World Tree MUSH

  There are Vines all around that connect the desert with the outside worlds. One of them opens up relatively close to the settlement known as Cosmo Canyon: A village built on the craggy walls of the eponymous canyon, a barren place of rock, sand, and startlingly gorgeous sunrises and sunsets.

  The main village is built on a plateau above the canyon floors. They wind around it maze-like, but the right path is marked for travellers to follow. Steps cut into the stone itself lead up to a rickety gateway, with a hand-painted sign hung over it declaring the area Cosmo Canyon. Braziers provide light, opening onto the flat plateau that serves as the village commons.

  A smaller plateau at the middle of it hosts a big bonfire that blazes no matter the season or time of day; Cosmo Candle, the locals reverently call it, and those who tend it consider the duty a great source of pride.

  Shacks and stalls form a kind of open-air market for the essential, while rickety ladders lead up to different levels, where caves bear signs for different shops and homes. Octagonal structures are built off the cliff walls higher up; tent-like, and the occasional flat dropoff on the cliff wall sports the odd wind turbine here and there.

  It's in the open plaza where the Cosmo Canyon burns that travellers here to participate in the welcoming festival are gathered. Great big ramshackle tables have been set up with food and drink, with all kinds of desert delicacies, including the Shildra Inn's top-selling drink, the Cosmo Candle.

  Curiously, there's a big statue of some kind of hyena-lion-wolf-looking beast, bristle-maned and sitting beside the fire with its stone tail curled around its paws. Its head is up as though it were watching the gate and the offworld arrivals, and the detail on it is just spooky: Even fur has been picked out in tiny, tiny bits of stone, although there are places it looks damaged, where shafts of short, coarse hair have been broken. There is also a guttering, blue flame at the end of its tail. Cool statue with a neat trick. Maybe it's a festival decoration...?

Well, Demi is quite familar with the desert. The planet of Motabia was naturally one and was slowly reverting back to from its terraformed state. The android was doing her best to prevent it from happening but the planet's technology kept breaking down. One of the vines that had attached itself to Motabia seemed to originate from here. It was up to the protector of Motabia to make sure nothing dangerous managed to reach the planet. Of course considering she didn't drink or eat, festivals always seemed to be a bit awkward for her.

    The place has its own charm in a rustic sort of way that cities tend to lack. Cayde certainly doesn't feel out of place, or at least doesn't give off that awkward vibe that one might have when traversing into unknown territories, despite his unique features. He strolls along by what seems to pass for the marketplace, making way towards the plaza with its blazing bonfire. Hovering just beside him at shoulder-height is a red and gray starlike construct, his Ghost. Sundance's blue light glows brightly as she swivels now and then to take in things, although much more reserved in manner than her Guardian counterpart.

    "Nice ol' place here," Cayde murmurs, eyeing the festival foods, considering whether to partake of a drink now or later. He does like trying the local specialities, after all. Figuring that there'll be plenty of time for that, he moseys on closer to the bonfire, head tilting at the statue nearby. 

    The reason that brings Hyouka Kiyama here is the same reason she shows up pretty much any new world, really - it's a new world. She's always coming out to visit the new places, especially if there's magic or advanced tech involved; ostensibly because she's looking for adventuring work, sure, but in all honesty the real reason is that it's an interesting new place to explore.

    So of course, she's at the Shildra Inn's table to try their famous beverage, and of course she's taking in the guardian beast statue with interest. "Hmn. I wonder what that is," she muses aloud. "Some kind of deity?" Another voice speaks up in reply, seeming to come from somewhere in the neighborhood of her collarbone. "It is a being of reverence, but I can't tell beyond that."

    It has been a while since Aloy made a habit of venturing outside her World, but the recent troubles with the Thunderjaw convinced her that she should keep an eye on things. The young woman looks pretty in-place though, with her tribal outfit. Despite this, sshe has a minor look of annoyance, especially when Hyouka brings that up about the statue. "Maybe."

    But she is going to take a drink anyway, one that is not alcoholic. She's just a little paranoid lately, that's all.

    Bewul is simply enjoying the celebration!, he is doing his best to look friendly and harmless, if only because he is aware he is a bit odd!. At least this time he made hte call to arrive as his base form, rather than anything bigger. The festival was nice enough, and he made sure to partake on the food, wagging his tail and holding some kebabs or similar, just eating away and carefully moving around, even waving and smiling to people!. His random wanderings take him to the large statue as well. He'd make a comment, but his muzzle is full.

  The humans are all about greeting the offworlders and making them feel welcome, ushering them up the stone stair and up to the Cosmo Candle, where there's more space for people to mill about. There is a lot of nice food and drink. Elder Bughe and Elder Hargo are here to welcome visitors, too, and the enthusiastic owner of the weapon shop, Tiger Lily, is also taking hapless visitors around to make the rounds at the banquet tables. (To hear her tell it, she cooked half the offerings.)

  The statue hasn't yet moved. Curiously, the Elders and Tiger Lily occasionally glance at it, but it doesn't seem to be anything special, aside from being a bit strange-looking.

  "Oh, that?" Elder Hargo is the one closest to Hyouka to hear her question. He turns, pointing at the massive statue. "That is Seto, the Great Warrior; our most stalwart protector! Seto, why don't you say hello?"

  Is the old guy crazy? He does smell a bit like he's been sampling the alcohol a little.

  Elder Bughe is the one who answers Cayde, squinting a little at Sundance. Some kind of surveillance drone or something? He shakes his head. "We're glad you approve." A little dry humour. "Make yourself at home, although you don't look like the usual visitor to this place. People who wish to study the Planet often journey here and make use of Bugenhagen's Observatory." He flicks an overly-long sleeve at the towering observatory. "You're welcome to investigate it, if you like."

  The statue of the guardian deity, if that's what it is, hasn't moved. That flame on the end of its tail is still burning, though, a guttering blue light that looks barely lit.

  "Welcome... to the Valley of the Fallen Star." The voice is like thunder, or like the roar of the earth itself. Pebbles jitter underfoot. It's a sound so basso it can be felt in the centre of one's chest. It's coming from... the statue...??

