What's Left of the MagCave

[Deathkeeper]

Second Floor

Spako groans, staring up at the ceiling and pacing. "I know! It was a stupid plan! It would have to be really vague or dealing with one of the specific ones, and the only one we even know about that cursed the Commander off goes by Isaac and had some costume hero routine at some point. That's it! That's what I have to go off of! But I realized this when I'd already flown halfway here and I wasn't gonna just turn around and the Commander would say we don't rob graves but we'll never get anywhere just sitting around and hoping the realm saves itself. So yes. Maybe I can find the airship. I don't know. Whole thing ended up pothoc." the kobold grumbles.

[Nova_Eclipse]

Second Floor

The sound of boots treading carefully up the stairs might interrupt the two; a humanoid figure wearing some sort of armor is making its way up towards them, though in the dim light, it's hard to make out features just yet. They do seem to be looking around every which way, but they don't seem to have spotted either Magtok or Spako just yet, though that probably won't last much longer...

[Lord Magtok]

Second Floor

"...a costumed hero routine, you say?" Magtok, you're not thinking of what I think you're thinking of, are you? If you are, that would be beyond cruel, that would be all kinds of savage and brutal and terrible.

"You wouldn't happen to be talking about Intrepid, who dated a catgirl that looked very suspiciously like a female Reinholdt once, and would hate for anyone to have proof of that lying around, would you?" Oh no. Oh no, Magtok, don't. I mean sure, The Faction turned on you, but be reasonable! There's no need to go right for the nuclear option, you don't have to do that!

"Get the generator going. Do that, then go and stay gone, and tell everyone this place was empty and deserted and not worth revisiting. You get your Faction problem resolved, I get to sit on this couch, and everybod-" The laser pistol is whipped right back out again, but it's not pointed at Spako this time. Magtok fires it once in the general direction of the unseen new visitor, hoping they understand that was a warning shot and not a declaration of war. "Back! Stay back and identify yourself!" he shouts, ducking behind the couch again. Goddammit, he knew he should've scrounged up some batteries for that AntMag helmet. These jerks would both be dead if he had an army of insects on hand right now.

[Deathkeeper]

Second Floor

"Yes! I knew it started with an I. How do you- you know what I don't care. Now, I don't-" Spako is interrupted by blaster fire.
"Okay I know I was not followed nobody is going to follow a red pigeon. What is this luck of mine?" he says, diving to the side while grumbling profusely.

[Chaotic Bob]

[The Generator]

This would have been more difficult to reach if the individual standing before it hadn't already known where it was.
And had little concern for most of the intervening space between here and the Cave's entrance.

The more difficult part is actually in remembering how it worked.
Several moments of staring, contemplation, and robe smoothing pass. Then several more.

...That looks like it's probably a power button, so she pushes that one.

[Nova_Eclipse]

Second Floor

The figure pauses as the laser blast passes by its head. Spako gets a better view of the figure than Magtok, but both can see that it's an armored humanoid wearing a v-crested helmet. Its face is vaguely androgynous, though the red irises are certainly distinctive. A friendly smile flashes across the face, and a distinctively male voice a moment later in a slight British accent calls out.

"Well, well, jumpy, aren't we? I didn't follow you here, I just happened across this place, and thought I might take a look, as the door was open, unguarded, and in rather poor repair. Still, might we all be friends? I'm interested to see who might live in such a place."

He spreads his hands wide, the friendly smile returning.

[Lord Magtok]

Second Floor

You can always trust people like the kobold, because within two minutes of meeting him, you know exactly what he's here for, what he wants. No illusions of friendship, no assurances of innocence. The kobold might be our adversary at this moment, coming here to try to loot our home, but he's a known factor, an agent of VIGIL whose motives are simple to understand and manipulate to our benefit. His greed and loyalty to VIGIL are puppet strings, levers we can push and pull to get him where we want him. While there's always the possibility he might turn on us if it looks to be in his best interests, we can account for and adjust our plans and behavior accordingly, to prevent precisely such an incident.

