The Guild Capitol: Chapter 2.5

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so the other doesn't get lost yet we can still play

Skye stopped and shook her head "No, I am not" She replied and glanced to Swarm then back to him again "I am Skye, who are you?"

"Orel," he said, holding out his hand to her. "It's been a long time since I've seen an actual hawk, you'll have to understand my skepticism." He didn't seem to have noticed Swarm yet.

Skye dipped her head and shook his hand when he offered "Yes, we are not as abundant as we were." She said, frowning at that reminder before looking to him again "Have you been out here long?"

"Five years. How long've you been here? New refugee?" He fiddled with the thing he was holding, glancing down at it as if he couldn't bear to look away for long.

"We just got here four days ago" Skye answered and looked to the thing he was holding "What is that?"

Orel frowned in thought, "'We'?" He still hadn't spotted Swarm. Hawk girls were distracting, okay? "I don't recall any Artuvian refugee missions coming in that recently."

Swarm watched the pair curiously, saying nothing as they simply observed.

---

Armin considered that question. "Do you think there is anywhere I could purchase fabric and embellishments? " While he had a fairly decent stock, more stuff was always useful and inspiring. Besides which, he was curious as to what sort of things the guild offered in textiles.

"My friends. Only two of us are hawks" Skye replied softly then motioned to Swarm "Swarm is one of my friends."

Orel looked up at Swarm. "It's your friend? How's that work?" He remembered Skye had asked about what he was holding, and held it up. "My phone. I'm trying to code a toy car that can avoid being stepped on out here."

~~
"I bet they have places like that here," James said as they went back into the alley. "We might need to ask for directions though, hmm."

Skye shrugged and smiled a little "How does any friendship work? We like one another as friends." She said then smiled at him again "That's a good ides, cars that can avoid being stepped on and crushed would be good."

Swarm bobbed up and down in greeting to the hawk man and spelled out --We-- --are-- --swarm-- in the air.

---

Armin nodded. "Much as I would love a map, I fear any map of this place would only further complicate matters."

"They don't even have feelings, it's like talking to a dictionary," Orel said. He tried to summon his car from wherever it was. It didn't appear. "Damn, it got flattened again," he muttered.

~~

"We'll have to ask people!" James went up to some guard on a street corner, "Hey man, know where we can find a fabric shop?"

The guard stared confusedly, then gave them directions.

"Thanks man!" James grinned at Armin, "Let's go!"

"Not our Swarm. Our Swarm has their own personalities." Skye said defensively. She hadn't met the intact Swarm yet.

Swarm buzzed softly to themselves, yes, the intact swarms were like encyclopedias, that was their purpose. Organic computers. They pondered the problem with the car. --perhaps-- --a-- --forcefield-- --may-- --help?--

"A forcefield might help, though it would likely throw the creature that steps on it off balance." Skye said thoughtfully.

"Your Swarm's different?" Orel laughed, "Well that must be odd. Met the one here yet?" He shook his head, "There's no skill in magic, you just hire an independent contractor and call it a day. This is a science experiment."

--you-- --can-- --generate-- --one-- --using-- --a-- --strong-- --enough-- --magnetic-- --field-- --or-- --using-- --some-- --manner-- --of-- --kinetic-- --generator-- --to-- --push-- --air-- --around-- --the-- --vehical-- --but-- --generating-- --a-- --force-- --strong-- --enough-- --may-- --be-- --a-- --challenge-- --at-- --such-- --a-- --small-- --scale--

The swarm continued to ponder the problem, some of them moving off to go find the car and assess what they were actually dealing with.

---

Armin followed James. "I am curious what manner of textiles they employ in this place. With such a variety of species and cultures, there is every chance they may have access to some particularly unusual fabrics."

Orel smiled at that. "Pretty sure I'm not that good with electronics. I can't even program a car to not get flattened."

~~
"I don't know enough about fabrics to guess what they might have, but I bet they're gorgeous," James said. "You could leave here poor if you're not careful."

Armin laughed. "You are very likely correct in that, I shall rely on you to restrain me from too many frivolous and impulsive purchases then."

---

Swarm bobbed up and down. --a-- --larger-- --vehicle-- --may-- --also-- --solve-- --the-- --problem.-- --or-- --opting-- --instead-- --for-- --something-- --that-- --remains-- --above-- --the-- --ground--

"Science always has problems to solve, the key is to keep trying" Skye said with a smile.

"That's why I'm here," James said teasingly, "You did something nice for me, now it's my turn to do something nice for you. That is, keep you from buying out a fabric shop."

They arrived at a brightly lit shopfront that had bolts of hundreds of fabrics displayed in the window.

"This looks dangerous," James said.

~~
Orel smiled. "Maybe." He went after the part of Swarm to look for his squished car, eventually finding it partly under a table.

Skye followed, looking to the car when they found it. "Would a higher grade metal construction be better?"

"Maybe so," Orel picked up the car and turned it over, looking mildly annoyed by its failure to stay in one piece. He handed it to Skye to look at. "I'm not much of an engineer, maybe you two can help?"

Swarm regrouped and bobbed up and down. --we-- --can-- --offer-- --no-- --physical-- --assistance-- --but-- --we-- --are-- --happy-- --to-- --offer-- --suggestions-- --and-- --guidance--

---

Armin looked delighted, clasping his hands together. "You shall be my voice of reason, only purchase that which I believe I will find an immediate use for." He nodded, but oh look at all the pretty stuff! he headed inside, looking around like a kid in a candy store.

Skye took the car and looked at it then shrugged "I'm not one either, but I will take a look." She said with a smile before looking around for his table again. "Shane and Mourn are engineers though." She looked to Swarm as they wrote their message and nodded "Yes, you can help too. I'll be glad of that"

James followed Armin into the store, smiling at his friend's enthusiasm. He began looking around at the fabrics, smooth ones, sheer ones, shiny ones, patterned ones... oh man, he didn't know fabric, but this was some great fabric! Maybe he should be a tailor instead of a captain.

~~
Orel lead them to his table and pulled out his toolbox. Apparently he had to fix this car pretty often. "This could turn into a big project," he remarked.