Riverside

[Arkhosia]

[Youthful Indiscretions]

"Yeah, like, exactly!" Anastasia nods vigorously, maybe a little too quick to agree with Atsede being the prettiest girl in school. The moment of emotional vulnerability that follows goes entirely missed - or at least, she doesn't have a moment to comment on it before the two of them start to tease her again.

"What? N-no, I'm - like, I can totally handle my alcohol!" Ana insists, suddenly feeling a little attacked - and then, as if it would somehow prove her point, she lunges forward and yanks the very same can right before Atsede can grab it. She pulls back from the table, raises the drink to her lips and starts to swallow it down in rapid gulps.

[Meowmai]

[Youthful Indiscretions]

For a moment Atsede's hand lingered where the can had been, her expression growing more and more surprised with every gulp of alcohol that Anastasia took. She should probably tell her to slow down. But nah, letting it happen was the funniest outcome. She wan't to see where it leads.

So instead she just turned to Eliseo, giving an exaggerated shrug and bewildered chuckle, before taking a sip from her own can and returning to Ana. "Woah there, Strawberry. Since when were you such a rebel?"

[Gullara]

[Youthful Indiscretions]

Eliseo surely has some witty remark up his sleeve, but he's caught off guard by Ana's sudden display. "Uh-" Well, okay. Admittedly he's a little concerned she's getting in over her head, but it's not like he and Atsede won't take care of her when this inevitably backfires. "I think we teased her too much. She's gone over the edge." He remarks, laughter and disbelief in his voice.

[Arkhosia]

[Youthful Indiscretions]

"See?" Anastasia finally states, wiping her mouth clean and looking between Eliseo and Atsede. The tingly sensation is much stronger now, like she's warm and fuzzy all over, and she giggles. "And heeeey, I've always been a rebel! I just don't get in trouble for it." The girl casts a cheeky smirk that shows off her fangs Atsede's way, gesturing with a now quite empty can.

[Meowmai]

[Youthful Indiscretions]

"I think we have." Atsede remarks in response to Eliseo. She had to admit, she hadn't expected that from Ana. Although the unwise nature of that decision was already starting to show, because that sure was a tipsy giggle if she had ever heard one. And a mischievous smirk. Atsede didn't know why it caught her eye quite like it did, but wow, those sure were some pointy teeth. Ouch, poor Eliseo.

"True, true, your parents let you off so easily!" She sighed dramatically. "It's downright unfair," she continued, shaking her head. There was a pause as she looked down at her mostly full drink, then across to the remaining cans near Ana. "Sayyyy," she started. "That was impressive. What say we race each other to the bottom of our next cans? See who's faster. I'll give yah five bucks if yah win." She grinned her own mischievous grin. "You should join in too, Eli!"

[Gullara]

[Youthful Indiscretions]

"Hey hey, maybe she should slow down a bit. At least let that settle." Eliseo tries to protest. He's got to at least try to look out for his girlfriend! Though she might be out of his ability to rein in by now!

[Arkhosia]

[Youthful Indiscretions]

"Yeah, 'cuz parents are, like, cool," Ana brags, giving her boyfriend a teasing look as if to suggest this was a contrast to him. Which is only a little unfair; Nadia had her moments, even if Irena was totally lame and a jerk. Then Atsede draws her attention right back, sparking a bit of a blush when she praises Ana like that. "Sure! You're like, super on." The girl snatches up a third can and fumbles with the tab, far too caught up with continuing to impress her crush to even process Eliseo trying to calm things down.

[Earl of Purple]

Eastside Prison Institute for the Criminally Gifted

Normally. Matilda does not run away, even when someone tells her to. She's more likely to run towards a threat, her fight-or-flight rigged heavily towards the former. When she's in a smoke-filled corridor, her owlbear-fury locked away and only barely able to reach it, is not normal. Nor is the giant steaming metal-and-flesh pig charging down the corridor. So Matilda runs, running straight for the wall and jumping, her talons out and grabbing the wall to punch into the plaster and brick. She can't outfight the gore swine like this, she likely can't outrun them, so she's going to try outclimbing them, getting to where they cannot reach her.

