Inside 68: Dawn of a New Season (or two)

[Recaiden]

Sekhmet stops in front of the doors, peering inside. "Help, uh, how?" She means it in both ways, how does the mysterious force think it can help her, and how does it want her to help it? She's very uneasy in these ruins; she feels like she's being watched.

Well, probably because she's being watched.

We can intensify the magical talent within you, and see things you couldn't see yourself, ways to progress faster. In return, we'd like to study how your power works.

Inside, the place is, well, a ruin. There are empty spaces on the wall where paintings or placards once hung, broken pedestals lying on the ground, some sort of purple mold growing in the corners of the hallways. Empty glass bottles lie here and there, coated with a layer of dust.

[bc56]

Ruined Museum

Sekhmet cautiously enters the museum, conjuring an orb of warm, yellowish light to help her see. This place seems like no one's been there in a long time. The notes offer her a chance to grow her power. "That doesn't sound so bad."

[Halae]

[The Palace Fight]

The ribbon feels almost electric to a degree, smelling faintly of a thunderstorm's ozone. It doesn't have actual magic imbued into it, but the very fabric of its nature seems to be special. Whatever it is, it seemed important enough to the android to gift it. She takes the offered help and leans on Marin's shoulder as they walk on out, but right at the door to the chamber, she stops. "One moment, please." She insists. With a bit of effort, she removes her scabbard, kisses it, and then casts it onto the pile of bodies. Her toss makes it land standing between two pieces of metal, marking the site. "Thank you." She says, though whether it is to her benefactors or those she'd fought or both, she won't say.

The tonberry's work doesn't take long, seconds really, as her little hands are practiced with the work and in no time at all Emily will find her top repaired and capable of being seen. We have gifts for you before you depart. She insists to them all. They are waiting at the exit. And at the exit is indeed a gift. Small chests the size of a shoebox wait, one for each. They're ornate, made of polished black and orange persimmon wood and edged in gold. Despite the best effort of cleaning the gold, there's signs of tarnish from their age, and a small key hangs off of each little chest. Whenever they check, they'll find a ring sized for them made of jade and entwined with gold, a large supply of the cookies that had been made, as well as a whistle made of bone. If you ever need a ride, whistle. Aid will come. Even for you. Their guide explains, looking up at Emily. To be fair, she was a great deal larger than the rest.

Instead of a chest for the android, there is a jade green ribbon on a pillow which the android seems more than happy to take and tie onto her tail to replace the one she'd gifted Marin.

[the Palace Fight]

Emily will take the one laid out for her and crack open the box. A approval shines in her eyes before she closes and locks the box once more, "Thank you for this. All three treasures within will be used appropriately, you have my word." she'll tuck it under her good arm, making sure that the box is in a good position at the moment and not at risk of being dropped - you don't drop this kind of gift.

When Marin is ready to go, Emily will be willing to lead her out of the castle and to that mechanic shop she mentioned.

[5a Violista]

[Post-Palace Fight]

The catgirl doesn't bother to open the chest yet, she just sticks it in her purse - she'll either need both her hands to open it without somewhere to set it down.

And she needs one of her arms to continue helping the android. "Thanks," she says even though she hasn't checked what's in it. "I'll, uh, look at it when I have the chance."
...
But, to be honest, even after opening it and seeing what's in it, she'll still probably value the ribbon higher.

Marin will help the android out of the palace (she's glad to be back on the ground again) and after Emily to the mechanic.

...
If only she were stronger, she could carry the android the whole way. Instead, she has to basically walk by her side.

[Morty]

[Industrial Strength Investigation]

Misty moves up quietly and offers Michalson a hand.

"Are you ok, Detective?"

[Industrial Strength Investigation]

"Well, so much for that I guess." Ithuriel mutters irritably, also offering Michalson a hand-up. "Not much any of us could've done about that, I guess. Sorry Michalson, damn good work as always, sorry I couldn't be of more help with the rest of this."

Michalson groans as he gets up with Misty's help. His voice sounds a little stronger when he speaks next.

"Forgot... how this swill messes me up. Didn't... even need it and I feel like that berk could've scragged us with or without it. That was a real waltz with a whistler." His accent seems to be getting stronger when he's exhausted this way. "We gotta... head on back and write a report."

[Shadowcaller]

[New Inside Embassy]

"This does sound like the kind of person I ought to talk to," Michalson says. Convenient enough to be suspicious... "Do introduce me to them and I'm sure we can come to an agreement."

[New Inside Embassy]

"I'll call her to my office and you can get acquaintanced." Her 'tail' reaches inside her pocket and pulls out a cellphone to hand to herself.
But as she is about to dial, she stops herself. "Before I call her, know that it's easy to get on her wrong side. As a order member, she's trained to judge people from the moment she meets them. Not to mention that many of them have a lot of unpleasant interactions every day. It's easy for her to have... predjuices. Just so you know." She smiles appologetically.

