[Nexus] Inside 39

[The Alexandrian]

[Red Zone - Alley]

"Hey!"

Clarissa shouts as a nice little hole is burned straight through her torso. Lucky for her, she is just a humongous cell constructed out of smaller cells with no organs (apart from tubes and large stomach-like vacuoles) or blood vessels of which to speak.

"You ruined my shirt! Meanie!"

She can't dodge lasers. Conventional lasers move at the speed of light. No known particle can actually move at light speed other than light, which is also a wave so it doesn't really count.

Clarissa abruptly spins around so that she is facing Juan and attempts to tackle him into one of the nearby walls with considerable force! She is a teensy bit weaker than she would have been were she not shot but not much. Her chest is already beginning to stitch itself back together! She must be expending energy like an archaic car burning fuel!

[UncleWolf]

Red Zone - Alley

Juan drops his laspistol and slides his left foot back to brace himself and when the tackle hits, he doesn't budge. His smile seems to broaden a bit too much to be humanly possible, and his eyes seem to shift, turning a yellow with snake like pupils. Instead of backing up, he tries to wrap his arms around her, keeping her still with superhuman strength and look into her eyes. If successful, she'll feel a pleasant tingle wash over her. "And just what were you planning? Hmm...?"

[Chaotic Bob]

[Loch and Key]

Feia eyes the outfit momentarily, briefly comparing it to the last outfit that she had seen the woman in.
She decides she isn't particularly surprised. "The Lady" is very fond of showing off how much of a woman she actually is.

That servant...she is surprising.
Objects are here, Objects she had already tasted the auras of.
This information dances between distressing, vexing, and outright irritating.

But Feia keeps composure, a small little goal near Jezebel, looking for the furthest possible seat from the woman.
Perhaps just on the opposite side of the table would do, if there is one available.

[Red Zone - Alley]

Yet another battle has erupted.
As always, a little girl is present, hanging at the fringes of the fight.

In this particular situation, she's crouching on the edge of a rooftop overlooking the alley, her long scythe placed on the roof at her side, out of sight.
Simply observing.

[The Alexandrian]

[Red Zone - Alley]

Stupid clothes! If Clarissa were not wearing any, she could just melt right out of Juan's hold! It doesn't occur to her to suck the clothes into her body to bypass this problem. She isn't the brightest bulb in her lot. Clarissa is held in place! She glares at Juan, staring straight into his eyes and- That's funny. Clarissa feels pretty good all of a sudden.

"I...I was going to eat them, I think."

Blech! That is disgusting!

[happyturtle]

Loch and Key

Sadly for Feia, the table settings are already placed, with Feia's spot directly to The Lady's left at the only other chair. Once Xifra has poured Feia's wine, she moves to pour her Mistress's wine, touching her hand briefly, long enough to send Jezebel a telepathic memory of Xifra's encounter with Feia.

Xifra exits the room and prepares to serve the first course, reverting to npc status for the evening as her player deadtimes.

[UncleWolf]

Red Zone - Alley

Juan smirks a bit and doesn't blink, trying to keep her hypnotized. To keep her looking at him, he'll increase the feeling. "And why would you do that when there are more...interesting things around?" He asks, his voice getting deeper. he remains the same height, but his legs shift together and enlongate, starting to form a long muscular snake-like tail that'll slowly begin to slip behind her...

Loch and Key

Jezebel smiles a bit as the message is transferred to her. "Thank you, my dear." She says lovingly to Xifra, watching her leave with obvious interest before turning to Feia. "Dinner will be served soon."

[PurityIcekiller]

[Red Zone, Original Alley]

"I don't know if they've got a master or not. They seem to have some free will. Still, whatever the case, we'll probably be able to find out more if we find that lady they mentioned." Kyinde flicked her tail casually, wondering when they'd get on with investigating.

[Chaotic Bob]

[Loch and Key]

Feia's eyes follow Xifra out of the room as well, wisely flicking back to Jezebel in short order.
Probably shouldn't be eying the host's servant, even if it's for entirely different reasons than the host.

She takes her appointed seat, mentally shuffling away a faintly unhappy thought.
"What is on the menu for tonight, if I may ask?"

[The Alexandrian]

[Red Zone - Alley]

Clarissa continues to stare into Juan's eyes, quite hypnotized as a result of being astoundingly weak-willed. The pleasure furthers Juan's cause but not all that much. An individual can only be so hypnotized or compelled, after all. There are a few very flexible limits, you know.