This new stranger can not be trusted so easily, however. His story rings hollow, his lies self-evident. He just walked into an abandoned supervillain lair, with the intention of making friends with anyone he might meet inside? He hasn't heard such unfounded, wide-eyed optimism since back when those pastel horses invaded. No, there must be some kind of ulterior motive. Looting, possibly. Maybe he's working with the kobold, maybe he's hunting the kobold, maybe he saw the telewarp signal drop out of orbit and tracked our cyborg's footprints here. He very specifically denied that he followed us here, after all. If that's not a red flag, I don't know what is. Of course, there is one other possibility that might explain the odd Brit's peculiarities...

"You're new to the Nexus, aren't you, kid?" Magtok asks, with a faint undercurrent of disdain. All the hope and idealism had been driven out of his cold steel heart by this place years ago, but he can imagine how someone who'd just been thrust into the world, how some non-native overcome by dimensional crossroad's endless barrage of impossible sights and sounds might think differently. He's just about to lower his gun, but that's when things get even weirder. The lights go on, the TV starts screaming something about a sale down at Mallside, and there's a low hum as bits and pieces of the ruined MagCave groan to life, like an ancient, slumbering giant rising up from a century-long nap. Of course, there's still vast swathes of the MagCave that don't have power, because the power system is a very fickle and convoluted mess, but we'll deal with those issues when we come to them. There's something much more important to consider instead.

There is a third visitor deep within the MagCave. They know how to find the generator. They very likely got here before we did. Their name, face, and motive? Unknown. A chill runs down Magtok's spine, and his grip on that laser pistol tightens. Someone in this building is almost certain to die tonight.

[Deathkeeper]

Second Floor

"You know, I have a really hard time believing that. The place isn't exactly obvious." it is a secret base after all.
Though who might live here isn't even a very hard question. The in-depth knowledge of the place would tell even without the asymmetric eyes. And the fact that all Mag did was cover half his face when the whole thing is plastered on his own prolific franchises, as sorry a state as they were without him. Though he doesn't get why a rogue clone would be so sentimental as to stay in a dump like this.

[Nova_Eclipse]

Second Floor

The "man", for lack of a better term, puts on a slightly offended look at Spako, and opens his mouth to comment, when the lights suddenly come on. Instinctively, he crouches slightly, his eyes narrowing and darting back and forth, before risking a few quick glances away from Magtok. Apparently, he was expecting Magtok to shoot, and when the cyborg doesn't, the next logical explanation is someone ambushing either the Cave's owner or the kobold. He says nothing for a moment, until it's clear, at least to him, that no one is about to pop out and start attacking them.

"Apparently, fate disagrees with you, sir kobold, since someone else just turned the power on. Curious that I only sensed you two here, but I suppose teleportation is probably a logical explanation," he comments, straightening up slowly. Now that there's more light, they can see that his armor is black, trimmed with red and white, though they could probably make out the colored portions before. The armor itself is sleek, tight and seems almost cloth-like, though the dull finish on the black portions hints that it's something far stronger than mere cloth. The red and white parts are obviously metal of some sort, forming thicker bracers, high boots/greaves, and a helmet with twin crests that flow from the centered ruby on the brow-piece, over the eye-reliefs and back, forming a v-shaped fin of sorts that follows the contour of the helmet. The more cloth-like portions seem to form a heavy, sleeveless shirt, with the figure's physique being covered only by a skintight layer down to the bracers, while lower torso protection is provided by what can best be described as "metal briefs", again with the skin-tight layer underneath, seeming to cover from beneath the armored over-shirt down below the briefs, over the thighs and down into the greaves. Two triangularly shaped "holsters" adorn the figure's thighs, one on each leg, the unadorned white hilt of some sort of weapon just visible. The entire ensemble is covered in dust, as though he's been traveling on foot through the wilderness for a long time. Perhaps he really did just wander past and decide to take a look. He makes no move to draw either of his weapons, instead choosing to shrug.

