[Nexus] Remnant III

[Morty]

[Watchtower Training]

Wenomir will run at a steady pace, so as to conserve energy. He's had to run for a long time while burdened before.

[UncleWolf]

Watchtower Training

"What do you two think you're doing?!?" Arla shouts, looking at Wenomir and Harnel. "Can't you two see that the others are struggling? You're only as strong as the weakest among you! Go back and either keep pace or carry them along!" The priestess shouts as she runs backwards before looking at Mia and Darcy. "And if you have trouble, say so. There is never any harm in setting aside pride if it means keeping yourself cohesive!" Even as she says that, she seems to slow down slightly to make sure they can keep pace.

Yazon

Edijar smiles slightly. If the math was right and years similar, it meant Yazon was older than he was. There was some sort of message there, but he ignores it. "Alright. When the others get back, you're to be their squad leader. Obviously the shield wall isn't going to work, so what do you suggest they need to be taught in order to get them to work together as a whole?"

Courtyard

"Nah, he's not neglected. Just greedy." The doctor tells the dryad with a smile before looking down at the pug. "Isn't that right?" He asks. Archer only looks back up, panting and wagging his butt around at all the attention he's getting.

He's cute and he knows it.

Vas' Place

Vas wraps her arms back around Jake's waist to keep him still when he initially pulls away and rests her head on his shoulder, listening to his woes. "What I think, is that if we don't give her freedom, she'll grow to resent this. And you. She's like Gus, Jake. Neither of them can be chained up. If we tried, they'd just waste away." She tells him gently. "And she'll always come back, love. To you and Gus at least." She tells him carefully and calculated, wondering if he'd noticed or was too distracted to.

Vas' Office - Cessie

"Is there a matter with the arrangement?" Vasquez asks. "If we need to change it, I don't mind. It was only half thoughtout anyway really." She admits.

Vas' Office - Eileen

"Alright, how about if you take as much as a sip of alcohol, you lose a week's pay?" Vasquez asks. "A few weeks of tight money can do wonders for making you realize what's important and what's not."

Rec Center

((Only thing I had in mind was maybe outfitting him with a heavy weapon in a modified harness, but that could be handwaved if you wish. Tovpir can do things outside the Remnant thread with ease if you wish to RP with him more than just here.))

Jyarl's Place

Jyarl is dressed in a poloshirt and a pair of jeans when he answers the door. He also seems to be wearing a paper pirate hat, but he doesn't comment on that, merely stepping aside with a smile. "Jefferies, I have someone I'd like you to meet."

[Devixer]

[Rec Center]

Despite her stoic expression, Iamar chuckles a little. "I will not pretend to be an expert on the many peoples of the Nexus. Don't even know the people of my own world all too well."

[The Bushranger]

Vas' Office - Eileen

"Alright, how about if you take as much as a sip of alcohol, you lose a week's pay?" Vasquez asks. "A few weeks of tight money can do wonders for making you realize what's important and what's not."

"...that would work," Eileen allows after a moment's thought. "Along with, well, moral support I guess. I finally realised I've just been drinking my life away and not doing anything..."

[Halae]

[Watchtower Training]

Harnel is surprised, but says, "Yes Ma'am." And nods towards Wenomir. He'll then fall back a bit, slowing so that Mia can catch up to him. His tail will try to extend and wrap around her stomach, supporting all her weight by itself, and then he'll flap his wings, taking him forward quite a bit.

Assuming this goes according to plan, Mia and Harnel should be near the front of the group when this happens. Harnel will leave his tail around Mia's waist if she lets him; He's not fully supporting her at this point, but it's to make sure she keeps pace and will catch her if she falls. He leaves Darcy to Wenomir.

[Morty]

[Watchtower Training]

Yes ma'am, Wenomir grunts and turns around to get back to Darcy. There, he'll slow down his pace to allow her to keep up with him.

[happyturtle]

Watchtower Courtyard

"If you try to pick me up, I will gouge your eyes out," Darcy says in a friendly tone to Wenomir. "I can keep up, ma'am," she says aloud to Arla.


Vas's Place

Jake definitely notices the L word, and pulls away enough to look into Vas's eyes, trying to see if she meant to say it.

Jyarl's Place

Missy's eyes flick to the hat, but she decides not to comment.

"But... I... winning!" Jefferies protests from the other room, clearly unwilling to forfeit the game for something as silly as social duties.

