Outside: Grass touch place

[bc56]

Hunting Lodge
Sekhmet's wings remain folded. "I don't really want to be worshipped. I'm nobody special, I just want to take care of my family." She is in fact very special, but she'd rather not be. Being a demon queen is a lot of work dealing with very unlikable people.

[Morty]

[Hunting Lodge]

"I am not surprised." Silent Feathers rests his head on his hand. "Sadly, power is not always easily divested, even if we don't want it. Zhelshu mentioned that you had inherited your position, but she didn't say who from or what. This is admittedly a concept unfamiliar to fey... we don't often inherit our titles."

[bc56]

Hunting Lodge
"From my mother," Sekhmet explains, "She's, uh, dead now." Obviously, or Sekhmet wouldn't have inherited her position. "She, uh, didn't exactly make it easy for me to take over after her."

[Morty]

[Hunting Lodge]

"I have neither mother nor father... but I understand." The only thing that could be called a parent for him is the Wyrd. "I do not know how you could deflect worship from yourself in the long term. But I can help you by taking some of your followers now, if they're willing."

[bc56]

Hunting Lodge
Sekhmet doesn't think he does understand. But that's not worth debating over. "It's, uh, a big if. They're loyal, in their own way. They were to my mother, and, uh, they passed down to me." They're loyal to the family, but also to the old way of doing things. She's not sure they'll take to a new god.

[Zefir]

[Junkyard]

The blue glow doesn't have any obvious outward effect on either bot after the fact, and apart from a mid-sized transmission of data, nothing that a scanner could reasonably pick up.

The fake bot's attack connects with Zeeland, causing him to stagger forward for a moment. He looks up sharply to see Wenomir coming at him. In response, the firefighter immediately teleports back, while a version of him with a broken screen and no cores or clothes to speak of appears in his original position. This decoy, a robot corpse pulled from an alternate timeline, isn't exactly tough enough to stop an attack, but will violently combust when destroyed which should hopefully slow Wenomir down.

Meanwhile, the real Zeeland is now immediately behind the fake TARBot, and his next move is to grapple the dummy, holding it tightly in his arms whilst running back towards his firetruck.

[Junkyard]

Zeeland can grab him, but The fake Tarbot tries to slow him down. He tries to kick at Zeeland's feet and with his other one he tries to touch the ground and push against him. while his hands are free his searches other Zelland to find any kind of input to connect with. After all that is the pan with the other two companions here.

[Murkus]

[Well Training]

There's movement inside the barn and eventually the scarred face of a donkey peeks out.
It eyes her and then the bag suspiciously. Giving her the real stink-eye.
The animal seems to be expecting her to make a move when there's another flash which is shortly followed by thunder. Causing the donkey to look around in fright.

[Hog Heaven]

Depends on what she's catching, but in this instance she seems to have a deeply ingrained muscle memory as she catches that shield like someone would catch a frisbee.
"Hey, you were the one suggesting a tipsy duel, against my better judgement I might add." Dena remarks as she casually starts to strap the shield onto her arm. "You will have to endure my drunken meanderings now, lady." She shakes her head in mock disapproval. "Expecting me to be straight and narrow when she's given me so much booze..."

Once the shield is on Dena starts to jog in place and then shift from side to side while still remaining fairly still. "But I'm ready now so come at me if you're so eager to start."

[Hog Heaven]

"Ohhh, poor baby, sucking down all that booze you asked for," Tsumi makes a pout with her lush blue lips. She grins and whips her blade through the air once, twice. She takes a bladed stance with her feet perpendicular to the blade, but her body is almost parallel with it, the weapon held out before her in one hand. Her face gets serious for about a second before she lunges forward, the blade flashing up and then back down toward Dena! This oni clearly has at least a little training. There's almost no wasted space or energy in the movement.

[Shadowcaller]

[Hog Heaven]

"Ohhh, poor baby, sucking down all that booze you asked for," Tsumi makes a pout with her lush blue lips. She grins and whips her blade through the air once, twice. She takes a bladed stance with her feet perpendicular to the blade, but her body is almost parallel with it, the weapon held out before her in one hand. Her face gets serious for about a second before she lunges forward, the blade flashing up and then back down toward Dena! This oni clearly has at least a little training. There's almost no wasted space or energy in the movement.

