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Post by KayKay on Jun 24, 2018 8:21:07 GMT
"Oh, okay..." Kyra nodded slowly. She had caught the new tone in Wolpoch's words, and she seemed more flabbergasted than ever. She took a few hesitant steps backwards before she turned and began to lead the way down the tunnel again. As she walked, she continued to glance backwards towards Cipo. At the moment she wanted nothing more than to ask the lebran what that whole exchange was about, but her better judgement decided it would be better to ask away from Lora and Wolpoch's ears. Still, she could not go more than a minute without throwing a questioning stare back at her.
–
"It was a way to keep a watch on Saberdex Industries," Mole said. "They sold weapons to the military and had a close working relationship. From my position I was able to obtain information otherwise inaccessible. I was the mole."
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Post by Stage on Jun 24, 2018 8:32:42 GMT
These looks did not go unnoticed. With a cautious glance at her cousin, who seemed intent on scanning the darkness of the urban underground with her yellow eyes, the gentle lebran increased the pace of her steps until she was nearly at Kyra's side.
Without speaking, the Pientan woman asked what the Fox wanted to ask with her bright, amber eyes.
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Leslie raised an eyebrow. "Is that why that Fox gal calls you, 'Mole?' She's... pretty literal, ain't she?"
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Post by KayKay on Jun 24, 2018 8:46:28 GMT
Kyra's green eyes met her own. They seemed troubled. After looking back one last time, Kyra lowered her voice into the smallest whisper she could manage and leaned closer to Cipo.
"Is there something going on that I'm not aware of? I'd understand why Lora might be nervous about humans after what those Lexians did, but why borans? And why did Wolpoch seem so... cold?
–
Mole made a coughing sound that might have possibly been a chortle. "'Mole' came from one of our other members, Ian Needly. That man insisted we all use code names in the field to keep our true identities a secret. My real name is Hartwin."
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Post by Stage on Jun 24, 2018 9:03:36 GMT
The lebran woman was silent, and she did not look at Kyra for some time.
Then, she spoke.
"Fox, tell me. You humans. There are different races among you. Yes?"
-
"Nice to meet you then, Hartwin," Leslie said. "I feel bad for blaming your pal, but she seems like the type. You sure don't though. You two get along?"
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Post by KayKay on Jun 24, 2018 9:30:47 GMT
"Yeah. Lots." Kyra's eyes dropped. She had a feeling she knew where this was going. "But sometimes we humans aren't very accepting of those differences."
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"In a sense. I tolerate her." Though his words seemed unkind, there was a hint of a smirk that teased the edge of Mole's lips. "She may drive you up the wall on her worst days, but the important thing is that we share common values and work towards a common goal."
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Post by Stage on Jun 24, 2018 10:35:25 GMT
"Then we are the same," Cipo whispered back. "Back in our home, Piente, the bora hold all power. The lebra outnumber them, are older than them, but we are the ones controlled. They mock our goddess and our ways. They ask why we do not live in cities like theirs, then refuse us entry into them. They have us build their homes and gather their food and do all that is required for them to live, and they look down on us for it while they indulge in their arts and sciences. They police us, with a team, a small army, that they call their Fangs."
While her tone had remained surprisingly neutral despite the subject matter, she spat out the word like a bitter taste.
"I do not like the bora, because I know they do not like me, but I do not hate them. My cousin does though. And our parents loathed them. The Fangs arrested them for violence started by a bora who tried to stop their peaceful protests. We have only each other now. I thank Falajax the Fangs number only one now."
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"Long as you don't kill each other I guess," Leslia shrugged. "You seem like the type that's okay staying in his own head a while. But she seems like a talker. A toucher too."
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Post by KayKay on Jun 24, 2018 11:01:15 GMT
The only response Cipo got was dead silence. Kyra continued to walk, though her pace had notably slowed.
Kyra's lips finally parted. "I... I'm sorry, Cipo."
Her voice wavered.
"Why go back then?" She finally looked towards Cipo. Her green eyes were glistening. "Why not stay in Mival? We can figure something out – get you registered."
–
This provoked another cough-like chortle from Mole. "Then I'm afraid to inform you you've caught her in one of her more subdued moods. Never fear, however: she'll back off if you ask her to."
