2025-08-17 - Meeting the Mushroom People

"This is not what I was expecting my summer to look like," Dodge quips from atop Maybe-Shelby. She's dressed appropriately for the outing: durable khaki-colored pants and rugged hiking boots, a sweat-wicking shirt with a sweater tied around her waist in case it gets chillier than she can stand. "But it's awesome," she opines, taking in the view of the landscape as they make their way down the valley towards the docks.

Is Shelby or Not-Shelby the same as the last bus-sized fuzzy snail Maggie rode on from the portal to the globes? Who knows? Schrodinger's Snaidentity isn't a problem to be solved today. But it didn't stop her from hugging its fuzzy neck before clambering up onto its giant, grassy hilltop of a shell. She's wearing a long-sleeved high-necked white bodysuit with dark jeans and sturdy black boots, and she has a bright pink backpack with her. Laughing beneath her mask, her dark eyes are full of glitter as she tells Dodge, "I told you they were amazing when I sent you those sketches. I'm glad you'll finally have real shots for the weird album, though!"

Kairo has never been on one of these adventures, but his curiosity had gotten the better of him and the tattoo artist designed to sign up and give it a go. He dressed for wandering through unknown parts -- boots, jeans, a long-sleeved t-shirt, a baseball cap on his head, and a small backpack with some various odds and ends in -- a bottle of water, snacks, a little pouch full of small trinkets he uses to make charms, and a few other small items. At least Maggie was familiar, so there's that. He boards the snail following the lead of the others, mimicking what they do as he experimentally touches the purple 'moss' on the snail's back and settles himself into place. "This is.. like a very strange trip."

Robin came a little more prepared and has brought some leaves for the snails from some of the hostas outside and some spinach leaves as a gift for the snails. The small snails keep trying to eat them so maybe the big ones. He hangs by Dodge and signs with little blue letters appearing in front of him 'They're really chill at least. Do not know how road signs work.' But can make images of where the they need to go. He whistles along with the trip to some Styx Sailing Away.

Damian had no clue what he was getting into when he decided to come along on this trip, and now here he is riding upon a giant snail. His expression says it all. WTF. Quiet for a few minutes to get his bearings. Dressed all in black from head to toe in the appropriate gear for a trip like this, with his mask securely on. Listening as the others speak. A pack is on his back with the essentials.

Aaron is happy, well, excited to be riding the snail again. Dressed for the adventure with a backpack on his back, he holds onto the snail as it brings them down to the docks. He is almost hugging the giant snail with a big cheesy grin on his face. "They are amazing," he says to Maggie, smiling.

Shelby or Not-Shelby: that is the question. Well, it's not Austin's question, exactly, because this is his first time encountering the snail(s) in any case, and he's kind of busy being amazed. And attempting to make friends with it, though he hasn't known enough to try to bring snacks along, and Robin gets a slightly wide-eyed, "Oh! Dude! That's such a good idea!" when he sees the offerings. Who doesn't love a tiny delicious snack? All he has to offer is a little bit of Animal Influence, and at present he's more or less just 'chatting' at it. Whether snails appreciate this at all remains to be seen, but he's very pleased to meet possibly-Shelby regardless!

He's dressed pretty normally, with only whatever gear he was advised to wear aside from his usual sort of outfit. Jeans, boots, t-shirt and a hoodie, plus the mask and a backpack that doesn't look as full as maybe it should be for something like this.

"Me too!" Dodge grins at Maggie and shifts her camera, hanging across her shoulder. She had taken more than plenty of photos of the snail when she first encountered it on this trip, and a few of the passing vistas, but now it hangs securely in its place. She nods broadly at Robin and gently pets the snail-surface that she's seated on. "She's a good snail." Dodge has decided the snail is a she, but truly she has no idea. Maybe the snails don't even acknowledge gender. Who knows! She echoes Austin, on the point about the offerings Robin had brought: "The snail-snacks were brilliant, by the way."

When MaybeShelby arrives at the dock and slows to a stop, she disembarks, making it more of a slide than a leap, and enthuses, "Thank you!" to the big snail.

Kairo has probably seen the fuzzy snail merit badge bit of flash Maggie has pinned up near her chair, part of her line of cryptid collection badge tattoos she's got on offer at work. Robin signs out glowing words, and one of her double-pierced brows arches curiously. Damned cool. When Aaron mentions they're amazing, Maggie nods ihs way, her grin matching his. "Seriously. After last time we came out this way, I had to come back." She is going to make long-term friends with one of these fluffy gastropod busses some day. Maybe.

Leaning back to bump her shoulder to Damian's, Maggie lets her hand brush his as she asks, "Admit it. These things are worth the masks and maybe magical air quality." When they get to the docks and disnailbark, Maggie gives Shelby or not-Shelby another hug before getting out of the way. And Dodge gets a massive nod. "Absolute best snail." Maggie does not get into any debates over fuzzy snail genders, at least not here. But it feels like the kind of thing that might come up at a Cryptid Club gathering anyway.

Aaron cheek nuzzles the snail before sliding off, letting his feet touch the ground, "Thank you," he says gently to the snail, then moves to step away so others can get off as well. His eyes look around and then fall onto the group.

His hands shove into his pants pockets as he looks over at the docks, waiting for everyone before heading in that direction to see if anyone got their message and left one in return. He does wave to Robin when he sees him. "Hey."

Damian's grin is hidden, but it is there when Maggie bumps her shoulder against him as he tells her, "If I turn into a snail...." Indicating what his magic is when he says that. He has only seen the garden variety and this? This is not the case. Letting others get off the snail before he takes his turn to get off the snail and join the group as a whole.

Robin flashes a grin to Dodge 'Thanks. They kept getting eaten so I assume they're tasty.' A leaf is passed to Austin. There ya go, bud. He greets Aaron with a small salute happy to see em. He chills there on the snail enjoying the trip and adds, letters floating and fingers speaking, 'When last there we saw boats come in. Don't know when tho. Ideas? We learn anything new since we were here last, Jean?' Stretching out, ankles crossed and one arm under head he observes the answers and the scenery to see what is the same and just enjoy the vibe.

«Thank you!» Austin signs to Robin when he's offered a leaf to offer onward himself, and he does so, looking extremely pleased when their steed accepts it from him as well. "I think they're kinda a they," he says, head slightly tilted after considering both Dodge's assertion and the snail themself, "...but I dunno they care and also definitely a good snail, for sure."

He hops off when they reach the destination, and attempts to give their steed a hug, which even for someone with his armspan is... less than optimally effective. It's sincere, anyway, as is the "Thank you so much! Would you mind waiting for us, please? That woulda been a really long walk without your help." Another look around at their surroundings, full of clear wonder. "Oh, wow. This is like... I mean it's a whole 'nother alien dock. I mean the whole world but. This's like. A full-on other other-world people thing?"

