Riverside

Locales found within the main city centers; primarily Inside, Riverside, and Skyside.
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Reinholdt
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Re: Riverside

Post by Reinholdt »

[Project Icarus]

"OWWW!" Nahlrae recoils away from the bite and his features mimic Ilpholin's confusion in such a way that somewhat proves the mother son relationship. The tongue was no more desirable than the teeth and Nahlrae instinctually backs away from the growing horror that possesses the remnants of his Mother's visage. There being really only one other feature in this memory at the moment, Nahlrae ends up retreating towards the defeated dragon.

"What are you?!" He asks directly of the... entity.

[Ilpholin's Compound]

"Ah, well, as mentioned, we are in the midst of a delicate debugging sequence. Better make that twenty minutes," Hallelujah suggests to the molten phyrexian in an effort to temper expectations.
► SHOW SPOILER

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Re: Riverside

Post by Shadowcaller »

[Project Icarus]

As the bird appears the creature stops. It doesn't move per say, just stopping as if to process this new event. It doesn't attempt to shield its face or any other part of its body. It simply looks at the bird made of wood through Ilpholin's dead eyes as if it has never seen anything like it before.
The visage it seems to wear reacts like one might expect. If the birds talons cut into its skin it will bleed like Ilpholin would. Yet the entity that inhabits it does not seem to feel the pain associated with it. Or it doesn't understand that pain is supposed to be bad.

Instead it attempts to lick the bird like it just licked Nahlrae while it's hands are attempting to grab a hold of it. One might expect it to be trying to stop the bird but the manner it acts in suggests it doesn't see the situation as even dangerous. Acting as if it were blind and trying to guess the shape of something in front of it.

Though there's more to its hands than just fingers. In the middle of the visages palms thy can now see two lip-less mouths filled with what looks like human teeth. Teeth which now Nahlrae's skin now bears the mark of.

The creature does not follow Nahlrae yet somehow he also doesn't seem to be able to move further away from the being than to the dragon. The space of this place being extremely limited.
It has a reaction to his screams though.
"What are you?!" It screams back at him, echoing his own voice. Sounding just slightly distorted. The voice seemingly coming from the mouths on the creatures visage rather than Ilpholin's.
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Re: Riverside

Post by Shadowcaller »

Reinholdt wrote: Feb 13, 2023 10:44 am [Ilpholin's Compound]

"Ah, well, as mentioned, we are in the midst of a delicate debugging sequence. Better make that twenty minutes," Hallelujah suggests to the molten phyrexian in an effort to temper expectations.
[Ilpholin's Compound]

"Then give us a better place to wait than here out in the open. There are enemies nearby." She gestures out towards southside. "We've come a long way to be here."
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Re: Riverside

Post by Gullara »

[Theories of Necromantic Adhesion]

Reilana gives him a thoughtful look. "I get it. A lot of my 'friends' were in the same kind of situation. I try to give them a good home, even if I'm not animating them." Reilana holds out her hand for the weasel.

[Big Trouble - Post Scriptum]

Eliseo lifts his head and gives Atsede a teasing smile. "Oh, so you did get in trouble after all huh? Damn, your parents are hardasses." He hasn't actually updated Ana on the whole fight situation, so she might be a bit confused here.
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Re: Riverside

Post by Ironsmith »

Arkhosia wrote: Feb 13, 2023 2:46 am
► SHOW SPOILER
[A Less-Dark Alley]

It seems to take a moment for Dulcie to realize what the knight has offered, eyes suddenly sparkling glacier-bright. "Oh! Why, that would be delightful!" She chirps, already heading for the exit. "I suppose we should probably exchange names if you're going through all the trouble of providing me a noble escort, shouldn't we?"

Glancing back, Arne is suddenly hit with a dazzling smile. "The name's Dulcinea. A pleasure to make your acquaintance."
[A Less-Dark Alley]

"Arne. Arne... Arne Ty-Skuld." The black knight says after a moment, hesitant to present his family name but ultimately deciding in favor of it, however briefly. "...Or Blekdal, if you wouldn't mind. I... I am not certain how readily I should carry my ancestor's name. Blekdal is where I am from; I can admit to that much, at least."

