_{^< cont. from} Hub Town - Hotel, Stairwell _{^> Joseph — Ultra}


Ultra's question was met with silence. Complete silence; not even the faint pat of Joseph's footsteps could be heard. Just when it seemed he'd well and truly left earshot, or had at least become too lost within the glum hinterlands of his head to notice her calling, that very head poked over the edge of the second-floor landing, peering cautiously down at her. Blinking a few times, his large blue eyes rolled from Ultra over to the lobby door as it closed behind Magnus. They didn't look so red around the edges from far away.

"I was going to," he finally said, voice sounding a bit clearer, if still soft and rather withheld, "but it doesn't make sense anymore. It's not 'cause of you two or anything. It's just..." he sighed, glancing away at the upper floors as he continued reluctantly, "the hotel launry service lost my clothes. I was going to go talk to somebody about it, but my friend is on the job now and she's faster and more... more to the point. I'd just be there."

"I'm just gonna go back to my room." He regarded the handkerchief still clutched in his fist with a sideways frown. "Clean my face or whaever." With that, he lifted his long face to the upper floors, ready to step away, but lingering at the railing, just in case Ultra had more to say.

[Dudley's (The Monster of Minneapolis, a defeated challenger)]

There was a rough-and-tumble dive bar on the edge of town. On the outside, neon advertisements offered cheap beers, cheap burgers, and a fighting ring. Within, its linoleum floors were sticky with the residue of spilled beer. It smelled like cheap burgers — meat, cheese, bun, and you could add ketchup if you were feeling fancy — and cheaper beer. And in the corner, of all things, a well-worn boxing ring. A ring that had just seen a hell of a brawl.

In the center of the ring, standing over the latest challenger, was the Monster of Minneapolis. A man who ably lived up to the moniker. He had to be at least seven feet tall, and was built like an old-school circus strongman. Not as exaggerated as some of the guys the challenger had seen; the challenger figured the Monster wasn't juicing. Of course, between the gigantism and whatever bioware he was packing, why bother with steroids? The "circus strongman" look extended to the Monster's outfit: a white wrestling singlet with a spring green hummingbird silhouette on its front, and matching stripes down the sides. To this, the Monster added matching MMA competition gloves and a white wrestling mask with an iridescent feather motif. Why this giant had chosen a hummingbird theme was beyond the challenger, though despite his size, the Monster did indeed float like one.

"The bigger they come, the harder they fall." That's what the challenger — an impressive specimen himself — had assumed when he'd stepped into the ring with the Monster. This has not worked as expected. The challenger had his fair share of hardware under the skin, but the Monster was something else. On top of being a genetic freak, there was no way something that big should be able to move that fast. The guy had to be upgraded. Nothing super-fancy, but all-around enhancements. Enough to put him in the kind of tier you need to be in to start taking brawls in a dimensional nexus. A fighting machine like had little reason to fight smart. Yet he did, utilizing his raw power with genuine skill. During their bout, the Monster had defaulted to Western boxing — presumably his first and most practiced martial art — but in addition to lightning jabs, bone-jarring body blows, staggering uppercuts, and stunning hooks, he wasn't afraid to mix in knees and elbows. All with devastating precision. There had even been a nasty throw that had set the challenger bouncing off the mat, though the challenger got the impression the Monster was a striker first.

As the challenger lay on the mat, still woozy from the beating, he saw the Monster's massive palm reaching down towards him. The challenger took it, and the Monster shook it with a respectful nod before helping him up. His grip was surprisingly gentle for a man who had previously been throwing such brutal blows. "Well fought," the Monster said. His voice was unexpectedly high-pitched, lighter and more refined than one might expect. The challenger wasn't sure he'd earned the compliment. The Monster had demolished him from start to finish. Yet the Monster's words seemed genuine, and through the mask's mouth hole, a warm smile was obvious. Then the Monster said, "you think you'll be okay?"

"Yeah," the challenger said. "Yeah, I'll be fine. I've taken worse hits." And the challenger had noticed that, at the end, the Monster had been pulling the punches. Who knew what he would be capable of if he was truly angry?

The Monster said, "check in with a doctor." Then, his face crinkling into a concerned frown, he added, "don't worry, bring us the bill. We'll cover everything." The Monster grinned wryly. "It'd be bad for business if we started bankrupting our challengers." Yet under the self-effacing joke, the challenger could tell the Monster really was worried for his well-being.

The challenger decided to take the Monster up on his offer, and retired to a clinic to ensure the brawl had not taken too great a toll. (And as promised, he would not pay a cent for the visit.)

For his part, the Monster, now wearing a green and silver boxing robe over his outfit, headed back to the bar overlooking the now empty ring. Soda, that had been the drink of the day for him. He'd indicated previously that he enjoyed a good drink, in theory, but he didn't like mixing alcohol and fisticuffs. The other patrons weren't quite sure what to make of him so, for now, they kept their distance.

Edited by KillerClowns on Apr 30th 2022 at 10:37:39 AM

[Room 509]

"Traveler's wheeze...?" Maria repeated. "Huh. New to me. Also, honey, it's Socrates."

She still didn't quite understand who Orti was, but that wasn't important. What was important was finding Connie and curing her of her illness.

"Alright, we should start looking for her now. I'm mostly worried about her running into Mael, so we really should hurry." She turned to small otter man, one hand on her hip. "David, can you come with us? I feel like it'd be easier if both of the people she knew were around. I'll also bring my friends along."

Hub Town, Hotel, Stairwell > Lobby

Even as Magnus leaves for parts unknown, Ultra can't help the nagging feeling that this isn't the last she'll see of him, and that tinge of something in his voice doesn't help. Was it approval? Admiration? She knows full well that the stress of her current predicament may cause her to misread intent and see things that aren't there, but the man is as transparent as they come, and if he sees something in her that he likes... well, if she had the capacity to feel nauseous, she figures that would have done it.

Pushing that thought aside with a sigh, Ultra looks back up the stairwell at the boy. There's definitely something he's not saying, but she again gets the distinct feeling it's largely irrelevant to the matter at hand and opts not to pry. "I see. As you were." she nods to him after a moment's thought before turning her attention back to the door and the chatter just beyond. Gingerly, she opens it and makes her way in.

Greeting her is a wide open central room, with a flowing fountain at its center, furnished in even more unfamiliar architecture and crafted from yet more materials she'd never seen so much of in one place. Most importantly, though, is the fact that it's populated with more people who look decidedly unlike the hoof-folk she's familiar with. Most are like Magnus—who is himself still present, she notes with some disappointment, but clearly no longer concerned with her—that is to say flat-faced and largely furless with varied skin tones, and one even appears augmented, but none are quite like Joseph, which puts a few things into perspective on that front.