Kairo has in fact scene the cryptid collection and perhaps that's one of the reasons that he decided to come along on this journey to finally see some of the strange and wonderful for himself, and boy is he seeing the strange and wonderful. "These things are definitely worth the masks," he says from behind his mask. It's not too bad. A little awkward to first get used to but he seems to have settled into it once the scenery was sufficiently distracting. When the snail comes to a stop, he slides down off the back with everyone else and then studies the dock. "Interesting. Where did you leave the message?" he asks.

Armed with new information, Dodge course corrects. "They're a good snail," she coos at MaybeShelby. Then she swivels in the direction of the docks, listening as Jean explains what had been found the last time a group came out this way. "Should we check to see if then message was responded to in kind--and then maybe follow the road?" she asks of the group, taking a tentative step in that direction.

Maggie laughs, warm and bright at that comment from Damian. "If it's the fuzzy kind and not the slimey kind?" She nods. "But you start trailing slime across my floors, I'm buying extra salt." She flashes a grin to Kairo, but with the masks... So she also puts it into words. "If you have fun with this trip, you should come hang with us at Cryptid Club sometime. All the cool critters, none of the awful portal vibes." Not, like, #bigmood style, the way stepping through rattles and vibrates the bones.

Reading the words Robin writes through the air, Maggie asks, "Last time we were here," and she gestures to include Aaron, "we tried to figure out more about the globes. I didn't know there were docks. Anything we should know about them?" Except, then she notices Austin signing, and so Maggie repeats her earlier words back with her hands instead. That would at least explain the air-writing. Her voice is soft as Jean talks about signs and evidence of docks and people, but not contact made. And she softly admits a wild theory to Dodge and Damian who are close enough to hear her. "I still think someone is bottling the magic into those globes as a filtration purpose, then harvesting it out for like, drugs or naps or chemical whatever or something once they've distilled it into them..."

There is a roll of eyes given to Maggie for her words from Damian. Anyone can see that since his eyes are not covered. He was not here last time so he is content to just let the information shared wash over him. When Kario is invited to Cryptid Club there is a thumbs up to show his encouragement for that idea. A brow raised when Maggie shares her theory. "Could be." He murmurs. He is not sold on the idea but he does make an effort to listen.

Aaron looks over to Maggie nodding to her words then looking over to the dock and moving over in its direction to see if their message is still there, "The magic seems to pulse in a pattern its strange and kind of nice to watch." he looks back to Maggie then to the group, "We didn't stay past that."

"The portal wasn't too bad," Kairo says. "Weird, but not bad. No weirder than getting a tattoo anyway." And he has plenty of ink, though not as much of it is visible in this outfit -- some at his neck and on the back of his hands. "Magical nap drugs," he chuckles at Maggie's theory, not discounting it, just entertained by bottled mystical narcolepsy.

Robin looks to Maggie as he slides down the shell, zhoop! to the ground. Curious! He responds back to Maggie, still close-captioned 'We found docks last week and left a note. No people yet. Signs of development. Why this is a port idk' There's a pause before his head tilts, 'can we get some of that? Make it make dreamless sleep could be way cool.' he's on the same page as Kairo here. Once on the ground he pats the shell of Shelly and starts on toward the docks. Looking to Austin he adds 'Wonder what the horse would think of all this or if he'd be napping too.'

"Yeah!" Austin agrees with Dodge's suggestion, and heads for the dock -- not that he knows exactly where this note was left, but there's only so much dock to check for replies, right? He's definitely too far away to hear Maggie's theory, but Robin he can still 'hear'. "I guess they gotta put their boats somewhere?" Which is probably not the part Robin was actually questioning.

The dreamless sleep part, without the context that drew it, gets a quizzical look, but that addition distracts him from it, getting a grin. "Aurelius? Well... he'd prolly have trouble riding a snail. Maybe he'd wanna race one! ...or nap. You're right, he might nap. Do they make masks for horses?" A small pause. "Pickle'd love it though, I bet. I mean maybe not the mask if there even are dog ones, but exploring this..."

Dodge lofts her brow when Maggie shares her theory, digesting the possibilities, and starts to move alongside Austin towards the dock to see if there are any bits of paper that could be holding a message from whoever inhabits this strange world.

She spots the box-shaped, leathery fungal object and kneels down before it, giving it a solid poke. "I'm gonna open it," she announces to everyone without waiting for someone to tell her to stop, to be careful, to slow down, or anything sensible like that. And she reaches for the latch to lift it open.

Maggie believes in her theory, even if Damien is (incredibly rightly so!) skeptical. She has nothing more than a hunch combined with the way the globes felt when she touched one of them. That kind of peace extracted out of the deep wellsprings beneath the surface and concentrated into those glittering globes? They just felt like the kind of thing that if you could bottle it... You could use it.

Maggie follows Aaron's gaze to the patterns, and suddenly murmurs towards her co-worker, "Gonna have to see if I can do a magical lighthouse in crystalline when we get back..." Her newest series on inked souvenirs the tourists can wear home. But she shakes her head his way about the portal. "If that ink is deep enough to vibrate bones, it's going in wrong." But they agree on the entertainment value of mystical narcolepsy, at least as long as it isn't being weaponized. She shrugs a bit as Robin asks about getting some. "It seems to be the same stuff that we're wearing the masks to keep out of our lungs so, uh..." She glances at their security and medic team. "Probably, but I feel like we'd lose our portal privileges for trying."

As Dodge and Austin and others start walking towards the docks, Maggie laces her fingers through Damian's and starts heading off that way as well. But it doesn't stop her at all from glancing back towards Austin and asking as they're all walking, "You have horses? Here at the park stables, or off islands?" Or, is Aurelius the only horse? Pickle might be a puppy? Either way. Four legs and fur? "I don't think I caught your name yet, Blondie, but. When we get home, do your fur babies like meeting new besties?"

But when they get to the docks and find the box? Maggie cannot be the only one to have seen that movie, right? "What's in the booox..." It's quietly said, and a joke to cover a bit of the concern. Then again... Sometimes she sees things when she touches them, so. Tactile unknowns aren't her favorite things. When Dodge goes to open it, Maggie's hand squeezes tight around Damian's. She doesn't interject with an offer to try and touch it first. Maybe after... If Dodge doesn't die about it prior.

Damian is skeptical on a good day. But he is open-minded enough to accept other people's opinions and this new world. He has to be because it is strange and beautiful at the same time, no doubt.

A curious look is given to Dodge when she says she's going to go and open that box-shaped thing, and he jokes in her direction, "Is this like opening Pandora's box?" He means it as a joke and hopes it isn't a reality.

His hand is laced with Maggie, and he finds himself walking beside her as he tries to take it all in that is before him, as he listens and reads the conversations going on around him.

Kairo follows the group over to the docks and watches as Dodge retrieves the box. When she says she's going to open it, she doesn't get any argument from him. He just takes one cautious step backward, for no reason at all. None. "Careful," is all that he has to say about that.

