Silly Plots 4: It's not particularly silly, is it?

[5a Violista]

Okay, Marin's managed to avoid staring at Jade for long enough that it's about time she stops just after going through the entrance and watches Jade walk into the warehouse. "It does look better inside than outside," she says.

After realizing what she's been doing, she shakes her head and looks around the warehouse, to see what it's like. "So you clean this whole place by yourself?" she asks. She looks at the exercise equipment. The mirror. Tools, computers, gadgets. Suit. . .

. . .

. . .

Realization comes to her mind. It's strange - she first thought that maybe she was, but then wasn't, but now...was again? "Hey," she says.

"..." Still looking at the suit. "...do you often do things in Skyside?" she asks. She would be worried that this means Jade plainly saw her collar, because the outfit she had changed in to there didn't have high collars, but...Jade might've already seen it at the hot springs? And she didn't say anything. So no need to worry about it, maybe?

[bc56]

"Once in a while, if I get an urgent call." Jade winks at Marin. She knows where this discussion is going now. She remembers saving the catgirl, although she doesn't remember the collar. Not exactly. She knows Marin always wears one, but thinks it's just an odd fashion statement. She's not sure why Marin usually covers it up. "Let me get the parts together for your toolbox." She heads over to one of the workbenches and starts collecting various electrical odds and ends.

[5a Violista]

"Oh." A wink. Yeah, that definitely confirms it.
...Well, now that they're both on the same page, there's really no point in talking about it, right?

Since there's no point in talking about that anymore, Marin follows Jade to the workbench. "Speaking of toolbox, is there any special thing I need to do to move it from the lunchbox to my toolbox?" she asks.

And then, looking at the workbench, asks, "And is there anything I can do to help?"

[bc56]

"There should be a catch on it somewhere to disengage the clamps from the box. Probably somewhere that'd be hard to bump. The bottom, maybe?" There is a gap between the device and the bottom of the lunchbox where a hand could fit. That might be what Jade is thinking of. "Yeah, if you could grab some tools and start installing this, that would be great." Jade sets a small scanner module on a workbench next to the device. "I'm going to need to whip up a projector that has the dimensions necessary to fit in that slot." She starts soldering some parts she gathered together.

[5a Violista]

Marin looks at the lunchbox and what's inside it.
Yeah.
Makes sense. "I think I can see it," she says.
She puts down the open lunchbox on to the workbench, and looks at the scanner.

Okay...
she'll probably need this tool, this tool, this one, and...that one.
Oh!
And she could use her sonic screwdriver here, too.

She goes around grabbing several tools, and then takes her sonic screwdriver out of her bra. "Alright. I think I can do it," she claims. "It should be obvious what to do, right?" There's no weird tricks that she'd have to do?

She starts working on the scanner, to put it in to place. Working with just tools like this, to install something, is pretty familiar and that she does a lot so she figures it can't be that hard.

[bc56]

"Yeah, it's pretty straightforward." Jade continues her tinkering, but she's not too absorbed to notice Marin pulling one of her tools from her bra. This causes Jade to pause and inspect her own chest. She never really thought about storing something there. But there is a good deal of space. She'll have to look into it sometime.

[Recaiden]

As the train slows, the catgirl looks out the window to see if this is the stop. "Maybe someone should put some fish nests or something around HALO's base," Marin says.
But, as she reaches the end of the sentence, the stop they're at is announced over the speaker.

Yup.
It is the right stop. Seems like the train will continue on for a little longer, though.

"Yeah, we're here." Marin stands up and starts to move to leave the seat and the train...but she's still holding hands. That should be a good thing, though, because then there's no way to get separated in the crowd of people.

"Fish make nests? Huh. Didn't know."
It would probably make things more lively to surround the base with extra sea creatures.

Holding hands on the way out of the train is surely a good idea to keep anyone from getting lost.
"From here, just left, two streets down, through the portal, and we're there."

"So, how'd ya get interested practicing shooting?"

[5a Violista]

[Jade's Lair]

It's okay, Jade, don't even worry about using it as an extra pocket. In the first place, it's kind-of not-classy. Sometimes and some styles you won't even be able to fit anything in because everything fits properly. And especially don't store anything absorbent in there, for obvious reasons.
So please don't follow Marin's lead.

"Okay."
Marin just focuses on trying to install it properly.

She really doesn't like working on things while wearing a turtleneck sweater. She normally goes with a tank top for that, but. . .didn't bring one.


