Reading in Paradise - RPLOG
Participants
Date
10/6/2017
Log
As everyone reaches the start of the highway, there is a human male in overalls standing next to his partially-nanite-eaten blue truck, wearing a Promethian illuminated helmet. "Hello everyone. For those of you I haven't met yet I'm Smithson, and I'm going to be driving you out to some place called..." He checks a note for a second, "...Paradise. We are going out to pick up any books that might be there. Any questions?"
Xzentia checks her equipment, adjusting the guns into easily-accessible spots and the melee tools into affixed positions as she nods in assent, 'Sounds like a wonderful place. Expect irony?" The cyberscorp's lips poise into a sassy smirk, shouldering a satchel with the rest of ehr gear and provisions.
Ebreus walks up to the meeting spot, when he sees the familiar blue truck and human Prmethean he smiles. His flamethrower strung about his waist he ballances a pole-axe acrost his shoulders. "I remember Paradice from before P-Day. It was nice. Hopefully it faired better than Fairhaven." he says. He walks up to the truck and leans against it, by the back, as he awaits the arrival of the rest of the group.
Garbed in his typical combat attire, one coyote was out on the prowl for something to do, for adventure, for danger! He'd learned of another expedition outside the bubble, and oh but aren't those just the most fun ever? The answer? Not particularly... Leaving the server often left one with a bad taste in their mouth among other things. Still, these diversions were always welcome given how hard it was for Otto to find exciting work these days. Checking on his vast array of equipment, the coyote ensures that EVERYTHING was in its place. Everything had a place, and every thing in it's place, after all! Firearms locked and loaded, blades sharp and ready, armor hard and fastened tight, he was as ready as one could be.
Approaching the meeting point with a kick in his step and a smile on his face, Otto looks around the gathered crowd, greets each and every one of them with a polite hello, a fistbump here, a wave there... he took a deep breath and greeted Smithson once more. That is... if it was the same human from before. It was getting hard to tell them apart these days... "Paradise, huh? Here's hoping it lives up to the name, though I highly doubt that..." he remarks with a quiet snerk as he shakes Smithson's hand. Leaning against the truck, the canine awaits for further instruction, or the order to depart.
Narwen tilts his head. "Any word on locals who might, like, understandably want to keep their library? Other than that, not really. Gonna assume you've got a plan for having the books 'n stuff not get chewed up once they're back here." The large skunk beast takes one look at the cab, chuffs, and pads around the back, putting a cautious forepaw on the lowered tailgate. The truck neither tips over nor explodes, so he jump-flops up into the back and settles down, saddlebags clinking. "Probably shoulda brought shades."
Melvy shook her head, either too nervous to ask any questions or wanting to head out immediately. She checked her sword and adjusted her vest, then stared at the bed of the truck.
Parthenia runs un to the group, huffing and puffing she bends over. hands on her knees as she is trying to catch her breath like some sort of character from a video game who has depleted their stamina completely and now was going through this phase of being unable to do any action at all till the animation ends. Finally though she manages to raise a hand with a finger extended. "Oh... Uh... Uhhhh... Sorry. Am I late? What did I miss?"
Smithson says "you didn't miss anything. We were about to leave. Everyone aboad." With everything set, Smithson gets everyone into the truck and they set out to Paradise, quickly reaching the end of the Fairhaven bubble on the highway out.
Hopping up into the truck's bed, Xzen makes sure to give a good amount of space ofr others, her sextet of segmented tails coilt in a bundle behind her for space-saving. She starts pointing at the various folks, "Alright, skills, talents, assets you can offer to this. Let's get to know each other, alright? I'm a fair shot, myself, and I do have Regulation Nanomagic available to help those who need it. I've got others, like the Illusion program and more, but, if we have no access to others with regulation, that's pretty moot." She spies Parthy, recognizing her and winking towards the woman before nodding to Narwen, "Hey, good to see you on a mission."
