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Post by Fanged on Oct 18, 2020 21:03:31 GMT -6
She was happy with her small expedition squad. Ral would be their main scout and she and Pachinko were there to get experience. The prospect of a journey was exciting even if it would be hard work. For now, she would focus on the icy terrain that was steadily developing around them. She placed one hand against the tunnel wall, marveling at the coolness that met her fingers. She had seen snow before; she wasn’t super sheltered in that regard. But it had been a long time. Pachinko tracked her hand as she made swirling motions across the wall.
Ral was the more determined of the two of them. He had an intense look of focus on his face as he led the way. The air was frigid at this point and Fanged flipped the hoodie on her sweatshirt up. She liked when she was able to utilize a hood. She wasn’t very fond of the additional set of ears she had been granted. However, most places frowned upon wearing hoods. They were pretty much only allowed to be worn outside in cold weather. Otherwise people assumed you were up to something nefarious. Perhaps she should worry less about how she came across to others.
(Ral 8, 8 | Pachinko 12, 16)
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Post by Fanged on Oct 18, 2020 22:01:20 GMT -6
Her thoughts distracted her from her expedition. That wasn’t necessarily a bad thing and taking time for self-reflection way always helpful. It was a way for her to try and improve her self-image and accept the damage that had been done to her. Lately that was how she viewed herself. Damaged goods was a cruel term, but she felt that way deep within her soul. Being around Ral and Pachinko made her feel better about herself. It made her feel almost normal. She had shied away from the lab made creatures before and now she saw how much of a mistake that was. Perhaps she could still be a lone wolf when it came to other people, but for now she had come to appreciate her creature companions.
“The darkness of the mines is a constant isn’t it? I guess that’s why they recommend bringing a flashlight,” she remarked. “If this little tool broke, we’d be kind of fucked, wouldn’t we?”
She raised the flashlight for emphasis. Pachinko tilted his head at her actions, wondering what she intended to do with their light source. Ral scuttled forward, the path he took rapidly turning into a zigzag as he investigated around the area.
(Ral 8 1/5, 8 1/5 | Pachinko 12 1/5, 16 1/5)
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Post by Fanged on Oct 18, 2020 22:18:16 GMT -6
His thoroughness was much appreciated. His work ethic would be useful at a crime scene. Though she hadn’t visited one of those in quite a while. She had a sudden longing to go back to her old life, but she wouldn’t want to give up her various pets that she had obtained in the meantime. She would be content with her current life, even if it took a while before she truly got there. She took a deep breath, trying to center herself in the present. She reached up and stroked Pachinko’s fluffy neck. He leaned into her touch. When she felt more relaxed, she refocused herself on the mission.
Ral had run ahead and was waiting for them to catch up. Surprisingly, he was rather similar to a dog. He had to stop and sniff every little while. Maybe she could even catch him wagging his tail when he was happy. When she caught up with him, he stared at her briefly before dashing off again. Fanged wondered if he could sniff out the treasure. She didn’t really know how it worked, but he was very exceptional at spotting gems. She had found a couple as well, but not nearly as many.
(Ral 8 2/5, 8 2/5 | Pachinko 12 2/5, 16 2/5)
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Post by Nadia on Oct 19, 2020 9:09:46 GMT -6
Ooh, look at that shiny crystal!
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Post by Fanged on Oct 19, 2020 21:17:41 GMT -6
Fanged felt a strange sensation travel down her fingertips. It was almost like instinct was controlling her. She looked down to see if there was anything about that might be causing her to have a fit. There was a small cluster of gems. There was one blue gem and one pink one. The pink one was completely spherical, almost unnaturally so. She picked it up and examined it. This must have been what she felt so connected to. She put both gems in her bag, relieved when the sensation she had been feeling finally went away. Ral looked back at her, impressed that she had been able to find some gems on her own.
Pachinko had less interest in the gems themselves, but he recognized that his owner was enthralled with them. Now that they had found some treasure, Fanged felt excited about venturing deeper. Ral trotted forward, his head held high as he braved the path ahead of them. The icy path was proving to be filled with good luck so far. She wondered how long that would last. She caught up to Ral who was waiting for her at a fork in the path up ahead. They would need to make a choice where to go to next.
