Turnabutt is Fair Play

Turnabutt is Fair Play
Date of Scene:	02 July 2013
Location:	Eastern Continent - Flourgis - Shard Seekers HQ - Lobby
Synopsis:	What begins as a visit to the Shard Seeker headquarters by the irrepressible Ivo Galvan and his bewitching pseudo-prisoner Alicia becomes a farce of epic proportions once Morrighan Alazne arrives having left her memories behind. An ensemble cast of half-naked warriors, shades-wearing Judge apprentices, bicurious mind-linked detectives, and all manner of eccentric characters converge. Baths are taken. Vengeance is sworn. Victory is achieved. Sweet, sweet victory.
Cast of Characters:	Ivo Galvan, Riku, Shiki Misaki, Deelel, Morrighan Alazne, Angantyr Vespar, Emi Dennou, Royce, Alma Hyral

---

Ivo Galvan has posed:
With stars falling and shards appearing, the Shard Seekers and their questionably functional device have been on the move, sailing the seas of Phantasia past strange new shores. So far, all detected anomalies have resulted in wild goose chases and the typical outrageous shenanigans, but needless to say, that hasn't gotten Reize and company down. Soon enough, the crew of the Romancing Saga III, that ship of fools, is sure to find something of note.

(As soon as we have time to host a big scene, that is...)

Thus, having not returned to the Shard Seeker headquarters in a few weeks, Ivo Galvan, knight very errant, arrives through the door with a swish of his dusty blue cloak, amiably smiling despite his fatigue. "Here we are," he announces to his voluptuous companion. "I'm not sure if any of our friends are around at this hour, but feel free to relax." The lobby of their converted warehouse is as charming and homey as ever, even if it's gotte a little dusty. "You should take a look at the garden out back. Lily and I put a lot of love into it."

Just imagine, Ivo working hard in the dirt. It happened!

"There's an outdoor bath, too, if you'd like to refresh yourself."

He looks hopeful.

Royce has posed:
Alicia regards the rather plain looking accomodations with a wry smirk, doing her best to humor her temporary 'captor' as she has for the last several days. Ever since her discovery on the ill-fated ship of ghosts, she's been forced to put on a charade for the sake of keeping her true identity a secret.

Not for lack of power; she could easily summon up a great host of the dead to destroy these foolish mortals at a whim. Even the empty stretches of sand that surround this bustling oasis hide the bleached bones of countless centuries. Her desire to remain undiscovered simply stems from the fact that being hunted around the world tends to make it more difficult to do the things that she requires to progress her research.

The witch's time in captivity has given her much freedom to merely sit and think, something she has precious little of normally despite being hundreds of years old. Her symbiotic companion is the only person she truly trusts, having proven both capable and interested in keeping her alive, but his mad obession with unearthing the secrets of the universe would have burned her out ages ago were she not possessed of an unknown source of immortality and ample amounts of patience.

It is the latter which she puts to good use now. Slipping through the front door of the Shard Seekers home and primary base of operations, she hums thoughtfully at Ivo. "Perhaps later, I am certainly in dire need. This heat is quite dreadful, it is a wonder that anyone can live here."

Ivo Galvan has posed:
"Perhaps you're overdressed."

Oh, Ivo.

"Once I've taken care of some routine business," the young swordsman continues in a more casual tone, glancing over his shoulder and turning his composed yet easygoing smile back to 'Alicia', "we'll go see the main plaza, and you'll understand. Fluorgis is constructed over a vast aquefier, and the Fire Crystal powers countless fountains all along the staggered steps of this city. We came here for the Crystal, but we stayed for the same reason everyone else did." A diverse and typically tranquil place before the fusion of worlds, the appearance of the engineers of Karnak and so many other strange people threw Fluorgis into an unfamiliar confusion and tension, but the city has gained great solidarity after the events of the shadows that were cast over it.

"Are you familiar with the Crystals of the World of Ruin?" Ivo sets down his sword Hauteclare and takes off his cloak, stretching and walking over to the portion of the main room that has been made into a make-shift kitchen. There's a bulletin board over there he now peruses. "Maybe your sister is interested in them, given her inclination toward sources of magic."

As always, even though Ivo's behavior toward the witch is utterly blithe, something about his self-possession makes it unclear just how much of her story he believes, if any of it. By this point, the truth is probably fairly obvious: he just doesn't care. She's extraordinarily beautiful, clever, and fascinating, and Ivo takes pleasure in spending time with her. He doesn't presume she likes him, but he's hopeful she might let down her emotional defenses eventually, if only to see what lies behind them.

That he wants that goes to show how little he suspects.

Royce has posed:
Alicia offers a bland smile that doesn't show in her eyes at the jest. It's the same expression she's come to rely on to get past the incessant teasing that Ivo throws at her at every opportunity, no longer even bothering to put much effort into trying to accomodate his perverse sense of humor.

It's like a game of chess that they've both been playing for days now, both learning the way the other will react to various things. He tries to twist her words and use them to fuel flirtatious exchanges and she does her part to deflect his advances with vague answers and subtle suggestions that never manifest into palpable results.

The mention of crystals causes a stab of pressure to lance through her mind but as always the sensation is merely noted rather than felt, her body practically immune to such simple stimulation as pain or pleasure in all but the most extreme cases. She feels the prescence of the book flood into her consciousness, his mind straining to maintain their invisible connection via the distance between them. Royce had hidden it on the ghost ship to avoid any unpleasant questions from rising about its rather ghastly appearance and ever since then she has left its transportation to a small group of the undead which has followed them about ever since.

The presence listens to the short explanation of the crystals and she doesn't even need to wait for it to speak to know what it wants. "No, I've never heard of such a thing. My sister typically hunts down ancient artifacts or forbidden tomes which have been lost or sealed away in dungeons and vaults. However, if they contain the power to keep an entire city alive in the middle of a grand desert such as this... yes, this sounds like something she would be /keenly/ interested in."

Morrighan Alazne has posed:
Morrighan...or rather, Kara, as Avira had named her in her currently memoryless self, had heard tell of several adventuring groups recently. She was already acquainted with the TDA, having been assisted by Emi and Avira. But then there was VALKRI, Clan Gully, and the Shard Seekers... Someone had recommended that she go with the latter, considering that the former were just a bunch of maids and butlers(allegedly), and Clan Gully was more specialized in taking down Marks.

Not quite sure what most of that meant in the first place, Kara decided to head out and find the Shard Seekers first. Hitching a ride on an airship, she eventually arrived at Fluorgis' port. The dark elf made her way off deck after awkwardly thanking the crew for the ride and then headed off into the streets. "...It's...hot..." She mumbled, shielding her eyes from the rays of the sun.

No one had told her that Fluorgis was so hot! And it didn't take long for the girl to get lost in the city. Eventually, after some time of aimless wandering, Kara decided to ask for directions. It didn't take long before someone just gave up and personally led her to the Shard Seekers HQ's front door. Thanking her exasperated benefactor, she then proceeded to open the door and step inside, having never learned to knock just yet.

"Um...excuse me?" She spoke out, stepping in further into the main foyer of the building.

Ivo Galvan has posed:
Hmm, looks like Zia and Skoll have been busy, and there's been some chaos involving Faruja's religion. Nothing the others can't handle so far, though. Ivo will make sure to keep abreast of events in case his friends find themselves in dire need of aid.

"According to what I've heard from the natives of the lands which fused to make this world," he says, turning away from the bulletin board, "the Crystals used to keep the elemental balance of the world intact, and to harness their power was to harness the power of the planet itself. But there were four Crystals on each world, and each of the Crystals of /this/ world seems to have come from a different one, or so it seems. Regardless, the temporary suppression of the Fire Crystal didn't seem to have any effect on the World of Ruin at large, so while still powerful, it doesn't seem like the Crystals are /as/ powerful as they used to be."

The dark-haired youth grins lopsidedly.

"Maybe that's why the world is eternally unbalanced."

