[Nexus] Home 8

[Lady Serpentine]

[The Ebon Citadel]

It should work, since Rael made a deal with him to do so.

[Mindfreak]

UA - Aprt 5
Anele snuggled up against Meddy.
"Let's."
She then dozes off...

[Lord Magtok]

[Haunted Warehouse]

What Pumpkin! He wouldn't try to jump Tom...
Would he?

"I guess that we could work on that self-defense instead, though I doubt you'll be getting jumped by a pumpkin anytime soon."

A smile sets itself on Percilia's face, even though she is trying with all her might to suppress it. She is barely managing to stifle a giggle, though it is only a matter of time before it escapes into the environment around her.

Plus, I don't think Tom and Percilia would end up in the Penal Company if something went wrong involving Percilia's explosives. People without arms or legs make horrible soldiers.

They seem to have ways around the whole limbless thing, if Vasquez is any indication. And What would totally try to jump Tom! He'd jump anyone, so long as they bleed nicely! Heck, he'd even jump people who don't bleed, just to find out if they do!

"It's the Nexus. Better safe than sorry, right?"

He grins, foolishly not taking the idea anywhere near as seriously as he should. What is a dangerous serial killer, Tom! It's not a joke, and you should know this sort of thing by now!

[BladeofObliviom]

[The Ebon Citadel]

Indeed, Rael will likely find a skeleton forming out of thin air, as strips of muscle, flesh, and whatever else he was composed of begin to form together in layers, as his entire sense of being feels split between the Soul Jar and the new body. When it is over, Rael should be fully "resurrected."

And now your friend. Do you have your magic ready?

[Lady Serpentine]

[The Ebon Citadel]

"Yes."

If this form, like his old one, is clawed, then he'll open his wrist. If not, he'll make it clawed, and proceed to do the same.

First, he grows some clothes. Then, he'll grow a soulless husk that looks like Sarah's old body, and clothes on it.

He thinks she'd probably prefer to be wearing something when she takes up residence in that body.

((Deadtime))

[BladeofObliviom]

[The Ebon Citadel]

Cyrus similarly resurrects Sarah, though he doesn't particularly make any effort to further help her.

Sarah, on the other hand, is rather shocked by the fact that she was dead and is moving again. She's heard of such things happening, but she's never actually been resurrected before.

Huh. I know that there must be SOME downside to this that I'm not seeing. In fact, it looks like we kinda got out of this pretty lucky!

Cyrus grins.

Don't get too ahead of yourselves. I have something to ask in return for each of your safe revivals, as I did put my neck out on the line for this. If someone had caught on to my ruse, I would probably be dead right now. Further, I had to outright backstab an old friend of mine, who wanted your souls pretty badly.

He looks directly at Sarah.

I don't know what you did for Prometheus to get that angry at you, but I recommend never, ever, showing your face around him again. He will not kill you. He'll wire your brain into his drone network and use you as his slave for eternity while your own personality is basically in that Soul Jar again except without the ability to talk.

Cyrus turns to a more neutral stance.

In any case, I have something to ask of each of you. I've read both your dossiers, and I know what each of you are capable of.

Ms. Bloodchanter, I know of your ability to dominate minds and produce cheap labor, and thus there is something I would have delivered to the hideout of your organization. The documents inside are for the eyes of only your Director, though I took no precautions to ensure this. If I learn that another has read it, however, I will be extremely displeased.

Mr. Kairos, I am aware of the business you run in the Red Zone of Inside, known as "the Nest." If it is indeed true that you specialize in creating new creatures of varying sorts, I may have need of your services very soon.

In any case, Ms. Bloodchanter, the delivery is two floors down from here. I have arranged to have some citizens of a nearby town relocated here to help you. By which I mean, kidnapped them for you to dominate into doing my labor for me.

That is all. If all goes as I planned, this will perhaps be the beginning of a new and glorious partnership. If you'll excuse me, I need to make the forest below passable.

Though he'll wait for any response from Rael, Cyrus wanders out of the room toward his personal chamber, where the orb that allows him to control the Forest of Silence is located.

[Lady Serpentine]

[The Ebon Citadel]

"That is true, yes. Though, as your comment leads me to believe that you do not have an immediate need of such services, I assume that I am free to return to the Red Zone until you do?"

[BladeofObliviom]

The Ebon Citadel

Indeed. You are both free to go. The exit is two floors down and to the right. The left leads into the dungeon, though, so be sure to go right.

I'm pretty sure I've still got a Hellkite down there...

Cyrus continues his wandering up to his personal chamber.

Sarah, on the other hand, no-so-secretly wants to get out of this place. She wastes no time going down the stairs, regardless of whether Rael follows.

[Lady Serpentine]

[The Ebon Citadel]

Rael wonders what a Hellkite is, but decides that it's better not to find out.

He does, in fact, follow Sarah.

