Post Reply to Masa con Papas: Proxy's Memory

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Thread Review (Newest First)

Posted by ThreadLurkingComorant - 08-29-2025, 03:12 AM

[image description: Opera reacts with a puzzled expression as wood, a cloaked witch, seemingly twists and disolves in a way reminicent of a dead rotting fish.]

The folks in town have held him in a guarded guest room, a towering crystal-like mass of a proxy watching the exit. You and Opera give him a bit of a nod.

Opera: Rosca, yeah?

Rosca: Mm...

Opera: Gonna ask you to watch gramps for us, think too many people is gonna make any attempt to get this guy to talk harder. Bit of a rule.

Rosca: Is there?

Charon: Never heard of this..

Opera: Two are able to lead a interrogation, three becomes a mob and nothing gets done. Whole thing, trust me on this.

Rosca gives you both a nod, a little disappointed but understanding.

Rosca: Gramps...

You point over to Anura talking with the locals, he turns and gives you a wave.

Rosca: As in Grandpa? He looks too pretty to be that old...

Charon: Common occurrence, family is incredibly long lived and magical.

Opera: Honestly I don't mind, do gotta give Erica a visit some time while I'm here though...

Wood: You killed him, yeah?

The witch looks you directly in the eye.

You give him a little nod.

Wood: Stupid asshole had to make a big fuss, couldn't just keep his mouth closed. He's been pissed about you for years, you know? That stupid rat boy, dude got lucky. You know he tried to come back as a fiend cause he wanted a second chance at you?

Charon: I'm sorry he tried to-

Wood: Yeah, a lot of us here are folks that got poofed out of existence cause of you. There was a whole ritual and everything that he set up and he chickened out at the last second. Fiend was made, he wasn't part of it. No idea where that thing ran off to either. You cut down any bugs in the past decade?

Charon: No, don't think I have..

Wood: Bleh. Must've gotten lost. He kicked himself over that. I was half tempted to jump in with him...

Charon: You people do this willingly...?

Wood: Fiend bodies are useful, got all sorts of genetic advantage usually. Yours.. I dunno, you're scuffed all sorts though. Not strong, beautiful, just kind of a freak. Bad blend.

Opera: You got a hell of a mouth on you today.

Wood: Why not? Gonna die no matter what, right? You want a few words from me, set me up in this cushy ass room to pretend I'm not a prisoner but when you've gone and executed my buddy there... I dunno. Nothing to really promise me, know you won't let me go. Made it clear ya'll would kill me in a heartbeat-

Charon: It was what he wanted.

Wood: Yeah? And he's fuck stupid, why'd you take his ass seriously like that? I ain't telling you shit, if you're try and do some interrogation shit let me talk to one of your friends.

Opera gives you a little gesture.

You nod and pass things over.

Opera: I wanna cut to the chase, why were you going after Rosca?

Wood: The crown proxy? The husk's not complete without her. Immortal doesn't mean shit when you don't got the teeth and claws to back it.

Opera: And you know about the husk-

Wood: Yeah. Some crazy in your world managed to dig that shit up with a tip from us. Plan was we give her the sauce. She wants her own pocket, her own husk to live there forever, and the gravesite of some old dog that got killed back then-

Charon: Old dog...?

Wood: Yeah, same stupid little heart on his fit as yours. I guess you're all family, yeah?

Opera: You got a name?

Wood: Nah, I don't care that much. I'm just a delivery guy, don't care what gets there as long as it does. Tell you what though, she was bawling.

Opera:... Gabriel.

Charon: Yeah.

Wood: Good shit. Either way she screwed the pooch a bit. Found out you could split the husk in two, reproduce it. Decided to do a auction and-

Opera: Wait there's more than one husk-

Wood: If she's a fiend? Yeah. Rare type, can duplicate itself through other cells. Like I said though, auction. Guess she wondered if she could find business partners at the meetup. I know she's managed to split the thing-

The witch gurgles and hisses, every part of his body falling apart in real time.

Boiling fluids leaking, eyes like the dead, shaking in place and screams foaming.

Opera: What in god's name....

Wood's body begins to levitate in place. the cat quick to point a gun to his head.

Words violently start to drag themselves out of his mouth.

???: Four queens in a deck.

???: One soon to return home.

Rosca...

???: One to claim the crown it was denied.

Ali...

???: One to the highest bidder...

The whole reason you're here right now.

???: And that could be yours, if you're willing to play ball. Makes the rest of the journey a bit easier on you.

Opera: What are you trying to get out of all this? Doing a lot of talking right now.

???: The tower will arrive soon, many old enemies and former allies with a bone to pick. We are all running out of time, this world needs a champion. Climb to the top, win the gauntlet, and this Rosarium will be more than yours.

The witch's neck twists unnaturally to lock eyes on you.

???: See you outside, little trooper.

With parting words the witch collapses, harsh breathing and whines as what's left is twisted and melting.

It's like before. Nothing but vessels to burn through, bodies as expendable messengers.

The cat puts a hand on your shoulder.

Charon: Mm...

Opera: You wanna head outside? I can handle this part.

Charon: Blood on me still hasn't dried.

Opera: Don't think either of us can afford to go in looking clean right now.

Charon: Just-

Opera: You put that on yourself a lot last time. Go talk to your gramps, fill him and Rosca in on things. Prep folks for things to get messy.

Charon: You sure-

Opera: It's okay, get some air.

You give her a firm nod before stepping out, one last pop shattering the tension like splinters in your palms.

The end is coming, all you can do is pray you're part of whatever story comes next.

Posted by ThreadLurkingComorant - 08-01-2025, 09:25 PM

The Tin Soldier
[Reflection Toward the Future]
Perspective Character: Charon

[Image: Queen%20Mar.png]

A Memory: The Light Fades from Your Eyes a little more each time her Proxy cuts you down...

[image description: A phantom knight with a large blade menacingly looms over, behind her a tower with its ceiling collapsed exposes a large menacing moon. The colors are vibrant and surreal against a haunting night sky.]

You've finished your buisness with a formal rival.

Now that you've had a moment to take a breather from it, you make quick haste to catch up with your colleagues. You can't find Anura around, nor your new ally from earlier but you recognize your friend taking a break on a bench.

Charon: Opera!

You wave out to her, she returns it with high spirits.

Opera: Hey! Got things all covered here. Haven't been here for a full day and shit's already been crazy...

Charon: Mm... where's the other guy?

Opera: One of the locals set up a space to keep 'em on hold. Didn't really put up any sort of fight once the big guy went down... you uh..

Charon: Yeah...

Opera: You gonna be okay?

Charon: Much as I can be. At least two fatalities since I've gotten here.

Opera: Nature of the job.

Charon: Doesn't make it any easier.

Opera: Yeah well... if you need a hug or something-

Charon: In a bit. The other Rook, you talk to her at all?

Opera: Yeah she- oh there she is-!

You're immediately surprised with a hug from the cat-like proxy.

You nearly yell. And with that said..

Despite her uncanny nature, you can't feel any hostility from her. Quite warm actually...

Charon: I was just asking about you...

Rosca: I know! I owe you guys a lot, for real. Opera-

Opera: I'll pass til I know what your deal is. You uh... look a lot like someone we know.

Rosca: I mean you obviously.. you guys got your proxies on you still?

Charon: Mm... no idea where it wandered off..

Opera: Yep, just one sec uh-

Paige poked his head out from the sheet resting on Opera's shoulder, giving the other proxy a bit of the side eye.

Rosca: Is this normal or-

Opera: Yeah actually, does that just to fuck with people.. so you're-

Rosca: Part of the "husk". Was at least....

Charon: You look different.

Rosca: Same with both of you really.. I... have a lot of feelings about the whole thing.

Opera: Yeah.. if the cult's still targeting you then we gotta have some common ground, yeah?

Rosca: Mm... still. I know it's like... it's a lot?

Charon: You weren't the one who-

Rosca: Wait! Let me finish before you go all Mr. Hero, yeah?

Charon: Pardon me then, continue.

Rosca: Still so polite after everything... I guess first off I'm not really happy with the fact that anybody was hurt. Doesn't matter if I wasn't the one calling shots, it's still my hands ripping and tearing..

She holds up her claws

Rosca: Enough that I still look like her... I'm barely a rook at this point, I'm just what's left..

Opera: So you're separate from the rest completely or-

Rosca: No, still linked to our old body but can't do anything. I can see and feel everything from this world and yours...

Opera: ....You know where you're at? We've been trying to track it down and-

Rosca: Scooped up, been in a hell pit all month til now. Can't tell if was a lab or a warehouse but first time I've seen light in a good while..

Opera: Someone... stole you?

Charon: One of ours?

Rosca: Two people. Weird mickey mouse looking weirdo and her bird friend. Wearing a mask or something like that.. might be a helmet? I dunno..

Charon:... Was there a name or-

Rosca: Hick or something, the bird I think?

Opera: Oh shit he's here....

Rosca: Well, not here but-

Opera: Anything else? You gotta share everything-

Rosca: Mostly Fuzzy. It's hard being too place at once you know... I though guess that's not true for someone here. I

She looks directly at you.

Rosca: That's not your real body...

Charon: It's back home, Styx handling things fine. I'm not sure how Im able to really do this-

She immediately grabs your hand and bites it, Opera quick to whip out her gun and take aim.

Rosca quietly pulls herself away.

Rosca: I'm not trying to hurt anybody.

Your friend lowers her pistol, much to the relief of bystanders.

Opera: Explain.

Rosca: Fiend thing, hard to explain but... there's a operator.

Charon: That would be me, yes-

Rosca: Not this form. What I'm seeing right now is a proxy shaped like you, a king on a chessboard representing you so to speak.

She raises her "nose" for a lack of better word and points toward a tower afar.

Rosca: That...

Charon: Castle Styx...

Rosca: That's where you're really at. That's safety.

Charon: Aye...

Rosca: Styx took your body, which means he put you somewhere.

Charon: I'm following.

Opera: You're a proxy, something is the operator that your mind's actually inside of. But Rook's walking around with you.

Rosca: You're using Styx's proxy then as a vessel.. that'd be my best bet anyway.

Opera: Did he have one of those...?

Charon: He used to have one, haven't seen her since he came back though...

Rosca: Probably been dormant, means you got whatever abilities it has right now. Certainly stronger than you were back then in a few ways... but still doesn't answer how a proxy body is being projected. Has to be some kind of operator. Maybe his true self..

Charon: And it's in the castle?

Rosca: Maybe. You seen any tombs, bodies in glass coffins, that sort?

Charon: Actually yes...

Rosca: Then something in there is his, that's what's projecting you. As long as that castle's walls are strong, you won't die out here.

Opera: Immortal... soul?

Rosca: Yeah...

She tilts her head at you.

Charon: What are you thinking.

Rosca: Not sure yet. Looking at a few paths..

Opera: Planning things or-

Rosca: Divination type. I got like a natural radar for big things coming. Big part of why we got used for the husk... Can't see the future outright but I can see little threads, inclinations and splits in fate. I'm looking for the one that gets you both out of here..

Opera: Kinda intrusive not gonna lie but...

Rosca: I know, I just want to help. Know it's probably weird for the two of you though right now.

Charon: Complicated feelings..

Opera: Same but I'll get over it. If you're another Paige I'll give you a chance.

Charon: Probably less of a bastard than he is..

Opera: Yeah it's a bit of a shithead sometimes, love him though.

Rosca: I'll do my best, promise. For now... I think we gotta go interrogate that guy.

Opera: Doubt he'll squeal.

Charon: Probably has a way to self destruct..

Rosca: More reason to. Besides, you still got that big ladder sword right?

Charon: Yeah.

Rosca: Then you gotta be there most of all.

Posted by ThreadLurkingComorant - 07-01-2025, 09:04 PM

As you gaze off to the abyss, signs of struggle become clear. Smoke from a smaller town, towers crumbling. The chains between worlds thick and strangling.

Your opponent now no longer in sight, having made their way clear.

Warn your friends-

Catrina: Styx!

Your spine chills at the familiar voice.

Catrina: You're here too early you know, fumbled across a mirror or two?

You turn toward her, a phantom of your past smiles at you warmly. You're given a little wave.

You can feel your whole body deeply strained, your heart tightening and eyes heavy.

Catrina: You're not going to wave back?

Styx: You're not real, you're not really here

Catrina: I'm not? Then what about you? Who's standing behind another man's eyes?

Styx: A prisoner of fate, nothing more.

Catrina: So dramatic...

Styx: If that really is you I need something, a way to prove that I've yet to go mad and that you're truly here. I need to know where you've gone all this time, why you've abandoned me until the void rotted away any semblance of who I used to be.

Catrina: I didn't plan for things to be so hard on you-

Styx: You left me alone. My mind broken, my body gone and no idea what I was becoming. You promised you'd be there once I was free and not *once* had I heard your voice.

Catrina: Styx-

Styx: Why didn't you say anything? Did you know? I... I'd assumed something had happened because ultimately after tall that the idea that you wouldn't give me so much as parting words-

Catrina: Something did happen...

Styx: Enough to make you go silent this long only to show your face at the most inconvenient time possible. Are you dead? Is this the other side I was never meant to step foot on or-

Catrina: Dead isn't quite the right way to put it but... That escape came at a great cost, one I did not disclose and for that I've more than given you reason to be upset...

Styx: ...What do you mean?

Catrina: To help you flee, to mythologize you in a way that'd forever change your homeland without making you a true martyr it forced me to become part of you. Ultimately as a entity my potential hit its wall and you seemed like a infinite well for great change to happen. So... you became my successor whether you wanted to or not...

