Players arrive at the far end of the 'Lobby', a grand hallway at the centerpiece of a lavish, modern facility that is connected to four large domes. At the far end of the hallway is an elevator that leads up to the barracks on the top floor. Behind the arrival point is the first of these domes, the Park. The Park resembles Central Park and contains a small lodge where they sell picnic goods and rent athletic equipment. Over the duration of the convention, the ceiling of the Park simulates natural-ish, 24-hour day and night cycles. The stars displayed at night would be unrecognizable to 94% of people at the Preshow Facility.
[Preshow] The Lobby and the Park
- Thread starter Karl Jak
- Start date
As a Syntech employee, Toga doesn’t have to deal with the teleporter nonsense, or coming in on a shuttle either. Instead, she just slips into the Lobby through the Employee Entrance. Her cat-like eyes survey the vast hallway, looking for anyone familiar. Or at least interesting. And, unfortunately for her, she finds neither.
There's Gilgamesh, strutting around like his golden panties are wedged in his colon. Familiar, sure, but he’s so full of himself that Toga likes to pretend she doesn’t know who he is. She wonders again how Papa can put up with the guy.
A couple of blonde bimbos showed up this year too. Toga’s hackles rise instinctively. She’s the hot blonde girl of Dante’s Abyss! Just who the Hell are these floozies?! She makes a quick mental note to stab the fuck out of them once the game starts.
The Japanese kid with the headband looks kind of familiar… but she can’t quite place it. After a moment of thinking, Toga shrugs it off. He’s cute enough for a stabbing, but the thought of him leaves a salty taste in her mouth.
Oh look! It’s that Connor guy. Toga wonders if he ever got around to killing that robot he was always harping on about. Probably not. He probably spends all his time hiding and hoping this SpaceCage or whatever kills itself.
There’s a few other people wandering here and there, but, aside from the… dog? Aside from that, none of them really draw her eye. She watches the creature chat up one of the employees for a bit, then shrugs it off. Talking dogs aren’t the weirdest thing she’s seen in her time at Syntech… though it’s certainly up there.
In the end, Toga resigns herself to waiting. She signed up pretty early on, so maybe some more people will show up later. Hopefully, Zoola Bear will come this time. It’s been a long time since they’ve gotten to hang out, and she missed her friend. Especially since “new” Kevin is off doing who knows what.
Thinking about that puts her right back into a sour mood and she crosses her arms in irritation. Some friend he turned out to be. Died. Came back. And then never even thought to come see her. It gets lonely in this place, you know! Papa’s always busy, and Charlie is a bitch, and Jassy is stuck in his room, and everyone else is too scared of her to even talk!
Whatever. Someone fun will show up eventually. She just has to wait.
There's Gilgamesh, strutting around like his golden panties are wedged in his colon. Familiar, sure, but he’s so full of himself that Toga likes to pretend she doesn’t know who he is. She wonders again how Papa can put up with the guy.
A couple of blonde bimbos showed up this year too. Toga’s hackles rise instinctively. She’s the hot blonde girl of Dante’s Abyss! Just who the Hell are these floozies?! She makes a quick mental note to stab the fuck out of them once the game starts.
The Japanese kid with the headband looks kind of familiar… but she can’t quite place it. After a moment of thinking, Toga shrugs it off. He’s cute enough for a stabbing, but the thought of him leaves a salty taste in her mouth.
Oh look! It’s that Connor guy. Toga wonders if he ever got around to killing that robot he was always harping on about. Probably not. He probably spends all his time hiding and hoping this SpaceCage or whatever kills itself.
There’s a few other people wandering here and there, but, aside from the… dog? Aside from that, none of them really draw her eye. She watches the creature chat up one of the employees for a bit, then shrugs it off. Talking dogs aren’t the weirdest thing she’s seen in her time at Syntech… though it’s certainly up there.
In the end, Toga resigns herself to waiting. She signed up pretty early on, so maybe some more people will show up later. Hopefully, Zoola Bear will come this time. It’s been a long time since they’ve gotten to hang out, and she missed her friend. Especially since “new” Kevin is off doing who knows what.
Thinking about that puts her right back into a sour mood and she crosses her arms in irritation. Some friend he turned out to be. Died. Came back. And then never even thought to come see her. It gets lonely in this place, you know! Papa’s always busy, and Charlie is a bitch, and Jassy is stuck in his room, and everyone else is too scared of her to even talk!
Whatever. Someone fun will show up eventually. She just has to wait.
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Boros arrives at the lobby and then looks around at the scenery. A lot more lavish and gaudy than he expected. Perhaps it is something to make the contestants comfortable before the inevitable games where they kill each other. Fattening them up with luxuries like animals to be slaughtered.
He then begins scanning the other contestants with his eye reading their auras. One is a blonde woman he can't seem to get a reading on, meaning she must be some kind of artificial being though the other blonde woman he can be able to read, but she doesn't seem to be all that much. There's a strange quadruped that walked by who seems to have a substantial aura but not by much. However, his eye fell upon the one in golden armor and he couldn't believe his eye.
Such a tremendous aura he is sensing! Could he be the one he is looking for? From his demeanor, facial expressions, and body language he can tell that this man thinks of himself as better than everyone else in the room. Boros can relate to that as might make right. Has he not only found a worthy opponent but a kindred spirit? He can already imagine the legendary battle that they will have in his mind.
Then his eyes went to the third small blonde woman sitting by herself. She had a strange aura about her a menacing one, at least menacing to anyone else besides him. He then approached her.
"Your strength is adequate but I think you have made a grave mistake in coming here, girl. You seem to be out of your depth and you probably don't know who I am. I am Boros the Dominator of the Universe and you best hope not to run into me on the field of battle. I am only telling you now as a courtesy to flee and quit before you meet a grim fate. I have no time to waste on weaklings." Boros said.
He then stomped his foot shaking the building a bit before turning towards everyone else. Speaking loud and proud for everyone to hear.
"And that goes for all of you as well. The weak always perish while the strong live and thrive. I only acknowledge and respect the strong so the rest of you are nothing to me. If all you're going to do in this game is die then you shouldn't have come in the first place. Though you," Boros announced.
He then pointed to the one in golden armor with red eyes and blonde hair.
"I hope to meet you in combat on the field of battle. I can tell you are the one most worthy of my respect." Boros said.
Boros then walked off after making his point and continued exploring the lobby and park. Spending his leisurely time pacing around hoping to see if he can find anyone else of interest. He was beginning to actually get excited but he tried to contain himself. Didn't want to become disappointed by overhyping this event.
He then begins scanning the other contestants with his eye reading their auras. One is a blonde woman he can't seem to get a reading on, meaning she must be some kind of artificial being though the other blonde woman he can be able to read, but she doesn't seem to be all that much. There's a strange quadruped that walked by who seems to have a substantial aura but not by much. However, his eye fell upon the one in golden armor and he couldn't believe his eye.
Such a tremendous aura he is sensing! Could he be the one he is looking for? From his demeanor, facial expressions, and body language he can tell that this man thinks of himself as better than everyone else in the room. Boros can relate to that as might make right. Has he not only found a worthy opponent but a kindred spirit? He can already imagine the legendary battle that they will have in his mind.
Then his eyes went to the third small blonde woman sitting by herself. She had a strange aura about her a menacing one, at least menacing to anyone else besides him. He then approached her.
"Your strength is adequate but I think you have made a grave mistake in coming here, girl. You seem to be out of your depth and you probably don't know who I am. I am Boros the Dominator of the Universe and you best hope not to run into me on the field of battle. I am only telling you now as a courtesy to flee and quit before you meet a grim fate. I have no time to waste on weaklings." Boros said.
He then stomped his foot shaking the building a bit before turning towards everyone else. Speaking loud and proud for everyone to hear.
"And that goes for all of you as well. The weak always perish while the strong live and thrive. I only acknowledge and respect the strong so the rest of you are nothing to me. If all you're going to do in this game is die then you shouldn't have come in the first place. Though you," Boros announced.
He then pointed to the one in golden armor with red eyes and blonde hair.
"I hope to meet you in combat on the field of battle. I can tell you are the one most worthy of my respect." Boros said.
Boros then walked off after making his point and continued exploring the lobby and park. Spending his leisurely time pacing around hoping to see if he can find anyone else of interest. He was beginning to actually get excited but he tried to contain himself. Didn't want to become disappointed by overhyping this event.
