Silly Plots 3: With government backing we can make it very silly

[Gullara]

[An Epic Quest]

Usman's eyes flicker down to the coin and his hand covers it immediately. "You." He says. He wasn't going to look at Willa, but he notices her coming over out of the corner of his eye. "Your regular coming right u-" He sweeps the coin quickly off the counter, but fumbles it onto the floor behind the counter when he hears what Willa says. He gives her a bug eyed look for a moment. "Uh, pardon pardon." He stoops over for the coin, his priorities in order.

[Gnrlshrimp]

A New World

Beauty doesn't move away from the slap, nor does she flinch. For a brief moment she looks saddened, but not at his accusation, and she reaches out to take the hand that slapped her and hold it gently between her own. "Connor, you do not understand what I am, do you?" She asks gently, producing a soothing warmth between her hands to mend the pain slapping her produced. "I did not deny your weapons because you are not a combatant. I denied your blessings upon weapons because you yourself stated that doing such was a corruption of your work, your art. I can no more tell you to enchant weaponry than I could tell an artist to destroy their painting or a sculptor to topple their piece. I am the beauty of this world personified. There are things I cannot do that go against that nature."

Done with the mending, she lets go of the hand to face both of them easier. "It has not been mere weeks here since you've been here last, Connor. It has been months, nearly a year, here. I have dealt with group after group of summoned people just outright attacking me, declaring that I am the monster, or have simply refused. My tolerance for such things has grown thin. I cannot wage a war on three fronts." She explains before resummoning her dagger and offering it to Ithuriel, pommel first. "If you seek enough magic to create a stable portal through to your realm enough for the innocents of this world to traverse through, then you will need to carve out the Eye of the current self-proclaimed Mother. Then you need at least one other from another Facet. If you'd rather end this conflict, then you'll need to slay all of us before we can be reborn. And perhaps in the end, that would be a kindness as I cannot truly depart this realm."

"I can send shades of myself through, little pieces, but I am as much part of this world as the Great Eye above. I cannot be saved, but if you are willing to help...then perhaps the people can be."

YLEF - I Wish I Could Get My Hands On A Kraktion Replay

Most people would give you a strange look if you told them to chew bubblegum like their life depended on it. Of course, Marina doesn't even bat an eyelash at Alex's strange orders; after a career spent almost exclusively in service to Suzie, she had long since become accustomed to whimsical tasks and mundane things being treated like the fate of the world hung in the balance. And so she starts to chew gum with zeal, noting with surprise that raspberries did not taste like she expected at all and quietly dreading the prospect of convincing Suzie to go to the dentist's after this.

"Milady, you flatter me far too much. Let's hope I don't need to prove you right." It's a little hard to get the words out while chewing, but there's no mistaking the playful tinge to them.

YLEF - Game Genus

"If I had to list things that might be a challenge for my fellow minion in order of immediate threat, the caustic gas that's going to be filling this elevator once we get past the 13th floor would be the highest ranked. Thankfully, everyone who works here knows to stuff every visible hole with gum whenever they're in the elevator going anywhere, but it does tend to melt away from the acid mist when it's dried up. So if you hear a hiss or see a hole, jam some gum in there." Ah, boobytraps. The cowardly evil overlord's first, last, and sometimes only resort. Minion A calmly stretches out and rips off a piece from an already impressively large wad and shoves it into a small crevice that had some crusty pink flakes around the edges near the floor buttons.

A New World

Connor smiles sadly, at both his host's admission and the idealism and drive of the angel he'd been drawn here with. Just listening to her gave him hope, and he could believe might give Beauty some as well.

"As I think she has amply proved, Beauty, Ithuriel is not those heroes you are used to dealing with, and she deserves to be treated as her own person." And he'll leave his advocacy there, as he doesn't want this situation to get any more polarized. But with Beauty's admission of her own limits, Connor considers his next words carefully.

