[Nexus] Riverside VIII: A New Side

[Lost_Deep]

Moth Park

"Hah, truthfully, at this point I find existence in and of itself entertaining. You have heard the saying, "You never know what you've got until it's gone?" I lost it all. I was given it back. Breathing, for me, is very entertaining. The clouds... the sun... the stars... it's all very interesting. I should probably find more to do with my life, truthfully. Out of curiosity, what do you do?"

Copi will sit down on the bench next to Mintbalm.

[UncleWolf]

Westside Markets

Pet will hold the hug for as long as possible, but assuming she gives some sign of wanting it to end, he'll do so. "Look...whatever the others told you about us or what you've seen, we're more than just that." He tries to explain. "We're something of a family I guess you'd call it, and to be honest, we'd like you to be in it. However you want to be in it, that is." He adds hastily, trying not to force anything upon her for the moment.


Eastside - Forum

"Unification might be impossible, but it doesn't mean we can't at least defend the city against a common enemy if it comes to that." Jezebel says before shrugging. "But, with that out of the way, is there anything else of import that actually needs to be discussed?" The Daemoness asks, starting to believe that she would have done better not to have shown up at all. Everything here seemed to be either trivial or just common sense.

[Slii Arhem]

Moth Park

"Hah, truthfully, at this point I find existence in and of itself entertaining. You have heard the saying, "You never know what you've got until it's gone?" I lost it all. I was given it back. Breathing, for me, is very entertaining. The clouds... the sun... the stars... it's all very interesting. I should probably find more to do with my life, truthfully. Out of curiosity, what do you do?"

Copi will sit down on the bench next to Mintbalm.

Moth Park

Mintbalm smiles secretively, "Wouldn't you like to know..." She means that. Some random person walks up to her and claims she's a copy of the one Mintbalm had a very obvious crush on? It smelled of an obvious trap, just like the one she let Kirk lead her into out of curiosity.

Most people underestimate someone with merely a "pixie's" intelligence. It's gotten Mintbalm out of worse scrapes than this before.

[happyturtle]

Westside Markets

"I couldn't join in your... worship activities." Vita says, trying to find a way to put it delicately. "It would not be compatible with my service to Vesta." She pauses in the conversation to discuss different types of flour with a merchant. When she has finished, she turns back to Pet. "I tend the hearth and make the bread for you, just as I did in my Uncle's household. It is my service to Vesta, and to the family, as well as my pleasure. I don't know if that will make sense to you. It doesn't to Felis. He doesn't understand how anyone can take enjoyment from such a humble task."

[Lost_Deep]

Moth Park

...

...

"Well... yes."

See that? Copi was nice and straightforward. Instead of going on the topic for a bit. She is honestly curious.

[Slii Arhem]

Moth Park

Mintbalm's sly grin twitches a bit, and she sighs, "Fine then, tell me something only Kate would know, so I know you aren't trying to trick me. Tell me... what the gloamings did to you when you slept over, or what I keep turning you into every time we meet." There, two options in case pixified Kate forgot one of them and that transferred over to Copi.

[Lost_Deep]

Moth Park

"While I don't have all the memories of the times you and Kate have met, I do know what occurred with the gloamings. They offered you food, which was crossed-flavored. Then they wanted to play a game with Kate. They took her gender, hair color, and skin texture to the gloaming horde, and told her that she could choose three items. However, she could only choose three items; the chance of her getting her attributes back where all but negligible."

"Kate then suffered a nervous breakdown and almost hurt someone. Happily, the gloamings were able to be persuaded to help Kate restore her to her original state, and even sent her on her way with a gloaming orb, which was removed due to the way it interfered with the pixie dust. I wonder where that wound up. I can continue if you want me to, but I think that would be enough to convince someone of the issue."

There you go! Now do you believe?

[Slii Arhem]

Moth Park

Well, that certainly proved that point. Unless Copi had kidnapped Kate somehow, but that seemed pretty unlikely. Kate knew her dust trick now, which would keep her safe from random kidnappers.

"Right, well, a bit after the slumber party we had, I ran into someone named Libra who gave me the power to grant wishes. Since then I've been going to GLoG on occasion to see if anyone needs some helping out. I also sort of filled your- I mean Kate's- deep freeze with ice cream." Mintbalm lets out another giggle. Kate never complained about that, but she must have noticed by now.

