[ Temba (Action + Network) | Not!Tembla (Action) ]

[silenziobruno]

WHO: Alberto and you~ OTA
WHERE: Both in Temba and Not!Temba
WHAT: Exploring around: finding food, shelter, and getting into places he shouldn't probably be.
WHEN: Late July & Early August
WARNINGS: None so far. Will upload if needed.

TEMBLA

I. Around the City - Say aloe to my little friend.

[ Being new here, the first thing Alberto does is try to memorize what places in the city are the best ones best to find food and shelter. He's using one of the cup leaves to carry what he can find and ends with a mixed assortment of goods: bavonroom, cakesponge, crunchy persimmon, cyananas...

It's only when he walks by one of the Holdfast Vines and brushes the vines that he gets into trouble. He's not expecting the tree to move, much less to have a vine suddenly wrap around his wrist and grab him. ]

Wha--? Ey! Let me go! [ He lets out a startled yelp and tugs back trying to free himself but with no luck. He would welcome any help, really. ]


II. Beach - Fancy places call this Sushi

[ The view of the beach is a comforting one, even if the sand is the wrong color and the creatures in the water are not what Alberto is used to seeing. As he had promised Cayde, he's been finding and collecting alive fish for the Exo to add to his tank at the Deep End.

Anybody walking by the beach by the early afternoon might find him sitting by on a rock, straight up munching on raw a fish like it's no big deal, because to him, it isn't. Next to Alberto, there's a big metal helmet filled with ocean water, the fishes he's got for Cayde swimming in it. Alberto underestimated how much the helmet was going to weigh once filled up, and he's trying to come up with a way to carry it to Cayde's place. He's still thinking about that when he hears someone approaching and looks over them, gesturing to the helmet with a; ]

Ciao! If you are hungry, suit yourself. I think I fished too many.


III. Mines / Network

[ Some other explorers, before adventuring into the caves, might come up with a plan to check the air quality, make sure the walls are safe enough, perhaps they even bother to bring in some weapons...not this kid, though. Alberto can see well in the dark unless it's total pitch black, he's small enough to get through any tunnel, and he likes exploring, so that's exactly what he does.

Fortune favors the brave, as they say.

He gets further into the caves, and the more he sees, the more curious he gets. The rusted metal door only makes him pause briefly before he continues, and in no time, Alberto finds himself staring at the powered-off display and the possible places where energy crystals could go. The equipment is broken, and he knows how to fix it, even if he's never seen it before.

This has been happening since Alberto touched the engineering data point a few days ago,. He can now look at all that strange alien tech and remember what it is supposed to do, what it needs to be done to make it functional. It's weird, but weird it's also his usual, so he just assumes that's how life is goign to be from now own. He starts pushing all the buttons he can reach, paws at the powered screens, and basically touches everything that is touchable before giving up.

Tsk, he's going to need to make some crystals to make any of this work, but maybe other people already have some. With that idea in mind, he opens the communicator and chooses the video function, typing is still difficult for him. The connection is spotty at best, being deep into the mines, and there are dark shadows over his face, but his green eyes are still clearly visible. ]

Hello? Can anybody hear me? I'm in one of the caves and there's all this stuff...[ Alberto swings the communicator around, so it shows the different machinery and screens. ] They need crystals to work, I know how to make them but I haven't got any yet. Does anybody have a few to spare?

NOT! TEMBLA

Alien Target 2

[ Unlike the clothes in the Department Store of Tembla, the ones here have the right number of sleeves, and Alberto is looking around to see if he can find anything useful to wear. Most clothes are too big for him or he has no idea how to wear them, but he eventually finds a soft cream-colored sweater that is close to the right size to fit him.

It prompts him to bury his face in the sweater and laugh, the sound reverberating around the (supposedly) empty building. He's never had clothes this soft before, everything he's worn until now had been scavenged and threadbare, and it's just SO.SOFT. ]

Comments

[kree_soldieress]

[Perhaps she was complimented regularly. That did not mean that she regularly recognized said compliments. Humans never said the things they meant. It was frustrating. But that wasn't something she was thinking of now. Instead she looked the boy over. Given her limited interaction with humans, she actually didn't know that what he was wearing was by any means strange.

Instead she just took his hand into hers to shake, and it could very easily consume his for sure.]

I am Lauri-Ell, and I do not know those other words of yours.

