[IC] Adelon: Steeling the Faith [Open!]

[shylarah]

Norman's Shop

The child thought she might have missed something that passed between Ethan and Nymira, but was distracted by the man's words. No parents? Amuné thought that was terribly sad. Machina must be so lonely at home, if they were on their own. She'd have to be nicer to Cecil, she resolved. He'd been through a lot, and without anyone to help him.

So it was figuring out which way was which that gave Ethan trouble. "Well, the sun rises in the east," Amuné said, glancing at the window to see where shadows lay, "And shadows are westish until the afternoon. So you just go by the sun, and the time of day! It's not perfect, but it's usually enough to get you started." Of course, that was true in a small town, but out in the wilderness more precise knowledge was often necessary. A slight error made a huge difference, miles later, if you didn't have a road.

The girl really didn't care where they went, so long as they found her parents. She wrapped her arms around Ethan when he gave her a hug and clung tightly until he pulled back. Even Wyth came to join the hug, rubbing his head against her back to reassure her. Amuné was trembling, but Ethan had good points. Her mommy was the very best healer there was, so she'd make sure her husband recovered. And bigger towns did have all sorts of things her tiny village didn't. She met his gaze and summoned up a smile, which brightened further when he poked her nose. "Okay." Amuné wiped the threatening tears from her eyes, careful to use her hand and not the sleeve of her nice new shirt. "I can be strong like Daddy said I need to be. Until we find them." She clenched her fists, determination renewed. "So...um..." The girl went to look at the map. Which town would Mommy go to? "The closest one with the things she needs," Amuné answered herself aloud. "So...we should start with the nearest one, and zig zag. ...We're not in a big hurry, are we?"

[GambolMuse]

"Good, a tune-up I can do! Just get yourself comfortable and I'll get to work. And you don't have to shut down for this, we can do it all while you're conscious." They wouldn't be doing anything with his power supply, and any components that were to be replaced wouldn't be electrical, only mechanical. Joints, braces, things of that nature would be worked on. Grabbing a small box of tools he set them down beside Cecil, rolling his sleeves up and beginning to inspect the Machina by hand for any irregularities. "Your hands...? Hm... Well given the design of the gauntlets themselves, it almost appears if you were meant to do heavy lifting. Either that or they're meant to grant you powerful strikes, if you were made to be a combat model. Your design is largely the same as existing models, with some variations, so I'd have to assume you're a combat model." But then why build him as such? And why like this? His entire build was a bit puzzling, he'd have to do more digging it seemed.

"If your legs are similar to your arms, then by design its to grant extra strength. Now is that for speed, for jumping, or to help support yourself if you're moving a great weight? I've seen vaguely similar pieces before, that was generally their purpose. So I can only make guesses based on that." Curious, Norman examined Cecil's gauntlet and found the space where the two halves met, using his tools to loosen the joints and easing part of it open. From what little he could see from here, it was a very unusual design indeed. On top of having extra receptors to draw more power to the gauntlets, nodes seemed to connect with his palms, likely to enable him to emit some kind of static shock. That had to be for combat purposes, no way would a regular, everyday Machina be outfitted with such a thing. Closing his gauntlet back up, Norman smiled and grabbed a container of sealant next. "You seem to be a combat unit, interestingly enough. I've never seen one that looks so... Life like though, and I can't help but wonder the purpose of that. Tell me, do you remember anything at all about where you came from?"

Well that kind of made sense, just follow the sun and the time of day. But what if it was cloudy? Or late in the day when the sun went down, how do you tell then? He was still awfully lost even after Amuné tried to help him, he'd just have to apply himself more and try learning it on his own. His sense of direction problems paled in comparison to some of the other matters going on, especially Amuné not knowing where her parents were, or how they might be. He really didn't have an answer, yet Ethan tried all the same to reassure his little friend, hoping she'd perk up and try to remain positive. Smiling back when she broke into a smile, the magi gave his map another glance, still not certain where they should go next. "So try all of the towns...?" Ethan asked thoughtfully, tracing the path with his finger, "Yeah... That could work. I mean it's not that big of a detour to do it, and we can easily get back on the road afterwards. I'm all for it!"

"If that's what you wish then I'll agree to it," Nymira added in, looking between the three towns. None of which she recognized by name, yet she hoped one or two of them might give her what she was seeking. Depending on the size of the towns she may or may not find someone worth allying her clan with, though at the very least she may find an individual willing to lend a hand. For her people to move forward they would need not only to build relations, but to bring back skilled workers to help develop their land; living with Dimurans may seem unappealing to many out here, but they would do their best to accommodate outsiders. "If it would make our journey easier, I can find us transportation. I managed to secure a small bit of coin before coming here, and I've kept it safely hidden away in Norman's shop here. I know not what the charges for a trip might be, but I think we should take anything we can get." She didn't much care, be it horseback or carriage, so long as they could be quick about it. She didn't have time to waste idling about or talking a casual stroll through the countryside, she had important work to do.

[Mogtaki]

Cecil was sure there would be something in his check-up that could be used to determine what he was supposed to function as when it wasn’t written in his memory. If it was written in his memory, knowing what he was supposed to do would be easy and he would have no trouble with understanding himself and knowing why he was drawn to going to the city. Maybe the city was just where all Machina belonged and he was trying to fulfil that desire and need that all Machina must have. If there was something he would be curious about is whether Norman was good enough to break down his accessories and define what he was that way, whether he was someone who had all this information about Machina and not simply someone who only knew how to replace parts and perform maintenance.

