Character Inn

"Yes," Joan replied. "It's a straight-up addition of strength, speed, or whatever else the salve might apply. A moderately potent speed spell would give you the ability to run about ten miles an hour faster, for instance. Grenade spells work similarly, in that the explosion has a fixed strength and radius. The spells do come in varying levels of potency, but more potent spells often require rare ingredients and exacting precision. I don't have anything like that, though. That's military-grade stuff."

(Bar)

Havanar watched the exchange between Joan and Akiel with an uncomprehending expression; it was all rather past her clawtips. She nudged Akiel's tail away slightly with her foot, honked nervously to herself, and returned to staring vaguely at her still-untouched toasted flies.

[Bar]

Akiel had her head propped up on one hand and was staring at Joan with a droll expression. She waited for the woman to finish, then said, "So, using a physical enhancement spell wouldn't really solve the problem then, would it?"

Akiel rolled her eyes, then sat up straight. Speaking in a deadpan tone, she said, "If we had this thing that adds speed to our soldiers when used- and I'm not even going to ask how it does that right now- that doesn't get rid of the problem of the races having different physicalities. Kasuar will still, on average, be faster than Humans, so if we incorporate this weird kind of magic into our unit to make us faster, the Kasuar members will still be faster than their Human counterparts. Well, unless we decide to give a stronger version to Humans than we do to Kasuar specifically to make their abilities equal, but there's no reason to do that. Better off just giving the strongest version to the Kasuar only as they'll be able to do more with it."

Briefly, she turned to address Havanar, "See? I told you there's no getting around this. Not even with magic. And extradimensional magic at that!" Akiel shook her head, taking a few gulps of her beer.

A comfortable segue back into our previous topic, thought Akiel. She felt a bit proud of herself.

edited 26th Jul '14 11:25:15 AM by gault

[Bar]

Havanar stared blankly at Akiel. Why is she so very obsessed with continuing this debate? After a moment, she shedded it off and replied.

"I suppose that's true in some cases. But you never got around to answering me from before: isn't that sort of specialized military role kind of an extreme example? Most roles in society aren't as physically based. Particularly in my society, which I think is rather more technologically advanced then yours."

She twitched nervously, realizing that might have sounded patronizing, and hastily tried to cover it up with a swig of gluvpaki beer. "Um. Not that I mean to say that's a bad thing."

[Dining Area]

"That," Rein observed. "Is not the outfit of a superhero. That's the Kaiser-damned Riddler." Not that Se's outfit didn't scream "stormtrooper" with its black longcoat and silver trim over black pants and shirt, but Rein at least had room to talk; her blue-and-white looked like it could be the uniform of any number of military or non-military groups. She could have been in some school system or a version of the Girl Scouts.

"Samuel, I presume?" Se said, briefly patting Gregory's hand before standing. "Pull up a chair. I've heard so much about you." That was accompanied by a sardonic grin, and the unprompted appearance of Levantine at her side. She glanced down at the sword, and shook her head.

[Dining Area]

"I'll stand," Samuel replied, without so much as a glance in Se's direction, "and I'm not going to bother with how you know my name."

Samuel then turned his attention to Rein, towering over her as she sat in her chair. "As for you, you should know that it doesn't matter what freaking outfit I wear, because-" Samuel paused, his eyes widening before slowly tilting his head towards Gregory. "She called me a superhero. The other one knew my name." Gregory nodded nervously in reply, before Samuel spoke again. "Okay, which of you idiots told them, why was it Steve, and why didn't you two kill Steve before he opened his mouth?"

Sara attempted to blurt out an explanation. "It wasn't really any one of us. You see, we're in an inter-"

"I don't care," snapped Samuel. "If you want to give away your identities and waste time you could be helping people with all in the name of impressing two rainbow haired bimbos, then that's fine by me. It just shows me how committed you kids are to taking this seriously." Samuel stormed away from the table, turning his attention to the bar.

Gregory turned to Se with a slight smile. "He's actually a really nice guy when you get to know him. As soon as he blows off some steam, he'll come around."

"Wow," Steve interrupted, "you're really going to lie to her face like that?"

"Not helping, Steve."

[Dining Area]

"And how many punchings in the face does that involve giving or receiving?" Se asked amicably. "I take it he's not much for the concept of professional courtesy between those with superpowers. Or the concept of courtesy in general."

