Plots: Serious, silly, random, oh my!

[Ironsmith]

[Aiko's Bad Day]

"Yes. Well." Sigil Aiko stands and starts unbuttoning her blazer. "Partnership has never been an intuitive concept for me. Ironically, had there been three of us, I expect that would have gone much better."

"...There are three of us." Old Aiko points out.

"Yes, and two of us are cooperating." Sigil Aiko sets the blazer around Mary's shoulders and returns to her seat, opening the sudoku book again. "Compared to our previous group project experiences, that's a major improvement."

[[brackets lover]]

[Aiko's Bad Day]

Library

Darko's offer to Koko earns him a pensive glare from Asami. "Really uncool man..." Asami chastises, getting up from his game, "What am I supposed to do, then? Just lounge around bored while you get to-? Umm..." He becomes choked up for a second before continuining, "Anyways, so I take it you've completely forgotten about Bismuth, huh? You dog."

[quillpleasant]

Aiko's Bad Day

Library

Darko certainly agrees that whoever's responsible for his magic deserves a wallop. Unfortunately, he has no idea who that is.

As for the rest of Eddie's arguments, they do make sense... but Darko's Narrative knowledge tells him that it's, well, just not that deep. If there is a danger in keeping the Aikos split up, then it's more likely to be some slow creeping danger rather than the sudden shower of guts the golem seems to be worried about. And the way to help is certainly not by forcing the three to stay in a room together.

But Eddie doesn't seem like someone who has much Narrative awareness, and Darko doesn't relish taking the time to explain it to him. Especially not since Koko has clearly indicated she wants to get out of here.

"Okay Eddie, meet me by the school entrance tonight, got it? We can talk about the Theatre and Circe then." Maybe the golem will be easier to talk to when he's not so laser focused on Koko.

Asami's comment earns a glare back from Darko. "Dude, this isn't about me, or you, or being entertained. It's about Koko feeling safe. And I have no idea what Bismuth has to do with anything." It's clear that the younger boy has a crush on Koko, but Darko's offer came from a place of genuine care with no ulterior motives.

His goodbyes more or less said, Darko throws out his hands dramatically. A cloud of dark red smoke erupts from the ground, obscuring him and Koko. When it dissipates, he, and likely Koko, are gone.

It's a somewhat unknown factor if Darko's "teleportation" is real or not. As far as he's aware, he's just throwing smoke bombs and running; but he's never seen leaving the area and he can go places very quickly in this manner. Koko will discover that there is indeed magic involved, as if she is willing to go she will have a brief memory of running before finding herself in the

Bell Tower

The school bell tower overlooks most of PREP, and sounds out the hours to direct people between classes. It's pretty high up, and the wind whistles through the windows, but it's cool and dark and there's usually no one there. It's where Darko goes when he doesn't want to be found, since everyone knows he frequents the library.

He peers down the stairway to make sure he hasn't been followed. Then, if Koko is there, he glances questioningly at her. "Sorry about all this. I'd be stressed out too if so many people were trying to get me to do stuff."

[Ironsmith]

[Aiko's Bell Day]

Had Koko thought this out a little more, she might have guessed that there was genuine magic involved. How did she get here so quickly? Why was it that she wasn't out of breath from running harder than she ever had in her life? Why was the pathway up here, which would have taken her through several hallways, miraculously empty? And shouldn't she be coughing from inhaling some of that gratuitous smoke cloud?

But, Koko and logic haven't really been on speaking terms lately. The most she can guess is that Darko must have used magic because she found herself with a feverish flush afterwards, the blood in her veins briefly glowing in response to the spellwork, but that also has other potential causes here.

Once the teleportation finishes and Koko stops looking so much like an orange bell pepper, she... goes in for the hug again, going from holding onto him to make the teleportation viable to giving him a little squeeze of gratitude.

"It... was really stressful, yeah." Koko begins, the cadence of her voice somewhat resembling an engine turning over and starting again. "I don't even really know that guy and he wants to put us back together but I don't want to put us back together because Aiai and Babaz are so mean and I don't like being with them but he says he thinks I'm gonna get hurt if he doesn't put us together and I don't wanna say he's wrong but he might not be right and I don't want to go if he isn't and I still don't think I wanna go if he is and I just wanted to hang out with Asami like I haven't been able to do since I was really little and why did that stone boy have to come in and ruin that?"

