Random Plots and Places 9: What a crazy, random happenstance!

[Recaiden]

[Car Show]

"Sometimes it's not about having cars, it's about taking cars."
The passenger laughs along. It's clearer why they use these things. This is fun just to ride! So effortless, like falling along the ground during a glacier breaking up. Simply great.

"Haha. Not this time, though. Where you taking us?"

There's a roar as an excessively aerodynamic car races out after them, skidding around a turn and nearly flipping over.

[TechnoScrabble]

Car Theft

"Hadn't thought of that!" Jackalope admits, sweating from the intensity of it all as he picks up speed, slowly easing down on the gas pedal, "I usually just couch surf unless I really need a specific outfit from my apartment!"

[Recaiden]

[Car Chase]

The hobo is quiet for a moment, trying to find out what 'couch surf' means. Ah, there we go.
"Hope you have an extra-long board, then."

As they go around the next corner, the pursuing fancy car actually does flip over, and with that the two are away. For now.

"Plan only went so far as driving away, looking like a million dollars, and no further, didn't it?"

[TechnoScrabble]

Car Chase

"Pretty much. I don't do much in the way of plans," Jackalope says in a half-bragging tone, "I figure I can drop this off at my buddy's customs shop and she'll fix up the scratches and hold onto it for me."

[Recaiden]

[Car Chase]

"Just like that. Car like this has to be pretty rare though; How long you think they'll keep looking for it?"

The hobo reclines the seat all the way, and lounges back with hands behind their head.

"We're -I'm, rather, Amyria. How about you?" That's a name, there.

[TechnoScrabble]

Car Chase

"It's the Nexus, hon, whole thing'll blow over in a couple of hours," Jackalope assures. He pulls onto a highway, only his extensively modified reflexes letting him avoid the cars that snap by faster than one could blink.

"Amyria. That's a pretty name, suits you. I'm Jackalope Harkness. You can call me Jack or Jackie if you want."

[Recaiden]

[Car Chase]

"Oh, good deal."
This level of speed is actually getting pretty disorienting. Glad Amyria's not driving.

"Thanks Jackie. Glad we got something namey. Pretty recently to the nexus our-myself, so I was kind of expecting people to be hunting this thing down. Mighta been fun."

[TechnoScrabble]

Car Chase

"Oh, I'm sure someone's chasing us, Nexus has to keep it fun, but they'll never catch up. This baby's an agera," Jackalope shifts the gear up and let's the engine roar even more to prove his point, his eyes wild now.

"And it's not a problem. I like to meet new people. Back rub?" a pair of barely visible ethereal blue arms fades into being over Amyria's shoulders.

[Recaiden]

[Car...less of a chase now]

Amyria starts. They'd though this thing was going fast before.

"Sure. Ooh. How're you doing that?"

Turns to look curiously at the arms. Not sure a neck is supposed to twist that many degrees so easily.

[TechnoScrabble]

Now the car is chasing...uh...light! That's it!

The hands starts their work through the seat, quickly joined by several others with expert skill. You'd be surprised how many massage parlor workers end up with their souls in the retinue of a god of love and peaceful repose.

"Those ones...I think I got them around the time I first got here. I've been gaining powers left and right, really, not sure why with some of them."

[Shadowcaller]

[Not quite Hell]

Certain curses, "Thrice-damned spell resistance. Well...There are ways around that." She conjures up a handful of magical dust, blasting it at the creature, trying to blind it while she tries to stay in range to keep pulling at the creature's soul.

[Not quite Hell]

The giant roars in anger and charges right forward in a fool-hardy attempt to attack Certain. Instead it of course runs right past her and over the plains, blindly swatting it's enormous hands in the air at imaginary foes. The only disadvantage is that it's dragging it's soul with it and out of Certain's range as it continues towards the forest Certain just left.

[Ionbound]

[Not quite Hell]

Certain curses as the thing runs off, but sighs, ignoring it at this point, deciding it not worth the effort, and flies off again, continuing to explore.

[Fenric]

[Vulpine Outpost in the Mountains]

Caroline takes the other room. She looks at herself in the mirror for a bit, then goes and lies down on the bed

Pfffff...

---

[Orochi's Palace]

Orochi chuckles

Now, now. Dinner first: we will move on to the designated tasks afterwards.