  If they look, the statue has turned its head slightly, and its flat grey eyes are now pointed toward the newcomers, ears pricked forward. The tail has moved a little, too, casting weird, flickering blue shadows. Nobody else seems to notice the oddity of this, and in fact Elder Bughe grins at the sight of the moving statue. Tiger Lily, from across the commons, waves enthusiastically.

  The statue falls silent and still, though, as though it were studying them; watching. The sensation of being watched is undeniable.

    A 'maybe' from nearby distracts Hyouka; she'd been watching Cayde, but Aloy has her attention now. "Hm? Ah, sorry, I didn't mean to offend." It seems she's taken entirely the wrong impression from Aloy's clothes and disgruntled expression - she's assumed the girl's a native of Cosmo Canyon. Hargo has an answer for her, though, and the elf-looking woman listens intently as she sips her drink. "...is the statue possessed?" asks the second voice, which prompts a soft, "DARGN, shush," from Hyouka.

    Then it talks. Very, very loudly.

    Hyouka utters a startled yelp and very nearly drops her drink. In fact, it'd be more accurate to say she does drop it, but inhuman reflexes allow her to quickly catch it. By the time she looks back up at the statue, it's already turned its head. "...DARGN, the statue moved." "Yes, I'm aware. I have eyes." "You have my eyes." "I still have eyes."

    Amongst the visiting festival partakers Cayde makes note of some familiar faces, and he'll offer a wave or a nod if he catches their eye. It's when the elder sidles over to talk to him that he gives him a nod. Sundance also turns to look at Elder Bughe, vertices twitching speculatively before she directs her attention towards the observatory above. Cayde's gaze follows.

    "I dunno about planet study but the view from up there should be real nice," the Exo says, smiling. It might be worthwhile to have a look though, and he makes a mental note to do so.

    The new voice that speaks practically demands attention, and while Cayde is turning about to look for the speaker, his Ghost seems to have immediately worked out its source as she calmly turns back towards the statue with a quiet 'ahem' to her Guardian. Cayde spins around and huhs, optics narrowing slightly. Did it..? He's having second thoughts about his memory for details but he hears Hyouka confirm otherwise. 

    "...oh good, I ain't crazy." Sundance levels a look at him, to which he gasps in mock offense. 

Hyouka looks a bit familar to Demi, she remembers seeing her at the defense of Haven but she didn't have a chance to talk to her. Aloy on the other hand, she's actually spoke to before. "Hello Aloy, it's certainly been sometime since we last met." She's not able to get much more than that before the statue gets her attention. It seems to be faintly alive, was this some time of natural camoflauge or had it been animated somehow?

    Oh, look, the statue moved and spoke!. The Gabumon waves happily, not seeming to find it the very least odd or alarming either. "Hi!, and thank you!" he adds, still wagging adn moving closer to inspect Seto, never dropping his food. He walks as close as allowed.

    Aloy waves off the comment from Hyouka. "I'm just not sure what kind of point this is supposed to... have." Okay, the taciturn and grumpy warrior girl can manage to be startled too, even after all this time where she's encountered magic and strange aliens. Sometimes, you just run into something new, and a talking statue is one of those.

    Aloy looks a little sheepish as she realizes a lot of her assumptions were wrong. "The great hero Seto, was it? I'm... honored to make your acquaintance." The girl may have no real liking of traditions and customs, but she can recognize respect earned, and being diplomatic is a thing she can do when she wants to.

  Once again the statue has gone silent and still. Did it really speak, and has it really moved? Aside from the slight shift in posture, the thing hasn't put so much as a fossilized whisker out of line.

  It talks very, very loudly, but it also seems to have no real ability to filter its volume. The statue's ears flick back when Hyouka asks if it's possessed, although the movement is more sluggish than it would be from a real creature. There is a low grating sound that might be a growl.

  The sound seems more like a laugh, though.

  "Seto is Seto." The answer is from Elder Bughe, nearby, shaking his head in evident amusement. "He's not actually a statue. A poison, and a mark of bravery. It's a long story..." The statue's head is facing Hyouka almost fully, and there's the eerie sensation that those flat grey eyes can see.

  "The... statue... moved," the statue agrees, in that basso tone. It seems amused as those ears turn forward again. The head turns a bit to watch as Bewul comes closer, but makes no move to shoo him off. Inspect away. "No... point." This, in answer to Aloy; speech seems to be difficult for the creature, but it still manages to make itself understood. Mostly. "I was... a guardian. We fought... a war. With the... Gi Tribe."

  With a sound like the grinding of boulders, the statue picks itself up from its haunches, standing; easily the size of a very large big cat, or maybe a big horse even. "They poisoned... my body. Turned my flesh... to stone. But they... made a mistake."

  Stone lips skin back from stone teeth -- the colours are right, at least, even if only in stone: The teeth are pointed fangs of alabaster, and the lips are black, fur stone-grey, perfectly preserved where it isn't damaged. "They didn't... use enough. Welcome... all of you. Make yourselves... at home. We are honoured... to see beyond... the Planet."

    Hyouka gives Aloy a little bit of a side-eye, but seems to have no further comment to offer. That might be because the statue is taking much more of her attention. Well, the statue and Elder Bughe. "A poison of petrification," DARGN repeats. "Curious." She doesn't seem disbelieving; rather, there's interest there from the voice. Hyouka herself, meanwhile, is watching a stone statue move and speak. "Ah... th-thank you. My name is Hyouka Kiyama. The other voice is DARGN, my assistant AI. Say hello, DARGN."

    "Why?"

    Hyouka blinks, looking downward as if to speak at the source of that voice. "...Because it's polite?" The AI's voice responds in a dry, "But I'm not polite."

    Hyouka doesn't seem to have a retort for that.

    Aloy shakes off her confusion, then turns to Demi. "Yeah, it has been a while, but I think I'm glad to see a friendly face here now," she admits. It's a good thing she's friendly with machines and androids! The redhead decides to stick with Demi out of familiarity, though she can hardly be said to be clinging closeby.

