"Explain what exactly?" Ava prods as she didn't like the tone that was said in. "Since cops from around here have to do a lot of formal training, It's just that I'm not from around here originally and I did get some education. I was home schooled a lot and to advance through the ranks I had to take the few formal classes I ended up getting. The kind of classes that usually just rich people can take."
[Outten Inn]
"...Well, um..." Hazel begins, before trailing off when she realizes she's kind of backed herself into a corner.
"...Yeah, all right, that's on us. We misunderstood." Hana gives Ava an apologetic smile. "Therein lying the downside of trying so hard to get in someone's head; sometimes you just miss the mark."
"Yeah, I guess. Open mouth, inseht foot." Hazel mutters, shuffling her cards in her hands.
"...So you're a little bit more of a success story, then?" Hana prompts. "Again, getting those rich people classes and such?"
Who're you? ...Don't matter.
Want some rye? Course ya do!
Here's to us!
Who's like us?
Damn few,
And they're aaaaall dead.
Reinholdt's touch causes Atya to relax slightly. With everything else going on right now, at least she knows she knows that he's trustworthy and reliable.
Right? Definitely.
"Saturday morning," she murmurs, leaning her head on Reinholdt's shoulder. "Apparently he's a nasty piece of work. But I'll have Daisy there, so don't worry, 'kay?" She didn't manage to overhear that this man in question is a relative of Braon's, otherwise she'd certainly have some questions to ask.
But she's momentarily distracted by Braon's offer. This is the second time where it's sounded distinctly like the fiendling is propositioning one or both of them, which is... which is something. But considering that it wasn't that last time, it's probably also just a friendly offer. A very weird, very friendly offer.
Which sounds nice, but unfortunately, there's no way she can accept.
"That's very sweet, but... I can't just go over to your place, remember? I need a disguise, and we can't be seen leaving together. Just in case." Whether such caution is necessary is still uncertain, but Atya is committed to taking the safety of Braon's family very seriously. "I'll be there tomorrow morning, though."
A pause.
"Um. But if you want to go, that's fine," she says to Reinholdt, taking a step back and glancing at him. Maybe he and Braon have more they want to talk about. There's no reason whatsoever to be suspicious, especially since Reinholdt told Atya they were exclusive less than an hour ago. And so she's not feeling anything of the sort.
Whatsoever.
Xar'cha Estate - Seventh Floor
Nathair is unhappy.
It took him way too long to extricate himself from the ice blocks, and he's still pretty sure some nanobots got left behind. And by the time he was done with that, the dragon was long gone.
And the worst thing is that it wasn't a failure of his abilities. He knows he could have killed her. It was a mistake, caused by his own hubris and arrogance. Which is so much more embarrassing than if he was just too weak.
But of course, how he feels about it doesn't matter. All that matters is what Ilpholin feels. And since this is the second time he's failed her, he can't imagine she'll take it very well.
He had checked her bedchambers first, but seeing as she's not there, a search of the estate has brought Nathair to the training rooms. Maybe Ilpholin will use him for target practice.
No, there's no way he'll be that lucky.
Shaping himself into the phyrexianized vision that Ilpholin seems to prefer, Nathair enters the training room, looking around for her. "Mistress Ilpholin? I'm here to give a report," he calls out softly.
Once the candidates are in place, Nadia takes her seat again, facing the two. The rifles through her papers as the hall falls silent again. Alright, it's time to begin.
"Let's not waste any time. For the first question we'll start with the incumbent mayor, and then Atya can give her response. Now-" Nadia glances briefly at her paper, but otherwise keeps her eyes up. "Upon being elected, what would be your first priority for the city? The first policy you're pursue." Nadia asks, and gestures to Fel. A bit of an open ended question, but one for them to establish themselves for the evening.
Felandria takes a sip of water.
Well, I certainly can’t help but bring up the fact that there should have been three of us on this stage tonight.
However, they were murdered, Tilvael was murdered before they could plead their case tonight.
And there are those who say that they believe demons were responsible for this heinous act.
I, myself, have severe doubts about that.
I think there are forces out there that are using the current tension regarding demons in the Nexus to their own ends and to turn us against one another.
And my first priority is to find out what’s really going on.
Ilpholin is within, actively dodging lasers in a very skin-tight catsuit that clings to her body in such a way to make one question how she ever got it on. In her hands, a simple spear that jabs and thrusts into the targets that assault her from all sides. Crossing her eyes, a thick, heavy blindfold keeps her sight restrained from assisting as she moves inhumanely fast to react to the shots. Purely from the sound of the barrel warming up, so long as light travels faster than sound. She rolls and squirms and ducks before the shot fires, each step dancing her closer to the enemy before a stab connects to momentarily end their assault. About twenty seconds later, the mobile turret warms back up and resumes relentlessly attacking. When Nathair calls out, one of her lunges goes low and misses, the nymph forced to readjust her approach on a dime to avoid the point blank blast. Spears are heavier than the weapons she tends to use most of the time and it's taken some time to readjust to holding one. Still the blur of black and purple continues, a whirlwind of motion, devoted wholly to improvement, to the movements.
"Report," Ilpholin grunts without missing another beat. One was one too many already. She won't be able to make mistakes like that down the line, when the stakes are at their highest.
"...Well, um..." Hazel begins, before trailing off when she realizes she's kind of backed herself into a corner.
"...Yeah, all right, that's on us. We misunderstood." Hana gives Ava an apologetic smile. "Therein lying the downside of trying so hard to get in someone's head; sometimes you just miss the mark."
"Yeah, I guess. Open mouth, inseht foot." Hazel mutters, shuffling her cards in her hands.
"...So you're a little bit more of a success story, then?" Hana prompts. "Again, getting those rich people classes and such?"
