Expedition to Autunno Keep [PLOT] Day 0 - The Journey to Autunno

"It's Kir-Ka." She says her name slightly slower than normal to show how to pronounce it. "Actually, I'm going on this trip for fun. Professor Ozpin said I should take a few days off since it's been a while. And some recent events have stressed me out a little. So, this is basically a vacation for me. It just so happens that I'm traveling with you guys. I don't really do vacations so I couldn't come up with anywhere I really wanted to go that wasn't pretty far." She shifts slightly in her seat, sitting back more to relax but still keeping focus on the conversation.

Viola snorts kind of loudly before saying "Kirkka is it? You were being stressed out by events caused by some people already on the airship... and you're coming for fun? For some reason I find that hard to believe."

Turning her music up again, she goes back to attempting to ignore everyone.

We're getting hung up on the things we should have known
Never bothered us before
We're try'na make ends meet but I'm starting to think
That this is all I need and more

Nigrum looked at the skull as El Taladaro showed it to the girl. The skull of a dangerous creature of grimm, reduced to a puppet. Nigrum thought as the girl nervously took if from her.

"So when did that beowolf almost kill you?" Nigrum asked the girl curious about the events. "Oh right, and I'm Nigrum" he added quickly not wishing to be rude.

Having finally found somewhere to park, Aoife would stroll up to the airship with music blaring from her headset loud enough to make one think she would blow out her ear drums. Also wearing another new costume with her weapons hidden underneath, she walks into the ship and sits by herself, using the time to think.

Melissa nodded to Ms Groundskeeper's explanation, remembering all the brave, noble benches that had been slain during her time in the school. Such horrible losses would give any proper bench lover to get stressed out. If she hadn't already gotten numbed by the many bench deaths of the school burning of last year, then Melissa probably would've been stressed out as well.

"Do you really think we're going to be having a nice, relaxing vacation? I mean... They're sending eight students well versed in fighting to ancients ruins! Haven't you read any ghost stories? These ancients ruins always have evil spirits that haunt and attack those that dare to enter!" She said energetically, her smile continuing despite speaking about evil spirits, the only change being a slight edge of excitement.

Isabelle inspected the skull for a bit longer, until she realized that the boy was speaking to her.

"Oh, uh, it was during initiation.  We were ambushed by Beowolves and one bit my leg.  Supposedly it punctured an artery."   She didn't want to go into too much detail, as it was a somewhat traumatizing experience.

[OOC: Time for me to sleep.]

Kirkka turns toward Viola, looking back slightly. "Pardon? While I certainly agree that you lot need a babysitter, I'm not very good with kids. So I won't be your guardian here. If you die... sucks to be you. Oh, and don't eavesdrop on conversations you aren't a part of." Her voice was curt, much less polite than you've heard before. She appears to have a lot less work ethic while not working.

Turning back to Melissa... "Spooky ghosts! I enjoy spooky ghosts, but I'm not so sure we'll find any here. There have only been occasional reported sightings of Grimm in the area anyway. Nothing anyone here can't handle easily. Its not like this trip was planned as an extermination force or something. Its for history! And archeology! And spooky ghost stories. She grins at her last comment. Spooky ghosts are pretty awesome, after all. Spooky Ghosts.

"Well then if we get attacked by Spooky Ghosts I'll be relying on you to make friends with them! I don't know how to fight a ghost." Melissa said in reply, though it was hard to tell whether it was sarcasm or not, such was her tone.

"Those two have been acting really grumpy lately..." Melissa said, leaning in close to Ms Groundskeeper and speaking only just loud enough for her to hear, glancing towards Ms Faunus-Aren't-Fruit (Viola) and Mr Bench Murderer (Leo) "Did something happen? It's like they suddenly turned mean!"

"I'm certain that no ghosts will bear ill will to you!" She laughs briefly.

Kirkka leans in to listen and respond quietly. "As far as I'm concerned, the girl is always mean. She's just an angry person. Leonius is... unusual, to say the least. I'm not real sure what he's like. Aside from a huge, huge danger of course. He's scary. Like a spooky ghost."

Deciding to talk to someone in case she gets any bad thought involving fire and explosions. Aoife walks over to the only two she has had a conversation with without arguing, saying rather sheepishly to Melissa and Kirkka, "Hello. How are you two?"

"Hi! I'm good! I see you were chosen to come along to these ruins too! Are you sure you're alright after what happened in the courtyard? I wasn't there but it seemed like a really big, intense fight..." Melissa said, smiling in reply to a familiar girl walking up to her and Krikrirkria. Huh, had she ever actually gotten the girls name? Apparently not, as nothing came to mind. That, or Melissa had forgotten it (not exactly an uncommon sight...)

Aura suddenly activating for a split second as the battle is mentioned, Aoife forces a smile as she speaks while fiddling with her bracers, "As fine as knowing someone has direct control of your body can let you be. Other than that I am well. And it seems that I have some sort of luck that you were chosen as well."

Kirkka nods to Aoife as she approaches, answering her question simply. "I'm well." Kirkka listens as Melissa speaks, and cringes slightly at the use of her... name. If you can call it that. Don't worry about it. Honest mistake, right? Right! After listening to Aoife's response about direct control, she speaks. "How are you doing regarding that? He's not controlling if he doesn't have to, right?" I wish I could do something for her... but not yet. It's too soon. She glances around the cabin, spotting Leonius briefly before returning to the conversation.

