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Research Expedition [P/Hunt/RE2]

Postby Azura Rayume » 05/08/2013 10:55 AM

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This was a ridiculous idea, Peregrine though to himself, grumbling from time to time as he stared harder into his binoculars. He sat on the beach close to one of the high cliffs, magnified gaze trained on the face above. There, hundreds of white seabirds wheeled, landed, and took off to dive. Most people would have just passed them off as gulls and paid them no mind, but the human-form Lucain knew better than that; the red crest and black flash beside the eye marked them as Imperial Terns, and the entire flock had come south on their yearly migration to mate.

If he had been here on this remote beach simply to watch some rare birds, he would have been content with the expedition. Unfortunately, that did not seem to be the case. His friend, Basil, had conned him into coming here with talk of terns and sea eagles, but he really wanted to get his name in the history books. The Paragon had caught word of a discovery of a rare fish called the Inessi in these waters and decided that it needed more study. Basil had never really done any of the studying before, but he figured that, since he would have Peregrine's help, he should have no trouble once he actually got his claws on one of the beasts.

Peregrine would rather have no part in it. He was an ornithologist for Gods' sakes! What did he know about fish? The fool would be better off finding an ichthyologist who was actually interested in the discoveries to be made about this creature, but, no, they might try to steal the credit. Bah! Researchers do that; he would just have to make sure he found someone with a name that comes after "Finnegan," and his name would still go first on the paper.



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Re: Research Expedition [P/Hunt/RE2]

Postby kabuto_rocks » 05/08/2013 12:14 PM

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It was with a somewhat awkward gait that Gamma picked his way across the beach, feeling more and more certain with every clumsy step that he shouldn't be here. On an ordinary day he would be tucked up in his cosy little library right about now, reading one of his well-loved factual guides about 14th century armour or something. Instead here he was, out in the fresh air and hating every second of it. There was of course, a very good reason for him being here. As always, he was being driven by his desire to learn.

What a shame this isn't the sort of knowledge you can find in a good book He thought mournfully, trying and failing to shake the sand from his shoe. He wasn't really dressed for the beach-in fact, his only form of preparation had been to throw a rain jacket over his usual suit, and even that had been last minute. Due to the fact he had only been to the beach once or twice before in his adult life, he had no idea what sort of thing someone would wear anyway. He was not blessed with what most people called 'common sense'.

Despite everything he hated about being outside, he'd known the second he'd heard about the new species that he would have to come here. Knowledge was something Gamma craved, but new knowledge was especially tempting. By being here he could find out something no one else ever had. He wouldn't just be acquiring knowledge, he'd be discovering it! That thought was worth every grain of sand, every awkward footstep in the world. Of course, he still had to figure out how to find this new species. But that couldn't be too difficult with his knowledge...

Right?

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Postby Indigo » 05/08/2013 1:59 PM

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Fieldwork! The fresh air, the sea breeze, the sand getting caught in his fur! It would take forever to wash out, of course, but Cyrano didn't much care. It had been much too long since he'd been out collecting specimens, but a new species was just the sort of thing to get him out in the field again with his bottles and jars and buckets--he had no idea how big this Inessi thing was going to be, and had brought a variety of containers just to be sure. They were currently loaded into the small boat he had rented, which was not an especially impressive structure and barely big enough to hold him and all his equipment, and which he was dragging along the beach with him as well as he could. He didn't know much about boats. They weren't alive and were therefore of limited interest to him.

He was also wearing a pair of goggles modified to fit his skull, and what passed for a raincoat on someone of his shape. No reason to get all cold and wet, and salt was hell to clean out of eye sockets. The few pockets he could reach were full of various forms of bait, though diet was another bit of Inessi information on which he was a little hazy. No matter! That was the whole point of looking for the thing, after all--to find out more about it. And if there was one thing Cyrano was good at it was studying creatures.