[silenziobruno]

[ If it's any consolation to her, Albert wasn't human nor was he a liar. All the things he said might not be accurate, but he believed them to be 100% the truth. And she was pretty! All tall and blue and strong looking.

Her hand dwarfs his own indeed when they shake it, but if anything, the kid only looks more impressed. ]

It's Italian, it means 'nice to meet you, madam'. I'm still learning all the words, but I know a lot of them now. Where are you from? I've never seen a land dwel---er, a human! with blue skin and white hair before.

[kree_soldieress]

[Given she had only ever interacted with two children before, his spirit most definitely amused her.]

Ah, there is a reason for that. I am not human. I am Kree. I am not from Earth at all.

[silenziobruno]

[ He's a very lively kid with next to no fear and very little common sense. Plus he's used to surviving on his own, the cheekiness can't be helped. He mutters another impressed 'ohhhh' under his breath and then grins up at her. ]

Are you from those other planets that float in space next to the big fish? [ The sun, he means, but Alberto used to call it that and old habits die hard. ] Luca mentioned Saturn once.

[kree_soldieress]

Big fish?

[She doesn't know where there is a big fish, except maybe a Chitari war-beasts. They looked like Earth whales.]

No, Hala, the world of my people is many many lightyears away."

[silenziobruno]

The big yellow ball you can see at night in the sky? [ Wait, that was the moon, not the sun. He thought they were the same thing for the longest time. This is what happens when you live underwater and never go to school. Even Alberto realized he's not making much sense, so he just waves a hand and changes the subject. ]

Nevermind, it's nothing. You're the first Kree I've ever met, and I didn't know about Hala before. What is it like? Everyone is big and blue like you?

[kree_soldieress]

The moon?

[Yes, never mind. He could be confusing to her later.]

No. Kree come in many sizes. And there are also pink-skinned Kree. They look more like humans.

[silenziobruno]

Yes, that! I keep forgetting the name. [ He likes his version better, is more poetic, and for the longest time, Alberto had no idea that the Moon was called that. He's very much still learning about the human world. ]

Oh, I see. [ Sea monsters also come in different colors, some are also green and red, so it's not hard for him to imagine. ] And, uhm, since you're not human....do the humans mind? I mean. Have they tried chasing you out of the city, or...?

[ 'Do they throw pointy things at you?', he doesn't ask, but it's on the tip of his tongue. ]

[kree_soldieress]

[Forgets that the moon is called as much? Strange.]

No. There has been no issue to this point. Nor would I allow them to do so. It would be uncivilized.

[silenziobruno]

[ He's also calling humans 'humans' as if he's not one of them. This is the sort of thing Alberto doesn't realize he's doing wrong when trying to pass off as a normal land dweller. ]

Oh, that's good. [ There's obvious relief at her answer and he has no doubt that she is more than capable to stop people from being jerks. She might be even taller than Massimo. ]

Where you looking for clothes too? There's more on the aisles at the far end but it's all on really tall shelves. [ That he can not reach, even if he likes to climb high places, because the surface is too smooth and slippery. She might not have that issue. ]

[kree_soldieress]

[As if Lauri-Ell would even understand the difference. But she considers his comment about tall shelves and his size.]

I do not require new clothing. Clarice took me shopping. But if you require assistance of someone with more height, I am glad to provide it.

[silenziobruno]

That works to Alberto's advantage, and it also makes him like her more.

What's shopping? [ The word is new to him. All the humans clothing he had ever worn had been scavenged, and Sea Monsters don't have malls or clothing stores.They made their clothes using kelp and other plants. ]

Ah,...if you really don't mind? I was also looking for something to use as sheets. Some clothes here are big enough for that.

[kree_soldieress]

[What a very interesting young man.]

Of course I do not mind. Why would I offer to assist if I did not mean it? That would be unkind. Come, show me where you wish to look.

[silenziobruno]

No, I guess you wouldn't. [ Alberto is just not used to people being so ready to help him out and gives her an honest smile. ] Thank you, Lauri-Ell.

[ He smiles and places the sweater on a bag he's found in another room, careful to keep it there safe from dirt, and then points to the other end of the room. ] Is that way!

[kree_soldieress]

Of course. Guide on.

[She hadn't come here to look for things to keep after all, so it was really no skin off her back that she was helping him.]

