Inside 71: All I Want For Thanksmas Is You

[bc56]

Brimstone Park

That's a beautiful dress, and definitely long enough. It's a bit showy in other places though. But much better than the swimsuit. Sekhmet runs her hands across it, feeling the fabric. "Let me, uh, go change into it." She heads off to one of the rosebush hedges, and returns a few minutes later in the dress. It suits her, although she'd be loath to admit it. It makes it really clear that she truly is a princess among devils. "Okay, uh, I think I'm ready." She grabs up the bag full of books (which really breaks the noble aesthetic Rose just got her to exemplify). Some of those are valuable volumes. She can't let them out of her sight.

[Deathkeeper]

[All Sphinxed Up]

Nim frowns.
"If it was you, Lydia, would you want me to put you on a shelf and leave you? We don't leave people behind to be baubles." he says, only a little accusingly. He can't abandon Saera to be a bauble! A paperweight! What's the point of being the inheritor of an ancient monster if you can't do dangerous quests?
"Sphinx of black quartz: judge my vow. I will free the soul within from this cursed sphinx of quartz." Nim intones.
Though he does say it really slowly so Saera will have plenty of opportunities to interrupt him.
Or at least give him a really sweet boon.

[Rebonack]

[Brimstone Park]

The fabric is soft and velvety like rose petals. It has a luxurious sheen and faintly shimmers in the shifting light.

Rose smiles, glad that her Princess seems to be happy with her work. While Sekhmet is off changing Rose rearranges her outfit with a few bits of crystal and flowers, rebuilding the green dress and burgundy corset she had been wearing last night. It really helps accentuate her bust and hips. Or... front hips? Lower shoulders? Anatomy is weird when you've got all these limbs. She should try experimenting with some clothing for her lower body as well. The wings are so pretty and that tail is so CUTE! What kind of accessories could she add? Hmmm...

When Sekhmet emerges she'll find Rose all dressed up and waiting for her!

"Great! I'm glad you like the dress. Green and purple are kind of my colors. I can do others but it's a little harder I hope you don't mind too much," Rose says as she begins prancing her way out of the park, her long tail swaying behind her. "Come on, the church is over this way it isn't too far."

Rose moves at a pretty respectable clip, what with being a highly energetic quadruped and all. Though if she notices that Sekhmet is struggling to keep up the pace she'll slow down a little.

"Have you ever been to this church before?" Rose asks. "The people there were really nice I'm sure they'll understand that I was being coerced by your mother, right?"

Hopefully.

Rose really doesn't want to get smote.


[All Sphinxed Up]

"No, it's just... This is putting you in a great deal of danger as well. There might be another way that's less dangerous I would just need to-" Lydia begins, only to have Nim speak the invocation.

Uh oh.

The eyes of the sphinx begin glowing with bright white light. Nim will feel... something? Exactly what that something IS doesn't become immediately obvious.

"Why... You fool, why? Why would you do that?" Saera laments. "Now you'll be trapped, too. I didn't WANT your help! I didn't ASK for it!"

Oh, she sounds mad.

[bc56]

Brimstone Park -> Church of Binding Truth

Sekhmet is able to keep pace with Rose, but barely. It's a bit difficult to run in this dress. Over the course of the trip, she seems to settle into the garment, to loosen up and get a little showier, and to gain a princessly air. By the time they arrive at the church, she seems like she's fully slipped into the role of a devil princess.
The grounds look much the same, although it's now daylight. Iris flowers have bloomed all over the churchyard. Rose can now sense an aura emanating from the place, a feeling of holy power. There's a definite edge to it, a place where it begins. Sekhmet walks up to it nervously. "I, uh, haven't ever been to this church. I didn't know Fate had, uh, a church here." This is the moment of truth. Will the holy aura bar the two devils from entering? Or will it allow them passage? Sekhmet seems too nervous to try it first.

