Porcelain Child/SessionThirtyNine

[10:39] <onine> Night truly falls in the secret little garden nestled like a beautiful tumor in the innards of the great Imperial City. A small fire and the dancing white lights illuminate the strange camp in nature surrounded by four walls, orange light battles with the silvery glow across the brick and stone walls that surround. There is a solemn silence to the scene, only the crackle of the fire and [10:39] <onine> the booming thunder of an impending winter storm... [10:40] <onine> ...makes itself known in the archons' strange new nest. [10:41] <onine> Some have taken to sleep, finding their own little corners in the oasis, and some have brought themselves to huddle around the tiny fire for warmth... [10:44] * Anona sits, scowling to herself. [10:45] * Yengo looks dully into the fire, wondering just what they're all going to do next. [10:46] * Magpie sits on the small bridge over the pond, dangling her feet in the water. Bright orange fish dart around her toes, and she giggles at their nibbles. [10:47] <onine> Another rumble of thunder echoes over the city, and the small square of sky above greys a little before sinking back to jet black. A heavy drop falls out of the darkness. [10:48] * Epheri sits by the fire, thinking. She makes an exasperated sound as the droplet lands on her neck. [10:49] <Yengo> "Perfect." [10:50] <Epheri> "... We should find somewhere to stay. Somewhere with a roof." [10:50] <Anona> "I should say." [10:51] <Magpie> Magpie looks up, and opens her mouth to catch the rain. "Why? This place is good." [10:52] <Yengo> "It's about to be good and wet." Yengo grumbles, standing up as the fire hisses. He helps Tara to her feet. [10:52] <Magpie> "That's what the �tree� is for." [10:52] <onine> "And we'll likely get colds." Tara gestures at those of less-than-exalted descent. [10:54] <Magpie> "Colds are just sneezing," Magpie replies stubbornly. With a sigh of exasperation, she pulls her feet from the water, scattering fish. [10:54] <Magpie> "I know a place to go. He owes me money, too." [10:56] <Yengo> "Is he terribly used to having Princes of Earth in his living room?" Yengo shoulders his pack. [10:56] <Magpie> "I dunno. Usually it's just me." [10:57] <Anona> "If we go, he'll just have to GET used to it." [10:57] <Epheri> "We can find guest house somewhere, if he isn't." She picks up her own bag. The rain falling on her drys as soon as it hits. [10:57] <onine> Strictly speaking, Ol Gibs didn't have a livingroom, it was more of a kitchen with a bed and bathroom attatched... [10:58] * Magpie grabs Yengo's hand. "Come on. I'll show you!" [10:58] <onine> The tentative few drops of rain give way to more, and the rain begins to grow heavier. Occasional lightning flashes the faces of the archons better than the dying fire. [10:59] * Yengo lets her lead him. "Okay. Sooner we get there, the better." [11:00] * Magpie throws herself into the effort at tugging Yengo into a gallop. "Tomorrow, I'll show you �all� the best scavenging places, and then..." she chatters about all the treats in store for them. Throwing rotten fruit features heavily. [11:01] * Yengo smiles weakly back at the others. "See... I uh... told you she knew her way around." [11:02] <Magpie> So does running away from the Guard. [11:02] <onine> Grand. Magpie pulls you collectively through the low doorway and into the alley then onto the narrow street. In the night time the Imperial City seems to grow and loom even more intimidating with the heavy pallete of blacks greys and purples. Buildings and awning jut out onto the uneven streets. Continual extansions overhang the streets, supporting themselves with crossbeams against [11:02] <onine> other buildings. They provide *some* protection... [11:03] <onine> ...from the rain, but the gaps in the covering reveal the grey palour above frequently. [11:03] * Anona hurries along... it's strange, to be following *Magpie*... but she arguebly DOES have the most experience of the City... [11:03] <onine> Entire roads, pathways, aquaducts and bridges flow all around and above you supported by massive columns and pillars. The street you are on itself breaks into a bridge that towers over a lower level of the city. [11:04] <Magpie> "That's where I met Crow," Magpie tour guides. "And that's where I beat Bright Feather to a pulp. He cried and cried...and that's where they found Tanya's head, there's supposed to be a ghost but I think that's just stupid..." [11:04] <onine> Despite the fact that this is the IMPERIAL CITY, few people are about. Civilisation does not breed nuts. Though there