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LON-LON RANCH
DarayAPP 3:55 PM They come from the sea, dripping and bedraggled. They crawl up the slope into the ranch's main entrance, then stagger onward toward the buildings. They might look pitiable were it not for the tight red and black suits, uncanny face masks, and wicked-looking weaponry they wear. The lead one, clad in midnight blues and purples with a cloth wrapping instead of a mask, pulls a kama from his belt and holds it out beside himself as he advances toward the nearest residents of the ranch. "Food and water. NOW," he rasps. +.+
Torgem 5:22 PM From Ganondorf:
As he rouses from a state of complete exhaustion, the King of Evil glares out at his surroundings. The man floats in... nothingness. Naught but a void of blue and white space surrounds him. There's no start. No end. Just... nothingness.
"Curse you," The being mutters, seemingly aware of where he is as he takes another glance around. He is stuck; floating in a dimension that lays between the physical worlds.
Calming himself, the King reaches out with his mind... He takes a breath to concentrate on what must be done. In a situation like this even he is severely limited in what he can do, but it doesn't stop him on trying to contact someone. Anyone.
Ranch HandAPP 5:35 PM "Sign up to the ranch they said," A young man mutters. "It will be a good experience. I BET THEY DIDN'T COUNT ON THE WHOLE DAMN WORLD FLOODING!" Looking to be in his late teens, the sandy-blonde haired figure takes a hand from his shovel and shakes it at the clear blue sky. Still wielding the shovel with his other hand, the blue-eyed temp-employee continues to shovel hay into the back of a wagon. "You'd think they would send me home. But noooo, those horses still need to be looked after." Pch.
Not too far from the shore, the ranch hand turns at the approaching strangers. All dressed in... some fancy costumes. For a second he doesn't take them too seriously, but the weapon that Daray wields and the harshness of his voice causes him to hold the shovel in a protective manner.
"W...Who are you?!"
DarayAPP 5:53 PM Oh fun, we've got a slow one here. =.= Daray hooks the kama around the shovel's handle with a CLANG and wrenches it aside. "I'm the one who's going to start slitting the throats of people who ask stupid questions instead of doing what we tell them around here," he hisses. "This place belongs to the Yiga Clan now, and if you want to live to see another sunrise you'd better GET THAT FOOD AND WATER!" >P A few of the Yiga draw weapons to back up the threat.
SpoofAPP 6:18 PM Above the encounter, the air swirls and shifts amid the blue sky. Strong energies can be felt in the air; crackles of it felt as they resonate with the nearby flora and environment. As they develop and harden, what looks to be some sort of... face? Forms out of no-where. "Loyal followers," The deep voice is unmissable for those that know who it is. "...free me from this space between dimensions... hn..." Then, the energy is gone. With a swift gust of wind the experience ends.
Ranch HandAPP 6:20 PM "Waugh!" The response given to Daray is one of cowardice and fear as his shovel goes flying. Truly he was not a warrior. He was just a farmer! Hell, not even a fully qualified one at that. "What's the Yig--?" The man's question is interrupted by the ... haunting ... experience that occurs.
The ranch hand just stares, before he turns and flees with a yell and flailing arms. "GET ME OUT OF HEREEEE! Horses be damned, I wana go back home!" The figure makes tracks, heading back to the barn and ranch household proper.
DarayAPP 7:43 PM Yup, very much a slow one. >.< Daray's about to dispense with this useless idiot when he's interrupted by a G-mail. Oh great, the boss-man's gotten mixed up in some bad hoodoo (well, that's pretty much always true, but this time it looks bad for him) and he wants his underlings to bail him out. =.=; Well, Daray doesn't have much clue about spaces between dimensions, but he'll just have to find somebody who does and hold a knife to their kid's throat or something. Not that he's really THAT much of a 'loyal follower', but there isn't much future for a renegade Sheikah in a country that's been suddenly freed of oppression, even if it's still recovering from a sudden climate change.
In the meantime, though, first order of business is their own recovery from said climate change. Daray lets the screaming ranch hand flee, following at a more reserved pace simply because it looks like that's where they'll find other people to terrorize...and hopefully a drink. Cross-ocean swimming is thirsty work. :stuck_out_tongue:
SpoofAPP 9:03 PM It seems the ranch is largely abandoned outside of the ranch hand that fled. Certainly it looks like Daray and his gang of tricksters are on their own... for now.