[Outten Inn]
Ava shrugs and waves dismissively. "It's fine. Since it's not like can vouch for all my colleges anyway. If you know anything about Eastside history you'll know that the whole institution was founded by a bunch of vigilantes at the same time as this side of town became a democracy. Meaning that there's a whole lot of shot first, ask questions later. If at all."
Not nearly as much red tape as Ava would want.
But once she's given them this little history lesson her eyebrow raise at the question posed.
Success story, huh?
This was going into some rather personal history. Were they just trying to bait out things they could use against her? Well, she didn't see any harm in sharing some of it. "As for my story, I guess you could call it that. I ran into enough opportunities to prove my dedication to the force." Or as she thought of it, dedication to the ideal. The two weren't exactly the same thing. "That combined with my magic was just enough to slowly climb that ladder."
"But I can't deny that I spent time as a slave. It was a long time ago though, regardless how fresh this might look." She gestures to the brand above her left eye. While it looks rather faded, if the mark was as old as Ava suggested it was in remarkable good condition. "My memories of that time are vague at best, but needless to say I got lucky enough to be freed."
"You see what I mean about needing sleep?" Braon mutters, again rubbing at the space between her horns. "I really didn't even mean anything by that, it's just late and, you know, normally polite to share stuff if you can. Obviously I'm not really thinking anymore." She grimaces.
"...But, I've made the offer anyway, and fine, maybe one of you wants to meet the kids ahead of time or whatever, so I'm not going to pull it back or anything. But also, yeah, not a good idea to come at the same time, still." She gestures to Rein. "So if you're stopping by, go after me, but not too late after. An hour at the absolute most, otherwise I'm going to be asleep when you get there and you're going to run afoul of security. Which you absolutely do not want to do. Trust me."
There's an unusual hardness to her voice as she gives the warning. Well, not unusual for her, but unusual for tonight. If there's any part of what she just said that should be taken seriously, that was it.
"...All right. I'm gonna go home now before I get any more familiar with the taste of my boots. And if you don't say anything, I'll be taking some of those leftover scallops with me. Good night."
And with that, she's off.
[Outten Inn]
The two fall silent for a moment, neither of them quite meeting her gaze; Hazel because she seems inordinately fascinated with her cards, Hana because she's looking at the brand above Ava's eye rather than directly at her.
Finally, Hazel breaks the silence.
"Dat sucks. Glad ya got out, though."
"Yeah." Hana agrees quietly, shuffling in place uncomfortably.
...It might occur to Ava then that neither of them have any idea how to go about elaborating on the topic, and know well enough to not just go asking around blindly, especially with the marks on their record already. Awkward silence reigns unopposed for a bit longer.
Who're you? ...Don't matter.
Want some rye? Course ya do!
Here's to us!
Who's like us?
Damn few,
And they're aaaaall dead.
"People both knowing and being friendly with you is like the ultimate authority though." Raheeda points out. "Since why else would people listen to you? Clothes and names don't have that sort of power."
She tilts her head. "And your a warrior to boot. That's pretty impressive. You're some kind of hunter then? Or soldier?" Humans didn't have that many hunters in her experience. The exception being Arinema and Hound's peoples.
And those werewolf tribes.
[Wandering Riverside]
Nadia quirks a brow, but she just smiles. "I suppose that's true in a way. But I'm not looking to use it anyway. There are good people that work here and know a lot more about how things need to work than me."
"I wouldn't call myself much of a warrior either." Nadia laughs. "I guess it's more sport. Trust me, as you age it's important to keep up with physical activity." Not that Nadia looks especially aged, but these things are a bit nebulous with a nymph.
Once the candidates are in place, Nadia takes her seat again, facing the two. The rifles through her papers as the hall falls silent again. Alright, it's time to begin.
"Let's not waste any time. For the first question we'll start with the incumbent mayor, and then Atya can give her response. Now-" Nadia glances briefly at her paper, but otherwise keeps her eyes up. "Upon being elected, what would be your first priority for the city? The first policy you're pursue." Nadia asks, and gestures to Fel. A bit of an open ended question, but one for them to establish themselves for the evening.
Felandria wrote: ↑Mar 26, 2024 7:20 am
Felandria takes a sip of water.
Well, I certainly can’t help but bring up the fact that there should have been three of us on this stage tonight.
However, they were murdered, Tilvael was murdered before they could plead their case tonight.
And there are those who say that they believe demons were responsible for this heinous act.
I, myself, have severe doubts about that.
I think there are forces out there that are using the current tension regarding demons in the Nexus to their own ends and to turn us against one another.
And my first priority is to find out what’s really going on.
Eastside Debates
Atya nods at the question- it's a good icebreaker to set the stage. And she's also glad for the dead elephant in the room to be brought up this early. Since everyone's obviously thinking about it, it's a good idea to address the issue right away.
"Indeed, Tilvael's passing does cast a shadow over this evening. My heart goes out to those who knew them, and to everyone else impacted by this tragic event." She pauses, looking down solemnly for a moment.
"And as Felandria says, discovering who is behind the murder must be a top priority for this city. That is why I've already started conducting a private investigation into the matter. If I'm elected, then that private investigation will become official, but I intend to pursue it regardless of the outcome." She puts her hand to her heart, looking out at the audience. "Rest assured that those responsible will be brought to justice."
She turns back to Nadia, inclining her head. "However, as far as actual political policies, my first priority is addressing the wealth inequalities in this city. Poverty, homelessness and lack of resources are killers just as surely as any murderer, although their victims are more easily overlooked. These issues are near to my heart, as I've dealt with them myself, and if I can help others going through the same things I did, I count that as a victory."
