Port Town of Matherion
No particular order was observed in the growth of this town, save in the
construction of a goodly portion of it over the water, upon stonework
extensions that spread habitable space well out into the harbor. Most of the
actual habitation is closer inland, with farms and homes and other rural
facilities arranged along the main road and somewhat more neatly than the
places frequented by seafaring folk. Inns and warehouses, shipyards and
mercantile establishments, all the commercial maritime buildings compete for
closeness to the sea. Ships of all descriptions are moored along the docks,
while their crews and local dockworkers buzz over them like ants regardless of
the time of day.
[Exits : Temple of Urd (UR), The (R)ed Garter, (G)eneral Store, Find an
(Inn), (W)est toward the university grounds, Temple of Skuld (SK), (7)th
Heaven, (C)ast off {Ships only}, and Follow the road (N)orthward ]
[Players : Utena, and Xelloss ]
[Sleepers: Seiji, Luna, Jinnai, Lyle, X, Arashi, and Emilia ]
[Things : Flier: Come to a Bold New World! ]
[Vehicles: The Dark Queen ]
>Utena.. sneaks.. out of the inn, looking around hoping to GOD no one sees her
like this. o.O
>Cloud is a tad less discrete than Utena, though he's a quiet as he usually is.
"............"
>l utena
Utena
Oh, my, what a harlot stands there before you! She's wearing simply the
SKIMPIEST black leather clothing, why, it only BARELY qualifies under the
term, and would be better explained as a 'bikini with an extra inch or two'.
Reading from head to toe, this strumpet looks something like this:
A long flow of vaguely curled black hair (courtesy of a well-applied spell
of illusion) frames a chiseled face, and a pair of round, intelligent (and
deeply embarrassed) blue eyes. Around the girl's neck is a thick black
leather collar spiked with silver. Bare shoulders and arms, and her chest
is HEAVILY accented with a push-up two-sizes-too-small black leather bikini
style bra, with two thin straps crossing into an 'x' between her breasts
under the collarbone. The harlot's slender hips and midriff are completely
bare for anyone to see, bare down to almost a scandalous point below her
belly button before a tiny, tightly clinging pair of black leather 'shorts'
take over, just covering her rounded hips and rear. Doe-like legs are
wrapped in a kind of fishnet stocking from below the shorts to where knee-
high black leather boots take over. The whole outfit gleams with the
intimations of hedonism, the fabric dark and sinful and suggestive. Certainly
this must be a person of the LOWEST moral character, the most UNREMITTINGLY
sinful of people, a very QUEEN of sin!
Indeed, those who knew Utena before would barely recognize her this way-
which is, after all, the point- she's taken this costume on for a quest...
Carrying:
>l me
Cloud(#573PB$)
-=O=- - - - - - -=- Look! It's evil Cloud! -=- - - - - -=O=-
A chill... something wells up in you as you look upon this man. Whatever it
was, it passes quickly, allowing you to focus in on the person. He's of average
height, perhaps an inch under 6 feet. Certainly a warrior of some sort, from
both dress and bearing, he isn't heavily muscled and bulky like many other
mercenaries... rather, he's lean and wiry, long of limb, cutting a
distinguished profile. As you look to his face, you are immediately drawn to
the blond hair that frames it... 'mop' is probably as suitable a description as
any, as it sticks out in every possible direction, adding several inches to his
height. His features are rather delicate, not a blemish to be seen (indeed, he
would almost qualify as 'bishonen', on the other side of the world... ), but
his sky-blue eyes seem to glow with a cold, inner fire... maybe you're just
imagining things.
His clothing is... quite unusual, to say the least. He has a trademark 'evil
villain brand dark cloak' (tm). Looks high-quality too, it billows behind him
dramatically in the wind and EVERYTHING. It even comes with a hood that comes
up over his head, casting a shadow on his face, making him look... mysterious.
Or something. Yeah. As if that weren't EVIL enough, he has a spiked leather
bandolier type contraption strapped to his chest, on which his huge sword
(which is evil enough as it is) is strapped to. Just for fun, he has black
leather gloves with spiked knuckles. Boy this looks stupid.
-=O=- = --- = --- = - -=-=O=-=- = --- = --- = -=O=-
Carrying: (Currency: 73 farthings)
Buster Sword(#585)
>Xelloss asks, "So, are we ready?"