ArtifaAPP 12:49 PM "I assume you received the same message," she dropped in from above, deciding it was better to clear the distance with a bit of Sheikah help than to run across the field. She just barely catches sight of the farm hand running off, leaving them and the ranch to themselves, it seems. "I find it hard to believe this place is empty, but we'll forget about that now. First, boats and rafts are difficult to come by and I don't have enough room on mine to carry this force," she pointed out. "However, this place should have plenty of resources for us to use to assemble something." She paused. "But I'll get to the core of my presence here. I may have a solution to this dimensional problem, but it requires that we go to one of my labs." Artifa explained.
DarayAPP 8:10 PM Daray glances over as Artifa makes her appearance. So, she survived, no huge surprise there...and from her current state, she probably had an easier time of it than Daray and company. e.e And yeah, it is weird that the ranch seems so abandoned. It's probably one of the few places in Hyrule currently that could be considered a VIABLE SOURCE OF FOOD. That means there must be an important reason it's been largely deserted. :thinking_face:
Or we're just avoiding spoofing the FCs that normally run the place.
Daray checks a rain barrel and finds what is presumably potable-enough water. He takes a handful and slurps it down, and the Yiga cluster eagerly around to get a drink. Daray steps away from the barrel and uses his kama to nick the last Yiga to approach on the back of the neck, causing him to stiffen in distress. #.#; "If you're the last one to reach a prize, you're the lookout for everyone else," Daray mutters. "Never let everyone focus their attention on just one thing." Daray turns back to Artifa. "I haven't gotten around to teaching them aquatic survival yet. Didn't seem like a priority, for obvious reasons. It could take some time to get them to build a proper raft. What's this solution of yours, and where is the lab? Somewhere underwater now, I imagine?" e.e
ArtifaAPP 9:15 PM "I wouldn't have expected it myself. It was quite the sight, to say the least. All this water coming down from the heavens and bursting up from the earth. It's a thing of myth," Artifa admired briefly. She did still have large portion of her heart dedicated to such a thing. "But enough musing. They can learn while they're here. I'm certain the people that own this place are hiding. It's strange to think that it'd be abandoned when it was still well into operations when the flooding took place. We may just need to seek them out. As for the lab, it's a possibility it's been submerged. I haven't been out towards the lake to find out. In the meantime, let's focus on getting this place secured. You, lookout," she pointed out the formerly nicked Yiga.
"You will keep an eye on this place. Specifically, the area I came in. I made no effort to hide myself, but that may serve to our advantage. If anyone is willing enough, they may just attempt to take my raft and attempt to seek out help. That means you'll also be responsible for their capture. Killing the people that know how to work this place won't do us any good, after all." She then chose a few more out of the group. "You all will post yourselves in choice areas to maintain watch as well. There's still foolish monsters to concern ourselves with and we can't be the only ones looking to secure shelter and food."
DarayAPP 10:01 PM "It certainly made history out of several trainees," Daray says dourly. "I hope the ones at the main lair had the sense to head for high ground, or we'll practically have to start over on recruitment and training." :stuck_out_tongue: The designated lookout gives a pained salute as he's given another duty away from the rainbarrel. ;.; Daray pulls the others away from the water source. "All right, that's enough for now, we may need to ration that. Anybody not doing anything important, start looking through this place. Food and other resources are to be identified and LEFT ALONE, no sneaking mouthfuls or I'll turn YOU into meat." >| Daray goes to investigate the main house of the ranch.
SpoofAPP 2:11 PM Such a difficult existence for these recruits, it seems. Who'd have thought that evil would be so difficult to handle? Separating from the barrel they each go their ways to do their assigned tasks. This place was a little too quiet. Save for the animals that were still here, but even they too didn't make too much noise outside of the occasional braying, clucking and mooing. A few decide to go check the storage. Softly lit by the fire of lamps, the stamp of Lon Lon Ranch on the crates were clear as day. There was milk in these crates. Milk...for the taking. They wouldn't really know who took some, right? They can't see everything!
Well no, they can't, but the people that run this ranch can and it appears they've endured their fair share of problems. While the grunts busy themselves with prying open a case and snatching up some bottles of fresh milk, the ranch hands sneak around behind the shelves and shove a mop into their faces when least expected. Caught off guard, the grunts scramble only to promptly have brooms and tilling hoes brought down on their heads, knocking them flat out. Their bottles fall to the hay covered floor, the containers carefully cushioned by the glass's construction and their surroundings. That's two down... This place isn't so empty after all.