[Riftline Transfer]

"Or, y'know, whatever else it is that fish make." Some fish make nests, usually freshwater fish. "Like, maybe, coral or something. To invite the fish to move in."

She turns left and starts to go down that street.
"It's a good self-defense thing to do," Marin says, explaining why she shoots but not why she started it. "A lot easier to learn than magic or whatever."

She pauses, then adds, "And, besides, I used to be in a military. Kept on practicing just in case." She doesn't elaborate. In fact, she kind-of wishes her military stint didn't even happen but it's not like she got a choice.

...

Actually, this is a date, right? So maybe she ought to elaborate. On a date, you're supposed to open up to someone else.
Marin takes a deep breath, breathes out, and then adds, "Well, it was more like I kept on practicing so that I could stop anyone else who tried to force me to join a military again. I'd rather die on my feet in a firefight than be forced to serve again. If...if you can't fight back then you're just letting everyone else do whatever they want with you."

[bc56]

The installation really isn't that complicated. It shouldn't be much of a problem for Marin, turtleneck or not. Jade keeps working on her part of the project. "So what did you think of all that?" She's asking about all the things that they did earlier.

[5a Violista]

Still, you're used to what you're used to, and Marin's used to tank tops while working.

"Hm? Oh, right," she says, as she installs the thing. "At first, it gave me a sketch vibe, but..."
Marin shrugs.
"They seem pretty nice. Still not sure if the whole hero stuff is something I can do or not."

[bc56]

"They are nice. All the secrecy is for safety. Supervillains, you know?" She passes over a projector module. "Here. Try installing this." It should fit properly in the other slot. "Did Helga have any advice for you?"

[Recaiden]

"Ah, coral's supposed to be really pretty, right?" That could be nice to have around, though Honeysuckle is wondering how it would appear to her.

"You, in the military?" That doesn't seem very Marin-like. But people can be full of surprises, huh?

"Oh." That opening up is even more surprising than the first bit.
"That's...real brave of of ya. Anything the like, I'd just...try to run away."

[5a Violista]

[Jade's Lair]

Marin nods and grabs the projector.
"Yeah, I mean, it does make sense," she says.
She starts installing the other module, putting it in.
"No, she didn't really have any advice," she says. She pauses - speaking, and even the installation - and then adds, before continuing, "Well, she did say that you're a little overeager or something like that. But, besides that, that was about it."


[Riftline Transfer => portal?]

"Yeah, they are pretty," she says, "but even more than that, they seem to pull other sealife towards them which makes the area feel really alive."

But, yeah, she was in the military. She nods.
"Yeah, well...I know what I want," she says. "I'm not always able to get what I want, but I do know what I value, so that makes it easy to decide what I'd rather do."

[bc56]

"Me? Overeager?" Jade asks. "Am I, really?" This is completely serious. She's never thought of herself as overeager. Is she? She seems nervous about what Marin might say. "Why did she say that?"

[5a Violista]

Marin shrugs. "I don't know," she says. "Couldn't really see where she was coming from."

After this step, she should be done with installing it. Almost there..."Maybe she thinks you should take more breaks or something?" Or, rather, it was probably that Jade thinks too highly of other people's capabilities. "That was your first time to a spa, right? Maybe you should do more things for yourself, more often."

[bc56]

Actually what it was was "Jade wants everyone to be a hero like she is." But close enough. "I guess I don't take many breaks. But this is fun! I don't really know why I would take many." Maybe you do need to chill more, Jade. The spa was good, right? Is Marin suggesting you do more trips like that?

[Recaiden]

"Yeah, they are pretty," she says, "but even more than that, they seem to pull other sealife towards them which makes the area feel really alive."

But, yeah, she was in the military. She nods.
"Yeah, well...I know what I want," she says. "I'm not always able to get what I want, but I do know what I value, so that makes it easy to decide what I'd rather do."

"Coral, I'll have to see if we can get some more."
I mean, actually Honeysuckle is going to forget about that. Marin is being too much to think about otherwise.

As for the portal, it's no big deal.
Just a little junction where you can go onwards towards Mallside, or appear in the entrance hall of HALO.
Once they're near enough, Honeysuckle can lead Marin to the latter. Still holding hands, just in case.

[5a Violista]

[Jade's Lair]

Finished, Marin closes the lunchbox, and then returns the sonic screwdriver to its place, and then starts to put the remaining tools back where she got them from.

