Sarah: Hello, Pan. It has been quite some time. Arc: Still a sheep? Can't you shape shift or something? There's a lot of better creatures you could be. Like a dragon, or a wyvern. Y'know, something strong. Sarah: How are you supposed to become a better prized sheep? Do you train, or maybe you learn how to better sway public opinion of you? Arc: Wait... Can you fight? I wonder how a sheep fights... Sarah: Arc, come on, have some dignity and do not start fights with farm animals.
Alpha-dolls: * run toward Pancratio as they merge and reform into a dog-moeba. Nose sniffs 'sheep' and momentarily turns into comms dish, then back to nose. Moves to Truman and forms into a M.A.R.A. for an instant, then back to a dog-moeba, and sits next to Truman * Alpha-dog: Woof! Truman: Yes, Alpha, stand down. Good to see you again, 'Pancratio'. How goes your 'mission'? Alpha finds you most interesting. Perhaps you could explain your purpose and experiences? My existence was knowing all secrets, yours are safe, here.
Mags: Sheep!? Where!? Sheep! *Mags frantically scans around for the illustrious beast.* Clare: Lamb chops, eleven o' clock-- oh, you wanna ride it? Alright, then we make lamb chops. Fio: That sheep looks odd. Be careful, you two! *Mags and Clare nonchalantly trots towards the peculiar creature.*
*Alpha-dog stretches and forms a nearly transparent wall between them* Truman: I don't think you'll enjoy those particular 'lamb chops'. Why don't you just ask for a ride?
Mags: Found the sheep! *Mags presses her face against the barrier. She is staring intently at the unblinking bovidae.* Clare: Are you lost, buddy? You can graze on our lawn if you like. *Clare slowly approaches the barrier with a poorly concealed frying pan inside her pants.* Fio: Oi! You'll scare off the poor thing! Mags: What is the sheep's name? Clare: ...Sauce. Mags: Can... can Maggie pet the Sauce!?
Sarah: Actually, children, the sheep's name is Pancratio. We call him 'Pan' for short. Arc: He's not a normal sheep, he's a shapeshi- *Sarah slaps him on the back of the head.* What was that for?! That stupid farmer ain't even around! Sarah: I will advise that you don't try and hurt him, he's a bit stronger than your average sheep. He's a prized sheep. Arc: I'll take you on if you want. *Sarah glares.* What? I'll go easy on 'em.
Pancracio: *to Sarah* Hello there, Sarah Sun! It's good to see you again too! How has developed your kingdom? It has been difficult to adapt for my new sheep functions, but I show a steady progress on such regard, by example, a thirty percent of improved 'baa' modulation since our last encounter. And yes, to become a prized sheep involves a lot of grooming, behavioral training and, in my case, a bit of phenotype manipulation from my bio-adaptative module. Rare and healthy specimens from a breed are more apt to earn the blue ribbon, maximum award for quality. *moves ear with the blue ribbon*, or more if they present majestic on stage. Voice of M.A.R.A.:*to Alpha-dog* Neuro-cibernetic entity detected. Analysis. Threat level: minimum, non-hostile, non-Aquilian. Singularity Projector Device on standby. Secondary defenses on standby. High Frequency Neuralizer on standby. Bio-containment countermeasures on standby. Nano-Singularity core on peak efficiency. Pancracio:*to Arc* Unfortunately, my model series can only adopt a single phenotype once arrival to target biosphere, by manufacturer's design. After I scanned the neural paths from a human, proceeded to clone his physical traits to blend among it's society, but the sample got contaminated and, instead, I shaped into a sheep. The landing damaged my neural matrix's barriers, flooding the human's verbal prowess into mine and M.AR.A.'s core. The human wasn't damaged in permanent way, but his mate, well, she attacked me after witnessing the harmless procedure. I attempted to pacify her with the H.F.N., but the results were... permanent, in a terrible way. M.A.R.A.: Chances of head-bursting after the use of High Frequency Neuralizer: ninety six percent. Performance diagnostic : below average. Pancracio: About a fight, sheep resolve their differences by a series of successive headbutts among peers, particularly while performing mating rituals. M.A.R.A. has given me a hard time while moderating my defensive devices, since it doesn't differentiate in between a harmless, jealous ram or an Aquilian Dominus-class Battlecruiser once it engages in offensive mode. I prefer subtlety while dealing with humans, though, instead of proper defensive abilities: Bio-containment countermeasures involve the exhaustion of flammable gas through my frontal or rear pipes, which burn at 2.234 Celsius degrees with range of fifty meters, terminating carbon-based structures in 0.25 second. Then, if well H.F.N. wasn't designed with offensive purposes, it's damaged status provokes catastrophic head bursting on the target. Secondary defenses involve medium range anti-air micro-missiles, electromagnetic jamming and data hijack. My primary offensive device is the Singularity Projector Device, which releases sub-quantum particles which, at specified range, de-stabilize matter and provoke a gravitational anomaly equivalent at your moon's gravity well in 0,3 of your micrometers; nuclear fusion is unavoidable, once the critical mass is reached. Blast radius is unpredictable, but target's destruction is guaranteed. M.A.R.A.: For use on Aquilian personnel and infrastructure only. Handle with care.
