[Nexus] AMEN XLI: eXtra Large Injury

[Murkus]

AMEN Entrance

"Here I didn't want to waste any more of my time. But let me explain something as simply as possible, just so your shrivelled little brain won't have to process a response." Jack suddenly looms above him, grinning, eyes sunken beyond recognition. "AMEN, as of now, does not tolerate being insulted on their doorstep." Maph might start to feel tiny things, the size of insects, crawling up his body. "I think we're done with you."

[ThirdEmperor]

Front Door

"Indeed. I do not particularly care what you think of AMEN, but you will not be so insolent as to walk into our base and begin telling us that we are doing everything wrong." Prometheus scowls. He's just finished killing the last person to do that. "Why don't you go conquer Inside, if it is so easy? What have you ever achieved? Perhaps when you are more than a disrespectful, irrelevant nobody, we shall consider putting up with your abrasive attitude. Until then, I would suggest you leave."

[Rebonack]

[Front Entrance]

Craaaaawling in mah skiiiiiin!

Maph ignores the crawly buggy sensation for the time being. The sunken eyes and mirthless grin thing are vaguely creepy though. Points for that.

He crosses his arms, tapping one finger finger on his elbow. "Because controlling Inside is irrelevant. A hollow victory with no real meaning. And... well, if credentials and accomplishments need to be thrown around I'm the guy who managed to actually destroy the Nexus and put it back together again more to my liking."

...wait.

What?

"It's a pretty fiddly design, though. Responded to my changes by splintering, reorganizing, and then reintegrating again. I learned a lot about how it functions in the process. What does and doesn't work here. Like I was saying before mister sunshine there decided to thwack me, action and belief are the only two commodities that matter. You control something if people believe you do. And people believe you do if they see you taking actions that suggest that you do."

More elbow tapping. "Which is your problem, coincidentally. You're doing things, but all the wrong things. And at the wrong time. And in the wrong way. You guys keep acting like you're trying to usurp power from Remnant. That's going about it all wrong and only makes people believe all the more that Remnant is in control."

[Murkus]

Front Entrance

Jack had already gotten all that from Maph's previous statements. Of course it didn't really matter. Just look at how the Empire fell so quickly. Of course, the old Jack had tried (and failed) to conquer Remnant when it was weak. Even when it was weak!

But he fails to see the logic in Maph's statement. Unfortunately, he also doesn't care to hear the 'right' way of gaining power, which is ultimately AMEN's goal, no matter how irrelevant. Perhaps if the... god, or whatever he was, had explained instead of pointlessly insulting the most easily agitated organization in the Nexus.

Jack throws a hand forward, trying to shove it through Maph's skull. Not in any physical sense, though it should still hurt like the dickens for your average divine/eldritch entity. He's reaching inside Maph'tey's mind. Attempting to stun and debilitate him while scanning his memories. Jack's curious, but he doesn't care to hear this creature's voice any more.

[ThirdEmperor]

Front Entrance

"You think I don't understand that? Allow me to make something clear. I know what I am doing. We know what we are doing. And I believe you are going to shut up and go away, and if you do not, I will take action to ensure you do." Prometheus says coldly, mentally debating what method would best be used to dispose of this arrogant visitor. Punching him doesn't appear to do much, and it's unlikely bullets will be any more effective, but perhaps stabbing him will work. Assuming, of course, that Jack doesn't manage to deal with Maph. That would certainly save some trouble. "You seem to forget that Remnant does have power over Inside, symbolically. We cannot rule as long as they remain strong, because the populace will resist our rule under the belief that Remnant will save them. You are not merely arrogant, you are foolish, and you are wrong. I will ask one last time. Leave."

[Rebonack]

[Front Entrance]

Maph isn't divine. Nor eldritch for that matter. He's just a challenge rating appropriate random encounter.

He also has a hand stuck in his head and goes, "Blorph."

Jack will probably get the impression that this... thing... Is a puppet of sorts. A simulacrum. A copy being controlled from some remote location. Or... lack of location, rather. The puppeteer pulling the strings is nowhere and nowhen.

There will be memories. But they're probably only the ones that Maph wants to be seen. Memories of crushing the old pantheons of the Nexus and the whole of Town's greatest heroes and villains alike uniting to stop him. All an elaborate misdirection, of course. Though sadly the nature of the Nexus itself thwarted his intention.

He really does believe what he's saying. And his experiences seem to back it up.

Prometheus will have to excuse his lack of reply on account of having a hand in his brain.

[Murkus]

Front Entrance

Jack attempts to see what his intention was - what exactly it is that matters to this thing - shortly before wrenching his hand backwards to tear the puppet apart. Destroy it utterly. At the very least, send a backlash to it's puppeteer.

[Zefir]

Main Room

Assuming Julie notices Stu's struggles, she'll attempt to retract her wings, which may or may not unstick them. Even if they're still stuck together, there's probably alot less glue between them now.

[Main Room]

The glue gows like a net or maybe imagine bubblegum for a better description.

"Your his sister? That's good. Very good."