[Gullara]

[Courtyard]

Sequoia laughs. "I bet he is. You're a smart little guy, aren't you? Probably have them all wrapped around your little finger." She leans over to pet Archer.

[UncleWolf]

Vas' Place

Vasquez gives Jake a small smile before pulling him into a long kiss, knowing that's what he'd do anyway. She wouldn't have blamed it for it either.

Vas' Office - Eileen

"Well, if it helps, I know what you're going through. A lot of us do. Jyarl's quitting smoking, I've slowed my drinking to a crawl, and a couple of others are going through withdrawal from harder drugs." Vasquez explains. "You aren't alone, and if they can do it, so can you. But some advice? Find someone to attach yourself to for a while. Cling to them so you don't need to cling to a bottle."

Courtyard

The pug gives a yowl of enjoyment before leading them into the small Memorial Garden where he can sniff and pee on ALL the things. Bugs can't help but chuckle before sighing when he looks at a hanging blossom from a foxglove tree. He slips his hand from the dryad's arm to take a deep breath of the scent, letting out a long sigh when he's done. "My daughter would have loved to see this place." He says absentmindedly. It'd be no secret to any Remnant that Bugs once had a daughter during the Empire's reign, but she was killed off during an artillery barrage.

Jyarl's Place

"Fine. Two more minutes." Jyarl tells little Hellstomper as he shuts the door behind Missy. "Need anything to drink?" He asks her as he heads to the kitchen. The place is quite the opposite of what one might have come to expect of Jyarl. The apartment is spotless, everything is new and well kept, and there aren't any weapons in sight.

Of course, how much of that is what he normally is like, and what might be caused by Hellstomper's presence is up for debate.

[Gullara]

[Courtyard]

"I'm sure she would have." Sequoia comments as she moves over to his side. She lightly runs her hand through the flowers, not saying any more on the topic. She doesn't know how comfortable he is with it after all, and she wouldn't be sure what to say if he was.

[Zefir]

[Watchtower Training]

It's not like Mia could have said anything about this. SHe never had such a task and is trying her best. She just leaks the physical strength the other Watchmember have, that's more or less why she is here. She has already started breathing hard and is barly able to speak. between many breaths she manages to say something to the priestess.

"Yes.... .... .... ... Ma'am."

Harnels plan has some points that might not work like he assumed. As his tail starts to warp around her Mia is shocked, by the sudden touch near her stomach and appears to panick a little wilding the spear around. Sadly this cause the spear to pass by her feets which makes her stumble and fall. If the tail is holding her Harnel might notice that she is just hanging in it shield and spear still in hand, but breathing harder then before.

[Shadowcaller]

Vas' Office - Cessie

"Is there a matter with the arrangement?" Vasquez asks. "If we need to change it, I don't mind. It was only half thoughtout anyway really." She admits.

Vas' Office - Cessie

"I was just curious if you knew how Edijar, and remnant as a whole for that matter, trains. I noticed Edijar started with an team building exercise which is pretty standard but how does remnant combine different types of styles and abilities? I know that Watch as a whole lacks any standard form of member. Everyone is very different which makes team exercises such as this difficult to execute. For example, it seemed like one member was too short and another too physically weak for this one." Cessie asks.

[happyturtle]

Vas's Place

"I love you," Jake whispers in her ear, saying the words to her for the first time, though he'd made it clear to her long ago.


Jyarl's Place

Less than two minutes later, Gorgutz comes running out with the rope toy clamped between his teeth. Jefferies comes racing out being him, growling in fury, and tackles the pug, using her teeth and claws, furious at having lost.

[UncleWolf]

Jyarl's Home

"Jefferies Hellstomper! What did I say about tackling him?" Jyarl demands angrily as he pours Missy and the young orc girl drinks.

Vas' Place => Elaine's

A half hour later, the pair will show up at Jake's Mother's apartment. Vas's uniform is still quite well-pressed and unruffled as she'd spent extra to make sure it'd be especially difficult to mess up. After all, appearance matters quite a bit in her role.

The same likely can't be said of Jake's clothing however.

