Cuddles & Dragons: Nightshade Edition
last edited by Rogan
((From → White Tower))
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When she stepped outside with the others, Lyntael glanced up at the sky, and the scattered clouds that marked the expanse of blue. She wasn't sure exactly what time zone the city was based on, but it was already getting into late evening, back with Rogan and her PET, in Sharo. The inter-continental travel had really made a mess of her sleep times, and a part of her wondered how Rogan managed it. Because he barely slept anyway and didn't operate on a twenty-four hour clock to begin with, a second thought answered back. She shook her head and glanced towards her companions, pushing the thoughts away for another few moments.
“Don't you get in trouble, if you fly around the city as dragons? It must be great fun, but wouldn't it scare people?” She tilted her head as she looked to Aya and Suzume for a moment, then moved to begin walking alongside Yumi, hands behind her back as she moved from one light step to the next.
“I guess it's not really that I'm hiding from him... I shouldn't have to any way, I don't think. I'm my own person... I'm not his servant, or his slave... I don't owe him an explanation for going out and seeing friends, and I don't need his permission...” She shrugged, then sighed, and glanced across from Yumi to the dragoniers and Nightshade with a rueful grin.
“At least... that's what I was telling myself, a couple of hours ago, when I was angry at him. It's messier than that... To be honest, Yumi... Rogan is about as new to having a navi to take care of as I am to being one. I might feel like I'm sixteen, like I've got a sensation of a life lived for that long... but when I really think about it, I know that I've only been alive for about six months. Before me, Rogan didn't have a netnavi, and he's used to doing everything himself, he prefers it that way, and he never wanted me in the first place.” Saying the words aloud struck Lyntael in the chest like a lead weight and she paused, her steps faltering for a fraction of a moment. She'd never really articulated that bit out loud before, but it was true. He hadn't. It was for Eric that he accepted, and no other reason.
“Um... I mean, he doesn't see me as a real person, just an insentient tool that acts like one; a part of him knows I am, but he's stubborn, and he fights every day to keep believing what he tells himself.” She shook her head, and her hands lifted up in a helpless gesture in front of her as she walked, then dropped again.
“If I lived as he directed, I'd never leave my home, never see any sights, never meet any people, never have any friends, and I'd only ever have any kind of interaction at all when he needed to to go into some dangerous, hostile network and help him with his work, from the network side. I... I could never survive like that. I tried, and it was killing me slowly. I just couldn't do it.”
He... knows that I slip out, sometimes. Only when I know he won't need me. Usually when he specifically tells me not to interrupt him. We don't really talk about it. He doesn't ask where I go, or what I do. He tells himself that expressing an interest would just be playing into this silly 'game' more than he needs to... he acts cold, but I know that that's just the mask he wears, I know he's a good person, in his heart. He just... he just does bad things, for his work, sometimes...” She did her best to smile and shake off the less pleasant mood – she'd already told Aya and Suzume a similar story earlier today, and she didn't want to go on repeating herself too much. Instead, she skipped a few steps forward and turned around, walking backwards as she looked between Nighsade and Yumi.
“So that's me. What about you two? What's your operator like? I'm trying to imagine the sort of person who would partner with a couple of balls of eagerness like both of you...” As she walked, she glanced back occasionally to make sure she wasn't going to stumble. She could feel the tether to her emulation link, across the city, but between there and here she hadn't really looked at the map properly, and was mostly relying on Aya or Suzume to know the city better and point out the fun places.
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When she stepped outside with the others, Lyntael glanced up at the sky, and the scattered clouds that marked the expanse of blue. She wasn't sure exactly what time zone the city was based on, but it was already getting into late evening, back with Rogan and her PET, in Sharo. The inter-continental travel had really made a mess of her sleep times, and a part of her wondered how Rogan managed it. Because he barely slept anyway and didn't operate on a twenty-four hour clock to begin with, a second thought answered back. She shook her head and glanced towards her companions, pushing the thoughts away for another few moments.
“Don't you get in trouble, if you fly around the city as dragons? It must be great fun, but wouldn't it scare people?” She tilted her head as she looked to Aya and Suzume for a moment, then moved to begin walking alongside Yumi, hands behind her back as she moved from one light step to the next.
“I guess it's not really that I'm hiding from him... I shouldn't have to any way, I don't think. I'm my own person... I'm not his servant, or his slave... I don't owe him an explanation for going out and seeing friends, and I don't need his permission...” She shrugged, then sighed, and glanced across from Yumi to the dragoniers and Nightshade with a rueful grin.
“At least... that's what I was telling myself, a couple of hours ago, when I was angry at him. It's messier than that... To be honest, Yumi... Rogan is about as new to having a navi to take care of as I am to being one. I might feel like I'm sixteen, like I've got a sensation of a life lived for that long... but when I really think about it, I know that I've only been alive for about six months. Before me, Rogan didn't have a netnavi, and he's used to doing everything himself, he prefers it that way, and he never wanted me in the first place.” Saying the words aloud struck Lyntael in the chest like a lead weight and she paused, her steps faltering for a fraction of a moment. She'd never really articulated that bit out loud before, but it was true. He hadn't. It was for Eric that he accepted, and no other reason.
“Um... I mean, he doesn't see me as a real person, just an insentient tool that acts like one; a part of him knows I am, but he's stubborn, and he fights every day to keep believing what he tells himself.” She shook her head, and her hands lifted up in a helpless gesture in front of her as she walked, then dropped again.
“If I lived as he directed, I'd never leave my home, never see any sights, never meet any people, never have any friends, and I'd only ever have any kind of interaction at all when he needed to to go into some dangerous, hostile network and help him with his work, from the network side. I... I could never survive like that. I tried, and it was killing me slowly. I just couldn't do it.”
He... knows that I slip out, sometimes. Only when I know he won't need me. Usually when he specifically tells me not to interrupt him. We don't really talk about it. He doesn't ask where I go, or what I do. He tells himself that expressing an interest would just be playing into this silly 'game' more than he needs to... he acts cold, but I know that that's just the mask he wears, I know he's a good person, in his heart. He just... he just does bad things, for his work, sometimes...” She did her best to smile and shake off the less pleasant mood – she'd already told Aya and Suzume a similar story earlier today, and she didn't want to go on repeating herself too much. Instead, she skipped a few steps forward and turned around, walking backwards as she looked between Nighsade and Yumi.
“So that's me. What about you two? What's your operator like? I'm trying to imagine the sort of person who would partner with a couple of balls of eagerness like both of you...” As she walked, she glanced back occasionally to make sure she wasn't going to stumble. She could feel the tether to her emulation link, across the city, but between there and here she hadn't really looked at the map properly, and was mostly relying on Aya or Suzume to know the city better and point out the fun places.
last edited by Azureink
When they were outside, the twins began moving towards an open plaza nearby, which was an open area suitable for the transformation. "Nah!" Aya said with a dismissive wave. "No one gets scared when the GNA patrol the City. Someone would have to be insane to mess with them. And they haven't bothered us yet. I wouldn't be surprised that they know exactly who we are."
"Also, there are plenty of odd, monster-looking Navis around the City. Some people might get spooked from time to time, but you won't see a general panic here," she added as she came to a stop in the plaza. "Please stand back!" she shouted to no one in particular, alerting anyone nearby that she wanted room.
Shadows began to dance around her in the late evening light. Her hair began to grow out longer as her face distended. Her skin turned scaly and black. Her jaw elongated and her nostrils flared. Her armor and clothing melted into her, as a newly formed bestial hide replaced it. Her arms and legs cracked audibly, and stretched out unnaturally. Finally a long tapered tail sprouted and grew out, sweeping in a great arc around behind her. She sprouted large leathery wings, fanned ears, and a set of curly, ram-like horns. She also had two parallel rows of fins going down her back, starting from her head.
Within minutes though there was an actual, bus-sized, black and purple dragon where Aya used to be.
