World Tree MUSH

Short version of How We Got Here.

Raven goes full aggro and travels to a world with hover-cars, AI, Robots, and all that fun stuff. Anna, Luke, and Ash step in to talk her down... and succeed in doing so with a surprisingly little amount of property damage. This leaft Ash's warframe down for minor repairs, Raven catatonic in Ash'sship, and Ash scrambling to deal with a contract holder.

As Raven Slept Ash hadOrdis aim for Alola. The travel time allowed him a chance to strech, grab a bite to eat, and a few other thigns before entering the island's airspace.

"Hey Miwa, you busy?" Ash would ask after calling the Primarina songstress. "I kinda want you to come with me for a bit. THis place... well..." He sounded evasive as he didn't want to mention specifics."Myframe got busted up on a quick pickup job for an employer and I could use help getting them off my case for going non-lethal." THen, weariness crpet into his voice, "At the very least having a friendly face around for the next few hourswould be nice."

"Yea," Ash glanced at the Somatic pod where Raven was sedated and sleeping. "Raven's on board but shes'.... It's a bit of a story and I'd rather tell you face to face. Just wanted to give you a heads up. See you in a bit."

Ash patted a console in the lander as he entered. Strictly speaking he didn't have to, but Miwa was important to him and didn't want her to feel like he came by just because he wanted help sweet talking people.

"Ordis?" Ash lay down in the lander as it detached. "I probably don't say it enough, but thank you."

"You don't, but you've also never had to."

One landing craft ride trip later, with ash practically hugging her the whole ride, Ash glanced over at a pair of noodle bowls. "I... Yea sorry you said you had lunch already right?"

One of Ordis's drons pulled a rug for Ash to sit on in the small hallway area of his ship. "So i was doing some contract work on this world. Little bit more advaned than your home. Had some kind of war about a decade back. Nice place, friendly folk but work's work. Got done with one job on the list and get an emergancy call." He gestured and one of ORdis's little service drones brought up a small display showing raven in bright red robes, face hidden in shadows, with two sets of glowing red eyes in the middle of one very trashed car lot.. "I get this pannicked call asking me to deal with the problem. Ordis made a point of asking for details. No details, just 'any measures nessicary to make it stop."

Ash gestured to the back of his ship. "Right now Raven's sleeping in the chair I use to pilot my warframe from. Ordis has her lightly sedatedfor now til we can find a safe placeto sit downand talk." There was a pause in the video thatthen skipped to show Luke and a cat-like pokemon along with a girl dressed primarily in blue with green and white trim. "We... kinda got it across to Raven she needed to calm down." 

Said footage showed Ash'swarframe with a yield sign stabbed through its knee. "Raven... She'shinted at having a lot of people act nice to her and then flip out when she hasthese moments. I'm glad I didn't have to be another in that long list."

"So yea..." THe drones floated off as Ash stirred his nooodle bowl. "Guy with my contract is screaming hell I took her on my ship instead of blowing her head off. My warframe's not badly damaged, but it'll be a day's worth of downtimeto make sure nothing Raven did is worse than Ordis thinks. So I... kinda want backup wen explaining that it's their fault for being non-specific, and the collateral would have been way worse if I HAD tried kiling her.... And that they're starting to annoy me with tryng to use my contracts with them like they literally own every waking moment of my time until they're fulfilled."

Miwa grins a little at the bowl of noodles, poking a fork between the fingers of one flipper and holding the bowl of noodles atop the other. "I think I have room for noodles..." She begins, then trails off as she sees what became of Raven. Apparently Raven wasn't the only one who underestimated their opponent when they had a spar the other day. "She did that? Wow. Remind me to never make her angry, ever. Also, fuck the guy with your contract, I'm glad you managed to stop her without killing her. She seems like a nice girl... when she's not destroying everything around her..."

"Wait... What?" Ash was surprised at Miwa's language. THen shrugged before resuming his noodles. "Raven also said a lot of things. DUnno what set her off, but it wasn't just her making a hailstorm of Stuff." 

He waved Ordis's drones off as he looked miwa over, studying how the Primarina was fairing with human hutensils. "Ordis gave her some old log files I'd apparently made before my memoriesgot all jumbledfrom my extended nap," Said nap lasting Centuries. Probably longer. Probably a LOT longer, but he wasn't sure, so err on the side of caution. "Used that t otry shaking my resolve. Didn't.... but it leaves me wondering."

Miwa nods, blushing a bit. "Sorry, I guess I got a little heated there. I just can't believe someone is complaining that you didn't kill someone when you managed to resolve the situation without needing to resort to that. Seems like the person who gave you the contract has... issues. Anyway, what are you wondering about?" She asks as she continues eating her noodles. It would certainly appear this wasn't her first time using a fork.

