Monster Hearts IC: Making Friends

[Anarion]

Therese bit her lip to restrain a smile. She was slightly flushed with excitement at all of this.

"No one's getting hurt, silly," said Therese. "Some people are just getting some time out in the ugly box so they maybe understand how other people feel for a change. I promise I'll turn them back when they've learned their lesson."

"And, uh, how long do you think it will take them to learn their lesson?" Leon asked, trying to keep the hesitation out of his voice. He also hoped Iris was taking this opportunity to get to the dragon stabbing.

[TheAmishPirate]

"Doesn't matter. The book was just what I had on hand at the time," said Sonia. "Let's go see your guy."

So where would Cassidy look for Peter at a time like this?

Peter's a simple guy. Toss most kids into a demon-spawned castle filled with sunshine and rainbows, and they'd probably find the nearest corner to go hide in. Not Peter. For all the times he steps out of line, he knows what he's about. And if he's going to be anywhere, he's going to be in the armory with all the swords, axes, flails, spiked maces, spiked armor, and spiked everything, wishing he had a camera because d*mn he could make some sweet album covers out of this sh*t.

Just wait 'till he hears what she and Hagrid the Horrible are cooking up.

[PhoeKun]

Therese bit her lip to restrain a smile. She was slightly flushed with excitement at all of this.

"No one's getting hurt, silly," said Therese. "Some people are just getting some time out in the ugly box so they maybe understand how other people feel for a change. I promise I'll turn them back when they've learned their lesson."

"You stupid little--" Iris' body obligingly cut her off with a coughing fit, and she spit blood onto the ground by Therese's feet.

"My insides are on fire and it's your fault but oh sure, nobody's getting hurt here. Thanks for the nice warm welcome to your school. Real nice. Now look, you went and infected me with some kind of magical rot, and I am going to die unless I can get a potion made from dragon's blood. Are you going to help, or are you going to sit there and force a dead girl to stick open your vizier over there?"

Iris' eyes met Therese's, and the would-be princess could see nothing reflecting in the blue. Cold. Hollow. Dead.

[Thanqol]

"And, uh, how long do you think it will take them to learn their lesson?" Leon asked, trying to keep the hesitation out of his voice. He also hoped Iris was taking this opportunity to get to the dragon stabbing.

"You stupid little--" Iris' body obligingly cut her off with a coughing fit, and she spit blood onto the ground by Therese's feet.

"My insides are on fire and it's your fault but oh sure, nobody's getting hurt here. Thanks for the nice warm welcome to your school. Real nice. Now look, you went and infected me with some kind of magical rot, and I am going to die unless I can get a potion made from dragon's blood. Are you going to help, or are you going to sit there and force a dead girl to stick open your vizier over there?"

Iris' eyes met Therese's, and the would-be princess could see nothing reflecting in the blue. Cold. Hollow. Dead.

Dang. Sounds like you'd better roll to Manipulate a NPC.

Peter's a simple guy. Toss most kids into a demon-spawned castle filled with sunshine and rainbows, and they'd probably find the nearest corner to go hide in. Not Peter. For all the times he steps out of line, he knows what he's about. And if he's going to be anywhere, he's going to be in the armory with all the swords, axes, flails, spiked maces, spiked armor, and spiked everything, wishing he had a camera because d*mn he could make some sweet album covers out of this sh*t.

Just wait 'till he hears what she and Hagrid the Horrible are cooking up.

And there he was, in the armoury, weighing a sword that glowed with dark purple flames in one hand and a morningstar that dripped acid in the other and frowning as though he was deciding which brand of canned tuna to go with. He looked up when Cassidy arrived and raised his eyebrows. "That's pretty metal," he said.

[PhoeKun]

Dang. Sounds like you'd better roll to Manipulate a NPC.

Well, who am I to refuse a request like that? (2d6-1)[9]

[Thanqol]

Well, who am I to refuse a request like that? [roll0]

"All right," said Therese, looking worried. "I'll change you back. I didn't mean for you to die -" an idea occurred to her and she suddenly went back to being pleased with herself. "- but you'll have to be my maid and clean the floors and stuff instead. Deal?"