"I am indeed new to the Nexus, but even I can tell you that if this place is supposed to be hidden, then whomever just activated the power most likely already knows the layout. Perhaps its missing owner, or one of his employees?"

[Lord Magtok]

Second Floor

"Perhaps," Magtok answers vaguely, not wanting to make it any easier for those present to figure out who he is. I mean, he's probably said too much as is to the kobold, but we can probably buy his silence later. The newbie absolutely can't be trusted, though. Kiddo's probably never even heard of a 'Magtok' before, and doesn't know what kind of mess he could get himself tangled in just for knowing the cyborg. Best we figure out how to kick them both out, and then work on finalizing our disguise before heading back into town. If there's a third intruder and/or guest, we'll sniff them out and probably give them the boot, too.

"I don't suppose either of you are in any hurry to rush down there and see who's mucking about in the very bowels of science hell? Yes, no? The elevators should be working, so it wouldn't be too hard to ride on down, hope the lasgeese haven't evolved, and say hello. Our mystery repairman or woman might even be sane and not shoot you on sight!" Wow, you sure are great at making this exploration mission sound harmless and easy, Magtok. Why are you so eager to kill the only company you've got, anyways? Don't you know that more people will be sent to investigate if the kobold turns up dead? I mean, I'm sure he probably told someone where he was going before he came here. It's only a matter of time before others find you here; you can't hope to bury everyone.

[Deathkeeper]

Second Floor

"Well, we had a deal. I get my info if I help you with your generator troubles. I'll stick to it, if you're willing to do the same." Spako tells the clone with a shrug. He's just glad the stranger didn't immediately kick him out once the generator problem was solved.

[Nova_Eclipse]

Second Floor

The newcomer shrugs once more.

"What do you want done with them once we find them? Capture, eliminate? I'm far better at the latter than the former, I should mention."

[Lord Magtok]

Second Floor

"Question them. I don't think it'd be very nice of us to murder someone just for turning the lights on," Totally Not Magtok answers, strongly implying that he has absolutely no intention of following them down six floors. But why should he? Perfectly good pair of foolish adventurers right here, entirely willing and capable of venturing into an abyss and getting eaten alive by the foul creatures within. No need to senselessly endanger himself just to impress a kobold and a...a whatever the new guy is.

"Elevator's right that way, you press B6, for basement level six," he points out, before digging a remote from under the couch cushions, changing the channel to the local sports team getting their rear handed to them by the other local sports team. Nope, looks like he's definitely not coming along on this journey.

[Deathkeeper]

Second Floor

You're not fooling anyone, magclone. There's no way a Magtok would enjoy watching sports.

Spako couldn't care less though. He cheerily walks over to the elevator and clicks the button, with or without the new guy.

[Nova_Eclipse]

Second Floor

Another shrug and nod, then the armored "man" follows Spako without comment. He'll wait until they're in the elevator to make conversation with the kobold. He's mostly here for his own amusement, after all, and perhaps the kobold will lighten up a bit once they're by themselves.

[Lord Magtok]

Sub-Basement Six

The elevator's going down quite some distance, so still a few moments to chat, if that's what Spako and the stranger wish to do. First to ground floor, then to the basement, then basement levels two through five, and then, at long last, their final destination, basement level six. Technically, it should be called sub-basement level five, since it's five floors below the basement, but I guess Magtok never realized his mistake, or else couldn't be bothered to fix it. It's not like the government was going to send a bunch of elevator inspectors to make sure everything was done according to Inside's safety regulations. Even when this place was inhabited, most people had the sense to stay as far away as possible.

[Chaotic Bob]

[Second Floor]

"Rhode and Leslie are going to be very disappointed."
Another voice in the recently-partially-vacated room.
Specifically from the shrouded little cloud of darkness settled onto the end of the couch near Magtok.
"They were under the impression you would investigate yourself."

