[center][img]https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/597967434732929024/996262731520938034/Into_the_Depths.png[/img][/center]

[hr]
Collaboration of: [@Th3King0fChaos], [@A Lowly Wretch], [@dragonpiece], [@Pirouette], and [@Force and Fury]
[hr]

[Hider=Into the depths]
Benedetto had noticed the odd urn marks and clumps of irregular glass in the sand, just like Penny. There were few... almost as if they'd been purposefully cleaned up. As the others talked, he tapped on the wall and, with a start, couldn't help but notice that it was hollow. Bastards, he thought, trying to hide something from me? While the princess was busy consulting with one of her allies, he turned to the others with a significant look. [color=00a99d]"We should go in,"[/color] he whispered. [i][color=00a99d]Or I'll break you.[/color][/i] He kept the last part to himself. Whatever lurked beyond... perhaps it might even be interesting. 

Trypano reached out with her mystical senses, looking throughout the cave, feeling out the terrain around them. She used her power to draw in some pieces of elements from the rock around them to better identify it so she might be able to manipulate it further. She was alerted to a possible hollow point notified by Benedetto. The others were investigating another location but his path also showed promise.

[color=crimson]"Perhaps we should try and see what's past the wall before attempting to open it should there be an ambush laying wait."[/color]

Glancing Trypano's way, Ismette nodded. [color=6ecff6]"Agreed. Something about this doesn't sit right."[/color] She took a sniff of the air with those well-developed olfactory senses of hers and thought that she could detect a slight whiff of.... sulfur?

Desmond had been drying off this entire time. He grabbed his hat and began to shake it of water and sand. He was slightly upset that the ship had sunk, yet he was at least happy he was able to keep the flag. He could hang it up on his wall, or when he gets a bigger ship, fly that as well. As they made it in, Desmond was curiously looked around, it was until he began a rhythmic beat appear he became alert. Benedetto had been tapping on the cave trying to search for something. Desmond became intrigued in his search, where when Benedetto found something, Desmond was already on board in searching.

[color=gold]"I think it'll be interesting to see what's hidden"[/color]

As when Trypano and Ismette spoke Desmond thought it would be smart, yet it's not something difficult as Desmond begins to extend his senses to 'see' if anyone or anything is beyond the wall. Well, sense the energies beyond it. 

Ingrid was utterly humiliated that they had missed. Not only that, they had been saved by Benedetto. Again. [color=8882be][i]What am I even doing here? I'm useless.[/i][/color] Benedetto seemed to have noticed a hollow point on the wall and was itching to investigate. Ingrid wasn't driven by curiosity at this point. The only thing she knows is that without help, she'll die apparently. 

Ingrid listened to her team's observation. Ingrid thought it could be a sulfur gas behind the wall with what they have seen. Ingrid spoke up that it would be best to make a gas escape on a higher part of the wall if it is gas and that she could make if they would like.

Penny had been struggling with the terrain. Her muscles ached and her joints strained like those of a woman forty years older. There was only so much that kinetic magic could do to make up for the lack of a left leg and hours worth of desperate flight, combat, and adventure. She was exhausted. She glanced at the others surreptitiously. [color=f7976a]"I think you should do it. Go see. I'm out of steam, though. I'll occupy my 'fellow royal' in the meantime."[/color]

Desmond gave a nod to Penny as he said, [color=gold]"Alright, be careful don't rest too hard, we might have a bit more to do"[/color]

Trypano nodded in concurrence with some of the other suggestions.

[color=crimson]"Perhaps if we create a hole we could light a flame to burn off the excess flammable elements behind the wall. We'd need to stand clear of any possible shrapnel in case of an explosion capable of shattering the false wall. Alternatively I could try converting the elements in the air within into it's less flammable, more breathable compound."[/color]

Ingrid nodded and sent vibrations through the stone, feeling how the energy moved through the stone to determine the appropriate area to place it. She heard Trypano's suggestion and it seemed safer. Ingrid nodded and made a 2 inch hole in the stone to let Trypano start converting the gasses. 

Benedetto could sense Ingrid's mopeyness and it was hard  to suppress a grin. The strong cope and the weak fold, he thought, but he had better things to do than mess with some dumb Eskandishwoman's head. Instead, he thought it might be fun to throw her a bone. He jerked a thumb her way. [color=00a99d]"Honestly, she's right."[/color] He reached out with his senses. There wasn't much that he could detect beyond, aside from a few of the chemical reactions one would expect from a cave. It was almost... too easy. They would need a meatshield. [color=00a99d]"We should make a gas escape and do the converty thing and I say that Ingrid should lead. She's worked underground unlike the rest of us. Besides, she's the only other one I'd trust to deal with whatever comes our way."[/color] He even threw a smile at her. Of course, Benny could've done it all himself, but sometimes it was fun to watch other people do it. He'd blow something up later to make it up to them.

Meanwhile, Penny was saying her temporary goodbyes. [color=f7976a]"I'll be on call. If you're not back within an hour, I'm leading a party down there."[/color] She returned her attention to Princess Amelea, separating the two groups with far more political grace than Benny ever could. 

After a couple of minutes, the smell of sulfur lessened, but Ismette made it clear that there was still more behind it, almost as if there was a source somewhere in the distance beyond the hollow wall. With that, Benedetto had had enough of waiting around. He punched a hole through the wall and twisted, grinning, to Desmond. [color=00a99d]"Hey!"[/color] he taunted, [color=00a99d]"Think you can punch a bigger one?"[/color] 

Ismette blinked and looked at the others. She made some light in her hands and shone it in through the hole. [color=6ecff6]"Punch away, boys,"[/color] she said with an eyeroll.

Benedetto was impulsive and prone to bickering, both impairments to progress. Still, he had helped both earlier and in finding this hidden location. Trypano wasn't going to throw out his suggestion regarding Ingrid out of pure spite for his character as it was a sound idea. Someone familiar enough with mining would be some use in proper tunnel scouting. Perhaps not the best but still.

[color=crimson]"I'll continue to maintain purity for us. Ingrid, since you are familiar with tunnels you should be able to alert us of other visible dangers regarding such spelunking."[/color]

That said she was disinterest in their punching competition, enough so that she actually caught that Penny was heading out. She gave a glance and a wave as she departed.

Ingrid was wondering where the sulfur was coming from. Their is a chance that their is some volcanic activity and this is just some of the gas leaking through. Either way, if it was coming from deeper than they couldn't change all of it. 

Ingrid destroyed some matter on the shape of an arch with a flat bottom and then gently using her kinetic magic moved it out of the way with out making a spark. 

She looked at the punching competition and simply said be careful, if their are other gasses and you ignite it than we're all in trouble. 

She nodded to Trypano and said thank you. 

Desmond waited for some time as he listened to the others, he was constantly using his senses to see if anything changed as they let the gases out and changed them. It seemed as Ismette said that there is a source that is producing more, and in that moment Benedetto punched a hole in the wall as he looked to Desmond and tried to taunt him. Desmond chuckled as he drew his fingers across the wall as he brought his hand against it for a moment before he threw his punch.

Using his knowledge from many different martial arts, he knew how to best produce the maximum amount of energy from the body. He was in a slight bend of knees as he drew his fist away as that was the moment he threw his punch. As his fist flew, he extended his knees to generate power from his toes to transfer it to his hips, twisted his hips to transfer the energy to his back, twisted and extended his back to send it through his shoulder, his shoulders twisted, to send the energy through his arm, as his arm twisted to send all the energy he culminated to his fist. As the moment before impact Desmond prepared as upon impact he would take in the kinetic energy from his punch that he would take back from the force so he is able to put every ounce of force into the punch without fear. As he planned to send his fist through the wall and possibly take it down if the wall is too weak. 

The rock collapsed with a clatter, Desmond's punch doing the job, and Benny raised his eyebrows in approval. Thankfully, there wasn't enough flammable gas in the air to make anything ignite, and Ingrid had soon smoothed out a nice, simple path for them.

[center][youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gi0N6uuLWR4[/youtube][/center]

Of course, very quickly, the floor became rocky and uneven. It was treacherously dark in here, the light from their entrance dim and fast-fading. Dampness and clay and lime soil made the ground deceptively slick, and water pooled in certain areas. he ceiling was low and the three tall women had to watch their heads and move in a crouch at times.

 Yet... this subterranean space was not nearly so cold as it should've been. There was a chill, but it was quite bearable, and so the group went deeper, maintaining arcane light with their hands, watching their footing, and stretching out with their senses.

Once again, Ismette's keen eyes revealed things for them. [color=6ecff6]"Look,"[/color] she whispered, voice echoing in the sill, dripping darkness, [color=6ecff6]"more of those same tracks."[/color] It was like a number of soft people-sized things had been dragged over the rocks. The space was energy-poor as well. Aside from some minor chemical reactions and a very small amount of ambient heat and kinetic energy from dripping water, there was vanishingly little, almost... unnaturally so. 

[color=00a99d]"Nothing to fucking draw from,"[/color] complained Benedetto, but there was something else: a growing noise in the background. Ingrid, who'd saved up enough energy, was able to call light out in front of the group for a fantastic bright burst that illuminated what lay ahead for a split second.

Beyond the wide but low area that they crept through lay an enormous cavern. An underground river wound its way past, fed by a waterfall that only now came into drawing range, providing ample energy. Stalactites and stalagmites rose from the floor and ceiling, colossal, and grimy crystals veined the walls.

The river branched two separate ways and the group would have to decide which to follow.
That was when Ismette spoke up, shining her light on the near edge of the underground stream. [color=6ecff6]"Look at this,"[/color] she said, [color=6ecff6]"it's uniform here. This bank wasn't carved by nature."[/color]

The cavern wasn't very surprising to her. What was surprising was the sulfur. It could be made my organic means but the temperature was still relatively warm. As a small precaution, Ingrid sensed for radiation. Their shouldn't be any but until they know where the heat was coming from she couldn't rule it out.

As Desmond brought down the wall, he turned and threw a smile to everyone and said, [color=gold]"Looks like I win"[/color], as he did a light bow before the entrance as he said to Ingrid, [color=gold]"Ladies first"[/color].

