Accessibility Issues [OPEN!]

[blue_eyed_obsession]

Who: Anyone that wants in!
What: After a conversation with Damien about how inaccessible some locations are, Kaiba decides to take it upon himself to rectify the situation. This is also a catchall for this project!
Where: Cave System all the way to Wall Market
When: Throughout the week
Content Warnings: None that I can think of!

OOC: Since there seemed to be plenty of interest on plurk for helping Damien out, I decided to make this more open. If any of you have other ideas you'd like to put out there feel free to top-level! Then people can just tag around to whatever they wish! Have fun!

Volunteers (will be amended as threads progress or people ask to be added!): Indigo, Exarch, Legion, Turing, Tifa

Comments

[blue_eyed_obsession]

I. Planning phase

[In hindsight, perhaps Kaiba should have given this more thought before deciding to spearhead this project, and he was beginning to question why he hadn't. It wasn't as if he really knew much about Damien other than he processed more technical knowledge than most and he had a limited mobility. The former had impressed him to a remarkable degree but was that enough to warrant what would be tedious hours of labor? He didn't want to project the image that he could be a softtouch. So as he went along measuring the cave with his rudimentary tools, using his cell phone for light he also pondered a better way to spin this. He was still fully committed to the task despite his misgivings about how it could be interpreted. Besides, after all the failed attempts at building generators this should have a much higher success rate, and he needed something to offset his losing streak.

Nothing had shifted since the last survey, so with the inspection completed he returned to a stack of paper he'd left propped up on a nearby rock. On the pages were schematics, and various measurements. He'd also started a list of the necessary supplies to see this through to fruition.]

There will have to be a ramp system... just about here. [Voicing it to himself as he plotted how to get over that last hurdle to Wall Market, while hastily scribbling a spiral pattern to note that it will be helical in design.

Feasibly he knew that this could be completed much faster if he had a team to work with- but he'd been reluctant to go to anyone else. Ugh- maybe he should fact facts, bite the bullet and look for .... volunteers wherever people tended to congregate.]

[OOC NOTES: Feel free to run into Kaiba either in the cave during the planning phase or out and about looking for suckers helpers. This can be anywhere, just note it in the title! Unskilled labor is welcome since he expects most of you to not know your right hand from your left- er... he expects that most of you have no prior experience]

[indigloaming]

Speaking of light, there's a source of pink-purple glow around the corner, along with a stronger flashlight beam. And then there's Indigo, looking around as she explores the caves; she can't turn the light of her Matter Manipulator off, so she might as well use it. Upon spotting Kaiba, she waves and after a moment of hesitation, approaches.

"You explorin' too? Ya need any help?" She's friendly enough (even if she can't show it with facial expressions due to the lack of face), since she hasn't learned what Kaiba is like yet.

[blue_eyed_obsession]

As the unusual hue started to reflect off of the rocky corridor, Kaiba's initial thoughts were 'who or what is that?'. He momentarily stopped what he was doing in order to focus on her approach. Somehow seeing her in her entirety didn't really clue him in anymore than the lighting had.

He refrained from his usual abrasiveness since she had arrived- strangely enough- at precisely the right time. Help was something, he did in fact require. "Funny you should ask.." Though he wasn't sure what her capabilities might be. Beggars, couldn't be choosers but they could be escorted of your premises if you have a security detail. Kaiba no.

"I could actually..." Then he chose his words carefully before proceeding. "I've actually explored this region before, but there are some among us that find the terrain too arduous to navigate, not to mention the prospect of who might appear in the future. I'm trying to see to it that will no longer be an issue." Okay- so.. that sounded more charitable than he wanted to but judging from her upbeat tone, it might be the most effective.

[indigloaming]

Indigo crosses her arms as she takes the information in, thinking.

"So yer buildin' a path so people don't hafta climb over the rocks an' such to get through here?" She confirms, before holding up her Manipulator with some disappointment. "It'd be easy if this was workin'." Just take away rock where there's too much of it, and put it back where there's not enough. Or just make their own, perfectly square, tunnel through the mountain. Without it, though, they'll have to make do with whatever primitive tools they DO have. "So how are ya gonna do this? Ya gotta concrete plan yet?"

