MERC XVIII: Affordable Misdeeds and Friendly Canines

[Gullara]

[Dance Lesson]

"Ummm, okay." Laela says uncertainty. She keeps her back perfectly straight and her neck ridged, like any movement will ruin it. She might be able to find the point of balance, but it's not going to be comfortable to hold.

[Lord Magtok]

[MERC Business With Magtok]

"You said it, boss. Best to keep it as simple as possible considering that we're already in unpredictable territory here." Dena replies, seemingly without anything further to add.

[MERC Business With Magtok]

"As long as you don't mention us just yet, it sounds like a plan," Dipsnig agrees. "Something to keep people talking while we get our grubs in a row." I think that's what a goblin says instead of "ducks in a row".

"If anyone mentions MERC at all, I'll just act like it's five years ago and say something extremely gobbophobic and uncalled for. Nobody will suspect a thing," Magtok remarks with a wry grin, before reaching out his hand to shake Dispnig's own.

"I assume we're done here, then. I'll keep you informed if anything relevant happens, and I'll find my own way back down the mountain. Here's hoping we can make things work this time," the cyborg promises, reaching his hand out towards Dena next, provided Dipsnig didn't bite off his fingers or poison him during the first attempt at shaking hands.

[Shadowcaller]

[Dance Lesson]

Dena steps back to take a better look at Laela. "Don't be afraid of it falling off, Leala. Making mistakes is how we learn. Try position yourself more comfortably, something that feels for natural. The ideal position is something that both keeps the balance and doesn't make you feel your neck is going to break." She strokes her chin. "Actually, you want to try something that looks really impressive butin fact can make it easier?" She holds up what appears to be a blindfold. "Since if you close your eyes and just focus on balance, its much easier than looking at my ugly mug. Just try closing your eyes at first and see if it works for you."

"If anyone mentions MERC at all, I'll just act like it's five years ago and say something extremely gobbophobic and uncalled for. Nobody will suspect a thing," Magtok remarks with a wry grin, before reaching out his hand to shake Dispnig's own.

"I assume we're done here, then. I'll keep you informed if anything relevant happens, and I'll find my own way back down the mountain. Here's hoping we can make things work this time," the cyborg promises, reaching his hand out towards Dena next, provided Dipsnig didn't bite off his fingers or poison him during the first attempt at shaking hands.

[Magtok Meeting]

Assuming neither of those things happen, Dena takes Magtok's hand and shakes it. "Always a pleasure, Magtok." She says with a sweet smile. "Sure you don't need any help down there though? It's icy, I know I fell over and almost broke my write the other day." Not actually true, but she didn't want it to sound like she was talking down to him.

[Morty]

[MERC Business With Magtok]

Dipsnig shakes Magtok's hand simply enough. He's got the firm and honest handshake of someone who isn't honest but is very good at pretending otherwise.

[Gullara]

[Dance Lesson]

"Um, okay I can try!" Laela can't be slowed down! The little girl closes her eyes and try to steady herself with straining herself either. She seems pretty woggly with her eyes closed, though. "This is hard." There's an edge of complaining in her voice.

[Lord Magtok]

MERC Business With Magtok

[Magtok Meeting]

Assuming neither of those things happen, Dena takes Magtok's hand and shakes it. "Always a pleasure, Magtok." She says with a sweet smile. "Sure you don't need any help down there though? It's icy, I know I fell over and almost broke my wrist the other day." Not actually true, but she didn't want it to sound like she was talking down to him.

[MERC Business With Magtok]

Dipsnig shakes Magtok's hand simply enough. He's got the firm and honest handshake of someone who isn't honest but is very good at pretending otherwise.

Magtok's very familiar with that handshake. He's had a similar one his whole life, deceptive turncoat that he is. It really would be nice if neither of them wound up stabbing each other in the back, but let's not kid ourselves here, cyborg. Just because you're trying to be a better person doesn't mean the rest of the world has changed. There's still plenty of knives hiding in everyone's smiles, and you're not going to escape a dagger to the ribs just by telling everyone you're a born-again Raptor Jesuit who just wants to be left alone in his spooky cave. We have to be ready for betrayal with these people, forever and always. We have it coming.

