Inside 71: All I Want For Thanksmas Is You

[Deathkeeper]

[All I Want for Thanksmas Is You]

"Sphinx of black quartz, judge my vow. Interesting. Maybe the name of the piece? If it's magic I'm not a wizard, unfortunately." Nim smiles and goes back to packing it up.
"Do you think one of those boxes will help, officer? It does seem quiet in here." It could be music needs to fight the music. Not the weirdest thing Nim has heard of.

[Morty]

[All I Want For Thanksmas Is You]
Nim and Michalson

"Thank you, ma'am. I'll be sure to return it once the investigation is complete," Michalson says as he examines the box. A pretty little thing, it is. "It seems that their music repels whatever it is that makes other devices blare that awful tune. I plan to take it out of 'ere and test it elsewhere," he tells Nim.

[bc56]

Alex's Apartment

Alex leaves the madman to his raving. He shouldn't disturb her too much if she doesn't come back into that room, but he will wake up screaming in the middle of the night a couple times. The soundproofing enchantment will keep it from being heard outside, but hopefully Alex is a heavy sleeper.

Unless Rose returns to talk to him again, nothing super unexpected will happen before Sapphira arrives to pick him up around noon the next day.

[Chaotic Bob]

[Some Street]

Obsidian's eyes go wide as she says, "Oh! You can fly too!"

Since the mouse is up, she stands up too, and nods. "It's this way," she says, taking a step in the direction she was going originally. But, speaking of the zombie, she turns and gives the zombie a pat on the head and ruffles its hair. "He's just a good wittle obedient boy, aren't you?" she says, getting into a little bit of baby talk. "Zombies are always good at following but this one doesn't want to get punished so he's being nice and obedient; so he doesn't need any help." It's just a mindless zombie.

Obsidian snaps and points down to get the undead's attention and tells it to "Heel!"

She continues walking, and after two turns there's going to be a large tree.

...
But, before that, they'll pass a street that farther down has a tree with a half-dozen zombies impaled on its branches.

For the most part, undead given Yurioc the willies. For someone who operates on a primarily telepathic/empathic wavelength, things that broadly have no mind to actually speak of are pretty terrible.
So he finds the zombie far less endearing, but tolerates it as "evidently this girl's thing".
That tree with all the zombies stuck on it? Significantly more disturbing.

There is a very slim trace of hope they're not going to end up there at some point and it's the nice boring tree instead.
I feel I have to ask: who taught you how to make friends with zombies?

[Rebonack]

[All I Want For Thanksmas Is You]
Nim and Michalson

When Nim speaks the invocation the eyes of the sphinx begin glowing an eerie, muted white. After a few seconds they fade back to black again since Nim didn't follow up the invocation with an oath of any kind. It certainly LOOKS neat! But doesn't appear to be doing anything useful. Unless having glowing eyes is a useful thing in Nim's book.

Michalson lays out the plan.

See if the music repelling effect extends behind the shop!

Probably a good idea. If this DOES work then there's a good chance that music boxes are going to be in really high demand in the near future.


[Alex' Apartment]

Sleeping on the couch isn't fun. But Alex doesn't feel like moving the lunatic off her bed, either. Why the sudden spike of compassion? This definitely isn't like her. Not since the Mistress cured her, anyway. It probably has something to do with 'Rose'. Speaking of, early in the morning well before Alex would typically be getting up, night owl that she is, Rose kicks off the blanket she had draped over herself, gets dressed, and goes to visit the madman again. The sleep had helped. She feels a little less slimy around the edges. Maybe she gets more resilient each time she does this? Would she ever be able to just remain as Rose indefinitely? She doesn't think so. Not until the stain on her soul is removed.

Quietly, gently, the opens the door to her room.

"Hey," she calls out just above a whisper. "Are you awake?"

[Deathkeeper]

[All I Want for Thanksmas is You]

Nim's eyes light up, only metaphorically so.
”Oh! Okay. Magic. Magic words. Um.
Sphinx of black quartz: judge my vow. I’m going to help the detective with his investigation?”
Because it’s the right thing to do. And helping a little won’t be hard. He’s pretty strong if nothing else he can hold that music box while he does detective stuff.