"See, dragon," Suzume said with a prideful smirk. "The only differences between me and her is that my coloring is more silver and blue, instead of black and purple. And also I have one straight horn, like a rhino or unicorn, instead of ram's horns." She combed her golden hair back behind one ear with a hand, before her clothing rippled, and a pair of silver and blue leather wings shot out from her back and unfolded behind her like a paper fan. It was almost like she was a male peacock trying to impress a mate. "Not that we need to go full dragon in order to fly," she concluded.
"Also, there are plenty of odd, monster-looking Navis around the City. Some people might get spooked from time to time, but you won't see a general panic here," she added as she came to a stop in the plaza. "Please stand back!" she shouted to no one in particular, alerting anyone nearby that she wanted room.
Shadows began to dance around her in the late evening light. Her hair began to grow out longer as her face distended. Her skin turned scaly and black. Her jaw elongated and her nostrils flared. Her armor and clothing melted into her, as a newly formed bestial hide replaced it. Her arms and legs cracked audibly, and stretched out unnaturally. Finally a long tapered tail sprouted and grew out, sweeping in a great arc around behind her. She sprouted large leathery wings, fanned ears, and a set of curly, ram-like horns. She also had two parallel rows of fins going down her back, starting from her head.
Within minutes though there was an actual, bus-sized, black and purple dragon where Aya used to be.
Reference
"See, dragon," Suzume said with a prideful smirk. "The only differences between me and her is that my coloring is more silver and blue, instead of black and purple. And also I have one straight horn, like a rhino or unicorn, instead of ram's horns." She combed her golden hair back behind one ear with a hand, before her clothing rippled, and a pair of silver and blue leather wings shot out from her back and unfolded behind her like a paper fan. It was almost like she was a male peacock trying to impress a mate. "Not that we need to go full dragon in order to fly," she concluded.
Reference
last edited by
Nightshade pretty much was riding on Yumi's back as the furred wyvern was more than happy to ferry him around town. They quietly listened to what Lyn was saying and couldn't help but have their ears droop, both of them. Thankfully, the depressing thoughts weren't lingered on much, so they really didn't need to be sad. Nighty turned to the right, looking at Aya transform. He wished he could do that, but in the end he had a dragon of his own and she was the bestest ever!
Yumi instictually moved to sit down beside the much much bigger Aya much like a cub seeks protection from the pack's elders. She looked up at his older brother then answered Lyntael's question for the both of them.
"Well...We were not created by someone for someone specifically." She stated, letting Nighty hop off her back so he could go play with Aya, gawk at her presence and demand her attention as the elder sibling currently assigned to cuddling.
"Well, actually...I was created with Nighty's source code and sis Aya's data, meaning I have been specifically created for Nighty. Thus, our bodies and minds are linked together in an everlasting bond. We're basically two parts of the whole." The blue wyvern turned back to check on the frizzy cat navi then resumed.
He...well he wasn't created by request of someone. He was created by someone but then was archived. I guess the orig8nal creator didn't like the happy attitude Nighty had. We will never know, we never ever seen him. Shane is the owner of a jazz bar downtown. He was in need of a navi to run the musicboxes and he...he basically adopted us, no question asked. Nighty was kind of an older model by know. It's the reason his extension is RX rather than EXE."
Yumi paused.
"Shane is nice, he didn't say anything bad when I first logged on in the pet. If anything I worry we are making him spend alot more money for us than we should. We have anything we can ask for in our HP. Though...we feel lonely there, so we just stay with our big extended family here! Shane doesn't mind. Even if he needs us, I can clone myself to go see what he needs and then Nighty deals with it super fast. I think he's probablgy the fastest navi around."
Yumi instictually moved to sit down beside the much much bigger Aya much like a cub seeks protection from the pack's elders. She looked up at his older brother then answered Lyntael's question for the both of them.
"Well...We were not created by someone for someone specifically." She stated, letting Nighty hop off her back so he could go play with Aya, gawk at her presence and demand her attention as the elder sibling currently assigned to cuddling.
"Well, actually...I was created with Nighty's source code and sis Aya's data, meaning I have been specifically created for Nighty. Thus, our bodies and minds are linked together in an everlasting bond. We're basically two parts of the whole." The blue wyvern turned back to check on the frizzy cat navi then resumed.
He...well he wasn't created by request of someone. He was created by someone but then was archived. I guess the orig8nal creator didn't like the happy attitude Nighty had. We will never know, we never ever seen him. Shane is the owner of a jazz bar downtown. He was in need of a navi to run the musicboxes and he...he basically adopted us, no question asked. Nighty was kind of an older model by know. It's the reason his extension is RX rather than EXE."
Yumi paused.
"Shane is nice, he didn't say anything bad when I first logged on in the pet. If anything I worry we are making him spend alot more money for us than we should. We have anything we can ask for in our HP. Though...we feel lonely there, so we just stay with our big extended family here! Shane doesn't mind. Even if he needs us, I can clone myself to go see what he needs and then Nighty deals with it super fast. I think he's probablgy the fastest navi around."
last edited by Rogan
Lyntael could only nod along to the reassurance that it wouldn't be a problem; it occurred to her, off the back of Aya and Suzume's unconcerned attitude that people who spent a lot of time in the city would have to be used to seeing navis and other programs of all shapes and sizes anyway, so maybe it wasn't that strange after all. The thought broke away into an awed intake of breath as Aya used the courtyard's space to show off exactly what she meant, and despite being prepared for it there really was nothing 'every day' about the form the other girl took on.
“Ooohhh... You're beautiful! That's amazing!” Suzume took her attention a moment later, explaining a little more while Aya showed herself off, and Lyntael's eyes were drawn back over her shoulder as she displayed her own wings in a more subtle way. She glanced between them, grinning.
“That is really neat, you're right, hehe...” She muffled the giggle. “Hey, I always sort of wondered, whenever I'd read about it... but do you feel like a human who can turn into a dragon, or like a dragon that chooses to look human most of the time? Does your, um... you know, your sense of self change in between shapes?” She realised she was bubbling questions and pulled herself back, ducking her head with an embarrassed grin. “I know I said I was fine with walking, but it's really tempting to say yes, if you're offering rides...” A faint blush crept over her cheeks as she made the admission and she turned to give her focus more directly to Yumi as the wyvern fielded her other questions; Nightshade was too busy enthusing over the dragoniers again, but she could hardly blame the boy.
“Sometimes I think it must be part of being a speed navi, that you are required to believe that you're the fastest of them all, hehe...” Again, she stifled the giggle in her hand, glancing across to Nightshade before continuing. “But it sounds like your operator is a nice guy. You mean that you didn't even have to ask him about it, or get his permission, or... or hardware even, and Nightshade just... er... sorry, it feels weird to say 'made' you... if feels rude... but you know what I mean, right? And it all just worked out? I wish Rogan was that relaxed!” She laughed again, and looked around other others to see what the situation was for travel.
“So where's good to see in the city?” She called out towards the dragoniers. “Where's our first stop?” Whether they were walking or taking a dragon express, Lyntael was content to give the reins of exploration over to the more knowledgeable women in the group, but she turned back to Yumi with a softer smile.
“So... you and Nightshade spend a lot of time out here... but you're all jacked in properly and such, right? You don't have to slip out, like I do, disconnected... your Shane is just happy to leave you actively jacked in and free to wander as you want to?” Her head tilted, and a note of wistfulness entered her voice. “You can just... go home when you want, and leave when you want, and you're not even in any danger? That must be so free... Sounds like you're lucky to have such a kind operator now.”
There was a natural break in the conversation while the group got moving properly, but once she found a moment to talk again, Lyntael looked towards Nightshade and Yumi.
“Hey... Tell me about this jazz bar your operator runs... I've always wanted to go to a music bar. There isn't enough music in my life, I don't think. I love dancing, but it's better with music.” She hummed to herself and stretched, feeling the wind across her features as she imagined some cosy nook with dim lighting, polished wood furniture and a pool table, like out of one of the old crime novels she'd read.
