Voidus

Laurelai raised an eyebrow at the unexpectedly mundane question. But perhaps it was best to start simple after all, they'd no doubt loosen up if they continued to drink like this. And given the amount of fine liquor that was still in sight, it definitely seemed like they would be able to if they wished. "Well that's a broad one." She said, tapping out a little ash onto the ground with a free hand. "Professionally I took a number of small jobs around the place, trying to make ends meet. Some paid Forgery from time to time, mostly legitimate. Some 'investigative' work shall we say? Mostly illegitimate. But most of my time was spent on research, studying a number of crafts, histories, mostly psychology and people. Though most cultures have wildly differing opinions on those subjects, which makes it somewhat more frustrating." She ended with a small frown as she recalled some of the early troubles she'd had in attempting to reconcile Scadrian and Rosharan views on human psychology. Interesting as Vorin culture was, it did not make for a particularly accurate view on the nature of the male and female psyche. "Not too much exciting to tell really." She concluded. "I'm Alleycity-born if the accent hadn't given that away, so I don't have as interesting a story as most who find their way here from off world."

Laurelai was in the middle of another sip when Lita fixed her with a penetrating stare. There was no mistaking the eyes of a practiced tineye when they stared at you like that, stripping through everything, seeing so much more than other eyes would. Laurelai faltered, her hand briefly shaking as it held the glass before she managed to regain control over it once more. But there was no mistaking that look, Lita had seen through her, or at least suspected she wasn't being honest. Rusting tin. The words were harsh, but even in her own mind they were also somehow warm. Perhaps the alcohol, or just a result of the experiences that they'd gone through. But much as she wanted to be irritated by Lita's suspicions, she simply found herself amused and somewhat proud that Lita had been able to notice. But then she asked something else entirely, something that Laurelai hadn't expected from someone as guarded as the Tineye prodigy had been. She asked for information openly, and not the kind that was usually handed out. Laurelai began turning the offer over in her mind, trying to determine what exactly Lita would be hoping to get out of it. Some curiosity about Laurelai personally? Possible, though that wasn't too likely. Secrets from the DA? More likely, though she'd attracted the Strangers attention enough that Laurelai thought that would be an easier way to acquire that kind of information. But if it was neither of those then what could it be? Could she try to lead the conversation on a little? Lita had already had more to drink than Laurelai had, and if she was discreet with some Forgery then she could keep herself sober... She shook her head once more, clearing the thoughts out and experiencing a brief bout of dizziness as the alcohol that she'd already consumed hit her. That line of thinking was what she'd usually do in a circumstance like this, too cautious of tricks or traps to actually be willing to expose herself like that. But, as Lita had said, it was the end of the world. Perhaps it was time to take a bit of a calculated risk. And contrary to what Lita had said, Laurelai did trust her, somewhat at least. And she did like to think of herself as a good judge of character. Laurelai dropped the smile and gave a soft sigh. It was tiring to always be putting up a front, though she usually managed to forget that until she reached home at the end of the day. She rolled her head to one side, stretching the muscle out before replying. "What is one to do if they can't even speak candidly while enjoying a fine drink?" She asked rhetorically, beginning to take another small sip before reconsidering and downing the remainder of her glass at once. "And now we're even." She stood up from her stool, leaning over the counter to examine the rest of the bottles that remained. "Mostly wine." She murmured, pulling out a bottle and examining the label. "Callingfale?! Let's hope we don't need to resort to that one. The day I willingly drink a Callingfale red is truly the day the world ends." She managed to find a nice vintage from the Elariel's, wine rather than port this time, but still better than what she'd usually be able to get. A little more rummaging around revealed a corkscrew nearby which she quickly put to work on the bottle. "So. It's your idea, so I suppose it's only fair that you get to ask first." Laurelai managed to get the cork free with a satisfying popping sound and poured herself another glass. "Fire away." Asking first would mean revealing her own goals before Laurelai needed to reveal hers. Opening up was all well and good, but old habits died hard.

