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Quickman · **Reply #2625 on:** March 18, 2015, 07:14:48 AM

"Pathetic creature," Riagan spat.

He walked along in silence for a long time, leading them down a different tunnel, away from their quarters. After a while, the tunnel opened up into a stable, with Dwarves hustling around and feeding the horses.

"Your mount is in the fourth stall."

Sakura Leic · **Reply #2626 on:** March 18, 2015, 07:19:05 AM

"Fourth stall....okay." Sakura nodded as she headed to the 4th stall while looking at the other horses. Though she only saw their heads she did see that each of them had leather straps around their faces, though they were worn in such a way that didn't provide the horses with discomfort.

(I assume the stalls are like that right?)

Quickman · **Reply #2627 on:** March 18, 2015, 07:20:45 AM

((Yeah, pretty much. It's a stall with a Dutch door. The top half is usually open so the horse can look out and feed, and the bucket is hung on the bottom door. The door goes up to roughly the chest.))

Sakura Leic · **Reply #2628 on:** March 18, 2015, 07:24:24 AM

After a while Sakura found Epee and opened the door to see her as well as look at the stuff the Dwarves outfitted her with.

"Wow that's a lot of stuff.....Epee are you okay with all that on you....?" Sakura asked hesitantly.

Epee uttered a series of neighs as she spoke to her.

"Oh that's good, I'm glad they made it comfortable for you." Sakura said as she looked down to the horse shoes "Um Riagan can you explain all this stuff to me........?"

(Decided not to include the battle armor.....but maybe later....)

Quickman · **Reply #2629 on:** March 18, 2015, 07:38:24 AM

Riagan looked to one of the Dwarves and motioned for them to come over.

The Dwarf waddled over and took the reins off the hook, and hooked them to the bridle. Opening the door, he led Epee out of the stall and knotted the reins to the hitching post.

"We've given 'er a bridle, and ye hook yer reins 'ere--" he pointed to the bit in Epee's mouth "--an' ye drape it over th' nape, 'ere, an' ye loop 'er 'round th' saddle 'orn," he pointed to a large protrusion on the front of the saddle.

Walking around Epee while dragging his hand from bridle to saddle, he indicated the blankets. "These'll make it comf'table for ye, and ye wannae be able t' git yer finger under th' strap, 'ere," he indicated the harness that wrapped around Epee's broad midsection.

He unhooked the reins, looped them around the saddle horn, and put a foot into the stirrup. With one hand on the horn and the other on the rear of the saddle, he hoisted himself up and swung his short leg over the rear of the saddle and mounted Epee.

"We've given 'er shoes," the Dwarf poked his heels into Epee's sides and got her into a slow walk up the stable aisle and back again, her newly-shod hooves clopping on the rocky floor. A tug on the reins brought her to a stop, and he dismounted, hitching her to the post once again.

Standing with his back against Epee's chest, he lifted her forefoot off the floor and held it between his knees to show the new shoe. "Smithy made 'ese shoes fer 'er t'day."

Sakura Leic · **Reply #2630 on:** March 18, 2015, 07:45:17 AM

Sakura took it all in as all the pieces clicked together and made sense to her for the most part, however she still had one more question.

"I think I understood everything for the most part, and it seems like most of it will make it easier and more comfortable for both me and Epee. But there's still one thing I want to ask since I'm not exactly sure about the function of them.

Just what exactly are the 'shoes' for?"

Quickman · **Reply #2631 on:** March 18, 2015, 08:05:00 AM

"Why, t' pr'tect th' hooves, of course!" The Dwarf released Epee's leg and waddled around to the front. "She was wearin' 'em down, an' th' farrier filed and fitted 'er wi' long-wear steel shoes. If yer ridin' 'er, 'er gait'll be better fer it. If she throws a shoe, ye'll git a boot t' put on 'er til ye git t' a shop."

The Dwarf got closer to Sakura and dropped his voice. "Now, 'ese shoes, 'ey 'ave iron in 'em. Ye dinnae wan' yer lil fae friend t' git it. Cold iron, it repels th' fae."

Sakura Leic · **Reply #2632 on:** March 18, 2015, 08:09:24 AM

"Repels the fae.....?" Sakura questioned "What do you mean?"

(I do know that Cold Iron is a Fairy's weakness, that's why Fairy Pokemon are weak to Steel types. But I didn't really read up on why.)

Quickman · **Reply #2633 on:** March 18, 2015, 08:15:54 AM

The Dwarf raised his eyebrows, as he could have sworn that this was common knowledge. "Y'see, it hurts th' fae. Ye wannae keep th' fae outta yer home, ye nail up a horseshoe."