If the rapidly-growing wet spot on Darko's shoulder didn't give it away, the fact that Koko's sentence ends with a sniffle and a sob should tell him all he needs to know about her emotional state.

[TeChameleon]

[Aiko's Bad Day]

Library -> MERC Headquarters

Eddie stared at the departing swirl of magic that had 'poofed' the two kids out.

"Not much I can do except hope really hard that I'm wrong about the Aikos exploding in a shower of gore, I guess..." he said after a moment, not really addressing anyone in particular.

Then again, he hadn't really been accomplishing much, given that nobody wanted to listen to him, and Koko was acting... erratically at best. Even by what Eddie considered to be the rather broad standards of organics, and as far as he could tell, they were all kind of nuts.

Thinking for a moment, he returned his various books to the cart and headed out of the library. If Asami wanted to initiate conversation, he'd respond, but otherwise he's not going to bother trying to interact with him. As he left the main building, the little golem glanced around, his eyes glowing even more brightly than usual for a moment. He realized it was a long shot- while his ability to perceive magic could penetrate walls, doing so usually limited the range pretty sharply- but was rewarded by the sight of wisps of Darko's magic leaking from the windows of the bell tower. To Eddie's magic sight, Darko's magic was the angry purple of a bruise, tinged at its heart with a blaze of red fire. It had a distinctly sinister cast to it, and what little Eddie had learned about it so far didn't help that impression.

He didn't want to pursue Darko and Koko, just be able to find them quickly if something urgent arose.

Having settled that, the little golem stepped out onto the street and headed towards MERC headquarters. Since he was going alone, it wouldn't take him very long, as he raced down the street at freeway speeds, dodging around traffic.

Upon arrival, he nodded to the receptionist and headed for the phone bank. Fishing out the paper that he had written Aiko's number on, he dialed quickly and waited for them to pick up.

Once the phone was answered, he would pass on what had happened so far, or, if no answer was forthcoming, he'd leave a voicemail and then go prepare his armour, adding on some ornamental kibble that completely changed its profile and outline and slapping some temporary dye and paint on it.

[Ironsmith]

[Aiko's Bad Day]

click!

"You have reached the phone of Aikobaz Bloodplunder. Unfortunately, we are in the process of dealing with a rather urgent crisis, and as such will not be able to go about our usual business for the time being. However, if you leave me your name, number, and the nature of your inquiry, we will endeavor to answer you as soon as is practical. Thank you."

[TeChameleon]

[Aiko's Bad Day]

"... Bloodplunder?" Eddie echoed as the message played. "Ooooh... Aikobaz... Aiai and Babaz, got it. Guessing the succubus fragment is probably calling herself something like Koko, then."

Once the 'beep' happened, Eddie quickly and succinctly summarized what had happened, doing his best to avoid editorializing- he was frustrated and angry with himself for completely failing to do anything helpful, and a bit annoyed at Asami, but he tried hard not to let that bleed into his brief report.

Darko's actions he kind of understood, but Asami seemed to be causing problems for the fun of it, and the way Koko was acting had him genuinely worried about some kind of brain damage caused by the split.

... and if this did turn out to be some kind of weird Freudian thing, Eddie was going to find a time machine, go back and punch the old pervert in the brain. *WHACK* right between the legs.

[Ironsmith]

[Aiko's Bad Day]

"...That is unfortunate."

It might occur to Eddie that the beep never actually came, and Old Aiko (or Babaz, as Koko had called her) did have a rather monotonous voice.

"...But not entirely unexpected. Our wayward fragment did seem to carry our more erratic tendencies. That she did not respond well to attempts at persuasion was a somewhat predictable outcome. However, as you have not yet retrieved her, your task is not yet done. What is your plan for continuing?"

[TeChameleon]

[Aiko's Bad Day]

"... why were you pretending to be an answering service?" Eddie said once Babaz spoke. Without waiting for an answer, he said "Nevermind, it doesn't matter. Although... 'my task'? I helped because you needed help; if this is an assignment, we should perhaps discuss my rates."

