Scouting Uncharted Land (Milton)

"Hmph." Such an extraordinary place she'd managed to find herself on, it forced her to break all of her normal codes of conduct when exploring a new land. Usually she'd be either the first intelligent life form to explore a new world or the very first alien that the beings who had existed on said planet had ever seen. Usually she had to be on full alert in case of wild predatory creatures that wanted to rip her to shreds, or even sometimes the tribes of beings that did make a place their home were... Not ones to give the friendliest of welcomes. Her sword was often her greatest tool, her guardian, her trusted companion. Though here, aside from that one night... It didn't seem as though things would go her way if she was flashing it around at every chance she could. Just like anyone else who finds themselves on Junction, the whole happening of the jump had been a very disorientating experience and one that she wasn't fully aware of the fact it meant she couldn't ever return to her own universe... At least not easily. Though as for the alien life found here, sure some were interesting and vastly different from anything the scout had ever witnessed before. Seeing new life forms was apart of her job, so at least that aspect wasn't giving her so much of a curveball right off the bat.

Though she'd sigh whilst wandering down the aimless streets of the so called Mid-Ward. Everything was so cramp and claustrophobic here, sure the Slums with the fact its just a pit of scrap and discarded wasted turned civilization kinda had its reasons for being that way. Yet she was disappointed that even up here the conditions were the same, even if the buildings were at least... Built here. Accommodation didn't matter for the moment anyway, first thing first was to fully chart out this newly found city. Leave nothing unchecked, find every secret, every disturbing truth because there is no where in the entire universe that doesn't have at least one, and get a general scope of what the people here are like. Basic friend or foe information. Nothing special. Though as no one has tried to kill her yet, that was at least some positive signs that they weren't all just murderous lunatics. Take the plus sides where they come. They usually only come in small packages... Pulling up on her scarfed cloak and lightly readjusting her visor, Prim would continue to scout the uncharted land for now.

After providing counseling to the last patient he would be allowed to see, Milton was given free time to go about his day uninterrupted. He was shuffling along the thin yet familiar walkways as he pictured the map of the area in his mind. Anni was looking for a mannequin to help with her drawings, and given the amount of home shops that could be around, finding a simple artistic aid shouldn't be that difficult. The problem is that, while Milton had noted a few locations where handmade goods were being sold in garage sale-like shops, he had neglected to note any art supplies among their wares. He would have to make a few rounds before he could find the right shop.

While Milton walked along, glancing at every face that passed, he noticed a strange figure looking around, as if observing their surroundings. There was hairs poking out of the cloak, but the appearance of what seemed to be an optical visor threw Milton off a bit. Was it just an accessory that benefitted it or integrated into this organic being's body? Whatever the case, it looked like they were lost. With plenty of time to find what he needed, he decided to aid the visor-clad wanderer.

With how many different species of alien there seemed to be here, you would of thought they'd have had a bit more diversity in the style of buildings. Or at least something interesting every now and then, granted a few people tried to decorate the outsides of their homes but with how little space there was to do so. It seemed almost impossible, who created all this to begin with anyway? And why were there so many kinds of being here? How long has this city been standing for...


Prim would take a very sudden and clearly defensive stance as a voice broke her thought process. She'd stare blankly towards the man who'd questioned what she was doing, the blue glow of her visor lighting up slightly as she did so. Out of natural habit, she'd already begun scanning the guy to see if he had any kind of weapon on him using her visors x-ray vision. Though no weapons were found, his... Insides were something she definitely took note of. Regardless, the panther like woman would swish her tail in mild annoyance as she slowly stepped back up to a normal stance after declaring this guy wasn't a threat to her. "No, not particularly." She'd reply bluntly, taking a moment to look off at another alien who was walking past them before setting her visor back on the guy. "I'm scouting. I have never been here before, the place intrigued my interest. So I am scouting."

Relevant Strength:

While Prim's visor would not detect any blunt or bladed weapons nor the presence of a gun, the visor might detected what looks like a protective layer around him. It is outputting minute bursts of energy and seems to shift around Milton's body like a skintight suit. Other than that, no weapons to speak of on his person.

While Milton was initially surprised by this being's defensive reaction, Milton had his arm already in front of him, his nano-suit reacting by giving his arms a boost in strength. However, it quickly dropped just as soon as the newcomer realized Milton was not their foe. The way they talked, replacing "touring" with "scouting" in the way Milton would describe it, indicated that they were more familiar with combat or infiltration than simple city life. Nevertheless, Milton nodded courteously to Prim and continued his offer.

