enough to leave the cabin and settle in the small room off to the right. The hum of Red Comet's engines were not the low rumble of the UU's, but it provided an excellent background noise that brought her comfort. They had plenty of charge left from the solar panels and she ensured that she'd filled the reserve fuel tank before departing Lauctis's docks where the UU had also taken rest. Sirius was across from Dorian, seated at the the small community dining table/desk and idly tapping her chin with a pen. She had a field journal out where previous photographs taken of the area were spread about in a concentrated semicircle around her. She was taking the time to write down some more notes before they touched ground. Her camera gear was all packed up and ready in her sylladex, and if they happened to meet this goatlike creature, there was this "Caprinae Repellent" a shady troll sold them at a kiosk. She had faith in Dorian's abilities and knowhow, though, and if all else failed, they had the legs to run out of there like no tomorrow!=

SIRIUS: =When he spoke, Sirius lifted her head and smiled broadly.=

SIRIUS: (yeah i remember that was on our shopping list before we left)

SIRIUS: (lemme see) =she got up and began rummaging around in the cabinets of her small kitchen= (im pretty sure we got it)

SIRIUS: (i personally checked it off the list so it should be here somewhere)

SIRIUS: (oh)

SIRIUS: (here it is) =!=

SIRIUS: =She grabbed a tablespoon (what else would you grab for peanut butter?) and held it up to him, waiting for him to take it before she uncapped the peanut butter and slid it across the table to him. It had yet to be opened, and the seal was still intact, waiting for someone to rip it open and feast upon the contents.=

SIRIUS: (it was hiding next to the other condiments) = :)

DORIAN: -YES. THE BIG SPOON. She read his mind. He grabs that pretty quick before scooping up the jar, too, grinning as he flips the spoon over to use the handle end to poke a hole into the seal.-

DORIAN: that sassy bastard. it thought it could outsmart me for the first and last time. -peels the seal back, checking the underside of it just in case, but it's pretty clean. Ahh, there's nothing like the sight of the smooth, untouched surface of a fresh jar of peanut butter. TIME TO RUIN IT FOREVER. He scoops a frankly ludicrous amount onto this spoon, just so he doesn't have to double dip and get his slobber all in it. He can be courteous sometimes!-

DORIAN: -Tiny, delicate nom.- sho i wash wondering.

DORIAN: have you ever gone shpelunking on any of your-- -swallows- --adventures?

DORIAN: not gonna lie. part of me just wanted to say spelunking just now.

SIRIUS: =Takes her own spoon, but only scrapes about half her spoons worth=

SIRIUS: (actually yes)

SIRIUS: (well sort of)

SIRIUS: (i was telling durgah just the other day about it)

SIRIUS: (it was an underground cave system that had a whole forest down there with even a river running through it)

SIRIUS: (the flora was so different than the ones above ground cause i mean)

SIRIUS: (who knew when the last time any of that even saw the sun)

SIRIUS: (i didnt get that far though cause no climbing rope)

SIRIUS: (that and i had to leave the planet like the next day because the weather on ochandrues is crazy)

SIRIUS: (the lightning storms are pretty though)

SIRIUS: (you can see them from space)

SIRIUS: (look) =she cleared some of her pictures and brought out a sphere containing her digital star charts whereby turning it on, it lit up the room with its scattering of the universe. She pointed to a tiny yellow sparkle, where it zoomed in and showed a slow revolution of five planets around their star.= (here we are in the síocháin system)

SIRIUS: =and then she spread her fingers and it zoomed back out. She moved her hand across the lightyears until she selected a reddish sun. Seven planets were in this one, two of which were revolving around their star at what appeared to be breakneck speed.= (that particular planet is here in the pikkupaholainen system)

SIRIUS: =wiggles her finger at an orangish colored planet.= (ochandrues)

DORIAN: -He's already completely enraptured once she starts telling him the story, but somehow even more so once she brings up her star charts, his own eyes practically sparkling. Maybe from the reflected light, but also because he's a LITTLE BIT EMOTIONAL ABOUT IT. Space is just... so beautiful???-

DORIAN: wow........

DORIAN: man.

DORIAN: thats just so amazing. -He really sounds awed by it, and he is. It's a little more real, hearing a personal account about it, imagining that cavernous forest and any number of things that could have been blooming and thriving down there without the sun. Just incredible. He sniffs once.-

DORIAN: im sure as heck not letting us run out of climbing rope. i only brought a metric assload just so you know.

SIRIUS: (it is isnt it) =She settled her chin in her hands and watched the planets spin, sighing happily. Then Dorian's last statement caused a laugh to bubble up and she grinned= (good to be prepared for anything)

SIRIUS: (maybe one day you can see it too)

SIRIUS: (the best part was i didnt know that cave was there)

SIRIUS: (part of the ground gave out and i fell in)

SIRIUS: (i think sometimes)

SIRIUS: (forgotten places want to be found)

DORIAN: -That makes him grin, too. It's a nice thought, and an inspiring one, if nothing else.- or discovered. -Like they're going to do today. The mere thought of it again is enough to make him sit up a little more in his seat, a little too much energy in his bones.-

DORIAN: well i sure hope like they feel like it today anyway. or tomorrow. sometime at least within the month would be good.

DORIAN: just the thought of getting to fill out this map more is making me antsy!!! hahaha. its just so COOL. getting to do this.

DORIAN: -His gaze softens a little when he looks at her again, sincere.- im really glad im doing this with you. most of my stuff i always do by myself and i like... yeah it inspires me to try my hardest so i can figure things out without having to depend on someone and yada yada but its nice to have someone else around to like. experience something amazing with you and i really feel like thats what were gonna do.

DORIAN: so thank you for like. having me along for this ride. and sorry for getting all sappy on you out of nowhere hahaha!

SIRIUS: (it will give us more time to explore which would be really nice especially since the weather here wont kill us so easily) =The fauna might, though! She zoomed back out on the star maps, and there are blank areas which become more frequent the further out the soft light reaches in the room.=

SIRIUS: (hehehehe no its not sappy) =shakes her head= (i feel the same) =her smile reaches her eyes and her cheeks give off the teeniest of glows= (its not so common to find someone wholl give up a lot to see places far from home so thank you)

SIRIUS: (i really do appreciate you coming out here and seeing all this with me) =AND LEAVING YOUR LOVED ONES BEHIND. She "are you sure?"ed so many times. What she won't admit to him is that for all her adventures and travels, for how nice it was seeing things few had seen, it did get lonely from time to time.=

SIRIUS: (im glad youre here too you know) =she laughed a little and there was a slightly awkward pause before she just shoved her spoon of peanut butter in her mouth. Time to stop talking.=

DORIAN: well hey. its what i love too you know? you get that. -His soft smile shifts into a grin after a few moments of watching her with that spoon, and he stands up out of his seat.- DORIAN: well im done with this for now and we probably dont have much longer in here so why dont we spend our last free time fucking around??