Stepping back into the main room, his grin broadens to become radiant, eyebrows lifting slightly as he approaches Alicia again. Even as she perpetually diverts his advances, she /also/ doesn't seem to care too much about what he does with or sees of her body -- which would make him a little sad if it didn't make him so, so happy -- so he seems to think he has a chance here. "Now, about that bath--" But it's just then that a very familiar face with a very unfamiliar tone of voice shows up at the door. Ivo stops, grin turning fixed, then faltering as waves of confusion, unsettledness, and actual honest-to-goodness concern (someone snap a pic) assail him, before settling on--

"Morrighan?"

--a very calculating expression.

"Is that... you?"

Emi Dennou has posed:
Emi and Imi had no idea that Avira was a maid. Maybe she's a butler. But they are on the way to the Shard Seeker HQ for completely different reasons. Imi also had Feige-related issues which, at the moment, have been solved thanks to a liberal amount of violence done to her person. See Max's cutscene for what happened to her head, young viewers! On second thought maybe not, it may be inappropriate--no no, don't go see it anyway! Arggh! This is why your parents are fed up!

Emi notices Morrighan--not that she sees her as such--heading into the Shard Seeker HQ. She squeezes Imi's hand briefly before advancing on her own, she better get to them first though she really imagines they forgot she gave her a warning about Imi in the first place--better stay safe.

"Good to see you again," She tells Morri. "We are here on unrelated business--it seems we have a habit of running into one another, The Network is a bit embarrassed (not really)."

Royce has posed:
The witch soaks in the information and files it away, knowing that even as she does so the details are being scrawled into the endless pages of the Necronomicon somewhere nearby. She puts on a casual air, feigning mild interest in the crystals while she wanders about the lobby, peering at various things that happen to catch her eye.

"Fascinating," she says when the short exposition is over with. And she means it for once. More research will have to be done on these magical sources in the future once she finds a way to escape her current situation in a manner that pleases her.

The creaking of the door behind her causes the woman to turn and she peers with a friendly gaze at the new arrival. Alicia fights down the urge to reach for her guns as the elf steps into view. This person... she knows her from the forest. She was the one who called forth that creature, the one they called Lich. But something feels different now.

Casting a glance sideways at Ivo, she quirks an eyebrow at the gamut of expressions that his face twists through in a handful of moments. They know each other? How interesting.

Yet more voices chime in unexpectedly and Alicia gives an amused sigh, crossing her arms over her chest. "You seem to be quite popular, Ivo. We've been here no more than a few moments and you've already got women clamoring at your door."

Morrighan Alazne has posed:
Silence as Kara's eyes fell upon Ivo.

"......"

Were those roses and shoujo sparkles littering the surroundings? -Oh no, no, just a hallucination. Still, after a moment of continued silence, she spoke. "...Morrighan? Who's that?" Tilting her head slightly, the dark elf slowly raised a hand and pointed to herself. "...Do you mean me?" She went on to ask, adopting a horribly confusd expression. This was the first person to actually call her by name.

If only she had found him sooner.

But considering what has already happened, Kara wound up shaking her head. "...My name is Kara." She said, pointing to herself still. "A nice lady called Avira named me." She seemed rather proud of that, if the small smile growing on her face was any indication. She had a name now! She was normal! ...not.

Emi's voice briefly took her attention away from within and she looked aside at her. "Oh. Emi...hello. ...Did you come to see these Shard Seekers too?" What a coincidence. Either way, Kara's expression remained mostly blank, barring a slight smile from earlier.

And then Royce's comment caused her to look in that direction, tilting her head slightly once again in confusion. "...What does clamoring mean?" And so it began.

Ivo Galvan has posed:
"Are you jealous?" he asides to Alicia, again hopeful.

But for the most part he is absolutely fixated on Morrighan, or 'Kara', apparently, his eyes progressively widening despite his mask of self-control. Even Emi and Imi, some of Ivo's favorite people, get merely a distracted nod -- hopefully they remember Alicia from the mission and don't need to be re-introduced -- as he steps forward. Slowly his confusion melts away, his eyes beginning to soften, revealing a depth of emotion Ivo has hitherho hidden from the world. He swallows silently, pushing back a vast ocean of heartfelt longing.

"Kara... no, Morrighan... you don't..."

His blue eyes have moistened.

"You don't... remember me?"

Stepping forward, Ivo reaches out to gently take the dark elf's delicate hand, clasping it with both of his own and pressing it to his chest.

"It's me, Ivo... your boyfriend."

There is a long pause. He trembles faintly.

"Darling!"

And then he pulls her close in an impassioned embrace. "I feared I'd never see you again," he whispers. "You've returned to me at last, and yet... how cruel!" He manages to pull himself away from the no doubt startled woman, but his hands remain on her arms. "I'm sorry, this must be so confusing for you... but how can I keep myself away now that you're back...?"

Ivo appears deeply pained.

This superbly masks his actual thought process, which is more or less along the lines of: wow, Morrighan always had a nice body, but she /really/ has a nice body.

Emi Dennou has posed:
Emi says, "That's right." She didn't quite hear everything on her approach, but she catches that she's apparently named Kara now? Avira named her? She supposes that's what she'd do, she never really understood the fascination with names. "Kara then---would you like us to call you that?" Emi asks, and is about to inquire further when Ivo sweeps Morrighan into a mighty embrace. Imi remains outside for the moment, but Emi frowns faintly.

"You are a louse, Ivo Galvan." Emi does her best Dorothy Waynewright impression. Though did he say---Morrighan?

Emi looks at Morrighan, then to Ivo, then to Morrighan.

"It's a little racist to assume, Ivo." She adds.

Royce has posed:
Not in the least.

"Perhaps a little," the witch replies, smirking at the elf's innocent reaction. Oh, Ivo is just going to eat this up. And sure enough, the knight proves once again he and chivalry are destined to be mortal enemies.

"Oh dear." Alicia puts a finger to her temple at the utterly ridiculous drama unfolding before her. But at the same time, behind her mask of aloof playfulness, she is utterly fascinated.

This is just like her soaps! What happens next?! Does she know about Ivo's unfaithfulness? Has Morrighan been seperated by fate, only just now to be reunited with her true love? Is Ivo really her brother?!

Morrighan Alazne has posed:
Wow, this man seemed to be really bothered by something. Why was that, considering the fact that she had no idea who he was? "Um...remember...you?" She asked, remaining still as the man in the blue cape took a step forward, taking her hand. Upon revealing that he was supposedly her /boyfriend/...Kara, or rather, Morrighan just blinked slowly in response as she processed the revelation. "...What does boyfriend mean?"

But there was little time to question anything else as Ivo suddenly pulled her into an embrace. The elf's eyes widened slightly for a moment at that. "...Huh? ...wha....?" This was all happening so fast and she was having a hard time keeping up with everything. She didn't get a chance to answer Emi's inquiry regarding the name situation.

Upon parting, she looked up at Ivo, furrowing her brows in confusion. "...This is confusing. I don't know anything about whatever you're saying..."

Ivo Galvan has posed:
"Kara..."

It's evident that it pains Ivo to use this different name, but that out of deference to Morrighan's confusion, he'll do so. (Sometimes, the evidence lies.)

"You don't even remember that much? A boyfriend is... we shared everything with each other. Everything," he emphasizes for some reason. "Absolutely everything." We get it. "We were close, like this." No longer able to keep her at arm's distance, he pulls Morrighan to him again. Man, she's soft. No, focus, Galvan! Focus on the performance! "We... we /loved/ each other, Kara. And I..."

Gently, he lifts her chin with a brush of his fingertips.

"...I still love you."

Completely ignoring his karma meter plummeting deep into abyssal negatives, Ivo leans in and, as long as there is no justice in this world, kisses Morrighan on the lips. Should he succeed, his own giddy delight at getting away with this outrageous nonsense begins to give away a little bit to-- uh, well-- she really is a good-looking woman, isn't she? Uh--

Just as, you know, part of the joke, just to see how far he can get, you understand, Ivo's hands slip down to Morrighan's lower back, and then a little bit lower, and a little bit lower still-- and then, just a little bit--

*squeeze*

Emi Dennou has posed:
Suddenly Imi bursts in.

"ARE WE PRACTICING BUTT GROPING NOW?" Imi asks with a big smile. :D :D :D :D :D.

