The Nexus

[Foxes and Ghosts]

"A-are there? Um... d-did they die here, or a-are they just visiting?" Micah asks.

Waving reluctantly to the two secret agents, he says "N-nice to meet you b-both... I-I guess..." He hopes they aren't going to turn on him for breaking up their fight.

"I-it's only as geeky as it f-feels," Micah counters. It is pretty geeky, though.

Morty wrote: ↑Oct 24, 2022 10:07 pm [All Over]

"Oh yeah! We dressed up as Pokemon too, a few years ago," Oortka squeaks.

"We live in Underside. It's a big goblin colony underground."

"Is everyone in the Temple a fox-person? There's a lot of you here. As many as there's us."

[All Over]

Katia shakes her head

no, not really... there are six different kinds of foxlike folks, and then there are pokemon, some humans, a few ponies, couple dragons... a horse

Francine tilts her head

What do the were-foxes count as? They're kinda sorta elves really, but they just never ... bother?

Kartik chuckles.

Mostly fox-ish, though.

[Ghosts and Foxes]

And Jason and Micah. They aren't either of those things.

"That's a good question. The campground was built on top of a Geneeeeeric Haaaaaauuunted Buuuurial ground! OoooooOOOOOooooo!" Khannie replies, wiggling her fingers in a fashion she judges as sufficiently spooky in her own professional opinion. "So they probably died somewhere else and got buried here. That's how graveyards work."

People don't typically die in graveyards. Most deaths are probably in homes and hospitals these days.

Khannie makes a dismissive hand wave at the donut tree, banishing the simple baffles she had cast. "You wanna give the donut eating race a try with me? Promise I won't leg sweep you."

Unlike SOME people with a superlative abundance of fox tails.

[Ghosts and Foxes]

Caroline pads over

I would like to try as well, if I may, Khannie?

[Not too late?]

Seraphina hears the voice coming from the stuffed animal.
First thought: she thinks it's some kind of speaker. She looks a little closer to see if she can find the speaker inside the stuffed animal.
...
But...
Actually, she has a thought.
Maybe it's a ghost?
It is Spooktober, after all. Could be a ghost holding a stuffed animal, or possessing a stuffed animal, or something.
Yeah.
That makes sense.

"Um. If you were trying to get to the party, then yes. You're at the party."

Seraphina steps to the side, trying to get out of the way of the bubble in case it's really intent on going somewhere specific. "That where you wanted to go?"

Foxes and Ghosts
"Don't worry, we're all geeks here," Jade reassures Micah. The twins are dressed as the Men in Black, Khannie is a pokemon, and so forth. A magical children's card game isn't that weird. It even sounds vaguely familiar...

Arkhosia wrote: ↑Oct 24, 2022 5:09 am [Robots, Ghouls, Trainers and Schools]

"Ugh, you are not getting kissed tonight," Anastasia groans, the threat entirely neutered by the fondness in her voice as she leans back into his arms. Physical contact never ceased to soothe Ana's jitters. The color in her face has mostly cooled to a soft, rosy hue, and she giggles at Iknika's confidence.

"W-wait, me? Um- what about my- y-y'know what, nevermind." The kitsune drops a hand from her face full of makeup, too meek to spoil the fun. "Championship or no, I'm sure I can at least show these two how it's done," she ribs, stepping up to the tub - but just as she starts to lean down, she pauses.

"H-hey, um - Atsede?" Ana looks back over her shoulder. "Do you - do you think you could like, hold my hair back for me?" Her hair is quite long, and wearing it loose like this makes it very hard not to end up with a mouth full of it instead.

Morty wrote: ↑Oct 24, 2022 10:07 pm [Robots, Ghouls, Trainers and Schools]

"You've got sharp teeth too, so you've got an advantage." Iknika is doing her best to be reassuring.

Gullara wrote: ↑Oct 25, 2022 3:41 am [Robots, Ghouls, Trainers and Schools]

"Whaaat? Come on." Eliseo pleads teasingly. She plants a kiss on her cheek, but soon lets her go. He can hold onto her later.

