Inside 63

[Devixer]

Parkour Garage

"Youuuuu," Naku says, tilting her head slightly, gravity switching her bangs to the other side of her face. "don't know where you are, do you? I've never heard of the Advent, nor Menace. You're in a parking garage in a place called the Nexus.
And yes I was out for a run in the middle of the night. It's the best time to go. I'm a vampire."

"Of course I'm in a parking garage, that's where the - wait, what are you saying? There's no such thing as vampires. And Nexus? What kind of name is that?" The woman shakes her head and reaches for the radio strapped to her shoulder. "Squad, this is Menace 1-3. I've got some crazy lady here with a sword. Advise?" And then only static comes through.

She looks at the radio for a second. "Squad, Menace 1-3, come in." More static. "What the hell," she mutters.

[Darkcomet]

[A Bad Side of Town]

"That might be fore the best." Fayyaad pauses. "But I don't believe you've given me your name yet."

"Oh. Right. That." The woman frowns, evidently giving the subject far more thought than it warrants, before brushing back her hood. That reveals a tanned face lined with faded surgical scars around the forehead, short dark hair that's starting to go gray well before its time, and brown eyes with a look of having seen far too much for how comparatively young she looks. "There are three equally valid answers to that question, and to be honest, I don't know which one I actually want to use. Given, alias, designation?"

[Murkus]

[Park of Seasons - Departing!]

After leaving the park, the explosions won't follow up. It looks like the mages don't follow.

"I can't handle this alone anymore." Zefir replies. "They know about you. Even if I face them, they will just teleport away to find you. We need to get things up I guess."

When Adir gkance at Zefir, he might notice a bit of smoke coming from zefir's back and the smell of burnt cloth.

[Fleeing!]

"What would they teleport away to find me for?" Adir asks, bewildered, ears raised in alarm. He does a little double take as he glances at Zefir. "H-hey, C4, did you catch one? Are you hunky-dorey over there?"

[Slii Arhem]

[Crescent Park - Fungal Bloom]

"That, my dear cursed one, is because I'm an adventurer, and an investigator, with more free time and money than i know what to do with. why do you think I started up the investigation business?" She grins, "Come on, let's go meet this cursed lady." Trick stands up and brushes the grass off her pants, and reaches down to give Bastion a hand up.

[Crescent Park - Fungal Bloom]

"I suppose that makes as much sense as anything." Which is a very low bar indeed. Taking the offered hand, Sebastian picks herself off the ground, and freezes for a terrible moment before very carefully not hiccuping. Staying a girl is still preferable to the awful split second in-between. "And regardless, thank you." Just so long as it's not permanent.

And then they go meet a cursed lady.

1111 Avenue Avenue

Easier said than done. Despite living at the very Northwestmost corner of Inside, on the very first address listed anywhere in any book or site, it looks like no one has visited this house in weeks at least. It's a cozy little place, a bit shabby from lack of attention, but the biggest clue to its disuse is a massive pile of mail sitting outside the front door. And a slot stuffed full on the other side.

Despite this, there is a note on the door that seems a little more recent. "If you're here about the curse, go around back and grab the key from under the mat to let yourself in. There are snacks and drinks in the den."

[Recaiden]

The pony puts down the watering can and speaks with a slow rural drawl

Nope, can't say that I do. Last I saw, he was showing the fuzzy little white spider around and he's never been back since. Strangest thing, though... I'd-a sworn they walked through the hedge-gate over there, but I never did see 'em on the other side.

"Thank you though. Maybe I can catch up to them through the hedge-gate myself."

Arlem ambles over to it and works a little detection and identification spell.
Maybe the gate was used itself in the magic. Or maybe they just disappeared.

[Fenric]

Gate magic, clear as day.... as long as you know what to look for. Antique, ham-handed gate magic that must have messed the weather in the immediate area up for a week after. Following them would not be so much of "tracking" as "trying to not trip on the debris field".

Except...

Friend, I would counsel against following that one.

A little brown and gray jumping-spider is looking out at Arlem from a leafy perch.

[Recaiden]

Oh, look at that! Arlem turns and looks at the spider.

"Hello, little friend. What are you warning me away from? I think I may have to follow to free that unlucky celestial who came here."

[Mee]

"Of course I'm in a parking garage, that's where the - wait, what are you saying? There's no such thing as vampires. And Nexus? What kind of name is that?" The woman shakes her head and reaches for the radio strapped to her shoulder. "Squad, this is Menace 1-3. I've got some crazy lady here with a sword. Advise?" And then only static comes through.

