[Nexus] Skyside: Slave 2 Progress

[Baeleck]

[Tempest Row - Nondescript Street => Airship Docks]

Tough-nut valkyrie Tonja Clausen is making her way towards the airship docks, newly-acquired gauss rifle in hand. She figured she'd leave Celica and Daedra to their little domestic... if that was actually what it was. It seemed so, despite all the mention of vampire stuff.

She had a weapon now, but she's far from back to where she was. Her ship was likely destroyed; her crew dead. Or, arguably worse - her ship had been captured; her crew working for somebody else, and probably after her head.

The whole thing about a captain going down with her ship? Yeah, like hell.

The Firetrap had been a remarkable craft, too. The ship's signature flame cannons were feared by wooden and metal vessel alike, especially with Tonja at the helm. And yet, how the mighty fall. Whatever name the valkyrie might have made for herself so far would quickly be forgotten, as was the norm for shipless captains. Now, all Tonja had to her name was this gun and a handful of change. She should have tried for a better deal, or at least found something cheaper.

So, she wanders the dockland platforms, looking for a probable place to lend her services.

[TechnoScrabble]

I have an army

It's hard to smell anything in these cloying tunnels, but the scent is eventually picked up.

It leads to a room full of corpses. All are chestburster, sone are missing pieces of spine, and a female ogre has an intact chest but a melted face and throat.

Ew.

[Ionbound]

[I Have a Hulk Werewolf]

Therlynn strains, barely successfully, to keep herself from vomiting. Sadly, she shakes her head, and starts looking for that cultist in the purple robes. Someone's going to pay, and now that she can kill these things, it's time for vengeance.

[TechnoScrabble]

I've got a jar of dirt!

The tunnels wind and twist...some go straight up. There are rooms full of eggs, rooms full of strange hanging pods of water, and...

A room with a purple robed cultist, sitting in a circle of eggs, cooing and lovingly feeding what looks to be a mangled arm to the runner that burst from Therlynn earlier, already mostly grown thanks to the xenomorph's rapid biology and the speed at which canine morphs grow.

[Ionbound]

I've got a jar of dirt!

The tunnels wind and twist...some go straight up. There are rooms full of eggs, rooms full of strange hanging pods of water, and...

A room with a purple robed cultist, sitting in a circle of eggs, cooing and lovingly feeding what looks to be a mangled arm to the runner that burst from Therlynn earlier, already mostly grown thanks to the xenomorph's rapid biology and the speed at which canine morphs grow.

Therlynn, without a second thought, pounces on the runner, trying to destroy it's head. She knows it came from her, and she's not taking any risks on destroying it as swiftly as possible.

[TechnoScrabble]

Violet Manor Basement

The runner shrieks and leaps out of the way, slapping at Therlynn with the flat of its bladed tale.

"No! Look at the wonder you've created! Gaze upon your glorious child!" the priestess says frantically.

[Ionbound]

Violet Manor Basement

The runner shrieks and leaps out of the way, slapping at Therlynn with the flat of its bladed tale.

"No! Look at the wonder you've created! Gaze upon your glorious child!" the priestess says frantically.

Therlynn, very briefly, considers disemboweling the priestess, but decides that the runner-morph is the bigger threat, growls at it, and charges, going for massive damage.

[TechnoScrabble]

Violet Manor Basement

The runner keeps up its tactics of evasion, its small, sleek form kept close to the walls as it runs up to the ceiling. It doesn't seem to want to fight.

"See what a loving daughter she is! Truly you are blessed, that yiuncould carry on to transcend a second time!"

Several eggs begin to open up...

[Ionbound]

[Debasement]

Unable to continue her combat with the runner, Therlynn then turns her attention to smashing the eggs, remembering what came out of the one in the tubes. However, she's still wary of the runner-morph changing it's mind and attacking her.

[TechnoScrabble]

Violent Debasement

The priestess cries out in terror and throws herself at Therlynn in an attempt to stop her while the runner hisses and shrieks and moans!

[Ionbound]

Violent Debasement

The priestess cries out in terror and throws herself at Therlynn in an attempt to stop her while the runner hisses and shrieks and moans!

Now that the priestess is getting in the way, Therlynn shows her no mercy, and tries to make the woman's innards into outards. Should she succeed at this, she returns to smashing the eggs, ever wary of the runner-morph.

[TechnoScrabble]

Now that the priestess is getting in the way, Therlynn shows her no mercy, and tries to make the woman's innards into outards. Should she succeed at this, she returns to smashing the eggs, ever wary of the runner-morph.

