Inside 67: Shadow over Innside

[Devixer]

Arkham Street - Alley

"Back off?" Cassidy finally speaks, and fully opens her eyes to look at the sentry speaking to her, with a half-dumb grin on her face. But as she continues, her grin is quick to turn into a much more typical insolent grin. "That's just it, though. You're the ones on my turf." It was a lie, of course, Cassidy didn't have any turf to speak of.

Of course, that likely won't matter much to the sentry. One moment, Cassidy's only standing there, and then one blink later, she's dashing up to her, and trying to lay her out with just one adept-powered punch.

Regardless of if she's successful or not, she turns towards Greg and Cloak Moron and takes a couple of steps towards them. "Right, here's how it's gonna shake. You let her go, then you turn this nice little hideout over to me. Been looking for something like this a while now."

[5a Violista]

Arkham Street - Alley

Sentry-Woman doesn't have enough time to retaliate. Since she thoroughly underestimated Cassidy, she doesn't have enough time to fully be ready and retaliate. Although she manages to draw her knife, her jaw breaks, her legs give out, and she goes into shock. She starts to feel really light-headed and her face goes pale as she gets close to passing out.

Greg, on the other hand, is a total coward. He drops the keys...on accident. Then, he tries to sprint past Cassidy out of the alley. He wants to be out of here.

Cloak Moron is either more brave or more foolish. He shoves Awen through the door and shouts "Code: blue hero!" Awen falls onto the ground inside the door. She'll probably be alright. The fox is still outside in the alley, and moves away from Cloak Moron.

With his now-free hand, he reaches to slam the door closed. With his knife-hand, he waves the knife in Cassidy's direction, threatening her. "You want me to surrender? Knives beat fists. It's simple math."

[Zefir]

Rooftops

The elf's face falls at the sound of one of their own dying. "Oh, Simon. I'd wondered what'd happened to you. Where's the body? We'll have to go fish him up, give him a sky-burial. He's got no one else, most of us don't. Thank you for finding us and letting us know." She'll take the identification if allowed, and all the Freerunners look sad.

AEB- Jack, Feia, Kramolagh

Jack watches the fae server get escorted away, sipping her champagne as she does. "So, um. What do you guys do?" She asks Feia and Kramolagh, taking the drama in her stride.

AEB- Fade & the Godfather

"I said the only thing I've learnt is not to treat women as things and pass them around to others. My previous marriages have come to an abrupt end for a variety of different reasons. Three had affairs, one with the janitor, one with their ex-wife, and one with my ex-wife who was also their ex-wife. That's wives one, two and four. One I cheated on, accidentally. That was the twin, wife eight. They swapped, to see if I knew the difference. I didn't. Wife three ran away after stealing a pot of gold and going on a gambling spree. Wife five tried to murder me to take over my business. Wife six I forgot, for six months. I'd upset a pooka, and it stole my memory of her. She didn't believe me, even after I had the pooka's legs broken and thrown off a bridge. Wife seven I'd married in those six months, and left me because I was already married. See? Eight wives, eight different reasons for the divorce. Well, seven, I guess. 'I want to marry your ex-wife' is pretty similar to 'I want to marry my ex-wife', meaning those two had three seperate marriages I'm aware of. I went to two of them."

I'm not sure Paddy is entirely to blame for some of those.

AEB- Fade & the Godfather

I'm not sure what Gender Paddy is. I assume he's a man.

"Interessting." Fade says. "I heared about people liking there own gender but your the first to tell me they switched during a marrigad."

From my point Paddy could be blamed for all, but how much common sense got Fade in this matter.

"It appears your business is taking quiet some wifes from you. I may assume this pooka was related to your business as well? I would... try to help you as far as i can, but love is nothing I took any personal interesst in."

[Felandria]

Fishery

"I thank you. I swear, once we are certain this place is safe, I shall answer any questions you have." Iamar wasn't sure of the general public's opinion of VIGIL, but it was better to be safe than sorry. If he thought she and Fel were only a couple of wayward adventurers, so much the better.

Iamar will be sure not to disturb any machinery as she examines the place, keeping a hand on

Felandria nods eagerly as Iamar talks, playing it cool.

