:Tigre Family Estate:
8090-Harrowfall Avenue; Jettison City; Planet Erie
Once called the Erie Institute of Agriculture, it's residents were suddenly and mysteriously evicted out near the time when the LSF began bribing key officials in Planet Erie for Liberty. Another of its mysteries is the fact that shortly after its abandonment, the Order of Cincinnatus annexed the deed land: rumors have spread amongst the locals that the LSF and the OoC had agreed upon the deal long before it was done; but of course the LSF would deny such claims.
The OoC may have had some plans for the large tract of land, but couldn't initiate the projects possibly due to a number of reasons like lack of capital and manpower at the time. So instead, the OoC gave the deed to the late couple Inocenta and Inocente Tigre, Leonardo's parents, as a reward for their numerous contributions and service in their time working for the OoC when the two retired due to stress from running their new family in a dangerous and risky career.
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Erie is a hot, tropical planet boasting diverse sets of ecosystems in its continents, bearing a resemblance to, but not exactly, the Triassic Period of Old Earth: ferns, palm trees, and grass-like flora blanket the soil in thick forests and jungles, but a minority of woody forests inhabit some regions; the fauna is mostly, but aren't exclusive to, reptilian- and dinosaur-like organisms, yet some regions also host some sets of mammalian- and avian-like animals as well; the waters are inhabited mainly by cethalopods that are herbivorous, carnivorous, or even both, the most common types being those that resemble nautilus and ammonites, a few of them reaching the sizes of small fighters; most are not that aggressive nor deadly, and some are even considered a great delicacy in their respective areas.
The Estate was based on the 3rd-largest continent Brooklyn, where the flora, unlike the ones we usually see that have green leaves, reflect golden-yellow pigments instead, with the local fauna blending with their surroundings: the most common plants here, the [color=#FFFF33]Golden-Fern and the Yellow-Thrush (the local ferns and grasses, respectively), have leaves that shine yellow with light; the herbivorous Backtan Bison, covered in golden fur, are usually hard to spot in the tall grasslands when they stand still; the Golden Raptors lie in wait with their golden camouflage to attack unsuspecting prey.
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The university-city, based on old documents salvaged from one of the libraries, was once divided into 5 sectors separated from each other by the two main river systems Milton and Ptolemy, which run across the sides of the middle (and largest) sector: each sector had numerous settlements, outposts and even underground facilities interconnected with subterranean transit systems, wherein each settlement was built to cater to a specific area in agriculture-study like Soil Science, Agronomy and Husbandry; the rest were research outposts constructed for smaller-scale projects and volatile study.
Some of these settlements and outposts were so frequented by people they soon became small cities in their own right, providing housing and giving jobs to the student-body and to their respective professors for long-term residence and labor: things like factories, restaurants, entertainment arcades, retail stores and even malls (when the settlement was particularly well-developed) existed as they conducted their advanced research and education in peace.
Sadly, because of prolonged lack of use and maintenance from the sudden disappearance of the university's previous tenants some of these settlements have come into ruin, while most of the outposts in the more remote places are now overgrown and/or (in the case of the underground bases) caved-in.
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[font=Georgia]:Current Residents:
[font=Georgia]:Tigre Family: (0)
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[font=Georgia]:Heatshield Family: (51)
Notable People
Michinson Heatshield: Spokesperson of the Heatshield Family
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[font=Georgia]:Frequent Visitors // Honorary Guests // Other Residents: (1)
The Estate was (and is still) divided into 5 sectors, their borders determined mainly by the two main river systems, Milton (to the western side) and Ptolemy (to the northern and eastern side) that originate from the Northern Ptolemy Mountain Ranges, Sector-5. The following sectors, in some aspects, differ in terms of topography and geography, but their wildlife and ecosystems are more or less the same, save for Sector-4 which is a floodplain area.
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Notable Flora:
1.) [color=#FFFF33]Goldenjerky (bottom picture): A relative of the Yellow-Thrush (top picture), but different in the fact it's easy to digest and is also considered a delicacy: in it's raw state, it has the taste and texture of meat jerky, hence its name. The grass is also nutritious, being rich in Carbohydrates, Proteins and minerals like Iron and Potassium.
It used to be grown exclusively in Sector-3 on a large scale because the soil there was just right for growing meter-high crops, but ever since the university was left mostly abandoned the Goldenjerky has begun to migrate pervasively into other sectors with their airborne reproductive spores able to fly freely all across the landscape, and have now become quite common around the Estate.
2.) Gift of God: This common vine is an aerial plant that grows mainly on elevated locations. It is mostly found on thick forests where moist air is abound, but also grows well on urban settings like rooftops and walls if the local climate is cold and wet.
The story on how it got its name was that a Zoner couple once long wanted to have children, but they couldn't because the lady was sterile. The two constantly prayed in front of an altar to ask for the blessing of bearing children, and all that time they never knew that a vine was growing just above the ceiling.
