[Nexus] Trog's Tavern CCXLII

[Halae]

Before the fight

Like many brigands, the glint of anything shiny attracts Maria's attention anddragonscales being one of them, she turns her head to look at the newcomer, eying her over with an intrigued look to her eyes. As she looks the half-dragon over, she drops a few coins in Cosmo's hand. "Get her a drink and be sure to send her my...regards."

Grumbling, the poor and overworked Cosmo does as asked. At least he was being paid well this time around.

As the half-dragon woman receives the drink, she says, "Thanks," to Cosmo, before walking over to Maria,

"A drink huh? That's creative," She says, her wings fluttering a bit, "Now how could I repay this fine gift?"

Eh just cause he doesn't like this theme makes him not a good guy for her? Well, she should look her manners since she isn't very kind as well. Zefir is well aware when people dislike him and wanted to avoid conversations. He sights.

"Ok. What's wrong? I'm as honest as I can, but you didn't even answer my questions. I know I'm not that good, since this is my first real date, but if something bothers you tell me."

He looks straith at her, but in his mind she has given him an answer. As said it is common for him that people dislike him without knowing him especially magic influenced person. He already sets her on his 'To Do'-list. For him her reasons are clear.

"It's just that we don't seem to mesh well, is all," Ormirrah says, "You're not a bad person, I just don't think that you're exactly what I'm looking for in a relationship."

[UncleWolf]

"Why, obviously you should repay it by drinking with me." Maria says with a sly smile, patting the empty stool next to her as she takes another pull from her mug. "Or if you don't drink much, I'm sure we can come to other arrangements somehow."

[Halae]

The Half-Dragon smiles, sitting down on the stool, "I'm Ingrid. You?" She starts drinking the booze as she waits for Maria to respond.

[Morty]

Viima is hit with the beam. She yelps as her hind legs suddenly turn into a fish tail. She thrashes on the floor and whimpers, panicked.
Upon seeing it, Dipsnig's eyes go wide and then narrow. With a reflex, he snatches his crossbow and sends a bolt at Magtok's arm - the one that's holding the ray gun. Just for that, he's going to nail each of the cyborg's limbs to the floor. Although his fury makes him extremely concentrated on hitting his target, the illusory explosions will inevitably throw his aim at least a little.

[UncleWolf]

"Maria. Maria Blackheart." The Brigand says, offering her gloved hand to the half-dragon in greeting with a smile. "But please, just Maria will do for now. I'm not robbing anyone at the moment so formalities aren't necessary."

[Reinholdt]

Reinholdt, having somehow made his way into the rafters, is in position, but doesn't strike yet. It's not the proper time.

Plus the explosions are really bugging his ears and while they provide great cover, they're hard to focus through. Rein'll wait a bit just to concentrate and deal with the issue.

[Halae]

"A thief, huh?" Ingrid says with a smile, "I suppose you're one of those 'love 'em and leave 'em tyypes'? I think... I'd be rather fine with that. And fine if you were around for longer, too." she takes a pull of the ale, before setting the pint down on the counter, smiling to see what Maria's response would be.

[UncleWolf]

"A highwayman I prefer." The Tiefling admits as she finishes her grog and orders another. "And a little from A, a little from B in that regards. See, I never forget anyone, even if I can't stay in the same place for too long. I'm always sure to stop by for a while." As uncouth as Maria might be, she was at least honest.

With herself anyway.

Sometimes.

[Halae]

"Ah" Ingrid says, crossing her hands over one another on her lap as she leans forward towards, Maria. a single wing extends forward and the alar thumb (the thumb on top of a wing) reachs forth to rake gently along Maria's arm, "I may have use for such an individual..."

[UncleWolf]

Maria's eyebrow quirks at the blunt proposition. Normally she was the one who was supposed to be this forward. It was both unsettling and intriguing, and either way, she can't help but smile slyly at the offer as she sets her drink aside. "I believe that you have my utmost attention."

[Zefir]

"It's just that we don't seem to mesh well, is all," Ormirrah says, "You're not a bad person, I just don't think that you're exactly what I'm looking for in a relationship."

"Since we only talked about this one story I assume you made your choice on sight right."

Zefir looks up from his drink. He knows he is right and her previouse answer was enougth to proove him right.

Magical creatures are all the same, even if I look like them. Just another victim on my list.