    "That seems... I guess no less strange than some of the other things I've seen," she admits. "At first I thought this place was more like home than not, but I guess it's another odd world to explore." She tilts her head and moves closer to the Elder then. "Observatory?" Yes, she's watching Seto curiously, but that's something she caught that wasn't expected. She'll go introduce herself after inquiring there!

    "Huh. Well how about that." Cayde isn't sure how it works for something that's stone and yet alive but hey. The alive part's important. "Thanks for the welcome. Always fun seeing other worlds." He folds his arms, watching, fascinated, as Seto shifts his stony form. 

    Hearing Hyouka's exchange with her AI assistant, he has to chuckle. "Reminds me of some Ghosts, eh Sundance?" The Ghost nods in quiet agreement, already thinking of a few. 

    Oddly, it's not so much the 'made of stone' thing that causes the digimon to be curious as much as the fact it was due to poison. He is surprised no one is curious about hte small, weird 'fox' just wandering around, but certainly not complaining about the issue. "I'm Bewul!." he offers, and finally turns to wave to the others, "Thank you for your hospitality." he says, "Wish there was something I would do, I never heard of such a thing... closest is knowing someone digimon that turn others into stone, or... bronze, but not sure how to heal that." At least he is polite enough not to poke at hte large 'statue', especially not with greasy paws. "You should visit my world sometime, I think you might fit well there." he says. He turns to approach the others, finally out of food, waving politely.

"Transformed from to stone to flesh, I've heard about monsters that are able to do that but I've never seen it before. I know there's a medicine that might be to undo that, but that might not be the best idea given the arrows." Demi figures that undoing the process might lead to another problem. His organs might not be able to function correctly after such a time either.

 "Is something wrong?" She scans Aloy for any signs of physical injury and seems to be a bit concerned given the woman's tone of voice.

  "Petrification," Seto answers, in his grating basso. His head dips slightly in a slow nod, although where one might expect the beads and bangles braided into his mane to jingle, they only clunk. Looks like they got turned into stone, too. Even the feathers behind his ears are picked out in banded agate, as though in mockery of striped and spotted feathers.

  His ears swivel to listen to DARGN, although his eyes don't see where the AI might be hiding. He rumbles, deep enough to shiver the dust again. It seems a confused sound. "A... I?" Nope, no recognition there. He looks to Aloy next, ears swivelling forward and flat grey eyes settling on her. His head tilts a little; as though he were studying her. Maybe he thinks her ornamentations look familiar, too. She could pass for a native here if she really wanted to.

  "Bugenhagen's Observatory," Elder Bughe confirms to Aloy, tilting his chin to indicate the towering structure. It's the tallest thing in Cosmo Canyon, and one of the most notable artificial structures. Everything else manages to blend in, somehow, but that thing dominates the rock shelf it perches atop. Its roof is painted blue. "It has a telescope, and a splendid model that Elder Bugenhagen himself fashioned. He's since returned to the Planet, I'm afraid. He will be missed, and so will his knowledge."

  Seto twitches his tail, the hazy blue flame casting wavering shadows; sitting back down on his haunches with surprising delicacy -- and a puff of displaced dust from the weight -- he curls his tail fastidiously around his feet. His movements are sluggish, but recognisably not those of an automaton. The head turns down to note Bewul. "Welcome... Bewul." Considering there's things like Seto running around, presumably not-petrified, there's a wide variety of life on this world and things like that don't surprise most people.

  That's probably a good thing.

  Probably.

  "Flesh to stone," Seto confirms in his low rumble. "We never learned... the making of... their cursed poisons. So we never learned... the method of... their unmaking."

  "What he means to say is that we haven't got an antitode," Elder Bughe offers, tucking his hands into his sleeves. "It's faded, and they didn't use enough to kill him. But we can't seem to pull him back from this state, either. No reason to stop looking, though; eh, Seto?" The stone creature rumbles in what might be amusement.

  "I should like... to visit your worlds." Seto lowers his head, stretching his head forward until he can bring a hind foot up to rake just behind his ear. Itching is a horrible sensation when you can't actually feel your own skin. "The Planet... cries out for help. We heed... the cry. But it is not... this Planet. The murmuring... of other worlds. Other realms." He tilts his head, as though he were looking directly at the others, despite those blank grey eyes.

  "If you have... any problems... I should like... to help." That tail switches again, blue light dancing crazily. "We are protectors... of the Planet... though there are so... few of us left. But protecting other worlds... we can do that too."

    "Artificial Intelligence," DARGN replies to Seto. "It means that I am a created mind, not born naturally. My purpose is to ensure Hyouka's body functions properly, and to act as an assistant of sorts." Hyouka, meanwhile, gives Cayde a somewhat embarrassed look. "She can be a handful at times. Her mental matrix was patterned after a dragon from my world. But at least, she's obedient... mostly." Not when ordered to introduce herself, apparently.

    Seto speaks again, however, and Hyouka listens. Her head tilts, and then an amused look tugs at her face a little. "I came here for a similar reason. I'm an adventurer. If there's any troubles here, I'd be glad to help solve them." DARGN chimes in, "For a fee." Hyouka looks embarrassed again. "Ah, yes, for a fee."

    "That's the spirit," Cayde says, nodding at Elder Bughe. "It's a big 'verse out there. Be hard to think that there ain't something to help get that petrification thing fixed." 

    Looking at Seto, he seems to smirk, offering a knowing nod. "Back home we're called Guardians, so I guess we're not too dissimilar. 'cept the worlds in our corner of the galaxy didn't use to house life until we were able to venture out and colonize. Used to be real nice, now it's kind of a mess. There's always something or someone out there that wants to take and ruin." He shrugs. "Long story, but I'll save it. It's a nice offer there, Seto, but here as I can't even find the way back to my world, I can't take you up on it just yet."

    A look exchanged between himself and Sundance, Cayde glances back towards Hyouka. Dragon mentality? Well that's interesting. His mouth lights up with a laugh as he grins. Hyouka definitely speaks the same language as him when it comes to profiteering. Oh wait, that's probably a bad word for it. Hm.

    "Where was I- oh yeah. So I'm doin' the adventuring thing too. But this ol' Exo don't turn a blind eye if there's trouble I can apply my gun to. Pays good an' all, but I can be flexible. Name's Cayde, by the way. And this here's Sundance."