Meanwhile, Riagan was conversing with another Dwarf about different matters.

Sakura Leic · **Reply #2634 on:** March 18, 2015, 08:20:14 AM

"So it hurts them....and the Prof is one of the Fae.....? How do I make sure it doesn't hurt him?" Sakura asked.

Sapphire Knight · **Reply #2635 on:** March 18, 2015, 08:28:36 AM

Shuu just perused the stables while Sakura and Riagan talked to other dwarves, finding himself feeling nostalgic for his home.

Quickman · **Reply #2636 on:** March 18, 2015, 08:32:51 AM

"Don't let 'im touch it," the Dwarf gave a shrug. "Methinks yer hobgoblin was a changeling. An' 'e's got no magic 'cause of 'is lame leg. 'At brace 'as steel bars. Yer lil fae friend is weak. But, 'at's jus' me theory. Y'see, we've dealt wi' goblins 'round 'ere. 'Ere's a few tribes, an' 'ey've come maraudin' b'fore. Yer lil friend looks like 'e might be from one a' 'em local tribes."

The Dwarf clucked his tongue loudly. "Th' Order a' th' Triad, 'ey've been messin' wi' the fae now, too? Yer right t' git 'im out when ye did."

Sakura Leic · **Reply #2637 on:** March 18, 2015, 08:41:59 AM

"Maybe I should tell him about that." Sakura nodded "He didn't know what he was, it's been bothering him very recently, and still bothers him since he doesn't know what a Hobgoblin is. Maybe we can find his tribe someday and he can learn more about himself. It seems The Order of the Triade either didn't know or tell him about this. I hope it's the former though......I don't want to think about the reasons for the latter......but it could be since the Prof really doesn't know anything outside The Order of the Triade.....

You mentioned something about Changelings, what are those exactly? I'm sorry for asking all these questions, Daddy and I were living a hermit's life until recently, and he didn't know what the Prof was either so I assume he doesn't know anything about this Fae stuff either."

Quickman · **Reply #2638 on:** March 18, 2015, 08:54:40 AM

"Aye, a changeling! Th' fae, 'ey like t' steal babies. 'Ey know humans got it good, so 'ey'll take a newborn an' put 'eir own baby in its place. Th' fae'll raise th' human as 'eir own, an' th' human'll raise th' changeling. If ye dinnae wan' th' fae t' take yer baby, ye hang a horseshoe above th' cradle. Keeps th' fae away. If 'ey git yer baby, ye can bring it back by treatin' th' changeling horribly. Th' fae will come back and make th' switch!"

The Dwarf glanced over at Riagan for a moment. "Now, I've 'eard a lot a things, 'ere. I've been workin' th' mines fer years. I've heard 'at one a th' goblin tribes, 'ey liked to pull 'at stunt. I've 'eard 'at one time, a fam'ly in Iron Gate 'ad 'eir baby taken. 'Ey dinnae keep the changeling, an' 'ey abandoned it in th' hills. Dinnae what 'appened t' it after, but ye say yer goblin was wi' th' Order? I cannae say fer certain, but... ye may wannae ask 'im how 'e got 'ere."

Sakura Leic · **Reply #2639 on:** March 18, 2015, 09:00:29 AM

"He said his Master found him and took him to the Order of the Triade when he was very young." Sakura replied "Unlike the Order of the Triade he seemed to have been a kind man and taught him everything he knew about Alchemy and the Precursors.

But.....it seems the Order of the Triade had killed his Master for some reason....so I can't ask him why he was part of the Order of the Triade in the first place despite seemingly not following the Order of the Triade's teachings....it doesn't make sense......."

Sapphire Knight · **Reply #2640 on:** March 18, 2015, 09:11:32 AM

"They might have access to resources he might not have had elsewhere." Shuu chimed in, joining the conversation that Sakura and the dwarf were having. "People tend to get mixed with the wrong folks when there's somethin' they feel like they desperately need."

Sakura Leic · **Reply #2641 on:** March 18, 2015, 09:14:41 AM

"I don't know, it doesn't seem like the Order of the Triade would have something an Alchemist would want. The Prof said they live a humble life style without luxuries and shun Magic and Magitek. They don't even wear shoes......" Sakura pointed out.

(I just realized that the Order of the Triade sound like Amish people.....)

Sapphire Knight · **Reply #2642 on:** March 18, 2015, 09:20:23 AM

"Well... Maybe he was born into it?" Shuu shrugged.

