[Nexus] Mallside VI

[Aric Kale]

Zane gives the money to the chibi, after counting it out and placing the coins in a leather bag. Alright, my name is Zane Darkstar. Unless there's something I need to sign, I'll be on my way.

[Halae]

[Azik's Enchantments]

The chibi shopkeep will take the money passively and write down Zane's name, "No, there's nothing else."

((Also, for future reference, you may want to start labelling your area tags, like I've been doing. if it's obvious, it's fine, but it helps people understand the scene, so it's a good habit to get into))

[The Bushranger]

[Restaurante Enchante]

Amlin's face darkens. A flash of blood, the sweep of a hand, the disk, and the all consuming void. Memories played in sequence within his mind.

"A deeply personal reason. I lost someone close to me as a child, and made some bad choices."

Patty nods, and reaches across the table to try and take Amlin's bony hand in hers and hold it.
"I understand. I'm sorry if I brought up bad memories," the priestess says quietly, trying to meet his eyes and hold them with hers, her expression caring. "So...is there anything you'd like to know about me?"

[Slii Arhem]

[Erin's Emporium - Musings]

"Well, sure." Crissy nods, and deactivates one of the blades, freeing her hand to operate a control. The panel at the end of the firing range lowers, letting her walk out onto the range itself as she re-fires the blade, right up to the target dummy.

"Um, well, see, cortosis ore is the most common, relatively speaking, material they can't cut. There's a few alloys that will stop them as well, but I'm not totally sure of the composition of them. Oh! And also, like cannot cut like," she explains, pausing to demonstrate, the blades hissing as she gently presses them together.

Upon arrving at the target dummy she stands off to the side, allowing a clear view, as she promptly chops it into three pieces with the thrumming blades of magnetically contained plasma, the dummy falling in chunks with the edges of the cuts glowing.


****

[EE - Customers]

"You're welcome! Come again any time you need stuff!" Crissy says cheerfully, nodding to Feylindra. And, as the half-giant half-elf leaves, she'll look down at herself, feeling rather...small.

****

[Hair, Nails, Scales, and Clawes - TL2]

"An excellent choice!" Ben declares, almost rubbing his hands together in glee!
No, wait.
Scratch the "Almost"...
"If you'll take a seat sir, our Magic Hair-Doers will get right to work!"

[Erin's Emporium]

Riss had since come to a conclusion on whether or not she would be attempting to use that particular sort of hardware. Given how it didn't appear to have really any safety mechanisms, she was already rather wary of the device although the incident fresh in her mind was no small factor either. Really, it wasn't likely that she would try to handle one that was active although, perhaps the parts may be useful for something.

"Um... You, uh, said something about certain materials that are.. That it can't cut? What might those be?" the muse asked as she followed the luminescent sabers rather intently. She was quite certain that plasma didn't work that way in terms of coloration and she was certainly quite curious as to how the beam simply ended where it did but decided that blueprints for this would be better than the solid object this time around.

[Erin's Emporium - Musings]

Mimi just stares for a moment. "That's so cool! Do it again!" She cries excitedly. Finally, something interesting is happening!

Erin's Emporium - Musings

"So what's up with that ore then? Does it just absorb all the energy the blade can put out, or does it reflect it, or what? If it reflected it I could see that being pretty dangerous, but if it absorbed it then all you'd probably need is a more powerful energy sword, or more of them in the same spot." Like the difference between the surface of the water and a moth's eyes. Sunlight bounced off one for the most part, but went right through the other without affecting it.

[Aric Kale]

[Azik's Enchantments]

The chibi shopkeep will take the money passively and write down Zane's name, "No, there's nothing else."

((Also, for future reference, you may want to start labelling your area tags, like I've been doing. if it's obvious, it's fine, but it helps people understand the scene, so it's a good habit to get into))

Azik's Enchantment's

Zane turns to leave, gives an absent minded "thank you", and leaves to find his next destination.
)(My apologies, thanks for the reminder.)(

Erin's Emporium - Front Door

Zane enters the store and walks up to what ever appears to be the front desk, tapping his foot impatiently...