As they traveled Desmond was keeping watch over everything, in caution he waited to use his own energy, as Benedetto so wisely stated, they had nothing to draw from. Yet the moment they made it to the opening they were able to draw from a waterfall.

And in Ismette fashion she noticed the very nature itself seem off, as she said the stream wasn't carved naturally.

[color=gold]"Hmm, that's odd"[/color], Desmond generated some light on his first 2 fingers on his right hand as he began to look at the rock near the stream and asked Trypano, [color=gold]"Hey are you able to check if the rock has anything weird in it?" [/color]

As they proceeded out into the enormous cavern Trypano's eyes were drawn to the enigmatic crystals formed within the walls. She drew from the material that comprised it in order to get a better understanding of it's composition. Ismette was overheard discussing the nature of the river's formation.

[color=crimson]"It is quite possible that a mage dwelt in this location, be it recently or long ago. I'm guessing it's had more recent guests given the tracks."[/color]

She then cast a glance over to Desmond past the corner of her eye.

[color=crimson]"Already on it."[/color]

The group's studies revealed a number of things: 

Firstly, that the sulfur was coming from upstream and that it seemed to be warmer in that direction. There was no radiation aside from the heat one might expect, though the source itself was still too far to sense.

Secondly, that the composition of the stone was natural in essence but had been altered. It was effectively concrete. There were a very few minerals, as well, that seemed entirely alien to this cave, as if they had been brought here from some distant place.

Finally, the recency of the tracks was confirmed by Ismette as she took a swab with her fingertip and examined it. [color=6ecff6]"The different layers of soil are deposited fairly uniformly, except for floods. This has been disturbed recently,"[/color] she confirmed, [color=6ecff6]"and often."[/color] 

Her keen eyes peered into the dark reaches in both directions and then she started, scrambling backwards. [color=6ecff6]"There!"[/color] she hissed, pointing downstream, in the opposite direction of the source of the sulfur. [color=6ecff6]"I saw a light!"[/color] Her chest heaved with anxiety. [color=6ecff6]"A red one,"[/color] she continued, [color=6ecff6]"maybe two. Small, and just a flicker, but Vyshta damn me if I didn't see it!"[/color] Instinctually, she reached out with her senses, but whatever had made that light either gave off precious little energy or, more likely, was too far away to sense. That did mean, however, that the river and its narrow banks in that direction were a fairly straight shot, much in contrast to the way upstream, which looked narrow, winding, and fast, with a waterfall and rapids.

[center][youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfuOtXgK9ZA[/youtube][/center]

This was such a fascinating discovery to Trypano. Not only was this an artificially designed structure but it contained elements she had never seen before. She absorbed as much of the info regarding the natural features of these elements as she could while the others spoke up, pointing out details regarding the river itself. Also, it seemed, they were not alone.

[color=crimson]"While sulfur can sometimes emanate from natural pockets it is also produced from organic sources. If something is still living in this location I would not be surprised if prolonged stay would result in such buildup."[/color]

Ingrid was relieved to know their was no radiation here but was much more concerned about the small red light that Ismette claimed to see. Ingrid couldn't catch it herself but she didn't doubt Ismette. Ingrid says "it was most likely eyes if she were to take a guess. Sulfur burns blue in most cases so It could be a creature and you caught its reflection. Either way, absorb some of the kinetic energy of the water and ready yourself because that is the direction we are going"

As Ismette hissed out what she saw, Desmond quickly flicked himself to the direction, bringing up his long gun, which he had retrieved after the ship battle. He aimed down there for a moment as he said, [color=gold]"Alright, guess we were given a direction"[/color].

Desmond looked on for a moment longer as he used arcane magic to magnify his sight in hopes to maybe see something, Ismette saw a small flash of red light, that meant one of 2 things, someone is trying to light fire, or someone has some strange looking eyes. He looked down the dark area as he continued, [color=gold]"I guess with sulfer coming from there, they might have been trying to light a fire like a fool, or as Ingrid said-"[/color] Desmond stands up and puts his long gun onto his back as he continued, [color=gold]"Guess someone has some magical looking eyes"[/color].

Desmond walked a bit forward before he said,[color=gold] "Guess we got some investigation to do, I'll take lead here"[/color], as he prepared to walk forward leading this time, as he was comfortable with much more precarious walkways. 

Ismette swallowed and took a couple of steps back. [color=6ecff6]"Oh Bringers,"[/color] she squeaked. [color=6ecff6]"Why are we going towards the ...thing, whatever it is? This is the part where the smart people - those who don't die - decide to leave!"[/color]

Her foot splashed into a small pool, disturbing an Ohm that had been resting there, and it made her flinch even more. The eyeless salamander skittered away with a splash and things went quiet again. Sulfur one way, red light thing the other way. Why are these people so hellbent on death!?

[color=00a99d]"Those are eyes,"[/color] crowed Benny, with the confidence and certainty of a boy going to shoot rabbits with his father's rifle. [color=00a99d]"And I wanna see what they're attached to."[/color] He shot a glance at Ismette over his shoulder. [color=00a99d]"Stay in the middle of the pack if you're so scared. I'm going up to the front with this guy."[/color] He jerked a thumb at Desmond and stalked up right behind him.

With the matter seemingly decided, the five youths pressed forward, Desmond taking point, Benny right behind him, Trypano, Ismette, and then Ingrid guarding their rear. The water was dark and frigid and the entire place had a weird smell. Aside from the wet crunch of their footsteps and the barely-audible flow of the stream came the sound of dripping water as they went.

Then, just as they had reached where Ismette estimate the red light had been, they heard it: Something moving, and not a small something either. It was... in front of them, behind them, above them! Benedetto shone a light up and the cavern had opened up again, impossibly tall. He couldn't even see the ceiling. Things hissed and slid, echoing in the enormous, near-empty interior of this place. Eyes stared back at them: red and reflective. Yet, when the group reached out with the Gift, hoping to sense anything, they found that they couldn't! There was no magic. They couldn't draw, couldn't sense, couldn't cast!

A strange feeling thrummed through their bodies and even their arcane lights winked out. Things crept nearer. 

[center][youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxqJuc1HHbg[/youtube][/center]

While always nice to have their suspicions validated it hardly prepared them for the issue at hand. Luckily they weren't in complete darkness as Trypano hadn't relinquished the lantern since the last experiment she made with it. As they approached the next cavern it seemed they had stumbled upon this grizzly host of theirs, some mysterious entity with eyes that reflected light with red menace.

What pulled itself upon her was a choking sensation. She was cut off from her senses, from her essence. The very energy inside her just... Dropped, lost to her due to circumstances outside her current understanding. The beast must have been connected to this, most likely anyway, but how?

[color=crimson]"I suggest we step back into the narrow entrance and set up a firing line. Draw the beast into the cavern hall and shoot it in a place it cannot dodge within."[/color]

She was already backing up and quickly too, fully expecting the rest of them to follow suit.

Ingrid knew that the cave was either going to open again given the amount of sulfur their was or we would see a lava plume of some sort and know would know where the sulfur is coming from. Instead the smell got stronger and they were suddenly surrounded by creatureas and something negated their magic. 

Ingrid grabbed Ismette's hand and turned on her heels saying this way. She readied herself to face the creatures with her sword, unknowing if Ismette could raise a hand against any life. Being rear she remembered the path very well as was her job.

From everywhere and nowhere echoed a chittering, hissing noise, rising and falling in chorus. [color=black]"B E A S S S S T"[/color] it almost seemed to say. 

Desmond quietly and deftly moved across the narrow walkways, he watched himself as he heard Benedetto was pulling up behind him. Desmond didn't show his emotions he held them in, he couldn't get back at him, not yet.

As they made it to where they would find the eyes, a voice rang through his head, calling out in a voice he could not really make out saying, look alive.

Desmond brought up his gun fast, fast enough to almost look as if he was a blur.

Desmond felt something, like a hum, a burning in the center of his back, it was telling him to fight, run, hide, death seemed to have surrounded them. As he reached out to sense what is surrounding them, he felt nothing, as he noticed when he shifted his foot, he couldn't 'feel' it. His magic wasn't there.

He face hardened as he began to think, Trypano tried to get them to run, but they might be trapped, so Desmond though, it might be best to try. They might get to see it, and if they can, they get to kill it.

Desmond stood up and put his back to Benedetto as he said out loud, [color=gold]"Get close! we can't leave a hole for it to take advanatge of, Ismette keep watch high, Benedetto watch low, Trypano and Ingrid watch to either side and infront as we try to move. I'll keep watch behind"[/color]

Desmond began pushing against Benedetto telling him to move, he was ready to fire the moment he say this beast try and lash out.

[center][youtube]https://youtu.be/TQathcQM2Wg[/youtube][/center]

It was a brave defence. It was a good plan, but it was uncoordinated. In any event, it wouldn't not have been enough. Grouping together made them a single target and the hissing walls closed in on them. The eyes multiplied. The air took on an even more potent smell and Desmond swung at one enemy with his rifle butt. Ismette punched, Benedetto kicked, and Ingrid slashed with her sword.

The eyes drew back. The air grew fouler. A faint feeling came over the group. It was... hard to breathe. There were few points for visual reference, but things were growing hazy!

Feeling himself fading, Desmond opened fire. Muzzle flashes illuminated his immediate surroundings for a split second and he and any others who looked that way would've peered through a thick haze. It was hard to make out anything in detail except what looked, for a moment, like massive tentacles or coils.

They were surrounded and from the little she saw from Desmond's gun, they couldn't fight it. Only way to get out would be the water. It is risky but it the best option.

Ingrid grabs Ismette and hops into the water.  All she said was hold your breath.

