Inside 67: Shadow over Innside

[KerfuffleMach2]

[A Quiet Commercial Area]

Alysha grins and nods. Brain freeze sounds like a great idea!

And then the vampire joins Aries in his bad decision making.

...oooo, ow....ow...

-----------------------------

[Autumnal Equinox Ball - Ivaz]

Ivaz raises an eyebrow at Ellrin. Down, boy. It ain't that kind of party.

She does give him a wide grin, though. Hinting at future possibilities, maybe?

Ivaz turns back to Eiriol. Hey, like I said, I don't know. I'll err on the side of caution.

So question time for you, now. If you aren't some kind of fae spy, what got you invited here?

[Gullara]

[Temperance Teahouse]

"Yes..." Reinholdt says with the tone that suggests there's a but. "But not here right now." He motions around the cafe. "There are a lot of innocent people around right now and if there was an accident, someone could get seriously hurt. Weapons are to be handled carefully and most of all respected. They are tools, but they are tools designed to injure so they should only be brought out when necessary. Do you understand?" Rein asks Annie. There's more to it and he's still apparantly willing to show it to her, but he has to make sure she understands this point first.

[Temperance Teahouse]

Annie looks at him wide eyed, more impacted by his sudden serious tone than what he's saying. "Ummm okay." She says hesitantly. Of course, she is very young.

"Reinholdt is right, Annie. We're not talking about toys." Kitsuki adds.

[Rebonack]

[A Quiet Commercial Area]

Thankfully brain freeze never lasts long.

"I just wanted to get free," Aries admits. "The future didn't figure much into it, except that I would hopefully be free instead of eaten. If I could help people avoid that sort of fate... I guess that would be a long term mission."

He pauses considering the uncertain future looming in his path.

Then?

He laughs. A pretty silly sounding laugh. Might even classify as a goofy one.

"Don't suppose you need a shield bearer for your heroics?"

[KerfuffleMach2]

[A Quiet Commercial Area]

Alysha shrugs a bit.

I mean, not right now, but I can always use help helping people. The more the merrier!

She thinks for a moment.

Although, I tend to try avoiding fights as much as I can. So it'd be less shield bearing, more assistant problem solver. I guess.

And...I mean, if I was in your shoes, I'd want to stay way away from any kind of fighting even more.

[Reinholdt]

[Temperance Teahouse]

Annie looks at him wide eyed, more impacted by his sudden serious tone than what he's saying. "Ummm okay." She says hesitantly. Of course, she is very young.

"Reinholdt is right, Annie. We're not talking about toys." Kitsuki adds.

[Temperance Teahouse]

The proper time to be taught things! Reinholdt smiles at Annie. "If you respect them properly though, you can use these tools to protect people. Like your younger siblings that are coming." She can protect them like a good big sister!

"So don't worry. I promise to show you it one day when we go to a firing range where it's safe for that kind of thing, alright? Whenever your mom decides you're old enough of course." Uh-oh. A caveat in which she needs to be older. Things like this are why kids are so eager to grow up.

[Lord Magtok]

[Metro Square]

Krystal chuckles. Dude, I don't speak any Russian, and even I know he didn't say that.

Krystal will help Malice move anything he needs help with to his apartment. She'll also go to take the pixie to her apartment to look into getting her revived.

Afterwards, Krystal will set about getting the store ready. Putting up the shelves, decorations, getting merchandise in place. Stuff like that.

Malice doesn't make much of a fuss about anything once they get started on moving stuff into the room, though he does insist on dealing with most of it on his own. The stuff he needs help with, like carrying a bed up the stairs, fine, he'll accept her aid, but when it comes to everything that he can do on his own, he insists he ought to be doing it on his own. Once the room's all set, he helps with getting the store ready, but he's fine with letting Krystal do the bulk of the work on that front. She probably got started on that while he was still getting his room set up, anyway.

Krystal might note that Malice has suddenly gotten awfully quiet, though. All of that silence on his end means he's probably plotting something. Or trying to think of some kind of sinister plot, failing, and getting really frustrated with himself. One of those two things, I'm sure. Probably the latter one, if his recent history is anything to go by.