The storm had dissipated, the winds slowly faded and the rain slowed to a trickle before finally stopping. As with all things, it had eventually come to an end, but not before supplying the city with fresh reserves of Investiture. Voidus wouldn't usually be inclined to make use of something as chaotic as the storm, but that amount of Investiture wasn't something easy to come by, even for him. And the best plans were, after all, adaptable. But more than anything else, it was simply a convenient way to expedite everything, and the less time that needed to be spent on this the better as far as he was concerned. Voidus tapped one foot lightly against the ground, seeming to test it for a moment and nodded in satisfaction. "That should do." He tapped his foot once more, and a sudden ripple began to spread out in front of them. He steered it clear of the city behind them, but in all other directions the ripple spread out, reaching underneath the feet of the approaching creatures and then spreading further within their ranks. It was slight, barely noticeable initially, but that was all the warning that was to be had as the earth underfoot was Soulcast into water. Voidus stood atop a single pillar of stone in the midst of what had now become a lake, one foot still held slightly forward with the toe just brushing against the waterline. He watched over the oncoming forces to see how they dealt with the sudden loss of forces, and then glanced over his shoulder to where the Stranger had been with a small smile. He'd 'forgotten' to ensure that his oldest friend had secure footing as well. @RayOfSunshine @Fatebreaker

"Tell me, even if you knew what it would cost. Would you say no?" The words echoed in Laurelai's ears. To some degree she already knew the answer, she'd gone to the Nightwatcher after all hadn't she? She was more than willing to accept power at a price. She just wished she could remember why. What had she been searching for all those years ago? What had driven her to do what she assumed she'd done? For all her years of studying herself to create her Essence Marks she'd still never understood that. Would she do it again if she had the choice? Or would she choose to live within her limits, or rather the limits that the universe had placed upon her? She poured herself another glass, using the movement to look towards Lita once more. She envied Lita her certainty, she seemed so sure that she knew what she'd do, what she wanted. So sure that if she had enough power, enough secrets that it would stop her from feeling helpless. But would it be enough to overcome the price? "No, I suppose not." Laurelai forced her lips into a confident smile. Trying not to show any of her uncertainty. As a rule she tried to avoid lying overtly, she'd seen too many people back themselves into a corner with their own lies. Better to deceive by omission, or implication. Let people assume you meant something without saying it, and if they came to the wrong conclusions they would only end up hanging themselves with their misconceptions, rather than you. "Some things are worth any price." But sometimes, a straightforward lie was the only way. And if she said it enough, perhaps she'd even convince herself.

Laurelai slid the other cigarette towards herself as she listened. She didn't usually smoke, though it helped to blend in sometimes so she'd accustomed herself to it. But if there was ever a time for it, this was it. Another quick Forgery was enough to convince the cigarette that it was the one Lita had lit, and it obligingly began to smoke in her hand. She watched the smoke drifting upwards, watching it slowly diffuse, spiral out and spread. It was chaotic, seemingly random in the manner in which it spread, but she knew that with enough information it could be predicted, controlled. People and smoke were not so different, they both seemed impossible to predict at first, but they followed rules, patterns. You just needed to have enough information about them. She pulled the cigarette to her mouth, taking a quick breath in and letting the smoke enter her lungs. She still hadn't found much of a taste for it, but as she slowly let the smoke back out she understood how people could find it relaxing. "I'd usually say something like you reminding me of myself when I first joined." Laurelai replied, closing her eyes for a moment. "But honestly? I was much more naive. I saw answers, power, secrets and I just jumped at it." She opened her eyes again, smiling at the nostalgia of what she had been like back then. It seemed a lifetime ago, but somehow very recent as well. The memory was crystal clear, not faded with time, but it felt like a different person. She gave a small shrug. "In the end I don't think that's even the most valuable thing I've gained. More than the power, the knowledge, the reputation, it's the..." She paused, trying to find the right word. "Freedom I suppose? Freedom from the usual judgements, restrictions and criticisms. Freedom to ask a question and receive an answer rather than a sermon on someone's personal moral standpoint. To set your own boundaries rather than have them set for you." She watched the smoke drifting up once more, watched as it ballooned out as it collided with the ceiling, she would have worried about staining the ceiling if it wasn't already half-charred from the damage to the building. She supposed that was another way that people and smoke were similar, they stained anything that they touched. "Sometimes I wonder if we really know the price we pay." She murmured contemplatively. Was some simple pain all the price that they would pay for what the Dark Alley offered? The smoke continued to curl about them both, giving no answers.

Have had to spend most of my website development time on sites for work rather than the AV unfortunately, but I have some leave coming up so I expect to be investigating in more detail then and will update everyone.