[Rebonack]

[Church of Binding Truth]

On the trip over Rose is just prancing along as gaiads often do. She's got a spring in her step because everything is fantastic! Sure she might have done some terrible things but she's free now. Really, truly, absolutely free for the first time in years! She doesn't have to worry about horrible fates awaiting her because of a moment of weakness because those people are gone. It's just Rose now, and she's going to be the nicest, bestest, kindest, most wonderful gaiad she can be who is also a succubus. So what if she's a faerie AND a devil? It just means she's isn't beholden to either. She can be her own person for the first time in... practically forever! It's freeing and exciting and little bit scary!

She admires all the gardens along the way. Most of the other gaiads are already finding their own places to root. The flowers of Inside have never been brighter.

Sekhmet is nervous and stops at the threshold.

Rose is not nervous and just keeps walking.

What's the worst that could happen?

Smack into it like a wall?

Suddenly get ignited with silvery billow flames of holy light?

Get instantly smote into a pile of dust?

Eh. Rose is pretty sure none of those things will even happen. She's still not convinced that she wasn't a devil the last time she was here and she got in just fine. No one even noticed!

"Sister Iris are you still here?" she calls out toward the garden. "We talked a few nights ago but I was lying and did something really bad and I wanted to apologize and let you know."

[bc56]

Church of Binding Truth

To Sekhmet's surprise, Rose does walk right in. She was expecting Rose to slam into an invisible wall at the edge.
To Rose, a singular sensation will pass over her as soon as she's inside the consecrated ground. Holy power begins seeping into her devilish soul, and it feels... Wonderful. Like a warm bath for the deepest parts of her self. "Be at peace," it seems to say, "the gods are with you." Sekhmet nervously steps through behind Rose, and breathes a sigh of relief when she too is unbarred. But Sister Iris does not respond. Sekhmet looks around. "Uh, what now?"

[Chaotic Bob]

[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.

...did she just imply that she eats her zombies?
Yurioc was already a little, teeny bit perturbed to know that there were young orphan necromancers around in the first place. Young, orphan necromantic necrophages is somehow significantly worse.

He politely neglects to mention any of this to Obsidian.

I've read some of the theoretical work on necromancy, but I've not known many who actually practiced the art.
The couple he did were monsters binging on mass murder, which is neither here nor there.
Your method of taming seems rather more hands on than most I've researched, however.

She's probably not terribly interested in an academic discussion of her zombies, but Yurioc imagines it helps distract from the dead friend, if nothing else.

And then tree!
A tree with a staircase, which is strangely promising. It implies there might actually be a form of architecture here, with an odd exterior.
Unless, the stairs just climb the trunk without actually going anywhere.
Then it's back to just being a concerning sort of weird.
This is a lovely tree. Rather impressive a thing to have all to yourself.

[Rebonack]

[Church of Binding Truth]

Oh...

Oh!

This feels... this feels really nice! Like she's taking a nice hot showered and the goopy stuff in her soul is getting cleaned. Rose knows the feeling of power filling a little void in herself. Maybe the gods from Sekhmet's world know that she means well? That she's one of the good guys? That even though she's made some bad choices, she's always tried to do the right thing in the end? Rose sure hopes so.

She smiles wide, feeling rather giddy at the feeling of the warm light filling her. This kind of bright, warm power resonates well with the former Buttercup.

"It feels great here!" Rose giggles. "Way better than before. I definitely didn't feel like this the last time I visited."

Hmm.

Rose briefly examines the garden. "Iris must not be melded right now, otherwise she definitely would have heard me. Maybe she's inside the church?"

So.

Funny joke.

Two devils and a nymph walk into a church. One of the devils is also the nymph. The devil-nymph says, "Hellooooo~ Sister Iris?"

Rose is currently peaking through the door. Only her upper body is visible at the moment.

[bc56]

Church of Binding Truth

The devils peek in the church door. There's no service right now, but an unfamiliar priestess is at the front of the room, keeping watch. She starts in alarm as she sees who's arrived."Aaaah! Devils!" She begins to stand and flee. "No! We're friends. We won't harm you!" Sekhmet tries to calm the woman to little avail.