[Deathkeeper]

[AEB- Anchor and Alex]

Alex looks up at Anchor with some degree of wonder.
”Oh, miss Anchor, do you take people on adventures? I’m sure it would be lovely. But no, I don’t have specific plans. Just being where the excitement is, doing things I couldn’t possibly do if I just stayed at home. A poet would make some metaphor about spreading my wings or somesuch.” she says with an innocent smile

[Recaiden]

Autumnal Equinox Ball

Anchor and Alex

Meinir gives Anchor an appraising look, clearly curious about her dietary restrictions but not willing to interrupt her questions. If she's looking for excitement she's in the right place. She simply comments, spearing some radicchio and eating it as she waits for Alex's answer.

Alex looks up at Anchor with some degree of wonder.
”Oh, miss Anchor, do you take people on adventures? I’m sure it would be lovely. But no, I don’t have specific plans. Just being where the excitement is, doing things I couldn’t possibly do if I just stayed at home. A poet would make some metaphor about spreading my wings or somesuch.” she says with an innocent smile

"Yes, Alex, I do. Sounds like you've volunteered to come on the next one. I mean, you are interested, right?" Anchor smirks.
"I admit I'm more familiar with the metaphor of being pushed out of the nest to see if you can fly."

[Earl of Purple]

Rooftops

"Thank you. Not everyone would be so kind as to search us out after they'd found his body." The elf-girl is patted, and the whole group will thank Marina before she goes.

AEB- Jack, Kramolagh, Feia

Jack moves to make sure that she's well safe behind the fae servant who is working as a shield. "Um, whatever it is you guys do, I'm no longer interested." Since it's looking like simply associating herself with them for this party might get her killed by an exploding elf, she's starting to think that getting further involved might get her killed quicker... Assuming she survives this, anyway.

[Murkus]

[AEB - That's for Later ]

Tina laughs in spite of herself as she's half caught, and puts a hand down gently on Cantata's arm. "Thank you," she tells the songstress. She continues in a soft and secret voice, "I guess... I'll see you later then? I hope I'm not keeping you from anyone."

And oh look, right there she is. Well, all seems to be in good humor at least... Fettina goes from looking slightly anxious and awkward to smiling amicably. "Nice to meet you, Marina. Let's." Oh gosh, would she have to compete now?

[Hattish Thing]

[Ominous Alleyway]

Layne looks on at Xeni's transformation with a horrified expression upon her face, now visibly shaking out of fear and surprise, dropping the taser and stumbling backwards, slipping upon a puddle in the grime-splattered alley. In a panic, she falls backwards and cracks her skull against the ground, causing her to rapidly fall unconscious.

"..."

[Rebonack]

[A Quiet Commercial Area]

"That would be a nice change of pace," Aries replies with a sigh. "Everyone I meet has been trying to murder me for a while now, so only having some of the people I meet try to murder me would be a leg up."

He's fond of the whole non-murdering thing.

"I think I can help with the problem solving. Especially if the problem can be solved by knitting someone a sweater. I can do the sweater thing. Like... super sweater knitter. That's me," he kind of rambles. "Though... you mostly deal with heartless, right? There's a pretty longstanding argument over whether or not fairies have souls. Mostly because being soulless doesn't leave giant heart-shaped holes in your torso."

A beat.

"Or were souls something else in Kingdom Hearts? Honestly I can't remember now. Guess that's what I get for not obsessively paying attention to popular video games."

Really, Aries.

Should have paid more attention.

For shame.

[KerfuffleMach2]

[Metro Square]

Krystal won't bug Malice too much about his silence. Let him stew in his thoughts for a bit. Something good might come of them.

Maybe.

She will direct him as needed with setting up the store. Before long, the place will be looking pretty good.

Krystal seems to be missing a name for the store, though...

Thanks, Malice. That went faster than I thought. She pulls out her phone and checks the time on it real quick. Cool. Still got time to check out some things in Skyside real quick. She rummages through her jacket pocket, pulls out a key, and passes it to Malice. Here. Key for the store. Lock it up when you're done in here.

