[Market Street]
Today's a busy day on the market street.
Along the immaculately-kept cobblestone streets, there's brightly colored stalls all designed to snatch attention from the pedestrians, featuring exquisite merchandise, such as magic-infused gems that sparkle in darkness, to soft sea sponges and beautiful pearl and coral necklaces. The smell of golden wattle inflorescences, of peacock flowers, and of plucked night-blooming jessamines wafts through the street. The sound of laughter, haggling, and music hang in the air, along with a sense of magic, as if just about anything could be found and bought just a couple stalls farther down. From farmers selling sweet mangoes to jewelers hawking enchanted sapphires, the street feels alive with activity, almost like it all fell straight out from a dream onto the street.
The smell of roasting lamb mixes with the flowers and spices. The chaos of the people's movement has a flow, much like turbulent water through a pipe. A couple stops by to admire an attractive piece of jewelry, and someone else haggles for a potion that cures all worries.
Sitting on the edge of a fountain, a half-succubus woman busks, with her guitar case right in front of her. She's not the best at guitar: she just knows a handful of chords and arpeggios, but she sings along with her guitar. Of course, she's not quite as good at singing as most people in a band, but people still occasionally toss coins into her guitar case.
The woman isn't just playing to get a handful of coins, though.
Also in her guitar case, there's a folded piece of paper sticking up with "Memory alteration services available", and a stack of home-made business cards in front of it.
> Carmen
> Memory Erasure Specialist
> "Let go of your past and embrace your future!"
is on the front, along with her contact information
And, on the back,
> *Memory Erasure: Say goodbye to negative memories holding you back!
> *Trauma Recovery: Overcome the burden of traumatic experiences
> *Memory Modification: Hide a memory from yourself behind a new memory
> *Emotional Healing: Become free by releasing yourself from painful memories
The half-succubus woman, Carmen, continues playing and watching people who walk by, while trying to invite them closer with her eyes and face.
Inside
-
Thursday Violist
- Coffin-Bound Aged Poster
- Posts: 660
- Joined: Aug 17, 2022 5:44 pm
-
bc56
- Poster from Beyond the Veil
- Posts: 2777
- Joined: Jul 25, 2022 3:09 pm
- Location: Sector ZZ9 Plural Z Alpha
Re: Inside
Hoofwork
Jason considers the possibility. "It seems likely. But even if she knows we're snooping around, we're Jade's family and friends, that's not much of a surprise. She might not know that we know who she is." They certainly never indicated that when they were there last time, mostly because they didn't know. "So... Do we stop her now? Wait no!" He pulls out his cell phone. "I have an idea. What's Zee's number?"
Jason considers the possibility. "It seems likely. But even if she knows we're snooping around, we're Jade's family and friends, that's not much of a surprise. She might not know that we know who she is." They certainly never indicated that when they were there last time, mostly because they didn't know. "So... Do we stop her now? Wait no!" He pulls out his cell phone. "I have an idea. What's Zee's number?"
Avatar by me! No more outsourcing!
Re: Inside
► quoted posts
Lapis is pulling out more Invocations (these skinwalkers seem to have no real defense against them, judging by that fire?) and is scooting along!
Heading around the corner presents an odd sort of half-hallway. The first half of it seems pretty normal, if a bit on the wide side, and it terminates in a regular-looking office door at the end.
But the far-half of the right wall seems to have been built instead as an open access to a very large storage facility.
_
|...|_
|...
|...
|...______
|...|
|...|
|...|
There is a light under the office door and an ominous pink glow drifting in from the open storage area, amid the currently-visible sea of stacked crates and shelves.
Meanwhile.
The fragile nature of Time in this place does seem to (metaphorically) creak and groan under the burden of Sele's acceleration, but nothing explicitly stops her.
It just doesn't feel safe to do for very long. Like sprinting across a frozen lake. You can. Technically.
Eventually it's gonna break though.
It'll get her and Sarah to the stairs easily enough, though upon descending they will find that there is a sealed door barring their way. Again.
As with Lapis, it seems pretty hostile to the idea of stepping outside of dimensions and going around it, but Sele could still just Command it to open. Or wait for Sarah to waggle a little keycard she has in her pocket at it, depending on how impatient she is.
Either way, there is a burning skinwalker and possibly still Cubert on the other side of it.
Lapis is further down the hallway and to the left, presuming she hasn't rushed onwards faster.
Everywhere, the faint thumping of a beating heart can be heard.
[Magical Girl Herding - Poppy]
Victoria slightly nudges Khannie's arm to the left.
The gnome rolls her eyes and then they are zooming across the city. If there's aerial speed-limits in this area, they are 200% breaking them and the police will have to figure that out later.
They've got a friend/coworker/acquaintance to save!
Somewhere between what feels like seconds and years later, depending on how Khannie and Victoria feel about mach-breaking speeds, they come to a stop above a Flux-Mart's parking lot.
Below them, a girl with a wildly lacey, Victorian-style white dress and parasol is currently clubbing some peculiar little toothed mini-fridges to death. They're clearly Familiars of some kind, they have that distorted appearance to them, but there's no immediate sign of a Witch or Labyrinth.
Or Kyubey.
She doesn't seem terribly stressed out, she's singing some wordless little song to herself while she golf-swings a fridge over the building and into a waiting dumpster.
Re: Inside
[Hoofwork]
"I'm not sure if-" Morning Glory begins, only to be interrupted by BETTER IDEA! MG rattles off the number. "Why? What do you have in mind? Zee can't see through a kumiho's disguise, if that's what you're thinking. Empyreans don't have any special ability to see through fae illusions. They can degrade them if they start shining, but that really isn't good for anyone else nearby, either."
The Searing Light of Truth really isn't a healthy thing to be exposed to since it burns away all falsehood.
To have such a flame pass over you, would there even be anything left?
[Magical Girl Herding - Poppy]
Victoria gets a little encouraging smile. Sometimes that's all it takes.
Anyway! Time to go! ZOOM! At least one little green man in a UFO taxi will start shaking his fist and swearing at the girls in some gibberish moon language. Probably for the best that the Nexus Translate doesn't seem inclined to make it intelligible. Khannie, for her part, hangs on for dear life because what ELSE are you going to do in such a situation? She's mostly just squinting through the wind and-
Gets hit dead in the face with a pigeon.
It's like watching a bank of fog or paint floating in water swirling. Her whole upper body just sorta comes apart before whirling back together again. There's a brief view of something with ashen grey fur stained with crimson under there, but a second later Khannie's back.
"Ah heck this thing needs a windshield or something," she mutters, her words stolen by the wind as she hunkers down a little lower.
But anyway! Mid-air collisions aside they soon arrive to!
No... apparent crisis?
Just a girl wrecking some familiars.
Huh.
Okay, see, NOW those are some badguys that are close enough for a proper Shadow Sneak. Khannie sort of BAMPH!s in a spray of darkness and pops out of the shadows near one of the fridges to just absolutely deck the thing. Considering ghost attacks rend the spirit they tend to be pretty effective on the evil spirits Witches churn out like crazy.
"Hey," calls out Khannie who is definitely not wearing anything remotely reminiscent of her Olympia outfit. The giant pony-tail might still be immediately recognizable. "Poppy, right? Are you doing okay? Kyubey has been doing some shifty stuff so me and some other Girls were wanting to check in."
She gestures at the magic carpet and the girls in question.
[Ruinous]
It turns out Cubert is, indeed, still here.
Shuffling after Lapis.
Slowly.
