[Nexus] Home 12: Home, Home and Deranged

[UncleWolf]

Trisha's Cabin

"It was." Trisha admits. "But I think it was for the best. While I didn't understand everything at the time, I believe I get it now and I couldn't have asked for a better instructor. I suppose you could say he tempered me." The Champion tells her before toying with the straps to Michicora's armor. "I think you'll probably be more comfortable without the armor. If you need other clothing, I have plenty here." She says before smiling wryly. "Of course, plenty of it is like what I'm wearing now, but you can borrow it."

Wolfy's Yurt

"I understand." Wolfy tells her at her admittance to needing to be punished by the vampires. "If you should require my help while you're there, simply say my name or think it loudly and I'll be there for you." The God promises.

[Shadowcaller]

Trisha's Cabin

Trisha was right, she probably would be more comfortable without the armor, But as she touches the straps it feels rather awkward which was strange, it had never felt awkward before. Except one time with Hope.

She still slowly removes her armor though even it makes her all tingly in her chest again. Underneath she wears a very simple linen shirt with short arms and nothing else. It's not exactly any exciting clothing. "...I can do with this, feels a bit naked without my armor." She says with a faint smile while trying to hide her nervousness.

[The Alexandrian]

Fortress Mountain

"Nope! He's my brother." Or possibly some kind of nephew. Depends on whether you consider clones closer to siblings or offspring. "A hydra troll crossbreed. An the meanest, toughest thing to ever walk the earth. He'll totally kick yer butt right out of the mountain for causing trouble."

The lift rumbles to a stop at only the second landing, Day grabbing the chain for support just a moment before the brakes deploy and cause the entire contraption to lurch violently to one side. "Sorry bout that, dumb thing never works right. Come on, I'll show you my lab."

It isn't the most cutting edge of scientific domiciles that Daedalus has led Clarissa to, in fact, it would be better described as a dirty, ill-lit hole in the wall. 'cause that's exactly what it is. A few support beams driven into the rock hold it up from collapse, spotlights clamped to them illuminating the half-dozen or so workbenches placed haphazardly around the room. Tools and toys of every sort litter these tables in various states of assembly, separated into piles based upon unknown criteria spare parts littering the floor like pointy little Lego bricks that you step on at two in the morning while going to get a drink of water.

The only even remotely clear surface is one table at the far left side, all the detritus swept aside to make room for a tangled loop of cables and circuits that's been hooked up to the generator providing the room it's power, although it's currently de-activated by the looks of it. "Don't worry if you step on something, anything I can't replace is on the tables." Day says, picking his way across the floor to where a large object of some sort or another, roughly cylindrical in shape, sits obscured by a sheet.

[Fortress Mountain]

Siblings. Clones are definitely more sibling than uncle/aunt/nephew. That personal ruling is heavily influenced by the fact that I absolutely cherished playing Star Wars: Republic Commando with cheats enabled!

The lurching of the rickety elevator as it approaches its landing catches Clarissa off-guard. She neither trips or falls. Nor does she hysterically dive for a metal support of the elevator. She reacts by remaining motionless in place and activating her senses beyond those of most any organic lifeform.

She then realizes that the elevator is the source of the disturbance. Whoops!

She beholds Day's lab in a fit of confusion.

"This is your lab? It is very messy! And don't you need more light to see?"

She attempts to carefully step over the various materials scattered all across the floor, thinking all the while about how she needs to motivate Day to get out more and live life to the fullest.

[UncleWolf]

Trisha's Cabin

Trisha looks at Michicora's eyes, about to say something, but stopping herself. Thinking back, this was likely the first time Michicora had removed that armor in a long time. At least since she met Trisha. After a moment, she just slides over a bit to lay on her side and look at the Huntress, feeling proud of her and giving her an expression of adoration. "I know. It's hard. Which is why I only do it rarely. I normally wear my armor anywhere but here, but I knew I had you to get my back if anything happened while heading to the Mall." She explains. "If...if we're going to try to make this work though, I don't think either of us can have armor around each other. Mentally or emotionally that is."