Unless Malice stops her for some reason, Krystal will head for the door. I'll catch ya tomorrow. And also, thanks. For agreeing to help with this.

---------------------------------------------------

[A Quiet Commercial Area]

Alysha was going to give him an answer about souls and hearts and stuff. Really.

But then she processed something he said...

Wait...hold on...so, you know about Kingdom Hearts...and you just said you should've paid more attention to a video game...

She turns to look at him, her face showing some confusion.

Is there really a video game about Kingdom Hearts?

[bc56]

AEB

Ellrinna and Dipsnig

"Thanks." Ellrinna says to Dipsnig. She is inwardly laughing at the antics of the two fae, which remind her, in some ways, of her brother. She turns to look at him, and sees him in conversation with a good-looking human girl. Maybe he'll finally get a girlfriend?

Ellrin, Ivaz, and an unattentive Anulhi

Crud. Had she interpreted that as an advance? It was meant as just a compliment. Although she IS quite attractive. He files his thoughts for later when Eriol is questioned.

[Arkhosia]

[AEB - That's for Later ]

Tina laughs in spite of herself as she's half caught, and puts a hand down gently on Cantata's arm. "Thank you," she tells the songstress. She continues in a soft and secret voice, "I guess... I'll see you later then? I hope I'm not keeping you from anyone."

And oh look, right there she is. Well, all seems to be in good humor at least... Fettina goes from looking slightly anxious and awkward to smiling amicably. "Nice to meet you, Marina. Let's." Oh gosh, would she have to compete now?

AEB - Cantata, Marina, Fettina!

The songstress looks back towards Fettina with a soft smile, giving her a slow and earnest nod as one of her hands slides underneath her jacket and retrieves a slip of paper. Reaching for the angel's own hand, she attempts to press it softly into her grasp before gently curling Fettina's fingers closed. Cantata lingers for a second like this before withdrawing, her eyes brightening as she spots Marina. A broad smile takes form as her eyes twinkle in delight, and she gives the soldier a playful look as she taps at her wrist - I just couldn't wait, dear~, she seemed to jest.

The offer to take a seat and have some dinner earns an agreeable nod, and she leads the pair toward the table, lifting her wrist and tapping a message for each of them as she does so. Fettina was truly something on the dance floor, I only wish you could have joined us. I'm Cantata by the way, I don't believe I had the chance to introduce myself.

[5a Violista]

Arkham Street

Probably because of the season, a young gal named Awen found herself travelling down a street she had never entered before. Luckily, she's a witch from VIGIL so she doesn't feel too out of place here...

Like most normal girls, she's got two legs, two arms, a face, eyes, hair, and a pet fox following her. Unfortunately, all of those (except the fox) are covered. What some people would call a "modesty veil" covers her hair and some of her face, and a translucent veil covers most of her face, especially her eyes. Shadows, too. She's pretty good at contouring the shadows over her face. Long gloves cover her hands, and her dress is long enough to almost drag against the ground.

And, true to stereotype, she's got a broom in her hand.
It's not a magical broom.

"Hey, Reynard," she asks her fox. "This place is pretty creepy. I don't like it. It reminds me of that undertown place. Why did you want to come here, anyway?"

The fox, obviously, doesn't respond.

[Chaotic Bob]

[Arkham Street]

"I think Old Man Henderson is meant to be a last resort," Ibby admits. "Though having some scotch, cannabis, and ceramic lawn gnomes on hand for the summoning ritual just in case wouldn't be a terrible idea."

Dealing with eldritch things never gets any less weird.

"I'm planning on trying a thrice inscribed heptagram with the sign of Koth at the focus and the Mother's seal at the zenith. Ideally I would want to include the Formless mark, but I'm not sure where I could pick up mummified flesh with any degree of ease."

What.

"We're ready to go, right? Would you mind leading the way?" Ibby asks, excited to try some sealing techniques. Should he get an affirmative reply he'll quickly return his books and follow the mouse.

Yurioc isn't really sure if that Henderson thing is one of the Nexus' ideas of a joke (in that it is undoubtedly absolutely a solution, it just sounds ridiculous), or if this particular Old One is just that weird.
This mostly expresses itself in a briefly dubious look towards Ibby...not that it shows well on a mouse's face.

