brandishes a knife

[sageguidance]

aki hiding in the gy like

Comments

flips hair yea

[sageguidance]

Oh.

[ COOL ]

Well! Then I believe we should make haste, ere we run into yet another war scenario.

[ But it's just so quiet! Except for a rhythmic thud, thud, thud happening in the distance, accompanied by some mechanical whirring. ]

HE'S AN ADVENTURER...

[illomened]

[SWEET ALPHINAUD HELP but Souji entirely agrees yes.]

I would like to stop running into war scenarios, yes... [Though??? That strange noise?? Souji pauses in his forward trekking, squinting out into the distant dunes.] --Do you hear that, Al-kun?

[sageguidance]

Aye.

[ He takes a moment to listen. ]

'Tis some manner of machinery, from the sounds of it.

[illomened]

[He does not know the dangers of running into machines in this genre, so he's just mildly curious like the 1800s bumpkin samurai he is...]

Shall we go take a closer look? Perhaps that's where we need to be to push the story forward.

[He's already trotting off in that direction help.]

[sageguidance]

Careful.

[ Despite coming from a fantasy land there is, for some reason, a lot of tech around, so Alphinaud has a mind to warn him. ]

We know not what its purpose is yet.

[illomened]

[WHY IS HIS WORLD SO WEIRD.]

As long as we don't get too close, we should be fine, right?

[He is not thinking about sentient or moving machines...]

[sageguidance]

[ look sometimes science happens, okay!! ]

With any luck.

[ As they get closer, just around the corner, there is indeed something down the road! It's a bipedal looking machine, with every step it takes giving loud thuds... But it seems to be struggling? Twitching with every step, even. This thing is in dire need of maintenance. ]

[illomened]

[WELL. Souji's never seen anything like this before so his first reaction is :o!!!!

But his second is sympathy because the poor thing seems to be having a hard time...]

--Should we go help it?

[He asks that like it's a question when he's already beginning to meander over that way.]

[sageguidance]

—Wait!

[ He hisses out, low, but it's too late. There he goes...

Unfortunately, when Souji comes into view, a tinny, mechanical voice announces: In- in- in- intruderrrr- rrr! ... a voice that is clearly as old and failing as the rest of it.

And will attempt to swing at Souji with one of its large, bulky arms, but it's not as swift anymore. ]

[illomened]

[HE MADE A MISTAKE. At least it's not very swift... Souji is extremely light on his feet, on the other hand, even though he struggles a little to move as quickly in his post-apocalyptic gear.]

Oh, dear— I-- Well, actually, I suppose I am an intruder.

[HE'S A KIDNAPPEE IS WHAT HE IS but it's fine, he'll just cha-cha slide dodge as the robot tries to beat him up, moving over toward the other side and then. Running. In an attempt to get it further away from Alphinaud.]

[sageguidance]

Souji?!

[ WHERE ARE YOU GOING!!!

Well. The robot does at least give chase! But, hm. Seems like attempting to run after something in its current state means it just. Breaks a joint very quickly and falls right over on the road. ]

[illomened]

[HELP......... Souji pauses but immediately trots back, though he's at least smart enough to not get too close. He looks over the sad robot as its trying and failing to right itself with its sad little broken limbs before calling out to Alphinaud.]

I know that it's trying to kill me, but it seems quite sad...!