Outside 43: Where the sun hurts your eyes and burns your skin

[Fenric]

[Dream of Dragons]

Sthissa nods

I think I understand... and that's a really good suggestion, Cleo. Thank you.

Keiko shuffles a bit. She actually was trying to think ahead

I was just thinking that maybe if they had somebody to balance that war god of theirs... but yeah, maybe that's not a good choice...

she grins sheepishly

Besides, come to think of it, the Sthiss look a bit on the pure-carnivore side.

Sthissa nods

Ah, a plant? My children eat very little from plants.

[Recaiden]

[Dream of Dragons]

"Rice is a delicious little grain plant that Keiko's boss's boss is the goddess of. I suspect that getting any of her people involved would end up in Karliss and Sthissa being completely overshadowed."

Cleo shrugs.

"Maybe Meena can eventually get to a point where she balances him out. She's already a friend to dragons easily. As long as Karliss doesn't have any plot to become the sole god of the world...actually, is that what that whole war is about?"

Then smiles.

"Oh, about the ground? I don't suppose you've head about the spear Gungnir? Well, I have some of the same wood its haft was made of, from the great ash tree that connects the worlds, and I could get a string of time from the Yellow Wizard, I bet. We'd just need something appropriate to make the point."

[Earl of Purple]

The Tower- Floor Four

Vaylith stirs when patted, but is quite a deep sleeper- this is the first time she's slept in her life. She knows sleep, like she knows speech.

"I... I really don't want to, Nisha. We've just met, and I've not even shown it to your sister." Zither's uncertain, though. If pressed further she might relent.

[Fenric]

[Dream of Dragons]

Sthissa frowns

That doesn't sound good at all!

Keiko shrinks down, ears folding

Sorry! Sorry... forget I mentioned it.

They both nod at the next bit

That's a good idea. And yes, I do think he hopes to eventually supplant me. I think there is not much danger of that, honestly, but it is disturbing.

Yeah! Make her a subordinate goddess for dragons or something, eventually, then it'll be two on one.

Sthissa blinks

That's amazing!

Keiko looks thoughtful

They're not very far along, technologically - we're talking a chipped stone head, aren't we? Maybe a nice one, sure, but still... um...

[Recaiden]

[Dream of Dragons]

"You're free to tell me I'm wrong. I only met her briefly, with that whole fake assassination plot quest thing. But I don't think I am."

Cleo shakes her head to send the idea away.

"I imagine he's more dangerous than...that guy we killed. Don't underestimate what he might do for a chance. I would be very careful about starting a war in heaven against the god of war."

Then more emphatically to indicate 'no'.

"Yeah, they might have chipped stone, but a holy spear from the goddess shouldn't look the same as something they might make. Think bigger than that."

[Fenric]

[Dream of Dragons]

Keiko shakes her head

No... I'm not going to tell you you're wrong. With her, it'd be worse than a war in some ways: it would just happen, and nothing at any step along the way would seem unreasonable in the slightest. Some of it would even be your idea, but next thing you know you'd be yet another subordinate.

Sthissa shudders at the thought, then purses her lips at the thought of a war in heaven

Indeed: I had not thought of it that way. He must remain, and in his own way matter. But his overall influence must be limited.

Kieko goes "oh"

A fancier spear point is easier, really. Or... uh... should be easier. I wonder if Grandma still has Amenonuhoko's blade... she did for a while.

[Recaiden]

[Dream of Dragons]

"Exactly."

And no one is suggesting they have to kill the guy. Cleo grins toothily and nods.

"Well, let's ask her!"
"Izanami, do you still have the blade of the Heavenly Jeweled Spear?"
She's supposed to hear when her name is mentioned, right?

[Cyber Punk]

4th Floor Of Tower

"I agree. Let's bring everyone. Nisha and I can go and scout out some good places. We'll ping your comms when we find somewhere suitable." Luna smiles and cups Phil's face in her palm. "I'd go with you instead, but I need to bond with Nisha." She turns away to peck Vaylith's snout.

Nisha pushes further. "If you can show me, then you can show big sis. Besides, I know she won't mind, and I'll mind even less."‎

[Fenric]

[Dream of Dragons]

Izanami doesn't sound entirely... healthy.

's in the vault, Cleo.

Keiko and Sthissa wait expectantly.

[Recaiden]

[Dream of Dragons]

"Are you well, Lady Izanami?"
Goddesses don't just catch ill, right?

To the others she nods.

"She has it in some vault. Of hers?"

[Fenric]

[Dream of Dragons]

Izanami's mental voice chuckles

I'm ok: darted by a stupid undead ninja. I showed 'em, though: summoned up undead pirates!

's the main vault, back home. Keiko should know how to get there. Password's "persimmon".

Keiko bobbles her head

Probably back at her palace.

[Nalix]

The Tower - Floor Four

"I guess that leaves me with Vaylith and Zither. I'm sure we can find something fun to do while you scout. I worked briefly as an entertainer before I started working with the Sun Circle militia. Though I'd rather be with you, I understand the need to bond." Phil stands and turns to Zither. "Hey Zither," he says, not aware of the conversation he's interrupting "What would you like to do while our ninjas look for some place fun? Do you have anything in mind, or should we just tag along at a distance?"