[BronyHeresy]

[Coffee Shop]
"Dimensional Travel? Lessee... Angie said tha's wha' ye call the Planes around here... Ye're tryin' ta figure out planar travel?" Cuffs looks excited. "Tha's brilliant! I wish ye tha best o' luck. Back home we were workin' on it, but tha best we could do was dematerialization and rematerialization. Handy fer teleport spells or travellin' to the Immaterium, but nobody's really got further than that... I heard there was one wizard... Some Paris or other, figured out how ta open windows ta other worlds an' look through. Probably just a rumor though."

[Terumitsu]

[Erin's Emporium - Musings]

Well, Misha had preempted the muse on most of the questions that had come to mind. A few remained but given her earlier questioning of the shopkeeper, she felt that it would be better if she were to simply ask for samples rather than properties. If she had to shell out money for bits of armor made of each then so be it; they could be repurposed once their examination had been completed. And besides, if she could find some ore or method or treatment that would confer a greater degree of defense against energy weapons, then it would be worth the price. At least, assuming that such devices were as common here as this store would suggest.

Still, the sheer cutting power of the blades were quite impressive although it was frightening just how much energy was contained therein to sheer through so readily. "Might I, ah, add the materials for one of those to my list too? And.. Maybe a few samples of the ore and other things if you have them?" Riss asked with an air of almost morbid curiosity.

[The Bushranger]

[Erin's Emporium]

"Sorry, only one dummy per presentation!" Crissy tells Mimi with a giggle, before turning her attention to Misha and her questionings. "Well, um, I dunno the details, just that when a plasma blade strikes cortosis ore, the blade, it does nothing - doesn't, like, reflect or absorb, it just kinda has the blade bounce off the armor," she explains. "And sure!" she tells Riss with a grin. "You can totally do that! The focusing crystals are rather pricey though," she cautions.


Meanwhile, at the front desk, the Kindly Old Lady smiles at Zane. "Hello, dear. How can I help you today?"

[Aric Kale]

Erin's Emporium

I need the items on this list...

• Something to make people resistant to the elements, preferably a type of oil.

• Shielding devices, capable of being easily carried by a single person.

Also, do you have any specialty weapons, armors or any other such device? Anything ridiculously powerful?

[happyturtle]

Coffee Shop

[Coffee Shop]
"Dimensional Travel? Lessee... Angie said tha's wha' ye call the Planes around here... Ye're tryin' ta figure out planar travel?" Cuffs looks excited. "Tha's brilliant! I wish ye tha best o' luck. Back home we were workin' on it, but tha best we could do was dematerialization and rematerialization. Handy fer teleport spells or travellin' to the Immaterium, but nobody's really got further than that... I heard there was one wizard... Some Paris or other, figured out how ta open windows ta other worlds an' look through. Probably just a rumor though."

"Yes, but I'm going to be doing it without magic," Willow says.

[Mindfreak]

[Entrance - Bunny Ears Boutique]

Oh, of course, of course. What else would they do?

Krystal nods and leads the way to the preferred store.

And, of course, takes a moment to stare in awe at the interior of the store. I mean...wow.

Bunny Ears Boutique
The Lady also stares at the interior.
It is rather amazing.
She looks back at Krystal.
"So who do we talk to?"

[Gullara]

[Erin's Emporium]

"Aw." Well that's disappointing. Then Mimi gets an idea. "Can you make, like, blades like that at my size?" She asks eagerly.

[Slii Arhem]

[Erin's Emporium - Musings]

Well, Misha had preempted the muse on most of the questions that had come to mind. A few remained but given her earlier questioning of the shopkeeper, she felt that it would be better if she were to simply ask for samples rather than properties. If she had to shell out money for bits of armor made of each then so be it; they could be repurposed once their examination had been completed. And besides, if she could find some ore or method or treatment that would confer a greater degree of defense against energy weapons, then it would be worth the price. At least, assuming that such devices were as common here as this store would suggest.

