The Escapist Avatar Adventure: An Open RP (Now Re-Opened!)

[Diablo1099_v1legacy]

Spoiler: Rugal

[hr]

Right to Rule

[i]Rugal's story[/i]

[hr]

"..."
That damn cat(?) was seriously starting to get on his nerves.
The way he talked about Serra made him think of (What he used to think) Lucifer did for a living: Grant a being power then point and laugh as their life fell apart.
"...You mean to tell me that this is what you do? Pick up young women and toy with them like a child's doll?" He asked in a rather dismissive tone until the person he came to meet arrived.
He seemed a bit concerned when Kleo picked up Kyuubey, though without anything to really back up his claims outside of a gut feeling and his word against "It's".
"Thank you for joining me. It would appear that our hosts were less then keen to discuss the matter..."
---
Once Kleo was done speaking, Rugal quickly started to run down the possible ways he could unlock that box and possibly get home.

1: There was always the direct approach of him forcing the box open or cutting though the side of it with his Slashing Aura, though the chances of him damaging whatever was inside it would most likely be rather high, assuming that approach would even work.

2: The shape and design of the Blades themselves most likely didn't unlock it directly, otherwise the noble could have just attempted to pick the lock or forge a new key (Lord knows he sounded like he had enough time to try), so that approach most likely wouldn't work either.

3: This left a possibility that the "Key" to the device was the magical energy inside the blades. Now that gave him an idea...

"...I might be able to help both parties in this situation." Rugal said before holding up his hand and channeling a small amount of Ki in his palm, mimicking the famous flame of the Kusanagi style of pyrokinesis-based martial arts.
"You see, while the majority of my power comes from my own spirit, I am able to "borrow" the energy of other beings, even those of gods. So long as I'm able to get close enough to draw it, I can make it my own. For a short time at least. If I was to say, borrow the energy of a magical or holy healer, I could use their power to heal like they do until it's used up." He explained before snuffing out the flame in his hand.
"If I'm able to channel some of the blades energy, I might be able to use it to unlock the box without Livia having to surrender them. Of course, all of this is assuming that Livia would decline to let her weapons be used to unlock it instead. I would need to examine both the box and the weapons a bit more closely first but it's a start..." He added on before staring back out to the sea.
"A father trying to save his daughter...This man frightened you, correct?...Did he seem threatening or desperate? Please think hard about this one. It would help me a lot."

 

[BlackHarte]

Spoiler: Rugal

[hr]

Right to Rule

[i]rugal's story[/i]

[hr]

"More than desperate," Kleo said, "he seemed like a dead man animated by obsession." Kyuubey purred and nuzzled Kleo's hand. She stroked it's head and scratched gently behind its ears. "There there Kyuubey, I haven't forgotten about you."

The Mediterranean here was uncharacteristically calm. The waters lapped against white sand lazily, leaving wakes of sea foam as they retreated back into the open water. Out in the distance, Rugal could see the silhouette of a convoy of merchant ships making their way to Sicily from Ostia.

"Do you intend to open the device?" Kleo asked suddenly. Her voice cracked and she covered her mouth in surprise. "I... I didn't mean to be so loud. But, do you really take what that strange man says at face value? It seems incredulous that something sealed away over two thousand years ago could be a cure for an illness in this age."

Kyuubey stood up and looked at Rugal. No doubt Livia will not part with her blades willingly, much less agree to assist someone as untrustworthy as a random stranger. She is no neophyte when it comes to relics of the ancient world, I suspect she will be against opening the device at all.

 

[Diablo1099_v1legacy]

Spoiler: Rugal

[hr]

Right to Rule

[i]rugal's story[/i]

[hr]

"Well, I believe it could be the key to my safe passage home. And if not, I still wouldn't be one to keep a man from helping his sick daughter. That being said, I will need to learn more before I can pass any judgement." Rugal explained, looking away from the sea as he knelt down by the stonebed, picking up pebbles and rocks into his hand.
He powered up his Ki again, softly crushing and molding the rock in his hand almost like putty.
"I would like to speak to this man. Or anyone from the Aurelius family. Even someone who knows more about the device and is willing to talk about it." He added, making a small but detailed sculpture of a young woman, taking the skills of the stonemason and reconstructing it on a smaller scale with his fingers.
"...I know you didn't have to come here and I also wanted to take this momentreveal to apologize for my actions. With the bandits. You don't have to help me if you don't want to. But I do want you to know, whatever it's worth, I'm sorry I couldn't save her body. Hopefully this will help save her memory."

He then revealed a doll-sized yet near flawless recreation of Eury, leaving it beside the statue of Serra.

"...Is there anything more you can tell me, Kleo?..."

 

[BlackHarte]

Spoiler: Inuart - Bad End

[hr]

Lost to Love

[i]inuart's story[/i]

[hr]

The soft hum of the Inquisition's engines were the only reassuring thing about this world. Yona held her hands over her mouth. Her stunned silence was all that Vihaan needed to know about the state of Ypris. The boy admiral got up from the command chair and walked over to Yona at the observation platform. He had meant to say something, but the words caught in his throat.

