LunaHidesHerFace/SessionTwoRaw
Luna Hides Her Face, Session Two: Marketplace Brawl
Full transcript, minus out-of-character jabber, with only miscellaneous edits.
Shining Blossom Empress: "We're going to go look for this guy. Will you two be okay for a while?"
Michael nods. "We should be fine. I stay in the house just next to us here, if you need to find me or aught."
Shining Blossom Empress: "Okay, Mike. We'll be back."
Shadow Weaver is thinking, a frown creasing his brow. "Shine, we have a problem."
Shining Blossom Empress: "Problem, Weaver?"
Shadow Weaver nods. "The grrl, Jesya, should come with us."
Shining Blossom Empress scowls at Weaver. "Ohhh no you don't."
Shadow Weaver sighs, exasperated. "Look, it's not what you think. If she -doesn't- go, what happens then, eh?"
Shining Blossom Empress: "She stays here with Michael."
Shadow Weaver: "Yessss, and...?"
Shining Blossom Empress: "And? What and? Why is there an and?"
Shadow Weaver's expression says 'gawds this broad is slow'
Shadow Weaver: "What's the price for non-compliancy again? Someone mentioned a curse?"
Shining Blossom Empress: "She doesn't have to be there until nightfall. It's barely lunchtime. We arrived at midday. that would be the opposite of night."
Shadow Weaver pouts. "..... We'll need directions then.... and let's -hope- he's there during daytime too then.."
Shining Blossom Empress: "Jesya stays with Michael, where they're safe, while we go looking for Wanderer. If we can't find him in time, then she can go to the meeting place, and we'll go too, so we can ask him questions."
Shadow Weaver reluctantly nods.
Shining Blossom Empress really doesn't want that girl following us around, with Weaver drooling all over everywhere
Shadow Weaver didn't want Jesya following, but rather, leading. Much better view :P
Shadow Weaver smiles to himself
Shining Blossom Empress turns to Jesya. "Can you give us directions?"
Jesya nods. "Head up the main market street to the fountain square. Take a right there, it's the tallest building at the end of the block. Second floor."
Michael (amusedly): "See Jess, this is what happens when you mix with Exalts. Ya get left behind."
Shadow Weaver gives Michael a cool stare. "Should I remind you we're taking care of YOUR problem?"
Shining Blossom Empress is familiar with rebels, they're often proud. "We're not trying to steal your thunder, Michael."
Shadow Weaver thinks proud=stupid, and often dead.
Michael shrugs. "Hey, I'd like to put a few of this guy's teeth out m'self. But if it means keeping Jess safe, I'll do for now."
Shining Blossom Empress: "I just don't trust wanderer, and I'd like to keep him away from Jess if at all possible."
Shadow Weaver semi-scowls, it's not worth a full one
Michael: "Do what it takes, then. Jus' let us know how it goes."
Shining Blossom Empress nods to the rebel leader. "Of course."
Shadow Weaver: Right, we're wasting time.
Shining Blossom Empress strikes a pose. "to the market!"
Shadow Weaver stalks off, missing the pose :-D
Jesya & Michael: "..." (Exalts, tch)
Shining Blossom Empress scowls, slumps, then stomps off in pursuit
Shadow Weaver sniffs the air for the scent of a fountain
Shining Blossom Empress follows, hoping he can find his way to the market without incident
GM: In the marketplace, the commotion around your arrival has been replaced by commotion around another Exalt, a sturdy, sandy-looking fellow with a white jade goremaul resting on his shoulder.
Shadow Weaver keeps a wary eye on his surroundings while walking, and pauses at the sight.
Shining Blossom Empress: (sharp intake of breath)
Shadow Weaver slips into a patch of shadow, as unobtrusively as possible
Shadow Weaver: ".......what?"
GM: He seems to be examining an item of paperwork from one of the merchants, who is sweating bullets.
Shining Blossom Empress: "..Jade."
Shadow Weaver's eyes narrow, mmyeah...