One day, as the two were praying for a baby to be conceived the vine had developed fruit: the berries were ripe, and soon dropped in front of the couple in the midst of their prayers, and, taking that as a sign from their deity the woman ate the berry and became fertile again; she eventually bore twins, and that's how the name stuck, as if their deity had dropped the berries down like a divine gift.
The plant is now grown on a large scale amongst various agricultural fields around the world for its strong herbal properties, and has been an important reagent in many of the locals' medicines. Aside from this, the myth goes that if a couple were to witness the ripe fruit of the vine drop beside them the two would be blessed with good luck and a happy marriage because it would be taken as a sign that God readily approves of their union.
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Notable Fauna:
1.) Backtan Bison: They are the common, golden-furred bovines native to this part of Brooklyn, resembling much like the ancient bison of old earth. They are normally docile and timid, but are actually quite tough, formidable, agile and surprisingly fast for their size (reaching top speeds of 55 km/h in full sprint, and a long-distance pace of 45 km/h) should the need arise.
There are actually two varieties of the species: the ones domesticated by the local Zoner ranchers that sport very smooth, straight fur; and the wild, untamed ones with kinky fur, known for being much tougher and be of shorter temper than their introduced counterparts. It's become a ritualized test of courage for young Zoner boys to ride a wild Backtan with only their hands until they either fall off, or the bison gives up, with the latter conclusion being a heroic feat of pride for the winner.
Domesticated or not, both varieties are known best for their milk: Backtan, even the wild ones, produce large quantities of delicious and nutritious milk (a single milking session done by hand can produce 10 liters/Backtan, even more when automated), which is used in a wide range of local dishes and drinks, and also seems to show some medical properties, treating a few illnesses like leukemia and diarrhea.
They are also popular for riders and ranchers in this part of the continent, especially the easier-to-train domesticated ones, but hardcore riders could still try their metal in taming the wilder, but healthier, ones.
2.) White Phoenix: Native to the continent where Allentown, the primary capital of Planet Erie, is located, these massive birds with wingspans of up to 7 meters in length are migratory birds capable of crossing vast intercontinental oceans and land masses, large enough to be mistaken for fighters, and powerful enough to be saddled by a single rider, but aren't as popular for a mount by the locals as a Backtan.
Being omnivorous birds of prey that are at the top of the food-chain they are bold and dangerous creatures that stand their ground when threatened. Their fighting prowess is well known, with large groups of them capable of taking down even a bomber in mid-flight. Luckily, they aren't particularly aggressive, and so long as they aren't startled they are usually docile enough to approach.
Tourists could witness their spectacular annual mating rituals in various regions depending on the season, with flocks of them covering the skies like clouds, and droves walking amongst the plains like herds of white dragons; that is, if they don't mind their flights being grounded until the birds leave.
3.) Golden Raptors: The most common predators in this part of Brooklyn, these meter-tall reptiles resemble that of the Velociraptors of old earth, but the main difference is that they have developed golden-colored feathers that points from head-to-tail, to mimic the golden grasslands they live in, and help provide a more streamlined body.
Although they appear quite dangerous, they aren't territorial and would more likely turn around and run at the first sign of danger; only when cornered or starving would they decide to attack.
4.) Katanuhwan: Imported from Gran Canaria as a supplement to the livestock on Planet Erie, these large, black-furred bison have been quite successful in adapting to their new ecosystems due to their high birth-rate and wide food range, but their fur-color makes them easily spotted by local predators.
Unlike the Backtan Bison, which are more famous for their nutritious, high-grade milk, the Katanuhwan are bred instead for their savory, high-grade meat. They are also equally reputed as their native counterparts, however.
5.) Cyntacretians: The cethalopod-type marine species that frequent the waters in this part of Brooklyn the most, they are nautilus that, when mature, have bodies the size of beach balls and sport retracted tentacles which can stretch for up to a meter in length. They can move swiftly, and their shells are strong enough to block even current side-arms with ease.
They aren't particularly-poisonous and dangerous, but they do have a very curious nature which makes them a big nuisance for nearby swimmers because they usually investigate with their long tentacles to hug and feel things, and that they are very persistent in doing so.
Nevertheless, they are nutritious and their meat is somewhat close to the consistency of pork; and because they breed in very large numbers they don't run into any risk of overfishing, making them a staple part of the common diet amongst the locals and the Estate's residents.
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The Different Sectors:
aerial footage of one of Sector-1's ruins
1.) Sector-1: The western part of the Estate, separated from the other parts by the Milton River of the West, is where the entrance to the Estate is located. The first thing that visitors see are the vast savannahs and smooth, rolling hills of Yellow Thrush and Goldenjerky blanketing the landscape like a golden ocean, and Backtans grazing lazily to themselves in large herds. The environment resembles much like the tall-grass prairies of the Great Plains of Western North America of Old Earth.
Aside from the Entrance Quarters, where the Tigre Family and most other guests take their residence, there are two other large settlements clearly visible from a high elevation, and several other smaller outposts now severely-overgrown by the local fauna. The main-roads are still very-much visible, but smaller dirt roads may have already been reclaimed back to the wildlife.
