Amanita Agaricales
Member
Redfin as Amanita
Moonie as Laermont
Word Count: 2140
The tea was fine. It was hot with a decent floral flavor. It had interesting hints of the sea to it, something salty and deep. It was fine, but Amanita wanted something stronger. It wasn't the best time for bourbon, though, not with everything that was going on. The bottles she had brought were also trapped at the bottom of the ocean somewhere.
She had changed out of her ragged clothes and into a Pelagian sailor's uniform. The clothes were not flattering to her figure at all but she accepted it begrudgingly. Amanita was sitting in the mess hall, staring out the window. The Orca wasn't as advanced as the Arsenic, but it was a sturdy vessel. The mess hall was similar, nothing more than tables bolted to the ground to keep them from moving around in the water. It was a cool, damp place all around.
In front of the woman was a book, a list of most of the mercenaries that had volunteered. She still kept track of those that had stayed, of those that had returned, of those that had perished and of those whose fate were unknown. Sadly, the latter two categories had a much higher count than the former two.
Amanita took a sip of her tea as she watched the waters. It was the only view she had for weeks, and it brought a scowl to her face.
After the madness of everything, Laermont looked the same as ever. Whatever had happened, it didn’t show in any way on any part of him. The danger the demvir had faced could not be shown on his face or on his metallic skin. Nonetheless there was a certain deliberation about his movements, a certain heaviness that spoke of exhaustion.
He heaved himself across the room and noting the haughty countenance of Amanita Agaricales, he came over and sat down, fixing her with his eerily expressionless faceplate.
“Miss Agaricales. It is good to see you have survived. How are you bearing up?”
Amanita put down her cup of tea. She glanced back. "Ah, you are Laermont, right? Diamantus's companion." She tilted her head and ran fingers through her hair. Amanita was in a bit of a foul mood after everything that had happened. Perhaps a change of routine could change that.
She took a deep breath. "Would you care to join me? I heard you and a few others somehow managed to find an island. That must have been quite fortunate." A smile was forced onto her face.
Although there was something stiff and stilted about Amanita, as if she wasn’t used to interacting with the ordinary public, Laermont was willing to accommodate her and so he nodded amiably as she addressed him. “Thank you. Yes it was rather fortunate. I was not expecting to be so lucky.”
Looking her over appraisingly, he took a moment before he spoke to say, “Tell me what happened to you, Miss Agaricales? Were you less fortunate? Whatever happened, you appear to be in quite good shape physically at least.”
The corner of Amanita's mouth twitched. "I and a few others were stuck floating on the ocean on escape crafts. We were stocked with enough food and water at least, so that wasn't a concern.
"It was the worst shaking and rocking I've ever experienced. Not to mention the near battle between the surviving crew of the Arsenic and the mercenaries. I had to put a stop to that before they sank the escape crafts." Amanita shook her head. She pointed to the left bunch of hair. Rather than the usual golden color, it was a shade of coral pink. "I don't even want to talk about this. It was an interesting time to say the least."
The detective nodded and listened intently. Somehow his posture and position gave him the aspect of paying attention, despite the lack of any facial expression or animation. The demvir had a way of self-expression that transcended their lack of moveable features.
Amanita took a sip of her tea.
"And do you know the best part about the entire thing? It turned out that we were no more than three nautical knots from your island. We could have found you and made landfall, but I suppose it wasn't to be. At least I was able to keep people on task until rescue came for us." Towards the end, it seemed as if Amanita was more speaking to no one. She blinked twice before looking back to Laermont. "How was your time spent?" she asked as if talking about a pleasant weekend.
If Laermont was taken aback by Amanita’s rather haughty self-assurance, it didn’t appear in anything he did or said. His voice was gently neutral as he spoke. “It was good that they had you there to keep order, it might have been a bit of a shambles without a natural born organizer in their midst.”