Quickman · **Reply #2643 on:** March 18, 2015, 10:12:23 AM

"Whatever it tis, better learn up on ye cold iron if yer totin' a fae 'round witcha," the Dwarf gave a nod and waddled off to tend to the other horses.

Blue Valkyrie · **Reply #2644 on:** March 18, 2015, 03:05:49 PM

Quote from: Quickman on March 18, 2015, 05:51:13 AM

"Just... needed to excuse m-myself from the others," the Professor had finally climbed the rocks and sat, removing his hood. He watched the party enter the mines and finally relaxed once Riagan was out of sight.

He let out a sigh and cast his gaze skyward. "I feel, I feel that, I feel that we're wasting our time... We m-must recover the shards, and time is of the essence! However, however, I feel that..."

He paused as his voice dropped so as not to echo through the canyon. "I feel that... that Chakra doesn't have the same urgency. This, this... this is not the first time that she had taken... too long to act. If, if I, if I hadn't m-moved... we would have still been outside the city gates."

He dropped his gaze to his hands in his lap. "We should tell her, or remind her, or, or... or even go ahead. Time is of the essence. M-mar is also after the shards. We need to be one step ahead, but, but, but we can't if we don't move."

"Don't worry I'm not sitting idle either, this meditation is an art used by guardians and mages in the old empire; we allow our mana to mingle with the world's like a stream meeting a river and through this connection we can sense--if things are amiss. Normally we use it to trace down chaos, however with the Omni-Gem shattered I should be able to track the abnormal amounts of mana at the points these shards fell." Aya paused. "Hmm--Professor are you certain you do not possess any magical abilities I'm sense an odd mana within you actually."

Meanwhile at Pandora....

Albertus had been summoned by Mar, while he was preoccupied with setting up his laboratory he knew better than to anger his new "master". As Albertus entered the throne room Mar was sitting simply waiting.

"Ah-good, Albertus it's time to prove your self. I have a task for you." Mar leaned forward as Albertus approached the throne.

Sakura Leic · **Reply #2645 on:** March 18, 2015, 03:21:10 PM

Sakura decided to try out Epee's new equipment to get used to it, though she didn't have Epee gallop around so as not to scare the Dwarves. Though it was very new to her she got used to it very quickly and reins and stirrups would make it easier for her to give physical commands.

"Wow.....I knew I had a lot to learn.....but I guess I might have underestimated what I don't know....but it seems like the equipment is easy to use so it's not too difficult understand how they work." Sakura muttered to herself.

(Hey I just realized something obvious...... Kunais are made of Soft Iron. I think we might have to retroactively retcon that one post where the Prof sensed the Mana of Sakura's magic compared to the unstable Mana in Toshi's spear.

Or we could say they're made of Steel.)

Dr. Wily II · **Reply #2646 on:** March 18, 2015, 03:32:27 PM

Quote from: Blue Valkyrie on March 18, 2015, 03:05:49 PM

Meanwhile at Pandora....

Albertus had been summoned by Mar, while he was preoccupied with setting up his laboratory he knew better than to anger his new "master". As Albertus entered the throne room Mar was sitting simply waiting.

"Ah-good, Albertus it's time to prove your self. I have a task for you." Mar leaned forward as Albertus approached the throne.

Upon nearing the throne, Albertus knelt down onto one knee, and bowed.

"Vhat tazk do joo haf four me, milord?"

Quickman · **Reply #2647 on:** March 18, 2015, 04:38:11 PM

((Maybe the enchantment negated its effect and its iron content is also low (say 80-90% iron content to be effective). Let's go with that.))

Blue Valkyrie · **Reply #2648 on:** March 18, 2015, 04:48:42 PM

"The first shard has surfaced in the north, Mask Master tells me there is a community called Heimdall there. Our plans have not changed, however I do not desire to be blind to our enemies actions so I want you to keep an eye on Aya and her friends and keep the illusion that we desire to steal the shard, do not give them reason to suspect we have our own plans.

Mar leans back casually. "Oh and Pandora's automated repair constructs should have kept the old airships docked here intact, use them however you wish from now on.

((One or two military warships are still docked at the floating city, Albertus can use them how he wishes.))

Sakura Leic · **Reply #2649 on:** March 18, 2015, 05:08:44 PM

(I love how Mar underestimates everyone despite being smart and really powerful but he does have a good reason to. Even if the party does sort of suspect that they are being used to collect the shards they can't really do anything but follow their trap since they have no choice but to collect them since the world is screwed otherwise.

[spoiler]I mean something similar did happen in Ocarina of Time and A Link Between Worlds, but again the Party can't do much except try to become stronger than Mar, but that's not really easy to do in the first place.[/spoiler])

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