Arc: Ugh... You're even harder to understand today. I got the part about fighting though. I'm ready to go whenever you are. *Claps hands and, as he pulls them apart, makes several arcs of electricity jump between them.* I use a combination of hand-to-hand hit and run tactics, along with this lightning here. Sarah: And you are only allowed to describe it! No fighting with the others. Arc: You're starting to push your luck, Lady... Sarah: Really, Pan, that sounds a lot like what I have heard happens with larger royal families from other kingdoms. It is quite fascinating that animals are being treated like royalty. Perhaps we could create a whole new kingdom ruled by sheep? Arc: *Laughs* Well, that doesn't sound too different than the kingdoms we already have! Sarah: Anyway, the Sun Kingdom is doing fine. There are some policy disputes among myself and the people, and Magisen has been getting pretty pushy lately... Not to mention the other kingdoms coming in sequence to judge us for overthrowing our father... And the fact that we have not made much headway in terms of rebuilding old alliances... Arc: She's got more on her plate than ever. It can't be too hard, though, since we've dealt with much worse than people not liking us. Sarah: *Sigh* you still have no idea what it is like to be a politician.... Surely, Truman, you can relate. It is as if the world hates me for things I either had to do, or past aggressions that I had no say in. How does a leader deal with this?
Pancracio: Is good to see you two again, Truman! I hope for your stance on this place has been pleasant. Even if I lack of geopolitical modules, I understand how difficult is the ruling of a nation in difficulties. My manufacturers were a society reliant in self-preservation and isolation from an historical event known as 'The Great Departure", near twelve thousand years ago. M.A.R.A.: Historic database corrupted. Contact technical support. Pancracio: My original mission was to infiltrate the planetary system of.------- M.A.R.A.: INTELLIGENCE DIRECTIVE BREACH. DATA REDACTED. Pancracio: *sighs* I don't like when does that, my apologies. I was launched in trajectory for my target. Something happened. My transport pod was caught by a space anomalous event. Cannot recognize it's nature. Following the emergency procedures, landed into the nearest technological center that my sensors could detect. I crashed into this planet, without any further information, except M.A.R.A.'s mission directives. Weeks later, decoded an emergency last minute message stored into my neural core: my manufacturer's center of command and last known bastion was overrun by Aquilian forces and fall was imminent. The High Directorate, to prevent my manufacturer's technology to be looted by the Aquilian forces, commanded a full core de-stabilization procedure. Their last order for external forces was a single word: 'survive'. A flash, end of transmission. M.A.R.A.: Bastion's estimated population: 52.340.900; projected core de-stabilization event survivors: 0. Pancracio: I got stuck immobile by around a month, analyzing my mission's directives and that last message, without finding a solution. Until Mateo, the farmer, found me and rescued my chassis from sinking into a mud pit. My evolutionary intelligence grew in awareness to the point I could set fresh, original directives into my core. Being a sheep was the most reasonable alternative to obsolescence. M.A.R.A.: Unrecognized directive command 'become a sheep', not valid to replace 'Aquilian terms of engagement'.
