Doppocalypse: Part Endo

<DMoppler>: Meanwhile, in the near area, Reverb has made it within range of the damaged settlement she had saved. In the far reaching distance she can see two figures walking out among the sands.
<Reverb>: Reverb continues walking, now making a direct path for the two figures.
<DMoppler>: On Skyler's end, he can notice somebody approaching them from the desert as well. Envy is too busy sightseeing as he walked by his side to properly see it, though.
Skyler stops focusing on air-playing some song, and gives Envy a nudge with his elbow
<Skyler>: -Company.-
<DMoppler>: Envy looks back over, putting her guard up and sticking close to Sky as they approach this person. Needless to say, the two sides I've been describing are seeing each other.
<Reverb>: Reverb continues, still holding her blade and ready for some kind of trick. She starts to move faster, right at the pair.
<Skyler>: -...Is she running at us?-
<DMoppler>: - If they attack I'm breaking them - Envy's hand clenched as green veins shot through her fingers.
<Reverb>: Reverb readies a small sphere in her hand. A little back up if things get hairy. She starts to zig-zag through the sand, using her blade to toss up some sand like dust.
Skyler clutches the knife under his cloak, but then pockets it again when he realizes that if they're actually going to fight her it would definitely not be the weapon of choice
<DMoppler>: Envy finally breaks the silence. "HEY WHO'S THERE" the girl yells out. She is not known for her patience.
<Skyler>: "FRANCESCA?"
<Reverb>: Reverb stops with a skid, a good hundred meters from the pair. "Can I be sure it's you two?" she asks loudly, still holding her weapons.
Skyler pulls his hood down shrugs
<Skyler>: "Shit, do you wanna quiz us?"
<DMoppler>: "I STILL HAVE THE TRAMP STAMP IF YOU REALLY WANT A SIGN OF AUTHENTICITY"
<Reverb>: "Hey, I can't be sure what Red will pull." she says, her weapons fading into a fine mist. "And you're not being followed, right?" she added.
<Skyler>: "We were for a little bit, but I think some Brotherhood goons took out our goblins."
<Skyler>: "Y'know, Smokey and his sister."
<Reverb>: "Oh, those two. I had wondered what happened to them." she said, stepping closer, and looking at the pair. "Well... you look pretty shitty."
<Skyler>: "And you look more well-groomed than I expected. Are you staying somewhere?"
<DMoppler>: "Sounds better than what we have back in the base, that's for sure"
Skyler pulls his hood back up, quickly being reminded why it was there to begin with
<Reverb>: "Well, I got found by some kinda church boy who took pity on me. So, uh, that's been okay. Talking of the base... any clue on what's been going on there so far?"
<DMoppler>: "The boss is basically destroying that host of his doing everything he can 'for the cause'. Kind of silly when the 'cause' is mindless destruction"
<Skyler>: "Tony hasn't slept in days and I haven't seen him eat, either. The rest of the base is... pretty uneventful, at least from what I've seen."
<Skyler>: "I'm usually kept away from most of the going-ons, I don't think I've seen anything else worth noting at this point that Clara hasn't told you about."
<Reverb>: "Hmm, damn it. Alright, that leaves one big pressing question on my mind."
<Reverb>: "The girl, in the spire. Do you access to where she's kept?"
Skyler nods with obvious discomfort
<DMoppler>: "....They have a girl in the spire?"
<Skyler>: "Blasphemy's sister. She's a harpy, who's trapped to power the armies."
<Skyler>: "I'm allowed in and I can get her out on my own, but, uhm... one of you needs to take her off my hands as soon as possible. I'm like poison to empaths in this state, which is vaguely what I was told is what she is."
<Reverb>: "Hmm. I did plan on have the rest of the team meet us on the way there, but if push comes to shove, I'll take her."
Skyler nods and breathes a sigh of relief
<Skyler>: "Also, do you have any of those fancy symbiote cure vials I was told about on hand?"
<Reverb>: "Uh, yeah. I had all seven starting out."
<Reverb>: "I've given the two for Indulgence to Clara, Wrath's dead so his is useless..."
<Reverb>: "So that leaves me with green, violet and red."
<DMoppler>: Envy looks visibly uncomfortable.
<Skyler>: "Can I see them?"
<Skyler>: -I know it's awkward, just bare through it. There's only a day or so left before this whole fiasco can be over with.-
<Reverb>: Reverb pulled out the remaining three vials from her bag; green, violet and red, as she said. "Here they are. I don't know how they work, but no doubt they'll bring results."
Skyler takes the red one and holds it in his hands to get a feel for it, staring intently at the contents before giving it back
<DMoppler>: "Then what's the plan?"
<Skyler>: "I think Clara said something about fighting Indulgence, right? Is that what we're doing now?"
<Reverb>: Reverb takes the eye from her pocket, tapping it and switching it on. "What's the issue?"
<DMoppler>: "Bad news. The interception of Indulgence was pushed back. The S-Jet was heavily damaged in the process, he saw them coming"
<Reverb>: "Well, shit."
<Skyler>: "Speak of the devil."
<DMoppler>: "Greene's arm has been broken but otherwise everybody else on there was fine. Fatty is going to be heading back to your base within the hour"
<Reverb>: "And the vials?"
<DMoppler>: "Shattered in the ride. I have spares that I made when after I sent them out, luckily"
<Skyler>: "So are we gonna try to kill him on the way back? Because if we attack and fuck up, Envy and I's cover is blown."
<Reverb>: "Yeah, that's the risky bit. And I honestly don't know if I can take the guy on my own, either."
<DMoppler>: "Otherwise you could try to drug him when you get inside with them, but how you would get away with that is beyond me"
<DMoppler>: "There's... also some other startling news"
<Skyler>: "Oh?"
<DMoppler>: "In a recent attack we encountered an unidentified symbiote holder working with them"
<Reverb>: "Beautiful. Just beautiful."
<DMoppler>: "So, discover everything you can about that as soon as you can"
<Skyler>: "What color was it?"
Skyler smirks under his hood
<DMoppler>: "White"
<Skyler>: "...Oh."
<Reverb>: "Oh? Just 'oh'?"
<Skyler>: "Would you rather I give a long exposition about my feeling on the matter?"
<Reverb>: "Well, not really. But 'oh'... hmm."
<DMoppler>: "Things are looking bad, but the top priority is ending the production. We can't divert from that"
<Skyler>: "I was trying to figure out if there was an easy color association to work off of. But I can't think of anything that easily fits white. Vanity? God complex? Like, iunno, seems pretty ambiguous..."
<Reverb>: "Nah, you'd have said as much. 'Oh', that's suspicious. But I don't really care right now, to be honest."
<Skyler>: "But, yeah. Come to think of it, I could probably poison some of the fat guy's food. Dude eats anything you throw at him. I doubt it'd take him out with his powerset, but at least he'll be more manageable. Probably."
<DMoppler>: "....maybe its blankness. Nothing"
<Reverb>: "...oh yeah, can the stuff in these vials be ingested?"