[Earl of Purple]

Cowboy's Table

"Adventures aren't always to everyone's taste, though one can gain great riches or power through defeating enemies and looting their corpses. Or by merely risking life and limb against dangerous traps. However, I would still advise you to try it- if you enjoy your first adventure, you'll likely become skilled at survival." Madame de la Moy then turns to Isla. "It is a key word, one that the beetle is enchanted to respond to. Dalachrech is the name of my deity, the Lord of Invertebrates; whilst it has some power it is not a true spell. I can use magic, though my power is granted by Dalachrech and therefore He grants some of my prayers rather than using true spells." Gertrude smiles, glad that Isla likes her present.

[Murkus]

"Have you ever heard of the legends some Oriental peoples have of kitsune? That's similar. Except Inari is a kind goddess, not a trickster," Sharon explains.

"I've heard a little," Percival says, before ordering himself another liquer. "Does your church come from Earth, then?"

[LOTRfan]

The man, upon closer realization, is an elf. What? What is it!? His eyes are wild and paranoid. What do you want?

Oh, an elf. Elves remind Gran (the Breen) a little to much of Vulcans for his comfort, but he'll try to be nice. Obviously, something is bothering this man. As he speakers, the visor stops pulsing and seems to almost zero in on the man's face, as if the Breen is trying to get as many details as possible. His voice is very scratchy, and almost mechanical in nature. "is everything alright, sir? You seem worried about something."

[Lord Magtok]

With a reflex, he snatches his crossbow and sends a bolt at Magtok's arm - the one that's holding the ray gun. Just for that, he's going to nail each of the cyborg's limbs to the floor. Although his fury makes him extremely concentrated on hitting his target, the illusory explosions will inevitably throw his aim at least a little.

Blood explodes outward all around the cyborg as a crossbow bolt stabs its way right through Magtok's shoulder and clavicle. He hisses a string of obscenities at nobody in particular, spitting out a torrent of vocabulary that Applejack has almost certainly never heard before. Gods above, below, and fudging sideways does that bolt hurt.

"Aaargh. You really don't have any sense of humor at all, do you, Dippy?"

Magtok fires the weapon again, but this time with all the accuracy and attention to details of a chipmunk on methamphetamine. That bolt to the shoulder is taking a lot out of him, and bracing the weapon against the opposite shoulder means the shot will be clumsy at best, and completely unpredictable at worst. The cyborg takes a large leap up and over the flopping mersuccubus and sea-wolf, trying to scramble over to a table, knock it over, and use that as cover until he can regain his bearings. This is just an absolute nightmare right now, but maybe, if he can just get rid of that one goblin, the rest of the crowd will fold up like the helpless sheep that they are.

[happyturtle]

When Magtok flips the table, he ends up with Jeanne right next to him. "Gimme that." She yoinks the gun right out of his hands* and starts fiddling with the controls. "It's all gone pear-shaped. Time to overclock this baby." Once she's done, she flings the gun into the middle of the room.


*godmod approved

[Reinholdt]

"Ohhhh shhhh..."

Reinholdt dives. Like literally, off the rafters, right at Magtok. He sort of panicked and figured Magtok being behind the table might be the best place to be. Especially if he lands (as painfully for Magtok as possible of course) and sort of uses Magtok as cover.

On the downside, it could end up with them being horribly fused together into one fish creature or something ridiculous.

[Drowlord]

The drow noble leaped out of his seat. He hissed something in his native tongue, then said, "Will you stop? You are being discourteous to many here. Why are you doing this?"
His hand rested on the spider pommel of his sword, and his rune shield was extended to block any attack from the man in front of him.

[Chaotic Bob]

Applejack, who has been standing in/near the door for...a really long time now, watches the various stages of panic involving the tossed device with a slightly tilted head.
Judging by what it was doing earlier, maybe they were expecting it to start shooting randomly or something?

That's just silly.

Although...if that's a valid concern, then quite a few people in here are in a bit of danger. Well sort of danger. Not sure if that fishifying thing is actual danger or not, but no point in taking silly chances.


While everyone else cowers from it like little rabbits or something, Applejack decides to do the more get-things-done side of things, as is her tendency.

In this case, it involves sprinting as fast as her four legs can carry her, hoping to reach the device before it does...whatever-it-was-Magtok-was-doing-but-worse and maybe buck it right out a window. Or behind the bar.

Depends on which has a better line of sight, perhaps.
Then again, maybe she just won't make it all.

[McBish]

Hey look a gun tossed like grenade. Yep time to hide behind the bar now, Fabian the North Pacific Tree Octopus thinks and so he stops pretending to be an bottle of booze on the bar and quickly slithers down under the bar.

