nysalogs | [OPEN] so he replies, "then how do you manage?"

Entry tags:

[OPEN] so he replies, "then how do you manage?"

Who: Rocket (

beatupgrass) & various others MAYBE EVEN YOU
What: Catch-all for January- quests and other things.
When: ...January.
Where: Wyver, mostly. But with some stuff in the surrounding areas.
Warning(s): None.

𝐚. 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 (𝐜𝐫𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐩)

[Rocket lives in Wyver. He doesn't owe it any loyalty, so naturally when he hears an Olympian is a little bit greedy and fond of paying exorbitant prices for shiny things, his own greed leads him. The crystal drops weren't something he went in on when that creepy shopkeeper because he hates water, but if this dude is gonna pay triple... Well, discomfort only lasts a few seconds.

Rocket is on one of the banks of the streams, suddenly reminded of his horrible fishing excursion when he first arrived on El Nysa. This is easier than fish, though. He has keen eyes and crystals don't move. He just has to wade in and hope he doesn't get all weird from the water on top of getting wet.

Sigh. No time like the present. He huffs an aggravated sigh and wades in, leaning down so his sensitive hands can pad along the stream bed. Weird how this actually feels... pretty normal. Like it's what he's supposed to be doing with his life.

Coming up on him will find a raccoonoid half-submerged in water, feeling along the bottom of the clear streams with his head tilted up with a very focused, intense stare like he's keeping watch for predators. Amazing what some enchanted water will do to your animal hindbrain.]

𝐛. 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 (𝐞𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐮𝐢𝐧𝐬)

[The ruins aren't fucking enchanted or full of water, so Rocket is more eager to deal with the caves than he was with the streams. Though considering his last cave adventures led to getting trapped, he's still hesitant.

The good news is he's an experienced climber, so getting up into places where normal people might not be able to reach and avoiding detection from slumbering creatures is a cakewalk for him. The problem is he's not the only person exploring these caves and hunting for quartz.

Walking deep into the creepy tunnels, you might hear the sound of something moving in the shadows, scratching and hacking at the walls, but there's no human-sized figure to accompany it. That's fine. That's not creepy at all. Don't worry about it.

Or maybe worry about it when a few tiny rocks roll into your path, proving that all that hacking and muttering isn't just your imagination.]

𝐜. 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐲

[Rocket's not picky about getting people together for a good old-fashioned weapon heist. In fact, he probably assembled people based entirely on false pretenses because he thought they'd either be good at heavy lifting or an excellent distraction or both. There's a fifty-fifty chance that the person he's dragged out to intercept these shipments has no idea what he's up to, and that's true in Wyver and Olympia (though in Olympia you got approached by a tiny figure in a cloak- he's not taking chances).

Either way you're here now, in a hiding spot, overlooking weapons being sorted and prepared to be sent out, and Rocket has this greedy look in his eyes that definitely spells nothing good. He's got a plan, and you're a key player, whether intentionally or unwittingly.

𝐝. 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐛𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐝

[So many of these quests involve stealing and things Rocket is particularly adept at, so he's been working overtime making sure he gets ALL THE SILVER. He's gonna be rich. This particular mission from Cree sounds as easy as anything- he doesn't believe in ghosts and traps are nothing for him. He builds traps. He can disable them easily.

So he's an asset to have around as you head into the unknown. He's also a skeptic, and will tell you as much whenever something spooky happens.] Seriously, though? Ghosts. C'mon, man. The traps are bad enough. They don't have to add ghosts to it.

𝐞. 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐝

[Rocket stays primarily in Wyver, but occasionally ventures into Olympia because he has people he does business with there (he always wears a cloak to cover his face). If you would like a more "day to day" thread with him or need to meet up to discuss things, ask him for a favor, etc. and so forth, you can make your own starter or contact me via PM or over Plurk, and I'll make you something custom.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[This is... odd. Mantis has never really been part of any sort of planning -- not like this -- and she's mostly just taking it all in. She does not bristle as Peter and Gamora question her involvement, but she does straighten a bit in pride when Rocket takes up for her.

She's been punched in the face before. She can handle a few guards.]

It shouldn't take too long. [She hopes.]

Nah, it'll be fine. That's the one thing great about this planet. Everybody's so primitive it makes doin' work like this easy for us.

[Maybe he's a little cocky, but he's broken out of the most high security prisons in the galaxy- the only thing he's worried about is magic. And if Mantis is here, she can deter the magic-users with her own weird... magic shit.

