Alley 0

[Fatebreaker]

No time wasted, she’ll do well. 

“That, was a kind of feruchemical medallion, containing both Chromium, duralumin, and a few other things. In laymen’s terms, a literal lucky charm. I’ve fine tuned it to act as a kind of warning system and indicator of crucial moments. And if you’ll let me see it,”

He reached out with a controlled Iron pull and the coin zipped out of her fingers into his hand. Then the area around him seemed to blur and his figure became hazy. A moment later it stopped and he was holding out the coin.

“I’ve added some upgrades. In addition to it’s previous functionalities, it will now serve as a Feruchemical gold medallion. If things get bad, you can use it to transport directly back to the Alleys, though which one may be variable, depending on your focus. You can also use it to communicate with me directly, though when I’m in the Alleys the connection may fluctuate. Don’t use it if you’re standing in an information kiosk, or if there is a binturong within ten meters of you. It could melt a hole in your spirit web.”

He grinned. “I’m just messing with you. It wouldn’t melt a hole in your spirit web.” He chuckled.

“It would just melt you.”

Edited May 18, 2019 by Fatebreaker

[+Ark1002]

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Now I remember why I loved reading posts about the Stranger in Era 0

 

[kenod]

8 hours ago, Voidus said:

Laurelai stared after Voidus as he left, watching him whisper something briefly to Mac before straightening again. Had their eyes flickered over here for a moment? She hated being talked about without knowing why. Especially by figures like these. Had it been an execution order? A joke? A complaint?

Her jaw clenched and she managed to barely hold back from grinding her teeth but then directed her attention back towards her immediate surroundings, catching the message from Lita.

A good point, I'd rather not be next to some ancient unknown artifact without knowing what it does. What if it self destructs or something?

She gave a slight smile to indicate that it was a joke, but then again they also couldn't really dismiss that possibility. Life in the DA just came with certain risks.

The young girl, Whisper signed something as well. It was a little difficult to make out through the strangely accented twists and turns but her gaze that continued back and forth between them and the leaders was clear enough that she didn't really need to interpret it.

"If you think you're up for it?" She said cautiously. "Though we'll need to find this Kandra as well, any idea where they might be?"

She turned towards Kumiko at that, asking about KanMien's whereabouts.

Did you want some privacy? She sent privately to Lita. Or some support?

KanMien sighed, glad the meeting was over and that they weren't reduced to a pile of ash. Noticing Kumiko was missing they looked around, hoping she hadn't done anything stupid. They saw her standing next to Laurelai, and noting that nothing was on fire they guessed that everything was probably alright. Just as they were about to walk towards her they saw Kumiko move her hand backwards, like she was planning on throwing something. They paused, wondering what she was doing.

"Sure,"  Kumiko said to Laurelai, "give me one sec." She looked at the ground and picked up a small rock. Looking around she spotted KanMien, and noted that she was just looking at her. She smiled, it would make getting her attention a lot easier. She then aimed and threw the rock in her hand at her face as fast as she could, hitting KanMien in the nose. "Headshot!" She mouthed.

KanMien walked towards Kumiko, wiping away the blood on their face and healing their broken nose. "And what was that all about?" They angrily ask Kumiko once they came close. "I needed to get you attention," she said, trying to sound innocent. She pointed a thumb over her shoulder toward Laurelai. "She wanted to talk to you."
"Then you call out to me," they said, still angry. "Either that or you gesture me to come over. You don't throw rocks to get my attention, especially when you see I'm already looking at you."
"You don't need to be so upset," Kumiko said in an annoyed tone. "It isn't like I hurt you or anything. You've already healed your nose again anyway."
KanMien sighed, and turned towards Laurelai. "Hey laurelai," they said. "Sorry about that. You wanted to speak to me?"

[+ZincAboutIt]

Lita reached out for the coin again, feeling an odd sort of dejavu as she recalled taking it from the Stranger's Shade just a few days before. The weight of it was familiar in her hand, a cold little sun. Feruchemical gold, she thought, with no small amount of wonder. This changed things quite a bit. 

