[Nexus] Inside 47

[Earl of Purple]

Grey Zone- Elf Neighbourhood

The elf is disarmed and painfully yanked by the arm. She screams and turns, trying to punch Emily in the face as she does so.

Emily's male companion has just stomped on the lower leg of another elf and broken his leg, sending the elf sprawling to floor and crying in pain.

[Devixer]

[Hollow Hill]

It had taken Aiden a while to find this place, but he eventually arrived there. He wasn't much for acting, but maybe this theater group needed a writer? He was growing desperate for some kind of creative work.

[OrchestraHc]

[Phone Booth]

Meli had eagerly followed Louis, curious to see what Louis' method of finding theatres could be. Now at the booth, the chimeric Elf curiously inspects the telephone itself before helping with the phone book.

(Sorry for not replying earlier, I was not much online yesterday. ^_^')

"This looks good," Louis says pointing at an address in the book. "Hollow Hill." He quickly scribbles the address on his hand with a pen. "Do you want to try here?" he asks Meli.

[The Bushranger]

[Ponona Blvd]
Erin, who has been busy tending to the ill here and there and offering encouraging words, drifts over in the direction of Taul and Charity, a concerned look on her face behind her suit's mask.

===

[The Temple of Splendours]

"Suit yourself. Why has everybody been to one of these parties but me?" Tina asks no one in particular. She smirks first at Myrim, then at Kal. "It seems like everyone here's either a model or a good swimmer. Not both. Well, cept' for Shrike n' me." She watches the Exalt splutter about in the syrup, grinning. "And I'm starting to doubt the former."

Shrike recovers and sticks her tongue out at Tina. "I'd splash you for that but syrup isn't much for the splashing. Even if it does feel quite sensuous on the skin," the Exalt purrs with a wink.

[Lady Serpentine]

[Hollow Hill]

Inside the large, hill-shaped concrete building, it's rather dark, with various tables, alcoves, and other places to sit; however, somewhat more than simply entering will be required if Aiden wants to join the new group.

[The Temple of Splendours]

Rather belatedly, a strange figure arrives here, hurrying through the doors (should the Temple still be allowing people in, that is), and into the main area, barely pausing to examine the artwork in her haste.

Said figure appears to be a robot of some sort, made of bronze, in the shape of a beautiful human woman, with short, fine, black wires for hair; unlike most robots, whose clothing, if any, is part of their bodies, she's wearing a rather nice silver and forest green dress.

[Devixer]

[Hollow Hill]

Aiden looks around as he enters, for someone that looks like they're the one to talk to.

[Lady Serpentine]

[Hollow Hill]



Well, there's a drow over in a corner who might be the one; otherwise, the most likely candidate would be the pretty elf with black and silver lines tattooed on her face, who's serving drinks and such to people, as presumably someone who works here would know who he should talk to.

[Lost_Deep]

Taul stops here to send a report to the other medical people, including Toby, to report that the disease doesn't appear to be medical or magical, and that it responds to Cure Disease only very temporarily. Then he decides to try something else.

"Charity, just lay still and watch the shadows along the tent wall. Focus on them and don't pay any attention to me." Taul says. He starts to murmur a soft incantation, in another tongue. After a few moments, when he senses that Charity has gone into a trance state, he delves into her mind. He's looking for abnormalities or damage, but he is also looking for an intelligence that doesn't belong there.

Charity is sick. That's the way it works. She knows she's sick... just like all these people around them. A whole neighborhood of illness.

There isn't a glaring psychic wound, or any kind of force messing with her from the outside... she's just sick. Like all the others. Look at all those sick people.

All that suffering, all that pain... it spreads. It spreads quickly. It spreads effectively. Charity knows this.

Taul knows this.

The feel of the fever... the way that the weakness holds your limbs... just imagine how that feels.

Taul won't have to imagine. He knows what it feels like from Charity. And even now he might be feeling it himself.

[Ponona Blvd]
Erin, who has been busy tending to the ill here and there and offering encouraging words, drifts over in the direction of Taul and Charity, a concerned look on her face behind her suit's mask.