His paws sank into the sand with every step, but though he would probably curse the stuff later, right now it was another reason for happiness. He'd spent the last few weeks working in the stark room that passed for his lab, dissecting small birds to determine what might have killed them. And while that could be exciting at times, and it was certainly interesting, he didn't much care for spending days at a time in a fluorescent-lit room. Collecting was much better.



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Re: Research Expedition [P/Hunt/RE2]

Postby ToxicShadow » 05/08/2013 2:46 PM



Anything to do with the water and the life within it, be it the ocean or any other form of it, Naraqua was there. On most typical days, she spent her time in or on the lake near her home, however, she also loved to adventure out to other bodies of water that were of notable interest. When one mixed the water mage's love of her element and her interest in a newly discovered aquatic creature, well, she was there, no question about it. The recently documented creature, dubbed the Inessi, was her initial target, although she wasn't having much luck in finding one. While Nodia Sea was supposedly where they gathered shortly before their migration into freshwater, she found not a one. Perhaps she was either too early or too late, the latter of which would be very unpleasant, were it the case.

Beneath the ocean's surface, the Lucain-gone-human swam skillfully, propelled by the water around her form. There were plenty of fish in the sea, but not quite what she was looking for. Apparently, getting an early start wasn't much use. 'So much for the early bird getting the worm,' she thought to herself, deciding to take a short break. She resurfaced, some feet away from the shore, in a bubbling flurry of water. She came forward without paying any mind to the beach goers, no one else having been around when she originally arrived. The red bikini she wore certainly made it seem as though she was here on vacation rather than for research, even if that wasn't the case. What was so wrong about being prepared to go into the water, though?

She reached a duffle bag sitting in the sand, replacing the small waist wrap around her lower half, still seemingly oblivious. Naraqua was merely going about her business, paying no mind to anyone, as she laid out her towel and procured a journal. Inside she had only written what she knew about the creature so far, which was what everyone else already knew. However, as she settled in, she scribbled down the day, the time of her search, as well as a few other details, revolving manly around the weather, water temperature and the other sea life in the area. If anything, she would document what she could, as it might prove useful in her search later.
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Re: Research Expedition [P/Hunt/RE2]

Postby Thunder » 05/08/2013 4:36 PM

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(Note: Pelagos only has an anthro form, hope that's ok!)


As a sea spirit and water wielding superhero, Pelagos knew exactly why there were so many people flocking to the shore today. He paid close attention to talk of the environment, and the breaking news was that a new species of fish, called the Inessi, had appeared in the Nodia Sea. He was certain that he had never seen the creatures before- no description of them sounded familiar- so naturally, he was curious. He also felt that it was part of his duty as a caretaker of the oceans to learn about them and make sure that they were thriving.

The super wolf always carried a certain amount of suspicion whenever there were a lot of people around the sea. While the scientists would perhaps be more careful, average folk could possibly accidentally pollute the waters or destroy surrounding habitat. So, as Pelagos approached a small group that was starting to explore the area, likely in an effort to find the Inessi, he kept a watchful eye on their actions. So far, it didn't seem like they were doing anything harmful, and hopefully it would stay that way.

There was someone gazing through binoculars at a bunch of terns, a man who was rather ridiculously dressed in a rain coat and suit, and a Mimebones who looked ready to do some fishing. But the person closest to him was a young woman who had just spread out a towel to lie on. She had gotten out a notebook, and as Pelagos passed by her, he peered over her shoulder and saw that she was writing about the new species. "Hello, miss," he greeted. "Are you here for the Inessi too?"
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Re: Research Expedition [P/Hunt/RE2]

Postby Azura Rayume » 05/08/2013 10:51 PM

The more people (and not quite people) arrived at his previously secluded patch of beach, the more displeased Peregrine became. It had nothing to do with the fact that all of these strangers were interested in the same fish that Basil had dragged him out here to look for; chances are, they would be more likely to find some with more eyes. No, it had everything to do with him enjoying his peace and quiet ever since his Paragon companion had gone off in search of a suitable boat. Birdwatching was one of those things he preferred silence for, and with people comes noise. There was no way he would be able to enjoy himself now.