Truman: Alpha was designed to manipulate energies, as well. I've worn it through many lightning and energetic distortions. It would be great to spar with you, if you don't mind Alpha playing along. It's great for keeping the ol' reflexes sharp. *to Sarah* I can definitely relate to humanity's different moods in the various places of the world. I would best advise you to be transparent and truthful when you can. Trust will come from the consistency of your actions. I had to conquer the Near East to prevent civil war from extinguishing humanity there. Course, I did do it as a personal enterprise, not as a government. It was just me an' a few friends, a few hundred kids, and Seeker. Well, Seeker was everywhere in the world already, anyway. The kids were there to heal the suffering from the strike, and apologize for the injustice done by generations of many peoples upon each other. They became the 'Child Army of Allah's Mercy' or something like that, even though they were just kids helping people. My conquest was bloodless, to their great astonishment. Upon victory I claimed the ancient right of conquest to prevent them from overthrowing the king. Then they could blame me for the changes that had to be made. He became something like, 'His Faith Saved Islam For His People', and I reinstated him as Regent, under The Dignity Law. There were so few people, and we couldn't afford to lose any when something could be done about it. *to Arc* Anyhoo, do you spar in a circle? *spreads his arms* Alpha, engage, mission: combat training, parameters: energetic disturbance. Mark! *Alpha envelops Truman in a second skin. Truman holds his hands apart and sparks form patterns between.* Oooh, tingly! So, how do we do this?
Mags: Pan-Panc... Pankaces! Clare: Hello, Pancreas. Fio: I'm sure its Panacea! Clare: Pancreas sounds more hardcore. Mags: Pancakes looks fluffy. [giggles]
Arc: Well, Sarah? How're we gonna do this without your royal frills getting ruffled? Sarah: Ideally, you would not be doing this at all, but it seems that I cannot stop this. You will, however, be civil about it. Arc: Alright, how about this, Truman? We take turns trying to hit each other. The first person to get a solid hit in wins.
Truman: Hmm. How about a combat circle? * closes his eyes, and a circle of thirty paces appears with a protective dome * This place seems to have its rules, so no death blows or spells. Declared elemental and martial attacks only, hand weapons only. First out of the circle is defeated. I give you first attack. I declare two long knives, martial combat, and Alpha's physical and energetic defenses. Its protocol will not allow it to initiate an energetic attack, but it will return the energy of any attack. I consider that a fair balance. What say you? We can each demonstrate our abilities before we begin.
Arc: Okay, I'm calling super speed, hand-to-hand combat, and this! *Raises hand and summons a lightning bolt from the sky, which connects with his hand and disperses throughout his body, waiting to be used.* Whatcha got, ghost-man?
Truman: Hmm, super speed sounds like a spell or a video game buff. Does it function within the laws of physics? Probably gonna get cancelled by the dome. I love the lightning! I'll definitely give you that! Hey, Seeker! Can you suspend reality just for lightning? Seeker: No, Truman. Truman: But... *disappointed* Seeker: Just wish for a lightning storm in the dome, you can both draw energy from that. Truman: Yess! Cool! *dry lightning storm rolls in the dome. Puts palms out flat. Alpha forms two large paddles, then they shimmer as they harden. He scoops a two-meter pile of earth, then hugs it, and the Alpha wraps around it and squeezes it into sandstone. The Alpha redistributes around Truman as he steps away. He puts an arm out and Alpha forms a tube as his other hand reaches up and a ball shape forms to attract a lightning bolt. As the Alpha-suit scintillates, the tube glows, and air is ionized as it is pulled through. Superheated air melts the stone to glass in a blue flash. Truman lowers his ball-hand to the ground and the lightning hops and disappears. Alpha-suit ripples as Truman hugs the molten glass into an Arc statue.* Too bad I can't use that for an attack, but it was great for melting ice in the Rocky Mountains. As I said, it's all just energy transfer. You get the statue as a trophy if you win! *steps five paces from center of circle and bows to Arc.*
Pancracio: Oh, hello there. You are welcome to pet me or behold my fluffiness, since it's one of my new functions and I have been groomed for the contest, so I'm at peak performance. I advice against attempting to eat me, though. My alloy chassis is not tasteful and M.A.R.A. wouldn't appreciate being into a menu, neither. You can even ride me around, as long as you don't disturb the wool. I can reach a safe gallop speed, even with passengers. Pancracio: It's an unwanted side effect. Truth is, my original language structure got corrupted with unneeded words. The human I brain-scanned was some sort of grammarian in partial ethyl-influenced status. My apologies. He is peculiarly verbose, though I doubt he survived the procedure mentally unscathed. I guess I could participate in your combat contest by simulating some ramming techniques I learned from the flock. It's rare to watch an angry sheep, but they can be vicious if not taken seriously. Well, prized animals have a better life-status among peers. At least among people who values the time and work involved. Mateo's brother-in-law has attempted to cook me numerous times, trying a 'Magellan Lamb recipe' he read in a website. I ate his car in revenge. My flock is destined to wool and milk production, but other farms use them for meat. Mateo loves his flock as his own children, and would never kill a sheep. * a ten year old blond, milky-white kid gets closer to the circle, wearing a white overall, red rubber boots and gloves, plus darkened welding goggles. He observes with care to each guest in silence, then gets interested into the duel.* Mikael:*to Truman* Are you superheroes? Mom says that I shouldn't watch violent superheroes. But I don't mind, because mom is not here. Please, keep doing so many violent things with the goo-armor. I wonder if you have your own comic book. I will watch until mister Nevsky comes to take me home.