"Do you what the Gi Tribe used to create the poison? It would be much easier to create an antidote knowing what's in it. I'm an AI myself." Demi nods to Hyouka. "A dragon mentality? She appears to be humanoid. I'm the caretaker of the planet Motabia, so it seems like we're in a similar situation." She can certainly relate to Seto. "It would certainly be helpful to learn about other worlds."

    Aloy shakes her head at Demi, "No, nothing wrong, just forgotten how strange the world outside my own could be sometimes. My own fault, isn't it?" She smiles, a chuckle slipping out. That fades as she gets an answer, and some surprise lights her eyes, before she softens her expression. But yes, biologically she seems fine.

    "I'm sorry to hear that," she offers to the elder. "I'm not a stargazer, but I'd like to see it sometime. I'm a little curious about it."

    Sigh, guess it's time to be sociable though. Cayde being an obvious artificial lifeform is making her curious anyway. "Aloy, from another world. Machines like these - " she gestures at Cayde "- but less intelligent are common in my world, and I've met a few AI there as well, even though my people can no longer make them. That knowledge was lost. It's an honor to meet you."

An auburn-haired woman in her thirties strolls over from behind Aloy, dressed in what looks like a cheap midnight-blue cocktail dress that someone hit the "upgrade" button on a few too many times -- it looks like someone added ridiculous frills, and it seems to be made out of ridiculously expensive silks. She's got a plate with an assortment of foodstuffs, but she hasn't sampled any of the alcohol.

Oh, and her eyes are glowing purple, and she has four arms.

"Artificial creatures and minds come in all shapes and sizes," says Emily, in the same voice she always has, and with her trademark amused and faintly smug smile. "The level of magic that goes into our creation also varies."

She nods in greeting to Demi, Hyouka, and Cayde, whom she recognizes, and walks right up to Seto, peering at him curiously without any apparent regard for propriety or reverence. "My name is Emily Nyx," she says. "I am a Eudaemon, and unfortunately, the problems of my world's halcyon remnant are a bit ..." Her eyes go dark and turn completely black. "... over and done with." She shrugs, and the glow returns to her eyes. "So, uh, yeah. I've been kind of fooling around doing the same kind of helping-people-out thing, myself."

  "A machine." Seto's rumble is thoughtful, but he seems to gloss over the precise explanation. This place doesn't seem like the type of place to be well-acquainted with the world of modern technology. "I see."

  His head tilts slightly to one side, stepping carefully closer to Hyouka. She might notice that the stone underfoot actually groans a little at the weight placed on it; tiny cracks spiderweb from beneath Seto's paws. Stony nostrils flare, and she might feel a puff of curiously cold, dry air. He's sniffing. Somehow.

  Seto sits back down, tilting his head the other way as he studies Hyouka, as though he were trying to decide what to make of her. Or her sassy artificial companion. "I will... keep that in mind. I will help. No fee," he adds, slowly. "I protect... for free. My son... Nanaki, too. But he is... unavailable." Off on some other business. Keeping in touch with the folks that he had his adventure with, perhaps. Seto rumbles, low and deep. "And my mate... as well. But she... is missing. If you see... any of my kind... like me... please do tell me."

  His head swivels back around to regard Cayde. "Tell me... when you do. I will go. And if the Planet... need you, I will... tell you." Mercenaries are so distasteful, but at least it's extra muscle if something crazy threatens the Planet again. Jenova sounded like a real humdinger from Nanaki's tales. "An... honour." He even bows his head to Cayde and Sundance. So polite.

  To Demi, he shakes his head, although the motion is slow. "No." No clue. "That is why... it is difficult." Aloy earns a glance. "You are welcome... to look at the Observatory."

  Ooh, glowy-eye-person. The statue's head swvels again, this time to note Emily Nyx, flat grey eyes focused on her. Or so it looks. Maybe. There's no real expression in his face: Like a perfectly-cut statue, without life, yet it moves and speaks. "Pity. Still. Your help... would be appreciated... if the Planet should... have need." He shows his teeth. It might be a grin; it might be a threat. "So long as we... respect the Planet... it will care for its children."

    To both Cayde and Demi, Hyouka nods, beaming. "It's a long story, but yes. An honest-to-goodness dragon offered her thought patterns as the basis for DARGN." As snarky as DARGN might get on occasion, it's something the cyborg wouldn't trade her voice-only companion for the world.

    (If anything, the snark keeps things interesting.)

    When Emily puts on a brief pitch-eyed display regarding her world's troubles, Hyouka just kind of quietly blinks once or twice. "That's a bit intimidating," she finally mumbles. And decides to turn around and order another Cosmo Candle.

    Thud thud thud oh god the rocktiger is coming this way. Hyouka turns around with alarm, only to shift over to vague bafflement. She's being sniffed. This is... different. "Only my body is artificial," she notes. Her free hand comes up, tapping a finger on her forehead. "This up here, this is still human. That's part of the long story," she adds.

    Cayde squints at Aloy, looking slightly offended at being called a machine. "Ouch," he says, placing a gloved hand over his chest. "At least she didn't imply that you're stupid," Sundance says quietly. The Exo lets it pass, not really sure sometimes where the line divides between him being just another robot and still being alive, and explaining how he worked just wouldn't be easy, especially when he's not sure about the details himself. 

    After nodding towards Emily in greeting, he gives Seto a salute. "Will do. We'll keep an eye out for anyone resembling you kind too." He doesn't consider himself a mercenary exactly, and usually pay is just an extra incentive. Maybe it's something to do with his wanting to prove he's more than metal. ...it's also because he likes to hoard things.

    Aloy glances at Cayde, "Sorry if that wasn't polite. You look like a machine, but I meant that most of the ones wandering around are like animals. Real intelligence is pretty rare. I've only met one, and he was trying to destroy the planet again."

    There's a lot of worrying things in that statement.

    She claps Cayde on the shoulder as if to make it up to him. "I'm going to go up to the Observatory then, take a look around." Then to Seto, "You have quite a party going on here. It's good that they're thankful for what you've done."