"I have no choice in the matter. If I do not consume, my own hunger would swallow me. I'd die."

One must eat to live. That concept is logical enough, I suppose. It is especially true for Clarissa. She must absorb other beings' lifeforces in order to continue existing.

Her spirit isn't quite whole. That is the sole root of the majority of Clarissa's assorted problems and issues.

[Murkus]

MagMart

Adir studies the dress for all of a second. As long as it's got some sort of floral or woodsy pattern, even a nice color, he'll probably say, "S'pretty. Throw it in there." The stag gestures toward their cart. His smile practically screams 'it sure is nice being rich'.

[Gullara]

[MagMart]

Sakura is all about the floral pattern and bright colours. The dryad grins and tosses the dress into the cart. She sets about gathering a few more. Cessie has corrupted her to the way of clothes fully. D=

"Hm, so we have to come back some other time for a bed, we have clothes... What's this for anyway?" Sakura grabs and holds up the pacifier Air had grabbed earlier.

[Murkus]

MagMart

As long as she lets Adir help pick clothes, I don't think he'll mind.

"The baby sorta... sucks on it. Makes em' feel better when they're upset, I think." Adir sounds as clueless as can be expected.

[Gullara]

[MagMart]

Most of her dresses show enough skin that I'm sure he is content.

"Oh, okay." Sakura still doesn't understand. It's in the baby section, it must be needed, right? The dryad tosses it back in the cart and takes a look around. "Now what else do we need?" Perhaps they need to migrate over to the toy section?

[UncleWolf]

Red Zone - Clarissa's Alley

"What makes you think you won't anyway?" The daemonhost asks before trying to bite down on her shoulder, to sink his fangs into her. If successful, he'll pump a hemotoxin into her. As she's not human, it'll probably be less effective, but then again, she's apparently one massive piece of tissue. As he bites, his grip on her loosens a bit.

It lets him feel his prey struggle.

Loch and Key

"I took the liberty of ordering for us. We'll start with a Shiso-wrapped daikon salad with sprouted quinoa and kim chi sauce, then we'll move onto a roasted cauliflower bisque. The main course will be a spiced watermelon curry over
sticky rice and king oyster mushrooms. Finally, dessert is a raspberry chocolate mousse served on lemon shortbread." Jezebel recites off the top of her head, as if the meal was something she'd have daily. "I hope you don't mind vegetarian."

[Murkus]

MagMart

"Well, stuff for the baby to play with. I mean, I never had anything like that, but it's supposed to be good for them." Adir says skeptically, glancing toward a shelf with an endless variety of no doubt Magtok-themed toys.

[Zefir]

[Lester's Saloon]

"Cripes!"

One of the thugs shout as he finds his revolver aimed at his armed partner's face. The revolver goes off before he can stop it, just as the other man is about to squeeze his trigger. His head meets a rather large bullet fired from a Super 500. Ouch! That's not much of a head anymore!

Of course, Mister C has now attracted the attention of the two remaining brutes. The one near Percilia screams abruptly as he goes for his gun, namely because Percilia-prime just used her psychokinesis to break his right arm while drawing her own Magnum. That man crashes to the ground holding his broken arm tightly with his left hand, the radio flying away from him as he goes down.

Two down, one to go.

[Lester's Saloon]

Well since only one is left Mr. C aims with his flying body slam against him.

[The Alexandrian]

[Red Zone - Clarissa's Alley]

Oh noes! It looks like it's curtains for Clarissa in a very unfun way!

*Heh.*

Funny, ain't it? I don't think Juan fully comprehends what he was trying to toy with here. Sure, Juan managed to sink his fangs into Clarissa. Sure, he managed to pump a dose of hemotoxin into her. Sure, that hemotoxin caused some minor tisseu damage to her shoulder/neck region. Unfortunately, Juan broke his eye contact with Clarissa, thus releasing her from his control. Even worse than that, he tried to flood Clarissa's bloodstream with hemotoxin. That might have worked if Clarissa had a bloodstream of which to speak. She doesn't.