[OrchestraHc]

"WOW! And I do mean WOW!" comes a voice from off to the side of Trog's. At a table two men in nice looking suits sit and watch the action fun. One of them is in his mid-30s and has a pearly white smile, while the other looks considerably older and wears a cowboy hat and bolo tie. "Hey there folks, I'm Kip Kapling and this is my good buddy Dallas H. Texas,"

"The H stands for Houston."

"And we're bringing you the play by play of the best barroom brawls! I got to tell you Tex, Magtok is putting up one heck of an interesting game today," Kip says to his co-commentator.

"I don't think so Kip. Magtok is a supervillain. They work best with ample prep time, but it seems he's just flyin' by the seat of his dress. He comes in, completely unprepared for any of the crazy comin' his way, and you can't come into Trog's, hop on a table and not expect crazy." A conspicuous screen behind that somebody really should have noticed before plays back Magtok speechifying and Mermaidificating.

"Speaking of crazy, check out that crazy kick that almost knocked Mags flat on his back!" The screen then shows Kate's kick in slow motion with a stylus drawn arrow tracing her trajectory.

"Might as well have, not only did it put him out of the game for a bit, he misfired."

"And it is an amazing save by cosmo, easily the most underpaid bartender in the league!" Kip says as another stylus drawn arrow follows the beam into the glass and back toward Magtok.

"And a downright dirty move by Magtok, throwin' a lady in the way! Where's the ref on that call?"

"Well he had to stay in the game somehow. What is it they say? 'When you play the Game of Trog's, you win or you become a fish from the hips down'? And y'know, I've always wanted my own dire wolf!" Kip says as Viima walks on screen.

"I'm guessin' Magtok doesn't share your sentiment," Tex says, stopping the video, just before the beam impact and drawing a fish tail on Viima, followed by "GLUB GLUB" above her.

"Frickin' Lanisters," Kip mumbles, pressing play.

"Well here's a saying you may have heard of, 'Mess with the wolf and get the TOOTH!'"

"That's right, it's Dipsnig Razortooth, city councilman, crossbow enthusiast, and international tapdancing champion. Seems he's got a point to get across to the corporate cyborg? Eh? Eh?"

"Don't quit your day job, Kip," Tex says, embarrassed.

"But this is my day job."

"I take it back then. Quit. Soon."

"Can't hear you, Tex. Too much action is going down on the floor! Maggie's partner is down but not out. Seems she's set the gun to explode. We really ought to get the blast shield up!"

"Way ahead of you!" Tex says, as his finger is firmly placed on a button and the blast shield rises out of the floor in front of the table. From behind the shield the two eagerly anticipate what's coming next.

[The Bushranger]

((^ Awesome. ))

"I've heard a little," Percival says, before ordering himself another liquer. "Does your church come from Earth, then?"

Sharon shakes her head. "Um, no. It's just a remarkably similar legend," she explains.

[Zefir]

On the table of the two reporter appears a small *pop* and a small smoke cloud. As it dissapears a little green stuff animal creature seems to be there watching the fight. The creature wears golden armore and a helm. And you wonder why he is here? They have a forcefield so one of the safest places around here. Poor Mr. C has sleept in the wrong place.

He doesn#t say anything since he don't wants to interrupt the reporter he just smiles at them.

[Chas the mage]

Cog motions over a waitress to get another beer for Aether (and a second refill after that, while it's at it), before hearing Aether's question. He ponders this a minute, as if he is debating how much to say. "His family abandoned him right before they fled the village they lived in. After my legion arrived, I adopted him."

"legion, eh?" he asks, "so, you're a veteran?" He looks over his shoulder, both directions, scanning the crowd, and then says in a hushed tone, "I am one too." He then looks around some more and downs the majority of the beer in front of him.

[Morty]

Dipsnig was about to tell Magtok that his sense of humour was dry at the moment when Jeanne rigged the gun to explode. He performs an impressive sommersault to get himself into some cover behind a group of chairs.
Viima, meanwhile, curls up and whipmers pitifully. She has no idea what happened to half of her body. It's cold and unfamiliar.

[Lord Magtok]

While everyone else cowers from it like little rabbits or something, Applejack decides to do the more get-things-done side of things, as is her tendency.

In this case, it involves sprinting as fast as her four legs can carry her, hoping to reach the device before it does...whatever-it-was-Magtok-was-doing-but-worse and maybe buck it right out a window. Or behind the bar.

