Babylon Airship: Surf's Up!

[Topaz Mutiny]

For someone who spends their entire day fixing machines and getting oil and grease drizzled down their body, then having constant arguments with the other members of the team, and overall just being stubborn and hot-headed, there was nothing else in the world that Wave enjoyed more....

Than a nice, warm bath. Scrubbing the gunk off with good soap (though didn't smell; it irritates her nose), then just soaking in the warm fluid, and being able to forget about the days worries. Like her stupid coworker Storm. He had been especially irratating today. It was nice just to be able to pretend that he didn't exist.

But like everything else, the nice bath couldn't last forever. The water began to cool down, and Wave sighed as she dunked her head in the water one last time. The swallow then stood up and shook, dislodging a good amount of water from her feathers and making her feel lighter. She stretched, and began to reach towards her flame-patterned flares and her white tank-top and do-rag. She never would have guessed at what was going to happen next.

It would take many, many more baths to forget about what was going to happen.

[Raki]

For, at that exact moment, something red, metallic, and sizable fell from seemingly nowhere with a considerable 'THUNK'* sound into the pile of clothing. For a few moments after that, there was no movement.

However, there was a statement:


"... I suppose this would be one of those times where I should be happy I can't feel pain..."

---

*No, clothing doesn't go thunk when a heavy object hits it. That's what the floor does, and one would figure clothing is thin enough that it doesn't cushion a fall like that so much. :B

[Topaz Mutiny]

There was a long and unnerving pause coming from Wave. There she was, half in, half out of the tub, and somehow, for some unfathomable reason, a REALLY NOISY STRANGER JUST APPEARED IN HER CLOTHING.

She gaped for a little while, then came back to her normal, bossy senses. "Hey! Where the hell did you come from, buster! Get out of my clothes!" she snapped. Her cheeks had started to blush, because she was currently covering up her upper body nakedness with an arm. Her other nakedness was fortunately still hidden by the tub.

[Raki]

The stranger sat up in the pile of clothing, picking a particular item (Wave's top, to be specific) off his head, LED eyes 'blinking' in surprise at the snappy bird.

"What? Who are you?", he questioned, his gaze shifting around to the room. It was certainly unfamiliar...

"And to hell with where I came from- where am I now?"

[Topaz Mutiny]

Wave's eyes widened. A robot? And in her top and pants no less. What the heck was going on here?

"First of all, I asked you first. Secondly, you happen to be on the Babylon Rogues Airship."

...

"In the bathroom. And you just popped out of nowhere."

AWWWKWAAAARD.

"... Now can you give me my clothes?" she asked rather impatiently.

[Raki]

"You didn't ask who I w-" the robot paused, shaking his head, "... whatever. Here." He tossed the top he'd been holding over at the swallow in a flippant manner as he got back up to his feet. Stepping out of the clothing pile, he gave a second, longer look around the room.

Yeah, this was definitely a bathroom... there... really was no mistaking for that. Bathrooms only had so much variation. As for the airship part... that was questionable.

After a moments thought, he turned back to the bird, smiling as pleasantly as he could manage. There wasn't any reason to make enemies in strange places with strange faces, after all. "Well, even if you didn't really ask, my name is Arkay. I was in San Grandia only a few moments ago but..." he gestured at the room, "...now I'm not- and that's all I really know. I'd also like to mention I've never even heard of the Babylon Rogues. Who are they?"

[Topaz Mutiny]

The swallow snatched at her top, hatilly putting it on, and then grabbing for the rest of her attire and putting it on, starting with her pants.

Wave cocked an eyebrow slightly as she adjusted the do-rag on her head. San Grandia? She was positive a place like that didn't exist. Maybe this robot was lying. It would make sense, considering the fact that he IS a vicious-looking robot.

"Arkay, huh? The name's Wave." she replied, pointing a thumb to herself once she placed her necklace on. "The Babylon Rogues have generally been off the radar thieves for a while. We only started getting recent publicity when we got mixed up with this Eggman guy." she explained. It was most definately reasonable that he hadn't heard of their group, after all, most of what people knew were probably kept in dusty old history books.

[Raki]

"... Eggman?"

After a moment of silence... there was a bout of mechanically-tinged laughter from the robot.

"Is he a walrus?!"

[Topaz Mutiny]

Wave smirked. Even though this guy was a robot, he sure had one helluva sense of humor.