DORIAN: -he stands up out of his seat, sticking his own spoon between his teeth like a makeshift rose and spin-shimmying a few times before offering her a hand... And also pulling the spoon back out and setting it on the table with the other.-

DORIAN: -Activate terrible French accent.- hon hon titty baguette... care to dance mademoiselle?

SIRIUS: =She watched him do this, staring for a bit before she was yanked out of this trance by her now peanut butter-less spoon falling out of her mouth and clattering to the table. She fumbled with it for a moment - fukcgin - and gently set it on a napkin before quickly capping the jar. Not wanting to leave him hanging for long, Sirius made a semi flustered noise, followed by a squeaky- =

SIRIUS: (sure er wait how do you say it)

SIRIUS: (oui oui monsieur mon ami) =Yes, that is exactly how to French, mister my friend. She pushed back in her chair and it slid easily across the Arabian rug. Fkjfalkfjkalf she'll just accept that hand now.=

DORIAN: -he just chuckles, pulling her closer once he's got her hand and taking her other while he's at it to guide her into a sway, stepping them around in circles.-

DORIAN: -he starts singing, but no linkin park or show tunes this time. It's something different.- oh we dont have much.

DORIAN: pocket full of holes aint got no luck.

DORIAN: one in every town weve been before.

DORIAN: stealing from the rich but giving more.

DORIAN: oh this is where the legend begins... whoaaa.

DORIAN: i think i know the ending for this,

DORIAN: and i know it cause...

DORIAN: we ride into the sunset like its the young west!

DORIAN: dont mind lover reach for the stars.

DORIAN: we make out like bandits dreaming of mansions!

DORIAN: every night youll sleep in my arms.

DORIAN: so darling ride ride ride like the wind.

DORIAN: and drive drive drive to forget.

DORIAN: our lives might depend on it... ride into the sunset.

SIRIUS: =Oh wow.. .this was different! She listens to the words as she sways with him, only faltering in the steps a little at first before figuring out the pattern. Following his steps, she relied on him to lead. Her smile is growing, and the glow returns again towards the tops of her cheeks under her eyes=

DORIAN: -Seeing her smile just makes him grin more, pulling her along in a more enthusiastic little sway as he hums. He's not used to literal glowing from most people, but she's special in that way, and it's nice that somehow he might have caused it.-

DORIAN: oh its all or not.

DORIAN: lovers on the run til we get caught.

DORIAN: making a getaway with everything we stole.

DORIAN: pistol on the draw lets start the show ohh oh oh oh.

DORIAN: cause this is where the legend begins... ohhhh.

DORIAN: i think i know the ending to this and i know it cau—

DORIAN: -There's a sudden shudder and groan in the ship that throws him a little off balance, and his first instinct is to pull Sirius closer, despite the fact that she is definitely not small enough for him to shelter. He'll be damned if he won't try anyway.-

DORIAN: ... so that was solar wind right.

SIRIUS: =Nice sea space legs, Dorian! The shudder makes her turn her head and her glow fizzled for the time being. She also hugged him back (cuz that was no mistaking it was a hug!), and pat him on the back.=

SIRIUS: (um)

SIRIUS: (maybe) =?? There was something about that noise, though...=

SIRIUS: (lets check it out)

SIRIUS: (to the cockpit) =?=

DORIAN: -TOTALLY JUST A NORMAL HUG. But he is definitely just a little suspicious, and normally he might not be so worried, but Sirius is here with him.- yeah.

DORIAN: -He shifts his hold so he's got one of her hands in his (just in case), and starts moving that way.- now would be a really shitty time for mothra not gonna lie.

SIRIUS: =she's worried because DORIAN is with her. What if he gets hurt?? That would be a NIGHTMARE=

SIRIUS: (well its)

SIRIUS: (plausible)

SIRIUS: (theres space mantas so i wouldnt count against it) =comforting smile! Though what she just said may be less than comforting=

SIRIUS: (but you dont need to worry about those)

SIRIUS: (theyre super gentle creatures who wouldnt hurt anything)

SIRIUS: (they even let me fly with them for a bit)

SIRIUS: (i think their pod was migrating)

SIRIUS: =there is aanother rumble followed by a sound that is clearly not mechanical. Also, it sounds quite large.=

SIRIUS: (though its)

SIRIUS: (not the season for them to go yet)

DORIAN: uhh... -He's holding her hand just a fraction tighter at the noise, brows creased. What gives? They're almost there...-

DORIAN: yeah that doesnt sound like any kind of manta. -With renewed determination, he practically pulls her over to the cockpit, not touching anything just yet. It's her ship, after all.-

SIRIUS: =slips into the pilot's seat as comfortably as though she was putting on a jacket.=

SIRIUS: (as much as it sounds like it wants to say hi im going to go ahead and not give it an answer if thats okay with you)

SIRIUS: =buckles in. Dorian should probs do the same thing=

DORIAN: im okay with that. -He pulls the safety harness and clicks it in place, glancing at her to grin again.- unless the answer is BYE FELICIA.

DORIAN: -Whatever this is, he's sure they can deal with it. Moreover, he feels sure Sirius can outfly it.-

SIRIUS: =Shit that makes her giggle, but she's also quickly turning off auto pilot and eases it into manual drive. There is another particularly loud clunk and ok no, Rammie just patched up the paint job, and no one insults Rammie's work like that!=

SIRIUS: =growling (it's probs the most UNaggressive growl lbr), Sirius increased the thrust and they zoomed forward, but not before another clunk. Gripping the wheel, she pulled down a video feed from above them which were of the rear cameras that acted pretty much like a land vehicle's rear and side mirrors. From it, they can both catch sight of some dark shadowy something move from the left side of the ship before disappearing below them.=

SIRIUS: =She stared open mouthed and squinting for a full three seconds, her brows furrowing. They were going pretty fast as they were, and it was keeping up with the ship. She'd never seen something like this before, and it was definitely bigger than any space manta.=

SIRIUS: (excuse my language)

SIRIUS: (but what the hell is that)

DORIAN: ... uhhhh...