Laurelai tipped her glass towards her, taking a somewhat larger sip this time. She should have savoured something this good, but it had been a long day. She watched Lita begin to rebraid her hair, everyone had their own little rituals for calming down at the end of the day, sometimes they told you something, sometimes they didn't. But she was seriously considering adding a bottle of this to her own end of day ritual, if she ever got enough of a pay rise to justify it. She sympathised with Lita's views on spywork. Even before she'd joined the Dark Alley, Laurelai had tried it a few times. It had occasionally been useful for her studies on human behaviour, but mostly she'd learned what Lita had. People were boring and repetitive in their motives. Of course that in itself was interesting to a degree, how did people have such similar motivations and goals and yet go about them in such different ways? How did that handful of petty motivations create the infinite array of human experiences? But taking jobs to spy on potential adulterers was not something that would help her to answer that question. She realized that her attention had drifted for a moment and refocused on Lita, blinking so that her long lashes would conceal the momentary dilation of her pupils as they focused in again just in time to catch Lita's question. "what did make you mention it? You seem like someone who plays things rather close, and I should think that membership in a dangerous organization would count as one of those 'things.'" Laurelai smiled back, pleased once more that she had chosen to speak to Lita that day. Her ambitions were a little different than Laurelai's, but closely enough aligned that they made for interesting conversations. "Well." She said, taking another small sip and brushing a stray strand of hair back behind her ear. "As I said, I am a scholar of human behaviour. I had enough of an idea that you might at least hear me out, and people willing to do that aren't exactly common in this city. I'm also somewhat of an odd case for someone who works with Mac, I was spiked somewhat publicly when I joined the originally. Any spy worth their metals would have been able to figure out who I was eventually anyway." She set her now-empty glass back onto the counter, waiting for a moment before refilling it to stare at the bottom of the glass and the small dregs that remained. "Have you regretted your decision?" She asked curiously, still staring into the glass. "Have you found your deal to be favourable?"

Laurelai had been about to Forge one of the tables into a more satisfactory condition, lacking other choices for seating, when Lita seemed to get an amused gleam to her eye, smirking she slid onto one of the barstools by the counter, tapping the one next to her. It took Laurelai's somewhat sleep-deprived mind a moment to catch up, but when it did a similar grin spread across her own face. It was an odd coincidence that they would end up back here after all that had happened, sipping port together once more. "What were you doing here, anyway?" Lita asked, seeming to settle in comfortably. "Just out for a drink, or about other business?" "When possible I make sure that my business includes going out for a drink." Laurelai noted with a small giggle. "So I suppose it was a little of both." She took another large sip of port, taking a moment to enjoy the smooth taste starting a comfortable warmth inside her. Nothing relaxing like a nice drink and conversation. Other than possibly a nice drink and research. "You could say that I was training in a way." She continued, allowing her shoulders to droop a little and her posture to drop to a more comfortable position. "I'm something of a scholar of human behavior. Just to help with my abilities at first, but gradually I just found it... calming. Watching people, trying to guess how they ended up where they are, what kind of a history they've had and how changing that would change them." She held her glass up, examining the liquid within and giving it a gentle swirl. Reflecting on the decisions she'd made to arrive here. It was certainly an interesting history that they'd had since that night, but it wasn't one that Laurelai felt an urge to change, in spite of everything. "And what about you?" She countered, looking over her glass towards Lita once more. "Were you really just looking for a job?"

Laurelai followed Lita into the tavern, silently at the other womans gesture. It had fared better than most of its surroundings had, and as far as a tavern in the city went it was likely the only one that still had a roof at all, but Lita was right. It wasn't exactly in pristine condition. Well that can always be remedied later. Laurelai noted. She wasn't particularly feeling up to trying to investigate the damage to intuit the cause enough that she could reverse it, but perhaps later she could. Lita hopped over the bar and began rummaging through the high end liquors that stood on the top shelf, finding one of the bottles and examining it in the dim light. Laurelai perked up as Lita read out the vintage. Elariel Estate was always good when one could afford it, but the Lords Vintage? Fortunate that they wouldn't need to pay for it, otherwise all the hazard pay in the world wouldn't be able to justify spending that much on a bottle. "To what shall we toast?" Lita asked, popping the cork. "To free drinks?" Laurelai offered, taking the other glass and raising it too. "To still being alive and the end of this too-rusting-long day?" A couple more bubbles trailed out of her mouth as she spoke, though they diminished as she continued speaking and finally seemed to stop.