“Ooohhh... You're beautiful! That's amazing!” Suzume took her attention a moment later, explaining a little more while Aya showed herself off, and Lyntael's eyes were drawn back over her shoulder as she displayed her own wings in a more subtle way. She glanced between them, grinning.
“That is really neat, you're right, hehe...” She muffled the giggle. “Hey, I always sort of wondered, whenever I'd read about it... but do you feel like a human who can turn into a dragon, or like a dragon that chooses to look human most of the time? Does your, um... you know, your sense of self change in between shapes?” She realised she was bubbling questions and pulled herself back, ducking her head with an embarrassed grin. “I know I said I was fine with walking, but it's really tempting to say yes, if you're offering rides...” A faint blush crept over her cheeks as she made the admission and she turned to give her focus more directly to Yumi as the wyvern fielded her other questions; Nightshade was too busy enthusing over the dragoniers again, but she could hardly blame the boy.
“Sometimes I think it must be part of being a speed navi, that you are required to believe that you're the fastest of them all, hehe...” Again, she stifled the giggle in her hand, glancing across to Nightshade before continuing. “But it sounds like your operator is a nice guy. You mean that you didn't even have to ask him about it, or get his permission, or... or hardware even, and Nightshade just... er... sorry, it feels weird to say 'made' you... if feels rude... but you know what I mean, right? And it all just worked out? I wish Rogan was that relaxed!” She laughed again, and looked around other others to see what the situation was for travel.
“So where's good to see in the city?” She called out towards the dragoniers. “Where's our first stop?” Whether they were walking or taking a dragon express, Lyntael was content to give the reins of exploration over to the more knowledgeable women in the group, but she turned back to Yumi with a softer smile.
“So... you and Nightshade spend a lot of time out here... but you're all jacked in properly and such, right? You don't have to slip out, like I do, disconnected... your Shane is just happy to leave you actively jacked in and free to wander as you want to?” Her head tilted, and a note of wistfulness entered her voice. “You can just... go home when you want, and leave when you want, and you're not even in any danger? That must be so free... Sounds like you're lucky to have such a kind operator now.”
There was a natural break in the conversation while the group got moving properly, but once she found a moment to talk again, Lyntael looked towards Nightshade and Yumi.
“Hey... Tell me about this jazz bar your operator runs... I've always wanted to go to a music bar. There isn't enough music in my life, I don't think. I love dancing, but it's better with music.” She hummed to herself and stretched, feeling the wind across her features as she imagined some cosy nook with dim lighting, polished wood furniture and a pool table, like out of one of the old crime novels she'd read.
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"Hue hue hue," Aya!Dragon chuckled in a prideful way towards Lyntael's compliments. Her voice was deeper and more growly as it both came out of her mouth and partially through a general communication channel. "Yes, yes, of course I'm amazing." She also noticed Yumi move up close to her body to sit besides, so she unfurled and extended the wing on the side facing the smaller dragon so she could curl up against the larger dragon. With her other wing similarly unfurled, Aya angled it to the ground to create a ramp for the others to climb aboard. "Out here the streets are wide enough to travel on foot in this form. You all can either get a view from on top of me or stay on ground level. You decide," she offered Lyn, Nighty, and Yumi.
If everyone decided to ride the Aya Express, then Suzume would also join them on top of the dragon's back. If even one person decided not to hitch a ride, then she would use her wings to fly between the group walking on the ground with Aya, and the group riding on top of Aya. "We are in sort of a suburb area here on the outskirts of the City," the large dragon stated. "There are many parks, lakes, and small-time merchant stalls where you can get food and jewelry and other crafts. We'll head towards the City center where the heart of the Net and main corporation offices lie. That is where we'll find the BBS mission offices where the Neo-Shoguns, among others, have set up shop. If that is where you came in, that is where you can get out." With that the large dragon started walking, heavy clawed footfalls clomping on the pavement. Anyone on top of Aya's back would have a good viewpoint to watch the surroundings as they traveled. "Just tell us to stop if you see something interesting you want to do or whatever."
Suzume first addressed Lyn as they started moving, slowly passing by a few merchants hawking wares. Random civilians gave the large dragon its space as the group walked along one of the wide pedestrian roads toward the center of the main City far off in the distance. "To answer your question: Yes, there is a sort of... primal instinct that gets enhanced when we transform into these dragon forms. As for which we feel like more than the other... it is hard to say. All of our forms seem equally... oh what's the word? Commensurate? Indistinguisable?" Suzume waved a hand around as if trying to grasp for the word she was searching for. Eventually she shook her head and gave up. "Anyways, we don't feel like any one of those forms is the 'true' form, if you get my meaning. Like, we are all of them simultaneously in our being. Just whichever one of these outward forms we feel like using at any one time is which form we take."
Then Suzume addressed Nighty and Yumi. "Oh that is interesting. I would also like to know more about your job and this Jazz bar."
If everyone decided to ride the Aya Express, then Suzume would also join them on top of the dragon's back. If even one person decided not to hitch a ride, then she would use her wings to fly between the group walking on the ground with Aya, and the group riding on top of Aya. "We are in sort of a suburb area here on the outskirts of the City," the large dragon stated. "There are many parks, lakes, and small-time merchant stalls where you can get food and jewelry and other crafts. We'll head towards the City center where the heart of the Net and main corporation offices lie. That is where we'll find the BBS mission offices where the Neo-Shoguns, among others, have set up shop. If that is where you came in, that is where you can get out." With that the large dragon started walking, heavy clawed footfalls clomping on the pavement. Anyone on top of Aya's back would have a good viewpoint to watch the surroundings as they traveled. "Just tell us to stop if you see something interesting you want to do or whatever."
Suzume first addressed Lyn as they started moving, slowly passing by a few merchants hawking wares. Random civilians gave the large dragon its space as the group walked along one of the wide pedestrian roads toward the center of the main City far off in the distance. "To answer your question: Yes, there is a sort of... primal instinct that gets enhanced when we transform into these dragon forms. As for which we feel like more than the other... it is hard to say. All of our forms seem equally... oh what's the word? Commensurate? Indistinguisable?" Suzume waved a hand around as if trying to grasp for the word she was searching for. Eventually she shook her head and gave up. "Anyways, we don't feel like any one of those forms is the 'true' form, if you get my meaning. Like, we are all of them simultaneously in our being. Just whichever one of these outward forms we feel like using at any one time is which form we take."
Then Suzume addressed Nighty and Yumi. "Oh that is interesting. I would also like to know more about your job and this Jazz bar."
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Without any objections, Lyntael found the invitation of a dragon ride increasingly hard to resist as her eyes wandered the transformed shape of her companion. After a moment she paused to reflect and folded her arms. Why was she resisting it in the first place? A grin crept over her features.
“Well, if no-one else is going to make a decision, I call front!” With a giggle she took a step back and jumped; a brief curl of wind and rush of air current accompanied her as she skipped up to land with delicate precision in the foremost position just ahead of Aya's shoulders, then gently settled down to straddle her properly. She took a few extra moments to fuss with her skirt, accepted that it was pointless and gave up, then glanced back to wait for anyone else who was coming aboard.
The initial lift made her grip on with her hands as well as her knees, but by the time they were properly airborne, Lyntael sat up straighter again, lifting her head and closing her eyes to enjoy the feel of the wind. After a few more moments she stretched, arms up and out, and in amongst the motions of the dragon in flight and the rush of the wind, she was laughing – a pure, joyfully innocent sound unburdened by the girl's usual troubles.
Still with laughter in her voice, Lyntael picked up the conversations from before, now that they were underway, with renewed enthusiasm. In between other conversation and chatter with her friends, she glanced back towards Suzume, smiling with a soft, relaxed expression.
“I think if I could fly like this, I'd want to do it all the time... I love the way the wind feels. The way it moves...” As she spoke, her eyes closed for a slightly longer blink than usual, and Aya experienced a broad updraught in the air currents and a tail wind that briefly tracked and shifted with whatever direction she flew in, even if she arced or turned. “It's a part of me... but it's not like the lightning. It's... nice.”
