witchesreign | SeeD field exam

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SeeD field exam

Incongruous architecture and reports of suspicious noise around ruins recently unearthed on a Trabia farm have led the local town council to suspect off-world involvement. SeeD has been hired to provide a thorough safety assessment of the site, with an eye for potential future development.

[The town council, who hired SeeD for this mission, have supplied a check list for Namur and Maria to refer to, things like monsters, structural integrity, and other hazards. Amid whining about the overnight appearance of these ruins "DEVASTATING!!" his potato crop and some sideeying of Namur, the farmer with sudden ancient ruins on his farm has shown them to the entrance, handed them flashlights, and gone back to his work.

[The entrance is actually a small cave, half-sunken into the ground; Trabian excavators have dug up enough of the earth around it to get inside. It's dark and dusty inside, but well away from the entrance, one can start to make out what may have once been a city (note: visual guide for architectural style and atmosphere only, not layout) in the stone, about ten metres down: Crumbling walls of a blue stone not found in Trabia, ornate stone doors in the most solid-looking wall with a sign carved nearby, worn pavement in that same blue stone, the ends of clay pipes sticking out of the ground, large boulders dotted around the area.

[There happens to be a ladder down to this level, though one that's seen better days.]

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[Since Namur didn't take nearly as much care to keep his voice down as Maria, and mumbling to yourself like that would be a bit odd:]

Er, hello? Is someone else there?!

[Not doubt about it, his voice is definitely trembling now.]

[lslkdjsald that was not the sort of reaction Namur expected when all he meant to do was push her back in a slightly less aggressive way. But he'll totally take it. Unprofessional blush be damned.

Namur nods at her words though. He doesn't remember, but trusts her to know her own shit better than him.]

A'ight, cool.

[And then its back to Davies. Namur slaps the top of the coffin hard enough to make the whole thing rattle.]

Davy-boy we goin' t' get y' out a this shitty box here in jus' a second a'ight? Jus' got t' find the damn locks an' bust 'em up gentle like.

[And that is what he does, though not necessarily gently. If they poke out enough for him to bite he'll go that route rather than splintering any of the wood, but either way Davies will find himself face to maw with an exceedingly toothy shark-grin within minutes.]

Have a nice nap, Sunshine?

[Which leaves the gunblade girl facepalming in the background.]

Namur, I told you you were gonna freak him out like that... [She lifts her voice to call over the fish-man's shoulder.] He's harmless, really!

[The coffin was not, in fact, locked - and the instant the heavy wood near the hinges begins to splinter in the vice-grip of Namur's teeth, curiously enough, the spiritual signature of a non-threatening, perfectly ordinary human will be as loud and clear to Namur as the lack of it was a second ago.

This is completely lost on Doctor Davies, a rather gangly man covered in khaki from his hat to his dirt-encrusted boots, not to mention a prominent five o'clock shadow - and, after coming face to face with that shark grin, an even more prominent look of wide-eyed terror.]

They've learnt to speak! My... my goodness, I... [As soon as he has enough space to sit up, he hurriedly starts to raise his (empty) hands, although he seems to be having a little difficulty raising them entirely in sync. His arms are clearly trembling, too.] I'm sorry! Forgive an old man's curiosity!

[He noticed Maria's presence earlier, but now it's flown right out of his head...]

They? Yer a weirdass dude, Davey-boy.

[He kicks the box a little, trying to figure out why it had been blocking Davies' haki. Inanimate objects don't usually do that...

Namur sets his foot on the edge of the coffin and lowers himself to sit, also on the edge, elbow draped over his now raised knee.]

Don't seem like a vampire though so that's good. Talk like y' seen others like me. Fishmen? Or somethin' else? Need y' t' tell me where they was an' what they was doin', an' don't be vague 'bout it cuz I ain't exactly patient, y' catch me?

Uh, Namur, don't take it personally, but I think he means 'monsters'.

[She makes an effort to get around the fishman, offering a rueful smile.]

SeeD Maria Cyphert from Balamb Garden. We're investigating this locale on behalf of the local community.

Gave him space for that, now quit harshin' my game. [He pats poor terrified Davies' khaki brown hat with his webbed hand.] Davey-boy's jus' goin' t' answer a few questions 'fore we go tellin' him a whole bunch a shit 'bout us. Ain't that right, Davies?

[He flinches when Namur kicks what's left of the coffin, and again when he's patted on the head. It's hard for him to avert his eyes with a huge slab of fishman taking up most of his field of vision, but he makes a valiant attempt.]

SeeD? All the way from Balamb? My word. Though I suppose that's only to be expected. [He offers Maria a weak smile.] Well, heaven forbid I interrupt your good work, my dear, but... I ought to confess, after those fiends chased me up here, I'm not entirely certain I could find the way out... [Subtext: halp.]

[So he's native, or has been here long enough to be familiar with SeeD. But he's still not answering Namur's questions.]

If y' ever get 'round t' tellin' us what damn fiends yer talkin' 'bout, we might be able t' do somethin' 'bout 'em.

[He jumps when Namur speaks again.] Oh, er, well... I thought you might have encountered them already. I'm afraid monsters aren't particularly my field. These rather rodent-looking beasts on two legs, about this high... [He gestures.] Perhaps "chase" might have been something of an exaggeration. To be honest, I only really saw them from a distance.

[But then, fairly quickly (although he still doesn't want to look the scary shark man in the eye), he brightens up a little.] It's actually rather interesting! Of course, as I say, I can't claim to be an expert, but... ah, give me a second.

