[Nexus] Inside 51

[Lord Magtok]

Starling House

"Really? You want to infiltrate?" Mara asks.

Godtok shrugs. "Sure, why not? Just need to alter the pitch of our voices slightly and no one would ever suspect us. No real risk, and plenty to gain. And we need to do something with our time besides breaking and entering for fun and profit."

[Halae]

Warwick Works

Willow takes the card and opens the door so Mr C can leave.

Then she returns to Tandred and looks at his results. "This is promising. I want you to meet my partner, Arthur Rock."[Warwick Works]

"I'd appreciate that, yes." Tandred says. He'll follow if Willow leads.

[blackouttwo]

[Warwick Works]

A quick trip to Arthur's part of the workshop will reveal him working very hard on a device. Exactly what kind of device is a question left unanswered as he hears Willow and Tandred coming and covers the machine and workbench with a tarp. "Hey." He turns to face his girlfriend and their new prospective employee. "OK, so, if you're standing here, you passed the initial interview and tests. That's a good sign. What were his scores, Willow?"

[Morcleon]

There isn't much happening right now and it will need hours before anything visible happens.

"Yeah. I think we shouldn't question evolution that way. We should not forget that our past caused us to be like we are while others might have experienced different."

[DMC 2.0]

Yuki nods and smiles slightly at Mia. "I've traveled enough to be able to at least try to keep an objective viewpoint... although I guess that in and of itself causes subjectivity."

[OrchestraHc]

Market Street

"Hmm.." Plucking a blue marble with a wave of green at it's center from the pile, Mel holds it up for all to see and begins to hum. It's not a melody you could define in human notes or play on any instrument made above the waves- It's sharp and wavering and at points seems to only be half there, the other half rising past the spectrum of mundane comprehension.

The enchantment is simple. A little spark of magic to give the humors a nudge in the right direction and make it jolt to the touch, so they'll know it's working. You wouldn't want any more than that. Try to alter the physique too far, be it mer or man's, always seems to end with nasty complications and green spots.

The tricky bit is the theatrics.

As Melbourne sings the air churns about low to the ground and grows heavy with moisture like just before a storm. A dim golden haze surrounds the marble, wavering like sunlight on the surface of water. Vague shapes flow around the crowd in ephemeral ripples of motion, darting and weaving like regal koi.

The special effects fade away as Melbourne's song does, although a faint glow still hangs about the bauble as he throws it over to Pepperjack. "Done."

Well, Pepperjack will be a monkey's uncle. He actually feels something from the bauble, whether it will make the young woman healthy is another story. "Here you are ma'am," the gentleman assassin says as he offers the marble to her. "Legal reasons demand we tell you not to take any unnecessary risks, but this should do the trick."

The woman is thoroughly impressed by the show and more importantly by the jolt of the bauble. She can already feel it working! "This is perfect. How much?"

"A gold coin sounds adequate. Hmm, what say you Melbourne the Mystic?"

[ThirdEmperor]

Alleyway

Well.....
That really didn't take much effort at all.

Shrugging, Sir Hex vanishes into the shadows of the alley as a door swings open nearby. Three college students come stumbling out of the bar, drunk as skunks, stumbling down the road arm in arm and singing. "Go on Marty, take vengeance against the world."

Marketplace

Melbourne's brow furrows with thought and he pauses for a moment, before asking in a whisper just loud enough to be overheard, "Is that much?" Whether it's a genuine question or for the crowd's sake, who knows.

[Hattish Thing]

Alleyway

Well.....
That really didn't take much effort at all.

Shrugging, Sir Hex vanishes into the shadows of the alley as a door swings open nearby. Three college students come stumbling out of the bar, drunk as skunks, stumbling down the road arm in arm and singing. "Go on Marty, take vengeance against the world."


Marty nods and grins horribly. He watches the college students skip around, intoxicated. Marty remembers the vision of Rage. Somehow, that lodestone would give him everything needed... Sir Hex had already caught a nearly completely insane man. He'll attempt to run, trying to run to Outside.

[Darkcomet]

The Good Ship Sanctuary

"Guess they would. Good thing they don't know it's over at [COORDINATES] huh? An I guess we're real lucky we didn't just admit t' not having any air support. 'Cause that'd make breaking a deal with someone who does over a stupid robot who's more a hindrance than anything really really friggin' dumb."

"Well then. I think this discussion is finished. We'll see what happens." Click. He's gone.

It is unclear if this is a good thing or not for Excelsior. Or anyone else, for that matter. Time will tell. (Read: The player is too lazy and will probably post for things following this at a more reasonable hour.)

[GrandDM]

[Shadowside Arena]

Shadow steps out from a dark corner, and walks calmly out into the middle of the arena, looking around slowly, taking in the group of people sent by Mayhala.

The arena itself (based on what C'nor told me about it looking like the one on Geonosis) is about two hundred meters long and a hundred wide, with tiered seating all around the edge. All of it, like the rest of Shadowside, is made of shadows. Examining the substance, Shadow shakes his head slowly.

"Interesting. This shadow is... alien... to me, hostile. It should not be. I wonder if there is another power at work here..."

Straightening, he concentrates for a moment, and solidity flows through his form. He stands easily in the center, all the time watching Mayhala's people, waiting to see what they will do.

[happyturtle]

Warwick Works


[Warwick Works]

A quick trip to Arthur's part of the workshop will reveal him working very hard on a device. Exactly what kind of device is a question left unanswered as he hears Willow and Tandred coming and covers the machine and workbench with a tarp. "Hey." He turns to face his girlfriend and their new prospective employee. "OK, so, if you're standing here, you passed the initial interview and tests. That's a good sign. What were his scores, Willow?"

Willow hands him the scores:


[Warwick Works]

Tandred will move off to the side to complete the equivalency test, with a 91% pass rate on things that he's mentioned he's studied (plus physics) and 77% on things he hasn't; evidently, despite his rather warped appearance he's an intelligent individual.


"This is Tandred. Tandred, my partner, Arthur Rock. By the way, I sent away a tiny creature who wanted to use magic to shrink our lab equipment to his size."

1

Starling House


Godtok shrugs. "Sure, why not? Just need to alter the pitch of our voices slightly and no one would ever suspect us. No real risk, and plenty to gain. And we need to do something with our time besides breaking and entering for fun and profit."

"Then we better get everything we want from here and skedaddle," Mara says. She pockets the family picture.

[Darkcomet]

[Blue Zone-Cirrus Street]

People present might be a little surprised when the flying aircraft carrier currently landed atop the black spire that is the Altaran Irregulars' main base launches a number of fighters. Loudly.

It doesn't launch itself, since the giant hatch up there allows it to act as a stationary airbase when it's open, but the fighters launch nonetheless.

[Terumitsu]

[Market Street - Twisted Tea Cafe]

It was one of the many outdoor cafes that dotted the city; each donned in colors that might be thought as festive if not for the general lack of holiday apparel or decorations... Save one, of course, but that really was to be expected in the Nexus.

Still, this particular one was moderately more notable than the others by nature of narrative focus. Or rather, being the backdrop of the narrative focus for a particular 'person,' for lack of a better identifier. If one needed details, the being was of indeterminate gender with small antlers jutting from their temples; circling their crown like some kind of fey regalia which, coupled with ripe wheat gold hair, appeared to be more than just a coincidental aspect of their appearance. Long, slender hands loosely gripped either side of a cup as if they were enjoying the warmth that bled through it from the still steaming liquid inside.

They appeared to be quite peaceful if not completely out of place given themselves and their surroundings.

[Lost_Deep]

Market Street - Twisted Tea Cafe

Copi appears outside the Cafe, or so it appears to anyone who was not watching the skies. A woman with forest green hair and a lighter green dress... or, actually, is that a lab coat? Hard to say. Her eyes are a bright blue, that stand out and look creepy at the wrong angle. If someone gets a close look at her, they might notice that she's not entirely natural, with slight seams showing in her skin along the joints. Of course, supernatural senses will probably see something very interesting.

Having a bit of coin to spend for some reason that may never be figured out, she examines the Cafe and what is has to offer with curiosity.

[McBish]

Nort's Place


"Yes. That would be the plan." Lawrence takes a seat on the nearest clear spot he can find, nodding to Nort. "The question is can we trust you? After our 'friends' violence, you might try to run."

Nort thinks, "Where would I run, you know where I live." He motions to the room they are in. "I don't know any reason you would trust me. I don't like the idea of working on a weapon. But with antimatter leaving you to work on it yourself... well it wouldn't make anyone safer." Nort obviously has doubts about working with the friendly kidnapper.

===================

[Gothic Roof]


"Magic," Young Star ironically deflects. No sense getting the friendly drug dealer involved. "So he's keeping powerful magic items away from people with questionable moral ethics? Shocker. Though his own are in question themselves. So, what do you think we should do with you? Careful, might be a trick question again."

The mage thinks for a few minutes before speaking up. "Find someone you know and trust that is good with mind magic. You might be able to pry something out of my mind. Or at least make sure I am not doing anything to mess with your minds." The mage glances over at Calvin. "Or you could kill me and dump my body somewhere."

Calvin looks upset at this comment. He doesn't say anything just continues to glare at the mage giving Young Star his chance to do it his way.

[Terumitsu]

[Market Street - Twisted Tea Cafe]

Well then, it seems that something very interesting will be perceived.. But it appears that will wait a moment as the selection was being observed. Really, this place was apparently one of those theme shops that crop up and then whither for having so limited a scope but while it lasted, it was offering various teas blended with certain extracts or fruit juices for additional flavor. It likely wouldn't last the month but it was here for the time being at least.

Once Copi decided to make an order or walk away, she might get the notion of being beckoned over without any actual motion taking place. Or any apparent motion in normal three-space at least. Plenty would be going on outside that but it would be presumptuous to assume that it was all visible.

In any case, the first thing said, assuming she follows on the notion, would be a rather quaint: "Agreeable afternoon, do you think?"

[Lost_Deep]

Market Street - Twisted Tea Cafe

Copi will decide to order something nice and fruity, and then does notice the person when it(?) tries to get her attention. She will walk over to it. "Indeed," She will reply, "And I believe we are past the risk of cold snaps, as well, but I have been wrong before."

As for what is seen with the supernatural senses, it's... complex. Copi is some kind of odd thing that mainly survives off of inhaling ambient magical energy from her surroundings, and as thus she doesn't need to eat or even sleep if she's conservative. Her blood is actually liquid electricity, and as thus is a magic anomaly in and of itself. In her back are six discs, which would act as foci for some other power.

Mentally, It might be hard to see anything of her. Her mental defenses are very, very scary. Those alone could tell someone that she's a powerful psychic, and looking into her mind itself could be actively harmful for the unprepared.

If this being can see her soul... well, suffice to say it's not pretty. If it can see her soul, it might wonder how she can operate at all... much less interact with others.

[Zefir]

[The Fairview Hotel, located in the Blue Zone]

"Well. Ok" Andy replies.

After all the thing he creates isn't some kind of super weapon or even a weapon. Due to that he tells himself that this action can't directly cause an apocalypse. He will then go start his work.


[DMC 2.0]

Yuki nods and smiles slightly at Mia. "I've traveled enough to be able to at least try to keep an objective viewpoint... although I guess that in and of itself causes subjectivity."

[DMC 2.0]

Mia nods.

"You know that throws the question: Where did you come from that cause you to travel through planes?"

[Warwick Works]

Mr C just leaves without anything else.

[Terumitsu]

[Market Street - Twisted Tea Cafe]

Complexity is interesting when it is made for sustanability. Not so much when designed simply for obfuscation as that was really just convoluted under a different name. And generally bad form on the whole or so was the Entity's opinion on the matter.

Still, sifting through the many whirling bits that one might conceptualize as varying physiological, psychological, and pseudonatural traits was something that the observing being in particular had some great experience in and would likely not suffer too much effort spent gathering all that could be gleaned from passive inspection. Active observation would involve more invasive interaction, after all, and such would be quite rude.

Still, Copi may get the notion of being measured and scrutinized even if there had been no change of expression from the apparently fey being. The current conversation would reflect none of this, however. It was rather blunt to simply ask someone about their traits immediately even if curiosity wished otherwise. "Prediction and prescience are somewhat skewed here so I would not fault any misjudgements, personally." they said with a gentle, if enigmatic, smile. "Though, if you have the time, perhaps dwelling upon the more immediate things at hand would be a venture more interesting than foreseeing the fractal paths of potentially fallacious ends. Tell me, are you much for star gazing?"

[ThePhantom]

[The Fairview Hotel, located in the Blue Zone]

"Well. Ok" Andy replies.

After all the thing he creates isn't some kind of super weapon or even a weapon. Due to that he tells himself that this action can't directly cause an apocalypse. He will then go start his work.



Indeed it isn't a weapon, and while Andy builds, the suit of armor goes to try to help him, while Mr Steward heads off to sleep.

[Lost_Deep]

Market Street - Twisted Tea Cafe

Copi smiles slightly. It seems this person has a taste for verbosity much like her own. "That depends entirely on the definition. On occasion, I do enjoy looking up at the night sky, especially in the wilderness with minimal light pollution... but I have found, trying to stargaze in the nexus is an exercise in fractal paths and fallacious ends. While on occasion it can be hard to tell, every night the sky in the nexus is different. There are never quite the same constellations, sometimes you can see impressive whorls of color, and sometimes the stars move within the night. While I do not stargaze much, as per the normal definition, I do enjoy spending time gazing at the stars."

[Terumitsu]

[Market Street - Twisted Tea Cafe]

"Simply star gazing as astronomy would be a particularly irksome vocation without a non-negligible amount of aid." they said, turning a crimson gaze down to the glass table they sat at and tracing a pinky finger in a wide circle about it's center. After the third circuit, a flicker of gold appeared on the path as a sphere of sparking void was imposed within the circumferential area. Placing a thumb atop the orb, they gave it a flick and the glittering motes streaked past as the focus changed to some other location. If Copi had the capacity for sensing such things, it might be odd to her that there was no application of magical means being used here. Physics was definitely acting strangely but it seemed to be doing this of it's own volition. Of course, the existence of a hard vacuum just sitting there in such a well behaved manner would be a bit annoying to some.

"Still, it is an interesting hobby. It makes one curious as to how many of the stars that one can see in the sky has a planet which is enmeshed with this amalgamate existence. And perhaps a bit amusing as it is entirely possible to see the planet in the sky while standing on a sliver of it's soil. A shame irony cannot be used as a viable power source." they said, motioning towards the sphere with the implication that she was free to examine it how she wished. There was a hint of a nebula at the far end from her perspective if she wanted to focus on something colorful.

[Lost_Deep]

Market Street - Twisted Tea Cafe

Copi regards the orb with curiosity. "Indeed. Of course, I have yet to be given any reason to believe that the nexus is a planet. For all we know, perhaps it is a planet one day, a flat plane beneath a dome the next, and perhaps on the inside of a sphere the day after that. I dare say, one might never notice." Her eyes flit from star to star in the orb, but do linger on the nebula for a bit. "What scale am I looking at here? It's obviously something quite staggering."