As they passed over the outskirts of the city, Lyntael looked out and down at the landscape below, content to marvel at it for a little while and letting Aya meander wherever she felt like flying. After a little while, her eyes picked out what looked like a broad, busy market street. At either end, transit road signs were switched on, blocking the street off from heavy traffic data and instead the length of road was filled with smaller shops and stalls, set up in back-to-back lines. It created a large, dense market street, where every stand and stall looked different from the next in bright colours and eclectic designs. Lyntael pointed down.
“What's that? It looks like a weekend market, do you think it's a regular thing? Can we go have a look?” She began scanning the edges of the area for somewhere that a dragon could set down comfortably – the nearest was a small circular park, just off to one side of one end of the market, with a sprawling lawn and a small fish pond, that looked mostly deserted for the time begin. She pointed again, leaning down to catch Aya's attention as she gestures. “We could start at that end, and take a walk maybe?”
“Well, if no-one else is going to make a decision, I call front!” With a giggle she took a step back and jumped; a brief curl of wind and rush of air current accompanied her as she skipped up to land with delicate precision in the foremost position just ahead of Aya's shoulders, then gently settled down to straddle her properly. She took a few extra moments to fuss with her skirt, accepted that it was pointless and gave up, then glanced back to wait for anyone else who was coming aboard.
The initial lift made her grip on with her hands as well as her knees, but by the time they were properly airborne, Lyntael sat up straighter again, lifting her head and closing her eyes to enjoy the feel of the wind. After a few more moments she stretched, arms up and out, and in amongst the motions of the dragon in flight and the rush of the wind, she was laughing – a pure, joyfully innocent sound unburdened by the girl's usual troubles.
Still with laughter in her voice, Lyntael picked up the conversations from before, now that they were underway, with renewed enthusiasm. In between other conversation and chatter with her friends, she glanced back towards Suzume, smiling with a soft, relaxed expression.
“I think if I could fly like this, I'd want to do it all the time... I love the way the wind feels. The way it moves...” As she spoke, her eyes closed for a slightly longer blink than usual, and Aya experienced a broad updraught in the air currents and a tail wind that briefly tracked and shifted with whatever direction she flew in, even if she arced or turned. “It's a part of me... but it's not like the lightning. It's... nice.”
As they passed over the outskirts of the city, Lyntael looked out and down at the landscape below, content to marvel at it for a little while and letting Aya meander wherever she felt like flying. After a little while, her eyes picked out what looked like a broad, busy market street. At either end, transit road signs were switched on, blocking the street off from heavy traffic data and instead the length of road was filled with smaller shops and stalls, set up in back-to-back lines. It created a large, dense market street, where every stand and stall looked different from the next in bright colours and eclectic designs. Lyntael pointed down.
“What's that? It looks like a weekend market, do you think it's a regular thing? Can we go have a look?” She began scanning the edges of the area for somewhere that a dragon could set down comfortably – the nearest was a small circular park, just off to one side of one end of the market, with a sprawling lawn and a small fish pond, that looked mostly deserted for the time begin. She pointed again, leaning down to catch Aya's attention as she gestures. “We could start at that end, and take a walk maybe?”
last edited by Azureink
Everyone scrambled up on Aya!Dragon's back, and then she took off. NetCity was a constantly expanding central hub of activity for the whole Net, filled with hustle and bustle, so it was just good sense to take the air express over other forms of transport. The dragon airbus flew high enough to not buzz the houses and small offices below them, but low enough that any highrises had to be avoided by flying around them.
Everyone was having a good time, chattering away without a care in the world, while Aya was at the wheel. Lyntael talked about her affinity to the Wind, even demonstrated with an updraft under the dragon's wings. Both Suzume and Aya made a mental note of that for later. Perhaps her feelings and movements around the Wind would be useful to explore in future attempts to deal with her electricity problems. "Yeah. I love flying. It's very freeing." Suzume replied.
After a few more minutes of flying, Lyn pointed out a market street and suggested that they go check it out. "Okay, hold on. I'm coming in for a landing!" Aya said as she tipped her body downward and started an approach for the small park nearby. Her approach scattered some birds as she aimed for the open grassy part, setting down with a heavy beat of wings that scattered the remainder with its buffeting winds. "Touchdown!"
The dragon extended her wings down on either side like slides off of a plane and waited for everyone to disembark. After everyone was on their feet, her dragon form suddenly collapsed like a deflated balloon with all the air let out. With a swirl of smoke, the deflated dragon skin imploded in on itself like a black hole, sucking everything into the center of itself and leaving Aya standing there in her human form. She unfolded and stretched her own set of wings before stretching her arms over her head. "And that, Lyn, is why they call us dragoniers."
Suzume and Aya offered their hands to Nighty and Yumi to hold while they walked, if they so chose. "Let's take a stroll and see what's on offer. And Lyn, if you see anything you want, we're offering to cover you for free, so don't worry about it and have some fun." Suzume said as they headed out of the park and into the busy market filled with many sights and sounds, and smells.
Everyone was having a good time, chattering away without a care in the world, while Aya was at the wheel. Lyntael talked about her affinity to the Wind, even demonstrated with an updraft under the dragon's wings. Both Suzume and Aya made a mental note of that for later. Perhaps her feelings and movements around the Wind would be useful to explore in future attempts to deal with her electricity problems. "Yeah. I love flying. It's very freeing." Suzume replied.
After a few more minutes of flying, Lyn pointed out a market street and suggested that they go check it out. "Okay, hold on. I'm coming in for a landing!" Aya said as she tipped her body downward and started an approach for the small park nearby. Her approach scattered some birds as she aimed for the open grassy part, setting down with a heavy beat of wings that scattered the remainder with its buffeting winds. "Touchdown!"
The dragon extended her wings down on either side like slides off of a plane and waited for everyone to disembark. After everyone was on their feet, her dragon form suddenly collapsed like a deflated balloon with all the air let out. With a swirl of smoke, the deflated dragon skin imploded in on itself like a black hole, sucking everything into the center of itself and leaving Aya standing there in her human form. She unfolded and stretched her own set of wings before stretching her arms over her head. "And that, Lyn, is why they call us dragoniers."
Suzume and Aya offered their hands to Nighty and Yumi to hold while they walked, if they so chose. "Let's take a stroll and see what's on offer. And Lyn, if you see anything you want, we're offering to cover you for free, so don't worry about it and have some fun." Suzume said as they headed out of the park and into the busy market filled with many sights and sounds, and smells.
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By the time Aya touched down, Lyntael was already looking ahead, eagerly peering across the tops of the many stalls and market stands that cluttered the broad street. She slipped off the dragon's shoulders, jumping straight to the ground without waiting for the safer disembarkation options to be presented, then skipped a few steps forward and turned around. Her body swayed back and forth slightly with an eager excitement now as she watched the others sort themselves out.
“That's really cool, hehe... It must be really neat.... like, if Drago is ever mean to you, you can just turn into a dragon and roar at him.” She poked her tongue out briefly, then stifled a fresh giggle behind her hands. In the back of her mind, she wondered if that was how they ended up fighting, when it was dangerous or if they had tough missions. A transformation like that surely had to make them a lot stronger in the process, she reasoned, though she couldn't really think about how it would actually work, without being dangerous. She put the thought aside as something to think about later and instead turned back to the far more entertaining prospect at hand.
She tried not to get too far ahead of the others as they began to move towards the various market lanes and alleys, but eagerness took hold as she cast her eyes over the assortment of interesting and different things for sale or show; nearby a vendor was selling little hand puzzle games, made of metal – they were being called something different by the stall, but she knew them as blacksmith puzzles, from their supposed origins. Just beyond, someone was selling personalised mugs and drinking cups – you just had to tell the navi at the stall what you wanted it to say, and one of the blanks could be baked into a high fidelity instance with the words made out in letter work of hundreds of different fonts and styles.
The scent of food was pervasive as well, as they drew close and began to move amongst the busy alleyways; a mixture of strange and unusual things, mixed in with more traditional fare. Numerous places, scattered at regular intervals sold a variety of baked goods, cooked meats, and cultural representations of food from all over the world; Lyntael found herself eyeing a nearby ice-cream stand not too far through the crowd when Suzume's call made her glance back with a small start of surprise.