DORIAN: -He doesn't know, but he's definitely borrowing this camera footage later. He's trying to think, flipping through a mental catalogue of possible things it could be. It was probably unlikely to be some kind of ghost, with as solid as it seemed, and without much out here to anchor it to something. It seemed a little too small -- and maybe a little too "normal" -- to be one of those... outer gods, or whatever. The thing was, there was a lot about space they didn't know about. But... he had heard rumors of some kind of force or entity that bore similarities to dark matter, or maybe that was dark matter. All the incidents had been hard to document, though, as they were just as mysteriously ending as they began. Well, this thing was definitely dark. Beyond that, though... He wasn't sure.-

DORIAN: not to be the unhelpful guy but your guess is about as good as mine... ive only got one idea and it doesnt do jack for us really!!

DORIAN: this better not be one of those bermuda triangle surprise black hole kind of things. that would REALLY ruin my—

DORIAN: -Another clunk against the ship, and suddenly the camera feed catches the thing ascending again, but higher, faster, moving ahead of them and its dark shape shifting a little too rapidly for him to be able to tell exactly what it was. What he could tell, though, was that there seemed to be some light radiating from its core, that was more difficult to make out the further it flew away. It looked like it was heading... toward this solar system's star.-

DORIAN: whats it doing...?

SIRIUS: =She watched at it flew over them, the angling of the glass panes giving them more than a great view of said shadowy something. She noticed the light, too, but would have thought it almost a trick of the light if her eyes hadn't been locked on it as they were.=

SIRIUS: (.....besides heading on a collision course with that star i have no clue)

SIRIUS: (at least its no longer rubbing up against us like godzillafied lei lei on steroids)

DORIAN: -He can't not snort at that imagery, but he's still a little absorbed in watching the thing head further away, closer and closer to the sun until he can barely see it anymore. They're almost to their destination, now... He shouldn't feel concern, but something about it is still intriguing. He wants to know more.-

DORIAN: wonder if well see it again...

SIRIUS: =she's squinting again, trying to peer past the sun's light, but there's no use. The creature is evidently gone.=

SIRIUS: (maybe) =she laughed a little nervously= (maybe not)

SIRIUS: (maybe it spared us because we didnt look tasty)

SIRIUS: (maybe its allergic to peanut butter and having our spoonful just now saved our lives) =she laughed again, brushing off that funny feeling that she might be forgetting something.=

SIRIUS: =thats okay through, because a chiming ding does it for her and she glanced back down at the dash. The noise had been to indicate the automatic switch to using actual fuel from the actual tanks which was so rarely done Sirius only used them for emergencies. Her eyes scanned the panels and she finally discovered that the solar energy reserves had been completely drained and the needle rested upon fucking EMPTY. They'd stopped at the last sun to charge the panels, and the trip only took up 40% of the recently obtained energy to get this far! She'd checked it herself! Her initial confusion is now transforming into shock as she stared agape at the dials.=

DORIAN: well thats just another thing in the universe allergic in that case... poor bastard. -shakes head.-

DORIAN: -The ding, though, that gets his attention too, and so does the look on Sirius' face.- what?? whats up?

DORIAN: is that...

DORIAN: the ding of the fuel? the fuel ding??

DORIAN: the dang fuel ding???

SIRIUS: (th-the ding was the ding of the-) =She's flapping her hand at the thing= (the sun thing) =SHE CANT EVEN WORDS RIGHT NOW=

SIRIUS: (it means the sun thing isnt making us go and the ding is for the fuel thing)

SIRIUS: =SHAKES HER HEAD. wow this is a mess= (were going on fuel and the thing dinged to let us know)

DORIAN: oh.

DORIAN: yeah ok i had a feeling that was the ding thing.

DORIAN: ....

DORIAN: what????

SIRIUS: (hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh) =She lifts her hands and drags them down her face before holding them straight in front of her. Initiate Calm Sequence.=

SIRIUS: (we had more than sufficient solar energy to make it planetside but for some reason we dont have any anymore) =taps the dial. Maybe there's just been a mechanical malfunction. Spoilers: it isn't.=

SIRIUS: (were running on backup fuel)

SIRIUS: (which we barely have enough of to land)

SIRIUS: (so im wondering right now where the hell the rest of our crap went) =!=

SIRIUS: =says this all very calmly=

DORIAN: that is...

DORIAN: a really good thing to wonder!!!!!

DORIAN: and also.

DORIAN: uh.

DORIAN: ...

DORIAN: so.

DORIAN: uh this is just a theory.

DORIAN: but you remember that shadowy thing.

SIRIUS: (the same shadowy thing that was grinding up against us like a cheese grater to a mozzarella block)

DORIAN: yeah that thing exactly...

DORIAN: -SIGHS.-

DORIAN: if it messed something up permanently i am gonna be SO. PEEVED.

SIRIUS: (waitaminute)

SIRIUS: (are you saying that thing had something to do with the ding)

DORIAN: YEAH. THE DING THING!!!!

DORIAN: THE DING DANG FUCKING THING.

SIRIUS: (so what youre telling me is that ding-) =shakes her head= (i mean thing that blasted off to the sun ate our stored solar energy)

DORIAN: i guess????

DORIAN: i mean thats the only thing that makes sense right?

DORIAN: it had to have done SOMETHING.

DORIAN: -goddamn team rocket...-

SIRIUS: (...)

SIRIUS: =stares at the sun, then looks at her dashboard=

SIRIUS: (im gonna land us safe dont worry okay)

SIRIUS: =she's gone so long on solar power that she hadn't even bothered filling the fuel tanks. Theres a bit left, and it SHOULD be enough for them to land, but=

SIRIUS: =smiles at dorian!=

SIRIUS: (its gonna be okay)

DORIAN: ...

DORIAN: hehe.

DORIAN: yeah i know you will. -He just grins back at her, confident in that. If he could trust in anyone, it'd be a fellow traveler, and he believes in her.-

DORIAN: this is already some ride. all because we had to go and eat that damn peanut butter.

SIRIUS: =His lightheartedness makes her relax and she laughed at his final statement. Cracking her knuckles she guided her ship down through the atmosphere. Breaking through atmo was always a little bumpy - they felt it whenever the UU landed, but with a smaller ship it was far more evident.=

SIRIUS: =She landed on a deep green hill with barely any fuel to spare. The alert light that indicated depletion flickered on and Sirius placed a hand over it.=

SIRIUS: (shhhhhh)

SIRIUS: =After pressing the required buttons to spread the solar panel wings for a recharge, Sirius cut the engines and slumped in her chair, spluttering a long exhale.=

SIRIUS: (so)

SIRIUS: (that happened)

DORIAN: -He's only just a little bit tense as Sirius brings in the ship for a landing, but he won't let her see that. He's still pretty sure it'll be fine, but there's still the matter of what could possibly be on the surface of the planet, too, and everything that's destined to be ahead of them. He just laughs once they're finally settled, unbuckling and hopping out of his seat.-

DORIAN: WHEW.