If we are truly desperate, I believe my companion could acquire a mummy for your material usage. My hope is for simpler resolution. Perhaps he can learn from your sealing methodology as well.
Having looked through the book, he is all too eager to lead them towards the alley. Depending on how fast Ibby can move, Yurioc floats down the street, or begins doing a series of short range spacial hops down the road, in pulses of pale blue light.

Ominous Street

Xeni will likely feel a force pressing against their invisible walls - an incredible strength focused in a single palm, trying to simply push through the wall. Layne, however, will see the presence of Anastasia - she's about 9 feet tall, her skin a dull grey and covered with scars. She looks similar to an ogre, but without any of the colour or life they usually possess. She's wearing what looks like an old curtain crudely wrapped into a sort of dress, and visible just past her is an array of weaponry protruding from her back. She has one hand place experimentally upon the wall and is pushing against it. Stop this. She says to Xeni, voice a dead monotone.

[Ominous Alleyway]

Layne looks on at Xeni's transformation with a horrified expression upon her face, now visibly shaking out of fear and surprise, dropping the taser and stumbling backwards, slipping upon a puddle in the grime-splattered alley. In a panic, she falls backwards and cracks her skull against the ground, causing her to rapidly fall unconscious.

"..."

"Oh, that's just awesome."
Layne went and knocked herself out. Which handles the problem of getting possibly tased again...

But also looks really, really bad in front of that ogre zombie trying to push its way through his force wall.
What?
"Hey, no. If you're mindless, you can't eat that. If you're not mindless, you can't come in here. Sort of a super nasty quarantine zone of the 'melt your brain down out your ears' fashion."
Geez, this situation is messed up. Defending himself from being the villain, to a walking corpse?
"Er. Also I'm not the bad guy here?"

As far as trying to push straight through that invisible wall goes!
It doesn't really care.
But if Anastasia is really that strong, the ground and walls to either side of it are going to start caring in a hurry. The magical wall itself is just this side of (physically) indestructible, but the things it's attached to sure aren't.

[Rebonack]

[A Quiet Commercial Zone]

Aries blinks.

"Yeah?"

Didn't he say something about this earlier?

"I could have sworn I said something about this earlier. Kingdom Hearts. It's a bunch of video games. No one else mentioned this to you before?" he asks, puzzled. Maybe that was just a thing where he was from?That's probably it. What are the chances that multiple universes would come up with the same game?

Seems wildly unlikely.

"It was about some kid with giant shoes named Sora, I think? Donald and Goofy were helping him look for Micky Mouse and the kid's missing... not girlfriend? They were the only few people who lived on some random island in the middle of nowhere I think? I never actually played it myself. This is mostly ancient second-hand knowledge from when I was a kid."

Which, admittedly, was a long time ago.

[Racing to the Quarantine Zone!]

"Wouldn't it be easier to hail a cab?" Ibby calls out as he gives chase behind the mouse, one hand on his gentlemanly hat to keep it from escaping. He sticks his fingers in his mouth and gives a shrill whistle!

Moments later a tiny flying saucer drops out of the sky, painted yellow with black stripes. The little glass dome atop it pops open, revealing a somewhat grungy interior of the sort one would generally expect from an off-color cab service. Sitting in the driver's seat is a tiny grey alien in a brown jacket and aviator shades. "Yassup, mac? Where ya goin'?"

"I'm not totally sure, myself, but I believe my companion could provide directions?" he replies, gesturing at Yurioc.

"Well climb in ahready! Meter's runnin'!"

[Chaotic Bob]

[Racing to the Quarantine Zone! - An Alien Cabbie Story]

Cabs. Those are normally something that seem unnecessarily dangerous and not strictly faster.
Though, one that can fly over the city would probably avoid most of the situations that cause those issues.

Yurioc considers it for only a moment, before blipping back to Ibby's shoulder.
I will supply a compass for the driver to follow.