He watches her prep for the bobbing. There's been interesting reactions out of Ana today, he's got to say. He scrutinizes her interaction with Atsede in particular right now. "Come on, Ana, you can show her up." He encourages. His girlfriend is surely better than Iknika.

[Robots, Ghouls, Trainers and Schools]

"Good! He doesn't deserve those kisses." The changeling said, wiping the water still dripping from her hair as emphasis. "...Although let's be real, I've seen you two, we all know that ain't actually happening."

Atsede honestly hadn't considered the whole makeup thing. It still hadn't occurred to her, truth be told. She just thought Anastasia was being her normal, anxious-over-nothing self. "Hey yeah, c'mon, as she said, you got this! And uh, yeah I guess." Weird request, but fine really. Although given her current situation Atsede wasn't exactly sympathetic over the possibility of merely getting some of her hair wet.

She moves besides Anastasia, a little awkwardly lifting her hair in her hands, and very briefly considers tugging it back. But nah. She had a better idea. Instead she waited till the fox leaned in to try bite the apple, before pulling her back by the hair to stop her just short of her target.

[Robots, Ghouls, Trainers and Schools]

"U-um, thanks." The kitsune flashes Atsede with an awkward little smile, turning to the tub and placing her palms on the rim. She does, however, pause for a second after the changeling moves in to lend a hand, another touch of pink in her face. Oh dear. She'd never had a girl's hand on her hair before, and it feels... very weird. Is this a normal thing to feel in this sort of situation -

She shakes her head lightly. Ugh, no, stop it Ana you're embarrassing yourself right now! Just... stop thinking about things! "Um - alright! Well, uh, here goes!" With that she leans over, scans the tub... and picks out the perfect target, her eyes flashing. There!

Jolting down, Anastasia seizes a particularly pristine green apple between her jaws! Fangs digging into the skin, she starts to lean up when -

"Mnf!"

The kitsune's eyes go wide, her face going bright red. Ohmigosh, did she just make - in front of everyone else? From Atsede pulling her hair? Ohmigosh ohmigosh ohmigosh - its okay its okay, maybe they didn't hear it, it was pretty muffled by the apple! And maybe if they did it'll be alright she can just -

"T-t-t-there!" Anastasia declares, reaching up and taking a large bite out of the apple. "First try! I-I dunno if it was quite as cool as Iknika's but like, that's - t-t-that's way better than Atsede did, right?"

Thursday Violist wrote: ↑Oct 25, 2022 11:53 pm [Not too late?]

Seraphina hears the voice coming from the stuffed animal.
First thought: she thinks it's some kind of speaker. She looks a little closer to see if she can find the speaker inside the stuffed animal.
...
But...
Actually, she has a thought.
Maybe it's a ghost?
It is Spooktober, after all. Could be a ghost holding a stuffed animal, or possessing a stuffed animal, or something.
Yeah.
That makes sense.

"Um. If you were trying to get to the party, then yes. You're at the party."

Seraphina steps to the side, trying to get out of the way of the bubble in case it's really intent on going somewhere specific. "That where you wanted to go?"

[Not too late?]

The animal has a mouth that moves while talking, even including tiny little teeth.
The bubble itself has stoped moving forward when he awaks.

"A nice." he says. "You wouldn't belive me how much trouble i had to get here from HALO. Remember, Taxi driver don't like waterbubbles in their cars and that wasn't the worst thing that happened."

He looks at her costume. "I don't see a Questionmark above you so you don't have a quest for me?" he says with a grin. Since he is so small all he does in little and when he would do little things none could see t

[Not too late?]

Unfortunately, Seraphina doesn't know where HALO is. So she can't appreciate all the work the stuffed animal went through to get here. "I guess I can believe it. I mean, I walked here from Inside so. I mean, it didn't take quite a week, but. Y'know."
She pauses.
"Wait, what was the worst thing that happened?" He can't just casually mention that but not elaborate!

Seraphina waves at the space above her head, feeling for a floating question mark. "Nope, you're right. None there. You're right, no quests this time."

