❪ introlog: #6 ❫ city of secrets

[natha]

You've spent the last few days on Thesa Station, taking in the knowledge that your world is no more. Now, the time to put all your survival training into practice has arrived: El Nysa needs you, and you're here to help the planet thrive. Are you ready? THE DESCENT     All refugees on the station are called to the hangar, where a large-scale teleporter awaits. Simply step onto the space between the arrays and wait; everyone will be sent down to the planet together. Before they depart, all refugees will be given a cold weather survival kit with warm clothing, rations, and bedding. The arrays build into a brilliant wash of light, creating a column that travels all the way from Thesa Station to the surface of El Nysa, teleporting the refugees to the planet on an aurora. Once on the planet's surface, refugees receive one last message from Darma. It has been a long, perilous year for you, refugees. And yet we must ask you to brave further peril. Within Nadril are the secrets to how poor Ysverai's revival was hidden from our sight and how this disaster has come to our star. Find the first refugee from beyond this planet, a man named Magda. He will not speak to us, for much has come between us, but to you… If you prove yourselves, he may be willing to answer your questions. We beseech you, for there is a veil over Nadril that hides all within from us. There may yet be more untold dangers waiting to befall this planet. For the good of all who make this world home, we ask you to lend us your aid. There is yet one more favor we would ask of you. In warding off the Storm's encroachment, the physical aspect of ourselves that you call Thesa Station was damaged. We must remain to continue repairs to El Nysa and to deal with Ysverai, but there should be suitable technology within Nadril that could be used for spare parts. If you have the chance to find it and can return it to us, it would hasten— Darma's message crackles with static, another image overlaying hers — her broadcast is cut off and replaced with another. A more sullen and alien voice takes Darma’s place, overlapping on itself in an ominous reveal. It has been a long, perilous year for you, refugees. And yet you’ve only just arrived here. To say I’m not disappointed in your… generation would be to lie, and I am nothing if not an honest creature. But I suppose these have been unusual circumstances. You must ask yourself this — are you only here as Darma's lapdogs? I can assure you, it's not worth being on the Natha's leash. With time, that will be something you'll have to learn for yourself. If you're so determined to come find Nadril, then follow the path north, and you'll find the border. What awaits you is revelation, if you're up to the challenge. A FROZEN LAND     The refugees land on a literally frozen world, both in temperature and time. Curls of icy wind hold swirls of snow aloft and an uncanny silence is broken only by the crunch of hoarfrost underfoot. Only Darma's protection allows the refugees to move through this frozen world — and movement is very necessary. Bitter cold sneaks through even the thickest clothing and without warning, a snowstorm rises: unnaturally quickly, a wall of white howls directly in the refugee's path. Bizarrely, the way back is perfectly calm; it's obvious that this storm is no product of nature. Magda's challenge becomes clear: the only way to Nadril lies through this storm. Visibility within the storm is near zero, the whiteout hiding any landmarks from view and making navigation near impossible. The only guidance refugees have is a sporadic path of faint, greenish lights, easily lost in the raging storm. Refugees need all the survival skills they practiced on Thesa Station to survive, for getting lost alone is a death sentence. Luckily, those separated from the group can happen upon guiding lights Magda has planted throughout the tundra. These blue-white sparks cause frostbite if handled recklessly, but they also serve as directional anchors, turning into ghostly flames that lead lost souls back to the path to Nadril. The trek through the storm will be no mean feat and will last for the better part of three days. By the time the refugees reach Nadril's gate, most will find themselves exhausted and running on fumes. As the snowstorm dies away and a gap in the glittering forcefield around the city opens to usher the refugees inside, it's clear that Nadril is a different beast. A WARM(?) WELCOME     I. Despite the unforgiving journey, entering Nadril is painless. Once inside, characters will be greeted by their predecessors: the original refugees who made this advanced city. They'll immediately be offered medical attention, as well as warm cider and blankets. But it's obvious that the Nadril citizens prefer higher tech to fend off the weather: they also offer wristlets and ear cuffs that that double as mittens and earmuffs by creating warm bubbles of air. The earrings also feature a few quality of life programs, such as timed alarms and thought-to-speech messaging. However, both programs are in beta stages so it's not unusual for a stray thought to accidentally slip through or an alarm to accidentally ring at an inopportune time. II. Refugees are offered free lodging in a large, crystalline building crafted from ice. Despite the coarse building material, the ice is unmelting and surprisingly well-insulated, and the beds are as warm and cozy. The rooms are, however, small. The sleeping