>Cloud lets Utena answer that first. He slowly turns his head to see her
reaction.
>Utena sighs, tugging at the collar around her neck. "Yeah, about as ready as I
can be, I guess. I'm still not used to this stuff." She pinkens furiously and
fidgets.
>Xelloss says, "Try not to look uncomfortable. They smell fear. n.n"
>Utena draws in her breath and tries to straighten up. "Right. Evil. Gotta think
evil."
>Utena takes Xelloss by the hand.
>You take Xelloss's hand firmly in yours.
>Xelloss asks, "I'm going to establish a verbal portal, so you can pop back and
forth if need be. If you have to run, use it. Just say the words 'Klaatu
berrata nikto' and it'll take you back to Matherion. Okay?"
>Thrash has arrived.
>Milia has arrived.
>Cloud isn't uncomfortable. Of course, you could throw him in an Iron maiden,
and he'd probably just get mildly annoyed. "..."
>Utena nods... "Got it, Xell."
>Xelloss exclaims, "Very well. Off we go!"
>Xelloss vanishes into a shadow, with Utena and Cloud.
>Cloud . o O ( .... Klaatu Barrata Nikto? )
>Xelloss teleports out of the room.
>Xelloss takes you along with him, holding your hand.
Evilania
A hot, steamy country filled with people wearing black leather. Smells like
what you'd expect. The skies are always gloomy and overcast, and every building
is done up with gargoyles, bending structural supports, strange unholy
carvings, and so on. Plenty of temples to dark gods lie around, as well as
bars, which invariably house a large number of brawls and so on. Welcome to
Evilania! (I'd write a longer desc but I think the imagination would probably
supply it better...)
[Exits : none ]
[Players : Utena, and Xelloss ]
[Things : None ]
>Xelloss pages, "You'll probably end up over the ocean if you mess it up ^_^" to
you and Utena.
>Xelloss arrives in a seedy back alley. Although they're all seedy here. Even
the streets.
>Utena gazes around slowly. Her petite little nose wrinkles, her brows furrow in
a frown as she takes in her surroundings. Finally she lets out her appraisal of
what's around her. "Yuck."
>Cloud looks around. Looking... evil! Or more curious, actually. Close enough.
Because, as they know, knowledge is the root of all EVIL!
>Xelloss just smiles and acts cheerful, with no costume change. ^_^ Maybe he
just is doing this to you two for fun.
>Probably.
>Xelloss says, "So, let's get an inn room to use as a base of operations. Shall
we? And I could murder a steak right now."
>Utena peers at the Mazoku, suspiciously. "That was too easy, Xell."
>Xelloss mms? "What was?"
>Cloud glances back and forth. Famous last words, Utena.
>Utena seems to be looking about herself for the inevitable First Contact
encounter a group of adventurers have when entering evil locations...
>Two unsavory looking characters pop up from behind trash cans; each armed with
a crossbow, aimed at you. One shouts, "Your money and your life!".... the other
nudges him. He blinks. "Ah. I mean, Your money OR your life!"
>Xelloss puts his hands up. ^_^
>Utena smacks her hand with her forehead and turns around, drawing her sword in
a blink. "Care to reconsider that statement? I'm pissed off and wearing
clothing two sizes too small..."
>The two muggers oggle Utena. (drool) (drool)
>Cloud turns around. See? You never say 'that was too easy'. Cloud, showing a
remarkable courage and/or stupidity, draws forth his sharpened buick, I mean,
claymore. He forgoes the 'no, THIS is a knife' quip, because he's EVIL, you see.
>Xelloss decides to step back and supervise the whole operation. He is in
charge, after all, and much too important to be killed. n.n
>While the two muggers are drooling, Utena takes the opportunity to.. vent... a
little. She steps forward with a little creak of her outfit and attempts to
bonk one, or both, on the head with the hilt of her sword.
>Both of them, stunned even more by the heavenly body coming closer, are easily
knocked out. They land with twin THUDs.
>Xelloss says, "Bravo."
>Cloud blinks. Okay, that WAS easy.
>Xelloss says, "Ne, Cloud-san, check their wallets. Let me know if you find a
red card."
>Utena attempts to rifle the knocked out thugs for anything of interest. Money,
that kinda stuff. The rationale being, don't want to use alien currency here.