The moment the gun flashed, he saw what they were fighting and knew this was no fight they can win. They were losing time, breathing was not an option anymore as they were being gassed, so every movement took that away. As Desmond looked to the bank he silently nodded to himself, as he tossed his gun off into the bank and turned to Benedetto. He picked him up like a child and threw him in, as Desmond looked to Trypano and yelled to her, [color=gold]"GO!"[/color] He flicked over and brought up his pistol as he loaded a phosphorous shot with a Ahn-Shune's Light shot, knowing the moment they make contact with the intended target, they should spark and ignite with the mixtures of chemicals, hopefully starting a fire in to cause it pain and keep it at bay for long enough for them to make a full escape.

Once he fired that shot he will attempt to hop into the bank as well.

Ismette, grabbed and... womanhandled, blinks furiously. Her larger lung capacity makes her far more susceptible to this sort of attack, but paradoxically far better able to resist it if she holds her breath.  Her eyes are better adapted to seeing in the dark and she was  able to get a decent glance at what was attacking them. It was - 

She hits the water and is forced to continue holding her breath.

Well they just rolled the holy trio of terrible coincidences. Not only had they somehow lost access to magic but they were surrounded AND assaulted with some sort of anesthetizing gas. [i][color=crimson]Fan-tastic[/color][/i].

Not even sparing enough time for Desmond to tell her to go Trypano takes a quick breath away from the gas cloud and through her sleeve, holding it as she then dives into the waters. She might not have long to fight if the creatures come into the waters with her but she'd still have longer than she'd have had still breathing on land.

Time to see what came with the water.

They raged, then, against the dying of the light but, in their desperation, failed to heed that the river's current was carrying them towards the greatest bulk of their mysterious enemy. 

Less able to see or move, the darkness claimed them one by one. Last to go were Benedetto, fighting for every last moment, raging at how his strength hadn't been enough, at how there was something out there yet much greater than he, and Trypano. She had, at all junctures, taken the route more logical, but perhaps this entire endeavour had been a grave error in judgement. Yet, as she went under, she saw something that inverted her expectations.[/hider]

[hider=Deeper Than They Know]
[center][youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKZsMjKFDUs[/youtube][/center]

They all came back at the same time and the first thing that they felt was the heat of a warm room and the lack of any lingering effects. Yet, there was no crackle of a fire, and no nice, woody scent. When they opened their eyes, they found themselves in a surprisingly bright and almost entirely featureless room. The walls were made of a light grayish substance that they could not recognize and there was a sort of lamp on the ceiling that emitted a soft white light. 

When they tried to reach out with magic, however, they still found its familiar touch absent. "Oh, hello!" said a voice in accented Avincian, seeming to come from a small mesh cover on the ceiling. Behind it came a whole chorus of hellos. The voice sounded male and relatively young, but there was a strange quality about it, an alien one. "We're very sorry for the way you were brought here, truly."

"Sorry," another voice echoed.

"Truly."

"Very sorry."

"Yes, so sorry."

"There was... some concern that you might be another group of humans entirely."

"And yasoi," reminded a background voice.

"yasoi," echoed another.

"humans and yasoi."

"Yes, some concern about your group."

"About your group. Another one."

"Yes, some concern you might be another one."

"Do you have any questions?" asked the first voice, and the usual chorus followed. "Would you like any... food?" 

Desmond raged, he shot fire, he spewed smoke, he lept into the water that was cold, he tried to stay awake against it all, yet it could not be.

When he awoke he shot to his feet as he grabbed for his gun, and nothing, he reached for his sidearm, nothing, he even tapped where his bullets would be, nothing. Desmond felt naked, he had none of his weapons, his magic was gone, and he did not know where he was.

Desmond began to hear the voices, they sounded so strange, as when they talked Desmond was patient. He heard what they said as when they asked them if they had questions, Desmond almost barked out, [color=gold]"Yeah where are we?"[/color] 

Ingrid awoke with the others in a weird gray room. The room was warm but the lack of detail made it hard feel alien to her. She would normally feel trapped but everything just felt muted at the moment.  The odd voice caught her attention but she didn't say anything. She looked to see if Ismette and felt a small joy that she was still alive.

Trypano instinctively fought for breath upon reawakening, even despite not experiencing the natural side effects of drowning. It was simply natural given how starved for oxygen she remembered her lungs being. As well she recalled that face, the one who fished her from the waters. It appears she wasn't the only one as she rose to sitting, looking about to see her comrades also around and, for the most part, unharmed.

Still it felt like an entire piece of her being was shorn from her. There was nothing beyond the five base senses she used to feel the world through. It felt like being blind in some senses. This feeling of disembodiment did not abate with the strange nature of the voices which addressed them.

[color=crimson]"I have a question: What do you mean by 'Another one'? Who else are you speaking of?"[/color]

Ismette came to, sitting up and rubbing her head.  She turned to Ingrid to check on her and breathed a sigh of relief. In fact, everybody seemed alive and.... where the hell were they!? Then, Desmond was on his feet and demanding an answer.

"An excellent quessstion!" said a voice from a strange mesh on the ceiling.

"Excellent," repeated another.

"Excellent quessstion."

There was a drawn-out pause.

"You're in a safe house. You're sssafe."

"Sssafe," echoed one.

"In a safe house," clarified another.

"Deep underground, with us, human: the sssirahi!"

"Sssirahi," added a voice.

"Deep underground."

"With usss."

Trypano, too, was awake, chest heaving before rationality overtook instinct. [color=crimson]"I have a question,"[/color] she asked, [color=crimson]"What do you mean by 'Another one'? Who else are you speaking of?"[/color] 

"The cave people," came the voice, with its usual chorus of agreement, almost as if these people shared thoughts or shared a need to be affirmed by each other. "The ones who blocked our observations."

"Blocked them."

"Those ones."

"Blocked our observations."

"The ones that you fought and beat," said the voice that the others seemed to - generally - take direction from. "We thought it might be a holdout, or some escaping."

"We thought!"

"A holdout or escaping."

"They found one of us: the sirrahi."

"Sirrahi!"

"Found one."

"They... harmed her." There was no chorus this time, and the voice had a different, harder tone.

Before more could be divulged, Benedetto happened. He was quick to his feet like Desmond. [color=00a99d]"Why should we trust you!?"[/color] he snarled. [color=00a99d]"Show your faces!"[/color]

"We're very sorry!" said one of the voices.

"Very!" confirmed another.

"You will be compensated."

There was a strange pause and not even background noise could be heard from the mesh. Then, sounds of bickering in some other language. "Our faces," said someone on the other side.

"Yes, faces," added a second.

"Our faces."

"But of course we can show you those!"

"Yes, of course!"

"We can show you."

[center][youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YHTUxaUMxs[/youtube][/center]

For a moment, a slot in the wall opened and a head peered out. It looked like this: 

[center][img]https://i.pinimg.com/564x/ed/23/56/ed235603fca789912fb527435ccdb0c8.jpg[/img][/center]

[color=ffc8e4]"Hi there, new friend! Here's my face."[/color] It was one of the voices that they recognized from the mesh.

"Her face!" confirmed another.

"There is it is."

"Her face."

"Face, yup." They were coming from beyond the wall, faintly.

"Right there!" 

[color=ffc8e4]"I am wearing what I believe you yasoi and humans call 'hair' in an attempt to relate to your primitive species better. Is it working?"[/color]

"Yes, is it working?"

"Is it?"

"Yes, hair."

"Mhm, hair."

"Yasoi and humans."

"Yes, tell us, primitive ones: is it working?"

"The hair, that is."

"Yes, the hair!" 

Desmond listened as they answered, they were in a 'safe' house, underground. [color=gold]"Of fucking course"[/color], left his mouth immediately. As they continued they answered that Trypano's question and then Benedetto shot up and barked out and snarled similar to Desmond trying to get to know why they should be trusted and their face.

As finally they showed their face, Desmond looked on and saw her and heard them speak. They were alien, trully, Desmond looked on and was just dumb founded, he just looked on and said, [color=gold]"Uh...yeah, I guess it does make you seem more relatable, I guess"[/color].

Desmond was confused. They found something so strange he could not believe what he is seeing. Yet here he is, talking to a reptilian person, what a life. 

[center][youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2-r2muILus[/youtube][/center]

At Desmond's response, the sirrahi woman smiled in a most unnerving way and let out a little squeal.

[color=ffc8e4]"By Ipte, I am so happy!"[/color]

"So happy!"

"by Ipte!"

"Happy!"

"Very."

[color=ffc8e4]"Nice to meat you, friend!"[/color]

"Meat you"

"Friend."

"Friend."

"Very nice."

[center][img]https://i.pinimg.com/564x/f1/6d/5b/f16d5bd71f0f86daf5a287cd533713d1.jpg[/img][/center]

And Desmond was disturbed upon her opening her mouth like a snake. As Desmond said to them just standing there still dumb founded, [color=gold]"Yep nice to meet you as well, I guess"[/color]
 
Ingrid tried to swallow nothing, a habit when she was nervous. Since they seem excited to talk, she decided to ask them for food. [color=8882be]"Um, Sorry to be a bother but do you think I can have something to eat or drink?"[/color][/hider]

[hider=Desmond's Interaction]
[color=ffc8e4]"Five, record this in your observations, immediately!"[/color] she chirped.

"Immediately," echoed another. 

"Record this,"

"In your observations."

A section of the wall slid away, shuddering and clunking. It was simply a sliding door, for all that it appeared to be technologically marvellous. The.... being that came... slithering out looked very much like a vaguely human or yasoi upper body on a snakelike lower body. She leaned forward as she moved, straightening only when 'standing' still. [color=ffc8e4]"Human, you do not seem comfortable,"[/color] she said, slithering right up to Desmond and leaning until they were almost nose to nose. She tilted her head to one side and blinked. [color=ffc8e4]"Was this meeting perhaps too abrupt? Was our very rude first encounter too traumatic?"[/color] She twiddled her fingers nervously and Desmond could see that they sported wicked claws that had been purposely filed down. [color=ffc8e4]"We are very sorry,"[/color] she said, glancing behind herself at the doorway as if for reassurance, where a handful of other sirrahi peered uncertainly out. A handful echoed her and she seemed more at ease. [color=ffc8e4]"We...um, excuse my rudeness."[/color] Colour rose to her pale cheeks. [color=ffc8e4]"Many of my people find you rather... terrifying."[/color] Her voice was nearly a whisper. 