He really isn't designed to... do... things. Like moving. So all the cube can really do is shift weight back and forth to rock one side forward a few inches at a time.
Lapis, on the other hand, is carefully considering the two different options that stand before her! The office seems officey. But the ominous pink glow is very pink! And usually glowing things are more urgent than not-glowing things. At least in Lapis' experience.
When Sarah and Selekhael appear she waves at them both. Looks like she hasn't rushed forward.
"I'm not sure if-" Morning Glory begins, only to be interrupted by BETTER IDEA! MG rattles off the number. "Why? What do you have in mind? Zee can't see through a kumiho's disguise, if that's what you're thinking. Empyreans don't have any special ability to see through fae illusions. They can degrade them if they start shining, but that really isn't good for anyone else nearby, either."
The Searing Light of Truth really isn't a healthy thing to be exposed to since it burns away all falsehood.
To have such a flame pass over you, would there even be anything left?
[Magical Girl Herding - Poppy]
Victoria gets a little encouraging smile. Sometimes that's all it takes.
Anyway! Time to go! ZOOM! At least one little green man in a UFO taxi will start shaking his fist and swearing at the girls in some gibberish moon language. Probably for the best that the Nexus Translate doesn't seem inclined to make it intelligible. Khannie, for her part, hangs on for dear life because what ELSE are you going to do in such a situation? She's mostly just squinting through the wind and-
Gets hit dead in the face with a pigeon.
It's like watching a bank of fog or paint floating in water swirling. Her whole upper body just sorta comes apart before whirling back together again. There's a brief view of something with ashen grey fur stained with crimson under there, but a second later Khannie's back.
"Ah heck this thing needs a windshield or something," she mutters, her words stolen by the wind as she hunkers down a little lower.
But anyway! Mid-air collisions aside they soon arrive to!
No... apparent crisis?
Just a girl wrecking some familiars.
Huh.
Okay, see, NOW those are some badguys that are close enough for a proper Shadow Sneak. Khannie sort of BAMPH!s in a spray of darkness and pops out of the shadows near one of the fridges to just absolutely deck the thing. Considering ghost attacks rend the spirit they tend to be pretty effective on the evil spirits Witches churn out like crazy.
"Hey," calls out Khannie who is definitely not wearing anything remotely reminiscent of her Olympia outfit. The giant pony-tail might still be immediately recognizable. "Poppy, right? Are you doing okay? Kyubey has been doing some shifty stuff so me and some other Girls were wanting to check in."
She gestures at the magic carpet and the girls in question.
[Ruinous]
It turns out Cubert is, indeed, still here.
Shuffling after Lapis.
Slowly.
He really isn't designed to... do... things. Like moving. So all the cube can really do is shift weight back and forth to rock one side forward a few inches at a time.
Lapis, on the other hand, is carefully considering the two different options that stand before her! The office seems officey. But the ominous pink glow is very pink! And usually glowing things are more urgent than not-glowing things. At least in Lapis' experience.
When Sarah and Selekhael appear she waves at them both. Looks like she hasn't rushed forward.
-
bc56
- Poster from Beyond the Veil
- Posts: 2777
- Joined: Jul 25, 2022 3:09 pm
- Location: Sector ZZ9 Plural Z Alpha
Re: Inside
Hoofwork
"No, I just need her to tell me how to contact those guys. You know. The ones who fight Kumihos and Buttercups and stuff. Then I can ask them how to detect a Kumiho without incinerating everyone in the area." It's probably not a terrible idea, right? Even if Jason doesn't know what Watchers are called, they would be best equipped for this problem, right?
Ruinous
Sele drops herself and Sarah out of time warp at the bottom of the stairs. Unlike Lapis, she can't command the door to open. And she doesn't have time to wait for Sarah to unlock it. She draws her sword, a flaming khopesh of black metal, and makes a single, smooth chop down at the lock.
An empyrean blade can cut through anything. A door, even so warded, shouldn't stand up to it. Sure, they won't be able to close it behind them, but if they can't stop this whole thing before the next reset, it won't matter anyway.
"No, I just need her to tell me how to contact those guys. You know. The ones who fight Kumihos and Buttercups and stuff. Then I can ask them how to detect a Kumiho without incinerating everyone in the area." It's probably not a terrible idea, right? Even if Jason doesn't know what Watchers are called, they would be best equipped for this problem, right?
Ruinous
Sele drops herself and Sarah out of time warp at the bottom of the stairs. Unlike Lapis, she can't command the door to open. And she doesn't have time to wait for Sarah to unlock it. She draws her sword, a flaming khopesh of black metal, and makes a single, smooth chop down at the lock.
An empyrean blade can cut through anything. A door, even so warded, shouldn't stand up to it. Sure, they won't be able to close it behind them, but if they can't stop this whole thing before the next reset, it won't matter anyway.
Avatar by me! No more outsourcing!
-
quillpleasant
- Reborn Elder Poster
- Posts: 1639
- Joined: Feb 27, 2023 7:23 am
- Location: Somewhere cold
- Pronouns: Any
Re: Inside
Ironsmith wrote: ↑Aug 03, 2023 7:36 pm [A Dump in the City]
With Raheeda chasing her and Harley moving to intercept, their catching her looks to be a sure thing. They're both a lot faster than she is, and in a matter of maybe fifty meters, they've managed to set up a pincer that'll be sure to catch her...
Right up until she makes a dive for Harley's feet.
Which would be a weird thing to do if she's trying to get away from him, but not as weird as what actually happens; by the time she hits the ground, there's a multi-colored hoard of mice where she was just a moment ago, scurrying around his feet in an attempt to get past him.
A Dump in the CityShadowcaller wrote: ↑Aug 03, 2023 10:20 pm [A Dump in the City]
Wow, Harley was fast!
Then again, he was a bun and she had seen him run before.
WROOOM!
But then the witch makes a maneuver she would have never expected of an old lady and- then mice?
She wasn't sure what was going on but her intuition told her to attempt to catch them.
So with that in mind she disrobes.
Her outer green robe that is.
Then she is going to attempt to use it like a web of sort to catch some of the mice.
The downside of being fast is that it can be hard to slow down. And of all the things Harley was expecting, a swarm transformation wasn't one of them.
The downside of having ancestral rabbit memories is that sometimes in times of crisis, logic takes a backseat to instinct. And a little known fact is that rats have a history of attacking bunnies, getting in their burrows, and generally making their lives difficult. Mice are a different matter, but taxonomy isn't easily remembered when a swarm of furry bodies is on a collision course with you.
Harley lets out a strangled yelp of horror, trying to skid to a halt, but the uneven footing of assorted garbage and the momentum of his dash are insurmountable odds. He falls backwards, feet shooting out from under him as he collapses to the ground. And then there's mice all around him, rushing on by as he flails helplessly.
So much for helping to catch the witch.
horses can attack and eat me
Re: Inside
[Ruinous]
It's like ramming her sword down into a particularly thick blob of clay.
Sele's sword is meeting a perturbing amount of resistance to its cutting. It is cutting it and effort put to this effect will get her through the door, but it's absolutely an unnatural amount of work required here.
Almost like the door isn't the same kind of real as other "Game entities", and has been specifically designed with Empyrean-adjacent entities in mind.
The impression here is just that Sele is a bit beyond the intended resistance specifications.
This is, either way, an enormously suspicious thing.
It is also immediately followed by a quick three-blast klaxon noise splitting through the halls and every light in the facility winking out.
Even, after a slight delay, the pink glow from that storage area.
"Huh. That's new."