[Terumitsu]

[Market Street - Twisted Tea Cafe]

"I think it would be accurate to say that all of the various descriptions have merit but ultimately fall short save for words that are too nebulous to be of any real use." the Entity said. "As for the radius of vision? Technically infinite. What you see is of all the same size and distance as if you were personally at this point in space. Or rather, 'points' due to the fact that this is looking outwards rather than inwards." they said although Copi could have deduced this for herself after observing how the stars didn't 'stick' to one point when she adjusted her position of visual origin. As if to illustrate, they took their cup of tea and pushed it inside the sphere where it began to gently drift. Copi would have to move around a bit to see it given the way the perspective worked, though.

"An easy way to think of it is to take a hollow sphere with one half being transparent. You are able to see what is on the inside but the perspective is different than a sphere with dots or what have you on the outside. In short, a lense rather than a container." they said, retrieving the cup before it drifted too far.

[Lost_Deep]

Market Street - Twisted Tea Cafe

"Ah, I see. Very interesting." Copi takes a couple steps to the left, to get a slightly different view. "Where is this in relation to where we are now? For that matter, is it in the same universe, or am I privy to a completely alternate space?" She suspects that this might have something to do with this person's prior comment about standing on a planet and then being able to look into the stars and see it up there, but she deems it worth asking.

[Terumitsu]

[Market Street - Twisted Tea Cafe]

"What you see here is effectively right here sans the ill-defined landmass we are resting upon. It is just one possibility 'out of tune' you might say. A surprisingly stable existance but it doesn't take much to be more stable than here, I suppose. So, potentially a mathematician's answer would suffice for your question." the Entity replied.

They seemed to reach a conclusion, though, and a question quite outside the current purview of conversation followed the preceding statement after a few moments "So from where do you call your generative point?" they asked. It could either be a strange way to ask where Copi came from or perhaps there was more than that implied. Either way, it was probably the first of a roundabout set of questions leading to a more or less proper introduction.

[Lost_Deep]

Market Street - Twisted Tea Cafe

Copi looks somewhat surprised by this question. "Hm... from where do I call my generative point? That's an interesting question, even ignoring the unusual language you used. Well, if a normal human's generative point is somewhere in their mother's womb, we will have to redefine it for it to apply to me. If my generative point is somewhere in my home reality... it would be in the Nexus, and I suppose in a way I do consider myself a nexus native. However, I consider my real point of origin to be in some pocket dimension, some blank void. And about here is, perhaps, when you begin to wonder what bizarre series of events led to my existence, and there is where I would not tell you more, seeing as my origin story is not something I would trust to strangers. With all respect due to you, you have not yet earned my trust. Would you like to discuss something else? You seem to strike me as someone full of both questions and insights."

[Terumitsu]

[Market Street - Twisted Tea Cafe]

"You've answered my question as well as I could have hoped though I did not intend to pry into personal matters. Though it could be said that a self alters with each moment, it is always interesting to see where one defines the point where they are themselves." the Entity said. "At least, it is much more informative of a person than simply the trade of names as such tags often hold little discription about oneself. Excepting those who's name is a definition, of course, but they tend to be less common in my experience." they said, finishing off the last of their tea and setting the empty cup down on its paired saucer.

"But a new subject would be equally valid, yes. Tell me: Supposing a being existed that stretched across dimensions like they were layers of air and rooted within an under-realm where all things sit pure, what reason would you suppose they have to rest in a tea shop on a warm afternoon?" the Entity asked calmly, the smile from before still present

[Lost_Deep]

Market Street - Twisted Tea Cafe

"Curiosity, perhaps? Boredom?" Copi shrugs. "Perhaps they are assigned to do such, by some either metaphysically or professionally greater power? Perhaps they find the way that three-dimensional being interact entertaining, or fascinating? Perhaps relaxing? Maybe they simply enjoy tea? Perhaps one could say that it's futile to guess at the motivations of such a being, but really, it's just as futile to ponder that about mortal strangers."

[Terumitsu]

[Market Street - Twisted Tea Cafe]

"Perhaps, given that all matter was once so much dust of distant origin, the tea here is grown in soil that has bushed up against the realms of a hundred kings across a thousand worlds birthed by millions of stars across countless existences to provide a unique mix of minerals that traces its lineage across aeons all funneled into a single plant. Such complexity would allude to an innumerable amount of vicarious experiences that could be gleaned by observation and ingestion to provide a sublime agglomeration of what could be a perfect micro-metaphor for this combinative existance and point to its greater understanding as a whole" the Entity said.

And then they began to chuckle. "But I think you may be more right. They may simply enjoy tea. That said, how urgent is your schedule?"

[Lost_Deep]

Market Street - Twisted Tea Cafe

"Ooh... schedules. Well... I probably shouldn't waste a whole week, but that's more just keeping good habits." When you don't need to eat or sleep... schedules become more lax.

[FireFox]

[Ashley's Warehouse]

Ally comes running up, lugging a large sack over her shoulder like a reverse Santa Claus, and tries to enter. Hopefully the front door is still unlocked, although most locks would only slow her down a little. It may take awhile to recognize her as the thief, given how long it's been since she was last here and her current appearance. Ally is wearing a french maid outfit and makeup, which is quite different from her usual rough and dirty look.

[Devixer]

Ashley's Warehouse

Ally may take a moment to recognize the inside of the warehouse as the place Ashley lives in. Rather than the near-empty place it was some time ago, there are several shelves against the walls that are filled with various magical ingredients. There are several chairs and a couple of tables, and there's one recliner in a corner that has a magical fire in front of it. There's also a very tired sorceress sitting in it.

Ashley just came back from heading through a labyrinth, and she hasn't slept much anyway. When Ally opens the door with the sack, she stands up slowly, and one of her hands starts to coat itself in ice. "Who's there?" she doesn't recognize Ally, both from her new look and Ashley not being as alert as usual.

[FireFox]

Ashley's Warehouse

Ally closes the door behind her and drops the sack to the floor with a heavy thud and metallic clinking. It's just me. Oh hey, furniture!

[Devixer]

Ashley's Warehouse

"Ally?" Ashley rushes up to the front to make sure it's Ally, and once she knows it, tries to hug her. "Been a little while. Sorry I haven't called or anything."

[FireFox]

Ashley's Warehouse

You wouldn't have found me. I was working a job. The thief returns the hug, then tries to pull the mage along into a dance while she laughs. But it was worth it!

[Devixer]

Ashley's Warehouse

Ashley can't help but giggle as she happily lets herself be pulled along. "Really now? You'll have to tell me all about it," she says. She'd probably be willing to stay up all night to hear the story, despite the bags under her eyes.

[FireFox]

Ashley's Warehouse

Well, as you can see, it involved being hired as a maid. It took me a few weeks of cleaning this weird rich guy's house, but I finally got into his vault. Ally steps back and gestures to her coquettish uniform, then opens the sack with her flourish. The sack is revealed to be her magic levitating cloak, which she used to easily carry the gold. A lot of gold in thick, unmarked bars. Probably the best haul Ally has ever had in her life of crime.

[Devixer]

Ashley's Warehouse

Ashley looks at the contents of the sack and grins. "Wow. Yeah, definitely worth it," she says. "Plus it put you in that outfit," she adds, looking back at Ally.

[FireFox]

Ashley's Warehouse

The thief blushes. This is a very... weird uniform for a maidservant.

[Devixer]

Ashley's Warehouse

"Yeah, it really is. You don't see me complaining, though," Ashley says, looking rather coy right now, though still tired.

[FireFox]

Ashley's Warehouse

Leaving the gold on the floor for now, Ally tries to take the mage's hand and lead her back to the recliner. What have you been up to, Ash? You look beat.

[Devixer]

Ashley's Warehouse

"Just got back from a trip through a labyrinth," Ashley says. Once they reach the recliner, she tries to gently pull Ally down onto the chair with her. "Other than that, just more research into magic."

[FireFox]

Ashley's Warehouse

The thief gracefully slips into the chair and snuggles against Ashley. How's that research going?

[Devixer]

Ashley's Warehouse

"Slow. I've been trying to get arcane magic to heal people like I've seen technology and divine magic, but there isn't a lot of info about that, so I'm braving uncharted territory here," Ashley says, slipping her arms around Ally's waist. She's been a bit frustrated with her lack of progress lately, to say the least.

[FireFox]

Ashley's Warehouse

I'm sure you'll figure it out. Ally smiles and tries to kiss her girlfriend.

[Devixer]

Ashley's Warehouse

Ashley grins before Ally kisses her. She raises a hand to try and cup her cheek with. "Oh, I think I will too. But maybe a little later, yeah?"

[FireFox]

Ashley's Warehouse

You have plenty of time. She returns the grin and snuggles closer to Ashley.

[Devixer]

Ashley's Warehouse

"All the time in the world," Ashley says in agreement. She's about to lean in for another kiss, when she looks to have remembered something. "Oh, I forgot to tell you. You wanna see what I got in that labyrinth?"

[FireFox]

Ashley's Warehouse

Ally starts to pout about not being kissed, but her interest in loot outweighs her interest in kisses. Ooh, yes! What is it?

[Devixer]

Ashley's Warehouse

"It doesn't look impressive, but here it is," Ashley says, as she momentarily reaches into her pocket and pulls out a black credit card. "This thing apparently has money stored on it, and I can use it to buy things instead of carrying all that money."

[FireFox]

Ashley's Warehouse

Ally stares at the credit card as if she can puzzle out how it works. What kind of magic can do that?

[Devixer]

Ashley's Warehouse

"No magic that I know of; I'm thinking it's some kind of technology. But it worked, got me this chair," Ashley says. "It could get me a house, too."

[FireFox]

Ashley's Warehouse

Well, it sounds a lot better than trying to lug around bags of gold when you do your shopping. That's just asking to be robbed.

[Chaotic Bob]

Mallside - General

"Are they on that shift now? Because I really can't be bothered to wait for them to change to or from it, not when there's so much else to do. Off we go!"

Up, up, and away! Paddleboating and flying and thread-leaving should ensue.

Adhering happens!

"TINY BRETHREN, THEE APPEARS TO BE SOMETHING ATTACHED TO MY BACK. WOULD ONE OF YOU KINDLY REMOVE IT FROM-"

"Shh, no! Science!"

The Magbots shush the giant, and cluster around behind him to watch. What jerks. Magtok is going to be so upset if this doesn't end well, you know.

[Eighth Municipal Bank of Heroes]

Magtok never did seem to get a straight answer to his question.

Even as they stand before the massive and ornately marble-pillar building before them, the present-state of the security remains completely suspect.


Most of the world doesn't seem to care, however. People, creatures, lights, and more filter in and out of the bank with little thought to the two that stand before it.
Many more peculiar things have come here than a cyborg and feline-based humanoid.

"Was there a specific plan?"

MagCave shenanigry may be suspect at present time due to technical difficulties.

[Devixer]

Ashley's Warehouse

"Yeah, it made sense to me too," Ashley says, slipping the card back into her pocket. "And now I don't have to worry about food or anything like that anymore."

[Terumitsu]

[Market Street - Twisted Tea Cafe]

"I don't believe that this will be of great detriment to your existent plans in this case." the Entity said as the void sphere promptly stopped infringing on the socially expected mores of physics. Really, it was like watching a stodgy old professor show up at a particularly popular rave club with proper garb and usage of slang for the occasion.

"In any case, what are your opinions on dreams?" came the question as the fey-like person stood up and retrieved an iron staff fthat had apparently been resting behind them somewhere. Copi may detect some irony about this in particular... But, in any case, the notion that was coupled with the question was one of if she wished to go for a short stroll down the lane. It was a few blocks at most so it might seem odd that such a short distance was selected.

[Lost_Deep]

Market Street - Twisted Tea Cafe

"Dreams are what happens when your brain works overtime. Or perhaps they are the brain's attempt to entertain itself while your body does nothing. They are often attributed to supernatural powers, of course, but... not much for sure you can say from there. Of course, due to the nature of the nexus all or none of these might be true for different people. For me, personally, dreams are something that I'm hesitant to indulge in... I don't need sleep, physically or mentally, so it's really something of a luxury. My dreams are... interesting, to say the least." Copi will be quite willing to walk with this person, nice strolls are quite enjoyable.

[FireFox]

Ashley's Warehouse

Mmm... that's great. The thief smiles. Was the labyrinth hard, then?


Taberna Lavernalis

After his meeting with Lawrence, Reynard returns to his club. Arina, get me some vodka, then take a seat. I have a job for you.

[The Bushranger]

Taberna Lavernalis


After his meeting with Lawrence, Reynard returns to his club. Arina, get me some vodka, then take a seat. I have a job for you.

The red-eyed, white-haired, curvaceous young lady in the black leather catsuit hastens to retrieve Reynard's vodka, setting the bottle of Absolut along with two shot glasses on the table before slipping sensuously into her seat.

"I'm all ears, boss."

[Devixer]

Ashley's Warehouse

"Yeah. There were more riddles than anything else, but I still had to use a lot of my magic," Ashley says, smiling back at her girlfriend.

[FireFox]

Taberna Lavernalis

The Trickster wrinkles his nose contemptuously at the bottle of Absolut. That's for mixed drinks, fools, and misers. I am interested in none of those, so bring a bottle of Kauffman Vintage Luxury from the top shelf. He takes off his suit coat, then sits on the couch and loosens his tie. Seems like some people are interested in taking on Magtok. That suits my purposes, so you'll be helping them attack his Lair.


Ashley's Warehouse

Ack, ninja. Riddles are fun... As the adrenaline from her heist starts wearing off, the thief rests her head on the mage's shoulder.

[Devixer]

Ashley's Warehouse

Ashley starts to run her fingers through Ally's hair. "I suppose. They weren't the best riddles I'd seen, though."

[The Bushranger]

Taberna Lavernalis


The Trickster wrinkles his nose contemptuously at the bottle of Absolut. That's for mixed drinks, fools, and misers. I am interested in none of those, so bring a bottle of Kauffman Vintage Luxury from the top shelf. He takes off his suit coat, then sits on the couch and loosens his tie. Seems like some people are interested in taking on Magtok. That suits my purposes, so you'll be helping them attack his Lair.

Arina wastes no time in fetching the desired libation, returning and pouring two glasses. "The Tin Man? He finally managed to become more annoyance than amusement for somebody? I thought I'd never see the day."

[FireFox]

Ashley's Warehouse

Probably because you're so clever, Ash.


Taberna Lavernalis

Indeed. I don't expect this group to succeed, but they paid me handsomely for your services. Reynard downs a shot. So you'll grab what you need for an assault, then report to [Hamlet's location]. When you show up, try not to look threatening. Apparently, they've fought with your little reflection before and they strike me as a paranoid sort. At any rate, once you meet up with them, do whatever they tell you, so long as it won't put you in any serious danger. Be obedient and professional. This group is very interesting and, if they survive this battle, could be excellent business partners. Or repeat customers, at the least. But I need you more than I need them, so feel free to return if you think they're just sending you to die.

[Devixer]

Ashley Warehouse

Ashley smiles, her face getting a little red. "That's true, isn't it? Thanks, Ally." She tries to kiss Ally's cheek.

[The Bushranger]

Taberna Lavernalis

Arina chuckles, shaking her head. "I'll look as adorable as Littel Red Riding Hood, boss. Don't worry. And I can always do this." Concentrating for a moment, Arina turns her snow-white hair to jet black. "And I think I can handle things."

[FireFox]

Ashley's Warehouse

Ally's cheek is kissed and she smirks a little. You're welcome. I love to compliment you.