Chiefly, it makes her keenly aware of how she herself now stands out like a sore thumb. Circuitborn do often stand out where she comes from, but at least there's common ground with organics anatomically, and there are enough in the general population that she can vanish into a crowd if she deems it necessary... but that won't be possible here. It makes her feel exposed, naked, though it doesn't show in her expression, which remains as stern and steely-eyed as ever even as those eyes dart about and take in her surroundings.

Keep to the edge of the room. Don't look suspicious, but don't put yourself in the middle of things she thinks to herself as she makes her way around, consciously projecting the image that she knows exactly where she is and where she's going.

Because she usually did up until about five minutes ago.

Edited by Chortleous on Apr 21st 2022 at 3:30:57 AM

_{^< cont. from} Hub Town - Hotel, Stairwell —> Third Floor Hall _^> Joseph


Joseph looked down one last time as Ultra bid him as-he-was. It wasn't the parting he'd have liked, but perhaps it was the best he could hope for, considering how he'd looked and behaved during their brief interaction. Why was he heading back upstairs again? The reasons had made sense when he'd said them aloud a moment ago, but now all he could think about was how he was walking away from one of the most singularly cool things he'd ever seen, and she didn't even seem to mind him all that much. But then, what did he want? What did he expect? And if he didn't know the answers, then what business did he have feeling so discontent?

He thought about saying something, then decided against it, walking away from the railing for good. He stepped slowly toward the next set of stairs until the agitation in his shaking fists and furiously sweeping tail was too much to bear. Then he made a U-turn, hurrying back to stutter out, "S- say hi to Carol for me!" But by that point, Ultra was out of sight. He had no way of knowing if she'd heard him. The more he thought about it, the more he hoped she hadn't. How was she supposed to know who Carol was? Idiot. Nonetheless, he added a far quieter, far less excited, "An' good luck finding whoever you're looking for." Just in case.

Heaving a sigh, he cupped his hands—hanky included—over his eyes, shaking his head and redirecting his focus before it could get too hung up on how he was always slow on the draw, or how he always managed to say something stupid anyways. Instead, he turned his mind to more practical matters, like finding his way back to their hotel room after having neglected to make any note of its location on the way out— or in, for that matter. Two chances and he'd completely blown them both.

Focus. If he didn't want to be seen as a chump, the least he could do was exercise some rudimentary navigation skills. Though they weren't the happiest of circumstances, the absence of company did give his mind time to clear up a bit. In that clarity, it became clear that the question of which floor the room was on was very simple. He'd fallen down the first flight of stairs, met Connie on that landing, safely traversed the next flight, and tripped again on the next, just before reaching the lobby. Three flights of stairs to the lobby. Third floor. Huzzah, I can count and remember things that happened ten minutes ago. Maybe it wasn't a particularly noteworthy achievement for a seventeen-year-old, but it did well enough to fill a vacuum in his head otherwise occupied by a directionless, degrading cloud of anxiety. He'd take just about anything to fill that space.

In the short climb to his floor, he hadn't quite sorted out how he'd locate their room if he wasn't struck with sudden certainty when he walked down the hall. Sudden certainty wasn't really his thing; he could force a guess if it got that desperate, but they were rarely what he'd call educated. And certainty... certainty was to be cherished. Lacking that, he supposed he could just call out for Henry and Bonnie if he didn't mind annoying the rest of the hall and revealing just how clueless he'd been— an ideal way to return after having not completed his original goal. Or he could try for unlocked door handles if he didn't mind looking like a creep as he potentially opened the wrong rooms. He could probably go back down to the lobby and ask the front desk, but he wasn't going to. Or—his hand slipped over the front part of his mouth as he concocted a truly ingenious solution—he could walk down the hall, humming or murmuring quietly while letting his tail casually thump against the bottom of each door as he passed. Too little to stir those for whom the signal was not intended, but maybe just enough to get the attention of Henry or Bonnie, all the while masking the intentionality of his move, and thus, his cluelessness. Perfect. Full of holes. No chance of working. Perfect.

Sighing again, he pushed the door open into the third-floor hall, hoping to be struck with sudden certainty.

Jobe's Farm (Maelys, Mist; Aseyu, Ethani; Jobe)

Maelys felt a twinge at the core of her body, causing her to draw a hand to her chest. "Well, that is certainly... unexpected," she told Ethani, "It's hard if not impossible for a blighted to hide its presence. To just... flicker into existence would be... terrifying."

"Last thing I want is a Not-Deer breathing down my neck," Mist commented, "Those things really creep me out."

Maelys grimly nodded, "Agreed."

The maid turned, casting a scrutinizing gaze at Aseyu's firearm. It appeared to be a lower caliber rifle than most of her equipment, causing her to wonder how it would fare against some of the native megafaunas of her homeworld.

She armed herself with her Bouchard bolt-action rifle, quietly following Aseyu and Ethani.

Meanwhile, Mist and Fog took point, leading the group towards the forests surrounding Jobe's farmlands.

Hub Town Hotel: Room 509

Nasur listened to David's rebuttal. The Narati was half expecting him already to disagree, and it was pretty much what happened. When David had finished, Nasur couldn't help but shrug.

"Well, to each their own, I guess." He replied. "That kind of trust is something anyone should aspire to have. But I have seen plenty of circumstances where putting trust in the wrong person ended up with a nice knife on the back. That happened to me." He coughed. "I might have done it once." He admitted in a lower voice.

"Still," He went on. "It's good to have someone that will have your back never mind what. That's true." He nodded briefly at Joseph. "But if someone speaks ill of you, it's not worth pulling your hair out over it. Think about it if you want, but eventually you have to move on. If you let every bad opinion get to you, it will throw you down a pit you can't get out." Nasur shrugged again. "Just like refusing others."

Then came David's concern about the moonstone. Again, Nasur listened attentively before anwering. "I didn't know you knew about magic." He admitted. "And yes, dabbling in magic always has its risk. But I still don't think this moonstone could be that much dangerous, compared to some things I have seen." He gave the stone on the table a light tap. "But yes, I agree that we should find her and ask her first."

Nasur put her palms on the table, ready to stand up, and gave the others a quick look. "We all agree to that?"

[Jobe's Farm —> The Forest (Maelys, Mist; Aseyu, Ethani; Jobe)]

Aseyu was unusually silent and focused on the hunt. Her rifle was kept at the ready, and she scanned the bushes. Like she'd said, it wasn't her first hunt.