[Rummaging through the large satchel that was previously snugly nestled into the coffin right next to him, he pulls out a small, dusty, roughly-hewn spearhead that looks a lot like it might have snapped off one of the little polearms the Rat Soldiers from earlier were carrying...]

Do you see this? Quite a marvellous little thing. Now, the lack of wear suggests to me that it was made not long ago, but - here's the kicker - the stone clearly doesn't precisely match the geological records we have of this region. In fact, I unfortunately don't remember off-hand, but I'd go so far as to guess that the material originates from somewhere other than Trabia.

[He pauses for effect.]

Isn't that extraordinary? Either the entire pack of them must have crossed the mountains and come here in the very recent past, or the stone itself must have been transported over distances on that sort of scale. Most unprecedented, as far as I know! [His eyes are practically shining...] Would that it were feasible to map out these caverns in their entirety, I say... And as for the way it seems they've adapted to the pre-existing buildings -

[But his enthusiastic monologue is cut off when his other hand, the one he was propping himself up with against the unbitten edge of the coffin, slips. The spearhead drops too, clinking on the cold stone floor.] Ahh! [It takes him a second to woozily sit back up, groaning a little.] Oh, I beg your pardon.

Sheheh, cute little bastards, ain't they?

[Namur's smile is a little less pointedly toothy.]

Looks like y' ain't feelin' too hot, huh? Jus' got a few more questions then I'll let Maria look y' over. Might be kind a weird questions though. Think y' can stay with me that long?

Yes... Yes, of course. I'm terribly sorry. Perhaps it's just the air. [The impromptu lecture does appear to have cheered him up a bit, though.] But, yes, naturally, if there's anything else I can help with...?

What day was it when y' came in here? Month, day, year, all that.

Year? I'm afraid I don't quite follow... [Now he looks a little concerned for Namur.] It's still the [today's date], isn't it? And it must still be [current year]. As much as I'd have liked to begin a proper, thorough excavation today... after all, I - [He stops rather abruptly.] Er, but that isn't what you're asking about, I gather.

Naw, go on, man. Say what y' were goin' t' say.

I, er - I'm not at all equipped for one. As you can see. [He pats his well-worn satchel affectionately.] Quite embarrassing, really - I've always tried to drill the importance of preparation into my students, you know...

[Yep, totally what he was going to say.]

Sheheh, I feel y'. Done a bit a teachin' myself. Smolts, right? Don't listen for shit.

[Namur breathes in through his mouth, tasting the chemicals being emitted by the other man, and lets it out like a sigh. He stares at Liar McShadypants for a few seconds, sizing him up. Namur still isn't convinced the man isn't working for Sol Invictus or some other faction. But he lets it go for now.]

A'ight so next round a weirdass questions. How come yer down here by yerself? An' ol' Farmer Whatshisface up top didn't say nothin' 'bout other people bein' in here t' look out for. Y' didn't sneak in, did y'? [He winks.]

[The renewed panic on the good doctor's face says more than words ever could.] Erm, not as such...

[He laughs.] Not as such? Come on man, it's killin' me. Got t' tell me the story now.

[He looks hunted.] Well... I certainly wasn't going to launch a full-scale investigation without going through the proper channels! Certainly not! No, just a quick gander, in and out, that was all! Academic curiosity, surely you must understand -

[Before he can make any more excuses for himself, the floor beneath their feet rumbles with a bestial roar more felt than heard.

Davies flinches as it passes, even though no fragments of the debris it dislodged from the floor above appear to have physically hit him.] Oh... oh, dear Hyne, again...

[Namur's head snaps to the direction the roar came from as it passes. In the uneasy quiet afterward, he he stares at Davies, then makes his decision.]

Smellin' fishier'n me, Davey-boy. Lot y' ain't tellin' us. Figure it out later, though.

[He takes the man's precious satchel in one hand, and a fistful of the man's shirt in the other, hefting both out of the coffin with little effort.]

Maria, get 'im good 'nuff t' stay on his feet an' check 'im for knives an' shit. Take 'im with us, for now.

[Namur slings the satchel over his shoulder. If Davies wants to run away he'll have to abandon it and whatever little treasures he has tucked inside.]

[Maria nods. She's been content to let this entire thing play out as Namur wants it to, reserving all judgment and keeping to quiet military discipline. Now she steps forward.]

I'm just going to do a quick check of your vital signs, consciousness, and state to make sure there's no difficulty from your entrapment there... no signs of oxygen deprivation or wounds you might not have realize.

[And in the process she'll be checking him for weapons as ordered. She just won't advertise the fact.]

[On being lifted out of the coffin and onto the floor, Davies immediately stumbles - but he manages to catch himself, and in response to Maria just nods quietly, only too glad to go along with the heavily armed SeeDs instead of having to stare them down.

Apart from his obvious wooziness and a couple of large bruises on his head and arms, he doesn't appear to be badly injured, and the most lethal object he happens to have on him is a battered old flashlight in one of the pockets of his chinos.

Once or twice he cranes his neck curiously to try and sneak a surreptitious glance at the coffin, though.]

[Namur moves down the hallway, heading towards what felt like the source of the roar, then comes back in time to catch one of Davies' glances.]

Drop somethin' in there?

[And he'll check inside, running his hand along the corners and over the bottom in case there's something he missed visually.]

[He shakes his head.] No, no. As I've said, I didn't bring much with me when I came down here, after all. But I didn't get a terribly good look at it before I tripped over it, and - well, the material, the level of workmanship [apart from all the splinters]... It's rather at odds with the architecture of the rest of this place, wouldn't you say? If I had the equipment, I should like to take back a sample, at least...

[His voice is slipping into that lecturing tone again...]

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