“Are you sure? Really? I... I shouldn't, but um... thank you. Thank you! I'll be sensible, I promise!” What began as her initial instinct to refuse was swiftly pushed aside as she looked back around and contemplated her own lack of resources, when she was disconnected as she was. With a broad gin and a wave she set her sights forward again, looking through the exotic displays. Somewhere close by, music drifted from where a small group of navis were performing simple but catch street music in an open space amongst the ambling patrons of the market, and she stopped to listen for a few moments before the sight of another artist caught her attention a little further down. This navi was seated on the ground, surrounded by several small dishes of multi-hued fluid, and around those, laid out neatly, an array of beautiful, bright artwork. The navi used finger tips that stretched and split into thin loops to create bubble shapes from the dishes around her, then capture them onto fresh display sheets; it was as much a show as it was art production, and Lyntael drifted to stand nearby and watch with an awed smile on her lips for a few more minutes.
As much as the market itself was nothing too special, and most of the other navis bustling through the space had the air of enjoying a pleasant yet everyday outing, Lyntael's excitement was more clearly a first experience, overwhelmed by the number of things to look at; each new oddity she found distracted her from the last until, after a little while longer, she found a stand she simply couldn't go past. With a bright grin, she darted back to find the others, eagerly waving for Aya and Suzume in particular to follow her.
“Here, look! Come on, this one, it's so perfect!” She led them to a shop that was selling a broad variety of small statuettes and figures, mostly of traditional fantasy tropes, though it was clear from just one glance at the space that the creator was primarily focused on dragons and fairies; pixies dancing, dragons lying on hoards of treasure, sprites tending to flowers, dragons wheeling through the sky; dozens upon dozens of small metal or ceramic figures covered every spare space on the stand, but Lyntael zeroed in on the one she'd seen before and scooped it up, turning to show her friends her find. It was a small diorama small enough to fit in the palms of her hands and about fifteen centimetres tall, depicting a severe stone castle tower, with four dragons of increasing size spiralling up around it.
“See? It's... Well, not quite perfect, but,” she paused for a moment then turned back to the lady running the stall. “I, ah, I don't suppose you could change the colours, of the dragons, could you?” On the figure she was holding, the dragons were a reflective green, but at a smile and a nod from the other navi, Lyntael quickly described the colours for each of the dragoniers. The merchant took the figure back briefly, racing her fingers over it with one hand and tapping on a small data pad with the other, until each dragon had been changed to mirror each of Drago, Aya, Suzume and Magistrate's colours in turn. She handed back with a wink.
“Thank you! There, see? I can keep it as a little souvenir for today! Oh, and I should find one for.... Ah!” Her eyes found, nestled in amongst the other fantastical creatures, a small pair that looked like a prowling wild cat, in dark shades, alongside another stalking creature that looked, if not exactly perfect, at least very much like an approximation of Yumi's design. Lyntael pulled the second small piece out and turned it around in her hand. “Maybe this one? For Nighty and Yumi?” Holding the two intricate figures carefully, she glanced at her friends to see what they thought.
“That's really cool, hehe... It must be really neat.... like, if Drago is ever mean to you, you can just turn into a dragon and roar at him.” She poked her tongue out briefly, then stifled a fresh giggle behind her hands. In the back of her mind, she wondered if that was how they ended up fighting, when it was dangerous or if they had tough missions. A transformation like that surely had to make them a lot stronger in the process, she reasoned, though she couldn't really think about how it would actually work, without being dangerous. She put the thought aside as something to think about later and instead turned back to the far more entertaining prospect at hand.
She tried not to get too far ahead of the others as they began to move towards the various market lanes and alleys, but eagerness took hold as she cast her eyes over the assortment of interesting and different things for sale or show; nearby a vendor was selling little hand puzzle games, made of metal – they were being called something different by the stall, but she knew them as blacksmith puzzles, from their supposed origins. Just beyond, someone was selling personalised mugs and drinking cups – you just had to tell the navi at the stall what you wanted it to say, and one of the blanks could be baked into a high fidelity instance with the words made out in letter work of hundreds of different fonts and styles.
The scent of food was pervasive as well, as they drew close and began to move amongst the busy alleyways; a mixture of strange and unusual things, mixed in with more traditional fare. Numerous places, scattered at regular intervals sold a variety of baked goods, cooked meats, and cultural representations of food from all over the world; Lyntael found herself eyeing a nearby ice-cream stand not too far through the crowd when Suzume's call made her glance back with a small start of surprise.
“Are you sure? Really? I... I shouldn't, but um... thank you. Thank you! I'll be sensible, I promise!” What began as her initial instinct to refuse was swiftly pushed aside as she looked back around and contemplated her own lack of resources, when she was disconnected as she was. With a broad gin and a wave she set her sights forward again, looking through the exotic displays. Somewhere close by, music drifted from where a small group of navis were performing simple but catch street music in an open space amongst the ambling patrons of the market, and she stopped to listen for a few moments before the sight of another artist caught her attention a little further down. This navi was seated on the ground, surrounded by several small dishes of multi-hued fluid, and around those, laid out neatly, an array of beautiful, bright artwork. The navi used finger tips that stretched and split into thin loops to create bubble shapes from the dishes around her, then capture them onto fresh display sheets; it was as much a show as it was art production, and Lyntael drifted to stand nearby and watch with an awed smile on her lips for a few more minutes.
As much as the market itself was nothing too special, and most of the other navis bustling through the space had the air of enjoying a pleasant yet everyday outing, Lyntael's excitement was more clearly a first experience, overwhelmed by the number of things to look at; each new oddity she found distracted her from the last until, after a little while longer, she found a stand she simply couldn't go past. With a bright grin, she darted back to find the others, eagerly waving for Aya and Suzume in particular to follow her.
“Here, look! Come on, this one, it's so perfect!” She led them to a shop that was selling a broad variety of small statuettes and figures, mostly of traditional fantasy tropes, though it was clear from just one glance at the space that the creator was primarily focused on dragons and fairies; pixies dancing, dragons lying on hoards of treasure, sprites tending to flowers, dragons wheeling through the sky; dozens upon dozens of small metal or ceramic figures covered every spare space on the stand, but Lyntael zeroed in on the one she'd seen before and scooped it up, turning to show her friends her find. It was a small diorama small enough to fit in the palms of her hands and about fifteen centimetres tall, depicting a severe stone castle tower, with four dragons of increasing size spiralling up around it.
“See? It's... Well, not quite perfect, but,” she paused for a moment then turned back to the lady running the stall. “I, ah, I don't suppose you could change the colours, of the dragons, could you?” On the figure she was holding, the dragons were a reflective green, but at a smile and a nod from the other navi, Lyntael quickly described the colours for each of the dragoniers. The merchant took the figure back briefly, racing her fingers over it with one hand and tapping on a small data pad with the other, until each dragon had been changed to mirror each of Drago, Aya, Suzume and Magistrate's colours in turn. She handed back with a wink.
“Thank you! There, see? I can keep it as a little souvenir for today! Oh, and I should find one for.... Ah!” Her eyes found, nestled in amongst the other fantastical creatures, a small pair that looked like a prowling wild cat, in dark shades, alongside another stalking creature that looked, if not exactly perfect, at least very much like an approximation of Yumi's design. Lyntael pulled the second small piece out and turned it around in her hand. “Maybe this one? For Nighty and Yumi?” Holding the two intricate figures carefully, she glanced at her friends to see what they thought.
last edited by Azureink
Lyntael dropped down as they landed and marveled at their transformations. After changing back into a human, Aya snorted a little, little wisps of smoke curling out of her human nostrils. "Yeah, I don't know if that would work on him. Remember, he can also turn into a dragon. I don't want to get into a 'dragon-off' with him."