Then... Ethani sensed it on the edge of her perception. Perhaps thirty feet away or so. The mind of a beast, not that far unlike Jobe's domesticated herd. Yet wild, and hungry, and angry that its kind's territory had been intruded upon. The first of many, no doubt. She snapped her fingers, and unholy, lightless black fire engulfed the creature's eyes. It squealed in blinded agony, revealing its hiding place in the underbrush. No need to waste rounds; Mist's spear would have no issue finishing the thrashing beast now. So long as they were handled one at a time, this would be easy... but these creatures, she had heard, traveled in herds. That would be more complicated to deal with.

Once the creature was slain, the void flame would extinguish, and the others would find that the creature's eyes and eye sockets were not burned or harmed in any way. An illusory flame. A weapon more cruel and fearsome than true fire, for while true fire would eventually burn away the nerves and grant death, void fire could cause hideous agony for as long as Ethani chose to maintain it.

Ethani was partial to the techniques of void fire. They were rarely practiced, for the only way to learn them was to experience real fire on one's own body, so that one's mind was familiar with the sensations and behavior of flame upon flesh. Brutal, agonizing lessons; her teacher had tried to warn her away from the path, and been as kind as possible when teaching, but there was only so much kindness with which one could apply flames to another's flesh. The price was well worth paying; void fire instilled a primal fear that made the illusion harder to overcome than the waves of shallow agony other Moon Hawks projected.

_{^< cont. from} Hub Town - Hotel, Room 509 _{^> David, Joseph — Maria — Nasur}


"Oh, I know," Joseph began as Maria corrected him, "that's just a- I was making a-" Sensing the effort rapidly outpacing any worthwhile result, he stopped himself. "Thank you." Quietly, he crossed his arms atop the table and settled his head upon them, gazing pensively at Nasur's moonstone.

David drew in a slow breath, sighing as his words found little purchase in Nasur's firmly set beliefs. "You don't need to take everyone's word as gospel, there will always be spiteful and venomous sorts out there, I know that perfectly well, but I can't stress enough how important it is not to paint every dissenting voice with the same brush. There is a difference between taking words heart and letting them get to you. Even then, sometimes it's worth being reached, deep inside. As much as it hurts."

He reached back to scratch behind his ear, dislodging the cigarette that was resting there. It slid between his fingers where he caught it reflexively, bringing it back around to eyeball as though he'd never seen it before in his life. Joseph glanced up at him for a moment, silently debating whether or not to say something, deciding that yes, something should be said, and lifting his head to say it. "Hey, uh... D-"

Before Joseph could get more than a few scratchy syllables out, Nasur continued, sharing his views on magic, and David tucked the cigarette into his dressing gown's interior pocket. One corner of his mouth pulled back into a crooked, bitter smile when Nasur expressed his surprise that the otterly man knew of magic. "I certainly do," he murmured, his voice taking on a subtle edge. "It's unavoidable where we're from. Many can choose to ignore it, but it's always there. Dampened, maybe, but never gone. That's about as good as it gets, I suppose. Enough to call it 'control'." He snorted incredulously, "'Control.' What a gross exaggeration. It takes painful naivety or a maniac ego to face down such a thing and ever think you were in charge. Man's will comes far second to the Will of the World," his eyes flashed across a tiny portion of Nasur's moonstone, unobscured by his cereal bowl, "whatever form it takes."

Shortly thereafter, Maria proposed that they head out to search for Connie, asking if David would come along to help. He cocked his head, studying her for a moment before asking, "You really mean to scour the entire town for her? I'm not sure she'd appreciate that much attention. Honestly, she's bound to turn back up sooner or later—" he nodded toward the rest of the room, "back here, that is. The safest bet would be to wait it out in the lobby. You'll probably hear her coughing," he shifted his gaze to Joseph, "if it's really still as bad as you say."

Joseph, who had been angling to get a word in for the better part of the last minute, finally took his opportunity, "Look, all I know is she was still coughing this morning. We'll find her and ask her about if she wants to use the moonstones—" he looked to Marie and Nasur, nodding rapidly "that all sounds good, but I still need to get outta these wet clothes and finish drying off, remember?" He hooked a claw under one of his soggy blue wristbands, tugging it out slightly. "I guess it's easier to remember when you're the one wearing them."

"I don't suppose you could've done that before you sat down," David murmured dryly.

"Well, I was going to, but then we saw you, and you looked..." he hesitated, noticing a change in David's demeanor. A slight tremble in his chin. A softened focus in his eyes. A tiny crack in the mask. Joseph pressed his wide mouth in a flat line, teeth sticking out slightly as he mustered up the courage to say, "You looked like you weren't okay."

There was a long pause. David's eyes fell, drifting slowly downward, until all he could see was the empty space on the table between his hands. A tight frown wrestled against his shaking jaw, threatening to snap right open, to release the shot of harsh breath that heaved in his chest, along with whatever else lay within. The disastrous tension grew and grew until finally... he spoke.

"Pfah. That was nothing." His body stilled, and his voice took on a strange lilt, finding an uncomfortable place between nonchalance and solemnity. "Just a... a bit of morning daze. We all space out once in a while."

"David, it wasn't just that. It was the whole- the whole picture."

"What picture?"

"You, sitting here by yourself, all-"

"What, a guy can't enjoy a quiet breakfast anymore?"

"Are you enjoying it? You've got soggy cereal and cigarettes on the side. I didn't even know you smoked."

"I don't. Not these. It's-"

"It's fine." Joseph shook his head, "I mean, it's whatever. It just looks a certain way, plus you're kinda," he raised his hands to either side of his head, turning them this way and that as though he was practicing for the international jar opening competition, "eegh-hy in the hair... fur department."

David bowed his head, shooting Joseph a sullen glare. "Well forgive me, but perhaps if I'd been given a little warning that you were bringing up company, I could have put myself together a little better. Hell, I could have ordered up a proper breakfast, not this stale mistake," he gave the soggy bowl of cereal a nudge. "And as for the cigarette, that's- there's... there's a funny story-"

"David," Joseph cut in before David could angrily divulge his 'funny story', "I'm not trying to bust your chops about this. Really, you don't have to get into it, but you're right. I should have warned you. That's what I'm trying to say, that I'm.... I'm sorry I wasn't here. I should've woken you up." David sat back, blinking with some surprise as his irritation dwindled. "I thought you needed the sleep. And I figured Rip would still be here, and that you'd want to spend time with him, and not- "

"Joseph." David's voice came calmly and steadily. He looked to the other two present in turn, "Maria, Nasur. Apparently, the word hasn't gotten out, but I'm a big boy. I can handle being alone."

"I know. I know you can. But it's- it's better to have someone there. And after last night, I just... I should have been here."

