CLOSED ♔ there is a seed inside of me | it keeps growing

[behindcloseddoors]

♬ Demon Seed - Nine Inch Nails

WHO || Violet, Jess Leighton, ?? [closed]
WHAT || Violet's new life has a turn for the incredibly dramatic
WHERE || San Francisco, CA
WHEN || Feb 14th, 2013 [backdated]
HOW || Actionspam

For some people, the transition from their home world to this strange new one is made easier than for others, by the simple addition of one thing: access to people who care about their plight and meet them with understanding, instead of suspicion and fear. Violet Fiore was lucky enough to be one such pilgrim, arriving in the big city of San Francisco, California, where plenty of locals could easily recognize the signs of disorientation common enough in Veil arrivals. She was directed to the Lethe Clinic, a cramped building with tiny rooms but many smiling faces eager to help the displaced.

Jess Leighton was one of the workers there - all volunteers, of course - who took a special interest in Violet's case. The blonde human was quick to recognize that there was something unique about Vi's situation. Unlike so many of their "Shadow World" tenants who needed to be taught everything from modern day lingo to how to operate electronics, it was obvious relatively shortly that she knew about a world much like this one. While Jess admitted it was unheard of as far as she knew, she didn't treat Violet any different for it, and offered her the same amenities they gave everybody else: a bed to sleep in, some basic clothes, information about the world, the city, and what was known about the Veil, and a promise to help her find work so she could get out there on her own.

There are a number of other residents here, of course, some human, but others more bizarre in appearance: elves, a dwarf, even a pair of halflings. Most disturbing, however, has been that one of the young human women has been ill ever since Violet arrived, and as Jess has informed her, the local hospitals won't take her, for fear she's nursing some kind of Shadowkind disease that their patient's immune systems wouldn't be able to combat.

Today, Jess is leaning against the door to the sick girl's room, looking in, sweat on her brow as she takes a break from running around all day for once. She notices Violet approaching and sighs, closing the door quietly so as not to wake the resting girl.

"She's not getting any better." She shakes her head in frustration. "It's been a week now. Garriss was supposed to get a cleric to come by and see her days ago. And now I can't even reach him. I don't know what to do anymore."

Comments

[luthir]

[ he moves swiftly down the hallway, entirely silent until a piece of ceiling tile crashes down two feet away from me. gritting his teeth at losing any element of surprise, he dashes forward into the room.

the scene there is a disturbing one. a bloody jess has barricaded a few still-living residents into one of the in-room bathrooms as evidenced by the crying issuing forth from within, and she stands in front of the door wielding a baseball bat, as a hulking red monster stands over her, drooling and hissing it. it swipes at her, and she ducks underneath its arm, shrieking, and pushing herself further back against the door. ]

[herebemonsters]

[ the ruckus luthir inadvertently made draws the creature's attention, and its head snaps in his direction. annoyed by the intrusion, it roars and LEAPS at him, horrible sharp fangs biting into neck. blood spurts out and he lets out a sharp shout of pain before clamping his teeth together fiercely (dmg 17) ]

[graveflowers]

[All Vi's happy thoughts of FRIEND ALIVE are sort of shoved aside when the monster turns Sparkling Bloodsucker and gets it's chomp on. You know. On the dude that gives off all the knight in shining armor (literally), saving the damsel in distress vibes.]

Hey! Hands off the eye candy!

[... don't judge her. She is shallow like a puddle. BUT her aim is just spectacular and she lets her arrow fly. (Attack nat 20!!)

[luthir]

[ the arrow thuds into the creature's eyeball (14 dmg) and it lets out a terrible high pitched screech, letting go of luthir to claw at its face. he immediately recovers and tears into the creature with a whirl of attacks... the first connects, but jess has started charging forward now that she's seen vi, and luthir crit fails, slamming into her with his elbow as he pivots to swing his sword again. jess is knocked back against the wall and away from the melee, probably for the best...

the slaad is torn between its desire to stop luthir from dancing around it, and to get the girl who shot an arrow into his eyeball, which he rips out with a fierce and freaky nat 20 strength check. he turns away from the elf, roaring, and lunges at her (atk 25 dmg 9), claws smashing into her face. ]

[graveflowers]

[Pain. So much impossible pain that Vi forgets about Jess for a hot second and just whimpers.