"I'll be fine, I was just going t-actually, do you have a teleporter around here I could borrow? I was just going to jump and then glide down, but I haven't tested the anti-grav implant with a prolonged descent in this kind of weather before," Magtok admits, a number of awful ideas bubbling to the surface in that bipartite noggin of his. What if he tried skiing, took a dive, and then sued MERC for his broken leg? What if he snowboarded down and played music from Tony Hawk's Pro Skater as he did so, just for kicks and giggles? What's the worst that could happen if he rode a sled down the mountain, or just luged down like in the Olympics, like some kind of suicidal maniac?

[Murkus]

[Somewhere near MERC]

"Meat?" Maiel says to the door, as though talking to a hungry door were perfectly normal. "Where am I meant to get meat around here?"

[Gym]

"Hey hey, I meant MERC were the maroons, as far as I know Rein's got nothing to do with you guys. And VIGIL, well um... I might know somebody, now that I think it," Tina finally decides. She doesn't give that info up, however.

"Well maybe you should see me in action, Rein," Tina says saucily, putting her hands on her hips with an expression ranging somewhere between challenge, amusement and indignation. "Dena and I have gone on more than one adventure together. I bet we would kick ass." She shrugs and pouts her lips. "Training's cool too, but it just doesn't have the same zip as going on an adventure, you know?"

[Shadowcaller]

[Gym]

Dena smiles knowingly at Tina, with all the members VIGIL had then of course Tina would know at least one of them in one way or the other. "It's true." She admits when the musician mentions them going on adventures together. "Against my better judgement, Kirky and I have taken her on a few adventures. She does fine I guess." Dena grins at Tina before looking at Rein. "But she's still an amateur, not exactly at your level, Rein-cat." Dena's nicknames are legion!
"Curious that you should mention HALO though, I heard it came back but haven't really extended a proper inter-organizational greeting just yet." She turns to Tina. "You ever been there? Despite what Rein might claim, its not nearly as 'wet' down there as the rumors suggest."

[Somewhere near MERC]

"Meeeaaat!" The door insists, refusing to take any other answers.

I mean, he could feed it the imp or maybe some of the glow bugs that are moving around. Or perhaps just smash through.

[Dance Lesson]

"We can start out with a book instead then, that'd be much easier. You know, like that storybook you told me about." Dena remarks as she see Laela struggling.

Reaching into the box, she pulls out not a book but what looks like a plastic replica of a books shape and form. "You're already doing good but let's dial it back a bit. I'm sure your friends will be impressed if you can balance that book on your head."

If Laela does agree, Dena will swap out the sword on the girls head for a plastic book-model which won't be nearly as hard to balance.

[Gullara]

[Dance Lesson]

"Okay!" That does seem easier. Laela stands steady as Dena places the book thing on her head. "Mmm..." Laela wobbles a bit, but... "I got it!"

[Checkup]

"Right, let's get started then." Astrana replies as she gets up from her seat. "Basically, I will need you two to agree on the closest moment you two have shared, when your souls 'touched' so to speak. From what Kirk's soul remember of Tina's soul I will be able to tell how it has changed and from there I can try to determine how to change back to what she once was." She explains as she slowly moves towards the circle in the center of the room.

[Checkup]

Kirk looks down at Fettina, looking contemplative for a moment. It's not long before he has a suggestion, though. "Well I don't know about any soul business, but remember when we decided to not date." The drow chuckles. "Probably not the scenario most people would give, but I think that's the first time we really understood each other."

[Reinholdt]

[Gym]

Reinholdt's eyes follow Tina's movements to her hips, lingering there for a moment as Rein gives a dry swallow. "Few things do." Have that zip. Though Dena's dances are up there. "Adventures kinda just stumble on me. Or I stumble into them. Like that assassination attempt on Raril." Rein looks to and nods at Dena. She was there for that one. Though it turned into a diplomatic mission mostly.