As Dulcinea makes her way out of the alley, Arne will follow her, holding his hands to his sides as balled-up fists. Blue sparks dance between his fingers as he readies himself to "draw" his weapon of choice at any moment, but holds back from openly brandishing it for fear of scaring Dulcie or ironically provoking an attack.

"...I suppose just 'Arne' works as well." He continues, still thinking about it. "Since you introduced yourself as just 'Dulcinea'. No need to bring a surname into it." There's an awkward pause before he adds, a little belatedly, "It's a... a very pretty name, incidentally."

And then more awkward silence.
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.
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Re: Riverside

Post by Morty »

[Project Icarus]

The King, in his aspect as the Eye of the Bird, looks deeply within this intruder. Not a kind of creature he's familiar with, but he can glean enough to reach some conclusions.

"This creature is a scavenger spirit. It feasts on the memories of the dead. We must chase it away swiftly, or it will do this with your mother's memories."
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Reinholdt
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Re: Riverside

Post by Reinholdt »

[Project Icarus]

Nahlrae frowns at the scavenger spirit. There's no need to scream. "And how are we supposed to do that?" Nahlrae has no weapons and even if he did, he was three years old. And even if he did, he could what? Bonk it gently with a nerf bat and mildly annoy it? That would surely scare it away.

The child climbs up atop the dragon and pulls at its ears and pushes on his head, attempting to get the memory of Gordon to breath lightning upon the scavenger spirit. Gordon survived this encounter, so perhaps he has one last attack in him.

[Ilpholin's Compound]

"To best provide you with adequate defenses, I would request clarification. To what enemies do you refer to?" Was the molten phyrexian referring to something specific about Southside or did it mean someone or something had followed them into the city and was looking for an opportunity to strike?
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Re: Riverside

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[Ilpholin's Compound]

"The scaled soldiers that we've sighted wandering these streets. We are unsure if they spotted us but as everything that is not of phyrexia, they are the enemy." She clarifies, sounding impatient even now.

[Project Icarus]

Nahlrae's pulling of Gordon's ears and pushing of his head seems to annoy the dragon as he can feel the heat in the air raising.
This was but a fading memory of Gordon, Ilpholin being one of the increasingly few people that even remembered him and now she too was dead.

But perhaps not for long.

Since one of the few things even Ilpholin's fading memory dimming memory of Gordon recalls is how he hates her. The scales might feel off, the injures he suffered aren't the same as that day, but his hate? It is still fresh even to this day. That spark of annoyance, that feeling of pain, it was enough to ignite a fire in even this old relic of the past.

An annoyance that is directed right towards his most hated foe, the one that took everything from him and caused AMEN's downfall in the process. In this memory he had always been the loser, forever crushed by an endless circle of defeat and misery. Yet now the circle seemed to be broken and Ilpholin was before him, distracted. Not paying him any attention.

Nahlrae will feel an electric spark coming from Gordon.
Despite him pulling and twisting the dragon only has eyes for the visage of his mother and in that moment he opens his mouth and an electric stream of lighting courses through it.

It hits the spirit right and center.
While it doesn't seem capable of feeling pain or not know the significance of it, this was something else.
"What are you?!" It screams out in his voice once more, almost sounding like a parody at this point.
Then it flees, the visage collapsing as the creature absconds from Ilpholin's mindscape.
The king feeling its presence growing weaker and weaker until he can feel it no more.
Last edited by Shadowcaller on Feb 17, 2023 12:23 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Riverside

Post by Arkhosia »

[A Less-Dark Alley]

”Aw, thank you! I picked it myself, I like to think it’s very representative,” Dulcinea chirps, fortunately very adept at filling awkward silences. Arne might notice a surprising energy in the way she walks. “And there’s no need to be shy about a surname, Arne Blekdal, even if introducing yourself with one is a little formal. Mine’s Antoninus - well, technically it’s Antoninus Hortensis, but I feel like the cognomen’s a bit unnecessarily grandiose.”
"Are we living a life that is safe from harm? Of course not, we never are. But that's not the right question. The question is: are we living a life that is worth the harm?"
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Re: Riverside

Post by Morty »

[Project Icarus]

"Clever," the King in Rags admits as Nahlrae dispatches the creature. "The scavenger is gone from your mother's memories now. We can hope it didn't do too much damage, but it no doubt caused some."
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Re: Riverside

Post by Reinholdt »

[Project Icarus]

"Lucky," Nahlrae replies, climbing down unnecessarily as the dragon wavers and dissipates, the memory disappearing as they plunge into an icy darkness. An empty cold grips even the King and Nahlrae finds it difficult to breathe, like the life itself was being choked out of him in this barren void. The length of time spent here suggests more than just a transition and it threatens to become overwhelming, until a sudden brightness appears, as if guiding them.