Xar'cha Estate - Seventh Floor
Nathair can't help but be distracted from his inner turmoil upon seeing the nymph's balletic maneuvers. Truly, she is a sight to behold, vicious yet controlled, an artist of death lit by laser flashes. It would be a breathtaking sight to anyone, let alone to someone completely obsessed with her. Not that Nathair has any breath to take.
The catsuit and blindfold certainly don't help.
But at her order he immediately snaps to attention. Nathair has run this conversation through his head dozens of times, and although Ilpholin is still quite unpredictable to him, at least he knows what he's going to say.
"As you commanded, I attempted to master the draconic orb. I brought it to a remote and untraceable locale and set about testing its magical properties. I discovered that there was a spiritual connection between orb and dragon, and planned to exploit that by draining the beast's life force, killing it from a distance. However, the threat caused it to manifest physically through the orb, something I was unaware it could do."
He hesitates for just a moment, lip curling at the memory. "We engaged in battle. The creature was strong, but cowardly for one of its kind. Unfortunately, it had power over water, and the oceanic location proved to its advantage. It caught me off guard, and froze me solid. By the time I escaped, it had fled."
Nathair bows his head. "My failure is compounded- first in bringing you such a dangerous object without testing it, and then in failing to subjugate or kill its master. I am working on a solution to render me immune to the tactics it used, but there is no excuse for the past. As penance, I offer you the only precious thing I own."
He kneels, then removes his golden hand, holding it out before him. "The last undamaged piece of my original body. Its power is great, and it would make a worthy gift of a god, if you so will it." The phyrexian stares at the floor, his voice a carefully controlled monotone.
Atya was ramping up the paranoia again and Braon was getting fidgety. Rein doesn't know how to handle these two women when they're together.
Goddesses, he prays they don't become BFFs or something. They'll end up killing him. "Uhh... it'd be pretty late for meeting anyone right now. Honestly, I think we're best just meeting up tomorrow. Get a fresh perspective. I'm sure we all have a lot to process as it is."
Rein gives them both a very thin smile, ethereal and less comfort than it's supposed to be. "We'll catch you tomorrow. Have a good night." He gives Braon a wave as she heads out to get some much needed rest. Any other time he'd want to test that security personally just for the challenge, but he's just too tired tonight.
After she leaves, Rein turns to Atya. "I think we should quit while we're ahead too and call it a night. Politics is draining, I tell you." Almost all of the draining parts had little to do with politics! Unless the murder counted. It probably did.
[Xar'cha Estate - Seventh Floor]
"Hah!" Ilpholin laughs, light and brief. She lets the sound linger between laser blasts, accelerating her movements to a dervish. Each swing builds on the next, she's no longer dodging, she's just chaining her attacks in such a way that prevents her from getting hit. In a flurry, all the targets are hit explosively, close enough to the same time that they all shut down together. The nymph lands her steps with a spin that draws her to a standing position in the middle of the battlefield. Shortly thereafter, the thrum of power fades as the whole thing starts to shut down. Either victory was achieved or she overwhelmed the system's ability to function when all the turrets to come back online and forced the entire exercise to shut down. Regardless, Ilpholin stands there, bosom lightly heaving with fresh breaths.
"This is why you don't pick fights with dragons unnecessarily. They're strong and intelligent. Powerful. And power demands respect, even if you wish the one holding it would burn in a lake of acid for all eternity. I warned you this could take time." Ilpholin hefts the spear, letting it balance in her hand. Feeling it. The shaft was cracked. It couldn't stand up to the speed and power she needed. At least it didn't fall apart mid maneuver. She tsks and tosses it in the corner with the other ones that have fallen apart under the stress.
The nymph doesn't even turn in Nathair's direction as he offers his own body, heading instead towards the weapon rack to pick out a replacement. "And why would a god be interested in the hand of a thrice failed man?" She pauses her search, going still for a moment, considering something. Her head tilts a bit, still facing away from Nathair. "Although... it wasn't compleated with you, was it? Why?" Ilpholin can't claim to be an expert on compleation, but Nathair was absolutely dunked in that oil, submerged in it in a way she never experienced. Yet his hand and eye came out seemingly untouched.
Atya smiles nervously at Braon's warning. "Hey, it's good to know you have security already. Makes my job easier," she jokes. Well, a half joke at least. It is a relief that Braon's family is so well protected.
She gives the fiendling a wave as she departs. It's funny- rarely have people made such an impact on Atya's life on the same day they've met. Hopefully, in the long run, that impact will be a positive one.
With a sigh, she turns back to Reinholdt, reaching out to take his hand. Speaking of impacting her life... it's completely unfair just how much she cares for the cat man after such a short period of time. He makes her feel so happy, and yet... there's that creeping fear of losing that happiness. Easier to not feel it at all, but when has Atya ever taken the easier route?
"Agreed. Sometimes I think getting into politics was a huge mistake." She squeezes his hand a little too tightly. "Can you come to my chateau tonight? I just... I want to forget about everything else for a while. We don't have to stay up, it'd just help me to sleep if you're there."
Xar'cha Estate - Seventh Floor
Nathair's eye tracks Ilpholin's movements, studying her every step, every swing of her blade. A terrifyingly beautiful whirlwind, embodying the perfection of death. He has to resist the urge to applaud, staying in his kneeling position as still as stone.
"I've killed dragons before. I will again," he says, his voice barely above a whisper, "And the only thing I respect is you. But you're right, I will be... more cautious next time." It's perhaps the closest he's ever come to arguing with anything Ilpholin has said.
And it would perhaps sting to have Ilpholin turn her back on his offer, were the view not so flattering. But then she asks a rather difficult question, and he hesitates.
"The hand never went in the oil. Svartha kept it during that process." And his eye was slightly affected- a long cat's pupil crack now runs through it, but it's otherwise unchanged. "I've attempted to compleat it since, but it seems immune, for the same reason it would be a worthy gift."
