Masquerade Part 1: Evil Dead

[Xinnidy]

Maja just let out a smile as the events unfolded. What a day!

Most others were discussing, but Maja didn't feel like butting in a conversation, for once. She sat down at an empty table not too close to the group, pondering heavily about the teller's words. Murder... could that be how Kadin died? Or... was he charged guilty by it and 'captured'? Sent to jail? ...gah, I feel like I'm overthinking it. Maja buried her face in the table, leaning in and closing her arms around her head. Despite what she said to the fortune teller, the words still dragged her into a realm of worry.

[MRDRHAWK]

Kendeall sighed as he ordered a drink. Clearly their boss was more than just buzzed... either that, or when she got loose, she got loose. Turning to Angus, he merely shook his head. "Probably best to leave her be for now... just grab a drink and try not to be too drunk for our next mission." He said calmly, before his eyes began wandering around the room, looking for nothing in particular. 'I gotta stop doing that,' he thought, as he waited for his drink.

However, that changed when he saw Maja bury her face into the table she was at. Clearly, that didn't sit well with Kendeall, as he stood up and plopped down beside her. "You alright, kid? You seem like something's gettin' you down." He asked, hoping moreso for a decent conversation more than anything.

Edited January 23, 2014 by Flan-kun~

[riariadne]

Valha turned her head a bit from Ingverd, scarlet-cheeked, but clearly smiling. "Thanks. Always good knowin' someone's got your back, yeah?" She took the water he'd given her, taking a moment to grip it in her claws, and listened to his tale "Talkin' to dragons doesn't seem like it'd be that hard for her to do. I talk to birds sometimes. Most of 'em are quiet, though. I guess they're content to just keep goin' with their lives same as usual. Nothin' wrong with that, really. But if you're that desperate to give away your sword, I'm always open for donations! Especially the sharp one you hate usin'..."

She laughed a bit, then glanced around the room, seeing Lanos occupied and the rest of the troop caught up in some sort of conversation, before turning to Ingverd once more. "Hey, I'm gonna go do what I mentioned before. If anyone asks, let 'em know, alright?" Valha got up and left the inn, seeking out the building she had been to not long ago, and entering without a knock. "Hilda! I was wonderin'... you said we could pay you to tell you more, yeah? I wanna hear about what else you saw for me. I think it could be interestin'... and you got me thinkin', and I don't wanna be stuck with only part of the story."

[Oersted]

"Oh," was all Lanos said to Vriska's response to his question. "Scared, me? Of you?" Lanos asked, confused. "I'm not scared of you and unless you come at me with a sword for killin' Harpies I doubt I ever will be. Frustrated and worried would be better words I guess," Lanos sighed, clearly more worried than frustrated. "Eh, What'd I do today? Lotsa stuff. I went and saw Hilda with Valha, went to the market a bought a neat sword, then went and dropped it at the blacksmith's. Boy is my wallet hurting," Lanos said with a frown. "Probably be even more worried if I wasn't expecting a hundred gold from Joel," he added as an afterthought.

Edited January 23, 2014 by Oersted

[Xinnidy]

"Hrmh?" Maja looked up to see Kendeall, whom showed concern for her disposition, apparently. Huh. "I'm fine... just a lot to think about, I almost crashed. ...Just some fortune telling thing, I probably shouldn't be worried like this, and all." Sighing, Maja corrected her posture and sat on the chair properly. Edited January 23, 2014 by Xinnidy

[Vestige]

Oh? Seven drinks and you're telling me you were just acting? Sheesh..."Squire?! Hmm, how about we try knight instead?" he laughed. "I'll have you know that I'm no trainee." He took her hand once more and led her through the city. Somehow his intuition managed to save him from getting lost, because he was not expecting to find the city entrance so easily. "And now if you could just follow me this way milady, we'll arrive at our destination," he said, walking past the gates.

"Aaaaaaaand you'll see the young dragon just up--," ahead was the word he wanted to use, but Ophelia was no where to be found. "Eh? I thought I told her to come back and wait here...Give me a minute," he said to Makin. He put two fingers in his mouth and whistled loudly. There was no response at first but still, he waited for a few minutes--Ophelia loved to take her time getting up.