"You cannot deny there is beauty in tragedy, and honesty in passion. The symmetry of a perfectly crafted tool is not lost on me, nor is the awe of a terrific weapon, expertly honed. My art and my craft are my heart and my soul, Beauty, and I will ply it how I will. So even though you could never ask me to do this for you, I doubt you will stop me." He speaks softly, yet precisely, the thinnest layer of silk sliding across the tempered steel of his resolve.

[A New World]

Ithuriel takes the dagger, examining the blade. Not the sort of thing she'd like to use, but if it has to be cut out...

"All Facets have an eye then, or something similar?" She asks. Beauty had certainly shown something that seemed to fit the bill earlier. Not something Ithuriel's particularly keen to tango with in any case, but if that's the price of freeing everyone-

Well, everyone except Beauty, and the other Facets presumably?

"How many of you are there?"

Of course, there's another problem here too. Ithuriel has none of her regular weaponry to hand. She looks to Connor. "It sounds like I may need you to prove the beauty in your craft, given deadly form. If I'm going to make a stupid promise that I probably won't be able to keep, I might as well be equipped for it."

*****

[YLEF - Blubbery Elevator]

"Not to worry, Minions! Your mistress has the perfect solution!"

...

Well, that's what Suzie wants to say. What actually comes out is a garbled, muffled, mess. Her maw has been completely gummed up by all the, uh, gum, it seems.

The effect, however, still triggers with a flash of light from her staff, enveloping the three of them in a big bubble once they step in the elevator. Hopefully the elevator ride isn't too long - there's air enough in the bubble for them to breathe for a few minutes, at least. That ought to be enough, right?

Suzie's mind is already elsewhere, she growls and gnashes and tries in vain to shift the gum out of her teeth, hopping up and down and shouting muffled somethings at Marina. "MFRFGHFHMM! GRD DIF FFUFF OFFFRM FRGHM!"

[Nova_Eclipse]

[An Epic Quest]

"That, I am," Corvus says. "I'm looking for something, you see, and I was told your research might hold some clue as to where to find it."

[Arkhosia]

YLEF - Bubble Buddies!

Geez, all that effort just for a trio of totally legitimate employees to avoid death by acid gas? A system like this is just begging for substantial loss of employee lives. Why not implement a passcode or something?

Before the booby trap's questionable design logic can rankle Marina any further, there's suddenly a bubble of air to spare them from both fatal acid and frantic chewing! "Oh, that's clever, milady!" Her maid praises without a trace of insincerity; even if she had access to such magical capabilities, she doubted that such a simple solution would occur to her! But there's more pressing matters than voicing praise, as Marina soon realizes, her smile fading once she sees the terrible mess all that gum has made.

"Er- Alright milady, hold still!" With that, Marina steps closer and starts working on prying Suzie's jaws free of the sticky substance. "Don't fret about this, focus on the spell, okay?"

[UncleWolf]

A New World

"Perhaps some of my predecessors would have adored tragic beauty, but I prefer to ever remain the optimist." Beauty explains, a slight frown of distaste on her face for what Connor was considering and what she would likely be forced to accept no matter what. She casts a glance down at the prisoner she's just slain and lets out a sigh before she moves to leave the chamber in order to head back upstairs. "Do as you would, Connor. I will be powerless to stop you. As for your queries, Angel, there are eight of us and we each have an Eye. We tend to keep it hidden, but that knife will cut through such glamours and sever them without issue. That is not to say it would be easy since many of the others are far more powerful than I am. But...if you are capable of getting The Mother's Eye, then I will see to it that a second shall await here on your return. As well as a suitable reward." She sounds grim, as if the entire prospect of such ran against her grain, and in all likelihood it did since she and the others were all pieces of a greater being yet she was explaining how to murder them all.