[Foxes and Ghosts]

"Oh, a-a burial ground? T-That makes sense." It would be cooler if it was built on a tomb, or something.

In response to the racing offer, Micah says "Uh, w-well, I w-would, b-but the mask, uh,w-would get in th-the way."

"B-besides, s-since I'm, uh, supposed to be the emperor of games, I-I'd probably beat you s-so bad it w-wouldn't even b-be a contest." Micah smiles under the mask. Wouldn't want Khannie to think he's chickening out after all.

[Not too late?]

Since the nexus has a seriouse problem with distance, anything could be long.

"I am not sure what of those things that happen is the worst. The taxi driver not taking a bubble to a destination is just really annoying and in a way understandable. The first thing however was a lot more time consuming.
I went out of the underwaterbase by shuttle, since that is the only way.It was all normal. When i left however people started to panic. One shouted 'THEY EVOLVED! They can now move on land'. I was confused what they mean, but every attemp to ask them just made them cry and run away. Days later I found out those people meant me and thought I am some kind of new shark type who learned magic to eat people. Man was that a trouble for HALO as some delivery got delayed."

His costume is not that perfect, but the little creature has problems due to funny magix which makes sometimes things look really real. Also he floats up so they can look eye to eye.

[Gals With Guns]

Morty wrote: ↑Oct 23, 2022 5:25 pm"I guess it's difficult to get rid of cyberware, so it's best not to leap into it," Olvisin admits. "My brother could talk your ear off about magic and tech, but he's not here. Want to go get a drink? ...I hope they have alcohol, but it's a kid-friendly party."

"Not unless some of these kids are like the teens back in the Barrens." She cackles. "Ah, it won'tbe all bad. Maybe we can drink enough... I dunno, they have pop here, right? Maybe we can get a sugar rush." Cassidy shakes her head a little. "But yeah, drinks aound good."

[Foxes and Ghosts]

Nah, the tomb is out on the island in the middle of the lake.

Khannie ostensibly doesn't know about that, though. She hasn't ever been out there before.

She IS curious about it, though.

Maybe one of these days...

Anywho!

Khannie crosses her arms and looks vaguely annoyed Micah's unwillingness to remove his mask for a donut eating race. "Fiiiiine... I would totally beat you, emperor of games or no." But then Caroline agrees! There's just one problem.

"Umm... I think this game is sorta made for humans because we've got tiny mouths and it looks funny when the donut keeps bouncing off our faces," Khannie points out. "Fox mouths are WAY bigger and better for snatching stuff."

All the better for pouncing on mice under the snow.

"I think if we race there would have to be a handicap handicap for you."

Or Khannie could just dismiss her human girl disguise.

But she's about as adamantly against doing that as Micah is about removing his mask. Very hypocritical of her.

There might be another option, though. Is Caroline one of the werefoxes? Khannie honestly doesn't remember. There are so many kitsune and werefoxes and they're easy to mix up.

[Foxes and Ghosts]

Caroline looks thoughtful, and then nods

Fair enough, but easily fixed. The only use for the Miracle spell that isn't massively unpleasant is it's ability to mimic any other spell, and I can't imagine needing all of my high level allotment for today anyway, so...

To be fair in the game
with a face built the same
'ere the game has begun
polymorph to human!

Maybe not the very best rhyme ever... but close enough. In the tiniest of instants Caroline is changed!

Still 5 foot 3 inches tall with the same medium-frame build so her clothing needed no adjustments, Caroline is now a human! If you had to guess her age you would think early 30s. Her fair complexion, black hair, and dark eyes recall someone of Norweigan descent.

This should work, yes?

[All Over]

"I'm a woblin, because I'm a Wolfen and a goblin," Tuskfang states proudly, his tail wagging. "Blaggut and Oortka are just goblins."

"Do you want to go play something? There's a bunch of games here," Blaggut suggests.

[Gals With Guns]

Olvisin starts leading the way to the drinks table.

"Are kids drinking booze normal where you're from? I can't imagine it. There was always a legion of matrons, aunts and neighbors hovering around me when I was a kid. Not a great situation if you don't... you know, conform."

