intro ♚ april

[boardmaster]

WELCOME TO GRAUPERA

We’ve all had those dreams: you wake up on a table, to blurry, ominous images and the certainty that you are absolutely buck-naked in a room full of strangers. This is not quite it.

Instead, you come awake to the sun on your face. The soft burble of water nearby. The hustle and bustle of a busy street and the faint, fortifying smell of bread. You open your eyes and there’s no one there at your bedside, but there is what appears to be the end of the world happening just beyond your window.

There’s a crack in the world across the sky, the “sun” is the totally unnatural light spilling from that crack straight into your eyes, and someone’s left a neatly pressed and folded uniform at the foot of the bed that isn’t yours. Somewhere in the room, there’s a strange clatter like beads, the click of claws on the floor.

Something’s in here with you.

Also, you are naked.

ONE ♟ CAPABLANCA & AIRY

As much as Blanc’s capital welcomes its Heroes, new arrivals such as yourself won’t have much time to settle. Get dressed and pick up your weapon and Carrier, because sometime in the afternoon, all floor nannies and Carriers will broadcast an announcement by Commander Lisbrand. She delivers a brief greeting to their new members, but gets straight to the point: they will be headed for Capablanca and the open sea beyond, in order to restore the fortress of Graupera for battle with Noir looming on the horizon. All new Heroes are expected to report to the Airy at the Caissa aeroport on the 8th along with their seniors.

On the morning of the 11th, Airy alights on Graupera, an island about two hours away from Capablanca by ferry. From here, you can either help the navy with Graupera repairs or assist in Verdoni’s investigations and head for Capablanca proper. Heroes will be staying in the (in)famous Hotel Caruana: they say you can check in anytime you like, but you can never truly leave. Nobody will quite meet your eyes or tell you what it means.

Wherever you are, the Airy will remain parked at Graupera.

TWO ♟ GRAUPERA, CAPABLANCA SEA FORT

What was once a heavily fortified island rests a ways off the coast of Capablanca; it looks a little too much like one of the thunderclouds slowly swarming on the horizon. Graupera has seen many battles and withstood the ebb and flow of wars. Formerly the city’s first line of defense until it was abandoned after the Reclamation, its dilapidated condition is the current bane of the Blanc navy. Blanc needs to bring it back to its former glory before it can face a single warship, much less Noir’s fleet of magical cannons. Blanc’s government has no doubt Heroes will do a fine job at returning the fortress to its former glory!

A ♙ The great stone and iron wall facing the wide open ocean has seen better days and is full of holes overgrown with stubborn clinging vines; cannonballs used a lifetime ago litter the grounds. The vines are extremely thick and may tangle the careless beyond hope of escape, not to mention filled with a pungent sap that will seep into your clothes and hair for days. It makes a great adhesive, though? Conveniently, parts of the wall are strewn across the floor, so at least some of the cannon holes can be repaired with enough improvisation, desperation and a bit of spit. The rest need new material provided by our helpful Heroes in Option C. Furthermore, the lingering damage from a previous attack and old age have turned the floorboards weak and unstable. The wood creaks ominously beneath the mass of even a single average-sized person, so watch your step.

B ♟ You might want to get your weapon before you descend into the dank depths beneath the castle. Once you make it down the steep, slippery stairs, you’ll be meeting the gigantic, hostile rats that infest the castle cellar from top to bottom. It looks like magical residue from long-ago battles has seeped into both the foundation and its inhabitants. The cellars have become a huge warren filled with strange mana currents, and sometimes flooded with water. If you're going to start an extermination campaign, you may want to recall the magical residue: chopping off a rat’s head and limbs will barely slow it down. It will keep going for hours unless you either lop off all its limbs or pierce its heart.