[Meowmai]

[Youthful Indiscretions]

Atsede gave Eliseo a look of disappointment as he tried to intervene. "You're no fun! Don't worry about it, it'll be fiiiiine."

Speaking of no fun, did, she really just hear Ana say that? "C'mon, listen to yourself. Parents are cool!?" The changeling shook her head in mock disgust. "Maybe Eli's right, if you're saying things like that!" She joked. Though given everything she had heard, Atsede would trade her parents for Ana's in a heartbeat, so maybe there was something to it. Still, that's embarrassing to admit.

Raising her can up to near her lips, she looked across to her opponent and tried not to smirk a little as she had some trouble opening the can. Strawberry really was a lightweight, huh. "Ready?"

[Gullara]

[Youthful Indiscretions]

Eliseo sighs and shakes his head. Not like he didn't know Atsede was trouble. That's half the fun, honestly. "If you start to feel bad you can stop." Eliseo advises. It sound a bit funny coming from his mouth, given he's never followed that advice himself.

[Arkhosia]

[Youthful Indiscretions]

"Yeah! O-or, like, mine are at least! Both pairs, really," Ana insists, a little confused by Atsede's reaction. "And I don't feel bad at all, El! I feel fine!" Which wasn't what he meant, of course, but it's how her brain chooses to process it. It's probably extremely convincing to hear that as she finally manages to pop the tab open and nod vigorously Atsede's way. "Yeah! I'm like, totally ready!"

Once the drinking competition begins, Atsede might realize two complicating factors that give her an edge - firstly, Anastasia waits for her to say "go" and only lifts the can to her lips then, leaving her in a bit of a scramble once they initially start. Secondly, Atsede's can isn't entirely full whereas Ana's is. Which all means that while she puts up a valiant effort, knocking her drink back and closing her eyes as she drains the can in greedy gulps, she's probably got her beat before the match has even started.

[Reinholdt]

[Eastside Prison Institute for the Criminally Gifted]

Not a lot of prisoners are going to go through three death boars to get to the rope, especially now that they're practically filling the hallway hunting down Nathair. Ava is frozen in fear, pressed against the wall and holding her breath, hoping the movements of the distant prisoners or of Matilda draw the boars' attention before they notice her.

*****

There are a lot of tactics that fall apart when the things rushing you en masse have no care for their own well being. Carrie puts up a good fight, admittedly, her thrashing strength more than enough to toss aside some goblins. But she has to be careful and not overdo it at the same time. Still, they fail to keep her jaws clenched as she tosses aside the caught goblin, her mouth strength second to none.

Carrie, in turn, can't really stop the goblins that are rushing past her to the generator while she's dealing with those that are piling onto her face. A number slip through. Too many really, but even one is dangerous.

[Shadowcaller]

[Eastside Prison Institute for the Criminally Gifted]

Admittedly, things were not going to plan.
But in Svartha's defense there hadn't been much of a plan in the first place. Winging it was putting it mildly.
She would give it a couple more minutes and if the field hadn't turned off by then she would have to go down there and get Ava herself. Field or no field.

Meanwhile, the swine continue to chase down Nathair. Ignoring everyone else they come across as long as they're not getting in their way.

*****

Man, the goblins had a wrong assumption regarding the opening strength of her mouth. Seeing their error they all scatter, some outright fleeing while others moving towards the generator.

Speaking of the generator, the ones that have reached it are either poking around with whatever buttons or levers that are on it or are smashing instruments or attempting to pull cords. Since if they're good at anything it's breaking stuff.

[quillpleasant]

Eastside Prison Institute for the Criminally Gifted

Nathair, for his part, is completely unable to outrun the swine. They knock him over, sending him rolling across the store and landing in a stunned heap, completely open to further attack.

[Meowmai]

[Youthful Indiscretions]

"Parents are cool. And you call yourself a rebel," Atsede simply repeated in disbelief. Sheesh. She was gonna have to fix this girl sometime. Still, she had more pressing matters. Drinks!