Desmond saw a part of the wall slide. He was astonished, such a marvel without the use of magic must take great skill and engineering that he wouldn't even dream of seeing. Yet what came out just frankly seem to be what he expected. Half snake half man.

She rode up near him as Desmond stood his ground, yet she seemed to get closer as she got up in his personal space and then literally only centimeters away. As she seemed to exhibit signs of uncomfortable and nervousness as she spoke to him, yet Desmond listened to her as she spoke.

As once she finished speaking Desmond said in a calm voice that hid is true feelings,  [color=gold]"Oh, why would they find me terrifying?"[/color]

Not making mention of the literal fear factor this could cause from such closeness with an other worldly being.

[color=ffc8e4]"He he he,"[/color] Nine giggled. [color=ffc8e4]"I believe that thisss is human humour."[/color]

"Human," echoed another sirrahi.

"humour," said a third.

They kept going on. Perhaps the similarity of the words 'human' and 'humour' amused them.

Her face returned to normal. [color=ffc8e4]"Humans are just ssso..."[/color] she tilted her head pensively, as if searching for a word, [color=ffc8e4]"openly and freely violent, and you use magic ssso, dangerously."[/color] She slithered back a foot or two and her fingers started twiddling anxiously again. [color=ffc8e4]"Did you not arrive here with multiple of your killing devices?"[/color] She blinked again with her big red eyes, waiting for Desmond's answer. 

Desmond heard her giggle and he chuckled himself, her voice seemed human-like, yet she seemed to be odd. Maybe they found the similarities of Human and humor to be witty. Yet as Nine spoke she made a point to speak of their use of violence.

As she spoke of the use of the liberal use of violence humans employ, and even himself having multiple himself, he chuckled nervously as he said, [color=gold]"Yeah I did come here with my weapons, and we can use magic in violent manners. Yet it seems here we are unable to, can I ask how that is?"[/color]

Desmond began to make an act to maybe get them to reveal some secrets, as he acted uncomfortable and nervous as he shifted his hand up to his belt and seemed to start tapping it as he continued, [color=gold]"I'm wondering because with magic I can sense things, yet right now because I don't have it, it feels as if I'm missing something. Like things are duller or like even missing the ability to smell or taste"[/color]

[color=ffc8e4]"I am sssorry that you feel thisss way, human."[/color] Nine pursed her lips, and it was clearly an awkward gesture for her. [color=ffc8e4]"But you did bring a violence stick..."[/color]

"Sssorry!"

"feel thisss way."

"Violence ssstick." It was the final statement that caught on. The handful of other sirrahi who had emerged from the sliding door 'stood' clumped together, bobbing up and down and repeating it.

[color=ffc8e4]"If we trussst you more, then perhaps this is sssomething we can discusss."[/color] She smiled, businesslike, and clasped her hands. [color=ffc8e4]"Besssides, I do not even know your name."[/color] Nine blinked. [color=ffc8e4]"If you forget sssuch basic things, you are not a very good human, are you?"[/color]

Desmond almost laughed as Nine spoke, [i]'violence stick'[/i], what a way to speak of a gun. Desmond thought they might have never seen one, which would be strange yet intriguing. As she spoke he started hearing her mannerisms as he noticed the more snake-like tendencies. When they seemed to almost speak with extra s's, like they were slithering with their tongue.[/hider]

[hider=Trypano's Interaction]
It was not often one comes face to face with a species similar yet so different from oneself. While her colleagues were of course discombobulated and perhaps a fair amount vexed, Trypano was astounded. While their control over her magical capacity was disturbing to some degree their measure of understanding stood well and far above her own, especially regarding whatever all...This was.

[color=crimson]"I see. How did these 'Cave People' block your observations per say? Which method of observation had you been using that was being blocked?"[/color]

She wasn't going to squander the opportunity to know more unlike her cretinous colleagues. For what little help they had been it seemed they poorly grasped the magnitude of this discovery. As for their attempts to better put her own kind to ease it felt almost rather similar to herself. She always felt like she was wearing this form just to appeal to the society within which she dwelt. She dressed like them and adhered to their standards but in thought they were of two species almost entirely. Even the yasoi, so utterly primitive in scope. This, however, was a discovery of something major. Something that perchance understood magic better than they. That was something she could not let slip through her fingers.

Their host's tongue flicked in and out of her mouth annoyedly a couple of times. [color=ffc8e4]"Thisss was our cavern. It has been since we lived on this island, though we do not anymore. We use it to come and go and to set up our devicesss."[/color]

"Come and go," said another sirrahi.

"Devices," echoed one more.

[color=ffc8e4]"It is important that humans and yasoi and.... the othersss develop properly."[/color]

Two other sirrahi, in the doorway, nodded vigorously, bobbing up and down in a sort of rhythm as they did so. 

"Develop properly," one mumbled.

"Important," confirmed the other.

[color=ffc8e4]"These.... foolish onesss blocked our exit, occupied our cavern and, when we tried to contact them, they shot at us!"[/color]

"Shot at usss!"

"They shot!" The voices sounded a bit angry. There were a few hisses.

[color=ffc8e4]"They thought they were hunting monsters!"[/color] said the sirrahi woman. [color=ffc8e4]"Imagine that!"[/color] She shook her head, the gesture oddly human or yasoilike. 

"Monsters-ss-ss," laughed another.

[color=ffc8e4]"They hurt Seven,"[/color] she said, shoulders slumping, [color=ffc8e4]"very badly."[/color] Her face changed for a moment and she seemed threatening again. [color=ffc8e4]"We do not like it when people hurt our brothers and sisssters."[/color] Once again, there was no echo, merely more of those bobbing nods.[/hider]

[Hider=Ingrid's interaction]
Ingrid just watched and listened. It was creepy but they were answering questions at least. They were further underground and were in a safe room. Just a lot was happening and she was trying to adjust. Then a fucking snake person. Why not. And apparently they were wearing hair to be more primitive. Ingrid was not even convinced she was awake. Maybe this was just her hallucinating before she dies. Who knows.

[color=ffc8e4]"Ah, yessss! Human."[/color] Their host paused as she turned and strode up to Ingrid and began inspecting her. [color=ffc8e4]"You are a human, correct? How wonderfully, abnormally tall you are for a female of your species!"[/color]

"Wonderful," echoed another sirrahi.

"Abnormal," chirped a third, oblivious. 

"Nine," said the first voice that they had heard from the speaker upon arrival, "You are forgetting human cussstom."

"Forgetting," scolded a second.

"Human custom," added a third.

[color=ffc8e4]"Ah, yesss!"[/color] squeaked the sirrahi, who had now slithered up in front of Ingrid. [color=ffc8e4]"Ssso sorry! I've been ssso rude! Introductions are cussstomary, I believe?"[/color] She blinked and smiled, close-lipped this time, perhaps catching on that her full smile was unnerving to the primitives.  [color=ffc8e4]"I am Dissska Nine Sileen!"[/color] She blinked and furrowed her brow before remembering to offer her hand. [color=ffc8e4]"You can jussst call me Nine, though."[/color] 

She smiled a bit more broadly. [color=ffc8e4]"As for sssome food, we have that in abundance."[/color] She tilted her head inquisitively. [color=ffc8e4]"I believe by your size, complexion, and the inflection of your words that you are Eskandish, correct?"[/color]

"Eskandish."

"By your size."

"By complexion."

[color=ffc8e4]"We can prepare a delicacy of your homeland!"[/color] Nine squealed, evidently excited. She paused and touched a finger to her lips. [color=ffc8e4]"We may do a horrible job, though."[/color]

Ingrid was at visibly hesitant to them coming so close but it seems that is how they are. She took a breath out and tried to accept their kindness. [color=8882be]" Yeah I'm human. I've never met anyone like you. You're a Sirrahi, right?"[/color] Ingrid listened to them try to correct their rudeness and she couldn't help but chuckle a bit. [color=8882be]"No no, It's fine to call me abnormal. I'm the tallest girl in my family by maybe a foot. It's nice to meet you Nine, I'm Ingrid Penderson and you can call me Ingrid,"[/color] Ingrid smiled and shook her hand. Ingrid found it interesting that they could just tell she was Eskandish but she does look like a pretty stereotypical Eskandish girl minus the height. Ingrid smiled to reassure them, [color=8882be]"I'm sure how ever it turns out it will be delicious. Thank you for even cooking for me, I am honored"[/color]

[color=ffc8e4]"I am... consssidered rather abnormal too, Ingrid."[/color] Nine swirled around Ingrid and, for a moment, reached up to play with the false 'hair' she was wearing, as if amused by its presence. [color=ffc8e4]"We abnormal girls should ssstick together."[/color]

"Stick together."

"Abnormal."

"Girls should."

Then, the voice from the speaker. [color=8bbdd9]"She isn't lying about that,"[/color] it said dryly. 

"Not lying."

"She isn't."

"About that."

[color=ffc8e4]"Shut up, One,"[/color] hissed Nine, taking Ingrid by the hand. [color=ffc8e4]"I just love that you are ssso tall!"[/color] she squealed, unleashing one of those big snakey smiles by accident. She quickly closed her mouth. [color=ffc8e4]"I will feed you well, human. I will not burn the food. You humans like your food cooked, I know, even barbariansss."[/color]

Nine tilted her head to one side as seemed to be a curiosity tic of hers.[color=ffc8e4] "Why do ssso many other humans call Eskandish 'barbarians'?"[/color]

"Yesss!" added one of the sirrahi in the doorway enthusiastically.

"Why?" another practically demanded. 

"Barbarians," said a few more. 

[color=ffc8e4]"So many humans!"[/color] It seemed to be of considerable interest. Nine made a sympathetic face, perhaps realizing that it was appropriate and that this may be a sensitive topic. [color=ffc8e4]"You... do not ssseem so very different from others to me..."[/color] she trailed off.