Ebreus smiles and greats his fellow agents as they arrive a polite 'hello' to everyone whom he has not met and to Otto he says, "Hi Otto. Glad to see you're on this contract as well." When Narwen mentions wanting sunglasses he activates his Nanomagic and begins to construct a pair of sunglasses, made of a tourmaline-plastic blend, over the course of a few minutes while everyone arrives and readies themselves. When Parthenia runs up he smiles and says, "Hello Parth, you haven't missed anything." He climbs aboard the truck and passes the glasses to Narwen, "You asked for sunglasses." he says.
When asked of his skills he says, "I'm a decent nanomage, I can run a mini-bubble as well. I'm a proficient negotiator and I'm reasonably good with computers. In battle I brawl, electricute and freeze things."
Otto spends a few moments petting over the skunk beast's side. He was just so fluffy! Who could resist petting a skunk beast? Well... Otto couldn't at the very least. He nods at Ebreus and shrugs idly. "It's a job. A coyote's gotta make a living, right? Ain't gonna sit at home all day and twiddle my thumbs, eh?" He then flashes a bright smile at Parthenia and opens his maw to tell her that she'd basically missed nothing, but dag nabbit, Smithson beat him to it. The coyote shrugs and gestures towards the truck, then raises one hand and calls out "SHOTGUN!" The honorable way to claim the front seat!
As he places his paws on the truck door, he is promptly zapped by the buildup of static charge from petting Narwen. Otto shakes the paw and licks his finger, then idly shrugs it off, hops up and slides into the front seat through the open window! His paw strikes the door as he calls out "Let's go, folks! We have a job to do!" And go they did. The canine listens to the conversation being had, and once Ebreus finishes speaking, he chymes in "I'm good at a lot of things, but heavy lifting, combat and computers are my specialties! Also I got all this armor for a reason!" his fist strikes the heavy metal plating protecting his chest. "I'll be your front-liner if things get sticky. Hopefully they won't." But that was definitely not what the coyote was hoping for. Ahh, that gut-wrenching feeling of leaving the bubble. It was something the coyote had long since gotten used to, and by now it only meant the promise of finding and exploring something new!
Narwen balances the glasses on his muzzle and flashes a grin. "Thanks, fella. Me? I look good in black." He waits a beat. "What, you want more? Fine, fine. I know my way 'round a library, figure I'll help pick out what we most need. And ferry it back, if you guys can load me up. I ain't a taxi, though," he adds, stretching out. He rumbles, pleased, at the petting, then rambles on once Otto is up front. "Guess I know some tech, bit of medical stuff, but I can't see we'll be needing it. Oh, and I can hit things. And smell bad. But ditto."
Melvy took a seat in the corner of the truck bed, leaning herself against the cab. The moth girl sits in a scrunched up position, and she presses her chin between her knees, studying their appearances in silence. On being asked about her skills, she starts off softly, "Um, I'm pretty decent at first-aid, and I know a bit about medicine." she paused for a second to think, "Oh, and I also have a bit of experience with libaries." As she finished, the moth girl went back to looking around at everyone in the truck.
"Alright," Parthenia huffs finally straightening her back. A hand still on her chest as she is struggling to catch her breath. "Good to know." She nodded and offered a small wave to the gathering. Some were getting in the truck and already figured out what good for what. A few mages and a familiar dog with a tendency to not be nonlethal. A nice bunch to go with on a dangerous mission. The only thing that was missing was a tiny pony. That thing seemed to be to be everywhere! But not today it seems. Otto gets a wink before the woman gets in the truck and catches a few weird looks. She glances down to nice... Rivers of pearly white fluids upon her armored chest. "W-was out fighting, it.. Ah, got... Exciting for some." She explained rubbing her thick brow. "As for my skills, I an O.K. shot, and can hold my own in close combat." She offers a shy shrug. "That's about it." Her brows furrow ever so slightly as she catches a wink addressed to her as well... She wait... Waits... And winks back.
Smithson replies to Xzentia: "I can drive and fix this truck, which has made me invaluable on excursions like this." He then laughs a bit. "But more seriously, I can survive out of the bubble more than many people these days, and I do know my way around roads."
After just a few hours the truck pulls into Paradise, Smithson directing the truck to the depository. As the building can be seen a few blocks down the road, Smithson stops and pulls out binoculars from under his seat. As he looks down the road he points and says "There looks to be a bunch of skunk beasts laying in the front parking lot of the building. I think I can count about 17 of them just sleeping there in the open. I'll just park the truck here for now."