[TheAmishPirate]

And there he was, in the armoury, weighing a sword that glowed with dark purple flames in one hand and a morningstar that dripped acid in the other and frowning as though he was deciding which brand of canned tuna to go with. He looked up when Cassidy arrived and raised his eyebrows. "That's pretty metal," he said.

See? Peter appreciated the good things in life. "Hardcore, amirite?" Cassidy flashed him a rotting grin as she walked him away from the weaponry. "But get this, Pete; I got something that'll make this sh*t look like baby toys. Me and Hocus-Pocus over here? We're chucking together a demon ritual. No foolin', I'm talking blood on the walls and chanting and everything, but we need some crap to make it happen. You in?"

[PhoeKun]

"All right," said Therese, looking worried. "I'll change you back. I didn't mean for you to die -" an idea occurred to her and she suddenly went back to being pleased with herself. "- but you'll have to be my maid and clean the floors and stuff instead. Deal?"

Blank stare. Unexpected. Head tilt. Iris stared for a long moment, not at Therese, but at Leon. And she silently promised herself that if he screwed things up, she would spend the rest of his life making him pay for it. She turned her head again.

"If," she said, "And only if he's the one who gives me orders, then deal. And I'm gonna need that blood either way."

[Thanqol]

See? Peter appreciated the good things in life. "Hardcore, amirite?" Cassidy flashed him a rotting grin as she walked him away from the weaponry. "But get this, Pete; I got something that'll make this sh*t look like baby toys. Me and Hocus-Pocus over here? We're chucking together a demon ritual. No foolin', I'm talking blood on the walls and chanting and everything, but we need some crap to make it happen. You in?"

"How much blood?" asked Peter, tossing the mace casually to the side.

Blank stare. Unexpected. Head tilt. Iris stared for a long moment, not at Therese, but at Leon. And she silently promised herself that if he screwed things up, she would spend the rest of his life making him pay for it. She turned her head again.

"If," she said, "And only if he's the one who gives me orders, then deal. And I'm gonna need that blood either way."

"No!" said Therese, blushing at the very thought of it. Giving Leon a sexy assistant was literally the opposite of what she wanted. "No, I'm in charge here and you will do what I say!"

[Anarion]

Blank stare. Unexpected. Head tilt. Iris stared for a long moment, not at Therese, but at Leon. And she silently promised herself that if he screwed things up, she would spend the rest of his life making him pay for it. She turned her head again.

"If," she said, "And only if he's the one who gives me orders, then deal. And I'm gonna need that blood either way."

"No!" said Therese, blushing at the very thought of it. Giving Leon a sexy assistant was literally the opposite of what she wanted. "No, I'm in charge here and you will do what I say!"

Leon was trying to process a lot of things. Iris trusting him, then Therese immediately shutting it down, and he didn't really know what Therese wanted. And it seemed like if all this was for him, he had something very simple to offer.

"Okay, Therese, fix her and...and anyone else that you've hurt and...give her the blood too and I'll be your, um your prince for the day. I'll do whatever you want, okay?"

[PhoeKun]

"No!" said Therese, blushing at the very thought of it. Giving Leon a sexy assistant was literally the opposite of what she wanted. "No, I'm in charge here and you will do what I say!"

"Aww, how sad!" Iris' voice was sickly sweet, "All that magical power and she can't even trust her boyfriend with a pretty girl! Oh sweetie, you need some help, or you're gonna turn out to be a very disappointing princess~"

Deep inside her eyes there was a flicker of mirth. A reject would always be a reject, no matter what she wrapped herself up in.

[Thanqol]

Leon was trying to process a lot of things. Iris trusting him, then Therese immediately shutting it down, and he didn't really know what Therese wanted. And it seemed like if all this was for him, he had something very simple to offer.

"Okay, Therese, fix her and...and anyone else that you've hurt and...give her the blood too and I'll be your, um your prince for the day. I'll do whatever you want, okay?"