Ingrid felt a more personal connection when Nine admitted she was considered abnormal as well. Ingrid never disliked her height but it has bothered her on numerous occasions how people treated her. She wasn't a freak and  neither was Nine in Ingrid's opinion. Ingrid smiled at her like a new friend, [color=8882be]"Us girls should stick together."[/color] Ingrid kept her arms a bit more loose in case any of the other girls or guys wanted to slither. They seem pretty physical. 

Ingrid blushed a little at Nine after complimenting her height so genuinely, [color=8882be]"Oh thank you Nine. It feels nice to be complimented on it. I have to say though, your hair is done very nicely. Gorgeous even. I tend to have issues with mine after it gets wet..."[/color] Ingrid finally noticed how her own hair was messy and started to fix it. When Ingrid saw Nine shut her mouth when she smiled, she wanted to say it was alright but she is obviously trying to be considerate to our group. [color=8882be][i]Maybe I'll get a chance to tell her personally that I don't mind.[/i][/color]

[color=ffc8e4]"Yesss, my hair,"[/color] said Nine, flicking it over her shoulder. [color=ffc8e4]"It is gloriousss."[/color] 

"Glorious!" echoed others.

"My hair," said some.

Ingrid may have noticed that some of the sirrahi, particularly the women, had repeated after her. "Girls," they said, "stick together," said others. "Stick."

[color=ffc8e4]"I like you,"[/color] decided Nine, appearing over Ingrid's shoulder and resting her chin on it very forwardly. 

"Like you," said some others.

"I do," added one.

As the Eskandishwoman started to mess with her hair, the sirrahi seemed to take that as an invitation to get involved in the process. She helped Ingrid comb some of the knots out, her long, thin fingers extremely dexterous if not as gentle as human equivalents.

When they acquired about the barbarian thing Ingrid tried to explain it quickly. [color=8882be]"Barbarians? Oh, that has to do with our older history. It is true that long ago my people pillaged and were seen by northerners as simple barbarians. Now it is more of an insult. To some extent though, our leader used it to his advantage to drop their guard around him believing him to be simple. Were just normal everyday humans, maybe a bit taller."[/color]

At Ingrid's explanation of her ancestors and the term 'barbarian's' current use as an insult, Nine nodded supportively. [color=ffc8e4]"It is always good to use cruel people's assssumptions againssst them. They will learn not to do it." [/color][/hider]

[hider=Dinner Reservations]Ismet's head settled as the circumstances of their rescue came to light around her. She bit her bottom and arched her eyebrows in bewilderment as she started to understand what was going on. These snake people, Sirrahi, had rescued them and brought them here. Wherever here was.

There was a lot of information here and they seemed so open. Naturally or falsely? They knew of Yasoi and humans but as far as she could recall, nobody ever cited claims of what the Sirrahi were.  Why hide and more importantly, why is it important that humans, yasoi, and... others (that had so many implications it was making her head ache) 'develop properly'?

One question at a time and one that would ease her concern about this. They were in captivity. They didn't mention much about them being able to leave.

She lifted her shoulders, shrugging as she finally chimed in. [color=6ecff6]"Why go through the trouble? What are humans and yasoi to you, Sirrahi?"[/color] 

[color=ffc8e4]"Oh hello, new friend!"[/color] Nine slithered over, shooting a dirty look at the others in the doorway, perhaps because they were making her do all of the work of interacting with the scary humans and yasoi. [color=ffc8e4]"We were worried we'd broken you by accident,"[/color] she said.

"Worried," a few others chorused.

"By accident," they assured her.

[color=ffc8e4]"Sssince you work a little differently from humans."[/color]

"Differently."

"Work that way."

[color=ffc8e4]"We are very sssorry,"[/color] she repeated for the umpteenth time, and perhaps it was a cultural quirk of these odd people.

"Very!" echoed others. "Sorry," said some more.

[color=ffc8e4]"You are our purpossse,"[/color] said Nine. [color=ffc8e4]"The all-knower's purpose, and we carry out the all-knower's commands."[/color] She smirked at Ismette's visible confusion. [color=ffc8e4]"Hehe, trusssst me, we have just as many questions for you. Now, would you like sssomething to eat?"[/color]

As Trypano listened to their responses, it yielded a great number of answers and yet an even greater number of questions. It seemed for how much advancement these creatures held these firearms of theirs still posed them risk. Ironic, given what plethora of means one with magic could utilize to neutralize the threat of such clumsy weapons.

[color=crimson]"I do suppose humans have a terrible habit of lashing out at things they don't understand."[/color] And exploiting the things they do She kept the last words to herself, simply shaking her head at the pitiful behavior of the species she's had to call her own.

[color=crimson]"It was quite fascinating this air-born sedative you employed against us. Further still your ability to quell our mana's core functions was ultimately what left us vulnerable to such method. Remarkable, truly."[/color] While she nodded on this point it seemed Ingrid had taken them up on the offer of food and drink. It seemed she was introducing herself to these strange new hosts of theirs. She supposed this would provide a valuable in for her.

[color=crimson]"How about this: Since you're keen to learn more about us how about we share information on ourselves in exchange for some in regards to our kind hosts here? My name is Trypano and I would be happy to help represent the better examples of our species to make up for our worse population's behavior."[/color]

[color=ffc8e4]"We have noticcced this bad habit of yours,"[/color] Nine said glumly, and her body seemed to tighten up. [color=ffc8e4]"We have noticed it very much."[/color] 

"Very much," echoed the others. 

"Noticed it," they agreed, and she shot a concerned look back at them. 

[color=ffc8e4]"My... sssister noticed it,"[/color] she said weakly.

The others did something with their fingers, then, making some kind of gesture simultaneously. [color=ffc8e4]"But we are not here to talk about Ssseven,"[/color] amended Nine, straightening and smiling. [color=ffc8e4]"Or the many methods we have for preventing magic and violence."[/color]

"Magic," said a few.

"Violence," said others in refrain, bobbing up and down, the two words coming together before they faded out. [color=ffc8e4]"At leassst not yet,"[/color] Nine clarified. [color=ffc8e4]"Not yet, Trypano."[/color] She flashed another smile. [color=ffc8e4]"It is a pleasure to meet you. I think we would love to know more about what constitutesss a 'better example.'"[/color] Glancing over her shoulder at one of the walls, she was affirmed by the others and by the voice of One though the mesh on the ceiling. [color=8bbdd9]"We would like to know very much what the criteria are,"[/color] he remarked.

[color=ffc8e4]"Does it, perhapsss,  have something to do with being very tall?"[/color] Nine circled her momentarily. [color=ffc8e4]"You are even taller than Ingrid. Remarkable for your ssspecies."[/color]

[color=ffc8e4]"But I get ahead of myssself,"[/color] said Nine. [color=ffc8e4]"How rude!"[/color]

"Ahead of myself," someone echoed. "Rude," scolded a few others.

[color=ffc8e4]"For now,"[/color] she continued.

"For now."

[color=ffc8e4]"Can we offer you sssome food? A drink?"[/color] Nine smirked mischievously and leaned in. [color=ffc8e4]"I promissse there are no sedatives in this one."[/color] 

Desmond relized he had never gave his names as he nervously said, [color=gold]"Ah, yes my name, sorry. my name is Desmond, uhm-oh, Desmond Catulus. I'd um, like to maybe eat with the others."[/color] As he gestured to the others by pointing with his left-hand crossing over his body and pointing around his shoulder to the group as he looked and continued to speak, [color=gold]"It's been a long night and some food would be nice, I guess"[/color]. 

[color=ffc8e4]"Desmond,"[/color] Nine said with a nod. "Desmond," a few others singsonged. She leaned in conspiratorially, voice dropping. [color=ffc8e4]"I will confess, Desmond, to sssimply referrringg to you as 'Violence Ssstick' in my head up to now."[/color] She pulled back, grinning like a magpie, and her too-wide mouth started to come apart in that way that so unnerved him until she tamped down on it.

At the second part of his statement, however, the sirrahi clapped her hands together, shaved-down claws clicking a bit against each other. [color=ffc8e4]"You are Enthish!"[/color] she chirped, clearly pleased with herself by this deduction, [color=ffc8e4]"A land famous for its bad food!"[/color] 

"Bad food," echoed others. "Famous," they confirmed.

Nine smiled and nodded eagerly. [color=ffc8e4]"I shall cook awful food ssso you feel right at home."[/color] The end of her tail flicked back and forth. [color=ffc8e4]"I will be back!"[/color]

"Back," said more sirrahi.

"She will be!" 

Desmond would have been unnerved with everything going on. Yet  if he was able to control his laughter at this point, it explains perfectly what he remembers of Enth, Terrible food and terrible tempers. As she was about to leave he said, [color=gold]"Yeah that's Enth, bad food and violence sticks. How could you tell?"[/color] 

Nine twists and flicks some hair over a shoulder, grinning. [color=ffc8e4]"Why... you are one of the three pictures that we have for 'Enth' in our encyclopedia of human nations."[/color] She blushed for a moment. [color=ffc8e4]"Well, a younger version of you."[/color]

Desmond looked confused as he looked to everyone else as he shrugged and said, [color=gold]"Dang, guess I'm famous?"[/color]

Nine merely shrugged and Desmond may have noticed that a few of the sirrahi echoed him. "Famousss," they said, "dang."

[color=ffc8e4]"Your face has been... much discusssed among our people,"[/color] she said cryptically, and the usual refrain followed her.

Ingrid heard this and was very curious about the photo they were talking about. One of a younger Desmond. Ingrid looked towards Desmond while addressing Nine [color=8882be]"Picture you say, maybe I can see it too?"[/color] Ingrid is assuming they have a younger, cuter picture of him and Ingrid really wants to see it

There was a further echoed chorus and then a promise to find an encyclopedia to bring to dinner for Ingrid and Desmond's benefit.

Trypano notices that they were still keeping some cards to their scaley chests. Understandable given their history and what was probably the death of her sibling Seven, older sibling if she were to guess by order of precedence. Trypano moved some of her long red hair aside in response as the reptile remarked on what qualifies a better example.

