9-10-2018 - Chantry (Rodrick), Mason (Hikaru), Emily (Armella), Jessi (Ruby)
Jessi: Some hours pass as the airship makes its way away from port, out of the watchful eye of those on shore, before turning toward the coordinates Thorin provided the automatons. The air grows chilly as night creeps upon the horizon, the last rays of the sun shattering against the glassy surface of the sea.
Mason: Hikaru is fuming below deck.
Chantry: Rodrick is sitting down below in the hold with Firelord, smoking his pipe and enjoying a snack.
Jessi: Ruby, having woken up from a long rest, cleans up. She stiffly and sorely makes her way to the kitchen on board to try to make some tea. She seems jumpier than usual, but mostly just tired.
Emily: Armella is on deck watching clouds.
Jessi: Ruby makes her way on deck with her tea, hoping for some fresh air. Seeing Armella, she makes her way over. "Howdy Miss Mella... thanks for your help earlier, I was mighty grateful. I can't make heads or tails of what happened after we was all on deck... it was a pretty good blur. But I remember ya helping me back to my room, I'm sure I couldn'tve made it on my own."
Emily: Armella looks over Ruby with concern. "Are you sure you're okay to be out and about? You don't have to push yourself, we shouldn't be encountering anything else up here so you can rest."
Jessi: Ruby sips at her tea a moment, watching the clouds with you. "I suppose... Just, seein' as that fella was in my room originally is makin' me a tad nervous I guess. It's been as quiet as a mouse since, and I just needed to see a friendly face, after restin' so long."
"I promise I won't be too long, I thank ya for your concern... you're a good friend Miss Mella. Thank you. I know Luther kinda roped you inta all this to be my bodyguard." She makes a funny face at the thought, but continues. "But I mighty appreciate your company and kindness."
Emily: Armella sighs, "Yes, I'm sorry, I should have been more thoughtful than that. It's good to be around people. Have you seen anyone else? It seems we're all scattered across the ship."
Jessi: Ruby shakes her head, "No, I haven't seen hide nor hair of anyone else. I suppose they've retired early? Or maybe workin' on somethin'..." Ruby suddenly remembers the strange mecha she saw when she first teleported with Rodrick and goes a little green again from the memory of the whole experience.
"I suppose we could take a short walk about? I think I can handle it for now. And, by the way... do we know who attacked us? I didn't get a good luck at em, but he was speakin' somethin' like that Wuxian language. I was rather surprised...it wasn't... those guys again, was it? That caught us in Elbion?"
Emily: Armella pauses, "I'm not sure who they were actually. I don't know if they were the same people, but they could have been I guess. It would make sense if it were, since it was suggested they might hit again."
Jessi: "That's true... it'd be a mighty fine coincidence otherwise. Not sure why else they'd attack us. Maybe Mr. Karu knows? I wonder where he is..."
Emily: "Well he's possibly skulking somewhere plotting because you got hurt. Down below deck somewhere maybe, I haven't seen anyone up here."
Jessi: "Oh... I suppose I did cause some worry, didn't I?" Ruby furrows her brow. "I really should have been more careful... Perhaps we can bring him a snack? Or Rodrick might've seen 'em. You feel up to walkin' with me?"
Emily: "He's a nice kid deep down. I think he worries sometimes and just doesn't know what to do with it. But he may appreciate the gesture. Perhaps we should train you on how to get out of situations like that. I'm sure our friends know some tricks on how to be more..." She pauses and makes wiggly motions with her arms. "Squirmy? I'm more of bash faces kind of fighter, I'm not sure how useful my techniques would be for you."
Jessi: Ruby chuckles watching you act that out. "I suppose you're right sweetie... I should be a bit more self-sufficient. Who do'ya think I should ask?"
On the way past the kitchen, she stops to grab a decent armful of pastries, then pauses a moment before exchanging them for dried meats and cheese, realizing she's not too sure what the men like.
Emily: "Hmmm Rodrick is small, but he likes explosions, so I'm not sure on him. He's also a bit odd and the last person who asked for his help got magic so I'm not sure on that. Hikaru is smallish, but not much of an up close fighter from what I've gathered, but he could teach you to shoot. Thorin is a Dwarf so I don't think he counts with what you'd need. Then Zander, he has military training so he also might be a good bet."
