Day 244 :: This is not a proper wasteland, damnit! [OPEN]

[schroedingersgun]

Who: Maya Schroedinger and anyone
Open: Open
When: Day 244
Where: Around the monument
What: Maya Schroedinger tries to steal inspect the monument.
Format: Will match yours.
Warnings: N/A


It hadn't been Maya's day, that was for sure. Waking up in what looked like a dried-up wasteland was, well, normal for her. Not waking up with her team at her side, however, was not.

Nor was discovering that the world had been torn apart, that there were only patches left! And the only remotely stable place might as well be on another continent, with the constant shifting of this sorry excuse of 'ground'!

Traversing this all had been a much needed distraction, though. It had forced her to move ever forward, to put her worries about Alfred, Todd, even Shady, not to mention Virginia and some others on the back of her mind.

And it had left her angry, really angry. Her only wish: To have a very stern talk with whoever was responsible for this, all of it. And then shoot them in the face!


After quite an odyssey, she had finally arrived at what was apparently called the Bastion. It didn't even look like anything from her world, and the crazy rambling of the only person she had met so far (the poor NPC mentioned in the FAQ) hadn't helped at all. At least he had given her an amulet with a pretty gem embedded into it, that alleviated her mood somewhat. What she had spotted shortly afterwards, though... that was different and immediately distracted her from everything else, including the toll the travel had taken on her.

The monument. Or, rather, the fact that a part of it resembled a large, pretty gem. Pretty much a mystical mega-sized gem, practically asking for her to take embrace it!

And thus, she started circling the monument. Could it be transported? What about the people that no doubt lived in this blasted place? Maybe a distraction would be needed...

[Your character can spot her walking around the monument, poking it, trying to climb it, trying to take a sample, in other words being totally suspicious and/or nuts.

Alternatively, she might spot your character, in which case she'd shout a "Hey, you! Yes, you! Get over here!" and point at them - Maya is anything but shy when it comes to requesting information on gems and gem-like objects!

And she'll likely continue to do all of this even after the first person tries to tell her off. She can be pretty persistent!]

Comments

[schroedingersgun]

Well, I don't normally fight like this. And however you want to put it, it did catch you off guard!

[To be fair, other than escaping a fortress on a self destruct sequence, the whole martial arts thing had never turned out well for Maya in an actual battle - but she still liked it, despite the evidence.]

[daughterofursa]

It took you just as long to recover as me. I wouldn't try it on any monsters if I were you. The rest of them would pick you off pretty easily.

[schroedingersgun]

...Maybe, but I'd have poked dozens of holes into them before they even reached me!

[She glanced at the stick]

With my guns, I mean.

[daughterofursa]

Right.

Well, there are other people here who use them if you need to practice or get more of those... [What are they even called? She's never asked.] metal balls.

[schroedingersgun]

Oh, I shouldn't need practice, but I suppose comparing my skills to theirs might be a good idea. Thanks for the idea!

[Maya nodded. Apparently, she considered it a plan.]

But...Metal balls? You mean Ammo? Don't worry about something like that.

[daughterofursa]

I don't know how they're normally made.

[She could get them from the monument, but if there's some alternative, that's probably better.]

[schroedingersgun]

Oh, it's an annoying process, normally. I'm just skipping it. My guns are special.

[It helps to use a weapon that runs on willpower and guts. Because videogames really have a fetish for stupid special weaponry. And Maya was not one to hide something like that, ego and all.

Regardless, she threw Zuko a glance after that remark, since Zuko's earlier remark on the effectiveness of her, uh, style against monsters was still on her mind.]

So, how do you deal with large, scaly, fanged creatures?

[daughterofursa]

[Magic bullets? Sure, maybe. Zuko has seen stranger things.]

Usually by talking. You just described Paarthurnax.

If you mean the Skyway monsters, I'm a firebender, but I mostly rely on my swords.

[schroedingersgun]

I keep hearing about this Paarthurnax-dragon thing. I should really pay him a visit one day.