[Shadowcaller]

Trisha's Cabin

"I know..." Michicora replies, blushing faintly. She knew all too well. "I'm just so afraid that you won't like what I do or if I go too far." She admits. "I promise you I will do everything in my power to make it work though, even if I don't know how..." While all this was wonderful, it was also horrifyingly new.

[UncleWolf]

Trisha's Cabin

Trisha bites her lip, uncertain for a moment before slowly speaking. "I...is there anything I can do to make you more comfortable? Anything at all. I...I just want to help make this easier." She asks, both fearful and excited. Her heart feels like it's trying to leap out of her chest, but she keeps a hold of herself, not letting it cloud her thoughts too much while trying not to think too much as well.

[Shadowcaller]

Trisha's Cabin

The huntress closes her eyes for a moment as she tries to think of things but nothing comes to mind. She then opens them again and smiles faintly. "No, just be like this... I'll get used to it eventually." She brushes back a few strands of hair getting in the way of her vision as she notices her pony tail have loosened up a bit. "Uh, anything I can do for you? I'll do anything for you Trisha."

[UncleWolf]

Trisha's Cabin

"Well..." Trisha starts, wondering for a moment before shaking her head. "Nothing really, but are you really so comfortable in that binding?" She asks. "You haven't said anything about it, but I can still tell that you have one. I wear one most of the time after all. But maybe yours is better than mine."

[Shadowcaller]

Trisha's Cabin

The elf couldn't ever imagined discussing her binding would be awkward, but with Trisha it felt like it was. "Um, I been putting on a binding since I was a teen. Takes much practice to make it comfortable." She slowly tells Trisha, not really sure what to say. "Besides, if you wear it all the time, you get used to it." Not that she minded Trisha not using her binding at the moment. <.<

[UncleWolf]

Trisha's Cabin

"Well, in that case, do you think you could show me how sometime? I've had plenty of experience, but I'm just not good at it." She asks. A binding was necessary for her in order to fit inside the armor she had and Trisha refused to have the armor reforged to "fit" her, especially when so many nearby seemed to have armor that could only be properly used for parade or showing off. If she had less restraint, she probably would have beaten a couple blacksmiths she's seen from time to time merely on the principle of them asking her if she wanted the armor...feminized.

That was like asking for a spear or sword to be deflected right through your sternum. Or worse, paying to have that happen.

[Shadowcaller]

Trisha's Cabin

"Of course, I have helped other women before." Thought none of them had been like Trisha. It would be a lot more awkward, what was for sure.

She pauses a moment as she realizes there was a question she wanted to ask Trisha. "So Trisha... are you uh, undead?" Oh no, that sounded offensive! "Not that it would be bad since... I mean..." She might need a helping hand here.

[ThirdEmperor]

Fortress Mountain

"Don't need light. Got crazy vision." Indeed he does. Night vision, thermal, ultraviolet, infrared, x-ray, Daedalus can see damn near anything. Those fancy visors he built for the rest of Excelsior were actually based upon his own inborn sensory adaptions

"You're not some sort of spirit, right?" Grabbing a screwdriver and length of powercord, Day sets to work as he talks, hooking the cord up to the generator. "Cause if you are this could go bad. Made this sweet baby for Gordon on Theus's orders. Supposed to be a big vacuum for nabbing a lich or something, but I knew I could do better, so I did!" With a dramatic flourish, the diminutive scientist seizes the tarp concealing his invention and pulls it away.

The device looks something akin to an enormous cheese-grater or speaker set, a rectangular tower perforated along it's front side by dozens of intakes covered by green-tinted crystalline lenses. "Boot this thing up an it starts pulling in ghost-energy-stuff, drags 'em right in an traps them, bam! Wanna see? It's awesome."

