LunaHidesHerFace/SessionThreeRaw
Luna Hides Her Face, Session Three: Games of Control
Full transcript, minus out-of-character jabber, with only miscellaneous edits. This time including minimal information on dice conflict.
Shadow Weaver: "Tavern."
Shining Blossom Empress: "We should find our target."
Shadow Weaver shakes his head, frowning. "...We need to find a tavern, trust me."
Shining Blossom Empress: "If he hears about this he might panic and skip town."
Shadow Weaver rrrs "If we stay as visible as we are now, -and- as clueless and without a strategy, we'll never reach him anyhows. We need a quick talk, to plan, in private. A tavern's prrrfect."
Shining Blossom Empress: "Clueless!? Plan? We know where he hangs out, let's go!" She's quite content to argue in the street
Shadow Weaver: "........ghah!"
Shining Blossom Empress points down the street, stamps her foot.
Shadow Weaver's expression darkens, and reaching out a hand to grip her wrist, he drags her off towards the nearest doorway with a tavern-placard
Shadow Weaver: ".......ghah."
Shining Blossom Empress squirms. "! You... I said... grr... brute! Animal!"
Shadow Weaver juggles the big hammer and the bigger sword in his other hand, no small feat. "Yeahyeah... tell me something I *don't* know. ...now c'mon."
Shining Blossom Empress doesn't get no respect
Shining Blossom Empress is dragged to a tavern
Shadow Weaver pushes his way inside, entering the tavern
Shining Blossom Empress grudgingly follows.
CUTSCENE
The governor looks out from her window at the capitol, observing the two pillars of Essence as they fade and vanish.
She speaks over her shoulder. "Auditor Orodan."
A weedy, bearded sorcerer bows to her. "I am at your service, of course, Governor."
Governor: "Dispatch your servants to the streets, Auditor. I desire to know who those Exalts were."
Orodan: "I... in the daylight, my lady?"
Governor: "Your... comfort zone... is not my concern, Auditor. Nor that of your servants. I have decreed it, let it be done."
Orodan bows. "As you desire." He withdraws from the room.
Minutes later, a swarm of spindly, skittering beasts pour out from under the capitol building, and disperse into the streets of Greyfalls....
Shining Blossom Empress: "We don't have time for one of your drinking binges. And I'm not paying for any more broken furniture."
Shadow Weaver turns his head and flashes her with an irritated glare, his amber eyes somewhat luminiscent in the relatively dark tavern
Shadow Weaver: "...we won't be staying long, Shine."
Shining Blossom Empress eeps but isn't cowed. "...Mmokay, but why ARE we here? Just to plan?"
Shadow Weaver managed to stay alive for years in the Wyld but isn't at all comfortable in this suburban setting. ".... That, and settle on a survival strategy. One of 'em, anywayz."
GM: Taverngoers, of which there are quite a few, keep a broad distance from you.
Shining Blossom Empress is accustomed to such awe and respect (heh)
Shadow Weaver finds a vacant booth wayyy at the back of the place, nice dark corner and close to the exit to the back rooms. He plonks himself and his burdens down.
Shining Blossom Empress is NOT a burden
Shining Blossom Empress sits and glowers across the table.
Shining Blossom Empress: "We should have kept moving. There's a dead dragon-blood about fifty yards away and folks are going to come looking."
Shadow Weaver: "You really stand out too much, Shine. I mean, LOOK at you. All those... shiny...bits."
Shining Blossom Empress blink-blinks.
Shadow Weaver's eyes linger a bit too long at chest-height :P
Shining Blossom Empress: "Luckily, I have you to lower the tone for me."
Shadow Weaver: "..........Oh, two tankards of your best ale!" He waves at a passing serving-wench.
GM: Two tankards rapidly appear.
Shadow Weaver slllrrps, then sighs, expression thoughtful
Shining Blossom Empress looks at her tankard of ale
Shadow Weaver: "Seriously, Shine. If we keep walking 'round like this we're gonna be toast, fast. Look, I'll run with yer idea of carrying this hammer out in the open, 'kay? That should peg me as a Dragon-Blood."
Shining Blossom Empress nods. "That's a good idea."
Shadow Weaver: "...What about YOU though?"
Shining Blossom Empress shrugs. "I can pass for mortal, obviously."
Shadow Weaver thinks, then smiles. "...Hey that's good. You can play my servant, carry my stuff an' all that!"