They then moved toward the market, with Lyn, and probably Nighty and Yumi, running ahead excitedly. Suzume and Aya casually strolled into the marketplace like they owned it. It was clear by how they casually scanned the place while keeping most of their attention on their three compatriots, that they weren't very interested in the sights and smells of the hustle and bustle. It helped that they had eaten before coming here, as the various food carts weren't as tempting as they would be otherwise. Though Suzume, Aya, and Lyntael didn't eat with Nighty and Yumi, so it wouldn't be much of a stretch to assume that they might want something from one or more of the food stands lining the area. If they asked for anything, the girls would oblige with a handful of credits.
Eventually Lyntael found some statuettes that looked like the various members of her party. Suzume nodded and brought out her wallet to pay the merchant. "Those look lovely," she remarked to Lyn. "I'll also take that fairy, without the wings." Suzume pointed to a fairy statue wearing a tiny skirt, held aloft by a swirl of glass. The merchant nodded and made the modifications similarly with the small data pad.
Suzume turned to Nighty and Yumi. "Do you also want anything from this stall?" she asked them. If they did, she would also pay for their souvenirs. Suzume handed Aya the fairy!Lyn statue, who opened up one of her bags and placed it inside.
Aya also produced a small, tough-looking, purse-like satchel with several straps and handed it to Lyntael. It was emblazoned with the logo of a stone tower. "To carry the book I gave you and the other things you got today. It is a lot bigger on the inside and holds things in a form of Net-Stasis, so you don't have to worry about things getting damaged. We also tossed in an emergency medical kit and some survival and camping supplies. Hopefully the tent and cookware will get you through your next foray into the Net. I didn't supply you any food though, that's on you," she concluded.
"So, see anything else that you want to do here before we move on into the main city?" Suzume asked the group. She pointed toward the large roadway at the end of the marketplace with tons of vehicles whizzing by. Lining the roadways were lots of pedestrian traffic on the crisscrossing sidewalks. "We can either walk or take the bus. The more mainline, traditional storefronts and shopping malls are straight ahead. Closer to the city center we'll be dealing with office buildings, the BBS, and GNA Central. That's where we'll part ways with Lyntael for today."
They then moved toward the market, with Lyn, and probably Nighty and Yumi, running ahead excitedly. Suzume and Aya casually strolled into the marketplace like they owned it. It was clear by how they casually scanned the place while keeping most of their attention on their three compatriots, that they weren't very interested in the sights and smells of the hustle and bustle. It helped that they had eaten before coming here, as the various food carts weren't as tempting as they would be otherwise. Though Suzume, Aya, and Lyntael didn't eat with Nighty and Yumi, so it wouldn't be much of a stretch to assume that they might want something from one or more of the food stands lining the area. If they asked for anything, the girls would oblige with a handful of credits.
Eventually Lyntael found some statuettes that looked like the various members of her party. Suzume nodded and brought out her wallet to pay the merchant. "Those look lovely," she remarked to Lyn. "I'll also take that fairy, without the wings." Suzume pointed to a fairy statue wearing a tiny skirt, held aloft by a swirl of glass. The merchant nodded and made the modifications similarly with the small data pad.
Suzume turned to Nighty and Yumi. "Do you also want anything from this stall?" she asked them. If they did, she would also pay for their souvenirs. Suzume handed Aya the fairy!Lyn statue, who opened up one of her bags and placed it inside.
Aya also produced a small, tough-looking, purse-like satchel with several straps and handed it to Lyntael. It was emblazoned with the logo of a stone tower. "To carry the book I gave you and the other things you got today. It is a lot bigger on the inside and holds things in a form of Net-Stasis, so you don't have to worry about things getting damaged. We also tossed in an emergency medical kit and some survival and camping supplies. Hopefully the tent and cookware will get you through your next foray into the Net. I didn't supply you any food though, that's on you," she concluded.
"So, see anything else that you want to do here before we move on into the main city?" Suzume asked the group. She pointed toward the large roadway at the end of the marketplace with tons of vehicles whizzing by. Lining the roadways were lots of pedestrian traffic on the crisscrossing sidewalks. "We can either walk or take the bus. The more mainline, traditional storefronts and shopping malls are straight ahead. Closer to the city center we'll be dealing with office buildings, the BBS, and GNA Central. That's where we'll part ways with Lyntael for today."
last edited by Rogan
Lyntael's smile was bright and sunny as her friends approved of her choices, and it broke into a pleased laugh when Suzume made a selection of her own.
“My skirt isn't that short, is it?” She giggled again, poking her tongue out at her friends for a moment before calming down. “Thank you for these, really, it means a lot to me!” Carefully, she tucked the book she was still carrying under one arm and work out how she was going to carry everything, when Aya came forward with a solution for the struggling girl. Lyntael looked up, and failed to control the surprise that flitted across her features. The initial urge to refuse pushed forward automatically and she did her best to tamp it down again.
“Ah... Oh, you don't...” She accepted the bag, turning it over in her hands for a moment or two, before eagerness took over and she tried it on, positioning the straps in a few different ways before settling on a cross-shoulder position that felt comfortable, with one strap on her right shoulder and the satchel itself resting securely against her left hip. She opened the top and gently slipped the two statuettes inside and put the book in after them as well, cautious to make sure that indeed the bag was going to protect anything from getting jostled before she shut it again and stretched, turning about slightly to take a look at herself and show off how it looked. It felt comfortable and looked incredibly cute on her, she thought.
“It's beautiful, thank you! I don't really know what to say... are you sure? Thank you, I love it!” without realising it, the girl was bouncing up and down on her toes from the excitement; a small spark snapped between the strands of her hair unnoticed.
Eventually after the rest of their purchases were taken care of, Lyntael began to wander again, trailing alongside the others and letting herself get distracted here and there by different sights and sounds amongst the market. So many of the other navis she saw went about their day with unconcern, or relaxed looks, and she found herself wondering what it would be like to live like this – to have a life where her days were full of little but fun and relaxation, and of work that was only ever peaceful and safe. She watched the merchants and the market-goers with a smile as she imagined what it might be like to be one of them.
Soon enough, they reached the end of the market street – the back corner that every street market has, that featured crude and naughty humour, joke and novelty adult items, dubious literature and boot-legged data recordings of uncertain origin. Lyntael recognised the sort of section it was and let her gaze brush past it without really focusing on anything too closely, until they had moved past and out into the open pathways of the city again, beyond the blocked off barriers. At Suzume's question she glanced around, looking at the more properly established shops she could see from here. A lot of it was clothing and fashion, catering to different genres of clothing – high fashion boutiques, casual wear, shoe and glove stores here and there, sports shops... there were a scattering of other outlets in amongst them, of course – cafes, restaurants, a sweet shop – but mostly it was clothing of some sort. Lyntael really preferred making her own designs, but window-shopping for ideas and inspiration was always a nice idea.
“I wouldn't mind walking... how long do you think it'll take us to get to the GNA recruitment hub from here? I think if I don't get back soon, Rogan is going to notice I'm gone.” She glanced in the direction that she could feel the link emulation again, biting her lip. It was a decent walk away still, at a guess, but maybe not too far. She didn't want the outing to end, even though she knew she didn't really have any time left to stretch.
“My skirt isn't that short, is it?” She giggled again, poking her tongue out at her friends for a moment before calming down. “Thank you for these, really, it means a lot to me!” Carefully, she tucked the book she was still carrying under one arm and work out how she was going to carry everything, when Aya came forward with a solution for the struggling girl. Lyntael looked up, and failed to control the surprise that flitted across her features. The initial urge to refuse pushed forward automatically and she did her best to tamp it down again.
“Ah... Oh, you don't...” She accepted the bag, turning it over in her hands for a moment or two, before eagerness took over and she tried it on, positioning the straps in a few different ways before settling on a cross-shoulder position that felt comfortable, with one strap on her right shoulder and the satchel itself resting securely against her left hip. She opened the top and gently slipped the two statuettes inside and put the book in after them as well, cautious to make sure that indeed the bag was going to protect anything from getting jostled before she shut it again and stretched, turning about slightly to take a look at herself and show off how it looked. It felt comfortable and looked incredibly cute on her, she thought.
