Don't get him wrong, there weren't many times where Kotallo felt himself feeling sorry for people; it just was how he was; it wasn't that he couldn't have or feel sympathy, but it was rare it raised its head. Here however, yes, he felt bad for the poor merchant who was having their ear talked off by Nureka. He supposed, in some ways, he was seeing what Banuk bargaining and haggling looked like...it was interesting to say the least, interesting may have been the wrong word to use, but there was definitely an interesting tactic of just constant talking by Nureka.

Nureka had seemingly started off well, managing to trade the parts she had bought with her that were stashed in her pack. That was fine, she seemed happy for the shards she got for them; however, the hunter looked pleased with the pieces they'd received in return, seemed to change less pleased, when Nureka questioned about what machine pieces they themselves had. Kotallo guessed the mood changed when he could hear Nureka say she'd just find someone else, who had the pieces she was looking for.

He didn't even know what those parts were, but the prospect of losing custom, but also at being snubbed for not having sufficient stock was enough for the hunter's face to darken, even under the paint on their face, Kotallo could tell they were annoyed. It wasn't like he couldn't deny his people weren't quick to anger. He was tempted to step in, it was a tempting offer, but there was something somewhat amusing about watching the scene. He felt bad to admit that to himself, but Nureka's determination butting heads with the stubbornness of the hunter was truly something to behold.

As far as he knew, she had been offered pieces from the Frostclaws she had dispatched. Kotallo was uncertain whether she took anything, or if she did, what. He couldn't help but frown, if she was on the hunt for something akin to a Sawtooth, all that was out this way were Ravagers, maybe even a Scorcher; but she didn't share what she was looking for, thus Kotallo just stood back and let her get on with it. Yet again, he was tempted to intervene and quell the clear tension which was rising between the pair, but...well, it wasn't like either were going to do something ridiculous, or at least he hoped not.

"I do not think anyone would want to switch places right now." Kotallo looked slowly away and to the side where Hekarro had come to join him. He nodded onwards, by now the pair before them seemed to be in some sort of discussion, whether it was good or bad was hard to tell considering the hard look on the hunter's face, and Nureka's back being to them. "I take it she hasn't succeeded in finding what she wanted?"

Kotallo merely shook his head, removing his hand from his hip and hanging it simply by his side. "There's been some trade, but nothing that I believe she could make armour with."

Hekarro let out a thoughtful hum at that, his eyes narrowing a fraction before stepping to the side. "Her people are good at making something from nothing. You'll be surprised," he was clearly just out and surveying how everyone was doing, and if the peace which was here, really was staying.

Kotallo couldn't help but frown at that, "How many from the Frozen Wilds have you met?" He found himself asking curiously, turning and looking Hekarro's way.

There was a loose shrug from the Tenakth Chief. "She is the first. But tales get told and spread around all of these lands." Was the response given from over his shoulder before disappearing into a small mingling crowd.

Hearing a clank had Kotallo turning back, the double take and slightly disbelieving look on his face had Nureka looking at him oddly. One moment she was deep in conversation, clearly trying to haggle. The next he looks, here she is pulling a woven basket his way, jam packed with parts and pieces. "Do you plan to use all of that?" He asked, pointing a finger hesitantly to the basket. Not that many would mind if it was in the base, it wasn't like Zo and her planting and mats weren't taking up space, he wasn't shooting them down, but if she could do that, then why say no to Nureka and her machine part hoarding?

"Give or take." Her reply just had him slowly blinking and tilting his head. Well, that definitely didn't sound positive. He could already imagine pieces just cluttering the base, maybe he was taking his earlier thoughts back. Kotallo just straightened up and looked confused when she let go the handles of the basket and did a circle around him. "Well, your armour is fine or else I'd offer an upgrade. Maybe someone else back at the base need parts?"

"I think perhaps it's only you," he couldn't imagine Varl having a use for...well, whatever was in her stash. "What is all of that?" Was he going to regret asking? Perhaps. But he asked anyway.

"Most of it is from one of the Frostclaws. Don't know if you've noticed, but they're big." She chuckled and shook her head, with a nonchalant sigh, she grasped onto the handles and tried heaving it up again.

