Network, Action; Open and Closed prompts;

[alilyinthemoonslight]

[A - Network; Video; OPEN]

[Lily greets the Network with a smile and a nod. Though there's a few scratches here and there, she seems to have survived the dinosaur mishap in one piece.]

Hello, everyone. I hope that everybody who ran into the trouble in Gateway is doing alright, or at least hasn't suffered too badly. We seem to have been able to help get those things herded into one place, at least - it would seem Mr. Factor has issued some help in building up more permanent ways to keep them captive, for the time being.

Between that and the other strange things, however... that goop from last month, ghostly apparitions in Shephard's Haven, and... [She taps her chin and frowns just a little.] I saw a report, a sighting in Locke City of... well, snakes. Large, pink stone snakes, like the ones we fought a long time ago.

[She shakes her head.] That seems impossible, though. The giant snake was killed just as long ago...

[Not to mention Proud.]

I wonder... has anyone else seen anything of note? All of this stuff is happening in such close proximity, it's got to be connected in some way, but it's escaping me.

[B - Locked to Winter; Action]

Gateway City is fine and everything, but Lily's starting to get more than a little homesick. The dinosaurs were under control, and she enjoys having certain people and family in close proximity, but... They'd made a new home in Shephard's Haven, right?

In some way, it feels like they're running again. She can't blame Winter for the fear she expressed, and she can't lie and say she doesn't worry about something similar. What she'd be faced with there... The likes of Dark Precure, or Sabaaku...

A part of her wants to go back, to force the hand of whatever's messing with them this time. To see what will happen and conquer it.

Lately though, she's been rather adamant about a number of things to Winter. She's had to put her foot down in some ways, and expressed great worry in others. She worries a little bit, that she's pushing things. Certainly, it's within her bounds to worry about this stuff, but... she doesn't exactly want to make herself unbearable to work with, either. Bleeding heart that she is, even if she believes herself right, she feels a bit bad about it.

Which may or may not explain the bouquet of flowers sitting in their room that she's finishing tidying up.

[C - Wild Card?]

[Lily's around Gateway City anytime from the Incursion Event until around now; if you wanna run into her on the streets or anything, feel free!]

Comments

Audio

[numberedshepherd]

Snakes in Locke City? You're right, it does seem impossible, given what we know about the Animals.

Have they attacked anyone?

Audio

[alilyinthemoonslight]

I'm not entirely sure. That we haven't heard more, it makes me wonder... Is someone trying to cover that up?

Audio

[numberedshepherd]

We don't have as many people in Locke these days, for very good reason. It could be that there just aren't enough eyes and ears to accurately report what's going on from multiple perspectives, but...

It could also definitely be a cover-up. Let's not jump to conclusions and see about getting some investigators over to the east coast.

audio; not sorry

[princesscut]

Here's a report for you: there are goddamned snakes in Locke, and I remember enough from Winter to add that they haven't gotten any easier to kill. Or any less creepy. They've still got legs and they're still just as nasty as ever.

If this goes on much longer, forget Dark Diamond - I'm just going to scare up a rocket launcher and call it good. And then walk into Thunder's offices and start making demands. Maybe at the same time.

audio;

[alilyinthemoonslight]

[Lily momentarily recoils as she hears the sound coming over her speaker. It takes her another split second to mentally wrestle that, in spite of how much she sounds like her, or may be coming from her familiar Number, it is not - in fact - her wife.]

...Summer, can we please refrain from starting with mass collateral damage?

[princesscut]

Excuse you, our favorite local corporate superpower started it. Did you forget how many pies we can trace their grimy fingers to? Or are you proposing mass collateral damage isn't good enough? I can just turn the whole building into ice with all hands, if you'll loan me Little Miss Wisdom - that'll send a message.

audio;

[alilyinthemoonslight]

[An exasperated sigh.]

Okay, alright - Summer? Back up a second.

Thunder's involved in this? You're sure?