Nodding her assent as folks list off skills, talents, jokes, and more, Xzen cracks a smile of her own, "Alrightly, then... let's get some books, huh? Oh, and don't die..." before glancing at Parthenia and wrinkling her nose, "Don't joke about that thing! It might appear or something... wretched nuisance of a critter."
Ebreus takes a look down the road toward the depository, without binoculars, trying to count the Sunk Beasts. As the stares at the beasts he says, "Shall I put up a mini-bubble or are you going to miss..." he trails off not having caught the arthropod girls name. After a few moments of counting the Skunk Beasts he says, "We may be best served going the long way 'round. From here there appears to be seventeen Sunk Beasts in the huddle by the front entrence."
"Ah, sweet, skunk beasts! They'll be the local rotary club, I guess. This is gonna be a cake-- why is everyone looking at me?" Narwen sighs. "Okay. In favour of long way 'round. Also in favour of asking questions before shooting, for the record. Also, stupidly, in favour of me going first, on account of I might even blend in. Who knows?"
Otto hisses under his breath and squints once he hears about the skunk beasts. "Yeeeeah... probably be a good idea to not disturb them, sneak by if we can? I'm a bad sneak, but if we can get around them, that'd be great." he borrows Smithson's binoculars, leans out the open truck window and looks around, scanning for another way inside the building that would permit them to get inside without bothering the ferals. "I'm seeing... five...six...eight...twelve...fifteen...eight, no...seventeen of the beasts." he proclaims, then returns the man's binocs with a nod and a quiet thanks. "ALRIGHT!" the canine hops out of the truck and clasps his paws loudly to get everyone's attention "My guess is that we can either risk moving around them over the edge, OR... we could find a back door. Building so big has to have a rear entrance, right? I can't see it from here, but it's worth a shot if you folks have the jitters about crawling around all sneaky-beaky near those ferals." he shrugs and pulls out a flask from his pocket, then takes a quick drink from it, and re-pockets it. The bitter liquid burns his throat and forces a wince out of him. "Bleh... ANYWAY! What'll it be? I hear a vote to sneak by? Right? Is... is that what you mean, fuzzywuzzy? Yes? Okay. Any other opinions? Ideas? Thoughts?"
Melvy slowly makes her way off the truck. Listening to the exchange, she decided to meekly chip in, "Well.. I can't fight that well, so I'd like to avoid them if I can." The moth girl walked over to Narwen to give him a pet on the head, trying to distract herself from the potential danger.
Just a few hours was enough for Parthenia to catch her breath. She wasn't too chatty during the trip, hardly having any small talk. Seems like she was more interested in making sure all her gear works. Checking over her sniper rifle and magnum. The sword was left to hang where it was for the time being. "If anything, I think we should send in out own Skunk in. See what happens from safe distance and go from there. Perhaps he can convince them to have a smell off of some kind in the further region. Or.. Maybe he can just convince them to load the truck with books?" She crinkles her nose. "Sneaking by them... Sounds a little dangerous. I'd prefer to keep some distance."
Smithson waves his hand for everyone to get doing. "I'll keep an eye on the truck. This is far enough away and downwind of the ferals so they won't come for me. If you want me to bring the truck any closer once you get the books, you'll have to clear them out later."
"Alright, so, if it's going to inconvenient... what about negotiations, first? We're out of the bubble.. that means the ferals won't have their signals being all conditioned in... they could even be more human now than in-bubble," Xzentia says and looks over towards Narwen and then Ebreus, "Negotiations first? Military action if negotiations fall apart?"
Ebreus nods in agreement with Ottos assesment of the situation and reccomendation that they find the rear entrence. When Parth suggests Narwen dupe them the grins and says, "Well if Narwen wants to try to dupe them I'd love to see a horde of Skunk Beasts working for us as opposed to fighting us once we wake them up." When he gets no reply from Xzenita he sighs and puts up a Regulation Bubble. "I preffer to have my other nanomagics available to me but I'll keep the bubble up as long as we need it. Should stretch to eighty feet." he says.
