Silly Plots 5: Simply for the birds

[Gullara]

This thread is for silly plots that can't really be placed specifically in another Nexus thread. Or, let's be honest, you needed more plots and you already had one in Serious Plots.

Rules (Shamelessly stolen from Serious Plots):

1. Use [Location] Tags
2. If need be, use a [Plot] Tag as well.
3. Each [Location/Plot] is under the owner's control.
4. Play nice.
5. Keep the Drama Low. Yes, this is a serious Silly Plot thread, so please, as rule 4 says, play nice. Just because the Plot is supposed to be serious silly, it doesn't mean you should be careless or rude or whatever.

If you think your plot is too serious, try Srs Plots.

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Silly Plots 4: It's not particularly silly, is it?
Silly Plots 3: With government backing we can make it very silly
Silly Plots 2: Electric Boogaloo
Silly Plots

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[Recaiden]

[Divine Visitation]

"Uh, I think I should bring him. It would be, uh, awkward if I was, uh, unaccompanied in a room full of incubi and succubi. Uh, maybe I can try, uh, that succubus thing you suggested on him." Sekhmet thinks aloud. Of course it would be totally embarrassing... But at a party where everyone is already like that, no one else would care, would they?

Message breaks into a smile.
"Sekhmet, you're going to be awkward no matter what. But I think this is a good step towards getting used to these things."
Now, if they do care, it might even be in a positive direction.

[Great Inland Sea]

"We should stay together," Steven suggests. "We're all equipped to be down here, but that doesn't mean we can't get lost."
It's not like there's many landmarks this far down.

As Hana approaches the edge, she may or may not notice that the silt stops and the floor becomes swept-clean rocks

Caroline nods her agreement with Steven

I think that's a good idea: we can see pretty well, but fresh water isn't known for its clarity and no amount of fancy eye configuration is going to help if the water is just too full of junk for light to even get through. Granted, we can always teleport back to the beach but if one of the kids wanders off it will not be fun.

Keiko hasn't had luck finding anything - it's likely the group's noisy entrance scared every away fish within a mile. Caroline's concern is not unfounded, either: with the hatchlings playing in the silt, visibility is beginning to drop.

"I have a map if we get too turned around." Cleo reassures them.
But they're right, just a few moments of swishing through the water and there's only distant dark shapes to see where the others are.

Hana does notice this, and hurries ahead, thinking rocks are better than silt anyway. Maybe there's little caves here!

[bc56]

Divine Visitation
"Okay, uh, we need to get things ready, right? Get food together, uh, find musicians, elect judges for the, uh, costumes, and, uh, tell the incubi that they're, uh, free now." Sekhmet lists a few tasks required for party preparation. But not all of that needs to be played out. Mostly, it should go smoothly. Except maybe not where the incubi are concerned.

[Recaiden]

"Well, you need to do all those things. Sadly, I didn't come here to organize a party."
Surely Sekhmet will figure it out. She can always turn to her minions.
"But if you need help with the incubi, That's a separate, more serious concern, don't you agree?"

[bc56]

Divine Visitation
Of course it can be done with minions. As soon as Message points out that those are Sekhmet's responsibility, she immediately sends psychic messages to her head cook and a few other trustworthy succubi to begin preparing those exact things. "Uh, yes, we should go, uh, talk with the incubi." That's important, and Sekhmet would really like a friend by her side when she goes to talk with the supernaturally attractive men. That way there's someone who can vouch that she's not cheating on Prumathe. "Uh, it's a long walk." And it is, down into the disused bowels of the palace, which for a while get increasingly ruined and ill-upkept, until they reach a place where things start to get clean again. That's when they are ambushed. "Well hello, ladies. Anything I can... do for you?" A fiendish looking man, with a chiseled physique, wearing as little as most of the succubi do (although in a different way) emerges from the shadows, smiling enticingly. Sekhmet's face immediately blushes a very dark black, but she steels herself. "I am, uh, Queen Sekhmet of the, uh Scorching Depths. I am, uh, here to make an announcement to the, uh, assembled Incubi."

[Recaiden]

Someone who can keep her honest, you might say. Is it Prumathe that's suspicious of Sekhmet, or is it Sekhmet?

Message follows through the palace, shaking her head at how it's definitely too big for how it's being used.

She looks the incubus over, yes, they're pulling off the beautiful devil thing quite well. But it would be more fun to take him at his word, wouldn't it?
"Can you explain what makes you different from the succubi?"

[bc56]

Divine Visitation
Sekhmet definitely doesn't trust herself, but also she's afraid of any public perception of herself as that sort of woman. You know what they say: you are your own worst enemy.
"My queen." the incubus speaks with a derisive tone and bows. "But of course. Follow me this way." Several other incubi appear from the corridors to join the impromptu procession. "Aside from being of the masculine persuasion," Their guide begins to answer, "By royal decree, we are a subordinate caste, not to leave this section of the palace without permission, and to obey any succubus's orders as long as they don't contradict those of a higher ranking succubus." By now they've arrived at the underground equivalent of a central square; it's clear this area was originally an ordinary intersection that was then remodeled by hand; the incubi must have had a lot of time on their hands. "We're here, my queen. What errand is it that you'd like to send us on?" Clearly the incubus is not expecting much. "I, uh, need all of you here for this. As soon as possible." "It will take time, my queen. There are hundreds of us." "Very well." Maybe there are other questions Message would like to ask? If not, they'll have to wait 15 minutes or so.

