ClockQuest Complete Logs (Pt. 1)

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[22:15] <DrEvilKitteh> (Now starting a semi-random meeting between two polar-opposite Megucas. Pun semi-intended.)
[22:15] <DrEvilKitteh> Iris walked through the sprawl of the Overcity, unblinking silver-white eyes surveying the environment from beneath her beaked hood. She was justifiable cautious of this place-between-places, especially since you never knew what you'd find, seeing as how it was everchanging. Or most places were, anyway. Speaking of which...
[22:15] <DrEvilKitteh> She came to a stop and gave another look around the street she'd just turned onto. This wasn't quite right, no... Hm. It seemed as though some exploring was in order to find the correct path through this recently-changed section of the Overcity. Iris sprang up and caught the ledge of a nearby building's window, then started to quickly haul herself up towards the roof, making handholds with her fingers when necessary.
[22:15] <DrEvilKitteh> Upon pulling herself onto the edge of the roof, she crouched and slowly turned her head, taking in the block immediately around herself. With luck, she'd fine the portal fairly quickly. If...she wasn't, then she always had her warhammer and hammerspace arsenal to deal with anything she came across.
[22:17] <MorganaAurora> [is the cute about to go down?]
[22:17] <DrEvilKitteh> (Probably gonna be a little bit of awkward cute, yes.)
[22:17] <MorganaAurora> [nice, canon? ]
[22:18] <Flamy> (I fear for our futures.)
[22:18] <Tangent> [Unless I royally derp up characterization xD]
[22:29] <Tangent> Amelia wishes her costume had pockets so she could stuff her hands in them. Instead, her thin arms are at her sides as she grumpily picks her way down the Overcity street. There's a scowl on her angular features- that overcity hunt'd gotten nowhere fast. Eventually she and Alexa had just called it off and made their way back to the Wand and Circlet when it'd become obvious that, no, there wasn't going to be a monster to stop.
[22:29] <Tangent> Part of her'd wanted to keep going anyway- to keep going further, find something that needed to be stopped and stop it...but she didn't want a repeat of the first Overcity hunt. The time she'd nearly gotten Alexa- and her- killed.
[22:35] <Tangent>  Alexa was back at the Wand and Circlet. Amelia'd told her she was just going for a quick walk- clearing her head- and that she was fine. Part of that was actually true. Pent-up irritation, old and new worries, and a generally black mood made themselves known in her gait and expression. Right now, she'd welcome a monster attack- at least then this trip wouldn't have been a waste of time. At least then she could have done something.
[22:46] <DrEvilKitteh> Iris was about to leap across the street to another building in order to find another vantage points, but paused when she spotted someone walk across the street, heading perpendicular to it about a hundred feet further down the road from where she was. The person was either moving slowly, or the street was rather wide. Or both.
[22:46] <DrEvilKitteh> Iris tilted her head as she considered her options, then figured 'What the hell'. She jogged to the edge of the building and hopped off, descending to the sidewalk below with her waist cloak-dress streaming out behind her. She landed and rolled, then popped up and made her way in the direction the other person had gone. They'd passed behind the building on the other side of the street around a corner by then, however, so she ran after them and slowed as she turned the corner. Her footsteps were soft but audible, as she didn't want the mystery person to think she was attempting to sneak up on them. Well, unless they were secretly bad or something, but again, worst case scenario.
[23:13] <Tangent> Amelia's having second thoughts about going for a walk. She's not worried- it's just too quiet. Makes it TOO easy to think. Worry. Second guess herself and her screw-ups. She wanted to do things right, do something that mattered...but what's she even /doing/? Alexa trusts her- mostly- but if she can't even keep her safe from her own mistakes, should she?
[23:13] <Tangent> Is this what she's supposed to do? Just go looking for problems to solve, trying to do something good for a change? This time was just a flop, but what if she messes up again? Badly enough that she can't keep Alexa from getting hurt? She'd decided she'd call herself a paladin..but right now, she's not even sure what that should mean.
[23:13] <Tangent>  She's not paying attention to much of anything. Iris goes unnoticed.
[23:13] <Tangent>  Amelia shakes her head, irritably, and comes to a stop. She's heading back, she decided. This was pointless.  She turns around, and starts.
[23:13] <Tangent>   "Huh?" she blurts. Tall's the first thought to come to mind when she sees the other, followed by...pretty. In an unearthly, eerie sort of way. Yeah, probably a magical girl. She blinks up at the other...magical girl? "Who..who are you?" Her voice's shrill.
[23:13] <Tangent> A thought strikes her. "Wait, were you following me?" She demands, putting her hands on her hips and looking the strange girl in the eyes. A bit harder than it sounds and she has to tilt her head back to do it.
[23:14] <Tangent>   For all she usually considers being Meguca a chance to matter, she does miss being able to easily reach the top shelf.  She shakes her head. Never mind that. Her hand's resting on her sword hilt as she stares at the stranger.
[23:25] <DrEvilKitteh> “I am Iris,” the ice girl replied, plenty of practice allowing the words to come easily and naturally to her. The...same didn't go for the rest of her speaking, sadly. “I...was looking...for...portal back...to a world. But...I...was lost.” Her eyes, still unblinking, flicked around, glancing at the immediate environment. “Was...won-der-ring...if...you knew...where...a portal is. So...I saw you...then...followed from there.” She gestured back at the corner she'd rounded just moments earlier.
[23:32] <Tangent> "...Oh." Some of the fire seems to ebb from Amelia's pose. She looks a bit sheepish as she stands there, taking her hand off her sword a moment later. Iris's speech patterns come as a surprise- somehow she'd expected her to be a lot more...eloquent. "Um...I..." Amelia starts to say. "I don't know where most of the portals are..." She admits, reluctantly.
[23:33] <Tangent> She's what? Clueless? "...If you're lost...I can show you where the Wand and Circlet is. I just came from there." She offers. "You've been there before, right? Someone there might know where your portal is."
[23:43] <DrEvilKitteh> “I...just came...from there, too,” Iris replied. The slight movement of her eyebrows and the way her shoulders subtly shifted gave Amelia the impression that she seemed disappointed. Still, she was relieved that the other girl had taken her hand off the hilt of her sword and appeared less confrontational. “It...should be, uhm...near, but...Over-city...moves. Un-predic-table. Also annoying.” She sighed softly through her nose and turned to cast her gaze around, again. “...And...I not think...man-y...know...where...Maya's portal is. She...on-ly take...few...people there.”
[23:57] <Tangent> Amelia chews her lip. There's only one answer she should...can...give to that. "...Need help looking for it?"
[23:59] <Tangent> She needs help. What kind of magical girl would she be not to give it?
[00:09] <DrEvilKitteh> Iris' eyes slid back down to regard Amelia. "...Yes. Are...you...go-ing to help?" she asked, seeming a bit hopeful.
[00:12] <Tangent> "Well...Yeah?" Amelia nods. She seems to perk up a bit at the prospect of helping. "I mean, I'll try, not sure how much I can but yeah, of course. I'm Amelia, by the way. Flaming Ace Paladin Amelia." A smile sneaks onto her face, and she puffs herself up a bit- though it's probably a bit hard to tell.
[00:12] <Tangent> "...Um. So what's this portal look like?" She adds a moment later, a bit sheepishly.
[00:19] <DrEvilKitteh> “E-mi-li-a.” Iris slowly nodded, then made a confused noise. “...Er. That...uhm. Name...of...some-one else, I think...?”
[00:24] <Tangent> "Huh? Um. " Amelia blinks up at Iris. "There's someone else called Amelia? Well, it's a common name...It's not like I picked it myself..." She shakes her head.
[00:30] <DrEvilKitteh> “Hm.” She thought back to how Amelia had pronounced her name, and Emilia's pronunciation of hers. They were...similar, but not /quite/ the same. “...A-me-li-a,” she said after a bit. Then she pursed her lips slightly. "...I am...just...Iris. Which...I picked...for myself.” The ice girl "Hm"-d and tilted her head, wondering if just having the name 'Iris' wasn't good enough, and if she had to maybe add on a more flowery title like Amelia. Or, god forbid, /Akira/. But...she didn't really want to do that, so she figured she wouldn't. At least not anytime in the near future.
[00:33] <Tangent> "Oh. Neat." Amelia blinks, questions coming to mind. "So...um, where're you from?" She asks, stepping closer to the taller girl.
[00:37] <DrEvilKitteh> Iris held up a hand, then looked around for a moment. “Amelia...wanted to know...what...portal looked like, first. Yes?” She then beckoned and led Amelia to the mouth of a nearby alley. "It...should be...at the end...of one of these," she said, gesturing to indicate the alley. "Um. It, uh..." She contemplated the question of how it looked for a second, then walked to the end of the alley. A small hilt appeared in her hand, and she pressed an activation button on the side. An energy blade flared to life, looking almost like an honest-to-goodness lightsaber. She stuck the tip in the wall, then slowly moved it around until it made an oval on the side of the wall about seven, eight feet wide, and ten or eleven feet tall.
[00:37] <DrEvilKitteh> The blade flickered as Iris deactivated it, then stored the item back in her hammerspace. “About...this...big,” she said, gesturing to the oval, the lines of which were red-hot and rapidly cooling. “And...um. Maybe...like...this color?” She walked back over to Amelia and produced a rather large opal that seemed to shine bright and radiant. “...Hm. Not...quite, but...this...close.” She looked the opal over again, then watched it vanish back into her hammerspace as she lowered her arm.
[00:43] <Tangent> Amelia makes a surprised noise at the lightsaber- she has to resist the urge to fangirl for a moment- but watches Iris's...demonstration. "I...Right, got it."She nods. Where'd that gem gone? "Okay, sounds easy enough." She comments. "Let's go?"
[00:46] <DrEvilKitteh> Iris nodded. "Yes. Let's...go." She looked around, then crouched and sprang up high. Claws of ice materialized on her hands, allowing her to stab into the wall of the nearest building and quickly ascend it. "I can look...from...up here," she called down.
[00:51] <Tangent> Amelia looks flatfooted for a moment. She's never quite managed roofhopping, not like Alexa... "Got it!" She calls. "I...I'll check the ground!"
[01:05] <DrEvilKitteh> Iris nodded, then started scanning the nearby environment once again. She trotted along the edge of the roof, then once she was done there, sprang over to the next one. She made sure to keep Amelia in sight during her journey across the roofs, however.
[01:05] <DrEvilKitteh> (And pause for now.)

[23:14] <DrEvilKitteh> [00:51] <Tangent> Amelia looks flatfooted for a moment. She's never quite managed roofhopping, not like Alexa... "Got it!" She calls. "I...I'll check the ground!"
[23:14] <DrEvilKitteh> [01:05] <DrEvilKitteh> Iris nodded, then started scanning the nearby environment once again. She trotted along the edge of the roof, then once she was done there, sprang over to the next one. She made sure to keep Amelia in sight during her journey across the roofs, however.
[23:20] <Tangent> Amelia jogs down the street, glancing up every so often, blue eyes peeking out from under her black hair that's drawn into a long ponytail. She's casually holding her sword and twirling it in her grip as she walks along, checking every side alley. "So...What're you here in the Overcity for, anyway?" She tries to ask, calling up to the taller girl.
[23:31] <DrEvilKitteh> Iris paused for a moment as she crouched on the edge of a rooftop. Comparisons could be made between her and Batman at that time, but it'd be kinda stupid to actually do so. "...Safety," she finally came up with as an answer. "And...now? I...stay...because of...friends." She did a quick scan of the area she could see. "...What...about...A-me-lia?" she asked after a moment.
[23:37] <Tangent> Amelia looks up. Safety? The Overcity? Safe? "Oh. Well...I guess...I guess I'm here because..." She chews her lip. "Because this is where the monsters are. It's somewhere new, and strange, and exciting, and it's where I...we..should be, if we want to make things better. And I guess it's where all the girls end up going, sooner or later..." She shrugs.
[23:46] <DrEvilKitteh> "...Make...things better," Iris mused. "I...mm. I only...try...to survive...before I came here. Not...think...there is anything...to make better...on my world." She paused for a moment, then gave a small, awkward shrug. "...But...maybe...not. Maybe...if...I can find...the Last City, then...I could...do something."
[23:48] <Tangent> "...Your world?" Amelia looks up, her tone curious. "What's it like?" She's still not used to meeting people from other...Earths to the point where it still surprises her.
[23:50] <DrEvilKitteh> Iris jumped to another building and found a new perch before answering. "From how...I...describe it, others...say...it is called...'post-apocalyptic'. Buildings, cities...destroyed. Few...people. Many...Bad things...wander around."
[23:51] <Tangent> Amelia winces. "Oh. Uh, sorry to hear that..." Smooth, Amelia. "And...and the Puuchu made you the offer, right? Yeah...I'd have taken it too..."
[23:52] <Tangent> She's probably the only person she knows who actually signed up for it. She doesn't remember specifics, but she knows she'd had a life, and she must have INTENTIONALLY given it up by saying yes, even if she can't remember much about it.
[23:55] <DrEvilKitteh> Another awkward shrug. "I do...not know. I...awoke...about, uhm...three, or four, years...ago. Not...remember...anything, ex-cept...how...to survive. Amne-sia." Iris tilted her head slightly. "...I...have heard...about...'Puchuu'. They...might be...similar...to...my 'Guar-dian Spi-rit'. Or...so...Maya calls it."
[23:57] <Tangent> "I...Sorry." Amelia blurts. "Yeah...Alexa told me that's what they're called...Mine just sort of...left after..." she babbles. She ducks into another alley. "Empty." She calls up.
[00:00] <DrEvilKitteh> "Mine...is...ap-pa-rently...on...my back," Iris said. At the call of 'Empty', she nodded and relocated.
[00:00] <DrEvilKitteh> !roll 1d100
[00:00] <Zeneroller> DrEvilKitteh: 29
[00:13] <DrEvilKitteh> (^Just the difficulty modifier, fyi)
[00:17] <DrEvilKitteh> Amelia would likely hear it first, though Iris would catch it a few seconds later. Heavy footsteps, many of them. Rapid clicking, whirring, and grinding, though it was muffled by distance and what the gears were inside of.
[00:19] <Tangent> "Hey, wait!" Amelia calls. "I think I hear...something..." She grips her sword tighter. "Who's there!" She yells, raising her sword slightly. Not a fan of ambush tactics then...
[00:26] <DrEvilKitteh> Iris trotted to the edge of her building and looked down at Amelia, then listened to the sound. Whatever it was--or whatever /they/ were--nothing seemed to change about the footsteps. They remained steady, and were slowly drawing closer. The sound of multiple somethings being wheeled along now added to the combined noise, like wheelbarrows or trolleys being pushed down the street. Iris hopped off the building and landed next to Amelia, then held a finger up to her own mouth in a 'Shush' gesture. She pointed to a fire escape in the nearest alley, leading up to the roof of a building. "...Get...a better look," she explained her plan in a whisper.
[00:28] <Tangent> Amelia considers this...then nods. "...Got it." she whispers back, darting over to the fire escape. Despite her best efforts, she's not entirely silent as she clambers her way up- even if she's less noisy than before.
[00:30] <DrEvilKitteh> Iris led the way up the fire escape, then paused and sighed slightly. She motioned for Amelia to stay still, then gently and carefully picked the Fire Paladin up so as to not overly startle the smaller girl. "Stay...quiet." She bent her knees, then sprang up high and landed on the roof in a crouch.
[00:33] <Tangent> "E-eh? What..." Amelia blurts, then falls silent as she clues in. Her pale skin's suddenly flushed from embarassment at being carried like...a parcel, but she doesn't wriggle...much. The wind blows around them and her stomach seems to plummet like a rock as Iris leaps.
[00:37] <DrEvilKitteh> "Two...more...jumps," Iris informed Amelia in a whisper. She repositioned the smaller girl so that she was holding her in a bridal or princess carry, then sprinted in the direction street below the building and jumped. It looked like it would be a dicey landing...until a ramp made out of ice formed, neatly curving up and allowing Iris to land on it and slide down it, then up a little arch on the back part of the ramp in order to bleed off some momentum. She easily landed on the roof, then looked down at Amelia. "Are...you okay?" she inquired.
[00:45] <Tangent> "I...F-fine." Amelia blurts, looking up at the other girl. Iris's very close. "Um...Yeah. I'm fine...Just...didn't expect you to...um, do that." She hastily changes the subject. "You...Um, you can...can let go now, right?" She suggests.
[00:53] <DrEvilKitteh> "One more," Iris reminded Amelia. She broke into a sprint again, then lept up high so she could reach the top of the next building, higher than the one they were currently on. The ice girl wobbled slightly after landing on the edge, then regained her balance and took a step forward. That done, the finally obliged Amelia by setting her down. "Now...we can...watch." She hunkered down and slunk to the opposite side of the roof. About ten feet away, she went down on her stomach and stealthily crawled the rest of the way, then peered over the edge.
[00:53] <DrEvilKitteh> Their current building was on the corner of an intersection, with the street they'd just jumped across running perpendicular to the street the “convoy” was moving down. Iris was staring to her left, to whatever it was making the noise. It or they hadn't reached the intersection yet, but it was definitely close.
[01:00] <Tangent> There's a clunk from behind Iris. For whatever reason, Amelia's just stomped on her own foot. Rather hard, actually. And she seems very interested in a blank patch of rooftop from the way she's staring at it. She seems to get her head together again from whatever it was and looks back to Iris. "Um. Yeah...Sorry." She whispers. "...See anything?"
[01:03] <DrEvilKitteh> Iris turned at the sound and looked completely and utterly bemused. She shook her consfusion away and beckoned to Amelia, bidding the girl to join Iris in her spying. "Many...of them," she whispered over her shoulder at Amelia.
[01:05] <Tangent> "Monsters?" Amelia sneaks up to the roof's edge and kneels next to the taller girl, her brief distraction burned away by a sudden air of anticipation.
[01:26] <DrEvilKitteh> It was indeed a convoy. About...thirty people (give or take) of various ethnicity, age, and gender, marched down the street, and several pushed a few large carts along. A few things were readily apparent: 1) They all moved in a twitchy, jerky, mechanical way; 2) They were all pale and in some cases sickly-looking; 3) That whirring, clicking, and grinding, so similar to larger clockwork contraptions, seemed to come from the people whenever they moved.
[01:26] <DrEvilKitteh> Oh, and the carts had ore, tools, cement, caulk, and other useful materials in them. And corpses, don't forget the corpses. At least fifteen bodies between the carts, lying atop the other things like they'd just been tossed in there with little regard. They were recently-killed too by the looks of it. And by blunt force, like, say, if someone happened to punch them really hard in the skull or chest.
[01:30] <Tangent> Amelia swallows. "What...What's wrong with them?" She hisses, torn between revulsion and a need to do...something. She looks nauseous...especially when she gets a better look at the...bodies. Dead people. Not the first she's seen since...becoming meguca, but still... "Whatever they..they're doing, it cant be good..." She mutters, fingers white-knuckled around her sword.
[01:43] <DrEvilKitteh> A large rifle with a futuristic--almost alien--design appeared in Iris' hands, which she aimed down at one of the "people" in the back. She didn't say anything to Amelia, but she didn't really need to. She took in a deep breath, exhaled...and squeezed the trigger. A bolt of harsh blue shot out from the rifle's barrel with a buzz-whump discharge. It hit one of the "people" in the back of the convoy, a tanned woman with straggly straw-colored hair, and tore through her right shoulder. The bolt continued on unimpeded and sunk into the asphalt of the street, making a small crater.
[01:43] <DrEvilKitteh> The woman staggered and almost fell, and the others came to what looked like a confused stop. She righted herself after a minute, and if Amelia looked closely (Iris had a magnification scope atop her rifle, so she was already good in that respect), she could see melted gears inside the woman's torso. There were still several whirring and spinning, but...she didn't seem to be wholly make of clockwork. It was as if someone had taken someone's body and hollowed out their corpse, then shoved a bunch of clockwork mechanisms in there and somehow used it to make a weird...zombie of some kind.
[01:43] <DrEvilKitteh> As for the others, as soon as they realized they were under attack, several pulled out a few different kinds of compact guns, while a few others took out melee weapons. SMG's, pistols, revolvers, knives, machetes, hammers, and one even had a four-by-four. Dead, glassy eyes scanned the environment, and within a few seconds, one had spotted them. It pointed up and opened its mouth, then let out a grinding metallic shriek from its gullet.
[01:43] <DrEvilKitteh> ...And then its head was promptly blown off by another blue bolts, thanks to Iris. “Kill them all,” the ice girl said in a calm, level voice that nonetheless was cold and steely.
[01:46] <Tangent> "What the hell-" Amelia starts to protest, far too late to do anything...then abruptly trails off. "Oh god. They're..." She swallows. They're not people. Not anymore. "R-right. Yeah. On it!" Time to do her job. What she's here for. They're monsters. She can kill monsters.
[01:47] <Tangent> And without further ado- or so much as a battlecry, she vaults over the rooftop and plummets onto the ground below with a yell. She's drawn her sword as she drops, the blade flaring to intense, clean blue-white light.
[01:47] <Tangent> Her landing's heralded by a blast of flame- perhaps less damaging than it might have been, but still searing anything directly below her as she lands heavily, sword in hand. "Come on then!" She yells at the zombies, hoping that Iris has her back. She almost misses Alexa's constant presence...but it's better if her younger friend doesn't see something as horrible as this. "Who wants to go first?" She taunts.
[01:59] <DrEvilKitteh> Amelia's landing burned the flesh off at least three of the clockwork zombies immediately nearby, and the heat didn't seem to be doing anything for their gears, which would make them easy pickings.
[01:59] <DrEvilKitteh> “Stay still!” Iris called from above.
[01:59] <DrEvilKitteh> Then, Amelia heard something big moving through the air above her head, and a shadow fell over her for a split-second. An expensive sports car slammed into a concentration of the creatures bumper-first several meters in front of her, its frame buckling from the multiple-story impact against the pavement. It rolled once, clipped a zombie, and pinned another one beneath it. The result of the car's sudden impact was a nice, open path into the midst of the creatures' ranks for Amelia.
[01:59] <DrEvilKitteh> Then several spears of ice started raining down, aimed mainly at the gun-wielding zombies. Covering fire, it seemed.
[02:02] <Tangent> Amelia seems about to dash forward anyway for a moment...then skids to a stop. Just before the car comes crashing down. She yelps in surprise...but takes full advantage of it. Her blood pounding in her ears, she dashes forwards- onto, over the junked car's hood and roof, and leaps into the midst in a gust of flame! If Iris is looking at the intense, blue-white swirls of fire that follow the other girl's slashes and lunges, about the gusts of fire that sweep through the horde- though there's nothing light about the inferno that sears away the dead flesh
[02:03] <Tangent> "They just don't quit!" Amelia complains. She doesn't want to think about just what it means that there are so many of these things...or where they came from. "Just die, dammit!"
[02:05] <Tangent> She feels clammy flesh wrap around her neck and spins with a noise between a yell and a scream. The zombie's not scorched so much as vaporized by her vindictive, close-quarters burst of heat and flame. Her flame bursts are perhaps a bit less bright now- she's going through her magical energy without a thought to conversation or moderation...even if it's putting a dent in their numbers.
[02:16] <DrEvilKitteh> Seeing that while ranged was fine against them, Amelia was swiftly getting overwhelmed by herself. Iris had good aim, but she could only do so much when Amelia was practically getting buried in the clockwork monstrosities. She stood, summoned a set of ice armor that sheathed most of her body, then vaulted off the top of the roof.
[02:16] <DrEvilKitteh> A bright warhammer, silver and shining in what light there was, appeared in her hand. She brought it down on one of the creatures coming up on Amelia as she landed. Hard. It crumpled and spasmed beneath the blow, still partially active but irreparably damaged. Iris crouched down and set her free hand on the street, then sent a surge of magic through it and onto the ground. The temperature dropped--well, as much as it could with Amelia nearby--and froze the lower legs of several of the nearby clockwork zombies, holding them in place.
[02:16] <DrEvilKitteh> She readied her warhammer, then swung it in a backhand at a zombie that was marching at her. The hook on the back crunched into its skull, and the impact staggered it. “Amelia, here!” Iris tugged, tearing the hook out of the creature's head and sending it towards Amelia for her to impale, bisect, incinerate, or whatever she wanted to do with it.
[02:21] <Tangent> Amelia slams her sword into the thing- her weapon slides through its torso like a hot knife through butter and it falls into piece. "I can handle it!" She shouts back, then dashes for the gun-wielding crowd, ignoring the rain of bullets. She feels an impact- graze, then another, but ignores the pain and lunges. She's starting to get used to getting hurt- especially since it doesn't stick.
[02:22] <Tangent> She swings her sword in her grip as she reaches the gunline...then brings it crashing down. Not at the zombies...but the ground itself! A pillar of flame shoots up, searing everything around her...including Amelia herself.
[02:23] <Tangent> The hungry flames spread from zombie to zombie, eating away at anything remotely flammable around the wannabe paladin.
[02:40] <DrEvilKitteh> Iris, meanwhile, had gone in the opposite direction. She moved with uncanny speed and a graceful sort of lethality, moving from enemy to enemy and focusing purely on offense. Her ice armor and natural Outfit shielding meant that she was more or less completely protected from the zombies' strikes, as one found out after it broke its knuckles against her face and the transparent ice covering it. She retaliated with a punch of her own, crumpling its chest cavity and sending the creature flying away.
[02:40] <DrEvilKitteh> After dodging another one's swing, Iris swung her warhammer in a vicious arc that tore its leg off at the knee and sent the zombie to its back. She'd already brought the weapon back up and started swinging it down before it had even hit the ground, and she crushed the spot where its heart would be. After that, she swung her hand around, freezing the fronts of the zombies immediately around her. Following that, small boulders covered in ice appeared from before her hand and smashed into them, as well as a short hail of gold bars and diamonds that did a surprisingly good job at battering the monsters.
[02:40] <DrEvilKitteh> The numbers of the clockwork zombies were swiftly dwindling, and it wouldn't take them long now to mop up the rest.

[22:31] <DrEvilKitteh> (Reposting.)
[22:31] <DrEvilKitteh> <DrEvilKitteh> Iris, meanwhile, had gone in the opposite direction. She moved with uncanny speed and a graceful sort of lethality, moving from enemy to enemy and focusing purely on offense. Her ice armor and natural Outfit shielding meant that she was more or less completely protected from the zombies' strikes, as one found out after it broke its knuckles against her face and the transparent ice covering it. She retaliated with a punch of her own, crumpling its chest cavity and sending the creature flying away.