There is now a (only mostly sinister) purple glow from underneath Sarah's hair, illuminating the area immediately around her and Sele.
"I'm going to be real honest here. I don't like new things in this hellhole."
If she's still paying attention, the temporal empyrean can feel the ultimate fate of this time shard enter a state of flux, wildly fluctuating between ending in about ten seconds, or four minutes. Never more than that, though. Frequently less.
The heart-beat noise gets louder.
[Magical Girl Herding - Poppy]
Khannie and Victoria are treated to a very rare, genuine laugh from the gnome. It's actually a pretty pleasant laugh, in direct opposition to the rest of her personality.
Shame it coincides with Khannie being blasted by that pigeon.
Then she goes down to whomp some of those poor fridge-familiars. They don't seem to be particularly strong entities and roughing them up is a pretty simple matter.
One of the ones Khannie didn't sneak attack does waddle over and try to clamp itself onto her leg.
It would be a pretty cold experience, but not especially dangerous.
When Victoria hops down and scoops up a different fridge into her top-hat, Poppy takes a step back to look at the new situation and tucking some blue fronds back into their loose rope bonds on her head.
"Poppy iss glad for the help, either way."
She has a rather hissy voice, air pushed through a pointed mouth that seems to have only acquired the ability to speak through deliberate effort.
The girl is a floran, a race of plant-people most often known for their aggressive fondness for combat and eating people.
Poppy seems to be a mild exception to at least one of these things.
Most of her is a typical plant-green, though there are scatterings of blue leaves on her here and there. On her head, giving the impression of long hair, and poking out of some of her sleeves.
After a moment of watching Khannie and Victoria fight things, and then seeing the gnome not move a muscle from her carpet, Poppy looks around some more and shrugs.
"Poppy hass sseen no wishhh-cat here today. Jusst weak witch-sspawn."
It's like ramming her sword down into a particularly thick blob of clay.
Sele's sword is meeting a perturbing amount of resistance to its cutting. It is cutting it and effort put to this effect will get her through the door, but it's absolutely an unnatural amount of work required here.
Almost like the door isn't the same kind of real as other "Game entities", and has been specifically designed with Empyrean-adjacent entities in mind.
The impression here is just that Sele is a bit beyond the intended resistance specifications.
This is, either way, an enormously suspicious thing.
It is also immediately followed by a quick three-blast klaxon noise splitting through the halls and every light in the facility winking out.
Even, after a slight delay, the pink glow from that storage area.
"Huh. That's new."
There is now a (only mostly sinister) purple glow from underneath Sarah's hair, illuminating the area immediately around her and Sele.
"I'm going to be real honest here. I don't like new things in this hellhole."
If she's still paying attention, the temporal empyrean can feel the ultimate fate of this time shard enter a state of flux, wildly fluctuating between ending in about ten seconds, or four minutes. Never more than that, though. Frequently less.
The heart-beat noise gets louder.
[Magical Girl Herding - Poppy]
Khannie and Victoria are treated to a very rare, genuine laugh from the gnome. It's actually a pretty pleasant laugh, in direct opposition to the rest of her personality.
Shame it coincides with Khannie being blasted by that pigeon.
Then she goes down to whomp some of those poor fridge-familiars. They don't seem to be particularly strong entities and roughing them up is a pretty simple matter.
One of the ones Khannie didn't sneak attack does waddle over and try to clamp itself onto her leg.
It would be a pretty cold experience, but not especially dangerous.
When Victoria hops down and scoops up a different fridge into her top-hat, Poppy takes a step back to look at the new situation and tucking some blue fronds back into their loose rope bonds on her head.
"Poppy iss glad for the help, either way."
She has a rather hissy voice, air pushed through a pointed mouth that seems to have only acquired the ability to speak through deliberate effort.
The girl is a floran, a race of plant-people most often known for their aggressive fondness for combat and eating people.
Poppy seems to be a mild exception to at least one of these things.
Most of her is a typical plant-green, though there are scatterings of blue leaves on her here and there. On her head, giving the impression of long hair, and poking out of some of her sleeves.
After a moment of watching Khannie and Victoria fight things, and then seeing the gnome not move a muscle from her carpet, Poppy looks around some more and shrugs.
"Poppy hass sseen no wishhh-cat here today. Jusst weak witch-sspawn."
Re: Inside
[Magical Girl Herding]
Khannie does her best not to be upset about the laughing at her expense. To tell the truth it probably WAS pretty funny.
So a relatively slow familiar is toddling toward Khannie with intent to bite her on the leg?
Seems rude.
Khannie does a quick half-step and aim to smack it with a blazing fire punch. Nothing quite like setting your first on fire and just smacking the heck outta something to assert dominance.
"Okay that's... good I think?" Khannie says, looking a little shocked. So why was Kyubey harassing her and Victoria and the gnome but not Poppy? "He's got this trick where he touches someone's gem and turns them into a witch. He was trying to do it to her."
She gestures to the gnome.
"We're thinking he's up to something so we're trying to warn everyone. Y'know, group up and try to figure out what his deal is," Khannie explains. "You want some help to wreck this Witch real quick then keep moving?"
Khannie does her best not to be upset about the laughing at her expense. To tell the truth it probably WAS pretty funny.
So a relatively slow familiar is toddling toward Khannie with intent to bite her on the leg?
Seems rude.
Khannie does a quick half-step and aim to smack it with a blazing fire punch. Nothing quite like setting your first on fire and just smacking the heck outta something to assert dominance.
"Okay that's... good I think?" Khannie says, looking a little shocked. So why was Kyubey harassing her and Victoria and the gnome but not Poppy? "He's got this trick where he touches someone's gem and turns them into a witch. He was trying to do it to her."
She gestures to the gnome.
"We're thinking he's up to something so we're trying to warn everyone. Y'know, group up and try to figure out what his deal is," Khannie explains. "You want some help to wreck this Witch real quick then keep moving?"
Last edited by Rebonack on Aug 05, 2023 4:26 am, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Inside
[Magical Girl Herding - Poppy]
Poppy's large eyes narrow into a very literally predatory scowl, and smacks the remnants of Khannie latest punch with her parasol, straight into another one that was wiggling its way towards Victoria's back.
"Hrmm, Poppy alwayss thought it wass actually evil. All the better for hunting."
She starts to say something about not actually knowing where the Witch itself is, for wreckage purposes, but then things go really wrong, really fast.
"Oh shi-"
It's only there for a second, long enough for the gnome to see it from her sky-bound perch.
A little Kyubey steps out of a particularly deep ripple in Poppy's dress and drops a jet black soul gem from its mouth.
Not Poppy's, hers still seems to be situated in the little brooch on the front of her dress, but that's a cold comfort as it is clearly shattering under the strain of Bewitchment before it even hits the ground.
Khannie could probably grab it before it impacts, but it won't change the outcome as wild torrents of energy pour forth with the distant sound of metal clanging and tears.
There's probably time to do something before the Labyrinth and Witch fully assemble.
But it's going to be very brief.
Poppy's large eyes narrow into a very literally predatory scowl, and smacks the remnants of Khannie latest punch with her parasol, straight into another one that was wiggling its way towards Victoria's back.
"Hrmm, Poppy alwayss thought it wass actually evil. All the better for hunting."
She starts to say something about not actually knowing where the Witch itself is, for wreckage purposes, but then things go really wrong, really fast.
"Oh shi-"
It's only there for a second, long enough for the gnome to see it from her sky-bound perch.
A little Kyubey steps out of a particularly deep ripple in Poppy's dress and drops a jet black soul gem from its mouth.