Styx: You should have asked.... if I had known this would be the only option I'd take my head on a guillotine instead...

Catrina: And you would have never been able to do so much more with each life after.

Styx: And I would have never known the loss of losing my other self time after time no matter what form it took...

Catrina: But you always reunite..

Styx: And then relive the hurt.

Catrina: And likewise I'm there too.. in the eyes of every Proxy you've had a hand it...

Styx: I've yet to see a face come out of my own work...

Catrina: Because you haven't really truly needed me but... well, you'll see soon enough.

Styx: Please don't be cryptid right now, I've the weight of many standing on my shoulders right now and I don't think I have much time to resolve all of it.

Catrina: Right, sorry.. I do have a few things I do need to talk to you about while we have the chance. This world will link you to what you've lost...

Styx: That does check out...

Catrina: and... at the very least it seems your most current client is about to be locked into a path he cannot escape from.

Styx: Oh? What does that mean exactly?

Catrina: Despite their lack of blood, they share a common soul.

Styx: The Judgments?

Catrina: Mm... and when you have so many with the capacity to force change resonating in the same local... I can't help but worry for them.

Catrina: Can you not see yourself in them all a little?

Styx: I wouldn't deny there's a feeling that's had me bothered..

Catrina: And the wanderer? She does not belong here at all, a wrench in the threads.

Styx: Opera?

Catrina: She's inherently dangerous for her capacity to jump between realities on a whim, no? That proxy of hers feigns the mark of the feeble.

Styx: I don't think after what she's been through that she wants wide attention frankly..

Catrina: I'd like to show you something, the world you cannot change just yet.

Styx:.. I'm listening.

She makes a diamond with her fingers, before expanding until a large tear appears much like a ghostly looking glass.

Ali approaches the safehouse with a big pipe, Mission at the entrance with a strained look.

Before any real conversation can start, Geezer scoots Mission out of the way and approaches with his posture high. There is no hint of fear on his fac.

Styx: She's taking a direct approach....?

Catrina: When plans fall apart you improvise, bring it down in the most spectacular way. She has no husk, the auction plans are seemingly in disarray, there are more players active than she could've anticipated.

Catrina: She's not a genius or master planner, she's emotionally volatile and what she wants is seemingly still unclear. Any veil of cunning left is thin. All she's done is place every piece needed for a disaster to happen in the same room and given those with worse intentions the tools to take advantage. You are in a world that despises you for being here, run by what's left of those who should never exist again.

Catrina: She is planning to merge them, what happens next is a scramble for a land grab of the new world's cooking up.

Styx: We have to return then, no-?

Catrina: One of you does. The other has to remaining in the collapsing pocket that's being merged into the region as we speak.

Styx: I should send him back then, my odds up here are far better-

Catrina: That's not on you either. He's declined my offer, him and his friends who've committed to joining his fight.

Styx: He's hardly had time to experience the wilds, I don't know if he'll keep up-

Catrina: He is a extension of yourself, no?

Styx: The life I never was born into-

Catrina: He is his own spirit, bonded to you or not. And at some point you had to fight those same battles.

She teasingly pokes your cheek.

Catrina: The title of Styx is one I trusted you with, and despite how much you've soured my true name... I still do.

Styx: I-

Catrina: And perhaps one day you'll be the same, no? A phantom who's entrusted your name to another.

Styx:.... There's no way out of what happens next is there?

Catrina: Close your eyes tight.

Styx: You're going to send me back, this truly is about to be my last life isn't it-

Catrina: Picture the world you want to be a part of.

Styx: I don't like where this is going, you truly are gone-

Catrina: Relax...

Styx: I don't understand any of this anymore, please-

The Admiration She Always Wanted
[The Deconstruction of Plaza Part 2]
Perspective Character: Styx

Hickory: Hey, you alright dude?

Hickory: You vanished on me dude...

Platino: Is he crying?

Hickory: Yeah Just uh-

Platino: Give him some space for a sec.

Bern: Where'd the other cultist go? Platino: Just take a sec to breathe, you're gonna be fine. We're gonna take everyone back home, things will be fine.

Posted by ThreadLurkingComorant - 05-31-2025, 09:51 PM

[Image: A%20World%20Not%20Worth%20Saving.png]

[image description: A uncanny suburban neighborhood behind walls, unnatural wires from the sky dangling toward it..]

When you enter your domain, there is no home.

No negotiating table to sit down at.

There is no library, no painstaking collection of artifacts and treasures you've scooped from the many lives and hardships you face.

All that stands before you is a world desperate for a god, a parody of a suburb mangled with your own, tied by wires that go beyond the clouds.

The false fiend gives you confused look, but you're just as lost as he is.

???: Why did you bring me back here? Is it to mock me? Spare me out of pity? Send me back to my lord emptyhanded to face punishment?

Styx: I don't exactly know what here is if I'm frank.

???: You opened a rift with no clue where it was headed? Hardly living up to your own fables-

Styx: I'm not the man you're looking for, but I'll so much worse if you continue on. What exactly are we looking at here?

???: A composite of fallen pocket spaces, they have a tendency to pile up when left unmaintained for too long.

...What happened to your castle? Is it here? Destroyed? Did someone move it? Your contract with Charon is still live and strong, he's absolutely still alive but....

Styx: Home?

???: For only so much longer. Your world is about to cannibalize what's left, the island you and your friends stand on will be reformed as part of a connected mass to this above. A gate to the heavens, so to speak. Manufactured ones-

Styx: What manner of stupid ritual have you all commit to?

???: I simply wish to retrieve the vessel of one of our fallen lords and return it to where it belongs so that we may have a chance to defend against what comes next. You and your group of degenerates standing in our way is only going to make it worse for everyone involved.

Styx: If reality is breaking like so, I doubt there's much it'd do you good.

???: You're a tempered fiend, are you not?

Styx:... Am I?

???: A fiend who's soul and body have been hardened by extreme conditions, one who's capacity to generate scrap exceeds that of the norm. The standard fiend has a strong knack for shrugging off many of the world's natural endgames, a tempered one-

Styx: Is designed to be able to resist even that of another world outside our own.

???: The meddling is that of a unnatural nature but one that a body like yours and hers could more than thrive in, swim around without fear. You're hardly ideal as a candidate but-

Styx: You step any closer and I will leave you slit like a holiday dinner.

???: Quick to violence.

Styx: Hardly unmerited.

???: At the very least, meeting you lets us understand how you can be in two places at once. Right now as we speak, Sir Hyde is commencing siege. There's a mutt of your exact description right now, spilling blood with that crooked looking ladder sword. Have to ask who's really the imitation right now.

Styx: Shut the fuck up-

As you step forward the false fiend points directly up at the sky above. The coasts of Plaza clear as day look back at you like a reflection in a tide pool.

Styx: Someone really is merging the island...

???: You don't have much time I think. You could stay around on this world, extend what you have before it happens. After? Who knows, a fresh hand for everyone or perhaps truly the end. Either way, you will not walk away unscathed.

He turns his back toward you, making his way to the nearby town.

Styx: Where are you going?

???: Home, my findings are going to be important I think. You could cut me down but every minute is of the essence at the moment-

There's a loud rumble, from the distance you can see the top of your castle rumbling across the skyline.

???: Warn your friends, perhaps you all can escape just in time to avoid what comes next.

Posted by ThreadLurkingComorant - 05-17-2025, 06:05 PM

[image description: Styx in the body of Charon grabbing the borders of a comic panel and crumpling it in on itself. On the otherside of there's a artificial fiend, back pressed to the wall as it bends and cracks.]

As you prepped to bust through, the rattling of stairs and caged metal floors caused you and Hickory to practically freeze up instantly.

You slowly walked up to the door and placed your ear against it quietly.

You heard hard breathing, something between a sickly giggle and anticipatory anxiety.

Your body freezes.

Hickory: What's wrong?

Styx: Other side.

Hickory: What?

You gave the bird a wordless gesture, a returned stretch of the neck toward the door.

Hickory: Plan?

You held up one finger in response, on your mark.

If it knew you where there, all you could do is check its intimidation tactics.

Styx: I can see you.

The breathing became a strained effort to try to stay quiet.

Styx: You're scared. Interesting. Were you there the day that tower fell?

???: You're not actually him, are you?

Styx: I'm something made much worse with time. Do you have business with me?

???: The vessel, hand it over.

Styx: You can come get it anytime you'd like, but I'm not giving it up so easy. You're not one of the originals I don't think, a new flavor of delusion-

???: You're dangerously close to the door-

Styx: I'm still talking, pipe down-

???: Think you're hot shit?

A hard, loud slam on the door.

Styx: Hottest under the killing moon. You?

Another thud.

Styx: Nothing to say for yourself? Interesting.

You place your plan flat on the door, with a sleight of hand the entire frame thickens like a concrete pillar.

Another attempted strike, this time with less of a impact.

Styx: Feel that?

???: What'd you do?

Another blow with a pathetic noise.

Styx: Made the gap between us a little more apparent. You like it? Where's your friend right now? Maybe the two of you could break through if you tried hard enough.

???: What did you do just now?

Styx: Mm, tell me what you see on your end.

???: Where did the exit go?!

Styx: Trapped, are we?

You can't help but make a sadistic little grin.

Hickory visibly shuddered.

Styx: Right now you're trapped in my domain, and it's a very volatile one.

???: Did you move us or-

Styx: I've simply made the nature of your reality clear for you to see. A peon with no future, trapped by the boundaries of a narrative you have no control over.

???: I don't understand-

Styx: Your existence is meaningless in the grander scope, you breath for the purpose of being a setpiece for someone more ambitious than yourself.

???: You're a fucking coward! Open this door!

Styx: All that time kissing up, throwing away your individuality for a imitation body... you can't even reach me.

???: You ever stop talking?!

Styx: Never. You want out? Play ball.

???:... What do you want from me?

Styx: You're going to get rid of that disgusting bastardization of my kind, go home, and never go near the house of any living saint or prophet again.

???: Bastardization?

Styx: That vessel of yours, I don't want to see that face on you ever again-

???: You realize how much you're asking for?

Styx: Well that depends on your rank, no? I'm sure if you've gotten as far as to have your flesh upgraded that you've the status to return to factory settings-

???: There's nothing to return to!

Styx: Oh?

???: The old body gets torched in the ritual! There's nothing left! You are killing me!

Styx: I can give you a little flexibility on a deadline, perhaps work our a bargain-

???: You really are the devil, yeah?

Styx: Not in the way you think, easy misconception.

???: What kind of bargain would that even require-

Styx: Give it to me, I'll make much better use of it than you ever could.

???: You're a degenerate.

Styx: On the side sometimes-

???: A pervert mutt with radiation poisoning.

Styx: I-

???: Just kill me you freak, make it quick-

Your hands dig into the wall and shake the room with full force, a scream coming from the other side.

Styx: Sounds like you saw something you didn't like.

???: You really aren't him... the Boy Ferryman.

Styx: Like I said, I'm so much worse.

???: ...Why do you want our Husk so bad? She'd already been taken away before- I can't come home without her! They'll take my rank, all my time and effort and-

Styx: Because she never belonged to you in the first place... I get the sense you folk have done harm to more fiend since last time we've met. Who's in charge these days?

???: Why does it matter?

Styx: Because I'm going to kill your church, your god, and everything you hold dear.

???: I refuse to speak-

You shook it even harder, starting to crumple the wall inward like a soda can.

Styx: I want to know everything, and one way or another I'm going to find out.

???: Just pull the trigger then cause I-

Styx: If I can't get it out of you alive, I'll be more than able to pry that info from your corpse. I'm simply offering you a kinder out.

???: You're bluffing, if you could do that you would've done it!

Styx: Not all of us like growing a body count.

???:..What do I have to do?

Styx. I'm inviting you to the negotiation table, we'll figure out something there. So? Step into my office or be crushed by the frame of reality itself?

A long quiet, before you could hear the sound of a doorknob turning.

Styx: Wise choice.

Posted by ThreadLurkingComorant - 05-03-2025, 08:56 PM

You took a moment to breath in after the brief heightened tension in the room

Platino gestured over to you as soon as you looked over his way.

Styx: Mm?

Platino: I got feedback from Manzana. Relayed everything her way.

Styx: And thoughts are?

Platino: Worried. Her and needle wanna meet back up with us near the mall. Figures a public place like that makes it hard to start shit without getting security to drop you.

Styx: We can hurry on over, need someone to take the husk to safety...

Platino: I mean.. you're a entity, yeah? Don't you got one of those hammer spaces-

Bern: You wanna trust a entity with a body that can't die?

Platino: You rather carry it back alone?

Bern: Maybe.

Styx: I can't blame you if I'm honest-

Hickory: It's the lowest risk option to pocket it away for now. Nobody's gonna break in easy.

Bern: I guess.... I dunno though, this one's got a history.

Hickory: Mmhmm. I've got more direct experience with him than either of you. I'm willing to take the fall if he pulls something stupid.

Bern: If he claims it he might just get Charon's body killed and then run off, and at that point-

Hickory: Give me some credit, I can protect him fine. I vote we let Styx keep it in the castle for now. Plat?

Platino: I can keep him checked.. no offense-

Styx: None taken, I fully understand.

Hickory: So... I think we got him. Yeah?

Bern: I guess..

Hickory made his way over to you slowly.

Styx: You really trust me so? I'm a little surprised after everything...

Hickory: If you're really a part of Charon, I want to trust you. Don't make me look like a idiot, yeah? Me, plat, Bern-

Bern: If he flakes on us I called it-

Hickory: Let me finish, yeah?

He was close enough to whisper into your ear.

Hickory: Not much choice anyway.