She looks around, peering around corners, looking for suspicious shadows.

Here, shadow kitty.....

[Deathkeeper]

AEB- Anchor and Alex

Alex looks away, blushing.
”Oh, but I wouldn’t be useful to someone like you, Miss Anchor. I’m just a junior priestess. I have no business fighting monsters and having people’s Fates in my hands.”

[Murkus]

[AEB - Marina, Cantata, Fettina]

Fettina seems to be very keenly interested in the two, and she shoots Cantata smile when she learns her name. "Sort of hard to dance with three," says she, "Unless the sweet Cantata here was implying another kind of dance." Cantata's paper disappears into Tina's dress.

Fettina will take the proffered seat with a whisper of thanks, her motions betraying her less refined manners and graces. Especially when she downs half the nearest champagne glass. "Oh sheesh, there were that many eyes on us?" says Tina, her voice shocked but her face betraying a catlike amusement. "Who is this Onion guy?"

[Recaiden]

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.

Alex looks away, blushing.
”Oh, but I wouldn’t be useful to someone like you, Miss Anchor. I’m just a junior priestess. I have no business fighting monsters and having people’s Fates in my hands.”

"If you don't want peoples' fate in your hands, maybe you shouldn't be a priestess? I mean, it's a very serious task."
Anchor watches Alex until she turns back.
"That sounds lovely, Meinir. Surely a visit to a forest isn't too serious for you, Alex?"

[Chaotic Bob]

Spoiler: Ominous Alley

Show

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.

[Ominous Street]

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

[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.

Xeni did push her away from the Sign fairly roughly, with his magic, which seemed fairly justifiable at the time.
Before the process activated the blasted thing.

"Oh come on, I was trying to spare her poor brain."
During the course of this, his form begins diminishing, the dark gown over his gray skin resuming its blue existence as a robe.
His face acquires more definition and hair once more sprouts from his head. The fire fingers thing has also stopped.
"It didn't really work, but I didn't know the thing was booby trapped."

He reaches behind him a little to make sure his robe is still-
"...AAAH NO ONE LOOK!"

When he lost his form after the tasing, the clothing that has been covering the symbol vanished entirely (this is a flaw with transforming your clothes or entirely fabricating them with magic).
So now he's awkwardly and frantically covering it with his body instead.

Yurioc would roll his eyes, if capable, but instead observes Ibby's work. He is aware that he took on the Sign's vision, but the confirmation on the woman would be useful.
My companion is troubled and foolish, but I will vouch for his good intent and character.

[Gnrlshrimp]

[Docks]

"I understand the situation well enough, Edict. Two Intersection officers on the scene, angry dockhands spreading out from this location and lighting this warehouse up like a beacon for anyone with any degree of awareness, and this mess floating around in here doing-" Oh, well that's rather irritating, isn't it? As soon as the Pink begins corrupting the component, Affy glances over at it as the equipment shorts out on the spot. "I think that comment about control could be directed right back at you anyway - this muck is your doing, I assume? Perhaps if you controlled it better, I wouldn't be here to chastise you for your incompetence right now!"

It's been quite a while since the Prof has had reason to be genuinely angry at Edict. The last time might have been back in KNAVES days, even.

"Hiding form Feia doesn't work if you do something that draws everyone else's attention at the same time. And in case you haven't noticed, we're in a warehouse. I could shout all day and no one outside would hear me. Besides, I have eyes on the outside. I have eyes everywhere. Now, unless you have a better plan, I suggest you come with me. I can get you out from under her thumb right now, and it will make my life much easier in the process."

*****
[AEB - Feia, Kram, Jack, etc.]

As soon as Brynmor moves, there's a brief moment of clarity in Maelynn. Her eyes widen, her body shakes, she turns to Maldwyn with a look of absolute terror in her eyes as her body rapidly overheats, "Maldwyn, no! Please, I-"

Too late. With a loud, sickening crack her neck snaps round and her eyes go dull in an instant. A second snap as her neck breaks completely, her head a horrible mix of red and purple as the blood rushes, her skin bubbling slightly under the heat.