DORIAN: it sure did. and you nailed it as expected.

DORIAN: didnt think things would get exciting THAT early. makes me wonder where the rest of this adventure is heading... DORIAN: AND THEN SUDDENLY THE PLANET EXPLODED.

DORIAN: -yeah like that would ever happen hahahaha-

DORIAN: -snrks- want me to grab up the... maps? -glances back at the scattered papers-

SIRIUS: =She's super glad Dorian seems okay, especially mentally. She liked to plan things out as much as possible, but with trips to various other planets she ended up throwing out the itinerary for the use it gave her. Even so, she didn't expect this from a star system that was supposed to be relatively GENTLE. HHHHHHHHH.=

SIRIUS: =She blushed at the compliment and spluttered a little, looking away slightly embarrassed.= (hhhhh.... thank you) =but she smiles=

SIRIUS: =The only thing Terezi went fuzzy on war details was how the couple empty spaces in her starcharts happened to get there.= (hehehehe if it does explode hopefully were long gone by that time)

SIRIUS: (yeah grab em please) =she untangled herself from the seatbelt and began gathering up some essentials before their departure= (i had to land us couple hundred clicks east of our predetermined landing zone because of the) =grumbles= (shortage of fuel but it looks safe and is out in the open and away from large bodies of water)

SIRIUS: (so hopefully our chances of running into larger predators is slim)

SIRIUS: (well)

SIRIUS: (slimmer)

DORIAN: -he's stepping over to the scattered sheets, grabbing them all up. He'll sort them out in a minute.- well i hate to break it to you siri but...

DORIAN: -stands up straight again after scooping papers off the floor- you already ran into the biggest predator around. -proceeds to casually perform The Eyebrow Dance.-

SIRIUS: =She had been glancing over at him expectantly, but after he finishes his statement, all she can do is stare, legitimately stunned.=

SIRIUS: (...)

SIRIUS: =Then her face breaks and she hid it behind her hand= (pffffffff hehehehehehehe)

DORIAN: -well now he's grinning, laughing too, and he quickly makes an effort to sort through the mess of papers before captchaloguing them.- im pretty sure most everythings in my sylladex... except the peanut butter naturally. thats pretty important.

DORIAN: anything you need to grab before we head into fresh air? or did you want to rest first.

SIRIUS: =She grinned.= (i dunno about you but with all the excitement i can hardly rest)

SIRIUS: =She is opening some cabinets though, grabbing things she hadn't yet stored in her sylladex: a couple binoculars, and several packs of piton. You never knew. She also went to the ship's small kitchen to grab the peanut butter, which had fallen to the floor after being knocked off the table from the jostling.=

SIRIUS: (cant forget our spooky cloud repellent hehe)

DORIAN: oh of course. we would be fuck knuckled FOOLS to forget that. -He's grinning; he's glad she agreed to run out of the ship, because he feels much the same. There's no way to chill now that they're finally here, especially after all of that.-

DORIAN: lets blow this glorious popsicle stand shall we? -offers a hand and nods toward the exit door-

SIRIUS: =she shoved the rest of their needed materials into her sylldex and smiled as she took Dorian's hand=

SIRIUS: (yeah lets blow it)

SIRIUS: =she turned and blew a kiss shipward=

SIRIUS: =There's soft thumps coming from the tree above, as Sirius starts climbing down. On the last branch, she hugs the trunk and slides down it like a ladder, dusting her hands off when she reaches the bottom.=

QUINNE: -she just stops in her tracks as soon as she picks up on the noise, floppy ears twitching a little. She doesn't bother looking up, just waiting for whoever or whatever it is to reach the ground first. And... It's her.-

QUINNE: -She stares, still just standing there.-

SIRIUS: =turns around holding a bunch of flowrs and oh...someone is there. The clear-nectar-someone from the day previously. Did she tell her her name? She doesnt quite remember=

SIRIUS: (oh hi)

SIRIUS: =points up at the tree and laughs a little= (just...looking at stuff up there hehe)

QUINNE: -her gaze sort of drifts to the bunch of flowers for a moment before snapping back to her face. She doesn't mean to look so judgemental... It's just how her face works. And her general demeanor.-

QUINNE: )) stuff ((

SIRIUS: (uh...) =SHE FEELS SHE MUST EXPLAIN=

SIRIUS: (these arent for...) =the heat is rising into her face= (for anyone)

SIRIUS: (ahaha)

SIRIUS: (these grow up on the canopy and i never noticed them before so i thought)

SIRIUS: ("oh how nice")

SIRIUS: ("maybe ruleus doesnt know these are up there too")

SIRIUS: ("i will ask him")

SIRIUS: (though i suppose that does mean these are for him)

SIRIUS: (but not in...)

SIRIUS: (that...sense)

SIRIUS: =thinking she should have perhaps fallen out of the tree instead=

QUINNE: ... )) Ruleus? ((

QUINNE: -she's not entirely oblivious to Sirius' distress, but she's kind of thinking that's just how she is. She does seem to have a lot of red that just kind of happens for her. It's cute.-

QUINNE: )) is that your quad mate? ((

SIRIUS: =her brain just goes fzzt! as she stares into the distance wishing she should compel herself to teleport into the sun=

SIRIUS: (n-no)

SIRIUS: (hhhhhhes only a friend of mine)

SIRIUS: (who does science and research and stuff)

SIRIUS: =she didn't say that crucial bit of information, whoops!=

QUINNE: )) on flowers (( -She still sounds sort of doubtful, or maybe just curious. It's hard to tell.-

SIRIUS: =WHYYY WHY THIS=

SIRIUS: (not just on flowers hhhhhhhhhh)

QUINNE: )) does he do research on perfume too? ((

QUINNE: )) you could give him some of that, too (( -She's offering out a little roll-on bottle of it, one with a clay exterior she molded and painted. The top of it has a face painted on.-

QUINNE: )) or don't ((

SIRIUS: =She's now confused more than anything=

SIRIUS: (oh...okay) =!=

SIRIUS: (sure) =carefully takes the bottle and studies it, holding it up to the light like she had with the other bottle the day before=

SIRIUS: (theres science in that)

SIRIUS: =more to herself= (i think...)(edited)

QUINNE: )) maybe (( -she really just gave it to her out of a kind of curiosity... Which is mostly goaded on by the feeling Sirius does have a crush on this Ruleus person. But it's interesting to try to figure things out.-

QUINNE: )) or maybe not ((

SIRIUS: (its a very cute bottle) =Her glow is dying down the less embarrassed she gets and she placed the flower (now wilted from the heat her hands produced) onto a patch of moss so she could examine the object more thoroughly. She hadnt seen this kind in any store, so she ran a finger carefully over the grooves.=

QUINNE: -oh, this wasn't exactly what she had been anticipating.- )) I made it ((

QUINNE: )) all of it ((

SIRIUS: =gasp!= (you did)

SIRIUS: (how)

QUINNE: )) the bottle is clay and paint and the perfume is oil based with ingredients derived from natural sources ((

QUINNE: )) like plants ((

QUINNE: )) and insects ((

SIRIUS: (wow...)

