The Good Daughter (SirOni and Caulder)

[Tassadar]

Spoiler

Michael: HP = 46, PP = 36, EP = 34, Status = Fine
Lani: HP = 66, PP = 42, EP = 40, Status = Fine

The wind was picking up as Michael made his way down the path that had been beaten into the sand, the dirt road the only discernible difference as the mutated man made his way down the road. The sand that surrounded him swept against his form as the hot desert wind picked it up, sending particles of sand into his eyes. A storm was coming to the empty expanse, and Michael knew better than to stay outside during a sandstorm. That left him with the need to find shelter, and soon, lest he have his armored skin slowly blasted off by flying sand. A small, crumbling stone tower lay ahead, likely abandoned but offering shelter all the same. With the visibility being so poor, he didn't see it until he was a hundred feet away from it, but he would have plenty of time to reach it before the winds picked up in full.

~~~~~~~~~​

The water in this well was filthy! It was practically more dirt than water, as far as Lani could tell as she glared down into the bucket. The wind was beginning to howl outside, and some of the sand that the desert wind carried was coming in through the windows of the tower, though she only had to stick any part of herself out of the odor to figure out that it would be much worse if she actually stayed outside in the coming storm. Which meant that she was stuck in this smouldering tower until it cleared! With nothing but this filthy water and what little remained of the food she'd brought along with her when she had left home.

She had already begun to regret coming to the desert when she had realized how hot it was all the time, so different from the winter climate that she was used to. And now, she was going to be stuck in here for who knew how long, waiting out this storm with nothing to do! Glancing outside, however, she saw a figure moving through the gathering sandstorm, moving down the road toward her. Whoever they were, they were coming from the direction that she had been going before she had stopped here, and she couldn't quite see them well enough to make out anything about them. They were well out of her range too, especially in this storm....

 

[Caulder]

Re: A Chance Meeting (Occam's Razor and SirOni)

Michael sees the tower as it finally comes into view, his wings buzzing a few times on his back. "Finally!" he says out loud in a throaty voice, then hurries onward towards the tower. As he approached, his hands instinctively reached for his revolvers, and his bulbous tail began to grow a stinger dripping with poison of some kind. He wasn't about to be ambushed by ANOTHER giant scorpion, especially not in his only shelter from a sandstorm.

 

[SirOni]

Re: A Chance Meeting (Occam's Razor and SirOni)

"Dammit, how did I get this lost..." The young demoness thought to herself as she peered out the window, the beginnings of a sandstorm the only thing Lani can see. A sulk starting to develop Lani was about give in and wait out the sandstorm in a foul mood until a small figure coming closer to the tower caught her attention.

Taking out her pistols she waited until whatever it was drew closer to the temporary shelter, a smile spread across Lani's face as the young girl peered through the window, the figure turning out to be some kind of humanoid insect. Certainly a huge bounty would be on the head of a monstrosity such as that, the young girl thought to herself and leaning slightly out of the window the demoness fired off a warning shot.

"You, monster," Lani called out, her child-like voice almost a shout to be heard over the roaring of the wind. "Lay down your weapons now and I may kill you quickly."

 

[Caulder]

Re: A Chance Meeting (Occam's Razor and SirOni)

Michael stops moving the instant he hears a shot, his hands gripping his guns and drawing them, before he heard the voice. "Who are you calling a monster? I'm a proud Badarian!" he yells up at the tower, trying to find the source of the voice. "If you expect me to drop my guns, I'd rather die!" he shouts up at the tower. "Now how about you show yourself so I can call YOU names!"

 

[SirOni]

Re: A Chance Meeting (Occam's Razor and SirOni)

"Not a monster, looking like that..?" Lani thought to herself, back against the wall next to the window. Obliging the insectoid Lani stepped out in front of the window, pointing both guns at the waspman. "If you're not a monster, then why do you look like that, hmmm?" The young demoness asked mockingly, though with slight confusion in her voice.

