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<willows> *BIFF! SPLASH! BAM!* The air suddenly smells of salt as a lady in Peleps colours takes a scantily clad Cathak down with a rippling, translucent punch. He falls gurgling on the floor while she captures the vacated spot on Malic's lap. The fighting rapidly spreads.
Arkadi pauses in mid-lighting of his cigar and his jaw drops
Malic quickly extrecates himself from under the Peleps, ducking away. A master of the art of being seen only as he wishes, Malic dodges through the crowd, allowing the various Dragon-Bloods and mortals to catch enough glimpses of him to keep them inflamed, but not to actually find and pin him down.
Gia wanders about, the smell of tree sap making her sneeze. She KNEW she should have memorized the layout of the grounds; now she was just wandering around, looking for the bath house.
<Arkadi> "Uh-uh *NO WAY*..."
<Arkadi> "I am *NOT* seeing this."
Malic pops up beside Arkadi. "You are, in fact."
Malic ducks behind the larger Red as a well-endowed Cynis woman's eyes sweep across the vicinity. The female wrestler moves away, seeking her prey elsewhere...
<Arkadi> "...you'd better be wearing more clothes."
Arkadi keeps his eyes carefully OFF Malic."
<Malic> "I managed to get my pants back on while they thought I was in the pool again."
<Arkadi> "...no shirt, no shoes, no service."
<willows> The gardens, once dimly half-lit by a scattering of lanterns, are lighting up as Dynasts pull glowing jade weapons out of Elsewhere.
Arkadi takes a drag off his Cynis-made cigar
<Malic> "I have my boots on too. Anyway, they're bloody arming themselves, the little blood-sucking dragon-whores...just keep standing there, being large."
<Arkadi> "...oh, *HELL* no."
<Arkadi> "...you brought it onyourself, smart boy."
<Malic> "How else was I going to divert these simpering fools? Just be glad you're not trying to kiss me too."
Gia pauses in the relative quiet of the outdoors, listening for running water.
<Osprey> Instead, she hears the sounds of a distant riot.
Arkadi scowls
<Arkadi> "Ever think of just dropping the effect?"
Gia sighs inwardly and heads towards the sounds of the riot. Apparently her bath will have to wait.
<Malic> "They'll cease to be distracted."
<Arkadi> "Uh-huh...and a RIOT is your idea of a distraction!?"
<Malic> "As they will shortly forget what they were doing."
<Malic> "Well, it was a riot or an orgy and I'm already tired."
<Arkadi> "...how's about next time you leave the battle to the BATTLES?!:
<Malic> "You're no good at distracting people with anything but your terrible personality."
<Arkadi> "Buddy, you're not in any position to start insulting me."
<Malic> "...did that red-haired little snot just look at me?"
<Arkadi> "No, he was looking at Ragara Shakel over there."
Arkadi jerks a thumb
Gia arrives, looking about in utter bemusement. "What in Creation..?"
<Arkadi> "Blame the nudist here."
Arkadi winces
Malic peeks out from behind Arkadi. "Hello Gia."
Malic smiles at her brightly.
<Arkadi> "Ouch, getting an iron bar there *SMARTS*"
Gia shakes her head, keeping her eyes averted in case he is, indeed, nude. "I imagine anyone having to look at your naked form for too long -would- get violent, Malic."
<Arkadi> "Or insane."
<Malic> "I'm not naked, I put my pants back on."
Arkadi overlooks the small riot carefully...
<Arkadi> "Aw fuck..."
Gia looks at Malic and rolls her eyes before looking at Ark. "What now?"
<Arkadi> "Make sure Mal stays hidden...some kid got themselves trapped in there."
<Malic> "And regardless, I am NOT horrific." looks down at himself. "I'm rather attractive. You're just jealous you can't start riots."
Arkadi starts off into the thick of a riot at a full-scale sprint
<willows> There are relatively few people flaring animas here, so far--Malic's periodic disappearances are dampening the crowd's enthusiasm, to a degree.
<Malic> "Damnit..." is left cover-less, visible to the crowd should anyone look in this direction. "Gia, why couldn't you indulge your sweet tooth more often?"
Arkadi plows into the thick of the riot, ducking, dekeing, and snapping the occasional kiick to kneecap or groin as he struggles his way towards the child...
<willows> But here and there are small knots...sworn brotherhoods, sets of twins, other warriors accustomed to working in groups...who have abandoned the battle, in order to search for their vanished love!
<Arkadi> "OUT OF THE WAY COMING THROUGH!"