<DMoppler>: "Yes, they can. Any way they can get into the system"
<Reverb>: "Oh, that's just fine and dandy then."
<Skyler>: "Is emptiness a sin? ...Or is it like, a blank slate symbiote? Does that mean they can make generic ones now?"
<DMoppler>: "I don't know"...
<DMoppler>: Envy finally chimes in. "I heard something about that. A last resort move"
<Skyler>: "I could totally use a generic one."
<Skyler>: "What?"
<DMoppler>: "A backup plan. If we loose too many lieutenants to make up for"
<DMoppler>: "Never thought the bastard would do it"
<Reverb>: "He's getting desperate now."
<Skyler>: "Know any specifics or details on it?"
<DMoppler>: "No, I don't. Boss was rambling about it and shut up any questions"
<Skyler>: "...I might be able to find out. Before I free sleeping beauty."
<Skyler>: "Tony and/or Hubris trust me with plenty of otherwise off-limits knowledge, and I'm free to snoop in the labs on the way to get her anyways. I bet I could find /something/ of use."
<DMoppler>: "Then that's up to you, Skyler" Clara says back
<Skyler>: "And, in the meantime, I'll also get some toxins into the big guy's system. Can I have those vials?"
<DMoppler>: "Frankie, we'll need a mirror"
<Reverb>: Reverb nodded, making a big, flat square from crystal, running her hands over the surface, "polishing" it to a reflective shine. She places it upright, opening up a rift along the surface. "Oh, and did you fix your prior wardrobe malfunction?"
<DMoppler>: As Reverb can see she is now holding the robe as tightly as she can to keep covered. "Y-Yes, here" she hands out the two new vials.
<Skyler>: "I won't ask."
<Reverb>: [beep boop, hittin that tired phase again]
<DMoppler>: [we don't got much else to go, I could have envy and sky go off and continue with them for progess' sake]
<Reverb>: [sure, that works for me]
<Skyler>: :^D]
<Reverb>: [have fun kiddies :^))))))))))]
<Skyler>: nighty night verb, sleep well]
<DMoppler>: [nighty night veeeerb]
*** Reverb quit (Quit: http://www.mibbit.com ajax IRC Client)
Skyler takes the vials from Reverb's [suddenly invisible, intangible, and inaudible] hands and manages to not snark about Clara's implied partial nudity
<DMoppler>: [- Reverb goes off and stuff, crystal disappears, yadda yadda -]
<DMoppler>: Envy looked back over to Skyler as the other girl left, thinking.
<Skyler>: -I'll make sure you get a green vial to do whatever you want with. Later.-
<DMoppler>: - You already know what I'm going to do with it. I'm just sad I can't get it now -
<Skyler>: -If you used it now you'd die from the nuclear fallout anyways.-
<DMoppler>: - I know, just a bit impatient is all. We're gonna beat this I swear -
<Skyler>: -We will.-
Skyler yawns and stretches his back
<Skyler>: "We should get going back to the base. I need a shower and breakfast."
<DMoppler>: "Alright, alright, hop on"
Skyler securely pockets the vials and climbs onto Envy's back again
<Skyler>: -I forget, is there a limited distance we can talk like this from?-
<DMoppler>: - Yeah, and inside the base it gets a little bit foggy but we should be able to keep it up -
<Skyler>: -Is there a max distance?-
<DMoppler>: Envy takes a breath and then steps forward, beginning her sprint through the sands.
<DMoppler>: - 20 to 23 meters, usually -
<Skyler>: -Awh, then how will we keep in touch when you're in France?-
<DMoppler>: - This is the part where you ask for my phone number isn't it -
<DMoppler>: The girl makes massive leaps up cliffs and hills, sometimes spending upwards to nearly a minute going through the air before landing and continuing a run.
<Skyler>: -I actually didn't think to ask but now that you mention it that sounds like a perfect idea.-
Skyler enjoys the airtime immensely. You might even say he misses being able to fly.
<DMoppler>: - Oh wow, so then its my fault if you ask -
<Skyler>: -Yup, you did this to yourself. Boo hoo, gimme your deets.-
<DMoppler>: - When I get something to write on -
<DMoppler>: The amount of giants that circle around the base has increased, moving more erratically in set paths near the towering structure.
<DMoppler>: In fact the whole place looks a lot more sinister since you last saw it. More jagged and anemic of an architecture than the original bulky pride that it used to exude.
<Skyler>: -Oh, wow, gone for a day and suddenly he's gone full tyrant on us.-
<Skyler>: -I hope my bathroom still works.-
<DMoppler>: - The building is alive and part of the boss. It reflects him -
<DMoppler>: The two finally stop at the gates of Babylon, Envy letting Skyler down as she stretched
Skyler stands back up and rubs his head, still looking over the new architecture
<DMoppler>: Some of the steel and concrete has cracked some, leaving small openings where the textured muscle of flesh and occasionally eyes can be seen peeking out of.
<Skyler>: -This whole mission is starting to look more and more like how I originally imagined it would. Kinda deja vu-y, y'know?-
<DMoppler>: Envy pushes open the door, finally, and keeps it open for Sky as they walk inside. First thing of note: No party. Its dead quiet inside Babylon for the first time since he got there and looking empty besides a few sleeping revelers.
Skyler nervously looks around, staying close to Envy
<DMoppler>: The color of the flesh has darkened along with the lighting, and everything seems a bit more alien than before. Furniture doesn't resemble furniture anymore, more like fleshy parodies of them bumping out of the floor like tumors. Its clear that things have gotten serious.
<DMoppler>: "Where were you" Doppler's voice rings to them as if he was whispering in their ear. Upon inspection he is nowhere near them.
<DMoppler>: [meant to be red but whatever]
<Skyler>: -...I'm not having fun anymore.-
<Skyler>: "Tony? We're right by the main gate, where are you?"
<DMoppler>: "In my office. You didn't answer me. Where /were/ you"
Skyler gives Envy a very concerned expression
<DMoppler>: Envy is just as concerned
<Skyler>: "...We, were, ambushed by some Brotherhood agents. Two higher ups, the creepy couple with the smoke and the poison. We had to lay low in town for the night while we recovered, they have some sort of anti-symbiote stuff and they were about as effective as you'd expect on a normal person."
<DMoppler>: "....Come to the office. Envy, you return to your post"
<DMoppler>: "But-"
<DMoppler>: "Now" the air around Envy's head vibrates violently and Skyler can see her wince in pain
Skyler can't help but wince empathetically, and looks around again
<Skyler>: "...Can I go to the bathroom first?"
<DMoppler>: "...Fine"
<Skyler>: "Uh, thanks. It'll only take a minute, I swear."
<Skyler>: -Keep constant contact. I want to know if he does anything to you.-
Skyler nervously fast-walks up the various flights up stairs to his room, where he gets in a record-time shower and and bathroom break before throwing on some more of Ravan's clothes and going back to Doppler's throne room
<DMoppler>: - Alright. I-I'm alright, just... - Envy stumbles to the side, her equilibrium completely thrown off as she is forced to fall into the wall for support
<Skyler>: -Just hold in there. You've got a healing factor, wait it out.-
<Skyler>: "Uhm... what's up?"