With little else to do, Nahlrae stumbles towards the source and a refreshing warmth banishes the vacuum, nothingness unfolding into sharp color, a vivid memory. Before them stood a beautiful human in her thirties with shoulder length brown hair. Her brown eyes shone with kindness and an understanding born of shared intimacy as she spoke to the nymph in front of her. The King would recognize Ilpholin as the nymph he knew briefly before she became Phyrexian. But the softness in her posture, the shine of her smile, the joy in her face. Those are entirely alien to him.

"And this... Doctor Xeyal, he can be trusted?" Darcy asks Ilpholin.

"As much as the next doctor. Don't worry, I had Mister Squiggles check his work thoroughly," Ilpholin assures Darcy, nodding to the giant spider who has made a nest in the far corner. Not a terrifying visage, but a homely one, like the rest of the place. The atmosphere clearly lived in, a safe haven for all three of them.

"You know you don't have to do this for me, right? I'll love you no matter what"

"I know, but this is for both of us. Just imagine what I'll be able to do with these enhancements."

"Oh I'm imagining alright..." Darcy replies with a giggle, reaching to cup Ilpholin's chin. "Go for it Ilphy. Whatever makes you happy." The two lovers smile at each other as they embrace in a kiss that flashes and sparks.

The sparks coming from the machines working on Ilpholin's body, a doctor cutting and sewing and binding internal system after internal system. Beeps and hisses come from apparatuses and widgets as the bloody surgeon continues his lengthy procedure. A wave of pain and haze intrudes as the knife comes down once more, the hazy memory shifting suddenly as it makes contact with the skin.

Once more Ilpholin stood before Darcy, but this time, she was lifting the trunk of a tree and tossing it aside like it was nothing. Darcy claps and cheers, oooing as the nymph's arms transformed into weapons to cut the wood. Darcy stands and starts to say something with a sudden blast rocks the dream. A plume of fire from the side of the house rises up and invades the starry sky with unwelcome smoke, filling the dreamers' vision. When it parts, it's clear they are embroiled in battle. Hideous shapes, taunting and terrible, a veritable horde surrounding them. Darcy and Ilpholin were two they could not keep. Could not break.

And they would not break this day. Back to back to back, the giant spider, the shapeshifting barbarian, and the nymph fought, holding the monstrosities at bay, even as the house crumbled into debris and flame. Seeing them fight together, well trained, in synch and covering each other's weaknesses was a form of beauty in and of itself. The demons fell one after the other with relative ease. Mopping up the last of them in a moment of raw attraction, Ilpholin caught Darcy's eye as the two grinned at each other, blood dripping from their hair and weapons.

The grins turned to shock as Darcy suddenly jerked, a blade protruding from her chest. Gritting her teeth, Darcy twisted her arm and with one final effort she decapitated the demon who dared before collapsing in a heap. Ilpholin rushed forward and caught her in the nymph's arms, all while muttering, "NoNoNoNoNoNo..." Ilpholin brushed Darcy's hair out of her face all while looking at the obviously fatal wound with raw panic. Her body trembled as realization set in. "No you can't, you can't," Ilpholin begged, a watery shimmer overtaking her emerald eyes.

Darcy smiled and coughed a smattering of her own life essence escaping her lips. "S-sorry... I guess... I'm going to Valhalla... a little sooner than expected. O-oh don't-don't cry... you'll make me..." Darcy's voice chokes as Ilpholin's tears land on her cheeks, prompting Darcy's own to slide free and join them in the last true union the two would ever know. "I... I love you... Ilphy."