If you manage to make it all the way up into the castle’s two intact towers (the other two are half-collapsed), the uppermost levels are utterly covered in bird crap. You’ll be encountering the kings of this castle: the unusually large, grey-feathered sea birds that have taken up residence here. Albatrosses, gulls, pelicans, even sand pipers: they all share nesting and pooping space here. The feathers of each bird seem to have taken on stone-like properties not unlike the castle’s walls. They’re extremely ferocious and protective of their nests, which are filled with all kinds of things: twigs, shiny things, coin money, Option C’s supplies, feathers of all kinds, and some completely ordinary tools that seem too small for human hands, and much older than anything else in the place save for the walls. If you look closely, you might be able to see a few baby rats scattered in amongst the eggs and the peeping chicks. They’re being fed, too.

You’re meant to be moving the birds out of the place, but you might have enough trouble just moving their offal.

C ♙ Don’t feel like dealing with pest control? No problem! Blanc will need materials for rebuilding and other supplies for the coming battle! Everyone knows how important it is for the fortress to remain standing, so Heroes will be provided with gadgets and weaponry that should make it difficult for enemies to penetrate the walls yet again. Word has spread that the Heroes are transporting valuable goods, though, so you might have to fend off the occasional hopeful man or annoying mouse (rat) who wishes to borrow much-needed material.

Of course, all this rebuilding will be for naught if you are not prepared to defend the stronghold! Ammunition such as cannonballs, bullets and arrows needs to be transported to Graupera en masse, pronto. Equally important essentials include first aid supplies and enough non-perishable food and water to last a small army (you) a month or two. You wouldn’t want to have to scavenge for rat meat.

No one knows just how long this battle is going to last.

THREE ♟ Training

It’s time for you landlubbers to learn how to swim! Commander Lisbrand won’t be tolerating any sinking stones on her task force. The upcoming battle will be fought on the sea so your instructor, one of Blanc’s many fine captains (when she isn’t intoxicated), will make every single individual who hesitates at the sight of the open ocean walk the plank. She’ll even give you a helpful kick if necessary! Once that’s over, she will show you how to steer a ship. However, wandering eyes that land anywhere on the inebriated captain’s assets will be swiftly and spectacularly dealt a large bottle of the harbor’s best swill right where it hurts.

Blanc has also provided training dummies dressed suspiciously like prominent figures of the Othellian underworld. Now might be a good time to branch out and learn about your affinities. Heroes who have recently been promoted in Rank might want to set some time aside for getting used to their new abilities, too. Power and responsibility come hand in hand, after all!

INFO ♟ Welcome!

Welcome to Crosscheck's April intro log! For any further questions, please see the FAQ or reach us at the Contact Us page. Have fun!

Comments

Nora | (Mostly) OTA

[houndumb]

0.8. Furst Verse Same As The Last (CLOSED TO ZELOS, DUST, KAEDE)



[It's a fine, fine spring day in Caissa: the snow has melted, the sky has opened up in more than one way, and there's nary an inch of dry land this side of Gammon.

If you're a hapless Hero of the Republic, though, freshly arrived or freshly drenched because you had the brilliant idea to take a walk in the Hall of Glory's courtyard in the rain, you'd be running into a storm of an entirely different sort: there is what appears to be half the contents of the armory strewn about a small section of the courtyard. Lengths of rope, horse tack, muzzles, various types of collars, bear traps, bird cages... You name it, you're probably tripping over it. All have some manner of mana involved, if you've got a knack for that. These are all magical weapons, for some reason.

That's not the real spectacle here, though: quite few of the Hall staff are gathered around a corner of the place, all quite bedraggled and shouting to each other as they handle everything they keep picking up and throwing on the ground. And if you don't watch your head, you might just find yourself soundly beaned by either a piece of flying debris from the courtyard cobbles, the roof of the stables or something entirely different, long and dark.

... Also, there's a giant dog in the courtyard. Let's not forget to mention that particular detail.

Its fur is white, streaked with red in strange patterns and heavy with rain; its eyes flash like live wires in the gloom; and it absolutely towers over everything around it. If this were an actual thunderstorm, it'd probably be toast.