Then she dials a number. "Adan? Could you tell Octavia to see me in my office? Tell her it's important." A pause. "Just tell her a Inside citizen wants to see her." She hangs up and smiles once more. "Octavia is also a trained antrophologist. She studies other cultures for the order."

Soon the door opens and a white robed woman slowly enters the room. Her style seem a bit old fashioned compared to the rest of the people at the embassy but her robe is clearly made from artifical gore-tex rather than simple linen or wool.
Her dark brown eyes never leave Michalson the moment she sees him even as Ellena raises from her seat to greet her. "Michalson is from intersection. He had a couple of questions for you I think." Ellena gives him an apologetic look. "Sorry, I never quite caught your surname."

"Barring. Half-elf, I believe?" Rather than sitting down at the other offered seat Octavia positions herself near the corner of the room, away from the window where she remains with her hands folded behind her back. "Is that a common name in your culture?" She raises an eyebrow expectingly.

[Morty]

[New Inside Embassy]

Michalson's face becomes carefully blank. He's been in many places and played many parts in his life. Right now the part is "dutiful, unimaginative hardhead".

"I wouldn't know, ma'am. My father's family had come to Sigil from some other world somewhere. But 'e was born there too, and our street in the Hive was as varied as anywhere in Inside. I am half-elf, however, yes. My father was human, my mother was an elf."

Or so he's told. He never did meet her.

[Nova_Eclipse]

[Industrial Strength Investigation]

Misty puts Michalson's arm over her shoulders to help give him some support.

"Yeah, I wasn't expecting AMEN to be involved." She looks to the VIGIL members. "I'll send over what we know about what they stole. Your commanders will probably want to be made aware that AMEN has most likely gained a significant capability to manufacture cybernetic soldiers."

[Shadowcaller]

[New Inside Embassy]

"Sigil." Octavia repeats to herself slowly before nodding. "I've heard of it. Supposedly a lot like the nexus, which makes it nearly impossible to tell which culture your name originates from. My own name, Octavia, is actually relatively common among ponies despite the fact there have been no relationships between them and any humans as far as I can tell." She smiles in a manner that makes it hard to tell what she's thinking. "Not that I wouldn't put it past the people here."

"Interesting." Ellena remarks. "But please, sit down Octavia. Mr. Barring is actually here regarding the military personell staying here. He wish the question them and I figured you might be of help."

The order agent looks to Michalson with the same kind of blank expression that he's giving her. "For what purpose?"

[Recaiden]

Ruined Museum

Sekhmet cautiously enters the museum, conjuring an orb of warm, yellowish light to help her see. This place seems like no one's been there in a long time. The notes offer her a chance to grow her power. "That doesn't sound so bad."

With the sudden light, Sekhmet will see something in the right-hand hall scampering away. Was that an opossum? A really big opossum that wasn't scared enough yet to play dead? Or more of a tremendous praying mantis, hopping away when it noticed that Sekhmet wasn't a delicious bug? Further down the hall, where it's ordinarily dark, the mold covers the floor like a living carpet, glistening in the yellow light. Taking a closer look she can see tracks and footprints, places where the dust has been disturbed. Even right beside her, where someone else has been walking. Some like barefoot humans, others like birds, and strange pointy marks. The breeze shifts, cool air faintly flowing in through the door and windows.

It isn't bad at all. There can be some additional strangeness from the increased magic, but nothing serious. Should we go get started now? Or I could meet you again later.

Side effects may include headache, nausea, shortness of breath, additional limbs, dizziness, fever, a new perspective, possession by alien entities, fatigue, loss of appetite, infertility, personality failure, and death (but are generally minor). Consult your doctor before making a deal with strange writers for power. No refunds.

[bc56]

Ruined Museum

"We, uh, can start now." Sekhmet doesn't have anything going on. She still feels ill at ease here. That thing, skittering away, it seems odd. The extra pair of footprints leading to where she stands confirms one of her suspicions at least. The writer is physically present, but invisible.

[Recaiden]

An explanation: I will provide you a pair of elixirs, one to spark power, the other to fortify your body in preparation for that power. Then we will journey to one of our places of power, where you will be baptized in a primal pool. There you will dream and confront the limits in your own mind. Then your existing magic will be briefly drained with special implements so that as you recover, it will be into your full, improved power. After that we will study your exact spells and capabilities together.

Once Sekhmet has a moment to read the note, a pair of potions appear. Since she's been noticing a few of the clues, she might be glimpse the hands that hold them out. Three long fingers, the color of orange sherbet, ending in claws.
One of the potions is a translucent bubbly red, like cherry soda.
The other is a grim thick black.