Still, the sheer cutting power of the blades were quite impressive although it was frightening just how much energy was contained therein to sheer through so readily. "Might I, ah, add the materials for one of those to my list too? And.. Maybe a few samples of the ore and other things if you have them?" Riss asked with an air of almost morbid curiosity.

[Erin's Emporium]

"Sorry, only one dummy per presentation!" Crissy tells Mimi with a giggle, before turning her attention to Misha and her questionings. "Well, um, I dunno the details, just that when a plasma blade strikes cortosis ore, the blade, it does nothing - doesn't, like, reflect or absorb, it just kinda has the blade bounce off the armor," she explains. "And sure!" she tells Riss with a grin. "You can totally do that! The focusing crystals are rather pricey though," she cautions.


Meanwhile, at the front desk, the Kindly Old Lady smiles at Zane. "Hello, dear. How can I help you today?"

[Erin's Emporium]

"Aw." Well that's disappointing. Then Mimi gets an idea. "Can you make, like, blades like that at my size?" She asks eagerly.

Erin's Emporium

"If it bounces off, that sounds like it's reflecting. So I guess that ore is just really really hard to put energy into..." She trails off when she hears that Mimi is considering getting one of the blades, biting her bottom lip worriedly.

"If you want one of those, please be really careful when you're using it okay? They're really really hot, which means they could be deadly to someone like me if it touches me for too long." And too long could be anywhere from a few seconds to an instant, depending on the size of the blade. She certainly doesn't want to test it to find out.

[blackouttwo]

Coffee Shop


"Yes, but I'm going to be doing it without magic," Willow says.

"Seems like a viable avenue of research. But, let's face it - around here, magic is just easier. And technology like that isn't ever going to be an option to the average commoners around here. They never go anywhere, anyways." Arthur mutters that last part. He knows - he used to be like that until he started going off-plane to find customers for Winslow's military R&D department. The Nexus is plenty exciting, and either people don't want to leave, or lack the means to afford a way out, most of the time. And even then, there's little guarantee that you'll ever end up someplace you want to be.

[Terumitsu]

[Erin's Emporium]

Riss had to go over the cutting motion a few times before she realized what had been bothering her about it. "The blades also don't seem to have any weight. Or just a very negligible amount. Either way, that doesn't look like it would be all that safe to just swing about as you aren't really able to use the weight of the weapon to help you... Plus, if you aren't careful, you might swing too far and possibly cut into a wing.." the muse cautioned. And that's before we get into any possible technical limitations.. Still, it could be a useful tool as long as she was careful.

There was the matter of the focusing crystal but, really, having very little to really spend money on was a strange sort of boon in this case. At least it wouldn't be much of an issue to deal with. "I ...think that will be all for me today, then." the muse replied to Crissy. Maybe I can think of a way to create a similar product after observing this one's properties. Just because I can spare the capital doesn't mean that I have to do so.

[The Bushranger]

[Erin's Emporium - Customers]

Zane gets a small shake of the head from the Kindly Old Lady. "We can certainly provide Oil of Resistiance and a personal shield, however, we have a policy against enabling power creep," she says apologetically. "We do offer high-powered equipment, though, perhaps I could interest you in a Kull Warrior suit?"

===

[Erin's Emporium - Musings]

"...hm. I'm not sure there's ever been any in, like, pixie-size, but it should be technically possible," Crissy says after a moment's thought. "It would be special-order though, if you wanted," she adds.

The Valley Girl half-elf listens to Riss and Misha's musings, then nods. "There is some compensation in the form of a device in the hilt that can compensate, if desired, by creating a virtual mass effect equiviliant to the length of the blade. However, most users find themselves preferring only the mass of the hilt, as it aids in the use of the weapon for a skilled user,"* she explains, before deactivating the blades, whipping out a notepad, and starting to scribble down the customers' order. "Anything for you?" she asks Misha.


* or a Jedi, of course. The Force sneers at the laws of physics!

[Gullara]

[Erin's Emporium - Musings]

"Ooh ooh, yes! I want one! Like, one on a spear haft instead of what you got." Mimi says excitedly. Then she remembers that you need money o get stuff from stores, and she has none of that. But Riss does! She turns her pleading face on the muse. "Can I get it, pleeease?" She still doesn't really understand the value of money. All she knows id that if Crissy gets some, Mimi will get a kick ass spear in return.