Notable Areas:
an old, black-and-white photo of the entire Entrance Quarters Complex
A.) Entrance Quarters: The "mansion" of the Estate, the Entrance Quarters is so-called because it used to be the main entry-point into the University. In it's day, those who came into the EIA without first registering their passage certifications through the Entrance Quarters Lobby were to be branded as trespassers and looked upon with suspicion.
Now, the Entrance Quarters serves to be the only inhabited settlement in all of the Estate, housing not only the Tigre Family, but also those that wish to make their residence here without having to repair any ruins, and is also where visitors still have to introduce themselves out of courtesy.
The place is divided into 4 sections, the first 3 more or less the same in content and size:
The Northwing: where the Tigre Family mainly resides
The Westwing: where welcome people and/or families who wish to permanently stay at the Estate reside
The Eastwing: where long- and short-term visitors, guests and tourists reside
The Courtyard: the plaza located in the middle of the Entrance Quarters, where ships and ground-based vehicles pass through and secure themselves
picture of Sector-2's largest ruins, Jupiter City, on a cloudy day
2.) Sector-2: The center-most, and largest, sector of the entire Estate, it is cut-off from the other sectors by both the river systems Milton and Ptolemy from all four sides. This sector is fairly balanced: large mountains in the very middle, with the rest being either glistening, golden forests of Golden-Fern, or open prairies and savannahs of Goldenjerky and Yellow-Thrush. The Golden Raptors are most common in these parts, taking advantage of the many scattered pockets of forests for cover to ambush unsuspecting herds of herbivores.
There were 5 main settlements that existed here, two now heavily-ruined from time and erosion. Tens of thousands of other smaller settlements and facilities used to dot the sector, but some are either starting to disappear from overgrowth, or have already been taken back entirely. Now remote in several places, only the main-roads are still useable, with other found paths to be considered instead as natural wildlife trails.
picture of some ruins adjacent to the Ptolemy River in Sector-3
3.) Sector-3: The sector separated from Sector-2 and the other ones by the Ptolemy River, it is quite unremarkable in terms of geography: mostly empty grasslands and prairies of Goldenjerky, with only the occasional hill breaking the evenness; however, visitors should be keen to know that this sector has some of the best sunrise-viewing spots in this part of Brooklyn. The best location to see this spectacle is on top of the Lowlee Plateau to the southeastern-part of the sector, where one could see almost the entire landscape twinkle in synchrony with the early-morning dewdrops and the wavy-movements of the fields when blown by the wind.
There used to be two large settlements erected to the northern and southern areas of Sector-3, but the former has long since been too overgrown by the local Goldenjerky to be at all distinguishable from a distance, while the later remains fairly detectable on the Lowlee Plateau. Almost all of the smaller roads have disappeared under the tall-grass-blankets, and even the main-roads are starting to fade away.
one of Leonardo's pics deep inside one of Sector-4's submerged ruins, now exposed by the dry season
4.) Sector-4: This sector is the southeastern-most part of the Estate, and is also the most fertile: the two main rivers merge here downstream, and then fan out into smaller, but numerous streams that web out and run all over the place, depositing precious silt and organic fertilizer and turning the landscape essentially into a wetland-floodplain. At times of very heavy rain, this sector becomes a large, but shallow lake. This sector is also somewhat dangerous because of the various diseases and bacteria bred in these ideal conditions, while there are also numerous other amphibious predators that make their nests.
Being a very water-logged location, there are basically no defined roads here: most current graviton-based vehicles work fine here, but the best way to get around is via ship. There are 3 main settlements that rise high above the water-line, all reasonably intact and still in good shape, while some of the hundreds of other outposts are now starting to degenerate.
a pic that Milarosa Tigre once took while she was with Leonardo on one of his Estate Expeditions
5.) Sector-5: The most remote of the five sectors, this sector contains the Ptolemy Mountain ranges which are covered in thick, Golden-Fern rainforests, earning the name Golden-Teeth to some of the Estate's residents. Moisture condenses in these high elevations, creating eerie, low-lying clouds that soon drop down into streams, which in turn group together to eventually form the two main river systems.
No roads have ever been found, and there are only two known settlements that skirt the southern bases of the mountain ranges, both of them equally large and inaccessible except via ship. However, upon a GPS-sweep of the Estate, Leonardo managed to catch a large and rugged outpost smack-dab in the very middle of a very remote valley, only reachable via a fighter. The outpost deliberately-looked as if it was heavily bombarded by Battleship-Class cannons from space before being abandoned.
Leonardo Tigre was leaning on the platform's palisades, staring out deeply to himself as the starry-night skies above the Estate's golden fields, which were now brilliant-dark-copper from the darkness, were clapping violently with spectacular bolts of light from the ion storms raging all throughout Sirius. He stood there, undisturbed as the thunderbooms rocked on.