Looking to the toolbox he stared at it for a moment before back to Norman who was checking out his gauntlet, watching as he tried to explain what he initially thought about it. “Combat model? So I’m meant to fight?” he asked, looking down at himself before giving a little smile, “I have only had to fight once, but I think I did good during that one”. He was pretty confident that he was made for combat if that was his strong assumption too, but what kind of combat he wasn’t entirely sure. He wasn’t familiar with combat or what they would use Machina for in such things, but maybe he could find out if he found other Machina like him too.

Watching as Norman studied his gauntlet he gasped when he split it part just a little bit, feeling oddly vulnerable immediately. It was making him feel rather concerned at how easy the man made that look. Staring at him as he took a look inside he frowned when everything went silent for a little bit right up until the gauntlet was closed again, his eyes still staring down at it before looking to Norman. “Huh? I-uhh…is that a bad thing? To be life-like?” he questioned him before looking down at himself again, frowning, “I-I just remember a lot of light…and a lot of fear. There was noises everywhere and talking, but I can’t remember what was being said. I just remember being scared and wanting to leave it all behind which I…guess I did manage. I don’t think I was supposed to go, though. Where I was yesterday, there was these men who were wanting to take me back and have me deactivated. So many people hated me, it was just as frightening too…”

[GambolMuse]

"If I'm not mistaken, yes, you're a combat model. Everything you seem to have would suggest that much," Norman reiterated, smiling as he nodded his head, "That's good to hear, it means you're working as you should. Combat models are... Different than your traditional Machina, yet their mechanics are much the same, so maintaining yourself shouldn't be very difficult. The most problems will likely come from your gauntlets and boots, since there's so many intricate, small parts working constantly. Other than that, you should experience minimal issues." Why did he have to be a combat model? It didn't make sense given Cecil's appearance, it almost seemed contradictory. Combat Machina were generally made to be large an imposing, or given some kind of daunting features to strike fear into the enemy. Yet Cecil... He almost looked like a normal boy, why was that? There had to be a reason behind his design, yet Norman couldn't imagine what that might be.

After giving a thorough look over Cecil's various parts, Norman decided the Machina was in good health. A little oil on the joints, some polish, and he'd be good as new and ready to get traveling again. As he began to apply some of the oil, Cecil had some questions for him concerning how he looked, and about his earliest memories. "No, I suppose it's not a bad thing, it's just unusual," Norman answered, concentrating as he applied a modest amount of lubrication to Cecil's legs, easing it into the sockets with a narrow brush, "As I said, combat models tend to be different, yet not in the way you are. Most look like machines, not people. That's what strikes me as so unusual here, that you look the way you do." It is possible he supposed that someone had made Cecil to resemble a lost relative; it was rare, but some wealthy benefactors had requested such models made, so that was a possibility here. "It sounds like you were activated in the factory, and for some reason felt fear... Hm..." Another unusual thing, Machina didn't really have emotions. They might be programmed to display some sort of emotion, but to actually feel it? This was beyond his own knowledge of Machina, and not knowing was like an itch he couldn't scratch, he had to resolve that. "You'll be safe as long as you remain with this group, I'm sure of that. But Cecil, can you do me a favor?" Norman asked, finishing up the final bits of oiling, "I'd like to monitor you and your progress, to see how you experience things. If you can maintain some kind of log, something for me to look at on our next encounter, I'd appreciate it."

"Do you think we can really afford that? Transportation I mean. I'm pretty much broke, save for a few coppers I've got in my pocket, but that's my emergency fund," Ethan remarked, smiling slightly as he patted the coins, "And besides, aren't carriages expensive?" He'd never taken one himself really, yet the few he had seen here and there always looked to carry wealthier types as opposed to, well, them.

Nymira smiled slightly amused and gave a small nod of her head, turning then and leaving the room for a moment. When she returned she carried with her a bag of coins, roughly the size of Amuné's head and filled to the brim. "Like I said, I managed to get some money for my mission. I know it's not terribly much, but it should get us what we need." Setting down the bag on the table she pulled loose the string holding it closed, and out spilled quite a handsome amount; gold, silver, more of the former than the latter clattered against the sheetmetal as they poured out over the surface, glistening in the light of the shop. "I understand that these carriages cost more the further they travel too, but this should still cover it, I'd think."

Ethan didn't quite hear what Nymira was saying, too busy gawking at the small fortune she'd just laid out before them. Each of those gold coins were worth a hefty sum, and there were so many of them! Never mind the silvers, and he didn't even see one copper amongst the bunch, that was amazing. He had never seen so much money in one place before, and he'd certainly never had that much himself. Blinking in surprise as he touched one of the coins, as if to test its authenticity, he smiled brightly and looked back at Nymira. "This is a small fortune? You're rich, Nymira! Heck, we could buy horses with this money!" Ethan exclaimed, getting all excited now as he started to put the coins back in the bag, "I mean, that's if you want to, it's your money. But a carriage definitely doesn't cost this much!"

"Well that's nice to know. I still don't understand how you people price things here, so I made sure to get plenty of coin for myself," Nymira said plainly, shrugging off Ethan's amazement. "It's not that much honestly, to myself anyways. I'm used to seeing large amounts of funds come and go, my father handles huge sums on a daily basis. It's a good thing that none of the other clans use your money, otherwise we'd probably have been attacked by now." She understood that each type was more expensive than the last, yet she had no real bearing on just what the real cost was. Far as she was concerned they were just bits of metal, she'd hand them out without a second thought if she didn't have someone advising her. "I'm fine with buying our own horses, I'd rather not rely on someone else to move us. Can you ride a horse though, little one?" she asked, looking to Amuné. "And what of your moorcat?"

