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Post by Morgan on Apr 25, 2020 22:24:30 GMT -6
Morgan wasn't used to doing quests so late in the month. They usually tried to get there early, so that they could get the higher-earning or simple least annoying quests before they all got taken down and away, but Morgan didn't really have that luxury anymore. Their newest endeavor was exciting, but took up so much of their time! They no longer had time to do quests as early as they did before. There were genes that needed splicing, people that needed paid to obtain rare genes from other lands, and creatures that needed to be worked with before the species was ready to be formulated into eggs so that they could safely be handed out. Plus, people just loved eggs, didn't they? It was such a staple.
The human's arm was still purple from the mansion trip, but it was slowly starting to recede. For now, they had a thick leather strap on their arm to keep the Aolani from bruising them too much. At least this trip to the quest board was simple enough.
[1] - [In between Mansion Trips]
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Post by Morgan on Apr 26, 2020 2:43:22 GMT -6
The Aolani didn't 'like' Morgan yet. Even when Morgan went ahead and opened the door to her spacious aviary, she didn't even come running expecting food. Needless to say, Morgan understood that the Aolani were not quite as intelligent as a regular izer. However, she did find the food eventually. Morgan was beginning to realize that she might just need something to help out with that a bit. For the most part, it was a good thing though- because usually creatures had the instinct to try to bite people that had them restrained without their consent. The Umber and Russet bird-like beast was perfectly happy to sit on Morgan's arm like a perch, and when she squeezed their arm and bruised it up the other day, she didn't really mean to do it.
So Morgan wasn't too worried about having the creature with them when they went to the questing board and there were people around them. They were, however, quite concerned about the fact that the request slips seemed to be quite scarce.
[2]
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Post by Morgan on Apr 26, 2020 7:17:54 GMT -6
It wasn't exactly a puzzling experience, even if it was a concerning one. Usually when Morgan got to the questing board, admittedly earlier than this in the month typically, the board was covered in prime slips. Some of them were for tasks that Morgan simply did not want to deal with, and they usually didn't pick things like that. They tried to take on the tasks that offered them the most bang for their buck, so to speak (or rather, QP for their time) since it was economical, but it was obvious with the lack of choices this month that they weren't going to get much of a choice, sadly.
The human waited until a couple of people walked away empty handed, and one particularly excited child grabbed one and left with what looked like an orbaru in their arms before Morgan stepped forward with the Aolani on their arm to check the board theirself.
[3]
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Post by Morgan on Apr 26, 2020 23:21:41 GMT -6
Several other individuals had already left, but there was still one there. Morgan knew that if one didn't look at someone else, and just kind of went about their business, most people would ignore them. It was a normal thing to do, socially. However, they could practically feel the individual staring at them as they looked at the board (Morgan hadn't even read anything yet, because the hairs on the back of their neck were practically standing with static electricity ready to flee at any moment). The Aolani was preening (much more healthily than she had been doing a couple of weeks ago, so now she was much more healthy looking without gaps in her feathers) and not paying any attention at all.
It was amazing how clueless creatures could be when the mind of the master was on edge before the psycho-social bond started up in full force. Morgan turned to look at the individual, their glasses glinting.
