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Post by Morgan on Dec 10, 2021 18:11:08 GMT -6
The cold part of the year was proving to be a rather decent time for Morgan to be able to have some time off. Just a few weeks before, Morgan had been working tirelessly on a new lead for some DNA that might be used in future projects (that took lots of time and planning, and more hours in the office than in the Lab- much to their chagrin) but now there was a small lull in work. It was enough that Morgan went over the different happenings in the Lab and determined that it would be the best couple of months to take all of that accrued vacation time that they had never taken. They were beginning to feel a little bit more rested whenever they decided to try to pick up another quest, and they decided to bring Kaodie with them yet again. Endymion, as it turned out, had something else going on that was requiring a lot of his time... Morgan wasn't too worried about it.
[1]
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Post by Morgan on Dec 11, 2021 0:46:41 GMT -6
Morgan figured that if Endymion was trying to hide something from them, that it probably wasn't anything to worry about. He was a young adult draconic now, so he could do as he pleased. They had a hunch that he had some sort of enterprise in mind that he was hiding from Morgan until it was finished. They had Kaodie, and he was more than enough to help provide some assistance if there was any need. They weren't sure what sort of quest to pick up that would allow Kaodie to come with them, but they were bound to find something. They were more than a little concerned whenever they realized that the weather was calling for a snowstorm though... Perhaps they shouldn't go out just in case it hit a little early?
The bespectacled human and tiny malii wound up standing in the square in front of the quest board anyway. Morgan sometimes made decisions that were somewhat rash.
[2]
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Post by Morgan on Dec 11, 2021 13:17:14 GMT -6
People had been busying around everywhere, much to Morgan's surprise. It would seem that people were out picking the shops clean of bread, eggs, and milk in preparation for the snowstorm. Most of them didn't seem to give Morgan and little Kaodie a second glance since they were so busy, and that was a relief. Their glasses kept fogging up, so they had to wipe them down as they got to the quest board to even be able to read the requests. Whenever they put them back on, they realized that there were a goodly number of requests on the board. This time of year it would seem that people decided that they needed help in more numbers than otherwise. They weren't sure if they wanted to do something as passive as they had the previous month; this time they wanted something a little exciting.
They were typically one of those individuals that preferred having a set schedule, but they sometimes felt a little too brash.
[3]
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Post by Morgan on Dec 11, 2021 14:02:34 GMT -6
The first few requests that caught the bespectacled human's eyes were skipped over quite quickly due to being things that Morgan had no interest in doing at all. There were several requests for visits from a mythological being (that is; most likely parents looking for someone to dress up as a holiday figure for the benefit of their children), a few requesting cooking assistance, and there were several more requesting help picking up gifts for family. By the time they got towards the end of the requests on the board, they were a little concerned that they might not be able to find any quests that would suit them this month. One of the last ones caught their eye; but not because of the content.
Kaodie kept a much more careful watch of the area on this trip than he had last time. Something about this area made him nervous. Perhaps it was the way that wind whistled between the buildings here.
[4]
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Post by Morgan on Dec 11, 2021 14:53:43 GMT -6
This particular note was written in a cursive that was quite reminiscent of the teacher that taught Morgan how to write in cursive, which did catch their eye but wasn't what really tipped them off that this might be something special. It was requesting help in a toy shop from what they could gather, which would have been something that Morgan would have passed over. However, there was a small indication that perhaps there was something on the back- near where the neat illustrations of various toys were. They reach out with warm fingers (they'd been keeping their hands in their pockets for warmth along with heating bottles) and turn the otherwise unassuming piece of paper over- and that was when they noticed it.
The Address, what was odd about the address? Morgan was familiar with the area well enough, it was nearby the old Labs. Their eyebrows furrow a bit, and Kaodie bumps his head into their leg, sensing a souring of their expression.
