Once is Happenstance [Team Walkabout] [The Silver Apples of the Moon, the Golden Apples o]

Melissa


Even the silence after the song ends is as silver-sweet as Luna's voice, graced as it is being born from such sound. It is suddenly disturbed, however, by a dull clatter as Melissa's twisted spear slips her grasp and topples to the ground, unheeded. The Lunar herself stands, transfixed even by the memory of the divine music that echoes in her head, her gaze fixed on the one who lit that moonlight fire in the air, and her mouth still slightly agape.


She blinks. Once, twice. And closes her mouth. Blink again.


Next thing anyone knows, she's suddenly on top of him, arms and legs wrapped around his torso and her lips being planted on every inch of him she can reach. She does not seem to be paying any attention to anything else.
 
Dis


Dis gave a muffled "Mmmmf?" of surprise when Melissa hit him like a bowshot, but he responded quickly enough - It was not the first time he'd been in this sort of situation. One arm went around her waist, supporting her, the other tangled in her hair. He returned her attentions with gusto, kissing her neck and cheeks and nibbling gently on her ear, whispering soft, sultry suggestions in a tone that could melt orichalum. He knew the others were watching, of course. He just didn't care.
 
Midnight's Fury


Fury sat, as the song finishes, unaccustomed to being so moved by a performance. His eyes are closed, and the corners of his mouth are turned ever so slightly upwards. The Lunar seems almost....peaceful.....


Then Melissa charges the stage and tackles Dis, breaking the trance. The warrior seems uncomfortable with their grappling and fondling, not knowing what to do or where to look. Fury looks sorry, almost wistful. Then words previously spoken come back to the forefront.


A dark, penetrating glare shoots Lin-Rei's way as he moves closer to the performer. His voice remains low, but takes on a growling quality. "We are connected, Lin-Rei, but don't ever presume to speak for me. I say what I mean. The Black Exalted are tainted, and they do have masters. I know what I speak of."


Fury turns to Worthy, and nods. "I do mean what I say. She didn't kill you. She probably does remember. I imagine she's feeling a lot of what...you're feeling. If she wasn't beholden to someone else......The fact remains. She is beholden. To her master. The master may not order your death. It may serve its purpose. Especially if it can turn you. But if it does order it. She will have to obey. That's the truth. I'm....I'm sorry."


The Lunar turns to the two arduous bodies rolling around on the floor. He clears his throat, again, clearly uncomfortable. Words start to come to him, then he shakes his head. Now he turns to the others. "Traveling together seems...wise. I will be happy to discuss plans. But I speak my mind. Whether it's socially appropriate or not. Know that."


A pause. Then Fury jerks a thumb at Dis and Melissa, over his shoulder. "But do we have to wait for them?"
 
Grinning Magpie


Rolling her eyes, the young Night Caste holds up one hand to halt the other Exalts, using the other to root around in her pack. After a moment, she pulls out a leather sack that made an ominous sloshing noise, and - with a cheery victory flourish - pours out the cool water on Dis's head.


Possibly on the other Lunar, too; Magpie isn't trying to be terribly accurate.


"This isn't the first time he's done that," she announces to the rest of the room, grinning happily. "So I figured, I'd get some ice-cold water and have it on hand at all times." She pats the leather water-skin, now noticably less full, her smile fading a little. "I think that Thaumaturge was lying, though; it doesn't keep things cold, just lukewarm."
 
Dis


Despite the liquid refreshment being copiously provided by Magpie, Dis did not seem terribly discouraged. In fact, the water served only to make his already form-fitting clothing hug his body even closer, highlighting the smooth, supple musculature, and making his skin gleam in a most comely fashion. His dedication to his current task was both prodigous and impressive, and he didn't seem to notice the distraction. As Magpie said, this was hardly the first time.
 
Green sparks glint in Worthy's eyes again as she watches the strong sweaty grappling of limbs, feeling it awaken old memories.


"If you mean that she is her mistress' prisoner, I knew that already. I'm going to set her free. If you mean she's made a terrible mistake, I knew that too. We made mistakes before, and we always forgave one another. I was night and she was day; I was flame and she was earth. She may walk in darkness now, but we remain what we are -- twin stars, spinning forever, locked together by a timeless love."