Well Zefir didn#t really decide what to do with her, but this changed a lot.

[Rebonack]

[Front Entrance]

Maph was considering joining AMEN. Precisely why? He's an antagonist of sorts and was wondering if the Nexus had finally managed to get a replacement for KNAVES.

He had come here expecting to find idiotic in-fighting and totally thought he had. But then it was explained that no, they were just killing assassins or some such? Then he asked about goals and whether or not they had been met, at which point Prometheus explained that the favored means had been thrown aside for politics.

At which point Maph tried to explain why the politics plan was a silly idea.

Apparently people agreeing with Prometheus really pisses him off.

That silly goose.

The hand is then ripped out and Maph crumbles into a heal of crystalline sand that begins to evaporate away into nothing. Sitting in the middle of the pile is a little card which reads:

And yet you still remain irrelevant.

PS: Explosive runes

...the card doesn't explode...

[Murkus]

Front Entrance

I meant his intention back when he was busy with the DOOM plot. Was his ultimate goal just mass destruction, or...?

In any case, Jack picks the note up, reads it, and tosses it away when explosions don't happen. Oh gods, the man who thinks everything means nothing was told he's irrelevant. That's gotta sting.

"Not exactly the most helpful guy." Jack says, turning to the others.

[Rebonack]

[Front Entrance]

Ah!

Well, that's quite different.

No, not just wonton destruction. That would be silly. Maph thought that the universe was fundamentally broken and required fixing. The fixing in question simply necessitated taking everything apart first.

Quite a few people understandably disliked that idea.

And for good reason too!

His goals haven't changed in the least. But now he needs to come up with a new way to go about it since his methods used in other realities aren't working in the Nexus.

[Lord Magtok]

Front Entrance

Maggy floats by and away from the couch, shaking his head. And here he'd been thinking that Maph guy was one of the hero folk. When did that change? Where was he when it happened? And why didn't anyone tell him about it.

"Bit of an ass, too."

Magtok narrows his eyes at the spot Maph had occupied only a moment ago. It was only too recently that some demon was trying to annihilate the Nexus for similarly stupid reasons. Only too recently that the same lich-demon claimed he was a mere half-villain wasting his dreary life on nonsense and going about everything the wrong way. So easy for the godscum to criticize, but when was the last time they really accomplished anything? Anything that isn't just a happy coincidence, that is.

"Hrm...we could stand to do a thing or two besides waiting for Gordon to either learn how to negotiate with Council-folk or step down and let someone else act as AMEN's rep. I'm thinking a kidnapping of a specific Remnant employee, dressed up as assassination orchestrated by a certain league of killers might do the trick."

[happyturtle]

[Main Room]

The glue gows like a net or maybe imagine bubblegum for a better description.

"Your his sister? That's good. Very good."

Well Zefir didn#t really decide what to do with her, but this changed a lot.

"What are you waiting for? Throw the glue-antidote grenade or whatever," Moff says. "Ohai, Jack. Nice to see you again."

[Reinholdt]

Stu remains on Julie's back. He probably could get himself free. If he really wanted to.
I don't think he wants to.
"Oooh. A glue antidote grenade would be nice. Throw one of those."

[Slii Arhem]

Main Room

"I see you big lugs don't respond to anything but violence. Now that's not my style, but if that what I have to do to get me and loverboy out of here in one piece, then consider yourself obliged. Gregorovich, it's bedtime sweetie."

Jakob's remaining substance dissolves, and Julie's eyes go momentarily red. Then she stands. Unless the remaining glue is stronger than she thought, Stu's powersuit is no longer stuck to her. And if it is, and he doesn't weigh more than a few tonnes, then he should be hauled up with her.

((Reinholdt's choice really))

[Chezmarine]

AMEN entrance

Chez sits on the Front Porch, Trying to Decide Wether he's Chaotic Evil or Just Chaotic Nuetral.....

[ThirdEmperor]

Front Entrance

"Indeed. And I like that plan Magtok, it is, if nothing else, better than this insufferable ceasefire. Now, as for you- Prometheus turns to glare at Julie. - We will not stop you from leaving. If, however, Stu is killed or kidnapped, I will hunt you and your family of incompetents down and slaughter them one by one."

[ThePhantom]

Front Door

Rogar sighs, and walks away. There's not might he can do since Jack stepped in, since he was another leader of AMEN.

Main Room

Gordon returns to the main room, and looks around.

"Now, where are those guests of ours?"

[Lady Serpentine]

Karyana is here, in combat form.

I believe that's one of the guests he's looking for?

[Chezmarine]

Chez decides to Enter....

Front Door

"I Was wondering How Evil We Have to Be to Join?" He Asks. "I Was Just Thrown Out of NO for Setting Someone on Fire becuase i was bored..."

[Lord Magtok]

Front Entrance

Magtok nods.

"Can't talk about the plan now, of course. Got to wait for the right time and place."

He looks about the room with obvious suspicion and disdain written right on his face. Despite the listening device in the couch, he's still not entirely willing to let go of the idea that there's a spy amongst AMEN's ranks. Not just a spy, but a huge butt of a spy who secretly hates fun and explosions. No idea who that might be.