She opened her mouth to say -

"Aww, how sad!" Iris' voice was sickly sweet, "All that magical power and she can't even trust her boyfriend with a pretty girl! Oh sweetie, you need some help, or you're gonna turn out to be a very disappointing princess~"

Deep inside her eyes there was a flicker of mirth. A reject would always be a reject, no matter what she wrapped herself up in.

- doesn't matter. Roll to Shut Her Down.

[TheAmishPirate]

"How much blood?" asked Peter, tossing the mace casually to the side.

"3 paint cans, at least. And we need anybody and everybody who's ever messed around with voodoo or spirits or sorcery or haunted sock puppets or whatever the hell occult stuff people get into these days." Cassidy explained.

[Thanqol]

"Aww, how sad!" Iris' voice was sickly sweet, "All that magical power and she can't even trust her boyfriend with a pretty girl! Oh sweetie, you need some help, or you're gonna turn out to be a very disappointing princess~"

Deep inside her eyes there was a flicker of mirth. A reject would always be a reject, no matter what she wrapped herself up in.

Therese went bright red and a little bit watery eyed and clenched her fists. The dragon besides her bit back a laugh. A few people in the audience weren't as diplomatic.

Then the genie pulled out a scimitar and cut Iris' head off with one sudden motion.

That shut everyone up.

People started screaming, Therese fainted, and the genie smiled politely at Leon while wiping his sword clean with a handkerchief. "I do hope things are better when she wakes up," he said with a smile and a gesture at Therese.

"3 paint cans, at least. And we need anybody and everybody who's ever messed around with voodoo or spirits or sorcery or haunted sock puppets or whatever the hell occult stuff people get into these days." Cassidy explained.

"Cassidy," said Peter, frowning. "The rules of Cult Club are very clear. I can't just go and bring together everyone who's in Cult Club in front of outsiders - no offense. Like, no offense, not everyone's comfortable with being in Cult Club and you two are exactly the kinds of heartless bitches who'll rub it in their faces. No offense," he seemed pretty solid about not meaning to give offense.

[TheAmishPirate]

"Cassidy," said Peter, frowning. "The rules of Cult Club are very clear. I can't just go and bring together everyone who's in Cult Club in front of outsiders - no offense. Like, no offense, not everyone's comfortable with being in Cult Club and you two are exactly the kinds of heartless bitches who'll rub it in their faces. No offense," he seemed pretty solid about not meaning to give offense.

"I can respect that," Cassidy said, nodding sagely. Tough but fair; that's how she rolled. And she wasn't about to toss these punks under the B*tch Bus, not without...

"Hey, hey, hey, what are we doing?" She hobbled over to one of the suits of armor, and pulled off its helmet. Its full face-covering helmet. "There must be, like, a hundred of these things lying around. Get your Cult Club into these bad boys, and you won't have to worry about anything. Who's going to f*ck with a bunch of guys in spiked helmets and sh*t?"

"Plus, c'mon Pete; it's gonna look badass."

[Rolling to Manipulate: (2d6+1)[9]]

[Thanqol]

"I can respect that," Cassidy said, nodding sagely. Tough but fair; that's how she rolled. And she wasn't about to toss these punks under the B*tch Bus, not without...

"Hey, hey, hey, what are we doing?" She hobbled over to one of the suits of armor, and pulled off its helmet. Its full face-covering helmet. "There must be, like, a hundred of these things lying around. Get your Cult Club into these bad boys, and you won't have to worry about anything. Who's going to f*ck with a bunch of guys in spiked helmets and sh*t?"

"Plus, c'mon Pete; it's gonna look badass."

[Rolling to Manipulate: [roll0]]

"Hmm," said Peter. He was looking like he was imagining how this was gonna go down and it wasn't going to be pretty. "Maybe. But while I like you a lot of these kids don't, so I'd have to offer them something," he thought about it. "You gotta attend a ritual. Both of you. And while you're there you've got to do everything we say, no arguing. All right?"

[TheAmishPirate]

"Hmm," said Peter. He was looking like he was imagining how this was gonna go down and it wasn't going to be pretty. "Maybe. But while I like you a lot of these kids don't, so I'd have to offer them something," he thought about it. "You gotta attend a ritual. Both of you. And while you're there you've got to do everything we say, no arguing. All right?"