Taberna Lavernalis

Reynard smiles wryly. Excellent. It should go without saying that I expect you to learn as much as possible about this group and what they are capable of. So do try to keep your eyes open when you're blowing things up.

[Devixer]

Ashley's Warehouse

"You're so sweet to me," Ashley says, reaching for Ally's hand. "I don't know how I could repay you."

[UncleWolf]

Junktion Junkyard

(Related Story (http://bappedwolfy.deviantart.com/art/Hellbringer-369903615?q=gallery%3Abappedwolfy&qo=0))

Some lessons in life are learned the hard way. Like getting knocked on the head and falling unconscious makes light hurt really badly when you wake up. "Sissss...." Rapture groaned, cracking open her eyes as she lay on the bottom of her tank. "Get me some Caaaaff..." The short and stocky woman adds before slamming her eyes shut again.

A nearby whimper tells her that her younger sister Purity was in the same state. "Get it yourself, you wimp." The twelve year old growled before propping herself up and taking a glance around.

Momma Bess was somewhat intact from what she could see. The bastardized crossbreed of a Leman Russ and a Hellhound was slightly worse for wear since half her hull was ripped open and the rest was splattered with acid burns. Sure, the fuel tanks were all ruptured and there wasn't a drop of promethium left, but...

Hell, if you got new crew mates and were able to scavenge up some materials, she'd be as good as new as when she was old.

Now the question was...

"Rapture? Why, by the Ashes, are we still alive?"

"Huh?" Rapture asked poetically as she sat up to look around, holding her head as she did so. "Warp if I know. What happened to the Cargo?" She asked, pointing to where only two burned crates stood and a third was missing completely. "Why ask me? I was unconscious before half this damage happened." Purity growled in annoyance before groaning in pain and holding her head. "I suppose we ought to head out and check where we are. Shouldn't they have started bombing by now?" Rapture asked before shoving open the warped rear hatch and gaping at what lay beyond.

Outside, in this part of the junkyard, was a veritable wasteland of tank shells. Every type she could ever dream of was here, and many more beside it. She ignored the sprawling city beyond the junkyard, only watching what was around them. "Sis, I think we done died and gone to the Emperor's Golden Throne. Except it's made of steel."

[Halae]

[Junktion Junkyard]

As the pair look around, they may realize a young tech priest is looking over their machine.. she's not the sort of sight you'd expect from most tech priests - sure, she's got the red mechanicus robes, and the respirator and vox unit on her face, but unlike most Adeptus Mechanicus, she hasn't had the hair on her head removed, as the blond locks spill out over a series of wires and tubes that protrude from the back of her head. she has a slim figure; she's probably not much older than 21, if that. her hood is down at the moment, as she looks over the Momma Bess curiously.

And then she'll look up. "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't realize other people were looking around here."

[UncleWolf]

Business District => Shabby Apartment

Cleaning up the offices of the three multi-story buildings that Walden was in charge of was a dirty job, but someone had to do it. Or, more to the point, it was the only job that the half-hag, half-satyr could hold. It wasn’t really his fault that he couldn’t do anything else, not when every other job seemed to have strange coincidences happening all the time around him, much to the middle-aged Sagtyr’s Inconvenience. There’s that word again. In-Con-Vee-Nyence. By the Gods I hate that word… Walden couldn’t help but think to himself as he punched out of his last stop, holding in a sigh as he noticed that the computer’s hour log had miscalculated his time and shorted him four hours.

Again.

At least he’d already explained to his boss why it always seemed to happen on his watch. He didn’t believe that his boss thought he was telling the truth, especially since his paychecks always seemed to be light, but at least he’d put forth the effort this time. It could always be worse. he reminded himself, thinking back to when the fastfood place he’d worked at previously had burned down when the fryers sprung a leak at the same time the oven’s heating element burst apart. No one had been seriously injured, but it had forced Walden to look for another job. His third this year, and it wasn’t even half over yet.

He had to admit that there were a few good things about his current gig. The janitorial staff was rather small, leaving interaction with people a minimum and that meant he could listen to the static-y radio all night. He also traveled from building to building, which helped keep the monotony down and made sure that his Curse’s effects on his surroundings were kept to a minimum. The best thing though, was that when he was finished and stepped out onto the sidewalk, he got to watch the sun rise above the horizon. It always gave him a nice warm feeling in his heart, as if someday he might get past his family’s Curse and live a normal life.

As if. He snorted to himself, still smiling as the sun rose. He stood there for a few minutes, watching the scenery and listening to the early risers getting up and about before reminding himself that he had to keep on schedule. If he didn’t keep moving, he’d miss his usual Wednesday Mugging, and if he missed that, something worse would happen. As he turned his back on the sun, he headed towards a cheaper part of town and pulled out his nearly-empty wallet. It was a couple days till payday, but as usual, he was down to his last 40. He might go hungry during his lunch break for a day or two if he gave it up, but that was a mild Inconvenience compared to a beating that he’d get if he didn’t hand it over. He never liked the choice, but after glancing at his flabby stomach, he knew he could afford to miss a meal.

Luckily the exchange took just a couple minutes, with a new bandit simply accepting the money in pay-off for his safe passage before giving him the usual threat about bringing more next time. The rest of his trip home was without incident, but that made the Sagtyr edgy and more wary. He didn’t think he’d been up to quota for Inconveniences for the day, so whatever else the Curse had planned for him, it’d strike soon.

Which of course happened to be when he was riding the elevator to his third floor apartment, feeling pretty much home-free.

Luckily the wait for the repair crews took only a few hours this time instead of the several days that happened last year. It allowed him to snooze some after berating himself for his carelessness. Even though the Curse would never kill him or allow him to ever become permanently disabled, it still kept the (shudder) Inconveniences coming, as if it was its only goal. In all reality though, that probably was its only activity, but he liked to think that it liked to spite him specifically over doing anything else.

The day turned for the better when his key didn’t[/t] snap in the lock like it was prone to, and it turned a little worse when his one-room apartment’s lightbulb burst with a flick of the switch. A little more cleaning in the day never hurt him though, and after replacing the bulb and sweeping up the broken glass, he settled down for some fine dining. Walden never bothered with buying milk anymore, as the stuff would always spoil before he opened it, so simply poured lukewarm water into the bowl with his semi-stale cereal. It didn’t taste too good, but after so many years of eating like this, he didn’t mind much. He had hoped that reading the mail would cheer him up, but it seemed that his landlord had decided to increase his rent again and the rest were various flyers about cheap enhancement pills ([i]Why would anyone be so vain as to need to grow out their horns more?) and ads for things his curse would never allow him to keep for more than a day or two tops. The mail-order brides seemed interesting at least, but knowing his luck, they misspelled male by mistake. And even if they hadn’t, he figured the woman would just Fed-Ex herself back to wherever they came from once they met him, or get lost in shipping.

And he’d still get billed for her.

As usual, his After-Breakfast shower turned freezing cold a quarter of the way through and his hoof slipped on his bar of soap, causing him to do the splits and hit his shoulder on the wall enough to make it throb. After all this time though, he had become flexible enough not to be bothered by the first and could simply ignore the second. Even if the Curse kept him from permanent harm, it allowed him to get hurt.

A lot.

Walden sighed when he saw himself in his tarnished and cracked mirror before he started shaving. Even though he was half-satyr, his mother’s side still more than made up for it. He was a plain-bordering-ugly sort of individual in his mid-thirties with a zit-scarred face, asymmetrical features, and a long lumpy nose that curved slightly to the right. His skin was always pale green-brown and had a somewhat rough texture. Not only that, but his hair had already started to go bald in random patches. He wouldn’t mind so much if the baldness kept to his head, but it spread to his goatish legs too, making it look like he was infected with mange.

Why did you have to piss off a troll witch, gramps? He thought to the heavens, far from the first time. His great grandfather had been a rather lucky individual until he got caught making fun of a troll that’d been sleeping under her bridge. Since then, his family line’s luck had been twisted around, steadily getting worse as the generations went on. It went spectacularly bad when his father had gotten plastered and woke up next to a hag. The literal kind.

Nine months later, Walden had been born and left on his dad’s doorstep with The Curse of Inconvenience, a step down from his father’s Curse of Lucklessness.

It all came back to that. The Curse. Each generation had a slightly different one, worse than the previous. Walden’s was rather bad, but he knew that if he ever had any luck dating and eventually got a family, his child’s would be worse and he didn’t wish that upon anyone he hated, let alone family. The Curse tried to find any and every way to make Walden’s life a living hell in the most annoying ways possible. Electronics constantly burned out when he used them, he’d get stuck in elevators, and vending machines would eat his money or cause his snacks to get stuck. He’d had broken bones, painful wisdom teeth (when he had to get them removed, the anesthesia seemed to be ineffective on him, resulting in the worst Inconvenience yet), bursting lightbulbs, and worse. If he spent too much time around people, the Curse seemed to spread to them for a little while as well.

The worst part though, is that it also kept him alive no matter how bad it got.

He’d always had just enough money to get by, always just enough food, and whenever something tried to change that, it went terribly wrong. Walden had once tried to get out of it like his father had been able to, but all the bullets had been proven to be duds when he used them, the pills turned into placebos, and the beam the noose had been on had been rotten enough to break when he put his weight on it. After the attempted hanging, he took it as a sign and just gave up on trying to end his family’s Curse in a “good” way, and went back to work scraping by in life, avoiding social interaction to the best of his ability. Maybe if he didn’t get a family, the Curse wouldn’t move on and it’d die with him when he got old enough.

Walden had to switch to a normal razor halfway through shaving when his electric shorted out, and of course he nicked himself a few times with the somewhat dull blade, but he got that accomplished before wrapping a towel around himself and heading to his chair. His recliner was lumpy (as usual), but comfortable (not as usual), and he grabbed a book to read while he listened to his static-y TV. The book seemed to be missing random important pages, but he was used to it, and it wasn’t a surprise when the power went out right as the TV was starting to get interesting.

No doubt Old Man Smithers will blame me when he discovers that it’s my fuses shorting out and will raise my rent again. Walden thought to himself as he folded the corner of the penny dreadful he was reading and set it aside before laying back in his recliner with his hands under his head.

He didn’t feel too tired, so Walden analyzed his life for an hour, trying to piece together how pathetic it really was. At the end, he came to a realization that in all honesty he didn’t have it too bad. After all, he wasn’t living on the street and didn’t actually have mange. The Sagtyr smiled a bit to himself as he closed his eyes, a plan in his mind. [i]After some sleep, I’ll pack a bag and grab Gramps’ staff before heading out. I have plenty of time left to have an adventure or two. Maybe rescue a dragon from a damsel or something. It’s damn well time for a change.[i]

Funnily enough, that’s what the Curse was thinking too.

[The Bushranger]

Taberna Lavernalis


Reynard smiles wryly. Excellent. It should go without saying that I expect you to learn as much as possible about this group and what they are capable of. So do try to keep your eyes open when you're blowing things up.

"You got it."
Arina sketches a jaunty salute, then downs her vodka.
"Even though it's usually more fun just to close my eyes and blow everything up around me..."

[Terumitsu]

[Market Street - Twisted Tea Cafe]

"I see." the Entity said as they idly twirled the staff in one hand. "Then what would you say to an opportunity to engaging in a world of dreams without the lack of lucidity that such would imply? And if time is object.. Well, there is that curious factor of dreams where hours may pass but the time spent external to the dreamer is merely minutes." they said. As of now, it was simply dispensing information although being rather nebulous about any goals that might be tied into this line of conversation.

Or it could simply be a repeat of the tea experience where it was just another item that was deemed appealing for whatever reason. Whichever it was, they seemed to be sketching small circles in the air again with the end of the staff although apparently nothing was coming of it.

[FireFox]

Ashley's Warehouse

I'm sure we can come up with something. Ally squeezes Ashley's hand and winks. Maybe you could help me on a job.


Taberna Lavernalis

Call me if you run into any difficulties. He holds up his glass to be refilled and a tricky smile plays across his lips. Oh, I recently learned about an interesting artifact: Il Stiletto. It is said to be able to pierce anyone's heart. I hired NO to acquire it for me. If they do an acceptable job, I may use them in support of our plans.

[Devixer]

Ashley's Warehouse

"I'm more than happy to help with whatever you need," Ashley says, snuggling a little closer to Ally.

[The Bushranger]

Taberna Lavernalis


Call me if you run into any difficulties. He holds up his glass to be refilled and a tricky smile plays across his lips. Oh, I recently learned about an interesting artifact: Il Stiletto. It is said to be able to pierce anyone's heart. I hired NO to acquire it for me. If they do an acceptable job, I may use them in support of our plans.

Arina frowns a bit; she thinks she and Callie can handle all the plans of Reynard, but she doesn't contridict the boss, instead downing her vodka and standing. "If there's nothing else, I'll be off to work, then."

[ThirdEmperor]

Nort's Place

Nort thinks, "Where would I run, you know where I live." He motions to the room they are in. "I don't know any reason you would trust me. I don't like the idea of working on a weapon. But with antimatter leaving you to work on it yourself... well it wouldn't make anyone safer." Nort obviously has doubts about working with the friendly kidnapper.

"You're right." At least about them having no reason to trust him. He could run for Remnant, or go into hiding, find some goodie twoshoes to protect them.

Lawrence considers it, face impassive, looking around the room again before he speaks. "We can offer you one million in standard currency, for your services." This place does look a little bit dingy. Not a proper laboratory at all.


Red Zone- Spirit Questing

Oh. That won't do.

As Marty turns to run Sir Hex suddenly steps from the shadows of the alley in front of him, sticking out a foot to trip the hapless maroon.

[Hattish Thing]

Red Zone- Spirit Questing

Oh. That won't do.

As Marty turns to run Sir Hex suddenly steps from the shadows of the alley in front of him, sticking out a foot to trip the hapless maroon.

Marty runs forward as fast as he possibly can, running and seeking that lodestone. He growls and trips on Sir Hex, smashing into the muddy ground, screaming and gasping as the mud turns into blood in front of him. He bathes in the blood, the mud... He gets up and takes out the little pistol he hid in his coat. He raises it and attempts to fire at Sir Hex, who in his eyes is a horrible wriggling monster...

[FireFox]

Ashley's Warehouse

"I'm more than happy to help with whatever you need," Ashley says, snuggling a little closer to Ally.

This is just the start, Ash. My luck has turned and with you by my side I'll become the best thief in this city. Ally murmurs sleepily.


Taberna Lavernalis


Arina frowns a bit; she thinks she and Callie can handle all the plans of Reynard, but she doesn't contridict the boss, instead downing her vodka and standing. "If there's nothing else, I'll be off to work, then."

As his employee stands, the Trickster muses out loud. The foxgirl's busy tailing the boy, trying to learn more about his dream-walking. I wonder if anyone's cracked my ciphers on the Wall? He may come under closer scrutiny or protection soon. We need to increase recruitment, Arina... I have many irons in the fire.

[Morcleon]

[DMC 2.0]

Mia nods.

"You know that throws the question: Where did you come from that cause you to travel through planes?"

[DMC 2.0]

"The place I came from was a rather backwater place, with a heavy magical presence. I was a doctor of sorts there, but my specialty was in grafts." Yuki settles back in his chair, taking out his scalpel. He offers it to Mia. "As for how I am able to travel through the planes, that would be due to one Kobayashi Haruka, a legendary swordswoman who came to me seeking a very special graft indeed." He smirks, remembering the incident.