"From the way he looks, he should have been. Such a shame he was born human... Although his real name is Ivo. I have no idea why he insists on being called Eggman."

[Raki]

From the way he looks?

Now Arkay was imagining this 'Eggman' guy looking like a walrus- an overlander with a huge bushy mustache, shiny bald head, and... tusks. Big old tusks. Needless to say, it brought a chuckle to the robian. "The name is certainly memorable, to say the least."- and so was the mental image it procured for him.

But that was enough of that. There was more information to be gained!

" ... So where's the rest of your merry band of thieves, Wave?"

[Topaz Mutiny]

Wave considered for a moment. It didn't seem like too much of a bad idea to tell this guy about Jet and Storm. After all, considering he was stuck on their flying home, Arkay was bound to meet them anyway. "Well, my boss is most likely in the cockpit, driving. My coworker Storm-" but there she was stopped by exessively loud banging on the bathroom door.

"Wave, get your blabby butt out of there already. Other people gotta use the bathroom too, ya knows." Storm's husky voice emenated from behind the door.

"... Would be right outside the door, apparrently." Wave sighed. Storm wasn't too bright; Wave would think his brain would melt from all the questions he would want to ask once he saw Arkay. She still had a nagging question herself about how Arkay had appeared like that in the first place. If the robot knew, he wasn't planning on telling her.

[Raki]

Of course, Arkay knew nothing of Wave's concerns about Storm meeting him.

Instead, he walked over to the bathroom door, yanked it open and waved at the albatross.

"HELLO."

Pause.

"MY, you're a big..." ...chicken, pigeon, turkey... "...bird."

[Topaz Mutiny]

"... Uh..." Storm grunted with more or less an instinctual action. You could just HEAR his brain trying to pretend to be Dail-Up on a Macintosh. "... Wave?" CUE THE BRAIN MELTING.

And cue embarrassment and fumbling to explain the situation.

And since his brain was unable to cope with the questions, he went straight to his bodyguard mindset. "There ain't suppossed ta be intruders here." he growled, threateningly mashing his fist into his open palm.

But wave quickly pushed him out of the way. "Well it's a good thing he's not an intruder."

There was a pause. "... He isn't?" Storm lowered his fists.

"Of course not, moron. I was just showing him around the ship when you barged in on us in the bathroom." Wave explained.

"... But I thought yous were in the bathroom the whole time. And where'd he come from?"

"Ha. Storm, even I don't waste that much water." Wave snapped back, even though she was clearly still a bit damp. "As for the second part.... I'm still working on that." she grumbles.

Fortunately, this seemed to appease the ignorant albatross, and he gave his approval through a not-quite-believing, I'm-so-dumb, "... ... Oh."

[Raki]

The robian echidna smirked. It was clear that this albatross guy wasn't on the bright side. Or anywhere near it, really. That could make things easier... plus, from the way Wave talked, it seemed like it was just these two and one not yet seen other. Not much of a band of thieves, really- if worse came to worse, he could probably...

He turned to Wave, still smirking. "So, are we going to continue our tour?", he glanced over to the albatross when he said 'continue'. There was no reason not to play along with Wave's story, after all.

[Topaz Mutiny]

"Might as well. I think the last place I need to show you is the cockpit." Wave said, beckoning the two to follow along." inwardly she sighed. Well, that was a crisis averted. And he's pretty good at following along with a lie, she thought, We better watch out for him.

And Storm followed behind the two silently, the melted hardware that was his brain still trying to reboot. He was still trying to delete the image of seeing Wave and a robot in a bathroom... together... but he was finding it rather difficult.

[Raki]

The robian continued to smirk. Apparently he was on his way to meet their leader. Vaguely he wondered if he was as dense as the albatross... but then again, one doesn't get to be a leader by being an idiot, right? ... hm. Well, not usually, at least.

"This place is rather roomy for an airship. Nice though, I like it."

Maybe he could hang around a bit... at least, until he knew where he was, and what'd happened...

[Topaz Mutiny]

"Yeah, though we do live on this thing. Needs to feel somewhat cosy." Wave explained. She then led the group on a boring trip to the cockpit, which was fortunately not very long. She banged on the cockpit door.

"Jet, are you in there!?" Wave demanded. "There's something important out here!"

[Tony]

Unfortunately for Wave, the banging on said door wasn't going to grab Jet's attention any time soon, for he was... jamming to some heavy metal tunes on the other side. No doubt was he also performing the sacred art of the air guitar.