Eddie didn't have any actual intention of charging them; it was mostly intended as a bit of a reminder that he was not subservient to the Aikos, Empress or no.

"In any case, there is a minor difficulty in any attempts I might make in 'retrieving' your succubus fragment; namely, that I don't actually know where you're going, nor do I have any way to get there, or at least, no way that would allow me to bring a passenger. So even if I were willing to simply kidnap her- which I'm not, as an aside- it wouldn't achieve the desired effect."

The phone made a hideous scraping noise against Eddie's stone ear as he adjusted it.

"Thus my current plan is to maintain awareness of her location, and allow her to do as she wills until your return, as there do not seem to be any good outcomes to my attempting to browbeat her or, for that matter, to my attempting to interact with her in any way until she regains some semblance of calm."

"As an aside, your succubus self has dubbed herself 'Koko', you 'Babaz', and your third self 'Aiai'. Would those names be acceptable to you for convenience of identification?"

[Ironsmith]

[Aiko's Bad Day]

"I was not imitating anything. That is the logical way to answer the phone when the majority of inbound business must be put on hold." Babaz replies evenly.

"So long as there is not an unacceptably high chance that Koko might disappear, or that she might be put in danger, that it an acceptable arrangement. And I will inform Her Highness of her new moniker at the earliest convenience; it will greatly simplify communications if we are able to identify one another to a third party."

"Now, with regard to your rate... will you be billing us by the hour, or are you expecting a lump sum?"

[TeChameleon]

[Aiko's Bad Day]

Eddie smiled very faintly at the thought of the look on 'Aiai's' face when she was informed of her new moniker.

Then he sighed. He should have known better than to try the 'fine, then make this a job' bit on Babaz, he supposed. Then again, he should probably know better to try any bits on anyone, since they never seemed to work out the way he planned. Part of him was slightly tempted to take her up on it, given that even exiled empresses tended to have significant surplus cash, but he really didn't feel right about it.

"I believe we should keep our arrangement informal for the moment." he started. "In all honesty, if your situation was posted on the job board here at MERC, I would likely pass on it, at least if I could not get competent arcane support. But you needed help, and I intend to see this through to the best of my abilities. I cannot absolutely guarantee the safety of Koko, but I will maintain awareness of her and her situation, and if anything arises that requires my intervention, I will deal with it."

And with that, unless Babaz has further information or requests for him, he will bid her a polite farewell and head for the armory.

[Ironsmith]

[Aiko's Bad Day]

"Very well. Keep us up to date."

...

"And I have been instructed to tell you; good work, Lord Hamilton."

click!

[bc56]

Aiko's Bad Day
A blazer is draped over Mary's shoulders. The demon princess' wings twitch but it manages to stay there.

There's a long, silent pause.

"I don't 'get' you. We had a truce. Then I came back with a bit of a makeover," she still looks more or less like that, although after her months of disappearance she came back with feathered wings and tail and not dressing as ridiculously. She hasn't told anyone why she disappeared or why the sudden change. "You start spreading nasty rumors behind my back. We've been practically at each other's throats for months. And now you're acting like there's nothing between us."

[Ironsmith]

[Aiko's Bad Day]

"There is not, and has never been, anything between us." Sigil Aiko replies evenly, once again folding back the cover of her book. "If I am the personification of our gestalt form's principles- which I assume to be the case- we have had minimal interaction, and few reasons for hostility. The responsibilities I have put forward fall to me, and me alone. I do not think it fair to judge you by our standards; you're in a completely different situation, despite superficial similarities. At worst, you've shown yourself to be a somewhat typical specimen among our peers; well-intentioned, but misguided and, if you do not mind me being frank for a moment, emotionally unintelligent."

"...That sounds remarkably like the pot calling the kettle black, coming from you." Old Aiko points out.

"Maybe. But I'm still dealing with a burnt kettle." Sigil Aiko shrugs. "Regardless; these are shortcomings, not moral failings, and more than likely will be diminished when you get older and have had a few more life experiences that serve to teach you what doesn't come naturally. It simply would not be right to treat you as an enemy, because that is not what you are."