His voice sounds faraway as he stares into nothing. "I was once far greater than when you first saw me. Invulnerable, incorruptible, immortal; I might as well have been a god. I could break worlds and move stars. That power is lost now, save for what remains in this hand. Still more than most mortals can ever dream of."
A ripple of nanobots passes across his face. Willingly offering up this piece does not come easily to him.
"Of course," Reinholdt says, giving Atya a smile back and squeezing her hand in return. "Your chateau is a mite better than a tavern room." The taverns around here are more upscale than most, certainly. But they can still get loud with all the drunks and squeaking beds.
"I hope you're prepared for maximum cuddles. You're not leaving my arms again tonight," Reinholdt wraps his arm around Atya's waist and pulls her in closer, holding her to him as he starts to lead her out. Almost everyone else was already gone after all. Of course, she'll have to sit in his lap the whole drive back so he can keep his word, but it shouldn't be too hard.
[Xar'cha Estate - Seventh Floor]
Nathair fully intends to get back at this dragon for his humiliation, huh? What a waste. Dragons were more useful alive. "And that's why you lost." Ilpholin states. If Nathair cannot respect his opponent, he cannot hope to overcome adversity.
The powerful brought so low. No wonder Nathair was so desperate to die at her hands once. This is what it looks like? She would have the Devils groveling like Nathair, but no mercy will come for them. Ilpholin chooses a fresh spear, gripping it and testing its heft and consistency. Blindfolded as she is, she can't really look at Nathair, but she does turn back towards him as she checks her weapon.
"Fortunately for you, it'll be quite some time yet before I actually need to give the god their gift to entreat their aid. I have a very specific boon to ask of them and until the other pieces are in place, it's meaningless to try. You have until I'm ready to find another option. If you cannot, then I shall accept your hand as a fitting offer. Not to break worlds, but to build one." She moves back towards the middle of the arena.
Nadia quirks a brow, but she just smiles. "I suppose that's true in a way. But I'm not looking to use it anyway. There are good people that work here and know a lot more about how things need to work than me."
"I wouldn't call myself much of a warrior either." Nadia laughs. "I guess it's more sport. Trust me, as you age it's important to keep up with physical activity." Not that Nadia looks especially aged, but these things are a bit nebulous with a nymph.
The two fall silent for a moment, neither of them quite meeting her gaze; Hazel because she seems inordinately fascinated with her cards, Hana because she's looking at the brand above Ava's eye rather than directly at her.
Finally, Hazel breaks the silence.
"Dat sucks. Glad ya got out, though."
"Yeah." Hana agrees quietly, shuffling in place uncomfortably.
...It might occur to Ava then that neither of them have any idea how to go about elaborating on the topic, and know well enough to not just go asking around blindly, especially with the marks on their record already. Awkward silence reigns unopposed for a bit longer.
[Outten Inn]
"Yeah, it sucks but as I said, it was a long time ago and I was young. Maybe just eight or so. Besides, you see stories like that all the time in my line of work and I'm sure you do too."
She takes a quick look at her cards and throws out two.
"Honestly, I figured you both had some less recent ties with the 'trade' but it turns out my instinct was wrong this time around."
[Xar'cha Estate - Reinforcements]
It was a while since Svartha and her forces came to Xar'cha Estate and by now they seem to have established themselves within the confines of its outer walls.
Which of course means that it's time for another phyrexian arrival.
Like before they're simply moving straight up to the grounds of the estate but these are not the ragtag group of monstrous-looking beings Svartha had with her. No these are all marching in perfection unison like soldiers. No, their movements are so perfectly in sync that a better comparison would be with something artificial.
Like puppets.
Yes, they're all marching like puppets all tied to the same string.
But their unison isn't the only difference as these are all humanoids. They are covered in a phyrexian observer will quickly understand isn't armor but carapace. White and glistening in the sun like the one of insects.
Indeed, one might get the idea of watching ants in the way they move and act.
But a number of them are carrying a litter where a small creature, a goblin really, with a big tall hat.
Despite clearly being a person of importance he looks pretty beat up however. Loudly groaning as the soldiers make their way towards the estate.
[Wandering Riverside]
"A sport?" Raheeda inquires, seemingly not having heard the term before. "Like a game?" Her eyebrow raises.
They have reached the section where the private showers are by now but the scaled woman doesn't seem to have noticed. "Since I'm not sure what you do then. You got well-honed body for someone who've just played games."
Felandria wrote: ↑Mar 26, 2024 7:20 am
Felandria takes a sip of water.
Well, I certainly can’t help but bring up the fact that there should have been three of us on this stage tonight.
However, they were murdered, Tilvael was murdered before they could plead their case tonight.
And there are those who say that they believe demons were responsible for this heinous act.
I, myself, have severe doubts about that.
I think there are forces out there that are using the current tension regarding demons in the Nexus to their own ends and to turn us against one another.
And my first priority is to find out what’s really going on.
Atya nods at the question- it's a good icebreaker to set the stage. And she's also glad for the dead elephant in the room to be brought up this early. Since everyone's obviously thinking about it, it's a good idea to address the issue right away.
"Indeed, Tilvael's passing does cast a shadow over this evening. My heart goes out to those who knew them, and to everyone else impacted by this tragic event." She pauses, looking down solemnly for a moment.
"And as Felandria says, discovering who is behind the murder must be a top priority for this city. That is why I've already started conducting a private investigation into the matter. If I'm elected, then that private investigation will become official, but I intend to pursue it regardless of the outcome." She puts her hand to her heart, looking out at the audience. "Rest assured that those responsible will be brought to justice."