quarters house two people, and are some cross between an igloo and a capsule hotel. Though built for efficiency over comfort, all rooms are also outfitted with the latest Nadril AI, RoboAlfred, or Ralf for short. This helpful program is installed in practically all the furnishings: the closet tells guests to bundle up, the bathroom sink reminds them to brush their teeth, and the mirror offers helpful fashion tips. Ralf's personality matrix still needs polish, though: it may very well insult your clothes and passively-aggressively question your lifestyle choices for the entire stay. III. Though not as advanced as Thesa Station, the colony has technology far beyond the rest of the continent, such as rudimentary AIs and mechanical transportation. Nadril's skyline is a point of pride — refugees can take a (literal) lightrail that gives an aerial view of the colony, which is hewn almost entirely from ice and rock. Despite its tech, Nadril is much more sparsely populated than Olympia and Wyver, and its residents stay near a central hub: a Natha refugee drop ship, Central, which has crashed and long embedded itself into the earth. Central is similar to an older, smaller, grounded model of Thesa Station, in functional order with round-the-clock solar power. Within Central are lounges similar to ones on the Station, though many of the damaged areas have been converted. They include repair stations, different wings dedicated to science, botany, astrology, and mechanics, and a research and history facility, which has a smattering of technology from planets beyond El Nysa — including your own. The staff here don't mind if anything is sampled and studied, but objects cannot be taken from the labs. IV. On the outskirts of the central hub, many will find several curious looking bots with insect-like wings perched about high traffic walkways. Simply passing the bots will cause a dizzying flash before a series of photos print out. Upon closer inspection, people will find that these images reflect stills taken from their home worlds as they remember it. Unfortunately, these photos only last a couple of hours at best. At that time, they will revert back to regular pictures of the refugees. People will be encouraged to share these images of their worlds. The residents of Nadril comprehend the value of remembering one's origins, and will be pleased to see that people still hold memories of old homes close to them. RECREATION IN NADRIL     I. Small, mechanical creatures scampering through the city are a common sight. Ask anyone, and they’ll tell you that they come from a shop called Paws About Town. They’re very useful, as companions, gophers, and couriers (though the more mischievous will note that they’re just small enough to keep tabs on people without being noticed). Premade robotic pets are available on display inside the shop. They come in all shapes, but small sizes; one may be able to find robots that even look like miniature creatures from their homeworld. These are a part of a new, highly customizable line with programmable personalities. Customers have the chance to take pets for a one-day trial run. Those who don’t know how to program may want to enlist more knowledgeable aid, but the pets come with instructional pamphlets for basic personality traits such as obedience, helpfulness, playfulness, and bloodthirst. For returns, the switch to wipe the robot's personality to a blank slate is on the back of its neck, right between a switch to invert all traits, and a switch to have them learn by observing. Try not to press the wrong switch — you might wind up with a pet with a mind of its own! II. A. The Frosty Tap Cantina is a thriving hub of activity, but one of the major draws is the self-service bar: molecular mixology is wildly popular here. Playing with drink compositions can be a game in and of itself, and newcomers to the cantina will find that the bartender — a cheerful woman with lilac skin and three eyes — is always happy to give them a few tips on how to use the wide array of tools within reach of the barstools. All manner of drinks are possible — from glowing, layered cocktails, to clear drinks with colored, spherical bubbles and vividly-colored shots that give off their own smoke. There's a nightly contest in the cantina for the most creative drink created by a team — this may be as good a time as any to partner up with someone and see what can you come up with. Winner gets all their drinks for the night free! And, hey, even if you don't win, you get to drink whatever you make. The well-lubricated patrons of the bar are eager to challenge anyone nearby to a different sort of drinking game… Just how well can you hold your liquor? B. Holo-screens in the cantina are nearly always broadcasting some match or another of a game that looks very much like hockey, albeit played with sticks that light up and a puck that changes shape from time to time. Colonists here merely refer to the game as "the sport," and one of their favored pastimes is betting. However, they don't use currency — they wager dares. Nadril colonists are a tough, weathered lot, and they prefer to speak with actions over silver. Colonists will urge the refugees to take part as well. Common dares range from the ridiculous (lead a sing-a-long, attempt to make someone with a poker face smile) to the suggestive (kiss the person in the cantina you find most attractive, strip off a piece of clothing), to the outright reckless (venture out into the snow for