Inside

[Ironsmith]

[Marketplace]

"Which is part of the reason why we're having this conversation here and not in your office, over tea and cookies." Rose replies. "If HALO likewise believes you were taken against your will, not only does it help sell the illusion to my boss, it gives you plausible deniability for yours." She takes a brief pause in the conversation to grab a carrot from a nearby market stall and drop it into her basket. "The only convictions that matter here vis-a-vis associating with villains are yours, not HALO's. If you're telling me you take a dim view of working with someone less-than-savory for any reason, I understand entirely and I'll go find myself another alchemist."

She looks back up at Dorota and gives her a rueful smile. "As for only having my word that what I'm asking you to do is a net win for the side of good... well, I suppose that's true. My word is nearly all the reassurance I can give, apart from this." She reaches into her pocket and produces a little leatherbound wallet, flipping it open and producing her MERC membership card for Dorota to examine.

[Recaiden]

"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.

"Well, you're right. I'm...glad I could help."
Kiun steps a bit closer to Jason and tilts her head to look at him, though she probably can't tell much.
"That's alright then? You don't need a healer?" The weavers says that ribs usually heal fine on their own, and are fairly expendable anyway. Kiun's wing, on the other hand, is healing so fast that you can see it happen.

"Any clue when it will be able to come back?"

[bc56]

"Well, you're right. I'm...glad I could help."
Kiun steps a bit closer to Jason and tilts her head to look at him, though she probably can't tell much.
"That's alright then? You don't need a healer?" The weavers says that ribs usually heal fine on their own, and are fairly expendable anyway. Kiun's wing, on the other hand, is healing so fast that you can see it happen.

"Any clue when it will be able to come back?"

His armor is designed to make it hard to identify him. He's close to average height, maybe a little taller, and he clearly works out. Other than that, it's hard to say exactly. "No idea. As I said, I've never seen it before in my life. I think I'd remember a weird pink blob like that... Ow!.. maybe I should see a doctor."

[Gullara]

[Normal Escort Mission]

Onyeka takes in what the two are saying with interest. Presumably this relates to why they're here. Yet, she can't make anything of it. There's vital context missing here... but maybe they can learn more.

[Recaiden]

His armor is designed to make it hard to identify him. He's close to average height, maybe a little taller, and he clearly works out. Other than that, it's hard to say exactly. "No idea. As I said, I've never seen it before in my life. I think I'd remember a weird pink blob like that... Ow!.. maybe I should see a doctor."

"Well, we probably shouldn't stay here, in case it comes back quickly?"

"Oh, uh, I could get you a potion, if you want." Kiun suddenly realizes she's made it through a fight without all her worldly possessions being incinerated. That's never happened before! "Or just help you get to the doctor if you have one in mind." Many people are rightfully suspicious about accepting medical care from strangers, even if she really isn't plotting anything.

[bc56]

"Well, we probably shouldn't stay here, in case it comes back quickly?"

"Oh, uh, I could get you a potion, if you want." Kiun suddenly realizes she's made it through a fight without all her worldly possessions being incinerated. That's never happened before! "Or just help you get to the doctor if you have one in mind." Many people are rightfully suspicious about accepting medical care from strangers, even if she really isn't plotting anything.

"I don't trust strangers' magic," Jason replies, "I'll see a doctor later. For n... Ow!... Let's just get moving." He limps away from the scene of the fight. "If that thing is really out to destroy threats, it'll probably be after you too now," he comments.

[Recaiden]

"I don't trust strangers' magic," Jason replies, "I'll see a doctor later. For n... Ow!... Let's just get moving." He limps away from the scene of the fight. "If that thing is really out to destroy threats, it'll probably be after you too now," he comments.

Kiun hops forward and walks along with Jason, tail swaying behind her.
"Well, you should bring a friend with you for this, right? Or a, uh, sidekick, is the word?"

