The Guild Capitol: Chapter Two

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"Now we can find something for kids." Dawn said and moved to look around the place.

Matt understood that, mostly. He shrugged. "My brother called me an idiot but hey, what they gonna do? smite me?" he smiled. "You're safe from them now, from what Web's said, they can't leave... we can. You're free."

Mandeeo hesitated. "I suppose." He finally said. "What now, though?"

"Now, you are free to move about the Capitol, as long as you stay within assistance in case something happens." Another of his nurses came in with what looking like a simple, floating chair with arm rests, and on the sides of the arm rests, two spheres that seemed to be the controls. Mandeep eyes it nervously.

Matt smiled to Mandeep. "Whatever you want. And I know that's daunting and like.. scary but man, you can make your own choices now, do your own thing. " hey.. maybe he should talk to the androids, they understood about this whole suddenly having freedom and not knowing what to do with it right|?

Mandeep seemed to think on that for a moment. "I suppose I should... See what this 'Guild' looks like."

He motioned to be helped up, and the nurse took a more recognizable form, the kevali-like replica using itself as a crutch as Mandeep, wobbly kneed, forced himself to stand on weakened muscle despite initial protests from other nurses. He promptly shook his head stubborn and determined to walk, even if his body wasn't ready yet. He moved, sluggish and sore, to the chair, his legs and feet stick-like from weeks of no use.

Matt tried not to stare. All this couldn't be easy. Being weak, feeble and having to be helped was something utterly intolerable to Kevali by culture. Their culture was brutal, those who couldn't walk or were too weak to recover quickly enough from sickness or injury were encouraged to end their lives with dignity rather than burden the rest of the settlement.

"Yeah, there's loads to see. I mean I haven't even scratched the surface i'm sure." Matt forced a smile.

Eventually Mandeep reached the chair. He looked at Matt critically again. "How did you get here? Did you end up here when you... ah, jumped?"

Matt shook his head. "no, we came here in a ship. I... went home after they kicked me out. I guess I was lucky, I had somewhere to go, kinda. " yeah he hadn't stayed long, that old house was depressingly quiet and empty without everyone else there.

"A ship..." Mandeep murmured uncertainly, shaking his head. "The outside worlds are so... for lack of a better word, alien. And to think, we are probably the odd ones." He tentatively reached a hand over one orb, and without warning, pushed the hand forward. He started screaming when the chair began to rapidly spin in a circle and took his hand off, panting heavily as he then learned to use BOTH orbs if he wanted to move forward. "This is more so..."

"you okay?" Matt looked a bit startled. "That... looks like it takes some getting used to. Gotta wonder, what was wrong with just like.. wheels. " He shook his head. "I know what you mean though, out here's crazy. Here particularly so. I mean, I grew up in a really insular society but as an outsider, and my family are seriously weird." He laughed. "but leaving was still a huge shock. You're doing great man."

"We find it a bit more energy efficient for both resources and patients." A nurse explained as Mandeep slowly inched forward before going at a steady pace down the hall.

"Well, is find it why not? I'm a kevali. Whether I agree with my culture or not makes negligible difference. We were born to survive, and that's what I will do." Mandeep sighed, slowly getting the hang of the magic wheelchair.

"That's the spirit." Matt grinned. "Better yet, live an awesome and fulfilling life. The Elders think this is a huge punishment, like... the worst thing they can do, they're idiots. It's the best opportunity anyone could have." Something occurred to him. "Oh! Have you met Kasi yet?"

"Kasi? No." Mandeep shook his head as they casually traveled along the hallway to the front desk so they could check out for a bit. "Besides the nurses, I've only met you, Chou, and Chou's crewmates."

"Oh man, we should find Kasi. He's an outcast too. Kalvair. He's probably nuts, but he seems nice enough. " Matt chuckled. "It's wierd, I mean, i've never met any of my father's people out here and then we come here and there's two of you. They weren't kidding when they said the Guild attracted all who needed help."

"Kelvair..." Mandeep said thoughtfully before shaking his head. "I remember vaguely during my illness that Chou explained a bit about the Guild. Apparently they help everyone they can, even those that may not deserve it. Though with that great circle of influence, it's a bit of a wonder why a riot over cultural differences hasn't destroyed the place yet. Perhaps that's why Chou mentioned there were so many Peacekeepers?"

Matt shrugged. "I dunno. Maybe desperate people are just better behaved because they know if they screw up, they lose the one sanctuary they had." He shook his head. "or yeah, super efficient peace keepers. " He'd been making a conscious effort NOT to break any known laws, mostly because he really really didn't want to find out how they dealt with crime here.

"Well, no matter. Probably shouldn't question the peace. Last time I questioned something, I got branded." He chuckled, showing a lack of previous despair that had earlier consumed him. "Now, let's go find your friend."

"Hey, questioning things is good. Means you aren't a brainless follower. " Matt looked to Mandeep. "Always stand up for your beliefs, just be respectful of others and remember sometimes their life experience will give them a different outlook. It's alright to disagree, if everyone always agreed on everything nothing would ever change and what a boring world that'd be right?" He shrugged and lead the way. Now, where would Kasi BE? Maybe the archive.

(Kay, Asher, Starr, and babies arrive in Capitol)

Asher grinned. "Good plan. Constance will know his name yet!"

Starr shook her head as she listened to the two "What is it with that name?" She asked now, curious about it

"James expressed dislike for the name, so we, in our infinite maturity, are going to call him that when he displeases us," Asher said, looking pleased.

"Variety is the spice of life... Or, so I hear people say." Mandeep muttered as he followed along in his chair, which he seemed to glance down in annoyance at his bone frame every now and then.

Kay nodded. [It's what brothers do.] He explained. [He made a mistake showing weakness. Now, like the kind sweet people we are, we exploit that weakness... always and forever.] He smirked horribly. Oh yes, never show weakness to people who enjoy being passive aggressive.

---

Matt shrugged. "I suppose so. You're still totally allowed to tell some people they're being dicks though. Just, try not to really annoying super powerful beings uh.. " he hesitated. "Again... "

Starr shook her head and glanced tot eh babies again as they walked to the library here."What if he secretly likes it and just wanted to make you think he didn't?"

"I doubt he secretly likes it," Asher said, "James is very proud of his name and likes to hear it." He grinned at Kay, "Exactly."

Kay looked amused. [If he likes it, he won't object when we change his name on his pay slip and all of Vestia's records then.]

"Hmm, true," Asher agreed, "Maybe he'll even thank us. Where are we heading first?"

Starr chuckled and shook her head, looking up at them again "The library, I believe"