[4]
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Post by Morgan on Apr 27, 2020 0:07:42 GMT -6
The individual wasn't a strange looking person, almost utterly nondescript. Mousy-grey hair that was cut short, dusty-blue eyes, freckles. Scarcely a young adult if not still a teenager, but their eyes were quite wide. After a quick second of giving further glance after Morgan realized that they probably weren't a threat they realized that the kid must have come from a relatively affluent family. Well cut button up shirt (white, with brown stripes in both horizontal and vertical lines) and black slacks with shoes that looked freshly shined. Morgan immediately gave them a quick 'public relations' facial expression, because they could tell they were bursting with a question for Morgan. 'Say, you wouldn't be the Lead Scientist of-' Morgan tried to be patient, very patient, and they focused about half of their attention on the Aolani's soft preening noises as she held onto the leather strap across their arm. "Yes." Morgan said, simply. The individual had a sliplet of paper in their hands. [5]
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Post by Morgan on Apr 27, 2020 0:15:10 GMT -6
Morgan went to turn back to the board. They weren't really cut out for this public relations stuff. That was what Dis was for (well, she was smart as a tack too, and a great geneticist, but Morgan was especially thankful that she took on Public Relations from them), and as long as Morgan didn't seem bored or angry it would often be fine. People expected them to be busy with their job, after all. Morgan kept an eye on the kid though, from the corner of their vision. The kid rubbed the back of his neck (the jackalope did that a lot, but this kid was definitely an avian- 'hair' had been a misnomer) and then sighed, a soft hooo noise. 'No offense, but you aren't gonna find anything good there. A geezer needs a dinner maker every day for the next week, and some delinquent needs to be escorted to and from her job. No, why don't you take this one?' The kid reached out, holding the slip of paper. Morgan turned to them, fighting giving a frown and barely wrangling their expression into a neutral one. Pay attention to the Aolani, Morgan thought. [6]
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Post by Morgan on Apr 27, 2020 0:25:01 GMT -6
Morgan tried to be patient, and turned towards the avian, just in time to have the piece of paper practically thrust a little too close to their face. The kid would probably have been sweating bullets had he not been covered in feathers. Morgan couldn't help but glance away, a little aggravated, and then took the slip as gently out of their hands as they could, reading it. Ah, some parasol shop needed some gardening done. That was actually right up Morgan's alley, even if they didn't really like doing stuff like this for other people. Definitely better than helping old folks make dinner, that would be better suited to someone that well, wasn't Morgan.
"Sure, it does look like a b-better choice." Morgan acquiesced. Pickings were -slim- this month, they couldn't really afford to argue. This shouldn't take too long, and they would have some time with Aolani to get it more used to them.
[7]
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Post by Morgan on Apr 27, 2020 0:30:35 GMT -6
The kid gave a quick respectful nod (weird) and then turned away to leave. Huh, that was weird. "Say kid, w-what were you gonna do, anyway?" Morgan said, waving the little slip of paper around slightly between two fingers. The kid turned around, looking sheepish, and admitted- 'Actually that's my dad's shop. I have really bad allergies and can't really help.' Well, that was pretty ironic, wasn't it? Morgan choked down a chuckle. "You goin' straight there?" Morgan asked. Their arm was beginning to feel a little tired already, so the swapped the Aolani to the other arm quickly enough. She was so light that it didn't really even matter to make the switch, and she was serene enough not to fight it. Aolani tended to float, anyway.
The kid looked shell-shocked at first, and then nodded, stiffly. "Welp, s-since we're going the same way- why dontcha show m-me the way?"
[8]
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Post by Morgan on Apr 27, 2020 0:40:13 GMT -6
Morgan normally wouldn't have done that, but they really didn't want to have to dig out their WATT and try to figure out where the heck this place was- the address was a tad smudged anyway. The kid looked a little starry eyed, at first, and then immediately shook their head, and waved Morgan on. The human was quite pleased with this, hopefully the kid wasn't going to be a talker, though. They'd dealt with enough awkward conversations recently, trying to breed Nico. Now that his allowed slots were over with, Morgan was more than pleased that perhaps they wouldn't have to have so many awkward conversations so quickly again.
Of course, Morgan couldn't be quite that lucky.
'Say, what is it's name? Is it an Izer?' The individual asked, as they walked. At least it had taken a good ten minutes for that to happen, so that was a good record.
[9]
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Post by Morgan on Apr 27, 2020 0:51:05 GMT -6
Morgan took a breath (hopefully not one that could be heard) and then politely answered- "S-she's an Aolani. It's a cross between a Drought Izer... You know, t-the old version ones? And a wind elemental golem." The kid gave a curious look that obviously made Morgan realize that he had no idea what Morgan was talking about when they said 'elemental golem'. "Oh, the version one golems too- were t-those before your time?" Morgan squinted, they had no idea how old they were whenever the version one golems stopped being as prominent around. The kid probably would have flushed, but instead he poofed up, feathers sticking up. 'Uh, I don't know. Dad moved here whenever I was fourteen.' The kid admits. Well, Morgan didn't really care anyway. They reached out to pat the Aolani as they walked. She was starting to get a little less jerky when it came to Morgan's hands.