Austin is not about to object to Dodge opening the box. By all appearances the only reason she's doing it instead of him is that she got there first. So he half-hovers over her shoulder, failing to resist the urge to reach out and give the thing a poke as well when he sees how it reacts to hers (i.e., by being slightly spongier than he's used to a box being). Then he pulls his hand back and lets her get on with it.

"Just one!" he answers Maggie, flashing her a bright smile, "He's at the park stable, we work together. And Pickle's my golden, she likes to meet everyone. Which, hi, sorry," though it probably isn't actually his fault she didn't catch the intro before they went, "I'm Austin, or Oz, either's fine!"

Does Dodge brace herself when she opens up the box-adjacent object?

Just a little bit.

But! Her trepidation is not enough to dissuade her nor slow her down, and she gasps audibly when she finds the small globe inside. "Whoa," she whispers, holding it aloft so the whole group can see it. "It's... warm," she describes to them. "It's got a vibe--like, an easygoing, peaceful vibe. Calm." She examines it carefully, including that single magenta point, and then offers it to whoever else would like to hold it.

Observing what is most notable Robin seems impressed or satisfied that their memo was at least found. He also seems very on board with Dodge opening the box and signs without need for translation <<Do it!>> Such an enabler. When Dodge opens the box he lean over her shoulder like the lanky tall vulture he is, curious. 'Pretty. Like the thing but small?' He signs, the letters stay overhead. 'does it feel tingly?' As if to emphasize he holds his hands up with the illusion of a plasma ball floating between his fingertips making magenta arcs for a moment. That kind of tingly.

Hand in hand, Maggie absolutely has taken a half-step behind Damian's shoulder as she waits to find out if what's in the box - or the box itself - causes any harm to Dodge. She whispers under her breath, "Please don't make me explain this to Hayles... These snails are way to big to smuggle back as consolation..." It seems that both of the artists in residence are perfectly fine risking other people's hands before their own. And Maggie might be subtly using Damian as a meat shield for the not hands parts of her, too.

If there were not a maybe poisonous box currently being opened, Maggie likely would squeal at another dog to meet. But. There is a maybe poisonous box being opened. But since Austin is standing right beside it (yay, more meatshields!) Maggie just lets him know, "Hey. I'm Maggie. I will try to arrange a Pickle-knapping some day." But hey. At least Ms. Steal-Yo-Dog warns folks first? What she doesn't do first is reach for the item from the box. She lets others touch or hold it prior, if they wish. But when it eventually comes around to her? She'll let the item sit in the palm of her hand, and much like with the globes, she'll see if there's anything she's able to learn about it.

What she learns isn't much. It's subtle as the small globe-vial rests in her palm. When she touched the huge globe, it was peaceful. It was the most melting kind of a zen Maggie had ever known. But as the spark of magenta is resting along where her palm is through the blue... "Huh..." Maggie's smile behind her mask is intrigued, and her dark eyes reflect the curiosity she feels in the object itself. "I don't know if it's the vial, the vial maker, or what's inside, but... It feels curious, like it wants to know more." And then she offers it off to anyone else that's interested in it.

There was no jump scare, so that was nice. Damian leans in to get another look at what it is that Dodge is holding. "That is gorgeous. Reminds me of a lava lamp." Surely people know what he is talking about, right? He is not going to touch it. He is happy to look at it and let another have a turn with it as he listens to Maggie's commentary.

Kairo as well doesn't reach out to touch it, though he does lean in to look at it when Dodge shows it to the rest of them. "It's very pretty," he says, before standing back so that others can get a look, hands slipped into his pockets. "What do you think the colors mean?" He's only seen the big ones from a distance, but this one is interesting close up. "What do you think we should do with it?"

Oh Austin is absolutely going to touch it. He's not going to be pushy about it, though, so he remains a pair of tall shoulder-lurkers with Robin and watches while it makes the rounds, until it's his hand it ends up in. "Dude. It feels like... " A little shake of his head at Robin's question of tingly, "...it kinda feels like meditation?"

He turns it over in his palm, watching the magenta slide along the side of the thing as he does, and his brow furrows slightly. He turns in a slow circle, holding it, and the magenta continues to slide along, always aimed the same way. "I think... I think it's maybe pointing at something?" he suggests, a touch tentatively. "Like a compass?" He doesn't mean to bogart the ball, but the thought has him turning so that the magenta area is 'forward', and starting off that way, to see if it goes... well, anywhere described better than just 'that way'.

Robin looks back to the snail...snailing in place like it seems happy to do. Good enough for the painter. Looking to Austin he seems to mimic the curiosity of others; hands cupping together before and pointing in a 'where' manner. He signs a bit though the translation seems to be a lot longer than the signs used which number in '2' total. 'We should follow it. If it's still going that way I vote we go that way.' he takes a few steps with no hurry to start heading in teh direction suggested wondering if the view at all changes.

Magical curious compass? Bet. Hand in hand, Maggie heads back with Damian and the rest of the group to find Jean and MaybeShelby waiting. And as Robin makes the suggestion to follow the magical curious compass, Maggie agrees. "If we left a note trying to get in contact, and this is what they left about it? Following seems like the only way I can think of to move forward." FAFO, Follow Around, Find Out?

Yep. Damian goes quiet, but he's nodding at the talk of following the snail compass. It isn't a bad idea, and these folks have been here before. He has not. "Solid deal to me."

Kairo seems in as well, nodding in agreement with the others. "Seems a clear enough message, yeah. Follow the glowing magical ball, I guess." He falls into step behind the others, letting Austin lead the way with the sparkly ball of direction-sense.

Austin has not been here before, and there are all kinds of reasons someone might trust or distrust this thing. But if any of either have even occurred to him, he's clearly come down on the former side. Surely if the message the others left was a 'hello' this must be a 'come on in'?

What it definitely is is pointing them to that road. So that's where Austin goes, long stride eating up ground even at a casual pace, with a good part of his attention on the ball, making sure the magenta spot stays ahead of him. "You think they'd let us keep this maybe? It feels really nice to hold." A secondary concern, at most, but you never know.

Aaron follows along, starting more in the back, watching the giant snail follow them along, which brings a smile to his face. Watching as they move up the road and stop looking at the cave and giant mushrooms, tilting his head to the side. "Huh." he looks to the group, then to Jean and Luis. He brings his backpack to the front of him, looking around to pull a flashlight out just in case they may need one. "Whelp, should we try to see if anyone is home?"

Following Austin and the Compass of Curiosity, Maggie has one hand tangled up in Damian's, and uses the other now and then to point out pretty things along the way, particularly to Kairo, things she hopes to remember well enough to sketch for some of her park-related flash at the shop. But when they reach their destination, it's absolutely stunning, the fungal formations around the cave's mouth are gorgeous. But not having any way of knowing what waits inside makes her nervous, and Maggie reaches for her magic.