If the setup had been a little fairer, it could have been an even match. Who knows? Anastasia certainly has the determination and spirit, which Atsede had not expected. Ultimately though, Atsede was the clear winner her. She put down her empty can with a triumphant (and gross) burp as Ana was still finishing hers, before letting out a cheer. "AHA! Victory for me!" The changeling crows, before realizing that only she had actually made any kind of bet here. But surely she could get something out of this! What's the harm in trying? "Heyyy, do I get anything for a win? Whaddya reckon?"

[Gullara]

[Youthful Indiscretions]

Eliseo just watches the two as he sips his own drink. At this rate he's going to be by far the most functional of the trio. He shakes his head at Atsede's declaration. He turns his attention back to Ana, nudging her with his shoulder after it's all said and done and makes sure she's still looking like she's having a good time.

Upon getting that confirmation, he can turn his attention back to Atsede's antics. He gives her a sly smile. "I have an idea. You know, if things don't work out with either Skyla or Where the River Once Flowed." He suggests, his smile getting broader. "Maybe you and Ana go on a date. You know, so you can say you got through the whole list."

[Arkhosia]

[Youthful Indiscretions]

"What?!" Anastasia finishes draining her drink and stares back at Atsede incredulously. But she'd been doing so well! How did she - "Wait! T-that wasn't a fair match!" She springs up to her feet... and immediately regrets it, the cave section suddenly feeling a whole lot less stationary than she remembered. "You- you, like. uh - totally had a headstart! S-so, like - um, yknow. You, uh. Don't win, like, aaaaaaanything." The girl stumbles, leans back and braces a hand against the arm of the couch. Maybe that hadn't been such a good idea after all.

Disoriented as she is, it takes Ana a moment to realize what Eliseo suggests. Settling back down onto the couch with exaggerated care and probably only bumping into him once or twice in the process, she blinks - then turns back to gawp at him. "I- WHAT?! Oh my gosh, EL! I- you're just - I'm gonna -" Her whole face burns a bright and strawberry red, rising from the collar to the tips of her ears..

[Meowmai]

[Youthful Indiscretions]

Atsede promptly snorts with laughter as she watches her friend sway and stumble in her indignation. "Oh my Gods Strawberry, look at you! You're such a lightweight! Three drinks and you can barely stand!" The changeling was almost howling with laughter, completely ignoring Ana's accusations. To be fair, Atsede was hardly free of alcohol herself- there's a reason she's finding this just as funny as she is- but compared to Ana she might as well be sober. Plus, she's used to it!

Eliseo's joke took her a little by surprise, but she laughed it off- unlike Ana who appeared to be dying on the spot. That was like... weird, right? That was way too much blush to just be alcohol. Something starts to click in the back of her mind. "True, truuuue, I do need to finish that list. But woah, man that's way too dangerous. I'm just so naturally charming, y'know, I can't help it, and well- I don't wanna be no homewrecker." she laughs at her own joke. Besides, that obviously wasn't an issue. That girl was firmly glued to her boyfriend, and it's not like she's even into girls!

Click.

Oh my god. She was totally into girls, wasn't she. Of course. Ana blushes like a maniac even when it's not Eliseo doing the teasing because she's bi! It should have been obvious! How had she never realized!?

[Earl of Purple]

Eastside Prison Institute for the Criminally Gifted

Once she's scaled the wall and crouches up near the ceiling, Matilda stops. She can't get any higher without smashing the ceiling, and she's not sure she can, not without her full fur, feathers and fury at least. She could jump in and try saving the guy, but... he's a guard, and she wants out. Or she might be able to enrage the boar and lead it through some walls, provide an escape using something else's brute force.

That last sounds quite good, so Matilda roars and jumps down, aiming for the back of the last of the four gore-swine, trying to plunge her claws into its left flank. Most animals, confronted with pain, turn away from it to flee. Some, like dragons and other monsters, instead react with hostility, and turn towards the source of pain to fight it. Matilda's hoping for the latter, and the swine smashes into the wall she wants it to, though it may perhaps ignore her utterly.