[10]
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Post by Morgan on Apr 27, 2020 1:49:06 GMT -6
They continued to walk. Morgan hoped that was the end of it. They didn't really like getting all buddy-buddy with anyone if they didn't have to. This act of 'kindness' had been a little out of character and spur of the moment for them. They really wanted to get as done with this as possible and move on as quickly as possible without too much more trouble. The Aolani made soft noises that Morgan wasn't sure what were- perhaps a windlike whistle, or perhaps a harsh beak clack. It seemed intermixed. How much longer was this walk going to take anyway? 'So is Aolani it's species, err, cross name as well as it's name?' The kid asked. Nosy. Morgan hoped that their patience would hold out but it wasn't looking like it was going to go that way. "No, I j-just haven't come up with a name yet." Morgan answered. [11]
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Post by Morgan on Apr 27, 2020 1:57:03 GMT -6
The pair continued on. The Aolani continued making her weird noise. The kid seemed to be quiet for a moment, and Morgan prayed to gods that they did not believe in at all that the kid wouldn't start spitballing ideas at them. Just when the kid started to open his beak to say something, Morgan immediately asked a question instead. Good for information gathering, but also for dodging the naming suggestions they just knew were going to come out of the kid's maw. "Say, y-you look pretty well to do. I'd know, I think we use t-the same tailor. Same stitching." Morgan said, explaining and pointing out something they didn't give a shit about but also noticed earlier. "Parasol business really t-that good in the city?" Morgan had heard of people collecting shoes, but certainly not parasols. That didn't seem like something that would get a lot of business.
[12]
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Post by Morgan on Apr 27, 2020 2:01:09 GMT -6
Once again, the kid looked flabbergasted. Morgan was tempted to threaten him that a fly would fly in there if he didn't close his mouth. However, he seemed to catch himself and politely clear his throat. 'Dad uh, yeah. Parasol business is good, and I guess it helps that it's just me and him. Mom's been gone a long time now. No siblings, either. Unless your count my 'sister'- but she's a Kairfuryoo. She's a little different, of course not biological.' He babbled. Of course, Morgan knew. Kairfuryoo were avian, but they weren't this sort of avian, there was no way that was biological. However, the kid seemed to be used to answering that question. Morgan was skeptical of the money thing, though. There was something the kid wasn't telling them.
They rounded a corner onto a nice street. Yeah, that has to be the street. This was going to end soon! Morgan was excited enough that it caught the Aolani's attention.
[13]
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Post by Morgan on Apr 27, 2020 2:07:26 GMT -6
Still, Morgan couldn't help but pry, and they knew not to dig straight for it. "Oh, dontcha worry. Not everyone treats sentient folks w-without citizenship horridly." Morgan thought, they might as well confide in the kid a bit, it couldn't hurt. "My d-daughter, she's a harachiu. An entire house on my estate is g-given to my tat-lung brothers and sisters. I a-adopted two kairfuryoo boys about a week ago." Morgan said. Immediately the kid's guard dropped, and there was that 'starstruck' expression again. "They may n-not be able to have citizenship, but they d-deserve to be cared for a-a-and given a chance." Morgan said.
Immediately, the kid spilled the beans. 'My dad has a, side business. You might see it, up the street here. It does better than his parasol shop does, but it's not... It's kinda a secret, okay?' The kid said. There we have it, Morgan thought. They thought they had an idea as to what it was, too, that paid so well. The Aolani stopped clacking her beak, and instead began trying to preen the leather on Morgan's arm.
[14]
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Post by Morgan on Apr 27, 2020 2:15:22 GMT -6
Morgan was glad that they could clearly the see the estate up ahead. Sure enough, there was a parasol shop in the front with a garden around it, and Morgan could also see another (prettier) building out to the side behind the garden, and beyond that a mansion. Yes, these were well to do people. That side place was too nice to be a sew shop or something of that nature. It was exactly what Morgan had thought it was. Still, they had a moment to speak to the kid, and of course the kid was going to fill it with babble. 'It is a shame that sis can't speak-' The kid started "Can she n-not learn Marhoo?" Morgan asked, out of curiosity. The kid shook his head. 'Do you think that there will ever be rights for sentients that aren't, well, like us?' He asked. Obviously he thought Morgan could do something about it. Morgan patted the Aolani and gave him an apologetic look. [15]
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