Eventually he felt a shy tug on his trench-coat sleeve; he turned his head around to find his sister Mila with a long, thick bedsheet wrapped around her, parts of it being dragged across the floor, "... Meep... uhm..."
"Hmmm? What is it, Mila? Can't you sleep?" He monotonously asked as he moved his head back to view the horizon.
A quick thunderclap makes her reply almost immediately, "MEEP! H-h-how could anyone?!" She quickly walks to his side before continuing, "Meep... You've also been standing here the whole time ever since after dinner. Normally, you don't stand that long unless there's something REALLY bothering you, and that's... uhm... not very common. What-cha thinkin about, Leonardo?"
Without turning his head he said, "... Marriage... I'm sure you're excited about the... hopefully-still-happening event we're going to attend, aren't you?"
She remarks with a gleeful tone, "Yup! That's righty! But what has that got to do with your thoughts?"
"Well..." He gives a slight, but evidently-embarrassed smile to himself, "... Honestly, I've been thinking about this feeling people call... love... I'm guessing the reason for this event is because they love each other very much, but... you could say that what I'm afraid of the most is I won't be able to understand the couple's feelings should I get the chance to meet them personally."
"... Why not? Everybody knows how to love! Don't you know how to love, brother? You've shown lots of concern for me! Isn't that what everyone calls love too?"
"About that, Mila..." Another thunderclap rings in the air, "That's not the kind of love I meant. The love you're referring to is more like the type parents have with their children... You're more like a daughter to me, what with your childishness and all.
"No... The love I meant is the type that sweeps people off their feet, the one that... I don't know... completes them perhaps? That's the reason why people marry: to become one, and spend their lives together, and eventually have families... Of course, what with this marriage between two females I don't think that's going to be likely anytime soon."
Mila raises an eyebrow at him before she understood, "... Aaaaaahhhh... Meep! Neither do I, heheheh! I've always wondered what it was like to have feelings for someone to really, REALLY love them, meep!
"But isn't that why we're going to the wedding, to see what this love really is, meep? Maybe we could go ask the couple about what they think their love is...
"... So anyway! Can you please sleep beside me? Prettyprettypleeeaaaaasssseee???" She whimpered as she gave the puppy-dog-eyes in an attempt of persuasion.
6:02 AM // 2 August // 818 A.S.
Hallway 6 // Northwing Section // Entrance Quarters // Sector-1
The Estate caretaker of Rheinland-origin, Helga Faustbeign, who was nearing her mid-60's, was already beginning her daily, early morning rounds around the Entrance Quarters, seeing if there was anything needed to be repaired or taken care of. Several maintenance robots followed suite behind her, all crafted and fashioned first-hand by Leonardo a while back to aid her in such laboring work.
Helga was currently wearing a long, mocha-toned, kilt-patterned dress with a white apron fastened waist-down on her hips and a pair of thick, leather boots below the gown; her long, blonde hair was tied back in a messy ponytail, and she wore her usual spectacles on her faint-yellow eyes.
She and her robot servants were already finishing with their inspection of Hallway 6, which was a long and wide, open walkway that led from the Main Hall (more accurately, the living room) to the E.Q. Library on the eastern corner of the Northwing Section, when suddenly one of the robots prompted Helga that there was someone else nearby.
It was [color=#33FFFF]Leonardo Tigre, who was wearing his usual black cargo pants and boots, but only had a black tank-top on his chest and that both his clothing and hair were unkempt, as if he just newly woke up from bed.
'Helga... Can... Can I talk with you for a second?' His monotonous face shows small signs of worry.
'Hmmm? Vhat is it, Mein-herr? You look confused of sort. Is zhere somezhing bothering you?'
'It's about something that happened during the Wedding we attended last night---'
'Ah! You enjoyed yourself zhere? Vhat was it like?' Helga tries to put on a joyful mood for him.
'There were... some things that didn't turn out so well, but overall it was a grand event... it's just... I feel strange all of a sudden.'
'Strange? How so?'
He turns away before continuing, 'Well, all I did was accompany Mila to dance in this slow song number... But then she... she... smiled at me.' His face turned red a bit.
'But doesn't she always smile? Vhat's so surprising about zhat?'
'It wasn't just another smile of hers, Helga... This one was different. When I saw that smile... it's as if time had suddenly stopped, and a strange warmth came over me like the spring afternoon sun shining its sun rays all over my skin. And she...' He paused for a moment and sighed to himself as he began to crack an eerily-calm smile, 'She looked so... so beautiful when she smiled. It was amazing to find her so happy and playful it made me feel so... serene... almost at peace, as if the heavens parted open and began singing songs of praise.'
Helga raised an eyebrow at him with a bit of wonderment, '... Oh? Amazingly-beautiful you say? Zhat's a lot of deep words you're using, Leonardo!'