"Gramma, wake up!"

Near Erin, a little girl shakes and old woman lightly. "Gramma, please! Gramma... Gramma, please..."

The grandma isn't dead, but very weak. She isn't going to wake up anytime soon, but she should survive.

[Devixer]

[Hollow Hill]

Aiden approaches the drow in the corner. "Hey, are you who I need to talk to about the theatrr group?"

[happyturtle]

The Original Hank's Hookahs

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The Original Hank's Hookahs

Calvin looks down at the ground unable or unwilling to look Charity in the eyes.

"I haven't walked away. The life my uncle lives is dangerous, exciting and violent. He wants me to be part of it with him. He has trained me, and he needs me. I have hurt people, killed."

"You're an assassin? He's training you to kill people?" Charity gives him an incredulous look. She had missed all the clues. "I don't care what the **** your uncle needs. What about what you need? You need to be a normal kid with a normal life! And those people he has killed? They need to live. They need to live and you need to live. To grow up, fall in love, have families, quarrel with them, grow old together. That's what life is about. Not adventures and violence and killing!" By the end of her screed, she's raising her voice a little.

Grey Zone - Elf Neighbourhood

Spoiler

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Grey Zone- Elf Neighbourhood

The elf is disarmed and painfully yanked by the arm. She screams and turns, trying to punch Emily in the face as she does so.

Emily's male companion has just stomped on the lower leg of another elf and broken his leg, sending the elf sprawling to floor and crying in pain.

"Uh-uh-uh," Emily mocks. She tries to twist the elf's arm behind her, taking a glancing blow to the side of her face as she does. "You want your shoulder dislocated? If you do, keep fighting."

Ponona Blvd - Charity and Taul

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Charity is sick. That's the way it works. She knows she's sick... just like all these people around them. A whole neighborhood of illness.

There isn't a glaring psychic wound, or any kind of force messing with her from the outside... she's just sick. Like all the others. Look at all those sick people.

All that suffering, all that pain... it spreads. It spreads quickly. It spreads effectively. Charity knows this.

Taul knows this.

The feel of the fever... the way that the weakness holds your limbs... just imagine how that feels.

Taul won't have to imagine. He knows what it feels like from Charity. And even now he might be feeling it himself.

"I am not sick." Taul says. He doesn't say it loudly, but he says it with all the conviction of a man of faith, with his god backing him up. He says it with all the faith and conviction of a man who can command the undead and cast out demons. He is not sick, and he is sure of it.

[Lady Serpentine]

[Hollow Hill]

She nods sharply, indicating he should take a seat.

"That'd be me, yeah. You are?"

[Devixer]

[Hollow Hill]

Aiden takes the indicated seat. "Name's Aiden. Came here wondering how you are for writers?"

[Lady Serpentine]

[Hollow Hill]

She shrugs.

"Depends. How's your writing? You bring a sample, or were you planning to waste time showing off how well you can talk about it?"

[Earl of Purple]

Grey Zone- Elf Neighbourhood

"...Fine, shortlife. You win. Now go and die of old age somewhere far away." The elf doesn't really want to submit, but doesn't want her arm dislocated either.

"I suggest we leave now. Whilst they aren't much of a challenge, there's more coming. You can stay, if you think twenty-to-one are fair odds, but I'm off." He's thrown the last elf through a previously-unbroken window. And there's more elves grouping up towards the end of the road. Most are armed, or at least have knuckle dusters; most have kitchen knives, pokers, sport's equipment, or garden tools, but some have swords, axes, warhammers, and one has a halberd. Though he doesn't seem to know how to use it properly.

[Devixer]

[Hollow Hill]

"Well, I'm very good at talking about my writing, but I've got a couple things." Aiden pulls out a sheet of paper and a small packet, placing them both on the table. "Those are my pub creds and one of my stories that got published."

[Lost_Deep]

Ponona Blvd - Charity and Taul

Is Taul sick?

Does Taul think he's sick?

