Outside XII: We number things correctly.

[Rebonack]

[Riverside]

When Charity replies the demoness' jaw drops. Literally. Memzee's mouth is hanging open. She honestly can't believe what she just heard.

She would rather see murder and rape allowed rather than... rather than slavery? Do they just slaughter all the prisoners of war where she's from? Let the poor starve in the streets? What kind of backwards world does she call home?

Tyril wraps her arms around the demoness and Memzee just melts. Not literally, because that would be gross. Near limp. She just... she doesn't know what to say. Crimson streaks begin welling up from her eyes.

"I... I don't want to see women ripped away from their families. I've had to watch this for three years now. I... I just thought I could do something to stop it. At least a little..."

[Gnrlshrimp]

[Elsewhere]

Slythenia might hear a dark chuckle coming from behind her...

A dark chuckle? Slythynia spins round, the curved spikes shooting out of her arms once more. She barely even notices it now...

[The Bushranger]

[Elsewhere]

Sly...sees...nothing.

But there's another chuckle, still from behind her..

"Well, well, well. You used to be a paldin, didn't you? Emphasis on the used to..."

[Jacklu]

[Auxcave]

Of course. I trust that the body is suitable otherwise? Would you like me to send it down to you?

[happyturtle]

[Riverside]

Don't be silly. Charity comes from a sane world where violence isn't rampant, crimes are rare and usually punished, and slavery remains illegal. At least in most of the world. There may be uglier parts of the world she hasn't been to, but she doesn't think even the worst war torn hellholes are as brutally violent as Acro. And she wasn't talking about a tradeoff between legalized rape vs legalized murder. No, she was talking about the difference of an abhorrent act done by a criminal and recognized as an outrage and one committed in the name of a 'greater good'. The latter was far far more dangerous in Charity's eyes.


"No. You didn't think that. That's the justification you gave yourself after the fact," Charity says wearily. "Tyril, if you follow this river upstream, it leads to GLoG. We should be safe there. For a while." Not that she would have had any idea if she were still in her human form. But she recognized the smell.

[AuxCave]

"That would be acceptable." Mainframe says.

[Gnrlshrimp]

[Elsewhere]

Huh. This is all a bit weird.

Slythynia frowns, pivoting on the spot. She doesn't expect to see anyone, but, you never know. She's a bit irritated. Not afraid, if that's what the chuckler is going for...just irritated.

"Okay, cut the crap. Who are you?"

[The Bushranger]

[Elsewhere]

"Oh, somebody who's quite amused by what's happened to you."

The air shimmers...and Arina fades into view.

"Makes me wish I'd thought of it myself, actually."

[UncleWolf]

[Memzee's mind]

She'll hear Maelstrus laugh as he senses her emotions. /Aww... did someone say something to make you hurt and sad?/ He touches her mind softly, as if feeling sorry for her. /If you follow me, I can make it so you never feel sad again.../

[Shadowcaller]

Tyril had no choice by the hold Memzee firmly, she wasen't really paying attention to what she was saying, it sounded trival to her right now.

This world was crazy and she wasn't going to start figuring it out until they were safe so she could save the others that had been corrupted.
She just needed a break...

Tyril looks down on Charity and nooded, but she couldn't carry both of them...

"Charity, can you walk?" She asked hopefully, looking down.

[Jacklu]

[Auxcave]

Good. Though... I require an additional service from you in return for the body. Nothing large or unacceptable.

[Gnrlshrimp]

[Elsewhere]

"Hmmph. You find this amusing? Do you know what I'm capable of with these spikes? Keep up this topic and you may soon find out." It's a threat. Not much of a threat, really, she's still feeling a little cloudy in the head.

[happyturtle]

[AuxCave]

"I already performed a service for you in exchange for this body, Elizabeth Kale," Mainframe says.

[Lex-Kat]

{Gersemi's Isle}

Don't you believe in redemption? He's trying to change. To be a good person. I know it. I felt it when I was helping him earlier.

But then there's Momma. She attacked him so violently. Not physically of course. No, she did it verbally. And I just watched her do it.

I don't know what to do. Who to help. I.... I want my mother back. But I don't want her hurting Reinholdt anymore.

[The Bushranger]

[Gersemi's Isle]

Quinn reaches to put a hand on Melody's shoulder. "Everybody can change. I think your mother...well, she's seen him try to change before, right? It's hard to believe somebody's sincere when they've lied to you about the same thing in the past. She needs time if she's going to believe that."

---

[Elsewhere]

Arina scoffs. "You think that scares me, vamp?" And she turns intangible! "Go ahead. Hit me. Slice me. I'm soooooo scared..." She takes on a mocking frightened-little-girl voice.

[Gnrlshrimp]

[Elsewhere]

Slythynia simply crosses her arms and starts walking off. Apparently she doesn't feel like bothering with the annoying girl. "I don't care. I'm not going to br tricked into doing anything stupid. If you have something you want to say, say it. If not, get lost."

[The Bushranger]

[Elsewhere]

Slythenia might suddenly find a blast of greenish-black energy slamming into the ground on either side of her, leaving rather deep trenches in its wake.

Trenches reeking of necrotic energy.

"Give in to your anger. Anger is your strength, and through strength you gain power. And through power, victory. Embrace your fury!"

[Rebonack]

[Riverside]

Honeyed words?

Memzee knows all about Honeyed words.

/Go chew on your tongue, snake./

Ouch. Not very receptive.

And then more ouch. Charity's reply cuts even deeper. And the worst part about it? It's partly true. And Memzee knows it. She was hungry. Getting weaker by the hour. And she knew full well what she would have to do to put an end to the hunger.