[UncleWolf]

Trisha's Cabin

"Good!" Trisha says with a sly smile before bouncing off the bed to grab the cloth she normally uses from the dresser. She's about to return when Michi asks her question though, and it makes her pause, the sudden cheer somewhat diminished. "I...I used to think so. Or think that I was simply alive. But now...well, I'm something in between. My heart still beats, but I no longer tire. I can still breathe, but I don't need air. I could walk to the bottom of a lake and take in lungfuls of water without the slightest pain, or I can have my throat crushed without worry." She begins to explain. "I enjoy warmth and coolness, but extremes don't bother me and I feel just the slightest of pain or discomfort when I'm hurt."

As she turns around to look at Michicora, binding cloth in hand, she shrugs and sighs. "To be fair, I simply don't know. Your guess is as good as mine."

[Shadowcaller]

Trisha's Cabin

Seeing Trisha feeling slightly blue due to the question Michicora decides to change the subject and maybe even cheer her up a bit. She isn't really sure what to say but suddenly something random comes to mind she would never have dared to say otherwise. "Um... well, it's almost a shame to put a binding over you." She says with a goofy smile, not really sure if she managed to pull that compliment off or if it was just stupid.

[UncleWolf]

Trisha's Cabin

The Champion smiles slightly at the compliment and walks back over to sit in front of Michicora, her back turned to the woman as she offers the cloth over her shoulder. "Thanks, but I can't fit in the damnable armor otherwise and I don't trust any blacksmith I've ever met to keep it as close to this as possible." She admits before leaning back to give the Huntress a small kiss on the chin. "And I didn't mind the question too much. It's just something I've thought about a lot and never had an answer to." She tells the Huntress quietly.

Before Michicora can respond though, she smiles and sits back up. "Now you can do this either over the nightgown, or without it. I'll let you choose." Trisha asks, looking down and away to hide her embarrassment of asking such a thing to Michicora, but she didn't want to make the Huntress dwell on how she felt asking if Trisha had been undead, and this seemed to be the best way how.

[Lady Serpentine]

[Sparrow's Fall, World of Eight Moons]

It would seem, upon hasty review, that I neglected to mention that Spec still retains the pattern of silver paint Trium drew upon her from what seems like ages ago.

Spec giggles gleefully when Trium affectionately wraps her arm about her. She attempts to reciprocate, doing her best to scoot as close to Trium as is physically possible without causing her any sort of discomfort before attempting to snuggle up to her and rest her head on Trium's inviting shoulder.

"My oh my, you're looking absolutely gorgeous tonight. Like every night I get the opportunity to spend time with you."

Spec sighs, feeling truly fulfilled. Hanging around Trium always makes her feel sensational, and tonight is no exception.

Her prehensile tail moves to delicately loop around Trium's waist. Spec innocently acts as though she doesn't notice it at all! Probably because, in reality, she isn't even aware of the existence of that tail as of yet. >.< Regardless, she coos to Trium,

"So, what have you been up to recently? We've got some catching up to do, I think."

[Sparrow's Fall, World of Eight Moons]

Trium, as always, makes no move to stop Spec from scooting closer or snuggling against her. She's always been fond of physical contact with those she's close to, even when she was mostly made out of nanites, and the return of her own body has intensified that.

"As are you. Though it seems I'm slightly less discriminating; I find you lovely when we're together during the day, too," the immortal teases, grinning happily at the assassin.

And then there's a tail! Though Trium doesn't seem to mind having it around her waist, going to gently stroke the extra appendage with her free hand. Being able to make things like that is one of the few things she'll miss about her replacement body...

"Not too much. Working out what all my decorations do, and exploring some, but that's mostly it, other than that I ended up selling that seacave. Though we still have permission to use it, if we want to."