[5]
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Post by Morgan on Dec 11, 2021 15:05:35 GMT -6
Kaodie tries to catch Morgan's attention, because there was a group of people coming up to the quest board behind them and he knew enough about Morgan that they wouldn't want to be bothered by large groups of people. Morgan reaches out, grabs the quest from the board and turns away, signaling for Kaodie to come with them. They walked right past the talkative group, who were mostly self absorbed in whatever conversation that they were in. Morgan puts the address into their WATT and squints. Just as they had thought- there really shouldn't be anything at this location. They stop on a corner to re-read over the small note to make sure that they weren't missing anything. Nope, apparently there should be a toy shop or warehouse or something there.
But there hadn't been just a month ago. Morgan's throat ties itself in metaphorical knots. This... This had to have something to do with the Labs.
[6]
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Post by Morgan on Dec 11, 2021 15:25:50 GMT -6
Morgan wasn't entirely sure how that could be the case; but they could never put anything past the Labs. Despite being mostly defunct, it still managed to produce strange services that sometimes still operated in burned out parts of the building. They had done their best to do some checking on as much of it as they could, looking for any leads on their father at all. This could be another breakthrough, or a huge disappointment. They most certainly had not expected to get a-hold of something like this today at all. Suddenly, they are drawn a little less from thrill seeking, and instead are more driven by rampant curiosity; nearly enough to take their breath. They begin walking in the direction of the area, Kaodie hardly able to keep up with the increase in speed. Above them, the cloud-covered sky begins to grow a little more dark, boding encroaching precipitation.
[7]
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Post by Morgan on Dec 11, 2021 15:40:47 GMT -6
The walk does not take nearly as long as it would have had if Morgan had not been a little on the high-energy side that day. They weren't going to wait long enough to let someone else possibly take up a space that Morgan could use at least momentarily in their desire to investigate the building that should not exist. What better way than to take on this quest, and help with the holiday rush? It would get them in the building without much suspicion, at the very least! They would worry about the rest of it later. Kaodie was fairly relieved whenever Morgan got within a few blocks of where they were going and began to slow down. He panted to catch up on breath, and caught up fairly easily.
The area was a little bit on the spooky side. It was all mostly warehouses down the road, though Morgan had walked this area several times.
[8]
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Post by Morgan on Dec 11, 2021 15:44:53 GMT -6
There was definitely an extra building, down the way. Morgan squints as they got closer, their eyebrows nearly meeting in the middle as they furrowed their brows. "How did t-they get that building up so fast?" Morgan murmurs to theirself, their breath coming out in a little puff of barely visible condensation floating in the frigid air against the cloudy silver backdrop. "Must be of incredibly p-poor make." They decided as they got closer. There was nothing that indicated that, but how could they get a building up so quickly otherwise? Morgan could clearly remember not seeing the building or any building materials up not too long ago, and the WATT had not updated the area, either.
With an intense sense of skepticism held in their chest like a lifeline through anxiety, Morgan walks around the building until they find what appears to be a door, with Kaodie close by on their heels.
[9]
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Post by Morgan on Dec 11, 2021 17:23:24 GMT -6
The door looks normal. In fact, the entire building was strangely normal looking. Morgan had been expecting to find something that was suspect at the very start. Other than not having been here before and suddenly being here now, it looked like a fairly normal warehouse (if any warehouse could really feel normal- all of them were pretty creepy in Morgan's experience). They hang back and watch the door for a little while, leaning against a handrail on one side of the parking lot. Kaodie's tail is up and held fairly stiff, his eyes are also on the door. They wait, but nothing happens.
"I guess we're just going to have to go up t-to the door..." Morgan says in the direction of Kaodie, though the malii would not understand the words. Morgan starts in the direction of the door slowly, eyes open for anything odd. The note did say that they wanted people regardless of past experience, and was really low on explanation of what service needed to be rendered.
[10]
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Post by Morgan on Dec 11, 2021 17:42:18 GMT -6
It was an odd quest to an area that might not arouse so much suspicion for others. Especially not those that might need a job like this one. Morgan had that some people were using quests as their primary way of earning bread, so people could easily be lured here... Surely the questing society would vet these sorts of things, right? Just as Morgan reaches up and goes to grab the doorknob, someone busts through the door. Morgan quickly backs up, and Kaodie steps in front of them and lowers his head, glaring at the individual that left the door so quickly. Had he been a dog instead, he probably would have growled.