The world outside was far worse than it had looked from the outside. Thundering clouds of black ash rolled down from volcanic peaks spewing molten earth into the sky. Crawling abominations layered what earth was visible, terrors born in inky blackness flowed toward light. Among them the corpses of titans lay. Humanoid monsters a kilometer high, with swords like skyscrapers, lay bleeding. Their skin was burned and cut, sloughing off like mud.

Red lightning raced across the surface of the world and tore apart life wherever it hid. The very nature of Ypris had turned hostile and murderous. It was at this moment that Vihaan thanked the gods in heaven that the Inquisition was protected not only by Balance's power, but also advance stealth systems.

"Look at that..." Yona finally said. There was nothing in her voice that Vihaan recognized. It was clean. Shaken. Raw. The soft gasp of a young woman and not the ruthless commander that Vihaan had come to know. "How are we ever going to find anything in that." That was more like it.

Vihaan shrugged, "Not easily." He waved at one of his ensigns. "Go see if Hunger's stones will resonate with anything in this hellscape."

"Yessir!" the ensign saluted and left.

"Who made this, and why?" Yona asked.

"Alesha. This is what happens when someone is lost to love. From what I could gather, she was a profoundly lonely child. She desired only to be wanted. Somehow she got it into her head that her dependency on other people was some sort of love." Vihaan cleared his throat. "It's... terrifying what cruelty the human mind is capable of inventing."

A black dragon dipped down next to the Inquisition. It was a terrible sinewy creature, both malformed and dangerously designed. It's gaping maw extended down along it's spine. Eyes inside of it's entrails searched the ground below for food. For a brief moment all of the eyes turned and made eye contact with Vihaan.

He collapsed, a sudden chill ran down his spine. He felt drained. Lethargic. He felt dead.

The dragon dipped away, eyeing either its malformed kin below, or some enclave of doomed survivors.

"What was that?" Yona asked.

Vihaan swallowed and tried to speak. Nothing would come out. His throat was dry. He shook his head.

"Admiral! We have a resonance reading!" the ensign returned to the bridge. She saluted. Vihaan nodded and pointed at Yona. He needed some time to recover.

"Very good. We will pursue the gem."

Spoiler: Rugal

[hr]

Right to Rule

[i]rugal's story[/i]

[hr]

"Thank you," Kleo said meekly. "Eurydice was very important to me. To all of us. After we were taken, she was our mother. It is good to have her face memorialized. It is not common for slaves to receive portraits or busts."

She stood up and put Kyuubey down. "As much as I wish I could help you more, there's nothing that I can do. I'm not as smart as Eury so I'm not very helpful. But... if you're looking for information about the Aurelius family, you can either ask the magistrate in the city or head to Rome... At least there you ought to find someone acquainted with them." Kleo bowed and hurried away, her cloak fluttering in the seaside wind.

Kyuubey turned to Rugal, its smile continued to be unfaltering. "This has become interesting. I will accompany you for the time being. I also wish to see what kind of device this box is." Kyuubey hopped onto Rugal's shoulder.

> Go to the baths.
&nbsp&nbspGo to the markets.
&nbsp&nbspTalk to Veles.
&nbsp&nbspTalk to the Republic Magistrate.
&nbsp&nbspHead to Rome

 

[Diablo1099_v1legacy]

Spoiler: Rugal

[hr]

Right to Rule

[i]rugal's story[/i]

[hr]

While it didn't ease the pain of his failing by much, Kleo's smile did help take much of the sting out of it.
With the servant gone, he was about to attempt to head to this "Republic Magistrate" but soon stopped dead when Kyuubey tried to hitch a ride on him.
"...How many times do we have to do this? For a being of such "Wisdom and Power", you aren't great at taking hints." He grumbled as he pulled the creature off his shoulder, glaring at it for a time before taking aim out to sea.
One of the workers aboard one of the merchant ships would get a rather nasty fright when Kyuubey's body struck the side of the hull before sliding down into the sea below.
With a content grunt, Rugal then began to make his way to the Magistrate, keeping an eye out for Livia or any of her family on the way over.

He still didn't know what "Side" of this affair he was on but hopefully he could get some answers from the official.
Failing that, perhaps they'd know a way to Rome or where to find the figure with the device.

Rugal has gone to the Republic Magistrate

 

[BlackHarte]

Spoiler: B.C. - Bad End

[hr]

Child in Chains

[i]bonnie's story[/i]

[hr]

The soft pitter-patter of raindrops was a welcome change from the infernal whirlwinds they had suffered in Ypris. Yona leaned against the back of her chair as she gazed through the observation platform. Shuwa was a lush green tapestry of beautiful foliage and fauna. Swarms of butterflies meandered through the twilight air. They shed orange scales that glowed gently, leaving a breathtaking contrail of light wherever they roamed. Above the inquisition, huge birds glided lazily. Their feathers were rich purples and pinks, shimmering between colors as they flexed their muscles beneath.

Vihaan was fast asleep in his chair. He had worn himself ragged fighting off the horrors that had taken Ypris for their home. He had managed to recover both the gem and the body of the hero known as Inuart, but that had been all. The boy admiral barely made it out with his skin still attached to his bones.