She takes a deep, shuddering breath. "I will never give her up. Not even death can keep us apart. We are forever."
 
Melissa


"Gah!" The female half of the tangle of limbs on the floor gasps as the water splashes over her - or it may have been caused by something else, considering what Discord's hands are doing. Either way, she looks up for a moment at the other Exalts, who cannot really help but to return the gaze, considering how interesting is the water's effect on both their appearances. She grins at them, then attracts the musician's attention in a very interesting fashion, and says: "I think we may be... ah... disturbing our friends?"
 
Dis


Grinning up at Melissa, Dis shrugged a little. His voice was husky, his eyes smoldering as he looked up at the female Lunar, and his hands still hadn't stopped moving. "Hmmm? Oh, yeah, maybe. Normally, I'd say let 'em watch... but if it bothers you, I can wait." His grin widened, and his hands gave a couple of soft squeezes. He winked at her, with a teasing grin. "After all, I can be patient, when the reward's worth it." His tone making it clear that in Melissa's case, it most certainly was. He made no move to push Melissa from atop him, seeming to enjoy the view - among other things - immensely.
 
Midnight's Fury


The hulking Lunar snorts. "Don't flatter yourself, musician. You aren't that interesting. Neither are your bedroom exploits." There is a pause. "You can play, though. I'll give you that."


Midnight's Fury slips his axe through a loop on his belt, then takes a seat on a bench, consciously leaving room for Lin-Rei should she need a seat. "We fought well together. What's the plan? A group like ours. Much more difficult for a Hunt to take down. We wreaked havoc on the undead monsters here. We can do so much more. I know that. These creatures will continue to rampage. We can stop that. How do the rest of you feel? Work together? Or go our separate ways?"
 
Dis


Dis just smirked at the Full-Moon. "Heh...No one's forcing you to watch. You might learn a thing or two, though." He seemed to ponder for a moment, considering his question, though his hands never stopped moving over Melissa. He looked at her as he spoke, giving a wicked little grin. "Personally, I'm all in favor of working together. Closely together. The Axe does more than just make damn good music, and I can hold my own in combat. But what I'm best at is people. I know how to make people want and need and dance on my strings while my fingers dance on these. And I'm really good at it. Ever seen an Immaculate Monk pound back an entire cask of hundred-year-old wine, with a pair of joygirls in his lap? 'Cause that's what happened to the last representative of the Hunt who came after me. Never seen anythin' funnier in my life. Except possibly the next morning, when the local Satrap found him in his wife's bedchamber." He sniggered.
 
"The rest of you can do as you like. I'm going to find my Helias, and undo what's been done to her, if it takes a thousand years." She pauses. "I...would welcome help, though. I'm not much of a warrior, Beloved of Luna or not. I'm no magician, either."


((OOC: Those familiar with epic poetry or legends of star-crossed lovers will know of The Tale of Helias and Lorengel...though only the Exalted know the truth about the doomed couple...))
 
Midnight's Fury


The Full Moon shrugs slightly. "You're right. I don't have to watch. I can throw you out of here. I was trying to be...." and here he looks at Lin-Rei, "polite. If you'd rather I didn't, I can be rude. Your choice."


Now Midnight's Fury turns to Worthy. "We all have goals we want to accomplish. If that is your only goal - and you will let nothing else stand in your way - perhaps you should travel on on your own. As for this...Helias...do you know where to start looking? Have any clues? Any leads? Or are you just going to go haring off into Creation, hoping to stumble across her? In short, do you have a plan?"


The warrior addresses the others. "We've heard from two here. What about the rest?"


-------------------------


(OOC - be careful about being so single minded on your own goal that you won't be amenable to others' plans and goals. As mentioned above, Fury's willing to let Worthy go off on her own. He has no incentive to go after the Shoat. Unless it's to kill her. :-) You certainly don't have to give it up, but be careful, is all I'm saying.)
 
Worthy seems to deflate at his words.


"Sort of. I know she's based out of some horrid swamp near the Bordermarches, but I can't get close -- these things patrol the borders, like zombies but worse. And the locals, poor souls, say that anyone who reaches the heart of the swamp runs away screaming. All I can do is wander around and hope her Deathlord sends her out on a mission again.