a certain amount of time, and no one will judge if you find some company to keep warm). The colonists are unfazed by even the most insane or tawdry of dares — but you'll certainly be called a killjoy for refusing too often! Why not grab a friend and give it a whirl, or challenge a rival to a dare yourself? THE MISSION     I. On the outskirts of Nadril is the communications tower of the old refugees. This is where Magda resides, monitoring Nadril's technological protections, the extent of the Natha’s influence, and running his own personal projects for El Nysa’s technological advancement. It is isolated, filled with research labs and relics of the past refugees who have come to El Nysa — a living mausoleum of worlds swallowed up by the Storm whose peoples have refused to forget where they came from. Crew photos line the walls of the tower: pictures of alien families and friends, the refugees who came to Nadril before you. Each group of photos gradually becomes smaller in number, and the most recent of the pictures are from half a century ago. Magda's picture can be found among the first group of refugees, an unusually small cluster of photos dating back centuries in El Nysa's past. I have been on this planet for nearly two centuries. Life has come, evolved, and collided in an ever expanding culture. But Darma fears interference, and made this place a prison, with she our warden, stifling the growth of the creatures native to this world rather than encouraging them to flourish. She sent you here for answers in her stead because she knows I'll spurn her, and after seeing what that fool Raysc has wrought, I'll give you them — not for Darma's sake, but because I trust after all the Natha have done to you, you'll understand my decision. Mistakes were made, and I won't hide them. You've made it here so there's some mettle to you, and unlike the Orbiters, I'm not interested in hiding the secrets of the dangers we face. I gave Raysc what he needed to keep his actions hidden from Darma's eyes — what he needed to advance the primitive magics the Natha had doomed him to. It was old Natha tech, Darma's very own used against her. Hilarious, isn't it? Raysc learned of Nadril, and like you, braved the snow to find his way here. He proved his worth and his determination, and he spoke of a brighter future, El Nysa coming into its own, its people realizing their true potential, unhindered by the shackles that had been put upon them. I believed him. He had vision — or so I thought. In truth, he was a fool. A madman. He wasted the opportunity I gave him on his petty vengeance. But not everyone on this planet is such an idiot. Surely you lot aren't. The Natha are hiding things from us — about the Storm, about everything. And here in Nadril, we're going to find all those secrets. What's it going to be? Will you help us, or are you going to stay obedient dogs on Darma's leash? Magda isn't too talkative yet; after all, the new flock of refugees may just be here as eyes and ears for the Orbiters. But what he has said leaves you with plenty to talk about, and if you can earn his trust by helping out around Nadril, he doubtless has a great deal more to reveal. II. Central isn't the only Natha ship that made its way to El Nysa — another, crashed just outside Nadril's borders, is little more than a junk heap. It's here that you'll find the spare parts Darma asked you to retrieve for Thesa Station. What remains of the ship's hull serves as a windbreak, and snow has built up against it, turning the piles of old Natha tech inside into something of a snowy morass. Holes in the deck offer would-be scavengers passage to the ship's innards, barely illuminated with flickering lights — the tech is old, but hardy enough to withstand a crash landing, the severe weather, and the passage of centuries. Deep in the wreck are the remains of living quarters, research labs, VR arenas, mecha bays, cafeterias, and a host of other rooms, many of which may seem familiar from Thesa Station, albeit with a decidedly older feel to what remains of the smooth curves and sleek surfaces of the Natha architecture. Most of the ship's systems are damaged and the technology is nonfunctional, but that just means there's plenty of spare parts to be found. The wreck isn't in the best shape, its structural integrity damaged, and the drifting snow threatens to block off exit routes. Be careful while exploring and be sure to bring a partner. As it turns out, Darma isn't the only one interested in the wreck — Magda is also eager to get his hands on Natha technology. In his own way of taking some responsibility for Raysc, he's asking scavengers to bring him parts, muttering about seeing what he can do about Ysverai's curse. Bring him anything that looks useful, and he may have a chance to succeed, though whether he'll be more effective than the Natha Orbiters is up for debate... FINAL OOC NOTES     An AC-eligible thread with a new character as a participant for 2 NADRIL REP POINTS may be submitted from this log. SUBMIT THE THREAD HERE BY AUGUST 5TH, 11:59 PM EST. As always, feel free to create your own prompts and explore the Nadril location page! There are a variety of activities made available, including fishing and cave exploration! Please direct questions to the questions thread below! Thank you! QUICK NAV premise ● faq ● lore ● map ● npcs taken ● atp/emp ● application ● rep/acp calendar ● hiatus/drops ● modbox [ FULL NAVIGATION ] elnysa nysalogs nysaisles nysaooc elnyan