Yona stood up and stretched, "What are the atmospheric conditions like here?"

"87 degrees Fahrenheit, 70% humidity. Oxygen content is 75%. Caution advised," the Ensign reported. She ran her fingers quickly over the console and highlighted a few things in the landscape. "Moreover, scanners are reading that those boulders are alive. It would probably be best to avoid them when you disembark."

"Where are we touching down?"

"The admiral designated a drop site some distance away. A small village deep in the jungle."

Yona scoffed. This seemed too easy, especially after the nightmare that had been Ypris. There had to be some kind of catch.

---​

When Yona arrived in the village, the natives were gathered around in a central clearing. Small lanterns filled with the flowing butterflies from before illuminated the village. Yona was almost taken aback by the ubiquity of tall stunningly beautiful blonde women in the village. But the two bodies caught her interest first.

Two women. One was very clearly the brigand that Vihaan had ended up engaging back in Cloudtop Citadel.

"What happened here?" Yona asked as she pushed toward the bodies.

An older woman in ceremonial robes answered, "The foreigner fell into a coma while trying to breach the Gate to Hell in the daytime. The heat must have gotten to her. The other was ambushed by slavers on the way back to the village. She was shot in the stomach and perished shortly after arriving."

Yona nodded. Even though she was a God here... she decided that she didn't want to be above the laws of nature huh? It was a stupid sentiment, but Yona couldn't help but feel both saddened and impressed. At the very least, that sort of honor seemed to have allowed her world to continue to exist without her. "I will take the foreigner."

The village elder nodded.

Yona walked over to pick up B.C.'s body. When she hoisted the woman's frame over her shoulder she saw a small bracelet fall to the ground.

Spoiler: Rugal

[hr]

Right to Rule

[i]rugal's story[/i]

[hr]

The magistrate's office was a small open air forum some distance from the downtown area of Pompeii. Several merchants sat outside the marble steps arguing with an official about the legitimacy of taxing gambling profits. The officer-on-duty himself was poring over a set of parchment papers that seemed to break down the maintenance costs of several canals. He was an older man with white hair and pale skin, although he didn't seem as frail as Marcus had. There was a strength and dignity to him even in his old age, a nature indicative of years of military service. He seemed a little bit perturbed by a footnote detailing the results of a drill bore experiment near the foot of Mount Vesuvius.

When Rugal approached he looked up and tucked his reading lens away. "Ah yes, traveler. How might I be of assistance to you today? Would you happen to be here to apply for citizenship? Or perhaps you are here to file a title complaint? If you are, Quintus is handling a public address about the land auction of the coastal fisheries in the forum today. If you hurry you might be able to reach him before the discussion begins."

 

[Silence]

Spoiler: Anjali

[hr]

Reason to Rise

[i]anjali's story[/i]

[hr]

Anjali was quite overwhelmed by the bustling of the city. She accepted the help to get off the raft, though as they walked through the streets, she hid herself underneath her cloak. "I am fine." she answered Freya. "I don't know if they serve food and drink for me and Astarte here." She looked above as the dragon and the griffin landed on the guild.

"Although ... I have the feeling that there is nothing that does not exist in this place. What is our goal, here? This guild?" She started making her way there, though she waited on Freya and Vil to come with her. "Is there more you can tell me about this place?" she asked Vil.

[hr]

The Rising Dawn: Server Farm
Mio​

"Oh yeah, really original." Mio said out loud, in a mockery of the skeleton captain's thoughts. "But are you still expecting a fair fight?" With that, she jumped out of the void, resuming her stance in front of him. Beckoning him to bash her into the the circle again, she waited until he had put up his shield and charged forward.

As he nearly had her, she stepped out of the way instead of trying to hit him with her sword. Though she did not keep her whole body out of the way - her left foot was kept under the skeleton, to make him trip into the burning void. And, as if that was not enough, she did a quick slash against his back, while laughing like a maniac.

 

[Diablo1099_v1legacy]

Spoiler: Rugal

[hr]

Right to Rule

[i]rugal's story[/i]

[hr]

...So this is what politics looked like before social media. Rugal silently joked to himself, knowing how south their proud traditions would go in future generations.
When he spoke to the Magistrate, he did a formal bow as he introduced himself:
"Ah, no thank you. I am Rugal Bernstein of Rising Dawn. I've been staying with Lady Livia's people in my travels. I'm actually here to try and get some information on the Aurelius family. I was told a member of their family apparently threatened one of Lady Livia's servants. Seeing how much they assisted me in my travels, I would see to repay their kindness by resolving this apparent dispute. All I have on him is that he was a father with an ill daughter seeking a cure. Can you direct me to his estate? or anyone in Pompeii that might be able to point me in the right path?"

With the formalities out of the way, he turned his attention back to the people around him, keeping an eye out for anything of note while the Magistrate heard his request.
"...Also, there is hardly a Fighters Guild in town, is there?" He then blurted out, seeing as he was already here, he might as well ask.