[BronyHeresy]

[Coffee Shop]
"Oh, Ah don't know aboot tha'," says Cuffs. "Ah mean, magic is a lot like technology when ya think aboot it. Ah mean, back home, we have magic tha' can pull off all kinds o' shenanigans. Bu' then take tha' doodad you lot invented, the computer. Tha's so far beyond the scope o' magic just cause it's so complex! It's like a little machine with a mind o' it's own! Magic is much better at doin' simpler tasks, like transmogrification, or shootin' people full o' fireballs. So ah guess wha' Ah'm tryin' to say is, ah think when it comes down to it, technology's actually easier for the common bloke to use: he doesn't have ta spend months or years studyin' to do powerful complex spells, since he can just buy a machine ta do it over an' over for him. Magic's good at doin' jobs that need lotsa power, but not quite so much finesse, like puttin' up wards, or helpin' push heavy loads."

[Aric Kale]

[Erin's Emporium - Customers]

Zane gets a small shake of the head from the Kindly Old Lady. "We can certainly provide Oil of Resistiance and a personal shield, however, we have a policy against enabling power creep," she says apologetically. "We do offer high-powered equipment, though, perhaps I could interest you in a Kull Warrior suit?"

I'll take all of the Oil of Resistance you have, as well as all of personal shields. How much will that be? And what do you mean by enabling power creeps?

[Viera Champion]

Bunny Ears Boutique
The Lady also stares at the interior.
It is rather amazing.
She looks back at Krystal.
"So who do we talk to?"

Bunny Ears Boutique

An excellent question.
Comes a chiming voice from somewhere unseen.

But who else is there to talk to but us?
Says another voice as a lovely, white haired woman appears from behind a rack of clothes that seems to be a branch of a tree. She had two large fuzzy rabbit ears sticking up on the top of her head. Each ear has a line of earrings running up the side. She is dressed in the finest red silk dress, she is adorned in gold necklaces and bracelets. She wears no rings as her fingers seem to end in sharp points. She carries a brilliant staff in her right hand.

Another one appears, almost identical to the first woman, yet smaller and younger. The owner of the first voice. She seems to be in her teens, and looks more pretty instead of being beautiful like the older woman. Her dress was black and tight fitting, like that of a secret agent. She wore significantly less jewelry than the other woman.
My name is Celia, and this is my older sister Eldena.
She smiles at the customers.
How may we help you?

[happyturtle]

Coffee Shop

[Coffee Shop]
"Oh, Ah don't know aboot tha'," says Cuffs. "Ah mean, magic is a lot like technology when ya think aboot it. Ah mean, back home, we have magic tha' can pull off all kinds o' shenanigans. Bu' then take tha' doodad you lot invented, the computer. Tha's so far beyond the scope o' magic just cause it's so complex! It's like a little machine with a mind o' it's own! Magic is much better at doin' simpler tasks, like transmogrification, or shootin' people full o' fireballs. So ah guess wha' Ah'm tryin' to say is, ah think when it comes down to it, technology's actually easier for the common bloke to use: he doesn't have ta spend months or years studyin' to do powerful complex spells, since he can just buy a machine ta do it over an' over for him. Magic's good at doin' jobs that need lotsa power, but not quite so much finesse, like puttin' up wards, or helpin' push heavy loads."

"Magic may be easier for mages, but I'm not one," Willow says.

[blackouttwo]

[Coffee Shop]

"I'm just saying, usually, something like dimensional travel is out of the scope of the average person on the street with a nine-to-five job to acquire the readily-available magical means, as it is. How many people do you know who make extra-planar commutes for fun or business? I can count the ones I can think of on one hand, and I'm one of them." He sips his coffee as he makes his point, but it's entirely possible he's just uninformed about things like this.

[The Bushranger]

[EE - Customers]

I'll take all of the Oil of Resistance you have, as well as all of personal shields. How much will that be? And what do you mean by enabling power creeps?