Staring blankly after the receding ”Dominator of the Universe”, Toga wonders just how long he’ll actually survive out there. She’s seen so many people just like him join Papa’s show, and almost all of them have died horribly and pathetically. It was like Baby’s First Abyss with these types, all full of swagger and confidence… right up until the light leaves their eyes. Maybe next ti- Oh wait… Shit. This is it. The depression of that thought is only slightly alleviated by her certainty that, because this is the last Abyss, that dude’s shame will go down in history.
In fact, thinking about it elicits a little giggle from the slasher. She really hoped that Karl would get some really good shots of this guy, so she could watch him die on repeat. Just like she did with that Jak kid who blew her hand off in her own first try. A sort of catharsis by proxy. Sure, she would have preferred to have killed him herself, but watching the so-called “eco warrior” get torn limb from limb had still been enough to whet her appetite for revenge.
Ah well. That’s enough reminiscing for now. Toga had better things to do with her time. Like checking WonderTube. She’d gotten a notification that Mickivider had a new video up, and nothing helped pass the time better than mindlessly watching some guy rate with Pokemon he’d sleep with. And some of his picks had been surprising, even for her. Pulling her phone from her pocket, Toga boots up the app and settles in to watch.
In fact, thinking about it elicits a little giggle from the slasher. She really hoped that Karl would get some really good shots of this guy, so she could watch him die on repeat. Just like she did with that Jak kid who blew her hand off in her own first try. A sort of catharsis by proxy. Sure, she would have preferred to have killed him herself, but watching the so-called “eco warrior” get torn limb from limb had still been enough to whet her appetite for revenge.
Ah well. That’s enough reminiscing for now. Toga had better things to do with her time. Like checking WonderTube. She’d gotten a notification that Mickivider had a new video up, and nothing helped pass the time better than mindlessly watching some guy rate with Pokemon he’d sleep with. And some of his picks had been surprising, even for her. Pulling her phone from her pocket, Toga boots up the app and settles in to watch.
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The same, jolting, static shock feeling as before. The same, sweetly apologetic intern fixing the sleek, black collar around her neck, and the sudden sensation of warm, living hunger back in her belly.
Say what you will for losing a bulk of your power and status for the sake of reality TV...Elise would indulge in the sumptuous pleasures of a human metabolism for as long as she could. Now, rather than her nose picking up the scents of unsuspecting bloodbags, she was scenting...mozzarella sticks! Ooh, or soft cinnamon pretzels. Maybe she'd even get some beer! She'd never had a chance to try the stuff before getting vamped all those years ago, and she hadn't really had time for it back in service to the Armada.
There did seem to be sort of your run of the mill, Americana gastropub affair just down at the end of the concourse's east wing. If other contestants would have caught her eye, they were lost on her mouth-watering hunger. Though she had to admit, even in her snack-attack rancor, Karl had really outdone himself for this finale season.
The Preshow lobby had always possessed a sort of halcyon, palatial mall-carnival atmosphere. This year, though, lacey streamers, gilded fountains, and blooming shrubs spilled from every possible sconce and soffit. Large tapestries commemorated legendary moments from previous seasons -- grisly tableaus displaying carnage and drama, immortalized in vibrant silk drapery. The lights all seemed...fey, somehow, like the complex was caught in a perpetual golden hour. Laughter and the occasional echoing cheer fluttered up and down the marbled walkways freely.
Which was all very nice, but what was this bar called anyway? Oh who cares. Elise strode through the threshold imperiously and surveyed the crowd. Still a little light, by DA standards, but it was early hours. There was one patron, however, who had evidently already been there for a little while. Several empty glasses were collected off to his left, and he was currently staring at an entire bottle of scotch.
He was kinda cute, in a big forehead way. Raven black hair, baby blue eyes, and built like a piece of rebar. The orange ascot was an interesting touch. Elise swept over to the stool next to Seventeen, in the way that only a punk goth vampire can, and leaned heavily on the bar.
"Looks like you could use some help." she murmured, gesturing at the bottle. The android furrowed his immense brow, and pondered the words for a moment.
"Should I take that personally?" he chuckled. There wasn't a lot of humor behind the laugh, but it sounded honest nonetheless.
"Hah. I guess we could all use some help, yeah. Pour me a shot." Elise nodded. Seventeen gave her a look, but tipped the bottle for her.
"...looks like you'll need it more than me." he said, pointing at her collar with the glass. Elise accepted the shot and shrugged.
"Just here for the cash."
Seventeen laughed, a bit more brightly this time, and raised a shot of his own.
"Well, here's to honesty."
They toasted, drank, and Elise immediately broke out into a fit of choking coughs. The war machine watched sympathetically as she thumped her chest, but also downed another slug of the stuff before she recovered.
"Sorr...hahechm...sorry. Been a little while since I had anything strong." Elise choked. The bartender, who was apparently a fire elemental in a vest, placed some water and bar nuts in front of her.
"Oh, thanks, actually. Uh. Can I get some fries? And maybe like a chicken sandwich! Loaded nachoes too, extra jalapeños. Ooh, and is that tiramisu on the board back there? I'll take one of those..."
She suddenly felt her drinking buddy stare at her. She stared back.
"...you want something? I've got that dead-man tab going." she grinned, tapping the metal band under her chin. Seventeen shook his head, wearing a distant smile.
"Nah...it's just been a long time since I've seen someone with that kind of appetite. Isn't blood supposed to be like...bliss though? I'm sure you could get some somewhere around here."
"It's the best." Elise blurted. But then she breathed and gestured around the warmly lit little bistro. Colorful glass bottles, varnished wood tables, little sleek hanging lights...
"...but eating actual food is a rare treat! Without the collar it'd make me sicker than a- ooh!" Elise cut herself off as a basket of steaming fries appeared before her.
She was only two handfuls in when someone tapped on her shoulder. She would have instinctively whipped out her stiletto at their throat, but, such things had been confiscated.
So instead she punched them in the nose.
"No touching!" she snapped. Her fury was abated slightly when she recognized Kevin, reeling slightly from the injured face but otherwise unphased.
"Sorry." he said pointedly, through grit teeth, before handing her a golden envelope. Her name was written on it in scrawled purple ink. By the time she looked back up to grill the assistant, he was already slinking off into the main concourse again.
The vampire sighed, and slashed the envelope open with one of her black talons. Her red eyes narrowed to slivers as she read.
Dear Ms. Elise,
Or something. I couldn't find a last name on file for you. When you're done having dinner, come to elevator 7-b, and head to floor 12.
I've been holding onto a piece of your inheritance in trust for a long time now, and with my imminent retirement, I figured I should probably get rid of it.
I mean. Give it to you. See you soon.
Love and kisses,
- Uncle K
Elise reread the letter a few more times before Seventeen, peering over her shoulder, chimed in.
"Wow. That's upsettingly vague. Hate it when he does that."
"Shaddup 'fore I pop your nose too."
Say what you will for losing a bulk of your power and status for the sake of reality TV...Elise would indulge in the sumptuous pleasures of a human metabolism for as long as she could. Now, rather than her nose picking up the scents of unsuspecting bloodbags, she was scenting...mozzarella sticks! Ooh, or soft cinnamon pretzels. Maybe she'd even get some beer! She'd never had a chance to try the stuff before getting vamped all those years ago, and she hadn't really had time for it back in service to the Armada.
There did seem to be sort of your run of the mill, Americana gastropub affair just down at the end of the concourse's east wing. If other contestants would have caught her eye, they were lost on her mouth-watering hunger. Though she had to admit, even in her snack-attack rancor, Karl had really outdone himself for this finale season.
The Preshow lobby had always possessed a sort of halcyon, palatial mall-carnival atmosphere. This year, though, lacey streamers, gilded fountains, and blooming shrubs spilled from every possible sconce and soffit. Large tapestries commemorated legendary moments from previous seasons -- grisly tableaus displaying carnage and drama, immortalized in vibrant silk drapery. The lights all seemed...fey, somehow, like the complex was caught in a perpetual golden hour. Laughter and the occasional echoing cheer fluttered up and down the marbled walkways freely.
Which was all very nice, but what was this bar called anyway? Oh who cares. Elise strode through the threshold imperiously and surveyed the crowd. Still a little light, by DA standards, but it was early hours. There was one patron, however, who had evidently already been there for a little while. Several empty glasses were collected off to his left, and he was currently staring at an entire bottle of scotch.
He was kinda cute, in a big forehead way. Raven black hair, baby blue eyes, and built like a piece of rebar. The orange ascot was an interesting touch. Elise swept over to the stool next to Seventeen, in the way that only a punk goth vampire can, and leaned heavily on the bar.
"Looks like you could use some help." she murmured, gesturing at the bottle. The android furrowed his immense brow, and pondered the words for a moment.
