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| Details |
| Author: | inkie |
| Summary: | Cobalt Company ventures out of the Jade Forest and into the sunshine of the Valley of the Four Winds. And then Blue Squad rides straight out of the sunshine and into the rain at Zhu's Watch. Some good butt-punchin' gets done. |
| Rating: | T for Teen |
Atley waits on Hal'vyr in the center of Dawn's Blossom with his ruck sack fastened to the saddle. He returns Brannagen's salute. "How's the day?"
"Sunlit and full o' trees," Bran observes, accurately.
Atley grunts.
Shun offers Estel his leftovers.
Estel finishes the last of the noodles in her container and reaches for Shun's. "Thanks."
Gwen approaches Shun and Estel, her freckled face showing off its usual bright smile. "Hey! Ready for new adventures?"
Shun glances over his shoulder and grunts lightly.
Estel makes an affirmative noise, mouth full of noodles.
Gwen giggles. "I'll take those as affirmatives."
Estel flashes Gwen a thumbs-up.
"Oh, there's Alysson! He's going to be joining us." Gwen waves at Alysson.
Estel turns and waves eagerly at Alysson. She hops off her stool, noodles eaten.
"I suppose it is too early to request what we know of where we are going," Shun says.
"What we know is very little, I'm afraid," Gwen says. "But apparently it's been called the 'heartland of Pandaria'. So, it seems like a good place for our diplomatic efforts to focus."
Shun furrows his brow some.
Shine steps down from the mossy rock by the pond and turns to cross the plaza to Atley and Brannagen. A small furred form emerges from the reeds beside the rock and waddles hastily after him.
Atley leans back in his saddle and inspects Bun. "Never too far behind, is he."
Bun is proud that Atley appreciates his Shine-stalking skills.
"Lo there!" Bran says with a wave to Shine. He does not greet Bun, who has not really seemed to register for him the way Befound does.
Shine nods affably to Bran. Bun peers suspiciously at Bran from behind Shine's leg.
Alysson beams and approaches Estel with a wave. "Ho there Cobaltians!"
Shun grunts at Alysson.
"Hey!" Estel goes to give Alysson a hug straight off.
Alysson hugs her back, and grins at Shun. "Shun boy, gala lad! Good to see ya!"
"Gala…lad…" Shun repeats.
Gwen walks up to Alysson. "Ho there! Now we just need Iphindra. Azizia and Rae have been reassigned elsewhere."
"Noted," Shun says.
Oranna ambles over from the forest, waving hello. Befound greets Bun with a Sniff.
Bun sniffs Befound back. This is Authorized. They are Pals.
Atley nods to Oranna.
"Let's go join up with Blue Squad. Maybe Dane has some new intel." Gwen annunciates 'intel' very precisely, like it isn't comfortable on her tongue.
"I think the other squad's over there, if we wanna say hi," Estel says, waving.
"We'll have Florande joining us, from the main land, taking Erixa's former position," Atley says, looking vaguely south.
"Oh?" Bran frowns slightly. "Wot happened ta Erixa?"
Shine raises his eyebrow.
Atley shakes his head. "Nothing ill. Just a shift of deployment." He raises his gaze as White Squad approaches. "You lot look squared away."
Shun grunts.
Bran gives Estel an extra-friendly wave as the group approaches. Priest fren!
"Squared as square can be!" Gwen salutes.
Oranna pauses to contemplate how squared off squares are, which seems more like a math problem.
Atley returns the salute. "We've some new faces. New to Pandaria, at least."
"Brananagen!" Alysson greets cheerfully.
Bran gives Allysson a crescent-eyed smile in return for the greeting, despite the mangling of his name.
"Hey," Estel says, waving at everybody. She peers at Bun. "That one's your buddy, yeah?"
Shine nods to Estel. "Aye. Bun." He glances back as if to check that Bun is still there. Bun is definitely still there.
"It kept snatching food from the table yesterday," Shun says.
Shine gives Bun a wearily exasperated look. Bun looks innocent. Innocent!
"Bun!" Estel crouches down and holds a hand out for him to sniff. "You've left your pack to become a traveler, yeah?"
Estel has no idea about whether or not tanuki live in packs.
"Ach… that's…" Oranna starts about Bun's food swiping. "Oh, no, ah, Bun's a male tanuki. They don't live in packs, really. They do most of their foraging an' such alone."
Bun sniffs Estel's hand enthusiastically. Does it contain food?
"He's an adventurer now," Shine confirms to Estel. He sounds extremely neutral about this.
Estel smells a bit like noodles, but she has no noodles to share. She ate them all. "Awesome. My critter never took to adventuring. You be safe out there, Bun." And that's a blessing of fortitude. For the tanuki.
"Excited about movin' on today," Bran says, adjusting his tabard. He does not seem to notice the ink stains on it.
Atley nods at Alysson. "Welcome to Pandaria."
Shine glances over at Alysson, double-takes, and then eyes him suspiciously.
Shun notes this reaction and just raises a brow.
Iphindra is wearing a draenei mask. She joins the group. "Hello, trick oooor treat," She says, trying to mimic a draenei accent.
Atley scoffs with amusement. "Hullo', Iphindra."
Bran just assumes Iphindra is Erixa, probably.
Oranna waves hello.
Shun sloooowly stares at Iphindra.
Alysson jumps as Iphindra approaches, then starts rummaging in his bags, eventually pulling out a banana to offer her. "Good thing I came prepared!"
Estel bounces to her feet, peering at Iphindra. "Hey! Who are you?"
Iphindra stares at the banana. She takes off the mask. "Um… Thanks!" She takes the banana and stares at in confusion.
Alysson beams at her, satisfied.
Atley turns to Iphindra. "Welcome to Pandaria."
"Thank you!" Iphi spins around, looking at the environment. "I really l-like it here!"
Gwen has been distracted as she dictates some notes to Pookie. But finally she glances up. "Oh, good! Iphindra is here! Hello!"
"Oh, hey, Blossom," Bran says warmly to Iphindra.
Shun leans over to Estel, "Know that one?"
Estel shakes her head. "I've never met… Iphindra?"
Iphindra nods at Gwen, then puts her mask back on. She begins walking up to Estel, but she does first. "N-nice to meet you? Who are you?"
Estel steps up to offer her a handshake. "Hi, I'm Estel. I heal people and hurt other people."
Iphi shakes her hand. "Me too! I'm really happy to meet you!" She then waves hello at Bran.
A panther pads up to the group warily. It spots Befound, and slinks over to sit next to her.
Befound sniffs at the New Cat Girl warily.
The New Cat Girl sniffs back.
Shun watches the exchange carefully.
"Alright, then, you lot. Listen up." Atley says, clearing his throat.
Shun shifts his attention to Atley immediately.
"That's Shun," Estel says to Iphindra, pointing. "He's my partner." She looks up as Dane calls for attention.
Iphi waves at Shun, then listens to Atley.
Bran does not seem to recognize Florande, or perhaps not even notice her.
Oranna tries to keep one eye on Befound and one eye on Dane, and ends up looking like a shifty eyed menace.
"We've some new faces. Florande," Atley gestures to the panther. "Will be joining Blue Squad. Iphindra and Alysson on White Squad. All competent."
Bun waddles over to sniff New Cat Girl too, since Befound did it.
Bran's eyes brighten at the mention of Florande's name, and he looks where Atley gestured… then keeps looking…
The New Cat Girl reaches over with a paw to pet the tanuki. It's an oddly non-cat-like gesture.
Befound watches the New Cat Girl in case New Cat Girl doesn't understand that this is Not Snack, Befound's Apprentice Adventure Animal.
Atley continues. "I received word from a trader that more foreigners were spotted moving farther inland to the west. A place called the Valley of the Four Winds. We're leaving the Jade Forest in the hands of the fleet and moving on.
"Our primary objective is the safe retrieval of the White Pawn. Our mission remains secretive, only to be revealed at our own discretion," Atley says, nodding to Gwen.
Shun grunts.
Atley finishes with, "Our secondary objective is to learn more about Pandaria, and strengthen diplomatic ties with the locals. Understood?"
Iphi nods. She knows about secrets. She's hiding her identity with a draenei mask.
Oranna sighs with resignation. "Right…secretive…"
Bran gently pats Oranna.
Shine is watching Bun and Florande with one eye. It's the only eye he has, so he is distracted. But he nods at Atley absently.
The New Cat nods a furry head.
Shun slowly nods.
