Chapter 1 Side Quest: I'm Late, I'm Late, For A Very Important Hunt... (Cadence)

[Kanzaris]

There were many industrial sectors located throughout Ur-Kal, the great Dyson Sphere. The nearest all-purpose industrial center, Masakari Ironworks, was a half hour away by magrail.


BGM: At The Ironworks

"Wooooow..." Aya whispered, eyes wide as she walked past a tube full of white-hot liquid metal. "This place is enormous! Do you think we can find the Ean steel here?" The heat was absolutely sweltering. It wasn't long before she took off the ruana she'd worn at all times previously, revealing a clear black t-shirt. "I sure hope so...this place is hot hot hot. Too intense for me..."

[Han]

Though it is hot, Cadence does not even sweat. "I've never seen a place like this. It's certainly not as... beautiful as Galeria was."

Seeing the heat taking its toll on her companion, Cadence decides to try to distract her from the aggressive environment.

"So Aya... What's your story? Where did you come from? Why are you a Hunter?"

[Kanzaris]

Aya flinched for a moment, visibly startled by Cadence's query. "Oh! Uhm..." she racked her brains for a moment. "I just...woke up one day and felt like it, I guess?" She offered, lamely, in the end. "I'm from the Ean Coreworlds! Abhuman citizen, born and raised!" She puffed up her chest proudly, forgetting about the heat for a moment. "It's the most beautiful system in the galaxy! You really should come visit sometime. I've got family there who'd be happy to take you in for a while!"

[Han]

Remembering the beauty of Galeria, Cadence herself got visibly excited at Aya's words.

"THE most beautiful system in the galaxy? I can hardly believe there is such a thing! What is it like?

... And, what's an Abhuman?"

[Kanzaris]

"We're humans with extensive gene modifications! So profound some people think we're a different species entirely." Aya visibly beamed with pride as she explained it. "Some people are big and bulky like rhinos, or quick to react as snakes. Me..." and then, her pigtails, previously down, suddenly stood up and parted, revealing a pair of...bunny ears? "I'm swift and lucky as a rabbit! The White Rabbit Hunter, that's what they call me!" For a moment, as Aya struck a posed, she even seemed scarily competent, somehow. "I'm surprised you don't know about it, though. I thought every human knew about it."

[Han]

Cadence stops walking and stares at Aya with her mouth agape.

"That.

Is.

Awesome."

Despite not knowing what a rabbit is, Cadence gives Aya the reverence she appears to deserve.

"I... I don't know if you caught it earlier, but I don't remember much. Of anything. I just woke up one day on a planet and wandered the land, until I encountered some nice people who helped me to find my friends Kris and Sakra. I still don't quite know how to find out who I am, but I thought getting around and helping people might be the path to finding someone who might recognize me. I just..."

Cadence's eyes turn downwards and she sniffs in sadness. "... I can't help but imagine there are people looking for me who have no idea where I am. I'm sure they're worried and... they might think I'm dead."

[Kanzaris]

Aya gasped. "That's terrible! I can't believe something so bad happened to you! Have you tried going to a healing Cipher? There's got to be some way to get your memory back!"

[Han]

"A... healing cypher? No, nobody ever suggested as much."

Cadence thinks for a moment on the idea of visiting someone to try to heal her memory.

"Do they work for memory? I'm sure many things can cause amnesia, but... well..." Cadence sheepishly casts her gaze at the ground. "I'm not sure how I lost my memory, so I can't say that physical healing wouldn't help. It sounds like it's worth a try!" Cadence flashes her typical cheery smile. "However, we are on a mission right now, and I'm not going to stop you from accomplishing it so that I can see if someone can help my memory, especially when nobody's been able to help me so far. Let's find that Ean steel! And I'm sure..." Cadence scans the nearby selection of people, "that guy will be able to help!"

Cadence bounds over to the person she spotted.

"Excuse me... I hate to bother you, but my friend and I are looking to acquire some Ean steel. You seem like someone who would know where we can acquire such a resource.... Can you help us?" Cadence finishes her request with a genial smile.

[Kanzaris]

That guy was a sheepish-looking Audacian employee, who was busy looking at the workers with a somewhat anxious expression on his face. He flinched when addressed, and turned to look at Cadence. "Excuse me?" He said. After she repeated her query, he nodded. "Oh, I see. Um, yes, we do sell Ean steel here. You said you wanted a ton of it? Can I have your name and the place you want it delivered to, please? He said, taking out a small PDA to jot the details down."

[Han]

"Wow, this was pretty easy!" Cadence hands the PDA over to Aya. "You can fill this out, right?"

[Kanzaris]

"Mmhmm. Leave it to me!"

The rest of the errand...well, it couldn't be said that it progressed smoothly, but it progressed at least! And eventually, Cadence and Aya's work was done, and they found themselves on the magrail back to the Guild.

"Ahh...I can't believe we finished it!" Aya said, relaxing back into her seat. "That was way way way faster than it usually is! And it's all thanks to you! You're the greatest, Cadence!" Impulsively, she pulled Cadence into a hug. "Now I just need to tell Mr. Chaka about this..." She shivered. "I'm not looking forward to it, but now that the errand's done, I know I can do it!" Suddenly, she paused for a moment, thinking. "Hmm...but you know, this all went so so so well for me, but you just wasted a lot of time. I'm sorry..." she said, scratching the back of her head, sheepishly.

[Han]

Cadence giggles.

"Don't worry about it! I had fun, and it is always nice to help people. However, I probably should be finding Kris and making sure he does not need help." Noticing Aya's hesitance towards Chaka's name, she decides to probe. "This Chaka... are you afraid of him?"