"...The Network would like to note that Imi has been desynched for quite some time." Emi says. "But is now a part of The Network again."

Morrighan Alazne has posed:
"Huh...?" Kara mumbled quietly, staring up at Ivo as he explained the whole boyfriend thing. "Shared...everything? That's-" And then suddenly she is pulled close again. ...Being hugged like this actually was kind of nice. But something seemed off...Some little detail bothering her, but she just could not figure it out.

"...We loved each other?" She heard about! Alma explained love to her! And it made absolutely zero sense at all! ...She actually was a part of that? How curious. Her momentary reverie was interrupted as Ivo gently lifted her chin, making her look up at him again. "....Um...I-mm!" And again, the girl found herself cut off, this time as the knight errant's lips connected with her own.

...This was something she had no idea about. What was he doing? Why did he do it? Was this /love/? It made no sense to her. And then a sensation down below caused her eyes to widen in surprise. His hand was somewhere it shouldn't be. ...Not that she would know such a thing.

But there was one very disconcerting detail about all of this that Ivo should have noticed by now. Despite kissing and groping her, she had put up absolutely zero resistance at all. She was completely vulnerable. Completely open.

Royce has posed:
Alicia watches with rapt attention, no longer even pretending to be too aloof to care what's going on. She nods quietly at Ivo's explanation of what a relationship shared by two lovers should be. At his declaration of love she clenches her fists, but not out of anger, out of whatever small sliver of emotion passes for excitement or perhaps anticipation within her hollow mind.

When he leans in for the kiss, she leans foward as well, shadowing his movements from the far side of the room. Just a little bit closer... a little bit... YES!

The witch's fingers squeeze tightly and she gives a satisfied nod. But wait, there's more! His hands are drifting downards; is he really going for it?! The lower Ivo's hands slide the higher Alicia's eyebrows raise until she's practically wide-eyed. If she were sitting down she'd be on the edge of her seat at this point.

And then that magical moment is shattered.

Almost mechanically, the witch's gaze shifts from the hugging couple to the small Dennou girls, her head swiveling slowly until her lone red eye is locked onto them. She doesn't speak, nor does she have to. She burning crimson eye says everything.

Alma Hyral has posed:
So Alma has finally come to the headquarters of the illustrious shard seekers. Riku had finally convinced her that Reize was no desert harem master and was in fact, as decent as one could get outside of brain damage, which finally gave her the courage to come to Fluorgis on her own.

She supposed that it would have been better had Riku or Faruja introduced her to them... but Riku wasn't available due to training and Faruja was kind of a jerkface who had fined her munny she didn't have for blessing him then enslaved her in the kitchens in Mullonde for a few days. She'd put on her rather frumpy white mage robes with the red triangular trim for the occasion, and had her hair up in it's typical bun. Since the door was open, she just walked right in, her gaze falling upon Emi immediately with a cheerful smile, "Hey Emi, how's it going?"

She hadn't met Imi yet though, so despite her Dennou rep being high, no faceplate. "And hey there, which node are yo..."

But that introduction is interrupted by looking upon the Dark Elf she'd met in Traverse Town being kissed and butt groped by a man in the lobby. Her eyes widen in, both horror and a little fascination, like she'd walked in on something she shouldn't have. A moment later she's murmuring to Emi, while her cheeks are flushing a deep scarlet, "Do.. do t-they know each o-other that well? Is her m-memory back?"

Ivo Galvan has posed:
This is incredible. This is unbelievable. This is--

"Wrong!"

Ivo stumbles back from Morrighan, wild-eyed, looking as though he's gazed into the abyss and driven to the verge of madness. He whirls away, clutching at his head.

"This is all wrong!"

You just figured that out?

"It has to be the /haughty/ Morrighan!"

That's not what's wrong about it!!

Taking deep breaths to calm his rattled nerves, Ivo eventually regains his composure and turns back to the dark elf, clearing his throat. "Uh, that is to say," he manages at last, slowly getting back into character, "Kara, though my heart yearns for you, I long for the person you once were. Please, let me assist you in recovering your memories. If you have any leads at all, I'll follow them with you. If you don't, join us on our adventures, and we're sure to find something. It's... very important to me that you return to who you once were."

He takes Morrighan's hand again.

"And then, once you're back to how you were..."

At last, he smiles.

"Promise me you'll kiss me again."

Teethping.

Registering Imi's dramatic entrance causes Ivo's expression to briefly glaze over before he grins. "It's /always/ time for that," he says lightly, seemingly back to his old self as he turns to quirk a brow at a new entry. "Hey there," he says, raising a hand to Alma in a casual salute. Does he feel nothing? "Welcome to the Shard Seekers headquarters. I'm Ivo Galvan, co-founder. May I be of assistance?"

If you need some groping, he's your man.

Emi Dennou has posed:
Imi reaches forward and grabs Ivo's ass because why not?

"Imi," Emi scolds before getting distracted by Alma. She'd scold Ivo too but she's not actually all that sure he wasn't in some relationship with Morrighan but then again she is ALSO pretty sure she's not Morrighan, though less so now.

"Maybe," Emi whispers to Alma. "...That one is Imi, we rescued her. Imi, say hello to Alma."

"One moment," Imi says, grope grope.

Royce has posed:
And then Imi redeems herself almost immediately.

Whatever scorn or annoyance had been caused by the sudden interruption melts away as the small girl cops her own feel. Knowing from her research and experience mingling with humans that this should be an amusing situation, the witch puts a hand over her face to stifle a giggle.

In the back of her mind an entirely different thought process is churning away, however, as possibilities race to fill in the gaps. Who is this mystery girl? Is Ivo in a scandalous relationship with someone so young? Or is Imi the kind of person who goes around groping people at random? What terrible parents would allow this kind of behavior?

IS THERE A HIDDEN LOVE TRIANGLE BENEATH IT ALL?!

On the surface, Alicia's amused mask remains seamless as she strides across the lobby floor to stand among the others. She gives Alma and the Dennous are bright smile and Ivo a playful pinch on the rear because why not?

Morrighan Alazne has posed:
And then suddenly all at once, Ivo was off of her, saying something about this being wrong. "....?" Now she was even more confused. "...What did you just do?" He said 'kiss'. That was a kiss? "...Why did you do that?" And he was still calling her Morrighan. ...Maybe that was actually her name? She couldn't be sure.

Blinking slowly a couple times, she just listened to his spiel about her going back to how she 'used to be'...did he know her? Best to ask! "...They say I lost my memories...did you know me? ...Were we actually...?" No Morrighan, he's being a terrible person! Still, the fact that Imi and Alicia were now copping their own feels sort of evened things out...somewhat.

Taking a step back, the elf currently known as Kara watched the shenanigans taking place with a blank expression on her face. "....Um....okay." And then she actually agrees to the kiss thing. Such is the fate of someone who had no idea who they previously were! But deep down...she felt like slapping this man for some reason. And she had no idea why either.

At that moment though, she finally took her attention away from the perverted knight errant and looked to the others, noticing Alma at last. "Oh...Alma. Hello..." A small wave accompanied the greeting and she smiled slightly.

Alma Hyral has posed:
Whether or not she needs groping is up to debate.

Whether she wants it from Ivo, someone she has barely met, is not.

She offers Imi a cheerful smile, "Imi! It's good to meet you for real. They rescued you from Feige? And.." Imi continues groping Ivo's posterior. "..why are you..?" More blushing on her side.

She steps a little closer to Morrighan, as if to interpose herself now that Ivo has finally stopped sucking her face, "Hey.. it's good to see you again."

And then Ivo addresses her and she's looking at him with an expression of flustered consternation, the deep scarlet flush still on her cheeks. She takes a single fingers and pushes up on her glasses, before crossing her arms, not bothering to introduce herself as a slight stammer creeps into her voice, "W-Were you really t-taking advantage of an a-amnesiac? I mean Faruja w-warned me about the great I-Ivo Galvan's lecherous w-ways but.. /really/? Are you t-trying to give her more s-soul more scars?" She grumbles to herself, "...at least you s-stopped."

Riku has posed:
Annoyed Riku is Annoyed.