"I love you too Darcy, I..." Ilpholin leans in for a desperate kiss, only to feel the rattle of Darcy's final breath escape her lips instead. The nymph clings to Darcy's hair, brushes her forehead, shakes her shoulders. "Darcy, no please no. I can get you to doctor we can... Darcy please... please don't go. I need you. I need you Darcy. Don't go. I... I..." Ilpholin's words stop being comprehensible as she fades into quaking sobs. Mister Squiggles' comforting leg on her shoulder provides no relief to her anguish, her sorrow echoing in wails.

Unmoved by the plight of his own mother, Nahlrae steps forward out of the fiery background to where the demon's head fell. Picking up Darcy's murderer, Nahlrae rolls the head over in his hands a few times before settling on tossing it in the air a few times and catching it in some effort to keep himself amused. "Wrong. Wrong. Wrong, this is all wrong. Run it again from the start."
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Reinholdt
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Re: Riverside

Post by Reinholdt »

[Ilpholin's Compound]

Right. Obviously. Everything not Phyrexian is the enemy. HALlelujah should have guessed just on the raw pent up aggression.

"Of course. Please come inside. Our lobby is quite comfortable, though it may be cramped with so many of you."

The front door shudders and starts to rise, the imposing metal shutter opening into a short hallway leading to a smaller door. This door also opens, allowing the Phyrexians into the lobby. It's a nice area meant for guests with soft and regal furniture in purples golds and blacks meant for at most eight.

[Project Icarus]

"I hate to bother," said the untruthful AI. "But is this going to take longer than say... fifteen more minutes? Twenty if we're fortunate?" HALlelujah's voice cuts into Tauron's lab.
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Re: Riverside

Post by Shadowcaller »

[Ilpholin's Compound]

The molten-being considers this for a moment. "...it shall be so then."

And then she and the other phyrexian soldiers start to pile into the building.
It is going to get cramped in the lobby. Might need a another room or two to fit them all.

[Project Icarus]

"The great work shouldn't be rushed." Tauron remarks as he looks away from the screen of the tank for a moment.
He is about to return back to this extremely sensitive task when the obvious occurs to him.

"...why do you ask?"
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Re: Riverside

Post by Morty »

[Project Icarus]

Love is an alien emotion to the King in Rags, but he does know of it in an analytical, detached sense. And Ilpholin loved this Darcy dearly. Her love's death at the demons' hands would explain her hatred of them now. It fits neatly... too neatly. Nahlrae's assertion seems to vindicate his feeling. He turns his head to look at the boy, having taken the form of a common crow, one that would be attracted to a battlefield.

"Wrong? Is this memory inaccurate as well?"
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Re: Riverside

Post by Ironsmith »

Arkhosia wrote: Feb 16, 2023 5:36 pm [A Less-Dark Alley]

”Aw, thank you! I picked it myself, I like to think it’s very representative,” Dulcinea chirps, fortunately very adept at filling awkward silences. Arne might notice a surprising energy in the way she walks. “And there’s no need to be shy about a surname, Arne Blekdal, even if introducing yourself with one is a little formal. Mine’s Antoninus - well, technically it’s Antoninus Hortensis, but I feel like the cognomen’s a bit unnecessarily grandiose.”
[A Less-Dark Alley]

"...Huh."

Well, that's bizarre. Arne can think of very few reasons why Dulcinea would be responsible for her own appellation, and the first two don't seem readily applicable; he very much doubted she was on the run from the law, and he could swear he remembered her mentioning a family, which would rule out the explanation of being an orphan, tenuous though that one may be. What else was there?

...Whatever it was, it would probably be too personal to ask. Or at least, to ask on top of having a discussion on the meaning of life, the inevitability of death, and so on. Strange how that was easier to do before he knew her name.

The oversized knight goes silent, marching stoically alongside Dulcinea toward their destination... wherever that would actually end up being. However, where before it might appear as though this silence was the product of a stoic demeanor, Dulcinea won't have to look at him very long to find the truth... Arne's not exactly bursting at the seams with people skills. Between that, and his taking his newfound duty as an escort deadly seriously, he doesn't seem to have a whole lot to say.

"...So, you seem to like this... Kahu."