Shining Blossom Empress physically recoils at the idea
Shadow Weaver hides a big grin behind his tankard. *glg-glp* He wipes his lips on the back of his arm. "That, or be my prisoner or something."
Shining Blossom Empress smiles. "Or your courtesan."
Shadow Weaver blinks, then pulls a face ".... DragonBloods DO that? Ew."
Shining Blossom Empress: "But while we're so concerned with appearance, what are you going to do to hide the fact you're a big scruffy thug with a giant sword?"
Shadow Weaver was going to say more, waving his tankard for emphasis, but pauses, mouth still open. Ohcrap, she's right. "Err..." He glances down at his feet where the hammer and sword lie.
Shining Blossom Empress: "If we can find a suitable merchant, I shall obtain a concealing and voluminous cloak."
Shadow Weaver: "Um, yeah, good idea..." He sounds distracted. "I could... get cleaned up.... and..." He falls silent, thinking and looking just a bit anxious.
Shining Blossom Empress's jaw drops. Weaver? Cleaned up?
Shadow Weaver isn't paying attention anymore, he seems to be concentrating.
GM (to Weaver): A disturbing sight catches your notice near the front of the tavern. Some sort of... fist-sized spider?... darts in the door and jumps -into- one of the barmaids. Just dives into her body like water, and vanishes.
Shadow Weaver bliiiinks, stares, glances down at his tankard of ale, non-plussed. "...Did you seeee that?"
Shining Blossom Empress: "What? see what?"
Shadow Weaver's eyes narrow.
Shining Blossom Empress didn't see anything
Shadow Weaver: "C'mon!" He gets up, fast, pausing only to grab the hammer, then Shine, before pulling her out the back exit!
Shining Blossom Empress hasn't even started her drink...
Shadow Weaver: "This way!"
Shining Blossom Empress: "bwaah! What the...? What's gotten into you?"
Shadow Weaver pants while running "...some THING.... just entered the tavern.... and... " His voice sounds strange, darker in timbre, and the hand gripping Shine's arm feels different too.
Shining Blossom Empress looks back over her shoulder
Shadow Weaver: ".... disappeared into a waitress! Right y'know.... IN. Yuck."
Shining Blossom Empress didn't see anyth... "Into? What?"
GM: Chittery noises! Malfean whispers... a man in an alleyway looks at you with opal eyes, and his fingertips drip black sludge!
Shadow Weaver: "The blonde wench, with the nice ass- WHAT THE-?"
Shining Blossom Empress skids to a halt.
Shadow Weaver side-steps, quick!
Shining Blossom Empress blinks again, grossed out.
Shadow Weaver pulls a face ".... nasty diseases they have here.... c'mon, let's go."
GM: He backpedals, receding into a building.
Shining Blossom Empress: "Who or WHAT was that?"
Shadow Weaver squirms a bit, adjusting his pants, then continues on, but not without many a glance backwards
Shining Blossom Empress: "Can we get out of here now?"
Shadow Weaver nods, looking worried
GM: Above you, more spiders, their anatomy impossible, their heads like pairs of surgeons' scalpels, scrabble along the roofline!
Shining Blossom Empress's eyes go wide. "Weaver!"
Shadow Weaver: ".......crap! RUN!"
Shining Blossom Empress runs!
Shadow Weaver ducks into a side alley!
Shadow Weaver pants ".... no WAY are those things natural! You ever seen 'em? anything like it?"
Shining Blossom Empress is too spooked to even think of a witty comment. "They're after us, no question."
Shadow Weaver thiiinks
Shining Blossom Empress is following weaver
Shadow Weaver: "Here! into this narrow alley!" / He jinks, hoping Shine will follow.
Shining Blossom Empress slows to a halt / then zips into the alley quick as a blur
Shadow Weaver turns to grab her, arms wrapping round her smaller form / then concentrates / and spends as many points of Essnce as necessary / to call upon Luna to enhance his stealth-abilities!
Shadow Weaver then backs into a doorway.
Shining Blossom Empress melts into the hug
Shadow Weaver: "Shhh." He freezes.
Shining Blossom Empress has goosebumps already, thanks. She clenches her fists, preparing for the opposite strategy.
Shadow Weaver knew she wasn't in the double-dees, but THAT small? tch.
GM: The dodge grants you a moment's respite, / your hearts pounding under the faint sound of skittering feet / when a mortal in a doorway looks toward you. / "Are you okay?" she asks, but an extra pair of eyes protrudes from her head!
