World Tree MUSH

    "There's still somethings to figure out." states Dan Heng, looking around the group, "Such as why Cocolia turned on us like she did, who or what Sampo truly is, and, most importantly, where the Stellaron is actually located. We have neither coordinates or even a general location to begin a search, and trawling across a snowbound planet would take years at best."

    Stelle then frowns a bit, "I... might have an idea... ever since we entered orbit, I've been getting strange visions and dreams... like I'm looking through someone's eyes, and hearing whispered voices... the hands I see in those dreams, look like Cocolia's."

    She goes into detail about the dreams, each one similar in construction, if not perfectly in content. Cocolia, whispered voices, and a sense of dread and foreboding.

    Talia frowns. She was hoping they'd be discussing this sooner. Cocolia turning on them was so sudden at the time. She listens as Stelle details her dreams, taking mental notes about every detail.

    With things as they are, Clara has now become something of a more regular sight in Boulder town. Though she still wanders between the vagrant camp, Svarog's lair, and Boulder town a lot, that doesn't change the fact that she has become something of a much more known presence.
    "Oh, big sis Stelle. And everyone else, too." She says when she comes across the party.
    "What's going on? Dreams?"

    Well... Jessica is kind of overwhelmed any time the supernatural comes up. Hers is a world without magic* after all! "Well... you think maybe you're seeing stuff that Cocolia is doing? Or has done? Or... maybe WANTS to do? Nnnnh, I don't even have Artes, not sure what to think of all this."
    The catgirl plops down, tail swishing and her feet kicking lazily at the air as she sighs sulkily.

*(Presuming one doesn't count the self-replicating cancer rocks that let you throw fireballs, but that isn't magic is it?)

    When Clara wanders up, March gives a smile to the little platinum girl. "Hey Clara! Stelle was just telling us something that might help with the Stellaron crisis." she says, catching the girl up.

    Jessica's question earns a shrug from Stelle. "I don't know, it's hazy, hard to remember, and I can't even be sure it's real myself." she remarks.

    Dan Heng shrugs. "It's more than a coincidence, especially that all three instances are so similar. Maybe they're being caused by..."

    Stelle frowns, placing a hand over her chest. "The Stellaron inside me, right?"

    Clara gets a gentle smile from Talia. "Hello there, Clara." She says. "We're just trying to figure out why Cocolia...well, she sent her guards after us when we first got here. It was quite strange, we've been down here since."

    "Oh..." Jessica blinks, her ears perking up. "So that isn't magic at all!" She often appears ignorant of things... and usually is, really. But despite the appearance, Jessica's problems mainly stem from a lack of confidence, not intelligence. She rapidly puts things together. "That's like a resonance then! But that means that... maybe they can see what you're seeing too?"

    THAT seems to worry her a bit more, her tail swishing. She turns to the side, "Oh... hi Clara!"

    "Oh huh." Clara says, as she purses her lips. "Hello, Talia, big sis Jessica." She is at least polite.
    When who should round the corner but Svarog himself.
    "The probability of a coincidence is extremely negligible, if there is a Stellaron housed within your body." He points out. ... Looming.

    Svarog appears, and March is quick on the draw, her bow out and an arrow nock'd in one motion. "It's sealed and stable, not a threat." she states firmly, glowering at the tall robot.

    Stelle looks over her shoulder at the guardian droid. "I suppose so... and, I don't think she can sense me. The Stellaron isn't inside her, it's somewhere else. I think I can only feel it because mine, is reacting to the one here, and that's letting me see what it senses... if that makes sense." Sure doesn't seem like it makes sense to the Trailblazer herself, despite being the one to speak the words.

    "For now." Dan Heng says, gently pressing March's arm down to get her to stand down. "We should get some rest, and speak to Wildfire tomorrow... all we have are hunches, guesswork and theories. Until we can acertain more concrete facts, we shouldn't linger and fret."

    Talia is briefly caught off-guard by Svarog's appearance, but while March draws her weapon Talia remains peaceful. They barely won against the android before.

    "We're better off worrying about this later." She concurs with Dan. "Besides, I'm beat." It's been a LONG week or so for these people.

    "Ah..." Jessica nods, slowly. "That does make sense. But we shouldn't assume! If we can, we should plan around the idea that she might pick up a little here and there. But even if she does, maybe she won't know what to make of it?"

    Then the catgirl leans back, frowning. "Then again if she does pick up something about you... if she's after the one here, then you'd become a target. We'll have to remember that."

    "A-ah...!"
    No sooner than March draws her bow, Clara is in front of Svarog defensively.
    Svarog gently nudges her aside.
    "That is entirely unnecessary." He points out. "I have already settled on the course of action to allow you all to the upper world through the Furnace Core." He points out.
    "And I will be going with you, personally, as it is."
    Clara is still motioning for March to lower her bow!

    March does lower her weapon, dismissing it in a burst of blue-white sparkles. "Fine, fine... Anyway, I'm beat." she says, turning to head into the hotel. Dan Heng bows his head and follows, with Stelle not far behind. Rooms have been assigned, including one for Clara and Svarog if they want it.

    THE NEXT MORNING.

    Stelle stumbles out of the hotel, rubbing sleep from her eyes with a mighty yawn, one that might even suck in particles, were it the start of an attack animation. March waves over, "Took you long enough sleepy head. We've been waiting all day for you."