"Should I take that personally?" he chuckled. There wasn't a lot of humor behind the laugh, but it sounded honest nonetheless.
"Hah. I guess we could all use some help, yeah. Pour me a shot." Elise nodded. Seventeen gave her a look, but tipped the bottle for her.
"...looks like you'll need it more than me." he said, pointing at her collar with the glass. Elise accepted the shot and shrugged.
"Just here for the cash."
Seventeen laughed, a bit more brightly this time, and raised a shot of his own.
"Well, here's to honesty."
They toasted, drank, and Elise immediately broke out into a fit of choking coughs. The war machine watched sympathetically as she thumped her chest, but also downed another slug of the stuff before she recovered.
"Sorr...hahechm...sorry. Been a little while since I had anything strong." Elise choked. The bartender, who was apparently a fire elemental in a vest, placed some water and bar nuts in front of her.
"Oh, thanks, actually. Uh. Can I get some fries? And maybe like a chicken sandwich! Loaded nachoes too, extra jalapeños. Ooh, and is that tiramisu on the board back there? I'll take one of those..."
She suddenly felt her drinking buddy stare at her. She stared back.
"...you want something? I've got that dead-man tab going." she grinned, tapping the metal band under her chin. Seventeen shook his head, wearing a distant smile.
"Nah...it's just been a long time since I've seen someone with that kind of appetite. Isn't blood supposed to be like...bliss though? I'm sure you could get some somewhere around here."
"It's the best." Elise blurted. But then she breathed and gestured around the warmly lit little bistro. Colorful glass bottles, varnished wood tables, little sleek hanging lights...
"...but eating actual food is a rare treat! Without the collar it'd make me sicker than a- ooh!" Elise cut herself off as a basket of steaming fries appeared before her.
She was only two handfuls in when someone tapped on her shoulder. She would have instinctively whipped out her stiletto at their throat, but, such things had been confiscated.
So instead she punched them in the nose.
"No touching!" she snapped. Her fury was abated slightly when she recognized Kevin, reeling slightly from the injured face but otherwise unphased.
"Sorry." he said pointedly, through grit teeth, before handing her a golden envelope. Her name was written on it in scrawled purple ink. By the time she looked back up to grill the assistant, he was already slinking off into the main concourse again.
The vampire sighed, and slashed the envelope open with one of her black talons. Her red eyes narrowed to slivers as she read.
Dear Ms. Elise,
Or something. I couldn't find a last name on file for you. When you're done having dinner, come to elevator 7-b, and head to floor 12.
I've been holding onto a piece of your inheritance in trust for a long time now, and with my imminent retirement, I figured I should probably get rid of it.
I mean. Give it to you. See you soon.
Love and kisses,
- Uncle K
Elise reread the letter a few more times before Seventeen, peering over her shoulder, chimed in.
"Wow. That's upsettingly vague. Hate it when he does that."
"Shaddup 'fore I pop your nose too."
Stepping through the teleporter ah come across my first bit of a challenge nearly instantly. My return to Dante's comet rapidly serves to remind me of the differences between the Hinterlands and most of the Crossroads. The vast expanses of pastoral idleness ah've been scouring these last few months are gone in a flash of purplish light, replaced by a psychedelic cacophony of spectacles all crammed in helter skelter overtop of one another, occupying every square inch of the available space. It's a little much for a girl to adapt to all of a sudden, and ah'd wager ah probably spend a bit more time standing and staring than would be ideal from a professional sort of view.
Ah'd avoided this part of the mess last time by narrowly making the deadline to arrive. This year ah'm here and ready from the early parts of the lead-up. Better to get the scope of the competition ahead of the conflict, right? And slap me silly, if this year wasn't seeming to be full of interesting characters. Despite myself ah'm starting to get a bit excited at the prospects. A whole bunch of these competitors are looking to be the real deal. No inexperienced folks with a heart of gold or innocent children this time around. It's a bunch of veteran warriors with some power and deeds to their name. Folks who can do a bit to back up their talk! Ah cant quite concentrate, it's like ah'm trying to focus when there's a buffet just sitting just off to the side of the room.
And speaking of food, a solid impact echoes through the halls, and drew my attention to one of the nearby restaurants. Ah near the doors just in time to run into Kevin of all people, holding a handkerchief up to his nose with a decidedly sour expression. Ah glance from him to the rather agitated looking young lady at the bar, then fixed him with a raised eyebrow.
"Looks like you need to work on your sweet-talking there, Sugah!" Ah smirk, which does very little to improve his mood.
"I didn't even say anything." He mumbles in a muffled voice, "You signed up for this thing too, huh? Didn't get enough bloodshed from the Carnivale?"
Ah shrug dismissively. Ah don't feel like ah'll be able to answer that particular question to his satisfaction. Best to change the subject.
"Speaking of the Rosa, you're looking a good deal less stapled than the last time ah saw ya! You went and got yourself un-undeadified, eh?"
Now it's Kevin's turn to give a deflecting shrug.
"Got the contract issues cleared up." he says simply.
Ah'm unlikely to get a better explanation from him, ah realize. Probably at least one Syntech secret mixed up in the whole deal he's not allowed to talk about.
"Well, suppose it's good to have you back among the living and the breathing then, Sugah. That look was nothing short of ghastly, if ah'm being honest!"
"Gee thanks." Kevin responds in a very non-plussed manner, "Well, I can certainly say that duties for Mr. Jak don't stop when you die, so I'm afraid I'll need to be on my way. There's several fires that still need putting out before we can get this whole thing started. If you die out there, make sure it's an interesting one for the viewers, alright?"
He cuts me half a smirk from under the handkerchief he's holding to his nose, and ah grin back in response.
"The nicest piece of advice ah've been given, hun! You should've led with that kind of talk for the gal in there!"
"I didn't- yeah." Kevin sighs, "See you 'round."
"Knock 'em dead, Sugah!" Ah give him a wink and we go our separate ways, splitting off again into the bustle and hustle of Dante's comet.
Ah'd avoided this part of the mess last time by narrowly making the deadline to arrive. This year ah'm here and ready from the early parts of the lead-up. Better to get the scope of the competition ahead of the conflict, right? And slap me silly, if this year wasn't seeming to be full of interesting characters. Despite myself ah'm starting to get a bit excited at the prospects. A whole bunch of these competitors are looking to be the real deal. No inexperienced folks with a heart of gold or innocent children this time around. It's a bunch of veteran warriors with some power and deeds to their name. Folks who can do a bit to back up their talk! Ah cant quite concentrate, it's like ah'm trying to focus when there's a buffet just sitting just off to the side of the room.
And speaking of food, a solid impact echoes through the halls, and drew my attention to one of the nearby restaurants. Ah near the doors just in time to run into Kevin of all people, holding a handkerchief up to his nose with a decidedly sour expression. Ah glance from him to the rather agitated looking young lady at the bar, then fixed him with a raised eyebrow.
"Looks like you need to work on your sweet-talking there, Sugah!" Ah smirk, which does very little to improve his mood.
"I didn't even say anything." He mumbles in a muffled voice, "You signed up for this thing too, huh? Didn't get enough bloodshed from the Carnivale?"
Ah shrug dismissively. Ah don't feel like ah'll be able to answer that particular question to his satisfaction. Best to change the subject.
"Speaking of the Rosa, you're looking a good deal less stapled than the last time ah saw ya! You went and got yourself un-undeadified, eh?"
Now it's Kevin's turn to give a deflecting shrug.
"Got the contract issues cleared up." he says simply.
Ah'm unlikely to get a better explanation from him, ah realize. Probably at least one Syntech secret mixed up in the whole deal he's not allowed to talk about.
"Well, suppose it's good to have you back among the living and the breathing then, Sugah. That look was nothing short of ghastly, if ah'm being honest!"
"Gee thanks." Kevin responds in a very non-plussed manner, "Well, I can certainly say that duties for Mr. Jak don't stop when you die, so I'm afraid I'll need to be on my way. There's several fires that still need putting out before we can get this whole thing started. If you die out there, make sure it's an interesting one for the viewers, alright?"
He cuts me half a smirk from under the handkerchief he's holding to his nose, and ah grin back in response.
"The nicest piece of advice ah've been given, hun! You should've led with that kind of talk for the gal in there!"
"I didn't- yeah." Kevin sighs, "See you 'round."
"Knock 'em dead, Sugah!" Ah give him a wink and we go our separate ways, splitting off again into the bustle and hustle of Dante's comet.
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So. Elevator 7-b, floor twelve.