Jessi: She's quiet for some time, thinking about the options. "Well Rodrick's magic didn't sit all too well with my stomach last time, but perhaps… Rolland or one of his other counterparts? May have some tips?"
"Mr. Karu.." She trails off for a second, remembering he actually taught her to shoot before, and gets a little flustered. "Well he showed me some things with a gun, but that was somethin' bigger than what I got. I ain't ever liked weapons that could kill... but I know there may be times I got no choice, it's me or them."
"Thorin... eeeeeh." She tries to picture him wriggling out of some trouble, and can't imagine trying to learn from him. "I'm not sure… dwarves have their own sorta way of dealin' with stuff."
"And.. Zandar... perhaps I can ask him later too." She gets a funny look on her face, but isn't sure what to say beyond that.
Emily: They make their way below deck and she knocks on Hikaru's door to see if he's available.
Mason: As you approach his room you hear the sound of a thud against a wall and glass shattering. There's also quite a bit of yelling and mumbling.
Jessi: Ruby stops and looks at Armella, uncertainty on her face.
Emily: Armella hesitates as well, "Well this could be interesting," she mumbles as she knocks on the door.
Mason: There is no answer but continued yelling, the sound of a gun hammer cocking into place.
Emily: Armella stands closer to the door, talking loud enough to hopefully be heard from the other side "Hikaru, please don't shoot the door. I'm sure we could fix it, but it would be in everyone's best interest to not have holes on the ship."
Mason: Louder slurred yelling is heard.
Jessi: Ruby steps aside from the door, a bit frightened at the sound of the gun cocking, and not wanting to get shot. She looks at Armella again and mouths quietly, "What should we do?"
Mason: You hear stumbling and the door opens. Hikaru is clearly drunk and has a half empty bottle of gin.
Jessi: Ruby blinks, not sure what to do at first. "Uhh.. Hey Mr. Karu... did--would you like somethin' to settle your stomach?" She holds up some of the food she brought with Armella and waits to see what you do.
Mason: He blinks slowly and tries to put down the bottle but kinda drops it. And offers you to come in then starts to stumble.
Jessi: Not sure what to do, she drops the food by accident trying to catch you. Not being strong enough at the moment to actually support you, she yelps a bit and stumbles back into the wall trying to hold you up.
Mason: "Blasted cousins."
Jessi: "Well he's gone now, Mr. Karu, I..." She remembers laying on deck and watching you stalk toward the man who had her, raising your gun. She'd closed her eyes, but couldn't ignore the gunshots. "I don' think he'll be harassin' you or any of us, anymore."
Mason: "Of course not. I don't leave loose ends. It's a bad practice. He wasn't supposed to be here. I was supposed to kill him in front of uncle. I guess just telling him will work though."
Jessi: Ruby frowns and is quiet. "I'm sorry to've caused you trouble. And I'm sorry you had such a rotten history with that beast... family… family ain't supposed to be like that." She tears up a bit.
Mason: "Weren't your fault Miss Ruby. Blasted Uncle did this."
Jessi: "Family ain't supposed to betray ya, family... it's supposed to be there for ya... to have that taken from ya is just… it's rotten, it is. No one deserves that.” She tries to help you stand up straight, but has trouble doing so. "We're here for ya, ain't that right, Miss Mella?"
Mason: "I don't... aren't they?" He looks misty-eyed but that could the alcohol.
Armella nods "You can have a new family, even if we're a bunch of oddballs that don't really have much in common. We watch out for each other properly."
He looks at Armella and then at Ruby. "Is that allowed?"
Jessi: "It is, sweetie. Sometimes friends are more family than...well...blood relations." She smiles sadly.
Mason: His revolver is on the bed. Seemingly left there when he tossed it there. There's a tumbler shattered in the corner.
Jessi: She looks around your room with a frown. "I reckon we should let some of the automatons clean up a bit... Why don't ya come with us to to see Rodrick? We was gonna check on him too, see how...Firelad..? Is coming along?" She seems unsure if she has the name right but means well.
Mason: "Ok" he grabs at the gin bottle.
Jessi: "Sweetie, I think that's empty now, it spilled out on the floor..." looks around and realizes now they're sitting in it. "Let's leave it for now, alrighty?"
Mason: Looks a little confused. "Oh ok." Stumbles to his feet and makes his way towards the door.