[bc56]

Alex's Apartment

The madman is still lying on the bed, facing the windows. "The dawn was very red. She was red too. Red like her mother." He seems calmer than before. Maybe it was getting to sleep on an actual bed. "Had I known... She should never have left my sight. Too late now. Pray she found a good home." He laughs. "The curse is a tie. She lives." He looks at Rose. "Your name? Hers was... Sekhmet. Her mother's idea. She had a little blankie, her name stitched on. Such a cute child. A horrible fate. Save her!" He laughs. "She's a tool. Never wanted to love her. Bah! Get your hands off me, Fate! I'll make my own destiny! I'll die when I want to, not a moment later!" He starts glaring angrily at thin air.

[Rebonack]

[Alex' Apartment]

Sometimes the air deserves to be glared at, doesn't it?

Okay. So. Daughter has red skin. Like Sapphira. And like Alexandria, too. That shouldn't come as much of a surprise, but every little bit of information Rose can get on this person is helpful.

A girl named-

Sekhmet?

That's a pretty uncommon name, actually. That could help. She's got a last name, too. Crowley. She might be able to get a scry going? Figure out where Sekhmet is? Maybe she could get in contact with Hugo? Call in a favor from an old friend. Convincing him that she's one of his old adventuring companions might be a bit tricky, though. But she should be able to pull it off. No one else should know about the mayonnaise incident.

"I'm Rose," the once-gaiad replies. "What about you? What's your name?"

She knows how Hugo's spells work. The more information he's got the firmer of a fix he can draw.

[bc56]

Alex's Apartment

"An... An... I... As. Ananias," The madman replies. He seems to have to dredge his mind for that answer. "Nobody every uses it anymore. Just another nameless slab of meat." He laughs. "She should sacrifice me. Won't. Wants to prolong my suffering. Or maybe has another use for me?" He chuckles. "Just end it already." He rolls around to the edge of the bed. "Shall I fall? No, I've fallen already. You're not done falling. Find some wings to save you. Too late."

[Morty]

[All I Want For Thanksmas Is You]
Nim and Michalson

"I would be more careful about makin' vows to magical sphinx statues. Just in general. Been there, done that." It's not clear if he really means he made poorly thought-out vows to magic statues. "In any event, we're goin' to start by just takin' this music box elsewhere and seein' what happens. Let's go."

[Rebonack]

[All I Want For Thanksmas Is You]

The statue's eyes briefly glow, then fall dark again.

Nothing seems to happen.

Nim's vow was deemed unworthy by the sphinx of black quartz since there was no chance of failure. If Nimrod wanted the sphinx to judge his vow worthy, he would have to vow something risky and audacious.

Then back outside they go!

If they don't have the music box playing then the awful tune will begin blasting from Michalson's phone again. Because of course it will. However, if the music box is playing the infectious Thanksmas music will be banished everywhere within hearing range of the little music box.

Hmm...

Fascinating.


[Alex' Apartment]

Sekhmet Crowley, daughter of Ananias Crowley.

That's definitely the sort of information that Hugo would definitely be able to use.

"Ananias. Okay. I'll... I'll try," she says as she fetches a brass key from her dresser and heads back out into the study. There's a display case, you see. One full of unusual objects that she's collected over the years. And one very particular object she's after. A cruel looking wave-bladed dagger made out of some kind of black metal, a large purple crystal slotted into its pommel. Something about the stone is innately profane and looking into its shadowed interior leaves one feeling like they're being drawn into it.

The key slots into the case. The lid pops open with a click. Rose wraps her fingers around the dagger's hilt and lifts it out of the case.

It feels heavy.

Far heavier than it has any right being.

[bc56]

Alex's Apartment

"Yes... Please..." Ananias says when he sees Rose return with the kris. "Oblivion."

[Rebonack]

[Alex' Apartment]

Rose stands over the madman, dagger in hand.

She knows exactly what this blade will do to someone. She's used it before.

It's a dreadful weapon.

With one hand Rose grips the hilt, with the other she braces her palm against the pommel. The weapon is raised above her head, her face a battleground of emotion. Mercy and contempt. Rebellion and submission. A desire to end whatever miserable plan Sapphira might have for this man and the NEED to see what corrupt fruit it will bear if carried out.

Trembling, the blade waits.

Poised to strike.

Can she bring herself to do it?

[Earl of Purple]

Outside Cormorant House

As the beast charges again, now it's looking a bit injured, Mishnehel flies around so she's behind the beast and lowers her head before charging. She won't stop it reaching the swordsman; from what she's seen, he can handle himself. But she's going to collide with the wendigo anyway, horns down and weight behind her. The Growth has worn off, and she can't tap into it again, but she's still quite large and has a lot of force behind her charge.

