Around the Folf

[Nick22]

if i had to guess ' kora chuckled' probably a skin sample, maybe bllod. its not as if hes taking off  a piece of your liver after all.' she was seated on the coach, next to Emma,  who was fliping through the tv channels on remote. there were about 40 channel although only about 15 were  reliable in getting a complete picture in, another 10 or so were fuzzy, and the rest were practicality static. korra figured there might be an adult channel in there as well as a brief glimpse at a station saw a pair of busty lionesses locking their dark red lips together in a steamy kiss. further viewing showed that it was a show called 'my pride my love' and it was set in southern Africa." seems like you get some channels at least. ' Emma said,as she flipped through the channel before returning to My pride, My love..

[StarfallRaptor]

Neku smirked, shrugging a bit as he looked down one of the halls.
"Well, there's not a lot else to see here. Honestly, we're still trying to sort through stuff people left behind.  Seriously, some of the stuff we've found is...weird, to put it nicely."
He chuckled, as Riv tapped on his chin thoughtfully.
"I mean, we've got a little training area set up, I guess?  And there's this one room that's um... interesting.  If that kinda stuff is fascinating to you.  But...um... I mean, I figured you'd want to spend time with Yu? Aren't you guys... y'know...together?"
He asked, a bit puzzled...
_______________________________________________________
Yurei glanced at the TV for a moment, blushing as he turned back to Flora.
"Honestly, Flora.  I'd never remember you as anything less than the amazing, wonderful, passionate, beautiful girl you are.  I mean it~."
He stammeted shyly, as the maned wolf made his way over, calmly clearing his throat again.
"We have not.  I merely have reviewed your personnel file.  I am Josef.  As to the biological sample, anything which contains your DNA will suffice.  Blood, skin, hair, it is of no concern.  The same goes for all of you.  Though please.  Refrain from making your samples consist of ... bodily fluids, if you would.  I find such things distasteful."
He said, producing multiple small test tube-like containers and handing them to each of the recent arrivals in the room...

[aabicus (LettuceBacon&Tomato)]

"Trust me, I know Yurei enough to recognize when he wants alone time with Flora," Sharal'tar shrugged and added with a grin, "plus you can't allude to a room like that without showing it. My psionic power is literally growing tentacles, I'm not as innocent as you may think."

Kojurro watched as the test subjects grouped up and formed their own little bubble. "On that topic, I'm surprised Sartonic turned such a blind eye to the rampant polyamory going on among its test subjects," he remarked to Marita and Rose. "You'd think that'd constitute some sort of safety or health concerns. Especially when staff members like Emma started getting involved..."

-------------------------

"Oh, well, nice to meet you Josef." Flora glanced at Yurei, and when he didn't seem concerned about Josef's request, acquiescently plucked one of her ivory head hairs and offered it in her proffered vial. "Could I ask what you're going to do with it?" she followed up. "From your talk of 'correcting the fur color,' it almost sounds like you were going to grow a clone or something..."

[StarfallRaptor]

Neku smirked, raising an eye ridge.
"Tentacles, huh?  Well, then I think you'd get a kick out of that room, then.  C'mon, we'll show you, eh Riv?"
He teased, as Riv's tail stiffened straight out behind him.
"Y-yeah, sure!"
He stammered awkwardly...
____________________________________________________________

Yurei smiled and kissed Flora's cheek as Josef took the sample container.
"Something of the sort.  Though far less flawed by comparison.  You will see soon enough. Suffice it to say it will impress you."
He said smugly, tucking the container into his smock.
"Now, if the rest of you could provide samples as well, then my project can be completed before you set out again"

[aabicus (LettuceBacon&Tomato)]

"Well, I don't think my pink fur is flawed at all," Flora stuck her tongue out defiantly. Glancing at Emma and Kora, she waited to see if the two would pass over genetic samples or opt out.

------------------------------

Sharal'tar smiled. "Lead the way," she said, mostly to Riv, as he was clearly uncomfortable and she enjoyed seeing him squirm. Yurei and I need to bring this guy out of his shell...if he's not using those portals in the bedroom, he's doing his love life a disservice.

As they walked, she couldn't help but wonder whether Yurei had hooked up with any of these people. I certainly hope he hasn't just sat here pining after me and Flora...even though that's exactly the sort of Byronic thing he'd do. Neku seemed the most likely shag of the roommates she'd encountered; she resolved to ask Yurei later, or assure him that he had her full support on any romantic endeavors he may or may not be interested in exploring.