Estel turns to whisper to Alysson. "The White Pawn is a person. It's his secret identity, not his real name."
"I call the White Pawn 'Ian,' ta not always be weirdly… nicknaming," Oranna offers.
"Let's mount up. We're riding west." Atley says.
Alysson nods to Estel. "Like Hero? Are they a hero? Are we lookin' for a real live hero?"
Estel nods. "Totally. Okay, lemme get Menace…"
"We're looking for a real live… Ian," Oranna tries.
Iphindra goes to fetch her white polar bear friend.
Bran eyes Alysson with concern.
Shine collects Bun under one arm like a football, and swings up into Khamsin's saddle. He sets Bun in front of him.
"Have we tried shoutin' ‘Ian’ real loud?" Alysson asks.
People are mounting up. The New Cat hunches her shoulders a little, and then becomes a deer.
Estel fetches a very sinister-looking ram.
Shun shadowsteps onto the back of Menace, behind Estel.
Atley briefly inspects Florande and nods.
Gwen dons her hat, rotating it into a businesslike position, and mounts up on Gethennis.
Befound side-eyes New Cat Girl as she slinks around the panther to Oranna's side. She jumps when the Cat becomes a deer.
"It's all right, lass, it's nothin'. Just a…a druid, aye? A druid," Oranna tells Befound.
Bran, mistaking Florande for his ram, mounts her.
Florande assumes this was completely intentional. She makes a happy deer sound and begins to follow the group with Bran on her back.
Oranna has nothing to say when Bran gets on the deer, mouth opening and closing. Welp.
Atley glances back at Brannagen and Florande. He grunts.
Bran seems to realize, by the different gait, that he has mounted the wrong animal, and looks briefly perplexed and mildly alarmed, but when he sees the deer is bounding in the right direction he shrugs and rolls with it.
Menace gets distracted by an appetizing-looking plant and Estel has to nudge her back onto the road.
Shun mutters something about renting a horse next time he's in Stormwind.
"Yeah," Estel mutters. "I forgot to remind you when you went back."
The white polar bear observes the other mounts. Food?
Iphi gently pats her bear's head. Not food.
Befound growls sofly. Not Food, Friends.
The deer seems strangely unperturbed by the predators and predator mounts.
Atley raises his brows at the Sungraze Mushan as they pass by.
An enormous pandaren man is seated cross-legged before a campfire at the crossroads on the bridge’s far side. A young pandaren girl dressed in faded pink traveling clothes paces back and forth in front of him.
“It feels like we were in that forest forever,” the girl moans. “Let’s go. We’ve got to explore the valley!”
“Do not be too hasty, Li Li,” the man by the fire admonishes her good-naturedly. “This is how I traveled Kalimdor: one stop at a time.”
“No wonder it took you so long, then,” the girl says, and stops to fold her arms. “You can’t explore anything sitting on your butt. Come on, Uncle Chen!”
The man shakes his head affably. “Relax, Li Li. We have all the time in the world to explore Pandaria. Take some time to enjoy the trip.”
“I would enjoy the trip more if we were actually going, somewhere,” Li Li grumbles. She turns and brightens at the sight of Cobalt Company. “Oh! More travelers?”
Bran's ram, not confusingly at all named Brann, noticed Bran leaving without him, and has followed.
Chen looks up from his fire and makes a genial survey of the group. “Hello, strangers. My niece and I are new to Pandaria. As I assume you are as well? We’re from the Wandering Isle, and to be honest, we have no idea where we’re going.”
Shun tilts his head.
Atley narrows his eyes sharply at Chen Stormstout, lips faintly parting in a silent snarl. He briefly looks to Shine before he looks back at the massive pandaren.
Shine regards the pandaren impassively. He flicks a glance at Atley and then back to Chen.
Oranna looks around at the others. She also has no idea where they're going.
"We are new. We're Cobalt Company," Atley explains.
"Relatively new," Estel says, waving a hand in a so-so wiggly way. "Hi, I'm Estel."
"Prospector Brannagen Stillwall," Bran says cheerily.
Florande melts down into the form of an elf. "Wandering Isle! We know the Wandering Isle. Or people from it."
"Pleased to meet you! I'm Gwenivene Whittle. But please, call me Gwen!" says Gwen.
Atley waits a long moment, still staring at Chen. "Sir Dane Atley," he states.
"We're — the group we are is Cobalt Company, we're not… all called Cobalt Company like a name, uh." Oranna clears her throat. "Oranna, Oranna Stormbreaker."
Bran stares at the deer-turned-Florande, and looks momentarily extremely embarrassed.
Florande beams back at Bran, and then looks momentarily confused. She pats him on the top of the head.
"Oh… I'm Florande," she says, noticing people were doing introductions, belatedly.
"Chen Stormstout, and my niece Li Li!" Chen smiles. “The farm up the road looks as fine a place as any to take our shoes off and enjoy a brew. What do you say, Li Li?”
Atley leans back and looks to the house in question.
“Finally!” says Li Li.
Alysson begins taking off his shoes to prepare.
"We'll join you lot, then, for a time." Atley says.
Atley works his jaw, still staring daggers at the back of Chen's head.
Bran discovers that Brann the Ram has followed them, and he mounts up.
“Hang on,” says Chen as they enter the yard before the farmhouse. “I’ll introduce us.” He moves, direct but unhurried, across the yard and up the steps. A pandaren man is waiting there, having watched their approach with interest.
“Hello,” says Chen. “I am called Chen, and this is my niece, Li Li. These people are Cobalt Company.”
The farmer looks them all over with interest. “Cobalt Company? Traders and travelers coming from the Jade Forest have spoken of your deeds there. I am Pang Thunderfoot.”
"Pang under foot," Florande says very quietly. She looks sympathetic.
Li Li surveys Cobalt Company with new interest. “I didn’t know you were famous,” she says.
"W-we are!" Iphi smiles.
Atley raises his head. "Aye. We're Cobalt Company. I'm Sir Dane Atley. We come in peace."
"…Word travels quick," Shun utters.
Oranna looks down at her tabard. "Well, are ye famous if ye have ta tell some people that you're famous?" she muses.
Pang bows deeply to Dane.
“May we stay here at your farmhouse for a while?” Chen asks Pang. “My niece and I do not have much in the way of money, but I will gladly share some of my famous ale with you.”
“Of course you may stay, but I do not need any of your ale.” Pang smiles.
Atley returns the bow, as much as he can, on horse back.
“Thank you!” says Chen. “We will not trouble you for long.” As he walks away, he mutters, “Interesting. He does not like beer? A strange land indeed.”
"O-or he likes specific ale?" Iphi tilts her head.
Oranna, who does not like beer, looks nervous.
Li Li watches her uncle settle down at one corner of the yard. “Really?” she asks. “We’re stopping already? We only moved, like, ten feet.”
Estel snort-laughs.
Bran chuckles sympathetically at Li Li.
"It was a… long ten feet?" Florande suggests, looking at Chen. He seems tired.
"It might depend on whose feet yer usin' ta measure the ten," Oranna offers.
“Welcome, welcome, friends.” Pang smiles broadly to Cobalt. “You’ve come to sample some of my son’s turnips? Perhaps purchase a few pigs?” He looks hopeful.
Shun furrows his brow.
"I can buy a pig?" Alysson asks eagerly.
Befound puts out a paw. Ooo, a pig? Can Alysson buy a pig and Befound eat it??
Shine makes a very definite Face at mention of turnips.
"Not today, I'm afraid. But we are here to act. Anything about that needs doing?" Atley says.
Estel pouts when Dane categorically denies the free turnip samples.
Bran was about to accept the offer of turnips, but he closes his mouth as Atley speaks.
Pang looks a little reluctant. “I don’t like to ask favors of guests. But since you offer — ” He sighs. “The virmen — those rabbity creatures down the hill — have been pushing further and further into my family’s farm, and our crops – which are normally bigger, and more delicious, by the way — have suffered because of it. I’m no soldier, but from what I’ve heard, your people are very good at this sort of problem. Would you mind driving the virmen off?”
Gwen nods, "We're spreading goodwill and trying to learn more about your wonderful land. We're happy to be of help."
Atley nods to Gwen before he looks back at Pang. "We can straighten them out."
Bran lifts his eyes to the roof, where the creatures are hopping about in defiance of propriety.
Shine also studies the thing on the roof. Bun gives a disapproving growl.
Befound will gladly help with this rabbity creature problem. She helpfully also growls, a bone rattling sound.