She takes a breath to steady herself and stretches out her injured wing so that it can heal smoothly, all the bones in place and everything.
Ow.

"Probably, yes. But if it wants to remove every possible threat to itself, it will have a really long list of people to go after."
"Will it come for us first, or are other targets in danger?"

[bc56]

Kiun hops forward and walks along with Jason, tail swaying behind her.
"Well, you should bring a friend with you for this, right? Or a, uh, sidekick, is the word?"

She takes a breath to steady herself and stretches out her injured wing so that it can heal smoothly, all the bones in place and everything.
Ow.

"Probably, yes. But if it wants to remove every possible threat to itself, it will have a really long list of people to go after."
"Will it come for us first, or are other targets in danger?"

"There must be something about me that makes it think I'm a priority. There's much more powerful beings out there that it could be attacking." He takes a turn down an alley. "Come on... 'sidekick.'" He taps his helmet. "Hey. Something might be coming for you. Big pink blob. Yeah. Meet me at my current coordinates," He's clearly not talking to Kiun.

[Recaiden]

"There must be something about me that makes it think I'm a priority. There's much more powerful beings out there that it could be attacking." He takes a turn down an alley. "Come on... 'sidekick.'" He taps his helmet. "Hey. Something might be coming for you. Big pink blob. Yeah. Meet me at my current coordinates," He's clearly not talking to Kiun.

"Something to do with this 'Grant' person, right?"
Kiun also takes a moment to warn others about the monster and how to fight it off. But that doesn't require her to say anything out loud.
However, it does have her pause at the entrance to the alley.
"You're going to wait for them here?"

[Morty]

[Marketplace]

The MERC business card seems like it might sway Dorota, for a moment... but then she shakes her head.

"No, this has bad news written all over it. Please don't contact me again."

[bc56]

"Something to do with this 'Grant' person, right?"
Kiun also takes a moment to warn others about the monster and how to fight it off. But that doesn't require her to say anything out loud.
However, it does have her pause at the entrance to the alley.
"You're going to wait for them here?"

"I have no idea who it was talking about. I'm calling my sister." It mentioned her. "And no, we can keep moving. She knows where I am." Jason means she can track him.

[Rebonack]

[The Dog Days of Summer]

Khannie is going to bet the hippo guy is in fact bigger than the shorky pufferfish guy.

Puffer fish puff up.

That's their whole deal.

They do it to make themselves look bigger so things get intimidated. But hippos are just huge by default.

"Can't you just change back?" Khannie asks. A totally reasonable question. She could change back and forth when she had the magical stone Grandfather Koi gave her, after all.


[Normal Escort Mission]

Ah, how interesting.

The King Best Forgotten seeks to pierce the veil of time?

Time is a part of Neshy, it flows through her body like blood. Its currents and eddies are as familiar to her as the swirls of skin on a human's fingers. What do they hope to accomplish by this? To peer at what was is no simple task. A harrowing endeavor for certain. Does the King hope to change something? Or does it merely seek after knowledge?

If the former...

Then the paradox such an endeavor could create may be an anvil against which she could shatter the King's story. What a useful discovery.

[Keeper]

The Dog Days of Summer

That depends on how small of a Zamtrios Henry is. A full sized one is about the size of an SUV pre-puffing. Henry Vadnova is thankfully not quite that big.

"Oh, no sadly. Not how therianthropy works. Once it pops I'm like that until sunrise the next morning. Sometimes only a few hours but generally it's something like that." Melvin explains. This is why so much of his clothes are enchanted to match his size. You never know what shape you'll be in and for quite how long.

[Rebonack]

[The Dog Days of Summer]

Having clothing that changes size with you is definitely handy.

Khannie doesn't really have any clothing like that. Or.. well... She USED to. Back when she used the stone. But she doesn't really need stuff like that since she's JUST a human now.

As it should be.

"Sunrise?" Khannie asks, glancing up at the sky.

At this very moment it is:

Early morning. Afternoon. Evening. The dead of night. Sunrise.