Vas' Office - Cessie

"Unfortunately, I will admit that this is rather haphazard of us. Normally we're better at it, but the group you brought with you varies too much and is just too small to train them in most of the ways we do for other fresh recruits. As far as combining different styles and tactics, we pit many against each other in little "War Games" or training scenarios. Most have similarities between one another and we've been developing a special martial arts to combine many of the techniques people bring in. It's difficult to do so, but we're managing. Overall though, the best way? Simplifying things. We only have a limited time to train people, so we have to keep things simple and easy to learn. At least the basics. After that, people can choose the specialize. Overall, we simply adapt." Vasquez explains before rummaging through her desk and producing a small handheld crossbow with a wooden bolt in it. She carefully removes the bolt before offering it to Cessie. "Take this for example. Compared to all our fancy firearms and armor and all the other blades, many of us choose to carry a blessed crossbow bolt in case a certain race of shapeshifting demons ever show up. Carol is the one who brought the idea to us. That little bolt would instantly kill the demon where nothing else is likely to even scratch it. It might never see use, but on the chance that it does, it's indispensable."

Watchtower Training - Joggers

(I'm going to wait for Harnel to respond here first as Arla's reaction depends on how successful he is and how he reacts to it)

Courtyard

After a quiet thought, Bugs reaches down to tear a ribbon from his shirt and tie it around the foxglove branch. After that, he gives the tree, pug, and dryad a small smile. "Sorry for dragging you here to see that. Especially on your break. I ought to make it up to you somehow." He says, sounding a bit sorry.

[The Bushranger]

Vas' Office - Eileen

"Well, if it helps, I know what you're going through. A lot of us do. Jyarl's quitting smoking, I've slowed my drinking to a crawl, and a couple of others are going through withdrawal from harder drugs." Vasquez explains. "You aren't alone, and if they can do it, so can you. But some advice? Find someone to attach yourself to for a while. Cling to them so you don't need to cling to a bottle."

Eileen nods in understanding...then chukles darkly. "Ay, there's the rub, Commander - I took to drinking because everyone I tried to cling to either left me or got devoured by permadeadtime oozes." Sighing, the Nordic blonde runs a hand through her hair. "So while I understand what you're saying, part of me is saying that if I do that I'll just be hitting the bottle even harder in a couple of weeks."

[happyturtle]

Jyarl's Place

Jefferies rolls off of Gorgutz. She's very obedient when Jyarl is right there, telling her what to do. She's not very obedient when it comes to remembering all the weird new rules later. Especially when she's angry.

She crosses her arms defiantly. "Don't 'member." she says to Jyarl, while slipping a foot out to kick in Gorgutz's direction. Though since she's still on the floor, it won't be much of a kick even if it hits. She's just still mad at the pug for beating her.

Missy is rather taken aback by the feral child's violent behaviour, as well as her appearance. Jefferies is not exactly adorable little girl material. "Is this sort of thing normal?"

[Gullara]

[Courtyard]

"That's just fine." Sequoia assures him with a smile. "If you really feel like you have to make it up to me, I'm sure your company is more than enough already."

[UncleWolf]

Vas' Office - Eileen

"I don't mean just lovers, Eileen. A companion or student or even a teacher could suffice. There's plenty of them out there, but if you're unable to choose, I'll just be cruel and assign one to you if that's what it takes." Vasquez says.

Jyarl's Place

"Hellstomper." Jyarl says in disappointment at the kick, even though the pug just shuffles to the side and chews on the toy. "We have a guest, so you will be on your best behavior." He orders before his features soften. "If you are, I'll let you choose a couple movies for tonight, okay?" The man offers as way of reward if she's good before turning to Missy. "Considering the circumstances, I'm trying my best. She's better than the start though."

Courtyard

The doctor chuckles and gives a small bow as his arm is tugged by Archer's leash. "Then I'm at your service."

[happyturtle]

Jyarl's Place

Jefferies thinks about it and nods. She likes getting to pick out movies. She just hopes she remembers what 'best behaviour' is. After a moment she gets to her feet to address Missy. "I Jefferies Hellstomper, tribe of Remnants," she says solemnly. "Jyarl is boss here, so be sure do what he says, or I hasta beat you up."

Missy holds back a chuckle. "I am Missy Halifax, also of the Remnants tribe. Don't beat me up. I'll be good." She holds out her hand. Jefferies takes a moment to remember how she's supposed to respond to that, but then shakes Missy's hand vigorously.

Elaine's

Tracey is there, along with Elaine. "Your clothes stayed on you when you changed, so I'm sure if we put a tracking device in either of you, it would be there for both." Tracey is saying.

