Inside 65: A Very Busy Intersection

[Morty]

[Message's Shrine]

Dorota diligently takes notes in her notebook.

"So you were born a mortal, or mostly so, then gained power. Civiron told me she'd just popped into existence. But you've also gained power from people worshipping you."

[Recaiden]

[Message's Shrine]

"I did!"
Message nods and curves one tail around on itself.
"You know what it feels like when someone you care for believes in you, trusts you. Like you can rise up past your limits and do anything for them. It's like that feeling, unfolded. All the possibility of that moment, everything they could have done.
And then I invest that power back into the world, performing miracles with it. Empowering and healing. It's also a sort of currency among the divine. You know, I think beings called gods most always are the ones with a relationship with their worshipers. If they don't care, they're just spirits, or something. Maybe just the need for a god, someone who believes in them, is enough to bring us around. Which is good because-" she grins "-as you've heard, we can die."

"If your peoples' gods were real, what would that mean to you?"

[Outside the Black Dragon's Den]

Anchor hops up on the ramp and rushes to the cockpit, turning and leveling the demon-slaying sword at the pilot as she arrive.
"Now, Tethrik may not have been entirely honest, but you guys seem worse. Ramp's closed, no help coming for you. I suggest you tell me what's going on. I mean, talk, or I cut you in half."
Her shadow comes to life, flickering along the wall beside her and creeping towards the controls. Though it's holding no shadow-sword, its fingers end in claws.

[bc56]

Outside the Black Dragon's Den
The pilot has definitely seen Anchor's shadow creeping along the wall. It hurls one of its 10 daggers at it. The daggers are silver and moderately enchanted to be more resilient, if that does anything to it. The pilot then draws a pistol from under the control panel with its free arm and fires it at Anchor. The short barreled gun releases a burst of blue-green light, but the aim is not perfect.

Mama Gho's strike hits home, causing the demon to clutch at his kneecap, which is visibly broken. However, the deal-maker is ready for the second swing and catches the cane. "I'll get you for that, old one" he snarls. He raises his free hand, and a spear materialises in it.

[Deathkeeper]

"I heard there is a free concert in the park." Aly suggests. "We could go to that. I really like music."

[Razadelli's]

Sam nods. "Sounds good. Probably better than just going to find a karaoke bar somewhere." he says with a chuckle, imagining the two of them trying to duet.

[Artemis97]

[Razadelli's]

"Karaoke?" She pronounces the word a bit strangely, but passably well. "What's that?"

[Deathkeeper]

[Razadelli's]

Sam looks surprised for a moment, but then he remembers that she's being kept as a hostage in some spooky elf place and probably doesn't get out much. Honestly he doesn't know how they let her out on this date. Maybe he ought to check his apartment for bugs after this.
"Uh, it's where you go on a stage, and they play a song with the vocal part removed, and you have to sing it. It's usually for amateurs but like, there's not restrictions or anything." he says, trying his best to explain.

[Artemis97]

[Razadelli's]

"Ooh singing!" Aly lights up. "I would love to do that some time."

[Deathkeeper]

[Razadelli's]

Sam seems happy she's excited...and maybe a little embarrassed at the prospect of her seeing him try to sing on stage.
"Well...there's a little club down the road. Classy place. I hear it's nice. You just need to buy a drink or two if you wanna sing..." he says. The place in question's only restriction is that the stage is for paying customers, so it would probably be fine if she can hold some liquor.

[Morty]

[Message's Shrine]

Dorota writes down some more. So empowerment by worship seems to be common. Did her people's gods need prayer? As far as she knows, humans never stopped praying to them. Although... as the empire crumbled, many provinces did return to other religion, rather than the pantheon. Maybe it was enough to starve them and leave only Perun? But the empire had to grow and spread the faith first...

"It's... I'm not sure. My gods are supposedly dead, except one. But the priests say that before they died, they set down a destiny for humanity. Every god had their followers and they directed them to different purposes. My family is part of the merchant class, chosen by Ozwiena. But I became an alchemist, which falls under Weles. So if my gods did exist, and had a plan, I broke it."

[Recaiden]

Ozwiena. Weles. Those names mean something. But those professions.
"Well, I can make this very easy."
Message stands and slinks around the altar.
"Your priests lied. They were trying to change the course of your people. Maybe they did it for your own good, but the plan never came from your gods. Sometimes it is an honest mistake. Here is a way people fail, over and over : They glimpse a divine plan, and it is too much for their imagination. They mistake instructions for the moment with the plan for eternity. But I think, not in your case."

"Do you still follow them? Your one remaining god?"