Kotallo sighed and watched her struggle for a few moments before wrapping his hand over hers on the handle, merely shaking his head got the message across and her hand retreated. It may have been hard for her to lift and carry, but not so much him. Kotallo shot her a look when a low whistle came from her, Nureka just sheepishly smiled and gestured her spare hand to the path ahead. They'd done what they came for, it was time to trek back. Neither had heard word from Aloy, and if her current task was going okay, or not, or if there had been any troubles.Naturally, Nureka dearly hoped she wasn't having too much trouble, or worse yet, was hurt in some way and couldn't contact them. Shaking her head, she was opting to push negative thoughts out of her head. This was Aloy she was thinking about, she'd be fine, right? Nureka hesitantly looked up at Kotallo, he seemed rather steadfast on heading towards the exit but even he eventually felt eyes on him and glanced downwards at her.

"What is it?" Her expression was a hard one, and Kotallo had slowly and steadily come to realise and accept that her serious moments went with this expression.

"Do you think Aloy is okay?"

Kotallo's eyes slowly raised upwards, as ever, the weather seemed fair and sunny, white clouds lazily moving amongst the blueness of the sky as birds flew about. "She is strong, and she is capable of facing troubles head on and succeeding. If she was in trouble, I'm sure she would've contacted us."

"But she's stubborn! She's likely to long suffer in silence, Kotallo." Nureka exclaimed quietly with an irritated sigh to really home in her feelings here.

"That is true," Kotallo couldn't deny that, he had sort of realised that quite quickly. It was understandable, in a way, when someone had been on their own or felt like they had been for so long, it was just easier to always depend on themselves and their skills; trying to counter and include others was hard, not through there being a lack of trust, just if anyone got injured or harmed, it would be only one person to blame for putting them in that situation. It was easier to long suffer alone, using Nureka's own words, then to feel guilt for harming someone close.

"You're not helping!"

"I wasn't aware I was meant to."

"Humour me just this once."

Kotallo frowned and just looked at Nureka oddly. "I feel lying would be a bad decision on my part."

Nureka just rolled her eyes, yet she found herself slowly nodding. "That is sweet of you." That had him looking at her oddly again, even with a raised eyebrow, Kotallo just looked at her so strangely and Nureka looked around confused in turn. "What?"

"Interesting choice of words, that is all." Kotallo replied quietly, thoughtfully even as he nodded in the direction of the former museum, he could just about see Dekka standing in the doorway, she was talking to someone, but her vibrant tattoos and striking white hair was easily distinguished. He thought she would be someone Nureka would want to meet, and he hadn't seen the Chaplain up until now. Not that Kotallo was going to question where the older woman had been, unless she was visiting a nearby settlement, which seemed hugely likely.

Nureka was a bit confused as to why they were heading back to the Grove, yet just followed silently. Perhaps he had forgotten something, though watching him greet the woman on the steps, Nureka soon found herself being eyed up and down gently by a white haired, what she was pitching a guess, Lowland tribeswoman based on the colour of her armour, but also her tattoos. "Hello," Nureka let go of one of her pack straps and waved her hand in the air. To the side she just received a very slow turn of the head from Kotallo and that same look he had when she did the same thing to Hekarro. Nureka just smiled, opting to ignore his moment, "I'm Nureka."

"The Banuk who fought in the arena, I heard about that from Chief Hekarro himself. You put up quite the fight, it sounds."

"Fighting Frostclaws is sort of the norm, back home." Nureka shrugged casually, though between Stalkers lurking with their invisibility abilities and Thunderjaws taking to residing in spaces which some would rather they didn't, the Frostclaws were just one of many large or troublesome machines that just seemed to be coming closer and closer to settlements.

"You are modest," there was a pause before a hand was gestured, "I am Dekka, the Chaplain to Memorial Grove," even if she did travel to other places, she resided here predominantly. She doubted Nureka would know the places nearby, so Dekka didn't name them.

Nureka nodded slowly, looking over to the nearest hologram which was in the large foyer space of the former museum. There were some Tenakth in front of it, listening and flicking their eyes over the imagery. "What does a Chaplain do?"

"I interpret the Visions, teach and impart the knowledge of them onto the younger generations. Of course, it's much easier to do so now that they have been restored. It wasn't that long ago when they were just fragments. I advise, if I am needed to, or asked for advice." Dekka explained, a gentle hand was waved over to the hologram, and ironically the Tenakth standing and watching.