Cassidy stretched out her shoulders, listening as the tendons let out a chorus of sickening pops. "Y'know Pete, that sounds an awful lot like you're signing a blank check with my name on it. And that'd be just rude, 'cause you know how much I hate banks. Just. Can't. Stand 'em." She let the thought hang for a dangerous moment, before nodding slowly. "But, see, since you do know that, and you know that I don't f*ck with people who don't f*ck with me, and 'cause I like you too, I think we can make that happen."

She held out her withered hand to shake. "A ritual for a ritual; don't get much more fair than that."

[Anarion]

Therese went bright red and a little bit watery eyed and clenched her fists. The dragon besides her bit back a laugh. A few people in the audience weren't as diplomatic.

Then the genie pulled out a scimitar and cut Iris' head off with one sudden motion.

That shut everyone up.

People started screaming, Therese fainted, and the genie smiled politely at Leon while wiping his sword clean with a handkerchief. "I do hope things are better when she wakes up," he said with a smile and a gesture at Therese.

Besides the Genie, Leon might have been the only person in the room that didn't look especially perturbed by the events going on. "Don't you think she should get a time extension?" He said to the genie. "You know, since you're the one responsible for knocking her out, seems unsporting of you to stick to the hard limit." Polite tip of the hat to the genie.

[Thanqol]

Cassidy stretched out her shoulders, listening as the tendons let out a chorus of sickening pops. "Y'know Pete, that sounds an awful lot like you're signing a blank check with my name on it. And that'd be just rude, 'cause you know how much I hate banks. Just. Can't. Stand 'em." She let the thought hang for a dangerous moment, before nodding slowly. "But, see, since you do know that, and you know that I don't f*ck with people who don't f*ck with me, and 'cause I like you too, I think we can make that happen."

She held out her withered hand to shake. "A ritual for a ritual; don't get much more fair than that."

Peter shook her hand. "Metal," he said.

Sonia muttered something under her breath about amateurs but shook as well. "Did you know that there was a cult club?" she asked as they started heading away. "Just what this school needs, a full on student cult."

Besides the Genie, Leon might have been the only person in the room that didn't look especially perturbed by the events going on. "Don't you think she should get a time extension?" He said to the genie. "You know, since you're the one responsible for knocking her out, seems unsporting of you to stick to the hard limit." Polite tip of the hat to the genie.

"I suppose that's only fair," said the Genie generously.

[Anarion]

"I suppose that's only fair," said the Genie generously.

Therese was unconscious, Iris was in time out for the day, Cassidy and Sonia were nowhere to be found. Leon was all by himself. He probably should have been scared at this point. Brains are weird things though, and this setting had him strangely confident. Maybe he and Therese did have a lot in common.

"Okay, so, do we just pass the time now? How's a genie like you end up in a book with ancient Latin anyway? Shouldn't it have been, like, Arabic? For that matter, what was Sonia going to do with you if I hadn't stolen the book?"

[Thanqol]

Therese was unconscious, Iris was in time out for the day, Cassidy and Sonia were nowhere to be found. Leon was all by himself. He probably should have been scared at this point. Brains are weird things though, and this setting had him strangely confident. Maybe he and Therese did have a lot in common.

"Okay, so, do we just pass the time now? How's a genie like you end up in a book with ancient Latin anyway? Shouldn't it have been, like, Arabic? For that matter, what was Sonia going to do with you if I hadn't stolen the book?"

"That's a lot of questions there," said the genie. "What do I get for answering them? Per question or lump sum?"

[TheAmishPirate]

Peter shook her hand. "Metal," he said.

Sonia muttered something under her breath about amateurs but shook as well. "Did you know that there was a cult club?" she asked as they started heading away. "Just what this school needs, a full on student cult."

"Nah. I mean. Hrmm. Maybe." Cassidy thought about it a bit longer. "Not like, in name or anything, but I knew of a Cult Club-shaped hole somewhere." I mean, it did make a lot of sense. Pete was always a little too specific about the crap he 'just happened' to find on the internet. And a lot of his friends - heck if she could remember their names - seemed to all know each other, or at least mingle around the same lockers. And there was that one time when she found what smelled suspiciously like a candle soaked in goat's blood in her desk.