[Lord Magtok]

Second Floor

"They didn't give me their names, but Rhode and Leslie can get torn apart by the mutant three-headed giant lasgeese for all I-" One second, Magtok. Don't finish that sentence just yet, I want you to think before you just spit out whatever your instincts tell you. Rhode. Leslie. You've heard those names before. Neither of them sound like kobold names, do they? No, of course not. Whoever they are, your visitors are not Rhode and Leslie. Now answer me, where have we heard those names before? What do they have in common? Who introduced you to Rhode and Lesl-

"Libby!" Yes! That's right, you got it! Rhode and Leslie were two pets we had, a giant sloth and a raptor, gifted to us by Libitina, ancient Roman goddess of funerals and burial! Or Libby, as you know her. I'm glad you figured that out before you said something stupid. Diving at her spot on the couch and wrapping her in a hug, though? Maybe not the best way to say hello. It's been a long time; I don't know if you guys are really on hugging terms right now. I mean, you are largely responsible for her being gone so long. If she was the type to hold grudges, I could see her holding a very strong grudge against you for the untimely demise of Death herself.

[Chaotic Bob]

[Second Floor]

On contact, the little cloud of darkness disperses and Magtok is holding a rather relaxed-looking cat girl in a stereotypical grim reaper's robe.
"Hello Maggy dear."
The spooky voice effect that briefly existed has also dispersed.

It doesn't really look like she's holding much of a grudge about whatever he's sure to be freaking out about, as she's wearing a light smile and somewhat awkwardly (due to the positioning on the couch) hugging him back.
"That is a warmer reception than I was expecting, if I am to be honest."
She has a few reasons of her own to be wary of Magtok holding grudges, some this one potentially may not be aware of.

[Sub-Basement Six]

Where the intrepid maybe-heroes are adventuring!

In the darkness, an enormous form shifts down the hall near the generator.
A much smaller form flits through a vent grate, hissing to itself.

It's going to be a party down here soon.

[Lord Magtok]

Second Floor

"Listen, I'm going to need you to-just hold on, right there. If you're real and I didn't inhale some hallucinogenic moss and go completely insane, just wait one second and I'll be right back. Please don't leave that couch for a moment or I will be completely inconsolable for weeks. Please," Magtok...begs? Demands? I'm not really sure which word to use here. Anyways, he's rushing out the door and back toward his quarters, tearing off the synth-skin, throwing the armored duster over the railing, and hurriedly getting back into his proper, signature outfit, the purple robes with the silly little red spikes jabbing out at the shoulders. I swear, I thought we got rid of those dorky little shoulder-pokers, but here they are again.

Anyways, after abandoning any pretense of disguise, he races back to the living room, running as fast as he-oh whoops, oww, we just tripped-almost as fast as he can back to the living room, ignoring his scratched-up knee because there are things infinitely more important than scratched up knees! He's panting by the time he gets back He's totally fine, shut up. He casually drops back onto the couch and it's like he never even left.

"Okay, so...wow. I don't know what to say. If I thought there was even the most remote possibility I'd see you again, maybe I would've had something prepared, but-" A remote-clutching hand shoots out, erasing some stupid sports commentator commenting on some stupid sports from the screen. We don't need that distraction right now, NexSportsNews can shut right up. Once that's dealt with, he tosses the remote over his shoulder, not very much caring where it winds up or if it breaks, before reaching out to hug the grim psychopomp as if he'd never get another chance again. "I missed you," he says, figuring that's probably a good place to start. We can work in an apology for getting her killed later if it's needed, but let's keep things simple for now. I don't think we have the presence of mind to put together a proper apology right now, anyways.

[Chaotic Bob]

[Second Floor]

Were she a crueler person than she actually is, Libitina would definitely not be in the spot Magtok left her in. Perhaps standing just out of sight beside the door, with the appearance of having left until his panic lead him to turn around.
Perhaps if she herself hadn't been looking forward to this moment and didn't want to risk breaking it, like so much precious fine china.