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Post by Stage on Jun 24, 2018 23:35:47 GMT
"Because there is someone there who will change things," a harsher whisper answered. Though it was dim, Kyra could see a third figure take up Cipo's shoulder. Apparently Lora's ears had been sharp enough to hear their hushed conversation.
"Lora," Cipo chided. After a glance at Kyra, the lebran woman turned back to her cousin, switching to their native tongue. "Subas qoi ni ma gostu asu mojar."
The taller lebran scoffed at whatever she had been told. "Allu as noastru asparunzu."
"Allu as onu usasenu." Cipo's tone was that of insisting something. She was scowling.
"Dal bora," Lora sneered.
With that, the cousins glared at each other until Cipo shook her head and turned back to Kyra. "Thank you for your kindness, Fox. Once we... are free from obligation, I think I would like that."
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"Yea, she did," Leslie nodded. She made a face, "Didn't seem happy about it though."
The short-haired woman looked back at Mole with an eyebrow raised. "Hey, is she one of those types?"
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Post by KayKay on Jun 25, 2018 0:08:08 GMT
"Okay..." The concern still hadn't left Kyra's eyes. "Promise you'll stay safe. And, uh, if there's any way I can help out don't be afraid to ask."
–
"Those types?" Mole repeated, meeting her gaze. "If you're asking if she enjoys the company of other women then yes, she does. I highly doubt it's on her mind at the moment, however; her mind is likely too preoccupied concerning the safety of these people."
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Post by Stage on Jun 25, 2018 0:36:16 GMT
"It is not human business," Lora answered quickly, her yellow, dimly lit eyes cutting at Kyra in warning.
Cipo, however, silently shot her a smile. There was a quick, cool squeeze on the woman's hand in thanks.
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"Long as she takes noes well as you say. So how does the lil gal come in? She doesn't seem like the spy sort."
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Post by KayKay on Jun 25, 2018 1:25:17 GMT
Although she did not give a smile in return, Kyra's hand squeezed back. Lora's sudden refusal for help worried her, however. She hoped the lebran woman wasn't planning anything rash.
Returning her gaze to the tunnel ahead, Kyra could see the crater in the wall that would lead them to the abandoned subway. It was much larger than the crack they had used to enter the undercity – wide enough to fit a truck.
"So these 'Fangs'," she whispered to Cipo. "They as bad as the Pale? Why is there only one left?"
–
"Vesyka and Fox met each other a few months after the convergence of London. Fox had broken into London's Saberdex Tower so that we could gather intelligence regarding how many of their assets had been transported to Lemuria with us. Things unfortunately went poorly when she encountered their top agent. It was by a stroke of luck that Vesyka was in the vicinity; she tells me she was searching for information of her own."
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Post by Stage on Jun 25, 2018 1:47:18 GMT
Cipo's gentle face scrunched. "Pale?"
"The humans in armor," Lora clarified. "They brutalized and imprisoned lebra just the same. The only difference is they did so to the bora as well."
"They numbered eight before the Upheaval," Cipo jumped in. "Only one arrived here. But... before that-"
"They were culled." In contrast to Cipo's troubled look, Lora grinned. "Their numbers were cut in half by the Teeth, those who united to stand against them. The warrior lebra Mussurana cut them down herself."
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Leslie stopped and turned to look at Mole incredulously. "Are you saying that sweet little thing managed to rescue her?"
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Post by KayKay on Jun 25, 2018 4:45:35 GMT
Even in the darkness of the undercity, Kyra's sharp eyes noticed the glimmer of white teeth when Lora grinned. She felt a pit grow in her stomach. Lora was a strong-willed woman, but the way she seemed to revel in the deaths of the Fangs – as bad as they were – made Kyra uneasy.
She was beginning to rethink her earlier plan to part ways with the Pientans at the airship. What if something happened to them after they landed in Matta? What if this Mussurana was waiting for them – or worse, the last Fang? It was her mission to get both lebrans and borans home safe, but from the sounds of it home itself didn't seem very safe at all.
At the very least, she decided, she would need a chance to talk to Cipo in private. Away from Lora's ears. She needed to know more before she started to jump to conclusions.
Kyra turned back for a moment to perform another quick headcount, making sure none had lost the group in the darkness. Her eyes fell on Wolpoch for a moment. He seemed like such a sweet old man. Would he really be among the ones that subjugated the lebrans?
She decided that once she had the chance, she would need to speak to him in private too.