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Riku | Kingdom Hearts | ota

[dreamprotector]

[ A – A Night On The Bare Mountain ]

[It's not the first time Riku's seen snow – he's climbed the summit of the Land of Dragons, braved the Snowgleam Wood to find the Sound Idea for Mickey, but in spite of those new memories he can't help but linger on his experiences here, his captivity on the mountain, the torture, the freezing cold that had–

Riku shakes his head as he takes another step into the storm and resists the urge to rub at his arms. Even though he's wearing the Natha-issued winter apparel, the cold still feels like seeped into his very bones. He moves his cold fingers in his gloves and curls his toes in his boots; he really can do without frostbite after all.

His eyes narrow when he spots one of the faint green lights within the whiteness of the land before them.]

Well, at least we are still on the right track.

[He almost immediately regrets muttering even that much, the air so cold that he can feel his teeth aching on contact. This time he doesn't resist the urge to rub his arms as he strides further forward. There is no way going back after all.]


[ B – Access The Grid ]

[After arriving in Nadril, Riku is glad to accept the welcome that the first refugees are providing – the cider burns in his veins as he enters Central, a welcome warm buzz after the time spent braving the storm protecting the city. Much as he would like to meet Magda now already, it's better to make himself familiar with the grounds first, he figures.

He can't help but frown at some data he comes across as he browses the research the Nadril have compiled from other worlds – some of it is very familiar from things he's read in the library of Hollow Bastion, fragments of research papers that Ansem the Wise and then-Xehanort had compiled on the Heartless, a stray thought transmitting for all to hear as he continues to look for familiar writings that go mostly beyond his own understanding.]

They better not be thinking of building up that damn factory here.

[They are already facing enough trouble on El Nysa without adding the Heartless to the mix.

Another item he comes across makes him grin though, a simple tube that is barely a foot long. Even if he had been forced to ride the Light Cycle for his life, Riku still remembers the rush of actually driving.]

To think they'd have something like this around… I wonder if there's a racing track anywhere on this ship.

[He'd sure like to take the Light Cycle on a spin without anyone trying to kill him for a change.]


[ C – Distant From You ]

[Riku can't help but throw up his barrier when the strange insect-winged robot suddenly comes up to him, and triggers the flash of its camera – battle reflexes are too ingrained into him, for him not to react this way when not given a warning. He looks faintly sheepish when the barrier falls away a second later because there was no need for it, then tilts his head, brows furrowing slightly when he receives the pictures from the bot.

Anyone leaning close will find one of them showing three teenagers – two boys and a girl, the boys playing some kind of complicated ball game in the water, while the girl is cheering them on – while the others show the scenery of a sandy island, a tree with star-shaped fruit against the sunset, and a town built into the mountain.