"Well I figure you'd be able to help break down how they say all of this is'actually' playing out." Ash reached over to stroke Miwa's snout lightly before his mindfocused on the unpleasantness. "They're saying Raven got dumped on their heads right as I completed a contract specifically so I'd be there and willing to exploit their desperation. So they're arguing that as grounds for breec on already completed agreements, and reason for backing out of pending agreements."

He took a deep breath and looked like he was going to facepalm for having said all that.

"I want your help, since you're a performer, in helping me math out how the logistics would work if all of these people were co-conspiritors on an emergancy that diverts me from potentially being able to do something else just because someone's feeling put out when I have a chance, I try to not murder."

Beat.

"Plus i'm feeling lousey and i don't want to go into a business dealing Angry."

Miwa finishes her noodles and sets the bowl down in time to hug Ash for a moment as he strokes her snout briefly. After that she's left looking rather confused at what he's asking for her help with. "Math? We're in a ship that has a mind of it's own and is able to work out complex trajectories in flight and you want me, the singing pokemon who hasn't spent a day of her life in school, to help you with math? Or am I really just here to cheer you on and make you feel better while you do math and meet with these people?" She asks with a laugh and a wink.

Ash frowned when Miwa pointed out how silly asking her to math things for him was. "Well we both know I don't need an excuse to want to have you around hon." He chuckled in spite of himself, "But I figure it'd be useful to have someone other than Ordis to bounce ideas off of. since ordis is a bit..."

"What the Operator is getting at is that he dislikes my suggestion of RAINING FIRE ON THEIR HOME OFFICE UNTIL THEY RELENT LEST THEY BE CLENSED FROM THIS UNIVERSE." Ordis coughed then added in a muc calmr voice. "Plus it is my opinion that your preasence is goodfor the Operator's emotional well eing and stability."

Miwa giggles at Ordis' suggestion. "Well, as much as they may deserve that, I think I agree with Ash that it's probably best if we don't escalate things further, particularly with someone who prefers threats to be killed rather than neutralized in more peaceful ways. Anyway, I'm fine being your moral support and being here just because you want me around. If you want math though, probably better off buying a calculator. Actually, I think that's one of my poketch's functions." She says with a grin.

Time passed. Ash managed to put his case together with Miwa's help, or at least her being there to help keep him on task. Regardless on what the Primarina thought of her ability, he valued her for more than just moral support.

This office they were headed to was on a world with machines, fling cars, and yet Ash specifically chose instead of dressing in localfashion, dressing in an expensive looking turn of the twentieth century business suit complete with little lapel pins and cufflinks shaped like styalized lotuses. Ordis would ask after any clothingor accessory preferences for Miwa as way of helping her prepare.

However when they entered, the locals perhaps were expecting someone older, or Ash'swarframe, or maybe someone in outlandish dress. Not someone barely old enoug to shave i n a severe business suit with a heavy briefcase.

"Hello i'm here for the Star Wolf account." Ash addressed what lookedto be a huanoid robot acting as receptionist who would, after giving a head tilt this way and that as scans were performed and matched against records of involved parties, wave him to an elevator. "Thank you."

Cue awquard elevator ride.

Miwa joins Ash wearing a pale lavender dress and a pink hibiscus flower in her hair. She certainly turns some heads as she makes her way through the futuristic city with Ash. "How do all these people get around in these flying cars without all crashing into each other or everything else? Most places with regular ground-locked cars have a staggering amount of accidents." She wonders as they ride the elevator up to wherever they are meeting this contract holder.

As way of answering Miwa's question Ash gestured to all the obviously robotic people here and about. "I suspect the people in those cars aren't driving. Same reason my ship doens't have way to drive. The AI in those cars are like Ordis in a way in that they're better able to do thee things."

The office they eventually were shown to would be very... mundane. Afew awards here and there on the walls. An appearnace of a rented building where the tennants have been there for a decent while.

The receptionist would look from Ash to Miwa. "Sir, we do not allow pets in this building." Terse voice, unamused at this... person apparently decided to dress their pet sea lion and trott said sea lion out during a business deal.

"She is my business partner and one who will act as my second during this discussion." He then gestured to Miwa. "After all I figured your boss will have His people on hand. I should be afforded the same luxury. Right miwa?"

Miwa lets the fact that she was just referred to as Ash's pet roll off her back and remains civil and calm. It wasn't the first time, and probably wouldn't be the last. As he introduced her though she nodded. "Right. I'm certainly not anyone's pet, thank you very much. Like Ash said, we're partners."

The recpetinist heard of talking birds, but talking sea lins? She blinked slowly, herbrain trying to process as ash strode into the office proper.