She looks at the radio for a second. "Squad, Menace 1-3, come in." More static. "What the hell," she mutters.

Parking Garage

Naku responds by moving one hand, slowly, and very obviously, up to her mouth. She places one finger on one of her fangs, and uses it to lift up her lip, displaying her prominent fang. "I'm afraid you're not in Canned Sis any more. It is a pretty silly name though, I will give you that."

[Morty]

[A Bad Side of Town]

"Oh. Right. That." The woman frowns, evidently giving the subject far more thought than it warrants, before brushing back her hood. That reveals a tanned face lined with faded surgical scars around the forehead, short dark hair that's starting to go gray well before its time, and brown eyes with a look of having seen far too much for how comparatively young she looks. "There are three equally valid answers to that question, and to be honest, I don't know which one I actually want to use. Given, alias, designation?"

"It's all the same to me. I just need something to call you," Fayyaad says, briefly examining the woman's scars and other signs of hard living. "Although given your apparent situation, maybe an alias would be best." Seems the tiefling is smarter than he looks.

[Halae]

1111 Avenue Avenue

Easier said than done. Despite living at the very Northwestmost corner of Inside, on the very first address listed anywhere in any book or site, it looks like no one has visited this house in weeks at least. It's a cozy little place, a bit shabby from lack of attention, but the biggest clue to its disuse is a massive pile of mail sitting outside the front door. And a slot stuffed full on the other side.

Despite this, there is a note on the door that seems a little more recent. "If you're here about the curse, go around back and grab the key from under the mat to let yourself in. There are snacks and drinks in the den."

[111 Avenue Avenue]

"Hmm." Trick mutters, "Well, around back, then."

She'll go around to the back to grab the key from under the mat. Threshold law being what it is, the note is a conditional invitation; good enough for Trick in most circumstances, since she's well within the bounds of the condition.

[Zefir]

[Fleeing!]

"What would they teleport away to find me for?" Adir asks, bewildered, ears raised in alarm. He does a little double take as he glances at Zefir. "H-hey, C4, did you catch one? Are you hunky-dorey over there?"

[Fleeing!]

"To kill you right befor my eyey, use you as their shield or something alike." he says. "They know about me, so they will try to get any advantage they can grab rather then fight me directly. Just as the 5v1 situation it would have been."

At his next question he looks confused and looks down on him. He needs a moment to notice the smoke and grabs on his bag, dragging a few burns piece of cloth. "Huh. Looks like I got one on the back." he says and shrugs while throwing the burn cloth to the ground.

A few fire truck may cross thwir path as they rush to the parks direction.

[cavalieredraghi]

Mal was walking down this random street still trying to get himself orientated. These new places of such large buildings, it was enough to get this old Kolbold confused. et he had some solid footing in his mind as he though back on the past few days. Fateweavers, Fatebreakers, Keyblades. So many weird things in these other worlds. Then he smelled something delicious, blood. He bounded the corner to see a blood bank, well that was strange. It was closed he could tell, as it was daylight right now. Mal wondered if he should wait for night so he may purchase some food.

Yep a strange place Mal thought as he looked into his coin purse. A place that was willing to accommodate Vampires like himself.

[Murkus]

[Fleeing!]

"To kill you right befor my eyey, use you as their shield or something alike." he says. "They know about me, so they will try to get any advantage they can grab rather then fight me directly. Just as the 5v1 situation it would have been."

At his next question he looks confused and looks down on him. He needs a moment to notice the smoke and grabs on his bag, dragging a few burns piece of cloth. "Huh. Looks like I got one on the back." he says and shrugs while throwing the burn cloth to the ground.

A few fire truck may cross thwir path as they rush to the parks direction.

"Uh..." Adir seems surprised they'd go to so much trouble for little old him, but he figures he'd better take it seriously. He still can't stop looking at Zefir. "Dooooes it hurt, man? I can stop. I got a few things." The stag blinks at the road before them, turning purposelessly. "Uhm, where to, anyway?"

[Fenric]

Oh, look at that! Arlem turns and looks at the spider.

"Hello, little friend. What are you warning me away from? I think I may have to follow to free that unlucky celestial who came here."

Friend, I am not convinced the Shining One is unfortunate: the demon that attended her was envenomed and compelled, or I have never seen that done before. If she has chosen to un-make the demon and hunt down those guilty for his presence here, I would keep my distance.

[Recaiden]

There are a lot of questions, most of them a variation on 'why'. But Arlem just nods.

"I thank you, and I will keep my distance."