Jessi: Stumbles up as well, trying not to slip in the gin. Putting her hand to her neck, she realizes she opened her wound a bit and it's bleeding again. "Aww dagnabbit..." Not wanting either of you to see, she tries to pull the collar of her dress up a bit higher and follows you down the hall.
Mason: "Miss Ruby.. you should.. get that checked shouldn't you?"
Jessi: "Oh, it's nothin' really. I'll just take it easy." She eyes you to see if you have any of your weapons on you, seeing as your other gun was left on your bed. Looking back, she sees your other one on your desk.
Arriving at the large metal door leading to the workshop area, She knocks to see if Rodrick is available, listening for sounds of metal clanging.
Chantry: "It's open!" A voice yells from inside. As you all enter the cargo hold, you notice it's been rearranged again. Firelord is now in the open, and lying across the floor is what looks like a 10 foot tall, massive sword. Is has what looks like a double edge per side with some sort of channel between them. Rodrick turns around on his chair, gnawing on a sandwich that looks like it was made a week ago. The bread is falling apart and nearly green. "Good morning!" He says with a smile.
Mason: Hikaru stumbles in. "Rod do you have any alcohol?"
Chantry: "Not worth drinking... It's all been converted to fuel for him." Gesturing to Firelord.
Mason: Sighs and sits (read falls) down on his butt.
Jessi: Follows after, eyeing everything slowly and dubiously one thing at a time. The sword is the most peculiar, and she forgets to say anything for a few minutes.
Chantry: "But the still is where it's always been... under the stairs. You know how to use it."
Jessi: Blinking, she realizes she's been staring and zones back into the conversation. "Nah, he's had a whole gallon already by the sight of ‘em when me and Miss Mella got there. I don't think he needs none more..."
Mason: Sighs heavily.
Jessi: Ruby gives Rodrick a pouty look, like "why are you encouraging him??”
Chantry: "Good morning, Miss Ruby. Something to drink, perhaps?" He offers you a cup of lemonade, the exterior of the cup covered in grease.
Jessi: "I, um..." She stutters a moment, "T-thank you." Taking it in her hands to be polite, she just holds it and smiles, but can't seem to bring herself to drink it.
Chantry: Rodrick whispers to Ruby with a grin, "don't worry, he never makes anything worth drinking. He basically makes flavored water."
Jessi: "He-wait... who's still? I thought you were talking about something you had?"
Chantry: "No, a distillery... but he doesn't know how to use it... it always turns out like water with a hint of something else, but no alcohol content... if I wanted him to drink, I'd have offered him something from my locker..." he says with a smile
Jessi: "Oh... I see." She looks over at Hikaru, who looks like a sad mess on the floor. "It's a shame they still came after us... after him. I feel mighty terrible gettin' used as bait like that."
Chantry: Rodrick hangs his head. "It's my fault, honestly... I should have sensed them before dropping you off..."
Jessi: "Oh no! Not at all, we was all in a hurry... my head ain't been quite right lately, I should'a been more careful." She frowns.
Mason: Hikaru groans and lays down. "We need to kill em all, Rod."
Chantry: "I know, Hikaru. I know what they did. We'll deal with them all. Just like I promised..."
Mason: "He needs to die."
Chantry: "I know, Hikaru. He's evil to his core... vile. He needs to be culled from the herd of humanity... I told you, I'll help you get your honor back, and I wasn't lying."
Jessi: Having wanted to ask it for some time, Ruby finally says, "Do y'all have any idea where... where they're based out of? How are they trackin' us? And when we get to that point, and... an' ya get em, what are you gonna do from there? Is there anywhere you can go? Any home you can return to that's rightfully yours?"
"I was... was just curious, I guess..." She looks at the floor. "I wasn't sure if your old home still existed, or if you'd wanna return there, in Wuxia?"
Mason: "That's when I'll have a home. I'll be able to reclaim it.... Call it my own... Reclaim my family... and the allies of my father. Then I can be free." He kinda trails off and continues to mumble drunkenly.
Chantry: "Maybe find his Mom, too..."
Jessi: "His mom?" Ruby whispers, looking between the two of you. "Is... is she still alive, then?"
Chantry: Rodrick whispers back, "We don't know. We never found a body, and we looked everywhere for any sign of her... but couldn't find anything."