Gia backhands Malic soundly in the stomach and continues through the crowd.
Malic gives a startled cough/hack. "That wasn't nice.."
Arkadi hurls a patrician to the side, looking frantically for the source of the high-pitched cry for help
<Gia> "Neither is saying I should get FAT to hide your stupidity." She scowls.
<willows> The child has the presence of mind to duck behind some bushes while the riot rolls outward.
Arkadi scowls as he's blocked by a pair of rather large men...he can ALMOST reach the little...
<Arkadi> "HEY!"
Arkadi throws a fierce punch to one's nose, he goes down howling "I THOUGHT ! I TOLD YOU !"
<willows> The two men back away from Arkadi, now that he's demonstrated that he means business and doesn't want Malic.
Arkadi grabs the other and wrenche shis arm to the side "TO GET OUT!"
Arkadi puts him down with a headbutt "OF MY WAY!"
Arkadi steps over the man and to the kid
Arkadi takes a knee "You okay?"
<willows> The kid adjusts his fancy festical coat. "Hey. mister. Where's my mom?"
<Arkadi> "Er...who *is* your mom?"
<Arkadi> "I'm just here to get you OUT of this mess...not a good place for a kid to be."
Malic sighs and strides back into the crowd, getting the worst of the riot to follow him away from Arkadi and the child
<willows> "She told me to wait somewhere if I got lost..."
<Arkadi> "Smart lady, but this isn't the best place to wait..."
<willows> "The...White Peony Pavilion." He gestures indistinctly at a spiky white gazebo.
Arkadi ducks as a bottle smashes overhead, as if to prove his point
Arkadi nods
<Arkadi> "Okay, we'll get out there."
Arkadi 's eyes scan the environment...how can he ge tout of here without using...
<willows> The crowd follows Malic in the other direction, leaving a trail of crushed foliage in their wake.
Arkadi nods
Arkadi thanks God for Mal...
<Arkadi> Well, one of them, anyways
<Arkadi> "Okay, on three, we run to that railing over there, okay?"
<willows> The small boy nods.
Arkadi counts to three, grabs the kid's hand, and hustles over, keeping as low as he can
Malic mutters blasphemies to himself quietly as he allows the first Dynast, a willowy green-blonde woman with roses in her hair to find him. Wrapping muscular arms around her, the unidentifiable incarnation of lust kisses her deeply
Arkadi looks at Mal for a moment, rolls his eyes and scowls "Okay, to the shrubs there, then the tree there, then the gazebo."
<Arkadi> "GOGOGO!
<willows> The boy stumbles once, but he is resilient! Soon he is in the safety of cool plaster walls.
Arkadi exhales and slumps against the gazebo walls
<Arkadi> "P Hew?...okay, we're safe here."
Gia has pretty much stood in one place, covering her head with her hands, waiting for the stampede to stop. Finding herself alone, she sighs with relief and goes to the predetermined meetingplace.
Arkadi looks at the kid "What's your mom look like?"
<willows> He describes an aged Air Aspect, which happens to not narrow the field down a lot. Apparently, rain continually falls from the soles of her feet; that should make her easier to locate than some.
<Arkadi> "Hoo boy..."
Arkadi scowls
<willows> As Arkadi calls up the Marvelous Inclusion of Details, a trail of rainy footprints catches his eye. They are small, womanly, a little arthritic.
Arkadi scratches his chin and looks at the ground "I think I know where to look. Just keep your head down, keep quiet, and stay here, okay?"
Arkadi waits for the kid's acknowledgement, then hustles off after the footprints
<willows> Dynastic children are admirably cooperative. This one merely finds himself a more comfortable seat and waves over an elemental servant for some more snacks while Arkadi heads off.
Arkadi follows the tracks carefully, before arriving at he hopes is the boy's mother...
Arkadi takes careful steps to avoid gettign dragged into any lefovers from the riot
Malic ducks away from the willowy Dragon-Blood and weaves through the crowd, getting large, cumbersome people between him and everyone else
<willows> The woman in question is to be found sneaking around behind some trees, staring directly at Osprey and Gia.
<Arkadi> "Madam?"
Gia frowns at Osprey. "Did you say something?"
Arkadi waits until she turns around before bowing deeply to her
<willows> The woman leaps half a foot in the air, then turns around as if not surprised at all. She's as the child described her, and wearing the dragon collar of a satrap, as well.
Osprey turns around, casting a look of studied nonchalance to the spot from which Arkadi's voice came.
<willows> "Sir?" she asks.
<Arkadi> "Are you the mother of (kid's name here)?"