[Hog Heaven]

As little energy as for Dena to raise her shield?
Since her movements look slow and sluggish in comparison to Tsumi's yet she still manages to put it between herself and the swing just in time.
In return she will attempt to lightly bap Tsumi's head with the butt of her axe. At least striking faster than she's moving her legs at the moment.

[Riverside Moonwell]

Anika shrugs as she sinks down in the well's waters. "Not really. I'm not much for uh, small-talking events. Don't have the patience for them. Just people hanging out trying to figure out things to say to one another... well, that's pretty much what the elders do y'know? Hang out and talk. It's just the subjects that are different."

[Morty]

[Hunting Lodge]

"Hmm, indeed. People who worship a devil-queen won't lightly turn to a provincial fey," Silent Feathers quips. "We may be able to persuade some of them that they'll find a place with me. How do they wish to worship you, exactly? In as much detail as you're comfortable with sharing." Since it's clearly an uncomfortable topic for her.

[Riverside Moonwell]

Hiep grins and lifts herself off the water, leaning back in a very showy manner, then wades closer to Anika and leans against the edge of the well, close to the druid.

"A woman after my own heart, I see. I prefer to do instead of talk too. And I have a great idea what two hot, badass women like us could do."

[Thursday Violist]

Maids on a Train
Good she got rid of that knife and...
Oh crap now she's just getting grabbed in the face.
And her pants are less and less pants and more and more skirts every second now. She's not used to fighting in these sorts of clothes.
Jade needs to do something drastic before the maid gets her fingers into her eyes. She rears back and goes for a headbutt. That should hopefully get the hands off her face and deal a nice blow... But of course it will hurt both of them.

[Maids on a Train]

Sadly, the maid doesn't have a supernaturally strong head. Likewise, she doesn't have any counter to a headbutt.

"Ow!" the maid says. Jade succeeds in her goal, though: she stops the maid from trying to grab at Jade's face. Disoriented and in pain, the maid finds herself completely helpless.


up front
Things seem to be going just as well up here. The mermaid pinning one newly-transforming maid with her body weight, and the other newly-transforming one being dealt with by two grown men.

Between these two being held down, one unconscious one back by Jade, and the one that Jade is currently taking care of, it seems like this will all be resolved very soon. Especially since none of the other fully-transformed maids back by Jade seem to want to get involved and are just passively giving scornful looks.

[bc56]

Maids on a Train
Jade staggers back as well, rubbing her aching head. Normally she wears a helmet when she does that. Fortunately she's more used to it than her opponent, she recovers quickly and follows it up with a right cross to the face. If she can just bring this last murder maid down she can start making sure everyone's all right and worrying about the fact that her clothes are turning into a frilly maid dress.

Hunting Lodge
"My mother, was, uh, worshipped through, uh..." Sekhmet blushes a deep black. She's quite embarrassed about this, "Uh... Orgies. And murder. Uh, usually at the same time." She goes on to describe the rituals in a little detail but clearly doesn't want to think about it. "I, uh, am given to understand that they, uh, toned back a little since I, uh, came to power."

[Halae]

[Well Training]

Ambrosia would have had to suppress a sigh once Emily started to do exactly what she had feared, going into something of a lecture of an answer. But her initial premise, that she linked it to oppression, had made her curious. Not that she had planned to stop or reprimand Emily regardless of how long her answer would be, it was just that she would have been just as satisfied with a shorter one.

The more Emily spoke though the more she reminded her of her father strangely enough. Since he had a rant about just every subject as ignorance, he unnecessarily always reminded her, simply wasn't permitted.
Like Emily often also spoke about the dangers of 'brainrot' which he considered a symptom of any kind of privilege. Something she eventually had realized was a rather strange notion coming from someone many considered to be a 'god'.

"You're talking about cultural capital." Ambrosia summarizes once Emily seems to be finished. "I don't know anything about the context you're using but I know the concept well enough. It's part of how people organize themselves into different groups. It's not only done across class but within professions and hobbies too. Part of what is referred to as 'gate-keeping'. Making sure that there are no 'outsiders' in the in-group by making up arbitrary requirements to join in."

She can't help but to softly chuckle once she said all this. "I find that a bit funny as it's almost the opposite of the lesson that my master had when he asked me the same question. Since as Thariza can tell you-" The scholar gestures at the charr who she was afraid would feel alienated in this discussion. Perhaps she had a comment regarding all this?