[Lost_Deep]

Moth Park

"Libra?"

I'm not sure what's in that word. Morbid curiosity? Fear? Respect? Caution?

Is, for a moment, her insanity reacting to the reason that she exists at all, and the entity closest connected to one of Kate's greatest fears?

"That's odd. I wonder why? Did you give Kate anything else? I know that she would be very hesitant to make wishes, but I'm also sure you could trick her into making one if you wanted."

[Slii Arhem]

Moth Park

Mintbalm shrugs, "She said it was because I was interesting. I haven't heard from her since then though. I pestered Kate into wishing for something useful by mistake, and then gave her a little hovery robot and all that ice cream. She hasn't wished for anything since though." Mostly because up until a day or so ago they hadn't been talking much.

[UncleWolf]

Westside Markets

"I couldn't join in your... worship activities." Vita says, trying to find a way to put it delicately. "It would not be compatible with my service to Vesta." She pauses in the conversation to discuss different types of flour with a merchant. When she has finished, she turns back to Pet. "I tend the hearth and make the bread for you, just as I did in my Uncle's household. It is my service to Vesta, and to the family, as well as my pleasure. I don't know if that will make sense to you. It doesn't to Felis. He doesn't understand how anyone can take enjoyment from such a humble task."

Westside Markets

"It makes perfect sense to me." Pet tells Vita as he grabs a selection of various salts. "But maybe that's because I'm a servant at heart. It's how I show my appreciation best." He explains.

[Lost_Deep]

Moth Park

"Oh, right, I saw that device when Kate showed me her apartment." Copi nods. She is then silent for a while, staring off into space. Thinking hard.

[happyturtle]

Westside Markets

"... May I ask you something personal? What made you decide to leave your former religion?" Vita asks.


He wasn't coerced, Sister! Razorfang wouldn't do that! And no one is going to do it to you either.

Vita doesn't respond to her brother. She needs to hear the answer for herself.

[Slii Arhem]

Moth Park

Awkward silence! This cannot be allowed to continue.

Mintbalm stretches out a bit, "So hey, do you get all ditzy and stuff when you get hit with too much fey magic like Kate does?"

[Lost_Deep]

Moth Park

"Hmm... the change of Kate's mentality is due to her mind partially shifting back to that of a pixie. Due to the fact that I do not have the latent pixie parts, I would not react in the same way. In fact, even if the pixie dust was designed to mess with my cognitive processes, it might not have as strong as effect... or the effect might be multiplied. Due to extended and extreme sensory deprivation, my mind is... funny, if you will. I have no desire to discover the effects of magic on my brain at this time."

...

"In all honesty, any time the brain is affected enough to cause the spontaneous generation of psychic abilities, chances are your mind is already unstable and it would be prudent to avoid unneeded meddling."

[Slii Arhem]

Moth Park

Oh, that was bad, right. Wait, what was that last thing?

"You have psychic powers?

...

That's kinda cool."

It kind of is.

[Lost_Deep]

Moth Park

"Oh, yes. A bit of telekinesis, and I can feel other minds if I try. I think i might be able to do more of that, but I'm afraid the inside of my mind may be hazardous. Besides, messing with the inside of people's heads is just... despicable."

Copi looks around a bit. Hmm... "I want to demonstrate a bit of my telekinetic ability, but there doesn't seem to be anything in particular around. Ah, but Genesis, the one that gifted me this body, was kind enough to supply me with these..."

She stands up, and six dark green translucent tentacles will come out of her back momentarily. "They appear to be limbs made from telekinetic energy that I can shape and use at will. They can be stronger than my arms, highly dextrous, and downright useful." The limbs disappear and Copi sits back down. "I need to practice with my own powers, though. Telekinesis will be so useful when I get good enough to do, well, useful things with it."

[The Bushranger]

[Somewhere]

((By the Power of Plotclone! I HAS TEH POWAH!!!!
*lightning strikes*
*becomes a coconut*))

A certain white-haired, lithe, tightly-clad and twin-sword-wielding half-drowess swashbuckler (magic null) headed in a certain direction!

Seeking a certain someone.

With certain thoughts and ideas.

[Halae]

[Court of One]


A young woman is approaching the court, mainly through wanderlust born of boredom. She's been wandering around Riverside reletively uneventfully until now, and has just been approaching interesting sites. Eventually, this place here in southside attracted her attention, and as she approaches, she looks over the difference in her current surroundings.