The winds began to quiet as they left the Alley, the rain fading to a drizzle as the main front of the storm passed them by. Laurelai felt the tremendous pressure of the Dor against her begin to fade and breathed a sigh of relief. She should be able to use Forgery safely again now. Well, as safely as she was ever able to use it in any event. "If we're really lucky." Laurelai said, trying to keep her voice a little lower to spare Lita's tin-enhanced ears from shouting. "We'll find an open bar too, I could really use something from the top shelf." She waited for a few more steps before she reached for the Dor, making sure the pressure was back to normal. She channelled it through herself, mentally constructing a simple Stamp to guide its flow. The rain that had begun soaking through her clothes suddenly vanished, leaving them as dry as they had been before the storm arrived. Her hair and skin similarly reverted back, leaving her feeling somewhat refreshed. Forgery may not have been as flashy as Surgebinding or AonDor, but she didn't think she'd ever want to trade this convenience for any of those. Let the Surgebinders throw Stormlight at each other while they flew through a storm, she'd be comfortable and dry and sipping on expensive port in a few minutes. Her eyes widened in surprise as they rounded the corner and saw something she certainly hadn't been expecting... "Tavern's still intact." She noted with surprise and a grateful smile. But as she spoke she felt a familiar surge of Investiture, the consequences of her earlier Forgery. A series of small pink soap bubbles began trailing out of her mouth along with her words. Well at least the Storm has stopped, or that could have been much more troubling. @RayOfSunshine

Voidus didn't wait for the Stranger to reply, in between one step and the next he simply shifted them to the midst of the chaos. Creatures surrounded them on all sides in a myriad of shapes and sizes, some appeared humanoid, others were barely recognizable as creatures at all. There was a cacaphonous wall of sound as they scrabbled, clawed and marched their way towards the inner city. Voidus flicked his eyes up, seeing the flying creatures that began to enter the city proper, and high above them moved a roiling mass of clouds, wind and rain. He had been within the barrier when this Storm was first created, but he'd seen it a number of times since he came out. It was interesting certainly, and hadn't interfered with the Worldspike or the barrier again, so it seemed safe enough to leave it alone. A small circle appeared in the clouds overhead, a break in the Storm. It didn't spread very far, simply making a small radius around the area where they now stood. The rain began to lessen shortly after and the winds died down, twisting down other paths in the city but leaving this area oddly calm in spite of the masses of creatures here. That's a little better. Now what do we have here? @RayOfSunshine@Fatebreaker ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Laurelai felt her smile widen momentarily before she wrested control of it back. Mac was still here after all, they couldn't seem too unprofessional about it. But she was looking forward to getting somewhere they could be off the clock. Normally a giant army attacking the city would make that a little different, but with all the other guilds already fighting, and the department heads of the DA moving to the fore, she didn't imagine they'd change much anyway. As Lita said, they could report anything they saw in the city, but they could at least enjoy themselves while doing so couldn't they? "Well if I know this city half as well as I think I do." Laurelai began. "All the taverns have probably been destroyed already. They do seem to have around the same life expectancy as an overly trusting citizen walking into a dark Alley." "But then again..." She smiled as her eyes traced the path that Deteca had taken out of the Alley. "I have been surprised recently by someone like that managing to stay alive. Maybe we're in luck and the Odd Job Tavern did too, only way to find out is to take a trip through some Storm-swept and possibly monster infested streets." She offered Lita a hand and with her other gestured towards the open streets. "Shall we begin?" @ZincAboutIt

Voidus briefly popped his head in and gave a wave. "Hello, welcome back to you all. I've just got something to handle right now, I'll be back in a moment."