"If you look closely, the blade on that scalpel isn't a standard one. It's actually the broken tip of one of Haruka's 7 Metablades, the 4th, the Blade of Space. I can use what's left of it to cut a lot of things, including a small number of metaphysical concepts and the barriers between planes. That final function is what lets me travel through planes."

[OrchestraHc]

[Gothic Roof]

The mage thinks for a few minutes before speaking up. "Find someone you know and trust that is good with mind magic. You might be able to pry something out of my mind. Or at least make sure I am not doing anything to mess with your minds." The mage glances over at Calvin. "Or you could kill me and dump my body somewhere."

Calvin looks upset at this comment. He doesn't say anything just continues to glare at the mage giving Young Star his chance to do it his way.

[Gothic Roof]

"See, that wouldn't be a bad plan back in my universe. I have a decently trusted witch I could ask for help, but it would require us on the opposite side of a wormhole. How do you feel about transdimensional travel?"


Marketplace

Melbourne's brow furrows with thought and he pauses for a moment, before asking in a whisper just loud enough to be overheard, "Is that much?" Whether it's a genuine question or for the crowd's sake, who knows.

[Marketplace]

Pepperjack crouches down to meet Melbourne at eye level. "If you can keep this up all day, by all means. If not, I suggest a higher wage for your effort," he whispers too the shrimp.

[Devixer]

Ashley's Warehouse

Ashley smiles and kisses Ally's forehead. "Maybe you'd like to go to bed for the night first?" she asks.

[Lost_Deep]

Market Street - Twisted Tea Cafe

"Time is rarely an issue for me anymore, and truthfully I do not want lucid dreaming. You see, lucid dreaming is just quality time in your own head, and that is something that I've had more than enough of to last a lifetime or two, and something that I can get more of at will. The lack of lucidity, to see what my brain does without my will to lead it around, is the appeal of dreams for me. On the other hand, it's also why my dreams tend to be so bizarre."

Copi nods slightly. "Of course, I'm probably already able to have lucid dreams. My mind is not as uncooperative as most humans', and I can more or less get it to do anything I want it to. I simply have not tried due to the reasons I listed."

[Lord Magtok]

[Eighth Municipal Bank of Heroes]

Magtok never did seem to get a straight answer to his question.

Even as they stand before the massive and ornately marble-pillar building before them, the present-state of the security remains completely suspect.


Most of the world doesn't seem to care, however. People, creatures, lights, and more filter in and out of the bank with little thought to the two that stand before it.
Many more peculiar things have come here than a cyborg and feline-based humanoid.

"Was there a specific plan?"

MagCave shenanigry may be suspect at present time due to technical difficulties.

Magtok shrugs, seeming to wander in no particular direction at all as he strolls through the bank. People have been lost in such places before, surely they won't think he's trying to gauge security or get some sort of vague estimate on the floorplan, right?

"Not really. Walk in, make demands, wait for giant aircraft to do all the work when everyone's distracted and got their eyes on us. Or, y'know, their eyes just on me, if involving you directly is cheating. Is it? I mean, you're a goddess of death and all, but then this is the Nexus, where fantastic powers are basically everywhere. And I've killed a god. Sort of a gray area. Do you have any non-interference deity rules?"

He frowns, looking this way and that, before turning back towards Libby once more.

"Eeeergh. The place is bigger than I was hoping it’d be. Nowhere to make my demands without leaving my back exposed to at least one super-guard, and whichever one I pick is probably going to turn out to be the super-est, to say nothing of their clientele, of course. Not going to look very intimidating with my back against a wall either, though."

A quandary presents itself. In a room full of superbeings, how does one stand out as a truly superior, menacing being? How does a humble cyborg bluff his way past legions of hideous mutants, bizarrely human aliens, and radioactive strongmen? There are people here who could probably bench-press the entire MagMobile if they wanted to. What’s to stop them from dislocating Maggy’s jaw with a single iron punch?

[McBish]

[Nort's Place]


"You're right." At least about them having no reason to trust him. He could run for Remnant, or go into hiding, find some goodie twoshoes to protect them.

Lawrence considers it, face impassive, looking around the room again before he speaks. "We can offer you one million in standard currency, for your services." This place does look a little bit dingy. Not a proper laboratory at all.


Nort considers this. He never really cared much about money. He admits though that was easier when he had money not to worry about. Still money wasn't what Nort is really interested in. "I also get to keep any data or useful information that is collected in my work. Including access to all your data about this machine I will be working on. If I don't know everything I won't be able to do my job." Perhaps this machine could prove useful in the future.

----------------------------

[Gothic Roof]


"See, that wouldn't be a bad plan back in my universe. I have a decently trusted witch I could ask for help, but it would require us on the opposite side of a wormhole. How do you feel about transdimensional travel?"

"I tend to get sick, only if I do it physically though. Mentally I love crossing through dimensions. Do you really have the ability to open up wormholes?" The mage seems fairly curious. Calvin seems to be getting more impatient.

[Zefir]

Indeed it isn't a weapon, and while Andy builds, the suit of armor goes to try to help him, while Mr Steward heads off to sleep.

So things will be build. Since such a devise can't be done in one day, he will need a bit.


[DMC 2.0]

"The place I came from was a rather backwater place, with a heavy magical presence. I was a doctor of sorts there, but my specialty was in grafts." Yuki settles back in his chair, taking out his scalpel. He offers it to Mia. "As for how I am able to travel through the planes, that would be due to one Kobayashi Haruka, a legendary swordswoman who came to me seeking a very special graft indeed." He smirks, remembering the incident.

"If you look closely, the blade on that scalpel isn't a standard one. It's actually the broken tip of one of Haruka's 7 Metablades, the 4th, the Blade of Space. I can use what's left of it to cut a lot of things, including a small number of metaphysical concepts and the barriers between planes. That final function is what lets me travel through planes."

"Intressting." Mia says. she uses magic, but this kind is something she has no real intressed in. It's using to less technologie. She weights the blade in her hand. Just a magical piece of iron. she thinks and hands back the scalpel.

"Intressting in it's way. I wonder how his blade got broken."

[ThePhantom]

So things will be build. Since such a devise can't be done in one day, he will need a bit.


Mr Steward can wait, and so he does until the device is completed.

[The Bushranger]

[Taberna Lavernalis]


As his employee stands, the Trickster muses out loud. The foxgirl's busy tailing the boy, trying to learn more about his dream-walking. I wonder if anyone's cracked my ciphers on the Wall? He may come under closer scrutiny or protection soon. We need to increase recruitment, Arina... I have many irons in the fire.

"The trouble with having many irons in the fire is that the more irons you have hot the more likely you are to get burned," Arina says, almost under her breath but loud enough it was clearly intended to be heard, just before she phases through the wall to depart.

[Jsaur]

[A Street Not Far from Trog's Tavern]

A young blond man runs down the street. He's holding a large black sphere in one hand that appears to be shaking slightly. He has a worried look on his face, seeming to know what the sphere is.

http://i431.photobucket.com/albums/qq40/happyturtle-avs/smilies/interactionwanted.png

[FireFox]

Ashley's Warehouse

Ashley smiles and kisses Ally's forehead. "Maybe you'd like to go to bed for the night first?" she asks.

But I want to spend time with you. The thief's tone of voice is the same as a child insisting she can stay up until midnight on New Year's Eve.


[Taberna Lavernalis]

"The trouble with having many irons in the fire is that the more irons you have hot the more likely you are to get burned," Arina says, almost under her breath but loud enough it was clearly intended to be heard, just before she phases through the wall to depart.

Don't get insolent with me, bitch. Reynard's lip curls up in dark amusement. After she leaves, he finishes the rest of the vodka, drinking straight from the bottle, and quietly schemes.

[Devixer]

Ashley's Warehouse

"We'll have plenty of time tomorrow," Ashley says with a grin. "But maybe a few minutes," she adds before leaning in to kiss Ally.

[Morcleon]

"Intressting." Mia says. she uses magic, but this kind is something she has no real intressed in. It's using to less technologie. She weights the blade in her hand. Just a magical piece of iron. she thinks and hands back the scalpel.

"Intressting in it's way. I wonder how his blade got broken."

[DMC 2.0]

Retrieving his scalpel, Yuki corrects Mia absentmindedly. "'Her', actually. It was broken when she tried to rend away the personal realm of the god of war with him still inside. Stupid idea, in hindsight..."

[Terumitsu]

Market Street - Twisted Tea Cafe

"Time is rarely an issue for me anymore, and truthfully I do not want lucid dreaming. You see, lucid dreaming is just quality time in your own head, and that is something that I've had more than enough of to last a lifetime or two, and something that I can get more of at will. The lack of lucidity, to see what my brain does without my will to lead it around, is the appeal of dreams for me. On the other hand, it's also why my dreams tend to be so bizarre."

Copi nods slightly. "Of course, I'm probably already able to have lucid dreams. My mind is not as uncooperative as most humans', and I can more or less get it to do anything I want it to. I simply have not tried due to the reasons I listed."

"I believe I have been misunderstood." the Entity said as they resumed utilizing their for it's intended purpose; a distinctive metallic ringing issuing from where it tapped the pavement. "I speak not of dreaming but of being in a dream. You would not be the initiator from a source such as slumber but be one who could interact with the realm of the dream. It is not a self projection but an experience of a.. Oh dear, the-" Here there was an... Utterance for lack of better descriptive terms. It was something seen, felt, tasted, so fully experienced that it was impossible to misunderstand but there was no word that could fully encapsulate it as a whole. If one tried, it could be likened to the term 'Intent' but it fell woefully short in all respects. "..doesn't seem to translate well here. Think of it as not necessarily an altered state of being but an altered state of perception when introduced to such stimuli that ordinarily would not be detected when in reference to coming in contact with the purest expression of a concept. Mmm.. Even that does not quite cover it.. Such are the limitations of translation, I suppose." they said, breezing by the 'utterance' as if it were nothing.

"But if such is not appealing, then I will not press further. Perhaps I should allow you to be the one who places requests for a time then?" they said.

[Lost_Deep]

Market Street - Walking

"Well, now you have me curious. 'Dream' is not the proper word at all, is it? You are instead describing things not usually detectable by human senses or other mundane means. Don't feel the need to abbreviate, I am more than willing to listen to a lengthy and somewhat odd explanation. I find things that are off-kilter from what I'm used to fascinating, especially things that are off in a way that isn't really translatable into the human experience. I understand that this will most likely be difficult, but I would like to hear as close of an approximation as you can muster."

[Terumitsu]

[Market Street - Walking]

The Entity appeared to pause and consider this before making a second 'utterance.' Rather than simply speaking about something in vocal terms, Copi would be allowed to 'experience' the subject instead. All at once it was like a world of pure forms across a morphic landscape of distance and time which simultaneously were at odds with each other while yet cooperating to form a coherent flow of events, for a given value of 'coherent' of course. Though things were of crystalline purity, they were no less complex as each possessed faucets of their composite whole as easily seen as turning a gem in light, leading to a cacophonous intensity of being as their essence was directed out of only a single faucet within focus. Things were in perfect order but this order was only apparent to the thing that had it and each existence was born of it's own separate set of rules.

And within it all were these tall, masked shadows who traveled between posts that were of paragon concepts like beacons of existence who's presence was both necessary and impossible trimmings of the waves and weaves of being that made up the mundane and eternal places of the grand mess that incorporated it all.

"I will give you a moment to digest that but here is a place that the mind may touch when it wishes not to be shackled by matter. Among other things, of course." the Entity said, speaking in words that were much more agreeable to mundane senses. There would be a sense that this was but a sliver of the whole but it was at least a well encapsulated primer on the subject.

[ThirdEmperor]

Nort's Place

"No. Not about to happen. The technology you will be working on is ours. Any attempt to replicate or sell that information will go poorly." Lawrence snaps. And here they are, back to threats and intimidation.


Market Street

"A little more. Make a show. I'm a fool, don't know how cheap we're selling." Most people tend to get suspicious when they're offered wondrous trinkets dirt cheap. But they're all to willing to believe in the stupidity of foreigners.


Red Zone- Spirit Questing

"Hmph." It's a little ungentlemanly, but Sir Hex aims to stomp his foot down on Marty's arm as the manic goes for a gun. Despite his frail appearance, Hex easily puts enough force behind the kick to break a human's arm. "You are monotonously predictable, you know that?"

[Lost_Deep]

Market Street - Walking

Copi is quiet for a long minute.

"Very interesting. I'm not sure what to make of it... I completely lack relevant context. It was a bit... pure for my tastes. Does this "dream" have a notable affect on real life?"

[Chaotic Bob]

Magtok shrugs, seeming to wander in no particular direction at all as he strolls through the bank. People have been lost in such places before, surely they won't think he's trying to gauge security or get some sort of vague estimate on the floorplan, right?

"Not really. Walk in, make demands, wait for giant aircraft to do all the work when everyone's distracted and got their eyes on us. Or, y'know, their eyes just on me, if involving you directly is cheating. Is it? I mean, you're a goddess of death and all, but then this is the Nexus, where fantastic powers are basically everywhere. And I've killed a god. Sort of a gray area. Do you have any non-interference deity rules?"

He frowns, looking this way and that, before turning back towards Libby once more.

"Eeeergh. The place is bigger than I was hoping it’d be. Nowhere to make my demands without leaving my back exposed to at least one super-guard, and whichever one I pick is probably going to turn out to be the super-est, to say nothing of their clientele, of course. Not going to look very intimidating with my back against a wall either, though."

A quandary presents itself. In a room full of superbeings, how does one stand out as a truly superior, menacing being? How does a humble cyborg bluff his way past legions of hideous mutants, bizarrely human aliens, and radioactive strongmen? There are people here who could probably bench-press the entire MagMobile if they wanted to. What’s to stop them from dislocating Maggy’s jaw with a single iron punch?


[EMBOH]
The more entertaining name.

Absolutely no one would ever suspect the faintly-creepy pair of doing anything suspicious. Ignore the fact that one is the brand of cyborg with the somewhat commonly-evil red eye syndrome, and the other appears to be a fan of grim-style cloakwear.

Not chance that they'd be summing up the vague-and-deliberately-confusing floor layout, or the probably staggered guard change schedules...
Anything of that nature that seems to imply the bank is being deliberately obtuse to rob.


"Apply your brilliance, Maggy. If they have the muscles, you must have the brain."
That's a fairly staple cliche to abide by!
...although usually it's in the other direction.

"Or you could always wildly accuse that dog over there of being a shape-shifting burglar."
Libby gives a half-shrug and jerks her thumb over towards the canine slinking about unsupervised near the door.

[Lady Serpentine]

[Shadowside Arena]

Shadow steps out from a dark corner, and walks calmly out into the middle of the arena, looking around slowly, taking in the group of people sent by Mayhala.

The arena itself (based on what C'nor told me about it looking like the one on Geonosis) is about two hundred meters long and a hundred wide, with tiered seating all around the edge. All of it, like the rest of Shadowside, is made of shadows. Examining the substance, Shadow shakes his head slowly.

"Interesting. This shadow is... alien... to me, hostile. It should not be. I wonder if there is another power at work here..."

Straightening, he concentrates for a moment, and solidity flows through his form. He stands easily in the center, all the time watching Mayhala's people, waiting to see what they will do.

