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Post by Zeni on Aug 13, 2019 15:51:02 GMT -5
Gemini couldn't help but chuckle at what Ayami had to say. Though it was quite true! This young mechanic was the very first person that the Android had bonded with. She was thankful that it seemed a very trustworthy sort, too. That was a critical part of Zeni's growth, after all. " Yes. You're her very first friend, Ayami." , she would affirm Ayami's thoughts on the matter. And it seemed like that aspect didn't bother her in the slightest! If anything, Ayami seemed rather excited about it.
Well, maybe Ayami needed a good friend herself. That put a rather genuine smile on Gemini's face. Zeni was already proving to be a success. Although she viewed the girl as more than a project at this point, it was nice to see the original plan work out too. And seeing the two get along so well...
--
Ayami would pat the Android on the back, letting out a confident line about their respective abilities to handle anything that could possibly come their way! The enthusiasm was infectious, as the Android would grin in response. " Yeah! We've got this, no problem!" -- The young Mechanic would then accept the purse of munny, and ask whether or not she was supposed to pay it back. But the Scientist would calmly wave that off. " Don't worry about it. You're looking after Zeni, and that's enough for me to give you what you need to get started. I should be able to help you out more in the future if you need it, but you seem rather capable." Gemini would then vocally assure her not to worry about it. " Well. There's nothing else holding you here, so I'll see you two when you return from your journey!" -- With all that said and done, Zeni would take the lead! She showed Ayami around town, leading her to the various shops that specialized in different goods, as well as an Inn where she could rest up if needed. Aside from that, it was mostly just showing her key landmarks and important areas. Like the headquarters of the Radiant Garden Restoration Committee. Although there was no reason to enter there for now.
Once all of the travel preparations were finished, they could think about heading out to find what they needed to fix up this device! " Okay! I think that's everything!" Zeni would then state with a smile. It was a pretty decent tour all around, and Ayami should better understand the layout in town now.______ Ayami
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Post by Ayami on Aug 16, 2019 2:20:34 GMT -5
The Radiant Garden Restoration Committee huh? Zeni seemed pretty enthusiastic talking about them... The mechanic could only guess they were someone she looked up to, similar to how Ayami had heroes of her own. They certainly must've been pretty great if Zeni seemed to think so highly of them. What's more...It really made her think."If they're the ones running the show around here, maybe they've seen the person I'm looking for...Well, I guess I can always find out later!"It was a good assumption. A group that had tasked itself with making everything in radiant garden their business? Certainly they were bound to keep tabs on everyone who passed through here, right? If that was the case, they very well might've seen exactly who the green eyed girl was seeking. Holding onto that hope did lift her spirits a little more. It gave her something to hold onto in a way. She desperately wanted to find out now, but... They had to get a replacement for that crystal. It was their top priority. Even if the committee had seen her father, there was no guarantee he was even still here.With all of that being kept in mind, she was guided to all of the various shops, gathering food, water, healing potions... Basically all the necessities. Though she did catch the ire of a certain moogle shopkeep. ... Who threw things at her in a fit as she mocked it in her native tongue. Naturally, it would probably take some mediation from the android to settle the feud down. With...All of those things sorted however, it seemed they were finally ready, something Zeni voiced herself."Pretty nice town! It'll...Take a little getting used to though. What's with entrances to certain areas being shoved on aquaducts?"... It was probably best not to question Radiant Garden's layout."Well uh, putting that aside... I guess all that's left is to start looking for our crystal! Get your readings thingy going, we've got an energy signature to pinpoint!"She grinned at the android and hurried out through the front gate! ... Or...What was left of it, anyway. She carried herself as if she had been through this song and dance many times before! Well, here she goes again, on a new adventure!--- Zeni
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Post by Zeni on Sept 10, 2019 18:20:33 GMT -5
It looked like Ayami was hopeful that the Restoration Committee might be able to help her find someone, and Zeni smiled at that, giving a nod. " They're one of the best starts, in any case! They check everything here at Radiant Garden to make sure everyone is doing safe, and that there's no holes in the security system. If the person you're looking for has been here, they'll be the most likely to know!" , the Android spoke, hoping to encourage Ayami in her endeavors!
That aside, it seemed like Ayami found a few things about the city's layout confusing... Like the fact that certain paths and entrances were over aqueducts. " No idea! I thought this was just how towns were built!" , well... The way Zeni said that, it was pretty clear she wasn't lying. Though that only offered more evidence to how sheltered she truly was. It was pretty clear now why Gemini wanted the more adventurous Ayami to look after the Android and get her out a bit more.
But now... Now the tour was finished, they had everything they needed, and it was time to get out there and find that crystal! At Ayami's command, Zeni would give an excited nod and then it seemed like her eyes flashed brightly for a moment... But then looked normal after that. " All set! Let's go get that crystal and finish your portal device!" , the Android then confidently exclaims, and starts to lead the way!
Fortunately, they wouldn't be running into any Heartless just yet. But once you left the safety of the walls, you could see why everyone warned against it. There wasn't much of anything out here other than ruins and wilderness. Prime territory for nasty beasts, even back on Ayami's homeworld. But on the other hand, this was the only way to find what they needed, so... No sense in getting cold feet about it now, yeah?