ArtifaAPP 2:24 PM "I would hope so, but a little reworking probably wouldn't hurt," Artifa observed some of the recruits carefully. It's clear they weren't Sheikah. Painfully so, but that didn't mean they couldn't be taught in like manner. As Daray leaves to check the main house, she decides she'll go and check the opposite barn and stables. Stepping aside to the door, she turns the handle and pushes it open carefully. When she's certain there's no immediate danger, she heads inside. All she sees are cuccoo everywhere scratching around and clucking as they usually do. This...might be a dangerous place to be.
With a soft kick, she upsets a cucco just enough to drop an egg as it runs off elsewhere. Picking it up, she holds it and checks the room over. Bails of hay everywhere, some crates, an upper tier... Looking directly at on side of the room, she launches the egg up against the wall to see what might be startled from behind the storage in the room. Nothing but a few cuccos, it seems. As she draws closer to see the results of what she's done, a pitchfork is jabbed straight through the hay and towards her.
She jumps back making a narrow escape from that danger, but it was close enough to be a problem. Too close. So this place is occupied and it seems they've set up some form of resistance. Interesting.
SpoofAPP 2:42 PM The main house of the ranch was just as quiet, but it seems well prepared to receive visitors, guests and whoever else of good nature found themselves here. Perhaps a bit in shambles from the sudden rise from the earth and all the rain, but nothing that couldn't easily be cleaned up. Thankfully, nothing flammable managed to fall too far out of place and bring about undesirable misery. What would Hyrule be without Lon Lon Ranch, anyway?
In much the same fashion as the barn, it shows the place is occupied in some form. Food that was on the table is now on the floor and a few rats have managed to make their way inside to reap the spoils. Outside of the kitchen area were a few living spaces, their full view obstructed by the shape of the portals and corridors within the home. Stairs reveal an upper floor with a number of doors indicating separate rooms and enclosures. Nearby the door are work shoes that have mud and water on them, no doubt caused by the changes that rocked the land not too long ago, however worn trails of foot paths reveal themselves along the wooden floor and across some of the carpets, detailing where people frequent in this home the most.
DarayAPP 9:29 PM Daray eyes the rats nibbling at the spilled food. With a flick of his wrist, he skewers the neck of one of the rats with a senbon. The creature's dieing squeak sends the others bolting for cover. Yes, even the food strewn across the floor must be salvaged as much as possible...and for that matter, even the rats could become a source of sustenance, properly cooked. Under typical infiltration circumstances, Daray would have avoided killing the pest in order to preserve his stealth...but right now he's exploring a ranch, and he's confident he's deadlier than anybody he's likely to run into. Let them hear a little warning of his approach, it'll get them edgy. :smiling_imp: Daray stalks up the stairs and starts peering through doorways.
SpoofAPP 8:52 PM One of the cows on the ranch moooooos loudly, perhaps unsettled by the arrival of these pesky Yiga. A few other cattle do similar, before munching on their grass once more.
ArtifaAPP 9:06 PM Artifa launches a few senbon towards the bales of hay, intending for one of them to slip through and give sufficient warning. She isn't quite in the mood for spilling blood and besides, there needs to be people to take care of this place so that the farm and Hyrule can continue to thrive. Running forward, she slides into one of the bales, hoping to catch the feet of whoever was behind them. A soft thud signaled someone tripping, but she couldn't make out who. However, another farm tool did find its way through the hay, narrowly missing her leg. She rolls backwards and retrieves a deku nut, striking it against the wall to blind the targets and halt their attacks.
Upon acquiring an opening, she moves up and strikes one of the farmhands behind the leg with a firm kick to kneel them down to her level and hold her weapon to their neck. "I think that's enough for now."
SpoofAPP 9:11 PM Ranch hands are not trained in combat. Even if these particular ones were, it's unlikely they would have the nous and skills to really do much against Artifa. They can press their attacks sure, but against attacks like senbon and deku nuts? They cannot do a great deal. As a result they flail at the brightness of it all, as another is tripped. A third is kicked and forced to a kneeling position with a cry of pain. "Who are you?" One grunts, rubbing his elbow from where he had fallen upon it previously. "Why are you all on the ranch? We have nothing for you to steal! You just wait until Malon gets back. She'll run you guys right through!"
ArtifaAPP 9:38 PM "I am Artifa of the Sheikah. You don't need to worry. I was being careful in the hopes no one would be too hostile, here, but it seems I was somewhat mistaken. However, I can look past this. I do not wish to do any harm against anyone here. As you may be aware, the world outside of here is currently covered in water. Travel is not the easiest. Perhaps we may work together to ease this burden? As for Malon, I don't mind speaking to her if she's available."