Being out in Fluorgis in the middle of the day in the blinding sun usually isn't a problem. He had almost gotten used to desert conditions. But the teenager was gripping the mirror shades around his face and pressing them to it as if it might offer some balm to his stinging eyes.

He has a moderate headache (No, not telling why either) but he was in a good enough mood to ignore that as he goes where he usually goes in a thoughtful and usually good mood. Checking up on people.

It's only keeping tabs when surveillance is involved. (Which it's not. ... anymore.. >.>) Riku enters the shard seeker compound and looks around for signs of life. "Hello!" he calls from the outside.

(Why did he start from the outside bath? Well. Forwarned is forarmed.) before venturing inside.

Deelel has posed:
There had been a lot going on Deelel's life with the recovery of the laser plans, even more so her mind being restored from it's previously stunted and more childlike state had done wonders for her fitting in. Still she was part of the seekers and even if she was busy? She should still check up on her friends after all right? She'd been through a lot with them and they had no idea about what had happened to her.

So outside the HQ one wold here the strange sound that could only be made by a light cycle of some sort as the alien machine pulls up outside Deelel presses a control i9nside and the entire thing becomes transparent then wireframes and vanishes back into the rod from which it game. With a quick motion the rod is attached to right leg and she strides in.

She enters the lobby calling out as she enters, just a moment after Riku. She has no idea of the chaos that's going on inside at the moment. She's about to get a crash course in human behaviour in a moment.

"Hey, I'm back! I'm sorry I have been away for so long there's been a lot going on with my world and I had to take care of it."

So now she looks around as she realizes there's several people in the lobby and something clearly is going on at this point.

Ivo Galvan has posed:
Ivo really should have known better than to say that to Imi.

But perhaps it's understandable that he's distracted. "Yes!" he breaks character to shamelessly gloat, actually pumping his fists in the air as Morrighan agrees to his demand, because at this point, why not? "You won't regret this, Kara." That may be the biggest lie he's told yet. He doesn't bother to confirm his story again; that was a transcendent performance, and he probably won't be able to replicate it in this state. "Together, we'll-- ahn~"

When that comes out of his mouth, Ivo actually blushes. So there's a way to embarrass even Ivo. Well, it makes sense that it happens only when he does something involuntarily, considering how rare that is. "Imi, I know I said 'always time', but, uh... maybe you'd like to work with more material?" Recovery, 1000 points. "I think Alicia has-- ahn~" So that's where she went. Ivo's ears have turned red. "S-seriously, you two..."

It appears everyone has their weak point.

"Kara, you must be exhausted from your travels and the heat," he says, trying to recover himself. There has to be some way to distract these women. Fortunately, his genius pulls through once again. "Why don't you take a bath out in the garden?" he offers, amiable smile returning. "Alicia said she was interested in one as well." Is that how it happened? "Why don't the two of you take one together?"

The cosmos has given to Ivo. Now he gives back.

"It was wrong of me," Ivo readily confesses to Alma, though again, we now know how he ranks moral versus aesthetic wrongness, "but, please understand: I was carried away by my passion at seeing her again." Passion isn't quite the right word. "Of course I stopped once I regained my senses." There's a long pause, before Ivo's smile broadens, looking pleased. "Faruja said I was great?" Selective hearing.

And then Riku enters, leading Ivo to quietly thank the cosmos again for having the boy miss his moment with Morrighan. The cosmos must be happy with the bath suggestion. "Oh, Riku, I didn't realize you were in the garden," Ivo says warmly. Now that his mission is complete and he's back to his usual self, he's glad to see Riku, as always. "Have you had a chance to take a look at our new ship?"

"Nice shades," he adds.

Emi Dennou has posed:
Imi doesn't have parents. In fact, Emi hasn't quite explained to Imi that she's kind of a mom now. More accurately, she's a mom-sister because it's a clone. She doesn't interrupt Imi or Royce's buttgrabbing.

After all, Turnabutt is fair play.

She does ultimately pull her hand away and asks, "New material?" She glances to Alma. "It is the Shard Seeker way, The Network has hypothesized that the organization is not unlike one of those hippy communes preaching free love." She nods and says, "I am done with Ivo's butt." kindly. "You can use it now."

Emi is having a harder time. Is she Morrighan? Is she Kara?? Well she doesn't know, but Ivo seems certain. And the troubling thing is, Emi is feeling like she'd rather...not be Morrighan? But that's an inappropriate line of thought for a detective, she thinks. If she is Morrighan then she should help her return to normal. But she's not sure that's actually a) helping and b) /helping/.

"Did it ring any bells?" She asks of her curiously. "in any event, this one doesn't wish to crowd...is there anything you require, however?"

Royce has posed:
The noise that Ivo makes brings an evil smirk to the witch's face but she doesn't press the advantage. It's more fun just to tease him and Imi seems to be doing more than her fair share of squeezing. She does give him another pinch on the arm, however, before stepping back to make room for yet more arrivals.

Riku and Deelel's entrance causes her to tilt her head curiously at them. The boy looks like someone she might see walking down the streets of Manhattan but the strangely garbed woman is something new to her.

"My my, it's like someone set off an alarm and they all just came running."

These Shard Seekers seem to have quite a few allies. She'll have to be even more careful now.

Morrighan Alazne has posed:
She nodded to Alma's greeting, continuing to smile slightly. "It's...good to see you too..." Watching as she then went on to admonish Ivo for being a pervert, Kara offered no real discernible reaction. "...He was taking advantage of me?" She asked, leaning forward a bit. "...Is this what you were talking about the other time before?" Curious. This was becoming complicated. And complicated was annoying.

Shaking her head at Ivo's suddenly exclamation of triumph, which the elf had failed to understand, she remained silent at his reassurance that she 'wouldn't regret this'. She probably would. At some point anyhow. It looked like the girls caught him in a moment of weakness however and rather than take part, she continued to remain back, watching with a curious gaze.

"...A bath?" Ah, right. She hadn't had one in a bit of time by this point and Fluorgis' weather certainly didn't help matters. Taking a moment to consider, She then wound up nodding. "...Okay." Her eyes then moved over to who she assumed was Alicia based on previous snippets of conversation she had overheard. ...And then back to Ivo. "...Where is this bath?" Rolling for sense ulterior motives check. Immediate failure.

Her eyes move over to Emi after and she just stared silently for a few moments. ".....?" Apparently no bells were rung. None whatsoever.

Alma Hyral has posed:
Alma keeps her arms crossed, though her pose gradually relaxes as Ivo explains himself and apologizes. Still, she doesn't appear fooled. Instead she transposes the word passion with /lust/ and the phrase /regained my senses/ to /...realized that if I went any further I might literally damn my soul/ in her head. A hand reaches up to rub the side of her face, as she gives him a look of bewilderment, "You are a piece of work. But let's start over. My name is Alma Hyral, it's a pleasure to meet you sir?" Yes the question mark is intentional.

She breathes out a sigh, looking sidelong at Kara/Morrighan/Random Dark Elf(?) giving her a more supportive smile and a hopeful look, "Why are they all calling you Kara, did you remember your name? He was taking advantage of you. And no.. that was /not/ what I was talking about from before. This was decidedly more dastardly." She doesn't explain herself any further though right now, even though she knows that Kara(?) will need it.

She gives Alicia(?) a sidelong look, her expression becoming ruminative briefly, before smiling and offering a tentative nod, and a more cheerful smile. Though she wonders at why /everyone/ is playing with Ivo's butt all of a sudden.

And then she looks at Imi, that scarlet flush creeping back onto her face as she blurts out, "I don't w-want Ivo's butt!" Wait did she really say that!? Her look became chagrined, her teeth are clenched as she enunciates her next words, "...What I mean to say is that even if they believe in free love they should show more... class?"

"I don't believe I caught your name Ma'am."

And then a wild Riku appears, and that puts her in an ordinantly good mood. "Uh, hey Riku, I thought you had your training sessions today so.. I came to meet the Shard Seekers.. How are you doing, is everything alright?" She gives him a look of concern, before she takes Kara(?)'s hand to prevent her from going to take a bath anywhere in Ivo's proximity. and kind of ushers her forward towards him, "This is the person I told you about.. the one who needs.. help."

