Even now, there are only embers...

[windandrain]

Who: Vegeta, Saori, and Cliff (and maybe a few others)
What: Fairy Tale RPG Adventures
When: During the 2014 Total Recall Event
Where: All over Luceti
Summary: Saori and Vegeta are stuck living out a Fairy Tale RPG adventure with Cliff as an overlord. Shenanigans ensue?
Rating: PG-13? Possible violence and language. Maybe.



Lazeria, a once peaceful barony, is a land under siege by dark forces and hellish magic. The baron, a noble and kind (if somewhat oafish) man named Cliff has been cursed by black magic during a feast. A sorceress appeared and transformed him into a beast-man and the once bright land fell into shadow. The streets darken, strange creatures randomly attack passersby, and the baron himself hasn’t been himself for some time.

Enter two strangers from another land, intent on completing a mysterious quest. A fortuneteller had directed the pair to Lazeria, telling them that if they could defeat the accursed lord of the land that not only would light return, but that wealth and power beyond imagining would be their reward. That draws them in like moths to a flame, and the duo arrives in the dead of night, eager to figure out how best to overthrow Cliff and claim their prize.

Comments

[misterbrief]

"Hm." He takes a step closer, thinking more on it. "It's docile now. It didn't bite me, it only sucked on my fingers and ear. Listen. Give him here."

He reaches out to take it from Saori, if she'll let him have it again.

[windandrain]

She does so, dropping the little thing into his hand wordlessly. She doesn't want it, and if it bites him again she'll probably punt it, cute or not.

[misterbrief]

Taking it and holding it in his arms, he does exactly what he really hoped he wouldn't have to do again and gives it his free hand. Of course, it takes it and sticks it in its mouth, sucking on it happily. Vegeta doesn't seem to be phased at all by the power loss, and after a short amount of time, the monkey stops feeding and glances back and forth between Saori and Vegeta, looking content. It had grown substantially, but the added weight doesn't seem to bother the wizard. His build suggested he could support the weight.

"Well now. Maybe you are worth keeping around after all. I think we should make sure he's hungry the morning we decide to take things a bit further around here, wouldn't you say?"

[windandrain]

She watches the monkey suckle on his finger with a mixture of amusement, curiosity, and mild distaste. She didn't mind monkeys but...watching one eat from her partner's finger was weird. Either way, when he speaks up, she raises an eyebrow.

"If you say so. You were the one who wanted to get rid of it, so who am I to argue?"

Pet monkey? Okay, sure.

[misterbrief]

Huffing in mild annoyance, he puts the monkey back down on the ground. How could she not appreciate the evil plan he's got going here. He seems to think she should be much more excited about this than she appeared to be. Even if it did seem a little crazy.

"As long as it doesn't suck me dry, it'll be useful. You'll see." Brushing himself off, he begins to walk back toward the village, the monkey happily following its new food source. "Now let's go. That went quicker than expected, but I think daylight will serve us better for the rest of what we need."

[windandrain]

She doesn't get excited, really. He should know that by now, and if he doesn't then she'll make it clearer.

"Right, and what else was it we needed? I assume you mean the digging part, yes?"

[misterbrief]

"That's right. For your future problems with your odor." He's left out why he'd even brought it up in the first place. "We'll have to gather quite a bit of it so you don't knock me out as well with that smell."

[windandrain]

"Excuse me?" she asks with a hint of annoyance in her voice. "I'm the one that bathes regularly, not you. I know you don't because you spend half of the time you're supposed to be bathing watching me."

Maybe he doesn't but she wants him to blush.

[misterbrief]

"Ah-!" It works, he turns beet red as he defends himself. "I do no such thing! You don't understand what I'm getting at! It's the spell that's going to make you smell! But I'd say it's going to be hard to tell the difference!"

[windandrain]

"And why do you want me to smell funny, huh?" She almost makes a crack about him wanting to see her bathing again, but...she is confused. That's a weird idea.

[misterbrief]

"I don't! I don't want to smell you at all! It's bad enough travelling with you!" Growling, he continues on. "It's the stupid spell, I haven't figured out a way to give you the extra strength boost without it doing a number on your body odor. That's what the flowers are for, it's the only way I've managed to keep the subject from passing out from their own stench.

Although I'm tempted now to skip that part and just let you suffer." He turns his mouth up at her again.