>Xelloss says, "Chances are we just bumped into two members of the Thugs and
Other Unaffiliated Scum Union Local #420."
>Cloud asks, "... Red card?" Regardless of Xelloss' response, he checks the
wallets. I mean, he's EVIL after all, so...
>Yep; they both have them. Members #2156 and #2650.
>Xelloss says, "Ah, good. If these were part of the Goon Union, we'd be in
trouble with their Villian."
>#2156 and #2650 are out of it. x.x x.x
>Utena pockets.. well.. wait. No pocket. She snatches one of the cards from
Cloud and tucks it away.. somewhere safe. "Might need this later."
>Xelloss exclaims, "Ah, good plan! See? I wouldn't have thought of that. Glad to
have you two aboard!"
>Cloud stands back up, and sheathes his airplane propellor. "... Now what?"
>Xelloss says, "Now, we obtain food and drink! Walk this way."
>Cloud will NOT be doing that skit, thankyouverymuch
>Xelloss stalks out of the alley. Yes, stalks. It's like a lurch and a stride
and a sneak combined.
>Utena straightens up, and follows the Mazoku. She has a choice? However, that
would be intensely uncomfortable given her outfit, so she just walks briskly
and attempts to radiate an aura of untouchability.
>Mostly because anyone touching her would perish painfully?
>The street's fairly crowded with people in outfits very similar to your own.
They all walk briskly in a stalking manner... one bumps headon into Utena.
"HEY! Watch where you're goin'!"
>Utena rubs her head. "Why weren't you?" Oh, she's in a BAD mood now..
>Cloud isn't stalking, really. He's more 'lurking'. A look over towards THIS
little altercation...
>The large, nasty looking man glares down at Utena. "I am the Pagan Cultist
C'thog! You are nothing but livestock in clothes to me. Begone from my sight!"
Somewhere on the muck, Vincent has connected.
>Utena raises an eyebrow. "Pagan.. cultist." Somewhere between laughing at the
stupidity of this, and sizing him up determining whether there's going to be a
fight every five cubic inches in this damn place (Remind me to HURT Xell when
this is over!) she draws her sword (again) and grins quietly. "I'm in a bad
mood today, and you gave me a headache with your thick skull. You REALLY don't
want to mess with me."
>The Pagan Cultist C'thog steps back... and with a flick of his hand, Utena
hangs upside down in the air. "Foolish amazon! C'thogs magical powers are
mighty and dominant!" And apparently unable to realize you're still in sword
reach, if inverted.
>Xelloss stays in the background, and supervises. See? See? He's a good manager.
>Cloud will hurt Xell for you. Cloud doesn't even bother to draw his sword... he
just does that evil bishonen Sephiroth-ish glare out from under his hood. Ooh.
Scary.
>Utena hangs upside down. Well, THIS is marvellous. She was already THIS close
to falling out of her clothing to begin with. She opts for the 'whack on the
head' tactic again.
>The Pagan Cultist C'thog stops the sword with another telekinetic block.
"Bwaahhaha!" he laughs, posing dramatically. "Your weak attacks are nothing to
C'thog!"
>Xelloss nudges Cloud. "You might be useful here." n.n
>Cloud sighs. Oh dear. He draws his I-beam, and takes a step forward. "Excuse
me..."
>The Pagan Cultist C'thog glances in Cloud's direction. "What is it, puny
weakling?!"
>Utena closes her eyes, quietly cursing just about everything near her,
including Xell's ancestry, a couple of nonspecific but rather UNprincely
curses, and a sigh wondering if she's going to have to learn how to eat
everything from orbit. She turns and GLARES at Xelloss as if to say "FIX THIS."
>Cloud says, directly to the point, "Just this." He brings the sword, edge down,
on C'thog's head. Hey, HE's got nothing against killing people...
>The sword splits C'thog's head in two..... and the huge menacing evil costume
he was wearing, revealing a shrimpy little guy on stilts. o.o; He screams and
flees, dropping Utena on her head when the spell cuts out.
>Xelloss n.n; "Well done."
>Utena X.x and lies there for a moment on the ground stunned. x.x
>Cloud blinks. That... didn't go ENTIRELY according to plan. Close enough for
Cloud's tastes, though. ".............................."
>Xelloss says, "So, ah... the inn. Hmm. Maybe you two need to exude more menace.
And swerve around people."