[Recaiden]

"How have you occupied your time here?" Message asks. "Other than sex and debauchery, of course."

It's an interesting situation, full of parallels that she didn't expect to encounter. It makes her somewhat curious about why Sapphira slowly set this up. Does it represent corruption here in some way?

"You were largely the souls of humans and similar creatures, correct? So you could have done everything a succubus did. After all, masculinity and femininity don't mean anything." As a user of the Mask aspect, she feels obligated to say as much.
She flicks a few fingers towards the incubus in a sort of wave. "But go on, don't delay on my account."

[bc56]

Scorching Depths
"You are as intelligent as you are beautiful!" the incubus compliments, "We are shaped by the whims of our creators, for lack of a better word, not by any mortal condition. Some of us were men in life, some of us women. When our souls found their way down here, it was the decision of whatever fiend came into possession of us as to what we would become. Or they could just eat us." The incubus laughs darkly. "The queen tended to make her favorite servants into succubi like herself, and those she disliked became incubi. We have no love for authority here." He shoots Sekhmet a barbed glare while her back is turned, but regains his composure before she looks in his direction again. "Being trapped down here was a gift, in a way. She rarely came down here. We do what we do best, of course. A number of succubi still visit; they're allowed to come here as much as they want, we just can't leave. And over the years we rebuilt this dungeon into somewhere livable." "I'll have to have Pan make you some proper quarters." Sekhmet mutters. By now a large crowd of incubi has gathered around; drawn by Sekhmet's presence and their own curiosity. "Do you, uh, think this is enough?" Sekhmet asks Anchor.

[Recaiden]

Hmm, she had expected that Sekhmet would disagree about masculinity. Good for her, perhaps.

And this incubus is at least making a little bit of an effort, although being terribly unsubtle about how he thinks of the rulers here.
"More foolishness on behalf of the old queen. But it's good that you've made the most of it."

She nods to the succubus.
"I think this is plenty to begin the announcement."

[bc56]

Scorching Depths
Sekhmet has other things on her mind; she's not going to get caught up in an argument about the biology of spiritual beings right now.
She clears her throat.
"Uh, greetings everyone. Sapphira is dead. I'm Sekhmet, her daughter. As queen, I wanted to, uh, make an announcement." She's not very good at speeches. "By royal decree, the old laws restricting incubi to this section of the palace and requiring their obedience to all succubi are overturned. You are free again to go where you will." A hush falls over the assembled crowd, disbelieving fiendish faces staring at the queen. This has got to be a trick, right?

[Recaiden]

"It's true." Message adds, a smirk on her face.
"Of course, you can also stay down here as long as you prefer."

[bc56]

Divine Visitation
"This is not a trick. I mean exactly what I said. <SO I VOW.>" Sekhmet switches to the secret language of fiends there at the end to make the oath. Everyone watching (except maybe Message?) knows that an oath so sworn is magically binding. A second, even deeper silence ensues. "There will be a grand dance tonight. Uh, everyone in the kingdom is invited, so long as they don't, uh, cause trouble."

[Recaiden]

If she didn't know before, it should be clearer now.

Oh, tonight? Bold of Sekhmet to have it so soon. But the chaos that's sure to result from letting the incubi out should mask any mistakes she makes, if she's lucky...
"Well? None of you have anything to say?"

[bc56]

Divine Visitation
"What is there to say?" the question goes out. Message seems sure the incubi should be saying something to Sekhmet? They don't seem to trust her. At all. Even after the vow. And Sekhmet doesn't seem to expect them to. In fact, she says as much. "I don't, uh, expect you to believe me. But I am not my mother. I really do, uh, want to help you. I hope you, uh, come to trust me in time."

[Recaiden]

"Well, try something between 'I don't believe a word you're saying!' and 'Thank you, oh queen, you've saved our afterlives!'"
Message crosses her arms. "If they don't believe you after a magical vow, that's..." She can't find words to express how stupid it seems.

"Well, you have a lot to do out in the functional parts of the castle, right?"
She turns to make a show of walking away.

[bc56]

Divine Visitation
"Right. I, uh, have a party to go plan." Time doesn't mean much here. There's plenty of time to prepare the party before tonight.
Once they're out of earshot of the incubus commune, Sekhmet speaks to Message. "Don't, uh, be so hard on them. My mother was a master manipulator. Even if she seemed like she was, uh, being generous and helpful, she could make it into a trap. They're afraid I'm the same way. Now my, uh, minions are working on the party preparations. I guess I should, uh, invite Prumathe and, uh, decide what to wear?" Sekhmet's overlooking one detail though. She told Message she'd go full succubus for this party. She's either forgotten or is ignoring it. Or maybe waiting until the last minute? Message might want to remind her to do it before she chooses her outfit for the dance, since judging by what she's seen, there's a good chance it will change her sense of fashion. But that's not too essential.

