Random Plots and Places 10: Results may not be between 1 and 10

[Fenric]

[Palace of Orochi]

Susano smiles weakly

Must not dishonor the host by standing still while the music is playing, my step-daughter.

And he starts to try to waltz. If they catch a glimpse of Orochi, he is chuckling quietly and enjoying the spectacle. And so the night goes...

((Edit: Ugh. Very much out of it last night ))

[Ionbound]

[Palace of Orochi]

Helen nods and says, "Yeah..." trailing off as she waltzes with Susano, and whoever else might approach her for the rest of the night.

[Shadowcaller]

"I'm afraid it won't be prudent to leave the vault, once you have it secured. It seems this is the very last time I'll see this particular study, and to be quite honest, I won't miss it very much," the tall man admits. "Now. Stand by. Once you're through, my voice will follow you, but I go no further than this threshold." Though the cowardice in his words corrodes his very lips, he's well used to it by now, and Ryhe promised he wouldn't have to go himself.

The tall man takes up his staff and slams it's bottom against the ground. At this signal his sinister runes turn to light, like oil before a flame, and they throw up a ghastly yellow glow. The particles filling the air, like little fairies, turn the same powerful color.

With the power of his mind, Sticks pulls the door open. There's a snap as the Sending locks into place, what was a crowded darkness fading into a peaceful library scene.

Should the two practitioners step through with their men, they'll be met with the sight of a study shaped more like a hallway than a proper wizard's abode. It's a relatively thin, long room, a canyon of precariously piled papers. A few strange, curious instruments poke out from the frayed white mess, metal mostly in their composition, oddly shaped doodads lined up amidst the other nonsense. At one end of the room is a grand desk, the only grand thing about the place, huge and dark, rich brown in color. Every compartment is stuffed with rot-ridden books.

A fine layer of dust has made it's home... well, everywhere. Should the two ladies or their accompaniment look behind them, they'll find that they've just stepped free of what was probably Sticks closet door, or the entrance to a storeroom.

To their right, there is a window further down the length of the thin room, and beyond that a door presumably to the palace beyond in the center of the far wall, opposite Sticks grand desk.

"Now..." Sticks' voice drifts timidly from behind them. It's perfectly clear - the portal has been aligned masterfully. There's no watery layer or glowing film between the two frayed ends of space-time. Not even any uncomfortable sensations as you step through. How pleasant. It's as though the two rooms were very truly right beside one another.

"I'm afraid you'll have to close the door, to retrieve the totem. It's hung on a hook there, do you see?" And truly, a small, tribal item dangles on the front of the closet door that's swung out into the room. It seems to be made of some black stone and what looks like dried pieces of straw, but it's difficult to make out. The sending totem is in the shape of a ring. "Once the door is closed, I won't be able to open it unless you attach it to another door. Hopefully a door in the vault. You must be very careful not to lose that totem, ladies and gentlemen."

Sticks has just realized he forgot to learn the names of the two men with Vax and Zareen. How rude of him. He'll have to make every effort to do so once they return. If they do so.

[Stick's Other Study]

"Will we still be able to hear you once we closed the door and removed the totem Mister Stick's?" Zareen asks as she turns to look at the door, slowly closing it shut as she talks.

[Fenric]

[Palace of Orochi - Bedroom]

Helen nods and says, "Yeah..." trailing off as she waltzes with Susano, and whoever else might approach her for the rest of the night.

Some time later, Helen awakens in the bedroom snuggled up with Frederick. Dim memories of a late night of dancing punctuated by glasses of champagne and nothing particularly notable happening are all she can come up with. Frederick is snoring softly, his muscles relaxed in deepest sleep.

[Gullara]

[Stick's Other Study]

"Understood, Sticks. We won't let you down." Vax nods and goes to retrieve the totem, though she doesn't grab it just yet. Not until he replies, of course.

[Ionbound]

[Palace of Orochi - Bedroom]
Some time later, Helen awakens in the bedroom snuggled up with Frederick. Dim memories of a late night of dancing punctuated by glasses of champagne and nothing particularly notable happening are all she can come up with. Frederick is snoring softly, his muscles relaxed in deepest sleep.

Helen smiles and snuggles deeper into Frederick's arms, drifting back off to sleep as well.