"Well, if that is how you prefer to say you are touring the area, I would be happy to show you around. I have a majority of the surrounding area well-documented and... memorized. If you have any guidance systems, I can share the data I have so far. I was going to do my rounds of some of the home shops nearby for a certain item, so you are free to follow and do your scouting as you wish."

How strange, though her scan for weaponry had proven he was bare of offensive equipment as she had hoped. The other thing she'd discovered in the process was certainly not what she was expecting to see. Though she was familiar with technology that allowed, say, a robot to take on a form and have some kind of A.I. It was odd to see how well detailed this man was if that was the case of what in reality he was. Certainly without her visor she wouldn't of ever been able to tell and yet, even if he was unarmed, the pulsing energy inside of the guy alongside what she knew of robotics meant he could still be just as much of a threat without the need of a weapon if he so wished. Relying on the fact the way he was built was similar to her home worlds technology.

"Touring?" Prim would spit back in mild disgust as the bright blue light of her visor died down again as her x-ray vision wore off. "That is a word for leisure purposes. I am not here for such. As I told you before, I am scouting." She'd be sure to make her opinion on the matter clear, half tempted to just walk off then and there and leave strange guy to his business as she continued on with hers. Though, one thing he offered did catch her interest in a way. "I keep guidance records, yes. That is the point of scouting, to ensure all possibilities are marked when the time calls for it. As useful as it may be, I am not sure if your tech would be able to share input with mine, however." With one eyebrow raised, Primrose would tap her foot lightly on the ground, confused by the sudden offer this guy had given her to just go off with a complete stranger. He didn't know why she was, where she came from, what she was capable of. And quite frankly with all of that information about herself that she did know, she wasn't too optimistic about what dark past this guy could be hiding. "What would be efficient about that? I see a lack of reason why coming with you would help me scout this place."

This was not the type of person Milton enjoyed; the serious business, top efficiency type. it reminded him all too much of the drone-like soldiers that fought in war and protected the city of Vel Mekor. Milton valued learning of his surroundings, but not in the sense a soldier-like person like this stranger does. Still, this person would not be content with following Milton on his errand, so Milton decided to sigh with a touch of frustration and step to the side of Prim's path.

"Fine, scouting. I may not be familiar with your visor's technological structure, but I trust in my tech's ability to interface with it. But seeing as you do not take kindly to my offers, I'll let you lead the way. Ask for whatever you need to know and I will be able to provide it. Given you sour attitude towards me for a simple difference in vernacular, I am tempted to leave you to your errand as well. However, this is my offer as a gentleman to offer my aid.

Now then, lead the way."

"Why?" The scout would reply back confused as the guy persisted to help her out. "Why are you even trying to help me? We don't know each other, nor did I ever request for help. If you want to share your database of this place then sure, but I don't get why you even want to." Lightly tilting her head, the Elix would grasp her visor and pull it off for a moment, holding it with one paw whilst scratching at her face with the other. Taking the opportunity to look over the guy more directly with her own eyes. Though she'd quickly break eye contact and place the visor back on her head with a light sigh. It wasn't that she was naturally a stubborn person or one who just outright rejected all help thrown at her, she'd just been away from civilization for so long that it felt odd to her how friendly people were to complete strangers... Especially in a place like this.

"Hm. Listen. I apologize for my rash reaction, I've just not encountered such random kindness from a stranger in a long, long time." Prim would state truthfully as her visor flicked back to life, feeling somewhat defeated for some reason by even admitting that. Who knows, maybe the guy had some useful information. Sure you can learn a lot from just observing a place, but you can't know its true origin or meaning behind things just by looking. Perhaps there was something she could gain out of this. "What was it you were looking for anyway?" She'd question offhandedly as she begun walking further down the path she was heading before, indicating with her paw that he could follow if he wanted. "Looking for new batteries to recharge your body?"

Truth be told, Milton just wanted to talk with them. He got bored rather frequently, so he enjoyed talking with people who caught his interest. Like with Onyx, different people had different mentalities, and this one was worth documenting.
"To be honest, I'm bored. I can only work so much at my job, so I pass the time getting to know people in the neighborhood. The multiple mentalities and walks of life around us make for interesting data. I merely wanted to... pick your brain, so to speak. It helps in my profession. Now, may I see that?"
When Prim slips the visor off their head, Milton's hand ripples as the skin texture gives way to a metal armored arm, blue veins of energy pumping into his fingers. He grips the visor quickly as blue streams of data carried by nanoscopic cords input data from Milton's memory banks. Names, housing districts, local vendors... a disturbing amount of details flow into the visor before Milton returns his hand to normal.

