Bits and Bobs

The Life And Advenures of SpritesHero and Friends

Uta
Yamato - -42 - 8 - 0

A dirt road in the country, passing through fields. Simple flowers with pale stalks and an open set of purple flowers grace the landscape, and the only thing disturbing the peace of the idyllic scene is...

... well, looks like Uta accidentally dumped the contents of a satchel. Luckily there seemed to be nothing fragile in there, but a lot of small items like coins, pencils, playing cards, and other similar paraphernalia now lie scattered on the ground, and Uta has kneeled over to try and pick them up, and put them back into the proper container.
SpritesHero
Yamato - -42 - 8 - 0

"Please allow me to help," states a baritone voice attached to a pair of well-cared-for boots--which have nonetheless managed to pick up a decent amount of half-frozen mud and muck during the day's journeys--boots which stride into vision out of a nearby field of grass. Black-gloved hands slide across Uta's field of vision, reaching for the least personal of the items (coins and pencils), followed at last by the (somewhat) familiar features of a foreigner named Bob.

Other than that offer (which, to be honest, was more a statement of intent than an offer), Robert remains wordlessly silent. There's only the brief rustle of fingertips against the road's dirt, the clink of metal coins against metal coins.
Uta
Yamato - -42 - 8 - 0

Uta looks up with surprise at first, but then, seeing how the picking up is happening anyway without any need for input, she replies with a simple, "Thank you."

Items in the satchel do not seem to be personal, for the most part. The most personal is probably a wooden comb, and that one isn't even /that/ personal. "Glad we meet again... Bob was the name, right?", she says, attempting to strike up conversation as she keep gathering objects. "How were things since the last time we've met?"
SpritesHero
Yamato - -42 - 8 - 0

SpritesHero's lips twitch. Possibly it's a subdued smile. Possibly it's a shadow of a grimace. "Robert," he corrects her, but without any real conviction. It's a borderline automated response. He offers two hands to her, the first containing her coins, the second her pencils.

"Slow," he admits at last, with the faintest pursing of his lips. "And fast. A million things happening, every single one of which appears to be getting in the way of what I actually need to do." The curve of his lips warms, becomes faintly amused, faintly self-deprecating. "Which I suppose means it's situation normal. And you? You were trying to decipher the fast-travel portals, right? The Alf incantation?"
Uta
Yamato - -42 - 8 - 0

"Robert. I'm sorry...", Uta apologizes, with a bow. "Alv," Uta corrects in turn. "Not much progress in that regard. Still hunting for songs," she sighs. "Progress has been slow on that front. Chasing a multitude of leads. Like you... a million things happening, every single one of which appears to take me in a different direction. I think someone called them 'side quests.'" She looks up and taps her lips, gaze lost in the distance. "I am not a gamer myself, so I'll have to trust them."

"Right now I'm mostly training to acquire control over the element of Water. It's... taking effort. And you? Have you had any luck with your questions after that Wave of Calamity which involved Bondrewd?"
SpritesHero
Yamato - -42 - 8 - 0

"Alv, that's right," Robert acknowledges. Unlike Uta, he doesn't apologize for the misunderstanding. He gives no sign of regarding it as a throw-away acknowledgement, though he does step back (now that her belongings have been restored to her). He pulls his coat more tightly around him, and exhales, sending a plume of steam wafting forth. All the romance of being a smoker, none of the drawbacks. Unless a cold-reddened nose counts.

"I remember I used to scrupulously avoid these side-quests, back in the day. Would that I could do so now. As for me, haven't heard a peep out of anything related to Bondrewd. Nowadays, most of the fuss seems to be around building strains between Scale and...well, everyone else, I suppose. Personally I'm inclined to just let the two groups punt each other around a bit until they come to an understanding. But I can appreciate why others may not favor that approach."
Uta
Yamato - -42 - 8 - 0

Uta grunts, "I have heard of such political machinations, and if it is any consolation, I am strongly opposed to them. I have been pushing for tighter cooperation between alliances, or at least between Olympus and Scale, since a long time. But..." She sighs. "I wield no power nor influence, and the uncaring gears of politics grind on without heeding any of my wishes." She looks down to her recently returned belonging, an attempt at keeping herself, and especially her mind, busy. "That's what one gets for being a small fish, I suppose." There is some silence as she stops. "So, I suppose I engage in side quests in the hope to actually do something that matters." She glances at Robert, and adds, quietly, as if fearful of being heard, "But if you find out anything about Bondrewd, let me know. I am very interested in that."
SpritesHero
Yamato - -42 - 8 - 0

SpritesHero's gaze sparks, twinkling for the briefest of moments. "If it matters to you, if you find it meaningful, then doesn't that by definition make it not a side-quest?" he queries, before raising his right hand. "I do solemnly swear to relay any information I find out about Bondrewd, to you, so long as I am able," he promises. The hand drops.

"Out of curiosity," he continues, "why do you think there can reasonably be tighter cooperation between the alliances? Granted, there are several important areas where mutual interest comes into play. But there's also a fundamental and, in my view, irreconcilable difference of opinion. And that difference is existential, so it is likely not a simple issue of promoting tolerance."
Uta
Yamato - -42 - 8 - 0

Uta is impressed by Robert's oath. "...well, the side quests get in the way of the many small, but important, quests. It's... complicated," she says, as she shifts in place.