“It's beautiful, thank you! I don't really know what to say... are you sure? Thank you, I love it!” without realising it, the girl was bouncing up and down on her toes from the excitement; a small spark snapped between the strands of her hair unnoticed.
Eventually after the rest of their purchases were taken care of, Lyntael began to wander again, trailing alongside the others and letting herself get distracted here and there by different sights and sounds amongst the market. So many of the other navis she saw went about their day with unconcern, or relaxed looks, and she found herself wondering what it would be like to live like this – to have a life where her days were full of little but fun and relaxation, and of work that was only ever peaceful and safe. She watched the merchants and the market-goers with a smile as she imagined what it might be like to be one of them.
Soon enough, they reached the end of the market street – the back corner that every street market has, that featured crude and naughty humour, joke and novelty adult items, dubious literature and boot-legged data recordings of uncertain origin. Lyntael recognised the sort of section it was and let her gaze brush past it without really focusing on anything too closely, until they had moved past and out into the open pathways of the city again, beyond the blocked off barriers. At Suzume's question she glanced around, looking at the more properly established shops she could see from here. A lot of it was clothing and fashion, catering to different genres of clothing – high fashion boutiques, casual wear, shoe and glove stores here and there, sports shops... there were a scattering of other outlets in amongst them, of course – cafes, restaurants, a sweet shop – but mostly it was clothing of some sort. Lyntael really preferred making her own designs, but window-shopping for ideas and inspiration was always a nice idea.
“I wouldn't mind walking... how long do you think it'll take us to get to the GNA recruitment hub from here? I think if I don't get back soon, Rogan is going to notice I'm gone.” She glanced in the direction that she could feel the link emulation again, biting her lip. It was a decent walk away still, at a guess, but maybe not too far. She didn't want the outing to end, even though she knew she didn't really have any time left to stretch.
last edited by Azureink
"You don't need to say anything," Aya replied to Lyntael's fluster at the gift of the satchel. "A 'thank you' is fine enough. They are easy enough to make for someone who has the resources like we do," she said. "We even gave similar satchels to Nighty and Yumi after they started living at The Tower, just so they could have something to carry their own spoils in. After all, helping our allies to prepare for various contingencies is just good sense."
Suzume placed a finger on her brow as she thought about Lyn's follow-up question. "How long to the BBS building? Well... Hmm. Probably not more than ten to fifteen minutes, I would guess. Assuming a brisk walking pace," she answered before leading the group onto the maze of sidewalks. "At least twenty if we are delayed any."
"Not just because of window shopping or anything like that," Aya chimed in. "Sometimes foot traffic is pretty dense during peak hours, holidays, and any time there is a game. You know, sports or battle tournaments," she clarified. "Also crosswalk lights sometimes take FOR-EV-ER!" Aya complained as they stopped at the first crosswalk by a digital red hand. She immediately adopted a scowl, "This is why I like flying places."
"Be careful not to be separated," Suzume warned Lyntael, Nighty, and Yumi as a crowd formed around them. "Unless you want to navigate there on your own. Although I've heard there are plenty of map kiosks around if you lose your way," she remarked just before they were all pushed across the street by the sudden surge of bodies at a green light.
The group of five Neo-Shogun members flowed along with the pedestrian wave toward the Central Office District, where the recruitment centers were located. If Lyn or Nighty wanted to break off from the ocean of bodies to go sight-seeing, they would need to slip into any of the shops or alleyways along the boulevard. Stopping in the middle of the walkways would just get them shoved around by impatient people. Although if they didn't take any detours, they would eventually arrive at their destination at their estimated time.
Suzume placed a finger on her brow as she thought about Lyn's follow-up question. "How long to the BBS building? Well... Hmm. Probably not more than ten to fifteen minutes, I would guess. Assuming a brisk walking pace," she answered before leading the group onto the maze of sidewalks. "At least twenty if we are delayed any."
"Not just because of window shopping or anything like that," Aya chimed in. "Sometimes foot traffic is pretty dense during peak hours, holidays, and any time there is a game. You know, sports or battle tournaments," she clarified. "Also crosswalk lights sometimes take FOR-EV-ER!" Aya complained as they stopped at the first crosswalk by a digital red hand. She immediately adopted a scowl, "This is why I like flying places."
"Be careful not to be separated," Suzume warned Lyntael, Nighty, and Yumi as a crowd formed around them. "Unless you want to navigate there on your own. Although I've heard there are plenty of map kiosks around if you lose your way," she remarked just before they were all pushed across the street by the sudden surge of bodies at a green light.
The group of five Neo-Shogun members flowed along with the pedestrian wave toward the Central Office District, where the recruitment centers were located. If Lyn or Nighty wanted to break off from the ocean of bodies to go sight-seeing, they would need to slip into any of the shops or alleyways along the boulevard. Stopping in the middle of the walkways would just get them shoved around by impatient people. Although if they didn't take any detours, they would eventually arrive at their destination at their estimated time.
last edited by Rogan
With a last nod and smile, Lyntael fell in with the other,s wandering the remaining distance through the store fronts and other outlets of the city on food. There was a slight drift and sway from side to side as she walked, as thought she was humming a tune to herself, or thinking of one. One hand rested on her new satchel as she went, fingertips playing idly across the seams in an unconscious way.
As they progressed, Lyntael found herself darting left or right to look in at one shop front or another, examining designs on clothing and other accessories that caught her eye. The main difference she noticed, in terms of what sorts of shops they passed, seemed to be that here, as she'd noticed before, fashion and food outlets were the most common but the frequent scattering of electronic shops, newsagencies and travel accessory shops that usually interspersed most retail districts in the outer world were mostly absent here. She supposed most electronic matters were a things of upgrades, or otherwise SciLab's own fare, and navigators probably didn't need luggage very often, all things considered. To herself she pondered what sort of travel goods she might like, if she was ever going to be away from her PET for a long time... though she couldn't think of any good situation where that would be likely to happen.
She stayed close enough to the dragoniers, never more than the breadth of the transit way away from them, but she took more time than most weaving carefully throughout other navigators and being careful not to accidentally brush anyone else just in case. Every now and then she called Suzume over to look at a piece that had caught her eyes, pointing it out with enthusiasm while she tucked away new inspiration for future designs, but eventually the retail fronts gave way to more serious signage and structure as they moved into the more business-centric section of the city.
Lyntael quieted and she felt her general happy excitement cooling off as she drew closer to the tether point for her link, at the recruitment centre. In the end, it had been fun to get away from everything, and to act out a bit, and do some things that she normally wouldn't, and that Rogan wouldn't like. As it came closer to the time when she'd been heading back, though, her thoughts turned back to the things she'd been running away from. She let herself walk in step with the others, still smiling softly, but calmer and quieter now. Lyntael paused as they reached the central hub where the various recruitment kiosks were still running their daily business, and turned to the others.
“This is it, more or less...” Her eyes flicked across the way, about a dozen feet in past the entry way where she could feel the emulation point glowing in her senses. “I'm about close enough now that I can jack out. Um... thank you all, really. I've had a lot of fun today, really I have!” For a moment she looked aside, and rubbed at the back of her neck with one hand, then looked back to Aya and Suzume specifically.
“I came out today all full of spite and trying to make myself out as something I'm not, and I'm feeling better now. I'm really glad you all looked out for me, and did so much to try and help me too. You didn't need to do any of that, and it means a lot to me. Thank you for the book, and for the gifts, and for all your advice, both of you. Say thanks to Drago and Magistrate for me as well, okay? Tell Drago I don't think he's as scary as some folks warned me.” He small smile became an amused grin as she spoke, good humour in her eyes; even if DragonierMan might not appreciate being told he wasn't that scary, it was clear that Lyntael, at least, meant it as a compliment. “Oh, and please tell Magistrate I'm sorry, too! I didn't mean to offend her, and I really appreciate everything she did, even if I wasn't ready for her solutions.” She paused for a moment, making sure her body was as calm as she needed, then gingerly stepped in to give Suzume, then Aya a quick hug each that tingled warmly, but was mercifully safe of actual static. After she stepped back, she turned to Nightshade and Yumi.