    "There's a lot of worrying things in that statement," Hyouka says, looking straight at Aloy. "I think I need to visit your world some time. You sound like you need help."

"That's understandable, my duties keeping me from spending a lot of time away from Motabia." Demi can understand what Aloy is going through. An AI that came from a dragon? I know it's possible for an AI to create bio-monsters but I haven't heard of the opposite before." She wasn't aware of monsters that were sapient enough to do so.

Emily's reaction to that maybe-grin is to raise her eyebrows, mouth closed for a moment in an expression that might look like she's surprised, if you're particularly bad at catching liars. And then she breaks into a wide grin, and she suddenly has sharp pointy interlocked teeth, and she gives Seto finger-guns. "I am totally down with respecting a Planet with an aura as interesting as this one's!" she says. "What was it called, the Lifestream? 'S all pretty interesting!"

Her response to Hyouka is of course to turn that shark-grin on her, too. And then she shrugs and gives an easier smile, her teeth suddenly back to normal. "Thanks!" she says. "Although, I was aiming for a more general 'really-freaking-ominous' sort of dealie. Guess I'll have to work on fine-tuning it." She pauses. "But that is good to know if I ever do ever want to be specifically intimidating!"

And then she giggles at Sundance's 'stupid' comment, shaking her head at Cayde. "I like your buddy," she says. "Dunno if I ever mentioned it during Blackout's job. But. Yeah."

She waves one of her left hands at Aloy as she leaves. "Yeah, like Hyouka said, I'll probably have to drop by at some point myself!" she says. "Sounds like it could be fun!"

... Emily clearly has some very strange ideas about what constitutes 'fun'.

Emily simply shrugs at Demi's comment. "Like I said to Seto!" she says. "All shapes and sizes."

>> SUMMARY[Emily Nyx] >> Being even more intimidating, but then ruining the mood x2 combo.

  "A dragon? That is... impressive," Seto rumbles, thoughtfully. Too bad there aren't any volume filters on his voice, because its sounds as though he sure doesn't. Maybe he's partly deaf with the fact that his ears are now made of rock. Or maybe it's some peculiarity of whatever magic keeps him alive. He's obviously not some kind of possession or spirit.

  "It does... not smell." Presumably the rocktiger in question is talking about the artificiality of Hyouka's body. Maybe he's a rocktiger. Maybe he's a lion. Whatever he is, there's no real telling what kind of colour or markings he might have had in life. The only things that can be seen are the fact that his fur and his mane both were probably coarse, like a wild thing's pelt. "At all. That is... puzzling." He seems to understand her caveat, though, nodding once with a sound of rocks ground together. Dust sifts from the join of his head and throat. "Most puzzling."

  Cayde salutes him, and Seto climbs to his enormous paws, before abruptly leaping forward -- not to lunge, but to throw his weight up and back, so he stands and balances on his hind legs. He seems to be able to do this uncommonly well, not so much as wavering, despite the fact that one of the spears jutting from his hide is actually through a hind leg. He must not have any sense of pain whatsoever.

  The perks of petrification.

  It seems to be some kind of show of respect or salute, and when Seto lets himself fall back forward again to catch himself on his front paws, it's with a ground-shaking thud and twin puffs of dust from beneath each paw. It might even make the less steady-footed visitors stumble. He takes a step forward, and nudges the Exo's shoulder with a nose like the red-brown of jasper.

  "I... thank you. Her name... is Aryoka. She is... grey. But not... like me. I am... was... not grey." Seto plops himself back down on his haunches, to the tune of another ground-shaking thud. His tail curls around his legs, and the flickering blue flame at its tip is almost transparent in the light of the setting sun. "I can no... longer track things... like I could." One leg rises to paw at his nose, although he seems excessively careful not to touch his own whiskers. With a loud snap one of them is broken off anyway, and the stone creature gives a cavernously low, whistling breath like a sigh. "Elder Bughe... save that." His torso never moves with the breath, though.

  Without skipping a beat, Elder Bughe stoops to retrieve it, tucking it into his sleeve.

  Seto turns his flat eyes on Aloy, then, and there's a rumbling sound that might be a laugh. "'Again?' You live... in interesting... times, young one. Enjoy the Observatory. I cannot follow." His head bows. "Your respect... does this place honour. I thank you. On behalf of Cosmo Canyon. Stay. As long as you like. Will be welcomed." It seems like talking after being mostly petrified is still harder than it looks. His words are oddly halting sometimes, while other times they're clipped and laconic, words as rare as silver. Stone whiskers bristle as he wrinkles his stone muzzle, ears drooping to either side. "I am... too heavy."

  Probably they found that out the hard way when he returned to town, to go by the signs of fresh repairs to the trail leading up to the Observatory.

  "The Lifestream... it surrounds... the Planet. Made of... all living souls. Protects the Planet. Sustains the Planet. We are born... from the Lifestream. Return there. If we can. The Cetra... spoke of the Promised Land. I believe... they meant... returning to the Lifestream." He pauses, frowning and scratching at the side of his neck with a hind foot. It's all very cat-like, if but for its slowness. Tiny chips of stone fur go flying, but fortunately none of them go flying at the visitors. With a sigh, Elder Bughe stoops to start collecting them. Seto ignores him. "Anyway. Yes. The Lifestream."

  Emily earns a long look. After a moment Seto's alabaster teeth are bared in a clear grin.

  "I like you." He rumbles, low and basso, in what could be laughter. "All shapes. All sizes. Indeed."

    The Guardian waves off Aloy's apology. "Not the first time, nor likely the last, but can't really blame a person for thinkin' as much. Just gotta politely correct them." He gives her a wink and a nod to show there's no hard feelings.

    Both he and Sundance glance over at Emily, the latter dipping slightly in what can be considered acknowledgment. Cayde snorts. "She's so goshdarn likeable. But yeah, those were fun times, weren't they?"

    Seto's display is somewhat intimidating but Cayde manages to stand at ease, at least until the stone creature sets back down and moves his head in close. A brief thought of 'ohcraphe'sgonnaseehowexostaste' shoots through his mind, disippating instantly as he finds himself nosed instead. The Exo gives Seto a more formal nod. Aryoka. He'll remember that. And if it slips his memory, Sundance will remind him. Both he and the Ghost flinch when one of the stone whiskers break off. Guess he's not completely impervious, then.