[color=crimson]"I suppose for the purposes of cultural exchange a proclivity towards diplomatic relation building would be one such quality."[/color]

With her arms modestly crossed over her clothing which she definitely assumed had been taken from her at some point during her unconscious period given they were not presently wet nor caked in sea-salt nor mud like they were prior.

[color=crimson]"For the time being lets discuss topics more to your pleasing over whatever you have prepared for us as far as nutrient intake is concerned. I certainly have no worry about further sedation as it would benefit neither of us at this current juncture. I'd be happy to accept your offer."[/color]

She offered out a hand for a handshake to Nine, simply holding it out and patiently awaiting her response.

[color=crimson]"A handshake, a cultural greeting of ours which derives it's origins from humans who would clasp one another's arms to prevent those they spoke with from drawing sharp implements with which to harm one another using their dominant hand. Seems symbolically appropriate, given our circumstances."[/color]

[color=ffc8e4]"Interesssting,"[/color] Nine replied. [color=ffc8e4]"That would ssseem to go against what the humans we have observed appear to value."[/color]

The usual chorus followed, with the words 'interesting' and 'against' seeming to take precedence. The sirrahi was about to leave following their exchange about 'nutrient intake', and a couple of the reptiles seemed to chorus the words as well. But as she was about to go and begin cooking, she instead shouted another three numbers: [color=ffc8e4]"Twelve, four, ten!"[/color]

Those numbers bounced back at her in the voices of others. 

[color=ffc8e4]"Get us started ssso they don't have to wait too long."[/color]

"Wait too long."

"Get us ssstarted."

She turned back to Trypano and shook her hand eagerly, careful not to bite into the human's tender skin with her filed down claws. She smiled her full smile, gauging that this one would not react with fear. [color=ffc8e4]"I have learned something about the thing you call 'handshake' today."[/color] She smirked. [color=ffc8e4]"That makesss it all that much better. I shall return shortly."[/color] She released the human's hand and hurried off.[/hider]

[Hider=Beyond What They Know]
The sirrahi disappeared and the six humans and yasoi were left to their own devices in the strange grey room with walls made of a very unfamiliar material. Nine assured then that she would be back in twenty standard human minutes. Presently, the floor opened up, two doors sliding open and a knee-height table emerging from the floor. cushions fell from apertures in the ceiling and, then, the strangest thing of all happened: from the mesh in the ceiling came music such as they had never heard before. It was apparently, [color=Green]"the newest, hottest music, from the hottest artists, all day, every day. 105.7 VNM FM."

"All day."

"VNM FM"

"Every day."

"Newest, hottest."[/color]
[center][youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDBbaGCCIhk[/youtube][/center]


Ingrid was startled by the moving room once more but she was getting use to it. The music played and she never described music as hot. It was more free spirited and it consisted of instruments she had never heard. All in all she started nodding her head to the music. Ingrid looked towards the others, smiling as she kept vibing to the beat, [color=8882be]"The music is pretty nice right?"[/color] Ingrid was letting go and going with the flow at the moment.

Desmond watched as Nine slithered away and left them and felt as if this was going to be a long 20 minutes. Well, until tables and cushions came out and music began to play. At first he was confused as the voice from the mesh seemed to be different than from the others, as it spoke about certain things before music came on.

As the music played, Desmond found it lacking as he sat down and leaned on the table as he decided to just bear with it as he said. [color=gold]"Meh it's alright, I guess"[/color]. As unbeknownst to him, his foot underneath the table began to sway. 

Watching as the Sirrahi woman departed, Trypano arms were folded and she was left to the company of her thoughts. She wasn't aware yet just how much more this place held but it's secrets were many. When the table rose up from the aperture in the floor and the voices started speaking out of the meshes on the ceiling she found herself subject to more elements of their alien culture.

She calmly sat down on one of the cushions and took to deep thought as music started to emanate from the meshes above.

[color=crimson]"Fascinating. Perhaps their fascination with sound modification ties in to both their culture and possibly more."[/color]

Ingrid took a seat next to Trypano. Ingrid listened to her quandary on what music means to them and just said, [color=8882be]"Maybe they like music as much as us. If we could have it as easily as this, don't you think we would be playing it as well"[/color]

She glanced over to Ingrid as she weighed in on the matter. [color=crimson]"What's more is how they are producing it. All of this would be duplicable with mana using kinetic arts. They seem to have found ways around the use of mana to store and convert their energy however."[/color]

While she imagined this revelation should hold some gravity she had her doubts about how well these colleagues of hers could truly grasp the importance of this factor. 

Desmond listened as Ingrid and Trypano spoke, they seemed to be fascinated with the way music was being played. Desmond weighed in as well as he said, [color=gold]"Well, if they are producing it, it could be similar to how kineticist do it, but through mechanical means. Vibrating and controlling the flow of the air to produce sounds. Maybe some bag is used and can produce high and low vibrations to change pitch, similar to how instruments can strum to vibrate the air, or how you con constrict and loosen your own throat to change the sounds."[/color]

Desmond thought on the energy as he said, [color=gold]"It could be a form of energy like magnetic energy, mages will often store the energy found from magnetism within them. So what it to say you can't find a way through metals to seal it and store the energy for later? Using other forms of materials to let the energy out slowly for you to siphon"[/color]

Ingrid merely shrugged at Trypano, [color=8882be]" It could be a whole host of things. We can assume something is vibrating to make the sound. And if it is one thing making the sound it would have to be moving very quickly. But whatever, I'm going to let things sink in and ponder later."[/color] 
[/hider]

[hider=Dinner with Other Worldly Beings]The group passed their time in idle speculation and exchange, and the music changed a handful of times, each with a voice speaking through the mesh to introduce it. At one point, Benedetto tried speaking to the voice, but it ignored him entirely and kept on extolling the virtues of the tunes to come as if it did not even hear him. [color=00a99d]'Well fuck me sideways,"[/color] he muttered. [color=00a99d]"I don't even think there's a real person on the other end."[/color]

Then, as if out of nowhere, they heard a familiar voice. It was One's. [color=8bbdd9]"Sssome very good observations,"[/color] he allowed. [color=8bbdd9]"Anyhow, my sissster is coming with your food. She and I shall join you."[/color] There was a pause as other sirrahi echoed his words in that haphazard way of theirs in the background. [color=8bbdd9]"Pretend that you like it. Even if it'sss awful,"[/color] One added quickly and guiltily. A couple of others echoed him in whisper, and others snickered in their snakey voices.

Desmond chuckled slightly as One spoke about his sister's cooking. Desmond has eaten worst, so playing like the food is good and reminds him of home. Desmond waited, he was curious still of the music, almost too quickly did he turn from someone who disliked the music to one who was humming to it.

As he looked over to the others he said, [color=gold]"Well let's see what's being brought in, Benny come on-"[/color]. Demsond patted the cushion next to him as he continued, [color=gold]"Let's get ready to eat, it's been a long night"[/color]

Ingrid had to agree with the Sirrahi. Eskandish food while comforting for Ingrid was by all means bland and starchy, or very salty. It was of course better than Enth food. Maybe they will grab one of the more exquisite meals from her homeland. Maybe some good spice to it as well. 

She wondered how the others might fair against the sometime surprising spice of Eskandish cuisine, [color=8882be][i] I hope to see a lot of red faces, begging for relief.[/i][/color] Ingrid just quietly smirked imagining it.

Sitting with her finger tips together, resting in an arch, Trypano watched one of their hosts enter and make mention of their foods approach. [color=crimson]"Thank you for the warning."[/color] She responded, returning her red gaze to the remainder of her little team.

Then, the same door as before opened and Nine could be heard giving some others a tongue-lashing. [color=ffc8e4]"Will you ssstop being such ssscaredy-eggs? They are just squishy little humans and yasssoi. They won't hurt you."[/color]

"Won't hurt you," one repeated meekly. 

"Scaredy-eggs," murmured another. 

"Sssquishy little humans."

"But one had a violence ssstick," murmured a voice.

"Violence stick," the others echoed in a chorus, their silhouettes bobbing up and down.

Nine zipped through the door, then, leaning forward in that way she did when actually moving at a decent clip. She held a plate in each hand. [color=ffc8e4]"Hello friends!"[/color] She shot a look back at the other sirrahi who cowered in the doorway. [color=ffc8e4]"My brothers and sssisters are all scaredy-eggs."[/color] She placed these in front of Benedetto and Trypano, the latter containing a salad of leafy greens, with fish, nuts, and berries. "These are all sssuperfoods," she announced proudly. 

"Sssuperfoods," singsonged the sirrahi in the doorframe.

"All of them," added one more.

[color=ffc8e4]"Very high in almost all nutrients that humans need."[/color]

"Very high."

"Humans need."

"Nuuuutrientsss."

[color=ffc8e4]"I'll be right back!"[/color] she chirped, zipping out the door and back in with surprising speed. [color=ffc8e4]"For you, Ingrid!"[/color] It was... Surströmming: most certainly an Eskandish dish, and with a whole assortment of garnish to choose from. For Ismette, she brought Rainbow Mushroom Jamb'ysp Cake. [color=ffc8e4]"Please don't tell me if it'sss awful,"[/color] she teased. [color=ffc8e4]"Lie to protect my feelingsss."[/color] With a flick of faux-hair, she made for the door, but stopped as she reached it.

A small, pale sirrahi with thick-rimmed reading glasses and a stern face emerged. She slipped around him and grabbed a final dish, holding it high. With a flourish, she placed this in front of Desmond. It was... haggis, and a hunk of black pudding, with mushy peas as a dipping side. [color=ffc8e4]"A tasste of home!"[/color] Nine squealed. [color=8bbdd9]"Home,"[/color] echoed One, seating himself at the head of the table. [color=8bbdd9]"Now, tell me, do you primitives engage in... prayer?"[/color]
[color=ffc8e4]"Prayer,"[/color] echoed Nine, absently.

"Primitives," said a sirrahi in the doorway. 

One tilted his head to the side inquisitively. In front of him waited an enormous steamed ham. His sister, who they knew somewhat better,  eyed a massive rack of ribs. They pulled out cute, matching little napkins with numbers that corresponded to their names, and tucked these into their collars, preparing to eat but willing to make time for prayer if they had to. 

