The Mysterious Watcher

The Adventurers from Yamato are certainly a different breed from those who well in the Palace Lands. Culture might amount for some of it, but there must be more to it than that. Certainly, those from Yamato may have questions and concerns about anyone from the Palace Lands. However, what some might not expect is that some people might just be curious about them.

A dark figure wearing a wolf-like canine mask is perched upon one of the rooftops, having quietly watched the actions of those below for likely quite some time. Just how long, it is hard to tell. Most people do not look up, so it's easy to miss one figure in a city already filled with Adventurers.

A tail sways slightly as golden eyes peer down, taking in the actions of the Adventurers below. In the end, it is Gwen who just happens to catch motion out of the corner of her eye. While there is nothing that distinctly makes this person stand out, and definitely nothing that identifies them as a Palace Lander, there is something suspicious about someone just... watching.

Tian's tail sways, golden eyes continuing to observe.

They were pretty much her adoptive surrogate family in Elder Tale, so it was little surprise to see Shiruba was staying with Gwen's family after the loss of Shibuya.

Of course, this had a few issues of it's own. Mainly that Shiruba's pet bun-bun was feeling agitated being away from what he had considered home. And when he gets agitated, he starts gnawing on things moreso than a bun-bun typically does. So for the sake of Gwen's fabrics and tools Shiruba was setting up a pen for him outside the back of the building. At least the weather had gotten nice enough with the season for him to stay outside most of the time. "That should do it." Shiruba tossed some leafy greens in the pen for Yojimbo to gnosh on instead. "Sorry it's not your usual vegetables but we're still getting supplies back in order."

There was a peregrin perched on the edge of the roof, but it looks like she's nested in to take a nap while her trainer is occupied with her other animals.

Goldenblade has just departed the Tower, she's had a lot of business there lately, but now she's got to get back to some other business, which will require an ocean trip, so her feet point her in the direction of the road to the marina. But there are many steps on a journey, and a particularly loud stomach rumble informs her that delaying lunch was not a good plan. So, she will pause in her journey and stop by a food stall to see about some food.

Life has been super busy with all the war prep. It's at a fever pitch that reminds her of her childhood. She was four when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, and the whole suprise attack thing doesn't sit well with her, coloring her view of the Palace Landers.

Not that she's /met/ any Palace Landers. And what would they look like? She can tell ethnicly Chinese from ethnicly Japanese from ethnicly Korean at a glace, she's been in Japan more than long enough for that, but with werefangs and sylphs and whatall, and the randomizer adding in that element of confusion, there's almost no way to tell. Maybe if a Chinese player, playing as a human, had used body scan, she could tell, but not apart from that.

So, she goes about eating her lunch, calling a greeting to Shiruba as she passes by where she's working in the yard.

Gwen had been lucky to not get snatched going off alone to explore one of it's cities. She'd been oh so very darn lucky, maybe she had an guardian angel who was watching out for her. She'd returned and had been working to get het guild ready. She knows the cities might become unsafe at least the smaller one so plans had been made for Cresent Burger. They would have to be enacted however still. Gwen herself would be an oddity after all she's not even a native to Yamato's counterpart on the lost world of Earth.

She was just outside here shop watching people go by tfor the moment waiting on her parents to show up. She'd wanted to check up on Uther and Morri after all. God her parents turned back into crazy college students the moment their bodies were young again. The only mercy was they could at least pull off the outfits they wore now.

They were late and she dared not think what was making them late. She also had an delivery of supplies, as well.

There is a blur of miotion and she pause her eyes homing in on the sourece of it.

"Wait... whos the heck is that..."

OOC ALso of note Gwen's current outfit https://imgur.com/a/ynUeTUo Yes she's cosplaying as Nei again.)

The Pendragons have somehow decided to adopt Uta as well, extending her adoptive family to have a Mom, Dad, Not Dad, Not Mom. That makes it also so she has an adoptive Very Big Sister in Gwen, and a doubly adoptive sister in Shiruba?

Family is confusing, when you're isekai'd.