And then a fraction of a second later, her neck splits open under the strain as her jugular vein bursts under the strain and erupts in a geyser of scalding-hot blood aimed squarely at Kramolagh's face, the vital fluid easily hot enough to leave some nasty burns. Steam leaks from the open wound as the gush of liquid starts to slow.

And then the lifeless body speaks again in a hoarse, faint voice, forced on by someone unknown source, squeezing the last of the air out of her lungs, irrespective of whether any of the blood hit its intended target or not. "It's remarkably easy to make someone's body overheat, isn't it? I gave you 24 hours, Kram, and you didn't show. Instead you have the gall to walk into Inside as if you're welcome here. I'd think very carefully about how you leave the ball if I were you. Unless you feel like talking now?"

[Chaotic Bob]

[Docks]

"You're giving her too much credit. She would think me disposed of and not bother herself with trifling police movements, at this stage of her plans."
Edict really doesn't seem terribly bothered by Affidavit's anger being directed at him.
He has other issues at the moment.
"Technically, I haven't done anything but sit here on the ground for the past...I don't really know how long it's been. I lost count. Page, however, got bored."

There's more of that tittering laughter from somewhere off in the corner, beneath the Pink.
"Who did quite the job of distracting said police enough to not thoroughly check the warehouse, just yet."

As he talks, he finishes his adjustments to the circle on the ground and breathes outwards, in a peculiarly heavy manner.
The additional marks he made flicker a bit, before spiraling around like snakes that devour the various components of the original circle. It's a peculiar sight, but a quick one, that resolves with the 'snakes' crawling up Edict's legs in a train of flickering runes.

After a moment of this, he stands up and stretches a bit, looking more like a peculiarly colorless man with leg tattoos, than his usual wispy shade of a self.
"Page, get your sample. Professor, relax."

A trail of Pink billows, like a breeze has blown through it, off towards where Ithuriel flung that chunk of her arm.

[Autumnal Equinox Ball - Feia, Kram, Jack, and Co.]

Oh, see, that's a much more interesting resolution to the impertinent maid's intrusion on the evening.
Enough that Feia fully turns her head to look upon the scene, instead of watching from her periphery.

There's no interference with the event though, she wants to see how Kramolagh fares on his own. Not terribly worried if some splatters towards her.
Blood is rather becoming on some outfits and if it inexplicably freezes on contact with her skin, even more so with this particular one!

The amusement shows on her face, here, if little else does.
"Our first casualty of the evening, it seems."

[Devixer]

Arkham Street - Alley

Cassidy steps aside so Greg can run away. If he didn't wanna go to the hospital, that was definitely one way to avoid it. Once she's sure he's not just trying to pull a fast one on her, she turns back towards Cloak Moron and cracks her knuckles.

She cackles at the threat, heading over to pick up the dropped keys. "That really your angle here? You see what happened to your friend and you don't even wanna get her to a doc? Gonna wave your little butter knife?" She takes a very lax stance for someone ready to throw down - both of her arms are down, and she's really just on the balls of her feet.

"I'm feeling generous today, so I'm gonna give you another chance. You drop that knife and run for the hills, I won't come after you. Hell, you can even take her to get patched up. But you wanna stand here? Well..." she grins at Cloak Moron now. "Knives don't beat me." Cassidy wanted him to run away, both so she wouldn't have to exert as much energy, and because she was more than likely on a timer now, with Awen inside.

Bayt Alshay

Iamar watches as Naku takes that first bite of shawarma, and she can't help but pay attention to her reaction, even though she has no idea why. Must've just been a sense of anticipation - she knew how it would taste, of course, but she'd never introduced someone to her own culture or cuisine before, and she wanted to know how she would like it. Yes, that had to be it.

The corners of Iamar's lips turn upwards, and she nods. "I am happy to hear so. In my home, it isn't terrible uncommon to see folks set up to sell foods like this."

[Hattish Thing]

[Autumnal Equinox Ball - Feia, Kram, Jack, and Co.]

Courtesy of the small button pressed a moment ago, the scalding blood bounces harmlessly up against a small force barrier, sparing Kramolagh and his clothes but bathing the table in blood. With a slightly annoyed expression upon his pale and angular face, Kramolagh turns his head towards Feia, sighing somewhat.