Otto shoots Xzentia a sideways glance, then looks over at the ferals. He squints and he ponders, he rubs his chin and he wonders... his gaze then shifts over to Narwen as an idea forms in his head. The skunk beast had had a great idea a moment ago. He could easily approach them and see what they were like, be they feral beasts or sentient beings... "Hmmm... you, Narwen, right? I like the cut of your jib!" he flashes a smile "Ready to risk it for the team! That's a grand idea. We have a skunk beast right here!" his finger waves over towards Xzentia "Like she pointed out, we could check to see if they're friendly. I mean, the mall rats are technically ferals... but then again feral skunk beasts were pretty beastly around Fairhaven. Those poor skunk girls..." Otto recalls his work with the lovely ladies inhabiting the Fairhaven Library. He turns towards Ebreus, takes a few steps and slings one arm around the fox, "There's the call of opportunity when you need it! Haha! Right, I'm all for that plan if our luxuriously fluffy and quite charismatic skunk friend is willing to go and try it! We'll be on stand-by if things go to hell, ready to rush in at a moment's notice! If we can't go that way..." Otto wobbles one paw and shrugs "We go in through the rear, assuming there is one!"
Narwen makes a rumbling, purring noise as Melvy pets him. "Skunk beasts approve of head pettings. If you see one of them coming, you just do that. Or, er, fly away," he says, then glances back at himself. Lanyard, saddlebags, barding, a kevlar undercoat, and, most incriminating of all, shorts. "Still gonna look like a bit of a tourist like this. Not super keen on being outnumbered and buck naked, though." He shrugs one shoulder. "But if they're out front they're probably gonna be inside too, so we'll have to deal with 'em sooner or later. And I'd rather find out sooner rather'n later if they're aggressive. We can always come back another time; the books will keep. Not worth killing people over. But, uh, if I come running back, give me some cover? Please? And don't shoot the skunk with shades?"
Melvy smiled at Narwen's response, removing her hands shortly after. She momentarily fluttered her wings and looked over at the rest of the party. "So, what kind of books should we be looking for in the library? Just get whatever looks interesting?" The moth girl asked, glancing back over at the library.
Parthenia was kicked from the truck, so very rudely. Oh well! No more sitting around. She smirks, seems like everyone was up for the idea of having the skunk best go in first. A noble sacrifice would be made today! At least she hoped it would be. "You aren't even -that- butt naked. Go, check them out, and before waking them up, do try to look the part, huh?" Her armored hand gestures at Narwen. "Drop the shorts..." She pulls her rifle from the shoulder and gently pats it on the side. "I've got your back, skunk. If the head pettings don't work, there will be head shootings. You trust me, heh, right?"
Smithson speaks up for a second at Melvy's question: "Anything that looks like it still has words in it is fine, but I'm sure we should focus on the non-fiction literature first. Like history books or technical manuals." He doesn't say any more, but definintely raises an eyebrow at everyone's plan.
Seeing how sparsely equipped Melvy is, Xzen takes out a few items from her satchel, tossing them to the moff, "Here you go... we bugs gotta stick together, eh?" with explanation for the generosity. Looking back at the rest, she inhales and then exhales before checking her gun, making sure it's read yto fire. She has her Nanite Manufacturing set up, pushing out to an eighty foot radius as well, and she comments over towards the truck driver, "So, Smithson... how /are/ we going to transport the books? You got a glass-lined container or something to deter them from gettin' nommed? Anything we can use so our nanites don't nom them, too?"
Ebreus smiles and drops his nanobubble, "Thanks. Now Narwen with her runnin' the bubble instead of me I can suport you with lightning strikes if this doesn't work." He then turns his attention back to Xzentia, "I'm pretty sure these nanomagic-induced bubbles have a low enough nanite density that book-nomming won't be a problem." he says. He cracks a few joints throughout his body, and hefts his flamethrower, "Oh, and I can also support you with flaming caustic goo if things go south." he says to Narwen. He looks to the group and says, "Well this isn't a nightmare-fuel fog, just a few possibly feral Sunk Beasts, lets get moving."