'Y... yeah... I know she's kinda cute, but... I've never had such a strong affection for her before, and even now that strange feeling still lingers. She looks slightly more beautiful than ever before, and now it's manifested itself into this eerie sense of nervousness and awkwardness inside me that whenever I see her my gut starts to churn. It... it feels so incredibly good that it's unhealthily-sickening---'
'Hold zhat zhought, Mein-herr...' She glances over Leonardo's shoulder to a far-off bend in the corridor that one of the robot servants are pointing towards, 'Mila! You shouldn't eavesdrop, young lady. Get out of there and come where we can see you.'
Slowly, Milarosa Tigre emerges from her hiding spot with a flustered, red face. It appeared she didn't bother to change into her normal clothes and was wearing her pink short-skirted pajamas with cotton-soled slippers on her feet.
She soon starts twiddling her fingers together and looks meekly at Leonardo as she said very weakly, '... L... Leonardo... I... I never knew... I always thought I was... the only one who...'
He glanced a shocked expression as he said, 'Y... You too, Mila?' He raises his voice and his eyes widen in surprise as he continued, 'But... what does that---'
'It means you've finally fallen in love wizh each other, Mein-herr.' A long grin appears on Helga's wrinkled face, 'I'm surprised it took you both zhis long, but considering zhe differences you have and the fact both of you went through some tough times in your lives, I guess it's understandable zhat you'd never know zhese feelings until you took zhe time to let zhem develop.'
'F... Fallen...?'
'... In love...?'
'You still don't get it, Mila? And haven't you heard the stories from you mozher as well, Leonardo? Both of you are starting to zhink deeply of one anozher, yet at zhis stage it's too early to conclude whether it's the real zhing, or it could simply be infatuation at work; neverzheless, the emotions are zhere.'
'Sh... should we be worried?'
'Heavens, no! Zhese are very natural feelings to experience, and zhey result only from your lack of ability in coping up and handling vizh zhese new-found emotions.'
'Wh-wh-what should we do?'
Helga chuckles humorously to herself from the remark, and replied in a joking manner, 'Mein-herr, ZHAT is somezhing only both of you know how to answer... But at the very least I can give you some advice as to the best approach.
'Most people under zhese types of situations 'jump-the-gun' and immediately proceed to romance and commitment, but not many are ready for such sudden sacrifices and changes in zheir lives, especially if zhey are planning to make the relationship last.
'Zhere doesn't have to be anyzhing too complicated to be done for your feelings at zhis stage. Take it slowly, enjoy the emotions for what zhey're worth, and go on wizh your lives as you've always done. Love is an adventure zhat shouldn't be rushed, nor taken in suddenly and in large chunks.
'I'll warn you, however, zhat love is full of obstacles abound, and many relationships are doomed to fail... Some eventually die out, in fact...' Her tone then becomes kinder and gentler, '... But, if done right, love is actually one of zhe most fulfilling and never-ending journeys people can ever experience, and many are surprised at just how memorable and life-changing such endeavors turn out to be: I can tell you with great pride that some of the best memories I've ever had in life came from my relationship wizh Vhand Ohmler... Oh, he was a good man, and may the Reich bless his noble heart wherever he is.'
She sighs satisfied to herself before continuing, 'Well! I'm sure you both have much to talk about and straighten up. Also, Mila, you keep forgetting zhat you aren't blood-related vith your 'brother'!'
Mila looks away wryly, 'M... meep, that's true, but---'
'I'll go and see if zhe Heatshields need any groceries to take care of for the week, Mein-herr.' Helga starts to calmly, but quickly walk to the Westwing Section of the estate.
As soon as the two were completely alone, Mila started to slowly and shyly move closer to Leonardo, '... S... soooo... wh-what now, Leonardo?' She asked painfully.
'... W... well, uh... uhm...' He takes out his PDA and scans for the current time, 'I... I guess we... we should go eat breakfast...?'
A sudden pause descends between them for a moment, and both Leonardo and Mila start wandering their eyes around the place to find something appropriate to say. Eventually, their gazes once again met, a smile emerges from both their lips, and they soon start to laugh very explosively at the realization of just how silly they were becoming until both of them were beginning to bend down to the floor from the pain on their abdomens, 'Meep! Th-this really does feel very weird, heheheh!' Mila crouches low and giggles as she holds her stomach with her hands.
'Y-you're right, Mila. It's a good thing there's nobody else around to see just how strange and unnatural we're acting from basically trying to strike a simple conversation, hahahah.' Leonardo places both his palms on his knees and starts to almost wheeze for breath.
After several more seconds of intense laughter they get their composure and sigh calmly to relieve themselves of the pain. All of a sudden Mila decides to lean her whole weight on Leonardo's chest as she softly whispers, 'Meep... That was a good laugh, brother. You always did act all formal, serious and emotionless around people, and seeing you smile and enjoy yourself like that just for the sake of it always makes me feel even happier every time you do so, meep...'
He places a reluctant arm over her shoulders as he replied in a kind tone, '... Yeah... I did say you're the one who taught me how to laugh again, didn't I? I've got to thank you for that someday, Mila...'