In reply to her query, phrased in a politely bland manner, the detective said, “Our tasks were not dissimilar. I had to try and muster the forces on the beaches. I wanted to ensure that we kept everything going. It was tough at several points but we made it.”
Looking her up and down, he paused for a moment before he spoke again. “Did much of your immaculate wardrobe survive? It would be a great shame if you lost some of those fine dresses.”
He added, “It may surprise you to know, but I am not bad as a tailor. If you need any repairs done to your garments, let me know.”
Amanita raised her arms, looking at the ill-fitting uniform. "I would take you up on that, but no, there was no time to save any of my possessions. What supplies we salvaged were only those that floated up to the surface." She tapped her chin. "That may not entirely be true. I haven't checked yet, though." Amanita said nothing more on the matter.
"I wouldn't mind you readjusting the fit on some of these Pelagian military uniforms, though, if you're looking for something to occupy your time, Quaestor." There was a smirk on her face to show that she wasn't entirely serious, but she also wouldn't refuse if he really wanted to do so. Amanita tugged down on the uniform.
There was a hint of mirth in the gigantic demvir’s voice as it boomed out. “Madam, I am always willing to occupy my time in the pursuit of fashionable appearance. If you leave me the uniforms, I will make the alterations and have them back to you quickly.”
"Oh, I did want to ask you, you're companions with Diamantus, right? Is she with you? She wasn't among my group."
The detective shook his head, somehow seeming sad despite his lack of facial expression. “No. Sadly I lost track of her in the chaos of what transpired on the ship. The last I saw her, she was with Garus.”
Laermont looked more closely at Amanita. “Why? Did you know her well?”
"Hmm." Amanita mumbled. She shook her head. "We've crossed paths a few times in Terminus. She has helped me out a few times, though I don't know if I consider her a friend due to her anarchist tendencies. I don't agree with that line of thinking."
Again the Quaestor spoke, his voice neutral but not bland. “I can’t say that, as a member of the police force, that I can answer in any way other than to agree with you. We are meant to dislike her sort, but she has proven herself trustworthy.”
Amanita sighed. "I never knew she was part of the Pelagian military. I feel confident she will have survived this, somehow, especially being a velen. I wouldn't miss Captain Garus at all, though." She pressed her brows together with her index finger and thumb. "He was a real headache to deal with. If I don't see him again, that's fine with me. Captain Driweus seems more reasonable, at least.
"How did you get to know Diamantus? She seems like the kind of person you would be investigating."
Laermont tapped the side of what would’ve been his nose, had he had one. “Sometimes we have to cultivate informants who don’t necessarily work on the side of law and order. Terminus is a complicated place, as you know. Sometimes the best information comes from what might be deemed ‘shady’ sources. Diamantus gave me good, reliable information and access to contacts I might otherwise have missed.”
He looked across at Amanita. “So why’d you decide to join this whole voyage. It seems to me that a person of your station wouldn’t bother with such risky things?”
Amanita shrugged. "It was spur of the moment." Her mouth was pulled down in a frown. That wasn't a good answer. "Originally, I was merely going to provide supplies. Then I was going to remain comfortable at home. I'm not sure how much help I can be on the frontlines. I came because I feel as if I have to do something. The meek require someone strong to protect them such as I. Not only myself, but you and all the others that volunteered and remained."
A wry smile might have spread across Laermont’s face, if he had a face that showed any expression. He did manage to keep a calm tone in his voice. “Well yes, I am glad that you are able to contribute your strength to the cause! It’ll be good to have you with us, Lady Agaricales.”
She brushed strands of hair away from her face. "You don't need to worry too much about me. I'm not that involved with the running of my company. My sister is the one that does all of the work. I'm more of a silent owner that's trying to make my voice heard and make something of my own." A sarcastic laugh left her mouth.
The inspector nodded thoughtfully. “It might end up being you who makes the bigger impact in the long run. I wouldn’t put it past you at all.”
"Oh, Quaestor, why don't you come with me? I can give you the clothes to be tailored."
