MERC XVIII: Affordable Misdeeds and Friendly Canines

[Gullara]

[Checkup]

Astrana lights incense, sticks she has placed around the circle, and specifically directions some of it right into Tina's face flapping her hand. "Breath it in, I need to increase your attunment a bit if you should be able to see it, and so it can read your mind." Tina might feel a bit woozy from breathing that in.

The warlock then sits down with her legs crossed and starts a chant that sounds more like a song, but it doesn't sound like she us using actual words.
Eventually, the tree she has planet starts growing until it has turned into a mighty oak tree that is taking up all space within the circle and at the very crown branches of it a large owl which has appeared out of nowhere lands. It then turns its head to stare down at them. Astrana gets up and makes a bow, though it isn't clear if she's bowing before the tree or the owl, perhaps both. "I welcome you and your wisdom. Do you accept our offering?"

There does not seem to be a response, at least not one they can hear. Yet Astrana continues. "These two, they offer you their names and stories." The tiefling turns to Kirk and Tina expectingly.

[Dance Lesson]

Well, one couldn't become a master thief at the first try...
She would probably get it eventually.
Dena gently touches the bracelet as Laela presents it to her. "That's some fine craftsmanship, wish I had a brother who could make such things. Since you like your brothers don't you, Laela?"

[Checkup]

Kirk eyes the owl warily. he's tensed, ready to spring if anything should go ary. It's best not to be too casual around such beings. "Kirk Locke." He says simply, inclining his head so little that it's barely a nod.

[Dance Lesson]

"Uh huh! Gwydion really likes doing arts and crafts." Laela explains. She slips the bracelet onto her own wrist, where it hangs loosely.

[Murkus]

[Checkup]

Normally Tina might be a bit intimidated, but that stuff Astrana gave her is making her feel pretty odd. All that's left is the part of her that really loves this nonsense. Magic was the best.

Looking dumbly at the owl, too imperceptive to follow suit with Kirk's bow of the head, she says, "I'm Fettina."

[Somewhere near MERC]

"Just an adventurer. Your establishment seems abandoned," says cautious Maiel. He eyes the strange being. "What is the point of this establishment?"

[Halae]

[Rilla's Lab]

"He's a good kid. Seems like he just needed to be shown what to do and given a chance to do it," She smiles slyly at Dipsnig, "And you have absolutely no idea what it does, do you?"

[Morty]

[Rilla's Lab]

Dipsnig peers at the device. Who'd have thought Rilla would have such an inspiring effect on his nephew? He expected to have to convince her to take him on as an assistant. Well, he's not going to complain.

"It looks like one of your antigravity plates. Can't say what he might have done with it, though."

"I reversed it!" Kaggin blurts out, overflowing with pride and nervousness alike. "Now it pulls things in rather than push them away!"

[Shadowcaller]

[Checkup]

The owl stares at them in silence, from each of their perspectives it seems like its staring right at them and no one else.

"Tina, she is the one that has been afflicted." Astrana continues, now sounding more cautious as the owl have chosen to remain silent. "I need to understand the affliction and in exchange they offer you to look upon a shared cherished memory."

The owl spreads its wings, but does not reply and neither does the tree. Can either of them actually speak?
"...the feather." Astrana glances at Kirk. "They want the feather from your hat, mister Locke."

[Somewhere near MERC]

"To transport people quickly and comfortably of course! And this is just a slight downturn in the economy, soon people will be lining up to enjoy the best of comforts in our newly designed railroad. What else can-" He doesn't finish that sentence as he starts crying. "I can't stand it anymore! I want to get out! I'll do anything, just help meeee!" He attempts to lean against Maiel's chest as tears keep running down his face.

[Dance Lesson]

"Crafts, huh? I'm into that myself actually. While I can't make bracelets like your brother, I can do some other things. He can feel free to visit next time you're here if he wants to have a look. Maybe I can see some more of his works too." Dena suggests as she studies the bracelet.

[Halae]

[Rilla's Lab]

"He did make some mistakes, but nothing that isn't fixable. I'm actually planning on trying to incorporate his design into some of the floor panels around the base as an added layer of defense," Rilla says, smiling, "It seems to me that opportunities are what resonates with him, if my read on the situation is correct. He does have a long way to go before he learns all the ins and outs of magitech, but I think he could make a respectable engineer given the chance, and I've needed a proper lab assistant for a while."

[Morty]

[Rilla's Lab]

"Seems like everything worked out just fine, then," Dipsnig says, before turning to Kaggin, who is beaming with pride right now. "I had some people prepare a room and take your bags. Go see it, then we'll get back to making you your aunt's proper lab assistant."

When the younger goblin hurries off, he turns back to Rilla.

"Can't say I've ever pegged him for an engineer in the making, but maybe he just needed proper motivation. He always did have his mother's brains, thankfully enough. I admit I was worried I'd need to twist your arm to take him on, but here we are. I don't think he has it in him to serve as Astrana's assistant."

