Potok
Usalia's body glowed as she slid off of Haise's hand and reformed back into her normal self. She shook her head and slapped her face twice. "That went by fast, plip." Usalia glanced at Haise and his new body ripping attack. "Ohh that look's pretty strong!" In response to help, she summoned a handful of spoons. Her ears twitched as she focused in on the enemy and threw the spoons in haphazard fashion, more to give cover fire to Haise's move than to actually hit.
Pluck
Jibril swooped through the town and into the location where her summoner, Ahriman was in a guest room. Seeing his preparations, Jibril took an interest in what he was doing. "So how exactly do you open a path to Chaos, Master Ahriman?"
Your Lord And Savior
Hearing mention of the realm of chaos, Alastor stepped out of Ahirman’s shadow. “Y’knoooooow....I could get ya to the realm of chaos.” His smile grew as he watched the angel and the mage, waiting for their reactions. “In fact, this time I could do it for free!”
I am become dubstep, destroyer of taste
Deliverer of Chaos
Potok
Collecting himself after seeing Haise's true form - and unaware of the two goons still on their way - looked around to make sure the coast was clear. But as he checked around the room to make sure the coast really was clear, he noticed the chess piece that the woman's voice was coming from. Now, he had to make sure that the woman on the other line couldn't hear what he was about to say. Walking over to the chess piece, he brought his foot up, before slamming it down on said chess piece, and ground it underneath his heel.
"Alright..." he began, pointing to Kled and Usalia. "Take their weapons..." he now pointed his finger towards the guns held by the various goons laying on the ground. "And divide them into the still-living and the dead. We'll need to know which of them we can interrogate. And see if you can wake that bounty hunter we ran into. I get the feeling he's going to be very interested in knowing that these guys probably meant for him to take the fall."
Kocsma Tavern
Ahriman's eyes flashed red for a brief moment as Alastor appeared before him.
The man-turned-demon had been some nearly-equal blend of nuisance and worthy opponent over the centuries, and whenever the two had crossed paths, chaos would be unleashed, and world-altering events often set into motion.
"Alastor..." Ahriman began. "No. If we're going to venture into the Realm of Chaos, we're going to have to do it the right way. Not through one of your... deals." The sorcerer paused for a bit. "And for free? Since when do you do anything for free? There is always a hidden price with you..."
Blue-collar mad scientist, at your service!
Transcender of Gender
Pluck, Riverside
Tetra seemed to flush a little as Glaurung made mention of the 'shots' to his head, taking it as a not-so-subtle dig at her kneejerk reaction. She recovered when the dragon began to speak of his grandfather, her sharp expression softening. Not that she'd know what it was like to have a grandfather, but it was clear that Glaurung was fond of his. "Ahh, so it's because you're a grandpapa's boy." she said, a wink and a smile making it clear that she was only teasing him.
The merriment didn't last, sadly, as they were interrupted by the irate gentleman. Immediately Tetra's tiny hand was on her waist, a single raised brow completing her asymmetric stance. "Mayhaps I'm not one to speak, being foreign to this town and all, but surely a sir who wanted silence wouldn't wile away his time on a bridge that everyone would want to cross?" Huffing out of her nose, Tetra collected their canisters and gestured to Glaurung, starting down on the path back to the tavern.
they/them || "Forgive me, regent of queer amphibians" - Lt.BGob
Anti-Gnosis Weapon
Lakeside
"Well, that's surprising..." the green-haired woman commented, reaching over to deliver a headpat to the white-eyed girl, "I never thought I'd witness a Hyuga who wasn't completely daft, even if your stumbling over your own words leaves the delivery with something to be desired. Yes, the answer is obviously rainwater. Congratulations, you've solved the easiest riddle I've heard in my entire life. Your forefathers would be proud, if they weren't so busy wracking their feeble minds trying to figure out why the answer is what it is."
"Although, Scar-boy over there," she added, tilting her head at Shoto, "he seems like he'd be a good match for your ancestors' intellect. Did you even finish thinking before you opened your mouth, boy? You do realize the krasnal's family is part of the wager, don't you?"
