Raises a finger upwards hand all 'I have a wonderful explanation' style, and says "My attempts at personal ballistic arc travel were only half sucessful, and Emerald was around to catch me before I made a small person shaped crater."...  Not the best answer, really.

  "Perhaps I should work on just getting better at flying more than five miles per hour, but I've always had better luck with things that either cause explosions or make reality beg for mercy than practical magic."

  Oh crap, I spilled my breakfast on the floor... MAGIC!... Oh, huh. Now I have a live chicken and pig on my kitchen floor.

Emerald says, "What he said. And flight is fun! But I'm right there with you on the slow flight." Unless the world is in danger. Then she goes all Superman flight speeds. But that's different and requires letting go of her sanity a little. "Personally, for utility purposes, I prefer teleport. You're there instantly."

She then looks at Kalliana again. "So what's new with you, sweet stuff?"

Kalliana smirks some, "You can take a guess at my personal favorite mmode of transportation.  Arz here can travel on land or water, you don't have to worry about sudden drops, turbulence a hundred miles in the air, or heck I imagine teleporting would be pretty inconvienant if some random person just decided to step in where you're hoping to pop up at the very instant you poof."  She leans against the dash, turning so she can face the two, "Small worries of bandits too.  They usually take a gander at Arz's set of chompers and high tail it the other way."

She stretches and mms at Emerald, "New?  Ah nothing much really.  Got a few new customers sittin all nice an cozy in the cabin.  I hear this festival's gonna be a doozy!  How about you two miss cutie and mister handsome?"

  Joe considers deep philosophical questions.  "If they saw Arz's teeth, then ran in the opposite direction... Wouldn't they still be in front of him?  I guess pants wetting terror can make you do stupid things.  Though yes, I don't exactly trust myself with the results of personal teleportation.  Now, bending space a bit so you can shoot something on the other side of a guy without hitting them, that I'm a bit more good with."

  Don't worry!  This spell is 'target enemy' not 'target all' I swear!

Emerald pshaws. "You two just don't know the proper way to teleport. A more novice solution is to add a phase spell so you're insubstantial until you wanna go solid again." She ohs and nods with a bright smile. "I'm excited! All the top arcanists are going to be there!"

Kalli sticks her tounge out at Joe in a playful manner, "I meant in the oppisate direction from where they were coming.  Ya goof."  She mms and nods some, "All the same though I put my transportation trust on something that can stay on solid ground or keep afloat in the water."  Thankfully Arz fulfills both requirements!

The orange vixy nods to Emerald, grinning ear to ear, "I know!  Its gonna be sooo awesome!  I'm hopin the lead clockworkmancer'll take me on as an apprentice, or atleast give me a few tips.  Heh Imagine being able to make Arz here go faster?"

Yes, because that's exactally what the world needs.  A clockwork 'gator-boat with rocket boosters.  Why not add some cannons that fire concentrated magic energy in the form of lasers?

  Joe smiles and shrugs, "Arz can go faster, by running.  But that's not as fun yeah.  I do trust Arz more than I'd trust myself for transport, but then that's not saying much.  I'm sure Arz will make a great example of 'why I would be an awesome apprentice'."

  He turns to Emerald and comments "Well, good thing you're going or it wouldn't be true."

Emerald grins and slides her foot. Then comments, "You know, you two have loads of potential. I'm positive Jerred will take you in, Kalliana. And your brave experimentation will take you places most simply can't go because of not taking chances, Joe. Me... I just learned a bunch of stuff from other people's discoveries." Sure she made her own discoveries, but refer to where we said she was low-key. She then pets one of the guard rails at the edge of the ship. "Arz, you rock. Anyone failing to recognize that, well... do you have lugi spitting in your arsenal?"

One of the best things about this type of mount, an intellegant auto-pilot.  Well, reletively speaking of course.  In reply to Emerald's question and comment, Arz gives a rather pleasant sounding rumble-growl.  A couple passengers voice their concern at this, but Kalli's quick to calm them.

"Maybe, maybe not Emmy dear.  Either way it took you a great deal of time and work to get to where you are I imagine.  Not like some grand high diety came down to you one day an poofed you to be instantly awesome."  She hmms over at Joe, "Ya know I have to agree on that.  Joe does some pretty crazy stuff, but insn't that how a lot of progress is made?  Someone deciding to try something crazy just to see if it works or not?"

  "Taking magic missile and just going 'hey, let's make it BIGGER!' isn't exactly the most difficult concept for anyone to come up with either."  The ICBMM spell, fortunately, has had no test runs as of yet.  It's not as bad as it sounds though, it's just 2d10 Force Damage.

  "Though, I figure we're all the 'more modest about our cool things than reasonable' sort.  Ussually anyways."

