Log View

From Exalted MUSH
Jump to navigation Jump to search


Source Contents
Black Pearl Black Pearl--True Talon in one of the fae guises--and Precious Breath have made their way back to the fortress, Pearl asking Breath about what there is, and, as in most places, the servants are the weak point. One who is willing to imitate one of low estate, and have a perfect right to be there, can go far. And so she swims, fluid and graceful to where the fate of the camp will be decided. "We're almost there. I am not sure if you want to be conspicuously somewhere else so that your mistress is above reproach, or if you wish to come with me. Though even then, we can prove that the food is not poisoned, so as long as you are well away from Vain, no-one should suspect."
Amethyst Sharing the intimitate details of everything Black Pearl could want to know about, except for anything actually involving Glorious, the fae swims along with the dragon. She gives a subtle grin, "I'll be hidden somewhere nearby if you need me. I'm not sure how well I'd be welcomed in this place nowadays anyway." She's changed into her own disguise, looking like one of the regular grunts rather than her pretty green scales. "Just be careful and we should be fine. I'll be nearby if you need me." And with that, one can see her body glow for a moment, lose its shape, and then vanish entirely. But you can still hear her unearthly chuckle as you go.


The fortress is much like it was before. Gale is out in the front this time, drilling his men, trying to instill discipline into them, and simply devouring any who upset him. He's clearly in one hell of a foul mood, but fortunately he's not really paying attention to those outside his unit.

Black Pearl True Talon makes her way tot he kitchen then, matching the mood of those around her as she goes into the kitchens and looks for the...'cooks' is far too grandiose a word, it seems, and the ones who have to /take/ the concoction out. Complaining just a bit under her breath, as all grunts do when they don't think superiors will hear.
Amethyst "Hey, you the one here to take Gale his lunch?" One of the grunts asks of True Talon. She holds herself tall and proud, perhaps of a slightly higher rank, maybe even the one in charge of the kitchen. And she has a pot filled with gods who know what, and she's gesturing at it. "He gets pretty cranky when he's hungry, I wouldn't keep him waiting."
Black Pearl "Yeah, and then supposed to get the guards their lunches as well. Prisoners, too. If they've been good," True Talon replies. "And isn't Gale pretty cranky all the time?" She shakes her head and chuckles, "And besides, he's been snacking on those poor sods out there he's drilling, if they mess up."
Amethyst "I'll worry about the guards, you just get him his food so he stops snacking on those poor sods." She tells True Talon, thrusting the pot at her. And she leans in, "Just be glad that you're here with us and not with him." And she leans back, "If you're lucky he won't devour you too." And she laughs like it's the funniest joke.

One can only imagine how hellish it is for these mutants.

Black Pearl "I'd reward /anyone/ who kept me from getting eaten by Gale," Talon says with a laugh and a wink, before taking the pot and heading back, frustrated at being stymied, but still there will be other chinks. And if she gets back soon... She swims quickly back out to the drill area, before setting the pot down and, after waiting for a break, calls to Gale. "I bring food! Eat well and be full!"
Amethyst Outside, Gale turns to look at True Talon and the food brought out. He leans over, like a gaint crab evaluating a potential meal. "Eat well? You here this? We have good food!" And it's clearly a joke that doesn't get any laughs, until he glares at the unit. And then they all give a forced laugh. "You look tasty yourself. Maybe I'll fill up on you both, mmm?" And he has this smile that goes from ear to ear. But then he just grabs the pot and turns away, shoving the entire thing into his maw and crushing. One can hear the sounds of ceramic breaking. And then he starts to reach for Pearl.
Black Pearl As he turns away, she starts to slide away, trying to be out of range as he starts to reach for her. And she smiles. "I'm sorry, Gale, but I'm under orders to not be eaten, and I can't disobey." She smiles back, "But perhaps tonight if you have other...appetites?" Tring to stay away from the grasping genearl
Amethyst With a single loud /crunch/ he finishes eating the pot and all. "Whose orders?!" That gets him pretty good. "Vain is gone, Glorious is stupid, and Princess Maana's gonna betray us."

"So who are you to say that you ain't allowed to be eaten by me?" And as if on cue, his stomach looses one hell of a howl. "Who's to say I have any other appetites but to eat those who disappoint me?" His eyes are narrowed.

Black Pearl True Talon's eyes gleam, almost smouldering, and she smiles, "Well, if you ate me now, I woulnd't be able to come to you tonight, after everything is settled, could I?" Voice warmer, huskier. "But right now, I need to get back to the kitchens, or else they're going to flay me alive."
Amethyst One can see Gale's eyes change, from a ravanous hunger to something... more. "Mmm, I see." He chuckles, "You have a lot of balls. Just be careful that I don't eat you in other ways~" Somehow his lust is more unnerving than his rage. "Your pretty little soul might not survive the night~"

He licks his lips and walks away and gets back to training his troops. He seems to be going just a little less hard on them now that his mind is... elsewhere.