[Morty]

[Message's Shrine]

Dorota listens to Message with growing agitation, breaking through her normally calm composure.

"How do you know that? And how can you be so sure? I don't know if I still follow Perun, either. When surrounded by real deities, it's hard to feel strongly about one that's silent, even if he really exists."

[Recaiden]

[Message's Shrine]
Message shifts position, looking particularly expressionless.

"I know because I can see across reality, into the past. I can see the threads that hold the universe together, and bits of how they interact."
"I'm sure because I know human nature in a way you can't imagine - and would regret if you could."
"Now, it's true that I'm not omniscient. There is a tiny chance that your gods had a plan for you. But how could you tell apart a divine plan that the priests honestly reported and a plan that they simply made up?"

Outside the Black Dragon's Den

The pilot has definitely seen Anchor's shadow creeping along the wall. It hurls one of its 10 daggers at it. The daggers are silver and moderately enchanted to be more resilient, if that does anything to it. The pilot then draws a pistol from under the control panel with its free arm and fires it at Anchor. The short barreled gun releases a burst of blue-green light, but the aim is not perfect.

The dagger strikes the wall where the shadow's arm overlays it, but apparently causes no harm. Perhaps the shade is only vulnerable while it's interacting with the 3D world. Or perhaps the dagger's shadow wasn't lined up, in clear enough relief, to cut.

"Bad choice."
In the process of rushing towards the pilot, Anchor twists slightly away from the pistol-flash. It wouldn't have hit her anyway, but she didn't know that. She tightens her grip and swings the blade, right-to-left, at the pilot's center. He might have a lot of knives, but she isn't too worried.

[Earl of Purple]

Outside the Black Dragon's Den

Mama Gho smirks at the demon. "There are ways to kill me. Stabbing me with a spear, however? You'd need to be lucky. You don't even know what I am. Do you?" She challenges at the end. Letting go of her walking-stick, her hands... Rotate, is the best way to put it. They twist around, so the palms are facing outwards, and the 'backs' of her hands would brush against her hips, if she were to hang them loose at her side. Orange and black fur grows from the back of her hands, and her nails twist into claws. She'll aim a strike directly for the deal-maker's head, specifically his eyes. If she can blind him, his spear becomes a hindrance, and the little threat it poses is diminished further.

The moment she lets go of her walking stick, the black mahogany transforms into the black scales of a snake, which the deal-maker is gripping by the tail. It hisses and swings its head- formerly the crook of the walking-stick- round to bite the deal-maker. The snake's venom is not very effective, particularly against demons and other immortals; its prime purpose is to serve as a distraction for its owner.

[Morty]

[Message's Shrine]

"I... don't know," Dorota admits. "Besides, that plan was awful, whoever came up with it. Forcing people to stick with their family's occupation? If I had conformed, I would've ended up a miserable bartender, or someone like that. I never would have learned alchemy, never would have met my wife, or all the friends I made here. But if it wasn't the gods' plan, then why didn't they object, when they were still alive?"

[Devixer]

Run Down Street

"Alas, I am but a humble mercenary. I am only being paid to do my job here, I can't really take that sort of decision. But what about a shower?"
At that word two goons come around the corners of two buildings behind her and starts opening fire at Cassidy. Firing a barrage of lasers.
Now teal hair screams and make a run for it, just barely avoiding getting hit.

Cassidy dashes for cover, lasers barely missing her - expect for one, which grazes her arm. She isn't wearing any armor, so that's a bit of burning for her. "A shower? Your puns suck." She ignores Teal Hair. If he knew what was good for him, he'd lay low for a while. She had more important problems right now.

She didn't think to bring better equipment - her plan was only to get information. Funny how her plans for recon often went like this. Cassidy doesn't dare to peek from behind her wall until the lasers stop or at least slow down.

Alleyway Near Peaceview Park

It's quite a run-down alleyway, between two tall buildings- a concrete Brutalist hotel, and a red marble tower carved from one seamless block. There's a pile of black sacks full of rubbish mouldering in the corner, and there's some graffiti on the walls, though it mostly doesn't make much sense- 'The Silence is Always Watching', 'Dude, What Does Mine Say?', 'Are You My Mummy?' and 'I <3 Brockton Bay' are all quite prominent.