[22:31] <DrEvilKitteh> <DrEvilKitteh> After dodging another one's swing, Iris swung her warhammer in a vicious arc that tore its leg off at the knee and sent the zombie to its back. She'd already brought the weapon back up and started swinging it down before it had even hit the ground, and she crushed the spot where its heart would be. After that, she swung her hand around, freezing the fronts of the zombies immediately around her. Following that, small boulders covered in ice appeared from before her hand and smashed into them, as well as a short hail of gold bars and diamonds that did a surprisingly good job at battering the monsters.
[22:31] <DrEvilKitteh> <DrEvilKitteh> The numbers of the clockwork zombies were swiftly dwindling, and it wouldn't take them long now to mop up the rest.
[22:56] <Tangent> Amelia's sword flashes, and another limb goes flying. This feels vaguely wrong- they look far too much like people, even if they're clearly not. They don't bleed. They don't scream. They just keep attacking her in that horrible, jerky way with that clicking.
[22:56] <Tangent> Amelia grits her teeth and keeps chopping.
[23:03] <DrEvilKitteh> Iris heard the satisfying crunch of gears and old, brittle bone benath her warhammer's head, time and time again. Occasionally, blasts of cold would partially freeze a couple of the clockwork zombies, making them easy pickings. She brought her weapon down on one of the creature's heads, then quickly glanced about. Only...about eight--seven, now--left. With a grinding sound of ice on pavement, she lept into the air and descended onto one of the monsters. It crumpled beneath her weight, and she was already swinging to catch the next twitching and clicking zombie right next to her. Five left.
[23:05] <Tangent> Amelia's a step behind her, blade arcing out to catch a woman in what had once been a nice business suit across the neck. She topples, headless. "Urgh..." she chokes out, swallowing the bile that's suddenly in her throat. She's REALLY glad Alexa wasn't here for this. This is just wrong. Whatever's happened to these people...she resolves to make sure it never happens again right then and there.
[23:06] <Tangent> A quick glance to Iris as she keeps her sword raised. "You...You okay?" She asks quickly, not looking away from the handful of zombies for more than a moment.
[23:10] <DrEvilKitteh> "Yes." Iris dashed at the nearest, a young boy with some kind of video game shirt on, and brought her warhammer in an upswing. Its hook caught the zombie beneath the chin and tore its head apart. The weapon spun, then smashed into the thigh of another zombie, tearing its leg off. The zombie pitched into the air, then was hurled away by a kick to the sternum, courtesy of Iris and her ice-shod boot.
[23:13] <Tangent> "Shit, shit, shit..." Amelia dashes in with a scream, hacking wildly. She doesn't get a good look at the last few- just an impression of blank, lifeless eyes and grasping hands- that're seared away to charred bones and ash a moment later.
[23:14] <Tangent> She stands there for a moment, feeling a stinging on her arms and legs- as well as an inner ache from magic overuse. That was the last of thm. Her breathing's fast and shallow. She looks around to Iris, slightly wild-eyed.
[23:16] <Tangent> There's a odor of scorched metal- and faintly of meat in the air. Her mouth opens and closes once, twice. Then she drops to her knees and throws up on the pavement.
[23:17] <DrEvilKitteh> Iris readied her warhammer again and looked around, scanning the area. But...nothing else moved, aside from herself, Amelia, and some fire flickering around in some areas. She lowered her weapon and dismissed it in a brief swirl of glittering silver. The ice armor started to melt and dissipate off of her body. "...I...think...they are...all dead." Her voice was calm and level, and if she was disturbed by the scene of carnage, she showed none of it in her expression. Well, her expression became one of worry and bewilderment when she saw Amelia start throwing up. "A-Amelia? W-What...is wrong?" She stepped over to the other girl and hovered near her, unsure of what to do.
[23:21] <Tangent> "N-nothing." Amelia gasps. "It...It's nothing." She sounds a lot more shaken than her words let on. She wipes her mouth with a hand. She still looks faintly sick. "That...that's..all of..."She looks at the cart, and her stomach churns again. She shakes her head, a violent jerk of a gesture. She notices Iris and tries to smile at her, but doesn't quite manage it. "It's just...How are you so calm? Those...those used to be..."
[23:22] <Tangent> She forces herself to look at the bodies. The ones on the cart. "What happened to them?"
[23:25] <DrEvilKitteh> Iris pulled Amelia into a tight hug, heedless of any vomit or ash or whatever getting on her person. She wasn't fooled by Amelia's attempt at shaking things off. "...I...am used to...this," she said after a moment in her soft voice. "Fighting. Killing. Death. It...is...not new. But...it...is never...mm...plea-sant." A hand moved up to gently stroke Amelia's hair, trying to calm and soothe her in the same manner that she could calm Maya down. She wasn't sure if it'd work, but it was worth a shot. As for the last question... "I...am not sure. But...there are...things...like that...on...my world."
[23:30] <Tangent> "H-huh?" Amelia goes very still...but doesn't move away. Iris being there...It's comforting. She lets herself shake. Slowly her breathing slows down- she's still paler than usual, her small frame still trembling slightly...but eventually she goes still, pressed to Iris. "...A-and you want to go back to it?" she asks quietly. There's a strange note in her voice- not quite surprise, not quite admiration or even...shame, but something between that.
[23:37] <DrEvilKitteh> Iris gave a small, awkward shrug. She sat on the pavement and gently pulled Amelia onto her lap so she could continue holding the small fire girl in a tight embrace. "...Maybe. I...feel...I...have to. Not...sure...why. May-be, if...the...last city...is not real, then...I...would leave." She continued stroking Amelia's hair, and Iris started humming a gentle, soft tune. Surprisingly, her voice then was clear, and almost beautiful, even.
[23:44] <Tangent> "You do, huh? That...that's brave." Braver than she is. She just ran away from her problems. This girl...she's still trying to make things better. She falls silent as Iris hums, quietly listening. Her heartbeat- hummingbird fast slows, and her breathing returns to normal. The small girl sits there, looking up at Iris. She's warm.
[23:50] <DrEvilKitteh> Iris' eyes are closed as she hums, just holding Amelia in her arms as she starts to gently rock back and forth. The ice girl feels...not cold, not chilly like winter air, but...cool. Refreshingly, revitalizingly so. Like if it were a blisteringly hot summer day, and a cool breeze blew in that calmed and soothed... That was a good analogy, almost.
[23:57] <Tangent> Finally, Amelia gets herself back under control. Iris's presence...It's like a breath of fresh air after being stifled. It's been weeks at least now. She's had to fight. To keep going- to get hurt and to kill. To worry about Alexa. That /void/ where her memories should be- and the half-formed, sneaking worries about the life she'd chosen to throw away. She hadn't even realized just how much all those things had been getting to her... Her breathing slows to normal.
[23:58] <Tangent> "...Sorry." She says quietly, eyes half closed. She blinks, once, twice, again and again. Must be the ash in the air.
[23:58] <Tangent> Eyes lidded, she lowers her head. "I'm...I'm better now. Thanks..."
[00:05] <DrEvilKitteh> Iris ceased her slight, gentle rocking, and her humming died out. She opened her eyes and looked down at Amelia. "...You...are...welcome." She gave the fire girl a small smile, a genuine one filled with sincerity and...kindness. It was even warm, ironically enough. Iris gathered her feet below herself and held onto Amelia, then stood so she could set her down on her feet. Silver-white eyes surveyed the scene. "I...will...clean up. To...examine things...la-ter."
[00:12] <Tangent> "I...Yeah." Amelia swallows, looking up at Iris. Some of the color's back in her cheeks as she returns the smile- a bit shakily, and with none of her usual bluster but she does it. She feels herself tugged to her feet- she should protest, feel annoyed at being treated like a kid...or parcel...but she can't. "Do you...um...need a hand?" Her voice's steady again. A twist of embarrassment- and something else- in her stomach after the scene...But she seems resolved to help.
[00:21] <DrEvilKitteh> "I...do not...think so," Iris replied. "Amelia...can...rest, for now." She stepped over to the nearest intact clockwork zombie corpse and leaned down to touch it. After a second, it vanished with a slight flicker in the air as she stored it in her hammerspace. She'd proceed to do that to the rest of the bodies, the carts, the supplies, the weapons...anything and everything she could. But that would take a while, so there was plenty of time for conversation if Amelia so wished.
[00:50] <Tangent> "I...I want to..." Amelia starts, then pauses as she sees Iris make the body vanish. "Oh. That...that's your magic, right? Making things vanish?"
[00:51] <Tangent> "...and appear?" She adds, guessing.
[00:53] <DrEvilKitteh> "Have...heard it...called...ha-mmer-space," Iris explained, popping the two-by-four into her limitless interdimensional storage space. "I...can...store things, then...take them...out, later. Useful. Very...useful."
[00:55] <Tangent> "...Neat." Amelia looks at the cart, wheels turning in her head. "...Do you think they...they came from your world?" She asks. She overcomes her distaste. She's uneasy at seeing bodies treated like that, but Iris's going to give them a proper burial, right?
[00:56] <Tangent> What's bothering her is the cart. The zombies seemed...mindless. Like clockwork toys. But that cart...that seemed planned. Mediated. And the BODIES on the cart...
[00:56] <Tangent> Her mind's painting a picture, and it's not pretty.
[00:57] <DrEvilKitteh> "No." Iris paused and tilted her head, then ammended her previous statement. "...I...do not...think so. I...see...similar, but...not...the same as these."
[01:03] <Tangent> "...What...what are they? Because I think...they were...going somewhere with...with the bodies." She swallows. "If something's...making them...they have to be stopped." She says firmly.
[01:06] <DrEvilKitteh> Iris stepped over to one of the carts and hopped inside. She knelt and inspected the human bodies within. "...Maybe...to make...more?" she hypothesized, gesturing vaguely to the clockwork zombie corpses. "Or...for...something else."
[01:06] <DrEvilKitteh> (Roll 1d100 for Amelia~)
[01:06] <Tangent> .d 1d100
[01:06] <Internets> :: Total 90 / 100 [90%] :: Results [90] ::
[01:09] <DrEvilKitteh> Either as Amelia was looking at the clockwork creatures, or perhaps just an idle glance out of the corner of her eye, she'd notice something glowing; she was at /just/ the right angle to see it, too. Pulsing, sporadically. It was in the torso of one of the more intact zombies, a slightly-sputtering light of some kind.
[01:11] <Tangent> "Iris!" She calls urgently. "This one's glowing!"
[01:11] <Tangent> She stalks over to it, sword in hand.
[01:13] <Morg_Rora> [is this adorbs?]
[01:13] <Tangent> [no adorbs, only detective work now]
[01:18] <DrEvilKitteh> Iris hammerspaced a couple of the regular bodies away, then hopped out of the cart and hurried over. The warhammer appeared in her grasp as well, and she circled around the clockwork creature's corpse. But...it didn't seem active. There was just a light, dimly shining out from a small gap in its sternum.
[01:21] <Tangent> Amelia hovers nearby. For a moment she seems about to...pry at the body. But she doesn't. Staring at it, she can't get one thought out of her head- this was a person. Something evil did this to her. It was one of the smaller zombies. A dirty teenager wearing rags...with most of her head missing. Nauseatingly, its jaw is intact and agape, showing strangely white teeth.
[01:21] <Tangent> Amelia swallows, but doesn't retch again.
[01:23] <DrEvilKitteh> As opposed to Amelia, Iris had no qualms with such. She knelt and reached out to tear the rags away, then poke her fingers into the gap and slowly, steadily pry it apart further. After a moment, she stuck the fingers of one hand deeper inside the wider gap, reaching for the light and what it was attached to.
[01:24] <Tangent> Amelia watches- torn between nausea and feeling guilty for not even managing to be useful for this because of her squeamishness. She watches and tells herself she's standing guard over Iris.
[01:30] <DrEvilKitteh> Smoothly, with a steady hand and practiced grace, Iris pulled her hand out. held between her middle three fingers was a...curious mechanism, about an inch and a half long. It had several gears attached around a dodecahedron-shaped core. The latter of which is what was emitting the light. Its entire surface pulsed, changing colors as it flickered and sputtered. From what both of them could sense, it was definitely magical of some kind. The best thing it could be likened to was probably a... "Heart," Iris surmised. "Or...core."
[01:39] <Tangent> Amelia looks at it with fascinated distaste. "...Should we destroy it?" she suggests. "Or can you...do something with it? Find where it came from or something?"
[01:42] <DrEvilKitteh> "...I...am not...sure." Iris examined it with a curious eye. "I...do not...really...track. My...magic...is not, mm...suited...for it. Maybe...someone else...can? At...pub?"
[01:44] <Tangent> "...Good idea." Amelia nods. "We can ask around."
[01:45] <Tangent> She chews her lip. Alexa's probably wondering where she is.
[01:45] <DrEvilKitteh> A phone popped into existence in Iris' other hand. "Do...you have...a num-ber?" she asked, looking up at Amelia. Well, 'up'. She didn't have to tilt her head very far back, even while crouching.
[01:50] <Tangent> "Um..." She blushes, looking sheepish then shakes her head. "I...just kind of head there with Alexa, usually..." She feels stupid- it's an obvious thing to do in hindsight in case something like this happens.
[01:53] <DrEvilKitteh> "Oh." Iris blinked. The phone vanished, and she semed stumped. "...You...take this." A small box appeared in her hand, in place of the cellphone. It had an open lid, which allowed her to put the core inside. She shut it and pressed a button, causing a brief hum and two brief purple flashes as confirmation. "This...open." She pointed at one of two buttons. "This...lock." She pointed at the second, which she'd just pressed. Iris held the box out to Amelia, offering it to her.
[01:54] <Tangent> Amelia blinks. She's trusting her with this...Then she reaches out and takes it, nodding- her face almost comically serious. "Got it. I'll find someone to tell us more." She promises.
[01:57] <DrEvilKitteh> "I...will look...for a-no-ther." She thought again, then perked up. "...You...could leave...a message...on...the, uhm...boun-ty board, for me. In...the pub. When...you find...some-thing out, put...a...mes-sage up, and...I...will...pro-bab-ly read it."
[02:00] <Tangent> Amelia nods again. "Will do. I promise. I'll start as soon as I get back." A pause. "You...you're not coming back?" She asks, knowing the answer- but still feeling slightly disappointed as she looks up at Iris.
[02:03] <DrEvilKitteh> "...Was...wan-ting...to go back...to Maya's house," Iris replied. "But...I...still have...to find the por-tal."
[02:05] <Tangent> "I...I can still help?" Amelia offers, arm still outstretched as she holds the box. "There might be more of those things out here."
[02:05] <Tangent> Maya? Must be one of her friends...
[02:07] <DrEvilKitteh> "I would...like...that." Iris nodded. "...Af-ter...I...store the rest." She looked around. A substantial part of everything had been stored in her hammerspace, but there was still a lot left. Including the gold bars and gems that she'd used to batter a few of the zombies into submission with, about...ten, fifteen feet away.
[02:12] <Tangent> "Right." Amelia blinks, looking between the gold bars and...the car. "Where'd you get all this...stuff, anyway?" She asks. Wait, gold? "Is that...wait, are those real?"
[02:27] <DrEvilKitteh> "Sca-ven-ging," Iris replied. She blinked and quirked her head quizzically, then walked over and picked up a gold bar. Her arm extended fully out to her side, above a clockwork zombie's head, and she let go. The bar fell and cracked against the skull with a dull, heavy thud, and snapping and of vertebrae and gears. "...They...seem real...to me," she said to Amelia, still with a questioning head tilt.

[23:33] <DrEvilKitteh> Reposting~
[23:34] <DrEvilKitteh> <Tangent> "Right." Amelia blinks, looking between the gold bars and...the car. "Where'd you get all this...stuff, anyway?" She asks. Wait, gold? "Is that...wait, are those real?"
[23:34] <DrEvilKitteh> <DrEvilKitteh> "Sca-ven-ging," Iris replied. She blinked and quirked her head quizzically, then walked over and picked up a gold bar. Her arm extended fully out to her side, above a clockwork zombie's head, and she let go. The bar fell and cracked against the skull with a dull, heavy thud and snapping of vertebrae and gears. "...They...seem real...to me," she said to Amelia, still with a questioning head tilt.
[23:39] <Tangent> "B-but...gold?" Amelia blinks owlishly at her. "Do they have...bank vaults or something on your world?" She snickers incredulously. "You...you're using gold bars as weaponry..."
[23:41] <DrEvilKitteh> "Found...these...in-side pub," Iris said, nudging the gold bar. "...And...some of them...out-side...the pub. Along...with...cars like it." She pointed at the crumpled and completely totaled car. "...Lots of them..." she added. "And...gold bars...are...heavy. Heavy things...u-su-ally...hurt...when they...hit an enemy."
[23:50] <Tangent> "In...Wait, you found all that in the Wand and Circlet?"
[23:50] <Tangent> "Yeah, but they're worth a lot, right? I mean...using them to...kill stuff...Well, it works..." Amelia's not sure what she's getting at beyond "gold bars"?!
[23:53] <DrEvilKitteh> Iris nodded again. "In...mm. Not...re-mem-ber...what it...called..." She mimed the rough shape of the piano in a niche in the pub. "But...it was...big-ger...on...the inside." When Amelia asked about their worth, Iris blinked and tilted her head. "...They are?" She nudged the gold bar with her foot again. "...Hm. If...they are that...ef-fec-tive, then...I...might...see why."
[23:56] <Tangent> Amelia blinks. "Bigger...on the inside?" For a moment her mind flashes to police boxes and time travel before she stops being silly. "...Yeah, they...they are...You didn't know...Oh. Oh..." Amelia trails off as she puts the pieces together. "Um, yeah, they're kind of worth a lot. In the normal world anyway, I guess they might not be in Overcity if they're just...lying around like that..." She shakes her head. "So, um...Do you live in...your world, or around here?"
[00:01] <DrEvilKitteh> "Maya's world," Iris replied. She started hammerspacing things again. "She...has...a house. Which is...nice. Safe. I...had a room...in...pub, be-fore. After I...came here. To...Overcity, and...pub."
[00:03] <Tangent> "Oh...Maya's your friend?" She asks, keeping pace with Iris but staying just out of the way.
[00:10] <DrEvilKitteh> "Yes," Iris confirmed. "We...are...'bes-ties'. Maya is my...best friend, so...I...love her." She paused and tilted her head thoughtfully. "...Not...love her...roman-tic-ally, though. Maybe." Another awkward shrug, and she went back to hammerspacing.
[00:18] <Tangent> "Oh..." She's not quite sure why she'd felt vaguely disappointed for a moment at Iris's first reply before she clarified, but shrugs it off. "That...That's sweet. Besties, huh?" She can definitely empathize there. "Did you guys meet on a hunt or something?" She guesses. "Sorry if I'm being nosy." She adds quickly.
[00:27] <DrEvilKitteh> "Uhm..." Iris thought back as she worked on storing the car in her hammerspace. "...No. We...met in pub. She...was...one of the...first to try...help-ing me." Her silver-white eyes flicked to stare at Amelia. "...And...what does...'no-sy' mean?"
[00:35] <Tangent> Amelia nods as she listens, then looks embarassed, breaking eye contact. "Um...It means..."You know...asking questions about stuff that isn't any of your business...when you shouldn't..." She shrinks in on herself a bit, suddenly stuttering a bit. A nervous laugh.
[00:39] <DrEvilKitteh> "Hm." Iris slowly nodded. "...So...if you...mm." Amelia could almost see the gears whirring in Iris' head as she put the sentence together. "If...you asked...about...my, uhm, 'sex life', then...that...would be nosy, right? Since...it's sup-posed to be...pri-vate...and...not...talked about in...pub-lic."
[00:39] <Flamy> (Iris candidate for best girl)
[00:40] <DrEvilKitteh> (Of course.)
[00:43] <Tangent> Amelia's head abruptly snaps up, guiltily and she makes a noise somewhere between a squeak and a tea kettle boiling over. "I-Y-yes! Yes, i-it...it would be! I wasn't! I mean..y-you're r-really p-pretty but I didn't mean to ask about t-that if that's what you w-were thinking!"
[00:43] <Tangent> Her words are stumbling over each other and her face's flushed with embarassment as her gaze darts around like a startled goldfish. She realizes what she's said, and puts her free hand over her mouth.
[00:51] <DrEvilKitteh> Iris stared at Amelia for a long moment, expression impassive. Then a small smile appeared on her face. Amelia really reminded her of Maya at that time, so...naturally... She stepped close to Amelia, practically looming over the Fire girl, raised her hand...and set it down atop her head. The hand gently rubbed and massaged, and seemed decently experienced in the art of headpats. Of course, Iris did this because she knew it helped calm Maya down, even when she was at her most flustered. So she hoped it was the same for Amelia.
[01:06] <Tangent> Amelia looks embarassed and confused, but looks up at Iris. She lets out a surprised eep at her hand's contact with her hair. "W-what are you..." She starts, then falls silent. Normally she'd squawk, protest, shout about she's not a kid, but...it's Iris, and she's distracted and it feels...nice. So she just stands there, blushing furiously as she's headpatted.
[01:12] <DrEvilKitteh> "You...do not...have to feel...bad, or...flus-tered," Iris said in a soft, reassuring voice as she continued with the headpats. She refrained from hugging Amelia, since she was pretty sure the Fire girl's face was directly in line with her bust (more or less), and she vividly recalled what Maya's reaction had been to being hugged like that--she didn't really need Amelia to get even /more/ flustered, or possibly even faint, as a result of it.
[01:20] <Tangent> "I'm not...flustered..." Amelia protests weakly, the vivid blush on her face suggesting otherwise. Her eyes flutter-half closed as Iris's headpats register, and she lets out a quiet, involuntary sigh, any thoughts of dignity vanishing. It feels so nice...Iris is really good at this.
[01:22] <DrEvilKitteh> Iris didn't bother replying to that. She just kept up with the headpats for another minute or two, then gently ceased. "There. Now...Amelia...is fine." Another small smile was given to the Fire girl before Iris went back to storing stuff in her hammerspace.
[01:25] <Tangent> Amelia's cheeks are still pink as she opens her eyes. "T-thanks..." she mutters quietly, smiling back like an idiot. "For...you know..." She trails off, scuffing one boot in the dirt.
[01:41] <DrEvilKitteh> "You are welcome," Iris said, the phrase fairly familiar to her muscle memory by now. She worked on storing the last cart in her hammerspace, then looked around again. Not much was left of the battle by that point. There were a few scattered pieces, like limbs, a gold bar or gem, or a weapon thrown far away, but otherwise it was back to a more or less normal street. ...Disregarding the melted asphalt and scorched remains that Iris hadn't bothered to store, along with a few tiny scraps that were just useless to her. "We...can go looking...for the por-tal, soon," she declared after a moment.
[01:46] <Tangent> ...Iris's stutter is kind of cute. Amelia thinks absently, then catches herself. "Yeah..." She nods, distractedly, seemingly not in much of a hurry. Bad Amelia. You're supposed to be helping her, not...whatever. She nearly trips over a crater she'd made with a stray fire attack.
[01:51] <DrEvilKitteh> Iris had gone over to collect the last of the remnants of the battle, so she didn't see Amelia almost trip. When she was done, she rose and gracefully strode down the street, one waving hand bidding Amelia to follow along. She stayed on the ground this time during the search, and...felt like they were actually drawing near, finally.
[01:55] <Tangent> Amelia's not paying quite as much attention, as she walks near Iris. She thinks she might feel something, though she's not sure...
[01:59] <DrEvilKitteh> Amelia was looking one direction, and Iris another. Thus, Iris spotted the portal first. "There!" Her tone is that of relief and joy. That was the portal to Maya's world; she knew it on sight. She turned to smile down at Amelia. "Thank you, A-me-lia. For...helping me."
[02:02] <Tangent> Amelia spins around. "Oh...No problem! It's the least I could do..." She beams back, smile sincere. A longer pause. "Well...I guess this is it, then...Nice meeting you, Iris..."  She looks up, meeting the taller girl's gaze.
[02:05] <Tangent> "I'm glad I could help..."
[02:06] <DrEvilKitteh> "It...was nice...to meet you, too." Iris bent her knees and reached forward to give Amelia a tentative hug. She made sure that there was no danger of face-smooshing in busts anytime soon. "...May-be...we can meet...a-gain, soon."
[02:12] <Tangent> Amelia returns the hug, this time- nowhere near as tightly as Iris's earlier hug, but not holding back. "Sounds like a plan." She grins once the hug's done. "I'll do my best to find someone for...that thing. And...hey, good luck with...finding that city and stuff..."
[02:17] <DrEvilKitteh> Iris straightened and nodded. "Thank you." She paused for a second, then lifted the cellphone that had suddenly appeared in her hand. Her free hand's fingers swiped across it, and she lifted it to take a picture of Amelia. "...To...show Maya," she said in explanation.
[02:18] <Tangent> "Eh? Oh...Sure!" She's never been good with photos, she remembers.
[02:19] <Tangent> Then she realizes that she knows that. She remembers something, and that shows in the smile that suddenly spreads across her face. She remembers something, and if she knows that then maybe...
[02:22] <DrEvilKitteh> Another picture is taken after Amelia smiles, but without a flash or the shutter sound. Iris sidled over and hesitantly put an arm around Amelia's shoulders, then lifted the phone to take a selfie of the two of them. That done, she released the fire girl and lowered the phone. She smiled down at Amelia, then started to walk back over to the portal.
[02:26] <Tangent> Amelia watches Iris go, still smiling like an idiot. A thought strikes her. "H-hey..." Amelia calls out once Iris is just a few steps away, not quite sure how she's going to finish that sentence. "Iris? Do you...um, want to...hang out sometime? After...after all this is over, I mean?"
[02:28] <DrEvilKitteh> Iris paused and glanced over her shoulder. She thought about that for a moment, then nodded. "Yes. That...sounds fun. I...do not think...I...would mind...try-ing to make...a-no-ther friend."
[02:32] <Tangent> "...Cool." Amelia blurts. There's a moment of awkward silence.
[02:34] <DrEvilKitteh> Iris stepped back over to Amelia, gave her one last headpat, then turned and strode through the portal. "See...you soon, hope-ful-ly," she said over her shoulder before vanishing into another world.
[02:36] <Tangent> "B-bye!" Amelia calls after her. She shakes her head. What's with her...She's stuttering, and now she feels awkward about it. Still...meeting Iris...stopping zombies...She feels much better, even if the hunt with Alexa hadn't...
[02:36] <Tangent> Wait.
[02:36] <Tangent> Alexa.
[02:36] <Tangent> Oh crap, what if she's worried?
[02:36] <Tangent> A last glance back at the portal, and Amelia takes off at a dash.
[02:37] <Tangent> The Overcity street falls silent once more.
[02:39] <DrEvilKitteh> (~Fin~)




_____Part One (Ambush)_____
[19:38] <DrEvilKitteh> The front door swung open, admitting Iris into the pub. She immediately made a beeline for the couch corner, and she plopped herself onto one of the sofas. With a slight sigh, she reclined and closed her eyes, letting herself relax on the soft cushions beneath her body.