It will be a relief not to be chasing him, and to be waiting. But Arlem remembers how the gate magic was cast here, just in case.

[Fenric]

But I've had enough of people being followed.

Arlem won't need to remember, because it's around now that the gate reactivates and opens up again. Through it, a fuzzy white celestial spider leads a very subdued looking sparkly red crystal pony. She bobs her greeting to the jumping-spider and Arlem.

Hello, sister. Greetings, friend.

[Recaiden]

Shh! We're supposed to pretend he's had enough of running.

"Hello, friend. You've been missed. Please explain what has happened."

Arlem is busy closing his inner eye and locking his thoughts and ideas up tight. Are crystal ponies as easy to shatter as they look? Celestials are hard to set on fire, right? No, if he needs to fight, probably best to change shape and then ask for an anti-magic field so he's only overmatched in one or two areas. And the little guy mentioned venom - what do a fuzzy spider's fangs do? - could be anything. Better pick out something without a circulatory system, just in case.

[Zefir]

"Uh..." Adir seems surprised they'd go to so much trouble for little old him, but he figures he'd better take it seriously. He still can't stop looking at Zefir. "Dooooes it hurt, man? I can stop. I got a few things." The stag blinks at the road before them, turning purposelessly. "Uhm, where to, anyway?"

[On the road]

Zefir jsut shrugs. He is confident They try and catch Adir rather then fight.
"It just tickels a bit. It's okay." he says.
"I don't know. I don't really got ahideout prepared for such a case. Do you got any place we could hide?"

[Darkcomet]

[A Bad Side of Town]

"It's all the same to me. I just need something to call you," Fayyaad says, briefly examining the woman's scars and other signs of hard living. "Although given your apparent situation, maybe an alias would be best." Seems the tiefling is smarter than he looks.

"Well, the ones it'd be a problem with aren't exactly welcome here, but alright," she says, shrugging. "Like I said, not any weirder to me than the other options. It was Fields - plausible name, obvious connotation, get it?" She waves a hand and one of those barriers pops up behind her, before promptly vanishing again. "Knew a guy who puked fire once, they called him 'Heartburn.' Mine's way better, if you ask me."

[ThirdEmperor]

[Hodgepodge Street - Blood Bank]

Is it closed, though?

The doors are shuttered but there's a warm glow spilling out from within. People moving past the thin slits of light in the windows, purpose unseen, and suddenly a new light roars up; Bright and fiery, the windows cracking from the force bottled up inside as tongues of flame lick up over the glass. Alarms screech. The fire goes out in an instant, curling up into spirals of bruisey blackish smoke.

A section of shadow detaches from the alleyway nearby, mostly human shaped. Tall and lithe. It wears checkerboard clothes of purple and gold, puffed and bustled in the rigid medieval fashions, bright silver hair braided back. A sword gleaming in the fall of light from the streetlamps. A face painted white with smears of charcoal, joylessly smiling.
"Wrong place to be." He remarks, almost casual, advancing with a spring in his step and a weightless grace.


[1111 Avenue Avenue]

Sebastian kicks along behind with his - her - his hands in his pockets, mostly quiet. Eyes watching the skyline as he hiccups through different shapes. It's a very strange experience. Strange seems to mean silent for him, watching with a halfway stare that's never quite meets anything.
"Seems they're rather matter of fact about it. You get used to anything, I suppose." He finally says, as they wander through the little path around the house to the back gate and promised key.

[Morty]

[A Bad Side of Town]

"That's not very original, but Fields it is," Fayyaad says. "Pleased to meet you. I was actually trying to learn how to breathe fire myself, but I couldn't get a hang of it. And there's no one to teach me here. Leaving home had its downsides. Although I am luckier than you are, I suppose, in that no one's likely to follow me here."

[Slii Arhem]

[111 Avenue Avenue]

"Hmm." Trick mutters, "Well, around back, then."

She'll go around to the back to grab the key from under the mat. Threshold law being what it is, the note is a conditional invitation; good enough for Trick in most circumstances, since she's well within the bounds of the condition.

[1111 Avenue Avenue]

Sebastian kicks along behind with his - her - his hands in his pockets, mostly quiet. Eyes watching the skyline as he hiccups through different shapes. It's a very strange experience. Strange seems to mean silent for him, watching with a halfway stare that's never quite meets anything.
"Seems they're rather matter of fact about it. You get used to anything, I suppose." He finally says, as they wander through the little path around the house to the back gate and promised key.

1111 Avenue Avenue

The key is present below the door mat, but it's largely unnecessary as the door stands open, the parlor beyond bereft of snacks, long-ago pillaged by previous adventurers seeking fortune and glory and finding only an empty house.