[Deathkeeper]

[All I Want for Thanksmas is You]

Nim frowns. Unworthy? Maybe the promise was too wimpy for the statue. Too wishy-washy and not resolute enough. It's clearly magic. There has to be something. Though really this could just be a really old magic 8-ball for all he knows.
He follows Michalson out and pockets his phone on the way.
"Sphinx of black quartz: judge my vow: I'm going to put a stop to this musical plague with the Detective." he whispers to it when Michalson is busy paying attention to other things. He's aware of the risk Michalson is justifiably worried about, but he feels relatively safe from a magic sphinx statue. Sphinxes wouldn't harm Sphinx, would they? He just gets the idea that this would be helpful, if he could get it to work.

[bc56]

Alex's Apartment

Ananias watches the dagger. "Please..." He whimpers.

This is entirely down to the result of the battle within Rose's mind.

[5a Violista]

Was in an Alleyway

The red-haired guy, after getting that, or maybe those, clearly unwell children to the police and getting the scratches and eye-bites and mouth-bites looked at and bandaged, decides he can go on to continue whatever he was.

Well,

First.

His phone.
It's been blaring some Thanksmas song on loop for the last while now.
He tries to turn off whatever is causing it. Must be some alarm or setting or...whatever. No idea. Maybe the radio accidentally turned on.


[In the Painting]

At this point, both of their clothes are all dirty and muddy.

She steps away from the stream and from Lilly.
...
Now, how to get back?
"I suppose it wouldn't do to just continue our stroll like this," she says, although she still would like to get to know the grounds better just in case she needs to flee out the window tonight. And! Ugh! June feels so frustrated at herself, that she thinks having a knife with her is her only option. She even told Raril when he hired her that she didn't think she would ever to kill someone to get out of a situation! But she has been carrying that knife around for long enough that literally the first thing she though of in this kind of situation was to get a knife! She is incredibly grateful that she didn't even have the chance to use it here, because, honestly speaking, she feels like she would have lost a part of herself if she did that.

Even though the hot water bottle is not really hot any longer, she still holds it in place. "You know the way back better, so...I would like you to lead," she says. Also, she doesn't really want Lilly behind her, for some presumably-unknowable reason.


[Some Street]

As it happens,
they head towards the perfectly-normal large tree and not the zombie tree.

"I taught myself," Obsidian says. "But they're not really friends and more like..." She turns to look back at the zombie following them. "pets, I guess. You don't eat friends, obviously. And most of them are too dumb to even make friends even if they wanted to." She mimes a grabbing motion, and explains how she did it. "It's not that hard, actually. You just grab their energy stuff like this, then you twist it and then you just make them listen to you," she says. "And if that doesn't work, then you just punish them. If they get bitey and a leash isn't helping, then a good kick and a stomp and some scolding usually does the trick." Or, you know, cutting their tendons and breaking their jaws. That also works sometimes. "There are other options, too. But you usually only have to reserve that to only the most naughty ones."

Congrats. You have learned the art of zombie taming and unlocked level progression for it.

They safely arrive at the nice boring tree.
It is, of course, kinda large.
And, if you climb or float upwards then there is an entrance to a staircase that goes farther. "Here!" she declares.

[Rebonack]

[Outside Cormorant House]

In a momentary fit of self-preservation the beast leaps to one side to avoid the killing stroke-

-only to get slammed back into the attack by the celestial's charge. There's a crunch as a few things inside the beast break from that impact.

And then?

It goes very still.

A second passes.

Two.

Three.

...well?

Is the swordsman going to sheath his weapon so this awful creature can die properly? Should he finally get the right idea and sheath his weapon the beast will split asunder in a spray of frozen blood. Otherwise it's just going to stand there being dead in a dreadfully undramatic fashion.


[Alex' Apartment]

Her ears fold back. Sweat beads on her brow. The flower in her hair seems to wilt as a look of pain grows increasingly evident on Rose's face. Finally she screws her eyes shut and looks away, the dagger falling to her side.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I can't. I won't displease the Mistress," Rose says as she turns and hurries out of the room, shutting the door behind her. She does her best to ignore Ananias' howls as she locks the dagger back in the display case, curls up in a ball on the couch, and pulls the blankets back over herself.

...

About three hours later Alexandria will wake up and go about her morning routine none the wiser.