Jessi: "I see... Oh I do hope so, that would be..." She looks back at him and trails off. "I know a lot of people through... well... Mr. Luther's network. Mostly in Alwyn, but, if you know of any other information I can possibly scour for you both, just... just let me know."
Chantry: "He is a lot better at tracking people now, and I'm not... well... hellbent on vengeance anymore, so maybe... maybe we can put our heads together and do some good for once..." Rodrick takes a bite of his old sandwich and chews it absentmindedly
Jessi: "Yeah..." Ruby looks down at the sandwich finally and turns another shade of green. She realizes she forgot the food she was meaning to bring you both near Hikaru’s room.
Jessi: "Um.." She tries to break her eye contact with the sandwich but can't seem to. "I... well, Miss Mella mentioned that perhaps, I might ask y'all about..." She gets flustered for a moment and trails off.
Chantry: "Hikaru, in that trunk next to you, there's a bottle of blue liquid... do me a favor and drink a little, will ya? It'll clear your mind a bit... bring you back to here rather than in your head." Rodrick points at a trunk tucked next to a workbench.
Jessi: "Well about... being a bit more... self-sufficient..." She blushes and finally looks away, watching Hikaru on the floor in his haze. "I know a lot of things mind you, but... I'm not terribly strong, and don't know quite... how to handle what happened earlier today. If it were to... happen again." She wrings her hands.
Mason: "I don't want to be sober Rodrick. Sober is pain." He sounds like a child, which in affect he is.
Chantry: "Well,” Rodrick turns back to Ruby. “The first thing you'll have to have, which I think you do, is willpower. Willpower to survive and do what's needed, even if it hurts. That will get you through more than any weapon will..." he grins and then pats his flamethrower, "but a weapon will make it a lot easier!"
Mason: "Revolvers work good if you want a quick hit…”
Chantry: "Hikaru, pain is part of life. You chose life when you crawled to my doorstep, and you chose life when you took your cousins. You can survive. Don't quit on me now..."
Jessi: Ruby's quiet while you both talk, thinking over what you've said. She absentmindedly sips at the cup in her hands, but then chokes a little when she tastes the grease.
Mason: "I was always drunk before… It never stopped me."
Chantry: "Yeah, well you only had yourself to look out for... you got to help take care of everyone on this airship now... so you gotta do what needs done. Just like I did... I put aside my own pain to help you." Rodrick gets up and walks over to the trunk, grabs the vial of liquid and hands it to Hikaru. "Drink it, please... before I make Ruck help you..."
Mason: He grabs it angrily and downs it then wipes his mouth glaring at Rodrick.
Chantry: "Be mad at me if you want... but at least you're going to be able to help Ruby and Armella now..." Rodrick walks over to Firelord and tightens a few bolts before throwing the wrench into a toolbox. He cracks a teasing grin and says to Hikaru. "Feel free to throw some stuff at me... We'll know you're sober when you hit me."
Mason: He throws the bottle hard into a corner shattering it. "Your best bet Miss Ruby is to learn at least to shoot something besides the Derringer and how to use a knife."
Jessi: Kind of taken aback by the interaction between the both of you, she pauses a minute. "I... well.." She pouts. "I do have a pistol, but I don't like... actually killin'." She looks kind of ashamed, knowing what the two of you are used to--what everyone else on the ship is used to.
Mason: "Well you don't have to necessarily kill them. Threatening works. But only if you have the will to back it up. Idle threats mean nothin. They'll see right through you."
Chantry: Rodrick walks to a porthole and looks at the darkness outside. "Killing isn't.... it isn't easy. At least for me. I still remember the screams and yells. Every one of them. I won't say it gets easier... but I will say you learn to live with it." He turns around as a single tear rolls down his cheek.
Jessi: Taken aback, she’s quiet for a while. "Well I don't have much of a threatenin' face anyway. I do have this..." She pulls out a small device, like a derringer, but golden and with tiny needled vials in it. “It's for paralyzin, and sleepin, and all those sorts a things. I never could get much more than those kinds of powders from Mr. Luther's supplier."
"And--OH." Her eyes widen, as if remembering something important, and she looks at Rodrick. She turns and leaves the room hurriedly.
Mason: He looks at her and then Rodrick. "What was...?"
Chantry: "No idea..." returning Hikaru's bewildered look.
Mason: "Shall we?"
Chantry: "Follow her?"
