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  1. - Top - End - #151
    Troll in the Playground
     
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    Default Re: Inside 71: All I Want For Thanksmas Is You

    Lethal Lava Land

    Sekhmet always had a tail though. The thing that appeared was the barb (although yes, she was alarmed, but more by the wings and the extra horns).

    "Oh, that's so awful! Is there anything I can do for you? Do you need a hug?" Charcoal asks. Then she asks an important question. "So what's happening to me? I keep throwing up that black stuff and sometimes when I do, I get different body parts. I got these," she holds her horns, "A few days ago." She shudders. "She was pleased by that. That's when she started letting me wear clothes." Ugh. Humiliating outfits are at least better than no outfits at all, but it's clear Sapphira is pretty cruel to her slaves.

    In the Painting

    June has bathed. She feels nice and fresh and clean. She can dry off with the towels and get dressed again, but there's the question, what did she hope to achieve here?
    Last edited by bc56; 2020-11-21 at 09:34 AM.
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    Quote Originally Posted by William Shakespeare, King Lear, IV.i.46
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  2. - Top - End - #152
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    Default Re: Inside 71: All I Want For Thanksmas Is You

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

    Michalson stops and slowly reaches for his badge, showing it to the goblins.

    "We're not going to be shoving off anytime soon, cutter. I'm 'ere on official Intersection business. I'll have to ask you to let me attend to it."

    He doesn't expect it to work, but he does need to try.
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  3. - Top - End - #153
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    Default Re: Inside 71: All I Want For Thanksmas Is You

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

    Definitely Dreamland goblins. These redcaps are pretty easy to identify by the slick, wet, red headgear they're always wearing. It speaks ill of their favored hobbies.

    The repulsively obese goblin takes a few threatening steps forward, rubbing his huge hands together gleefully while licking his greasy lips. "Yeah? And waht're you gunna do if we don't, huh?"

    With completely undisguised malice, the other two goblins are reaching for their weapons. The spidery goblin pulls out a cruel looking net made of razor-wire and lead weights while the bulldogish goblin draws a crude axe with a leering face painted on the blade. It should be pretty clear that the goblins don't give two (unpleasant things) about the officer's badge and are fully intent on causing some havoc here.

    But...

    They haven't attacked.

    Not yet.

    If Michelson has read any reports on the typical behavior of Dreamland goblins this might strike him as surprising. They're cruel and vicious to a fault. And perhaps unintuatively, the bigger and stronger they are they smarter they are, too. These three aren't huge by any means. About the size of a weight of a typical human, which means the fat goblin is quite a bit shorter than the other two. If they were just causing mischief on their own they probably would have attacked by now. Chances are someone is giving them orders and those orders involve intimidating people away before resorting to violence.


    [Lethal Lava Land]

    "A hug would be really nice..." Rose admits. Hopefully she gets one. The only hug she's gotten any time recently was when she was lying to people at the temple and Alexandria was disgusted by it. Rose was only a faint spark of Buttercupness at the time so she really didn't get to try to enjoy it. "I THINK you're turning into a devil, too? Just really slow compared to me and the Buttercups the Queen used her 'cure' on. It might just be something new and you're the first person she tested it on. It doesn't seem like it's making you mean so maybe it's not going to do that?"

    Rose sure hopes it doesn't. She would wish that meanness on ANYONE no matter who they are! Especially not someone who's nice.

    In truth, part of the reason the post-Buttercup tieflings are so nasty is because Buttercup's Name attaches itself to everything that makes them kind and positive and happy and amplifies those things. Cutting out Buttercup's name cuts out all the kind, positive, happy parts of their personality along with it. All that's left is a cruel person who only feels happiness when others are suffering or being corrupted. Yuck!

    "But don't worry! There's supposed to be a person who can take all the gross tar out of our souls so we won't keep getting more devil-y. I'm going to find her and she'll be able to help us, I'm sure of it!"
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  4. - Top - End - #154
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    Default Re: Inside 71: All I Want For Thanksmas Is You

    [All I Want for Thanksmas Is You]

    Nim frowns. He really doesn't want to get into a fight right now, but it seems likely. He can only really try to deck them with his Mantle-enhanced strength right now. And he doesn't exactly have good form without training.
    "If you don't we're probably gonna end up bothering your boss about it." Nim tells them, testing to see if they'll let slip if they have one and who that is.
    Spako Highclaws by Ceika.