Just Like Shiruba, she is now approaching Gwen's shop. "Hi, Gwen!", she greets, and the state of her outfit might horrify Gwen: gloves missing, main outfit and boots pierced by holes (the right shape and size to have been pierced by Goblin arrows) all over, and if that wasn't enough, there even is the occasional rip and gash. "Long time no see, huh? I came here because I needed something..." She taps her lips and looks up. "But now I forgot what..."

The Pendragons have somehow decided to adopt Uta as well, extending her adoptive family to have a Mom, Dad, Not Dad, Not Mom. That makes it also so she has an adoptive Very Big Sister in Gwen, and a doubly adoptive sister in Shiruba?

Family is confusing, when you're isekai'd.

Just Like Shiruba, she is now approaching Gwen's shop. "Hi, Gwen!", she greets, and the state of Uta's own outfit might horrify Gwen: gloves missing, main outfit and boots pierced by holes (the right shape and size to have been pierced by Goblin arrows) all over, and if that wasn't enough, there even is the occasional rip and gash. "Long time no see, huh? There's something different..." She squints. "Did you do something to your hair?", she asks, pointing at the Sylph's head. "Anyway. I came here because I needed something..." She taps her lips and looks up. "But now I forgot what..."

When Gwen points, she turns to look up. "Who's who where now?"

There is a faint tilt of the head from the watcher as they observe Shiruba's interactions with the bun-bun. Those creatures are, at least, familiar. They exist in the Palace Lands in the same form. Creatures that could potentially be dangerous in large groups, but... not so much when alone and in a cage. Perhaps the Yamato Adventurers used them for some sort of offensive or defensive purposes?

For the most part, these people seem to simply be going about their daily lives, despite the war looming on their doorstep. Golden eyes narrow as Tian continues to watch them.

The mysterious individual seems to be simply perched there, calm as you please. There isn't so much as an ear-twitch when Gwen notices them, but those gold eyes do move to meet those looking right at them. The watcher doesn't move a muscle.

"Hmmm?" Shiruba didn't see anything because she was behind the building, so she walks around to the front after hearing Gwen's muttering. "Something wrong Gwe..." She trails off as she looks in the same direction and sees what her friend is staring at. "...Oh." She squints a bit herself, and makes a mental check that her weapons are ready. But doesn't draw anything. Immeadiately looking hostile would just make the already poor view the Palace Landers have of them worse, so she refrains.

She does click her tongue against the inside of her cheek, making just enough of a sound for Windburn to rouse from her nesting and lift her head to look around.

Gwen is distracted by Uta for a moment as she looks over the state of her clothing. "I'm dragging you inside shortly to fix all this. Yes it goes with this outfit." she grins even more. "Oh was it more training?" She looks her long time friend over for a moment.

"Yes it seems we been watched for a bit."

She looks Tian over for a moment and tries to ignore the Bun-bun. Those things were horrors on par with the Murlocs of Azeroth. She looks right at Tian.

"Going to keep stalking us or say hello?"

Goldenblade doesn't notice until Shiruba looks up, and she now sees who everyone's looking at. But this is 2013, you don't just ask someone what they're doing on the roof. Or so her grandkids tell her. So she will look and wonder. The fellow's just sitting there. Unless it's a lady. Hard to tell at this angle. "Someone you know?" she asks Gwen after a moment of thought. -Then- she shrugs, and will fumble around inexpertly with her menus.

How the kids today keep all this straight, she'll never know. Mind you, she could tell you the complete roster of the New York Mets from 46-54. So, different priorities, maybe? Ah, that's got it, she peers at Tian and does the Inspect command.

"N...no, Gwen, no need to. I just need this one repaired!", Uta exclaims. And then she notices... a person. Unlike the Landers, she can't intuitively tell a Lander from an Adventurer without the menu. "Uhm. A person seems to be struck on a roof. What do we do in this case? Do we call the firefighter cats?", she wonders, scratching her head. A short pause, she then swats the air dismissively, "Felin. I mean felin."