Riku's head bows slightly, as a faint smile pushes onto his lips at the pictures. Even though it hasn't been that long to him since he's been home, at least not given the recent memories he's been given by the Natha… he misses Tidus, Wakka and Selphie (even if not quite as much as he misses Kairi right now).

He misses home.

Later, when the pictures crumble into dust, he doesn't mind too much. They have already seared into his mind after all.]


[ D – Sacred Distance ]

[The encounter with Magda is… interesting, to say the least, at least in Riku's book. It certainly is food for a great deal of thought, anyway. (Can they really trust the Natha, who do not share much about themselves or the Storm, who so far seem not to have taken any action to combat it properly?)

Of course, given Magda's involvement with Raysc it's debatable just how trustworthy he is either. Time will tell soon enough, Riku figures as he makes his way into the junk heap of the Natha ship. On his shoulder, Highwind the Dream Eater Bat, trills lowly as they enter what appears to once have been the mess hall and Riku can't help but frown faintly as he makes way past the kitchens towards the simulation stations.]

I wish they had been more precise on what kind of spare parts they need.

[For all that he can use computers and technology of most levels – better than Sora anyway – he has no idea what is actually needed to repair the station or lift Ysverai's curse for that matter. And whether he'll deliver to the Natha or to Magda… well, he still has some time to make his mind up about that too, doesn't he?]


[ E – The Wildcard Finalist ]

[ooc: Need another prompt? Sure, just shoot me a line via PM or plurk (iceyly) and we can figure something out! :3]

A

[icingonthecake]

Even if he hadn't known Riku had been born on a tropical island and probably wasn't used to these sorts of temperatures anyway, Axel would have been concerned about Riku making this trek anyway, given the psychological associations he must have with the cold anymore. He picks up his pace a little to catch up with him up ahead (running in snow is hard, okay) and then holds one hand out, a small tongue of flame in his palm. It might not look like much, but the great thing about magic is it's not hard to pack lots of power into small packages.

"You looked like maybe you could use this," he says with a sidelong grin, and makes an offering gesture. "You can take it, it won't burn ya." He drags a finger in an X motion over his chest and his grin turns a little coy. "Cross my heart."

He can't really do much about the weather outside, but a handwarmer can't hurt anything, right? Riku's a lot friendlier now that he's been caught up on Axel's--Lea's?--apparent future alliances, and Axel can't say he's complaining about it, but he'd still rather feel like he's earned Riku's trust more than thinking Riku's friends with someone he hasn't become yet. So he'll keep working on this in his own way until he gets there.

[dreamprotector]

Well, Riku thinks that his reaction to the snow and the cold probably isn't quite as bad now as it would have been before his three-day-nap, when the trauma from the mountain kidnapping had still been freshly scarred over rather than the dull memory it seems to be now to him.

Still, the look that he shoots Axel upon the offer of that flame is pretty grateful, warmth seeping through his gloves into the skin of his freezing fingers. (Honestly, Riku would love to pull the flame through the layer of winter clothing and feel it directly against his skin, but that would require opening up to the cold.)

He mutters a "Thanks!" into his scarf, eyes closing for a second, before he forces them open again. Much as he would love to keep focusing on the flame in his hands, it's not going to get them anywhere closer to Nadril. So it's back to setting one foot before the other and focusing at the lights that gleam in the snow and lead the way through the storm. He wouldn't want to miss one and end up lost after all.

[icingonthecake]

Axel's not sure putting a flame inside your shirt would be a good idea anyway, even if it's a magic one, but he's glad to help, either way. After what Riku had done for Naminé, Axel kind of feels like he owes him a little, at the very least. Either way, he doesn't want him to freeze to death.

He trudges alongside him, bothered less by the temperature and more by the driving wind that makes his exposed nose and ears sting, and he hunches his shoulders a bit.

"Guess you never got any snow on the islands, didja?" he asks conversationally. "We got snow in Radiant Garden sometimes, but... nothing like this."

[dreamprotector]

Yea, it's very probably not which is the other reason why Riku isn't doing it… even if the thought is still tempting in spite of the risks of being burned. Riku very much doesn't want to freeze to death either; it's probably a terrible and undignified death.