“And thank you to both of you as well. It was really nice to meet both of you, and I think you're both really wonderful young people, especially for trying to help as much as you did. I'm really sorry about that shock, Nighty, I'm glad you're okay. You take good care of each other, alright?” She glanced between them, then leaned in to offer each of them a quick hug in turn – once again, it was an embrace that was warm, with a certain amount of hum to it, but was safe from any actual shocks. When she stood back again, Lyntael looked around at all of them, then bit her lip and gave a small, soft laugh.
“Sorry, I'm making a big deal of this... I often make friends, and then never get to see them again, because of Rogan's work. I've just gotten in the habit of trying to make sure I say everything important when I go, these days. We're all in the same faction now, so I'll probably see you all again soon anyway! Thanks again! Bye for now!”
She waved once more, in amongst any other last farewells from her new friends, then eventuality stepped back closer to the emulation point and closed her eyes. After a few movements, she opened the link from her side and the other caught a brief expression of braced-for discomfort before the cascade of slightly stuttering electric light engulfed her.
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((Lyntael, return to → Rogan's PET))
As they progressed, Lyntael found herself darting left or right to look in at one shop front or another, examining designs on clothing and other accessories that caught her eye. The main difference she noticed, in terms of what sorts of shops they passed, seemed to be that here, as she'd noticed before, fashion and food outlets were the most common but the frequent scattering of electronic shops, newsagencies and travel accessory shops that usually interspersed most retail districts in the outer world were mostly absent here. She supposed most electronic matters were a things of upgrades, or otherwise SciLab's own fare, and navigators probably didn't need luggage very often, all things considered. To herself she pondered what sort of travel goods she might like, if she was ever going to be away from her PET for a long time... though she couldn't think of any good situation where that would be likely to happen.
She stayed close enough to the dragoniers, never more than the breadth of the transit way away from them, but she took more time than most weaving carefully throughout other navigators and being careful not to accidentally brush anyone else just in case. Every now and then she called Suzume over to look at a piece that had caught her eyes, pointing it out with enthusiasm while she tucked away new inspiration for future designs, but eventually the retail fronts gave way to more serious signage and structure as they moved into the more business-centric section of the city.
Lyntael quieted and she felt her general happy excitement cooling off as she drew closer to the tether point for her link, at the recruitment centre. In the end, it had been fun to get away from everything, and to act out a bit, and do some things that she normally wouldn't, and that Rogan wouldn't like. As it came closer to the time when she'd been heading back, though, her thoughts turned back to the things she'd been running away from. She let herself walk in step with the others, still smiling softly, but calmer and quieter now. Lyntael paused as they reached the central hub where the various recruitment kiosks were still running their daily business, and turned to the others.
“This is it, more or less...” Her eyes flicked across the way, about a dozen feet in past the entry way where she could feel the emulation point glowing in her senses. “I'm about close enough now that I can jack out. Um... thank you all, really. I've had a lot of fun today, really I have!” For a moment she looked aside, and rubbed at the back of her neck with one hand, then looked back to Aya and Suzume specifically.
“I came out today all full of spite and trying to make myself out as something I'm not, and I'm feeling better now. I'm really glad you all looked out for me, and did so much to try and help me too. You didn't need to do any of that, and it means a lot to me. Thank you for the book, and for the gifts, and for all your advice, both of you. Say thanks to Drago and Magistrate for me as well, okay? Tell Drago I don't think he's as scary as some folks warned me.” He small smile became an amused grin as she spoke, good humour in her eyes; even if DragonierMan might not appreciate being told he wasn't that scary, it was clear that Lyntael, at least, meant it as a compliment. “Oh, and please tell Magistrate I'm sorry, too! I didn't mean to offend her, and I really appreciate everything she did, even if I wasn't ready for her solutions.” She paused for a moment, making sure her body was as calm as she needed, then gingerly stepped in to give Suzume, then Aya a quick hug each that tingled warmly, but was mercifully safe of actual static. After she stepped back, she turned to Nightshade and Yumi.
“And thank you to both of you as well. It was really nice to meet both of you, and I think you're both really wonderful young people, especially for trying to help as much as you did. I'm really sorry about that shock, Nighty, I'm glad you're okay. You take good care of each other, alright?” She glanced between them, then leaned in to offer each of them a quick hug in turn – once again, it was an embrace that was warm, with a certain amount of hum to it, but was safe from any actual shocks. When she stood back again, Lyntael looked around at all of them, then bit her lip and gave a small, soft laugh.
“Sorry, I'm making a big deal of this... I often make friends, and then never get to see them again, because of Rogan's work. I've just gotten in the habit of trying to make sure I say everything important when I go, these days. We're all in the same faction now, so I'll probably see you all again soon anyway! Thanks again! Bye for now!”
She waved once more, in amongst any other last farewells from her new friends, then eventuality stepped back closer to the emulation point and closed her eyes. After a few movements, she opened the link from her side and the other caught a brief expression of braced-for discomfort before the cascade of slightly stuttering electric light engulfed her.
----------
((Lyntael, return to → Rogan's PET))
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Lyntael paired up with Suzume to do some sightseeing, with a focus on the various clothing stores along the strip. The two discussed fashion as they traveled. Lyn taking mental measurements and inspirations for her own styles. Aya, meanwhile, kept an eye on Nighty and Yumi. She followed them around wherever they wandered, and occasionally sheparded them back on track toward the Mission BBS buildings.
Finally they all arrived at near the Neo-Shogunate recruitment and mission kiosk where Lyn's insertion point lay. Lyn then began to say her goodbyes. Suzume and Aya nodded to her as she spoke about the others. "Don't worry about that ol' shrew, Magistrate. She's probably too busy to care about what happened today," Aya commented. "But we'll make sure she gets the message regardless," Suzume added while elbowing Aya. "DragonierMan too."
"We'll see you again," Aya said to Lyn as she waved her off. "We're not going anywhere soon. And maybe next time we can get you some battle experience with us. I-I mean, if you feel like it of course," Aya corrected herself. She learned today that not everyone wanted to leap into dangerous situations with the same enthusiasm as the dragoniers.
Suzume also waved Lyn off. "We'll come visit you someday. You said you would show us your home. We'll bring more gifts!" She smiled, "So give us a ring next time you're free. Oh! And invite your other friends Eternalis and Aurora. We'll have a big party!" she exclaimed as Lyn disappeared in a beam of light.
With Lyntael gone, Suzume and Aya turned to Nighty and Yumi. Aya yawned and stretched her arms above her head. "Well this has been a long day. Let's head home and get some rest." Assuming no objections, the four headed back to the White Tower.
Finally they all arrived at near the Neo-Shogunate recruitment and mission kiosk where Lyn's insertion point lay. Lyn then began to say her goodbyes. Suzume and Aya nodded to her as she spoke about the others. "Don't worry about that ol' shrew, Magistrate. She's probably too busy to care about what happened today," Aya commented. "But we'll make sure she gets the message regardless," Suzume added while elbowing Aya. "DragonierMan too."
"We'll see you again," Aya said to Lyn as she waved her off. "We're not going anywhere soon. And maybe next time we can get you some battle experience with us. I-I mean, if you feel like it of course," Aya corrected herself. She learned today that not everyone wanted to leap into dangerous situations with the same enthusiasm as the dragoniers.
Suzume also waved Lyn off. "We'll come visit you someday. You said you would show us your home. We'll bring more gifts!" She smiled, "So give us a ring next time you're free. Oh! And invite your other friends Eternalis and Aurora. We'll have a big party!" she exclaimed as Lyn disappeared in a beam of light.
With Lyntael gone, Suzume and Aya turned to Nighty and Yumi. Aya yawned and stretched her arms above her head. "Well this has been a long day. Let's head home and get some rest." Assuming no objections, the four headed back to the White Tower.
