The Restoration Protocol

22 || an icy welcome

Like Hollowmire, only one PIPTIA station is located within Bluegate's boundaries. It is just a village, after all, stark in comparison to the modern metropolis that is — or, was — Wynsmith, or even the impressive royal splendor of New Floravale. Although Mariko enters still with the bare minimum knowledge of the village, what she does know for certain is that it's cold. It sits along the snowy Iceberry Mountains. An educated toddler could draw that conclusion with just one look outside.

Rather, with one exhale inside Bluegate's sole PIPTIA station. With the wide entrance doors being open at all times, the icy winds that blow over the building slip inside to welcome daring visitors. And there are visitors, surprisingly. Albeit with the longer Mariko plays this game, they do seem to be diminishing. Probably with good reason, though she pays it little mind.

Once she and Boey have stepped through the portal, the others are waiting in the terminal to greet them. The results of Sebastian's little test are right before their eyes — that is, Soleil, having been able to pass through into the station on her own. The same as Abe, presumably, although no one actually watched him enter a portal. While they don't know what it means exactly, it is curious. And to think that any NPC could make use of them now.

"Before we do anything, we need to get these two more layers," Julian announces. He stops Sebastian from going any further by gesturing to the two youngest of the group. After a second look at him, Julian makes the same vague gesture to Sebastian, while a conspicuous shiver crawls up his own spine.

"That would be wise," Soleil joins. She glances between everyone as well, lingering especially on Sebastian's bare arms and exposed stomach. "Even if we are to spend the majority of our time here indoors, any trekking we do in this region won't bode well for comfort without proper covering."

Sebastian sighs and holds out his watch to bring up his holo-map. "Yeah, yeah, I was already planning to head to the nearest apparel shop if you woulda given me a sec, Jules."

"You say that..."

"I do say that — here, lookie, there's one right here." Sebastian smiles a tight-lipped smile and points to a little point on the map marked with a shirt icon, indicating a clothing vendor. "See? Couldn't have missed that if I tried."

"Oh, please, Sebby, you would have walked right past it if someone flipped a quarter in your direction."

"Well, yeah, because otherwise that would be money gone to waste, Julian. You would know that if you were a bag chaser like me."

"Wh—bag chaser?? I'm the one who started a business here. And now that's gone, mind you."

"Right, so like I always tell you, stealing from the rich and giving to the me will always be the more lucrative business opportunity if you wanna get on the train to guaranteed success. And I would've let you jump on my caboose, too, if you had asked me back then. But someone insisted riding solo."

"Phrasing."

"Why, what was wrong with what I said?"

"Soleil's going ahead, you guys."

This sentence alone is enough to pull the two men from their petty bickering and turn to Mariko. Without waiting to see if they were following, Mariko takes Boey's hand and starts on ahead, already making a mental note not to get distracted herself while they're here — as is her want to do so. They can't afford to now more than ever. Touring Bluegate in its entirety could wait until they get back from the Vault of Restoration. That being said, perhaps the incessant chill in the air is a good thing. It could serve as a reminder even she couldn't ignore, something to push her to act and save sightseeing for a more convenient time.