[Fenric]

[Palace of Orochi]

Eventually the weariness of stress and a late night are recovered, and the effects of the shadow version of alcohol fade away. Frederick wakes up and stretches sleepily.

Now that was a party.

[Ionbound]

[Palace of Orochi]

Helen smiles, nods, nuzzles Frederick and says, "Mmm...Yeah. I have to say...I think Noriko and Susano are a good match.

[Fenric]

[Palace of Orochi - only a bit hungover]

Frederick chuckles

I haven't heard anyone talk so much as she did last night! But I also got an impression that those two were less surprised than they were pretending - what do you think?

Oh, hey! Who was the skeleton lady?

[Ionbound]

[Palace of Orochi]

Helen swallows and says, "Izanami-no-Okami. Izanagi's dead wife. 's a sad story. I can tell you if you want."

[Slii Arhem]

Grief

The house sets its paw down gently, but doesn't seem willing to move any further. "And if the child doesn't wish to leave? What would you do then?" It asks. It seems to know what they're talking about and all amusement has left its voice as it seems to take this matter seriously.

A Little Boy's Grief



"Talk to him," Wes says.

Grief

"Tell him that he's not alone, that the world he left still needs him, that his parents miss him dearly and need his comfort after the loss he and they suffered together. That no suffering may be the same, but suffering shared is lessened, and people helped can heal a wound in your own heart." The Mother kneels to lay a hand on Needs' back, in a gesture more meant to comfort her own hurt than sooth his fears, but perhaps capable of doing both.

[Murkus]

[Stick's Other Study]

"Will we still be able to hear you once we closed the door and removed the totem Mister Stick's?" Zareen asks as she turns to look at the door, slowly closing it shut as she talks.

[Stick's Other Study]

"Understood, Sticks. We won't let you down." Vax nods and goes to retrieve the totem, though she doesn't grab it just yet. Not until he replies, of course.

"Fear not, I told Ryhe I'd still be able to communicate with whatever team he chose. I can Send my voice through the totem, just as I sent the four of you to my study. Take the artifact at your leisure," Sticks says with a nod, and as they shut the door they may see him settling down into a crosslegged position so he might better focus on the Sending.

"H-hello?" Comes his voice, a few odd seconds after they detach the totem. The little item vibrates gently with each word. "Oh, dear, I hope this worked..."

[Shadowcaller]

[Stick's Other Study]

"Don't worry mister Stick's, it worked perfectly." Zareen says with a toothy grin. She then leans closer to the little totem. "Can you hear me as well?"

[Fenric]

[Palace of Orochi]

Helen swallows and says, "Izanami-no-Okami. Izanagi's dead wife. 's a sad story. I can tell you if you want."

Frederick tilts his head

Sure! The name is vaguely familiar... didn't really pay that much attention to the old Yarissan tales. Inari told us she's not really Izanagi's daughter a long time ago, that was just the old tribes trying to make everything fit together.

[Gullara]

[Stick's Other Study]

"Yes, there aren't any problems." Vax loops the totem around her wrist to ensure she doesn't lose her grip on it while she's handling it and starts to make toward the door out while Zareen speaks. Maybe she can open it a hair to peek out.

[Murkus]

[Sticks' Other Study]

"You're music to my ears, Zareen," Sticks practically exhales the words, relieved. A slight cough follows the words through. He didn't call her 'lady', or 'miss', or any such thing, and they certainly on a first name basis. How impolite of him.

Yet again, Sticks gets the feeling he's the only one who cares, but in the end, perhaps that's what matters.

"Take care in there. I can't even begin to suppose what you'll find..."

Vax passes the window as she goes, streaks of sunlight pouring into the room. The only source of light, by the look of things, now that the door is shut. It proves ample, however, and when Vax takes her peek she'll see a stony hallway leading off to the right, and another window set into the wall on the left. It seems Sticks got the office at the end.

[Ionbound]

Frederick tilts his head

Sure! The name is vaguely familiar... didn't really pay that much attention to the old Yarissan tales. Inari told us she's not really Izanagi's daughter a long time ago, that was just the old tribes trying to make everything fit together.

And so stories are told! Sadly, Helen's writer is bad at telling stories, so the actual story is going to be handwaved.