Surely enough, he began to hear the rustling of leaves not too far away. It was faint, but it was certainly there. "Ah here she comes," he grinned. Proving Raith's words to be true, Ophelia descended from the sky, landing in front of him. "Ah there you are girl, I hope you found something to eat," he said, rubbing the underside of her chin. Ophelia thrashed her tail lightly, and hummed softly, it seemed she was in one of her better moods this evening. "Guess you did, good for you!"

He brought his hand out and gestured towards Makin. "This is my boss, Makin. She's been dying to meet you. She's almost like a dragon, isn't she? ...Except she can't carry me...And she can't fly...and she doesn't have as many scales...and her teeth aren't as sharp...and she--huh, I guess she isn't really like a dragon at all. Oh well!" he laughed. Ophelia eyes this 'boss' lady intensely. She had tough scales like herself, but she also had soft, weak skin like Raith. How intriguing...

"And boss, this is my lovely dragon, Ophelia, to whom I owe my life to," he said with a hint of nostalgia in his manner of speaking. "I'm sure you'll be able to find all sorts of things to talk about."

[Nanami Touko]

A Sap

"I've got to have all your backs, don't I? Though I don't mind making some...special exceptions for some." This is working a lot better than I thought it would. Why didn't I think to act like this way back? Though... I guess this was worth waiting for. "I guess it surprises me because it's... It's a dragon! It isn't just some large lizard, it's super intelligent, strong, almost a different species... It would seem so bizarre if nagas could speak to them." He shrugged wide, and sighed. "And no way, I'd never give this away. It's the first sword that Gerrod gave me, and until yesterday, I'd never used it. Can't believe I did. I've wanted to keep it perfect as a sort of...memory. But I guess I never did seem the sentimental type."

He'd wanted to have some more conversation with her, but she seemed like she was intent on doing whatever she wanted to do. "Hey, I can come with you if you..." but she was already gone, leaving Ingverd there to twiddle his thumbs. "Hah. I wish I knew what it was with her. Maybe it's her strong will, but it's certainly something..."

Mage Child

Vriska sighed. "Good. I was worried I'd ruined any chance at speaking to you lot when I shot thunder at you." She leaned her head on her hands and listened intently to the birdman. "Sounds like an eventful day. What did Hilda tell you? Did you enjoy the city? Sorry for the questions, I just want someone to talk with, and you seem the closest to my age around here. It's not a bother, is it? Oh, oh, and if it isn't, what are you worried about? Wait. Don't tell me..." She gathered a smirk on her face, "you're not jealous of the elf over there, are you? Buttering up your bird lady friend?"

True Reading

"Good evening, Valha," said Hilda, with a troubled look on her face. "I was hoping that my mind was lying to me when it said you'd be back, but here you are. Are you sure you wish for me to divulge so much about your future? The cost isn't just to keep me living, it's also meant to deter some from experiencing what they might not want to know." She'd finished her tea by the time Valha had arrived, but the cup was still sitting on the table. It seemed she had been resting there. "If you're still sure, I will perform for you, and tell you all of what I see... But I can not promise pleasant sights..."

Dragon Kin

Makin's face was slightly red, but it was from more than the liquor in her system. I do have to wonder if he's being nice because he likes me, or if he just wants me to try this out for him. Or even if it's just because I'm his boss. I guess we'll see after. He's been genuine enough, though, so maybe I shouldn't worry. Thus was the irony of Makin getting too attached to her mercenaries, it would lead her to question her bonds with them, because of how quickly they were formed. Alas, she held tight onto Raith's hand the entire way there, until his dragon was summoned. Despite the slight delay in the summoning.

"Hey. I could carry you just fine, have plenty of scales, and my teeth are definitely sharp. Don't make me show you." Little annoyances aside, she turned to the dragon. Gulp. "He...hello, Ophelia. I guess you wouldn't speak common, would you?" Hmm. Let's try... As embarrassing as it felt, she slid over to the dragon and started softly hissing at it, in an attempt to converse. It was the same way she'd talk to regular snakes, so perhaps it would work for the dragon. "[so... How do you like working with Raith?]" That's a good start. If it works. It won't work. This is really stupid.