David was silent for a moment, taking in Joseph's words. He squinted his eyes up slightly, and the side of his snout twitched, wrinkling like he'd just inhaled a pepper flake. "Ah," he said finally, "what's with all this pity? And what about you? You're looking pretty under the weather yourself, "He glanced out the window at the bright, sunlit sky, "Or against the weather. Did you find your own personal raincloud?"

"I, uh..." Joseph glanced away, twiddling his claws together, "I fell into the fountain."

David couldn't help but crack a small smirk. "They do have actual pools, you know."

Joseph rolled his eyes, scoffing. "You try keeping your balance with a big tail- shit"

David leaned forward, smirk turning into an open-mouthed grin. He batted his eyes as his large, tapered tail lifted into view behind him, swaying gently. "Oh? Maybe I'll do just that."

"Oh, come on- bigger than that, I mean!"

"What, you don't think you could find a way to lose your balance with a tail like this? Ye of little faith."

"Hey, give me your twenty... thirty... however-many years and I'd be a tightrope walker."

David settled back into his seat, still beaming. "Well, I'll check back with you then. In the meantime, there's a blow dryer in the bathroom if you'd like to keep wearing what you're wearing. Knock yourself out."

"Thank you!" Joseph stormed off into the bathroom with an exaggerated sulk, though even he couldn't quite keep a straight face. He shut the door behind him, followed a few seconds later by the loud whir of a blow dryer.

Left with the other two, David leaned back, folding his hands over his chest with a contented sigh. "My apologies for all that. So, finding Connie, is it? Well, if you really insist on hunting her down, and will allow me a few minutes to get presentable, I suppose I can come along. I've got some business to finish up in town anyway."

Outside the room, a faint, harsh noise could be heard coming from down the hall, sounding like a steam engine sputtering into motion. Or maybe just a person coughing.

Maria first glared at Nasur. "Hey. You don't know what these moonstones can do. I do. Me and my friends have the experience, after all. Don't go recommending these all willy nilly without the proper warning." Her look then softened, then turned to David. "Don't worry, I won't force you to use these. In fact, I understand if you don't. The side effects are no joke, after all." She shuddered as she remembered the day she ruined her dress.

To her relief, Joseph brought up the elephant in the room, though once again, David seemed to not want to talk about whatever was bothering him. She decided not to push it; he would talk when he felt like talking. At least were playfully bantering.

David agreed to come along on the journey. "Oh, thank you. I know it might seem overprotective to you, but it really is just for safety. After all, considering what I told you about—"

She heard a noise from the outside of the door, which made her whip her head towards the source.

"What the hell was that?"

Hotel ~ Stairwell —> Lobby (Carol)

Carol had an uneventful trek down the stairs after leaving Joseph behind; the dark elf was confident the salamander-man would manage to meet back up with her in the lobby. She pushed the ground floor door open, and exited the stairwell, making a bee-line for the front desk.

"Oi!" She waved vigorously at the green-skinned desk clerk, the same one that had been working the desk yesterday. Carol assumed the lady to be some kind of plant person, with the way her hair was composed of leaves, closed flowers, and styled vines.

The leafy-haired woman raised her head, "May I help you?"

Carol nodded her head, "Aye, we 'ad some clothes sent t'be washed, and they 'aven't been returned yet."

The other woman nodded her head, "I see... and your room number?"

Carol told the woman her room number, to which the plant lady nodded, before checking the computer by her side. "Hmm, it says here that room service knocked on your door, but were turned away... they left the clothes outside your door."

Carol grumbled in annoyance, before saying, "Is that so?"

The receptionist nodded, "Yes. Is there anything else I can help you with this morning?"

"No," Carol replied, before turning away from the desk. She took a few paces before turning around, "Thanks."

The receptionist nodded again, "My pleasure."

-

Hotel ~ Elevator —> Lobby (Bonnie; Henry)

Bonnie quietly watched the other man leave the elevator, uninterested in Henry's antics with him. She shook her head at Henry's remarks as the elevator doors closed, "I wouldn't think we'd be trouble makers— Carol on the other hand..."

Entering the lobby, she smirked at Henry, "Well, on the bright side, at least your choice in fashion isn't all that attention-grabbing. Trust me when I say that you don't want to be the center of attention," she said, her ears lowering towards the end.

She glanced over towards the reception desk, noticing her red-haired companion, "Oh look, there's Carol right over there— though... I don't see Joseph around..."

Hub Town Hotel: Room 509

Nasur took a moment to nod at David's retort. "You might be right." He said. "In my personal experience, those people rarely meant what they said. They just wanted to make themselves feel better, bring others down. But at least a few did." He shrugged. "Those were worth listening to."

He was willing to just let things go at this point, but David's next words made Nasur sit down again to face him. "Then perhaps they ought to assert their will more strongly, instead of fearing it." He fired back, in a less pleasant tone. "Magic is the base of my kind's life, the Narati have used it as easily as the Secondborn have used a stick to beat each other up. It has allowed us to survive since the dawn of the world despite being entombed iside its entrails, while lesser kingdoms above have risen and fallen as easily as you build a cardhouse. And as you can see, taking that from us does not yield pretty results." Nasur emphasized his last sentence by extending his arms, pointing at himself with his thumbs.

"Do you think we could have achieved anything by treating the arcane as an inscrutable force to fear? By divining its secrets, our will can easily be stronger that that of nature." At this point, he was so wrapped up by his own argument that when Maria scolded him about the moonstone he couldn't help but snap back. "Are you serious?! I'm trying to help you here!"

That last one forced Nasur to take a deep breath and calm himself down. "My apologies, I shouldn't have overreacted like that. I got carried away, simply because it's hard for me to believe other people would leave so much potential untapped out of simple fear. Magic is a tool, to be learned, understood, and then used as you see fit." The Narati shook his head. "Once I get back the power I used to have, I will demonstrate what I mean."

With all this said, Nasur sighed. All the heat he had built up during his argument had left him, and now he felt spent. After Joseph went inside the bathroom, a whirring sound came from it, probably something he was using to dry himself up. The noise covered the brief silence that befell the room.

"Very well," Nasur broke said silce by standing up. "We'll leave as soon as everyone is ready. We can wait in the ground floor. I think the others down there had talked about breakfast..."

A faint noise interrupted what he was about to say next. Rasping, almost like a coughing. Rather ugly coughing. Nasur tilted his head, trying to listen better.

"That... would not be the Connie you are looking for, could it?" He commented.