The Rising Dawn: Server Farm
Mio​

The Royal Bodyguard realized his mistake too late as he feel into his own trap, screaming as his bones were basically dissolved from under him.
That-...did a lot to take the fight out of the remaining Skeletal warriors, hell only reason they didn't run right away was from fear of their Lord.
In the moments following Walloon's death (or Re-Death), one of the warriors broke rank before dashing towards a "In case of Attack, Break Glass -D. West" panel containing-...something? He didn't know what it was but it looked Kinda like a crossbow [https://www.benelliusa.com/sites/default/files/styles/firearm_1004/public/originals/product-firearms/m4-tactical-shotgun-pistol-12-gauge.png?itok=bYGeBVPU] so he was willing to take a chance.
Meanwhile the remaining Skeletons decided their best chance was to rush her at once from all sides, attempting to limit her mobility while the shotgun skeleton tried to figure out how to fire this strange weapon he had gotten.
To this end, one of them even climbed atop one of the servers before jumping off with a flying body splash WWE-style to pin her down, screaming as any one would doing something that stupid/awesome/etc.

 

[BlackHarte]

Spoiler: Anjali

[hr]

Reason to Rise

[i]anjali's story[/i]

[hr]

Freya tugged at her top. Sweat had started to bead on her forehead. "We're here to apply for a delving permit. To do that we need to have an adventurer qualify for a silver-rank position in the guild. Why is it so hot here?"

Vil laughed quietly, "This is the Quo'dona basin. The roil does not reach this land, but the deepness of it's elevation makes it a heat sink. It will be very warm and very humid. I recommend that you purchase some warm-weather clothes for our stay here."

"I hate shopping for clothes," Freya groaned.

"If you do not, I'd wager I will find you passed out on the floor in two hours time." Vil gently touched the back of Freya's neck and she jumped forward. Vil chuckled. "Ionei is the city of stories," Vil answered Anjali. "Since ancient times this place has been untouched by the tempestuous movements of the earth. Because of this degree of permanence, the city developed over eons and assimilated the hundreds of cultures that have existed on Amaranthia."

Freya took off her vest and overall straps, leaving only the thick cotton tank-top that she wore underneath. "More than just that, Ionei is the seat of the Adventurer's Guild administrative headquarters. The guild functions as both a mercenary company and as a college for scholars and mages."

The guild loomed over the small city that had been built between the port and the entrance to the stone mega-structure. Now that they were farther in-land, Anjali could see that the diversity of peoples far exceeded what she had seen at the shore line. The amount of different types of people were mind boggling. Not only where there beastmen of demi-races ranging from aven to lupine, but there were also merfolk of all different types. Their fins and scales shimmered in reds and blues and greens and pinks. They had childlike faces and a mischievous look. The little people she had seen at the dock were here as well, they were no more than three feet high, with pointed ears and round pudgy bodies. These peoples, alongside the usual humans and elves, filled the stone storefronts on each and every road. They bought and sold all sorts of good, from meats to fruits to bread to weapons, armor, and linens. The roads were wide and thinner one-man canals ran through the streets. The water was sweet and cold, running fast and providing means of both drinking water and transportation for the water-aspected.

There was a black obelisk at each major intersection inscribed with a map of the immediate area.

"Since the Guild handles almost all of the artifacts recovered, with the exception of the Relics, we have to get their seal of approval if we want to enter areas with either high roil activity or dangerous monsters." Freya rolled up her tank top so that her midriff was exposed. "Why is it so hot here!?" Freya suddenly demanded. Her cheeks were red and she looked as if she was on the verge of crying.

"Like I said, we should buy you some warm-weather clothes. Something like what Anjali was wearing when we discovered her in the bog."

Freya looked mortified, "Something like that!?"

"If you are that concerned about your body, then we can get you a light dress instead. Anything better than those insulating work clothes of yours." Vil picked Freya up and set her on his shoulders. "I apologize Anjali, but it seems that Freya's having difficulty acclimatizing. I will have to tend to her immediately. If you could, press on forward into the Guild Hall and tell a receptionist that you are here to apply for a Silver-License. Freya and I will find you once we are done." Vil reached into Freya's clothes and produced a small pouch. He placed it in Anjali's hands. "While the Guild paperwork should be free, have some spending money for when you find anything that either you or Astartes desires."

With that Vil turned and strode off into the thick of the crowd with a thoroughly embarrassed Freya clinging tightly to his porcelain shell.

---​

It was impossible to miss the massive guild hall that dominated nearly the entirety of the horizon in Ionei's port city, but there were several streets of independent merchants on this road. Above in the halls of the guild hall were other shops, probably of higher quality, but also of higher price. It would also be difficult to reach the upper levels of the guild hall without attracting attention, whereas it was much easier to blend into the crowds currently milling around in the port.

Astartes turned its head toward the sea. Anjali could feel it to - there was something happening two streets to the left. There was the smell of gunpowder, iron, and blood. It was probably somebody else's problem, and it could be bad if a newcomer got herself into the thick of trouble immediately.

Spoiler: Rugal

[hr]

Right to Rule

[i]rugal's story[/i]

[hr]

"The Rising Dawn?" the magistrate ran his fingers through his beard, "I can't say I know of any group by that name." He cleared his throat and shook his head. He put the papers down and fetched a fresh parchment. "Whatever is the case, I will take this report of harassment to the state police. The Aurelius family is well known for dabbling in both the occult crafts and the mysteries of the East, so it does not surprise me that one of their sons would be soliciting women."