Edited January 23, 2014 by I have opinions

[riariadne]

"I'm still not scared of my future. Whatever's in store for me... I can take it." She handed over the fee for the advanced reading, and sat down once more. She grinned confidently. "So what's the best the future can throw at me?" Edited January 23, 2014 by Reinfleche

[Vestige]

As soon as Makin began to speak, Ophelia gave her what could be described as a toothy grin. At first, she did nothing, simply flicking her tongue, and observing Makin. She was indeed very intriguing. "Boss, I don't think you're trying hard enough," he said, furrowing his brow. But all the same, he wanted to burst out laughing. The mere sight of his boss trying to talk to his dragon was too much to bear. Well, that isn't to say that he himself didn't talk to her, of course he did. But speaking to her with the aim of getting results was another thing entirely.

But right on cue, as soon as Raith had stopped speaking, Ophelia began to hiss softly. "[Hmmm. It has been...an interesting experience thus far. Observing the boy has certainly proven to be amusing. Indeed, the world beyond the mountains is quite interesting. You yourself are no exception...You speak in the tongue of the boy, and yet you also seem to speak my tongue.]"

"Uhhhh...?" Raith was completely oblivious to what was going on. To him, it looked like the two were having a hissing contest.

[Oersted]

"So long as I'm not in a crowded place with a ton of people or about to be killed I actually like to talk," Lanos said casually. "Eh, something about a male mage giving me something nice, got me interested but not enough to pay. The city was well... compared to the slums of Felson just about any place is enjoyable," Lanos said, his frown worsening, bad memories coming up with the word. "No, it's fine really. I'd probably just sit by myself and worry about unlikely things until I went to bed if I wasn't talking to you."

When Vriska asked about what he was worried about Lanos simply let out a sigh. "You're partially correct at least. I'm... worried about Valha but not in that sense. After hearing her fortune from Hilda I'm worried she'll get herself killed, she's not afraid of pain if you haven't guessed already. There's also Ertel and the fact that he got away. I wouldn't put it beyond him to come after us again, Harpy killing sword in tow. Ugh, thinking about it just... Ugh, sorry about this. I'll just stop talking now."

Edited January 23, 2014 by Oersted

[Baldrick]

Drink in hand, Joel was headed to an empty table when he heard his name. He sauntered over to where the harpy was sitting, which was difficult as there were quite a few tables in the way. When the harpy fell silent he spoke up. "You guys have a longer memory than elephants for money, eh? Here it is." He handed over a small sack, and tried to remember where he had seen the girl with him before. Oh, she was that mage with the bandits. "What are you doing here, girl? You're not old enough to drink, are you?"

[Nanami Touko]

Unsure Future

Hilda sighed. It was long, drawn out, and disappointed. But she wasn't to deny someone who wanted this, even knowing the risks. "Alright. Sit still. It will take some time, and my voice may change, but do not be frightened." She sat down, and as soon as she had, the light in her house grew dim. Her breathing became heavy, her eyes closed, and she slowly placed her hands over Valha's claws. After a few moments of deep concentration, a voice similar, but deeper and more menacing than Hilda's regular voice erupted from her mouth.

"When the morning comes, your group shall venture off to find a fort, deep within the woods. Upon finding it, you will assail it, and find your way towards the throne room. The man with the sword, the one you fear, his name is Ort. He is covered in armor, from head to toe, the color a light grey. Upon his body he holds a ring of power, one that can increase the body of the person who wears it. You will try to steal this despite the fear of being struck down by his blade. Also, within the fort, there lies a woman, held in jail. You would do well to free her, as she will help your fight in the fort well." Hilda stopped, but moments later, began again. "You fear the presence of another man... His name is Ertel, and I..." her voice began to fade back to normal, slowly opening her eyes, "I cannot see him. I know he is there, but I do not know when, or what he..." She shook her head, and took her hands back, placing one over her mouth.