Fortunately, the door was unlocked. So...

[Topaz Mutiny]

Once she heard the thump-thud from the beat of the music, Wave made a face that was commonly thought of as Severely Annoyed. Making sure she didn't get too wound up, she took a deep breath in, then out.

One.
Two.
Three.

BAM! Went the door as Wave kicked it open. Sure it was unlocked, but a dramatic entrance was sure to get the hawk's attention faster. She marched over to Jet and his loud music, suddenly appearing right infront of his face. "JEET, TURN THAT STUPID MUSIC OFF AND PAY ATTENTION." She yelled over the heavy metal.

[Raki]

...

...

Snicker.

[Tony]

Cue a very confused (and slightly embarrassed) frozen-while-air-guitaring hawk, who just -stared- at the newcomers. Well, more like "stared at wave", as she was the only thing in his line of sight. With a slight choke, the hawk hurled a small screwdriver at the stereo in the corner, effectively smacking the OFF button, and obliterating all sounds of music from the speakers. With a huff, he turned to Wave, and with the sounds still ringing in his ears...

"... WHAT?!"

[Topaz Mutiny]

Instead of just explaining, Wave points at the robot next to her, eyes half closed in a sarcastic matter.

Noticing Wave point at the robot, but not say anything, Storm thought himself adequate enough to explain. "She's taking him on a tour of our ship. I dunno how he got here though."

Oblivious? Noooo, YA THINK?

[Raki]

Wave (not the bird).

"'Lo. How's it goin."

[Tony]

After shaking the ringing out of his own ears, Jet glanced over to the one whom Wave was pointing towards.

"... ... ... A tour...? ... Uh... Wave, not to burst your happy-go-lucky attitude about being a friendly neighbor, but... This guy doesn't really look like the trustworthy type." He looked over the robot with a raised eyebrow. "... Kinda reminds me of something that Egghead would send over. That alone oughta be enough."

[Topaz Mutiny]

Friendly neighbor? Hah, yeah right. Wave scowled, butting her beak against Jet's own, "And you don't think I know that a strange robot can be dangerous? Jeese Jet, I only fed Storm that lie so he wouldn't aggrevate him by fighting him."

"... You lied about dat? Then what-"

Wave glanced at Storm. "Oh shut up. I know as little about this as you do... for once." And then to explain to Jet, "How else would you be able to explain that someone just spontaneously appears out of thin air in front of you?" She failed to mention that this had happened in the bathroom. While she was still unclothed.

"Well first of all, you shouldn't have lied." Storm said.

"And I thought I told you to shut up. You were much better off with that lie anyway." she snapped back.

[Raki]

Arkay decided to ignore Jet saying he looked untrustworthy. He also decided to ignore Wave and Storm's squabbling.

Instead, he had just one question.

"... so who's piloting?"

[Tony]

The hawk sighed, and rubbed his forehead, deciding that, like Arkay, he, too, would ignore the bickering atwixt the swallow and the albatross. Instead, he turned a head to the mechanical being, and glanced over at the ship's controls. "Well, technically, the ship's piloting itself. I've set it to autopilot, so it flies steadily without fail on it's own. I haven't really set any form of destination, but if we start hitting some kind of trouble, I just stay around here to make sure nothing gets out of control..."

He gave an annoyed little glance to his other compatriots, and huffed. "That gives those two some time to goof off, as much as I hate to say it... Then again, even when they're -supposed- to be working, they goof off -anyway-..."

[Topaz Mutiny]

SCOWL. "Since when have I ever goofed off? I've been busting my shins just trying to keep this floating rustbucket in the air. And if it weren't for me and my diligent work, you lazy excuses for Babylonians would never have had your gear!" Wave huffed, folding her arms and turning to the side. "Hmph! Besides, if you really wanna see lazy, just tag along with Storm on garbage day."

At this the albatross bristled, "That's not funny!"

"Having old trash on this thing for two weeks isn't funny! Especially when a bird-brain like yourself already smells!"

"Well a grease monkey like yous sure don't smell like roses either!"

"Better than smelling like a garbage man without deoderant!"

"Is not!"

"Is too!"

... Le sigh.

[Raki]

"... ah-ha. ... Right then. ... So where are 'we' now?"

[Topaz Mutiny]

Wave turned to look at Arkay, "Right about now, I'm guessing that we're flying over-"

And then the entire airship disappeared from the sky as it flew into a portal.