A low grumble erupts from their stomachs, which prompts the two to laugh sheepishly at each other, 'Heh... I guess we really are hungry after all. Let's go to the Main Hall and grab some grub, eh?'
'Meep! Yup yup!'
As they began to walk towards the dining hall of the Estate Leonardo places his hand on Mila's head and begins petting her straight hair softly, which makes her purr to herself elatedly; although not noticeable on first glance, at the same time she was also blushing slightly in the cheeks.
'... A girl... You have a girl... a beautiful... baby girl...'
'... A... girl...? Let me... let me take... a look at her, please...'
'... She... she looks just like her father... She has your eyes, husband...'
'... And would you look at that...? Even straight out of her womb she's already smiling at us...'
'... She has your smile, Veronica... the smile that won the admiration of your people... the smile worth a million credits...'
'... Your Grace... I'm sorry to interrupt this wonderful event, but I need to discuss with you something of the utmost---...'
'... Can't that wait, Detective!? I've been awaiting my newborn child for the last 24 hours, and I'm not going to let you take away the glorious moment of seeing my own child witness the light of day for the first time...'
'... Understood, Your Grace... I'll contact you first thing of the morrow's morning...'
'... What name should we bestow upon your daughter, Tychondrius?...'
'... Mmmm... I sense great things are in store for her... She'll be an inspiration to those around her...'
'... a maiden amongst maidens...'
'... a piercing, yet soothing light in the inkiest darkness... Her name will be...'
5:52 AM // 10 August // 818 A.S.
Mila's Room // Northwing Section // Entrance Quarters // Sector-1
Mila slowly opened her eyes to the early morning light flowing through the windows. After sitting up from her pink, king-sized bed, she stretched her joints a bit to loosen up her still-lingering drowsiness, and sat up on the side of the bed to put on her slippers, '... Lucille...' she whispered to herself.
Without warning her head pulses with a lot of pain, and so intense and sudden it was that it momentarily paralyzed her back on the bed. Mila squirms around the bed and even bites a pillow until the pain manages to dissipate enough for her to think.
[color=#CC66CC]'Meeeeeeeeeeep... It... huuuuurrrrrts... Wh... why do I get these awful headaches whenever I have these weird dreams?' she whimpers as she recovers herself, then claws her way to a small table adjacent to the bed, where some green-tinted pills lay on the surface. Quickly, she pops one into her mouth, chews a bit, and after swallowing she slumps back on the bed as the headaches start to lessen.
'... It's the dream again...' Mila gets up to put on her cotton slippers, and walks to one of the full-length windows, thinking to herself...
... Lucille... who... is she, meep...? It's always the same dream... After all these years, meep... why...?
6:32 PM // 12 August // 818 A.S.
The Garage // Northwing Section // Entrance Quarters // Sector-1
“Mila... No... not... not there... ahhhh...”
[color=#CC66CC]“... L... Leonardo... meeep... Wh-where should I... uwaaaah...?”
“Right... there... Yes, that's it. Just keep at it in that position, now.”
“... Mmmm... Leonardo... You're so experienced in doing this... It all comes so naturally to you, doesn't it, meep?”
“That's cause I've been doing this ever since I was a kid, Mila.” Leonardo finally swivels the joystick a bit to the right, and with it the robotic welding arm finishes fusing the two panels together, “There you go, Mila. You're own custom-made sidearm for your own personal use.”
'The Garage' was the term Leonardo gave for his personal Workshop. Originally one of the large equipment storage rooms in the Entrance Quarters, Leonardo refurbished the area into his own work and study-space, and whenever he came back from his estate expeditions he used the salvageable parts he found and turned them into useful items like tools, vehicles and even weapons. In his early years the room only contained the most basic chemistry set and welding workbench; but as Leonardo got older and smarter he used his savings to further improve and upgrade the place. At the present, the Garage now has the tools and equipment to be in-par with corporate-level Engineering and R&D facilities in Sirius, complete with automated welding machinery and a small-scale laboratory.
Leonardo walked to the large workbench in the middle of the room, where the small, metallic box-shaped pistol lay. As he picked it up he inspected it closely to see if it had any faults until he was satisfied with the outcome, and nodded thoughtfully to himself.
“Meep! How does it work, Leonardo?” Mila walked to the side of the workbench and looked at the pistol.
“Well... Why not test-fire it right now?” He took out a remote from one of his pockets, and pressed a button as he pointed it to the far-corner of the room. Quickly, a large force field appeared, and numerous large, orange symbols shaped like target marks zoomed across the force field, “Try shooting at those round targets. Don't worry if you miss them, so long as you don't go beyond the shield borders.”
Mila grabs the gun from him, and holds it up with pride: since Leonardo measured her hand dimensions to fit the grip, the gun didn't feel at all uncomfortable to her; the simplistic rectangular, silvery main body was made entirely of scrap metal, so it was clear several places had thick rust-marks on them, yet none were of a degree that a good polishing couldn't solve; there didn't seem to be a gun barrel on the front, but there was a gun hole built on the long frame; the sight was a very basic Zoner-style dual-crosshair, something Mila still had to get accustomed to.