Well, empty of people. Strangely, the house hasn't been looted or ransacked or even appears to have anything stolen from it. Its furniture is moderately old, but in a "leather and wood" antique sort of way, and there's even silver out on display with no obvious repercussions.

Looks like they might be in for a long wait until their host arrives, though, based on the indications around here.

[cavalieredraghi]

Mal stares at the drow coming at him, as his katars it would sem almost spring to his hands he thinks to himself. "Maybe it is more like him then I thought." Mal steps towards the drow smoothly as he exudes confidence. Every step was calculated and judged as he walked right for the drow, then he started to sprint. Mal was determined to meet this new enemy head on, then maybe he could also gain a nice meal after he defeats him.

Mal would use his 2 ft of height to his advantage as he would attempt to slide between the drow's legs and trip the dark skinned elf with his wings as he went.

[Murkus]

[On the road]

Zefir jsut shrugs. He is confident They try and catch Adir rather then fight.
"It just tickels a bit. It's okay." he says.
"I don't know. I don't really got ahideout prepared for such a case. Do you got any place we could hide?"

"Um, I'd say my house, but I'm not sure if the missus would want you around..." Adir hems and haws. "It might be a long shot, but maybe VIGIL? They're usually sympathetic to the plights of the innocent n' all."

[Deathkeeper]

[Hodgepodge Street Alley]

Poor Sam. He's had a hard time of it today, between being almost cursed, dragged into a fight by an ungrateful brat, and then having a dragon explode in his face. The teen (not that many would recognize him as such) sidles down an alley to cut through the streets and get back to the Riftline. His shirt and jacket are fine in the back but have been completely destroyed in the front, his pants surviving thanks to the pity of everyone's eyes the gods. He should probably just take the ruined clothes off but he feels very strange simply walking around shirtless. Either way, a large fellow like him in a sour mood is usually enough to dissuade anyone from trying anything, in his limited experience.
[closed scene]

[Gnrlshrimp]

[Hodgepodge Street Alley]

Unfortunately for Sam, this particular alley is not quite as empty as he might like.

Hunched over a small bench is a rather tall black figure. Standing well over two metres tall, it turns to face him, a pair of glowing blue orbs for eyes staring expressionlessly at him. The face of this strange metal creature is peculiarly lacking in features, though a network of thin lines trail across its entire body, a faint glow emanating through them. The combined effect does a rather good job of illuminating the alley.

"What are you doing here?" It asks in an emotionless monotone, folding its arms. The bench it was hunched over seems to contain a variety of black metal implements. Something that looks suspiciously like a gun, several blades of various lengths, a handful of miscellaneous tools. Several sections of its legs and arms also appear to have opened up along the cracks, suggesting that it carries this small arsenal within itself.

[Deathkeeper]

[Hodgepodge Street Alley]

Sam snorts in derision, though he seems to get even more annoyed after he does so.
"Going home. I got pulled into a fight and for it I got my beer spilled and my clothes ruined, not that I helped much. So I think that's reason enough to head home and enjoy actually having cable. Or would you prefer I went some other way?" he asks, not entirely rudely, just irritably. He's not so dim as to personally insult the robot casually sitting next to a pile of swords.

[Gnrlshrimp]

[Hodgepodge Street Alley]

"Doesn't sound like much of a fight if all it cost you was some clothes." It starts slotting items back into its arms and legs, closing each compartment as it goes. "You know, most people would think better than to stroll down a dark alley. I assumed I would be able to work here in peace. There's far worse than mere petty thieves around these parts. Are you not scared? I know I could handle any threat. Could you?"

[Deathkeeper]

Hodgepodge Street Alley

Sam rubs the back of his head.
"Yeah, it was a pretty mangy dragon-thing. Old habits die hard. Skyside is almost all dark alley. The parts I lived, at least. Though, I was a lot smaller and easier to hide back then. So yeah, I s'pose it might be in my best interest to get better paths or start carrying something sharp." he admits, flexing another hand's fingers.

[Gnrlshrimp]

[Hodgepodge Street Alley]

"It seems to me that you could carry a lot of sharp things. You'd look a lot more intimidating with a sharp thing in each hand." Black leans back against the wall as it slots the last instrument back into its body, "But who am I to stand in your way? My master does not like his creations causing trouble."

It pauses for a moment, then shrugs, "Still, we have had so little to do for so long. What harm is there in providing some assistance? Perhaps I can provide you with something sharp to carry?"