SIRIUS: (are you sure this is something you wanna give away) =?=

SIRIUS: She's turning it in her hands, admiring the swirls of color in the clay. She'll...lift the head to take a cursory sniff. Why does it feel like she's decapitating someone by doing this?=

QUINNE: -it's maybe intentionally that way...- )) no ((

QUINNE: )) I'm not sure of a lot of things ((

QUINNE: )) but I'm not just giving it to you ((

SIRIUS: (oh) =she means she's giving it to SCIENCE, right?=

SIRIUS: (then after the research is done i will return it to you personally)

SIRIUS: (in case you still want it back)

SIRIUS: =pulls her head back and recaps the bottle, smiling= (it smells as tasty as the bottle looks)(edited)

QUINNE: -with that nice sweet flowery smell, it at least gives a good impression- )) I probably won't want it back ((

QUINNE: )) I just want to see what you do with it ((

SIRIUS: (hehehe okay i will put it to good use)

SIRIUS: (ill have to think about for what cause though)

SIRIUS: (If i use it in a confined space my momll start bumping into things)

SIRIUS: (hmm)

SIRIUS: (maybe she should stay out of the labs until the research is done)

SIRIUS: =She has determined Quinne is very sweet.=

QUINNE: )) your mom uses her smell to move around ((

QUINNE: )) I know a little about that ((

SIRIUS: (mhmm)

SIRIUS: (she says its a latant ability everyone has since we were little)

SIRIUS; (but the older we get the less we use it which is why we forget)

SIRIUS: (we'll remember when we need it again)

QUINNE: )) like when you're lost underground in a cave system ((

QUINNE: )) with nothing but you and the infinite darkness and possibility ((

QUINNE: )) kind of like life ((

SIRIUS: =!! waoh. that's deep=

SIRIUS: (yes)

SIRIUS: (a lot like that) =!=

QUINNE: -nods... She understands- )) maybe loss of smell would lead to another possibility ((

QUINNE: )) maybe your mother could use a spell to develop a new ability beyond even that sense ((

QUINNE: )) or maybe not (((edited)

SIRIUS: =Shrugs= (i dont know for sure)

SIRIUS: (but she does say)

SIRIUS: ("make wise choices")

SIRIUS: (and always seems to know what i did before i tell her)

SIRIUS: (i asked aunt rose once and she said)

SIRIUS: ("call it intuition")

QUINNE: )) you're saying she has a power ((

QUINNE: )) I guess that's not that surprising ((

SIRIUS: (a power) =?=

SIRIUS: (i dont know if its a power...)

SIRIUS: (but if it is she doesnt talk about it)

July 25, 2016

QUINNE: )) everyone has powers, and most of them don't ((

QUINNE: )) mostly, she just sounds like a mom ((

QUINNE: )) mom powers are a thing in themselves ((

SIRIUS: (hehehe its gotta be a mom power then)

SIRIUS: (itd be a little weird if she could do something like that windy thing that doctor john can)

QUINNE: .......... )) do you think he might be one of the guardians ((

SIRIUS: (uh)

SIRIUS: (...'guardians') =?=

QUINNE: )) guardians of the watch towers of the east ((

SIRIUS: =nods sagely= (oh right)

SIRIUS: (the watchtowers..)

SIRIUS: =long pause as she THINKS=

SIRIUS: (actually im sorry, youve lost me)

SIRIUS: (i have no idea what youre talking about) =winces=

SIRIUS: (though)

SIRIUS: (i do want to know all about these guardians and their watchtowers) =Hopeful expression!=

QUINNE: )) it's terminology used in witchcraft ((

QUINNE: )) I wanted to see if you knew it ((

SIRIUS: =Shakes her head, apologetic, and starts to glow in embarrassment.= (hhhhhdshfdslfhdhs) =covers her FACE with her hands=

SIRIUS: (i dont im sorry)

SIRIUS: =no matter what the gaze is, Sirius still cant see it with her sight obscured like this..= SIRIUS: (but what does it mean)

QUINNE: )) the poles all have associated elements ((

QUINNE: )) for the east, it's air ((

QUINNE: )) south is fire, north is ground, west is water ((

SIRIUS: (oh)

SIRIUS: (and you asked if doctor john was a guardian of the east because)

SIRIUS: (wind)

SIRIUS; (i get it now)

QUINNE: )) now you understand ((

QUINNE: )) magick can be useful when you understand ((

SIRIUS: =her glow is dying down little by little. It's safe to come out. She lowers her hands=

SIRIUS: (hehehe yes)

SIRIUS: (you seem to know a lot about magic) =It must mean quinne understands A LOT of things=

QUINNE: )) it might be something I do a lot of ((

SIRIUS: =eyes widen in interest=

SIRIUS: (really)

SIRIUS: (what kind of magic do you do)

QUINNE: )) any kind that suits my purposes ((

QUINNE: )) it's an incredibly versatile craft ((

SIRIUS: (thats nice) =!= (i thought witches were experts in only one category) =That's what movies implied, anyway= SIRIUS: (is there a type of magic you like the most)

QUINNE: ... )) the type that uses scents and stones and homemade crafts (( QUINNE: )) so I guess mostly ground and air magick ((

SIRIUS: =star eyes=

SIRIUS: (incredible)

SIRIUS: (can you tell me more)

SIRIUS: (are you allowed to tell me more)

SIRIUS: (do you have a coven where youre sworn to secrecy)

SIRIUS: (youre not getting in trouble by talking to me about this, are you)

QUINNE: )) I dictate the rules ((

QUINNE: )) it's possible I could tell you more ((

QUINNE: )) but that depends ((

SIRIUS: (...)