There's an earsplitting roar from the beast, one of the Hall staff goes flying back several feet, and even more debris starts raining on top of the double downpour you're already dealing with. That would be the dog's two tails, which are actually... giant, live, hissing snakes. It's probably why next thing you know, the remaining staff is scrambling backwards; one of them grabs your arm in desperation:]

My Hero! Please help us -- we're not equipped for this! We've brought everything you might need, just--

[They make a helpless gesture at the dog, which is now snarling and snapping at the others. They appear to be trying to either restrain or contain the dog, but there's a lot to contain (and that may be an understatement).]

2B. BEWARE: CANINE UNIT

[CRASH.

You were probably just wandering down somewhere in the ridiculous labyrinth of rat tunnels, which might as well be a sewer for how it smells and how the water sloshing around your ankles probably looks even worse in daylight. Hopefully, you brought an extra set of literally everything, including your all of you.

In the meantime: unless you caught that ominous patter of rat feet or the sound of battle beforehand, you probably didn't see it coming -- the wall up ahead exploding, that is. We hope you're real good at duck and cover, because right on the tails of that, one of the giant rats comes busting through and goes a little ways through the other wall on sheer momentum.

It's also shrieking blood murder, RIP your eardrums. But wait: somewhere in all that shrieking, there are words?!]

Would -- you -- fucking -- die already! You damn -- pest! Die! Die die die! DIE FASTER.

[If you're still around and would like to look closer (good god, why would you), you'll eventually realize that there's something -- someone -- clinging to that rat's back and being slightly crushed against the low ceiling. Said rat also has what looks like a length of something wrapped snugly around its neck and--

Well, you get the picture.

You also get another ominous sound: a rumbling from above, and little bits of the ceiling raining down. So, how far deep down in the tunnels were you? Would you survive a cave-in? Stay tuned.]

3. Gangin' Up On The Gangplank

[SPLASH.

Well, there goes the latest sucker our wonderfully sloshed captain decided wasn't fishy enough for her tastes, wailing all the way, probably. The plank is long and Captain Moonshine's patience is very, very short; that may be down to the fact that she's probably drunk everything on board at this point.

So, for a moment, there's an impasse: the Captain starts rifling through her -- assets -- for whatever she stores in there, a flask, a small wine set, possibly a magical vineyard...? And then there's the sound of stomping feet and someone shoves right up to the front of the line.

Either they're an idiot, or they're really confident in their swimming abi--]

Hey, that looks like a pretty good time! [It's an idiot. More accurately, it's Nora, completely ignoring the Captain with both hands stuck down her front to get in her face with all the enthusiasm of--] I bet I can swim better than most of these damn humans, so let me try! I can kick 'em farther!

[Whirling around, he starts looming at the rest of the unfortunate Heroes lined up at the plank leading to the ocean; he's probably eyeing them speculatively now. Yes, even you.]

X. Take A Walk On The Wild Side

[Obligatory wildcard option! Although 0.8 is closed, feel free to assume for later interaction your character would have seen Nora in dog form out in the courtyard, been beaned by passing debris when he thrashed a little too hard there, or even gotten an eyeful of teenage boy once he's forced into human form -- no clothes here, thanks Blanc.

Also up for Airy things, whacking angry birds, weapon confusion, falling through the floor, etc. etc. Bring it. ☆]

2 - B

[sakeplz]

[There can't possibly be anyone who would wander through this area humming to themselves as they try to just sort of...fit in tight spots. There are some problems with getting through here and that's the fact that he's big and that his sword is big. It can be really troublesome, you know! So he's grateful for areas that are a little bit more open.

Well until he sees someone trying to ride a rat like it's a horse. Putting a hand over his eyes like he's shielding them from the sun (which is stupid since there is no sun down here), he gives a giggle of delight. He's quite the vicious sword even if he doesn't look like.]