[Kanzaris]

"Umm..." Aya hesitated, as though she was afraid Chaka might be listening in on them. "He's just...he's so strict!" She says, making a plaintive face. "And he never seems satisfied with anything I do and he can yell so loudly, and and and..." she stopped and shook her head. "I just want to impress him, you know, but he just thinks I'm some useless bunny..." she said, crestfallen.

[Han]

"Oh... yeah, that's..."

Cadence's words fade. Listening to Aya talk of her troubles, she is first concerned. However, her words ring familiar. Somebody she just wants to impress. Somebody who cannot be impressed. Somebody who is angry, people who fight, yell, condemn. Strictness, getting yelled at, tough orders, force, yelling constantly pushing no satisfaction fighting pain disappointment torture...

Cadence soon realizes that she is hyperventilating, curled up having fallen on the floor. Instantly, her innate nature results in her calming her breathing, but the situation has frazzled her so much that she remains on the floor, curling up for some sort of safety.

[Kanzaris]

"Cadence. Cadence!" There was something different to Aya's voice now, as she kneeled beside her. She seemed more...composed, for a moment, and her face had a serious look to it that seemed rather unfitting just moments before. After a moment, she placed a hand on Cadence's shoulder and spoke to her, more quietly and softly. "Cadence, what happened? Are you alright?"

[Han]

"I... I don't know..."

Cadence sits up and rubs her eyes. "Something just felt... bad. Awful..."

Cadence glances around the magrail cart as she gets up and returns to her seat, looking to assure anyone who might be worried that she is ok.

[Kanzaris]

"...I'll call a friend of mine and tell him to pull some strings. I think he can get you an appointment with a good healer." Taking Cadence's face between her hands, Aya gave her an earnest stare. "Don't worry, OK? Everything will be alright, alright, alright."

The two of them heard a musical ping as the magrail's doors slid open. "We're here. Let's go tell Mr. Chaka about the errand and call it a day, OK?"

[Han]

"Yes... that sounds good."

Cadence will follow Aya back into the building. Along the way, she gives an excited smile at Aro, letting him know that her mission was successful. As they climb the stairs, Cadence mentally prepares herself for Chaka, the person who apparently could make Aya go white with fear.

[Kanzaris]

"Finally." The instant Cadence and Aya stepped through the door to the roof, a blinding spotlight fell on them, accompanying Zhirgo Chaka's guttural growl. "I was wondering when the cowardly bunny would show her face. Here to report on your failure?" he asked, as the air around him seethed with heat.

"I...uh..." Aya stammered, suddenly sweating bullets. It was as if all thought had left her head. Her eyes wavered, glancing toward Cadence for support.

[Han]

Steeling herself, Cadence steps forward until she is just before Chaka.

"You must be Chaka. My name is Cadence. I would say it is a pleasure to meet you, but unfortunately so far all I have seen is someone berating the very bunny who succeeded in securing your requests."

Cadence crosses her arms and turns slightly away from Chaka. "Not a very good way to treat people, if you ask me."

[Kanzaris]

"Really. Is that so, junior Hunter?" He asked, turning his head slightly to give Aya a look. The abhuman just nodded, her ears once more hidden in her hair.

"Interesting..." he drawled, his expression becoming ever so slightly more thoughtful. "You, girl," he said, addressing Cadence. "I assume you did most of the work?"

[Han]

"Most of? I just helped. Aya knew what to find. She knew how to order the items. I just gave companionship. And maybe more importantly, I encouraged her." Cadence smirks. "You should try that some time. It appears to yield results."

[Kanzaris]

"Why would I waste my time with that? This bunny...this girl..." he said, fixing Aya with a freezing glance, "...She wishes to learn a trade from the great Hunters, and has asked me to be her sponsor. I do not seek to be her friend, childish woman! I seek to test her. The process of apprenticeship is long and arduous, not to mention dangerous. Why should I mask a prospective apprentice's failings, instead of trying to expose them to better know if they will succeed or fail? The time of the masters is far too precious to waste on the worthless." He paused for a moment. "But still...the ability to acquire the necessary ingredients, even if it is by finding someone more qualified for it, is still a skill unto itself. AYA MICHAUDE!" He bellowed, letting out a sudden roar that made Aya, who had previously been trying to make herself as tiny and inconspicuous as possible, jump. "For this time, YOU PASS!" He gave a nod, and slashed the air with his arm. "Your task is done. Now both of you, get out of my sight!"

[Han]

"Everyone has failings. But everyone also has their own strengths. If you focus on those instead of the bad, then you would truly know what Aya is capable of. But if you want to keep pushing her into situations where you tell her she will fail, then you will just get failure. And that is your fault as much as hers." Cadence turns away and heads out. "Come on Aya."

As the pair heads down the stairs, Cadence speaks up once more. "Why him, Aya? Is there someone else who could sponsor you? There has to be a better path to fulfill your goals than putting up with this... jerk."

[Kanzaris]

As soon as they were out of Chaka's sight, Aya started hyperventilating. It took several minutes, as well as a chance to sit on one of the couches at the waiting room before she'd calmed down. "I'm so dead dead dead!" She squeaked. "He's going to kill meeeeeeeeeeeee!" Several minutes of persuasion later, she was finally coherent enough to answer Cadence's question.

"Master Chaka is a senior Hunter! He's super respected and everybody thinks highly of him. And he's super tough, but he's fair too! Nobody wanted to take me up when I asked for a sponsor, but he said he'd give me that recommendation if I showed him I could keep up!" She looked up and took a deep breath. "He gave me a chance! He was the only one who did! And I can't waste it!"

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