_{^< cont. from} Hub Town - Hotel, Room 509 _{^> David, Connie, Joseph — Maria — Nasur}


Wasting no more time sitting idly, David pushed his chair away from the table and hopped off, dropping to where only his nose to his ears remained in view. He twirled a finger above his head, saying, "do please continue, I'm listening," just as Nasur launched into his tirade on the importance of magic. If the Narati's words or tone bothered him, he didn't show it, save for the fur on the back of his neck bristling just a bit. He remained silent as he walked over to the side of his bed, where he'd left a few leather-bound suitcases of various sizes, full of necessities—mostly clothes. The next minute or so was spent sorting through a great number of neatly folded shirts and slacks—all tailored to his unique proportions—interspersed with glances to Nasur to show that he remained attentive. Again, there was no strong reaction to anything the Narati had said, but each subsequent glance came slightly sharper and sterner than the last.

Once he'd picked out what he liked, he draped them over his arm and searched for a place to get changed with a bit of discretion. With the bathroom occupied, he settled for the kitchen space: a slightly elevated portion of the room with a kitchenette and a serving counter atop a wall which separated the area from the rest of the room. Though small, the counter wall was just large enough for his purposes. Shortly thereafter, his blue satin dressing gown was flung across the countertop, and he was off to the races.

A firm, "Nasur." was all David said when the blue man snapped at Maria. Fortunately, he quickly realized his misstep and apologized. David didn't say anything else, at least not immediately, leaving the air open to be filled by the distant coughing that the other two picked up on.

He poked his head around the corner, a disconcerted frown upon his face as he looked at the door. "Maybe so," he answered Nasur, before quickly turning the conversation back to the matter of magic. "With all due respect, Nasur, Maria has a point. Even if we humor the notion of magic as a tool that can be learned and controlled—truly controlled—aren't you getting ahead of yourself, assuming the power in those stones?" He drew back behind the wall. "Anyway, I don't think you look bad. Maybe not the model of a person weaning off of magic but, coming from a society so entwined with the stuff, I can't imagine there has been much help along the way. Life is always harder when you don't fit a standard."

There came a brief pause before David peered around the corner once more, gazing thoughtfully at Nasur. "I wonder, have you ever seriously considered how you might live your life, free of magic? There's power in that, you know. It's a power you can give yourself."

His gaze broke away from the blue man, shifting to the hall door as the sound of footsteps beyond grew louder and louder, audible even through Joseph's blow-drying. They came right up to the room's door... then kept going. David gave it a moment, then glanced at Nasur again, opening his mouth in perfect time with a muffled voice from a few doors down.

"Wai a mimut..."

The footsteps returned, this time halting just outside of their door, followed by a stifled cough and the door opening slowly to one frazzled teenage girl with an arm across her mouth. She took one look at Maria and Nasur, uttered a similarly stifled, "Oh shit," then began to step right back out of the room.

"Nice to see you too, Connie." David stepped back into view, buttoning up the terracotta shirt he'd adorned along with a pair of dark, muted navy slacks.

For her part, Connie looked much the same as she had not long earlier, if slightly more winded. She brightened up a little bit upon seeing someone she recognized, "Oh, Davey. So, this is our room." Cramming her hands into the back pockets of her jeans, she regarded Maria and Nasur again, "Sorry about... I wasn't expecting other people around. Hi, you must be frommm..." she glanced at David again.

"From yesterday."

She nodded, brightening further. "Right, from the space adventure you all had. Guess that makes you a bunch of astronauts now, huh? Pretty, pretty cool."

_{^< cont. from} Hub Town - Hotel, Lobby _{^> Henry — Bonnie}


Henry surveyed the lobby, eyebrow raised in both intrigue and a slowly dulling surprise. "Yeah," he murmured, "I s'pose I'd have to have a third arm to stand out in a crowd like this. It's like one of those science fiction geek conventions if everyone there had the budget of however much a genuine transmogrifier would cost."

Turning his intrigued eyebrow (and eye with it) to Bonnie, he asked, "what's so bad about being the center of attention? I mean unless you're some kind of super spy."

He followed her gaze to the reception desk, pondering, "Huh, maybe they... uh... split up to pursue different leads?" He searched the room again, seeing no sign of Joseph either, though another set of faces did catch his eye. "Hey," he tapped Bonnie's shoulder, pointing at a group sitting over in the dining area, "weren't those kids at the campground yesterday?"

Edited by Ryuhza on May 17th 2022 at 5:17:27 AM

[Room 509]

So that coughing was Connie, and goodness gracious, Joseph did not exaggerate about how sick she was. She looked winded, and Maria had to resist to urge to lecture a stranger about walking around when they weren't feeling well; that wouldn't make a favorable first impression after all.

"Maria Flores, hun," she said, giving a curtsey. "A pleasure to meet you. Amy told me so much about you!" She giggled. "I can see why she likes you so much."

She then put a hand on her forehead.

"Oh God, you're warm. Well, good thing Joseph sent me up here. He's drying himself off at the moment."

[Hotel (Lobby)]

For the most part, everyone else were either giving the other group updates about Mael, eating breakfast, or, in Adam's case, just sitting alone in a corner. It was in his character, but to Jackson, something seemed a little off, and he was concerned. He would have to keep an eye on him if something happened.

He was just about to walk over to get a cup of juice when his eyes seemingly wandered around...and saw the last person he expected to see.

"Bloody hell," he muttered. He went over to the others and got their attention. Adam's eyes widened, Nick's jaw nearly dropped, and a wide smile grew on Amy's face. Amandus and James looked at each other in confusion.

"Holy shit," Nick said, standing up, "Henry?"

Amy was going to run over and give him a hug, but was quickly stopped by Maya, who shook their head.

Hotel Dining Room (Samelin, Rosafa, Devad, Maria, Nick, Amandus, et. al.)

Rosafa's ears twitched thoughtfully. "Perhaps some sort of silver-detection device..." She reached into her bag and started pulling out various gears, wires and other bits of small machinery, which she began arranging into a device of some sort. At some point, she reached over to a nearby table and borrowed some of the utensils for metal. After a minute or two of this, she plunked the object down on the table. It vaguely resembled an oversized compass, with a teaspoon in the center serving as a rose. "There! This should help you detect Mael's henchmen by looking for high concentrations of silver."

"I don't think they were talking about literal silver, my hen," Samelin said.

Suddenly, the thing whirred to life, with the spoon spinning madly around as the edges of the device glowed with a blue light. And then suddenly the entire device disappeared in a burst of light.

"... I am not entirely sure that device actually detects silver," Devad murmured.

Hub Town, Hotel, Lobby

Ultra, for her part, had found an out-of-the-way spot in which to lean against the wall and quietly survey the room, arms folded, ears twitching and swiveling every so often to pick up on whatever minute cues make themselves known. Troublingly, she doesn't honestly know what she's looking for; discussion of augmented hoof-folk who'd been through sometime in the last hour? None of that to be found. Her quarry is evidently long gone if they were ever here at all... though at some point she'll have to venture outside to get a better bearing on this place, and who knows what awaits her there. One thing at a time.