Shadow Weaver: "GHHAAAAH!" He LEAPS out of the doorway! "SEE that?!"
Shining Blossom Empress is tense / lashes out with a throwing knife / straight into the woman's chest
Shining Blossom Empress acts on instinct
GM: The woman staggers back, clutching the knife! / a spider jumps out of her head / and runs along the wall toward you!
Shadow Weaver watches, pretty much grossed-out. Of all the beasties he's encountered, he always had an aversion to scribbly-crawlies
Shining Blossom Empress: "Get it! Kill it!" / Wishes she had a big book or something
Shadow Weaver: ".. Look out!"
Shadow Weaver snarls and / swings the DB's hammer in a short arc / squishing the monstrosity against the stone wall!
Shadow Weaver's eyes keep darting around, wary/anxious
GM: Two androgynous "men," their chests bare / approach the alley entrance, / long black claws growing at the ends of their slender fingers.
Shining Blossom Empress springs forward / unslings her staff in a smooth motion / lashes it into the chin of the nearest with deadly force
Shadow Weaver growls low in his chest, his already-deepened voice becoming even more gravelly / and LAUNCHES himself towards the two / hands bare, but sporting large shining claws, vicious / and SLASHES the other guy, from low to high, disemboweling him!
GM: The two fall to the ground, black gook bubbling from their wounds like tar. Slowly, the noises draw off.
Shadow Weaver: "....y'see any crrrawlies...?" He's crouched low, voice barely more than an animalistic grrowl
Shining Blossom Empress tilts her head, listens.
GM: You seem to be, for the moment, safe.
Shining Blossom Empress takes a breath, re-wraps her staff.
Shadow Weaver is breathing heavily. He slowly straightens. "...That was... disturrrrbing..."
Shining Blossom Empress: "I.. I think we just killed innocent people, Weaver."
Shadow Weaver glances down at the corpses, grimaces. "...Yeah." He concentrates and visibly calms down... also, the large claws on his hands recede, almost completely.
Shadow Weaver wanders back to retrieve the hammer. He wipes it on the cobblestones, ew. "....Let's move, Shine, while we still can. I don't like this one bit."
Shining Blossom Empress is quite shaken. She nods.
Shadow Weaver looks a bit spooked.
Shining Blossom Empress: "Keep moving, yeah, let's, um, move."
Shadow Weaver continues up the alley, keeping a wary eye on everything
Shining Blossom Empress frowns a bit. "Are you limping? Are you hurt?"
GM: Up ahead, you see a familiar bald-headed figure, with one of the spiders dangling by a leg from his hand. He's muttering to himself, with his back to you.
Shadow Weaver IS limping a bit, or at least walking a bit off-balance, yeah. "....... mmm no, I'm fine, just.." He freezes!
Shining Blossom Empress growls a growl that Weaver would be proud of. "YOU!"
Shadow Weaver's brain is lagging, what's she-? He reaches out a had as if to restrain her, but misses. :P
Tradewind Wanderer turns around, a deep frown on his face, his necklaces glinting in the late-afternoon light.
Shadow Weaver follows, eyes narrowed, wary
Shining Blossom Empress stomps toward the guy, furious. "How dare you? How DARE you?!" She's on the verge of inexplicable self-righteous overload!
Tradewind Wanderer stares hard, the wriggling spider-thing forgotten. "I could say the same, -friend- Empress. Wrecking the marketplace, calling down Sesseljae and Firmin to scour the streets?"
Shining Blossom Empress blinks. "Calling down who and what? Scour the...? US?"
Shadow Weaver frrrowns
GM: He waves the hapless beast in your face. "You fools! She--eh, someone could have been hurt."
Shadow Weaver: "..........."
Shining Blossom Empress snaps back, "I've never seen those things before in my life, and now I find YOU with one in your hand! Scant seconds after a bunch of 'em make an attempt on my... OUR lives!"
Shadow Weaver's frown deepens "...yeah....whatshesaid."
Tradewind Wanderer snickers, and drops the thing, stepping on it before it can get away. "Pah. I'm no sorcerer. Old pacts, things can't harm me unless I begin the fight."
Shadow Weaver steps up closer to Shine. "...You mentioned... names. You know what these are?" He sounds suspicious.
Tradewind Wanderer: "Stomach bottle bugs and Needlemakers. Demons of the First Circle, common peasants of the Yozis' prison."
