Mallside 10

[5a Violista]

[North Entrance]

((oops! gave Obsidian the wrong text color. It's darkred, not purple))

"Thanks!" Obsidian says. "Yeah, they're pretty interesting."
The zombie is helped up, and actually tries to bite Obsidian when she can...
...to which Obsidian responds with a slap to the zombie's face and a firm, "No, bad! No biting."

After the zombie behaves itself, Obsidian turns to Owena and considers her question, trying to piece together what she's asking about. "Mary Onette method?" she wonders, trying to think if she met anybody by that name before. Has she accidentally been using somebody's method without knowing? Obsidian bites her lip to think. "Mary..."
Hmm....
...
No, doesn't ring any bells. "N-no? Maybe? I don't know? I'm self-taught so maybe you could call it the Obsidian method? But I've seen people train dogs that way too so maybe you could call it the dog method instead? But I guess if it is hers and she's that famous, it shouldn't be a problem to call it the Mary Onette method, I guess."

[Ironsmith]

[North Gate]

Owena smiles. "Oh, hey, me, too! ...Kinda. I mean, I've had books to go off of, but no proper teachers. My uncle isn't a big fan of magic, see." She shrugs. "So... they're intelligent?" She asks, looking over the zombie. "How'd you manage that? I can't imagine the brain is still working. Some spirit manipulation going on here, maybe?"

She walks in circles around the zombie, her eyes going up and down it, searching for any arcane marks or other hints about the inner workings of this animation process. She'd never actually dabble in necromancy herself, of course; while she didn't hold her uncle's views on magic in general, she found the manipulation of dead bodies to be a little too macabre for her tastes. Nevertheless, the undead were fascinating creatures, from a hypothetical standpoint, and she did enjoy studying them.

[5a Violista]

[North Gate]

One of the two zombies, it turns out, has a magic symbol on it. The other one, however, doesn't have anything magical about it, and it's a zombie that was formed from a zombie disease.

Obsidian puts her hands on her hips and puffs out her chest. "They're not! I didn't! They're still as dumb as a bucket of swampwater," she says, "but they're very obedient. Trained them myself!" She pats one on the back. "Started their training this morning." They look a lot older than just 'this morning', though, so they were still zombies before that.

[Ironsmith]

[North Gate]

One of the two zombies, it turns out, has a magic symbol on it. The other one, however, doesn't have anything magical about it, and it's a zombie that was formed from a zombie disease.

Obsidian puts her hands on her hips and puffs out her chest. "They're not! I didn't! They're still as dumb as a bucket of swampwater," she says, "but they're very obedient. Trained them myself!" She pats one on the back. "Started their training this morning." They look a lot older than just 'this morning', though, so they were still zombies before that.

[North Gate]
"I mean relatively." Owena replies. "The fact that you can train them implies that they're not entirely mindless." She glances over at the zombie Obsidian is patting on the back, anticipating an attempted nibble and intercepting it with a well-placed streak of blue fire if it happens.

"Anyway... it's very impressive, regardless." She smiles. "I probably oughta introduce myself at this point. Owena, House Maldwyn." She extends her hand, still smiling.

[Deathkeeper]

[Arcane Threads]

"They sound like jerks," Khannie succinctly concludes. "You and your friends stopped the bad guys, right? Did your friend who got squashed get resurrected or did they decide to stay in whatever place they went to?"

That sure is odd, isn't it?

Just knowing in general about how the afterlife works?

Fantasy worlds sure do have lots of profound questions answered up front, don't they?

That still sounds super sketchy to me. I would rather find a few more not-Inari's ideas first just to put daemonology a little further on the list. That Kyuby thing thought it was helping, too. What are some other options, do you think? Who else would be able to get my soul out of a soul jar and stick it back in my body where it goes? I... I guess if I messed up really bad and turned into a witch you guys could blow me up and the Inari priests could resurrect me. But I don't think daddy would be very happy about having to explode me. Probably put THAT plan a rung or two below daemons.

There are a fair number of terrible plans.

They could use a few not-bad ones.

Oh! Speaking of witches. I'm going to hang onto these grief seeds and show them to the priests at the temple. Maybe they'll find a way to restore the girls back to life? That way we'll know if that works just in case it happens to me.

And on the subject of Power Girl's outfit?

"No way her outfit is dumb." Khannie says, sticking her tongue out distastefully. "All the Super-Dorks have dumb costumes. Captain Marvel's is a zillion times cooler."