He swipes a hand over the pictures to shove them back in his bag.] So it's just a simple in-and-out, and then we'll have silver and some dirt on Evras. Best of both worlds.

[He snickers in delight. Maybe he's enjoying this a little too much...]

[ Peter almost looks disappointed by how easy this promises to be, but—

Well. He's been on easier jobs that somehow went fantastically wrong from minute one, so maybe he shouldn't underestimate this one. ]

Alright, then.

[ And he breathes it out on a sigh before his expression hardens a little. ]

Just information retrieval, okay? We snag anything that looks important, but we don't leave a trail. No one gets hurt if they don't have to. Nothing gets blown up.

[ And if Rocket thinks that last bit is aimed at him, it's because it absolutely is. Peter lifts his head, meeting everyone's gaze by turn, though he lands, finally, on Mantis. ]

Everyone good?

[ And unspoken words, there: You can still back out if you want. ]

[Mantis is already nodding along to Peter's instructions before he actually turns to look at her.

Like. Look directly at her and she suddenly understands some of the previous conversation a little bit better. Oh. That's... Well. She gets it if they don't know what she's capable of, or if they don't exactly trust her to do her part of the job. It's not like they've ever actually done this with her before.

It's understandable, really. So she nods once and meets Peter's gaze.] I'm good.

[ Gamora offers little more than a nod of acknowledgement. Even if she does happen to... kill people pretty easily, she's also good with stealth. ]

Don't interfere unnecessarily.

[ And this time, she's looking at Rocket. She understands the temptation to mess with Evras and his work, to sabotage him by any means possible, but—

That's not why they're doing this. ]

[Rocket looks utterly appalled at the suggestion that he would do ANYTHING to jeopardize this very delicate- okay, fine. That doesn't mean he won't react snidely.] I ain't gonna steal his batteries.

[He hops off the crate he was using as a stool so he can be at least somewhat on eye level with the rest of the team.] Institute's this way. [He inclines his head.] Let's get movin'.

[Even with Gamora's warning, he's still rubbing his greedy little hands together. Even information is something, all right?]

[ That’s... not super reassuring, judging by the skeptical look Peter casts Rocket’s back. He shares a glance with Gamora – something that says, “This is definitely going to go ass-end up” – but he hurries after Rocket anyway.

Olympia seems pretty nice, now that Peter has the chance to see it properly. Like, he can see how folks would like it here, but it’s, you know. It’s just kind of fine. It’s whatever. Wyver’s more fun. (Or maybe he’s telling himself that because Olympia isn’t much of an option? Either way.)

The Noble District is exactly what it says on the box – fancy as hell in that sort of way that makes him feel distinctly underdressed and defensive – but Peter’s used to walking around with purpose, like he owns the place. On the rare occasion that any of the rich folks eye them with any amount of ill will (either because they recognize them as Wyver sympathizers or because they don’t appreciate their taste in fashion), Peter only answers with a winning smile and a nod. The Institute is as nice as on the outside as it seemed in the pictures, and now that they’re here, Peter feels that familiar little jolt he gets before a job. ]

Are you guys sure we can just... walk in?

[ that seems... anticlimactic... ]

[ Gamora meets Peter's gaze with a similar look; she trusts Rocket, but, uh, does she really trust Rocket?

Not so much.

She's going to divert to Peter on this one, and hold him personally responsible for keeping Rocket out of things he shouldn't rifle through. Leave no trail, only dig up the necessities, and don't cause a scene.

But off to the Institute they go. The looks they get from the Olympians doesn't slip Gamora's notice, like they know exactly where they hail from – and as much as she feels little personal attachment to Wyver itself, she'd much rather be there than Olympia, nice as it may be.

She stands with the others in front of the Institute's building, glancing over at them. ]

Unless there's a back entrance. We just have to get down that hall. And if they are not given a reason to suspect us until we encounter the guards...

[ She shrugs, as if to say, "easy, right?" ]

[Mantis falls into step behind them all, doing more observing than interacting. They have done this before -- worked together like this -- and she's the odd one out in this case. Her job, beyond helping Gamora with any guards, will be to learn.

And she's okay with that. She needs to learn.

She misses Olympia sometimes, but she's not sure if she misses the place itself or the purpose she had there. When the bomb hit and both Peter and Rocket had been implicated in the attack, Mantis had abandoned her job at the Sanctuary. That job... well, it had been something real that gave her a purpose. She had been helping people. She misses that.