<DMoppler>: Walking into the room he can see Doppler sitting on his throne. If he looked starved before, he has gotten even skinnier and sicklier looking. He is no longer even wearing clothes, instead his slim body is covered by a symbiotic armor and flesh of some sort, only leaving his head uncovered as he looked out the window.
<Skyler>: "Tony."
<DMoppler>: second one without the helmet]
<DMoppler>: "A lot" he answers
<DMoppler>: "Slug is still detained, Blasphemy has been detained, several global attacks has been stopped, Wrath AND the prototype whale hive are dead, and the s-men are running RAMPANT!" his voice physically hurts to hear
<DMoppler>: "And /you/. You and Envy were missing while this all happened. Do you have any idea... just... argh"
<Skyler>: "I took out two brotherhood agents! I don't even have /powers/! Shit, it was just a scouting mission, do you think I'm not contributing!?"
<Skyler>: "Shit man, you're allowed to be upset but don't think we were just out getting icecream while all this was happening."
<DMoppler>: "...I know. Its just a lot for me" he growls, his voice starting to have a static feedback filter under it
Skyler is almost surprised by his own aggression towards the man currently spearheading armageddon, but finds it easy to draw strength from the fact he sees his almost-dying friend's face in front of him.
<Skyler>: "Look, I- argh. I'm sorry. What's happened between when I was asleep and when I was out?"
Skyler calms down some and walks towards Doppler to be within normal conversation distance
<DMoppler>: "I told you. Its been a string of consistent losses and failures with our attacks. We couldn't even assassinate an unknowing woman or capture Francesca who just won't fucking see the light. We're pooling into things we never thought we'd have to in order to get anything done"
<DMoppler>: "Hell, Blasphemy is gone so our ability to create new specialized ones while still producing the soldiers has been cut off. I can't spit any out myself while I'm building the army, they just come out as goddamn blanks"
<DMoppler>: "And worse there's rumors of treachery in our ranks"
<Skyler>: "Well, I mean, realistically, do you think it was the ones who died? There's only 3 left including you, now."
<DMoppler>: "Maybe..."
<Skyler>: "I can personally vouch that Envy was helping me when we were out. And Lust has been, erhm... friendly. I would assume her allegiance goes to whoever's the most attractive. So that leaves..."
<DMoppler>: "....Indulgence would never"
<DMoppler>: "He started all this alongside me he /wouldn't/" the static intensifies with that last bit
<Skyler>: "It's reasonable to assume Wrath had his own agenda, considering he openly tried to murder me when I first met him."
<Skyler>: "Blashpemy is like... isn't it implied by his name, anyways?"
<DMoppler>: "....I don't know..."
<Skyler>: "Do you have any backups? You're gonna run out of sins sooner or later at this rate."
<DMoppler>: "There's experimental ones, but I don't know. They are unstable. The blanks are even more unstable as they are imprinted by whoever they attach to, they match to the host"
<DMoppler>: "In the past its led to either uselessness or volatility"
<Skyler>: "So, blank slates? Like... could I have one? To actually be helpful?"
<DMoppler>: Doppler visibly pauses.
Skyler raises his eyebrows
<DMoppler>: "....it can be arranged"
<Skyler>: "...What color are they?"
<DMoppler>: "They start off white. Usually change color to whatever it imprints to"
<Skyler>: "Sounds good enough. So when you say 'imprints', you just mean like... it feeds off a certain aspect of a person?"
<DMoppler>: "Yeah, good guess. Abilities and power source come from whatever is prominent"
<Skyler>: "...Can it change what it feeds off of?"
<Skyler>: "Like, let's say for 15 minutes it feeds off of your insatiable hunger for dicks, but then if suddenly you were overwhelmed by something else, could it feed off of the stronger emotion?"
<DMoppler>: "Don't you mean /your/ insatiable hunger for dicks. And no, it can't change it. Once it imprints it stays"
<Skyler>: "Gotcha. Can I have two, then?"
<DMoppler>: "No"
<Skyler>: "Ugh, fine."
<DMoppler>: Doppler gets up, his body narrow and gangly. "Are you ready, though?"
<Skyler>: "I mean, ready as I'll ever be. Should I eat first, or no?"
<DMoppler>: Doppler doesn't respond, instead his body contorts in small movements as he starts hacking something up. All at once Tony spits out a small white egg shaped glob, surprisingly not having any saliva or internal stuff on it and being clean as a whistle
<DMoppler>: [FUKKEN EAT IT THO]
<DMoppler>: "There..."
<Skyler>: "Sooo... I eat that?"
Skyler is clearly not enthusiastic about that
<DMoppler>: "No... No just take it" he hands the egg over to him
Skyler holds the egg in his hands
<DMoppler>: The egg doesn't stay an egg for very long. In fact once he touches it the blank symbiote starts to meld directly into his flesh, sinking into his skin and spreading out through his entire body. It is a very very strange feeling, being able to 'feel' ones own internal organs inside and out.
<DMoppler>: Soon enough it does settle in and expand into just about every corner of his body, the sensation eventually fading.
<Skyler>: "Ooo-o-oargh, okay. Wow. Uh, does this mean I have a healing factor now?"
<DMoppler>: "Yes, but it takes time to develop"
<Skyler>: "Yeah, probably especially in my case. Seems fine now though. Can it talk?"
<DMoppler>: "If it wants to. They're usually shy at first"
<Skyler>: "Cute. I'll keep that in mind."
<DMoppler>: "You should probably get some rest sometime soon, though. Its supposed to be draining at first"
<Skyler>: "Is it? I'll get some breakfast first, maybe take a walk."
<DMoppler>: "....Fine. Report anything that it ends up creating. Abilities and effects. All that"
<Skyler>: "Oh, right. They all have a gimmick attached. I'll tell you if anything happens."
<DMoppler>: Doppler nods and sits back on his throne menacingly
<Skyler>: "...And it wouldn't kill you to eat something while you're sitting there."
<DMoppler>: "I don't need food, please"
Skyler goes back and into his room, sitting on the bed and feeling out his new symbiote
<Skyler>: "I bet I'll have working kidneys again after this..."
<DMoppler>: It feels strange, but eventually starts to seem natural on some level. Some regeneration can be felt as well on old scabs and scars.
<Skyler>: -Anything happen, E-... Fleur?-
<DMoppler>: - No. I... I think I know where the revelers were going -
<Skyler>: -Revelers?-
<DMoppler>: - Y'know, all the party goers and shit that crowded the place -
<Skyler>: -Oh, right. ...I'm afraid to ask, though.-
<DMoppler>: - The labs. -
<Skyler>: -...-
<DMoppler>: -.... you should check it out-
<Skyler>: -I, uh... yeah, I'll be down in a minute.-
Skyler quickly fishes some sort of sandwich or bagel or similar high carb on-the-go meal out ot the fridge, and makes his way to the labs-
<DMoppler>: The door to the lab seems to be closed, trying to open it it seems locked. Its obvious there's activity, and he /does/ have a pass to get in, so knocking might work.
