Player Plot: How to Get Away With Moo-der

[singlemilletgrain]

Who: Shu, cows, and you
What: Udder cowtastrophe
Where: Farmlands outside of Elysium
When: Mid-month
Warnings: Animal cruelty



As the farmer plods away to resume tending his fields, Shu shakes her head with a frown and addresses her companion. "That is the fourth farmer this week to report a missing herd of livestock. These aren't small losses, either. It is unimaginable that they simply vanished off the face of the earth."

Not coincidentally, Shu is currently seated atop her own oxen, who is placidly chewing on some grains underfoot.

"Let us examine the pasture. He said there were numerous markings he could not make sense of. These disappearances will be catastrophic for the small farmer if they continue and have a lasting ripple effect on the supply chain of meat. Not just for the Corsairs."

She nudges He Sheng with her ankles.

Comments

[purplexing]

It's the strangest building Donnie's ever seen. He might have been more interested if not for its clear intent given all the cattle.

He grins a bit at the way up to the roof, pointing. The gate won't be a problem, at least.

"Hm. Should we get a closer look at where they're keeping the cattle? We should probably see if they've got everyone out in the pen or if there are more in the barns." That might complicate trying to free them unless the workers decide they'd be inclined to help.

[singlemilletgrain]

Shu nods in affirmation. This is, after all, the main reason for her interest here. As she leads the way back behind the building once more, keeping a wide berth, she quietly gestures for Donnie to look. Two workers have just exited from the rear, holding baton-shaped objects. Likely a cattle prod.

The herd in the back is comprised of approximately 50 adult cows, displaying considerable signs of stress. As they watch, the workers call out to their colleagues and gesture for them to begin rounding up the cattle.

It's not entirely clear yet if the barns are occupied. But it certainly does seem as if the slaughterhouse employees have no particular qualms about carrying out their duties.

[purplexing]

Uh-oh. Donnie glances around anxiously before looking to Shu. Looks like they might have to secure the cattle first before the ship, or they might just end up with less cattle to bring back.

"It's just two out there. We can use the cows for cover and knock them out or something, can't we?"

[singlemilletgrain]

She hesitates for only a moment before nodding. Loath as she is to edge closer to the possibility of bloodshed, there's no telling what will happen if they allow the herd to be brought inside the building. She flashes Donnie a somewhat playful smile as she undoes a clasp and fetches something attached to her back.

"I am prepared this time." A hearty thanks to Link for some basic shield training. "I'll cut off their entry point into the building."

Without further ado, Shu begins to circle around, keeping low to the ground as the two workers deal with the milling cows.

[purplexing]

The turtlekin's own smile is tight, but this shouldn't be anything like their infiltration on that airship. Nodding, he watches her head off for a moment before turning to weave his own way towards the herd.

Hopefully they won't have any problems, but with luck these people aren't trained soldiers and strictly meant to handle livestock.

...wow but that is a lot of cow. Maybe now's not the time to realize this is the first he's ever been surrounded by so many creatures that weren't fish.

[singlemilletgrain]

As Donnie begins to infiltrate the herd, his presence does not go unnoticed. The immediate lowing of alarm, however, is hardly discernable from the overall distressed noises that the herd is making in response to being poked and prodded. Given that some of them attempt to kick him, though, this excursion is probably not endearing him much to our bovine friends.

On Shu's end, she creeps along the fence before slipping in using the same technique she had used on the airship to teleport the soldiers in the hallway. She reappears close to the entrance to the processing line, keeping an eye on Donnie's whereabouts.

Though it's hard to make eye contact at this distance, when she judges that they are in position, she gives a nod. Then stands and throws her baton as a spinning rod at the head of the nearest worker.

[purplexing]

No amount of training ever implied that he'd be using it to avoid being kicked by cattle! "Oh keep it down already!" he hisses under his breath at the growing lows of agitation, but it's only when one meaty leg tries snapping out that he really starts to take personal offense. Donnie has to stare a moment, quickly reminding himself that it is pointless to start anything with a cow, and anyway, he has more important matters to tend to!

