Inside 65: A Very Busy Intersection

[Deathkeeper]

[Red Zone Back Alley]

Sam shakes his head. "Oh, no. I'm a mercenary chef. I have to look tough or they won't take me seriously. And I need to be able to go out to dangerous places to get rare ingredients." Actually you don't Sam, you made that up so you could impress Dipsnig and ask for a raise.
"Well, where are you headed to this time of night, Miss Lucy? You certainly ended up in the wrong part of town." Is she an elf of some kind? Sam does like elves. Except when they're snooty to him.

[Gnrlshrimp]

[Red Zone Back Alley]

"Oh, you know, here and there. My word, being a chef sounds rather dangerous round these parts! But then you're a big, strong, rather well armed fellow so I guess you're in the right line of work? Oh, yes, right, where was I going. Where was I going? Where was I-?" Lucy pauses and rubs her forehead. "Well I've been wandering aimlessly for about three days now, so more of that I guess?"

Only three days of wandering before stumbling into trouble. Perfectly normal behaviour, right?

...right?

[Deathkeeper]

[Red Zone Back Alley]

Sam leans forward to her to emphasize the question he needs to ask her.
"Miss Lucy, are you a Nexus newbie who's been walking around aimlessly for days and have only had an attempted mugging once? Because you realize how badly you're pushing your luck, right?"

[Gnrlshrimp]

[Red Zone Back Alley]

"Well, I've no idea what a nexus newbie is, but probably?" As Sam leans forward, Lucy leans back. He's a little intimidating, looming over her like that. "I suppose I wasn't really looking where I was going a-and things have been looking rather strange b-but it's, um, it's hardly the first time I've got lost and I- and I- please stop leaning over me like that it's kind of scary." Her voice quivers as she looks up at him, hesitantly taking a half-step backwards, wondering if perhaps she'd just traded out one bad scenario for another.

[Deathkeeper]

[Red Zone Alley]

Sam starts at that realization, hopping back. He looks aghast at the idea that he's frightened someone and immediately begins giving her the big brother treatment.
"A newbie is someone who's just come to this city from their homeworld. Do you know that you're in the City of Inside, Miss Lucy? Because I would be happy to escort you into somewhere proper for a lady and not these dingy streets. Is that dress cold in this weather? Here, please." he says, and suddenly he has his jacket off and is offering it to her, which only put himself entirely shirtless in the cold he's so worried about. Though perhaps it's the bristly coat or the fat on his torso, but he doesn't seem bothered at all.

[Gnrlshrimp]

[Red Zone Alley]

"Inside? Seems like a silly name for a city. Couldn't they have called it something a bit more inspiring?" Lucy sniffs, sounding a little disappointed. "Go into a building and you're inside in Inside! Doesn't that get a little confusing?" Whatever momentary fear gripped her apparently vanished just as fast.

The coat is rather nonchalantly waved away with a smile, "Oh don't worry, I'm fine. I've been in colder weather than this with less than this on. Why, when I'm out and about I usually don't wear anyth-" Lucy freezes mid-sentence and looks away, blushing furiously. "O-oh my, that wasn't meant to- um, please don't think about that like the way it sounded!"

[Deathkeeper]

[Red Zone Alley]

”I didn’t name it, Miss Lucy. I’m from Skyside. Oh, are you a shapeshifter? Because if you’re not it’s okay to be nudist. I live in a town with a bunch of those. They’re quite nice really.” says the spigre casually as he slips his jacket back on.

[Gnrlshrimp]

[Red Zone Alley]

"A whatshifter? Skyside? You do use some funny names, Sir Bacon." Lucy lets out a light-hearted laugh, though it sounds rather forced. "I-I say weird things sometimes. Often. Frequently. Don't worry about them. There is a time and place for nudists and it's not me and it's not now. Skyside, Inside, dearie me, someone really needs to work on the names for cities around here." Mid-ramble, Lucy starts absent-mindedly wandering again, almost blundering into another alley before coming to her senses and wandering back over beside Sam. "Maybe we should go somewhere safer, yes? Before I stumble into any more trouble. I think I might require quite a bit of guidance, honestly. But I promise I can make the inconvenience worth your while, my stalwart, heroic friend."

[Deathkeeper]

[Red Zone Alley]

Sam shakes his head.
”Lucy, you can be honest with me. We don’t discriminate for magic powers here. I think the police commissioner’s wife can change shape. She was very nice to me. But yes, I can take you around town.”

[Gnrlshrimp]

[Red Zone Alley]

"Well I should hope not. Nothing wrong with a bit of magic, is there? But honestly, I don't do anything of the sort. The only magical power I have is the power of money! Which isn't really a power, is it? I suppose I could've thrown some coins at those hooligans in the hope that it distracted them? Speaking of which- oh yes!" Lucy about-faces and ducks back into the alley for a moment, grabbing a small leather satchel, artfully decorated with gold filigree. "I'd be completely powerless without this, wouldn't I? Lead on, Sir Bacon!"