<Skyler>: -The door's closed. Should I just knock?-
<DMoppler>: - Go for it -
Skyler knocks
<DMoppler>: The door slides open, a taller Brazilian man wearing a lab jacket stands before him. "Yes?"
<Skyler>: "Skyler Gibson. Just going for a little walk, there's nobody to talk to downstairs anymore."
<DMoppler>: The man looks at him blankly, checking a list to the side, then stepping out of the way to let him in.
Skyler makes his way inside, looking around
<DMoppler>: The interior of the lab has changed somewhat. Namely there is no longer designs for new symbiotes being calculated and made, instead the walls are lined with human sized pods that mesh into the fleshy walls. They seem to have whole rooms just for that.
<DMoppler>: He can't see whats inside them, though.
Skyler continues walking down the path to the harpy sister, taking in whatever's new along the way to the best of his ability
<DMoppler>: He sees several people on stretchers with strange growths of varying different colors. Possibly failed test subjects of the blank symbiote project. Finally Skyler reaches the elevator that opens at a touch
Skyler ponders how convenient it is that the blank symbiote he just received didn't detonate inside him, and goes into the elevator
<DMoppler>: [its probably because it loves that red aura shit nyugguh]
Skyler brushes it off as receiving special treatment from Doppler, and presses the corresponding button for the bottom floor
<Skyler>: -You can talk to your symbiote, right?-
<DMoppler>: - I can. I don't know if yours will speak up, though -
<DMoppler>: [brb]
<Skyler>: -What? I didn't even tell you yet, how'd you know?-
<DMoppler>: - Because I figured the very second you'd get back you'd ask for one and the only reason you'd ask me about that is if you got one -
<Skyler>: -Fair enough. How do I keep it from snitching on me, though?-
<DMoppler>: - Well... convincing it I guess -
<Skyler>: -Oh. That sounds relatively easy. Are they reasonable?-
<DMoppler>: - Really. REALLY. Depends. Sif is a bitch but at least she listens, while Hubris is trying to take over the world. Never know what ya get -
<Skyler>: -Well, this one will imprint to me personally, so I assume it'll have my interests first.-
<DMoppler>: The elevator finally stops as it reaches the bottom floor and opens. Nothing has changed here, at least. Well, except one thing. The harpy in the tank has changed from looking serene to looking distraught in her sleep.
Skyler fishes the eye out of his pocket to contact Clara
<DMoppler>: Clara picks up the communicator. "Yeah?"
<Skyler>: "So, I forgot to poison Indulgence, but I got my own blank symbiote now. You were right about the white ones. Tony said they change colors though, so I'm not sure how you found one that was still white. Also, I'm in the room with sleeping beauty. All the partygoers from earlier are being used as guinea pigs in the labs."
<DMoppler>: "Well I'm sure you can go poison him now, provided he's come back. Kind of a big deal"
<Skyler>: "Should I go back, then?"
<DMoppler>: "Yeah, and you might want to figure out how you're going to get her out of there and not get caught immediately too. The very second you take her out of there the entire fort will be on the highest alert"
<Skyler>: "Yeeeaaaah... I thought the plan was the smash her out under the premise it would invariably set off whatever small-scale war we were gonna have, which is why I was checking with you before I did it."
Skyler gets back into the elevator
<Skyler>: "I have no idea how I could possibly /sneak/ her out."
<DMoppler>: "Well, I guess there would be one way if you're willing to work with Frankie on this one"
<DMoppler>: "Get a mirror down there somehow and pop her through"
<Skyler>: "Oooooh. Perfect, there's little to no risk then. Then the question is how I get the mirror into here without being attracting suspicion."
Skyler pressed the button to go back to the main floor of the lab
<DMoppler>: The elevator starts going up. "Well, bring a smaller mirror. Then she sticks her hand through and makes a bigger mirror that'll disappear after being used"
<Skyler>: "Oh, she can do that? Perfect, I think I have a hand mirror in the bathroom, I can just smuggle that back down. I'll poison the big guy and get that, and check back when I'm back down here. See you then."
<DMoppler>: "Alright, good luck out there"
Skyler pockets the eye again
<DMoppler>: Finally the elevator reaches the top once more.
Skyler makes his way back out, up to his room, to the bathroom to get a small mirror to pocket, and then to his fridge to find something large enough to pump two vials worth of contents into before feeding it to Indulgence
Skyler pulls out a WHOLE CAKE, cuts out a single slice, which he puts back on a plate in the fridge, and then takes out the two vials to empty entirely into the cake
Skyler then takes the cake and tries to find Indulgence
<DMoppler>: Indulgence is nowhere to be found in his usual places, leaving only his room with a hilariously huge doorway as the last option.
Skyler knocks a few times on the door, not wanting to catch any indecent giants
<DMoppler>: "Bah, come in" the booming voice of Indulgence calls through from behind the door
Skyler maneuvers the door open and walks in, holding a WHOLE CAKE
<Skyler>: "I'm cleaning out my fridge, and I'm not throwing away a whole cake for it to stink up my room. You want it?"
<Skyler>: "It tastes pretty bad, just as a warning. But, I mean, whatever."
<DMoppler>: Inside the room it looks more like a trophy hoard than a bedroom. Medals, treasures, gold, money, things of value of every variety strewn about his gigantic room. Indulgence is sitting cross legged on his bed that seems to strain to carry his titanic weight. "Yeah, put it over on the table there" he says over, an ornate sheathed Indian blade in his hands
Skyler makes a mental note that this is the specific place he's going to rob when this is all said and done, and places the cake on the table
<DMoppler>: "Feel free to have a seat or something. Take anything and I'll personally break you in two"
<DMoppler>: "In fact what have you been up to, kid" the eyebrows of the giant raise as he turned his attention to Skyler
<Skyler>: "Trust me, I'm smart enough to spite someone thousands of times stronger than myself. And I just got back from scouting."
Skyler takes a seat, taking much care not to disrespect the chair in case the man also values his furniture
<Skyler>: "I mean, /not/ to spite. Eheh. Anyways, me and Envy beat up some Brotherhood officials and then spent a long while waiting out their poison and oping we wouldn't die in the middle of the desert. It was great."
<DMoppler>: "Ya don't say. Brotherhood types are easy. Its them goddamn wannabe superheroes that get under the skin"
<DMoppler>: "I'll tell ya, a whole jet of them flew by to take me out. If I hadn't a caught em I hear they would have had some secret weapon that would have ended me"
<Skyler>: "I saw the wreckage. There's crystals littering the entire desert."
<DMoppler>: "And that little crystal girl too. All of them types from your school are sneaky bastards"
<Skyler>: "And, you mean the S-Men? That's where me and the boss comes from. I'm honestly not sure how the school's still standing, it seems like every student's capable of just accidentally blowing the whole place sky high if they sneeze wrong."