Quick on his feet and thankfully so, the turtlekin manages to avoid further violent responses with only a few close calls. He doesn't feel so bad about using a cow as a mounting block after all that, vaulting off its back to launch himself at the other worker to take them out from behind.

[singlemilletgrain]

The cows have no such qualms about starting things with strange green creatures trying to infiltrate their herd, but the agitated creatures will, at least, avoid trampling him. They do eventually move away, leaving a bit of an open path for Donnie to navigate - and for him to stand out.

"Eh -- "

The one closer to Shu, coincidentally, turns in that direction a second before the spinning baton smashes him in the head. The sharp grunt catches the second worker's attention, spinning him around and leaving his back exposed for Donnie to land precisely on his back. Shu, having rushed forward with her shield the moment she threw her rod, sets upon her target and quickly stuffs a wad of plant debris into his mouth as a gag, pulling his arms up behind him.

[purplexing]

Wow, that could've been embarrassing.

Donnie's saved the experience, landing forcefully enough to pitch the other worker flat on his face. He makes a quick move to subdue them before they recover, then grins over at Shu now that he has a clear view of her, giving a thumbs-up.

Like as they'd have to deal with whoever's inside next, if they're waiting for the cows to be mooved.

[singlemilletgrain]

Shu doesn't have rope handy, but there's more than one way to utilize 'super plant growth.' The vines she uses to tie her victim are secure enough that she feels they will hold for the duration of their quest. Panting slightly in exertion, she moves to join Donnie.

"That went s-moo-thly."

(Two can play at that game.)

The cows have begun to calm down as they congregate. They seem to sense that the source of their pain has been removed, and that these two newcomers are responsible. One of them, of course, tentatively begins to try to lick Donnie from behind.

"Up to the airship or inside?"

[purplexing]

Donnie gives her an obligatory groan at that, unable to ignore the pang of nostalgia for the reminder of one of his brothers. Leo certainly wouldn't have passed up any chance to drop a terrible pun or a joke.

He's not quite sure he's thankful for the form of distraction it comes in, shuddering at the wetness suddenly applied to him. "Eeeugh, whyyy?" he grimaces, scrambling away from the cow and closer to Shu.

Trying to get a good look past the forest of cattle limbs, the turtlekin considers. "Inside. Let's see if there's any more. And if there isn't, maybe we can set the place on fire as a distraction." There might have been just the slightest hint of a manic grin as he makes that suggestion.

[singlemilletgrain]

"They like you."

Soon Donnie will be accepted as an honorary cowkin. There is a bit of shuffling as the various cows begin to form a sort of semi-circle around their two saviors, and if Donnie doesn't allow a little 'aww' to escape when a tiny calf pops its head out from the circle to gaze up at him with adoring, enormous soft eyes, he does not deserve the title of Libullerator. (That is their title now.)

"No fire."

...

"One fire. A small one. We can't just leave a whole building burning in the middle of grassy farmland."

It's irresponsible. Shu gives the calf a little pat before taking up her scepter and shield once more. They should probably hurry. Eventually, someone will notice something is wrong.

The entry for cow-processing is... grim. As they make their way inside, they will be met with stark fluorescent lights and what amounts to a chute that eventually narrows into a one-cow path. A large steel grate is drawn down over this path blocking entrance to the next room... though it coincidentally begins to raise as they enter.

Shu glances around for somewhere to hide.

...There isn't really anything suitable, given this is a... road to death.

[purplexing]

"Do they have to be so wet about it?" Donnie huffs. He blinks in surprise at the miniature cow that appears (baby, it's a baby, Donnie), taking a moment to process this phenomenon. Unfortunately he's not the sort to 'aww' at anything, that is majorly a Mikey thing, but he at the very least offers a very awkward head pat.

He almost pouts as his fire plan is shut down, but a small fire is better than none, and he supposes it wouldn't do to cause something so big that it might spread outwards, so he nods his agreement there.

