[Nexus] Home 11

[Mindfreak]

[Sidera]
She lays next to her, scooting close.
Oooh, what was that like?

Sidera House
Ariel sighed happily as she started remembering.
"Well you see...I used to be a mercenary/adventurer. I was a sword-for-hire and I got loot and wenches up the wazoo! And then I..."
She remembers the details that were forever etched in her mind...over a year's worth of torture...
She closes her eyes before the tears came.

[Morty]

[Beach]

"Hey, that's what I'm here for," Crissy says with a giggle and a grin. "And I think that together we can do anything."

Dorota raises her eyebrows, her smile widening. Anything, you say? Well, who am I to argue? We did manage to outsmart some Fae and build a golem.

[The Bushranger]

[Beach]

"Yup!" Crissy declares, grinning broadly. "I mean, things might be hard...but as long as we stick together, well, anything's possible."

[Morty]

[Beach]

Dorota laughs, but then bites her lip. Except... well, I think I've told you that the people back home really wouldn't react well to two girls being in love...

[The Bushranger]

[Beach]

"Well, we'd have to either have them deal with it, or keep it a secret."
Crissy frowns, though, clearly not liking having to hide her feelings. She knows them to be true!

[Beans]

Sidera House
Ariel sighed happily as she started remembering.
"Well you see...I used to be a mercenary/adventurer. I was a sword-for-hire and I got loot and wenches up the wazoo! And then I..."
She remembers the details that were forever etched in her mind...over a year's worth of torture...
She closes her eyes before the tears came.

Ancha frowns and hugs her tightly. "I shouldn't have asked."

[Morty]

[Beach]

"Well, we'd have to either have them deal with it, or keep it a secret."
Crissy frowns, though, clearly not liking having to hide her feelings. She knows them to be true!

Could we really keep it secret, though? Dorota asks playfully. I know I'd have trouble...

[The Bushranger]

[Beach]

"Me too," Crissy admits with a soft giggle. "And I don't care who knows how much I care for and love you."

[Morty]

[Beach]

Dorota blushes and beams. Neither do I. And I suppose exposing the citizenry to something new for a change would be good for them... not sure what we could do to change things there, though.

[The Bushranger]

[Beach]

"Maybe...like, just by being there and letting them all see how happy we are together, as opposed to them just hearing 'oh it's bad because it's bad'?" Crissy suggests, snuggling closer.

[Morty]

[Beach]

Well, I meant more how to make the whole city less gloomy and stagnant, Dorota says, also snuggling close to her girlfriend. I don't really want to depress you with describing how dreary the place is, though...

[The Bushranger]

[Beach]

"Oh. Well, maybe we could figure something out. Maybe, like, use alchemy to scrub the air or something." Crissy closes her eyes, softly burying her face in Dorota's neck and taking a deep breath.

[Morty]

[Beach]

Dorota smiles, finding Crissy's naivete rather endearing.
I'm not sure it would end well... besides, the cleanliness of the air isn't the biggest problem. But I admire your straightforward approach, she adds with a giggle.

[Mindfreak]

Ancha frowns and hugs her tightly. "I shouldn't have asked."

Sidera House
Wiping tears from her eyes, Ariel shakes her head.
"No it's okay...it's just...never ask where I got my scars, okay?"

[The Bushranger]

[Beach]

"Hey, even if I'm like totally silly somebody has to come up with the silly ideas," Crissy points out with a giggle.

[Earl of Purple]

Defelent's House

"Thank you. But, I'm a slave. As my owner, Defelent has every right to punish me whenever he wants for no reason. As it is, he's rather gentle- he doesn't enjoy hurting me, and I rarely displease him enough for him to take me to the attic. Why are you so... Helpful, Milady?" Tracy's confused. Grateful, and genuinely pleased, but still confused.

[Beans]

Sidera House
Wiping tears from her eyes, Ariel shakes her head.
"No it's okay...it's just...never ask where I got my scars, okay?"