<DMoppler>: "That's whats its like here, though. Heh"
<Skyler>: "Back at my other school I always figured most people would be struggling for /more/ power, not too much. It's odd"
<DMoppler>: "Well power is a strange thing. You gotta be in the right mindset ta use it. Give a gun to a toddler you're probably not going to be parent of the year"
<DMoppler>: "Gotta keep it neutral so the power don't overwhelm or underwhelm ya. Accept what ya got and come up with a plan on how to work with it"
<DMoppler>: "Most kids don't know that when they mutate. I jus' happen'd to be a war vet at age 30 when I got mine"
<Skyler>: "I suppose so. It's just unnerving that so many people could be the end of me if they ever lost control for a single moment. Or that if they /did/ gain control, they could just reduce me to a grease stain."
<Skyler>: "I mean, it- it's not my power anymore, but mine was having wings. It's not the scariest thing."
<DMoppler>: "Well, I'll let ya in on a secret. I felt the same damn way" he pauses "- when I was a rookie in the army before all this mutant crap"
<DMoppler>: "With guns and how fragile the human body can be, jus' bout everybody can kill ya"
<DMoppler>: "At least with the powers you can expect it. Ya can't predict what a normal human'll do"
<DMoppler>: "Good thing those things'll be gone soon"
Skyler [internal panic]
<Skyler>: "Hah, yup. I actually just joined your ranks a short while ago today, so I'm also on board."
<DMoppler>: Indulgence bursts out in laughter at Skyler's visible discomfort.
Skyler nervously smiles and chuckles with him
<DMoppler>: "Right kid, right. Let me tell you somethin I've been noticin around here"
<DMoppler>: "For a group of people that are supposed to be endin the world, I can see just how unwillin they'd be to do it"
<DMoppler>: "That singer talks big but that's all she got, I've seen her face when she saw some of the more brutal attacks"
<DMoppler>: "Lust. Ha. Lust is a DANDY. She likes people too much to end em. I heard before that bug got 'n her she was some kind of hard gangster matriarch or something, but now she's just some drugged up whore"
<DMoppler>: "That kid the boss owns has probably never taken a life in his life"
Skyler [more nervous laughter]
<DMoppler>: "And you"
<DMoppler>: "You I don't believe fo' a second would have the nerve to kill /everybody/"
<DMoppler>: "You got some kinda fire 'n there but it ain't for this cause, I know that. It might not 'ven be yours"
<DMoppler>: "You jus' along for the ride"
<Skyler>: "...Every symbiote has a gimmick. Wrath had steam, Envy has speed, Blasphemy had mindfuckery, but I've never been given a clear explanation as to what it is you do."
<DMoppler>: "Nah kid. You're tryin' to change the subject. Lemme show you somethin"
<DMoppler>: Indulgence pulls the sword from its sheathe. Its incredibly decorated with hindu symbols and inscriptions and the blade itself looks to be made out of the tusk of an elephant.
<DMoppler>: "This here sword they gave 'ta every member of tha first major mutant group ever made. Back in India, MSFF, Mutant Special Frontier Force. Meant to be symbolic but it got its uses. Hand me one of them diamonds over there"
Skyler reaches over and hands Indulgence a diamond
<DMoppler>: The larger man takes it with a knowing grin. "Y'see this? Diamonds. One of the hardest substances and damn near impossible to cut with a weapon" he puts it down in front of him.
<DMoppler>: As if he was using a butter knife he slices the diamond, cutting it perfectly and effortlessly with each stroke until its chopped like a carrot.
<DMoppler>: "It can cut jus' bout anythin out there cause of some special blessing it got. But you know what it can't cut?"
<Skyler>: "...The bonds we share as friends?"
<DMoppler>: "HA! Nah, nah I think I can cut that"
<DMoppler>: Indulgence quickly turns and swings his blade.... directly at Skyler's head with such a speed he has no time to react.
<DMoppler>: As soon as it would have killed him the sword stops when it touches him, not even sending the force of a blunt blow to him. It just stops.
<DMoppler>: "Can't cut people"
Skyler silently widens his eyes and flinches backwards
<Skyler>: "O-oh. Okay."
<DMoppler>: "That's what you and the others are. You'll do everythin and go that extra mile, but no way in hell are you a natural born killer" he chuckles as he resheathes the blade
<Skyler>: "What can I say, sometimes it just seems like we're still more human than symbiote."
<DMoppler>: "Well humans don't want to wipe out humans, but I'll let that slide. Not like anythin' can stop us now"
<DMoppler>: "And as ya asked before, I /take/ things. Powers, health, energy, properties. I take all of it. Some of it ah keep"
<DMoppler>: "An' that's just what greed does"
<DMoppler>: "Gluttony is even mo' fun. Digestion" he picks up the diamonds in his hand, at will they start to sizzle and decompose into nothingness as if dissolved in acid.
Skyler realizes fully well why this is the particular lieutenant that needs to be poisoned before anyone can feasibly fight him.
<DMoppler>: "On top a that I'm immortal! Ha! Not even the sound can get to me"
<DMoppler>: "Ah'm the taste of the next world that'll come after this project is done"
<Skyler>: "Texas-sized?"
<DMoppler>: "Maybe. Point bein I just got two of these. This gon' be a whole world united as one"
<DMoppler>: "ah'm nothin compared to that"
<Skyler>: "I suppose you're right."
<DMoppler>: "So, anythin else you got on your little mind, Gibsun"
<Skyler>: "I see you misspelling my name, Indulgence."]
<DMoppler>: ["and WHAT will you DO about it"]
<Skyler>: "FIGHT MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE"]
Skyler goes redwings right then and there]
<Skyler>: "I mean, I guess not. Nothing to ask that really matters at this point."
<DMoppler>: "That's the spirit. Maybe they'll give you a symbiote and name is Futility and you can listen to some Linkin Park while the world ends. Hah!"
<Skyler>: "Hah. Wouldn't that be hilarious."
Skyler stands himself up and stretches his legs
<DMoppler>: "Don't pretend to like my humor, boy"
<DMoppler>: "I hate brown nosers"
<Skyler>: "Oh. In that case, you're full of shit and should stop making jokes entirely if that's going to be the par of quality."
<Skyler>: "And it wouldn't kill you to sort all this goddamned stuff out even a little."
<DMoppler>: "There we go. Some honesty for once"
<Skyler>: "Anyways, I'm going to take another stroll and then try sleeping for a bit, since that's what experts say new symbiote hosts should do."
<DMoppler>: "Congrats on the newborn and everything, you'll be a great mother" he turns his attention to the cake
<Skyler>: "Thanks, enjoy the cake. I'll see you around."
<DMoppler>: "Yeah, seeya Gibsun"
Skyler walks out of Indulgence's room and shuts the door behind him, looking down the hall of lieutenant rooms
<DMoppler>: Envy is probably inside hers based on what you can see. Wrath, Slug, and Blasphemy's seem to be locked shut. Lust's is... open, but the lack of anything coming out of it may mean its empty.
Skyler grumbles unenthusiastically and goes into Lust's room
<DMoppler>: True to the observation, nobody is home. It seems just as normal as usual. Purple and frilly and ungodly comfy and inviting. A suitcase lay next to one of the dressers, its locks unlocked as if it was just opened. Perfect chance to snoop around.