"That is most peculiar. Perhaps it is because I'm so tired from all the readings I've done today, but... I can not feel his intentions at all. I am sorry..." It then dawned on her that there was something else she had seen before, quickly going to tell Valha. "There is one more thing, something I saw earlier. A castle. I do not know where, other than it was surrounded by ice. Within you will find a cube, a perfect cube, glowing bright blue. What it is or what it does, I do not know, but I know you will find it above all the others. You will be drawn to it. I..." she sounded almost defeated. "I truly hope that is enough to tell you. I feel I may have cheated you out of your gold, Valha." She shook her head, and gave the woman back some of her gold. "No, I cannot charge you full price for such a sparse reading. I would shame myself if I tried to do so."

Frustration

"That's good to hear, about the city, that is. It's a wonderful place. I'm glad it's remained like this all that I've lived here." Vriska, cheerful for once, smiled at Lanos. He's a nice guy. Seems a bit high strung, through. And that was confirmed after he mentioned why he was worried. "Don't be so worried. I know it's kind of in your nature as a bird, but Hilda's readings, they're not set in stone. Just because she says she sees something doesn't mean it can't be changed. Take them as..." she leaned back and thought of the word. "Precautions! That's a good word. Something that could happen, if you don't pay attention, or something like that."

Of course, the mention of Ertel had rustled Vriska's jimmies, so she could understand why the bird was upset. "But you've got all these strong people around you. Makin, Ingverd, Valha. You're pretty tough too, Lanos. I'm sure that even if he comes back, you'll be able to handle him!" That was the best she had for motivation, even if she was worried as well.

Another man approached, asking why she was here, despite her age. "You need to be old enough to drink to sit in an inn? Never heard that one before. Or was it like that when you were young, old man? Don't tell me you're stuck in the past?" Ohhh, nice.

Dragon Whisperer

Nothing was happening. If the dragon could understand her, she probably thought Makin was a complete moron. Turning a brilliant shade of red out of pure embarrassment, she looked away from the both of them. "Look, I'm trying my best. I knew this wouldn't wo--" The sound of a low, slow hiss from behind her made her jump away, almost two whole feet. She blinked. A lot. Then took a few takes between Raith and the dragon. She decided to try again, just to make sure she wasn't going crazy. "[Y...You can understand me? I can understand YOU? What... How? I-I mean, I'm a naga, so I'm half lizard, and I've a snake's tongue, so I can talk to them, but you...]" she paused a moment. "[You're a dragon! How is this possible?]" She slid back over to Ophelia, eying her warily. There isn't some snake nearby pulling a prank on me, is there? This is monumental...

Edited January 23, 2014 by I have opinions

[Oersted]

Lanos let out another sigh when Vriska continued talking, he'd hoped she would've just dropped the topic. Ugh, whyyyyy...? It was at this point Lanos wanted to go grab something alcoholic and just waste himself like Makin had, a shame he didn't drink. "You tell me not to worry but well I can't help it. Honestly I'd like to stop worrying, get a backbone, et cetera, but it's a slow process. It's not even the reading that has me worried, just more worried than before. It's all a part of knowing Valha I guess. If you grew up with her you'd get why I worry about her despite the fact she's much more experienced and capable than I am."

Though Lanos could tell Vriska was trying to cheer him up by reassuring him of the group's strength it did nothing to brighten Lanos' mood. "I know I'm surrounded by strong people and I'd like to believe I'm no slouch either. That doesn't mean in any way that they'll still be standing if they literally get stabbed in the back, something Ertel would probably do. Same goes for me or anyone else really. No one is impervious. It's stuff like sneak attacks and dirty tricks that make worry, not the thought of losing in a straight up fight." Though that's scary enough already. I nearly died both times I've fought in this group. Granted the first time Maja was right there, but the second time... If I hadn't gotten that lucky stab, I'd... well I'd probably be dead, plain and simple.

