A New Arrival Arrives In The Asylum [Action]

[have_hat_will_travel]

[She was supposed to be free. Free to return home. To her Queen's service. To being what she was supposed to be, rather than what circumstances had forced her to be.

That was what Pidonus felt, as her eyes opened to reveal an unfamiliar cavern. Lights of white, walls of blue, and... Some kind of steel cocoon, which she had apparently been sleeping in. Her muscles ached a bit. The sensation of sleep, itself, was strange to the succubus. Almost nostalgic, to times better left forgotten. Times she almost had forgotten, even if they'd been three-fourths of her life so far, in total.

No time for that. She needed to take stock of her situation. Her personal items, first. She had her clothes - like those meant much. She had the Haversack... Empty. And her one magic ring, linking to an extradimensional space. She'd need to inspect it's contents, but Pidonus was willing to bet it would be devoid of everything she'd picked up in Exsilium, too. In other words, if adventuring was to be a thing here, she'd need to get gear fresh.

That left just one last thing. The white box that had been on her stomach when she awoke. It contained a nonmagical necklace (bah, too long a chain, she'd have to tighten it around her neck later), a device similar to Exsilium's tablets (easy enough), and what must be some local currency and a tiny scrap of guidebooking. She placed the items in a pocket for the moment.

Twelve exits. All looked the same. So just roll 1d12, with the one her feet had been pointing to as 1 and going clockwise... Seven. That worked. She spun to the left and slipped off... Into two inches of clear water. Thank the Abyss for well-sealed leather boots. Sure, Pidonus could just use her shapeshifting to restore her clothes any time she wanted - particularly since nothing from Exsilium had followed her - but it was the principle of the matter.

Outward she went, stopping at a magazine stand full of flyers. Oh, look, an explanation. Hopefully, she wouldn't have to try and play at heroism again. It had cut too deep against her nature last time. Softened her, really. She couldn't let that happen again. Quickly, she perused the note. An apartment key? Oh, amongst the money. Maybe she'd use that... But then, she had been an adventuress of a sort. And a name. Well, two, but if one wasn't around anymore, Rei Hino was the relevant one.

Then, there was light. And populace. It kind of reminded her of the times she'd explored the twentieth century while on missions back in Exsilium, more than anything. Cars, people, landmarks... Not very well laid out, it seemed. Still, it was something. Something she could explore. Tame, at least a little.

She was a succubus, desire given form. She had stats optimized for her powers, both natural and trained. Good class and prestige class selections, meaning she had utility to work with. But she also needed things. Items, for one. With just two of them on her, she was way below wealth-by-level. Worse, no allies. Pidonus needed allies - her abilities didn't hold up against even rather below-level threats when she was alone.

[All of that meant... Well, for one, it meant she was wandering more-or-less absentmindedly, taking in some random bits of Genessia and trying to figure her situation out enough to do something. At which point, she'd probably bump into someone of interest. She'd need to think on her feet, whatever came up, that was for sure.

She liked to think she was good at that. Really, she wasn't. Perhaps she bumped into you?]

Comments

[koishi_komeiji]

Koishi was once again hanging around the bay, enjoying the cooling scent of the water, drifting lazily through the air on her back unseen above the heads of any passerbys. Her hat was resting gently on her chest, allowing the sun to meet her pale face. It was such a lovely day. She only opened her eyes when she heard splashing, sitting up and replacing her hat back on her head as she righted herself, drifting a bit higher as she waited for the newcomer to come out of the bay. She loved meeting new people.

The little youkai could sense their confusion inside, focusing on the shape and presence of their mind. Such a lovely and strong mental shape and tone. And certainly not a human one. It reminded her somewhat of the Scarlet Devil Mansion back home... and found her interest piqued. Even moreso when the newcomer finally exited, Koishi's eyes brightening significantly. ...

What a magnificent hat! She drifted down, heavy boots clunking down behind the succubus as she began to follow her. "Miss?" The demon would notice her eventually... probably. "Hello Miss! Can you see me?" She focused on becoming visible, though it wasn't easy. "Hello?"

[have_hat_will_travel]

As Koishi landed, Pidonus turned around quickly. "Ah? Were you watching for new people?"

Okay, standard methods here. She didn't realize Koishi had a sense of her mind at this point, so there was definitely a bit of surprise in her thoughts that didn't show in her confident face. Someone who was well-trained to be an actor, then.