Shining Blossom Empress: "Ghah. Icky."
Shadow Weaver: "Yuck. "
Shining Blossom Empress frowns. "Well... I'm still very annoyed at you!"
Tradewind Wanderer: "Well, let's make a pact of mutual annoyance, shall we? Your antics have the auditor's spies out in force. That makes matters quite difficult for discreet business."
Shining Blossom Empress knows what kind of discreet business this guy likes, grr
Shadow Weaver: "The auditor? That's one of the Governor's minions, right?"
Shining Blossom Empress: "So whenever he's curious he sends out these things to get into everybody?"
Tradewind Wanderer: "A recent arrival assisting her. And this is apparently part of his procedure... I've not been here long enough--or caused enough TROUBLE--to see it happen."
Shadow Weaver winces at the images that causes. Probably feels awful if one of those THINGS got into you. He muses that it probably didn't feel much better when you got sliced up for it, either, ow.
Shining Blossom Empress: "Funny you should mention trouble, because we haven't even gotten started yet."
Tradewind Wanderer: "Oh, now that's reassuring. How much work of mine do you intend to undo? I was a fool to have approached you!"
GM: There's a mad flicker in his eyes, the same glint as when you dragged Jesya before him in the marketplace.
Shining Blossom Empress smiles. "If we knew what your work was, we could perhaps steer clear."
Shadow Weaver grrrs "Get out with it then, what do you WANT, clearly?"
Shining Blossom Empress: "Jesya. The girl you seem to have lied to us about."
Shadow Weaver blinks, turns to Shine "...What?"
Shining Blossom Empress: "What what? What do you mean 'what'?"
Shadow Weaver: "Welll... I'd rather find out what he wants of YOU. He was watching you, y'said, knew y'd be here?"
Wanderer watches their exchange, eyes narrow.
Shadow Weaver cuts a suspicious glance at Wanderer. "...... what he wants with the grrl is obvious, grr."
Shining Blossom Empress: "Well, yes, but... first things first. Free the girl."
Shadow Weaver nods.
Shining Blossom Empress: "We can have a friendly Exalt to Exalt chat afterward."
Shadow Weaver: "Yeah... consider it a... gesture of goodwill." He smiles coldly.
Tradewind Wanderer (with an angry tremble): "Oh, no. I've never found payment in advance a smart business practice, here in the Threshold."
Shining Blossom Empress: "Payment in advance is what happened to the guy in the market."
Shadow Weaver smiiiles.
Shining Blossom Empress: "Besides, it seems you've had payment from Jesya in advance... or have you done something for the rebels in return?"
Shadow Weaver tilts his head to side, listening.
Tradewind Wanderer: "I will not brook your threats, Ascending Sun. And if the rebels concern you, do what you will with them. I want only the Heart of the raksha Wisdom of Shattered Fate, and to be left to my devices beyond that."
Shining Blossom Empress smiles. "Well, we ARE on the same page, then, after all."
Shadow Weaver nods and shifts a bit to stand half behind Shine. She's doing well, but he's still wary, so keeping at least -one- of their backs covered feels...right
Tradewind Wanderer: "I certainly hope so, Empress. Your insistent prattling about the girl has me concerned."
Shining Blossom Empress's smile drops.
Shadow Weaver feels the drop in temperature, uh-oh, he knows Shine well enough to know that things might get ugly.
Shining Blossom Empress: "I remember your caste as being diplomats beyond peer, Wanderer, yet every time you open your mouth I find myself trusting you less, and liking you less still."
Tradewind Wanderer: "I'm a businessman and an explorer, Empress, not a diplomat, and how much you like or dislike me disturbs me not at all."
Shadow Weaver glowers. "...Dislike can turn into enmity, Wanderer. You don't want that to happen, trust me."
Shining Blossom Empress: "You're concerned about my prattling? I'm concerned that a servant of the Unconquered Sun abuses his gifts to serve himself so basely."
Shadow Weaver licks his lips.
Tradewind Wanderer: "Ah, will you invoke the Sun then? He's told you what I should and should not do? You should have Exalted a Zenith, for all your preaching."
Shining Blossom Empress: "Were you a disgusting toad before exaltation, Wanderer, or is it recent?"
Tradewind Wanderer: "I have always known what I want and how to pursue it, though perhaps here I've mistaken who's worthy to assist me in doing so."