He shakes his head at the question, shooting Axel a look that's supposed to say 'Duh, it's a tropical island.'

What he actually does end up saying (or mumbling into his scarf) is: "Never. Destiny Islands has only two kinds of seasons: Sunny and Rainy with a side of storms."

Then, after a moment he adds:

"Before coming here, the only times I saw snow were in childrens' books and christmas stories. Back then, I always wanted it to snow so that we could have snowball fights..."

Him and Sora and Kairi, and the other kids of Destiny Islands... he always thought it might be fun to scamper in the snow and use it to build things or throw it at one another.

Granted, he doesn't think so now and the preemptive glare he shoots Axel better discourage the other from getting any stupid ideas.

[icingonthecake]

Well, tropical can still get snow like on mountains and stuff, sheesh. He's just trying to make conversation, why you gotta be like that Riku.

Axel looks a little wistful then.

"We didn't get many storms on Radiant Garden," he says, a bit surprised at how easy it is to say it. He's never been very good at talking about home, but since discussing it with Riku before, even just a little, it feels easier. "We got sun and rain and wind and snow, sometimes ice, but actual thunderstorms were pretty uncommon."

When Riku brings up snowball fights, Axel shoots him a sly look at the same time Riku shoots him a withering glare, and the redhead laughs brightly and reaches over to clap Riku on the shoulder.

"Aw, come on," he says, "don't'cha trust me even a little?" He waves a hand. "Snowball fights are only fun when you can easily go back inside and warm up with some cocoa right away," he assures him. "In this weather, a snowball fight would just... be more of the weather."

Once we get to town, though, this truce may or may not hold.

[dreamprotector]

Because the mountains of Destiny Islands aren’t even nearly high enough for that, also because he really, really despises feeling as cold as he does right now.

He nods, a little surprised that Axel is bringing the Garden so casually… but it’s a pleasant surprise, really.

“On the Islands we get them before harvest season begins. The storms are a two-edged sword that way… they bring the rain that’s needed to make the crops grow, but the winds are so brutal that they can also destroy the fields if we are unlucky.”

There are other ways to survive on the Islands – fish is plentiful, so the loss of crops never has meant starvation, at least not in Riku’s memory (but he remembers his mother’s tight face during one particularly bad season when he had been younger; the calculations his parent’s had had to make, the discussions about how to protect crops from a similar disaster in the year following…)

He shakes his head sharply, then flinches slightly when Axel claps his shoulder – not because it’s Axel touching him; he’s just not expected the contact. As for trust, well…

“I trust you to be unpredictable.”

To be self-serving in one second and then bordering idiotically self-sacrificial in the next… that’s one trait of Axel’s that certainly impressed itself on Riku. But yea, he admits the chance that Axel will come at him with snow while the weather is like this is low enough.

B -- let me know if these assumptions are okay!

[personalwar]

[ With the sheer amount of tech that's held in Central, 76 has to wonder how the people monitoring the ship are going to prevent people from taking things. It's hard not to be tempted, when they've been deprived of the technology from their worlds for so long.

It's not like he hasn't stolen before, but 76 doesn't have plans to go that route now. He realizes that they could easily be thrown out of this city if they don't comply, and with so much intel left to be uncovered here, he plans to be on good behavior.

That doesn't mean he can't window shop, though, and it's as he's walking through the labs that he spots another refugee standing next to a strange... vehicle? 76 takes the kid in, recognizing him even if they haven't spoken before. Both of them had been held in that ice cave after being abducted. They may not have spoken at all, but 76 remembers the faces of all of his fellow captives with crystal clarity. ]

It's a bike? [ It's got a pretty unorthodox design, at least from his perspective. ] Kinda doubt they're gonna let you take it anywhere, even within the ship.

yes, they are fine!

[dreamprotector]

[Well, they must have some sort of tracking in place probably… either way, while the temptation is real, Riku isn't quite sure if the Light Cycle would even work without the framework of the grid or a powered laboratory like this one anyway. He's let the tube unfold into the actual bike, carefully tracing a hand over the white lines of it when he's suddenly spoken to.