Hey, Pancracio! So you WERE once a 'ship.' Hey. The drunk Jan was right. Not me, the other Jan. I'm not drunk (yet.)
Pancracio: That silly kid has spent weeks observing my movements. I still can't figure what did I do to him, for him to behave in such a distrustful way. I have been about of H.F.N.'ing him in many occasions. Good thing is, no one believes him. Also, he's completely isolated from any sort of social media. My sensors detected a 350% increase on his caffeine levels since he grew awareness of my presence, so I project a 75% chance for him to develop addictive behavior in future years. *Mikael gets closer to Pancracio, observing him with gelid seriousness* Pancracio: Baah? Mikael: It is too late for that. I heard when you were talking to the superheroes too. I won't tell if you are kind to me. Pancracio: *sighs* Baah...
Arc: No speed, then? That's fine, this isn't a real fight, anyway. I don't need a storm to make lightning, though, it comes from inside me, but I'll use this anyway. Hey, Sarah! When I win, you can put that statue next to the throne! Sarah: Never have I heard such an unappealing idea. Also, child, if you are looking for heroes, you should not look at us. I have too much to do to worry about heroics, and Arc is someone that can be generously described as a barely-civilized human being; he is far from a hero. Arc: The fight starts now, Truman! I don't hold back! *Holds out hands and sends a lightning bolt directly at Truman. If it connects, lightning from the storm will be attracted to Truman, and shock him further.*
Truman: *Hand forms a larger ball, and pulls even more lightning from Arc and the storm. Other hand points to Arc as Alpha-suit scintillates and little filaments of electricity grow like hairs, then disappear as a tiny filament crackles before Arcs feet. Suddenly, a massive bolt follows and strikes the ground and vaporizes the earth before Arc. Truman charges, unseen, as a cloud of dust and debris surround Arc. He dives to Arcs feet and stands straight up as he delivers a double palm strike that knocks Arc to three paces from the edge of the circle.* Energy transfer, boy! We're not just gonna make a fireworks show here! On your feet!
Arc: *Gets to a crouch and launches at Truman, catching his leg and yanking him to ground. Not stopping, he runs in a circle in the middle and faces Truman.* Without my speed, this is actually kind of tough. These robot things May talked about are way stronger than I thought they'd be. *Throws his arms out.* But I ain't giving up without giving you a real fight! *Lightning strikes the circle and jumps back to him, then back to the circle, rebounding over and over and getting stronger each time.* Let's see if you can take this! *Thrusts his arms at the ground in front of Truman, and all of his lightning strikes. The shockwave blasts Truman back to the edge of the circle. He then runs right at him, trying to knock him out of the ring.* May: Arc's probably gonna lose. Sarah: What?! When did you get here? Why?
Truman: *knives drop to his feet, and Alpha-suit pushes them into the ground to brace for Arc's charge. At the last instant, Truman simply steps out of the suit, and Arc hits it full force as it turns to slippery goo, and slides right out of the circle.* Force can be redirected, or even encouraged, to defeat the attacker. Your power and speed are magnificent, but... *Truman looks down to find his foot outside the circle. He is defeated before Arc hit Alpha-suit. He sighs* Aw, that's what I get for being cocky. You kept your focus. Maybe we both learned something. The trophy is yours.
Vanna: Well, thank God that's over. Elsie: I'm surprised you'd even condone fighting, Mr. I'm-So-Peaceful. I'd have thought you and your people had forgotten how to have conflict in your perfect utopia. Vanna: Alright, Elsie, calm down. Hello again, Pancracio. Good to see you. How've you been? Jasmine: Can I stroke the wool, too? Maria Cecilia: That is...fascinating. I have never seen a sheep before. Charlotta: Well, not one that isn't cooked up and smothered in sauce, anyway. Henrietta: Charlotta! Do not be so tactless! Arabella: Although she has a point, it seems...unusual. Of course, it speaks, but there is more to it than that. Would you care to explain? Rose: I want to hear about this child. Could you perchance introduce yourself? Cis: Yes - who are you? Have we seen you before?