Oh, well, there is that. It's a happy-ish subject for Duclinea at least, right?
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.
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Re: Riverside

Post by Murkus »

Gullara wrote: Feb 14, 2023 1:58 am [Theories of Necromantic Adhesion]

Reilana gives him a thoughtful look. "I get it. A lot of my 'friends' were in the same kind of situation. I try to give them a good home, even if I'm not animating them." Reilana holds out her hand for the weasel.
[Theories of Necromantic Adhesion]

The weasel crawls onto Reilana's hand. It feels... all but real. It doesn't seem like mister Sticks uses real fur, at least not for his common companions, but whatever material he does use feels very authentic. It is a rambunctious creature, winding around Reilana's fingers and trying to crawl down her sleeve then back out again (or just up her arm, if she's got a shorter-sleeved top on). Quite inquisitive, and always glancing up at her.

"It isn't very important work, and it's often, mmh, misunderstood. But someone has to look out for the little fellows of the world."
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Re: Riverside

Post by Reinholdt »

[Project Icarus]

"Dreadfully." Before Nahlrae can elaborate, they plunge once more into the icy darkness. That empty cold grips stronger than ever, causing Nahlrae to shiver violently. The sudden light, when it appears, is dimmer this time and he need not shield his eyes to stumble towards it. As before, it unfolds onto a scene of Darcy and Ilpholin talking in the comfort of their home with Mister Squiggles nesting in the back corner. Instead of smiles, however, there is uncertainty, an uneasiness.

"I don't like it," Darcy says, a nervousness on her face. "It's too much like what Libra did to you,"

"It's nothing like that!" Ilpholin hisses, before immediately softening upon seeing Darcy being taken aback. "Don't worry, I had Mister Squiggles check his work thoroughly," Ilpholin assures Darcy, nodding to the giant spider.

"I don't want you to change," Darcy proclaims. "Not like this. I don't want to lose what we have..."

"It'll be ok, I promise. Nothing will change between us," Ilpholin says, gently trying to brush away Darcy's fears with a caress of her cheek.

"... Just... just promise me you'll be careful, alright?" Darcy replies with a low voice, finally consenting. The two lovers lean into a conciliatory kiss that flashes and sparks.

The sparks coming from the machines working on Ilpholin's body, a doctor cutting and sewing and binding internal system after internal system. Beeps and hisses come from apparatuses and widgets as the bloody surgeon continues his lengthy procedure. A wave of pain and haze intrudes as the knife comes down once more, the hazy memory shifting suddenly as it makes contact with the skin.

Ilpholin stood out deep in the yard alone lifting the trunk of a tree and tossing it aside like it was nothing when a sudden blast rocks the dream. A plume of fire from the side of the house rises up and invades the starry sky with unwelcome smoke. Mister Squiggles limps into view, chittering for assistance, calling out for help, one of his legs injured. Demons were attacking. Ilpholin was already bounding back towards the house, cutting down demons as they emerged from the darkness, rushing to Darcy's side. One after another sought to bar her entrance back to their burning home and one after another they fell.

Finally, Darcy came into view, the savage barbarian encircled, but making each and every demon pay for every flesh wound or scrape. "Darcy!" Ilpholin cried out, slicing her way through the outer ring of assaulting demons. Darcy's head snapped in Ilpholin's direction, expression turning into a relieved smile, only to fall into sudden shock as Darcy suddenly jerked, a blade protruding from her chest. Gritting her teeth, Darcy twisted her arm and with one final effort she decapitated the demon who dared before collapsing in a heap. Ilpholin screamed in anguished terror and lashed out, severing the remaining demons from their lives before rushing forward and pulling Darcy into her arms. "NoNoNoNoNo..." Ilpholin brushed Darcy's hair out of her face all while looking at the obviously fatal wound with raw panic. Her body trembled as realization set in. "No you can't, you can't," Ilpholin begged, a watery shimmer overtaking her emerald eyes.

Darcy smiled and coughed a smattering of her own life essence escaping her lips. "S-sorry... I guess... I'm going to Valhalla... a little sooner than expected. O-oh don't-don't cry... you'll make me..." Darcy's voice chokes as Ilpholin's tears land on her cheeks, prompting Darcy's own to slide free and join them in the last true union the two would ever know. "I... I love you... Ilphy."