"There, all the information I gathered on the surrounding area. It should fit the general data on the area, but I will follow to make sure you're satisfied."
"Also, I'm not looking for batteries. I guess the visor already clued you in on my condition. I run on mana-infused energy from a charger at home. This body doesn't expel that much energy unless I'm incurring serious physical effort. No, it's a tiny wooden mannequin. You know, those types artists use for pose drawings? I thought there was a vendor around, but my data doesn't include who."

Heh, boredom. That was something that she'd not had time for in nearly a decade. It was a feeling that came and went as she had to travel from one planet to the next, though there was never anything she could do about it. There was no time to try and have fun or to do anything of leisure, Prim was constantly on a mission and had to always be alert in case of a sudden life or death scenario. It had started out as exhausting work, though after countless days and weeks roll by with your whole body crying out in pain each and every moment. You eventually learn to get used to it. She was about to answer what the guy had been saying as he suddenly reached out and grabbed at her visor. "Hey!" In an instant she had drawn out her Plasma Saber and held it out towards him, though the guy didn't seem to be trying to take it away from her and as quickly as he grabbed it had let go again.

The Elix would narrow her eyes at the automaton as she slipped the visor back on, still holding out her fiery blade as she checked what he had done to it. "And I thought I was the rude one. You could ask before you get all grabby with other peoples stuff you know." She'd shake her head and sheave her saber, rubbing her temple lightly as she was still unsure of how to even process social situations like this. Like, this wasn't entirely her being the unfriendly one at this stage. Urgh, whatever. It seemed as if the data provided was all good. "Thanks metal-head." Prim would roll her eyes beneath her visor. "I've not seen anything of that kind, no. Nor do I remember if I've ever seen something like that. However why do you need something like that? What do you even do as a profession to have all this data but be interested in art toys? I didn't know automatons could have hobbies."

While Milton had grabbed the visor to insert his data, he hadn't expected to have a blade of some kind pointed at him. This person definitely had the background of a soldier, quick to react with the threat of violence for unusual activities and little time to spend outside of a designated mission. If the person before him had moved to cut him, his programming would have allowed him to whip out his repeater from the metal and energy streams from his body and disable her weapons or paralyze her at worst. But she kept it pointed at him just to keep him from doing anything she hadn't expected. Despite the panic his brain felt, his body seemed undeterred by the blade as he finished his transfer.
"I apologize. You had granted me access to share my data, and seeing how you are not one to waste time, I took you removing your visor as an acceptance to port information as quickly as possible.I will take this information into consideration for next time. But do not take it as me being inconsiderate. If anything, your reaction helped me understand how to adjust my manners in public places."

As Primrose kept referring to Milton as "metal head" and "Automaton", Milton seemed visually agitated. Unlike Onyx, this person only saw him as a machine, despite having an organic operating system as opposed to pure artificial intelligence. He waited for the still unnamed soldier to finish her questions before he spoke.

"If you are going to continue referring to me as a simple machine, I would prefer to disclose my name. You may call me Milton. I would also request your name, even if it is only an alias to refer to you. The mannequin model is not for me; my friend requested that I acquire one while she undergoes physical rehabilitation. My profession as an analytical aid to a local psychologist. I merely acquire this knowledge because I desire to be as familiar with my local community as I can be for... scouting individuals such as yourself. Also, I am very much capable of having a hobby. I am not a typical robot as you imagine, as I operate using an organic brain.
Do not make such base assumptions.

Where do you come from? If you are not acquainted with the area, are you from another level of Junction?"

Honestly all of the data that seemed to be transferred over would safe the scout a lot of time having to mark down the whole area, provided that the information was accurate and he hadn't sent a virus of some kind into her visor. She didn't know how yet but the guy would certainly pay if he had done something like that, though giving him the benefit of the doubt for now, Prim would slightly nod her head appreciatively. "That wasn't my direct intention, no. But whatever, it's done now. Understand that this visor is extremely important to me. Hence why I was so quick to be ready to fend you off if you were attempting to steal it. Reacting too fast saves you way more often than reacting too slowly." She'd advise, the light on her visor suddenly darting to the left to check over a strange man seemingly made from string who was walking past in the opposite direction. Sheesh, this place was so weird.

"Hm. Suppose robotics are simply more advanced here than what we've created ourselves back home. It was previously unheard of for us to find any planet with technology more advanced than our own, so if all you say is true. Then my mistake, I'll refrain from using such terminology in the future, Milton." Hm, it wasn't actually because they didn't have the technological knowhow of how to make advanced robots with full consciousness, in fact they had succeeded before. It was more so that the Elix race didn't trust them to not end up wanting to over take the place if they gave them enough power to do so. It was more a safety precaution thing, it wasn't like they needed them their selves anyway. It was certainly interesting to meet one however, she wondered how exactly it all worked for them.