Voidus didn't break stride as the Stranger popped into existence nearby, pulling out a cookie and beginning the solemn process of devouring it. The Stranger fell in next to him, keeping pace as Voidus continued inexorably towards the oncoming hordes. "Y'know," the Stranger said, speaking between bites, "alot of the creatures seem to be concentrated over yonder, not yet fully in the city. I've got something I've kept for a special occasion that would be enjoyable and memorable. There will almost certainly be collateral damage, but I should be able to keep it to a minimum. What do ya say, Voidus?" Voidus gave the Stranger another tired smile, he tried to show some enthusiasm at the prospect of a chance to see one of the Strangers experiments, but the smile didn't touch his eyes. He knew that they needed to deal with the threat to the city, but summoning up any enthusiasm at the prospect was difficult. It simply felt like a chore, like another duty in a long line that continued back for many years. When he'd first set out he'd thought that perhaps dealing with this threat would help relieve some stress, vent a little of the frustration he felt by sowing a little destruction. But he knew that would be hollow, destruction was too simple to provide much catharsis. Perhaps he could artificially limit himself but that wasn't the same as truly struggling. Better to simply get this over with, the main threat had already been dealt with. The building had been destroyed, and he'd felt nothing else pulling from the Void since then. Compared to that potential threat, all the forces arrayed against the city were simply an afterthought. "We'd agreed to keep abominations out of the city." Voidus began. "But I suppose that does mean summoning outside of the city breaks no agreement." The corners of his mouth lifted slightly again, but then he let out a somewhat defeated sigh. "Apologies my friend, I just find it difficult to be motivated right now. Against that." He motioned towards the forces piling up outside the city. "Things are simpler in a lab, this is all just... messy." He shook himself, trying to clear his head, gain a little focus. The Stranger was joining him, that made it even more trivial than it had been, but perhaps he could focus on something other than the problem itself. This would be his first time working with the Stranger in a number of years, perhaps that in itself would be enjoyably enough. "Well then, shall we get started?" --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Laurelai tracked the Stranger as he spoke to Deteca, trying to be cautious in case he decided to hand out any more spikes, though she knew there would be little she could to to prevent that. But then he vanished again and she lost track of him entirely. She wondered if that was one of the reasons the DA had attracted so much dislike, they did have a tendency to vanish after getting the last word in a conversation. She slumped and momentarily braced herself against a nearby wall, with Voidus and the Stranger gone she felt somewhat more at ease. Mac was still present but she was far more used to his presence. And he currently seemed distracted coordinating DA efforts and reports from around the city. "Quite a day," Laurelai started a little as she heard the voice nearby, seeing Lita approaching and joining her against the wall. "Tin and Hemalurgy - quite a combination. Just between us, I'd have to say I wouldn't recommend it." Laurelai winced a little in sympathy, she was no tineye but she knew enough about them to agree that that couldn't have been pleasant. "Power always comes at a price." She said. "Though I'm thankful that the price for me hasn't been as bad as that yet." She looked Lita over, noting the stains on her dress from where she'd collapsed to the ground. Laurelai was halfway through mentally constructing a Forgery to set them right again when she remembered the Storm was still overhead. Hard to forget when she could still feel the Dor pulsing against her skin, but she'd grown a little distracted after Lita had been spiked. "It appears that we've been left behind again." She noted, nodding her head towards where the Stranger had vanished. "Not sure if that's a good thing or bad. Do you think they'd notice if we ducked out for a drink? You look like you could use one." She gave Lita a small smile.

Thankfully rocks have no need to breathe.

Yeah many parts of the Index are in need of some updating.

Deteca had not released Lita, at least not immediately. Voidus watched carefully as she slowly moved her body, ready to deal with her should she try anything, but it seemed there was no ill intent in her actions. She moved Lita a little and seemed to try to make her comfortable before standing up again. As though being drier is going to help compared to the pain she just experienced. He suppressed the urge to roll his eyes, but it was harmless enough wasn't it? No need to press the issue. He did arch an eyebrow towards the Stranger as he knelt down beside Lita though, he had to have seen the signs of a Tineye flaring. Why had he spiked her so suddenly? Even disregarding the pain she would have endured, this was not exactly a controlled environment. Was he trying to build her up? Break her? Both? He shelved the thought for now, there would be time later for discussions like that. He was sure the Stranger would have a number of questions of his own. “Because I am not someone who spends her time hurting other people in the name of science." Deteca's voice broke through his musings, her eyes swiveled accusingly towards the Stranger. "I don’t know bindpoints because I haven’t ever stabbed someone with the intention of either stealing what isn’t mine from them or giving them something that they shouldn’t have, something unnatural“ He silently turned towards her, moving forwards to stand beside the Stranger. Waiting for her to finish. When she finally did she turned towards Lita, seeming to notice that she'd regained consciousness. Voidus waited another moment before speaking. "Inhalers are not natural." He began. "Insulin shots, anesthetics, aspirin, antibiotics. Not natural. Synthetic fibers, materials and construction techniques are not natural. We use the unnatural for the same reason that all other sapient beings do, because it is an improvement over the natural. You think us monsters because we pay the price that others are unwilling to but you stand on a world which would not exist if it were not for that price. You and every other hypocrite who condemns Hemalurgy while reaping the benefits from its use. You ask why I'm reticent to help this city? This city that speaks of us as horrors in the night to be feared and hated? That tried to mount an army to march on the Worldspike? Who was it that fired upon this city at the end of the war? Who was it that called the Phoenix here both then and now? Not us." He stared at her as he spoke, holding himself up and allowed a touch of his irritation to show on his face. But then his posture deflated a little, and he was once more simply tired. "This city's continued existence is a mark of my near infinite patience with it." He said finally, moving towards the entrance of the Alley. "Count yourself lucky that it still stands at all. We shall see if it still does by the time this day is over." Reaching the entrance he looked around the cityscape before him, eyes scanning the skyline and finding several other flying figures now along with that purple imitaiton of the Phoenix. In the far distance it seemed that land based forces were nearly carpeting the ground around the city, making a push forwards. "I'll be back shortly." Voidus began striding down the street, towards the chaos. Trusting that the Stranger and Mac would be able to handle anything else that made it this far in even without his help. He'd taken too long to take a personal hand in these events, it was time for this day to end.