[BladeofObliviom]

[The Ebon Citadel]

Upon reaching the foot of the stairway, Rael and Sarah find themselves in a grand atrium, though the walls and ceiling are as dark and discomforting as the rest of the citadel. In this room there is a cage with four human prisoners inside, mostly slumped against the wall or pacing. Next to the cage, there is what appears to be a Coffin, marked with a symbol not unlike a heart. Mind you, not the heart one would see on a valentine's day card, but an actual humanoid heart.

Anyway, Sarah attempts to lift the box herself, only to find that it weighs a quarter ton. Hmm.

Off to the right, there is a pair of Portculli with a drawbridge also blocking the entryway, though all three open as soon as Sarah touches the box.

There are also loud roaring noises emanating from the dungeon to the left. Like, really loud. Like, Ancient Dragon loud...

[Lady Serpentine]

[The Ebon Citadel]

"Well, that's odd. Not many people keep overly heavy coffins, or non-tame dragons, much less both."

[BladeofObliviom]

[The Ebon Citadel]

Yeah, the latter is so dangerous that I genuinely don't know how to respond to it. Anyway, I think he anticipated it being heavy.

The four men in the cage stiffen upright as Sarah slices her wrist open again, and she releases the latch. Together, the four are able to lift the package with mild difficulty. It's certainly heavy, but nothing four physically fir farmers can't handle!

So, what's the plan from here? I'm headed back to MURDER in a desperate attempt to explain this debacle somehow, but there's no good reason you would have to be around for that.

[Lady Serpentine]

[The Ebon Citadel]

"I think that I'll head back too. It gives you better odds of making it out if that goes badly."

[BladeofObliviom]

[The Ebon Citadel]

Heh, sounds good. With any luck, we won't die again.

Presumably, the two then escape the Ebon Citadel. Which is even easier to do than it is to say, since Cyrus not only opened the doors, he seems to have changed the paths in the Forest of Silence around so as to be very easily navigable.

At this rate, they'll reach MURDER in no time!

[Lady Serpentine]

[The Ebon Citadel]

Rael nods, and, presumably, they head to MURDER.

[happyturtle]

Jake Stevenson's Home

(Continued from Sept 5...)

Spoiler

Show

Riftline Station

Vasquez smirks just a bit, but while waiting for the train, she opens a small compartment in her cybernetic arm and pulls out a safety pin to fasten his skirt a bit tighter. She keeps all sorts of small items in them.

Riftline Station

"Thank you." With the skirt fixed, Jake has gone from Utterly Mortified to Rather Embarrassed, which is an improvement.

As they board the train, he looks around at the different style seating all around, and how clean everything looks. He wonders why there aren't more people onboard than a few npcs, but he certainly isn't going to complain.

Of course, now that they're in a lighted up area, he can get a good look at Vasquez's dress, which would cause a nosebleed if he weren't a Srs Hat character. "You look stunning."

Riftline

Vasquez smiles at the flattery and gives him a soft kiss on his cheek. "Thank you." She says before taking a seat next to him and leaning against him as the train starts up. Even if it was a bit new and uncomfortable, it was nice to finally let go for once, to relax and let her guard down around a person she trusted.

Riftline >>> Inside (Home thread)

It was nice for Jake as well, having someone who knew about his other side, and still wanted to be with him.

((deadtime. To be continued in Home [Jake Stevenson's Home]))

Jake unlocks the door, and the first thing Vasquez will notice is the sound of clocks ticking. And then there's the sound of a match and the smell of sulphur, as Jake lights the oil lamp by the door. It looks something like this:

Spoiler

Show

There is no dust to be seen, or any smears on the glass. Jake takes great pride in his work, and every surface is spotless.

(Except there's no creepy looking mannequin.)

[The Alexandrian]

[Haunted Warehouse]

Spoiler

Show

They seem to have ways around the whole limbless thing, if Vasquez is any indication. And What would totally try to jump Tom! He'd jump anyone, so long as they bleed nicely! Heck, he'd even jump people who don't bleed, just to find out if they do!

"It's the Nexus. Better safe than sorry, right?"

He grins, foolishly not taking the idea anywhere near as seriously as he should. What is a dangerous serial killer, Tom! It's not a joke, and you should know this sort of thing by now!

What better not just try to murder Tom nonchalantly one of these days without warning. That would make Percilia angry! What wouldn't like Percilia when she is angry!

To be honest, What is a very scary fellow, almost as scary as the Joker. He needs some sort of catchphrase, though. Maybe stab-stab-stabbity-stab would work...

Anywho!

"Let's go take a nap before I show you anything. The adrenaline from our fun, little flight is wearing off and I'm tired."

Percilia yawns and attempts to wrap her arms around Tom once again.

"So, you were able to carry that foodstuff upstairs without dropping anything important. Wanna try for something larger?"