"But if you find one, just call and I'll be happy to watch you work. Otherwise, we'll have to hang out in bars together until one comes along." A horrid fate no doubt, drinking with friends. But an efficient way of finding adventure. "Or... hmm. I wonder if that gem mountain I raided a while back is still open...?" Reinholdt muses in thought. There were more levels to it he didn't get to explore. Violist is suffering from the deadtime though, so it's not likely to be available for a while.

The subject moves shortly to HALO though. "Ah yes. I don't think I could handle it if it was actually wet. It's more like one of those fancy aquarium museum places that have those underwater tunnels you can walk through and you're surrounded by beautiful and exotic fish as rays of sparkling light filter in. It's really quite wondrous."

[Shadowcaller]

[Dance Lesson]

"Well, well, look at you go." She indicates her head in Sakura's direction. "You seeing this? She got real talent." Dena points at Sakura. "Why don't you try to slowly walk over to your mom with the book on, Laela? Show her what you got." She grins at the little girl.

[Gullara]

[Dance Lesson]

"I'm watching. You're doing great, sweetie." Sakura says encouragingly. She had brought a book to read while she waited, but she hasn't even cracked it open yet.

Laela turns quicker than she should have, and the book almost wobbles right off her head. She stands stock still while it steadies, her eyes wide with alarm. Then she slowly steps forward, taking careful steps until she's standing in front of her mom. "I did it!" Sakura grins and claps.

[Murkus]

[Gym]

Tina pokes up a finger. "See, Dena? Hanging out at bars waiting for something to happen. That's me, babe. Professional adventurer already," she says. She looks between them. "Now see, that sounds an adventure already. Can you really hook me up with a tour? How do you get down there?"

[Checkup]

"I think I've got one," says Tina, but she looks up at Kirk to hear his idea first. "Ouch. Uh. That's not the one I was gonna pick." She looks a bit uncomfortable. The chrome gal sorta wilts, unsure what to add.

[Somewhere Near MERC]

Maiel returns to the entrance to the place and hefts up the narrow, coffin-like stone box he carries with him. He returns to the door, hefting the man-sized chest as though it weighed nothing, and props it under his arm. "Open up, or I'm going through."

Provided the door continues to insist on a meal, he'll give it one of stone instead, using the chest like a battering ram.

[Gullara]

[Checkup]

Kirk frowns. It's possible he and Fettina have different recollections of that moment, he realizes. The drow moves in front of her and crouches down to eye level. "I might have misspoke." He admits. "For me that moment was... freeing. We shed the hurt feelings and the expectations we had for each other. It's not because we 'decided not to date', it's because we were free to care about each other on our own terms." He tries to cup her cheek in his hand. "Don't think I care any less for you because we're not a 'couple' in the traditional sense."

[Shadowcaller]

[Dance Lesson]

Dena claps her hands, grinning widely at Laela. "Good job! You're a natural, Laela." She crouches down next to the little girl and gently takes the book off her head. "Want to step it up a bit further? Since this part might be pretty difficult. I want your mom to take up her cellphone and you to stand on one leg, with the book on your head, long enough for her to get a good picture of you. Like this." Dena places the book on her head, her snakes looking somewhat agitated as she lifts one leg into the air behind her back. "Think you can do this?"

[Checkup]

"Do you want a moment alone?" Astrana asks, seeing that this might be a more intimate moment for the two.

[Gym]

Waiting things to fall into your lap. Sounded like someone had been spoiled by fate in that department.
"You're welcome to try that, Tina. Doesn't work out for everyone though." Dena glances back at Rein. "Expect when it does of course. The only thing I've gotten out of tavern-sittings are booty calls... besides that one time with Raril of course." And maybe a few times she had forgotten. Just accepting requests or going by rumors told by strangers didn't seem all that safe to her though.

"But speaking of HALO, I do need to visit it at some point. But not for the scenery, and certainly not in these clothes." She grins, imagining that neither Tina nor Rein would have much of a problem with that.