"I'm not sure if it would be better to get it done before or after. If we would be sure that Billie would give her permission, then it would better to do it that way. But if she doesn't..." Elaine turns and gives her son a half-hug and kiss on the cheek. "Jacob, dear, what do you think?"

Jake thinks a bit. "We'd want something to offer her in exchange for agreeing to be tracked. Perhaps letting her track me and Gus?" He looks to Vasquez to see what she thinks.

[UncleWolf]

Elaine's

Vas mulls the idea over but shakes her head in the end. "I doubt a tracking device will be needed to convince her to stick around. This is obviously where her sons are and like you, she won't want to abandon them." Vasquez says. "I'd offer an external tracker personally and see how it goes first, as it's less invasive, but either way, she'd have to have free reign in and out of base to see me or her sons."

Jyarl's Place

The officer gives Missy a small smile before taking his seat and gesturing for Jefferies to take her own, setting the glass of milk at her seat for her. "Halifax is a good friend of mine, and I hope you'll treat her as such." Jyarl tells the little orc before smiling wryly. "As long as she behaves anyway."

[happyturtle]

Elaine's Place

"If we could trust her to act rationally..." Jake says hesitantly.

Elaine shakes her head firmly. "No. I don't trust her. She tried to kill Jacob. I want someone to be able to find her if she doesn't let me back through on schedule."


Jyarl's Place

"Have you ever been to school, Jefferies?" Missy asks.

"What's school?" Jefferies asks.

"It's where you and other kids go to learn how to read and write and do other important things."

"Like fight?"

"Er, no, there's no fighting allowed in school," Missy says. "If you fight at school you get in trouble."

"I don't need to learn that stuff then. Just fighting." Jefferies says.

Jyarl will know that Jefferies is completely illiterate. She can count and add and subtract to the limit of her fingers. Ten minus three she can do if she's feeling very patient. Ten plus three is beyond her abilities.

[UncleWolf]

Elaine's

"Even so, adding a tracker implant into the body both of you share without her consent isn't something I can truly allow on this base." Vasquez states. "She's no longer a prisoner. If she were, then I wouldn't mind. But instead of just trying to make a deal with set terms, why not ask what she'd want in return for the tracking chip?" She suggests.

Jyarl's Place

"I simply don't know how to teach her." Jyarl admits. "Well, more of where. Not until she smooths out a bit. Maybe a simplified Learning Course that's normally given to new recruits." He tells Missy before looking at Hellstomper. "Jefferies, eventually you'll have to go to a school to learn things, but maybe we can find a place where you can fit in well and enjoy it."

[happyturtle]

Elaine's Place

"Just... don't let her leave the base until we've come up with some kind of agreement between us. Please." Elaine says to Vasquez, leaning into Jake for support.


Jyarl's Place

Missy is kind of at a loss. She doesn't really know kids or understand them, and Jefferies would be a challenge even if she did. "I don't know... maybe some sort of computer game learning program? They make those, right?"

Jefferies looks at Jyarl. "I dun wanna go school! I wanna be a fighter and protect the Remnants tribe!"

[The Bushranger]

Vas' Office - Eileen
"I don't mean just lovers, Eileen. A companion or student or even a teacher could suffice. There's plenty of them out there, but if you're unable to choose, I'll just be cruel and assign one to you if that's what it takes." Vasquez says.

"...fair enough." Eileen nods, sighing. "But I think assigning a student might be best. No offence, Commander, but I'm not sure I'd trust my judgement on picking."

[UncleWolf]

Elaine's

"I doubt she would, but I promise I won't let her. I'll be sure to let the guards know." Vasquez promises.

Jyarl's Place

"Now, Jefferies...Remnant doesn't take fighters who aren't smart." Jyarl starts to explain. "You need to know how to do other things than poke people with a spear. You need to know math and science and even history in order to make a good Remnant soldier. If you go to a school, you can learn all of that." He says, hoping it'd be enough to try and entice her before he looks back up at Halifax. "Perhaps Sunny could build one? It'd have to be durable."

Vas' Office - Eileen

"What would you be trying to teach?" Vasquez asks, eyebrow raised. "There are plenty of people to choose from, but I'd have to know what you're wanting to do in order to pick a good one."

[The Bushranger]

Vas' Office - Eileen

"What would you be trying to teach?" Vasquez asks, eyebrow raised. "There are plenty of people to choose from, but I'd have to know what you're wanting to do in order to pick a good one."