[Robots, Ghouls, Trainers and Schools]

Iknika's sensitive ears flick up and down. Did she just hear... okay, time to pretend she didn't. There's a limit to which she's willing to take teasing someone.

"Yeah, not bad! And you did it before a swarm of goblin kids descended on this game with their big teeth."

[Foxes and Ghosts]

Khannie's eyes widen at the transformation!

"Oh wow that's just a thing you can do whenever?" she asks, the comment about spell slots not really clicking with her. What the heck are spell slots? She does know, however, that her shadow illusions can pull off a rough approximation of a transmutation. Which is what she's doing right now with her disguise. But the scope of that trick is pretty limited. The only thing Khannie actually knows how to be is her human shape because that's what she has actual experience with. She wouldn't know how to be, say, and elf.

"Okay then! Challenge accepted!" she declares, positioning herself under one of the dangling donuts. "First to finish two donuts wins! You can only touch it with your face and your mouth. NOTHING else. Does someone wanna shout go for us?"

She glances around at those gathered to see if anyone wants to volunteer.

[Gals With Guns]

"Dunno if normal's the word I'd use. Wasn't legal or anything, that just didn't stop me or some of my chummers. Probably shouldn't have drank back then, though. Kids are dumb enough sober, yeah?" She laughs at her own joke.

It's easy enough for Cassidy to follow Olvisin to the drinks table, where she takes a moment to look at her options. Was still weird tasting actual fruit in some of this stuff. "See, that's what I can't imagine. Where I grew up, it was pretty much you and whatever crew you could find against the world. Not much time to worry about conforming."

[Foxes and Ghosts]

Micah watches the transformation from fox into human girl. Quite impressive! He could even applaud. He won't, but he could.

"H-hey, h-how about I race the w-winner of this one? I-I'll entrust m-my mask to the loser, w-while they watch." He's proposing this mostly because he wants to prove Khannie wrong about being able to beat him. Before, it was an offer, but now, it's a challenge.

"Uh, a-anyways... Ready... Steady... G-G-G-GO!"

[Not too late?]

Seraphina still thinks it a little weird that she's talking to a possessed doll, but she's warming up to it.
It is Spooktober, after all.

"I can see why people would be afraid of such a convincing shark," Seraphina says. "I mean, sea monsters rising from the depths? Pretty frightening."

She nods understandably.
Plus, y'know, it's a flying shark.

[Robots, Ghouls, Trainers and Schools]

Eliseo's eyebrows shoot directly up. That was, uh, okay maybe he shouldn't pull attention toward that. It certainly sends some thoughts rushing through Eliseo's head, though. "Uh, yeah, not bad, Ana. Knew you could do it." He compliments. The expression he's giving her is still pretty surprised, though.

[Robots, Ghouls, Trainers and Schools]

Geez. Anastasia is taking an awful long time to start. What's she fussed with now?

WOAH. Woah woah woah, hang on, did she just hear that!? Atsede looks almost shocked, glancing between Iknika and Eliseo and Anastasia in turn. Was nobody gonna say anything? Okay? She had heard that, right? No, she definitely had. But nobody was acknowledging it at all!

The changeling clears her throat. "No, no no no. We're not just moving past that. Ana, what was that!? Atsede was show shocked she didn't even use her nickname for the fox. "Oh, and uh, Eli, you should probably take the reigns here." She very pointedly dropped the "reigns" and stepped back.

[Robots, Ghouls, Trainers and Schools]

"H-heh, yeah, I don't think I could keep up with that. All of the apples woulda probably been gone before I got one," Anastasia jokes, still a little nervous - a feeling that isn't helped when she turns and sees the expression on Eliseo's face. Ohmigosh, he absolutely heard that didn't he? It's okay, just play it cool, he's not talking about it so -

Theeeeeen Atsede speaks up.

"I - uh. Um..." Anastasia stutters, her face going pale as she goes stock-still, trying not to panic - and evidently fails, since the moment Atsede lets go of her hair she suddenly vanishes and a two-tailed fox appears in her place, then attempts to book it past Eliseo and Iknika and into the surrounding crowd.