[bc56]

In the Painting

Lilly leads the way. Soon the house is visible once more. "You go in the front. I'll go around and distract Edward."

She begins heading for the outbuilding.

Alex's Apartment

Howl Ananias does, ranting and raving incoherently for almost half an hour after Rose leaves. By the time Alexandria wakes back up, he's calmed down. She can go about her routine until Sapphira arrives.

At noon, again unannounced, the archfiend once again appears in the apartment. "How was he? Didn't give you any trouble, did he?" she asks. Again, she doesn't care at all about interrupting what Alex is doing. This time, she doesn't even play it lip service.

[Rebonack]

[Alex' Apartment]

Sapphira will find Alex busy transcribing a few relatively simple spells onto scrolls. The sort of spells that, while they don't take much effort to cast, still aren't the sort of thing that a clever warlock would want to waste their limited supplies of magic on. Useful, but rarely vital. She glances up from her work desk when the devil appears.

"Loud, but he calmed down quickly. Hardly any trouble at all, Mistress," Alexandria replies. "A few of the things he said left me curious, though. I got the impression that he's concerned about the child he had with you?"

Her tone is respectful here.

The sort that betrays the fact that she wants to know more, but she'll drop the subject if Sapphira doesn't wish to speak on this topic.

It certainly SOUNDED like she was important.

Alex can't help but wonder if all this scheming has to do with her somehow.

The crown is for something, no doubt. But she didn't bother to ask. She learned long ago not to question a patron's demands. Just get them done with as little fuss as possible.

[bc56]

Alex's Apartment

Sapphira frowns. "That is an old, old story. Nineteen years ago, when he still had his wits, I did have a 'fling' with him. But there was no child. He is well and truly mad." Who does Alex believe? Sapphira is a consummate liar, but presumably Alex realizes that. It would be impossible to tell whether she's truthful about anything.

[Rebonack]

[Alex' Apartment]

Interesting.

Then there are two possibilities, aren't there?

Either Ananias is indeed mad and there is no child.

Or he's telling the truth and for some reason Sapphira doesn't want Alex to know about it.

That seems like an odd thing to deny.

What would be the point of trying to prevent Alex from being aware of such a daughter's existence?

Her father certainly seemed to think she's important. But he's a mad man.

Alex shrugs. "The guest is in my bedroom. I had an uncharacteristic moment of graciousness and allowed him to use my bed."

Considering how Alex looks slightly disheveled it should be clear she slept on one of her couches.

[bc56]

Alex's Apartment

"Oh, there was no need for that." Sapphira says sweetly. She opens the bedroom door, enters, and emerges with Ananias over her shoulder. "Farewell, Alexandria. I do not expect to call on you for some time. Take some time off."

[Rebonack]

[Alex' Apartment]

"As you wish, Mistress," Alexandria replies with a wicked half grin. "I'm sure I'll be able to find something constructive to use my skills for in the mean time."

By 'constructive' she of course means corrupting people.

How many otherwise upstanding people could she tempt into corruption and decadence if she pushes the right buttons?

How many stories could she push toward betrayal, cruelty, and ruin?

Probably quite a few if she really put her mind to it.

"I'll probably keep in touch with the other former Buttercups. Thus far they've all be quite interested in the notion of trading service for power."

Oooh.

Recruiting cultists!

[bc56]

Alex's Apartment

"Very good." It's good to hear the former buttercups are interested in joining the cult. That was why Sapphira made them in the first place. "Farewell." And Sapphira is gone again, taking Ananias with her.

[Rebonack]

[Alex' Apartment]

Well.

Babysitting done.

Now Alexandria can get to some more useful activities.

In this particular case? She's going to head off to check out-

[The Lava Pit]

Now this was a fascinating location. It was meant to be the site of another Seed Dance, but Sapphira had corrupted it with fiendish power. Now instead of a magical forest it's a pit of bubbling molten rock and sulfurous fumes. Alexandria is curious to see if others who had been endowed with a spark of Sapphira's power might be drawn to this place. There's also the interesting question of the sprites who had fallen into the cauldron of lava and corruption. What had become of them?

There are a pair of cyclone fences that have been set up around the pit with about six feet between them. That way anyone foolish enough to climb the first fence is likely to be caught before they make it over the second one.

Who could be here? Definitely some teens trying to figure out how to toss objects over the fences and into the lava.

Because what's the point of having a lava pit if you can't toss stuff into it?