Don't get cocky, that little voice chided. This is no time to play Ascendant Warrior. Lita looked up at the Stranger, forcing herself to meet his eye. It was terrible, and extraordinary.

"Thank you," she said, and smiled a small true smile. It felt rather trite, but it wasn't exactly like she could give anything but gratitude in return. She decided to file those two caveats about the coin away for later research. Informational kiosks were easy enough to avoid, but she had exactly no idea what a binturong was, and she had no desire to be melted - spiritually or otherwise. Perhaps Laurelai would know. Of course, he could also be joking with her, though that was a dangerous assumption.

But why did you give this to me? Now that was a secret Lita desperately wanted to know. Did the Stranger know something about her that she didn't yet know herself? Had he seen her future? Or was it simply random, a true flip of the coin in every sense of the word? Lita wasn't sure which possibility was more daunting. The question burned on her tongue like liquor, but she swallowed it. This wasn't a story, and she wasn't the Ascendant Warrior. There was no great destiny laid out for her - not unless she made it so.

She held up the coin, and was proud that her hand only shook a little. Anything is attainable, but what is the price for power like this? But in that moment, looking at the coin in her hand, Lita knew that she'd be willing to pay. Her smile curved slightly wicked, and she turned her tin back on. Life sharpened. She sharpened. It was time to finesse some secrets from the world.

[Fatebreaker]

As if hearing her thoughts the Stranger said,

“Also, as an up and coming Denizen with newly acquired power, you’re gonna want to watch out for both the messiah and mad genius complexes. At least until you really do go mad, at which point you’ve earned it.”

He grinned a little wider and looked her dead in the eyes

“I see potential in you, Little Lita. There is hunger and there is pain. There is curiosity, and there is fear. Such a balance is rare. You could accomplish great things, but you could so easily fail. The Dark Alley can build on weakness, but it will devour the weak.” 

“It has become increasingly apparent that Voidus and I are no longer enough to keep everything running smoothly. Mac does an incredible job, but even he has his limits. We need Denizens we can trust to handle things if Voidus or I disappear for an extended period of time. Times change, and the DA or even the world we built is no longer the same. They have grown and changed and with that comes new challenges and opportunities. I can no longer galavant around, conducting experiments and offering cookies to passers by. Now is the time to look to the future afar, not the one within easy reach.”

He held up a hand and the air above his palm seemed to swirl and condense, and a duplicate of the coin Lita held appeared. It spun slowly in the air, the globe on one side and the scales on the other.

“Let that coin be a reminder to you. Of potential, both for failure and success. Of consequence and capacity. And most importantly,”

the coin spun faster and faster till it became a blur then shot into the air. Without shifting his gaze the Stranger casually flicked his wrist and a spike flew through the air and went straight through the coin. They fell to the floor and the coin’s faces showed a single image: a skull with a spike through the left eye. The Stranger’s grin was wide and terrible and the void of his eye grew deeper than the abyss.

“...of Sacrifice.”

Edited May 18, 2019 by Fatebreaker

[+ZincAboutIt]

All the blood drained from Lita's face as she looked into the Stranger's empty eye. It was a depth unknowable, horrible and incredible and dark. She looked away, her gaze falling on the duplicate coin on the ground. The spiked scull grinned mirthlessly up at her. Sacrifice. 

What did she say to him? Thank you? I'll do my best not to die? I won't let you down? You're terrifying? All seemed valid options. She drew in a shaky breath, then looked back at his face. 

"I will remember," she said seriously, and pocketed the coin. Was it just her imagination, or did it feel heavier now?

His last remark had an air of finality, and Lita knew a dismissal when she heard it. She bobbed her head in a small bow, mind reeling. There was work to be done, both her own and the Stranger's; she tried not to think too hard about what his work would entail.

Laurelai, Kumiko, KanMien and Whisper still stood across the Alley, speaking in low voices. She walked toward them, feeling the weight of the Stranger's eye on the back of her neck. With enormous effort, she avoided hunching her shoulders and kept her back straight as she walked, though all the hair on her body stood on end.