[Earl of Purple]

The Tower- Floor Four

"It's hideous. Why would I want to show your sister? I don't want to show it to you." Then, to Zither's relief, an interruption. "The car's coal-bin needs refilling, and I've noticed a rattle that shouldn't be there in the steering column, so I need to do some maintenance on that." Of course they have a car! It's parked outside somewhere, amongst the rusty old wrecks and battered vehicles in the Tower's associated car park. "Or I could teach you how to drive the ones outside; the pick-up, maybe."

Outside, in the car park itself, are two vehicles captured by the Raiders that have just been cleared out. They are an original-style Volkswagen beetle painted in rainbow stripes, with eight titanium insectoid legs sticking out, two from each wheel-arch, and the other is a battered burgundy pick-up with six wheels, four beneath the cab and two towards the vehicle's rear, with no glass in its cab- stretched across the windows is chicken-wire. Mounted above the cab is a large, triple-barrelled machine-gun.

Parked in the eucalyptus forest along the track they used to reach the Tower, is Zither's car. It resembles a WWII-era American jeep, with an extended wheelbase making it twice as long, though most of the additional length is cargo bay. The wheels are solid aluminium discs, polished to a bright shine, and sticking out of the jeep's bonnet is a brass smoke-stack from a compact steam engine. The whole vehicle has been painted a bright lime green, except the roof which is made of purple canvas, and the inner upholstery which matches the roof. The dashboard, steering wheel and other such pieces are made from acacia.

((Blatant copy-pasta from the cars original descriptions, ho!))

[Recaiden]

[Dream of Dragons]

"Yep. She says you know the way."

Cleo smiles and nods.

"Once we're done here, we can go there and get it. Sthissa, we'll need somewhere to meet you in a physical world to get the magic on it right. We'll suggest to Meena that she wait a while. I think her new dragon friend will have kept her from sneaking up the mountain already."

[Ashen Lilies]

[Abhorson's Gate]

Wenomir puts down his fork down. Very slowly and carefully. There's an internal debate going on in him, between speaking his mind and staying diplomatic.

"That depends. In the place I was born, there were precious few people with anything I'd call medical education. Or any sort of education at all. But in the Nexus, where I live now, I've known a few."

[B]
[Abhorson's Gate]

Cessie is impressed with Wenomir's diplomatic calm considering that she probably could guess his true opinion regarding the subject. "I have personally always held the healing arts in high regard. In hestopia we have quite a few devoted to that art, not sure if they're the same as your 'doctors' but if their goal is to heal people then surely you can't disregard them so quickly?" She clears her voice. "Providing they're competent of course. Still, it's a noble goal."

[Abhorson's Gate]

"Hmm..." Says Arshan, clearly not too happy with either of their answers. "When I had children, all of them learned the old arts at the College. Their children did the same, as did their children - my great-grandchildren. Now, Kalya is the first in my family for three generations to study the old ways. It's a waning interest."

"Vijay has talent in magic, greatfather." Says Kalya soothingly. "And Sanya looks up to me as a mentor. They could both end up in the college, one day."

"Hmph! We'll see."

Arshan takes a moment to consider his guests.

"You must forgive me. I invited you both here on my mentor's request, but I'm unfamiliar with your lands. What cause is it you two serve, again?"

[Morty]

[Abhorson's Gate]

"We're protectors," Wenomir says, biting back another comment about Arshan's opinions. Needless to say, he sympathizes with his descendants quite a bit more. No one should be forced into a path they had no choice in. It's as true for members of a noble family of necromancers as it was for a peasant soldier who chose to become a martial artist. "We put ourselves between the people of our land and things that would harm them. Through whatever means and methods that we deem necessary."

[Cyber Punk]

[Tower - Floor Four]

‎"Don't worry, Phil. Soon, we'll all bond together, you and I included. Then we'll finish what we've started." Luna winks, and gets up as Zither and Nisha show up.

The fourteen-year old ninja is not deterred! "Don't change the subject." Nisha retorts, scowling. "You know sister Luna won't mind one bit."

"Heh, as fun as that'll be, we'll just glide there, or hoverboard there, or do some acrobatic jumping. Also, mind what?" Luna looks to Nisha, then to Zither. "You know you can tell me anything, Zii. What're sisters for?"

Nisha turns to look at Zither with a 'told you so' look on her face, still scowling.

[Gullara]

"You of all people should know it's pretty easy to tie me down," Tina shoots back with utter nonchalance. Dena makes her smile. "Heh. Sure do. I envy the amount of pure maidens he's surely boinked."

[Out and About]

Kirk chuckles. He does, doesn't he. "You'd be surprised how small that number is. Then again, I always preferred women with a bit of experience."

[Shadowcaller]

[Out and About]

"Considering most of them are like children to him. I am not surprised." Dena muses. "Even I am like a teenager to this guy."

[Abhorson's Gate]

"'My lands' aren't even part of the nexus, but I still choose to protect it anyway since it feels like the right thing to do. We haven't done a lot of protection recently since there hasn't been a need to. But now these beings have showed up and we are in need of aid. To protect the diversity which holds us all together." Cessie explains.

[Gullara]

New Thread!

[Nalix]

The Tower - Flour Four

"I'd love to work on some vehicles. Just like the training you gave me with firearms," Phil says to Zither. "Maybe I can experiment on some of the trashed vehicles or their parts while we're at it."

"Yes, to finish and start again," Phil says to Luna, returning her wink.