[quillpleasant]

Aiko's Bell Day

Koko's glow is a little alarming to Darko- for a moment he has a sudden horrible fear that Eddie was right and she really is about to explode. But luckily that doesn't seem to be the case.

God, if he was responsible for someone's death he'd never recover.

Darko returns the hug, awkwardly patting Koko's shoulder as she begins to unload. He had suspected as much- Eddie, while he clearly means well, is not the best at emotional stuff. It was obvious that the young succubus had been getting overwhelmed, but it's actually a promising sign that she's now opening up instead of staying in the closed off state she had dropped into at the library.

Of course, Darko isn't the best at emotions either. They're confusing at best, and scary at worst. But he has to at least try, right?

"Hey, it's okay. Eddie... he was trying to help, he just didn't know how. I really think you're going to be okay separate, at least at first. It might be a situation where you spend some time apart, some time together, like a compromise?" Okay, now he's getting sidetracked trying to figure out a solution. Not the priority right now. Darko strokes Koko's hair reassuringly.

"I, eh... I have to apologize, I was the one who brought Eddie to find you. I didn't know you didn't want to be found. But now you can hide out here as long as you need. I won't make any suggestions or push you to do anything. When you're ready, we can go find Asami and you can play more of that game, or whatever else you want, okay?"

He thinks for a second, then reaches to her ear and pulls out a handkerchief from nowhere. It's pink, embroidered with beetles and flowers. "Wow, I didn't know you had such a cool kerchief! Better use that to dry your eyes, huh?"

[Ironsmith]

[Aiko's Bell Day]

Koko sniffs and lets out a little sob-laugh as the handkerchief is offered, despite herself. Silly Darko, that's not hers! But she'll use it anyway, dabbing off her eyes and loudly blowing her nose.

Pnnnnooouuuu!

It looks significantly less cool when she's done with it.

"...It's okay." She reassures him after a moment, going back into the hug with a little smile. "I'm not mad at you or anything. You're sweet. You just didn't know."

After apparently having her fill of the hug (it has been several minutes, to be fair), Koko lets him go and hops up to the window, looking out onto the school grounds. "...Wow." She breathes, smiling again already. "You can see everything up here, huh? It's so pretty!" She grins, waving for Darko to come closer to the window. "All the people look so tiny! Like little ants!"

She pauses for a moment, sitting on the windowsill, staring out.

"...Kinda makes you think about how big this place really is, huh?" She continues. "I mean, those aren't ants down there. Those are people. Some of them are even really big people. And they look so tiny but PREP still looks big." She waves her hand down at the students milling around. "Ohayo, Throng-kun!"

The giant, being all the way down there, doesn't hear her and doesn't answer.

"...Yeah." Koko beams. "Really big."

[quillpleasant]

Aiko's Bell Day

Darko smiles back, glad to see that she's starting to feel a little better at least. Not the first time he's cheered someone up with a magic trick, and it likely won't be the last.

"I don't think any of us really know what's going on- but only you know how you feel, and that's equally as important," he says, giving her a last pat on the back. Hugging her is nice, but it's also more prolonged contact than he's had with anyone in a while, and it was starting to get a little hard to breathe.

Following her to the window, he chuckles at Koko's joy, leaning out a little to gaze down at the grounds. "You're right, it is pretty! And it kind of makes you think, right?" He waves at the minuscule figures below. "Everyone's so worried about everything all the time, but in the end we're just tiny specks, and this view will be here regardless of grades, or relationships, or family, or whatever other things people get all worked up about."

He takes out another handkerchief, this one a bright white, and begins to fold it up. "I guess that's part of why I come up here. It's like, you're alone, but you can see everyone, so you know you're not really alone, right? You're part of the world." Closing his hands over the handkerchief, he blows on it, then releases a white dove into the sky, which flaps away through the chilly spring air. "And I think the world is pretty great, all things considered."

[Ironsmith]

[Aiko's Bell Day]

Koko watches the dove fly away, giving it an enthusiastic wave. She steps forward as if to follow, but stops at the edge of the windowsill, staring down at the ground far below.

Oh geez that is a drop.

The succubus laughs nervously and takes a step back, tapping her fingers together anxiously. "...I think I've changed my mind about flying." She says, just before grabbing Darko's arm for support.