Plus it didn't seem like Zeni was frightened at all by the prospect of getting into a fight! As evidenced by just how relaxed she was right now. If Ayami decided she wanted to pick up the pace, then the Android would match it! But either way, their exploration had just started!______ Ayami
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Post by Ayami on Sept 12, 2019 2:23:29 GMT -5
________________________________ So they had finally left the city's walls. There was... Nothing of much note out here honestly. It reminded Ayami of Spira's untamed wilderness, and yet it was different too; the climate was much less humid, there seemed to be very few trees, likely negating the odds of any forests. Really, the closest comparison Ayami could've made from this land to a location back in Spira would have been the Thunder plains. A barren landscape that stretched on for miles. But that place was far different even then. She counted her lucky stars that they weren't getting bombarded by lightning bolts."Gotta say, I was expecting... More. I don't suppose those heartless had anything to do with the land looking like this, did they? It kinda gives me the chills to be honest... I feel like we're being watched."She scanned around cautiously as they walked, making sure there was indeed nothing watching them at the moment. It was odd to confirm that they seemed to be alone out here, considering just how strong that feeling was. It reminded her of... That night, when she was spirited away to Radiant Garden. When she saw her father. She shook her head, trying to keep her mind focused on the task ahead of the pair. She worked the device Gemini had lent to them, shocking the crystal and getting a reaction out of it. every so often. It was a positive sign that the crystal began to glow and hum just a little brighter with each passing moment. They had to be getting closer, right?She walked along through valleys placed between cliffs, up slopes going up and down, all until they finally came to a cliff side, overlooking a strange, foreboding castle. Ayami stared with adventure in her eyes."I would bet anything that's where we have to go... The crystal is getting brighter. You seem to really have an eye for this sorta thing Zeni - What do you think of it?"She would grin, giving a confident nod to the android companion next to her."I wanna check this place out! We should hurry!"She hopped forward, sliding right down the cliff face towards the ground below. She'd wait for Zeni to catch up once she hit the ground - Provided the android wasn't already following along. The mechanic would stand up and dust herself off, picking up the equipment and with a simple nod would continue forward, right towards the castle - Towards Hollow Bastion itself. There was no doubt from the air it gave off that this had to be one of the strongest sources of darkness in this place. She kept her guard up as such, but still didn't give off a vibe of caution; There was no point in alarming her friend after all!________________________________ After a short travel time they finally closed the distance from the cliff's edge to the forbidden ruin sitting long abandon. She stared up at it from the ground, giving a quick whistle as she scanned around for an entrance."Boy, I'd like to meet the architect behind THIS nightmare. This has like ten different safety violations just right here on the doorstep! Our broken crystal here seems to be humming a nice loud tune now... I think we need to find a way in. I'm open to suggestions, but I'm always down to just bust open the door!"She looked around, stepping about whimsically as she idly wracked her brain, trying to think of some way they can get inside this wacky place. Though it seems the easiest route was thankfully also the one that stood out the most, she spotted a strange platform on the ground; and with a quick exclamation of "Aha!" walked over and stepped onto it. It hummed to life, seemingly waiting for both of them to get on and ride it to the castle's upper levels."Hopefully this doesn't just lead us right to an ambush or somethin'! But... Well, if it does, you just step behind me an' I'll handle the shooting for us!"She grinned and gave the android another one of her confident nods, assuring her that no matter what waited for them, they'd be able to handle it.--- Zeni |
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Post by Zeni on Sept 13, 2019 18:26:53 GMT -5
Yeah, the sights outside of town were a little... Depressing, maybe? There really wasn't a lot to look at here. Although the coloration did make it beautiful in it's own way. Ayami commented on how it made things feel a little creepy though, that sensation of being watched... The Android would carefully look around. " Well... I don't see anyone or anything that could be watching us, but the Heartless do roam around these parts." , Zeni spoke in a tone of voice that implied she was aware of the risks in coming out this far. " As for why the world looks like this... No one really knows, I think. It's just always been like this as far as anyone can remember." , Zeni then adds.
While Ayami tinkered with the device and that crystal, Zeni would use her scanners to pick up on the energy readings coming off of the crystal, and compare it with any signatures coming across in the background. As they went, she was able to pick up a faint trace. But... The device began to react more and more of it's own accord as well. It sort of made her ability to scan for it redundant. But there was no harm in being doubly sure about it, right? Plus she might be able to get a more accurate reading of where to go once they were closer!
All until they finally reached their destination. Or at least, a glimpse of it; a strange castle... Ayami asked what Zeni thought of it -- probably to gauge whether or not a reading was coming from there. " Well. It's a little hard to tell from this distance. But it seems to be as good a place to start as any! I can at least tell that the energy signature is coming from the same direction as that castle." , the Android explains.
Once Ayami started sliding down the cliff, Zeni would watch to make sure that she did so safely, and once seeing that the Mechanic was perfectly fine on her landing, the Android would just... Hop right off! Not even bothering to slide or climb down, or jump from ledge to ledge. Just straight to the bottom. Though before Ayami would have a heart attack over that, boosters would suddenly activate on Zeni's boots, slowing her descent, and then they'd shut off once she was just a little bit off the ground, letting her land gracefully.
With a smile, she looks over at Ayami. " Thank you for waiting!" After having said that, their trek resumes! Taking them all the way to the entrance to the castle that practically oozed an ominous feeling within it's every crevice... Darkness was strong here. Zeni was able to get that sort of feeling even when not entirely understanding -- nor knowing the concepts. It just felt off, somehow. But at the same time, she wasn't afraid!