"I love you too Darcy, I..." Ilpholin leans in for a desperate kiss, only to feel the rattle of Darcy's final breath escape her lips instead. The nymph clings to Darcy's hair, brushes her forehead, shakes her shoulders. "Darcy, no please no. I'm sorry. I can get you to doctor we can... Darcy please... please don't go. I need you. I need you Darcy. Don't go. I... I..." Ilpholin's words stop being comprehensible as she fades into quaking sobs, her sorrow echoing in wails.

Nahlrae sits on one of the fallen beams, kicking the decapitated demon's head back and forth between his feet, barely even looking at the scene. "Mother's fantasies are protecting her still. We need to dive deeper." He sighs because the experience is decidedly unpleasant each time.

*****

"Elesh Norn has sent a gift and it's impatient. Not to worry doctor. I have things under control. Focus on your 'great work'." HALlelujah assures Tauron. In the worst case scenario, they still have all the blast doors and lockdown procedures they can shut and initiate. But he may be better off activating the Hell's Bend mission prematurely and trying to direct all the reinforcements in that direction.

[Ilpholin's Compound]

Well there is a kitchen area next to the lobby. Primarily used for making snacks for said guests, it could stand to be an overflow area for the time being for all the soldiers.
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Arkhosia
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Re: Riverside

Post by Arkhosia »

► SHOW SPOILER
[A Less-Dark Alley]

The two walk, and the streets gradually become nicer as the pair cross from Westside into Northside. Lamps light tidy sidewalks and the stores they pass are bright affairs of steel and glass, restaurant windows glittering in an inviting glow.

"Hm? Oh! Yes, very much!" Dulcie's eyes shine in a bright, eager glimmer. "You probably shouldn't call her Kahu, though - her name's Reilana, she only lets me get away with calling her that. It's an old nickname I had for her back when we were growing up. We've practically known each other all our lives - hell, I can't remember a point in my life without her."

There's a soft giggle at the realization, but her smile turns a little sad.
"Are we living a life that is safe from harm? Of course not, we never are. But that's not the right question. The question is: are we living a life that is worth the harm?"
~Welcome to Night Vale
SliiArhem wrote:Arkh I may be slightly delirious but I don't think that would make sense even if I was coherent.
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Re: Riverside

Post by Morty »

[Project Icarus]

A different scene, but similar in some aspects. It's clear that Ilpholin's lover disagreed with her about the alterations to her body. But this was missing in the first memory. This is likely still not the extent of their disagreement. Ilpholin buried it deeply.

The battle is also different now. Instead of Ilpholin and Darcy fighting side by side, the nymph arrives too late, her lover already beset by enemies and her spider injured.

"The truth of the matter must be too painful for her to bear. She shielded herself with layers of preferable memories."
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Re: Riverside

Post by Meowmai »

Arkhosia wrote: Feb 13, 2023 2:46 am [Big Trouble - Post Scriptum]

"Yeah, that was brutal," Ana groans in consensus. She pales a little momentarily recalling just how terrible it was to have Nadia angry at them. And she'd never seen Kitty like that before. "And don't remind me, I still don't think it's fair that you got worse than me! I mean, I had y-"

Fortunately, Eliseo won't need to intercept. Ana stops herself in time from elaborating too much. Right. Don't want Atsede to get more details.

"You sure you'd want to stay with us anyways, though?" There's a mischievous glint in the fox's eyes. "Like, we have so few rooms! You might have to bunk with me and Annie."
Gullara wrote: Feb 14, 2023 1:58 am [Big Trouble - Post Scriptum]

Eliseo lifts his head and gives Atsede a teasing smile. "Oh, so you did get in trouble after all huh? Damn, your parents are hardasses." He hasn't actually updated Ana on the whole fight situation, so she might be a bit confused here.
[Big Trouble - Post Scriptum]

Atsede sighs momentarily, "yeah, they're like that. Didn't believe that I didn't start it, not that I'm sure it'd make much of a difference to 'em."

