[Nexus] Mallside II

[Morty]

[Krikebulin's]

We'd rather have a bowl each, Reelshka says to the kobold before turning back to Magtok. Oh please, Magtok. I'm really curious. And I'd love to hear the story straight from the person involved.

[Earl of Purple]

Krikebulin's Kobold Cuisine

The kobold nods and dashes off. It'll be back with their starter in a few minutes, when the duo are just starting to get hungry.

[OrchestraHc]

Magmart

The deva laughs heartily, "I'd love to help you out Justine. I might only be two weeks old, but I think some of my earlier incarnations might have had some... expertise in that area." She smiles suggestively. "I may not be Julie, but I still think I might help you out."

And with those words she slowly starts going towards the cashier as her player assumes they are done in the shop for now.

Justin follows, ready with his batch of purchases. He lets Dawn make her purchases first."Heh," he starts, "At first it was barely an afterthought, now I'm actually a little excited for the casino. Thanks Dawn. I really look forward to meeting Tom."

[UncleWolf]

Parking Lot => Enchante

Pat looks up at Magtok in disbelief, her mind blown away by what he had just said. Her jaw opens up a bit and she gets weak in the knees again. The ant-woman can't help but lean against her Lord for a moment, silently trying to regain her strength. It takes a couple moments, but she'll stand and give Magtok a gentle hug before smiling warmly up at him. "Th-thank you." She says quietly before letting him take her arm and leading her inside.

[The Alexandrian]

[Upper Level(?)]

Cecily's

((True, but there's no way Prometheus is going dancing unarmed. What if a mosh pit forms and he has to fight his way out? What if somebody performs a particularly threatening waltz!?))

"I will see you in a week then. Goodbye." With that, Prometheus quickly exits the shop before it can start moving again. This is the first time he's encountered a moving building, and already he's formed the opinion that buildings should stay where they're built.

Hey! Look over there! There's Prometheus's girlfriend date friend psychiatrist, Doctor Rogers! She's wearing a none-too-ornate, silk, cerulean-tinted evening gown that is neither too showy nor too conservative. Juppy is also modeling white, glossy stiletto heels and bulky gold hoop earrings. The attire and ornamentation is pretty darn gaudy, but that is negligible and, furthermore, it should be expected considering tonight's itinerary. Juppy doesn't appear to have noticed Prometheus yet. She seems to be window shopping at one of the various shoppes nearby.

In reality, Juppy is simply trying to camouflage herself among the crowd surrounding her. She resents shopping with a passion! She goes out shopping for clothes once every year (no more but often less in terms of frequency). Why did Prometheus choose to rendezvous with Juppy here? Nothing to do about that now. Just smile and take it in stride.

Easy for me to say; I'm not the one in Juppy's position right now...

[ThirdEmperor]

Main Plaza

Doc Roger's must be pretty distracted to not spot Prometheus amidst the crowd. Even in a place like this, where stone giants quest for fashionable business clothes and lizardmen sell mud-and-snake pies from foul smelling concession carts, the warrior stands out like a technicolor rhinoceros in a history museum, largely due to being taller than nearly everyone around him.

In contrast to Roger's elegant clothing, Prometheus wears more or less the only set of civilian clothes he has that aren't half destroyed by acid, covered in scorch marks or otherwise damaged; a massive camouflage patterned overcoat, lined with too many pockets to count, over a sleeveless black t-shirt, light gray sweatpants and hobnail boots. In short, clothes that only someone completely clueless about social norms would wear to a dance.

Spotting the good doctor, Prometheus wades through the crowd towards her, shoving aside anyone who refuses to move out of his way and causing more than a few angry curses to be hurled at him as he fights his way out of the ever-moving swarm of shoppers. "Greetings."

[happyturtle]

Restaurant Enchante

Both of the couples will find that, although they are seated in completely private booths that can't be seen or viewed into (except by the staff, since being able to contact one's waitress is rather important in a restaurant), they are all able to see the dance floor and hear the band playing slow, romantic music. The dance floor itself is rather small, and dimly lit, with slowly shifting colours. It's obviously not a place for showing off. It's strictly for slow dancing.