Jessi: Ruby rushes back in at that moment, breathing a little heavily, and places a bag with proper food in it on the table. Then takes Rodrick’s hand and places a clear jar into it that is full of a liquid with splotchy, dark red leaves.
"I was worried someone might catch me with that... but no one ever did. I hope it's enough for what you wanted. Well, what… Rolland wanted?"
Chantry: "Aha! This stuff is... well... scary. We'll set it aside and let him deal with it!" Rodrick carefully puts it in the trunk.
Mason: "On your previous topic I find a face isn't enough to inspire fear. You just have to mean it. If you say you'll shoot them you have to be willing to make good when they call your bluff."
Jessi: She looks over at you. "Right... I'll practice with that more. Thank ya..."
Chantry: Rodrick picks up his green sandwich and then looks at the bag of fresh food, and pitches the sandwich out the window. "Hikaru, you hungry?"
Mason: "Even if I wasn't I want the taste of that tonic out of my mouth."
Jessi: "You guys are kind, and I do appreciate all your suggestions. I don't wanna be a burden or a.. damsel in distress." She looks like she has a bad taste in her mouth.
Mason: He looks at Ruby. "It ain't easy. You'll need to be tough in a way you usually aren't. You have to have mettle."
Jessi: She's quiet for a moment, and nods.
Chantry: "You got to put the reason you're fighting in your mind. You put it as your main focus and do whatever it takes to keep that reason safe... It can help you make the hard choice if you have to..."
Jessi: She gets a dark look on her face again, and seems to be thinking about something. But it passes pretty quickly. "Right... Well, I wanna keep ya'll safe. So I'll just picture you fellas in my mind." She gives a genuine smile.
“Well speakin' of weapons.... What is that, Rodrick?" She points at the giant sword on the floor, finally wanting to ask about it.
Mason: Hikaru's face kind of has a look if realization but keeps it to himself and shakes his head turning to hear Rodrick.
Chantry: Rodrick's smile nearly splits his face. "That's Infernus! Firelord's sword. It has two edges, and the channel between them is actually a passage that I can vent excess fuel from Firelord, essentially engulfing the blade in fire."
Jessi: Her eyes widen and look back at the sword. "Really? I've never seen another mecha like that before..." She looks at it for a minute. "Where... what type of combustible fuel? Is it not steam powered?"
Chantry: Rodrick starts getting a childish excitement on his face. He runs over behind Firelord and picks up a cylindrical canister. "Nope! I find steam power to be too slow and difficult to manage. Firelord operates using something called a thermo-kinetic dynamo! This is filled with fuel and then pressurized, and then Firelord can function, provided the temperatures don't get too high. The fuel also is his ammunition for the cannon!"
Jessi: "Thermo-Kinetic?" She looks at Hikaru, not sure she understands how something like that works.
Mason: He shrugs. "I don't understand this I just know guns."
Jessi: "Well it looks... intimidating. I don't think anyone would want to mess with him. You've done a fantastic job with him! I know you helped Mr. Luther with his automatons too, and they were honestly the best he had..."
Chantry: Rodrick starts grabbing bottles and tubes, assembling them to a small contraption. "Think of it like this..." he fills one bottle with water, and another with oil."The water is air, oil the fuel. When you squeeze the fuel, it mixes with the air, forcing itself into one chamber." Rodrick squeezes the bottles, and they combine in the see-through bladder, causing it to expand. "This is the fun part. I use this pressurized fuel to ignite and move the parts, using miniature explosions to direct the metal parts...
"If the pressure gets too high, like a steam mech, it can blow up... hence the venting ports on Infernus. Firelord also has exhaust ports on his hands and feet, essentially letting him vent excess heat and fuel. I can purposefully overload the fuel cells to generate more pressure than needed so I can use his weapons, too."
Jessi: She watches, mesmerized. "It's so....different. How did you come up with this?"
Chantry: "Hikaru, actually... He was playing with some of my chemicals and such one day, and put these two particular ones together, and they created this fuel... it's not solid, not liquid, but somewhere in between. It's what I use in my flamethrower, as well... from there, I just started tinkering, and, well..." Rodrick gestures to Firelord.
Rodrick clears his throat. "Sorry, didn't mean to go full-blown mechanic mode... Hikaru, sandwich?" He walks over to the bag of food and starts assembling a sandwich
Mason: "Sure why not, Rod."