They continued as quiet as possible.

Hickory: Pretend to stretch, look over toward the doorway but don't freeze when you see it.

Styx: You really-

Hickory: Stay casual.

You work yourself up to a little yawn, head tilting and rotating around and-

You've been found.

Play it by the ear.

Styx: Hickory, you have something upstairs, yes?

Hickory: I might in fact.

Styx: You carry her with us then, the others and I will get things together.

Bern: You been hiding something? What-

Hickory: I'll show you as soon as we get it moved and unpacked, Bucket might want in on this.

Platino: Just roll with it kid, think I got a idea anyway but we gotta be quick.

Bern kicked the ground below her in frustration before nodding along.

Hickory scooped up the husk and lead toward the warehouse attic, giving a overview of below through the metal screened floor.

Hickory: Lock the door..

You followed along and gave him a little nod.

Bern: There's nothing here dude, what's up-

Hickory: We're being stalked by cultists.

Bern: That's broad, you talking from the mainland in Taverne or-

Styx: Extradimensional, the ones that made the husk.

Bern: I thought you guys killed them or something-?

Styx: Not entirely, not uncommon for a few stragglers to spin off as a branch.

Platino: When you've got their holy grail being advertised in a auction they're gonna show on the island..

Hickory: Mmhmm. Looked like one of the Grimace units.

Bern: You mean like-

Hickory: Nah. less scary than that. Fiend bodies cloned with the minds of enforcers who've shown their teeth. Called it the Dorado project, out cat buddy here was sort of their endgame- what are you doing dude?

Platino had gotten down on down on all fours, face pressed against the metal screen.

Platino: Ah shit, I know these things.

Hickory: Mm?

Platino: A few bodies like these, very little variation physically and genetically identical. Fiend, Faux-Spider type. Infectious category, they were something I had seen behind the scenes. Discovered in a expedition, some sort of lost tech vessel for lost souls allegedly.

Hickory: So you're familiar.

Platino: Yeah. Little deviations in face, capable of entity-like contracting, any attempt to plug someone in gave them a urge to infect and spread a bit. Sometimes docile, sometimes hostile. All 5 units we got our hands on were female and-

Hickory: Female?

Platino: Yeah. Something wrong?

Hickory: All units besides the Husk were male.

Bern: Why does that matter-

Platino: Were they always all male?

Hickory: Yeah, all of them. It was like, some sort of chess thing they had going. I figured- ah fuck. Styx?

Styx: They did look a bit different from the old ones...

Bern: Did Ali-

Platino: Nah, they were stored and deemed a failure. Reverse engineering the husk took priority.

Hickory: These are new then.

Platino: Guess so? Couldn't trace the gene sample to anything current.

Hickory: Because whoever got the sample used for those bodies isn't from this time or place. Sampling is a whole market.

Styx: Mm... the material is of our time and place but the methods are decades away. Heed caution.

Hickory: In that case, pocket the cat. I don't wanna take any risks here.

Styx: You're really so certain-

Hickory: Now.

Hickory dropped the husk's body onto the floor. The reactive hiss caused you to flinch.

Just do your job..

With a little gesture and flick of the wrist, a diamond shaped tear formed underneath and pulled the husk inside with no trace left behind.

Hickory: Styx and I are gonna go down and handle them, you two keep watch and make noise if something happens. Yeah?

Platino: Yeah, you two stay safe.

Hickory: We'll do our best. If we fall-

Bern: Get to the others?

Hickory: Yeah.

The bird made their way to the door. They turned their head toward you.

Hickory: Like old times, yeah?

Styx: Little too much... it's good to see you again.

Hickory: Same here.

Posted by ThreadLurkingComorant - 03-21-2025, 06:36 PM

[Image: Return_to_Plaza.png?ex=67df02fc&is=67ddb...height=318]

Styx: It's me...

Hickory: What do you mean?

Styx: She's everything I could've been in a kinder world dragged down by a harsher one.

You pull the husk in close for a tight hug.

Styx: And for the first time in lord knows how long she's managed a freedom she's never known...

Hickory: Only cause shit's imploding from the inside..

Styx: Oh?

Hickory: Whatever plan was intended with her is crashing and burning. Erica called me in to sorta work in the background of things but... couldn't let anyone know shit til we got this far. Little hard to trust for her.

Platino: Think this whole family's got issues, no offense.

Styx: Nobody here to take any but..

You shake your head.

Styx: It's all off script. None of it';s supposed to be playing out this way I think..

Platino: What makes you say that-

Hickory: He's right I think. We're dealing with the type of weirdo who's got big scope but no actual endgame in mind. She's made a crashout everyone else's problem and I think whatever her goals were... nah it's not going right.

Platino: So the heist-

Hickory: Distraction. Auction was probably real at some point but some stuff's going on in the back-

Platino: Chance of a insider? Like... we got someone who's feeding us updates and it's clear stuff's scuffed. Zana's meeting up with her as we speak-

Hickory: Needle.

Platino:..Yeah. You two uh-

Hickory: Bucket's saboteur has tabs on her-

Platino: Wait who-

Styx: Rosario.

Platino:.. Is *that* why she's here? I assumed she like... I dunno, was just kinda chilling?

Styx: If you noticed her acting up she wouldn't be very good at her job. Her and Mercury have-

Hickory: Been buddy-buddy? Yeah. I'm gonna keep it short, it's all a family doing fucked up espionage on each other at this point. Everyone's sorta in camps and pockets right now.

Platino: If you'd be kind enough to clarify further-

Hickory: Easy.

Hickory: Bucket was put in charge of a job by Erica in a trade of favors. They brought in a few recommended folk: Mercury who's a close colleague, Rosario who's job is to quietly look for funny business and intervene, Opera who's here cause she has personal stakes, Geezer who on notification he'd be here she was more than happy to approve recruiting, and Fenton who's been in touch with Opera as a tech role.

Hickory: You, Zana, and Charon? All kinda accidents. Wild cards in all this, hardest to keep tabs on.

Hickory: I'm kinda between people right now. Erica pulled me aside in advance out of fears and all that. Like-wise, Bucket doesn't trust Ali like that so Rosario and I have been in cahoots. Mercury uh... I dunno. She's in a weird spot where she might actually *not* know enough.

Hickory: Needle and Mission are also kind of wild cards in this, accidents. Hard to trust either personally but if you can vouch on your friend than I can do that much. Mission? I dunno...

Styx: She came for help, worried Ali's about to cross a bridge she can't walk back.

Hickory: Has me more worried when you put it like that. Speaking of wild cards-

Styx: Recent development. I was dead until a few days ago and I'm not quite certain I'm alive right now so-

Hickory: And the husk, her being you-

Styx: I... it's a lot to explain.

Hickory: You got time.

Styx: Every once in awhile I bump into a client who's awfully familiar, myself. Charon is the most recent of these. When i became a entity I gave up my physicality and mortal form but... my body continued to have many lives without me.

Hickory: I don't get it-

Platino: The Soul doesn't get to move on with the body....

Styx:.. If I'm correct, then yes. Charon is one of these and in that case-

Hickory: Husk is a Opera though? Like I know they're connected and all but-

Styx: The Operas are the intended incarnation were my soul to have moved in as expected. Charon is the body that remains...

You find yourself giving the husk enough of a squeeze to cause her to bite you, making you immediately pull away

Platino: Doesn't seem like it likes you all that much.

Styx: Because even now she sees the potential worst of herself in me...

Platino: Pretty sure you just need to give the cat some space...

Hickory: Think she just can smell the intentions, no go on letting you have her like that.

Styx: Why would I-

Hickory: Body that doesn't age, can't be killed? All that power? Nobody likes a opportunist.

You start going down on your knees, Plat and Hick both giving you a look.

Platino: If you apologize I'm walking out right now.

Styx: Not to either of you...

Platino: To who? The body?

Sytx: I... yes but-

Hickory: You're not getting more than a growl I think. I'd just back off...

Styx: I understand I have a lot to atone for. While Charon is away I have to make due and assure everyone my intentions are not to harm-

Hickory: Why don't we go outside for a bit, yeah? Platino, you mind watching the cat for me?

He gives the two of you a playful little gesture.

You get up to your feet, Hickory, leading toward the doorway of the warehouse.

Styx: What is it?

Hickory: I need you to do one thing right now: Muscle. You got all that entity magic at the tip of your fingers, right?

Styx: It's not much but.. enough.

Hickory: We gotta get this cat back home quick, fill in the others, gameplan. Right now we're seeing a clusterfuck try and resolve by any means and I'm not happy. Not me, not any of our friends, not a single person who put money into playing the worst game of espionage. Keep things simple for now, figure it out once we know what's going on for sure. If Ali is making a move, its some sink the island with her shit potentially. Nobody's taking her side like that if Mission's coming to us but think we need to be careful how we fill in the others-

You're both suddenly cut off.

Bern: Think everyone should know a bit, nah?

You immediately fixate a harsh stare at her.

Styx: How long have you been listening in?

Bern: Me? Enough. I want in on this, need that fucker to go down.

Styx: You have a personal vendetta?

Bern: Nah, just hate her type. I don't think Buck's willing to be the one to burn it down. Good folk but compromised, you know?

Hickory: Yeah...

Styx:... What do you mean?

Hickory: Mentioned they were on Ali's payroll.

Styx: They wouldn't-

Bern: They're prepping others to do it cause Ali funds a lot of their anti-cult efforts. This whole thing's a candidacy. And well?

She pushes a finger up to your nose.

Bern: I think they're banking on you my guy. Geezer's got the guts and prep but he's "too honest." Zana's plenty capable but they don't feel all that confident that she'll be able to pull the trigger when it matters.

Styx: No offense but that's a rancid way to look at people-

Bern: You rank them all the time, nah? Entity and all that? Bet you're gauging me right now. My potential, my usability as a host, how much I can spready your name so you've got more sway on the world-

Hickory: If he's a piece of Charon he's got higher standards than that.

Bern: Alright.

Bern holds out her hand toward you.

Bern: My body and mind for however long it takes to take Ali down, longer if you manage to pull it off. All my knowledge and secrets, so many things Bucket won't say that'd make this job a lot easier. Your friends would think you're a hero, you'd have a permanent host-

Hickory: Politely fuck off-

Bern: I can see you really considering it-

You backhand the kid with full force, a genuine look of shock across her face.

Styx: To insult me is one thing. To hold me for my past, to remind me of all my mistakes I've taken glee in, you're more than merited that. This is cruelty. My kind is filled with casual emotions, impulses, and addictions that someone like you can only begin to picture at your lowest points.

Bern: You fucking hit me-

Styx: I could go a second round.

Bern:... I think I get why you're the favorite right now. Just figured it was cause you're their kid-

Styx: I am the child of a village, not a nameless parent who couldn't find the time to face me directly once in my life. They found plenty of room to have late night conversations with Erica thinking we were asleep. They left me speculating for decades, thinking that perhaps if I were to take up this mantle there'd be a chance we could reunite. I could find out what ails them so much that they have to hide. I could fix this broken mess of a family that has nobody else to blame for being this way. And you-

You flick your wrist at her, Bern crumpling to her knees immediately on trying to block.

Her breathing becomes heavy.

Bern: The fuck dude?!

Styx: Your whole body is a mass of moving sparks and energies going across. Your nerves, heart, and lungs all are in constant motion. One little wrench in the machine is life ruining and I have many to go around. The boy you're praying to do your work for has already surpassed me twice over. In another five years there will be nothing left to teach him. In ten, you've made a monster you cannot overcome.

Another flick, able to get back on her feet.

Styx: When he returns you'll have left him with a wound to fixate on for the rest of his life-

Hickory: Hey, need you to relax.

You can feel the bird grabbing your sleeve.

Hickory: I know this is a lot for you. Friends you thought were gone, coming back to life at the hardest point you can, not knowing how real any of it is or was.. and god knows both of you had a lot of rough feelings around the cat in bob.

You give them a nod, taking a moment to breath in.

Hickory: And uh.. kid? Guess I never accounted for you.

Bern: Bern.

Hickory: You want in on this? Gonna need you to keep it hush and mellow the fuck out. Don't know what kind of shit Bucket's been teaching you and all but-

Bern: I get it.

Hickory: You walked away with your life, don't fuck around like that. Now let's go back in there and fill Platino in, yeah?

Bern: Alright..

She gives you one last look.

Bern: So what are we? Brother and Sister? Sister and sister?

Styx: Cousins, back off.

Posted by ThreadLurkingComorant - 02-11-2025, 09:25 PM

Charon: You waiting for me?

Rosca: Mmhmm! I wanted to thank you for earlier... you protected me.

Charon: Of course..

Rosca: I'm not sure if you remember me all that well but-

Charon: I do, pretty often.

Rosca: ...They're not exactly good memories. I'm surprised you stepped in for me there...

Charon: It was the right thing to do in the moment, nothing more to it than that...

Rosca: Mm...

She looks over behind you, seeing Mar hovering over.

Rosca: Is that-

Charon: Rook? Aye..

Mar: One of us at least...

Rosca: So pretty...

Mar did a little playful bow.

Rosca: You both ended up so much more than I did..

Charon: Mm, now we're more than caught up.. how long has it been on your end?

Rosca: Two years? So... I guess I'm about at the same place as Opera. Yours?

Charon: Around a decade, give or take. 24.

Rosca: About when they froze us..

Charon: Mm..

Rosca: I'm sorry for everything, I-

Charon: You were a victim of circumstance, what walked around with your face was never you and is long gone..

Rosca: It doesn't feel that way... I still could see everything, feel everything. Even if our body wasn't under our control, I can remember everything she did back then..