Emerald goes to put an arm around Kalliana and says, "So how about you give us a tour while we're on the boat, eh?"

Kalliana blushes a bit, "Heh kinda hard for me to be modest about my life's work when we're riding on it."  The fact that it works with no unexpected explosions or rampages is proof of a good job.  Unless you're a Rage Mage, in which case you've just lost the game.   Kalli grins and nods, "Sure thing."  She gives the control dash a pat, "I'm gonna show the gang around kay Arz?  Just stay on course and we'll be at the city before we know it."  A soft, almost purring rumble is given in reply before Kalli takes the two on a tour.


"First up's the cabin, gots space for about a good six or so passengers to stay all comfy like.  Though trips don't take too too long, they can order up a snack from the kitchen down the hall there."  She passes a large double-door, shut and locked, "My personal quarters, no one's allowed in there with out my say so."  A glance shot at Joe, "An that means you too mister.  Iffin I catch you sneaking around I'll... I'll shave your tail, got it?"   She grins and goes to show off the kitchen, which for the size of the boat, isn't bad at all.

  Joe has the look of completely non threatened only those either very stupid or completely innocent could have at Kalliana's threats regarding sneaking into her room.  It's the second one, we swear.  "Considering the legs situation, would where an engine room normally goes take or more or less space than usual for Arz?"

  Perhaps cookie storage?  You could fit a lot of cookies in what would normally be an engine room.

Emerald giggles from Kalliana's protecting her room. She knows the feeling. "May we visit your room after the tour?" she asks, following Kalliana to the next part of the tour.

Kalli hmms softly.  As they enter the kitchen, she reache into a cupboard and gets out a jar of chocolate chip cookies, offering them to her friends.  "Well....  maybe.."  She nabs a cookie herself and nibble-noms it.  "As for the engine, it's.. about standard for Arz's size.  Even with magically enhanced power batteries the parts still need room to move in.  Actually most of Arz's belly space is devoted to the engine."

  Joe gets cookies! Yay!  Cookies are awesome.  "But if we do see her room it will ruin the mystery, like 'I wonder if she has a wave pool in there?'"  Hey, you could totally fit a wave pool into a small bedroom if you tried hard enough.  Maybe.

Emerald takes a cookie. "Thanks!" she nomnoms. Then leans over, beckoning Kalliana so she can whisper in her ear. "You ever rub Arz's tummy?" she giggles. Then looks at Joe. "True enough."

Kalli giggles and nods, "Oh yes.  Big lug just adores it too."  She takes another cookie from the jar and puts the jar back.  "Mmm well, I've got a pool or sorts.. but it's nothing to do with water.  Kinda embarrassing truth be told."  She eh-hehs softly and continues the tour, the pantry, tool closet, on to the small cargo hold, even passing by a doorway to the engine room which she opens up to let the two take a peek in.

  A pool that has nothing to do with water?  Clearly, Kalliana has a BLOOD POOL used to power Arz.  Or not.  "Even when they drive themselves, it's still impressive that you keep it running all by yourself."  An aspect of setting really.  The Millenium Falcon was an awesome ship, and it only needed one ore two guys to fly it and keep it running.

  Treck?  Your ships run on the bodycount of an endless array of unnamed staff, and Technobabble lines from a few named characters.

The group soon makes it to town and festivities are livening up. Emerald says, "Take care, Arz! We're going to go and mingle a bit."

Kalli smiles as she helps the passengers depart to the town.  She gives a bow to them, "Thankyou I truely appreciate your patronage." She looks over to Emerald and smirks, "Wha?  I don't get a good bye?  Heh have fun."  She gives her fellow foxy friend a wave.

  Joe looks to the sailor foxy and comments "Why say goodbye if you were also planning on heading to the festival Kalliana?  Unless of course the whole 'ooh! Maybe I could get an apprenticeship!' thing was referring to somewhere else."  Perhaps Joe had missed something?  It wouldn't be the first time.

Emerald looks confused too. "Yeah, no goodbye... thought you were going to the festival with."

Kalli hehs softly, "Well I certainly can't leave Arz.  I'm gonna pilot it to the clockwork exhibitions where the master clocksmithers will be judging and such.  Maybe "I'll see you two later though."  With that the orange foxy gets back on  board the gator'bot and moves on to the area where the other aspiring clocksmithies display their greatest achievments.  If Arz is impressive, just try to imagine some of the more die-hard 'smithers that're showing off their creations.

  Joe hmms, then lookds over to Emerald as he waves to Kalliana and Arz.  "Okay, unless there was something specific you had in mind for the festival.  The plan is we get a bunch of cotton candy and some fried dough, then head over to the clockworks exhibition and give them some and cheer them on.  Or is this a stupid plan?"