She turns back to Nadia, inclining her head. "However, as far as actual political policies, my first priority is addressing the wealth inequalities in this city. Poverty, homelessness and lack of resources are killers just as surely as any murderer, although their victims are more easily overlooked. These issues are near to my heart, as I've dealt with them myself, and if I can help others going through the same things I did, I count that as a victory."
[Eastside Debates]
"Great answers from both candidates. Of course Tilvael's murder weighs heavily on tonight's proceedings. We can only hope that justice can be done." Nadia says, her tone more somber.
But, as all things have to, they must proceed. "Our next question does relate to Atya's first answer, so let's have you answer first, and Fel can follow. Given the still recent crises in the city, there's been a lot of displacement and the available housing has yet to fully recover. How would you as mayor help alleviate these struggles?"
Atya leans her head onto Reinholdt's shoulder with a sigh, her tension fading as he holds her.
"I'm going to hold you to that. My favorite place to be is in your arms," she says as they head for the door. Considering their respective driving skills, the journey might be hazardous. But its worth the risk.
Despite everything else going on, and whatever tomorrow brings, at least she has this. At least she has him.
Xar'cha Estate - Seventh Floor
Lost? Nathair bites his tongue. He didn't lose! It was merely a mistake, a miscalculation that let the overgrown magpie make off with its prize. He can't lose, he...
Lost. Just like he's done a thousand times before. How can he still be such a failure despite how much the oil has strengthened him? Is his foundation truly that weak? His gold eye blinks rapidly. What's wrong with him?
Ilpholin's talking again. Nathair looks up at her, a vision from a dream. To offer yet another chance at redemption... truly, he is blessed in the presence of this angel.
"You are... very kind, Mistress. I will not waste your goodwill. I only hope to one day be worthy of it." He slowly rises, replacing the gold hand onto his arm.
Then he hesitates for a long moment. There's a lot he wants to say- to ask what exactly her plan is, to know what grand purpose they're striving for. To ask for her guidance on the war going on inside him. To know what he has to do for her to allow him into the garden.
But failures don't deserve to ask questions. "Thank you again. I will leave you to your training, Mistress." And with that, he turns to go.
Xar'cha Estate - Reinforcements
Nathair, as usual, is on guard duty. Or at least, one of him is. It gives him a sense of purpose and satisfaction, and it lets him think. There's a lot going through his minds most days.
But the arrival of new brethren is a welcome distraction from that. And what excellent soldiers these seem to be. Orderly and disciplined- Nathair approves. He strolls out to meet them, taking on his usual compleated form to make what they have in common clear.
"Greetings, my friends. Always good to have more for the cause. I am Nathair- who are you, and what ails you?" he calls out to the wounded goblin. The creature doesn't look like much, but Nathair of all people knows better than to judge based on appearances.
Eastside Debates
This is one of the questions Atya was waiting for- it's an issue she cares about dearly, and one she's spent a lot of time thinking about. She wastes no time launching into her plan.
"Poverty and lack of housing are very serious issues, and addressing them is the core of my platform. The right to shelter, to food, to basic utilities, is something that everyone needs. It's a complex issue, and one that needs to be addressed in multiple ways."
She leans forward on the podium. "First, I will allocate funds to kickstart the creation of more housing, prioritizing affordability and speed without sacrificing quality. Since this will no doubt be costly, I'm prepared to donate my own money into the project to ensure its success. While this is happening, rapid re-housing will take place, giving people short-term assistance so they can get roofs over their heads as soon as possible. Having those basic needs taken care of will make it far easier to get jobs and address substance abuse or other issues that might be standing in the way of stability."
Atya continues. "Long term, I believe that a universal basic income will help keep people housed and fed, and curb the rampant wealth inequality in this city. I will be instituting a heavy income tax for the wealthy, which will directly contribute to the quality of life for citizens across Riverside. In addition, I will be funding rehab clinics and social work offices around the city. Financial instability can cause a great deal of traumatic stress, and I believe that we need to help people medically and emotionally as well as monetarily."
"Now," she says, gesturing to the crowd, "You might be wondering- 'if my living situation is stable, how can I help?' Well, it's going to take a lot of work to do all this, but I know that this city cares for its own. Community is going to be a key component here. We need to work together to help our most vulnerable members. That means outreach and volunteer programs, creating a shared data system to match individuals to the resources they need, and providing mutual aid and support to your fellow citizens."
Atya pauses for a moment, a smile playing across her lips. "You care. You all do, I know it. And I know there's plenty of people watching who are scared, and worried, and you don't know how you're going to keep your head above water. To you, I say: you're going to make it. We're all going to make it, together. Thank you."
Svartha steps out of her barracks as these toy-soldiers march towards them.
So they had finally arrived after all this time and they didn't even have the other two with them.
How typical, after all the talk about unity the pathetic little runt had gone off solo.
She makes her way towards the gather but stops as she spots Nathair intending to greet the group first. Well, this would be amusing to watch. Let's see what the new recruit would think of one of the other quaesators.
The goblin stops his groaning as Nathair addresses him and looks up, spending a moment just observing Nathair before replying.
"Nathair? I don't know that name but if you serve phyrexia you better bring me something against this pain. The wounds are nothing for someone such as I, but the pain? It's unbefitting of my station." He makes a dismissive gesture in the direction of the estate.
Nathair can tell that there's no obvious wounds on the goblin, just mild bruises.
If this Nathair had his golden eye, he'd undoubtedly notice Svartha hanging around, since he could simply see through the back of his head. But that Nathair is elsewhere, with the door guard being just one of many extensions of his will. Something between clones and drones. Much to think about.
As it is, this Nathair tilts his head at the goblin. "I serve Phyrexia, and Ilpholin. And I'd be happy to relieve your pain. It it internal? I have extensive anatomical knowledge." He raises his arm, and one of his hands floats up, becoming a cloud of nanoparticles.