After wrapping up her considerable meal and coming to terms with the long-forgotten sensations of gas, Elise eventually wandered over to the discreet employee elevators at the far end of the lobby vestibule. It was a simple, sliding, brass panel in the wall that opened up as she approached; no buttons in sight.
As she entered, another Syntech stooge was waiting for her. She was a mousy looking girl with round, wireframe glasses and a physique that suggested ambitions of fitness. Elise habitually sized her up as a prey item, then blew out a short sigh.
“Floor twelve?” she muttered. The purple-skirted clerk nodded and beckoned Elise forwards before tapping on the doors with an actual magic wand. Elise suppressed another grimace as she stood next to the Lady and stared at her reflection on the inner door. Who used magic wands these days? They'd been out of wizardly vogue for like six years now.
Eventually, blessedly, the stoic elevator ride came to an end. Elise strode confidently out of the lift and into a plush, carpeted hallway. If not for the rooms clearly marked as ‘copy center’ and ‘wireless hub’, she would have assumed she was in a swanky hotel. The skirted clerk from the elevator swept past her, and beckoned the vamp to follow, without looking back.
“This way. Karl is waiting.”
Elise hesitated for a moment, then grit her fangs and followed. This was all starting to get a bit weird for her tastes…but then again, her curiosity had always gotten the better of her. Why change up the game now?
“You're Karl's assistant now? Isn't that usually the other guy's job?”
“Oh, Kevin has a long list of people to get punched by, not just you dear. Call me a…pinch hitter.” the clerk shrugged. They reached the end of the hallway at a set of gold-framed double doors, emblazoned with a mosaic of the Syntech logo, and the initials ‘K J’.
Elise nearly went cross-eyed from the ostentatious vanity on display here. But as the doors creaked open, she was suddenly hit by a familiar feeling she hadn't processed in a long…long time. A sense of yearning familiarity. The sensation that a missing puzzle piece to your heart is just out of reach.
“...Strazio?”
The vampire scanned the room carefully. Karl Jak's office (or at least this particular office) was nothing less than you'd expect. Leather armchairs, a mahogany fireplace, crystal goblets and a wine library that occupied an entire vaulted wall. The purple suited pomp sat behind a polished teak and marble desk, covered in an array of expensive looking knickknacks and view monitors.
For some reason he looked shorter than she had expected.
“Strazio? No such luck, I'm afraid. Believe me, I'd love to book him for our final show but…he's hard to lock down, as you know.” Karl mused. He gestured at the wizardly assistant to leave, and smoothed back his glossy hair in the same motion.
“Thank you Charlie, please go perform a Reality Check, if you would.”
The clerk puffed up slightly, and donned a pained expression.
“But that'll take an hour and we just did one-”
“Now, please.”
With that, the girl huffed softly and closed the door behind her with a wave of her wand, leaving Elise and Syntech's actual CEO alone in the room together. He pointed an open hand at one of the seats, but Elise frowned and shook her head. The strange, resonant feeling was still clawing at her mind, and she didn't feel like letting her guard down.
“...can we get to the point?” she snapped. Karl chuckled, rolled his eyes, and began fishing for something under his desk.
“Oh come on Elise, where's your sense of drama?” he tutted, before producing a smallish, black, glassy orb. The producer placed it down on the marble desktop and began to roll it from one manicured hand to another. The vampire's eyes fixed on the sphere; it screamed with an overpowering allure of…something undefinable.
“...what is that?” Elise whispered, pointing at it with a shaking claw.
“Your inheritance. The letter said so-”
“WHAT. IS IT.” Elise said. Was she crying? Why was she crying? What the fuck was happening? It felt like her chest was going to beat out of her heart. Or. The other way around. Whatever. Thinking was difficult when every thought seemed to be fixated on that black glass.
“Easy there, overbite. Took a lot of work to get this thing out of that sun goddess's basement…dimensional fractals, alternate timelines…the works.” Karl said. If he was trying to rizz her, his exhausted expression indicated otherwise.
“It belonged to your dad. Well. You could say it was your dad. Certain parts of him at least.”
Elise…took a step back. Not necessarily out of fear, but she hadn't been prepared to deal with whatever the fuck was happening right now.
“You knew my…real dad?” she choked.
“Eh.” Karl waved his hand in a so-so manner.
Between the pounding sensation of fanatic desire that gripped her head, the anger of Karl Jak treating her unknown, orphan origins like a triviality, and the sincere wish to keep her damn cool, Elise was just about paralyzed with mental effort.
“...why…now?” she seethed through bared teeth.
“Might be my last chance to give it, but, I'm not really sure he'd want you to have it…” Karl continued. He hefted the sphere in one hand and stood up, approaching her in the middle of the floor. Elise took another step back, like he was approaching her with a hot iron, and she didn't know why.
“Will you stop being so damn cryptic!” Elise snapped.
“Look.” Karl said, sounding almost sincere, “I know what it's like to feel out of place, to have questions that no one can answer about your past. It's all in here…” he said, shaking the sphere. “...but I don't know what else it'll do to you.”
Elise reached out compulsively to grab the sphere as he walked towards her, then stopped herself. She was a wizard, for fuck sake. She was smarter than this. The vampire swallowed hard and fought to keep it together.
“...this is why I was pre-approved. This plays into your show somehow, doesn't it. What's your angle?” Elise hissed. Something was off about this, for sure, but Karl's claim that this thing had something to do with her personally was hard to dispute. It called to her on a fundamental level, like that ghost inside of Strazio's head. Fuck. Fuck.
“You've been off the grid on Cevanti for like a year. Where was I supposed to mail it? Call it…a cosmic coincidence.”
“I call it bullshit.”
Karl grinned softly.
“No-one's making you do anything, here. Hell, you're free to walk off the comet if you want. Take it and go, please.” Karl said. He dropped the orb, which fell for just a second, before hanging in the air in the exact way that a glass ball should not. As it did so, three, green specks of light began to gleam outward from the sphere…like acidic eyes…but with a third eye below the right.
“...gives me the willies.” he murmured.
Elise stared at it now; all thoughts of Karl or cash or TV were far gone from her mind as she fixated on this artifact which was, quite literally, calling to her. And something deep inside the spongy, dark recesses of her nethermost psyche was calling back.
She was suddenly aware that she was holding the orb.
Her eyes had just a second to flicker upwards, to meet Karl's studious gaze before she crumpled into a heap, writhing and foaming with all the terrible shrieks of a gutted animal. Black, spidery veins of crackling crystal oozed across her skin as her facial features smoothed away and dissipated. A shockwave of baleful power thudded across the room, upsetting several nice vases and lamps as a bloom of shadow emanated from the hybrid's undulating form. A chorus of whispers offered a hymn from every crack and corner as it rose to its feet, unsteady, but surely rising with all the gravitas of apotheosis.
Karl made a face and looked down at the puddle of black ichor it had left on the rug. He hadn't expected it to be quite so gruesome, but oh well.
Rarely am I at a loss for words, Interloper…but you have single handedly redefined hubris with this act.
Karl pressed a hand to his chest, and actually blushed a little bit.
“That is the nicest thing-”
Do you think a mere five years of imprisonment at the hands of my counterpart would make me desperate enough to willingly cooperate with this circus of yours?
“Good to see you too Neal…” Karl grumbled, picking at his already perfect nails. He glanced at the figure standing before him, and tilted his head. Elise's existing cloak had been drawn up over a glassy, smooth, featureless face. This rendition of the Shadow was a little more stocky and shorter than the original, but it still had those three, asymmetrical green eyes that were the hallmark of the Godmind brand. Yeah, it would do.
“No, I expect you to cooperate because you love attention and if you survive, have a chance to start one of those cults you enjoy. I mean, that was the reason you tried to hijack my airtime during season twelve, right?” Karl snorted. He sauntered back to his desk and began to pour himself a particularly deep glass of pinot noire.
You are conflating the actions of my inferior predecessor with what I am. Tearen died to try and keep both myself and Diablo sealed away. Predictably, he failed at both aims…and now has failed even to protect his diseased progeny.
Nealaphh inserted a glassy, black talon between its flesh and the cold metal of the explosive collar.
Perhaps I should simply cut to the chase. From what I understand, your gladiatorial clout is at an end. Why should I waste my time on a has-been?
“Well. For one. I'm pretty sure if you blow yourself up, Elise dies and you go back to being a Christmas ornament.” Karl said. He stared, bored, at the dark wine swirling around in his glass. He didn't even like this stupid label.
“Two…” he said, taking a sip, wincing, “...you know how the only person you hated worse than the Smiling One was Diablo? Well. Beatrix and Gilgamesh are both here. They might not be quite the same as before but…do you really want to chance it?”
