Inside

[Morty]

[Detective Michalson's Office]

"I have flown before. But that was as a bird", the gargoyly muses, folding its left wing in front of itself so it can pinch it. "This isn't the same body plan. I'm not sure it was made to fly under its own power. Feels too stiff, heavy and fragile. I could test it, but I might break... hmmm." It turn its little clay head and looks around. "Do you have pillows here somewhere?"

"Should be a couple here and there..." Michalson rummages around and comes up with three pillows. They appear mostly made to ease the discomfort of someone whose leg doesn't work the way it should. "I'll put 'em on the floor. Then I'll go look for the glyph. I know this body doesn't look like it should fly. The berks who made it weren't the sharpest tools in the shed. Wizards, what do you expect. But it's what we've got."

[Marketplace]

"Excuse me. Pardon me. Coming through, thank you."

Dorota will find herself passed on the street by a young, dark-skinned woman wearing what looks to be the cover of Dictator magazine's swimsuit edition. Heavy leather boots, a quasi-official looking hat, a long coat, and not much else. She has a little basket under her arm, which so far has a myriad of fresh fruit inside of it... apples, oranges, some bizarre kind of kiwi with tentacles, the like of that.

The woman stops in her tracks and turns back to face Dorota, her face lighting up with a grin. "...Sorry, I just can't not comment on this." She begins, settling back into Dorota's current pace. "That top is just too cute! You look really nice today, miss."

Dorota stares in silence for a moment. What on earth is this woman wearing? Even by the Nexus' notoriously lax dress code, this is odd.

"Uh... thank you. You... are looking nice too."

[bc56]

[Streets]

Obviously it's dangerous. It just threw an armored man through a wall and ignored being cut with a beam of light. Hearing Jason say it again doesn't make it seem any more dangerous than it already did. However, Kiun does step to the side.

"Maybe you have the wrong Hoplite from Phalanx Labs. Can't you two talk about this?"
Maybe it's not simple mistaken identity, but it could still be an evil clone, a parallel universe, time travel, false memories.

"No matter. I have come to feed upon the abundant chaos of this plane, but first I must destroy everything which could possibly stop me. Even if this one is 'wrong,' he is too great a threat to let live." A lurid purple tendril reaches out towards Hoplite, but he rolls away and slices the tip off with his light blade. "Good luck with that!"

[Recaiden]

[Streets]

Oh. That really doesn't sound like Eidolon is interested in a peaceful solution at all! In fact, it sounds like it plans to become a problem for lots of other people.
And Hoplite can stop it, at least potentially. Because of his high-tech fighting gear and ability? Or is there something special about him?
It seems likely that Eidolon would get around to destroying them someday if it's successful here.
Plus, Hoplite had just tried to keep her out of danger.

"...even if that's true, why would you say it? You'll just make more enemies." Kiun demonstrates this principle by bringing her folded wings together in front of her and building up a fireball, which she throws towards the purple...thing.

[bc56]

[Streets]

Oh. That really doesn't sound like Eidolon is interested in a peaceful solution at all! In fact, it sounds like it plans to become a problem for lots of other people.
And Hoplite can stop it, at least potentially. Because of his high-tech fighting gear and ability? Or is there something special about him?
It seems likely that Eidolon would get around to destroying them someday if it's successful here.
Plus, Hoplite had just tried to keep her out of danger.

"...even if that's true, why would you say it? You'll just make more enemies." Kiun demonstrates this principle by bringing her folded wings together in front of her and building up a fireball, which she throws towards the purple...thing.

One thing is learned from this. Whatever it is Eidolon is made out of, it can burn. A sickening stench fills the air and scorched purpleness crumbles to ash.
It's far from slain however. It doesn't even show any sign of pain. "Very well. I can deal with you too." Its tendrils lash out, each tipped with a vicious array of claws perfect for tearing flesh from bone. "It's me you want!" Hoplite jumps in front of Kiun, an energy shield appearing to deflect the limbs. "Leave her alone!"