"Hm. It appears your m-minion remains obsessed vith me."

"I'm afraid vhe s-simply must discuss options at zhis point. Zhis m-marks zhe zhird t-time zhis "Affidavit" person has made himself problematic. Out of respect f-for you and your vhork, I've avoided reprisal, but I'm afraid zhis behavior can no longer be tolerated. Perhaps you could make zhis clear to it? I'm loathe t-to vhaste company resources on somezhing so inconsequential."

[5a Violista]

Arkham Street - Alley

The fox doesn't seem any more worried than you'd expect. Just acts like a normal fox does - in this case, hide behind a bunch of trash.

The keys jangle as they are picked up. There's, like, six or seven keys on it.

On the other hand, Cloak Moron doesn't back off. "It's a magic knife," he retorts, waving it more. Actually, it's not magic. It's just got some paralytic poison on it. But the important part is that he thinks it's magic.

As Cloak Moron isn't used to his victims fighting back, his form is not really good. "A cocky girl like you deserves to learn her place!" He lunges at Cassidy, stabbing with his little knife. "Die!"

Meanwhile
Inside the secret hideout, the guy's comrades start preparing for being attacked. A few of them stay down in the ritual room, but they come as quickly as possible towards the entrance. Fortunately, Awen no longer has a dagger to her back or cloaked guy breathing down her neck, so she's likely going to be able to defend herself with magic or whatever else it is she does.

[Felandria]

[Felandria and King in Rags]

The King in Rags has existed for millenia, in some form or other. When he first emerged as a distinct consciousness from the churning primordial force of the Fairest of Lands, time as such didn't really exist. And yet, in all this time and not-time, spend on things often unfathomable to mortals, no one has ever hugged him. He is, for a moment, speechless, before continuing.

"I... yes. My children proved ungrateful. The lure of mortality proved too strong. They went on to become orcs, goblins and hobgoblins. They still live, having forgotten their origins. Such is the irony of history, is it not?"

Well, I can’t understand that.

I crave immortality, who could possibly resist having all the time in the world?

There is an infinite amount of things to experience in the multiverse, I can’t wait to be immortal.

[billtodamax]

Ominous Alleyway

Certainly all these people think their words are important, but Anastasia knows better and ignores most of them. She takes Layne into one arm and uses the other to shake her gently. Wake up Layne! She starts walking back towards the hole she made in the building, stopping at Ib'bahali. Move. She says in her dull monotone.

Autumnal Equinox Ball

Anchor and Alex

You'd have such a time. Promises Meinir, continuing to eat her pork chop. Doesn't it sound fun, Alex?

Fade and The Fairy Godfather

It sounds to me like you've had the worst sort of luck. Ilar says, consoling Paddy.

Derryth finally rouses from her sulk to speak. Some women don't know what a good thing they have when they see it. Some men too. She adds, glancing at Fade moodily.

[Devixer]

Arkham Street - Alley

Cassidy snorts as she's holding back a laugh. "Oh a magic knife, that's real cute." Even if it was magic, Cass doubts it's magic she can't handle. If it could fry her with magic beams, Cloak Moron would've tried by now.

She steps aside to dodge the thrust, then tries to grab him by the wrist, before sliding one of her legs back and thrusting it back forward, trying to knee his arm into bending way in the wrong way.

[Rebonack]

[Ominous Alleyway]

Ibby frowns at the result of his augury. Technically Xeni could have been more careful. Probably. Though this is hardly his fault. More concerning is the fact that the Yellow Sign is in the woman's mind now and if left to her own devices she'll likely spread it. And that's bad. Really bad.

Also really bad?

Ibby's chances of going toe to toe with a zombie ogre and not ending up smooshed.

Sure, he could let his other side out.

But that would only serve to make a really terrible situation even worse.

He would, however, not be smooshed.

"Ma'am, I can't in good conscience move," Ibby replies to the towering (and unhelpful) ogre zombie. He lifts one hand toward the ogre, a pleading gesture. "The woman you're so carefully cradling is ill with a very dangerous, very contagious disease. I happen to have the training required to cure her, and I would be happy to do so. But please, I need you to put her down."