DarayAPP 9:38 PM Behind Door Number 1...
...Some fat old dude with a 'stache-beard, sprawled out on a bed and snoring the day away. Might not even know the world's been flooded yet. e.e Daray decides to ignore him for now.
Behind Door Number 2...
Another bedroom, seemingly unoccupied. Pretty basic furnishings, like you'd expect at a ranch, the only eye-catching bit being a poster over the bed portraying a dashing knight on a galloping horse.
Behind Door Number 3...
"HIIIIIYAAAWWWW!!!"
The only reason Daray fails to immediately vanquish his attacker is his surprise at the unorthodox warcry and the even-stranger screechy voice by which it's delivered. *.O; As it is, he jerks back to avoid a broom which whacks at the spot where his head was. Then the door is slammed shut and locked.
Okay. c.c;
SpoofAPP 9:44 PM "Malon's not here." Another ranch hand comes up from behind the one that is upon his knees. He looks a bit older, clearly weathered by harsh summers and even harsher winters. "When the whole damn world went kaput she strapped up a raft from some trees and went off sailing to find some supplies and help. She's been gone for a day - probably won't be back until the end of the week given how far Kakariko is." This ranch hand looks to be at least armed with a rake. Watch out! It looks rusty. Anyone who gets pricked with it might get tetanus. "You sure got a funny way of not wishing to harm anyone. You just kicked Jimmy here square in the knee."
"Yeah! What are you gonna do about my knee?! It hurts!"
The cry of HIYAAAH in the distance, inside the homestead earns a few looks from the ranchers. "Ugh, Bill. That idiot." The ranch hand facepalms.
ArtifaAPP 10:03 PM Artifa looks up towards the upper floors and shakes her head. "Again, I wanted to secure my own safety. He'll be fine. I didn't hurt him that badly," she states. "But that's understandable. For myself and associates, we'll need supplies. If you can provide them for us, that would be appreciated. Simple enough. We need enough that will get us to Lake Hylia or perhaps what's left of it."
SpoofAPP 10:13 PM "You kidding? First you invade the ranch. You attack us, then you expect us to give you some dinner? We aren't giving you anything, you weirdly dressed clown wannabe." DAMN! "But we're in no position to really stop you either." The admittance is made with a slow mumble. "So if you want something? Go find it yourself. Then piss off back to whatever hole you came out of." Grump grump. The ranch hand moves forward to pick up his comrade off the ground, the same fellow who is still wheezing in some pain.
"Lake Hylia is no lake anymore. It's the Hylian Sea and the source of all this." The ranch hand gestures around himself. "People who have been there already say that unnatural things are occurring around there. You'd have to be damned man to go anywhere near there."
DarayAPP 10:27 PM Daray finally finds the kitchen, which is a lot more useful than a bunch of bedrooms. Breaking his own orders because hey, he's in charge and he's a bad guy, Daray pops a cookie into his mouth before setting a bunch of other foodstuff onto a tablecloth and bundling them up. Swallowing the evidence of his perfidy, Daray hoists the bundle and heads out to find Artifa. The sooner they can get moving, the better.
ArtifaAPP 10:35 PM "Your generosity is appreciated," Artifa drily quipped towards the farmhand. Without much more argument, she moves out of the area, but not before collecting some eggs to take along with her. She eventually runs into Daray in his search, "Good news, we've been given permission to pick this place clean," she rolled her eyes. "Anyway, I know we don't have much resistance, but we should be able to collect what we need without issue. According to the farmhands, Lake Hylia is stirring up some unusual forces around it. Malon has left for Kakariko on her own to seek out aid. Outside of that, I wonder what they might have meant?"
DarayAPP 10:46 PM Daray nods thoughtfully at Artifa's news. "Not too surprising. Makes sense that there'd still be activity at the place most of the water came from. Perhaps we'd best investigate that." Daray looks across the ranch and watches a pair of Yiga getting chased by an upset cucco. e.e; "Might as well leave those clods behind, they'll be no use on a serious mission," he mutters.
ArtifaAPP 11:03 PM "Perhaps they'll be more useful here, anyway. All able bodied should come and help us to build a sufficient raft to get us to Lake Hylia. I can also ascertain if my lab is in good enough condition to gather something from it, if anything. It will be a good starting point for us. This...mission won't be particularly easy, however I find it a good challenge for my work. My musings aside, we'll have to be well prepared. If the lake is now sea, then I think we'll be at a disadvantage. I can hope we'll find land when we arrive there.