The individual doesn't seem to bother with Kaodie, and instead pats down his sweater (which was apparently on fire?). Morgan takes a good extra couple of cautious steps back before they were even addressed by the young man.
[11]
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Post by Morgan on Dec 11, 2021 17:58:31 GMT -6
Apparently, according to the person, Morgan was 'just in time'- which made no sense. How long had the request been up? Weren't they just looking for line workers for the 'holiday season'? Morgan had assumed toys, but that wasn't necessarily outright stated. It had just been hinted in the illustrations on the piece of paper Morgan had folded in their pocket. They affix the individual with a skeptical look. Apparently it was also 'crazy in there' and the emergency stop button was in the back of the building.
"Just w-what are you getting people into?" Morgan asks, though that is soundly ignored. "If you c-can't get to it, what makes you think someone else can?"
Still, they were gestured into the building, and someone was going to have to deal with whatever this was. It was probably a trap. However, Morgan was curious if nothing else, and figured that it would be easy enough to get out if the situation was truly dire. Kaodie didn't look too excited about Morgan's decision to brush past the individual and into the door.
[12]
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Post by Morgan on Dec 11, 2021 18:39:29 GMT -6
Morgan took extra note of the fact that the person had been on fire when they had stumbled out of the door. They stuck around the front door, with Kaodie reluctantly standing at their side (though his head barely came up to the middle of Morgan's shin) after having followed them in. It was obvious that he thought that something was wrong, and Morgan was determined to ascertain what was going on before walking too far into the building. The door is shut behind them, not that it surprises them. It was obvious that whoever that person was didn't want anything to do with this. Their eyes adjust rather quickly to the darkness, and it is simple to see that the nearest portions of what looked to be a toy assembly line were going out of control.
If there had been workers in here, there most certainly were not now. Morgan wondered if they had gotten away before the system began overworking itself.
[13]
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Post by Morgan on Dec 11, 2021 18:50:49 GMT -6
The machinery was running so fast that it was producing heat, though it didn't seem to be a dangerous amount of heat in small doses. It certainly wasn't an appropriate amount of heat for long periods of standing in place and working- as was normal for factory-style production. They make sure to let Kaodie know to keep close to them (they still hadn't found the thing that had set the person on fire!) and then they moved towards the nearest break in the machines. "It looks like there is a strap coming out of the w-wall over there. So I doubt that going along the wall is going to be much help." They murmured to theirself. Going between the machinery was certainly uncomfortable, with how hot it was. They ducked below a table to crawl between two pieces of machinery, with Kaodie following after.
As soon as they stood up on the other side, however, they were caught by surprise by a group of small toys!
[14]
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Post by Morgan on Dec 11, 2021 19:10:51 GMT -6
The human was able to roll out of the way of the ambush- but only just barely. They were able to catch sight of the first group of attackers- they were almost like... Little green men, with guns? Morgan hid behind the nearest metal object, hoping that metal that tiny wouldn't be able to penetrate the makeshift shield. Kaodie, however, was not phased. He drops his toy next to Morgan, and bwarks in alarm. He leaves Morgan's side to scoop up a few of the tiny hoard in his tongue and drag them into his mouth. The ones he does that to certainly do not come out.
Another set of the little toys had been hiding on top of one of the machines on the other side of the aisle- and they open fire on the little malii. The metal bullets completely bounce off of him like they were nothing, and Morgan grins in response to seeing it. "Good work, Kaodie!"
[15]
[Mini-Brigades 1, 2, and 3 Join the Fight!]
[Mini-Brigade 1 uses Shots Fired at Morgan]
[Morgan's Danger Sense Procs, Shots Fired Misses]
[Kaodie uses Sticky Tongue + Bite on Mini-Brigade 1, Mini-Brigade 1 has Disbanded]
[Mini-Brigade 2 uses Shots Fired at Kaodie!]
[Kaodie's Psychical Immunity Renders Shots Fired Useless]
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