As tends to happen when the mouse performs his mojo, a glow seeps out of his eyes around when a similarly colored floating arrow appears in front of the saucer.
It will point in the direction they need to go fairly unerringly, under the presumption the cabbie can avoid trying to drive through buildings.

[billtodamax]

Ominous Alleyway

Well if the wall can stand up to her she'll just have to go around. She turns to the buildings to the side of the alleyway and starts tearing into them with her hands. Brick or steel structures shouldn't pose much of a challenge to her - she is indeed that strong. While she plows her way through the building she'll speak again. You look bad. All that quarantine rubbish is probably just lies.

Autumnal Equinox Ball

Anulhi, Ivaz and Ellrin

I am of winter, dear. Eiriol says, gesturing to herself and her outfit, as if that answered the question. That alone is enough to get me the company of this alchemist and you... what were your jobs? They never said! How rude.

Anchor and Alex

Oh how fun! Meinir says, taken by the idea. Then, as if struck by a better one: You could come to my forest! Plenty of excitement there. Doesn't that sound like a fun idea? Visiting a fae forest, what a good time, probably definitely safe.

Cantata, Marina, Fettina

Marina leads them to the nearby table, pulling a seat out for the pair of them. Surprise! You're both her date now. She takes her own. It's my fault for leaving my date all alone. And yes, I saw you two on the floor - most people did. Einion was quite taken by you. She adds, taking a sip of the champagne left on the table.

[Rebonack]

Cab rides in the Nexus are more or less like they are anywhere else.

Short and terrifying.

Ibby and Yurioc will be treated to a hair-raising flight across the city that involves veering far too close to more than a few objects of varying sizes while the driver spouts alien profanity at everyone who isn't flying around in a fashion that meets his standards.

Which includes basically everyone.

Including several buildings that didn't get out of the way fast enough.

Blazing through the open window of that high-rise office building sure was an experience.

Regardless!

[Ominous Street]

Our heroes will arrive at their destination intact, though possibly a little white-knuckled.

"Arright, here we are. Now pay up and scram!" the alien, none for pleasantries it would seem, hollars as the glass dome atop the craft pops open.

Ibby quickly pays the irate little creature and disembarks just in time to see...

Magical walls, an undead ogre, a doppleganger wizard, an unconscious artist, and a gross yellow symbol.

Ib'bahali, for his part, doesn't have much issue with alien vistas intruding on his mind. He's already got the writhing presence of Shub Niggurath filling him to the point of overflowing, so there isn't really room for anything else in there. Thankfully he's keeping up appearances as a dapper, swarthy skinned scholarly gentlemen in a nice suit and jacket. That isn't all he is, but that's the only part of him that happens to be noticeable at the moment. He rubs one hand through his stark white hair.

"Well. This looks like a mess."

Understatements are great like that.

He immediately begins fishing some chalk, a straight edge, and a compass out of his satchel.

"I don't suppose that zombie was conjured to be helpful, was it?" he asks as he approaches the nearest force wall, pondering how best to surmount it.

[Chaotic Bob]

Spoiler: Docks

Show

[QUOTE=Gnrlshrimp;23407779][Docks]

Ithuriel stumbles off on her way to go get patched up and bring back reinforcements.

....

Meanwhile, inside the warehouse...

"I'll be honest, Edict, I'm disappointed in you. Here you are, a puppet dancing to Feia's tune, and as soon as you're given the slightest bit of freedom, your attract the attention of the police. Frankly, with how much attention you drew to yourself, I'm surprised you didn't have half a dozen vigilantes bashing down the doors to deal with your little thing." The holographic form of Professor Affidavit waves his cane at the pink mist, which accomplishes absolutely nothing as this hologram is without form. "If you want to have fun in Inside, you ask me for permission first, so I can make sure something like this doesn't happen."

Affy frowns, annoyed at himself for getting distracted. It was frustrating enough waiting for the place to be free of pesky police officers so he could confirm his suspicions, but now he's letting himself go off track instead of dealing with the actual problem! "Tell me what you're doing and then stop doing it. I want you free of Feia's control before anything else happens. We need to make that happen immediately."