Ayami gives off a whistle, then commenting on the architecture. Zeni would give her own thoughts afterwards. " Well, it's hard to tell how old this place is... But whoever built it may not be around anymore." , Zeni states. At the very least, there wasn't anything concrete within her data banks to work with. This place was a mystery. But at the same time... That meant it was prime material for exploration!
Especially since this device was still resonating strongly, and it seems that the reading had only become stronger the closer they got to this place. Ayami eventually spots a strange platform, and makes her way over to it! Zeni keeps pace with her, stepping onto the platform as well.
After that, it hums to life and the ascent starts! Ayami mentions being able to handle the shooting so that the Android wouldn't have to worry about any potential ambush. But Zeni simply smiles. " Don't worry, Ayami! I'm combat ready!" The Android says, puffing up her chest and lightly pounding a fist into an open palm.
Now they just had to wait for the ride to be over, and they could start exploring deeper... As well as confirm whether or not they'd run into any enemies here._______ Ayami
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Post by Ayami on Sept 13, 2019 22:09:06 GMT -5
The owners probably weren't around anymore? Well, it was a fair guess since the castle was slowly falling apart at the seams. But as the platform carried them up, Ayami thought that assessment over before giving her own comment in reply:"Well, I certainly hope so. I don't think whoever built this place would want us hanging around. I don't guess I've ever seen any place like this before... 'Cept maybe Zanarkand. But that place was clearly meant to be lived in. I think whoever made this place just wanted to make a statement. Like some kind of cruddy art project."She chuckled at her own comments regarding Hollow Bastion, though it wasn't long before their ride came to a stop. They were now high in the air and staring down what appeared to be the entrance to the castle. - Marked by exterior walkways extending this way and that, this place was...Labyrinthine. Certainly more so than it appeared to be from a distance. Ayami tapped her chin for a second, loudly thinking. She knew there would soon be an issue if they just ran off without thinking. Even someone like her could figure out the problem with rushing blindly into a maze."I don't...Suppose you have anything we could drop? Or something to mark where we've been? I have a feeling the interior is going to be just as wacky as the exterior in this place. It's a relief to know you've got my back if we get into a fight, though."She smiled to Zeni, searching through her bag of things for something they could put down... And thankfully she found something! It was just some ribbons, but... They were very pastel. Bright enough to make out in the bastion's dull color scheme. She tied one down right against a post next to the platform that would take them back down should they need to leave. This one was for sure the most important. If for whatever reason they lost track of the exit, they'd definitely be in trouble! Though perhaps in an emergency those jet boots Zeni showed off could help...Ayami gave a nod, making a mental note of things."Let's go!"She headed towards the most visible entrance there: The front door. Things seemed quiet enough, though the aura in this castle was oppressive. She pushed open the heavy front door, and as it opened with a creak the light outside began to slowly illuminate the foyer. It was the kind of darkness most people would be repelled by, but Ayami wasn't one to back down from exploring! She stepped right into the hall, standing at the center of the circle. And once the pair had properly entered... The front door slammed shut, and tunnels of darkness appeared all around them as strange creatures of the dark began to pop out from them.[Heartless Soldiers x5, Wizard x2, Darkball x4 Appeared!!!]The mechanic drew her pistol from it's holster, grinning and taking up a prepared fighting stance."It's a fight then!"She dove to the floor, rolling to a stop and taking aim, firing off a shot and knocking a heartless soldier off of it's feet. She switched targets and fired two shots at a darkball, missing the first shot and grazing it with the second as it danced erratically in the air. She dove out of the way as one of the wizards sent a blast of magic towards her, and she responded by firing at it, although it's thunder magic casted a bolt down on top of the bullet, stopping it."Not bad... But I'm a bit more clever than that!"As the wizard attempted to strike her with a barrage of thunder bolts, she fired at a pot sitting on the second floor, knocking it down and causing it to crash onto the wizard's head. It became stunned from this, ceasing it's assault. She rushed in through the crowd of heartless and leapt up, putting her feet together and planting them both firmly into that soft hatted wizard's head, causing them to crash right into the floor."Who's next?"She stood up carefully, dusting herself off as soldier heartless surrounded her.--- Zeni
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Post by Zeni on Sept 14, 2019 20:20:34 GMT -5
Ayami had an interesting way of describing a castle as impressive as this one, claiming that it was just some art project... But now that the mechanic had put the thought into the Android's head, she could kinda see it! Although it was certainly an intimidating structure that seemed like it should scare anyone off... It lacked a lot of the practicality of how a castle should be built. There were far too many to list off here, but in any case... " I guess their statement was "Leave me alone!"" , Zeni comments with a grin.
Eventually their ascent on the platform would stop, and Ayami took the time to ask if Zeni had anything they might be able to use in order to keep track of where they came from. Although there wasn't anything in the physical sense... She did have something that could help! " I'm really good at mapping! So we won't lose our way at all, no matter how much we explore of this castle!" , the Android replies with a thumbs up. She was, of course, referring to her internal mapping data, and not a physical map... But between that pastel colored ribbon and Zeni's own efforts to keep track of all the data regarding this castle, they shouldn't have to worry about getting lost.