[19:41] * Agnes has just finished with one customer and makes her way to Iris. "Hello! Would you like anything to drink? Or something to eat?"
[19:42] <Kara|Ken> Ken looks over at the red haired waitress and the new customer.  "Don't think about it," Kara says.  Turns out to be futile as he quickly slips away and stands a small ways off from Iris' sofa.  Just waiting for the perfect moment...
[19:43] <DrEvilKitteh> Iris cracked an eye open at the unfamilliar voice and looked up at Agnes. She blinked and tilted her head, looking quite taken aback. "...Ag-nes?" she asked, unsure if it was the same mute redhead she'd met a while back, or another girl who just looked like her.
[19:44] <Agnes> "That is correct.  Last time we saw each other I did not have my voice," She smiles at her.  "How are you doing?"
[19:45] <DrEvilKitteh> "I re-mem-ber." Iris slowly nodded. "...Uhm. I...am not...sure. Tired?"
[19:47] <Kara|Ken> "Have you tried coffee?"  Ken offers from his spot a few feet away.  Kara just looks at him as if to say "Stop" but he doesn't see it, or if he does he doesn't care.
[19:47] <Agnes> "Huh?"  Agnes spins around to look at the new voice.  "Oh, I am sorry!  Did you need something?"
[19:47] <Kara|Ken> "Nope, just thought I'd try to make conversation."  He takes a gulp from his glass.
[19:48] <DrEvilKitteh> Iris' expression became...flat. "...I...do not want...to try...cof-fee...again."
[19:49] <Kara|Ken> "Tea is good too.  Or an energy drink.  Or sleep.  Sleep tends to be good when you're tired."
[19:52] <DrEvilKitteh> The ice girl just stared at Ken for a good long moment, silver-white eyes almost boring into him. Finally, Iris turned her gaze and attention back to Agnes. "May-be, um...a small...milk-shake."
[19:53] <Agnes> She nods.  "Alright!  What flavor?"
[19:54] <DrEvilKitteh> Iris pondered that. "...Cho-colate."
[19:55] <Agnes> "Chocolate, got it!  I'll be right back!"  She bows and heads into the kitchen.
[19:56] <Kara|Ken> "So, what's got you tired?"  Ken asks, leaning up against the wall nearby.
[19:59] <DrEvilKitteh> Iris settled on her seat again and stared at Ken once more. "...Work," she answered simply. The whole thing was complicated, and she wasn't sure if she'd be able to adequately explain what she'd been doing, hence the succint reply.
[20:00] <Kara|Ken> "Magical work, or normal people work?"  He just drinks from his glass, her replies aren't all that great for teasing.
[20:01] <DrEvilKitteh> "Um..." She had to stop and think for a second; her given definition of 'normal'...well, she didn't really /have/ a given definition of normal. "Ma-gi-cal. I think."
[20:02] <Kara|Ken> "Hmmm...  Anything I can help with?"  Surprisingly...  No snark.
[20:03] <Ryah> (Am back x_x)
[20:04] <DrEvilKitteh> "I...al-ready...made it. Suc-cee-ded." Iris hadn't blinked in a long while, as was typical of her when she was transformed. "...Um. May-be...oth-er help...might...be good? But...I need to tell...A-me-lia, first."
[20:05] <Ryah> Ryah returned after a few moments, waving over towards Iris's general direction as she waits nearby, listening into the conversation for the moment.
[20:06] <Agnes> Agnes returns with Iris' milkshake.  "I am sorry it took so long!"  She sets it down in front of Iris with a straw sticking out of it.  "Terribly sorry!"
[20:06] <Kara|Ken> "Well, my sister and I tend to work as a team.  So, you'll have our help if you need it.  I'm always game for random jobs and hunts."
[20:08] <DrEvilKitteh> Iris mutely picked the milkshake up and took a sip from the straw. "...Thank you, um...Ag-nes." At Ken, she gave a single nod. "That...might be...useful, help-ful."
[20:11] <Kara|Ken> "Well, I'll keep my sister here.  Just let us know when you need us for whatever it is."  Kara calls over from her table, "Are you volunteering us for more stuff?"
[20:12] <Kara|Ken> "Yes!"  He calls with a shit-eating grin.  To which his sister facepalms.
[20:13] <Agnes> "You are welcome Iris!  I should get back to work though."  She smiles as she heads back to work.
[20:13] * Riri moaned at this sudden sensation, her sweat covered body slamming into the exterior of the pub door. Prying herself free she pulled open the front door to the Wand and strode inside. Black ponytail swaying in stride, her glasses unphased by the impact and her running jacket opened wide, showing her short running top and smooth midriff until the tops of her tiny running shorts. She padded sweat from
[20:13] <Riri> her face with an equally forest green gym towel as she made her way over to an unoccupied table with an empty water bottle in hand. "I need a glass of green tea, brew it strong, sweet and then ice it like it owed you money." She told a server, putting her feet up on the chair opposite of her.
[20:15] * Ryah quietly sighs to the brother, looking over. "At least consider if she is willing to do this as well you know."
[20:15] <Agnes> Agnes quickly gets Riri's drink and comes out as quick as she can.  "Here you go miss!  Do you need a towel to help wipe the sweat off?"
[20:16] <Kara|Ken> "I did consider it," Ken says with a smile.  "And then I decided she could do with some socializing."
[20:17] <DrEvilKitteh> "O-kay," Iris said as Agnes departed. She mutely watched the exchange between Ken and Kara, and Ryah too, as she drank more of her milkshake. "...I...do like...so-cia-lizing. Or...try-ing to."
[20:17] * Riri gave Agnes a huge beaming smile as she saw her order delivered, quickly followed by her expression going blank as she looked to the gym towel currently in her hand, being used for the purpose of dabbing sweat. "Uhhhh, thank you but I have that part covered."
[20:18] <Agnes> "Oh, I am sorry.  I had not seen that."  She chuckles a little to cover the embarrassement.  "If you need anything, just ask."
[20:19] <Kara|Ken> "You might," Ken says, "But my sister is far too introverted for her own good.  She'd never leave the house if it were up to her."
[20:19] <Kara|Ken> "I would totally leave the house!" She shouts indignantly.
[20:20] <Kara|Ken> "Going to the store doesn't count."
[20:20] <Ryah> "Well I can't say I don't know where she's coming from there. Still, they are right, getting out every now and then is good for you too." Ryah remarked, leaning by the table that Kara would be at now.
[20:22] * Rally slowly opens the door to the pub, peeking in. She takes a quick assessment of the room, and while visibly nervous, fully opens the door and takes a step in, letting the door close behind her. She scans the room, trying to take in all the details, and her eyes widen at the number of people in the pub. Wringing her hands, she stands there unsure of what to do. She looks back at the door, considering just leaving.
[20:22] <Kara|Ken> "Yes, but being literally dragged out by /him/ is annoying."  "Stow it, Karaline.  I'm just trying to help."  "You're 'help' involves making other people mad."  "Hey, I have to have some fun sometimes too."
[20:23] <Agnes> Agnes, from another table, calls to the new girl, "Please take a seat anywhere you like!  I can be with you shortly!"
[20:23] * Riri bowed her head with a toothy smirk at Agnes. "Oh I promise you that I will. Food is in the future, for now, the cooldown begins!" She took a sip from her iced tea, smacking her lips after a slow sip. "Yeeeesss..." She groaned, relaxing into the chair a bit more,as she enjoyed her frosty beverage.
[20:23] * Ryah looks over to Rally, a gentle wave as she approached. "Hello hello, can I perhaps get you anything to eat or drink there?" she greeted Rally.
[20:23] <Ryah> (gah, lag)
[20:23] <Ryah> (Disregard mine, Agnes beat me there :P)
[20:23] <DrEvilKitteh> Iris just continued to watch and occasionally sip on her milkshake.
[20:25] <Agnes> (Well, if you get to them before Agnes does, then it's fine!  She's with another customer at the moment.)
[20:26] <Rally> (Is there a layout of the pub I can look a?)
[20:26] <DrEvilKitteh> (Not really.)
[20:26] <DrEvilKitteh> (There's the bar, a lot of tables and booths, several corners, a piano, a couch corner with a fireplace right next to it, stairs leading up to the second floor...)
[20:27] <Ryah> (Nah, it's pretty ambigiuous)
[20:27] <Ryah> (also it's prolly best if Agnes deals with em)
[20:27] <Rally> (Hm, alright.)
[20:27] <Ryah> (Ryah is just kinda there to keep an eye mostly. Also I may have to AFK)
[20:29] * Agnes goes over to Rally, "Please take a seat anywhere you like! Would you like something to drink? Or maybe something to eat?"
[20:31] * Rally is startled, jumping slightly. "Yes! I mean, yes please, I would like something to dri-" Rally swallows, and pauses. "Actually, I would like something to eat."
[20:32] <Rally> (Apologies for slow replies.)
[20:32] <Agnes> "Perhaps both?"  She leads the new girl to a table and lays a menu down.  "Take your time."
[20:35] <Rally> "I-" Rally pauses again, trying to think of the right words. "I will, thank you." She picks up the menu and starts reading through it, with an oddly intense look on her face.
[20:36] <Agnes> "Is something the matter?"
[20:39] * Riri sips her iced tea, eyes scanning the room to take in the new sights and faces. Deep inside she was livid over this overabundance of energy she had been feeling since she woke up here. Placing her glass down as she leaned backwards, tilting the chair onto it's backlegs, flexing and relaxing various muscles along her body at random. Toes, fingers, chest, calves, thighs, glutes, abs.
[20:40] * Rally looks up from the menu at Agnes quickly. "No, no! Nothing is wrong! Everything is fine." The girl tries her best to laugh, but it is obviously forced.
[20:41] <DrEvilKitteh> Iris set her half-finished milkshake on the coffee table in front of her and closed her eyes as she relaxed on the sofa again.
[20:42] <Ryah> (Blah sorry, yea Ryah's gonna fade to background fo rnow :x Apologies agnes!)
[20:45] <Agnes> (It's cool)
[20:46] <Agnes> "Well, if you insist," she says, totally not buying it.
[20:52] <Rally> "Thank you." Rally stares at Agnes' face, studying it. Her face scrunches up in thought, before she returns to the menu, the same look as before.
[20:53] * Riri brought her hands together with a moaned stretch followed up by a yawn, a bright and wide smile over her face as she looked over to a patiently waiting Agnes, waiting her turn to flag down the waitress. She risked a few sideways glances at Rally before darting back to Agnes, looking back and forth between the two.
[20:55] * Agnes looks around for help... But doesn't see any of the other worker! Though she does See Riri glancing at her. "I will be right back! Let me know when you decide on something." She walks over to Riri, "Was the tea how you liked it?"
[20:56] * Riri gave Agnes a huge toothy smile "It was like an orgy in my mouth and everyone left satisfied. I would LOVE another one. OH! And can I get some fruit over here? Strawberries, honeydew, grapes, chopped bananas and some diced pear?"
[20:57] <Agnes> "Sure thing!" She doesn't quite understand the analogy...  But that doesn't matter.  "Give me a moment and I'll get it right out to you."
[20:59] <Agnes> She heads back into the kitchen and is back there for a bit before coming out with a tray of the fruits she listed as well as another glass of tea.  "Here you go, miss!"
[21:01] * Riri flung herself forwards with an excited squeel. "YES! PERFECT! Thank you!", she stared longingly at the items placed before her.
[21:03] <DrEvilKitteh> Iris opened her eyes and blinked owlishly over at Riri. The...exuberance was...odd. That reminded her of Akira, in some ways. She'd have to watch out for any surprise hugs, in that case.
[21:04] <Agnes> "W-well, you are very welcome!"  Agnes gives yet another bow before heading back to Rally.
[21:06] <Rally> (Give me a sec and I'll respond.)
[21:08] * Riri gracefully ran a fork through one bit of each fruit, taking a mouthful and chewing rapidly. Her eyes rolled back slightly, her back arched and straightened as her fists squeezed, arms brought back up. She stared at the ceiling in bliss.
[21:08] <Agnes> (Foodgasms, how lewd)
[21:09] <DrEvilKitteh> Iris stared blankly at the genki girl. What a strange person, truly...
[21:13] <Riri> https://riri.titanpad.com/1
[21:13] <Rally> (Alright got an idea.)
[21:13] <Riri> (Go on...)
[21:13] <Rally> (No I mean for the food haha.)
[21:14] <Riri> (¬_¬ ...go on...)
[21:14] <Rally> (I'm trying to signal Agnes damn it.)
[21:14] <Agnes> (She's already there)
[21:15] <Rally> (Words are hard. Whatever, anyway.)
[21:16] * Riri had long since finished her first iced tea, starting on the second one, she had found herself on cloud nine. Her eyes half closed, limbs hanging loosely around the chair, her long legs sliding outwards as her knees slowly came together. She had an extremely coy look written all over her face when she wasn't chewing or sipping.
[21:17] * Rally looks up from menu at Agnes, looking slightly nervous. "Ah, yes. I would like the uh, the liver please?" Her face becomes a scowl for a moment before returning to a regular look.
[21:17] <Kara|Ken> "So," Ken says, his drink long since gone.  "What kind of help will ya need?"
[21:18] <Kara|Ken> (This is to Iris, who he's still near.)
[21:18] <Rally> (Not exactly what I wanted to say but I tried to get it quickly.)
[21:18] <Agnes> "Of course!"  She says, completely ignoring the scowl and heading to the back.
[21:19] <DrEvilKitteh> "Am-bush," Iris told Ken without preamble. She'd finished off her milkshake by that time as well.
[21:20] <Kara|Ken> "Are we doing the ambush, or are we walking into one?"
[21:21] <DrEvilKitteh> "We...make...the am-bush."
[21:21] * Agnes comes out shortly after with a steaming plate of liver. She sets it down in front of Rally, "Be very careful, it's hot." She... Was holding it with her bare hands.
[21:23] * Rally opens her mouth to say something, before shutting it again. "Thank you very much. I...am sorry for taking so long."
[21:26] <Agnes> "It is not trouble at all.  You are new here, yes?"
[21:28] * Riri finished the plate of fruit before her. The last bite savored slowly as she swallowed. She leaned back against the chair, her eyes looking towards the ceiling while her she breathed heavily. "That was delicious. I've never had anything this appetizing. The arrangement, the flavors... This must be what perfection tastes like." She continued beaming, practically glowing.
[21:28] <Kara|Ken> "At least there's a plan.  Better than the last time we went on a mission for someone."  He chuckles a little, remembering how he came in here after being caught on fire.
[21:29] <Rally> "Yes, I am." Rally looks past Agnes at the pub and patrons, giving them all a once over before returning her attention to Agnes. "It's a very nice place here. I like it."
[21:31] <Agnes> "I am glad you like it.  We have rooms available if you need to spend the night.  Just talk to the bartender should you decide that you want a room."  She nods and bows politely.
[21:36] <DrEvilKitteh> Iris awkwardly shrugged, but otherwise remained silent and observant.
[21:36] <Tangent> The door swings open with a chime, and a short, petite girl in a blue uniform walks in, holding it open for her friend. "Feels like forever since we did this, huh, Alexa?" She comments to the doorway, blue eyes bright.
[21:37] <Jran-Kri> "A-aha, yes, I, um, suppose so," Alexa gives her dark red mantle a little tug as she scurries in, nodding thankfully. She looks around curiously, blanching a little at the people. "It hasn't changed a bit."
[21:39] <Tangent> "Nope." Amelia's cheerful grin doesn't waver as she looks around for anyone she knows. "Looks pretty busy today..."
[21:39] <Tangent> She catches a glimpse of Agnes and scowls, expression darkenning. "Too busy." She mutters. That girl's here. She keeps looking around, her hands unconsciously finding their way to her hips as she remembers their last argument.
[21:39] <Tangent> Maybe there'll be a familiar face here that she DOESN'T want to punch on sight.
[21:40] * Agnes quickly addresses the new girls without realizing who they are. "Oh, Please, take a seat! I will be with you shortly!"
[21:40] <Jran-Kri> Alexa blinks owlishly at the dark look suddenly crossing Amelia's face. She follows her gaze, but her train of thought is derailed by suddenly being addressed. Sputtering for a moment, she awkwardly bumbles over to a seat, nodding with a crooked grin. "Ah, th-thank you very much!"
[21:42] <Tangent> "Whatever." Amelia snaps at Agnes, storming after Alexa. Seeing that girl's soured her previously good mood as she flounces into the booth across from Alexa, still glowering slightly.
[21:44] <Jran-Kri> Alexa adjusts her glasses, looking between Amelia and Agnes with no small amount of confusion. "Um. Do you know her?"
[21:45] <DrEvilKitteh> It took a moment before Iris realized that Amelia had entered the pub. She started slightly and stood. Her eyes flicked to Ken, then back to Amelia and the other, unknown girl as she stepped over to their booth, movements almost graceful. Seeing as how she'd arrived from behind the Fire girl, she came to a stop right next to her seat and reached a hand down to lightly tap her on the shoulder in order to get her attention.
[21:45] <Kara|Ken> "Hooo boy.  We got drama in the pub.  And of course my sister cut me off from more booze."  Ken says, louder than he needed to.  Kara responds with a glare.
[21:48] <Tangent> "She's a moron." Amelia grumbles. "Oh, monsters are people too, leave the poor skeletons alone, give peace a cha-" Amelia jumps, twisting around in her seat in surprise. "E-eh? I-Iris?" Amelia squeaks, voice rising and face...Is that a blush? "I...Oh, hey, I didn't see you....again..." A surprised laugh, and she beams up at the much, much taller girl, mood seeming to flicker almost instantly back to giddy cheer.
[21:49] <Jran-Kri> Eyebrows climbing further up her head, Alexa descends further into her seat at the sight of this very tall girl in such close proximity. She looks between Iris and Amelia, a faint smile tugging at one corner of her mouth. "S-someone's been busy."
[21:50] * Rally leans over from her seat, trying to catch a glimpse of what's happening.
[21:50] <DrEvilKitteh> "Hel-lo," Iris greeted Amelia. "I...have fin-ished." After her statement, she looked over at the unfamiliar girl and tilted her head slightly. "...Hel-lo?" Her wave was small and a bit tentative. That being said, Alexa's speech patterns vaguely reminded her of Maya...hm...
[21:52] * Agnes comes over, completely ignoring the looks she has gotten from Amelia. "Hello, could I get anything for any of you? Something to drink perhaps?"
[21:52] <Jran-Kri> "... Ah. Yes. Hello. Hi," Alexa waggles a hand in her own nervous-looking wave, her face nearly splitting in half with a lopsided smile. "Um. H-have you two been, um, working on something?"
[21:52] <Tangent> "I...Sorry if you were looking for me, I tried to see if you were here before, but yeah...didn't see you..." Amelia chatters to Iris then looks back to Alexa, from her brief distraction. "Ah, sorry...Alexa, Iris, Iris, Alexa. Ah, we met in the Overcity a while back and we've been...doing stuff for a bit... Ah, um, Iris, you remember me telling you about Alexa, right? She's my best friend, and a great magical girl!"
[21:52] <Kara|Ken> Ken is leaning against a wall not too far from Iris.  "Friends of yours?"  He asks her.
[21:53] <Tangent> Amelia ignores Agnes, looking between Iris and Alexa. "Ah, yeah...something..." Her cheer seems to fade slightly as she considers something. "Yeah." She looks to Iris. "Um, so how've you been?"
[21:53] <Jran-Kri> "Yes, um, c-could I just, ah, have a cup of tea? Earl Grey," Alexa almost mumbles at Agnes, turning her electric smile on her for a moment before looking back at Amelia's explanation. "Y-you told her about me b-but not me about her? Th-that's not very fair."
[21:55] <DrEvilKitteh> "Yes," Iris replied to Alexa. "...I see. So...you are...A-le-xa. It...is nice...to meet you." She gave the girl a slight nod, silver-white eyes still unblinking. Sadly, Ken's words were lost on Iris, as she wasn't really paying attention to him at the moment. At Amelia's query, she shrugged awkwardly. "Tired. But...I...did it."
[21:56] * Agnes nods, and heads to the back. She returns with a cup of Earl Grey Tea, and a glass of water. She hands the polite one the tea, and sets the water down in front of Amelia. "Here you go, I hope you enjoy. And," she turns to Amelia, "I am sorry about when we last met."
[21:57] <Tangent> "Ah...Um...sorry..." Amelia looks sheepish for a moment. "I...I guess I should've told you. So, um, we ran into each other out there when Iris was looking for a portal..." And she beams at Iris. She's still not sure how much she wants to tell Alexa about what they're hunting- stray images of clockwork zombies flash through her mind. Agnes provides a distraction. "Hmph." She frowns, arms crossed, but doesn't comment. "Thanks for the water." She mutters, then nods to Iris. "You...didn't have any trouble, right? What'd you find?"
[21:58] * Riri continued sipping her iced tea, this time with a lot less gusto. She felt strange, exhausted but she couldn't rest. She sipped her tea in sudden silence, listening to the surrounding conversations for any more clues on her situation as a sudden sense of ration descended upon her.
[21:58] <Jran-Kri> "Ah. Yes. Likewise," Alexa nods at Iris once again, before turning to bob her head at Agnes upon her return. "Ah yes, thank you v-very much." She lets the cup cool, letting the bag steep, watching Amelia curiously. "Ah, I... see. Well, ah, I hope you helped her find it."
[21:58] <Tangent> A glance to Alexa, and she bites her lip. She's sitting there...but at the same time Amelia still doesn't really want her to get dragged into this. It's not just dangerous...those things aren't something she wants her to have to see.
[21:58] <Rally> (Ration? Do you mean reason?)
[21:59] <Riri> (reason* Sorry, distracted by skype drama.)
[21:59] <Jran-Kri> ((No, she senses rations. Duh.))
[21:59] <Riri> (Good catch.)
[21:59] * Agnes shrugs. "We each have our own beliefs and reasons for those beliefs. I will not presume to know your reasons." She then turns and goes back to her job.
[22:00] <Kara|Ken> "So, you guys here to help with her job?"  Ken asks bluntly.
[22:01] <DrEvilKitteh> Iris held her hand out and summoned a...weird-looking contraption in her hand. A whitish dodecahedron that sporadically pulsed red was at the center, the rest of the device built around it. More or less, it was roughly disc-shaped, about a foot and a half long. Several curving and glowing blue-green spokes on the top side went from the edges to the center, around the Core. "Am-bush," she told Amelia in explanation. "...For them," she added as clarification.
[22:01] <Tangent> "Jumped up, arrogant..." Amelia mutters, then shakes her head. "Oh, yeah, we found it." She comments to Alexa, then looks to the newcomer. "Who're you?" She asks, equally bluntly- and sounding slightly annoyed for reasons she can't quite place.
[22:01] <Tangent> Then Iris gets her attention. "...Oh. Oh, okay." She nods. A side glance to Alexa.
[22:01] <Kara|Ken> His sister finally stands up and walks over with a full glass of water.  Wait?  Full?  She finished it earlier and no one has filled it up again.  She joins her brother.
[22:02] <Kara|Ken> "My name's Ken, this is my sister Karaline."  He gives a cocky grin.
[22:02] <Kara|Ken> "Kara," she corrects.  "And please forgive my brother.  He doesn't know when to keep his mouth shut."
[22:03] <Tangent> "Hi, hi." Amelia waves, distractedly. "Amelia." She then glances to Iris. This is starting to look like an entire group...and maybe it's her dream or maybe it's Alexa being here, but she has a vague sense of foreboding.
[22:04] <Kara|Ken> (For the record...  Ken pings as something... Different.  [Dark Magical Boy])
[22:04] <Tangent> Amelia blinks. Her magic's on edge, the way it usually is around Kreimhild, and she's not happy about it. Especially because setting things on fire in the Wand would be bad. And also wrong.
[22:05] <Kara|Ken> Ken smirks but says nothing, instead, for the first time ever, opting to let his sister do the talking.
[22:06] <Tangent> (http://mgcyoa.wikia.com/wiki/Amelia btw)
[22:06] <DrEvilKitteh> "He said...they...could help," Iris said to Amelia, jerking her chin slightly at the twins in indication as to whom she referred. She hammerspaced the contraption again and just...sort of stood there, calmly looking at Amelia, Alexa, and the twins.
[22:06] <Jran-Kri> Alexa's hands wring again, looking at the new arrivals with some amount of trepidation visible in her awkward smile. She is momentarily distracted by the fascinating device Iris summons, adjusting her glasses curiously. "P-pleasure to meet you, too. Ah... I suppose we are."
[22:07] <Kara|Ken> "It is nice to meet all of you," Kara says politely, stark contrast to her brother's abbrasive personality.
[22:07] * Riri slung her gym towel around her shoulders, tipping her chair back onto it's rear legs as she continued to casually eavesdrop on the conversations around her. She'd produced her phone from her jacket pocket, casually reading through a handful of random news articles that popped up, she adjusted her glasses with a smirk.
[22:09] <Tangent> "Yeah...that makes sense..." Amelia nods at Iris, but seems strangely unhappy about this idea. A glance to Alexa. "Hey, um, guys, we'll be back in a second...Be right back, Iris..." She taps Alexa, briefly but urgently.
[22:11] <Jran-Kri> "Hm?" Alexa looks even more confused than before, but nonetheless obediently rises.
[22:12] <Tangent> Amelia leads her outside, chewing her lip and clearly tense. "Hey, Alexa...sorry I didn't tell you about meeting Iris..." She starts without preamble. "Just...stuff came up..."
[22:13] <Tangent> Clockwork zombies to be exact.
[22:13] <Tangent> "Look, I'll...meet you back here later, okay? Or back at Kreims?" She blurts quickly.
[22:13] <Kara|Ken> "They seem, nice."  Kara says.  "You mean 'interesting'," Ken corrects.
[22:13] <DrEvilKitteh> "...O-kay?" Iris stepped to the side to allow Amelia and Alexa to walk out. She took a seat in the booth they'd just vacated and waited for the moment.
[22:13] <Kara|Ken> "No...  I meant nice."
[22:14] <Jran-Kri> Alexa follows gamely, her confusion unabating. She nods slowly at the apology, but this sudden demand stops her short. She freezes, staring at her incredulously. "Are you... are you sending me away?"
[22:16] <Tangent> "No! I mean...." Amelia's lip-chewing is rapidly reaching chipmunk like rates. "I...It's just maybe it's better if...Damnit...That..." Her features are a mask of nerves and worry. "It...It's not safe. I...If I...if you...What we ran into..It was bad. Really bad. I don't know what's doing it, but...you shouldn't HAVE to see that..." Her voice's hesitant, but becomes more determined on her last words.
[22:17] <Rally> "...Scary." Rally returns to her meal, poking at it with her fork. She soon realizes that it's cold and is left unsure what to do with it.