Chantry: He carefully makes a pair of sandwiches, using a little bit of each meat and cheese, piling it high on a nice piece of bread. Before adding the top piece of bread, he adds some nice vegetables and smears, before wrapping it in a clean shop rag and handing it to Hikaru.
"Lemonade?"
Mason: "Sure why not?"
Chantry: Rodrick hands Hikaru a cup, also a bit greasy, of lemonade.
Mason: He scarfs down the sandwich then downs the lemonade.
Jessi: "So what do y'all think of this... place we're headin'? Do you think we can actually gain that much altitude, Rodrick?"
Chantry: Rodrick nibbles at his sandwich, staring at his small model of Firelord's fuel system. "Huh? Oh, yeah... I'd guess we could. If not, I'm sure Thorin could finagle something..."
Jessi: "That's true..." She stares out the window at the inky darkness. "It seems strange, seeking out something like this. That it even exists in this world. If it's really up there."
Chantry: He starts mumbling to himself and reaches down to one of his toolboxes. He pulls up a small needled vial, much like Ruby's derringer shoots. He turns it over and around in his hand, before smacking it with a hammer, breaking the glass.
Jessi: Ruby jumps and knocks over her cup of lemonade. "What the--"
Mason: "Figure something out rod?"
Chantry: He grabs a metal tube about the same diameter as the vial, and cuts it off about the same length. "I think I might be able to make bullets... but... vial bullets, like Miss Ruby uses... but instead of paralyzing or making people go to sleep, I can put Firelord's fuel in it... essentially creating incendiary rounds." He holds up a roughly made needle bullet.
Jessi: Her eyes widen. "So like.. I'd be blowin' people up sky high?"
Mason: Hikaru's face shows he couldn't have imagined making that jump of ingenuity.
Chantry: "No, no... there's not nearly enough room for a large charge. For your gun, it would cause at most, 2nd degree burns. Since Hikaru has larger caliber guns, his rifle could potentially blow limbs off... but yours will still be considered non lethal."
Jessi: "I see... and the steam won't ignite it, would it? Just when it hits the target?"
Chantry: "Correct. Instead of a needle, we use a plunger that punctures the micro canister, and since it's moving at such velocity, the plunger will generate a spark and ignite it."
Jessi: Ruby is blown away by the idea, and looks over at Firelord. "Okay... Okay, I want to try it!"
Mason: "I personally prefer .357 but..."
Jessi: She turns toward Hikaru. "You know... I… again, thank you for letting me borrow your revolver, Mr. Karu. I was scared to use that, and thankfully a time never came I had to. But... I did practice. I tried holdin' it like you taught me, and it put me at peace. I knew nothin' was gonna get me with that around."
Chantry: Rodrick spends a few minutes assembling an actual round instead of a concept, and then fills it with some of the fuel before seating the primer and locking the plunger in place. "It's ready to test!" He walks over and holds it out for Ruby to inspect. Sitting in his hand is a bronze casing with a glass vial showing through on two sides. Inside the vial, is a bright orange compound, catching the light and almost glowing. Protruding from the tip instead of a bullet tip, is a small rod with a flattened tip.
"Might as well try it out Miss Ruby."
Jessi: She sees Rodrick approach her and trails off her comments, taking the small vial, and she stares at it for a while in awe. "You made it so bloomin' fast. It's..." She looks a bit scared to try it, and glances around the room. "What should I even shoot it at?"
Mason: "I'm glad you had it then Miss Ruby." Looks at Rodrick. "That won't misfire will it?
Chantry: Rodrick smiles broadly before walking over to Firelord and climbing into the cockpit.
"Me."
With that, the cockpit door slides down and locks in place with a hiss. For a second nothing happens, and then all of the sudden there is a flicker of fiery orange as Firelord's viewing ports light up and he activates.
Jessi: Ruby kind of yelps, seeing Firelord light up, and with all the strange noises and smells that accompany it instead of steam power like she's used to.
Chantry: "No, Hikaru. It won't blow up. The only thing possible that could happen is a hang fire, meaning the round doesn't leave the barrel. The plunger won't be depressed, so it won't ignite the fuel." A deep robotic voice says.
Firelord stands up and extends his hand, and the robotic voice says, "Shoot my hand."
Mason: Hikaru's tail flicks back and forth unconvinced.
Jessi: "A-alright." She loads the incendiary round into her small dart gun, tries to aim carefully, and fires.