Black Pearl Black Pearl flits back to the kitchens then, and looks about to see who is there. A little nerveous, perhaps, but who wouldn't be after such an encounter with Gale? And so she has to slow down just a bit before getting back and walking in. "Well, I'm back. Didn't get eaten but he /did/ eat the pot. At least I don't have to /wash/ it."
Amethyst The same lady before is unsurprised. "He always eats the pot. Dunno how you convinced him not to eat you, but good on you. That said I do have more dishes that need doing." She explains, beckoning for you to follow her. "What's your name, anyway? I don't recognize you."
Black Pearl "Said he might eat me later, 'but in a good way'," Talon replies with a chuckle. "And I'm True Talon. Who are you?" She goes to the dishes, then. "Sounds like he's trying to take over, as well. With 'Vain gone and Glorious stupid'..." She shakes her head.
Amethyst "Ever since Vain betrayed them things haven't been the same. Everyone's pointing knives at everyone else. I just pray Glorious leaves us kitchen folks alone." The lady says, "I'm Cutting Bone. Are you a new arrival or somethin'?" And then she calls across the kitchen, "Hey, make sure you put extra sludge in that one, it's going to Vain and Glorious still wants us to treat him 'well'"

"Sorry, where was I?"

Black Pearl "Yes, pretty new," Talon replies only to be interrupted. And when she's asked aagain, she smiles, "You were going to send me with the next pot to the guards. Then scrubbing everything here," she sighs, "And then I either go to Gale for the night, or hide. Really well. What's your suggestion on that?"
Amethyst "Even if you survive your... how in the hell did you manage to get Gale interested in you enough to want to spend a, 'night' with you? Hide. Run. You don't want that. Trust me." Cutting Bone says. "And right, uh, just work on dishes for now, you'll get a chance to deliver the pot later." She shakes her head and goes off to attend to other matters. Something about rush hour coming within an hour or two and that they need to be ready. Something about a riot happening yesterday.
Black Pearl True Talon shakes her head and starts to scrub the dishes then. "Riot?" She asks one of the others. "Do I even want to know?" But for now, she wants to fit in, to blend in and get that chance later. She shakes her head. "This is getting worse and worse, it seems."
Amethyst "We weren't ready in time, and they practically tore down our doors. It was bad, until Gale started eating folks." One of the other grunts explains. Washing dishes underwater is definitely a weird experience. Perhaps especially for someone who's used to getting servants to do it for her? Either way it feels like forever before Bone comes back with a tray of much smaller bowls.

"Alright, off you go. Tell the guards I sent ya." She says.

Black Pearl "Of course," True Talon says, and ducks her head. And if she wasn't the most skilled, she still put everything into it, and didn't shirk at least. So now, now she gets the tray and starts to head off towards the prison. "I'll be back when they let me," she calls back.
Amethyst Heading to the hallway, in one particularly empty segment Precious Breath whispers, "You're doing fine, and you're out of your mind if you think you can sleep with Gale and not get your soul ripped to shreds." She warns. "Just keep swimming and you'll be fine. Just be warned we may have something of a problem..."
Black Pearl "What is it? If it's something I have to deal with? As for Gale, well...going to become someone else once we're done here." True Talon shivers a bit, "On the other hand, it did get him to not actually eat me back there. Much rather have the time to figure out how to deal with things later than be et."
Amethyst "You'll see."

Ahead is the entrance to the lower part of the fortress, where the dungeon is located. The two guards flank either side of the door. "Halt, what business do you have?" Complete with them crossing their spears.

Black Pearl "Cutting Bone sent me with food for all of you," True Talon replies readily. "Can't have you left out at all," she says with a warm smile.
Amethyst The guards are pleasantly surprised, lower their spears and grab their bowls. "About time." "We were supposed to have this hours ago." "Ever since vain got locked up this place has gone to shit." You hear them murmur to each other. They seem to be letting you pass.
Black Pearl Black Pearl nods. "Hopefully things will get better," she says, and then swims deeper, and through the corridors, hallways, looking for places to hide, to escape, guards, what have you. Anything and everything is useful.
Amethyst A few empty and unlocked cells, some corners here and there, but also distant voices. "Nothing you're saying Vain is making any sort of sense. What you seem to be implying is Maana has somehow escaped her deal with us. But since you're here, we both know that's not true." That voice... is Glorious.

"Told you, problem." Precious quietly whispers to Pearl.

Black Pearl The assassin thinks a second. But the conclusion is fast: Glorious is off-limits for harm. For the moment, at least, until Vain is dealt with. "I think I might have to drop things off, and then simply become water until he leaves. And then do that myself. There's no way I can...distract Glorious sufficiently while he's here and suspicious. Unless...how worried is he about Gale trying to take over?"
Amethyst "I dunno how she's doing it, or what she thinks she's doing, but I'm convinced that note came from Maana. Who else do we know who could fake such a forgery, or perhaps waltz into Elderloch undetected to get it for real?" The other voice isn't familiar, but it must be Vain's. "Or else it's those damn Exalted's doing. Either way, the longer you keep me, in this cell, not running the fortress, the more it will suffer. The riot yesterday is just the beginning. You /need/ me Glorious."