[Gullara]

[Youthful Indiscretions]

Eliseo does his part to help steady Ana. No need to have his girlfriend take a tumble. That does mean he gets her exclamation directly in his ear, but that's how this goes. "True, true. That's a risk." Eliseo nods along with Atsede, not acknowledging the destruction he's done to Ana. "But she did lose. What do you think, Ana? Too risky?" He glances at her out of the corner of his eye.

THen he grabs a beer. At some point his drink vanished on him. They tend to do that.

[Arkhosia]

[Youthful Indiscretions]

'"I - um- I-I dunno, like - maybe? I mean um like - she's - she's pretty, um. Pretty distracting. But we don't have a home either so." The girl nods like she'd made a coherent point, swaying gently against Eliseo. '"And I told you, 'm- 'mfine," She illustrates this by trying to fumble for another drink.

[Thursday Violist]

[Eastside]

A character gets off work, and decides to relax in a park.

She sits on a bench.

This character is, of course, a catgirl. Or, at least, appears to be one. She's a redhead, but her ears and tail are black.
And...
well, there's not really that much else about her. Freckles, maybe. Her body's actually significantly lighter than expected. And...yeah, that's about it.

Sitting on a bench, pulling out her phone to play some tower defense game.

[Reinholdt]

[Eastside Prison Institute for the Criminally Gifted]

Pulling cords is probably the last straw. This generator doesn't explode like the last one, but it does stop working, powering down ominously. Shortly thereafter, the lights and AC stop working as well. Carrie does not stop in her efforts to chase the goblins off though, chasing after any that went for the generator. Goblins that think about going after her soon find themselves sideswiped by Barry as well, the bear and the crocodile regrouping together to drive them off.

Moments later, chaos breaks out at the barricade. With the suppression lights finally turned off, the prisoners that were herded away from the boars and to the guards suddenly turn from almost guaranteed to be caught to almost certainly going to kill. Elements can be heard and a psychic wave suggests serving at least one of the prisoners, until a sonic boom seems to negate it. The prisoners end up turning on themselves as much as the guards and a full on riot ensues. Several of the prisoners that were still trapped manage to escape their cells, though those with more limited powers seem to be staying put.

The first to escape into the yard from the barricade is a muscle bound man who seems to be made of some sort of rubber, or at least has wrapped his form in it. Though he stops long enough to shout obscenities at the jail. He also regrets it when the Warden finally arrives, landing on him and slamming him into the dirt, knocking him out cold even with his rubbery physique. The Gold Dragon spreads his wings and bellows. "BACK TO YOUR CELLS, NOW!!" Of course, he doesn't fit in the building itself like this, so does a better job keeping the inmates from leaving... Oh no, they're definitely jumping on him anyways. It's a dragon vs. prison riot fight. The dragon does take note of Svartha, but despite his desires, he is quite preoccupied. But maybe also not for long. The prisoners seem to be losing fast, despite their numbers and powers. They lack even the goblin's tactics.

*****

Ava glances at the suppression lights as they go out and realizing the pigs are preoccupied, slips into the control room and lets out a breath, before immediately catching it again, shaking slightly as she hears the bellow from outside. She... doesn't want to go back. Anything is better than living here. If you could call it living.

Steeling herself, she runs at the rope and grabs ahold of it, determined to climb to freedom! Or at least a chance at freedom.
...
She pulls really hard...
Climbing ropes is surprisingly difficult...
Wow. A full rising orchestra of action and she's barely an inch higher than she was when she started. Damn. She hasn't been in prison long enough to get the upper body strength she needs to successfully escape. Ava is getting absolutely nowhere fast.

[Meowmai]

[Youthful Indiscretions]

Of all the outcomes, Atsede had expected Eliseo's boyfriend instincts to come into play, and for him to side with Ana over her. She did basically cheat in this contest, after all. But it seems she had underestimated just how powerful his need to tease her girlfriend was- though what Atsede thought he was teasing her over and what he was actually teasing her over were two different things.