Can Taul convince his brain that he is not sick? Can Taul convince his immune system that he's not sick? Can Taul successfully talk his body into thinking that he's not sick?

Even when there is so much sickness around him?

[Lady Serpentine]

[Hollow Hill]

The drow nods, looking over his publishing credits, and reading through the story, unless it's long enough to make doing so prohibitively time-consuming.

[McBish]

The Original Hank's Hookahs

"You're an assassin? He's training you to kill people?" Charity gives him an incredulous look. She had missed all the clues. "I don't care what the **** your uncle needs. What about what you need? You need to be a normal kid with a normal life! And those people he has killed? They need to live. They need to live and you need to live. To grow up, fall in love, have families, quarrel with them, grow old together. That's what life is about. Not adventures and violence and killing!" By the end of her screed, she's raising her voice a little.

"I'm not an assassin. I just, when I fight I don't hold back. I am stronger then I look, and my Uncle has plenty of people out there that would want to hurt him. Kill him. Kill me. If I don't stop them...

He is my family, all I have left. He has given me a place to stay, to belong. I owe him.

I'm not an assassin."

Though he clearly isn't convinced of this, he is trying hard to belive it despite his feelings of guilt. Not to mention his last mission upset him a lot.

"Life isn't about anything. It just happens."

[happyturtle]

Grey Zone - Elf Neighbourhood

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Grey Zone- Elf Neighbourhood

"...Fine, shortlife. You win. Now go and die of old age somewhere far away." The elf doesn't really want to submit, but doesn't want her arm dislocated either.

"I suggest we leave now. Whilst they aren't much of a challenge, there's more coming. You can stay, if you think twenty-to-one are fair odds, but I'm off." He's thrown the last elf through a previously-unbroken window. And there's more elves grouping up towards the end of the road. Most are armed, or at least have knuckle dusters; most have kitchen knives, pokers, sport's equipment, or garden tools, but some have swords, axes, warhammers, and one has a halberd. Though he doesn't seem to know how to use it properly.

Emily pushes her opponent to the ground and make a run for it, away from the forming mob.

Ponona Blvd - Charity and Taul

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Ponona Blvd - Charity and Taul

Is Taul sick?

Does Taul think he's sick?

Can Taul convince his brain that he is not sick? Can Taul convince his immune system that he's not sick? Can Taul successfully talk his body into thinking that he's not sick?

Even when there is so much sickness around him?

Yes.

[Devixer]

[Hollow Hill]

The list of publish credits isn't terribly long, but makes it clear that Aiden was starting to become a popular writer in his home world.

The short story is of a middling length, about a man who wakes up and discovers everyone else in his city is gone all of a sudden. Overall, it's a very well-written story.

[Earl of Purple]

Grey Zone- Elf Neighbourhood

The man will run alongside her until they are out of the elf neighbourhood and no longer being chased. "Thank you for your help. Maybe we should do it again some time?"

[Lost_Deep]

Ponona Blvd - Charity and Taul

Oh. That's nice.

Why was he stressing about this? He's still in an environment suit, right? Diseases don't set in that fast, anyway. And if he really had to he could throw down a cure disease and get rid of it.

So... Taul is not sick. Now what?

[The Bushranger]

[The Temple of Splendours]

Rather belatedly, a strange figure arrives here, hurrying through the doors (should the Temple still be allowing people in, that is), and into the main area, barely pausing to examine the artwork in her haste.

Said figure appears to be a robot of some sort, made of bronze, in the shape of a beautiful human woman, with short, fine, black wires for hair; unlike most robots, whose clothing, if any, is part of their bodies, she's wearing a rather nice silver and forest green dress.

It's quite possible that she might be accompanied by a green-eyed, short-haired brunette, sticking close to her side and looking around with a blush.



[Ponona Blvd]

"Gramma, wake up!"

Near Erin, a little girl shakes and old woman lightly. "Gramma, please! Gramma... Gramma, please..."

The grandma isn't dead, but very weak. She isn't going to wake up anytime soon, but she should survive.