>Utena stands up, rubbing at her forehead and trying to get her vision to
refocus. X.- "Swerve. Right."
>Cloud sheathes his sword again. Hey, I'm just the bodyguard.
>Xelloss hmms. "This place looks good." Ah, it's the Troll's Head Inn. Of
course, there's no sign calling it that, but there is a troll's head on a pike
near the door.
>Cloud hmms. Nice touch.
>Utena shrugs, still rubbing at her forehead as she follows the Mazoku,
resisting the urge to be seriously ILL when the smell from the piked head wafts
toward her.
>Xelloss puts the door aside (it's been torn off its hinges enough times that
they don't bother anymore) and leads the group in. Lots of axe marks and
arrowheads stuck in the walls, and big, swarthy men drinking beer in a way that
spills most of it on the floor. They look up at the newcomers... and stare at
Utena.
>Utena . o O ( C'mon, girl, get it in gear... )
>Cloud is EVIL. EVIL I say! Really! Grrr! ... Aw, forget it. He just kinda lurks.
>The room is......... quiet.
>Xelloss erms. n.n;
>Utena gives just about everyone that's looking at her (or leering, more
accurately, ) an expression that translates fluently without words into, "Look
at me like that again and I remove your nether regions." regardless of language
or dialect. She shoves her dark hair back from her shoulder. *glower*
>That works. Everybody goes back to their drinks and conversation. A few people
even rise from a nearby table voluntarily, freeing it for the group.
>Xelloss says, "Ah, there we go. Good work, Utena-chan."
>Utena . o O ( Right. Got it. Be in a bad mood the entire time I'm here. I can
manage that. )
>Cloud is in his usual mood. Or lack therof. "..."
>A serving wench shows up, potentially wearing even less than Utena (and with a
better figure). "Whaddya want?" she barks, mind you. Not service with a smile.
>Utena stomps forward, brushing past large troll-like men and various evil
denizens, and sits at the table. "Whatever swill you have that passes for ale,"
she snaps with her best "I'm REALLY in a bad mood" impersonation. Actually, at
this point, she isn't really -acting-.
>Ye wenche accepts that, then looks at Cloud. "And you?"
>Cloud takes a seat, and gives the serving wench one of those bishonen glares
from under his hood that seems to say 'something alcoholic'.
>Xelloss says, "...and I'll have a steak, medium rare, with just a HINT of
garlic and spices."
>The wench looks at Xelloss funny. "Meat. Right."
>Xelloss says, "And we need an inn room for an undisclosed amount of time.
Charge it to the Temple of Shaburanigdo on the corner of Damnation and Agony
Street, please."
>Cloud listens to Xelloss. That didn't sound good. Which is good. Here. Wait,
I'm lost...
>The wench nods, and leaves. Maybe she'll come back with food later. Maybe.
>Utena looks to Xelloss, since he's group leader, and waits for something useful
or instructive to be said. She's also keeping an occasional eye on the rest of
the bar.
>Xelloss ahs.. "Good work," he says. Again. "We'll lie low here while I do some
research on where the item we seek is. Try to practice blending in and
exploring the city a little. Get used to the lay of the land. After dinner."
>Cloud nods to Xelloss. He's gotten the laty of the land already, it's EVIL. Not
evil, EVIL.
>Utena nods tightly, without comment. Unconsciously, her thumb strokes along the
inside of her left hand where the ring is still sitting, drawing some comfort
from that. She has a LOT of doubts about this. She's also way over her head.
Which makes her even MORE irritable.
>Xelloss asks, "Ah.. any questions, team?"
>Xelloss isn't quite used to leading a team himself.
>Cloud raises his hand. "..... If we encounter more trouble?"
>At least.. not when they KNOW they're being led.
>Utena gives Cloud this.. look.
>Xelloss says, "You can't try to evade a confrontation once one starts. It'd be
rude here. But deal with them as quickly and quietly as possible."
>Cloud nods. Finally, I can get some EXP and GP!
>Xelloss says, "(OOC) Now now, no Omnislash in town, boys. :)"
>Cloud (OOC) aaawwww's ;.;
>Xelloss says, "There is one errand I'll need you two to do."
>Utena murmurs, quietly ".. Ground rules, Xell. Give me a hint or something.