Date Night

Thankfully the cool air helps keep Jezebel's libido chilled as the hovercar rises further in altitude until it reaches an air-dock floating hive above Inside's Spire. Whatever the place Jezebel had chosen for dinner, it seems to be much higher class than many as a valet is standing by to open the door as soon as the hovercar. Expensive silver carpet lines the path leading to a large restaurant with an exterior of gold, crystal, and black marble. A simple sign of silver lettering rests above the door, proclaiming the restaurant to be Sky High. The air was certainly a little chilly, but to Jezebel it was more refreshing than cold. "I hope you don't mind, but I figured it would be a place neither of us have been to before." She explains, smiling as she offers her arm to help Cessie out of the vehicle.

[Shadowcaller]

[An Epic Quest]

In the moment she has reached them, Azul has turned around and smiles at Willa, managing to not to even glance at her horse-parts. It was quite difficult to approach someone in a inn quietly when you were part horse.
He let's out a chuckle. "Can you blame a man for being curious about the stunning lady in the corner? I bet you there isn't a man or lady that have entered this place that have been wondering who you are." He gestures around the inn and let's his gaze stop at the innkeeper. "Which is why I just bought you a drink. What do you say, a drink in exchange for a name? Your choice of liquid of course, what I paid should cover anything on the menu." He smiles at her again. "My name is Azul, but something tells me that you already knew that." Azul glances at the front door where there is some commotion...

The moment the the cloaked figure saw Willa approaching the bar they suddenly step away from Corvus and backs up against the frame of the front door. Looking ready to make a run for it. "What iss thiss about? Sspeak plainly." Their reptilian gaze meets his unblinkingly. They seem to have drawn some conclusions regarding Willa and his relationship, causing the patrons to turn and stare at them.

Date Night

Hopefully the cold air wouldn't cause Jezebel some other issues in that dress.

"Please, you know better than to apologize for such silly things to me, Jezebel. Save those for when it really matters. I had made some connections once I saw your choice of transportation anyway." Cessie smiles reassuringly, but she looks visibly stressed herself once she's out of the hoover car and is facing the public. Her eyes scanning around for judging gazes rather than meeting Jezebel's as their hands are still touching.

But while there would always be people looking at them, there is a out of place orc woman standing by the door that seem to be paying particular attention to them. She does not appear to be a guest considering her choice of attire, the fact she's carrying a backpack, and that there is a camera hanging around her neck.
She might look strangely familiar to Jezebel though, like she has met her before...

[Thariza's Journey]

"Were headed." Ambrosia corrects as she moves her hand over the track. "These are at least a few hours old. At this pace, they would have reached the camp a long time ago." The scholar looks ahead. "So either they have already left, or they're still at the camp." She pauses, considering for a moment. "Let's look around for tracks leading away from the camp and hope for the best. Don't think it's wise to go any closer until we know."

[UncleWolf]

Sky High

There's a few glances from staff as they approach, but mostly in the "I wonder who that is." way rather than anything judgmental. The valet seemed to recognize who the pair were, but the doorman either doesn't or simply doesn't care. The large man was mostly just happy to be standing between the orc woman and the door. No reservation? No entry. Jezebel gives the woman a slight frown, trying to place where she remembers her from, but she doesn't seem to recall at the time. "Does she look familiar to you?" When she and Cessie get to the door, Jezebel holds out an envelope sealed with wax. "Reservation for two." The doorman takes a look at the envelope before pocketing it and opening the door for the two, but doing so will also give the orc a chance to rush in as well.

[Shadowcaller]

Sky High

The orc seemed all too aware of this judging by her expression, but the moment Jezebel and Cessie are approaching the restaurant, she rushes up to them.
"Not at all." Cessie whispers back as the orc already upon them.

"Miss Tel'vree! I'm Laura of the Nexus Insider! Could I please get a quick interview!" She begs, Cessie raising her eyebrow at all this.

[Morty]

[Thariza's Journey]

"You're probably right." Thariza takes her bow off her back and strings it. "Lead the way, I'll be on lookout for anything or anyone that approaches.[/I]"

[Nova_Eclipse]

[An Epic Quest]

Dropping the formalities, eh? Corvus nods.

"I'm looking for something called 'living wood'. I'm told you might have a lead on where to find some."