The two walls are about six feet apart, which might be a bit cramped for Keiko's staff-work, but great for Makuro. She walks to the concrete wall, presses a hand against it, and concentrates as she presses another one, higher up the wall, and then lifts one foot up and puts it on the wall, followed by her other foot- she has no shoes; she didn't arrive with any. She'll crawl up the wall, a little nervously at first as she's worried of falling, but the higher she gets the more confident she is that she won't, since she hasn't yet. When she's about twenty feet off the ground, she turns and looks down at Keiko, lifts a hand away and waves. She moves so her feet are as flat against the concrete as she can get them, and takes both hands off the wall and straightens as much as she can, so she's hunched over. She reaches 'up', plants her hands on the marble and lets go with her feet, swinging herself up before crawling back down the opposite wall to where she started, head-first. She'll let go will all four limbs when she's ten feet up, her enhanced physiology enabling her to flip so she lands on her feet. "That was quite fun."

Keiko watches as Makuro figures out her abilities. She was more than a little impressed. After all, she didn't seem familiar with her new form at all, but she was already performing such feats. She raises her hand in a simple wave back to her, then walks up as she lands. "You did quite well. Perhaps I am simply unused to seeing such skills from anyone, but your abilities are a fair bit beyond what I am capable of."

[Earl of Purple]

Alleyway

"I do not think they are usual. I couldn't do them before. At least, not the clinging to walls. Especially not that marble one; it is very smooth." Marble is quite slippery, although it's not well-polished stone, near the bottom it has been worn flat by people leaning against it and casually brushing it.

[bc56]

Outside the Black Dragon's Den
The pilot sees Anchor's attack coming and parries using three daggers. It throws three more at her in unison, but it's not concerned with hitting her, just freeing its hands. The now empty hands begin typing a series of inputs into the console behind the pilot.

Mama Gho's snake is an excellent distraction. Although the Deal-maker is immune to the venom, he curses and swats at the spent biting his shoulder with the blunt end of his spear. He's left wide open to the claw attack, which slashes out his left eye.

The sound of a gunshot erupts from nearby. Tethrik had picked up the fallen weapon and blasted the other bruiser with it, blowing a neat, six inch hole in the demon's head.

[Recaiden]

[Message's Shrine]

"I... don't know," Dorota admits. "Besides, that plan was awful, whoever came up with it. Forcing people to stick with their family's occupation? If I had conformed, I would've ended up a miserable bartender, or someone like that. I never would have learned alchemy, never would have met my wife, or all the friends I made here. But if it wasn't the gods' plan, then why didn't they object, when they were still alive?"

"Hey now, nothing wrong with being a bartender."
Message gently chides her.
"Why your gods didn't step in, I don't know enough about them to say. Perhaps they weren't allowed to interfere, or they give you a deliberately bad plan to rebel against in order to strengthen you, or they just didn't care. I mean, if they ever lived at all."

"There are, out there, powers as far above me as I am above a normal woman. Singular entities that stretch across many or all universes, the things that make souls and realities, not just worlds, the distant first causes. Nameless, infinite forces. And the things they answer to."

"But it sounds like you're realizing that you don't need anyone else's plan. What's next?"

[Outside the Black Dragon's Den]

A smile plays over Anchor's lips. The pilot is stronger than it looks.
One knife goes wild, one is deflected with the sword's crossguard, the third cuts the fabric of her cloak but nothing more.

She spits a spell at the pilot, one she knows by heart, not needing the book for. It's purpose is to briefly overload someone with pain, as much as their body is capable of feeling. The words p̢̢̻̩͐̄ͤ ͦ̓ͩ̀͏̠s̎͐ͤ͂͏̰͎͚̰͙̜͖ ̴̶̼̣̣͉̔͞l̝̝͖̹̗͍̎͛ͨ̕͝ are sharp just to hear and briefly visible as a contortion of spidery black in the air between them.

It's at this time that the shadow lunges across the floor of the cockpit, its claws rising up, all too-solid, to try to drag the pilot off his feet (he does have legs, in addition to all those arms, right?)

[Earl of Purple]

Outside the BDD

Mama Gho will try to grab the Deal-Maker's spear with one backwards, orange-and-black furred hand, whilst the other swipes back out at his throat.

The snake is bludgeoned, and transforms back into a polished mahogany walking-stick, as straight as it was before, with the snake's head remaining stationary and the rest of the serpent folding out behind it and straightening back into solid wood. It isn't harmed by the blow, but it isn't capable of attacking any more, either.

[bc56]

Outside the Black Dragon's Den
Mama Gho's claws slash open the Deal-maker's throat. He collapses onto his back, the crown falling off his head and clattering on the ground.

The pilot screams in pain and goes down, but not before completing his task. The lights in the ship go out, and metal reinforcements slam over the doors and windows. A voice begins to speak. If Anchor can understand the secret language of demons, she hears that it is a countdown, and it is at 28.