"Noooooo! My Mer-gun!

Fwoosh! The mer-gun sails through the air, zips towards a window, and-

'Fraid we're not getting out of this mess that easily, folks. The gun explodes in mid-air, causing all sorts of stinky trout, pungent-smelling salmon, smelly tuna, and even more mer-rays to scatter all over the tavern, hitting anyone who happens to have a player who'd like them to get hit! These random beams of doom aren't anywhere near as precisely meted out as the earlier ones, however; they could turn anything and everything on you body fishy! Only your elbows, most of your left side, your entire head...it's completely, totally random! Luckily, it's also completely, totally temporary. Magtok isn't a completely heartless monster, after all.

Meanwhile, Magtok is still cowering. Cowering with a creepy-looking fish eye on the right side of his face, a live catfish flopping around at his feet, and also a big shiny dorsal fin on his head. Looks like he got hit with some of the blast himself. Shoot, now that he hasn't got a gun, it's going to be really hard to do that whole robbing people thing. Maybe he should just grab Jeanne by her ugly fish butt and run for the door.

EDIT (BECAUSE I AM TEH STUPIDS): Oh, and now there's a Reinholdt on Maggy, which jumped at him from the rafters or something. Our cyborg isn't happy about this.

"Gah!"

[happyturtle]

*flop*

Jeanne was holding herself up with her arms, but they suddenly seem to be fins. She's completely fishified. The only signs that she's anything but a really massive sturgeon is the striped tank top she's still wearing, and the fact that this fish seems to have spiked blonde hair.

*flop flop flop*

[Gnrlshrimp]

Now the Cricketbatman snaps into action. No way is he going to deal with a ponyfish! Just having to deal with Applejack as a pony is troublesome enough!

Moving freakishly fast, he quickly positions himself between the exploding gun and Applejack, his cricket bat rapidly growing in size to act as a shield from the evil fish-rays.

"A little more care next time please. We don't want you turning into a fish-" The Cricketbatman pauses and stares at his not-a-cricket bat-any-more. He's now holding a small shark by the tail. "-like my cricket bat."

[5a Violista]

The Cowboy's Table - Unnervingly close to the entrance...and mer-rays. (Maybe Stingrays, too)

The cowboy Benjamin blinks as the scene, the conversation, and other things pass through his vision in super-speed, as his mind reboots from a weekend-long deadtime. The first thought that passes is: Oh. So that's how they make mermaids. The second is slightly less important. How did all this happen? A crazy yellow robot-man (Yellow, not in color but in insult) charges in, starts shooting and picking on woman, dogs, and midgets - and, worse - at the dinner table. That's highly bad manners in the Wild West.

That's the first time this has happened to him - time being used to his disadvantage. Luckily, his super-power comes into play right here. As the mer-gun explodes, he freezes his mind to give him extra time to think. (Basically, he is able to think freely without time passing by; but he can't react.) It gives him enough time to plan out something to save himself and the two lovely ladies, Isla and Madame, from the putrefying fishy ray. Darn it. And I would have done something heroic, too, he thinks, and said some sort of cool pun to keep him distracted. Now all that's left is this...

As his mind returns to reality, he snatches his two unloaded pistols from the table with his right hand, he grabs the wooden table and throws it up in the way, with his left hand, to block him and his companions from the crossfire. Luckily, cowboys are known for quick-drawing speed and being able to act without aiming, and not for accuracy, because otherwise, he'd be a fish. "Duck!" he yells to Isla and Madame, secretly being grateful for his superb luck in seating arrangements, and hoping that they're quick enough to react.

...behind the table, he loads three bullets in each pistol, in two seconds (He is rather practiced), and waits for the dangerous fishy rays to end before leaping up to assess the situation.

((Long post. Sorry.))

[Chaotic Bob]

"Aw, shoot. Was afraid somethin' like that was gonna happen."
Applejack jerks her head to the side a beam rebounds from a rafter towards her hat, slipping past the Barn-Man's defense.

"Always some crazy part o' this hocus pocus."
Another ray is side-stepped as it bounces from the floor.

"And I ain't afraid o' being no fish, Barn! But no sense in puttin' these other folks in dan-...horseapples!"
The first beam, after taking a peculiar path past a couple tables, being deflected by Cosmo off towards a particularly pungent troll, and then being accidentally blocked by a tossed gold piece, had return and scrapped across Applejack's lower back.

From the hips down, there is now nothing but fish.