((So does this mean I should play Freddie a little smarter? Because right now he's doing something that's not out of the intelligence range of an average horse.))
Keep working on it. If it comes off, bite off the wrappings on my claws. Then drink up, eat the harness/claw wraps if they smell edible, and go to sleep. If it doesn't come off, roll over and try to shake it off. If that still doesn't work, time to give up and see if drinking is possible with it on. Then make a keening noise and rest unhappily.
(1) you manage to get hung up on the sharp thing for a bit, but you can't get leverage to pull the thing off, nor does it cut through. irritated, you huff a bit, then splash around in the water trough, spilling water in annoyance. Once you calm down a little, drinking presents no problem. You whine at the walls and flop onto the ground, but rest eludes you, for whatever reason.
More talking
"There will be no bribes, no petty attempts at mercy , such actions will omly earn my ire. Now all of you, rise, tell us of this caravan, of its duties.
Where it was traveling to and such. Be honest and truthful, work to gain my trust and I shall see you suitably rewarded like a knight of Vlad."
(2) the crowd seems to have lost interest in your words, what with the three of you acting in such fine discord. Overall, they seem most interested in not pissing off the big metal man, as they seem to view him as the biggest threat, and yourself as mostly an annoyance. Also, it's noon, and you are starting to feel the effects of the heat - sunburn, dehydration - the works. The desert, man. It sucks the lifre right out of a person.
Hey, they seem to be making progress! That's more than expected. Relax and maybe snooze a little, it should be safe enough; Dar's the same color as the ground and almost all the dangerous enemies are dead.
((Yeah, was gonna say, rubbing against something on a wall to remove something that's stuck on you isn't tool use. I've seen cats, dogs, and horses all do that to try and remove things like harnesses. Even fish will sorta slam themselves against stuff in their tank to scratch at itches, which I think is more or less what the mammals are trying.))
You chill out under the shade of a large rock, until that shade is completely gone. it's noon now, and getting hot. I mean, even for the desert. Waves of heat are rolling up from the ground, making things in the distance appear blurry and indistinct.
Clunkers gets down on one knee, closer to the eye level of the kids.
"Appreciative statement: Very good, tiny organics. Your answers have already proven to be quite valuable."
He shoots a look at Vlad and the remaining caravan guards, letting his mechanical gaze linger on the guards for a moment. Then he turns back to the kids.
"Annoyed statement: It would seem that we will be here for a little while longer before we can get the legion to pick us all up, so how about this one plays a little game with you all to pass the time? You may ask this one any question you want, and it will answer."
Let the kids ask Clunkers questions to pass the time. Hope Vlad doesn't fuck this up, but be ready to defend the kids in case the caravan guards decide to do something stupid after all.
The kids all seem either hesitant, unhappy, or exhausted. The ungrown bipeds seem to have even less stamina than your average organic.
Into Vlad I go!
Alright. You settle in as you did with birdgirl.
I'm free from my chair? Quickly, vanish into the crowd! Sneak out of the court room if I can.
Easily said, (6) easily done. You pass through the crowd almost as if it wants you to leave, and dart out into a hallway. You look about, seeing only a few doors on one side of the hall. The hall turns to wrap around the courtroom at either end. You hears ome footsteps, followed by some voices coming from the left. Sounds military.
Sorry I'm a bit confused. Who is talking to me? I thought it was a bailif or something trying to trick me by saying to go to higher court, so he could stretch time until some guards arrive. But now I realise it's probably the captain, allthough I didn't think he came with me. Why would he say these things, we can just run away now? Like I said, sorry a bit confused.
If it is someone that's trying to trick me, I dissappear into the night/day with Gak,
if it is the captain I appologize as below.
"Excuse me captain, the gasses sometimes go to my head, make me a little mad."
((This is true, it is explained in his background). Follow the captain's lead.
Your confusion is understandable, but yes, it's the Captain. The orange accent should give it away. And his first speech was addressed at the court rather than at you, but again, you had no real way of knowing that, even IC, (again, except for the accent) so your reactions are perfectly fine.
No worries, lad. You made our point perfectly clear, I think. Well done. A performance worthy of the Queen's Stage itself, if I may say so. Come on, then, let's go cause some more trouble.His eyes wide with excitement, Thrips hurriedly stuffs his hands into the pockets of his coat, rummaging about for a while before tugging them back out again, fist clenched around a bunch of coins.
As he thrusts the handful of coins at the man he nods, rapidly, in the affirmative - what young lad wouldn't jump at the chance to see a dragon?! Nothing suspicious about that, surely. He does make an effort to replace his stress-strained grimace with a smile, though.
Agree enthusiastically to go see this real, live dragon!
As for the "little something" mentioned, take out half of my coins and give them to the guy. Ought to be enough, I imagine.
Edit:Sorry for the late reply. Last turn was very much not what I'd planned, but at the same time it opened up so many more opportunities and ideas that it took me a while to settle on my next move. Also I've been just generally distracted with friends and videogames and Chinese food and what-have-you.
"Ah, I see we have an understanding. Good on you, lad. Let's go. This way."
The officer leads you outside again, and down a back alley a ways. it's a clean alley - the kind you used to see in the more well kept parts of the city, back when you ran errands just to get out of the kitchen away from ... you shudder a bit at the memory. The officer leads you to a stairway along the outside of what you recognize to be a stable, though a bit more sturdy and ... fortified ... than you are used to. He motions for you to be quiet, and takes you up the stairs to a door along a balcony. He knocks on the door quietly, and in a moment, it is opened from within. a few words are exchanged, too low for you to follow, and another officer - a young man, nearly your own age, exits, glancing quickly at you before looking firmly at wherever he is going. The first officer then gestures you inside, and follows, closing the door softly behind.
You hear a lot of splashing, and peek over a shoulder high wall, looking into a dark room. Before your eyes adjust to the dark, a creature below lets out a keening whine - and you recognize Frederick immediately. "Wanna feed it, lad?" The officer whispers.
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Topic: Omega Legion: horses and spiders (Read 82504 times)