As the door opened up and food was to be brought, Nine seemed to call her siblings scaredy eggs. Desmond laughed and said, [color=gold]"You tell'em Nine"[/color]

As food was brought in, he saw the food looked good and regionally appropriate, and he was worried. As Nine came over and set down his plate, Desmond knew it to be true. Haggis and Black pudding with mushy peas.

Desmond looked to Nine and said with a smile, [color=gold]"Thank you, it reminds me of home already"[/color]. As much smaller Sirrahi seemed to slither in and take a seat at the table, he asked if they engaged in prayer. Desmond said with quick response, [color=gold]"I do not"[/color].

One blinked. [color=8bbdd9]"Interesssting, and highly unusual."[/color] Nine seemed to be trying not to drool.

Ismette, meanwhile, bowed her head in a quick prayer to Oirase for providing for her even in this alien place. 

Ingrid was... Surprised? Surströmming was indeed an Eskand product but did they just have this laying around?

Ingrid had already done a small prayer when the food arrived. She knows not everyone prays but Ingrid can remember the education she recieved for not doing it once in front of guest. Ingrid looked towards Nine and One and offered thanks for the food

Interesting Ingrid thought, as she ate it with the accoutrements. It had a strong smell and honestly she worried that instead of red she be seeing green on their faces. It is an acquired taste and and even more a harsh smell. 

Ingrid turned to One and Nine, offering them some Surströmming as well. She would offer it to the others but believes she will be made fun of either way for eating it later

Trypano noticed that the Sirrahi certainly were industrious, bringing out such a prodigious amount of food in so little time. Then again, after everything else the bar for what would impress her was set fairly high.

Then approached was the topic of prayer. She had to fight off the urge to cringe as memories of many dinners flooded to mind. While she held certain beliefs her father was still something of a traditionalist in many senses. Both in public and amongst family she'd been co-opted into these things before. She cast a look of interest over to Desmond as she'd expected otherwise before returning her eyes to One.

[color=crimson]"While it is customary for people under the umbrella of the Quentic faith to offer prayer unto the five I choose not to. I believe that for the same reason I do not offer prayer unto the nobility nor unto wizards of higher RAS than me I offer none onto the gods. There will always be beings more powerful than I but those beings neither require my praise nor do they necessarily deserve it."[/color]

Even as the others spoke, Nine was busy polishing off rib after rib, her taloned fingers and kerchief covered in sticky oozing barbecue sauce as she gaped as wide as she could and cleaned them off right to the bone. She paused when Ingrid offered her a bite, bone sticking halfway out of her mouth and a blush rising to her cheeks. 

She reached up and slid it out from between her teeth, swallowing hastily. She ripped another rib free from the rack. [color=ffc8e4]"We should trade,"[/color] she decided, not really waiting for confirmation and just shoving it onto Ingrid's plate. [color=ffc8e4]"That's Nixie Five's Bull BBQ. It's got some nice kick."[/color]

[color=ffc8e4]"Nice kick!"[/color] groaned a sirrahi from the doorway, gazing jealously out at the smorgasbord. [color=ffc8e4]"Nixie Five's Bull BBQ,"[/color] whined another.

Her brother turned to Trypano for a moment. [color=8bbdd9]"How very... unique,"[/color] he remarked. [color=8bbdd9]"You know, basssed upon my observation, your sssociety appears on the precipice of a great transssformation."[/color] He began to gorge himself, then, on steamed ham. [color=8bbdd9]"We shall speak at greater length,"[/color] he promised, receiving affirmation from the doorway and his sister. [color=8bbdd9]"But first, I believe we should should finish thisss meal."[/color]

Still busy eating, utterly unladylike, Nine swallowed, spat out a bone, and turned to Desmond, dabbing her mouth clean with a napkin. [color=ffc8e4]"Hi, friend!"[/color] she chirped, leaning in (for she was seated beside him, some of her coils all-but pressed up against him). [color=ffc8e4]"Are you enjoying your... 'food'?"[/color]

"Hi friend!" mimicked someone from the doorway. 

[color=crimson]"A great transformation you say? How... Interesting you should say."[/color] Trypano responded.
[color=crimson]"I would be happy to exchange information after consuming this meal."[/color] With that she took her fork and began to politely eat her salad. It was quite filling and nutritionally balanced which was good. Ordinarily this would be valuable energy for her magic as well but given the circumstances she felt oddly cut off from that aspect of herself as well. It would take getting used to. Still, there was something more at hand here than what others truly grasp.

Surströmming was delicious and all but ribs? [color=8882be]"Sure! I love a good kick with my food,"[/color] Ingrid smiled as she picked up the rib and took a bite. The Rib was tender and had a meaty quality the played as the backbone of the dish. Nixie Five's Bull BQQ heavily spiced with a splash of acidity to balance out how sweet it was. Ingrid will have to remember to use this process to her own cooking as it was so good! [color=8882be]"That was delicious Nine, thank you for sharing with me."[/color]

Desmond watched as people ate, each seemed to eat very differently. Some ate with a voracity that would be seen by that of someone who had starved. Others ate with some elegance and normalcy, yet some ate almost calculatedly. They ate just enough to not make others upset or nervous, and Desmond was one of them. He was very calm and mannered with his eating, yet he was honestly very curious on how they were able to make Haggis and Black pudding with such speed. To make either was an endeavor on it's own at least taking near an hour, yet they completed it in 20 minutes.

Desmond had some doubts on them not already having some of this prepared, the dishes made for both him and Ingrid takes much more time than they allotted themselves. So they must have already had it prepared and stored someplace or already prepping for them expecting for them to wish to eat when they awoke.

As Nine seemed to talk to Desmond, she leaned onto him more than anything, almost as if she would spill over into his seat if given the chance, Desmond looked up to Nine with a smile as he said, [color=Gold]"Hi Nine"[/color] Desmond then turned to the door as he waved to them and said, [color=gold]"Hello friend"[/color]. As he turned back to Nine and then said, [color=gold]"Ah, the food. It reminds me of Home for sure"[/color]. Desmond looked to Ingrid's actions and had an idea, a smirk came to his face as he cut some black pudding and said, [color=gold]"Here, wanna try?"[/color]

It was to Nine's great delight that she ate the wonderful thing known as 'Black Pudding' that she had prepared from a book of recipes. It was truly a delectable dish and she began to feel bad. Perhaps it was too good. The people of Enth were creators of poor cuisine, after all, as judged by their fellow humans. Perhaps they had an idiosyncratic taste that made them enjoy it. Perhaps Desmond was not truly enjoying the food. It was too... good.

In any event, the crisis soon blew over and dinner was more or less complete.  One finished wiping off his face, placed his napkin on the table, and knit his fingers together. [color=8bbdd9]"Ssso, it now comes time to ssspeak on other matters,"[/color] he said.

[color=ffc8e4]"Time to speak,"[/color] Nine echoed.

"Other matters," said a couple of her brothers in the doorway.

One held a hand up to forestall any discussion of a certain nature. [color=8bbdd9]"The one thing that I will warn you now is that we have revealed ourssselves to you mossst accidentally. We had believed we were dealing with the sssame intruders who had done us harm before. They were to be disssposed of."[/color]

"Warn you," chorused some.

[color=ffc8e4]"Most accidentally,"[/color] Nine repeated absently.

"To be disssposed of," warned a couple of her brothers and one sister ominously.

Nine looked to her brother and he nodded for her to take the reins. [color=ffc8e4]"Ssso, basically, thisss interaction never took place."[/color]

"Never took place."

"Thisss interaction."

[color=ffc8e4]"There is so much we'd like to know about your peoples. I am ssso personally curious."[/color] She touched a hand to her chest.

[color=8bbdd9]"Ssso much we'd like to know,"[/color] echoed One.

"Ssso personally curious," repeated one of her sisters.

[color=ffc8e4]"But, if we answer too many of your questions on knowledge and devicesss, it might affect the development of your ssspecies. That is not something we can risssk. It may give you an advantage over the others which is unfair and result in... bad outcomes."[/color] 

[color=8bbdd9]"Might affect the development of your species,"[/color] mumbled One.

"Too many quessstions."

"Something we can risssk." 

From somewhere beyond that sliding doorway, there came a ring, almost like a bell but muted in an unnatural way... almost as if it was an imitation sound. After a moment, one of the sirrahi who'd been peering out ducked inside and muted conversation could be heard. She poked her head out again. "Brother," she addressed One, "it's for you. They say it's important."

As their meal wrapped up, Ingrid anticipated that the somewhat lightheartedness of the conversation they had held earlier was coming to an end. Ingrid appreciated that they were being forward with them about the current position we are in. With their power, they may be able to completely wipe their memory of this event. Ingrid understand that their knowledge was dangerous to us humans. She felt conflicted. Ingrid was personally looking for better mining practices, magical or mundane. With the look of the materials they can create, there is no question that they have advanced much further in mundane production. Even the simple act of creating sound however they did could create dozens of advancements to just reach that one feat. 

Our actions of theorizing on the sound, speculating on the materials they used, and Trypano's attempts at information exchange should have made it obvious to them that we are part of what they worry about. Capable scholars that given the opportunity will absorb whatever they will accidentally give. 

Ingrid knew she shouldn't be greedy, for more reasons than she cared to name, but at the same time didn't want this experience to vanish. Ingrid had no idea what they were capable of but wiping their memory is highly likely. Ingrid could feel that unbearable cold in her chest when she imagines going back to her thoughts before meeting them. Ingrid would fight to remember them

[color=8882be]"I guess the first thing I should say is thank you. You didn't need to spare us, nor did you have to treat us as guests but you did and I can't thank you enough. But. I do not want this meeting just to be forgotten about."[/color] Ingrid's cheery demeanor faded for an air of seriousness. Ingrid wanted to be clear that she wants to remember them. Ingrid loosened up and continued to speak, [color=8882be]"I'll keep answering questions if I can remember you guys,"[/color] Ingrid said while glancing towards Nine.