Just being pissed off isn't going to work all the time. I don't want to get in
confrontations every five feet. "
>Xelloss takes out some parchment, and writes on it. "To get a proper expense
account and declare our presence to those who would take objection to us
sneaking around, we'll have to notify the Temple of Shaburanigo. As my Goons,
you'll need to deliver a letter." He looks up. "Hmm? Hug the shadows. Evade
initial contact with anybody unsavory. Which means everybody. I'm afraid
they're a blunt people, no real way to avoid trouble."
>Cloud can do deliveries. I guess.
>Utena will, if she has to. "Why can't you do it.. and why should we tell anyone
we're here?" She blinks, not understanding the seemingly mutually opposed ideas
of blending in and announcing our presence.
>Xelloss shakes his head. "That's not how the heirarchies work. Villians give
important tasks to Goons to do, and Goons give unimportant tasks to Faceless
Minions. A Villian can't directly do very much except speechmaking and
thinking. As for telling... if we don't announce we're here to the Mazoku, and
they find out anyway, we'd be in three times as much trouble as we would
normally be. Yes?"
>Utena blinks again. "Yeah."
>Cloud nods, slowly. "..... Makes sense."
>Xelloss seals up the letter, and holds it out to Cloud. "It's on the corner of
Damnation and Agony. Three blocks down, two over. I won't say don't get into
trouble, but don't get hurt, at least. The room will be ready when you get
back."
>Cloud takes the letter. Good choice, he has pockets.
>Utena stands up whenever Cloud does... "Which directions?" she asks again, just
to be clear on this. Besides, if they go NORTH when the temple's SOUTH..
>Xelloss shakes his head. "You misunderstand. Three blocks DOWN.." he points
down. "The stairs are just outside."
>Cloud stares a moment. Okay, that wasn't expected.
>Utena blinks again. "Oh." in a small voice.
>Xelloss smiles. "You'll do fine, Utena-chan. And remember the words that you
can escape with if you get in trouble, Klaatu, berrata, nikto."
>Utena actually still has a lot of questions. Will her Prince react on walking
into the realm of a demon being a major one. Why should WE end up doing this,
and is this just a ploy to get away from us for a while...? She nods vaguely,
"I remember."
>Xelloss says, "I have faith in you. Good luck. n.n"
>Cloud blinks at Xelloss. Hey, that didn't sound EVIL! ... Not that Cloud cares.
>Xelloss isn't EVIL!. Just evil. n.n Sometimes.
>Utena hmphs softly. "We'll discuss luck later, when this is done." She lets
herself become GOOD and irritable, working herself into a proper EVIL! mindset,
and gestures to Cloud imperiously, "C'mon, let's get this over and done with
quick."
>Cloud nods to Utena, standing up with little fanfare. Hmm, his sword made a
nice hole in the floor. Maybe he shouldn't carry that thing strapped to his
back. No matter.
>Xelloss waves g'bye, and sits back. n.n
>Utena stomps toward the door, her eyes promising PAINFUL death to anyone that
gets in her way. While weaving about the drunken and the generally unpleasant.
Outside.. the streets seem oddly deserted. A few people are running down the
street to the right, however. Heading somewhere.
>Cloud follows minion-like behind Utena. Hmm, that cloak makes him look kinda
like Vrumugun. Except Cloud has bigger hair.
>Utena shrugs and attempts to go straight for the stairs heading down. Curiosity
is not healthy here, besides.. whatever made them run means she can get across
the damn street without a fight. She really DOESN'T want to know what people
are panicking about.
>Cloud doesn't seem worried. Probably just a rampaging balrog or something. No
biggie.
>Probably wise. A few people start up the stairs as you go down them, but they
don't bother bumping into you.. too exicited. A few voices stray by. "I hear
they caught him in the act." "Me too. Serves him right!" "It'll be a GREAT
public mangling!" "Did you bring tomatoes?..." and so on.
>Utena closes her eyes. Urge to white knight rising. She quells it with effort,
clenching her teeth, and continues down the stairs.
>Cloud has no white knight urge, luckily enough.
>The next 'block' looks like the one above, same shops, etc... lit by torches
and underground, though. The crowd is more sparse down here and more
dangerous.. because they're trying not to have confrontations. They're too busy
being evil.
>Not EVIL!? Just evil?
>Utena asks, "Three down," Utena mutters. "We have two to go." Do the stairs
continue down or break and continue from another location here?