Riku is a little tense while looking up, but then relaxes when he recognizes the other as another refugee… and one that suffered with him in the mountains at that. Huh. Well, no reason to talk about that right now.

A nod.]

Kind of, yea. It's a Light Cycle.

[He shrugs at the next comment; he knows that he certainly can't take it outside...] Well, I'm not sure if it will even run properly outside anyway, so that's fine. It would have been nice if they had a racing track here...

[personalwar]

[ A Light Cycle. The kid says that like it would mean anything to 76, but he can at least assume that the vehicle runs on light, somehow. Solar-powered, maybe? Except that the kid specifically says that he doesn't think it would work outside, so probably not...

The likelihood of the ship having some sort of indoor racetrack is low, so 76 won't get the kid's hopes up by even speculating about it.

76 moves closer to the bike, walking around it to get a better look. He'd like to reach out and touch it, but for now he keeps his hands to himself. He knows better than to get handsy with unknown tech. ]

How does it work?

[dreamprotector]

[Honestly, Riku doesn't really expect it to mean anything to the other – if he were from the Grid, he wouldn't have asked about the kind of bike in first place. At that question, he shrugs.]

Honestly, I've only driven it once, so I don't know much about the technical details. I'm pretty certain that it runs on its internal core of energy, but I don't know what its made of either. It has two different weapon modes, but I'd need to take it for a test drive to see if those are still the same as on the Grid…

[personalwar]

[ So it's weaponized on top of everything else. Not that 76 is even surprised to hear that at this point. Teenagers who did a lot of fighting back home are a dime a dozen, around here.

He leans back from it and nods, seeing that as reason enough not to mess with the bike. Intriguing as it sounds, he knows there's no way that they could get it out of this lab without attracting the wrong kind of attention. ]

What's your name, anyway? Never really got it before.

[ It's the slightest reference to when they'd both been kidnapped, but they really don't need to get into the gory details. ]

a;

[punshots]

[ Though Prompto wasn't among the kidnapped, he's no happier to be back in a frozen wasteland like this than Riku is. It brings with it unpleasant memories of those times both on Namarak Mountain and back on Eos in Niflheim, but he's doing his best not to focus on it right now. It's too distracting, and he's got to stay on track so he doesn't get lost in the snow.

And though Riku may regret speaking, considering how cold it is, Prompto welcomes the company, and something else to keep him here, in the present. They'll stand a better shot at not losing the way if they stick together, so Prompto sticks close to Riku's side, watching for the green lights from behind a pair of goggles. ]

H-how much further d'you think it is? I don't remember what having toes feels like!

[ RIP their feet. They better have warm water in Nadril. ]

[dreamprotector]

[The company makes it a little more bearable indeed; especially if it’s company of a friend one hasn’t seen in a while!

Riku shrugs at the question (though the motion is probably easily mistaken for a full-body shiver), then pulls up his scarf to protect his mouth as he speaks. He’s learned from his last careless muttering..]

Hard to say, considering the quality of our current sight. But yea, me too.

[His toes are so cold that it almost hurts, really… and now Riku can’t help the piece of trivia knowledge that pops into his head.]

…I think I’ve read somewhere that toes and fingers are the easiest to catch frostbite with.

[And that being said…]

I wonder if a cure spell might warm them a little.

[Cold feet and hands aren’t an injury, not exactly, but maybe…]

[punshots]

[ Ah, thanks for that, Riku, how reassuring...though Prompto has managed to avoid severe frostbite during his snowy jaunts in the past, that doesn't mean he'll be so lucky this time, and Riku's words only serve to worry him further.

Even so, he doesn't want to put his friend out, even if he didn't realize he could do healing magic like that. It might be worth a shot, but he'd rather Riku try it on himself, so if it doesn't work, he isn't wasting his magic on Prompto.

As he continues to trudge along: ]

Think I can hang in there...but maybe you should give it a go on yourself and see.

[ Then at least one of them might be frostbite free! ]

[dreamprotector]

[Look, this may or may not be how his own worry manifests – and Riku has always preferred knowing over being ignorant of the dangers around him… and in this case this means calling his limited knowledge of frostbite to mind. …Even if loudly.