She makes a face at the idea of bunking with Annie, but an idea clicked in her head. She leaned forward towards Ana, an equally mischievous glint appearing her eyes. "I don't know, I mean, you're in cheer team now, and I've bunked with most of them, so if it wasn't for Eliseo it'd only be a matter of time y'know?" She laughs at her own joke, before jumping on the sentence Anastasia trailed off on. "But why isn't it fair you got off light, huh? What did you have?" Her grin grew devilish.
Bismark wrote:Silence, birb-wench.
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Re: Riverside

Post by Gullara »

[Theories of Necromantic Adhesion]

Reilana smiles a bit at the weasel. Cute. "That's fair." She looks back at Sticks curiously. "So is this all artifice? Or is there anything of their bodies there?"
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Arkhosia
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Re: Riverside

Post by Arkhosia »

[Big Trouble - Post Scriptum]

Ana frowns for a moment. It was upsetting enough for Eliseo's parents to be so strict, but Atsede's just sounded straight-up unreasonable. Hopefully it wasn't too harsh. Not that there was a chance for her to ask further, what with how Atsede fires back next.

"I-" Ana flushes pink and stutters at that, hit far harder than she anticipated in response. Oh dear, why was that - oh no, and now she's asking questions next??? I-I- Um- w-well- Eliseo, uh- I... kinda had his shirt off."

A beat, and then Ana's face slowly turns a bright and shameful scarlet. Oh gods, why did she admit that?!
"Are we living a life that is safe from harm? Of course not, we never are. But that's not the right question. The question is: are we living a life that is worth the harm?"
~Welcome to Night Vale
SliiArhem wrote:Arkh I may be slightly delirious but I don't think that would make sense even if I was coherent.
Ironsmith
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Re: Riverside

Post by Ironsmith »

Arkhosia wrote: Feb 20, 2023 8:05 pm
► SHOW SPOILER
[A Less-Dark Alley]

The two walk, and the streets gradually become nicer as the pair cross from Westside into Northside. Lamps light tidy sidewalks and the stores they pass are bright affairs of steel and glass, restaurant windows glittering in an inviting glow.

"Hm? Oh! Yes, very much!" Dulcie's eyes shine in a bright, eager glimmer. "You probably shouldn't call her Kahu, though - her name's Reilana, she only lets me get away with calling her that. It's an old nickname I had for her back when we were growing up. We've practically known each other all our lives - hell, I can't remember a point in my life without her."

There's a soft giggle at the realization, but her smile turns a little sad.
[A Less-Dark Alley]

"...Mn."

Arne walks alongside Dulcie, giving little more than an affirmative grunt at first. It's not that he isn't listening- if he didn't want to hear what Dulcie had to say, he wouldn't have asked- but he doesn't have a ready response to the mix of emotions Dulcie's experiencing on the way home. He's certainly not in any position to give advice, and any attempts at comforting her were going to ring hollow. Maybe it would just be better to say nothing.

...

No.

That's not how Maesdan knights are supposed to confront challenges. Dulcie just got through pointing out that he's carrying on their memories. Is that how they should be remembered? Silent, barely-alive chunks of metal in humanoid shape? No. No, he's going to at least try. He owes that much.

"...We have a word back home." Arne rumbles. "For people like your... friend." He pauses, a wet clicking sound emanating from under his helmet. "Tredyrebar. It means 'thrice precious'. We also have a saying... 'what is yours, treat as precious. What is not yours, doubly so.' People like Reilana... friends, that is to say... are both at once. Yours and devoted to you, but also not yours and not bound to you. Precious once, and then twice more. Tredyrebar."

"...If you are tredyrebar to her, as she is to you, that will not go away if you are not there with her." The knight concludes. "You will always be hers, just as she will always be yours. Even if life may see the two of you driven apart."

Arne keeps his gaze fixed ahead, silently wondering if those words really just came out of his mouth. Wasn't he bawling about his family being gone just a few minutes ago? Those words should mean nothing coming from him.

And what was the point, even? Surely Dulcie's heard that nugget of provincial wisdom before. Surely she's considered that?
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.
Artemis
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Re: Riverside

Post by Artemis »

[Weird William's]

A woman walks into the bar and takes a look around. She's not the usual terrestrial sort of woman. While her skin is coppery, her hair is a deep blue almost black, and two curving, iridescent horns grow from her forehead. She wears leather armor, seemingly made from a thick scaley fish skin, and has scaled patches on the backs of her arms, including a set of fins along her forearms. Her legs, too, are covered in blue-green scales and deep blue fins. She wears little in ornamentation, save for a golden amulet on a string of pearls around her neck, and a cape of red wool. She's armed, but her swords and javelins are stowed in a pack across her back.