And then Joel came up and handed him the gold he owed him. "Thanks," he said as his frown turned into a slight smile and his mood temporarily brightened at the sound of gold, "now I won't have to pester you about it later." Though I don't see why you're so pissy. I'm not old enough either. Maybe it's the alcohol? Ugh that stuff is just terrible in so many ways. And just like that Lanos' good mood was gone.

"I'm going to get a drink," Lanos announced as he stood up, eager to avoid the incoming war between old and new. He decided he might as well sit near Ingverd lest he actually indulge his desire to drink himself silly. The last thing he needed was something that would make him think less, he'd likely make well on a few things he'd promised himself he'd do with his new sword. "Hey Ingverd," he said as he sat down. "I take it there was some reason Makin was drinking like that other than drinking her problems away?"

[Baldrick]

Oh, right. Why was I thinking this was a bar...? Joel tried to salvage the situation. "I'll admit I'm not familiar with the pastimes of today's youth. Maybe it is the fashion to hang around in an inn with a bunch of hard-eyed mercenaries, just as it is hip to join a band of thieves." Joel briefly flashed a toothy grin, then frowned. "But in all seriousness, where are your parents? This is not an environment you should be in."

[Nanami Touko]

Anxiety

This bird's weird. I get worrying about people that you care about, but worrying this much? Especially about the smaller things that might not even happen. He needs to get his head checked. Vriska said none of this, of course. She offered him some sort of reassuring smile, but he was already off to get a drink instead of attempt to think more positively. "Guess I can't blame you, not entirely. Don't get too drunk." The other man though, was keen to press buttons, instead of drop subjects. "You might be old but you sure don't act it. And who knows? I was dumped here as a child. I won't say they're dead 'cause that'd be too cliché, and I don't know. But they're not here." She leaned back and went into her tome again. "Besides, your boss needs me to lead you to their fort tomorrow. Otherwise I'd probably have left by now."

Daydreaming

Hmm. I wonder what she likes doing. I mean, she can fly, so she's already got so much more she can do than any of us on the ground. I wonder what flying feels like. Not just getting on a dragon and flying with it, I mean doing it yourself. Ingverd had to stop himself for a moment, smiling with a sigh. "And I wonder why I keep thinking of her. I guess I really am smitten. How terrible." With a look of slight distress on his face, he almost didn't notice that Lanos had sat down next to him, not until he said something. "Oh! Hey there bird man! How's it going?"

"Drinking? Her? I guess she likes the feeling. And you probably don't know, but nagas have an extended system. Goes all the way down their tail, so they need a lot more alcohol before it starts doing anything noticeable. As for why, maybe she was upset about her talk with Markus. We're going, so it seems to have ended well, but I can't read her mind. Don't think I'd want to." Wait, this is perfect. "Speaking of minds, you wouldn't want to share anything about the mind of your lady friend, would you? You seem to have known her for a while, so..."

[Xinnidy]

Maja scratched her head. "...I'm sorry, I guess I should just rest for the day. If I can't get it out of my system, I should probably sleep it out! Right?" Maja sighed. "Sorry if I made you worried, I guess I just tired myself too early in the day. Boss got us some rooms, right? I'm going to look into that."

Standing up, she nodded at Kendeall and parted ways, going upstairs. Finding an empty room, she packed down and layed on the bed. Staring at the ceiling while lost in thought.

[riariadne]

Valha remained quiet throughout the reading, only speaking up after wordlessly accepting the partial refund. "Ort, huh... I'll stay on guard. Wonderin' what's with Ertel, but I guess I can't get too worked up about it. I'll look out for the girl, too." She grinned. "I think the castle thing sounds the neatest of the bunch. A blue cube... It seems promisin' enough. 'N a castle seems pretty regal. Well, thanks for the readin' again." Valha waved before she left and took to the sky, heading back to the inn once more. She was a bit confused by the absence of Makin, but headed for her room and dropped her belongings with a thud.

"For all my confidence about bein' able to use it, that sword's pretty heavy..." Valha sat on her bed for a bit, thinking about the events of the day, before opting to head back to the front room, glancing around before heading over to the front room and noticing Lanos and Ingverd talking. She started toward them but opted not to interrupt them, turning to the old man and mage girl instead. "Either of you know where the boss is?"