Affidavit rants away at Edict inside the warehouse, somehow intruding on what was already a fairly unpleasant situation for the shade.
Enough so that he contemplates just entirely ignoring it, while he finishes altering his magic circle, at least until a component of the Professor's machinery makes contact with the Pink floating through the warehouse.
"If you're going to criticize situations you don't understand, Professor, don't make them worse. Control your parts."

It really won't take very long before the Pink seems to actively and aggressively assaulting the electronics submerged in it, and then swiftly to anything connected to those.
A corrupting, distorting influence that seems to have a special interest in any auditory components...

"With everything else going on, hiding in this circle has kept me from Feia's eye, but it looks like I need to evacuate it somewhat sooner than expected. Now keep it down, or you are going to alert any individuals outside."
Which could ruin his freedom thing, if even simple word of his existence leaks out before he's ready.

[Ominous Street]

Yurioc has the benefits of being both small and possessing tiny little claws.
Both of these contribute greatly to clinging to Ibby's shoulder while the cabbie tries to lure them to an early death.

At least, up until the point of the alley's madness.

They arrive in time to see Xeni raising up one of his grossly long hands towards Anastasia, with flickers of fire dancing along the fingers.
"The irony of a zombie calling me bad almost physically hurts. You need to turn around and leave or you're dust."
He really doesn't want this situation to get more violent, but things. Keep. Happening.
Salyune
"No more warnings, back oooo- oh thank everything Yu is back."

Xeni's gaze briefly flicks from Anastasia over towards Ibby, to assess his appearance and the presence of Yurioc on his shoulder.
"You must be the consultation. Any chance you want to come through the ogre thing's entrance? I don't want to have to keep remaking the walls."

[5a Violista]

[Arkham Street]

"Hey! Listen to me!" she says. Awen stops walking completely, turns around, and stares at the fox. "Why do want to be here? What are we looking for? I won't take a step farther until you tell me." She folds her arms and glares at Reynard.

The fox stopped walking, too, and just stares back at her, tilting its head slightly. It doesn't respond.

"And why did you want me to buy this broom, anyway? You know I already have one! And it's magic, too!"

She throws down the broom on the ground. A moment passes. "Fine! If you won't tell me, I might as well just go back. If you want to stay here, you can. See if I care." She starts to head back the way she came.

Unfortunately, being loud and unaware in such a spooky place isn't always a good idea, even if you've got a fox with you. Soon, Awen feels a hard object press against her back. Judging by the size, probably a knife. "Hey," a cloaked guy whispers, stepping right next to her. He puts his free arm around her shoulder. "If you scream, you find yourself unable to walk. Just act like we're old friends. Understood?"

Awen starts to gasp but suddenly catches herself. She nods, and glances down at her fox. "Yeah," she says. She tries to come up with a plan to escape, but maybe later would be a better time to try to escape, after he's relaxed a bit? "Where are-?" "Shut up."

He walks alongside her, pulling her down a side road.

Reynard the fox follows.

[Devixer]

Arkham Street

Despite the creepy atmosphere, Cassidy's made this one of her usual haunts. She has a lot of free time from not really having a job, so she's gotten to know the city pretty well, and can almost get a map going in her head. Assuming a block doesn't disappear or get added to the city overnight, anyway.

Perhaps from the growing cold, she's dressed a little more than usual - in that under her open suit jacket is an actual shirt to cover her with. Good thing adept magic exists, or she'd have a lot of trouble with the weather.

She hadn't intended to do much of anything today - bumble around, maybe go get drunk later. But, well, then she sees a young woman getting taken hostage. Perhaps in years past, she wouldn't have batted an eye. But now, seeing people hurting whoever they wanted and not the people who deserved it... she wasn't about to let it happen, not on her stomping grounds.

Cassidy's decent at making herself look oblivious. She closes her eyes, and bobs her head to an imaginary beat as she approaches the side road that woman and her fox were lead down.

[5a Violista]

[Arkham Street]

Awen continues to go through her plans. What should she do now? If she just used her hands to take off her veil, she could probably stun him long enough to gouge out his eyes and run away. But if she raised her hands like that, he'd probably notice. How about magic? No, he's probably prepared for that and if she starts to say anything he'll notice. Come on, you useless fox, do something. You can help out!

