Humanitarian act the Chaotic version - RPLOG
Participants
Date
29/8/476
Log
The Farm was busy as usual, but this time everyone efforts were focused on something else other then harvesting. Namely the removal of the debris and other things that the tornado had torn up. "Come on, get your backs into it!" Zarine shouts at a few of his workers as they try and lift the bell that had been thrown here by the tornado into a cart.
Arimia makes her way out to the farm and looks around, banded tail flicking behind her. She watches as the workers try to lift the bell for a few moments before making her way over. "I'm sure it's a rather heavy bell. May need more workers tryin' to move it."
Emmett the Goat arrives on the scene too, dressed for work and eager to get busy. At the very least, he did bring an axe for self-defense should it come to that. "Wow. Well, count me in!" he calls, rushing in to make his arms and back useful. He's not the biggest fellow (actually pretty average), but he's happy to lift where he can.
Sveta arrives on one of the carts inbound from Firmament, replete with lumber, brick, nails, metal rail and other building materials. A few tools stick out from the pockets of her work clothes, and there're more in the back of the cart courtesy of the craft school and various individuals, of course. The goshawk had been expecting a need for skilled hands before coming out here, but manual labour isn't out of the question, either. "I wonder if that thing's still functional," she mutters as she hops off onto the sodden, wrecked ground.
Actually making a somewhat punctual appearance, Dio strolls into the farm not long after the others and looks up the various debris, letting out a short and impressed whistle. "Ooh, I bet we could get that bell in the air before ya even know it with a good bit o' manly elbow grease." As he walks towards the others, the lion pulls down the sleeves of his coats and gives everyone a good flex of his leonine muscles in a brilliant show of bravado. "If most of us get under the thing, I'm sure we could do it. In fact, let's do it now!" Obviously quite excited, Dio heads for the bell in a quick pace, rubbing his hands and preparing to lift it up with a few stretches.
With the help of Dio and Emmett the Bell is easily lifted into the cart, the workers letting out a collective sigh as the heavy thing is not out of their hands. Zarine nods in thanks to them both. "Thank you kindly, I'm guessing you're here to help then?" He asks as he leans on the cart. "That Tornado did a number on the farm sadly, so there will be a lot of work."
Arimia watches as the bell is moved, making absolutely no move to help with it. She looks toward Zarine and says, "Selena or someone'd have my hide if they found out I sat 'round at home readin' while there's folk needin' help out here. Jus' don' go askin' me to do any heavy liftin'. I ain't much good at it."
Emmett looks relieved to have Dio's help; that made things much easier! The goat steps back once the bell is on the cart and lets out a deep sigh, lifting his chin. "Yes, that's right," he then answers Zarine. "Anything I can do to help out, I'd like to do. This affects everyone: farmer or fighter, commoner or noble."
Sveta shrugs, apparently feeling no remorse at watching both Emmett and Dio do the heavy lifting, although she does give the latter a nod of acknowledgement. "Is there anything that needs fixing or mending out here? Best to apply folks to whatever their talents best suit them for. Of course, if there's anything else that can be done..."
Dio crouches down and puts his hands under the bell, using his powerful legs to heave the bell up with the help of the workers and Emmett, taking a moment to wipe off his brow after the take was complete. Hopefully his display of strength impressed many a lady within the audience. "Indeed, I'm 'ere to help fer whatever needs doin'. Just point an' ol' lion in the right direction and I'll get things goin'."
"Well, one of the silos were damaged. We have a few broken carts, and some of the pens have been broken as well." Zarine lists off a few of the things that need to be fixed. Thankfuly there were no ladies for the Lion to impress, just more Farmhands working on fixing up the place.
Arimia flicks an ear and looks around, as though trying to spot the damaged items mentioned. But she's a city girl, and any damage to the farm buildings and the like would have to be pretty major for her to realize that's not what it's supposed to look like. "I'd suggest fixing the carts first. Then they can be used to help with other things."
