Voices from Port Outreach

It’s the little things that throw off your grip, when you’re changing cultural habitats. The big things about shifting from vertical to coastal geography you can guess ahead of time, prepare yourself for. But the small things…

Like the other night, hanging out at a new friend’s house; they have an entire room devoted to their veclet, Floofball. This misbegotten descendent of stunted livex has its own bed, a throw rug (made from harvesting its own hair), toys! Even a little closet where they’ve trained it to purge body excreta. I found myself watching the spoiled beast for most of the evening in a rather horrified fascination.

Don’t get me wrong, I really miss not being able to bring my little Lirta with me due to the climate shift; but chini are hand-sized, clean, and nest in one’s pocket. We would no more devote an entire room to a family pet than you would build a house with no windows.

Has anyone else out there recently undergone a major cultural relocation? What catches your notice while you adjust?

– Fali ahs-Hyrti ahp-Jhena, ‘Rider

I couldn’t have had a better celebration to my first successful stylistic Gurge run, thanks to everyone who kept me in smoke and drink last night. I’m not really sure what I’m supposed to do with all the attention and new fan-following, but Mikasa says I should support these efforts from the good CLabs folk, so here I am! Chat up me if you’d like.

– Fali

Oh, and Splash: like most Mediators who walk rather than wheel their routes, Gurgeriding hones the ass quite well for most Riders. See what you miss by not following the runs?

Hello, nagara and nagarei! This is Liand, of GurgeRider Daily. I just got this exclusive interview with Fali, the newest Gurge Rider to capture our hearts. She asked me to post the transcript; she’ll be posting on her own once she’s slept off her indulgences of the evening. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to take another Mikasa Shot if I’m going to make it all night myself…

Liand: This is Liand from GurgeRider Daily, and I’ve just met Fali coming out of Jyn’s. She’s agreed to speak with me for a few moments. Fali! Thank you for agreeing to appear on GurgeRider Daily. How are you? This must be the night of your life!
Fali: Well, perhaps up to now. Certainly this is the most inebriated I’ve ever been!
L: I’m sure! Everyone in the city is abuzz about your run today. Tell me a little about how you did it. Many nagara are speculating that your board is heavily customized. Is this true?
F: I don’t go in for the crazy mods that Riders like Jeden do. My keel’s weighted a bit differently than some, but my sail’s made of hemp just like the next Rider.
L: Then what’s your secret? How DID you achieve such incredible feats out there today?
F: *winks at Liand* Smooth skills, newsboy. Sailing a board isn’t much different than climbing cliffs back home–except that it’s horizontal, we don’t have boats, and it’s harder to drown on a cliff-face.
L: Have you found acceptance amongst the Riders? It’s unusual to have a Spelaean out there on the boards.
F: I wondered about that when I first arrived in Port Outreach, given some of the stories you hear circulating. Really, the Riders seem very excited to have me around; the few who give offense I simply challenge to climb the south Tower Point, and that solves the problem.
L: Very clever. I can see that your wit is certainly as agile as your riding. Speaking again of your ride, the official ruling was that you performed a 32-degree fly, but many people argue it was actually 33 or 34. Do you think the ruling was fair?
F: Did you know Rider fans are a bit cracked? I mean really, 32-angle fly, 33, 34, it’s still ridiculous regardless. I was happy to beat my goal of 30.
L: You’ll have some time before your next run, although I am sure the fans will be shouting for your return as soon as possible. How do you plan to spend your downtime?
F: Well a Rider never stops practicing for her next run, of course. I was drinking with Mikasa earlier and he mentioned a project some of his friends in a group called CLabs are working on, told me I should visit. Plus, I like this drinking establishment right here, Jyn’s. Good folk here. Good drink. Good smoke. All this talking is making me thirsty, when do you get me that drink you mentioned?
L: One more question, if you don’t mind. Do you have any goals set for the next run?
F: Actually, yes. I noticed on this run that the Cliff Current runs close enough to the rock that I plan to take it again on my next run, but set up a rope ahead of time to actually leave my board and swing off the cliffs before landing back on the board on the outward side. I’m sure you’ll be able to see me practicing over the next several phases.
L: That’s incredibly exciting. We’ll all be looking forward to that footage. Thanks for taking the time to speak to GurgeRider Daily, Fali. Now about that drink — what’s your pleasure tonight?
F: Well, there’s the shot here called Box Of Rocks, they claim that’s how your head will feel in the morning. You should try it with me!
L: Sounds perfect! From Jyn’s in Harborside, this is Liand of GurgeRider Daily, shutting off for now.
F: Just don’t swallow the rock, extra minerals in every glass! They claim it adds flavor.
L: I’m sure…