[Nexus] Riverside VIII: A New Side

[AmberVael]

[Approaching the Court of One]

"It serves in the role that your soul did, but it is not a soul. Among my kind, they are known as graces- and your grace represents and embodies your greed and kindness." Explains the unseen raksha. "When you require it, the grace will not only be those traits, but it will impose them on the pattern of the world, encouraging their fulfillment. If you need an ally, it will twist fate so that they come to you. If you find yourself destitute, you will find your way back to wealth. It is not infallible or absolute, but it is far from powerless."


[Radiant Ocean]

"Wisdom does not seem to feature frequently in your desires." Observes the emerald lady with a grin. "But I think I find that fascinating about you." Her hands slowly move up Nae's sides, pressing tightly against her. "And as I recall, your fondness of danger has an delectable taste to it."

She leans in closer, turning so she can look at Nae in the eyes, leaning into give her a short, hungry kiss before pulling back. "This time, I think I want to taste more of you."

[The Bushranger]

[Radiant Ocean]

"I was always told I have a habit of looking before I leap," Nae agrees, the touch of the Emerald Lady's hands making her pleasantly squirm, biting her lip and returning the hungry gaze.

And the hungry kiss. "As long as it can regenerate...taste as you wish," she whispers, her own hands tracing the fey's sides as she grins, that fondness of danger driving her ownwards.

[AmberVael]

[Radiant Ocean]

The raksha grins wider, pulling Nae tight against her as she kisses her again with unrestrained greed. As it had once before, the feeling of an unrestrained and predatory presence is unveiled before her, and envelopes her, the body she is interacting with only a puppet to its whims.

This time, however, it is not so painful and brusque a process. Indeed, Nae may only sense its weight for a while, as she enjoys the kiss- but eventually she'll feel that it slowly drains and laps at her where last time it had torn. Portions of her identity are simply drained it, relaxing as they no longer have the power to support what they had supported before.

Again, her restraint and self control slips, devoured by the raksha, but her courage slides away as well, her boldness and brashness dimming as it feeds the raksha's hunger. However, the disappearance of both fills her with a sense of release and light headed pleasure, even as it weakens her somewhat.

As the raksha feeds, her body's hands pull at Nae's clothing as she seeks to drop the curtain around them.

[Halae]

[Approaching the Court of One]

"I... see," Ormirrah says, wondering at the grace, "This is an amazing gift. Is... there some way I could return the favor? I don't know if there's anything i could do for you that would equal this..."

[UncleWolf]

Northside

Pet can't help but chuckle at Felis' question, nearly going into full blown laughter, but he gives the young man a smile in the end. "Charlotte likes anyone and anything. She's a creature of desire and lust. To be honest, I'm surprised she hasn't tried anything with either you or Vita, but I know she understands the stresses you two are under at the moment. As much of a rutter as she is, she knows there's a time and place for everything, and sometimes, never either of those."

[happyturtle]

Northside

"Vita? Oh no, Vita would not take it well." Felis says. "Charlotte is very attractive, but, she isn't..."

He trails off as they cross out of the darkness zone. Felis looks up with closed eyes, letting the sun's rays hit his face. "That's better."

[UncleWolf]

Northside

Pet is blinded by the light for a moment, wincing before he shields his eyes with his hand. "We all know that much, and I promise none of us will force anything." He swears.

[happyturtle]

Northside - along the Riverbank

"I know that. And Vita is starting to be convinced of it," Felis says. After soaking up the sun, he opens his eyes and spots a grassy area near the riverbank. "That looks like a nice place to relax." he says. Assuming Pet has no objections, he'll lead them that way, and then flop down on the grass. "She's everything to me. I'd do anything to make her happy again."

[AmberVael]

[Approaching the Court of One]

"That is a question for you to answer. I ask for nothing." Replies the raksha in the darkness.