–
"Yes, though she was injured in the process. Fox took her under her wing while she recovered; Vesyka insists they saved each other."
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Post by Stage on Jun 25, 2018 5:11:57 GMT
"Fox?" Cipo asked suddenly. She seemed eager to speak of something else. "The creature you fought on the boat. What was it?"
"A devil of Lloxt," Lora muttered.
Cipo shot a look at her cousin. "Lora..."
"What? It is true. It had the Outsider's head."
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"So are they, uh-?"
Leslie silently brought two fingers up, then moved them together with a whistle.
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Post by KayKay on Jun 25, 2018 5:33:01 GMT
"He was a varul," Kyra answered. "Wolf-people. Most of them live up north in Migma, in The Wolf Woods. Don't usually see them down south – I don't think their fur coats like the heat. Never seen one work with the Lexians until now. Probably a mercenary. Haven't had much experiance with them myself, but what I've heard, varuls are usually pretty stand-offish. But I don't think they're usually as bad as the one we met, we just found a rotten egg."
She looked sideways at Cipo. "Who's Lloxt?"
–
Mole shook his head. "Not that I'm aware of, no. Vesyka was extremely shy when we first met her. She's warmed up considerably since then, but I imagine Fox is still conscious about not frightening her."
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Post by Stage on Jun 25, 2018 5:43:11 GMT
"The enemy of our goddess Falajax," Lora answered with a hateful sneer. "The dog-faced Outsider who temps and corrupts."
There was a cough from behind them, from the dry throat of Wolpoch. Or perhaps it was merely a cough. It was hard to say.
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Leslie rolled her eyes. "Guess that doesn't involve not strippin in front of her."
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Post by KayKay on Jun 25, 2018 5:59:22 GMT
"Oh, okay," Kyra nodded. She was happy to have found a new topic that didn't involve death or racism, and was keen to learn more. "So he's like our Satan then. What about Falajax? What's she like?"
–
"Another thing you'll have to become used to, I'm afraid; Fox is quite shameless regarding clothing. She fails to grasp why it is considered indecent."
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Post by Stage on Jun 25, 2018 22:59:33 GMT
"She is our mercy and our enemies' punishment," Lora answered, her eyes glowing with another kind of light now. "She is master of both rain and fire. She at once has the body of a serpent and head of a woman and the body of a woman and head of a bird, because she is all. And she controls all except her shadow Lloxt, so her holy Warrior the Rhea battles Lloxt in her stead."
Cipo continued. "Another warrior wanders the mortal world in opposition of her: the Ophion. They are the Nemesis of Falajax and her Rhea. I... wonder if they are here. Perhaps they are Lexian."
"Or a varul," Lora growled.
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Leslie shook her head. "She's sure something. Hope she doesn't rub off on that lil Vesyka. Maybe her undressing is a plus for you though, huh? I sure know some boys who would like her."
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Post by KayKay on Jun 30, 2018 7:51:46 GMT
"She sounds pretty cool." Kyra's mind wandered to the thought of what the statues of Falajax would look like if she at once had two separate descriptions, though she pulled her train of thought back to reality as she spotted the distinctive derailed cars of the subway station in the distance. They were almost there.
"What's it like following Falajax?" Kyra asked. "Any cool rituals or holidays? Maybe songs?"
–
Mole angled his flashlight down at their feet, and raised his hand into the beam. The light glimmered off a silver band around his ring finger.
"I'm afraid I've already made a commitment," was his solemn reply.
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Post by Stage on Jun 30, 2018 8:05:52 GMT
"Daily thanks at holy statues," Lora answered. "On Piente, our ancestors left us countless. Walk in any direction from dawn to dusk, and one is still near. But they did not come with us."
Cipo nodded sadly. "There is only one now. On Matta. The lebra live crowded around it in shanties and shacks. It is the only place we are under the eyes of our goddess.
Her eyes fell to the ground, and she clasped her hands together as if in prayer. "I... cannot imagine what it is like for those who parted with us."
"Only the bora devil can drive the lebra away from our goddess," growled her harsher cousin, her yellow eyes flashing dimly.
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"Oh."
Leslie was not sure what to ask next. There was the obvious question of course, but she already suspected the answer from his tone.
"Well... I'm willing to bet she's a pretty lucky lady then. Promise I'm not trying ta steal from her. Ya just seem like the reliable sort."
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