Although really, running away to go jump into your robe? That's probably going overboard.
It's not like she spent the bewildered few moments he was gone preening out some wrinkles in her own robe and tidying up a tuft of fur on one of her ears.

But then she's being hugged again, to the tune of a remote shattering somewhere behind them!
"Ah..."
Yes, this was a much warmer welcome than she expected. Not even a trace of suspicion or hostility. Perhaps if she had been watching him more, if she hadn't been gone so long, if she wasn't distracted by so many disturbingly soulless corpses if she hadn't been forced directly into a small backlog of work, if she hadn't been terrified, if she trusted in the way things had been, if she hadn't be horrified by...

She holds the stupid and silly cyborg with only mildly less vigor than he does.
"I missed you too. It has been a lot longer than I would have liked."
Followed by a pause that isn't entirely a matter of enjoying the moment. This bandage should be ripped off sooner than later, so she knows how to feel about all this.
"What is the last part you remember about us?"

[Lord Magtok]

Second Floor

"You dying." Well no, that's not entirely right, Magtok. Keep going, tell her the whole story. "And also some other clone agreed to involve himself in some questionable assassination business you probably wouldn't approve of, as part of a deal with an entirely untrustworthy woman, in some misguided effort to bring you back. We never heard from him ever again though, so I assume..." I mean, obviously he failed. Idiot thought he'd take down Freyja all by himself. The Norse pantheon isn't a bunch of lightweights; he should've been more prepared for those valkyries and frost giants and wolf monsters and horses with too many legs. At least the other MagClone to face off against a deity had the sense to prepare some weapons and strategies first.

He pulls away here, figuring now is apology time, and hugs don't really fit into that very well. It's hard to sound like he really means any of it, though. I mean, he cares about Libby's feelings, he does, it's just difficult to feel...anything, anything at all, besides giddy and excited and uncontrollably enthusiastic. She's back! Someone he cared about actually came back! "I should probably apologize for that. I mean, it wasn't me individually, but attacking another pantheon and working for someone who obviously had a dark, ulterior motive, yes, that was stupid. Unbelievably stupid, even by overemotional mortal who's just lost another loved one standards. If you had paperwork to fill out, some kind of incident report because a 'mortal human follower' got himself skewered trying to murder his way through some valkyries, then yes, that was definitely me and I'm sorry and I should've known better." It occurs to him, just for a moment, to wonder if this is really her. That moment doesn't last long, though. I mean, she knows Rhode and Leslie by name; how many of his enemies would ever bother to do that much research for a role like this? Feia's the only vaguely antagonistic force he can think of who would even know of Libby and be capable of such deception, but Magtok didn't even cross her once, so there's be nothing to gain from that kind of trickery, nothing to get such convoluted revenge for.

[Deathkeeper]

Elevator

Spako stands there awkwardly in the elevator.
"So. I'm Spako. What's your name?" he asks flatly.

[Chaotic Bob]

[Second Floor]

So he didn't slip out without her notice. They would know, otherwise, and things would probably be...different.
Corrupt.

But this is good news! Bittersweet in a way, but ultimately for the best.
"You have nothing to be sorry for, beyond being what I cherish most about you."
Being mortal. Feeling, acting, rushing to accomplish what can be accomplished before the end of the precious light of life. The consequences to another pantheon of deities, the consequences of a draconic witch's accumulation of additional power, these matter far less to her.
"It is humbling, to be privy to someone who feels deeply enough to throw away everything in the face of impossibility..."

She looks like she wants to stand up for a moment, but instead folds her legs in front of her and gives the cyborg a pleased smile.
"In that regard, I believe I have succeeded in decisively beating you. Once upon a time, you would not have even briefly entertained the notion of willingly holding my hand."
The mood from her is swinging back around to positive, away from that brief sort of wary sadness that very nearly broke through. This is not at all an attempt on her part to completely twist away from the question she herself brought up.
"You lose!"