[The Bushranger]

Erin's Emporium

Mike appraises her as well, smiling back,
I nearly forgot how beautiful you are.
Old memories begin to surface again, but Mike manages to push them back. He couldn't let them keep haunting him like this.

Aeryn blushes a fetching shade of green, ducking her head and smiling.
"I guess I should try to remind you more often, then," she says in a soft voice, reaching to take Mike's hand and squeeze it.

Fettina's Suite

"Yeah." Tina smiles solemnly. She pulls away from Shrike, taking another spoonful of banana pudding and 'chewing' it thoughtfully. "How long did it take you? To find Zamira? Or did she find you...?" The platinum girl looks between them.

"Which time?" Shrike asks - with a perfectly straight face. "That's kinda complicated, too, becasue of the way we are. Do you know anything about the Solar Bond?"

[horngeek]

Fettina's Suite

"Which time?" Shrike asks - with a perfectly straight face. "That's kinda complicated, too, becasue of the way we are. Do you know anything about the Solar Bond?"

"She probably won't, Shrike.

Basically... every Lunar Exaltation is bonded to a particular Solar Exaltation, due to an agreement Sol and Luna made when the Exaltations were first forged by Autocthon. When we first see our Solar Mate, we know it's them, and we always have strong feelings for them. In Shrike and my case, love, although that isn't always the case."

[UncleWolf]

Jake Stevenson's Home


Jake unlocks the door, and the first thing Vasquez will notice is the sound of clocks ticking. And then there's the sound of a match and the smell of sulphur, as Jake lights the oil lamp by the door. It looks something like this:

Spoiler

Show

There is no dust to be seen, or any smears on the glass. Jake takes great pride in his work, and every surface is spotless.

(Except there's no creepy looking mannequin.)

Jake Stevenson's Home

Vasquez lets out a low whistle, clearly impressed by all of the fine work. "It's beautiful, Jake. And you build each one by hand?"

[happyturtle]

Jake Stevenson's Home

"Some of these were built by my father, and some by his father. But yes, each one is handmade." He wants to kiss her, but he just can't. Not in this ridiculous costume, so instead, he leads her to the back of the store and unlocks another door, this one opening on the staircase to the upper level, where they live.

Things are less tidy here. Jake is almost as fastidious in his personal space as he is in his shop, but Gus is not a neat person. The room they enter is a combination living room / bedroom in a Victorian setting, with well made furniture. The bed is a day bed, meant to work as either a sofa or bed, but because of that, it's the equivalent of a single sized modern bed.

And now Jake is uncertain of himself again. Should he just undress in front of her? To distract himself, he opens one of the walnut wardrobes, and begins rummaging through it.

[UncleWolf]

Jake Stevenson's Home

Vasquez is able to read Jake's unease like an open book, and is able to guess what's bothering him. After a moment, she attempts to fix it by wrapping her arms around him from behind. "You're fine." She insists. "No one here but us."

[happyturtle]

Jake Stevenson's Home

He stays tense a moment longer, then lets himself relax. Lets himself feel her against him. He was a proud man, and used to always being dressed impeccably. Walking home in that ridiculous costume had almost been as hard for him as walking home nude would have been. But does that really matter when he has a beautiful woman in his home?

He turns around and brushes the back of his fingers along her face, before tipping up her chin and leaning in to kiss her deeply.

[The Alexandrian]

[134 Ninja Drive]

Clarissa still hasn't returned as of yet. The time is likely nearing midnight when the moon is at the peak of the hazy heavens. Suddenly, Dave might her a faint thud as something tosses itself against the front door. It's a rather force-filled noise, but it only booms once before whatever caused it falls silent once again...

I wonder what that could be...

[Mindfreak]

134 Ninja Drive
Dave looks through the peephole, his hand on the triggerswitch to set off all of the traps at the front door.

[Beans]

UA - Aprt 5
Anele snuggled up against Meddy.
"Let's."
She then dozes off...

Meddy will probably wake her with the smells of breakfast.

[The Alexandrian]

[134 Ninja Drive]

Outside the doorway is...nothing? That doesn't make sense at all!

Wait just a moment. There's a formless, black, tiny thing just sort of lying there on the ground, shivering from the cold and quaking from mind-shattering heapings of pain and agony!

That's weird. The blob-thing has a barely visible ring suspended inside of it that is an exact copy of the engagement ring Dave so thoughtfully purchased for Clarissa. Must be a fluke.

[Mindfreak]

UA - Apt 5
Is there bacon?
---
134 Ninja Drive
Dave yanks open the door.
"Clarissa?"

[Beans]

[UA - APT 5]
There's bacon, lots and lots of it!

[The Alexandrian]

[134 Ninja Drive]

The thing doesn't move at all when Dave mentions her name. She is far too busy being riddled with pain to twitch in response right now. Please try again later.