Fantasy Action Adventure Scifi A Growing Menace - *Any Character, Any Genre*

[Hawksearcher]

As Captain Rochdale contemplated where he might go to eat food even remotely palatable to his human taste, it was almost as though fate had stepped in to intervene and grant him a boon: Before he had the chance to get lost in the complex map, his ears picked conversation only 5 feet to his left. This was especially curious, because even though he could inexplicably understand what everyone was saying in the Interdimensional Highway, this particular conversation suddenly seemed very loud to his ears.

It was an accent he recognized.

"Oi! Yer won't know fer sure until ye try it, Lard."

A human with an eyepatch was standing close to a large, oily alien with black gleaming skin. The human was using the map interface while gesturing to a location, glancing up at the alien.

"My nephew were a fair cook in the galley of 'is home dimension. 'E makes a stew that'll fill even ye up, and none of 'is dishes 're still livin'--that's the real bonus, there."

The large alien responded to the man, and Captain Rochdale couldn't help but notice that when the alien spoke, even though Rochdale could understand what the alien was saying, the alien's voice sounded rather muted in comparison to the human's.

"But I 'ike 'em wigg'in. I don' mined a squirmy thin' in mah soup."

"Well, Tarmy's 's cheap. So ah reckon 'e wins just fer that."

Their dinner decided, the two Travelers start walking off to the left, away from Rochdale and Zava, and casually stroll down a grand stair that wraps along the edge of the balcony overlooking this city.

 

[Fatal Nymph]

Those pretty eyes blinked and actually took in the captain once more. He seemed lost and uncertain. Yet here she was about to leave him to his own devices in a dimension he had never been in. "I'm sorry captain. I was so lost in my thoughts and feeling sorry for myself that I didn't think about your needs."

The female looked around, aware of the different conversations but unaware of what the captain might want. "I'm not familiar with your tastes. What are you used to?" She questioned not paying much attention to the Asari wandering away.

Soft white dog ears perked up as she sighed. Poor Rochdale didnt deserve to be abandoned just cause she was in a mood to feel sorry for herself. "And as for a place to sleep, you can stay with me, if you want." Perhaps she should have said there was more beds, maybe she was seeing how far his mind might wander, however the anthro left it at that as she waited on a response from Rochdale.

 

[Hekazu]

Oh, Zava was turning her ship around. Rochdale turned to look at her, his dark black eyes reflecting a certain surprise, but he was quick to raise his hand to call for a turn to speak. "Oh, if only it isn't too much trouble. I understand if you feel as if you should go, and you have done plenty to help me already. I wouldn't want to impose anything on you", he apologised, though behind all of those words he hoped she would not take the out he dangled right before her. The fact that she had come about gave him certain hope that she had already made this new decision, and what he was saying now would just be the formality he intended it to be.

"But if it won't inconvenience you, I would be thankful should you assist me in finding out if anything that resembles my usual diet is even available here. I'm used to mushrooms and basic fish foods, especially deep fried. For drinking, mushroom wines, absinthe and, on occasion, beer. Naturally also tea and coffee", he would then respond to her question, undoubtedly causing great confusion in her with how most of this fit together, but sharing most of what he knew would likely be for the best. He'd leave the more exotic things (for him) such as cheeses, real wines and horse meat for another time. For now, he just wanted to eat something, and was already waving his hand around the map, in hopes of it picking up the words even if his gestures made little sense to it. At least the glass sheet was supposed to work like that, was it not? The two travellers and their discussion… that he had been very uncertain of if it would have led anywhere good. It at least sounded plenty fishy, and not in the good way.

 

[Fatal Nymph]

With a slight head tilt she listened unimpressed by the pretty words. The female understood all too well what the captain truly wanted. "Captain, as sweet as that was, please tell me what you want when you want something. I think I'm a big enough girl to handle it. Its hard to combat the dog like nature of being easily wounded by people I want to be around when I misunderstand them."

With that the female looked around for a moment. Absinthe and earthy foods... There should be a place not too far if it was still there. "It should be close to your tastes..." Muttered the anthro female. With a sigh and a smirk of a smile flashed to the captain, "I think I know a place."

"Hopefully you don't mind a hole in the wall kind of place." Zava began to walk making sure the captain was at her side as she walked into the city. The closer they got the more one could see that these people weren't aristocrats, the streets weren't as clean and strong smells came from bars, restaurants, and the like as people seemed to enjoy themselves.

"As far as work goes, you can go to the guild hall and there they will have work more like what you are used too. Where I'm staying currently will always welcome you. I'm honestly not sure how long I'll be in town before I'm off again." It was easy to talk to the captain, he didnt seem as aloof as Joopis or as harsh as the justicar female.