SIRIUS: (....on) =? She ventured.=

QUINNE: )) your ability ((

QUINNE: -she considers for a moment, then offers out a vial of something golden-brown to her. Looks like yet another syrup.- )) this is an ingredient ((

QUINNE: )) the white witch can use it, if you can find him ((

SIRIUS: =what...ability? her glowing?? that sounds like a line from the human version of Lord of the Rings, the Two Towers.=

SIRIUS: (i will definitely try)

SIRIUS: =if anything, she'd think itd be Uncle Jake. hey had white majyyks, so he couuuuuld be a witch? gee.=

QUINNE: )) then maybe you'll succeed ((

QUINNE: )) or maybe not ((

QUINNE: )) we will see if intents align ((

SIRIUS: =inspects the bottle in her hands for any CLUES. sHIT, how she obtain a quest?! This came literally out of nowhere!=

SIRIUS: (where theres a will theres a way ahaha)

QUINNE: -eyeballs her... at least her attitude seems right for magick, but she's not going to say that yet-

QUINNE: )) I'm looking for something, too ((

SIRIUS: (you are)

SIRIUS: (what kind of thing)

SIRIUS: (is it something specific) = o: =

SIRIUS: =did she just...agree to another quest=

QUINNE: )) a ship ((

QUINNE: )) one that came here recently ((

SIRIUS: (oh) =!= SIRIUS: (well the union did)

SIRIUS: (but you probably already knew that)

SIRIUS: (do you know what it looks like)

QUINNE: )) no ((

SIRIUS: =still turning the bottle in her hands=

SIRIUS: (there one that's landed three days ago down eight landing zones that someone recently took to get a paint job)

SIRIUS: (its metallic cyan with neon orange racing stripes)

SIRIUS: (theres the green rocketship shaped ship that landed yesterday to deliver a shipment) =points in the distance. They can see the nose of it from even this far away=

QUINNE: )) it's full of notable figures and their offspring ((

SIRIUS: (that does sound a lot like the unbreakable union...)

SIRIUS: (theres people like the signless and disciple on board)

SIRIUS: (and it was home to orphaner dualscar once)

SIRIUS: (and aranea serket the famous autobiographer lived on it too)

SIRIUS: (she recorded all the adventures of the union and her crew)(edited)

QUINNE: )) yes that might be the one ((

SIRIUS: (what a coincidence) =Smiles!= (i live there sometimes)

SIRIUS: (were you looking for anyone in particular)

QUINNE: )) maybe ((

SIRIUS: (do you know what they look like)

QUINNE: )) maybe not ((

QUINNE: )) I only need to find the ship ((

SIRIUS: (in that case ill lead you right to it)

SIRIUS: = :D =

SIRIUS: (youll have to talk to the captain to get on board of course but you dont need to worry cause hes super nice)

QUINNE: )) interesting ((

QUINNE: )) I will find out ((

SIRIUS: =Sirius stored the bottle of perfume and the bottle of brown nectar in her sylladex then picked up her wilted flowers. Cant forget those!=

SIRIUS: (are you a fan or fam) =starts walking in the direction of the docks and beckons her to follow= (usually its one of the two)

QUINNE: )) neither one (( -she's following behind her at a leisurely pace-

SIRIUS: =She's...slowing down so her mile-long strides dont leave quinne in the dust.=

SIRIUS: (oooooh)

SIRIUS: (is it okay for me to ask you the reason)

QUINNE: )) you can ask ((

QUINNE: )) but I probably won't tell you (((edited)

SIRIUS: (hehehe okay)

SIRIUS: (just curious)

QUINNE: )) curiosity is good ((

QUINNE: )) you never know what can happen ((

QUINNE: )) it's better to be curious ((

SIRIUS: (then out of curiosity what is the reason for you want to visit the union)

SIRIUS: =joking= (is it the museum)

QUINNE: )) it has a museum? ((

SIRIUS: (it does)

SIRIUS: (most of its items were collected during the war)

SIRIUS: (the second one)

QUINNE: )) hmm ((

QUINNE: )) it could be a reason ((

SIRIUS: (theres some pretty neato things in there)

SIRIUS: (its basically a collection of donations so they kinda tell the story of the people that lived it)

QUINNE: )) it's probable some interesting ghosts cling to them ((

SIRIUS: (oh yeah definitely)

SIRIUS: (i heard my lusii talking about things when they thought i wasnt listening)

SIRIUS: (like)

SIRIUS: (people have...) =looks around to make sure they arent overheard=

SIRIUS: ((died))

SIRIUS: (on the ship before)

QUINNE: )) yes ((

QUINNE: )) I guess that isn't surprising, either ((

QUINNE: )) people seem to die most places ((

QUINNE: )) the circumstances might be unique, though ((

QUINNE: )) as unique as deaths can be ((

SIRIUS: (places where people die is a good place for ghosts to be as any) =beaming smile=

SIRIUS: (baldur taught me this)

QUINNE: )) Baldur ((

QUINNE: -she's looking at her now-

SIRIUS: (yes)

SIRIUS: =There's soft thumps coming from the tree above, as Sirius starts climbing down. On the last branch, she hugs the trunk and slides down it like a ladder, dusting her hands off when she reaches the bottom.=

QUINNE: -she just stops in her tracks as soon as she picks up on the noise, floppy ears twitching a little. She doesn't bother looking up, just waiting for whoever or whatever it is to reach the ground first. And... It's her.-

QUINNE: -She stares, still just standing there.-

SIRIUS: =turns around holding a bunch of flowrs and oh...someone is there. The clear-nectar-someone from the day previously. Did she tell her her name? She doesnt quite remember=

SIRIUS: (oh hi)

SIRIUS: =points up at the tree and laughs a little= (just...looking at stuff up there hehe)

QUINNE: -her gaze sort of drifts to the bunch of flowers for a moment before snapping back to her face. She doesn't mean to look so judgemental... It's just how her face works. And her general demeanor.- QUINNE: )) stuff ((

SIRIUS: (uh...) =SHE FEELS SHE MUST EXPLAIN=

SIRIUS: (these arent for...) =the heat is rising into her face= (for anyone)

SIRIUS: (ahaha) SIRIUS: (these grow up on the canopy and i never noticed them before so i thought)

SIRIUS: ("oh how nice")

SIRIUS: ("maybe ruleus doesnt know these are up there too")

SIRIUS: ("i will ask him")

SIRIUS: (though i suppose that does mean these are for him)

SIRIUS: (but not in...)