"I don't need ANYONE." One can hear his voice echo through the jail cells. Followed by the slamming of a door. "Fine. I'll let you out, after I've crushed Elderloch. I will /order/ Maana to have the dream-souled and the rest of the chain of command dead by the end of the week. If she refuses or fails, I will devour her heart. Then there will be no opposition left, and even if you did betray me."

"There would be no one left for you to turn to." Glorious finishes his rant with a blissful moment of silence.


Probably just long enough for Pearl to do something before she crosses paths with him.

Black Pearl The best way to hide is...to pretend to have just been coming in, and so True Talon calls out, "Meal time! Hope you're ready because it's the only chance you get!" And only then, does she allow herself to notice things and shrink back against the wall, to be well out of Glorious's way as he goes back. "Pardon me, sir! I didn't know you were here!"
Amethyst Glorious regards True Talon for a moment, narrows his eyes and knocks the tray out of her hands and continues on without speaking another word. Pearl can hear Precious let out a breath.

But now, all that's left are the bars, the now toppled bowls of mystery gloop, and silence. No one else is in this particular hallway, just you and breath and vain.

Black Pearl Black Pearl waits a moment, and then picks up the bowls and gets as much sludge as possible before going to the locked cell. "Vain? Supper. I'm sorry about the mess," she says. She holds the bowl just ouside the cage door so he'll have to come out and reach for it. Awkward, but that's what she needs to be now. And wait for just the right time...
Amethyst "Hmm?" Vain raises his head and gets up. "Ah, food at last. I was starting to worry that the supply chain had completely broken down without my oversight." He goes to take the bowl. "Thank you, mmm, I don't remember your name."

"Listen to me for a moment. I know I'm imprisoned here and I cannot tell you what to do or give you orders, but, I have a request."

Black Pearl When he reaches to take the bowl, she reaches her other hand to touch his hand, and a tweak of Essence lets the fell malady twine into him unassuming and unawares. "Tell me. I may not be able to fill it, but I may be able to get it to a friendly ear."
Amethyst "If Maana truly has found a way to betray us, I'm sure she'll find a way to kill me to release her from Glorious' oath. Glorious knows this, but we don't have the means to stop her or her assassins. It's why Glorious managed to force her hand on the open battlefield. If not for his cleverness, she would've rebuilt her court from his ashes."

"But what I want you to do has nothing to do with me. Either she'll off me or Glorious will finally snap and do it himself. I await death. But someone needs to keep the fortress running, oversee the supply chains, ensure the cooks do their part and ensure that everything keeps operating smoothly. I doubt you have the talent yourself, but maybe see if you can find someone who does. Otherwise..."

"There's going to be a lot of death and starving before we even get a chance to set foot on the battlefield. You saw the riots. That'll only be the beginning."

Black Pearl "If she does, there will be no trace of involvement, no proof of anything," True Talon says with a sigh. "I have some talent in administration, and making things run smoothly. What I do not have is any /authority/. If there is anything you can grant me--a token or signet--or I can simply make the case to the others that /someone/ needs to run things, even if they are no general."
Amethyst That gives him pause, making him contemplate, before reaching into his clothing and pulling out a little medallion. "Everyone will know that I've trusted you with my task if you bare this, even after my passing. Glorious will not be pleased, however, but he has less friends by the day. Take it. Be the Strategos that I no longer can be."
Black Pearl Pearl takes the medallion. "I accept your charge." She straightens formally and nods gravely. "I must go, though." She gives a crooked smile. "Save what I can lest this army fracture." And then she starts to head back out.
Amethyst "Oh yeah, one last thing." Vain calls out. Then there's a pause, almost nervous. But nothing ever comes. "Sorry, you can go."

The way back isn't anything special, until Precious whispers again, "He knows what we just did. I have no idea why he trusts us, but I don't like this. But every word of what he said is true to the best of my knowledge."

Black Pearl "Since he is going to die anyway, he wants those he was responsible for taken care of," Talon returns. "And maybe he tells Glorious the new Strategos is betraying him. But...an attack in a week! Not a month!" She closes her eyes. "That has to get out. And I need to become someone else if I dont want to end up in Gale's bed." She quiets until they get out past the guards.

"I could make sure they are in fighting trim. Or starving before the attack. Including your Court." She squeezes the medallion.

Amethyst "It might take a week for him to die." Precious warns. "I could go warn the others if you're to stay behind. Our best outcome is making the troops loyal only to yourself. But if I do leave, you'll be all alone here. I don't want to have you hurt."