All at once.

Because time zones are confusing and differ wildly based on where you are at the moment.

"Can't you just go to part of the City where it IS sunrise, then?"

Khannie has grown up Inside and its eclectic time zones are basically just a normal part of life to her.

[Ironsmith]

[Marketplace]

The MERC business card seems like it might sway Dorota, for a moment... but then she shakes her head.

"No, this has bad news written all over it. Please don't contact me again."

[Marketplace]

Rose gives Dorota a little sigh and a nod. "...All right. I suppose that's fair." She acquiesces, setting her fruit basket aside, no longer having a need for the pretext. "You take care of yourself, okay? And maybe get yourself a cat or something. You know, to keep Sizewell company. Just a thought."

True to her implied word, Rose does, indeed, not contact Dorota again. That would imply talking.

As opposed to barging in at a vulnerable moment. Such as, say...

[Keeper]

The Dog Days of Summer

Melvin stops to consider the question.
"Well, taking a drive has never worked in the past. I think it might go off of my internal clock or something? Like I said, it seems to be a few hours minimum at least."

Curses are weird like that. They usually have rules but they're not always strictly defined where the Nexus is concerned.

[Recaiden]

"I have no idea who it was talking about. I'm calling my sister." It mentioned her. "And no, we can keep moving. She knows where I am." Jason means she can track him.

Oh, Jason meant wherever he was then, not wherever he is now.
That's reasonable enough, so Kiun follows him down the alleyway. Not really sure this will limit Eidolon from following their trail, but it could help.
"Do you have a plan?"
She should be doing something herself, but what?

[bc56]

Oh, Jason meant wherever he was then, not wherever he is now.
That's reasonable enough, so Kiun follows him down the alleyway. Not really sure this will limit Eidolon from following their trail, but it could help.
"Do you have a plan?"
She should be doing something herself, but what?

"Nope. I just figured there was strength in numbers." Jason turns a corner and begins climbing up a fire escape. "If we get more of its targets in one place, it will be forced to fight us all at once."

[Hraithre]

[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."

"Okay." The little gargoyle does as asked, standing slightly hunched, so the weight of its wings won't pull it out of balance again. "You are quite the wizard. Where did you get all these knick-knacks?"

---

[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 rider notes the monster shying away from the water. Curious. Maybe it is subject to one of many traditional restrictions of crossing running water? Too bad water is one element he does not know the origin words of, so he can assume no direct control over it.

He's about to charge, but the snake turns its attention back on him. He looks up at the roiling thunder. "You are a slow learner, aren't you?", he taunts, bringing his warhorse to rear and lifting his hammer high. "Go ahead! Hit me with the worst you've got!" Through it all, he gives Hyeonbin a meaningful glance - hopefully the professor will take a hint and either do something to direct the water at the snake, or at least finally turn tail and flee before his lucks turns.

[Recaiden]

"Nope. I just figured there was strength in numbers." Jason turns a corner and begins climbing up a fire escape. "If we get more of its targets in one place, it will be forced to fight us all at once."

"That's a good idea. I'll call for some assistance as well." We'll see what creatures are close and not otherwise busy. Eidolon represents an interesting danger, so there shouldn't be much problem asknig for more resources to deal with it.

Kiun looks at the fire escape, flutters her upper wings experimentally, and then jumps and flies up to the top of the building.
"It probably has a way of tracking at least you, right? It wasn't a coincidence that you were in the same place fighting?"

[Morty]

[Detective Michalson's Office]

"Found 'em, bought 'em, got 'em as a gift... they're relics of a misspent youth." Michalson places the glyph on Bunny's back and begins to scrape it with a ritual knife of some kind, drawing complex shapes. "I'm not a wizard, though. This glyph requires no magical ability... just the right know-how."

[bc56]

"That's a good idea. I'll call for some assistance as well." We'll see what creatures are close and not otherwise busy. Eidolon represents an interesting danger, so there shouldn't be much problem asknig for more resources to deal with it.