Of course, anyone can get a different illusion for their own dinner, but if they don't make a request, this is the default setting for the evening.

Main Plaza

If Dr Burnett knew that Jupy was seeing one of her clients socially, she would be horrified and disgusted, and definitely eject her from the practice.

Good thing she isn't here then.

[Neon Knight]

[Arcane Threads]

Read? Where was there to read about her? Grace is taken aback by Cierra's words, especially due to her recent feelings of failure. Nonetheless, she manages a grateful smile, though half of her is thinking about tracking down anything talking about her so she knows precisely what her public image is.

"Well thank you, Cierra." She manages smoothly. "I can't say any of it has really turned out how I hoped it would, but it's reassuring to know that it has helped people anyway."

[Arcane Threads]

Cierra is all smiles. "I have so many questions I want to ask... ah, but you're busy, and I shouldn't impose... Can I ask you a favor? I've got a loft in Riverside, and I'd like you to come visit sometime, if you'd like."

[The Alexandrian]

[Main Plaza]

Juppy isn't actually going out with Prometheus. She's just teaching him how to lighten up around normal people by pushing him into a controlled social situation. At most, Juppy thinks of Prometheus as a friend. Of course, Juppy thinks of everyone as a friend so even that doesn't set him apart from her other patients. And there's no way Prometheus could ever be anyone's significant other as I understand it. He's wired to explode in the presence of dangerous amounts of love.

The erstwhile distracted Juppy faces about as soon as she begins to perceive the distasteful oaths being slung about behind her. Upon spotting Prometheus, she dons her best smile! She finally has the opportunity to leave this horrid place of gross commercialism!

"Good to see you, Prometheus!"

It is at this point that Juppy notices the apparel Prometheus has dressed himself in.

"I do say, that is a strange outfit to wear to a disco party. It's fine, though. Those individuals that I force to associate with me aren't known for their fashion sense either."

Continue to smile genially, Juppy! That's the way to combat any awkward feelings piling up inside of oneself!

[AmberVael]

[Arcane Threads]

That raises a few alarm bells in Grace's mind, quite honestly, especially since she doesn't really have as much power as she used to, what with Celestial Dynamics having reclaimed the capabilities it loaned her. Meeting someone unknown in a private residence who specifically sought her out...

But courtesy shines through. Keeping clients happy was something you had to keep in mind as a businesswoman. "I'd love to. Here, I'll give you my number, and we can arrange a time, okay?" Grace suggests kindly, retrieving her phone from a pocket. She will proceed to give Cierra her number, if she agrees.

[Lord Magtok]

MagMart

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[MagMart]

Talnissa makes no move to prevent it from doing so.

"Now would be prefferable. Also, just to make sure, I'll be able to take this on and off whenever I want to, correct?"

"Yes ma'am."

The Magbot turns around, and gestures for Talnissa to follow. After a few steps forward, a telewarp portal suddenly opens up, throws a metal box at the Magbot's head, and then disappears.

"Naturally, we don't just process purchases like this the same way one might buy a shovel or a pack of gum. Your skin and receipt are inside this box, but we request that you wait until you find some privacy before trying it on. If you're not completely satisfied with your purchase, if the skin tone is a little off or anything like that, feel free to come back and return it."

Krikebulin's Kobold Cuisine

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[Krikebulin's]

We'd rather have a bowl each, Reelshka says to the kobold before turning back to Magtok. Oh please, Magtok. I'm really curious. And I'd love to hear the story straight from the person involved.

Krikebulin's Kobold Cuisine

The kobold nods and dashes off. It'll be back with their starter in a few minutes, when the duo are just starting to get hungry.

The cyborg plops down his drink, and gives her a grin. Story time, bwahahaha!