"Nobody shoot the cool skunk." Otto chymes and retrieves his trusty chainsword from his back with a satisfying *shhhink* "Me? I'm getting up close and personal with the filthy ferals if it comes to that." the canine grins and spins the sword in his paw once, leans it over his shoulder and moves two steps towards the entrance to the building, overlooking the large battalion of feral skunk beasts. He turns towards Narwen and states, "The second things go to hell, come running back, we'll charge in and massacre those ferals if need be! You're a brave beast, lad. Thank you for taking this risk."
"I know I ain't butt naked, and I want to stay that way. 'Sides, we're in California. Rainbow shorts are essential to blending in," Narwen says. "Although... this _is_ Gold Country. May not go over quite so well. Fine, fine. Just... geez, folks, if it starts to go south, try not to kill 'em, yeah? Scare 'em off, shoot to wound if you have to. I am so going to regret saying that," he adds, ripping the velcro of his shorts open and wriggling out of them. After a moment's thought, the lanyard and badge follow them onto the ground. "Grab those if we have to make a sharp exit? Sentimental value. And fer crying out loud, no flamethrower. Especially when I'm standing over there. Dammit, here goes nothing." And with that he saunters as casually as he can over towards the library, tail raised high.
Melvy nodded, smiling at the other bug-woman as she was given some equipment. "Thanks, hopefully I won't have to use it.." she equipped herself and went to pet Narwen before he went off to face the horde. "I wonder if this is really a good idea," the moth girl said, commenting on the plan. "Oh, is it possible to shift right now? I could go with him."
Parthenia waves everyone off. "I've got your backs fallas." With those words the woman turns her back onto heading out team and walks up to the driver. "It is the best idea!" She says to the moth girl before addressing the man in the truck. "I'm climb on top, for better view if you don't mind. Going to make sure have somewhere to run to if they must." If the permission is granted, she gets to struggling in an effort to reach her destination and get all comfy, snugged up with her gun. The barrel is aimed at the beasts and she watches the show through the scope.
Smithson answers Xzentia: "I have a chest in the back that seals against nanites. That should be enough for the more damaged or important books. Otherwise, I just strap them in stacks." He then turns to Parthenia and adds: "sure, but I don't think you can fit up there with a gun."
As Narwen aproaches the feral skunk beasts, they all seem out cold, like they just spent most of the day in an orgy. None of them seem to notice him or even care. However, one of the skunk beasts actually seems to be a skunk girl, covered in semen and not moving at all.
Checking her specialized revolver, Xzentia flares her nostrils, prepped and ready. With Narwen's approach being met with more malaise and languors than expected, she whispers softly, "Well... that's promising, at least... They don't appear to be responding much..." She can't see the details, of course, but at least things haven't gone south, yet.
Ebreus ballances his bardiche on one shoulder and prepares to breathe fire or frigid shadow at the Skunk Beasts should it be necessary. He watches them for any signs of movement as Narwen aproaches, occasionally glancing to the left or right checking for anything preparing to ambush him.
Otto keeps a close watch on what was happening over where the skunk beasts were. He kept his fingers crossed and hoped for the best, as Narwen was hardly in a favorable position right then and there. The last thing he wanted was a casualty. The coyote crouches down and rests his blade against the ground. He runs his thumb over the sharpened edge and sighs lightly, not quite sure what it was he wanted. His ears remained perked up, listening to the words of his colleagues.
The story pretty much tells itself, but having seen a couple of horror movies -- and taken a couple of medical classes -- Narwen does pause to check visually that the nearest skunk beast is merely asleep and not dead, chest rising and falling. He frowns at the skunk girl's still form, then shakes his head. Moving on padded feet, he skirts the other skunks, heading towards the library entrance. As he approaches, he stops to turn back to the rest of the team and gives them an exaggerated nod, then lifts a forepaw with one claw raised and makes a "sssh" gesture, then lifts the same claw into the air, holds it for a second, then beckons once with his paw.
Melvy looks back at the more heavily armed members of the party, waiting for a cue to go ahead. The moth girl looked back and waved to Narwen, loitering around in her spot.