Hopefully should be able to help out with this in a little while, but it'll probably be a few days at least before I can get started.

Drunk, who used to be Rock but is now Drunk, looks around confused. All of these people used to be people, but now they were all Drunk instead. They still looked and acted as they had before, and the Rock wasn't quite sure what it was that made it sure that everyone was now Drunk instead of whatever they used to be, only that right as he had Soulcast the poor-man (Who, now that the Rock thought about it, was also Drunk) some alcohol, everyone had become Drunk. Perhaps everyones names will change back a little later.

The Rock, feeling sorry for the poor man, begins to Soulcast once more. Making sure not to Soulcast all of the mans blood. Only half. That seems reasonable.

The Rock discreetly Soulcast its blood back into wine. Then hastily Soulcast a little back into blood when it realized it had accidentally Soulcast all of its blood into wine. The Rock would have been in trouble if it didn't have any blood left. It then joyfully began to sit motionless in a slightly different manner, its own adaptation of the Jitterbug.

Voidus' brow creased into a frown as he looked towards Deteca. She'd risked a lot coming here through the Alleys, apparently simply because it was faster than other travelling options, and now she wanted to interfere with their internal affairs? His gaze brushed over Lita's body, lying unconscious on the ground. She was breathing, still alive. The spike had been well placed, as expected of one with the Strangers experience in the arts of Hemalurgy. She was in no more immediate danger than anyone else in the city. Most likely she'd been flaring her tin during the storm and been overwhelmed by the pain, she would awaken once her mind had recovered. Once more his eyes shifted towards Laurelai, like iron towards a magnet. She started for a moment before reacting, but a look of worry crossed over her as Lita collapsed. She didn't rush forwards as Deteca had, but she was clearly concerned, casting gazes towards the Stranger and seeming to be forcibly holding herself back from trying to help in some way. I suppose they are friends, concern is understandable. A little aid wouldn't go astray then, and based on that placement... He pulled a small vial from a pocket, crossing the distance towards Lita's body in an instant. He uncorked the vial, moving it towards her mouth and pouring a small trickle through her parted lips. He then looked across towards Deteca, still crouched down and holding onto Lita's wrist. "Would you please remove your hands from our Denizen?" He asked coldly, taking back his own hand at the same time and straightening himself. "Healing would only do more harm anyway." Pewter was more helpful here, simply healing the wounds wouldn't help her to cope with the overload. Lita's body should be used to Allomancy enough to burn it unconsciously. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Laurelai stood stunned, she'd been trying to puzzle out Lita's behaviour while she was speaking with the Stranger, something about her just seemed a little off. Less reserved perhaps? Then again she hadn't known the other woman for that long of a time, perhaps she was simply opening up after becoming more comfortable? Though comfort was hardly the word she would have used to describe their recent circumstances. But as she'd been musing the Stranger had quickly and inexorably slammed a spike into Lita. Laurelai took a moment to process what had just happened, it wasn't until she saw the small trickle of blood that she realized. She'd almost stumbled forwards a step reflexively to try to patch the wound, but this was Hemalurgy the wound wouldn't be fatal regardless. And she usually relied on Resealing for medical aid, but the spike would likely interfere with that in unpredictable ways. So she simply stood still for a moment, watching as Deteca rushed over and began checking Lita's pulse. That was something strange, why had she collapsed? Momentarily she could understand, being stabbed with a spike was hardly a relaxing experience for most, but she seemed to have fainted entirely. She looked worriedly over to the Stranger, to Voidus and Mac. None of them seemed particularly perturbed by Lita's sudden unconscious state, had they been expecting this? Or was that spike intended to be lethal? Was this the punishment that she'd seen waiting for them, caused by whatever she had done to anger them? She looked back over to Lita, still lying on the ground. Should she try to Reseal her? The Alleystorm was still about, and she'd never tried before in the Storm for fear of what might happen, but could she let Lita die just because of what might happen? Wait... The storm. Lita was a tineye, in the Alleystorm that too would have been enhanced. She'd seen signs of it when Lita had replied to her, glimpses of that look of exhilaration and exultation of power. If she'd had her tin charged by the storm then how would being stabbed have felt? The pain of a spike piercing her body would have been magnified along with everything else, becoming dozens of times more intense, maybe hundreds. It was no wonder then that she'd been unable to maintain consciousness. Voidus stepped up to Lita, seemed to give her something. More tin? That seemed unlikely to help. And Lita had already refilled her vials, already drank those vials... How many vials? From what she recalled tin was one of the slower burning metals, but how many vials had Lita already used tonight? @AonEne @ZincAboutIt