    "Lifestream, huh?" Seto may sound like he's waxing poetic, but there's something of the explanation that intrigues him. It's not unlike some stories and beliefs he's heard. His eyes track skyward. From here it looks pretty already. From higher ground, it should be a treat.

    Hyouka explains to Seto, "It's a combination of technology and magic. My world's managed to start pairing the two, and this body's pretty much the cutting edge of what they can accomplish together. So it's a machine, but it's got magical energy running through it." She reaches up and taps her chest twice. "This in here, my body's power core? It generates mana the same way a dragon's heart does."

    The cyborg's had moves downards, tapping her abdomen next. "And I can change the elemental aspect of it with special crystals, so when I punch something, it's like hitting them with an elemental spell at the same time. I brought fire today," she adds. The woman's entire demeanor is the most energetic right now she's been all night - at least she's enthused about her own (artificial) body?

    "What about you?" Hyouka asks, suddenly looking at Cayde with open curiosity. Sudden topic change!

  "I like her spirit." Seto's correction, given to Cayde's observation on Emily, is amused. To the Exo's observation on the Lifestream, the stone head nods again, once. The braids behind each ear dangle at the motion, but slowly, and those flat grey eyes settle on Cayde's inhuman mask. "Lifestream," he confirms, in that grating growl. "We come from it. We return to it. It feeds the Planet. Protect Lifestream. Protect the Planet."

  He certainly talks as though it's a real thing, and not superstitious mumbo-jumbo. He seems otherwise rational enough, too, and Elder Hargo is nodding as though in agreement with Seto's observations. The stone creature sits up a little straighter, flicking an ear. "When the Planet needs help. The Lifestream is damaged. Heal the Lifestream. Heal the Planet. They are the same. Can't see the Lifestream. Still there."

  "Facinating," he grates, to Hyouka; and he seems genuinely interested, enough so to gloss over the unfamiliar terms and file them away for later. How interesting what humans manage to do with their machines. "Fire. Like Materia. Will show you later. Give you." His head swings around to Elder Bughe.

  "Materia," the Elder supplies, folding his hands in his sleeves. "They're crystallised bits of the Lifestream. They provide the means by which to use magic, when cared for properly, and enable the user to accomplish amazing feats. Most people are capable of using Materia. Well... maybe not Seto. Not any more."

  "My Materia... is petrified too," the stone creature points out flatly.

  "How unfortunate," Bughe comments off-handedly, before continuing briskly. "We can see about making arrangements, if you'd like to sample some. It can be acquired commonly in most markets, sometimes inexpensively." He pauses. "Seto still struggles a little with speech. Frankly, we're probably lucky he can still talk at all, let alone move around. It was really quite shocking. Nanaki came to us all afire over something one day, and the next thing we know, we're all climbing down Seto's Wall together with Seto himself! It was really something, you know."

  Seto rumbles impatiently. Bughe continues, a little more hurriedly.

  "In any case, we can make sure a small sample of Materia is made available to you, if you would like. To any of you," he adds, more loudly. "It's a small enough favour."

  Seto switches his tail, rumbling thoughtfully. "Fascinating. What about you? I can't... use Materia. Not... any... more. But I... have this." He lifts a stone paw, spreading his large, cat-like toes and flicking out razor-sharp curved claws; each picked out in delicate alabaster. The pads of his paws are even picked out in a rough dark stone, like pumice. Maybe it's an awful curse, but it sure is curiously detailed. Those claws quiver and spread a little further, with clear effort. "Stronger. Heavier. In life... hit them. Break bones. Now... hit them... crush them." His whiskers curve at his grin. "Like... vengeful deity."

  He lets his paw fall with a thud. "Always interesting. Other worlds. World Tree. Good for that." A curt nod. "Strange. As much... good as bad." A laugh bubbles up, one of basso rumbling felt in the bones and jittering pebbles underfoot. "And always interesting."

Emily rises a couple of feet off the ground just before the impact, so she's spared the impact. She furrows her brow as Elder Bughe quickly grabs the pieces, but then simply nods. It's obvious to her what that's all about.

She nods at the description of the Lifestream. "That tracks with the kind of thing I've been sensing," she says. "Not like my scanning abilities are that detailed, of course, I'm not a military model." But then she actually perks up when Seto says he likes her. It's actually a somewhat cute expression. "Really?" she says. "Thanks! Glad to leave an actual positive impression on someone!"

She looks over at Hyouka with interest. "Nice," she says. "Good to meet a fellow 'epitome of my world's blend of magic and technology.'" Beat. "Pity about the human race going extinct on my world. Would've been neat to see how much further they'd gone in six hundred years, although I won't deny that, y'know, nature's reclamation thereof in that time span is also cool."

She peers at Seto's immensely-heavier paws. "Okay, yeah, I'd say that's definitely one silver lining you got there," she says dryly.

    "Hm? Me?" Cayde blinks at Hyouka and exchanges a glance with Sundance, who seems to shrug. "We're called Exos, back home. Don't ask how we're put together or how we run 'cuz I don't have the slightest. Not really sure how much of it applies anyway, once we get tapped for becoming a Guardian. That's another level entirely." He gestures towards his Ghost. "Right up there with Sundance. We're connected now. Some of us just call it space magic but there's this thing called the Light, so original! I know. It keeps us going. Brings us back. Not necessarily like this Lifestream Seto here mentioned, but I'm no specialist and the story surrounding that whole thing's another matter entirely."

    Cayde shrugs. "Wish I could say how much of me's human- maybe it's just memories, maybe nothing at all. I did start off human though. That was... a long time back. Everything's in fragments. A lot of us Exos figure it's easier to let go of the past. Probably is. Guess I'm just stubborn."

    He's all for another subject change though, and with the mention of Materia, he again looks between Sundance and Seto and the elder. "If it's no trouble, I'd be up for having a look-see at this Materia stuff." Maybe Sundance can analyze it, or they can give it to Thanatos as a Dawning gift. Something new for his Warlocky mind to puzzle over.