 

[MonMis]

As Manira made their way about the guild hall, the way the city looked would indeed feel quite familiar to them. If it weren’t for the fact that there were races here they’d never seen before walking about the place, they’d believe themself still in their own galaxy, even on an Asari-run planet with the way the technology and infrastructure presented itself here.

As they reached the reception desk and the program formed the image of one like their own kind, they listened to what was being said. Manira hummed, “they even have VI assistants.” This truly was no different from what they were already used to.

“I’m looking for navigational guidance. I need to return to my own dimension. My name is Manira L’vie, Asari Justicar, born on Thessia. I was last on the mining station of Omega and it is with the utmost importance I return to finish the mission I had started in the city there.” They spoke with the utmost professionalism and urgency as their hands rested on the counter top. “If you need it, the time and date at which this was taking place was 21:45 on the third day of the fourth month of the year 2462 GS. I’m unsure if the unexpected travel affects time as well. Considering I met a human a few hundred years before my present time, I can only assume it is the case.”

(that year, by the way, is equivalent to 2185 in CE on earth, if I did my math right >.>)

 

[Hawksearcher]

As the captain and the fox made their way down into the lower levels of the city, their walk took them along curved stairways, automated lifts, and a sparkling lake that could be seen from above. However, true to what Zava perceived, it seemed that the shiniest, cleanest, brightest parts of the city were reserved for the districts closest to the portal—the areas most likely to be interacted with by Travelers.

Deeper into the city, not only were streets left messier and less organized, the pair would also notice that the city seemed to largely be separated into racial sections. Human living quarters, restaurants, and shops were mainly grouped together away from elven ones—their path would have taken them through an alien neighborhood of tall, blue, slender beings, and if either of the pair looked closely enough, they might notice that even different areas of the same racial makeup boasted differing levels of technology and sociology-economic status. It was true that most of the buildings were made out of a sturdy, futuristic silvery steel with differences in architecture and coloration, but while in one human district they saw teenagers racing each other on hoverboards and a businessman talking to a holographic projection walking alongside him, in another human district, the residents would be seen hanging clothing on clothes lines and running restaurants that belched black smoke from wood fire stoves.

Whether these differences and disparities were due to people voluntarily gravitating towards others of similar technology levels, or due to some underlying social inequity, remained to be seen. Curiously though, even in the poorer districts, there did not appear to be homeless beings living on the streets themselves.

their journey eventually led them to a mixed district—less common but not necessarily rare—with species of many different kinds wandering, bartering, and raising an eyebrow or equivalent appendage to any Traveler who walked by with extremely clean clothing. Here, smells and cooking smoke intermingled with the high-tech hissing of food dispensers; this was a true melting pot of different species and cultures.

(If you want to take the helm in describing the restaurant @Fatal Nymph, go for it! I can describe some NPC interactions and a certain event while you’re there :) )

 

[Hawksearcher]

The holographic assistant stared back unwaveringly as Manira posed their question. Its response came almost immediately after it processed the data of the inquiry; its eyes glowed white. "I have searched our databases using the information you have provided, and I have located the designation for your dimension. Your dimension designation is 13572272, colloquially known as 'Mass Effect 32c' by the closest-related dimension. Unfortunately, your dimension has not yet discovered travel via the Interdimensional Highway, and is therefore classified as a GREEN dimension with only one-way access available. A direct teleportation will cost 125,000 credits. Would you like to reserve a personal teleportation room?"

However, before Manira could respond, it seemed that a commotion was occurring several Travelers down along the front desk. The Asari heard a burst of agitated alien speech overlayed with language they comprehended.

"You do not understand, for it was not written in the stars that the land, sky, and sea should be but dust. It is nothing but dust. My home is dust, and you do not help!"

The being down the way was beginning to chitter and flail in distress. He swiped at the AI--which from Manira's angle appeared to just be a blue cloud. At this outburst, several guards around the perimeter of the room approached. They did not train their weapons on the Traveler, but they each kept at least one hand ready to grab whatever it was they carried.

If the A.I. assistant made any response, no one but the forlorn Traveler could hear. "No, there is no hope. Doom comes for us all." A few guards had reached him by this point, but they did not attempt to apprehend him. The Traveler turned and stepped with sullen strides past them in the direction of the door, and they made no attempt to stop him.

Next to Manira, a Traveler who had been speaking to his A.I. but had turned to observe the commotion made a comment in the justiciar's general direction. "Another dimension turned to dust, huh? I don't know where he's from, but I sure hope his wasn't near mine."