[UncleWolf]

Northside - Riverbank

Pet takes his spot slowly, sitting up instead of laying down for now. "I just want to make them all happy." He admits quietly, barely a whisper as he thinks about everyone in his group now, going over all their wants and needs, trying to come up with ways that he could make them live more comfortably. It was the least he could do for them.

[McBish]

[Radiant Ocean]

Alex walks with a quick step as he walks through the market place. He doesn't take the time to glance at the shops and stalls as he walks to his destination. He is carrying what looks to be an odd viewing glass, like you would find overlooking a tourist attraction. This one looks like he has installed several new components to it, and the bottom of the pole it is attached to has a sharp spike in the bottom.

He reaches the spot that he had picked out before and with a practiced motion he stabs the pole into the ground and quickly starts to power the device up and plug his computer into it. He starts to type in his computer and then look through the viewing glass. Making some final adjustments to the program should only take him a few minutes and then he will hang a sign on it saying "Free to Use. Enjoy." and walk away.

He was quite happy with this idea, he had been afraid about the magical nature of south side having weird interactions with his gadgets, but this one was so basic and self contained, so he wasn't worried.

Anyone who looks through the viewing glass will see the same corner they are standing on with the people walking around them with no real change, but then the nearby roads will turn into rivers with thousands of Koi swimming in it and jumping out of it.

They will still see the people walking on the river, a circle of unnaturally still and solid looking water in a large circle underneath them, on of the few flaws in the otherwise solidly rendered reality.

[Shadowcaller]

Moth Park

"No, I can handle this now, it's fine." Copi's request was just good enough for Mintbalm to work with, so it was time to get down to business.

Working with her wish granting, reality warping powers, Mintbalm will get rid of the giant cloud beast, and furthermore work to get rid of the cause of it so that it cannot return the same way it just did. What effects this has on Hannah is entirely up to her player.

Moth Park

Copi will try to help Hannah stand, supporting her. "Careful. Come on, let's go somewhere else." Copi's not sure where... somewhere where they don't need to worry about others.

She keeps her mental attention on the force and Hannah. This will be obvious, but won't be anything more than a feeling that they are being watched. Copi doesn't do anything more that that... she knows that her mental state is different from most other people's, and doesn't want to risk hurting Hannah.

Of course, that "eye" should be aware it is being watched, too.

Exbourne Manor

"Some."

Eadelain gets herself something to eat, but seems preoccupied. And not very hungry, despite the deliciousness that is bacon. She doesn't even seem to notice Cynthia.

Moth Park

Reality changes and the Kami disappears from it and Copi notices how the "eye" goes away with it. Hannah groans and touches her forehead again before she will collapse on the ground unless Copi manage to stop it.

Everything goes oddly quiet as the calm once again seems to settle over the park. But as everything seems to be over a semi-transparent figure can suddenly be seen right behind Mintbalm.

It looks like a human woman to most part with dark shoulder length hair and olive-skin, a woman who looks like she have done heavy work most of her life.
Not overly beautiful yet not outright ugly either.

Yet if being transparent wasn't enough to clue them in her head seem rather... loose and her eyes appear hollow. "Mintbalm! What are you doing? I was just going to kill her! Totally uncool!" The pixie probably recognize this voice as Libra's.

[Eastside Forum]

"Then your experiences are much worse then mine. I don't know what kind of charade these burning light servants was playing but I don't want to get involved with it. I'm far more interested in these scaal people, we happen to share northside after all." Celestel replies.

[Gullara]

[Eastside Forum]

"They are an unpleasant lot. We've avoided them for the most part, but I suspect that won't be able to continue for much longer." Ramiro frowns. The Scaal cultists have always troubled him.

[Slii Arhem]

Moth Park

Reality changes and the Kami disappears from it and Copi notices how the "eye" goes away with it. Hannah groans and touches her forehead again before she will collapse on the ground unless Copi manage to stop it.

Everything goes oddly quiet as the calm once again seems to settle over the park. But as everything seems to be over a semi-transparent figure can suddenly be seen right behind Mintbalm.