And maybe screams out a particularly violent swear.

The force sends her to the ground, sliding back a few feet until a wall ever so gently puts a suddenly stop to her momentum. Luckily, she doesn't pass out so that's a silver lining! She's dizzy and sluggish, but she's been doing this since she was thirteen, she has twelve years of experience of being half dead and still fighting, so she still shoots (attack 20), even if she wants to die. Adrenaline and habit, miracle drug.]

[luthir]

[ luthir's head jerks in vi's direction, to make sure she's still alive, and when he sees her send an arrow flying that jabs right into the slaad's shoulder (6 dmg), he unleashes a deadly whirl of blades, and his final slice sends the thing's head splatting against the far wall. jess shrieks a bit, but then turns wide eyed to violet, dropping the bat and running to her side.

"Oh my god, Vi!" ]

[graveflowers]

[Even in her dazed stupor, Violet recognizes how awesome that elf is. She might owe him a life or two. She grins a little loopily when Jess runs over, relief very apparent and washing over her in waves.]

Hey! I found a cleric. [Priorities. Her eyes turn from her friend back to Luthir with a satisfied giggle -- again, priorities.] Told you. [Another grin for Jess, oh girl, this girl is so happy you're not dead. Cue babbling, sorry.] I told them you weren't dead. I mean, I still woulda come, 'cause you're important shit, Blondie, but I knew you weren't dead. I'm sorry I got lost and I was late and she turned into a salami monster, no that's not right. Slaaaaa- Fuck it. Salami. And I'm sorry we just killed her and I'm taking partial credit for that 'cause I can. [She sucks in a breath, clearing her head a little.] I can turn her into daisies if you want, we can plant her in the park? Are you okay? Did she try to eat you?

[layonhands]

[ jess cuts off vi's rambling with a huge hug. "We're okay. Everyone else... oh god, we had no idea what was happening, Violet. I got everyone rounded up, they're in there." She points to the bathroom, before looking to Luthir. "He's a cleric?" Little late now, but Luthir shakes his head no, and indicates to where Risa is currently running through the door a few seconds late for the battle with Lis'sa in tow. ]

Are we... [ she stops dead in her tracks, staring at the slaad head on the floor next to her. ] Too... late... I see.

[graveflowers]

[Wow, Jess gives great hugs.]

That's the cleric. [Funny how it's just stating a fact, but it still kind of sounds like a sweeping orchestral chorus of I TOLD YOU SO.] Did she scratch you or something, 'cause you might be incubating.

[layonhands]

[

jess' eyes go wide with horror, because really, who wants to hear that. ever. "Incubating? Wha- what the hell does that mean?"

risa steps forward, placing a calming hand on her forearm ] Nothing I can't fix. Removing diseases kills the egg as well. Was there anyone else struck?

[ jess' eyes shoot to luthir, who is sort of ... bleeding out the neck, and he nods back to violet, indicating risa should heal her first. she sighs. ] At this rate, we're going to need an army of clerics. [ as she reaches out to place a bright shiny hand on jess to take her implant away, she looks back at lis'sa. ]

We're going to need to call in back-up. [ lis'sa looks not too pleased to be told what to do by the blonde, but reaches coolly for her cell phone and steps out of the room, as luthir goes to let the others out of the bathroom. jess watches as risa heals her and then sets to healing up violet again, and shakes her head in amazement. "Who are you people?" ]

... We're the Knights of the Silver Dragon. We... help in situations like these.

[graveflowers]

[So in hindsight, probably not the best choice of words on Violet's part. Possibly the worst choice, actually. Well no, she could have tacked demon spawn in the end. That might have been worse. In any case, she gives Jess an apologetic smile once she lifts her head from her hands where she had been hiding barring a nearby box of shame. Sorry, boo.