Skyler remembers not to let hsi guard down even when Lust seems absent and begins snooping around
<DMoppler>: Well one look under the bed reminds one that this is Lust's room and you shouldn't look under there again. She seems to have a lot of surprisingly good literature around the place and a small laptop that is unfortunately or fortunately password locked. The suitcase will probably need deliberate inspection.
Skyler does his best to forget what horrors live under Lust's bed and goes over to inspect the suitcase
<DMoppler>: [brb a mo]
<DMoppler>: [bac]
<DMoppler>: The suitcase has a little engraving in gold on the top of it. A name. Cecilia Fürst. It looks like quite the old and travel weary suitcase as well. Inside the first thing that catches one's eye is the submachine gun that lay casually on top of everything else.
<DMoppler>: Underneath it seems to be some kind of soft cloth obscuring the papers that lie under it.
Skyler decides to risk whatever consequences touching cloth in Lust's room may have, and take the papers out from under the cloth
<DMoppler>: Its pictures and newspapers. The pictures seem to be from all around Lust's life from childhood to before she was taken by the symbiote. She seemed to have a loving family and a healthy childhood, but around the time she was a teenager both seemed to be missing. Later on she started to become much tougher and serious looking, looking like a mobster.
<DMoppler>: The final pictures seem to be of her in prison and then right out of it looking somewhat of a wreck. The newspapers seem to be about several heists and robberies committed throughout Germany and the rest of Europe as well as the arrest of the famed thief.
<DMoppler>: And finally a small note that seems to have the word "remember" written in several languages.
Skyler frowns and puts the papers back in the suitcase, save the "remember" one, wondering if it's smart to humanize his enemies so much.
Skyler looks around the room once more to make sure he's still in the clear and stands up, pocketing the paper
<DMoppler>: Back outside there's a loud crash to be heard, the sound of some kind of unnatural boom that only Doppler could make.
Skyler looks around to see if there's some sort of window to watch from
<DMoppler>: Well, outside the room and in the lobby, the DM means. Either way we'll say he went out there. First thing he can see is Lust slumped down against the spire on the ground floor, and second he can see Doppler looking down from the top with a deathly expression on his face.
<DMoppler>: "Insubordination will NOT be tolerated. There are already rumors of spies in the works, you think I'm dumb enough to let questioning authority pass?!" he sounds furious
Skyler tries to watch from as safe a distance as possible, maintaining his best pokerface
<DMoppler>: "The rest of you! Listen up! This WHORE here thought best to declare my rapidly expanding plans SUICIDAL to the project! Now I see, finally, that it may well have been HER that was undermining us all along! And the sentence for treachery is death!"
<DMoppler>: Lust is still alive by the looks of it, at least, but severely beaten up.
<DMoppler>: "Don't have anything to say back, Lust?! Having trouble speaking?! If you were innocent you would not be here right now, now TELL ME WHO YOU ARE WORKING WITH!"
<DMoppler>: Doppler sounds unhealthily angry, obviously in a blind rage and looking for something to take his aggression out on.
<DMoppler>: "IF ANYBODY ELSE HERE IS FOUND AS SHE I WILL PERSONALLY SEE THEM DEAD" his voice screams out. "SKYLER, INDULGENCE, ENVY, I DON'T CARE. I WILL END ANY OF YOU WHO STEP OUT OF LINE"
<Skyler>: "...If I may."
Skyler steps out, adjusting his collar and taking a deep breath
<DMoppler>: Doppler's grim gaze now casts on Skyler.
<Skyler>: "Tony, there's clearly something going on in the base, I'
<Skyler>: m not going to pretend that everything's fine and dandy and that there's no reason to be upset. But would a /traitor/ have the audacity to try and criticize the plan we've currently got set up? Make no mistake, she's clearly acting rash and idiotically to step so far out of line, but clearly if she thinks that things need to be improved...
<Skyler>: ...and is willing to act so... /illogically/..." Skyler gives Lust a death glare "...she's still on some level trying to act on the plan's best interest, and is trying to better it for it's sake. Perhaps you should be punishing her on her methodology, and lack of respect, but it seems rash to assume she's traitorous when she's trying to help."
<Skyler>: "Thinning our own ranks isn't going to help us at all."
<DMoppler>: Doppler grumbles under his breath, looking internally conflicted as he looks back and forth trying to make an excuse or anything.
<DMoppler>: Lust looks up, mostly in disbelief that Skyler actually stood up for her.
<DMoppler>: ".......God FUCKING damnit I hate it when you have a point, Skyler"
<Skyler>: "Whatever it takes to make sure we succeed at our goals, Tony."
<DMoppler>: Tony rubs his head, looking like he's having the worst migraine of his life. "....dismissed. Back to your posts" he grunts as he turns back to his office
Skyler does a small bow to Doppler and then helps Lust back onto her feet
<DMoppler>: Lust gets up with Skyler's help, but its obvious from her lack of balance and the marks on her that the damage isn't something the symbiote could repair in a few minutes. "Th-thanks..." she says up to him as she's helped up
<DMoppler>: "I.... I d-didn't say anything t-to the boss... I just..." she ends her sentence there, knowing that Doppler can hear her
<Skyler>: "It's fine. C'mon, I'm taking you back to your filthy sex dungeon so you can recover."
Skyler literally uses his foot to sweep Lust off her feet and hold her bridal style, looking 100% done with this shit as he does so.
<DMoppler>: Lust doesn't even have the energy or hornyness to make a witty comeback to that right now
Skyler carries her back to her room and rolls her back onto her bed
<DMoppler>: Even in a situation where she could skew it into something lewd... she doesn't. Things seem to have gotten more serious than that. The strings of her sweater extend out across the room as they did before, crewing a sound-proof bubble around the two as she rubs her bruised head.
<DMoppler>: "....Th-The boss is hearing things. I didn't s-say a word, I just... walked by h-him and he started reacting so s-some silent voice doubting him..."
<DMoppler>: "I think he's l-losing it..."
<Skyler>: "No shit. Just avoid him as best you can until you do whatever it is you're supposed to be contributing in this whole mess."
Skyler walks over and takes the suitcase and tosses it onto her bed next to her, allowing the contents to fall out
<Skyler>: "Explain this."
<DMoppler>: Lust looks over at the contents, completely mystified
<DMoppler>: "...I don't know"
<Skyler>: "You don't remember?"
<DMoppler>: She weakly sits up, taking a few of the pictures and looks through them. To anybody else it would be obvious its her that's in them, but Lust... "I don't know who this is. Why i-is this in my room?"
<DMoppler>: She can't even recognize herself.
Skyler frowns and takes the paper out of his pocket
<Skyler>: "It's you."
<DMoppler>: Lust takes the paper, looking at it without a clue for a moment. Then her eyes widen some. "Th.....that's my h-handwriting..." she seems to be able to recognize that, at least.
<DMoppler>: A solid moment of looking at it and cogs turning in her head and the initial disbelief pass before a look of realizing dread goes over her face.
<DMoppler>: "I d-don't remember writing this. Wh-Where did you get this? Was it i-in the suitcase?"