[Somewhere Near MERC]

Welp, the door still insists on a meal. Perhaps not realizing the situation. Getting that stone bashed through it convinces it otherwise however as it let's out a gurgle and starts withering away, leaving the path free for Maiel.
The only thing here, besides the opening leading further into the dungeon, is a couple of garbage cans that, as he passes by them, suddenly grow mouths as well and starts shouting. "Gaaaarbage!"

From below, he can hear what sounds like a vehicle approaching. More specifically, a train if Maiel is familiar with those.

[Reinholdt]

[Gym]

Dena doesn't realize the power of accepting anything and everything that just randomly comes along! Spoiled by fate has nothing to do with it. It's the willingness to take risk with body and mind for the smallest of gains!

Reinholdt laughs at Tina's claims. "I'm starting to think you just don't have the adventuring mindset Dena. You should do well though Tina." If she doesn't die.

"Well HALO is open for visits anytime, any reason, with any clothing." Probably a slight exaggeration. Surely not for any reason. "But I understand not being comfortable in those clothes. Perhaps we should get you out of them?" Rein suggests, glancing at Tina to see if she agrees or not.

"Regardless I can give you a tour. I have thoroughly tested all the best nap spots and a lot of the worst ones so others don't have to. Just go to that big lake and take a shuttle down. You know the one just to the left of that forest and north of that one village." Rein gives them quick directions on how to get there.

[Gullara]

[Dance Lesson]

Dena claps her hands, grinning widely at Laela. "Good job! You're a natural, Laela." She crouches down next to the little girl and gently takes the book off her head. "Want to step it up a bit further? Since this part might be pretty difficult. I want your mom to take up her cellphone and you to stand on one leg, with the book on your head, long enough for her to get a good picture of you. Like this." Dena places the book on her head, her snakes looking somewhat agitated as she lifts one leg into the air behind her back. "Think you can do this?"

[Dance Lesson]

"Okay, I can do it!" Laela says without a second of hesitation. She turns to her mom. "Come on, mommy!"

"Oh, sure." Sakura says with a smile. That's a cute idea. She pulls her phone out of her purse and stands up. "Okay, I'm ready when you are."

"Okay go!" Laela stands on one leg as Dena puts the book on her head. She wobbles precariously at first, but seems to level out. "Take a picture!"

Sakura lifts her phone, but... "Oh, one second..." She squeezes the on button on her phone way too hard, makes a couple of slow swipes, and taps the screen...

"Mommy hurry!" Laela wobbles again.

"I'm hurrying, honey." Sakura finally holds up the phone... and then she looks at it with dismay. "Sorry, I-"

Laela loses her balance then; the book topples off her head and she takes an awkward step backward. "Why didn't you take the picture?! I was doing it!" She screeches, her face reddening.

Sakura's face flushes. "I was trying. The phone just-"

"You're supposed to take a picture!" Laela stomps her foot.

[Shadowcaller]

[Dance Lesson]

Dena steps in between them. "She's right, that will be three cookie penalty I'm afraid, mom-Sakura." She interjects before Laela can drag this out further. "Once you get home that is." She then turns to Laela. "Should she get another chance? Can you do it again?" She leans forward to pick up the fallen book.

[Murkus]

[Somewhere near MERC]

Maiel knocks them over as well, purely on an impulsive whim. He hefts his coffin of stone back up onto his shoulder and continues on down... listening. He has a particular sensitivity to sound, so that noise is somewhat irritating at this range. Close up, it would probably deter his ability to make out his surroundings somewhat. Maiel is only tangentially familiar with the trappings of a modern world, and he doesn't much care for them.

Too loud.

Nevertheless, he will descend to investigate the approaching vehicle.

[Checkup]

"But I..." Fettina's cheek is taken, and she suddenly breaks out in a sob. Normally she might be able to control herself, but the girl's had a stressful time. "But I ruined it, Kirk," she weeps, mush mouthed. "I ruined it. Oooh, Kirk, I'm so stupid..."

She falls against him, shuddering, and will have to gradually make herself stop crying over the next minute. "You're a cliche, you know that?" She squeeze the back of his head. "Pretending you aren't a good man."