[Deathkeeper]

[Red Zone Alley]

Sam nods and puts an arm around her.
”Okay, only rule then: no calling me by my surname. It’s awkward. Anyway there’s a pawn shop down the road. Maybe you can get supplies?” he suggests.

[Gnrlshrimp]

[Red Zone Alley]

There is just the slightest flinch from Lucy as Sam puts an arm round her. Beneath her rambling, it seems she's still a little skittish.

"A pawn shop? I-I'm not really sure what supplies I would need. Is there a list of necessities for survival in Inside? Is it that dangerous a place? What sort of danger are we talking about? Is it all people or do you get freak snowstorms, maybe? Acid rain? Volcanoes? Earthquakes? Tsunamis? Oh, I don't actually know if we're near water. Are we?"

[Gullara]

[Claire's Home]

Iknika shakes her head.

"Not as far as I know. I met her when we were out in the city with my cousin and talked. I told her I want to be someone more than just another face in the crowd and she suggested knight training. It seemed cool, so I gave it a try. And now here I am. Much to my parents' chagrin."

[Claire's Home]

"What don't they like about-" Claire is interrupted as her door cracks open and someone sticks their head inside. This must be one of her brothers. He definitely looks it, and he also seems to be near their age. He's wearing a muscle shirt and his hair is a bit damp with sweat. He seems pretty fit, at a glance.

"I thought I heard someone else in here. Do mom and dad know you brought a girl home?" He teases.

"Frithrah! Get out of my room!"

Laela takes what little stock of the old doctor-lady that she can. She shakes her head to the negative when queried about tears. "Mm-mm," she grunts in a small voice. There weren't any more tears, now. She even just winces when the doctor starts to clean her up.

[Lots of Hope Hospital]

Cessie just sits there, keeping an eye on her own daughter. "Cora, this isn't going to happen again, right? Can you promise me that." She asks.

[Lots of Hope Hospital]

Cora looks at her mother, still clearly guilt ridden. "It was an accident." She whines. She never would've done this on purpose.

"That's good. Now I'm going to need you to keep being tough, okay?" With that the doctor will start the process of stitching up the wound. Thankfully it wasn't much lower, so there won't be any difficulties.

[Morty]

[Claire's Home]

Iknika puts her hands on her hips and stares the boy down.

"One of your brothers, huh?"

[Streets of Ill Repute]

"What the- argh!" Of all the things Wenomir expected, being head-butted in the groin wasn't one of them. He's still fast enough that the attack doesn't land squarely, but it's enough to make him flinch in pain. The goblin has a small window to escape.

[Devixer]

Run Down Street

There is no pushback, it simply feels like a solid barrier. But this is the point where the goblin is raising his own gun at Cassidy and fires a laser beam straight at her. "Back off." He hisses, as if expecting her to survive that.

Cassidy's reflexes let her see Teal Hair draw his gun. Magic flares through her muscles, and she takes a step to the left - far too fast for the naked eye to track. Well, she gave the guy a chance. Now they danced the street dance.

She throws herself shoulder-first at the barrier. She isn't the heaviest person in the world by any stretch, but she is strong, and her adept magic amplifies both her speed and strength beyond any human limit. Maybe it was enough to break through this barrier?

[Deathkeeper]

[Red Zone Alley]

There is just the slightest flinch from Lucy as Sam puts an arm round her. Beneath her rambling, it seems she's still a little skittish.

"A pawn shop? I-I'm not really sure what supplies I would need. Is there a list of necessities for survival in Inside? Is it that dangerous a place? What sort of danger are we talking about? Is it all people or do you get freak snowstorms, maybe? Acid rain? Volcanoes? Earthquakes? Tsunamis? Oh, I don't actually know if we're near water. Are we?"

[Red Zone Alley]

Sam shrugs. "Iunno. Freak storms prob'ly happen from time to time. As long as you stay out of these bad neighborhoods it's honestly fairly safe. But you're probably going to want some supplies like a toiletry kit, a knife or a gun to defend yourself with. And some spare clothes, unless you plan on going in nothing at all." Sam tells her pointedly, just reminding her that he isn't buying her excuse for that little foible. Sam is very trusting, but he's not dumb either. He's sure it's an innocuous secret, but he can tell there's a secret.

[Gullara]

[Claire's Home]

Iknika puts her hands on her hips and stares the boy down.

"One of your brothers, huh?"

[Claire's Home]

"Dang, what'd you tell her that makes me deserve that look?" Garrett pushes the door the rest of the way open, still smiling like he finds this all hilarious. "I'm Garrett, Claire's big bro. I'm not the villain she makes me out to be. Promise."

"I don't know, you seems like a nosey pest who can't mind his own business to me." Claire fires back.

[Gnrlshrimp]

[Red Zone Alley]

Lucy frowns and tilts her head. "No weapons. Definitely not. But I- hmm." One might expect someone who has been wandering for three days to look a little less clean, a little less tidy, and certainly smell considerably worse than Lucy does. Instead she just has the faint aroma of perfume about her. "Well, teeeechnically I could just wear this one dress indefinitely. It's enchanted, you see! Keeps it clean, keeps me clean, keeps me smelling fresh as a daisy! But I suppose other clothes wouldn't hurt. Lead on!"