"Protect the food," Florande nods seriously.
"Thank you, friends." Pang bows again. "We would be in your debt."
Estel slides off of Menace and goes to tie her to the fence, since we've got work to do here now.
Atley inclines his head.
Shun hops off of Menace.
Florande looks around the Cobalt group. She opens her mouth, like maybe she'll say something, apologize for being a cat at first meeting. She doesn't. She turns into a cat instead.
One of the sassy virmen leaps off the roof and onto Dane. Unclear what it was thinking, but the decision is immediately regrettable.
Oranna's gun is out and shooting a half second as the creature drops onto Dane.
Atley slowly blinks at the fallen creature. "Like a large rat."
"With bunny ears," Estel says.
Oranna, who is about half the size of the thing, looks it over. "A verrah large rat."
"That's not a rat, it's a bunny!" Alysson protests, grinning at Estel as she says the same.
Florande flexes her claws.
Bran sketches a virmen.
Shun eyes the nearby virmen warily. Which then proceeds to jump him. It doesn't live long.
Bran approaches a giant scroll nearby.
Bun snaps at a sassy cricket. The cricket is the same size as Bun.
Gwen's eyes are drawn to the large scroll. Oooh, knowledge! "OH, this is like the scroll we found in the ruins."
Bran begins silently copying the scroll's text into his journal.
Atley glances over and squints. "Say anything interesting?"
Befound reaches out to swipe at a cricket. Bonus toys. So far this day is going excellent.
Gwen renews her translation spell and peers over Bran's shoulder at the glyphs.
"Huh. Says some hozen have integrated with pandaren culture," Bran notes.
Atley side-eyes one of the massive jumping crickets with vague, gruff distaste.
Estel keeps an eye on Bun in case she needs to shield the small adventure tanuki.
"Integrated with the culture? Like the drinkin' and calm meditation culture or the uh, can beat ye inta pulp with fists culture?" Oranna asks.
"Not entirely sure," Bran says to Oranna, still taking notes. "Intriguin' though."
Florande is watching Bran attentively, until her gaze is caught by Befound swiping at a cricket.
Gwen nods, reading it aloud, "While some of the more tame forest hozen have chosen to integrate with Pandaren culture, they remain at their core a simple race driven by their passions. They love hunting and fishing, and often will assault anyone and everything in their hunting grounds. An unfortunate situation, since the hozen hunting grounds seldom have consistent bordering or signage. Thankfully, most hozen are often kept in check by Pandaren monks."
Florande pounces playfully for a cricket.
"There was a hozen student at the monastery," Shun states.
"Oh, aye?" Oranna says to Shun.
Shun nods.
Atley grunts. "Seems to be an example of that just here," he says, nodding to the hozen ahead."
Florande shifts back to elf, a trapped cricket getting free beneath her paws-become-hands. She says with some uncertainty, "A hozen…"
A disgruntled hozen is seated atop a pile of hay, glaring up at the roof of the little shed nearby, where one of the virmen has perched.
“You smelly hozen!” shrieks the virmen gleefully. “Your face is dumb, Muno!” It hops from foot to foot and cackles.
Muno regards Cobalt Company’s approach wearily. “Hey. You going to fields? Muno ask a favor?”
Atley eyes Muno warily. "We are. Wot've you to ask?"
Muno gestures at the obnoxious creature dancing and cackling on the rooftop. “These virmen — they no just eat our food. They think they take this land, make farms of their own. The problem is… well. They ookin’ dumb.
“Last night they break into tool sheds, steal tools. When we wake up, we find rakes and wheelbarrows planted in ground. They was watering them. They was trying to //grow wheelbarrows.”
Estel snorts.
Florande laughs.
"…" Shun furrows his brow.
Gwen giggles. "Grow wheelbarrows?"
Alysson glances at the field. "Did it work?"
Bran sketches Muno.
Muno shakes his head. “While you out there, you unbury our stuff?”
"Sure," Estel says, giving Muno a thumbs-up.
"Aye. Oranna, shoot that one," Atley says, gesturing to the roof.
Oranna, mid-laugh at the wheelbarrows, turns and shoots the one on the roof with a sniper precision.
"They're silly," Florande says. "But also we have to keep them out of tools and crops."
Shun grunts.
"Let's get to it then, you lot," directs Atley.
Estel gets to it, tethering a beam of shadow to a virmen in the center of a small pack. The shadow pulses outwards, disorienting and exhausting them.
Shun follows up by shadowstepping into the group of them and making quick work.
Atley yanks a wheel barrow out of the dirt with one hand and shakes his head. "Like kobolds. The Isle pandaren mentioned these creatures."
Florande mostly follows the team around, shifting in and out of cat form to fight virmen.
Befound stays in cat form the entire time, because this is the Superior Being Form.
Bran seems mostly busy sketching the proceedings, since in a group this large there's little need for him to provide significant support.
Florande finds a moment to pause by Oranna. "I am glad there are animals in this team. It is weird when I'm the only one."
"Consider yourself an animal, do you?" Atley asks with a conversational tone.
Oranna looks up at Florande. "Oh, ah…. errr…" she tries awkwardly, seeming relieved when Dane asks it instead.
"Sometimes," Florande says easily. "But I am also a druid and sometimes a soldier. It depends."
Bran glances at Florande and takes some notes.
"Oh, ah," Oranna says and then laughs a little. "Aye, well, if ye were ta ask my lass Befound — Can't Be Found, full name, Befound fer short — she'd tell ye she's sommat of a soldier herself at times."
Bran is briefly distracted by an ENORMOUS cricket. Like, dog sized.
Befound swipes at the cricket, deliberately not catching it to just further terrorize the bug.
Muno watches the group’s return hopefully.
Atley marches up to Muno the Farmhand. "Retrieved all we came across."
Muno sighs. “Thanks, friends. Now maybe a hozen can get some ookin’ work done around here.”
Atley grunts.
"Back to Pang, you lot," Atley says.
In their corner of the yard, Chen is once again seated tranquilly at a campfire, Li Li pacing irritably before him. Another group of travelers is making its way up the road toward the farmhouse. On the steps, Pang is waiting for Cobalt Company’s return.
Estel smiles sympathetically at Li Li.
Atley glares at Chen again before he briefly looks to the newcomers. He tongues the inside of his cheek and turns to Pang. "We've put all we found to the sword."
Another virmen dive-bombs Dane from the roof. Maybe in revenge.
Again, Oranna starts firing at the virmen while it's still mid-air leaping on Dane.
Pang turns to survey the land sprawling westward from the house. “Well. You’ve certainly thinned their numbers some. And the rest aren’t holding their ears quite as high. I’d guess they’re scared of you.”
He grins broadly. “You are welcome to stay as guests here as long as you would like to. If it is all right, may I ask two more favors?”
"By all means," Atley says.
"Um… I think something I ate is disagreeing with me." Gwen is looking rather pale. "Estel…you're gonna have to take over. I don't think I can effectively lead like this."
Shine flicks a concerned look at Gwen.
Oranna looks over at Gwen with concern.
Estel removes a potion from her bandolier. "Go sit down, yeah?" She passes the potion over. "This might help."
Atley looks back at Gwen and Estel for a moment before he grunts.
Gwen nods. "Just glad we're at an inn. You go ahead. I'll catch up soon."
Shun looks over Gwen, tilting his head.
"Watch yourself," Atley says with concern.
"No problem," Estel says, and pats Gwen's shoulder.
"Sudden changes in diet can be brutal," Bran notes.
Pang ushers Gwen solicitously into the house before turning back to Atley and the others. "We will look after her."
"You've our thanks for it," Atley says.
"Kind o' ye," Bran says, eyes going crescent-shaped.
"You've mentioned other things that need doing?" Atley asks Pang.
Florande looks after her with concern in her silver gaze, but then nods and returns attention to Pang.
Pang nods toward the west. “My son, Ang, runs the smaller farm at the bottom of the hill. He should have brought me some fruits and vegetables this morning, but I haven’t seen him all day. Would you go down there and see what’s going on?”
Alysson finds a nice patch of dirt and begins quietly burying one of his shoes.
Shine watches Alysson perplexedly.
Atley grunts. "We can have someone see to him."
"Ang is it?" Bran makes a note. “Hm…”
Oranna seems to be considering this naming sequence. "Pang… Ang… Ng?" she mutters.