And also not smoosh me.

[5a Violista]

Arkham Street - Alley

Cloak Moron's wrist is grabbed and his knife dangles uselessly in has hand. He snarls and struggles as his elbow is pressed.

Trying to get himself free from Cassidy, his free fist starts to punch at her face repeatedly.

Eventually, though, there's a popping sound and Cloak Moron suddenly has a muscle spasm in his arm. His arm hyperextends, and suddenly his knife falls out of his hand as he loses strength in his arm.

Finally, he whimpers.

[Chaotic Bob]

[Ominous Alley]

That's unfortunate. Anastasia is making a go at leaving with a possible Ground Zero subject.

"The man's right. Layne there is dangerous right now, until we clean out her sickness. Please, come back and lay her back down. You can even stand guard, if you want."
It would make this situation quite a bit easier.
And let him stop formulating the complicated little spell he's putting together in his head, that is going to turn the air directly behind Ibby into a transparent gateway to a spot behind Xeni.

Yurioc also throws his hand into the mix, though he's unsure if it can have any influence at all.
Most undead have a tendency towards being highly resistant to mental influence, either through mindlessness or just whatever conditions their animating magicks impose.

However, this seems to be a fairly low intelligence undead, so perhaps there's a chance?
The mouse reaches out a small wave of psionic energy, no thoughts this time, but a subtle nudge towards trust. Relax. Friends.

[UncleWolf]

Unfortunate Meeting

Thankfully, it seems that the floor they landed on is more sturdy, though it seems like they just flattened a couch and probably ruined the carpet underneath it.
Nora's shield will hold for this reason, so she will just end of laying on the floor with a crumpled over Faith.
The car is still running, a soft spin escaping from its engine as it stands in the middle of what appears to be a living room. The three KABAL members are still clinging on to the car for dear life, only now actually daring to turn their heads to start looking around at their new surroundings.

It does appear that the living room is empty besides them but there is an alarm going off in the distance now...

Unfortunate Meeting

Nora groans as she gets up to her feet and takes a look around to make sure they didn't crush anyone. When she sees that the coast is clear, she helps Faith to her feet before rushing over to the car to look over the operatives. "Hey, you guys okay?" She asks before grinning. "Bet you thought you wasted me too. Come on, hurry up. Gotta get you three out of here. Car's unmarked, right?" She asks before using brute force to rip the door off if it won't open naturally.

[Devixer]

Arkham Street - Alley

Cassidy moves and weaves her face to ensure that at least some of the blows only glance against her, but even so, a couple of Cloak Moron's blows land square on her face. She's been punched before, so she's able to hold on, but it certainly is annoying.

But then his arm pops, and all his strength is gone. Cassidy steps behind him, and uses just a bit of her power to shove him towards the other sentry woman. "Sit over there for a while and rethink yer life." She also picks up the knife as well, more to keep him from grabbing it again.

She steps up to the spot where she saw Greg unlock the secret door, and tries each of the keys. After all, if this place was gonna belong to her after this, better not destroy the front door.

[KerfuffleMach2]

[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.

Alysha shakes her head a little, feeling a bit overwhelmed.

That's...wow. I mean, that stuff happened. Years ago. I've met Mickey and Donald and Goofy. But you know it as a game? That's...that's just weird.

I'm gonna have to check it out sometime. See how accurate it is.

She finishes her ice cream, seemingly lost in thought about the nature of reality.

[Mee]

Autumnal Equinox Ball

The next course arrives just as the previous two, simply being there when the guests look back at their plates. Even the more attentive guests (and indeed, some are getting suspicious about this food delivery menu) are finding themselves distracted momentarily by some other guest or some sound - and that's when the food appears. This time it's a roasted pork chop, succulent and rich, coated with a fig and grape agrodolce - beautifully contrasting with the meat itself - with a simple raddichio salad on the side, an added freshness that perfectly compliments the rest of the dish.

Naku and Ithuriel

Well I'm glad she's been sensible about it. Einion says, still smiling away. Hopefully my guests will be safe from your... baser hungers shall we say? He looks like he's sharing an inside joke with her, but there's an element of hardness, deep down in his expression. He is the host of this ball and it is his duty to see his guests safe. Unless they give up their safety, of course - then what is he to do?