[blue_eyed_obsession]

"That's the idea," Replying casually, as he she took it all in. It might not be the most brilliant thing he's ever come up with but he had to start somewhere. Besides, people would end up using this ramp system on a regular basis and who would they have to thank for it? That portion he would keep to himself since it wasn't ideal for maintaining public relations. At least it hadn't been his first thought when the notion sprang to mind. "What's that usually used for other than a glorified night light?" The curiosity genuine.

"I have been drawing up a few plans, but it's not going to be a walk in the park." She was welcome to peruse what he had so far, on the sheets of paper were various diagrams, with measurements on them, and details on the trickier portions of the cave. "Heh- if we had concrete and earth movers it would be completed in no time... but maybe the forces at work here will work in my favor." Since time was still a bit malleable and all.

[crystaltower]

[The Exarch had just been venturing towards the cave entrance, intent on investigating the markets a little more and perhaps taking a bath. He just happens to run into Kaiba in a narrow passage close to the entrance, and as he takes a few steps backward to allow the boy room to pass, he can't help but note the papers he is carrying.

Hm. Curious.]

Ah... might you be working on something here?

[blue_eyed_obsession]

[Initially even while walking, Kaiba was too consumed in his plans to pay the other male much heed. It was fortunate for them both that Exarch took it upon himself to prevent a collision. Once the subject was broached however, it forced Kaiba to respond. Actually- this could work to his advantage.

Maybe.]

For a change. [He stated plainly enough deciding how best to proceed. It wasn't as if he got along famously with this guy.] With this, I can improve the efficiency of getting from the cave entrance to Market Street. Considering that it's currently one of the few sources for various amenities it would be advantageous.

[crystaltower]

I see. To have a more even and less treacherous path would certainly be beneficial...

[His face might look young but he certainly does feel the aches and pains of age at times. Walking through the caves in the dark is not his favourite thing to do.]

Might I take a look? I have some experience with such things.

[blue_eyed_obsession]

Mm

[He hummed, trying not to look too outwardly pleased. That wasn't really a difficult task for him given the years of practice. Not to mention that the benefits of the bath house are somewhat limited when a rigorous climb awaits a person whenever they want to leave the area]

Go right ahead.

[Though he was curious about the claim, for now he didn't press for more details. When the other offered commentary the experience or lack thereof would be evident. Ever the enigma this fellow.

Sample 1, Sample 2, Sample 3

OOC: Pretend there is more to see! I attempted to draw some myself but they looked like I had drawn them in 5 mins in ms paint... which was accurate]

[bridge_princess]

... you want proper access to the bath house that badly?

[Said by the local troll as she just walked up on him while he attempted to plan all this out loud. She had her arms folded, tapping her foot and looking into the darkness.]

Industrious, aren't you? Or just bored?

[blue_eyed_obsession]

Among other things.

[Not missing a beat. Honestly, he had been putting it off but he actually would like to avail himself of that service as well, but there were other issues with the bathhouse. Mostly stemming from not wanting to be disrobed in any capacity around others.

He didn't have to turn to see who it was, but still he did make the effort to face her. It was a bit awkward running into her after the last time, but it likely wouldn't be repeated.]

A mix of both. [If he's being entirely honest.] Besides, it's not as if I'm the only one who could benefit from this.

[bridge_princess]

[For reasons he well knew, she had her own issues about public baths, though there were ways around that. She just stood there, hands behind her back, rocking on her feet back and forth as she looked over the cavern, not seeming quite as ... perturbed as last time.]

Less sprained ankles since everyone seems bent on exploring now that there's that market down there. At this rate, all we need is people, and you'll have a regular town set up around here.

[blue_eyed_obsession]

[Yes, he was acutely aware of what was likely preventing her from frequenting that establishment, nor did he blame her. There were other sources for water, but they were all questionable- the sea had to have been polluted with all the items it had conveyed to the shore and Mortis Lake- aside from the unfortunate name -was in an area that shifted radically from being teeming with life to a barren wasteland. Could you really trust either source? With her casual stance, you would never know what a tragic existence she'd had.