If Jace has listened to his daughter talk about super heroes at all he should know that she's talking about SHAZAM! here. Billy Bastion is her absolute favorite super hero. A kid who can turn into the greatest hero ever? No wonder Khannie likes that story so much.

She sets the shirt back on the rack and begins thumbing through them again until-!

"Heck yeah!"

She pulls out a red shirt with a big gold lightning bolt emblazoned on it.

Arcane Threads

"Not everyone has people who can do that on hand, Khannie." Jace says sadly. Khannie that is not how you refer to your dad's friends getting traumatically murdered even if it's accurate.
And usually when you do they cost a lot more than Inari's.
"If you like that shirt we can get it." he adds, changing the subject as Khannie does.
We could check if the gloomponies can handle witches like wraiths. Um. You could try the Skullfort? I hear they have some resident gods, too.
They could ask Sobek!
...but she'd probably come back with a croc tail.

[Rebonack]

[Arcane Threads]

Khannie expression falls at that reply. "Oh... I'm sorry about your friend."

Shes so used to Inari's being there to help with tragic happenings that she just... kind of forgets that really isn't an option in most places.

In most places dead means dead.

You can't turn a tree that's been burned to ashes back into a tree.

And you can't unsquash an adventurer, either.

Khannie gives her dad a hug, just in case.

"Yeah, I like this one," she eventually concludes regarding the shirt. "These ones look nice, too."

In the end she picks out several single-color shirts in various hues along with a few shirts with random slogans on them. None of the slogans make any sense and Khannie is pretty sure a computer must have made them up. She thinks they're funny. Next up come a few pairs of pants and some skirts Khannie thinks are cute.

And a hoodie!

Just not a kangaskhan hoodie.

Now they just need to get a swim suit. Khannie wants to go to one of the city pools some time!

I don't want to be a pony, though. Or a pokemon. Or anything else other than a human girl. I JUST want to be a human girl living with her real family. That's all I've ever wanted.

She definitely doesn't want a crocodile tail.

[5a Violista]

[North Gate]

Obsidian disagrees: "No, they really can't think," Obsidian says. She leans close and whispers, "Don't tell them this, but: I know I say they're my friends, but I just say that to make them feel better about themselves. They're actually really incapable of making friends."

It doesn't actually try to bite her when she pats it.

Done whispering that secret, she leans back away.
"So, well. I'm Obsidian, of, um, my own house." The girl holds out her hand to shake it back.

[Ironsmith]

[North Entrance]

Owena gives her a sad little smile. "So what you're saying is, you're out here shopping more or less on your own, without any friends to keep you company?"

Ouch.

"Well, we can't have that. It just wouldn't be proper." She gives the dragon's hand a firm shake. "Fortunately, I have a solution. I'll just have to go shopping with you. No arguing!" Her smile broadens into a full-on grin.

[Deathkeeper]

Arcane Threads

"Whatever you want. Just not that one." Jace indicates a shirt that has some "cool" draconic lettering on it but it actually translates into a swear word.
"Yes Khannie but soul magic is a lot more rare than polymorphing. I'd rather you be alive and have to find a wizard to make you human again than dead because there's limited options when it comes to resurrections and soul surgeries.
Band-aid for now might be hypnosis? You're supposed to freak out before you get bewitched, right? If we messed with your head a little to forget stuff or to have a massive mood swing when you got super upset it might delay things a little. Obviously that would be really messed up in any other context but it beats blowing up, right? We do still have the anti-mindflayer potion.
That would be the one that makes you forget the past half-hour. They used it on Geneva/Fortuna after Libra tried to fix them and caused horrible existential trauma.

[Rebonack]

[Arcane Threads]

Khannie, who can't read draconic, turns the shirt to the side so she can peer at it.

It just looks like a bunch of angular marks to her. Khannie is pretty sure she remembers reading that draconic was based on dragons scratching little marks into rocks so that's why the letters are shaped like that. Still can't read it, though.

"Why not?" she asks. "What's it say?"

You walked right into that one, Jace.

Also!

Khannie would like to avoid as much trauma as possible.

I think having Maridia might help. She'll be able to tell if my mind is getting all messed up, probably?

"Help!" wails Maridia, who has gotten tangled up in a bra display.

Okay maybe relying on her isn't a great plan.

[5a Violista]

[North Entrance]

"N-no! I have friends! Lots of friends," Obsidian protests, even though Owena never actually claimed she didn't.