[Deathkeeper]

[An Epic Quest]

Oh no, flattery! Willa's weakness (one of many)!
"Well, that's very sweet of you, but I did already order something from our mutual acquaintance here. You may call me Willa. And yes, my partner and I have received your name. We're looking for a trifle, you see. I'm sure it would be nothing to someone like you." she says with a smile. Perhaps she's caught on to what he's doing. Or perhaps she's just the kind of person to reply to it in kind.

[Gullara]

[An Epic Quest]

Usman just stands there frozen, not sure what he got himself into. "Just give me a call if you've decided on anything." He says, trying to politely extract himself from the conversation. There are other customers to serve, after all.

[UncleWolf]

Sky High

"Ah, yes. Now I remember you. Didn't you once call my Masks a para-military organization bent on taking over Inside? I think I still have a few copies of that article somewhere." Jezebel asks when the reporter finally reveals herself. The doorman frowns and makes a move towards her, but Jezebel gently raises her fingers to hold off and tell him that it was okay. The last thing anyone wanted was a scene, particularly one involving a reporter. "A couple questions inside and that's it, deal" A little good will with a reporter could go a long way, particularly since Jezebel was still looking forward about how to rebuild. At the very least she was able to reign in on her annoyance and keep it from showing. She may have wanted some attention, but she didn't want this much attention. It'd be even worse if she refused though.

[Shadowcaller]

[An Epic Quest]

Azul raises an eyebrow at the situation at the door and then turns back to Willa. "Let's discuss this elsewhere. Think we've made enough of a racket in here, don't you Willa?" He eyes Usman. "I mean, we can keep that coin on my tab if you don't want anything."

His companion says nothing, just gesturing at him as if referring Corvus to him regarding the 'living wood'.

[Thariza's Journey]

Ambrosia nods. "Let's hope for the best and prepare for the worst." And so they start taking a detour around the camp to find more tracks.

It don't take too long for the scholar to find more tracks which she seems pleased with. "These are much fresher. They can't have left that long ago." She turns in the direction of the camp. "Still, we need to approach carefully. We might be able to hide among the cliffs or in the tower if they return, but we would have no where to go out there." The scholar gestures at the open wasteland behind them.

With that in mind, she resumes going in the direction of the tower. Assuming that Thariza follows without protest they will eventually see what appears to be the remains of what once was a camp.

There are tents that have been ripped open with clothes and other belongings laying scattered all over the ground. In the middle of the camp the there is a cadaver of a dead horse, but there seem to have been a lot more here judging by all the horse excrement laying around the camp.

[Sky High]

The orc smiles as if not even hearing how bad Jezebel is making out her article to be. "Thank you! Thank you! You have no idea how much that means to me, miss Tel'vree." Her smile turns into a nervous grin. "And that was really my partner Gait's article. I only took photos at the time. He gets really creative when he starts writing..." Her laugh is just as nervous as her grin.
Cessie does not seem particularly amused but smiles nonetheless. Hopefully they wouldn't have to endure this woman's presence for very long on their first real date.

[Morty]

[Thariza's Journey]

"Looks like they hit this place," Thariza says, with the calm indifference of a soldier who's seen many such ransacked camps, one way or the other. "One of the horses died, the rest must have moved on. But there's no other bodies."

[UncleWolf]

Sky High

"Ah, I see. That is perfectly understandable then." Jezebel admits. Of course it was a lie, but at least she sounded sincere. The doorman, not knowing what else to do, opens the door for the three, allowing them access to the inside. He taps his watch as they pass though in a gesture to the reporter. The silent message was simple enough. "Be quick." Hopefully Cessie is prepared for the inside of the restaurant as just beyond the entrance the flooring becomes glass and the dining room is walled with even more. It allows the natural light to suffuse the entire restaurant as well as providing the diners with a truly unique and unobstructed view of the city below and the skyline surrounding it. Jezebel herself isn't bothered in the least by it as they are taken to their table where she'll pull out Cessie's chair for her out of politeness before sitting down on her own. She won't offer a seat to the reporter however, hoping that making her stand will make her questioning blissfully short.

