[Nexus] The Black Dragon's Den IX

[McBish]

Well thanks I guess. But I wouldn't describe myself as lovely.

Angie blushes slightly, she definitely doesn't think of herself as pretty. She always thought she was to skinny, to small. And with her long time out of her body she looks even more frail then she used to.

[Forever Curious]

((Last post from me. Got work in the morning.))

"I'm okay with magic because I know a bit about how it works." Being Awakened helped Cass come to terms with magic. "You can go first, since you don't mind." She needed some time to figure out what she was going to say anyways. Certainly wasn't going to start with her occupation.

"Well..." Kaalia begins, drawing a metal sphere etched with runes from one of her many holsters. "I come from the world of Vacira. Beautiful place back in the day, take a look." Kaalia places the sphere on the table, sighing wistfully as it unfurls to reveal a full-color hologram projection of a magnificent modern city. Various townsfolk walked the streets dressed in Victorian-era fashion while others flew through the air or scaled buildings on metal wires. "Unlike some worlds, magic and technology managed to coexist for many years, resulting in some amazing discoveries. But enough about my world. I, Kaalia, was one of the most prominent artificers in the world. I may not look it, but I'm quite brilliant." She giggled slightly, returning the sphere to where it belongs. "I also enjoy stargazing, long walks on the beach, and finding out what makes things tick. I'm an only child and, after the Second Apocalypse, probably one of the only Vacirans left in existence... but that's a long story."

[Gullara]

"You don't give yourself enough credit." Kirk insists. "Your eyes for one. I don't think I've seen any quite like them."

[Rebonack]

Aly giggles. "Well, when you put it that way..." She notices Sadei was getting anxious. "I'm sure he'll come back soon. You said he was helping somebody, right? Once he's done that, he's bound to come back."

That does make it sound a lot simpler, doesn't it?

Sadei just continues kicking her feet as she waits.

Eats some of the soup she ordered?

Something...

Wait wait waaaaaiting...

"Yeah... I'm sure he'll be here soon."

[Devixer]

Cass listens to the story with slowly growing interest. The hologram in particular is pretty nice. "Sounds like you've had a real nice life, chummer," she says, both to be polite and to get a little more time to straighten her story. "Me, I grew up in the Seattle ghetto, which got a lot bigger after Crash 2.0. Magic's been around a while, everyone's only now starting to get used to it. Me, I find work wherever I can, do my best to make the next paycheck." Cass decides to omit the fact that most of her work is along the lines of corporate espionage.

[Forever Curious]

"Crash 2.0?" asks Kaalia, raising an eyebrow. "Why does that sound so familiar to me? Wouldn't happen to be like an apocalypse or anything would it?" she glanced up and down Cass. She didn't look like she came from a post-apocalyptic world, although, to be fair, neither did Kaalia. "I've always pitied worlds without magic. Technology is fine and dandy, but who doesn't love directly manipulating the elements to your whim?" She hazarded another sip of her cider, trying to ease back into a more casual tone.

[Devixer]

"Crash 2.0's basically when the Matrix got attacked by an AI and its disciples. Lot of people died, even more people lost their identities and bank accounts. Not an apocalypse, though." Cass was one of the people who lost everything. That wasn't much, though, so no biggie. She gulps down more ale, showing off her tolerance for alcohol. "Eh, that kinda magic's overrated. It's too flashy, ya know?"

[Forever Curious]

"Ah, gotcha" replied Kaalia, having a vague understanding of computers though she didn't like them much. "And I disagree: sometimes being flashy is in order. But subtlety is never a bad thing."

[McBish]

Well thank you very much. I guess I never paid much attention to it.

She frowns not sure on how to deal with the compliment and it flusters her a bit especially with out being able to sense how he is really feeling.

((Oh by the way I am playing D&D so that is why I am not posting very much right now.))

[Devixer]

Cass shrugs again. "I doubt I'll convince you otherwise. Mages are normally stubborn, from personal experience." She shifts in her barstool.

[Forever Curious]

Kaalia giggles a bit, downing the rest of her drink. "Can't say I disagree with you there. Then again, I've experienced the same from most professions." She looks back at Cass, raising an eyebrow. "Anxious, are we, Twig? Also, what will you do now, so far from home?"

[Devixer]

"No idea," Cass says, unable to hide the slumping of her shoulders. She'd definetly lost contact with her fixer, so finding work was certainly out of the question. "Short term, guess I'll find a box to sleep in somewhere." She had the cred for drinks, not a room.

[Gullara]

Kirk flashes her his most charming smile. One born of years and years of practice. "Can I get you another drink, by the way?" He gestures toward her empty glass.

((That's completely fine.))