Knights of the Silver Dragon. Huh. It pokes at Violet, the familiarity of it all. She remembers Rome, startling clarity when everything else was kind of mush. Maybe that is why she so simply accepts that they're Knights and they're the good guys -- they have to be, they saved Jess. (Outwardly, Vi would take all the credit. Inside, she takes none.) So Knights, that's cool.

Instead of focusing on that (because if it hadn't been noted: good decisions? Not her forte.), Vi glances up at Risa.] Twice in, what, a half hour? I feel like I should buy you dinner first. Shouldn't you get him first though? [She makes a vague gesture toward Luthir.] Gaping neck wound sort of seems more important than my perpetual state of concussion and stupid, which might be connected, I dunno.

[layonhands]

Luthir's fine. [ and, to his credit, he really doesn't seem fazed at all by the injury as he helps the residents out of the bathroom and checks out the windows ]

And it's no trouble, at all. We just want to save as many lives here as we can.

[graveflowers]

[Well. Hrumph. Isn't he impressive, walking around with a gaping neck wound like it ain't no thang. With his shining armor.

Ha.] Flamethrowers. Ya'll should invest in flamethrowers.

[luthir]

We're not looking to start a massacre. Just to stop one.

[graveflowers]

What? Flamethrowers could be completely nonlethal. If you saw giant flames, wouldn't you back up?

[layonhands]

Either way, I'm afraid we can't stay here long. [ she looks to vi ] But I don't think your friends are safe remaining here.

[graveflowers]

[Friends, plural, that's a kind assumption. She glances at Jess, chewing on her thumb nail thoughtfully.]

You're right, we have to herd the ducklings to safe keeping.

[But but... but she missed this. The violence and the excitement and being so completely good at one thing, she doesn't want to just herd a flock of scared humans to safety. But ugh. That's what she did, she was a demigod, that is her stupid birthright, protecting the innocent. She had a weapon and, well, Jess's bat was kind of... useless.

She shoves herself off the ground, brushing her hair back from her face. Turning to the bathroom people, she shouts:] Exit's this way folks! Single file line to safety, right over here. Come with me if you want to live.

[Quieter:] I've always wanted to say that.

[layonhands]

[ as the others start following orders, risa smiles slightly as luthir rejoins them, addressing violet quietly ] You seem to have a knack for this.

[graveflowers]

[Well, you don't get to be Centurion for nothing. Although, Violet only got it out of seniority and her cohort was a bunch of buttheads. Ergh, stupid faces. Which, she could just answer with that, but instead she shrugs and opts for an astoundingly obvious lie. She doesn't even try.] I had a lot of brothers.

[Which is why:] Hey, um no, we don't poke the dead body. Get in line.

[luthir]

[ jess makes sure to help round people back in order as well, and luthir looks violet over appraisingly ] I think Wynn would be interested. [ he definitely sounds like he is, at least ] I don't imagine you're looking for employment?

[graveflowers]

Weeeeell, the place where I live was just partially demolished by a giant scaly beast so looking for a job might be helpful in looking for a new place to sleep -- I'm gonna go with yes, you are free to imagine. Alas, Big Red ate my resume.

[She stoops to retrieve a broken arrow. Poor pink feathers. There, there... there.]

[luthir]

A resume is entirely unnecessary. If you'd like, we'd take you to meet our organization's leader, and he would decide if you have what it takes.

[graveflowers]

I hope you realize you make him sound like a pimp. Just saying. I'll go on this little adventure, that's cool, but you totally just made your leader sound like a pimp.

[lissatrinall]

[ lis'sa swans back in, closing her phone ] Back-up's on the way.

[graveflowers]

Super. So why don't Jess and I just lead our flock of seagulls to safety and after your friends get here and ya'll shoo the wildebeests back into their pocket dimension or whatever, you can just come by and be interested in me.