“Thank you.” Pang nods. “The other favor is — there is a small village south of here, across the road and the river, called Zhu’s Watch. Ordinarily they would send an order for produce up to us weekly, but it has been two weeks now without word. I would have sent a farmhand to check on them, but the virmen have had us so busy here. Would you mind going to see what’s up?”
"Aye. We'll look into it," Atley says.
"No word from two directions," Florande says quietly, her long brows lowering.
Estel gives Pang Thunderfoot a thumbs-up.
Meanwhile, the travelers on the road have arrived and settled comfortably in the corner of the yard opposite Chen and Li Li. There are some familiar faces among them. They are engaged in a serious discussion.
“So now… how are we going to find the Hidden Master?” Xiao asks the others.
“Does anyone know where he lives?” asks Lin Tenderpaw.
“Pretty sure that’s why he’s called the Hidden Master, Lin,” Xiao tells her.
Atley looks to the newcomers and squints.
“Oh. Right. Sorry,” says Lin. “So where do we search first?”
Shun slowly turns as he hears the monastery students nearby speak.
Bran looks intrigued.
The jinyu leaning on his staff volunteers, “I can try asking the streams for guidance.”
“Ask the streams?” scoffs the third pandaren youth. “You’re no elder, Ashyo. You’re not even a jinyu grown yet. It would be a waste of your time.”
The hozen perched on a cart speaks up. “Ken-Ken thinks we split up. Follow the four winds.”
The pandaren who’d spoken a moment ago nods to Ken-Ken. “That’s a much better idea. I volunteer to travel south, into the jungle.”
“I will follow the north wind,” says the jinyu Ashyo.
“Ken-Ken go chase east wind,” says Ken-Ken. “Shortest walk.”
“I… suppose I’ll go west?” Lin looks at Xiao.
Oranna looks in every wrong possible direction that they mention.
Florande looks intrigued.
Bran briefly sketches a jinyu and a hozen talking peacefully together.
Xiao nods. “As the oldest and fattest among us, I will wait here for each of you to return. Good luck, friends. Once we find the Hidden Master, we can continue our training.”
The other four bow to him and head off in their chosen directions.
"Lin!" Estel waves. "Good luck!" She sets a blessing of fortitude on the one monastery student that she actually likes.
Lin turns back to bounce on her toes and wave at Estel with a smile.
Xiao surveys Cobalt Company. “Ah. I know some of your faces from the monastery. Have you come to find the Hidden Master also?”
Shun gives Xiao a flat look.
Estel turns to glare daggers at Xiao.
Atley shakes his head. "We don't know of this 'Hidden Master.' We've come to learn more of the land, however."
Oranna glances from the glares to Xiao.
Florande looks confused at the apparent animosity.
"A hidden master…" Alysson whispers excitedly.
"Oh. Well, if you do find him before us,” Xiao says, “I’d appreciate if you came back here and told me where he was.”
Atley nods slowly. "Very well. We'll keep an eye out…"
"Is he hidin' as a challenge, or does he not wanna be foewnd?" Bran murmurs to himself aloud. Then he turns to Befound. "Sorry lass, I wasna addressin' ye."
Befound slow blinks. Maybe it SHE who is the Hidden Master.
Bun knows that it is he who is the Hidden Master. His mastery is deeply hidden.
Shun quietly says, "Sounds like they got tricked."
"Tricked?" Florande repeats, darting a shy glance at Shun.
"Just a hunch. One of those 'get strong quick' schemes," Shun says.
"Alright then, Company." Atley says.
Atley looks to Estel. "Take White Squad west, to Ang's farmstead. See wot' needs doing. If there's any trouble, rally back here. We're going south."
Bran has hardly stopped writing and sketching since the virmen were introduced earlier.
Oranna's worry line in the middle of her forehead is deep as she frowns hard.
"Sure thing," Estel says, giving Dane a thumbs-up.
Atley looks between them all. "Travel well. Blue Squad, move out."
Shun nods at blue squad.
Florande nods seriously at Shun, and then turns to follow her squad leader with a little farewell wave.
Once they've left the farmstead, Atley asks, "Any of you lot recognize that traveling pandaren, with the cub?"
"Nae," Bran responds to Atley.
"I'm a bit worried. I don't think I can remember another time I've seen Estel so… frowny at a person," Oranna says, shaking her head at Dane's question.
Shine shakes his head but he's watching Atley in an expectant way.
"So, Bear Cub, it's been a minute. Been well?" Bran peers at her.
"It's… been a lot of things happening. I have been well sometimes, and not others. What about you?" Florande answers.
They are approaching a gloomy-looking, muddy village. The earth beyond it has been violently disturbed, and the craters steam and shimmer with the unnatural light of the Sha.
"Oi — Sha. Have a care." Atley says.
"Oh, no… it's the — " Oranna starts as they get into view of the sha.
Bran lets out a low whistle at the sight of the sha corruption. "Welp," he says.
"Sha!" Florande says, her eyes wide.
"Sorry ye have ta run inta it on yer first day, Cub," Bran says sadly.
On the outskirts of town, by the side of the road, waits Ken-Ken, the hozen from the Tian Monastery group. He is peering into the village square ahead, but looks over his shoulder at the sound of the approaching riders. “Here!” he beckons them. “Over here, friends!”
Atley dismounts and walks over to Ken-Ken.
Bran dismounts and approaches the hozen as well.
Shine swings down from his horse. Bun is bristling in the direction of the sha-craters.
Ken-Ken turns his focus back to the village center. “This place… it… it so sad. Ken-Ken never seen a place so sad.”
"It is a sha of sad instead of doubt? I heard of the doubting one," Florande says.
Oranna looks from Ken-Ken to the villagers. "It… I wonder, aye. That's just a metaphorical dig of 'sad sight,' it's… everyone seems… actually sad," Oranna observes.
“Pandaren always welcome travelers with open arms and open kegs,” explains Ken-Ken earnestly. “But these — ” He waves a hand at the listless figures ahead. “Everyone so busy moping, they won’t talk to Ken-Ken at all!”
"Ye shouldna go near that stuff," Bran says gently to the hozen. "Let us handle et, aye?"
Ken-Ken nods somberly. "Ken-Ken knows. Can you find someone in town to talk to us? Maybe normal pandaren just hiding in houses?”
Atley looks around and nods. "We can. Stay safe."
Oranna looks incredibly skeptical of normal pandaren hiders. "Oh, ah, maybe…they are."
Bran nods and gives the hozen a little pat.
Atley marches up to a Despondent Warden of Zhu. "Hullo, then."
“Leave me be,” mutters the warden without looking up.
"Ach," says Bran, looking completely at a loss.
"Is this all… from sha?" Florande whispers. "Or is sha from this?"
"Both?" Bran suggests.
Oranna shivers as they walk through the village in the rain. "It's never been wholly clear, a bit of a chicken and egg."
Atley grunts, and lowers his voice, looking to Florande. "A wise question."
Inside a house with an open door, a woman lies curled tightly in her bed, a blanket wrapped around her. She is so still she might be dead.
Atley raps on the door frame. "Brannagen," he mutters.
Bran actually attempts a resurrection. "Oh ach… nae dead," he says in surprise.
The woman sighs and opens dismal eyes. “Oh. Am I awake again?” She closes her eyes and burrows deeper into her blanket. “Ever since this rain started….” she mumbles, and then she is asleep again.
"No but… if she keeps only sleeping like that…" Oranna says, her face pale, and her breath coming a bit strangely fast.
Atley shoots a look at the squad and turns to march out.
"Is the rain doing something?" Florande looks up. "I always like rain. It's like a free bath."
"Per'aps et's not natural rain." Bran squints up at the sky.
Shine shivers warily in the rain and glances at Bran.
"If ye… stop going out, an' just sleep, it's…" Oranna says quietly.
Atley eyes Oranna and nods. "This is troubling," he admits sternly, before squinting up at the sky.
Florande blinks at Oranna. "Are you alright?"
Oranna glances up at the sky, and then to Florande, her eyes darting to the right for a long moment — a bit too long — before she nods rapidly. "Aye, aye, I'm… I'll be fine."
Florande reaches over on an impulse to squeeze Oranna's arm gently in comfort.
Inside a chaotically-messy workshop, a pandaren sits on a ladder, gazing at the floor. He looks up disinterestedly as the group enters. “Oh, great. You come to bother me?” He shakes his head. “I work day in and day out. For what? There’s no point.” He resumes staring at the floor.
Bran looks utterly baffled.
Oranna looks even more disturbed at the pandaren's speech. "This is… this is bad," she says unnecessarily.