(Ral 8 3/5, 8 3/5 | Pachinko 12 3/5, 16 3/5)
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Post by Fanged on Oct 20, 2020 15:37:29 GMT -6
A fork in the road was always an interesting dilemma. There was always the question of what if. What if she chose the more dangerous path? What if she chose the path with less treasure? Worrying about that sort of thing was pointless, she recognized that. She wanted to be a bit more spontaneous, so she was going to pick a path at random. Without hesitation, she veered down the left path, taking the lead from Ral. The dragon was eager enough to follow, excited at following a new path. He didn’t think Fanged had put much thought into picking a direction, but he liked that!
Pachinko was intrigued by the new path. He was on alert and perched upright on her shoulder. His body was sat up straight, but he didn’t appear nervous or afraid. The tunnel was full on icy at this point. The ground was slippery and she had to slow her pace down to ensure that she didn’t accidentally slip. The ice was at least something she could see and deal with. A tunnel collapse was a much larger threat. Ral didn’t slow his pace down. Instead he trotted forward happily, not caring if he slipped.
(Ral 8 4/5, 8 4/5 | Pachinko 12 4/5, 16 4/5)
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Post by Fanged on Oct 20, 2020 22:38:24 GMT -6
He was a more carefree sort of creature. He liked finding gems and he liked playing games. He wasn’t particularly concerned with matters such as safety. Fanged felt that was a refreshing outlook on life. She would have to be the one to lookout for him. It was in her nature to be a little more on the cautious side. Pachinko was content on his perch for now. Fanged continued on at this slow pace. It gave her the opportunity to scout for treasure, even if she wasn’t particularly good at finding things. If there was ever a time to learn, now would be it.
“I wonder what else we can find down here? I’d like to find more fossils. Those bugs frozen in time were rather neat,” she commented.
Beggars couldn’t be choosers though. She would take whatever she could find. They were getting used to traveling in the icy terrain. Fanged didn’t stumble so often now and Ral had adjusted his pace to be a bit slower than he normally went. Ral checked on her often just to ensure that she was still following him. When she caught up to her the next time, she crouched down and gave him a quick pat.
(Ral 9, 9 | Pachinko 13, 18)
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Post by Fanged on Oct 22, 2020 22:06:50 GMT -6
He leaned into her touch, his mannerisms reminding her just like a dog. She smiled down at him with affection. He returned her gaze before running off to explore some more. Pachinko fluttered his wings though he remained firmly perched on her shoulder. There wouldn’t be enough room in this tunnel for him to fly comfortably, so he remained put for now. The ice tunnel was still exciting to the trio and Fanged was excited to see more of it. Fanged was a bit surprised when the icy path went from simply icy, to also covered in snow.
Fanged did not have much of an opinion on snow. Sure, it was rather whimsical, especially in an environment that one didn’t typically expect to see it. But it was also cold and stuck into her hair when it fell from the sky. Ral looked skeptical at the stuff for a moment. He took a tentative step forward, shaking snow off of his front claw when it clung to his skin. Fanged couldn’t help but laugh at the sight, relating to him on a deep level. She patted him on the head, trying to convey to him that the snow was nothing to worry about.
(Ral 9 1/5, 9 1/5 | Pachinko 13 1/5, 18 1/5)
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Post by Nadia on Oct 23, 2020 11:44:23 GMT -6
Do you feel that thrum?
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Post by Fanged on Oct 23, 2020 12:45:38 GMT -6
It took him a bit, but he gradually grew more comfortable with walking across the snow. Fanged was glad that she had worn boots. They weren’t the warmest, designed more so for hiking than for winter wear. She was typically someone who didn’t deal with the cold well. But if she kept moving, then that would work to keep her body temperature raised. She suddenly felt the heavy tug of magic, though for some reason this one felt a little bit more potent than usual. She followed it, moving in front of Ral since she was the one that knew the way. Pachinko was unaffected by the magic. She wondered if there were creatures able to sense it just like she could. So far, none of her pets could.
“There we go. I don’t think I’ve seen this type of crystal before,” she murmured.
She held the crystal lightly in her hand, marveling at its beauty for a moment before placing it carefully into her bag. There was another gem alongside it and she picked that up as well. Her bag was getting a bit heavy with all the gems she was finding. That was a problem she didn’t mind having.