I don't think that's how you should ride those! You'll go smoosh-smash!

[Yes. This tall and elegant looking man just said that. Casually, he steps to the side and the bits of ceiling fall next to him instead of on him before he's just sort of skipping along stones to get closer. Wait, are his feet clean? Has he been using stones and such to do that?]

What a mess!

[He holds his hands out like he's holding reins.]

You hold them like this!

[Jirou...what.]

[houndumb]

Ugh...

[Somehow, even though he's on a thrashing rat and Jirou isn't, and even though he's close enough to the ceiling to present a more difficult moving target -- Nora managed to get clipped by the collapsing bits of ceiling anyway. Just his luck, huh?

It also means he really doesn't have time to spare to notice the elegance or inability to fit into tunnels his companion has on full display here.]

... You're talkin' too loud and I still can't hear you, but stop laughing! [Because that's the important thing here and what he should be focusing on. The rat, at this stage, has taken to ramming itself against the more-or-less intact side of the tunnel -- seemingly in an attempt to oust its rider through force.] If you're gonna stand there--

[It's really dubious wisdom already to be talking and rodeoing at the same time, but this time when Nora cuts himself off it's because the rat's somehow, finally, gotten the "reins" between its teeth (they're vines, actually).

If Jirou keeps blocking the tunnel with his bulk, he might get run over...]

[sakeplz]

That looks dangerous...

[He hums thoughtfully then shifts so he can actually get the sword out of the sheathe. It takes creativity but he manages it somehow. Which then leaves him ready as the thing comes running his way and...

He stabs through to the heart. How he misses the person riding it is a mystery but down the thing goes with Jiroutachi dancing out of the way last minute. Sorry did you want to keep that one as a ride? That's probably a bad idea, you know!]

Oh. Maybe I blocked the tunnel with it.

[Oops?]

I guess we have to move it. [Pause.] Do you want to? I'd hate to be sobered by this silly thing.

3

[showsnopiety]

[And there goes another one. Here she had been, enjoying the show (more or less innocently) when there was a dog that decided that it was possibly just maybe, going to throw her as if she was some sort of...ball, or something to play with.

The look that Caren shoots him is far less then impressed. Oh. And there's the dog now, looking right down at her as if she's the stupid one.

Grabbing collar in three...two...one...yank.]

I knew you were stupid, but this is low. Even for you.

[Caren stares up at him with golden eyes.]

If you even think about trying to throw me, I'll twist it off.

[What is 'it?' He can fill in the blanks.]

1/2

[houndumb]

[We'd like to state for the record here that said innocence is really, really in question by all parties.

The reply to her threat bolts out so fast he's practically talking over her; it's almost like he was expecting it--]

I'd like to see you try, ya damn human! [Also, Caren is getting her collar grabbed in return, because that's the in thing these days; they're still precariously close to the plank, so everyone else is probably backing away by now, probably wisely. The Captain is likely enjoying the show with liquor right about now...

Meanwhile:]

... But you better not actually try anything!

2/2

[houndumb]

[And then, with her collar firmly in his grip and having yelled all up in her face and everything--]

--Do I even know you?!

2b

[topkong]

[ The heck is this? Really, rat smashing should be a pretty easy job, even if they're way bigger than the normal sized rodent. Then again, Wukong has seen walking, talking, crossbow-wielding rats! This will be easy, especially because the monkey can easily fit in the tightest of spaces...

But it's never that easy, is it? ]

Hey, you shouldn't abuse the pet they give you. [ And he laughs at his own humor! Wukong's so witty... then, he clears his throat. ]

But seriously. What are you trying to do?

[houndumb]

[See, Wukong, if they were walking, talking, crossbow-wielding normal furries then at least they would consent to die if you brained them hard enough, or if you garroted them with the correct amount of force; which in fact is what Nora is trying to do, hauling back on the vines he's got wrapped around the rat's jugular like his life depends on it (possibly it does?).