There's something alien and graceful in the way she moves, but she stares just a little too long, a little too wide eyed at the sights of the bar.

She'll find herself a table and sit and stare until approached.
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Arkhosia
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Re: Riverside

Post by Arkhosia »

► SHOW SPOILER
[A Less-Dark Alley]

Dulcinea seems to slow as she listens to Arne speak, focus slowly diverted from even the road in front of her. For once, those pale eyes seem... quiet. Pensive, even. She nods as if being drawn out of some informative reverie.

"I... yes, that - that... helps to think about." There's a fleeting thought about making a playful remark about how her and Reilana are a bit more than just friends - but for once she lets her bubbly tendencies slide, her freckled cheeks warming in a soft fond glow. "Thank you," she adds a little belatedly.

If Arne was to carry the memory of those who he treasured, then maybe her darling Reilana would do the same honor for her.
"Are we living a life that is safe from harm? Of course not, we never are. But that's not the right question. The question is: are we living a life that is worth the harm?"
~Welcome to Night Vale
SliiArhem wrote:Arkh I may be slightly delirious but I don't think that would make sense even if I was coherent.
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Re: Riverside

Post by Earl of Purple »

Weird William's

There's plenty of tables, though all of them are grimy with peeling varnish and sticky beer stains. There's also other people in the bar; a group of suspicious-looking men and women wearing pinstriped suits and fedoras are gambling in the corner, some rather large amounts of cash crossing the table. A large man in a sailor's uniform with a bushy moustache is sipping at a glass of rum. An urchin with large green eyes sits on the floor and plays with a live mouse, catching it and letting it go before catching it again. An old woman sits at the bar, hunched up and glaring with her one eye at the surroundings.

There's staff here, too; a half-elf with dark hair glowers at the bar, cleaning a glass with a dirty rag, whilst a large ogre snoozes by the door. More importantly, however, is a waitress. They're a teenage girl with pink-tipped blonde hair and blue eyes, wearing an immaculate white apron over denim shorts and a pink t-shirt, with hiking boots on her feet and long blue-and-pink striped socks. "Good afternoon, miss! Welcome to Weird William's. First visit?"
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Gullara
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Re: Riverside

Post by Gullara »

[Big Trouble - Post Scriptum]

Colour rushes back to Eliseo's face to match Ana. "Okay, do we need to find you a gag?" Eliseo puts his hand over Ana's mouth, not with any real force. "I swear you'd confess all your darkest secrets if she teased you enough."

The blatant flirting from Atsede is noted, and filed away in the back of his mind. Not a big deal, even if it is being weaponized to terrorize Ana.
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Re: Riverside

Post by Meowmai »

[Big Trouble - Post Scriptum]

At this point Atsede burst into a fit of raucous laughter that took her some time to recover from. "Oh my god. Oh my gods," she snorted, "no wonder you're both so fucking grounded! You had-" she pauses, looks around, and lowers her voice. As much as she wanted to give them shit, she wasn't so heartless as to loudly yell to the whole cafeteria what the two had been up to. "You were caught shirtless, but yeah, sure, you two were just smooching! I believe you, sure." She snickered to herself some more.
Bismark wrote:Silence, birb-wench.
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Arkhosia
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Re: Riverside

Post by Arkhosia »

[Big Trouble - Post Scriptum]

Ana's face somehow manages to flare up even brighter as Eliseo moves to jokingly shut her up. Oh gods, neither of those comments are helping right now. She shrinks again beneath Atsede's boisterous laughter.

"Oh my gosh, Atsede, please. We- we really were, just - " the girl trails off in a defeated sigh and slips her face into her hands. "Can - can we just talk about something else? Like- anything else? Please?"
"Are we living a life that is safe from harm? Of course not, we never are. But that's not the right question. The question is: are we living a life that is worth the harm?"
~Welcome to Night Vale
SliiArhem wrote:Arkh I may be slightly delirious but I don't think that would make sense even if I was coherent.
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Gullara
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Re: Riverside

Post by Gullara »

[Big Trouble - Post Scriptum]

Eliseo gives Atsede a sour look. She's really pushing her luck here! She's lucky they like her. "Yeah, how about we talk more about how grounded you are. You're not gonna have to skip out on Spooktober are you? The shiner should be gone by then at least."
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