Eroa eyes Sakura, a girl she had considered talking to some time prior. An interesting one, for sure. Quite the haughty girl, bold enough to name Eroa a servant, yet these qualities were quite endearing. Sakura’s behavior had earned Eroa’s attention from the start, and now with an open opportunity to talk to her after the battle she approaches her.

Sakura was in the middle of an activity she would politely describe as “malding”, though perhaps it was closer to a slight tantrum more than anything. She had let the Fell Beast get away. There went a prime opportunity to create a really badgorilla outfit. Few Chairians ever dared to hunt down such fearsome beasts- imagine how much respect she could’ve commanded had she worn its hide?

SAKURA: God gorillaing DAMN it.
SAKURA: It was gonna be so cool! And maybe, I’d finally get to swear something better than goddamned rags!
SAKURA: But noooo, my team couldn’t assail the damn thing! Would it be so hard to just… shoot it?

She sighs audibly, turning to Eroa and giving her a sharp aside glance. If only she looked to the left instead of the right- she looks a bit silly shooting a glance with an eyepatch.

SAKURA: Oh, it’s you.
SAKURA: What is it.
EROA: Ah, I was thinking you looked so sad even though we won!
EROA: Even if we didn’t get all of them, we’ve attained victory so soundly.
EROA: What is the matter, then?
SAKURA: What’s not wrong?
SAKURA: Think about it for a bit.
SAKURA: Our cushy government job got immediately gorillaing shot down by some freak with a bow bigger than their ego, I’m surrounded by goddamn peasantry, we’re apparently surrounded by both Iti and Fell Beasts, and we’re GOING TO DIE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WILDERNESS.
SAKURA: Pardon me if I can barely see the positives in killing a tiny, goddamn subatomic part of the Iti hordes.
SAKURA: I was thinking that at least I could get a cool cloak or something so I don’t immediately freeze to death (and look great while doing it), but nope. Not even that can go right.

Eroa briefly looks Sakura up and down before taking a step closer.

EROA: Well, if you’re spending all your time sulking we can’t exactly chase down a beast, can’t we?
EROA: Besides, our friends are having a scuffle with some more of those Beasts right now, aren’t they? I’m sure if you wait a moment longer they’ll be back with a mountain of fur and meat!
EROA: We’ll all get to huddle around a hearth, eat some delicious food, tell some fun campfire stories soon enough.
EROA: I’m certain that each one of us has something extraordinary to tell one another.
EROA: Doesn’t that sound like such fun to you, Lady Yedonesis?

Eroa’s smile at these thoughts shine true as the sun, finding such delight in their situation in stark contrast to Sakura. And if Eroa were the sun, Sakura was not the moon, but an all consuming black hole that ate the moon.

SAKURA: Yes, great idea. Eating the Fell Beasts.
SAKURA: D-Don’t you know that Fell Beasts are incredibly toxic!? Not even burning the absolute gorilla out of its flesh would make it even the slightest bit edible.
SAKURA: At least, for Chairians. Not sure about humans, or whatever the hell you are.
SAKURA: Some haughty royal gorilla tried to pull a stunt where he ate a skewer of Fell Beast flesh. gorillaer died on the spot. It would’ve been funny, had he not dropped dead in front of like a hundred people and caused a huge scene.

SAKURA: …That’s besides the point, though.
SAKURA: A campfire cookout… while my company may be far from even quaint, it could be a fun occasion. Perhaps I could finally have a meal I didn’t make myself, too.
SAKURA: So…

A twinge of pain crosses Sakura’s visage. Wincing, her right hand instinctively cradles her eyepatch, clutching the curious fabric. She holds like this for a few seconds, the pain apparently subsiding as soon as it arrived.

SAKURA: …Nah. Forget it.
SAKURA: Y-You’re all just… coworkers. Peasants. Whatever.
SAKURA: We’re… here to… [color=#000000]gorillain’ dunno. Kill some Iti? Investigate the Thymefield?
SAKURA: We should just focus on getting things done, so I can… g-go back h-home.

Eroa’s smile fades slightly, and she takes another step closer.

EROA: Well, I know that campfires and igloos can’t compare to maids and palaces…
EROA: But, you shouldn’t hold us all in low regard just for that.
EROA: You may see us to have no value, but wiping away at even the most muddy stone reveals the brightest gemstones!
EROA: It may sound cliche, but, get your hands a little dirty. You’ll never know what you can find in someone.
EROA: Looking at someone without a mile high pedestal… it’s something that’s gotten me to appreciate my role that much more.
SAKURA: Wipe mud away all you want, but it’s all for naught if there never was a gem to find in the first place.
SAKURA: We… can’t all be gems.
SAKURA: And sometimes, when you go searching, despite what you hoped, and exactly as you had feared…
SAKURA: …You’ll hate what you find, deep inside.