Once they're inside, he almost regrets it. It's really creepy in here, more so when you know what this place means for cattle. As the grate begins to rise, Donnie gasps, also casting a quick look around before he grabs Shu's hand to pull her towards the grate itself, meaning to jump up onto it and catch a lift.

[singlemilletgrain]

This is a better plan than anything Shu thought of in the last five microseconds, although she's not entirely convinced it's a good plan. Still, there is no helping it. Stepping up her pace, she leaps alongside Donnie to cling to the metal grate as it ratchets upwards. There isn't much by the way of handholds - she finds herself clinging with all four limbs as if she were some sort of poorly evolved gecko.

As the grate slowly grinds to a halt, there is a moment of silence.

"...Where're all the livestock?"

Beneath them, a few workers in smocks peer out through the opening. One carries what looks like a firearm and all three are wearing masks. The thick scent of blood wafts out.

"Maybe they're having trouble herding 'em."

"Probably about as good as herding cows as they are flying airships."

"Shut up, Joe. They're literally right outside."

"I'm just saying. Takes a real genius to overload an ether crystal."

Which just about explains the shards Donnie found earlier.

"If they hear y -- "

The question of what will happen if they hear Joe goes unanswered as Shu's grip loosens and she slides down the grate, landing with a thump on Joe's head and sending his firearm spinning into the corner. The remaining two factory workers shriek.

[purplexing]

Donnie seems more used to clinging to weird places, but it's hard to properly brace yourself on a surface like this, and he doesn't want to risk using his magic to provide them better holds knowing it isn't exactly subtle.

He also tries not to be sick as that all too familiar smell follows the workers. Instead he tries to focus on what they're saying, waiting for a good chance...

Shu beats him to it, whether on purpose or by accident, who knows, but Donnie is quick to follow suit, pushing off slightly so that he can land between the other two workers to deliver silencing blows before they can figure out what's going on.

[singlemilletgrain]

Yes. That was definitely on purpose. Absolutely. It isn't just that she slid down ungracefully as her hands started sweating like a snail oozing down its own secretions. That didn't happen.

Shu looks briefly dazed as Joe yells inarticulately from beneath her voluminous robes. As she struggles into a less vulnerable position, she takes care to keep him pinned down, keeping her weight squarely on his back. The other two workers don't stand a chance as Donnie whips them in the head, sending them crashing to the floor.

"Be quiet. How many more of you are there?"

"H-Hundreds! You'll never get away with... whatever it is you're trying to get away with!"

"...Then you are disposable. We will flay your carcass as an example."

"I-It's just five of us processing people plus the Empire goons. I dunno how many there are but they're upstairs fixing the airship."

[purplexing]

"Hundreds..." Donnie snorts, giving a menacing spin of his staff. He gives a malicious grin to help underline Shu's threat.

"Ah, repairs. How bad was the damage?" Clearly the ship had still been able to fly with its load, but an overloaded ether stone is never any good. He's not sure if this guy knows enough about airships to give a good estimation of the damage, but he'd rather find out such things now than later if possible.

"There any other cattle we should know about that are still alive, or are the herds outside all?"

[singlemilletgrain]

"Uh." For all his criticism of the Empire, Joe does not appear to know much about airships. "Think there was some damage to the engine when the crystal cracked so they went on backup power." This seems to be as specific as he's getting.

"Dude..."

Joe's face pops up from beneath Shu.

"This is a meat processing plant. They're, uh."

He tries to give a shrug with his face that conveys, 'just doing my job' and also 'don't flay my carcass.' Shu sighs lightly.

Now they have returned to ground level, they can see through the opening beyond the grate. It is... relatively clean, although it doesn't seem as if the stains can ever be completely removed. The pathway that the cows are brought down lead to a final, small enclosure, beyond which are many rows of hooks currently absent any carcasses.

"...Last batch's already gone out on the trucks."