Reynard continues following.

"Our friends aren't much farther ahead," he says, gesturing towards an alley.

And what does he want, anyway? Awen tries to figure it out. Obviously not stealing, the only thing of any value she has on her is the VIGIL silver amulet-thing she has. And she's not even sure he saw that. What could it be, then?

There are, obviously, others in the alley. A woman, her features also obscured, is leaning against a wall. Deeper in, there's a man sitting down on a box.

If there was a best time to try to escape, it would've been shortly after the man showed up. Awen's not experienced enough to have decided on that, so she is now being led straight into the alley.

Reynard still dutifully follows.

As the two (and fox) enter the alley, the man on the box stands up and fumbles with his keys, about to open up a hidden door. The woman guarding the entrance looks around. She sees Cassidy nearby, but dismisses her: a dumb girl who isn't even paying attention around her isn't worth worrying about. The shadowy woman relaxes and goes back looking for actual threats.

[Devixer]

Arkham Street

To add to the illusion, Cassidy's also keeping her hands in her pockets. It wouldn't make any difference if she had to fight, but better for any sentries to think that she's not on her guard. She's unarmed, but that wasn't much of a factor either. If a knife was the best this guy had, he would be easy pickings.

Her eyes are still closed as she makes it to the alley, and she only opens one as she hears the jingling of a set of keys. She had to wait just a little longer, to see just what the heck these keys opened, before she made her move. She was more than confident enough that she could keep them from taking the young woman. She had the speed of her magic, and nobody was paying any attention to her. All she needed to do was wait.

[billtodamax]

Ominous Alleyway

Anastasia gives his fingers a level stare for a moment, before deciding that she'd probably be fine. She continues her advance into the alley, before pausing to speak. He assaulted her. She needs help. Deciding this is sufficient, she continues toward Layne, attempting to lift her off of the ground and cradle Layne in her massive arms.

[Hattish Thing]

[Ominous Street]

Unable to resist, Layne is easily lifted up into the air.

[5a Violista]

[Arkham Street - Alley]

"Hey, girlie," the woman-sentry says, hardly paying attention to her. If anything, she suspects that this could be a distraction by thieves, so she looks closely up and down the street. "Back off if you know what's good for you." The woman reaches into her robe, gripping her hidden knife. She's wary, but more wary of other possible signs of danger using this dumb girl as a distraction.

Meanwhile, the man holding Awen looks over at Cassidy. She obviously doesn't matter, but is a reminder that somebody more imposing could be coming. "Hurry up, Greg," he says...before noticing and gently(?) kicking the fox away from his feet. Awen uses this moment of distraction to start to reach up and take off her veil...but it's too slow. He turns back quickly enough.

Meanwhile meanwhile, Greg the keyman, finally finds the right key. He rolls his eyes. So impatient.
He sticks the key into some janky crack in the wall, and turns it. Part of the wall reveals that it was, in fact, just a door disguised as a wall behind junk and shadows.

The man pushes ahead, bringing Awen along. "Come on, hurry up."

[Rebonack]

[Ominous Alleyway]

"Remarkably lucid for a zombie," Ib'bahali comments to no one in particular as he ducks through the rather large hole the livingly-impaired ogre had recently created, placing one hand on the ruined plaster to steady himself. Which of course results in dust getting all over his hand. He frowns at it, shakes it off to the best of his ability, and then continues on through the path so politely created for him.

Well...

Not for him.

For the undead ogre.

But close enough.

"Excuse me for just a moment there, uh, miss?" he says as he moves out into the alley proper, very possibly blocking the way out. "I need to do some wholly harmless and routine medical divinations to make sure the woman is safe to move."

And with that said, he withdraws a handful of runed knuckle bones, gives them a shake, and then tosses them into the air before catching them quite deftly. He splays his fingers, a bone clutched between each, and reads the augury. Should all go well, it'll inform him who in the immediate area has the Yellow Sign slithering around inside their heads. Almost as an afterthought, he casts the bones to make another reading. Specifically whether or not Xeni perpetrated any intentional violence against the unconscious woman.