Emmett makes a mental note of each. "Silo, carts, pens..." The goat strokes his chin, contemplating this. Arimia's suggestion catches his attention though. "It's possible, especially if we're going to work with the silo and whatever's suposed to be stored in there. I did bring my tool set as well."
Sveta rolls her eyes and shakes her head at Dio's display, although she graces him with a small smile. "Yes, that would be the most logical first step, Arimia. I think I've got some spare wheels and lumber in the back of my transport." She picks up a brisk pace, heading for a handful of the carts Zarine's just pointed out, and gives them a quick look over.
"Nothing too bad, just the spokes and axles are gone, and there're a few holes in the cart beds - the frames are still intact, and that's what matters. If you gentlemen could make another show of strength and bring me some wheels about this big-" the goshawk gestures with her hands - "that would be appreciated."
Having spent a few years or so around farms, such things repairs and things weren't totally out of his range of abilities. Though there were probably more crafty types that could patch a hole with more grace than simply putting a few planks of wood over it. "Some wheels, eh? Sure thing lass." With a nod to Sveta, the lion heads over to the goshawk's initial transportation and takes out a wheel about that big, one in each hand and dropping it in front of her.
Zarine walked up next to Sveta, a little impressed with her work as she manages to fix the carts. "Well, now I'm definitly glad I called the Freeswords for help..." He mutters, scratching an ear as he stands back and lets them work. The Animal pens and the Silos were next. The pens were mangled mostly, wooden planks making up its walls strewn all over the place, the cows no longer contained and roaming freely. As for the Silo, the entire right side of it was just the bare bones. The planks torn off by the strength of the winds.
Arimia flicks an ear and looks around. She starts to head toward the pens, but upon seeing the cows she abruptly changes course and makes her way toward the silo instead. "I'll climb up this thing an' work on getting the various loose an' ruined boards off an' out of the way. Then folk who know what they're doin' can start replacin' 'em." She looks over the silo again, looking for a ladder, stairs, or just a good part to start climbing.
Emmett lets out a chuckle and gets his tools handy. "Sounds good," he calls to Arimia. "I think I ought to be handy enough to help with these pens. Dunno so much about herding animals though," he says with a laugh. He starts gathering up what planks he can to see what can still be reused and what's junked, and he'll do repairs where he can. "We'll probably need some of your supply," he calls to Sveta.
"Yes, if you could do that, it'd be much appreciated. Tear out the ruined planks - the main supports should be in the stone structure, so there shouldn't be any risk of collapse." Turning back to her job after a wave to Emmett to take anything he wants, Sveta places both hands on the clamp she's attached to the last of the axles, a foot firmly against the cart's side, and heaves. There's a metallic groan, and she looks over her work. "Servicable. Hey, Dio, why don't you go and help our goat friend there with the animals while I get some more of this stuff sorted out? I'm sure you'd be great with them."
"No problem, lad. Freesword's always willin' to help out, 'specially when the client is providin' good food fer everyone!" Dio looks towards the animal pens in question and observes the various animals scattered about the area. "Oh! Lads! I think I got an idea fer herdin' those animals." The lion looks around for something metal, along with something else metal as well. A spare metal axel and a random tool and holds one in each hand. "Well, it could work. Let's try it out." He heads over to a few of scattered animals and starts banging the metallic items together to create loud, spooky noises to scare the animals back in, running at them with a fierce look in his eyes. "Back to yer pens, ya animals," he shouts, trying to lead them back in with FEAR.
Leaning against the Silo was a Ladder that one of the farmhands left out. Should be perfect for Arimia to use, and hopefully to keep her out of the way of what Dio just caused.... Dio did scare the animals, but not into the pen. All that banging and clanging, the loud noises didn't help back them up into the pen. All it did was cause them to panic. And start a stampede!