Goremaul guy: "Hrrrmph. Bit behind, aren't you?"
Shining Blossom Empress: (grr, taxes! to fund their reign of terror and corruption)
Shadow Weaver whispers "Sounds like he's levying a fee, probably in name of the Governor."
Merchant: "Most auspicious lord, I need... there's another merchant fleet coming up next week, I'll manage after--"
Shadow Weaver watches
Goremaul guy: "A week, hunh? Well. We shall see what the auditor thinks of that, tonight."
Shining Blossom Empress suspects this is about to become ugly.
Goremaul guy: "... or his entourage."
Shadow Weaver shares the feeling. Tonight, eh?
Shining Blossom Empress whispers. "Think you can take him?"
Merchant: "*glnk!* Some... merchandise as collateral, perhaps?"
Shadow Weaver nods silently, then adds "...Not sure that'll help that poor sod, though."
Shining Blossom Empress: "Be ready."
Shadow Weaver watches events unfold. "......Sure."
Goremaul guy: "I can make pots like these by swirling my fingers in the sand, mortal. It will not impress."
Shining Blossom Empress: "Grr, sure likes the money those pots earn, though."
Shadow Weaver sidles a bit closer, taking up position somewhere behind the Goremaul guy
Shining Blossom Empress decides to go mingle into the crowd a bit, too
Merchant: "By t-tonight, then."
Shadow Weaver thinks he wants a talk with that merchant, if an opportunity presents itself.
GM: The collector drops the slip of paper, and slaps it down with a *thunk* from his goremaul, which also cracks the stall's countertop.
Goremaul guy: "Tonight."
Shining Blossom Empress tries to catch Weaver's eye (while endeavouring to NOT catch maulbloke's eye)
Shadow Weaver tilts his head, slightly, as if saying "what?"
GM: The Exalt re-shoulders his weapon and turns about, a look of suspicion on his face. The scent of crushed stone wafts into the street.
Shining Blossom Empress waggles eyebrows, as if to say "I'll follow this guy, you go find wanderer"
Shadow Weaver frowns a bit, not liking that idea at all.
Shining Blossom Empress figures he's an earth-aspect DB, since they rule the area around the mountain, plus, white 'amma, big clue.
Shadow Weaver wanders towards the merchant's stall :P
Shining Blossom Empress nods
GM: The D-B walks a few paces along, but seems to keep an eye on Weaver.
Shadow Weaver yawwwns, obviously not impressed
Shining Blossom Empress decides against walking over to say hi.
Shining Blossom Empress wanders over to a spot ahead of the dragonblood, looks at stuff. Hopes he'll wander her way.
Shadow Weaver: ..... I'll take one of these big ones over here. Might help you settle your debt, a bit.
Merchant: "Ah! A fine choice, sir, though it shames me for you to have overheard that conversation."
Shadow Weaver shrugs. "No concern of mine. Rather foolish of you to fall behind though. Careless."
GM: The goremaul wielder pauses at the next stall down the row, in earshot of Weaver's conversation.
Shining Blossom Empress decides to try a direct approach instead. Sidles alongside the guy.
GM: He looks her way, and his eyebrows definitely twitch to see her.
Shadow Weaver raises his voice a bit ".... not wise to antagonise the likes of... him." He allows a small measure of contempt to enter his voice. :-)
Shining Blossom Empress arrghs, Weaver's attracting attention again.. ah!
Shining Blossom Empress dips her head slightly, smiles.
Shadow Weaver is creating distractions, and openings :-P
Merchant: "Begging your pardon, but such was never my intention. Seven scrip for the one with the cobalt inlay?"
Goremaul guy (in a voice like grinding sandstone): "That's... a magnificent collar, miss."
Shadow Weaver: "Seven? Now -you- sound just as rapacious as your just-departed visitor! You jest, I hope."
Shining Blossom Empress drifts closer to the big guy. "Not half as magnificent as that maul, m'lord."