"-while there are many different kinds of teas they're all made from the same leaves. They're just prepared in different ways. My former master saw this as an analogue for how all people, regardless of their background, are ultimately the same." A beat.
"And that they all taste terrible." She smiles. "But that leans more into your analysis since he wasn't really a tea person. He just prepared and drank it since it was simply something he was expected to do." She gestures to Emily, now giving her the word.

[Well Training]

Thariza shrugs.

"Back home, this kind of thing would be dismissed as human nonsense. I try not to do that now, of course. But it's like... Charr society is organized around military rank. Ceremonies and politeness are treated as a waste of time."

[Well Training]


Emily huffs out a breath, seeing the initial displeasure on Ambrosia's face, "It sounds like I'd appreciate charr society better, at least in some ways. Maybe it's my pessimism talking, but I have a tendency to see the bad things in the world around me; I have to work to keep optimistic."

[Shadowcaller]

[Riverside Moonwell]

Hiep grins and lifts herself off the water, leaning back in a very showy manner, then wades closer to Anika and leans against the edge of the well, close to the druid.

"A woman after my own heart, I see. I prefer to do instead of talk too. And I have a great idea what two hot, badass women like us could do."

[Riverside Moonwell]

Anika grins back. "Oh yeah? Well, I thought of that idea first."
She winks and then-

However, as part of this will likely take place in another section of the forum the two of them will at some point get rudely interrupted in the middle of things.

Since as they're engaging in certain carnal acts an all too familiar group of beings are sneaking up on them. While this hadn't been a part of their plan the fact that the two are so distracted by one another makes it a lot easier.
The question is when Hiep will notice. Is it before or after Anika?
Since they can't sneak up too close considering how they stand out against the green of the forest around them. Nor are they experts at stealth either so they do end up making noises which may or may not be heard through the noises the pair are making.

[Well Training]

"It's not a bad trait to have." Ambrosia nods to Emily. "However, like many things it's what you do with it that matters. Since while a positive person might be blind to the wrongdoings around them a negative person might not believe things can be changed in the first place. Meaning that neither of them take action to change things despite having fundamentally different worldviews."

She then looks to Thariza. "Your people still have their little rituals from what I can tell. Your 'nonsense' is just different from humans. Really, it is impossible to strip away all the 'decorations' from social interaction. Since that's what interaction really is. We cannot communicate with one another like the oni, as in with pure exchange of information. We can only try to show one another what we actually feel." The scholar looks between her two companions. "I think we all can agree that actions speak louder than words, yes? Since that's what many rituals are supposed to be. Actions that are intended to communicate more meaning than words can." She shrugs. "Of course, if the rituals work as intended or is another question entirely."

[Gold]

[Junkyard]

Checking the corpse reveals 4 ports at the back of the head and, if Mia is looking closely, a smaller one at the base or 'chin' of the corpse's helmet-screen. Of the 4 ports at the back of the head, 3 seem to be for universal data transmission whilst one is specifically for high-definition audio/video. The smaller port most likely transmits data and power too, but does so through a different, more common type of cable.

"Oh no you fucking don't. I still need to find out where you really come from," Zeeland says, in response to the fake TARBot's struggling. Lifting it up higher to prevent the dummy's feet or hands from finding purchase with the ground, and fighting its attempts to push off of him, Zeeland makes his way back to his firetruck. Once there, he quickly lifts open a shutter door on the truck's outside, grabs a sturdy coil of rope from the truck, and binds the dummy's hands and feet with impressive rapidity.

Once that's done, Zeeland throws the dummy into the passenger seat before clambering into the driver's seat. He gives a taunting wave goodbye to Wenomir and Mia before slamming the door shut and flooring the gas pedal, the truck's several wheels squealing for traction on the junkyard road.

[Morty]

[Well Training]

"I'm sure we've got all kinds of rituals. We just insist ours are sensible and practical, not like those people over there." Thariza waves her hand to emphasize. "Unless they're Flame Legion. Their rituals are just bad period."

[A Little Town]

Calm Reed will observe. She can't step outside without arousing suspicion, but she'll try to see as much as she can from where she is and commit it to memory.

