Clearwater Gorge

[digisolutions]

[ Meanwhile, in the desert, the capital of the desert kingdom, Clearwater Gorge, is bustling with excitement. People have shown up--the summoning their leader, their "sheriff", did was successful. Maybe, just maybe, they'll be saved. Either way, the bustling little town looks straight out of a wild west movie, complete with a saloon, a graveyard outside town and all the amenities one could need in the badlands. The eponymous gorge is within walking distance, and a beautiful, clear river cuts its path through it, gentle and serene--the main source of water for the town. But uh. Welcome to Clearwater Gorge, there's a gold mine in the plateau nearby and the town seems to be running together quite peacefully despite the setting. ]

Comments

[checkingyoursettings]

... Humans are more capable than command tells us, huh?

[ He's a little excited to hear that. Okay, march. He will try not to fall into the sand again. ... He'll just carry Kudamon, poor thing looks tired, and even he's not (hah) heartless. ]

I have to admit, I'm kinda shocked. They're always so cagey about what you're like...

[apprivoises]

I'm not sure what you're talking about... But the Cybodies make it a little easier. Not that it matters anymore--when I fought Samek, Tauburn was lost, too. But I think she earned her rest, so...

[ He's babbling. ]

[checkingyoursettings]

[ He's so curious... ]

Is that the name of your weapon? I have a few with names I've picked up. ... I really don't know the first thing about humans, sorry. I mostly just see the ruins of their old cities and stuff.

[apprivoises]

Tauburn? No. She's a Cybody. They're... They're big mechs. Like from anime!

[ LISTEN YOU CAN'T TELL ME TAKUTO WOULDN'T WATCH ANIME. ]

I was Tauburn's pilot, but the Cybodies were also alive, so it was more like we were partners working in tandem.

[checkingyoursettings]

Oh, so like my flight unit, sort of? We have man-operated vehicles, and I've got my Pod--well, not right now. I dunno where it went, actually...

[ He sighs. Kudamon wiggles. ]

It's okay. Ya got me!

... Well, you're kinda cute, I'll give you a pass.

[ Kudamon is very proud of itself. It becomes further spaghetti. ]

[apprivoises]

I guess?

[ He's never seen your flight unit ]

Tauburn wasn't the biggest of them. But they're uh... I'd fit into a sphere in her chest.

[ He's going to crudely draw in the sand as best he can before it gets blown away, to give an idea of how big it was. ]

[checkingyoursettings]

... That's definitely bigger than our standard aerial vehicles, but not bigger than some of the more advanced combat weapons I guess?

[ Here, he makes a crude drawing of what I can only describe as looking like a gundam with a stick figure inside it. ]

Of course, us androids don't have to worry about being destroyed ourselves, y'know? Just our black box data. If it isn't backed up, that's troublesome.

[apprivoises]

[ Whatever fun demeanor Takuto had a moment before drops. He's suddenly very serious. ]

Never talk like your life is something easily thrown away. Even if you can come back from it, you should always take care of yourself so you don't have to. People who care about you won't like to see you treating your life as disposable. No one is.

[checkingyoursettings]

H-huh?

[ He's taken aback. ]

But self-destruction protocols are... regulation. I could get in a lot of trouble for turning that sort of stuff off if an Op goes south.

[sobek_uniter]

[There's voices coming up a rise not far away.]

I *told* you I don't need help! As soon as I find a place I can replace my weapons-

Which won't do much against anything that strong here-

I've heard that before.

[There's a heavy sigh from the metallic crab following along behind the redhead.]

Where is this anyway? I have something very important I need to be doing and if it isn't done soon...

[apprivoises]

[ Takuto hers Nines, but gets distracted by... Other person. Another person. ]

...Guess we weren't the only people brought here. Hey!

[ He'll wave her over. ]

I'm Tsunashi Takuto! You get dragged here, too?

[checkingyoursettings]

Whoa. Hang on now. There's no need to be so quick on the draw. They don't SEEM actively hostile, like most machines.

[ Nervous. His scans aren't showing anything, but he can pick up on her agitation pretty easily... ]

Er... ma'am? ... It would probably be prudent to try to gather information first. Weapons can't help us if we don't know the enemy.

[sobek_uniter]

[Aloy gives them an expression of combined confusion and migraine face, nodding to Takuto.]

Aloy, and yes. As for my weapons, I'd like to at least have them since they're the hardest part of my gear to replace, and right now, I'd have to rig snares just to hunt game ... [She pauses, hand on the device on the side of her head as the light on it glows; she spends a second looking around.] ...If there even is any here...

[Crabmon just shrugs in confusion at that.]

[digisolutions]

[ Takuto's about to say something when a huge dust cloud blows in over the horizon and skids into town. They're left choking on sand for a moment after the cloud stops, skidding to a halt on the packed-down sand used for a road. And there, one the motorcycle, is what clearly has to be the sheriff. She at least looks in charge, and she'll get off, dusting herself off before noticing them. ]

Shit.

[ She clearly didn't mean to blow sand at them. ]

Sorry. I was in a hurry. BelleStarmon, and I run the desert. You guys want an explanation or do you want to figure it out for yourself?

[checkingyoursettings]

[ He holds his arms over Kudamon who is coughing and tries to cover them. ]

Cool bike, I guess, but you really didn't need to choke them. Is there uh, a faster way to get through this place?

[sobek_uniter]

I don't know about anyone else but I definitely want an explanation. [Aloy's folded her arms in front of her, clearly unhappy and not at all afraid of the weird three-eyed not-human lady - in fact, while she's not actually likely to do it, she looks about ready to throw hands.]

[Crabmon is just...standing tiredly next to her, ready to grab her ankle if she does do anything stupid - they don't THINK she's going to, but...]

[digisolutions]

Listen, you guys were called here because we tried to fix our problem and couldn't. In fact, it's just gotten worse.

[ She'll toss a disc down on the ground and it'll give a hologram map of the huge island they're all on. And she'll gesture to the area that's glitching. ]

That? That's all turning into glass. It spreads like some kinda fungal infection, infecting one of us and then finding civilization and blowing up. The area becomes glass, and everyone's frozen and shit. Time works differently here, before you get worried, it'll be like minutes at most passin' when you get back. You and your partners are special, you get it. Listen, I'm exhausted, and I'm not as good at this kinda stuff as my little sister's old lady. Angewomon knows how to talk for long periods and could probably make this a lot more clear. But this thing's spreading into my turf and I've got people to worry about protectin'.

[checkingyoursettings]

Fix your... wait. Glass? How hot is this stuff getting? Sand can be blown into glass, but this is... unnatural.

[ Says the android. ]

Also wait, this place has some kind of time dilation field?! What kind of battle have you dragged us into...?