A moment later she's giving Deelel a smile and a nod, "Hey there. Have we met? You look.. familiar." She hasn't had much experience with programs though, so she can't exactly place her where.

Riku has posed:
Riku reflexively pushes the shades even farther up his nose when Ivo comments on them. He fidgets with a long black glove and then shakes his head. "Thanks." he says wryly.

"I thought I might pick something up to shield against your blinding smugness. What. There are... what." he looks around. "Five woman around you and over half of them aren't hitting you? Somethings wrong here." He replies to Royce with a smirk. "Thus, the alarm." he stares at her for maybe a little too long before..

He chuckles, letting his annoyance evaporate in the heat as he notices Alma. "Alma. I'd introduce his nibs if you haven't already met, the co-leader of the Shard Seekers but he makes a far better impression when left on his own." He looks vaguely over at Morrighan and frowns slightly as if trying to recall something.

Then Emi/Imi -- who butt into his chain of thought and as always with legionettes, somewhat derail it magnificently. "It's also not unlike a pub where the first drink is free. Everyone's happy. There are good feelings all around. You just never know what it's been spiked with."

His amusement lasts until Morrighan's confusion and then it starts to frost over. He glances at Alma, then at Morrighan. "Alma." he says evenly as he leans against the wall, arms crossed. ".. Yeah. I've got training later on in the day, but what are they going to do. Kick my ass for being late? They do that anyways." He does not look at Ivo. This may be a bad sign. "..taking.. advantage of.. whom,. exactly?"

Ivo Galvan has posed:
Ivo Galvan has a new nemesis.

"Charmed," he says mildly, smiling ever so slightly, his unblinking gaze fixed on Alma Hyral, Enemy of His Fun. What a dull-looking woman. Well, with these worlds so populated with extraordinary specimens of the femininity, perhaps such mousey characters are diverting for variety's sake. But only in context.

At last, Imi has mercy, though he looks a bit dismayed at her generosity. "No, my butt can only handle so much..." After all, he spends so much time talking out of it. Alicia's pinch on the arm causes him to give her a rather flustered look, which may be the first time she's ever seen his face like that. But Kara's question causes his head to snap back around, his expression reverting to another good-natured smile. "Out in the garden. You should see it," he encourages. "Truly lovely. We put a lot of work into it." That much is true.

Ugh, and his new nemesis is trying to usher the dark elf over to the one person prepared to punish Ivo for his transgressions. She has good instincts, he has to give her that. There's not a lot he can do now without arousing suspicion. He tries to tread carefully around Riku, which is usually a fruitless endeavor. "I'll have you know I'm extremely popular," he involves the pale-haired youth, grinning as he says so himself. "Training with whom?" he interrupts, trying to prevent the topic from straying to his recently increased sins.

Someone's got to do something to keep things lively--

But whom?

Deelel has posed:
It is perhaps for the best Deelel missed the moment between Morrighan and Ivo. It would have become 20 questions and they'd not be ones that would have made things incredibility awkward for everyone involved. So it seems cosmos is smiling on Ivo yet again. Or perhaps setting him up for something else far worse down the line, only cosmos would know for sure.

Romance was not an alien concept to the program, far from it. Yet? Her people didn't have the hard wired directive to procreate like organic life had screaming in the back of their mind. Still she raises one blue eyebrow at what she beholds Imi and Royce are doing. Wait is that a another Dennou? Yes, yes it seems to be, she jut tries to not process just what happened with Royce and Imi. On the other hand the Shard Seekers and friends seems to be very energetic today from the looks of things.

"It does seem like that, doesn't it it miss."

Deelel pauses for half a second as Alma introduces herself and with all the new people she should be doing the same as well it's only polite right?

"Greetings, my name is Deelel. It seems we have quite a few guests or new members since I last checked in?"

She's not foolish he's pretty sure now Ivo was indeed up to something but just not what, then again it wouldn't be Ivo if he wasn't doing something right? Also for those who have not met Deelel before there would be a strange digital warble to her voice, it's not over powering but it's there if you pay attention to her speech. Alma does get a reply however.

"I'm not sure, there's been several conflicts where things got pretty crazy so we might have seen each other there. Or you met someone else from my world. We tend to stand out in this world."

Still what the heck is a hippie? She'll have to go look that up when she gets back to somewhere with a data network she can access. She does know what a commune is however. So she can take some guesses. Now Alma mentioning the whole taking advantage of thing gets her looking at Ivo for a moment before turning back to Alma and Riku.

"Wait taking advantage of someone?"

Somewhere chibi Deelel is facpalming so hard she's getting crack lines on her face.

Emi Dennou has posed:
Emi vaguely recalls that Alma said Riku might be able to help this lady. She looks at him for a few moments and, then, considers the possibility that Ivo was...pretending to recognize her as a similar dark elf in appearance in order to get smooches and gropings in.

She frowns faintly and gives Imi Because a stern look. "...This one can show you where it is, if you'd like." The name didn't seem to stir anything. "Would you prefer this one uses Kara or Morrighan at present time..?"

Royce has posed:
As Alma reaches out to take the dark elf's hand she will find her fingers digging into something decidedly more cushy than a palm is supposed to be. The witch swiftly but casually interposes herself between the small girl and Kara, bumping Alma's attempts to pull her back to her senses aside with her hips which may inadverdantly cause Alma to take her turn at toosh grabbing whether she planned to or not.

Alicia pauses long enough to peer over her shoulder at the white mage and give her a coy wink before she applies her hands to the other woman's back, quickly driving the docile amnesiac fowards in the direction of the outdoor bathing area.

"That sounds like a wonderful idea! This heat is simply dreadful," she leans up close behind Kara and smirks at her. "Don't you agree? Come now, let's get out of these sweaty clothes!"

She doesn't give Kara/Morrighan time to argue or answer any of the questions being directed at her. This timely intervention may fulfill Ivo's fantasy but is it going to save him from getting in trouble? Either way, time to add another item to the list of 'Reasons why Ivo is going to Hell'.

Morrighan Alazne has posed:
'Kara' looked back at Emi as Alma attempted to take her hand and lead her away from Ivo and his shenanigans. "Um...Kara...Morrighan...I don't know...Avira named me Kara, but people are telling me my name is Morrighan..." She looked down briefly, appearing lost. "...I just don't know." Of course, Alicia's timely...or perhaps shapely, intervention caused the girl to remain where she was.

But not for long.

Feeling a hand on her back, the dark elf was given no time to address Riku, the supposed person Alma had said could have an idea about what happened to her. "Um..." Alicia's voice catches her attention again and she glanced aside at her. "...Okay..." Ah, she had absolutely zero resistance and allowed herself to be ushered off in the direction of the outdoor bathing area.

This was kind of sad now.

Angantyr Vespar has posed:
Angantyr Vespar is out in the outdoor bathing area because walking the desert is extremely dirtying.

Right now, he has a helmet on, the helmet...for some reason, has a hairnet on. Why?

Earlier...

"Really, you are SO SERIOUS.."
"Look cat, seriously go away. I don't care what your name is."
"NOBODY MAKES ME DO ANYTHING!"

And now the hairnet is attached to his helmet. He might have to get a new helmet. He also can't remove the helmet. He might need someone magically inclined to decurse the helmet.

<GOOSEHONK>ing Khaos.

He is litterally in only a pair of bathing trunks. Shirtless and mostly pantsless. The body of the Mercinary is hard, muscular, and able to give nosebleeds to ladies for miles away.

Yes you can grind meat on those abs.

Is is contemplating his luck about the damned cat.

Alma Hyral has posed:
/Achievement Unlocked: Shard Seeker Buzzkill - Became Ivo Galvan's Nemesis./

And yes, she certainly was dull and mousey. Nothing to see here. MOVE ALONG wandering eyes!

She offers a wan smile towards Riku, "Well if they wanted to really punish you, I'm sure there are far worse things they can do than tanning your hide..." She says this idly, but isn't more specific since she doesn't know if Riku wants that advertised. In response to Riku's question though, her eyes flick subtly towards Kara(?) and that's all she has to say on that matter of who is being taken advantage of.