<Gia> Viridian eyes flicker to follow the path of Osprey's.
<willows> "Yes, yes I am."
<Arkadi> "He er...managed to get himself caught up in the chaos that transpired here....don't worry he's fine, I got him out. He's waiting at the White Peony Pavillion for you."
<willows> The woman suppresses a look of extreme annoyance. "Thank you, sir. I am in your debt."
Arkadi nods "No thanks are necessary."
Arkadi bows again
<Arkadi> "A good evening to you, madam."
<willows> "And to you as well." She invokes some Charm and fades from sight like morning mist burning away at dawn.
Arkadi exhales and takes a moment to light up a new cigar...he lost the last one in the scuffle
Osprey looks at Arkadi. "Your good deed for the day?"
<Arkadi> "Hey, couldn't let a kid get tramples."
Arkadi shrugs
<Gia> "Who were you talking to?"
<Arkadi> *trampled
<Arkadi> "His mom was skulking in the bushes."
<Arkadi> "Situational awareness folks, learn it, love it."
Malic rejoins the other Sidereals, looking frazzled. "Are you done, now?"
Malic brushes recently unbound hair from his eyes as he wipes away sweat.
<Arkadi> "Had fun, did we?"
Arkadi scowls...he ripped his sleeve in the scuffles
<Arkadi> "Dammit, I *liked* this coat."
<Gia> "I really and truly hope we are done." She glances over at Osprey. "Is.. our friend.. secure?"
Arkadi sighs "Want me to double check ?"
<Osprey> "He is where he needs to be." Osprey folds his arms. "I expect he will be waking up any moment, now."
<Arkadi> "Next to whom?"
Arkadi grins
<Malic> "Can I stop distracting them now, then?"
<Gia> "PLEASE do."
<Arkadi> "For all that is good, YES!"
Osprey eyes Malic's disheveled clothing. "We certainly would not want to subject you to further hardship, brother Malic."
Arkadi shares a look with Gia
<Gia> The chosen's lips twitch in amusement and she nods amicably at Arkadi.
Malic lets the shimmering veil of lust fall away from him in a cascade of stardust that falls to the ground, turning it slightly blue as the charm's essence feeds it.
Arkadi stubs out his cigar
<Arkadi> "Okay, to our hidden lair?"
<Gia> "We should really call it something besides 'our hidden lair' in public, but all right."
Arkadi chuckles "It's called irony, my dear."
<Gia> "Even so."
Arkadi shrugs "Point."
<Malic> "Lets just go. I need a new shirt, someone turned mine into trophies...and I lost Ember.."
Malic looks around for his Terrestrial..
Osprey coughs into his fist.
<Arkadi> "...she's not a set of keys, Mal."
Arkadi rubs at his temples
<Malic> "Well, I can't find her."
<Gia> "At some point, guys, I would really like a bath."
<Arkadi> "I've had just about enough of this place...
<Arkadi> "Mal, if you wanna find her, go ahead, I'm headed back to the lair."
<Arkadi> "Anyone who wants a stiff drink can join me."
<willows> ------
<Osprey> The next day, in a traditional Realm hostel some miles down the road from the Throne of Roses...
Osprey relaxes in the steaming hot springs.
Malic snores in his bed, curled next to the sleeping form of a female employee.
Arkadi is getting coffee
Arkadi gets a few donuts too, while he's at it
Gia is sitting on her bed, surrounded by files and papers, reading intently.
<Osprey> Hearing a quite buzzing sound, Osprey lazily opens one eye. He beholds a large dragonfly hovering in the fragrant mist, its distinctive quicksilver wings flashing in the morning light.
Osprey gives the insect a pleasant nod.
<willows> The bug alights on a chair and turns into everyone's favorite young Lunar friend.
Arkadi pops a donut in his mouth as he carries the box and his cup of coffee up to their communal area
Malic starts awake and makes his way downstairs, feeling an urge to find Osprey. Dragging along, wrapped in a spare blanket, Malic looks unhappy. "Fate better have a bloody good reason for getting me up this early or by Pasiap's stone-covered ass..."
<Osprey> "Young Imat found his way to the Fount of Roses, just as we thought he might," Osprey observes.
<Osprey> "I wonder what he will do with his new knowledge?"
<willows> "One can only guess," the boy volunteers.
Osprey regards the Lunar youth out of the corner of his eyes.
Malic glowers at the Lunar with one blood-shot yellow eye. "What do you want?"
<Gia> Hearing the noise of her companions on the move, Gia follows Malic to the springs and watches intently.