Rosca: We were weak for losing, for getting locked up in the first place. For my Charon to lose her mind and for me to just be a extra set of hands in all of that..

Rosca: I'm all that's left... I still have her face while her body's stuck in a hole without a voice forever... I thought you were her so I sent out a signal hoping she'd find me.

Charon: The call..

Rosca: Mmhmm.. I guess it was just you though.

She pauses for a moment before looking embarrassed.

Rosca: That sounded so rude...

Mar: We got what you meant.

Rosca: Still..

Mar steps in and grabs the other proxy's hand.

Mar: It's okay.

She gives the two of you a quiet nod.

Mar: You're one of us, if you need help getting out of here then we'll do what we can..

Rosca: Mm...

She gives Mar's hand a squeeze.

Charon: Are things okay? Here with Opera and all-

Rosca: She went and wrangled down Wood with some help from the others, we can check in on her in a bit. Don't think she feels too comfortable around me.. Paige said he'd put a good word in but... she looks just like my old operator. I have her face..

Mar offered a hug, having it returned without hesitation.

Rosca: It's hard to look at myself anymore without thinking about her, I feel ruined..

Mar: I know...

Rosca: Don't say that..

Mar: Roses turned to shrapnel, body cracked with the scars of time...

Rosca: ...it feels so warm even with every jagged edge...

Mar: I'll never be as strong as I was back in that point in time again..

Rosca: Because you've only become more since then..

Mar: And so have you...

Mar: You're free now to do whatever you want with your life from here on out..

Rosca: And yet I'm lost...

Mar: And soon to be found. Charon?

Charon: If you'd like to come back with us, we're more than willing to house you..

Rosca: I... you really would be okay with that? After everything?

Charon: I've made my peace with plenty who've done me worse this week, only fair.

Rosca:.. What do you mean?

She pulls back from Mar.

Rosca: Something bad is happening?

Charon: Only if we don't stop it. It's.. a bit of a long story.

Rosca: I guess if you're in this world it can only mean... you're alive, right? Like you didn't-

Charon: Not yet.

Rosca: Okay, it'd be horrid to find out ya'll didn't make it out okay after everything..

She pauses, looking up and eyes widening.

Rosca: Oh.. we're really close to another pocket..

You follow her gaze and-

It's Plaza? Multiple towers much like Styx's castle phase through the sky into it.

Charon: What's happening there?

Rosca: Different pockets of reality tend to touch briefly, makes it possible for entities to interact between worlds if someone picks up the signal but... this is the closest I've seen one since the incident... those towers though aren't like the usual ones that you see..

Rosca: They're harvesters.. someone is looking to scoop up everything worthwhile here..

Charon: We need to kill those things now, I need to grab Opera and-

Rosca: There's no time, both worlds are about to destabilize in a matter of hours.
By the end of the week things will shift beyond recognition and yet nobody will have noticed.

Rosca: It'll be as if it was always that way..

The Admiration of Many
[The Deconstruction of Plaza]
Perspective Character: Styx

Posted by ThreadLurkingComorant - 01-24-2025, 09:04 PM

CW: Death, Violence

Brassman: Cheap move kid, really didn't have the guts today?

He no longer squirms or fights as you hold him for all to see.

The crowd watches in complete silence.

Opera focuses her aim on Wood who's more than playing possum for the crowd.

Brassman: Well at least finish the job, know you got that in you. Saw what you did to a few of our guys earlier.

Charon: It's never my first choice-

Brassman: Bullshit, take me out back right now.

You turn toward Dither and give him a nod.

Charon: Opera, you mind handling things here? Feel like we gotta press for info.

Opera: Trust me I'm more than prepped.

You drag the crumpled construct through the dirt toward the main gate, Cero standing there to give you a little nod.

Charon: You mind watching? Just..

Cero: I'll keep you safe, what you do from here is your call.

You return the nod.

The gates close behind you. Cero gives you a gesture to continue.

Brassman: So what's it gonna be? You got no reason to spare me.

Charon: I don't.

Brassman: You let me go and I'm coming back with more heat.

Charon: Mm...

Brassman: So? Hurry up.

Charon: I want to make a contract.

Brassman:... What?

Charon: With you-

Brassman: What would you even want from me? I've got shit to offer you.

Charon: Your body, your components. I know what kind of tech you're loaded up with.

Brassman: You want my core.

Charon: I do.

Brassman: That's tech straight from the underbelly, folks who touch that don't see god you know. What in the world are you planning?

Charon: Something you won't get to see... but I'll make it up for you plenty.

Brassman: Yeah? How's that?

Charon: You're the first time I've ever taken up the blade and walked out of the room with one man less on this world. Taking someone's life twice is a special kind of cruel.

You pull a lance from your cloak.

Charon: So perhaps a light compensation. You allow me this and I'll promise you a kinder world in the next life.

Brassman: You don't got that kind of power-

You state him straight in the eye.

Brassman:... Ah shit you're serious.

He gives you a sour laugh.

Brassman: You got the same face but that kid's long gone huh? Whatever's behind those eyes ain't human anymore. I don't make bargains with the devil like that.

Charon: Mm..

Brassman: So what's the point of all this? Guilt? A bit of a show for your new friends?

Charon: A second chance that counts.

Brassman: Alright, explain.

Charon: If you were to be revived by other means-

Brassman: I'd still be a threat. But if I sign you'd be cutting me from the picture, yeah? No chance of me causing you problems.

Charon: Mm.. I'll make it worth it for you.

Brassman: ... got nothing better going on anyway. Don't tend to fuck with that but.. bring it.

There's a cold a flicker, a chilling spark through every nerve between the two of you.

Brassman: That feels weird...

Charon: You have any preferences?

Brassman: I don't care if you need a bouncer or mole, just hook me up with a good job that sticks.

You give him a little nod. He grabs your shoulder with his remaining arm.

Brassman: Give me your worst-

It was painless, one swift thrust of your thumb through his neck and he goes limp instantly.

Ever fold of your cloak quivers as you watch the life vanish from his face.

And then a long quiet before it's finally broken.

Cero:.. You need help?

Charon: Mm...

Cero: Know it's tough doing that, most folks aren't built to be executioner.

Charon: No... suppose no.

He gives you a pat on the shoulder.

Cero: I'll scrap what I can and then bury what's rest proper, you go back inside with your friends, alright?

Charon: Mm...

He opens the gate for you, waving as you step back through.

Cero: You're a bit soft for this still.

Charon: I know.

Cero: I think that's what these folks need right now though.

Charon: Mm..

Cero: Good luck dude.

[Image: The%20Town%20That%20Loves%20You%203.png]

The Other World that Hates You
Masa Con Papas

The Little Town That Loves You
[Chapter Epilogue]
CW: Violence
Perspective: Charon M. Judgment

Posted by ThreadLurkingComorant - 01-16-2025, 07:36 PM

CW: Violence

Cero: Don't cause any trouble, yeah?

You give him a little bow.

Charon: Don't intend to.

Cero: Seriously, putting a lot of trust in you right now. Don't fuck this up, this place is all these folks have.

Charon: Of course...

Opera: I'll put in my best foot too, don't you worry about it.

Cero: Don't go whipping around your piece, yeah? Already make it so obvious you're carrying.

Dither: I'll guide you all around, so stay close.

You and your group go past the large gate, being waved goodbye for now by the sentryman.

The old rat give a little sign.

Anura: I'll miss him.

Dither:.. He's just outside?

Anura: Yes.

Dither: You two just met.

Anura: All the same, what a memorable lad.

Dither: You entity are so odd sometimes..

Charon: Used to it by now.

You're met by many gazes as you enter the streets and take in the local sights.

A few smiles.

A number of curious stares.

The occasional tired shrug.

Dither: Try not to bother people too much right now, many are in the process of winding down their days..

Charon: Noted, where are we heading toward right now?

Dither: Checking you in. Party for... 5? Two proxy, two operator, and a entity?

Charon: I'm... 4? 5? Technically more...

Dither: Really? How?

Charon: Shattered proxy, multiple conscious embodying aspects-

Dither: Oh! Okay we've actually got a few of those. Not exactly a common thing..

Charon: It's a rather new thing for us so I'd like the chance to get resources on this.

Dither: Mm, I'll see if the good folks at the Fozzie house are available.

Opera's ears twitch.

Opera: You guys really called it that?

Dither: Is there something wrong with the name?

Opera: Just.. show that uh... like a bear and a frog and..

Dither shakes their head at you.

Opera: Whole thing, 'nother world..

Dither: Mm, plenty in common already.

The snake made a little snicker at their own joke.

Charon: Cute laugh.

Dither: You like that?

Charon: Bet I'll hear it again.

Dither: I'm sure you will... though just making things clear now, I'm not really looking for anything like that if..

Charon: I understand.

Dither: Maybe a dinner or two though while you're here, things are just a bit hectic on my end..

Mar: A chance to hold that hand would be more than enough to leave me happy by the time I've moved on...

Dither's cheeks turn pink.

Dither: Put well... is that really all you want though?

Mar: Perhaps a better look at that tail, if it's...

Opera: Maybe you should hold this off til later...

Anura makes a sad noise.

Opera: You got something to say?

Anura: I've never seen my children or grandchildren mingle like this before, it makes me happy to see them thrive...

Opera: You're so silly..

Anura: I want to see a wedding one day..

Opera: Don't count on things this early...

Anura: I know-

???: Hey! A party of newcomers?

A uncannily familiar looking proxy peeks her head in.

You feel your spine shiver, Mar's tiled dress rattling on sight.

???: They look like adventurers...

Opera slides a hand under her coat.

Anura taps her shoulder, convincing her to relax her grip without a word.

???: Are you hear to help the town out?

Dither: More than likely, this is-

You immediately step up and introduce yourself.

Charon: Charon Judgment.. and you are-

???:.... Rook Rosca. I um-

Dither: Rescue from not too long ago, local cult were quite fixated on her for a good time.

Rosca: The folks here have been nothing but kind..

She tilts her head at Opera.

Opera: You got something to say to me.

Rosca: Have a big favor to ask, I think I saw a few folks break in.

Dither: How exactly?

Rosca Flew in, large one carrying the others out. Big, mechanical, one eye, long neck-

Charon: Where is he.

Dither: Do you know something about this-

Rosca: I can take you now just-

Your body suddenly turns around with a unnatural whip anticipation, the hot mechanical sound sparking and giving you only mere seconds to work with.

A blast coming from the arm cannon of the fabled construct, you flick your blade directly toward it with a upward swing before winding it back into the ground.

The dirt beneath you is kicked up, a rumble made across town. The force of the attack was successfully nullified but not without starting a fuss. THe local folks panicked. Your eyes meet with your would-be assassin..

You stand with your guard raised and Rosca practically clinging to you.

Charon: Brassman-!

Another shot, a repeat from before. Mar's sharp edges lift up, ready to strike if follow up is made.

Brassman: Wasn't aiming at you, make way before I do.

You shake your head at him.

There's a assistant next to him, a cowled up witch in black and white robes.

???: You really shouldn't antagonize-

Brassman: When he scoots or he drops I'll stop.

???: He killed you last time.

Brassman: Kid got lucky, probably was his first time. You ever killed a man before me?

Charon:... No.

Brassman: See? Couldn't do it on purpose either-

???: He is a decade older, he absolutely can do it on purpose.

Brassman: If he could've he'd shot back, yeah?

???: You're among a crowd, doubt it. Got leverage.

Brassman: You thinking what I'm thinking Wood?

???: You've got this in the bag.

Brassman: Hostage situation's just a test to see how committed a man is. So? Weapon down if you don't want me to turn this town into a parking lot.

You lower your blade and start walking up to him slowly.

Brassman: You wanna get personal?

Charon: Only way to make this right.

Brassman: You're stupid, know that? You're not getting off easy. I'm gonna you-

Charon: You won't.

Brassman: Big mouth.

He raises his gun.

Brassman: Gonna kill yur friends, your family, everyone I love-

Wood: W-wait, no I'm right here!

Brassman: Dude shut the fuck up

Wood: You said everyone you love!

Brassman: I don't like you like that.

Wood: Alright.

Brassman: Everyone you love, I love, myself, and then you-

Wood: Wait why yourself?

Brassman: So he doesn't get catharsis.

Wood: So you're expecting to lose??

Brassman: No!

Wood: How can you kill him if he's already dead-

Brassman: Shut up, alright? Let me have this.

Wood: Gotcha.

The large winged construct stares you down, his peanut gallery scooting out of the way as a precaution.

Brassman: I am going to shoot everyone you love and then everyone I love and then myself and then you in that order. Got that written down?

Charon: I'll remember just fine.

Brassman: Unless you wanna go quietly, then I'll gut you first and you'll just have to hope I'm not up to the rest.

You drop the sword, down to just your firsts.

Brassman: Balls on you-

Charon: Take the shot.

Suddenly the construct's arm is instantly demolished, Cannon violently rupturing and knocking his ally into the concrete

Wood: Jesus fuck-

Charon: Again.

Another blast, Brassman's entire knee shattered.

You grab the construct by the side of his face and lift him high for everyone to see.

Brassman: W-hat did you-

His eyes rapidly shifting until they fixate on Opera behind you.

The smoking gun in her hand.

Opera: You asked for a killing, I just played my part.

Posted by ThreadLurkingComorant - 12-26-2024, 08:00 PM

You arrive to a town behind a large gated wall without much trouble. Only glances of a few taller buildings can be seen from your spot.

A sentryman stands in front, a proxy of mechanical nature with a certain retro aesthetic and a cynical gaze headed your way.

???: You came back with some friends.