>Just evil. Beware.
>They continue down. It's a spiral staircase seeming to stretch downforever...
>Cloud nods to Utena. This point is usually where one gets ambushed by the Youma
of the week.
>Utena continues down then, not pausing here, it's not where she wants to be,
anyway. Where she REALLY wants to be is somewhere else n.n; Preferably curled
up in front of a fire in Matherion with Akio playing with her feet or
something. She shakes her head. EVIL!
>A large tentacular demon starts slithering up the stairs towards you..
releasing pungeant gasses and growling low. It also seems to be wearing a tie.
>Utena blinks and attempts to flatten herself against the caracole's inner wall
so that it can ..just.. pass.. by... please?
>Oooh! Well-dressed monsters! I'm impressed! Cloud waits to see who it tries to
eat first.
>The monster approaches... twisted nightmarish specture of nature gone wrong, as
it oozes up.. and closer...... and closer... it pauses. "Oh, excuse me," it
says in a highly polite voice, and squishes to the opposite wall to give you
room as he goes past you and continues along upstairs.
>Utena blinkblinkblink.
>Cloud shrugs the trademark 'Cloud-shrug' (tm) at Utena. He didn't feel like
being digested anyway.
>Utena says, "R.. right. Okay." She clears her throat. "Onward." Down, down the
spiral... no symbolism here.
>The third block seems darker and less pleasant than the ones above.. because
it's more simple, and not so obviously evil. Except, of course, for the temple
with the large beast squatting on its roof with ruby red eyes.. a sign reads
TEMPLE OF SHABURANIGDO. That's the place. SEEMS deserted.
>Cloud looks up. Well, one thing to say for evil, they have interesting
architechure. "..."
>Utena stares at the beast's ruby red eyes, gaping for a moment as she
completely forgets herself. This, quite frankly, scares the daylights out of
her, bad mood or no. She almost stumbles and shrinks back from those eyes.
O.O;;;
>And what's more.. it's not just a decoration. It turns its head and LOOKS INTO
UTENA'S SOUL. Well. Into her eyes, at least.
>Cloud turns to look at Utena, then back at the thingy. Cloud doesn't seem
intimidated. Of course, he never seems ANYTHING, so...
>Utena suddenly has this INTENSE sinking feeling. Best summed up as "Oh, SHIT."
She whispers, "This isn't going to work.. I can't.." drawing back into a shadow
as if she could hide from the eyes. She gestures weakly at Cloud.. "... You
go.."
>The gargoyle on the roof growls, one of those low, long special effects growls
designed for maximum menace as it watches Utena, and mostly ignores Cloud.
>Cloud speaks up, probably for the second time since we got here. "... There is
nothing to worry about. They won't try anything."
>Utena has this intense feeling they WILL. Evil and good know each other pretty
well. She has this cold certainty that if she goes too much nearer, she'll be
fallen on and trampled, recognized as Good. She shakes her head. Obviously
Cloud doesn't understand the natural antipathy between Hero and Evil Force.
The doors of the temple... open. Nobody opens them, they just open, inviting
Cloud and Utena in.
>Cloud is both hero and evil force. Thus, he doesn't worry about either side. Of
course, he's also really !@^(! confused, but that's another matter.
>Utena looks at Cloud. She looks at the temple doors. She looks rather INTENTLY
at the beast guarding the temple.
>Cloud starts to walk towards the doors, pausing as Utena stops in her tracks.
Again. "..."
>The gargoyle seems to make an inviting 'come hither' gesture.. although with a
grin like that, it's probably not for tea.
>Utena looks at the temple door again. Every Heroic instinct in her body is
saying "Oh, yeah, they'll letting you in 'cause it's an invitation for the puny
Hero to go in and get killed." She sighs, and shuts her eyes, walking forward.
>Inside the temple, it's... pink! Strange. The walls have been done with a
stretched out pink covering, similar to the upholstry on the rows of pews..
soft to the touch. The altar up front is metal, with plenty of bloodstains,
however. Nobody.... SEEMS to be here.
>Utena . o O ( ... Now what? )
>Cloud sweatdrops at the color. These people ARE evil! He pulls the note out of
his pocket, and looks around for... well, someone.
