cape_kore | video/action ❆ day 161

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video/action ❆ day 161

[The feed flickers on to a view of the library. And Meja, sitting at a table, with a big book out in front of her. It appears to be a book about plants, hazarding from the pictures visible on the video feed. Laying on Meja's shoulder is a white rat, who appears to be sleeping. Her armor is glamoured into a dark blue coat.]

I don't suppose anyone's been poking around the lab machines, as of late? Some of the plants in hydroponics are getting quite large, and I've been curious about food applications since I started. Unless we'd like to completely depend on random chance in the cafeteria. It was suggested to me that we should test the plants properly, to see if they're edible, but I'm terrible with anything mechanical.

Is anyone interested? I should mention that if this work also includes testing machines, it will be dangerous and should not be undertaken lightly. I can heal wounds, if it comes to that, but I'd like to exercise as much caution as we're able to, here.

[She smiles.]

Tusen takk.

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I'd be game for testing.

[She figures it should go without saying, at this point, that Meja has her help if she wants it, but she's speaking up all the same.]

It's been awhile, and I'm a little rusty, but I should remember how to use most of it, unless some of the equipment is entirely foreign. I was kind of a science nerd in college. Biologist, actually.

[Meja tries not to look surprised. She mostly succeeds. It's a pleasant surprise. Still, Anita doesn't really look like the scientific type.]

I'd appreciate it. When I was growing up, the most high-tech things in town were the nuclear decontamination units. And I wasn't exactly allowed near them.

[No unauthorized personnel had been. Considering a possible side effect of using them was contamination, everyone had been happy to comply.]

We shouldn't need anything too fancy, I don't think.

Between the two of us, I'm sure we can fumble our way through.

[They're both smart, resourceful women. She has no doubt that they can adapt.]

Here's hoping neither one of us loses any extremities in the process.

[She chuckles wryly, nodding.]

Don't worry. Extremities I can do, if one of us happens to lose an arm or worse. Not that the process will be pleasant, but it won't be hopeless.

[A Valkyrie can recover from anything other than the specific combination that kills them. Sometimes it takes a while, but they do eventually. Healing yourself back from being crushed? Not. Fun.]

Even if that's fixable for you?

[She winces, the mental image being less than pleasant.]

I've seen severed arms before. Not a good time. Though those were animate. Crawling around all on their own, along with the rest of the...

[She gestures vaguely, dismissive.]

The pieces.

[It's an awful mental image, but it's an even worse thing to go through. Luckily, Meja hasn't had to heal an entire arm. Just a finger or two, and a toe.]

Ja. Killing a Valkyrie, you have to be very... specific, in what you do. [And she's not going to elaborate more on the network. Juuust in case.] Otherwise, we can heal. It might simply take a long time, depending on the injury. But we're patient. Well... most of us are.

[Eloise is a force unto herself.]

But, no crawling limbs. Thankfully.

You know, I wouldn't have thought of testing the chemical composition that way if you hadn't said that, but you're right. That would be clever of us.

Given I'm unlikely to get killed by any of it, I think you'd better count me in.

It wasn't my idea, I'm sorry to say. But it was pointed out to me that there may yet be a Valkyrie-killing plant, and that I should be a bit more careful than simply taste-testing straight away.

[That would be unusual, given that killing her (again) requires a powerful magic weapon through the brain or heart, but perhaps it's not out of the realm of possibility.

She smiles brightly.]

Thank you, Balthazar. The more help, the better for all involved. Some of it may not be pleasant, of course. Like the, ah, mistletoe I had to cut back.

[Actually, the problem there is that it was too pleasant. But awfully invasive, physically and mentally. And she's probably going to blush if she thinks about that too much.]

That's probably a valid point. For that matter, there could be an angel-killing plant somewhere in the multiverse. [It'd be very bad luck to have such rarities growing in their garden, but apparently stranger things happen in Kore.]

You're welcome, darling. I'm not necessarily mechanically gifted, but I've maintained some unique artifacts. If you like, I'll have a look in the labs and see what I can turn up, shall I?

That would be great. There's got to be something we can use, even if we have to figure out how it works first.

[And then Meja will stay as neutral as possible, when involved, because being a storm entity sometimes has the downside of shorting things out. Luckily, that hasn't happened yet, but there's a blackened security system panel on Midgard that can attest.]

The scientists probably had a similar problem they needed to tackle, if all of this food is any indication. And let's hope for no killing plants, while we're at it. I like us both with all of our functions intact.

[That's a wrinkle he hadn't considered. Balthazar's element is more fire than storm, so he ought to be all right unless the system overheats.]

I'll head that way now, I think, in that case.

You've a point about the scientists. I'm still wondering where they've all gone, but it seems they needed some form of nourishment when they were here.

It's one big mystery, where they went. And where their labeling and paperwork went, as well. Hopefully we'll solve it, if just to satisfy curiosity.

[Meja doesn't really care about confronting them, truth be told. She's not the vengeance-seeking type, except in extreme cases (one name starting with a capital L). It's much more important to find out how this place works, exactly, than to punish the people who had considered their summoning a fringe benefit. Some people need to get home. She's one of them, even if she enjoys all of the friends she's made here. Not everyone needs to leave, maybe, but the option of leaving would be nice.

Those research notes would be perfect right about now. As would any manuals that had come with said scientific equipment, even if the manuals for some of it had probably been as thick as a phone book.]

If nothing else, it does prove they were... organic. Or most of them were, at least.

[Of course, there's the Machine...]