After more thought, she adds, "I'd say it's too early for it to be the whatever passes for Santa over here. So... maybe they're doing some sort of maintenance? It's the extreme sports version of sitting on a bench at the park and watching people pass by? Maybe..." As she rambles on and on with ever increasingly surreal list of hypotheses, she flicks and navigates through her menu to select the inspection option. Because that's what Uta does when faced with someone unusual. Inspect, and if possible, poke-and-medical-inspect. But given that a medical inspect requires physical contact... regular inspect it is.

"Oh, it's an Adventurer. Tian Lang. Sounds... Chinese?" she comments, with a frown. "But it's written in... green?."

Just in case, she navigates through her menu, readies her staff, and assumes a defensive stance. And then she looks up and, cheerful despite sounding nervous, yells, "Hi Tian Lang!" in the Cait Sith's direction. "I am Uta Furore, Aerialist, Monster-Handling Musical Kung-Fu Nurse. Please state your Name, Rank, and- wait, no. I already know your name. Please state your... uh..." She scratches her head. "Please say whatever it is you think important to say." She clasps her staff tighter, and if Tian's eyes are keen enough, they might notice a hint of sweat. "If you are here to complain about the slimes, I will be more than ready to offer a counterpoint by sharing the Wisdom of the Forest."

Once attention gets thrown their way, the mysterious watcher shifts, moving to stand. Though they make no move to reach for weapons, they are armed. It's common enough for Adventurers. There are a pair of daggers strapped against their back. They stand there for a moment, inclining their head once before taking a step forward, catching themselves on the edge of the roof and then acrobatically climbing down to ground level.

There are various points where the watcher's back is turned to them, at least until they land, golden eyes looking up and down the street before simply raising their hands in a universal gesture of 'meaning no harm'.

Gwen, being a crafter, would recognize that the weapons as well as much of the figure's jewelry seem to be handicrafted. Shiruba, on the other hand, would realize very quickly that while this Cait Sith has similarities to themselves, they don't quite react the same way. Those ears don't twitch towards sound the way that is common iwth other Cait Sith.

There is some measure of confusion shown towards Uta, the figure's gaze turning their way. Those gold eyes blink, seemingly unfamiliar with whatever it is that the Spriggan is referring to.

Yet, they do not speak. Their hands remain raised, looking between those gathered, as if gauging if they are a threat or not.

Shiruba tilts her head, her own ears flicked forward as canines tend to do when curious, though her tail is still more on the wary side as it twitchs in case she has to move suddenly. That the newcomer's ears don't twitch in a similar manner despite being similar doesn't escape her attention either though. "Are you okay?" That and he's not speaking, that's kind of odd.

Well he hasn't just jumped out and attacked them like the previous encounters with Palace Landers report happening, so there's that.

Gwen says "Yes and I'll need my tools though I do have some ideas for new outfits for you Uta."

Uta is saved for now by Tian being notice. That's a good for Uta at least for noew. She pause at uta's words and her eyes narrow at this information. Well they can't fight here so that's some good news at the very least. Also soon it's clear they don't seem to want a fight at least for now, mayhaps she can get some good information out of this person or some more idea of what's going on.

"mmmm handcrafted? So what do you want with us?"

They could have an RPer on their hands playing a mute...

Goldenblade hrmphs. "Well, not some bugged Lander. And not someone PVPing." In Alne that would be problematic anyhow, but she's planning on travel in the immediate future and she'd like not to be ambushed. And then the person jumps down, but holding their hands to imply they don't mean to be a threat. Does that mean she should consider the person a thret normally, but not just at this moment?

She looks between Shiruba and Gwen, then notices Uta. "Hey, Uta. Getting your gear repaired?" she wonders. "That place isn't as tamed as they make it out, is it?" Her own outfit is mail, and so is much more durable. And then again, she's an Armor Forger, she can repair it herself, in the field, as long as it's not too trashed.

To Tian, she wonders, "So, what's your story? It's a bit tense around here just now, and now you show up. Acting suspicious." She recognizes the weapons as handcrafted also, everyone forgets she's actually pretty skilled as a crafter with weapons and armor.