A small rock fell from the ceiling, making a satisfying smacking sound of rock against diamond as it collided with the fabulous dance floor. The rock had a number of spikes sticking out of it at regular intervals, re-acquired from when they were stolen from its previously shattered body. The rock looked fondly over at the other dancers, though how it managed that with neither eyes to see with nor a face to appear fond will forever remain a mystery. It promptly Elsecalled the wine from a nearby glass into its bloodstream and immediately became incredibly intoxicated. Thusly filled with both alcohol and confidence the Rock proceeded onto the dance floor, or rather remained exactly where it was which happened to already be a dance floor. It took a deep breath with lungs that didn't exist, and then broke out into a fabulous rendition of the Charleston. Such as it was able to anyway, which is to say it remained perfectly motionless on the dance floor.

She waited for a response, a little surprised at how easy it was to be calm here, in this world of darkness. She didn't like that, she shouldn't be calm while speaking with the Enemy. She should be excited. Or angry. But not calm, calm was for the in between times, when there were no calls, no prey, no enemies. Listen, The voice called, out. It seemed a little different, harsher maybe? I know you like hunting. That was obvious. What kind of creature could enjoy a time without Life? That’s why I’m not even in this city. She felt an urge to cock her head at that, curious about the statement. It felt like lies. She had felt the Call, the Enemy had been here at least. And she recognized the power that they held her with. The power from the Storm. They were nearby. Why would I summon my Enemy to the same city I was at? To fight it. She wanted to scream back. I’m in the mountains, near the grass and the rivers, maybe on the other side of the world. It said it didn't want to be near her then told her where it was? It didn't make sense. More lies? I might be in the Boundless Plains. I would never come to the same city you’re in. Was it playing games? I thought you were good at hunting, well, the hunt’s on. She paused, digesting those words as the Enemy sent one final image, a face. Their face? She couldn't tell. But those words. She understood those words, but did the enemy? Eyes blinked once again, vacant and expressionless. And then she blinked. Her eyes closed and then opened again, intelligence sparkling within them once more. She saw the city sprawling out beneath her. Her Rival in the distance continued to burn the Enemy of Stone, but that Enemy no longer held interest to her. She would cede it to the Rival, the Rival deserved that hunt more than she did. She had another Enemy, and that Enemy had challenged her. They had chosen to flee rather than fight, but it was still a hunt. Perhaps the Enemy finally understood. She looked towards the other, the Pretender who still waited nearby. She liked that one, perhaps it understood best. It had been willing to risk dying on her talons so that it could Live. But they had also waited rather than attack her while she was helpless. There was no fun in killing a helpless target after all. That was not Life. Perhaps it wasn't a Pretender after all, perhaps it truly did belong in the skies. She wished she could hunt with that one, but this hunt was for her alone. She tilted her head towards them in a nod, eyes closing for a moment in respect. Perhaps it would follow, try to hunt her. She would enjoy Life with them if they did. Her eyes tilted upward, towards the sky and the Storm that covered it. She used the Storm, pulled it into herself and then pulled it further, dragging herself along with it. She felt up suddenly become down. She used all the power that she could drag out, felt her bones begin to creak under the sudden acceleration as she was thrust skyward. She left the city behind, left the Rival, the Pretender. Rocketing up until she was alone in the skies once more, above the Storms and surrounded by a brief pocket of silence. She halted her ascent, waiting above the Storm for a moment, eyes now pointing down. She wondered where the Enemy truly was. She could ask some of her Kindred to track them, some of them were very good at tasks like that. But why should she share? This Life was hers. And the Enemies. They would share it until she found them and gave them the death that the call demanded. But the Enemy had called twice, not once. Who else could she find to pay the price for their call?