Laermont had nearly forgotten about his tailoring request but he replied with animation. “Absolutely. Lead the way!”
As they walked, he asked, “Have you got much experience with wars?”
Amanita made her way through the narrow corridors of the submarine. They were about as spacious as the Arsenic, which was not at all. Tens of pipes ran overhead darting in and out of rooms, some large, others small. The hum of the engines were louder in the confined spaces. It was a mindless din that Amanita hardly noticed anymore.
"I do not have any experience with wars. This is my first one," Amanita stated as-a-matter-of-factly. "Though I suppose we haven't gotten to the real combat part, yet. Already so much has happened. If you have any advice about anything, I would be glad to have it."
There would have been a grim expression on Laermont’s features, but his tone of voice was enough. “I’ll try my best to help you when the time comes. It’s easier to offer advice once things start. Right now, explaining it is nigh on impossible.”
They turned into Amanita's room. It was a small place shared with several others, a huge difference from the usual places she stayed. Out of all the beds, hers was kept the tidiest. She set the book in her arms down on the bed.
The only thing she had were a few pairs of Pelagian sailor uniforms. "Here. Let's see what you can do."
Lifting them and looking at the uniforms with a practice glance, the detective nodded thoughtfully. “Oh I believe that we can definitely do something with these. Most definitely! I’ll have at it and let you know when they’re ready. It’ll be sooner rather than later, I don’t think we have all that much time.”
"Oh, do give the uniform a combat skirt. Pants are not my style," Amanita said. What was a combat skirt? It was a regular skirt that was taken into combat. It was something different from a tasset and wasn't as thick as bases. A combat skirt was stylish and flowed with her movement. It accentuated her actions with pizzazz. For actual war, perhaps metal plating would be more useful, but Amanita felt it would be fine without it.
She waved her fingers. "Thank you. You can find me here or at the mess hall."
Deciding to take his leave and give Amanita some space, he made his farewells and left her to her own devices. There would be time enough for them to learn a great deal more about each other, given what was coming down the line.
Word Count: 2140
Moonie as Laermont
Word Count: 2140
The tea was fine. It was hot with a decent floral flavor. It had interesting hints of the sea to it, something salty and deep. It was fine, but Amanita wanted something stronger. It wasn't the best time for bourbon, though, not with everything that was going on. The bottles she had brought were also trapped at the bottom of the ocean somewhere.
She had changed out of her ragged clothes and into a Pelagian sailor's uniform. The clothes were not flattering to her figure at all but she accepted it begrudgingly. Amanita was sitting in the mess hall, staring out the window. The Orca wasn't as advanced as the Arsenic, but it was a sturdy vessel. The mess hall was similar, nothing more than tables bolted to the ground to keep them from moving around in the water. It was a cool, damp place all around.
In front of the woman was a book, a list of most of the mercenaries that had volunteered. She still kept track of those that had stayed, of those that had returned, of those that had perished and of those whose fate were unknown. Sadly, the latter two categories had a much higher count than the former two.
Amanita took a sip of her tea as she watched the waters. It was the only view she had for weeks, and it brought a scowl to her face.
After the madness of everything, Laermont looked the same as ever. Whatever had happened, it didn’t show in any way on any part of him. The danger the demvir had faced could not be shown on his face or on his metallic skin. Nonetheless there was a certain deliberation about his movements, a certain heaviness that spoke of exhaustion.
He heaved himself across the room and noting the haughty countenance of Amanita Agaricales, he came over and sat down, fixing her with his eerily expressionless faceplate.
“Miss Agaricales. It is good to see you have survived. How are you bearing up?”
Amanita put down her cup of tea. She glanced back. "Ah, you are Laermont, right? Diamantus's companion." She tilted her head and ran fingers through her hair. Amanita was in a bit of a foul mood after everything that had happened. Perhaps a change of routine could change that.
She took a deep breath. "Would you care to join me? I heard you and a few others somehow managed to find an island. That must have been quite fortunate." A smile was forced onto her face.