 

[Caulder]

Re: A Chance Meeting (Occam's Razor and SirOni)

Michael caught a good glimpse of the woman aiming revolvers much like his own at him, and his stance went slack. "You ever been at the center of a massive demon invasion, lady? It's not pretty." he shouts up to her, slowly moving to holster his guns. "This just sort of...........Happened. I'm not too fond of itmyself. But don't go calling me a monster. I don't go around killing random travellers out of instinct." he yells, pointing a scaly finger up at her. "Now, are you going to stop pointing those guns at me and let me get out of this sandstorm, or are you content with letting a gunslinger be torn to shreds by these winds?"

 

[SirOni]

Re: A Chance Meeting (Occam's Razor and SirOni)

Lani sizes the odd-looking man up for a moment, her guns lowering but their aim never fully removed from him. After a few minutes scrutinising the man she holsters her pistols, spinning them around a few times before putting them away, confident that the man, currently, means her no harm. "I guess you can come in. But I don't want any funny business, I've been told what people are like and a cute girl like me can't be too careful."

 

[Caulder]

Re: A Chance Meeting (Occam's Razor and SirOni)

Michael nods and enters the tower, shaking himself free of the sand that had collected on his head and on the top of his tail. He had already retracted his stinger by this point, so as not to startle the girl inside the tower, but he would have it ready at a moment's notice should things get dicey. "Finally! A respite from that dreadful sandstorm." he says aloud, fluttering his wings a few times to ensure he had all the loose sand off of his person. "Thank you for not shooting me, miss. I'm mighty grateful for that." he says, looking up into the tower and hoping that the girl heard him

 

[SirOni]

Re: A Chance Meeting (Occam's Razor and SirOni)

"That sandstorm does seem to be coming in pretty quick," Lani comments, now sitting back down on the floor, her knee's brought up to her chest and her arms wrapped around her legs. "Kinda like a snowstorm, but y'know, not cold and wet. Not sure which is worse..."

 

[Caulder]

Re: A Chance Meeting (Occam's Razor and SirOni)

"At least a snowstorm doesn't carry the risk of peeling your flesh from your bones." Michael says, dusting himself off with his hands, which looked almost mangled from the thick, colored skin growing over them. "And what do you know about snowstorms? You ever been in one, missy?"

 

[SirOni]

Re: A Chance Meeting (Occam's Razor and SirOni)

"Eww, that sounds nasty," Lani comments, her face screwing up into a mock expression of disgust. "Though there's always the chance of freezing to death in a snowstorm. And yep, I've seen my fair share of snowstorms. Though that's what it's like in Crolia."

 

[Caulder]

Re: A Chance Meeting (Occam's Razor and SirOni)

Michael opens his mouth and sticks out what appears to be a tongue between his mandibles. "Hate Crolia. The weather there is too finicky for me." he says, retracting his tongue beforehand and looking at Lani "Which raises the question of why you're way out here in Anudorian territory."

 

[Tassadar]

Re: A Chance Meeting (Occam's Razor and SirOni)

Spoiler

Michael: HP = 46, PP = 36, EP = 34, Status = Fine
Lani: HP = 66, PP = 42, EP = 40, Status = Fine

Rolls

Spoiler

Perception: Both Fail.

Before Lani could answer Michael's question, the howl of the winds from outside redoubled in volume, indicating that the sandstorm had come in full. The wind kicked some of the sand into the small room through the door and windows, but they were easy enough to keep away from. At the same time, however, a low, wicked laughter began to bounce around the walls of the stone tower. The voice was vaguely feminine, though it was difficult to tell from the echoes and the ever present sound of the sandstorm outside.

"Oh, who do we have here? Company? I wasn't prepared for guests this evening! I shall have to insist that you both stay.... For dinner." A voice said, followed by another cackling laugh. Neither of them could locate the source of the voice, the sound of it bouncing around the walls and making the source impossible to discern. The ceiling seemed a likely candidate, but neither could see anything in the darkness above.