She waited for the response, waited in the endless darkness, only vaguely aware of what was happening around her body. The Rival had begun burning brighter, begun the process of reducing the Enemy of Stone to cinders. The Rival knew what to do with Enemies, they understood. Nearby the Pretender hovered, neither running nor attacking. She didn't fully understand why, she was stationary, should be an easy target. Not attacking her in this state could only be called naive. But she still liked that kind of naivety, it spoke to simple and honest ideals. They didn't want to destroy an easy target, they wanted her to fight back, they wanted to Live. They understood. Why did the Enemy not understand? The one who fought? I never fought, not you at least. The voice called out. So it was a different Enemy. It didn't change anything, she would still need to hunt them. But she did feel a spark of pride flare back up that she had at least destroyed the other Enemy as she'd thought. They hadn't managed to survive her attack. I know who you’re thinking about. No, I’m not him. This Enemy knew the old? That was curious. What tied the two of them together that they both had enough power to call to her? Were they family? And I’m sorry if I don’t understand you. I’m just confused. It was comforting to know that the Enemy was confused as well. But she still didn't like that feeling it sent, those first words. Sorry. Wishing for something that wasn't? She picked the word apart, tried to grasp the Enemies meaning. It was something that the ones who walked said often to each other, something said to stop a fight? Why would they stop a fight? If you wanted to fight something you fought them until one of you died. And I’m not lying. I don’t want to do this. I didn’t. But I did because they took my wife. More lies. If you didn't want to do a thing, then you didn't do the thing. Did the Enemy perhaps think her unintelligent? That she couldn't understand so simple a concept? Or was it them that didn't understand? And then they spoke of a mate, but why did that matter? She hadn't cared that the Enemy had a mate until now. And now it was only because it meant she had one more thing to burn in front of them. They took someone I loved, and said they’d kill them if I didn’t summon you. Then why didn't it kill them? Or control them. She didn't take the mate, why control her? And now, I just want to live, but I think you’re going to try and kill me as soon as I let you go, so I don’t let you go. It’s complicated. Lies? Or did it just not realize it made no sense? They said they wanted to live, she understood that. That if they let her go that she would kill them, that was true as well. But then they didn't want to let her go? How could they live if she didn't try to kill them? The air that the ones that walk breathed definitely had to be poisonous, how else could they have such strange ideas and think them normal? She concentrated on the word that the Enemy sent, tried again to pull it apart and understand their meaning. Live. She understood that word, she craved life. Was life. But the Enemy's 'live' was different. They didn't mean talons and blood, fire and adrenaline. Their 'live' was safety, comfort, happiness. Mostly though, their 'live' was to 'not die'. Strange. How did they know they were alive if they didn't face death? Perhaps it simply didn't understand what Living was really like? Was that why it accepted that pale imitation? Life. She replied. She accompanied it with images, with what Life was to her. Life was fire, life was pain and being healed, life was crushing with talons and tearing with beak and burning with flames. Life was struggle, fighting, hunting . Not Life. She sent an image of her former body, hovering in the air, eyes blank and devoid of expression. She imagined that was what the Pretender was seeing now. Seeing the shame of her being unable to Live. You called, you will die. She explained, trying to attach the inevitability of that. The Enemy could hold her like this all it wanted, but someone had called her and so someone would die. That was a fundamental law of the world. Stealing Life from me won't stop your death. A Call demands death. @I think I am here. ----------------------------------------- @AonEne

Yeah that was one of the thoughts we'd had, easy way to ensure that everyone would be able to play the characters that they wanted.