<willows> His teeth sparkle in a grin. "You."
<willows> The Lunar shakes his head. "No, I was just stopping by to say hello."
Arkadi scowls as he finds and empty room...'They've gotta be in the springs...bloody slackers.'
<Osprey> "It seems to me," Osprey says in a tone of idle speculation, "that Imat will, of necessity, be drawn into his uncle's confidence. It may even be that he will begin excercising influence over certain mercenary operations in the West."
Malic glowers. "Don't make jokes about that, I had enough crazed lunatics lusting after me last night." shucking his blanket, Malic slips into the springs and glowers in general from under water
Arkadi hustles his way over
<Gia> "'Lunatic' may not have been the best choice of words, Malic, considering our guest."
Malic expells a stream of angry-looking bubbles.
<willows> "Certain mercenary operations in the West are interesting to us."
Osprey looks at Gia. "Sister Gia, have you lost your way? The women's bath is over there." He gestures to the bamboo screen which separates the two pools.
Arkadi walks in, toting the box "Geez, this'll teach me for trying to do you guys a favour and getting breakfast, why the heck couldn't you all stay in one place for 5 bloodyt minut-"
Gia has been studiously looking at everywhere but naked people, and especially not at naked Osprey. She's been getting good at that in the last couple of days. "But everyone was coming HERE, not the women's bath," she pouted. "It sounded like something interesting was going on. I heard Malic say something about needing to find you, so.."
Arkadi stops dead as he sees the young lunar "OY.."
Arkadi scowls and starts rummaging around the box, tossing everyone a donut that somehow manages to be precisely their favorite kind
Arkadi 's eyes fall on the lunar "Wait...don't tell me..."
<Arkadi> "Cinnamon and honey."
Arkadi tosses the appropriate donut to the Lunar
Malic sticks his head above the water and snags a donuts from Arkadi's box. Munching on it, Malic seems to be in a slightly improved mood
Osprey closes his eyes and sinks a bit further into the water. "I cannot imagine that a lady in the men's bath draws too much comment, here in the Realm. By all means, feel free to join us."
Arkadi looks at the Lunar's puzzled look "Don't ask, it's a cop thing."
<Osprey> "Or you could stay where you are, if that is more to your liking."
<Osprey> His back is to Gia, so there is no way for her to tell if he is smiling or not.
Gia steals a quick peek since Osprey's back is turned, and then continues admiring the handiwork of the bamboo walls. "Here is good, thank you."
<Malic> "Gia, anything you happen to be preserving your sensibilities from seeing is under water and steam. Stop studying the wall. You look like a child."
<Osprey> "In any case." Osprey once again addresses the young Lunar, who has slipped into the pool like a humanoid otter, and is playing an amusing game in which he edges toward Malic, who edges away like two lodestones repelling each other.
Malic gives the Lunar a deadly glare and sinks back under the surface.
Arkadi pulls a plain one out of the bag and sits down on a convenient rock, he's fully-clothed, for the record
Gia throws her donut at Malic, or rather, the general direction of Malic's voice; she certainly wouldn't be eating it after his comment last night. "Anyway, I have business to attend to. Malic, do you know where Ember is?"
Arkadi scowls!
<Arkadi> "...if you don't like the one I picked for you, tell me..."
Arkadi sighs
<Osprey> "Given the boy's interests in the West, it would be a good place for his uncle to keep him occupied, so that he cannot speak to ears he should not."
Malic sticks a finger out of the water and points upwards, indicating she is still asleep.
<Osprey> "While he is there, he might help serve as a check to certain other powers... even the mighty Leviathan might think twice before moving openly against the Realm, weak and fractious as it now is."
Gia turns to Ark. "No, it looked delicious. I'm just watching my girlish figure." Making an obscene gesture at Malic behind her back, she walks back towards the Inn after grabbing the only donut left in the box-- assuming it was gotten for the slumbering Terrestrial.
Arkadi sighs and looks at Mal "For Mela's sake, Mal...why do you go out of your way to antagonize her?"
<Gia> On a hunch, Gia peeks into the women's bath before heading upstairs.
<Malic> ::Embers is lounging within, the steam around her much thicker then it is around the men, though the ponds should be the same temperature::
<Osprey> "The fact that Imat would, of course, be doing nothing of the sort might not be readily apparent." Osprey sighs contentedly.
<Gia> "Ember!" Gia smiles brightly and waves. "I brought you breakfast, I hope you haven't eaten." The Sidereal quietly hopes to herself that Ark's donut-fu is as mighty as it seems.