[Deathkeeper]

[Inside Pawn Shop]

Sam leads Lucy to a storefront some blocks away, out of the Red Zone they were in. The store is small and smells of wood. The elderly shopkeep doesn't pay them any mind.

Inside the shop are many things, from gently-used clothes to discounted items, small blades and antiques to magical doodads and relics, some great (and expensive) and some just plain odd like a shiny red orb labeled orb of bloodline infiltration. Lucy will get time to look for what she wants.

[Gnrlshrimp]

[Inside Pawn Shop]

What were they meant to be here for? Supplies? Essentials? No no no, these clothes look far too normal and- ooh shiny! In a rather magpie-like fashion, Lucy's attention is swiftly drawn to whatever shiny doodads and trinkets there may be, before ultimately resting her eyes on the shiny red orb. "What do you think, Sam? It's very pretty, isn't it?"

[Deathkeeper]

[Inside Pawn Shop]

"Lucy, be careful of magic things." Sam warns. Perhaps Lucy would rather look at the magical cloaks, rings of protection or water walking, capes of flight, or any other such item that wouldn't possibly result in a magical doodad trying to make her into a blood relative of the ugly 700 pound monster next to her.
There's little birdcages with invisible pets that warn you of danger. Potions in glittering crystal vials. And little pins that offer minor benefits based on the animal depicted on them.

[Gnrlshrimp]

[Inside Pawn Shop]

"Hmm? O-oh. Oh yes, of course." Lucy peers blankly at Sam for a moment before snapping out of her shiny-trance and reading the label. "I'm, ah, sort of a bit of a collector. Paintings, sculptures, shiny magical artifacts, that sort of thing. Also, eheh, I'm also rather easily distracted, I guess. We came in here for a reason, didn't we?" Even as she speaks, Lucy is already letting herself be distracted by something else. An appropriately fancy magical cloak might work with her outfit - and that'd count as clothes, right? She promptly starts digging through them, looking for whatever one has the largest price tag on it.

[Morty]

[Claire's Home]

"That's just what brothers are for," Iknika says. "Big ones and little ones. I'm Iknika, a knight in training. I met Claire a while ago."

[Shadowcaller]

Run Down Street

Cassidy's reflexes let her see Teal Hair draw his gun. Magic flares through her muscles, and she takes a step to the left - far too fast for the naked eye to track. Well, she gave the guy a chance. Now they danced the street dance.

She throws herself shoulder-first at the barrier. She isn't the heaviest person in the world by any stretch, but she is strong, and her adept magic amplifies both her speed and strength beyond any human limit. Maybe it was enough to break through this barrier?

Run Down Street

The barrier is still solid, but it should be noted that it is more like a simple wall than an all-encompassing circle. It could be climbed, or even jumped over if one could jump like Wenomir. The goblin fires off another blast though, hoping to hit true this time.

[Gullara]

[Claire's Home]

"That's just what brothers are for," Iknika says. "Big ones and little ones. I'm Iknika, a knight in training. I met Claire a while ago."

[Claire's Home]

"Yeah, I figured. She's been drawing you." Garrett seems to find that pretty funny.

Claire rolls her eyes. "Are you just hear to make fun of me or is there something you want?"

"Your big brother's gotta look after you, doesn't he? Gotta make sure there's no funny business going on in here."

[Devixer]

Run Down Street

Cassidy takes a step back and quickly looks up at the top of the barrier. She couldn't make it over in one jump, but she could make it over. She dashes to the wall, evading the second laser blast, and jumps to the wall. She kicks off of the wall to grab the top of the barrier, and uses the momentum to swing over, drawing her pistol as she makes it over, intending to drop to the ground.

[Murkus]

[Lots of Hope Hospital]

Laela can't help it. She squeezes a couple more tears out of the corners of her eyes while the doctor-lady fixes her up. She sits, fidgeting softly, with her fists pressed into her thighs. She probably stays like that with her eyes shut for several moments after it's over.

[Streets of Ill Repute]

"Well that was dumb of you - giving a warlock your blood," Adir tuts. He knows nothing about magic, but he knows enough to decide that was a fool's move. "Tell you what: I'll beat this guy up for you, too. I'm not afraid of any warlock. You can point me right at him."

[Deathkeeper]

[Inside Pawn Shop]

The most expensive cloak on the rack is a cloak made of white feathers. For several minutes a day, the cloak can turn into a functional pair of wings capable of actual flight. It's also ludicrously expensive.

[Morty]

[Claire's Home]

"She's a very good artist, you know," Iknika points out. "And Claire's perfectly safe with me. Knight's word."

[Gnrlshrimp]

[Inside Pawn Shop]

Lucy looks at the price tag and frowns. She fiddles around in her satchel for a bit and pulls out a handful of rather large, very finely cut rubies. She holds the cloak in one hand (carefully - she doesn't want to go damaging it, now!) and the rubies in the other as if weighing the two up, then turns to Sam. "So, the thought occurs to me that I probably don't have whatever the local currency is. But I have lots of these! But, I kind of like these. So if it were you, which would you rather have?"