Ana's nonsensical sentence only causes her to laugh more, "Strawberry, what!?" But the changeling finally recovers enough to join in Eliseo's angle of attack. "Ohhhh, you think I'm pretty, huh!? So pretty I'm distracting? Is that so? Wow, I'm flattered." Always the agent of chaos, she nudges the can Ana's fumbling for closer to her, a huge grin on her face.

[Shadowcaller]

[Eastside Prison Institute for the Criminally Gifted]

Ah, but this isn't just an ordinary rope. This is a rope of climbing. Something which Svartha had found on the corpse of someone unfortunate enough to run into her band of mecha-creatures along with that bag she had smuggled the boars in.
So as soon as the dampening field goes offline its magical qualities will be present again. Turning what for most people would have been a palm-hurting struggle against gravity into a tug of war against toddlers. It will still take some effort to climb but shouldn't be too difficult even for someone with as little rope-climbing experience as Ava.

Svartha still stand up there at the end of the rope but her attention is at the gold dragon rather than Ava at the moment. Looking in awe at the winged creature.
So that's what they looked like. No wonder her people had worshiped them.

But she soon snaps back to reality and gestures for Ava to keep climbing.
"Anyone looking to escape this hell better get to the rope NOW! We're getting out of here!" She calls out over the sound of the riot happening around them.
The goblins which had passed out on the prison floor due to the field will suddenly come back to life with a twitch as their hearts and eyes reignite with fire. Their first movement being snapping their heads in the direction of Svartha's voice.

Fortunately for Nathir, the boars have the same reaction as they stop goring him as they too turn in the direction of her voice.
If he's still conscious he will feel his leg being grabbed as one of the reawakened goblins starts to drag his body in the direction of the rope. The other goblins seemingly getting the same idea as they will attempt to grab whatever unconscious or dead prisoner they can find and start dragging them towards the rope.

The goblins in the other parts of the prison momentarily start celebrating their victory before starting to move towards the exit. Some deciding to claim whatever looks shiny or a particularly small person as loot before making their escape.

[quillpleasant]

Eastside Prison Institute for the Criminally Gifted

Nathair, who had curled up with his arms around his head to protect against the swine's attacks, slowly looks up as the great beasts leave him be. He's clearly taken quite a beating. The boar's tusks have ripped him open here and there, revealing the glinting golden wires and metallic bones beneath. A normal human might be dead or unconscious from shock, but Nathair can't bleed or feel pain, so the damage, while extensive, is nothing he can't handle.

As the goblin grabs his leg and begins dragging him towards the rope, Nathair scans the room, his eyes alighting on the prisoners desperately struggling against the Warden. Oh, but that means...

He snaps his fingers experimentally. Yes, the suppression field is down. Now it's a fair fight.

Kicking away from the goblin, Nathair lurches to his feet, sparks spitting out from his wounds. He lifts his golden hand up towards the gap in the ceiling, the air rippling as he performs an arcane gesture.

"Let's try this again," he mutters, as his telekinetic power surges out. With a horrible grinding noise, the ceiling gap through which the rope has descended begins to close. Metal and stone are bent, flattened and elongated as the sides of the hole draw inwards, beginning to cut off this particular escape route.

[Murkus]

[Theories of Necromantic Adhesion]

Reilana takes a few steadying breaths, then steadies herself. Okay, it's almost done. She reaches out then and touches the skull. A chill radiates from the bones.

Then each of those small pieces pull together, assembling into a full skeleton, followed by a strange blue substance oozing from the skull's eyes. In a couple moments the whole skeleton is consumed by this semi transparent substance, with bone seeming to disappear into it. It congeals finally into the shape of a rabbit, with the skull and some scattered bones suspended inside.

Reilana smiles. "Hello, Pancake."