Shadow Weaver's attention is split, trying to keep track of Shine's side of the action.
Merchant: "Do you intend to help me out or no, my friend?"
Goremaul guy: "A... family heirloom. I don't suppose you bought your collar along here?"
Shining Blossom Empress shakes her head, still smiling. "This thing? T'was a gift from an admirer."
Shadow Weaver: "My intentions haven't changed, but my generosity doesn't extend to charity, and certainly not when it concerns lining the Gov's coffers, grr. Don't play me for a fool. Four."
Shining Blossom Empress hitches up her chest, to demonstrate why an admirer might part with something so expensive
Shadow Weaver haggles :P
Shadow Weaver is also mildly irritated by Shine's behaviour, although he's not sure -why-, and THAT irritates him even more, grr
Goremaul guy: "Hrm! An... interesting gift." Distracted by the mention of the governor behind him, and the... display in front, he shakes his head a bit. "This admirer is someone in town?"
Merchant: "I could let this smaller one go for four. Materials alone were that much for the one you're after! This is not Greyfalls clay, my friend, this hue comes from closer to the Pole of Fire."
Shining Blossom Empress: "Why, no. We've come across from Nasaru. I've no admirers in Greyfalls... yet."
Shining Blossom Empress hopes Weaver's hearing this. Make him jealous.
Goremaul guy: "You've left him there off Rock proper, then? Hnn."
Shadow Weaver snorts derisively "Oh come ON, it's not even fit for a dragon-blooded to piss in! Five then, no more."
Shadow Weaver is perhaps being overzealous, but yes, Shine's comments are rubbing his fur the wrong way
GM: ...fit for -who- to -what- in? The collector turns abruptly.
Shadow Weaver pretends not to notice :-)
Shining Blossom Empress is just beginning to think this may not be such a great idea...
Goremaul guy (a low, tectonic creak, pointedly directed at Weaver): "Would you care to repeat that comment, stranger?"
Merchant: "Damn fool! Take it for five and go!"
Shadow Weaver turns his head, letting his gaze pass over Shine without pausing
Shadow Weaver: "...... I meant no offense, sir, but do come see. This quality's terrible."
Goremaul guy (without looking at the pots, just Weaver): "I can see that."
Shining Blossom Empress leans around. clucks.
Shining Blossom Empress: "Bah. They don't look THAT bad."
Shadow Weaver raises a brow and chooses to ignore that "Glad you agree, I- oh heLLOOO...."
Shadow Weaver smiles charmingly, as if seeing Shine for the first time
Shining Blossom Empress's heart soars, act forgotten! :-D
Shining Blossom Empress is instantly re-smitten.
Shadow Weaver totally ignores the D-B :-P
GM: The collector glances back, then glares hard at Weaver. "Methinks you have an elevated sense of your station."
Shadow Weaver: "..... how could I have missed YOU in the crowds, m'lady?"
Shining Blossom Empress blushes. "I was behind this guy, here."
Shining Blossom Empress points with a thumb.
Shadow Weaver: "Ah."
Shining Blossom Empress looks up at the dragon-blood. "He's my new friend. His name's... what did you say your name was?"
Goremaul guy: "Yes, it would do this one well to know. Cathak Stone Raiment, of the governor's guard."
Stone Raiment: "Which means you" (Weaver) "should move along before I haul you in, or catapult you over the river, for what you've uttered here."
Shadow Weaver raises a brow and lazily comments "He's not bothering you, is he...? guards can be so... basic, you know..?"
Shining Blossom Empress: "Ahhh."
Shining Blossom Empress stage-whispers to Weaver "House Cathak." as though explaining some defect
Shadow Weaver: "Myeahwell.... I was actually thinking of staying." He stifles a smile.
Stone Raiment: "I didn't give you leave to think about it."
Shadow Weaver turns fully, head slightly tilted, as if appraising an opponent "...... this can go two ways, Stone Raiment..."