"What questions did you have in mind?" She asks, inwardly wincing at the question and wondering how much she'll regret asking such.

[Slii Arhem]

[A New World]

Ithuriel takes the dagger, examining the blade. Not the sort of thing she'd like to use, but if it has to be cut out...

"All Facets have an eye then, or something similar?" She asks. Beauty had certainly shown something that seemed to fit the bill earlier. Not something Ithuriel's particularly keen to tango with in any case, but if that's the price of freeing everyone-

Well, everyone except Beauty, and the other Facets presumably?

"How many of you are there?"

Of course, there's another problem here too. Ithuriel has none of her regular weaponry to hand. She looks to Connor. "It sounds like I may need you to prove the beauty in your craft, given deadly form. If I'm going to make a stupid promise that I probably won't be able to keep, I might as well be equipped for it."

*****

[YLEF - Blubbery Elevator]

"Not to worry, Minions! Your mistress has the perfect solution!"

...

Well, that's what Suzie wants to say. What actually comes out is a garbled, muffled, mess. Her maw has been completely gummed up by all the, uh, gum, it seems.

The effect, however, still triggers with a flash of light from her staff, enveloping the three of them in a big bubble once they step in the elevator. Hopefully the elevator ride isn't too long - there's air enough in the bubble for them to breathe for a few minutes, at least. That ought to be enough, right?

Suzie's mind is already elsewhere, she growls and gnashes and tries in vain to shift the gum out of her teeth, hopping up and down and shouting muffled somethings at Marina. "MFRFGHFHMM! GRD DIF FFUFF OFFFRM FRGHM!"

YLEF - Bubble Buddies!

Geez, all that effort just for a trio of totally legitimate employees to avoid death by acid gas? A system like this is just begging for substantial loss of employee lives. Why not implement a passcode or something?

Before the booby trap's questionable design logic can rankle Marina any further, there's suddenly a bubble of air to spare them from both fatal acid and frantic chewing! "Oh, that's clever, milady!" Her maid praises without a trace of insincerity; even if she had access to such magical capabilities, she doubted that such a simple solution would occur to her! But there's more pressing matters than voicing praise, as Marina soon realizes, her smile fading once she sees the terrible mess all that gum has made.

"Er- Alright milady, hold still!" With that, Marina steps closer and starts working on prying Suzie's jaws free of the sticky substance. "Don't fret about this, focus on the spell, okay?"

A New World

"Perhaps some of my predecessors would have adored tragic beauty, but I prefer to ever remain the optimist." Beauty explains, a slight frown of distaste on her face for what Connor was considering and what she would likely be forced to accept no matter what. She casts a glance down at the prisoner she's just slain and lets out a sigh before she moves to leave the chamber in order to head back upstairs. "Do as you would, Connor. I will be powerless to stop you. As for your queries, Angel, there are eight of us and we each have an Eye. We tend to keep it hidden, but that knife will cut through such glamours and sever them without issue. That is not to say it would be easy since many of the others are far more powerful than I am. But...if you are capable of getting The Mother's Eye, then I will see to it that a second shall await here on your return. As well as a suitable reward." She sounds grim, as if the entire prospect of such ran against her grain, and in all likelihood it did since she and the others were all pieces of a greater being yet she was explaining how to murder them all.

Bibbly Bubbly Boo

Alex frowns fractionally as he looks at the bubble, but knows full well that questioning its structural integrity against a few liters of aerosolized industrial strength acid that will soon start flooding the car would be unwise at this point. "A thousand apologies, Mistress. I should have asked if you were willing to exercise your vast and unknowable powers for such a mundane trap in the first place, but I was afraid of invoking your wrath. A hundred thousand pardons." His utterly flat monotone makes it very difficult to tell if he's being sincere, unlike Marina's enthusiasm. As the floors roll past them, the faintest hiss begins from the cracks and screw holes in the elevator car. It's easier to see now the tiny gaps as the air wavers and is tinted a faint purple around their private, safe bubble. As the car approaches the last and highest floor, the cable creaks to a shuddering halt.