Lita breathed out slowly, tapping some brass. The heat relaxed her a little. She raised a few fingers at Laurelai as she rejoined the group, face mostly-composed back into her usual polite, attentive expression. 

"Well," Lita said, with an enthusiasm she didn't feel. "That was... illuminating. Does anyone here know what a binturong is?" Behind her eyes, her thoughts raced.

'...at least until you really do go mad,' The Stranger had said. Not if. Until. 

Lovely.

@Voidus @kenod

[kenod]

1 hour ago, ZincAboutIt said:

"Well," Lita said, with an enthusiasm she didn't feel. "That was... illuminating. Does anyone here know what a binturong is?" Behind her eyes, her thoughts raced.

'...at least until you really do go mad,' The Stranger had said. Not if. Until. 

Lovely.

KanMien just gazed at her, trying to figure out what she was talking about. Kumiko tilted her head for a bit. "Binturong?" She asked. "Do you mean a bearcat? Why do you need one?"

[+ZincAboutIt]

1 minute ago, kenod said:

KanMien just gazed at her, trying to figure out what she was talking about. Kumiko tilted her head for a bit. "Binturong?" She asked. "Do you mean a bearcat? Why do you need one?"

"Apparently," Lita said, taking the coin out of her pocket and holding it up, "this thing could melt either me, or my soul, if I get close enough to one."

She took in their perplexed faces, then shrugged. "I'm not taking any chances."

 

[AonEne]

16 hours ago, Fatebreaker said:

Voidus, MAC and the Stranger...

@ZincAboutIt

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Emphasis on Mac, apparently. ESPECIALLY THAT GUY.

 

Edited May 17, 2019 by AonEne

[Fatebreaker]

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I wanted to make sure there wasn’t ANY doubt who I was talking to. 

 

[AonEne]

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With so many of them, good call.

 

[Voidus]

Laurelai watched Lita approach the Stranger, her sense of curiosity warred briefly with her sense of courtesy. Eventually courtesy won out, Lita had asked for some privacy after all, there wasn't much point in asking if she was just going to try to spy on her anyway. And she doubted any attempted eavesdropping would go unnoticed by the Stranger anyway.

Her eyes focussed back on KanMien as the kandra approached and spoke briefly with Kumiko. Kandra could be interesting, those in the DA tended to be a little more varied than those found outside.

"Yes" She finally replied as Lita finished her own conversation and started heading back. "I needed to talk to you about some assistance. We've all had some experience with the Department of Counter Intelligence yes? Well they're looking for people to investigate the situation a little more, gather some more information. It seems that between us we have a somewhat diverse pool of talent, would you care to come along for the ride?"

[kenod]

8 hours ago, Voidus said:

Laurelai watched Lita approach the Stranger, her sense of curiosity warred briefly with her sense of courtesy. Eventually courtesy won out, Lita had asked for some privacy after all, there wasn't much point in asking if she was just going to try to spy on her anyway. And she doubted any attempted eavesdropping would go unnoticed by the Stranger anyway.

Her eyes focussed back on KanMien as the kandra approached and spoke briefly with Kumiko. Kandra could be interesting, those in the DA tended to be a little more varied than those found outside.

"Yes" She finally replied as Lita finished her own conversation and started heading back. "I needed to talk to you about some assistance. We've all had some experience with the Department of Counter Intelligence yes? Well they're looking for people to investigate the situation a little more, gather some more information. It seems that between us we have a somewhat diverse pool of talent, would you care to come along for the ride?"

KanMien looked at Laurelai, and considered the question, and found themselves wondering what KoTiel would have done. They would have probably gone along just out of curiosity, without care for the consequences or risks. Then their eye fell on Kumiko and they sighed. "Of course I'll join," they said with a smile. "Someone's got to keep an eye on Kumiko after all." They proceeded to ignore the dirty look Kumiko gave them.