A moment later she's looking Deelel's way, examining her more closely. "I'm glad we finally got the chance to meet.." Though she was curious about what Deelel was, and what's up with the skintight body suit? All questions for a later time.

Kara answers her question, and she nods, her expression ruminative, "Well, I'll just call you Kara for the time being... this is Riku, and I believe he might be able to help you..." But then /ALICIA INTERRUPT/ as she is LITERALLY bumped out of the way, and the girl literally flails for a moment, before falling forward into a heap, her face turning to the side at the last moment to spare her glasses. Nope, no inadvertent toosh grabbing.. just /Ow/ and /Wince-worthy/. As Alicia starts to take her towards the baths. she looks up from her awkward position on the floor, pushing herself up while giving the two a look of consternation, "Um, Alicia, might you consider waiting until later...?"

And then Shirtless Angantyr. And she's gaping at the man, her eyes wide, first because he's shirtless, and that is all sorts of awkward for her. And second.. because she's gawking at the man she saw standing over Emperor Gramis' corpse fighting Judge Constantine and Max. This.. this would not go well.

Riku has posed:
Riku's expression frosts over at the 'Charmed' and stays that way. His voice however reminds light and casual as he gestures vaguely. "Accelerated Judge-Cadet training. Archadian army." He takes in a breath through slightly grit teeth and relaxes, reminding himself that he's a guest here.

"It's nothing Deelel. It usually is." he waves it away with a razor edged smile. "Reize out on adventure, Ivo? I'm surprised he's not tied to a stick and being used to divine trouble. You guys found anything yet?"

Yep. Completely nothing to see here folks. Move along. Move along. He looks at the interplay between Royce and Alma, then between Royce and Ivo and raises his eyebrows. He then feels magnificiently uncomfortable and leans away from the wall. He goes to help Alma to her feet, his back and shoulders stiff. "..Look." he says shortly and sharply. "I just wanted to see how you guys were doing. Obviously, you are getting along swimmingly."

He doesn't even know what to do with this situation. Usually, from the little he knew of Ivo, this was harmless. But-- the implications of .. whatever is going on here? He just doesn't want to have anything to do with it.

"You know what? Nevermind. Later." he growls and turning around, moves back through the courtyard past the outside bath to get out of this situation. (He probably won't manage to do so before things get much worse. More's the pity)

He just.. stops. In the lobby. Riku just slows down to a stop. His fingers very slowly curl into fists and he just.. stares at them. A very, very faint snarl can be heard. Almost inaudible.

Ivo Galvan has posed:
"Only trouble," Ivo quips back to Riku. "Join us sometime." Whereupon Alma takes a spill. Alicia is merciless. She's almost as bad as Priel. "You alright?" He's awful, but he's not /that/ awful. Probably. "I knew hers was big, but I didn't think it was /that/ big." Fear the power of Alicia's toosh. Ivo should probably stop assuming that jokes improve every situation. Well, then again, maybe he just doesn't care either way.

"Uh, hey, Riku..." He was going to turn away satisfied that Riku had helped his new nemesis out, but this situation seems to have agitated his face-turned ally. Now Galvan has two equally good reasons to walk out to the garden, following the witch and the dark elf-- and then practically bumping into Riku as the boy stops. "What's the matter with..."

He trails off as Angantyr enters, dripping and radiant.

"...oh."

Completely unaware of everyone else's reactions to Angantyr's appearance, he slowly sidles past the brawny warrior, eyes still widened. "Well," he finally says, "I'll just leave you to it." To what? The answer is: whatever a muscular man in a helmet with a hairnet on it does. Which is to say: whatever he wants, as it will probably be great.

Incredibly enough, however, Ivo has more pressing concerns.

"...hope there's no rust in the bath..."

And he exits into the garden, determined to ensure the success of this ultimate cosmic quest.

Emi Dennou has posed:
"Miss," Emi walks along with Royce. "I request that we be gentlemen about this," She uses gentlemen because she thinks that's the word a detective would use, maybe she has some Naoto in her. "This one understands that much of this is the ritual of the Shard Seekers, but--"

Imi looks at Angantyr. She approaches him, a faint frown on her face. And then, slowly, she reaches forward and--

*honk dat ass!*

Imi then removes her hand and stares firmly at Angantyr. "Hello Angantyr, The Network greets after a long period of not seeing you."

Deelel has posed:
Deelel could understand the issue about one's memory, the majority of her life had been locked away from her for a number of years. So there was sympathy did she know who Morrighan was? Enough to know of her even if she'd never directly fought her before. Well a lost memory can mean getting a new out look on life so perhaps that's why Deelel says nothing. Maybe Morrighan if things don't end in disaster? May have things go better for her. Either way she looks at Morrighan as she's heading off towards the bathing area, not sure if she should say a thing on the matter.

Deelel would be happy to answer even as strange as her body suit was here it was a little more like a user outfit than perhaps it would be on the grid.; She's just accepted sometimes she ended up with a skin change when she went somewhere.

"I'm glad to meet you as well."

Someday though Alma will find out about the suit and perhaps more than she realized about Deelel and the few others like her that have gone boldly where not program has gone before! She falls in with the group heading for the baths he was pretty dusty too. Ang gets surprised look on her face, she knew users could take their gear off, but why the heck does his helmet have an hairnet?

Riku pulls of a quick save distracting her from Ang's situation and she grins at his question about Reize. Because there's only a binary answer to this one.

"Yes if he's not here he's out likely getting into trouble somewhere or will end up bringing someone new back here sooner or later. It is just how he is."

Alicia meanwhile thinks a bath is a good idea as well and lets face it? Everyone here likely needs one with how the dust is in the city. Too bad no one has like a stock pile of super soakers around here somewhere.

She's about to say something to Ivo but he ducks out to do some 'maintenance' clearly yes that's what he's totally up to.

Royce has posed:
If she senses the tension that arrives with Angantyr as he comes shuffling into the lobby in all his boxer-clad, hair-net enhanced glory, the witch doesn't show it for a moment. She scoots her hapless victim ahead of her without much trouble as Kara seems to be putting up no resistance which allows her to give the young girl who tags along at her side some of her attention.

Alicia tilts her head look at Emi, still smiling like she knows some secret that no one else does. "Gentle? Don't worry, dear, I can be very gentle when the need arises. I'll take /good/ care of our friend here."

There is a sudden bump as the elf infront of her stops suddenly. Alicia, in turn, runs into her back and squishes the both of them up against the rock hard body of the dark knight. He probably enjoys it more than they do.

"Whoops, pardon us~" She maneuvers Kara around Angantyr like a buggy by her shoulders, continuing their trek out to the baths.

Morrighan Alazne has posed:
Kara had glanced back to look at Emi when she went bumping right into Angantyr. Whoops. "Whuh-!" She sputtered faintly in surprise, looking up...and up some more in order to see just who she had run into. "...." She didn't know this man. And that helmet didn't help matters. But there was little time to do much more before Alicia ushered her away and off to the baths again. "S-Sorry..." She mumbled to the Dark Knight before they were off.

But coming outside, the dark elf couldn't help but look around curiously, oblivious of any sort of ulterior motives, this building and the things it contained interested her. She hadn't seen an outdoor bath before. How intriguing. "Um...Alicia? ...Are we going to be going in at the same time?" Kara ended up asking somewhat meekly as she continued along. She had never heard of such a thing before.

Angantyr Vespar has posed:
Morrighan bumps into Angantyr.

"Well hel-" He pauses looking at her.

There is a subtle shift for those senistive to darkness...something is pulling...

But Alicia manages to distract Ang enough, as wella s Morrighan's reaction...after all he was expecting her to do something haughty, not look at him shyly and walk away embarrased... Not to mention...something...was off.

He can't pin it down...

HONK.

Ang turns to glare at...wait nobody? He looks down. Oh a Dennou. He looks at her for a long moment, "Sorry, but I think I am a bit too old for you, there are other...issues too, I am sorry, but our love can never be." he says, in a somewhat...humorous manner to Imi, and gives her a pat on the head. "Yes, it has been a while, I've been...preoccupied." He says, walking by the rest... "More importantly why is SHE here? Because unless it's good I am going to go claim that bounty."

