genessia | [Action | Closed] It pains you, doesn't it?

Who: Ni and Alleyana
What: Ni is harassing Alley instead of Amberdrake this time around
Where: A bar in Everglade
Warnings: Will update as needed.

Of the five cities, Everglade was the least useful to Ni. Attleton would've filled that spot, if not for two of its inhabitants. Everglade had promise on the surface, but further digging had shone him that it provided neither the strong magic or technology of the rest. It did a good job of generating its own stress and chaos, he left it be for the most part, it didn't entertain him.

Ni was here now on the trail of another 'friend' of Genjyo Sanzo's. With Koumyou around, Ni was staying clear of Amberdrake for a while, to let things settle. Inquisitor Alleyana Lavellan was a less interesting target, though still a thing the youngest Sanzo had gotten attached to. He'd gotten himself stranded and gone and made friends again! The idea fueled Ni's contempt for the inferior monk. When would he learn better? Not before Ni had the chance to crush his existence around him, hopefully.

In shabby labcoat and bunny slippers, he meandered his way down the streets of Everglade, not the least bit worried about whatever horrors might roam at night. He was much scarier than any of them! He took his time making his way to the bar where he knew Alleyana would be, no need to rush or look like he cared.

His ruffled, eccentric appearance, complete with stuffed rabbit under one arm, didn't even earn him stares here! Tough group to please, living in a 'haunted' city. He shuffled up to the bar to order something stupid and sweet enough to make his teeth ache, acting like he hadn't spotted Alleyana already. Maybe she'd think she caught him trying to be sneaky, surely she'd been warned about him. She had sharp eyes.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Sharp eyes indeed, but the Inquisitor was currently busy at a nearby table, arm-wrestling some huge hulking monster thing over a bottle of something that smelled like fire and battery acid.

A small crowd had formed around the match as the much smaller elf held her ground, grinning sharp and mean over her gauntlet clasped in the big creature's meaty hand. She couldn't even grip the table with her other hand, because she... well, lacked her other hand. Her left fore-arm was still just a bar of dragonbone, despite her earlier attempts to get something more sophisticated made.

Shortly after Ni's fruity drink arrived, Alley finally slammed the back of the monster's hand down on the table, winning. The crowd was a mix of disappointed and pleasantly surprised.

Ni took a sip of his drink and, through considerable effort, managed not to grimace. Too sweet. So she was strong, he had seen evidence of that already. She didn't have her strange- spirit?- companion with her tonight, the thing always got nervous when he was too close, so that was convenient.

He sauntered over and took the place of the shamed monster with a practiced clumsy awkwardness. Spilling some of his drink was an acceptable loss. The bunny took its place on his lap, the ears peeking over the edge of the table.

"How do'ya do?" he asked with cheer. There was no point in pretending she wouldn't know who he was.

"Look, if you're here to challenge me too, you'd better bring something less..." the Inquisitor peered at Ni's drink for a second, "well, that."

She gave her won bottle a cautious sniff, then re-corked it. She wasn't altogether certain it was drinkable for her, even by the standards of someone who drank with the Chargers. It'd make one hell of a molotov cocktail, though.

"I wouldn't dream of it," Ni said in a cheery voice. He could bring actual battery acid if she really wanted to risk that. It would be worth seeing if she'd try it, less fun if she tried to throw it at him.

"Uh... huh," Alleyana sat back a bit in her chair, folding her arm and the bar that stood in for her other. "So what are you here for, then? Got tired of skulking around at a distance?"

"Skulking?" Ni replied, put out. "That's not fair, I was just keeping an eye out. For a friend of a friend."

He took a sip of his drink. Still disgusting. There were pink downs on the cuff of his lab coat from where he'd spilled it earlier.

"Your spirit friend must be quite useful to have around."

"Skulking," Alleyana confirmed, staring intently. Unlike Amberdrake, she didn't bother to hide when she was studying someone under a glass. "A friend of a friend, is it? The way I hear it, you don't do 'friends', and all mine are good enough to do their own skulking if they wanted to."

"You don't have that many friends here, Inquisitor, I don't think that's a fair judgement, to compare me to them." He'd seen how well Genjyo Sanzo did his 'skulking' anyway, not very impressive. Not everyone could be as adept as her strange spirit pet.

"Was there something you wanted to ask, or are you just going to stare? No one likes it when you stare at them."

"Quality over quantity, I say," and she leaned forward a little, a faint smirk pulling at her thin, scarred lips. "And I don't know, you're the one who plopped down into easy staring range. What reaction were you hoping for? 'Fraid I don't have any pearls to clutch all dramatic-like."

"You don't? I would've never guessed. You seem the type for elegant gowns and high end venues." Ni gestured to the rest of the bar, as if proving his point.

"No you're more the rough protector type aren't you? Does it feel good to be the strongest of your 'friends'? They're all so weak."

"I've done that sort of place before. Didn't bother with a dress, though, that's true enough. Be a bit like wrapping a notched up old bastard sword in silk, wouldn't it?"

Besides, the uniform Josie had designed for their group had actually looked quite sharp on the hatchet-faced Inquisitor. And, it had been easy to pull her armor on over it when it was go-time.

"That other bit though, that's just funny," Alleyana's faint smirk grew, "is this the part where I'm supposed to brag about the sorts I usually roll with? No? I think you're more interested in the sorts I've got here. And that's what's put me on your radar, isn't it? It's all about that obsession you've got with that bitchy bag-of-bones of a priest."

"I can't be interested in you alone?" Ni wasn't quite sure how her answer about her companions had much to do with what he said, but he rolled with it. "I can't say I'm very interested in what few tag-a-longs you have here, no. As I said, they're all very weak."

"Oh?" Alley didn't buy it for a minute. If Ukoku was interested, it was purely because she hung out with Sanzo. "What's so interesting about me, then? Got a thing for pointy ears?"

"And claws," Ni quipped with a grin. Well, she asked.

"What isn't there to be interested by? You are the- former- leader of a grand military force, you command respect even here, and you're familiar with someone that wields the power to transport your unlucky soul to various worlds just like this. Most of us arrive by chance, you know?" Alley had been the easiest target to gather information on, with all the ranting she did when drunk.

"Uh... huh," Alleyana unfolded her arms to toy with the bottle she'd won. It was starting to look more appealing, battery acid smell and all. "Well, if you're hoping for a meeting with Fen'Harel, I'm afraid you'll have to get in line."

Behind her. She had some serious unfinished business with Solas.

[Action | Closed] It pains you, doesn't it?

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject