#sounds like something a Tenakth would do

[maeve-99]

Kotallo asking Aloy to accompany him to test out his new mechanical arm and then killing a machine together is really just the Tenakth way of taking someone out on a date.

You can't convince me otherwise.

[discar]

HZD Terraforming Base-001 Text Communications Network

Chapter 23 | Prev chapter | Next chapter Chapter Index

Zo: Alva, I have questions about your empire's agriculture.

DIVINER: Well, I'm not an agriculturalist or a biologist, but I'll answer what questions I can!

Zo: Do you have land-gods? Machines that tend your fields?

DIVINER: No, we had to learn to do everything ourselves! Much of it was discovered in the labs belonging to Eileen Sasaki, which is why she's one of our most revered Ancestors. The Empire wouldn't exist if we couldn't expand our fields!

Zo: I suppose our reliance on our land-gods has limited our expansion.

DIVINER: Um, this might be an awkward question...

Zo: That's fine.

DIVINER: And by awkward, I mean insulting.

BoyNextDoor: Apologizing before the insult. Erend, you can learn a thing or two here.

HIMBO: IT'S NOT MY FAULT YOU'RE ALL TOO SENSITIVE!

Zo: Yes it is.

HIMBO: OH REALLY? GRANOLA GIRL?

Zo: …

Zo: So what was your question, Alva?

DIVINER: Do you um, know how to farm?? Without your land-gods, I mean!

DIVINER: Sorry!!

Zo: Oh, that. Yes, we do. Not all our villages are directly in the paths of the land-gods. We haven't expanded much, but we have some.

HIMBO: SHARING A BORDER WITH THE TENAKTH PROBABLY HELPED KEEP YOU GUYS FROM PUSHING OUT.

MARSHAL Kotallo: The Tenakth have always had fine relations with the Utaru.

HIMBO: YEAH, AND I'M GUESSING THAT ANY TIME ANYONE SUGGESTED EXPANDING, SOMEONE BROUGHT THAT UP.

Zo: One of the biggest problems my people have is that we are passive. The land-gods provide more than enough for what we need. Even in our outer villages, we rarely actually need to farm. It is always easier to just sit by and let nature take its course.

FlameHairSavior: In my experience, the people in power generally want things to stay the same.

Zo: True, the Chorus is the worst, but this is a problem common among the Utaru. As much as I wish otherwise, the Chorus are not forcing their own passivity on anyone. This is simply the way we are.

BoyNextDoor: Except for a few brave members of the tribe who will charge into a Cauldron with a couple of strangers.

Zo: You say the sweetest things.

HIMBO: EW, THEY'RE KISSING.

BoyNextDoor: How old are you, twelve?

β: flirt on your own time its science now

DIVINER: Right! Zo, did you have a reason you were asking about the Empire??

Zo: I found a story of the Old Ones about an empire making a colony. It just got me wondering if your people had the expertise to do something like that.

β: what story was it

Zo: Terra Nova.

β: i dont know that one

DIVINER: I don't either! But I'm guessing it's sci-fi?

Zo: What's sci-fi?

DIVINER: ...oh, wow, I just realized how much cultural context you're all missing.

FlameHairSavior: We are not having a movie night. At least not until I can go two consecutive days without having to put out literal fires.

DIVINER: I'm sorry to say, I don't think this is something that can be solved with a movie night!!

β: sure it can there are documentaries on film making or whatever

DIVINER: Oh, documentaries!! Those would be so useful!

DIVINER: I don't have any on my Focus, though!

β: nether do i

β: neither

HIMBO: WHAT'S A DOCUMENTARY?

DIVINER: It's a movie for teaching you about something!

HIMBO: SOUNDS HORRIFYING.

FlameHairSavior: I've changed my mind; we can watch one.

HIMBO: HEY!

FlameHairSavior: Though I do seriously need to find a day without an emergency.

FlameHairSavior: I found a Tenakth town in the desert that is flooded, and still doesn't have any drinking water.

BoyNextDoor: What were you doing back in the dessert?

FlameHairSavior: Okay, this was a while ago. Back when I was traveling to Vegas.

MARSHAL Kotallo: Many of our villages are suffering from such problems.

HIMBO: I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT YOU WOULDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THAT SORT OF SLAG. DON'T YOU GET MOST OF YOUR FOOD FROM THE UTARU?

MARSHAL Kotallo: We still live off the land where possible, one way or the other. We don't just steal everything from our neighbors. We are not savages.

β: also raiding is not a sustainable long term economic practice

β: pirate nations never last long and aloy said all the bandits are always starving

FlameHairSavior: Yeah. That was back in the Sundom and the Sacred Lands, though. The rebels seem to have things a little more thought-out.

MARSHAL Kotallo: They are attempting to wrest control of Tenakth society. There is more to them than mindless raiding for supplies.

DIVINER: So! I've looked over the archive, and there aren't really any documentaries??

DIVINER: Well, there's one on the history of sourdough bread, but that's probably not going to be interesting to anyone??

MARSHAL Kotallo: What in the name of the Ten is sourdough bread? That sounds like something that has been fouled and is unsuitable for consumption.

DIVINER: I don't know! I haven't watched it!

β: aloy we have a new mission for you

FlameHairSavior: I don't know what sourdough bread is either, and I'm not finding any.

β: no not that you need to find the documentary on film making

FlameHairSavior: And where would I find that?

β: youre supposed to be the anointed chosen baby or whatever thats your job

FlameHairSavior: If there's an undamaged library or something out there, no one has told me about it.

DIVINER: There's one in the Quen lands! Well, not UNDAMAGED, but much less damaged! It's where we obtained much of the Legacy we still have today!

β: see there you go

FlameHairSavior: I'm not going to the Quen lands.

HIMBO: AND HERE I EXPECTED YOU TO SWIM ACROSS THE OCEAN.

FlameHairSavior: No, but I can come back to the base to smack you.

HIMBO: OW!

DIVINER: ...did Aloy somehow get all the way back to the base in seconds to smack Erend??

DIVINER: Oh, never mind, I see.

FlameHairSavior: What?

HIMBO: VARL SMACKED ME!

Zo: How WOULD you go about finding specific data, Aloy? Surely this has happened to you before.

FlameHairSavior: Usually, if it's important, I at least have a lead. I knew Faro was at the center of everything, so I went to Faro HQ. Then I found out about other bunkers and labs. That sort of thing.

DIVINER: All right! Then that just means you have to go to Hollywood!

FlameHairSavior: [Sigh.gif]

FlameHairSavior: Fine. Where is it?

ADMIN [GAIA]: The location of the former Hollywood Boulevard is approximately three hundred and thirty-six miles south-west of this facility. Assuming constant use of striders, and not accounting for detours or sleeping, it would be wise to budget at least forty hours for the outgoing trip.

FlameHairSavior: …

FlameHairSavior: I'm not riding forty hours straight to get you a movie.

DIVINER: Aw.

β: erend what are your plans for the weekend

HIMBO: HAHAHA NO.

Chapter 23 | Prev chapter | Next chapter Chapter Index

[mehoymalloy]

also, 26 + 28 for Silga & Untalla (could be each for both or just one abt the other, whichever you feel like)

I'm desperate for more beloved blorbo thoughts. you cursed me and now I suffer, so I must turn the blade back on you.... that sounded far more theatrical than just 'I miss them', sorry.

26. What they would do if stuck in an elevator with [insert character of your choice from the same fandom]

Congrats lucky winner! You get two headcanons for the price of one! As you know, I headcanon that Untalla is scared of deep water, but that also extends to cramped and enclosed spaces in a general sense. Add onto that that her stress response is basically 'stab the stressor til it stops being scary' and she will be climbing the walls trying to find a way out. Like they're going to have a reverse climbing the cliffside moment of Silga using her superior upper body strength to pull Untalla into a bear hug and just refusing to let go until Untalla manages to calm herself down (which she will manage to do relatively quickly, and then be so fucking embarrassed about it afterwards. Not to mention confused because if tight spaces bother her then why the hell doesn't being held tightly and restrained also?? Because it's a fucking hug, stupid, and you are platonically down bad specifically for Silga, it should not surprise you at this point that she's the exception for a lot of your rules.)

Silga, meanwhile, is like 'well shit' and goes into Get Shit Done mode, methodically tackling the problem until it's fixed if possible, periodically pausing to not-so-subtly check in on Untalla and giving her menial tasks to help keep her occupied and distracted.

28. How they feel about [insert character of your choice from the same fandom]

THEY ARE SOME FORM OF SOULMATES, YOUR HONOR.

Silga looks up to Untalla so much; she sees her as so strong and and put-together after everything she's been through, but with that said, she loves seeing Untalla's quieter, more whimsical moments of joy when discovering or trying something new, rather that be Old World knowledge or cultural exposure to other clans.

Untalla would kill without hesitation and with a straight face for Silga. Dramatic, I know, but she takes the good old "your enemy is mine" saying that the Tenakth have so seriously it's a little scary. And even knowing Silga is a grown woman who can protect herself, after everything they went through, Untalla will always have an especially alert but not stifling protective streak for Silga. She also just plain adores the girl. She's smart and capable and a little annoying and the bestest friend she's ever had (Granted she will never say any of this, and any outward sign of these feelings is so fucking subtle, she's too stoic for any emotion that isn't anger lol).

-

And because you made me think about them, I went back digging through my Google Docs to find an old WIP. You can see how old this is based on the fact that 1) I've been using Obsidian as my primary writing program for a year now (I should really transfer all this stuff over, huh...) and 2) I used "</>" as my editing brackets, which ended up being inconvenient because TTS reads them aloud.

ANYWAY, have some hurt/comfort because I MISS THEMB NOW TOO, FUCK.

~

Untalla lied in silence, hesitantly running through half-memorized movements, looking for a specific holo she had seen. Not the stylized colors and depictions of the Ten, but real people. Silga had skimmed past it earlier while looking for something else to show her, and Untalla hadn't wanted to ask her to pause. It wasn't that important. But she wanted to see.

So once Silga had fallen asleep, Untalla had carefully picked up her Focus. Untalla had her own, so the holo was likely on there somewhere, but Silga was very meticulous about organization, and Untalla had memorized the shapes that went with familiar sounds, groupings based on category.

FARO PLAGUE

OPERATION ENDURING VICTORY

PROJECT ZERO DAWN

TEN (<insert war name>)

These were only the ones Untalla knew intimately, consumed in a heavy and silent session with Silga, both sitting up late into the night, learning to understand. Sleeping fitfully only to wake up and do it all again. 

But there was a holo in the wrong place, which Silga had played in confusion only to immediately pause and move to somewhere else, 'MISC.'

When Untalla found it, she hesitated. Then she lifted her hand that extra inch upward, watching the light move as if she physically pushed a button though she felt nothing at her fingertips. And the holo played.

<WHAT WILL THE HOLO BE?>

<WHAT WILL THE MEMORY BE?>

Untalla watched until her vision grew blurry, blinked rapidly when it disturbed her, only for something warm to trickle down her temple. It was only once Untalla realized she was crying that her breathing abruptly hitched. Her chest spasmed. Fingers shook as she abruptly reached for the Focus on her ear, her first instinct to stop it from the source rather than press one of the lights projected over her head.

But she pressed the wrong thing. As her fingers fumbled for the relic, the sound suddenly changed. What was initially a tinny little voice in her ear, suddenly became loud, filling the tiny space of their shared home. Untalla couldn't even curse herself before Silga had bolted upright, whipping her head around wildly before landing on her, startled fear immediately melting into confused concern.

"I'm sorry," Untalla gritted out as she sat up as well, still fumbling with the relic at her ear. "I wanted to shut it off but I somehow made it louder and–"

Right as Untalla resolved to rip it away and shove it into Silga's hands, Silga reached out, fingers just skimming Untalla's temple before touching something on the Focus, then the sound was back to the quiet din in her ear, and she reached out with a pathetically shaky hand to pause the holo correctly.

The silence felt stifling in a way it hadn't since Aloy first gave them these relics, since they learned everything. Untalla stared at a <something about the house or wherever (like peeling strip of wood)> as she said, "There was a holo I wanted to see. I'm sorry I used your Focus, I wasn't sure how to find it on my own." When she handed Silga the Focus, she couldn't meet her eyes.

Silga took it gently, placed it back on her bedside table before turning to Untalla again. Untalla could see her facing her in her periphery, though she kept her gaze trained away.

"You're crying," Silga whispered, and damn if the softness in her voice didn't make Untalla cry more. Untalla swiped below her eyes, scrubbing her face roughly before taking a deep breath, face still hidden in her hands. When she dropped her hands and turned her gaze on Silga—on a loose thread in her shirt. Her muttered "I'm fine" wouldn't fool <phrase.>

Untalla took another deep breath, tried to say it again, more assured, but her voice broke. "Damnit," she hissed.

Silga reached out and placed a hand on her knee. "Untalla, talk to me, please."

"It's this holo… it just…reminded me of my parents. I shouldn't have watched it."

Silga was silent for a long moment, before she asked "Do you mind if I watch it?"

"Of course not, it's your Focus."

Silga turned and abruptly lied back down. Untalla watched as her hands flew through the movements, much faster than her own. Then, she hesitated. When Untalla skirted her gaze up to Silga's she found her watching her. "Do you wanna watch it with me?"

"No." Untalla winced when her voice was too loud in the stillness—too harsh.

Then, contradicting herself, she lay back down beside Silga, scooting closer until their shoulders were almost but not quite brushing. Silga tapped something that projected all the lights again, and she apparently adjusted the sound, because when <what/whoever it is> began speaking, it was a soft drone in the night, something Untalla could almost fall asleep to. 

[foibles-fables]

you know whats hard? coming up with horizon swears that sound like something people would actually say while not leaning too heavily on old one profanity. thats hard.

This is definitely something I noticed when writing Yarra's POV! We have lots of in-game references to work with and extrapolate from re: the other tribes, but the Tenakth don't give us too much! It is hard, but it's also a good chance to flex the creative brain, though, and I do appreciate it.

[finrays]

14) Combat, ought to finish my catch-up!

This is another loose interpretation... it’s the aftermath of a combat.

And it’s what I wish had happened with Regalla.

-

The agony is still there when the world slips back into focus. But the packed earth of the training pit has been replaced by… something soft. The hoots and jeers of her… former troops, by a quiet whir and hum.

And the sound of two voices softly conversing.

With a sizable effort, she forces her eyes open.

Metal walls surround the bedroll she’s been stretched out on, piled down with furs and skins. Lights pulse against the walls, winking on and off like stars come down to earth. Two other women, kneeling a short distance away among a scattering of herbs and medical supplies, are engaged in a quiet conversation. An Utaru Gravesinger, in her whites, and…

…and the Nora girl who’d fought beside Fashav at the Embassy.

An enemy. She’s a captive, then. Despite the pain it causes, she shifts, struggling to rise.

At the sound, the Nora perks up, turning toward her. The look of relief on her face as their eyes meet is… confusingly genuine.

“She’s awake. Regalla? How’s the wound?”

Ignoring the girl’s question, Regalla continues to get her elbows beneath her and rise from the pallet. Instantly, both of her captors surge forward. The Utaru presses a hand gently against her shoulder, shaking her head.

“Easy! Lie back. You’re tough, but there’s still a gaping hole in your gut.”

To her chagrin, the light pressure puts her right back onto the bedroll. Curling her lips in a warning snarl, she raises a hand to bat the Utaru’s arm away.

“You should have… let me die,” she croaks through a parched throat.

Shaking her head, the Nora girl reaches for her belt (going for a weapon?) before unclipping a canteen, and holding it out invitingly.

“Not what I do.”

Automatically, Regalla reaches out to push the offering of water aside.

“Mercy… is… a weakness.”

Undeterred, the Nora girl sets the canteen on the floor beside the bedroll, crouching on her haunches.

“Sure. Whatever you say. What happened? We were planning on scouting out your camp and figuring out the best approach, but when we finally got there… it was just you, bleeding out in the middle of a deserted settlement.”

For a moment, Regalla considers refusing to cooperate. After all, this is the same child who had utterly destroyed her ambush at the Embassy. Who had foiled her plans at the Kulrut. She has no reason to indulge this enemy.

But…

But it hardly matters now, doesn’t it?

“They… came from the sky. Claimed to be… the Ten Returned.”

The Nora rocks back on her heels, sharing an inscrutable look with the Utaru woman that Regalla finds strangely irksome.

“And… you believed them?”

Snorting derisively, despite the ripple of pain it sends through her, Regalla wrinkles her nose.

“Do you… take me for a fool, Nora? No. Many of my rebels did. But I… did not. Anyone… with eyes could have seen that they were not. That… not one of them was a warrior.”

If the snarl phases her, the Nora girl doesn’t show it.

“There’s one of them-“

This time, she manages to prop herself up, shaking her head. The Utaru gives her a disapproving look, but doesn’t protest.

“Not a warrior. A mad beast. With… no greater cause to serve… than bloodshed.”

The Utaru catches on instantly, lips pressed tightly together.

“… but a beast can still do a lot of damage. You fought with them.”

Oh, had she. A losing battle... only a single round of combat... but a fight, nonetheless.

“Yes.”

The Nora girl lets out a whoosh of breath, brows rising almost to her hairline.

“…they’re dangerous. I almost died, too, when I went up against them. You’re lucky to be here.”

The new information would be intriguing, if she could bring herself to pay any attention to it. Instead, she shakes her head.

“How? No Tenakth… will follow me now. It’s over. My vengeance… m-my brothers…”

As little as she wants to admit it, the thought steals her bravado, and she drops back onto the bedroll, ignoring the pulse of pain the movement sends through her.

The old yawning, empty well of pain is beginning to open up again, like a scab on her soul that’s been picked clean by her bitter defeat.

Dorrak… Jorokkah… Mekallo… I’m sorry.

“You can still have your vengeance.”

The girl’s voice scatters her thoughts, and she looks up, startled.

“Those people, who you fought with? They’re the ones who caused the Derangement. Who threw the world into chaos. Who… started the course that led to the Red Raids. And they’re about to do much worse.”

The Nora takes the opportunity to nudge the canteen closer. This time, Regalla takes it, weighting it carefully in her hand.

“If you crossed them and lived… we could use a warrior like you on our side. You can attack the roots of the problem, if you stick with us. Get at least some of that revenge you’re dying for. And maybe you’ll…”

The girl stumbles to a halt, gathering the pieces of something long broken inside of herself. Regalla can see the familiar sense of loss, the raw, still-healing scar, in her eyes for the briefest of moments, before she regains her composure.

“…find something else along the way. I know I did.”

For a long while, Regalla studies the pair of them, so mismatched. So out of place in this strange, far-too-functional remnant of the Old Ones’ time.

“You… are a strange one, Nora.”

The girl opens her mouth to reply… contest… confirm… but Regalla cuts her off, raising a hand.

“Very well. I accept. For now… at least… My sword is yours.”

[diviner-alva]

3/30 - The way she accepts him

Well if you are familiar with my rambles and ted talks, you've seen me talking about how Kotallo was the first person Aloy accepted at least twice. The first posts might seem a little repetitive I know but we're just warming up for the follow up boys.

We see that she didn't just accepted him, but she straight up forced him to come along and help her take down the Bulwark, even though we know perfectly well she could easily have done it by herself. Yet she wanted his company, why? It's hard to say for sure, but I think it might have been because making Tekotteh suck it up was something she wanted Kotallo to have a part in, she knows too well how it feels to be humiliated and sneered at for something that's not your fault, I think that maybe she wanted Kotallo to be the one to put Tekotteh in his place, and he did with the "So send them now unless your word means nothing", "I didn't hear you". But who knows what she was actually thinking when she said that (your thoughts are more than welcomed in the comments, I like seeing different opinions because they drive me to reformulate mine).

About the cannon scene (hehe I will sneak that scene anywhere I can, as I should because it is pure gold) Aloy could've carried that cannon by herself, if you ever fight a tremortusk and remove the plasma cannon aloy will walk with it, slower than him yes, but she can carry it. But even if she couldn't, they could make her strap it on the back of a charger. The point is, she let him carry it for her, because she knew he needed to prove it to her and himself (but the way Aloy is, I was expecting her to be "I need no man to carry stuff for me", so tell me Aloy what was your goal here, you seemed very impressed with his strength for a minute there).

And finally the moment we all fell in love with Kotallo (I mean if you haven't already by the "That was an unkind comparison" or "I have a strong back" so let's say that this cemented the love) when he pledged his life to her, not her cause, her. He had no idea what was her mission, her goal, her obstacles and he threw himself fully at it anyway, this is mostly because she was so supportive of him during the bulwark, as I mentioned in the previous post. And you see the first reply she comes up is "but Hekarro needs you" she doesn't say "you don't know what I have to do" "this isn't a fight that can be won with martial prowess", she either never doubted that he would handle the focus just fine or she just wanted him with her since the beginning. She knows Hekarro needs his marshals, Kotallo being the most experienced of them, so she at first asks if Hekarro needs him, which of course he does but she's worried he is being sent away, discarded after the kulrut was done and more marshals were promoted, that's why Kotallo answers "It is what I choose". And after that she has no complaints, she just embraces his help and support so fully that I just think it's beautiful, they know what it is to be shunned and perhaps that's what made her just want to take him away from his tribe and along with her.

And the last one is a farewell at the base, I rarely see Aloy's voice so soft, he doesn't force his help upon her, just says that he's there if she needs, giving her space and independence, he believes she's more than capable on her own. He knows if it were with him, he wouldn't like people forcing themselves to help either, even before his arm, tenakth don't usually accept help after all. That deep mutual understanding they have is what's beautiful, is what made her answer sound so soft and thankful, that's what made be include it because I just think it's beautiful.

---

<- Previous post "2/30 -The way she admires him"

-> Next up "4/30 - The way they smile to each other"

[anunkindcomparison]

Random Kotallo Thoughts. Spoilers for everything up through the quest What Was Lost:

In order to make that mech arm work... he had to place implants in his shoulder/body somehow.

Because what if he has no Focus to use to make it work at some point.

Aloy's halfway across the world doing who knows what and his Focus is broken during a fight, and he can't get to his back up—it just can't be that now his arm is useless.

Kotallo in his lab, Gaia helping him pinpoint where to place these implants he's worked on, and he has to let them heal of course.

And no one else realizes at first.

Because he never makes a sound. Never gives any indication that there's pain.

Zo finds out when she catches him without the chest armor on one day, and her indignation actually makes him apologize.

"I would have helped you."

"I did not need the help."

"That's not the point!"

"...I see. You have my apologies then."

"So you'll tell us the next time you need to do something like this?"

"If I need a second arm?"

"If you need help, what is it with men??" And she storms off, Kotallo just blinking after her as Varl and Erend pop their heads around the open doors.

"I don't think all of that was meant to be directed at me," he mutters.

Varl wanders in about an hour later. "So..."

Kotallo says nothing, just eyes him from across the room.

"I... wanted to apologize? For Zo."

"You do not need to do that."

"Yeah, but I think I should. I want to."

Kotallo shaking his head. "She... may have had a point." He points to his left arm. "The Tenakth are not... we don't accept help that often. If one cannot do for themselves once they come of age, that is on them."

"Sounds... very harsh."

"It is," Kotallo says, a little proud, "but that is our way. My position, as a Marshal… it means that I should be able to fend for myself, even with this."

Varl nodding. "Well, the thing about being part of a team, especially this team, is that... you don't have to do these things alone. Not that I would look to our leader as a shining example of this, of course." He smiles. "But all the same... you have people who will help. "

Kotallo nods once. "Yes. I'm still learning that." He purses his lips. "Do you think. Would Zo help me check the fittings on the back of the arm?"

Varl smiles a little brighter. "I think she'd be delighted. I can go find her?"

Kotallo shakes his head. "No need." He presses his Focus. "Zo?"

"Are you through being a stubborn ass about things?"

Varl hides his smile as Kotallo looks down. "Yes. I would like to ask for your help, if you are still willing to give it."

"I would be happy to." Her voice softer, kinder now. "I'll be there in a moment."

Varl pressing his palms together. "You have just made her very happy. Which I thank you for, because it will make my life easier."

Kotallo smiles again, just a tiny bit. "That is what... friends are for, I believe."

[felrend]

The burn behind his eyes says it all, he’s tired and strained from staring at the glowing glyphs all day. He tries not to grumble too loudly or too often but this wasn’t something he had signed up for. Studying? Really? How is any of this supposed to save the world? But those thoughts quickly vanish as he watches a holo of Aloy talking to CYAN for the first time. The sound of her voice, that of relief and excitement, warms his heart and chastises himself for ever doubting the importance of her mission. He wonders if Gaia can read his thoughts or heard a sigh he didn’t realize he had released for this holo to appear on his focus. But he’s grateful and decides that’s enough for the day.

His head turns slightly as it dawns on him that he had not seen the Nora huntress since she disappeared into one of the rooms to upgrade her equipment. Using his knees as leverage, he hoists himself up and groans at the ache in his back. It’s not the same type of ache he’s used to, not from a hard days work or after a battle. His body isn’t used to sitting in one spot for too long. Erend can only pin point this feeling to the nights he was stuck doing paper work or coming up with schedules for the vanguards. It was his least favourite activity as the Captain and was almost thankful to get away from that responsibility until the first focus was placed along his temple and his world changed.

Erend had been so lost in his grumbling that he barely realized that he was standing outside of the room where Aloy was last. It wasn’t until he was peeking around the corner of the door that his mind became unfogged. “Aloy…?” Her name came out in a whisper as he stared at the haunched over frame that leaned heavily on the workstation. Her crimson hair sprawled out like a sun beam and the gentle sound of her snores warmed his soul. “Fire and spit…I am a lug nut” shame coated his face as he crept over to the woman who held a special place in his heart. He was complaining about having to sit around and read where she was risking her life every day to save the world. Erend had promised himself that he would do whatever it took to help. That he was lucky to have a minute of her time. “Maybe even two” the words echoed in is mind and it reassured him that what he was doing for her was important. Even if it just meant taking the load off her shoulders. That he understood what she said whenever she confided in him. That was worth it.

He didn’t know what came over him, but Erend placed his forge built hand on her back and watched as she barely stirred. “Aloy…” he coaxed her again but to no avail. Erend must have been feeling bolder than he thought possible and didn’t have time to stop his own actions as his right arm looped under Aloy’s knees from her seat and the left arm supported her back and held her to his chest. She groaned as her head rolled into the crook of his shoulder and an arm came to wrap around his neck. Her fingers tickling the side of his exposed skin and he could feel his face grow hot. “Fire and spit” he whispered and decided after a long pause to finally make his way effortlessly and gently towards her room. She deserved a good night sleep and Erend would be damned if he had left her to that workstation.

Erend savoured the way she felt curled up in his arms and wished the moment could have lasted forever. But as the doors to her room wooshed opened, he felt a bitter emptiness over come him. She would never know he did this for her, he’d never admit it even if she asked. Mostly out of the fear of rejection or that he would face her uncomfortable glare at the thought of him touching her. He just wanted to do a nice gesture for the saviour of Meridian. The new anointed champion of the tenakth chief. The woman who captured his heart the moment he laid eyes on her. Erend would move the world for Aloy, all she had to do was ask.

He laid her gently on her bedroll, pulling the blankets up and tucking her in. She looked peaceful now, comfortably melting into the cushioned bed. He wondered how many nights of hard stone and grass she had to endure over the passed year. If she even liked this bed that he and Varl had made for her. The soft sigh of ease that escaped her lips answered his unspoken question. And he knew that was enough for him.

Erend quietly began to push himself off the ground until a gentle calloused hand captured his own. His heart pounding and sweat began to build on the back of his neck. His eyes wide as he turned to find green ones barely peeking open to meet his blue.

“Thank you, Erend” her voice was like velvet and he was sure she captured the blush that he decided he wouldn’t hide. But his gaze was soft as he gave her hand a gentle squeeze. “Anything for you” was all he could muster before unwillingly releasing her hand and slipping away from her room as to not disturb her any longer.

Erend’s heart was pounding in his throat as he finally made his way back to his own room. Her soft voice ringing in his ears and he couldn’t help but smile in gratitude that she didn’t shiv him right on the spot. He hopes she knew how sincere he was, that he would literally do anything for her. Even just for a moment.

[mr-jaybird]

Aloy heads back out into the Forbidden West to try to find her friend Talanah, and things really get exciting once they meet. Meanwhile, Elisabet and Beta are still back at the Base, trying to figure out how to integrate AETHER...and how to relate to each other, as well.

It takes Aloy the better part of three days to finally pick up Talanah’s trail—assuming that the “female Carja warrior” the Tenakth have told her about is Talanah. Fighting women are rare enough among the Carja that Aloy is reasonably certain, especially since in Meridian Avad tipped her off that Talanah had gone into the Forbidden West to try to recruit for the Lodge. Besides, going into a dangerous, unknown land full of gigantic, terrifying new machines sounds exactly like something Talanah would do.

(It’s also exactly like something Aloy would do. There are lots of reasons that she’s always gotten on so well with the Carja huntress. Talanah is one of the few people that’s ever been able to keep up with her.)

[flameinthedesert]

Drakka x Aloy fanfiction (EXPLICIT)

Thank you for the opportunity! Here’s my fic! I never came up with a proper title, sorry! And before you start reading, here’s a quick disclaimer again: this is an EXPLICITLY NSFW fic written by an adult. Please interact with it accordingly.

As an additional detail, the two characters are not wearing armor here, since this story takes place at a festival in Scalding Spear, sometime after Drakka was made leader. They are both dressed in casual wear and whether they’re wearing body paint is up to your imagination.

It’s the first time I wrote something like this, hope you find it agreeable! ;) Let me know what you think!

- Anon

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The sun was setting over the desert but its people were in the midst of an all-night celebration. Clean fresh water and ale began flowing a few hours earlier and the settlement was loud with music and glee. The desert clan was having a spectacular feast around the pit while a few drunk warriors sparred in the arena. A drumline entertained people with an intense beat and waves of laughter erupted whenever a warrior tripped and fell after missing their opponent with their spear. The buzzed Tenakths were having so much fun that no one even realized their new chief and his fire-haired friend were nowhere to be seen.

Aloy entered Drakka’s sleeping quarters with him following behind. She took a quick glance around the chief’s inner sanctum: the room was well decorated but simply furnished. The vibrant yellow and red colors of painted spikes glowed softly in the warm light that the rows of candles provided from various small tables and shelves. It was the innermost room in his home and the heavy leather tarp on the doorway muted much of the music and sounds of merriment from outside as Drakka let it hang behind him.

Aloy turned around and watched him approach. He’d been buttering her up all evening, ever since their spar in the pit. She could tell he got a kick out of making her all flustered in front of everyone and he even seemed to enjoy being pinned to the ground at spear-point, as long as she was on the other end of the weapon. Aloy was used to compliments and admiration but something about the way he didn’t try to mask his attraction made her want to see if he can back up his words with acts. She decided that she would wait and have him make the first move - she already let him escort her here, after all.

Drakka didn’t waste any time and caught up to her with a few steps. He walked with his usual swagger that she found just as charming as annoying. He came to halt an inch away from her, looking as smarmy as ever. They were chest to chest, standing tall, like two warriors ready to duke it out. The two of them have been sizing each other up all evening, waiting for this moment.

The way he smiled at her, Aloy expected the usual smack talk out of Drakka at this moment, but instead he placed his hand under her chin and kissed her passionately. For a split second Aloy wondered, how on Earth does a Tenakth desert warrior have such soft lips? With a palm placed on his tattooed chest she returned the kiss and Drakka pulled her closer, one of his hands sliding to her waist. She barely noticed when he had undone her waist piece above her undergarment; chasing a touch of his tongue with her own was too distracting.

As soon as they felt each other, it seemed to have awakened something in Drakka: he shoved his tongue against hers desperately, almost overwhelming her with the kiss. It caught Aloy off-guard, but in the back of her mind she wondered how deprived must he be to act so rough already. The thought excited her and she couldn’t wait to continue.

One of the man’s hands was grabbing her ass by now, the other holding tight to the back of her neck, making sure she didn’t escape the assault of his kisses. The way he used his tongue got her all worked up and she was doing her best to retaliate.

Soon enough she found herself pressed against one of the embroidered wall tapestries of the room. Drakka softened his kiss, pulled away and looked at her. He narrowed his eyes and that stupid smile was on his face again, the one that made Aloy want to wrestle him to the ground.

“Can’t believe I got to kiss you.” he said with labored breath and he watched his hand travel from her clavicles to her chest. His fingers found their way under the cloth of her chest piece and pushed it above her breasts. He continued on a trail of kisses from her lips to her jawline while palming at her breasts firmly. Aloy realized that Drakka must have gotten rid of his own waist piece because she could feel his erection pressing up against her. She couldn’t see but from the size of it, it felt like it escaped his loincloth already.

His fingers left her chest and were now traveling down her toned abs. The cool beads that decorated her ornate chest piece dangled down and around her nipples, teasing them with every small movement.

Drakka’s hand arrived to her inner thigh. He touched the bottom of her undergarment gently and she could feel him smile against the nape of her neck: “Oh, looks like I found an oasis in the desert.” At this point Aloy was too desperate to give a comprehensive enough reply to his asinine joke and he didn’t wait for one either. He pushed one finger under the wet cloth from the side and slid it all the way to the back, caressing her with his knuckle. He barely touched her but the sensation of his skin gliding on hers made Aloy let out an indecent sound. Yet again she could feel Drakka smirk by her ear but all he asked softly was “Yeah?”. He did the same motion with his finger again, this time to loosen the cloth and sure enough, it was off in a matter of seconds.

Aloy spread her legs wider and Drakka placed his fingers between her wet folds. He circled her entrance and she felt another surge of excitement - they barely started and she was all ready for him. She heard him sigh into her hair, probably imagining what entering her must feel like - and in all honesty, she was impressed that he had not sought any pleasure for himself yet. His fingers now slid upwards, straight to her clit and after a few small rounds, back down. It seemed like Drakka knew exactly how to keep Aloy on her toes: whenever she got too riled up by him playing with her clit, he would trace his way back to her entrance and tease her there for a while. Both a different kind of unfulfilled sensation, a different kind of torture. He toyed with her for what felt like an eternity and she clawed at his back and nipped at his shoulder in frustration.

“You’re playing a dangerous game, Drakka.” growled Aloy, with her voice wavering. “Just warming you up, Desert Flame.” he whispered softly. “But fine, no more messing around.” He raised his head, tilted it slightly and looked her dead in the eye as he slid two extremely slippery fingers into her. Despite wishing for this all along, she couldn’t contain her excitement and gave out a slightly louder noise than she intended. She felt his erect penis twitch against her, as his body was pressing hers to the tapestry still. He started moving his hand and she buckled her hips against it, beckoning him to go harder. He was hitting the perfect spot, one that even Aloy found hard to reach.

She was holding onto him for dear life now, arms wrapped around his neck, grabbing onto the back of his chest piece and hair, burying her head into his neck. The small ornaments on his chest piece were pricking her but she didn’t even notice. The scents of dust, body paint, sweat and desert flowers mixed together acted like an aphrodisiac that made her tighten more around his fingers. She was fairly sure he’d been murmuring sweet nothings in her ear, but she couldn’t focus on the exact words said to her. As great as his fingers felt, she couldn’t stop thinking about the fiery hot dick pressed against her thigh.

Drakka’s fingers slowed down before Aloy could have reached her limit. She was hoping this meant that he was about to give her the real deal. He pulled away slightly and raised his hand up to his lips. He theatrically licked her juices off his fingers, all while staring at Aloy with piercing eyes. He finished it off by sliding his tongue between his fingers suggestively; Aloy got the hint immediately. He leaned in for a wet kiss and she had to admit to herself: her own smell on Drakka’s lips was heavenly.

“You said no more messing around.” she whispered sternly and he lowered to his knees. “I say a lot of things.” he grinned, then  placed his tongue between her breasts to drag it along her body as he went down. This made her shiver with pleasure from head to toe.

Aloy scolded herself for not catching a glimpse of Drakka’s loincloth while the man’s mouth made its way to her lower torso, but she forgot about it as soon as his tongue hit her inner thigh. He placed a flat tongue on her folds, giving his attention to every inch on his way to her clit. It occurred to Aloy again how incredibly soft his lips were when he sucked at her most sensitive part. Her hands grabbed onto the tapestry behind her, she felt like her head was spinning, he was doing such a good job down there, looking up at her with a cheeky expression every once in a while. She was getting close when she felt Drakka’s fingers tease her entrance again. He slid them in and continued thrusting with them like he never stopped. The relentless pumping, his lips around her clit and the increasingly wet sounds of it all pushed Aloy over the edge and she convulsed. Drakka did not stop or slow down. If anything, he sped up and pressed with his tongue even harder. Aloy grabbed his hair and gasped voicelessly: “Wait.. wait.. Drakka, wait!”. He flashed his eyes at her again for a brief moment but he would not stop until she let out another moan.

She was still in the haze of her second climax when she realized that she’s on her back now, laying on the room’s cot with Drakka kneeling above her, wiping his mouth with one hand and ripping his loincloth off with the other. He looked extremely pent up, his previous naughty expression gone. Aloy knew she was finally in for it and she couldn’t help but smile with glee. He spat on his fingers and smeared it all over his cock. Before she knew it, she felt it strain against her entrance.

He leaned above her and lifted one of her legs up, then thrusted his dick as deep into her as he possibly could. Aloy gasped soundlessly, Drakka buried his head in her hair and let out a low moan: “Ah, by the Ten!” He stayed still for a second, his cock throbbing as hot and hard as a fire machine’s armor inside her. He finally started moving, carefully but with a merciless tempo. He straightened up and examined her mostly naked body with a mix of pride and admiration while he moved. Slowly, his expression turned more serious as he got lost in focusing on his movement.

Aloy didn’t like feeling vulnerable but this she was enjoying immensely. For all the time Drakka spent trying to convince her that he was not a hot-headed idiot but a laid-back cool guy, he sure looked worked up and ready to explode now. Eventually he leaned down to embrace Aloy again and fucked her so thoroughly that she could barely make a sound - it felt like her orgasm never ended and she was still riding the high from when he ate her out. His balls slammed against her butthole almost exactly to the insane beat of the drums outside.

Drakka was clearly nearing climax. He finally paced himself and carefully moved out of her, with cock still hard as metal. Aloy, with a moment to breathe, gathered her strength and pushed Drakka down to the cot. She kneeled in front of him while he propped himself up on his elbows. She placed her hand on his leg and softly dragged her fingers up on his inner thigh, tracing the lines of his tattoos. They were both drenched in sweat and would have been cold from the night chill that was creeping in from the desert, if it wasn’t for their attention being completely dedicated to each other.

Aloy’s hand arrived at Drakka’s privates and she cupped his balls gently. She grabbed his dick with her other hand and leaned down to run her tongue over it. Drakka let out yet another breathy sigh, which prompted Aloy to put his cock in her mouth and start sucking him off. She couldn’t fit his whole size but he didn’t seem to mind. She felt one of his hands caress her face and hair as she was working him. She looked up and their eyes met; Drakka was staring at her lovingly, whispering words of encouragement so quietly she couldn’t make out anything beyond “you’re too good to me”. It’s like the man that was fucking the life out of her a few minutes ago was a completely different person. Whenever Aloy imagined this moment before, she half expected him to grab her by the hair and ram his whole cock down her throat. She was thankful that she judged him wrong and she was going to show her appreciation for letting her go at her own pace.

Aloy switched between sucking and pumping with her hand, just like he varied his methods of teasing her earlier. Both seemed to bring him closer to the edge but she always slowed down just enough to stop him from cumming when he began thrusting into her palm. He was barely holding it together; she could taste precum on his cock with every tug. When she finally looked up at him again, he was laying flat on his back with his hands behind his head, fingers tangled in his own hair, chin pointed at the sky and cursing under his breath. Aloy felt extremely pleased at the sight of Drakka’s misery and she decided that he had suffered enough.

She straddled him and slowly lowered herself onto his cock. He gave her a pleading look which prompted her to kiss him gently. “No more messing around” - Aloy smiled. She began riding him and it felt entirely too good - so good in fact that she hoped to get off one more time before letting him finish. “Not yet….” she moaned, and Drakka, despite clearly struggling, replied like the good soldier he was: “Yes ma'am”. She picked up speed to the point where the muscles in her thighs were burning. He noticed, placed his hands on her ass and pushed her slightly forward to be able to prop his legs up below her. As soon as he got in position he started thrusting up and into her, even harder than before. He placed his lips on one of her breasts, beads dangling around his face while he slammed against her. It didn’t take long for Aloy to climax, the pleasure was so intense that she felt like she lost all of her senses outside her pussy. She could only focus on how incredibly solid Drakka’s cock was getting inside her as she was riding out her orgasm. She was holding onto whatever she could grab on him, but still going at it while her muscles spazzed. Drakka couldn’t bear her rhythmic tightening around his cock anymore and finally let go, but he didn’t stop. He pumped away at an impressive speed until their juices were dripping down her legs and back onto his dick, moaning loudly the whole time during his pleasure.

They sprawled onto their backs next to each other on the cot - cuddling with their chest pieces on would have been a little uncomfortable now that they were both fully relaxed. They laid there for a while in silence, catching their breaths.

“WOW.” that was all Drakka could muster. “I thought you’d be more of a gloat after all that.” laughed Aloy. Drakka raised his eyebrows: “You know, this might come as a surprise but I like you way more than I like me, Aloy.”

She was not sure how to reply to this sudden proclamation of love, or if she should say anything at all, but she felt touched and she appreciated his honesty. She put her hand in his and gave him a warm smile. Drakka squeezed her hand and winked at her.

She had no idea what this was between them but for now she was content with laying there with fingers intertwined and listening to the beat of the drums outside.

-XX

[discar]

HZD Terraforming Base-001 Text Communications Network

Chapter 45 | Prev chapter | Next chapter Chapter Index

FlameHairSavior: Alva, did you lose something?

DIVINER: ...no?? Not that I know of!

DIVINER: Though now I'm worried!

MARSHAL Kotallo: I thought you were planning a journey.

FlameHairSavior: Yeah, I'm here, I just found something that I thought might be Quen.

FlameHairSavior: [Skiff.jpg]

DIVINER: Wellll... it could be? I don't want to sound arrogant, but we're probably the only people who have the expertise to make something like that! But it's just a small boat, and not one I've seen before!

DIVINER: Where did you find it?

Icarus: I sent her to the place the Tenakth call the Burning Shores.

FlameHairSavior: That makes me sound like your errand-girl.

Icarus: It's not my fault if the title fits.

HIMBO: HA! HE'S GOT YOU THERE!

FlameHairSavior: Hey!

MARSHAL Kotallo: You do tend to take up more tasks than are strictly necessary.

ADMIN [Zo]: I feel like someone mentioned the Burning Shores before.

β: its hollywood

DIVINER: Gasp!

HIMBO: DID YOU FORGET YOUR GIF OR WHATEVER?

DIVINER: If you're in Hollywood, did you find any archives?? We could finally have our movie night!

FlameHairSavior: I've been a little busy.

DIVINER: Right, right, sorry!

DIVINER: Where exactly did you find the boat?

FlameHairSavior: [FleetsEnd.jpg]

FlameHairSavior: Outside this Quen settlement.

ADMIN [Zo]: Perhaps you should have mentioned that earlier.

DIVINER: YOU FOUND THE LOST FLEET?????

β: and made a joke about it

HIMBO: YEAH, I THINK THAT'S A BIGGER SURPRISE.

DIVINER: We thought they were all dead! We were never able to get in contact with them!

FlameHairSavior: All their Diviners are dead. It's just soldiers and sailors.

FlameHairSavior: Oh, and Compliance Officers. A lot of Compliance Officers.

DIVINER: Oh dear.

ADMIN [Zo]: Is that as bad as it sounds?

DIVINER: Well, the fact that Aloy is texting us means they didn't manage to confiscate her focus...

FlameHairSavior: Yeah, but they're pushy about it. It doesn't help that the sailor who brought me in, Seyka, stole a focus from one of the dead Diviners.

DIVINER: That is in DIRECT violation of our holy tenants! There's no way she can get away with that! The Imperial FAMILY couldn't get away with that!

FlameHairSavior: Admiral Gerrit didn't seem that worried.

DIVINER: He's alive!?

DIVINER: Wait, why am I surprised? That man would probably survive a mountain falling on him.

FlameHairSavior: I did get something of that impression.

DIVINER: Well, I'm sure he can keep Compliance from doing anything too drastic. Did he let the sailor keep her focus as well?

FlameHairSavior: Yeah. Since no one else is willing to touch it, it's clear she's the only way they're going to get the data.

HIMBO: WELL, HOOK HER UP! LET US TALK TO HER.

FlameHairSavior: And let you drive her away? No thanks.

β: i can hack his focus so he cant talk

ADMIN [Zo]: Please do not tempt us.

FlameHairSavior: No, I don't want to overwhelm her. She hadn't even figured out how the radio worked until I showed her.

HIMBO: YEAH, THAT'S FAIR. IT'S PRETTY CRAZY AT FIRST, AND SHE DOESN'T NEED TO BE DISTRACTED BY SOMEONE AS ENDEARING AS ME WHILE SHE DOES THAT.

Icarus: Will someone explain to me why you all put up with this man.

FlameHairSavior: He's good for lifting heavy objects.

HIMBO: AND I'M FINE WITH THAT!

DIVINER: Wait wait, Aloy, you said they're looking for data? Is that why they never came back??

FlameHairSavior: No, sorry, I should have explained.

FlameHairSavior: They crashed here and lost a lot of crew. Including Seyka's sister, their only navigator. Some are dead, but Seyka's sister is just missing. I'm unclear on the exact timeline, but I think this has something to do with Londra.

ADMIN [Zo]: Who?

β: walter londra

β: one of the zenith

Icarus: He fled to the Burning Shores when he realized the battle at their base was lost.

HIMBO: WHEN EXACTLY DID HE RUN?

FlameHairSavior: I don't know. Does it matter?

HIMBO: DEPENDING ON WHEN HE RAN, HE MIGHT STILL HAVE HIS SHIELD INTACT.

FlameHairSavior: ...shit.

Icarus: I misspoke. He split off from the Zeniths shortly after landing. I believe I told you this already.

FlameHairSavior: It's been a busy day.

Icarus: He should still have his shield. Though if he has not come out to personally confront you yet, I suspect that is a good sign.

FlameHairSavior: Yeah, I guess.

FlameHairSavior: Anyway, their last Diviner died at some ruins. Seyka managed to use his focus to get his last images and piece some things together. Except now she can't get into those ruins, because Londra set up a tower that shoots down anything that gets too close.

FlameHairSavior: Which, by the way, is how I met Seyka. Got my sunwing shot from under me.

DIVINER: Oh no!!

ADMIN [Zo]: But you're fine?

FlameHairSavior: Yeah, I landed on sand, it was fine.

β: i dont think thats how it works

FlameHairSavior: So I met Seyka, met the Quen, did some stuff, went to the tower.

FlameHairSavior: Oh, and that reminds me: Alva, do your ships have engines? The big ones, I mean.

FlameHairSavior: I'm just trying to figure out why a couple random Quen sailors and engineers managed to build a skiff with an engine, but your entire empire couldn't build them for the big ships.

DIVINER: No, you're right, our ships are almost entirely wind-powered. I was part of the group that argued against engines, actually!

ADMIN [Zo]: Wind-powered?

β: she means the sails

ADMIN [Zo]: Ah.

DIVINER: The problem was that we couldn't build engines quickly enough. We learned sailing from the Legacy, but engines had to be designed from scratch! It was a huge endeavor! It would have pushed back our departure by months, if not more! We decided that it was safer to leave sooner, with proven technology.

HIMBO: SO THE SMALLER ENGINE IS EASIER TO MAKE.

DIVINER: Exactly! Lower margin of error, too!

FlameHairSavior: Yeah, Seyka mentioned jumping out of the boat when something goes wrong. The water is pretty shallow here.

DIVINER: Not really an option on the open ocean!

FlameHairSavior: Seyka and I just destroyed the anti-air tower a few minutes ago. I thought I'd give you guys an update.

ADMIN [Zo]: We appreciate it.

HIMBO: WAIT WAIT, YOU CAN'T JUST SKIP OVER THE WHOLE THING!

HIMBO: HOW DID YOU DESTROY THE TOWER?

MARSHAL Kotallo: Indeed. I find it doubtful that it was undefended.

FlameHairSavior: It was a trap.

ADMIN [Zo]: For you specifically?

FlameHairSavior: Yeah, there was a message he recorded for me. I don't think he knows I'm here yet, but he was ready for the possibility.

FlameHairSavior: The tower unfolded into this strange machine and started shooting at me, but we managed to take it down. Couldn't have done it without Seyka.

MARSHAL Kotallo: I am glad to see that you understand the value of working with others.

FlameHairSavior: Hey, I just finished leading an assault on the Zenith base. I know how to work with other people!

MARSHAL Kotallo: And then you immediately sent us off on our own missions and jumped at a chance to fly halfway across the region.

β: without taking anyone with you

FlameHairSavior: What, did you want to come?

β: no

β: but you could have asked

FlameHairSavior: ...oh. Sorry.

β: its fine

ADMIN [Zo]: Division of labor aside, I am glad you're finding more allies, Aloy.

FlameHairSavior: Thanks.

FlameHairSavior: Beta, Alva, I was going to ask you about hooking their Diviners back up to your network.

β: i thought you said they didnt have diviners

FlameHairSavior: They have to appoint new ones eventually, right?

DIVINER: If they haven't yet, that means it's most likely all the apprentices died as well! Though perhaps Admiral Gerrit will find a way to allow this Seyka to be promoted!

FlameHairSavior: Maybe. I wouldn't bet on it, though.

DIVINER: No. Neither would I.

FlameHairSavior: I've been trying to convince her to leave them behind. Maybe she can even come back to the Base. The way they treat her hits a little close to home.

β: youve picked up another one havent you

FlameHairSavior: Another what?

HIMBO: I'LL ADD HER TO THE BETTING POOL.

FlameHairSavior:  Fine, whatever. I'm going to spend some time exploring before we move on.

DIVINER: Oh!! You're still going to find some movies, right??

FlameHairSavior: ...I'll keep an eye out.

DIVINER: [FistPump.gif]

Chapter 45 | Prev chapter | Next chapter Chapter Index

[alectoperdita]

Strike (Kaijou Horizon Forbidden West Fusion Ficlet)

Fandoms: Yu-Gi-Oh! x Horizon Forbidden West Rated: T Pairing: Tenakth!Katsuya/Quen!Seto Warnings: None, not really spoilers per se, but you’ll be mightily confused if you haven’t finished the game because this takes place on the eve of the main quest event, Singularity Word Count: 1,789

Now archived on AO3

Special thanks to @sheepnamedpig for indulging me and talking about this fusion for the better part of a week. 💜 Unfortunately for the rest of you, that meant I was inspired enough to churn out this ficlet. I just really needed to get this out of my system!

Some general notes: I decided to go with Katsuya here since that’s sounds like more of a Tenakth name than Jounouchi. The other reason being that most tribes, generally reflecting human settlements at that level of technology, don’t have family names. Kaiba does, though. He has his family name and his given name. In a feudal/imperial system, the nobility are more likely to form family/clan systems, especially when it comes to cadet branches of royalty. Also since the Quen have knowledge of the Old Ones, they might also follow a family-given name convention because of that.

-----

What awoke Seto was not the usual bird song or the sound of soldiers changing shifts. The disturbance came from somewhere much closer, within arm's reach of his bedding. Seto had always been a light sleeper, even before his paranoid caretakers drilled the risk of subterfuge into his education. Despite the darkness, the intruder moved without tripping, light-footed and nearly silent between Seto's furnishing.

Slowly, one of Seto's hands inched under his pillow for his dagger. He kept his breathing slow and steady as his fingers closed around the decorated hilt. When the intruder finally approached his bedside, he struck, throwing aside the covers, grappling the person with his long legs and arms before flipping them to pin them to the bed. The sharp angles of armor dug into Seto's thighs, threatening to rip through his thin sleep pants. Snarling, Seto jabbed the sharp end of his blade, made from a repurposed Clawstrider claw, against his would-be attacker's jugular, barely short of breaking skin.

"Wait, Kaiba, it's me!" the body beneath him wheezed quietly, probably afraid that speaking any louder would result in a slit throat.

It wasn't the voice, as familiar as it was, that jolted Seto out of his alarmed fog. No, it was the spot of violet-tinted light hovering next to the intruder's temple, which illuminated his golden hair and red and black face-paint against the dark of the night. It came from a Focus.

"Katsuya?" he growled, no longer murderous but still as angry as before. "What in the name of the Ancestors are you doing sneaking up on me?"

"I'm here to talk. You gonna let me up or what?" asked the Tenakth evenly.

Seto dug his fingers harder into the bare bicep he'd captured. Flinching, Katsuya hissed through gritted teeth. He was so warm to the touch. Something Seto did his best to ignore as he settled back on his haunches, withdrawing his weapon only by a fraction. "I'm undecided. Maybe you need a lesson so you never try something this inadvisable again?"

This time, Seto was the one who startled when the other man seized his wrist and twisted. Not enough to break it or hurt Seto, but certainly enough that he felt a dull ache in his joint. The calloused fingers pressed against his skin were blazing hot.

"Quit playing around, Seto. I don't got all night."

To cover up how his skin now tingled or how the use of his given name raised goosebumps, Seto harrumphed and rolled off the other man. He quickly sheathed his dagger and slipped it under his pillow again. Katsuya was conspicuously unarmed. And even if he wasn't, he wouldn't hurt Seto. Not at this point. The other man's dark form shifted among the shadows. The light from his Focus levitated into the air as he sat up. After another moment of consideration, Seto reached over and turned on the nearby lantern, bathing the bed in its soft yellow glow.

A smile flickered across Katsuya's lips as soon as their eyes met. Their gazes held for but a moment before Katsuya's focus dipped low, noticeably lingering on Seto's bare torso.

Fighting a shiver, Seto crossed his arms over his chest and asked, "How did you get this far without alerting guards?"

Katsuya chortled faintly. He pulled his feet in to sit cross-legged, propping his elbow on one knee before pressing a painted cheek to his palm. His smile grew and his eyes twinkled mischievously as he replied, "Been picking up a few tricks from Aloy here and there. So don't be too hard on your people in the morning."

Seto wrinkled his nose. The Living Ancestor, of course.

The mirth quickly bled from Katsuya's face, though. Seto couldn't help the corresponding drop in his own stomach. It wasn't hard to sense the undercurrent of anxiety or the tension in Katsuya's stiff shoulders. Not to mention the risk that the Tenakth had taken sneaking into camp under the cover of night when he was already welcomed to waltz in through the entrance at any time.

"What's so important that it couldn't wait until morning?" he asked. His words came out far softer than he'd intended.

"I have to meet Aloy and the others at the rendezvous point in the morning." Katsuya inhaled sharply before looking Seto dead in the eye. "We're taking the fight to those Far Zenith nutcases."

Seto froze. Ice water trawled through his veins. Neither Alva nor Katsuya had shied away from briefing him about the Far Zenith threat. Not that he would've allowed either to get away with sugarcoating the truth. As the leader of the expedition, he couldn't afford to be ignorant of the threats against himself and his people.

"And you came here to what? Ask for my help? Ask for troops?" asked Seto.

Katsuya shook his head. "Nah, I... I wanted to see you one more time. Just in case."

Not unlike the time a charging Scrounger nearly bowled him over, the air was ripped painfully from his lungs. It left him a touch light-headed. "In case what?" snapped Seto. "Never speak of a battle as if it's lost before it's fought. I expected better of you. Wait here, let me get Isono. We'll—"

He rose from the bed, but a powerful grip seized his elbow and yanked him down again. Before he could try again, Katsuya cornered him, planting a hand on either side of his lap and invading his space. Seto's heart leapt into his throat when he realized how close they were with Katsuya's face hovering a hair's breadth away.

"Throwing more bodies at the problem isn't going to help. We have a plan—"

"Really? Because it sounds to me like you're planning on dying," Seto hissed. His heart hammered against his rib cage with the force of a Thunderjaw's booming steps.

"By the Ten, please shut up. Lemme say my bit before I lose my nerve!" Katsuya slapped a hand over his own mouth after realizing he'd raised his voice.

For better or for worse, that wasn't loud enough to draw the attention of Seto's guards. After another steadying breath, he jutted his chin and ordered, "Then say it. Don't be mealymouthed."

"I'm not planning on dying tomorrow. But I'm not gonna lie. I'm nervous. Based on how Aloy and Beta describe them, the Zenith are like nothing I've ever fought. Like no machine I've ever had to deal with. And after what happened with Varl—"

Katsuya's gaze dropped. Seto did not follow his lead. He kept his eyes locked on the Tenakth's expressive face, as if he was trying to commit it to memory. He jolted, though, when he felt fingertips brush against his hand. It took every ounce of willpower to look down then. Especially when Katsuya's fingers encircled his wrist.

"There aren't any guarantees. Not when it comes to stuff like this," Katsuya continued gently. "And I don't wanna have regrets in case—in case I don't see you again, Seto."

Seto was pretty sure he'd stopped breathing when Katsuya unclenched his hand from the bedding and unfurled his fist. Something small and wooden into his newly exposed palm before Katsuya curled his hand closed before finally retreating. One by one, Seto peeled away a finger to reveal a small Strike piece. Like clockwork, Katsuya had been bringing him new pieces since he first introduced the game to Seto.

The Slaughterspine he'd recently received sat not far away, occupying a place of prominence on Seto's writing desk, from which he reviewed the camp logistics and reports from Diviners and patrols about new discoveries in the surrounding area. It was a masterpiece of a carving, embellished with metal harvested from the actual machine. It was also huge, but unwieldy as a playing piece.

This latest one? Seto rubbed his thumb pad against the wood's coarse texture. The workmanship was clumsier than the rest of the pieces in Seto's now sizeable collection. Its most eye-catching feature was the crimson orb affixed as the piece's head.

"It's a Redeye Watcher," Katsuya confirmed his guess. "I made this one myself. It's not much, but maybe you'll remember me the next time you look at it."

"Kats—"

He lifted his head in time, ready to scold the other man for his fatalism again. But the words became ensnared between the press of their mouths. For a beat, Seto's heart faltered before restarting at double speed. Katsuya's lips were soft but chapped. They didn't taste much of anything, just heat and flesh, when Katsuya threaded his hand through Seto's hair and deepened the kiss. There was nothing left for Seto to do other than shut his eyes and clench his fist around the Watcher. Until its metallic edges and several splinters dug into his palm. A stinging pain to combat the sweet intoxication of their not-embrace.

When Katsuya broke the kiss, he didn't pull away. He simply laid his forehead against Seto's and breathed, soft but thready. His fingers continued to play with the ends of Seto's hair. In return, Seto stared into the other man's dark brown eyes, so full of life and vigor that his heart ached.

"I—You—" Katsuya started, then lapsed into silence. "Seto—"

He didn't want to hear it. Katsuya had shown he could run his mouth from sunrise to sunset, saying nothing of consequence. Without releasing the Strike piece, Seto cupped the other man's cheek and crushed their lips together again. Teeth and tongues came into play this time, simultaneously stealing both of their breaths. Affection and desire—Seto admittedly had little experience in this regard. But from the way Katsuya trembled, he might not be anymore experienced. Despite that, Seto couldn't ask for more than this—Katsuya's firm weight, his sure, calloused hands, and his eager mouth.

"You'll come back," Seto murmured when they broke for air. His chest heaved.

Katsuya laughed, bringing back a portion of that jovial attitude that Seto had grown used to. He canted his head and brushed his nose across Seto's cheekbone. "Is that an order? I don't take orders from you, Quen."

"You'll come back," he repeated, doubling down on his conviction. Katsuya had proven a stubborn thorn in his side since he first washed up on the shores of Tenakth territory. Why should that change now?

The Tenakth made no promise, though. Certainly none that he could keep with confidence. Instead, he pressed his one last feather-light kiss to Seto's temple. As quietly as he came, he slipped out of the lodge. A chill immediately swept in to fill the vacancy of his departure. A cooling spot in the rumpled bedding and a beginner's attempt at woodcarving were Seto's only companions for the rest of the long night.

[marmie-noir]

The Trials of Loving a Tenakth - Kotallo x OC Fic - Chapter 1

Hi all!

I finally got the first chapter wrapped up! I’m terrible at adding filler, my ADHD brain does all the dramatic/smutty/funny scenes and leaves them hanging with no connections. 

I tried to edit but tbh was sick of looking at it, so if there are errors I apologize! 

TW: Detailed wound, medical care, flirting, feelings. 

“Erend, you can’t strong arm it. It’s a hologram, light, not something you can punch.” I chided the man, leaning against his side and showing him how to gently touch the little buttons that appeared before me thanks to the focus. I was working on studying anything about the old ones that Aloy had been able to gather as well as general data that Gaia had even without the subordinate function APOLLO. Watching him repeat the motions I pulled back a bit to sit normally next to him on the couch in the main area with a little smile. Yes, this was sometimes frustrating. I was more of a do it versus learn it girl, hands on if you will, but watching someone else struggle made me feel a bit better about my lack of progress. Zo was a literal genius I swear and she seemed to get everything the first try. Erend, Varl, and I all were not so fortunate. 

“I’m the guy you call when it’s time to break stuff.” Erend almost pouted, his mood obviously soured from his rivalry with the small machine on his temple. “But reading? Smoke and steel, I am no good at this ‘Nara.”

“You’ll get it, big guy.” I said, patting his arm before waving my hand and pulling up all the data on another subordinate function. “Just… it takes time.” I was interested in ELEUTHIA, the mother function. Reading up about the plan to reintroduce humans back to the world from a preserved stock of embryos was so interesting, the mere thought of a cradle facility is something out of legend. The idea that my ancestors came from such a location had me wondering who their descendants were, which of the old ones was I made from. 

There was so much information, so much raw data, I often felt like I would never be all caught up. Learning a little of everything seemed the best option to me although a few of the others seemed to want to master every bit of information before moving to the next. Clutching to my knee to my chest I leaned in a bit as if that would make the information absorb better into my poor abused head, my temples already giving the tell-tale tingle of a headache. 

As if all the gods in the sky felt my pain and the now familiar hiss of the automatic door sounded. Varl stepped in, his usually chipper face drawn a bit in stress, glancing over his shoulder. Behind him walked one of the largest men I had ever seen in my entire life. The Tenakth was well decorated, his skin covered in both tattoos and paint, his features strong but his expression one of careful watchfulness. He had a woven top that exposed his well built middle, the muscles there showing a strength made through years of training versus the exercising I had seen some of the male workers do for defined muscles. He had only one arm, the other one cut near the top of the bicep, wrapped in a blue cloth of some kind. I didn’t linger there, too distracted by the rest of him. Bright dots of color stood out amongst his chest and down the wrap he wore over what appeared to be a short pair of shorts, each movement flashing a bit of thigh equally tattooed as the rest of him. Sliding my gaze up I found he had surprisingly pretty dark eyes and they were looking right back at me. They were a stunning mix of hazel and something darker that reminded me of a specific tree bark I had no name for. 

Blinking in surprise I raised my eyebrows but kept my thoughts to myself, not shy about being caught looking at the new man at the base. His pale gaze lingered where I sat on the couch for a moment, my spine straightening as he glanced me up and down before turning his attention to Erend, and then Zo in the far corner. 

The Utaru woman walked over with a soft smile, moving to stand next to Varl before greeting our new Tenakth friend. “Welcome to the base.” She was always sweet and kind, an admirable trait for someone with so much strength. I admired the Utaru for multiple reasons even though their lifestyle was not exactly for me. “I’m Zo, I assume you are Kotallo.” Sliding off the couch slowly, Varl and Zo both seemed distracted by the Tenakth standing tall before them to be concerned with me. With light steps I walked around Varl, removing the small satchel with the spare focus’ from Aloy from his belt with practiced precision and moved it behind my back, walking around Zo and standing next to her to face Kotallo with an innocent smile. 

Kotallo’s eyes narrowed slightly at me and I wondered if he’d seen my move. It was quick, I hadn’t even missed a beat in my step, but he seemed to be looking closer than the average person did. He didn’t say anything about it, though he was suspicious, instead focusing back on Zo and nodding at her question. “I understand that you all are helping Aloy with the current enemy.” Looking once more he gestured to his temple, obviously seeing we all had that little triangle of white metal in place. “She mentioned something about that tiny machine, a focus?”

Varl reached back and found the space empty, the small leather pouch held behind my back as I glanced over with a little smile. His panic was not long lived as I held up the little bag, tossing it and catching it a few times until he noticed. His panic turned to annoyance and he swiped at it, having me take a step back with a little laugh. I plucked one from inside and tossed the rest back at him.  

“I’ll take it over from here.” Gesturing Kotallo to follow me he paused a moment, looking at Varl a moment before following behind me. 

The heat of him let me know he stayed close as we went into a side room, the door sliding closed behind us and the lights turning on to dimly light up the room. I spun but he was closer than I thought, my chin nearly brushing against his chest. I took a step back, tipping my head back to look up at him. I held my hand out flat, the focus on my palm looking harmless as I offered it. 

“When it touches your skin you will see lights and hear some sounds but that is normal.” I didn’t know how he would react and I wanted him alone in a side room away from the others in case he lashed out. This Tenakth didn’t seem the type but I wasn’t risking Varl, Erend, or Zo. He took it, large fingers lifting it delicately. He was warm, the heat of the brief touch lingering on my skin and I watched as he put it next to his right ear. It snapped into place like they always did, sticking to his skin immediately. 

I had to hand it to him, he took it well. His breath caught slightly but that was the only tell he had, eyes shifting back and forth, no doubt taking in all the Focus’ primary introduction information. I stayed silent, letting him take it all in, ready to move at any moment. 

“What is this?” His voice was gruff, deep, and he glanced down at me. I liked the way he sounded, deep and masculine, but with somehow a slightly gentle edge. He didn’t give the impression of a man who raised his voice at others, at least without reason. I appeared to have been caught staring because he raised his brows. “Anara?”

“Yep, that would be me.” I said, hand on my hip. 

“You are of the Vari tribe?”

“Mhmm, focus tell you that?” He simply nodded before looking around, no doubt taking it all in. The focus highlighted random bits of the room and while I was also a relatively new user myself it had become almost like background noise. I no longer looked everywhere at once when I entered a new room trying to understand every bit of neon color overlapping each room. “Wait until you see what they do to machines.”

“What do they do?” I liked when he looked at me, it sent a zing of awareness down to the tips of my toes. Was I attracted to the Tenakth? He was a large man, my type honestly, but I’d never been so aware of someone after a few moments of meeting them. Perhaps I was just more aware because of the absolutely predator vibes he gave off. Even following me in here he didn’t make a noise, and I was willing to bet a whole lot of shards he was faster than he looked. Normally larger fighters went for strength, like Erend, but not Kotallo. He looked strong and fast, a dangerous combo. I was thankful that he was on our side. Plus, if Aloy trusted him, I would too. She had a pretty good people radar. 

“They show you a machine’s weakness. Highlighting where to hit to do maximum damage.” 

“Truly?” His brows rose.

“Truly. Now, if you tap it here,” I tapped mine, a display popping up. “It opens the main display. You can use this to navigate through the menu, options, and all the information that Aloy has been able to gather.” I gave him a rundown of the basics like I had helped Erend with earlier, helping him set up a few different settings before stepping back with a smile. “If you need help just let me know. I’m still pretty new myself but I’ve figured quite a bit out alone.” 

He nodded but didn’t say anything for a few moments, lost scrolling through everything now literally at his fingertips. “What is this room?” 

“Hm? Oh, I believe it’s a leftover room. Gaia?” Glancing around I looked at the raised table in the middle with some sort of screen on top. “What is this room?”

“This was made to observe terraforming efforts from inside the base. I am working to restructure it to something useful with our current mission.” Her voice came through both mine and Kotallo’s focus and he looked around before touching the machine again. 

“It can be used to communicate?”

“Yes. It’s very useful. Oh, also, you’ll need to meet Gaia soon.” Giving him a little shrug I pulled up a map of the base. Pushing it towards him it popped up from his focus a moment later and mimed everything I did. “This is the room we are in. The main room you walked into. Here is the kitchen, the personal facilities, Varl and Zo’s room, Aloy’s room, my room, and Erend stays in the barrak style room.” They briefly highlighted on both maps as I poked them, showing him exactly where everything was. “You can stay there or we can make this your room, whatever you’d prefer.” 

“I do not need much space. I would like to establish some sort of war room for planning. Aloy advised the enemy is more advanced than we could imagine.” 

“Gaia?” I asked, wondering if she could accommodate this request. 

“That should not be a problem. I will work on rebooting the holograph table for up to date scans of the land.” The machine table whirled to life at her words and began to load, a few other lights coming up in the area to show strange unknown devices on the walls. “It will take some time for the updates to be set up and the data configured. Please check back in a few hours.” 

“While she does this,” I said, swiping away the data once more and sending him a smile. “Let me show you where you will be staying.”

It had been an eventful day since Kotallo had arrived that morning, his introduction to everyone and Gaia, as well as setting up a little base in the ‘war room’ taking up most of the time. A few more days passed in relative ease, some of our makeshift tribe filtering in and out to help Aloy or go run their own personal errands. Erend came back mid day, covered in dust but with a wide smile talking up a place called “Vegas” with an enthusiasm that was purely Erend. 

Everyone seemed to be settling in a bit for the night. Well, everyone besides Erend. “Tenakth drink blood, Anara!” He hissed to me the first night he was back at the base with Kotallo. “It’s common knowledge, how do you not know?” His panic had me smiling and I looked away to hide it. 

“So now is not a good time to advise you two are staying in the same quarters?”

“What?!”

I couldn’t stop my laughter and it rolled from me, bouncing off the sides of the large round room we were seated in. “What is so funny?” Varl asked, obviously drawn out by the loud Oseram and my laughter, walking over from his room with a smile. 

“Nothing!” Erend said, crossing his arms across his chest. He was pouting. The visual had me laughing once more, hand pressing to my side as I tried to stop from cackling at his misfortune. 

He continued to throw me dirty looks and I patted his arm, moving to stand. “I’d take him in my room if he wanted.” I teased, watching Erend’s face morph to shock when I winked. Honestly I enjoyed Kotallo’s silent presence and wouldn’t turn him down as a bed partner, having spent a majority of the past few days by his side. We silently worked side by side, his presence for some reason comforting in a way I didn’t fully understand. Plus, a girl gets lonely. Varl had Zo, Erend was madly in love with Aloy even the blind could see it, and I was in my big bed all alone. 

“ANARA!”

I couldn’t stop laughing at him, walking towards the kitchen Zo had set up and was currently cooking in. Before I could get far the man of the hour stepped out. The last few days had made me really like Kotallo. He didn’t speak unless he had something valuable to say, his stern nature endearing and really fun to tease. I loved to send him a flirt to watch the confusion flash across his face, sometimes completely misunderstanding my innuendos. Varl thought it was humorous but that was probably because he was courting Zo and she often left him speechless as well. Erend was always shocked how easily I teased the Tenakth Marshal, even more when he simply brushed me off or continued talking as if I never had. He seemed to at least tolerate me which is more than I expected from the Marshal of a supposedly blood thirsty tribe.

“Anara.” The man of the hour approached, seeking me out once more. My name from his lips did funny things to my tummy that I had no interest in dissecting further at this time. 

I turned and smiled up at him, my face still warm from my laughter. “Hello Kotallo. Need something?” 

He looked at me, intense gaze no less unnerving now, taking in my rosy cheeks and genuine smile. Whatever he found there seemed to satisfy him. “I need your assistance, if you are free?” 

I nodded, gesturing for him to lead the way. He was silent as ever, walking through the dimly lit hallways of the base, away from the group of people in the main room. Stopping before the bathing area he paused and glanced down at me before the automatic door hissed open and he stepped inside. I followed still, curious on what he needed help with here. There were a few deep baths that I personally enjoyed soaking in, and a heated waterfall that Gaia said was called a ‘shower’ which apparently was the main bathing method of the old ones. I had to admit it was a glorious invention. 

The room was small, the lighting bright, and I squinted a bit looking around. “What did you need help with?” 

“This.” He gestured to the shower, his lips pressed to a thin line.

I glanced at the shower, using it as an excuse to look away and hide my smile. I would never make him feel foolish, Kotallo explained a bit about Tenakth society to me as well as a few things he had learned on the focus. He never made me feel stupid or little. Surprisingly, he was a good teacher so the least I could do is return the favor, his calm steady voice often helping me understand focus data or breaking down an attack strategy he was playing with on the holo-table Gaia had booted up. 

Waving a hand in front of the shower display I showed him a few buttons as well as ran him through how to change the temperature as well as the shower head setting. “This is like a massage, this is like a rain, there are a lot to choose from.” Looking over my shoulder at him his expression was intense as he took in everything I showed him. I wondered how many people saw this side of him, and how many would find it as adorable as I did. “Make sense?”

He nodded, stepping back and letting me slide past him. The desire to offer to scrub his back pecked at my brain and I turned to throw the flirt at him when I caught sight of what remained of his left arm for the first time. He normally kept it wrapped up in the blue cloth, now tossed on the counter, his hand already working on removing the top he wore that was covered in beading and armor. The skin around the wound looked angry and I realized that the exposed flesh was burned closed. Cauterized, and not kindly either. It looked angry, painful. 

“By the Stars Kotallo.” I said, moving back to his side and putting a hand on his right arm to stop him from stripping further, leaning in slightly to look at his wound. I was no doctor but I knew basic first aid and when something looked irritated or even potentially infected. “I had no idea your wound was so fresh, you move as though you’d been born without your left arm.” 

“I lost it a few weeks ago.” He said, moving to turn from me, to shield me from it. I reached up instead to grab the front of his armor, stopping him from turning further as I continued to look. I was not shy around wounds, blood and gore did not phase me. I had grown up Vari until I was nearly 10 winters, sold into slavery for Star’s sake, this wasn’t going to make me shrink back from him. 

“It doesn’t look well.”

“Washing it will help.”

“As will treating it.” I said, pulling back to look up at him. That careful mask was back in place, always so careful as always to hide emotions. Even though I had spent little time with him I had noticed in a few days he normally shielded his emotions and reactions from others. At times I saw hints of amusement, of amazement, or even mild annoyance, but nothing stronger than that. Men had that annoying habit of not discussing feelings but the Tenakth seemed a whole other breed, not even acknowledging actual physical pain. “Does it hurt?” The question felt almost childish leaving me but I couldn’t take it back, concern bubbling in my chest. 

He waited a few moments, contemplating if he should answer, before he shrugged. “At times. Sometimes it feels as though I still have my arm, and it pains me. Like there are blades being driven through a hand that is not there. Most of the time there is just a dull ache as it heals.”

Nodding I recalled a few of the Brothel’s patrons who had come back from the red raids maimed. A man with his leg missing from the knee down often complained that it felt like he was stepping on pins and needles. Compassion had me frowning at him, wanting to soothe his pain. “Well… you bathe. Find me after, I have some medicine I can apply to at least numb the pain and treat it just in case infection is trying to set it.”

“That is not necessary.”

“I’m not asking.” My tone was hard, leaving no room for argument. The staring match was intense and he held my gaze for a few moments before looking away. 

Giving me a nod instead of speaking as usual, but regardless I was still satisfied with my small victory. 

I released his armor and took a step back, not realizing how in his space I had gotten. At least I had the chance to treat that wound, I did not like how it looked. Leaving him to bathe I grabbed my staff and a small basket, calling to Zo as I trotted out of the base to search for some medicinal herbs. It was getting late, the sun beginning to set, but there should be enough time to grab a few things. Being native to the area Zo made quick work on pointing out what I should use. We talked a bit but I was more focused on my worry and tried to hurry to make sure Kotallo didn’t try to avoid having something applied to help with the healing process. 

“There should be focus data on how Kotallo lost his limb.” Zo interrupted my thoughts as we made our way back to the base.   

“What?”

“Aloy was there, was she not? There may be a data file of what happened.” She shrugged, her small pack filled with herbs nearly spilling with the movement. Catching it with a grace that was all Utaru she kept going up the fairly hidden path to the entrance of the base. 

I hadn’t even thought of that. I bet Gaia knew exactly which one too. Filing that away mentally I thanked her for her help before moving to the room I had taken as my own. I lit a few candles, not liking the bright automated lights, and got to work on processing a few berries into a paste. I added a bit of water, a few roots from the East I had brought along that I knew had a numbing property, and began working the small grinding wheel with a bit of pressure to mash everything together. 

The door hissed and Kotallo stepped in, his form taking up the doorway before he moved over to where I sat on the floor working away at the mixture. I gestured for him to sit on the bed and he did, sinking down on the edge to perch and watch me as I continued to move the wheel back and forth. I worked a few moments longer in the silence, wanting the right mixture of the herbs and berries as well as the right consistency so it stuck. If it was too watery it wouldn’t work, if it was too thick it would be painful to spread across the freshly burned skin. 

“Okay,” I said, standing and shaking out my slightly achy legs from sitting in such an odd position. “this might sting a moment but after will go numb.” I scooped the remedy into a small jar I’d set aside for the very purpose, walking to sit down on my bed on his left hand side. “Let me know if you need me to stop, okay?” He simply nodded, glancing around the room as I applied the paste as gently as possible. He didn’t even flinch although I knew it had to burn from experience. His shoulders did relax a bit once the numbing feeling kicked in after a few seconds and I stood up, wiping my hands on a cloth while inspecting the wound. After the shower it did look a bit better but still had a bit of pink around the edges that I didn’t like. On a wound this large infection was sure to be a problem and the idea of him catching fever and getting sick did not sit well with me. 

I walked over to the trunks against one wall, one already opened and lengths of cloth spilling out in a messy fashion. I had many outfits, my crates shipped here from Meridian due to this whole adventure starting out as a trip for my mistress. She always overpacked for me, ‘Just in case.’ I could almost hear her say, like always. Picking up a layered dress that I personally didn’t care for with a nice thick natural fabric I tore it down the middle, having Kotallo look at me with a raised brow. 

“You didn’t need to ruin your dress.”

“I don’t even like it.” I said, waving away his concern and moving to wrap it around his wound. “Plus, I have enough clothing. My mistress always has me pack heavy, regardless of the occasion.” The cloth strip was clean and thick enough to protect the wound from dirt while also letting it breathe. “I have a bit of the paste left, so I can keep applying it until any risk of infection is gone.” Putting a cork in the jar I sat it down on the floor next to the low bed, moving back to wipe my hands once more. The herbal smell wasn’t unpleasant but it was slightly greasy on my fingertips.

“You do not need to.”

“I don’t need to do anything.” I responded immediately, knowing he would try to dismiss my help. “I do things because I want to. Now store that Tenakth stubbornness for when we will need it.” Smiling at him I glanced up and noticed for the first time he wasn’t covered in the war paint, his hair down and slightly damp. Those sharp cheekbones and full lips were distracting, especially up close and not covered in that pale paint he was normally bathed in. “Oh, um,” Swallowing I felt a blush rising to my face and bit my lower lip for a moment. “Do you… need help? With reapplying your paint? Or your hair?” His brows drew down and he went to decline and I cut him off. “Not out of pity or anything, I was wanting more Tenakth history. I’d like to learn a bit more about the Marshal in our midst. I’ll take some Kotallo history in exchange for helping to paint your back?”

That had him confused. “Why?”

“Don’t you want to learn about me-uh, us?” Smooth. That came out normal, right? We basically all lived together, a mini-tribe, it was natural to want to know about the people you were around all day. 

He pondered over it a bit before nodding and I let out a breath I wasn’t aware I had been holding. “The paints are in my corner. Come.” He stood, glancing down at my handiwork for a moment before leading the way from my room. He and Erend stayed down the hall, the room truly set up like a barracks with four beds and storage areas. I personally wouldn’t stay here, Erend snored like a rock slide, but Kotallo had turned down the offer of his own room when I brought it up. Said as a Marshal he had worse sleeping accommodations in the past.  

He grabbed two little pots, handing them to me, and grabbing a water skin hanging from the wall. Glancing up he gestured I sit on the bed, which I did, and he sat before me to give me his back. Tearing my eyes away from his well built back I took the lid off one of the jars to reveal a pale clay like mixture. The paint was like none I’d seen before, fairly dry, but he took one little pot and added a bit of water from the skin he’d grabbed. Using a brush he swirled the water in, mixing it, and the clay mixture turned into a thick paint in a few moments. He repeated the same mixing technique with the other jar before handing them both back to me. They had a slightly herbal scent, not unpleasant, but more bitter than the medicine I had made. 

Raising the rather large brush I paused a moment, wondering if it would be cold, before just going for it. He was silent as I slowly moved the white paint across his skin, the brush soft and the paint slightly cool against his warm skin causing lines of goosebumps to form after each stroke. Watching every swipe cover more and more of him had me wanting to touch him even more, feel that warm skin against my palms, my fingers digging into the muscle to pull him closer. 

“So,” I started, working slowly to make sure the paint wasn’t patchy in it’s coverage. “You're from the Skyclan?” He glanced over his shoulder, a little surprise showing, before I gestured to the focus on my temple. Kotallo nodded, turning to face forward again. “Tell me about it?”

“What do you wish to know?”

“Anything you wish to share.” Sliding the wet brush down his spine I had to dip it once more into the paint before going over my line again. “I know very little about the West.” 

He was silent a bit longer, thinking over what to say I think. “It is…cold. Far North.” I hummed in response, not wanting to take any attention away. “I was born in the Bulwark, the capital of the Sky Clan lands. It is a massive wall of stone, you need a lift to even get up.” 

“It sounds impressive.”

“It is.” He rolled his shoulders slightly causing my line to go a little crooked. I worked on fixing it as he continued. “It has stood tall among many attacks, protecting my people from both Tenakth and Rebels since the birth of our clan.” 

“You sound like you miss it a bit… why did you leave?” Realizing I may be pushing too hard I leaned in slightly, swiping the brush across his left shoulder. “You don’t have to answer, I’m just curious.”

“I do not mind.” He was quick to put my anxiety to rest. “My parents were killed in a raid, my squad took over the duty of raising me. I was strong. Happy to serve. My commander Tekotteh was proud of me for a time, until he began to fear that I planned to take his position.”

“You cared for him.” His tone gave that away, Tekotteh was at one point an important person to the Tenakth before me. Going over a few spots that were patchier than I liked, I continued. “What had him change? Was it always tense?”

“No.” He was quiet now, as if deep in thought. “No, I am loyal to my clan. Loyal to my commander. I never wanted to rise above my position to commander.” Shaking his head slightly he flexed his back as if tense from the memory. “He sent me to the Kulrut- a challenge to become a Marshal and serve Hekarroh directly- knowing I would either die, or survive and not be able to return.” 

Words died in my mouth at that confession, compassion making my heart hurt for him. That was a betrayal that one did not easily shake, a hurt that did not heal without great effort. “Kotallo…”

“It was exile, disguised as an honor. He was not the man I had come to respect.”

I felt bad for bringing it up but was grateful he told me. Leaning back slightly to make sure that there were not empty spaces I sat the pot down. “I heard Aloy helped destroy part of the Bulwark with you.”

“Yes. It was glorious.” Seeing the small smile touch his face had me smiling as well, pleased to see he wasn’t bothered by that turn of events. Watching the paint dry it didn’t crack, obviously a well tested recipe, and I wondered briefly what it was made of. 

This felt intimate, personal, I realized suddenly, and I didn’t want to break the mood of the small dark space and the spice of his skin with the herbal mix of paint on top. It had been some time since I’d taken anyone to my bed, having traveled to the Forbidden West unaccompanied. Was this the reason I was reacting so strongly to just painting someone’s back? The way his muscles moved under his skin with an alluring grace was distracting, my brain turning to static at times from him simply moving or turning a certain way. 

Deciding to not dwell on it I handed him the pot of white paint. His fingers brushed mine a moment, lingering, and I pulled back with a little frown. Was I not the only one impacted? Did he also feel this pull between us, was that the reason he was so open? I decided not to ask, thankful for the quiet moment we had alone. As usual they always seemed too brief, his back covered in paint, my job done. Just as I went to speak Erend walked in. 

The Oseram froze, looking at my sitting on Kotallo’s bed, the warrior in front of me shirtless, and his eyes widened a bit. “Oh-um, I’m sorry, I’ll-”

“Erend, it’s all right.” I couldn’t help the laugh at the awkward man, his cheeks dusted with an adorable blush. “I was just helping Kotallo paint his back.” Looking at the man in question I tilted my head slightly. “Need anything else before I retire to my room?”

He shook his head, glancing up at me a moment before focusing back on painting his chest and stomach. I stood up, walking past Erend with a little smile at my friend’s awkward nature before heading back to my own bed. The base had certainly become more interesting.

[diviner-alva]

hmm now that I think about it, they kind of ruled out possible romantic interests for our girl throughout the game didn't they? I mean is it just me or did they leave few possibilities open as romantic interests for the next game, I don't know if I'm making myself clear but I see it that way. If they really give love options for the ng, it makes some sense that in this game they would rule some out so they wouldn't make such a mess or something.

Or maybe they did it so they could make a single choice AHDGASASD I HOPE THAT IS THAT LAST ONE AND THAT KOTALLO IS THAT CHOICE

OOOH BOY YOU PUT ME ON THE SPOT THERE.

This is something I've been thinking for a while but thought it would be inconvenient to post it bcs idk people have their own shipps and they do what they want, so I don't want to be a party crasher or something (at least not without a reason) SO IF ANYONE COME AT ME FOR IT, I WAS JUST ANSWERING AN ASK (and I looove asks).

I agree that in FW they ruled out most of the NPCs with romantic possibilities, plus we all know they didn't include new ones (thank the ten I was getting annoyed by everyone hitting on her in every settlement). People flirt with her sure but tenakth are blunt and flirty no big deal (meaning Drakka and Gatakk)

This is chronologically ordered

Avad: Well, I think they did him a little dirty, making him ask again if she would change her whole way of life to live with him in Meridian? Didn't he told her he understood the last time? Why making him ask again??? As someone who even thought Meridian was a nice place during ZD that just made me want to flee, also the statue, people either calling her a savage or kissing her feet, is just literally not a place Aloy would want to be, the game reinforced that. "But liz, he said about renouncing and accompanying her on her travels" okay, you really think he would keep up? And her straight up answer was *shakes head* "You make it sound easy". Why did they made him pleading and clingy I have no idea.

Petra: Honestly I don't see her exactly "ruled out" tbh, Aloy just gets at chainscrape and it's a little harsh with her saying she's just passing through, but she's like that with everyone (there is only one that is an exception). Tho I believe she thinks of Petra more like a friend in this game.

Erend: Again, I think they did him dirty the same way with Avad but slightly worse. I know a few people disliked him complaining that she left the party without saying goodbye, but honestly I think that was a nice touch, you know to have people confront Aloy sometimes, it gives them depth and shows how her actions influence others, people are hard bcs they are different. But I think the dirty they did was: having him force his way TOO MUCH, I mean it bothered the fuck out of me at least, him wanting to be there but most of the time he's like "Yeah back to reading I guess", "I'll go back to look at this exciting data", and the worse of the bunch, forcing to go with her rescue Beta and the first thing he says in the cutscene is "this distress call had to he up a really steep mountain huh" and Aloy literally *sighs* and rolls her eyes, like, bro... He complains so often in this game I've lost count, that makes me think "BRO WHY ARE YOU HERE THEN", him backseating when you fight together giving you remarks if you go stealthy or telling you how to kill a machine, bro back off. And that not being enough, they even make Aloy discredit him a little. His self deprecation makes her roll her eyes, say his name and sigh. When they are about to go to GEMINI she literally says "Let's hope Erend can operate one without shooting himself in the face" and in a serious tone, wasn't a joke. I really think he was one of the most poorly treated in this game, I even don't see them ended up together doing him any good she wouldn't be so happy either. She doesn't have much faith in him and that makes his self deprecation worse. I just don't see that working well for either of them and guerrilla really wanted to show that.

Varl: Well, we see from the beginning that whatever crush they had on each other was a fleeting thing, acting more as friendly companions, and if that wasn't enough they smack you with Zo in the face right after. I know that I got >:( when she showed up lmao I'm sorry Zo but I was upset, I liked Varl's relationship with Aloy in ZD the most. And after that, well... we all know the drill

Talanah: She literally just showed up in this game to run around after a man :| that was after a woman that could be long dead. Really now looking at it Talanah is the one that they did most dirty actually wtf was that for. Honestly this shipp never clicked for me, I never noticed it, but I'm also dumb I guess, so take that in mind. And idk when Aloy talked to Amadis she said "so you and Talanah" and she was smiling, people are different but if I were talking to the person my crush dates I would not be smiling at them so spontaneously. But I don't even think there's more to say about this, plus the fact that she very likely could've stayed at the base but she didn't, I think she is also a carja at heart and would want to stay in Meridian.

Nil: I had such a crush on him its insane I screamed when I knew he was in the game (which was a spoiler bcs I HATE these gauntlet races) but honestly I think he was a wrong choice since ZD, this was reinforced by Aloy herself in FW (that he's very unhinged and killed bandits because he enjoys killing and stuff Aloy doesn't even know how to feel about him) he flirted with her and her answer was a thumbs up? Well not much to say

And generally, I think all of them would tie Aloy down somehow, Aloy likes traveling, exploring, learning about the old ones, you could really see Avad doing those? Petra is the only one from the above that wouldn't tie her down but would she accompany Aloy or would this be a distance relationship? Would she study old world like her? Explore ruins, hunt some machines? Erend we know very well does not like exploring ruins and studying data, very likely to tie her down as well. Talanah could match Aloy pretty well on those, but like I said, I doubt she would permanently leave Meridian and the legacy of her family.