[bc56]

Ruined Museum

"Uh, okay." Sekhmet takes the potions nervously. Those hands didn't look friendly at all. She holds them up to the light, inspecting them. Hands shaking, she drinks the red potion first.

[Recaiden]

Look at that, the tiefling remarking on how unfriendly someone looks.

The red potion bubbles and glimmers much the same in the light.
The darker potion admits little light, only revealing a faint purple around the edges. It's the same consistency all the way through.

The red potion is slightly sweet and syrupy, but fizzes on the tongue. It's the fortifying potion.
Its first effect is to heal a person. Close any wounds, seek out and purge any diseases, improve blood circulation, and generally put someone in tip-top shape.
Its second effect is to kick off the first stage of a slow and insidious transformation. Over the course of the next month or so, if nothing is done, Sekhmet would mutate and transform based on her inner magic, possibly running into those extra limbs and/or others of those side effects. Who knows exactly what would happen? It's never been tried on a tiefling before.

A small note, not relevant to the procedure, is displayed, and the bottle will be taken back once she's done with it.

We aren't easy to see, and when we make an effort, people are often horrified by our looks. I expect you understand what that is like. So I am usually content to remain out of sight.

[bc56]

Ruined Museum

Sekhmet feels... good. The potion has her blood pumping. The papercut on her thumb is healed over. "I understand." If she could be invisible all the time, she might be. In some ways, being invisible is easier to explain than her appearance. After handing back the first bottle, and with a lot more confidence, she drinks the black potion.

[Recaiden]

The black potion tastes like straight olive oil, with a strong aftertaste of blood and a disconcertingly sticky texture.
For most people, it's not easy to drink.
Luckily the bottle's pretty small.

But it might still leave you feeling good, because it is packed with otherworldly energy. Strength, magic, power. Not just raw potential (although there's plenty of that), but a force that spreads through the body and improves, making one better at their specialties, making one more what they already are.

Now, come with me. And however strange and frightening things may look, remember that you are safe.

After taking the black bottle, the writer's ball of false-light will appear again, leading down the left-hand hallway deeper into the ruin.

[bc56]

Ruined Museum

Sekhmet gags on the oily black liquid and nearly vomits. The stuff tastes disgusting! She's doubled over retching emptily for a few moments before straightening back up, still sickened. She follows the light, worried again. That description didn't sound pleasant.

[Recaiden]

Don't worry, Sekhmet. You just got a written assurance that things would only seem unpleasant but would actually be fine. And you've already drank the potions, so it's a bit late to be concerned. And there's definitely someone no one following invisibly behind you and the writer, why would you even think that? Don't worry about the fungus squelching underfoot, or the breeze shifting again and blowing outward. Don't worry about how dark it is in here now that you're away from the doors and front room. Don't worry about that part of the wall on the stairwell you're descending that looks melted away. Don't worry about getting lost in a maze of overgrown museum hallways. Definitely don't worry about the eyes of the opossum-mantises glinting orange in the darkness.
Everything is fine.

[bc56]

Ruined Museum
Of course, Sekhmet is worried. As they descend, she puts more willpower into her illusory lantern, and it shines a bit brighter. It seems easier than it used to. It looks a bit different too, less of an undefined orb of light and more like a flame hovering in midair. She didn't even intend that to happen.

[Recaiden]

Any monsters that might have been lurking just out of sight do not retreat from the increased brightness of the flame-lamp this time, and Sekhmet can look at them in all their weird six-limbed, chitinous glory. Oh, those giant mantid foreclaws must be what made the odd tracks upstairs. After all, Sekhmet is on their side now. More or less. They watch her pass with unblinking catlike eyes.

Soon, just as you might be wondering "why does this building extend down so far?", they leave the museum proper and enter the basement. Then the sub-basement. Then they're headed to the spacious, many-layered sewers of Inside. Sekhmet may get the feeling that the writer is relieved to be out of the museum. Somehow. It's not like there are facial expressions, posture cues, or sounds to suggest as such. It's more that the feeling just pops into her brain. The false-light being used to guide her grows brighter and more distinct, since it would be easier to get lost down here.

[bc56]

Ruined Museum

Sekhmet is unnerved by the monsters. She can't tell whether her light attracts them or keeps them away. At least they aren't following her. Upon entering the sewers, she's surprised by the thought that popped into her head. How did she know that? How could she tell? In a way, this unfamiliar knowledge is more frightening than the monsters above.

[Recaiden]

The light kept them away at first, but now that she's taken the potions they don't mind her seeing them.
Anyway, they don't need to follow her. There are more in the sewers.

The unfamiliar knowledge continues.
The writer is so happy to have met Sekhmet today; this has all gone so well.
And does Sekhmet feel, inexplicably, like she's going home?