With everything all sorted out, Ayami took the lead once more! Zeni followed close behind, going through a phase of multi-tasking, since she was mapping everything out, watching their surroundings, and scanning for those energy readings... Not that it seemed to phase her at all! Eventually they came to a dark room, Ayami was the first to enter, and the Android wasn't far behind. It seemed like things were fine in here -- if a bit difficult to see in for Human eyes... Right up until that door slammed shut. As soon as that happened, the Android would open the compartment on her back, releasing the assortment of blades controlled by thin, nearly invisible wires.
Heartless! They finally appeared after all! The mechanic was the first of the pair to act, and she certainly packed a whollop in a fight. It seemed as though the enemies were focused on Ayami right now, which gave Zeni ample time to punish them for ignoring the other half of the fighting force... As those Soldiers surrounded Ayami and prepared to close in, they would suddenly be pierced by flying blades, which where then stuck in the floor, effectively keeping them trapped there.
Zeni bursts onto the scene, far faster than any of the Heartless can account for, as she suddenly tugs on the strings and spins, bunching the soldiers up together! She proceeds to use them as a makeshift mace, slamming them into each of the wizards! Those Darkballs were still unaccounted for, and one of them decided to capitalize on the situation by trying to take a bite out of the Android! ... Only to find that it caused itself more harm than it ever could have to Zeni. That armor plating was the real deal..." Haha! I thought we'd run into stronger Heartless, but this makes for some good fun!" , having said that... The remaining Heartless focused on the Android, letting Ayami take advantage of the situation as she saw fit._______ Ayami Actions: 1 - Pierced five Soldiers with five blades 2 - Bunched them up into a makeshift mace and slammed them into Wizard A 3 - Ditto for Wizard B Notes: All function as Basic Attacks
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Post by Ayami on Sept 22, 2019 8:59:01 GMT -5
In one fell swoop they had taken out all of the soldiers and wizards, leaving only the darkballs to contend with. Ayami was... Nothing short of impressed by Zeni's skill. She let out an audible whistle. - Which made the dark balls notice her instead."-Wait wait, not me!!!"She dashed back as three of the darkballs chased her, the fourth still a bit stunned from Zeni's hard shell. Ayami leapt up onto the stairway, giving her a moment to turn as one of the darkballs struck the wall below her, having failed to do a rushing attack."SUCK ON ICE YOU OVERSIZED BLITZ BALL!"She flipped a switch on her pistol and in the next instant was firing off a freezing cold blast of ice right into the darkball's face, causing it to go "pop" like a balloon! The mechanic chuckled, giving a nod to Zeni's statement."Fun is an understatement! I'm having the time of my life!!!"She side stepped an attack by a second darkball, and fell backwards onto her butt as she attempted to dodge the sudden surprise pincer attack from a third. She quickly rolled away despite her shock, flipping the switch on her pistol again and stopping on her side, firing off this time not a blast of ice - But an impressively flashy lightning shot! It struck it's target, blasting one of the darkballs away in an instant! The third rushed at her, opening it's mouth for a chomp."You guys need to learn some new strategies! Well, I guess if you're looking for something to eat...I'll have to help you out!"She'd flip the switch one last time, waiting until the darkball was at point blank range, it's gaping maw opened to take a bite out of her. She squeezed the trigger, in that very instant causing a blast of blazing hot flame to eject from the pistol straight into it's mouth. The poor thing reacted with pure shock as it had clearly bitten off more than it could chew. It rushed around the room, it's mouth staying ignited. The brief pause gave her time to stand back up to her feet!"Ha! Chew on that you lumpy-"Just then the room shook as two new heartless appeared, dropping down from their portals caused the floor to crack underneath them. One had appeared directly behind the overconfident Spiran. Letting out a mighty roar which interrupted her one-liner.[Heartless Defender x2 Appeared!!!]Ayami slowly turned around to see what was behind her, her expression slowly changing to one of shock.".... Uhh...Hello there! ... Creda."The defender shield bashed Ayami, sending her flying towards the door!--- Zeni 1. Ayami used Magitek Ammo - Freeze Shot: (Cooldown 0/1) 2. Ayami used Magitek Ammo - Thunder Shot: (Cooldown 0/1) 3. Ayami used Magitek Ammo - Fire Shot: (Cooldown 0/1)
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Post by Zeni on Oct 18, 2019 16:18:13 GMT -5
Although Zeni was certainly capable in her own right when it came to wreaking havoc on the Heartless, it would not be fair to understate Ayami's own skill in that regard, the mechanic put on quite the enthralling show as she practically led the Darkballs along, crashing into various traps and obstacles that Ayami set up for them, and when all was said and done... Well, there was only one Darkball left. It looked like the fight was going to be resolved in record pace, that is... Until two newcomers arrived on the scene with a loud thud. Both Ayami and Zeni would turn to see them.
Two burly Heartless armed with shields. One of which struck Ayami and sent her flying. Zeni gasped as she traced Ayami's path through the air, and then turned her attention to the Defenders as she narrowed her gaze. She would boost right towards the Defenders, and grab onto their shield, pulling with such force that she actually managed to take it for herself! Not only that, but she sent the Heartless flying straight into the other Defender, who raised it's shield in response to the oncoming impact.
To say that the creature was stunned by what just happened wouldn't do it justice, as the Heartless lowers it's shield to glance around and figure out what took place. It only has about a split second to see the Android flying right towards it with massive shield raised. " Back of the blade!!" , she shouts, giving the Defender a whallop across the head with the huge shield that she was hefting around with ease.