Right then, her keen ears pick up on a familiar name: Joseph. The odd salamander-person she'd come across having a cry in the stairwell shortly after her own arrival here. Ears promptly flick toward the sound and point her toward its probable origin, in yet another of the flat-faced bipeds, this one with... long ears? Furred ears similar to some of her own kind, she notes, and not flat against the skull as seemed typical. More noteworthy, though, is that they and another person with them seem to be looking for the boy.

Friends? Legal guardians? It pays to get on someone's good side if she's going to conduct herself here with any amount of efficacy, but can they be trusted? What if their intentions aren't as noble as she'd assumed? In any case, there's only one way to find out for sure.

Steeling herself for an uncharacteristically extroverted social interaction, Ultra waits for their eyeline to drift close enough that a brief wave will get their attention. Failing that, she calls out to them in a low but firmly attention-grabbing tone. "Hey. Looking for someone?"

Edited by Chortleous on May 18th 2022 at 6:18:44 AM

Hub Town Hotel: Room 509

Nasur sighed. "I suppose you are right. Perhaps I was too eager to make use of the stone. I apologize for my outburst." He gave nod to Maria, and turned to where David was. Since he was mantaining his side of the conversation from the other side of the wall, might as well keep going. "But I don't think I explained myself properly. It's not just a matter of weaning myself from magic. Not more than you could wean yourself from water."

Nasur passed a hand through his gaunt face. He felt his sinken cheeks and marked cheekbones. "When I said magic was vital to us, I truly meant it." He explained in a sad tone. "It's our nourishment, our strength, even if we can't produce mana ourselves, unlike most mortal beings. Without it, we wither and die."

He motioned at himself again. "This is not the face of abstinence, my friend. It's one of starvation. An ever-gnawing hunger that eventually consumes us if we are cut off from the Core. Food as you know it doesn't help much." He shook his head. "It's not something one could choose. What becomes of us is not a pretty sight."

With all that said, Nasur felt a bit of weight off his chest. At least they all had some idea of what he was going through. The entrance of the girl that was assumed to be Connie shook him off of his train of thought. Enough self pity for now. Nasur stood up, leaving the chair free to use.

She looked worse for wear than he had expected. Nasur gave a light bow towards her. "Nasur, of Nocturna, at your service." He presented himself. "Please, take a seat. Is there anything else you need?"

_{^< cont. from} Hub Town - Hotel, Room 509 _{^> David, Connie, Joseph — Maria — Nasur}


"Oh you can?" Connie asked, raising her eyebrows and smiling coyly. "Let me guess, is it my-" suddenly, her smile twisted into a tight grimace, nose wrinkling like Maria had just released a cloud of pollen into her face. Quickly, she turned away and shoved her face into the inner lining of her jacket, coughing up a small hurricane. With one particularly expulsive and exhausted sigh, she turned back, muttering her finished guess, "my total inability to keep this sickness down? Don't worry," she added, reciting with perfunctory dullness, "it's not contagious. Well, the cough isn't, but there was this lady the other day who really kindly pointed out that anything else I might be carrying would still be spread around by the cough, so maybe keep your distance." She grabbed the button edge of her jacket, wrapping it across her mouth like a vampire with a cape. "Plague bearer, coming through."

Still standing in the kitchen area—affording him a bit of height—David's gaze wandered between Connie and Nasur, eyes heavy with the concern he shared for both. Traveler's Wheeze normally cleared up in a day; by all accounts Connie should have been getting better, but she seemed somehow even worse than the night before. And the more Nasur described his and his people's relationship to magic, the more it sounded unlike the broader ambient energy of Janus. Either they were calling two distinctive things magic or, perhaps more likely, Nasur and his people were in thrall to some magical aspect created by the Will of the World however many years ago. This Core, as he called it. An entire society—an entire people—bound to the tameless, contorting forces of the Will of the World... it was a concept he shuddered to contemplate. He wanted to offer something— reassurance, advice, anything besides worthless pity, but he found himself coming up short. He was wrong. On both counts, he was wrong.

Instead, he stepped down and began heading back to the side of his bed, stopping by Nasur on the way to speak to him in a quiet, softened voice, saying, "Thank you for explaining, I think I understand better now. It seems I was getting ahead of myself as well." He made to step away, then hesitated, looking back up at the blue man. "Nasur, perhaps we can help you get to where you need to be, whether that's back to this core of yours, or..." he scratched at his furry cheek, glancing away before moving on without finishing. "We've got transportation, very few long-term obligations, and a few odd acquaintances who may be worth visiting. It's something to consider." He bowed his head, leaving the offer with one last, "If you like," then finally moving along.

"Oh no, I know what it is," Connie continued, speaking though her urban vampire's cape while Maria felt her forehead, "It's my complete and utter lack of envy. 'Bye Connie, take it easy, we'll be back tonight. Might take a jaunt into outer space if you'd like a souvenir or something.' " She glanced between the three of them, "Why'd you come back down again?"

"We had things to take care of back on the ground," David answered, kneeling by his bedside and opening another, slightly smaller suitcase filled with ties, belts and other accessories. "Like you. Besides, I think it may have only been the upper atmosphere, and we were aboard a spacecraft; taking a souvenir is what they tend to call stealing."

"Oh great," she joked, "so it's my fault you had to come back."

"Yours and the job I still need to square away."

"Well, what about you two?" She looked from Maria to Nasur.

"There were also some disagreements with our hosts."

Connie raised her eyebrows in a stare of abject skepticism. "And... that was enough to push aside the fact that you were all in a freakin' spaceship?"

"It had its moments," he said, lightly embellishing the one star-gazing memory that came to mind, "but they weren't pleasant circumstances."

Connie could only shrug stifling another cough with her arm. Turning her attention back to her most immediate company, she s "Sorry for the earache, Maria Flores", she spoke the other girl's name with a playful, velvety flourish. "Pains of being cooped up; I don't know how hermits do it." She began walking over to David, glancing back over her shoulder as she went, "So, Joseph sent you up? Are you a doctor in training or something? Oh, I hope he doesn't have you playing along with his weirdo prank, 'cause I still don't get it."

She stopped for a moment, suddenly taking note of the hairdryer blowing loudly in the bathroom. Furrowing her brow in confusion, and perhaps a bit of suspicion, she looked back at Maria. "Anyway, he seemed pretty dry when I saw him." She studied the other girl for a long moment, but before any further words could form, Nasur took the opportunity to introduce himself properly.