[shylarah]

Norman's shop

"It would be cheaper to just get a ride with people going the same way as us..." Amuné suggested quietly. "Carriages are expensive, and horses even more so. My Daddy said that when they aren't with their tribe, Ydrans often find rides with friendly farmers and merchants and so on, if they can, instead of paying for something like a carriage. Or just walk." But was it safe for them to be travelling with random strangers? Ethan was a Magi, Cecil was wanted, and she...she couldn't always be trusted to keep her powers secret. Even Nymira might be a danger, though there didn't seem to be any way to dissuade the Dimuran from coming with them.

Nymira left and returned with a huge coin purse. Amuné's eyes nearly popped out of her head as coins spilled onto the table. Was...was that gold? She'd never seen it up close before. Nobody in her village had anything made out of it, because it was far too expensive, and the type of stall that would sell gold jewelry at market wasn't the sort her daddy frequented. Even with just coins, silver was far more common than gold. She knew people /did/ buy things that cost that much, even in the way of supplies and crops and so on, but who actually had gold coins? "Whoa..." the girl breathed. "Horses? Ethan, we could buy a /herd/ of horses!" There was probably enough to make everyone in her village well-off for the rest of their life in that bag.

"I don't think a carriage is a good idea. Carriages attract attention," Amuné said, trying to gather her thoughts. "I can ride a horse if it's gentle, but you have to get special Ydran-trained horses if you don't want them to be spooked by Wyth." She gave the moorcat a hug. "Regular horses don't like him. They aren't smart enough to know he won't eat them."

[Mogtaki]

Cecil was feeling a little better knowing what he was supposed to be, but unfortunately Norman seemed to be a little concerned with a few things still. He noticed how he didn’t appear to be very enthusiastic with letting him know that, thinking it would be a great moment with him finally understanding what he was. He thought it was a big deal, but Norman seemed to be acting as if it was just another day on the job for him. Slowly tilting his head to the side he ended with a frown and a sigh, staring down at himself. “There is? I don’t want to end up breaking something”, he spoke, staring at his feet before looking to his gauntlets, “I will make sure I don’t break, I promise. I don’t want to have to get repairs all the time”.

Cecil was a little nervous and certainly was wondering if it was an okay thing to be a combat model. He didn’t know what it meant for other people, but if it managed to scare people before then maybe it was a bad thing. There was so much he could question about himself, but he didn’t feel he had the right answers to the first things to ask the questions correctly. While he knew now he was a combat model, what he didn’t know was what he was able to do when what he managed to do so far just happened without him knowing initially. He was curious about his combat purposes and why he was ‘life-like’, figuring him needing to understand why he was small and like this before finding out what his combat purposes were.

Hearing Norman not understand why he was life-like either he felt lost again, sighing lightly before giving a little smile as he watched him clean up his legs. “Honestly, I don’t know what I look like apart from what I can see. I guess I really do look very different to other Machina”, he spoke, sighing lightly, “I’ve not seen another Machina, though. People keep talking about them, but I’ve not known what I’m supposed to look for when trying to find some. Maybe it doesn’t matter that much, but it’s still a curiosity to me”. Describing his experiences of the factory didn’t seem to help matters none as Norman didn’t give much of a response to it, wondering if there was any more than simply the conclusion that he came from a factory. Watching as he finished up the oiling he looked back to Norman when he asked him a request, staring at him curiously before nodding. “Uhh sure. I can do that, but uhh…when will I see you again? I’m going to the city”.

[GambolMuse]

"I wouldn't worry too much. You seem to be well made, it would take some strong force to shatter a component, or even damage one. So long as you're not fighting a wild bull I think you'll be fine," Norman joked, finishing up his polishing. Actually without a stress test on the materials Cecil was made of there was no real way of knowing just how durable he might be. It was safe to assume he was very tough, considering he was a combat model, and it would take a lot of punishment to cause real damage. Wiping up any lingering traces of oil or excess polish, Norman gave a nod of satisfaction now that the Machina was in better condition than before. With no parts seriously worn out there was little need for real fine tuning, he could travel a while yet before that happened. "Most Machina are kept indoors where they work, so I'm not surprised. I bet you could see one at the markets though, they can be used to help move products around as well," the engineer explained, giving Cecil's back a single pat to let him know he was finished, "And I travel a lot to keep my own supplies stocked, as well as for various jobs. You'll see me again I'm sure, and if not, Nymira knows how to reach me. You should be all set for travel now though."

Nymira didn't quite grasp just how much money she had on her, though evidently it was quite a bit. If it would get them all horses for travel then she was completely fine with spending some, she could care less about money herself. Glancing between Amuné and Ethan as they both stared at the bag for a moment, she was pleased that each of them thought purchasing horses was a good idea; having your own horse made traveling on your own time far easier, and she'd rather avoid dragging some innocent man into her business and have him at risk for transporting her. "You could ride with one of us, if you'd like? That way we can get the strongest, fastest horses available." Besides, did Amuné really need her own horse? She may not know how to ride particularly well, so it would be best for her to ride along with someone else. "I would be happy to share my horse with Amuné, and Wyth can run alongside us. Or if that doesn't work..."

"What if we got a cart?" Ethan suggested, "You know... Just a small one. That way we can carry whatever we own in it, and Wyth can ride in the back. If we got one really strong horse then it can pull them behind it!" A cart couldn't be too expensive, right? And that would be good too, incase they ended up with a lot of things and nowhere to put them.

"A cart...? I suppose that would be a good idea, if Wyth and Amuné agree to it that is," Nymira mused aloud, looking down at the pair before smiling. Crouching down she looked at the moorcat endearingly, reaching out and trying to stroke his muzzle, "How about it my friend? Would you like to ride in the cart?"