[Theories of Necromantic Adhesion]

"Oh! How marvelous!" Sticks leans forward as the silence is broken again, the spell now wound down, clearly quite pleased with the result. "What a marvelous little spell. One of the more energy-efficient constructs I've ever seen. Most creatures of this sort, things with impermanent bodies or inhabiting remains, are remarkably slipshod you know. A great deal of effort to make a thing walk, to bind it to matter. But supplementing the bones with ectoplasm creates such a fine, sturdy little vessel with a great deal less work and energy expenditure." As though to give evidence of how sturdy Pancake is, he tries to reach forward and gently pat the bun on top of its rounded pudgy body.

[Earl of Purple]

Eastside Prison Institute for the Criminally Gifted

Matilda grins as she feels her fury return, fur and feathers erupting across her body as she expands. Her prison uniform doesn't last very well as she rapidly gains a great deal of mass, most of it dense bone and powerful muscle. She's nearly five hundred and fifty kilos, with large claws on her forelimbs, massive yellow eyes glaring hatred and anger at everything nearby, and a great hooked beak. She roars and rears onto her hind legs, seeing the hole in the ceiling... and that it's shrinking. She couldn't fit through it anyway, but that doesn't matter- somebody is trying to prevent her escape. She turns, spots Nathair, and with another hooting roar, she charges towards him to barrel him into a wall and then rake his body with her talons.

[Gullara]

[Youthful Indiscretions]

Eliseo reaches for the can to intercept Ana, but Atsede's nudge gets it into her hands before he can intervene. "I'm not sure you sound fine. You've gotta pace yourself or Atsede and I will be carrying you home." There's those boyfriend instincts.

[Theories of Necromantic Adhesion]

The bunny's ectoplasmic 'flesh' is soft and yielding to the touch, and smoothly textured. Pancake seems to not entirely appreciate the touch, as he moves away, to nestle against the small crook between Reilana's knees. The young necromancer smiles and strokes the top of his head.

"Yeah, it's a well designed technique." Reilana replies, lacking the same energy she had about discussing her craft earlier. In fact, she lacks any sort of energy. That clearly took a lot out of her. She scoops up her reunited pet and gets to her feet, visibly trembling with the effort.

[Arkhosia]

► SHOW SPOILER

[Youthful Indiscretions]

Of all the outcomes, Atsede had expected Eliseo's boyfriend instincts to come into play, and for him to side with Ana over her. She did basically cheat in this contest, after all. But it seems she had underestimated just how powerful his need to tease her girlfriend was- though what Atsede thought he was teasing her over and what he was actually teasing her over were two different things.

Ana's nonsensical sentence only causes her to laugh more, "Strawberry, what!?" But the changeling finally recovers enough to join in Eliseo's angle of attack. "Ohhhh, you think I'm pretty, huh!? So pretty I'm distracting? Is that so? Wow, I'm flattered." Always the agent of chaos, she nudges the can Ana's fumbling for closer to her, a huge grin on her face.

[Youthful Indiscretions]
"
Eliseo reaches for the can to intercept Ana, but Atsede's nudge gets it into her hands before he can intervene. "I'm not sure you sound fine. You've gotta pace yourself or Atsede and I will be carrying you home." There's those boyfriend instincts.

[Youthful Indiscretions]

"W-wha?" Ana blinks. "That's not what I- I mean, you're like, pretty, but-" The poor fox's cheeks burn up and she looks to Eliseo in a desperate hope that he'll save her, only to frown at his look of concern. "I tooooold you El, I'm fiiiiiiiine! I- shoot." The girl goes to take a sip and misses her lips at first, spilling some of the alcohol down her shirt before managing an actual swig of the stuff. Then she leans against him and giggles.

"Hee, one of you carrying me, that'd be cuuute. Can always count on you two gettin'- gettin me home-" It almost seems like she's about to fall asleep against him the way Ana leans her head on Eliseo's shoulder - until suddenly she turns up to look at him, her expression suddenly turning watery. "You- you wouldn't- wouldn't leave me behind, riiiiight?" W-wouldn't abandon me?" Her fingers squeeze against his arm.