Mentally he tried to push those thoughts to the back of his mind. Personally, he hated constant reminders to the events that had irreversibly altered his life (In some instances he even had such reminders demolished), so why should she be any different (It might have done her a world of good to blow her bridge to smithereens... but she didn't seen willing or able to take that step yet). As an odd yet silent gesture of courtesy he wouldn't bring up her past again.]

Essentially. [The Market Street was in large part a catalyst for these efforts] A shame those people aren't here now, I could use them to put this thing together.

[blue_eyed_obsession]

II. Construction in Progress

The confined space had been an issue on multiple ocassions, and it would often lead to the plans having to be altered or amended without sacrificing the proper level of safety. Ie. It was a headache. There was at least some semblance of the walkways in place now, but it was behind the schedule Kaiba had intended to follow- you know - despite time being more malleable. He was trying very hard not to vent his frustration. Unfortunately, he couldn't just fire everyone and hire a new workforce. Bodies were in short supply, those willing to work was a narrower margin, those willing to work with him? The Narrowest. At least that is what he assumed at this early stage. There was still plenty of time for others to enlist themselves...

[forwearemany]

Legion, at least, is a hard, diligent worker. When they're not forced to take a break due to strain or hunger that is; they're still a little inept at handling such organic urges.

It's on one excursion to the wall market to grab another supply of food that they decide to grab extra before returning.

"Kaiba-Seto. You are showing signs of stress."

Are they going to try and get him to take a break? Yes.

Will it work? Who knows!

[blue_eyed_obsession]

That is definitely something that Kaiba picks up on and appreciates. He's known far too many slackers with little to no work effort, and weeding them out of the application process was always a chore. Er- not that the volunteers here could be held to the lofty standards, therefore those who excelled deserved due praise.

"I'm more concerned with the stress that's going to be applied to this support."

Eying one of poles that had already been anchored. Giving it a not-so-gentle shove he grimaced when it shifted a few centimeters. It wasn't something that Legion had personally touched, which was probably why it was substandard- in Kaiba's opinion.

Getting him to take a rest might have been the more daunting task.

".. but don't let me stop you from taking a break. You've earned it."

[forwearemany]

"Alert: Kaiba-Seto has also 'earned' a break."

They come to take a closer look at the pole.

"This construction is inadequate."

If it shifts that easily, the structure isn't going to hold up to use. It will need to be strengthened.

They shake their head, as though clearing it.

"This is not the topic we wished to discuss. Breaks are required for efficient functioning. Will Kaiba-Seto join us?"

[blue_eyed_obsession]

To that he actually smiled, faint as it was.

"Yeah- well Kaiba-Seto has to oversee this work."

For once not correcting the arrangement of his name, and even going so far as to use it that way himself. As a perfectionist, it was incredibly difficult for him to know when to call it quits. He was used to pushing himself, even when it was foolish to do so.

"Exactly my point."

How he longed to knock that pole completely out of place, and yell at someone to do it again!, but again- mostly unskilled volunteers. He was notably surprised when the break subject resurfaced.

"You've clearly never seen me on a regular work day- I'll remain until the job is done." (Presumably he means for the day and not in it's entirety.)

It was usually his younger brother that had to insist on him taking semi-regular breaks, but he wasn't here. Even then sometimes Kaiba remained stubborn-

[abeautifulgame]

Contrary to popular belief, Damien can be nice -- doubly so when things are going his way and people are doing what he wants. Seto, at the moment, happens to be making both work for him, too, so that in mind, Damien decides he's going to return the favor. Sort of. What he has in mind is probably a little disproportionate, and he's not actually going to acknowledge that he's grateful for Seto helping a guy out any more than he wants to admit this is, at least in part, for him, but.

But at some point or another, Damien heads for Heavenly Blanc, and has Ren fill a thermos of coffee for him. He then takes that coffee to the caves, where Seto is -- or tries to, anyway. The ramps or platforms or whatever he's working on aren't done, so getting around, inside, is still hard, impossible. He ends up sitting on a large, flat rock outside, instead, then, content to wait for Seto for a time. If he doesn't show up in however long Damien decides is a good amount of time, he's going to start drinking the coffee. Kaiba can have whatever's left. Though --

-- though, sound isn't any more coherent as time is, around here, so he's going to try and get Kaiba's attention, hoping his voice will carry to his ears. "When you have a minute, come outside."