Not Poppy's, hers still seems to be situated in the little brooch on the front of her dress, but that's a cold comfort as it is clearly shattering under the strain of Bewitchment before it even hits the ground.
Khannie could probably grab it before it impacts, but it won't change the outcome as wild torrents of energy pour forth with the distant sound of metal clanging and tears.
There's probably time to do something before the Labyrinth and Witch fully assemble.
But it's going to be very brief.
-
bc56
- Poster from Beyond the Veil
- Posts: 2777
- Joined: Jul 25, 2022 3:09 pm
- Location: Sector ZZ9 Plural Z Alpha
Re: Inside
Ruinous
"That shouldn't be..." Nothing can stop her blade. Nothing. The fact that this ward even slowed it down is troublesome. Sele finishes the strike only to hear the alarm and sense impending doom. "Something's coming!
Brace yourself!" She'll grab Sarah's arm with her free hand, just in case the timeline shatters and they need to bail.
"That shouldn't be..." Nothing can stop her blade. Nothing. The fact that this ward even slowed it down is troublesome. Sele finishes the strike only to hear the alarm and sense impending doom. "Something's coming!
Brace yourself!" She'll grab Sarah's arm with her free hand, just in case the timeline shatters and they need to bail.
Avatar by me! No more outsourcing!
Re: Inside
[Hoofwork]
"Oh! That's a good idea, actually. But not necessary. Zee already uses me as something of an intermediary with the Watchers. They don't exactly like her," Morning Glory admits.
Small wonder, what.
"I can set up a meeting with them? They don't usually like working over the phone if they can avoid it."
There might be some sort of esoteric reason for that.
[Ruinous]
Oh no!
It got loud and dark!
Despite the yelling about hunkering down Lapis decides to MOVE instead. Just right around the corner to where the spooky pink glow was! Is there something that needs swording there? Yes? No? If no then she's going to try darting into the office real quick, too. Because it sure feels like time is of the essence!
If something DOES need swording in there, well.
One can probably guess what she'll be doing. Right before she goes zipping off she politely tosses a LIGHTNING BULWARK around Sarah! Because she's squishier than empyreans are even though she's a big dragon sometimes! Now she can be a big dragon with an ablative barrier that blasts anything that attacks her with chaotic discharges of raw power.
[Magical Girl Herding - Poppy]
Catch it?
That just takes a whole lot of Agility.
Khannie's a blur when she dives for the soul gem soon to be a grief seed. Her hands are closing around it right as it releases a shockwave of power that's typically strong enough to send a person ragdolling away. That manages to slow her down.
And blasts her disguise off as it buffets her.
Zoroark paws clamp around the gem, tight, as shadowy flames lick across her.
Okay.
Okay okay okay.
How did this work?
Just like Keiko showed her, right?
It's a thing all the shadow foxes can do and she's a shadow fox. And a thing ghost pokemon can do, too. And she's BOTH! It's like draining the life from something except instead of taking the life you take-
Dark flames begin siphoning out of the soul gem and into Khannie's maw as she tries to devour its despair. Spiderwebs of frost begin creeping across the ground away from her as dead crimson eyes split open across her skin. Her giant poofy ponytail goes wild as her huge floofy foxtail explodes into a writhing nest of nine phantasmal limbs.
"Oh! That's a good idea, actually. But not necessary. Zee already uses me as something of an intermediary with the Watchers. They don't exactly like her," Morning Glory admits.
Small wonder, what.
"I can set up a meeting with them? They don't usually like working over the phone if they can avoid it."
There might be some sort of esoteric reason for that.
[Ruinous]
Oh no!
It got loud and dark!
Despite the yelling about hunkering down Lapis decides to MOVE instead. Just right around the corner to where the spooky pink glow was! Is there something that needs swording there? Yes? No? If no then she's going to try darting into the office real quick, too. Because it sure feels like time is of the essence!
If something DOES need swording in there, well.
One can probably guess what she'll be doing. Right before she goes zipping off she politely tosses a LIGHTNING BULWARK around Sarah! Because she's squishier than empyreans are even though she's a big dragon sometimes! Now she can be a big dragon with an ablative barrier that blasts anything that attacks her with chaotic discharges of raw power.
[Magical Girl Herding - Poppy]
Catch it?
That just takes a whole lot of Agility.
Khannie's a blur when she dives for the soul gem soon to be a grief seed. Her hands are closing around it right as it releases a shockwave of power that's typically strong enough to send a person ragdolling away. That manages to slow her down.
And blasts her disguise off as it buffets her.
Zoroark paws clamp around the gem, tight, as shadowy flames lick across her.
Okay.
Okay okay okay.
How did this work?
Just like Keiko showed her, right?
It's a thing all the shadow foxes can do and she's a shadow fox. And a thing ghost pokemon can do, too. And she's BOTH! It's like draining the life from something except instead of taking the life you take-
Dark flames begin siphoning out of the soul gem and into Khannie's maw as she tries to devour its despair. Spiderwebs of frost begin creeping across the ground away from her as dead crimson eyes split open across her skin. Her giant poofy ponytail goes wild as her huge floofy foxtail explodes into a writhing nest of nine phantasmal limbs.
-
bc56
- Poster from Beyond the Veil
- Posts: 2777
- Joined: Jul 25, 2022 3:09 pm
- Location: Sector ZZ9 Plural Z Alpha
Re: Inside
Hoofwork
"Sounds good. All I need is a way to determine whether someone is a kumiho or not. Preferably something that would be admissable in court." Jason considers a little further, "Maybe I should see if one of them could serve as an expert witness."
"Sounds good. All I need is a way to determine whether someone is a kumiho or not. Preferably something that would be admissable in court." Jason considers a little further, "Maybe I should see if one of them could serve as an expert witness."
Avatar by me! No more outsourcing!
Re: Inside
[Hoofwork]
"Alright, I'll see what I can set up," Morning Glory says.
And so!
She does.
Turns out this request is taken pretty seriously and a meeting is set up for two hours after the call. Morning Glory will be directing Jason to a small church in a relatively peaceful neighborhood of Inside. It's pretty picturesque. A little white building with a steeple and everything. A sign outside marks it as a church of the Order of Thyatira.
"The people here are pretty open to Nexus oddness," MG tells Jason as she begins heading up the steps toward the door. "I'm pretty sure the stricter sects of the King's Way would have an aneurysm trying to cope with the Nexus strangeness. They're concerned about evidence that a kumiho is hunting Inside and they want to make sure that isn't happening as much as we do."
"Alright, I'll see what I can set up," Morning Glory says.
And so!
She does.
Turns out this request is taken pretty seriously and a meeting is set up for two hours after the call. Morning Glory will be directing Jason to a small church in a relatively peaceful neighborhood of Inside. It's pretty picturesque. A little white building with a steeple and everything. A sign outside marks it as a church of the Order of Thyatira.
"The people here are pretty open to Nexus oddness," MG tells Jason as she begins heading up the steps toward the door. "I'm pretty sure the stricter sects of the King's Way would have an aneurysm trying to cope with the Nexus strangeness. They're concerned about evidence that a kumiho is hunting Inside and they want to make sure that isn't happening as much as we do."
-
bc56
- Poster from Beyond the Veil
- Posts: 2777
- Joined: Jul 25, 2022 3:09 pm
- Location: Sector ZZ9 Plural Z Alpha
Re: Inside
Hoofwork
"Nice place they've got here," Jason comments. It's very quaint.
He opens the door and steps inside.
