Curious Findings (17) : Maybe it’s got something to do with the weather, or the construction, or all the other general oddities that seem to occur in Destiny City, but for the first time in nearly fifty years, the historic tree in one of Downtown Destiny City’s parks has woken up. While the tree was known for being alive and growing despite a lengthy hibernation, this is the first year that it’s sprouted leaves–but that’s not all! The unique tree has now also started growing strange pods. Because of the trees legacy–and not at all because of the oddity–the area has been taped off, but that really hasn’t been enough to stop anyone curious enough to investigate. The tree itself is several feet wide and stands roughly fifty feet tall; it’s branches spread significantly and seem like they can hold a lot of weight–which is good, because the pods growing on it have a hard brown shell and can grow up to the size of a soccer ball. Sometimes, the larger ones seem to tremble and shake in place. Maybe it's an animal trying to nibble? Maybe it’s just the wind? Maybe it’s something else. The pods can be pulled from the tree or collected from the ground; the shells are incredibly difficult to crack open, and some of them leak a strange, acidic sap that is strong enough to cause skin agitation–and in some cases there are even reports that it’s burned through wood or fabric. Sometimes, the healthier looking pods that aren’t leaking anything even seem to shake on their own, which is a mystery in itself. Another mystery is why Almadel seems so keen to trade for them…
Upon hearing that some sort of high profile Business Being wanted pods off this specific tree, Rhysi decided that she should grab some herself. Not to give to this "Mysterious Merchant" but because she also wanted them. She wasn't sure why...but surely they must be Good Stuff. Maybe she'd give them to the gardening nerds among the Vanguard.
Rhysi had recently learned that on Earth, anybody who was very interested in something you weren't also interested in was to be called a "nerd". It was, in her opinion, a very useful term.
Avoiding the crude security measures around the tree, Rhysi walked up to inspect the trunk. Just as she was about to touch the bark, she sensed movement nearby and without pausing for even one, moderately reasonable second, spun and shot them with her short bow.
orangeish sherbert
Energy Shortbow - fires a blaster shot firing rate - ten seconds effect - tingling and numbing sensation for 5 seconds upon contact
Posted: Thu Jul 06, 2023 8:02 pm
Ersa was walking through the park, her tail swishing behind her, when suddenly there was a whizzing sound and a bolt of light that hit her squarely in the chest. It didn’t quite hurt, but suddenly everything was tingly and numb, all the way through to her shoulders.
“What…?” she said, looking over to where she’d seen a flash of movement, tears already pooling in her eyes. She didn’t feel any kind of creepy Chaos energy here, or energy at all.
What she saw was a very tall person, dressed in gray clothes. She looked over with wide eyes, confusion evident. “Why…? That hurt? What did I do to you?”
lizbot
Orangeish Sherbert
Rebel Millionaire
Offline
lizbot
No Faun
Offline
Posted: Thu Jul 06, 2023 8:15 pm
Critically looking the senshi over, stripes, not quite human, desirable accessories, emotional, Rhysi nodded her head as if confirming something. Yes. This was indeed a...person. She should probably figure out what they were up to.
"Warning you," she intoned sternly. "Don't steal."
She took on the air of authority as she stood there, something that intensified as she summoned up a touch screen. "Your name and sphere?"
Orangeish Sherbert
Posted: Thu Jul 06, 2023 8:19 pm
“Don’t steal? I was not stealing anything? I don’t understand? Why did you shoot me?”
Ersa couldn’t understand at all. “I am Sailor Ersa, Senshi of Purity, but who are you? I do not understand what you want?”
Was this…normal? This was clearly not a human but…
“Are you a Senshi too…?”
lizbot
Orangeish Sherbert
Rebel Millionaire
Offline
lizbot
No Faun
Offline
Posted: Thu Jul 06, 2023 8:32 pm
"I am Rhysi," she offered generously, and then further explaining. "a scientist." As if that was one of the powerful races among the stars.
After entering the name and sphere, she asked another question, "Describe the state of your homeworld." There was a pause, and Rhysi considered that information given was now reaching a transactional point. She took a large candy bar out of her space, looked at it, put it back, and then pulled out a much smaller version of the candy bar instead.
"I'll give you this."
Orangeish Sherbert
Posted: Sat Jul 08, 2023 6:22 pm
“...A scientist? But that does not explain why you hurt me? What does that have to do with anything?”