Dither: It's why I went out in the first place.

???: They know anything about all the noise going on?

Dither: At least one of them does, might be of your interest?

???: Doubt it, folks aren't too keen on visitors late. Know the Mass has been rattled lately, don't want them snooping here if we can help it...

Dither: You're going to want to see this, promise.

???: Don't think I do but...

The mechanical proxy tilts his head at your group before Dither points you out in particular.

???: Wizard dog? Can't even look people in the eye..

Charon: Not quite.

???: Seen plenty like you, gotta show me one hell of a trick for me to let you in.

Dither nudges your shoulder.

Charon: Mmm?

Dither: Do the pose..

Charon: Uhhh...

You whip out your sword from your cloak, the sentryman immediately raising his guard.

???: Okay no.

Dither: No?

???: That's the guy right? One that's got them all freaked out?

He leans in a little closer.

???: 5 Casualties, 2 dead today. That true?

Charon:...That does check out, didn't stick around to see who survived.

The Proxy rapidly whips in toward you.

???: Then you're gonna have to prove to me where your loyalties lie quick.

Opera: Hey, need you to back up a bit-

Charon: I've got this one for now.

???: Two other strangers here, they your friends?

Charon: Mm, package deal.

???: Real sense of danger from you, how do I know you're someone I can count on?

Charon: If I wasn't you'd be on the floor by now.

???: That a threat?

Charon: It's the honest truth-

You feel a rattling sensation in your spine, your blood chilling.

Your reflexes send a jolt across every nerve, your cape rattling like a fly seeing a swatter coming.

Faster than you've ever moved, faster than you've ever seen someone..

The proxy has halted time and you're the only one who can see it coming.

Your body isn't fast enough, he's immediately diving in toward Anura and Opera.

At that speed it's genuinely dangerous enough to maim if not outright kill.

Mar...

You can feel her nodding at you mentally, she surprises the sentryman by redirecting his lunge directly into you.

You can move just fast enough to make a little magic happen.

Tank the attack with your blade, time begins to move at full speed again.

Opera: H-Hey what are you do-

You see her reach into her cloak pocket, Anura stopping her immediately

Anura: Let it play out.

The amount of kinetic force you just absorbed, you need to fire it off quickly or it'll ruin your body.

With your free hand you pound the ground with enough force to audibly startle the entire town in front of you.

Dither and the sentryman are both immediately caught by surprise.

You transition back into position to guard a second time if needed.

???: You were able to react to it?

Charon: Just barely, don't think you'll get a second chan-

Time slows to a crawl again, you can feel it coming directly this time.

Mar immediately swoops in to tackle the sentryman enough to make the parry easy.

Force tanked, time resumes, you immediately redirect the energy toward your feet to kick yourself off the ground and pin down the sentryman by the throat.

Charon: Need you to back off-

Again, this time even shorter lived than ever, the two of you trade headbutts with the exchange going heavily in your favor

???: H-How are you doing that?!

Charon: It's a long story, Mar?

Mar: I helped where I could.. glad I came in when I could...

Charon: Broth doing alright?

Mar: Tired... we're taking turns to ease the workload..

Charon: You've done fantastic..

You give her a look up and down, didn't really catch it before but her body seems to have shifted closer to her internal appearance.

The sentryman looks over to her.

???: He your operator?

Mar: Mm, for a long time.

???: What's your little trick? Probability manipulation? Power nullification? Same deal as me?

Anura: Defiance. She's the embodiment of Death and Defiance. In the eyes of the saint, all mortals are equal and nothing is beyond her reach..

???: Doesn't explain what happens after...

Charon: I drained the attack's momentum, and I suppose it cancelled out everything else with it...

Mar: I'd guess so.. Grandpa?

Anura: Seems like a solid theory on that.

You start to pull yourself off of the sentryman.

???: What are you doing? Not gonna finish the job?

Dither: Cero!

Cero: Gonna make me look like an asshole..

Charon: Don't want to fight you anymore, this place needs a protector as strong as you.

Cero: You sure you don't want to take my job after all that? We..

He looks at Mar again.

Cero: Seem to got a lot in common.

Mar: Do we..?

He looks you dead in the eye.

The proxy plays up a flustered gesture in response.

Cero: I know what you are... come inside then, all of you. Dither will give you the tour.

Dither: You seemed so sure-

Cero: If him and his friends are a danger like that, not much we could really do...

He presses up the side of his head.

Cero: Entry for two operators, two visiting proxy, a local entity, returning resident. Keep the welcome party warm but alert.

He offers you a hand. The gates behind him start to open.

Cero: Welcome to The Signal.

Posted by ThreadLurkingComorant - 12-07-2024, 04:53 PM

???: Please put the weapon down...

Opera: Anura, you know them at all?

Anura: Like I said, I assumed they were with you. I don't gauge any hostility from them and their appearance here seems... deliberate?

???: I'm here looking for someone but if they don't want to be found-

Opera: Who?

???: A dog and a proxy. Are you a friend of theirs?

The snake tilts their head at Opera.

She tries her best to maintain a poker face.

???: Mm.. can I at least pass along a request?

Opera: Keep it on point-

You step in, you've heard enough.

You can feel Rook trailing behind you.

Charon: You can tell me yourself.

Opera gives you a look.

Charon: I'll be fine. So?

The snake gives you a nod.

???: I heard you've got the Book in a bunch, screaming their heads off for the past day.

Charon: They call themselves that?

???: Suppose so, you'd know more than I do. Think you the devil.. don't think I can see it.

Charon: Makes me more of a candidate, no?

???: Depends, are you?

Charon: On a good day maybe. So?

???: Suppose I want to know your secret, lots of folks in my village do. You willing to make a stop by? You can bring anyone you want..

Mar: What's your bid?

You were surprised, Rook seemingly switched out while you weren't looking.

Charon: How'd you get here?

Mar: Just.. figured you could use a little help. Others are bushed and new guy's a little shy about showing their face.

Charon: New guy? As in a fourth?

Mar: Mm...

The snake looks Mar up and down.

???: You have more than one?

Charon: Not exactly-

Mar: Fractured, one proxy body with four selves...

???: Got a few multiproxies but never seen that play out.

Mar: Can we get a few names? Introductions feel due..

Mar steps up and offers the snake a armless courtesy

The snake's cheeks turned red.

???: Dither, and you might be?

Mar: Mar Judgment. Charon here is my partner in crime.. yours?

Dither: No, mine's been long gone... all of us at home are in the same boat.

Mar: I'm sorry to hear that...

Dither: You're fine, better to fill you in ahead.

Opera: You said there's a whole town?

She lowers her gun.

Dither: Mmhmm! A couple hundred of us living there, managed to piece it together pretty nice I think. We could set you up with bed and breakfast too if you need to stay the night.

Anura: Realistically you would have to, too late to spend a significant amount of time there and make it back safely. Night's are rather difficult wen you have a target on your head..

Dither: That's why I figured I'd offer.

Charon: And what do you want from me in particular? Don't go seeking out another man's devil without a deal in mind.

Dither: Wanna wait til we get back to fill you in fully but truth be told, we got a common enemy and you're especially good at putting them in the dirt.

Charon: You need knight?

Dither: We need a hero, up to task?

You look over at Opera.

Opera: I'm game. Gramps?

Anura: I could use the trek.

You turn back toward the snake. Mar gives you a shoulder nudge.

She wants you to help her go in for the kill.

Charon: I'll see what I can do. Any chance to know you a little more when we get there?

Dither: I'm not all that interesting..

Mar: I'm sure that's not true. With a face like that you've got a few stories, maybe over a nice brunch?

Dither: I can't commit to much right now but... maybe when the dust's settled?

Their tail lightly swishes around.

Mar: Keep a open mind.

Dither: Absolutely...

Paige makes a squeaky little cackle from Opera's shoulder.

She squishes the sheet ghost's head down

Opera: Be nice..

Dither: I mean it's not wrong..

Mar: It's fine, I like a little honesty. Says a lot about a person-

Anura: If I could politely interrupt, we should make arrangements to travel soon. Daytime is burning away and if it's alright I'd like to give my grandchildren a little privacy when they um...

He gestures to you, Mar, and Dither.

Anura: It's sweet but..

Charon: No you have a fair point. Mar?

Mar: Grandchild...

Charon: Aye.

Anura: Is.. that a big deal?

Mar: Don't get acknowledged by family much in such regard...

Anura: You're family too as far as I'm concerned but.. if you'd prefer something else-

Mar: No, I quite like that. Grandpa Anura?

Anura: Yes?

Mar: I'm ready to go whenever I think.

Opera: Same.

Anura: I'll grab your stuff and then lock up proper then, don't wait for me.

Dither: It's no big issue-

Anura: Just trust me when I say I'll catch up. I'm a bad mouse but a master rat.

The snake looks at you with a confused expression.

Charon: Don't know either.. you heard him then.

The snake starts making way, Mar leaning on their shoulder.

A town of proxy...

Posted by ThreadLurkingComorant - 11-25-2024, 07:31 PM

You've made yourself comfortable in the guest room, a hammock set up lovingly.

You made a deal, now you've got to commit to it.

Its been so long since you've been able to rest. It feels harder than it should be.

You're not long before Opera checks in on you, look of concern on her.

Charon: Hey.

Opera: Hey, things going alright?

Charon: Honestly about as I expected.

Opera: Is that good?

Charon: ...No.

Opera: What's up?

Charon: It's complicated.

Opera: Yeah? I mean you can explain it to me you know. Nobody's going to understand you more than well..

Charon: Aye, another version of me.

Opera: Mmhmm.

She look you over closely.

Opera: Clothes took a lot of wear and tear.

Charon: Been getting jumped repeatedly, nobody's meant to fight this much in a day.

Opera: No kidding..

Her eyes zoom in on the stains of various colors across your body, the dried gold of a fiend especially catching things.

Opera: You got hurt..

Charon: Nothing too bad.

Opera: You should've asked someone to come with you...

Charon: Didn't know what this place was, felt Rook and I were enough...

Opera: A proxy and a fancy sword's not enough to keep you safe forever you know.. folks in a tough place end up just as hard you know? Whatever power you got back home's a little less so in a pocket like this..

Charon: I'm already struggling to keep up back there.

Opera: Bucket's not normal-

Charon: Neither is Ali, neither is anyone looking to gain from that auction-

Opera: Which is why we're working as a team, right? Our friends, me and paige, you and rook.. you live and die by that.

Charon: Mm...

Opera: Like I know you wanna take the load off people but if you break first-

Charon: I know...

Opera: We should get you dressed in something lighter for now, make sure you're cozy..

She grabs your cloak, it instinctively pulls away.

Opera: I just want to clean it-

Charon: I can't take it off anymore..

Opera: Wait, what do you mean?

Charon: It's become part of me.

You can tell she's trying really hard not to make a face.

Opera: Can I take a look?"

Charon: Mm...

She gently grabs the cloak, examining it carefully. Paige takes a peek as well.

Opera: Think you see something?

The sheet ghost gives a little nod and whispers something into her ear.

You can faintly make out some noise, they're audible...

Charon: What did she say?

Opera: Uh... looks like a membrane? Like bat wings.

Charon: In other words-

Opera: This place did something to you...

Charon: Pocket always does ever since I killed Styx.

Opera:... Were there other things?

Charon: Mm... had issues with physical development as a kid. Fiend body was soft, fluid, unstable around the limbs.

Opera: Right, the braces. Never stopped needing them...

Charon: Never, because they melded to me.

Opera:... Wait, what?

Charon: Fiends are capable of rooting in materials to aid in healing and replacing chunks after fights. Usually pieces of things like wood, coral, bone, other living beings are used for that. Metal braces are a trick fiends use to help form parts that are unstable because truly inorganic material tends to be rejected.

Opera: And yours latched on?

Charon: became part of me, the inner core of the gauntlet became part of my own body like raw muscle. The other layers that protect them on the other hand are not. One layer was growing with me and the rest was becoming too tight to bare. We had to go with a modular shift, something where I can adjust and replace the shell's parts as needed and on the fly. It was difficult. It provided much needed stability but its hard on a body to carry all that extra weight, have plates rattling against you, risk exposure to heat and cold turning against you quickly.

Opera: I didn't know that...

Charon: You haven't been around in a long time, couldn't have.

Opera: And your eyes...

Charon: Likely another change. Whatever merging with Styx did to me has caused me to further and further distance physically from those around me.

Opera: Other people know, right?

Charon: The folks who need to obviously; Grandma Erica, Geezer, the Blancs.. not really a big list admittedly. Couldn't hide it if I wanted too, they'd see it themselves day to day.

Opera: I mean its important, should let the rest of the team know too.

Charon: Mm... I tend to bring a cane around to help me with long walks but it's not very ideal in a place where you'll be fighting so constantly. I left it back home..

Opera: Yeah I saw you using that earlier... maybe Anura can help?

Charon: We can ask, worst case scenario I could pry around Styx's place... suppose it is my castle now at this point. Feels wrong.

Opera: Every good knight needs a castle to protect, right?

Charon: I suppose..

Opera: Think we should get you leaned up first though, get you some new duds, check in on Rook honestly they seem pretty bushed..

Charon: They did good work today, they need this more than I do...

Opera: You both can have time to relax. You got into what, 4 different sword fights in a couple of days before jumping in here? 4 where you got beat down pretty hard...

Charon: I won the ones that mattered...

Opera: I know.. really appreciate you coming in clutch...

Charon: Geezer could've had it in the bag frankly. Bucket was never going to go all out against someone needed for the job. Erica prepped Geezer to take down any one of us, she's got a lot of faith in him for a reason.