Ethan wasn't so sure that petting Wyth was the best idea, still a bit nervous himself he'd lose a hand if he tried it. Nymira seemed to be able to do it just fine, making the Magi pout slightly before returning to his usual positive self, smiling at Amuné instead. "You can ride with me too if you want, and Wyth can ride along in the cart. We could get blankets and everything to make it extra comfortable for him, and you can ride him if the horse gets tired, right? I think that would make sense." Oh, but weren't they forgetting someone? Cecil had been busy with Norman the last few minutes, but now it looked like they were just finishing up. Could a Machina ride a horse? Just how heavy was their friend anyways? "Hey Cecil, how much do you weigh?" Ethan shouted, grinning as he waved their friend over, "We need to know, we're going to buy horses!"

[shylarah]

Norman's shop

"I wannna ride with Ethan!" Amuné exclaimed, darting to his side and wrapping an arm around his waist. She smiled up at the man. He was kind, and he was like her. She wasn't sure yet what to make of Nymira other than that the woman was strong -- and bossy! "No, with Ethan!" she insisted, when Nymira wanted the girl to ride with her. And Ethan had the clever idea of a cart. That would make travelling much easier, if they had horses and a cart, and it would be simple enough to go unnoticed by most people. A few travellers and a cart was a common site, though they were a rather ragtag, not to mention unusual band.

Wyth sniffed at the offered hand, before looking over his shoulder at his girl. She didn't seem sure about the woman that still smelled faintly of blood, so he just looked back at Nymira and made a whuffing sound, before getting to his feet and going over to his girl and the man she liked. He rubbed past the pair, exerting enough force to cause the unwary to lose their balance -- Wyth was a rather large cat, after all.

"Wyth can ride in the cart, he's done that before when Daddy and I travelled with his tribe!" Amuné seemed pleased by this solution. "Or...if he stays upwind of the horses, and it has those things on its eyes, maybe it won't get scared. I'm sure we can make it work."

[Mogtaki]

Despite being told otherwise Cecil was still pretty worried and wondering if he was going to be able to keep his body intact as they travelled. The fact that two attacks had happened in such a short space of time since meeting Ethan and Amuné had him worried over his future. He was probably more fragile than the other two, even if they did leak a lot they never really lost their components and had to get fixed. Feeling better over it all he did smile at Norman, feeling he could continue his journey safely and not having his body fail him. “I don’t know what a wild bull is but I will try to avoid it. I just want to see everything and continue my journey”. He didn’t know if he was allowed to call the others his friends quite yet, he wanted to see what they thought considering he was holding them up all the time and possibly hiding the fact he was annoying them with that.

Listening to Norman tell him about Machina had him confused, wondering why they would keep them indoors and not go out and about with them too. Maybe they really were just that different from him and without an adventuring mind like his. He really enjoyed going out and around and if those Machina didn’t enjoy that then they couldn’t possibly know about the wonders of the world too. Staring down at his feet for a moment he gasped when he was prompted to go, looking to Norman quickly before slowly sliding off the work desk. He certainly did feel a lot better and his joints were much easier to move, making him feel pretty happy that he was able to get a servicing like that. “Really? You’ll get ahead of us? It’s such a long distance for contacting…”

Contemplating over the thought and how contact could be made he gasped when Ethan suddenly shouted out to him, spinning around quickly. That was a rather curious question and something like that was a measurement he had failed to take note of, looking down at himself before finding himself completely confused. “Horses? I don’t-…what are those?” he questioned before gasping, turning around to Norman again, “I-I still want my oil, by the way! I will weigh more, but I still want it! Even if I did know my weight, which I don’t…”

[GambolMuse]

Ethan grinned sheepishly as Amuné made her preference for a riding partner quite clear. No question that she liked him, though now he wondered if that may be for the wrong reasons; she thought he was a Ydran, and it was quite clear he was anything but. What made her think of such a thing anyways? It baffled him honestly, yet he worried what it might do to her to learn he wasn't one of her people. For now it looked to give her hope, and Ethan had every intention of letting her enjoy that as long as she could. It of course meant coming clean later too, and no doubt hurting her feelings, but he hoped she'd not be too terribly upset once they got to that point. "You want to ride with me? That's fine, you can sit in front and help me hold the reigns," he answered, smiling as he gave a thumbs up, "There's more than enough room for both of us I'd imagine, not a problem." It was easier than her getting her own horse too, as that would mean finding one that was small enough for the little girl.

"In the cart might be best. We can likely move faster with just the horses anyways," Nymira reflected, "And it's best he's rested anyways, should we need him for anything." Namely fighting, she figured, especially if there were more men still seeking to capture her. The chances of such a thing were unlikely, yet it was best they be prepared rather than caught by surprise. So if herself, Ethan and that Machina were all to ride a horse, then they would need three in all. Not to mention the cart, and then the cost of any supplies they should require. Nymira was fairly confident they could afford whatever they would need, especially given how amazed the others had been over her small fortune. "If there's nothing else to sort out, might we get going? I hate to waste time standing around..."

Norman smiled knowingly at Cecil's surprise, tapping his own temple with his forefinger. "I've got ways of getting around quickly, don't you worry about me my friend. I'll be able to come to near any town or city within hours, you've my personal guarantee on that." He wanted to track Cecil's progress and gather information on him, perhaps then he could discern the Machina's place of origin. Every factory had some kind of trademark they built into their pieces, whether it was something as obvious as an emblem, or some kind of feature or component. Without some thorough inspection he'd not know what Cecil's was, yet maybe over time he'd catch a glimpse of some clue. The mention of horses took him somewhat by surprise, he'd never considered a Machina riding a horse before. Ethan's question looked to properly stump Cecil, yet he could offer some help in that regard. "Well... Given Cecil's size, the material he's made of and factoring in the usual components, I'd venture he weighs roughly 60 kilograms. That's perfectly fine for a regular sized horse, he shouldn't have any problems," Norman remarked, smiling then at Cecil, "And you've got your oil, don't you worry. We'll put it in that cart of yours once you get it. Come back around here on your way back, I'll send a few things with you for the trip."