"Alright, fine. It was an accident because while I did swing at her the first time, I'd expected her to dodge with ease. Happy was, at least as far as I thought, my better in combat, so I pretty much assumed she had me beat. The last thing I thought she'd do was actually get clonked on the head by the butt of the gun I'd swung at her.

I was actually staring down at her for like a good five minutes, wondering what the hell I did, and what the fudge I'd do next. Then, it hit me: She had a boyfriend, and I just so happened to hate that guy. If I locked her up somewhere and set the right traps, I could kick that jerk's butt, convince Happy of how much fun and awesome it was to be evil, and more or less dominate the world with her brute force at my side."

He shrugs.

"Of course, like most villainous schemes of that sort, it was utterly foiled swiftly. A goddess needed to intervene, turning the vampire into a holy thingamajig just as my torrent of doom and running water was about to destroy him utterly. And when I tried the same thing again, poking her handle with a sedative needle after a friendly handshake when we were on more agreeable terms, I was foiled just as swiftly. It didn't matter to me, really, I had fun with it anyway, and knew better than to assume they'd ever let me do all of that.

My real crowning moment was in the weeks before the prom, when everyone was getting ready and choosing dates and whatnot. That same vamp was absolutely adamant to take Happy along. Another rival of his was just as determined. Unable to talk things out, and since she refused to make a decision they took to an arena! The two fought brutally as she and I watched in awe from the stands, tearing and cutting into each other out of love for the same woman! It started off fairly dignified and exciting, but descended to pure savagery in moments. Groin-blows, ear-biting, there wasn't anything these two wouldn't do. Finally, at long last, just when it looked like one or the other was finally going to collapse-"

Magtok stops to sip from his water and build up suspense.

"-I struck. She'd just seen her boyfriend at his most violent, witnessed all his muscley bravado, and I, knowing full well she was grossed out by all the machismo, asked her to be my date to the prom. She said yes, right there in front of her indignant boyfriend, and my nefarious grin couldn't have been wider even if I'd grown up in Glasgow."

Restaurant Enchante

Blegh, the standard format. So terribly mundane...but then again, anything too spectacular, and poor Pat, with her woeful inexperience with these things, would probably end up fainting and falling over against the cyborg's chest. And as much as that sort of thing might appeal to Maggy's ego, he's not enough of a butthead to do that her on purpose.

"S'there any particular illusion thingy you might've had in mind, Pat?"

Something about the way she keeps turning towards him for support, both emotionally and physically, puts a smile on Mag's face for reasons he's not entirely sure he understands. This same sort of thing from her just unnerved the hell out of him before, but now that he's actually meeting that need and being looked upon with awe and admiration and gratitude though, it's not unnerving in the slightest, it just feels awesome. It feels awesome to be awesome, and Magtok has absolutely no intention of stopping.

[Neon Knight]

[Arcane Threads]

Cierra takes the number down. "Thank you so much! I'll give you a call later. Have a nice day!" She waves goodbye as she leaves, ending the encounter.

[AmberVael]

[Arcane Threads]

"You too!" Grace calls after her with a smile, waving goodbye in return. Somewhat cheered by the encounter, if a little apprehensive, she finds herself lost in thought while she waits for Takara to return from the changing rooms.

[Gullara]

[Restaurante Enchante]

Reviline places the menu into an open position in front of her and gives it a momentary glance, before turning her gaze back onto Kirk.
She folds her hands and places them under her chin, smiling slightly.
"There are many places in the universe, I would not expect you to know them all.
The Blue Peaks are two or three weeks to the West, by horse, depending on how frequently you camp. Less, with magic or...mechanical means.
Named for the ice, which is a lovely deep blue near the summits."

"Ah, in the Nexus then. Or at least connected closely enough. Is there some kind of city there?" Kirk asks. She seems a bit too cultured for anything less.

[Neon Knight]

[Arcane Threads]

Grace only has to wait a few more seconds before Takara emerges. "Well? What do you think?" The suit looks sort of like what one might expect a big ring circus announcer to wear, all glittery and silver, and perhaps a bit low cut at the hip and chest. A small, matching top hat is perched atop her head, set at a jaunty, rakish angle.