"This place is... Inherently inimical. It promotes, and provokes, discord. Hence why the arena was built here. Few other structures would be suitable, you see... And, too, it has been taking on such characteristics for a long, long, time from the fighters, as well as taking its toll from the dead.

One could even say it is more of a they... It is not, yet, quite sapient, but it is certainly very close. Insulting it, as you have done, is not the wisest course of action."

None of them are truly people, as such, and all are constantly flowing from one form to another, making it hard to tell what they really are.

[GrandDM]

"This place is... Inherently inimical. It promotes, and provokes, discord. Hence why the arena was built here. Few other structures would be suitable, you see... And, too, it has been taking on such characteristics for a long, long, time from the fighters, as well as taking its toll from the dead.

One could even say it is more of a they... It is not, yet, quite sapient, but it is certainly very close. Insulting it, as you have done, is not the wisest course of action."

None of them are truly people, as such, and all are constantly flowing from one form to another, making it hard to tell what they really are.

"I did not intend to insult. I state simply what is, that the shadows here do not recognise me as others do."

Shadow examines the flowing forms closely, but still maintains a watch on the shadow-people.

[Lady Serpentine]

"I did not intend to insult. I state simply what is, that the shadows here do not recognise me as others do."

Shadow examines the flowing forms closely, but still maintains a watch on the shadow-people.

"You said it 'should not be'. Is that not an insult of the highest order, to declare a thing should not exist? Or have I misunderstood the concept? Is there some other term more appropriate for that form of disparagement, perhaps?"

[GrandDM]

"You said it 'should not be'. Is that not an insult of the highest order, to declare a thing should not exist? Or have I misunderstood the concept? Is there some other term more appropriate for that form of disparagement, perhaps?"

"All shadows are part of the Darkness... and yet these are not. This is... unknown to me... why this should happen. I am the embodiment of shadow, and yet I am not connected to these shadows as others.

[Zefir]

[DMC 2.0]

Retrieving his scalpel, Yuki corrects Mia absentmindedly. "'Her', actually. It was broken when she tried to rend away the personal realm of the god of war with him still inside. Stupid idea, in hindsight..."

[DMC 2.0]

Mia doesn't seem to care much of her mistake. After all it's quiet rare that female carry a bunch of swords around. At least where she comes from.

"So you got the lifestyle kind of god in your home world?"


Mr Steward can wait, and so he does until the device is completed.

[Hotel]

Then we shall timeskip until the moment Andy calls things done and waits for Mr. Steward.(?)

[Lord Magtok]

EMBOH

"I'm not getting into a fight with a dog, Libby."

What could possibly be so undignified as to argue with a mutt, after all? That's not even taking into consideration Maggy's phobia of canines, which would definitely come into play here. The only thing scarier than a horrible devil-spawned hellhound is a talking horrible devil-spawned hellhound, after all.

"Framing could probably work, though. Hrm..."

Borrowing an idea or two from that cube buzzing about his MagCave, our cyborg aims for the darkest, most angsty-looking antihero in the immediate vicinity, trying to 'accidentally' trip into that individual from behind, his foot entangling itself on his robe in a manner you really would expect to happen more often than it does. On the way down, his palm slaps a very sticky, spikey explosive device into the poor bastard's back, which immediately starts blinking and beeping. Whoops, how clumsy of him!

"Ack! Oh, sorry, I tripped. Here, you dropped your-OH HOLY **** HE'S GOT A BOMB!"

Let's see security deal with that. Preferably from a safe distance away, as Magtok intends to make good on his frightful civilian act, and cowardly flee back towards wherever he last left Libby. He'll need to move fast, this distraction can only last so long.

"Did you see any stairs? Or elevators? Downstairs would be our best bet, if they have a basement. People just love burying their money for some reason."

Now is not the time for wry commentary on Nexus society, Magtok. Run! Find something other than bland, useless foyer to explore while the guards are still freaking out!

[Morcleon]

[DMC 2.0]

Mia doesn't seem to care much of her mistake. After all it's quiet rare that female carry a bunch of swords around. At least where she comes from.

"So you got the lifestyle kind of god in your home world?"

[DMC 2.0]

"Lifestyle god?" Yuki gives Mia a confused look. "Haruka was actually a demigod seeking to obtain godhood, so she tried to steal Futsunushi's power. Didn't really work..."

[Terumitsu]

[Market Street - Walking]

"It does." the Entity said after a moment of apparent consideration. "Though it may be indirect, that which one sees in dreams does tend to affect them whence they wake, if I were to use a metaphor. In effect, it could be considered raw materials in some respect while a catalyst in another. Perhaps, put most simply, by existing it contains the most basic forms from which a realm may draw upon like a vast archive of archetypal essences. This is yet another form of translation but one that does make a more accurate approximiation before needing to resort to mathematical statements for greater definition at the least." the Entity said. It did not appear that they would mind discussions involving such but given how they tended to be conversations of rather great length in comparison to transcribing their meaning, they decided that their limited time was better spent in this fashion.

[UncleWolf]

[Junktion Junkyard]

As the pair look around, they may realize a young tech priest is looking over their machine.. she's not the sort of sight you'd expect from most tech priests - sure, she's got the red mechanicus robes, and the respirator and vox unit on her face, but unlike most Adeptus Mechanicus, she hasn't had the hair on her head removed, as the blond locks spill out over a series of wires and tubes that protrude from the back of her head. she has a slim figure; she's probably not much older than 21, if that. her hood is down at the moment, as she looks over the Momma Bess curiously.

And then she'll look up. "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't realize other people were looking around here."

Junktion Junkyard

Rapture stares blankly at the tech-priest for a moment before taking a deep breath and letting out a sigh of relief. "Thank the Throne that this place is normal. For a moment I thought we'd be some place entirely unidentifiable." She admits as Purity clambers out next to her, holding the Teddy-Servitor. "Can you tell us if we're alive or dead, Priestess?"

[FireFox]

Ashley's Warehouse

"We'll have plenty of time tomorrow," Ashley says with a grin. "But maybe a few minutes," she adds before leaning in to kiss Ally.

Ally returns the kiss, regaining a little energy. One of her hands goes wandering down the mage's body.

[Devixer]

Ashley Warehouse

Ally's hands roving across her gets a few pleasured noises out if Ashley, and she pulls back to say, "You sure you don't want to head for bed?"

[FireFox]

Ashley's Warehouse

Would we be moving to the bed for sleeping, or...? The thief sleepily smirks.

[Devixer]

Ashley's Warehouse

"How 'bout I let you decide that?" Ashley says, with a smirk of her own.

[FireFox]

Ashley's Warehouse

Ally gives her girlfriend a gentle little squeeze, then reluctantly gets out of the chair. Could I... just hold you tonight? Seems like she's too tired after all.

[Devixer]

Ashley Warehouse

Ashley smiles again, more sweetly than anything else this time. "I'd love that," she says, and stands up as well, reaching for Ally's hand. "You need any clothes to change into? That outfit doesn't look too comfortable."

[FireFox]

Ashley's Warehouse

The thief is fine with sleeping nude, so she simply undresses and crawls into bed. She'll fall sound asleep almost instantly after she gets her arms around the mage.

[Devixer]

Ashley's Warehouse

Ashley only takes her cloak and shirt off, leaving her pants. She's quick to follow Ally into bed, and is also quick to fall asleep. That labyrinth left her pretty exhausted.

[Lost_Deep]

Market Street - Walking

Copi nods. "I can't help but feel that seeing into it wouldn't be terribly helpful. Purity, absolutes, and all that is not something that reacts well to the world. Due to its very nature, the world is full of shades of grey. Conglomerations, mixtures, fusions and minglings are part of what makes this world so interesting. However, I am open minded. Why would I want to see into this dream? I imagine it would have some use."

[Shadowcaller]

[Outside the Pokemon Center]

"Fine. I ended up releasing him. I'll see him around, but we're not battling together anymore." Becca says, glaring back at the Beatrix. She didn't need to look at her like that!

[Outside the Pokemon Center]

"What? Is he going to be your pokemon mentor now?" Beatrix asks with a smug smile.

[FireFox]

Ashley's Warehouse

When Ally wakes up, having only slept a few hours, she puts the maid outfit back on and goes to fence the gold. She leaves one gold bar on a table for Ashley to have. Then she returns to the warehouse, having changed into her usual attire.

[Devixer]

Ashley's Warehouse

Ashley wakes up some time after Ally, and looks around to see the gold bar. She leaves it on a shelf - maybe she could use it as part of a spell. She'll be cooking some breakfast for herself off in the office when Ally comes back.

[Gullara]

[Outside the Pokemon Center]

"What? Is he going to be your pokemon mentor now?" Beatrix asks with a smug smile.

[Outside the Pokemon Center]

"I don't need a mentor. I can fight my own battles.*" She says defiantly. Becca's not going to let this girl think she's better than her.

* Using Pokemon of course.

[FireFox]

Ashley's Warehouse

The thief tries to sneak up on and hug her girlfriend. Morning, Ash!

[Devixer]

Ashley's Warehouse

Ashley is hugged from behind with seemingly no warning. She doesn't mind, though, and rests one of her hands on Ally's forearm. "Morning to you too. Want some pancakes?"

[FireFox]

Ashley's Warehouse

Sure. Ally holds the hug a moment longer, then steps back. How'd you sleep?

[Devixer]

Ashley's Warehouse

"Wonderfully, thanks for asking," Ashley says, flipping over a partially cooked pancake. "What about you, did you get enough rest?"

[FireFox]

Ashley's Warehouse

Yeah, I slept well. She moves to the side so she can better admire the mage.

[Devixer]

Ashley's Warehouse

Ashley figures out the motive behind Ally moving, and leans forward a little to make the admiring easier. "Went to sell all that gold off, I'm guessing?"

[FireFox]

Ashley's Warehouse

Mmmhmm... I've got most of the money stashed away. I'll probably end up using it as capital for my next job, whenever I plan that. What've you got planned for the day?

[Devixer]

Ashley's Warehouse

"Don't know yet. I was probably going to do more research, maybe look into finding a better place to live now that I can afford it." The pancakes look finished, and lift themselves onto a nearby plate while Ashley gets more of the batter she'd made.

[FireFox]

Ashley's Warehouse

Ally swipes one of the pancakes and continues admiring Ashley. But this place has so much charm!

[Devixer]

Ashley's Warehouse

"Yeah, I don't disagree with that, this place has grown on me." Ashley gets to cooking another batch of pancakes, even though there's enough for both of them. "I guess I just wanted to have my own place that isn't someone's leftovers. Maybe even build it myself."

[FireFox]

Ashley's House

I don't know about building it myself, but some day I'm going to buy a mansion with my hard earned gold. She grins and happily chows down.

[Devixer]

Ashley's Warehouse

"You think you'd have room for one more when you do that?" Ashley asks, finishing up with the last of the pancake batter.

[FireFox]

Ashley's Warehouse

One more...? A look of shock blossoms on Ally's face as she recalls the mage's prior engagement to two other women. Did you meet someone, Ash?

[Devixer]

Ashley's Warehouse

"Wha- no, no,"Ashley says while shaking her head. "I meant just me. Trying to be coy."

[FireFox]

Ashley's Warehouse

The thief flushes in embarrassment. O-oh. Of course.

[Reinholdt]

Taberna Laveanalis

A Reinholdt arrives here, stepping in and looking around.

[FireFox]

Taberna Lavernalis

The building is nondescript from the outside. No windows, just a solid door and a neon sign with the name. Inside, an entire wall is taken up with the bar, behind which are stacked many bottles of expensive spirits. There is a staircase leading up to the second floor in a corner. The rest of the room is taken up with chairs and small tables, as well as one large table surrounded by couches. A man, reclining on one of those, grins as Reinholdt enters. I was wondering when you would make it here! His voice is the same, but he doesn't look anything like Rein has seen Reynard before. A handsome man of about 30 years, with blood red hair and eyes. He's wearing khaki shorts and an unbuttoned red hawaiian shirt.

[Reinholdt]

Taberna Lavernalis

"Well when you extend a personal invitation to a place literally named for thieves and cheats..." Reinholdt says, tossing a somewhat crumpled piece of paper at Reynard.

Rail Fence Five
IrhrIyti
aadceTirgnnuRDsy
mntrtlceoaabERte
RyhayaktbmmsYAhk
eepsyeNe

FC VLR TLOH CLO JB F TFII OBTXOA VLR TFQE TEXQBSBO VLR ABPFOB, CLO JV MLTBOP XOB IFJFQIBPP. FC VLR XOB KLQ XCOXFA QL DBQ VLRO EXKAP AFOQV, ZLJB QL QEB QXYBOKX IXSBOKXIFP FK FKPFAB.

If you work for me I will reward you with whatever you desire for my powers are limitless. If you are not afraid to get your hands dirty come to the Taberna Lavernalis in Inside.

Z AGYL TULWF GOSLRW G JICO RXRNCB JCSE NNU KRPM V WZOC YQR HRGIMYA TF GVWREOP KZW IVNXGFQ

BWRHCMRNDRVWAI

12520'19 7520 201575208518 19151514 1144 81225 1915135 62114, 18591481512420!

Let's get together soon and have some fun, Reinholdt.

Love,
Mouth Vulture Double-reed Water Arm Mouth Hand

Love,
Reynard


"Won't lie, you put some work into it. My intelligence team is still working on it."

[FireFox]

Taberna Lavernalis

Your intelligence team? Hahaha! He picks up the paper and reads it, then frowns in disappointment. You don't have the most interesting parts!

[Reinholdt]

Taberna Lavernalis

"I know enough," Reinholdt says as he takes a seat. "To know I want what you're offering. Believe it or not, I have my own requests for someone with so-called limitless power. But before we start negotiations, I want to know something."

"How exactly are you related to Tobias? I've heard the Black Fox is supposed to be his alter-ego or some such, but your presence proves it's more complicated than that."

[FireFox]

Taberna Lavernalis

... Tobias is the Black Fox. They're the same person. A brief look of puzzlement flashes across the Trickster's face before being replaced by condescending amusement. What makes you think I am him? The fact that I appeared with black fox ears once, just to mess with you?

[Devixer]

Ashley's Warehouse

Ashley takes a couple of pancakes and tries to peck Ally's lips before eating. "You're the only woman in my life, love."

[Reinholdt]

Taberna Lavernalis

"That. Your uncanny knowledge of him. Your obsession of him and his memories. His story."

"You know, I keep hearing about how they're the same person, but there seems so little evidence to back it up. Perhaps... the trick is in how history was written. After all, it wouldn't be terribly hard for someone with such limitless power and knowledge of psychomorphic artifacts to say... implant a memory. I mean, what with the lack of living witnesses and all..."

"But that's clearly just paranoid speculation, yes? You didn't answer the question though. How exactly are you related to Tobias?"

[Terumitsu]

Market Street - Walking

Copi nods. "I can't help but feel that seeing into it wouldn't be terribly helpful. Purity, absolutes, and all that is not something that reacts well to the world. Due to its very nature, the world is full of shades of grey. Conglomerations, mixtures, fusions and minglings are part of what makes this world so interesting. However, I am open minded. Why would I want to see into this dream? I imagine it would have some use."