[Halae]

[Rilla's Lab]

"Something I've found is that anybody younger than an adult just needs a personal reason to pursue a project, and someone to guide them through the steps to achieve it," She waves a hand towards Kaggin's gravity device, "Anybody can be an engineer. All it takes is understanding what all the pieces do."

She moves over to give Dipsnig a hug, before pulling away a bit, "You know, you'd be pretty good at it too if you gave it a try."

[Gullara]

[Checkup]

Kirk gives Astrana an incredulous look, and then the same to the spirits. "Fine. They're welcome to it." He takes off his hand and plucks the long plume from it. He holds it out to the spirits. "It's all yours." Not that he didn't find that extremely annoying. Are these spirits simply petty or mad? It's hard to say.

[Morty]

[Rilla's Lab]

Dipsnig wraps his arms around Rilla in turn and smiles.

"Do you think so? I'm already a spy turned businessman. Adding engineering into it seems like a tall order. Even if my people do have a knack for it, same as yours"

[Murkus]

[Checkup]

Kirk will no doubt catch Fettina stifling a giggle. She otherwise remains silent and waits for stuff to happen.

[Somewhere near MERC]

"Get off of me, fool!" Maiel shoves him back, though not too abrasively. "What do you mean try to get out? Can't you just leave?"

[Halae]

[Rilla's Lab]

The asura lets out a sigh, "Which is why I'm not pushing. While I think you'd be good at it, you have a business to run, and it takes a lot of time and effort to learn how to be a proper engineer. Still, it's at least worth learning a bit of the skillset. understanding how to identify things fitting together is an invaluable ability regardless of your role in life."

[Morty]

[Rilla's Lab]

Dipsnig leans down to nibble on Rilla's ear as he considers this.

"Well, you have stepped out of your own comfort zone and started going into the field. Maybe it's time for me to learn something new, too. They say it's never too late."

[Shadowcaller]

[Somewhere near MERC]

The man in the suit stumbles backwards into the wall as he's shoved, "Ouff!"
Yet the next moment he's leaning against it as if pretending that he meant to do that all along. "Oh my poor income! I had planned to abandon this dump a long time ago, but a horrific creature forced its way into my office one day, looking for loot. When I couldn't give it any, it made me sign a deal with it. It was awful! Now I'm to maintain this losing endeavor just so some mercenaries can get free rides to the cities." He takes up a napkin from his suit and wipes his crocodile tears away. "No more awful fate has befallen anyone in this world." He sniffles into his napkin. "But perhaps you can save me from this fate? I could make a new deal with you, my good man. Perhaps this place could be re-purposed into something better."

[Checkup]

The spirit does not take the feather, instead as he reaches into the circle its plucked from his hand by a sudden indoor breeze which takes it in the direction of the owl on the branch. As it glides through the air a semi-transparent bird manifests out of it and with a flap of its ghostly wings it takes a seat next to the owl.

With two birds now staring down at them, the owl nods its head and Astrana returns the gesture. "It's time, think of the memory."

If they do, their surroundings suddenly blurs and change as they find themselves back in the same spot they were back when they decided not to date, the feelings as strong as they were then even if the memory itself is as faded as their surroundings. Instead of the position they remember, they are standing staring one another deeply into the others eyes.
The owl and the tree is still there however, its big eyes now glowing white as they can feel as if their feelings are coinciding and for a moment their minds are interconnected, being able to feel what the other feel, hear what the other think. A image of two trees whose roots touch and wrap themselves around another flash before their eyes as they find themselves existing in both their own and the others body at the same time somehow. Both staring at the other and staring at themselves from the others perspective.

But its not a mirror image of themselves they see when they are looking through the others eyes, its the person the other see them as. All feelings and thoughts that comes into the others mind as they see one another flaring up in their mind.

Then the moment is over as sudden as it began and they both find themselves back in Astrana's office, sitting near the circle with the tiefling kneeling before them. "Are you feeling alright? You should have had a flash of the memory, followed by looking into one another's souls."

[Gullara]

[Dance Lesson]

"Crafts, huh? I'm into that myself actually. While I can't make bracelets like your brother, I can do some other things. He can feel free to visit next time you're here if he wants to have a look. Maybe I can see some more of his works too." Dena suggests as she studies the bracelet.

[Dance Lesson]

"Okay! I'll tell him!" Laela takes back the bracelet and runs back over to her mom.

Sakura comes back over to with Laela a moment later. "Thank you for another lesson. I can tell Laela's getting better after every one." Sakura reaches out to grasp Dena's hands, though as soon as their skin makes contact, she pulls back. "You're not, um, sick are you Dena?" She asks with a worried look.

[Shadowcaller]

[Dance Lesson]

Dena quirks an eyebrow. "Not to my knowledge, no. I wouldn't be teaching if I was. Why? Is there an issue?" She appears quite puzzled at Sakura's reaction.

[Zefir]

[Merc Office]

The doors to Merc open and back comes a tall man in black ragged clothes. his face covered by a scarf and his yellow eyes shine related to his dark clothing. It Fade who obviously was away for some time now. Did anyone check his room? Guess not, since he isn't really the social type. He also seems a bit wounded, nothing like the times he couldn't walk alone, but somthing happened wherever he was.