AEB: N&I

Naku sighs slightly. It's nearly inaudible, and she has no visual tell for it, but her demeanor takes a hit. After everything she had just finished saying; that she works for Civvy, who Einion obviously knows who -- or at least what -- she is, and then her talk of not needing to feed off of people . . .
Still.
After that.
She's still getting hit with the 'well, you are a vampire!'.

[AEB - N&I]

Einion's comment about Naku's baser hunger draws a noticeable hardening in Ithuriel's expression, which is about the most she can outwardly show in terms of disapproval at his words. Really, she'd expect their host to have a little more tact than that!

Still, this could just be another bit of fae trickery. Perhaps there are consequences to criticism as well?

"I don't think there's any real danger with the security you have in place, Lord Hier. But don't worry, I'll make sure to keep a very close eye on my companion throughout the evening."

"No." Naku says quietly, turning to look at her food, and poke at it with a a fork. "Unless they come at me first, I do not intend to bring harm to any of your guests."

[Rebonack]

[A Quiet Commercial Area]

"You're sitting around talking deep thoughts with a bugbear while sitting on a park bench eating ice cream," Aries points out. "And the video game thing is weird? Just... I don't know. Think of it as flattery I guess? Or just another way of telling a story. Or, hey! Maybe whoever made the game somehow got inspiration from the place you're from? That makes sense, right?"

Or at least as much sense as anything else.

"So... uh... what sort of problems do you solve when you aren't sealing the hearts of worlds to keep little shadow dudes away?"

Another pause.

"...and if I help you, am I going to need to get giant shoes and/or gloves? Because that seems like a requirement for persistent followers."

Can't have Disney folks without silly gloves, after all!

That would be a scandal.

[KerfuffleMach2]

[A Quiet Commercial Area]

Alysha shrugs a bit. I mean, I guess when you put it that way, it's not so weird. I just never really thought that something like that could happen, ya know?

She chuckles at the shoe joke, then shakes her head, wiggling her own feet in the air a bit.

Nope. Whatever footwear you want. See? I got normal boots.

And I help people with whatever it is they need help with. Just wander around till I find an issue.

[billtodamax]

Ominous Alleyway

Anastasia glares down at Ibby - without malice, really, glaring is just her normal way of taking in the world - before turning to look at Xeni again. Sickness huh?

Yurioc will feel that Anastasia seems very pliable to mental suggestions - certainly nothing is stopping the wave of feeling he's sending her way. But... oh jeez, is she supposed to be panting like that? Her free hand has started clenching as she glares - this time there's malice! - at Ibby. She looks to her fist and sees it clenching, frantically looking around the alleyway, spinning back to Xeni. What are you doing. She says, free hand slamming into the alley wall and tearing out bricks and plaster as she drags her hand down the wall. Layne is getting squeezed between her arm and torso - not painfully tight, but perhaps alarmingly so, if she wakes. WHAT ARE YOU DOING? she yells, starting forward before catching herself.

You're doing a great job Yurioc! She looks very calm.

Autumnal Equinox Ball

Naku and Ithuriel

Ithuriel's comment causes Einion to laugh loudly. I'm sure you will. He says, and Ithuriel will catch a brief wink from he as he says it. Keep a close, close eye on her Ithuriel.

Well, unless they want you to of course. Einion says to Naku, before eating some of his salad. There's a pause as he chews. I could hardly hold you to higher standards than my court, after all! His comment spurns another bought of laughter. He sure does like laughing.

[5a Violista]

Arkham Street - Alley

With Sentry Woman and Cloak Moron no longer a threat and Greg having left the scene, there's nobody to stop or delay Cassidy as she fumbles through the keys trying to find the correct one.. Except the fox, but he's just a fox so he doesn't do anything.

Eventually, on the second-to-last key (Why is the key you're looking for never the first one you try?), the key fits in well and actually turns. The door unlocks and is able to be opened inwards.