There would be a small shrug, almost invisible if one were paying only passing attention to the conversation at hand. "Such a strange question. It is not one I am able to answer. Even if the observation of the collapsing of paths and judging which is the most likely is as to sight for me, it only shows events. Not the weight that events carry. And for what reason should it answer such a question? It is of my perspective, not your own. I cannot tell you why you would want to do anything though I might have possible suggestions based upon observational data and reactions to various stimuli. But to dictate your personal decision is not my place. All I am doing is presenting you with an opportunity to experience something new. 'Why' is something you would need to answer for yourself. It is the same for finding what would be useful. Perhaps you will find things relevant to further interpersonal interactions. Perhaps you will find inspiration for ideas. I cannot dictate this. I simply know that it will induce change as all observation does upon the observer."

[FireFox]

Ashley's Warehouse

Thanks, but maybe you need to get out more. She's mostly joking. Oh, that reminds me I need to head to GLoG... There's this girl, I mean a young girl, who asked me to teach her some roguery. I should probably return her wallet.


Taberna Lavernalis

Reynard laughs so hard he falls off the couch! He slowly gets to his feet, grinning broadly. I was hoping the ears would make you overreact and shoot Tobias, but this result may be more amusing in the long run. But you are right about one thing: I know the Black Fox very well. If you doubt they're the same person, just ask Toby to show you. He walks over to the bar. Can I get you anything to drink? Anyways, as you know, I am the Personification of the Trickster archetype. I have been every Trickster in the multiverse. Once, I was Sister Sarah, a Pyrite Goddess very much like the Roman Laverna. I helped retake Kyonopolis and defeat the Selinite army, but it was the Black Fox who took all the credit... And I was also a Selinite Trickster who tried to destroy him, only to be outfoxed!

[Reinholdt]

Taberna Lavernalis

"Just coffee for me, thanks." Reinholdt says, sighing a little and closing his eyes to process the information.

[FireFox]

Taberna Lavernalis

Reynard pours a tall mug of turkish coffee, adds a spoonful of sugar, and sets it on the table in front of the couch. Look, I like you Reinholdt, so I'll be honest. Just for a moment. Yes, I don't like Tobias. Yes, I have plans to screw with him. Yes, I might enjoy killing him once or twice, you know, nothing permanent. But I have no intention whatsoever of destroying the Nexus. It's so much fun here! So... are we going to work together or are we going to pretend to work together until you shoot me in my devilishly handsome face?

[Lost_Deep]

Market Street - Walking

"Your points are well-made, and I am indeed intrigued." Copi is acting as if this entity made some good reasons. "I suppose that as long as it's not prone to driving people insane, or sane for that matter, or otherwise intrinsically causes mental changes, I would like to see this dream. I know that acquiring such a sense might be damaging to some minds, yes, but unless it's innately harmful to the mind I'm not going to worry about that. I've ignored things before, I can do so again."

She's ignoring multiple lifetimes worth of memories and experience right now. Burying things deep inside her is a simple and straightforward process: she has total memory control. She can remember anything she wants... and never remember other things unless she really wants to.

[Reinholdt]

Taberna Lavernalis

"... I get it now." Reinholdt opens his eyes, takes the coffee and sips it, . "It's all... vengeance. Everything. It's always been about vengeance. You can't stand the fact that you lost to someone, so you're going to do everything in your power to destroy all they are and hold dear. All this time, it's been about the one time you got outplayed."

Reinholdt affixes Reynard with a steely gaze. "I've never imagined you such a lowly and petty creature before. So much effort, so much talent, wasted on hurting people over your wounded pride."

Rein digs through his pockets and pulls out another piece of paper, unfolding it and laying it out on the table, sliding it over.
Rail Fence Five
IrhrIyti
aadceTirgnnuRDsy
mntrtlceoaabERte
RyhayaktbmmsYAhk
eepsyeNe

I am Reynard the archetypal Trickster. I go by many names but REYNARD is the key.

FC VLR TLOH CLO JB F TFII OBTXOA VLR TFQE TEXQBSBO VLR ABPFOB, CLO JV MLTBOP XOB IFJFQIBPP. FC VLR XOB KLQ XCOXFA QL DBQ VLRO EXKAP AFOQV, ZLJB QL QEB QXYBOKX IXSBOKXIFP FK FKPFAB.

If you work for me I will reward you with whatever you desire for my powers are limitless. If you are not afraid to get your hands dirty come to the Taberna Lavernalis in Inside.

Z AGYL TULWF GOSLRW G JICO RXRNCB JCSE NNU KRPM V WZOC YQR HRGIMYA TF GVWREOP KZW IVNXGFQ

I will crush Tobias. I will attack GLoG and HALO. I will use Hadrian to destroy his kingdom.

BWRHCMRNDRVWAI

12520'19 7520 201575208518 19151514 1144 81225 1915135 62114, 18591481512420!

Let's get together soon and have some fun, Reinholdt.

Love,
Mouth Vulture Double-reed Water Arm Mouth Hand

Love,
Reynard

He had it solved this whole time, except for that one slightly worrying line. Just had to dig a little before revealing that.

"I'm not going to shoot you. I'm going to work with you. Or more appropriately, for you. But at my price and nothing less."

[FireFox]

Taberna Lavernalis

Vengeance? Really, Rein, don't you know any folk tales? The Trickster usually ends up outplayed. I can't imagine why you think... He reads the piece of paper and trails off. Well. Well well well. I guess I should have used a better cipher. Reynard looks at the sniper admiringly. What is your price?

[Terumitsu]

[Market Street - Walking]

"As strange as the place might appear to be, there is no active harm upon a mind entering such a place. Perceptions may change due to exposure but damage to one's psyche is not an expected outcome at the least. Unless one seeks it out and inflicts it upon themselves, I suppose, but given that things are.. 'Simpler?' It is difficult to properly say but as it is a place that possibility rises from, it will be like engaging a gear that has simply not seen use for some time rather than a sprocket being shoved between the teeth of a moving machine and expecting no wrong to occur." the Entity said.

With those words, a glistening, golden ring spun into view like it were a coin spinning on it's side and blatantly ignoring the fact that it had not occupied this space a moment prior. It had six equidistantly place spikes along it's outer rim while inside was like a pool of liquid amethyst which hadn't gotten the memo that liquid should flow downwards rather than sit complacently at a ninety degree angle within its 'container' like that. It seemed to be large enough for Copi to step through without trouble. "I doubt that you will find yourself wanting for anything but if you feel that you may need something, do not hesitate to ask. Otherwise, you may proceed when ready."

[Reinholdt]

Taberna Lavernalis

Reinholdt holds his coffee a little tight, his hands becoming somewhat white. "You do not attack GLoG AND you do not, in any way, use Tobias' children to harm him, directly or indirectly."

[Lost_Deep]

Market Street - Walking

Copi looks at it, and after a moment, simply asks "How will I get back out?"

[FireFox]

Taberna Lavernalis

... What about his grandchildren? Because, you know, I use that Pyrsol girl for jobs every now and then. The Trickster leans back and chuckles. What makes you think you're worth abandoning half of my plans?

[Reinholdt]

Taberna Lavernalis

"Because I'm the only one in this bar." Reinholdt states, looking down into his mug.

"Grandchildren included, with an exception for Callie Pyrsol."

[Devixer]

Ashley's Warehouse

"You want me to head there with you? We can leave whenever you're ready," Ashley says, digging into her breakfast.

[FireFox]

Taberna Lavernalis

He makes a good point, but Reynard would be horribly remiss if he did not negotiate. I can attack GLoG, but no lasting damage and I won't try to kill anybody but Toby. And if any of his progeny agree to serve me of their own volition, I may do with them as I see fit.


Ashley's Warehouse

Sure, if that's what you want. Ally licks her fingers clean and watches Ashley eat.

[Reinholdt]

Taberna Lavernalis

"... Only if you provide full truthful disclosure as to your goals and missions before they agree to work for you. What you truly intend to use them for." Reinholdt amends.

[Halae]

Junktion Junkyard

Rapture stares blankly at the tech-priest for a moment before taking a deep breath and letting out a sigh of relief. "Thank the Throne that this place is normal. For a moment I thought we'd be some place entirely unidentifiable." She admits as Purity clambers out next to her, holding the Teddy-Servitor. "Can you tell us if we're alive or dead, Priestess?"[Junktion Junkyard]

"well, I'm no genetor, but the whole "Talking and moving" thing seems to put you in the living camp. I'm May. You?" the techpriest tilts her head quizzically. Are they just new here? If they're disoriented like this, it must be the omnissiah's guidance that led them here in the Nexus, of all places.

[Devixer]

Ashley's Warehouse

"Well, you did say I should get out more, and I kinda agree with that." Ashley could really use a break from her constant research. She blushes a little when she realizes her eating is being observed.

[OrchestraHc]

Market Street

"A little more. Make a show. I'm a fool, don't know how cheap we're selling." Most people tend to get suspicious when they're offered wondrous trinkets dirt cheap. But they're all to willing to believe in the stupidity of foreigners.

Market Street

Pepperjack doesn't actually acknowledge it, but he understands Mel perfectly. "Ah, ma'am, it seems I underestimated the toll on Melbourne the mystic. While it would have been my pleasure to sell that fetish for a merely a coin, the energy it took from my sea-gypsy partner is worth a greater deal than that. Poor fellow. Perhaps, you would be willing to part with five gold coins? For a poor shrimp who can barely afford a puddle to sleep in?"

"I suppose." The woman acquiesces to the sudden price change. and pays for the bauble. It's still way cheaper than Azik's in Mallside.


[Gothic Roof]

"I tend to get sick, only if I do it physically though. Mentally I love crossing through dimensions. Do you really have the ability to open up wormholes?" The mage seems fairly curious. Calvin seems to be getting more impatient.

Gothic Roof

"Not personally, but I'd know one I can fly you through, not that I trust you in my universe." Young Star looks over to Calvin. He gives him a wry smile. "Cool your britches Cal. Unless you have a better solution, we don't exactly have much to go with. Our entry was a little less than legal and the we don't exactly have hard evidence he screwed with those peoples heads."

"What do you say, Let me take him to my world for at least a bit? At least keep him out of your hair for a while."

[Shadowcaller]

[Outside the Pokemon Center]

"I don't need a mentor. I can fight my own battles.*" She says defiantly. Becca's not going to let this girl think she's better than her.

* Using Pokemon of course.

[Outside the Pokemon Center]

"I believe that when I see it." Beatrix remarks. "Once Crystal is better of course." She glances at the emergency doors. While Crystal now were stable it didn't really feel right to do a pokemon battle while she were in that condition. She was the one that had put her up against the haxomon in the first place after all.

[Terumitsu]

Market Street - Walking

Copi looks at it, and after a moment, simply asks "How will I get back out?"

"The pathway will remain open until you wish to return." the Entity replied. "I would reccomend, however, remembering the nearest guidepost when you do decide that you wish to leave. As for what those appear as.. It can vary by a significant degree but it is always a rather fixed point. Or, at least, a fixed representation. Traveling as well requires moving between these locations which, in turn, requires focus upon the qualities you are seeking. That is to say, you will not travel between locations so much as concepts which leads the landscape being quite morphic. Imagine all points being the same distance from each other regardless of what point you happen to be at but only in reference to these posts. Is all of this clear?" they asked. This information would have been imparted even if Copi had decided to proceed without asking but showing such caution was a display of prudence at least.

[FireFox]

Taberna Lavernalis

Reynard hisses in vexation. Impossible. Is there nothing else you want?


Ashley's Warehouse

The thief just grins at the mage.

[Devixer]

Ashley's Warehouse

Ashley grins back, her face still somewhat red. "What are you looking at me like that for?"

[Lost_Deep]

Market Street - Walking

Copi smiles and nods. "Quite!"

I'll take your word for it, crazy girl. This is all rather confusing for me.

"Thank you for giving me this chance," Copi says before she steps through the portal.

[Reinholdt]

Taberna Lavernalis

Well that obvious ploy was cut off early, thankfully. "What I want is for you not to use Tobias' kids against him. No parent should have to suffer that. Yet you're already looking for workarounds so you can do it anyways. I'm not interested in playing the word game with you. If you can't follow the intent of my wish, there will be no deal." Rein leans forward a bit. "This is a compromise. I give up something I want to get something I want. In exchange you have to give up something you want to get something you want. It's not going to make either of us totally satisfied."

Rein has plenty of other things he wants, but they mostly pale in comparison.

[Zefir]

[DMC 2.0]

"Lifestyle god?" Yuki gives Mia a confused look. "Haruka was actually a demigod seeking to obtain godhood, so she tried to steal Futsunushi's power. Didn't really work..."

[DMC 2.0]

"Lifestyle god's are actually deieties you need to have a special lifestyle like war . They force you to follow a path you may never thought of." Mia explains what she ment.

"Deus Mechanicus isn't forcing us to kill, kiss, collect or spend. He just wants us to have a live including machines as we like."

[Gullara]

[Outside the Pokemon Center]

"I believe that when I see it." Beatrix remarks. "Once Crystal is better of course." She glances at the emergency doors. While Crystal now were stable it didn't really feel right to do a pokemon battle while she were in that condition. She was the one that had put her up against the haxomon in the first place after all.

[Pokemon Center]

"Well yeah." Becca shuffles her feet. "Um, she's doing okay, right?" She asks, looking uncharacteristically ashamed for just a moment.

[McBish]

Nort's Place


"No. Not about to happen. The technology you will be working on is ours. Any attempt to replicate or sell that information will go poorly." Lawrence snaps. And here they are, back to threats and intimidation.


Nort shrinks back a bit and nods. "I can understand that. What about data from the machine but not technical plans. Nothing that would let me rebuild it. I am not interested in building weapons anyways. It might be useful to collect some data about what happens around the machine." Like how the results of a nuclear bomb exploding is interesting to physicists.

------------------------------

Gothic Roof


"Not personally, but I'd know one I can fly you through, not that I trust you in my universe." Young Star looks over to Calvin. He gives him a wry smile. "Cool your britches Cal. Unless you have a better solution, we don't exactly have much to go with. Our entry was a little less than legal and the we don't exactly have hard evidence he screwed with those peoples heads."

"What do you say, Let me take him to my world for at least a bit? At least keep him out of your hair for a while."

"And what is going to happen to him after all this. You take him back to your witch, she digs in his head? Seems like that is what he wants you to do. Trick you into fighting his fight." He shakes his head. "But it is better then my plan. Take him, keep him for all I care. I just want him out this city. If the man came back loose in this city he would have to be taken care of. If he doesn't come back to the city it doesn't much matter to Calvin what happens to him.

[FireFox]

Ashley's Warehouse

Ashley grins back, her face still somewhat red. "What are you looking at me like that for?"

'Cuz you're beautiful. Ally replies casually.


Taberna Lavernalis

Well that obvious ploy was cut off early, thankfully. "What I want is for you not to use Tobias' kids against him. No parent should have to suffer that. Yet you're already looking for workarounds so you can do it anyways. I'm not interested in playing the word game with you. If you can't follow the intent of my wish, there will be no deal." Rein leans forward a bit. "This is a compromise. I give up something I want to get something I want. In exchange you have to give up something you want to get something you want. It's not going to make either of us totally satisfied."

Rein has plenty of other things he wants, but they mostly pale in comparison.

Reynard stares into Reinholdt's eyes for a long few minutes. Finally he sighs, gets up, and walks over to the bar. And what, exactly, am I getting from you in return for abandoning half of my plans?