[Recaiden]

[Streets]

On the one hand, that's not right. It wanted to destroy everyone who was a threat. And if burning someone isn't a threat, what is?
On the other hand, Hoplite has an energy shield and Kiun doesn't, so it's definitely better to let the flesh-tearing claws aim at him.
On the balance, Kiun has no hands jumps back on reflex when the tendrils lash towards her, and only considers the implications a few moments later.

After a moment of thought (and overcoming a slight reluctance), she turns, jumps, and beats her wings to climb up into the air. Maybe she's getting away from it just as Hoplite asked.

[bc56]

[Streets]

On the one hand, that's not right. It wanted to destroy everyone who was a threat. And if burning someone isn't a threat, what is?
On the other hand, Hoplite has an energy shield and Kiun doesn't, so it's definitely better to let the flesh-tearing claws aim at him.
On the balance, Kiun has no hands jumps back on reflex when the tendrils lash towards her, and only considers the implications a few moments later.

After a moment of thought (and overcoming a slight reluctance), she turns, jumps, and beats her wings to climb up into the air. Maybe she's getting away from it just as Hoplite asked.

"I'm not done with you yet!" The thing jitters through the air to block Kiun's way. Hoplite has pried open his gauntlet and is making modifications. "Distract him for a minute!" "No thanks." Eidolon blasts a bolt of red energy at Hoplite in response.

[Recaiden]

[Streets]

Oh. What a way for it to move, just sort of...shaking its way over and up.

Right away, she dives to the side, trying to catch the red bolt with an outstretched lower wing, even as two smaller blasts of fire shoot from her towards Eidolon, following where she looks.

As in her last battle, Kiun reaches out to her flightmates, but just for advice this time.
Shoulda left when he suggested it. Now you're stuck way too close.

[Hraithre]

[Detective Michalson's Office]
"Should be a couple here and there..." Michalson rummages around and comes up with three pillows. They appear mostly made to ease the discomfort of someone whose leg doesn't work the way it should. "I'll put 'em on the floor. Then I'll go look for the glyph. I know this body doesn't look like it should fly. The berks who made it weren't the sharpest tools in the shed. Wizards, what do you expect. But it's what we've got."

The gargoyle arranges the pillows at the foot of the table, then climbs back up and tries jumping down, spreading its wings. "Hop!" It falls down with speed and grace of a brick. Quickly, it clambers back on the table to try again. "Hop!" Another jump, with much the same result.

This goes on for a while, until the gargoyle gets bored and sits on the edge of the table, waving its legs around. "The wings really didn't feel like they make a difference. Maybe if I fell from higher or tried building up speed, they would make a difference, but at this height... nah. No chance. Can't really flap them either. They're in the wrong place. Birds have their wings where people have arms, you know? So flying is kinda like swimming, just through air instead of water. These...", it pinches its wings again, "Can't really figure what muscles to use to move them to get them to do what I want. Really unwieldy. Maybe they're just decorative."

[Ironsmith]

[Marketplace]

Dorota stares in silence for a moment. What on earth is this woman wearing? Even by the Nexus' notoriously lax dress code, this is odd.

"Uh... thank you. You... are looking nice too."

[Marketplace]

"Really? Thank god." Rose takes a moment to look down at her outfit. "I have to wear this for work, and I was a little worried it might seem tacky outside that context." She gives Dorota a little smile and straightens her coat. "Anyway, could you help me a bit? I'm looking for mayl... maeiloo... space pears and I can't seem to find any." She gives an embarrassed little shrug. "My boss is crazy about them. Apparently they're really good on toast. Have you seen them around?"

[Morty]

[Detective Michalson's Office]

"Arright, plan B it is." Michalson found a clay glyph with a stylized gust of wind among the piles of trash in his office. "This is what the addle-cove wizards used to make their gargoyles fly. I know how to use it. Should be enough to make you float. Flappin' your wings may or may not be required. Maybe just for decoration."

[Marketplace]

That's what you get for being polite, Dorota. Now she thinks you actually approve of this atrocious outfit. Then again, she can sympathize with someone being made to wear such a monstrosity.