[Riverside Moonwell]

Hiep isn't the most attentive person around but her Sidereal powers afford her a certain danger sense. She knows when things might get hairy. And she feels so now... much to her frustration, as there are some other things she'd rather give her full attention. It will, however, be pretty late when she does notice.

"...shit," she says, pulling away from Anika. "I think those things are back. Now I'm going to kick their asses for ruining the moment."

[Junkyard]

Wenomir does his best to stand around and look frustrated, as though Zeeland was making a getaway instead of doing what they wanted him to.

[Morty]

[Hunting Lodge]

"If orgies are what they like, they should get along well with my people. But we do need to make sure we get rid of the murdering." Silent Feathers doesn't comment beyond that. For one, Sekhmet is clearly uncomfortable. And this is the easy part; blood sacrifices are what they truly need to deal with. "That is a good sign if they toned it down. My people make no sacrifices to me, as such, but they do dedicate their hunts to me. It is similar, in a way. Spilling blood in someone's name. But could we convince your cultists to go from sacrifices to hunts? Maybe if you presented me as an ally of yours, who asked that you lend some of your followers."

[Halae]

[Well Training]

"I take it Flame Legion are enemies of your particular element of charr society?" Emily asks. It always strikes her that there's always an enemy out there, every time.

[Shadowcaller]

[Well Training]

Ambrosia had already heard all about the flame legion so she had no questions regarding this particular subject.
Instead she's going to focus on how Emily reacts to what Thariza is saying. It struck her how strongly she reacted to these sorts of subjects.
"Most societies have in-fighting unfortunately. If they don't there's usually other problems that might be even more concerning. The dragons I study can in most cases not even form family units without getting into huge conflicts. So any sort of larger society is usually out of the question." With a few but notable exceptions.

[Morty]

[Well Training]

"They're zealots." Thariza blows on the fire as it starts to build. "They used to rule all of Charr society with their false gods, but then the other legions knocked them down a peg. Now they skulk in the badlands, making trouble and trying to put their boots on our necks again. I had my fair share of run-ins with them when I served in Ascalon."

[Shadowcaller]

[Riverside Moonwell]

Hiep isn't the most attentive person around but her Sidereal powers afford her a certain danger sense. She knows when things might get hairy. And she feels so now... much to her frustration, as there are some other things she'd rather give her full attention. It will, however, be pretty late when she does notice.

"...shit," she says, pulling away from Anika. "I think those things are back. Now I'm going to kick their asses for ruining the moment."

[Riverside Moonwell]

Anika does not have a special sense for trouble but she does have huge ears and those must be good for something, right?
The druid seems strangely comforted however. "Oh so that's what the crunching sound was. I thought I had shattered your pelvis or something." She touches her chest and let's out sigh of relief.

The biometal people quickly catches on to the fact they've been detected and starts charging towards the well. Quickly closing the distance between them. Rather than coming at them one by one they're all trying to just jump at them at roughly the same time. Some holding weapons such as lances and clubs, seemingly made from the same material as the carapace of their bodies, while others seems to have merged directly with their weapons.

[bc56]

Hunting Lodge
"I, uh, think that should work," Sekhmet is blushing furiously just thinking about what Feathers just said.
But there are other concerns. "I've, uh, never actually talked to them before," which is probably how this situation got so bad. If she had been upfront with the cultists, they would have probably fallen in line or left.

[Zefir]

[Junkyard]
Mia will share the information about the ports, allowing her company to develop a way to transmit the data there, amybe.

Zeeland just forgot one thing. The moment he throws the fakebot and it is in the air it suddendly disapears and reapears near Wenomir. His dimension door skill is still usable, but now the fakebot seems a little damaged.

[Morty]

[Hunting Lodge]

"The important thing, I think, is not to explain yourself." Silent Feathers declines to judge or comment. He just suggests a solution. "It undermines one's authority. You are a busy divinity, preoccupied with steeping into your mother's place. You move at your own schedule. And now you come to them, to send them to an ally's help. With luck, they are eager enough for direction that they will accept it."

[Riverside Moonwell]

Hiep doesn't bother getting her clothes on, of course. This isn't the time for modesty. She does, however, leap out of the water and into her sandals - for some reason those are important to her. Once Anika shape-shifts into a bear again, she will hop onto her back and charge. When Anika reaches the enemy, Hiep will jump off her back and land on the head of the biggest metal-creature she can see, with enough force to snap a human's neck like a twig.