[Nova_Eclipse]

Elevator

"I have been called many things, but mostly, Zenon the Devourer. You may call me 'Zenon', if you'd like." He bows slightly, with a toothy grin, before straightening up, eyeing the kobold. "Well met, Sir Spako. I suppose I should ask, before we reach our destination, what sort of means you have to defend yourself with, just in case the perpetrator is not inclined to answer questions."

[Deathkeeper]

Elevator

"Has anyone ever told you that your name sounds extremely evil? Spako asks, giving the man a sidelong glance. Anyway, I have a sword and magic. Though if I'm in serious trouble I can try shifting. But I don't think the space will be big enough for me to do that. Low ceilings." he says, shrugging his wings.

[Lord Magtok]

Second Floor

"Outdone by Death yet again. That's chess, checkers, poker, pool, monopoly, hide-and-seek, arm wrestling, limbo, and now romance added to the list of games you've bested mortals in. Congrats," Mag says with a smile and some lazy, half-assed applause. Just three weak claps, so she doesn't get too full of herself.

"Wait...am I going to be boring now? I mean, now that the chase has been concluded, now that I can't pretend I only begrudgingly tolerate your presence here. Plus, my home is a dump worse than any bachelor pad right now, the other clones are doing their own thing galaxies away from here, I'm not supposed to show my face publicly to keep people from thinking I'm making some kind of comeback-" Not that it's going to make any difference with disguises as lousy as that last one. Spako's already figured you out, cyborg. The only thing deciding whether he helps keep your presence a secret from the rest of VIGIL is how completely insignificant and harmless he feels a single clone will be.

"-and I think at least half the people who wanted me dead are probably gone now." A shame, that. We'll have to start making some new enemies right away. Maybe start with that kobold. I mean, we already find him kinda annoying. When he gets back up here we should tell him we killed that homeless guy and the deal's off because the MagCave is back under Magtok control or something. That should help us get started on our next lifelong vendetta, right?

[Nova_Eclipse]

Elevator

Zenon throws his head back and laughs in amusement, though there's a slightly bitter edge to it that he just can't hide. Really, his name sounds evil? But then, he hasn't eaten anyone here, at least, anyone that anyone knows about. That ruin full of sentient, suicidal kitchen appliances a day or so ago -SO- doesn't count, and Spako is unlikely to ever learn of them, anyways, since the place disappeared shortly after he cleared it out. After a moment, he regains his composure.

"Sorry, I haven't heard that one in a long time. A very long time." He chuckles again to himself, then shakes his head. "But, I'm glad to hear you've your own defenses in case we get separated. I'll do my best to shield you if we do run into anything unfriendly."

[Deathkeeper]

Elevator

"I'd be a pretty poor excuse for a dragon if I didn't have any way to stop a home invader." Spako grumbles. Wow Spako you almost went five minutes without mentioning that. Good job.

Presumably they arrive at the B6 floor presently.

[Chaotic Bob]

[Elevator]

Thump.
That didn't sound like an elevator-just-landed noise...those don't come from the ceiling.

[Second Floor]

Libby is definitely staring at Magtok with a quirked smile.
Babble babble boring babble babble clones babble babble dead babble.

Yeah she definitely hasn't spent far more time than he realizes just staring at him as he monologues/talks before. This wasn't really much of a monologue, as far as his go, but it's still just so...watchable.

Somewhere in a few seconds after he stops talking she reaches out to give his hand a little squeeze.
"Maggy dear, I've watched you breath, talk, plot, and die for far longer than you've been alive."
Which seems weird? Maybe she just means longer than this particular clone has been alive.
"If you hadn't bored me through the rest of your life, why would you bore me here?"

Only Death could say something that would be so profoundly creepy from anyone else's lips and then still think she's just being sweet.