Shining Blossom Empress: "Worthy...? WORTHY to assist YOU??"
Shadow Weaver presses up against Shine, as if seeking some restraint to keep him from leaping ahead and ripping this guy's throat out.
Tradewind Wanderer: "An Empress of peasants. Set your sights higher, Dawn, and perhaps one day you'll rule over princes as I shall."
Shining Blossom Empress bares her teeth "I should slit you up the middle. How dare you address me thus? I..." She takes a deep breath. "I seek an amicable end to your oath with the girl. Then, Weaver and I shall hunt and slay the Raksha."
Shadow Weaver grits his teeth, but a small spark of reason remains "....and the Raksha? Will you let this...." He falls silent, Shine beat him to it. "...Yeah, what'll it be?"
GM: There's a faint -ping- in the threads of Essence running through Wanderer. Something just... clicked, it seems.
FLASHBACKS
Shadow Weaver:
..."The Empress has had another of her rages," the surviving servants whisper, and avoid your room. They regard it a death sentence to be ordered there. And you know it to be true. It's fortunate, in its way, that this time it happened indoors rather than on the promenade. But how much longer can this last?...
Shining Blossom Empress:
...Mortals. Hah. Always so given to treason, they. Never satisfied with their service or the wonders we bestow upon them. They grow insubordinate and rebellious, forgetting their just place. Why, one of them even had designs on my love, I'm certain, the sheer hubris of it!
Wait. "One of them?" You look over the five bodies. They are not so crushed as to be unrecognizeable, yet—
If I'm so sure, why don't I know her name? Or which one of them she was?
You look up to see Weaver standing in the doorway, taking in the scene with an expression of resigned disgust.
Oh, love! There's something wrong with me, and I know no Charm to cure it!...
Shadow Weaver blinks.
Wanderer's eyes brighten; he looks at Empress in a new and different light. "Very well, then. I shall end the oath."
Shining Blossom Empress blinks, pleasantly surprised.
Tradewind Wanderer: "You do mistake me on one count, though... I don't want the Raksha dead. I need him very much alive. I mean his fae Heart, not his corporeal organ, for my pound of flesh."
Shining Blossom Empress glances back at Weaver. "Will you take the Raksha alive, my love?"
Shadow Weaver pulls back on Shine's shoulder "...walk away, I have a bad feeling about this..."
Shining Blossom Empress thinks, blinks. She realises she's perilously close to an oath herself.
Shadow Weaver nods. "Wanderer. Tell me how to obtain its fae heart....and I'll consider a deal."
Shining Blossom Empress thinks that anything this lunatic wants has got to be a bad idea
Tradewind Wanderer: "You need only bring the fae before me. Then I shall haul him bodily back into the Wyld, where I shall use his own Graces to Vex it away from him. It shall be a glorious contest, I'm sure."
Shadow Weaver narrows his eyes.
GM: He bows expansively to Empress. "I'm sure you would much enjoy seeing such a thing, Empress. The battles of the Sword are like unto only the greatest conflicts of our Creation."
Shadow Weaver thinks this guy is pretty full of himself.
Shining Blossom Empress raises a brow, not the least bit interested. "The girl, Wanderer."
Shadow Weaver takes a breath. "Yeah, the grrl. And your oath to -her-. That has my interest."
Shining Blossom Empress: "My petty, prattling one-track mind is concerned about the girl." She smiles.
Shadow Weaver wants the rest of the deal too, before he commits himself.
Tradewind Wanderer: "Of course. Good faith, yes!" He raises his hands to the sky, and the dust stirs around him as Essence thrums. "By all the powers in Heaven that govern contract, fortune, and misfortune..."
Shadow Weaver watches tensely... he doesn't trust Wanderer at allll
GM: Old Realm sigils flicker into existence, on his brow, his hands, his chest, in the very air around him. His eyes shine with celestial light. "I renounce my contract upon the mortal Jesya Columbine. Should I ever seek again to take my former claim on her, may my life be forfeit!"
Shining Blossom Empress thinks that sounds pretty reasonable.
GM: A rush of wind blows the sigils away into the air, whisked away to Heaven to bind to the Loom of Fate.
Shining Blossom Empress watches 'em go, smiling. "...Pretty."
Tradewind Wanderer: "And now... I very much hope to have the pleasure of your company again, radiant Empress. Be safe, and happy hunting, eh?"
Shining Blossom Empress: "Happy hunting, yes..."