Melissa was a little confused by the direction the conversation had headed in. Direct control? Controlling? What were they talking about? She had heard of some kind of bet that the girl had lost, but wouldn't that just be control? Or were they just phrasing it strangely? Best to ask.

"Huh? What do you mean by having direct control?" She asked the girl, but quickly added an extra statement on the end, remembering how the girl had almost seemed... angry? Fierce? when she had even mentioned the fight, "But if you don't want to bring up bad memories, that's fine!"

Shaking her head at first, she replies to Kirkka, "He hasn't thus far, but that doesn't mean I shouldn't expect it of him?"  Then turning her head away from Melissa, she sighs and moves her hair to show where the part was stabbed, "A certain someone placed a staple in me, so that whenever he activates it he can control my movements."

Kirkka motions to a seat nearby, offering Aoife a seat. "That's good, at least. From what I've heard and seen, it seems like he will avoid it unless it becomes necessary, which hopefully, it doesn't until we can get it removed. I'm sorry we can't remove it right now, though." Kirkka glances quickly at Viola, to see if she is trying to listen in. She appears to be listening to music, but of course it could be off.

Turning back to Aoife, she smiles kindly. "Regardless, I am pleased to see you doing better. But I will say that you need to control your emotions better. I don't mean to place blame on you, but its possible the situation could have been avoided by doing so."

Taking the nearby seat after putting her hair back in place, she smiles back at Kirkka while placing her hands on her lap, "It probably could've. Sorry for being a nuisance about it. Would be one of the reasons why I brought my headset with me, so I can just ignore anyone who annoys me to the extent of me wanting to hit them."

Upon seeing ths staple, and hearing its function from the girl, Melissa gasped in surprise - or horror. Perhaps both.

"Someone put that on you so they can control you?? That's horrible! What kind of inhumane monster would do something like that! And more importantly, why aren't they being punishment, and that..,whatever it is, removed?" She said, outraged.

Aoife wouldn't reply to the question, looking at Kirkka to see if she wants it said who did it or not. Putting on one earpiece and starting another song , low enough in volume to still hear them clearly.

She frowns slightly at Aoife's comment. "Avoiding the situation isn't the best way to handle it. Eventually, it will become unavoidable, and you'll need to be prepared to take care and control yourself and your emotions by not letting them control you. Ah, look at me. I sound like I know what I'm talking about. I'm not psychologist or anything, but at least that is my opinion on the matter. Even still, don't cause a problem while we are airbourne. Skydiving is pretty fun, but walking from the middle of nowhere back to Beacon wouldn't be." Responding to Melissa's comments about the nerve staple... "Circumstances have... allowed judgement to be skipped at this time. Its quite a complicated matter, unfortunately." She laughs briefly, before checking the cabin to count how many people are on board. Looking to change the topic... "I hope everybody makes it. We're still missing a few people, and we should be departing here shortly."


OOC: Gonna take an 8 hour nap. See you guys next time!

Melissa shook her head, still hardly able to believe that someone would do something so horrible. Someone's freedom isn't something someone else should be able to control, especially not in such a barbaric way.

"Well whoever did it, is there anything I can do to help? Is the one who did it around? Just say the word and I'll break his legs!" She said fiercely.

Rolling her eyes, saying rather calmly for her, trying to change the topic as well, "There is no need to break his legs. It will work itself out eventually. And who we missing then?"

I guess even I have my limits... thought Aphelion as he bounced up and down, Equinox trotting at a gentle pace. The man rubbed his back. He still felt some of that bench impact. He was in a gloomy mood, one which he hasn't been in for a long time.

I don't get these people... I've been out of the tribe for a year and pretty much all I've seen was people drinking, insulting each other and laughing. These people just get pissed.

As he got to the airship, he patted Equinox goodbye, pulled out his bag and dragged it alongside himself onto the ship

Bag:

"Present." he said before making his way to a lonely corner and pulling out his clipboard. He felt shame in that he actually got drunk and it cost him a back injury, and didn't feel like talking to anyone in particualar.

Finally taking off their bag, Aoife starts rummaging to make sure they have everything. Whistling to her song afterwards, she glances around at the other people.

Bag Contents:

Aww, guess he didn't die after all... well, I can fix that sometime this trip. Viola thinks as she spies Aphelion getting on the airship.

He does look injured, however... so we'll see how he fares on this expedition as it is.

And as I'm looking back
On the past two years
It seems like I have conquered every fear
I ever had
or thought would hold me back
but now we're standing on the edge and I just have to ask

Leonius had turned to look back at the window, but his fist clenched when he overheard Kirkka and Aoife talking about the nerve staple. His eyes drifted downward, however, when Melissa commented on it, though his helmet retained it's cold, stoic stare out the window.

Best to let things slide... for now.

He did, however, turn to look at Viola, smiling under the mask at her, his smile turning to a frown when he saw Aphelion... Viola was listening, and he wasn't sure he should bother her. He sort of wanted to snap Aphelion's neck. The "mutt" Dante had fought with seemed like a bad idea to deal with...

So he watched El Taladro, Nigrum, and Isabelle...

Looking around. Aoife comes up with a cunning plan. Using the MP she is listening to, she puts it on a song at random, and edits with the options for the sound. Subtly removing the headset enough so the song comes out of the speakers, but not out enough to be obvious it is removed. Completely straight faced, Aoife plays the music  somewhat loudly, the singer now sounding like Leo if he could formulate a sentence without pause.