This was not somedramatically plush office full of Old World Splendor. However the windows were wide enough to allow plenty of natural light in, the desk very modern and quite large. Giventhe person sitting behind said desk was seven feet tall and quite wide, not to ention very obviously not human, it was good this wasa wide desk.

"Yes so you are the associate fro Star Wolf?" The machine-person spoke with several voiceslayered overtop eachother as several rows of lights on it's 'face' winked. Overal the thing was humanoid, but far from human proportioned, almost as if who or whatever build it intentionally wished to create somethign urved and organic and alien looking while stayning within the 'two arms, two legs, and a head' body plan.

"Yes Zed." Ash's voice was calm as he gestured for Miwa to approach the desk alongside him. "It is my understanding you are dissatisfiedwith how I delt with the threat to one of your businesses."

"You mean the planting of an agent to act asa disruptor of said business? Yes. We are most annoyed." Ash had explained during thetrip the car lot acted as a front and money laundering for this association's... less than koshr business dealings. HE triedto keep the detailsas minimal as possible both because he didn't like miwa getting involved in the truely shadey aspects of business, and even what he had told bordered on breech of confidentiality.

"Within are recordings between my ship's Cephelon, roughly equivlant entity to this world's AI, and a represenetive of your interests. This recording has been verified as untampered and matching your own records. THis recording also details I only 'take any appropriate measure.'"

"Yes but-" Zed looked to Miwa hoping for... what? Sympathy? "Miss Miwa please, your partner cannot assume We can take him at his word this was not an orchestrated event... can he?"

Miwa is a little weirded out by the fact that they were meeting with a odd looking robot. She wondered if it was actually some sort of AI with a robot body, or if this was just a way of the person they were actually dealing with obfuscating their identity. She shakes her head at his implication that Ash orchestrated all this. "I do think you can take his word on that. I have had contact with the woman in question, and I can confirm that she acts of her own free will. If things seem orchestrated in any way, it is merely coincidence." She offers, trying not to say that she personally knows Raven, as that would just make this client more suspicious of her affirmation.

"Possible." Zed conceeded. "However you both understand coincidence is a poor explaination for events."

Ash's eyes narrowed. "Apologies Zed, but I am going to get to the point. Had you wanted the target murdered you should have said so. In my opinion it is wise that you did not specifythis as it is likely the fight would have gone on far longer ruining far more in the process." He sat the briefcase on the desk and opened it towardsZed to reveal in it several metallic looking platters, each the size of a human fist. "Five duplicates of not just the initial emergancy contract, but your threats to withhold payment on already completed jobs aswell as breaking future contracts with Star Wolf." His voice grew hard as his eyes focused on the center of Zed's face. "We both know that in this business reputation is everything, and if you choose to continue with this course of action I wil distribute recordings of these events to every mercenary group, outlaw faction, and hired hand within three days vine travel of this place."

Zed's 'eyes' widened, the lights on each brightening as he... she.... it? As Zed processed this.

"No group with at least two functioning brain cells bumping together or more complicatedthan a python script will do businesswit someone who tries weaseling out of paying for completed work. Now. I leave this briefcase here for your people to examine at your own time. If you wish to void outstanding bounties you will be expected to pay breech of contract fees with my employer. If already completed contract payments are not delivered on time I /WILL/ make sure your reputation is black hole'd." Ash leaned forward before snapping the briefcase shut to punctuate the threat. "DO i make myself clear Zed?"

"Crystal." The lights on Zed's face shrunk to pinpricks as Ash turned to walk away.

As he exited he glanced to the receptionist and smiled. "FOr what it's worth, I hope your boss makes the appropriate choices. Up til now my business with your firm has been agreeable, and I would like to put this ugliness in the past if at all possible."

Miwa could have responded to Zed's statement about coincidence with something like saying that accusing someone of conspiracy without any proof showed poorly on his character, but she felt Ash handled things well enough on his own, so she stayed quiet and followed him out when the business was concluded. "Do you think we made a good impression on this Zed person?" She'd finally ask once they were in the elevator.

In response to Miwa's question Ash would grin, "Oh I'm sue we made an impression. Not sure if Zedd is a remote body or an AI. Hard to say here, but pretty sure that response pinned it at.. .AI." He reached over to adjust the flower Miwa was wearing. "By the way i love the look. It's very... You."

Miwa nods to Ash as he agrees that they made an impression of some sort, and also poses that the entity they just met with probably was an AI. "Well, whatever it was, I hope they do pay you. Their accusations are entirely baseless. Anyway you like it? I do too!" She says as she takes a moment to shake her tail and hair a bit, showing off.

As they left the building Ash looked about, "SO business is done. Anywhere you'd like to go?" He reached over to lightly touch Miwa's hair. "I mean we are kinda near a beach, but it's definitely no Alola so I dunno. Just go on walkabout?"