    Hyouka listens intently, nodding here and there. "So it's kind of a mystery," she sums up, grinning. "Interesting. If you find out anything else, let me know! Or if you need help finding out anything else. I'd love to come look around with you."

    Topics turn to other mysteries, though - mysteries of magic. This world's magic, in particular. "I'd love to try this 'materia' stuff," Hyouka replies, enthusiastic. "My body's a little simpler than that. I can't really do any special spells or anything, it's mostly just generation of energy. I charge my fists with fire magic, and then I punch something. Being able to cast actual spells would be pretty great!"

    She blinks at Emily once or twice, finding herself not quite sure where her own reaction should fall. "I'm... sorry to hear about humanity?" Blink blink. "It's good that you're still here, though."

Emily simply smiles at Hyouka. For a brief instant, it might look forced. "I was activated for the first time immediately after the disaster," she says, with what is probably unwarranted cheer. "You get used to it, in six hundred years."

  "Your Sensors... are impressive." Most humans or human-looking things he knows aren't very good at casually picking up on the presence of the Lifestream, but it's intriguing that there are people from Out There that can do it. Seto rumbles thoughtfully. "The Planet's ways. Many. Infinite their variety. Yes. Really. I like spirit. You have spirit. Look young... but not. I think. Could be wrong."

  He flips his tail, settling it the other way around his paws. The guttering blue flame throws flickering shadows over the coarse fur of his face and highlights the flat, smooth panes of his blank eyes. "Silver lining. Yes. But. Happier when cured. I miss... the wind... in my fur. Can't smell. Can't hear... as well." His ears swivel back and his tail tucks down a bit, as though in an expression of embarrassment. "Also. Too heavy. Break things."

  Pointed ears swivel forward again as he looks to Cayde. They both swivel sideways, then forward, in the equivalent of a shrug. "Nothing wrong... with that." Seto's head tilts slightly. "History. Important. Shape future." Cayde asks about Materia, and Seto rumbles cheerfully. "Of course. Ask Bughe. Give sample. Consider it... a gift. Friendship... from the Valley... of the Fallen Star." His head turns to Hyouka. "Also. For you. Take with... my compliments. Was chieftain. Of my tribe."

  "And still are," Bughe points out, picking up a few missing flecks of broken whisker. "Technically."

  Seto wrinkles his stone nose, lip curling back and showing teeth in an expression of clear disgust. "Ridiculous. Not like this. Can't. Perform duties. Nanaki. Chieftain."

  "He's too young."

  "Over fifty. Cub. No more. Warrior."

  Bughe just sighs. "Ignore him. He's still the chieftain. Of his tribe, anyway. There aren't many of them left, though."

  "Killed. By Gi." Seto rumbles, and this time it's a clear growl of anger. Stones don't just jitter underfoot at the low sound; they jump, and it can be clearly felt as much as heard. Alabaster claws flex against the stone, scraping furrows in the stone. "Most. Only me. Aryoka. Deneh. Nanaki. Left. Deneh. Nanaki's mate. I hope. Someday. Aryoka. My mate. So," he sighs, shaking his head. "Me. Deneh. Nanaki. Last elder... with Aryoka missing. Nanaki... and Deneh... cubs. So few. Then again. Gi." He flexes his claws. "All dead. Made sure of that. Last Gi to run. Bled out. Found their bones. When I... woke." Alabaster fangs show again. "Crunched nicely."

  Flat stone eyes turn back to Emily, and the creature is silent for a long moment, but for a low, quiet-for-him rumble of thought.

  "You? Six hundred? Look young. Cub. Surprising." His ears swivel momentarily. "Five hundred. Almost six. Aryoka, six. Nanaki. Fifty?" There's less certainty with that one. The last several decades are kinda fuzzy. "Not certain." He's silent a moment as Emily comments on getting used to it. "Still. Must be lonely."

Emily shoots Seto a cheeky grin. "I understand that by the time the disaster happened, nobody who was an adult looked their age." In a swirl of what appears to be silvery glitter, she becomes a lavender-skined demon, complete with horns and a tail. And six eyes in two vertical rows. Her hair is now jet-black, so black it looks like a rip in space or some sort of graphical glitch. "People and Eudaemons could look however we liked," she says. She waggles a finger on her upper hand. "And I'm old enough to get in touch with my inner child." She shrugs. "Or, whatever, I've never been a child, I came out of the factory as an adult."

(Though that might cause her to be more childish, not less.)

Her glowing gaze flits down to the cracks Seto has been leaving on the ground. "I mean, yeah, I've been noticing the breakage," she says. "But no, yeah, I mean, obviously curing is better than not-curing."

She considers this, putting her lower hands on her hips and tapping her chin with an upper hand. "Actually, now I'm wondering if I can use Materia," she says, looking Hyouka up and down for a moment. "But if a cyborg can use it in principle, I suppose it's worth a shot." She shrugs grandiosely; with four arms, she has a lot to shrug. "I'm probably overthinking it."

    A quiet look is cast Emily's way, the Guardian thoughtful at what she'd said earlier. It tugs at some of his oldest memories, what bits he's hoarded, even if they aren't the fondest. They're still his. 

    To Hyouka, he nods. "Yep. One big ol' mystery. I dunno that I'm too keen on finding out anything more. Maybe it's one of those 'the less you know, the better' type'a things. Anyway, so long as I'm still kickin', ain't nothin' to complain about."

    He wonders how much history's shaped his future, he thinks back to the letters he's written and left hidden in caches and other places, now even across worlds between the vines. Shrugging again, he lets the matter drift, grinning briefly at the subject of Materia. Gifts are always nice, souvenirs to remind him of the places he's been and the people met. 

    Cayde refrains from comment regarding ages, although he'd have to agree about Emily looking pretty good for six hundred. He's an old soul himself, and it's hard to think just how much of a chunk of memories he's missing between the then and the now. But then again, with centuries to rifle over, maybe it's for the best he doesn't try too hard.