The wine glass shattered, and Nealaphh began to levitate from the floor.
“Hey, I was enjoying disliking that.” Karl breathed, looking mournfully at his stained vest. He glanced up to see the Godmind floating an inch from his face. Somehow. It was surprisingly flexible.
I know you fancy yourself a deity, Karl Jak, but that does not make it wise to meddle with other sovereign powers.
“Yeah well, maybe once I hang this up I'll finally wise up. For now though-”
You are retiring because no matter what you do, it is lonely at the top.
“Oh-Kay, that's enough out of the spooky Burton doll. Off you go.”
Karl reached a hand into his jacket and produced a fairly stupid looking ray gun, and fired it point-blank into the Godmind's face. A shimmering, green, wobbly portal ripped open in the air, sucking the leering Specter away back to the preshow crazy town where it belonged…
After wrapping up her considerable meal and coming to terms with the long-forgotten sensations of gas, Elise eventually wandered over to the discreet employee elevators at the far end of the lobby vestibule. It was a simple, sliding, brass panel in the wall that opened up as she approached; no buttons in sight.
As she entered, another Syntech stooge was waiting for her. She was a mousy looking girl with round, wireframe glasses and a physique that suggested ambitions of fitness. Elise habitually sized her up as a prey item, then blew out a short sigh.
“Floor twelve?” she muttered. The purple-skirted clerk nodded and beckoned Elise forwards before tapping on the doors with an actual magic wand. Elise suppressed another grimace as she stood next to the Lady and stared at her reflection on the inner door. Who used magic wands these days? They'd been out of wizardly vogue for like six years now.
Eventually, blessedly, the stoic elevator ride came to an end. Elise strode confidently out of the lift and into a plush, carpeted hallway. If not for the rooms clearly marked as ‘copy center’ and ‘wireless hub’, she would have assumed she was in a swanky hotel. The skirted clerk from the elevator swept past her, and beckoned the vamp to follow, without looking back.
“This way. Karl is waiting.”
Elise hesitated for a moment, then grit her fangs and followed. This was all starting to get a bit weird for her tastes…but then again, her curiosity had always gotten the better of her. Why change up the game now?
“You're Karl's assistant now? Isn't that usually the other guy's job?”
“Oh, Kevin has a long list of people to get punched by, not just you dear. Call me a…pinch hitter.” the clerk shrugged. They reached the end of the hallway at a set of gold-framed double doors, emblazoned with a mosaic of the Syntech logo, and the initials ‘K J’.
Elise nearly went cross-eyed from the ostentatious vanity on display here. But as the doors creaked open, she was suddenly hit by a familiar feeling she hadn't processed in a long…long time. A sense of yearning familiarity. The sensation that a missing puzzle piece to your heart is just out of reach.
“...Strazio?”
The vampire scanned the room carefully. Karl Jak's office (or at least this particular office) was nothing less than you'd expect. Leather armchairs, a mahogany fireplace, crystal goblets and a wine library that occupied an entire vaulted wall. The purple suited pomp sat behind a polished teak and marble desk, covered in an array of expensive looking knickknacks and view monitors.
For some reason he looked shorter than she had expected.
“Strazio? No such luck, I'm afraid. Believe me, I'd love to book him for our final show but…he's hard to lock down, as you know.” Karl mused. He gestured at the wizardly assistant to leave, and smoothed back his glossy hair in the same motion.
“Thank you Charlie, please go perform a Reality Check, if you would.”
The clerk puffed up slightly, and donned a pained expression.
“But that'll take an hour and we just did one-”
“Now, please.”
With that, the girl huffed softly and closed the door behind her with a wave of her wand, leaving Elise and Syntech's actual CEO alone in the room together. He pointed an open hand at one of the seats, but Elise frowned and shook her head. The strange, resonant feeling was still clawing at her mind, and she didn't feel like letting her guard down.
“...can we get to the point?” she snapped. Karl chuckled, rolled his eyes, and began fishing for something under his desk.
“Oh come on Elise, where's your sense of drama?” he tutted, before producing a smallish, black, glassy orb. The producer placed it down on the marble desktop and began to roll it from one manicured hand to another. The vampire's eyes fixed on the sphere; it screamed with an overpowering allure of…something undefinable.
“...what is that?” Elise whispered, pointing at it with a shaking claw.
“Your inheritance. The letter said so-”
“WHAT. IS IT.” Elise said. Was she crying? Why was she crying? What the fuck was happening? It felt like her chest was going to beat out of her heart. Or. The other way around. Whatever. Thinking was difficult when every thought seemed to be fixated on that black glass.
“Easy there, overbite. Took a lot of work to get this thing out of that sun goddess's basement…dimensional fractals, alternate timelines…the works.” Karl said. If he was trying to rizz her, his exhausted expression indicated otherwise.
“It belonged to your dad. Well. You could say it was your dad. Certain parts of him at least.”
Elise…took a step back. Not necessarily out of fear, but she hadn't been prepared to deal with whatever the fuck was happening right now.
“You knew my…real dad?” she choked.
“Eh.” Karl waved his hand in a so-so manner.
Between the pounding sensation of fanatic desire that gripped her head, the anger of Karl Jak treating her unknown, orphan origins like a triviality, and the sincere wish to keep her damn cool, Elise was just about paralyzed with mental effort.
“...why…now?” she seethed through bared teeth.
“Might be my last chance to give it, but, I'm not really sure he'd want you to have it…” Karl continued. He hefted the sphere in one hand and stood up, approaching her in the middle of the floor. Elise took another step back, like he was approaching her with a hot iron, and she didn't know why.
“Will you stop being so damn cryptic!” Elise snapped.
“Look.” Karl said, sounding almost sincere, “I know what it's like to feel out of place, to have questions that no one can answer about your past. It's all in here…” he said, shaking the sphere. “...but I don't know what else it'll do to you.”
Elise reached out compulsively to grab the sphere as he walked towards her, then stopped herself. She was a wizard, for fuck sake. She was smarter than this. The vampire swallowed hard and fought to keep it together.
“...this is why I was pre-approved. This plays into your show somehow, doesn't it. What's your angle?” Elise hissed. Something was off about this, for sure, but Karl's claim that this thing had something to do with her personally was hard to dispute. It called to her on a fundamental level, like that ghost inside of Strazio's head. Fuck. Fuck.
“You've been off the grid on Cevanti for like a year. Where was I supposed to mail it? Call it…a cosmic coincidence.”
“I call it bullshit.”
Karl grinned softly.
“No-one's making you do anything, here. Hell, you're free to walk off the comet if you want. Take it and go, please.” Karl said. He dropped the orb, which fell for just a second, before hanging in the air in the exact way that a glass ball should not. As it did so, three, green specks of light began to gleam outward from the sphere…like acidic eyes…but with a third eye below the right.
“...gives me the willies.” he murmured.
Elise stared at it now; all thoughts of Karl or cash or TV were far gone from her mind as she fixated on this artifact which was, quite literally, calling to her. And something deep inside the spongy, dark recesses of her nethermost psyche was calling back.
She was suddenly aware that she was holding the orb.
Her eyes had just a second to flicker upwards, to meet Karl's studious gaze before she crumpled into a heap, writhing and foaming with all the terrible shrieks of a gutted animal. Black, spidery veins of crackling crystal oozed across her skin as her facial features smoothed away and dissipated. A shockwave of baleful power thudded across the room, upsetting several nice vases and lamps as a bloom of shadow emanated from the hybrid's undulating form. A chorus of whispers offered a hymn from every crack and corner as it rose to its feet, unsteady, but surely rising with all the gravitas of apotheosis.
Karl made a face and looked down at the puddle of black ichor it had left on the rug. He hadn't expected it to be quite so gruesome, but oh well.
Rarely am I at a loss for words, Interloper…but you have single handedly redefined hubris with this act.
Karl pressed a hand to his chest, and actually blushed a little bit.
“That is the nicest thing-”
Do you think a mere five years of imprisonment at the hands of my counterpart would make me desperate enough to willingly cooperate with this circus of yours?
“Good to see you too Neal…” Karl grumbled, picking at his already perfect nails. He glanced at the figure standing before him, and tilted his head. Elise's existing cloak had been drawn up over a glassy, smooth, featureless face. This rendition of the Shadow was a little more stocky and shorter than the original, but it still had those three, asymmetrical green eyes that were the hallmark of the Godmind brand. Yeah, it would do.