The princess leers towards the slurry of mud and snow she stands upon, crestfallen. A deep, dramatic sigh leaves her.

SAKURA: But, if it’ll get you off my gorilla, then maybe I can grace your little pow-wow with my presence.
SAKURA: Would that please you, miss Eroa?

Eroa pauses for a moment, seeming to think, stepping away a little and sighing, though still with a small hint of a smile on her face.

EROA: Well, I guess I can’t always be a winner at pep talks…
EROA: But joining us tonight would be a good start.
EROA: (Ah, as much as I wish I could, I can’t read minds as well as Scalta…)
EROA: …I guess I shall leave you be, then, as agreed.
EROA: We shall meet again, then, soon enough.
SAKURA: Yeah. See you then.

Eroa’s smile grows a little more before she waves goodbye and moves away. Once she’s out of view, Sakura takes a moment to move herself into the treeline. She rests a finger on her eyepatch, rubbing against its surface. Its scalelike surface scrapes against her bark. In quiet contemplation, she mutters words beneath her breath.

SAKURA: …Would they hate what they find?
SAKURA: We… we can’t risk it.

Ilex glances around, searching for the source of the voice before noticing Lentinula. He looks at the Iti stuck to his arm and then back at her.

Ilex: Oh! Uh, I… guess I can't really say that I'm a big fan of having my arm chewed up like this.
Ilex: I guess I was too focused on the chaos to really pay attention to this… creature?

He shakes his arm around in an unsuccessful attempt to remove the Gorged.

Ilex: Oh come on! Get off!
LENTINULA: ...We could like... try feeding it something else?
LENTINULA: I'm... I'm not sure that leaving all the grey iti roaming like you guys did was a good plan but.
LENTINULA: I guess you don't want to hurt this one either, right?
Ilex: I mean, I am kinda tempted to hit it over the head and call it a day, but… I'd rather not do that unless I have to.
Ilex: Hmmm… I'm not really sure what these things eat, but it does really seem to like trees…
Ilex: Maybe if I could find a good enough branch it might take that instead?
LENTINULA: I guess it's worth a try!

Ilex looks around the ground for a while, eventually finding a… mostly suitable branch. It's still fairly thin, and a little damp from sitting in the snow. But hopefully the Gorged won't mind too much.

Ilex: Hmm… I think this'll work.
Ilex: Now let's see if this does the trick. This thing's biting is starting to hurt.
Ilex: Hey, Iti! You like sticks, right?

Ilex waves the branch around in front of the Gorged. It detaches from Ilex's arm, energetically jumping and snapping at the tasty-looking pine branch.

Ilex: You want it? Fetch!

Ilex tosses the branch with all his might. It sails across the clearing, carried along by a few of Ilex's nanobots. The Gorged dashes across the snowy field, chasing after the stick. Lentinula peers off into the woods, and darts through the air back towards camp a bit, waving at Ilex.

LENTINULA: Come on, we better move while it's distracted.
Ilex: Yeah, that sounds good. I don't particularly feel like becoming a chew toy again.

----

A quick dash away to a hopefully safe distance, the two stop. Lentinula spins about in the air and floats closer to Ilex's eye level for easier conversation.

LENTINULA: S. So.
LENTINULA: I... don't think I've introduced myself yet?
LENTINULA: I uh. I feel like I caught your name but I also uh.
LENTINULA: Think it didn't stick.
LENTINULA: Sorry. I'm Lentinula though!
Ilex: All good! I don't think I got your name either. I'm Ilex.
LENTINULA: A pleasure to make your acquaintance!
Ilex: Likewise to you! So… what brings you out here on this mission, if you don't mind me asking?
LENTINULA: Oh! Not at all.
LENTINULA: I'm here acting as the liaison for the Echo Collective.
LENTINULA: Well, I was supposed to be one of two but...
LENTINULA: They're waiting up in the town for us. So, they're not here.
Ilex: Cool! I've definitely heard of the Echo Collective before, though I'm not too familiar with their work.
Ilex: As for me, I suppose I'm a scientist and inventor by trade. I'm mainly here to conduct some field testing on my latest invention, as you could probably see earlier.
Ilex: Though I had a few people I know push me into it as well.

Alicia: #add8ec
Auth: #5300a9

ALICIA: Howzat~!?
IF ENEMY DOWNED: AUTH: Out!
IF NOT: AUTH: Not out!

ALICIA: Rest in eternal cold!

ALICIA: Within the blink of an eye!

ALICIA: Your time has come!

For Queen of Air and Darkness:

??? - #ad9ada

ALICIA: Shatter thyself, if thy shards shalt destroy thine foes.

ALICIA: A curse which shall ne'er fade as long as the sun shall shine.