    [Sorry Boss, but as always, I get the last word.]

  5. - Top - End - #155
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    Default Re: [Park Inspection]

    Quote Originally Posted by Recaiden View Post
    As the cat is pelted with bits of iron it stops trying to even hit the imps and just shelters its face with its paws and curls up a bit to be hit less.
    Those would hurt even if they weren't made out of poison metal.

    So soon enough the cat is buried in iron nets.
    "That's a crazy way to ask someone questions!" she protests, not even looking at the boss imp in his horrifying robe.
    The imps thankfully stops with their assault once their boss raises his hands. Though a group of them fly over to investigate the chariot a bit closer. They have one of them go first to poke at it to see if it dies or something.

    Meanwhile, the boss imp frowns at the fey's reply. "Oh, so suddenly you're in a position to question our methods, cat? Maybe if your lot wasn't such a hodgepodge of untrustworthiness we wouldn't have to resort to such violent methods." He pauses and crosses his arms over his chest. "But here we are, so what will it be?"

  6. - Top - End - #156
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    Default [Park Inspection]

    "If you weren't so violent, maybe people would be more trusting!"
    "Ask your - questions."

    The chariot is, upon closer inspection, something much larger that has been folded down into the size and shape of a chariot. It is made of unlikely materials such as polished brass and the sound of the ocean caught in a seashell. It is nominally pulled by birds, which convey it faster than any horse can go. There is always a finely made road in front of it, wherever it goes...for a while.
    As soon as an imp touches it, seatbelts sprout from the metal plating and attempt to secure the 'passenger'.
    ~Inner Circle~
    Quote Originally Posted by Raz_Fox View Post
    He takes normality and reason and turns them UP TO 11!
    Quote Originally Posted by Anarion View Post
    Recaiden, stop using your mastery of the English language to confuse the issue.
    Echidna by Serpentine

  7. - Top - End - #157
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    Default Re: Inside 71: All I Want For Thanksmas Is You

    Lethal Lava Land

    Rose does get a hug. It probably is much nicer than the last one, given that she's more herself. Charcoal looks a bit worried. "I really don't want to turn mean. That would be, um, really mean!"

    The pair is almost to the lava canyon by the time Charcoal has another episode. After making another large puddle of sludge and having her tail grow a little thicker and stronger, Charcoal seems weakened. She rides the rest of the way to the canyon in uncomfortable silence.
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  8. - Top - End - #158
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    Default Re: Inside 71: All I Want For Thanksmas Is You

    [Lethal Lava Land]

    Oh no Charcoal's tail isn't as cute now.

    Sapphira is truly a monster.

    Rose will scale her way down the canyon, thankful for the gecko-y climbing prowess she inherited from having a salamander bottom half instead of a deer bottom half. Really, having a deer bottom half doesn't fit for a gaiad of lava flows and thermal features. Not even a little bit!

    Since Charcoal obviously isn't feeling well Rose decides to try cheering her up by talking about what she's going to do with the park.

    "So I was thinking maybe I can redirect some under water streams up the surface. You know, make geysers and hot springs? Maybe a few bubbly mud pots. They'll be boiling hot so they'll be really nice to relax in. Do you think maybe I should make a few that are cooler so mortals can hang out in them, too? We'll have to make sure to put p signs showing which springs are safe for mortals to bathe in and which ones aren't since we don't want visitors to cook themselves."

    People cooking themselves in hot springs would be really sad. Rose definitely doesn't want that to happen.

    Climbing down the cliff, Rose heads for the lava lake. They're just about home.
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  9. - Top - End - #159
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    Default Re: Inside 71: All I Want For Thanksmas Is You

    Lethal Lava Land

    Charcoal smiles. "That sounds nice. But maybe we could let a few boil to... No! What am I saying!?" She was just thinking about how people who boil to death would make great sacrifices to feed the park, but that isn't right, is it? It seems awfully mean. "Rose, I'm scared!" Charcoal is holding onto Rose much more tightly, as if the gaiad will keep her from slipping into madness and evil.
    Awesome avatar (Kothar, paladin of Tlacua) by Linkele!

