prologue ♔ the monster I have hidden in my mouth it has to scream

[necessaryevil]

♬ Monster - Charlotte Martin

WHO || Kyla, Ruvaen, Max, Risa, Hasmed, Val'drin
WHAT || Kyla & Ruvaen meet the Knights
WHERE || London, England
WHEN || Backdated to sometime in late April
HOW || Actionspam

Their travels having taken them to London, it's probably Kyla who spotted the giant spotlights in the sky drawing people from far and wide to the famous art museum for an extravagant gala tonight. People trip up the stairs towards the festivities in tuxes and gorgeous shimmering gowns, as loud music echoes through the neighborhood. While there's definitely a classy upscale element here, the party planner apparently wanted to keep fun and light on the menu as well.

Of course, the giant banners proclaiming that the museum has a sun stone of Pelor on display might just be enough to convince Ruvaen it's worth a gander as well.

Comments

[cadhla]

Kyla rolled her eyes, but wasn't really annoyed by his question since he did have some grounds to want to make sure that she wouldn't be calling her pet to her at a socially awkward moment.

"He will be making merry on his own, never fear."

She held up her gloveless hands to indicate that she had no intention of having a large bird close its claws around their unprotected skin.

The dress she was wearing was a bit of a compromise, since it had been bought with Ruvaen's money. Not as revealing as she would have liked, but probably not really as respectable as he would have liked either, and when the chips were down Kyla could make any article of clothing look just a little bit indecent if she put her mind to it.

"Now stop fidgeting, you look dashing."

She slipped her arm around his without any sort of invitation to do so, and started leading him towards the museum doors.

[layonhands]

[ ahead of them in line to enter is a small group that appear to be together, despite their motley appearance. the most strikingly unusual is a dark elf in a dapper suit, his shocking white hair and dark skin proclaiming his identity even at a distance. however, the elderly looking gentlemen with them, who wears long carmine robes rather than the fashionable apparel most people here have donned, has his own unique features: while his ears are every bit as pointed at the dark elves, a spot check of 13+ will notice the strange reptilian slit of his eyes, his flattened nose and odd cheekbones. he looks less than happy to be here, much like the young, dark haired man with the group, whose seventies hair seems like a direct blast from the past. one earbud dangles from his messy 'do, and he's barely looking around at all the extravagance, as if this all bores the crap out of him. instead of being dressed up, he wears weathered jeans and a black leather jacket. the last of the group is a serene looking blonde young woman in a lovely, conservative yellow dress. she keeps peeking over the crowds, displaying a contrasted eagerness to the young man's disinterest.

they each present a pre-purchased ticket to the event, and then its kyla and ruvaen's turn. ]

Tickets?

right. Actionspam. Derp

[forfeitredemption]

Good. And I was not fidgeting, I was adjusting the cuffs. They are too tight.

[Ruvaen does notice the unusual features (Spot check 14+6), but he thinks little of it. There are many strange and unusual people in this world, and Ruvaen will gladly show each of them the same respect as any other being he meets.

His curiosity does have him distracted with watching, if only for the strange observation that none of them seem to belong together. Different states of attire formality, different levels of interest. It just seems a bit odd.

He's pulled away from those thoughts, however, by the person speaking to him. It takes him a few seconds of searching his pockets before he offers their tickets with a soft smile.]

Yes, I'm sorry, here you are.

[Next time he will have to try and curb Kyla's whims to something less last minute. It wasn't easy to get tickets to much of anything on short notice.]

[cadhla]

[ Kyla gives the interesting people (Spot check 16+1) a bit more of a stare whilst Ruvaen handles the ticket business, totally shameless and not hiding it in the slightest.

When the tickets are out of Ruvaen's hand, she leans over to speak low into his ear. ]

You were totally fidgeting.

[layonhands]

[ the man nods them through and they follow the strange group into the extravagantly lit main floor. cameras flash and whir around them as people look over the amazing collection of both historical and Shadow artifacts. ]

[forfeitredemption]

[He gives Kyla a look, but then he's distracted again by the prospect of getting a chance to see the sun stone, so he gives the man at the door a nod and hooks his arm in hers like a gentleman. It's really just so he knows where she is. He really can't let her out of his sight at something like this.]

This was your request, so, where to first, Kyla?

[He smiles at her, ignoring their pointless argument as he tries to get a look for where the Sun Stone might be located. The other artifacts are fascinating, too. He isn't in that much of a rush, but there is definitely a distracted quality to his appreciation of them.]

[cadhla]

Oh, don't be such a gentleman all the time, I know you can't wait to see that sun stone.

[ Yes, it's a bit uncharacteristic of Kyla to give much consideration to what someone else might want, but with Ruvaen things have gotten to a point where she just really wants him to stop being so nice all the time.

It's not her problem, but the self-sacrifice in all ways big and small that seems to guide Ruvaen through life has really started to get under her skin.

[forfeitredemption]

Someone should be. There is a lack of gentlemen around, lately.