Arimia makes her way to the ladder and starts to climb up it, pausing halfway up to start tugging on a board busted in the middle. She stops when she hears that clanging and looks back. At seeing the stampeding cattle she shoots up the side of the silo, abandoning the ladder, until she's a good way up and able to perch on an exposed horizontal support stud, staring down at the cows with wide eyes.
Emmett pulls out a cloth and wipes his eye. That's not sweat; that's a tear. "Why did we let him do that?" he laments. His complete lack of experience in dealing with this sort of a crisis practically paralyzes him... at least for a moment. He shakes it off and works harder at getting that pen back into shape. "It's all I can do..."
"What...how..." Sveta stands stock still for a moment. She doesn't know much about animals, but this is obviously a Bad Thing. Passing by Emmett as she runs by him, she waves him on. "Don't just stand there, get somewhere safe! Damnable herd creatures..." she casts an eye over the panicked cows, unsure of exactly what to do, then yells over the noise at him. "You started it, you stop it!"
"Uh oh..." Realizing his mistake, Dio tosses his metallic objects upon the ground with a satisfying CLANK. Fear didn't work out the first time, but what if it worked the second time? Quickly, he began racking his brain for any sort of answer for the solution and flicked a spark in his claws with a gentle application of fire magic. Animals tend to hate fire, right? Hopefully this would work. With some fire magic, Dio attempts to create a somewhat tall ring of fire around the cows, hopefully causing them to cease their movement and relax until they can be led back in their pens.
The Fire wall holds, trapping them inside. But in no way does it relax them, it just makes them panic even more. Throwing them into a frenzy as a few actually try and leap through the flames!
Arimia stands up straight on the wooden bar she's on and focuses on some earth magic. Her tail lashes behind her and she gestures, the earth around the panicked cattle rising up around them, a single exit, also lined by earthen walls, leading toward the pens, with the earth between the cows and the fire. A separate bit of earth rises up around the lion, forming a solid cage, if open topped, a good ten feet tall. The 'coon then sits down heavily on the bar and calls out, "I'm gonna catch my breath, then go home. I'll be safe from rampaging beasts there, at least."
Emmett is absolutely eager to follow Sveta's suggestion. "Somewhere safe? Y-yes, okay! Got it!" He drops the plank he was working with and runs off to... well, out of the pen, at least, and preferably over toward the safety of others. "What have I gotten myself into?"
"I don't know, really. I've known Dio to be a bit of an idiot, but I didn't expect him to...this is ridiculous, even for an idiot." Sveta blinks as Dio is walled in, then switches her soul gems and easily douses the fires, swallowing hard as she eyes a number of enraged farmhands about the periphery of the action. "This is ridiculous," she says again, perhaps for emphasis. "We're not going to get paid for any of this, I can feel it in my bones. I think we'll be lucky to make it home unscathed."
Whoops, that didn't work out very well. To prevent any animals from getting burned, the lion cuts off his fire magic and switches over to assist in raising an earth wall around the cattle for maximum efficiancy. And soon, he finds himself trapped in a cage of Earth, looking a bit guilty at his actions. He coughs into his hands and sits down within the cage with his legs and arms crossed. "I'll make up fer this," he says. "Stickin' to the tools 'n' not the magic. Workin' 'ard all day 'n' night and even... Donatin' some of my food money." The lion swallowed and choked a bit at the last line, but he had to do what he had to do!
Oh there were more then just a few enraged farmhands, considering the group was now surrounded by them. All armed with pitchforks and casting an angry gaze the parties way as Zarine makes his way through the crowd. He looks at the chaos that was caused, and scowls. "You will pay for the damages you have caused. And then head back to the city." He said, a little more then angry at how much they just wrecked instead of fixed.
Arimia has produced a bow from under her cloak, one she uses to plant an arrow in the ground among the group. "Now, I can understand you bein' upset at the lion an' havin' him make recompense. But the rest of us didn' do anythin' to add to your problems. In fact SOME of us did what we could to ameliorate things." She pulls out another arrow and idly places it against the bowstring. "So I would become cross if you were to take out your anger on us. An' when I get cross, folk bleed. Understand?"