Chantry: The round launches from the barrel of Ruby's small gun, flying toward Firelord. The large recoil was more than Ruby expected, and slams into Firelord's face. There is a loud bang, followed by the sound of a large ignition as the fuel bursts into life. The fire erupts across the metal cockpit, scorching the paint, leaving it steaming with heat.
Through the smoke and steam a deep, mechanical laugh erupts from inside. "It works!"
Mason: Hikaru rolls his eyes and shakes his head at Rodrick.
Jessi: "Sorry!!! I'm so sorry, I got nervous and---and!"
Mason: "Don't worry about it, he's just excited he built someone a new toy."
Chantry: The mechanical voice speaks through the smoke again. "Don't be sorry! That was an incredible shot. I had no idea what the recoil on this round would be, so good job handling it!"
Jessi: "T-thank you!!" She blushes and sits down. "It did kick like a mule, but...wow!! What an effect."
Chantry: A sudden hiss echoes across the hold, and Firelord powers down and Rodrick jumps out of the cockpit, an enormous smile on his face. "Hikaru, do you want some of these rounds too?"
Mason: Sighs. "Sure Rod. A few explosions couldn't hurt.”
Chantry: "I'll get making them. Now, how are you doing my friend?" Rodrick walks over and puts a hand on Hikaru's shoulder.
Mason: "Still agitated. But Uncle will get it one of these days. Just need to find something strong enough to assert my power.”
Chantry: "Well, I doubt incendiary rounds will be that thing, but they can't hurt..."
Jessi: Ruby is quiet while you boys talk, and seems contemplative. When there's a lull, she asks, "For... asserting your power, what exactly is it you're wanting to find?"
Mason: "I heard rumors of a weapon that was a living being. Started looking for it. Got an idea it was a sword, which is actually kinda pointless for me but I look anyways.”
Chantry: Rodrick looks at Hikaru with a long stare, as if he's trying to remember something his “mother” told him all those years ago.
Mason: "I ought to go clean up that mess in my room, I'll leave you two to your explosives. Try not to blow her up, Rod.”
Chantry: "Mess? What mess? Did you... did he...? He got messy drunk again, didn't he?"
Jessi: Remembering the state of the room when we left it, Ruby nods and watches Hikaru leave. Armella nods to excuse herself and follows shortly after. "Yeah, he did make a right mess of it. Miss Mella stopped him before he shot any holes in the walls though."
Chantry: "Well, that's good... nobody needs any holes. Especially when we're so high up..."
Jessi: "Definitely... especially with a balloon model like we have here."
Chantry: "Precisely my thoughts..."
Jessi: Holding her tiny gun in her hands, she looks at it as she says, "After we go up to see this island of Thorin's, there's... well, there's somethin' I'd like to bring up to the group. I dunno for sure, but it may have somethin' to do with Mr. Karu's aloof weapon." She bites her lip and messes with the barrel quietly.
Chantry: Rodrick starts working on making the incendiary bullets."Oh? Well sounds like we've got a forward plan!"
Jessi: "That's the hope, although.. I just don't wanna get any of y'all hurt. We've done some crazy things before now, but this is something... even Mr. Luther didn't wanna get inta."
She looks over at Firelord. "Maybe we got enough power here to handle anything, though... We are a nutty bunch, but we're good together."
Chantry: "Well, I won't get into the entirety of it, but I've done some crazy travel myself... if you thought your quick jump through the shadows was weird, you should visit the place I did as a kid..."
Jessi: She shivers, remembering the flittering shadows and mist that danced through that in-between place, and it makes her skin crawl. "There's a place even stranger than that?"
Chantry: Rodrick, half distracted by what he's doing with his hands, answers without thinking. "Yup. The final level of hell. Asmodeus has my mother kept prisoner there..."
He stops mid-fill of a casing, looks at Ruby and pales slightly. "That... uhh... that isn't known by anybody here. I'd like to keep it that way for now, Miss Ruby..."
Jessi: Ruby stares at him, and blinks, not sure if she heard you right. By your expression, she's sure she did.
"I... I don't think I've heard of those places before." She would normally keep from prying further, but concern seems to win out for the moment. "Is it somewhere... nearby? Does Mr. Karu know? Should we go rescue your mother?"