Unfortunately
Although Obsidian is trying to protest, she can't really come up with any good arguments, especially since Owena already banned her from arguing.
Her mouth opens, trying to think of an argument that wouldn't count as arguing, but can't think of any.
"F-fine! If you insist."
...
She's secretly pleased that she couldn't come up with any good arguments.

[Ironsmith]

[North Entrance]

"Pretty sure I do!" Owena chuckles. "Come on. Let's go in and find what you're looking for." And with any luck, they'll be hiring.

Owena will then follow Obsidian wherever she chooses to go, but doesn't get very far before she realizes she's missed the hilariously obvious question.

"Sorry, what are you looking for? Or are you just browsing, in which case, what's the occasion?"

[Deathkeeper]

Arcane Threads

Jace moves to gently disentangle Maridia.
”They probably thought that looked cool but it’s actually just Common in draconic script which inadvertently contains a bad word.” he explains.
Trust your familiar, Khannie. Just…don’t expect miracles. Zebes thinks Maridia needs a few more levels’ worth of Int boosts.

[Rebonack]

[Arcane Threads]

"Oh..." would be Khannie's reply.

She silently puts the offending shirt back on the rack.

Then?

Swimsuit getting time!

They've got lots of swimsuits! Including ones for kids with tails.

Which Khannie hasn't got anymore.

Truly there is no experience nice than never having to worry about accidentally sitting on your tail ever again. And putting on pants is easier!

She begins browsing through the swim suits, mostly focusing on the onsies. There's no way her dad would let her get a two piece swim suit.

"Hey dad? I heard there's going to be another summer beach party this year. I can go to it again, right?" Khannie asks. She had been to the one last year, too.

[Deathkeeper]

Arcane Threads

Indeed. There are a very large number of incredibly unlikely things that would certainly happen before Khannie is allowed to wear a two-piece swimsuit at this age.
"You can go. As long as you go with adult supervision." he reminds her.
Supervision!
It's the strongest superpower.

[Rebonack]

[Arcane Threads]

"Sweet!" Khannie cheers. "Uncle Zebes counts as adult supervision, right?"

He definitely should since he's the coolest adult ever.

"Hey! Maybe you should invite Veronica to the party? I bet you two would have fun!" Khannie suggests.

She hasn't seen Veronica around a ton. Maybe she's just been super busy with work?

That's probably the reason.

Khannie definitely doesn't have any sorts of ulterior motives here. Nope!

Not a one.

She definitely isn't gunning for having a mom to go with her dad.

[Deathkeeper]

Arcane Threads

”Yes, he does.” Jace says, despite the occasional childishness of his familiar.
Zebes blinks innocently at him without a word.

Khannie probably hasn’t seen Veronica a lot since she became the boss of a big giant floating palace. It ate up a lot of her time.
”I’ll ask her and see how it goes.” he says simply. He doesn’t like to make promises for other people. And besides, Veronica is often busy.

[5a Violista]

[North Entrance]

Obsidian's first order of business is to look back in the window whe was looking through when one of her zombie friends got tripped up.
So she goes back there, looking at the clothes in the display.

(The zombies follow)

"Not sure what I want to find," she says. "Looking for something to celebrate being an adult."

[Ironsmith]

[North Entrance]

Obsidian's first order of business is to look back in the window whe was looking through when one of her zombie friends got tripped up.
So she goes back there, looking at the clothes in the display.

(The zombies follow)

"Not sure what I want to find," she says. "Looking for something to celebrate being an adult."

[North Entrance]

Ah. A celebration. Well then! "So... something you'd normally want, but wouldn't normally get?" Owena asks.

That's what she would do if she could afford it.

"So... what kind of stuff do you like, Obsidian?"

[Rebonack]

[Arcane Threads]

"Yes! Thanks daddy! It'll be a cool party it's happening at NIGHT TIME this year! I want to bring a bunch of stuff for making smores just in case no one else does."

No one else will forget the smore things.

There will be SO MUCH smore things at the party, Khannie.

You can't even imagine.

"We should get these clothes and head back home so I can make sure I have everything ready for the party."

Getting ready for the party won't take THAT long.

"Then when we're done with that uncle Zebes and I can keep researching the magical girl thing."

Very important, serious research.

[5a Violista]

[North Entrance]

Oh! Forgot to mention, Obsidian's wearing a beret.

"Um. I like..." She thinks, and adjusts her beret. "Friends. And friends who keep their promises. Also, food! Food's really good. Oh! Also, black things, like statues and paintings and stuff like that." She points at an onyx heart-necklace. "Like that!"
She looks over at the next store, a music store, and runs over to it. She points at some of the music books that have particularly dark covers. "And those! They look so comfortable, I could see myself using them to help me sleep."