He hasn't got a lot of attention to spare for a monkey (a monkey?!) making jokes underground in the middle of nowhere when the rat is doing its level best to buck him right off and he's pretty much plastered himself to it (ew, fur in his mouth), but he does have the time to complain:]

I'd take this-- [Annnd YANK, goes the vine, and SQUEAL, goes the rat -- it swerves sideways and bangs into the wall again and now that rumbling from above is getting a little louder. Is it raining in here? There's suddenly water falling in your face...] --stupid thing over whatever the hell they gave me! And what the hell does it look like I'm doing, I'm killing this thing!

[...]

For the fourth time! Argh!

3

[quaria]

[ He's not even on the line! Why are you staring at him, idiot!? Setsuna already knows how to swim, so he's been exempted from these lessons. He's here for the steering class, which hasn't started yet.

He's actually pretty confident that he can already maneuver the ship by himself, but he wanted to hear out the explanation either way; it's better to be safe. After all, there might be features on these boats that he isn't aware of. Enprise is a strange magical world, so he wouldn't be surprised if there's something unusual about the ships here. ]

[houndumb]

[Because you look short, and an easy target, and also kind of aloof, which always pings his this guy probably thinks he's better than other people or is the really annoying quiet kind that you have to watch out for type radar. Actually, those aren't even legitimate types of people, but Nora's life has never been full of very legit people in the first place.

So at the end of the day: he doesn't like your face, Setsuna, and that's why you're getting the beady eye. And also you happen to be standing within several dozen meters of the plank, which Nora has now apparently claimed as his territory...

And if you maintain eye contact long enough, he's going to stomp over:]

What, you wanted to go first or something? You gonna keep us waiting all day, or am I gonna have to help you along? Huh??

[Hopefully you aren't standing too close to the edge of the ship, either, because Nora is apparently trying to crowd you right off the side at this point.]

0.8 gets this rolling yepyep

[glorifiedtrash]

[Zelos looks down at his arm. ...He really doesn't want to be touched by these people. But. Can't say that. Gotta set an example. So instead he pats the staff teasingly on the cheek.]

You did a good job. Let the rest of us handle it. It's what we're here for, right~?

[Gag him. He quickly shoves the staff towards the building though and looks up at the...three-headed dog. Well. It's not hard to figure out what's going on. The sky had split once again, the sign of delivered heroes. And the staff had been trying to contain this beast rather than running for their lives. As such...

This must be an hero. These idiots. They really dragged something they just couldn't handle into this world this time. Zelos glances around for whoever's close by.]

Care to help? How's your welcome wagon manner.

[Cause his is terrible. Oh well, oh well. Too late to ditch now so-- just going to hold out an hand to Nora.]

Yo.

PUPPY

[long_live_the_queen]

[Kaede had started to learn some of the shortcuts through the Hall; just a few, but with it raining like this there shouldn't be terribly many people in the courtyard. If she stuck close to the wall on the west side she'd avoid the worst of the rain and-

-that sure was a bear trap flying by.

The sound of the commotion going on was impossible to miss even from within the building, though the rain distorted some of it. No sooner had Kaede rushed over to investigate, Carrier running silent and worried at her heels, than--she was being talked to.]

What do you think?

[At least Zelos wasn't nearly as disagreeable as her!]

Zoo shipment kind of missed by a few blocks.

[Because that sure looks like a giant dog with snakes for a tail to her. A really, really angry one--though it seemed more like an instinctual or frightened lashing out, rather than something malicious.

The last time Kaede had encountered a dog even close to that big it...wasn't, really.

Maybe Zelos wasn't going to lose his arm, but Kaede was still circling to the side and away, careful of her footing on the wet flagstones.]

3!