“No, I expect you to cooperate because you love attention and if you survive, have a chance to start one of those cults you enjoy. I mean, that was the reason you tried to hijack my airtime during season twelve, right?” Karl snorted. He sauntered back to his desk and began to pour himself a particularly deep glass of pinot noire.
You are conflating the actions of my inferior predecessor with what I am. Tearen died to try and keep both myself and Diablo sealed away. Predictably, he failed at both aims…and now has failed even to protect his diseased progeny.
Nealaphh inserted a glassy, black talon between its flesh and the cold metal of the explosive collar.
Perhaps I should simply cut to the chase. From what I understand, your gladiatorial clout is at an end. Why should I waste my time on a has-been?
“Well. For one. I'm pretty sure if you blow yourself up, Elise dies and you go back to being a Christmas ornament.” Karl said. He stared, bored, at the dark wine swirling around in his glass. He didn't even like this stupid label.
“Two…” he said, taking a sip, wincing, “...you know how the only person you hated worse than the Smiling One was Diablo? Well. Beatrix and Gilgamesh are both here. They might not be quite the same as before but…do you really want to chance it?”
The wine glass shattered, and Nealaphh began to levitate from the floor.
“Hey, I was enjoying disliking that.” Karl breathed, looking mournfully at his stained vest. He glanced up to see the Godmind floating an inch from his face. Somehow. It was surprisingly flexible.
I know you fancy yourself a deity, Karl Jak, but that does not make it wise to meddle with other sovereign powers.
“Yeah well, maybe once I hang this up I'll finally wise up. For now though-”
You are retiring because no matter what you do, it is lonely at the top.
“Oh-Kay, that's enough out of the spooky Burton doll. Off you go.”
Karl reached a hand into his jacket and produced a fairly stupid looking ray gun, and fired it point-blank into the Godmind's face. A shimmering, green, wobbly portal ripped open in the air, sucking the leering Specter away back to the preshow crazy town where it belonged…
A long time ago, Ben recalled a duel with his master, Qui-gon, and a sith lord, Darth maul. Qui-gon and he had been seperated by Ray fields from the enemy, and as the fight grew unavoidably postponed for a moment, his master had taken the chance to meditate, sitting cross-legged as he cleared his mind.
Now, Ben was doing the same thing, and somehow he was more on edge than as a padawan fighting a sith lord.
Part of that was the collar. His connection to the force was muddled, dimmed with its inclusion, the ally that frequently whispered to him when and how to move barely audible. It took all of his concentration to hear an ally that was normally always with him.
Those that came through the arrival area were similarly bizarre up until now, many of whom had an obvious tie to the dark side among them. Some merely had strange eyes or odd expressions, with one woman having stark golden eyes that reminded him far too much of Palpatine Or Dooku to belong to someone so early in their life.
The stranger ones didn’t exactly bear any favors to themselves so far, either. Boros Almost seemed like a youngling’s conception of a sith lord, but it seemed his power had grown far ahead of his maturity.
Still, it had not caused him alarm until it appeared within the park. A creeping shadow so like Vader’s own in strength, but the sheer rage and hatred was not there. It felt suffocating and imperious, a binding darkness far older than the sith - and far more incomprehensible. The force recoiled from the being with as much horror as the fathomless well of life force could have.
Obi-wan’s eyes widened, looking up at the three-eyed horror - but only briefly. He knew better, somewhere in his mind, than to dwell overly on the creeping horror that had come through him.
However, any sense of peace or tranquility the park had offered him was thoroughly shot, and in that moment the days of starvation combined with the harsh living he had with Tatooine food had caught up with him, and he clapped his hands on his knees before getting back up to his feet.
He could use a meal or three, and a few lovely, non-alcoholic beverages to go with after this business. He’d been through enough terrifying meetings in his life to know a milkshake afterwards was often the antivenom for the chill in his veins.
Now, Ben was doing the same thing, and somehow he was more on edge than as a padawan fighting a sith lord.
Part of that was the collar. His connection to the force was muddled, dimmed with its inclusion, the ally that frequently whispered to him when and how to move barely audible. It took all of his concentration to hear an ally that was normally always with him.
Those that came through the arrival area were similarly bizarre up until now, many of whom had an obvious tie to the dark side among them. Some merely had strange eyes or odd expressions, with one woman having stark golden eyes that reminded him far too much of Palpatine Or Dooku to belong to someone so early in their life.
The stranger ones didn’t exactly bear any favors to themselves so far, either. Boros Almost seemed like a youngling’s conception of a sith lord, but it seemed his power had grown far ahead of his maturity.
Still, it had not caused him alarm until it appeared within the park. A creeping shadow so like Vader’s own in strength, but the sheer rage and hatred was not there. It felt suffocating and imperious, a binding darkness far older than the sith - and far more incomprehensible. The force recoiled from the being with as much horror as the fathomless well of life force could have.
Obi-wan’s eyes widened, looking up at the three-eyed horror - but only briefly. He knew better, somewhere in his mind, than to dwell overly on the creeping horror that had come through him.
However, any sense of peace or tranquility the park had offered him was thoroughly shot, and in that moment the days of starvation combined with the harsh living he had with Tatooine food had caught up with him, and he clapped his hands on his knees before getting back up to his feet.
He could use a meal or three, and a few lovely, non-alcoholic beverages to go with after this business. He’d been through enough terrifying meetings in his life to know a milkshake afterwards was often the antivenom for the chill in his veins.
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Ah don't do well in crowds, have ah mentioned that yet?
Pulling my hood farther forwards, ah weave between the assortment of pre-show tourists and Syntech personnel with an aimlessness that makes me feel like ah don't belong here. The whole Comet is practically buzzing with energy and anticipation. Everyone of the folks here seems eager footed to get along to whatever goal that they're seeking. Meanwhile ah'm here just trying to regain the momentum ah've lost out in the Hinterlands.
Ah pause at a split in the corridor, staring up at the overhead signs. At this stage, ah could head to the partying floor easily enough. Drink my head back on straight before all the fighting comes. It's a tempting prospect, ah won't lie. Not having to think about my problems for a spell, and just enjoying myself in one of the best venues for a night on the town the Crossroads has to offer? Sign a girl up, Sugah!
Ah take half a step in that direction, but memories of how my most recent drinking spill went sour the idea before ah manage the second footfall. Karl's collar around my neck doesn't change the fact that ah'm a walking, talking energy vampire what'll drain the life force from you with a touch. Ah doubt that Syntech'll be very forgiving of an accidental incapacitating of someone important in the leadup to their big event. Hell, ah'm lucky they even let me back onto this place after that mess at the end of the last show.
Ah rub my eyes with the palms of my gloves. Right then, face like a stone. No party for the girl who can't touch nobody, and that's just how it is. Self-pity ain't got a place in a death game. Ah'm here to stake my claim wit' the toughest sons o' guns in the Crossroads. No pity, no mercy.
Ah should use this time to prepare for the future. Ah take a half step the other way, towards the library. Ah don't get much further that direction, either. Ah don't know the first damn thing about witch magic! There's no way ah'm going to be finding the kind of stuff ah'll be needing to counter some powerful angry old witch's hedge-charms!
"Whatcha doing?" a voice speaks up from right behind my ear, and a smiling face sidles up beside me a moment later. The girl's grinning at me, but something in her eyes rubs me the wrong way.
"You lost? I know it's probably a lot more civilization than you're used to out in the Hinterlands."
Ah snort, raising an eyebrow.
"Sugah, this ain't my first comet ride, ah know how this number plays out. Ah've just gotta make up my mind on what to do first."
"You don't know what you want? That's sad." the blonde girl shakes her head. "And I don't mean that I feel sad for you, by the way."
"Ah don't think it's always that simple." Ah cross my arms, with a frown.
"You don't?" The girl tilts her head to one side, seeming genuinely perplexed, "Just do what you want to. That's what you did last year. You were tearing through those docs! Almost made it back to the fun part of the Comet. I was rooting for ya, honest."
My frown's deepening now. She says these things with such an easy tone that ah can't tell which ones are lies or true.
"Ah was..." My memory of that whole bit of time is real hazy. Ah think ah might've lost it a tad there at the end. "...Ah was looking for someone..."
"Well, now's your chance to go find them, right?" She's grinning with her whole face now, "Though if you're looking for my sweet hubbie you're gonna be out of luck, Papa Karl doesn't let him out when we have guests here."
Now that was a true thought. Ah suppose this would be the kind of place to find the weird sorts. Might not be a terrible place to be looking for a person to help me deal with a witch's hex?
"Ah suppose that depends. You know anyone who's any good at magic?"