[22:17] <Tangent> "They...they used to be people, Alexa. And if something does go wrong, if I mess up the way I did in..." In her nightmare. Just a nightmare. She shakes her head. "...Sorry." She mutters quietly, shamefaced.
[22:19] * Agnes goes over to Rally and picks up her plate, and then suddenly the food is steaming hot again! Fire magic works wonders. "Here you go," she says with a (literally) warm smile.
[22:20] * Rally looks at Agnes in surprise. "Thank you." However, she doesn't look as grateful as she sounds.
[22:20] <Jran-Kri> Alexa begins to wring her hands hesitantly, but stops the moment she notices what she's doing. Staring at Amelia, her face is frozen in a mask of nervousness and incredulity. After a moment, she sighs softly, looking away. "O-of course it's not s-safe. W-we wouldn't be going if it w-was, r-right? L-look, just..." She shakes her head again. "D-don't w-worry about me. I-I can t-take care of m-myself. I-it'll be fine."
[22:20] <Agnes> "Think nothing of it," She says with a small bow as she goes back to her other customers.
[22:22] <Tangent> "But what if...if I can't..." Amelia shakes her head, looking at Alexa. "Alexa, you shouldn't have to..." Amelia's hands are white-knuckled as she clasps her fingers together behind her back, chewing her lip. "Are you sure?" She asks, quietly. Reluctantly.
[22:23] <Jran-Kri> "Of course I'm sure!" Her voice cracks as she huffs, nodding emphatically. "Y-you can j-just go rushing o-off and expect me t-to just... let you go! Of course I'm coming with!"
[22:24] * Riri let a quick yawn slip as she continued staring at the phone screen, her legs bouncing under the table with barely contained energy. Her right eye twitched slightly causing her to blink hard and shake her head, her breathing coming back under control. "Damn Highlander level antics going on around here..." She grumbled, fingers of her left hand drumming the table top.
[22:24] <Jran-Kri> ((Whoops: *can't just))
[22:26] <Tangent> "...Guess you are." Amelia can't help but smile a bit. "It...you know it's not going to be pretty, right? It's probably going to be bad. Really bad. They...they look like they're still..." Amelia swallows, looking ill. "People." She shakes their head. "Fine. But if something goes wrong, don't...just promise me you'll take care of yourself first, okay?"
[22:27] <Jran-Kri> "... I-I can't promise that," Alexa shakes her head again, her shoulders slumping. A faint smile worms up her face. "A-after all, I have to l-look out for you, too, r-right?"
[22:27] <Tangent> *Even more than usual.
[22:28] <Tangent> Amelia bites her lip. "Just...Try, okay? Please? I don't want you to get hurt because of me. Please."
[22:29] <Kara|Ken> (...No exact rush... But it's 10:30 here.  I don't have to work so it's not exactly an issue.)
[22:29] <Jran-Kri> "I-I understand," Alexa nods brusquely, sobering up. "L-let's, ah, g-go back. Shouldn't keep them waiting."
[22:31] <Tangent> "...Right." Amelia nods back. "Guess not. Iris's pretty cool- I'll tell you how we met after the hunt, okay?" And the duo wanders back inside to the waiting group. "Hey, we're back!" Amelia announces. "So, um, what's the plan?"
[22:32] <Kara|Ken> Ken and Kara look at Iris, they haven't heard it yet.
[22:33] <Jran-Kri> Alexa merely nods silently, padding after Amelia. Returning to their table, she picks up her cup of tea. Her hands tremble slightly as she lifts it to her mouth, watching the much taller girl curiously.
[22:34] <DrEvilKitteh> Iris summoned the contraption again and set it on the table. "This is...um, a...lure." She paused and nodded, pretty sure that was the right wording. "We...will go...out there, far." She turned and pointed at the door, indicating the city. "Use...lure. Then...am-bush...when they come."
[22:35] <Kara|Ken> (...This would be a good time for me to open up my character sheets and Spell lists...)
[22:36] <DrEvilKitteh> (Yes. Yes it would.)
[22:36] <Jran-Kri> "... Very, ah... simple," Alexa nods slowly. She fiddles with the brooch of her mantle with her free hand. "Well. Ah. Sounds... good. Defender's advantage and all."
[22:36] <Tangent> How is it that Iris speaking is always so cute, Amelia thinks absently, then jolts herself out of it with a firm shake of her head. Focus. "Right. What if there are more than we're expecting? How many are we expecting?"
[22:36] <Tangent> She's not usually this cautious, but with Alexa there and the dream fresh in her mind...
[22:37] <Kara|Ken> "Quick question."  Ken interjects.  "Do any of you use guns?"
[22:37] <Kara|Ken> Kara, meanwhile lowers her head while he asks.
[22:38] <Jran-Kri> "N-no!" Alexa shakes her head emphatically, stiffening at the question. After a second, she relaxes with a self-deprecating smile. "Ah, sorry. No. I, um. I have a staff."
[22:39] <DrEvilKitteh> Iris shrugged awkwardly in response to Amelia. "I...do not...know. Could be...man-y, could be...few. If...too man-y, then...run...and, um...fig-ure out...how...to fight bet-ter." She tilted her head at Ken. "...Some-times."
[22:39] <Tangent> Amelia glances at Ken, incredulously. Then she reaches for her belt, fiddling with her scabbard for a moment. There's a hiss of metal and she tugs her saber up, the hilt in hand and half the blade visible above the table. "Nope." She replies.
[22:39] <Tangent> She nods at Iris. "Okay. Got it. Just checking."
[22:40] <Tangent> She's not scared of fighting these things- she rarely is- but the flicker of half-formed worry after that dream...
[22:41] <Kara|Ken> "Well, just a heads up.  Kara is terrified of guns."  "I am no-..."  She stops and then pouts.  "Hey, don't worry about it.  I can handle whatever comes our way."
[22:42] <Jran-Kri> "A-ha. Um. That's... quite alright. I'm, um, a little leery myself," Alexa laughs nervously, bunching up her shoulders.
[22:43] <DrEvilKitteh> Iris just silently stood and stored the lure back in her hammerspace. "Shall...we go, now?" she inquired of the other four.
[22:43] <Tangent> Amelia bites her lip. "You'll...you'll be fine." She reassures Alexa, after a moment's hesitation. She didn't want her to come, but... "They're not that tough, just a lot of them. And you're a great magical girl."
[22:44] * Riri has officially tilted too far back in her chair, absentmindedly listneing to the conversation nearby. Her foot hooks the table in reflex but only manages to have her scoot under the table while still trapped in the chair, effectively pinning herself under the table. With rosy cheeks she pulls herself out, setting the chair back as if nothing happened, dropping money
[22:44] <Riri>  on the table to cover food and tip as she briskly walked towards the front door. The rose color in her cheeks now a bright crimson as she passed the group she had been eavesdropping on.
[22:44] <Tangent> "Right. Let's go. Alexa?" She prompts. "It's okay if you've changed your mind..." She adds, quietly.
[22:45] <Kara|Ken> "Ready when you are," Ken says.  "I guess I have no choice...  my idiot brother'll just get in trouble if I don't."
[22:46] <Tangent> Amelia doesn't notice Riri, her attention on Alexa. A comforting brush of her fingers.
[22:46] <Jran-Kri> Alexa jumps at the sound of some commotion behind her, taking the excuse to look away. Her attention snaps back to Amelia as she nods vigorously with a crooked grin. "R-ready! Let's, ah... let's go."
[22:47] <Kara|Ken> Ken rolls his eyes and starts to say, "Get a ro-" only to be cut off by his sister putting her hand over his mouth and glaring at him.
[22:47] * Rally has fallen asleep at her table while listening in on the group. Her food has been barely touched, but there is plenty of money laid out to pay whatever cost for it. Her face has a smile on it, the first she's shown the entire time she's been here.
[22:47] * Agnes looks around... She wasn't told what to do when a customer falls asleep!
[22:48] <DrEvilKitteh> Iris nodded and turned to walk towards the front door. She opened it and stepped outside, into the #Overcity. ('Cuz PnP and Chronicle are taken.)
[22:48] <Tangent> Amelia puffs herself up...it doesn't add much to her height or (lack of) presence. "Right. Let's do this."
[22:49] * Waitress (~Zene@Rizon-AB3D99A4.kn.shawcable.net) has joined #TheWand&Circlet
[22:49] <Waitress> Agnes's senpai comes in to save the day. Clarine quietly goes about clearing off the table, using a duplicate to carry off everything while she herself very gently lifts up Rally in a telekinetic hold.
[22:50] * Kara|Ken follows the others outside. Ken pulling his cape tights and Kara summoning her wings.


[22:49] <DrEvilKitteh> (Jran, Tangent, Bar, everyone here?)
[22:49] <Kara|Ken> (Absolutely NOTHING has been done here since I joined earlier.)
[22:49] <Tangent> Amelia takes a deep breath of the Overcity air. It's not that fresh. She glances around. Alexa. Iris. The duo whose names start with K...
[22:50] <Jran-Kri> Alexa fiddles with her mantle as they step out into the city. Her staff appears in a flash of bright red light; a gnarled black stick almost as tall as her, topped with a crimson crystal ball.
[22:51] <Kara|Ken> Ken has his cape/cloak pulled tight and Kara has her wings outstretched.
[22:51] <DrEvilKitteh> Iris walked on ahead, cloak-dress billowing and flapping gracefully in the slight breeze. "Follow me," she called over her shoulder to the others.
[22:53] <Tangent> Amelia's outfit is a sleek navy blue uniform, with almost feathery motifs in the braids...and metallic kneecaps. She passes a basket hilted sword from hand to hand, and a bright red shawl flutters around her neck as she walks.
[22:53] <Tangent> "Hey, Alexa...Ready?" She asks quietly as she walks alongside her friend.
[22:54] <Kara|Ken> The twins follow, a sword materializes in Ken's hand and glows a sickly green color.  It pulses with...  What can only be described as "wrong" energy.  Kara summons a long staff and uses it as a walking stick.
[22:54] <Kara|Ken> https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/86/29/56/862956682570ebea76ee0039b80bae6b.jpg  Ken's sword.
[22:56] <Jran-Kri> "Ready as I'll ever be," she says, following briskly along. Her dark red mantle trails behind her, and she adjusts her matching wide-brimmed hat. She idly admires the rest of the group's equipment.
[22:56] <Tangent> Amelia's head snaps around, and her brow's furrowed enough to plant crops in...but she reluctnatly looks back to Alexa after a moment. She's going to have questions though.
[22:57] <Kara|Ken> Ken notices the look and gives a massive shit-eating grin.
[22:57] <Tangent> "Right. That's the spirit. I...I'm glad you're coming, really. Even if...yeah. Partners, right?" Amelia shoots Ken a dirty look but keeps talking to her friend rather than take the bait. Not yet, anyway.
[22:58] <DrEvilKitteh> "Can...oth-ers...move fast?" she asked of the group at large, either not noticing or not caring about Ken and his weapon. "I...can, uh, 'roof run'. And...car-ry A-me-lia, too."
[22:59] <Kara|Ken> Ken opens his cloak to reveal a pair of black feathered wings, starkly contrasting Kara's White wings.
[22:59] <Jran-Kri> "Right. Partners," Alexa smiles at Amelia again, barely aware of Ken's shenanigans. Looking back at Iris, she nods hesitantly, though the mention of carrying Amelia merits an arched eyebrow. "I, uh... Well, I'm not... super graceful, but, ah... I can manage."
[23:00] <Kara|Ken> "I think we can handle a bit of a rush."
[23:00] <Tangent> "Ah..." Amelia flushes again. "I...Uh, that makes sense..." Amelia nods, looking slightly flustered for a moment but gets over it. "Ah, Alexa's great at roofhopping..."
[23:03] <DrEvilKitteh> "Okay." Iris stepped over to Amelia and scooped her up into a bridal carry without preamble. "It...will not take...long, I think." She faced a specific direction, bent her knees, and took off down the street. Ice steps formed along the side of a nearby building, allowing her to quickly ascend it up to the roof. She didn't slow for the others, figuring they could keep up.
[23:03] <Kara|Ken> The twins immediately take to the skies and rush along behind Iris.
[23:05] <Tangent> Amelia eeps, but complies readily enough. Focus, focus...Not on how Iris's arms feel around her, on the job...
[23:05] <Tangent> Damnit, why's she always get so distracted? They have a job to do!
[23:06] <Jran-Kri> Alexa turns a very particular shade of red, watching Iris pick up Amelia. She blinks several times, watching her go, feeling oddly put out. She grimaces before shaking herself and hurriedly following her.
[23:10] <DrEvilKitteh> The next while, about fifteen to twenty minutes or so, passed by in a blur of the cityscape environment around them as they raced across the Overcity. Iris took a route that brought them near the portal to Maya's world, but ultimately avoided getting too close to the portal; she didn't want any stragglers or scouts to find it and enter her best friend's world. Finally, they came to a stop at the top of a tall building, maybe around ten to twelve stories tall.
[23:10] <DrEvilKitteh> Iris set Amelia down and took a look around, unblinking eyes surveying their surroundings. “...This...should be...a good spot,” she told the others in her usual soft voice.
[23:11] <DrEvilKitteh> (Everyone roll Perception, plz~)
[23:12] <Jran-Kri> Once on top of the building, Alexa watches Iris drop Amelia with a queer sense of relief. Shaking her head as if to clear it, she idly looks around. "If, ah... you say so."
[23:12] <Jran-Kri> .d 1d20
[23:12] <Internets> :: Total 16 / 20 [80%] :: Results [16] ::
[23:12] <Tangent> "Ah...Right." Amelia dusts herself off, distractedly. "Okay. So...we'll take them out as soon as they show up?"
[23:12] <Kara|Ken> Ken Lands loudly, doing the cliche "Hero Landing" or "Three-point Landing".  Kara lands gracefully, in a stark contrast.
[23:12] <Tangent> .d 1d20
[23:12] <Internets> :: Total 18 / 20 [90%] :: Results [18] ::
[23:12] <Kara|Ken> .d 1d20 Ken
[23:12] <Internets> Error: invalid format
[23:12] <Kara|Ken> .d 1d20
[23:12] <Internets> :: Total 14 / 20 [70%] :: Results [14] ::
[23:12] <Kara|Ken> (Do I get two because two characters?)
[23:12] <DrEvilKitteh> (Yeah.)
[23:12] <Kara|Ken> .d 1d20
[23:12] <Internets> :: Total 9 / 20 [45%] :: Results [9] ::
[23:12] <DrEvilKitteh> (And holy shit, that's a lot of good rolls.)
[23:13] <Kara|Ken> (Shame Kara is not as perceptive as her Bro)
[23:16] <DrEvilKitteh> Surprisingly, out of the five, Amelia and Alexa were the ones to spot something out of the five. In the distance, a few blocks away and just out of the corner of their eye, they saw the something shift and change, alter. Buildings and houses over there...weren't the same as when they'd first looked in that direction. And...hm. Had the apartment building down there, on the other side of the street, always had a wrought-iron railing along its steps leading to the front door...?
[23:17] <DrEvilKitteh> It seems as though the Overcity was shifting slightly, changing as was its wont, in this general, nearby area.
[23:18] <Tangent> "That...that's weird." Amelia comments. "Hey, the buildings are doing something!" She calls.
[23:19] <Jran-Kri> What was merely a curious glance around the area turned into a much more thorough inspection. Alexa adjusts her glasses, wondering if her eyes were playing tricks on her for a moment. Amelia dispels all doubt, however. "A-ah yes, I see it too! They, um... seem to be changing! Remarkable."
[23:19] <Kara|Ken> Ken looks around, spinning his sword in his hand and leaving green lines in the air for a moment after the blade moves.
[23:19] <Kara|Ken> "Ken, stop that."  Kara says, sounding almost... Sick?  Ken is quick to oblige though.
[23:20] <Tangent> "Hey, Alexa?" Amelia says quietly. "Remember, they're...they're not people. Not anymore."
[23:21] <Tangent> She swallows, holding her sword a bit tighter. Saying it out loud...she's not sure it helps.
[23:21] <Jran-Kri> This sudden grim reminder sobers her, drawing her from her enthusiastic inspection. Swallowing, she nods. "R-right. Of course."
[23:21] <DrEvilKitteh> Iris blinked and glanced in the direction the others were looking. She figured it was inconsequential at the current time and summoned the lure again. The spokes glowed a bit brighter when she sat on the edge of the building, legs crossed as she worked on powering it up.
[23:22] <Tangent> Amelia reaches out. A comforting pat on the shoulder with her free hand, and then she looks back to the shifting landscape.
[23:22] <Tangent> *to Alexa
[23:24] <Jran-Kri> Alexa smiles silently at Amelia before looking away. Shuffling in place, the crystal ball at the end of her staff glows once, preparing a formless spell.
[23:25] <DrEvilKitteh> "Is...ever-yone read-y?" Iris asked. She looked up at the others, the lure now audibly humming in her hands.
[23:25] <Kara|Ken> "Ready, willing, and able," Ken says, still with a grin.
[23:25] <Tangent> "Ready." Amelia declares confidently, her pose every inch the...miniature...paladin.
[23:26] <Jran-Kri> A moment later, it becomes decidedly formful: faint, translucent barriers of red light materialize over Amelia's uniform in certain areas, solidifying. [Armour of Light: 2 MP, 15/17 -- +2 Soak, 3 turns] This done, she nods at Iris. "R-ready!"
[23:26] <Tangent> "Hey, thanks!" Amelia chirps.
[23:26] <Kara|Ken> Kara nods, "Oh radiant lords, grant thy boon to my ally."
[23:26] <DrEvilKitteh> (I'll let the "3 turns" kick in during actual combat, btw.)
[23:27] <Jran-Kri> ((I was hoping you'd say that.))
[23:28] <Kara|Ken> (For the record, that was the first rank of "Blessings of the Hero" onto Ken.)
[23:30] <DrEvilKitteh> Iris stood and breathed deeply. She pressed a button next to the Core, drew her arm back, and threw it high into the air above her head. Red pulses, humming out, spread from the lure in a spherical “shockwave” of sorts, though the group didn't actually feel anything. It did that several times as it spun in the air, and when it descended, Iris easily caught it with one hand.
[23:30] <DrEvilKitteh> Pulses still spreading around from the lure, Iris set it on the edge of the building and crouched next to it. “Now...we...wait.”
[23:36] <DrEvilKitteh> (...Anyone gonna post, or...should I move on?)
[23:36] <Jran-Kri> ((Go right ahead.))
[23:36] <Kara|Ken> (...I was waiting for you...)
[23:37] <DrEvilKitteh> (Fine, gimme perception rolls again.)
[23:37] <Jran-Kri> .d 1d20
[23:37] <Internets> :: Total 13 / 20 [65%] :: Results [13] ::
[23:37] <Tangent> .d 1d20
[23:37] <Internets> :: Total 11 / 20 [55%] :: Results [11] ::
[23:37] <Kara|Ken> .d 1d20
[23:37] <Internets> :: Total 7 / 20 [35%] :: Results [7] ::
[23:37] <Kara|Ken> .d 1d20
[23:37] <Internets> :: Total 5 / 20 [25%] :: Results [5] ::
[23:37] <DrEvilKitteh> .d 1d20
[23:37] <Kara|Ken> (Ken, then Kara)
[23:37] <Internets> :: Total 19 / 20 [95%] :: Results [19] ::
[23:38] <Tangent> Amelia fidgets in place as she stands there. This pose doesn't seem as heroic when there's nothing to fight yet...
[23:38] <DrEvilKitteh> (Also, anyone have Awareness, Third Eye, anything that'd help Perc. checks? Forgot to ask earlier.)
[23:39] <Kara|Ken> (Not I)
[23:40] <Jran-Kri> ((Nope))
[23:40] <Tangent> (blind as a bat)
[23:40] <Kara|Ken> (Shit is fucked)
[23:42] <Tangent> (can't see shit captain)
[23:42] <Tangent> (oh god the party is literally all using per as their dump stt)
[23:42] <DrEvilKitteh> Several minutes passed before anything happened.
[23:43] <DrEvilKitteh> Iris tilted her head and listened intently. She was the first to hear movement in the distance, coming closer. “...More...than one...group,” she told the others, her gaze flicking from one direction to the other.
[23:43] <Tangent> Amelia frowns. "We can take them...Rush one or wait? I say we rush."
[23:44] <Kara|Ken> (We are on a roof, yes?)
[23:44] <Tangent> (Details that never stopped Amelia before)
[23:45] <DrEvilKitteh> (Yep, roof.)
[23:45] <Jran-Kri> "... Oh dear. Um," Alexa hesitates, trying to keep from looking afraid. Her crystal ball flashes again. "I-I don't think we should, um, go anywhere."
[23:45] <Kara|Ken> Ken spins his sword again instinctively.  "Let them come.  Stay in the center.  Force them to come up to our level.  Take'em out when the get up here and wait for the next wave."
[23:45] <DrEvilKitteh> Soon, the others heard movement as well. Footsteps, many of them. Heavy, surprisingly so. Not marching in unison, however. Iris and Amelia also realized something: There was no clicking and whirring of gears. At least, not right then and there. It wasn't nearly as loud as it had been the last time, when they'd ambushed that convoy.
[23:45] <DrEvilKitteh> If the others listened closely, they'd figure out that Iris was right; the sound came from two different directions.
[23:47] <Tangent> Amelia frowns. "Something's different." She glances to Iris. Strangely, she doesn't seem worried at all...so much as anticipatory.
[23:49] <Kara|Ken> "Two groups..."  Ken starts to smile, "This'll be fun."
[23:50] <Jran-Kri> "That's, um... one word for it," Alexa mutters.
[23:51] <Tangent> Amelia seems...to agree with Ken. Almost. "We can do this." She says instead.
[23:51] <Kara|Ken> "He's...  Don't mind him.  Just worry about yourselves."  Kara gives a surprisingly dismissive glance to her brother.
[23:51] <Tangent> They're not people. Not anymore. Just monsters.
[23:51] <DrEvilKitteh> Iris summoned her futuristic sniper rifle again and looked through the scope down the street. She lowered it and relocated to the other side of the roof and looked in the direction of the second group. "...I...can not see...them yet. But...they...are close." The sniper rifle was hammerspaced again, and she walked over to the edge and kicked the lure off it. The lure fell down to the street below and hit with a dull metallic clatter, but didn't seem too damaged by the drop, if at all.
[23:51] <Fyhlen> (Purify the monsters!)
[23:52] <Kara|Ken> (Ken doesn't know the meaning of the word "Purify"!)
[23:52] <Fyhlen> (Smite them then!)
[23:53] <Kara|Ken> (That, he can and will do!)
[23:58] <Kara|Ken> Kara seems... Oddly focused on something.
[23:58] <Kara|Ken> What she's focused on is a mystery right now.
[00:02] <DrEvilKitteh> “We...will stay here,” Iris said after a moment. “Attack...from...above. When...they are...down there.” She pointed at the lure, which was still active.
[00:02] <DrEvilKitteh> As Iris moved back to the other side of the roof, the others would be able to see the first group of enemies appear around a corner down the street. A few hundred feet away, not yet within effective attack range. It was a small group, just...eleven or so. They appeared as people, of all ages and races with clothing that ranged from torn up rags to fairly intact, if a bit dirty. However...their movements were twitchy, spasmodic, almost marionette-like. It was quite familiar to Amelia, and Iris as well, though she wasn't looking at that current group.
[00:04] <Kara|Ken> Ken shrugs.  "Great, puppet-people."
[00:04] <Tangent> "They're not people." Amelia says, voice low- and angry?
[00:05] <Kara|Ken> "Neither am I.  It's a phrase."  Another shrug.
[00:06] <Jran-Kri> "... Oh dear. Oh dear," Alexa pauses only to give a confused sideways glance at Ken before shaking her head and returning to muttering to herself. She tries to keep herself steady, leaning on her staff.
[00:08] <Tangent> A flick of her wrist and her sword's half-raised into a practiced guard. A look to Ken...and she nudges Alexa wordlessly, but without taking her eyes off the...mob. Monsters.
[00:09] <Tangent> *mob for long.
[00:09] <DrEvilKitteh> (D/V/R)
[00:09] <DrEvilKitteh> .d 1d3
[00:09] <Internets> :: Total 1 / 3 [33%] :: Results [1] ::
[00:09] <Kara|Ken> "If you're going to point that at me, you better be prepared for a fight," He says, non-threateningly.  But the air grows think with a sickening aura around him.
[00:10] <Kara|Ken> "Ken, STOP!"  Kara raises her voice for the first time anyone has heard...  Even Ken is surprised, and as such the aura dissipates.
[00:10] <DrEvilKitteh> (Roll AGI)
[00:11] <Jran-Kri> Alexa jolts sharply at the nudge, nodding vigorously. She cringes at the shouting, shaking her head again.
[00:11] <Kara|Ken> (Is this a dodge?)
[00:12] <Jran-Kri> !ex 4 vs 7
[00:12] <Zeneroller> Jran-Kri: [6, 2, 2, 1]. Botch!
[00:12] <DrEvilKitteh> (Nope~)
[00:12] <Tangent> "What." Amelia says flatly. "First off, you're a moron if you want a fight now, second..."
[00:12] <Kara|Ken> (So I don't get my bonuses... Damn)
[00:12] <DrEvilKitteh> (This is a "You suddenly find yourselves ~20 feet above the roof".)
[00:12] <Kara|Ken> (I've got wings?)
[00:13] <DrEvilKitteh> (Gotta be quick about it, tho. Hence Agility.)
[00:13] <Kara|Ken> !ex 4 vs 7
[00:13] <Zeneroller> Kara|Ken: [8, 5, 9, 4]. Successes total: 2
[00:13] <Kara|Ken> (That was Ken)
[00:13] <Kara|Ken> !ex 5 vs 7
[00:13] <Zeneroller> Kara|Ken: [9, 6, 3, 9, 6]. Successes total: 2
[00:13] <Kara|Ken> (That was Kara)
[00:14] <Tangent> (Are we doing the whole +2 dice or not?)
[00:14] <Kara|Ken> (I read it as Amelia pointed her sword at Ken... Sorry if I misinterpreted it.)
[00:14] <Tangent> (Nah, was unclear but she was just getting ready.)
[00:15] <Kara|Ken> (Ah, well from his perspective it looked like she was raising it towards him.  Does that work for you?)
[00:15] <Tangent> (yeah)
[00:16] <Tangent> (good chance for drama later)
[00:16] <Tangent> !ex 2 vs 7
[00:16] <Zeneroller> Tangent: [10, 1]. Successes total: 2
[00:17] <Tangent> (Guys, you okay with +2 to all dice rolls for everyone after this? The new way where everyone rolls more dice for everything?)
[00:17] <Kara|Ken> (>botch, 2,2,2)
[00:17] <Kara|Ken> (Dammit Zeneroller!)