[UncleWolf]

Enchante

By the time they take their seats, Pat is much steadier on her feet, having taken many deep and slow breaths to calm her down as they walked. For a while, she couldn't believe this was happening to her. It was like a dream, like one of the many trashy romance novels she read. This can't be happening to me... She thought as she took her seat.

But, as she let go of his hand and took a look at the list of illusions to choose from, the opposite thought runs through her head. This...this is it, isn't it? It really is happening. The thought sends a shiver down her chitin-covered spine and her hearts skip a couple beats, fluttering. If this was a dream, she certainly didn't want it to stop in the slightest.

"I...I honestly don't know much about this place." She admits. "This is my first trip here, and I wouldn't even know where to begin with the food menu, let alone the scenery. Whatever's fine with you, I guess?" Pat says. Her voice is much steadier now, more embarrassed by her lack of knowledge of the place than anything else.

[AmberVael]

[Arcane Threads]

And suddenly, Takara in a flashy outfit. All of Grace's thoughts are tossed in a jumble out of the window, as her mind thrusts it all aside.
"...ah."
That's really all she can manage at the moment. Not only is the sight of this regal woman in such attire mind boggling, but it's also enticing enough that Grace finds herself staring a little longer than she really should.

"Uh, yes!" Grace tries again after a moment, flustered. "It looks very nice on you." Though maybe it could be improved if she'd just undo that top button- No agh don't think that.

"I like the hat." The eudai finishes, desperately trying to keep the blush off her face.

[ThirdEmperor]

Main Plaza

Less "wired to explode in the presence of love" and more "utterly oblivious to it". If someone was mentally unbalanced enough to be interested in Prometheus, they'd probably need a diamond pickaxe to hammer the concept into his thick skull. At which point he'd recommend they see a psychologist.

"It was the only apparel I could find. I have had little occasion nor need to wear such... flimsy garb." Real clothes can stop bullets, dangit! These pathetically inferior garments might as well be made of tissue paper, for all they'll do against a titanium combat knife, and Prometheus just feels naked without at least one layer of anti-ballistic weave between him and any incoming stabbings. "I do hope that they'll not be too out of place wherever we're going." Prometheus doesn't return the smile. Smiling has always confused him, actually. Humans are just about the only species that considers bearing it's teeth to be an expression of happiness, rather than a threatening gesture.

[Lady Serpentine]

MagMart

"Yes ma'am."

The Magbot turns around, and gestures for Talnissa to follow. After a few steps forward, a telewarp portal suddenly opens up, throws a metal box at the Magbot's head, and then disappears.

"Naturally, we don't just process purchases like this the same way one might buy a shovel or a pack of gum. Your skin and receipt are inside this box, but we request that you wait until you find some privacy before trying it on. If you're not completely satisfied with your purchase, if the skin tone is a little off or anything like that, feel free to come back and return it."

Talnissa nods, and, unless stopped, heads out of the store, and into one of the Mallside bathrooms, where she'll change into her new skin. What's it look like?

[Slii Arhem]

In a Backroom of MagMart

Rocid arrives back here from his misadventures in the yellow road, probably falling somewhere near the Magtok that was supposed to be in charge of this operation, but instead slacked off somewhere doing nothing.

He also fails his constitution check against nausea, and vomits ectoplasm all over the floor and possibly Maggy's shoes.

"Blech... Hate Moffs."

[Shadowcaller]

Justin follows, ready with his batch of purchases. He lets Dawn make her purchases first."Heh," he starts, "At first it was barely an afterthought, now I'm actually a little excited for the casino. Thanks Dawn. I really look forward to meeting Tom."

[Magmart]

"I'm just glad to get to know more people around here. Trying to make some friends. My actions are not entirely altruistic however, I consider contacts to be rather important when you are just born." She says, turning to him with a smile while finishing her purchase. "Even if your pretty new around here yourself. I'm sure Tom will like you though."