Despite the slight turn of his lip, the ornithologist kept his eyes pressed firmly to his field glasses, determined to enjoy what time he had left before the rest of them started making conversation. He hoped that, by looking disinterested and fully immersed in his own activity, he could avoid unwanted human contact until Basil arrived with the boat. Not wanting to have his own interactions would not stop him from eavesdropping on other's, however.

If he had been a Lucain, his ear would be flicking in the direction of the only one to speak, the blue and green bipedal Lucain. Maybe this way he could figure out exactly what the goals of the rest of the individuals gathered on the beach were while not losing track of his terns.



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Re: Research Expedition [P/Hunt/RE2]

Postby ToxicShadow » 05/09/2013 12:08 AM

The water mage was deep in thought as a few more gathered up in the area, smack dab in the middle of noting what creatures she had seen during her dive with bullet points, when someone approached and spoke to her. At first, she didn't quite realize that the words were intended for her, and it took her otherwise cluttered mind to process it. The word, "miss," was a good giveaway, though.

She stopped writing after finishing the words "Likuta (Plush)." Likuta seemed quite abundant in the area, even more so than usual, likely for the same reason as she and all of the others on the beach. They were notably curious critters, after all. Turning her gaze upward enough to see the person that spoke, she smiled in a genuinely friendly way, "Yes, that's right." It took her a moment to resituate herself so that she was sitting up with her legs folded to the side. "I spent the last, well, two hours or so in the water to see if I could find any. No such luck yet, but I wanted to document the environment while I took a break. Conditions of the water, the current inhabitants, that sort of thing." She didn't exactly spend every minute in the water actively looking for one, because, frankly, she just enjoyed swimming, but she had been in the water for a good amount of time already.

Only now that she was speaking to someone else did she really realize how many had gathered up, sparing a glance around before continuing on. "It seems that a good few came out with interest in finding one, assuming that is everyone's intent."
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Postby Indigo » 05/09/2013 12:27 AM

He gave up on dragging the boat after a while and pushed it to the edge of the water from behind, leaving a deep furrow in the sand. He had been told it was a rowboat, but hadn't been provided with any oars. But he was reasonably sure he could manage without them, one way or another. There were a few tricks tossed in among the jumble of containers.

While he did make a note of all the people who had gathered on the beach, he didn't approach anyone just yet. He was a great proponent of doing things in the most efficient order possible, and that meant getting the boat in the water and his equipment set up before he allowed himself to be distracted by other things. Granted, the boat might not stay in place once he had it in the water, since he didn't have any way to tie it up nor anything to tie it to. He could handle a little swimming, though, just not as much as he'd need to do to find the fish without a boat, and not while carrying various vessels.

A little more shoving got the boat out far enough into the water that he didn't think it would catch on anything, and Cyrano climbed in, shoving jars and terrariums aside to make room for himself. He dug through a few disorganized piles of notebooks, a few scrawl-coated pages drifting over the side, and found a bottle. The outside had been painted entirely black, and when he twisted the cap experimentally a glimmer of greenish light escaped. Satisfied, he sealed it again and tied some twine around the neck, then dropped it over the side, the other end of its leash looped around a nail sticking out of the bottom of the boat.

Source of propulsion secured, he jumped down into the water and waded back to the beach. He caught sight of the man in the suit and raincoat and made a mental note to go and talk to him momentarily, but first he wanted a word with the one with the binoculars. He looked like a fellow man of science! Or at least someone very interested in birds, which was just as good. Cyrano headed that way.