[Nick22]

Emma and Kora handed over some hairs as genetic examples. " Yes , Kojurro, normally such relationships are strictly forbidden under a moral code of conduct, you can't mingle personal and professional conduct without sacrificing either your personal privacy or your professional reputation, and often you lose both."
I was hired to help get samples from Flora" Emma said. " What sort of samples? Kora asked." Well.." Emma blushed " her sperm. I... had to arouse her until she produced a sample. " And what did Satoric have you do to get that sample " Well, um" Emma blushed " Kiss her on the lips and fondle her breasts until she got hard." Wait your first meeting with Flora involved you two making out until she ' released into a cup? You couldn't have just shown her hot film love scenes on a screen until you got the sample?"Kora said turning to Emma " I needed the money, and well we really enjoyed the making out. " And from that you formed a relationship.  Sartonic crossed a whole bunch of ethics lines by having you and Flora do that, then again, considering the other stuff that has been going on there, two young vixens introducing themselves by putting their tongues into each other's mouths is not something that is going to reach the top of ethics violations, or even warrant much public mention. "
" Would you have done something like that, if that meant you would have met Marita for the first time?" " No , honey. For one, Marita and I have 
known each other for a long time. Secondly that kind of kissing is something you normally learn about at sleepovers with other girls. I take it you never had sleepovers with your girlfriends?" No, Flora was my first kiss ever " Emma said " So your first kiss was part of stimulating Floras privates? Well that's a memorable first kiss at any rate"

[Nick22]

Emma sighed " I didn't have many friends in my early teens. Guys weren't really interested in me, and I didn't know that I liked girls yet. I didn't do sleepovers or anything like that. So no spin the bottle, truth or dare, any of those games that normally result in you kissing someone else." Kora nodded " Everyone is different. Like I said, I don't blame you or Flora for doing what Sartonic told you, it's their fault for having you do it in the first place. It's cute that you girls hit it off, and more than that, judging from the bump in your belly. Have you given a name to the child yet?" No. I'm not sure on the gender, I'm not entirely sure that there's only one." Have you told your folks?" Kora asked " Heavens no! That conversation would be very very awkward " Hey mom and dad? I'm pregnant, by another girl who has a working dodad. Can you help me?" They would surely help you, Emma dear. Parents love their kids, no matter what messes they get into. " Kora said

[aabicus (LettuceBacon&Tomato)]

Deep in the deserts the next morning, after the sandstorm had died down, a new portal opened and Sharal'tar led the way back onto the path of their treasure map, waving goodbye to the new friends they'd made.

"Nice to know we can come back whenever we want," Kojurro noted, holding a small handheld device similar to a car beeper. "We just have to alert them with this beacon, and Riv will pop us a portal in no time."

"Awesome, 'cause I was really hoping to learn what that maned wolf planned on doing with my genetic sample," Flora yawned; despite it being past noon, she hadn't gotten much sleep. "For all I know, the next time we visit there's going to be a different Flora already running around..."

[StarfallRaptor]

Yurei smirked, giving a small chuckle as he stepped through the portal.
"Well, you're not too far off the mark, Flora.  Josef's using his ability to create decoys for Sartoric.  The genetic samples will let him create fakes convincing enough to convince them that we kicked it on the road, at least throw them off our track long enough to get us some breathing room.  Plus, once he has our imprints, he can also create slightly more advanced golems that we can drop in a town off the track to throw them if we need."
He replied, stretching a bit as he walked.  Not too far off, near Sharal'tar, Neku grinned, fiddling with his headphones and rolling a shoulder.
"Heh, damn.  Been way too long since I've been out like this!  Man, the sun feels nice!"
He said, attempting to keep a cool facade, but clearly excited...

[Nick22]

so, thoise are, for all intents and purposes, cllones that you are going to pass off as us?" Kora made a face. ' this sounds like something out of Jules Verne  novel, or ruice Burroughs with his john Carter of mars" serioes. back in the days when they thought mars had people on it and Venus was a tropical paradise. Wrong on both counts, of course."

[aabicus (LettuceBacon&Tomato)]

"Awww, can we go back? I want to meet the other me!" Flora asked, even as the portal closed behind her. "Can they talk? Could we chat with ourselves, or shake hands, or...like, other things?"

"What 'other things'?" Sharal'tar raised an eyebrow when the folf didn't reply. "Flora, please tell me you aren't implying you'd want to have sex with a braindead homunculus of yourself that you'll soon be leaving behind as a corpse in the desert." She shot her a disgusted look.

"I...uh...didn't think that much about it..." Flora broke eye contact as Sharal'tar facepalmed and shook her head.

"We really do need to keep moving, we can revisit the den some other time," Kojurro affirmed resolutely. "It's mid-autumn, a good time of year for hiking through the desert, but the days will still be hot and the nights bitter cold. Stay in the wagons as much as possible, keep hydrated, and let's get this caravan rolling!"

[StarfallRaptor]

Yurei chuckled at Flora's enthusiastic questioning, playfully patting her arm.
"Well, Flora, those first batch of Josef's golems wouldn't make great conversational partners.  In fact,  they won't do much of anything.   But I'm sure with a little time and a bit more familiarity with you, he could craft a nearly-identical copy of you.  Plus any...tweaks you'd like.   He's quite talented like that."
He teased, then playfully gave her butt a quick grope.
"Besides, why would you need another you... when you've got me here~?"
He whispered coyly...