"No, I'm afraid I've never heard of such a fruit," she says. Best be as curt as possible, hopefully she'll leave.

[Ironsmith]

[Marketplace]

"Ah, that's too bad." Rose sighs and looks down at her list, shaking her head. "Well, there's another item here you might be able to help me with. Apparently I'm also supposed to fetch a Dorota. What is that, like a duran or something?" She gives a little giggle and shakes her head. "Relax, I'm kidding. And since I have you at a bit of a disadvantage here... Greene. Rosemary Greene. Nice to meet you." She extends her hand toward Dorota. "Mind if we walk and talk? This is only going to take a few minutes, and I, ah, really do have to pick out some more of these fruit. If it's not too much trouble."

[bc56]

Streets
The red energy stings like a thousand bees and eats away at matter, a thoroughly unpleasant sensation. The further flames don't seem to be as effective. Less material disintegrates off of Eidolon this time. In fact, the being looks more fiery now than before.

[Recaiden]

[Streets]

"Augh!" Kiun drops a bit in her flight, from both the stinging pain and the fact that one wing has a hole dissolved in it - but it did protect Hoplite while he does...whatever he's doing with that gauntlet. But she steadies herself enough to land once again between Hoplite and Eidolon, and fold the injured wing away behind her. Feels a little better to be back on the ground, anyway.

It's adapting to the fire so fast! Do the other thing.

Kiun conjures a field of draining cold and darkness, almost the opposite of the fire, to try to envelop part of the monster. This doesn't come as easily, but she can manage. The goal is just to delay it, after all.
"Hey! Do you know who I am too, Eidolon?"

[Morty]

[Marketplace]

Okay, this is weird and Dorota isn't okay with any of it. Time to leave. If someone is actually looking for her, they can do so through proper channels.

"I'm afraid I'm rather in a hurry. I'm sure someone else can help you. Goodbye," she says, before turning and leaving rather abruptly.

[Ironsmith]

[Marketplace]

"Hey! Wait!" Rose calls, jogging a few paces after her. "Look, I know I'm being a bit cavalier about it, but this is important. Hear me out, okay? Five minutes of your time, that's all I ask. And if you don't like what I have to say, you can be on your way, no harm, no foul." She takes off her hat and wrings it in her hands. "Is that too much to ask? Five minutes?"

[Rebonack]

[Normal Escort Mission]

That's a good question, isn't it?

Why IS she taking risks?

Why did she agree to this?

Why did she come along at all?

The entity had given her an out, but she had insisted upon continuing.

Why?

What is life if not a long series of calculated risks?

It remains to be seen how good Onyeka is at math.


[The Dog Days of Summer]

"Maybe they did it for some kind of important reason?" Khannie wonders aloud, still pondering the steadily spreading rainbow shockwave creeping across the sky.

It definitely looks pretty.

And the sheer amount of magic needed to create such an effect is tremendous. Of course, Khannie doesn't know this. She really isn't very aware of pony things just in general. The extent of her contact with them is one equestrian magical girl. That's really not a very large sample size.

[bc56]

[Streets]

"Augh!" Kiun drops a bit in her flight, from both the stinging pain and the fact that one wing has a hole dissolved in it - but it did protect Hoplite while he does...whatever he's doing with that gauntlet. But she steadies herself enough to land once again between Hoplite and Eidolon, and fold the injured wing away behind her. Feels a little better to be back on the ground, anyway.

It's adapting to the fire so fast! Do the other thing.

Kiun conjures a field of draining cold and darkness, almost the opposite of the fire, to try to envelop part of the monster. This doesn't come as easily, but she can manage. The goal is just to delay it, after all.
"Hey! Do you know who I am too, Eidolon?"

"You are... A nuisance." That's a no. The cold eats away at Eidolon as well as the fire did at first, but quickly it becomes less effective. Until. "Take this!" A beam of red light lances into Eidolon from the other direction, searing off more of it from the other side.
Apparently, two simultaneous attacks is more than it can handle. "This is not over!" It folds in on itself and disappears.

