He wriggles under that playful touch and gives Sciel an exaggeratedly exasperated look that loses any hint of edge beneath the amusement that comes right along with it. "Do you get tired?"
There had been a while after they first arrived here when he wondered if he'd ever feel anything but tired, but the months since the fog have been restorative, in their way. Expedition 33 has settled into life on Etraya, such as it is, and he sleeps through the night now more often than not. The bad dreams still come, but fewer and further between. He's as rested and ready for this as it's possible for him to be.
Gustave takes hold of the door and waits for Lune to exit after Sciel before following them both, making for the elevator at the end of the hall. "But I'll give the best I've got. At least I can still try to get out of the way... I hope."
Lune lets Sciel and Gustave's friendly banter wash over her without contributing to it, a hint of an indulgent smile on her lips as they file into the elevator. It's yet to stop feeling good when they can spend time together like this, without the pressures of one mission or anotherā as friends. The fact that they get to do it only after their respective deaths is a tangle she chooses not to examine as closely just then.
She clasps her hands loosely behind her back as she takes a spot against the back wall of the car, glancing over to Gustave and remarking simply, "You're giving yourself too little credit."
Sciel lets Gustave enjoy that momentary distance from her poking and prodding fingers, but the second theyāre all filing into the elevator again, she steps in close to him again with another nudge in the side. How could she be tired when thereās so much fun to be had?
āHeās too humble,ā Sciel remarks to Lune, still smiling. āThe only time you ever need to get out of the way is when Monoco turns into a Stalact.ā
Gustave hits the button for the lobby level, grimacing at the very thought of facing the monster Monoco had turned into on that stage. "There's a reason why I'm asking the two of you to spar and not him," he points out. "Can he really turn into any Nevron as long as he has its foot? How does that even work?"
And why? How would anyone even discover that particular talent? Gustave thinks about a Karatom that would be able to turn into a Nevron at will and shudders. "Probably a good thing for us the other gestrals couldn't do the same thing."
Lune lips twitch a little at that comment that could be considered somewhat backhanded at first blush, but she soon huffs in plain aggravated exasperation when Gustave goes on. Nobody is more upset than she is that she cannot answer this question with any sort of certain knowledge, and not for lack of trying.
"It appears so. And believe me, I have tried to get to the bottom of the process, but while Monoco may speak our language, his answers have been as unhelpful as the other Gestrals. And Verso was even less help."
Sciel looks at them both, amused. Of course they care about this. Gustave being put off by sparring with Monoco doesnāt bother her; the very first thing they did upon meeting him was beat the snot out of him, anyway, Sciel knows where she stands in the pecking order.
āWell, itās not every Nevron,ā Sciel says, like she knows anything more than they do. She doesnāt, but itās fun to throw them a bone to chew on. āFloating eyeballs and wads of fabric donāt have legs. And what about the Sakapatates? Those arenāt Nevrons, but he can do them, too.ā
Clearly he'd missed a whole bizarre catalog's worth of Nevs in the far reaches of the Continent. Gustave shakes his head as the elevator glides to a halt, then holds out a hand to keep the doors from closing as he waits for the others to get out. "Excellent, just what we needed: a Gestral with his own shoulder-cannon."
At least maybe Monoco doesn't have access to the improved powder and cannon Gustave helped create for the Ultimate Sakapatate...
"The Sakapatates are an outlier among the Nevrons." Lune waves a hand dismissively as they step out of the elevator, warming up to this subject.
"We did encounter several new flying Nevrons that by and large had no legs. Or ones that by design had no limbs, like the Glissandos." For Gustave's benefit, she clarifies, "Giant snakes. Size also is a factor, he cannot harvest legs from the giant onesā say, the Bourgeons."
Exhaling a slight huff of exasperation, she adds, "But yes, the leg-harvesting isn't a hard rule, or at least it has exceptions. The ĆvĆŖque doesn't have legs, but Monoco was able to turn into one of those as well. It's very bizarre."
āAt least heās not going to use any of that on us,ā Sciel says, breezily tromping by Gustave just to slow up so she can link arms with him. āUnless you ask him to!ā
Sheās thinking back on nevrons, too; sheās often been too busy lancing them through with Foretell to worry too much about any vestigial legs hidden under the floating onesā skirts and tabards, but itās amusing to imagine. Should she flip up a Balletās skirts, next time they find one?
āIām more interested in the polishing. Anyone could harvest a leg. Is the polishing what gives it its magic?ā
He grimaces at the idea of giant snakes, but amiably lets Sciel take his arm, falling into step beside her as they head out into the city proper. "Maybe it's just that he needs some piece of it, but prefers feet, for some reason."
To annoy his companions? Potentially. "And maybe the polishing... uh..."
Gustave gives it some thought, then shakes his head in defeat. "No, I don't understand that at all, unless it's like polishing a weapon to keep it in good shape. But more importantly, right now... where should we go? Someplace we can keep from getting in anyone else's way, I think."