"We don't provide 'ridiculously overpowered' equipement, dear," the Kindly Old Lady says, placing a crate of oils on the counter, followed by a single green brooch. "And you only need one sheild, dear." And she quotes the price - it's quite reasonable.

[Aric Kale]

[EE - Customers]



"We don't provide 'ridiculously overpowered' equipement, dear," the Kindly Old Lady says, placing a crate of oils on the counter, followed by a single green brooch. "And you only need one sheild, dear." And she quotes the price - it's quite reasonable.

Alright. Personally, yes. However, I'm mass ordering for an adventuring party. I'll pay you 30% extra for all of your shields... Kindly Old Lady should be able to tell that he means business, Not threatening, but not swayable.

[Slii Arhem]

[Erin's Emporium - Musings]

"Ooh ooh, yes! I want one! Like, one on a spear haft instead of what you got." Mimi says excitedly. Then she remembers that you need money o get stuff from stores, and she has none of that. But Riss does! She turns her pleading face on the muse. "Can I get it, pleeease?" She still doesn't really understand the value of money. All she knows id that if Crissy gets some, Mimi will get a kick ass spear in return.

[Erin's Emporium - Customers]

Zane gets a small shake of the head from the Kindly Old Lady. "We can certainly provide Oil of Resistiance and a personal shield, however, we have a policy against enabling power creep," she says apologetically. "We do offer high-powered equipment, though, perhaps I could interest you in a Kull Warrior suit?"

===

[Erin's Emporium - Musings]

"...hm. I'm not sure there's ever been any in, like, pixie-size, but it should be technically possible," Crissy says after a moment's thought. "It would be special-order though, if you wanted," she adds.

The Valley Girl half-elf listens to Riss and Misha's musings, then nods. "There is some compensation in the form of a device in the hilt that can compensate, if desired, by creating a virtual mass effect equiviliant to the length of the blade. However, most users find themselves preferring only the mass of the hilt, as it aids in the use of the weapon for a skilled user,"* she explains, before deactivating the blades, whipping out a notepad, and starting to scribble down the customers' order. "Anything for you?" she asks Misha.


* or a Jedi, of course. The Force sneers at the laws of physics!

[Erin's Emporium]

Riss had to go over the cutting motion a few times before she realized what had been bothering her about it. "The blades also don't seem to have any weight. Or just a very negligible amount. Either way, that doesn't look like it would be all that safe to just swing about as you aren't really able to use the weight of the weapon to help you... Plus, if you aren't careful, you might swing too far and possibly cut into a wing.." the muse cautioned. And that's before we get into any possible technical limitations.. Still, it could be a useful tool as long as she was careful.

There was the matter of the focusing crystal but, really, having very little to really spend money on was a strange sort of boon in this case. At least it wouldn't be much of an issue to deal with. "I ...think that will be all for me today, then." the muse replied to Crissy. Maybe I can think of a way to create a similar product after observing this one's properties. Just because I can spare the capital doesn't mean that I have to do so.

Erin's Emporium

"Wait, would it cost more to make the custom small one? Since Riss is buying the materials to make one, maybe once she's done studying them she could make you one for your size that's safer to use, like it'd know when it's getting too close to you and shut off the glowy bits or something." She has no idea how it'd work, but with the pixie already augmented there's probably a sensor that they could put in place to work with her own augments... maybe. She doesn't claim to be an expert, she just happens to have strange ideas some times.

"Uhm, you said you had some sand? I could show you that other idea I mentioned with some of that. Would be better with something rougher, but sand would do."

[Terumitsu]

[Erin's Emporium]

Unfortunately, Riss had no real personal experience that she could relate to Mimi's excitement. Still, the earnest plea was enough to coax a small smile out of the muse as she agreed to the request. "Well, I don't know if this sort of technology will... 'Agree' with me? I don't really want to take the chance of it suddenly activating or doing unexpected things like that firearm did. At the worst, it'll be backup if I can't find a way to replicate the effect with the same design." she said. As for the issue with having it always on, however... "Um.. By the way? On the.. On that order? Given the smaller size and thus a smaller power cell, could you make it so it only activates during a thrust or a swing? I-I mean, it should last longer that way and maybe be able to be focused better for a more effective cutting edge, maybe?" the muse added. Maybe that would help smooth the tensions out a bit as Mimi would have to outright attack the nereid for there to be any trouble.