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  10. - Top - End - #160
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    Default Re: Inside 71: All I Want For Thanksmas Is You

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

    "If you don't, you'll all be charged with obstruction of justice," Michalson says, staring down the goblins with a calm eye. He still sounds like a policeman, playing things by the book, but there's also an adventurer there. And a gutter rat who has faced worse odds. "You lot can clear out now or once my backup arrives. Makes no difference to me, but it might make some to you."
    Last edited by Morty; 2020-11-21 at 01:15 PM.
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  11. - Top - End - #161
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    Default Re: Inside 71: All I Want For Thanksmas Is You

    Near Cormorant House

    The bison-magpie-oak with all the hands turns to the swordsman and gasps when she realises how cold he is and how bad this actually is for people without the fur, feathers and fat she has in this shape. "Come here, sir! Come, come, I'll get you out of here and to somewhere warm, OK?" She gallops over to him and tries to grab him with some of her many hands, stretching her wings and flying off with him, aiming for Trog's. It's nearby, and it has fire, and warm food. Assuming he has money; Mishnehel still doesn't have any, and isn't sure if Zee noticed her leave earlier without paying for the sandwich she asked for.
    Terrowin Avatar by HappyTurtle. Much thanks!

  12. - Top - End - #162
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    Default Re: Inside 71: All I Want For Thanksmas Is You

    [Near Cormorant House]

    "No... not enough fire... burning corpses... enough fire", the masked figure mumbles, tossing another mutilated corpse into the pile. But, since the half-elf approaches it with no harmful intent, it is curiously unprepared to being grabbed, so the half-elf spirits it away successfully.

    Sadly, the masked figure is as penniless as its ragged state suggests.

  13. - Top - End - #163
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    Default Re: Inside 71: All I Want For Thanksmas Is You

    [Lethal Lava Land]

    Oh. Oh no.

    Oh nononono.

    The tar is starting to turning Charcoal's niceness into meanness. That's the first step toward becoming horrible and mean. That means Rose needs to hurry. It doesn't help that she can feel the tar starting to churn inside her as well.

    The gaiad picks up her speed. They're just about back to the lava lake.

    "It's going to be okay, Charcoal I'm right here we're going to get you cured as soon as we can."
    Last edited by Rebonack; 2020-11-21 at 09:27 PM.
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  14. - Top - End - #164
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    Default Re: Inside 71: All I Want For Thanksmas Is You

    Lethal Lava Land

    "I don't want to end up like her! She was so horrible!" Charcoal looks like she's going to be sick again, but not from the goop. "I'm having these intrusive thoughts! Please, what can I do?" The pair splash into the lava river. It's just a short swim to the portal from here. Charcoal is shaking with terror as she contemplates the possibility of ending up fully devilish. "Let's just get out of this place and back home." She spits a little glob of black slime out. "I don't want to think about this anymore."
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  15. - Top - End - #165
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    Default Re: Inside 71: All I Want For Thanksmas Is You

    [All I Want for Thanksmas is You]

    "Um.. wha..?" Solstice says, baffled, growing more alarmed, and probably too softly to be heard unless you know how to read what's what.

    "I.. I don't.." she began, very uncertain of all this. She didn't think she had a prayer finding the cause of all this, and she may have been right.

    For one thing, Solstice really didn't know much about electronic devices. She didn't own any. And even if she did, they'd get all fried up and malfunction due to her presence or touching them, or even worse, if she was to use magic near them. And that said, her expertise was magic, not technology. If it was all electronic devices doing this, it was probably some kind of cause related to that, right? Probably not magic. Or at least, definitely not Solstice's kind of magic. And even if it was possible for her to use some magic to glean what was going on, all the racket would just make it hard to concentrate. And she was tired, damnit.

    There was another problem too. A big, glaring loophole with Zee's offer that Solstice didn't want to exploit.

    But in any case, she didn't feel up to the task. However, instead she counter-offers, "What if.. um.. I helped you decorate instead?"