Inside...how much Cassidy can see depends on how well she can see in the dark. There's definitely one person in robes lying on the ground right by the door, making it hard to open the door all the way. Probably asleep. Farther in, there's one other person on the ground, unmoving, and they had a flashlight in their hand. They're both still alive, though. Someone is definitely bleeding as evidenced by the blood on the floor (and it's neither of the two on the ground) and just off to the left there's two people struggling with each other, one with a knife in hand and the other...well, with this lighting, it's a little hard to see but a combination of the light from the street and the dim backlights farther in, it seems like there's...tentacles on one of the person's face? Maybe? Seriously, the lighting is bad in here.

If one listens closely enough, there's also footsteps coming up stairs. The stairs are just off to the right. The person coming up the stairs also has a "magic" knife.

[Morty]

[Autumnal Equinox Ball]

[King in Rags]

"I would have, if I'd been able to," the King in Rags says. "But the world shook as I fell. I took what revenge I could in telling the fae loyal to me never to trust the blood of Gol again and not to give them an inch. To this day, many fae are hostile to them, and the traitors don't know why."

The King in Rags them turns his gaze to Felandria again.

"You, I and our hosts know what timelessness and immortality mean, daughter of Thunder," he says. "But if someone was only ever mortal... they cannot grasp it. They're bound by time and they can't think past it. And sadly, my erstwhile servants proved to be very mortal in this regard. I do hope your search of immortality and your birthright goes well."

[Ellrinna and Dipsnig]

Dipsnig smiles, careful not to show his sharp teeth. They're not quite like a wolf's - the teeth of a scavenger, not a predator.

"Not all. But it is useful. A man who wants to stay successful can't stay pent up in his home and wait for business to come to him, can he?"

[Rebonack]

[A Quiet Commercial Area]

"I think I could do with just wandering around a bit," Aries reasons. "You know, taking in the sights. If what you've told me about this city is even half true, there should be plenty of sights to see."

A pause, a grin.

"And the shoes thing is good news for me at least. I'm not sure if they even MAKE shoes for people like me."

People who walk on tippy-toes with weird giant toenails. The weirdest of people.


[Ominous Alley]

The ogre zombies is going berserk because of course she is.

And for no readily apparent reason, at least insofar as Ib'bahhali can ascertain. He backs up a few steps, hands raised and open in a placating gesture, completely unaware of the portal that may or may not have been set up behind him. He would really, really prefer not to get smooshed all over the walls. Least of all because it would completely ruin his suit, one of which he's quite fond. Most of all because if he manifested everyone around him would be in keen danger since he wears the Witche's Kiss like a newborn faun wears spots. The last thing these poor people need is Mother growing roots in their minds when Hastur is already trying to make inroads.

"I'm not doing anything, please calm down," Ibby says, fully aware that telling someone to calm down rarely, if ever, works. "And please be careful, that woman is already injured. I'm sure you don't mean to hurt her more."

Whatever created this undead ogre, it's remarkably lucid and remarkably well-intentioned. Those are both rather queer qualities on their own. Together they're downright baffling. If he had the time, opportunity, and wherewithal to examine it to discover what technique was used to create it, Ibby would love to see to that endeavor. But no, stopping Hasture from devouring a chunk of Inside and every poor soul Inside is the bigger priority by a large margin.

[Halae]

Blanche nods, visibly impressed. "Longer than I've been shooting, it's only been... what, 4, 5 years by now?" She muses, watching as Amity dotes over Tank like he was little more than a young toddler. She had to hold back a giggle, it was an oddly adorable sight.

"I suspect we come from very different worlds... I've never seen anything like him before."

[Red Zone - Chatting in an Alley]

"Probably," Amity says, tucking away the bloody rag, "People with feline ears aren't exactly common where I come from either."

Tank, meanwhile, leans down to SNIFF Blanche's hair, which will likely cause her entire head to be taken slightly off balance by the sudden movement of wind.

Mazino's

That got a bit of a laugh out of Onora. "Trust me, I'm not that impressive. I just run up to things and hit them with my swords. I can't do half the things you've been talking about."

[Mazino's]

"Huh. I wonder why; you've certainly had enough time to develop the tech," Amity sighs and shrugs, "Ah well, nothing for it. Anything you want to do now?"