Parthenia gave Smith an accusing look, her lips pursed as she stared him down from beneath her thick brows. "My ass isn't -that- big." The woman informed before climbing up. The roof of the truck wasn't much, sure. But it was still enough to plant that cushiony ass on. Her shins were crossed, knees pulled up halfway to the shoulders, elbows resting on the. Arms nearly crossed and the rifle rests over the left one. The side she had turned to her team. Her eye is on Narwen, watching him study the beasts and seemingly move on in past them becoming the team to follow. She didn't like that idea of course. What if things get loud inside? What if those beasts wake up and then they will have no way out. The safety of the team was on her hands! It was up to her to save them from trouble, from how terrible it can all turn out! The berrell of the rifle starting to move and now she was looking at one of the beasts, measuring up his balls and dick to that of Narvens.. And damn! narwen had a BIG fucking cock! A single shot could change this stealth mission into a massacre! How fun would that be? She thought smirking. Her finger presses on the trigger... A bit more. That familiar resistance.. She take a breath... "Bang!" She says to herself, the rifle jumps up a bit as she mimics the shot. Soon the woman jumping of from her perch. "Looks like we are sneaking in." She said before heading out to join the rest.
As everyone makes their way to the front door, being stealthful to avoid waking the ferals, Ebreus accidentally lands a foot on a stray snack wrapper that makes a crunching noise, but none of the skunk beasts stir from their pile.
Otto blinks a few times and squints as he watches Narwen in the distance. He recognizes the signs and immediately stands up. "He wants us to sneak in? Oh gods..." the coyote shakes his head and sheathes his sword. "I'm no good at stealth..." he huffs, then sighs lightly "But, I guess I could give it a try... I mean Cerl makes it look so easy." Swallowing his apprehension, the canine joins his team and makes his way to wards the front entrance. Careful where he places his feet, he is soon upon the front entrance. His heart skips a beat once he hears that noise coming from Ebreus. but thankfully none of the beasts awaken. Otto breathes a sigh of relief and relaxes, then reaches for the door handle and... *FWOOM* a trap is triggered the moment he opens the door, gas cascading out of the portal which he narrowly manages to evade. Thankful that his team was out of the way, the coyote holds his breath and shoots a glance towards his team. He makes a gesture to let them know that he is heading into the building, and then he does exactly that.
Holding back from getting near the gas, Xzen looks towards the otehrs and motions with sign language, should any understand <Gas. Hold back and let it dissipate, first. Anyone got anything to clear it out faster?> She stops breathing, just in case the gas blows their direction, and she's ready to move out of the way, just in case. She knows that some gases are more heinous than others, but she doesn't know what this one does, yet.
Ebreus, seeing Narwen just walk right past them, smiles and walks toward the depository. He keeps his pole-axe ready in case one of them wakes up. As he walks he continuously watches for movement and checks his distance to the rest of the team. Once he arrives at the door, after accidentally making a noise, he examines everything again, muttering, "I've never cared much for stealth." as he does. When Otto goes to open the door he prepares to breathe frigid shadows into the building should there be something there. He almost waists his shadow breath when Otto dodges the gas. He double checks the team is unaffected and once Otto is through, if he's ok, Ebreus follows.
Narwen takes a step or two back when the gas goes off, holding his breath and looking around in alarm. But luckily Otto is quick on his feet, and it seems to clear without any ill effect. A little time after the coyote has ducked inside, Narwen pads after him -- then pauses to look back into the courtyard. The other skunk beasts are still drowsing, thankfully, so he heads on in, blinking as he passes out of the sunshine and taking a little sniff of the air.
Melvy did the best she could to navigate through the pile of skunk beasts without waking them up, flinching at Ebreus stepping on the snack wrapper. The moth girl fluttered her wings nervously, staying close to Narwen and looking at other agents who entered the library. She reached out again to give him a nervous pet, wanting to calm herself down. "Why was there gas?" she whispered to Narwen.