Kiun looks at the fire escape, flutters her upper wings experimentally, and then jumps and flies up to the top of the building.
"It probably has a way of tracking at least you, right? It wasn't a coincidence that you were in the same place fighting?"

"I'd assume so. Stay on your toes." Jason finishes his climb and takes a seat on an air conditioner. "Hopefully, we just have to wait for help to arrive."

[Recaiden]

[Rooftops]

"I'd assume so. Stay on your toes." Jason finishes his climb and takes a seat on an air conditioner. "Hopefully, we just have to wait for help to arrive."

Kiun stays standing, pacing between the rooftop's edge and a locked roof-access-door.

"Do you think it wants your technologies? Some particular thing you have in that suit?" She's just guessing. But really, there's 2 steps here. Wait for help, and then wait for the monster.
"Otherwise, if I were Eidolon, I would be going after a different threat first."

[bc56]

Rooftops
"I don't think it uses tech. It's probably got some personal grudge against me, maybe my sister, and the Grant person it thought I knew." Jason would prefer that it was after his gear. That's something he knows how to deal with. "Any idea what it is? It didn't register at all to my suit's systems. It's like it's not there." His ribs disagree though.

[Recaiden]

[Rooftops]

"It had no Form. Though it could talk, there was no mental presence, no detectable magic. A soulless collection of lights, sounds, and physical forces." Kiun keeps pacing, flapping her nearly-healed wing experimentally. "Did you notice how that color of it was kind of in the same place as the rubble of that building, both at once?"

"It's not only in our minds, but maybe it is a sort of shadow of something else. Reaching here from another world, or a dream, or something.

[bc56]

Rooftops
"That's... Potentially terrifying," Jason judges, "If it's just a part of something bigger, I'd hate to see its progenitor. Any idea of how to fight it? Your fire seemed to work well."

[Morty]

[Normal Escort Mission]

"What is the object of the mission, then?"

"I told you-"

"It is secret, I know. But I need some details, witch. What is the end goal?"

"...an object. A potent one, storied in legend."

"I am not surprised. Your lord, he covets such things, yes? Something that belongs to one of his old enemies... he could make great use of it."

"You're starting to show an unhealthy interest in details, old man."

"Yes, of course. How do you think I came to run this shop? Regardless... bringing back an object storied in legends will require your lord's might, but also... this." More shuffling of boxes. "And... hmm. This must be in the second room. Let us check there."

[Thursday Violist]

[A fairy]

A fairy walks down the street.

Of course, she doesn't quite look like a 'conventional' fairy. Otherwise, she wouldn't stand out so much.

Rather than being tiny, she's tall – not just tall for a woman, but tall for a human. Well, maybe famous basketball players are taller than her. She's not quite as tall as a half-giantess demigod, either. But she's a tall ladu.

Plus, her piercing blue eyes are rather striking.

Okay, okay, she's not that unusual. Not even the light blue transparent shawl is that unusual.

But, even so...maybe it's the way she carries herself, then. Maybe that's what makes her so much better than the common folk around.

[Recaiden]

[Rooftops]

"That's... Potentially terrifying," Jason judges, "If it's just a part of something bigger, I'd hate to see its progenitor. Any idea of how to fight it? Your fire seemed to work well."

"Oh. I could be totally wrong about it." Kiun says, shrugging with her upper wings.

"Everything we did seemed effective. But it also adapted to the heat very quickly. Either only the outer layer was able to burn, or it can protect itself somehow."
"So we should try to subject it to as many different dangers as we can."
"What all does your ... armor? do?"

[Gullara]

[Normal Escort Mission]

Onyeka curses silently and instructs her spirit to retrieve the lockpicks and move away from the door before they really get themselves caught. She also moves away from the door herself and presses herself into the nearest corner she can find. Hopefully whatever her companion did actually protects them.