So the looks she's getting set her off-balance a little. It's unpleasant.]

So we just... walk in? [That seems a little too easy.

Then again, this isn't really her thing.]

[Rocket keeps his hood up and moves quickly, though he doesn't stray too far from Peter and Gamora, keeping himself steadily between them at all times so no one notices his furry bare feet or anything familiar about him. He's just a child hanging out with these people. Nothing to see...

The Institute will always make him tense up, no matter how often he's gotten close to it. His hood can hide the scowl, but not the guttural growl that escapes him.]

Promptly just walked in 'cause his girl's a lab assistant. [One day he won't intentionally mangle Prompto's name for kicks, but this is not that day.] So as far as walkin' in, just look like you got personal business. Walk with purpose. Bluff. [He pats Quill's leg.] You're good at that, Quill.

[He adds, without hesitation.] If they don't like it, Mantis can just make them feel more inclined to believe it.

[Okay, so maybe it didn't take him very long to figure out how Mantis's powers can be exploited for great justice. It comes from a place of affection and also pragmatism.]

[ Well, that little growl is concerning, and Peter casts Rocket a wary little glance – though it soon turns into a flat, unimpressed glare for that frankly patronizing assessment.

He's not just good at it. He's fucking awesome at it, and he would thank you all to recognize that, guys.

But soon enough he clicks back into work mode, examining the Institute's entrance then looking back to the others. ]

We'll go two and two. Me and Rocket first, then you two.

[ A pause, then he looks to Mantis. ] Just pretend like you own the place, and act like you're in a hurry. It's easy.

[ And then to Gamora, ] Wait, like, twenty seconds, then head in after us.

[ And with those stellar bits of advice doled out, he nods Rocket toward the building. He straightens, shoulders back and chin up, and moves out of the alleyway they had paused in. Chipperly, ] C'mon, kiddo.

[ Gamora's nod of acknowledgement is short, and she rocks back on her heel, crossing her arms over her chest as she watches Peter and Rocket approach the building – though she does have to resist the urge to press a hand over her eyes when Peter calls Rocket "kiddo." She understands it for practical reasons, but... it also seems provoking in and of itself.

Oh well.

She waits until Peter and Rocket are just about inside, then glances over to Mantis. ]

Let's go.

[ Obviously, she expects Mantis to follow as she trails after the other two. ]

[And Mantis does follow, with only the slightest bit of hesitation. She waits a few beats before speaking.]

Do you want me to try to convince the guards that we are harmless first, or wait to see how they react?

[ A moment of careful consideration, if only because she sees the benefit of both options. ]

If they notice us, convince them. If they make no move at all to approach, leave them be.

[ Because there's no need to interact with the guards if they don't even care about their presence. ]

I will be ready. [She says it quietly.]

[Mantis is more than willing to just take orders and do what she's told this time. She walks just slightly behind Gamora. (Mantis is not a natural born leader.) It seems to be going well enough so far, with the guards noticing them but not actively approaching, much less stopping them.]

[ Mantis may be new, but at least she's handling this well. Gamora can appreciate that.

Once they're inside, she keeps an eye on Peter and Rocket, but more distantly, not focusing on them enough to make it obvious that they're being watched. She only pauses at the sound of another door opening, a woman stepping out to approach the other two. ]

... Watch her.

[ Quiet, murmured only to Mantis.

She's not certain if this woman will need some "convincing," but an ounce of concern finally leaves her when Peter makes himself useful, chatting the woman up and giving Rocket the diversion he needs.

Skills put to good use, she notes, and she nods vaguely to Mantis, a reassurance that they shouldn't need to step in. ]

Of course. [Her reply is just as quiet and she shifts just a little, so that she isn't quite hiding behind Gamora anymore.

Rocket and Peter are handling it, though, and Mantis breathes a small sigh of relief.

... She might not be so good at anything covert.]

Kids still bite, jackass. [Rocket mutters under his breath. He does not deserve this patronizing!! Even if he just patronized Peter first. That is different. Or something.

Either way, as soon as they get in through the unlocked and unchecked back door, Rocket's own posture goes from "usual air of tension and annoyance" to full blown on alert. Not being able to see his fur underneath that stupid cloak means no one can see how bristly he's getting. Which is good- he doesn't want Quill getting all... emotional about it.

It's a significantly different view from where he's standing than it was when he was peeking out of that backpack he convinced Prompto to carry him in. The pictures help, though. Already he can see familiar bits and pieces, allowing him to make a mental map. There are people milling about, but no one seems to notice that two people have just walked in.]