ALICIA: Yet, who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him?

With the discovery of the grey iti nest, Debbie logically tries to find one of the other, allied grey iti. Paige seemed preoccupied as she passed by, so she seeks out her partner in thyme, Skylar. She thinks it was last seen close to the crash site…

Something rapidly skitters underfoot, and Debbie stubs her toe on cold metal. After a frantic shuffle, Skylar scuttles up onto a nearby tree stump and pivots to face her, knifelike forelegs scratching grooves into the wood.

SKYLAR: OOF
SKYLAR: MY APOLOGIES
SKYLAR: I AM NOT USED TO BEING SO CONSISTENTLY UNDERFOOT
SKYLAR: IS EVERYTHING ALL RIGHT [USER: Miss “Debbie” Debonair]?

In spite of the initial shock, Debbie doesn’t seem all that bothered. She looks down at Skylar and nods in response.

DEBBIE: O-oh, yes, everything’s mostly fine.
DEBBIE: Actually, I was looking for you.
DEBBIE: I... discovered a concerningly large nest of grey iti nearby, and was wondering if you would know anything about how to handle them?
DEBBIE: I-I’m... kinda at a loss.
SKYLAR: [hmm.mp3
SKYLAR: A NEST?
SKYLAR: INTRIGUING
SKYLAR: I SHALL HAVE TO SEE FOR MYSELF

Skylar hops off the stump, scrabbles through the high snows fruitlessly for a couple of seconds, and turns back to Debbie.

SKYLAR: [Your driver is arriving in [NaN:NaN]: [Debonair Ward] [Trip: [Landfall] - - - [Grey Den]] [Payment: 520L 89mL]]-
SKYLAR: AHEM
SKYLAR: IT IS.
SKYLAR: A LONG DISTANCE.
SKYLAR: IF YOU DO NOT MIND THE ASKING
SKYLAR: MAY I HITCH A RIDE
DEBBIE: O-oh, sure thing.
DEBBIE: Trudging through snow is... not exactly easy.
DEBBIE: Especially if one’s legs aren’t suited for snow at all.

Debbie lowers herself to about Skylar’s height (or close enough), kneeling such that it could get on anywhere it was willing.

DEBBIE: Okay, climb on!

Skylar scampers up Debbie's arm, perching on her head and carefully crossing its forelimb blades.

SKYLAR: MUCH OBLIGED

As the two begin their trek back to the Grey Den, Skylar continues to pontificate a bit.

SKYLAR: MY DATABASE OF INFORMATION ON THIS TOPIC IS RATHER LIMITED
SKYLAR: AS MAY HAVE BEEN SURMISED [79.6% chance], I WAS NOT ON THE BEST OF TERMS WITH THE SKY LABS SCIENTISTS
SKYLAR: AND BY EXTENSION THE REST OF THE LOCAA GOVERNMENTAL BODY
SKYLAR: HOWEVER, FROM ANECDOTAL AND PERIPHERAL EVIDENCE:
SKYLAR: THERE IS NO REAL CONSISTENT CURVE OF “FERAL” TO “CIVILIZED”
SKYLAR: “LESSER” ITI ARE ON AVERAGE MORE ANIMALISTIC
SKYLAR: THOUGH NOTABLE OUTLIERS EXIST; [one (1) ‘distressingly erudite’ Seeker, one (1) Paigasite “Paige” McZupp-]

Skylar abruptly shuts up. Debbie, who had contentedly been listening to Skylar’s ramblings and mildly confused at the abrupt stop, opts to answer what questions Skylar might’ve had as they float towards their destination.

DEBBIE: I see...
DEBBIE: I... suppose it does make sense that relations would be sour at best, with the whole crisis last year and all.
DEBBIE: It must be very rare, indeed, to have someone... simply listen to what you have to say.
DEBBIE: It’s something I always try to do, so I can get to know people better.
DEBBIE: ...
DEBBIE: B-but I digress.
DEBBIE: I believe the grey iti at the nest are mostly, if not entirely, lessers, and thus more animalistic.
DEBBIE: I knew I couldn’t leave them to their own devices or harm them, but I don’t believe we should displace them either, what with the purple iti clearly trying to wipe them out, and those fey on the prowl for more of them to mind control, and... Sakura, I think was her name?
DEBBIE: I don’t want her to do something murderous or stupid involving them either.
DEBBIE: It’s... i-it’s a complicated situation.
SKYLAR: [Information logged.]
SKYLAR: PERTINENT OBSERVATIONS INDEED
SKYLAR: I HAVE NOT OBTAINED A PROPER READ ON [Yedoensis, Sakura].
SKYLAR: SUCH HOSTILE BEHAVIOR IS LIKELY?