[bc56]

The Lava Pit -> Brimstone Park

The lava pit has a name, you know. It's even a municipal park, not that anyone lives here.
Except that lady down there. Currently she's poking her upper body out of the lava and yelling at a group of kids who are, as expected, throwing trash into over the fence and into the pit. Her clothes are made from molten rock dripping off her, and her hair is not just fiery red, but on fire. "Show some respect! People live down here!" The poor woman is bonked on the head with a crumpled newspaper for her trouble. It ignites before it ever reaches her. "At least tell someone about the weird portal down here! One of my friends went in there and never came out!"

[Rebonack]

[Brimstone Park]

Weird portal?

Well now, that certainly sounds interesting.

Not that Alexandria is equipped for exploring a lava lake. She's pretty sure Sapphira didn't make her fire proof.

The warlock approaches the unruly teens, fixes them with an attention drawing gaze, and commands, "Shove off."

Normally one would expect unruly teens to be surly and rebellious. They are, after all, teens. But something about Alexandria's demeanor is both unsettling and intimidating and they quickly decide to go make trouble elsewhere.

"Lets go, this was getting boring anyway," one of the mutters as the skulk away.

There. Problem one solved.

"Now," the tiefling calls out to the fire sprite. "What was this you were saying about a weird portal?"

[bc56]

Brimstone Park

"There's a portal beneath the lava, right in the center of the park. I don't know where it leads. But my friend Charcoal went through there and never returned! You have to get someone to check it out! Please!" The pyriad replies. "I'm scared whatever lives on the other side will come through to here!" Too bad Alex doesn't have any way of surviving the lava. If she did, it might be interesting to explore the portal. After all, this place still has lingering echoes of her mistress' power.

[Rebonack]

[Brimstone Park]

Oh now that's fascinating.

Maybe a portal to hell down there?

That could potentially be an interesting source of reagents. Getting the materials for seals of Hellish Rebuke is always such a chore. Damned soul tallow doesn't come cheap after all. But if she could secure some from the park?

Hmm. What if...? This park radiates magic. Both the magic of the Dreamheart AND the magic of hell. Alexandria can feel both coiling around inside her, especially after that stunt with the name integrator. So far the infernal magic and eldritch magic have been at odds. But maybe, just maybe, there's a way to make it so they AREN'T at odds with each other.

The tiefling puts her hands over her face and reaches. This time it isn't just Rose forcing her way to the surface. This time around it's Alexandria hunting for something a truce. With a wrench one mask is pulled away and replaced with another, causing Alexandria to be QUITE happy that she worse a dress today, otherwise she would have just lost a pair of pants to deerbutt.

Rose has to act fast. She can already feel the cure trying to eat at her. She's not Buttercup anymore, but it's still poison.

"Okay, watch out, I'm coming down there!" Rose calls out as she backs up several steps before dashing forward and LEAPING over the fence!

She lands precariously on a slab of obsidian, her hooves scrabbling to maintain balance. WOWIE ZOWIE is it ever hot down here! But she's got a secret, see? Gaiads root with landscapes. Those landscapes can be gardens or forests or meadows or mountains or flood planes or lots of things. And you know what else is a natural landscape?

A lava flow.

Rose vanishes as she merges into the volcanic glass and molten rock. Her dress flops to the stone and immediately bursts into flames. She reaches out with herself and seizes hold of that portal deep down in her park. The fire, the stones, the lava, the portal, it's all part of her. Eldritch magic meets with infernal magic and instead of one poisoning the other they begin mingling as a river of lava mingles with the sea. All around the park in little bursts of flame brambles covered in burgundy roses that glow like embers begin sprouting everywhere. They creep over the protective fence, utterly consuming it until it has been replaced with a hedge-row of flowers and thorns.

This place belongs to her now.

With a gasp Rose pops her head out of the lava as she manifests again, climbing up onto a slab of rock. Her cervine ears have been joined by a pair of slightly curved dragon-like horns that look like they're made of cooling volcanic rock, black with molten veins running through the cracks. Her deer-body has been replaced with that of a salamander, a molten draconic form with a flattened tail for swimming through lakes of lava. She flashes a smile at the distressed pyread.

"Okay! I'll go check what's on the other side of the portal. If any devils show up all of a sudden start banging on one of my rocks and yelling at me to get my attention," Rose says as she turns and dives under the surface of the molten lake. Okay, the portal is right down there. Let's see what's on the other side.