"Really? That's awesome, thanks Norman! We'll be sure to come by!" Ethan responded cheerfully, grinning as he clasped his hands together, "So that settles it! We'll go get horses, find ourselves a cart, then stop by here before leaving. Looks like we've got a plan!" And now they could get moving once more, within the hour anyways. He was fairly certain he had seen some stables back by the eastern entrance, they were bound to have a horse or two for sale there. Hm, but come to think of it, should they split up here and get things done faster? "Do you guys suppose we should split up and get this done faster? I mean we're in the city, we should be okay," Ethan suggested, figuring it would be faster. Like other times before though, his idea of separating didn't appear to sit well with everyone.

"Because nothing ever happens to anyone within a city," Nymira said sarcastically, rolling her eyes as Ethan gave her an apologetic look, "No, we'd best stay together. Besides, we'll need three people to move the horses, I don't imagine we can ride them down the streets. If we have to lead them then it's best one of us each takes one." That was if they could even bring the horses here. She hadn't seen a single horse anywhere in Galloway itself, only along the outskirts and at the stables. It was very likely it could just be too busy to allow them in, yet with it getting later in the day maybe they could manage it. "If that's settled, shall we get going?"

[shylarah]

Norman's shop

Amuné didn't like Ethan just because she thought he was Ydran -- it was far more than that. Yes, his supposed race played a role, but he was a Magi, like her, and he reminded her a little of her father, and he'd helped her and tried to keep her safe. The child trusted him. He was kind, if a bit naive, and he tried to do the right thing and help people. He was a good person.

"Maybe Cecil can ride in the cart too," Amuné suggested. "If he doesn't know how to ride then that would work, right?" She stared at the Machina when he asked what a horse was. "Horses are big animals that do all sorts of work, and you can ride them," the girl said matter-of-factly. "They have manes and tails, and short fur everywhere else. And hooves! Horses have hooves, but their shoes aren't like people-shoes. Horseshoes are metal."

"Thanks for helping Cecil, Mr. Norman," the girl added, giving him a smile and a wave as the group exited the shop. She was glad Nymira had shot down the idea of splitting up. "Um, but I shouldn't get too close to the horses with Wyth, so I'll stay outside the stable." The owner wouldn't appreciate it if she spooked all his horses.

[Mogtaki]

Cecil didn’t know how Norman would do such a thing but if he could then he shouldn’t really question it, seeing how the guy wasn’t entirely willing to tell him his secrets anyway. If he could travel to the city in a matter of a few hours then that would be great for him, meaning he’d get to his personal destination without too many problems. Lowering his head slightly he stared down at himself, contemplating on the situation he was going to put himself in with having to be this man’s recorder. It would probably mean he would have to fight to allow him to get a reading of anything that might help, considering he was a combat Machina. It would probably do him good to try some fighting, but that would mean having everyone else be put in danger too. He didn’t know much about the woman but the other two could get really hurt if he tried to pick a fight that was too difficult for him to handle.

Looking back up to Norman at the mention of his oil he looked back towards Ethan again, hearing how enthusiastic he was about all of this. Well this was all definitely going to be tough on him and without knowing what he was supposed to do regarding this ‘horse’ he was a little nervous about his journey now. Sighing lightly he forced a smile, looking back to Norman again. “Thank you for helping me. I’m not sure what would’ve happened if I went any longer without oil or that battery. I hope what I collect will be handy”. If he managed to collect anything at all. The others would probably want to avoid battle and if that woman got her way she’d probably be all over it before he could fight. He did wonder if she thought of him at all as anything, seeing how she had yet to talk to him.

Just letting the others talk about their plans he rubbed his hands together, looking to Amuné as she decided to tell him what horses were. That description sounded like something he had seen before, probably on the road as he travelled alone. “Oh, uhh…huh? Hooves? Horseshoes? Oh, they sound strange to me”, he spoke, contemplating over the image, “Are they really large? Big animals…like round?” There was a few animals he had come across that seemed to fit the description she was trying to make. He definitely was trying to think through it just so he could get an idea to what the animal looked like and how he would handle it. He probably would be best riding in the cart if they were as complicated as they sounded, certainly managing to make him wonder over whether it was a good idea to have him near animals. “Maybe, uhh…I-I shouldn’t be going near creatures either. I am not like you and maybe they will know. They might alert others that I am not! That would be very bad…”

[GambolMuse]

Should they put Cecil on a horse? It might be easier for him to have his own, but then again he may not know how to ride one. It wasn't so much a question of funds either, what with Nymira having a small fortune and all; whether the Machina could even ride a horse was the problem here. Amuné had a good solution though, having their mechanical friend ride along in the cart rather than on horseback. Ethan couldn't see any problems with that, and if they only got two horses then it might be easier for them to avoid being spotted, and easier to run. "Yeah, horses are usually really big Cecil. Taller than I am, wider, longer and tons of muscle. They're amazing for traveling which is why so many people have them." Well, he had seen a lot of people on the roads with them, but he doubted many residents of Galloway personally owned a horse. Now that they had the money for it though they could count themselves among the lucky few.

"It's my pleasure Cecil, just remember to record your data for me. I'll try developing some parts for you too, to help your systems run more efficiently. I can't do that, of course, without your help though." Norman needed reports quite in depth, probably more so than he could hope to get from Cecil; energy consumption, individual component conditions, a thorough, well sorted list of his various functions... Just slightly more in depth than he'd probably get. Still though he ought to be able to make it work, it would just take some insight on his part. Smiling as Amuné thanked him, the engineer gave a small nod of his head and waved them off, "Not a problem, I'll see you all back here later," he answered, watching as they left for the stables. Well this was an eventful day, and he still had to get Cecil's package prepared. Sighing in exasperation he rubbed at his head, glancing about at the clutter in his shop. "Jeez... I should have charged them something, that could have been a big sale..."