Connie stepped back, clearly a little overwhelmed (although perhaps equally entertained) by his bearing. "Anything I need?" She repeated, half laughing, "what, do you work here?" Taking a moment to compose herself and clear her throat, she returned his greeting. "A pleasure to meet you Nasur of Nocturna." She took the bottom hem of her jacket and performed a little faux curtsey, "Constanza Zavala, of Arizona and David's truck. Thank you for your offer, but I'm actually only here for a bit. Gonna grab some cough drops and a few other things, then zip back out there."

[Hotel-Room 509]

Maria furrowed her eyebrows. "Honey, you're sick. You need to sit down so we can make you all b—wait." Her face then shifted to a confused one. "You saw Joseph earlier? Dried? Well, that can't be because he's been with us all morning, and he fell in a fountain earlier. I definitely would've seen you if that was the case!"

Does that mean she...? Oh, shit. Why didn't the other Joseph go home?!

"Anyway, no, I'm not a nurse, but I do have moonstones that can help you. Joseph insisted that he used them to help cure you. No prank here, hon. He should be out the bathroom soon."

Edited by Masterofchaos on May 28th 2022 at 3:27:07 AM

Jobe's Farm (Maelys, Mist; Aseyu, Ethani; Jobe)

To most, a boar hunt was a thrilling and dangerous affair... a test of bravery. The present company was not most, making the first kill extraordinarily easy.

By the time Mist hound, Fog, had caught the scent trail of the wild pigplant, Ethani had cast her fell flames, causing the hog to cry out in distress and give away its location.

With an affirmative gesture from her master, Fog bounded into the underbrush. The helhound sought out the pigplant and quickly caught up to the thrashing beast before clamping down on the pig's left ear with her jaws, dragging the struggling beast to the ground.

At a modest jog, Mist approached, brandishing her spear before nonchalantly dispatching the pigplant with a spear-thrust to the heart. "That's one down," she announced, as the flames engulfing the beast's eyes flickered out.

With her keen vision, Maelys furrowed her brow as she scrutinized the kill from a distance. "I was expecting something bigger," she stated.

Mist took a moment to examine the slain pigplant. The creature looked to weigh around 100 kilograms (around 220 pounds), and be about a meter and a half (about 5 feet) in length. It had pale, faded stripes running down its body, signifying its age. She blinked, "I... I think we killed a juvenile."

[Forest Near Jobe's Farm (Maelys, Mist; Aseyu, Ethani)]

"Thy spirit unto Edala", Ethani muttered when the life left the pig's eyes. And thy best cuts in my belly, she thought to herself, but she'd never voice such a thought aloud. She did not need vengeful swine added to the list of enemies waiting for her on the other side of the Glass Gate. Then she looked over to Maelys and nodded in agreement. A faded pattern of the kind seen in the juveniles of the Qorisa Lesser Boar.

"Then how big," Aseyu said with a frown, "do these things get?" Though she remained determined, she admitted to herself this was more than she had bargained for. She did not, however, seriously consider trying to get out an option. The Great Teacher's writings had stern words for those who would abandon commitments.

"I should think quite a bit larger," Ethani said. "It could well grow to the size of a Red Pig." She approached and knelt. "Thank the Gods it lacks their jaws. And..." her finger traced the skin. "No sign of nanite integration, but these thorns. Dead Gods, it could bleed us in passing even if we avoid its charge. This one's psionic signature wasn't impressive, but knowing it was young... I doubt the others will be quite so easily broken." She turned to Fog, addressing the hound directly: "lead the way. Your nose can reach further than my psionic senses."

_{^< cont. from} Hub Town - Hotel, Room 509 _{^> David, Connie, Joseph — Maria — Nasur}


"Honey yourself," Connie retorted, "I've been dead sick for two days, and resting for the better part of it. I've got bigger- drgh-" she quickly rephrased, "other things... to worry... about."

Her voice trailed off, taking on a note of relief as Maria switched the subject to the supposed impossibility of her encounter with a dry Joseph. Ignoring the pair of keen brown eyes burning a hole in the side of her head, she faced the other girl and folded her arms, "So you are playing along with it." She sighed, turning and shaking her head in disappointment as she continued on over to David's bedside. "And I was just starting to like you."

There, David stood looking up at her, a mildly perplexed expression upon his whiskery face as he looped an auburn belt around his waist. "You've got something more pressing than getting over your sickness?"

Connie stifled a cough in her throat, meeting David's challenge head on. "I've got everything more pressing than getting over this sickness. Anyway I'm already over it where it counts."

"Your... body?"

She responded by placing her index fingers at her temples, staring intensely as though she was about to perform a feat of psychic wonder.

"...ah."

"And my spirit! And my feet, so yeah, my body, just everywhere besides the whole throat... nasal... brainy area. And my boredom bone most of all. Do you have any idea how dull it was lying around here yesterday while you three were out either getting yourselves nearly killed or window shopping?" She cast her arm around the room, "Do you see a TV in here?"

"I appreciate that you're tired of all of this but trying to muscle through it is only going to prolong the sickness and drag down whatever you were hoping to do out there." He secured his belt, then regarded her directly, "Listen, you won't have to be here by yourself anymore. Maria and Joseph were prepared to gather up a whole party to track you down, you know. And once I've tidied up the last of yesterday's business in town, I can come spend time with you too— as much as you need. We can have ourselves a whole stay-in day, order up whatever we like, play cards, board games, swap stories, put on music." He glanced away for a moment, speaking out the side of his mouth like a secret agent trying not to blow his cover. "Get the right substances in me and I might even be inclined to fish out the little guitar. But Connie," he faced her again, taking her hand between his and looking at her with the utmost sincerity, "you need to get some real rest."

Connie's gaze fell to the floor between them. "David, that all sounds... really nice. But I've already made plans. Plans that are in motion. And I've had enough rest. Traveler's Wheeze isn't serious, right?"

"No, not very," he conceded.

"So, it'll be an inconvenience at worst. I can live with that for another day. I can't live with being cooped up in here and dealing with the cough. Look, if you really want to help, would you let me borrow one of your ties?"

David, who'd become momentarily lost in thought, snapped back to attention. "One of my..." he glanced at his open suitcase, proudly displaying several such ties, then back at Connie, fixing her with a quizzical stare.

"Yeah, there's a— I saw this waitress in town who looked really sharp with one, and I wanted to try it myself."

He laid a hand across his whiskery mouth, contemplating her shirt and jacket for a moment, before murmuring a muffled, "with what you're wearing now?" Connie merely shrugged. "Um. Well, okay, sure." He gestured at his selection. "Which one?"

"Mmm... red."

"Oh. That'll... that'll certainly pop."