"...No, no, really, I just need a -repair-, nothing more... I don't want to give you extra work... really...", Uta squeals, but she knows she's doomed already.

"Yes, Paula, that would be my hope, but I think that Gwen has already decided it's an upgrade. So..."

On a more serious note, when Shiruba she asks the Adventurer if they're okay, Uta glances sideways at the wolf Cait Sith, and mutters, "You noticed it too?", not taking her eyes off Tian. "Those ears. They are not turning towards noises. That's not normal.. Sounds like we might have some sort of hearing loss on our hands. Unless this person is somehow plugging their ears on purpose."

She relaxes her posture a little when the newcomer shows signs of non-aggression, but she's still ready to react if anyone gets any funny idea.

When it becomes clear that they are not going to initiate combat, the figure seems to relax somewhat. It's a subtle shift in the tension of muscles across their figure. The fur on their tail seems to rest back in a smoother fashion. Strangely, those ears are larger than Shiruba's, and the tail is fluffier, though the mask they are wearing does resemble a wolf at first glance.

With questions following, the figure lowers their hands and approaches, as if trying not to continue to make a spectacle of their appearance. There is a certain grace in their movements, but those gold eyes remain watchful of their surroundings, as if uncertain if making contact is a good idea or not. Still, they remain at a distance which allows them to keep everyone in the group in line of sight, for the time being.

What comes next, however, may be a bit unusual for most Adventurers. Tian raises a hand in a fist and motions it forward, nodding to Shiruba. The system... gives them the understanding of the gesture almost immediately. "<Yes.>" It isn't an audible response. No, this is just an innate understanding of what the motion means. As Uta seems to confirm this, Tian touches a single finger to their ear and then chin. "<I am deaf.>"

They motion with each hand, pointer and middle fingers making a gesture like 'looking', along with some other signs. This while looking at Gwen in answer. "<I have been watching.>" The understanding follows. They continue to motion with their hands, obviously utilizing sign language as communication, and the system seems to somehow be able to handle it. Hands cross and then shift outward, "<Seeing if it is safe.>"

That is.. slightly odd the first time, getting the impression of the gestures without there being any vocal exchange. "Huh." Is all she's got to say at first, because she doesn't want to say anything that could easily be taken the wrong way on the matter. That does seem to explain why the ears don't 'respond' as it were.

Shiruba tilts her own head again. "Safe for what?" she finally asks.

Gwen says "For you my friend it's never a trouble to help you look your best." Gwen is beaming right now she seemt to be interested in this person's story as well. She looks at Titan for a moment longer curious. She pauses for a moment and peers. Deaf she wonder about how the fulldive didn't bypass the damage but who knows. She puts off asking this at the moment as it would come off as rude she think for a moment.

"Safe? The Palace Lands have been invading."

Goldenblade arches a brow at Tian as he sort of signs, but in a way that is ... almost as effective as a conversation. Deaf? So, the thing that translates speech automatically also translates sign language? That's useful. Tian being deaf will make this a bit harder, though, as she has no idea how to do the sign language thing. Maybe hopefully their words will get translated into something this strange visitor can understand?

On the other hand, she /can/ speak with the Yamatoids here, and the 'safe' comment draws a snort. "Safe? Not likely, not with those Palace Lands bums roaming around causing trouble."

She's not nearly as politically correct as the younger kids, but she'll say to Tian, "It's /sort of/ safe, we don't just attack strangers out of the blue. But there's an army of players from another server who do, and they're roaming around, too. Stay clear of them, if you can, is my advice."

Uta stare in surprise at her own understanding of the gesture. Her surprise seems even bigger than anyone else. "Guys, guys. This is big. This is HUGE. That sign... that sign means -yes-. Do... do you know what this means about the Translation System?"

Without even turning, she begins rambling out like an excited eight year old. "...it means that it not only translates sound, but also /lip-reading/! Otherwise, how could a deaf person understand the question and reply -yes-?! Wow. This... boggles my mind. Wow."