[00:17] <Jran-Kri> ((it haaaaates mes ; _ ;))
[00:18] <DrEvilKitteh> (And I'm good for +2 Dice as GM.)
[00:19] <Kara|Ken> (BRB, gonna grab booze)
[00:19] <DrEvilKitteh> A ripple spread through the environment, but it didn't originate from the lure. Their building shifted, changed. The rooftop...altered, and shrunk. Mostly...over where Iris was. She gasped and dropped, plummeting out of sight. The buildings, streets, sidewalks, they all kept changing, in flux for several long moments. It ended with their building becoming...smaller. Drastically so, around twenty-three feet.
[00:19] <DrEvilKitteh> Alexa was taken by surprise and landed ungainly on the roof below. Ken and Kara were able to react fast enough to not land on their asses, and Amelia as well.
[00:19] <DrEvilKitteh> Suddenly, the “people” were now almost directly below their position, on the street below. The three in the lead seemed to study the lure for a moment in either confusion or fascination, or...something else. Still, Alexa found herself prone, and while her Outfit had absorbed the fall, she wasn't in a good position to attack the Clockwork Zombies below.
[00:21] <Kara|Ken> (Back)
[00:21] <DrEvilKitteh> (If you want to surprise attack them, roll Initiative to see who goes first. And no, Iris will not be joining the other four for this combat.)
[00:21] <Tangent> "Alexa!" Amelia shouts, mission forgotten. No. Not again. Not like this. This isn't what she wants a repeat of- not like that nightmare that felt too real.
[00:21] <Tangent> (Initiative as in d20?)
[00:22] <DrEvilKitteh> (I'm pretty sure it's another AGI roll. Perception's d20.)
[00:22] <Tangent> (oops)
[00:22] <DrEvilKitteh> (Yeah, AGI or Luck.)
[00:23] <Kara|Ken> !ex 4 vs 7
[00:23] <Zeneroller> Kara|Ken: [3, 3, 7, 1]. Successes total: 1
[00:23] <Kara|Ken> (Ken)
[00:23] <Kara|Ken> !ex 5 vs 7
[00:23] <Zeneroller> Kara|Ken: [5, 9, 1, 4, 2]. Successes total: 1
[00:23] <Kara|Ken> (Kara)
[00:23] <Tangent> !ex 2 vs 7
[00:23] <Zeneroller> Tangent: [10, 2]. Successes total: 2
[00:24] <Jran-Kri> !ex 4 vs 7
[00:24] <Zeneroller> Jran-Kri: [3, 5, 10, 5]. Successes total: 2
[00:24] <DrEvilKitteh> (Oh, are we not adding the +2 Dice?)
[00:24] <Kara|Ken> (Oh, right...)
[00:24] <Tangent> (forgot, sorry.)
[00:24] <Kara|Ken> !ex 2 vs 7
[00:24] <Zeneroller> Kara|Ken: [5, 6]. Successes total: 0
[00:24] <Kara|Ken> (Ken)
[00:24] <Jran-Kri> !ex 2 vs 7
[00:24] <Zeneroller> Jran-Kri: [4, 3]. Successes total: 0
[00:24] <Kara|Ken> !ex 2 vs 7
[00:24] <Zeneroller> Kara|Ken: [5, 8]. Successes total: 1
[00:24] <Kara|Ken> (Kara)
[00:24] <Tangent> (Guys, are we adding the +2 dice thing to all rolls?)
[00:24] <Kara|Ken> (Yes?)
[00:24] <Jran-Kri> ((Yes, I just forgot.))
[00:24] <Tangent> (I'll do that going forwards, yeah.)
[00:25] <DrEvilKitteh> (You gonna roll again, Tan?)
[00:25] <DrEvilKitteh> (2 more dice?)
[00:26] <Tangent> !ex 4 vs 7
[00:26] <Zeneroller> Tangent: [9, 4, 1, 5]. Successes total: 1
[00:26] <Tangent> (...lol)
[00:26] <DrEvilKitteh> (Well alright then. Alexa has 2, Kara has 2, Ken and Amelia both have 1. Who has the highest AGI between those pairs?)
[00:27] <Kara|Ken> (Now we decide turn order based on AGI... Kara has 9.)
[00:27] <DrEvilKitteh> (Unless someone Lucked Out.)
[00:27] <Tangent> (4 Agi...lol)
[00:27] <Kara|Ken> (Ken has 7 AGI)
[00:27] <Jran-Kri> ((8 AGI))
[00:27] <DrEvilKitteh> !ex 5 vs 7
[00:27] <Zeneroller> DrEvilKitteh: [4, 3, 7, 7, 6]. Successes total: 2
[00:28] <Kara|Ken> (it's going to be one of THOSE nights...)
[00:28] <DrEvilKitteh> (After the surprise round, Zombies go /right/ in the middle of the initiative order.)
[00:28] <Kara|Ken> (Question Kitteh-Sensei!  Are we doing Ties go to Defender, or do they go to attacker?)
[00:28] <DrEvilKitteh> (As it stands, first: Kara's up.)
[00:28] <DrEvilKitteh> (And Attacker. I'd rather this go faster, now.)
[00:29] <DrEvilKitteh> (Otherwise I'd prefer Defender.)
[00:29] <Kara|Ken> (What does enemy placements look like?)
[00:30] <DrEvilKitteh> (Three in the front are grouped together, eight others further behind in a rough group, so the two groups are considered Far from one another.)
[00:31] <Kara|Ken> (So, Three close, Eight Far?)
[00:31] <Kara|Ken> (Or Far and Very Far?)
[00:32] <DrEvilKitteh> (Oh, all of them are currently Far from the PC's. The two groups also just Far from one another.)
[00:32] <Kara|Ken> (So, Far and Very Far.  Got it.)
[00:33] <DrEvilKitteh> (...I literally just said "All of them are currently Far from the PC's.”)
[00:33] <Jran-Kri> ((Yeah, but you also said the two groups are considered far from one another. So it follows that one is further away.))
[00:34] <Kara|Ken> (...We are linear people, don't go throwing extra dimensions into this!)
[00:34] <Kara|Ken> (Anyway)
[00:34] <DrEvilKitteh> (You're atop a building. Think of it like a triangle, with them equal parts on either side of you. One a bit more on the right, one a bit more on the left. Both are Far from you, and from one another.)
[00:36] <Kara|Ken> (Kara is about to Fireball one of the groups.  Go with the one with three.)
[00:37] <Kara|Ken> "Hopefully this'll work this time!"
[00:37] <Kara|Ken> (Using Fireball for 2MP for an additional 2 dice)
[00:37] <Kara|Ken> !ex 11 vs 7 With FP
[00:37] <Zeneroller> Kara|Ken: [5, 5, 1, 7, 2, 10, 6, 5, 9, 3, 6]. Successes total: 4
[00:38] <Kara|Ken> (Six Successes for Kara...)
[00:38] <DrEvilKitteh> (There's no penalty for targeting multiple enemies with Fireball, I take it?)
[00:39] <Tangent> (I thought fireball was singletarget)
[00:40] <Kara|Ken> (Right, Fireball is single, but I was saying that one out of the three is going to get hit.)
[00:40] <DrEvilKitteh> (Ah. Your wording made it seem like you were targeting all three in that group.)
[00:41] <Kara|Ken> (Sorry)
[00:43] <DrEvilKitteh> !ex 5 vs 7
[00:43] <Zeneroller> DrEvilKitteh: [10, 5, 7, 7, 5]. Successes total: 4
[00:43] <DrEvilKitteh> (Damn. Zombie #1's doing good. And that's just pure MAG resistance, too.)
[00:43] <DrEvilKitteh> (Damage for Fireball?)
[00:48] <DrEvilKitteh> (Dammit Bar...)
[00:49] <DrEvilKitteh> (*sigh* Okay...)
[00:49] <Kara|Ken> (Sorry)
[00:49] <Zene> (*peeks in* 1/s, 1 pen.)
[00:49] <Kara|Ken> (That)
[00:49] <DrEvilKitteh> (Yes, I know Zene, I talked with Tangent about it.)
[00:50] <Tangent> (Also the first 3 damage ignore soak apparently)
[00:50] <Kara|Ken> (It does?)
[00:50] <DrEvilKitteh> (Not that kind of Fireball, Tan.)
[00:50] <Kara|Ken> (Yeah.  This is Basic)
[00:51] <Kara|Ken> (Anyway, that's all for Kara's turn.)
[00:51] <DrEvilKitteh> The lead Zombie, a short Latino man, stumbled and wobbled as fire licked at its clothes. Its skin was singed, but it didn't seem too terribly damaged by the attack.
[00:52] <DrEvilKitteh> (Alexa's turn.)
[00:54] <Jran-Kri> "Um, um! Diúracán draíochta!" Alexa says, the incantation causing her staff to glow and vomit out small globs of bright red light, which zip towards the zombie Kara struck and one other in the group. [Arcane Barrage]
[00:54] <Jran-Kri> !ex 9 vs 7
[00:54] <Zeneroller> Jran-Kri: [5, 8, 10, 8, 5, 3, 9, 10, 10]. Successes total: 9
[00:55] <DrEvilKitteh> (...Damn.)
[00:55] <DrEvilKitteh> !ex 5 vs 7 multi 2 v
[00:55] <Zeneroller> DrEvilKitteh: 5d:[7, 6, 10, 9, 9] = 5; 5d:[4, 5, 6, 8, 7] = 2.Total successes: 7
[00:58] <DrEvilKitteh> The lead Zombie staggered again, its arm having been hit by a bolt of arcane energy. The one next to it caught a bolt in the face. Its head snapped back as its nose broke from the hit, but it emotionlessly steadied itself after a second.
[00:58] <DrEvilKitteh> (Ken's turn.)
[01:00] <Tangent> Amelia looks around, a look of clear relief on her face as she sees Alexa.
[01:02] <Kara|Ken> Ken smiles and cackles as he rushes forward at the Lead Zombie!
[01:02] <Kara|Ken> Dash Attack
[01:02] <Kara|Ken> (Dash attack for Melee, that is)
[01:02] <Kara|Ken> !ex 6 vs 7
[01:02] <Zeneroller> Kara|Ken: [5, 2, 7, 2, 1, 9]. Successes total: 2
[01:03] <Kara|Ken> Dammit Ken!
[01:03] <DrEvilKitteh> !ex 7 vs 7
[01:03] <Zeneroller> DrEvilKitteh: [4, 2, 2, 9, 10, 3, 5]. Successes total: 3
[01:03] <Kara|Ken> (Still closes the gap.)
[01:03] <Kara|Ken> (Also FUCK)
[01:04] <Kara|Ken> (Forgot about Blessings of the Hero)
[01:04] <DrEvilKitteh> (What's that do again?)
[01:04] <Kara|Ken> (He got plus 1 offensive Die
[01:04] <DrEvilKitteh> (Roll another die, then.)
[01:04] <Kara|Ken> !ex 1 vs 7
[01:04] <Zeneroller> Kara|Ken: [2]. Successes total: 0
[01:04] <Kara|Ken> (It lasts for two turns after being cast)
[01:06] <Kara|Ken> (That's all,)
[01:07] <Kara|Ken> (Uh...  Amelia's turn I guess?)
[01:07] <DrEvilKitteh> The Lead Zombie unpredictably moved as it staggered and attempted to rebalance itself, allowing Ken to soar right past it, sword blade going right between its arm and ribs. Wildly, the creature lashed out and slugged Ken in the face with its inhuman strength, and the Dark Magical Boy would be able to hear the whir and grinding of gears coming from the zombie as it did so.
[01:07] <DrEvilKitteh> (Amelia's turn, yes.)
[01:07] <Kara|Ken> (Oh, right, Parry)
[01:08] <DrEvilKitteh> (Yep, 1 Wound bypassing Soak for Ken.)
[01:08] <Kara|Ken> "Ohohoho..."  He chuckles.  "You done fucked up mate."
[01:08] <Kara|Ken> (Already taken into account)
[01:10] <Tangent> "My turn!" Amelia calls, then takes off with a surprisingly loud yell and a roar of crackling, blue-white flames that almost seem feathery around the edges. "Hyyaah!"
[01:10] <Tangent> [Cast Flame On! for +2 dash dice and +1 damage to attacks that penetrate soak]
[01:11] <Tangent> !ex 6 vs 7
[01:11] <Zeneroller> Tangent: [2, 2, 2, 9, 3, 10]. Successes total: 3
[01:11] <Tangent> [She's dashing at the group of 8]
[01:11] <DrEvilKitteh> !ex 7 vs 7
[01:11] <Zeneroller> DrEvilKitteh: [4, 4, 2, 3, 2, 7, 6]. Successes total: 1
[01:12] <DrEvilKitteh> (Take out 1 Soak, deal 3 Wounds to Zombie #7.)
[01:13] <Tangent> Amelia's fiery blade lashes out as she slams down into the mob, eyes seeming to blaze with bright blue light of their own.
[01:14] <DrEvilKitteh> The zombies barely moved as Amelia descended, and one of them rocked back from a fiery strike that severed its ear and slashed apart its jacket.
[01:14] <DrEvilKitteh> (Top of the round, Kara's turn.)
[01:15] <Kara|Ken> Kara repeats the process of Fireballing the Lead Zombie of three!
[01:15] <Kara|Ken> !ex 11 vs 7 FP again
[01:15] <Zeneroller> Kara|Ken: [10, 3, 1, 7, 1, 7, 6, 4, 2, 1, 3]. Successes total: 4
[01:15] <Kara|Ken> (Christ...)
[01:15] <DrEvilKitteh> !ex 5 vs 7
[01:15] <Zeneroller> DrEvilKitteh: [7, 2, 3, 5, 1]. Successes total: 1
[01:17] <DrEvilKitteh> Fire licked at the lead zombie's chest and it staggered again, the clothing covering its torso all torn away and the skin burned off upper chest to reveal clockwork gears and mechanisms beneath the ribs.
[01:17] <DrEvilKitteh> (Alexa!)
[01:18] <Kara|Ken> "Oh thank god...  It's not human."  She sighs in relief.
[01:19] <Jran-Kri> Alexa's reaction is much the same -- gathering herself up, and seeing Amelia's great progress, her staff glows a bright red as a matching glow suffuses around Amelia, filling her with strength! [Blessings of the Hero]
[01:21] <Tangent> Amelia gasps in surprise, head snapping around. She raises her blade for just a moment in a salute at her friend by way of thanks...and smiles at her, then goes right back to attacking the mob. If they're attacking her, they're not going after Alexa. She's okay with that.
[01:22] <DrEvilKitteh> (Alright, Zombies' turn~)
[01:24] <DrEvilKitteh> Zombie #3 draws a melee weapon, a chipped but still deadly-looking machete, and swings it at Ken. Zombie #1 just tries to punch him again.
[01:24] <DrEvilKitteh> !ex 7 vs 7
[01:24] <Zeneroller> DrEvilKitteh: [1, 8, 4, 2, 5, 6, 8]. Successes total: 2
[01:25] <DrEvilKitteh> !ex 6 vs 7
[01:25] <Zeneroller> DrEvilKitteh: [9, 4, 1, 5, 6, 5]. Successes total: 1
[01:25] <Kara|Ken> Parry!
[01:25] <Kara|Ken> !ex 9 vs 7
[01:25] <Zeneroller> Kara|Ken: [2, 6, 7, 3, 7, 9, 2, 7, 6]. Successes total: 4
[01:25] <Kara|Ken> !ex 9 vs 7
[01:25] <Zeneroller> Kara|Ken: [1, 8, 7, 8, 2, 4, 9, 7, 10]. Successes total: 7
[01:25] <DrEvilKitteh> (Ya just need to roll one, I think.)
[01:25] <DrEvilKitteh> (...But regardless, you win.)
[01:25] <Kara|Ken> (You rolled twice...)
[01:25] <Kara|Ken> (Also Duelist)
[01:26] <Kara|Ken> (Two wounds instead of 1)
[01:26] <Tangent> (oh Amelia'd love to compare notes :D)
[01:26] <Kara|Ken> (Too bad he's not a person~)
[01:26] <Tangent> (Too bad~)
[01:26] <Tangent> (Though if he's a monsterboy, Amelia'll still consider him a person- just a moron if he signed up for that. xD)
[01:27] <Kara|Ken> (He's not)
[01:28] <Tangent> (Heh interesting)
[01:28] <DrEvilKitteh> Zombie #2, and over in the second group, Zombies #4-6 draw small firearms. Pistols, SMG's. They aim them up at the two girls on the roof, engage Gyroscopes, and fire. (#2 and #4 aim at Alexa, #5 and #6 aim at Kara.)
[01:28] <DrEvilKitteh> !ex 7 vs 7 multi 4 v
[01:28] <Zeneroller> DrEvilKitteh: 7d:[5, 10, 1, 9, 10, 4, 3] = 5; 7d:[7, 10, 1, 10, 10, 4, 8] = 8; 7d:[6, 8, 6, 2, 9, 1, 2] = 2; 7d:[9, 4, 7, 9, 2, 1, 3] = 3.Total successes: 18
[01:29] <DrEvilKitteh> (Holy shit, Number 4.)
[01:30] <Jran-Kri> ((mistakes were made))
[01:30] <Kara|Ken> !ex 8 vs 7
[01:30] <Zeneroller> Kara|Ken: [4, 3, 2, 1, 8, 7, 7, 1]. Successes total: 3
[01:30] <Kara|Ken> (Time for epic freak out?)
[01:30] <Jran-Kri> !ex 4 vs 7 (FP, 6/7))
[01:30] <Zeneroller> Jran-Kri: [4, 3, 3, 9]. Successes total: 1
[01:30] <Kara|Ken> (MISTAKES WERE MADE)
[01:31] <DrEvilKitteh> (Mundane weapons, no Soak Pen, 1 Damage per success. I believe Kara only gets hit once, except Soak should get it. Now, /Alexa/ on the other hand...)
[01:31] <Kara|Ken> (What Soak?)
[01:31] <Kara|Ken> (She's got TWO soak normally)
[01:31] <Tangent> (This is literally the stuff of Amelia's nightmares. Again.)
[01:32] <DrEvilKitteh> (So it's absorbed. She doesn't take a wound.)
[01:32] <Jran-Kri> ((Mono-MAG Reinforcement was a mistake))
[01:32] <Kara|Ken> Kara, despite not taking any real damage hits the deck as bullets fly up at her and Alexa.
[01:34] <DrEvilKitteh> (If ya wanna write it out Jran, I'll wait to continue 'til then.)
[01:35] <Jran-Kri> ((I'm kind of tired and having a little trouble calculating how much damage that is, beyond "a lot."))
[01:36] <Kara|Ken> (11 successes.)
[01:36] <Kara|Ken> (Sorry)
[01:36] <Tangent> (...Oh jeez, Alexa's going to get shredded isn't she)
[01:36] <DrEvilKitteh> (Nah.)
[01:36] <DrEvilKitteh> (Just 7.)
[01:36] <Kara|Ken> (9 successes, I believe)
[01:37] <Kara|Ken> (Seven.. Yes.)
[01:37] <Tangent> (If Amelia ends up as a monstergirl again at the end of this, the universe officially hates her)
[01:37] <Kara|Ken> (I can not math)
[01:37] <DrEvilKitteh> (Fate Point brought Dodge up to 3. 5-3 is 2, 8-3 is 5, 2+5=7.)
[01:37] <Jran-Kri> ((Ah yes, seven's right. Thank you.))
[01:37] <DrEvilKitteh> (How much Soak does Alexa have?)
[01:37] <Jran-Kri> ((3))
[01:37] <DrEvilKitteh> (She tanks 3 then and takes 4 Wounds.)
[01:37] <Kara|Ken> (Still more than Kara had)
[01:38] <Kara|Ken> (How much HP?)
[01:38] <Jran-Kri> ((Huh. Not as bad as I thought. Alright one sec.))
[01:38] <Jran-Kri> ((10))
[01:39] <Jran-Kri> Alexa cries out as the bullets pepper her flesh, tearing through her outfit and lodging inside her. She screams as she staggers backwards, her vision swimming, but somehow she doesn't fall. She trembles in place, staring ahead in shock, leaning heavily on her staff.
[01:40] <DrEvilKitteh> Meanwhile, the other five Zombies in the second group engage Overclock and attack Amelia, a couple with improvised melee weapons. The dull whirring and grinding of clockwork within their bodies rose to an altogether terrifying and rather creepy crescendo. Their bodies moved with surprising speed and swiftness, and their attacks came faster and harder.
[01:40] <DrEvilKitteh> !ex 9 vs 7 multi 5 v
[01:40] <Zeneroller> DrEvilKitteh: 9d:[6, 2, 8, 9, 7, 7, 4, 8, 2] = 5; 9d:[2, 3, 2, 6, 7, 10, 7, 4, 6] = 4; 9d:[3, 8, 8, 7, 6, 8, 8, 3, 2] = 5; 9d:[2, 9, 5, 4, 8, 8, 6, 7, 4] = 4; 9d:[6, 6, 8, 9, 5, 6, 1, 3, 7] = 3.Total successes: 21
[01:40] <Kara|Ken> Kara, meanwhile is trying to not freak out too much.  Now is NOT the time for 'nam flashbacks!
[01:40] <Tangent> "A-Alexa!" Amelia screams, torn between horror, shock and...yes, fear. She's afraid. It's happening- again- like a video being looped, and just like that time- last time, it wasn't real- she can't stop it.
[01:41] <Tangent> [do I roll parry once or for all of them?]
[01:41] <DrEvilKitteh> (I'd do once, personally. You can do all if you'd prefer, tho.)
[01:41] <Tangent> !ex 11 vs 7
[01:41] <Zeneroller> Tangent: [1, 8, 8, 6, 5, 6, 3, 9, 7, 4, 6]. Successes total: 4
[01:42] <Tangent> [2 Wounds that bypass soak for when she parries]
[01:42] <Tangent> [Also I'd like to use Scald as a reactionary power too]
[01:42] <Tangent> ["Physical attacks made to you in Close range cause 2 Wounds to the offensive party."]
[01:43] <DrEvilKitteh> (Any save for that?)
[01:43] <Tangent> [None listed, and it's a "fuck off autohit type" I think]
[01:43] <DrEvilKitteh> (I was gonna go with autohit anyway.)
[01:44] <Tangent> [So that'd be 2 Wounds that bypass soak to anything she Parries, and 2 more wounds, no soak bypass, to anything that attacks her in close]
[01:44] <DrEvilKitteh> (And if that's just a single Parry for all of 'em, she manages to parry...1. The rest hit, because I went with Attacker succeeds. Um...I might retcon that.)
[01:44] <Tangent> [I mean I don't mind rolling more parries if you want but I'm okaywith this]
[01:45] <Kara|Ken> (Kitteh)
[01:45] <Tangent> [Also her taking hits makes for some fun fluff from her blood literally catching fire as it spills everywhere]
[01:45] <Kara|Ken> (Oh wait, never mind)
[01:45] <DrEvilKitteh> (How much Soak does Amelia have?)
[01:46] <Tangent> [6]
[01:46] <DrEvilKitteh> (You lose 4. No Wounds dealt.)
[01:46] <DrEvilKitteh> (Next, Ken!)
[01:47] <Tangent> [Want fluff or are you?]
[01:47] <DrEvilKitteh> (Ah, you can write that, yeah.)
[01:49] <Tangent> Amelia feels blades stab at her, but they don't break through her outfit. Almost uncaringly, she batters one knife away, her anger and fear fueling her magic and making the air around her baking hot- burning away flesh over clockwork. It doesn't matter. They hurt Alexa, and part of her wants to just run to make sure she's okay- she shouldn't have come, Amelia's useless, she can't keep her safe...
[01:49] <Tangent> But she knows that'd end badly. No, she's going to stay right here and make them BURN for that.
[01:50] <Kara|Ken> Ken hears the gun shots and promptly gets MAD.  His blade gets a diamond coating and he starts thrusting at a nearby Zombie!  (Diamond-Tipped, Instant)
[01:51] <DrEvilKitteh> (Which one? Leader, #2 with the gun, or #3?)
[01:51] <Kara|Ken> (Go with the gunner)
[01:51] <DrEvilKitteh> (Leader's pretty beat-up, btw.)
[01:51] <DrEvilKitteh> (Alright, roll.)
[01:53] <Kara|Ken> !ex 12 vs 7 FP
[01:53] <Zeneroller> Kara|Ken: [4, 1, 8, 8, 4, 6, 8, 1, 6, 7, 6, 7]. Successes total: 5
[01:53] <Kara|Ken> ...Fuck you too dice
[01:53] <DrEvilKitteh> !ex 5 vs 7
[01:53] <Zeneroller> DrEvilKitteh: [4, 3, 3, 6, 2]. Successes total: 0
[01:53] <DrEvilKitteh> (Welp.)
[01:53] <Kara|Ken> ... I LOVE IT
[01:53] <DrEvilKitteh> (What kind of attack was that?)
[01:53] <Kara|Ken> Piercing
[01:54] <Kara|Ken> (In other words, it has NO soak)
[01:55] <Kara|Ken> (In other words, Penetrate 4 Soak right off the bat...)
[01:56] <DrEvilKitteh> Ken's blade pierced the gunner's abdomen, causing gears to whine and grind together against the diamond-coated steel. Its head twitched, but it was still standing upright.
[01:56] <Kara|Ken> (Not if he has anything to say about it!... Which at the moment, he does not)
[01:56] <Kara|Ken> (End turn.)
[01:56] <DrEvilKitteh> (Amelia!)
[01:58] <Tangent> Amelia is not happy. She is not happy at all. She makes this known by slashing around her with her saber in great sweeping arcs of flame...flames that seem to be pouring from the girl herself as she hacks at the mob.
[01:59] <Tangent> [Power Overwhelming activated for 2 Mag, and Fire Sweep as an attack for 4 Mag]
[01:59] <Tangent> [Regeneration gives her 1 mag and 1 soak back since it's been 2 turns]
[02:00] <DrEvilKitteh> (Alright, roll.)
[02:00] <DrEvilKitteh> (And that targets everyone in close, so all 8 of the zombies in the second group are gonna have to roll. Fun~)
[02:00] <Tangent> [Power overwhelming gives +2 dice on attack rolls and 2 more Wounds, but she takes 1 damage for using it the first turn]
[02:00] <Tangent> [alexa's blessing still applies atm]
[02:01] <DrEvilKitteh> (Roll~)
[02:01] <Tangent> [calculating the dice heh]
[02:01] <Tangent> !ex 11 vs 7
[02:01] <Zeneroller> Tangent: [7, 1, 7, 5, 4, 9, 8, 8, 9, 5, 6]. Successes total: 6
[02:02] <DrEvilKitteh> !ex 5 vs 7 multi 7 v
[02:02] <Zeneroller> DrEvilKitteh: 5d:[9, 10, 8, 4, 6] = 4; 5d:[9, 7, 8, 7, 9] = 5; 5d:[8, 2, 6, 2, 5] = 1; 5d:[1, 6, 8, 8, 3] = 2; 5d:[5, 10, 1, 5, 5] = 2; 5d:[1, 10, 6, 3, 9] = 3; 5d:[6, 7, 8, 10, 5] = 4.Total successes: 21
[02:02] <DrEvilKitteh> !ex 4 vs 7
[02:02] <Zeneroller> DrEvilKitteh: [3, 8, 5, 8]. Successes total: 2
[02:02] <Tangent> [So that's 4 Wounds base...and 2 more per success...]
