Fourth.

[azumods]

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."

Comments

[bloodspent]

Yeah, no, I get it. Don't get me wrong, I really fuckin' do, because I've had to hear them doing this shit for two and a half months, too.

This would be a lot easier if we had Cyrus' perspective on this. Not his guys, not his Commanders', but his own. As it is now, though, I'm pretty sure they're legitimately trying?

[...]

Most of 'em are legitimately trying.

[Jupiter was...yeah, but given that Mars keeps yelling about how Jupiter's faith in Cyrus wouldn't falter, he doesn't really want to throw her under the bus either.]

[discutio]

[Deep breath.]

My apologies, if I'm taking the wrong angle. You're right--we don't know much of anything about Cyrus' real ideas of this whole thing, past what we've been told secondhand.

[bloodspent]

Yeah. I mean, I do think you're right in the end? Like I said, my world's been going to shit for over fifteen years, just continuously hanging out on the brink of annihilation while a bunch of people who just kinda suck keep trying to tip it over. It usually comes down to...I don't know, twenty to thirty people at a time managing to drag it back, and we keep trying to save it even though that's pretty goddamn stupid at this point.

So I get where you're coming from, just maybe save the "holy shit, did you even try" for the right person.

[THE IMPLICATION HERE IS THAT NO HE DOES NOT THINK CYRUS TRIED

AND THAT EVERYONE HERE ONLY THINKS THEY'RE TRYING

BUT YOU KNOW WHAT HE'S. ATTEMPTING TO NOT SAY THAT IN FRONT OF MARS]

[discutio]

...I get it.

[He answered with a small smile, implying he definitely did receive the message of 'youtried.jpg' in not so many words.]

I'll try to keep that in mind.