Opera: Yeah... should maybe ask Mercury to make sure he doesn't bite more than he can chew up there. Between Bucket and Styx?

Charon: And Zana...

Opera: Really? I mean I know she's got issues with stress and all but-

Charon: She did shoot him on accident day one.

Opera: Yeeeah. Loose definition of accident..

Charon: And she's shot him on purpose before.

Opera: I mean Plat's there to anchor her, he seems really nice.

Charon: He is, you two need to go out for a day while you're here.

Opera: Yeah?

Charon: The Keith stories...

Opera: Who's Keith?

Charon: You'll have to find out... can you do me a big favor while you're up actually?

Opera: Sure thing.

Charon: Can you check on Rook?

Opera: Mmhmm, just a sec..

She steps out of the room.

You feel at ease, there's something-

You overhear talking.

Anura: Is that your friend outside?

Opera: Hmm? What do you mean-

Anura: I see another proxy out there.

Opera:.. What? Who's- jesus christ...

Anura: Should I go talk to them-

Opera: You're going to stay here.

Anura: Please don't pull out a firearm in my home-

Opera: It's being handled outside.

You hear the door slam open.

No time for rest just yet..

Posted by ThreadLurkingComorant - 11-05-2024, 06:37 PM

[image description: Paige, a bedsheet ghost-like proxy of ambiguous species and gender lays on the living room couch.]

After a nice break, Anura takes you to a corner of the room with a large mirror.

Charon: This legitimate? Seems ancient..

Anura: Real blessed silver.

The appearance is entirely fogged up, at best you can see the corners of the background around the edges.

Charon: Can't see my reflection...

Anura: It's how you know it's working.. So, shall we give it a spin?

Charon: Take lead.

Anura gives the mirror a little bow before stepping aside.

The image clears up, you can see through the break area of the safehouse. A familiar rabbit stands directly in front, with Opera in the corner eating a breakfast sandwich.

Mercury: Yo Charon's here, he's got a rat with him-

Opera: What?!

Mercury: Yeah, you know anything about-

The sea bunny is immediately shoved aside.

Opera: Charon?! Is everything alright? Why is Styx in the front?!

Charon: I'm fine, at my grandfather's place...

Opera: You mean like, Arabis or...

Charon: Actual grandfather, not several times great-

Opera: Wait what. Like, Erica's-

Charon: Mm..

Anura: It's more complicated than that but-

Opera: Is that him behind you...?

Charon: Mm..

Mercury: Rat...

Charon: Yes.

Mercury: He's kinda cute not gonna lie-

Anura: Accounted for.

Mercury: Shame, got any friends?

Anura: Perhaps..

Charon: Need you both to stop.

Mercury: Sorry.. where are you though actually?

Opera: Yeah, are you in the castle or..?

Charon: In some kind of rift, a pocket between worlds of sort not too unlike the one we dealt with. I've got a bit of a request.

There's a little sigh let out, cat visibly a little on edge.

Opera: ...Okay, sure.

Charon: I want you to come with me, there's something deeply wrong here and it's tied to what happened back then.

The cat turns quiet.

Charon: I know its a lot to ask and you've got plenty on your plate-

Opera: No, if this can help us out with all that we're about to take on I've got you. Just... should I tell Geezer?

Mercury: I can handle that for you, can we keep communications going if we gotta?

Anura: We can! I have a handheld mirror for this purpose I can dig up.

Mercury: Cool, anyone else I should fill in?

Charon: Just Geezer for now, he can make good judgment on how to handle details from there. Prioritize our old crew first though..

Opera: So no Bucket?

Charon: I need a break from Bucket if I'm frank, If I have to fight them one more time I'm taking them to the ground.

Anura:...Bucket is out there?

Charon: Mm..

Anura: I see.. second limiting distribution of details for now, lot to process and well... topic for another time.

You give the rat a hand on the shoulder.

Anura: I apologize..

Charon: You're fine. So, Opera?

Opera: Merc?

Mercury: Go ahead, I'll handle the house from here. Keep Geezer and Bucket from killing each other...

Charon: Mm..

Opera: Then take me away.

He reach a hand out through the mirror, Opera latches on before you yank her through the other side.

She stumbles a bit, Paige's head poking out irritated from the cloak on her shoulder.

Charon: Looks like we woke them up...

Opera: He'll be fine, right buddy?

Paige gives the two of you a sulky energy before making their way over to the couch with Rook.

Charon: They can have their time I suppose..

Opera: Mm..

Her fur visibly stands a little bit too on closer glance.

Charon: You gonna be alright?

Opera: Hate going into places like these, you can always feel something big watching you..

Anura: I assure you that's just a docile psychofauna...

Opera: I don't like that you got a term for that.

The rat gave her a shrug.

Anura: Occupational hazard.

Opera: Feel that a bit too much. So uh.. Merc?

The rabbit gives you a thumbs up.

Mercury: I'll keep a tab as much as I can, fill you in as things play out. Sound good?

Opera: Yeah, trusting you big here!

Mercury: I know, you kids stay safe in there.

Charon: As much as we can.

Mercury:... Right. I'm on standby then, anytime call in.

The mirror's glass cloud up instantly.

Anura points directly at the cat.

Anura: You look overworked, you should get a little rest yourself while you're here.

Opera: Charon?

Charon: He won't take no, promised him I would anyway.

Opera: Guess we're on break then...

She looks you up and down and gives you the slightest frown.

Opera: It's only been like a couple of hours dude..

Charon: Time operates differently in here...

Opera: So how long-

Charon: Two days.

She immediately gives you a big hug.

You awkwardly return it.

Opera: You can't just do that...

Charon: I know.. that's why I'm asking for help.

Opera: Don't wait next time things get rough..

Charon: I'm sorry.

She looks over to Anura.

Anura: Something on your mind?

Opera: You're an entity.

Anura: Mm, you are correct..

Opera: Feels hard to believe. Don't... really like being around them much if I'm honest but...

Opera: You're different.

Anura: Every entity is... I don't blame you for your caution however.

Opera: And Charon's got some stuff going on too..

Opera: You took care of my friend so.. as long as ya'll can give me space when I need I can try to trust you.

Anura: I won't let it be misplaced..

She gives him a quiet little nod before walking you over to the couch.

Charon: What's up?

Opera: Making sure you get your rest too, your proxy's got the right idea.

Posted by ThreadLurkingComorant - 10-23-2024, 06:15 PM

The three of you quickly make your way over toward a cozy old timey shack half burrowed into a hill. On entering there's a immediate sense of home, a very lived in place that smelled like the old Judgment House during winter.

You had to wonder.

Anura: Get yourself situated, plenty to catch up on.

You give him a little nod and prep the couch while he gets the fireplace going.

Your proxy scoots up and rests its head on your shoulder. It was clearly exhausted...

Anura wraps up and sits himself down on a big chair across the coffee table.

You place your weapon down to the side carefully.

Charon: So, lets get to the point.

Anura: Go head.

Charon: Relationship to my grandmother?

Anura: Friend, occasional partner, sometimes the pivot of a affair..

Charon: And Bucket Judgment if you're familiar with the name?

Anura: Tied by blood and not much else, Erica didn't really want to have the complications of a entity parent around. Respected her wishes to wed mortal but.. it didn't go well I don't think. Did my best to provide financially but never had much chance to meet.

You point directly at the rat.

Charon: Grandpa.

Anura: Mm... Very much didn't anticipate to meet you today that's for sure..

Charon: I think that was the intent.

Anura: I'm sure it was but at this point you're old enough to know I think. Erica can't stop you from being your own person...

Charon: Has Bucket-

Anura: No, and if you hadn't come across me I doubt you'd know about me either. Like I said, Erica wanted to avoid complications and especially around things of a otherworldly nature. She... had a bit of a hard past with those-

Charon: The angel pocket.

Anura:...Then you are aware.

Charon: Mm..

Anura: How much-

[image description: A sky with a crack across it, ripping into a celestial body with a trumpet erected from the bottom and trailing all the way toward the ground. It passes through buildings leaving a empty space. Ashes all, a flag is settled on a rooftop nearby.]

Charon: I was there, I saw all of it....

Anura's eyes shift toward the bladed tuner settled next to you.

Then back to you.

Anura: I'm glad I found you when I did, people do not take kindly to folks with one of those around here. Though thinking about it..

He tilts his head.

Anura: It's you who created the crack in the sky.

Charon:...Aye. Bit of a childhood accident

Anura: Its incredible, terrifying, but... not going to win you friends around these parts.

Charon: Bit too late for a warning there, hostile encounters one after the other.

Anura: In their eyes and their church you are the devil. You struck down their god, their path to ascending mortality, their entire kingdom.

Charon: They were killing my kind for resources.

Anura: That's the part they refuse to pass down, the idea that this was karmic. The result of hubris and organized cruelty.

Charon: It's only been a decade-

Anura In your time maybe. For the people on this side of the crack, those ejected from their own reality? Its been generations. Plenty of time for them to frame you as a monster of legend.

You feel a pain in your gut.

Charon: Then the people who attacked me-

Anura: Descendants of the church you dethroned long ago.

Charon: They don't know anything else...

Anura: Nor will they likely ever I think.

You press a hand to your forehead.

Anura: Something wrong?

Charon: I.... assumed they were just remnants but-

Anura: But..?

Charon: I've injured a good number, possibly killed at least one at this point. Whatever vitriol they have will only worsen-

Anura: You are well within your right to defend yourself-

[image description: A album cover inspired image of the proxy Mar facing down against another mystery humanoid figure on a pair of old rooftops. The latter figure has a long neck, round globe-like head, hoodie, shorts, and a feminine figure. There's trees and a tower in the background, the rendering styles split between two halves of the image separated by a large crack.]

Charon: They're attacking me because they're afraid. They are products of their upbringings. Any actions I've taken are likely speculation, raising panic, justifying further hostility in the future.

Anura: It is not your responsibility to ease the fears of those who's violence and bigotry would lead you toward a sudden coffin.

Charon: It is my responsibility to prevent further spread and I have fundamentally failed on that department.

Anura: And you understand that part of that responsibility is recognizing when you can't change someone's mind, yes? That sometimes you have to protect yourself and others before you can even start to undo the failed lectures of the parent?

Charon: ... Mm.

Your proxy starts to tremble.

You give it a gentle pat on its shoulder.

Charon: I'm sorry..

Anura: I'm not going to yell at you for voicing sincerity.. but I am going to ask you to hold back from any heroic gestures.

Charon: If I'm to go further along this land more encounters are inevitable.

Anura: Do you need to be here in the first place?

Charon: I don't really know, something here's calling me.

Anura: And do you hear it at the moment.

A pause, silence.

Charon: No.

Anura: Then for now, you're where you need to be. Now I ask that you take some time to rest before you venture back out..

You give him a little nod.

Anura: I can tell a lot is going on and you're juggling far too much at the moment so.. at least for now allow me to be you ally. From one entity to another if family is too strong a word-

Charon: You know then.

Anura: I can see every contract, and I can see your poisoning blooming into something.... almost unprecedented.

Charon: So I've been told..

Anura: Still your grounding in your own world is unique, very few of our kind can consider ourselves still bound to the physical like yourself. There's people you're attached to by the promises made..

Anura holds out a pinky.

Anura: Promises to take care of others, to be better to yourself, vows to protect people and ambitions of creating a kinder world. In a way those are mortal pacts. And right now with me not feeling very comfortable letting you wander on your own, perhaps I can offer you contact with a comrade?

Charon: Can you? I mean... I'd like that.

Anura: Mmhmm. Just name someone, anyone.

Bucket is a powerhouse but.. you've had enough of them for now.

Geezer is incredibly reliable and level headed... which means he can't afford to have his time and energy split like that.

Plat and Manzana are capable but... they're already stressed

Which means-

Charon: Can I get a call in with Opera Reyes?

Anura: Absolutely but...

Anura gets up from his seat.

Anura: Hot chocolate and sweets first, I've been dying to show off my technique.

Charon: Wouldn't it make more sense now-

Anura: You are going to rest first. Then we can discuss gameplan. Deal?

Charon: ...Deal.

Posted by ThreadLurkingComorant - 10-02-2024, 09:45 PM

[image description: Rook, the canine furry skeletal proxy approaches a cloaked stranger who is mostly off the artwork's frame. Charon stands in the background, hair messy and weapon in hand watching in anticipation of a fight.]

You've found yourself with little chance to rest in the time since you've entered.

The fauna is hostile.

The air is volatile.

No matter where you go, the wind and storm seem to be all against you.

All that remains is ruins, memories of a era you've long forgotten.

Somehow all this feels within your comfort zone, as if you've always been meant to end up here one day but..

That is not now, you've plenty of work.

And unfortunately for you, another opponent arrives, a rat.

Rook takes initiative, ready to approach.

Since you've managed to win a scrap with your familial predecessor, their confidence has shown a massive boon.

You prep your weapon close, prepping to give your proxy cover...

only to be met with a light gesture and a kindly voice.

The Rat: You've come a long way for a unmarked grave. So be the old saying.

The Rat: Fortunately for you, my intentions have no overlap there.

You find yourself weirdly at ease, words lost.

The Rat: I can't really tell how to greet you if I'm honest though. Old friend? Someone I've been more than overdue on meeting? Still...

The Rat: I didn't think I'd be seeing you in a place for a good while. All grown up.. stronger, healthier than I recall.

Charon:... You do remind me of someone.

The Rat: I'd hope so.. you've certainly seen me at least a few times.

Was it...?

No that's absurd.

Charon: Do you know my name?

The Rat: Mm, and your grandmother too.. we've been friends for quite a long time.