Ersa stared in confusion at the offered piece of candy and slowly shook her head, brows furrowed together. “I’m not…sure if that is an apology and I don’t…believe that I wish to continue this interaction…I…you’re kind of rather mean, and I’m not very comfortable right now…”
She took a step backwards, staring at Rhysi with clear mistrust. “You should not…shoot people that you wish to talk to…this…will only grant you enemies, I think…And saying that you are sorry is much more beneficial than offering candy...candy is meant to bring joy not…make up for being mean…”
lizbot
Orangeish Sherbert
Rebel Millionaire
Offline
lizbot
No Faun
Offline
Posted: Sat Jul 08, 2023 6:37 pm
Rhysi's brow furrowed and she stated simply, "You're fine?" To prove her point, Rhysi turned the short bow down and shot her own foot. The tingly feeling was annoying, and she shook it restlessly as if that would help make it wear off faster. "It's fine," she insisted.
It seemed the candy was the real problem here (since shooting people was apparently fine) perhaps this senshi was unfamiliar with Capitalism, a system Rhysi had been finding both extremely stressful yet also advantageous. "The candy is not an apology. It's in exchange for data." What was there to be sorry about? If Rhsyi actually wanted to harm someone, it was much more effective to use hand-to-hand rather than a cadet level blaster weapon.
She glanced down at the weapon in one hand and the candy in the other, then sent them back into her personal space. Showing her empty hands, she said, "Weirdo." This was also a new word, to be applied to those who aren't being rational.
Orangeish Sherbert
Posted: Sat Jul 08, 2023 6:42 pm
Ersa watched and her expression grew more confused and more concerned as this…stranger shot herself with her weapon and…then proceeded to tell her that she was fine and that…she had absolutely no manners! That was the real issue here…she was shooting people and had no remorse but…
“You…an exchange for data does not excuse…how would you appreciate if others simply shot you and then never apologized and just kept talking about data...this…you make no sense! You are the weirdo, you are rude and uncultured and this is not the way to make friends. You should apologize because you are in the wrong and I am unhappy.”
Her eyes were starting to burn now, and Ersa tried desperately to fight off the wave of unhappiness that was growing inside of her…this…
“You are simply a bully, not a scientist…and if you do not understand that, your life is not going to be happy and you will die alone!”
lizbot
Orangeish Sherbert
Rebel Millionaire
Offline
lizbot
No Faun
Offline
Posted: Sat Jul 08, 2023 6:49 pm
"We're not friends," Rhysi explained. A friend would be giving her something. Like her new good friend Pax who gave her money. "But I would take the candy in exchange for data." Obviously. "Only a weirdo refuses such good deals."
Crossing her arms, the cadet loomed over the senshi with clear dissatisfaction at the claim that she wasn't a scientist. "Bully and scientist are not mutually exclusive."
As with many questions she's bee4n presented with lately, Rhysi decided that this too was the result of differing priorities. She prioritized things like: research to save her world, Things, and candy. This senshi prioritized...apologies.
"Really useless."
Orangeish Sherbert
Posted: Sat Jul 08, 2023 6:54 pm
Useless…
The word sliced into Ersa like a knife and she felt her face crumple, her lip beginning to tremble with the implication. She…was useless. Which was why they had put her to sleep instead of having her try to help her own home. Which was why Lysithea hadn’t come to help…which was why…
…Everyone was gone.
She was useless and that was all that she would ever be but.
“I hope that. One day you will understand that your words are cruel…and that you…”
Ersa swallowed and dug her fingernails into her palms before she turned around. “That you don’t have someone say something so mean...and I hope that you never have to feel that you’re useless too.”
She wanted to say something mean. Something as awful as this Rhysi had just said to her, but all that Ersa really did was break into a run and get out of there as quickly as she could. She didn’t need to stay and try to be friends with someone so…so cruel...and when she was far enough away, she powered down and broke into bitter sobs.
lizbot
Orangeish Sherbert
Rebel Millionaire
Offline
lizbot
No Faun
Offline
Posted: Sat Jul 08, 2023 7:06 pm
Letting the floating touch screen go, Rhysi frowned even harder at the retreating figure. She also hoped she would never be considered so useless in the future. It didn't seem very probable though, she was working hard with the correct priorities in place. Not crying over words and candy bars.
Picking out a particularly large pod for the nerds, Rhysi noticed a shining charm on the ground. The frown quickly disappeared, replaced by a smug satisfaction. If the senshi wasn't so weird, maybe she would have found it first, which would have been terrible.
And likely would have merited a second blaster shot.