Edited January 23, 2014 by Reinfleche

[Vestige]

Raith burst out in laughter when Makin jumped back, "Oi boss, she's just copyin' you, why're you getting so jumpy?" But then Makin started hissing again, and Raith wasn't so sure he was grasping the situation anymore. Are they...actually talking...? As Makin continued to hiss, he moved over and leaned up against Ophelia. ...or, the boss is trying to screw around with me, as if! "I'm glad you ladies are having a grand ol' time," he laughed.

"[The question you ask has an answer which lies beyond myself. Perhaps it is due to the magic that radiates from the boy. Or perhaps it is because I simply have chosen to speak to you, whereas others of my kind have not. Or perhaps even still, the blood that flows through you is not so different from mine.]" Ophelia took note of Makin's hesitance and disbelief, and so she clarified for her. "[And rest assured, there are none here but I.]"

Edited January 23, 2014 by Vestige

[Oersted]

Wait what? Where are we going tomorrow? What did I miss while at the blacksmith's? "Er, where are we going exactly? I don't remember being told about anything..." Lanos trailed off, attempting to guess just where they were going tomorrow. I guess we got another job or something like that. So we're probably going to end up fighting tomorrow but that doesn't answer where or who so... "Like what?" Lanos asked, wondering why Ingverd was asking him rather then Valha. "You're going to have to be more specific, I really don't feel like thinking more than I have to right now."

Edited January 23, 2014 by Oersted

[MRDRHAWK]

Kendeall sighed as Maja left. 'She's got spunk, that's for sure... but there's a hell of a lot of baggage to go with it, evidently.' He thought, taking a swig of his drink and watching the antics of his allies. "Come to think of it, they've all got a couple of screws loose, from the looks of it..." Kendeall said quietly to himself as he sloshed around his drink, looking for someone to chat up.

[scorri]

Kadin slowly materialized in the upper hallway of the inn, and watched Maja enter her room. He'd been about to call out to her but had hesitated. I should just talk to her. She's the only one that I've told much about myself to. Maybe she'd be able to help me. Sighing, he walked up to her door and hesitantly called out, "Uhm... Maja? Can... can we talk for a little?"

[SB.]

"W-wait, where are you going?" Angus called after her, but it seemed to fall upon deaf ears. He just hoped... Raith, that was it, he just hoped Raith would be able to keep her from doing anything too reckless. For a second the image of Makin wrestling with Raith's wyvern crossed his mind, and he wasn't sure whether to feel worried or amused. In the end, he just settled on amused. Kendeall was probably right, he was just worrying too much for no good reason.

He just returned to his drink at first, just watching the others and their conversations. From what he could see, Maja looked really downtrodden about something. Something about the fortune teller? He had to admit, he felt kind of curious about it now, even though he doubted the authenticity of it. When she left, Angus decided to take a seat next to Kendeall and ask him about it. "That's a lot of stock she's putting into that future stuff." he said. "Have you gotten a reading? Was it actually worth it, or just a bunch of really vague things that you couldn't make sense of?"

[Xinnidy]

"Huh? ...Oh, hi, Kadin." Maja turned to meet the ghost. She wouldn't be lonely just because she was in her room, but it was pretty timely too. "Sure. What's on your mind?"

[Baldrick]

Joel leaned back and furrowed his brow. This wasn't quite what he was expecting. "And after our business is finished, where will you go? Do you know of any other relatives?"

He turned to the birdwoman. "No idea. She was here a minute ago."

Edited January 24, 2014 by Baldrick

[MRDRHAWK]

Kendeall turned over to Angus, who'd asked him about that fortune teller. His mind drifted back to what she said earlier... 'A cave of ice... was it? Hmm... still trying to make sense of it...' he thought, as he lifted his head back up. "Yeah, I talked to her. She gave me a pretty... vague... reading, to be honest. I think I came in at a bad time." Then Kendeall remembered that potion she gave him, which he'd already drank. "Hmm... and she gave me this weird potion too... wasn't bad, honestly. But I'm still trying to figure out what it did to me."