[Chaotic Bob]

[Restaurante Enchante]

Reviline doesn't claim to know precisely how the Nexus works, whether the Peaks are an actual part of them, or just bled into the fringes, so she gives a faint little nod.
It's a complicated thing for planar scholars.
"A small settlement, by your standards. Most of us keep to ourselves, but some are relatively well-traveled, like myself.
Helps me meet interesting individuals like you."

[Neon Knight]

[Arcane Threads]

And suddenly, Takara in a flashy outfit. All of Grace's thoughts are tossed in a jumble out of the window, as her mind thrusts it all aside.
"...ah."
That's really all she can manage at the moment. Not only is the sight of this regal woman in such attire mind boggling, but it's also enticing enough that Grace finds herself staring a little longer than she really should.

"Uh, yes!" Grace tries again after a moment, flustered. "It looks very nice on you." Though maybe it could be improved if she'd just undo that top button- No agh don't think that.

"I like the hat." The eudai finishes, desperately trying to keep the blush off her face.

[Arcane Threads]

If Takara is aware of the details of Grace's reaction, she doesn't show it. She simply smiles, turning in place once so that Grace can get the full effect. "It is a little odd, and I can't think of an occasion that it would be perfect for... but I like the color, and it is simply so different!" Takara pauses for a moment, thinking, and then smiles. "I think perhaps that you should try one of these costumes on."

[OrchestraHc]

"Not entirely altru-?" Justin let's out a short laugh at the statement, as he begins to make his own purchases. "Don't say it like it's some sneaky ulterior motive. There's nothing wrong about making friends and contacts, so long as you don't treat them tools. And frankly, you don't seem the type to do that." He puts about enough (worthless) money on the counter, not really caring about the change.

[Morty]

[Krikebulin's Kobold Cuisine]

Reelshla listens with her eyes open. She can't help but be impressed. Oh my. Did this sort of thing happen open back in the old days? I don't think there were any goblins around here back then, except for Razortooth.

[AmberVael]

[Arcane Threads]

Grace is rather more prepared this time, and steadfastly focuses on Takara's head as she turns around. She pulls her practiced smile back onto her face with quite some bravado, only to have Takara hammer against her composure again with her last suggestion. "You do?"

Very nervous about such an idea, Grace hesitates and stalls. "I'm uh, not really sure..." Oh yes, real convincing rhetoric there. Yet, Grace has difficulty coming up with any real objection.

[Lord Magtok]

Krikebulin's Kobold Cuisine

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[Krikebulin's Kobold Cuisine]

Reelshla listens with her eyes open. She can't help but be impressed. Oh my. Did this sort of thing happen open back in the old days? I don't think there were any goblins around here back then, except for Razortooth.

"Yeah, I think it was just Dippy back then. Err...Dipsnig, I mean."

He hasn't any idea how she might feel about the other goblin, and waiting for her to respond to a mocking nickname is a terrible way to find out. Oh gods, he hopes they're not cousins or something. That would be twelve kinds of terrible.

"It's kinda odd. I mean, there were all sorts of incredible superpowers everywhere back then, and then Dipsnig, almost completely mundane and absolutely adamant about not letting that stop him. Now, years later, even though he hasn't changed much, he could probably kick all kinds of butt he never could've hoped to back then. I imagine he doesn't look back nearly as fondly on those days as I do."

In a Backroom of MagMart

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In a Backroom of MagMart

Rocid arrives back here from his misadventures in the yellow road, probably falling somewhere near the Magtok that was supposed to be in charge of this operation, but instead slacked off somewhere doing nothing.

He also fails his constitution check against nausea, and vomits ectoplasm all over the floor and possibly Maggy's shoes.

"Blech... Hate Moffs."

Magtok suddenly finds Rocid right next to him. Wait, what? How did this guy get over here?! What's going on? Why does he look so sick and-

"Aaagh, my shoes!"