As the group made their way towards their next destination,  Neku paused, tensing up and holding a hand out tongue flicking a bit.
"Hey, hold up guys.   There's something ahead of us.   Sartoric, in fact..."
He said nervously, sparks flicking across his arms...

[aabicus (LettuceBacon&Tomato)]

Flora purred happily when Yurei pet her; it had been so long since they’d last seen each other, she felt safer than she’d been since this ordeal started knowing he was on their team again. But that comfort switched to apprehension when he alerted them that a threat was inbound.

“Any idea how close they are?” Kojurro asked, drawing his katana in preparation.

 Sharal’tar shot Marie a sideways glance. “Maybe you should stay be me, Marie. Your plant powers might be getting their first taste of combat soon, and I’d like to be able to advise you if I get any opportunities…”

[StarfallRaptor]

As soon as Neku spoke, Yurei shifted position slightly,  putting himself protectively in front of Flora, arm out in front of her.   Neku, meanwhile, had shut his eyes, tongue flicking out again as sparks flickered around his arms. 
"About sixty meters.  Maybe seventy.  I don't think they know we're here yet, though.   Based on movement... they're patrolling.  I think they knew we'd be heading this way.   Trying to cut us off..."
He muttered softly, eyes snapping open.
"Wait... if they're trying to do that..."
Before he could finish his thought, the sound of engines could be heard from the way they'd just come...

[Nick22]

 why do i get the sense that sartonic put trackers of some kind on you?' Kora  turned to Yurei. " it would be a prudent thing to do, given the abilities of the residents of that facility. after all, you dont want someone who could, say, control peoples minds breaking out and having no way to track him or her  down.  So, how do you explain how they found us, and knew we were heading this way.?"

 Marie focused abd her claws slowlly turned green, changing into vines. ' Tell what to hit Sharal, tar.' She said tersely. " i'll give it my best shot."

[StarfallRaptor]

Neku shook his head.
"Yurei's clean.  Josef and I made sure of that once things got settled in.  Plus... these guys aren't geared enough to be a capture unit.   Too few, besides.  My guess is that they're dragnet fishing for us.  Send out a bunch of teams along likely routes, and we'd be bound to run into them."
He said, electricity coiling along his arms and torso...   

[aabicus (LettuceBacon&Tomato)]

"Then we're gonna want to eliminate them fast, before they have time to call for backup," Kojurro affirmed, his keen eyes scanning to the horizon and spotting the incoming patrol.

"Good call, Marie," Sharal'tar agreed, readying her own prehensile vines in preparation. "If we target the same person, we can really knock them out of the fight."

Flora, for her part, was retreating back into the caravan. "Erm, nobody brought, like, an extra pistol or something, did they?" she muttered nervously. "My psionic power is...not particularly helpful in combat..."

-----------------------------------

Meanwhile, as the patrol approached its quarry, the pointman reported the blips on his radar to the collective. "We've got lifesigns up ahead, I'd say about a dozen."

"That's too many to be our target, right?" asked the speeder pilot to his right. The majority of the patrol was camped out on a small flying skiff, speeding along the sands like a boat would cut through water. Flanking the main craft were a pair of jetski-styled speeders utilizing the same hover technology. None of the vehicles were armed, but the Sartonic agents among the patrol were far from slouches in combat.

"Let's be on our toes, just in case," the driver replied. He flexed his muscles, feeling his skin turn chromatic and bulletproof. "I wouldn't put it past them to hire additional protection."

"Well, if they're dumb enough to bring guns or knives to a psi-fight, y'all just make sure to stay behind me," a woman on the skiff radioed with a cackle. Popping the joints in her fingers, she grinned as rivulets of ferrous energy ran down her fingers.

"If you want to put up a rust field, be my guest," the driver replied. "Everyone else feeling ready? We'll be on them in less than a minute..."

[StarfallRaptor]

Yurei smiled reassuringly at Flora, pulling a small combat knife and pistol from his vest and offering them to her. 
"You're in luck, Flora.  Just so happens I do.  In fact, specially made ones, even."
He teased, giving her a playful wink.  Nearby, Neku glanced around the area, then shut his eyes, flicking his tongue again as the electricity around his arms coalesced into glowing orbs in his hands, several stray bolts arcing to the ground and flash fusing the sand into glass.
"You're right about us needing to take them out fast.  I should be able to buy us a little time, but knowing them they'll be able to get around it pretty fast.  Okay, now.  Anyone who isn't a fighter, I suggest you get to the caravan, keep your heads down, and brace yourselves.  Things may get pretty hectic REAL soon"
He said calmly, pulling his headphones up over his ears and shifting into a fighting stance...