The Rat: and of course that means that you're more than welcome in my domain as well... not that we're currently there.

Charon: Are you...

Lets not make it weird..

Charon: An entity of hers?

The Rat: You could put it like that, on much better terms than I understand you were with yours. She talks about you all the time you know?

Your proxy is given a good look from head to toe by the rat.

Charon: Something wrong?

The Rat: Hard to tell, you've been giving your friend there quite the workout though..

Charon: There's been a lot happening very quickly..

The Rat: Mmhmm! I can see it on you as well.... I take it you've ascended then? Does your family know at all? I can inform them you're safe if-

Charon: I'm more than well and alive... I'm just handling a bit of maintenance. Something here has been calling me..

The Rat: A void will tend to do that, given enough incentive to keep the people within. I would heed caution, whatever rewards may be on the other end often cannot be taken home after all.

Charon: Could you provide me with info perhaps? I... I really could use anything at the point I'm at.

The Rat: Mmhmm! And plenty more. A safehouse of mine isn't too far from here, perhaps you'd like to take a rest there? Clean up, a glass of wine-

Charon: ...A slice of cheese?

The Rat: Erica taught you well.

Charon: Just a lucky guess really.

The Rat: Intuition is a valuable thing to have, don't sell yourself short.

The rat gestures toward the two of you to follow.

Charon: Right now?

The Rat: Time moves differently here, whatever has you worried back home I assure it hasn't been long and you've plenty of daylight to spare.

Charon: Mm, fair enough. Rook?

The proxy nods, retreating back to just behind your shoulder and clinging on. Any sort of intensity coming from it seems to be gone.. You manage to maintain a good pace keeping up, though your legs are starting to rebel.

It seems like good timing at the very least... can you really trust him though?

Just don't agree to anything you can't commit to, this is the land of folks like Styx.

The Rat: Timid thing, really is putting on a brave face for your sake.

Charon: Can't be helped.

The Rat: To be frank that's really just it telling on you in ways you're not ready to admit.. You work yourself too hard. Your whole family tends to make that quite obvious but..

Charon: I.. need to work on that.

The Rat: Treat yourself, resting well is a part of becoming a more complete person after all..

Charon: You are correct... speaking of..

The Rat: Mm?

The rat turns over to look at you.

Charon: Introduction?

The Rat:.. Really just went straight to the old wizard thing.. The name is Anura.

Charon: Like a frog?

Anura: Perhaps, but I suppose that'd make you a frog too-

Charon: No.

Anura: No?

Charon: You are not dropping this revelation on me until we are seated.

[image description: Anura, the rat, face close up. He has dark hair, a eye that's always closed and another that's hidden behind bindings, a hat, stitched lines around his neck, and a pair of bite marks around his neck and shoulder. Scars from what look like someone of vampiric nature.]

He gives you a silly little smile.

Charon: I'm serious-

Anura: So am I.

Posted by ThreadLurkingComorant - 09-11-2024, 05:32 AM

[image description: Styx in Charon's body having pinned Hickory to a wall with a forked weapon coming out of a portal between realities.]

You follow the coordinates and instructions given down to the slightest, any sort of fear that something is off will cause Hickory to bail immediately.

This looks like the place, the fenced off lot of abandoned storage units left to rust and decay. You're quick to both hop the fence, Platino struggling just a little bit at first and you perhaps not so much better.

Number 15.. you find the room.

Door is broken, easy to enter.

Platino gestures to give lead as the point.

The bird is there as you'd imagine, glowing eyes and looking rough around the edges today.

That's absolutely them.

Platino: Party of two, we're here on the behalf of Mission.

The bird looks over you both carefully before focusing hard on you.

Hickory:..Who are you-

You're quick to act, with a wave of the hand a rift launches a laddered' weapon, pinning the bird to the wall.

Hickory: S-Styx?!

Platino tries to grab you, you casually sidestep him as you approach the bird. Your old faithful proxy rubs salt in the would by blocking off a second attempt, giving him a apologetic look.

Styx: Who are you? I don't recall you surviving in that hellhole...

Hickory: Same with you, seemed pretty dead...

Styx: I cheated my way but.. The angel struck you out of the sky. There was nothing left to salvage...

Hickory: -How, you shouldn't be able to remember that??

You push the blade a bit closer.

Platino: Hey, you need to back off-

Styx: Not until I have a clear answer.

Hickory: ....How do you remember that part.

Styx: Because I was there-

Hickory: Were you? You don't remember the rest?

You feel your gut immediately hurt.

Styx: What's the rest?

Hickory: Tell me everything you remember about me..

Styx: We- Charon and Geezer met you on the train with Fenton. You helped us get to know the people on the street, evade the cult. You were a very capable ally despite your age. And the things cropped up. Sleepwalking, violent tendencies, Fenton would talk to us about fears of something very wrong.

Hickory: And what happened there?

Styx: You were a sleeper agent, the whole time you were ready to be activated by...

You can't finish that sentence.

What was her name?

Hickory: By who?

Styx: You fought your programming-

Hickory: Go back and finish your sentence.

Styx: Her name was....

Is it really gone??

Hickory: Alright. Yeah...

Styx: What's happening?

Hickory: A phenomenon of sorts, bit complicated but.. let me go and I'll fill you in, alright?

You look over at your comrade.

Platino: I've got you covered, you can let them go dude.

You pull back the sword from the wall, keeping it still on hand.

Hickory: Angels got a bad habit of blipping things out of reality, right? Completely erased and filled in with something else to correct the gaps in memories.

Styx: I'm very aware of this.

Hickory: But it has to go somewhere. Same with people who die.

Styx:.... Right.

Hickory: The first time you met me, I was a sleeper agent like you said. Cult built me to be someone to trigger when it's least convenient... not too proud but-

Styx:... You still clutched it out.

Hickory:... Yeah.

They look at your face carefully. You immediately turn your eyes away.

Hickory: You really Styx? No offense but..... something's off.

Styx: Complicated.

Hickory: Accusing me of being a fake when you don't know yourself for sure.

Styx:.. Suppose that is true.. I'm.. a amalgamation of multiple things I believe.

Hickory: ...Charon?

Your ears flick in response.

Platino: Yeah I did the same thing..

Hickory: You guys beefed the contract....

Styx: I.. yes we did.

Hickory: Okay. That helps a lot actually... so yeah I did eat shit.

Styx: But-

Hickory: And then I woke up, completely different person but... I could remember things from the first time we met. The woman you remember? Details.

Styx: Muzzled, reptilian, pair of horns, glasses, fiendish eyes, she was quite in with the church and...

Hickory: Hydra, The Crowned Fool.

Styx: Aye...

Hickory: Tried to bring down the church long ago, party wiped. Ferryman archetype, aura color red, runt of a prestigious family of adventurers.

Styx:....

Hickory: Otherworldly Element was Chaos, of a Raw quality. Same as mine, same as...

Styx:..Ours.

Hickory steps aside, the husk resting behind looking somewhat peaceful.

Hickory: And mine, and hers. I don't know what you guys did but.. you deleted her. And when you wiped her out I came back, but I was real. Like... I just existed. My past, my life, all things that went from a story to sell to just... existing.

Styx:.. We did that. She had a tuner, there was a volley and she lost...

Styx: She took the blast head on, completely removed from reality...

The bird takes a moment to approach you, offering a hand.

Styx:... What are you doing?

Hickory: I know who to thank now so.. you know. Feels right to do.

Hickory: I guess just... there's a whole life that vanished, versions of us we all forgot and like... It's nice to know someone else was there.

You reach out briefly, only to never make the connection.

Hickory:... Something wrong?

Styx: A lot to take in.. I don't think I'm the right person for this either to be frank... can this wait?

The bird gives you a little nod.

Styx: Appreciated..

Plat scoots up close toward the husk.

[image description: The husk, a humanoid feline of feminine presentation rests against a wall slumped.]

Platino: Breathing weird.

Hickory: Has been all day.. something's going on in its head.

Platino: Anything more?

Hickory: Mumbling, nothing coherent though. Might be some kind of residual, I dunno...

Platino: Huh...

You make your way next to it yourself , checking for a pulse.

Hickory: What's up?

Styx: Just a gut feeling, nothing in particular. Wanted to check for myself.

It's you...

[image description: Styx in Charon's body looking down lot in thought.]

Welcome home...

The Other World that Hates You
[Another Side, Another Charon]
CW: None
Perspective: Charon
[Image: The%20Other%20World%20That%20Hates%20You.png]

[image description: A Art Program with a illustration of a landscape filled patched up smaller illustrations and text conversation. Charon is at the center. The illustration is filled with tears and cracks that damage the screen of the monitor the art program is booted in itself.]

You are Charon Judgment, King at The End of the Line..
As always you've found yourself in a bit of a bind....

And its good to be home.

Posted by ThreadLurkingComorant - 09-05-2024, 06:05 PM

Manzana stops at a nearby wall and slumps against it. You're tempted to join in yourself.

Mission: Tired?

Manzana: Lost. Like... what does she even want anymore? This whole weird setup? Erica's not even here? How much was she even like, involved?

Styx: I'm having trouble imagining there was anything she really wanted to begin with.

Mission gave you a conflicted smirk.

Styx:.. Have something you'd like to say?

Mission: Just... a good observation. And that's why you're best suited to answer that.

Styx:... There is nothing that'd make her happy. She lives in a self destructive spiral, the pursuit of immortality is just a distraction from that. Even if she were to succeed at the former-

Mission: It'd only make her worse. And... I know she has her issues.

The other entity turns toward Manzana.

Manzana: I know...

Mission: I'd never dare ask you to forgive her for any of it but... you also share a complex relationship with her.

Manzana: Yeah.

Mission: I... do wish I had stepped in more. Never liked the way she treated you, or Bucket, or any of her kids really...

Manzana: Never held anything against you.

Mission: I tried to talk to her plenty of times, she has a soft side at times but it's locked so far now... I don't know. Terrible parent, operating off some cracked and battered parody of what she understands as tough love. There were moments however and...

They let out a deep sigh.

Mission: Perhaps I enabled that by not speaking enough.

Manzana: Hey, look um...

Mission: You ever care about someone you know who's bad for you? That's... probably a awful way to talk about anyone but-

Manzana: I mean... I kinda get you.

Platino: Yeah we.... give me a sec-

Manzana gave Platino a little assuring pat on the shoulder.

Manzana: You can talk. I'll be fine.

Platino:.. Sometimes she'd come home completely scuffed. Like, you can tell a job went bad, a fight went sour. And I'd get scared cause like, you can see it inside and out.

Manzana: We'd always try to help her, even with everything. She'd snarl, scream til I left the room but..

Mission: She'd give you eyes like a kid who got struck.

Zana and Plat both give Mission a quiet nod.

Mission: We're reaching a point where decisions we cannot undo will come into play.. I just don't want to have to handle this in a way I'd regret. I come to you because I do believe you are my best hope here.

You give the entity a slow clap in response.

Mission: Are you not up for this?

Styx: Depends. Exactly are you asking from me specifically? I have little personal investment or stakes in this, I'm simply here to reduce casualty.

Mission: Plenty, you're a expert when it comes to sad boys with big swords. You've got your hands on one right now that shares a common soul. When you see yourself in another's eyes...

Manzana turns to give Mission a nasty look.

Mission: I'm serious-

Manzana: Charon? Dude's a bit of a punk sometimes but-

Mission: But?

Manzana: I can't see it? Dude's confident but it's like... theater kid? He's not even like, a mean theater kid just.. soft.

Mission: Why do you think Bucket picked Ali over Erica?

Manzana: No!

There was a bitter cackle under her breath.

Styx: There's more solidarity in simple things like that than you'd think, I can believe it.. but that does raise the question of what you're about to ask from me.

Platino: Yeah I don't like where this is going, you're not gonna ask for a contract transfer are you-

Mission: As tempting as it is to make friends with a walking pipebomb, not today. I propose we let them fight.

Manzana crossed her arms into a big X.

Manzana: She'd kill him, Bucket dropped him without breaking a sweat-

Styx: He won the rematch.

Manzana: ....Wait really?

Styx: With caveats that evened the odds significantly but...

Mission: But its potentially possible with a further lift, no?

Styx: Potentially is the key word.

Mission: Mmhmm! Bit of a wild card I wasn't prepped for but its a bonus in a stacked hand. Your friend hickory's been quite the asset...

Styx: You have contracts besides Ali...

Mission: You had a few little extra rogues of your own, its more than fair. Always have.

Styx: Can't really deny that..

Mission: And you've got quite the pawn yourself right now-

Styx: Don't call him that.

Mission: That's hardly meant to be a insult, every pawn is a potential queen. Shown me that quite well.

Styx: All I do is hand people opportunity, everything else is their work.

Mission: Like the ant you brought into my home? She was quite unpleasant...

Styx: That ant was more the man than you'll ever be, you do not speak of her-

Mission: I'm made of almost a dozen people, find that hard to believe. Honestly though between the two clowns, the ringleader, and the entire sideshow it really was a circus... you're not bad at bringing out the value of people.

Styx: If you're going to talk of everyone as a resource-

Mission: I'll back down, though I must wonder where this change of heart came from now..

Styx: Time has done a lot to me, if you play nice this could be a fresh tab.

Mission: Then you could consider it the same for myself.

Styx: And what did that for you?

Mission: I... remembered what it used to be like before what I was when we met. We'll leave it at that for now.

Platino: Got a big question, something still doesn't make much sense.

Mission: Mm?

Platino: Why do you need Charon to fight Ali? Feels like everyone here wants a shot to drop her.

Mission: Like I said, she'd see herself in a kinder life.