Juan might find his "prey" suddenly splashing to the ground in and as a flood of slimy, violet fluid which likely threatens to coat the portions of his body which were extremely close to Clarissa, likely leaving Juan holding nothing but a pristine white dress shirt and a pair of dark brown slacks. What's worse is that this glimmering ooze is alive, sapient, and very, very upset. The droplets on the ground, scattered about like precious globes of red mercury which drive men mad at their very touch, attempt to swarm Juan and latch on to his tail, gradually attempting to work their way up his body starting with the lowest portions, those touching the ground which serve as a beachhead for the greater whole, and attempting to ascend to ever higher and higher, bubbling up and over Juan's head if allowed. The tiny blobs of cells probably seem harmless and insignificant enough as they flow across the ground, until one realizes that they can be likened to white blood cells committing phagocytosis within the human body on a bacterial invader. Here, the process is only being performed on a larger scale on a larger pathogen, Juan. The ooze is essentially trying to engulf Juan. The classic predator becoming prey theme occurs once again in this little encounter. Juan really shouldn't have tried to eat Clarissa, the amoeba that calls itself a woman (rather erroneously, might I add). Nope. That was probably a bad move.

((I forgot to mention this at the start of the battle scene.

I as a player do not have any interest in my characters murdering other PCs. If any of my PC's actions succeed, in part or in their entirety, they will not lead to your PC's demise unless you actually want them to. They may lead to torture or severe injury for your PC, but that is all.

-The Alexandrian

Addendum: There are some instances where the above disclaimer does not apply. In some situations, not causing death would ruin everything that a given character is designed to be. Being uncharacteristic is a thing I loathe in all of my characters. I detest it far more than I abhor the deaths of other PCs. Regrettably, this is one such situation. Feel free to scale up your character as much as you want to avoid death or withdraw if you truly are repulsed by the prospect of your character dying in little scuffle. I understand either way. I just cannot be untrue to my characters; Clarissa wouldn't release Juan if she had much of a say in the matter. She would kill him. He did just try to kill her and all, so she'd try to do the same to him. Quid pro quo. It isn't an unfounded road to travel, all things considered. This does not mean that death is sure to stem from Clarissa's victory if she wins. This does mean that it is a distinct possibility, however.))

-----
[Lester's Saloon]

The third thug is walloped about the head by Mister C's flying body! He shouts in pain, drops his revolver, and clutches his bloody, broken nose.

"Snaps! I fink you broke me teef and nose!"

Good going Mister C you saved the-

A thunderous boom can be heard as Percilia squeezes the trigger of her .45 Magnum, unloading a bullet into what once was that armed idiot's torso.

-day...

"Two dead, one dying. Good show"

Percilia-prime chuckles as she twirls her Magnum round and round before reholstering it.

The Guildmaster is definitely True Neutral at best.

[Zefir]

[Outside Lester's Saloon]

Mr.C lost his concetration after the shot and that causes the wings to dissapear... good for him he was only 2 meter off the ground and the armor saves him from any damage there. But on the bad side Mr C is laying on his back whirling his little paw's around trying to turn around again. It's like a turttle only cuter due to the cute little paws.

"Eh yeah... Where were we befor they came?"

Don't think about what just happened Mr. C that only brings you bad dreams.

[Morty]

[Gray Zone]

The bombs haven't been modified, so they should easily be able to disarm them once they find them since Zefir told them how.

Rot lets Anatolij's attack hit him while he barely ducks under the flaming warhammer with a yelp. He lashes out wildly with his sword at the cleric's legs.

The cleric backs away, the sword gnashing against his armor. Anatolij tries to use the opportunity presented by the vampire's ducking to make a strong chop at his neck.

[The Sacred Order of Cunningham]

Having parted with Alepth, Sophie goes looking for Pastor Ellen.

[Rebonack]

"Ooh, I've never seen so many crows in one place in my entire life. This place is so cool." Genevieve isn't at all effected by the environment the same way Amil is. She lives it, obviously enough.

[Cursed Street]

Silly girl.

She just doesn't seem to recognize danger when she sees it, does she?

Amil gives a low growl, the breathing tube Gene is hanging onto rumbling a bit in the process. "This is less cool and more dangerous. Be alert. I don't think they're here to be friends."

Turns out Amil is right!

With a horrible chorus of 'CAWCAWCAWCAW!' the murder of crows descends upon Amil and Gene! Flapping and pecking and clawing and generally being really obnoxious.

Probably not very lethal.

But not fun, either. Stupid shadow crows.

[Gullara]

[Cursed Street]

Genbevieve covers her face with her arms. "Amil!" She cries out. It takes her a moment to slip her wand out of her sleeve. When she does she waves it around frantically. "Lumos!" The tip lights up with a brilliant, white glow. Hopefully that'll frighten them long enough that she can ready a real spell.