To those who know her kind, it's immediately apparent that she's a half-dragon, with Black scales and a pair of forward curving horns jutting from her head. Black hair hangs around her face, a bit of green dye mixed in for some reason, and a few teeth protrude from her mouth. Her figure would be hourglass if she had any breasts to speak of, but people will simply have to enjoy looking at her hips instead. Her hands are bulky and and have dangerous looking claws at the ends of her fingers, and her feet are digitigrade. A tail swishes behind her, the pattern of yellowish green plates that goes from her chin downwards extending all along the bottom of its length.

Currently, she's wearing a simple sleeveless cotton shirt and cloth pants, along with some belts.

[AmberVael]

[Approaching the Court of One]

Far before the young half-dragon can reach the center of Southside, she will find herself approaching a vast region shrouded by mist. Knights in sleek, close fitting armor stand guard around it, spaced in long intervals that leave wide gaps between them. However, one is close enough to note her path, and moves to intercept her, holding out a warding hand.

"Halt, traveler. You are approaching the territory of the Court of One- it is no place for the unwary." The knight addressing her has a clearly feminine voice, and carries the heavy full plate armor without difficulty, bearing a longsword at her side. Her hand is on the pommel, resting there easily, but she does not quite seem poised to draw it.


[Radiant Ocean]

If one wandered aimlessly through Southside, their attention would almost certainly be drawn eventually to the Radiant Ocean. Wide paths curve towards it from every direction, leading a little deeper into Southside's more magical zones, just far enough to where a vibrant energy thrums through the streets and charges the air, singing in the sparkling waters that flow through.

The hub of Southside's urban life, Radiant Ocean boasts a dazzling open air market. Bright silver moonlight shines down on it, and even now it bustles with citizens looking to make deals and trades, searching for items of interest. A few more stable shops have actually begun to acquire more permanent structures, gleaming buildings of marble.

In the center is the focal point, the real treasure- a shining white monument to the generosity of Southside's fey queen, its stone interspersed with glass and verdant greenery between its wings. It houses countless people, the less fortunate who cannot afford anything, and the well off, who pay dearly for the privilege of living in such a place. The proceeds generated from market and housing are spent furthering Radiant Ocean and helping citizens in need, and so it continues to expand and unfold like a blossoming flower.

It is here that Nae finds herself approaching- perhaps there will be something in the market that interests her, or she might search for someone in the building beyond.

[The Bushranger]

[Radiant Ocean]

Naethalee pauses at the edge of the market area, taking a deep breath and taking in the smells of the bustling marketplace - the smells of spices, of fresh food, and (perhaps) of livestock as well - but all clean and refreshing. And she does head torwards the monument and building, but slowly, carefully checking the market stalls with interest - and her stomach rumbling.

Perhaps, she thinks, there is a gyro vendor!

Or a taco cart.

[Halae]

[Approaching the Court of One]

Ormirrah crosses her arms. Knights? "I'm not unprepared for danger, but I'd like to know whatever you can tell me about this place," This has just piqued her interest even more, and her stance is unconsciously defiant. She doesn't want to be stopped by someone like this, after all.

[McBish]

Moth Park

Alex Hart had been setting up for a long time fiddling with his computer and setting up a antenna array in a nearby tree to communicate with to the the other preparations he had prepared. Time to see if he had done all his work correctly.

Program Run. Enter.

And the sky lights up with a single chime, a single circle growing outward like a ripple on a pond till it fades away just at the edge of park. The tone isn't too loud, about the volume of a car horn in the distance. And then a few beats after it fades away a million other lights fly in the sky. Some small and darting, other large and aurora borealis like. And for the few minutes they fly through the sky each makes a note of a slow and beautiful song. And then it fades away into nothing. The sky returning to normal.

Alex sits back watching the whole thing, no smile, but a blank face. Till the very end when he can crack a smile for a job well done. He climbs up the tree to grab his antenna array. Time to head home.

[AmberVael]

[Approaching the Court of One]

The knight gestures to the mist behind her with one arm as she speaks. "Beyond this point begins the territory directly claimed by the Court of One, the representatives of our Queen. Their influence upon the world peels back the rules and laws of reality, and leaves what remains in their control."