Shadow Weaver hunches over somewhat / drawing on his Essence / claws lengthening into full-sized weapons / aura flaming up, cold blue light.. "Wait."
Shadow Weaver takes a step towards Wanderer, a stalking step
Shining Blossom Empress is tempted to just point and yell "Sic 'em!"
Shadow Weaver growls softly, low in his chest
Wanderer's eyebrows go up. / He holds his left hand out, spread open wide. / His chokers glitter. / "What's the meaning of this, Lunar?"
Shadow Weaver: [5 Scarlet / 2 Ebon fer the dice]
GM: [it's a wash, no damage on either side]
Shadow Weaver: "...... the grrrl's a small prrrice to pay, forrrr such as the Rrrraksha... ...... the rrrebels were mentioned, and you know now we have no love forrr the Goverrnorrrr....... I seek equitable payment, Wanderrerr... I shall NOT be used."
Tradewind Wanderer: "A great deal of talk, that. I ask again: what are you demanding?"
Shadow Weaver: "Your aid in weakeining the Goverrrnorr... you know the powerstructurrres betterrrr than I, you name a reasonable goal, Wandererrr.. ...Afterrr t'day, the auditor's head sounds.... rrreasonable."
Shining Blossom Empress: "I think you owe Jesya something, as well."
Tradewind Wanderer: "I don't share your... obsession with casting down the mighty. / Where will I be when I've killed among my customers here? / Surely there is some more reasonable price. / The blood of the Raksha once I have his Heart?"
Shadow Weaver shrugs. "...Rrrraksha blood is something I've drank for years, and am well capable of obtaining myself... Shine has the right idea."
Shining Blossom Empress: "We've no desire to cast down the mighty. / We ARE the mighty, / and we shall restore the true order of Creation. / Honour your words, Eclipse, / repay the rebels for your cruelty!"
Shining Blossom Empress: [5 red, 2 black, please]
GM: [Empress down 1 Essence, Wanderer down 2]
Tradewind Wanderer: "There are many kinds of might, Empress. / I intend to rule over the princes of the Wyld! / This is a goal years in the making, / and my birthright as Eclipse. / Rule your urchins and leave me be!"
Shadow Weaver, his anima manifesting with a cold blue-silver sheen / shapes swirling in its depths, growls, / "The Wyld will consume you for your arrogance / but that is no concern of mine! / state your contribution to MY goals / or else be on your way and leave the Raksha to me, to dispose of as I please!"
Shadow Weaver: [spend a point of Essence to increase his Social Attribute / full Scarlet]
GM: [And Wanderer rolls horribly. Wanderer down 2, Weaver down 2 (one spent, one hit)]
GM: The chokers glint as Wanderer calls upon Raksha magic. / "I have given you your contribution! / The girl is free, to aid your foolish crusade. / Would you have me swear the populace to it as well? / Your insipid bullying is not my way!"
Shining Blossom Empress is livid. "You cheated the girl! / Took from her and gave nothing in return! / that's your contribution? / Your dreams of rule are as worthless as your word, / as worthless as your wretched soul. / Make amends to the girl, Wanderer, / lest I rend your spineless carcass asunder!"
Shining Blossom Empress: [spends a point of Essence to double her dice pool. Because, seriously, I'm THIS close to just gutting him like a fish]
Shadow Weaver winces, glad that Shine's ire isn't aimed at HIM!
Shining Blossom Empress: [hmm, five on defence, 11 scarlet, please.]
GM: [...and all 11 come up success]
Tradewind Wanderer: "By Heaven, woman, will you call the whole of the Wyld Hunt down upon this city? Very well, fine! I'll storm the governor's mansion with you, if it means you cease your badgering!"
Shining Blossom Empress's anger recedes in a flash. "Why, thank you, Wanderer, you're very kind." She leans up and kisses the end of his nose.
Tradewind Wanderer gets kissed by a towering storm of Essence flowers.
Shining Blossom Empress: "...We should go."
Shadow Weaver nods, backing down. ".... W'should find a place to hole up fer awhile..." He sounds tired.
Tradewind Wanderer (with a sigh): "Just... bring me the Raksha, and I'll do as you ask. Where shall I await you?"
Shining Blossom Empress: "I'm sure we'll bump into each other again."
Tradewind Wanderer (with an odd smile, slowly recovering his composure): "If Fate should bless me so."