He motions for the pair to take their seats, and sits down at his place. The servants come around and offer white wine or fruit juice, and a chilled soup is brought out.

It has been some time since any of my grandchildren have come to visit.

He pauses, and laughs softly

But perhaps an explanation: Helen, your physical form was created by my daughter, Noriko. So in my consideration, you are my granddaughter just as much as if she had birthed you.

Frederick blinks

Oh...

---

La Fontaine

Katrina grins

Sure thing, Urias. And yeah, they have very nice chips. Did you want salsa or queso or pico with 'em?

[Lost_Deep]

Vulpine Outpost in the Mountains

Caravan will use her wristband computer to do some of the work she can do from anywhere, and then turn in herself, leaving the Golden Goose as an alarm clock, and set to react if anyone enters the room in the night.

[Ionbound]

[Orochi's Palace]

Helen swallows at this revelation and says, "R-really? Wow...That's a lot to take in."

[Recaiden]

[Light Chase]

"Hmmm."
The passenger makes no complaint about the massage.

"Does that just happen a lot? Still doesn't say how they're happening."

[TechnoScrabble]

Light Chase with a side of diet speed

"Well, the hands came about around the time I started hanging around some sex goddess's church," Jackalope explains, slowing as he rounds a corner onto a street and thoroughly enjoying the momentum.

[Fenric]

[Vulpine Outpost - late that night]

Caroline finds herself in a nightmare: She is in vaguely familiar surroundings, high in the mountains. It is cold, and windy, and early in the morning. Standing on the battlements of a castle, she is watching out down a road. There is a sudden explosion and a feeling of cold fear grips her: the fight had not gone well. A thing of darkness comes into view down the road and moves toward the castle. "raise the alarm" she croaks out, unable to speak clearly. "Action stations!" All turns to darkness as the fear turns to pure terror...

She blinks awake to the blaring of a klaxon, and Verise's voice echoing over the intercom.

Action stations! Action stations! This is not a drill.

Caroline is still on the fringes of her dream, her sleepy mind not yet rejoining the real world

Monrotha the Unliving is coming...

---

[Palace of Orochi]

Orochi smiles

Indeed, meeting relatives you did not know you had always takes some getting used to. But my purpose in telling you was to help explain why I have taken it on myself to train you personally. I assure you, it is not a favor I hand out to everyone who comes to my daughter's temple seeking knowledge.

He takes a sip of his wine, relishing the flavor with a pleased look

[Baeleck]

[La Fontaine]

Urias gives a furtive glance over his shoulder, catching sight of a large group of people arriving through the doors.'Salsa's good. Let's order quick, I think this place is starting to fill up.'

After they've got their food, Urias starts to manoeuvre his way back to their seats.

[Ionbound]

[Palace of Orochi]

Helen nods and says, "I see...Well...I thank you for your hospitality, then...I suppose I should call you grandfather now?"

[Lost_Deep]

Vulpine Outpost - late that night

Gilded Caravan, woken by the alarm, gets in the Golden Goose and heads out. "Where am I supposed to go? Am I supposed to speak with the commander first or head to a bunker immediately?"

Blacktop, in the garage, snaps to attention. He is feeling better after that rest, but the damage to his chassis and one knee still has him wary about participating in a real battle. He watches to see if anyone tries to interact with him, and how this is dealt with in general.

[Recaiden]

Light Chase with a side of diet speed

"Well, the hands came about around the time I started hanging around some sex goddess's church," Jackalope explains, slowing as he rounds a corner onto a street and thoroughly enjoying the momentum.

Church? What is those again? Oh.
"Just hanging around? Sure. Haha."

The passenger is almost prepared for the turn this time.
"Seem very, ah, useful though."

[TechnoScrabble]

Light Chase

The highway transitions to lots of turns and sharp corners through a semi-rural neighborhood on the edge of town. Lots of drifting!

"Well, there was some banging, I'll admit," Jackalope says with a sly tone, "But yeah, they have their uses."

[Recaiden]

[Sunlight Chase]

"Woah, take it easy."
The passenger sits up straight, clinging to the door handle and/or edges of the seat.

"So, what do you do when you're not stealing cars?"