Again, an attempt was made, if nothing else.

[blue_eyed_obsession]

That was doubtless a trait that the pair of them shared. Seto could be nice, but he didn't want it openly acknowledged since it could be interpreted as weakness, or exploited. Better to be thought of as calculating and cold-hearted than as a complete pushover. Besides, sometimes he genuinely could care less- so it wasn't as if his cold exterior was completely a lie. This however was a unique circumstance since he was finding himself more invested in the project. Despite not knowing a whole lot about Damien, Seto least knew that the other was clever and he appreciated the knowledge he possessed from an intellectual standpoint. Besides, down the line it might have unforseen benefits.

When the sound met his ears Kaiba puzzled over it for a few minute. He recognized the voice, but a quick inspection didn't find the face to go with it. That was good in a way- since it would have been a struggle to get Damien out of this section had he managed to get this far. He could have replied that he was too busy to walk away from the work at hand...

... but.. he was also mildly curious what this could be about.

"Just follow the pattern from the last section..." He instructed the nearest helper. "I won't be gone long- but I will inspect what you accomplish when I return."

Then he followed the instructions and strode outside, and aimed for Damien's rock. "Here to supervise?" Said in jest.

[abeautifulgame]

"And if I was?" Damien asks, too pleased by the fact that that actually worked to pretend to look the right level of sly. The fact that he immediately holds out the thermos probably doesn't help the illusion that he's just here to keep an eye on things, either.

"I thought you could use a break," he tells him, more seriously. "I hope you like coffee."

[blue_eyed_obsession]

Shrugging at that,"It's a free- whatever this is." There were some benefits to the bizarre fashion in which the void interpreted general science. "What's this?" A little surprised by the offering, Damien really didn't have to go to the trouble. Accepting the thermos, Kaiba decided it was likely best not to balk at the notion of taking a break, besides coffee was his vice.

He inspected the exterior of the thermos with casual regard not knowing how best to handle what should have been a perfectly normal exchange. "Heh- I guess I project that type. I do."

Then he looked to see if there was a spare cup. "Did you bring any for yourself or is it not your beverage of choice?"

[begetblue]

Turing wasn't quite on the list of people who were willing to work with Kaiba, but this was for the greater good. It wasn't right to use their own biases as an excuse to not help with this, after all. That being said, they were going out of their way to avoid Kaiba. Maybe that a tiny bit petty, but that was what they were doing.

They were mainly concerning themselves with moving detritus or tools in and out of the cave, and despite their short stature they weren't struggling with the weight of their cargo. Quite the opposite, actually. They never meant to flaunt that aspect of themselves, but it did kind of make them stick out regardless.

[blue_eyed_obsession]

It had taken a while to catch on to the pattern and realize what the little robot was doing, but to be perfectly frank, Kaiba didn't care. The work was getting done, and it wasn't getting bogged down with unnecessary conversations. Still, it was interesting from a programmer's standpoint since it was an example of a machine being able to assess for itself who it did and didn't want to associate with. What was the decision based upon, he wondered, the tone of his voice, the subjects they discussed? There wasn't time to fully examine it now.

On one of Turing's trips out of the cave to fetch something, Kaiba took the initiative to conceal himself just inside the mouth of the cave.

When Turning came back in, Kaiba stepped away from the wall and into view. "You do good work." Maybe Turing didn't want to hear it from this source, but Kaiba preferred to acknowledge those that deserved it, and like it or not the blue robot did. There needn't be any further discussion between them, but he remained standing there allowing Turing to make that call.

[begetblue]

Turing had been so focused on what they were doing that Kaiba's sudden appearance made them jump. To say they were not pleased to see Kaiba was an understatement; their initial meeting was still too fresh in Turing's mind. With that in mind, those words of acknowledgement were understandably not what Turing expected.

"...Thank you."

They may have gotten off on the wrong foot, but that was no reason to be rude, after all.

"I appreciate your words."

They couldn't help but internally brace themselves for the words that might come next. Or maybe that trepidation was more the result of getting caught. Regardless, they weren't rushing off just yet.