Alma Hyral has posed:
Riku helps her to her feet, and walks towards the baths, when he too stops and places his attention squarely on Angantyr. And while her gaze was focused on the elephant in the room.. A moment later she practically apparated at Riku's side, no magic required. There was a soft buzzing in her linkpeal, and she murmured a few words back.

Normally she would wonder why Imi was groping Angantyr as well, but this is the first time she'd met Imi, so she was starting to think this was normal for her. Alma categorizes Imi as the most lecherous/curious node of the Network somewhere in the corner of her mind where she stored all of her info on Dennou ecology.

Then again, those abs.. /STOP THINKING ABOUT THAT/!

She was totally not staring at the abs of one of her boyfriend/friend/crazed associate's nemesis and assassin of the Emperor of the House she worked for... Instead she was thinking of another set of..

You know what, this is serious time. And Alma's mind shoves all those thoughts down into a well, until later. When she might bother diving down there to retrieve them.

She swallows, and ventures to answer before Riku tries on his own.. best to, minimize their interaction as much as possible. "...she's lost her memory, she's an amnesiac and doesn't even understand basic concepts anymore because someone decided to.. carve out part of her soul. Or just erase it. I don't even know. Who is she? Why does she have a bounty on her head?"

That's right.. direct the subject away from /MURDER/. Maybe it'd even work. A glance at Riku told her that it almost certainly would not.

Riku has posed:
Riku looks puzzled for a moment and then it registers what the legionettes have been up to.

Epic. Facepalm.

His shoulder shake and he laughs, a little too loudly for what it was merited. "Angantyr." he says in a neutral voice. "I think that bounty has already been claimed, one way or another. It's probably best to leave her to her fate." he smirks at this, slamming a hand into a closed fist very lightly in irritation.

He then looks after where Ivo has gone. "Boy. A lot of things have changed since I left here. Maybe not as for the better as I thought they'd be."

A pause. There are bath schenadigans but those are sort of out of mind for the moment (Sadly).

Emi Dennou has posed:
"Alas, I am so dismayed." Imi quips back. "But are you certain she is Morrighan? She looks similarly, yes, but her personality is completely different. And she has no memory." She frowns a bit. "Even if she /was/ Morrighan, it would be akin to turning someone else in for the bounty of another."

Emi looks up towards Angantyr and says, "Please do not turn her in, The Network notes--" She pauses in her following as Riku claims the bounty has been taken.

Emi cups her chin faintly. She thought this soul chicanery would be difficult to do, but Garland probably could. She isn't sure what he did, but sure--he probably could do this. It was a somewhat safe assumption.

"...Understood." She says. "Thank you, Riku."

And then she walks after the other two. "Do you mean 'good care' in the straightforward manner or in the manner one typically inferred into innuendo and shameful activities, The Network uses the word 'shameful' in terms of common parlance as The Network has no shame."

She looks to Morrighan. "We will refer to you as Kara for the time being."

Deelel has posed:
Deelel watched Alicia and Kara head off. Perhaps there are too many people going for the bath. She doesn't really need it like that badly the users need it more than her really. Though Angangtyr's whole helmet bit has her just peering at Ang as he brings up the bounty. Okay things could get crazy for the moment and then goes Imi. Okay she just doesn't know some days she really does not. Though Ang was certainly worthy of being a statue subject she must admit she's got other things on her mind.

"That is correct, wait wait. Someone did?!"

She stares at Alma with a look of horror on her face.

"I thought that was a terror only my people could know I didn't think that was possible for ... humans or anything else from these worlds."

She looks over to Alma, she knows indirectly but there are people here with first hand experience.

Now no long with the bath on her mind the puzzle of what happened to Morri comes to mind. Seriously who the heck could do that to a user. She grips at the disc on her back without thinking about it. Basics one could, heck they could do it to themselves if one had enough ranks in evil computer science. Still to hear this had happened that Morri was basically a user stray. Was mind boggling to her.

Royce has posed:
Alicia smiles smugly though the expression is hidden from the elf as she is pushed ahead of her, gently but firmly guiding her towards a soapy fate.

"But ofcourse, dear. Never seen an outdoor bath before?" She squeezes her shoulders in a manner that is supposed to be reassuring. "Just think of it like going for a swim in a heated pool, only there aren't any clothes involved."

The din of conversation vanishes to a dull murmur as the two of them move beyond the lobby and out into the gardens, crossing the wide stone platform towards the tall wooden walls that divide the hotspring from the rest of the yard. She catches bits and pieces of their discussion but ultimately isn't particularly interested in that any more than she is in this bath. It's all part of the charade. The more she can do to take Ivo's mind off the question of her origins and past deeds the easier it will be to catch him off-guard.

The witch gives Emi a coy smile. "Hmm, I wonder? Would you like to come along and find out?"

Morrighan Alazne has posed:
The talk going on behind her failed to register as the oblivious elf left the lobby with Alicia. Bounties? Ahahaha, someone beat you to that Angantyr! Crossing the stone platform and arriving to their destination, she replied to Alicia in a somewhat distracted manner. "Um...No, I haven't...it sounds strange." And a pause. "...But I'm kind of curious now."

Emi's questioning of the nature of the other woman's intentions towards Kara failed to register in any deep way. Too many words she didn't understand! Innuendo? Parlance? Shameful? What? Besides, the bath was much more interesting than their discussion. It was a pool! ...And there was steam coming from it! How did that work?

Engrossed in the sight, Kara wound up leaving the two to kneel down by the hot spring's edge to poke at the water with a finger. "Ooooh...."

Angantyr Vespar has posed:
Angantyr takes a moment...

He exits the room. There is some shuffling, and then he comes back out with most of his armor on. He's adjusting the last bit of it to slide it over his ROCK HARD CHEST.

That's right Alma, there is NO ESCAPE from the MEAT GRINDER that is ANGANTYR'S MANLY CHEST. You will forever desire it.

Finally, the armor is on, and the mace is locked back into his back. "Wait." he pauses. "Did you say her soul was carved?" he pauses...a month or two ago he'd laugh...now...

Now...he just shakes his head. "Well...then she got her reward it seems. It takes no genius to figure out who did this to her...given who she angered and what she effectively did to him. This is often where blind grabs for power end up." he shrugs, "No, I am not going to turn her in...even I am not so heartless. Money is money, but somethings aren't worth a Gil." he says.

He looks at Riku, "Sup. Haven't seen you sense that time you stopped me from putting that /monster/ down." he sighs, "Whatever, you didn't know. How could you. I ain't going to hold it against you." Angantyr is seemingly pretty forgiveful...typically he's pretty vengeful.

He looks down at Imi and kneels down a little to look at her better, "So how have you girls been? Nothing too exciting I hope? Is Garland still causing your friend Mercade trouble? I was hoping he'd get bored and go back to just being ambivilant again." He mutters... Alma gets a look, he doesn't know her. But her words confirm what he thought.

Alma Hyral has posed:
Alma visibly pales, her ashen skin becoming an even more sickly shade of grey., as Angantyr gives his own theory on what occurred. Given her previous conversation with Riku she's going to guess that Angantyr means, /Scary Armor the Greater/, especially since he later names Garland. She has no idea that Angantyr is /Scary Armor the Lesser/.

She suddenly felt very nauseous.

More than nauseous as she thought of the greatest manifestation of Chaos carving out.. the soul of whoever that Dark Elf woman is.

But there's enough awkward already, and so instead of risking retching, she casts a preemptive Esuna spell on herself, with a hand placed squarely on her stomach. Sometimes knowing white magic had its benefits.

And then she's thinking about the manly chest aga... /THUMP/ She taps her fist idly against her stomach. Alright. Enough of that.

She looks between Angantyr to Riku, her expression bewildered, before it falls back onto Angantyr, "What monster are you talking about?"

Another look at the interaction between Angantyr and Legion and she hesitates, only venturing, "Well.. Avira told me she was still be harassed about a month back when I cooked dinner for VALKYRI... I haven't had the chance to talk to her lately."