GM: *swish-thunk, goremaul down from his shoulder and laid on his palm* "I prefer down into the Earth Dragon's embrace, for those like you."
Shadow Weaver: "...either we come to blows.... in which case things will get ugly, fast. Or, we recognize a shared desire for dominance... and go get a drink instead."
Shining Blossom Empress whispers to Stone... "Don't make him mad, he looks like a mean one"
Shadow Weaver flashes a small grin, playful even.
Shining Blossom Empress clenches a fist behind her back, ready to jump in if the db gets any ideas.
Stone Raiment: "Again you aspire above your place. 'Shared desire'? By my office and the Dragons' blessing I -am- dominant here."
Shining Blossom Empress: "You're really just a bully, though, aren't you?"
Shadow Weaver blinks, yikes, Shine!
Stone Raiment: "...!"
Shadow Weaver switches tact ".... it's rather obvious whose charms the lady prefers, heh."
Shining Blossom Empress: "I mean, threatening folks with that thing, that's... small."
GM: He turns to have both of them in his arc of vision, with the stalls behind the two insulting him.
Shining Blossom Empress shrugs. "No offence."
Shadow Weaver gathers himself, gearing up for potential violence
Stone Raiment: "You, too, disdain the rightful authority here? A 'bully'? Ngh!"
GM: The merchants have evacuated the surrounding stalls.
Shining Blossom Empress: "If you get all excited threatening mortal folks with your 'rightful' authority, that's your business."
Shadow Weaver takes a step forwards
GM: The Earth aspect plants his feet, the goremaul poised. "Mortals have their place in the Perfected Hierarchy, and it is not to question the rule of the Dragon-Blooded. Silence, or hope to learn that text in your next incarnations!"
Shining Blossom Empress: "Pfah, like Dragon-bloods ever knew their place!"
Shadow Weaver is silently amazed at the restraint the dragonblooded is displaying, and...uh-oh.
Shining Blossom Empress: "You're foot-soldiers with delusions of grandeur."
Shadow Weaver mutters under his breath "...ohcrap, her highness the empress has awakened, heh..."
FLASHBACKS
Shadow Weaver:
...Your royal bedchamber. The sumptuous furnishings are ruined, again. The latest five body servants lie slain around the room...
...A moment of silence passes between you and the masked woman. Then you slip the orichalcum wedding ring from your finger and press it into her hand...
...Ruin, chaos in the Manse! Dragon-Blooded stampeding in the halls, their animas warping and staining and burning everything! It's hard to dodge between their feet...
Shining Blossom Empress:
...You'll have to replace your servants again. Sigh. Why did they try you so? Have you not been a benevolent Empress to them?...
..."What is this? What business do you bring with such an insolent intrusion, Chosen of Saturn?"
Cold behind the red mask. "Only endings, Bronze Tigress. It is over. Will you choose to pass in dignity or fury?"
Weaver, my love! Show yourself! There is betrayal and danger here!...
...Surrounded by black, white, red, green, and blue! No tactic will allow escape from such a press of swords. There remains only to fight, and make a levee of corpses to halt the tide!...
Shadow Weaver's heart-rate is up, eyes narrowed as feral insticts take over... and something more, memories triggered...
GM: "Nngha!" Stone Raiment's skin crackles and hardens, growing ash-gray / as he brings his goremaul down, shattering the ground under Empress's feet!
Shadow Weaver's energies flare and peak as he launches himself in a shallow arc / sword raised overhead, still wrapped in its flimsy coverings / a loud snarling grrowl rumbling from his chest as he launches his attack!
Shining Blossom Empress skips lightly into a backflip / landing daintily on a market stall / spits "Foot soldiers in the armies of the Solars!"
GM: Stone Raiment ducks and swings the goremaul up to meet Weaver's fall, / catching him in the chest to send his momentum into Shine's perch!