The doors open, and immediately the industrial fume hood outside begins sucking away the tainted air. "Welcome to the top floor. Research and Development [Closed], Cafeteria [Closed] Cackling Lounge [Open 9:30AM-8:00PM, reduced hours on weekends] and CEO's private office [Theoretically Open, but don't even try it.]" He reads blandly from the sign hanging from the ceiling just down the hall. It's in quite a state of disrepair, and there are dust bunnies congregating in the corners, a clear sign no one has bothered to come this high up in a very long time.

A New World

Connor sighs and begins unbuttoning his long coat, just enough to bare the top of his pale chest, "You would not have seen these before, Beauty, but I have suffered for my art." He takes a deep breath and tenses, his slim musculature standing out slightly. And then... Ghostly, ethereal scars begin to appear in previously unmarred flesh. They seem unreal, but to beings as powerful and as attuned to the spiritual as those he's speaking with, they're clearly wounds of the soul. And between each long, large scar and the next are a myriad of smaller scrapes and scratches, some so old they've nearly vanished and others painfully raw and fresh.

"Doing as I've done, and only giving animus to the good and neutral parts of myself can't go on forever. While they do heal and recover in time, the drain to everything that's good in me can leave me moody, even completely paralyzed by the flood of raw emotions after I've cut away their filter. I've been trying to work on a way to handle... that part of my soul, combine it with the other half, to balance my craft so that I can work without throwing myself out of balance, but I need to know more and accept the side of myself that you're so worried about me tapping into first." Connor smiles briefly as he lets out the breath, his chest falling and the scars beginning to fade even before he buttons up his garment.

"Truth be told, I'm terrified of doing it myself. But I have you, your mages, and your new Hero here to keep me on the straight seam. If I ever start cackling madly ye can just wallop me one until I stop. I'll be sure to thank you for it." He reaches out to touch Beauty's upper arm gently. It hurt deeply admitting his trade secrets to anyone, but if anyone's unlikely to openly judge him for carving slivers off of his soul... Well an angel and an eldritch demigod still might, but he thinks they'd do so for the right reasons.

[Shadowcaller]

Sky High

The reporter eagerly follows along, bringing along all her equipment which makes her look even more out of place among all these fancily dressed people.

Cessie seems to pretend that Laura isn't even there as she takes the seat Jezebel offered up to her. "Thank you..." It sounds like she is going to add more but with a glance at the reporter she just sits down.
Laura takes up her cellphone and starts to flip through it while trying to maintain a casual eye-contact with Jezebel. "Alright, so you're actually one of my many projects, see? I want a continuation of the last report I helped write on you, but the complete opposite. You're one of the heroes of Riverside now so I want to describe the journey you went through from para-military suspect to savior of Riverside. Like a hero's journey sort of thing. So would you like to describe what made you reconsider your path? What made you go from a enemy to VIGIL to eating dinner with one of their commanders?"

[Thariza's Journey]

Ambrosia makes no comments. She could see this as well as Thariza after all.
Instead, she looks to the ancient watchtower which the camp has been based nearby. "They have fortified themselves in there. Alvar raiders rarely take prisoners and dragging around bodies is not their style either."
At closer inspection, it does look like the building has been partly rebuild and the main door has been reinforced.
"Though, that means they might return." The scholar looks down at the ground thoughtfully. "The people in there don't know when the raiders are going to return and like us they'd be extremely vulnerable outside the tower. So they'd take a really big chance leaving if they were to return. Especially if they left a scout that could join up with the main force once they see the group leaving the place." She let's out a sigh. "We've essentially walked into a siege."

[Morty]

[Thariza's Journey]

Thariza looks around, then nods.