[It was yet another failed attempt at a joke from Ruvaen but at the same time, she was very right. He wanted badly to see the Sun Stone. Enough to chance the potential dangers of Kyla in an event like this one.

Not that he didn't trust her. It was just a bit difficult to forget how much trouble she seemed capable of getting into.]

Well, then. We had better go this way.

[He shifted his arm so it was better settled hooked in her own and lead her in the direction it seemed the artifact was located in. This event had initially been to please Kyla, but now he was feeling like he aught to be thanking her for it. Uncomfortable formal dress aside, this was a chance he could not soon pass up.]

[layonhands]

[ there's quite a line to walk up and see the stone, and the room is buzzing with people checking out other little exhibits along the walls. please roll spot checks! ]

[cadhla]

[ A spot check of seven is probaly a good indicator of just how few fucks Kyla has to give about this stone really, but it was an excuse to get to dress up and there are many other shinies attracting her easily caught but not as easily kept attention.

Besides, she's counting on it taking Ruvaen about three seconds to find his heart's desire anyway so she's not trying too hard to spot the thing, her eyes wandering around this way and that, looking at people and artifacts.

Some pockets and purses look temptingly filled with interesting things, and it's probably a good thing that Ruvaen is holding on to her, all things considered. ]

[forfeitredemption]

[Kyla. Don't even think about it. Ruvaen leads her straight for the line, though his eyes are scanning the room and the other exhibits as he does so. He's not letting go for a second, because loosing her in the crowd is very likely to end in him spending the rest of the evening searching for her.

With a spot check of 24, it isn't much surprise Ruvaen is keeping his eyes open for anything worth checking out. He is interested in the rest of what the museum has to offer, it's just that he has some very obvious priorities and... well... much as he believes in Kyla there is always a chance they could be kicked out of the museum before he gets a chance to see the sun stone and that would be a great shame.]

Don't.

[He doesn't even have to look to know what you are thinking. Kyla.]

[necessaryevil]

[ as ruvaen gets in line, he would notice a pair of striking women hovering near it, who stand out in their power suits and sunglasses, and matching blank expressions. both wear their hair slicked back in tight buns, and speak into tiny headsets, carrying clipboards as they cast their gaze around the room. one is blonde, the other brunette, but there's something so similar about them that they almost look as if they could be the same person. in fact, the way they move is strangely in unison as well, and for a moment he would feel as if they were both staring at him from behind those shades and get a strong chill up his neck. ]

[cadhla]

Don't what?

[ A bluff roll of 18 means that there is not a trace of falsehood in her innocent question, but considering how well Ruvaen already knows her by now it probably doesn't make that much of a difference. ]

I was just looking at the exhibits!

[ And entertaining herself with staging imaginary heists to steal stuff. Not that she actually would, elaborate theft is not really her game, but it's a fun way to keep your imagination agile.

The striking women, however, somewhat surprisingly escape Kyla's notice. She's not usually the type to miss beautiful women. ]

[forfeitredemption]

[Kyla sounds convincing enough that Ruvaen drops it to give her the benefit of the doubt. His attention has fallen on the stone, and with it, the strange pair of women guarding it.

He couldn't see their eyes for the sunglasses, but his hold on Kyla's arm tightened when he felt their gazes turned on him, the shiver running along his spine leaving him with a bad feeling in his gut.

He tries to shake it off, but his gaze keeps drifting back to them, a mixture of curiosity and unease.]

Of course you were. Look, there it is.

[He tries to distract himself by drawing Kyla's attention to the sun stone. If nothing else it should be pretty enough to earn her attention for a moment. Look, Kyla. Shiny.]

[necessaryevil]

[ the brightness of the sun stone makes it hard to look away from anyway - in fact, it's illuminating this entire chamber as if it were daylight inside.

that strange group of people enters the room and splits up, the man in a leather jacket sauntering around the edges, keeping a close eye on the women in power suits. ]

[cadhla]

Well, I'll be damned...

[ That is shiny. Consider Kyla thoroughly distracted. ]

[forfeitredemption]

Kyla

[Language, young lady. But Ruvaen is a bit too busy being amazed at the sun stone to care much about her cursing around it.

If only he could stop being distracted by the other people in the room catching his eye. He shifts closer to
Kyls, scanning the room. If trouble did have the unlikely desire to spring up here, he wanted her close enough to know where she was.

But his eyes wander constantly back to the sun stone with a look of awe. It was no wonder it belonged to Pelor. It brightened everything around it.]

[necessaryevil]

[ the line takes them past an exhibit of statues - incredibly life-like works of stone, whose faces are frozen in terror. all of them wear modern clothing, and there's something about them that's hard to look away from... ]

[cadhla]

Okay, these things are officially creepy.

[ Not that Kyla seems scared. She seems to feel some sort of combination of disgust and delight, and she stares at the horrible sculptures with a fascinated yet sort of surprised little smile on her lips. She can't believe someone actually took the time to make these, but at the same time she respects the artist for it. ]