She just stares in disbelief, and after a few moments, she taps her lips. "Now, if it can do lip reading... guys, you think it can also do sign language?"

There is a quirk at the corner of Tian's mouth, perhaps some hint of amusement. Unlike most people, it's harder to tell what they are thinking, with much of the face covered by the mask and the rest colored by makeup. Repeating that gesture that must mean 'safe', Tian follows up with additional signs to clarify. "<Safe for me. That you would not attack.>"

Tian turns to look at Goldenblade, their eyes narrowing ever so slightly. "<Not all from the Palace Lands are like them.>" The term 'Palace Lands' seems to be finger-spelled, rather than using a sign for the term. There is some measure of offense in the set of their lips. Repeating the sign for safe, they add, "<Safe to talk. To bring others.>"

As for Uta's attempts at figuring out how all this strangeness works, Tian seems to offer some insight there. Motioning near their lips, they explain, "<I can read lips. I do not know Japanese.>" Most people from Yamato are, obviously, speaking Japanese. "<English. Chinese.>" Tian adds with more hand gestures. Placing a fist near their temple, they raise one finger. "<I still understand.>" Then repeats the gesture, clearly encompassing them. "<I understand you all.>"

Then, they seem to ask what has been on their mind. What had lead them to their observations in the first place. "<We wish to talk.>" We. Obviously Tian is referring to more than just themselves. "<Not attackers. Not enemies.>" Two pointer fingers touch, then move away and hands flatten out. "<My people. The uncrowned.>" They make a sign that looks as if they were putting a crown on their head.

Shiruba cusps a hand to her chin. "Interesting. I did not know the translation effects would work on things like lip-reading... though with the number of, ah, disadvantaged people I've seen using Elder Tale as a means to deal with their matters, I guess I shouldn't be surprised either. The dive system was meant to assist people with such issues..."

She looks back up, mostly because it's kind of a necessity in this case to look at Tian as they explain about how there's Palace Landers not like the ones that have been attacking people.

But then there's one word that makes her ears stand straight up at attention. "Uncrowned..." She repeats, eyes wide. "Wait, you're the uncrowned?! We had found a note saying to 'find the uncrowned' but no context to know what it really meant." Finally, maybe some answers to all these questions they keep piling up!..

Then her expression goes back to confused. "Wait, why are you called the uncrowned?"

Goldenblade peers at Uta, but says, "It's a translation system. It translates." The nice thing about being utterly clueless about computers is you can imagine them doing /anything/. "Just translating our words to, oh, who knows? Text? I can't imagine who'd play a game where you've got to read all text, though. That's crazy. This is 2013. Or 14, maybe?"

SHe arches her brow as Tian claims everyone from the Palace Lands are not hostile. "Well, /that's/ good to know, at least. It'd be too much to ask if any of these not-wanting-to-fight Palace Landers are in positions of authority?" But that'd be -way- too easy, wouldn't it. Life never goes that way."

She then looks over to Shiruba, "What's this about uncrowned?"

"Don't tell me about it, Paula," Uta grumbled. "I've been complaining about that since the Apocalypse. I almost got a degree in literature. Why couldn't it be a narrative-driven, text-based game we got trapped into? But noooooo. Had to be a graphical VR one. I got trapped in the ultimate nerd fantasy, and I'm the wrong kind of nerd!"

"The Dive Gear has some interesting capabilities," Uta mutters, in response to the discussions about the translator system. "Full access to the brain, supposedly...", and she goes on explaining some details of what the Adventurers have learnt about it. "...of course, within the narrative of this world, it's something inside the Babel Tower that does the thing. Probably related to the Babylon Signal."

She casts a sideways glance of surprise as Shiruba readily mentions that the group knows about the note and the Uncrowned already, but otherwise doesn't do much more. She apparently thought it too early to be this forthcoming with this stranger.