[The Alexandrian]

[Fortress Mountain]

Clarissa hesitates before replying. She's somewhat...dispirited from all this? Day would make a pretty decent kid, in her mind. He's inquisitive, smart, and driven, but Clarissa can't help but speculate on all the things he's gone without, all the things he's sacrificed to purchase this academic and technical know-how. He skipped over the chapter of his life where he was a child to the one where he was an adult with adult responsibilities. She finds it tragic, likely because her pre-Nexus life was fraught with misery, woe, and no fun at all so she has faith that she can connect with Day on some level!

"I'm no spirit, and it'd be cool to memorize exactly how this miraculous machine functions."

She smiles warmly at Day. Come to think of it, another reason for her kindness to him might be derived from her own pregnancy and maternal instincts.

"Have you ever been to an amusement park, Day?"

Maybe she'll have to bring him to one later on...

-------
[Sparrow's Fall, World of Eight Moons]

Spec's eyelids hurtle apart when Trium pets her tail. With a numb air and an expression stamped by dread, her head whirls ever so slightly to the side until...

Her goodness! Where'd that tail come from? Okay, it sprouted out of her body, sure, but how long has it been there for? Okay, okay, okay, Spec, we'll unsnarl this catch. When was the last time you tested the space behind you for a tail?

"Wow! That's...new."

Spec mumbles in shock and possibly horror. That tail is going to be a pain to groom...and protect in combat scenarios. Ugh! At least it has the sense to be all cute and cuddly!

Wait...

Did Trium state that she sold the seacave?

"I'm so proud of you!"

Spec squeals in unadulterated delight, her tail troubles temporarily forgotten. She practically throws herself at Trium in an attempt at catching her the bestest hug Spec has ever given!

"I love you! I love you! I love you! I love you!"

Spec proclaims in a voice loud enough to be heard over a death metal concert!

And if Trium returns Spec's hug, she'll likely find herself holding an ultramarine blue and very bewildered otter.

Weird!

[ThirdEmperor]

Fortress Mountain

Ooh, that first comment is gonna be a problem. An uncomfortable, no fun to deal with problem. Better start with the second one. "Actually, I have! Riv let me visit one once, when we were in town. Had cotton candy. But everything shut down a little after I got there and then there was the whole thing with Remnant, and after that I wasn't allowed out at all, except one time to make a deal with Umbrella." He's talking at a million miles an hour again, scratching at the side of his face nervously. Problem with being part hydra is your skin gets all dry and itchy if you go too long without water.

"Why you asking so many questions anyway?" As fast as he goes about things, Day ain't in such a rush that he hasn't noticed Clarissa's asking a whole lot of questions. Has he ever eaten chocolate, ever gone swimming, ever been to an amusement park, etcetera etcetera. Still doesn't have a clue why tho'.

[Lady Serpentine]

[Sparrow's Fall, World of Eight Moons]

Indeed, Trium does return her hug. Though why Spec should be so pleased that she sold the seacave is a bit of a mystery to her; she'd been under the impression that her girlfriend was actually somewhat fond of it.

However, that particular mystery is quickly overshadowed by the much greater one of why said girlfriend just changed shapes, apparently unintentionally. Admittedly, the ultramarine part makes sense, as that's her skin tone when she's a humanoid, but that still leaves the 'otter' bit...

In any case, Trium's first reaction, other than 'What?' coupled with a confused stare, is to attempt to magically dispel anything which might have caused Spec's sudden transformation.

[The Bushranger]

[EE - Dorota's Room]

Dorota returns the kiss, completely swept up by the moment, wrapping her arms tightly around Crissy. Then she tries to pull an awkward and inexperienced but loving curtain.

Crissy is equally awkward and inexperienced, but pours every ounce of her heart and her love for Dorota into her actions. So that when the curtain rises, she's probably snuggled up to the alchemist and smiling incredibly widely.

[Morty]

[EE - Dorota's Room]

Dorota, on her part, is wearing an expression of mixed exhaustion, satisfaction and indecision.
That was... something new, she says, stroking Crissy's hair idly. She has no idea how to put it into words.

