Gles
Active member
With a hot cup of cocoa (of which she dissolved the given serving of chocolate liqueur inside) warming her hands, Molli observed the gift giving with warm eyes, insomuch as metal facsimiles could imitate warmth, and a gentle smile. For the moment, she could pretend that everything was all right, that everything would be alright. Molli received Hoshi's gift with a grateful nod and a reassurance that she'd make good use out of them; she wondered if some better pillows and a warm quilt would make the nights a little less sleepless, and with how incredibly soft and pliable they felt in her hands, maybe they would.
William's gift, meanwhile, elicited a wide-eyed gasp from the Nepleslian. The brass knuckles, which probably weren't actually made of brass, slipped through her fingers just right, fitting perfectly to their contours and size. It was almost uncanny how well they were measured. Molli was about to ask why a synchronization was in progress in her visual HUD, but the list of settings pertaining to her new weapons answered the question nicely. It turned out that her new toys had a bevy of options, from extending spikes for added lethality, electrification toggles (albeit with an in-built limiter to prevent accidental electrocution), and even an option to 'melt' into her metal arm for added concealment. It was, in all respects, a preem gift.
Of course, that just made Molli apprehensive to hand out what she'd bought for everyone else when the time came, but she managed to put on a brave face and hand them out with a smile regardless.
With William's stint as a gunslinging rancher fresh in her mind, Molli thought a pair of synthetic crocolisk-skin boots were apt. The tips even had a silver skull that resembled the reptilian terror built in. "Ah figgered ya wanted somethin that looked...tough, ah guess," Molli said, before asking him to try them on eagerly.
In Hoshi's case, Molli imagined that, given her captain's propensity for farm work, a gift in that vein would matter more. So when the little Kaiyo captain opened her box, she'd find a black and flame-decal'd bag meant to hold a variety of farming tools, as well as a nice pair of sturdy black gloves, also with flame decals. "Imported 'em from Nepleslia," Molli explained, if asked.
Aiko's gift was a simple sharpening stone meant to keep a traditional metal blade in top condition, and Molli could feel the shopkeeper's admonishing words in her mind as she bowed deeply while handing the gift off as a gesture of respect. The stone was ordinary in every sense of the word, but turning it over would reveal a crude 'M' carved on the bottom. "So's ya don't get it mixed up wiv th'rest..." Molli explained, sheepish and sweating.
Isuke was someone Molli didn't know all that well, but she didn't want her Lorrfolk comrade to feel left out. With precious little to work with, Molli settled on a pair of pink cotton horn-warmers. They looked hand-made, and Molli explained that she'd knitted them herself, and it showed -- they looked as if they'd fall apart at the slightest breeze. "Y'get cold horns, righ'?" she asked, worried that the gift would be useless, "I-If they don't ya can still accessorize!"
When it came time for Rio's gift, Molli revealed she'd bought her a bunch of fancy ribbons meant to serve as tail accessories. They came in a variety of colors, and there were even pins of the Kaiyo, as well as stylized portraits of the crew to serve as modular accessories for the accessories. "Ah just thought yer tail was really... uh... eyecatchin'? So now it's even more eyecatchin'!" Molli said, before not-so-subtly suggesting she wear the pin bearing Molli's likeness.
And then, at last, it was Sif's turn. Molli seemed more eager to see her unbox the gift than anyone else, and it was obvious why once the wrapping was on the floor and the cardboard peeled back. It was a pair of modeling kits for mecha, as well as tools for spray painting. The decals on both boxes looked quite familiar, too. "Our mechs!" Molli exclaimed, pointing to the box depicting the Shield Maiden in all its spear-thrusting glory, as well as her own spindly, starship-shifting beauty. "Ah recorded our models 'n sent 'em to a lil' shop in the city, made sure change ah few things t'keep our op secret. Ah was hopin we could, um...build 'em together...?"
Regardless of the answer, Molli was content with her efforts to make the rest of the crew feel like they mattered to her.
William's gift, meanwhile, elicited a wide-eyed gasp from the Nepleslian. The brass knuckles, which probably weren't actually made of brass, slipped through her fingers just right, fitting perfectly to their contours and size. It was almost uncanny how well they were measured. Molli was about to ask why a synchronization was in progress in her visual HUD, but the list of settings pertaining to her new weapons answered the question nicely. It turned out that her new toys had a bevy of options, from extending spikes for added lethality, electrification toggles (albeit with an in-built limiter to prevent accidental electrocution), and even an option to 'melt' into her metal arm for added concealment. It was, in all respects, a preem gift.
Of course, that just made Molli apprehensive to hand out what she'd bought for everyone else when the time came, but she managed to put on a brave face and hand them out with a smile regardless.
With William's stint as a gunslinging rancher fresh in her mind, Molli thought a pair of synthetic crocolisk-skin boots were apt. The tips even had a silver skull that resembled the reptilian terror built in. "Ah figgered ya wanted somethin that looked...tough, ah guess," Molli said, before asking him to try them on eagerly.
In Hoshi's case, Molli imagined that, given her captain's propensity for farm work, a gift in that vein would matter more. So when the little Kaiyo captain opened her box, she'd find a black and flame-decal'd bag meant to hold a variety of farming tools, as well as a nice pair of sturdy black gloves, also with flame decals. "Imported 'em from Nepleslia," Molli explained, if asked.
Aiko's gift was a simple sharpening stone meant to keep a traditional metal blade in top condition, and Molli could feel the shopkeeper's admonishing words in her mind as she bowed deeply while handing the gift off as a gesture of respect. The stone was ordinary in every sense of the word, but turning it over would reveal a crude 'M' carved on the bottom. "So's ya don't get it mixed up wiv th'rest..." Molli explained, sheepish and sweating.
Isuke was someone Molli didn't know all that well, but she didn't want her Lorrfolk comrade to feel left out. With precious little to work with, Molli settled on a pair of pink cotton horn-warmers. They looked hand-made, and Molli explained that she'd knitted them herself, and it showed -- they looked as if they'd fall apart at the slightest breeze. "Y'get cold horns, righ'?" she asked, worried that the gift would be useless, "I-If they don't ya can still accessorize!"
When it came time for Rio's gift, Molli revealed she'd bought her a bunch of fancy ribbons meant to serve as tail accessories. They came in a variety of colors, and there were even pins of the Kaiyo, as well as stylized portraits of the crew to serve as modular accessories for the accessories. "Ah just thought yer tail was really... uh... eyecatchin'? So now it's even more eyecatchin'!" Molli said, before not-so-subtly suggesting she wear the pin bearing Molli's likeness.
And then, at last, it was Sif's turn. Molli seemed more eager to see her unbox the gift than anyone else, and it was obvious why once the wrapping was on the floor and the cardboard peeled back. It was a pair of modeling kits for mecha, as well as tools for spray painting. The decals on both boxes looked quite familiar, too. "Our mechs!" Molli exclaimed, pointing to the box depicting the Shield Maiden in all its spear-thrusting glory, as well as her own spindly, starship-shifting beauty. "Ah recorded our models 'n sent 'em to a lil' shop in the city, made sure change ah few things t'keep our op secret. Ah was hopin we could, um...build 'em together...?"
Regardless of the answer, Molli was content with her efforts to make the rest of the crew feel like they mattered to her.