The Traveler boasted two swords slung across her back and primitive mail armor. She didn't make eye contact with Manira. It's likely she was simply thinking out loud. Because of her lack of advanced technology, she definitely stood out in the Guild, even though there were one or two others in the atrium who were not laden with gadgets and devices.

 

[Hekazu]

The façade was quickly broken as one headed deeper into the city, much as Captain Rochdale had imagined. Really, it almost felt as if he saw the misery of the rookeries with his mind's eye, and for a place that presented itself as a veritable utopia finding out that it was just as bad as his home… he couldn't claim surprise at the fact, only further affirment that no matter where one went, the same laws would hold true. The same laws of greed and oppression. And he knew he would remain a part in that machine, and he would owe up to the fact. These people thinking they could hide it, manage it in the ways they are attempting such things… that was what he took offence to. A loud puff of air through his nose would be all he'd express out loud either way. He'd already made it clear he was leaving the first available opportunity.

While his coat might have drawn attention here should it still be new and he did not walk with the limp he did, the Captain blended into the populace around without much difficulty at all, leaving him to observe the markets, brief flashes of Spite from his London visiting his mind's eye before yet another detail that didn't fit in with the image would make itself present and shatter the moment of reminiscing. He didn't miss Spite. But oh, he did miss Spite. And the Bazaar, he held no great love for that den of commerce, but walking these rotten streets had him longing even for the comfort of those domes and spires. A deep sigh and a shake of his head would drive those thoughts away. The old home was long gone. He'd already determined it. The Mathematics didn't lie. Nor did the associated truths observed. For now, he had little else to do but to follow after the steps of Zava.

"Is it far yet?" he would eventually ask, hoping for the journey to come to an end soon. "My bad leg is acting up. I'll be just a moment, if we need to go further than a block or two…" he excused himself, noting a spot on the street corner nobody was presently occupying. A spot that he could take to lean on and hope that the injury that plagued him would relent should he remain still for but a few moments.

 

[Fatal Nymph]

It in fact wasn't much further just about half a block, one could see the black smoke belching from its roof, the strong smell of meats and breads. It seemed an injury was bothering the captain enough that he needed to stop. The cleaner looking Zava who was the one more than likely drawing the unwanted attention went over to Rochdale. "I have a salve if its the leg bothering you. I use it to numb up skin and it seeps into the muscles below slowly. Found myself being a slight medic so that when something did go wrong I could fix it or help ease the pain as some had nerve issues from their lifestyle."

Without needing an answer she begun to rummage through her satchel. "And to answer your previous question, its about a half a block down... I... Never mind." She was going to say she could smell the food and the people from about a block ago but most people found it creepy that she would announce things like that. What made it worse was if she caught someone in a lie and had to say she could smell the problem.

Currently the captain was just here for her support while he got on his feet and would probably be never seen again. As inevitable as that was, it still always made her feel sad. The many places she had gone never to return to. But at least there was always the next thing to look forward to.

 

[Hekazu]

Just half a block? Rochdale waved away the offer of a numbing salve, shaking his head. "No, numbing it will make it worse. It's… complicated. I'd end up hurting myself more if I didn't feel it. Let's move on, I'll get through it", he declined, changing his course from the one he had projected for himself previously. Zava could lead on until they reached the destination. And if he wasn't mistaken, her nostrils had flared just now. She'd smelled it. And if he had to guess, the smell was the one that had been lingering in the air for a while now, growing stronger on approach.

As he kept moving he waved his hand in the air once more: "I mean no disrespect of course, but no matter how much experience on the medical side you have, this kind of injuries are unique to the Campaign of '68. Hell's ordinance…" For a moment, he considered if he wanted to share more of the story, his abrupt pause ending in a mild chuckle. "If I go on, you are going to think me mad."

 

[Fatal Nymph]

Her hands paused and those big puppy eyes looked up to him. He seemed rather positive so she didnt push the issue. His talking seemed to be much lighter and perhaps in a better mood?

They came up to a steele colored squared building compact but full of life. There was a couple tables right outside in the makeshift shade of a colorful fabric. There was more colorful fabric but sheer this timr over the door way that kept flies and bugs away, she pushed the material aside and entered in.

The smells wrapped around her head, making her drool ever so slightly. She wiped it away before anyone could make a comment. No one particular race was dominant here, and you could see almost the whole kitchen. "You might be mad but I love to hear tales of adventure, heroic deeds, or not such good intentions."