Skyler frowns. This /definitely/ isn't the type of interaction you're supposed to have with someone on your "to kill" list.
<Skyler>: "Yes. It was with the pictures."
<DMoppler>: She looks back at the pictures then to the stories and then to her own name on the suitcase. The realization fully kicks in as its confirmed. Starting off with a small sniffle she starts to quietly cry.
<DMoppler>: She's realized she's forgotten herself. And the way the suitcase was in the room and the multiple scribblings on the paper the more horrifying reality may be that this wasn't the first time either, she just forgot those too.
<DMoppler>: The symbiote veins seem to be pulsing and trying to regain control feverishly, but in the moment at least she is free from it.
Skyler watches over in a solemn silence
<DMoppler>: Lust pulls her hair down and attempts to wipe the tears and makeup from her face, trying to regain some amount of composure. "....th-thank you, Skyler...." she said in a hushed tone, looking down at her own pictures
<Skyler>: "I'm going to get rid of your symbiote, and hopefully into some place more hospitable than the mob. Thank me then."
<DMoppler>: "....alright, but... you'll remember that right? I-I... I don't think I'll even know this h-happened an hour from now"
<Skyler>: "I'll remember."
Skyler anxiously combs his fingers through his hair and looks around the room
<DMoppler>: "thank you" she nods, taking a few deep breaths to calm herself. "You.. you sh-should leave. It'll l-look suspicious if you stick a-around too long"
<Skyler>: "You're the embodiment of lust, I don't think conspiring is what they'd expect us to be doing in a room along together."
<DMoppler>: "I know, just... after wh-what happened is all. I'll, uh, I'll figure out how I can help when th-the final attack happens. The.... cannons" she thought to herself
<DMoppler>: "T-Tell me to deal with the cannons. I can block them up, d-destroy their means of deploying troops and connecting t-to those outside the area"
<DMoppler>: "Will that do?"
<Skyler>: "...I honestly don't know if that would help; we've already got a plan to get rid of the soldiers entirely now. But I'll tell you anyways, or if anything else you can do comes up. I'm sure there'll be something, no matter how it plays out."
<DMoppler>: "Th-They have storage. Inside th-the walls they have b-backup soldiers for emergencies"
<DMoppler>: "Even i-if you cut off the supply t-they could still field a large f-force"
<Skyler>: "Ah. In that case, I'll make a point to remind you. Don't worry about it then."
Skyler goes back to reorganize the contents of the suitcase
<DMoppler>: She nods, adjusting her hair that has since gotten messy after being undone. With the help of Skyler she repacks the suitcase. Except for the SMG. Lust dismantles it, tossing the pieces into a trash to the side
<Skyler>: "Get some rest, Cecilia. You'll need it."
<DMoppler>: "Right... I will" she tucks the suitcase to the side as she gets back into bed. "Stay safe out there, alright?"
<Skyler>: "I will, everything's going to be fine" Skyler says with a smile
<DMoppler>: Cecilia smiles back, finally laying down to rest as the sound proofing fades away.
Skyler immediately stops smiling, and exits the room with an exhausted sigh.
Skyler goes back down to the lab, and then to the basement, and boots the eye back up
<DMoppler>: Clara's voice comes through "Alright, what's new?"
Skyler walks around, and finds an inconspicuous place to put the mirror
<Skyler>: "Well, first of all, Tony's an even bigger mess than before. He's nude, except wearing some of that crazy symbiote armor. He also looks drastically malnourished, and he's started hearing things. Which I think is the actual Tony, talking to Hubris.
<Skyler>: Uhm, also, despite the obvious bad impressions, Lust is actually a sort of decent person behind the symbiote destroying her personality. If push comes down to shove, she should live."
<Skyler>: "The fat guy's still a cunt though. I gave him a toxic cake."
<Skyler>: "Aaaaand, now the mirror's been planted."
<DMoppler>: "Then we should be ready to start the final process before Tony goes too far"
<Skyler>: "Good. I'm gonna get some rest then, I think my own symbiote's starting to become a little bit of a drain."
<DMoppler>: "Yeah, try to make sure that it doesn't get too powerful on you. Who knows what a blank one is capable of doing given the nature of the others"
<Skyler>: "Eh, I should be fine. I'm kind of banking on it feeding off of my crazy demon energy, which means when I run out it'll just die since nobody else on the planet's got the same stuff."
<Skyler>: "I mean, it's not really a personality trait, which means I'm sorta cheating the whole brainwashing bit. I think I'll do well enough."
Skyler gives a shrug that's probably too nonchalant given the context
<DMoppler>: "Alright, just be careful with it"
<Skyler>: "Don't worry about it, just focus on whatever it is that's going down on your half for now."
<DMoppler>: "Will do"
<Skyler>: "Signing out then. See you in half a day or so, assuming."
<DMoppler>: "Clara out" the eye shuts down and floats back into his pocket
Skyler goes aaaaaall the way back up to the main rooms, and then to Envy's room
<DMoppler>: Envy's room is somewhat similar to Skyler's room, actually. She hasn't taken much time to personalize it beyond bringing along a few of her instruments. The rocker girl is looking through the fridge for a drink.
<Skyler>: -Sup.-
<DMoppler>: - Nothing much, managed to recover from getting my eardrums assaulted and have been sitting around waiting for orders-
Skyler slumps down onto Envy's bed in a tired heap
<Skyler>: -That's good. I kept Lust from getting murdered not 15 minutes ago.-
<DMoppler>: Envy takes her [BRAND SODA] out of the fridge and looks over at Skyler laying on her bed, only half surprised by this now.
<DMoppler>: - Really? Can't imagine what would possess you to save purple sweater but hey, plans a plan -
<DMoppler>: - Learn anything? -
<Skyler>: -Well, it turns out she's only the way she is because she's constantly having her memory wiped.-
<Skyler>: -Oh, I also gave the big guy a poisoned cake after much awkward smalltalk. He seems like a surprisingly wise person, considering the fact he's totally on board with the whole "end the world" thing.-
<DMoppler>: - Well, that's not one but two surprises in one day -
<Skyler>: -Yeah. He also has /tons/ of cool shit in his room. If there's a place to loot, it's there.-
Skyler rolls over to sprawl out further, letting out another tired/anxious sigh/groan
<DMoppler>: - I'll keep that in mind after he's gone -
<DMoppler>: Envy drinks most of her soda, then puts it to the side and hops onto the bed right next to Skyler.
<DMoppler>: - Always knew the guy was holding out on the rest of us. I swear I sometimes just think about that kinda stuff all the time -
<DMoppler>: - What other people have and stuff..... alright that sounded depressing I'll stop -
<Skyler>: -It's all gold. And jewels, and diamonds. He has a magical sword that can cut anything except people.-
<Skyler>: -I'm /going/ to get a souvenir from that room. I'm sure there's /something/ in there that isn't enormous and garish.-
<DMoppler>: - Well, I'll get two then -
<DMoppler>: - Its settled -
Skyler smiles and does that thing where you kinda puff air out of your nose without fully laughing. I don't think there's a word for it.