Parthenia was soon reunited with the team! Probably to everyone's great joy and happiness! Her sneaking skills weren't the BEST of the best but... She wasn't to terribly bad at it either. Actually... She was! And her armor wasn't making it any easier. But... The gods were on their sider and the only terrible mishap that has happened is her armored tits smearing some of that still dripping cum on one of the walls as she was leaning against it in an effort to stay... UNSEEN! Her hands were on the weapons the moment clumsy Ebreus have failed oh so terribly at being sneaky. She shook her head at him, disappointed to no degree! Skillfully handled door offers the team a little scare, and makes her think. Seems like no one was worried about lingering gas, aside from Xzentia. She shrugged to her signs, not knowing what they mean and tilted her head inviting her to come in. Waiting it out a few more seconds after everyone was inside, she joing the team. "Gas and beasts." She whispers. "And did you notice the girl with them? As if someone brought her there just to keep the bastards around. And the door was trapped." She taps her head, her eyes move up to look at the ceiling, checking out every corner. "If I had to guess, someone doesn't want us here. Perhaps there are even surveillance cameras to keep intruders in check."
The gas trap seems to be very rudamentary. It looks like it was designed to vent outside once the front door was opened. a few seconds pass and one of the skunk beasts stir from their slumber, smelling the air. Then another, and another... in seconds their attention turns to the people at the front door, their cocks going erect.
Keeping an ey eout and keeping out of the general area of the gas itself, still rather than plunging through it, Xzentia pauses when the sound of air snuffling catches her attention, and she looks over towards the skunk beasts... then twoards where everone else else and putting two and two together to make... fish. "Pheremones! They're gonna rape you!" She calls over, the time for stealth done for as the skunks are already getting erect. She strafes along the front of the building to get further from the door and beasts both, readying to shoot if she needs to.
Ebreus spins around, hand on his flamethrower, when he hears Xzentia yell. He steps forward to the door so that he is just inside. He takes as agressive a posture as possible, begins growling loudling, and pulses his flamethrower in their direction. He roars as best a Fox can and glares at them.
Narwen wrinkles his nose. "Y'all might want to get in here and-- oh, too late," he mutters. "Why is it always libraries? Think we got a skunk girls / skunk beasts situation. Gas reeks of 'em. Hey, ladies!" he yells into the gloom. "Don't shoot, we ain't skunk beasts! Well, I am, but don't shoot me anyway. I know Dewey Decimal and I'm not afraid to use it." He stumbles further into the room, away from the door, almost tripping over his own erection. "Also that's totally an involuntary physiological reaction and not personal."
"They're welcome to try." Otto sneers, reaches for his blade, but seeing the tight bottleneck those accursed ferals would need to squeeze though, added to that the fires Ebreus had started, he decides not to taunt the Prometheans by being responsible for a feral death. There was a time and a place for everything, after all. He leaves the ferals to his colleagues and takes a good look of the interior. The scent of skunk girl was heavy in the air, but Otto was none too bothered. He kept his hands on his blades and an eye on the darkest corners, in case something happens to lunge out at them. "What do you think, Narwen? Worthwhile salvage?"
Melvy followed Narwen further into the library. The moth girl cowered slightly in fear, clinging to the four-legged scientist with a hug as she waited for the immediate threats to go away, then skittered off to the side to collect herself.
Parthenia gasps and... Gasps! Memory of the skunk girl pops back into her mind and she really kinda doesn't want to end up in that pile! Fucked, seemingly to death like that filthy mutant did. Probably well deserved too! Having cum still staining her armor was already enough! Swiftly she pulls out her magnum, the other hand is on the hilt of the sword, ready to draw. Being the last one by the door he had a clear view on the creatures and as she wa-.... A fox with a flame thrower stumbles in making some fierce fox noises! Threatening to say the least! Nonetheless, her weapon is aimed at the creatures, and she pulls the trigger in an effort to make that roar even scarier with the roaring bang of the magnum. She aimed right at the neck of one of them beasts, surely they can survive that, before retreating deeper into the building, hopefully to hid by Otto's side.
With the screaming fox and a flamethrower, the skunk beasts are too frightened to attack, but with the smell of skunk girl in the air they are too aroused to leave. That is, until a magnum round tears through one of their necks, causing them all to scatter and leave behind the skunk girl on the ground.
As for those inside, the depository is mostly empty, like someone has been looting it before. Reaching the back door in their search the group finds two shotguns rigged to the back door, loaded to splatter anyone who would have opened it from the outside. Thankfully though, there is a security door leading to what seems to be the store room, the small window in the door revealing that there are books on the other side.