Maggie reaches out her magic, and she goes stock still, no longer walking. The parts of her face not hidden by her mask blanch ashen. She doesn't panic, but, her coal dark eyes shine with fear. Her hand in Damian's squeezes like a vice. Aaron asks if they should see if anyone is home, and Maggie instantly and firmly demands, "No!" She still hasn't taken a step, but she looks every which way around her. "Give it a minute, I'm still looking." And she's looking hard, clearly upset with what she sees. "Be aware, and maybe back up. If they're still in there... You don't wanna get grabbed." Maggie is still looking around and doesn't say more, not yet, not until she's seen as much as she can and her time runs out. Despite the warning to back up, she stays exactly where she is, fixed and stationary, making sure she doesn't lose her view. She does, however, let go of Damian's hand, though, in case he wants to make that warned about distance.

Robin follow, boots picking a path, mask on, fingers trying to touch everything; fingers examined to see if the dust comes off on them. He sticks nearby Aaron making a larger bright green arrow overhead that moves with the compass heading when robin adjusts it. Something for those not following as the guy's shoulder.

Robin looks to maggie and signs, little captions adjacent 'I do. It's a valid way to meet people.' Robin continues onward to the hole letting curiosity be his accelerant.

Damian is unsure what to make of the snail that is the size of a school bus. He knows what to do about big cats, but this is a whole other thing. He is still fascinated regardless. "Oh wow." In response to when they get to the cave. Frowning as he watches Maggie reach out to her magic. His hand still in hers, and he waits for the outcome. He was going to ask the same thing Aaron just did. When his hand is let go, he backs up as he tells Maggie, "Be careful." He watches as Robin goes forward. This is about to get interesting.

Austin might be intimidated by being followed by something the size of a schoolbus, but not that thing the size of a schoolbus. When he catches sight of the snail following, he looks back and lifts his free hand to wave at them, with what's probably an absolutely brilliant smile, if you could see more than the eye-crinkles behind the respirator. "Best snail," he says, and returns his attention mostly to the little compass-ball thing, pausing again when the apparent destination comes clearly into view, head tilting.

There's a beat of consideration, a glance at the ball, and he starts toward it again, only to stop short when Maggie lets out that no. "Um." He looks around at all of them. "Do we... why don't we want to go say hi?" he asks, gaze settling on her again. "I thought that was what we were doing?" He glances to Robin at the reply, and there's a beat before a tiny snirk. "He's not wrong but also I'm not gonna let him go alone so if you wanna like... explain more?"

True to his word, he takes a couple long-legged strides to catch up with Robin, compass-ball still in hand, but glances over his shoulder at the others, Maggie in particular, repeatedly as he goes.

Kairo follows along, his backpack slung over one shoulder, taking in the scenery as Austin leads them onward in the direction of the strange magical compass. He hangs out somewhere in the middle of the group, falling back occasionally as he pauses to take in something or another, but never quite losing them. He grins as Maggie points out specific interesting things to look at along the way. "Thanks." He nods in agreement with Aaron on seeing if someone's home, but when Maggie calls out, he pauses, coming to a stop, brows furrowed. "What's up?"

Time passes, minutes at first, then minutes more, they pile up into about a dozen of them as Maggie looks around from where she stands in every direction. Robin writes across the sky and moves forward anyway before those minutes have passed, but it doesn't rush her. She sounds scared as she mutters, "Maybe like, a little less Leroy Jenkinsing with tentacle monters, but, I guess you do you, boo." She might be the type to get snarky when she's scared. She does start trying to explain even as she's still looking, still trying to see it all.

She tries to explain to Robin's back, and to Austin, and to anyone else willing actually to listen. "I don't know when, it could be any amount of time ago. But once upon a time? This cave was baricaded from the inside. Monsters, gooey, oozing, dripping monsters and their tentacles were trying to crack this cave open like a boiled egg." She sounds heart-broken as she explains, "They'd already cracked open more snails than I can count... There are shattered shells everywhere. And the land..."

Maggie tries to figure out how to put the vision of what she's seeing into words. "It's like it was poisoned? Everything was dead, wilting, dying. Nothing was growing, it was all wilted, rotting, terribly desolate. It's like the world was poisoned and salted after." And the last thing a world with bus-sized snails needs is salted earth. "Clearly..." Maggie can't see it again yet herself, because she's still looking at what is, rather than what was... "There aren't barricades now. Things are growing, but mushrooms are things that grow from death and rot, not the flowers and the trees... Obviously, something wants us to be here, and hopefully it's friendly people who put an end to all those monsters. But..." She shrugs a little, and she starts to blink, clearly her gaze from what once was to what now is, "All I'm saying? A little bit of caution just in case?"

Robin goes to blow a kiss, but pauses looking up in the air holding both hands out like 'what the shit?'. Both arms drop to his side. Turning to Maggie he gives her the horns which seems, from the rest of his body language is more 'rock on' and agreement than 'may the devil bite your toes'.

The back of his hand tapping against Austin's shoulder pointing to the ground to suggest a path as they move forward and onward. It's become a bit of a scouting mission now looking for the ground to still look 'stable' so they're not dragging spores or something around or wandering through a den of denizens. This is a little bit different than breaking into a garage, but about as fun at least.

Aaron is not going to let Robin go by himself, either, so he continues to move with him and Austin. He looks to Maggie, nodding his head, "Yeah, caution will be good. I wasn't planning on running in there." he smiles as looks at the cave, "I could go in and do a quick look around if we want then report back if I see anything." he looks at the group to see what they think of the idea.

Damian is not too far from Maggie. He does not reach out for her or anything. He listens to her. His dark eyes are tracking her, and then those same eyes go to the entrance of the cave. Pondering. He does tell her as he gets closer. "Hey, there is a group of us. It can't be all bad? You warned us. Maybe there will be nothing to see here? We came here to investigate, right? Besides, if we all die or something, will it be together?" Right Damian. That was a poorly timed joke, but he's trying to find the light in this and can't help but smile when Robin continues forward.

Still speaking to Maggie. "Think of it as a bad dream, and maybe this one will be better?" He looks to Aaron, "I think we all should go in. I do not think anyone wants to loiter even with the warning." Another glance at Maggie when he says that.

The odds of Robin standing there for almost a quarter hour for further information seem not high, so while Austin can be startlingly patient at times, this is probably not going to end up being one of them. He's not letting any of their team go alone, and that's that.

He does seem more uneasy about it now, though -- right up until that 'no', he was just excited to go meet whoever it was whose response to the greeting seemed to be an invitation. That's good... isn't it? Now one of his backward glances goes decidedly past Maggie, focused on their snail buddy for a good couple steps. Whatever he sees there, apparently it's comforting, because he takes a breath and his shoulders relax a tad before he squares them and continues with faint determination for that cavern door. Ball still held out ahead, following its lead as much as Robin's.