"I don't think it's that you need to take many," she says. "It's just...take them periodically." Then, she elaborates, "Y'know. So that you don't lose sight of et cetera et cetera et cetera."

...
She then adds, "Plus, you have to take care of yourself too, y'know."

[bc56]

"I guess you're right, but I don't really see the point. I rest plenty." Does she? Does she really? "It's nice to do other things occasionally, but I don't need to," Jade explains.

[5a Violista]

"Okay," Marin says.

All finished now, and with everything put away, Marin turns and leans against the workbench, resting her hands on it behind her.

"Well, if you ever want to do other things, feel free to call me," she says.

[bc56]

"You too." Jade's tail lashes enthusiastically. She gestures to the lunchbox. "Make sure you put that to good use. Helga doesn't give free gadgets to just anybody."

[5a Violista]

Marin glances down at the lunchbox again.
"Yeah, I will," she promises.

She's still not sure how it works, or how exactly she'll use it, but.

.

.

.

Yeah, it definitely seems fancy.

[bc56]

(This actually takes place before the above scene. Ain't chronological inconsistency caused by plotcloning great?)

Jade paces nervously within her hideout. She's still a centaur, and her hooves clop noisily on the floor. "Um, Walter? Are you there?" She's trying to summon the farm god who gave her this shape so she can get back to normal. At least she gave it a couple days to try it out, but so far, the drawbacks have far outweighed the benefits. Jade's not sure what she's doing, or if she's doing it right. After all, she really doesn't like magic.

[Deathkeeper]

Jade's Magical Half-Horse Lair

Jade does not get a response right away.
She might have the realization that Walter is a fairly common name and if she wants to get the god's attention she might need to actually give him a proper prayer. If he came running to anyone saying his name he'd be answering a lot of people who are just saying their friend's name.

[bc56]

But he was supposed to be watching over her, right? Ah well. Jade tries praying, not that she's very good at it. "Um, Walter? God of farm animals and stuff? Are you there?" Why did she think this would work? It's obviously not going to work. "It's Jade. I'm calling because of the centaur thing? Can you hear me?"

[Deathkeeper]

Jade's Magical Half-Horse Lair

"You're really not good at praying are you?" asks the voice behind her. Jade might turn to see Walter again, only his wolfish characteristics have been replaced with those of a black stallion. He also looks a little...older, perhaps. With a bit more stubble on his jaw, and having added a single article of clothing in the form of a red striped scarf.
"You're just supposed to call my name with a title or to and ask for my favor or something. You don't have to make it sound like I'm some stalker you're never sure is there."

[bc56]

Jade turns around. Wow. He's... No, focus, Jade. He really is good looking though. In both halves, which is an unsettling thought for her once she realizes it. She didn't think this shape had such a strong impact on her interests. Then again, it did change her palate as well. Blushing faintly, the beautiful centauress makes her apology. "Sorry. I don't do it very often." Or ever, really.

[Deathkeeper]

[Jade's Magical Half-Horse Lair]

"Well, I am your patron for the moment, so you don't have to be so formal about it I guess." the god says with a grin. Though his smile quickly fades as he slumps.
"But if you're calling me you probably want to tell me I'm being fired and you want your boring legs back." he mumbles.

[bc56]

"I wouldn't put it quite so... Rudely." Jade didn't want to hurt his feelings. "But yes. I would like my human legs back." She shakes a hoof for emphasis. "It's been an interesting diversion, but I wouldn't like to stay this way."

[Deathkeeper]

[Jade's Magical Half-Horse Lair]

Walter continues to be glum.
"Well. I guess you just don't care for the lack of need...or ability to wear pants. And the appetite for nine meals a day. And the lack of proper seats anywhere. And the challenges of vertical movement."
Why does Walter think people would like this if they tried it, again?
"Maybe I can at least interest you in ah, well, let me just show you." Walter reaches out and gives Jade a poke on the forehead. There will be an uncomfortable but thankfully brief sensation of her form folding in on itself before she is left with two less horse legs, and about seven hundred less pounds below her waist. But still with her ears, tail, and hoofed legs.
"Okay. So. Pants and ladders and chairs back on the table. Stomach mostly back to how it was. Still get to keep the enhanced hearing and speed and cardio. And you still get to look really nice." he says with another grin.
"Better?" he asks hopefully.