It looks like a human woman to most part with dark shoulder length hair and olive-skin, a woman who looks like she have done heavy work most of her life.
Not overly beautiful yet not outright ugly either.

Yet if being transparent wasn't enough to clue them in her head seem rather... loose and her eyes appear hollow. "Mintbalm! What are you doing? I was just going to kill her! Totally uncool!" The pixie probably recognize this voice as Libra's.

Moth Park

Mintbalm doesn't back down. Creepy hollow Libra or no creepy hollow Libra, she did what was right this time, she's almost sure of it.

"Killing people sucks Libra, and you should stop it right now. Why are you bothering her anyway?" The pixie puts both hands on her hips and taps her foot, transparently annoyed.

It says quite a bit about the pixie when admitted attempts at murder are only enough to get her miffed. Must have been quite the childhood she had.

[Lost_Deep]

Moth Park

Copi will do her best to keep Hannah from falling to the ground, but the voice distracts her.

Libra

"Mintbalm, meet Libra. The first time Kate met her she turned Kate into a half-dragon and used mind control to make her fight someone."

Libra.

"She later copied Kate's mind and put it in a ring. When the person she made the ring for didn't want it, she stole it away and put it into a void."

Libra...

"She then left me in the void. She disappeared. And I was left alone in the void and suffered everything I could ever imagine."

Libra!

"She messes with body and mind alike, feels no mercy or remorse. She gets what she wants no matter who has to suffer for it."

LIBRA.

[happyturtle]

Northside - Riverbank

Pet takes his spot slowly, sitting up instead of laying down for now. "I just want to make them all happy." He admits quietly, barely a whisper as he thinks about everyone in his group now, going over all their wants and needs, trying to come up with ways that he could make them live more comfortably. It was the least he could do for them.

Felis reaches up to try to take Pet's hand, or place his hand on Pet's knee, or at least form some kind of contact. "You want that because you're a good man."


House of Virtues

Vita returns with the supplies from the market, and begins to put the kitchen in order before checking on the hearth and then starting another loaf of bread. It made her feel good that her brother had found a place of belonging, even if it wasn't a place she would have chosen for him.

Would she ever find such a place for herself? Would it be a place for her if she were separated from her twin?

[UncleWolf]

Northside - Riverbank

Pet sets his hand on top of Felis' before slowly laying back with a deep sigh. He felt tired, so he shuffles closer to Felis to set his head on the man's shoulder. "Thank you." He whispers as he closes his eyes for just a moment.

House of Virtues

When Vita checks the hearth, Charlotte walks into the room from the elevator, clothed in a blouse and skirt this time instead of anything too immodest. She sets down a small bundle of wood near the fireplace before giving Vita a small smile. "Wasn't sure if this took normal wood, but I figured you wouldn't want it to go out."

[happyturtle]

Riverbank Northside

Felis holds him close, taking comfort in being able to comfort another.

He could no longer hide it from himself. He wanted Pet. Not merely as a playmate, but as a lover. But Pet's love was Razorfang. It was easy to see in the way they were together, how they seemed to always be aware of the other's presence, even when they weren't looking at one another.

And so despite his pain and longing, and earnest desire to forget all of his pain in Pet's sweet kisses, he merely held him for now. It wouldn't be right to do more, until he'd cleared his mind and spoken to Pet.

And to Razorfang. Speak to them both, Vita advises. Tell them how you feel and let them help you. They've incorporated Rugal and Charlotte into their relationship. They must have a protocol of some sort.


You're wonderful, Sister. Her plan seemed the most rational way to proceed. And maybe in the end he wouldn't get to be with Pet, but at least he wouldn't hurt anyone along the way.

--------------------------------

House of Virtues

"Oh yes, any wood will do. Thank you," Vita say, with a grateful smile, as grateful for the clothing as for the gesture of wood. "Do you have a favourite type of bread? I've stocked up with many different grains."