Ethan was eager to get horses now, not having had the luxury up to this point. While this meant they would have to constantly care for and maintain their horses it was hard to argue with the benefits; traveling faster, less wear on themselves, a means of pulling a cart full of supplies, all big benefits. "Yeah, kind of like I said before. You'll know them when you see them, I bet you've seen one before," the Magi replied, already moving along quickly to the stables. The Machina had some very unusual fears about riding a horse, but they already had a solution to his problem. "No problem, you can ride in the cart! I'll try getting a bigger, stronger horse to do that, or Nymira can get a horse to pull the cart and I'll ride with Amuné." He didn't want to make one do too much work, it wouldn't be very nice to the animal. Hopefully this place even had horses large enough for what they needed, since if all they could find were basically ponies then they weren't quite pulling any carts along, now were they? "Hey Amuné... Before we go too, we should get some kind of coat in case it rains, don't you think? I can probably find one with a few coppers..."

"If you need anything to do your jobs, just ask. I'm not above paying for my help," Nymira interjected, placing a hand on the coin purse at her hip, "I expect you have something to sleep in as well? A tent or something of the sort?" Ethan's meek smile said not, annoying the Dimuran slightly. Shaking her head in displeasure she folded her arms in annoyance, though once again refrained from snapping, if only for Amuné's sake. "We'll buy our horses, then I demand we stop somewhere to buy some proper equipment. I'm not a barbarian like others of my kind, I have no wish to sleep on the ground, especially if it should rain." Besides, if they were left exposed to the weather then they might become sick, and if they became sick then they may not be able to travel. Nymira would absolutely not have anything keeping them from moving along, and if that meant spending some gold here and there then fine.

[shylarah]

Galloway

The girl listened as her explanation of horses didn't really help, and Ethan tried to add to it. How could Cecil not know what they were? Everyone knew what horses were, they were all over. Granted in her village they used oxen more than draft horses, but there were still a few.

The conversation moved on to supplies, with Nymira again making demands. What did she think they were, merchants? Common travellers didn't often have tents, only waterproof bedrolls, or just an oilskin cloth to keep the rain off. The Ydran tribes had more, of course, but they lived on the road. It was their home, so they made it nice.

Amuné closed her eyes for a moment to think back on trips she'd taken with her father and his tribe. "Uh, a tent would be good, and bedrolls. They're better than sleeping right on the ground. We need food -- and food for the horses, too. Wyth can hunt, so he's not too much of a problem. Oilskin ponchos for us, to keep the rain off. The horses might need blankets, too." She remembered seeing horses wearing blankets. "I'd like to have a first aid kit with us, just in case. And..." the girl hesitated. "Nymira, you should trade a few gold for silvers and coppers, so we're not flashing a lot of money. Wealth attracts bad people that want to take it."

[Mogtaki]

Cecil didn’t know if he was cut out for this ‘horse’ business if he was already struggling to understand what the beast actually was. He probably saw some on his travels, but he also saw many beasts that matched that description along the road. It was one of those curiosities for him and it was definitely worrying him that he would have to go on one. He might end up hurting it or falling off and then he’d be in trouble. Trying not to think about it he decided to leave the decisions to the others, seeing how the creature is a living thing and his parts could be replaced for a lot cheaper than probably replacing the horse. Looking back to Norman quickly he gave a nod before wandering off after the others, hoping everything was going to be okay from now on.

While everyone else was pretty enthusiastic about getting these horses, Cecil was just not feeling it. He knew he would probably end up causing more trouble than they needed and screw up somehow, seeing how everyone else knew about horses and were pretty confident with riding them. Even Amuné knew a fair deal about them so now it was a case of him knowing very little about absolutely everything they were going to do that was important to their journey. Feeling rather nervous over the whole ordeal he looked to Ethan who appeared to be very enthusiastic, giving him a break from worrying and granting him a new offer. “Ride in the cart? Ohh uhh, sure. That’s probably better, I mean, uhh…if I have never been on a horse, I might end up injuring it”.

He didn’t want to be the one that would cause more problems than they needed. Luckily he was small, he wouldn’t take up much space on the cart if he was really destined to ride in it rather than on a horse; besides, he was fast as well and could run a fair speed so if he ever needed to bail he could just jump and run. Smiling lightly to himself his eyes were soon taken to Nymira, staring at her as she decided to make plans for them as well. So much of what they were doing was costing them money, definitely making him wonder if it was all worth the effort to take this job when they had no problems the day earlier, apart from problems caused by him. He had gone so long without needing a currency so all these changes were definitely throwing him off a little. All he wanted to do was get to the city, but this woman was definitely making things complicated.

[GambolMuse]

"Oh yeah, I guess we need a lot of stuff huh? Good thing we're getting a cart!" Ethan agreed, beaming as he thought about it, "This is going to be the first time all trip I'll have a tent, it's gonna be nice. Not getting wet when it rains..." Before he had to sleep under trees, and occasionally he'd pull a branch or two free and lace them together, trying to give himself more coverage. Drops always got through though, and really it was a miracle he wasn't sick yet from all the exposure. "You really think money's going to be such a problem? I mean sure, it's more than most people see, but we're a group. It's not like she's walking on her own with it." He could keep his sword at his hip as a deterrent if that helped any, albeit he wasn't that imposing even with his weapon. It wasn't as if they kept the coins out in the open either, Nymira had it tucked away in her clothes, and they could always hide it in the car to boot.