For good measure, she slams it down on the Shieldless Defender, and then turns her attention back to Ayami, running over to her. The remaining Darkball takes in the ruined state of the room, as well as what happened to it's companions, and... Decides to back off instead of intervene any further. Nothing good was going to come of making that orange-haired girl angry!
Although all of the Heartless had been defeated, Zeni still had that huge shield... " Are you okay, Ayami?" , she'd ask, checking up on her friend.------ Ayami Actions: 1 - Takes the shield from Defender A 2 - Slams the shield against Defender B 3 - Uses the shield to finish off Defender A Notes: More basic attacks!
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Post by Ayami on Oct 18, 2019 21:28:46 GMT -5
She landed a few feet away from the entrance to the room, rolling to a stop. It dazed her for a moment, though thankfully with Zeni leaping into action she was able to take a second to compose herself, finally standing up and brushing herself off and puffing her cheeks out, pouting as she watched the darkball run off."Little coward! I'm not through with you yet!"She rubbed the back of her head, wincing a little from the momentary pain as Zeni asked about her condition."Yeah, yeah... Only thing hurting is my pride really."She finally returned to grinning after a moment of frowning from the blow she took. Truthfully she had taken far worse dealing with errant machina and the occasional workplace injury, but that was quite a hit all the same. Still, her smile turned to an expression of shock as she saw the other Defender that hadn't been finished off towering over Zeni from behind, clearly attempting to strike while her back was turned. The mechanic spared no time grabbing Zeni with one arm, pulling her aside as the defender's shield was raised over it's head and sent hurtling towards the floor where Zeni had been barely a second before. Ayami quickly fired off two shots. One knocking the shield off-course and throwing off the defender's balance, the second shot striking it right in it's...Proportionately small head, causing it to fade into shadows."Aha! I've still got it!"She grinned once again at her robot companion, not...Exactly noticing that she was holding onto Zeni by the hip. She was a little preoccupied with the impressive volley of shots she fired off. Though once she noticed she immediately let go of the android, seeming apologetic."Er...Sorry, I guess I wasn't really paying attention there. I got so focused on the save I kinda didn't think!"She cleared her throat awkwardly and with zero subtlety. Noticing the shield Zeni had acquired and giving a whistle as she eyed the prize over."Pretty nice trinket you got there. What was that bit about "Hitting with the back of the blade?" I've never seen anyone from my home fight like you did there, you're pretty good at this! Hey, if that shield's not vanishing with those shadow creeps maybe you can bring it back to the lab and we can give it a once-over? Maybe throw some upgrades onto it eh?"The mechanic girl looked around the now vacated lobby of the creepy castle. Eyeing up each individual doorway. Two ahead of them, and one on an alcove above them... She tapped her chin while deep in thought, trying to decide where exactly would be best to go. Though the door to their front looked important, the one to the side of the room might well have been a better path to take. Besides, she could almost make out some kind of shelves beyond the veil of darkness shrouding the room. She'd give a nod to Zeni."Well it's like my mom used to say; Nothing ventured, nothing gained! We may as well press forward after coming this far."She walked up the steps of the room calmly, this time not meeting a shield to her head thankfully... She would make her way to the door at the room's left. - The library of Hollow Bastion, a place of knowledge where accursed books lie upon dusty shelves, waiting to be read by occupants long gone.--- Zeni1. Ayami fires a shot at Defender B's shield, knocking it out of the way! 2. Ayami fires a shot at Defender B's head, finishing it off!
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Post by Zeni on Oct 23, 2019 2:17:07 GMT -5
Phew! It seemed like Ayami was okay, which brought a sense of relief washing over the Android -- a curious sensation for her to feel, but not an unpleasant one. Still, she was sort of lost in the moment because of that... Letting Ayami take control of the situation to pull her out of the way and finish off the last of the Defenders! The mechanic did it with her usual flair, and did so while perfectly protecting the Android in the process, who was a little surprised about how things had turned out...
But was certainly not ungrateful about it. " Wow! That was pretty close! Good job, Ayami!" , she'd comment, not minding at all that Ayami currently had a hand around the Android's hip. Although that seems to have flustered her friend, who quickly pulls away and apologizes for it. Zeni tilts her head slightly in response. " Sorry for what?" , she'd ask, a little curious about that.
Though perhaps because Ayami was deft at avoiding that particular line of conversation, or simply a consequence of Zeni having picked up the shield earlier... The conversation quickly turned to the new addition into her arsenal. Ayami had some interesting thoughts when it came to this thing... " Huh, you're right... The other shield disappeared, but this one didn't. I guess because I took it first?" , the Android tries to work out the science behind that, but eventually comes to no answers and so she shrugs it off." Oh, the back of the blade? It's a method of combat where you strike without killing your enemies! Although in this case, it was Heartless so I didn't really need to do that... It just kinda felt like I should have said something there?" , she then explains, seemingly not fully understanding the reason for that particular line either. But in any case..." I think I'll hold onto the shield though! It's pretty sturdy, and like you said, maybe we can do something with it!" , she then agrees with a smile.
Ayami takes point once more, leading the way up the stairs and into the library, and the Android follows closely along, with her newly acquired shield in tow. The thing seemed a bit oversized for her.... And a bit impractical to fit in doorways. But other than that it didn't really seem to slow Zeni down or be much of an inconvenience for her to carry.