[sunderings]

[ Him? This idiot delightfully boisterous fellow with curiously dual-colored eyes is looking at him? And here Sion had thought himself to be relatively innocuous, if not altogether unassuming, leaning against the rail of the ship with the long fall of his hair running loose and tumbling down, down, and down. ]

You there, Hero. [ It can only be Nora which he addresses, his eyes lifting to lock with the other man's, steady with a measure of calm and lambent with their own light. ] You'll not be kicking anyone.

[ Palm open and guileless, he extends a hand, bidding the object of his private amusement to join him—the Hero King had always been ease, when Calne and Claugh had taken to bickering, calling one another's capabilities (...and wayward inclinations...) into question, and perhaps this man's surly behavior had served as a reminder of that.

Truly, Nora is harmless, and surely, all the man needs is a bit of direction. ]

Come here.

[ Funny, how so gentle a voice leaves little room for disobedience. ]

[houndumb]

[Unassuming, sure, but you really have to wonder just how well Sion would fare in the ocean with all that hair. Probably, it'd be like swimming with a giant ferret on his back; or maybe his Queenly aura or general state of sparkly himselfness would allow him to mermaid that shit.

Not that Nora's thought all that deeply about it, even if he can register that the stranger whose eyes are a little odd and a little familiar is probably not dressed -- or existing in any practical state whatsoever -- for the present activity. What registers much more, of course, is the command and the aura of expectation, as though this totally random fop thinks himself fit to give orders.

You can practically see his hackles rising at this point.]

Hmph. If the Captain's kicking, there's nothing wrong with kicking! [And honestly, he's restless lately and looking to blow off steam pretty much everywhere.] Why should I listen to you, anyway?

3

[buildyourworld]

[ Tieria is not here for the swimming lesson (his Gundams being usually parked on the ocean bed due to it's massive size made swimming and diving an obligatory skill to master). He arrived early to watch the class so he could take note of any lousy swimmers just in case he got paired with them for missions later. Which is why, he's not standing in line and is instead leaning against a pole nearby.

Apparently, some people doesn't comprehend lining quite the same way everyone else does so he now has a snarling rude person in his face. ]

Your line is over there. [ His reply comes completely unfazed because really, when you have Hallelujah as your partner, no snarling comes up close in rank of intimidation. ]

[houndumb]

[The real question is: is anyone actually here for the swimming lesson, or are we all just here to popcorn.gif while the Captain kicks totally random bozos off the ship? Maybe it's not that important. The mertown probably needs the tourism.

Considering the snarling individual is a ridiculous teenager explicably wearing three ponytails and an actual collar, shorter than Tieria, and slightly damp from dogpaddling whatever dipping into the ocean those who know how to swim do around here...

(Honestly, he probably got kicked off the ship at some point to cool his head, but he just never learns.)]

Heh. I don't need to get in line, I've swum in way crazier conditions than this!! [Well, they are holding a swimming lesson in the middle of a rainstorm on a choppy ocean, but their instructor is also drunk and probably singing a ditty.] What, you scared or something?

3

[meanballerina]

[Natasha, being next in line, glares right back at him. She's not going to let some annoying loudmouth intimidate her. And if he tries to kick her off the plank...she'll make sure he regrets it.]

Don't. Even. Try.

[houndumb]

[Well, that sure is a death glare! Too bad this particular annoying loudmouth has been glared at by Satan herself and (mostly) lived to tell the tale. So while he has some sense that he should tread with caution it doesn't actually put him off too much. What is self-preservation, really.

So what he'll do... is crowd her up against the side of the ship. Maybe try to bump her backwards a little more with his (really rather average tbh) bulk.]

Or. What?

2B or not 2B. That is the question.

[convictionary]

[Is basically the living incarnation of popcorn.gif, leaning against a wall, eating a sucker, watching the show, has been for a while, at least up until-]

Hurry it up already! Cripes! Not all of us want to die from the walls caving in!

[He'd help but he'd hurt everything and no.]

casually eats the question

[houndumb]

[It's not popcorn.gif if you're sucking on a lollipop or some other 4Kids shit??