[Recaiden]

[Streets]

"You are... A nuisance." That's a no. The cold eats away at Eidolon as well as the fire did at first, but quickly it becomes less effective. Until. "Take this!" A beam of red light lances into Eidolon from the other direction, searing off more of it from the other side.
Apparently, two simultaneous attacks is more than it can handle. "This is not over!" It folds in on itself and disappears.

"It seems pretty over..."
Kiun straightens up and takes a few calming breaths before turning back to Hoplite.

"Where did you find that thing?"

[Hraithre]

[Detective Michalson's Office]

"Okay!" The gargoyle stands up and takes the glyph with both hands... looks at it... shakes it a little... gives it a little bite... then hands it back to Michalson. "Ummm.... how does it work?"

[Travis]

[The Dog Days of Summer]

Dinosaur, angel, knight, or THING THAT IS ALL THREE OF THOSE!

Are there any dinosaur angel knights?

Khannie would bet there are.

"I dunno if there has ever been much digimon stuff going around town before," Khannie admits. "Though maybe I just didn't notice because I wasn't looking for it?"

That's actually a pretty common thing.

As soon as someone gets involved in a particular type of nonsense then all of a sudden that sort of nonsense is just popping up all over the place. It isn't like it gets more common or anything it's just that now you're looking for it all of a sudden you seen it everywhere. Was there lots of magical girl stuff going on before Khannie got involved in it? She would assume so, she just didn't know what to look for before hand.

Our heroes come up over a little hill, revealing a pretty impressive fountain! It's a huge marble block that has been sculpted into a scene of perfectly chiseled people reclining and alcoves surrounding by half horse half fish critters. The latter are pouring water out of their mouths into a huge fountain slash swimming pool that absolutely has people bathing in it.

Like a public pool!

Except really fancy.

What sort of people are hanging out at the pool today?


[Steele Street]

The eye of the snake?

Ah, folly, that.

The snake doesn't have an eye.

Every single one of its metallic scales is a unique human face twisted into a mask of agony, points of crackling lightning blazing in their eye sockets.

The snake doesn't have an eye.

It has many.

The plasma burns at the monster and the fire bullet blasts a smoking crater ringed in slag into its hide, but it seems mostly unmoved. The rider makes his harrowing charge, hammer striking the anvil of the beast and smashing away a scale in the process. It spins through the air and clatters to the ground with the sound of a deep breath being released, the lightning in its eye going dark. The reaper's assessment appears to be true. Hundreds of souls are bound up in this vile spirit's will, their breath lending to the rage of its storm and the destructive power of its wind.

With all the speed of a serpent, now, it strikes. The monster's tail lashes out, aiming to crash into the rider even as an unearthly confluence of a great multitude screaming mingled with the crushing power of a thunderclap explodes toward the professor, threatening to blast him head over heels.

This creature is a dreadful thing.

It can't be allowed to continue glutting itself on lost souls.

Steele Street
Professor will grimace, and at a loss for useful tactics, will examine the surroundings. If the monster is still wrapped around a building, Hyeonbin will shoot his second flame bullet in an attempt to dislodge it. If the enemy is on the ground, his second bullet is directed at the Street underneath it. Hopefully there are some sewers which will suck the power from it and ground the lightning. If it is floating, the snake just gets another shot to the face.

[Hraithre]

[Steele Street]

To avoid being crushed by the snake's tail, the rider's steed leaps up, like skipping rope. It is also still moving forward, so its momentum carries it on the roof of a nearby building. Somehow, despite roof tiles shattering under its hooves, the buildings still carry its weight with grace and it doesn't simply fall through.

The rider thinks it too dangerous to try to stop and turn on a point, so he keeps riding a wide circle around the snake, his steed jumping from rooftop to rooftop. He will have to wait for a new opening to charge the snake again, lest he be struck down by its tail or fangs. As he goes, he twirls his warhammer and chants. "I stand at the precipice! I gaze into the Void! I build a bridge across world and open the gates! Reverse Path of Binding: Soul Burial!"