    Stelle paws at her face, as if that would rid her of the lingering fatigue, to no avail. Dan Heng asks, "Did you have another dream last night?"
    Stelle shrugs. "I dreamt that Hook and Pom-Pom were having an argument about teacakes." she mumbles out.

    Talia is sipping coffee and munching a muffin as she walks out of the hotel. At least there were complimentary breakfast foods on offer, right? This isn't some rinky dink shithole roach infested dump, right? These adventures need some FIBER in their breakfast!

    "Which did you side with?" She asks Stelle.

    "I'm not sure that is quite as important," Jessica says, munching on a granola bar. She probably brought that with her in her giant duffel. Except where Rebecca hauled around huge numbers of guns, Jessica has candy bars and stuff in there.

    "Are you going to be okay to move on?" she asks Stelle, more seriously, with large eyes peering in concern. And also trying to resist the innate feline instinct to pounce at the trash panda.

    The next morning...
    Wherever Svarog went, he's not here now. Just a sleepy Clara rubbing at her eyes as she emerges from her room.
    "Are we having teacakes for breakfast???"

    "Pom-Pom." replies Stelle to Talia, grousing a bit as she pulls some kind of drinks bottle out of... wherever it is she keeps all her items. She unscrews the lid, downs the entire thing, then puts the empty bottle back into wherever it came from.

    "S'not, no, but that's what I dreamt about. Dan Heng asked." comes Stelle's slightly more present response to Jessica.

    Clara's appearance gets a teacake dropped into her hands. It's a regular one, in a sealed Space Package that's easily opened.

    Dan Heng speaks again. "Let's go find Wildfire to discuss our next move, and see if there's any new discoveries."

    The team are led off by the two awake Nameless, while Stelle kind of half-zombies along after them. It's not long before Oleg Seele and Sampo come into view.
    "Ah, look who it is." remarks Oleg with a smile. Sampo, on the other hand sleazes it up. "The Bane of Svarog! The big hero of the underworld, and her little posse." he says, weedling his hands together with that smarmy grin on his face.
    "That sounded rehearsed." states March flatly, her eyes half-lidding at the man in the red jacket.

    "Where's Natasha? Is she here?" asks Dan, looking around as if the local doctor were hiding just out of sight.
    "She has, other matterse to attend to, so I hope you don't mind speaking to this old man instead. I speak on behalf of Natasha, and Wildfire by extension." he chuckles. "And, sorry for keeping her identity a secret. One can never be too careful after all."

    Stelle grouses out groggily, finally starting to seem at least semi-conscious. "Whatever happened to trust?" she asks.
    "Natasha's always been cautious, but she has no ill intent, truly." replies Oleg softly.

    "I'd go with coffee cake." Talia muses as she takes a bite out of her muffin. Anyway, as they join Wildfire, Talia makes a face. "'Bane' is putting it a bit much, isn't it? I'd have much rather we not have had to come to blows with Svarog."

    Muffin munch. "OPSEC, I get it. I take it there's too many prying eyes, even down here?"

    Sleepy Clara fumbles with the teacake packet, but manages to open it and starts nibbling.
    "That really sounded rehearsed." She agrees with March quietly. "We didn't know Natasha was the leader of Wildfire, either." She does consider. "It was very surprising, but Mister Svarog says it 'logically made sense'."

    "I've heard dumber reasons for keeping a secret!" Jessica points out, but she now seems to have said her piece last night, because she has not much to add to this part. She does think of her earlier worry but decides maybe that wouldn't be a great idea to mention now that the cat's out of the bag.

    Oleg shrugs. "She's instructed me to make sure you return to the Overworld safely, and after some thought, I think the safest way to do that is to ask Sampo for his help." Oleg doesn't seem too enthused by that, but the alternatives must have been either intensely dangerous, or would take too long to accomplish.

    Sampo for his part smiles broadly, ignoring the barbs thrown his way by the younger girls on the other side. "I brought you down, I can take you back up! Free of charge, satisfaction guaranteed." he says, and somehow seems both earnest and honest, as well as totally sleazy. The cat-like smirk he sports doesn't help that image either.
    "There's no need to knock us out this time, right?" asks March, eying the blue-haired scoundrel cautiously.
    "Of course not! We'll be going through the Furnace Core this time." Sampo replies assuringly.

    "Oleg, isn't there anyone else? Anyone at all? Hook? She seems smart enough." blurts out Stelle.
    "Please don't be like that! We have so much history together, can't you have a little faith?" asks Sampo, sounding genuinely hurt by the remark.
    Seele, having stood quiet and almost pensive until now, speaks up, "Enough. Can't you be a good guide and QUIET for once?" she asks, hand on hip.

    This prompts Dan Heng to ask now, "Wait... where's Bronya?" looking to Seele curiously.

    "Blast it. Where DID Bronya go?" Talia wonders aloud. With Bronya unaccounted for, this could turn very ugly fast.

    When told Sampo will be the guide... Clara raises her hand like a schoolgirl in class.
    "... I'd rather have Hook as our guide..."

    "Bronya, already went back. She made up her mind to go talk to Cocolia directly, and I had no way of talking her out of it." Admits Seele. "She had some things to settle."

    March blinks. "How could you let her go alone?!" she asks, but Stelle cuts in, "Bronya's smart, I'm sure she's got her own plan. We should focus on ours."

    That gets no argument from the other Nameless, and the Wildfire counterparts settle in to going over the details of the egress plan.