A pity that reading someone else's thoughts took concentration for the succubus. It made it hard to hide.

[koishi_komeiji]

"Ah! Miss! You can see me!" She drifted up into the air getting very much into the succubus's space. She was strange, lacking the presence of other living things, her frame almost partially dissolved... Though she was clearly there at the same time.

"Miss? What are you? You're not human. I can see that. Your mind is an unusual shape. It reminds me of the big red devil mansion back home. Miss Redwings lived there and she would bake bread things shaped like moons and she would always give me one." Her third eye hovered up, swaying slightly from side to side.

After a moment she straightened up, grasping her hand tightly and shaking it vigorously. "It's nice to meet you Miss! My name is Koishi Komeiji! I'm a satori youkai, but don't worry. You don't have to be scared. I can't read minds anymore!"

[have_hat_will_travel]

Pidonus jumped a bit as Koishi suddenly approached. "E-erm, wait, what? I'm sorry, I just..."

She blinked a couple of times, especially as Koishi approached... And a third eye, attached to her but separate somehow. "Erm. Pidonus Marasia? And... Uh, what? Is that anything like Illithid?"

She didn't recognize the term, apparently. At all.

[koishi_komeiji]

Her third eye drifted over to the other side, the two arteries on other side adjusting accordingly. A bit over her left shoulder twisted itself into a loose heart. "That's a very nice name. But I can't remember names anymore since the world tilted. So I'm going to call you Miss. Okay?"

She had to pause for a moment, her smile vanishing, tilting her head, luminous eyes studying the demon's face... It didn't last long, her cheerful expression returning. "I don't know what an illithid is! I'm a Satori youkai. We read and manipulate the conscious mind. But I can't do that anymore. I can read and manipulate the subconscious mind instead! And yours is really pretty miss!"

[have_hat_will_travel]

"World... Tilted?"

Pidonus seemed very uncomfortable at Koishi's explanation. To let someone sense into her subconscious - all the conflict, all the evil within, et cetera - seemed a very good way to let herself get revealed before she could even get any schemes going. Very not good, given she knew so little of the situation...

[koishi_komeiji]

She continued as though the succubus hadn't said anything. "Your mind is so lovely. It's harsh and soft and full of light. A lot of yellow and some greens too. It all streaks upward on a warm charcoal base saturated with liquid metal. It's really really lovely but really hard to describe. I'm making sense, right?"

She saw in abstraction apparently.

"I really like you Miss. You're mind is sharp and clear and pleasant to look at. Please don't crackle, okay? If you crackle the colors become muddied."

[redsnowangel]

Hm?

[Zelos, too, was wondering around town that evening, when he noticed an unfamiliar girl nearby. Given how close they were to the bay, she was probably a new arrival.

And so, he goes over to introduce himself.]

Well hey there, sweetheart~ Don't think I've seen you around here before.

[have_hat_will_travel]

[Oh, good. Someone hitting on her. This was a little more Pidonus' element. A lot more, in fact. Naturally, by the time she'd gotten clear of Koishi and started to travel around on her own again, she'd disguised her demonic traits a bit more.]

I'd sure hope not, given I'm new around here. That'd be really, really strange.

[redsnowangel]

Yeah, tell me about it... Besides, I would never forget a pretty face like yours~

[He grinned, offering her a wink. Hitting on hunnies was what Zelos did best.]

[have_hat_will_travel]

Oh my.

[Pidonus chuckled a bit. Then again, with how she dressed, it was obvious she was someone who rather enjoyed this sort of thing.]

My name is Pidonus. It doesn't mean much of anything. Weird parents.

[... Well, weird queen. Pidonus had a more normal name, back when she was human, but she couldn't remember it anymore. Oh well.]

And yourself?

[redsnowangel]

Pidnous? Hey, that's a pretty unique name~ I like it~

[Weird parents, huh? Zelos chose not to ask.]

The name's Zelos. Zelos Wilder.

[have_hat_will_travel]

[Good, because that story'd fall RIGHT the hell apart.]

Pleased to meet you. Good to see someone around these parts has a real fashion sense.

[melonsaregreat]

[She may or may not notice Yukihime staring at her for a while.]

So what are you supposed to be?

[Her personal opinion on outfits like that is that you can't just walk around wearing them, you have to make an entrance.