 

[SirOni]

Re: A Chance Meeting (Occam's Razor and SirOni)

Lani was about to reply to Michael until their conversation was cut off by the arrival of a less-than-friendly sounding voice. Rising to her feet the demoness reaches for her pistols. "Looks like we're not alone," Lani comments, her brow furrowing as the woman finishes talking. "Where are you?" The young girl calls out as she begins to channel her energies. Michael would notice the younger adventurers eyes glowing as she channels her spirit energy, her lips moving as she silently chants.

((Summon one Female Sorceress - 9 EP & 1 HP))

 

[Caulder]

Re: A Chance Meeting (Occam's Razor and SirOni)

Michael stands perfectly still, his hands coming to rest on his hips as he listens to the voice, trying to identify the source and failing. "Show yourself now and I promise I'll kill you quickly." he says, not even bothering to draw his revolvers until he had a clear indication of where the enemy was.

((Prepare sudden shot, wait for enemy to attack me.))

 

[Tassadar]

Re: A Chance Meeting (Occam's Razor and SirOni)

Spoiler

Michael: HP = 46, PP = 36, EP = 34, Status = Fine
Lani: HP = 65/66, PP = 42, EP = 31/40, Status = Fine

A moment after Lani's silent call for help, a soft giggle emanated from all around them, very different from the laugh of whatever was waiting in the shadows of the tower. In a flash of red light, a woman in a close fitting red gown appeared beside her. Tiny horns curved up from her head, and a long tail ending in a spade snaked slowly around behind her. "You called, little Lani? What seems to be the problem?" She said, eying her surroundings until her gaze settled on Michael. Pursing her lips, she quietly said; "Oh. Him."

Before that line of thought could go any further, however, the voice of their "host" spoke out again from the shadows above, now filled with mocking reproach; "Such rudeness in the face of my generous hospitality!" The malicious laugh surrounded them once more, followed by a sudden grinding sound, like metal moving against stone. Metal bars suddenly dropped to block off the door into the tower, as well as all of the windows. "Why, I am all around you! I am everywhere, and everything... And you cannot hide from me."

Another grinding sound, this time stone against stone, sounded as part of the stone wall of the well in the center of the tower shifted. The stone floor slid aside, revealing a set of stairs leading downwards into darkness. A light suddenly flickered to life below, and the voice of their host echoed from below; "Come down, into my parlor, my sweets.... So that I might... Entertain you. The third is welcome to join you, of course."

 

[SirOni]

Re: A Chance Meeting (Occam's Razor and SirOni)

Lani looks confused for a moment, her head cocked to one side before she quickly realises what the Sorceress was talking about. "Oh, no not him you dummy, I mea-" Lani is cut off mid-sentence as the haunting voice speaks once more.

"Well, now you know who our target is," Lani comments once the voice had stopped talking and the stairs are revealed. "...looks like we have to deal with whoever this is now, huh? Not sure I like the idea of going down though... Oh well, guess we can't leave until we do. Everyone ready?"

 

[Caulder]

Re: A Chance Meeting (Occam's Razor and SirOni)

Michael remains callm, holding out his right arm and motioning for the two to stay behind, before grasping his gun belts and adjusting them up on his waist. "I'll take point. Wouldn't do any good for me to let a lady do all the work." he says, then places his hands down at his hips, very close to his guns, as he begins to stride down the stairs. "First a giant scorpion, now some woman who wants to have tea and biscuits. What next?" he asks out loud though in a hushed tone.

 

[SirOni]

Re: A Chance Meeting (Occam's Razor and SirOni)

As the group make their way down the stairs Lani quickly runs up to Michael, grabbing him by the arm to indicate she wants his attention. "Uh hey..." The young demoness starts, her voice barely audible. Unsure how the man will take her request Lani hesitates, though quickly plucks up the courage. "You're a bug, right? Can you... hrm... poison people?"

 

[Caulder]

Re: A Chance Meeting (Occam's Razor and SirOni)

Michael scoffs as his stinger juts out from his tail suddenly. "I wouldn't have survived this long without it. Why do you ask, missy?" he responds, looking down at Lani hugging his arm as he thumbs the revolver on his left side, tapping the wooden grip a few times as he thinks about what to do.