[silenziobruno]

[ He appreciates, really, and will find a way to compensate her somehow in the future. Alberto is still trying to find his footing in this new world. It's overwhelming, but he's adaptable. ]

I've never been in a place like this before, so full of clothes and things. They don't have shops this big in Portorosso. What about Hala? What is it like?

[ The right aisles are not hard to find and while they also look covered in dust and some plants, the clothes on the very top shelves look in decent enough condition. It's just hard to tell what they are from Alberto's angle. She's much taller, so she should be able to see it's an assortment of jackets, sweaters and some skirts. ]

[kree_soldieress]

I do not know. I have never been to Hala.

[She doesn't even know her home world. But she is happy to follow him. She can see the clothes and considers before looking to the boy.]

YOu will be able to review them more if you are taller, yes? You could sit on my shoulders.

[silenziobruno]

But you said you were from there? [ He doesn't quite get how someone can be from a place if they had never been in it, hence the briefly confused glance towards Lauri-Ell. He nods a moment later, smiling widely. ]

Great idea! [ This time he doesn't ask if she really doesn't mind because she offered in the first place. He's just not sure where to start climbing her without being rude. ] Uhm...Do you think I'll ever get as tall as you? That would be very useful.

[kree_soldieress]

The Kree are from Hala. It's where my people first came to be, where we evolved. But that does not mean it is the only place we live now. We are a space-faring people.

[She smiles and moves to kneel down, to make it easier for him to climb onto her shoulders.]

I do not think so. There are not many humans who are as tall as I am. It made getting around your buildings very uncomfortable.

[silenziobruno]

Of course...space-faring people. [ Sounds a bit crazy to him but at the same time, exciting. He's suddenly reminded of his first conversation with Omega, and how she mentioned that people use ships (special ships, no fishing boats) to travel across the stars. ]

You must have gone to all sorts of adventures then, meet a lot of interesting people. [ Alberto murmurs a quick but since 'Thank you' when she kneels down and climbs off her back. He's careful not to kick her or anything, and soon enough he's settled on her shoulders, grinning at the sudden extra height. ]

But I'm not....[ Wait. No, he's supposed to be human. Retreat, retreat. ] I mean...That's a shame. Humans so shorts, tsk. But you're right, it can be a problem. Maybe we could break some doors, make them taller, so they give you less trouble.

[kree_soldieress]

I have met many people indeed. [But callign her experiences adventures is probably improper. It paints a picture of conflict that is no doubt a bad idea. But once he's steady she stands straight. He's got to enjoy the extra more than six feet under him. From here he would be able to see anything.]

It is easier to have me bow my head. If doors are cut, then things could get in.

[silenziobruno]

Good people or bad people? [ There's something in her answer that makes Alberto question that out loud, but he does ask gently. He likes meeting new people but is aware it can be dangerous, more so when you have a big secret. He still considers it an adventure, but he's got the feeling it wasn't the same for Lauri-Ell.

He takes a moment to appreciate how high he is and to check if there is more stuff worth checking on other nearby top shelves. A few more items of clothes are visible but to no make Lauri-Ell wait, Alberto rifles through the clothes in front of him, inspecting the sweaters as he talks. ]

That's a good point. There are a lot of funny-looking animals in this city, we don't need them inside the buildings. I saw a giant mosquito the size of a football ball, that was so gross.

[kree_soldieress]

Yes. I have met both good and bad people. Sadly I don't know that it's possible to have one without the other.

[The news about the bugs was distressing though. She had seen nothing of the sort.]

If you see bugs that big, you should call someone for assistance.

[silenziobruno]

That sounds about right. There was this guy in Portorosso, older than my friends and me, who was a total jerk. He also had that funny-looking, sad attempt of a mustache...he looked ridiculous, like an ugly catfish.

[ Lauri-Ell can consider herself lucky, Albert wishes he could erase the view of that horrid mosquito from his mind. ]

I'm not really fond of that strategy, but I turned around and moved as far away from it as I could. It was near a pool with water, by the plains. [ Alberto shudders and makes a disgusted sound at the memory, grabs as a couple of more clothes, and pats Lauri-ell on the shoulder. ] Could you put me down, please?

[ Usually he would just jump down but that's not polite. ]

[kree_soldieress]

The waters are not often safe from my understanding.

[But he requests and she goes down to one knee, clearly intending to let him down as he asked.]