Although there was something stiff and stilted about Amanita, as if she wasn’t used to interacting with the ordinary public, Laermont was willing to accommodate her and so he nodded amiably as she addressed him. “Thank you. Yes it was rather fortunate. I was not expecting to be so lucky.”
Looking her over appraisingly, he took a moment before he spoke to say, “Tell me what happened to you, Miss Agaricales? Were you less fortunate? Whatever happened, you appear to be in quite good shape physically at least.”
The corner of Amanita's mouth twitched. "I and a few others were stuck floating on the ocean on escape crafts. We were stocked with enough food and water at least, so that wasn't a concern.
"It was the worst shaking and rocking I've ever experienced. Not to mention the near battle between the surviving crew of the Arsenic and the mercenaries. I had to put a stop to that before they sank the escape crafts." Amanita shook her head. She pointed to the left bunch of hair. Rather than the usual golden color, it was a shade of coral pink. "I don't even want to talk about this. It was an interesting time to say the least."
The detective nodded and listened intently. Somehow his posture and position gave him the aspect of paying attention, despite the lack of any facial expression or animation. The demvir had a way of self-expression that transcended their lack of moveable features.
Amanita took a sip of her tea.
"And do you know the best part about the entire thing? It turned out that we were no more than three nautical knots from your island. We could have found you and made landfall, but I suppose it wasn't to be. At least I was able to keep people on task until rescue came for us." Towards the end, it seemed as if Amanita was more speaking to no one. She blinked twice before looking back to Laermont. "How was your time spent?" she asked as if talking about a pleasant weekend.
If Laermont was taken aback by Amanita’s rather haughty self-assurance, it didn’t appear in anything he did or said. His voice was gently neutral as he spoke. “It was good that they had you there to keep order, it might have been a bit of a shambles without a natural born organizer in their midst.”
In reply to her query, phrased in a politely bland manner, the detective said, “Our tasks were not dissimilar. I had to try and muster the forces on the beaches. I wanted to ensure that we kept everything going. It was tough at several points but we made it.”
Looking her up and down, he paused for a moment before he spoke again. “Did much of your immaculate wardrobe survive? It would be a great shame if you lost some of those fine dresses.”
He added, “It may surprise you to know, but I am not bad as a tailor. If you need any repairs done to your garments, let me know.”
Amanita raised her arms, looking at the ill-fitting uniform. "I would take you up on that, but no, there was no time to save any of my possessions. What supplies we salvaged were only those that floated up to the surface." She tapped her chin. "That may not entirely be true. I haven't checked yet, though." Amanita said nothing more on the matter.
"I wouldn't mind you readjusting the fit on some of these Pelagian military uniforms, though, if you're looking for something to occupy your time, Quaestor." There was a smirk on her face to show that she wasn't entirely serious, but she also wouldn't refuse if he really wanted to do so. Amanita tugged down on the uniform.
There was a hint of mirth in the gigantic demvir’s voice as it boomed out. “Madam, I am always willing to occupy my time in the pursuit of fashionable appearance. If you leave me the uniforms, I will make the alterations and have them back to you quickly.”
"Oh, I did want to ask you, you're companions with Diamantus, right? Is she with you? She wasn't among my group."
The detective shook his head, somehow seeming sad despite his lack of facial expression. “No. Sadly I lost track of her in the chaos of what transpired on the ship. The last I saw her, she was with Garus.”
Laermont looked more closely at Amanita. “Why? Did you know her well?”
"Hmm." Amanita mumbled. She shook her head. "We've crossed paths a few times in Terminus. She has helped me out a few times, though I don't know if I consider her a friend due to her anarchist tendencies. I don't agree with that line of thinking."
Again the Quaestor spoke, his voice neutral but not bland. “I can’t say that, as a member of the police force, that I can answer in any way other than to agree with you. We are meant to dislike her sort, but she has proven herself trustworthy.”