[Also she doesn't "loan" Winter out for any reasons, but you should already know this.]

[princesscut]

Here, let's do some math. Corrupt cops? Links outside the organization. Tuning Towers? Owned by Thunder. Creepy construction site we couldn't get into? Thunder. Security people setting up shop at this moment in Locke to kill snakes? Thunder. Teleporter we stole that only worked for Numbered? Thunder.

I could go on, but I think even you can get the picture. I'd give you the shirt off Rose's back that it's Thunder.

[alilyinthemoonslight]

[...another sigh.]

Okay, I get it. You've made your point.

That said, if we do anything, we need to do it subtly. I'm not saying we leave it alone at all, but...

Barging in there isn't going to fix anything, and it's sure as hell not going to help us in the long run. You barging in there and turning the place into a glacier is only going to make things worse.

[Good way to make Winter and Lily actual wanted fugitives, in fact.]

Audio

[numberedshepherd]

I have to agree with Winter on this one. We have to approach it a little more delicately, considering that Locke doesn't love Numbered anyway and we're likely to be blamed by some for these things appearing.

Audio; random interjection splitting threads, ahahaha;

[alilyinthemoonslight]

That's not Winter.

[My, what an icy and sudden shift in tone, Lily.]

Audio;

[numberedshepherd]

Precisely... she's also not the one I agree with, incidentally.

[princesscut]

Right, that's why I'm fixing it. Thunder starts shit, I end shit. Done and done. [Said with a completely straight face.]

audio; don't mind her;

[moonlighteclipse]

[Nothing but a small, dreamy sigh.]

[princesscut]

Ah, right, I knew I forgot something. The afterparty, and staying up to the crack of dawn doing this and that. How did I leave it off? It's not a combat operation without the afterparty.

[And a little bit of a debriefing, but she's got just enough class not to say that aloud.]

[moonlighteclipse]

See, you make the best plans.

[numberedshepherd]

It's not done. There'd be far-reaching consequences for the extreme actions you're describing.

[princesscut]

Like there were extreme consequences for the Project Jump heist. Or for the facility infiltration. Or for Wise Snake.

But I'll bite. What would you have me do? Sit on my damned ass and do nothing? Picket Thunder's headquarters? Write a strongly-worded letter? Lazarus, there's no time for us to do nothing! We have to be decisive! I know you and the rest of them don't like decisive, but I only get one shot at all this!

[numberedshepherd]

There's more time than you probably think. It's far better to do something right than to rush and botch it. I know that the impulse is to act now, and I feel it too, but let's gather some actual information about the phenomenon, and then we can be decisive when we are more informed.

Audio;

[alilyinthemoonslight]

I can't really disagree, but it's sort of a matter of getting people out there to do that, too.

Audio;

[numberedshepherd]

I'm spread thin and I've been avoiding Locke since the invasion. I don't feel safe there. But provided I'm not alone, I would not be opposed to going and contributing what I can to the effort.

Audio;

[alilyinthemoonslight]

Likewise, although I worry I might be a little too high-profile lately. [Putting yourself into the public eye on purpose sort of... does that.] Still, I want to find out what I can.

Audio;

[numberedshepherd]

There are ways to investigate that don't draw a ridiculous amount of attention. Would you be willing to accompany me? I have that ice stave but I don't know how good it is against the alleged snakes.

Audio;

[alilyinthemoonslight]

I could help however I need to. Winter, Jasmine... any of us could, really. Largely, I think we need to try and be coordinated about this. Make sure we're all on the same page.

Do you have an idea?

Audio;

[numberedshepherd]

That goes without saying. As long as it's an organized effort, the more competent people we have involved, the better.

I think... I'm hesitant to say anything for sure at this early point, but we know what a smoking volcano likely means. Even though Locke City's animal was killed, it's possible that there's another one there now. Alternatively, the smaller snakes could be leftover byproducts from the larger, deceased one, much like the doppelgangers are leftover byproducts that didn't disappear when the Swan's activity did.