Y'know, just gotta connect the dots here and there.

"So, I've been thinking." A dangerous thing indeed. "The genies in the movies always got some rule or code thing they can't break. Can't kill nobody, no falling in love, yadda yadda yadda. What's this dude's rule? 'Cause I'm thinking unless we hit him there, he's just gonna poof away our diversion like an a**hole."

[Thanqol]

"Nah. I mean. Hrmm. Maybe." Cassidy thought about it a bit longer. "Not like, in name or anything, but I knew of a Cult Club-shaped hole somewhere." I mean, it did make a lot of sense. Pete was always a little too specific about the crap he 'just happened' to find on the internet. And a lot of his friends - heck if she could remember their names - seemed to all know each other, or at least mingle around the same lockers. And there was that one time when she found what smelled suspiciously like a candle soaked in goat's blood in her desk.

Y'know, just gotta connect the dots here and there.

"So, I've been thinking." A dangerous thing indeed. "The genies in the movies always got some rule or code thing they can't break. Can't kill nobody, no falling in love, yadda yadda yadda. What's this dude's rule? 'Cause I'm thinking unless we hit him there, he's just gonna poof away our diversion like an a**hole."

Sonia looked a little surprised at what seemed like a thought from Cassidy. "He makes deals. He can't act unless it's part of a deal he's made, and he can't break a deal he's committed to,"

She glanced around the corner into the main hall, pulled back and swore when she saw Iris' body. Cassidy could hear her heart pounding. "Cabron!" she swore, "all right, Jesus - okay. Focus. We're going to have to go hit the princess' house ourselves." She took a deep breath and closed her eyes like trying to pretend she hadn't seen that.

[TheAmishPirate]

Sonia looked a little surprised at what seemed like a thought from Cassidy. "He makes deals. He can't act unless it's part of a deal he's made, and he can't break a deal he's committed to,"

"Iiiiiiiinteresting." For a literal demon, that was a pretty glaring weak spot. "And he's promised to make Little Miss Muppet over there a princess...yeah, I can work with that."

She glanced around the corner into the main hall, pulled back and swore when she saw Iris' body. Cassidy could hear her heart pounding. "Cabron!" she swore, "all right, Jesus - okay. Focus. We're going to have to go hit the princess' house ourselves." She took a deep breath and closed her eyes like trying to pretend she hadn't seen that.

Okay. See. You don't just do that and expect everybody else to sit tight. Not a chance. Cassidy had to look too.

She stared. She turned away. She let in a long breath. She blew it out nice and slow. She heard her heart throb a steady, simmering wrath.

"New plan. The f*cker dies." She growled out. "Let's go."

She stormed out.

[Anarion]

"That's a lot of questions there," said the genie. "What do I get for answering them? Per question or lump sum?"

Leon pulled out his wallet (which, of course, had been turned into fine leather to match his suit) and took a look. "I've got $40, a student ID, and a membership card for the science museum. How about lump sum of all that for 3 questions?"

[Thanqol]

"Iiiiiiiinteresting." For a literal demon, that was a pretty glaring weak spot. "And he's promised to make Little Miss Muppet over there a princess...yeah, I can work with that."



Okay. See. You don't just do that and expect everybody else to sit tight. Not a chance. Cassidy had to look too.

She stared. She turned away. She let in a long breath. She blew it out nice and slow. She heard her heart throb a steady, simmering wrath.

"New plan. The f*cker dies." She growled out. "Let's go."

She stormed out.

So how does Cassidy track down Therese's house? On foot, by scent, by bus, what?

Leon pulled out his wallet (which, of course, had been turned into fine leather to match his suit) and took a look. "I've got $40, a student ID, and a membership card for the science museum. How about lump sum of all that for 3 questions?"

"Do you mean to offer me your identity as a student?" said the genie, surprised. "Or just the plastic with your name upon it?"