"Those who move within are tested by the Court of One, some portion of their nature brought to light, and their bodies pitted against the energies of primordial chaos." Explains the crimson knight. "It is not without its danger, and even those who survive may be irrevocable altered by what they find and experience, and so the Court of One bids its knights stand guard about it, so that only the determined and enlightened will find their way inside."


[Radiant Ocean]

There is in fact a stall selling something similar to gyros, at least- definitely some kind of flatbread with various meats and vegetables piled within. There's also someone else selling shish kabobs, and a man hawking some kind of crisped and fried objects that look like some kind of vegetable. A fourth, apparently canny saleswoman adjacent to these three is selling wine, because no doubt there's going to be some salt and spice to those foods.

[Halae]

[Approaching the Court of One]

Ormirrah thinks about that for a good long moment, looking towards the mists. Her face remains determined, but her tail twitches from side to side. After that moment is over, she states, "Then I'll see what test it has in store for me. Sounds interesting, to say the least."

[The Bushranger]

[Radiant Ocean]

And so Nae soon finds herself somewhat lighter in pocket, yet somewhat heavier in stomach contents, having acquired one (1) gyro thingy, a couple of kebabs, fried veggies and wine, too! And she'll make small-talk with the shopkeepers (assuming of course they have time to talk to a half-drow) but will find herself overall gravitating more and more torwards the building...

[AmberVael]

[Approaching the Court of One]

"If it is what you truly desire, then I will not stand in your way." The knight says, stepping to one side so that Ormirrah may enter. "But I hope you have more in mind that satisfying idle curiosity."


[Radiant Ocean]

Most of the shopkeepers are full of friendly chatter, but ultimately their attention is on potential and current customers, so Nae probably finds discussion with most of them to be fairly brief. Still, there are a great many people to talk to in the market, and many things to buy.

"Fresh grapes from the gardens?" Someone offers, halting Nae's drifting progress by holding a large brass bowl full of grapes in front of her. "Try some, it's on me."

[Slii Arhem]

Moth Park

"Oh, yes. A bit of telekinesis, and I can feel other minds if I try. I think i might be able to do more of that, but I'm afraid the inside of my mind may be hazardous. Besides, messing with the inside of people's heads is just... despicable."

Copi looks around a bit. Hmm... "I want to demonstrate a bit of my telekinetic ability, but there doesn't seem to be anything in particular around. Ah, but Genesis, the one that gifted me this body, was kind enough to supply me with these..."

She stands up, and six dark green translucent tentacles will come out of her back momentarily. "They appear to be limbs made from telekinetic energy that I can shape and use at will. They can be stronger than my arms, highly dextrous, and downright useful." The limbs disappear and Copi sits back down. "I need to practice with my own powers, though. Telekinesis will be so useful when I get good enough to do, well, useful things with it."

Moth Park

Not needing any further invitation, Mintbalm twirls a finger lazily in the air, trailing pixie dust after it and then flicking it in Copi's general direction. From the tip comes a small rubber ball that is aimed to bounce right off her forehead. If it does, she'll see it fly out into the air before curving around impossibly and trying to assault her again.

Homing bouncy balls! The perfect way to practice telekinesis.

[The Bushranger]

[Radiant Ocean]

"Hm? Oh, sure, don't mind if I do." Nae gives the purveyor of grape fruits a smile, and goes to retrieve some and sample the wares.

She heard it through the grapevine that they were good.

"...these are quite good. How much for a pound of them?"

[UncleWolf]

Westside Markets

"... May I ask you something personal? What made you decide to leave your former religion?" Vita asks.


He wasn't coerced, Sister! Razorfang wouldn't do that! And no one is going to do it to you either.

Vita doesn't respond to her brother. She needs to hear the answer for herself.

Westside Markets

Pet gives Vita a bit of a smile. "You can ask anything you wish. And that's an easy question. Love." He says, as if it meant everything. After a moment though, he gives a sad sigh. "Unfortunately, my former religion taught that anything non-human, should be killed or used against one's enemy, and that any thought otherwise, was absolute heresy and punishable by death." He tells her matter-of-factly. "I really did love Razorfang at the time, and I still do. With all my heart and soul. The choice was surprisingly easy for me considering I had once been thought "Pure" by my order. After all this time, they'll still try to kill me if they catch wind of where I am."