Erin turns, and steps over torwards the young girl and her grandmother.
"Careful, honey...your grammie's weak and needs her rest. She'll be alright, I promise."

...and then after a moment's thought, she decides theheckwiddit.
And removes her gloves.
Before reaching to gently put her hands on the old woman's shoulders, and attempt to channel a small amount of healing energy into her.

[Lost_Deep]

Ponona Blvd

The woman shifts a bit, and her eyes open slightly. the little girl buires her face into the woman's sheet and sobs.

"Ma died of fever and Dad was in the accident and Bill said he hated us and grandpa died of cancer and you're all I have left. Don't go, gramma, don't go. You're all I have left."

The woman hugs the little girl, shushing her quietly.

[Lady Serpentine]

[Hollow Hill]

The list of publish credits isn't terribly long, but makes it clear that Aiden was starting to become a popular writer in his home world.

The short story is of a middling length, about a man who wakes up and discovers everyone else in his city is gone all of a sudden. Overall, it's a very well-written story.

"Hm. Good at stories, definitely, so I certainly won't say no right away. Any prior experience with plays?"

[The Temple of Splendours]



It's quite possible that she might be accompanied by a green-eyed, short-haired brunette, sticking close to her side and looking around with a blush.

Well, she probably isn't. But the gold-haired (literally) robot in the black and lapis dress who's also here certainly might be accompanied by her, certainly; if so, Talnissa probably has an arm around her girlfriend.

[The Bushranger]

[Ponona Blvd]

Erin's heart breaks for the little girl at hearing her, and she looks away to keep them from seeing the tears in her eyes...

"It'll be alright," she says again, before turning back. "And...if you want to make some friends, you should visit GLoG sometime, alright?"


===

[The Temple of Splendours]

Ah.
...and Kara likely has her arm around Talnissa as well. Wearing a comfortably modest dress, modest swimsuit underneath, as she blushes and looks around!
"...wow."

[Devixer]

[Hollow Hill]

"Well, I definitely know how to write plays. Never been on Broadway, but I imagine I could write some good scripts."

[Lost_Deep]

Ponona Blvd

"I just wanna be with Gramma. I just wanna be with Gramma right now. Thank you, miss. Thank you so much."

Alas, Erin might feel a bit weak at this scene. Her temperature might rise to a fever, and she may begin to feel tired...

To feel sick.

[happyturtle]

Fleeing

Spoiler

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Grey Zone- Elf Neighbourhood

The man will run alongside her until they are out of the elf neighbourhood and no longer being chased. "Thank you for your help. Maybe we should do it again some time?"

"Heh. I'm always up for some elf-baiting." Emily says. "Emily Lamar. You've been to the restaurant before, right?"


Ponona Blvd - Charity and Taul

Spoiler

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Ponona Blvd - Charity and Taul

Oh. That's nice.

Why was he stressing about this? He's still in an environment suit, right? Diseases don't set in that fast, anyway. And if he really had to he could throw down a cure disease and get rid of it.

So... Taul is not sick. Now what?

Next is to kneel on the floor, so he's eye to eye with Charity, and start the chanting again, to hypnotise her. You're not sick, Charity. I've reached in, with the power of Hel, and cured you. It isn't going to recur, because you're being protected now.

He'll spend about 20 minutes doing this.

[Lady Serpentine]

[The Temple of Splendours]

Ah.
...and Kara likely has her arm around Talnissa as well. Wearing a comfortably modest dress, modest swimsuit underneath, as she blushes and looks around!
"...wow."

Talnissa nods, gently squeezing Kara against her side, and smiling at her.

"Wow sounds about right, yeah..."

[Hollow Hill]

"Well, I definitely know how to write plays. Never been on Broadway, but I imagine I could write some good scripts."

[Hollow Hill]

"...Broadway?", the drow asks, looking rather confused for a moment, before simply chalking it up to alternate universes. "Anyway, you're hired, for now. Here's your contract, if you'd care to sign it," she continues, going to hand Aiden a folded sheet of paper.