[She looked around.]

Meant the monsters on the outside though, where the ground keeps collapsing. A sword'd be useful against em, can't deny that. I used to travel with someone who used one, after all. Though I'd still prefer guns any day.

[daughterofursa]

Just don't shoot him.

[Paarthurnax would probably forgive her for it, but the rest of the Bastion wouldn't.]

The thing about guns is they're noisy. Sometimes that just attracts more trouble.

[schroedingersgun]

Don't worry, I only shoot giant scaly monsters ambushing me on the way to treasure.

[Maya crossed her arms again.]

And of course they're noisy. I've raided enough ruins to know that. The trick is to use noise at the right time. Might even scare off some critters!

[daughterofursa]

I'm saying don't get cocky. They're not just monsters out there; they're trying to survive as much as we are. If you go out there thinking you already know everything, you'll get yourself hurt.

[schroedingersgun]

[Maya just started at Zuko, then grinned.]

This is funny. Because that's my line. That's what I've been teaching wannabe heroes on my world for a while now.

You're smarter than you originally looked!

[daughterofursa]

[So not only does she look weak, she looks like an idiot? Thanks, Maya.]

If that's supposed to be a compliment, you need to work on your delivery.

[schroedingersgun]

[Really, it was just Maya being a complete failure at being nice. If her brother were here, he'd be apologizing for her in secret afterwards, like he'd always do. Too bad (for Maya) he wasn't - that left her to ruin the impression she was giving.]

I keep hearing that. But it's as they say, it's the thought that counts!

[daughterofursa]

The thought that I look stupid. Thanks.

[Is it the scar? Maybe Maya thinks she got it from doing something foolish. Which might not be entirely wrong, but that was a long time ago.]

[schroedingersgun]

No, the thought that you weren't. And you're welcome.

[She smiled. Scar? She had noticed, but wasn't too concerned about it - she had assumed it to be some sort of battle wound. Not the result of a rather crazy father...]

Nice to know some people here might be able to handle themselves well.

[daughterofursa]

I guess.

[And Zuko thought her people skills were bad.]

... I'm Zuko. [There should probably be some kind of introductions after all this nonsense.]

[schroedingersgun]

Oh, right. I'm Maya Schroedinger.

[She actually seemed startled, she had entirely forgotten about the whole introduction thing you were supposed to do.]

I'm hoping the name will end up as infamous here as it was back home.

[daughterofursa]

What exactly were you infamous for?

[She's guessing jewel theft, but you never know.]

[schroedingersgun]

Oh, mostly for venturing into the most dangerous ruins for gems and blowing up a mine or two. And ruining some megalomaniacal idiot's day.

[She shrugged as if it was no big deal, despite pretty much having bragged about it moments earlier. The nerve.]

How about you? Got any fame or infamy? Or are you more the goody two shoes type that runs after justice or whatnot?

[daughterofursa]

[All right, she was close.]

Goody two-shoes...?

No. I was a princess. [Among other things she's not so proud of.]

[schroedingersgun]

Goody two-shoes as in 'tries to save the world all the time, ends up getting everyone else into trouble for it'.

[Maya showed an annoyed expression, apparently she was recalling something (or rather someone) that peeved her.]

Though... You were a princess? As in royalty? I've read a few stories with a character like that... 'The daring escape from Castle Doom', 'Revenge of the Vezier...' - hadn't thought you'd end up being someone like that.

[daughterofursa]

Oh.

[That sounds more like Aang, but maybe Zuko converted to it. She did get Mai in trouble for it, didn't she?]

I don't know what they're like in your stories, but Fire Nation royalty are expected to become military leaders. My sister excelled at it. I didn't.

[schroedingersgun]

Hm, no, the stories are usually about rebelling by becoming such a leader somehow.

Not that we had something like a real military any more. Must've collapsed ages ago.

[Maya shrugged. T'was normal for her, after all.]