azume | Fourth.

ENCOUNTER.

Perhaps it's a good thing that the people of Floaroma Town seem to be exhibiting curiosity, because that's how you end up getting the tip.

It isn't much, in the end - a question of where you're going from one of the ladies in the flower shop, followed by a brief look exchanged between them and a soft shrug. There's a mention of the Valley Windworks just across the way, a short walk from here, and something inside that will shave a week's time off of the journey south. Something that should put you right in the heart of Jubilife City, should you be able to gain access to it.

It's likely clear that whatever would be blocking your access to such a thing likely isn't going to be pleasant; it doesn't take them long to tell you that Team Galactic has owned the Windworks for a while now, but at the same time it's only ever staffed with low-tier employees on the chain of command - the Commanders themselves haven't cared about it since they took over, and the grunts...

Well, for one reason or another, they haven't been changing with the rest of the world.

It likely seems obvious, when put that way - the people of the town haven't lied to you in the entire time you've been here (they aren't many things, but at the very least they are honest), and if they're correct about this, that's a week's less travel that will need to be done. Over a distance this large, every day counts; as such, you might as well check out the Windworks for whatever it will bring you.

As it turns out, the townspeople were right about several things - the Valley Windworks is only a short walk away, surrounded by tall electricity-generating windmills that are turning away at a good clip in the windstreams traveling through the valley; upon entering it, it seems fair to say that it really is generally only staffed by grunts. In light of the changes the world has undergone, their appearance may be a bit jarring, a reminder of what the entire place used to look like - they're completely dead-eyed and listless, lacking any sort of individual initiative, and while they look up as you enter and their eyes track you as you move, they don't seem inclined to do much about you as a whole.

Unfortunately, the ladies in the flower shop seem to have been mistaken about something - it seems that one of the Commanders, at least, seems to care very much about this place, given that she's waiting for you in the lobby.

As with the others before her, she looks distinctive from the others in both her style of dress and the fact that she's still emotionally intact; she's small in stature, the heels on her boots doing nothing to help that fact, and she's incredibly slight in comparison to Jupiter. She also seems displeased about being here; the smile she offers in greeting is sharp, and it's not a pleasant look.

More along the lines of baring teeth.

"It's pretty rude of you guys to barge in here like you own the place. Not like I was expecting much from you people, anyway. I'm Commander Mars, and it's about time we met."

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Yeah, but even if he did summon them and they disappeared after that, he'd tell me. There's no way he'd leave me in the dark like this.

[...]

Is he in the habit of telling you everything he does?

Well... He tells me what I need to know to do my job.

Then maybe your job doesn't require that information just yet.

[...actually, speaking of which-]

What is your mission at present? Has he given you one?

That's none of your business.

[Well, it was worth a shot. But...]

I'm assuming he hasn't instructed you to ask us about Saturn and Jupiter, then.

Edited 2018-08-11 19:18 (UTC)

No. I'm asking about them because I'm... curious.

["Curious" is probably not the word she's looking for, but it sure is the word she's using.]

[...it takes Rey a moment to process, but...

...Mars, that...is weirdly endearing....]

...are you worried about them?

I'm just bothered that they haven't been in contact with me. I don't want to get stuck with all their work too.

[....]

What's your next move, then? We clearly don't know anything, so how are you going to find them?

I'll figure something out. If I find out that this was your doing, I'll hunt you down.

[She knows you mean the group, but that felt uncomfortably personal....]

...is that everything you wanted from us?

You're the ones who barged in here. You can turn around and leave whenever you want.

[...can't you just. politely move aside or start having an existential crisis like Saturn, that would be great-]

...can I ask you one more question about Cyrus?

Sure, I guess. Go ahead.

(no subject)

greydients - 2018-08-11 20:02 (UTC) - Expand

azumods - 2018-08-11 20:03 (UTC) - Expand

greydients - 2018-08-11 20:14 (UTC) - Expand

azumods - 2018-08-11 20:21 (UTC) - Expand

Maybe he doesn't think you need to know, then?

[Sena flinches when he says that - it came out much harsher than he intended. So he backs up, waving his hands.]

I-I don't mean that in a bad way! My team captain back home, he does the same thing. Keeps a lotta things secret, or does things without telling us why...we have to figure out the reasons ourselves. That's just his way of doing things...and I think, um, in a way it made us stronger, too...

I guess that's possible...

[She sounds like she doesn't like it, but at least she's admitting that much.]

But it doesn't explain why they haven't been in contact with me since talking to you guys.

It might be part of those orders? Like, he doesn't want to compromise their mission or something?

[He sweats nervously when he says that.] You wouldn't believe how much that kinda thing happens...

[The expression on his face says it all. You...probably don't want to ask about that.]

If the mission was that important, why wouldn't he want me in on it? I'm way better suited to carrying out Master Cyrus' orders! There's no way he'd rely on Saturn over me!

[Oh. Oh god. She's getting kinda scary...]

M-m-maybe he wanted to make sure someone was holding things down back here? A-as a backup measure? Y-you'd want to make sure someone reliable is there, right?

Well, yeah, but again, why wouldn't he tell me? It doesn't make sense to keep one commander in the dark for something like that.

I-I-I don't know-!

[Hieeee, help.]

I-I-I mean, I don't know what this Cyrus guy is like! I've just been guessing on experience - you know him better, right? H-He's your leader!

Quit yelling, I'm not going to beat you senseless.

[Probably...?? Anyway, she seems mildly amused by it, as much as she can be given the discussion.]

Yeah, I know him better than almost anyone. He's a great leader, and I'm really happy I've been able to work for him. I'm glad he's managed to accomplish his goals here. So while I'll acknowledge that maybe he'd call them in to talk to him, there's no way he'd do anything to them. So it just doesn't make sense.

Sometimes things don't make sense.

I'm not just dismissing their disappearance as something that doesn't make sense. I'm going to find out what happened to them.