(Ral 9 2/5, 9 2/5 | Pachinko 13 2/5, 18 2/5)
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Post by Fanged on Oct 23, 2020 13:33:22 GMT -6
Ral seemed a bit more impressed with her now that she had managed to find a magic crystal. The crystal had mesmerized him and he wanted to find more! The only way to find more would be to continue on until she felt that strange tug of magic once again. The snow remained a thin covered against the ground. Ral bounced happily on top of it. Pachinko on the other hand, was glad that he didn’t have to deal with the snow in any capacity at the moment. He was safely protected on his perch and if cloud like fluff aided in keeping him warm.
Her boots left indents in the snow. If they were being tracked, they were being obvious about where they were. She didn’t suspect they were though. Usually people were less subtle than they thought they were. Her observational skills were also sharp enough to inform her when she was being watched.
(Ral 9 3/5, 9 3/5 | Pachinko 13 3/5, 18 3/5)
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Post by Fanged on Oct 23, 2020 14:19:14 GMT -6
She enjoyed the quiet environment of the mines. She was at peace by herself with her creature companions to keep her company. Ral was ever helpful and kept a sharp eye out for any signs of gem. Pachinko was less helpful, but she didn’t doubt his capabilities. The snow gave an even quieter atmosphere. There was something about snow that reminded her of being alone with nothing but the wind howling as ambient noise surrounding her. She wondered if the labs got as snowy as this tunnel had appeared to be. She hadn’t explored very much of the area, so she wasn’t familiar with the strange biomes that could be found around the city.
“Snow is at least better than rain,” she commented. She wasn’t particularly fond of the rain. She found snow easier to deal with, though neither of the weather types were ideal to her. She liked the fall weather before it turned into winter.
Ral paused to sniff at the ground. The snow would provide ample cover for any potential gems hidden underneath. They would need to be careful and investigate any strange lumps in the snow. For now, they would have to search a little bit harder.
(Ral 9 4/5, 9 4/5 | Pachinko 13 4/5, 18 4/5)
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Post by Fanged on Oct 23, 2020 15:24:28 GMT -6
They continued on, keeping their heads down as they scanned the snow for any signs of things hidden in the snow. Fanged felt a strange sense of serenity overcome her senses. She closed her eyes for a moment, enjoying herself in the moment. Ral watched her patiently, curious why the woman had slowed down her pace. When Fanged came back to her senses, she stroked Pachinko on the top of his head briefly with a fingertip before resuming the pace they had been walking at. Ral was happy to resume and he trotted ahead happily.
Pachinko watched carefully, appearing a bit skeptical of the snow. He watched the fluffy blanket of snow, searching for any movement. Fanged decided to focus on the path ahead since Pachinko appeared to have the ground covered. Ral was ahead of them now. He sniffed at the ground, scooping aside snow with his snout. The snow was thicker now which made Fanged even more curious how it had gotten into the tunnel. She didn’t have much of a science background, but snow underground seemed like a rather strange phenomenon. She’d expect to see rivers and ice, but not snow. Didn’t snow have to fall from the sky?
(Ral 10, 10 | Pachinko 14, 20)
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Post by Nadia on Oct 24, 2020 10:27:47 GMT -6
Cool, there's silver here!
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Post by Fanged on Oct 26, 2020 19:13:47 GMT -6
Ral took a moment to stop and bury his snout into an odd-looking pile of snow. When he had cleared it, he looked up at her with a beaming expression. Fanged moved closer to him, peering down into the hole he had created.
“Oh, a gem is hidden in there!” she exclaimed with excitement.
She leaned closer to get a good look at it. She then reached her hand into the hole and pulled out not one, but two objects. One was a gem and the other was a piece of ore. She dried them on her hoodie and placed them into her backpack. Her backpack was getting heavier with each addition, but she didn’t mind the extra weight. Additional weight meant a larger paycheck at the end of the day.
“And lord knows I need it,” she muttered. Her credit situation had been less dire these days. She had managed to even buy herself a bit of property. However, she glanced at Pachinko, pet food could get rather expensive. She also had a habit of picking up new creatures that looked like they needed someone in their life to take care of them. Not to mention the ones she had adopted.
(Ral 10 1/5, 10 1/5 | Pachinko 14 1/5, 20 1/5)
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