"Breathe this in. My nanobots can repair most physical damage with ease. It'll sting, but you should be good as new in no time." It's not a lie- before being compleated, repairing his body was the nanobot's main task. But he doesn't actually expect this goblin to take him up on the offer, of course.
"'Ilpholin'?" The goblin corrects his hat as it was about to tip over the moment he leans back, away from the offered cloud. His face a mask of uncertainty.
His gaze diverges from Nathair as he tries to find a more familiar face. "Svartha!" He calls out in an annoyed voice as he waves at her. "Have you forgotten all your sacred duties and just stand there or will you introduce your- our friend here?" The goblin gestures to Nathair.
"Why? Don't you trust one of your fellow phyrexians?" She replies with an unsettling smirk as she approaches. Her jagged teeth looking like they were made for something with a larger mouth. "Since you should accept Nathair's generous offer, let him inside you."
Gaze returning to Nathair the goblin wrinkles his nose and a moment later he's suddenly off the litter showing remarkable dexterity and speed once the motivation is there. Was he even in pain at all or just doing it for pity? "Ehh, so whose this Ilpholin then? Another quaesator?"
"In effect." Svartha replies. "And you could call Nathair her second-in-command. He's a very good boy."
The goblin does a double take to Nathair as Svartha mentions that last bit. "Ah, so a native then."
He gestures to one of the white soldiers who gets down to act as a stool who he jumps on and spreads his arms wide. "Allow me to formally introduce you to our sacred fellowship then, Nathair. Since I don't think any of these heathens have done so yet." The goblin points his thumb at Svartha and the Estate in general.
"I am Glizz, conquistador of the porcelain legion. Acting as voice to the Grand Cenobite on this distant plane."
Ah, Svartha. Nathair nods a greeting. He has mixed feelings about her- there's a part of him that feels beholden to her for being the one to actually compleat him, but at the same time he views her almost as a rival. Still, she's definitely preferable to this new... comrade, and her baiting comment towards the goblin draws an amused smile out of him.
Faking an injury for sympathy doesn't exactly endear Glizz to Nathair. Comfort doesn't matter- the only thing that matters is to serve.
"No healing? You're sure? Another time then." The nanocloud reforms into a hand, and he tilts his head as he listens to them converse.
She's right, Nathair is a good boy. His opinion of Svartha is improving by the second. As for the goblin, all this talk of sacred this and heathen that doesn't really make sense. The oil isn't a religion- it's so much more.
"Glizz, huh? Love the fancy titles." He does not. "I can't say I've heard of this Cenobite. But then again, you haven't heard of Ilpholin, so... I'd say that makes us even." Nathair gives a tight-lipped smile. "What brings you to our... little secluded backwater?" he asks, his voice humming softly with nanobots.
If the goblin picks up on Nathair's opinion of him he certainly doesn't show it. Seemingly satisfied with just getting so much attention at the moment as he raises a finger into the air while making another declaration.
"Why, the same reason as everyone else! A signal was detected coming from this world and the grand cenobite in her infinite wisdom decided to send a delegation out to grant whatever plane it came from her blessing. We're enacting her will as we speak. Baptizing this world in her name, Phyrexias name."
"Mhm... though I'm not clear on what job you are doing, Glizz?" Svartha speaks up as she draws up closer to him. "Since while I was supposed to go here and track down the signal you were supposed to be with the others. And while I have now confirmed that Tauron is alive you are here because...?" She tilts her head questioningly.
"He's aliv- I mean, uh-" Glizz nervously taps his hands together. "-we, uh, found Sestrie's empty suit a few days after you left so I decided to take a small scout unit to chase after her. We managed to track her to this area but no further since- well, there was an ambush."
"An ambush?" Svartha sounds skeptical to this claim but Glizz doesn't waver.
"Yes, erm, a band of monstrous shapeshifters lead by a demonic beast of a human jumped us while we were out in the wilderness. I suspect they were protecting a pool of magical energy that my scouts had spotted earlier. We fought bravely but ultimately I had no choice but to retreat. That human causing me a great deal of bodily harm." He gestures at the bruise near his eye, the others likely hidden by his robes.
Glizz gestures at Nathair and Svartha. "If you want to do Phyrexia a great service you should chase her down and bring her head to me. I didn't have nearly enough troops to fight her and her army at the time."
"Right." Svartha frowns and takes a step closer to the goblin who is eyeing her nervously. "And Sestrie?"
"Er, we lost the trail after that. I suspect she's somewhere in the city though. That or she's with the demon huma-."
There's a sudden burst of movements as Svartha suddenly reaches out to grab Glizz but the goblin seems to have been expecting this and he dodges back and runs away. Soon disappearing among his white soldiers.
The phyrexian curses loudly and vehemently as the poor soldier Glizz was standing on instead becomes the target of her rage and she's going to rip the woman apart with her claws.
Unless of course Nathair decides to stop her. Or do anything else.
Nathair listens to Svartha and Glizz bicker with amusement- and a little disappointment. Children of the oil should be united, not squabbling like birds. And he doesn't particularly care for this idea of some higher authority on a distant plane.
The only true authority is Ilpholin, whether or not anyone else understands that fact.
"So... you were bested by a human, who managed to bruise you? My, how terrible. I suppose it would be no trouble for me to hunt her down for you." He smiles, sharp teeth glinting. "Of course, I won't need troops. I work better alone."
But before he can see how Glizz reacts to his needling, Svartha goes on the offensive, grabbing the phyrexian aide. Whoever this Sestrie is, she must be important to Svartha in some way. For a moment, he considers allowing her to vent her rage. What's one less soldier, after all?
Loyalty, however, should not be punished. It's one of the only things that matters.