So why not do something good at the same time?

The demoness winces at the words. "I was hungry... It was this stupid curse! I don't want to eat people's souls! I want to be me again! Please..."


[Underdark]

Much like Raril Memzee winces at the sound. Even steals a sidelong glance at the abused boy. There's... no way treating slaves like that could help. It isn't right! If anyone treated their slave that way back home they would be charged for abuse and their slave freed.

But apparently the drow don't have such civilized laws.

But... she can't speak out.

She can't blow her cover.

All she can do now is... Wait.

"I suppose they'll ask why I've come soon enough then, hmm?" Memzee replies with a smirk, fighting back the urge to tackle the task master.

[Gnrlshrimp]

[Elsewhere]

Slythynia turns round. She looks rather unimpressed. "So what? Do I look like I need power, hmm? I'd rather continue as I am without getting angry."

[Shadowcaller]

[Riverside]

Tyril attempts to calm Memzee. "Listen, I was also like that once... corruption run deep inside of me. But I managed to resist it by listening to my god. You said you had your own god right? Then pray to him, if my god can make me free from the Dak (inner darkness) then so can yours." She says with a calm and comforting voice, not letting Memzee go.

[UncleWolf]

[Memzee's mind]

/Tsk. Such a pity. I am a demon of my word. But alas, it's simply too late! I'm too busy coming to you that I can't accept any apologies or your begging for mercy./ There's a laugh. /See you soon.../

[The Bushranger]

[Elsewhere]

Arina sneers, lowering her dark glasses to peer over then at Slythenia with glowing red eyes.

"Then it seems I misjudged you. You are weak, cowardly, and unworthy of my time. Good-bye."

And she vanishes in a crack of energy, that scorches the ground with lifeless blight for ten feet around where she stood.

[Jacklu]

[Auxcave]

I have altered the deal. Pray I do not alter it further. *koooo-kssssssssh* It is not much, but it is necessary to ensure the safety of the Magcorp employees. Including Miss Sunny.

[happyturtle]

[Riverside]

"I'll try," Charity says, when Tyril asks if she can walk. And she does. She tries to stand and walk like a human. And when that doesn't work she tries to move on all fours again. But she's too weak. The change is coming too fast. Her body burnt all her fat reserves to change her the first time. Now it has to burn muscle.

She lies on the ground, unable to go any farther.

[AuxCave]

"Do you foresee harm to Aurora Evans?" Mainframe asks.

[Rebonack]

[Riverside]

Memzee takes a deep breath.

Deios had given her the strength to overcome Master's commands. But... The hunger was still there. Maybe... Maybe she can eat something else? That isn't a person?

Or...

She just isn't sure now. That hunger is so terrible. But she has to try at least.

Memzee nods in reply slowly now, her voice cracking. "Master is coming. We have to get out of here. We have to hurry. I-"

The demoness stops mid-sentence.

Then blinks.

"My thrall is gone... Back to the Plane of Battle... What I did didn't help at all..."

Oh great. Now she's going to feel worse. She begins to struggle against the demon hunter now, trying to wrench her way free. "Go. Take Charity and go. I don't deserve to be saved."

[Jacklu]

[AuxCave]

It is hard to say... But I do know that the AuxCave is no longer as safe as it could be. Though the MainCave is has been significantly upgraded with security systems capable of protecting Magcorp employees from just about everything. Of course, it will be difficult to convince the others to leave. I was hoping to make conditions there... Less comfortable, to help encourage the decision. Nothing dangerous of course.

[Shadowcaller]

[Riverside]

Tyril still holds her firmly, not wanting to let go yet, she want to save her, but she want to save Charity as well and she couldn't move. With Maelstrus approaching...

She had to choose.

She refused to choose.

So to avoiding choosing she had to tap into the other source of power she had, a small sacrifice considering all things. "Memzee... can you hold still for one moment? I can give you some energy so you last a while."

[Rebonack]

[Riverside]

Before Memzee was just trying to shrug Tyril off. But now...

"I don't want your energy!" the demoness snarls.

She's throwing her infernal strength behind her resistance. And this monster happens to be horribly strong. Memzee will jerk her arms to the side to knock Tyril's hands loose before aiming a savage shove that could send a normal person tumbling across the ground a good twenty feet.

"I don't want your sympathy! I don't want your help! I want you to get Charity to safety. Now GO!"

Rawr!

She's miffed.

[Shadowcaller]

[Riverside]

She had to choose, shadow be cursed.

Tyril lets go of Memzee and is knocked backwards a good distance away.

"Ouch!"

Her choice had been forced... it wasn't her fault was it? She could still save Charity...

[happyturtle]

[Riverside]

Charity lies nearby, unconscious. (and godmoddable)

[AuxCave]

"That is an inefficient manner of proceeding. I will inform Magtok of your concerns." Mainframe says.

[Rebonack]

[Riverside]

And now the demon hunter is way over there.

It would be so easy right now to just take the amulet. Charity is helpless. Coming close to being human again. She... she doesn't need it.

Right?

No doubt she would still be fine. She could live with a rat tail for a few hours.

Memzee looms over the exhausted girl for just a few moments. Pondering. Then leans down, hand stretched out to-

Brush a bit of hair out of Charity's eyes.

"You'll be saved. And I'll be damned. If I go with you to GLoG Master will know where you went. I'll do everything in my power, devote all of my prayer, to hold that one memory out of his reach. I hope that means something to you."

She watches with sadness as Charity passes into unconsciousness.

Then she turns.

And walks back toward the bar and grill.