"Yeah, I'd say you're right. They're safe in the tower, unless the raiders have siege weapons we don't know about, but if they leave they'll be easy pickings. The raiders probably have the advantage of being able to wait them out. Depends on how many supplies they were able to take with them. So what do we do? They're unlikely to be terribly welcoming to strangers right now."

[UncleWolf]

Sky High

Jezebel inclines her head politely to Cessie, accepting her thanks for the gesture before settling in at her own end. She's about to ask Cessie what she'd like to drink when the reporter asks her question, and to give Jezebel credit she actually seems to consider it for a few moments. "I would say that that particular question is something that would have to be answered elsewhere if you want anything at length. A restaurant is hardly the setting for such a long story, particularly with no notice. If you want, perhaps we can arrange a day to meet up in the Gardens for a more thorough interview? That would give you some time to prepare more material too." She suggests. "It would also allow you to take pictures of the battlescars that the area has suffered." She adds. She didn't like the thought of broadcasting such, but hopefully it was the bait the reporter would need to be drawn in to do this later.

[Shadowcaller]

Sky High

Cessie holds up her hand, gesturing that it can wait. Apparently predicting what Jezebel was just going to ask her rather well.

The orc blinks, it taking her a moment to fully grasp what Jezebel had just offered her. "Oh, I'd love that! Thank you so much!" She holds out both hands and attempts to shake Jezebel's thoroughly.
Laura takes a moment to collect herself wiping the sweat on her brow with a napkin and takes a deep breath. "Wh- what about some easier questions for now then? Like, ah, what's the occasion?" She gestures at Cessie.

[Nova_Eclipse]

[An Epic Quest]

Corvus nods.

"Thank you, good sir." He takes a few quick strides towards Willa and Azul, crossing the distance quickly, though he's doing his best to try to be non-threatening about it.

"Have we made a new friend, Willa?" He asks innocently.

[Deathkeeper]

[An Epic Quest]

”I like to think so.” Willa answers to Corvus’ question.
”Wherever you wish. I have no great preference.” Willa tells the other man with a shrug. She doesn’t think she’d want to go outside the town back into the dust storms, though.

[Gnrlshrimp]

[YLEF - Bust-A-Bubble]

As the doors open, Suzie turns and points dramatically with a tentacle, "HA-GHFMADH! FRGMNH DRGHN IT!" Her attempt to say something appropriately leader-y lost to curses moments later.

She sighs, closes all six eyes and waits very, very patiently as Marina un-gums her mouth up for her.

It takes a couple of minutes easily, Suzie just silently seething and periodically reaching over to tap the button to keep the doors open.

"Ah! Finally! Haha! His evil lair is such a dump! This guy's obviously a total pushover!" She strides out of the elevator, reaching back with two tentacles to drag Marina and Alex along. If Alex was trying to deploy sarcasm, it's completely lost on her anyway. "No need for pardons or apologies, Minion A. Everything's going exactly according to plan." Wait, they have a plan now? That's news to me. "Forward, Minion A! Lead us to your ex-boss!"

*****

[A New World]

The news about the nature of Connor's craft is more than a little concerning to Ithuriel, and she can't keep a worried expression from flashing across her face. As someone who basically regrew her soul (it's complicated), she fully appreciates the fragility of it and how harmful damage to it can be.

She sort of instinctively takes a half-step forward, her aura flaring up around her. "I- ah, sorry. I'm nowhere near a skilled enough healer for this, but if it hurts, I could help. I don't think I'm capable of causing any harm with this." Nevertheless, she lets her aura fade back to a faint golden aura around her again. "Although if I understand what you're suggesting correctly, I'd suggest you be very careful how much you tap into the "other" side of your soul. I don't mix well with that sort of thing. I appreciate anything you're willing to do, but I'd be worried about having a rebellious weapon in my hands."

She follows along after Beauty, considering her words thoughtfully. "Get the mother's eye, come back, don't die. I guess it'd be useful to have a map or some means of direction so I can find my target and get back safely. And your, uh, brother was it? Perhaps I can help ease the pressure on him on the way as well?"