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Re: Research Expedition [P/Hunt/RE2]

Postby kabuto_rocks » 05/09/2013 12:18 PM

As usual, Gamma's optimism did not last long. He was quite startled to see so many people about, although he realised with a blush that he should have known this was going to happen. After all, did he think he was going to be the only person in Evelon interested in a new species? Wishing more than ever that he was back in his library, he tugged nervously on one sleeve before readjusting his glasses. It wasn't that he disliked people-on the contrary, he found some of them almost as interesting as books. But he was well aware of his own lack of social skills, and as a result he tended to avoid others if possible.

Well, you have no choice now. Let's hope these people aren't too territorial

He was pleased to realise that most of the people didn't look like crazed, threatening hunters. Not wanting to bother them though, he tried to stay as much out of their way as possible. Not an easy task on a beach like this. In the end he settled a few metres away from where a woman with a notebook and Lucain were talking, perching on a rock and trying to look like he belonged. Seeing the man with the boat had made him feel awfully unprepared-all he had brought was a large net, and he wasn't even sure if it was the right kind. That's what happened when you spontaneously decided to try something you never had before. You did it wrong. Wanting to reassure himself, he dug out a library book on aquatic species and scanned through quickly to see if there were any tips on catching them. Given that it was a new species he knew he would find no information on them specifically, but he was sure he could generalise adequately from a similar-looking fish.

As he read, he couldn't help but overhear the conversation around him, although he wasn't intentionally eavesdropping. It seemed that indeed these other people were hunting like him, from what he could gather at any rate. Perhaps that could work in his favour, assuming they didn't mind him being there. Of course, maybe they would decide he was competition and drive him away instead. Slightly worried by this thought, he kept quiet for now. He preferred to listen at first anyway

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Re: Research Expedition [P/Hunt/RE2]

Postby Thunder » 05/09/2013 6:18 PM

The lady certainly seemed very diligent about her observations, and Pelagos felt that she had a great respect for the environment. "They're elusive fish, I hear," he commented. "Even with this many people around, there's a chance that we might not spot one. But I do hope we can."

As he mentioned the other folk around, he took another glance at what they were doing. The birdwatcher was still observing the terns. The oddly dressed man had pulled out a book of some sorts- Pelagos couldn't see the cover from where he was standing. The Mimebones had set up a boat on the water. The Lucain felt a bit of alarm when he saw the Mimebones toss a bottle overboard, but it appeared that the bottle was attached to the boat somehow. Maybe it was supposed to serve some kind of special purpose? As long as that bottle didn't become litter later, the super wolf would be fine with it.

Since he was here, Pelagos figured that he might as well make some conversation with the woman. "Ah, my name is Pelagos, by the way. It seems like we could be here for a while, so I might as well introduce myself. What's your name?"
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Re: Research Expedition [P/Hunt/RE2]

Postby Azura Rayume » 05/10/2013 7:10 PM

It seemed to him that the rest of the people were here for the same reason he was, though he could not say he was happy about that. Peregrine was a man fit for solitude, and, knowing Basil, he wouldn't be able to get that even if he got on a boat to sail off in search of this fish; the fool would ask every one of the beach-goers if they would like a ride, which would end up with the ornithologist being absolutely miserable and surrounded by strangers.

His gaze panned over while tracking a diving male. The bird arched beautifully, his long white wings carving an elegant curve through the air as he lined up on a fish and dived straight into the... mass of gray and white that had obstructed his vision. He dropped the binoculars from his eyes to peer at exactly what was blocking his view. A Mimebones. The one who had dragged the boat across the beach. And it was heading this way. Wonderful.

He could only hope that it was going to pass him by for the strange man in the raincoat. Either that, or maybe Basil would come back and not do the most obvious thing as far as the bounds of his personality went.