[bc56]

Hunting Lodge
"Or they might see it as a transparent attempt to get rid of them," Sekhmet replies. To be fair, that's exactly what it is. But it's obvious to her because she's in on it. Hopefully the cultists won't be so perceptive.

[Morty]

[Hunting Lodge]

"That they might," Silent Feathers agrees. "So it may work better if we give them a specific reason why they should come to me. A mission."

[Murkus]

[Hog Heaven]

As little energy as for Dena to raise her shield?
Since her movements look slow and sluggish in comparison to Tsumi's yet she still manages to put it between herself and the swing just in time.
In return she will attempt to lightly bap Tsumi's head with the butt of her axe. At least striking faster than she's moving her legs at the moment.

[Hog Heaven]

Tsumi moves her head with only the edge of a second to spare, and she ducks backward to disengage. Grinning, she unleashes a series of forward cuts at Dena, fully anticipating she'll be able to block them all. She mixes up the last with a quick switch of her grip and a lower strike at Dena's thigh, instead. The dust whirls and scatters around them. The floodlights along the roof of the Hog cast strange shadows from the rising plumes.

[bc56]

Hunting Lodge
"You're, uh, right," Sekhmet understands. "Something that sounds important. Something they could reasonably do." ... She doesn't have any ideas. But then again, it's Feathers who they'd be helping anyway.

[Shadowcaller]

[Riverside Moonwell]

Hiep doesn't bother getting her clothes on, of course. This isn't the time for modesty. She does, however, leap out of the water and into her sandals - for some reason those are important to her. Once Anika shape-shifts into a bear again, she will hop onto her back and charge. When Anika reaches the enemy, Hiep will jump off her back and land on the head of the biggest metal-creature she can see, with enough force to snap a human's neck like a twig.

[Riverside Moonwell]

"Tear them to shreds!" They can hear an all-too familiar voice shout as bear and sidereal exalted engages with the enemy.
As Hiep lands, likely snapping the creatures neck, she can see that the goblin-like leader of the bunch is standing on top of a platform formed by the backs of their much taller underlings crawling in the dust. They're shaking their fist and jumping up and down in excitement as the soldiers try to keep up with Hiep's tumbling bravado and Anika's bear strength.

[Hog Heaven]

Tsumi moves her head with only the edge of a second to spare, and she ducks backward to disengage. Grinning, she unleashes a series of forward cuts at Dena, fully anticipating she'll be able to block them all. She mixes up the last with a quick switch of her grip and a lower strike at Dena's thigh, instead. The dust whirls and scatters around them. The floodlights along the roof of the Hog cast strange shadows from the rising plumes.

[Hog Heaven]

It's Dena's turn to back away at this barrage of attacks. While she did use a shield she was hardly the type to stand her ground and fight, even while drunk. So as she's blocking the attacks she moves to the left (or right depending on the oni's main hand) to give herself some space.
But at the last second, potentially due to her impaired judgement, she decides to instead making a leaping jump and try to use the shield to bonk Tsumi's hip. Her intended target. Or her butt-cheek if she overshoots.

She then tumbles around in the cloud of dust but somehow manages to come up standing. Much to her own surprise judging by her expression.
"Aw shit, you ruined my pants." There's certainly a gash in them near Dena's tight. Though If she actually managed to injure the gorgon or not is hard to tell in the dust.

[Morty]

[Hunting Lodge]

"There is... a possible angle for it." Silent Feathers seems uncertain. "What I am about to tell you must remain between us. I have... obligations to a fey called the King in Rags. You may have heard of him. I have no wish to serve him but the contracts bind me. And he knows I have no loyalty for him. Your cultists could be sent to help defend me from any reprisals he may be planning."

[Riverside Moonwell]

"You again? Why don't you come over here if you're so tough?" After roundhouse-kicking another creature, Hiep once again picks up a rock that very conveniently seems to be there.

She throws it at the small creature and as before, it glows yellow as it flies. If it hits, however, it will lodge itself in them and flies back towards Hiep. It won't carry the creature all the way, but it might yank it off their platform and throw it on the ground.

[bc56]

Hunting Lodge
"Uh..." Sekhmet looks uncomfortable about that. "I, uh, don't really know." She's a pacifist. "And I, uh, don't know if they're fighters or not... Uh, I don't want to send them to die."