    Hah, take that stupid game logic! Solstice will do the safe NPC stuff so Zee can go out and do the adventuring stuff!
    Last edited by WindStruck; 2020-11-21 at 07:05 PM.
    Avatar by linklele!

  16. - Top - End - #166
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
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    Default Re: Inside 71: All I Want For Thanksmas Is You

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

    "You two don't look so tough to me," the bulldog-like goblin sneers. He beats the haft of his axe in his palm. "Last chance, snotlings. Stop mindin' our buisness before we take a mind to yours."

    The other two goblins look like they're ready to fly into unspeakable violence at a moment's notice.

    -but they still haven't attacked yet.

    Strange.


    [All I Want For Thanksmas Is You]
    Solstice

    Zee blinks.

    Then laughs.

    "Yeah, I guess that wouldn't be a great job for you, anyway. Not really your thing! Sure, I accept. But why don't you try decorating right over here-" Zee says as she hands Solstice a basket full of fresh smelling Thanksmas wreaths. "It probably won't be quite so loud."

    Should Solstice take the box of wreaths she'll find herself over in the Thanksmas Thread! Which... is still Trog's. But not loud. And possibly not at the same time?

    Mysterious.


    [Lethal Lava Land]

    "You won't end up like her," Rose insists, doing her best to sound comforting and certain. "Neither of us will. There's going to be a big party tonight and I think the person who can cure us will be there. I'll ask her to come to Brimstone Park and we'll both be cleansed of this gross meany goop."

    Rose dives into the lava lake and begins swimming down toward the portal.

    Unless something stops her she'll swim right through and back to-

    [Brimstone Park]

    Rose surfaces in the park's main caldera right where she had jumped in! She'll set Charcoal down on a rock nearby just in case she doesn't feel like floating in the lava on her own. Woo! Wow. That actually went WAY more smoothly that it could have otherwise. It's a good thing that no one seems to have noticed Rose's park portal down in the bottom of that lava river. If they did that would probably be trouble of the very devil-y kind. Rose immediately begins heading for the caldera's rim.

    "Okay! I'm feeling pretty goopy so I'm going to have to be Alexandria for a while. While I'm away listen to Ember, if she thinks you're acting mean you probably are. It gets worse faster if you decide to be bad," Rose explains. "I'll be back here later on tonight to get you cured, I promise! Oh and if Alexandria says anything mean to you don't take it personally, she's just really sad and rotten."

    Then?

    She'll climb up out of the park, grip her face with both hands, and twist.

    There is now an attractive tiefling woman standing in her place. Alex blinks, looking slightly disoriented, then checks her fanny-pack. She comes away with several lime-green crystals in her grasp and grins a nasty, sadistic smirk. "Excellent. That bleeding heart idiot came through."
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  17. - Top - End - #167
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    Default Re: Inside 71: All I Want For Thanksmas Is You

    Brimstone Park

    Ember barely gets a chance to thank Rose for rescuing Charcoal (even if she is a bit change by her experience) before she reverts to Alexandria. Charcoal busily begins explaining what happened to Ember, but before Alex has time to leave, she starts being sick into the lava pool, vomiting a stream of black sludge into it. That probably will make Rose a bit sick, but moreover, when she rises out of the lava to wipe sludge off herself, she has a pair of tiny vestigal wings on her back.
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  18. - Top - End - #168
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    Default Re: Inside 71: All I Want For Thanksmas Is You

    [All I Want for Thanksmas Is You]

    Nim shakes his head.
    "No way. We're not leaving until that music transmission is down and silent."
    Guess he's going to have to punch a goblin today. He'll have to do his best not to get sliced up or something equally horrible.
    Spako Highclaws by Ceika.

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  19. - Top - End - #169
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    Default Re: Inside 71: All I Want For Thanksmas Is You

    [Brimstone Park]

    Where the black sludge hits the lave lake it bursts into flames, causing a plume of vile hellfire to being burning where the puddle ignites. It's a dark, greasy cloud of thick black smoke with dark orange flames illuminating the interior of the hellish blaze. It stings the eyes and smells awful, but thankfully doesn't spread much further than the puddle that Charcoal barfed up. Honestly it looks like someone started a tire-fire in the middle of the caldera.