[He holds the communicator steady as he walks--yes, walking rather than flying for now--looking thoughtful.] I couldn't say why, but I have an impression they might have been trapped, themselves. Which makes their disappearance very ominous, indeed.

The Machine being here doesn't shed much light, either, though. Someone has to have built it. It's all very odd; I feel as though it's a puzzle with half the pieces missing.

Perhaps that someone didn't know what they were building, when they did. Or the scientists procured it without asking for its plans.

["Procuring." More like stealing, in that case. She wouldn't put it past them, considering what the scientists have been willing to do in the past.]

You're right. We've got less than half the steps. Maybe the things in the lab can help put some of that together, in addition to testing our plants for... well, not killing whoever ingests them.

That's very possible. They may have pulled in technology they didn't understand and made a Frankenstein monster of their very own. [He rubs his chin, frowning.] Have you had dreams here? It's been a while for me, but there was a point a while back where everyone was walking through everyone else's mind overnight. A lot of us saw a city.

It seems to me like it must mean something, but I can't imagine what.

[Meja shakes her head.]

I'm afraid not — that must have been before I arrived. I don't sleep. I've been known to have... visions, I guess you could call them, when I meditate. But that's the closest I get, and they're rare. What kind of city did you see?

I don't sleep either. That was the weird part.

I haven't tried since then, but I get the impression it might be possible still. The city...it was sort of bright. Crystalline. But you couldn't see the faces of the people walking about.

A crystal city... [Meja squints, thoughtfully, at the ceiling. It doesn't budge any memories.] That's... another odd piece of the puzzle. If you can, and it wasn't harmful, it might be beneficial to try again. I think we're all resigned to simply collecting pieces until we can create something more solid from them, so to speak.

Tell you what. I'll try if you'll try and join me. [He's grinning, and possibly flirting a little.] Maybe two sets of eyes will be able to notice more.

[Meja bites her lower lip, trying not to smile.]

Do you think I'd be able to get there, even if I didn't dream of the city to begin with?

I have no idea. The whole business is a bit of a mystery. But if worst came to worst, I'm sure I have dreams to share that you might find entertaining.

[He's not even just talking about the orgy dreams, Meja! Gallery parties and running around beaches along the Riviera are nice, too.]

[Uh huh. Sure, Balthazar. Meja considers, and then nods. She has a curiosity that even most cats would find excessive.]

It could be useful, and interesting, if we can find the place. ...if 'find' is even the proper word for a city you can only explore in your dreams.

[He's come to the door of something resembling a laboratory now, and peers around briefly before entering. It's going to take more than a cursory look-over at these machines, but that may be for the best. He needs something to do.]

Right? It's not really a location, per se, I think. Maybe a memory of one. Tell you what, I'm going to work around here now, but I'll call on you later; maybe we can make plans to sleep together. [Grin. Now he's being deliberately silly.]

[Meja laughs quietly, smiling and shaking her head.]

Bring your sleeping bag, and I'll paint your nails. Since your hair isn't long enough to braid.

[Yup. Sleepover jokes. She went there.]

I'll make popcorn, it'll be fun!

Careful, I'll take you up on that. [Maybe not the nail-painting, though. He cut the feed with a sly wink, but he'll be thinking about the possibility of dream sharing, and wondering how able they'll be to direct the results.]

I would help over see working the machines.

[ He can heal as well. ]

[More healing is always good. Meja smiles gratefully, nodding.]

Thank you. Some of them look ominous. Or they did the last time I poked my head in one of the labs. There's no telling exactly what they do. I do imagine, however, that some of them scan biological material, judging from all of the... odd trauma that people in the town used to arrive with.

[No memories of ever leaving, jittery nerves, nightmares. It has to be something here.]

You're welcome. And yes, they do. I admit to wanting to be more cautious with them than I otherwise would be.

[ Which says a lot really, given what he's done to his siblings. ]

On the other hand, using them might just shed light on our situation here. And why we've been left alone with all of this equipment.

[They really can't afford to just leave them be, unfortunately, in Meja's mind.]

Some at least. I doubt it will be that simple.

[Meja chuckles.]

Is anything around here simple?

This is true.

It can't shed less light, at least. I hope. But thank you. Shall I contact you when we're ready to try?

Trained chemist. Years of practical experience in the identification of pharmacologically active compounds. Would appreciate information in exchange for my assistance.
SH

I'm certain that could be arranged. What information are you after?

John Watson. I believe you know him. I want to know when you saw him last and where.
SH

Two days ago, I think. In the cafeteria. He was headed back to his room.

[After giving her her sword back, the hellhounds gone and not a threat anymore.]

Can't find his room anymore. He isn't responding to attempts to reach him. Could be ignoring me. Would appreciate being informed if you should happen to see or hear from him again.
SH

[Well, that doesn't sound good. People do sometimes return, but rooms vanishing are, in general, a bad sign.]

Of course. I'll contact you immediately. Didn't figure him as the ignoring kind, however. What's your name?

[SH only goes so far.]

I'm the exception to a fair few of his rules. Sherlock Holmes.

Well met, Mr. Holmes. Does any time work better for you, in regards to the labs?

[Meja doesn't sleep, but she's well aware that humans generally need to.]

Don't sleep much. Will work odd hours. Won't require supervision. I can meet with you at your convenience, but sooner would be better.

[He could use a distraction.]

I can grab a few things and then join you now, or soon, if you like.

[One or two sprigs of plants for testing. None of the creepy moving mistletoe with its odd bodily reactions. She already knows not to plant more of that.]

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video/action ❆ day 161

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