The magistrate filled out the parchment with practiced precision as he spoke. "I will make sure that both families are appropriately notified of this dispute. Most probably they will meet in court within the month. You have served your responsibilities as a bystander. If you wish to whet your combat skills, the men at the baths like to practice brawling, but otherwise you'll want to go to Rome to partake in the gladiatorial games."

 

[Diablo1099_v1legacy]

Spoiler: Rugal

[hr]

Right to Rule

[i]Rugal's story[/i]

[hr]

"Ahhh, see, I'd prefer to be able to talk to the man himself. I have less of an interest in reporting a crime and more understanding what actually happened. By taking him to court, I fear we could make a small misunderstanding far worse. Please, if you could give me an address, I might head as Livia's envoy and resolve the matter peacefully without a court. I can imagine it being a much more efficient solution, wouldn't you agree?"

The Legal system and Rugal have had a long and complicated history but the fact of the matter was, he wasn't going to wait a month for them to meet in court. ("Awwww, they still believe the law serves the people here. How cute...")
Wincing a bit as he massaged his brow, Rugal attempted to find a "Faster" way of getting what he wanted.
As the Magistrate heard his case, he started to case the forum for a mark: Someone high enough to get him access to government documents but low enough that no one really cared much about them one way or another.
Hell, if he saw anything that might be able to help him like a key, he could even attempt to pickpocket them (Besides, he doubt that many of the people here would be able to give chase or even fight him should he be caught).
Turning back to the Magistrate, he then asked "Just if I can't get an address from you, could I get it from someone else?"

 

[BlackHarte]

Spoiler: Rugal

[hr]

Right to Rule

[i]rugal's story[/i]

[hr]

"Very kindly, Rugal Bernstein, you are clearly not a citizen of the Roman state. Scuffles between families should be handles by either first party executors, or by third party sophists. That is the way things should be done." The magistrate put down his quill. He smiled, "Anything more would be considered extrajudicial activity. And to speak simply, you do not seem to be the proper social rank to personally seek out the Aurelius family."

It was impossible for Rugal, even with his extensive training in classical texts, to discern the ranks of the people in the statehouse. There were just too many people of too many types. None of them wore keys.

"That being said, it would be another thing if you somehow happened to find yourself in Rome's third district upper housing quarters. They happen to own the apartment buildings in the area and it would be a shame if you bumped into a man wearing a silver eagle broach since they would probably belong to the Aurelius family."

 

[Diablo1099_v1legacy]

Spoiler: Rugal

[hr]

Right to Rule

[i]Rugal's story[/i]

[hr]

Disappointment filled him at first, least until Rugal realized that he was giving him the information on the down-low.
Kindly smiling back at the Magistrate, he bowed before replying "Yes, that would be a shame, wouldn't it? Oh well, I'll be sure to not look there then. I'd thank you for your time, but you didn't really help me, did you?"
Smirking at his joke, he began to make his way out of the forum, considering his next move.
It had been some time since he was last in Rome, even the one from his own time but if they owned property, it'd just be a matter of making a stir until someone came asking about him.

Of course, he'd have to get there first but hopefully that would be the easy part, "All Roads Lead to Rome" after all.
With his goal fulfilled, he then started to make his way back to the Markets, hoping to catch Livia at a quiet moment to discuss those Blades of hers...

 

[BlackHarte]

Spoiler: Rugal

[hr]

Right to Rule

[i]rugal's story[/i]

[hr]

The markets in Pompeii were much less exciting than the market at Ostia. The roads were wide and comfortable and stalls flew their banners here and there. There was no frenzy in sale here, but rather a more muted and refined experience. The stores were lined with marble and polished wood and the wares sat on cloth seats. Goods from fruits to weapons to slaves were displayed tastefully and unobtrusively. The merchants sat on padded cushions, fanning themselves away from the warmth of Pompeii's summer sun.

Rugal found Livia about two blocks down the market district at a silks importer. Of all the colorful fabrics of the store she was inspecting a large piece of plain white. Ortha noticed Rugal and whispered in Livia's ear.

"Rugal," Livia said as she turned away from the silks merchant. She tilted her head, "I did not expect to see you here. I can't imagine you're actually looking to buy clothes, so what is it that I can help you with?"

"This is a friend of my lady's?" The merchant asked gently.

"More similar to a guest." Livia answered.

"Then a friend of mine," the merchant replied. He turned to Rugal and extended a hand. He was a small, shrewd looking man with thinning black hair and small eyes. His mustache ran thin and long down the sides of mouth and he wore a colorful blue robed decorated with golden clouds. His skin made Rugal think that he was Arabian, but his mannerisms made him seem much more Chinese than anything else. "I am Fu Kua, an foreigner here in the Sea of Love. Feel free to buy anything that catches your eye, I'll take thirty percent off of the listed price for any guest of the Lady's."