Bran looks like he's just preoccupied doing some sort of inscrutable math.
Atley narrows his eyes again and grunts before he promptly turns and marches out.
A pandaren woman in a pink and blue dress is standing on the porch gazing out over the village. Her expression is as bleak as the others — but she lights up hopefully at the sight of Blue Squad.
“Please,” she says to them. “I’m so sorry, I don’t know what’s going on around here or what’s gotten into everyone. I have never seen anything like this before. Do you… can you help me?”
"Yes. We can," Atley says.
She sighs with relief. “I am called Mei. When all of this began, my nephew, Yi-Mo, was one of the first struck. He was the captain of the Zhu’s Watch wardens, but suddenly he would only sit around for days refusing to eat, just… staring off at the horizon. Now he has wandered off toward the cliffs to the northeast, where the thunderbirds hunt. Please, strangers, will you look for him?”
"Take heart. We'll find him," Atley says. "Do wot' you can to look after the others — and yourself."
Oranna shivers harder. "At the…cliffs?" she repeats, her eyes drifting to the right again.
Bran stares at the sha corruption nearby, stares at the rain, stares at a nearby listless pandaren.
"We will find him," Florande repeats.
Mei nods worriedly to Atley, gazing out over the despondent village square again. "Thank you," she sighs.
"Let's move out, you lot," Atley's tone more firm than usual.
"Ser…" Bran says to Atley. "We dinna know how ta undo this do we? Unless there's another sha nearby ta kill?"
"We may not know, yet. But these people need us, and we will find a way to free them from this blight," Atley says.
"This reminds me a little of Indu'le," Florande says quietly. "And of my mother, but that one at least was no magic."
Bran nods, frowning and trying to shield his journal from the rain as he writes something in it.
"It's… it's the worst feelin', ta not even want ta get up and get out, an' just… let the nothing consume ye," Oranna says, too obviously speaking from experience.
Shine looks over his shoulder at Oranna for a long moment.
"Well?" demands Ken-Ken anxiously as the group approaches.
Atley marches up to Ken-Ken. "This Sha pall has fallen over the whole village. The pandaren maiden of the inn is still upright."
The hozen’s eyes widen. “Only one lady-panda who is normal? This worse than Ken-Ken thought….” He frowns and strokes his chin in a convincing appearance of deep rumination.
Bran stares at the hozen in fascination.
“You go and help lady-panda with what she wants. Ken-Ken will think of a way to cheer up these super-sads,” the hozen decides.
"Very well. Watch yourself. The mood may be infectious," Atley says.
Ken-Ken nods glumly.
Florande reaches a hand to touch Oranna's arm again. "Sometimes it takes much patience, before healing. But here… I think this is not natural."
"If ye saw somehin' alike this afore, with the…Indu'le, were ye able ta… were they able ta be helped?" Oranna asks.
"They were," Florande nods. "I was there long time, making sure they had good food and water. And it took time, but I saw some begin to heal. The kal'uak continue the work."
Atley squints through the rain, jaw set. "This fight isn't physical. It's mental, now. Lean on one another, and push back against any and all dark thoughts. Fight for your every inch of your mind."
Bun has never had a dark thought in his life. There are also not many inches to his mind.
"I'm good," Bran says almost curtly.
Befound licks at Oranna's glove. Don't worry, Oranna. You will have to get out of the sads. You have a cat to feed.
Oranna looks down at Befound with a weak smile, patting the snow leapard. "Aye, I know, lass. I know."
"Oi —" Atley says.
An enormous pandaren youth lies on his back in the grass, gazing with sightless despondency up at the sky. As the strangers approach, he lets out a long sigh.
"Your aunt has sent us," Atley says.
Bran approaches the pandaren with the demeanor of a healer ready to Fix Thing.
"That was magic corruption, but not sha. I do not know how to remove sha," Florande looks at the sad pandaren.
"We… aren't all sure ourselves," Oranna says to Florande , watching Bran work his healer magic on the pandaren.
Healing magic seems to have no effect. The pandaren gazes blankly upward. “It’s no good. Ever since the storm began, I’ve just been… tired. As if my very soul is exhausted. Worthless. Hopeless. I imagine it’s what one feels when a mate leaves them for someone with a rounder belly, but I’ve never had a mate, so how would I know? How can I claim to know anything? I’m worthless to everyone but these thunderbirds. At least they’ll have a good meal out of me.”
Bran frowns deeply at this talk of mates.
Oranna looks up at the rain, shivering again.
Shine gazes upward, searching for thunderbirds. Bun huddles closer to his boot. Predatory birds, eek.
"Your aunt is concerned, Yi-Mo. It's time to return, no matter how low you feel," Atley says.
“Is she really worried about me? I doubt it.”
"Dinna haver so," Bran growls. "Yer bum's oot the windae."
"Aye. She is." Atley says.
"Maybe you should come check, if you doubt," Florande suggests.
“You’re wasting your time,” sighs Yi-Mo. “I’m not going anywhere.”
Oranna shakes her head helplessly.
"Get his arse up," Bran growls.
"Can we carry him?" Florande asks, tilting her head. "We are seven."
Yes, she just counted Befound and Bun as party members.
Befound likes New Cat Girl already.
Bun can’t do math.
"If you will not be talked away from the bring of despair… then you'll be dragged. Shine, give me a hand. You lot, keep an eye out," Atley says.
Shine nods to Atley and steps over.
"If that's what it takes," Oranna says, looking to Bran. "We might be able ta roll him."
"Ef not just… roll 'im?" Bran says. "He looks rollable."
Bran speaks as one with Oranna, and chuckles weakly.
Atley crouches and promptly starts rolling Yi-Mo.
The rest of the squad joins in. Yi-Mo is a Large Lad.
“Ow! Stop it!” cries Yi-Mo. “What are you doing?”
Oranna doesn't laugh, but grimly keeps pushing.
Befound is thrilled as she gets to bat at the pandaren, legally, like a cat toy. Amazing day.
Florande drops down into cat form to help with the rolling. Befound has demonstrated it is a good form for it.
“No!” says Yi-Mo. “I’m waiting for the thunderbirds to take me!”
"No, you are not." Atley says.
"Yer. Bum's. Oot. The. Windae," Bran says again, between heaves.
A thunderbird dives from the sky, apparently undeterred by the presence of five (or seven) adventurers and determined to make a snack of the prone pandaren. The group is obliged to stop pushing for a moment in order to fight the massive bird off.
“Why?” wails Yi-Mo. “Don’t give up, thunderbirds!”
The thunderbirds do not give up and the group has to fight off another pair, but then they return to the grim duty of rolling Yi-Mo.
“Ugh,” mutters Yi-Mo. “I’m getting dizzy….”
"Nearly there," Atley states tirelessly.
Oranna grunts. "Well, there's a way ta fix that, all ye have ta do is get up and walk yerself," Oranna scolds.
"You're crazy, you know that?" shrieks Yi-Mo.
"I have some notion," Atley says.
"Oh aye, we're off our gourds, tryin' ta keep ye from gettin' eatin by berds," Bran grumbles.
Oranna shoots at more thunderbirds as Befound keeps rolling her toy.
They reach the muddy edge of the village square.
“All right, all right,” snaps Yi-Mo. “Enough with the shoving.” He hoists himself to his feet. “I’m going to my room. Feel free to tell my aunt how you ‘heroically’ saved me from myself, or whatever.”
Atley grunts.
Oranna swipes a gloved hand over her wet face, leaving several dirt mud streaks behind, but she yells back, "Aye! We will!"
Florande smiles. He got on his feet. It's a success, she'll take it.
"Ef he weren't ailin' I wouldna let a man talk ta me tha' way without a bonk on the noggin." Bran grumbles.
"Sometimes….it's what….has ta be done," Oranna huffs and mutters climbing up the stairs towards the aunt in question.
"Did I just see Yi-Mo…?" asks Mei hopefully.
Atley grunts. "Aye. He's back. We rolled him."
“I can’t believe he was actually going to do that,” says Mei, wringing her paws unhappily. “This… despair is worse than I had even imagined. I cannot thank you enough for bringing him back, strangers.”
"We haf… ta… do sommat more," Oranna says.
"Keep an eye on him," Florande cautions. "Keep him away from thunderbirds. Till we fix this."
"Wot' triggered this, Miss?" Atley asks.
Mei gazes down the hill toward the strange rents in the earth. “All of this started with our ponds,” she says. “In a single day, all of the water vanished down into the earth. When there was no more water in the ponds, it began to fall from the sky.