"Thankfully his interest only includes Nevron feet..." Lune mutters to herself. More audibly, she adds, "At least the polishing also removes some of the stink. They can have an... odour, to them."
So they're very lucky Monoco chose to stick with Verso and join him at their little wilderness camp. Just two bros being bros, stink and all.
"One of the fields nearby?" Lune suggests. "Plenty of room and no bystanders. Just to be safe."
"Not if she has a sense of humor," Gustave points out, amused despite himself, and gives Lune a wary look. "I'm used to Lune ripping up the ground to give the rest of us an advantage. I'm not sure I'm looking forward to being on the receiving end."
In fact, he's sure he's not. The things he does for Maelle.
Lune isn't so convinced Aurora does in fact have much by way of a sense of humor, but she doesn't say anything. Instead, she meets Gustave's look with a small smirk of her own.
"And you haven't even seen the things I can do now. I'm able to manipulate multiple elements simultaneously." There's maybe a little bit of a boast clinging to her tone there, but she's rightly proud of her skills, result of hard work.
"Maybe we should make this the two of you against me."
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There had been a while after they first arrived here when he wondered if he'd ever feel anything but tired, but the months since the fog have been restorative, in their way. Expedition 33 has settled into life on Etraya, such as it is, and he sleeps through the night now more often than not. The bad dreams still come, but fewer and further between. He's as rested and ready for this as it's possible for him to be.
Gustave takes hold of the door and waits for Lune to exit after Sciel before following them both, making for the elevator at the end of the hall. "But I'll give the best I've got. At least I can still try to get out of the way... I hope."
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She clasps her hands loosely behind her back as she takes a spot against the back wall of the car, glancing over to Gustave and remarking simply, "You're giving yourself too little credit."
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āHeās too humble,ā Sciel remarks to Lune, still smiling. āThe only time you ever need to get out of the way is when Monoco turns into a Stalact.ā
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And why? How would anyone even discover that particular talent? Gustave thinks about a Karatom that would be able to turn into a Nevron at will and shudders. "Probably a good thing for us the other gestrals couldn't do the same thing."
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"It appears so. And believe me, I have tried to get to the bottom of the process, but while Monoco may speak our language, his answers have been as unhelpful as the other Gestrals. And Verso was even less help."
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āWell, itās not every Nevron,ā Sciel says, like she knows anything more than they do. She doesnāt, but itās fun to throw them a bone to chew on. āFloating eyeballs and wads of fabric donāt have legs. And what about the Sakapatates? Those arenāt Nevrons, but he can do them, too.ā
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Clearly he'd missed a whole bizarre catalog's worth of Nevs in the far reaches of the Continent. Gustave shakes his head as the elevator glides to a halt, then holds out a hand to keep the doors from closing as he waits for the others to get out. "Excellent, just what we needed: a Gestral with his own shoulder-cannon."
At least maybe Monoco doesn't have access to the improved powder and cannon Gustave helped create for the Ultimate Sakapatate...
no subject
"We did encounter several new flying Nevrons that by and large had no legs. Or ones that by design had no limbs, like the Glissandos." For Gustave's benefit, she clarifies, "Giant snakes. Size also is a factor, he cannot harvest legs from the giant onesā say, the Bourgeons."
Exhaling a slight huff of exasperation, she adds, "But yes, the leg-harvesting isn't a hard rule, or at least it has exceptions. The ĆvĆŖque doesn't have legs, but Monoco was able to turn into one of those as well. It's very bizarre."
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Sheās thinking back on nevrons, too; sheās often been too busy lancing them through with Foretell to worry too much about any vestigial legs hidden under the floating onesā skirts and tabards, but itās amusing to imagine. Should she flip up a Balletās skirts, next time they find one?
āIām more interested in the polishing. Anyone could harvest a leg. Is the polishing what gives it its magic?ā
Or control over Chroma to shapeshift, whatever.
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To annoy his companions? Potentially. "And maybe the polishing... uh..."
Gustave gives it some thought, then shakes his head in defeat. "No, I don't understand that at all, unless it's like polishing a weapon to keep it in good shape. But more importantly, right now... where should we go? Someplace we can keep from getting in anyone else's way, I think."
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So they're very lucky Monoco chose to stick with Verso and join him at their little wilderness camp. Just two bros being bros, stink and all.
"One of the fields nearby?" Lune suggests. "Plenty of room and no bystanders. Just to be safe."
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And plenty of space for her to wheel her own weapons around. She gives Gustaveās arm a brief squeeze.
āDo you think he has to ask Aurora for them one by one, like our weapons? That might keep the stink at bay for a while.ā
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In fact, he's sure he's not. The things he does for Maelle.
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"And you haven't even seen the things I can do now. I'm able to manipulate multiple elements simultaneously." There's maybe a little bit of a boast clinging to her tone there, but she's rightly proud of her skills, result of hard work.
"Maybe we should make this the two of you against me."
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āWeāll test how well youāve mastered lightning when Gustave here takes a swing at you with that arm,ā she teases. āBut Iām up for it.ā