For what it's worth, he does at least seem to be being somewhat cautious -- attention on where they're about to step, and also further ahead, in turns. When it's not keeping track of Robin and, if he's catching up, Aaron, at least.

Kairo seems fine to hang back and wait a moment, even when the others begin to move forward. He lingers near the entrance, watching those who are going in, but also hanging around while Maggie does her thing. Not appearing either too eager to go down the dark hole, he seems fine to wait for the result of what she's seen. "Okay so... clearly whatever all that was... is over now, right? There's no barricade now? And everything we've seen looks.. really alive. How long you figure it takes to recover from something like that?" he asks, curious about how long ago they might be looking at. "Doesn't seem like it'd be.. real recent, right?" He hopes.

Maggie is also on team they're still going in, just forewarned, and aware of what kinds of things have been here in the past. She was never saying no, she was just saying give a moment. Moment now past? She doesn't rush to lead anyway, she lets Austin and Robin have the uncontested lead. She absolutely frowns as the suggestion comes from Aaron for a scout. "Bad enough we've got a Leroy Jenkins," but there's a bit of a laugh to it. "Let's not split the party, too. Buncha noobs."

Headed to follow a bit of a way behind their leads after the timing delay, Maggie calls out to Aaron, "But glad we've got you as a part of the group, even if I do think the group should stay that way." She's watched how he seems to communicate with things in this world more than once. Depending on what's in there? She's glad he's here. She's even more glad about Damian. They did come to investigate, and she murmurs back, "Probably best to investigate with all the senses if things go weird-ways." He jokes about all going out together, and she rolls her eyes to tell him, "Ok, Jim Jones. But..." She shrugs. "You jump, I jump, Jack." And then she starts to make her way down the stairs behind the leads.

As they're making their way, she nods at Kairo. "That's what I'm hoping. Mushrooms grow out of rot, right?" She's hoping the mycology of this world acts like mycology in theirs. So all that destruction, all that death? Surely it took a long time to get to everything that's grown since?" Team art on skin can at least be hopefully optimistic on timelines together, rather than assuming this is the type of fungus to give overnight fairy rings. She's grateful that Luis stuck around long enough to bring up the rear. only thing worst than going first is going last.

Robin looks to the others catching up making a little wiggle of thumb and pinky as the surfers do. He crouches a bit to keep his balance to avoid holes, and being kind enough to point at the ground where the uneven parts are. head tilting he looks to Austin and the group. His hand goes by his ear and then points 'down' trying to see if anyone else knows what that sound might be.

Looking up with a smile his fingers brush the glowing moss to see if it transfers and what that feels like. The painter is a grade A science licker probably as well. The odds are high.

This is all new to Damian. First time in this world. His focus is on his surroundings, even if he slightly smiles at Maggie. Watching Robin's hand movement, but he does not know the answer to Robin's silent question. At least none of them fell and went kaboom.

"Maybe water?" A delayed reaction as he tries to tune in to what sounds the group might be hearing.

Aaron makes the finger gesture back, "Yeah, sounds like water, let's be careful." he moves along with his small group, his eyes looking around, seeing if there are any markings on the walls as they move along. "I hope we don't run into a slim monster."

Once Maggie seems ready to go, Kairo turns to head in with her, letting Jean and Luis bring up the rear while they head down. "How's it looking down there?" he asks the others as he picks his way along, finding whatever rhythm there is to the not-quite-steps that lead down into the darkness. He keeps one hand free so that he can reach out to grab onto the wall, but he doesn't slip, even if he does catch his foot on one of the ridges here and there on his way down.

Austin cocks his head to listen harder at Robin's inquiry. "I think water?" he agrees, "And maybe... well, I think maybe people? Something moving. That isn't, like, liquid." Whether he's a science-licker remains unknown at this time, because he's still focused more on the ball and the safety of where they're walking than the neat science stuff or scenery per se. Shame, really.

It's Aaron who distracts him from that a moment, looking over to the smaller guy with a blink. "Is... is that worse than a fat monster? Or a beefy one?" This sounds like an entirely genuine question. It's important to know these things, if monsters might show up.

Heading down the stairs a bit behind Damian, Maggie and Kairo follow not far behind. She glances over from time to time when he grabs the wall, but he's got this as she nimbly follows the uneven ledges towards that sound of susseration below. Honestly... Water and sibilance isn't exactly the most comforting noise to be walking towards immediately after a vision of tentacle monsters.

But when the cavern comes into view below? The glowing moss is what takes Maggie's breath behind her mask. She's already thinking of fluorescent watercolor outlines of it. The coolness of the air has her hands slipping into her pockets to keep them warm. She steps up to the rail of the balcony, looking across the fungal sporelines of the architecture, and it's stunning. She's enthralled by the beauty. Her gaze moves from the buildings to the creature, and she murmurs under her breath, "I need one of those skirts..."

Robin carefully descends the path and stops. It's hard to read any expression with a mask on really but a hand comes to his chest and makes the sign <<"Beautiful! Aww I want to hug them">> He doesn't make any attempt to do so, clearly, but instead tries to look as least threatning as he can.

He takes a seat there and watches for a moment, and waves as he pulls his book out. And tries to create a thoughtograph impression on the pages for later. His head wibbles back and forth trying to get the image to sit right, but also to project the 'not here to hurt anyone' vibe in case they're being examined.

Damian slows in his steps. He slows seeing those creatures and sputters out, "I feel like I am in an alien movie." He is not trying to be rude, but still! "I...wow..." He's just going to shush now and watch for what happens next before his mouth gets him into trouble.

Aaron watches the figures move about, nodding his head to Robin, << Yeah, I agree.>> he doesn't move forward, either, just stops where he is watching the figures moving about. He is in awe of the sight. << I might be able to communicate with them.>>

Kairo just sort of comes to a stop there at the railing and his mouth just sort of hangs open a little in awe. This is the sort of thing that you see in movies, not in real life. Not that the rest of it hasn't been just as amazing, but there are people here, pale enormous-eyed, mushroom people, but people. And they've got a whole little not-quite-smurf village going on underground. "Wow," is what he finally says when he manages to get some control over language again. "This is.. amazing. I uh, hope they don't think we're a threat."

Any monster worries aside, when the area and inhabitants come into view, Austin stops, eyes wide. "Dude," he says, emphatically but very softly, and after a moment adds, "Dude!" You know, for elucidation. He nods a firm agreement to Robin's signs, and though there may be a sense of some remaining unease -- he has seen sci-fi, after all -- the general aura's a lot more like a reasonably well-behaved golden retriever arriving at a park.

He glances down at the compass-ball in his hand, back up at the area ahead, and unless he's stopped, heads that way in his best non-threatening manner. He holds the ball where it's clearly evident to anyone who'd look at him, and lifts his other hand to just above shoulder height to wave cheerfully. "Hi! We got your message, I think?" They can't see the smile, but maybe their communication is similar enough to hear it? Or not. It's not the sort of thing he's really though of, to be honest. Nor that they're unlikely to speak English, really, but maybe the general intention will come across. "I hope it's okay we came by?"