Shadow Weaver mutters "...He's a masochist, I knew it..."
Shining Blossom Empress blushes demurely, giggles.
Shadow Weaver rolls his eyes at such.... blatant displays.
Shining Blossom Empress turns back to Weaver. "Let's go, before more of those bug-thingies show up"
Shadow Weaver just nods. ".... Where to then..?"
Shining Blossom Empress: "Back to the rebels. Jesya should be told that she's free."
Shadow Weaver brightens, oohyes. Maybe HE could tell her, and she'd be OH-so grateful, and... rrowrr.
GM: You make your way back to the rebels' warded alley. A light breeze rustles the leaves of the trees around the streets, sometimes wearing on your nerves as it sounds like scampering Sesselja feet.
Shining Blossom Empress: "...If this place is warded against evil, why it's so creepy?"
Shadow Weaver looks about, feigning disinterest. "Well, YOU're here." He yawwwns, where is everybody?
GM: When you arrive, Jesya is standing right at the alley entrance, looking agitated with the reddening light.
Shadow Weaver: "...Hey, rebels!"
Shining Blossom Empress panics, flaps at Weaver, "glk - shhhhh!"
GM: Michael and about seven others are consulting with each other further back in.
Shining Blossom Empress: "Tomorrow, I'm buying a cloak for me, and a MUZZLE for you."
Shadow Weaver stifles a snicker-grin, heh.
Shining Blossom Empress spots Jesya, and waves.
Jesya: "Hey! You're back! Did you... did you get him to...?"
Shining Blossom Empress: "Your burden is lifted, child. Your destiny is your own once again."
Shadow Weaver smiles and leans in close to Jesya, growl-whispering "...yess... I almost died in the fight, but, in the end we prevailed. You are free."
Shining Blossom Empress blinks. "What fight?"
Jesya: "Oh, praise the gods!" She breathes a tremendous sigh of relief, and hugs Empress mightily. With a visible moment of hesitation--but just a moment--she follows suit with Weaver.
Shadow Weaver hugs too, wrapping her in a more-than-friendly embrace, a deep purr-grrrowl rrumbling from his chest
Shining Blossom Empress fantasises for a second about grabbing Jesya by the collar and flinging her into orbit. "Off!" She simply scowls at Weaver instead.
Shadow Weaver sticks his tongue out at Shine as he deliberately -and quite visibly- lays a big hand on Jesya's rump.
Shining Blossom Empress's left eye twitches.
Shadow Weaver grins wolfishly.
GM: [scab roll on SW's -one- Social comes up 5, the lucky woof]
Jesya: "...!" She tenses for a moment, but then relaxes, her eyes half-lidded.
Shining Blossom Empress, with a Herculean effort, fights down her anger.
Shadow Weaver takes a moment to snuffle the grrl's hair, mm, then lets go, albeit reluctantly.
Shining Blossom Empress reflects for a moment on the visions she's been having... is this the past? or a possible future? She forces a smile. "...Weaver, my love, stop teasing the poor girl. She's gone through enough."
Michael turns about just after SW lets her go, and a suspicious twitch moves one eyebrow, but he approaches amiably enough. "Hail! Guess you've come bearin' good news?"
Shadow Weaver shrugs and smiles, leaving the banter to Shine an' Michael, he's still basking in the afterglow of that hug.
Shining Blossom Empress drags her attention to Mike. She raises a hand half-heartedly. "Hail. And yes, good news. Tradewind Wanderer has lifted Jesya's oath, and furthermore, he's agreed to help us in assisting your cause."
Shadow Weaver nods. "..... That he has."
Shining Blossom Empress: "...Should we ever become that desperate."
Michael: "That's fine news indeed! I've called up a few others, not all of us o'course, but as many as could find on short notice. And now we can say we've got -three- Exalts on our side! These lot will spread the word."
Jesya: "Wait... what? You say you've got him... -joining- us?"
Shadow Weaver glances at "the lot"...
GM: They're a sturdy bunch, men and women of the streets, bruised by oppression but who've still got their pride.
Shadow Weaver then shifts his glance to Jesya, mm
Shining Blossom Empress: "I don't think Wanderer's on any side but his own, but he's agreed that he owes something for Jesya's... inconvenience."
Shadow Weaver: "Yes grrrl, he's promised to join the cause at our beck and call... but it's a debt I'm wary of collecting. .....We should be careful."
Jesya: "No kidding!"