[Shadowcaller]

Trisha's Cabin

The Champion smiles slightly at the compliment and walks back over to sit in front of Michicora, her back turned to the woman as she offers the cloth over her shoulder. "Thanks, but I can't fit in the damnable armor otherwise and I don't trust any blacksmith I've ever met to keep it as close to this as possible." She admits before leaning back to give the Huntress a small kiss on the chin. "And I didn't mind the question too much. It's just something I've thought about a lot and never had an answer to." She tells the Huntress quietly.

Before Michicora can respond though, she smiles and sits back up. "Now you can do this either over the nightgown, or without it. I'll let you choose." Trisha asks, looking down and away to hide her embarrassment of asking such a thing to Michicora, but she didn't want to make the Huntress dwell on how she felt asking if Trisha had been undead, and this seemed to be the best way how.

Trisha's Cabin

"Keep it on." The elf replies, seemingly just as embarrassed as the champion of that question. At least she no longer focuses on the undead relation.

Michicora then takes a deep breath and attempts to focus on Trisha's request. "First you make sure you got a good material, it should be elastic and comfortable. I've seen women break their ribs if they aren't doing this properly." The huntress states while taking a look at Trisha. "I guess the cloth will have to do for now. But there is better material." She pauses and decides to try to avoid the more awkward parts of this lesson. "So, um, show me how you usually do it and I can give you some pointers."

[Gnrlshrimp]

[Wolfy's Yurt]

"Okay. Thank you for being so understanding. I...suppose that just leaves sorting things out with Daurien then. And, well, learning how to serve you I guess, but that sounds like it's going to take time."

It would seem that sorting things out with Daurien can wait for a little while yet, since Ithuriel is content to remain in Wolfy's arms for now.

[UncleWolf]

Trisha's Cabin

The Champion can't help but chuckle and lean back against the Huntress. "Either I can do it how I normally do, or do it over the nightgown. I can't do both since it just feels too different this way." She tells Michicora with a teasing tone in her voice. "But I suppose..." She says before attempting to wrap the cloth around herself. Michicora will notice she wraps it somewhat too tightly and can't quite seem to get the layers right on her back, making the cloth rumple together and provide uneven support. She's had plenty of practice, it's just awkward for her. Throughout it all, she grumbling and cursing under her breath as she tries to straighten the cloth out and redo several sections of it multiple times.

Wolfy's Yurt

"Time is something we both have quite a bit of." Wolfy tells the angel gently before leaning back against a footstool as he holds her close in his arms.

[The Alexandrian]

[Fortress Mountain]

Ew. Being a hybrid with a snip of hydra tossed in for extra flair sounds horrible! Yuck!

"It sounds to me like you never went through childhood, Day. I mean, all these tasks and responsibilities fall to you to accomplish and achieve, but from what little info I've squeezed out of you about yourself, you've never been permitted to experience life outside of work. I know what it is to have an defective childhood. Maybe thriving in isolation from one's peers is better than being around your inferiors that feel intimidated by you and beat you up everyday for it and their parents won't do anything about it 'cause you're the freak with the tails so you probably instigated it in their blind, stupid eyes."

Clarissa growls viciously. Let it never be said that Clarissa has no good reason for being evil. The worst of monsters are those we nurture ourselves. Sapient beings abused her for years until they broke her spirit and she evolved in order to spare herself from their torment. The populace may fear her now, but before she matured and grew disillusioned, forcibly stripped of every joy life could afford her, the world was upside-down and inside-out.

"But it doesn't have to be that way. You can live out your childhood to the fullest. Once it is gone, its not something you can reclaim."

"The meeting between Prometheus and I quickly disintegrated to blows, as you may already know. And... I noticed that... I didn't think that he was happy with his life, y'know. There's nothing I could do about that, and, well, I feel that you deserve a proper upbringing. Since I can associate with you on some level."

Clarissa pauses and looks up at Day, attempting to determine what emotions, if any, she's invoked in the small boy.