Maggie has a mighty need for one of those vividly colored grass skirts in her closet. But she pulls her focus from wardrobe envy to nod at Robin's hand-spoken commentary. "Aliens are sorta cryptid-ish... Me too." Yeah. Definitely close enough to be on the wants to hug it list. She thinks of her sketchbook and various drawing supplies in her backpack, but, she doesn't join Robin in the artistic pursuit. If she started sketching, she might not quit for days.

The comment about alien movies pulls her gaze towards Damian. "Except," even though she's said it too, "they may look like the aliens, but, we're technically the invaders, I think?" Just very peaceful and awed invaders. Aaron says he might be able to communicate with them, and she murmurs, "That would be so cool." She nods at Kairo. "I could sketch for days. It's just so pretty." She nods as he mentions hopefully they won't be taken as a threat. "They did leave the compass, so, hopefully they'll be chill about it all." They look chill from up here, at least.

Maggie watches as Austin holds up the compass and calls out the greetings, then peers back over the ledge again, watching to see how their message is received. And as the pair come to join them, she lifts a hand to wave as well.

There is a slow nod from Damian, but really, he's been wowed into silence as he waits to see how these other beings react to Austin, and then to Aaron and Kairo. He is perfectly fine to be the observer.

Robin is pretty keen on getting a 'photo' captured of this place. Can Parker use it later? Time will tell. Looking up to Kairo and Aaron he signs to them <<"They cool? Can you talk to them too?">> With things in hand he gets up, show of caualness over, and walks to where Austin is as he has the orb and tries to see if it says 'you have arrived at destination' or not.

There's a little salute wave to the residents as he lets the prime communicators do their thing.

<< I think I understand them right, they are talking about us finding the ball and our masks.>> Aaron tells Robin, he tilts his head a bit moving to stand close to where the aliens are watching studing their movmens and how they speak. Aaron looks at the group then back, his eyes shimer with curiocity now,

Kairo nods in agreement with Aaron and says, "They seem to be saying that we found it, so I guess that means these are the folks who left it. Makes sense, since it led us here." He then gestures toward his mask and says, "And they figured out the masks are what are keeping us from falling asleep. So they know the outside air puts people to sleep."

He moves to stand next to Austin then and gestures to the glass orb in his hands and says in their language, << We found it down at the dock where another group of us left the message. You found our message? >> He doesn't know what it said. He wasn't part of that group, but he knows there was one. << We are visitors from another place. We wanted to meet you and ask about the really big balls, with the magic in it. >> He points to the orb and then spreads his arms big and wide, indicating the ones on the surface. << Did you make those too? >>

Austin understands not a word of what the locals say to him, so there's a definite impression of relief when Aaron tells Robin that he (probably) does -- and even more so when Kairo confirms, and takes over the actual conversation. He can't understand what Kairo's saying, of course, but the ball gesture, that one gets through, and he nods agreement, lifting the small version of the orb just a fraction.

Maggie doesn't understand any of the conversation, except the snippets translated by Aaron and Kairo. She can read the sign, but that's it. So as more and more of these creatures come close, Maggie offers another wave, but she moves back from the railing, heading back towards where Damian is, her hand lifting to rest lightly against his back as she gets there.

Damian is still here and still in awe of what is happening here. When Maggie gets close, he's whispering. "This is so cool. It feels like a dream. I can't believe we are even seeing this."

Aaron looks to the pale people nodding his head, << Yes it protects us.>> Aaron starts to repeat back to the group what Kairo says and they people give back as their answers. He acts as the translater for the two as they talk its a team effort!

Robin watches Kairo and then Aaron and then pivots to Maggie, Damian and Austin blinking gesturing to the conversation with a thumb and a small shrug. It might be a vague 'do we want to get in on this' or hang back and trust the process. As there is time while people are talking Robin opens the next page of the journal to work on creating the image on there he wants of the little gathering of residents and attire, the curious crystalline eyes, and all the shroom lights. He does sign to Aaron and Kairo to ask if they can <<"They seem friendly at least">>

When the other locals approach, Austin gives them a (mostly non-visible, thanks mask) bright smile and adds in some waves for them as well. He's got as far as working out they seem to speak with their hands to a certain extent, and the first two responded to that, so maybe the others will understand that one too?

He gives Robin a small shrug back at the questioning look, but whether he wants in or not, Aaron definitely got a grateful look when he started translating for them. If Oz's going to be entirely lost in a conversation, better it be one where he literally doesn't know the language, but it's still a bit of a relief not to be. "This is so awesome," he murmurs, with a little shift of weight that's just this side of threatening to end up a wriggle. A tiny pause. "Dude, wait, so they've had visitors before, then?" A glance around to the rest of the team: that seems important, yes? Maybe?

With Aaron translating back what the people said to him, Kairo smiles gratefully at the tag-team-translation-team-effort. He looks over to Austin and then asks them, << Have you had visitors before us? Visitors that could stay awake? Or visitors that couldn't? >> He glances over toward the others, checking to see if anyone else has any more questions, then he says, << My name is Kairo. We came through a magic portal from another world. This is Austin, Maggie, Damian, Robin, Aaron, Jean, and Luis. >> He gestures to each one in turn as he introduces them. << What should we call you? >>

There is a nod that sends Maggie's pink braid swinging that answers Damian's whisper. It's cool as hell. And it's indescribably beautiful. She looks to Aaron as he translates, and Maggie can't help but recall how deeply to her core peaceful it felt to touch the globes the last time she was in this world. She adds that in with the vision of death and smashed shells she saw earlier... She wonders if the drowsiness was a weapon for self-defense, or if they're just lucky enough to be naturally protected by it. Robin signs at the others, but Maggie also reads his hands. She signs back, answering his look from earlier as well as his comment of their apparent friendliness - or at least curiosity, <<"I'm down to explore more if we wouldn't bother them for us to do it.">>

When Austin mentions they've had other visitors, Maggie shares her earlier thoughts aloud. "Something attacked them, once upon a time. Dark and wet, tentacles. It destroyed the shells of our friends like they were made of fragile soap bubbles. It makes me wonder if maybe it was something either not from here, or a predator from elsewhere here, and the sleep is maybe how they protect themselves now?" She has no idea how long ago in the past that attack may have been. Kairo's words make no sense to her. But, when Maggie hears her name from the other artist, her hand lifts to wave once more. And she watches the creature as it speaks again, waiting for translations, or at least guidance. But her earlier signing to Robin would probably make clear what her vote will be.

Damian is trying to keep up with the translations and the introductions. He nods and smiles to show he is friendly. That is often universal. "If they are asking them to join them, I am game for it." He says out loud to the group and looks ready to move if that is the case.