[Morty]

[Message's Shrine]

Dorota sighs.

"I don't know if I'm much closer to the truth. If the truth is even out there. I have to believe it is, otherwise the goal of alchemy is lost. But... even if the gods were cruel and unjust, at least they're there. But if they never were, or if they were so apathetic their priests twisted their words... there's no order to it all. Humans happened by random chance and keep hearing their own thoughts, bouncing around their own heads, and call them gods."

[Recaiden]

[Outside the Black Dragon's Den]

Anchor knows a smattering of the language of fiends. The little bit you pick up from fighting them. So she recognizes the numbers, and by the time it says '27' she recognizes it's a countdown. To...takeoff? Help arriving? Self-destruct? The windows sealing shut is not a good sign.
She hacks at the pilot while he's down, using up several of those numbers to try to get rid of him as a threat.

Only then, around '20' or so, does she look to the controls and see if there's a way to get this to stop. A simply-labelled 'Cancel' button, if she's very lucky.

[Message's Shrine]

"Oh, even if the gods your people tell about never existed, that doesn't mean no gods did. It doesn't mean you're without purpose. I have it on very good authority that humans were made, and for a reason."
And here she is, for example.

[bc56]

Outside the Black Dragon's Den
The pilot is well and truly dead. The controls for the ship are incredibly complicated and also designed for a creature with 10 arms.

If Anchor is familiar with starship design, she might be able to recognize the self-destruct counter and realize that cutting the emergency power lines under the console should prevent the ship from exploding. Otherwise, she might be better off blasting her way out using magic. The odds of her randomly guessing the security code to disable the sequence are astronomically low.

[Earl of Purple]

Outside the BDD

Mama Gho bends over the Deal-Maker and looks in his eyes, reaching up and removing her sunglasses. Underneath, her eyes are nothing like a human's, or any other mortal's for that matter. Her eyes look like polished lumps of tiger's eye quartz, with the gold flash inside. "You never had a chance. I can take the pain, if you give me a fraction of your power. Say, a quarter of it. There, that's a tempting offer, isn't it?" If he's already dead, the last three sentences are omitted as not being applicable. Hopefully, he's dying, but he's a demon, and his internal anatomy might not map in humanoid ways and a ripped-open throat might not be fatal.

[Recaiden]

'19'
Anchor pores over the baffling controls.
'18'
There must be something here that stops it.
'17'
Somewhere. She can't even reach all these at once, much less operate them right.
'16'

But she does know a thing or two about spaceships. This one is the smallest she's had to deal with, and has a fairly different shape. But basics like 'they need power' have thankfully not changed. And she doesn't know enough to wonder about fail-safe self-destruction designs and second guess herself.
She (and her shadow) look around while the count heads down to '10', and then she gets to hacking through various cabley, conduit-looking things.
Should separate the explodey bit from the timer with a few seconds to spare.

[bc56]

Outside the Black Dragon's Den
The demon is finding it very difficult to reply to Mama Gho's question. After all, it's not easy to speak when your windpipe has been torn out.

In the meantime, Tethrik appears to be savaging the fallen bruiser's corpse, and Anchor is still locked in the spaceship.

[Morty]

[Message's Shrine]

Dorota takes a deep breath.

"Which humans, though? There's so many of us on all the different worlds."

[Earl of Purple]

Outside the BDD

Mama Gho sighs. "Blink once for yes, twice for no. Quickly, now. You haven't got much time." She doesn't often make deals with the dying; the time limit puts a constraint on everything, and they rarely have anything exciting to offer.

Although, if the demon agrees, Mama Gho is looking forward to getting two things she can use- its power, and its pain. Craft the pain into a curse, and she has another weapon in her arsenal.

[Recaiden]

((look up, bc; you missed a post.))

[Message's Shrine]

Message laughs, and paces back around the far side of the altar.
"All of them, Dorota. Do you think humans arose on so many worlds by coincidence? They have a common design. That design has a source."
"Would you feel better if you were of another race? A younger one, that knows exactly where it came from? Why?"

[bc56]

Outside the BDD
Anchor manages to sever the power line just as the countdown reaches 4. The countdown stops, but the doors and windows remain barricaded.

The deal-maker blinks twice. In a last gesture of defiance, he clicks his fingers, causing Mama Gho to be enveloped in a column of hellfire. Most fiends are immune to the stuff, but you never know.

Tethrik tears the heart out of the bruiser's corpse and holds it to the light to inspect it, before bringing it down to his face and eating it in two bites.

perceptive creatures may notice that after eating the heart, Tethrik grows a little larger than he was before.