[Rebonack]

[Church of Binding Truth]

Oh, good.

Shrieking.

That really makes the sanctuary more welcoming.

Apparently this priestess hadn't gotten the memo that they're welcome here?

Rose trots right into the room as if absolutely nothing out of the ordinary were going on.

"Hi, I'm Rose and that's Sekhmet. We're looking for sister Iris? Or... what was the priest's name from the other night," Rose mutters, looking thoughtful. Had he ever told her his name? She can't remember. She was pretty focused on her job and remembering a fellow gaiad is way easier.

One way or the other, Rose is prancing down the aisle toward the alter. Just normal devil prancing, surely. Devils prance all the time.

"If you're going to run away screaming could you get someone who's willing to talk to us?" Rose requests of the priestess.

[bc56]

Church of Binding Truth

To be fair, there was no memo, and this priestess has probably neither studied fiend-lore nor met a devil before. She ends up frozen in fear behind the altar with Rose standing in front of her. "A-a-a few hours ago, she w-w-went into the back to speak with B-B-Brother Gerald. They h-h-haven't left since." There is a door to a set of back rooms, probably where the priests have offices or the library is or something like that. "We, uh, have urgent business with, uh, Sister Iris. You, uh, don't mind if we go back to check on her?" Sekhmet asks hopefully. The priestess says nothing. She's terrified.

[Rebonack]

[Church of Binding Truth]

The gods really need to send out more memos it would help put a stop to a TON of confusion and rampant misunderstandings.

Anyway!

Rose flashes a sweet smile to the priestess before prancing around the alter and into the back rooms. "Thanks! And don't be so scared! Remember that Fate works in mysterious ways sometimes!"

That's what the priest had told her when she was pretending to be distraught.

Fate works in mysterious ways.

Ain't that the truth?

The devil-nymph will head straight through the back door of the chapel and begin searching for Iris unless someone impedes her. Should that take place she might be a little cross with them, but honestly she would understand. If she had been thinking a little more clearly instead of being high on celestial sunny delight she might have used Mask of Many Faces to disguise herself as that terrified woman from the other night that she was pretending to be. Probably better that she not come in here with any subterfuge, though.

[bc56]

Church of Binding Truth

There are four or five small offices and a modest library in the back. One office, with the nameplate "Brother Gerald Oster" is the source of hushed voices. "You're absolutely sure of this?" "For the tenth time, Gerald. You've known me twenty years! Have my visions ever been wrong?" "Wrong, no. Misleading, yes. And you were Amelia all those years. I don't know you so well now, Iris." "Pfft, I'm still the same person. My secret recipe cookies still taste the same don't they? Just because I'm 50 years younger and sleep in the graveyard doesn't mean I'm someone else!" There's the distinct impression that this argument has been going on for some time.

[Rebonack]

[Church of Binding Truth]

Guess who heads straight through the door?

If you guessed 'Rose' you're right and get no prize because of course that's what she just did.

"Hi Sister Iris, hi Brother Oyster! I hope I'm not interrupting anything important because I need to tell you something really important. The Crown of Nebuchadnezzar was stolen a few nights ago and replaced with a fake."

Well.

That's pretty blunt.

Usually this wasn't Rose's method of persuasion.

Typically she would very carefully lead people into making exactly the sorts of conclusions she wants them to. But in a situation like this? Especially when there's another gaiad involved?

Well. She figures a high degree of forthrightness and bluntness is going to work just fine there. Even as infernally touched as she is, 'Rose' will still be immediately recognizable to other gaiads. It's that weird always knowing each other's names thing. And not just because she's got rose blossoms in her hair, either.