"Hello? I need your help." He's not sure what to expect, but he assumes this place will be mostly like a normal church.
If he sees bloodstained altars and hanging chains, he's going to turn around and walk right back out the door.
"Nice place they've got here," Jason comments. It's very quaint.
He opens the door and steps inside.
"Hello? I need your help." He's not sure what to expect, but he assumes this place will be mostly like a normal church.
If he sees bloodstained altars and hanging chains, he's going to turn around and walk right back out the door.
Avatar by me! No more outsourcing!
Re: Inside
quillpleasant wrote: ↑Aug 03, 2023 5:41 am Pontius' Custom Constructs
Lia barely had time to wave before Ser Persyval is carried away. Will they ever meet again? It depends upon who Gaul DeGalles is.
"No, you didn't say. Nor did you tell me who DeGalles is. But I guess you can fill me in on the way." As charming as the construct shop was, Lia is quite happy they'll be on their way soon. "Speaking of which, where's our next destination?"
Turning to Pontius, she dips her cap respectfully. "My thanks for your help. I may return someday."
[Leaving Pontius' Custom Constructs]Earl of Purple wrote: ↑Aug 03, 2023 1:42 pm Pontius' Custom Constructs
"It was a pleasure to watch, as well. Come back any time, either of you." Other than that, Pontius has no need to keep them further, so they're free to leave.
"I'd be dead without DeGalles, so I owe him. There's not more to it and I don't know enough of the man to prattle even if I wanted to", Sandels rasps as they walk out. "Our next destination?", he asks once they're on the streets again. "I know what my destination is, but why are you tagging along? Haven't you seen enough? Go find something better to do."
-
quillpleasant
- Reborn Elder Poster
- Posts: 1639
- Joined: Feb 27, 2023 7:23 am
- Location: Somewhere cold
- Pronouns: Any
Re: Inside
Outside Pontius' Custom Constructs
Lia seems to accept the explanation. "Well, I'll remember to thank this DeGalles if I ever meet him," she says, taking a deep breath as they leave the shop. It's good to be outside again.
"Seen enough, ha... oh, you're not joking?" Lia's initial amusement fades to confusion. "I thought we'd been through this before. It's my choice to help you on your quest. I enjoy your company, and the experience. If you truly want me to leave, I will, but... I was hoping you liked me enough to let me stick around." The eyes on her cap blink rapidly.
Lia seems to accept the explanation. "Well, I'll remember to thank this DeGalles if I ever meet him," she says, taking a deep breath as they leave the shop. It's good to be outside again.
"Seen enough, ha... oh, you're not joking?" Lia's initial amusement fades to confusion. "I thought we'd been through this before. It's my choice to help you on your quest. I enjoy your company, and the experience. If you truly want me to leave, I will, but... I was hoping you liked me enough to let me stick around." The eyes on her cap blink rapidly.
horses can attack and eat me
-
[brackets lover]
- Coffin-Bound Aged Poster
- Posts: 953
- Joined: Feb 07, 2023 4:56 am
Re: Inside
[Rad Mayhem]
Atop the roof of one towering building stood a dimunitive grey-furred creature standing at around 2 feet, excluding his rabbit-like ears and red pom-pom standing behind his head and protruding out of the hood of his brown cloak, barely protecting him from being recognized by his wanted poster. He looked out onto a busy intersection, absent-mindedly gazing between the various cars passing by. "Look at them, down there," he says with contempt, his voice boyish and moderately high-pitched, "Spinning around like loyal gears of the city. Don't they realize how much havoc all this wreaks on the atmosphere?" He smirks confidently, clutching a spray can holstered by his hip, "Well, i'll just have to show them, kupo!" He takes a step forward before hesitating, glancing around for anyone or anything on the streets below that could cause him trouble, or for him to cause trouble.
Atop the roof of one towering building stood a dimunitive grey-furred creature standing at around 2 feet, excluding his rabbit-like ears and red pom-pom standing behind his head and protruding out of the hood of his brown cloak, barely protecting him from being recognized by his wanted poster. He looked out onto a busy intersection, absent-mindedly gazing between the various cars passing by. "Look at them, down there," he says with contempt, his voice boyish and moderately high-pitched, "Spinning around like loyal gears of the city. Don't they realize how much havoc all this wreaks on the atmosphere?" He smirks confidently, clutching a spray can holstered by his hip, "Well, i'll just have to show them, kupo!" He takes a step forward before hesitating, glancing around for anyone or anything on the streets below that could cause him trouble, or for him to cause trouble.
Re: Inside
[Hoofwork]
There are no creepy altars or hooked chains hanging from the ceiling. Just a bunch of chairs lined up facing the front where there's a podium and space for a band sitting behind it. The building is mostly empty right now, which isn't a shock. They don't have services going at all times after all. No, the only person here at the moment is a woman with outrageously huge bat-like ears that twitch toward our heroes when they enter. She definitely the wiry, nerdy looking sort, completing the look with the glasses perched on her nose that appear to have been repaired with tape at least once.
"Ah, you've made it! Good afternoon, Morning Glory. This, ah, must be Jason?" the woman inquires in a nasally voice, adjusting her glasses to peer owlishly at Jason.
"Yes. And thanks for meeting with us on such a short notice. Jason, this is Beatrice. Or Watcher Valentine if you feel like being formal," Morning Glory says.
Beatrice waves around one hand as if trying to ward off a particularly irksome fly. "Haha, please, just Beatrice. I'm not, ah, here in strictly official capacity. I understand you're having some fox trouble?"
Jason might notice that Beatrice has a little electric hand vacuum sitting on the chair next to her. The otherwise unremarkable tool somehow draws the eye with an overwhelming sense of purpose.
There are no creepy altars or hooked chains hanging from the ceiling. Just a bunch of chairs lined up facing the front where there's a podium and space for a band sitting behind it. The building is mostly empty right now, which isn't a shock. They don't have services going at all times after all. No, the only person here at the moment is a woman with outrageously huge bat-like ears that twitch toward our heroes when they enter. She definitely the wiry, nerdy looking sort, completing the look with the glasses perched on her nose that appear to have been repaired with tape at least once.
"Ah, you've made it! Good afternoon, Morning Glory. This, ah, must be Jason?" the woman inquires in a nasally voice, adjusting her glasses to peer owlishly at Jason.
"Yes. And thanks for meeting with us on such a short notice. Jason, this is Beatrice. Or Watcher Valentine if you feel like being formal," Morning Glory says.
Beatrice waves around one hand as if trying to ward off a particularly irksome fly. "Haha, please, just Beatrice. I'm not, ah, here in strictly official capacity. I understand you're having some fox trouble?"
Jason might notice that Beatrice has a little electric hand vacuum sitting on the chair next to her. The otherwise unremarkable tool somehow draws the eye with an overwhelming sense of purpose.
-
bc56
- Poster from Beyond the Veil
- Posts: 2777
- Joined: Jul 25, 2022 3:09 pm
- Location: Sector ZZ9 Plural Z Alpha
Re: Inside
Hoofwork
"Yeah, that's me." Jason answers. This 'Watcher Beatrice Valentine' is interesting. Clearly she has experience with this sort of thing. And she's kinda cute too, in a nerdy way. "My sister's being framed for murder by a kumiho. I need to catch it and prove her innocence. The trial's in a couple days."
He sees the vacuum. It's curiously out of place here. But he knows a thing or two about hiding something's true nature. "That's a weapon. You fight." Not a judgement, not a question, just an observation.