"It would surprise me if he had enough money to buy a foot of silk on him right now," Livia scoffed, "he's here for me, Old Man Fu."

"Young people are too quick to judge others by their appearances," Fu Kua replied with a courteous bow, "good friends come from unexpected places."

 

[Zepherus14]

[hr]

Table for Two

Nina's story

​

[hr]

Spoiler

"There isn't one, not one that you'd be looking for anyways." Phillip answered back. "The mustard brown one, large and brutish; he leads the servers as it seems but they shouldn't know anything outside of what plate to send where." He suggested to Nina's surprise. "Wait really, they wouldn't be able to confirm they'd talked to the real Matron and not some impostor?" She asked back, looking up to the goblins and ogres divvying up water and refreshments to the patrons there. "Possible but their reaction to her death makes it seem like impostoring her is a feat itself. You can substitute for an ingredient, but it can't beat the real thing. Phillip spoke his mind, not overly concerned about the people there, but even he realized the magnitude the Matron had on her people. "But, you are right, the kitchen is largely false. Only Miriam seems to be there, and even that isn't entirely true."

That was right, Nina thought. Phillip had mentioned something about there being multiple Miriam. She didn't fully understand it herself, but something had definitely gone screwy the last time she'd tried to go to the kitchen. With everything that'd happened already, Phillip might not be that far off to say the kitchen wasn't real.

Regardless, Nina winced at the mention of 'Violet', still sore about what Ensay had said to them. She'd hesitate to correct her, wanting Faea to call Violet by Mnemonyse, but in the end Faea looked exhausted. She'd remember to talk about it later given the chance, but for now she'd suffice to watch Issem scuttle away. "Damn, thought that'd be a good way to get eyes in the room at the time."

"Though my fears seem to have come to light. In the fallout of the matron's death, I seem to be losing my hearing." Faea finally said, "This ringing in my

[i]~bzzzt~[/i]

ears grows only louder

[i][b]~BzzzzT~[/b][/i]

[small] and more[/small] [sub]persi[small]stent[/small][/sub]

~BZZZZZZT~

[small][sub]wi.. ..ch p..si..-[/sub][/small]

[HEADING=2]

~BZZZZZZZZZZZZZT~

[/HEADING]​

Spoiler: Tree of Memories

"Can you tell me the story about the tortoise and the eagle," the little girl said. She held her head tightly in the embrace of the Matron.

The Matron cooed and gently brushed the little girl's red hair. "I'm sorry, I don't remember that story."

"Why not?" the girl pouted.

The Matron paused. Then she whispered, "I do not know why I cannot remember."

"All stories should be remembered. They should be collected, written down, and retold!" the little girl exclaimed. She clapped her hands together and produced a small seed. Then she planted it in the earth.

"What is that for?" the Matron asked.

"It's the seed of a knowledge tree" the little girl answered, "when it grows up it will fill books full of stories from all over!"

"That's wonderful," the Matron cooed, "but while we wait, should I tell you a new story?"

"Tell me a story of the world outside."

"There exists a world far far away..." the Matron began.

Beneath the soil the seed sprouted, and the first sapling of the first tree breathed.

And with that Nina was back in the train car, unsure of the amount of time she'd missed. Everyone seemed to be where they had been, she wasn't on the floor, and Faea was probably staring at her. "Ah, fuck... Sorry." She apologized, raising her hands up to her face only to realize, she was holding her phone.

Last she remembered her phone was in her bag, so to have it there now was quite jarring. Her heart stopped for a moment as she noticed the new message alert, unsure what it was at first but figured it was McDipshit again. "Sorry, Phillip, could you grab me one of those waters too?" She asked, watching as he climbed off her side to fetch it, which gave her the chance she needed to look at the messages without breaking the rules again.

To say she wasn't happy was an understatement, obviously whomever McDipshit was, they either had eyes on her phone or somehow had access to her phone! Proper edicate aside, Faea would have the privilege to watch Nina pound out a response to McDipshit or at least go through the motions. There was probably a joke about 'Inconsiderate Millennials' somewhere in this, but by the time Phillip had made his way back, Nina had finished her response and had switched over to something to record Faea's answers. "Thanks Phillip. I guess I was still a bit worked up there... It's been a lot to keep track of." She said as she took the water from him.

Spoiler: Nina's reply to McDipshit

"So Faea, there's two other questions I can think of for you right now, mostly right now I'm trying to make a timeline, figure out who was where. That sort of thing. So would you mind filling me in on what you were doing before Crown brought you to make, this." She said, waving at her spider weave dress. "And then what happened after you left us in the dining car. Any witnesses that could confirm anything would be helpful too. The second question involves that human you mentioned when we first met. At this point I've nearly traveled the entire length of the train but I still haven't seen this woman. Did you ever see or hear from her after that first time, or was that the only time she'd shown up?"

 

[Zepherus14]

The Rising Dawn Entrance
Hillary the Slime​

Under orders to make her way inside the ship while Angelus and Caim took care of the skeletons outside, Hillary swiftly made her way towards the ship's open bay door on her pseudopod. Having left the dragon scales behind, she had once again becomes the grassy visage of nature she'd been when she first had woken up in the Origin Planes, but at least this afforded her a significant boost in stealth. Why use a gilly suit when you could be the gilly suit after all, and soon enough Hillary had made her way to the rampway to the door.