    "Oh?!" They get to take materia home? "Thank you very much!" Hyouka says, going into a grateful bow on sheer reflex. Much more than that, she can't really say, though it seems like the people of Cosmo Canyon afford Seto more respect than he feels he deserves! That does put a tiny, warm smile on her face. It's kind of sweet, really.

    Emily, meanwhile, has Hyouka feeling even more awkward. "A-ah. Sorry if I touched on a difficult subject." Reflexive politeness coming to the fore again. But the topic of magic is an interesting one. "Well, I'm something of a special case. In theory, I could use actual magical spells." Here, DARGN chooses to chime in. "Unfortunately, Hyouka is a poor test case for that theory. She lacked magical talent even in a human body." Hyouka pouts at this.

    Of course, then there's Cayde, to whom she can only nod. "Well, either way. If you have any interesting jobs I could join you on, I'd be up for that, too. Really, almost anything, so long as it's not paperwork."

  The stone creature grunts in acknowledgement as Emily describes the fate of her homeland's humanity. He watches her transformation with evident placidity, although that may simply be a product of his petrification. It's difficult to see detail in his eyes. There's no light in them, not like with living beings. They're unsettlingly flat. The way his ears slowly swivel backward suggests that he does find it creepy and wrong on at least several levels, or the way his stone tail's begun to flick this way and that, nearly digging gouges in the stone plateau. The delicate texture of his stone fur is starting to bristle as his hackles rise.

  Thankfully he isn't so rude as to drop into a crouch, but he does stay kind of bristly as he remains sitting. It's especially noticeable with that stony fur. It's a strange texture.

  "Yes." This, to Emily's observation that curing is better than not curing. "Not dead. But not living. In between." His head shakes. "Uncomfortable place... to be. Better than dead. Still uncomfortable." To her musings on Materia, he shakes his head again, this time a weirdly human-looking gesture; an affectation, maybe. "Will provide. Not difficult. Future thanks. Favours owed." Seto shows his teeth in a grin. "Yes?"

  "You are welcome." Seto dips his head to Hyouka's enthusiastic gratitude, teeth still showing just a little bit in a grin that betrays his amusement. A paw snakes out to nudge at her while she's bowed down, although it might well be strong enough to bowl her off her feet. You never know with offworlders though. That much isn't set in stone. "Happy to help. Small favour."

  He stares a moment at Hyouka, as though he were thinking very hard, specifically at DARGN's revelation that even Hyouka's original body was terrible at magic. The idea of anybody being unable to just pick up a Materia and cast a spell is apparently a foreign one. Seto eventually shakes his head as though he were clearing it.

  "Yes," he chips in, to Hyouka's words about being up for any interesting jobs. "Same. Only if... I can walk." He shows his teeth, this time more like an exasperated sour grimace than a grin. "Too heavy. Damage floors. Vehicles. Wretched stone."

    Cayde shudders at the mention of paperwork. "Now -that- is not a fate I'd wish on anyone," he assures Hyouka. "Also one of the things I do not miss about being away from home. But yes, I'll do that." He finger guns at Hyouka, and then at Seto as he nods. "Oh, I dunno, maybe there'll be a job that calls for some heavy damage to floors and vehicles." IT'S POSSIBLE.

Emily grins cheekily. "Hey, like I said, I'm totally cool with helping out here," she says. "And if you wanna pay it forward with new magical toys, I'm down with that."

She pauses, looking between Cayde and Hyouka. "... I've never done paperwork in my life," she says, settling back into her amused and faintly smug smile. "Beyond the level of signing contracts and shit on the few mercenary operations I've done since the halcyon remnant Blossomed." Her demon-tail twitches. "And from what I've heard of it, I don't intend to start doing it either."

  As she talks, Seto slowly leans closer and closer to Emily. He's pretty big, but proximity just makes him seem even bigger and more solid. All that to say he really sucks at doing it stealthily. So the grating boom of his voice nearby shouldn't come as much of a surprise. "Wise cub. Paperwork... best left... to abler paws. We don't... need much... here in... Cosmo Canyon."

  "Records of births, deaths; that sort of thing," Elder Hargo supplies, with a careless wave of his hand. There's a glass in his hand. When did he order a Cosmo Candle from the Shildra Inn's table? "Census information, for the most part, but we rely more on a barter system here in Cosmo Canyon. Everyone knows everyone else. We don't have much need for bureaucracy."

  "We're hardly ShinRa, here," Elder Bughe sniffs, almost disdainfully.

  Seto shows his teeth in a mirthless grin again. Yeah, he heard about that one time Tseng of the Turks kidnapped Nanaki so Professor Hojo could use him in weird science experiments. He deosn't like ShinRa very much.

  "In any case. Enjoy stay. I go. Elder Bughe... can reattach the pieces." He sounds almost embarrassed. "Still takes... some getting... used to," he grumbles, low, on his way out as he slinks towards the ground-level caves. Stone tail lashing behind him, the light of the blue flame at its end casts wild shadows over the smooth stone underfoot as he goes. Seto looks up and over a shoulder, flat stone eyes lingering on his guests. "Thank you all... for coming. Hope to... meet again."

  With that, he lets his head drop, slinking back towards the caves, rumbling cheerfully to himself in a voice that shivers pebbles.

    Cayde scowls a bit at Emily. "Lucky you." There's a sense of a smirk in his tone. Really, can he fault anyone for being able to avoid such a thing?

    When Seto excuses himself, the Exo raises a hand in farewell. "See you around," he says before turning to the others. 

    "So I dunno about you guys, but I'm gonna have a drink or two and maybe do some stargazing up top." It's a festival, after all. He's going to go enjoy himself. With a two-fingered salute, he turns, ragged cloak trailing after him as he and his Ghost head back towards the tables. Mostly before someone tries to ask him how he can eat anything, because that's another question he lacks answers for.

Emily salutes to Seto. "See you around, then!"

She nods to Cayde. "And it looks like the lucky thing you've got over me is that you can get drunk," she says cheerfully. "I'll just go back to indulging my sweet tooth, but, I'll probably find my own way in some direction or other." She shrugs. "Either way, peace out!"

... Hey, wait, what happened to that plate of food she was carrying when she wandered over?