"Yeah, that's me." Jason answers. This 'Watcher Beatrice Valentine' is interesting. Clearly she has experience with this sort of thing. And she's kinda cute too, in a nerdy way. "My sister's being framed for murder by a kumiho. I need to catch it and prove her innocence. The trial's in a couple days."
He sees the vacuum. It's curiously out of place here. But he knows a thing or two about hiding something's true nature. "That's a weapon. You fight." Not a judgement, not a question, just an observation.
Avatar by me! No more outsourcing!
Re: Inside
[Rad Mayhem]
Khannie is waiting for a bus.
Now, granted, she doesn't usually take the bus.
Usually she can make do with Riftline when it comes to getting around town. But SOMETIMES the specific place she wants to get to doesn't have a Riftline station nearby. She took Riftline to get as close as should could, but for the last leg of the journey?
Bus ride.
The definitely human teen girl wearing jeans and a cool T with a COOL logo to show off how great her sense of corporately approved slogans is. She's wearing a ball cap as usual with her huge poofy brown ponytail sticking out the back. Just sitting at the bus stop, kicking her feet, and watching all the cars zooming past. It's in situations like this that she often starts thinking.
She still does cape stuff on the regular. Helps out when she can and how she can. But in situations like this when nothing's really going on she starts thinking about all the faces she sees streaming past. A person driving their car. There a moment. Gone the next. Very possibly she'll never see them again. And every single one of them has their own hopes and dreams just like she does.
It's a little overwhelming to think about, sometimes.
Big cities can be lonely. You're surrounded by people, but everyone just kinda ignores everyone else. No one is really thinking about everyone else. They're wrapped up in their own thoughts and their own business. Could anyone even MANAGE to think about everyone? To shoulder all their hopes and fears? Superman sure tries. Maybe that's what makes him super?
Khannie checks her phone again. Ugh. Still ten minutes before the bus is supposed to get here.
[Hoofwork]
"That much Miss Morning mentioned over the phone. It's, ah, a rather troubling situation," Beatrice replies, nodding to Jason. This dislodges her glasses slightly, which she shoves back into place with a finger. "We take a rather dim view of kumiho hunting around Inside. They're, ah, rather insidious creatures. We know there's one that actively hunts in Skyside-"
"Smoke," Morning Glory confirms.
"Indeed. He's a slippery character. But to the knowledge of my associates in Skyside he targets only criminal elements there. Seeking prey Inside in this fashion wouldn't be consistent with his, ah, tastes. Before Intersection's auspices into this crime there was no evidence of a kumiho hunting Inside after your sister was 'cured'."
Morning Glory looks a little surprised by that assertion. Sounds like Beatrice is pretty in the know about what's going on.
When the vacuum is mentioned Beatrice's eyes flick to it briefly.
"I do. That is a tool. And any tool can be a weapon, should the need arise," she responds.
Khannie is waiting for a bus.
Now, granted, she doesn't usually take the bus.
Usually she can make do with Riftline when it comes to getting around town. But SOMETIMES the specific place she wants to get to doesn't have a Riftline station nearby. She took Riftline to get as close as should could, but for the last leg of the journey?
Bus ride.
The definitely human teen girl wearing jeans and a cool T with a COOL logo to show off how great her sense of corporately approved slogans is. She's wearing a ball cap as usual with her huge poofy brown ponytail sticking out the back. Just sitting at the bus stop, kicking her feet, and watching all the cars zooming past. It's in situations like this that she often starts thinking.
She still does cape stuff on the regular. Helps out when she can and how she can. But in situations like this when nothing's really going on she starts thinking about all the faces she sees streaming past. A person driving their car. There a moment. Gone the next. Very possibly she'll never see them again. And every single one of them has their own hopes and dreams just like she does.
It's a little overwhelming to think about, sometimes.
Big cities can be lonely. You're surrounded by people, but everyone just kinda ignores everyone else. No one is really thinking about everyone else. They're wrapped up in their own thoughts and their own business. Could anyone even MANAGE to think about everyone? To shoulder all their hopes and fears? Superman sure tries. Maybe that's what makes him super?
Khannie checks her phone again. Ugh. Still ten minutes before the bus is supposed to get here.
[Hoofwork]
"That much Miss Morning mentioned over the phone. It's, ah, a rather troubling situation," Beatrice replies, nodding to Jason. This dislodges her glasses slightly, which she shoves back into place with a finger. "We take a rather dim view of kumiho hunting around Inside. They're, ah, rather insidious creatures. We know there's one that actively hunts in Skyside-"
"Smoke," Morning Glory confirms.
"Indeed. He's a slippery character. But to the knowledge of my associates in Skyside he targets only criminal elements there. Seeking prey Inside in this fashion wouldn't be consistent with his, ah, tastes. Before Intersection's auspices into this crime there was no evidence of a kumiho hunting Inside after your sister was 'cured'."
Morning Glory looks a little surprised by that assertion. Sounds like Beatrice is pretty in the know about what's going on.
When the vacuum is mentioned Beatrice's eyes flick to it briefly.
"I do. That is a tool. And any tool can be a weapon, should the need arise," she responds.
-
[brackets lover]
- Coffin-Bound Aged Poster
- Posts: 953
- Joined: Feb 07, 2023 4:56 am
Re: Inside
[Rad Mayhem]
"Hm? What's that kid doing down there, Kupo?" The moogle releases the grip on the spray can, easing up. "And they're on their phone, too, kupo. Probably playing that weird animal walking game." He tilts his head, worriedly observing the teen girl, "I better get 'em to scram; wouldn't want their mother to worry, after all, kupo."
He grabs a paint bomb off his utility belt and backs up, getting a running start before leaping off the building. Rather than fall, however, he manages to awkwardly hover until he's directly above Khannie. Of course, at this height, it'd be hard to notice him or react to the rapidly falling balloon aimed right at the the teen girl's chest. Should she stay where she is, she'll find a splotch of red paint suddenly covering most of the front of her shirt, dripping downwards.
The culprit, who was struggling to support himself in the air, suddenly plumets as well, grabbing onto a nearby streetlamp and swinging himself atop it. He bends forward, putting his hands on his knees and catching his breath.
"Hm? What's that kid doing down there, Kupo?" The moogle releases the grip on the spray can, easing up. "And they're on their phone, too, kupo. Probably playing that weird animal walking game." He tilts his head, worriedly observing the teen girl, "I better get 'em to scram; wouldn't want their mother to worry, after all, kupo."
He grabs a paint bomb off his utility belt and backs up, getting a running start before leaping off the building. Rather than fall, however, he manages to awkwardly hover until he's directly above Khannie. Of course, at this height, it'd be hard to notice him or react to the rapidly falling balloon aimed right at the the teen girl's chest. Should she stay where she is, she'll find a splotch of red paint suddenly covering most of the front of her shirt, dripping downwards.
The culprit, who was struggling to support himself in the air, suddenly plumets as well, grabbing onto a nearby streetlamp and swinging himself atop it. He bends forward, putting his hands on his knees and catching his breath.
Re: Inside
[Rad Mayhem]
Ugh.
Paragon is still down, too. Whatever the heck the little white butt-gremlin did to mess things up REALLY messed things up. Hopefully they can get everything working again because it makes it a pain to coordinate if there isn't a space to coordinate-
BLOOSH!
Khannie jumps to her feet, staring down at the huge paint splotch all over her front. It ruined her shirt. And her phone is all gooped up, too. She had been looking down when she got hit so she's got no idea where that thing came from. Immediately she begins searching for the culprit.