[All Over]

Katia nods

Yeah. Let's go do something fun and leave the fandoms to their...

She flaps her hands at the groups pretending to have pokemon battles and destroying imaginary cities respectively

stuff.

Her friends nod their agreement.

----

[Foxes and Ghosts]

Caroline shakes her head

Oh no, not whenever I want. While I have a lot of freedom in what I do, that is Inari's power and there are limits to what I'm allowed to do and how many times in a day I can do it. At least, not without special permission and pressing need.

And now, the race. Caroline selects a promising-looking donut and promptly gets powdered sugar up her nose! Violent sneezing does not swift progress make, alas!

Someone looking closely would perhaps notice that there is a hole in her cargo shorts where her tail used to poke through.

[Foxes and Ghosts]

Divine magic sure is weird.

Like... Someone else gives you a pile of spells to use or something? And once you are out that's it? Like a daily allowance. Except magic instead of money.

Anyway!

Who cares about that it's time to RACE!

Khannie positions herself near an old fashioned maple donut and begins gnawing at it as frantically as she can manage! After it swings away from her a few times she figures out that stopping it with her face rather than chasing it around with her mouth works WAY better.

The first donut vanishes pretty quickly and she scoots over to the next closet one, a cruller dusted with cinnamon and sugar.

Oh yeah!

She's totally got this!

[All Over]

"My dad and Domhnall set up a hay bale maze!" Tuskfang declares. "It's a maze made out of hay. You're supposed to find our way to the center. We should try it."

[Gals With Guns]

"That's what you'd call a difference in upbringing." Olvisin picks up a goblin-friendly fruity drink. "I grew up with three siblings... I'm a quadruplet, you see. You might have heard that goblins kind of breed quickly. And a swarm of cousins, like the little creatures running around here. With my mother above me. And our family matron above her, surveying us. One big family. With big expectations."

[Gals With Guns]

Cassidy gets herself a simple glass of punch for now. The pop can come later, of course. She pushes her cat mask up to take a sip, finally revealing her face - complete with a smirk. "Really? Here I thought everyone was a street kid." She shakes her head. "Not really met too many goblins, but plenty of chummers tell me what it's like having a big family. I kinda get it myself, from my ganger days. Gotta keep up the right image and all that crap."

[Robots, Ghouls, Trainers and Schools]

Eliseo, caught totally off guard by that transformation, just lets Ana burn past him. Honestly he's not sure he could have stopped her. He's left there stunned a moment before he turns the way she went. "Oh crap, I better go after her. Uh, sorry." Is all he offers before running off in the direction Ana went. Hopefully he can actually find her...

[Robots, Ghouls, Trainers and Schools]

Atsede blinks for a moment, taking in what had just happened. Oops. She may have pushed it a little too far. "H-Hey, wait, Ana, come back!" she calls out uselessly to Anastasia, suddenly feeling very guilty.

She turns to apologize to Eliseo in turn but he's already gone after her by the time her brain whirrs into gear. "Oh. Uh... Oops. I should uh, probably just stay back here. Dunno that she wants to see me right now. Uh, didn't mean to cause any drama like this on Spooktober..." Atsede shuffles about a little awkwardly as she talks half to Iknika, half to herself. So, she scared off Anastasia, probably messed up Eliseo's night too since he's gotta deal with that, and she roped poor Iknika into it too. Fuck.

[Gals With Guns]

Olvisin's ears perk up with Cassidy removes her mask. Ooh, she's cute. Let's prod a little and see how she feels about some things...

"Yeah... back home, family reputation matters a lot. And inter-family relationships. My family is a client to a more powerful one, like most families in the colony. It gets exhausting sometimes. I have a lot more freedom here. Take the jobs I want, hook up with who I want and so on."

[Robots, Ghouls, Trainers and Schools]

"It probably would have been better to let it lie, yes." Iknika decides to be blunt. "Whatever it even was. I kinda hoped I was the only one to hear it. I know most topsiders can't hear like we do."