Professor Hyeonbin might feel a chill. If he can see into the spirit world, or if he is already close to death due to injuries and exhaustion, he might notice a shadow looming over him. Behind him, a double-doored gate has appeared, flanked by giant skeletons. Bony hands open the doors slightly, a fell gust of wind blowing through them.

The rider does not believe it will be of much concern to the snake. The spell itself forces no-one through, that would be opposed to its nature. But maybe, the gate's presence will prevent any souls he chips away from the snake from being pulled back to it.

[Morty]

[Marketplace]

Dorota rolls her eyes, breathes out and turns around to face Rose.

"Make it quick and make it good, because right now I'm getting an impression of a creepy stalker."

[Detective Michalson's Office]

"I need to apply it to you," Michalson says with some amusement. "There's a short ritual to do it. So stand still on the desk, please."

[Ironsmith]

[Marketplace]

"Well... you wouldn't be wrong." Rose replies with a sigh. She's been hanging out with Raven too long; it's given her socialization a bit of a sinister edge. "In the interest of full transparency, I was sent here to kidnap you. My boss needs an alchemist and we hear you're the best, or at least among the best." She crosses her arms and shakes her head. "So I have been watching you. Because abducting an important member of HALO off the street without drawing the ire of the entire organization, plus possibly outside help from VIGIL and MERC, isn't something one just does spontaneously. But frankly, that seems, and don't you tell my boss I said this, pointlessly evil."

She looks up at Dorota and sighs. "You're still coming down from that divorce, for god's sake. Coming to market alone, without your golem 'son', despite there being no practical reason to leave him behind and taking him with you damn near everywhere before... you're trying to establish to yourself and others that you're independent and don't need anyone else to function and be happy. Which is a good thing, really. And it seems like kind of a dick move to immediately exploit that and put you through the stress of a kidnapping when we're sitting on a literal golden hoard and can more than afford to just hire you instead."

Rose produces a small slab of gold from under her coat and hands it over to Dorota. "There's a lot going on besides, but suffice it to say, I'm trying to help my boss cut down on the number of dick moves she makes unnecessarily. So if you're willing to come with me and make it look like you're struggling a bit, this little guy has nine brothers and sisters that also have your name on them. If not, my report back will be that I failed and your hackles are up too much to make a second attempt, and you still get ten percent for being nice enough to hear me out." She puts her hands on her hips and smiles up at Dorota. "Price negotiable, if that's a problem. But the takeaway is that you'll get to do a fairly standard job otherwise and play a role in pushing a villainess away from evil. And if you want to tap out at any point, I'll take you right back here, paid in full, no questions, no debate."

She lets that stand for a minute, trying not to look nervous. Opening with "yeah I'm here to kidnap you" was a risky move; if Dorota turns her down, she really couldn't just ask again. And there's always thr chance that she'll fixate on that detail, conclude that Rose (and more importantly, her boss) can't be trusted and refuse to cooperate. Rose is hoping that her being as honest about the situation as she can be would help counteract that, but no matter what she does, this is going to be a hard sell.

[Keeper]

[The Dog Days of Summer]

"Maybe they did it for some kind of important reason?" Khannie wonders aloud, still pondering the steadily spreading rainbow shockwave creeping across the sky.

It definitely looks pretty.

And the sheer amount of magic needed to create such an effect is tremendous. Of course, Khannie doesn't know this. She really isn't very aware of pony things just in general. The extent of her contact with them is one equestrian magical girl. That's really not a very large sample size.

The Dog Days of Summer

"Oh, like something was chasing them? Or they had to get somewhere really fast to dispense JUSTICE? Or they left the oven on at home?"
Sirius isn't sure what an oven is but he's been told leaving it on is really bad.
If Khannie doesn't know much about ponies, Sirius knows nothing at all. But he'd be willing to bet that some of them like JUSTICE because most people like JUSTICE.

[bc56]

[Streets]


"It seems pretty over..."
Kiun straightens up and takes a few calming breaths before turning back to Hoplite.

"Where did you find that thing?"

"It found me. Got most of the details wrong too. Believe me, I've never seen it before in my life." He brushes dust off of his armor. "Thanks for the assist."