Debbie blinks. Wait, did she accidentally just blurt something out-

DEBBIE: W-wait I didn’t just...

DEBBIE: ...W-well... I-I suppose it was going to crop up sooner or later...
DEBBIE: ...Yes. I do consider her a threat in that aspect, from her... very open desire to kill the grey iti in our previous battle, only refraining from doing so because our group would, correctly, strongly dislike it if it were to happen if there was still a way around it.
DEBBIE: Add that to her... attitude, I’m worried about what she’d do - or try to do - behind our backs.

Skylar gently taps one of its forelegs on Debbie’s head, deep in thought- or in some arcane computer process, perhaps. The sensation is peculiar, not quite painful, but it prickles in odd waves across Debbie’s skin.

SKYLAR: A COMPLEX PROBLEM INDEED
SKYLAR: MOST ARE AWARE OF HER [Classification: ERRATIC] PERSONALITY, CORRECT?
SKYLAR: PRIMARY PRIORITY MAY BE TO UPLIFT THESE ITI
SKYLAR: OR AT LEAST RENDER THEM AWARE THAT YEDOENSIS IN PARTICULAR IS A GREATER THREAT THAN WE ARE
DEBBIE: Those... would likely be our only real options, yes.
DEBBIE: Hm...
DEBBIE: How good are you with diplomatic acts? They may be more willing to listen to another grey iti rather than someone like me.
SKYLAR: …
SKYLAR: MY ATTEMPTS AT DIPLOMACY
SKYLAR: …HAVE NOT GONE WELL.
SKYLAR: HISTORICALLY SPEAKING.
DEBBIE: A-ah... I see.

They soon reach the outside of the nest, where Debbie slows and stops, out of view of the grey iti.

DEBBIE: We’re near the nest.
DEBBIE: I’d likely draw their ire if I go much further. They weren’t exactly... w-welcoming... when I first approached.
DEBBIE: I’m not sure if they’re scared or hungry or what... I-I can’t really tell.
DEBBIE: ...So, what’s the plan?
SKYLAR: PERHAPS IT WOULD BE BEST IF I RELAYED ANY MESSAGES YOU MIGHT HAVE
SKYLAR: THE IMPORTANT MESSAGE IS TO REITERATE HOW WE ARE NOT A THREAT, OF COURSE
SKYLAR: THEY ARE IDEALLY MORE LIKELY TO TRUST A FELLOW GREY ITI

Debbie nods.

DEBBIE: That works for me.
DEBBIE: We’ll need to be careful, though. The situation may be volatile.
DEBBIE: ...Thinking about it further, though, t-they may still hear me communicating with you if I’m out of sight.
DEBBIE: Do you happen to have anything to help with that?
SKYLAR: BUT OF COURSE
SKYLAR: ENABLING COMMUNICATION IS MY SPECIALTY

Skylar hops down off of Debbie’s shoulders, rears up- and breaks into an immediate coughing fit. Or, y’know, the robotic equivalent. After a few last coughs, Skylar hacks loudly, and a small radio stuck in a blob of neon-blue pasta sauce splatters onto the ground.

They both stare at it for some moments.

SKYLAR: …IT WAS CLEANER WHEN I BUILT IT
DEBBIE: Oh, that should be easy to clean. Let me just...

Debbie sets herself down on the ground, and with a slight motion of her right leg, a stream of Fluidsand begins sandblasting the pasta sauce off the radio until it’s cleaned off. Not the most clean cleaning method, but it works for now. She then takes the radio and examines it- it’s not the most high-tech thing, and it seems to have fairly limited range.

SKYLAR: THIS IS A MUCH LESS POWERFUL MODEL THAN WAS USED IN MY BRIEF CONTRIBUTION TO RESOLVING THE SPHERE CRISIS
SKYLAR: THIS NEW THYMEFIELD WOULD ALMOST CERTAINLY INTERFERE WITH THE INTRICATE MECHANICS OF THE PASTA BUFF TRANSMISSION NANOMACHINES
SKYLAR: I DOUBT SUCH A POWERFUL EFFECT WOULD BE POSSIBLE TO PURSUE THIS EARLY
SKYLAR: I ASSUME YOU ARE FAIRLY PROFICIENT IN RADIO OPERATIONS?
DEBBIE: Adequate enough. I used similar when communicating with our more technologically advanced allies back home.

Just to be sure, though, she fiddles with the radio and tests it out a few times to make sure she has everything understood.
DEBBIE: Okay, we should be good to go.
DEBBIE: Start with a simple greeting once they’re aware of you. We’ll adapt from there.
SKYLAR: ROGER.

Skylar scuttles off into the Den, coming to a quick stop by the entrance so as to get out quickly if things go wrong. It addresses the Grey Iti softly.

SKYLAR: …GREETINGS?