Aaron continues to translate as they speak, he nods his head to them. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Joono and Keesa," he smiles, putting his hand on his chest, "I am Aaron." he looks around at the others waiting to see if they are all in agreement to follow them to the mushroom building.

Kairo translates for those gathered, explaining, "This is Joono and Keesa and they would like us to join them in that large mushroom over there." He gestures toward the same place that the other two had gestured. "If we'd like to continue talking." That part is clearly not translation, just his own addition. He does nod to what Maggie says and seems to agree, "They said that they had larger, green visitors before, but they fell asleep. I feel like this sleep thing that is going on is some kind of defense mechanism, probably."

He then moves to follow their hosts, letting the others make their own decisions whether they intend to follow or not.

Robin tilt s his head and the sign back to Maggie is much faster <<They seem cool. Probably scared of us. They're welcoming us in though so that's cool>> Looking to Austin he signs adding the subtitles, 'This is good news. This is better than we want to turn you into snail wranglers. Not that I wouldn't be cool with that.' Robin has a certain threshold on what's okay and what's a limit but being abducted nice people offering a place to sleep is not beyond that limit.

He packs up and offers a warm smile and a wave of his hand. Looking to Kairo and Arron translating he makses an 'after you' gesture to indicate he'll follow.

Like Maggie, when Austin hears his name, he lifts his hand to give them another little wave, and adds a bright (id mask-occluded) smile to it. <<Right?>> he signs back to Robin, though whether it's for it being better than being kidnapped for snail wrangling purposes or that he'd be okay with that is not wholly clear.

"Well. Those tentacle things sound like jerks, then," Austin says, glancing to Maggie, "Were they tall and green?" Or are we talking two kinds of jerks here? The invitation from their hosts gets a more enthusiastic little nod. "Anyway let's go chat in a mushroom!"

Damian follows along when the group, in general, seems to be on track to follow their guides. Dark brown eyes are still taking in everything that he can see, as this is a gathering space, a hall of sorts.

He's been watching what Joono and Keesa are doing, and at their gesture, he finds his seat, still looking around his surroundings as if to commit this all to memory. It is pretty fascinating to him, and maybe when he leaves this world, he will be journaling about it.

Larger green visitors. Maggie looks pensive as she shoots a look at Kairo for that bit of info. And she tells him, "I'd love to hear more, if y'all," she gestures to Aaron with the hand that had been waving, "Feel like translating a while more?" Her other hand after the signing rests lightly at Damian's mid-back. And Robin's signs get nods. They seem cool. And they've had very good reasons to have been scared.

When asked if the tentacles were tall and green, Maggie just kind of shrugs at Austin. "I have no idea. The tentacles were dark, but no idea what they attached to, I couldn't see that far. No idea if they were with other creatures or not, either." She could only see so much of the area around where she had been standing as Robin went running in ahead, it was all murky then just nothing at the edges. "I'm just glad the wet we heard coming down the stairs wasn't leading us to the same slithery things I saw."

Maggie fully agrees with the rest of the group about an adventure into mushroom kingdom houses, her hand falling from Damian's back to lace fingers with his if he takes her offered hand before she heads along with him and everyone else to see what the mushrooms look like on the inside, and hopefully to learn more about the creatures in this world, and maybe even more about the world itself. And when they're gestured to seats and the round table, Maggie slips quietly into one of them after shrugging off her backpack to hang its straps over the back of her chair.

Aaron turns to follow the rest of the group, his eyes scanning everything as they walk along and then into the large room, "Yeah, I don't mind translating at all." he smiles at Maggie as he moves to find himself a seat to sit down, his hands moving to rest in his lap as he sits there still trying to believe they are speaking with another race from another world.

"I'm good to translate anything you want to ask, you just gotta let me know specifically what you'd like me to ask them," Kairo says to the group, trusting that Aaron will do the translating back of what he's saying to Joono and Keesa. Between the two of them, all of the translations back and forth should be done for the group so that they can converse, even if on a little bit of a delay.

He settles himself down on the opposite side of the group from Aaron so they aren't talking directly over one another, making it a little easier on both of them. << One of our people, she saw a vision outside. The cave was blocked and there were large tentacled things that hurt the big snails. And the land looked devastated. Can you tell us what happened? >> He decides to start there, since that seems as good a place as any to start.

Robin pays half attention to where he is going and the other half of his attention to the terrain. He signs, with captions in case someone looks over, 'Reminds me of the old gatherings from medieval villages. Or group therapy. Maybe both.' Looking back to Maggie he nods. Not being eaten is good. He does let her pass so if she is suddenly eaten by a thing it is witnessed, or to aid in others not falling down. Whatever happens.

Looking to Kairo he asks, signs and subs, 'Can you ask them for us also what is putting people to sleep or why they're immune to it? Might be personal, but I'm curious. Also do they need anything? Want to trade playlists, bread recipies, whatever?

Austin obligingly finds a seat where they're led and settles in, absently toying with the compass-ball while he looks around. "This is so cool," he murmurs, with a very very small wriggle.

Kairo offers to translate anything they want to ask, and Oz opens and then closes his mouth, blinking, as anything he'd been thinking about asking immediately flees from his mind. His brow furrows, then smooths again at Robin's questions, which he nods to. "Also is it okay if we come back and visit them more? Although I guess maybe that's more a when we're leaving question... I mean they might not even know if they like us yet."

Aaron looks to the group and translates what is said; he seems very curious about something. "Is that what is contained in the large glass balls we saw?" he looks to Kairo, then to the others, "Interesting, so there seems to be something that lives deeper in this planet." looking to Maggie, then back to their newfound companions.

Unable to know what Kairo is asking the group, Maggie answers his offer to pass along questions, "Are the snails safe now? Are these people? Do they need more help than the air gives them?" She may be a little bit in love with those furry gliding schoolsnail-busses. Grinning at Robin's subtitles, Maggie admits after his own requests, "I'd love to hear what they consider music here." And she figure Kairo will get it when she adds to that list, "Or to see their art." Austin also gets a grin, and a wink as well as she assures herself as well as maybe him, "We're super likeable. Hopefully."

The questions - at least some of them - Maggie wanted to know are answered in the next round of translations. And she can't help but wonder, "How terrifying must it be to know things might break open again someday..." It's not like Earth doesn't have volcanoes with enough ash to bring a volcanic blackout to its own atmosphere into a few years or more worth of winter. But at least there wouldn't be tentacles as all the plants died and the planet froze. Small mercies, but important ones, at least for Maggie. She nods at Aaron. "That tracks with what I felt last time. I thought they were maybe pulling it out geothermically, but piping it from chimneys makes sense."