In a flash, Nathair flows forward like quicksilver, reforming between Svartha and the soldier. "Slow down, Svartha. Explain what's going on, and if you have a good reason, then I'll help you kill Glizz myself," he says softly, leaning in to look her in the eyes.
He's clearly operating without full information here, since such a violent approach doesn't seem warranted. What's missing?
To Svartha's credit, she does stop as soon as Nathair materializes before her. Though her claws still end up dragging across the quicksilver surface as if testing it's strength. "Nathair... you have to forgive my outburst but I'm sure you of anyone will understand. Imagine someone like Ilpholin. Someone that introduced you to the glory of Phyrexia. Someone you feel closer to than anyone else." Her claws almost seem to caress his surface at this point until they suddenly dig in deeper.
"But then she suddenly betrays everything you thought she stood for. Everything she was supposed to be and you're left with a single question." She pauses.
"Why?"
"So I don't need you to kill that little rat, I need you to go out there and find out if this human has Sestrie. You understand? She has blue skin and four arms. A vedalken if that name means anything to you. Since if we don't find her soon she will ruin all our ambitions on this plane but more importantly, I need to find out why and how." Svartha leans in closer, her gaze meeting his. "Am I making sense?"
Nathair doesn't resist Svartha's touch- the way he sees it, he makes a much better punching bag than the hapless soldier, since it would take a lot more to actually hurt him. If she needs to vent a little anger, there's no reason not to let her. The nanobots give a very convincing imitation of skin under her claws, but of course piercing the surface elicits neither blood nor pain.
Besides, he's much more distracted by what Svartha has just said. It's an awful hypothetical- just the idea of being forced to choose between Ilpholin and the oil is enough to make nausea well up inside him. If his mistress betrayed the cause like that... what would he do?
The answer is obvious, but he doesn't even dare think it. It's too upsetting to consider at any length.
"I... I understand perfectly." His usual menacing charm is replaced by what sounds almost like compassion. "Fear not, I will find the information you seek. You have my word on that."
At a thought, elsewhere on the estate another Nathair immediately begins to draw up a scrying matrix to begin the process of tracking down the human in question.
"Is there anything else I should know about Sestrie? Any information might help me find her. And... if I do find her, what should I do? Engage, or summon you and wait?"
Chateau Xilo
"Okay, maybe fancy isn't a strong enough word," observes Simon as he strolls up the long driveway, glancing over his shoulder to make sure Rowan is still there. It's been a couple days since Atya showed up at the bakery, and after a number of brief and awkward texts between the siblings Simon secured an address and a time. Of course, now that they're here, the jitters are returning and he's barely able to keep his larger serpentine form.
And here is the Chateau, a large manor house that borders on opulent. Old and stately, with arched windows, elegant rooftops and more than enough balconies, it's clear that this place is both elegant and expensive. Beyond the house itself, the neat garden hedges and cobblestone paths are clearly well maintained.
The yard is home to a variety of peacocks, songbirds, mandarin ducks, dodos, and other exotic birds that seem to have the run of the place. They mill about fearlessly, crowding around the birdfeeders and fountains that dot the grounds.
"She did always like birds. Ugh, maybe this is a bad idea. I don't trust rich people, there's no way she got all this without doing some serious crime," says Simon, lashing his tail anxiously.
"What is there to tell that I haven't started questioning?" Svartha gestures dismissively as she pulls away from Nathair again. "That she's a scientist probably. The creator of Tauron if you can believe it, which should give you an idea of her specialization." She turns to look away for a moment before turning back to face him.
"But above all else, that she's dangerous due to what she knows. So while I want you to take her alive I fear that you might need to disable all her limbs, if not most of her body, if necessary. Since if you let her activate any of her gadgets I don't know what will happen but probably nothing good."
Svartha shakes her head and turns away again. "But frankly, I don't want thinking too much about her right now. It eats away at me. Makes me want to speculate which is how life slips out of your claws. Rather, I'm going to be productive and try to see if I can find her in this city over here." She gestures to Riverside.
"But considering what a fuck-up Glizz is, she could be anywhere on this plane by now."
"Well, it wouldn't hurt to have an explanation of how she can 'ruin all our ambitions on this plane,' but I can live without," says Nathair with a shrug. If she's Tauron's creator- that puts her as the highest link up of the Nexus' Phyrexian chain, doesn't it? He can't help but wonder if she came from another plane, or if there's some other creator who made her here.
Well, it probably doesn't matter. All that matters now is finding her. And from the sound of it, he doesn't have to be particularly gentle, which is lovely.
"Alive, but disabled. Got it. I'll find her." His soft voice conveys utter certainty. "I know what it's like to... speculate, about someone important to you. It will be my pleasure to put your mind at ease."
If there's anything Nathair is good at, it's retrieving things. Like a very violent bloodhound.
Turning to peer at Glizz through the ranks of his army, Nathair gives an ironic salute. "So good to meet you. Guess now I have to go deal with your incompetence. But while I'm gone, take it easy, okay? Rest up and let those awful wounds heal."
He floats into the air, nanobots humming faintly as they lift him up. "I'll update you with what I find, Svartha. Good hunting." And unless she says anything to stop him, he'll soar into the air, eager to find this Sestrie and put this mystery to rest.
"The way she can ruin our plans is by spreading misinformation among the natives. Since most of them are likely to react like you, or me, before they can fully appreciate the blessing which is phyrexia." Svartha feels like clarifying considering that Nathair still felt unclear about that point.
"And I appreciate that." She adds as he conveys his empathy towards her plight. "I just hope, against all odds, that I find her myself. But hoping is almost as bad as speculating and I know this is something you will do better than me."
Then he turns to the white soldiers who have yet to move since they all stopped when Nathair approached Glizz. Not even the one acting as his stool has as much as gotten up.