Rein raised her eyebrows. "You know, back home, even the criminally insane are just so Kaiser-damned polite to me I'd forgotten what being insulted was like. I suppose there advantages to being known as the second-worst thing that can possibly happen to your criminal or treasonous endeavor."

Se shrugged at that comment. "He is former military? From a branch with an inflated sense of self-worth, I assume." She'd met Enforcers like that, usually shortly before they discovered their "unlimited authority" for an assigned investigation was not going to make Admiral Harlaown or Admiral Lowran entertain their requests.

edited 27th Jul '14 11:38:24 AM by Night

"Well, that went rather poorly," Joan mused as she finished her drinks. "To be honest, though, I should have thought that through."

She pulled out her complimentary map of the inn and gave it a cursory glance, noticing that there was a garden on the premises. "Hmm. Might be good to look around at the very least, and who knows, maybe I can pick up a few oak leaves and fiddleheads. Running low on those."

She drew her red cloak around her and walked out to the garden, humming to herself as she did so.

[Entry Pathway]

Alone, a young man walks the path through the forest leading up to the Inn. He's rather well-dressed, ignoring the large tear in the front of his coat and the massive blood stain surrounding it. Really, other than that he was dressed exceptionally sharp, with his cap with the pin on it (the emblem that it used to show having been scratched away), his suit pants and dress shoes, and the coat itself, which looked fine before it was damaged recently.

As this traveler nears the gate, he thinks to himself, So, after all these years, my journeys have brought me here.

[Dining Area]

Steve laughed at Rein's comment. "Heh, I bet I don't seem so bad now compared to captain killjoy over there!"

"No Steve, you're still the worst," Gregory replied, before turning to Se. "Nah, I don't think he's ever been part of any military organisation. He used to be a bodyguard before the whole superhero thing." Gregory glanced over to the bar, where Samuel already had a pint glass in hand. "He's been doing this since before the three of us were born. He's been through a lot."

[Game Room]

The Firstborn found a Western style deck of cards with some searching. "An old game," he said. "Has many a name. Popular in the Northern Alliance. Blackjack. Ye know it?" He shuffled with disconcerting speed — only with superhuman perception and attention would one be able to notice he was stacking the deck out of sheer force of habit.

[Dining Hall]

Mazak shook his head and said, "you put words into my mouth. I said 'deal with'. Nothing more." He paused, then, with a slightly guilty look, added, "yes, I confess that a violent solution was what I had in mind — too often have I had to make an arrest only after the criminal had tasted my elbow — but I should note that my real question was what you'd be willing to give up for your group's worthy goals. The price you would be willing to pay for your membership. However, the implication of being seen as an asset does' imply you are willing to do what you are called upon when you are called, even if the call is not a bloody one."

Then he, with a slight scowl, added, "I must greatly disagree with you on a point, however. You say humanity is logical, and I agree. But humanity's natural logic is a barbarous and tribal logic, ignoring the greater good for one's self or one's closest kin. Society exists despite this, only through the power of the law."

Haven't forgotten Blossom, will have for her soon.

edited 27th Jul '14 3:19:34 PM by KillerClowns

[Entry Pathway]

The wanderer passes through the gate, and the Inn comes into view. He chuckles, and muses, Of all things, Heaven is a Japanese inn in the middle of nowhere. Who would've known? He walks up to the front gate, and, with a trembling hand, knocks thrice.

Thirty seconds pass, and the man begins to wonder if he needs to wait or not. It would be rude to just barge in, but does he have to stand around until someone lets him in? Then, it occurs to him that he has no idea who might answer.

[Dining Area]

"You referred to a sentient, gendered creature as 'it' when you knew better." Rein replied to Steve. "That is utterly racist and considerably worse than calling one a bimbo, and you are lucky you did not do so in earshot of any other Bureau servicemembers or there would have been violence."

Se hmm'd softly and glanced at Samuel. "You were right about your Samuel being unlike the one we know. The grace of youth is having a higher tolerance for misbehavior, I suppose. You remember when you were equally unwise. Or the grace of great age, that it no longer frustrates you. He does not look as old as you suggest, though."

[Dining Area]

Steve shifted uncomfortably in his chair. "Well, when you put it that way, it makes me sound like a jerk." Hanging his head and staring down at the table, he muttered, "Sorry, I guess."