Chantry: "It's not... really... here. It's a different plane completely. I'm not sure how to explain it, other than that's part of the reason I am how I am... not being to change, but... broken. Asmodeus is one of the old gods that survived. He was able to open a portal from this world to his, but in doing so, he broke my mind. That's why I am... me. And Rolland. And Ruck, and the rest... that's why I'm shattered... his magic is broken."
"I don't know how to get her out..."
Jessi: Ruby sits for a while thinking to herself, and just, looking at you. Thinking about everything she knows, and what you've just told her. "So... the old gods? Like in the stories? The... ones who abandoned Terra? This Asmodeus fellow, he still exists and has your mom prisoner..?"
Her brow furrows. "So it is true, then, that the old gods were evil, and corrupt, and...." She shakes her head. "But why would he want your mother? And he--he used you to make a portal to him? You got to see her there?"
Chantry: "Sort of... He made the portal. It wasn't my type of magic... and according to my father, not all the old gods were evil. Some were good and helpful... I have no real idea why he has her... just... she is stuck in his realm and can't leave. Or wouldn't leave with me... she kept saying she's waiting for someone."
Jessi: She keeps looking at you, and her eyes narrow. "Is that why your magic... your magic is different too. It's not like the Kenku, or the tribesmen. It's not... wild."
"You're not affected by the chaos that the church talks about... about wild magic."
Chantry: "I guess so? The source of my magic is safe. Preserved. It wasn't tainted when everything happened... at least that's what my Father says..." He wrings hands back and forth.
Jessi: "I'm sorry about your mother... was your father not able to go and help her?"
Chantry: "I don't know... I asked him once, and he said never bring it up again. That was the last time we ever talked about her..." a sad look flashes across Rodrick's face. He mumbles to himself, "I hate that Nyxx is going through not having both parents... just like I did..."
Jessi: Ruby is quiet, on the verge of tears. She can tell you're being truthful with her, and feels horrible knowing you've suffered so much.
"Nyxx... is he safe? And your wife?"
Chantry: "Yeah. I keep them moving as they feel necessary. It's difficult being away from them, but I'm wanted... me being around puts a target on their backs."
Jessi: "Well if I were Nyxx... I think... knowing that my father was doing good in the world, and keeping me and my mom safe... I think I would be proud of him."
"Maybe through all of this, we can find a place that they... and you, can live. Safely. Then you won't have to be apart any longer." She furrows her brow. "We'll find a way to save your mother, too."
Chantry: "I... I hope so. I like that idea. I told them about the village in Wuxia and they want to visit soon. When this is all said and done, I want to take them."
"I have no idea how to get to my Mother... but I want to. I need to... I... I have to." He makes a fist so tight it shakes a little.
Jessi: Ruby sees you shaking, and puts her hand on yours to help still it. "Well just like you help Mr. Karu, we'll help you. We're... like family, here."
Chantry: Rodrick cracks his devious smile. "Well, if we're like family... then he's the second cousin everyone see's and says 'oh no, not him!’” and points at Firelord.
Jessi: She snorts a little chuckle. "Well I best not shoot him in the face no more."
Chantry: "Honestly, the only thing it did was change the paint... It now looks scorched... and kinda cool!" He says, smiling. "His metal plating has a thermal shielding layer built into it, so using his weapons doesn't damage himself." He points at Infernus.
Jessi: "Ha, well I'm glad you think so. That's really smart! Sounds like it could be use...ful. Erm.." She gets a funny look on her face, like she realizes something. "Sorry for being so forward with the questions... I..." Coughing, her southern accent gets heavier again, as if it had actually gone away for a while.
"I don't usually pry so much, honestly. But I appreciate you sharin'... I meant all I said, nonetheless. And I won' tell a single soul, on my honor. Or I know I'll see ol' infernus comin' my way." She smiles.
Chantry: "I appreciate it, Miss Ruby. I'm going to try and get some rest while I can, not sure when I might get some next."
Rodrick stands up and takes off his shop apron, and climbs into the cockpit of Firelord. "Goodnight, Miss Ruby." The cockpit door lowers, but doesn't seal. Within seconds of the door dropping, Rodrick is snoring quietly inside, getting the first sleep he's had in days.
Jessi: "Goodnight, soldier." She picks up her gun and a few of the rounds you'd made, eying the workmanship. Planning to return later to practice more, she tucks them away and leaves you to your sleep.