Hillary kept her head down as the skeletons ran off to do their nasty mischievous acts. They sure were spooky, looking almost like some of Penelope's charts she had of some of the residents on the Laplace! When she thought they'd gotten a far enough distance away, Hillary pulled herself onto the ramp and walked towards the entrance as quick as she could. Her pseudopod would once again give way to the metal flooring of the ramp as her newly formed feet clanged against it causing her to look back over her shoulder with concern of giving away her position. "Oh! Hillary should have thought of that!" She cried in a hush tone

 

[Diablo1099_v1legacy]

Spoiler: Rugal

[hr]

Right to Rule

[i]rugal's story[/i]

[hr]

"...Regrettably, my purse is rather empty these days. The travelers lifestyle isn't a wealthy one." Rugal confessed as he began to browse Fu Kua's wares, seeing how he was there, he might as well take a look.
As he eyed up a rather soft and light crimson fabric, he then address Livia once the shopkeeper was out of earshot.
"I know about the Aurelius family and the device that man believes will save his daughter. I'm planning to head for Rome soon to track them down and hopefully get some answers. I'm not asking for you to pay for my travel but I am asking if there is anything else I should know about. Such as why those blades of yours are the only ones that can open it..."

Despite the tone of the conversation, Rugal kept examining the store's wares, not wanting to tip Fu Kua off to their talk.
"Now, I can't confirm it yet but I believe that device could be my key to getting back home. Of course, if you know anything that would suggest otherwise, now would be an ideal time to tell me." He added as he then realized something.
"Excuse me, but do you stock silk from the desert lands across the sea to the south-west? Namely the region around the river valley, I believe it might be known as The Nile? I was rather found of fabrics from that region before my current travel plans." He then asked, deciding that Livia would be less likely to make a scene if her stylist was in the room.

 

[Diablo1099_v1legacy]

The Rising Dawn: Medical Bay
Hillary the Slime | David West | Jenny | Violet​

Thankfully for our smiley friend, the Skeletons located inside the ship were too busy trying to kill the remaining crew to bother her at this time.
A fair bit of racket and gunfire could be heard coming from the medical bay, a group of Skeletons [https://pre00.deviantart.net/b254/th/pre/f/2010/109/f/e/diablo_3_skeleton_by_kracov.jpg] attempting to batter down a strange impassible barrier that had formed at the main entrance.
[sub]"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU CAN'T MIND CONTROL THEM?!"
"THEY'RE SKELETONS! THEY DON'T HAVE BRAINS! THERE'S NOTHING TO CONTROL!"
"THEN HOW THE FUCK IS THAT JOFFERY PRICK (Leoric) DOING IT!?"
"CAN YOU YELL ANY LOUDER, THE BOTH OF YAH?! MY HEAD DOESN'T HURT ENOUGH ALREADY! FECKS SAKE!"[/sub]

She could just about hear the trio of Heroes trapped inside, Jenny keeping a barrier up, David clinging to an IV drip for support/firing his pistol at a seemingly endless swarm of incoming skeletons from the side entrance.
Violet meanwhile was cowering under a Auto-Doc, muttering "There's no place like home! there's no place like home-" and being about as helpful as he always was.
As their maces and blades bounced harmlessly off the barrier, the Skeletons backed up only to notice Hilary, cackling to each other in unintelligible screeches.

{Look! The Enemy is here! GET HER BONES!}
{...Does she even have bones? She doesn't look human...}
{You doing to disobey the King! Because I'm not getting fed to the hounds again!}
{But he said "Fetch me their bones". She doesn't have bones...does she?}
{Only one way to find out!}

And with that, 3 of them began to charge at Hillary, swords drawn at they went to slash at her.

 

[Zepherus14]

The Rising Dawn: Medical Bay
Hillary the Slime | David West | Jenny | Violet​

Hillary would reflexively cover her ears upon hearing the vulgarity coming from the trio behind the barrier, her still grassy hands making a swoosh sound as she did so. Despite this, she was still glad that they were okay, scared but okay. "Ah! Hillary was told to come make sure everyone was okay! Help should be coming!" Hillary called out to the group behind the barrier.

With her only material contact being the metallic floor underneath her, her conversion rate wasn't overly quick. Lucky for her the skeletons' little group huddle was ample time for her body to fully transform into a metallic version of herself, oddly looking a bit angular in comparison to her more softer features. Unlucky for her, transforming into a harder substance wouldn't remedy Hillary's completely abysmal combative skills. As such, when the skeletons finally decided to charge at her, the only thing she managed to do was put up her arms in a pathetic attempt to protect herself.

CLANG! CLANG! Scrrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek!​

Two of the skeletons hit shallow, one hitting Hillary's temple, denting her eyebrow to the point the edge of the blade was a mere hair's length from touching her eye, the other slamming into her forearm which caused similar damage. The third however managed to hit paydirt, slamming hard into her collarbone area, causing enough impact to reach the air chamber within Hillary's chest. With the sword needing to only slice through a relatively thin section of metal, the sword would manage to cleave through half of Hillary's chest before it finally came to a stop. The prior two impacts would only aggravate the problem more as the skeletons' weight pushed the tear even further, causing Hillary's upper torso and right arm to bend inhumanly backwards and hit the ground hard with another ringing clang.