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Wouldn't Laurelai already know about KanMien? She helped out when they were created after all.

 

[Voidus]

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Oh yeah, forgot about that
I guess in her defense it's been a stressful day, she was just recovering from another reality where she got shot with sleeping darts, and it's not always easy to recognize a particular Kandra.

Laurelai gave a professional nod towards KanMien, she was about to turn towards Lita again when she realized that she recognized the look that the Kandra was giving her. Kumiko had told them her name hadn't she? She thought back for a moment, then realized she recognized the name.

"Sorry KanMien." She said a little more warmly. "It's been a long day."

Rusts her shoulders were feeling stiff. It might have been some kind of phantom pain from being shot with darts, more likely though it was just the stress of such a long day, especially one that occurred immediately after she'd pulled an all nighter in the department of records.

"Well, I'm in need of a change of outfits. Shall we reconvene at my place for the time being?" Laurelai said, addressing all of them. "We can plan there for the time being, it should be a little quieter."

They could receive any communications via Alleycant if needed so there shouldn't be any problems with them leaving. And of course one of the larger benefits...

"Plus I should have some port and wine left too." She added with a smirk.

[+ZincAboutIt]

Lita perked up at that. “You, Laurelai, are a woman with excellent ideas.”

Behind her back, she twirled her pen. This coin is far more than an artifact. I want to test something, and I’d rather not do it here.

And though she’d never admit it aloud, Lita was more than eager to escape the reach of the Stranger’s pitiless dark eye. She’d had more than enough encounters with near-deities today, and it was time to get back to what she was really good at: the beautiful and subtle art of scheming, conning, and duplicity.

[Fatebreaker]

The Stranger turned to Voidus and Mac with a satisfied expression. “She shows promise, that one,” gesturing towards Lita, “hungry without being foolhardy. And she’s surrounded herself with capable individuals. Perhaps they’ll become lab partners, ey boyos?”

They all smiled, remembering with fondness days past spent in the labs. Mac was the first to break the silence.

“Well, Stranger, what do you plan to do first? You’ve been away for quite some time, and I imagine you’d like to check up on some things. Is there anything I can assist you with?”

Mac’s voice was calm and professional, but the Stranger could hear his heart rate increasing with excitement. He smiled, Mac remained a perfect professional, always thinking a step ahead. It was no wonder he had risen through the ranks so quickly. With his combination of talent and learning ability, there seemed little he couldn’t surmount. 

“I’ll want to check on it on a few Alleys, see how they’ve fared in my absence. Let me know what your intelligence turns up, I’m eager to hear your assessment of the situation.”

His countenance took on a serious expression and he looked at his two friends. “In the interest of self control, I shall delay my full intervention for a maximum of one day, or until one of you give me the go ahead. I will spend this time studying the phenomenon, but after time is up I shall act with extreme prejudice. I shall make an example of the pretenders and leave a lasting impression that shall not fade for a long, long time. Consider evacuation of the city, for I will throw open the gates of my domain and release the terrors that dwell within. And then,”

His grin stretched across his face once more.

“it will be my turn.”

[kenod]

35 minutes ago, Fatebreaker said:

His countenance took on a serious expression and he looked at his two friends. “In the interest of self control, I shall delay my full intervention for a maximum of one day, or until one of you give me the go ahead. I will spend this time studying the phenomenon, but after time is up I shall act with extreme prejudice. I shall make an example of the pretenders and leave a lasting impression that shall not fade for a long, long time. Consider evacuation of the city, for I will throw open the gates of my domain and release the terrors that dwell within. And then,”

His grin stretched across his face once more.

“it will be my turn.”

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...

Someone call the Black Crusade, we'll be needing another thermo-nuking soon.

 

[+Ark1002]

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[Voidus]

4 hours ago, kenod said:

...

Someone call the Black Crusade, we'll be needing another thermo-nuking soon.

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I mean that would fast track things and just leave the Stranger standing in the middle of a destroyed city, but it also might cause their fleets to become somewhat more nonexistent shortly after attempting that.