[Forever Curious]

"That's... less then stellar," commented Kaalia, hazarding putting a hand on Cass's shoulder. "Hey, if you need a place to stay or some cash I can help you out." The artificer grinned. "Or if you need any help navigating Nexus, I'm the girl to go to. I could use a new companion and you definitely need a guide."

[Devixer]

Cass shifts her shoulder to make it clear that she doesn't really want a hand there right now. "A place to stay? You just 'ported in here, where's your place to stay? And dare I ask at what way you're using the term companion?"

[Forever Curious]

Kaalia retracts her hand, drawing what looks like a metallic magic wand from a holster. "By companion I meant roommate, friend, bestie, whatever word means the equivalent where you're from. Traveling the worlds is lonely business." Kaalia waves the wand in a circle motion, causing it to leave behind a crackling circle of energy. "As for my place..." The circle grows and the energy increases until it's as tall as Kaalia then, suddenly, vanishes, leaving behind a quivering portal. "...it's been here the whole time. And is, well, everywhere most of the time. Built it myself! She beams as the self-praise, returning the wand to it's proper place.

[Devixer]

Cass wasn't really in the mood to have a friend, but she also wasn't in the mood to go out and sleep in the rain. "If I go in there, do I have to travel the worlds with you?" She'd rather just go home, but she doesn't have a clue as to how to do that.

[Forever Curious]

Kaalia shrugged. "You don't have to do anything, Twig," she replied with a smirk. "And, honestly, I've been thinking of just settling down here for the next century or two. I can even see what to do about finding your world if you'd like." The smirk grew into an honest smile as she drew a jangling satchel from her hip. "Or, here's some coin I have lying around. Should set you up with a decent inn somewhere until you get your bearings. Choice is yours Twig."

[Devixer]

Cass looks at the portal for a few more seconds. She ignores the bag of coins, mostly because she's never seen hard cash in her life. After a few seconds, she shrugs. "Eh. Got nothing better to do now, and this bar looks like I'd end up in a cubicle instead of a room. You don't mind?"

[Forever Curious]

"Wouldn't have offered if I minded, now would I?" Kaalia asks still grinning. She returns the pouch to its place, then extends a hand to Cass. "Going through can be a tad disorienting at first," she remarks.

[Devixer]

"Yeah, I bet." Cass rolls her eyes just a little bit. Disorientation is really the least of her worries. The bigger problem is her being in an odd place with an odder person. Still, she does take Kaalia's hand to make sure she doesn't trip.

[Forever Curious]

"And away we go!" giggles the artificer as she leads her new friend through the gateway to her home. The circle shimmers as they enter, then vanishes without a trace.

((OOC; so... should I make a new thread or find an existing one that's relevant?))

[Devixer]

Cass is led through the portal to wherever this place is.

((The Home thread is probably best.))

[Forever Curious]

((Thanks for that. Will post tomorrow; it's late here.))

[Frozen Messiah]

Dipsnig strolls into the Den, with an expression much like a stormcloud and Kirk presumably following.

Mr.Winters walks in adjusting his tie as if he had been in a hurry but still keeps his calm expression. He takes a quick scan to find Dipsnig, when he does the smallest of smirks comes across his face for an instant. He walks over as if he had been there all along. "I apologize for the wait, I had some errands to attend to. I have one of the private rooms already booked." Mr.Winters then takes a small pause notice the state of Dipsnig, "you look bothered, would a drink help. I will be buying so no need to worry about your wallet."

[Morty]

I don't drink on the job, Dipsnig says dryly. I'm very curious as to what could possibly justify sticking your nose into our business.
Meanwhile, a very large wolf with dark gray fur sitting next to Dipsnig is staring at Mr. Winters.

[McBish]

Kirk flashes her his most charming smile. One born of years and years of practice. "Can I get you another drink, by the way?" He gestures toward her empty glass.

((That's completely fine.))

I suppose one more wouldn't hurt. Though I should probably see if I can find any of my old friends sometime soon.

Though she doesn't seem to be in much of a rush at the moment, actually she seems a bit hesitant to head out and start looking for them.

[Gullara]

Kirk waves down a bar goblin to get her another drink. "Anybody in particular? You never know, I might know one or two of them."

[McBish]

She shrugs.

Mostly people I knew at HALO, Tobias, Angela, Erin. And I have a few friends who live in... the rougher part of town that I should probably go visit, but I am pretty sure you don't know them.

[Gullara]

"I do know there's a Tobias that lives at GLoG. Sounds like a fairly uncommon name too." Kirk says. "I don't think I've ever spoke to him." All the names are actually familiar to him, but Tobias is the only one he thinks he might know much about.