Emmett looks a little nervous at Zarine's scowling and admonishments. "Oh goodness. I barely even know the guy. I'd be willing to pi9tch in and help clean up the mess, but... ehh..." He lets out a little sigh, shaking hsi head.
Sveta sighs and rubs her neck. Today had been a bit longer and more tiring than she'd expected, to make an understatement. "And it was going so well, too...look, I'd rather not have tensions run any higher than they already are. No one's been hurt, and I'd like to keep it that way, and your boss clearly said to send us off once we'd paid, not lynch us, all right?" She sighs once more. "Just...just tell us how much we owe you."
"Hold up now." Simple words spoken with confidence and sudden power as he rises to his slowly rises to his feet to stare down upon angry mobs. "I won't make any excuses now. I messed up real bad, lettin' my foolish actions take hold again and gettin' people in danger." The lion wraps his hands around the bars and presses his head against the space, guilty and sadness clearly reflecting off his short and scarred muzzle. "I always do my best to help others, but sometimes I don' think things through. But that's no excuse." Bouncing himself off the bars, Dio pats a fist into his chest and reclaims his confidence and vigor. "It was all my fault. Please don't put any blame upon my co-workers 'ere. I'll pay fer it all an' more. If ya let me, I'll put blood, sweat, 'n' tears into fixin' what I've done wrong. Fix a stupid mistake. I don' want more guilt hangin' over my head. Got enough o' that fer many lifetimes."
The Arrow causes a few of the farmhands to step back and look up at her, losing a little of that fighting spirit they just had as they start to think it over. After a few minutes they start to back off, still giving them angry glares as they tend to the new destruction caused by Dio. "Sorry Lion, but right now you all need to leave. There has been enough chaos without adding bloodshed to the mix." Zarine mutters as he rubs at his chin. "But...I might have a use for you later on if you still want to repay, for now I'll just send the bill to the Freeswords. Mention you four specifically."
Arimia narrows her eyes and says a bit coldly, "You will mention the lion an' nobody else. He is the one who caused this. Not the rest of us. An' I'll be damned if I'm gonna pay for his mistake. Not when I already threw a hundred thousand crown your way." She tucks her bow away and climbs down from the silo. "An' if you push the matter, I'll take it back. One way or another." She turns and starts toward the city.
Sveta clambers back onto her cart and sets the spells into motion, the vehicle starting at a slow roll as the earth near the back wheels rises and falls. "Arimia's got a point. Sure, I may have suggested that you round up the beasts, but the way you chose to do it...I don't know what got into your head, but that was worth more than my time. Whatever it is, it's on you, you fool - you've pushed the envelope a little too far this time. Enjoy your walk home." She turns to Emmett. "Do you want a lift back to Firmament?"
Emmett looks downcast and defeated. "Just... wanted to help," he mutters with a sigh. But Sveta's words catch his attention, and he looks up at her. "What? I... y-yes. Yes. Thank you!" he says, managing to smile, climbing up where he can.
"Like I said, it was my fault 'n' mine alone. Don't go puttin' the blame on anyone else." Dio looks back towards Sveta and frowns rather heavily, obviously quite hurt by her words. He had already confessed and took the entire blame as he should and promised to do what he could, didn't he? He takes it though, much like he always had in life as one could imagine from the sea of scars across his broad body. "I'll learn from this awful mistake. I swear I'll make it up to ya, with all that I am. I thank ya for any opportunity ya could give to let me redeem myself." The lion claimer and climbs up the cage bars and slides down, beginning his sad walk home.
"I'll make sure to do that then, His name will be the only one on it." Zarine jabs a finger at Dio before his hands go to his hips. "Maybe next time the Freeswords send help it won't be as chaotic." He watches Dio, frowning as the Lion walks home before he shakes his head and turns back to look at the mess. "Well...at least the cows are in a pen now..."