[Ironsmith]

[North Entrance]

Oh! Forgot to mention, Obsidian's wearing a beret.

"Um. I like..." She thinks, and adjusts her beret. "Friends. And friends who keep their promises. Also, food! Food's really good. Oh! Also, black things, like statues and paintings and stuff like that." She points at an onyx heart-necklace. "Like that!"
She looks over at the next store, a music store, and runs over to it. She points at some of the music books that have particularly dark covers. "And those! They look so comfortable, I could see myself using them to help me sleep."

[North Entrance]

Owena nods slowly. Okay, that was fair. Friends. She liked having friends. Who didn't like having friends?

But those weren't something one could just buy at the mall.

...Legally. Anymore.

Point being, that was a bit out of the question. And Owena was sort of meeting that need just by being there, right?

So, next on the list... food. Okay, yeah, they could probably swing by the food court and-

And Obsidian's already taken off.

Owena hurries after her, trying to keep up with Obsidian's somewhat-erratic romp through the mall, pointing out various dark things she might like.

Oh, hey, books! Owena had to agree, there wasn't much that was more relaxing than curling up in bed with a good book. They probably weren't thinking the same thing, though.

After a few minutes of just desperately trying to keep up, Owena spots something that might be of interest to Obsidian. "Hey, if you want some dark stuff, what about that shop over there?" She asks, pointing to it.

Morim Talman's Antique Emporium

The store in question already had a lot of dark items displayed out front; black, gothic-style furniture, jewelry inlaid with onyx and dark amber, a few dresses that looked like they might have belonged to a 16th century maid (marked "replicas: 70% off"), and a dark oak sign advertising a restoration program... though that last item probably wasn't for sale.

[5a Violista]

[North Entrance/Morin Talman's Antique Emporium]

Having been looking at way too many things, it's a huge relief to be distracted by a store where everything in it looks pretty great.
"You're right! That's a great place."

She goes up to the Antique Emporium, and after looking at the things out front, decides to even go inside this store. (The zombies follow, or rather they do as soon as they catch up.)

She starts looking at the dresses and the jewelry. "This stuff is all really cool," she says. "They have really good taste here."

[Ironsmith]

[North Entrance/Morin Talman's Antique Emporium]

Having been looking at way too many things, it's a huge relief to be distracted by a store where everything in it looks pretty great.
"You're right! That's a great place."

She goes up to the Antique Emporium, and after looking at the things out front, decides to even go inside this store. (The zombies follow, or rather they do as soon as they catch up.)

She starts looking at the dresses and the jewelry. "This stuff is all really cool," she says. "They have really good taste here."

[Morim Talman's Antique Emporium]

"Why, thank you, little lady."

For such a big, heavy clockwork person, Morim Talman is apparently rather light on his feet. The automaton stands at well over eight feet tall, made of brass and silver, looking over the girls with a pair of bare light bulbs that serve as eyes. There's a mechanical whir as his wiry mouth pulls itself into a friendly smile.

"Mighty rare to see two lovely ladies your age interested in my products." He whistles, a pair of exposed bellows pumping rhythmically in his chest. "Come on in. Have yourselves a gander."

Morim reaches for the shop door and flicks his finger open, revealing a key that he then inserts into the lock, opening the shop door for Obsidian and Owena.

[5a Violista]

[Morim Talman's Antique Emporium]

Obsidian thinks the automaton looks cool, but could be a little cooler. With, like, spikes and scales and less shiny colors.

"Okay," the girl says as she heads inside.
She then explains to him what they're here for, so that he doesn't get his hopes up: "We're here looking to see if there's anything cool," she says, "to decide if I should get it afterwards or not."

[Ironsmith]

[Morim Talman's Antique Emporium]

Obsidian thinks the automaton looks cool, but could be a little cooler. With, like, spikes and scales and less shiny colors.

"Okay," the girl says as she heads inside.
She then explains to him what they're here for, so that he doesn't get his hopes up: "We're here looking to see if there's anything cool," she says, "to decide if I should get it afterwards or not."

[Morim Talman's Antique Emporium]

Talman nods as he lets them in. "By all means!" He chortles, whistling lightly. "Your shamblers'll have to wait outside, though."