"I'm okay," she tells Astrana with a sniff. "I'm sorry, I'm okay. We'll go... we'll go with Kirk's thing. Yeah."

[Gym]

"Why not those clothes?" Fettina makes a 'p'shaw' gesture with her hand and smirks. "Not that she doesn't look as good out of them as in."

"I think I know where you're talking about," Fettina says to Reinholdt, nodding sensibly. "Though maybe for now we'd better find our way to a private room, instead?" She looks at the gorgon, and tentatively offers, "Maybe Dena's?"

[Shadowcaller]

[Gym]

"Tsk, it's a mindset I've developed after half a life adventuring, Kitty-cat." The gorgon gets up and starts swaying back in the direction of the dressing room. "And I'm afraid my room ain't for Tina's." She stops and points at the neon woman. "Keep away." Dena might come off as serious if not for the way she was arching her eyebrows. "This room is as private as it gets, feel free to use it as such while I get changed, won't you?" She will then disappear inside the changing room, gently closing the door.

[Somewhere near MERC]

The "garbage can" is thrown to the side with a whimper. It won't do much to hinder him as he descends further into the "cave".

As he might have suspected, the vehicle is a train, though not one of those locomotives. This is a train which one might find in a metro in the 21th century. In fact, the rest of the "dungeon" looks very similar to one expect a subway system to look like. There is even ads plastered on the walls selling "soul donuts", "entrance pyrotechnics" and "sacrificial altars with virgin lures". There is a metal door reading "PRIVATE" at the end of the completely empty platform. The train is still at the moment, its doors open as if waiting for him to step on board.

[Gullara]

[Dance Lesson]

"But I already did it." Laela turns on Dena. She hasn't melted down into a full on tantrum, but she's on her way. "Mommy did it wrong, not me. Not me!" She whines. Sakura, meanwhile, looks deflated. She's certainly not ready to defuse the situation just yet.

[Checkup]

"You didn't ruin anything." Kirk reassures her. Maybe a few years ago he'd still harbour some bitterness, but that's far in the past now. He holds her against him until she's ready to continue. He stands and nods to Astrana, keeping his hand on Fettina's shoulder.

[Shadowcaller]

[Dance Lesson]

"Yeah, that's why she's paying the cookie penalty." Dena remarks calmly. "But since mom did it wrong, I guess we'll move on to the next lesson." Dena takes a short walk to the prop basket and comes back with yet another book. "This one is going to be even more difficult, so pay attention now Laela." She is leaving to space to argue now as she stretches out her arm and places the book on it. "Remember what I said about arm movements? They're key to keeping balance." She slowly moves her arm back and fourth without the book as much as trembling. "I want you to start off by simply keeping the book balanced on your still arm and then slowly start to move it. Think you can do that?"

[Checkup]

Astrana nods back. "Alright, I'll start preparing then. You can just stay here while I gather my supplies, alright? You will get some time alone." She then gets up and will get to her storage to get some supplies of cadavers.

[Reinholdt]

[Gym]

Reinholdt shakes his head. Shame on Dena for being an adventurer with a cowed spirit. She's lost sight of the thrill!

Rein turns to look at Tina, leaning in. "Oh my. Tina! What did you do to get banned from Dena's room, hmm?" He asks very innocently, in between going to kiss along her shoulder and up her neck, taking extra long and sensuous nibbles near her collarbone. "Did you borrow her clothes without permission?" He asks, taking a wild stab at the probably imaginary Tina ban.

[Gullara]

[Dance Lesson]

Laela purses her lips and blows air out her nose, but moving on seems to grab her. "Okay." She holds out her hands to take the book. When Dena hands it over she will hold it out in one hand with no problem. Then she moves it one way fine, but on the way back it wobbles. She stops too quick and it topples out of her hand. She grunts in frustration, but at least she's not on the edge of exploding. It's not helping her either way, though.

Sakura sighs and takes her seat again. She can tell Laerla is upset and she should do something about it, but it's too hard not to fret over how this all started...