But of Glizz himself there's no sign. He seems remarkably sneaky for someone that has such a bombastic persona.
"Good hunting yourself. Return to me once you got information or Sestrie."
"It seems we might be shorter of time than I thought," says Kalavak, looking up and around at the shuddering vessel.
Eun's penlight seems to work. Shahala's wound seals itself up with scabrous material for the time being, quickly stopping the bleeding, but it would be easy to start up again with rapid or frustrated movement. Shahala groans a little and shifts away from the light.
"We'll need to be leaving," says Kalavak. "This beast is not stable. And I'm afraid I must insist on asking the good man here a few pointed questions. Do you have something that will help him stay awake?" The wizard asks Eun. "Will he live a few minutes more?"
Control Room
The black-clad warrior Jade was trying to help bristles at the mention of a 'ring-mouth thing'. He hesitates to aim his weapon directly at Jade. It's impossible to read his face beneath his liquid armor... but his voice is at once fierce and afeared.
"Not precisely." The warrior hesitates, scrambling to think how he can explain this most quickly and succinctly. Speaking to Jade directly, he says, "Those creatures-- their master, the mouth, the ring, has devoured my lord. My lord is a great king--"
The warrior hesitates.
"I-- can't remember. Can't remember his name. That's part of it! But-- with my lord gone, the lands he controls will descend into fire and war. Torn to pieces by his children. Many thousands will die. These creatures, the ilthtik, have taken the object that can restore him. His adelarch."
The ship gives another warning shudder, clicking around the control room like heat-warped metal.
"He'll kill you," Seveira chirps, eyeing the warrior, and then Jade, not quite risking a look back at Olympia. But she cocks her head so that Olympia can see the side of her mouth. "He'd kill everyone here and in a thousand miles more to get what he wants. He doesn't care about anyone aboard this ship, alive or otherwise. Not even himself. Isn't that true?"
"Your mouth is a gutter," the black-clad warrior spits. "It seeps with filth. Give. Me. The adelarch. There isn't time for this!"
"Take him, miss Jade, if you can," Seveira says. "We don't have what he wants--"
"Don't try it!" The raider points his weapon at Seveira, holding the flask in his other hand aloft. His wounded side oozes blood. Zebal, Seveira's so-far faceless and muscular ally, starts to edge to one side to try and find an angle of approach.
"Take him before he throws that bloody thing!" Seveira cries, and Olympia can see her tensing to move.
The situation is split seconds from devolving. It seems no one's too keen on listening to the wise young lady in the sparkling dress.
"A sport?" Raheeda inquires, seemingly not having heard the term before. "Like a game?" Her eyebrow raises.
They have reached the section where the private showers are by now but the scaled woman doesn't seem to have noticed. "Since I'm not sure what you do then. You got well-honed body for someone who've just played games."
[Wandering Riverside]
"It's recreation, but that doesn't mean I don't take it seriously." Nadia attempts to clarify. "But I make a point to keep fit as well. I'm only getting older, so I need to prioritize my health."
"But let me show you where the stalls are." Nadia gestures into the shower room entrance and will lead the way inside, and once inside she points out where there's another section of the showers. Instead of turning into where the public showers are, she guides to an area with a series of stalls. "Each of these has a shower, so you should have much more privacy."
Crash Site
Okay, so nobody's cooperating. Jade's not here to kill anyone, or get anyone killed, so she sees an alternative route forward. "Hold on a minute, if you don't have the thing he's looking for, why not prove it and then help him look for it? Hey, what's this thing look like?"
She's not just questioning though, she knows the time for parlay has passed. The conversation serves to distract from what she's actually doing, which is directing her suit to project shield bubbles, one around each of the belligerents, leaving herself and Khannie free. The energy fields are highly resilient, so they'll hopefully prevent anyone from killing anyone else. "I came here to save lives, not to take them, and so help me you people just need to sit down and shut up for a minute so I can figure out what to do!"
Why can't crazy cultists ever be the normal kind with, like, pamphlets who just want to chat about their weird god? Why's it always gotta be these wackos following something that's gunna eat the world?
Well either way it doesn't sound like they're gunna help the pirate guy find the whatever and it sounds like he's willing to kill people to... what? Bring his king back? Something. Athena's doing her shield bubble thing which is probably gunna prevent exploding things from getting tossed but just in case Olympia is poised to throw a punch.
Normally throwing a punch prolly wouldn't do much in a situation like this but she's Olympia. She's betting she could rocket punch the threatening looking bottle outta the air and cocoon it up in a scarf before it blows. She had managed to contain that weird dragon Witch's Godzilla breath one time with her scarf so she's pretty sure she could manage whatever the grenade will get up to when it blows.
Keeping her eyes on the armored guy, she says to the injured man she's tending to, "Hey, you good to stand up?"
"It's recreation, but that doesn't mean I don't take it seriously." Nadia attempts to clarify. "But I make a point to keep fit as well. I'm only getting older, so I need to prioritize my health."
"But let me show you where the stalls are." Nadia gestures into the shower room entrance and will lead the way inside, and once inside she points out where there's another section of the showers. Instead of turning into where the public showers are, she guides to an area with a series of stalls. "Each of these has a shower, so you should have much more privacy."
[Wandering Riverside]
Raheeda tilts her head and then she realizes, Nadia was an elf! Her ears were a sure way to tell.
So of course she didn't look old.
"Oh, I didn't think elves had to do that." A beat. "I mean, uh- no one told me that about elf-dom. Since I'm actually a bit of an elf myself." She nods and gestures to her own ears. Playfully flicking one of them before turning to the stalls while listening to the rest of Nadia's explanation. "Okay, cool! And what about that that liquid people were smearing all over themselves? Is any liquid in here good or does it have to be a special one?"