Rain destruction on the foolish mortals dressed in the magical equivalent of skimpy nightwear? Badass. Walk around town taking in the sights? A letdown at best.]

[have_hat_will_travel]

I'm me. This is just a uniform.

[The girl chuckled a bit, turning towards the taller woman and starting to take measure of her a little. Quietly, she used detect thoughts - it'd take her quite a few seconds to actually get at the girl's thoughts, but a few seconds would let her take stock of the strength of the girl's mind.

Pidonus, of course, didn't expect the possibility that Yukihime could tell she was using magic - well, magic-like abilities - when she didn't need to move or anything to use them.]

Sorry to disappoint.

[Pidonus was already ignoring the sense of impending pain and suffering, as usual. Oops.]

[melonsaregreat]

[She's not exactly easy to read. She seems inherently resistant to the magic in the first place, and her mind was unquestionably powerful. A strong will even from birth, a domineering personality, the control and flexibility that came with mastery of magic... and above all else the strength that came with depth of experience, life lived in long alterations between the quick, times of agility and emotion and spontaneity, and slow, almost ascetic contemplation. By turns in the pace of the world and turned in on herself.

But of course there can only be the most fleeting and inexact impression of all this, because that same strength turns such low-level magic aside as though it were nothing at all.

And it'd be easy to think you must have caught hold of thoughts from somewhere else somehow, because Yukihime's response is all irritated pique and not much in the way of finely aged wisdom.]

A uniform for what? A junior varsity evil wizard? A stripper with a deformed skull?

[At that she reaches out and tries to snatch the hat off, like she's seriously considering that theory or something.]

[have_hat_will_travel]

[Good news: Pidonus knew this girl was powerful. She could make a decent ally if talked to the right way.

Bad news: She had gone for Pidonus' hat. Pidonus LIKED her hat.

Worse News: Pidonus had just near-reflexively slapped the girl's arm away as she reached for it. She, of course, had no idea just who she was dealing with to say that.]

Bard, with various supporting trainings to do better with the bard's magical music!

[With the amount of magic, her admittedly well-developed body, and her mode of dress, Yukihime could probably pretty easily figure out Pidonus was, in fact, probably a Succubus or some similar lust-powered being of evil... A fairly powerful one, though nothing close to her level... And frankly kind of bad at her job. Though she wasn't lying at all about the bard part.]

[melonsaregreat]

[Sorry Pidonus you're going to have to do more than be magical, busty, and questionably dressed for her to jump to the conclusion 'sex demon'. It's not like those wouldn't describe Yukihime herself, after all.]

So you're like a sexy pied piper?

Hedge magic is always amazing in its own way.

[Though the demon would be forgiven for not really paying attention to the mostly-snide comment since she's suddenly sitting on the ground on the opposite side of Yukihime with only a brief sensation of inexplicable flight to account for it.]

[have_hat_will_travel]

[Pidonus blinked twice, as she realized that this girl had flipped her onto the ground. At least it hadn't been enough to break past her damage reduction...]

... Ow... H-hold on, Bards aren't like freaky hypnotists or anything! I can grant people courage to help them strike harder. A-and I know quite a bit of direct magic, too...

[She was still winded, but she definitely protested.]

[skirtcladgunner]

[Tori had gone out to grab a few things for herself and Jeb. Needless to say, those things get dropped the moment she spots Pidonus.]

Holy shit--no way! [Is it really her?!]

[have_hat_will_travel]

... Tori?

[Pidonus stops COLD in mid-walk, as she recognizes the silver-haired girl's voice. And clearly, was recognized in turn.]

... Uh.

Hi?

[skirtcladgunner]

[She never thought she'd see anyone she was even somewhat close to (truth be told, she never really got truly close to anyone), so seeing Pidonus is quite a surprise. They had been at least close enough that Tori rushes up to her and tries to give her a big hug.

Buddy!]

[have_hat_will_travel]

[Pidonus quickly hugged Tori back, smiling in surprise.]

... It is you. Whoa.

[skirtcladgunner]

[She pulls back, grinning.]

Hell yeah, it's me! I'm just glad it's you, too!

[This would be pretty damn awkward otherwise.]

[have_hat_will_travel]

Oh? You don't just go hugging random strangers in the street?

[Pidonus chuckled a bit.]

Too bad I lost basically everything from Exsilium when I got sent here...