"Psychologist, hm? So you go out to scan the area to learn about random strangers you meet to try and gain a better understanding of how people think and what they'd do under certain situations? Is that the real reason you decided to speak with me?" She'd ask, at first with quite a stern serious voice before letting a sly smirk take over her face. "That's interesting. So with that organic brain of yours, were you once in a body of your own that was destroyed in some way? Or did you simply want to become a robot for a particular reason? Or was your brain grown scientifically under specific conditions before being placed into your vassal?" The whole idea of it genuinely interested Prim, knowing how others did their work was always interesting and a good hindsight to see if their methods could be bettered or be used instead of old habits that others previously used. Not that she planned to do anything with this knowledge, it was just interesting to know.

Although under normal conditions Primrose wouldn't dare to disclose where she was hiding out to a stranger, she figured the guy had been quite friendly and helpful so far and with how big this city was giving a vague answer wouldn't put her much at risk. "You could say that. I actually come from a planet known as Wentair, I happened upon this city just a week ago when I crash landed onto Abara after many long travels through space. For the time being I've been held up down in the Slums of this place, this is the first time I have come scouting outside of that quadrant, I fear that I am unable to return to where I came. At least for some time, so it was in my best interest to learn as much as I could about this oddity of a city I found myself on."

Milton kept his hands firmly gripped to each other in front of him, still in a bit of shock mentally from the blade's threat. While he hadn't damaged the visor in any way, his data streams took a glance at the schematics behind it, making sure not to make any changes to the visor's functions. He'd have to show the few Mekor Gen scientists that came with the lab the data to see if they could pull anything from it. After a minute to calm down, Milton smiled in appreciation.

"Thank you. I had grown tired of people using my model name back home instead of the name I was born with. It's a little harder to live that kind of ID when it's plastered into your body... But yes, the people who constructed what you see were pretty advanced in technology, likely thanks to our planet's supply of natural mana. Similar developments have been made in natural enhancements and natural magic arts.

Yes, I do tend to pick the brains of strangers to get a broader understanding of the people's natural reactions and thought patterns. I came to talk to you because you seemed to require help, and I desired to help you. But being able to pick your brain is a beneficial addition to our meeting. I hope you don't mind..."

However, when it came to the topic of his previous body, Milton seemed to shy away from it. He stood there, covering his mouth with one hand as he stared off into the distance. His memories of that day weren't fully clear, but the strong feeling resembling PTSD surrounding it was enough to discourage him from meditating on the event. Once he could correct his mentality, he spoke up in a meek murmur.

"I... don't fully recall myself, but I did have an organic body. I myself am from the planet of Orbis Centra, born to the Blume nation. It's a pretty volatile world; when the nations aren't helping make advancements in harnessing mana to enhance our tech and people, they're using those new tools to kill each other just to prove who deserves more mana generators to use. It was a time of peace, but something happened in the central isle... all I remember is fire and pain. Next thing I know, my arms and legs were gone... Sorry, I shouldn't be telling you what doesn't interest you. Would you like to go scouting now?"

"Hm. Interesting." Never before in any planet she had visited in the past had she stumbled upon this is called mana that the man referred to that they used for their tech. Perhaps these different world this city traveled to were as vastly different as it first seemed. How far they had traveled and why the city jumped as it does was an oddity in and of itself, though finding out information of all these new techs and methods of providing power were truly interesting. That was, if she could ever relay it back to her home world. The transmitter they had installed into her visor hadn't been working since the day she crashed onto Abara.

"I understand, I always hated when those with lower ranks than me called me ma'am or madam, it just never felt right to me to be addressed as such." Prim would give the guy a kind of half smile, lifting only one side of her mouth for the grin, revealing quite a pronoun and sharp canine. "The names Primrose, by the way. I didn't mention it earlier." There was something that the scout was quite enjoying about the conversation the more it continued, as much as she wanted to shy away from it at first. This was the first conversation she'd had with someone face to face who seemed smart enough to understand the more complex sides of life for years now. Even if the guys hairless body was odd and his lack of tail concerning. Though, saying that it seemed the case was similar with a lot of people on this city so there was no point mentioning it.