GM of AGOG S4: Frontiers RP; Sub-GM of TABA, SOTR, & UUA RPs
What, over so soon? Well, that's disappointing, ugh. So much for the bloodbath fun times. Oh well, those that are still alive will let him know if they were working for the damnable brain badgers.
"I will, just give me a darn minute!" Kled said to Damar, before he approached where Skaarl was in the darkness, hearing the lizard's terrified muffled screeches.
"Easy, you dumb lizard! It's me! Stop thrasing about and let me get you out!" He starts using his axe to cut the binds in her legs, before then removing the muzzle that was forced in her. She would slowly start to get up before she glanced at Kled the best she could over the darkness.
"Glee....flarg?"
"...I swear you'll be the death of me some day." And he wouldn't want it any other way.
Jake grinned at Tetra's teasing. "I guess I am. Wouldn't be the awesome dragon I am without his teach-"
Then, the geezer in the bridge scolded them for having their little chat. He thought he wouldn't find boring and rule loving adults outside New Oak. Guess this proved him wrong.
"Ugh. Party pooper. So much for having small talk out here." The dragon rolled his eyes as he followed Tetra's lead. They got the water for everyone else, so why bother sticking around with the guy souring the mood anyway?
"Well. Not much privacy compared to my bedroom, but it'll do." The doppelganger Jake said as he examined the room they'll be in. It was kinda nice, gotta admit.
Well. As long as the noises from the rowdy guys below didn't kept him and the others from sleeping.
"So uh, Alice, is the...cat following you a long time friend of yours or something? Never seen uh, something like that before." Well, the real Jake had some experience in that sort of magical stuff, so this wasn't so bad. Never saw something like the things she did before, but still, have to play the part of the normal teen clueless to the magical stuff out there.
Edited by Darkomega245 on Dec 20th 2020 at 10:58:08 AM
AKA Nixer
Hinata – The Woods
“I-I...” Hinata stammered, flushing under the headpat from C.C. only to blanch at her words and look downwards; unable to bring herself to retort. “...G-Gomen... nasai...”
How could she respond to that? Was she meant to defend her family's honour? Fat chance of that, she was on the verge of sobbing again. Her hands wrung together as she fiddled with her own fingers, too afraid to dare show herself clenching her fists after that thorough verbal takedown. She didn't think she could take another one.
The most frustrating part to her was that the woman was technically complimenting her in a way; albeit while effectively calling her stupid. Which she couldn't refute—it didn't take a Byakugan to figure out the riddle—but at the same time she'd also reprimanded Shoto as well.
Once again, she couldn't refute. She wouldn't dare. Small, weak little Hinata Hyūga was never in the right, so she couldn't see why that should change. The only thing she apparently could solve was the easiest riddle anyone had ever heard of.
Despite her mental spiralling, she managed to murmur a tentative reply to C.C, looking up at the woman through cautious blank eyes.
“...Y-You know of my clan...?”
She notably didn't say ‘family.’
Alice – Kocsma Tavern (Guest Room)
“O-Oh! Excuse me, Jake. I'd... I'd forgotten you were following me. Silly me...” Alice admitted after a small jump, awkwardly clearing her throat as she sat up primly on the bed and tried her hardest to look presentable. “Wh-Why ye– (ahem) why yes, Cheshire's been a... good long companion of mine. Apart from the times he's run away from me, berated me, tricked me, generally been an unhelpful mewling–”
“You're hardly making me want to confirm,” The Cat sniffed at this, cutting her off before swivelling his bloodshot eyes and shark-toothed grin over towards Jake instead. “Alice has been an... intriguing mistress, I have to say. It's been a fair while. Since her... sixth, birthday...?
“Seventh, I think. That's strange, actually. You were quite the chubby, full-grown cat when I first saw you. Whatever happened to that?”