[Recaiden]

"It found me. Got most of the details wrong too. Believe me, I've never seen it before in my life." He brushes dust off of his armor. "Thanks for the assist."

"Oh, it's what anyone would have done." Kiun says, fluttering her upper wings slightly.

"Are you okay? It must have thrown you pretty hard." Sure, he's armored, but it probably still hurts to go through a solid wall at that speed.

[Rebonack]

[Steele Street]

A flame bullet smashes into the streets, blasting open a hole and damaging some water pipes. This in turn causes a fountain of water to begin spraying all over the monster. It... doesn't seem to like that very much. This may not be great for the professor since it means the horrible monster is now focusing its attention on him.

Great.

Several arcs of lightning begin leaping from the beast, but the water everywhere draws the current away before it can fry the poor drugged up man.

Probably good for him!

Then comes the wind.

If one can even call it wind.

Wisps of... something... are pulled away from the scales that have been knocked off the storm serpent, reducing them to nothing more than face-sized slabs of metal. So broken away from the serpent, it appears as though its grip on the lost souls is loosened enough to send them off to their proper afterlife.

The monster hisses a deep, rumbling hiss as clouds begin to swirl above the reaper, flashes of lightning steadily building inside the storm cloud.


[The Dog Days of Summer]

"They're definitely going somewhere fast," Khannie says, watching the emerald, fuchsia, and pink streak blazing across the sky and out of the city limits. Whoever it is they are definitely going REALLY FAST.

Maybe they're racing someone?

"I don't think it's the oven," Khannie concludes after a few moments. Then? She heads over to the hippo. "Hey, are you okay?"

She thinks being nice to the guy who just turned into a hippo would be kind. He seems kind of embarrassed about the whole thing.

[Keeper]

The Dog Days of Summer

"It's PROBABLY something important whatever it is." Sirius concludes.

The exceptionally large (ie, normal hippo size) werehippo looks down at Khannie with a kind look that belies the kind of animal he is. Khannie is too fearless to be intimidated by really big people though. Even the biggest guy at the pool. Probably only second to the shark-pufferfish, though it's hard to say how big he actually is.
"Oh, I'm fine, Miss. This is pretty normal for me. Just for the best that I don't stay in the pool like this." Case in point, he rubs his belly which is already showing red marks on it from his natural "sweat." It might be mistaken for blood if he stayed in the pool.

[bc56]

"Oh, it's what anyone would have done." Kiun says, fluttering her upper wings slightly.

"Are you okay? It must have thrown you pretty hard." Sure, he's armored, but it probably still hurts to go through a solid wall at that speed.

"But not what anyone could have done," Jason counters. He runs a hand along his torso. "Feels like... Ow!.. I may have broken a rib or two. But I'll... Ow!.. live." He'll need medical aid, or maybe he won't. Superheroes are known to walk off worse injuries occasionally.

[Morty]

[Normal Escort Mission]

The voices fade, but they're not so far as to be inaudible. Not easy to hear either, however, especially over the rattle of boxes and crates.

"If your mission, as you say, relates to the northern human gods..."

"So-called gods," replies the other voice with irritation.

"Regardless. Your anchors need to relate to them in some way. They're as important and valuable as this in your endeavor."

"Ancient texts, relics... the humans of the lowlands cling to every scrap of memory they have of their 'gods'. I shall procure some items."

"How amusing. This person you won't name will witness the world before they died, or left, if indeed they ever existed... they won't meet them, but... maybe someone related to them."

"Related? To gods? Is this another of your premonitions, old man? Enough with it. We have a job to do.

[Marketplace]

Dorota's face goes through a kaleidoscope of emotions, none of them pleasant. She's mostly creeped out and horrified. Should she call Crissy and tell her someone has been probing into people connected to her? Probably not; it'd just scare her. In addition to being supremely awkward.

"...if you've dug so deep into my personal life, you should know that as a HALO member, I can't just take any job I want. Helping a villain is not something we approve of. And I only have your word that I'd be somehow helping redeem her."