"The flip answer is 'how to be a Drunken Master'," Eileen quips with a sardonic chuckle before turning serious. "Honestly? Stealthiness. Ninja skills. I haven't used them in awhile so they're probably rusty, but..."

[Gullara]

Courtyard

The doctor chuckles and gives a small bow as his arm is tugged by Archer's leash. "Then I'm at your service."

[Courtyard]

Sequoia raises an eyebrow. "Are you sure about that? I think you might be at the beck and call of this little guy for a little longer yet."

[happyturtle]

Elaine's

"I doubt she would, but I promise I won't let her. I'll be sure to let the guards know." Vasquez promises.

"I'll watch out for her too, Mrs Stevenson," Tracey says. "She's a bag of crazy, but I don't want her to get any trouble."

"Thank you, both of you," Elaine says. She takes a seat, holding the letter she wrote to Billie. "I guess you should go ahead and change, Jacob. She'll be expecting to see Gus."

Jake gives his mother another hug, and then the two change identities, becoming Billie and Gus.

Billie immediately drops the letter and flings herself at Gus, hugging him tightly, before pulling away and punching him a few times on the chest and shoulders. "That was mean! You're a mean little bastard! Don't you ever do that again!" The blows are hard enough to bruise, though she's pulling her punches. Gus just laughs and hugs her.

"I love you too, mom."

Jyarl's Place

"Now, Jefferies...Remnant doesn't take fighters who aren't smart." Jyarl starts to explain. "You need to know how to do other things than poke people with a spear. You need to know math and science and even history in order to make a good Remnant soldier. If you go to a school, you can learn all of that." He says, hoping it'd be enough to try and entice her before he looks back up at Halifax. "Perhaps Sunny could build one? It'd have to be durable."

Jefferies face falls at once. "But I not smart. I just a dumb greenie."

[UncleWolf]

Courtyard

"Nah. He thinks he's king of the world and the cutest thing in it, and maybe he is, but he likes to go anywhere." Bugs tells the dryad with a chuckle before picking up the pug and tucking the happy dog under an arm and allowing it to enjoy the view.

Vas' Office - Eileen

"Alright. Go and get some rest and maybe enjoy one last night of hard drinking. I'll have someone come by your quarters in the morning once I look over a potential list." Vasquez offers.

Elaine's

"Now does that look like someone who'd just up and leave?" Vasquez questions Tracey with a quiet whisper before grinning to Billie. "It looks like everything is doing better. How are you feeling?"

Jyarl's Place

Jyarl's expression turns soft and sad before he reaches over to pull the orc onto his lap and into his arms. "Now Jefferies, no matter what anyone says, you're not dumb and you're not "a greenie" any more than I am." He tells her before smiling slightly. "You just haven't been to school and while you'd be a bit behind for kids your age, I'm sure you'll learn quicker than any of them just to show them." He says as he tries to cheer her with a hug.

[Shadowcaller]

Vas' Office - Cessie

"Unfortunately, I will admit that this is rather haphazard of us. Normally we're better at it, but the group you brought with you varies too much and is just too small to train them in most of the ways we do for other fresh recruits. As far as combining different styles and tactics, we pit many against each other in little "War Games" or training scenarios. Most have similarities between one another and we've been developing a special martial arts to combine many of the techniques people bring in. It's difficult to do so, but we're managing. Overall though, the best way? Simplifying things. We only have a limited time to train people, so we have to keep things simple and easy to learn. At least the basics. After that, people can choose the specialize. Overall, we simply adapt." Vasquez explains before rummaging through her desk and producing a small handheld crossbow with a wooden bolt in it. She carefully removes the bolt before offering it to Cessie. "Take this for example. Compared to all our fancy firearms and armor and all the other blades, many of us choose to carry a blessed crossbow bolt in case a certain race of shapeshifting demons ever show up. Carol is the one who brought the idea to us. That little bolt would instantly kill the demon where nothing else is likely to even scratch it. It might never see use, but on the chance that it does, it's indispensable."

Vas' Office - Cessie

A certain kind of demon? These 'demons' seemed to exist everywhere but in her home. Guess it was just some sort of general word for 'evil being'.
She carefully accepts the crossbow and gives it a curious glance.

"Well, I asked since in watch there is a form of tradition that every member need to take a test of sort before they can become initiates. This test is traditionally adapted to the person in question. Lately however I have been thinking of trying to include team exercises like the one Edijar is doing right now. What I'm missing thought are training that isn't necessarily physical."