The female made her way to the counter to order, a glance over to see nothing had changed, except maybe the price. " What looks good to you?" Honestly she could go for anything right at that moment. Her ear twitched, as the female was more aware than she was letting on.

 

[Hekazu]

Zava could see the reflection of her curious self from the Captain's pitch black irises, even the pupils not reflecting quite as much in their lighter colouration. His mouth drew into a smirk and a friendly puff of air was released through his nose. "Trust me on this", he added, though it didn't look like that would even have been needed as the rummaging for the salve had stopped since.

The establishment itself was a curious sight, not the least thanks to the varied clientele, but the varieties of food served caught the Captain by surprise. This one place felt like it housed more ingredients than the entirety of London, making him wonder just what to say when he was asked what he would have. The menu was a whole another matter, most of the things here something he'd never even heard of, and so he chose to make use of the rather unique aspect of the local layout. He pointed into the kitchen, at the spot where cuts of meat were battered. "Something deep fried. I'm not picky." Vainly, he hoped that last statement would not end up kicking him in the butt.

Much like Joopis had suggested, payment was not an issue with the means he had provided and Captain Rochdale could soon be on his way to find a table to sit down at. "There's no glory to be shared of the Campaign of '68", he resumed the conversation they had been having. "Our intentions… well, I can't even recall what the great promises we were made were. I was a cavalryman. My poor mount took the brunt of the hit when the shell fell. That's why I can still move, much unlike anyone else that was affected by this law…" he paused as he pulled up a chair and sat down, taking the crucial moment to reflect on what he had been saying.

"That's always the difficult part about explaining. Where does one even begin when nothing made sense to begin with, and then one needs to try and make sense of it to someone else? Hell's weapons, they… and yes, I mean Hell with a capital H, brass walled West from our good London, naturally pulling the attention of the Traitor Empress and the church…" he stopped again, leaning his good arm's elbow on the table and resting his head against his hand. "No, that's not what's important…"

 

[Fatal Nymph]

"A Miso for me please." She moved her wrist quickly and was done paying for her food as well, and to Zava's absolute delight the captain continued his tale from before. The female sat down and leaned a bit forward on the table to listen. Her tail went very still, a small light movement from just the tip of her tail, ears perked forward. It was easy to see where all her attention seemed to be.

Though her eyes would track to movements here and there, or a slightly louder sound would cause her ear to move. Still in all appearances she look completely captured by his story. Well Zava certainly was paying attention as she loved to hear everything but she would certainly be more relaxed in what she knew to be a safe environment.

His story was hard not to be pulled into, she absolutely wanted to get lost in his tale and it had only just begun. Instead of inserting a word or two into his story, she simply smirked. Rochdale was either a really good story teller or could easily get side tracked, either way she was there for it.

 

[Hekazu]

The attention Zava was paying to his story was clear as day, and above all this was what caused Captain Rochdale to feel shame. If she was going to be so invested in it, he could at least do her the favour of providing a good explanation of the events, rather than bouncing here, there and everywhere without managing to finish painting any part of the picture properly. This shame directed him to just push for the bottom line, fingers rubbing against his forehead.

"Hell's weapons are unlawful. They break the order of things by introducing new nonsense laws in their place. My friend, a mathematician, says he visited the wastes years after the campaign. He still could not make sense of the unnatural state of the place, each crater with its own rules. Similarities between them, yes, but none quite alike." He sighed, feeling that the information he was giving now, a second hand account, was rather unreliable. But who was going to question it but him? "My curse, or 'law' as the bastards call them… I believe the Devils themselves dubbed it 'The Rose giveth its beauty in exchange for its pains to thee'. And pains I have."

 

[Fatal Nymph]

As he explained her head tilted to the side in a very dog like manner. Her eyes focused on him, the white silken tail still, an ear flicked every so often. "So your planet had made temporal space weapons but no access off planet. Thats super peculiar. Hell seemed to want to keep you in torment. Though I'm not sure how to take your curse."

At that moment a young in looks rock creature served their dishes upon the table as well as a tea pot made of metal and a two cups. Some jelly like blobs were neatly stacked on a small plate. "Thank you." Zava raised her wrist to the creatures. "Tip." And an amount was transferred. The creature seemed surprised and happy before hurrying away. "Is your curse literal, or can it be bent. Rose and beauty are such vague terms. It would have to mean what the demon or devils intended unless its literal then the curse seems a bit weird."

Her brow furrowed on this thought process, a hand took a jelly and placed it in a cup. She poured the hot water over it, allowing the jelly to melt and some very small petals, leaves and flowers now drifted in her hot water, staining it a yellow green.