Pulling my hood farther forwards, ah weave between the assortment of pre-show tourists and Syntech personnel with an aimlessness that makes me feel like ah don't belong here. The whole Comet is practically buzzing with energy and anticipation. Everyone of the folks here seems eager footed to get along to whatever goal that they're seeking. Meanwhile ah'm here just trying to regain the momentum ah've lost out in the Hinterlands.
Ah pause at a split in the corridor, staring up at the overhead signs. At this stage, ah could head to the partying floor easily enough. Drink my head back on straight before all the fighting comes. It's a tempting prospect, ah won't lie. Not having to think about my problems for a spell, and just enjoying myself in one of the best venues for a night on the town the Crossroads has to offer? Sign a girl up, Sugah!
Ah take half a step in that direction, but memories of how my most recent drinking spill went sour the idea before ah manage the second footfall. Karl's collar around my neck doesn't change the fact that ah'm a walking, talking energy vampire what'll drain the life force from you with a touch. Ah doubt that Syntech'll be very forgiving of an accidental incapacitating of someone important in the leadup to their big event. Hell, ah'm lucky they even let me back onto this place after that mess at the end of the last show.
Ah rub my eyes with the palms of my gloves. Right then, face like a stone. No party for the girl who can't touch nobody, and that's just how it is. Self-pity ain't got a place in a death game. Ah'm here to stake my claim wit' the toughest sons o' guns in the Crossroads. No pity, no mercy.
Ah should use this time to prepare for the future. Ah take a half step the other way, towards the library. Ah don't get much further that direction, either. Ah don't know the first damn thing about witch magic! There's no way ah'm going to be finding the kind of stuff ah'll be needing to counter some powerful angry old witch's hedge-charms!
"Whatcha doing?" a voice speaks up from right behind my ear, and a smiling face sidles up beside me a moment later. The girl's grinning at me, but something in her eyes rubs me the wrong way.
"You lost? I know it's probably a lot more civilization than you're used to out in the Hinterlands."
Ah snort, raising an eyebrow.
"Sugah, this ain't my first comet ride, ah know how this number plays out. Ah've just gotta make up my mind on what to do first."
"You don't know what you want? That's sad." the blonde girl shakes her head. "And I don't mean that I feel sad for you, by the way."
"Ah don't think it's always that simple." Ah cross my arms, with a frown.
"You don't?" The girl tilts her head to one side, seeming genuinely perplexed, "Just do what you want to. That's what you did last year. You were tearing through those docs! Almost made it back to the fun part of the Comet. I was rooting for ya, honest."
My frown's deepening now. She says these things with such an easy tone that ah can't tell which ones are lies or true.
"Ah was..." My memory of that whole bit of time is real hazy. Ah think ah might've lost it a tad there at the end. "...Ah was looking for someone..."
"Well, now's your chance to go find them, right?" She's grinning with her whole face now, "Though if you're looking for my sweet hubbie you're gonna be out of luck, Papa Karl doesn't let him out when we have guests here."
Now that was a true thought. Ah suppose this would be the kind of place to find the weird sorts. Might not be a terrible place to be looking for a person to help me deal with a witch's hex?
"Ah suppose that depends. You know anyone who's any good at magic?"
“That depends,” Toga replies with a bit of a shrug. “What kind of magic are we talking about here? One of the interns has a solid hook-up for Columbian Sugar. And Kevin, the rat bastard, knows a few card tricks.”
Tilting her head to one side, Toga peers up into the eyes of her companion. Rogue, she called herself. A real Southern Belle, complete with a kiss of death and everything. What would she want magic for anyway? Maybe she was looking for a little boost, though she certainly had enough power packed into those deceptively lithe muscles without it. Then, she saw it. Deep within those stormy gray eyes, tucked away where she thought no one could see it. Fear. Anxiety. Desperation. Toga had seen them many times before, though rarely so well hidden. Rogue was a cornered animal and her question had been an attempt at escape.
“Otherwise,” she continued, her smile widening. “I don’t think I can help you. See, I’m a bit of a shut-in. I don’t really leave the Comet, ya know. And between my husband and my… hobbies, I don’t really get to know too many people.”
Before Rogue could do much more than begin a shake of her head to respond, Toga bull-rushed into her next statement, moving closer to the X-Man, almost uncomfortably so.
“But, maybe I could help you find someone who can help!” she pressed, her own yellow eyes gleaming in anticipation. “I know this place like the back of my hand; I could give you a little tour and maybe we’ll find some wizardy fuck grabbing a meal, or trying to relax in the park. Whaddya say?”
Taking a nervous step back, Rogue’s gaze shifts from side to side in her discomfort. No no. Don’t try to back out now, Gramma. Just… accept the offer. Just come along with me on a little trip. It’ll be alright. We’ll just hang out and wander around the halls, and… well, an accident might happen, but no one would know. You’d be out of the way, away from all the cameras and people. No one would even miss you.
“Ah… think Ah’ll be okay,” the taller woman finally said, taking another step away from the overly-excited youth. “Ah’ll just ask around on my own. Wouldn’t wanna bother y-”
“It’s not a bother at all,” Toga quickly assures her, but it’s too late. Rogue’s already making space, backing away for a couple of steps before turning and walking away from her. For a moment, the girl considers following after her, but decides against it. She had only really been a little interested in the woman. She had hoped Rogue had been desperate enough to take a chance, but she was cautious. Careful. Maybe she wasn’t cornered just yet… maybe Toga would just need to wait for her chance on the island. Better than making a scene here. Papa wouldn’t like that, after all.
Settling back onto a bench, Toga sighs in disappointment. It would have been fun though.
Tilting her head to one side, Toga peers up into the eyes of her companion. Rogue, she called herself. A real Southern Belle, complete with a kiss of death and everything. What would she want magic for anyway? Maybe she was looking for a little boost, though she certainly had enough power packed into those deceptively lithe muscles without it. Then, she saw it. Deep within those stormy gray eyes, tucked away where she thought no one could see it. Fear. Anxiety. Desperation. Toga had seen them many times before, though rarely so well hidden. Rogue was a cornered animal and her question had been an attempt at escape.
“Otherwise,” she continued, her smile widening. “I don’t think I can help you. See, I’m a bit of a shut-in. I don’t really leave the Comet, ya know. And between my husband and my… hobbies, I don’t really get to know too many people.”
Before Rogue could do much more than begin a shake of her head to respond, Toga bull-rushed into her next statement, moving closer to the X-Man, almost uncomfortably so.
“But, maybe I could help you find someone who can help!” she pressed, her own yellow eyes gleaming in anticipation. “I know this place like the back of my hand; I could give you a little tour and maybe we’ll find some wizardy fuck grabbing a meal, or trying to relax in the park. Whaddya say?”
Taking a nervous step back, Rogue’s gaze shifts from side to side in her discomfort. No no. Don’t try to back out now, Gramma. Just… accept the offer. Just come along with me on a little trip. It’ll be alright. We’ll just hang out and wander around the halls, and… well, an accident might happen, but no one would know. You’d be out of the way, away from all the cameras and people. No one would even miss you.
“Ah… think Ah’ll be okay,” the taller woman finally said, taking another step away from the overly-excited youth. “Ah’ll just ask around on my own. Wouldn’t wanna bother y-”
“It’s not a bother at all,” Toga quickly assures her, but it’s too late. Rogue’s already making space, backing away for a couple of steps before turning and walking away from her. For a moment, the girl considers following after her, but decides against it. She had only really been a little interested in the woman. She had hoped Rogue had been desperate enough to take a chance, but she was cautious. Careful. Maybe she wasn’t cornered just yet… maybe Toga would just need to wait for her chance on the island. Better than making a scene here. Papa wouldn’t like that, after all.
Settling back onto a bench, Toga sighs in disappointment. It would have been fun though.
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Lilith was greeted to a faceful of plush lavender carpet as she sluggishly returned to consciousness. She pulled herself off the floor like a reanimated corpse, grogginess clinging to her bones. Shambling around aimlessly, she surveyed the various bodies meandering in the lobby, spotting a few familiar shapes, such as the angsty punk rocker Nico and the cowboy in red Deadpool. Of course there was no shortage of fresh talent. Several chiseled warriors with flamboyant hair. Some sort of monk with an immaculate beard. A visibly annoying creature that was the result of slug on salamander copulation. A blue silicone doll brought to life.
Of all these sights though, her attention was drawn by a confrontation between two women. She vaguely recognized them from her first DA entrance. The younger blonde one was coming in too strong, and the wary brunette broad rejected her advances, turning tail from the social situation thrust upon her. Heading right past Lilith.