After Prompto's refusal, Riku considers for a moment, weighting the benefits against the risks… honestly all that can happen is that it won’t work and in that case he’ll only have wasted very little magic. Better to know now than to be uncertain in the hour of need.

His eyes close for a moment before Way to The Dawn forms in his hand, magic glimmering green as Riku casts:]

Heal.

[And indeed… he thinks some feeling has returned to his toes and fingers, even if they aren’t warmer he can feel the tickle of magic working.]

I think the spell returned some feeling to my toes at least… so instead of cold and numb they are cold and tingling now.

[He says it in humor mostly, though honestly he prefers how they feel now, compared to earlier. He throws a side glance at Prompto, head tilting as he asks:]

Sure you don’t want me to cast it on you too?

[It’s not going to cost him anything after all.]

d!

[frombetrayal]

[Haru is always down for an adventure - particularly an adventure like this. Heists are right up her alley!

...that said, she's not the best with alien technology, either. She's passably proficient with things, albeit a little less so than most modern teenagers, but she's not exactly certain what they're meant to be looking for here.]

Perhaps they weren't precise because they aren't picky? I imagine they have a better idea of what to do with any of this than we would, so whatever we salvage ought to be fine...

[dreamprotector]

[Riku nods, thoughtful – she makes a good point. Even so…]

Maybe they aren’t picky, but this place is still half scrap-metal. I’m sure both Magda and the Natha prefer actual functioning parts… finding those will be the heart part.

[At least for someone somewhat more magically inclined like Riku. Still, he’s learned a couple of things about computers under DiZ, enough to take a direction now at least.]

Let’s see if we can find something behind the platting. If there is anything left to be found here it’s certainly not going to wait out in the open for us to claim.

[frombetrayal]

[Haru nods. Behind the plating works - they just have to figure out a way to remove it.

Luckily, being a phantom thief means she's got plenty of experience with breaking, entering, and removing things that technically aren't meant to be removed, so she heads right on over there and starts looking for any grooves in the metal that she can get a grip on and pry it away.

Failing that, she'll look for screws she can loosen. ...and sure enough, she's found some!]

There! I think this will come away if we can loosen these... did you bring along a screwdriver or something like it, or will we need to improvise?

[dreamprotector]

[Riku shakes his head – screwdrivers aren’t exactly standard equipment for a Keyblade Master. All he has is Way To The Dawn, which will probably be most unhelpful… screws are hardly keyholes after all.

What he can do though…]

I could hit them with a blizzard spell… maybe if we freeze them, we can break them and loosen them that way.

[frombetrayal]

Oh! That's a good idea - lowering the temperature should make the metal more brittle.

[And it will be easier to break with sufficient force... which Haru and her axe have in spades. She backs up a bit to clear the space for him to cast his spell and readies her weapon for after it's been iced over.]

Please, go right ahead!

c

[sheriffing]

[ Emma's noticed the little bots charging at people, and by now she's not surprised by the pictures that fall at her feet. what catches her off guard (this time) is Riku standing a distance away and responding to the surprise with a barrier that comes and goes as soon as he registers what these harmless creatures are up to.

she smirks from a distance, stepping closer with enough warning so that he doesn't feel the need to protect himself again. not all of the surprises here are bad ones, just - honestly, most of them.] Remind me never to catch you by surprise.

[dreamprotector]

[Riku turns to her with a faintly sheepish smile – he is aware that he may have overreacted just a little, but honestly.]

It’s hard to just turn off battle instincts.

[The Nadril should probably be glad that their robot is still in one piece, really. But anyway, he still keeps a tight hold on the pictures that were yielded, even as he eyes Emma.]

Did you get any of these as well?

[sheriffing]

Those are some good instincts.

[ provided that the barrier is fairly harmless, hey, it could be worse. she has her own pictures in her pocket, little bits and pieces of homes supposedly long gone, so she nods.]

Yeah. They're going with a "there's no place like home" theme.

[dreamprotector]

(Continues here!)