    Alexandria doesn't care.

    At all.

    Why should she care about what these idiots are doing? Though, she can't help but smirk at the corruption one of the pair is suffering. Maybe she can find a way to get the other to take part, too. Ah well, maybe another day. She has her prize. Soul tallow in hand Alexandria returns to=

    [Alex' Apartment]

    Now it's just a matter of grinding the crystals containing the purified hellish suffering into wax stamped with the proper sigils. Alex is really pleased with how today worked out. Wax seals of Hellish Rebuke are often quite difficult to come by and she's expecting to be able sell them for an excellent price at the markets. Probably even keep a few herself while she's at it. In truth, she's feeling quite a bit more in tune with hellfire than she ever has before.
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  20. - Top - End - #170
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    Default Re: Inside 71: All I Want For Thanksmas Is You

    [In the Painting]

    Honestly, she's not really sure exactly what benefit she got from that. Besides, of course, she won't have to do that again later in the evening when presumably it's more risky.
    Really, she was just hoping to run in to someone else and then improv from there. She doesn't even know where anybody is right now. Searching for hidden passageways seems like it'd be a waste of time. Maybe finding hiding places might be decent, but...well, maybe she can sneak some food so that she can easily claim to not be hungry later. No...it's just one evening; there's more important things to do first to prepare.

    She refills hot water into the water bottle, makes sure to get the necklace on again, and makes sure everything is all put away, has the knife again, etc.
    And returns to the bedroom.
    She needs to make sure shoes are in a good place in case she needs to escape out the window. She looks for decent hiding places in the bedroom. And, in the closet area - while keeping an eye on the door because she doesn't want anyone to come in while she's doing this - she starts to prepare a stuffed dummy that she could put under the blanket tonight so that if someone comes in late at night they'll think she's asleep in the bed, probably.
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  21. - Top - End - #171
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    Default Re: Inside 71: All I Want For Thanksmas Is You

    In the Painting

    June finds a couple places to hide in the room. There's a wardrobe, and underneath the bed. In addition, she has plenty of pillows and spare shirts, so constructing a bed double is easy. But partway through, there's a knock on the door. "Dinner, madam." Ambrose calls from outside. Is June hungry? Does she want to chance going to dinner? Does she have an excuse ready?
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  22. - Top - End - #172
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    Default Re: Inside 71: All I Want For Thanksmas Is You

    [Brimstone Park]

    Thankfully Trog's is just around the corner from basically anywhere Inside. It makes getting here really easy!

    Brimstone Park is, well... a lava pit. Four blocks of caldera, lava flows, volcanic fissures, and steam vents in a few places around the edge. "I'm planning on trying to make some hot springs once I'm cured," Rose will confide in Sekhmet. All around the park, seemingly heedless of the sweltering heat, are dark colored rose brambles covered in deep burgundy blossoms that glow like hot embers. They're actually quite pretty. At least in the way that the raw fury of a volcano is pretty. Rose is hoping that once she has some more time she'll be able to improve the appearance of her home considerably.

    "Charcoal!"
    Rose calls out as she strolls through ankle high volcanic ash. "I found her! Come up here to the ash field and we'll try to get you purified!"

    Then she'll turn to Sekhmet.

    "You should definite try to cure Charcoal first. She's getting worse pretty fast. She already had little stumpy wings this afternoon."

    ...hopefully Charcoal hasn't gotten too much worse.

    Hopefully.
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  23. - Top - End - #173
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    Default Re: Inside 71: All I Want For Thanksmas Is You

    Brimstone Park

    Sekhmet looks at the park with interest. She doesn't seem to mind the heat either. "I like it here! It's nice and warm and, ooh, hot springs would be great!" She clearly thinks that's a good idea.