are a few nuts out in the rain - including yourselves. [11:04] * Yengo lets his eyes move across the city as Magpie pulls him along. It had only been ten years... but in a place where buildings sprouted up overnight, that was plenty of time to lose your bearings. "Oh.. how... nice. I think they were telling that one back when I was young." [11:05] * Epheri looks about as they walk for guest houses. [11:05] <onine> Magpie has to yell above the torrential rain and thunder, and her voice is shrill in the chaos. [11:06] <onine> A darkened dead end pops up suddenly in front of you, but Magpie pulls open a wooden gate on the side wall, revealing an arched over and darkened stairway that seems to tunnel into the building. A small arch of grey-blue sits ahead. [11:06] <onine> It provides some respite from the rain. [11:07] <onine> At the end there is an immediate turn north instead of east, on the grounds of avoiding the Thumb-breaker district. [11:08] <onine> Through the streets and buildings, a tiny sliver of the Imperial Manse can be seen, the golden walls remarkably still coloured in the grey haze of the obscuring rain. A flasg of lightning strikes the peak of one of the spires, Illuminating the city strangely for a few seconds. [11:10] <Magpie> At a crossroads, Magpie stops suddenly, staring stricken at some new construction. They'd left it a ruin for a long time, but.....�If I'd found her, I could have put �her �in the garden too.... [11:11] <onine> You take a swift detour to avoid a large run-off of water that has somehow made its way through the elaborate and intricate system of gutters and forged a river across the street. The laneway must have once been an elaborate arcade, pillars line the walls and balconies hang on either side. Spaces for stores set-up and abandoned over the centuries still remain in the blackness. [11:11] <Magpie> "It's just a little further," Magpie puffs. [11:11] <onine> Magpie explains that no one comes here because of the smell. There is no smell now, but she assures you once the rain stops, it will return. [11:13] <onine> A large cave in has sliced a ragged hole in the cieling that stretches for the entire promenade. Water poures down in rivers from certain areas, all of it pooling in the depressed stones in the center of the main walkway. Areas where the flagstones have been ripped up have become the host of large creeping bushes of thorned vines and blood red flowers. [11:14] <Anona> "What IS this place?" [11:14] * Yengo looks around curiously. [11:14] * Magpie looks around. "It's my shortcut," she explains, with the surprised look of someone forced to explain something obvious. [11:15] *** Beri has quit IRC (Quit: �) [11:15] <onine> Lightning illuminates the arcade for a brief instant. [11:15] *** Beri has joined #oninegame [11:16] * Yengo stops short, pulling Magpie back. "Wait." [11:17] <Magpie> "What? They way's through that thing there..." [11:17] <Yengo> "When the lightning flashed, I saw something... someone at the far end." His voice is a whisper, but he projects it back towards the two Exalts. [11:19] * Anona whispers back. "You want maybe that me and Epheri check it out ahead of you...?" [11:20] <onine> There is another flashe of lightning and the others are pretty sure they see a person standing twenty yards down where the arcade opens into a circular pavillion. The glass domed roof has long since partially caved in, but the angle of the ambient light hides whoever it is in shadow when the lightning fades. [11:20] * Yengo releases Magpie's hand. His slashing sword eases out of the scabbard with a light hiss. "Could be trouble. Can't think of a good reason for anyone to be out in this. Maybe you two should check it out." [11:21] * Magpie , naturally including herself in 'you two,' begins to creep forward. [11:22] * Epheri looks to Anona, then starts to walk towards the person. [11:22] * Yengo , not wanting to make more noise than usual, settles for following behind the three, staying close to Magpie. He pulls Tara along behind. [11:22] * Anona briefly considers just launching a bolt of flame that way and beign done with it, but... well, it is /possible/ it's just a bum looking for shelter from the rain... nevertheless, she draws her sword and advances. [11:23] <Magpie> "Why are we creeping?" Magpie asks Yengo. "This is �my� shortcut. They're the ones who should be creeping." A scowl begins to settle on her features as she considers this aspect of the matter. [11:24] <onine> The figure does not wait for you, soon it walks out of the shadows to meet you in the center of the ancient arcade...