"That's my hope, dope."

David only made a series of reluctant murmurs as he retrieved the necktie in question.

"Don't worry," she assured him, in a tone that was perhaps more than a little patronizing, "I'll take good care of it and bring it home safe and sound."

"That's not really my conc- would you like me to tie it for you?"

"Oh, would you?"

He began looping the tie around his own neck, continuing, "That's not really my concern here. However, if you must insist on going out, you might as well listen to Maria and Joseph's little idea first. Just know that I don't condone any of this." He paused, sighing, "But it's not my choice to make."

"Oh?" Connie turned to Maria, regarding the other girl with renewed interest, interest that quickly turned to mild amusement. "Moonstones? Ah, so you're like a New Age nurse. Does Joseph really go for that stuff?" Just as quickly, her amusement dried into skepticism. "Or is this just another part of that dumb prank? Make me think I'm going crazy and then offer me mystical moonstones as a cure? Not gonna work. You know, I won't even be mad if one of you can explain what's even supposed to be funny about the whole thing. Where's the punchline?"

"It's not a prank, Connie," David said as he set about making foxes chase rabbits. "At least, I don't think it is. I'm not completely up to date on whatever's going on downstairs, but Joseph sounded as serious as I've ever seen him, and Maria's moonstones are..." he glanced uneasily at her, "they're legitimate."

Connie glanced from David back to Maria, raising an eyebrow. "I'm listening."

[Room 509]

Maria shot Connie a piercing glare. Thankfully, David came to her defense, and her glare disappeared, replaced with a smile. "Like I said before, no prank. I really do have some moonstones that can help you. Again, it's why Joseph brought be up here. I have to say though, I would prefer if I was the one doing the curing, but he insisted."

Just to make sure Connie knew she was serious, she pulled out one of them, then closed her eye. Then, a pink rose grew from the side of her left foot, along with a long vine. Opening her eye, she plucked it, put it in Connie's hair, then waved her hand. The vine soon sunk down into nothingness, as if it were never there.

"So, if you ever want to use these for yourself," She explained, "There's some very important information you must know. First, you will get sick. Not like...traveler wheeze or whatever that is. More like if you had some lunch, you'll lose it. Then you'll get thirsty. Finally, you'll get exhausted and fall asleep for a least an hour or two. Afterwards, your body will be completely accumulated to the moonstones, and you won't have any side effects of that sort again. Just don't use them too much, or you'll ware yourself out."

She sighed. "This is why I should be the one curing you, but Joseph insisted. He could probably clear this all up after he—" She intentionally raised her voice so Joseph could hear her. "gets out the bathroom, so we can sort this out and I won't be thrown under the bus."

Hub Town Hotel: Room 509

Nasur just let out a sigh at David's offer. "If it was that easy," He explained. "I wouldn't be here in the first place. Exile from Nocturna is final; once they banish you, you can't get back in." However, the Narati gave a grateful smile . "And thank you, I appreciate the offer." He shrugged. "Who knows, I might find a different source of nourishment somewhere else on the surface."

Heeding Connie's warnings, Nasur took a cautious step away from her, in case her cough was contagious, although he didn't cover his mouth. "Is it also a fever?" He asked Maria. Then he turned back to Connie. "I'm not a doctor, or a healer, unfortunately. Joseph wanted to help you out, and I tagged along." He shrugged. "Not much help otherwise."

The Narati listened curiously to the discussion between David and Connie about 'bowties', with the former even helping the latter get an appropiate one. Nasur felt suddenly self aware about his own clothing. He looked down at himself. Far long gone were his finest robes and capes, now reduced to a bunch of worn rags that fulfilled only the barest of functions. David seemed to worry about maintaining proper apparel, and Joseph and Maria were still decently dressed.

Nasur made a mental note to check for better clothing outside once everything was done here, while Maria examined Connie and offered advice. "I must concur with them. You should take some rest, or at least a proper treatment. For what is worth, Maria's offer is legit." He paused, and let out a cough. "As are the warnings about the stone's use. The choice is yours, anyways."

Edited by Pyxo on Jul 16th 2022 at 1:39:10 PM

[Notice Board]

Magnus Gunvaldsen finally made his way to the notice board. There, he took out two neatly-folded papers and pinned them up, with annoyance visibly painted on his face. Really, Uncle Sigmund? Is this the kind of work I'm doing now? But he then sighed. Only the best of the best were involved in this project, which sometimes meant the best of the best had to do work that would ordinarily be beneath them.

Somewhat relieved by this thought, Magnus straightened his back and rededicated himself, smoothing out and precisely straightening both posters to ensure they looked attractive and professional. Life wasn't always fair, but that was no excuse for laziness or sloppiness. And indeed, when Magnus was done, both posters were level-straight and neatly pinned.

The Monster of Minneapolis takes on all challengers!

Witness the strength and agility of the Strongest Man in the Midwest! Pit yourself against the reigning champion! Live now at Dudley's!

[A depiction of a snarling man in a white wrestling mask with a purple and green feather motif.]

A silver bar for defeating the Monster!

[An illustration of a shining silver bar.]

[Below this, in finer print:]

No spells or weapons are permitted in the ring. Pre-match preparations with spells is permitted. If necessary, all medical bills will be covered. Please discuss with Dudley if you have any questions. Standard MMA rules and fouls apply, a full list is available upon request. The prize is one silver bar, weighing 500 troy ounces. Arrangements with security and medical personnel have been made to prevent accidents.

Wanted: Information on agents of the Qorisayane Empire!

[An official-looking photograph of a large woman with short red hair, whom some might recognize as Ethani. She wearing a military uniform, much like the one she is presently wearing, and stands at attention, rifle at the ready. Qorisayane lettering below introduces her as "Ethani aq'Iqine, Xetelon of Her Imperial Highness' Own Soldiers, Specialist Class 'Moon Hawk'"]

Payment offered for Information regarding the Moon Hawk Ethani Xetelon aq'Iqine qo'Iveya qo'Mayatil vash'Kataxula, any of her companions, and the imperialist efforts of the Qorisayane Empire in this region.

Warning: Ethani aq'Iqine wields significant magical power, particularly relating to mental manipulation and acceleration of death and decay. Under no circumstances should those unfamiliar with magic attempt to approach within sixty feet of Ethani without special counter-magical preparations. We can provide at no charge, but be aware the preparations cannot differentiate between friend and foe. Even veteran mages should approach with caution, Moon Hawk magic is known to subvert and steal from other magical traditions. Payment will account for the significant hazard involved.

Ask for Magnus Gunvaldsen at the front desk of the hotel if interested.

Edited by KillerClowns on Jun 17th 2022 at 8:38:37 AM