In any case, once they arrive in the library, Zeni's first reaction to it is one of marvel... This place was in a strange spot of looking abandoned, and yet not abandoned... " Wow... We could spend all day reading these books and probably still be nowhere near through the whole collection." ------- Ayami
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Post by Ayami on Oct 23, 2019 14:47:42 GMT -5
"Back of the blade..."The mechanic stared curiously at her pistol for a moment before holstering it."Well, either way, the fact that you're holding onto that shield means they're not as intangible as I thought they were. And who knows... That thing might be a little more resistant to their attacks than anything we've got. I've absolutely GOTTA see what makes it tick when we get back! ... Although... I guess it wouldn't hurt to make it a little more portable, too."She commented as she watched Zeni try to squeeze it through the library's entrance. Noting how uh... Awkward moving it around was? Still, the mechanic was just as amazed as Zeni was. Giving a slow nod in response to her words."No kidding. If I didn't know better, I'd think someone was still living here, even despite all the cobwebs. I uh... Really would rather not stick around longer than we have to though. This place gives me the creeps!"She chuckles to herself, taking a few calm steps in as she observes the books along the shelves. It was lined with many volumes on various subjects of all sorts. Seemingly covering very odd topics... Heartless, the matter of hearts, the hearts of worlds... It was all one big unknown to the spiran native, but their look through would have to wait. As interesting as those topics were, she was after one thing; The crystal for her tunneling device. She pulled a book free from it's shelf, sending a puff of dust right in her face, causing her to cough a bit as she waved at the air to disperse the age old dust floating about."Sheesh! Somebody really needs to clean this place! I've never seen somewhere this dirty, and I practically LIVE in an al bhed workshop."It was rather amusing to her that rooms covered in grease and spare parts were nothing compared to the library of hollow bastion. Although Zeni herself might not have understood the meaning behind those words, she could likely make safe assumptions that the typical Al Bhed work place was... Well, very dirty and unkept. The mechanic shrugged, flipping through the pages of the book and discovering an odd line."Ancient Civilizations and travel between worlds..."She read from the book aloud, noting just how relevant that particular topic was in regards to their current situation."Uhh, let's see... it says 'Some have posited the theory that star travel, moving from world to world was discovered long before our current age. There are odd pottery shards and stone tablets that have been found in our very own world that do not match any historical records. While these small pieces are not nearly enough to make a solid fact, it is clear that they belong to something far more unknown to us. The language upon the tablets have yet to be translated, but they do not match any recorded language that we know. It is likely that were they to be successfully translated, we would find more information for our theories. As it stands however, all that we have to go on are old legends regarding stars in the sky bringing travelers from distant lands.' That... Sounds really familiar, don't ya think?"Before she really had any time to muse on this passage however, she glanced up from the book to notice a shelf on a nearby wall that had an open space for a book. It was... Strangely lacking in dust unlike all other empty spaces in this library. She approached it calmly, noting that there was a light stream of air blowing through a small crack in the shelf."Hey, Zeni, you've got a good eye right? What do you think of this?"Ayami stared at the book she held, and then glanced back up at the books on this odd shelf, noticing that they had the very same markings on their spines. She closed the book, thinking carefully for a moment... And then she slotted the book into the shelf's empty space. Causing a loud click to ring out through the room. She jumped in surprise as the book shelf slowly began to move from it's spot."H...Huh?!"She stepped back away from it as it threatened to bump into whatever sat in it's way. Soon enough it stopped, revealing an open doorway behind where it once stood. Beyond that door was an old stone staircase descending down into pure darkness. A cold air blew up from below, revealing that this doorway undoubtedly led to a cave system of some sort. A cold chill ran down the Spiran's spine as she stared off towards the unseen bottom of the staircase."Well... I guess there's no point in waiting around, huh?"She took her first slow steps forward, descending the staircase with the same bold pace that she did before, a mixture of excitement and fear gripping her the entire time. What would they find down there? Why was it hidden away from sight? It wouldn't be long before they would find answers to all of this, and perhaps more.--- Zeni
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Post by Zeni on Dec 27, 2019 17:30:15 GMT -5
Ayami was certainly excited to learn more about how the shield worked! Zeni was pretty curious about it herself. She was already built to be extremely resistant to most forms of attack, but an extra barrier or two never hurt, right? Especially if she could use that to protect Ayami! That was a pretty nasty blow she had taken earlier, which made the Android want to prevent similarly destructive attacks from landing on the Mechanic.
Still... Nice as this shield was... It was a bit awkward to try and get it to fit in doorways and tight spaces. The large size meant that it would basically shield her entire body if she had it poised to block. But you can see why that might cause a few issues. At least Zeni had the advantage of being able to perceive with more than just plain old eyesight. One of the many advantages of being an Android, after all!