[Rebonack]

[Cursed Street]

The murder of crows back off, warping and twisting out of the zone of light. Seems they aren't terribly fond of it...

With a cacophony of caws the flock of dark birds circles tighter and tighter, shapes and shadows congealing together until all that remains is a hulk figure cloaked in black feathers. It lurches upright, turning toward Amil and Gene, flexing bird-like claws and screaming incoherent gibberish.

And then with a single leap it attempts to tackle Gene off Amil's back!

Oh noes!

Hopefully it doesn't maul Gene.

That would be terrible.

[Lost_Deep]

Market Street A

Alysha wouldn't think about that too much. It might cause her head to explode.

Um...well, not everybody can use one. Keyblades choose who use them.

Market Street A

The female writes it down, but is giving her a bit of a "wait, seriously?" look.

"You won't let Jerry do things to me, right?"

You have to admit, this is a legitimate concern!

"Jer- Oh, yes. You gave [us?] nicknames. I will remind her that you are our primary [culture?] contact. Good to see you still have the [translator?]. We'll need that to repair the [spacecraft?]"

[KerfuffleMach2]

Market Street A

Alysha nods. Uh-huh. You know what, I'll show ya.

Alysha pulls her hood up over her head, then holds out the Keyblade for Jerry to grab.

When she grabs it, she may notice that it feels lighter than it looks. She might be able to recognize that the entire thing seems to be made of oversized parts from a car engine. If she knows what those are, anyways.

Alysha will let Jerry hold it for a moment. Then, she'll hold her right hand out in font of her. In a couple of bright flashes, the Keyblade will disappear from Jerry's and reappear in Alysha's hand.

Alysha smiles. See? Only I can use it. once it's back in her hand, she pulls her hood down again.

[happyturtle]

Market Street B

"Jer- Oh, yes. You gave [us?] nicknames. I will remind her that you are our primary [culture?] contact. Good to see you still have the [translator?]. We'll need that to repair the [spacecraft?]"

"This can fix things?" Lorraine touches the headband. That doesn't seem really possible. "Where are you from?"

[Lost_Deep]

Market Street A

The female takes the key carefully, tests it's heft, and begins to study the gears carefully. Then, of course, the key is teleported right out of her hand. She is quite surprised by this, and notes it down immediately.

Market Street B

The Male thinks a bit. "I would love to tell you, but the bulk of the [information?] would be completely lost in translation. The [translator?] was made out of pieces of the [important thing], so we'll need it back. Not for a while, though. But, [please?], don't lose it!"

[KerfuffleMach2]

Market Street A

Alysha seems to enjoy sharing this info.

Also, what makes a Keyblade look different is the keychain. Alysha points to the one hanging from the hilt. It's a small tire that says "Lightyear" on the side.

[Chaotic Bob]

Loch and Key

"I took the liberty of ordering for us. We'll start with a Shiso-wrapped daikon salad with sprouted quinoa and kim chi sauce, then we'll move onto a roasted cauliflower bisque. The main course will be a spiced watermelon curry over
sticky rice and king oyster mushrooms. Finally, dessert is a raspberry chocolate mousse served on lemon shortbread." Jezebel recites off the top of her head, as if the meal was something she'd have daily. "I hope you don't mind vegetarian."

Feia straightens out a bit of her skirt as she sits, before giving a faint nod to Jezebel and nudging her glasses afterwards.
"It will be fine, if your cook is properly prepared for such a meal."
She would expect them to be, with suspicion of "The Lady"s deep pockets.

The sorceress doesn't seem the least bit bothered by the intended meal, apparently quite able to live without any meat.
She's not even intimidated by that somewhat rich sounding dessert, that might be a little too much for certain other individuals.

((Meep.))

[happyturtle]

Market Street B

"Maybe I should give it back to you now. Or at least when we're done talking," Lorraine says.

[The Sacred Order of Cunningham]

Having parted with Alepth, Sophie goes looking for Pastor Ellen.

Sophie finds Pastor Ellen in her office, with papers around her, working on her lessons for the next worship service.

"Oh, hello, Sister Sophie. How can I help you?"

[Morty]

[The Sacred Order of Cunningham]

Sophie nods solemnly.
Hello, Pastor Ellen. There's something pretty important I need to tell you now that I'm a part of the Order.