[purplexing]

"Hmm." That sounded bad. Donnie can't be sure without having a look himself, but if the ship had only returned recently then engine repairs varied depending on how severe. Running on a backup isn't ideal for long distances, but maybe it would suffice given the size of the ship? So many things to consider...

His attention is pulled back to Joe before drifting down the tunnel of death, brow furrowing at this latest bit of information. Well, there's nothing to be done for that... He looks back towards Shu.

"Let's take care of him and then get ourselves an airship."

[singlemilletgrain]

"W-W-WAIT!"

It is possible Shu is feeling some liquid seeping out from beneath her, which she tries very hard to ignore. (She does bunch up her clothing a little bit.)

"I-I... I have v-valuable information! I, uh... I know -- who, uh. The sixth Emperor's favorite concubine was and -- the only state in the southern continent that has the letter Q and -- I have a family! ...I mean, it's my mom and dad; I'm not married, but I could be there's this girl at this bakery and she has brown hair and she -- she doesn't know my name yet but sometimes I think she looks at me for a little longer than --"

"O...kay."

Shu leans over, removes his shoes and socks, and stuffs the socks into his mouth before beginning to tie his hands behind him.

"Lead the way, Donnie."

((It strikes me that we could probably make this official -- do you want Donnie to have an airship? Happy to contribute some notoriety for it.))

[purplexing]

Donnie wrinkles his snout, stepping back. He looks decidedly less and less impressed by the 'valuable information' provided, but thankfully for this poor guy, the turtle's not out for blood. That and this guy's just kind of sad.

"Maybe you should go home and rethink your life."

With those parting words, he nods at Shu, turning back towards the opening out to the pasture. His stomach's been holding up pretty well but he'd rather have a fresh breath of air- even if it is slightly cow-scented.

((OOC: Oooh... Something for transport and not for battle would be nice....))

[singlemilletgrain]

Shu hopes that there are no wet spots ruining her nice clothing and also that Donnie does not look too closely to see if there are any wet spots in the first place. The gibbering Joe is gently nudged into a corner as she tries to exit gracefully.

"How should we approach? Eliminate the enemy? Lure them off the ship with a distraction?"

Shu hasn't the slightest idea how to pilot an airship. She is hoping, from Donnie's eagerness, that he does.

((Yeah, let me know! And gonna head to bed for the night!))

[purplexing]

For his part, Donnie is pointedly trying to ignore that wetness and therefore isn't looking for any to have plagued poor Shu.

"We'll need to see how many we're dealing with. Luring them off the ship would only be a temporary solution, and I'm not sure how complicated it will be to get the ship moving- more so if it's still in the middle of repairs." He makes a face. "If we can't subdue them, elimination might have to be the route we go."

((OOC: o/ Hmm would it be the price of the air sloop? I have enough for one but I was saving up for an armor XD))

[singlemilletgrain]

"I am beginning to get rope burn from tying so many people up."

This is likely a joke, though it is as straight-laced as her usual tone of voice. Shu follows behind Donnie back out the Death Chamber and around towards the gated metal staircase leading up to the catwalk.

"I imagine there will be something on the order of ten crew members, judging from the size of the ship. If we assume the worst case - that the two we dealt with were the animal wranglers and separate from the crew, we'll need to be prepared for overwhelming numbers. It may still be easier if we somehow distract them - or bait them in some manner instead of raising the alarm."

((Yeah, probably something like that? No worries if you'd rather not!))

[purplexing]

"Ten... Might be manageable. The ship's small but still big enough to spread people out. Maybe we can pick them off one by one." Donnie smiles.

"Father taught us how to be quiet and how to hide in shadow. Once we get up there, I'll scout around, see how things look." He pauses, glancing back towards the field. "Hopefully no one's thought to look out that way, but at least the cattle are hiding the bodies pretty well."

((If it is, I think I should still have something left and I don't mind having something to keep working towards it. He can still scare Shu by having her watch him practice piloting in the captured armors they have >8D So if we can get a confirmation on cost, I'm game!))