"Like I said, I'm not a great warrior or magician. I can't fight these...these patchwork monstrosities by myself, and even if I got past them, I wouldn't know how to deal with whatever magical defenses surely ward the place. Without her, I'm nothing extraordinary.


"That's why I went looking for help."
 
Dis


Dis looked up at Fury with a grin on his handsome face, then casually made an extremely rude gesture that implied the Full Moon enjoyed sexual acts that even Rakshi, Queen of Fangs would find distasteful. "Luna's eyes, man, you really need to loosen up a little." He still made no move to stand, though - he certainly wasn't about to push Melissa off, both because that would be rude and, of course, because he found the press of her form on top of him extremely pleasant.
 
Midnight's Fury


In a flash, the hulking Lunar is next to Dis. A huge hand snakes out and grasps the musician's neck.


(Dex+Martial Arts+4 dice from 1st Dex Excellency= Results for 10 dice: 10 successes [ 8 7 0 0 1 6 8 8 0 4 ])


He gives a quick look to Melissa. Then, switching his gaze to Dis, Midnight's Fury's voice is low but intense. "You know how I loosen up?" His hand tightens around Dis's throat. "I beat the shit out of people. Go ahead. Make that gesture again...."
 
Dis


Melissa tumbled off his lap as Dis was yanked to his feet by the hulking Lunar's fist. He grinned at him, for even as the Lunar had moved to grab him, his fingers had slipped the Pick into the Axe, though the blades did not spring forth - he had something else in mind "Like I said." He croaked with a cocky grin. "Calm down.


This was the problem with having two males who both considered themselves Alphas, Dis reflected. It always turned into a damned pissing contest. We're all on the same side here. Now kindly get your hand off of my neck, and learn to take a joke, 'else someone's likely to end up dead.


Even as he said this, his strings were ready on the Axe, though he hoped it didn't come to that.


Dis isn't doing anything violent right now, but at the first sign of further aggression from Fury, this is what happens.

Dis' fingers moved, not in an obscene gesture, but over the strings of the Axe in a complicated motion that produced a solid blast of sound aimed directly at Fury's gut


Wheee... party time. Activating the Axe's sonic attack feature with 5m. Not sure whether your DV would apply here, since you're standing right in front of me, holding my neck, but my attack roll is...


Results for 16 dice: 12 successes [ 8 0 7 9 9 7 0 5 1 9 7 7 6 6 6 2 ] (TN: 7)


So yeah... I'll leave that one up to our ST. Here's two rolls, one if your DV applies, and the other if it doesn't.


Either


(12 + 10L) - 7L Soak (Piercing damage.) = 15L


Results for 16 dice: 10 successes [ 0 0 3 0 4 7 4 5 2 8 8 0 0 0 9 6 ] (TN: 7) (damage/extra)


or


(8 + 10L) - 7L Soak (Piercing Damage) = 11L


Results for 11 dice: 8 successes [ 8 8 7 1 4 7 7 7 8 8 6 ] (TN: 7) (damage/extra)
Click to expand...
 
Worthy to Be Beloved


Worthy's voice slices through the hypermasculine bravado like a silver knife cutting through an apple.


"Enough. Both of you. You forget where we are...and who we are."


She moves forward, staring at Dis. "The Nightfang is your brother, Harmonious Discord...he deserves neither your derision nor your slight regard. Save your mockery for our enemies."


She turns to Midnight's Fury. "Full Moon, you gave neither warning nor challenge before you laid hands on him...unfitting for one of Luna's Warriors..."


She glares at them both. "Now stop this childish nonsense at once! We have important decisions to make -- we can't waste time trying to establish dominance, as if we were a herd of elk."
 
Grinning Magpie


Grinning Magpie shakes her head at the pissing contest the two Lunars got into, and nods in agreement when Worthy intervenes. "Hell yeah, weasel-hunter!" she cheers, gesturing enthusiastically, before putting her hands on her hips and glaring at Dis and the big angry Full Moon. "Now she just won this dick-waving contest you both started, so no grudges, got it?"