SIRIUS: (that...sense)

SIRIUS: =thinking she should have perhaps fallen out of the tree instead=

QUINNE: ... )) Ruleus? ((

QUINNE: -she's not entirely oblivious to Sirius' distress, but she's kind of thinking that's just how she is. She does seem to have a lot of red that just kind of happens for her. It's cute.-

QUINNE: )) is that your quad mate? ((

SIRIUS: =her brain just goes fzzt! as she stares into the distance wishing she should compel herself to teleport into the sun=

SIRIUS: (n-no)

SIRIUS: (hhhhhhes only a friend of mine)

SIRIUS: (who does science and research and stuff)

SIRIUS: =she didn't say that crucial bit of information, whoops!=

QUINNE: )) on flowers (( -She still sounds sort of doubtful, or maybe just curious. It's hard to tell.-

SIRIUS: =WHYYY WHY THIS=

SIRIUS: (not just on flowers hhhhhhhhhh)

QUINNE: )) does he do research on perfume too? ((

QUINNE: )) you could give him some of that, too (( -She's offering out a little roll-on bottle of it, one with a clay exterior she molded and painted. The top of it has a face painted on.-

QUINNE: )) or don't ((

SIRIUS: =She's now confused more than anything=

SIRIUS: (oh...okay) =!=

SIRIUS: (sure) =carefully takes the bottle and studies it, holding it up to the light like she had with the other bottle the day before=

SIRIUS: (theres science in that)

SIRIUS: =more to herself= (i think...)

QUINNE: )) maybe (( -she really just gave it to her out of a kind of curiosity... Which is mostly goaded on by the feeling Sirius does have a crush on this Ruleus person. But it's interesting to try to figure things out.-

QUINNE: )) or maybe not ((

SIRIUS: (its a very cute bottle) =Her glow is dying down the less embarrassed she gets and she placed the flower (now wilted from the heat her hands produced) onto a patch of moss so she could examine the object more thoroughly. She hadnt seen this kind in any store, so she ran a finger carefully over the grooves.=

QUINNE: -oh, this wasn't exactly what she had been anticipating.- )) I made it ((

QUINNE: )) all of it ((

SIRIUS: =gasp!= (you did) SIRIUS: (how)

QUINNE: )) the bottle is clay and paint and the perfume is oil based with ingredients derived from natural sources ((

QUINNE: )) like plants ((

QUINNE: )) and insects ((

SIRIUS: (wow...)

SIRIUS: (are you sure this is something you wanna give away) =?=

SIRIUS: She's turning it in her hands, admiring the swirls of color in the clay. She'll...lift the head to take a cursory sniff. Why does it feel like she's decapitating someone by doing this?=

QUINNE: -it's maybe intentionally that way...- )) no ((

QUINNE: )) I'm not sure of a lot of things ((

QUINNE: )) but I'm not just giving it to you ((

SIRIUS: (oh) =she means she's giving it to SCIENCE, right?=

SIRIUS: (then after the research is done i will return it to you personally)

SIRIUS: (in case you still want it back)

SIRIUS: =pulls her head back and recaps the bottle, smiling= (it smells as tasty as the bottle looks)

QUINNE: -with that nice sweet flowery smell, it at least gives a good impression- )) I probably won't want it back ((

QUINNE: )) I just want to see what you do with it ((

SIRIUS: (hehehe okay i will put it to good use)

SIRIUS: (ill have to think about for what cause though)

SIRiUS: (If i use it in a confined space my momll start bumping into things)

SIRIUS: (hmm)

SIRIUS: (maybe she should stay out of the labs until the research is done)

SIRIUS: =She has determined Quinne is very sweet.=

QUINNE: )) your mom uses her smell to move around ((

QUINNE: )) I know a little about that ((

SIRIUS: (mhmm)

SIRIUS: (she says its a latent ability everyone has since we were little)

SIRIUS: (but the older we get the less we use it which is why we forget)

SIRIUS: (we'll remember when we need it again)

QUINNE: )) like when you're lost underground in a cave system ((

QUINNE: )) with nothing but you and the infinite darkness and possibility ((

QUINNE: )) kind of like life ((

SIRIUS: =!! waoh. that's deep=

SIRIUS: (yes)

SIRIUS: (a lot like that) =!=

QUINNE: -nods... She understands- )) maybe loss of smell would lead to another possibility ((

QUINNE: )) maybe your mother could use a spell to develop a new ability beyond even that sense ((

QUINNE: )) or maybe not ((

SIRIUS: =Shrugs= (i dont know for sure)

SIRIUS: (but she does say)

SIRIUS: ("make wise choices")

SIRIUS: (and always seems to know what i did before i tell her)

SIRIUS: (i asked aunt rose once and she said)

SIRIUS: ("call it intuition")

QUINNE: )) you're saying she has a power ((

QUINNE: )) I guess that's not that surprising ((

SIRIUS: (a power) =?=

SIRIUS: (i dont know if its a power...)

SIRIUS: (but if it is she doesnt talk about it)

QUINNE: )) everyone has powers, and most of them don't ((

QUINNE: )) mostly, she just sounds like a mom ((

QUINNE: )) mom powers are a thing in themselves ((

SIRIUS: (hehehe its gotta be a mom power then)

SIRIUS: (itd be a little weird if she could do something like that windy thing that doctor john can)

QUINNE: .......... )) do you think he might be one of the guardians ((

SIRIUS: (uh)

SIRIUS: (...'guardians') =?=

QUINNE: )) guardians of the watch towers of the east ((

SIRIUS: =nods sagely= (oh right)

SIRIUS: (the watchtowers..)

SIRIUS: =long pause as she THINKS=

SIRIUS: (actually im sorry youve lost me)

SIRIUS: (i have no idea what youre talking about) =winces=

SIRIUS: (though)

SIRIUS: (i do want to know all about these guardians and their watchtowers) =Hopeful expression!=

QUINNE: )) it's terminology used in witchcraft ((

QUINNE: )) I wanted to see if you knew it ((

SIRIUS: =Shakes her head, apologetic, and starts to glow in embarrassment.= (hhhhhdshfdslfhdhs) =covers her FACE with her hands=

SIRIUS: (i dont im sorry)

QUINNE: -INTENSE GAZE. it might be judgmental, but it's probably just intrigued.-

QUINNE: )) now you know ((

SIRIUS: =no matter what the gaze is, Sirius still cant see it with her sight obscured like this..=

SIRIUS: (but what does it mean)

QUINNE: )) the poles all have associated elements ((

QUINNE: )) for the east, it's air ((

QUINNE: )) south is fire, north is ground, west is water ((

SIRIUS: (oh)