Pleased with her new toy, she flourished it a bit before beginning to aim at the holographic targets. Mila tried to aim at the largest marker, which was at the lower-left corner of the force field; seven green-tainted shots fizzed out the gun hole in quick succession: 3 shots barely pulsed their mark, with two hitting the smaller side targets, and the rest hit no targets at all, dissipating quickly on the force field instead. The next moment Mila immediately lets go of the pistol that started to burn her hand.
“Hmmm...” Leonardo walked to the side of the pistol and said half to himself, “... Recoil Stabilizers still need a bit more tweaking, since the real reason for your inaccuracy was the sheer amount of kickback power I observed on your hand... Heat signatures read at about 903 Kelvin, which means the current Magneto-Coils suck and need to be replaced with a better and more efficient set... Other than that, the operation was a success...”
He then walks to Mila's side and grabs her hand to inspect the palm: nothing more than a first-degree burn, “Mmm... Doesn't look too bad, at least. You have admirable reaction time, Mila. Another second more and it would've been serious.
“Still... A burn's a burn... Let's go to Helga and get some ice for that.”
Before Leonardo could walk away Mila suddenly grabbed his forearm to stop him, “Meep, w-wait, brother. I... I have to tell you something.”
“Hmmm? What is it, Mila?”
“... I had THE dream again, Leonardo.”
He pauses for a moment before he replied, “... Ah... That's... I'm sorry, Mila. It must've hurt bad, hasn't it?”
“There's nothing to apologize for, meep! It's not your fault or anything...” She then buries her head in Leonardo's shoulder, her voice muffled by the clothing, “... Still... They do hurt real bad... They've been with me ever since I was a small little kid, and I don't recall anything about this 'Lucille' girl...
“I... I just don't know what to do, Leonardo... I... I want them to stop... Sometimes the medicines just won't cut it anymore...” His clothing soon feels damp from the tears falling down from her eyes, “... They... they hurt so bad... Why won't they stop...?”
She suddenly feels a calm hand stroke her head and hair as Leonardo remarked softly, “... There there, Mila... I'm sorry that there's nothing else I could do except keep giving you these medicines and be there for you. I'm trying my best on finding the solution to this problem, but such chaotic mind patterns seem to be unique to you. We actually should be thankful the sedative pills the doctor gave us are just enough to calm your violent brain patterns, Mila.”
She raised her head to look back at him in reply, “But... it... it...”
She suddenly pauses as her eyes caught Leonardo's, and that his eyes met hers. For the next moment they simply stared deeply at each other, as if trying to dig well into each other's soul.
Eventually, both quickly turned away from each other because of just how awkward the moment was turning out to be, “Uhm... s-sorry... for that.” Leonardo's face turns a bit red.
“N-n-no, Leonardo, meep! I-I-I sh-should be the one t-t-to s-say sorry!” Mila waves her arms around frantically in response.
And just as suddenly as it changed they immediately came out bursting with laughter, “Meep! There we go again acting all silly, meep!”
“Eh... Let's just... go back before anything else happens, eh?”
As they walk towards the Main Hall, Leonardo decides to pet Mila's head again, which makes her purr in delight. But he suddenly stops himself and asks her, “Say... Why DO you always like to be petted on the head, anyway? Is your head always this itchy? I could buy you some anti-bacterial shampoo for that, you know.”
Mila was slightly hurt by what she heard, “It's not like that! It just feels good for someone else to scratch my head instead of myself, that's all. It's because you don't like doing it, isn't it?”
“No, it's not that, either... It's just that I've always wondered why you constantly nag to get me to pet your head. I can tell you this much: you're the only one that takes a delight into this all the time... And also, I was wondering if I'm doing it right, or is there someplace better on your head you'd like me to scratch in particular?”
“Meep! I'd feel nice if you moved your hand like this,” She glides her right hand from her forehead to the back of her neck in a smooth fashion.
“Uhm... a... alright.” As he gently caresses her hair she purrs even happier to herself while they walk to get some ice for her burn.
11:32 AM // 17 August // 818 A.S.
The Garage // Northwing Section // Entrance Quarters // Sector-1
... Must work harder...
The sound of a pistol being clicked on the ready is heard...
[color=#CC66CC]... Must be faster... stonger...
The hum of the pistol's magneto-coils warming up echoes across the room... heartbeat starts to race wildly... breathing begins to slow down into deep sighs...
... Must... not... fail.
All of a sudden, a volley of 20 shots is let out in quick succession: the green bolts of energy fizz violently towards the holographic targets on the opposite side of the room; most of the shots make their mark on the different targets scattered all over the wall, while the rest miss by several centimeters and quickly dissipate over the force field just directly behind the targets.
... Meep... 12 hits... not good enough...