“I stopped liking being called ‘chubby’ by prim, cheeky little girls like you,” The Cat sneered back, before vanishing and reappearing headfirst (or rather, headonly) near to Jake; his disembodied eyes and grin revolving in the air as if he were invisibly rolling onto his back. “What of you, then, Mr. Long? Ooh, that's an interesting title with that surname. ‘Mr. Long.’ Now suppose you find a Mrs. Short...?”
“Oh Cheshire, for pity's sake...”
“I make no apologies.”
Edited by Enirboreh on Dec 21st 2020 at 11:38:15 AM
bork
Anti-Gnosis Weapon
Lakeside
"My mother visited Konohagakure on her travels about twenty-five years ago, and told me all about its residents," the woman answered with a small smirk as if that explained everything, playing with a lock of her long hair, "She said the Hyuga were entirely made up of prideful fools with egos the size of Meropis. One in particular was an exemplar of their arrogance and stupidity. What was his name, again...?"
She put her digit to her chin and "hmmm"ed to herself as she tried to recall, then snapped her fingers. "Ah, yes! Hiashi!"
GM of AGOG S4: Frontiers RP; Sub-GM of TABA, SOTR, & UUA RPs
AKA Nixer
Hinata – The Woods
Hinata visibly flinched at the mention of that latter name, before biting her lip uncertainly and staring down at her feet. She seemed to struggle with something for a moment, before closing her eyes and exhaling—turning her head a fraction away from C.C. as if ashamed.
“...H-Hai. Hiashi-sama's my... my father...”
Her gaze became distant and downtrodden, as if in reminiscence of something. She twitched and flinched at something that simply wasn't present before shaking her head a little, turning back towards C.C. and offering her a nervous, apologetic smile.
“K-Kazoku o daihyō shite, o-owabi mōshiagemasu. On... behalf of my family, I... I apologize...” Hinata bowed slightly towards the woman, slipping into her native tongue a moment out of habit and formality before deciding to translate just in case. Once she'd ceased bowing, she flushed and began to poke her fingers nervously together. “I'm... I-I know they can make an... an impression, but I... I promise they're not all that way. My sister... my cousin too, recently... my guardian, Kō... i-it's mostly the clan elders who're... t-traditional. B-But... please don't condemn my whole family just because of them...”
bork
Shoto blinked in surprise at one of the newcomers suddenly becoming very rude. Thoughtlessly, he lifted his hand and traced the edge of his scar, feeling very self-conscious all of a sudden.
"I tried my best," he muttered, "I don't get... metaphors and riddles." It was difficult to work through flowery language when you barely understood what people meant when they were straightforward.
While he had next to no idea what Hinata's clan were like, he didn't like how she reacted to the mention of her father. It was probably similar to how he would've in a similar position at her age.
"You don't need to apologize for anyone else," he said, "I don't know what they're like, but you're a very nice person."
I say that aloud too sometimes, just: "man, no life."
Anti-Gnosis Weapon
Lakeside
The woman's smirk turned into a frown as Hinata responded, and at last she sighed as the girl finished her timid defense of her family members. "It's no fun to taunt you if you just let people walk all over you, you know," she admonished, giving the twelve-year-old ninja another pat on the head, more deliberate this time, "Perhaps there are some people of worth in your clan, but I can only imagine where they went wrong raising you if a member of the main house is a trembling girl with a stutter. At least you can find the courage to defend the less horrible members of your family, but you need to be confident in yourself if you're going on a journey across the world, child. We'll have to work on that."
Edited by darksidevoid on Dec 21st 2020 at 3:56:13 PM
GM of AGOG S4: Frontiers RP; Sub-GM of TABA, SOTR, & UUA RPs
Pluck
Jibril squirmed in place as she floated in the air next to Ahriman. "Why ever not Master Ahriman? Surely if it is free, no contract need be established and you can avoid any magical bindings in the process. Don't you want to see what location he wants to lead us to and find out about his plan and mercilessly crush it? Then we would have just cause to get rid of him as well!"