[bc56]

Church of Binding Truth

"Hi Rose, come on in!" Iris is of course friendly. Gerald is decidedly less so. He reaches for his holy icon and draws it, holding it out between himself and Rose. "What manner of fiend are you? You know this thing, Iris?" "She's a gaiad like me, not a..." As Iris approaches, she must have gotten a sense for what Rose is. "Heavens! What happened to you?" Sekhmet nervously enters the room. "That would, uh, be my fault. But, uh, she does have something very important to say, so if you could, uh, listen to her?"

[Rebonack]

[Church of Binding Truth]

Rose is briefly aghast!

"No, it wasn't your fault at all, Sekhmet, you helped me! If it wasn't for you that awful goop Sapphira put in me would have just kept making me meaner and meaner until I was the meanest!" Rose replies to her friend before turning back to her OTHER friend. "It was the devil-queen Sapphira! She found some way to turn Buttercups into devils! It poisoned Buttercup's Name and turned all of their kindness and friendliness into cruelty and corruption. I saw what she was doing and tried to fight back and I think she was impressed and told me that if I gave myself to her then she wouldn't poison any more of my friends."

Rose looks ashamed.

She really hates this story. She never should have fallen for Sapphira's play. She should have KNOWN better.

"But after she used it on me I betrayed my friends. I said I didn't care about them and they weren't my friends at all, so she poisoned them, too. And Sapphira had me do mean things like poisoning other Buttercups and stealing a magic crown from the alter at your church. But. But! I think Big Mama Buttercup must have made sure at least a little seed of kindness was left in me because all the bad things I was doing horrified me! And eventually it sprouted into me, Rose with the help of Intersection's name-thingy! And I tried pushing all the meanness onto Alexandria who was the other me and she kept getting more and more nasty but then I was told about Sekhmet and she was able to pull nearly all the corruption out of my soul and now I can be happy and nice again!"

What an exciting story.

"So I wanted to say that I'm really really really sorry about stealing the crown from your church Sapphira made me do it she kept talking about how important free will was to her but she's a liar and I don't think she cares about that at all! She had kidnapped my friend Charcoal and mind controlled her and tried to turn her into a succubus but Sekhmet was able to help her, too. I really really didn't want to steal anything from the church Alexandria wasn't really me she was a bad person!"

[bc56]

Church of Binding Truth

Iris puts her hand on Rose's shoulder. "Shhhhhh. It's okay now. No one is judging you for what you did in the past. What matters is what happens in the future." "The crown was stolen? I need to go check." Gerald leaves the room. "You cured Rose of corruption?" Iris asks Sekhmet. "No, uh, not really. I got it out of her core self, but, uh, I couldn't get it out of her. It's why she's still a succubus, uh, even though she's a nymph." "Child, do you realize what you've done?" "Uh, no? What did I do wrong?" Iris suddenly sweeps Sekhmet into a hug. "You've found a way to help people who were irreversibly corrupted with darkness! I wonder if there's a limit to what you could cleanse?"

[Rebonack]

[Church of Binding Truth]

Oh good.

They aren't mad at Rose she's so glad!

"Thanks, Iris, I was just a teensy bit worried that you might be mad at me. I'll do what I can to get the crown back! I already had to sneak into Sapphira's palace to rescue Charcoal I could probably do it again if you need me to."

Wait.

What.

She did what?

Did she just say that she infiltrated hell and stole away with one of the devil queen's test-subjects? Right from under her nose?

But then something very important happens.

Hugs!

Rose joins the hug too because of course she does.

[Deathkeeper]

All Sphinxed Up

Nim shakes his head.
”You didn’t ask for it, but you’re getting it. I’ll have time and that’s all you need in the Nexus. I have a sister who stopped being a three headed chimera and is currently stopping being a bunch of faeries. We can do this.” he says with some degree of confidence.
”I’m not letting anyone get imprisoned as a paperweight. I helped un-sphinx-curse Lydia today and I’m helping you.”

[Rebonack]

[All Sphinxed Up]

"For better or worse," Lydia sighs. "What was the vow that you broke, Saera? How do we free you?"