While the others secure theinterior, Xzen takes advantage of the dispersal of the skunk beasts. Looking back over her shoulder, she says, "Cover me, "towards Parthenia and heads over low to go and inspect the remaining or remains, depending on what she finds, of the skunk girl
Ebreus grins when he sees the Skunk Beasts scatter. He maintains his agressive pose and keeps his flamethrower ready. He slowly backs into the depository as he enjoys the sight of seventeen Skunk Beasts fleeing from him. When he sees Xzentia moving to examine the girl he says, "Is she alive?" Once he's managed to back his way into the depository he says, "Thanks for the assistance." to Parth then turns around and begins looking through the Depository. "We in business?" he asks Otto and Narwen.
"Business would be stretching it." Otto replies simply as he looks about the room. "There's got to be a big ol stash somewhere around here. We're looking for something like a store room, I guess." the coyote moves over towards one of the more secure looking doors and crosses his arms. He notices a particularity to it and halts Narwen before they can have a go at the door. "Hang on." he murmurs, then leans into the circuitry he'd noticed on the side. Reaching into his pack, the coyote retrieves a small toolbox filled with tiny and very delicate looking instruments. His nimble fingers easily manage to pick apart the trigger mechanism on the door without tripping it. He works for the better part of two minutes before smiling lightly and leaning away. "There. Whatever that trigger was..." the canine nudges the door and it silently opens up for them. "It's dealt with." putting his tools away, he steps into the room and whistles sharply. "Hey, I think we're in business!"
Narwen shakes his head to clear it, then starts scouring the room. "Doesn't look worth it in here," he calls back to Otto, "but maybe in the store room back there? Guessing there's a trap, or a skunk girl with a gun, or both? You wanna peek through the window and I'll case the door?" he asks. And they do, and it is trapped, and Otto does some magic. "Holy crap," the skunk says. "And I thought I had a way with electronics. Hey, we're friendly," he calls, stepping in after the coyote. "Anyone here? Free rides back to civilisation." He begins peering at the titles, calling out the most useful and most culturally important. "Load me up and let's get the heck out of here. Don't worry, Melvy, almost done."
Melvy followed behind Otto and Narwen, glancing momentarily back at the group that remained at the entrance before turning her attention back to the storeroom. "Neat.." she cautiously stepped into the store room, heading towards the books to browse through them, putting some in the skunk's saddlebag.
Parthenia keeps her weapon at ready for a little while longer, making sure the creatures are really gone. What little blade of her sword was exposed is now gently sinking back into its 'port'. Her eyes dart to Xzentia and back at the skunk gal. The woman smirks and offers a short shrug with a single shoulder. Her arm extends invitingly, offering a silent 'go ahead'. She stands by the door making sure her team mate isn't going to get jumped. "Don't mention it." She offers to Ebreus.
The books in the store room look like they were being kept here for safe keeping, filled with technical and mechanical books and manuals. No one is to be found anywhere. The trap that Otto disarmed seems to be hooked to a large battery and what looks like a dismantled tape recorder. The wires from it lead up and into the ceiling. As everyone starts looting books, Smithson pulls up to the front of the depository to help, and it doesn't take long to pack up the stores of books.
After her inspection, Xzen leaves an unwarranted gift of vomited bile on the remains, her sick coating across the dead skunk girl's defiled corpse. Her nose wrinkles, and she leaves the body where it lays, unwilling to do more or even touch it at this point as she goes to help pack things up into Smithson's truck when he pulls up.
Ebreus begins grabbing technical manuals and packing them in Narwens packs. Once Narwen has as many books as he can hold he takes as many as he can reasonably hold and carries them out. "If she's really dead I can spare the Flamethrower fuel for a basic creamation." he says, and he does creamate the dead skunk girl unless someone tells him not to. When all of the books are loaded onto the truck he goes back into the depository and loots anything that isn't nailed down, then coordinates with Xzentia so that he could use Item Conjuration to create a crowbar and loot everything that was nailed down. Once he's done he says, "Alright I think that's everything, lets get headed home."
Everyone loads up into Smithson's truck and heads on home, the skunk girl's body reminding everyone that death really was possible when you are this far out of safety...