[windandrain]

She waves that off, knowing full well he does enjoy her company or they wouldn't have made it this far. At least, he wouldn't...he'd be dead. They were a pair that'd come together with a purpose after all. But she does get what he's thinking, now.

"You mean, you're making a spell that'll make me stronger, but smell?" She looks incredulous. "Who the hell came up with that one?"

[misterbrief]

He tenses up in frustration and anger. He was hoping he wouldn't have to explain this part.

"I don't know why that happens, it's just how it works. I didn't purposely make it do that, it's like it's a bug in the system. All I can do is counter it with another material. Stop complaining, you're the one who's going to be benefiting from all this, you know."

[windandrain]

A part of her wants to mock him mercilessly. Another part of her wants to say she doesn't mind. Really, the goal here is to defeat the Baron and claim the barony so it doesn't matter. They've both gotten filthy over the years, after all.

"I'm not complaining. I'm just curious, Vegeta." She keeps the words neutral, and manages to even sound grateful. "If it'll help us get what we want, then I've no objections. But you know how I am with foreign magic. I just want to know, same as you."

[misterbrief]

"It's not foreign, it's my magic, and there's nothing wrong with it. And you won't find a better wizard around here," he emphasizes by pointing a finger.

They were slowly approaching the village again, only now with a new pet in tow, and Vegeta can clearly see one of the apartment buildings. It was a strange building indeed, who needed a structure that large? It might be leading to the Baron's chamber, for all he could guess.

[windandrain]

"It's not from my Order," she says simply. "I didn't say there was anything wrong with it either. I'm just careful."

She does trust him, at least to a point. They're friends, but he's an ambitious man and she's an ambitious woman. The enormous building catches her eyes as well, and she lets out a little snort of sarcastic laughter.

"Opulent, isn't it?"

[misterbrief]

"Hardly. I've seen more luxurious shacks than that." Rounding the building, he looks at the front of it, inspecting it.

"I bet the Baron lives in one of these things. Enough room for his servants too, wouldn't you say?"

[windandrain]

"My point exactly," she chuckles, tracing a hand along the stonework as they walk around it. It's curiously smooth, almost like marble but not quite. More strange architecture in this strange land.

"It's certainly got room, and I bet it's well laid out. This entire barony looks so meticulously planned it's almost painful."

[misterbrief]

"I don't care how it's planned, as long as it brings to us what was promised. But for now, I think it would be wise to find somewhere to stay. There's a lot of work to be done tomorrow, after all."

Moving to the front of the building, he checks out the entrance. No guards. He silently makes his way inside, narrowing his eyes at the lack of decor. "So far I'm not impressed."

[windandrain]

"Me either," she replies. "But by the looks of things, these are public housing." She points to a sign labeling them as apartments. "We could take one of these rooms."

[misterbrief]

He immediately starts heading down the hall on the first floor, refusing to climb any stairs. Vegeta has no idea what rooms are occupied by who, so he starts to open each door one by one and look inside to see if there were residents. The first door reveals some in the common room, looking back at him in confusion, and he sneers and slams the door.

"If we can find one, that is."

[windandrain]

Following, she walks towards the door on the end and places her hand against it. Nodding, she opens it up and steps inside, waving him into the living room. It's not hard to figure such things out when you've opened yourself to properly listen.

"This will do," she says with a nod. "No residents. And plenty of space."

[misterbrief]

Following her inside, he takes another look around. "I suppose. As long as those other imbeciles in the other rooms stay quiet when I'm trying to sleep, then we won't have any problems."

He goes to peek inside of a bedroom, the door creaking open at his touch. "What pathetic quarters. What is the Baron trying to pull here? Does he keep slaves in these little stalls or what?"

[windandrain]

"They're no worse than the barracks in the Grand Citadel, you know." She walks up beside him, removing her gauntlet and giving his shoulder a squeeze.

"The beds are larger here too. It'll do until we take the Baron's home from him."

[misterbrief]

That earns a wicked grin from him. Yes, when they took the Baron's home, they'd be living in luxury then. That is, as long as the Baron's quarters wasn't as trashy as this place was.

"Indeed. But for now, I think a little rest is in order. I've got to come up with a plan to discover anything the Baron has hiding up his sleeves before we overthrow him. And we've got a few tasks at hand too."