>Utena tries not to TOUCH anything particularly, following Cloud's lead and
gazing around. o.O;
>A Mazoku arrives.. teleporting out of shadow, the same way Xelloss does. He
wears a priest's robes, with a similar pink sash over each shoulder. "May I
help you, children?" He asks, in a kindly voice.
>Utena . o O ( Just give him the note, and let's get the hell OUT of here. o.o )
>Cloud doesn't bother to comment on the 'children' thing, and he REALLY doesn't
want to know why he's wearing pink. Cloud holds the note up, though he doesn't
bother to actually walk over to the Mazoku and hand it over. Come'n get it.
>The note flies from Cloud's hand, and the priest snatches it from the air..
opens, and reads. "Hmmm. Mm. Yes, I see. Hmmmm..."
>Cloud waits for a reply of some sort. At least the pink is calming on the eyes.
>The priest nods. "You'll have to wait here while I consult with my
superiors..." The doors SLAM SHUT ominously. They look solid. "Relax, make
yourselves comfortable." He teleports away.
>Cloud looks as comfortable as he always does. Read: not very.
>Utena is mainly focused on keeping her sense of panic to a minimum, and -for
probably the first time in her life- trying to stifle the 'good' urges and
focus on thinking mean, nasty thoughts.
>Cloud focuses his thoughts. . o O ( ................................... )
>It's quiet. No need to say 'too quiet'.
>Can we say it anyway?
>Utena finds that she has plenty of mean nasty thoughts about this situation to
think, and begins to enjoy thinking them as she stands there with her hands
clenching.
>Sure.
>It's -too- quiet...
>An altar boy comes out.. he takes some more of the pink material, and stretches
it to patch a hole in one of the seats. Regular church maitenence duty.
Although... well, no. You probably don't want to know what you know that it
actually is.
>Utena doesn't.
>Cloud looks up at the ceiling, then over towards Utena. Cloud has a few guesses
what it is, but it's better not to say. He pulls his hood down.
>No. It's DEFINITELY not human skin. That's absolutely not what it might be.
>The altar boy looks up. "Are you here for confession?"
>Utena lets Cloud talk. He's better at this right now than she is.
>Letting CLOUD doing the talking? You ARE desperate. Even so, he replies to the
altar boy, "...... Not tonight.
>The boy nods. "Are you the sacrifices, then?
>Cloud raises his eyebrow, and shrugs. REAL helpful there.
>Utena pales. Wow, there are a LOT of mean nasty thoughts now! And they're all
directed at a certain Mazoku Lord.
>The boy blinks. "You're not sure?" He looks to Utena.
>Utena says in a dark voice, "We're *not* sacrifices."
>Cloud replies to the altar boy, ".... Sacrifices usually aren't dressed like
this." Seems logical enough.
>The boy ohs. "Okay, then." He nods, and turns, exiting.
>Cloud turns, and shrugs at Utena. "..."
>The priest arrives next..... smiling. "Hello again. Sorry to keep you waiting."
>Cloud crosses his arms and nods to the priest.
>Utena goes back to simultaneously quietly panicking and suffusing her mind with
dark, angry thoughts. This is easier than it sounds. Now that there's nothing
to distract her. She wonders idly if Cloud's steel girder can cut through the
door... then frowns as she spots THAT smile. Mazoku that smile... uhoh.
>The doors swing open. The priest says, "Please send your master my regards. If
you require anything, let us know." He turns, and leaves.
>Cloud can cut through ANYTHING. Except a tin can. You need a Ginsu for that.
>Cloud nods to the Mazoku priest, shrugs at Utena (again), and makes his way for
the door.
>Utena moves toward the door.
>Nothing stops you. Nothing moves.
>Utena is still kinda holding her breath, and doesn't really exhale until she's
back at the staircase. "..."
>Town's quiet. Everybody must be at that big public event; you can hear cheers
in the distance. Smooth sailing back to the inn.
>Cloud follows Utena. Inn or event, your call. He's just the guard.
>Utena makes a beeline for the inn. Moving quickly, in fact. She wants to be in
the room so she can let her guard down and start sobbing with terror now, thank
you.
>Even the inn's cleared out. The serving wench says, "Room six," as you enter..
and upstairs, in room six, nobody's there. But the door is open.
>Cloud follows. Takes more to make Cloud sob. Hell, he didn't even cry when
Sephiroth made an Aerith-ka-bob, sheesh. c.c
>Utena stomps upstairs into said room, lovelessly eyeing its contents before
slamming the door behind herself and Cloud.