“Despite endless torrents of rain, the ponds do not fill. It’s as if the land itself thirsts and cannot be quenched. Now the ponds birth horrific… things. Elementals made of water from the sky and salt from the earth: the tears of Pandaria.”
Oranna shudders more than shivers, clutching her right arm.
"Ach," murmurs Bran. Then very quietly in Dwarven, "Worst possible day for this…"
Florande listens to what sounds like a ghost story, but is actually current events, with wide eyes.
Atley peers at Mei.
"Can the things be killed?" Shine asks mildly.
Mei spreads her paws helplessly. "I do not know."
"Or scared off, or jus'… somethin' ta make the rain stop?" Oranna wonders.
"We'll find out," Atley says.
"Worth a try," Bran says.
As the squad heads back down the stairs, Ken-Ken waves both arms at them frantically from beneath the porch. “Hey! You! Over here! Ken-Ken pretty sure he knows what fix pandaren!”
"I'm nae sure that bullets will do much good, but maybe — " Oranna breaks off as Ken-Ken yells.
Atley squints and marches over to Ken-Ken. "Do you?"
Ken-Ken nods solemnly. “Got old, old hozen remedy that do the trick. Need to mix honey, fish oil, and salt. Ken-Ken saw lots of beehives in the trees around town, and must be fish left in dry ponds. That just leave salt. Normal panda lady might know where to find?”
Bran, the alchemist, frowns dubiously.
"She said the elementals'll contain it," Atley says.
Shine nods at Atley.
"Honey, fish oil, an'…salt?" Oranna asks skeptically. "Isn't tha' more a cure fer a…sore throat?"
"Do sha cause sore threats?" Florande asks curiously.
Atley shakes his head and pauses before saying, "I don't know. Possibly."
"We'll get you wot' you need," Atley says at last to Ken-Ken.
"I wouldna be surprised if they did cause 'em, but… well, it cannae hurt ta try it anyway, fer some calories if nothin' else. If some of have been skippin' meals long enough…" Oranna trails off ominously.
Ken-Ken nods firmly at Atley. "Old remedy! You'll see!"
"Honey is good for many things," Florande nods. "Oil and salt as well, but not usually all three together. Not in things I have done."
"Let's move, you lot," Atley says.
Atley looks over the damage. "I had suspected you were right, Shine. Now I know it. Something's rising from this land, separate from our arrival."
Shine nods.
Oranna stays well behind the others as she fires shots at the weird mud sha creatures, her lips a hard line.
"We could not have caused this," Florande nods. "Cobalt has been only in the other region, yes?"
"That's right," Atley tells Florande.
Bran points to some pitiful creatures lying in the mud. "Fesh," he says
Befound pounces on the fish. FISH!
"Wot the hozen wants, I warrant," Atley says.
Bun takes his cue from Befound and also pounces on a fish. The fish is nearly as long as he is. Bun attempts to drag it away out of the crater.
Befound is so proud, Bun.
"The Horde's been around as well," Oranna says.
Shine crouches to pick a crystal of salt from a fallen elemental's remains. He rises and shows it to the others. "Salt."
"Maybe they did this," Florande says flatly, and then turns to Shine. "Do you think it is safe to use this salt?"
Atley shakes his head. "If the Horde'd been here, we'd know it."
Shine shrugs at Florande. He licks the crystal. "Aye. Just salt." He pockets it.
"Salt's a purifier an' preserver, usually, so, ye'd hope…" Oranna says, doubtfully.
Florande nods, with no sign of surprise at the use of licking to test safety. "Good, then."
Atley eyes Shine at the licking but grunts when nothing happens.
Bran trudges along with the others, frowning. "Ye realize we're takin' advice from a hozen, aye?" he grumbles. "How far's this gonna get us?"
"I was not here for the bad things with the hozen," Florande admits. "But this one does not seem like a horde soldier. Maybe it was just a few villages."
"We're taking advice from a native, and a former student of the Tian Monastery," Atley states sharply at Brannagen's tone. "Do you question the Monastery's judgement?"
"He's tryin' ta help, obviously, an' the pandaren accepted him, aye?" Oranna counters.
Bran shrugs. "Fine dinna listen ta me, no one ever does…"
Shine eyes Bran.
Oranna frowns at Bran. "Are ye lettin' the sha get ta ye, Bran? A'course people listen ta ye. Disagreeing isn't not listening, it's just havin' another thought."
"Brannagen," Atley begins, enunciating clearly. "You need to adjust your attitude. I do not speak lightly. I need you, here. I need you."
Florande looks at Bran more carefully.
"I'll shut me yap then," Bran says with a shrug.
Atley eyes Brannagen for a moment before he approaches a beehive.
Oranna shakes her head, her braid swaying heavily with the motion. "Not talkin' doesn't help anyone, except the sha, keepin' ye from tellin' us how ye are," she warns.
Bran looks at Oranna as though he wants to reply, but then doesn't.
Shine has found not talking to work just fine for him.
Atley promptly reaches inside of the beehive and yanks out honeycomb with his jaw set.
The bees seem too despondent to react to the invasion.
"Them too, mm?" Atley observes.
"Bees are more sensitive ta feelin' than some people think. They've been known ta get sad when their keepers pass away," Oranna says.
"Did something happen?" Florande asks, watching Bran. "Other than today, just now."
"Ye said this was the worst possible day fer this ta happen," Oranna adds to Bran.
Atley looks over as well.
"Which I know, because I was listenin' ta ye, Bran," Oranna adds.
"Did I?" Bran says vaguely. "I wasna listenin'. Ach, just let it rest," says Bran, the endlessly inquisitive guy.
Shine squints up at the rain.
Oranna shakes her head again. "Dane," she says, just that, but maybe it conveys her concern all the same.
Atley grunts in acknowledgement.
"You can ride me, if you feel worse," Florande says, watching Bran. "I will carry you."
"Let it rest I said," Bran grumbles.
"We've a job to do. Let's keep moving," Atley says mildly.
Atley looks over them. "We've enough. Let's get back."
Shine, who has been alternating between watching Bran and gazing up warily into the rain, is taken by surprise when a scaled humanoid thing leaps at him from the shadows. "What the hell?” He has a knife in hand immediately.
Florande is cat and pouncing in an instant.
Atley furrows his brow in sympathy of Shine's reaction. "Wot's that, then…?"
Oranna hesitates only a moment until the thing attacks, and then she's shooting first and asking questions after. "A lizard?" she asks.
Shine gazes down at the now-dead scaled thing. He shakes his head.
Bran does not sketch the thing. Oh crap, guys.
Oranna pokes Bran. "Bran? Yer not gonna sketch the thing? It's new."
Atley rolls the creature over. "A lizard man. Brannagen, I want this recorded."
Bran hesitates, but then obeys Atley
Atley remounts Hal'vyr. "Let's move."
"Can you show me drawings later?" Florande asks. "I would like to see your ones from before."
Oranna is very obviously, deeply uneasy. "Maybe we should get back and maybe out of the rain for a bit fer no particular reason," she suggests.
"Don't think you're supposed to say 'for no particular reason' aloud," Shine observes to Oranna.
Whatever memory has Oranna in lock takes her a second to register the words. "Huh? Oh, ah… right," she says to Shine.
Atley rides back to Ken-Ken. "We've brought your items."
Ken-Ken does a little dance as he accepts the pungent ingredients. “Good stuff, yes!” He squats on the ground and begins mixing the things into a foul-smelling goop. He addresses the group seriously as he does so.
“Pandaren got a case of the spooky-dooks! Dooks get scared sometimes, don’t wanna come out. Poor, fluffy mopey-dopes must be ready to explode of dooks by now! This just the thing to bring ‘em right out! Just like gramma used to say: Can’t THROW if can’t GO!”
Atley lets out a long, drawn out, silent sigh at Ken-Ken's verbage.
Shine looks suddenly extremely skeptical.
Florande stares at the hozen. Was that in her language?
Bran… does not laugh at this. Oh dook, guys.
Ken-Ken looks up eagerly. “All right, now we need someone to test on.” He points at a pandaren wandering nearby. “YOU! You, get over here, mopey. Ken-Ken got just the thing for you.”
The pandaren looks up bleakly. “Who, me?” He looks around and gives a heavy shrug. “Sure. Not like things could get worse.” He approaches Ken-Ken, who offers him the bowl of evil-smelling goop.
“Drink this!” the hozen instructs him.