The priestess is nothing special, only making a sad gurgle as she is killed.

The eggs spray acid when smashed, burning a way the priestess's corpse and possibly Therlynn!

Exotic Slave Shop

A small figure in a ragged cloak is here today, looking around worriedly.

Riley! With the bags of platinum coins he's had for three years! What does he want with exotic slaves?

[Arkhosia]

The priestess is nothing special, only making a sad gurgle as she is killed.

The eggs spray acid when smashed, burning a way the priestess's corpse and possibly Therlynn!

Exotic Slave Shop

A small figure in a ragged cloak is here today, looking around worriedly.

Riley! With the bags of platinum coins he's had for three years! What does he want with exotic slaves?

Another cloaked figure enters!
... Hey, is that Tempest?
Well, judging from the fearful shaking, the fox tail curledclose to herself, and the worried, afraid eyes, yes that is Tempest!

[Ionbound]

[Scarlet Basement]

The acid burns, but Therlynn's regeneration makes short work of the injuries. If the runner doesn't attack, she decides that her revenge has been taken and leaves.

[Exotic Slaves Shop]

Therlynn noticed the slave in the silver cage when she followed the cultists the first time, but decided that the cultists were a bigger problem. Now that she's escaped, she heads back to the shop and, mostly for show, asks the slaver about the silver cage.

[Earl of Purple]

Exotic Slave Shop

There's a variety of very nonhuman slaves available to both cloaked figures, should they chose. The most mundane is a human woman in a silver cage; the others include a variety of creatures, many either fully or semi-humanoid; a centaur, an ettin, a pair of lizardpeople, one a slender Gekko the other a bulky Saurid, a Wookiee, a medusa with her hands shackled behind her and a tight blindfold over her eyes, and so on.

If they're looking for a certain type of exotic slave, please mention it and I'll describe any present.

[Arkhosia]

Exotic Slave Shop

There's a variety of very nonhuman slaves available to both cloaked figures, should they chose. The most mundane is a human woman in a silver cage; the others include a variety of creatures, many either fully or semi-humanoid; a centaur, an ettin, a pair of lizardpeople, one a slender Gekko the other a bulky Saurid, a Wookiee, a medusa with her hands shackled behind her and a tight blindfold over her eyes, and so on.

If they're looking for a certain type of exotic slave, please mention it and I'll describe any present.

Tempest is hoping to spot another faunus, a kender, or a drow, mainly.

[TechnoScrabble]

Therlynn

The runner follows Therlynn from a good distance back, cooing sadly!

Exotic Slave Shop

Riley is young and easily terrified, but knows ugly faces can hide good souls. He talks quietly to the slaves, and asks the shopkeep questions, trying to figure out which ones are nicest and easiest to handle and least likely to eat him if given the chance. The lycanthrope, lizzardfolk, and Medusa are given attention, too, but he knows the stories of centaurs and what they do to women.

[Arkhosia]

Therlynn

The runner follows Therlynn from a good distance back, cooing sadly!

Exotic Slave Shop

Riley is young and easily terrified, but knows ugly faces can hide good souls. He talks quietly to the slaves, and asks the shopkeep questions, trying to figure out which ones are nicest and easiest to handle and least likely to eat him if given the chance. The lycanthrope, lizzardfolk, and Medusa are given attention, too, but he knows the stories of centaurs and what they do to women.

Tempest brushes past him...
And their skin makes contact.

[TechnoScrabble]

Tempest brushes past him...
And their skin makes contact.

Riley may get memories and thoughts, possibly even physical attributes of Tempest's for a short time.

Tempest, in return, gets first person view flashes of dark rituals, squirming tentacled maws devouring screaming children down to the soul, damp, dark hallways stalked by maddening creatures, Riley's left arm getting blown off, and a snake-like woman doing unspeakable things to him.

[Ionbound]

[Therlynn's Flight]

Therlynn is a bit perturbed by the runner-morph following her, but, if it doesn't attack her or nearby bystanders, she allows it to follow her. Once she gets to the shop, she tells it to wait outside the shop and do nothing until she returns. If it stays, it's obviously tameable, and if it doesn't, then she'll track it down and deal with it.

[Arkhosia]

Riley may get memories and thoughts, possibly even physical attributes of Tempest's for a short time.

Tempest, in return, gets first person view flashes of dark rituals, squirming tentacled maws devouring screaming children down to the soul, damp, dark hallways stalked by maddening creatures, Riley's left arm getting blown off, and a snake-like woman doing unspeakable things to him.