Meanwhile, he tries his hardest not to notice the wolf guy at the door. As much as that guy's sort of ideology might line up with some of AMEN's values and ideals, they're all the values and ideals of AMEN that Mag hates. The less senseless goons and purple living room stains the Association has to put up with, the better.

[happyturtle]

((What did Prometheus ever do with the square of carpet with the listening device anyway? I was roleplaying that with him, and we got as far as Prometheus dusting it for fingerprints, which revealed none, and then suddenly, lots of fighting and more fighting then fighting some more. But the listening device thing needs to be resolved. And nobody's searched the rest of the base for listening devices either.))

"Oy! Mags!" Moff tosses a wad of paper at Magtok's head.

"You got an opening for a layabout who will mooch off the open bar and only occasionally toss some quarters into the slots?" Moff asks.

[Zefir]

Main Room

"I see you big lugs don't respond to anything but violence. Now that's not my style, but if that what I have to do to get me and loverboy out of here in one piece, then consider yourself obliged. Gregorovich, it's bedtime sweetie."

Jakob's remaining substance dissolves, and Julie's eyes go momentarily red. Then she stands. Unless the remaining glue is stronger than she thought, Stu's powersuit is no longer stuck to her. And if it is, and he doesn't weigh more than a few tonnes, then he should be hauled up with her.

((Reinholdt's choice really))

Main Room

As I said it is a bit like bubblegum. with enougth power she will be able to stand up, but Oh there are a few small fire flying over her. So if She really stands up the fire will hit the oily glue and the whole thing beginns to burn... maybe including Stu.

"You may start talking then, because all I got from you is sugar blahblah and sug blah blah, nothing intressting to set you free."

[Reinholdt]

Main Room

"Here's the deal. You let us both go or I start going flower power on your butt and kill you from here to the fertilizer."

Stu is getting tired of this nonsense. His gatling gun starts revving up. Takes a while though, cause of the bubble gum it has to break through. He is at least, lying face up.

[Lord Magtok]

"Aagh!"

Magtok rubs the spot on his scalp where the paper landed, and grumpily scowls at the Moff who threw it.

"I dunno, maybe? Definitely can't have you doing the pat-downs for weapons, but I suppose you could...no, you'd drink those before they got to the table...Hrm. Well, maybe you could, umm...nah, that would probably end in global devastation...can you carry a plate on top of your head and let people pick snacks off of it?"

[happyturtle]

"Probably not. Oooh, how about someone to glue feathers to the male performers?" Moff offers.

[Slii Arhem]

Main Room

Julie's eye twitches a bit, looks like she may have had enough.

"For your own good I'd do what he says Zefir, because let me just tell you something, I've about had it with this whole situation. You have the nerve to take out your issues with 'Cid on me then fine, but be prepared to see hell come your way."

She pivots to pin Prometheus with an unhealthy glare, "You think you're all that? You think that just because you have a few notches on your bedpost that you can dance the two step with us? You took down one of us in the middle of your base surrounded by allies and suddenly that makes you qualified to hunt us down like some kind of animal that only lives at your whim? Don't be ignorant hun."

Finally, she raises her sword and points it directly at Magtok, "And You! I will go to your club, dance on your tables, and you will pay me for it because I'm a darn fine dancer. No buts."

She whips the foil up behind her back in a complicated motion that severs the remaining glue between her and Stu, then turns to him, "Now I do believe we still need to get better acquainted. What's say we head on down to Maggie's and you can drool over me for a bit."

((Edit: Whoops, alright, so I forgot to add this bit the first time around, thanks for the save Zefir.))

Of course as she does all this her shirt is ignited by the flames she just stood into, and if she doesn't do anything about it she may have to deal with being... indecent very soon. The flames themselves are of no issue to her, unless they're above a certain temperature she can't even feel them.

[Lord Magtok]

"Probably not the best idea, Moff. They might-"

Magtok recoils in shock. Whether it's mostly due to fear caused by having some random stranger point a sword at him, or shock prompted by that person's absurd demands is unclear. Maybe an equal mixture of both.

"I umm...I don't know if the government is okay with me hiring dancers to, well..."

C'mon Maggy, it's just a sword! A sharp, menacing, terribly pointy sword that could probably cut your throat open in seconds, but you've dealt with that sort of thing before, right? Speak up! I'm sure she won't kill you where you stand just over a little table-dancing, right?

...Right?

Well whatever. She probably won't even hear you, and it looks like she'll be out the door long before you work up the nerve to fire back with a brilliant rebuttal and/or proper counter-argument.

[Lady Serpentine]

The Cat Burglar might notice that the dracokittens are growing at a surprising rate. And that they're much larger than most cats. Depending on how long it's been, they should be up to his knees by tomorrow.

[BladeofObliviom]

Front Door

There's a-knocking.


Main Room

At about the same time, Cyrus arrives with his trademark pillar of Hellfire. He quickly falls asleep on the couch, far too tired to go to his actual room.