"So it is a lot then, hm... Strange, it all just seems like useless metal to me," Nymira remarked, frowning as she glanced down at her coin purse. Other than currency what use did these metals have? None that she could tell, meaning it was completely superficial. Yet if this was how the other peoples operated she'd have to learn their ways, and money was as important as it got. "I can try and exchange it at the stables, and if not... Maybe a shop?" Perhaps she should have asked Norman for some change, he probably had at least some money to spare. People were in and out of his shop fairly frequently, it would stand to reason he'd be able to help them out. Nymira agreed with Cecil riding along in the cart as well, seeing nothing good coming of him riding a horse. "Horses are difficult creatures if you've never ridden one. You may overwork it or scare it, and both cases you're going to get thrown off," she stated with a nod, glancing over at Cecil, "Though I don't imagine as a machine you'll be hurt by that."

Cecil probably wouldn't be hurt if thrown, yet that didn't mean they should go and chance it. Spooking a horse might make it run off, then they would have to chase it down or find it, and that could take a whole day. If they just outright lost it then that was a ton of gold down the drain and nothing to show for it, best they just not take that chance. So that was just two horses they would need then, was it? One to carry himself and Amuné, another to carry Nymira and their cart. "Figure this way we can move a lot quicker too, yeah? Even with just two horses we'll be faster than before," Ethan spoke optimistically, "Amuné and I should probably get the bigger of the two, since it'll be carrying more." That was provided the stables even had any big horses available; Ethan didn't know much about horses, but he knew enough to understand there were different breeds, and some places may not have a certain kind of breed. Certain breeds too were bigger or stronger than others, only problem was he hadn't a clue what the differences in any were.

The group caught a lucky break at the stables, as there was not only one but two large horses for sale. Evidently bred from a harem up north, these were a cross and thus sturdy and adaptable, just what they needed. Ethan seriously doubted they'd go into any extreme places like the frozen wastes, but it was comforting to know their steeds could handle it. The place even had a cart for them to take, albeit one without any cover for them to use. Not such a problem though, they could buy something later on to help with that. It was big enough to hold some supplies and even Cecil, and lightweight enough that the horses should be able to carry them. In all the entire trip ran them roughly 3 gold and 50 silvers, not really putting a dent in Nymira's modest fortune. Since horses could not be taken through Galloway proper, they were moved to the stables on the far end of town along with the cart, and extra funds were even paid before hand for the supplies they wanted to be gathered, leaving them more or less ready to get moving.

"I guess that just leaves getting back to Norman's then, huh? Get Cecil's stuff before we leave," Ethan mused aloud, watching as their horses were led off out of the gates, "Oh, and got to get Nymira's money changed over too, if we can. Then we should be all set!" Things were going to really get serious now, having horses meant they could make far better progress between towns. Not to mention they had supplies now, and with it a peace of mind should things go south. So long as they didn't have a run in with that old man from before again this trip should be plenty relaxing even. It was getting to be later in the day by now, so they probably only had a few hours of travel before night time, but with horses they could make it a good ways out before having to break for the evening. "This is gonna be great! Traveling's gonna be so easy now!"

[shylarah]

Galloway

Amuné and Wyth waited outside the stable and a decent distance away, so as not to scare the horses. She stroked the moorcat's head as she waited, watching Cecil quietly. She thought about what he'd said about himself, about how people wanted to decomission him, and how he didn't even have parents, not the way she did. Finally she spoke. "Why would anyone want to turn you off?" the child asked quietly. "I mean, it's okay to turn a normal machine off, but you're not like them. You're more like a person, and so it'd be like killing you." Amuné paused. "Your mommy or daddy -- I mean, whoever made you -- they shouldn't let that happen. They should have taken better care of you. You shouldn't need to be on your own...."

She trailed off. Maybe it wasn't Cecil's creator's fault. Maybe something had happened beyond that person's control, like had happened to /her/ parents. "I really hope we can find what you're looking for, Cecil. I hope all of us can." She nibbled at her lip. "I think Ethan's looking for something too, but he hasn't said what. Do you think I should ask him? We could help him look if we knew what it was." Amuné fell silent again, before sighing softly. "At least Nymira is with us. Ethan is very kind, but he doesn't seem to get that there are bad people. He always wants to see the best. Nymira may be more bossy, but I think she also may be more sensible."

[Mogtaki]

Cecil wasn’t really paying too much attention to Nymira until she spoke about him, his eyes going up to her before he hastily looked away, his cheeks going the slightest red for some reason. “Y-Yeah, it wouldn’t hurt…” Or rather he would be hurt by it, he just didn’t want to let them know he could feel pain from injuries. Them knowing that would probably make them concerned for him unnecessarily when they had their own bodies to look after. Besides, they probably had other things to worry about besides whether he was feeling hurt over pain a ‘machine’ wasn’t supposed to feel. It was definitely best that he would stay in the carriage and not have to ride one of these beasts they were wanting to get, seeing how he’d probably fall off and show off he could definitely feel pain.

Now that everyone was sorted it was time to get these beasts, he’ll find out what they were too. He had met many beasts of burden on his journey so knowing what a horse was would certainly help him fill his mind with knowledge. He was probably sounding a little silly with how little he knew about people and their animals, but it wasn’t as if it was his fault. Following them all along to the stables he was surprised when he finally recognised the name horse to the animal. He had seen them before, but at least he was able to see what he was supposed to identify the name with. Staring at them as he waited for everyone to get sorted out, wanting to keep away from the beasts in case he scared them. He was essentially not a living creature like they were and maybe they could sense that.