<Skyler>: -Perfect. Can I have something to drink?-
<DMoppler>: - What kind do you want? -
<Skyler>: -I could honestly care less. Whatever's in the fridge.-
<DMoppler>: - Ha ha, we're getting you drunk then -
<DMoppler>: Envy hops out of the bed to the fridge
<Skyler>: -Oh shit, that's right. I have a healing factor again.-
<DMoppler>: - Yeah but yours is sentient. It can let some things through if it wants to -
<Skyler>: -Well, I meant more along the lines that I can slowly feel my heart reconstructing itself. I stopped being able to get drunk when there was zero bloodflow, but I think I'm over that now.-
<DMoppler>: - so you're getting plastered or what? -
<Skyler>: -Oh, totally. And I'm back to not getting hung over afterwards.-
<DMoppler>: Envy brings back [ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE] for the both of them, lying back down next to him and handing him his
Skyler sits himself back up and takes his drink
<Skyler>: -I think, all things considered, this whole ordeal has turned out as the best case scenario.-
<DMoppler>: She drinks along with him, nodding pleasantly
<Skyler>: -Tony's been surprisingly reasonable, even when he's really slipping... but he's still alive, which means he can be saved. And everyone else is still alive, except Wrath, who was the only one who would inevitably die anyways. And we've got the means to save everyone now, including that one girl.-
<Skyler>: -And the entire time I really haven't had to do anything crazy, except the one stint against those Brotherhood guys, which was handled pretty nicely, considering.-
<DMoppler>: - Then you can save the world, go home, get the girl, win the prize, and make up all that homework you missed -
<Skyler>: -Oh, /fuuuuck/, I am gonna have all that homework to do, huh...-
Skyler falls back onto the bed and laughs
<DMoppler>: Envy chuckles with him, taking another drink with a smile.
Skyler takes a very large swig from his drink, and lets out a satisfied 'ah'
<DMoppler>: - Hey, I've been out here longer, I still got work to make up too. We're both screwed~ -
<Skyler>: -Hah, I guess so. It just sucks we're going to different continents afterwards.-
<DMoppler>: - About that... -
<DMoppler>: Envy quickly takes a piece of paper out of her pocket and passes it to him
<DMoppler>: Hint: Its the deets
Skyler smiles and pockets the deets
<Skyler>: -You remembered!-
<DMoppler>: - Shush, I just wanted to keep in contact was all -
<Skyler>: -Oh, c'mon, that was the whole point.-
Skyler takes another swig from his drink
<DMoppler>: Envy is that bad at being coy.
<DMoppler>: - Probably going to send you some people I know if you want to get into the music deal, don't know much about clarinet but hey, you do it fine -
<DMoppler>: - Consider it a thanks for saving the world gift -
<Skyler>: -I do other stuff, too! I learned the guitar and keyboard. And the drums. It's just I can't play the latter two anymore because uh, I used to have wings, which were like hands, and... it's complicated.-
Skyler another swig
<DMoppler>: Envy has been pretty consistently drinking the entire time.
<Skyler>: -My friends bought me a guitar that cost thousands of dollars because they thought it was hilarious that I have the same last name as a guitar brand. I really would have never learned it otherwise. Too hipstery.-
<DMoppler>: - Heh, Gibson -
<Skyler>: -Laugh it up, because I'm better at the guitar than any of those assholes now.-
<DMoppler>: - I'm gonna have to see you play sometime then -
Skyler does a smug grin and continues drinking [which I will say is implied from now on for everyone's convenience]
<Skyler>: -I could totally be a rockstar with you guys. I'll just sing all your French with a heavy, unintelligible American accent!-
<DMoppler>: - People love that foreign shit, they think its exotic -
<Skyler>: -You think I'm exotic~?-
<DMoppler>: - .....Well now that I think about it, yep -
<Skyler>: -Hah! I like your accent, too.-
<DMoppler>: - Th-thanks. And here we were saying we were going to turn down the flirting -
<Skyler>: -Oh, I think we're allowed to lighten up for just one afternoon in this whole mess. We've got some downtime for once.-
<DMoppler>: - That's true. I'm going to enjoy it while I can -
Skyler holds his arm up above his head, flexing it to try and coax one of the iconic symbiote veins to show themselves
<Skyler>: -...Y'know, if we're being totally honest, when I came here I really didn't think I was going to accomplish anything here. Let alone make it out alive.-
<DMoppler>: - You doubt yourself too much then. -
<DMoppler>: - What matters is that you did it -
<Skyler>: -To be fair, I wasn't aware that I even had that crazy ace up my sleeve, or that all of you people were already conspiring against Hubris.-
<Skyler>: -...I'm still not sure how safe that ace is, either. I felt like I was ready to keel over after using the smallest bit of it, I don't know if I can survive the climactic finale against Hubris, even if he's not what kills me.-
<DMoppler>: - That might be where this little thing comes in handy -
Skyler punctuates his thought with an especially long drink
<Skyler>: -The symbiote?-
*** DMoppler quit (Quit: http://www.mibbit.com ajax IRC Client)
*** Envy joined #ProgressFOREVER
<Envy>: [back, where was we]
<Skyler>: <DMoppler>: - That might be where this little thing comes in handy - Skyler punctuates his thought with an especially long drink <Skyler>: -The symbiote?-]
Envy traces the tip of one of her fingers along his arm, the vein showing itself for a brief moment as she does so
<Envy>: - Exactly. Might just be the thing that balances it out so you don't end up killing yourself fighting -
<Skyler>: -How's you..?-
<Envy>: - They react to each other when close, and I figured that whatever that power is powers your new friend instead of messing with your head -
<Skyler>: -Huh... it does seem useful, though.-
<Envy>: - I think you're going to make it out alive. You better, anyway -
<Skyler>: -I'll try.-
<Envy>: - Good -
Envy finds it the right moment to mess with him a bit and give him a kiss on the cheek while also coming off as sincere. Also leaves a little green lipstick mark.
<Skyler>: -I digress. The point I was trying to lead to...-
Skyler leans over and leans in for a kiss, before taking another drink and smiling
<Skyler>: -...Is that whatever happens, we've only got a limited amount of time to enjoy with each other, and that it makes sense to make it count.-
Envy after a moment of intense blushing usually uncharacteristic of her, she finally gives in and gives Skyler a full kiss. She's a sucker for the romantic stuff.
Skyler smiles and returns again, leaning in closer and putting a hand around her waist
<Skyler>: -What happened to the punk rocker who's just too cool for all that classical nonsense?-
<Envy>: - I think I can make an exception. Nothing wrong with trying -
Envy pulls in as close as she can with a warm embrace. She seems a lot more lovey dovey than she usually puts on.
Skyler visibly lets go of a certain tension that you might not have realized he seemed to have until then, giving the first genuine breathe of relaxation he's had since his onscreen debut
Envy for once doesn't have the tinge of jealousy or heartbreak affecting her. Instead now she seems somewhat content with what she has now that she has it, even if its for a short time.
<Skyler>: (Aaaaaand fade to black.)