Amanita sighed. "I never knew she was part of the Pelagian military. I feel confident she will have survived this, somehow, especially being a velen. I wouldn't miss Captain Garus at all, though." She pressed her brows together with her index finger and thumb. "He was a real headache to deal with. If I don't see him again, that's fine with me. Captain Driweus seems more reasonable, at least.
"How did you get to know Diamantus? She seems like the kind of person you would be investigating."
Laermont tapped the side of what would’ve been his nose, had he had one. “Sometimes we have to cultivate informants who don’t necessarily work on the side of law and order. Terminus is a complicated place, as you know. Sometimes the best information comes from what might be deemed ‘shady’ sources. Diamantus gave me good, reliable information and access to contacts I might otherwise have missed.”
He looked across at Amanita. “So why’d you decide to join this whole voyage. It seems to me that a person of your station wouldn’t bother with such risky things?”
Amanita shrugged. "It was spur of the moment." Her mouth was pulled down in a frown. That wasn't a good answer. "Originally, I was merely going to provide supplies. Then I was going to remain comfortable at home. I'm not sure how much help I can be on the frontlines. I came because I feel as if I have to do something. The meek require someone strong to protect them such as I. Not only myself, but you and all the others that volunteered and remained."
A wry smile might have spread across Laermont’s face, if he had a face that showed any expression. He did manage to keep a calm tone in his voice. “Well yes, I am glad that you are able to contribute your strength to the cause! It’ll be good to have you with us, Lady Agaricales.”
She brushed strands of hair away from her face. "You don't need to worry too much about me. I'm not that involved with the running of my company. My sister is the one that does all of the work. I'm more of a silent owner that's trying to make my voice heard and make something of my own." A sarcastic laugh left her mouth.
The inspector nodded thoughtfully. “It might end up being you who makes the bigger impact in the long run. I wouldn’t put it past you at all.”
"Oh, Quaestor, why don't you come with me? I can give you the clothes to be tailored."
Laermont had nearly forgotten about his tailoring request but he replied with animation. “Absolutely. Lead the way!”
As they walked, he asked, “Have you got much experience with wars?”
Amanita made her way through the narrow corridors of the submarine. They were about as spacious as the Arsenic, which was not at all. Tens of pipes ran overhead darting in and out of rooms, some large, others small. The hum of the engines were louder in the confined spaces. It was a mindless din that Amanita hardly noticed anymore.
"I do not have any experience with wars. This is my first one," Amanita stated as-a-matter-of-factly. "Though I suppose we haven't gotten to the real combat part, yet. Already so much has happened. If you have any advice about anything, I would be glad to have it."
There would have been a grim expression on Laermont’s features, but his tone of voice was enough. “I’ll try my best to help you when the time comes. It’s easier to offer advice once things start. Right now, explaining it is nigh on impossible.”
They turned into Amanita's room. It was a small place shared with several others, a huge difference from the usual places she stayed. Out of all the beds, hers was kept the tidiest. She set the book in her arms down on the bed.
The only thing she had were a few pairs of Pelagian sailor uniforms. "Here. Let's see what you can do."
Lifting them and looking at the uniforms with a practice glance, the detective nodded thoughtfully. “Oh I believe that we can definitely do something with these. Most definitely! I’ll have at it and let you know when they’re ready. It’ll be sooner rather than later, I don’t think we have all that much time.”
"Oh, do give the uniform a combat skirt. Pants are not my style," Amanita said. What was a combat skirt? It was a regular skirt that was taken into combat. It was something different from a tasset and wasn't as thick as bases. A combat skirt was stylish and flowed with her movement. It accentuated her actions with pizzazz. For actual war, perhaps metal plating would be more useful, but Amanita felt it would be fine without it.
She waved her fingers. "Thank you. You can find me here or at the mess hall."
Deciding to take his leave and give Amanita some space, he made his farewells and left her to her own devices. There would be time enough for them to learn a great deal more about each other, given what was coming down the line.
Word Count: 2140