"Sounds interesting. I believe something similar did occur back on my home, though many centuries before I was even born. The winner of said war controls the whole planet now, though everyone gets along now and science is able to progress at rapid rates. We even have been trying to colonize other planets in our system and integrate with the species whom live on these new planets. It was going well so far, and that's where my job title comes in. I scout out new uncharted planets to see if they are safe for us to make new lives on. The discovery of this city would of been huge for my kind to know, though there is no way to relay the information anymore." She'd scowl at the thought of it, at least she had managed to provide her people with countless information before she got torn away from it all. For all she knew, they probably just assumed she was dead.

"Hm. What does this figure you're looking for look like exactly, I can scan the insides of shops we pass without having to go inside to make this faster. My visor allows me to see through walls after all."

"Oh? You hold rank over others? I suppose being called madam is a respectful reference to your rank as opposed to the other example the doctor mentioned that I must not use around women. Is it a matter of being humble about your position? I believe your job is very beneficial to your society's growth. Better than what I could hope for. Anyways, it is a pleasure to speak with you, Primrose."

As Milton kept listening to Primrose discuss the centuries of rule under a war's victor, he felt his skin crawl and his fists clench. He disliked the stories of war and conflict his parents had described to him in the last major battle of Orbis Centra. All it caused was death, grief, and shattered trust, only to be swept under the rug as they worked to improve their crafts. Why couldn't they form under one nation and use the mana to improve the quality of life for all? It was brewing conflicts like these that gave people like the ones who bombed the park area and the rogue who had developed the unusual virus that nearly killed him. Was this ruler just enough to lead the people well, or was Primrose simply used to doing her job under them?

"You lead a very respectful and hardworking life, Primrose. I would not fully rule out the possibility that you are separated from your people with no way of contacting them. Junction is a strange place, so the possibility that we could return to your quadrant of the universe is small but not absent. Our people hadn't perfected the technology to breach our atmosphere given the planet's size, but I would likely want to scout these new planets as you do. Something to take me away from the grumbles of war that always seem present in Mekor society... and the commander.

As for the mannequin, it would resemble a humanoid shape but instead being made of circular pieces of wood to resemble the shape. It also has a base of wood, the whole mannequin being only as tall as my head. I appreciate your help in this matter. I can leave you to your scouting unhindered after I have purchased it."

As Primrose would likely search the shops for such a figurine, a light chiming sound much like an electronic notification could be heard coming from Milton. Realizing that he was being messaged, he opened the messenger into his left visual field and read it as they walked, a white box appearing over Milton's iris.

"Mhm. I was the highest ranking scout in our quadrant. And only one other scout from a different quadrant held a higher position than myself. Personally, I never cared for the rankings. I was just doing my job to help my people in whatever way I could, it just so happened that I was exceptionally good at doing that job, so I climbed up the ranks pretty quickly after joining. Heh, I don't know if humble would be the right word for it, I knew I was playing an important role. I just prefer people to call me by my name." The panther would nod towards Milton's comment of it being a pleasure to speak with her but would say nothing further in response. Still mulling over why she hated being referred to as someone of higher status. As mentioned, humble was the wrong word for it. She was strong, powerful and one of the very best at the job she did and she was well aware of that. It was more so just the publicity of it all that annoyed her. Her job was for the people, yes. Though everyone likes to have to peace and quiet and just be treated like any other normal person once in a while.

Prim would smirk as Milton continued to compliment her, he was already starting to sound like the others back home. Though it wasn't his fault, she could tell he was just being polite. "Heh. I suppose. And I wont give up hope of being able to contact them, not yet at least. My own devices can't seem to reach them anymore, but as you said there are many strange things at this city. Perhaps one day I can find something that will help, until then. It's just a matter of perseverance." Though it was less so that it may be a hard job and more so something that just may take a long time to accomplish if what she had learned about this city was true thus far. "Travelling to other planets can be an interesting experience. Though, you'd be surprised how often it ends up being more of a fight for life or death than some kind of fantasy vacation." Prim would shake her head at this as she turned her head to one of the passing shops, her visor lighting up blue once more. "Commander?" She'd question offhandedly as she stopped walking and looked towards Milton.

Hearing the details on the mannequin confirmed it, or so she thought. Pointing towards the store that she had stopped in front of. "Not sure if its the exact thing you're looking for, but there is something that resembles your description quite well inside this... Shop?" Her tone took a confused turn, though not actually because of the shop itself, more so from the noise that came from Milton himself followed by the strange look in his eye. Well, it was less so a look and more just something off with one of his eyes. Either way, she'd tap her foot lightly, curious to ask about it but at the same time thinking to herself that she had pried enough into the guys life for one day, waiting to see if the item she'd spotted was what he was after or not.