"I was thinking that maybe you'd like visiting theme parks and beaches and candy shoppes and, well, if security is an issue, I could escort you around, perhaps?"

-------
[Sparrow's Fall, World of Eight Moons]

Trium's willingness to relinquish her seacave, which was a symbol of her past life and grief over the loss of her hall of memories, is a sign, in Spec's mind, that she's left her old life behind her and is ready to live out her new one with Spec without a regret in the world!

Otter-Spec is aghast at, without warning, being so teensy-tiny relative to her girlfriend. She nearly has a panic attack, squirming and kicking and generally misbehaving.

Once Trium casts dispel magic on Spec, Spec reverts to her human form! The curse no longer will be active when Spec and Trium hug. As for everyone else Spec might end up hugging...

Yeah... Might need something more potent than a simple dispel magic spell to clear that up else it is going to be a chronic problem to be disarmed on a case by case basis.

"Trium, what just happened?"

Spec asks, doing her best to regain her inner serenity.

[Shadowcaller]

Trisha's Cabin

"Not that tight, you'll end up breaking a rib that way." Michicora replies, trying to keep her focus on the task ahead no matter how awkward everything surrounding it were.

"Start by putting one end at your back, just at the right of your spine and then wrap it all the way around your body..." The hunter describes, correcting any minor flaws in her technique.

[Gnrlshrimp]

[Wolfy's Yurt]

Ithuriel nods, her eyes feeling heavy...

Assuming Wolfy has no objections, the angel will slowly doze off in his arms.

As an angel, she doesn't even need sleep, but this conversation felt like it had taken a load off her shoulders somehow. Ithuriel doesn't bother trying to understand why, just knowing it's left her feeling tired. And so, she's going to sleep.

[ThirdEmperor]

Fortress Mountain

It's not so bad. Sure, going a few days without a bath means most of your epidermis will dry up and flake off, but it'll grow right back! And on the plus side you've got perfect regeneration, functional immortality, enhanced cognitive facilities, inability to grow up, one hell of a skin condition, an instinctual aversion to cold and complete immunity to those fancy augments that makes the rest of Excelsior's projects so resistant to pain.

.... Ok, it is that bad. Or worse.

"Thanks, but..." For a change, Day's actually at a loss for words. Should have gone with answering the other question first. Least that one wouldn'ta had half the base cluttering up his mind with their own opinions on it. "A lot of people are counting on me. Got a lot that needs doing. There's this, there's the weapons I need to engineer, then, then there's all the projects Theus was working on but we don't have any of the notes for 'cause he's still in stasis and we can't fix him and the machine is breaking down and that's not even counting all the stuff that, that I need to design so no it sounds really nice but I just can't sorry but I'm really really busy."

Amidst all this yammering a small bronze pocketwatch has made it's way from Day's labcoat into his hands, the kid spinning it around and over his fingers by the chain, snapping the lid open and shut in some kind of nervous habit. "It's- It's not a big deal. I mean, I'll be a kid forever!"

[UncleWolf]

Trisha's Cabin

Trisha begins again and tries to do as asked, but the silk she's wearing makes it hard to keep the cloth in one place as it's too slick. With a sigh she sets the cloth down for a moment. "Sorry Michi, it's too slick." She says preemptively before pulling off the nightgown, revealing nothing underneath. Michi will only get a quick glimpse if she looks before Trisha grabs the cloth and wraps as instructed, trying to be fast and trying to keep the Huntress from looking at her face so she can't see how flushed it is at the moment.

Wolfy's Yurt

The God simply smiles down at the angel in his arms and holds her gently for as long as she'll sleep. She deserved the rest after everything she's been through. Hopefully she wouldn't find his service to be too rough to handle.

[Shadowcaller]

Trisha's Cabin

The huntress have the decency not to look to closely, or at least not gawking at her. Even as she feels her heart speed up she quickly calms herself down again. "...just like that, good." She tells the champion, focusing on the task at hand. "Do you feel more comfortable now?"