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Re: Research Expedition [P/Hunt/RE2]

Postby ToxicShadow » 05/14/2013 1:37 PM

"Yes, I would certainly seem so," she replied to the man's comment. The creature they were after was known to be elusive, which was probably why it had taken scientists so long to discover and document one in the first place. Apparently, she needed to spend more time in the ocean instead of the lake near her home, waters that never really changed, because it was on her property.  She wouldn't make any new discoveries there, unless someone happened to dump something in the water or an aquatic creature capable of moving around on land just happened to come across it. "Of course, I'm willing to spend much more than two hours in the water if it means that I have the chance to lay eyes on one." That was really all she wanted, just to get to see one and to maybe learn a little about it, given the chance.

Then came the introductions, which she responded to politely and with some mild enthusiasm. "My given name's Naraqua! Although, I prefer 'Rin,' or 'Rinni,' and have for quite some time now." Her given name wasn't all that appealing to her, having been named such because of her talents over manipulating water. Her home world seemed to do such things fairly often with names, but she much preferred the nicknames that Zelos had given her when she arrived here. "Pelagos is an interesting name. Does it have some sort of meaning? I was essentially named after water, so."

By now, she had mostly given up on finishing her documenting, but all she had left was to complete the list of creatures she had seen so far today in the area. That was something she doubted that she would forget, though.
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Postby Indigo » 05/14/2013 9:39 PM

The man with the binoculars didn't look too pleased, but whether that was due to Cyrano's approach or something unrelated he couldn't say. Technically most people were animals, but he hadn't had much opportunity to study them, since in general they tended to object to being kept in a lab for observation. Which, Cyrano would hasten to add, was perfectly understandable—he wasn't completely socially inept!—but extensive study had enabled him to moderate his natural exuberance around easily-spooked animals. Not so much with people.

"Greetings!" he said, as he drew near. "I don't mean to intrude, but I note that you seem to be taking a particular interest in those terns. Are you a scientist, perchance?" He tilted his head in an effort to get a similar view to that of the man. Excellent vision was not something his species had been blessed with, and he'd never learned to turn himself into another, but even from here he could at least identify the general classification of the birds. Wrong tail shape for gulls, for a start.



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Re: Research Expedition [P/Hunt/RE2]

Postby Thunder » 05/29/2013 11:24 PM

Pelagos pondered the name that the girl had given him. She had been named after water, just like he was. "I don't see anything bad with 'Naraqua', personally," he chuckled. "Though if you'd rather be called 'Rinni', then it's nice to meet you, Rinni. And yes, Pelagos does mean something. In an ancient language, it was the word for the open sea."

At those words, he took another moment to gaze across the waters. The Mimebones had left the boat for now, and upon further examination, had apparently began talking to the bird watcher. The other man in the strange clothes was still doing nothing notable. Pelagos looked back at Rinni once he finished glancing around.

"Perhaps the search for this new species would go faster if we teamed up? I...do know a lot about the ocean, as my name might suggest. We could combine our knowledge to track down these creatures. And maybe some of these other folks would be willing to help too. That one man has just been standing around. Maybe we could enlist his assistance."

(OOC: Bluh, sorry this is late x3x)
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Re: Research Expedition [P/Hunt/RE2]

Postby kabuto_rocks » 06/05/2013 7:11 AM

Gamma had been listening with some interest to the pair's conversation. Of course, the trouble with observing things was that he tended to get so caught up, he forgot to actually do much. He had always been the same way. Unless it was someone seeking help in his library, he tended to never partake in conversations unless invited to. Today was different though. He had already made one bold move and he knew he would have to make another. After all, you never caught anything through observation alone did you?

"Excuse me," he stood up suddenly, moving over to the man and the woman before he could change his mind. He coughed once to clear his nerves, then spoke in a more natural voice, "Sorry for interrupting but I couldn't help overhearing your conversation. I would be glad to offer my assistance in hunting for a Inessi, assuming that is the beast you seek. I'm afraid my practical knowledge is limited but I would still be glad to help in any way I can. If that's okay with you I mean." It was the most words he'd said in a while. He felt quite pleased when he was done. Even if they told him to get lost, at least he would have tried. And they had said they were looking to team-up after all

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