Atley sets his jaw as he watches.
Almost immediately, the pandaren’s gut churns and burbles noisily. “Oh….” The pandaren’s eyes widen and he drops the bowl. “What… uugggh, what have you done to me?!” He runs for the nearby bushes.
Oranna watches with growing horror.
“Ha ha ha!” crows Ken-Ken. “It worked! Ken-Ken knew it would work! You feelin’ better now?”
“NO!” shouts the pandaren concealed by the bushes, and then groans loudly.
Atley slowly blinks at Ken-Ken, and deadpans the hozen. "Your solution is to have them shit their guts out, is it."
"Are you…. sure?" Florande asks, watching the pandaren.
"I've never felt better about a situation having ta squat in the bushes in the rain," Oranna mutters.
“Hm,” says Ken-Ken, stroking his chin again in scientific thought. “Okay, so that not work. Well… it did cheer Ken-Ken up. But pandaren still sad….” He ponders.
"I… I think maybe…. takin' too literally that it will get them out of the house being the same as out of the sadness," Oranna says.
"Sometimes that can help," Florande hedges. "But I'm not sure it's useful for sadness."
"We need something else," Atley says to Ken-Ken.
“Okay, wait.” Ken-Ken holds a long finger up solemnly. “We try another old hozen remedy. This time, we go back even before gramma, way way back to ancient times. Hozen still do this sometimes! Mostly at parties.” He rubs his hands together. “Ken-Ken got woodworking to do! You bring him teeth. Not yours. Big ones, like panther teeth! Oh, and some paint. Mei might know where to find.”
Atley eyes Ken-Ken for a moment before he nods. "Very well."
"…Teeth?" Oranna questions.
Ken-Ken shows Oranna his teeth and taps one demonstratively.
"We will cheer them up… with carpentry," Florande says, uncertain. "And teeth."
"The hozen is half mad," Atley says, lowering his voice just to address the squad. "But he is ardent in his desire to help these people, and even half-mad, he knows the land better than we do."
"Do ye think he means ta…put them on like a pair o' dentures an'…talk through them fer laughs?" Oranna hazards.
"Maybe… comedy show?" Florande guesses. "That could help."
"At this point, I'm willin' ta try much of anythin'. Ye never know what might get a person out, even if it's just ta throw some lettuce at bad comedy," Oranna mutters.
"Mei," Atley greets. "Have you got any ink? Or paint?"
Bran has a seat on the deck.
“None here, but…” Mei gives it some thought. “The saurok in the caves to the west take any opportunity to plunder, and with all of our Wardens out of commission, they’ve been running nightly raids on our supplies.
“They take anything they can carry and sort through it back at their lair. Crafting supplies from our sheds — including pigments — are just the sort of thing they’re likely to have.”
"Saurok. Lizard men," Atley hedges.
Mei nods at Atley.
"Like devilsaurs," Florande says.
"Very well. Watch yourself," Atley says with stern concern.
Mei nods fervently at Atley.
Oranna appears to be contemplating the possible geneological chains of lizard people.
Atley looks down at Brannagen. "On your feet, we're moving out."
Bran obeys glumly.
Befound licks Bran's glove. Up and at 'em, you could also have a cat to feed if you get lucky with New Cat Girl.
Atley eyes the cave opening. "This'd be it, then."
Shine fades from view as they approach the cave.
Atley's nudges a saurok's raiment with Thunderfury's tip. "They're sapient, at the least. Quite savage, still."
Oranna peers curiously at the lizard person. "These are old evolutions," she mutters.
"Mm?" Atley grunts inquiringly of Oranna.
"Hm," says Shine from the shadows to Oranna.
Bran seems to have no opinions or questions about the saurok.
"None of them tried to talk to us," Florande says, looking at the saurok.
"Oh, jus' the fringes on the neck an' sorts, it's old. These have been around a long while," Oranna says.
"Bran. Record that." Atley points at an inscribed stone tablet.
Bran obeys.
"Old creatures," Atley says, nudging the pile of goods.
Oranna meanwhile looks over the cart that it fell out of. "So they… seem ta steal stuff maybe, an' bring them back to the lair."
Atley points out a jar of pigment. "That'll do," he says.
"They're collectors, like crows or magpies," Florande nods to Oranna, looking at the piles.
Oranna frowns over the pile of more things scattered around.
"P'raps," Atley says. "Or mere brigands."
"Then it would be collecting for use or sale," Florande suggests. "Not just… making piles."
Atley grunts.
"I wonder why the rain didn't affect them?" Shine notes.
Atley grunts again, more inquiringly.
Oranna nods absently. "Aye. Or if it did? If they're usually worse."
"Maybe the rain is why they do not try to speak to us," Florande suggests.
Bran has no theories, it seems.
"Mei said they've a reputation of thievery," Atley observes.
"Or they canna because they use other means of talkin', scents and movements of the tail or sommat. Maybe this is their thievery on low?" Oranna suggests.
Atley shakes his head. "I can't tell."
Florande nods, demonstrating non-verbal communication.
Befound stretches out, showing her impressive claws and her un-thieving ways. They are so good at communicating.
They move into the fringe of the southern jungle to hunt panthers. They are not hard to find: the panthers have been waiting quite eagerly to hunt them right back.
Bun is not afraid of panthers! Bun is Big Cat in Training! He growls and darts in to snap at a panther's tail.
Atley removes some fangs from a fallen panther.
Oranna helps, wiggling a few free with some expertise.
Befound shows off her better teeth. Grr.
Florande mostly helps with the cat v cat violence.
Atley scoffs with amusement at Befound.
"There's a pretty face, then." Atley says.
Befound preens. That's right, she is a pretty face. Of huge teeth.
Bun shows his tiny teeth in hopes of compliments.
Befound purrs. Excellent, yes, good teeth.
"Aye, lad, ye've a good set yerself," Oranna tells Bun.
Atley eyes Bun and nods.
Bun slow-blinks at Befound.
Atley returns to Ken-Ken. "We've got your items."
"Jus' dinna show them ta the hozen, who knows what he'll think o' them," Oranna mutters to Bun as they approach Ken-Ken.
“Just in time!” Ken-Ken brushes the last shavings of wood away from the piece of tree bark he’s been carving, and then holds it up triumphantly. It is… a mask. With a ridiculous face. “Now we put on finishing touches, and we gots guaranteed FUN MACHINE!”
"A mask…" Atley says, squinting, as if remembering something.
"Hozen play with masks often?" Florande ponders. "It is a nice toy."
"Like the sort the hozen king, and Emperor Shaohao…?" Atley asks.
Ken-Ken uses the jars of stolen pigments to daub bizarre, brightly-colored patterns onto the mask, then sits back and looks around. “Nobody can be sad in a mask like this! Now, who we test it on?”
Oranna looks skeptical at the mask, and then at Bran. "It's not… a possessin' a person type of magic, aye?" she asks.
The hozen’s earlier experiment has just emerged unsteadily from the bushes. “Ugh,” he groans. “What was that stuff? It went through me like bad tea.”
Atley looks to Brannagen.
“Hey, buddy, c’mere,” says Ken-Ken in a consolatory tone. “Put this on, you feel better.”
The pandaren sighs deeply. “Fine. Whatever.” He accepts the mask and puts it on.
Almost immediately, a miasma of unearthly light springs up around him, and then seems to tear away from him. A sha now thrashes furiously on the ground, and turns lashing toward the group.
“What the ook is that?” shrieks Ken-Ken. “Get it out of here! Ken-Ken too smart to die!”
Bran actually jumps back slightly at the appearance of the sha.
"Bring it down!" Atley says.
Oranna gets her gun out in a scramble. "It's an unpossesin' possessin'?!"
Florande drops into panther immediately. You were right, Befound, superior form for times of danger.
Shine is already On The Case.
Befound goes for the sha like its a laser dot of Evil.
The things thrash away unharmed, sliding between blades and bullets.
Befound growls. LASER POINT OF EVIL!!
The pandaren stands dazed nearby. “I…,” he says. “I feel… happy!” His eyes round and he throws his arms in the air and does a little spin. “Oh, that’s better! Thank you, heroes! I will tell stories to my grandchildren of the Mighty Cobalts and Zhu the Fearless!” He thrusts the mask back at Ken-Ken and trots away.
Ken-Ken nods sagely. “Yeah. The Fearless. Sounds good.”
Florande blinks, and returns to elf. "I am not sure what just happened. But it worked."