[02:03] <Tangent> [it ate half her magic in one turn...]
[02:04] <DrEvilKitteh> (Still calculating damage...)
[02:06] <Tangent> [4 Wounds base thanks to power overwhelming, and 2 more wounds for every degree of success over the target]
[02:06] <Tangent> [No soak bypass]
[02:10] <DrEvilKitteh> The lashing flames sweep through the zombies' ranks, melting flesh and gears alike. One was reduced to charred bones and blackened clockwork, another looked like it had just come out of the clockwork Terminator with fire wreathing its body--though the slagged leg made it look considerably less intimidating--and the rest remained standing, though none had come through unharmed. They were all scorched and burned, most of their clothing now ash or alight.
[02:10] <DrEvilKitteh> (Back at the top. Kara!)
[02:11] <Tangent> "You're not going to hurt her!" Amelia snarls. "Not this time!"
[02:11] <Kara|Ken> Kara is panicking...  But keeps her wits about her enough to attempt to heal Alexis!  (Spending 4 MP for 1 wound threshold healed for Alexis)
[02:12] <DrEvilKitteh> (Then Alexa's turn, after she's been newly healed.)
[02:13] <Kara|Ken> "Don't die, don't die, don't die..."  She just repeats that as healing energy is poured into Alexa.
[02:13] <Kara|Ken> (I feel like a derp for saying "Alexis"...)
[02:14] <Jran-Kri> Alexa gasps as the healing energy knits up her wounds before she can do it herself -- so that's how that feels. She staggers in place, not fully mended, but better than she was. She flashes a thumbs-up with a haggard grin towards Kara, then turns back to the fray. Her staff glows again as another feeling of strength fills Amelia. [Blessings of the Mighty, -1 Mana:  Your attacks that penetrate Soak deal an additional Wound.]
[02:16] <DrEvilKitteh> (Roight, Zombos next.)
[02:17] <Tangent> Amelia looks around. Alexa's okay...that somehow makes more of a difference for her more than the magical boost.
[02:21] <DrEvilKitteh> Zombies #1 through #3 attack Ken, Overclock engaged. #2 turned and lifted its gun to shoot at the boy, point-blank, with its Gyroscope engaged.
[02:21] <DrEvilKitteh> !ex 7 vs 7
[02:21] <Zeneroller> DrEvilKitteh: [8, 5, 2, 2, 3, 6, 4]. Successes total: 1
[02:21] <DrEvilKitteh> !ex 9 vs 7
[02:21] <Zeneroller> DrEvilKitteh: [4, 5, 6, 4, 6, 6, 9, 5, 10]. Successes total: 3
[02:21] <DrEvilKitteh> !ex 6 vs 7
[02:21] <Zeneroller> DrEvilKitteh: [6, 3, 5, 6, 9, 6]. Successes total: 1
[02:21] <DrEvilKitteh> (Wow. Melee/Melee/Ranged, in that order, btw.)
[02:22] <Kara|Ken> Ken moves to parry the two in melee while manuevering to dodge the gun!
[02:22] <Kara|Ken> !ex 9 vs 7
[02:22] <Zeneroller> Kara|Ken: [6, 7, 2, 7, 7, 4, 10, 1, 8]. Successes total: 6
[02:23] <Kara|Ken> !ex 8 vs 7 Dodge
[02:23] <Zeneroller> Kara|Ken: [8, 4, 10, 1, 7, 8, 8, 5]. Successes total: 6
[02:23] <Kara|Ken> (Remember, Duelist.  2 wounds for a successful Parry)
[02:23] <DrEvilKitteh> (Success.)
[02:24] <DrEvilKitteh> (You can lob off the Leader's arm, if you wish.)
[02:25] <Kara|Ken> "Alright!  All eyes on me you fuckers!  Yeah, I'm talking to you!"  He shouts at the Zombies, trying to draw attention to him as he removes the leaders arm and leaves a nice cut in the others chest.  All while dodging bullets.
[02:28] <DrEvilKitteh> The ones in the second group all gang up on Amelia, seeing as how she was the most immediate threat. Those with guns were a good distance away to engage Gyroscopes and shoot at her, while the others were still Overclocked and attacked her in melee.
[02:28] <DrEvilKitteh> !ex 4 vs 7
[02:28] <Zeneroller> DrEvilKitteh: [6, 7, 8, 7]. Successes total: 3
[02:29] <DrEvilKitteh> !ex 6 vs 7 multi 2 v
[02:29] <Zeneroller> DrEvilKitteh: 6d:[10, 6, 2, 6, 1, 7] = 3; 6d:[2, 5, 7, 4, 5, 9] = 2.Total successes: 5
[02:29] <DrEvilKitteh> !ex 7 vs 7 multi 3 v
[02:29] <Zeneroller> DrEvilKitteh: 7d:[6, 3, 5, 6, 2, 5, 5] = 0; 7d:[8, 5, 3, 10, 3, 1, 1] = 3; 7d:[10, 5, 1, 5, 3, 1, 4] = 2.Total successes: 5
[02:29] <DrEvilKitteh> !ex 8 vs 7
[02:29] <Zeneroller> DrEvilKitteh: [5, 10, 4, 5, 8, 7, 10, 9]. Successes total: 7
[02:29] <Tangent> [How many str defenses, how many ag?]
[02:29] <DrEvilKitteh> (First two batches of rolls are Ranged attacks, second two with the 7 and 8 dice are melee.)
[02:30] <Tangent> [So I roll against 3 ranged attacks, 2 melee attacks?]
[02:31] <DrEvilKitteh> (3 Ranged, 4 melee.)
[02:32] <Tangent> !ex 4 vs 7
[02:32] <Zeneroller> Tangent: [1, 7, 9, 1]. Successes total: 2
[02:32] <Tangent> !ex 10 vs 7
[02:32] <Zeneroller> Tangent: [10, 8, 6, 10, 5, 5, 10, 2, 2, 1]. Successes total: 7
[02:32] <Tangent> [2 successes against ranged, 7 against melee]
[02:32] <DrEvilKitteh> (What's Amelia's Soak?)
[02:33] <DrEvilKitteh> (Soak is lost, save for single Permanent.)
[02:34] <DrEvilKitteh> (She takes 2 Wounds from the melee hit.)
[02:34] <DrEvilKitteh> (The other melee guys are successfully parried.)
[02:35] <DrEvilKitteh> (And they can lose limbs/hands/big chunks, too. If you like~)
[02:35] <Tangent> [2 Wounds that bypass soak from parry yeah]
[02:36] <DrEvilKitteh> (Already marked down.)
[02:36] <Tangent> "Ah!" Amelia staggers, gasping in pain. "Damnit...you'll burn for that!"
[02:37] <DrEvilKitteh> (Ken's turn! Assuming Tangent has nothing moar to add.)
[02:37] <Tangent> (Nah)
[02:38] <Tangent> She'd parried most of the blades and grasping claws...but one got through.
[02:38] <Kara|Ken> (I... Forgot to roll for how many turns Diamond-Tipped would last...  So should it be gone now?)
[02:38] <DrEvilKitteh> (One more turn's fine.)
[02:39] <Kara|Ken> (Alright)
[02:40] <DrEvilKitteh> (Also, the Leader is looking very damaged. The other two are still fairly intact, and one even has full 2 Soak still.)
[02:40] <Kara|Ken> Ken decides he's had enough shit.  Piercing Attack at the gunner!
[02:40] <Kara|Ken> (Blessing of Hero is done though)
[02:40] <Kara|Ken> !ex 11 vs 7 FP
[02:40] <Zeneroller> Kara|Ken: [1, 8, 6, 7, 3, 9, 3, 6, 3, 6, 10]. Successes total: 5
[02:41] <DrEvilKitteh> !ex 6 vs 7
[02:41] <Zeneroller> DrEvilKitteh: [9, 10, 6, 4, 3, 9]. Successes total: 4
[02:41] <Kara|Ken> (1w/s, Piercing 4 again.)
[02:41] <DrEvilKitteh> Ken poked the gunner in the shoulder. It looked completely unfazed by the new hole in its body.
[02:42] <Kara|Ken> (How much Soak/HP do these things have?)
[02:42] <DrEvilKitteh> (2 Soak, 16 Wounds.)
[02:42] <DrEvilKitteh> (Gunner had no Soak, and it dealt 1 Wound.)
[02:42] <Kara|Ken> (I used FP)
[02:43] <DrEvilKitteh> (...Ah. I missed that.)
[02:43] <Kara|Ken> (I used FP last round too.)
[02:43] <DrEvilKitteh> The zombie still looked unfazed by the nasty hole in its shoulder, but its frantically-whirring gears seemed to show how damaged it had become.
[02:44] <Kara|Ken> (Regardless, It's still slightly more damage than it was at before.)
[02:44] <DrEvilKitteh> (Amelia!)
[02:44] <Tangent> [How many of them are left in melee?]
[02:44] <Kara|Ken> (All of them.)
[02:45] <DrEvilKitteh> (4 in direct melee--meaning they're attacking you in melee--but there are still 3 others in Close range to Amelia with guns as well.)
[02:46] <Tangent> Amelia tugs her blade free, shaking off...what probably isn't blood as she brings it up to shoulder height. "Stupid things should stay down..." She grumbles, then stabs as the flames flare up around the blade once more, painfully so!
[02:48] <Tangent> [Amelia attacks the one with the least HP to try and trigger excessive fire]
[02:49] <DrEvilKitteh> (That would be a gunner with 1 Wound left.)
[02:56] <Kara|Ken> (Uh... Are people awake?)
[02:57] <DrEvilKitteh> (Tangent's "sidetracked" in Main.)
[02:57] <Kara|Ken> (Yeah... I noticed.  I was hoping to possibly draw his attention back here for a moment so he can roll.)
[02:57] <Tangent> (Tired anyway.)
[02:58] <Tangent> (Just going to attack normally instead)
[02:59] <DrEvilKitteh> (You sure? Excessive Fire seems like it would really help with the rest of the baddies.)
[02:59] <Tangent> (Too tired to bother this turn and mad.)
[03:06] <Tangent> !ex 10 vs 7
[03:06] <Zeneroller> Tangent: [5, 9, 4, 2, 10, 8, 7, 5, 1, 10]. Successes total: 7
[03:07] <Tangent> [Piercing attack.]
[03:07] <DrEvilKitteh> (Targeting the weakest, or another?)
[03:07] <Tangent> [strongest]
[03:07] <Tangent> [Too tired and pissed off to calc the rest]
[03:08] <DrEvilKitteh> !ex 6 vs 7
[03:08] <Zeneroller> DrEvilKitteh: [3, 6, 8, 6, 3, 8]. Successes total: 2
[03:08] <DrEvilKitteh> (Alright, since Tangent's gone salty and people are tired, we're pausing 'til tomorrow.)
[03:09] <Jran-Kri> ((Ah well, it happens.))
[03:09] <Tangent> [Dr, did you log?]
[03:09] <DrEvilKitteh> (Of course I did.)
[03:13] <Tangent> [ty can i ask for link of log so far? compiling a copy myself]
[03:13] <Tangent> [has wand an circlet right]

[23:00] <DrEvilKitteh> (I claim this channel for finishing the first step of Clockquest. Would people like a recap on the clockwork zombies' numbers and their characters positions?)
[23:01] <Kara|Ken> (Ken is close to three, Kara and Alexa are far from both groups, and Amelia is in the midst of the Ranged group.)
[23:01] <Tangent__> (recap would help sure)
[23:01] <DrEvilKitteh> (Technically, the Ranged guys are split up amongst the two groups.)
[23:02] <Kara|Ken> (Yes, but her group is more ranged than Ken's)
[23:02] <DrEvilKitteh> (Eh, fair.)
[23:05] <DrEvilKitteh> (Two of te three that Ken was fighting are in bad shape, below half Wounds. One's still mostly standing, though the guy with the gun that shot at Alexa and Kara is second-most damaged. One of the other eight of the second group is scrap and ash, one is a poke away from death, and the others aren't looking so hot either. Hee, puns. Anyway. We left off at Amelia's last attack, when she attacked the strongest guy. I'm willing to allow Tangent to change the last roll so that he applied Excessive Fire to the attack if he so wishes, since...well, that'd be kinda helpful at this point.)
[23:05] <Tangent__> (Gotcha)
[23:06] <DrEvilKitteh> (Also, I'd recommend Cutting instead of Piercing, since the strongest guy still doesn't have his Soak.)
[23:06] <Tangent__> (Yeah, um, do I reroll her initial attack or just do the excessive fire thing?)
[23:06] <DrEvilKitteh> (Nah, we'll use the last rolls. You got 7 successes, it got 2.)
[23:08] <DrEvilKitteh> (Alright, we'll have to roll VIT to try not to be, ah, Ignited.)
[23:09] <Tangent__> (For Vit what do I roll btw?)
[23:09] <Tangent__> (Just...same number of dice as if it was a combat stat?)
[23:10] <DrEvilKitteh> (I assume so. Still adding 2 Dice, I think.)
[23:12] <Tangent__> !ex 7 vs 7
[23:12] <Zeneroller> Tangent__: [3, 5, 7, 1, 6, 10, 6]. Successes total: 3
[23:14] <DrEvilKitteh> !ex 3 vs 7 multi 3 v
[23:14] <Zeneroller> DrEvilKitteh: 3d:[8, 9, 6] = 2; 3d:[10, 5, 5] = 2; 3d:[3, 1, 6] Botch!Total successes: 4
[23:14] <DrEvilKitteh> !ex 4 vs 7 multi 3 v
[23:14] <Zeneroller> DrEvilKitteh: 4d:[6, 8, 5, 10] = 3; 4d:[3, 8, 1, 10] = 3; 4d:[9, 7, 4, 5] = 2.Total successes: 8
[23:15] <DrEvilKitteh> (They all fail.)
[23:16] <Tangent__> (everything is now on fire around Amelia)
[23:16] <Tangent__> (want me to fluff or you?)
[23:16] <DrEvilKitteh> (Motherfucker, Titanpad is acting up for me. Um...lemme see...)
[23:16] <DrEvilKitteh> (Yeah, they're all on fire, and one went down instantly from the splash damage. Go ahead and write.)
[23:18] <Tangent__> The fire rises, blue-white and hungry. Amelia's surrounded by almost a halo of flaring light and heat as she swings a blazing sword around, chopping at one of the zombies...and setting it on fire. The flames dance merrily, spreading and eating away at the rest of the mob...and licking away at Amelia herself. She gasps in pain as the heat burns her- even through her magical resistance.
[23:18] <Tangent__> Even so, it feels good to see- to MAKE- these things burn.
[23:19] <DrEvilKitteh> (Alright, top of the order. Kara!)
[23:20] <Kara|Ken> (Uh... RIght.  How does Alexa look?  Still pretty wounded?)
[23:21] <DrEvilKitteh> As flames torched the zombies, a few of them--the ones that had previously been moving with more speed and strength than before--slowed drastically as their Overclock mechanisms ended. Their movements were sluggish, and what sounded like gears being rewound came from within their bodies. They would make easy pickings if one of the girls (or boy) decided to target them, it seemed...
[23:23] <Jran-Kri> ((Well, she's back at 80% health, so I'd say she only looks a little scraped-up.))
[23:23] * Tangent__ (~qwebirc@Rizon-DA34E161.hsd1.ma.comcast.net) Quit (Ping timeout: 240 seconds)
[23:24] <DrEvilKitteh> (Tangent, nuuu)
[23:24] * Tange (~qwebirc@Rizon-DA34E161.hsd1.ma.comcast.net) has joined #MGPnP
[23:24] <Tange> (what'd I miss)
[23:25] <Kara|Ken> Seeing that the girl next to her didn't do so hot with avoiding the bullets, she presses her hands against her and says in a shakey voice, "Brilliant defender, guard this one with your splendor!"  (Blessings of the Pristine Warden)
[23:25] <Kara|Ken> (Nothing important, but your name is misspelled.)
[23:25] <Kara|Ken> (Blessing of the Pristine Warden: Receive two additional dice to one defensive roll per round. When defending against Corruption-based attacks, gain an additional die.)
[23:26] * Tange is now known as Tangent
[23:26] <DrEvilKitteh> (Alexa's turn, then.)
[23:26] <Kara|Ken> (Kara's out of MP now, by the way.)
[23:26] <DrEvilKitteh> (Ouch.)
[23:27] <Tangent> (recharge action?)
[23:27] <Kara|Ken> (She's got accumulator, she'll be good)
[23:29] <Jran-Kri> Alexa is left reeling -- first by Amelia's rancorous attack, and then by the sudden feeling of durability that overtook her. Flashing a jittery thumbs-up at the other girl, she looks back at Amelia, her staff glowing again as another glow surrounds the other girl. [Re-applying Blessing of the Mighty]
[23:31] <Tangent> Amelia frowns, looking up as she tugs her sword free. "Alexa, I'm fine!" She shouts. "Worry about yourself!" There's a note of urgency and...something more to her voice. She can't look to the others for long, however- she's still surrounded by her own blaze and the monsters aren't all dead yet. She spins around, intent on keeping the mob busy.
[23:32] <DrEvilKitteh> (Zombies' turns. Whew, this is...something.)
[23:33] <DrEvilKitteh> (Oh, do I apply Ignite damage on their turn, or Amelia's?)
[23:33] <Jran-Kri> ((Their turn, I think.))
[23:33] <DrEvilKitteh> (Applying damage, then.)
[23:33] <DrEvilKitteh> (All dat negative dice, tho...)
[23:34] <Tangent> (Yeah, and Amelia'll take the first tick of ignite on her next turn)
[23:36] <DrEvilKitteh> (Alright, the three over by Ken attack him. #1 and #3 attempt to Slam, #2 attempts to shoot. Their attempts are in that order, not the numerical one.)
[23:36] <DrEvilKitteh> !ex 7 vs 7
[23:36] <Zeneroller> DrEvilKitteh: [7, 5, 9, 9, 3, 3, 6]. Successes total: 3
[23:36] <DrEvilKitteh> !ex 9 vs 7
[23:36] <Zeneroller> DrEvilKitteh: [3, 1, 7, 4, 1, 4, 4, 1, 10]. Successes total: 3
[23:36] <DrEvilKitteh> !ex 5 vs 7
[23:36] <Zeneroller> DrEvilKitteh: [5, 9, 8, 8, 8]. Successes total: 4
[23:36] <DrEvilKitteh> (Melee/Melee/Ranged, respectively.)
[23:38] <Kara|Ken> (Parrying the first two)
[23:39] <Kara|Ken> !ex 9 vs 7
[23:39] <Zeneroller> Kara|Ken: [10, 2, 2, 3, 8, 9, 4, 8, 7]. Successes total: 6
[23:39] <Kara|Ken> !ex 9 vs 7
[23:39] <Zeneroller> Kara|Ken: [1, 5, 10, 10, 10, 3, 3, 8, 8]. Successes total: 8
[23:39] <Kara|Ken> (Dodging the gunner)
[23:39] <Kara|Ken> !ex 8 vs 7 FP being used
[23:39] <Zeneroller> Kara|Ken: [8, 8, 4, 6, 9, 1, 2, 2]. Successes total: 3
[23:40] <DrEvilKitteh> (Alright, ya Parry 'em both and Dodge the last.)
[23:40] <DrEvilKitteh> (Applying Duelist Wounds now.)
[23:43] <Tangent> (How many are left in Amelia's mob btw?)
[23:43] <DrEvilKitteh> (6.)
[23:45] <DrEvilKitteh> (Two shoot Amelia with guns, Gyroscopes engaged. The other four attempt to Slam. First two Ranged rolls coming up, next rolls will be melee.)
[23:45] <DrEvilKitteh> !ex 5 vs 7
[23:45] <Zeneroller> DrEvilKitteh: [8, 9, 3, 7, 7]. Successes total: 4
[23:45] <DrEvilKitteh> !ex 4 vs 7
[23:45] <Zeneroller> DrEvilKitteh: [5, 6, 5, 8]. Successes total: 1
[23:45] <DrEvilKitteh> !ex 2 vs 7 multi 3 v
[23:45] <Zeneroller> DrEvilKitteh: 2d:[7, 6] = 1; 2d:[8, 2] = 1; 2d:[3, 4] = 0.Total successes: 2
[23:45] <DrEvilKitteh> !ex 3 vs 7
[23:45] <Zeneroller> DrEvilKitteh: [4, 10, 10]. Successes total: 4
[23:46] <Tangent> !ex 4 vs 7
[23:46] <Zeneroller> Tangent: [2, 8, 3, 1]. Successes total: 1
[23:47] <Tangent> !ex 11 vs 7
[23:47] <Zeneroller> Tangent: [8, 4, 3, 7, 2, 4, 5, 10, 9, 10, 8]. Successes total: 8
[23:47] <Tangent> (1 dos on ranged defense, 8 on parry)
[23:48] <DrEvilKitteh> (What's Amelia's Soak?)
[23:48] <Tangent> (should I fluff their attacks or are you btw?)
[23:48] <Tangent> 1/6
[23:48] <DrEvilKitteh> (Alright, then she takes 3 Wounds, I believe.)
[23:49] <Tangent> (Okay, she's dropped into her first wound category now)
[23:49] <DrEvilKitteh> (You can fluff the attacks if ya like.)
[23:50] <Kara|Ken> Ken once again expertly dodges the bullets and leaves some wounds on the melee attackers that are starting to add up.  "Come on, step it up!"
[23:52] <Tangent> A gunshot sounds out over the crackling flames, and Amelia staggers backwards. Blood seeps from her blue outfit, down her side and sending up puffs of flame as it seeps onto the ground. "Ahh!" She cries, clutching her side, then staggers forward. "Don't...don't tell me what to do!" She yells at Kren, awkwardly throwing herself to the side as another gunshot sounds out...then battering away the clumsy strikes of the melee zombies with a snarl. A deft twist of her blade, and the fiery sword cuts into flesh rather than their weapons.
[23:54] <DrEvilKitteh> (Alright, Ken's turn again!)
[23:55] <Kara|Ken> (They all still standing?)
[23:55] <Kara|Ken> (In his group that is.)
[23:56] <DrEvilKitteh> (Yep. #1's pretty severely damaged, #2 is less than half, #3 still mostly has its HP.)
[23:57] <Kara|Ken> (Might as well murder #1)
[23:58] <DrEvilKitteh> (Go ahead~)
[23:58] <Kara|Ken> Cutting Attack
[23:58] <Kara|Ken> !ex 9 vs 7
[23:58] <Zeneroller> Kara|Ken: [5, 5, 3, 4, 9, 2, 5, 1, 5]. Successes total: 1
[23:58] <Kara|Ken> ...
[23:58] <Kara|Ken> (This is what I get for rolling 8 successes on a Parry)
[23:59] <DrEvilKitteh> !ex 2 vs 7
[23:59] <Zeneroller> DrEvilKitteh: [2, 4]. Successes total: 0
[23:59] <Kara|Ken> (Not that it seems to matter as I still connect)
[00:01] <DrEvilKitteh> Zombie #1 staggered back, gears grinding and working on keeping it upright despite the blow...but it falls, more or less in halves.
[00:01] <DrEvilKitteh> (2 left in Group 1, 6 left in Group 2.)
[00:02] <Kara|Ken> "...Not as clean of a hit as I would have liked.  But it'll do."
[00:02] <DrEvilKitteh> (Amelia's turn!)
[00:07] <Tangent__> (Amelia takes 1 wound from Ignite. She heals 1 wound from regen. Regen also gives 1 soak and 1 mag every other turn, so that applies this turn.)
[00:09] <Tangent__> (Amelia uses Blazing Ring. She is now out of mana)
[00:09] <Tangent__> (...make that 1 mana)
[00:11] <Tangent__> !ex 7 vs 7
[00:11] <Zeneroller> Tangent__: [6, 10, 8, 3, 7, 3, 10]. Successes total: 6
[00:13] <DrEvilKitteh> !ex 1 vs 7 multi 4 v
[00:13] <Zeneroller> DrEvilKitteh: 1d:[3] = 0; 1d:[8] = 1; 1d:[10] = 2; 1d:[1] Botch!Total successes: 3
[00:13] <DrEvilKitteh> !ex 2 vs 7 multi 2
[00:13] <Zeneroller> DrEvilKitteh: 2d:[10, 5] = 2; 2d:[2, 6] = 0.Total successes: 2
[00:15] <DrEvilKitteh> (And then they all died.)
[00:16] <DrEvilKitteh> (Feel free to fluff up burning the utter fuck out of those last 6 doods.)
[00:17] <Bernice> (Blazing Ring was written to be like the kind of thing Zuko uses in Avatar btw~)
[00:17] <DrEvilKitteh> (Yeah, I figured.)
[00:17] <Bernice> (just in case Tang needed a reference)
[00:18] <Tangent__> (ty)
[00:18] <Kara|Ken> (>Avatar)
[00:18] <Kara|Ken> (But... That's Kara's Power...)
[00:21] <Bernice> (pfft)
[00:24] <Tangent__> Amelia's fire is up. The gunshot in her side feels like someone's hit her with a tire iron. Her magic's surging-painfully hot- through her every vein and the rest of her body, and a red haze's descended over her vision. Mostly, she's just angry at the situation- and she lets that anger out in her magic. The small magical girl drops down, one leg and sword arm sweeping around her in a circle...a circle surrounded by roaring flames a moment later. The zombies around her go up like tar-covered, human-shaped torches.
[00:25] <DrEvilKitteh> (Top of the order, Ken!)
[00:26] <Kara|Ken> (You mean Kara)
[00:26] <DrEvilKitteh> (...Right.)
[00:27] <Kara|Ken> Kara takes a few deep breaths, her depleted Mana comes back to her rather quickly.  (Basic Recharge, but due to Accumulator she does not incure any penalties.)
[00:28] <DrEvilKitteh> (Alexa!)
[00:28] <Kara|Ken> (Funny how the two casters go first, then the enemies, and then the melee fighters.)