But I'll say that those thoughts above just came to mind after Kotallo showed up, because he is way too perfect literally a tailored suit for Aloy, he ticks all the items on the checklist and I think this is absurdly suspicious

[katthekitkatlord]

These Things Happen

Zika belongs to me. Nadti belongs Cryptid from discord(love her <3)

This is based in the game Horizon Zero Dawn. But instead of people it is yautja.

Warning! This will be an 18 and up fic.

Kind of slow burn.

  These things happen.

Rocking back and forth in a wooden box, Zika knew he was about to be sick. This sick bubbling just under his lungs, mouth sweating, and eyes near crossed. He knew he had to get out of there or things where about to turn nasty.

“Oh, come on! Why are we the ones packing the slut?” A shrill voice complains, almost as nausea inducing as the rocking.

“Because. You where the one stupid enough to let the twat in on our secrets!” This time a brutish, heavily accented voice booms in in time to the cart stopping.

“Why we sto—OH SHIT!”

Zika swallows his sick the best he could and attempts to look out one of the cracks in the boxes. He sees the two males draw their weapons in time for the gut curdling sound of a sawtooth’s roar to fill his ears. Zika flings a hand to his mouth in an attempt at silencing himself, not wanting to tip the thing off to his presence.  By the sound of things, it was only one of the hellish machines, odd since they like to travel in twos.

Zika had no true clear clue as to how he ended up where he was, in a box being carted off by two shadow carjar to be sold or kept as a slave, now listening to them being murdered by a machine. Just earlier that day he was handing a large number of shards to a silks dealer for an order of fine silk he had been dying to get his hands on for months. He never made it home with them. The two, now most likely dead, men kidnaping him in an ally. All he could now was silently hide in his box.

Sounds of the sawtooth sparking from its injuries came close to the box, snapping Zika back to the very real reality that his little box might very well soon turn into his coffin. He had no means or way to break out of the box, he far to weak to do so. But even if he was able to break free, what was he going to do? Zika is a crafter, an artisan. The only self defense he knows is to kick for the groan and run like hell and that doesn’t work on machines. Zika is a dead man no matter which way and how he looks at it.

Hours later Zika snaps awake, haven dozed off, when he hears fighting outside. ‘What the?’ He mentally says to himself while he tries to look out a crack. The sun was gone, replaced by the moon and the stars. He couldn’t see much, but his heart did sigh with relief when he heard the machine die. ‘Please don’t be shadow carja!’ He begs to what ever god that might be listening when footsteps come straight for him, a large hand slapping the top of the box and causing Zika to yip from fear.

Fear soon gripped his lungs as the box was very literally torn apart. Zika shakes from fright, a blue painted face locking eyes with his. He wanted to scream but couldn’t, something about the face looking in at him breathed dominance and control. He dared not piss it off. The only sound he makes is a yip when the painted blue warrior reaches in and pulls him out as easy as one would pull a tool off a shelf.

The warrior casts Zika to the side, clicking their mandibles together in concentration as they look inside the box and through all the belongings on the cart. Silently Zika sat to the side out of the warriors way, looking around at the dead men and now dead machine. His nervous wouldn’t calm down no mater what, sawtooths traveled in two’s. So where is the second one?

“You’re not going to find much.” Zika clicks, holding his head down and dare not moving from the spot the warrior sat him in. “They where slave traders.” The blue figure looks at Zika with knitted brows and growls at him, turning slowly and stalking over. They stop with only inches to spare between them. Zika gulps and looks up at them, blood running cold at the sight of their deadly eyes pined on him like they where a weapon. “Sorry?”

The warrior growls at Zika and picks up their discarded weapon from earlier and starts to march on into the night. Zika doesn’t move for a moment, not until he heard the call of a watcher in the distance. He runs after the warrior coming up behind her and does his best to stay close to her. The warrior didn’t pay him no mind at first, not until they made their way into a patch of forest and Zika promptly became the loudest thing around. The warrior turns and growls at Zika once, trying to run him off but he doesn’t take the hint.

Zika gasps when the warrior climbed a tree and seemed to disappear among the treetops. “No! Please!” He calls out in frustration before frantically trying to climb a tree.

The sounds of a low metal growl behind him makes him still. Slowly he turns his head, looking over his shoulder. His green eyes widen in fear as he stares down the yellow light of the second sawtooth. Zika turns back to the tree begging, “Please help me! Please!” His hands clawing at the thick tree trunk, the sawtooth stalking up towards him.

The sawtooth roars, light turning red and charges Zika. Zika closes his eyes as though that will make things better and sobs as he waits for the pain of the attack to fill his body before death. But it never comes. Instead Zika opens his eyes when he hears the crunch of metal. A spear now lodged in the sawtooths’ hip. Zika wastes no time scrambling away from the machine.

The warrior leaps from the trees and onto the machines back, using metal blades to gauge out its lights and canasters. Zika new the thing to be dead when his ears where met by an ungodly silence. Zika looks at the warrior that now stared him down from where they still stood by their kill, mandibles held wide as they calmed their breathing. Zika breaths a sigh of relief, thankful to still be alive.

“Thank you.” Zika bows his head to the warrior as he stands. “You saved my life, and for that I am eternally thankful.” Zika picks his head up and gasps when he see’s the warrior walking away, already a good distance away form him. “Wait! Wait for me!” Zika fusses and chases the warrior down. “Hey you.” He reaches for them but earns himself the back of the warriors’ hand across his face and is sent flying to the ground. “The hell was that for?” He growls holding himself up with one and holding his face with one hand.

“Leave me. Go.” The warrior growls turning on their heal.

“Go?” Zika questions angerly. “Go where?” He stands up and tries to wipe away the dirt on his body. “I can’t go home. The shadow carja will just catch me again and this time kill me. Even if I did go home, I’ll just get picked off by some machine.” Zika growls when the warrior just keeps on walking. Pissed off, Zika runs out in front of the warrior and uses his body to keep them from taking another step. Zika doesn’t even flinch when the raise their hand against him, ready to hit. Instead Zika looks into their yellow and greens eyes with his jungle green. “You saved me just now. From the sawtooth. You really think you can just walk away from that? I now owe you debt.” Zika looks the warrior over and see’s that their spear had been damaged. “How about this.” He starts, an idea coming to mind. “You let me come with you and I’ll be your personally little crafter/artisan. I can fix that spear of yours and make it better than before. I can fix anything. I can even bring machines from the old world back to life. I am useful and you are a fool if you think you are going to just leave me in the wilds.”

“I am no fool.” The warrior booms looking down at Zika with a scowl.

“Then why not do it now?” Zika opens his arm, exposing his body to the warrior and steps back to give her a clean shot. “Take me with you and I will make sure your weapons are the best of the best and supply you with wonderful things that will make you the better than the rest. I know how you tenakth are. I can help you become better than the others. But it you want to, go on ahead. Kill me now.”

Zika didn’t expect what came next. The painted blue warrior grabs him by the throat and has him lifted in the air, using such speed he never saw it coming. “If I take you, you best not disrespect me or question me ever again.” They drop Zika and snarl down at him. “And for your own safety, you better stay true to your words. You slack in them in any way and I will cut you down and eat your flesh.”

Zika gulps in fear and nods his head, jumping to his feet so he could follow the warrior. “I will not disappoint you!” He calls after them, running to keep up.

[discar]

HZD Terraforming Base-001 Text Communications Network

Chapter 38 | Prev chapter | Next chapter Chapter Index

Icarus: What IS that awful racket?

HIMBO: MUSIC!

Icarus: ...no. It's not.

SilverVixen: Is it pre-Zero Day music? Or did you somehow manage to record something contemporary?

HIMBO: IT WAS MADE BY A COUPLE PEOPLE WORKING ON A DAM. THE PLACE THAT ENDED UP BEING BANUK TERRITORY.

FlameHairSavior: Yellowstone National Park.

HIMBO: YEAH, I THINK I SAW THAT NAME. ANYWAY, I DON'T THINK ANYONE ELSE HEARD IT BESIDES THE LADIES WHO MADE IT. THEY USED THE ENTIRE DAM AS AN INSTRUMENT, SO IT'S TOO BAD NO ONE ELSE KNEW ABOUT THEM.

SilverVixen: Oh God, you've discovered indie music.

DIVINER: Oh my Ancestors, you're right!

HIMBO: I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS. BUT IT'S NOT MY FAULT YOU GUYS DON'T APPRECIATE TRUE ART.

DIVINER: And he's even a music snob like a true indie fan!!

SilverVixen: I'm tempted to show you some of the classics.

DIVINER: Ummm... does that actually WORK? Or does it just make him a bigger snob?

SilverVixen: Point.

Icarus: Why are you even playing it out loud? You can set it to private easily. In fact, that should be the default.

HIMBO: I WANTED TO SHARE!

ADMIN [Zo]: It's my fault, really. I asked Varl not to smack him for it.

SilverVixen: Spare the rod, spoil the child.

DIVINER: ...that sounds horrible. I mean, if I have the context right.

MARSHAL Kotallo: Makes perfect sense to me.

FlameHairSavior: I'm not sure I want to hear about Tenakth child-rearing techniques.

DIVINER: You don't actually beat your children, do you??

MARSHAL Kotallo: I don't have any children myself. But no, of course not.

MARSHAL Kotallo: Punishment is an important part of any sort of teaching method. No cook is more careful than the one who has cut his hand. You cannot learn to dodge a blow unless someone tries to hit you.

ADMIN [Zo]: I understand the basic principle, though I disagree with any sort of physical retribution.

MARSHAL Kotallo: Not every problem can be solved by waiting three months. Sometimes more immediate consequences are required.

HIMBO: CAN WE NOT TALK ABOUT HITTING ME?

DIVINER: Okaaay...

DIVINER: Sylens, what kind of music do you listen to?

Icarus: Very little. I found some interesting atmospheric melodies, but I mostly use them as background noise, so nothing with lyrics.

FlameHairSavior: Huh, I almost expected you to say you only listened to some weird math thing.

Icarus: Ha ha. There is no "weird math thing" music.

DIVINER: You haven't found Rush????

SilverVixen: Remind me to show you Rush.

SilverVixen: Oh.

DIVINER: [Squee.gif]

FlameHairSavior: Of COURSE there's some weird math thing that Sylens would like.

DIVINER: There's something for everyone! From Norwegian Death Metal to Pop Rap, the old world was full of music!

SilverVixen: Really, it was. I preferred the classics, of course, but sometimes it seemed like every other kid was inventing a new genre.

FlameHairSavior: What do you do in your spare time, Sylens? You can't be plotting and scheming all the time.

Icarus: I prefer to watch documentaries.

FlameHairSavior: Of course.

DIVINER: Wait wait! What kind of documentaries?? Because I doubt you care about, like, the biography of the first president of the United States or whatever??

Icarus: There is a fascinating series called "How it's Made," which are short videos on what were, at the time, ubiquitous parts of daily life. There is a similar series with higher production on the History Channel, though as the name implies, that focuses more on the people and the history.

DIVINER: Oh I love that series!!

DIVINER: But the Quen weren't able to get much useful from it! So much of the data is corrupted! I don't think we have a single video about advanced technology!

Icarus: Unfortunately, I was not able to find much more that was useful. I did find an interesting video on how to build an electric engine, but I lacked the materials to replicate it. Besides, GAIA's machines are superior, and more readily available.

HIMBO: I'M SURE YOU LEARNED A LOT ABOUT HOW TO DISASSEMBLE AND RE-PURPOSE MACHINES FROM IT, THOUGH.

Icarus: That is true.

FlameHairSavior: Wait, if you couldn't get much technology out of this show, why do you like it so much?

FlameHairSavior: What kind of things did you learn from it?

Icarus: ...

Icarus: Cheese.

FlameHairSavior: I'm sorry, did you just say that you like to watch a show about how to make CHEESE?

Icarus: Yes.

DIVINER: Are you EMBARRASSED?

Icarus: I do not see how that is relevant.

HIMBO: LIKE, WHAT, CHEESE FROM A GOAT?

MARSHAL Kotallo: It's not all that complicated.

Icarus: The chemistry is quite fascinating, and the old world used a very interesting process to increase efficiency. And they used milk from an entirely different animal, which was never reintroduced into the ecosystem.

SilverVixen: Oh right, you don't have cattle.

SilverVixen: That means none of you will ever have a proper steak au poivre with cognac and frites.

FlameHairSavior: I refuse to believe those are real words.

SilverVixen: It's French.

SilverVixen: So no, they're not real words.

Chapter 38 | Prev chapter | Next chapter Chapter Index