Shining Blossom Empress: springs forward, over Weaver / eyes blazing / flings a clutch of throwing stars down into his face / followed up with a kick against stone's broad chest
GM: The stars throw chips of stone off his skin! / He takes the kick unmoving, like a pillar, grabbing and twisting Shine's leg!
Shadow Weaver twists in mid-air and chants a short series of bitten-off growls / summoning Luna's energies and channeling through Asan Okami / then points the sword and HOWLS his rage / sending a cold searing bolt straight into the Stone warrior!
Shadow Weaver then lands in the stalls, haw, crash-snap-crunch, big mess :-P
GM: Fwaboom! The blast splashes around Raiment's back throwing him tumbling forward in a roll / to bowl into the front of a building, which cracks up to the roof!"
Shadow Weaver meanwhile extricates himself from the wreckage, stance low, a predator stalking his prey
GM: With a roar like an avalanche, / Raiment rips his goremaul through the damaged building wall / sending a chunk of masonry to shatter against Weaver!
Shining Blossom Empress: "Learn your place, curse you!" / springs forward, fists afire / slams the building wall with both hands / dropping it onto the dragonblood
Shadow Weaver leans to the side in an unconcerned dodge, haw, puny bit of rock / and shifts his balance forwards, a few stalking steps bringing him within range / his body and sword enveloped in a shimmering silver sheen / he slashes viciously, cutting through Stone's upper right thigh and severing the leg from where it's sticking out of the rubble!
Shining Blossom Empress blinks
Shadow Weaver snarls "Rock, meet Scissors!"
GM: In a shower of blood and stone fragments / Raiment, one-legged, rolls over and sweeps Empress' feet with the goremaul. / Propping himself up on it, glaring down at her, he rumbles: / "This is my place. Above."
Shining Blossom Empress: "Earth above the sun? Never!" / I weave the the hidden symbols of the first rays, bringing down the Daystar's blazing conflagration upon my foe.
Shadow Weaver throws an arm up to shield his eyes!
GM: Cathak Stone Raiment goes down in a heap, a bleeding, steaming mess.
Shadow Weaver crouches low, amber eyes blazing, striking a valiant pose with the huge daiklave leveled at their defunct opponent
Shining Blossom Empress shrugs. "I told him he should learn his place."
Shadow Weaver slowly straightens, consciously letting his rage subside "Yeah. Remind me never to piss you off, ow."
Shadow Weaver snags a canvas covering off a stall and wraps Asan Okami in it.
Shining Blossom Empress hops to her feet, fixes Weaver a dark look "A little late for that. Nice zap, though."
Shadow Weaver shrugs "...Let's get outta here. Oh, wait."
Shining Blossom Empress: "Grab his hammer."
GM: There's a broad circle of street empty of all but debris. At the edges of it, fearful onlookers stare at the fountains of Essence pouring off you.
Shining Blossom Empress's anima is tinged with little floating motes of light, like blossoms. Aww.
Shadow Weaver's banner is like multiple wolf-shapes fluidly running in circles around him, a flow of fur and fang
Shadow Weaver walks over to the remains and pulls off a weeping bit of flesh, then proceeds to daub a short message against a nearby wall... "Rebel! Down with the Governor!"
Shadow Weaver hefts the goremaul. "...Okay, let's move."
Shining Blossom Empress pulls a face. "Thus ends the sneaky segment of our mission."
Shadow Weaver whuffs a snicker of amusement. "..Yeah."
Shining Blossom Empress: "Let's go look for Wanderer. Like, in a hurry."
Shadow Weaver nods, expression grim, eyes still holding a disquieting feral cast
GM: The crowds part for you. Sort of trample each other in the crush to flow out into the alleys.
Shining Blossom Empress smiles, waves, whee, we saved the day!
GM: There are indeed a few in the crowd whose eyes show hope as well as shock...
Shadow Weaver stalks past, not acknowledging the onlookers' existence
Shining Blossom Empress says loudly "These dragon-bloods are getting too big for their boots..."
Shadow Weaver: "....rrryeah, they need taking down. Hard."