It isn't hard to notice the weird little winged rabbit imp thing standing on top of the street lamp directly above her.
"HEY!" the teen yells at the offending imp. "WHAT THE HECK!? DID YOU JUST HIT ME WITH A PAINT BOMB?"
The human youth seems upset by this.
Ugh.
Paragon is still down, too. Whatever the heck the little white butt-gremlin did to mess things up REALLY messed things up. Hopefully they can get everything working again because it makes it a pain to coordinate if there isn't a space to coordinate-
BLOOSH!
Khannie jumps to her feet, staring down at the huge paint splotch all over her front. It ruined her shirt. And her phone is all gooped up, too. She had been looking down when she got hit so she's got no idea where that thing came from. Immediately she begins searching for the culprit.
It isn't hard to notice the weird little winged rabbit imp thing standing on top of the street lamp directly above her.
"HEY!" the teen yells at the offending imp. "WHAT THE HECK!? DID YOU JUST HIT ME WITH A PAINT BOMB?"
The human youth seems upset by this.
-
[brackets lover]
- Coffin-Bound Aged Poster
- Posts: 953
- Joined: Feb 07, 2023 4:56 am
Re: Inside
[Rad Mayhem]
"Huh?" The moogle gets to his feet, looking down at the human girl. "That's odd. I thought you'd flee in abject terror. Instead you just seem mad, kupo."
He crosses his arms and closes his eyes, speaking in a stern voice. "Listen, kid, you really should flee. I'm not someone children are safe around. And make sure to call your mother, kupo!"
"Huh?" The moogle gets to his feet, looking down at the human girl. "That's odd. I thought you'd flee in abject terror. Instead you just seem mad, kupo."
He crosses his arms and closes his eyes, speaking in a stern voice. "Listen, kid, you really should flee. I'm not someone children are safe around. And make sure to call your mother, kupo!"
Re: Inside
[Rad Mayhem]
"What? Why would I flee in terror 'cuz of PAINT!? That doesn't even make sense!" Khannie retorts to the moogle. "And you bet I'm mad you got paint all over my stuff! I like my stuff!"
If she didn't like her stuff then she probably wouldn't have it.
"Not safe, huh?" Khannie retorts, stubbornly putting her fists on her hips. "Okay why don't YOU buzz off, then? I was here first."
It would appear as though Khannie isn't the most agreeable person around.
"And how am I supposed to call ANYONE you wrecked my phone you doofus!"
Not that she COULD call her mom. Even if she DID consider Fortuna to be her mother it isn't like Forte has a phone.
"What? Why would I flee in terror 'cuz of PAINT!? That doesn't even make sense!" Khannie retorts to the moogle. "And you bet I'm mad you got paint all over my stuff! I like my stuff!"
If she didn't like her stuff then she probably wouldn't have it.
"Not safe, huh?" Khannie retorts, stubbornly putting her fists on her hips. "Okay why don't YOU buzz off, then? I was here first."
It would appear as though Khannie isn't the most agreeable person around.
"And how am I supposed to call ANYONE you wrecked my phone you doofus!"
Not that she COULD call her mom. Even if she DID consider Fortuna to be her mother it isn't like Forte has a phone.
-
bc56
- Poster from Beyond the Veil
- Posts: 2777
- Joined: Jul 25, 2022 3:09 pm
- Location: Sector ZZ9 Plural Z Alpha
Re: Inside
Hoofwork
"You know about that," Jason notes, "So you know who I am. If it's money you need, or resources, I can get them." He considers the statement about the tool. "Sure. A gun's a tool, too, but you can tell which ones are weapons by how they're kept. It's right within arms reach, pointed very deliberately away from you, where you could grab it at a moment's notice. So if I were to pull a gun on you, or, more likely, some angry faerie were to break through the door, you'd have it immediately." Okay now he's just showing off. Or trying to. "But as fascinating as that is, it's unimportant. You know why I'm here. Will you help me?"
"You know about that," Jason notes, "So you know who I am. If it's money you need, or resources, I can get them." He considers the statement about the tool. "Sure. A gun's a tool, too, but you can tell which ones are weapons by how they're kept. It's right within arms reach, pointed very deliberately away from you, where you could grab it at a moment's notice. So if I were to pull a gun on you, or, more likely, some angry faerie were to break through the door, you'd have it immediately." Okay now he's just showing off. Or trying to. "But as fascinating as that is, it's unimportant. You know why I'm here. Will you help me?"
Avatar by me! No more outsourcing!
-
[brackets lover]
- Coffin-Bound Aged Poster
- Posts: 953
- Joined: Feb 07, 2023 4:56 am
Re: Inside
"Oh... good point, kupo." The moogle looked uninterested in Khannie's complaints, only recognizing her indignation. He scratched the back of his head, absent-mindedly looking around him. "That complicates things slightly. What to do, what to do, kupo..." He then appears to ignore her completely, instead fixing his eyes on a nearby pothole. He scanned his surroundings intently, visualizing numerous escape routes and hiding places as well as searching for someone or something he can non-violently victimize.
Re: Inside
[Hoofwork]
"I do. And money, ah, may be an object," Beatrice admits. "A kumiho's illusions are subtle things that are difficult pierce by most means. And if we wished to expose this creature then such a tool would be, ah, helpful to our endeavor."
Then?
She opens up a briefcase she has with her. Inside is a folder containing copious paperwork, but what she withdraws is something specific. A photograph. Of some kind of little iron bell?
"The eight iron bells of Nicholas the Thaumaturge. Forged by the greatest man our Orders have ever known. He, ah, well. You don't need a history lesson. The bells toll with all the authority of true Royalty. The sound is distasteful to adversaries and set spirits to flight. Most of them are lost or destroyed. But there IS one of which the Watchers are aware. And it will be sold in an auction of antiquities this evening. The sound of the bell could strip a kumiho of her illusions. And such a bell is within our grasp. The timing of your call was, ah, most fortuitous."
The woman gives a wane smile at Jason's showing off. "Are you suggesting I may be-"
Show lowers her head slightly, pushing her glasses up with one finger as the lenses suddenly flare white, completely obscuring her eyes with the glare.
"-dangerous?"
A moment passes.
"Did you put LEDs in your frames to make them light up dramatically?" Morning Glory asks after juuust managing to hold in a snort of laughter, holding a hoof over her mouth.
[RAD Mayham]
Khannie keeps yelling at him.
It's pretty obvious he isn't paying attention, which only irritates her even more. "Hey! Are you listening to me?"
No.
The answer is no, Khannie. He is not listening to you.
Then!
The bus arrives! It isn't the bus Khannie is waiting for, though. Her bus is going in a different direction. A few people file out of the bus as it sits there idling, blowing thick black smoke out the back. Given the way this thing hisses and spits, given how it is designed with wood and bronze and glass, it apparently has a coal burning steam engine rather than a diesel engine or an electric one. A big cloud of sooty smog is belched out of the machine right up to the moogle's perch.
"I do. And money, ah, may be an object," Beatrice admits. "A kumiho's illusions are subtle things that are difficult pierce by most means. And if we wished to expose this creature then such a tool would be, ah, helpful to our endeavor."
Then?
She opens up a briefcase she has with her. Inside is a folder containing copious paperwork, but what she withdraws is something specific. A photograph. Of some kind of little iron bell?