After a moment, she turns and faces Fury, her every motion loose and fluid - ready to fight, if need be. "You need to keep your temper under control. He might be kind of a prick but he's still my Lunar Mate."


Finally, she reaches out and whacks Dis on the shoulder. "And you shoulda known better! You're all about the music and the parties and stuff, I'd thought you were more socially adept than that."


------


Man oh man oh man, Trowizilla's gonna kill me when she gets back online
 
Dis


Dis just grinned sheepishly and rubbed his neck as the ladies chastised him. "Yeah... sorry, my bad. I let my instinct for being a smartass get the better of me than it really shouldn't have." He grinned a little wider, and ruffled Magpie's hair affectionately. "And thanks for sticking up for me. Reminds me why I let you steal my tips after every show." He added with a wink


Then, he turned to Fury, and, drawing himself up, spoke. "Eh, look, I'm sorry. Bickering's pointless. 'nough people around trying to kill us, we don't need to do it ourselves. Anyway, it's nothing personal - I'm just an ass. 'S my nature." So saying, he extended his hand for the full moon to shake in a gesture of reconciliation.


Looking back at the ladies, he grinned. "Besides, if there are going to be dick-waving contests, it's more fun if they're literal, rather than metaphorical." Chuckling softly, he began to amble off towards the nearest excuse for civilization. "Let's see if we can't go find someone else to terrorize, eh?"
 
Melissa


"Heh."


The dark-skinned Lunar stood, straightening herself out, though with a certain air of being ready to wrinkle her clothes again.


"Lunar interaction encapsulated," she said simply, and smiled.
 
Midnight's Fury


(Limit roll: Results for 3 dice: 0 successes [ 6 3 2 ] - No Limit!)


The huge Lunar breathes heavily, shakes his head, and looks at Dis. "You're right. Enough people want us dead already." Pause. "And you are an ass." Pause. "But I can be...disagreeable. Some might say I'm an ass. It is what it is." Another pause. "Let's show our enemies what asses we can be." With that, Midnight's Fury looks at the proffered hand for a moment, then extends his own hand and shakes.


Now Fury turns to Worthy. "I gave him warning. I gave him a choice. He made one. Most fitting for one of Luna's Warriors." Yet another pause. "But your point is taken."


Addressing Grinning Magpie, Fury looks sideways at the silent Lin-Rei. "Mate or no, there is a price for being a prick. Or there can be a price for being a prick. I'll hold my anger if he holds his insults."


Fury's focus falls on Melissa. He starts to say something, closes his mouth, opens it, closes it once more, then shakes his head. The Full Moon addresses them all. "So are we agreed? We travel together?"
 
Dis


Dis grinned back at Melissa's comment. Well, I don't know about that. We didn't get to any of the really fun 'interaction.' Still, there's plenty of time."
 
The town is rather a pitiful sight: barely half the interlocking houses still stand, the rest burnt or crushed into the silty mud. It's pouring, part of the yearly monsoons that will soon bring the river water nearly to the doorstep of the raised buildings; although sodden, it's better than the muggy, insect-laden hot months before. The townspeople themselves appear to be enjoying the cool air, many of them taking their ease at the covered porches.


The pod of public buildings: the records-house, the meeting-hall cum Temple of Arasthul the Python-Tongued, and the inn all connect via raised bamboo walkways, so it's merely a few (if slippery) steps between them, or a few ladder-steps to the ground.


Perception + awareness checks! Roll for yourself and I'll trust the Ascendent Guardian of Dice to smack you if you cheat. Oh, and you're all in human form, yes?
 
Dis


Dis ascended into the trees, used to this sort of thing from... well, an entire life living in similar conditions. He headed for the tavern, his movements easy, casual, despite the inevitable stares from the villagers that his appearance and instrument would draw.

Edit:
8xD10: 4 9 3 5 3 3 4 10
Click to expand...
 
Worthy to Be Beloved


Like Dis, Worthy lived her entire life in the treetops prior to her Exaltation. Even now, walking on the ground still makes her twitchy. She moves easily along the bamboo walkways, her bare brown feet with their delicately boned long toes finding a footing without trouble.


(5xD10: 3 10 4 7 9 +3)
 
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