Shining Blossom Empress is still tempted to kill him regardless. Her mental image of creation just doesn't have room for him. He's as bad as the corrupt DB's.
Michael glances back and forth between Jesya and Weaver. "'S all right, Jess, we'll make sure nobody else takes advantage of ya like that."
Shadow Weaver eyes the grrrl, thoughts flitting through his mind. His teasing of Shine was only done to keep her at some distance, but even so, there's a risk in that strategy... the flashbacks he'd been having were very vivid... images of carnage, based upon jealousy, paranoia and rage... dangerous ground.
Michael: "So here's what I'm thinkin'! We've got a fair bit of support, but reluctant, y'know? We should call them all together some night soon, so's you can talk to 'em. Show you off, y'know, and get everybody's confidence up."
Shining Blossom Empress nods. "Pep talk sounds good."
Shadow Weaver narrows his eyes "..... Interesting idea, if you like to present a conveniently bunched-up target. I'm game, but not anywhere near here, howzzat?"
A rebel: "I hear some Exalts already killed a collector in the street! Is that these two?"
Shining Blossom Empress blinks. "That was hours ago."
Michael: "Well hot damn. Maybe we should call 'em up ready to march already, then!"
Shining Blossom Empress senses alarm bells, lost control of the situation here.
GM: The buildings pulse like wardrums.
Shadow Weaver rolls his eyes. He takes a deep breath, then: "HEY! LISTEN UP!"
Shining Blossom Empress winces at the shouting
Shadow Weaver smacks his conquered hammer against the corner of a building, knocking away a huge chunk of masonry!
The rebels: "Bwuh?"
Shining Blossom Empress bwuhs too.
Shadow Weaver aims a steely gaze at the crowd. "It's been a long bloody day. Yer cause has been bolstered, enjoy, go to bed and rest up for the upcoming activities. MEANWHILE... I want a place to bed down fer the night, grr. Michael..? Or should I ask Jesya?" He growls. He's a bit out of patience, sorry, it HAS been a long day, heh.
Shining Blossom Empress gasps.
Michael (preempting Jesya): "Sure, sure, we can find you a spot right here. But what word do I pass along to the rest of us eager folk?"
Shining Blossom Empress: "The governor's days are numbered."
Shadow Weaver purses his lips, considering, then looks down at Shine and nods.
Shadow Weaver: "...The oppressor's rule stops here. This week, next week..." He shrugs. "Remain alert, be ready! ...And when the call comes.... I'll expect you ALL to show me what y're made of!"
Michael: "You heard it, folks. Tell everybody keep the cutlery sharp!"
Shining Blossom Empress is watching Weaver, somewhat surprised. Like, it can talk!
Shadow Weaver is just feeding the masses what they want to hear, so he can get to bed sooner :P
GM: The miscellaneous rebels, somewhat reluctant to leave, disperse at Michael's shooing.
Shadow Weaver watches 'em all go, not overly impressed. Going for the Governor will be a game for Exalts....
Shining Blossom Empress: "So, Weaver, my love... I hope you're not TOO tired..." She yawns and stretches in an alluring manner.
Shadow Weaver blinks, thoughts shattered, what..? He almost snarls an annoyed retort, then thinks better of it and shuts up, instead saying: "....mmmwell, lead the way, my Empress..."
Shining Blossom Empress grins!
Jesya: "?"
Shining Blossom Empress rushes to Jesya. "Is there a room spare, someplace we could stay the night?"
Shadow Weaver pauses and watches the exchange, oh Luna..
Shining Blossom Empress bounces on the spot, ever so easger
Jesya: "Er... there's... the building just behind you? I think there's"--she tries feebly--"two rooms there?"
Shining Blossom Empress ignores that. "One's fine, thanks!"
Shadow Weaver smiiiles, somewhat predator-like. "You could show me- er, US, the way..?"
Shining Blossom Empress scampers back, grabs Weaver's hand and drags him away
Shadow Weaver: "..........a-ack!" He gets dragged!
Jesya: "Ah..." (sotto voce) "Damn."
…
Shadow Weaver disrobes, to mucho anticipation on Shine's part, but merges into full-wolf form to sleep. Better shape to keep watch, eh..?
Shining Blossom Empress turns her face away from him to sleep. Doesn't want him to see her tears. Boo hoo.
Shadow Weaver throws a big hairy paw across her, heh, huff-snoring into the crook of her neck