Ancha nods, frowning, and hugs tighter.
Okay, honey. It's alright, I'm here.

[Mindfreak]

Ancha nods, frowning, and hugs tighter.
Okay, honey. It's alright, I'm here.

Sidera House
Unfortunately that applied pressure to an old scar and made Ariel relive the torture all over again.
She tried to pull away and curl into a ball, crying.
"I need big brother ox...I need big brother ox..."

[Beans]

[Sidera]
Poor Ancha backs off, not knowing what to do besides watch and make sure she doesn't hurt herself.

[Mindfreak]

Sidera House
Poor Ariel just rocks back and forth, crying and saying the same thing over and over.
"I need big brother ox...I need big brother ox..."

[Beans]

[Sidera]
Ancha gently rubs her back, whispering soothing words in her ear.

[ThirdEmperor]

Ex-LANTERN HQ
"Maxios is dying. He has sent me here to perform several tasks that he wanted to do, but well you know, the whole dying thing put a cramp in that plan." Jack says.

Riv let's out a small and unpleasant snort of laughter, rolling his eyes. "Jeez. And you call yourself a doctor?" Pulling a pack of cigarettes from his lab coat, Riv lights one up and takes a drag before continuing to needle poor Jack. "So, what's your dad dying of that's so bad even a great and mighty doc like you can't fix? The creeping derps? Maroon fever? Ooh, how 'bout buttface syndrome, he hadda baaad case a' that last time I saw him."

What an utter and complete [CENSORED].

[Maxios]

Ex-LANTERN HQ

"Cancer." Jack says.

[Morty]

[Beach]

"Hey, even if I'm like totally silly somebody has to come up with the silly ideas," Crissy points out with a giggle.

I wouldn't have it any other way... someone has to keep me grounded so I don't get too caught up in my own cleverness, Dorota responds jokingly.

[The Bushranger]

Defelent's House

"Thank you. But, I'm a slave. As my owner, Defelent has every right to punish me whenever he wants for no reason. As it is, he's rather gentle- he doesn't enjoy hurting me, and I rarely displease him enough for him to take me to the attic. Why are you so... Helpful, Milady?" Tracy's confused. Grateful, and genuinely pleased, but still confused.

"Because you are a kind-hearted person, who deserves to be treated with respect and kindness regardless of where you are in society," Naethalee answers softly, with a kind smile.

[ThirdEmperor]

Ex-LANTERN HQ

"Cancer." Jack says.

"Sheesh. I figured out how to cure that one before I finished med school." Riv says, although he's beginning to get impatient, checking the route they're going to make sure Jack isn't just leading them in circles.

[Maxios]

Ex-LANTERN HQ

"Good for you." Jack says. "What is it that you do around here, aside from teleporting into people's homes and holding him at energy gun point?"

The route Jack is taking is not going in circles, but it's quite clear he has no idea where he's going.

[Mindfreak]

[Sidera]
Ancha gently rubs her back, whispering soothing words in her ear.

Sidera House
Ariel eventually stops rocking back and forth...
She goes to hug Ancha, crying into her chest.

[Earl of Purple]

Defelent's House

"No, milady. I was punished for the disobedience of other, more valuable slaves before Defelent bought me in a bargain shack. I saw what happened to me when others were disobedient and didn't dare think what might happen to me if I was disobedient. I am obedient, meek and do everything I am asked. If Defelent ordered me to smother a child, or worse, I'd do it and feel guilty rather than disobey and get punished." Though it could be argued that the guilt marks her kind-heartedness. Tracy is also telling the truth- or what she believes to be the truth. Whether or not she'd be able to smother a child is another matter. So is whether she'd feel guilty.

[Beans]

Sidera House
Ariel eventually stops rocking back and forth...
She goes to hug Ancha, crying into her chest.

[Sidera]
She hugs her and kisses her head gently, rubbing her back.
I'm sorry, Ariel.