He goes right for one of the clerks desk.
"I need to speak to the boss or any of the higher ups. I need a service from MERC." he just says and waits for ay to come.

[Morty]

[MERC Office]

Fade will be eventually admitted to see Dipsnig, though he'll have to wait a bit.

"What is it, Fade?" Dipsnig asks, shuffling some papers, as the shadow-man enters.

[Zefir]

[MERC Office]

"I need MERC to find someone for me." straight to the point.
"The person is my creator or the creator of my kind."

[Halae]

[Rilla's Lab]

Dipsnig leans down to nibble on Rilla's ear as he considers this.

"Well, you have stepped out of your own comfort zone and started going into the field. Maybe it's time for me to learn something new, too. They say it's never too late."

[Rilla's Lab]

The asura smiles, "I can at least show you the basics. I'm apparently going to be teaching someone anyways, after all," she looks about a moment, "Oh! and I made a new Boilmaster!"

[Morty]

[MERC Office]

Dipsnig quirks an eyebrow and his ears perk up.

"I wasn't expecting that. We don't often take jobs from our own people, but it happens. Can you tell me more about this person?"

[Rilla's Lab]

"I've never had a talent for teaching myself. Besides, teaching spycraft is something else. One of our instructors back in the academy was a one-eyed disciplinarian who looked like he ate nails for breakfast. I wonder how much of it was a show." Then Rilla mentions the kettle. "This one isn't going to hop around the kitchen on a steam of fire and shoot rivets every which way, is it?"

[Halae]

[Rilla's Lab]

Rilla waves off the concern over the kettle, "That got worked out in the third iteration! It's been fire-spout free for four iterations!" Of course, given the disasters of the last four, that's hardly encouraging. Particularly the one that vanished into a rift.

[Morty]

[Rilla's Lab]

"So how is it doing on the randomly spouting voices in unknown languages front?" Dipsnig asks with both concern and good humour. He's used to his wife's experiments ending this way now and takes it in stride... but that doesn't mean he's not worried about such incidents in the kitchen of all places. "You never did tell me if it was haunted or something else."

[Halae]

[Rilla's Lab]

She sighs theatrically, knowing he's mostly just razzing her, "Yes, well, using that dwarven convectrix was clearly not the right call. I promise, this one is simple. I made sure of it."

[Morty]

[Rilla's Lab]

"Well, that's what progress is all about, isn't it?" Dipsnig asks, pulling Rilla closer and nibbling on her ear again. "Let's go and make some tea so we can see how it works this time."

[Zefir]

[MERC Office]

Dipsnig quirks an eyebrow and his ears perk up.

"I wasn't expecting that. We don't often take jobs from our own people, but it happens. Can you tell me more about this person?"

[Rilla's Lab]

"I've never had a talent for teaching myself. Besides, teaching spycraft is something else. One of our instructors back in the academy was a one-eyed disciplinarian who looked like he ate nails for breakfast. I wonder how much of it was a show." Then Rilla mentions the kettle. "This one isn't going to hop around the kitchen on a steam of fire and shoot rivets every which way, is it?"

[MERC Office]

"That is where the problems start." Fade replies.

"Never did anyone met him so I don't know how he looks. After I 'escaped' my homeworld I visited places he has been by accident. It didn't give me enougth to finde him, but I learned something. He created me and my kind for a reason. He wanted the shadow controll without any side effects. What I saw as a cure for my kind was in fact an evolution. So he is a man playing around with lifes. I also found out he should be in the nexus. I don't know if he has been here for a long time or just a few days."

Fade pauses for a moment befor he adds.

"You might wonder why I can't do it on myself. Well, I don't know but I think he got something to keep me off. Either by just knowing when i'm close or otherwise."

[Gullara]

((I'll post for the checkup scene next time. Going for the low hanging fruit right now.))

[Dance Lesson]

Dena quirks an eyebrow. "Not to my knowledge, no. I wouldn't be teaching if I was. Why? Is there an issue?" She appears quite puzzled at Sakura's reaction.

[Dance Lesson]

"Um, well I'm not quite sure..." Sakura furrows her eyebrows. "Would you mind if I took your hand?" Sakura holds out her hands for Dena to place hers into.

[Morty]

[MERC Office]

"So you don't know who he is or what he looks like," Dipsnig says. "Do you know where he's been recently, at least?"

[WarKitty]

Merc Office

Somewhere off to the side, a tarantula carrying a small clipboard climbs up onto one of the MERC counters and waits patiently for assistance. The spider feels a bit rude climbing on the counter, but people tend not to notice small things on the floor. At least here no one seems to be shrieking and running.

[Nova_Eclipse]

Merc Office

Electra hangs up the phone, and surveys the desk for a moment, before noting the large spider...with a clipboard? Something strikes her funny for a moment, and she barely suppresses a giggle, but keeps the amused smile as she addresses the small arachnid.

"How may I help you?"