Nureka let out a thoughtful noise, her head tilting as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other. Dekka's eyes flitted back to her, much like with Kalla, and everyone else Nureka had met; the paint which was on her face made her eyes stand out, the brown of her eyes against the light blue, almost turquoise was striking when coupled with the white streaks which melded into this and the red of her tattoos and gear. "You're the equivalent of a Banuk Shaman." Nureka mused, "Only...I doubt you get asked to track, dye or make things," Nureka chuckled softly, Dekka smiled softly and shook her head slowly. "You're a source of information, which I can only imagine is unable to be compared to anything else." Nureka wasn't going to be rude, but Dekka was quite a bit older than her, it was rare really for people to live to their older years, life wasn't easy for anyone; the knowledge and information which Dekka had would be both from the holograms she had learned from, but from her own life experiences too. Nureka nodded at the hologram, "You take their message, and pass it on. I listen to the music of machines. Your holograms, they allowed you to learn about the Ten. The machine spirits and their songs, allow me to gain insight for a hunt, or something more. We are very much in the same line of work, I think."

"There may be many lands that lay in-between us, but it is a universal thing, to want to understand the world around us, and to learn as much as we can about it. Sometimes people need a little help from those who may know a little more than them. But as a collective everyone can learn together, and come together too."

Nureka found herself nodding, she agreed completely with her there, she couldn't even lie. "I imagine, though I mean no offence, that anything you know can put most to shame." Nureka smiled awkwardly, she didn't mean to blatantly point out the age gap, but with age came wisdom, and it was a shame that that had been missing from many people's lives for so long. It seemed that with the Tenakth coming to accept peace, there was no more deaths of the younger generations.

Dekka shook her head and waved a hand to dismiss her words. It was sort of the general vibe with a Chaplain, someone who had the life experience to aid and guide those that were younger. It may come off a little patronising if such things came from someone of a similar age. Dekka, and her long life, she had seen and learned much which could be useful to any and all. She had lived through the Clan Wars, lost all but one relative to the constant fighting; she had found no solace in fighting, and though her tribe were brilliant fighters, trying to sway from being so ready to fight and to listen to wisdom and to use words to settle problems, it was a hard task. Not many wished to listen to her words, but more and more were coming around, and to have a similar want and wish as Hekarro probably helped.

Nureka readjusted her pack, she had managed to cram things in, and she could've sworn she felt a machine part stab her between her shoulders; she did wince a little, like she didn't still ache enough, because she truly did, without this. "I think I'd like to come back sometime, and listen to the stories you could tell."

"And I'll be happy to tell them." Dekka said with a slight nod of her head, Nureka was always interested to hear tales from those around her, or whomever she met. The things Dekka had seen, Nureka could only imagine, she probably had the blueprint for peace and tranquility in her mind somewhere. No wonder Hekarro would ask for her opinions on things, Nureka got the sense that Dekka wouldn't hold back with honesty.

The pair said their farewells, earning a slow bow of the head and a gentle wave of the hand from Dekka. Nureka was more than happy to wave back, shouldering her pack more as she turned away and followed after Kotallo, he was making carrying the parts she had collected look really easy. She had to halfway drag and tug the carrier they were all stashed in, but he seemed to find it more than easy to just one arm carry it.

He did cautiously look down and at her stash though, and Nureka could only guess he was just trying to figure out what she intended to do with them all. In all honesty, Nureka herself wasn't entirely certain; it was a hard thing to explain, when creating something. It wasn't like she initially ever set out with a set plan, plans could always change and be edited. Her way of creating was more like staring at what she had, and thinking out the rational probability of something working, or not. There was no style over substance, that was just being impracticable; something needed to be functional, to protect her from harm, whether it looked clean and polished and fantastic really didn't matter to her.

It shouldn't entirely matter to anyone, especially if that same not so fantastical looking armour was holding up against the claws, jaws or attacks of a machine. In all honesty, anything which protected her would be better than the little she had strapped to herself right now. Nureka jumped onto a log, it wasn't immediately blocking the path, more just laying along the edge. There was no reason for her to just walk along it, but it did give her a slight height advantage for the moment, so much so that she could reach up and trail her hand in and amongst the leaves above her.

It seemed that whatever thoughts that were travelling through Kotallo's mind, became too much and he looked Nureka's way as she landed with a quiet thud. "Are you really going to use all of these parts?"

Nureka peered around him, eyeing the content of the wicker carrier. Inhaling slowly, she looked a bit puzzled too before giving a hesitant nod. "Maybe yes, maybe no. Why? Do you need parts?" Nureka asked sceptically, she was half-tempted to joke about becoming a trader herself, with the hoard she now had, she could definitely get a few shards here and there. Not that she was totally wishing to part with her hard-earned stash.