"...I, um..." Her grip tightens just a bit more. "...I'm actually starting to not like this. My legs feel funny."

Is it just her, or is the bell tower bending a little? Like, if she really tries to feel with her feet, it's swaying under her, ever so slightly, back and forth and there's probably not actually that much material holding the floor to the wall or holding up the wall, if she steps wrong she's gonna fall through, and...

Yeah.

She's just going to lay down and not move for a minute.

[quillpleasant]

Aiko's Bell Day

Uh oh!

Darko hadn't imagined that Koko might be afraid of heights. Well, she probably didn't know either! Regardless, the bell tower was perhaps not the best place to take her. He curses himself for not choosing somewhere more secure.

Quickly moving to support her, he helps Koko get to a supine position without accidentally hitting her head or something. That would also be bad. He shrugs his jacket off, bunching it up so she can use it as a pillow.

"Acrophobia, huh? Sorry about that. Just lay still, you're safe, okay? The tower is super sturdy." Sure there's some wind whistling through the windows, but that's nothing to worry about. Right? Oh geez.

"Do you have like, a home to go to? I guess... Aiko's home? Does she live on campus? But you probably don't want to go there, huh?" Since that would be the first place the other Aikos would look. It also depends on just how much she remembers, which Darko still isn't sure of.

"If you have a place, I can bring you there fast," says Darko, trying to project calm confidence. He also moves so that he's in Koko's field of view, to stop her from getting more lightheaded looking up at the sky or something. You never know.

[bc56]

Aiko's Bad Day
"Suuure. You don't hate me at all, you just 'accidentally' insulted me three times," Mary replies sarcastically, "And emotionally unintelligent? Seriously? You have no idea..."
How much does Aiko remember about succubus powers?

[Ironsmith]

[Aiko's Bell Day]

"...I'd like to go see Nana." Koko offers, staring up at the ceiling and smiling just a bit. "Nana has a way of making me feel better. And I know the other mes don't like her as much as I do. I mean, they don't not like her, but she does things that get on Aiai's nerves and Babaz... well, I mean, Babaz doesn't like anybody even if she doesn't dislike them either, Nana included. I don't think they'd go there right away. And even if they did, I'd want to see Nana anyway." She starts to sit up, but stops when a particularly strong gust of wind blows through the window and she lays back down, squeezing her eyes shut. "...Yeah. Can you take me to Nana's? It's at, um..."

...Oh, geez.

"...She's on a street. In a nice house. Big house, with lots of room out back for all the goats."

Darko can find it based on that, right?


[Aiko's Bad Day]

"Because I've said three things you didn't want to hear and do not believe to be true?" Sigil Aiko asks, raising an eyebrow. "If you must ascribe malicious intent to that, I would say you are only proving the point."

"The hypocrisy is fully noted, of course." Old Aiko adds.

[bc56]

Aiko's Bad Day
"No, because they're insults," Mary snaps back. "I'd accuse you of losing your ability to listen to the words coming out of your own mouth, but I don't think you ever did in the first place," The demon princess turns back towards the window, the proffered garment falling off her shoulders.

[Ironsmith]

[Aiko's Bad Day]

Sigil Aiko frowns as her blazer flops to the seat, and after a moment, stands up again, walks over to Mary again, and sets the garment on her shoulders, again. "...No insult was intended." She says flatly, sitting next to the other girl. "The point I was trying to make is that I do not see you as a bad person, Mary Brignole. Our gestalt form, evidently, finds you frustrating to deal with. Exactly why is... beyond me. Those thoughts are beyond my proverbial domain." She sets a hand on the succubus princess's shoulder, in what would probably be a passable attempt at a comforting gesture if she had any idea how tight her grip was. "But as her sense of morality, I can say you are not in violation. Whatever is between you and her... between you and us... it is not something of which I approve."

[bc56]

Aiko's Bad Day
"... Better," Mary replies, gently peeling Aiko's fingers off her shoulder, "You should get some rest, it's a long trip."

[quillpleasant]

Aiko's Bell Day

Excellent! Darko breathes a sigh of relief. A kindly adult who knows Aiko is exactly the right person to go see. Hopefully this Nana will take Koko's current state in stride and not try to pressure her into rejoining the others.