And normally you would've gotten quite a bit more snarling from Nora, he has an especial sense for when he's serving as the source of somebody else's amusement, but just at the moment Ratatron Reboot 3000 (placeholder name) is much more interesting than some guy lost in the tunnels.

For example, it's shouldered so long and hard at the opposite wall that it's definitely doing that caving in thing Gaius is screaming about, and also--]

Well, if you don't wanna die, then quit messin' with my concentration!!

[--guess who hasn't figured out the gravity of the situation.

Ah, but back to our friend, the tunnel: there is suddenly considerably more water happening here, so either the rat broke into a more flooded tunnel or there's some kind of aqueduct going through here. But that's not the real problem. The real problem is that there are more rats coming through, probably summoned by the squeals echoing off the ceiling. Oh, dear.]

2B.

[praises]

[ Killing things: not a favored pastime, let's be real. At least not for this side of the coin, who is, unfortunately, the one dealing with things that need to be killed. Pest control sounded like a fairly straightforward task, but Allelujah is fast realizing that his company is making it anything but.

By screaming and crashing through walls and wow, this is going to end really badly in about ten seconds. He's suddenly coated in a liberal dusting of ceiling parts as the struggle goes on. ]

Can you hear me? [ God okay he has to get closer. Quickly. ] You — you can't kill them that way!

[houndumb]

[Allelujah, darling, what did you think pest control would be like in fantasy hell?? This is nothing so simple as weeding.... You'd need to go up a few levels and ruin your hair considerably more for that. That might be a moot point by now, though, considering they're all of them covered in ceiling dust; word to the wise here -- white hair, like white vehicles, is terrible. Can't take it anywhere.

That is to say, by now you can barely distinguish Nora from the bristling, mud-like mass of the rat in the gloom, but you sure can hear him once Allelujah gets close enough for his words to reach--]

Big words from the guy dancing around like a headless chicken!! [Which might be a good thing, honestly, because both rider and rat are covered in sticky vine sap and if Allelujah wanders too close he might just... get stuck.]

What's your-- [SNAP, goes a vine, to a spray of vine sap and a lurch sideways from the whole ensemble] --big -- idea?!

X O X O

[stagewhirl]

[Among those unfortunates struck down by a flying birdcage? This Queen, who hadn't expected a rather unimproved defense stat to come into play so early, let alone by one of those. Waking to a very concerned carrier in a new hotel room sure is a way to start the day (again)... or the night, rather, but Arashi emerges to at least face the outside world, should any duties remain to pick up.

But who to ask about what's left? Princess is around for sending questions en masse, and messaging a friend is always an option, but with circumstances this... unflattering, it better aligns with Arashi's pride to go out and find a neutral party to ask quietly.

Little is it realized, the first such person Arashi runs into is exactly the dog that started this mess, and Nora gets called out on perfectly pleasant terms.]

Oh, you there! Would you know if there's any work still going on outside? ["Outside" being back at the fort of course. But then again, that distance? At this hour...?] I won't be disappointed with either yes or no, honestly....

OXOX

[houndumb]

[This is what happens when you don a tiara and don't exercise constant vigilance, Arashi, you end up in traffic accidents with random pet supplies and the pet supplies never lose. You do. Just think of it as training your scouting stat, I guess?!

Nora, meantime, is skulking the halls like a perfectly good, perfectly normal thug (he's all cleaned up in the Hero uniform now, of course, even if there's probably still debris left in his hair from all the work Arashi's been asking after because white hair is hard to clean, and the uniform itself could use a more thorough washing.... how do they even do laundry around here), so Arashi asking a perfectly innocuous question gets a patented punk headturn.

You know the one.]

Ahh? The hell're you going on about, you got any idea what time it is?! Or did you just get up like a slacker?

[... We're sorry about him, really, he was raised by wolves. Maybe it's a good thing they're anonymous at the moment; he probably wouldn't be sorry about the bird cage, either.]