In any case, that left Misha's idea which the muse was looking forward to seeing in action. At the least, Crissy had shut the weapons down now...

[Gullara]

[Erin's Emporium]

Mimi looks between Misha and Riss, baffled at first, then irritated. "Do you think I can't use a spear or something? I'm not some little kid who just picked one up for the first time. I'm not gonna cut anything I don't want to." The pixie actually looks rather offended by that.

[The Bushranger]

[EE - Customers]

And the Kindly Old Lady, while kindly, is equally unswayable!
"Dearie, we have hundreds of them. You need to say how many you need. Will twenty do?"

===

[EE - Musings]

Crissy frowns a bit, tapping her lips with the eraser of her pencil. "Um, well, I've never, like, heard of anything like that being done before," she tells Riss, in answer to the muse's question about rapid-fire on-off on-command lightsaber action. "I suppose it's technically possible, but it would totally make it hard to block with...I could see about that, maybe? Oh, and we do have sand!" she adds. "Right over in the next room!" Which happens to be the janitor's closet.

[Aric Kale]

[EE - Customers]

And the Kindly Old Lady, while kindly, is equally unswayable!
"Dearie, we have hundreds of them. You need to say how many you need. Will twenty do?"

Zane tilts his head, then replies, I've received an update from my Party Leader. I'll need forty.

[Slii Arhem]

[EE - Musings]

Crissy frowns a bit, tapping her lips with the eraser of her pencil. "Um, well, I've never, like, heard of anything like that being done before," she tells Riss, in answer to the muse's question about rapid-fire on-off on-command lightsaber action. "I suppose it's technically possible, but it would totally make it hard to block with...I could see about that, maybe? Oh, and we do have sand!" she adds. "Right over in the next room!" Which happens to be the janitor's closet.

[Erin's Emporium]

Mimi looks between Misha and Riss, baffled at first, then irritated. "Do you think I can't use a spear or something? I'm not some little kid who just picked one up for the first time. I'm not gonna cut anything I don't want to." The pixie actually looks rather offended by that.

[Erin's Emporium]

Unfortunately, Riss had no real personal experience that she could relate to Mimi's excitement. Still, the earnest plea was enough to coax a small smile out of the muse as she agreed to the request. "Well, I don't know if this sort of technology will... 'Agree' with me? I don't really want to take the chance of it suddenly activating or doing unexpected things like that firearm did. At the worst, it'll be backup if I can't find a way to replicate the effect with the same design." she said. As for the issue with having it always on, however... "Um.. By the way? On the.. On that order? Given the smaller size and thus a smaller power cell, could you make it so it only activates during a thrust or a swing? I-I mean, it should last longer that way and maybe be able to be focused better for a more effective cutting edge, maybe?" the muse added. Maybe that would help smooth the tensions out a bit as Mimi would have to outright attack the nereid for there to be any trouble.

In any case, that left Misha's idea which the muse was looking forward to seeing in action. At the least, Crissy had shut the weapons down now...

EE - Musings

Misha scowls right back, finally pushed past the tipping point because of the thought of having one of those things around her and in the hands of a volatile pixie, "No, I'm scared out of my wits because one of those things could kill me before I could even blink. It was fine talking about them when they were just something in the store, sort of, because at least I could handle it for your sake. Now that you actually want one? I'm terrified that something will go wrong and you'll lose an arm, or I'll just evaporate and be gone forever." Her scowl melts off her face as she begins to sniffle, not able to settle on a visible emotion when there's so much terror, anger, and sadness warring for her attention.

Her breath hitches and she turns away, "I need a bit, okay? I'll be in the front of the store when you guys are done. Sorry about causing a fuss." And then she collapses into a puddle of water, not caring that she left her clothes behind as the water swiftly moves away from the firing range towards the store proper.