Gandalf
Gandalf looked at the scene with some bemusement. He had recognised the green-haired woman at once, but had decided that the wisest thing to do was wait until she finished comforting Hinata. That done, he stepped forward, hoping to speak to her.
AKA Nixer
Hinata – The Woods
“H-Hai. Gomen nasai. I'll try and... b-be better...” Hinata nodded shyly, her face flushing from the headpat as she ducked her face again; though this time with detectable relief that C.C. was being genuine. “P-Please don't... toy with me like that. I love my family, still though I... don't know about their ways, but I think... I-I think now I'm here, and not... w-with them, I can... g-get a... fresh look at things...?”
It was as if she was afraid she was being watched, not wanting to say anything directly critical about her clan lest she somehow be admonished for it later. The Hyūga were known for ‘seeing all,’ after all. It was part of their legend. She herself didn't want to take any chances. Even her request for C.C. to be gentler with her outright made her wince, as if expecting to be struck.
In any case, the young ninja soon shuffled up beside Shoto, giving him a small smile in silent assurance. Reaching into one of her hidden packs, she brought out a small bento box—to which she picked out a homemade riceball, offering it to Shoto in a bashful manner.
“H-Here. You looked a little stressed, so I... y-you can have this...”
Edited by Enirboreh on Dec 22nd 2020 at 11:49:40 AM
bork
Anti-Gnosis Weapon
Lakeside
The green-haired woman, who still hadn't given her name, nodded and smiled in satisfaction at the kunoichi's response, then noticed the elder mage's approach. "What is it, old man?" she asked with an impish curl to her lips, "Are you going to tell me to stop being so hard on those younger than me, hm?"
GM of AGOG S4: Frontiers RP; Sub-GM of TABA, SOTR, & UUA RPs
The Phoenix, returning and reviving anew
Woods Lake - Remilia
"Rainwater" she heard them say. Remilia grumbled to herself. Despite her power, rainwater was not something she could tolerate.
Apparently this way was better traveled than it first appeared to her too, with so many gathering here. A twist of fate most suitable. But now the travelers were arguing amongst themselves, while these local fey toyed with them. What a bother.
And these two now meeting, the green woman and the old man, did she know them? She'd known many for sure, at least of those brave enough to deal with her and her household over the years. Now that she was traveling, there were many new faces. And she'd prove her power to them if needed, but a glare and a dismissal was often enough. She wasn't pressing for anything too outrageous on the road so far, though her whims could sway again. And the bickering of these travelers seemed suitable enough combat against these fey anyhow. The green one's point about needing the strength to travel stood out, and she was right. There are many dangers on the road.
Best to carry oneself with politesse though, she thought. Her hands twisted her parasol, and she looked on with haughty intrigue at the developing conversation.
"From the ashes rises the phoenix"
Deliverer of Chaos
Kocsma Tavern
"Jibril..." Ahriman began, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Alastor and I have known each other for centuries. So believe me when I tell you that he never does anything for free. If he says he does, it means he's got something planned. Most likely something that won't benefit you in the slightest. Or, he's luring you into being in his debt somehow." the sorcerer briefly paused. "No, if we're going into the Realm of Chaos, we're going to do it properly."
Blue-collar mad scientist, at your service!
Transcender of Gender
Pluck, Riverside -> Kocsma Tavern (Drinking Area)
It had been a long and tiring day, which is why, upon making their way back to the tavern, Tetra was abrupt in restocking the cart and then leaving Glaurung's side to hustle into the building. Glaurung was chipper, if nothing else- he could probably find some way to entertain himself without her help.
Now, onto more important matters... Tetra scanned the patrons until she spotted a face she recognised. Sauntering up to the crew of builders, Tetra nodded to Leah and then made herself comfortable at the back of the group. "Hoi." she greeted, rooting around in her vest and then procuring a small handful of drachmae that she presented to the gathered ensemble with a cunning smile. "Which of you lads want to buy me an ale and an extra drink for yourself as thanks?"