There is something akin to a shrug that follows as they try to understand the strangeness of the game's translation system. So far as Tian seems to know, it simply works. They do not 'hear', nor read lips when people speak Japanese, but they understand, regardless. Just as the other Adventurers simply understand the signs that Tian is using.

There is a beat of surprise, a slight widening of those golden eyes as some amongst them seem to understand the term 'uncrowned'. Tian tilts their head, then holds thier hands out, waggling fingers towards themselves. "<That may have to wait.>"

It seems that the Palace Lander isn't going to act as an exposition NPC, at least not alone, without the so-called 'others' that they had mentioned. Looking to Shiruba, their hands draw together, the fingers pressing forward and closing, "<We request a meeting. We will answer what we can. We need you. You need us.>"

The Cait Sith looks around again, still seeming nervous at being quite so out in the open. Tian holds out pointer fingers, clasping them together with both hands. "<Add as a friend. Chimlink location. Guarantee no attacks. We will come.>" Chimlink is also finger-spelled, likely showing that there is no word to represent that concept.

Then, with a more wary look, Tian's fingers move, "<Betray us and fight alone.>"

Maybe it was too soon, maybe it wasn't. It was the first real lead they've gotten since being chased out of the Palace Lands so Shiruba was not about to let it slip by easily. Though she does tilt her head a moment when it becomes a 'we want a meeting' rather than singular.

Then she nods, and opens up her menu interface to do so. "As a Guild Leader I will take this as my responsibility." And her responsibility if this turns out to be a trap or something, but that's leadership. "I will get back to you shortly, Tian. I have a feeling there will be a lot to discuss."

Goldenblade can't commit anyone to a meeting, but she can at least not spoil things, so she nods about the meeting. Just a meeting is probably OK. If it's a Fifth Column inside the Palace Lands, well, that's just the thing we need to get back some momentum in this conflict. But Shiruba can, so that's perfect. She will, with some effort, add Tian to her friends list. There's like four people on it, because she forgets to use it most of the time.

Gwen nods "Well lucky for you I'm American." She grins a bit. "Talk to us about what wait uncrowned what does that refer to?" She'd bene too busy fighting the crowns she may or may not have ween she would have assumed it was just normal kit for her foes. "So we're listening."

Uta takes some time to think. Those dark wings behind her back perk up. She's tense. They flick a few times as she thinks. She's nervous.

She finally inhales. "I'll send the friend request," she finally says, and flicks her menu open. "I'm the most expendable of the group. We need Gwen for tanking. We need Shiruba to lead. And we need Paula four our fortification, and tell the kids to get on the lawn so she can tell them to get off it. It's the social contract," she states.

She looks up to make eye contact with Tien, when the last button to send the friend request is sent. "Be careful, though. If this is a trick, I am going to-" She frowns. She scratches her head, displacing her nurse's cap. "Well, uh, die, I guess."

As Gwen offers that grin, there is the first hint of an actual smile from Tian. It breaks through some of the uncertainty and wariness. Tian doesn't clarify or explain where their knowledge of English would have come from. Though that smile suggests some experience with America, perhaps.

With both Shiruba and Uta sending requests, Tian swipes to accept both of them, inclining her head to them both. They repeat the gesture of touching their fingers together then forming them into flat hands on either side, "<I am not your enemy. You have nothing to fear.>"

At this point, there are others who are frequenting this section of the Alne streets, and that is enough to have Tian looking away from them. "<Beware. Crowned are close.>" The canine Cait Sith steps back, then darts back for the building they had come down from before. With a few quick, acrobatic jumps and catches, they are up and over, darting off into the distance.

This, of course, leaves the Yamato Adventurers with no real answers... but there is, at least, the prospect that some might come. That is, if they can keep the peace long enough to hear out these so-called 'uncrowned'.

"I'll get the word out to others, see if I can get the attention of some of the other big shots in the guilds." Shiruba is already going through her contacts list as Tian is making their departure. "Probably somewhere near the base of the tower, our unwanted visitors haven't shown much interest in that location. Yet." If there is a chance to finally get some answers, or at least some context to why they've come under attack, she's darn well going to chase it.