Fore a few moments the statue with glowing eyes remains silent. She isn't sure how completing her specific vow would even be possible anymore. How long had it been? But to cure her. That's still possible. With her help, of course. If it weren't then she wouldn't be able to give Nimrod a boon to accomplish it.

"The was a devil that plagued my home. I swore that I would banish it and free my land from its terror. I failed," the statue says. "I knew I needed to first learn the devil's name. I couldn't even do that... I ran out of time. All vows must be completed in a year and a day, or they are considered broken."

That's...

That's plenty of time!

Right?

Especially with the resources in the Nexus. It's got that spooky occult library and everything.

[Deathkeeper]

[All Sphinxed Up]

Nim nods. "Alright, so the quest would be...what, finding this demon and banishing it? Banishing a similar demon? I would appreciate if you could give me the best head start possible." She DOES have to give him a boon for swearing.
That doesn't sound too bad. Certainly out of his wheelhouse, but there are libraries where you can find information on big demons. Maybe he just needs to find a way to summon it, then get a big strong person like Chimera to beat it up. Bam, demon slain. Might take months of research, but not impossible, no.
He wonders if 'my land' indicates that Saera actually owned the land. That would mean she used to be a noble. Information for later.

[Rebonack]

[All Sphinxed Up]

"Banishing the devil that plagued my homeland. That is the only way to free me," Saera says. "Its breath rotted our crops, caused our animals to miscarry, and set a black blight upon our grain. Anyone who ate the tainted wheat went mad. It caused destructive storms and and droughts."

That sounds an awful lot like...

You know.

Just normal agrarian society problems.

Livestock dying, crop failure, bad weather.

Are we sure there's actually a demon involved?

Because it might just be typical misfortune.

[Deathkeeper]

All Sphinxed Up

Nim ponders what this could be. Because it probably wasn’t nothing. Though maybe that is because he’s foster siblings with Actual Chimera and Hydra.
”Okay. Did anyone see it? If you knew it had a name it must have been the kind that has one.”
This is starting to sound pretty bad. Though it would have been pretty awkward if she had started describing well, Sphinx or someone Nim knows. Very awkward. Nim hopes that she has some actual idea of what he has to do or else he’s not sure she’s going to know what help to give him.
”On the plus side, I might still be very much humanoid but as Sphinx’s inheritor I’m very good at riddles. We’ll puzzle it out.” He wonders if he has all the benefits from the Mantle. Lydia only got her boost when she was physically changed. Well, he expects he’ll need that mental boost that he’s got for this one.

[Rebonack]

[All Sphinxed Up]

"Yes," Saera replies. "It was seen before. Like a man riding a horse, but with no legs. A single eye on each head, burning like fire. Great clawed arms that reach to the ground. It is skinless and terrible."

Oh.

Wow.

That sounds really gross.

Is that a description that Nim is familiar with? It sounds like the world's worst centaur.

Maybe Nim should start by trying to find if there are any known monsters that fit that description? It's pretty distinctive. Maybe that old spooky library on Arkham Street. Or barring that, just a normal library. Depending on whether or not this is a well known creature either may have information on it. If not, there are always the more esoteric options.

What's Nim going to do?

[bc56]

Church of Binding Truth

Sekhmet gives Rose a look that asks, "Are you insane!?" "No! My mother is not to be trifled with. She could kill you, or worse." Iris suddenly stands stock-still. "Did you say?.." Suddenly, she prances out the door and down the hall, shouting, "Gerald! Gerald! I was right! Come quickly!" Sekhmet looks at the exiting gaiad, and then at Rose. What was that about?

[Deathkeeper]

All Sphinx'd Up

Nim nods and drops Saera into his bag.
"Well. That sounds like a nuckalavee, though what kind is up for debate. All right! I'm off to the library, then. And um. If you gave me any magical help let me know because I don't feel anything. Feel free to be liberal with that."
No really Saera he's risking his life for you he'd like some of that magic.
"Sorry Lydia, I know this was incredibly reckless and stupid but I just couldn't help myself. You have a nice day." Lydia doesn't have to accompany him on his quest to the spooky Arkham library to see if they have the names of famous nuckalavees. It's pretty spooky there.