    Charcoal doesn't emerge from the pit.
    Instead, it's Ember who climbs up to the rim to talk. "Charcoal's in a really bad way. You'd better come quick." Peering over the rim of the crater, it becomes clear what the problem is. Charcoal is still recognizable. She has the same coal-black skin and hair made from blazing branches. But the rest of her is very succubus-like. Her wings have fully grown in, and her other devilish features are on full display. She's being pinned down by a huge creature of volcanic ash perched on her chest, and she's raging and beating at it with her fists. "Let me go! How dare you savages hold me here!" Ember tries to explain. "About an hour ago, she threw up a whole lot of that gunk and her wings grew to the size they are now. Then she tried to swim through the portal to warn 'her mistress' of what you were planning." Sekhmet's face is struck with a pitying, compassionate expression, and she begins climbing into the crater. "She, uh, might be too far gone, but I'll, uh, see what I can do."
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  24. - Top - End - #174
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    [Brimstone Park]

    Oh no.

    Are they too late?

    They can't be too late.

    Rose trudged through hell to save her friend. She told her everything would be alright. The gaiad hurries down the rim of the crater, half sliding and half leaping to get to Charcoal's side faster. "Charcoal stop! Please stop fighting! We're your friends! You were scared of being like this before, remember? You didn't want it because you knew it was bad! You didn't want to be like the Queen because she's a giant meany! We're going to get that corruption goop out of you and you'll be back to your old self."

    Please work.

    Please please please work.

    Sekhmet will find that she's getting a pleading look from the gaiad. "Please, help her. I literally went to hell and back to bring her home. I don't want to have to-" she blinks back tears.

    She doesn't want to have to kill Charcoal. Rose is absolutely dreading that it might come to that.
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  25. - Top - End - #175
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    Brimstone Park

    Sekhmet kneels down next to Charcoal and puts her hand gently on the pyread/succubus's forehead. "Shhhh. Everything will be all right." She closes her eyes. Nothing appears to happen, but to Rose's supernaturally senses, the air around Sekhmet is alive with infernal power. A lot of magic is being used here for this attempt.

    Several minutes pass where neither the fiendling not her patient move. Then, slowly, Charcoal's eyes, which had been open and staring blindly ahead, drift closed. Sekhmet stands, unsteadily, and says to Rose. "I've done what I can. When she, uh, wakes, that will be, uh, who she is." Sekhmet collapses into a sitting position. "That was, uh, very difficult. I need time to rest before I can, uh, try it on you." Relaxing in those promised hot springs would be great, except her clothes are not at all suited for that. She'd probably ruin her dress.
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  26. - Top - End - #176
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    [Brimstone Park]

    Did it work?

    Did it fail?

    Rose doesn't know. But what she DOES know is that she's thankful for Sekhmet's attempt.

    "Thank you,"
    Rose says, moving to embrace Sekhmet in a nice warm hug. The amount of heat radiated by the gaiad is considerable, but she figures that Sekhmet can probably take it. "Whatever happens, thank you."

    This means there's hope. Rose can really do with some hope right now.

    "I'm going to do a little bit of work on the park while you recuperate, okay? If you need me just start talking. I can hear you just fine!"
    Rose says as she hops into the nearby lava pool and dissolves into the park. Now, mind, her area of influence isn't that big yet. She hasn't been rooted here very long after all. But that just means she's got plenty of space to grow.

    Okay.

    First things first.

    Rose gathers up those patches of hellfire and drags them below the surface of the lava lake. She pulls them waaay down to the bottom of the caldera and shoves the gross things through the hell portal. The demons on the other side can have them, the jerks. Next up she'll begin dredging up ultramafic rock from deep under ground, dark green stone that's hard and incredibly heat resistant. Enough so that it can survive the heat of the lava pool. She begins heaping the rock up around the portal, sealing it off. Or at least making it much harder to get in and out without the gaiad's permission. And finally?

    The steam vents near Sekhmet begin to bubble and froth as underground water is diverted. Minerals rapidly begin building up to form pools of spring water ranging from pleasantly warm for a human to boiling hot. Nearby a geyser erupts, spraying steamy water into the sky as Rose materializes out of it. She's looking less tired and more alert than she was before. Being one with her garden is a good way to regain her strength. She gestures at one of the nearby pools of bubbling, crystal clear water.