Edited by whizzerd on Dec 28th 2020 at 10:46:04 AM
they/them || "Forgive me, regent of queer amphibians" - Lt.BGob
Shaggy and Scooby Doo-I've heard of River Dancing, but Lake Dancing?
The next thing Scooby and Shaggy knew, they and everyone else were dancing up a storm. Thankfully that didn't last long, though the duo stil collapsed in a heap, taking a few moments to reorient themselves. Then the group was challenged to a 'riddle game', and Shaggy and Scoob spent a few moments concentrating on thinking about the puzzle, before Hinata seemed to solve it just like that. Ata girl! Shaggy thought, glad that seemed to be wrapped up quickly. And then a green haired lady showed up and started taunting both Hinata and Shoto.
Like, Shaggy and Scooby may have just met the group, but Hinata and Shoto were good (if sometimes scary) kids, and they weren't going to let this lady get away with being a jerk to them.
"No, I'll say it," Shaggy said, answering C.C's question to Gandalf. "Like, lay off the kids, will ya?" And here Shaggy moved to stand in front of Hinata and Shoto with hands dissaprovingly on his waist, cutting C.C off from them.
"Reah!" Scooby agreed, joining Shaggy in separating them. "Rhat rives you the right to re so rean?"
Gandalf
Gandalf raised his eyebrow at Shaggy and Scooby's intervention. He stepped forward and patted the former's shoulder. "Not to worry, I know her from the past." He then looked at C. C. directly. "I might not have thought to find you here." He looked down at Hinata and Shoto. "I might have also thought you'd have more immediate concerns than them." His tone was disapproving.
Shoto had only been focusing on making sure Hinata didn't feel bad, he was not at all prepared when the rest of the group turned it around on him. When she offered him a riceball, he stared at it for a few seconds before accepting it with a soft, "thank you."
Then, other group members started taking the stranger to task. While defending Hinata was something he could get behind, he wasn't at all prepared to hear people speaking on his behalf.
He stared up at Shaggy and Scooby, then back at Gandalf. Given his usual limited expressions, it wasn't too obvious but he was quite overwhelmed to see anyone defending him. He couldn't remember the last time anyone did that.
In all of the commotion at the tavern, Leah almost didn't notice when Tetra sidled on up. She couldn't be too surprised, though, having the kind of senses that made her pretty much always on alert.
She snorted as Tetra just invited herself into the drinking party. If there was one thing she could respect about the pirate, she never seemed to find herself in a situation she couldn't control. It was impressive to see.
I say that aloud too sometimes, just: "man, no life."
In the dark alleyway right next to the room with all the action, four or five more agents in black were assembling. Two were flattened on either side of the door, rifles raised, while two more were attempting to catch and tie up Damar's riding hound.
First came Shoto's attempt at an answer, which was met with raucous laughter from the psotnik audience. The lead rusalka reclined, smiling arrogantly, and gestured for the group to have another go. But then came Hinata's guess, and the rusalka's smile vanished. As C.C. pointedly insulted the riddle, the rusalka stiffened, her eyes grew wide, and her breaths grew bigger and louder, until one great gasp lead to a shriek of savage fury. The fae woman lept from her perch, clawing for the intruding mortals, only to be caught and held back by her 'sisters'. She struggled and thrashed, grabbing in every direction, even wrestling with her fellow rusalki, until at last she broke free, somersaulted out of control through the air, and crashed into the water with an ear-splitting splosh.
For a moment, a stunned silence reigned. Then the two remaining rusalki straightened what passed for their clothes, and tried to compose themselves. The rusalka to left, dark-haired and scantily clad, spoke for the first time. "Congratulations are in order. The dancing fools have bested our riddlemaker, and for that they get their prize. The krasnoludki are yours. Take them out of our woods, and don't come back."
With the danger passed, the psotnika took their leave, casting disgruntled looks at the group as they fluttered off elsewhere. The rusalki went to their tree, and from one of the lower branches began unwinding what was either a vine or an old and rotten rope. It was about this point that Hinata asked C.C. how she knew of her clan, and the group continued their conversation as the rusalki did their work.