[TechnoScrabble]

MoonLight Chase

Jackalope slows the car down, but only by a little.

"Well, I got a job for some lab company recently, but it's mostly partying and charity marathons, " Jackalope shrugs, leaning into the next turn onto a relatively smooth and straight road.

[Fenric]

[Vulpine Outpost]

Out in the hallway, uniformed people are running past. Caroline comes out almost simultaneously with Caravan

What's going on?

There are muffled sounds coming in from outside indicating fairly large engines starting up: both rumbly vehicle sounds and high-pitched jet sounds. A more officerly looking werefox comes and takes Caroline's arm.

You both need to come down to the Comm center. This way, please.

The large armored door to the hangar that Blacktop is in is closing at a decent clip. If he wants to avoid combat as much as he can, then all he needs to do is stay put for another minute or two. As the door closes, he can see a number of aircraft lifting off from the courtyard.

---

[Palace of Orochi]

The host chuckles

If you wish, Helen... or you may continue to call me Orochi. It is good to see you start to take on more of a vixen's nature: they are the strength of Vulpan society, after all.

Frederick quietly eats his soup, not really accustomed to being outclassed.

You really must take a trip to Zangjaje someday, and visit the ancestral home of the shadow Vulpans. It is beautiful, wild, and untamed... a land of impossible mountains and swift icy rivers, lush forests and deep caverns.

---

[La Fontaine]

Katrina nods

Yeah, we'd better go or we'll lose our seats!

Food is received and she grabs her drink and follows Urias back to the table. She takes her seat and sips at the cocktail.

And now we can relax for a bit! There will be waiters wandering around but they're hard to count on so if you need anything and see one, grab them quick!

[Murkus]

[Malechenar - Sticks' Quarters]

Vax and Zareen return to the tall man's temporary abode in the evening-time. The door has been left open, and a sweet smell emanates from within. Upon entry, they will find he has defaced the room's closet door. An archway of black runes has been scratched in chalk around the doorway, all across the wall itself. Another semi-circle extends outward from the door's sides onto the floor. The sigils are curved, pointed and sinister, interlocking with each other as they flow like letters of an alphabet. Two nails have been pounded into the walls, just outside the runic markings, and from each one dangles a bundle of round objects on looped leather cords. What looks like clay gourds spill a floating green substance out into the room from small, puckered black holes in their sides. The glowing particles linger in the air, floating slowly hither and yon.

Sticks kneels before this shrine, his hands on his knees, head bent over a book that is currently spread on the floor before him. When the women and their guards gain entry, Sticks looks up in a rush. He gains his feet, sending green stuff flying from the very motion. "Ladies! Ah. You're right on schedule. I believe I promised a way in?" Sticks smiles a little and gestures toward the preparations. "A gate so deep into the country would not be possible without a survivor of the calamity at the palace. The court magician of Ssut, to be clear."

[Baeleck]

[La Fontaine]

'Right, I'll keep an eye out for them,' the half-drow says, as he slides onto the bench next to her.

Hopefully there wouldn't be too many bright lights when Camelot comes on stage. It was about dark enough at the moment for Urias to see well.

'So, how come you've got a VIP pass to this place?' Urias was curious as to what Nathan had said earlier. 'Do you just come here that often, or...?'

[Ionbound]

[Palace of Orochi]

Helen nods and says, "Orochi, then." When she hears the description of Zangjaje, her eyes widen and she says, "Oh...It sounds beautiful. You'll have to take me, Freddie."

[Recaiden]

MoonLight Chase

Jackalope slows the car down, but only by a little.

"Well, I got a job for some lab company recently, but it's mostly partying and charity marathons, " Jackalope shrugs, leaning into the next turn onto a relatively smooth and straight road.

Suddenly, it's been evening all along!
A kilometer or three per hour can make a lot of difference. But the car is light enough that leaning into the turns is important?

The passenger looks at Jack and laughs. So decadent. This whole inter-world place.

"Marathons are them long ground races, right?" The Universal Grammar Dragon doesn't realize its mistake until a few posts later.

"You should try to get people to swim the length of one of them instead. See how many even get to the finish line."
The first time the passenger learned that the Nexus contains enough liquid water together for a humanoid to swim in, they literally died of surprise. But after recovering from that, became quite fond of it.