Damian nods at Kario when he offers his translation services once again. A glance at Maggie as Kario gets to translating, and then his gaze follows the other adventurers as he listens, or in Robin's case, reads the subtitles. Grinning at what he thinks is humor coming from Robin. His attention falls back to Joono when the translation begins, and Joono shares what happened here. Tugging at his mask as if to assure himself that he still has it in place. "I hope you never have to use the substance again in that manner, but it is good you have it." He finally says, even if he sounds muffled behind the mask.

Robin can't really show facial expressions as he's not taken the mask off and 0.0 is only so expressive. His head tilts and his finger starts making gestures in the air as if he's writing but above his head there's an emotion of worry, then shock, then little snails gliding around happily in a field with a little dragging of a few of them having a good time on them.

Flapping a hand to Kairo and Aaron he waits and then signs putting the subtitles back even though they both- it's is a courtesy. 'I think a few of us would love to trade art with them for whatever they'd like to see. Something that's not a danger to them or our snail buddies.' He nods to Damian and Maggie and then checks in with Austin. That was the vibe he was picking from the fellow peanut gallery.

Kairo passes on the questions about art and music, what theirs might be like. He also inquires whether they might need anything -- either they, or the snails above, and if both they and the snails are currently healthy and safe. Then he asks about the big balls of magic on.. chimneys? He looks to each person ask they ask a question or make a comment, and then translates it back to Joono and Keesa. He's mostly just trying to keep up with translating the conversation so doesn't throw any of his own questions in for the time being.

Austin nods to Robin -- he's not an artist of any stripe, but he's still definitely on board with this. "So do they get visitors a lot? Or I mean. At least several times? I mean -- was it like a few visitors in one visit, or more than one visit, and was it the same kinda people visiting? 'cause, I dunno, that's interesting if they get visitors kinda often, ish, compared to us." A pause. "Although I guess we could be getting visitors like every day in, I dunno, Australia, and I wouldn't know about that," he thinks out loud, quieter.

Maggie signs back to Robin, <<I would be more than happy to trade them some drawings or a few of my songs, if they have any interest.>> As Damian adjusts his mask, Maggie shifts in her seat, leaning a bit closer to his. As she resettles, she looks to Austin and points out, "We live and work in a theme park. We get visitors all the time." They're just usually human. Maggie can't help but wonder, "Do they have a calendar they would show us? I'm curious if their years are longer, shorter, or similar to ours." She also keeps eyes on Aaron and Kairo, making sure they're doing ok, it's a lot of translating with which to keep up, and she offers, "I have two water bottles in my bag, if you need to brave sips at some point."

Austin blinks at Maggie. As far as he's aware, the park hasn't yet had any off-world guests they didn't directly invite, regardless of what the behaviour of a few of them might have suggested. "No, I mean like..." he starts, a little uncertain about the appearance that she has not gotten this, and gives a tiiiiny tilt of his head toward their hosts, "...visitors."

And on that front, he does look as though every few years seems like a pretty impressive number of his kind of 'visitors' to be having. The question of whether a 'year' here is anything like the ones they're used to is one for other people to have.

Aaron nods to Maggie, then looks to Kairo, "Have they ever seen our race before?" he shifts slightly in his seat, thinking, "I wonder, since we were able to find their home, if others have in the past as well." he tilts his head to the side slightly. "I wonder if they have ever been off this world before."

'I have noticed we do that' Signs Robin to Maggie. Looking around he observes the people and makes an effort to keep his body language relaxed and non-threatening. The masks do not help with the non-threatening part but he can try. 'I would love to learn more about living in peace with the snails and the mushrooms. Would love to trade knowledge, or learn. What do you call-" he shows a picture of the mushrooms and hunts the local vocabulary word for it. This could do on a while, but he's a technican with a new fascination.

For the moment Damian is back to listening and nodding when some points come across in the others and the questions they are asking about. He doesn't have any at the moment as he moves his mask some subconciously.

Kairo shakes his head to Maggie and assures her that he's fine for now. He continues on with the questioning for the time being.

Maggie looks at Austin. "I didn't meet them, but, we have brought guests back, supposedly. And I don't know if the cryptids are from our world or not. Plus..." Maggie hasn't physically shown signs of the magic changing her physically - yet - outside her own changes with it. But she's seen enough changes in others. "I'm not sure sometimes we would know, all things considered." She's skeptical enough to at least leave open the possibility that the park could get guests of all kinds amongst the tourists. "It's a huge world out there. I wouldn't be shocked to learn some day we're not the only ones who can program portals." Why wouldn't another Brass House have built itself in some other world? She shares a lot of Aaron's same curiosities, clearly.

Having already backed up Robin's offers to trade, Maggie's dark eyes find Damian over her mask. She's not used to seeing him fidget, and she checks in after nodding to the shake of Kairo's head, "You ok, Sunshine?" When it comes to what they might want, other than knowledge and culture, Maggie is quiet, letting actual MSD folks take that lead rather than the artist just lucky enough to have tagged along.

"Okay but that isn't the same," Austin says, "...and I never said we never got any anyway." He sounds a tiny bit wounded, honestly, and just goes quiet, turning the compass ball thing over his hands a bit more. Attention is paid to what's being asked and answered, he just isn't doing any of it himself right now.

Robin pats Austin on the shoulder and gives it a squeeze. The questions are curious and he tries to answer some of them speaking with his hands and reliant on Kairo to translate as he's taken point. 'I left the message. I didn't want to walk into your home and not let you know we did it out of respect for you. We are from a place called Earth. It's good and bad in different ways. We traveled because our ability to travel is new. We're curious and want to learn, not to take.'

Robin is struggling with the words on that one but can answer pointing to the mask, ' yeah it has a filter to keep solid things out of the air we breathe. Eventually taking them off to eat and drink though.'

It's here he takes the risk and unbuckles his mask long enough to show them the inside and see if the air is better or worse than up top.

Arrpm watches Robin take his mask off. A worried look comes across his face, "If we are put to sleep, how long does the sleep last, and can we wake from it?" he looks to Keesa and Joono, his eyes dart to Kairo. "Are you ok? If we need, we can always go back and come back another time if they are ok with that."

There is a glance to Maggie when she asks Damian that question. "Yep. Perfectly fine. This is all so very fascinating." He frowns when he takes notice of Robin taking off his mask to show why they wear them and how they protect the humans that have come to this world. "For me? I came here because seeing a world not of my own is intriguing." Damian attempts to explain. Figuring the translators will decode for him as he speaks a little more. "I just like learning about different cultures because I think we all can stand to be open minded in how we interact with others. I am only speaking for myself but you have shown us no harm and I'd like to think we would offer the same to you both and to your people."

"I'm fine," Kairo says to Aaron reassuringly. But he also still has his mask on, so he seems to be in little danger. He relays everyone's messages and then adds one of his own. << I discovered that I could understand the languages of people from not only my own world, but other worlds as well, and I thought it would be amazing to learn about entirely different cultures from entirely different worlds and be able to understand one another. It's not something that people from our world have been able to do before. I mean, even with all the languages of our own world. >>