With everything that was going on Cecil felt a little relieved that they were soon getting to go, even if they had a few things to do as well that were probably trivial. Glancing over to Ethan who seemed happy to announce their plans he soon turned to Amuné who was wanting to take up conversation with him he frowned at the subject, looking away momentarily before down at himself. He didn’t know how to answer her, he didn’t even understand what those terms meant. “I-uhh…I don’t know. Maybe I’m faulty. Maybe I’m not supposed to be like you people. It could be anything, but they don’t want me functioning”. He really had no idea what he was supposed to do about that part, but he would keep running so long as he still had his legs. Looking back to Amuné he frowned at her question, looking to Ethan quickly. “Umm, maybe. I don’t like being nosey”, he spoke, shaking his head, “I do not ask because I am not willing to say, but I am also not saying why I am going…but I don’t really know, anyway. I am just wanting to go where I’m going”.

[GambolMuse]

Nymira was just glad to be finally getting underway with her journey again. After Norman's hair-brained scheme set her back 3 days she had time to make up, and having these people to help her about certainly made things easier. Cecil might not be riding a horse during their trip, but she figured it was just as well for the poor animal that might have to carry him. Norman had said he shouldn't weigh too much but all the same she'd like to spare the horse the trouble. Of course his being in a cart instead didn't absolve it of that labor entirely, something was still going to have to pull him along.

"Anyone fit to be a parent would not wish their child dead, or... Deactivated," the Dimuran said firmly, frowning as she looked over at Cecil, "You seem to be in good health... I think, so these people must not be your parents. Er... Or whoever built you." It didn't make much sense to her, as in her eyes building a Machina like Cecil was just as labor intensive and consuming as having a real child. Why would someone, after going through the paces, want to destroy him? It made more sense someone else wanted to do it, someone who had a reason to. "You were built this way though, doesn't that mean it was intentional? If they made you this way then why would you be destroyed for it?" Nymira asked as she voiced her thoughts, "It has to be someone your maker doesn't like, or... An enemy of your maker. Why would someone do so much to make you only to break you afterwards?"

The conversation took a change there from Cecil to Ethan, someone who Nymira was somewhat reluctant to discuss. His upbeat attitude and arguably naive nature was a headache to her, who as a princess and dignitary had to express caution at every turn. No doubt he was bound to get them in trouble, if he hadn't already, which meant she may well have to clean up her own escort's mistakes. Overhearing what had been said about her, the Dimuran woman forced a small smile and scoffed lightly at Amuné's comment. "Ethan is an idiot, simply put. If he trusts everyone so easily then he'll get himself killed," she said plainly, shaking her head as she placed her hands on her hips, "Which means it may fall to me to see you to your goal safely. I won't let any harm befall our lovable buffoon, but just know things may be dangerous if he continues to lead." He could handle himself in a fight at least, something which had surprised her initially. Maybe there was a little more to the Mura than he let on?

So what all did they need again? Medicines, maybe some coats for bad weather, and maybe a bit of food just for today wouldn't hurt. Norman had supplies for Cecil, once they finished up here they could double back, pick up the last of their things and be on the road. Ethan was ecstatic by now with all things considered, happy to have horses for a change and supplies, plus some good company to boot. Maybe Nymira wasn't quite the sort of person he'd travel with normally, but she at least was able to handle herself, and her journey shouldn't get in the way of theirs. "Alright, there's a store right there, I think..." Ethan said aloud, tilting his head and squinting as he tried to read a sign down the road, "Yep! So let's grab a lot of our stuff there and see about getting your money changed Nymira." Kill two birds with one stone and be on their way, provided there was nothing else they'd need.

A general store ought to have most everything they would need, and indeed it did. Maybe their medicine was a bit limited, but they ought to be able to find a decent amount of herbs out and about to make up for that. They did have some of the major things the group needed, namely a few canvas tents, a jacket for Amuné and Nymira, and even a small container of preserved goods for them as a snack on the road. It was a bit of a hefty load to carry on hand, but with some twine they managed to tie it all up and Ethan slipped it on like a bag over his shoulders. Before leaving too they had checked with the shopkeep about exchanging Nymira's money, and after some initial skepticism, and shock, they had agreed to do it. Only a handful of gold pieces were changed over, but it was still better than lugging around a fortune of gold. With that all said and done they could now return to Norman's shop, and hopefully get back on the road.

[shylarah]

Galloway

The child nodded agreement with Nymira's assessment of who might want to get rid of Cecil. It made sense to her. Why would anyone want to get rid of someone they cared about? They just wouldn't. Amuné frowned when the Dimuran called Ethan an idiot. That wasn't very kind of her. Not that the woman was /wrong/, really, but she could have been nicer about it. Nothing useful would come of arguing about it, though, so the girl held her tongue. By then Ethan was back as well, full of cheer. Amuné smiled up at him and slipped her hand into his.

The shop had a variety of useful things, tents and jackets and food for the journey. Amuné wanted to get some vegetables that would last a while without much hassle, and a pot, so they could make soup or stew on the trip. Her daddy always said that was a good way to make the most of what you had on the road. She was glad to see Nymira taking her advice and changing some of her gold for silver and copper. No sense in asking for trouble, after all. Once they were finished shopping, Ethan somehow wrapped it all up and slung it on his back.

"Time to go back to Norman's, right?" Amuné asked, before starting in that direction. She wasn't sure if they'd start travelling that afternoon. It was getting late, and it might be better to wait until morning. Besides, she'd really enjoy sleeping in a bed. It would be a nice change from the ground, even if they did have bedrolls now.

The girl pulled open the door of the mechanic's shop, making the little bell on it ring brightly. "Norman? We're back!" she called, looking around for the man. She was eager to get done with business so they could either get started on their way, or relax.