"It would be a long and complex discussion, but the main two points are that, one, Scale and Olympus are as incompatible as someone would like everyone to believe. Olympus is supposed to not have any specific stance about tower pushes or leaving this world. If you want more perspective about this point, maybe you can speak with Rylen. Second, I believe that creating attrition between alliances is exactly the Otherworlder's plan, and that is one of the main purposes of the Waves. Which means that if we want to overcome them, we need to stick together."

She cocks her head ever so slightly. She studies the other Spriggan for a few moments, and to meditate on something on her own, before adding, "By the way... in case you hadn't found out already, it turns out that Bondrewd is an Alv."
SpritesHero
Yamato - -42 - 8 - 0

SpritesHero is silent for many moments. One hand drifts to his hip and he stares at the ground intently, chewing on his lip. "Where to begin..." he muses at length, glancing up once more.

"Bondrewd. I hadn't found that out, though it is interesting that the Alv are classified as Monsters. Beyond that, I'm not sure what the implications are? Is it that we potentially have access to a real-live Alv, who could translate words for us? It....may be worth a shot, but at the same time, given his past actions, I'm not sure that he wouldn't deceive us into unknowingly setting off some sort of world-ending device. Thoughts?"

"And second, I...suppose framing it at the alliance level may be a mistake. But the fact of the matter is that the equation has changed. And whatever the Alliance's nominal stance may be, the real policy will be at the whim of those who make up the alliances. So yes, the balance can shift from one side to the other, but there will always be that fundamental conflict. I'm also not sure that conflict around truly important matters necessarily weakens us. Necessity is the mother of invention, as they say. And seeing as how we don't really die, would it not be difficult to deal any kind of permanent damage to each other?"
Uta
Yamato - -42 - 8 - 0

"Well," Uta begins, scratching the back of her head. "This is the part I'm not sure I'm at complete freedom of disclosing, at least not yet. But... Bondrewd is, somehow, at least part Alv, and part monster. I strongly suspect he did /something/ to himself, to end up like that. Maybe something similar to what created the Were Fangs?" She taps her chin. "Hmmm. Possibly something to look into..." she shakes her head, then asks, "So... he inspected as a Monster? Any other icons of note? Or just a plain Monster?"

She ties her satchel to her belt, and shakes her head. "I prefer to not even think of what damage we could do to each other, by living forever..." And with a hint of darkness in her voice, she murmurs, "And given what they're capable of, I wouldn't be surprised if the Alv could just annihilate an Adventurer..."
SpritesHero
Yamato - -42 - 8 - 0

"I honestly can't give you much more on that, regarding Bondrewd," Robert admits with another exhalation that clouds in the frigid air. "I don't have that information myself. Amalthea's my source, and she just said that he was a monster, with a threat of orange, if I recall correctly. I regrettably allowed myself to be...ahh...distracted by the combat. What I can tell you is that Monster seems to be a fairly broad category. On the ninth floor, we ran into a large wall with a metal gate in it. Both were classified as monsters, and attacked us. Actual wall, actual gate, mind. Not a mimic. They were even manned by skeletons." His hands come to rest on his waist again, and he scuffs at the ground with his boot.

"I agree that there's considerable uncertainty around how and why the Tower clears are causing waves. But everyone has a guess, and very few of those guesses can be confirmed or negated by the complete lack of evidence that we have. However, in my opinion, there are a couple constants. First, we know the system is not going to be playing fair. And second, nearly every outcome carries a substantial threat. So it seems to me that, whatever the details of the matter may be, we're all going to need to get considerably stronger and considerably more aggressive. With everything that entails."
Uta
Yamato - -42 - 8 - 0

Uta listens with fascination at Robert's story, and sinks into silent meditation at the end. "I think you have a point there. I suppose it's our only choice."

All of a sudden, as if she had noticed this for the first time, a single, intense shiver runs from the top of her head down her spine to the tip of her feet, and back up again. Teeth are sent chattering, and she hugs herself, leaping from one foot to the other. "Holy cripes, it's /cold/! I... I need to get my winter stuff out!" With a trembling finger, she navigates her menu, and after a jab and a shimmer, she's clad in a heavy white coat. "...and should probably be on my way. Thank you for the chat, I will make sure to contact you again about that."
SpritesHero
Yamato - -42 - 8 - 0

Lacking a cap, Robert settles for a bow and a mimed hat-tip. "The pleasure is entirely mine," he answers, straightening. "A bit of sunshine for you. There -are- individuals working to set constraints on things. I don't know how effective it will be, what the constraints may be, or how they can be enforced, but at least the impulse is there. Goodbye, Uta. Stay warm."
Uta
Yamato - -42 - 8 - 0

Uta returns the bow, and having an actual nurse's cap on her head, tips it in Robert's direction. "Until next time, Robert. You do likewise.", and that said, she proceeds on her way, rubbing her hands, and blowing more condensation on them.