[UncleWolf]

House of Virtues

Charlotte appears thoughtful for a moment as she organizes the wood a bit. "Poppy seed I suppose." She guesses after a while, as if unsure. "Been a while since I've had any." Vita will notice that the Archon appears to be trying to look at everything except her for the moment. The reason is probably fairly obvious with what Pet said earlier.

[Shadowcaller]

Moth Park

"Oh little snugglefish, that wasn't my fault. Someone just happened to kill me and take all my powers while you were in there." She tells Copi while pointing out the unconscious Hannah. "Her! And her companions the lizard and the scar!"

She turns back to Mintbalm, grinning like a cheesier cat. "So since only one oni exist here I can't get my power back any other way. I need to destroy the impostor so I get to be favored once again. So can someone like grab a shovel and bash her head open?" She looks around at some of the bystanders who haven't fled from the kami earlier.

"Anyone? Shovel-less person talking here."

[Eastside Forum]

"Indeed, truth to be told, all religions make me rather uncomfortable considering the way they are used. As tools to bash whatever you don't like. Wherever it's authority or certain groups of people." She says with a glance in the direction of the citadel behind them. "...but back to the subject, I think we should find out a bit more about these scaalnites and I think this is the perfect opportunity to join forces. We already have agents in place after all."

[Exbourne Manor]

"...so I was thinking that I could run some tests to find out what's afflicting you." The tiefling continues, trying to ignore the girl's current attitude. She was most likely tired after all. "Would that be okay with you?"

[Gullara]

[Exbourne Manor]

Cynthia pouts when Eadelain ignores her. She doesn't like being ignored. She can't even remember the last time she's been ignored! Hmph.

[Eastside Forum]

((Only time for a short post, so I'll get to here later.))

[Slii Arhem]

Moth Park

"Oh little snugglefish, that wasn't my fault. Someone just happened to kill me and take all my powers while you were in there." She tells Copi while pointing out the unconscious Hannah. "Her! And her companions the lizard and the scar!"

She turns back to Mintbalm, grinning like a cheesier cat. "So since only one oni exist here I can't get my power back any other way. I need to destroy the impostor so I get to be favored once again. So can someone like grab a shovel and bash her head open?" She looks around at some of the bystanders who haven't fled from the kami earlier.

"Anyone? Shovel-less person talking here."

Moth Park

"No one is getting their head bashed in with a shovel Libra. We're going to talk like civilized people, all of us, until we come to a proper resolution. If you don't like that, you can leave and never come back, because if I catch you hurting people again I'm going to ask the nearest bystander to wish you into a tiny box full of angry ducks and let you think about what you did." Mintbalm's tone would almost be comical if it weren't for the dead serious look on her face.

"Now, you want your powers back, so couldn't you have just asked her to give them to you if you were the rightful owner? It really would have been better to just talk this out in the first place rather than scaring all these people."

[Lost_Deep]

Moth Park

"If you'll forgive me for speaking up, she is the last person who I would give that kind of power to. She does horrid things. While in a way I suppose I owe her my existence, it was not because of benevolence that I came to be. It was either negligence or active malice. She seeks entertainment..."

Copi's demeanor suddenly shifts from being very upset and maybe a bit hateful to being curious and thoughtful.

"...of course, in retrospect, she also wanted to pretend to be a human. I remember that you were talking to me in the void before you disappeared... you wanted me to tell you how to be human. You asked if it was human to be boring." Copi blinks a bit. There was a lot of memories there that had been lost. Kate talking to Mintbalm, getting the Roomag, discovering the freezer was full of ice cream... She must have mis-indexed those memories. In any case, back to the issue at hand. "Say, Libra, do you still want to be human? I'll make that wish for you, if you still want it."

Exbourne Manor

"As long as it won't mess with my work. I'm not going to skimp on the job because of this; that would be stupid."

...

"I sound rude, don't I? I'm sorry."

She is rather distracted, but doesn't look tired. Well, not physically tired, anyway.