Of course, there's the question of how to get there. He can't exactly smoke bomb his way out of this one, since Koko seems pretty out of it and there's no way he can carry her. She's probably not very heavy, but Darko has noodle arms. So... looks like he's going to have to ask for help.

"Nana sounds really nice. I can take you there, just... keep your eyes closed, 'kay?" The last thing Koko needs right now is to see something else scary, and the Wizards can be a little scary if you don't know them.

Placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder, he turns away, talking into the wind. "Hey, I need some help. Can you bring the two of us to her Nana's house? I'll come home for the weekend if you do." There's a whisper in return, too faint to make out. Then Koko and Darko will both be on the ground outside of Nana's house, regardless of the distance to get there- assuming it's a real place, of course.

"You can open your eyes now, we're here. I think."

[Earl of Purple]

Aiko's Bad Day - Bloodplunder Residence

They arrive- unless something goes terribly wrong, anyway- outside a large bungalow. There's a long drive to the street outside, and the front and back garden is mostly a field, dominated by a small herd of large goats. There's five of them visible, two females the size of a large pony or small horse, a pair of smaller kids still growing, and a very large billy goat. The females are brown-and-white with two small, straight horns, whilst the male has four horns- two straight and two curling next to his ears; he's also managed to get onto the roof of the bungalow.

The house is surrounded by a wire fence, though they are inside that fence- with the goats. One of the nanny goats heads over, interested in the two strange people that have just arrived, and will be very quick to investigate any pockets for anything she can eat.

[Ironsmith]

[Aiko's Bad Day]

"...You say that, of course, with the full knowledge that she will not." Old Aiko points out, retrieving the sudoku book and returning it to her sigil-covered counterpart.

"Quite." She agrees.

The rest of the ride to Brignole Manor will probably prove to be pretty uneventful, except for a short recess where Old Aiko's phone rings and she steps to a quieter part of the car to answer it.

-

[Bloodplunder Residence]

Koko does as she's told, of course, mostly because that's what she was planning on doing anyway. She doesn't know what Darko's planning exactly, but her more immediate concern is the creeping sense of vertigo that just somehow vanished, along with the smells of goat fodder (and leavings) and dirt in the air.

Koko's eyes open just in time to see the nanny goat standing over her, and she lets out a little laugh before gently stroking her muzzle. "Good morning again, Stinky-chan!" She greets.

She looks up at Darko and grins. "You can pet her, too, if you want. She's really gentle."

[quillpleasant]

Aiko's Bad Day

Bloodplunder Residence

Darko breathes another sigh of relief. Now, finally, Koko is in a good place where she feels safe. Which in his opinion is just as important as any of the speculation and scheming that everyone else had been doing about the Aikos. More important, really.

He looks at the goats with trepidation, especially that big billy goat. "I've never seen one of these guys in real life. Do they bite?"

Without waiting for a response, he steps over and reaches out to scritch the goat between her ears. An investigation into his pockets will reveal that there's lot of bits and bobs, like pencils, an apple core, a fuzzy diary, some paperclips and a mouse skull.

"She's really cute," he says, oblivious to the goat's kleptomania. He holds out a hand to help Koko get to her feet.

So a farm. Darko has spent his entire life in the city, and even the air here feels different. But it's certainly not unpleasant.

[Earl of Purple]

Aiko's Bad Day Bloodplunder Residence

Still in the city, though on the outskirts. Not a farm, just a house with a large garden and home to a woman who keeps war-goats.

The goat eats the apple core, and bites the diary before pulling her head out to get more scratches and fuss from Koko, possibly damaging it with her teeth. She'll look at Darko with her weird eye, the horizontal pupil standing out against the pale brown iris of her eye.

[Ironsmith]

[Aiko's Bad Day]

Bloodplunder Residence

"Oh, no, of course not! ...At least she's never bitten me." Koko offers, continuing to fuss over the goat, giving her scritches back behind her horns. "Besides, goats don't bite anyway. They butt." She giggles, apparently finding the turn of phrase amusing. "But don't worry. That only happens if they don't like you. Stinky-chan is probably the nicest one here."