Ken-Ken turns back to the group. “Okay,” he says. “That was… unexpected. But now Ken-Ken remembers why hozen use mask in the first place. Old legend of the Monkey King says he used a mask to cure old pandaren emperor, Shaohao, when he was too sad to lead his people. Then they buried mask — with all his sadness inside it — in the ground.
“We should use the mask on more pandaren, but instead of putting sad away in ground, we gonna PUNCH ITS BUTT.”
Atley scoffs with amusement, and inclines his head to Ken-Ken. "Brilliant."
Bran seems to have no opinion about this plan.
Shine nods gravely.
Oranna opens her mouth, and then closes it.
"So a mask… draws out sadness?" Florande asks. "At least, this kind of magical shadness."
Atley reaches for the mask. "Let's get it done."
Florande looks speculatively at Bran.
Bran does not take notes on this revelation.
"For good measure…" Atley lays the mask over his own face.
Oranna looks like she's thinking that they need to put on on Bran, soon. "We need ta put it on Bran, as soon as we can," Oranna says.
Shine watches warily, but nothing emerges from Dane.
"Should we each try it, just in case?" Florande asks.
"Right," Atley holds it out to Brannagen.
Bran looks blankly at Atley.
"Put it on," Atley orders.
"It is fun," Florande says, very seriously.
Shine glances at Florande and then at Bran. He nods gravely.
Bran obeys listlessly. A white flash erupts from behind it, and a sha half the size of the last one appears, snarling and writhing.
"ACH!!!!" Bran says, and bonks it.
Atley nods, appeased, and moves to help destroy the Sha.
Oranna is already ready with her gun, and Befound with her Superior Form Claws.
Florande drops to all fours to attack the creature.
Shine leaps in to ambush the sha in its sha-kidneys.
Atley lowers slightly to recollect the mask and clasp Bran on the shoulder. "Alright, then?"
"Ach me head… sorry abou' tha', friends. Little bastard got me!" Bran looks both embarrassed and vaguely amused.
Oranna is obviously relieved, patting Bran down. "Good ta have ye back," she tells him honestly.
Florande headbutts him gently, either for comfort or asking for headpets.
Bran patpatpats the headbutting kitty.
Florande purrs.
"I warrant it went for the one of the brightest amongst us," Atley says, shaking Brannagen around before he passes the mask to Oranna. "Each of you put it on."
Oranna hesitates only a moment, but puts on the mask. To her surprise, a little tiny sha emerges, about the size of a cricket, which in Pandaria is not as small as you'd hope.
"Hehehehe," Bran chuckles at the mini-sha.
Atley moves to stomp on it.
Befound pounces on top of Dane's boot for extra squishing.
When Florande puts on the mask, there's a shimmer of dark energy that lifts, but not enough to form a squishable creature.
Atley grunts.
Shine takes the mask and puts it on briefly. Nothing happens.
"Well tha's… all right then," Oranna says, a little shaky, but seems rallied all the same.
Atley returns to Ken-Ken. "T'worked."
They circulate around the village square, putting the mask on various listless pandaren. Each time, a sha is expelled — and killed — and the pandaren in question rally from their former despondency.
They return to Ken-Ken with the mask.
Florande smiles. "The mask was a good plan. We're better now, and so are they."
"I was in a bad way," Bran says. "Thank ye, monkey-friend."
Ken-Ken is frowning. “We saving pandaren, but the land still sad. Maybe this is emperor’s sad coming back? That is some ooooold sad. Ken-Ken bet pandaren sad get stronger with age, like pandaren booze.”
Ken-Ken shakes a fist at the sky. “How many more butts we gotta punch before we fix this town?”
The sky darkens in response. A moment later, the cold, bleak rain stars sluicing down again.
Florande shivers.
"Ach," says Bran.
Oranna looks up at it in dismay.
Atley glares upward with satisfaction. "It's pressing against us. It knows."
"It fights harder because we are winning," Florande growls.
Atley grunts at Florande.
“Wait.” Ken-Ken squints through the torrents of rain. “Is that Yi-Mo kid over there? By the well?” The hozen tilts his head uneasily. “He’s not looking so good. Ken-Ken got a bad feeling about this….”
"Let's bonk some butts!" Bran cries.
Yi-Mo bellows in an unnatural voice, “ALL IS LOST! LAY DOWN AND SUBMIT TO YOUR DESPAIR!”
Sha spirits begin twisting and thrashing their way out of the well where Yi-Mo stands. They swarm the village square.
"Stay safe. We'll handle this," Atley growls.
They battle their way toward Yi-Mo and the well, cutting down sha as they go.
“Okay!” shouts Ken-Ken to Blue Squad. “No more time! Mask now!”
Atley marches up to Yi-Mo and shoves the mask onto his face.
Oranna leaps back as a giant sha emerges.
"Aaach!" says Bran. "That's a big 'un!"
Battle ensues. The sha falls… and then so do they.
Florande claws at the big sha… and then collapses.
Atley face plants in the mud with a splat!
Oranna crumples to the ground, landing half on Bran. Befound takes a nap, right here.
Blue Squad lies unconscious just long enough for the village to phase into Sha-free wholesomeness.
The group slowly stirs at the sound of urgent, familiar voices around them. “Hey! Mighty Cobalts!” says Ken-Ken. “You okay? Wake up!”
“They’re coming to!” says Yi-Mo Longbrow.
Bran wobbles to his feet.
“Strangers,” says Yi-Mo. “Friends.”
Florande clumsily pushes up to a sitting position.
“Mighty Cobalts,” supplies Ken-Ken helpfully.
“… Mighty Cobalts,” says Yi-Mo. “To think you risked your life to save me — twice! — and I’d only treated you with disdain. I am shamed beyond comprehension. Please forgive me. My mind was not my own.”
Oranna scrambles awkwardly to her feet.
Atley, a Mighty Cobalt, spits mud out as he stands, glaring.
Befound emerges from her nap. Mm, cat nap.
"No, it wasn't," Atley agrees. "There is nothing to forgive."
"I get it," Bran says. "Same happened ta me, a bit."
Florande, Mighty Cobalt, wipes rain off her face, leaving a smear of mud. She climbs to her feet.
“Should you ever need aid of any kind,” Yi-Mo says, “from a handful of turnip seed to a volley of arrows, know that the wardens of Zhu’s Watch will provide it.” He bows.
Bran beams at Yi-Mo.
“For now, I must turn my attention to rebuilding the village. You are welcome guests here for as long as you like, and I hope will enjoy our hospitality."
Atley bows in kind. "I'm certain we shall."
Oranna blinks at the phrase for a moment. "Oh, ah, handful of turnip sees OR arrows, not a bunch of…turnip seeds to a volley of arrows, which still wouldna be the weirdest thing we've seen in this place," she mutters.
Ken-Ken is grinning at the Mighty Cobalts. “That was some good butt-punchin’ back there! Guess we saved the day, huh?” The hozen suddenly sobers, gazing uneasily westward.
“Ken-Ken got a feeling that’s not the last of the sads, though…. Maybe you keep that mask, in case.”
"Aye," Bran agrees heartily.
Florande smiles, and then it fades as she follows his gaze. "Aye, good butt-punching."
"Well done, Ken-Ken," Atley says with genuine respect. He offers the mask to Brannagen. "For the record, f'course."
Shine nods gravely to Ken-Ken.
Bran takes the mask, finally curious about it and gazing eagerly at its details.
Oranna looks up at the rain, and nods.
"Well done today, you lot. We saved these people. I'm staying here at the inn, but for now I'm riding north to check on White Squad," Atley says.
"We tell Cobalt about the mask," Florande says eagerly. "I have heard nothing about cure for sha. This is like a cure."
"Aye, I'll… I'm going ta stay here a bit, just a little longer, an' maybe make another mask or two," Oranna says. "And then, I promise, I'll head back out ta dry off and… dry off."
"A defense, at the very least," Atley says before he nods at Oranna.
Shine nods at Florande. "Should tell Estel."
Atley looks to Florande with gruff amusement. "Pandaria living up to wot' you've heard?"
Florande nods nods nods.
"I've got some writin' to do!" says Bran, and ambles into a building to dry off.
"It is amazing place," Florande nods. "I will stay here too. It is not good to leave people alone, after such sadness. In case it comes back."
Oranna waves farewell, as she and Befound head back out towards the lizard people cave.
"Very well. I'm off." Atley says.
Shine picks Bun up under his arm, salutes Atley with his free hand, and heads for the inn.