[Rebonack]

[Church of Binding Truth]

Rose remains resolute! "I'm a gaiad, Sekhmet. So long as I have my garden I can just grow back there if she killed me. It just takes a while. This is important, I think, more important than me."

The bodies of nymphs are quite disposable provided they have rooted somewhere. It makes killing one permanently difficult. You have to slay them AND despoil whatever natural object or location they inhabit.

She gives Sekhmet a pleading look. "I made this wrong. I want to be able to make it right again. I need to atone for the bad things Alexandria did."

And then running! And some shouting, too!

Not one to miss out on a good prancing, Rose prances after Iris!

"What's going on, Iris, what were you right about?" Rose calls after her.

Wow Sekhmet. This faeries just don't sit still, do they? Always bouncing everywhere. No time for confused looks gotta prance!


[All Sphinxed Up]

"That WAS both reckless and stupid," Lydia admits with a sigh. "But at least your intentions are good. I hope you don't get turned into a statue, Nim."

Yeah she isn't going to the Philip Memorial Library.

That place is heckin' spooky. She'll stick to the nice normal libraries, thanks.

Once Nim is out of Lydia's presence he'll find that the sphinx of black quartz has fallen totally silent again. Either she isn't talking to him or something else is going one. Stepping outside, Nim will find that a chill has fallen over the city, though the sun is still bright. A cold wind whips through the streets, chilling to the bone. Hopefully he brought a nice jacket.

[Deathkeeper]

ASU/Philip Memorial Library

Nim pulls his jacket closed. Wow it is cold. Thanksmas season already.
Oh shoot he should have asked Lydia about that. Was she cold just walking around in a shirt and natural lion pelt? Lion fur isn’t suited for Thanksmas weather.
His coat is alright. It should at least get him to Arkham Street without freezing. He should have worn a warmer one, though...

[bc56]

Church of Binding Truth

"But she could corrupt you again! That would be... Hey, wait for me!" Sekhmet follows Rose and Iris out into the sanctuary again. "I had a vision that a Fated One, child of our enemy, would come into the church today! And here she is!" She gestures to Sekhmet. "Quick, we have to perform the ritual! It's not every day a Fated One comes here!" Gerald looks exasperated and doubtful. Sekhmet is blushing furiously. She doesn't like all the attention, even if she knows Iris is right. She is a Fated One. Her Name says so.

[Rebonack]

[Church of Binding Truth]

Rose gives a little, "Oooh," at the mention of rituals and Fated Ones. She nudges Sekhmet with her elbow. "You should do the ritual thingy the power in this place feels REALLY nice, like I'm all sunny and clean and bright inside again. You feel it too, right?"

She can only assume Sekhmet feels it too if she can.

"I think they can definitely help us, Sekhmet. Especially you! If they can do something that helps protect you from your mother you should definitely do it!"

Rose isn't sure if that's what the ritual they're talking about is for but hey she's got a hunch!

Smiling, Rose adds. "She can only try to corrupt me if she catches me. I'm super sneaky."

Probably the sneakiest!

Rose is great at sneaking. If she weren't then how would she have managed to rescue Charcoal?


[Arkham Street]

It smells like fish here.

It ALWAYS smells like fish here.

Probably has something to do with the shoggoth on the roof that all the normal folk try their darndest to ignore. You might think ignoring that protoplasmic, brubling abomination would be hard but they have lots of practice. Years, even! Shoggoth on the roof? Why my friend what ever are you talking about? There's no such thing. Most of the people here are human, dressed in that dapper 1920s style. But a few have eyes that bulge a little more than eyes ought to. They mostly ignore Nim, going about their own business. As he walks, Nim will hear a brief cry of alarm from a nearby alley.

No one else reacts to it.

He could investigate-

-but it probably has nothing to do with his current quest.