This way. [He inclines his head in a direction, keeping his voice low. No child in the world speaks in a rough baritone.]

[ It takes one to know one!!

Entering the facility is every bit as uneventful as Peter expected, and— yeah, he’s becoming more and more disappointed with how this job is shaping up. It’s not that he likes getting shot at (or yelled at or stabbed at or just generally threatened with grievous bodily harm), but bringing in four folks on a job like this? It seems like there should be more going on, right? Like, there should at least be a guy the size of Andre the Giant somewhere in here, dual-wielding clubs or and roaring about impending doom or whatever.

But, okay, just because it seems easy doesn’t mean it’ll be easy, and Peter takes a breath as they cross the threshold. He glances around, orienting himself based on the mental map he had created on the few pictures they had examined in the alleyway. Rocket seems to go about it quicker, though, and at his direction, Peter dutifully falls into step beside him, keeping up that air of purpose with just a dash of impatience.

He waits until they’re out of earshot of anyone before he mutters, ]

You should really work on your little kid voice. You’re not convincing anyone with that.

Gosh. I'm so sorry, mister. [He puts on an affected high pitched voice that isn't much better and keeps moving, turning down a hall that seems promising.

It's not one he recognizes and that gives him pause- more than that, right in the entranceway there's a large display case holding a huge furry object labeled as "lucky rabbit's foot."] See what I mean? [Rocket hisses, pointing at it.] This is what we're dealing with here.

Yep. [ And he says it lightly, in a long-suffering tone that says, Should’ve seen that coming. ] Getting colder.

[ But they haven’t been accosted yet, and anyone they do pass only offers them a quick glance before going about their business. So far, so good, Peter figures.

When they turn down the hallway, it takes him a handful of steps to realize this place doesn’t match up with his mental map from the earlier pictures – but, then again, those were just pictures. There was every possibility that they just didn’t get snapshots of this corridor during their earlier excursion.

The display case that Rocket points out gives Peter pause, and he examines it for a second.

Then a second longer.

Then, ]

... What am I supposed to be looking at?

[ it, uh. It just looks like an oversized, novelty rabbit’s foot. ]

You've seen the animals around here. You think that's fake?

[Rocket's never seen a novelty rabbit's foot. The reference is lost on him.] And what's so frickin' lucky about it?

[Any further attempts to educate Rocket on that subject are interrupted- which is for the best as it would only serve to piss him off- by a door shutting at the other end of the hall and a stern-looking woman walking briskly towards them. Her eyes zero in on Peter.

"Can I help you find something, sir?"]

[ Peter has the sudden, stomach-dropping realization that he's going to have to explain how, on Earth at least, folks used to carry around rabbit's feet on keychains as lucky charms, and that Rocket isn't likely to take that bit of information very well.

The sudden appearance of the woman almost – almost – makes Peter mumble, "Oh, thank god," in relief, but instead he straightens, subtly stepping between Rocket and the woman to better shield the guy. Peter puts on his usual polite smile – something crooked and a little charming – and holds up a hand, almost apologetically. ]

No, no, we're fine. We were just passing by, and this— [ He nods to the display case. ] —caught my son's attention.

[ A plausible enough cover, he figures, what with the case being right there. ]

We've just never seen a rabbit's foot that big. We were trying to figure out if it was real.

[The woman looks hesitantly between it and Peter, caught off-guard and not looking as if she should chastize them or educate them. Or perhaps trying to prepare her lie. "It was donated," she says, fumbling, and Rocket sees his opportunity. Using the fact that she has her full attention on Peter, he sneaks away, moving towards the door she just came out of.

She doesn't notice. "The, ah, details were a bit before my time, but it is real. Very much so."

From behind her, Rocket makes a series of hand gestures roughly translated as "KEEP HER TALKING."]

[ Peter catches Rocket's movement from the corner of his eye, but he's done this often enough that he keeps himself focused on the woman, only tracking Rocket through his peripheral vision. At Rocket's silent command, Peter gives only a bare twitch of his hand – an impatient little thing that says, I've done this before, dude. I'm a goddamn professional.

On the surface, though, Peter puts on his impressed, interested face, shifting his weight as if to settle in. ]

May I ask if you know what sort of breed it was? I can't imagine any of the domestic or wild rabbits I know of getting to that size.

[OPEN] so he replies, "then how do you manage?"

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