[Murkus]

[Gym]

Tina almost doesn't seem to believe Dena is serious about using this room, but it ceases to be a worry when Rein starts in on her neck. She bursts into a fit of giggles. "Hey, that's not a bad idea -- ohh," she melts against the cat. "You're pretty good at this..."

Heck, unless Dena interrupts, Fettina is perfectly alright using this room for most nefarious, curtainy purposes. No doubt that falls over them not too long after.

[Checkup]

When Astrana is gone, Fettina flops her head to one side with a sigh, her cheek landing on top of Kirk's knuckles. "...I'm sad," she says. "You need to get me ice cream after this."

[Somewhere near MERC]

Well, feels like he'd better check that PRIVATE door before he tries boarding this train, if he ends up boarding it at all. This all seems very suspect. Maiel will go to open the door.

[Shadowcaller]

[Gym]

Dena eventually finishes up and opens the door, now dressed in much more professional business attire. "You guys done? Since I am." She smiles at them, likely having heard much of what was going on in the gym. But as long as they didn't make any scratch marks in the floor, she won't mind.

[Dance Lesson]

"Try again, once you got it we'll get to the hula-hoop." Dena remarks as she takes up her own phone and activates the camera. "I'll even record it so you can show Cora, 'kay?"

[Somewhere near MERC]

The door is of course locked, and if he forces it open, a loud alarm suddenly rings out. "INTRUDER ALERT! SECURITY TO MY OFFICE!"

Maiel won't even have time to consider this as all of sudden two huge demonic creatures materializes behind him.

There is only one problem. They are in fact only statues made of jade staring back at him.

[Gullara]

[Dance Lesson]

Laela blows air out of her nose. "Okay." She repeats, more amiable this time. She's gotta show Cora that she's good at this!. The girl picks up the book and tries again, this time with much more success. She'll even crack a smile again before long.

[Checkup]

Kirk chuckles, though there's something of an exhausted edge to it. "Ice cream, eh? Sure, whatever you want." He agrees immediately. "We can swing by your place if you want to grab anything, then we'll go to the mall."

[Murkus]

[Somewhere near MERC]

Maiel does force the thing, and he turns to face his assailants. Statues, though? As in unmoving, or...?

He isn't sure what to think. He'll ready himself to deflect some sort of attack, but otherwise remains still for now.

[Checkup]

"M'okay," Fettina says. "I'll treat us. And then... I don't know what I'm going to do. I guess if we can't get this fixed, I'll just... go home." She doesn't sound too enthusiastic about that.

[Gullara]

[Checkup]

"You don't have to be alone if you don't want to be." Kirk runs his hand over her shoulders. "Let's say we grab some ice cream after this either way. We'll go to your place and watch a movie or something. I'm all yours." He suggests with a little smile down at her.

[Shadowcaller]

[Checkup]

Astrana discretely peeks out the door. Looks like they weren't busy with anything so she opens it wide. "I'm ready, are you?" The tiefling asks as she steps out. She is dressed in dance outfit now. Looks like she had time to change too. "We are going to be calling upon a representation on Miss Fettina's soul so you both would have to be involved."

[Somewhere near MERC]

The statues are completely unmoving in fact one of them just fell over, shortly followed by the other. They seem to be pretty solid and stationary alright.

Around the same time, the train closes its doors and will take off unless Maiel decides to try to stop it or get on-board it somehow.

The alarm is still calling out though, but now Maiel might figure out that its in fact a recorded message rather than a speaker as it keeps repeating the same line about calling the guards to the office.

[Dance Lesson]

Hula-hoops are then pulled out!

And by request, the rest of the lesson shall be time-skipped.

Once they're done, Dena is kneeling down in front of Laela, holding her wrist as she have wanted to show her something. "So if you just squeeze the wrist on the spot they're wearing it on like this, the person will feel what's called a 'phantom mark'. Then you could just take off their wrist band, or whatever they're wearing, without them even feeling that its gone." She removes the bracelet she's given Laela, her unable to feel it being removed. "And it works on other body parts too, just have to use some imagination."