There are, indeed, a lot of cool things in here, at least by an archeologist's standards. The shop is best described as a collection of anachronisms. Out on the main floor is a series of mannequins dressed in clothes from various periods; the aforementioned maid costumes, swashbuckling outfits, tunics, robes, old-fashioned suits, even a set of silver armor. The back of the room has a set of oak shelves, which has a number of old but well-cared-for books along the bottom and various oddities and knickknacks, ranging from a display of refurbished daggers and letter openers, to a set of synchronized desk clocks, to some freshly-polished jewelry in a locked display case, to a collection of music boxes of various sizes (from palm-sized to full-on trunks). Over near the back of the room is a large wooden bin labeled "Talman's Toys Surplus - 50% Off!", which appears to be empty.

Talman takes a position behind the counter near the front of the store, fiddling with an old, cracked violin which is missing three of its four strings. "Give a holler if you see anything you like."

[5a Violista]

[Morim Talman's Antique Emporium]

"Oh, okay." Obsidian goes back outside the shop and looks at the zombies. She points at the ground and forcefully says, "Stay."

She turns back to the shop, only for one of the zombies to start following her in again.
She goes back. Slaps the zombie on the cheek, and repeats, "No! Stay. Stay!"

Obsidian sighs.

She goes back into the store, and they don't follow.

"Okay! They're going to stay out now."

Really, the things she wants to check out from close-up are jewelry and the maid costumes that caught her eye earier. Sure, there's a couple things she might want to look at later but these ones caught her eyes first so they're clearly the most important.

She goes up to the maid costume and looks at it, then turns to Owena: "Hey, what do you think of this?" she asks. "Think it would go well with that necklace right there?"

[Ironsmith]

[Morim Talman's Antique Emporium]

"Oh, okay." Obsidian goes back outside the shop and looks at the zombies. She points at the ground and forcefully says, "Stay."

She turns back to the shop, only for one of the zombies to start following her in again.
She goes back. Slaps the zombie on the cheek, and repeats, "No! Stay. Stay!"

Obsidian sighs.

She goes back into the store, and they don't follow.

"Okay! They're going to stay out now."

Really, the things she wants to check out from close-up are jewelry and the maid costumes that caught her eye earier. Sure, there's a couple things she might want to look at later but these ones caught her eyes first so they're clearly the most important.

She goes up to the maid costume and looks at it, then turns to Owena: "Hey, what do you think of this?" she asks. "Think it would go well with that necklace right there?"

[Morim Talman's Antique Emporium]

Owena examines the dress, looking it up and down. "Hmm... no, I don't think so." She says finally. "This dress was made with 16th-century techniques, whereas that pendant is clearly 17th-century. They're a lifetime apart, especially by the standards of the times."

Probably not the analysis Obsidian was expecting.

Talman chortles. "She's right, you know. About the times, I mean. I reckon they'd look lovely on you either way."

[5a Violista]

[Morim Talman's Antique Emporium]

Obsidian looks at them harder, to see if she can see this 16th century stuff that Owena's talking about.

. . .

Nope, can't tell. One is stone and one is cloth and she doesn't know how that somehow tells how old it is. Besides, the clothes seem like they might be in worse situation if they were that old, so that clearly isn't how they're telling.

"Hm mm mm m. . ." she says.

She considers them both.
Sure Owena might be right but what if when you put them together it actually looks better than their age would suggest?

She turns to Talman. "Is there a place to try them on? Some stores have places that allow it."

[Ironsmith]

[Morim Talman's Antique Emporium]

Obsidian looks at them harder, to see if she can see this 16th century stuff that Owena's talking about.

. . .

Nope, can't tell. One is stone and one is cloth and she doesn't know how that somehow tells how old it is. Besides, the clothes seem like they might be in worse situation if they were that old, so that clearly isn't how they're telling.

"Hm mm mm m. . ." she says.

She considers them both.
Sure Owena might be right but what if when you put them together it actually looks better than their age would suggest?

She turns to Talman. "Is there a place to try them on? Some stores have places that allow it."

[Morim Talman's Antique Emporium]

"Right this way." Talman leads Obsidian to a set of changing rooms in the back of the store. "If they don't fit, y'all just let me know and we'll see about making some adjustments."

Once Obsidian is in the changing room, she may or may not hear the conversation going on outside it.

"And how can I help you, little lady? See anything you like?"

"A lot of things, actually, but I couldn't possibly afford them."

"That's a shame. You certainly seem like the type to appreciate my wares."

"I am, and I do, but... I was actually here to ask if you were hiring."

"Mighty sorry, miss, but I haven't got the capital to take on a clerk right now."

"...I see."