[WORLD ONE | POST-UVI CELEBRATION]

[spellbindmods]

Who: Coven members and Palai
Where: In and around the Aimintas marketplace
When: Day 39
Open/Closed: Open to All

After an appropriate amount of time for mourning, the Palai have shifted into a more positive mood -- they're a very resilient species, though there is a bit of a muted tone to their celebration. The whole event is a little hodge-podge, mostly because they aren't used to having to celebrate with the coven members added to the guest list. The Palai have gathered together all of their people and have invited the coven members to a small, intimate gathering -- the purpose of the event is to thank them for their service in fighting the Uvi, and the success of freezing the Uvi in their home. While no one knows how long the Uvi will stay gone, any amount of time without the Uvi being a concern is fine by them. The event takes place in the very center of the marketplace, with the Palai interacting on the fringes of the party throughout the rest of the large building. The coven members have time to spend by themselves, but there's room for moving around on their own and also spending time with the Palai if they so choose. A ▢ One of the more noticeable editions to the food the Palai have provided is a large pile of sweet, sugar dusted pastries. You may notice that something about them seems...odd, to say the least. It looks as if the pastries are vibrating slightly, but they smell divine. If you're so inclined to ask what the deal is, these pastries are magically infused by Eltos, which somehow gives them a sweeter flavor and enhances the sensation of tastebuds. The Palai sometimes eat these before meals in order to better the flavor of their entire spread -- though adding this energized magic to an already magical being means magic powers may be a little off kilter. Don't be surprised if suddenly your abilities go a little crazy. B ▢ The Palai aren't participating the party for two big reasons. One, the purpose is to celebrate the victory of coven members. The other reason, however, is one that may be more interesting to outsiders. While previously the Palai were peaceful people, happy to exist submitting to the Uvi, the coven's show of strength and valor has inspired them to be more aggressive in their approaches. Grown Palai can be seen working on makeshift weapons, but the idea of smaller tools like slingshots have already been constructed and almost perfected. The Palai youth have discovered these tools and are playing with them gleefully, though occasionally hitting each other -- and potentially you -- with energized, paralyzing rocks fueled with Elto energy. Watch out or you might get zapped! C ▢ Other Palai youth aren't as fortunate to be so distracted and happy. While fewer Palai died during this attack, the casualty number wasn't zero. Most Palai children still have at least one family member to care for them, but they're still a little disconnected from their people by means of grief. Some are milling about with the coven members, trying to eat or pester them for attention. If you're good with kids this may be more your speed, but those bad with children can find this irritating. Some Palai youth are more muted, however, content to just sit and listen to stories or eavesdrop on conversations. D ▢ For some people, rain isn't that big an issue -- but it certainly puts a damper (get it?) on a party. The Palai seem a bit confused by the sudden shower that comes in heavy as the evening dies down. The Palai have never experienced rain before, using irrigation systems and existing ground water as their means of hydration (both for themselves and for plants). Because the rain is coming from the ocean, the drops are large and salty, and the marketplace quickly begins to flood. The Palai move the party indoors for the most part, but that doesn't mean you or the food aren't already soaked. It's much warming underneath the roofs in the marketplace, but that doesn't provide much relief since the ocean rain is warm and humid. E ▢ Wildcard! How will your character handle this violent and volatile situation.

Comments

[deem]

I'll find someone who can easily stop me.

[The answer comes perhaps too easily, for all that 9S hardly wants to die. Above anything else, his programming demands that he protect mankind. It doesn't matter what the details are, nor what it costs him. Even in a world where mankind was long beyond his reach, that part of him remained, eating away at him.

He'll do everything he can, but it ever it becomes necessary, he can't risk humans dying, and he doesn't want to harm 2B. That means he'll need to find someone powerful enough to disable him at the least if he becomes a threat to others]

That way, I can minimize potential damage.

[Ideally, keep it to zero]

[thatdamnknight]

Understandably so.

[flynn can't fault him for taking precautions like that. if flynn were in that position, he'd wish for the same. innocent people getting harmed weighs on a person like nothing else. all those who suffered because of flynn's mindless actions still burden him. blindly following orders led to horrible consequences (for which he can't blame alexei, as easy as it would be. he chose to carry out those orders so the fault rests with him and him alone).

even if he can't stop 9s in that situation, he can at least keep the android from suffering more than need be.]

For what it's worth, you have my word that, should this ever happen, I will do my best to see to it that no one is harmed.

[this, of course, fails to take into consideration flynn himself, but 9s doesn't need to know that.]

[deem]

...Make sure that includes you. If you don't look after yourself, you can't protect anyone else.

[This from the guy who makes a profession of getting himself damn near destroyed on a routine basis, but it's not like anyone here knows how bad he is except for 2B. It's pretty typical for androids, though especially true of 9S, drawing from a number of factors, including his own recklessness and interest in studying machine combat tactics. He was never meant for melee, and that hasn't stopped him.

Androids of course are different from humans. So long as their personality data and memories can be preserved, they can be transferred to another body. The same cannot be said for the race that created them, and so he's far more concerned about Flynn than he is for himself.

Not that he's forgotten that replacement bodies aren't an option anymore]

So you need to remain safe too.

[thatdamnknight]

[somehow he expected 9s to say as much. the comment ends up enough to get flynn to smile lightly. it's a good point if one flynn himself would say were their roles reversed.]

I'll do my best.

[which is about the best flynn can promise. he won't swear to remain safe but he won't say otherwise, either. what the situation needs most is what course of action he'll take. as a knight, risking his life is what he does. he's often said yuri can't turn a blind eye to other people suffering; the truth is, flynn is just as bad. no matter what at what cost to himself, he will protect those who need it. if that ends with his death then... well, then it happens.]

[deem]

...Anyhow, I'd appreciate if we can keep this conversation between us.

[Mostly, 9S doesn't want it reaching people who would worry far too much. Like 2B. Like Jude. He thinks it would be a hardship for them to know that he's thought about this, and he fears that 2B would surmise that he must be speaking from experience, knowing what it was to be infected, herself.

That's knowledge he doesn't want to burden her with]

I'll make sure to take proper precautions.

[thatdamnknight]

[flynn nods. even had 9s not said that, sharing this with other people wouldn’t have happened. it’s a personal, unpleasant topic. sharing the details of it is not up to him. he can also understand how most people wouldn’t take well to hearing this sort of plan. best and only thing to do is to keep his lips sealed.]

Of course.

[now why not go back to something slightly more pleasant to chat about.]

Thank you again for your jacket. I’ll return it to you as soon as it’s dry.

[and, you know, after he’s fully dry himself.]

[deem]

[He nods]

Alright. Be sure to stay warm, until then.

[As much as 9S is comfortable in and accustomed to his uniform, he far prefers that Flynn doesn't become ill. Sickness could be debilitating for humans or even prove lethal, and the last thing he wants to do is run the risk of anything happening when he could do something about it.

Besides, Flynn is a man with a kind nature and a desire to protect others... And perhaps far less drive to protect himself. He might need a little looking out for, with that fact in mind]