Gregory glanced back at Samuel. It was true, while Samuel's face was heavily worn, it was easy to see that this was due to physical hardship and not the ravages of age. "Sam's in his early 50's," Gregory explained, "but I think when you can change shape into whatever you want, wrinkles aren't much of a concern."

[Entry Pathway]

No one has answered. Should I enter? The wanderer, who's been standing at the door for about a minute, knocks again, before opening the door a crack and sticking his head in.

Quietly, he asks aloud, "Hello? Anyone there?"

[Entry Hall]

Patxi looked up from the Unkindness for a moment to see the newcomer in the entry hall. Well, that big tear across the newcomer did not look so good. He tilted his head.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

[Entry Hall]

The newcomer looks down at his coat, which is in terrible condition indeed.

He opens the door fully and steps inside.

"I'll be just fine, if my hypothesis is correct," says he.

He looks around, and, recalling that the place is an inn, asks, "So, what are the rates here?"

edited 27th Jul '14 6:24:23 PM by Inceptiond

[Entry Hall]

Patxi tried to ignore the awful tear.

"I... I do not think they charge here. This is what I have heard, at least..."

[Entry Hall]

I would expect as much from the afterlife. The newcomer heaves a sigh.

"That's a relief, because I'm flat broke."

He turns around and enters the Dining Area, seeing the large group of people inside. He nods hello and sits down at the bar.

[Dining Area]

Se sat up a little straighter. "That is an interesting trick. I only know of one person in our world who could do something like that, but she termed it The Liar's Mask. That probably tells you all you need to know about her. And regrettably she pushed a bit too far and ended up dead."

[Dining Area]

"I think Sam's pretty much the opposite of... that," Gregory explained, "he tends not to use his powers unless he absolutely has to. He seems to be a bigger fan of the old-fashioned 'crack skulls' method of crime-fighting. It's only when the skulls get to tough that he turns into a giant gorilla or rhyno or whatever, then he goes back to cracking."

Steve leaned back in his chair. "Yeah, I think Sammy's the worst guy to have powers like that. He's really not much of a 'stealth and disguises' kind of guy."

"It's worked pretty well for him so far," added Sara. "I mean, he is the only one left of the Mighty Five."

[Dining Area]

The new person looks over the bar carefully, noting the fact that no-one is behind the counter. He turns around in his seat to quietly observe the discussions going on. Am I really dead...? For Heaven, this inn is rather boring, he thinks to himself.

[Garden ~ Tea House (Inside)]

Blossom frowned and considered, drumming fingers on her leg. At first she knew what Oswald meant, and his gesture had even translated, since the Yoth also used paper money. But as his story continued to flow, she realized she understood less and less of it. Her life had hardships, certainly; she had seen too many monsters in human shape already. But she had yet to taste the pain of poverty. She sighed at this, subtly enough that Oswald might not notice it, recalling a promise she'd made to herself long ago. Then she said, "I can't blame you for getting sidetracked. You've clearly had a difficult life. I will say no more; I doubt my words could be of any use." She took a sip of her tea, then added, "then again, on the topic of barbarians... oh, never mind. I really shouldn't call people that; bad habit."

[Dining Area]

Mazak tilted his head when he saw the newcomer. Whose blood? What manner of man is he? Too well dressed to have been expecting the violence that ruined his clothing. But an ordinary civilian would be in shock and disgust being so drenched with blood, while he moves with a clear mind. No stranger to combat. Hmm... For now, Mazak would nod at the man if he caught his eye, but otherwise let him be.

edited 27th Jul '14 8:35:41 PM by KillerClowns

[Dining Area]

The man decided that he needed alcohol; he's not normally a drinking man, but after what he'd been through, he believed he needed distraction. He took notice of the tatooed-up guy looking at him, but chose to ignore it.

"What kind of alcohol is served here?" He asked aloud.

[Garden ~ Tea House (Inside)]

Oswald raised a hand slightly and shook his head at Blossom's comment about his difficult life, a sentiment he would not wholly agree with. However, the woman seemed interested in changing the subject, and so he said nothing more about it himself.

"There are plenty of worse things you could call a person," he said with a small smile that could not be seen, but could be heard in his voice. "and plenty of worse words to use as a pejorative." he turned his hood left and right, as though checking for any nearby barbarians in the tea house. "I'm sure Conan won't mind, so go ahead. What have you to say on the topic of..." he waved a hand around in the air, "barbarians?"