Oh eww, ectoplasm! That'll take forever to get out!

MagMart

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Talnissa nods, and, unless stopped, heads out of the store, and into one of the Mallside bathrooms, where she'll change into her new skin. What's it look like?

Well, it's a bit pale. No obvious blemishes, hair, or pores. It's designed with little to no resistance to UV rays though, so it'll burn and peel and tan just like normal skin will.

Enchante

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Enchante

By the time they take their seats, Pat is much steadier on her feet, having taken many deep and slow breaths to calm her down as they walked. For a while, she couldn't believe this was happening to her. It was like a dream, like one of the many trashy romance novels she read. This can't be happening to me... She thought as she took her seat.

But, as she let go of his hand and took a look at the list of illusions to choose from, the opposite thought runs through her head. This...this is it, isn't it? It really is happening. The thought sends a shiver down her chitin-covered spine and her hearts skip a couple beats, fluttering. If this was a dream, she certainly didn't want it to stop in the slightest.

"I...I honestly don't know much about this place." She admits. "This is my first trip here, and I wouldn't even know where to begin with the food menu, let alone the scenery. Whatever's fine with you, I guess?" Pat says. Her voice is much steadier now, more embarrassed by her lack of knowledge of the place than anything else.

Magtok shrugs. "Alright, then. Well, I guess we should go with the-"

Wait.

No Mag, this is Pat's evening, not yours. Just because she doesn't know what she wants does not mean you get to go with what you want and hope that it's good enough for her. Merely good enough is not good enough tonight, and while she seems entirely willing to just let you choose for her, that is not what we're going to do.

"Hold on," he says, putting down the menu as he scooches across the booth. Luckily they got one of those U-shaped sorts of seats, rather than a pair of separate, parallel lines, or Maggy wouldn't be able to scoot all the way to Pat's side of the table, reach around her back and press a hand against her waist, and then scoot them both to the unoccupied middle of the seat. He picks his menu back up, hand still at her side and hip against her own, before going over the contents of the thing to the best of his ability.

"Alright, so the Noir theme looks nice, but there's probably a lot of cigarette smoke and not an awful lot of color. I've seen this outdoor-ish one before, but it's a bit out there, and less of a dinner thing and more of a wacky, drunk night out. This one, though..."

He's going to go on like that if she'll allow him. That said, I'm not entirely sure she's going to be able to focus all that well on everything he's saying, given how quickly the distance between them suddenly dwindled away into nothing.

[Morty]

[Krikebulin's Kobold Cuisine]

Reelshka giggles when Magtok calls Dipsnig "Dippy". She considers NO's boss to be a specieist, greedy slimeball, so she's not exactly offended.
"Dippy"? I'll have to remember that nickname. So you look back at those days fondly? I suppose the turmoil, strife and action could be exciting for those who can handle themselves in such times.

[Shadowcaller]

"Not entirely altru-?" Justin let's out a short laugh at the statement, as he begins to make his own purchases. "Don't say it like it's some sneaky ulterior motive. There's nothing wrong about making friends and contacts, so long as you don't treat them tools. And frankly, you don't seem the type to do that." He puts about enough (worthless) money on the counter, not really caring about the change.

[Magmart]

"Mmm..." Dawn nods, "Maybe I just like to remind myself that I'm not some kind of saint at times. Not all my goals are pure." She pauses a moment. "That doesn't sound pretentious does it?" She asks once they start walking out of the store.

[The Alexandrian]

[Main Plaza]

Interesting. Setting Prometheus up on a series of blind dates might attract more clients for SHRINK to psychoanalyze.

"It's alright. Don't worry about it."

That is true! Prometheus shouldn't worry about his (lack of) fashion sense at all! In the Nexus, the more wise, elderly NPCs probably go out for their brisk evening strolls clad in bulletproof vests. Beings probably dance in spacesuits, at times!

"If you're ready to proceed, my car is...somewhere around here."

Where did Juppy park her ergonomic vehicle?