    "Did you want to try them out? They should be pretty comfy for someone who can take the heat," Rose says as she trots over to the one of the springs closer to the edge of the park and vanishes into the earth again. She begins growing up rose hedges to provide any prospective bathers privacy for passers by. She's not done yet, either. Next up? She begins fashioning little signs made of stone and green gems that warn bathers of the normal temperature of each of the spring pools. Wouldn't want someone to cook themselves after all.
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  27. - Top - End - #177
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    Default Re: Inside 71: All I Want For Thanksmas Is You

    Brimstone Park

    Sekhmet accepts the hug without any indication of discomfort from the heat. She hugs back, of course. Then she just sits and enjoys the warmth of the rocks and the nearby lava (although even she can't withstand direct contact with it). She's not sure if what she did to Charcoal worked. Physically, at least, she still looks like a succubus/pyread hybrid. Sekhmet really had to stretch her powers in a direction she didn't even know existed in order to do what she just did. When Rose creates the springs she blushes a little and shakes her head. "I, uh, haven't got a bathing suit. Or anywhere to change." Oh right. Sekhmet cares about modesty.
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  28. - Top - End - #178
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    Default Re: Inside 71: All I Want For Thanksmas Is You

    [Brimstone Park]

    It should probably be noted that when Rose stepped out of the geyser spray she wasn't wearing anything. Between being a nymph and having more than a little bit of infernal influence from Sapphira Rose's sense of modesty is pretty close to nonexistent. Honestly she felt pretty good about herself when she actually remembered that she needed to wear clothing to the Thanksmas party.

    Suffice to say she's briefly puzzled when Sekhmet mentions the lack of bathing suit or changing room.

    Why would you need... comes some confused bubbling from one of the little water spouts burbling steam into the cool autumn air. Oh. OH! Right! Clothing. That. I could grow a curtain of rose hedges around the pool you're bathing in? the hiss of lava dripping into water suggests. Then you wouldn't have to worry about anyone looking at you.

    It's definitely kind of an odd experience having the landscape speak with you. A voice rising from the natural sounds filling the air.

    Rose is hoping that Sekhmet will accept.

    If not now, then maybe in the near future? It's the least the gaiad can do to help her newest friend.

    Somewhere deep inside her Alexandria has just woken up from her stupor and is thrashing around for much the same reason the not-quite-succubus was. How dare they try to betray the Mistress.

    "Umm... how much longer do you think it might be before you're ready to try again?" asks Rose as she emerges from the hot-spring nearby, this time having enough sense to wear an outfit of woven rose leaves and petals. "Alexandria is wriggling around and it's making me feel goopy. She REALLY doesn't want me to betray your mother."
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  29. - Top - End - #179
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    Default Re: Inside 71: All I Want For Thanksmas Is You

    [Court of the Voice in the Deep]

    The "court" is a building that might have been expensive once. Not opulent, but not something most people could hope to acquire without inheriting something. A small manor with two wings and a sizeable garden. The main means of entry seems to be a large door in the front. The place looks deserted now, but it also appears as though someone took some care to... spruce it up. The walls have been painted, but in different colors and half-finished at best. The lawn has been haphazardly cut here and there. A banner was hung above the doorway, but it's little more than an old rag. Is this where Intersection started getting diplomatic notes from?

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

    "I don't think so." Michalson's hands imperceptibly move closer to go for his gun and something under his coat. "I'll ask you once more: let us through. If you want to start a fight with an officer of the law on an investigation, it's on your heads."
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  30. - Top - End - #180
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    Default Re: Inside 71: All I Want For Thanksmas Is You

    Brimstone Park

    "That would, uh, be good." Sekhmet says. She seems worried when Rose starts talking about Alexandria struggling. "I can, uh, try now. We can talk about bathing later." She takes a seat on a rock. "Come here and, uh, let me touch you." Should Rose comply, Sekhmet will lay her hand on Rose's head and close her eyes. A moment later, Rose will feel an overpowering sense of clarity.

    What happens next can only be described in metaphor.

    Rose will see perfectly in her mind's eye herself and Sekhmet. Not as they look in the flesh, but their true essence. Sekhmet is a star, a radiant point of flame and light orbited by globs of corrupt darkness like planets, but untouched. Rose's own light is dim, corruption creeping across the surface of her being, more than half covering it. Sekhmet drifts closer. Hold still for a second. I need a good look at you. Her voice is carried on the stellar winds and the music of the cosmos.
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