After a minute or two, a bundle of little people were lowered from the rusalki's tree: two bearded little old men and a little old woman, all tied together and gagged, with their shoes missing and socks in varying state of disrepair. They were placed on a raft of pondweed and driftwood and sent floating over the river to the group, with their little shoes sent floating over thereafter.
The gentleman in robes sneered at Tetra's remark. "For your information, child, I am engaged in precise measurements and calculations that can only be performed optimally at this location. I wouldn't expect someone of your youth to understand, now be on your way." With that, he went back to his work, as Tetra and Jake presumably headed off themselves.
The builder closest to Tetra glanced around at her voice, then looked down, and scoffed. "Svarog's hammer, did all the kingdom's womenfolk turn macho at once today? Look, kid, how about you name a drink so I know you know what you're getting in yer system?"
The others, for the most part, were only paying attention to half of what was going on, being so busy bantering and laughing amongst themselves. If either of the girls had good enough hearing, though, they might have heard a throat being cleared to the left of them. If they turned, they'd see a stooped, spindly, silver-haired woman, looking at them with concern in her eyes. She'd tilted her head to the side as a beckon, before taking her tray and drinks over to a trio of villagers sat around one of the tables.
Edited by LizardOfAus on Dec 28th 2020 at 10:52:49 AM
AKA Nixer
Hinata – The Woods
“A-Arigatō gozaimasu...!” Hinata tentatively called out as the psotnika and rusalki made their retreat, before letting out an exhausted sigh as she visibly sagged; physically and emotionally beaten down as she blinked back a few stray tears. Upon seeing the bound figures being sent their way, however, she brightened—moving to intercept their raft and gently guide it into ‘port’ before making to swiftly cut through their bindings using her kunai.
“G-Gomen nasai. We took so long... I-I have some homemade ointment if any of you are hurt...” she said in a small voice as she pulled away the ropes, removing their gags and then stepping back to nervously activate her Byakugan and look them over for any injuries. The poor things were older than she'd expected them to be...
“W-We need to go now. Quickly. They might come back...” she swallowed, hoping her veiny, bulging blank eyes wouldn't disturb them further before she let her kekkei genkai deactivate and revert back to their usual featureless white. “M-Musztardy-san led us here, he was so brave to... to do that. If it weren't for him, we wouldn't have known where to go...”
She promptly bowed to Musztardy after saying this, hands clasping in front of herself meekly as she gave him a shy smile.
“Thank you.”
bork
Anti-Gnosis Weapon
Lakeside
"More immediate concerns?" the green-haired woman mused, idly examining her fingernails, "I can't imagine what those might be. You know, I originally expected from the spirits' wording that we would each get one riddle to answer, rather than a single riddle with multiple guesses. If that had been the case, wouldn't you say the scarred boy would have doomed the krasnals? But as for the girl, I can't help but want to knock Hyuga off their lofty perches whenever I see one, though I suppose it turns out this one was already on the ground. Speaking of which..."
She stepped around Shaggy and his dog, grasped Hinata's shoulder, and hauled her up from her bow. "Musztardy is the one whose family you, yourself just saved, yes? Then why are you thanking him? I should think it ought to be the other way around, hmm? Honestly, child..."
GM of AGOG S4: Frontiers RP; Sub-GM of TABA, SOTR, & UUA RPs
Potok
As the final goons in the room went down, Damar took a look at Haise, and felt his jaw drop. While a human might only see the vaguest outline of what was going on, his Cardassian eyes were much more well-adapted to the darkness, and so gave him a far better view of what the ghoul looked like. And quite frankly, he wished they hadn't.
"By Oralius..." he said in a voice just above a whisper.
Kocsma Tavern
Ahriman examined the guest room that he had been given for tonight. It wasn't luxurious, but it would suit his needs for the night. And more importantly, it gave him a place to read up on the tomes he'd purchased while he waited for the others to get back. Keep his mind busy before the ritual to travel into the Realm of Chaos would begin.
Blue-collar mad scientist, at your service!