Her question seemed to cause more thoughtfulness to flit across Kotallo's face, his eyes flicking around their surroundings, before settling on her. "Perhaps."

Nureka just tilted her head, well that was causing more questions to appear within her mind. Scrunching up her nose, she wagged a finger his way. "You're being mighty suspicious. Should I be worried?"

Kotallo frowned, his vagueness wasn't meant to cause her to eye him so suspiciously. He was going through his own thoughts, not realising that his one word answer was going to have this reaction. In all honesty, he should've suspected as much, wasn't like his moments of silence or simple answering hadn't bought similar reactions out of her. "No." He answered, watching Nureka's eyes narrow more his way. Kotallo inhaled slowly, he looked skywards, eyes even trailing over and across the leaves and boughs which were sheltering them from the slowly rising sun. "It's more of an idea, something which Gaia is aiding me with."

Nureka raised an eyebrow at that, "Oh, consider me interested."

Kotallo shifted his hold on the handles slightly, managing to readjust his grip just a little bit to alleviate some of the tension he could feel creeping up and into his arm. Kotallo turned silent for a few moments before looking at her. "You are a maker." Nureka looked a bit confused whether she was meant to answer, yet she gave a sure nod. An AI would be good for schematics, blueprints, but to physically make what he had in mind, he'd need someone to actually do it; and here was Nureka.

"You...need something made? Or at least, need help with making something? As long as it doesn't involve resonators. If I narrowly avoid blowing more holes in the base, it'll be a miracle." She started off casually before mentally hitting herself, she had seen how he had adapted to fight one armed, to try and drink one handed had caused him some level of discomfort; making anything would come with similar problems. Ending on a joke at her own expense was just a way to cover the slight awkwardness up.

Not that Kotallo seemed bothered by her words, there was a loose shrug before he nodded surely. "It is a personal matter," he started off explaining, Nureka looked, if anything, more interested and curious now. She didn't question what, she just walked beside him patiently waiting for him to continue on. "To replace what was lost," Kotallo didn't physically state what was being replaced, he felt like he didn't actually need to.

"I take it back, let us pack it with all the resonators possible."

Kotallo shot her a look, Nureka's eyes looked rather excited, if anything he'd say she was having to force herself not to jump about with excitement. She definitely looked a little more jittery than she did moments ago. "No."

"Oh..."

Kotallo didn't mean to ruin her fun, "Gaia is researching into what the Old Ones used for such a problem." Nureka frowned over his words, Kotallo just sighed. It was rather fair and easy to judge, and be positive for another, but without being the one in his situation, no one would truly know how problematic it felt to be like he was; admittedly yes, he had adapted, and he had grown accustomed to no longer having an arm, but having two would definitely be better in the fight that was coming. No one could argue against that, he felt.

Nureka nodded slowly, that would definitely be quicker than them researching together; Nureka could admit she sometimes got side-tracked with things, and went off on tangents. She'd always start researching with good intentions, then something else would crop up and off she went down another avenue! "You mean like different designs?" Nureka asked interestedly, she didn't mean to sound a bit idiotic, she just presumed all manmade limbs would look a similar, and have the same function.

Kotallo looked sidelong at her, he didn't mean to smirk a little over her rather bemused question, but he did. "Everyone is different, Nureka."

She rubbed her forehead, laughing awkwardly at that obviousness. "Yeah, I guess you'd look a bit ridiculous with an arm the size of a child..." Nureka got a nod at that, but also a slight roll of the eyes. Lapsing into silence for a moment, she jumped a little in her step and darted to the front, turning on her heels, she happily walked backwards looking up at him. Kotallo just looked down at her, the excitement from earlier had returned, even if it had bubbled down a bit, it was still there. "I would love to help you, Kotallo." Nureka said honestly, she looked him over before tilting her head and nodding. "We'll see what Gaia has found out, and then we'll go from there."

"Your armour," Kotallo started, sounding rather firm here. It was the reason they had come out this way, to get pieces for her to work with.

Nureka just crossed her arms, though she looked over her shoulder to see how the path behind her was going. Still seeing it being straight, she remained walking backwards. "I've waited this long for it. Waiting a little more time won't hurt. I think...I think this might be a little more important, anyway." Nureka said slowly, deliberating on her words before figuring she could just multitask between both jobs, blinking quickly, she just smiled back at the almost humble and appreciative look that was being sent her way, before she stepped to the side and fell into step beside him again.