Malic makes a "what do you mean" guesture with his hand, remaining under water.
<Arkadi> "You seem to have a knack at pissing her off."
Malic gives a shrug-like motion of his hand
<willows> Ember greets Gia brightly. "Breakfast! That's what this day needed."
Osprey opens his eyes a bit, regarding the Lunar. "Of course, this is all speculation on my part. I surely cannot guess what motive wise Tamuz might have in causing young Imat to discover the secret manse beneath his uncle's palace."
<willows> "He suggested to me that Nagezzer was waiting for the youth to demonstrate some promise before trusting him in certain matters."
Gia shrugs out of her robe and slides into the water. "So, honestly, Ember.. What is your feeling on the Realm? How do you like it here?"
<willows> "Maybe finding this concealed Manse is such a demonstration of potential."
Arkadi notes that the female presence in the bath has vanished, and strips and hops in himself
<willows> Ember runs her fingers through her hair. "It is better than my home, but Heaven is more comfortable still."
<willows> "I am not sure how fond I am of their attitude toward mortals, however."
<Gia> "You are a deeply compassionate person, Ember." Gia nods. "The Realm has binged on excess and cruelty, and this mess that it's in is the result of that. This place could be the strongest champion of good the world has known, if only there was a single Terrestrial in it with a conscience." She glances sidelong at her companion.
Arkadi sighs
<Arkadi> "Or maybe it was somethign that wasn;t intended and Nagezzer plans to off him."
<Arkadi> "Things that should not be seen and all."
<willows> Ember braids her hair into little flowers, being very careful not to look her friend in the eye. "One grain of sand can tip the scale, they say."
<Gia> "Insightful, Ember." She pauses for a moment, seemingly in thought, and then giggles. "You know, maybe that's their problem." She regards the girl with an amused look on her face-- even after the Exaltation took her, telltale signs of Ember's birthplace remain. "The Realm is the most fertile land in Creation, you know. There's lots of rich soil that comes from here.. but not a single grain of sand." She takes a deep breath and dunks her
<Gia> head underwater, letting Ember think on that as she swims away.
Osprey nods to Arkadi.
<Osprey> "in either case, a push was needed before Master Sesus would take action either way.
<Osprey> "By our actions, Imat will be either elevated or brought low, but without our intervention, neither would have happened."
<willows> The Lunar surfaces after a dive just in time to nod agreement."
<Osprey> "He would have been content to simply while away his time on his Western isle, enjoying the company of the tentacled island girls."
<Arkadi> "Works for me...but if it's brought low, I should register my extreme disapproval of keeping him here to get slaughtered."
<Osprey> "It is said that Nagezzer the Slug is a fat man, and a cripple, and a matricide, and a debauched whoremonger, but never have I heard it said that he is a fool," Osprey observes. "I suspect he will offer his young relative a choice."
<Arkadi> "Huh..."
<Osprey> "And then, now that we have set him rocking, it will be Imat's choice which way he tips."
Arkadi adopts a curiously Nagezzer liek wheeze
<Arkadi> "'s gonna make im and offah he can't refuse?'
Gia slips back on her robe, content that Ember has heard what she was meant to hear, and goes quietly back to her room to make more notes.
Malic glowers as the Lunar keeps rubbing against him. Finally the wiry Southron lunges at the Lunar and wrestles him to the bottom of the pool and gives him a passionate kiss. Then punches him in the nose. And resumes his seat.
<Arkadi> "...Oss...maybe we wanna continue this discussion elsewhere so Malic and his new friend can have some private time?
Osprey stands up and stretches, before stepping out of the pool and wrapping a towel around his waist.
<Osprey> "I think so."
Arkadi nods and hops out, dries off, and gets dressed
<Arkadi> "Have fun, you crazy kids..."
Arkadi gives a grin that's all teeth
Osprey pauses at the door.
<Osprey> "When next you see your elder..." he speaks to the Lunar, who is rubbing his nose and grinning at Malic, "...tell him that we await his proposition. Now that he has set us rocking with the adventure of the gray demon, what side does he wish us to tip toward?"
Malic emerges from the pool, looking annoyed and wrapping himself in his blanket again.
<willows> The Lunar makes agreeing gestures, and finally nods. "I will, and thank you for your hospitality. I am sure I will soon have good news for you."
Malic glowers at the Lunar.
<willows> He resumes the dragonfly form and zips out the window without bothering to dress.
<willows> -----
Malic ponders, while eating lunch later that day, why he found the Lunar's momentary embrace so familiar...
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