[Gullara]

[Eastside Forum]

"Indeed, truth to be told, all religions make me rather uncomfortable considering the way they are used. As tools to bash whatever you don't like. Wherever it's authority or certain groups of people." She says with a glance in the direction of the citadel behind them. "...but back to the subject, I think we should find out a bit more about these scaalnites and I think this is the perfect opportunity to join forces. We already have agents in place after all."

[Eastside Forum]

Ramiro considers for a moment and then nods. "I think that would be beneficial for both of us. Shall we arrange something in the next few days?" No use making plans in a public place like this.

[happyturtle]

House of Virtues

Charlotte appears thoughtful for a moment as she organizes the wood a bit. "Poppy seed I suppose." She guesses after a while, as if unsure. "Been a while since I've had any." Vita will notice that the Archon appears to be trying to look at everything except her for the moment. The reason is probably fairly obvious with what Pet said earlier.

"I didn't see any slaves at the market. Are they sold elsewhere?" Vita asks, as she starts to put together a loaf of poppy seed bread.

[UncleWolf]

House of Virtues

"It's actually illegal throughout most of the city, and slavers tend to be hunted near the other city, Inside." Charlotte informs Vita. "As open as either places is, it's one of the few laws around."

[happyturtle]

House of Virtues

Vita is actually quite taken aback. "No slavery? But... what do you do with criminals? How are the underclass kept fed and clothed?" How could slavery possibly be illegal? That makes no sense at all!

[The Bushranger]

[Radiant Ocean]

The raksha grins wider, pulling Nae tight against her as she kisses her again with unrestrained greed. As it had once before, the feeling of an unrestrained and predatory presence is unveiled before her, and envelopes her, the body she is interacting with only a puppet to its whims.

This time, however, it is not so painful and brusque a process. Indeed, Nae may only sense its weight for a while, as she enjoys the kiss- but eventually she'll feel that it slowly drains and laps at her where last time it had torn. Portions of her identity are simply drained it, relaxing as they no longer have the power to support what they had supported before.

Again, her restraint and self control slips, devoured by the raksha, but her courage slides away as well, her boldness and brashness dimming as it feeds the raksha's hunger. However, the disappearance of both fills her with a sense of release and light headed pleasure, even as it weakens her somewhat.

As the raksha feeds, her body's hands pull at Nae's clothing as she seeks to drop the curtain around them.

Naethalee melts into the kiss, sighing softly in pleasure as the feeding progresses - and she finds herself not caring, indeed, enjoying it, the pleasurable feelings filling her as she giggles, feeling her cares, her inhibitions, her sense of adventure fading, replaced with a sensation of bliss and desire to please. Seeking to assist in both the clothing removal...and the curtain pulling!

[McBish]

Eastside Rooftops

Alex has been running around the rooftops of the Eastside all day. He had to set up several projector points to hit all the vantage points he wanted, and it has spread his equipment thin and he hoped he would be able to recover it all. He had been having second thoughts about doing this at all, he felt silly continuing with these... he didn't know what to think of them as. Were they pranks or performances, exhibits or graffiti?

But he thought of all his work, the hours spent planning and programing. He wasn't going to not see this happen. He knew he had to hit start, but he would wait till it was a little bit darker, let the sun sink a bit farther under the horizon.

He sits on the edge of a buildings roof, his legs dangling over the edge laptop sitting next to him. And while waiting he tries to think back to a year ago and how he was feeling when he promised that he would complete these visual displays spread through the city. But he couldn't put himself back there, he wasn't the same person anymore. So he stares up at the sky watching the stars appear in the night sky, scanning the familiar sight. How many nights had he stared at these night skies.

It was dark enough, he had waited long enough. He just had to hit enter. But still he sat staring up at the night sky.

[UncleWolf]

House of Virtues

"It all varies by whoever is in charge. Some people simply kill the worse criminals while others let vigilantes take care of it all." The Archon explains as she heads to the kitchen and pours herself and Vita some tea. "As for the poor, most have charity organizations willing to help them, but other than that, little."