Once she's done, her smile is gone and she says, "Make sense? It's one of the most tragic stories."

[Fenric]

[Palace of Orochi]

Frederic looks somber

That's really sad... but she came to the ball, so that's good... right?

[Ionbound]

[Palace of Orochi]

Helen shrugs and says, "I didn't even know she wasn't in the underworld. I don't even know how she got here, much less her motives...She's scary."

[Fenric]

[Palace of Orochi]

Frederick hmms

A lot of places border the Shadowlands... wherever her underworld is particularly, it might be nearby. At least, from a magical point of view.

He shakes his head

Something's going on... maybe Orochi will know more.

Then he snuggles up to Helen

I say 'meh' on these old, depressing stories: I've got my princess right here.

[Ionbound]

[Palace of Orochi]

Helen smiles as she snuggles Frederick back and says, "I'm glad you think so."

[Fenric]

[Palace of Orochi]

Frederick is snuggly and happy

I know so: I heard the Herald myself. And I didn't even have to kill a dragon or anything. Just as well, too - I don't think I'd beat that one.

He giggles at his lame joke, and there is a knock at the door.

Princess? Lord Frederick? Master Orochi is waiting at breakfast.

He yawns and stretches

Oh, yeah... this isn't a vacation, is it? Ugh... more basic training with Noriko.

[Ionbound]

[Palace of Orochi]

Helen smiles and nods, saying, "Yeah. Gods know..."

And then the messengers knock, and she nods as she stands and stretches, saying, "Mmhmm. It does feel good to get stronger though," as she starts getting dressed.

[Fenric]

[Palace of Orochi]

Frederick agrees

Yeah, it does! Honestly, I didn't think I had inherited any shadow ability. My little brother did, and his girlfriend was teaching him stuff... I just couldn't ever seem to pick it up.

he grins at Helen

Guess I just needed the right incentive

Away to breakfast! And I'm still tired of describing food, so they have breakfast and move off to the side yard once more where both Noriko and Susano are waiting.

Noriko is grinning like a giddy schoolgirl, and the prince bows politely to Helen and Frederick

I shall be joining your class now, Frederick.

[Ionbound]

[Palace of Orochi]

Helen nods and bows politely to Susano as well as she says, "It's nice to have you along, Susano."

[Fenric]

[Palace of Orochi]

Susano smiles

Thank you, Helen.

Noriko leads the two boys off for basic shadow training. Orochi smiles at Helen

I trust you enjoyed the ball last night? I considered letting you know what was coming, but thought the surprise would be more enjoyable.

[Ionbound]

[Palace of Orochi]

Helen blinks and says, "Izanami showing up? Yeah...That was definitely a surprise."

[Fenric]

[Palace of Orochi - Courtyard]

Orochi blinks. Helen has managed to surprise him

Ah... mother... yes... that was unexpected, wasn't it? I must admit I had not expected her to attend. I had sent an invitation of course: she is my mother, after all. But still... I had set the whole occasion up so that Susa-no-o could propose to Noriko without losing face - they had been secretly meeting for some time now, imagining that their parents did not know.

[Hattish Thing]

Undisclosed Facility:

The Hoplite will wake up here, somehow ending up unconscious as he walked through the portal at the Black Dragon's Den. It's been at least a day, judging by how sore he was, and how long it took his eyes to adjust the darkness of the room he's in. He's currently strapped to a metal slab, looking up into the darkness of the ceiling. There's a smaller table of trays filled with surgical tools that had been long since cleaned, judging by the final tray of gorey looking water and bits of flesh. Best to avoid looking at that tray, there was nothing to gain from that. There's a few chairs in the corner, and a door leading out. Caius is mysteriously missing, as is the other woman, the one with the portals. Marciano Louv're stands by the table, looking over the figure strapped to it.

"Wake up, Hades. Welcome to your life."

[Aric Kale]

Undisclosed Facility

The man tries to sit up, but the restraints hold him back.
He growls, dazed and confused.
Who am I? What is this?

The gore does not bother him. Hades...was that his name?
It'll do...
Hades has seen worse. At least...he thinks he has. All of his memories are hidden behind a fog.

He hasn't noticed the results of the surgery yet.