>Xelloss teleports in.. carrying a large book. "Ah, you're back. Good."
>Utena turns her back. "I'm not talking to you..." Her voice cracks. "Not until
I'm done ..." She finds somewhere to sit in the corner of the room and sits
there, sinking into a small little ball of quivering human.
>Xelloss blinks. He wasn't expecing that. "Ah... um."
>Cloud turns to Xelloss, seeming almost angry. Not that you could ever tell. He
does sigh, though.
>Xelloss looks a bit worried. He sets the book down on the endtabler. "Er.. it
didn't go well, I take it?"
>Utena says, "It went fine. As fine as you get when you stare at human skin on
the walls and have demons looking into your eyes."
>Xelloss ums. "You weren't in any danger.. they wouldn't do anything to you when
you're with me."
>Utena says, "They -knew-. I know they knew. I can't hide what I am."
>Cloud speaks up. It's a rare event, enjoy it. "... That is why I'm here."
>Xelloss says, "Even if they knew, it doesn't change the fact that you're
untouchable to them. I've made this perfectly clear to the Mazoku.."
>Xelloss realizes he probably let a bit too much on there.
>Utena blinks, looking up suddenly. Her eyes are quite red at the edges. "What?"
>Xelloss ahs. "Anyway, I think I found a book that will pinpoint the location of
what we seek.."
>Cloud does look at Xelloss. If that's true, what's Cloud here for? Hmm...
>Xelloss opens it and flips through randomly, to keep a distraction.
>Utena knows Xell isn't going to clarify that statement, but she's gonna try
anyway. She rubs angrily at her eyes, and sighs, her face hot- then murmurs,
"Why not, Xell?"
>Xelloss says, "That is a..."
>Xelloss falters.
>It's a secret?
>Xelloss says, "Because I made it absolutely clear to the other Lords that if
any of their minions were to so much as look at you after that run-in with
Shin-Murasame, that I would be forced to respond with all forces possible."
>Xelloss says, "They're not stupid. it's not worth their time making your life
more complicated with that sort of penalty waiting in the wings."
>Cloud hmms. A valid response, but it still begs the question, what's Xelloss'
interest in Utena? Not that Cloud will ask. "..."
>Utena blinks again, surprised. ".. I see..." she murmurs, not sure how to
answer, except maybe, ".. thank you." Which she does. Then the girl lets out a
sigh, drawing in new air, and moves toward the endtable where the book is
sitting. "All right... So what's the book say."
>Xelloss ahs. "It's encoded into some arcane language, so I'm just going by
visuals. But the library IS buried nearby. It's just a matter of finding the
largest chamber and targeting a teleport into it for safety reasons. Could take
a day or two to decode, though.."
>Utena rubs her chin. "I don't suppose there's blueprints or anything like that.
That would make our lives too simple."
>Cloud nods to Xelloss. He doesn't like teleportation, but it IS handy. He looks
at Utena, to see how the young girl is doing.
>Xelloss turns to the blueprints.
>Xelloss says, "...but where the building is in the first place is the tricky
bit."
>Utena mms. She sits back, on the edge of the ratty bed here, and nods, rubbing
at her eyes again. She's all right, she's actually pretty resilient.. but she
is definitely really Good. With a capital G even. No matter how much she tries
to act otherwise, she can't hide that.
>Cloud is more good, with a lowercase 'g'. And that's only when Sephiroth isn't
around.
>Xelloss says, "Ah.. we have one problem."
>Xelloss says, "There's only one room available and it only has one bed."
>Utena turns and shrugs. "I can live with the floor for a few days."
>Xelloss says, "I was going to suggest you take the bed, and Cloud and I have
the floor, actually.."
>Utena says, "Xell.. don't."
>Utena's voice contains a hint of warn.
>Utena says, "Treat me like a princess, I'll act like one."
>Utena says, "And I can't do that here, can I."
>Xelloss says, "Ah.. well, no... I suppose not. I just figured you'd be more
comfortable.."
>Utena shakes her head. "The more uncomfortable I am, the better I can make
believe I'm some nasty, horrible person."
>Xelloss asks, "Very well. Cloud, do you want the bed?"
>Cloud shakes his head. "..."
** Xell and Utena hafta bail, so we put things on hold n.n **
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