But for all of the technological marvels that her unique circumstances could offer her... Getting the damn thing to fit in spaces that was too small? That was a very notable problem without any obvious solution. Well, other than Zeni tearing the place up. But she didn't really want to do that. So she just tried to make the best of it right now. " Yeah, it'd be a lot more convenient if I could make it more portable when not in combat... The size it's at now is fine if I'm in a battle -- although being able to adjust the size on the fly WOULD be pretty useful." The gears were turning there for that idea... Hmm. She'd need to go over all of the details with Ayami later. For now, they had to focus on the task at hand. Namely trying to find anything that might offer information relevant to their device and a means to render it fully functional. Ayami perused the books and eventually found one that gave very intriguing information... As Ayami read it aloud, Zeni couldn't help but nod. " That sounds exactly like what we're looking for! We must be on the right track after all!" Eventually, the Mechanic notices an oddity with one of the bookcases. A breeze of air, and a crack that seemed to imply as if there was something behind it... When Ayami asked, Zeni stepped right up and began a quick scan! " Hmm... Yep! There's something behind this bookcase! We just need to find the way to open it!" As if right on cue, Ayami would place the book into the shelf, and then the bookcase slides as if magically commanded to do so! " Wow. If I didn't know any better, I'd think you knew that would happen!" With the way forward now opened, there was only one thing left to do; begin the exploration. Ayami took point, and Zeni follows closely behind. Thankfully there was enough room for her to maneuver that overly large shield... Sooner or later, they would reach their destination, and hopefully find what they were looking for in the process.
Time would tell...------ Ayami
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Post by Ayami on Dec 27, 2019 18:43:49 GMT -5
"Kind of a lucky guess to be honest. My second attempt was going to just be to smash the thing."The mechanic admitted, it probably would have been easier to just destroy the bookcase rather than solve whatever puzzle was intended for those who wished to descend into the depths beyond the staircase. That aside, she crept slowly down the dark stairs, each step slow to make sure she got a solid foothold, it'd be unfortunate to fall down a staircase that still didn't have a visible bottom. There was... An unsettling air creeping around her as they got closer and closer to the end of the stairs. What would be waiting for them exactly? Well, in time that question was answered."You got a light? I can't see a thing. All I know is that we've gotten to the bottom... I see something, but I can't really make it out too well."The edges of her vision were blurry, she could only vaguely make out shapes, if it weren't for her other senses, she would be utterly lost right now. But should her request for light be met, they would bear witness to their surroundings as light filled this small cavern: Deep ravines being swallowed by inky blackness surrounded a singular platform they stood upon. It was a lucky break the mechanic hadn't taken too many steps. A long fall would've been in her future had she done so. More interestingly than the ravines however was the wall in front of them. It's architecture was completely unlike anything they witnessed in the castle, giving away that whoever made Hollow Bastion clearly wasn't involved in the creation of this strange solid stone wall. What it DID resemble however was the casing of the tunneling device.
Sharp edges and squares were the main features of this wall, and in it's center an ornate yet solid door, something that clearly was designed not to be broken open, perhaps even were the world to fall down upon it. The door was framed by solid steel, in it's center were strange glyphs, while Ayami didn't recognize them, they were familiar as well...She would step forward, running her hand along them, her thoughts running wild as she observed."These have a lot of the same shapes used in Yevon Script... But they're different in a lot of ways too. I don't personally know how to read Yevon myself, but I know someone who would. Maybe we should try copying this and storing it away for later...If it really is as close as I'm thinking, they should be able to decipher it given some time."She was troubled however... Why would something resembling a language from Spira be here? Especially when this wall clearly looked to have been here for ages now. To her knowledge no one in Spira seemed to be aware of other worlds, save for the afterlife. But this place was so much different from the world Spira's long departed inhabited. Even for as advanced as the machina was, there was so far none that could allow for travel to entirely different worlds. For all she could theorize, it wasn't nearly enough to scratch even the surface of what was going on. But her thoughts were interrupted, the damaged crystal she was carrying began to hum and resonate."Huh? Is it...Reacting to this wall?"She took it out of her pack carefully, and looked all over the wall. Soon noticing a square slot in it that seemed to go deeper than the rest of the decorative design featured. As she brought the crystal closer it's humming became more loud, the gem shaking violently in her hand. Eventually the shaking was too strong, and the crystal was pulled out of her hand, slotting itself into the space. Energy beams began to shoot through the crystal as it continued to hum, now at a harmonic frequency. More interestingly however, lines of blue energy ran across the wall's ornate decor, now providing it's own illumination to the cavern. The blue energy formed new script that wasn't previously visible, the blue lines converging in a diamond shape in the middle of the door.A small circular slot opened up inside the diamond, although it wasn't clear this time what it wanted...The mechanic wracked her brain, trying to think of how to proceed."If we knew what those runes were saying, then maybe this would be a lot easier. Hrmm... Well, there's no better way to experiment than to poke and prod the thing!"With a grin Ayami haphazardly began to touch all over the diamond shape, pressing, trying to slide it, checking for any indentations or oddities... It wasn't until she pressed the tip of her index finger against the circular slot that something rather suddenly occurred. A fast, sharp pinching pain hit her as she reflexively pulled her hand away in shock."Ow! The damned thing stabbed my finger!!"She shook her hand, trying to shake away the pain, a needle that had appeared upon her pressing the slot slowly retracted back into the wall, it's tip carrying a droplet of blood. The slot closed up and there was silence for a moment..."Wow, what a cheapskate! You get my blood and you're not even gonna give me anything for it?!"The mechanic huffed in frustration, although her emotional outburst was quickly cut short as the room began to vibrate, and the door slowly began to open... Ayami's eyes widened as the door slowly revealed what was waiting beyond it. Strange ornate walls... The blue beams of light that illuminated the wall outside began to shoot through the hall, revealing it's interior."W...Well uh... I guess there's no reason to turn back now huh..."Clearly nervous about entering a strange place, the spiran set aside her fears and pressed forward, stepping into the newly revealed hallway. It was...Baffling.Despite it's clear age, the place was flawless. As if it had just been built yesterday. The blue beams formed strange wall art, slowly revealing itself as they walked further in. Said wall art was a crud mural of some kind of tribe, a few people with spears standing around huts. Above them however, was a massive gazing eye. It seemed...unnerving to look at. It gazed down at them, almost with some form of contempt. As the hallway became more and more illuminated, something aside from the mural became apparent. Strange... Human-like effigies slumped onto the floor. Lifeless statues that looked as though they might have at one point been capable of movement. Ayami stooped down to get a better look at one."These don't look anything like machina...They look closer to this weird device I found. Y'think there's a connection? I'm getting a kinda weird feeling about this place in general..."As they continued down the hallway, it eventually opened up into a room. Again just as flawless and untouched as the hallway was - And again littered with the lifeless effigies. Several new murals came to light as the blue beams flowed across the walls. The first of these murals depicting a castle with people celebrating around it. ... And yet still the same crude eye gazed down at them.