During the meal, Desmond was more focused on making sure his hospitable hosts couldn't turn on them without them being aware. Desmond knew they had only a few precious chances to defend themselves, and being in the same room with him is one of those few chances.

Yet as the meal came to an end, it seemed nothing strange happened, sure talking was to be had, yet some were much more focused on finishing their food. And it was time for them to get to the questions. Desmond had many things he wanted to ask, but most were dashed away when One spoke and told them that they were to be disposed of if they were the intruders they were intending for. Desmond was grateful they were not a shoot-on-sight kind of people, so Desmond should thank them for that. Yet One continued about saying they couldn't ask too much about their technology. Desmond was annoyed yet understood as he said, [color=gold]"Well either way, thank you for taking the time to make sure that we weren't the people who came here before. That is much appreciated."[/color]

Desmond listened to Ingrid, she seemed willing to give information as long as they got to remember them. Desmond agreed, not because he cared to remember them, but more because he dislikes the idea of having himself tampered with. He despises the idea of having his memories messed with, and will damn well fight them, yet he knew in this moment, that fighting their way out would be suicide. Based upon the amount of voices, the numbering systems, there should at least be 9 of them, but based upon the voices there might be at least 10-12 of these snakes. Desmond might be able to take down one, but multiple would be a real stretch.

He sighed as Desmond said with a bit of an aloof smirk on his face, [color=gold]"Yeah, I'd be willing to give information if I can ask a few questions and keep the memories. This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance, would be a sad thing to forget such memories"[/color]. Desmond chuckled a bit as he said the next part, [color=gold]"And besides, we haven't even seen this encyclopedia you guys were talking about. I still want to see if you guys were able to get my good side"[/color]

Her brother had left the room to take the call and Nine was left alone with the humans and yasoi. She snorted despite the generally serious turn of the situation, and shot Desmond an appreciative look. [color=ffc8e4]"I assure you it caught... a side of you,"[/color] she responded with a hint of cheekiness. 

"I assure you," repeated another sirrahi.

"A side of you," echoed a few more. Others snickered.

[color=ffc8e4]"Now, as for your concerns..."[/color] she paused to brush some hair from her eyes. [color=ffc8e4]"Ugh, this stuff gets annoying after a while. Why do you not just cut it short? Does it serve as insulation?"[/color] She furrowed her brow quizzically. [color=ffc8e4]"Does it serve... mating purposes?"[/color]

There was a broken echo of many little parts of her question, but she shook her head as if to clear it. "I have no intention of erasing anybody's memory or letting any harm come to you. I am not some wicked witch."

"No intention."

"Wicked witch." The sirrahi in the doorway echoed that one in particular until Nine twisted and hissed in their direction.

She turned back to the primates, tucking some hair behind her ear, all smiles again. [color=ffc8e4]"As for questions,"[/color] she continued, [color=ffc8e4]"I can answer some as pertain to my people, our culture, and our mission here but, for the reasons I've already stated, I can't hand you any science or technology."[/color] 

"Can't hand it."

"Science or technology."

"Our culture."

A thought seemed to have occurred to her, however. [color=ffc8e4]"Ten!"[/color] she shouted, and was joined by a chorus of others until a second sirrahi who looked very much like her slithered meekly out of the doorway. 

"Yesss, sissster?" the new arrival asked, eyes darting warily at their guests. 

[color=ffc8e4]"Bring the encyclopedia!"[/color] Nine giggled, grinning in her snakey way. Others repeated the command and Ten blushed. [color=ffc8e4]"But Nine..."[/color]

"But Nine," they mimicked, exaggerating the whininess of it.

"He will be embarrassed."

"Embarrassed!"

"He will be."

Just then, One returned, his manner businesslike. [color=8bbdd9]"I shall ask you once: are there any further members of your group?"[/color]

With the end of their meal came the time for questions. A time to approach some answers in exchange for answers to some of theirs. Trypano noted, however, that there was more happening around them as they spoke than they were letting on.

She noted Nine's annoyance with the wig she had donned.[color=crimson] "More the former than the latter I'm afraid."[/color] With an idle gesture she cast a long lock of her vermillion hair back behind her shoulder. [color=crimson]"Much like peacocks we pride ourselves on our aesthetics, our own appearance holding an important role in our psyche. We use colors and decorations to appeal to others not just for mating but also to establish one's self in an aspect of social hierarchy as well as a means of self expression. There are those who spend their entire lives absorbed with both their appearance and with the public's impression of them, their image becoming not just a reflection of them but a facet of their personality as well."[/color]

Turned her attention back over to her comrades she noted Ingrid's concern, a notion Desmond seemed to share. Trypano simply shook her head.

[color=crimson]"If they just wanted to learn about us I doubt they'd of needed to seek our consent for such questioning given the position we're in. All reassurances aside given the guidelines they've professed such an outcome could be possible but I have some doubt."[/color]

Just as she was about to approach her question however One returned, maintaining a professional front but something was definitely up.

[color=crimson]"To be precise we came with a group. Two more individuals who didn't follow us into the concealed cavern are classmates of ours, a woman with a false leg and a yasoi. Both the woman with the false leg and another woman are royalty from separate kingdoms. Accompanying the latter individual are pirates, sea-faring bandits who steal property off boats using violent coercion. You're likely familiar with them as they comprise a fair number of this island's residents up on the surface. There were a large number accompanying us, though much fewer followed far enough into the cavern to happen upon the route we took. Whether or not that has changed since last we were rendered unconscious is unknown to me."[/color]

The last thing they needed was for the Sirrahi to believe they were up to some manner of subterfuge here. If any of her remaining comrades created issues for the underground locals she'd need the good will in order to better negotiate for their survival. The Sirrahi seemed reasonable but they held a certain fear towards humanity's more aggressive tendencies. Like with any animal, regardless of the quantity of their sentience, it was never wise to provoke something into acting out of fear...

And cornered snakes are known to bite.

Desmond listened with a small chuckle, there was no way for them to have taken a photo of him he would be embarrassed in. He was already prepared for what was to come, and what if it was a really flattering picture! It would be such a fun thing to talk about, yet is seemed One came back and asked them an ominous question. 

As Trypano answered, Desmond asked the obvious question, [color=gold]"Why? What happened?"[/color]

[hider=What Happened]
Half an hour ago:
It had been close to an hour and a half. Penny had been generous with time, but something was not right. "They've been in there too long!" she'd insisted to Amelea, but it had taken another twenty minutes to coax an escort out of her. Now, the Perrenchwoman voyaged through the dark and treacherous depths of an immense cave system, a grizzled old sailor with a stump for an arm and a callow cabin boy ranging out in front of her every so often before pulling back so as not to leave her behind. 
 
In truth, she was pretty sure that they were frightened. This place gave off an unnatural feeling. Further in she went, though, and the faint whiff of sulfur she'd detected intensified. Geothermally heated? she wondered, but she didn't know. She knew little in here and there was little energy to be drawn as well. The lantern that one of the men carried was everything: its faint yellowish light swinging back and forth on a creaky handle as he walked, casting long shadows.
 
Every ten seconds, Penny stopped, reached out with her senses, and searched for energies. Paranoia crept in and was firmly entrenched by the time that the trio reached a large, underground waterfall. They cast about, left and right. One way was narrow, rocky, and had the waterfall and rapids to contend with. The other had reasonable banks and wound slowly into the depths. Leaning towards the latter, she did another sweep. That was when she felt it: something large in the distance - more than one 'something'. Penny reached for the Gift to draw energy, but that was when she noticed that the Gift had disappeared…[/hider][/hider]

[hider=Questions Desmond will Ask]
1- [color=gold]"So are you guys from this world?"[/color]
2- [color=gold]"So I noticed your names have a first, middle, and last structure. First is your name you are referred to be differentiated from your middle and last, your Middle seems to be a number which you each use to call each other and even those you are close to, and the last is probably a family name. What does the Number mean?"[/color]
3- [color=gold]"So Nine I noticed you enjoyed the Black Pudding a lot. Do you like the blood taste? I personally don't like it much, but it's what I know some people like it for."[/color]
4- [color=gold]"So you talked about the reason why you are down here is because of some All-Knower. Who is this All-Knower?"[/color]
5- [color=gold]"So do you guys normally wear clothing?"[/color]
6- [color=gold]"How good of swimmers are you guys? I know some snakes are good at swimming, but I'm unsure how that translate upwards in scale."[/color]
7- [color=gold]"So your music seems very different than ours, I also noticed many instruments I've never heard. Are those ones you invented yourselves?"[/color]
8- [color=gold]"How it is so cool in here? I understand if it is technology and you don't wanna talk about it, but I'm curious because of where we are it would be much warmer"[/color]
9- [color=gold]"Do you guys have your own language system or is it Avincian?"[/color]
10- [color=gold]"So how does your reproductive organs work? Can you mate with others like Humans and Yasoi? Or is it 100% within your species?"[/color]
11- [color=gold]"Do all of your species live underground? Or do you all live in the little mesh in the ceiling? [i]Hehehe[/i] I'm joking about that"[/color]
12- [color=gold]"Is there a way for me to maybe, possibly, with permission, somehow, pretty please have a way to listen to music like the way we did down here but in a portable form?"[/color] 
[/hider]

[Hider=TLDR;Summary]
Our Crew of School sanctioned Pirates have found themselves a secret tunnel. Upon entering they found a man-made cave that seemed to have been used often as they ventured to hunt down mysterious glowing eyes. When they found the mysterious creature they thought they saw, the Group lost their ability to use magic and were captured thereafter.

They awoke an hour later in a grey room as mysterious people spoke to them through a mesh spoke and talked to them. As they talked to the people behind the mesh, they eventually showed themselves to be snake people, the Sirrahi. After some talking the group was left inside this room with music coming from the Mesh so that the Sirrahi could make them dinner. After the group ate with two Sirrahi, One and Nine, they will be able to ask them questions as a form of Cultural exchange, well, until Penny seemed to have gotten herself into trouble.
[/hider]