[Reinholdt]

Taberna Lavernalis

"I thought that was spelled out in your initial offer. I'd work for you."
Detestable as that may be.

[Morcleon]

[DMC 2.0]

"Lifestyle god's are actually deieties you need to have a special lifestyle like war . They force you to follow a path you may never thought of." Mia explains what she ment.

"Deus Mechanicus isn't forcing us to kill, kiss, collect or spend. He just wants us to have a live including machines as we like."

[DMC 2.0]

"Oh. Those kind." Yuki shrugs. "No, they aren't that strict. If you follow them, you're expected to do certain things, but it tends to be rather loose for most churches." He emphasizes his words, scowling slightly.

[Devixer]

Ashley's Warehouse

Ashley just blushes at first, then responds, "Thanks. So are you."

[FireFox]

Taberna Lavernalis

I was just wondering where you draw the line. Not so that I can try to push you over it like some villain, but so that I don't ask you to do something that will make you want to shoot me. The Trickster decants a dusty bottle of red wine before turning to look back at the flaming hawt sniper. Kidnapping? Sabotage? Would you, I don't know, kill Quinn or Orianna?


Ashley's Warehouse

Ally grins at that. Ready to go?

[Reinholdt]

Taberna Lavernalis

Reinholdt's attention hasn't followed Reynard, finding some place on the floor to stare at instead.

"Oh I already want to shoot you. And yes, yes, no, probably."

"You can go ahead and presume anything relating to GLoG inhabitants are right out, except maybe for Tobias himself. Most everything else is fair game."

[Devixer]

Ashley's Warehouse

Ashley smiles and nods. "Yup, lead the way."

[FireFox]

Taberna Lavernalis

Aww, why do you have to be like that? This is going to be fun! I'll stop scheming against the Black Fox and the two of us can mess with other people. I'll even let you pick the target. Reynard says graciously as he adds something to the decanter.


Ashley's Warehouse

The thief offers her hand to the mage and sets out for GLoG.


Streets

Three people, dressed for a fight, appear here. A Charr, a blue-haired elf, and a silver-haired man who has "HALO" in gold letters on the back of his bulletproof vest. He starts speaking into his headset. Patrol Team Beta is commencing first mission.

[Devixer]

Ashley's Warehouse

Ashley takes the offered hand and is happy to follow Ally to GLoG.

[Reinholdt]

Taberna Lavernalis

So much fun...
People at GLoG are out. Rein's on a mostly positive and professional basis with NO. He's just started repairing relations with Watchtower, helping Wenomir. He doesn't want to mess with HALO and why screw with Remnant? Magtok's too bloated on enemies right now.

"What about that one guy? Brent Star... Starling? Head of the Hoomans. He sounds like he'd be pretty uptight and easy to rile." Reinholdt doesn't normally think about targets to screw with. Opportunities just happen to come up a lot.

[UncleWolf]

[Junktion Junkyard]

"well, I'm no genetor, but the whole "Talking and moving" thing seems to put you in the living camp. I'm May. You?" the techpriest tilts her head quizzically. Are they just new here? If they're disoriented like this, it must be the omnissiah's guidance that led them here in the Nexus, of all places.

Junktion Junkyard

"I'm Rapture, and this is my sister Purity." She says, gesturing towards the young enginseer. "As for the tank, that's Momma Bess. Well, what's left of her, which is a damn sight more than there should be..." The short driver mutters to herself as she looks at the bastardized Hellhound/Leman Russ. "I tried to blow us up once the Roaches bogged us down and got in."

[Halae]

[Junktion Junkyard]

"If you tried to blow her up to destroy an enemy, I'm surprised she survived," May says, looking it over, "I don't recognize the overall pattern, but... was this two tank grafted together? I don't know how to describe it. Assuming the spirits were willing, it's beautiful in its drive to continue on."

[UncleWolf]

Junktion Junkyard

"Yup." Purity says with a grin before turning to face the tank as well. "We didn't have much choice really. Our original Hellhound had been eaten away by bioacid and we couldn't move unless we transplanted some of her into a half-built shell of a Leman Russ Executioner. We call her a Leman Russ Hellbringer. The Magos we tried to rescue didn't like her one bit, but it was his only chance for survival. Have any Caff?"

[Lord Magtok]

Truth

It's a funny word. It stands for solid fact, fidelity, objective knowledge. Things that we believe, beyond the faintest shadow of a doubt, are a part of reality. People have died in the pursuit of it, equally many have dedicated their lives to destroying or distorting it. There are some we consider wise, and full of great truths, and others who wouldn't know truth even if you bashed them over the head with it.

As one might expect, with the Nexus being what it is, truth is just as funny a word there as in real life, perhaps even more so, for being so strange. Cities and empires rise and fall with the same frequency as the sun's routine voyage across the sky. People suddenly exist, and then just as abruptly cease to be just as quickly. Nothing is absolute, and everything is in constant flux. A maelstrom of blood and tears, with no end in sight, and no definite origin.

Meet Julianna Delgado. Just ten minutes ago she had four very simple beliefs, that to her, were absolutely, indisputably, the truth. Firstly, and perhaps most importantly, that hell had finally come to earth. The world was at war with itself, and every man, woman and child was conscripted in a conflict that would not end until one side or the other was completely exterminated. The government had betrayed its people; dealt with foreign devils to exploit her native people for money and drugs, and only by blood could they atone for these sins.

Secondly, though it would seem to contrast harshly with the above, Delgado was certain she was going to get out of this hell-hole entirely unharmed. It was a solid fact in her mind. The end had come, and by sheer force of will, she was going to beat it. By gun, by machete, by whatever else she came across in her travels, she would single-handedly take on all comers and rise above the carnage and war crimes, triumphant and proud. Of course, this obviously wasn't very likely, and her bravado had already gotten a few other folks from her unit killed in senseless charges on forces with better training, weapons, and fortifications, but nothing short of death would've ever wrested that idea away from her. Juliana lived and breathed revolution, and would not rest until her war was over.

Thirdly, Julianna was, like many other people, under the impression that inter-dimensional travel was just some sci-fi nonsense, or something that could only happen in the far, far future, and certainly not to lowly peasants like her. She quite reasonably assumed that the warehouse full of captured government accountants her unit had captured was going to stay a warehouse full of accountants, and no interdimensional portal was going to suddenly change that. As she disengaged the safety on her ancient, battered Kalashnikov, the very last thing she expected was to be somewhere else. Certainly not standing in an alley with terrifyingly inhuman beasts sprawled out before her, instead of the cowardly slaves of that diabolical government she'd been expecting to see.

That didn't make her stupid enough to shoot them, though. I mean come on, who would do a thing like that? You'd have to be one sick bastard to kill creatures just because they happen to occupy the same space the enemy did a moment ago, no matter how alien or ugly those weird creatures might be! It's obvious the situation has abruptly changed, and in response to those changes, Julianna promptly cowers in fright, brandishing her rifle in fear as she retreats from...from those things! Dear god, how did she get outdoors, and where did her unit go?! What the hell is going on here?! :smalleek:

[Halae]

[Truth in the Streets]

Before Julianna stands a curious looking individual. whether he can be described as birdlike or reptilian is left to personal opinion, but there's not denying that he's not human. He wears blue armor with a cylinder shaped upper body and a pigeon chested front, with much wider hips then would normally be appropriate for someone of his size. he wears no helmet, and the plates on his head shine in the sunlight of the day. At his waist hangs a mono-filament sword, and on his back is an assault rifle - don't want to be under equipped in a place like this, after all.

"Umm..." the turian says in his weird humming voice, looking up from the clipboard he holds in his hands with curiosity, "Can I help you?"

[Junktion Junkyard]

"Would you be willing to let me fix her up? It'll take some time, and more time to find the right parts for a good fix, but this sort of work is what I live for." May seems eager, her eyes lighting up as she has ideas.

[Lord Magtok]

Truth/Streets

The fatigues-clad revolutionary stumbles, tripping and falling to her feet at the sight of the abominable bird-man. Her weapon remains trained on the obvious threat even as she falls, bracing the gun between her legs as she centers the weapon on that foul devil before her.

"Back! Get the **** back! I'll ****ing shoot, you ****!"

She spits on the ground, trying her best to hide her fear for the creature under as much rage and potential for reckless destruction as she can. Ms. Delgado doesn't open fire yet, though. Can bullets even hurt devils?

[Halae]

[Truth Street]

"Whoa calm down," the turian says, "Nobody's attacking here, so why don't you point the gun somewhere else and we can talk this out like reasonable adults?" He doesn't seem worried. Kinetic barriers were built for this sort of thing, and that looks like a really old model of human weaponry, "What's your name? I'm Karrus."

[Lord Magtok]

Truth, Streets

It had ample warning. Could've backed off when told to (in a strangely foreign tongue that Julianna doesn't recall being fluent in until just now), or ran away, but instead it just stood its ground. She can't very well wait for a thing like that to bring one of its monstrous superweapons to bear, those things look absolutely awful, so instead she scrambles back onto her feet, and tries to swing her weapon at poor Karrus's face, bludgeoning him with the butt of the rifle.

[Halae]

[Truth, Street]

Combat instinct takes over for Karrus when Julianna swings at him. He's not going to seriously injure her, but he'll move in closer to disrupt her swing and deliver a punch to her jaw. even if Julianna manages to maintain her swing despite his maneuver, it'll just get deflected off his shield.

Julianna shouldn't be too hard by this. Dazed, maybe knocked down, but not truly injured.

[Lord Magtok]

Truth, Streets

"****er!"

Ouch. That's certainly going to leave a bruise. Probably going to hurt like hell, too. When the adrenaline dies down, I mean. Right now Julianna has a hideous alien monstrosity to bury. She backpedals away, her breath escaping her in a pained hiss as she hurriedly brings the business end of her weapon to bear on Karuss. He can parry her weapon with his arm elegantly enough, but let's see how he does against bullets. A simple three-round burst should be enough to put down the devil-man, right?

[Halae]

[Truth, Streets]

Karrus doesn't even get out of the way as the bullets bounce of his shield, "Are you quite done? I don't want to fight you."

[Lord Magtok]

Truth, Streets

Ms. Delgado removes a grenade from a bandolier of pouches along one shoulder. If the xeno wants to talk, she'll talk, but on her terms, not his.

"What are you? What am I doing here?!" More of that strange, unfamiliar language passes from her lips, instead of her intended native tongue.

[Shadowcaller]

[Pokemon Center]

"Well yeah." Becca shuffles her feet. "Um, she's doing okay, right?" She asks, looking uncharacteristically ashamed for just a moment.

[Pokemon Center]

"She's not going to die." Beatrix replies, suddenly looking rather tired. "That's something. Going to need to replace her for now though while she recovers."

[Gullara]

[Pokemon Center]

"Oh... Do you have many other Pokemon?" The trainer asks. A bit of her usual competitiveness creeps into her tone. She wants to best this older girl, and how many Pokemon they each have is just another point of competition.

[FireFox]

Taberna Lavernalis

So much fun...
People at GLoG are out. Rein's on a mostly positive and professional basis with NO. He's just started repairing relations with Watchtower, helping Wenomir. He doesn't want to mess with HALO and why screw with Remnant? Magtok's too bloated on enemies right now.

"What about that one guy? Brent Star... Starling? Head of the Hoomans. He sounds like he'd be pretty uptight and easy to rile." Reinholdt doesn't normally think about targets to screw with. Opportunities just happen to come up a lot.

Taberna Lavernalis

Reynard mutters an incantation under his breath.
Tam pro papa quam pro rege
bibunt omnes sine lege.
Bibit hera, bibit herus,
bibit miles, bibit clerus,
bibit ille, bibit illa,
bibit servus *** ancilla,
bibit velox, bibit piger,
bibit albus, bibit *****,
bibit constans, bibit vagus,
bibit rudis, bibit magus,
Bibit pauper et aegrotus,
bibit exul et ignotus,
bibit puer, bibit canus,
bibit praesul et decanus,
bibit soror, bibit frater,
bibit anus, bibit mater,
bibit ista, bibit ille,
bibunt centum, bibunt mille.

Then he pours the decanter out onto the floor as he responds to Reinholdt. The human supremacists? Hm-m-m-m... Yes, I suppose that could be entertaining, if not as profitable.

[Reinholdt]

Taberna Lavernalis

"Well if you want profitable, we just have to pick someone rich. Wasn't there someone advertising on the wall for etiquette lessons or some such before?" FF's character too. How convenient. :smalltongue:
"Or that blood mage. Kinda creeps me out though." As blood magic should.

Reinholdt turns in his seat to watch as he realizes something's going on that's not merely getting a bottle. "What are you doing?"

[FireFox]

Taberna Lavernalis

Oh, you mean the Monsieur Jourdain? Nobody was stepping up to join that little play so I allowed the Nicole to make off with some gold, then shut the project down. Yes. How convenient. :smalltongue:

Reynard gives the sniper an amused look. I'm doing a Thing. Don't worry about it. How much do you know about them?

[Reinholdt]

Taberna Lavernalis

Reinholdt frowns. FROWNS.

"Oh I know..." Reinholdt trails off thinking about what he does know when he starts having memories cross and connect. He never even realized it before, but...

"I know a lot more than most do, I think." He finally connects almost all the dots on Linda, having been there to kidnap her, having been asked not to reveal that to the public, having later been asked by Mainframe if Ermine was another name for Linda and she was in the re-education chamber. It didn't make sense to him at the time, because he didn't have all the pieces.

A useful bit of information to file away for a rainy day should Magtok survive or it come up with the humanists. But difficult to practically apply.

"Though I'll have to investigate some loose ends first. I know Starling is the spokesperson and since the Magtok shooting, there's been no major activity. I've only met one in person." Rein shrugs.

[FireFox]

Taberna Lavernalis

The Trickster starts making himself a pina colada to go with his shirt. You do your investigations... and try to find anyone who would be happy with us messing with them. We should get Magtok's appreciation, at least. I think I'll drop by that restaurant of theirs and see what I can learn.

[Reinholdt]

Taberna Lavernalis

"Who'd be happy? Ummm... elves?" Reinholdt supposes he could try starting some sort of counter-movement or something, but with him at the helm, that'd only give the human supremacists steam. "I'll look into it." Once he figures out how.

[FireFox]

Taberna Lavernalis

Hey, whatever happened to those city elves that used to act like they were the ones who kept this place running? Reynard takes his drink back to the couches, leaving the perfectly circular puddle of red wine on the floor.

[Reinholdt]

Taberna Lavernalis

Reinholdt peers at the puddle suspiciously. "The who now?" It may have been before his time, or he's not catching the reference.

[FireFox]

Taberna Lavernalis

Reynard drinks his pina colada while trying to recall that faction's name. The... Ostari? It was years ago. I'm sure they're completely gone, up until they come back and insist they were active all this time.

[Reinholdt]

Taberna Lavernalis

"Can't say I recall them." Memory glitch or before his time. "So do we, officially, have a deal?"

[ThirdEmperor]

Market Street

((I've got no clue how to continue this scene. Maybe put up an interaction wanted notice?))


Nort's Place

"I think that would be more reasonable." Or at least, not something they can deny without memory cleansing or similarly drastic measures. "Now, as for your device- How is it operated? How foes it work? What are it's limitations."