For a fleeting moment, no longer than the beat of a heart, they locked eyes. Lilith's red-hot gaze, searching, grasping, probing. The mutant's reserved expression, brimming with mystery and intrigue. Such irresistible temptation.
Where there are secrets, Lilith must dissect.
She lurched over to the clearly frustrated girl, who was not taking the denial well. She pointed behind herself. “What's her problem?”
Toga scoffed. “Agh, prudes like her don't know how to play along.”
“Play along?” Lilith lounged next to the amateur slasher on the bench, causing her to bounce slightly from the lopsided weight.
“Too scared of us getting intimate, just me, her, and my knife... I'm sure you understand.” Toga shot a glance at the giantess.
Lilith was once an overly hormonal 20 something year old, so she empathized to an extent. “Hm, I suppose so. Might as well skip the games and be upfront about what you want. The host controls us all, remember?”
“Oh I see. Leave her in anticipation before we're on the island, cuz when the fun starts she'll have nowhere to run~” Toga fidgeted in place as she pondered the wonderful idea.
“You're really into this whole thing huh. I don't get the hype, since, y'know... you can always do that after on your own terms.”
Letting out a wistful sigh, Toga slumped down and crossed her arms. “Well... I dunno. I don't really get out much anymore. I probably wouldn't even know what to do with myself outside these walls. And besides, I couldn't leave Jassy behind while I got my rocks off. He'd be devastated.”
“Wow that's kinda... pathetic.” Somebody had to tell her the truth.
“W—” Toga shook her head in disbelief. “What do you know?! You're the one with your knockers out, lady.” Indeed, Lilith had sauntered in with a completely torn up dress. “Who ya trying to impress?! Better not be my hubby, or I'll—”
“But it's honest.” Lilith exhaled, laying her emotions bare. “I'm not any better. This sham is worthless to me, and yet here I am. Although now that you mention it...” With a wave of her hand, Lilith slipped into a more presentable outfit, a tight strap circling her bust and a miniskirt.
“Hmph. Not a bad look, I guess...” Hard to stay mad with curves like that. “So why the hell are you here then?”
“Hmm... I want to find the pricks who are the most desperate to win, and give them all one last 'fuck you'.”
Lilith was deadly serious. Toga doesn't want to get on her bad side. She knew how the slaughterous woman handled her toys. If Jason saw that, he'd be so jealous! Unless... “Ooh, sounds exciting. Can I get in on that action?”
“Eh, sure. It's not like you have much else to live for.” Lilith merely stated the obvious, placing no judgment. She groaned lethargically as she stood up, mostly able to catch her footing now.
“Hey that's not true!” Toga stared away, anguish written on her face, but her killer smile soon returned, and she sprung off the bench ready to join Lilith's adventure.
Of all these sights though, her attention was drawn by a confrontation between two women. She vaguely recognized them from her first DA entrance. The younger blonde one was coming in too strong, and the wary brunette broad rejected her advances, turning tail from the social situation thrust upon her. Heading right past Lilith.
For a fleeting moment, no longer than the beat of a heart, they locked eyes. Lilith's red-hot gaze, searching, grasping, probing. The mutant's reserved expression, brimming with mystery and intrigue. Such irresistible temptation.
Where there are secrets, Lilith must dissect.
She lurched over to the clearly frustrated girl, who was not taking the denial well. She pointed behind herself. “What's her problem?”
Toga scoffed. “Agh, prudes like her don't know how to play along.”
“Play along?” Lilith lounged next to the amateur slasher on the bench, causing her to bounce slightly from the lopsided weight.
“Too scared of us getting intimate, just me, her, and my knife... I'm sure you understand.” Toga shot a glance at the giantess.
Lilith was once an overly hormonal 20 something year old, so she empathized to an extent. “Hm, I suppose so. Might as well skip the games and be upfront about what you want. The host controls us all, remember?”
“Oh I see. Leave her in anticipation before we're on the island, cuz when the fun starts she'll have nowhere to run~” Toga fidgeted in place as she pondered the wonderful idea.
“You're really into this whole thing huh. I don't get the hype, since, y'know... you can always do that after on your own terms.”
Letting out a wistful sigh, Toga slumped down and crossed her arms. “Well... I dunno. I don't really get out much anymore. I probably wouldn't even know what to do with myself outside these walls. And besides, I couldn't leave Jassy behind while I got my rocks off. He'd be devastated.”
“Wow that's kinda... pathetic.” Somebody had to tell her the truth.
“W—” Toga shook her head in disbelief. “What do you know?! You're the one with your knockers out, lady.” Indeed, Lilith had sauntered in with a completely torn up dress. “Who ya trying to impress?! Better not be my hubby, or I'll—”
“But it's honest.” Lilith exhaled, laying her emotions bare. “I'm not any better. This sham is worthless to me, and yet here I am. Although now that you mention it...” With a wave of her hand, Lilith slipped into a more presentable outfit, a tight strap circling her bust and a miniskirt.
“Hmph. Not a bad look, I guess...” Hard to stay mad with curves like that. “So why the hell are you here then?”
“Hmm... I want to find the pricks who are the most desperate to win, and give them all one last 'fuck you'.”
Lilith was deadly serious. Toga doesn't want to get on her bad side. She knew how the slaughterous woman handled her toys. If Jason saw that, he'd be so jealous! Unless... “Ooh, sounds exciting. Can I get in on that action?”
“Eh, sure. It's not like you have much else to live for.” Lilith merely stated the obvious, placing no judgment. She groaned lethargically as she stood up, mostly able to catch her footing now.
“Hey that's not true!” Toga stared away, anguish written on her face, but her killer smile soon returned, and she sprung off the bench ready to join Lilith's adventure.
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"My eyes...!" the pint-sized majin whined, as she rubbed at her eyes and slowly stumbled away from the teleporters. She had remembered what was coming just a moment too late, and been left all discombobulated and half-blind for the second time at the non-existent hands of Syntech's teleporters. The entry and exit was probably her second least favorite part of the entire experience last time — shortly behind watching Zedd get all komploded right in front of her face.
She frowned, her hands slowly dropping from her slightly squinting eyes, as that memory freshly resurfaced in her head. Almost as if sensing her thoughts, the collar already clamped around her neck beeped softly.
Only thing for it was to just not lose. Easy.
She straightened up to her full, far less than impressive height, and looked slowly around at where she'd ended up. It looked...different than she remembered. Admittedly she hadn't really paid that much attention to most of the place last time, given she'd arrived a little late and been way too distracted with something else or other, but she was pretty sure that it was...different, all right. Way different. Way fancier. Way fancier even by Karl Jak's standards, which were pretty high.
She craned her head back, looking up at the ceiling high overhead, blinking slowly like a particularly sleepy and confused bovine, and then swiveled around to take in the sights of everything else. The general layout seemed more or less the same as she remembered. Combined with her memory of the place, and her barely-functioning ability to read, that meant....
She slowly brought up one hand, counting on her fingers the number of things she'd have to do. Her non-existent eyebrows furrowed and she frowned, making her already markedly severe expression take on a positively disgruntled scowl as she focused.
"Man, I'm gonna be busy....how much time is left until this thing starts, again?" she mumbled, before shuffling off in a seemingly random direction, oozing through the crowds going every which way with the ease of a puddle of weird magic alien goo.
She frowned, her hands slowly dropping from her slightly squinting eyes, as that memory freshly resurfaced in her head. Almost as if sensing her thoughts, the collar already clamped around her neck beeped softly.
Only thing for it was to just not lose. Easy.
She straightened up to her full, far less than impressive height, and looked slowly around at where she'd ended up. It looked...different than she remembered. Admittedly she hadn't really paid that much attention to most of the place last time, given she'd arrived a little late and been way too distracted with something else or other, but she was pretty sure that it was...different, all right. Way different. Way fancier. Way fancier even by Karl Jak's standards, which were pretty high.
She craned her head back, looking up at the ceiling high overhead, blinking slowly like a particularly sleepy and confused bovine, and then swiveled around to take in the sights of everything else. The general layout seemed more or less the same as she remembered. Combined with her memory of the place, and her barely-functioning ability to read, that meant....
She slowly brought up one hand, counting on her fingers the number of things she'd have to do. Her non-existent eyebrows furrowed and she frowned, making her already markedly severe expression take on a positively disgruntled scowl as she focused.
"Man, I'm gonna be busy....how much time is left until this thing starts, again?" she mumbled, before shuffling off in a seemingly random direction, oozing through the crowds going every which way with the ease of a puddle of weird magic alien goo.