If Sekhmet has a good sense of direction or other way to keep track, she can tell they're heading underneath one of the city's zombie-infested red zones. They traipse along water-running channels, around sewage-filled pits, over the toppled spires of sunken layers of the city.

[bc56]

Sewers

Sekhmet shudders. Everything feels wrong and right at the same time: she's heading deeper into this creepy labyrinth, yet she feels like she's going home, and she still is getting flashes of insight into her guide. It's almost like they're connected, somehow. But how? She isn't sure what to think anymore, so she continues following the light through the dark tunnels.

[Recaiden]

Up ahead, another light in the darkness. A pale blue bioluminescence, like something from the deep sea. It comes from the edge of a tunnel that looks, in a word, alive. A dark coating of something softer than meat but harder than mud blankets the walls, floor, ceiling, with glowing blue plants(?) sprouting around the rim, clustered around undulating pointy things. That's clearly their destination, and it looks horribly like they're about to be swallowed by some colossal monster oddly cozy and familiar, like a childhood haunt you had forgotten and then stumbled across.

[bc56]

Sewers

Sekhmet stops and stares. The frightful gateway looms ahead of her, and she wants to turn and run from that door, which looks to her like the very maw of Hell itself. Yet something about it mesmerizes her, draws her closer. It seems... familiar, like somewhere she'd been a long time ago, and since forgotten. She walks towards it, slowly, feeling almost as if she's dreaming.

[Recaiden]

They pass through the maw, where around the corner a few of those blade-clawed monsters quietly stand guard.

The first thing they pass, though, is neither hellish nor alien. It's a coat closet, where those coming and going from the madcap world above them pick up/drop off their robes, coats, shawls, cloaks, tabards, satchels, elixirs, pouches, money, paper, writing utensils, and other nonsense.
Now, granted, the coats hang on claws that emerge from the living wall, but overall it's quite normal.

Then after that the tunnel turns into a small chamber and it gets weird.
In the center of the room is a living thing for which there was no close analogy, but imagine if the bottom half of an anteater was all mouth and it had no fur or eyes, and it would be a little like that. Obviously (to Sekhmet, anyway), it is there to protect them all. Scuttling around between the chamber's three other exits are web-legged crowned crabs the size of lions, almost seeming to fly as they squiggle across the slick floor, carrying things here and there. Such diligent workers they are. Each of the crabs has a band of colorful fabric around part of their left pincer arm, and some have several such decorations. Dangling from the center of the ceiling are what seem to be plump four-tentacled octopuses (quadrupuses? quadr...upeds?).

The writer's light ignores all this and heads to the middle tunnel.
None of the monsters pay Sekhmet any attention either.

[bc56]

Eurus Hive Cluster

The coat closet is odd. It seems out of place, especially once Sekhmet walks into the next room. The chamber is disgusting, but also impressive. Everything here is alive, it seems, from the floor to the ceiling. Giving the guard beast a wide berth, Sekhmet follows her guide, but now she's also taking in the sights of this alien, unearthly passageway.

[Recaiden]

The Nexus has taught them the value of disguises like those coats. If people are suspicious when you're all bundled up, but grab torches and pitchforks when you're not...

Yes, nearly everything in the place is alive, including the place itself.

This next room has a variety of seemingly sleeping monsters, where they could rush out in an emergency, but probably don't need to. There are those crabs, and the ones that were standing guard, and giant armor-plated digging slugs, and one that looks almost human except for a few traces of shell on his head and the many many many fingers.
The light leads carefully around the edge. Through another tunnel one can see a large hole-filled structure like a giant termite mound, and through another heaps of metal being stored. But they ignore both of those. They're heading right to the center, sloping downward, towards the largest of caverns...

It occurs to Sekhmet that they're rather cramped here. Normally they'd spread out, rise higher, or have the various pieces of interest grown flank-to-wall for safety's sake. Not crowded into these random tunnels and hollows wherever they fit. The sense of being watched, connected, gets stronger. It's not just the writer who led her here; she can, very faintly, sense each of the living things all around her.

[bc56]

Eurus Hive Cluster

The sense of awareness that hits Sekhmet is somewhere between intoxicating and immeasurably frightening. She can sense the living things around her, feel their presence and some of their emotions. She's finally sure that something has changed, that she's not quite the same as she used to be. Is this the effect of the potions? What is it doing to her?

[Earl of Purple]

The Palace Post-Fight

Jack will take the spheres she finds, not sure what they are or what they do. But they look interesting, and could be valuable... If she can find somebody who both knows what they are and won't try to cheat her about it.

She's going to follow the others back to the entrance, and take a box, opening it and smiling. "Thank you, it's greatly appreciated." She'll try to put the ring on, just to see if it fits and does anything interesting, sliding it down her left ring finger. Jack also can't help herself; she's going to have to eat one of those cookies now.