[Anarion]

"Do you mean to offer me your identity as a student?" said the genie, surprised. "Or just the plastic with your name upon it?"

"I meant just the plastic, though come to think of it, since you eat people's immortal souls, I shouldn't be surprised you'd want my identity."

You could practically hear the gears ticking in Leon's head at this. "The 3 questions deal is just for the card though. If you want to be me, I'll need way more than that. You'll need to undo all this stuff, spare Therese, bring back anyone you or she killed today, at least. On top of that, I want, I dunno, I need to think about it, but something better for me, a better life than I've got now if you're taking mine over. I want to be with my true love and her to love me" gestures to the beheaded Iris, "and none of that whole 'you get to enjoy it all for a few days or a month and then I eat your soul' bit that you pulled with Therese. If you're eating my soul, it's when I die of natural causes, deal's off if you arrange for my death, even by coincidence."

[TheAmishPirate]

So how does Cassidy track down Therese's house? On foot, by scent, by bus, what?

How about "all of the above?"

See, she could just track Therese's individual scent, retracing her steps back to her house, but that would take forever, so screw that. She can just hone in on the big parts of her scent, and narrow it down from there. Every neighborhood, every street has its own particular smell to it, whether it's by an old abandoned factory plant or all the stuck-up jerkwads buy the same designer fertilizer for their lawns. Cassidy hasn't been to every street in the city, but she's been around enough that she can pick out neighborhoods and districts pretty well. A short bus ride later, and she can narrow down the trail even further. How does she remember her scent so well? Dunno. It's just real fresh in her nose for some weird reason. Go figure.

But let's not get distracted here. 'Cause I think maybe you weren't taking what she said too seriously.

"That's our distraction; I kick his a** until he wishes he wasn't immortal. You're the wicked witch, this is your thing what got loose, how do I get past his inevitable cheatery?" She pressed Sonia. She wanted something else to think about? Cassidy was going to give her something else to think about.

[PhoeKun]

" I want to be with my true love and her to love me" gestures to the beheaded Iris,"

Iris' headless corpse twitched, breaking into a full on shudder before finally lying still again.

[Thanqol]

"I meant just the plastic, though come to think of it, since you eat people's immortal souls, I shouldn't be surprised you'd want my identity."

You could practically hear the gears ticking in Leon's head at this. "The 3 questions deal is just for the card though. If you want to be me, I'll need way more than that. You'll need to undo all this stuff, spare Therese, bring back anyone you or she killed today, at least. On top of that, I want, I dunno, I need to think about it, but something better for me, a better life than I've got now if you're taking mine over. I want to be with my true love and her to love me" gestures to the beheaded Iris, "and none of that whole 'you get to enjoy it all for a few days or a month and then I eat your soul' bit that you pulled with Therese. If you're eating my soul, it's when I die of natural causes, deal's off if you arrange for my death, even by coincidence."

The genie's eyebrows had started rising and didn't seem in danger of stopping. He just looked at Leon with this thoroughly bemused expression, like a pensioner might after being charged forty dollars for a pack of gum.

How about "all of the above?"

See, she could just track Therese's individual scent, retracing her steps back to her house, but that would take forever, so screw that. She can just hone in on the big parts of her scent, and narrow it down from there. Every neighborhood, every street has its own particular smell to it, whether it's by an old abandoned factory plant or all the stuck-up jerkwads buy the same designer fertilizer for their lawns. Cassidy hasn't been to every street in the city, but she's been around enough that she can pick out neighborhoods and districts pretty well. A short bus ride later, and she can narrow down the trail even further. How does she remember her scent so well? Dunno. It's just real fresh in her nose for some weird reason. Go figure.

But let's not get distracted here. 'Cause I think maybe you weren't taking what she said too seriously.

"That's our distraction; I kick his a** until he wishes he wasn't immortal. You're the wicked witch, this is your thing what got loose, how do I get past his inevitable cheatery?" She pressed Sonia. She wanted something else to think about? Cassidy was going to give her something else to think about.

"You get past it by being patient and doing the ritual, dumbass!" said Sonia, grabbing Cassidy by the arm. "Don't even think about it."