[UncleWolf]

Sky High

Jezebel blinks, as if the question was a complete surprise, before gesturing around with a small sweep of her hand. "Why would we need an occasion?" She asks, raising a brow. "This place just opened and neither of us have been here before. That is occasion enough for me at the very least, but if I had to name one... I suppose it is simply that my recovery has gone well and I am more capable and willing to go out in the public." She explains before turning to face the reporter while gesturing at the scar she's baring. "In case you hadn't heard, I was ran through by a cursed blade. Since I've survived, I've resolved to not let it keep me in hiding as if it were something to be ashamed of."

[Shadowcaller]

Sky High

The reports eyes drop all the way to the bottom of Jezebel's 'cleavage', which still leaves her with enough mindspace for her hands to write something down in her notebook. "Erm, two other quick questions and I'm done. First, are you and 'the masks' working with VIGIL now? Secondly, what are your plans for the future?"

Cessie waits patiently for this to be over with. But at least she wouldn't have to deal with this 'reporter'.

[An Epic Quest]

Azul appears to consider for just a moment before changing his mind and heads over to the table Willa had been at. "Actually, let's just sit down here, shall we? This inn is pleasant enough a meeting place despite the scene we're making. I mean, we're not being thrown yet are we? So let's enjoy the hospitality of our host just a little bit longer."

His companion eyes Willa and Corvus, basically insisting that they should go over there first.
Azul sits down first and smiles at the two while his companion seems to be insisting on standing. "Now you mentioned interest in a peculiar part of our research, yes? I can readily admit that I wasn't hired for the research part of this expedition. I make myself useful in other ways, like by talking to curious people such as yourself."

[Thariza's Journey]

"They should know me. I've been here once before." Ambrosia explains as she starts heading towards the tower. "I suppose you should try to look as non-threatening as possible while I try to talk to them." She stops for a moment and looks around before continuing. "I certainly don't want to be out here if the raiders return."

As Ambrosia approach, Thariza might see something at the horizon. Looks like a dust cloud.

[Morty]

[Thariza's Journey]

"Looking non-threatening isn't exactly-" Thariza's comment is interrupted by her spotting the dust cloud. "...oh, rust. That 'if' just became a 'when'. They're headed here."

[Nova_Eclipse]

[An Epic Quest]

Corvus simply nods as Azul sits, before taking a seat himself. He eyes the man for a moment, then glances at Willa, before speaking.

"We're looking for something in particular, and were told you might know where to find it, you, or someone in your expedition, anyways. Perhaps you could elaborate more, Willa?"

Corvus could mention what they're looking for outright, but since Willa seems to be on better terms with Azul, it seems best for her to explain.

[Deathkeeper]

[An Epic Quest]

Willa nods and returns to the table where she can “sit.”
”I am on errantry for another. She will remain anonymous, but she had us seek what drow call Living Wood, from their ancestor trees.” Willa hopes she’s remembering the phrases correctly. Every minute she feels like she’s forgotten something.
”Someone in this town pointed me to you.”

[Arkhosia]

Abandon All Appointments, Ye Who Schedules Here

Such neglect! It was no wonder Minion A would desire to part ways with such a location, Marina concludes - and while she doesn't censure the state of the hallway audibly, her expression renders her feelings in a far clearer manner than she could properly state. The piscine servant held the strong belief that the status of villainy does not exclude adherence to basic cleanliness, as Suzie has most likely come to know by now; after all, presentation is extremely important for the purpose of commanding both respect and fear, and especially for acquiring public recognition. In short, she believes that a villain who does not attend to the image which they present (or delegate such a responsibility to servants like Marina) cannot achieve renown, and to do so severely damages the level of respect she might have for them.

"Perhaps he shall earn a demonstration of a proper caliber of villainy," Marina states, nearly tossing the wadded up remains of Suzie's gum at one of the walls before concluding with a vicious grin that it would be more satisfying to throw at the boss himself.