Mila pauses for a moment before looking at the gun hole that started to smoke with excess plasma: she blew away the gas to clear the hole, then looked at the targets she aimed at: a total of 8 large targets, 3 smaller ones, and 1 tiny mark have been hit, which placed her accuracy at an above-average rate, which was to be admired considering that Mila never really had much experience with any personal arms before.
But she wasn't happy: in fact, she was upset that she only scored about 12 shots, and what's more most of them were the largest marks. Her goal was to at least have 4 of the smallest targets hit, but she only managed to score 1 hit. She sighed in disappointment as she placed her pistol back onto its holster.
"You're improving, Mila. That's the first time you've been able to hit one of the smallest targets." Leonardo smiled noticeably at her as he clapped his hands sincerely.
Yet the smile quickly faded as he began to notice her shameful look, "... Meep... I wanted to hit at least 4 of the targets. I still have a long way to go before I can even begin to shoot straight, meep..." she groaned to herself as she walked towards him.
"... Oh? You're too eager, Mila. You can't expect to hit 4 tiny targets when you've only started hitting one for the first time. You can't blame yourself for trying to do something your ability just can't quite accomplish yet---"
"But I need to get better!" Mila cuts him off before he could finish what he was saying, "I MUST! I don't wanna be a liability to anyone again, Leonardo. You've defended me and taken care of me for so long, and it makes me feel so bad about myself that I'm only dragging you down like this. It's high time that I know how to defend myself so I won't be a bother to you or anyone else anymore."
"... Mila..." He places his right hand on her head and begins to pet her, "That's good of you to say that, but you can't expect to be a master with only a few days'-worth of practice. It'll probably still take you many months more before you could ever become confident enough to hold a gun. You don't have to rush things, Mila. Everything has it's own time and pace, and you must learn to be patient with yourself."
"But, but, but I---"
"Now now, Mila... If it'll make you feel any better, you're progressing much faster than I thought. With only 5 sessions of practice you're aiming accuracy's steady enough that you're begin to hit the smallest targets, although I admit you still need to work on your arm balance to keep your hand from absorbing too much of the recoil.
"Nevertheless, you should be proud of your improvement instead of trying to scold yourself for doing something you haven't even begun to scratch the surface yet. Come on..." He smiles slightly as he continued, "... I know of some Meat Waffles in the Main Hall, fresh from the oven, with your name written all over them."
Mila smirks back as she began to follow him, "... Mmmm... waffles, meep..."
"Still determined to go enlist into the Order, I see?" A man in his late 20's wearing a white unprinted shirt, denim pants and some leather sandals steps out from a nearby corner. His squarish face shows off a grin, but a wry one at that.
"So? Why do you care, Jack?" Leonardo replies in a cool tone.
"Is it really that worth it to go after the Nomads, Captain? Is it really that worth it to sacrifice everything you have and everyone around you, all for the vendetta you harbor against those blue freaks?"
Leonardo's tone grows very dark in response, "... You don't know what you're talking about. Don't say such things when you yourself don't even understand the pain I've had to go through because of what those monsters did to my family."
"Fair enough... I'm not you, so how am I supposed to understand? But let me at least make myself clear on one thing..." Jack's demeanor gets serious as he continued, "If you're gonna go after those monsters, that's fine by us... but DON'T you ever FORCE us to get involved in your vengeance, and risk our lives in the process all because of your selfish desires for payback. That attitude's gonna be your undoing if the Nomads' don't get to you first... Captain...
"... And you even have your little sweetie in on your misery... It'd be a shame if anything bad happened to Mila because of your hatred."
The last statement from Jack makes Leonardo's eyes widen a bit in worry, ... My hatred... for the Nomads... will she really...
"MEEP! I choose to come along with Leonardo cause he needs all the help he can get. And you being here isn't helping at all... Mr. Avernus. I suggest you don't talk like that to him again... EVER!" Mila's hands start to tighten up in anger.
Jack riles his head back in surprise, "Well, well! I never expected fighting words to come from someone as carefree and innocent as you. You're beginning to grow up now, Mila, heheheh...
"But in a way, you're right... He'll need the help... I just hope that help won't come at a very steep price." He walks away and leaves the two to themselves.
Mila quickly turns to look at Leonardo and said, "Mr. Avernus sure was mean all of a sudden, meep! You alright, Leonardo?"
"H... huh?" He wakes up from his deep thought and replied, "... Y... yeah, I'm okay. His cause was just, Mila. It's understandable for him to feel that way.
"... Why don't you go on ahead, Mila? I'll finish cleaning up the Garage and meet you there in the Main Hall, alright?"
"M... meep. If you say so." Mila starts to trot away and as she exits the room she closes the door behind her with a thud.
For a moment, Leonardo looked blankly at the door, his face filled with confusion and worry, ... Yet Jack was right... could I... could I really be that cold...? Would I...
... Would I really do that to her...? He glances at his hands before clenching them with great pressure. Afterwards, he shakes the worry on his head away and, after sighing to himself, begins to organize the surrounding area.
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