Tempest shakes even more, and collapses upon the ground, sobbing

Riley will get

Spoiler

Show

memories of tempest being chained to a table as a demon-masked man cuts off her left pinky, being sold to a slave shop, being whipped for a full hour with no breaks for training, a male doing unspeakable things to her, a deal with a devil to escape, and escaping, attempting to free others and torching the shopkeep on her way out.

[TechnoScrabble]

Therlynn

The runner growls at anyone who gets too close to Therlynn, but is otherwise happily obedient.

Tempest

Riley shivers, shudders, and...sighs annoyedly. Such visions were common with the kind of people he bumps into in the Nexus. The place is a focal point for suffering, it seems. Honestly, he's grown tired of being afraid of everything.

He nudges Tempest with his prosthetic arm.

"Come on, get up. You did t see anything I didn't make it through just fine."

[Arkhosia]

Therlynn

The runner growls at anyone who gets too close to Therlynn, but is otherwise happily obedient.

Tempest

Riley shivers, shudders, and...sighs annoyedly. Such visions were common with the kind of people he bumps into in the Nexus. The place is a focal point for suffering, it seems. Honestly, he's grown tired of being afraid of everything.

He nudges Tempest with his prosthetic arm.

"Come on, get up. You did t see anything I didn't make it through just fine."

Tempest, sobbing, gets up, nodding.

[TechnoScrabble]

Tempest

"And quit crying. You think I cried when it happened? Screamed, maybe, no crying. Besides, you had it worse, at least my bits got replaced."

Riley did cry. A lot. But never mind that!

"Come on, you've got a little kid talking you down from a freaking nervous breakdown. This is pathetic."

Being callous and not being afraid are two different things, Riley.

[Arkhosia]

Tempest

"And quit crying. You think I cried when it happened? Screamed, maybe, no crying. Besides, you had it worse, at least my bits got replaced."

Riley did cry. A lot. But never mind that!

"Come on, you've got a little kid talking you down from a freaking nervous breakdown. This is pathetic."

Being callous and not being afraid are two different things, Riley.

Tempest just begins sobbing even more!
Great job, Riley.

[TechnoScrabble]

Tempest

Riley looks around, flustered and worried.

"Oh, oh geez!"

He sidles next to Tempest and speaks in a soothing voice.

"Hey, geez, I'm, I'm really sorry, I was just trying to be tough! I...I get what you've been through. I mean, obviously, you saw. It's tkugh, right? But there's no use dwelling on it. A very smart robot told me that."

Actually, the robot told Riley he was insane and illogical, but whatever.

"Do...do you need a hug?"

[Arkhosia]

Tempest

Riley looks around, flustered and worried.

"Oh, oh geez!"

He sidles next to Tempest and speaks in a soothing voice.

"Hey, geez, I'm, I'm really sorry, I was just trying to be tough! I...I get what you've been through. I mean, obviously, you saw. It's tkugh, right? But there's no use dwelling on it. A very smart robot told me that."

Actually, the robot told Riley he was insane and illogical, but whatever.

"Do...do you need a hug?"

Tempest nods, sobbing slightly less.

[TechnoScrabble]

Tempest

Riley wraps Tempest up in a big hug, trying to give out some of his better memories. Playing with his stuffed wolf, defeating the wennbar, making friends with half-eldritch monstrosity children, training with CB so he'd be tough enough to survive surgery. There's not many, but they're potent.

It's been...well, actually, Riley's never had a hug on screen. It's extra extra squeezy. He sighs a little. Awwwwww.

[Arkhosia]

Tempest

Riley wraps Tempest up in a big hug, trying to give out some of his better memories. Playing with his stuffed wolf, defeating the wennbar, making friends with half-eldritch monstrosity children, training with CB so he'd be tough enough to survive surgery. There's not many, but they're potent.

It's been...well, actually, Riley's never had a hug on screen. It's extra extra squeezy. He sighs a little. Awwwwww.

Tempest eventually stops crying as she returns the hug!
Riley will get memories of Tempest freeing slaves from the same shop a long time ago, Thalia ((same person, before she took on the pseudonym)) walking down a street, joking with a rabbit faunus, and when she graduated an academy

[TechnoScrabble]

Tempest

Riley hates being touched. Especially by women. So why is he enjoying this hug so much? The conflict of emotions confuses him.

"Better?" he asks, hoping he'll be able to end the hug before either party gets too huggy.