Platino: He's gotta fight for that though? Why not like.. talk?

Mission: Words are wasted on her these days, fighting is her voice.... In the meantime we should take the time to coordinate a way to prevent her current project.

The psuedo-entity reaches for her phone and flashes some roughly shot photos of... what seemed to be a oddly muzzled humanoid rabbit? There was a distinct halo above its head..

Manzana's ears pulled back.

Mission: Its... dire.

Platino: What even is that...?

Styx: Another husk...

Mission: One in the middle of being tailored for her specifically...

Platino: That's... a lot to process.

Styx: I'll gladly take claim, I'd like to be a rabbit again I think.. Does raise concerns though.

Platino: Yeah like, what happened to the one we were supposed to steal?

Mission: Discovered and secured. Hickory let me know they were in the middle of transferring the thing somewhere safe.

Platino: On their own?

He looks directly at you.

Styx: ..What's wrong?

Platino: You gave this kid a contract?

Styx: Not a big one...

Platino: You guys are freaks, you know that? Like absolutely menaces. Where do you find anyone brave enough to pull it off-

Mission: You can relax, it was quite easier than you'd think.

Another photo..

The old husk in the middle of preparation, one disposal team pickup from being nothing more than biowaste.

You feel your stomach hurt. For how much this thing has wronged you, something about seeing it halfway in the bin immediately tailspins your mental state.

Platino:..Ali threw that shit out?

Mission: Was about to, our guy took full advantage of a low security situation.

Styx: Where is Hickory right now? I need to make absolutely sure nothing intercepts them.

Mission: Nobody will-

Styx: They are lugging around the corpse of a failed god, I need to see this in person now.

Mission:... I'll set up a point.

Platino: Count me in too, something just doesn't feel right.

Manzana: You want me to let Opera and the others know?

Mission: I'd like to keep this lower profile-

Styx: I think at the very least, she has a right to as well.

Posted by ThreadLurkingComorant - 08-02-2024, 05:48 PM

[image description: Manzana having a call on a cellphone placed up to her ear, hair covering her face.Little stylized diamonds poke out from the cell phone itself.]

You watched Manzana reach for her phone as she headed outside.

Platino: I'll handle things for now I guess. You know what you'd like? Don't know if you're familiar with current food.

Styx: Plenty... I've got a bad feeling about today if I'm honest.

Platino: Nothing we can't handle honestly, worry about breakfast for now.

The mammal grins at you. You feel a cold airy chill in your chest.

Styx: People like you exist in every era I suppose..

Platino: Yeah? What's that mean?

Styx: Eccentric oddities. Bold folks who take up jobs like these on a dime..

Platino: Someone's gotta. Not like there was a better option for us anyway...

Styx: A story perhaps?

Platino: Keeping it brief? Ali picked us up off the street. We were good at doing DIY witchcraft using random junk. Made a lot of our money that way I guess. She saw that and went "Your talents are wasted, I can offer you a chance to see the world beyond" and well... yeah.

Styx: And.. things were worth it?

Platino: Eh... wouldn't undo it but there was a lot we wish we didn't have to go through. Ali is... very tough love.

Styx: Abusive. Exploitative..

Platino: If you wanna be blunt. Though from what I've heard you're a real piece yourself. Honestly had it coming a little, no offense.

Your ears pulled back immediately.

Styx: I... I wasn't my best self, no.

Platino: Turned a perfectly good dog into a child soldier, wild to me.

Styx: He wasn't just a soldier, he was a weapon.

Platino: What's the difference?

Styx: He wanted to be useful at any cost. Where I came from, a soldier is capable of being worthless during a crucial moment. A weapon always has a place.

Platino: That... sounds worse?

Styx: You're certainly not wrong... it was something I preferred though myself. Certainly not a good thing to pass along...

Platino: You made that kid a ball of anxiety. The amount of times he told me in DMs that he felt like he had to be useful to be worth keeping around-

Styx: I know.

Platino: If you hadn't been through so much already I'd slap you on his behalf but... you're like me.

Styx: Mm?

Platino: Think back, forum days..

Styx: I.. didn't particpate-

No, you absolutely did. Mostly dormant or not, you were there.

Styx: Remember having a bad day, talking about not feeling like myself. Wondering if I ever really came back from that void. You and a couple of other friends were in that chat.

Platino: Keep going.

Styx: It felt.. wrong. Coming back to the things I missed I mean.. for how much I found myself clinging onto the idea of safe return, I'm not sure I really did make it back.

Platino: Had to fake it for a long time.

Styx: Still sometimes do... in my mind I'm still there, and everything I see is merely a looking glass. It's unfair, irrational. Everyone pretending things are fine while my skull is burning. Having to smile but rarely meaning it.. and I could never really explain it to anyone. They'd just never get it.. felt crazy...

Platino: I tried my best but...

Styx: You always did, and.. in your own way you understood.

Platino: Maybe. Not the same but.. a lot of what you said really made sense to me.

Styx: Mm...

He rubbed his nose for a moment, processing things.

Platino: Gonna try something quick. don't freak out.

Styx: What are you-

Platino: Charon?

Your body jolts. You're reacting to it as if it were your own name.

Platino:.. Yeah.

You accidentally let out a ugly noise.

Platino: You're gonna be okay.

Styx: ..I don't think I know who I am anymore.

Platino: You'll figure it out, went through the same shit.

Styx: And...? What happens?

Platino: You're a remnant of two people who once existed separate, you'll figure out which parts you resonate with more. For me? I think I like myself as Manzana with a little sauce.

Styx: That's a way to phrase it...

Platino: If you know, you know.

Styx: It's something sexy-

Platino: Yep. For your sake avoid my after dark.

Styx: I don't know what that is.

Platino: Good. Now uh-

He pauses, his ears twitching.

You.. also feel something. You pick up the signal of a nearby phone.

Manzana: You told them I was taking a sick day??

Needle: Had to cover for you somehow, is that like-

Manzana: Mission's gonna wanna drop by my place to check on me...

Needle: Oh god are you in trouble or-

Manzana: Not if I'm there but... I had plans and I-

Needle: I can cover you if you send me instructions, that's fine.

Manzana: Yeah okay uh.. gonna text you to look into a few files on our caseload. Receipts regarding Southeast Plaza Bay as well. Recent auctions and-

Needle: I'm gonna stop you right there and say use the alt. Think someone's listening.

Manzana: That's probably just Plat but.. yeah, okay.

Needle: I'll got you. For now go back, prep. I see them wrapping up their inspection..

Manzana: Alright..

Needle: You need to catch me up on a few things also. Family, the date.. curious about that one a lot actually.

Manzana: Y-yeah, yeah okay. Once we've got things sorted?

Needle: Yeah... I'll get going over here.

Manzana: Mm... see you soon then?

Needle: Yeah, don't get into any trouble til then.

Manzana: I'll do my best, later.

The signal cuts off. You look out the windows and watch Manzana come back through the door.

Manzana: We got a situation-

Platino: Heard everything. You go back, I'll grab food here for you. Gives us a alibi if I'm picking up breakfast for the two of us..

Manzana: Mm.. hope to god Mom's not around. Styx?

Styx: Also filled in.

Manzana: I... oh god was that you?

Styx: Not intentionally, entity quirk..

Platino: That's on me...

Manzana: Right okay well... so we're all filled in-

Mission: Excuse me, you all ready to order?

Everyone turns sharply, the entity in full waitress attire giving the three of you the most smug of auras.

You snarl at them on reflex.

Mission: Relax, I'm not hear to start anything. You did spare my life after all..

Styx: Don't make me regret that so soon..

Mission: I think you're a bit too soft to make good on that threat these days... but I'm actually here to ask your group for a big favor.

Their voice and posture soften.

Mission: I'll do whatever I can...

Styx: The audacity after all you've-

Platino: Gonna need you to back down dude, they're serious.

Manzana: Yeah I.. don't know what beef you two have but I've known her for a long time...

Styx:...I'll hear you out then.

Mission: Ali's been incredibly desperate, sloppy, reaching some kind of endgame... I need you to save her from herself.

Posted by ThreadLurkingComorant - 07-14-2024, 07:55 PM

[image description: a pile of photos of various abstracted locations, the most prominent of which is a couple of freshly buried graves with makeshift crosses to mark them. One of them has a locket around it shaped like a heart with two distinctly colored halves.]

Much to your dismay, the promises of a nice breakfast to help fill the three of you in have become a moment of crisis. Platino finally arrives, storming in with a folder filled with piles of photos of locales you know too clearly. The... Mammal? You don't recognize the species of the current body he's using..

He manages to look both excited by his discovery and genuinely fearful at the same time.

Platino: You two need to see this, been doing some sleuthing on the side and uh...

Styx: ...Ah. It continues to complicate.

Manzana: I don't get it, what's all this-

Styx: The angel pocket, haven't it in over a decade.

Platino: Yeah, figured it had to be important.

Styx:.. Where did you get all this? How do you have access to anything?

Platino: One of my mom's insiders, expedition from earlier this year. She's got a knack for getting her hands on all sorts of relics. Lately she's been looking into assembling all sorts that she'd call heirlooms.

Styx: I see.. such as?

Manzana: We got a polearm back at the apartment, one that belonged to one of her old relatives. Zinnia? I mean we talked to them and so did a bunch of the others but...

Styx: Mm.. the angel. That doesn't sound promising for us but continue.

Manzana: Hold up, the... angel? Like or real? I just assumed they were a bit weird and-

Platino: You really gonna question that in this family?

Manzana: No but..

Platino: But what?

Manzana: I guess that'd explain why she just.. doesn't. Mom I mean.

Styx: Elaborate.

Manzana: People. Not just normal anti-social but.. I assumed you guys were all these detached weirdos or something. Never made sense how Geezer ended up so... nice. I guess Charon's like.. I dunno. But outright an angel?

Styx: Heritage hardly defines your sense of humanity, and for the record nobody as far as I know if is directly angel spawn. Zinnia is... just ascended. Suppose if I can become a entity, they could go even further...

The rabbit's ears flopped down.

Manzana: Ah... sorry. I.. I dunno.

Styx: What is it?

Manzana: I don't get why she's just the way she is then like.. she just hates people? Like in a weird way. A lot about her doesn't make sense, you know? She's been through a lot but doesn't care if she hurts other people. She took care of me but you know.. she's never been a good mom like that. Her weird sword demon is nicer to me, her actual kids are nicer to me, I dunno...

Styx: She sensitive?

Manzana: Got no, never seen her cry proper once in her life, if she does it-

Platino: Yeah she's in on that natural born magic shit. Tired of hearing it, personally speaking.

Manzana: Yeah.. all this talk about legacy and power but... why anyone want that if nobody likes them? Like.. I hate to be mean...

Platino: I'll be real we thought about poisoning her a lot as kids but I'm not even sure it'd work. Fiend and all that. Why you ask anyway?

Styx: Nothing, gauging things..

You slide through the photos, one sticks in particular.

A gravesite.

A pain shoots through your chest.

Styx: Great Grandpa...

Manzana:..Huh?

Styx: That's what's started her Spiral, that's her endgame.

Manzana: You're gonna have to clarify a lot dude.

Styx: The angel pocket. Everything in there found its way in based off of a system akin to adding labels for sorting. You familiar with such?

The rabbit's ears pull back.

Manzana: ..Is that really how they work?

Styx: Yes! I assumed with your occupation-

Manzana: No! There's a entire category of research for figuring out how these things work and.. we've never figured out how they think? They abduct-

Styx: Based on similarity, yes. They coincidences they create never have been and their motives are often emotion based but expressed through rather unusual means.

Platino:...Yeah that makes sense. Big people playing with a ant farm.

Styx: And in their eyes we're often about as significant until someone shows teeth. The angel was looking for things such as Fiend, Judgment, Dog, Family, etc. Many got dragged in, displaced through time and space because of such labels. You understand where this is going?

Platino: Lot of you guys got pulled in. Missed our mom though?

Styx: But not her sister, nor her father. They found themselves yanked in at different points.

Platino: ..Ah. She's mentioned her parents are gone, figured they were just old-

Styx: They were both fiendish, statistically speaking at least one of them *should* still be alive assuming their natural lifespan.

Manzana: Right.. don't like that she might be at my funeral like that.

Platino: Nah, we're gonna live forever.

Manzana: Maybe, not exactly the healthiest people...

Platino: We're magic, we'll figure it out.

You give them a extended grin.

Styx: If you choose the path of wild magic I'll gladly welcome you two as my understudies.

Platino:.. Don't smile like that with my friend's face, kinda weird.

Styx: Technically I am your friend-

Platino: Still weird.

Manzana: Yeah gonna have to back him up on that, no offense-

Platino: Speak for yourself, scared you're gonna break his jaw.

Styx: You'll get used to it..

Manzana: Yeah I.. don't think I will?

Styx: Fair enough... back to business.

Manzana: So this is all cause my mom lost her dad?

Styx: Perhaps, I don't exactly know too much about the truth here. Right now my goals are to track down someone on the island who might have a strong lead on all this but... my worst worries are this was all a massive setup. A bait and switch for a scheme more personally motivated than a auction.

Platino: Yeah like... if she just wanted the secret to immortality but she might be the one holding onto this husk in the first place-

Manzana gets up from her seat.

Manzana: I gotta make a call right now.

Platino: You okay?

Manzana: I might have a lead. You two go order something for yourselves.

Platino: You're not gonna eat?

Manzana: You know what I like.

Platino: Guess I do, fill us in though like-

Mazana: Yeah just.. one sec, okay? Gonna ask Needle something.

Platino: Mm..

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