[00:32] <Jran-Kri> Seeing Amelia take a hit, Alexa jolts, trembling in fear -- and in a strange sense of anticipation, because she knows exactly what to do here. Even as Amelia continues to lay into them, her own magic begins to knit her wounds back together. [Panacea on Amelia, 1 Mana: Heals for 1 quarter of caster's MAG, rounding down. 17/4 = 4 wounds]
[00:33] <Kara|Ken> (2 Mana)
[00:34] <Kara|Ken> (Oh, no, 2 MAG requirement... Nevermind)
[00:35] <DrEvilKitteh> (Alright, Zombos. What's left of 'em.)
[00:37] <DrEvilKitteh> Of the two zombies left, Close to Ken, they continue attacking him single-mindedly. One with its gun, one with its now-sluggish fists.
[00:38] <DrEvilKitteh> !ex 5 vs 7
[00:38] <Zeneroller> DrEvilKitteh: [4, 10, 7, 2, 8]. Successes total: 4
[00:38] <DrEvilKitteh> !ex 4 vs 7
[00:38] <Zeneroller> DrEvilKitteh: [3, 3, 6, 4]. Successes total: 0
[00:38] <DrEvilKitteh> (Welp. Ranged/Melee, respectively.)
[00:39] <Kara|Ken> Dodge!
[00:39] <Kara|Ken> !ex 8 vs 7 FP AGAIN
[00:39] <Zeneroller> Kara|Ken: [4, 6, 2, 3, 10, 8, 6, 3]. Successes total: 3
[00:39] <Kara|Ken> Parry!
[00:39] <Kara|Ken> !ex 9 vs 7
[00:39] <Zeneroller> Kara|Ken: [6, 4, 3, 5, 9, 4, 2, 7, 10]. Successes total: 4
[00:40] <DrEvilKitteh> (Fist!Zombie is now down to half threshold, though ironically still has all of its 2 Soak still, since all that damage was from Parries.)
[00:41] <Kara|Ken> (My goal is to kill it without it taking any Soak Damage)
[00:41] <DrEvilKitteh> (Mystic weapons should help with that.)
[00:43] <DrEvilKitteh> (Ken's turn!)
[00:44] <Kara|Ken> Ken goes after the gunner.  Harder to parry bullets, seeing as how he isn't a Jedi.  (Cutting Attack!)
[00:44] <Kara|Ken> !ex 9 vs 7
[00:44] <Zeneroller> Kara|Ken: [7, 5, 5, 7, 3, 2, 8, 7, 6]. Successes total: 4
[00:45] <DrEvilKitteh> !ex 5 vs 7
[00:45] <Zeneroller> DrEvilKitteh: [2, 9, 7, 6, 10]. Successes total: 4
[00:45] <DrEvilKitteh> (Damn.)
[00:45] <DrEvilKitteh> (Still, two damage.)
[00:45] <DrEvilKitteh> (He's down to 5 Wounds.)
[00:49] <DrEvilKitteh> (Amelia's turn, unless Bar wants to write it out first?)
[00:50] <Kara|Ken> "God damn zombies!  You aren't even real zombies!"  He complains as his slashes do little to actually take the creature down.
[00:50] <DrEvilKitteh> A shriek of protesting metallic gears was the only response he got from the clockwork monstrosities.
[00:51] <Kara|Ken> "And you don't even /moan/ like zombies!"
[00:53] <Tangent__> Amelia pants heavily, wide-eyed as she glares from side to side, looking for zombies to kill...and sees that all the ones around her have collapsed. She did it. She feels...drained, hollow. Like a log that's been burned out from the inside. But she doesn't hurt anymore. Her skin smolders, magic flaring up and causing the last few cuts to seal over with puffs of smoke.
[00:53] <Tangent__> [Amelia regenerates 1 HP]
[00:55] <Tangent__> [Amelia takes 1 HP from ignite]
[00:55] <Tangent__> ...and then her flesh starts to char again, causing her to wince and stumble as her magic struggles against its own side effects.
[00:56] <Tangent__> She ignores the pain, bringing one small hand up to touch her saber's hilt. A flicker of flames at her fingertips...and the blade seems to warp and brighten until it's almost glowing with heat.
[00:57] <Tangent__> [Cast Fiery Enhancement]
[00:57] <Tangent__> "H-how..." She coughs. "How're we doing?" She calls out. "Alexa?"
[00:59] <Jran-Kri> "F-fine!" Alexa calls back, waving her staff. She winces at the feeling of a lingering wound the other girl's magic didn't catch, but she staunchly ignores it. "A-are you alright?!"
[00:59] <DrEvilKitteh> (So that's Amelia's turn, then?)
[00:59] <Tangent__> "I...Yeah..." Amelia laughs, but it turns into a cough as she breathes in smoke. "That...That's great..."
[00:59] <Tangent__> (yeah)
[01:00] <DrEvilKitteh> (Kara's, then~!)
[01:00] <DrEvilKitteh> (You can keep talking if ya like.)
[01:00] <Kara|Ken> "Hate to ruin the moment..." Kara says, looking at her brother.  "But we've got two left."
[01:01] <Kara|Ken> She throws a fireball at the gunner.  (2MP, Penetrates 1 Soak, 1w/s, +2 Dice to her roll.)
[01:02] <Kara|Ken> !ex 11 vs 7 Fortune Point
[01:02] <Zeneroller> Kara|Ken: [4, 10, 3, 6, 3, 6, 8, 2, 7, 6, 9]. Successes total: 5
[01:02] <DrEvilKitteh> !ex 3 vs 7
[01:02] <Zeneroller> DrEvilKitteh: [1, 2, 8]. Successes total: 1
[01:03] <Kara|Ken> (7:1, so, 6 Successes make it through.)
[01:05] <DrEvilKitteh> The fireball impacted the zombie in the torso, right where its Core was located. Flames enveloped it, overheated it...and made the object explode. Violently. In short, it removed the clockwork zombie's entire upper half in a fiery detonation filled with slagged gears and ash.
[01:06] <Kara|Ken> Kara sighs in relief... And Ken starts cackling like a madman.
[01:07] <DrEvilKitteh> (Alexa!)
[01:10] <Jran-Kri> Jolting out of her reverie, Alexa watches the zombie detonate with some shock, before once again laying a powerful boon on Amelia in a flash of light. [Blessing of the Hero, 4 Mana: 2 extra offensive dice for 2 turns.]
[01:12] <DrEvilKitteh> (Last Zombie's turn, then.)
[01:13] <Kara|Ken> (lol, nobody buffs Ken.  Kara did ONCE and then promptly stopped caring about what he does...)
[01:13] <DrEvilKitteh> Unthinking, unfeeling, and definitely not at all cunning, the last remaining clockwork zombie attempted to, again, bash Ken's head in. With its slow body that seemed to almost resist it.
[01:13] <DrEvilKitteh> !ex 3 vs 7
[01:13] <Zeneroller> DrEvilKitteh: [7, 10, 7]. Successes total: 4
[01:13] <DrEvilKitteh> (Holy shit.)
[01:13] <Jran-Kri> ((Sorry, Alexa is Amelia's personal healbot.))
[01:14] <Tangent__> (Best duo.)
[01:14] <Kara|Ken> (It's fine.  It actually works for his character.)
[01:14] <Kara|Ken> Parry!
[01:14] <Kara|Ken> !ex 9 vs 7 Last Fortune Point Go
[01:14] <Zeneroller> Kara|Ken: [5, 6, 6, 2, 7, 6, 8, 9, 8]. Successes total: 4
[01:17] <Kara|Ken> (Well, it was a good use of his last FP)
[01:20] <DrEvilKitteh> The zombie lurched and shuddered, its clothes in torn and slashed rags and gears furiously working to keep it upright after the blow. It was still standing, however, if extremely damaged.
[01:21] <Kara|Ken> Ken rolls his eyes at the shambling creature.  "You are embarrassing."
[01:23] <DrEvilKitteh> (It's master would agree.)
[01:23] <DrEvilKitteh> (Ken's turn!)
[01:25] <Kara|Ken> (Well, can't avoid going through its soak now...)
[01:25] <Kara|Ken> Cutting Attack!
[01:25] <Kara|Ken> !ex 9 vs 7
[01:25] <Zeneroller> Kara|Ken: [5, 10, 1, 5, 2, 3, 1, 4, 10]. Successes total: 4
[01:25] <DrEvilKitteh> (Eh, next time I'll throw more zombies at ya so you can do that. Sound good~?)
[01:25] <DrEvilKitteh> !ex 3 vs 7
[01:25] <Zeneroller> DrEvilKitteh: [4, 6, 1]. Botch!
[01:26] <Kara|Ken> (I picked the wrong group to try that with.  SHould have gone to the larger one.)
[01:27] <DrEvilKitteh> The zombie lost most of its face and its left arm from the shoulder down, Ken's keen edge slicing through its body with almost contemptuous ease. The zombie still stood, but it was definitely almost finished. Almost...
[01:27] <DrEvilKitteh> (Amelia!)
[01:29] <Kara|Ken> The glow from Ken's blade is more intense than it was when he first summoned it.  Giving off a far more... imposing aura.
[01:31] <Tangent__> Amelia flourishes her own saber, striding forwards. For a moment, she feels an urge to attack Ken instead...but pushes that impulse away with some difficulty. What's wrong with her? Last one left. Her sword's still glowing white-hot, casting intense blue light on the small girl wielding it. "One more to go!" She yells, then charges past Ken!
[01:31] <Tangent__> [Regen 1 HP, Mana, and soak this turn.]
[01:31] <Tangent__> [Lose 1 HP to last turn of Ignite.]
[01:32] <Tangent__> !ex 5 vs 7
[01:32] <Zeneroller> Tangent__: [3, 7, 5, 7, 7]. Successes total: 3
[01:32] <Tangent__> [Dash attack.]
[01:33] <DrEvilKitteh> !ex 4 vs 7
[01:33] <Zeneroller> DrEvilKitteh: [1, 8, 5, 6]. Successes total: 1
[01:33] <DrEvilKitteh> (You gut the fucker. Bring us home, Ammy!)
[01:34] <Kara|Ken> (MFW Ken only took one hit.  And it was a Parry.)
[01:34] <Kara|Ken> (He's not meant to actually SURVIVE encounters...)
[01:34] <Tangent__> Amelia leaps through the air, stabbing the zombie with a high pitched yell. Its lower torso vanishes instantly with a thick cloud of acrid smoke...and what's left falls to the ground in two charred pieces.
[01:35] <Tangent__> Amelia skids to a stop, whirling around with her sword in hand...then realizes that they're out of things to kill. "Ha...Ha...We did it! That's the last of them!" She whoops. "Iris, any of..."
[01:35] <Tangent__> Wait a second.
[01:36] <Tangent__> She looks around. "...Iris?"
[01:36] <DrEvilKitteh> (Everyone roll Perception pls~)
[01:36] <Jran-Kri> .d 1d20
[01:36] <+Internets> :: Total 19 / 20 [95%] :: Results [19] ::
[01:36] <Tangent__> .d 1d20
[01:36] <+Internets> :: Total 3 / 20 [15%] :: Results [3] ::
[01:37] <Kara|Ken> .d 1d20
[01:37] <+Internets> :: Total 19 / 20 [95%] :: Results [19] ::
[01:37] <Kara|Ken> .d 1d20
[01:37] <+Internets> :: Total 5 / 20 [25%] :: Results [5] ::
[01:37] <Kara|Ken> (Ken, then Kara)
[01:37] <Kara|Ken> (Melee apparently can see FOR DAYS)
[01:37] <Kara|Ken> (Casters are blind)
[01:37] <DrEvilKitteh> (Welp.)
[01:38] <Jran-Kri> ((Hey, Alexa rolled high!))
[01:39] <Kara|Ken> (Oh, sorry.)
[01:39] <Kara|Ken> (I'd say you and Tang look the same to me.  But...  You both ARE Green names.)
[01:40] <DrEvilKitteh> Alexa, since she was up on the rooftop, heard it first, though Ken heard a couple moments later. An echo of sound from not too terribly far away. A smash, something heavy and strong tearing through a clockwork body, followed by a thud. Together, Alexa and Ken would be able to figure out the rough direction of the noise and head that way; they might recall that there were, after all, two big groups of the clockwork zombies that Iris had spotted heading towards the Lure...
[01:41] <Kara|Ken> "Well, Fuck."  Ken immediately takes to the skies and flies off in the direction of the noises.
[01:42] <Jran-Kri> As much as Alexa wants to stew on the fact that Iris was the first thing Amelia thinks of when the fighting's done, the noise of more combat sobers her somewhat. Squeaking as Ken takes off, she whirls on her heel and goes charging along the ground in the direction of the sound. "Th-this way!"
[01:45] <Tangent__> "You moron!" Amelia yells at the disappearing Ken, and runs alongside Alexa. "What, does he think we'll steal his kills?" She grumbles to Alexa.
[01:47] <Kara|Ken> "Yes!"  Kara answers her, very annoyed at her brother whom she is now chasing.
[01:47] <Tangent__> "...Goddamnit!"
[01:48] <Jran-Kri> "Oh dear, oh dear -- it's not a bloody contest!" Alexa shouts, tearing down the street.
[01:48] <Flamy> (I bet Ken is one of those filthy memers who say "You'll get no sympathy from me.")
[01:48] <Tangent__> "Well, he's not going to win!" Amelia huffs as she runs alongside Alexa.
[01:48] <Kara|Ken> "Tell /him/ that!"  Kara grumbles as she flies.  Though... She's probably not as hurried as she should be, considering her brother has run off ahead.
[01:48] <DrEvilKitteh> It would only take a minute, or a little over half that, to locate the source of the combat. Iris stood in the middle of what looked like a 'Main Street', wide and long. And with several corpses, if they could be called that, scattered across the pavement. Frozen, smashed, and torn apart, pieces of the creatures littered the road. Iris stood at the edge of the scattered bodies, which made them look like a trail of carnage that had been carved by her as she went down the street. Which was more or less accurate.
[01:49] <DrEvilKitteh> As for the Ice girl herself, she wore cracked and broken ice armor over her body, and if she needed oxygen, she'd be panting heavily. As it was, she bore bruising and several bullet wounds on her body, but she remained standing tall with a silver warhammer held in one hand. She looked up to see Ken first, flying above her, but she didn't move from her spot.
[01:49] <Kara|Ken> (Flamy, he totally is.)
[01:49] <Kara|Ken> (They all dead?)
[01:49] <DrEvilKitteh> (Oh yeah.)
[01:50] <Kara|Ken> "Aw, dammit."  He actually POUTS at not having more to fight.  Though, he does admire her handiwork.  "Heh, not bad."
[01:51] <Tangent__> Amelia skids to a stop. "Oh god....Iris?" She rushes over. "Are you...you're hurt...How bad is it? Don't move..." She turns around. "Alexa, can you...heal her?" She looks at her friend, eyes wide and tone earnest.
[01:52] <Kara|Ken> "Yeah," Ken says, "Tell the girl who was SHOT to heal someone else first."
[01:53] <Kara|Ken> Kara lands behind him and wacks him in the back of the head with her staff, but doesn't say anything.
[01:53] <Jran-Kri> Alexa lifts the brim of her hat at this sight, staring in shock at the display. Then she turns to Iris, jolting at Amelia's request. "Of course I can!" she says, a bit too loudly. Stepping forward, she raises her staff, offhandedly dismissing Ken. "Your, ah... sister already h-helped me, mostly. I, um, I'm fine.\
[01:54] <Kara|Ken> "Yes, but that isn't the point."  Ken dismisses his sword with a flick of his wrist and the oppressing aura dissippates slightly.  THough... It's still lingering more than those present (Aside from Ken) would probably like.
[01:54] <Tangent__> Amelia shifts uncomfortably. "...I...Right." Amelia winces at Alexa, feeling a twist of guilt in her gut...and more than a bit of annoyance at Ken. His next words don't help.
[01:55] <DrEvilKitteh> Iris blinked and looked down at herself. "...Ah." Her ice armor dissipated, allowing her and the others to get a better glimpse at a few blood trails running down her body, especially a prominent wound right in her abdomen. "...I...will...live. I think."
[01:55] <Tangent__> "If you can't help, shut up." Amelia snaps at Ken. She doesn't have any patience for him right now...even with that aura fading.
[01:56] <Kara|Ken> "Can you heal anyone?  No?  Then you shut it too."
[01:56] <Kara|Ken> Again, he is hit in the back of the head.
[01:56] <Kara|Ken> "Besides," hit again, "Maybe you shou-" again.  "Should get healed up too."
[01:57] <Tangent__> Amelia stares. "At least I'm not running off like a moron! And I'm FINE!" Amelia has her free hand on her hip and she's taken a half step forward, staring daggers at Ken.
[01:57] <Tangent__> In fact, she seems to be quite literally smoldering slightly.
[01:57] <Kara|Ken> Kara sighs.  "My god.  Will you PLEASE just stop talking?"  This is, surprisingly, directed at both of them.
[01:57] <Jran-Kri> Alexa shakes her head, already raising her staff. The crystal ball flashes red as a matching glow settles around the wound. "Nonsense. Let's fix that." [Miracle Worker, 5 Mana]
[01:57] <Tangent__> "...he started it." Amelia mutters mutinously.
[01:58] <DrEvilKitteh> (No longer in combat, so just freeform it.)
[01:58] <Kara|Ken> "That I did.  And you took the bait marvelously, my dear~"  Oh, the sarcasm drips from his words.
[01:58] <Kara|Ken> This time
[01:58] <Kara|Ken> Kara swings her staff like a baseball bat right at Ken's face.
[01:59] <DrEvilKitteh> Iris...just looks kinda lost.
[01:59] <Kara|Ken> Ken just leans back and limbo's under the swing.
[01:59] <Kara|Ken> "Too much wind-up."  He coaches her.
[02:00] <Jran-Kri> Alexa would never admit it, but she goes more than a little overboard with the spell. Almost instantly, the wound begins to knit itself back together, tiny strands of red light flitting through it like stitches before her flesh regrows in place. Iris lights up like a Christmas light for a moment until each injury is repaired. Alexa takes a step back, drawing herself up. "There we are. How do you feel?"
[02:01] <Tangent__> Amelia fumes, and by the way she's gripping her saber hilt seems more than slightly inclined to use it...But Kara's swing snaps her out of it. She blinks, suddenly feeling a bit awkward in her pose. She drops her hand back to her side and turns away with a huff...making her way over to Alexa and Iris.
[02:02] <DrEvilKitteh> Iris flinched a little at the unfamiliar feeling, but calmed herself the next second. "...Um. I...feel...bet-ter. Still tired, but...not...as pain-ful." She mustered up a faint smile and nodded at Alexa. "Thank...you, A-lex-a."
[02:02] <Kara|Ken> (For the record... I would say Kara's swing came rather close to Amelia's head.  But if she was so focused on her anger/annoyance at Ken, she probably wouldn't notice.  Kara has the strength of wet-tissue paper)
[02:03] <Tangent__> (mmm yeah perception failure there)
[02:03] <Tangent__> "Nice work, Alexa..." Amelia nods, glancing to Iris before biting her lip as she sees if Alexa is, actually, still wounded.
[02:04] <Kara|Ken> Kara, deciding that her brother is a lost cause goes over and patches up Alexa without a word.
[02:05] <Jran-Kri> Alexa puffs herself up even further at this praise, her slight chest jutting out as she grins. A moment later, however, she winces at her remaining injuries. She's just about to raise her staff again when Kara comes over. "Ah, thank you very much. A-ha. Was just about to say -- Physician, heal thyself, and all."
[02:05] <Kara|Ken> "Anyway.  We accomplish what we came here to do?"  Ken asks, hands behind his head and taking grossly over-exhaggerated steps to the girls.
[02:07] <Tangent__> Amelia nods gratefully at Kara, still feeling a bit guilty for overlooking that Alexa was still hurt in her rush. "Obviously." She says flatly.
[02:07] <DrEvilKitteh> "Al-most," Iris said. She knelt and started hammerspacing the zombies, weapons, and pieces of zombies away. "Once...I store...all of these, then...we...are done. For now."
[02:08] <Kara|Ken> "See, this is why we ask questions kiddo."  Ken says with his trademark shit-eating grin.
[02:10] <Kara|Ken> "I. Am. Going. To. Sew. Your. Mouth. Shut."  Kara says each word pointedly as she glares at her brother.
[02:10] <Jran-Kri> "Don't talk to her like that!" Alexa snaps, glaring at Ken. She doesn't look particularly threatening.
[02:10] <Kara|Ken> (He didn't say it threateningly.  Just... Like a older brother talking to a younger sibling.)
[02:11] <Tangent__> "Kiddo?!" Amelia's voice goes up even higher. "Where do you get off calling me that?"
[02:11] <Tangent__> (Amelia's touchy~)
[02:12] <Jran-Kri> ((This does not change the reaction.))
[02:13] <Kara|Ken> He chuckles at her voice going up an octave or two.  "Well, from what I can tell, you're what?  Fifteen?  Maybe fourteen.  Biologically, I'm seventeen.  So, you're a kiddo to me."
[02:13] <Kara|Ken> Kara just frowns and glares at her brother.
[02:17] <DrEvilKitteh> Iris sighed slightly and continued storing dead--or destroyed--clockwork zombies in her hammerspace. She was almost done with this group, though.
[02:19] <Tangent__> "I'm not a kid! I'm probably older than you...I...I...think?" Amelia snaps, voice faltering as she visibly has to...think for a moment, mental gears grinding to a halt. She isn't sure. She really isn't. "And I don't care, you're a brat that didn't do anything and just ran off!" She snaps to cover for her uncertainty.
[02:22] <Kara|Ken> "Wow, and you start deflecting like a child too!"  He starts laughing.  "Though, you are right.  You did kill more than me.  And I did run off for more glory.  And you are older than me.  Though not biologically."
[02:25] <Tangent__> "I...Fine! We're done here, right, Iris? So you can get lost now." She snarls, jabbing at a random direction with her finger. "Do us all a favor, get lost!"
[02:25] <Tangent__> (guys lemme know if I need to tone Amelia back a bit)
[02:26] <Kara|Ken> (She completely ignored the part where he said that she's older than him...)
[02:27] <Tangent__> (She's not even sure what he's referring to there, but she's basically trying to snap back rather than putting thought into it.)
[02:27] <Tangent__> (That said, yeah, she probably should've reacted more to that if she hadn't basically been going no u)
[02:28] <Tangent__> "What'd you mean any...Never mind." She shakes her head angrily, ponytail flying from side to side.
[02:29] <Kara|Ken> "What, and miss out on the fun?"  He says with grin.
[02:29] <Kara|Ken> Kara is just hitting her head against her staff.  Maybe she can forget this night happened if she keeps this up.
[02:30] <Jran-Kri> Alexa wrings her hands, happy to let Amelia do the yelling. She seems quite interested in leaving, looking away down the street.
[02:30] <DrEvilKitteh> Iris finished storing the dead enemies in her hammerspace and approached the others. "Where...are...the other bod-ies?" she asked of the other four.
[02:30] <Tangent__> "Fun? What fun? They're dead, you got to run around like a moron, so what're you sticking around for?" Amelia's working herself up into a shouting match, taking a step forwards. "Figures a monster would think killing things is fun." She snears, quite happy to forget her own magic's...push towards what she was doing.
[02:31] <Kara|Ken> "Well, I am a monster."  He says bluntly.
[02:31] <Tangent__> "Back there." Amelia says quickly, gesturing widely with her free hand.
[02:31] <Kara|Ken> "And what are you?"
[02:33] <Tangent__> "I'm a magical girl. I HELP people. I didn't make myself some weird THING with a coin." She declares, puffing herself up...even if she has to tilt her head back a LOT for her glare to meet him in the eyes. "Why not drop the illusion? Show us all what you really are."
[02:34] <Kara|Ken> "What coin?"  He asks earnestly.
[02:34] <DrEvilKitteh> Iris slowly nodded, but looked back and forth from Amelia to Ken with a furrowed brow. She didn't really want to leave them if there was any risk of a fight breaking out. And, having seen Amelia in the pub that one time not too long ago, a fight...didn't seem to far-fetched.
[02:34] <Kara|Ken> Even Kara looks confused.
[02:35] <Tangent__> "W...Wha?" Amelia's wrongfooted. "Don't play dumb. The coin. The one you used to mess up your magic for power, just like the others."
[02:35] <Kara|Ken> "Uh..."  He's actually dropped his facade.  "Never used a coin.  I was just made this way."
[02:36] <Jran-Kri> Alexa looks away at this turn of phrase, clearing her throat uncomfortably. "They, um... Well, the coin is not... strictly necessary for, um, corruption to, ah, take hold of a magical creature," she points out. "A-and he could have, um, as he says, been... made that way by another force."
[02:36] <Tangent__> "...What?" Amelia's anger seems to have slipped away as confusion overtakes her. "I'm not stupid. I know how people become monstergirls...boys."
[02:37] <Tangent__> She looks to Alexa. "...I...But...Then...They choose to use it, right? That's how it works?"
[02:37] <DrEvilKitteh> Iris felt completely lost. Again. She should really study up more on common things in the Magical Girl world, since there was so much of a difference between it and her home world...
[02:38] <Jran-Kri> "It is, ah... One way it can work," Alexa says, her face splitting apart with a crooked grin. "Not the only way."
[02:38] <Kara|Ken> "Well, I didn't use a coin.  And when I say I'm a monster, it's not like those people.  Besides, sometimes those fluffballs screw up."  Ken shrugs.  Not even attempting to go back to being a smart ass.
[02:39] <Tangent__> Amelia blinks. "Well...you're a monsterboy. Or whatever you call yourselves. So...you...Puuchu did that to you when you...signed up?"
[02:40] <Kara|Ken> "Who said I signed up?"  Ken asks, and Kara looks away.
[02:40] <Tangent__> She looks to Alexa, her earlier fury replaced by confusion. "You...How else'd you become...you know.'
[02:41] <Kara|Ken> "I was made this way."  He repeats.
[02:41] <Kara|Ken> Kara sighs.  "He's a fragment of my soul."  She says simply.  "He didn't exist until I made the contract."
[02:42] <Tangent__> Amelia blinks. Once. Twice. "Made." She echoes. "You don't..." She looks to Kara as she speaks up. "...Magic can do that?" She sounds torn between fascination...and disgust.
[02:42] <Kara|Ken> "I'm literally two months old!"  He says with a smile, his arms out wide.
[02:42] <Tangent__> "Make a new person out of..." She shakes her head. "Christ."
[02:43] <Kara|Ken> "He's... not what my puchuu wanted."  Kara says simply.
[02:43] <Kara|Ken> "I'm an accident!"  He proclaims.
[02:43] <Jran-Kri> "... Fascinating!" Alexa adjusts her glasses, looking at Ken in a new light. "Remarkable! And they did this accidentally, did they? Incredible!"
[02:43] <Tangent__> "Why didn't you fix him?" Amelia asks Kara. There's no accusation in the question, just honest incomprehension slippping out. "The Puuchu messed up, but there's got to be some way to turn monster...people back, right?"