[Recaiden]

"They don't have to believe in you already, but they should do something. It was a great opportunity."
Message shrugs, though. They are Sekhmet's 'people', she can handle them as she see fit.

"Quite right. Further, you'll want to check over the preparations yourself. And don't forget that your costume should fit the aspect of yourself that you'll be in."

[bc56]

Divine Visitation
"Oh, uh, haha, right." Sekhmet may not be bound by oath, but she feels obligated nonetheless. She was totally hoping Message had forgotten. "Right. I, uh, don't know what my, uh, succubus self would wear. And, uh, I'm nervous about changing to, uh, her before the party. Should I? What if I do something, uh, embarrassing?"

[Recaiden]

"Well, you could certainly decide on a costume now, and stick to it later." Message suggests. It might be the safest thing to do, when you know you'll be in a weird state of mind.
"But if you end up doing something embarrassing, well, you'll be embarrassed, but you'll recover from that."
She lifts a hand up, one finger pointing.
"Although, perhaps it would be best to get any initial unfamiliarity out of the way before you're in front of half your kingdom."

[bc56]

Divine Visitation
"You mean, uh, be like that a while before before the, uh, party, so that I'm, uh, not surprised by how I feel?" It's not a bad idea, if a bit uncomfortable of a thought for Sekhmet. Why did she agree to this again?
"Okay, uh, let's get to a more private place, and then, uh, I'll, uh, try that?" Sekhmet leads the way to her private chambers and sits down on the bed. "Right, I just need to focus myself on... Being a succubus. I can do this. I can do this." Nothing changes. Sekhmet looks like she's concentrating, but nothing appears to be happening.

[Recaiden]

"Exactly."
Why did Sekhmet agree to this? It was actually more than Message had suggested, she jumped ahead of the idea to use the succubus name in private to the idea of using it at the party. Very bold. Almost as if some part of her wants to be that way.

Message follows along, examining the private rooms with some interest, and then remains standing a short from the bed.
"You can do this. You have a strong personality, more than able to handle the strangeness of the Scorching Depths, in every way."

[bc56]

Divine Visitation
Some part of her does want to be this way. Whether she admits it or not, part of being queen of succubi is being a succubus.
"You're right. Uh, I can do this." And Sekhmet changes. Her fiery royal gown luckily isn't real enough to be damaged by the sudden change in shape, but other than her clothes, she really looks the part of a succubus. Her eyes go wide. "Oh!" Then she starts laughing uncontrollably.

[Recaiden]

"There you go."
Message thinks she already looked the part of a succubus. Sure, Sekhmet can claim there's a difference, but to someone who's not a fiend of the Scorching Depths? It's all the same.

"What's so funny?"

[bc56]

Divine Visitation
"Oh, it's just, uh..." Sekhmet still can't stop herself from laughing, "It feels so good! I feel beautiful! Sexy, even!" she stands up and manages a couple paces towards the mirror before glancing displeasedly down at her long skirt. "It's hard to move in this. It's not very, uh, breathable either. How did I not notice before?" With her magic, she alters the gown, mostly by destroying its fiery fabric until it's just a small top and a short skirt. She then does a little twirl. "Oh, that feels so much better! Uh, what was I saying?"

[Recaiden]

"All that's changed is your perceptions, Queen Sekhmet." It gets a giggle from Message as well.

"I'm sure at the time you were more impressed by the exotic material."

[bc56]

Divine Visitation
That's not completely true. Succubus!Sekhmet has much more of a figure on her, and her body language is completely different. But the biggest change probably is her perspective, as Message says. "I guess." She steps in front of the mirror and grins. "Oh, I'm beautiful!" She pulls her hair out of its ponytail and shakes it free, then strikes a pose. "We were thinking about clothes for the party, right?" She starts poking through her wardrobe.

[Recaiden]

"You were already. Now you're better at recognizing it."

Message takes a moment to spin past her in front of the mirror.
"You were pretty intent on that, yes. Now, you want something that announces yourself as being in charge, but also subtly reinforces that you're not competing with them, not jealous."
"I'll need to come up with something too." The current workaday clothes just won't make the right statement.

[bc56]

Divine Visitation
"That, uh, sounds complicated." Sekhmet responds. "How do I show the, uh, other succubi that I'm in charge and like them without seeming jealous?" Even as a succubus, Sekhmet isn't good at fashion. "Do I wear less than them, or more? Should I, uh, change my shape somehow?" Sekhmet might be overthinking this. "How much jewelry?"

[Recaiden]

Message shrugs, and provides a few pieces of advice before taking a seat on the edge of the bed.
"You need an outfit that's superlative in some way, but not in the way they're trying to outdo each other."
"It's hard for royalty to overdo jewelry, but appearing in your normal shape is probably best to start."

"You seem completely in control of yourself, even after changing." Maybe with Prumathe or the incubi around, that will change?