For Hillary's part, she was unable to make any sort of cry of pain or anguish, the three behind the barrier were smart enough to know vocal cords need some sort of diaphragm to function after all. She appeared to still be conscious, the arm connected to her upper body moving to try and prop herself up. It appeared she hadn't fully understood recognized her current position, nor did she notice her bottom half falling over and bonking her head into the ground in a morbid show of black humor. After a few more seconds of floundering on the floor, Hillary in her entirety would melt into a singular pool of liquid metal on the floor.

The skeleton's might be disappointed in not finding any bones within the odd humanoid, at least they could celebrate a successful defeat of an enemy. As long as they didn't continue watching Hillary's 'corpse' as the metallic puddle began to quickly pull itself back together and reform.

 

[Diablo1099_v1legacy]

The Rising Dawn: Medical Bay
Hillary the Slime | David West | Jenny | Violet​

{See? No Bones!}
{Awwww, dammit. I thought I would have gotten promoted by the King}

The Skeletons seemed a bit let down by how quickly Hillary was "Killed", she didn't even drop a white item on death!
{Alright, show's over. Get that damn barrier down.} One of them commanded as they attempted to use a nearby cleaning trolley as a battering ram.
Grouping up around it and putting their shields on it, the skeleton muttered {Okay on 3...1...2-}
{HIGH FUCKING HEAVENS! LOOK! IT'S NOT DEAD!} One of them pointed out, nearly making the crowd jump out of their skin (Or the skin of their teeth anyway) as they noticed Hillary reforming.
{What the Burning Hells is that thing?!}
{Oh no...w-what if it's a demon?! I was killed by a demon, I don't want to die again!}
{You can't die again! And it mightn't be a demon! I heard the king call this one a-....Al-leon?)
{...What's an Al-Leon?)
(Wait, did he say that thing wasn't a demon or was that just what kind of demon it is?...}

The group went silent after that statement, glancing at each other as their bones trembled and clattered in growing fear.

"Hillary, listen. Once I give the signal, you need to run in here right now as fast as you can." Jenny's voice spoke to her as the skeletons noticed something far more hazardous to their undead lives.
{WATCH OU-OOOFF!?}
The Reflect barrier suddenly rushed towards them, making a bone sandwich with the hallway wall full to the brim with rather stunned skeletons writhing in vain.
"GET IN! NOW!" The Gardevoir shouted, straining a bit from how long she had to keep that barrier up before now.

Gunfire still rang out as David kept his vigil, despite being on more painkillers then blood at this point.
Violet meanwhile-
"AHHHHHH! SHOOT IT! SHOOT IT! SHOOT IT-"
"It's just Hillary! Don't just stand there! Help her!" The Irishman before peppering the staff entrance to the medical bay with his pistol, keeping the un-ending hoard of skeletons at bay.

 

[Diablo1099_v1legacy]

Spoiler: Rugal

[hr]

Right to Rule

[i]rugal's story[/i]

[hr]

"Oh, forgive me. I had meant to say the South East. No wonder I can't seem to find my way home. Thank you." Rugal dismissed the shopkeeper before turning to Livia, his mood getting more stern as he did.
"Relax, I'm not taking your mother's weapons from you. I have a theory that they don't open the device but rather the power within them does. Allow me to explain..."

Stepping back from the priceless robes, He then raised his hand before igniting a crimson flame in the palm of his hand.
"My years of training have given me a great degree of control over the energy in both mine and other people's bodies. Magical, Ki, Holy, Elemental, I'm able to absorb power and use it myself. It's even worked on gods in my own world. So what I intend to do is to borrow some of whatever power she put into those weapons and use that to open the device. Imagine a Batter-...[sub]Right, those don't exist yet[/i]...Imagine a fire pit and I'm a pitch torch. I can take the flame from the pit and bring it elsewhere, all without affecting the fire in the pit. I plan to do the same with your blades."

Snuffing out the flame and returning to his browsing now that he wasn't a fire risk, he added "I don't much about the family who owns it or even the man who owns it. What I do know is that he believes that unlocking it will save his ailing daughter. And even if it doesn't bring me home to my own daughter, I know that helping that girl would be what she'd want me to do. You don't have to do anything, I can make the trip to Rome myself. But before I do, I need to make sure that my theory is solid. So if there is anything that you forgot to tell me or choose not to, now would be a good time to tell me, wouldn't you agree?"

"This would go faster if you just-"

A rather visible pang of discomfort shot though the aging fighter, prompting him to hold his head as he leaned against a clothing rack for support.
"Awww, did I hit a nerve? Come on, like this is the first time you killed a hapless little girl because she had something you wanted..."
Recovering from his little episode, he straightened himself before apologizing: "Sorry. Migraine. They've been becoming more frequent it feels..."
"...You did not just call me a Migraine, Old Man..."