[02:44] <Tangent__> She eyes Ken, with maybe less hostility, but more...uncertainty.
[02:45] <Kara|Ken> "He's a monster in the sense that he shouldn't exist."  She says.  Ken then adds, "Fragmenst like me, shouldn't exist.  We're not natural."
[02:45] <DrEvilKitteh> Iris figured that it was okay to leave them for a few minutes or so, so she turned and started making her way towards the other battle sight, mainly be roofhopping.
[02:46] <Tangent__> "...Well, he's still a person..." Amelia starts hesitantly. "A moron, but..." She adds quickly. "No offense." She comments to Kara- he was technically part of her after all.
[02:46] <Tangent__> "But...I mean...his magic's messsed up."
[02:47] <Kara|Ken> "He's not a person."  "I'm not a person."
[02:47] <Tangent__> "Don't be stupid, of course you're a person."
[02:47] <Jran-Kri> "What an absurd thing to say," Alexa scoffs. "Of course you're a person."
[02:48] <Tangent__> Amelia exchanges a surprised glance at Alexa as they speak in stereo.
[02:48] <DrEvilKitteh> (Heheh)
[02:50] <Tangent__> (can Amelia reply or are you writing btw)
[02:50] <Kara|Ken> "I'm about as much of a person as those things we just murdered."  Ken says, putting his arms back behind his head.
[02:50] <Tangent__> "Look, however you...happened, you're a person now. Human, arms, legs, really annoying mouth...mind...that gets really easily distracted...Look, point is, you're a person. Human. Even if your magic's weird and you're a trigger happy moron."
[02:50] <Kara|Ken> (Yeah, sorry)
[02:51] <Tangent__> "And really? That's the stupidest thing you've said so far. Those things might've been people once, but they're just zombies. Clockwork. You can think. Speak. Be an annoying asshole. You're a person in my book even if I want to punch your face."
[02:51] <Jran-Kri> Alexa pauses just long enough to smile at Amelia before looking back at Ken in shock. She nods at Amelia. "Nonsense! You're clearly intelligent. Those, um... those.. things were, ah... clearly just animals."
[02:51] <Tangent__> "And it wasn't murder. It was stopping monsters. Real monsters."
[02:51] <Tangent__> Amelia adds as an afterthought, shifting uneasily.
[02:52] <Kara|Ken> "Hitler was a human," He says.  "But people consider him a monster."
[02:52] <Kara|Ken> (inb4 Hitler liked sugar)
[02:52] <Jran-Kri> "Y-yes, well, that's different!" Alexa insists. "You aren't a mass murderer!"
[02:52] <Tangent__> "You're not Hitler. Take my word for it." Amelia says flatly. She's dismissed her sword, and crossed her arms across her chest.
[02:53] <Kara|Ken> There's an... Awkward silence.  "We're genociding creatures that are actually natural to certain worlds.  And I eat thier souls.  I'm pretty sure I'm someone's hitler."
[02:54] <Tangent__> "...What."
[02:54] <Kara|Ken> "What?"  Kara herself seems confused.
[02:55] <Jran-Kri> "What?" Alexa asks blankly.
[02:55] <Tangent__> (This could be the start of a beautiful trainwreck)
[02:55] <Kara|Ken> (You make it sound like that isn't the point~)
[02:56] <DrEvilKitteh> (Oh, btw, I'm good with stopping now/soon if people need to go to bed.)
[02:56] <Tangent__> (same here)
[02:57] <Kara|Ken> "Our job is to kill something that may or may not be native to another worlds ecosystem."  He says with a shrug.
[02:58] <Kara|Ken> (I can stop whenever.  But I won't be on for RP until 10:30/11pm EST.)
[02:58] <Tangent__> "That...these things are monsters. It doesn't matter where they're from, if they hurt people, we wipe them out. No problem. You're not very bright, you know, even if you ARE definitely a person."
[02:58] <Jran-Kri> "... Yes, well, um... that... Well, it's like an invasive species," Alexa says, perking up as if greatly cheered by this thought. "Yes! J-just because i-it's natural somewhere e-else doesn't mean i-it'll f-fit here!"
[02:59] <Tangent__> "And what's with you, anyway, saying he's not a person?" Amelia changes target to Kara. "Seriously, he pretty obviously is."
[02:59] <Kara|Ken> "Lions hurt people."  He points out.  "Feral dogs hurt people.  People hurt people."
[02:59] <Tangent__> "And we stop whatever as we can." Amelia retorts. "They can't defend themselves against magic. We can."
[03:00] <Kara|Ken> "Because he shouldn't exist," Kara mumbles.
[03:00] <Tangent__> "So that's what we're supposed to do. Why you need to get your magic fixed." She shakes her head. "Doesn't matter, he does. He's a person. A moron, but a person. Seriously, you're saying he's not a person because...the puuchu messed up?"
[03:03] <Kara|Ken> "So?  Just because they look and act different, doesn't mean they aren't more of a person than me."  He shrugs again.  "Besides.  We kill things that can't defend themselves from us for food.  You're a hypocryte if you would deny them food.  It's nature."
[03:03] <Tangent__> That brief mention of soul eating seems to have flown over her head in the greater argument...or been dismissed as Ken babbling.
[03:04] <Tangent__> "They're animals. Dangerous, rabid animals. I'm not a vegetarian, and I'm proud of it. They'd hurt people, so there's nothing wrong with killing them before they can hurt people who CAN'T fight back."
[03:04] <Kara|Ken> "So, you'll go around killing sentient creatures for food and call others monsters for doing the same?"
[03:04] <Tangent__> "And what's with you talking about yourself like that? What, are you saying because you were made by magic, you're not a person?"
[03:05] <Kara|Ken> "Not all monsters are sentient, but you can't deny that some are."
[03:05] <Tangent__> "Sentient? The only monsters I've seen are...monsters. Monstergirls don't count."
[03:05] <Jran-Kri> "I-- That's not the same at all!" Alexa insists, shaking her head emphatically. "I-It's self-defense! Them or us! A-and a-animals a-aren't s-sentient! Th-they're sapient! They're not intelligent!"
[03:06] <DrEvilKitteh> Iris landed next to the others with bent knees, having finished storing the other bodies and weapons away in hammerspace. She blinked at the four and sighed slightly. But hey, at least they weren't at one another's throats like before, so that was good, right?
[03:06] <Tangent__> She shakes her head. "They're not people. They're animals, and evil. They need to die before they hurt anyone." It's all quite simple to her, and her eyes shine with the fervor of a true zealot.
[03:06] <Kara|Ken> "Look at me!  I walk, talk, and shit like you do.  But I fucking EAT their souls to survive!  I don't need /real/ food if I have their souls."
[03:07] <Tangent__> Amelia blinks. "...That...Uh..." She's wrongfooted. "You mean...like, use their magic?" She hazards, unwilling to concede anything, even if she...has no idea what he means. Except that it's not good.
[03:07] <Jran-Kri> Alexa trembles in place, practically not even comprehending Iris' arrival. She shakes her head at Ken again, scowling. "They don't have souls! Humans are the only creatures endowed with souls! Everyone knows that! Y- you must just be c-consuming... magical energy! Or something!"
[03:08] <Tangent__> "Right!" Amelia nods as Alexa intervenes.
[03:08] <Kara|Ken> "Nope."
[03:08] <Kara|Ken> (That comes from both Ken and Kara)
[03:09] <Tangent__> She stands closer. "...You're wrong." She says flatly. "Things like the monsters we kill...Those don't have souls. They can't. Not really. You've got to be seeing things that aren't there."
[03:09] <Tangent__> *close to Alexa
[03:09] <Tangent__> She remembers the Wendigo. "They're not people. They're evil." She says flatly, with utmost conviction.
[03:10] <Tangent__> "Whatever you think you...feed on, it's not a soul."
[03:10] <Kara|Ken> Ken summons his sword and the sickening pressure from before reasserts itself.  "You see this?  You see the glow?  It glows brighter everytime it is used to kill.  I've used it on non-magical creatures as well.  No humans, don't worry."
[03:10] <Kara|Ken> He dismisses the blade shortly after.
[03:10] <Tangent__> She takes Alexa's hand. A comforting squeeze...that tightens into a bone crushing grip as she senses the sword.
[03:10] <DrEvilKitteh> Iris held out her hand, and a Core appeared in the palm. Its glow remained a soft white, unlike the last one she'd used to make into a lure.
[03:10] <Tangent__> "That...doesn't mean anything. At all." She says flatly. "Except that you need help to deal with it."
[03:11] <Tangent__> "So it feeds off...life energy. Magic. So what?"
[03:11] <Jran-Kri> Alexa purses her lips, paling at the sight of the blade. After a moment's pause for thought, she shakes her head again. "Nonsense! That doesn't prove anything! The- the human soul is special -- these- these things don't have it! They're not part of the plan!"
[03:11] <Tangent__> "That's disgusting...but it doesn't mean it...eats souls." She glances to Alexa, concerned.
[03:14] <Kara|Ken> "Not part of the plan?  Oh, wow.  Really?  You think there's a plan at this point?"  He laughs a little to himself.
[03:15] <Kara|Ken> Kara has just gone silent.  Wishing she could disappear.
[03:15] <Tangent__> "...I...Don't laugh at her." Amelia says, softly compared with her earlier ranting but with a bit of an edge. "We...we're doing SOMETHING that matters. But that's not the point."
[03:15] <Tangent__> "You have a stupid sword that does something magical. That doesn't make you a monster. That doesn't mean you're not a person."
[03:16] <Tangent__> "That just means you were born differently, and need to get your magic fixed. That's it. Oh, and your attitude sucks."
[03:16] <Tangent__> She says bluntly.
[03:16] <DrEvilKitteh> The Core vanished back into hammerspace after examining it for a bit. "...Should...we...go back?" she asked the others a bit tentatively. "To, uhm...the pub, now?"
[03:16] <Jran-Kri> "Of course there's a plan!" Alexa fumes. She opens her mouth to continue, but Amelia reminds her of the point. She forces herself to relax. "Yes. Yes. You're a person, like it or not."
[03:16] <Kara|Ken> "What is the point then?"  He says, grinning.  "I know what a soul feels like kiddo.  I don't have it, but I want it.  SO I feed.  Until I can find one that stays."
[03:17] <Tangent__> "I...Yeah, sure..." She glances to Iris, then to Ken. "No, you don't. That's your magic speaking." She says. "You need to fix what's wrong with you...but needing a soul isn't it."
[03:17] <Tangent__> "...And don't call me kiddo." She says, without her earlier heat.
[03:18] <Jran-Kri> "Ridiculous!" Alexa shakes her head again. "No one knows what a soul feels like except God!"
[03:19] <Tangent__> "...More to the point, you're a person. You have a soul, and I'm pretty sure random monsters DON'T. So whatever your sword...eats, it isn't souls."
[03:19] <Kara|Ken> "Or people who use that wierd spirit Magic," he points out.  "They mess with souls.  Or something."
[03:20] <Jran-Kri> "Well, that- that's different," Alexa clearly doesn't have a clue what he's talking about, but she keeps going with barely a beat skipped. "They can only meddle -- destruction is beyond any earthly means!"
[03:20] <Tangent__> Is that pity as she looks at him again? "You need to get your magic fixed. There's got to be a way to do that. Not this bullshit about souls." She squeezes Alexa's hand reassuringly. "Your magic's messed up...Kreim wouldn't want to do it, but...Alexa, is there a way to...fix monstergirls?"
[03:20] <Kara|Ken> "Who said anything about destruction?  I eat them, but like what you eat, it comes out after getting what you needed out of it."
[03:22] <Jran-Kri> "Hm? Oh, yes, yes there is," Alexa waves a dismissive hand at Amelia, glossing over this as she gets back into her row with Ken. "That's -- a soul isn't like a meal! You don't just take what you want and leave the rest!"
[03:23] <DrEvilKitteh> Were Iris in a more emotive state--as in, not transformed--then she might actually facepalm. As it was, she walked over and put a hand on Amelia's shoulder. "L-Let's...go, now. We...can talk...more, la-ter. At...the pub."
[03:24] <Tangent__> "But then-" Amelia starts to interrupt, then looks up. "Huh?" Amelia blinks up at Iris. "Oh...Right...Yeah, sorry, Iris..." She looks back down, booted foot scuffling the pavement. "Sorry to keep you waiting."
[03:25] <Kara|Ken> Ken shrugs.  "Funny, you lose all momentum when she speaks, but... Barely a beat is skipped when the other does."
[03:25] <Tangent__> She looks up. "...I don't know what you're talking about."
[03:25] <Jran-Kri> Alexa looks over at Iris, narrowing her eyes. Rounding on Ken, she turns as red as her mantle. "And WHAT is THAT supposed to mean?!"
[03:26] <Kara|Ken> "Guess."  He says smugly.
[03:27] <DrEvilKitteh> A wall of ice, cold and opaque, erupted between Alexa and Ken. "No...fight-ing," she said in an unusually stern voice.
[03:28] <Kara|Ken> Ken pulls a flask out from his pocket, and then chips some of the ice into the container.
[03:28] <Tangent__> "...Person or not, you're definitely an a-." Amelia snaps, then the wall goes up. She looks like she wants to melt the wall...but nods after a long moment. "...Alexa?" She asks.
[03:28] <Jran-Kri> Alexa looks ready to pop a blood vessel. While she doesn't say a guess out loud, judging by the faint, high-pitched restrained groan, she's made one. She trembles at the sight of the wall, she whirls on her heel, looking away and filding her arms. "Whatever!"
[03:29] <Kara|Ken> "Someone is jealous~"  He says lyrically.
[03:29] <Kara|Ken> "Ken, enough."  Kara says sternly.
[03:29] <Jran-Kri> "SHUT UP!" Her voice cracks as she shouts over the wall, stomping on the ground.
[03:31] <Kara|Ken> "Why not just tell her how you feel?"  He says, giving his best "couple therapist" impression.
[03:32] <DrEvilKitteh> Iris picked up /both/ Amelia in Alexa, one in each arm, and turned to walk away from the wall, and by extension the twins. Of course, she was strong, but a resisting Magical Girl tended to not be so easily restrained if they so desired...
[03:33] <Tangent__> ...Jealous? Amelia's slightly lost- something hovering just out of her realization- but covers for it the way she always does- full speed ahead. "Why not just stop talking?" Amelia snaps, then finds herself scooped up. "Hey!" She protests. "Iris..."
[03:33] <Kara|Ken> "I win, A plus."  He says with a smile.
[03:34] <Kara|Ken> Kara just looks at them, mortified.  "I'm so sorry..." She says, face in her hands.
[03:34] <Jran-Kri> Alexa ducks her head, fuming furiously. She trembles silently with rage, unable to formulate a proper response to this nonsense. Just when she's sure she's about to, however, Iris plucks her up. She blinks owlishly, quite surprised by this turn of events. "U-um! Wh-where are we going?"
[03:35] <DrEvilKitteh> "No fight-ing," Iris said firmly to Amelia. "To...the pub," she answered Alexa, as if that was obvious.
[03:35] <Kara|Ken> "You're probably not helping their unresolved sexual tensions!" Ken calls to them.
[03:36] <Tangent__> "I wasn't going to hurt him!" Amelia protests. "...Much." She blinks. "Are...are you going to put us down?" She asks, a bit more meekly than she would have for anyone else. Perhaps its for the best she didn't quite catch Ken's catcall.
[03:36] <Jran-Kri> "... Oh. Um. I- I wasn't going to start a fight if THAT PRAT wasn't!" She raises her voice at the end, calling over her shoulder. She fumes again at this ridiculous implication, her cheeks a bright red.
[03:37] <Kara|Ken> "I would not have thrown the first punch!"  "He wouldn't have actually attacked anyone."
[03:38] <DrEvilKitteh> "No," Iris bluntly replied to Amelia. She crouched, then sprang high into the air, ice steps forming along the side of a building to help her ascent. "...Not...yet," she amended after reaching the roof and starting to dash across it.
[03:39] <Tangent__> "...Fine." Amelia mumbles. "Well, we know he's a jerk even if he is a person. And his stupid sword too. What a moron."
[03:39] <Tangent__> She gripes quietly.
[03:39] <Jran-Kri> Alexa squeaks at the sudden change in altitude, keeping still so as not to disturb Iris. Still, she allows herself to grouse. "Have two perfectly good legs, thank you very much..."
[03:40] <Kara|Ken> (For the record... Alexa and Amelia will likely wake up in the morning with what feels like a hang-over)
[03:40] <DrEvilKitteh> Iris merely shrugged and continued on in the direction of the pub. She glanced over her shoulder a couple times to see whether or not the twins were following.
[03:41] <Tangent__> Amelia sighs. "I...Enjoy the ride, I guess?" Amelia comments to Alexa with a sigh. She's starting to know Iris enough to guess when she's made up her mind. She looks up at the taller, glamorous girl. "Hey, um...Iris? We got what we needed, right?"
[03:42] <Kara|Ken> Ken is being berated by his sister, while he drinks from his flask.
[03:42] <Kara|Ken> They aren't following.
[03:43] <Jran-Kri> "I sincerely hope so, because I'm in no bloody hurry to go back," Alexa pouts.
[03:44] <Tangent__> "Mmmm...Hey, Alexa? Thanks a lot...for the help back there...and sorry, I...you know..." She trails off awkwardly. "I kind of...forgot you still hadn't..." She bites her lip, suddenly discomforted and vaguely guilty.
[03:45] <DrEvilKitteh> "Yes. For...now." Iris sprinted across an ice bridge connecting the building she'd just landed on to another across a wide intersection. She was fairly certain this was the way to the pub; she felt it in her gut, a sort of...vague feeling calling to her, pointing her in the right direction.
[03:46] <Jran-Kri> Even in this rather undignified position, Alexa manages to preen a little, shaking her head good-naturedly. "Oh, d-don't worry about it. That girl, she got the worst of it. I-it was my p-pleasure. You, ah, you did very well there."
[03:47] <Kara|Ken> (Uh...  Is she lying?  Cuz Kara took NO damage)
[03:47] <DrEvilKitteh> (Kara was shot too, wasn't she?)
[03:48] <Kara|Ken> (She took one Soak damage)
[03:49] <Jran-Kri> ((When she says 'got' she means that Kara healed most of Alexa's injuries))
[03:49] <Kara|Ken> (Oh)
[03:49] <Tangent__> "Only with your help...You too, Alexa!" Amelia looks up to Iris. "And, ah, I'm glad you didn't need me, Iris...Well, not glad I couldn't help, but you know...that you were okay. Mostly." Amelia's babbling again.
[03:49] <Jran-Kri> ((Which is an exaggeration, not a lie))
[03:50] <Jran-Kri> Alexa does her best to not look at all displeased to see the attention leave her. She nods shortly. "Yes. Very impressive, there."
[03:51] <DrEvilKitteh> "I...have fought...more. Worse," Iris said, her voice back to its usual soft tone. "...E-ven...if...it did...hurt."
[03:51] <Kara|Ken> (I sincerely hope you realize that Ken now wants to make sure Amelia and Alexa hook up if only so he can say, "Called it!")
[03:51] <Tangent__> Amelia blinks, as a stray thought strikes her. Something was off. She SHOULD know her age. She remembers enough to piece it together...or she did. She frowns, trying to recall what'd made her think she was older so certainly...But she can't. She just can't do it, any more than she can name the capitol of Tunisia off the top of her head.
[03:52] <Tangent__> That worries her. That worries her, a LOT. When Iris replies, she seizes on the welcome distraction. "Ah....sorry then! I'll just have to get there faster next time!" A slightly forced laugh, as she frantically tries to piece together who she was-is.
[03:53] <DrEvilKitteh> Iris slowed and came to a stop at the edge of a rooftop. The pub was in sight, a few "blocks" away. She gave Amelia a curious, slightly concerned look.
[03:53] <Tangent__> She's Amelia. No, that's not right. She was...someone else. She was...older than seventeen...It's like running her hands through quicksand.
[03:54] <Tangent__> The more she grasps at it, the more it slips away. "Hey..." Amelia mumbles. "Can...can we stop for a moment?"
[03:54] <Jran-Kri> "Ah... Yes, of course. Teamwork, and all," Alexa looks over at Amelia with a frown. It almost looks like she's worried about something -- but what? The fight's over. Alexa considers opening her mouth before Amelia does it first. "Is, ah... Something the matter?"
[03:55] <Kara|Ken> The twins fly overhead, but just keep going.  Though Ken does spare them a second glance.
[03:55] <Tangent__> "No!" Amelia blurts. "I..It's fine! It's nothing." She shakes her head. "It's nothing." It doesn't matter. She can figure it out later. It'll come back to her. Besides, she knows who she is NOW, and that's what matters. She smiles at Alexa. "Just...just needed to catch my breath."
[03:56] <DrEvilKitteh> Iris gently set both Amelia and Alexa down on their feet. She studied Alexa's face with her unblinking silver-white eyes. Even after--no, /especially/ after what Amelia had just said, she was still worried.
[03:57] <Jran-Kri> "If, ah... if you say so," Alexa turns her head halfway away, side-eyeing Amelia suspiciously. "At your leisure."
[03:57] <Kara|Ken> (Why would one need to catch their breath if they were being carried?)
[03:57] <DrEvilKitteh> (It's Amelia, Bar.)
[03:58] <DrEvilKitteh> (That's kinda the whole point, one of her big shticks.)
[03:58] <Tangent__> (She is many things. A social butterfly she isn't.)
[04:00] <Tangent__> "I...Yeah, I'm good." Amelia calms herself down with an effort, dusting herself off. "I...We can walk from here, right, guys?" She suggests, quick to change the topic.
[04:00] <Tangent__> (bit tired tbh)
[04:00] <DrEvilKitteh> (I was gonna get to the pub and to a room for them to sleep in in my next post.)
[04:01] <Tangent__> (ah, okay)
[04:02] <Tangent__> Amelia's quieter than usual- drained magically if not physically...and distracted from her friends by her own, half-coherent thoughts.
[04:04] <DrEvilKitteh> Iris shrugged and nodded. She hopped off the building and landed easily, though she paused for Amelia and Alexa to jump down as well. Together, they walked in silence--mostly--to the pub. Iris opened the door and walked over to the stairs, beckoning them to follow her up. Upon reaching the second floor, she stopped in front of a room door and opened it. She didn't make anything of it, but the other two might note something a bit...well. There was only the one bed.
[04:05] <DrEvilKitteh> "I...can go...on fu-ton, or...floor, if...you...would like," she said to the other two after a moment.
[04:07] <Jran-Kri> Alexa follows in near silence the whole way, gamely padding after the taller girl. When she sees their sleeping arrangements for the night, she's initially all smiles -- until the distinct singleness of the bed dawns on her. She turns a distinct shade of red. "Um. Um. Well. That's. Ah. I... suppose it would be a bit... tight."
[04:08] <Tangent__> "Ah..." Amelia's embarassed and suddenly interested in the floor. "You...you don't have to do this, Iris." She blushes as a thought strikes her, but shakes her head- she's tired, too tired to find the belfast portal. "We...I'll take the floor!" She offers. "That wouldn't be right otherwise."
[04:11] <DrEvilKitteh> "...Um." Iris tilted her head at Amelia, then shook her head. "You...need...the bed. And...you can cud-dle...A-lex-a...that way, too." She nodded in an almost self-satisfied way, liking her solution. "...And...it can fit...three people," she added, mostly in Alexa's direction. "If...you...do not...mind."
[04:12] <Jran-Kri> Alexa stares at Iris in naked shock, turning even redder by the moment. She takes a step back, stumbling, raising her hands open-palmed, sputtering like a breaking car. "I-I-I n-n-now wh-what m-makes y-you th-think w-we d-do a th-thing like th-that?! I-I -- wh-wh I-I mean... Um... What?!"
[04:15] <DrEvilKitteh> "...You...do not?" Iris said with a bemused tilt of her head. "But...you...are friends. Best...friends, 'bes-ties'. Yes? So why...would you...not?"
[04:17] <Jran-Kri> "W-well, I mean, um, you see, at home, there's..." Alexa wrings her hands hard enough to risk taking her fingers off. "Well, you see, ah... I don't know, it just seems a bit personal don't you think?"
[04:17] <Tangent__> "I...ahh...It..." This breaks the Amelia. "Iris...I...I'm okay with the floor, really...and...Yeah, I mean...we're friends..." She stammers, too tired and flustered to string together a coherent thought. She's just a mess of nerves, tiredness, and all around awkwardness.
[04:20] <DrEvilKitteh> "If...you...are best friends, then...you...should love...each oth-er," Iris said--nay, /stated/. It was fact, truth, to her. "...And...that means...you like to hug, and...cud-dle, and...be around them. Have...fun too, but..." She waved a slightly-airy hand, since that wasn't really important right then. Iris walked past them, turned, and put her hands on both of their shoulders. She gently but firmly pushed them towards the bed. "I...will sleep...on fu-ton."
[04:22] <Tangent__> Amelia chews her lip, not sure what to say to that. The small voice in her head that likes being near Iris a bit too much really needs to shut up right now. It's not helping. "I...You should take the bed..." Amelia says at last to Alexa. "You need it after today's fight..."
[04:23] <DrEvilKitteh> "/Both/...take...the bed," Iris interjected, rather insistently.
[04:24] <Jran-Kri> Alexa takes off her hat, crushing it in one hand and running her fingers through her suddenly sweaty hair with the other. She mumbles incoherently, failing to resist being pushed. "Yes, well, um... y-you did all the- the fighting and the burning, very important..."
[04:27] <Tangent__> Amelia shakes her head, looking to Alexa. "But...but you were there to help. Don't sell yourself short..." Amelia's covering for her awkwardness by trying to encourage Alexa. But she's so tired. A drowsy moment's hesitation and she dismisses her transformation. She yawns, uncontrollably.
[04:27] <Tangent__> She's strangely tired...even for after a fight...
[04:27] <DrEvilKitteh> Iris stopped when both of them stood before a side of the bed. She reached forward and flipped the covers up, then gestured for them to get under them. Her gaze brooked no argument at that moment.
[04:28] <Tangent__> She doesn't have the energy to protest. She drowsily looks back at Iris, then to Alexa. "You...you did good, okay?" She murmurs.
[04:29] <Jran-Kri> "... Yeah. You, too," Alexa says. Her shoulders sag as she gives up trying to get out of it. She unceremoniously flops onto the bed.
[04:30] <Tangent__> Amelia's slumped too, arms and legs ledden. "Talk...later...need to..." And she's out in seconds with Alexa next to her.
[04:31] <DrEvilKitteh> Iris nodded approvingly and walked over to bring the futon out. She unfolded it, straightened the blankets over it, then slid beneath them and set her head on the pillow. "...Good night," she called softly up to the other girls.
[04:35] <DrEvilKitteh> (And fin. For now~)