[20:10] <VoxPVoxD>
[20:10] <VoxPVoxD>
[20:10] <VoxPVoxD>
[20:10] <VoxPVoxD>
[20:10] <VoxPVoxD>
[20:14] <VoxPVoxD> The lesson apparently over, the hearth and Caxi are left watching Garnet lead Seiri in the direction of the barracks. They could follow... but the rest of the island awaits as well.
[20:14] <VoxPVoxD> Technically, as XO Zhangyu is in charge of what the group does... but come on. What's the plan?
[20:15] <Crion> Piu is inclined to let them have their moment; Garnet could probably use a couple hours before having to deal with her pestering again.
[20:15] <Crion> That leaves her schedule wide open to help Daizo.
[20:15] <Crion> Assuming he needs it, and Caxi isn't going to get territorial. Hee.
[20:17] <VoxPVoxD> Caxi, thinking aloud: "We could make a circuit around the island looking for physical or geomantic disturbances from the accumulated energy... that's a lot of walking though..."
[20:18] <cbass> Daizo's not opposed in principle, but if Piu wanted to try and speak with the castellans again, this is likely to be her last chance.
[20:19] <Crion> Oh right, Garnet's going to go give them last rites or the like. Yes, she might as well oversee that.
[20:20] <cbass> Daizo: "I believe I would be able to carry one person while gliding a short ways, but that still leaves Dryas and Diamond Weapon out in the cold."
[20:20] <cbass> "Not to mention that if we're surveying the coastline, it'll be difficult to keep finding places to leap off of. Hah."
[20:23] <cbass> "So, we'll need to find an alternate means of conveyance. What leaps to mind?"
[20:28] <VoxPVoxD> "Hmm...." Caxi traces her fingertips through the air, leaving trails of chill mist that layer and curl, growing thick and puffy and sinking gently to the ground, until a fat, roiling cloud hangs around their ankles. She looks up at Daizo. "Why walk when you can ride?"
[20:29] <VoxPVoxD> Piu's got no trouble catching up to Garnet and Seiri, especially when the sailors - Lao's men - standing watch at the barracks are reticent to let her in. "Please," she says. "I have dispensation from the Commodore." The guards seem uncertain about letting their shawled, armed quasiprisoner just walk on by.
[20:30] <Crion> Piu: "Is there a problem?"
[20:31] <Crion> Her look on her face explains directly what she expects the answer to that to be.
[20:31] <Crion> *The
[20:32] <cbass> Daizo looks suitably impressed. "True enough. We'll just have to trust that Diamond Weapon can keep up with us."
[20:32] <VoxPVoxD> The guards exchange a stony glance and the nearer replies, "No, ma'am," and stand apart to admit the three women.
[20:33] <Crion> Piu: "Thank you."
[20:33] <cbass> Daizo: "Erm… it does carry another person, right? Or should I be the one holding on to you?"
[20:33] <Crion> She'll lead them inside.
[20:33] <cbass> That would be fine, actually.
[20:34] <Crion> It's a perfectly genuine 'thank you,' for what little that's worth.
[20:35] <VoxPVoxD> Caxi: "It's so tempting to lie... but no, we can sit side by side."
[20:38] <cbass> Daizo: "Oho. That will do just as well, I think. Let's be off, then."
[20:43] <VoxPVoxD> The other sailors have vacated; lots of rations remain packed in the basement, pending a final decision on the hold. But Piu and Garnet go upstairs, with Seiri in tow (the third flight up lugging that jade jar has her breathing hard) and find the stoneskinned sons of the Shogunate lying side by side in one of the officers' suites. The stout man is awake, and looking out the window at
[20:43] <VoxPVoxD> the manse's minarets. The whiskered man is snoring gently on the far side of him.
[20:43] <Crion> Piu will move out of the way to a corner and stand there; she has no real intention of interfering here unless asked.
[20:56] <VoxPVoxD> The cirrus skiff is quite convenient, being quick enough to feel like a true conveyance and able to rise or fall arbitrarily to get better vantagepoints. Between that, Dryas's far-seeing speed, and Zhangyu's patience, the group makes thorough work of their survey. The place is in very good shape, overall, though everywhere are the signs of destruction and decay that strong planning
[20:56] <VoxPVoxD> and careful stewardship can't fix. The essence lamps that line every walkway are all dim, and mostly cracked, and the portholes from which the sentry war machines emerged the night before are here and there ajar, broken open, or wedged shut.
[20:59] <cbass> Daizo: "It's funny… flying like this is completely different from flying as birds. It's easier to concentrate like this, for one thing."
[20:59] * Joins: mattbaby