[Deathkeeper]

A Phone Call

Three days after his DFI scene, Mr. C's phone rings. Apparently Jace is pretty good about his estimated work times. Assuming he picks up, he'll hear:
"(Zebes am I holding it ri-)Hello! This is Jace; I'm all done with your amulet. I can meet you wherever you want."

[Lady Serpentine]

[Streets - Maeve and Zila]

A reasonably pretty girl with short black hair, which is reasonably well-kept, albeit somewhat ragged, since she can't afford to pay someone to cut it, walks down the street near the Sitar's Strings, still in the uniform of the restaurant.

As she goes, she's pulling on black velvet gloves that, while resewn rather well, can be told by careful examination to have been repaired many times, and should Zila be paying attention, she'll see that Maeve's boots were once rather nice but are now fairly scuffed and beat up, despite having been cleaned and repaired to the best of her not-inconsiderable ability.

((Does Zila have any ability to sense magic and/or ghosts?))

[horngeek]

[Streets - Maeve and Zila]

The young Conjurer is walking along the streets, humming as she notices the Sitar's Strings and gives the restraunt a look over...

Before noticing Maeve and waving. "Oh, hi there!"

[Shadowcaller]

[Pokemon Center]

"Oh... Do you have many other Pokemon?" The trainer asks. A bit of her usual competitiveness creeps into her tone. She wants to best this older girl, and how many Pokemon they each have is just another point of competition.

[Pokemon Center]

"Seven with Crystal." Beatrix claims. "So I got a replacement, but my brother is burrowing him right now. What about you? How many pokemons do you have?"

[Gullara]

[Pokemon Center]

Becca frowns. She's not happy with that answer, not one bit. "I've got four." She replies reluctanlty. She wasn't even sure if she should include the Magikarp...

[Shadowcaller]

[Pokemon Center]

"I guess you aren't counting that haxomon with those?" Beatrix asks, crossing her arms over her chest. She had figured Becca couldn't have that many pokemons.

[Gullara]

[Pokemon Center]

"No! And he's not a haxomon or whatever; he's just different." Becca protests. She stands a little straighter and looks defiantly into the other trainer's eyes. "I don't need that many Pokemon anyway. I could beat you with the ones I have."

[Shadowcaller]

[Pokemon Center]

Beatrix smirks. "Right. So what pokemons do you have then? I don't think I have seen any of them yet." She wonders.

[FireFox]

Taberna Lavernalis

They were Happy's faction, back at the beginning of the Empire and the formation of Inside. Not before your time, I don't think, but probably not something Reinholdt would have dealt with.

Ah. Why don't you summarize the terms, so we're both clear on them. Is there any particular way you'd like to seal the contract?

[McBish]

Nort's Place


"I think that would be more reasonable." Or at least, not something they can deny without memory cleansing or similarly drastic measures. "Now, as for your device- How is it operated? How does it work? What are it's limitations."

"I belive it is a highly advanced quantum computer. I have almost no idea how it works since I have never been able to open it up to examine it's workings. It can only effect a small area, 11 cubic feet. Inside this area you can create hundreds of different effects by apparently adjusting certain aspects of physics. It is hardwired for saftey, many combinations will flash with red warning lights and produce no results. Most of what I have learened about it has been through trial and error."

[Halae]

Truth, Streets

Ms. Delgado removes a grenade from a bandolier of pouches along one shoulder. If the xeno wants to talk, she'll talk, but on her terms, not his.

"What are you? What am I doing here?!" More of that strange, unfamiliar language passes from her lips, instead of her intended native tongue.[Truth, Streets]

"I'm guessing you were minding your own business or whatever it is that you do that requires an assault rifle when you suddenly found yourself standing in front of me, right? That happened to me when I got here too," he looks down at the clipboard he never dropped, "Welcome to the Nexus, the place where people who've fallen out of their own realities end up. Weirdly, it seems to latch onto humans for the most part."

"As for me, I'm a turian, since you've obviously never seen my kind before. I'm a... well, the best description would be 'alien'. I'm from a planet called Palaven. If you're feeling unsafe, I can let you hold onto my weapons for now. Would that help calm you down?"

[Lord Magtok]

Truth, Streets

Delgado looks to her own weapons, and then to Karuss's. The grenade is put back in the pouch it came from, and lowers her rifle.

"...Yes."

It seems trustworthy enough, for an invincible space-man. Julianna doesn't have a whole lot of other options left anyway, and god knows how many other bulletproof aliens might be out there, aliens considerably less likely to spare her than this one.

[Halae]

[Truth, Streets]

He'll take the assault rifle and mono-sword off his person and hand them, butt and pommel first, to Julianna, "Now, would you mind telling me your name? Maybe I can help you get situated with a bit more information."

[OrchestraHc]

Gothic Roof

"And what is going to happen to him after all this. You take him back to your witch, she digs in his head? Seems like that is what he wants you to do. Trick you into fighting his fight." He shakes his head. "But it is better then my plan. Take him, keep him for all I care. I just want him out this city. If the man came back loose in this city he would have to be taken care of. If he doesn't come back to the city it doesn't much matter to Calvin what happens to him.

[Gothic Rooftop]

"Well first of all, there's no one better at magic than Northern Witch. Period." His confidence in his teammate seems unwavering. "And if your cool with it, I guess that's that, unless you feel like going to superhero world. One more thing? You got a blindfold? I don't want him seeing the portal in or out of my universe."


Market Street

((I've got no clue how to continue this scene. Maybe put up an interaction wanted notice?))

Done Deal. I'll have one up today.

[Morty]

Streets

Three people, dressed for a fight, appear here. A Charr, a blue-haired elf, and a silver-haired man who has "HALO" in gold letters on the back of his bulletproof vest. He starts speaking into his headset. Patrol Team Beta is commencing first mission.

Thariza will walk along the patrol route, ready for a fight.

[Lady Serpentine]

[Streets - Maeve and Zila]

The young Conjurer is walking along the streets, humming as she notices the Sitar's Strings and gives the restraunt a look over...

Before noticing Maeve and waving. "Oh, hi there!"

[Streets - Maeve and Zila]

The too-thin girl smiles a bit, waving back, and walking over to Zila.

"Hello! Sorry if I should, but I don't remember you... Have you come in while I was working or something?"

[Reinholdt]

Taberna Lavernalis

They were Happy's faction, back at the beginning of the Empire and the formation of Inside. Not before your time, I don't think, but probably not something Reinholdt would have dealt with.

Ah. Why don't you summarize the terms, so we're both clear on them. Is there any particular way you'd like to seal the contract?

Taberna Lavernalis

"Oh you know how I want to consummate this union."

"A handshake will suffice, unless you have some other preferred method."

Joy. The word game anyways. "You and those affiliated with you will not use Tobias' children or grandchildren to harm Tobias in any way, with exception to Callie Pyrsol. You and those affiliated with you will not perform any attack on GLoG that kills anyone other than Tobias or causes any lasting damage. In exchange..." Reinholdt waves his hand to Reynard, so he can fill in the blanks on the other side of the deal.

[Gullara]

[Pokemon Center]

Beatrix smirks. "Right. So what pokemons do you have then? I don't think I have seen any of them yet." She wonders.

[Pokemon Center]

"Yeah you did. You saw Crustella." Ceatrix will recall the Crustle Becca was riding on. "And I have Shroomy the Shroomish, Phanish the Phanpy, and um... Magikarp."

[horngeek]

[Streets]

Zila shakes her head. "Ah, no, I've never been in there. What's it like?"

[Lady Serpentine]

[Streets]

"Ah, well... It's nice enough, I guess. You shouldn't have any issues, at least," Maeve replies, sounding somewhat uncomfortable, as she doesn't want to say anything bad about the place she works, but not entirely comfortable recommending it.

[horngeek]

[Streets]

"Oh? What do you mean by that?"

{{Btw, to answer your question, Zila can detect magic, yes.}}

[Lady Serpentine]

[Streets]

((Then she'll probably be able to tell that Maeve has various magical nodes of some kind at certain points on her body.))

"It's... Not to everyone's tastes, is the thing. The food is good and all, certainly, but they're rather... Exclusive."

[Lord Magtok]

[Truth, Streets]

He'll take the assault rifle and mono-sword off his person and hand them, butt and pommel first, to Julianna, "Now, would you mind telling me your name? Maybe I can help you get situated with a bit more information."

Julianna just barely manages to refrain from running away with her new gun, or putting it to use on their original owner. His immortality probably extends to his own weapons, right? I mean, if he's just going to hand them over like that...

"A-acting Sergeant Julianna Delgado, 23rd Regiment of the National Liberation Front. My squad had just taken prisoners, and then I was here. I have to go back, they need me over there."

Oh, you're so full of it. It was a big war, and you were just one little pawn on the board. Believe me, Delgado, nobody's going to miss you when you're gone. They'll get a new sergeant, and I'm sure he or she will do just fine.

[ThirdEmperor]

Nort's Place

"I see. The effects cannot extend past an eleven foot range. Can they cause secondary effects that do? How is it powered? To what extent can it generate power? How does the range limit interact with teleportation and portals?"

[McBish]

[Gothic Rooftop]



"Well first of all, there's no one better at magic than Northern Witch. Period." His confidence in his teammate seems unwavering. "And if your cool with it, I guess that's that, unless you feel like going to superhero world. One more thing? You got a blindfold? I don't want him seeing the portal in or out of my universe."

Calvin reaches into his pants pocket and pulls out a piece of cloth that could easily work as a blindfold. He rumples it up and tosses it to Young Star. "That's OK I am going to stick around here. I have a few things I should be doing anyways. Call me when you are done?" Calvin seems to be calming down a bit. He is glad this whole task is almost done.

-------------------

Nort's Place


"I see. The effects cannot extend past an eleven foot range. Can they cause secondary effects that do? How is it powered? To what extent can it generate power? How does the range limit interact with teleportation and portals?"

"Any secondary effects are filtered and compared to the environment outside of the field. It also scans for lifeforms for a wide radius. Several safeguards are dropped if there is nobody within several hundred miles. I theorize that there is a pocket universe within the machine powering it and providing its computing power. It can provide power exceeding any power station I have seen in all my life. As long as you have somewhere it can safely go. Range isn't an issue for portals, both ends are technically in the field, even if the second one is on a different dimension and a hundred miles away." Space time folding is funny that way.

[horngeek]

[Streets]

((Then she'll probably be able to tell that Maeve has various magical nodes of some kind at certain points on her body.))

"It's... Not to everyone's tastes, is the thing. The food is good and all, certainly, but they're rather... Exclusive."

Zila laughs. "Oh, one of those posh restraunts, then?"

[Zefir]

[DMC 2.0]

"Oh. Those kind." Yuki shrugs. "No, they aren't that strict. If you follow them, you're expected to do certain things, but it tends to be rather loose for most churches." He emphasizes his words, scowling slightly.

[DMC 2.0]

"Please use the term deity. churches are buildings witch can be filled by the deity. Not the other way around."

Mia seems a bit unpleasent as Yuki used this term.

"With most you don't mean all. So what's with the Not 'most'?"

A Phone Call

Three days after his DFI scene, Mr. C's phone rings. Apparently Jace is pretty good about his estimated work times. Assuming he picks up, he'll hear:
"(Zebes am I holding it ri-)Hello! This is Jace; I'm all done with your amulet. I can meet you wherever you want."

A Phone Call

Mr. C takes the phone.

"Good to hear. We could either meet in the Everysize Hotel or at the Dancing Fox in, as you like. I think it would be bad to do this in public, since walking around naked draws to much attention."

[Shadowcaller]

[Pokemon Center]

"Yeah you did. You saw Crustella." Ceatrix will recall the Crustle Becca was riding on. "And I have Shroomy the Shroomish, Phanish the Phanpy, and um... Magikarp."

[Pokemon Center]

Wow, she was dealing with some real imagination here. A real wonderchild judging by those names. "What was that last one?" Beatrix asks even though she heard it just fine.

[Lady Serpentine]

Zila laughs. "Oh, one of those posh restraunts, then?"

"Not precisely... They're human-centric, is the thing. Don't like anyone who's not that in there."

[horngeek]

[Streets]

Zila frowns. Pauses. Then speaks.

"What."

[Lady Serpentine]

[Streets]

Maeve shrugs nervously.

"They don't like non-humans, like I said...".

[horngeek]

Streets

Zila snarls out her next words. "Why not?"

[Lady Serpentine]

[Streets]

Maeve backs up, raising her hands defensively.

"I dunno, I don't make the rules there, I just wait tables, and prying seems like a damn good way to get fired."

[horngeek]

[Streets]

Zila pauses again, breathes in and out, before sighing. "Sorry, it's just...

Not only are some of my best friends from my home world a Desert Elf and a Dark Elf, it's got a long history of pretty much all the races working together. Which makes some of the stuff my friends put up with back home pretty idiotic, so it's a bit of a rant trigger for me."

[Lady Serpentine]

[Streets]

Maeve nods, relaxing a bit, and stepping forward; Zila may be able to tell that the magical nodes which flared when the human stepped back (which I forgot to include last post, sorry) are slowly returning to their previous state.

"Fair enough... Look, I just got off work, so would you be up for a walk or something? I don't really feel comfortable talking about this right in front of the place..."

[horngeek]

[Streets]

"Sure. There's a park nearby, it's this way."

Zila notices the flareup as she starts to lead the way, but decides to let it go for now. She doesn't want to pry unnecessarily, after all.

[Lady Serpentine]

[Streets -> Park]

Depending on what sort of nodes they are, it was likely either preparations for an attack or some sort of magical defense, just in case things went bad, based on the circumstances and Maeve's reaction, as well as the way the power gathered.

In any case, Maeve smiles, and follows Zila to whatever section of the park she has in mind.

[horngeek]

[Streets => Park]

As they walk, Zila hums slightly, before getting to the park. "Again, sorry about that. A couple of perception issues have been tricky to get used to... stuff where my world's impressions don't match up with impressions most of the worlds linking onto this one have."

[Lady Serpentine]

[Parking]

"No, it's fine... I can understand why that'd be a trigger for you; under other circumstances, it probably would be for me, too," Maeve answers, shrugging. "And what sort of issues do you mean?"

[horngeek]

[Park]

"Well..."

Zila thinks. "Dark elves, for one. Tireless guardians against the horrors of the Underlands is pretty different from being one of those horrors.

And sure, neither impression of completely accurate even in their respective worlds, but still."

[Lady Serpentine]

[Park]

"Ah... That can be a problem for immigrants, yeah. Though I have to say that there are plenty of worlds with dark elves different from either. Some of them they live above-ground and are considered like any other species, for instance. And all three look the same..."

[horngeek]

[Park]

Zila chuckles. "That's true."

She hesitates a bit. "Do you mind if I ask you a question? Might be a little personal..."

[Lady Serpentine]

[Park]

"Nah, go ahead... I won't even reserve the right to make your tongue spout blisters after I answer," Maeve teases, laughing softly.

[horngeek]

[Park]

"Heh. I noticed some magical... nodes... flaring up in your body when I was... well, getting a bit cross..."

Zila pauses as she tries to figure out how to ask the actual question.

[Lady Serpentine]

[Park]

Maeve smiles a bit, and pulls off her gloves, revealing an intricate brand on each palm.

"Yeah, sorry about that... You looked pretty upset, and I'm a bit paranoid sometimes. The left one is pain, the right one is fire."