SIRIUS: (and you asked if doctor john was a guardian of the east because)

SIRIUS: (wind)

SIRIUS: (i get it now)

QUINNE: )) now you understand ((

QUINNE: )) magick can be useful when you understand ((

SIRIUS: =her glow is dying down little by little. It's safe to come out. She lowers her hands=

SIRIUS: (hehehe yes)

SIRIUS: (you seem to know a lot about magic) =It must mean quinne understands A LOT of things=

QUINNE: )) it might be something I do a lot of ((

SIRIUS: =eyes widen in interest=

SIRIUS: (really)

SIRIUS: (what kind of magic do you do)

QUINNE: )) any kind that suits my purposes ((

QUINNE: )) it's an incredibly versatile craft ((

SIRIUS: (thats nice) =!= (i thought witches were experts in only one category) =That's what movies implied, anyway=

SIRIUS: (is there a type of magic you like the most)

QUINNE: ... )) the type that uses scents and stones and homemade crafts ((

QUINNE: )) so I guess mostly ground and air magick ((

SIRIUS: =star eyes=

SIRIUS: (incredible)

SIRIUS: (can you tell me more)

SIRIUS: (are you allowed to tell me more)

SIRIUS: (do you have a coven where youre sworn to secrecy)

SIRIUS: (youre not getting in trouble by talking to me about this are you)

QUINNE: )) I dictate the rules ((

QUINNE: )) it's possible I could tell you more ((

QUINNE: )) but that depends ((

SIRIUS: (...)

SIRIUS: (....on) =? She ventured.=

QUINNE: )) your ability ((

QUINNE: -she considers for a moment, then offers out a vial of something golden-brown to her. Looks like yet another syrup.- )) this is an ingredient ((

QUINNE: )) the white witch can use it, if you can find him ((

SIRIUS: =what...ability? her glowing?? that sounds like a line from the human version of Lord of the Rings, the Two Towers.=

SIRIUS: (i will definitely try)

SIRIUS: =if anything, she'd think itd be one of the amporas. Or Uncle Jake. They had white majyyks, so they couuuuuld be a witch? gee.=

QUINNE: )) then maybe you'll succeed ((

QUINNE: )) or maybe not ((

QUINNE: )) we will see if intents align ((

SIRIUS: =inspects the bottle in her hands for any CLUES. sHIT, how she obtain a quest?! This came literally out of nowhere!=

SIRIUS: (where theres a will theres a way ahaha)

QUINNE: -eyeballs her... at least her attitude seems right for magick, but she's not going to say that yet-

QUINNE: )) I'm looking for something, too ((

SIRIUS: (you are)

SIRIUS: (what kind of thing)

SIRIUS: (is it something specific) = o: =

SIRIUS: =did she just...agree to another quest=

QUINNE: )) a ship ((

QUINNE: )) one that came here recently ((

SIRIUS: (oh) =!=

SIRIUS: (well the union did)

SIRIUS: (but you probably already knew that)

SIRIUS: (do you know what it looks like)

QUINNE: )) no ((

SIRIUS: =still turning the bottle in her hands=

SIRIUS: (there one that's landed three days ago down eight landing zones that someone recently took to get a paint job)

SIRIUS: (its metallic cyan with neon orange racing stripes)

SIRIUS: (theres the green rocketship shaped ship that landed yesterday to deliver a shipment) =points in the distance. They can see the nose of it from even this far away=

QUINNE: )) it's full of notable figures and their offspring ((

SIRIUS: (that does sound a lot like the unbreakable union...)

SIRIUS: (theres people like neophyte redglare on board)

SIRIUS: (and it was home to orphaner dualscar and signless and disciple once)

SIRIUS: (and aranea serket the famous autobiographer lived on it too)

SIRIUS: (she recorded all the adventures of the union and her crew)

QUINNE: )) yes that might be the one ((

SIRIUS: (what a coincidence) =Smiles!= (i live there sometimes)

SIRIUS: (were you looking for anyone in particular)

QUINNE: )) maybe ((

SIRIUS: (do you know what they look like)

QUINNE: )) maybe not ((

QUINNE: )) I only need to find the ship ((

SIRIUS: (in that case ill lead you right to it)

SIRIUS: = :D =

SIRIUS: (youll have to talk to the captain to get on board of course but you dont need to worry cause hes super nice)

QUINNE: )) interesting ((

QUINNE: )) I will find out ((

SIRIUS: =Sirius stored the bottle of perfume and the bottle of brown nectar in her sylladex then picked up her wilted flowers. Cant forget those!=

SIRIUS: (are you a fan or fam) =starts walking in the direction of the docks and beckons her to follow= (usually its one of the two)

QUINNE: )) neither one (( -she's following behind her at a leisurely pace-

SIRIUS: =She's...slowing down so her mile-long strides dont leave quinne in the dust.=

SIRIUS: (oooooh)

SIRIUS: (is it okay for me to ask you the reason)

QUINNE: )) you can ask ((

QUINNE: )) but I probably won't tell you ((

SIRIUS: (hehehe okay)

SIRIUS: (just curious)

QUINNE: )) curiosity is good ((

QUINNE: )) you never know what can happen ((

QUINNE: )) it's better to be curious ((

SIRIUS: (then out of curiosity what is the reason for you want to visit the union)

SIRIUS: =joking= (is it the museum)

QUINNE: )) it has a museum? ((

SIRIUS: (it does)

SIRIUS: (most of its items were collected during the war)

SIRIUS: (the second one)

QUINNE: )) hmm ((

QUINNE: )) it could be a reason ((

SIRIUS: (theres some pretty neato things in there)

SIRIUS: (its basically a collection of donations so they kinda tell the story of the people that lived it)

QUINNE: )) it's probable some interesting ghosts cling to them ((

SIRIUS: (oh yeah definitely)

SIRIUS: (i heard my lusii talking about things when they thought i wasnt listening)

SIRIUS: (like)

SIRIUS: (people have...) =looks around to make sure they arent overheard=

SIRIUS: ((died))

SIRIUS: (on the ship before)

QUINNE: )) yes ((

QUINNE: )) I guess that isn't surprising, either ((

QUINNE: )) people seem to die most places ((

QUINNE: )) the circumstances might be unique, though ((

QUINNE: )) as unique as deaths can be ((

SIRIUS: (places where people die is a good place for ghosts to be as any) =beaming smile=

SIRIUS: (baldur taught me this)

QUINNE: )) Baldur ((

QUINNE: -she's looking at her now-

SIRIUS: (yes)