"The eight iron bells of Nicholas the Thaumaturge. Forged by the greatest man our Orders have ever known. He, ah, well. You don't need a history lesson. The bells toll with all the authority of true Royalty. The sound is distasteful to adversaries and set spirits to flight. Most of them are lost or destroyed. But there IS one of which the Watchers are aware. And it will be sold in an auction of antiquities this evening. The sound of the bell could strip a kumiho of her illusions. And such a bell is within our grasp. The timing of your call was, ah, most fortuitous."
The woman gives a wane smile at Jason's showing off. "Are you suggesting I may be-"
Show lowers her head slightly, pushing her glasses up with one finger as the lenses suddenly flare white, completely obscuring her eyes with the glare.
"-dangerous?"
A moment passes.
"Did you put LEDs in your frames to make them light up dramatically?" Morning Glory asks after juuust managing to hold in a snort of laughter, holding a hoof over her mouth.
[RAD Mayham]
Khannie keeps yelling at him.
It's pretty obvious he isn't paying attention, which only irritates her even more. "Hey! Are you listening to me?"
No.
The answer is no, Khannie. He is not listening to you.
Then!
The bus arrives! It isn't the bus Khannie is waiting for, though. Her bus is going in a different direction. A few people file out of the bus as it sits there idling, blowing thick black smoke out the back. Given the way this thing hisses and spits, given how it is designed with wood and bronze and glass, it apparently has a coal burning steam engine rather than a diesel engine or an electric one. A big cloud of sooty smog is belched out of the machine right up to the moogle's perch.
-
[brackets lover]
- Coffin-Bound Aged Poster
- Posts: 953
- Joined: Feb 07, 2023 4:56 am
Re: Inside
[Rad Mayhem]
The moogle winces as the smog fills his lungs, causing him to start hacking uncontrollably. Teary-eyed, he crouches down and drops to the ground. He places his hands on his hips in irritation, remarking, "Geez, some people can be so inconsiderate, kupo!"
The moogle than scurries over to the bus using the people filing out as cover, grabbing onto something on its underside. He puts the index finger of his left hand to a temple, sarcastically waving it down once in Khannie's direction before disappearing below the bus, clinging tightly to it.
The moogle winces as the smog fills his lungs, causing him to start hacking uncontrollably. Teary-eyed, he crouches down and drops to the ground. He places his hands on his hips in irritation, remarking, "Geez, some people can be so inconsiderate, kupo!"
The moogle than scurries over to the bus using the people filing out as cover, grabbing onto something on its underside. He puts the index finger of his left hand to a temple, sarcastically waving it down once in Khannie's direction before disappearing below the bus, clinging tightly to it.
-
bc56
- Poster from Beyond the Veil
- Posts: 2777
- Joined: Jul 25, 2022 3:09 pm
- Location: Sector ZZ9 Plural Z Alpha
Re: Inside
Hoofwork
"Nicholas the Thaumaturge? I know that name..." Jason considers. Really? She's talking about Santa Claus!? "Nevermind. An auction? I can do that. Either get the bell for you or provide the money you need."
When Beatrice asks if Jason is suggesting she's dangerous, he grins and laughs. "Don't take it as an insult," he says, "Most of the people I hang out with are. MG here can kick hard enough to shatter bones. Jade and I are trained in dozens of martial arts, armed and unarmed. Heck, her boyfriend is a literal invincible fire breathing monster." It's not clear how much Beatrice knows. Assuming that she doesn't know about Hoplite and Athena, it would be a little weird for a pair of engineers and entrepreneurs to practice so many martial arts. Everyone needs a hobby?
That flash though. Definitely LEDs in the rim. But Jason isn't quite laughing (his eyes suggest he might be doing so inwardly). "It's a neat trick. Very dramatic."
"Nicholas the Thaumaturge? I know that name..." Jason considers. Really? She's talking about Santa Claus!? "Nevermind. An auction? I can do that. Either get the bell for you or provide the money you need."
When Beatrice asks if Jason is suggesting she's dangerous, he grins and laughs. "Don't take it as an insult," he says, "Most of the people I hang out with are. MG here can kick hard enough to shatter bones. Jade and I are trained in dozens of martial arts, armed and unarmed. Heck, her boyfriend is a literal invincible fire breathing monster." It's not clear how much Beatrice knows. Assuming that she doesn't know about Hoplite and Athena, it would be a little weird for a pair of engineers and entrepreneurs to practice so many martial arts. Everyone needs a hobby?
That flash though. Definitely LEDs in the rim. But Jason isn't quite laughing (his eyes suggest he might be doing so inwardly). "It's a neat trick. Very dramatic."
Avatar by me! No more outsourcing!
Re: Inside
[Rad Mayhem]
"You aren't supposed to be standing on lamp posts above busses you doof!" Khannie chastises the creature. Ugh. What the heck is this thing's problem? Maybe she should just head back home and get some new clothes on? The smell of the wet paint is definitely gross and she's feeling pretty cross. And it's also pretty clear this rabbit guy is up to no good.
Then he... salutes her? And scurries under the bus.
Khannie narrows her eyes.
"Hey! What are you up to you little gremlin?" she demands, taking a few steps closer to the door of the bus, though her eyes are clearly on its undercarriage. The bus driver raises an eyebrow at Khannie as if to ask whether she's getting on or not. "You better not be causing trouble."
She is PRETTY certain that he's looking to cause trouble.
Also?
It's pretty hot under the bus.
The thing runs on a coal powered steam boiler. It's got all sorts of hissing hot pipes and things down there.
[Hoofwork]
Beatrice doesn't seem shocked that Jason recognizes the name. Most people have heard of him, though in a very odd context. Personally she considers poems calling the greatest thaumaturge who ever lived a 'jolly old elf' in poor taste at the very least. "That isn't unusual," she admits.
But Jason is right, it doesn't matter a great deal.
"I won't be able to attend the auction," Beatrice states definitively. "It is being held by some, ah, disreputable individuals who would recognize me as a collaborator with Intersection. But you and Miss Morning would have no such obstacle."
At the comments on danger and the classes, the touches a well concealed button on the side to turn off the lights so she can actually see.
"They're a novelty, but one I'm quite fond of. The reactions are well worth the cost."
"You aren't supposed to be standing on lamp posts above busses you doof!" Khannie chastises the creature. Ugh. What the heck is this thing's problem? Maybe she should just head back home and get some new clothes on? The smell of the wet paint is definitely gross and she's feeling pretty cross. And it's also pretty clear this rabbit guy is up to no good.
Then he... salutes her? And scurries under the bus.
Khannie narrows her eyes.
"Hey! What are you up to you little gremlin?" she demands, taking a few steps closer to the door of the bus, though her eyes are clearly on its undercarriage. The bus driver raises an eyebrow at Khannie as if to ask whether she's getting on or not. "You better not be causing trouble."
She is PRETTY certain that he's looking to cause trouble.
Also?
It's pretty hot under the bus.
The thing runs on a coal powered steam boiler. It's got all sorts of hissing hot pipes and things down there.
[Hoofwork]
Beatrice doesn't seem shocked that Jason recognizes the name. Most people have heard of him, though in a very odd context. Personally she considers poems calling the greatest thaumaturge who ever lived a 'jolly old elf' in poor taste at the very least. "That isn't unusual," she admits.
But Jason is right, it doesn't matter a great deal.
"I won't be able to attend the auction," Beatrice states definitively. "It is being held by some, ah, disreputable individuals who would recognize me as a collaborator with Intersection. But you and Miss Morning would have no such obstacle."
At the comments on danger and the classes, the touches a well concealed button on the side to turn off the lights so she can actually see.
"They're a novelty, but one I'm quite fond of. The reactions are well worth the cost."