The second mural depicting people in poses that showed some form of distress, as if they were afraid of something. They surrounded a single person sitting on a throne - Evidently their leader if one was piecing together clues. The gazing eye was present here as well.
The last mural depicted the same castle from before, now in ruins. But this time... The eye was gone. In it's place a strange cloud. ... These murals did a lot to fill the mechanic with even more unease. - As if she needed help with that given the general unnatural nature of where they currently were..."I don't really think I get what they're trying to tell us. ... I don't even know who THEY are. I hope you're as lost here as I am, 'cause I can't make any sense of what I'm seeing."For the first time in her life, the Spiran was at a total loss.--- Zeni
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Post by Zeni on Dec 27, 2019 19:27:15 GMT -5
It was certainly dark in this staircase... And the destination at the bottom was no brighter. It had long since turned pitch black, and that wasn't exactly a problem for the Android to navigate, it posed a problem for Ayami. The Mechanic asks if there is something that Zeni can use to light up things a little bit -- aside from the glowing lines on her clothes, obviously. " Sure, one second!" The Backpack that the Android was wearing would open a compartment, an antenna-like machine rising forth afterwards. A soft, but very helpful light would then flood their immediate surroundings, providing much needed safety from the darkness. " There we are, that's a little better." The antenna on the backpack rested at a comfortable height slightly above Zeni's head. The lighting system may not be entirely perfect, but it was certainly better than nothing at all. It would do for the situation that they found themselves in. The footing here was dangerous with all the ravines... But then there was that peculiar wall.
Out of reflex, Zeni began to record a video log of the entire incident, along with Ayami's descriptions. The Android also took the time to examine the specified runes, and take images of them with her eyes. Unfortunately, the Android couldn't even begin to translate this language... But she could at least document everything about it. " I'm noting down everything from here on out. We'll have all the data we need. So... Let's just observe and explore." The curiousness of this whole predicament only grew, as the device -- and more specifically, the crystal began to react to the wall. Soon enough it found itself lodged in a slot outside of Ayami's will. Not that the Mechanic was too bothered, who instead began to mess with it in attempts to make something happen!
The Android watched the events unfold closely, still recording it all into a video log. Eventually something seems to have happened, causing Ayami to recoil her hand in shock, mentioning that something had stabbed her. " Are you okay?" She asked, though the conversation in that regard was cut a little short, as the slot then closes up and seems to have resulted in nothing happening other than a dead end... That is, until there was a rumbling, and the obstacle before them began to recede, giving way to even more wonders just beyond... Ayami was the first to enter this hallway filled with a strange light, and Zeni follows soon after.
Although the wall that impeded them before looked weathered and aged. What was beyond it looked practically flawless. It was no newer than the entrance that they used, but it was in obviously better condition. Eventually they come across a mural depicting an unnerving scene... A tribe watched over by a strange eye. And not too far from that, there were human-shaped statues. "Human-shaped", because they obviously weren't anything quite like Zeni.
Yet not entirely unlike her either... Ayami eventually inquires about the 'statues', and the location they found themselves in, in general. " I think it's safe to say that this whole structure, and everything inside it... Is related to that device of yours. I'll make sure to document these findings into text format as well. Every piece of data that we can have to interpret this will help." The Android was normally bright and cheerful -- and it wasn't like her mood had entirely changed. She was still a nice person. But... She was focused on the job now. Keeping your wits about you in an unexplored place like this, especially when the castle up above was teeming with Heartless... That was important.
Plus, this was a very serious endeavor to understand what they had found. The murals told a story that was hard to grasp. Perhaps if there were more information, they could accurately tell what was going on... But obviously, this eye had been guiding or at least watching over these people. And then, something happened to it. Or perhaps the eye attacked them. It was unclear.
But obviously the civilization had been wiped out... These were ruins, the remnants of what once was. " I don't know... It's incomplete. I can't tell you who these people were or exactly what happened to them. But their civilization was wiped out. It may be a result of that eye, or something happening to it... Either way. I don't think we should expect to run into anyone that's still alive here." This ended up quite a bit more intense than either of them had expected. And yet, no less intriguing... There were many secrets to unearth here. They must have been the first people in who knows how many years to even walk these grounds and witness all of this. This was history being rediscovered and made.
An exciting prospect... And potentially a dangerous one. " What should we do now?" , Zeni then asks of Ayami.------ Ayami
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