That's right, keep the conversation civil.. she didn't feel any compulsion to introduce herself to the assassin, but she didn't want Riku to freak out and go all /Jazzhands/ darkness here. Especially given the Darkness she'd felt off Angantyr while he was fighting in the Senate. That'd be bad.

Emi Dennou has posed:
"OK." Emi says. Her concern seems to be more for Morrighan than herself--The Network has no body shame and even as she starts undressing, she doesn't blush, stammer, or rush. She just methodically does the job the way one might expect from a robot. A stripper robot, but still a robot. It's not especially sexy. She stashes her clothes nearby but out of range of nearby splashage. They are neatly folded. so as to prevent undue creasing.

She goes into the bath, neutrally, and looks towards Kara.

If she is Morrighan, she wonders, why does she care what she thinks again? It isn't that she hated her, but she didn't really care for her--that's how she'd put it. She didn't care for her.

"Kara, may The Network ask a pair of unusual questions?" She asks.

Imi behaves this round.

Royce has posed:
The witch gives a faint laugh at Emi's boldness and Kara's strange naivety. She follows suit after the Legion node's example and disrobes, though her outfit is a little more complicated and takes a bit of time to remove. Eventually, however, her armored boots and gauntlets end up sitting atop a haphazard pile of clothes and she slinks into the warm pool as well.

"Come on," she motions to Kara after finding a suitable place to sit. "Don't just sit there like log. The water feels great!"

She splashes a handful or two of the water at the elf to get her moving then turns her gaze back to Emi. "Hmm. Perhaps introductions are in order. I am Alicia." She puts a hand on her chest to indicate herself, offering nothing else but her name. "You?"

Deelel has posed:
Deelel is now unaware at what's going on t the bath as she's out here conversing with other people perhaps its for the best right? She looks back at Angangtyr's chest, I mean face for a moment.

"It sounds like a process that exists in my world but it's rare, dangerous and generally seen as criminal. Though I doubt the results are all the two have in common."

She shivers for a moment thinking about strays, it wasn't a pleasant end not one at all really. She tries to get it out of her mind but the mention of Garland causes her to just pause even more so at the talk of soul carving. She looks at Angantyr for a moment without saying anything as for Alma she is also getting some attention as well there's something else going on here but Deelel's unaware of the important bit of history between Alma, Riku and Ang.

"I not heard word of Garland from Alan since then so I thinks have been all right there as for what happened to her? We call tat being a stray on my world. No memories of who they are or anything about what they were supposed to do. Generally one can't be recovered from such a state unless certain things are done and even then those can be nearly as bad as what caused the memory loss in the first place."

Morrighan Alazne has posed:
Broken out of her blissful surveillance of the water's surface, Kara perked up as Emi addressed her. "...unusual questions?" Hah, as if she knew what unusual even was. Nodding her assent to the inquiry, the elf quickly stood at Alicia's splashing and began to undress as well, not really thinking too hard about what she was doing.

After a bit, she was down to nothing, her clothes hastily set aside with little care for how they were kept, and proceeded to try the water. Slowly stepping into the water, one foot went, and once she decided that it wasn't a horrible danger, the rest of her followed, sinking down to sit. "It does feel nice..." She mumbled after a moment of silence to decide what she thought.

"...what did you want to ask me?" Kara then asked, looking towards Emi again once she had settled in.

Shiki Misaki has posed:
Shiki Misaki's at work! She got a guy who needed a rip in his pants fixed and someone that wanted a Cactrot mascot costume made, which is why she's carrying it behind her in a cart. She wonders how he's going to stand up in it.

And she walks past Deelel.

"Oh, hey, what's going on here? What's the word on the street?"

Riku-Proxy has posed:
Riku keeps getting distracted (and no, not by the meat grinder-- although he does quickly visualize stuffing Angantyr INTO one for a brief vicious instant) because of the communal bathing social going on not too far away which preys on his mind.

Which he totally tries to ignore because of /several/ factors. Most of them in his general vicinity right now. "Yeah." he says in a voice harsh enough to sandblast rocks into powder. "You know. I've always regretted that decision. What have judge magisters ever done but mess with my life?"

That this actually made his life considerably better is left on the cutting block floor. A carefully measured voice continues. "You should be careful, Ang." he admonishes the mercenary. "All this forgiveness is smothering me. Aren't you the same guy who hunt me across half the cosmos for kicking over his stew?" he tchs in amused annoyance.

"You and I've got to catch up sometime. Or at least spar. It's been too long between beatings. I might get a complex. The last thing I need is an ego problem to go with the brooding."

Shiki Misaki has posed:
Shiki Misaki only just realises something.

OMG it's Riku he's like literally right over there omg omg omg.

"Eek!"

Briefly considers putting on the costume and wackiness ensuing. Realises no, that would violate the terms of the contract. So instead she's just going to sort of stand there, starin' at Riku awkwardly, and trying to make it look like she is not staring at Riku awkwardly.

Angantyr Vespar has posed:
"Sure. Look me up sometime." Angantyr says, "Though we'll try without almost accidently killing you." Ang says with a shrug...he catches the sarcasm in the tone, the growly nature of some of his words...whatever, he isn't going to push it. Not worth it.

"Yeah. I'm full of <GOOSEHONK>ing forgiveness lately. Just like some sort of santa claus of forgiveness. I am so forgiving they might call it Angantyring." Of course, Angantyring is what happens to people who /make him mad/.

However, he's seemingly chill. He just powers through the conversation. "Oh you know Avira?" he says to Alma. Also note there his helmet has a hair net on it for some reason. It is still there.

"I'm sort of in VALKYRI myself. It's...complicated, lets just call it that."

Emi Dennou has posed:
"This one is called Emi." Emi tells Alicia. "This one is a part of The Network, a group of entities presently consisting of 6 sisters." She is always compelled to add 'presently'.

"You're an official member now?" Imi asks of Angantyr, in the meanwhile. "Hello Shiki!" she waves at her.

BACK AT BATH

"This one inquires as to what brought you to the Shard Seekers." She looks towards Morrighan, observing as she enters the bath as well. Perhaps all that worry was for nothing.

"Yes. First off, The Network was wondering if you saw--" She pauses to correct herself. "This one was wondering if you saw her as a friend. Friend is being defined as entities that care about and look after one another."

Alma Hyral has posed:
And then Shiki appears in a cart, with a small shriek, and Alma is just, startled. She looks over at her, giving the girl with a cart a puzzled look. "Um, hello there."

Wait, why is she staring at Riku? Must be another person that has a history with him. Sometimes it seemed like they were as numerrous as the stars.

At the growly interchange between Angantyr and Riku, the /accidentally kill/ part causes her to cringe visibly. Oh sweet Cosma please don't let this be happening...

She doesn't respond on Riku's sarcastic remarks on what the Judge-Magisters did for him. She had a feeling that any inquiries on what happened would likely make the situation /far/ worse. She sucks in a deep breath, letting her recenter herself, before managing a wan smile, "Yes.. I know Avira. She's a.. well I don't know if you can call her a friend or an acquaintance, really, it's been a while.. I cooked a dinner for VALKYRI a while back. Healed her after a duel where someone from the Church of Glabados, named Ophelia, tried to kill her.." She keeps her expression calm, civil, as he mentions he's from Valkyri, "I.. Oh. I had no idea. That does sound.. complicated."

Riku-Proxy has posed:
"Yeah. That would help." Riku says brightly, chuckling a little to himself. "I did push a little too hard, didn't I." he gestures and shrugs. "Well. Everybody gets what they've earned, pretty much." He looks over at Alma.

"Yeah. He saved them from Scary Armor the Greater stomping them flat in a literal and metaphysical sense." he then looks at Shiki and smiles. He looks at the costume, then at Shiki and walks over towards her. He waves, fully aware of the situation and it's possible irony. "Hey. What do you got there?"

Deelel has posed:
Deelel looks over to Shiki she hasn't seen her since their questing some time ago she grins a little bit at her friend and replies

"Strangers , people visiting, and some actually rather grim things."

She doesn?t' say what just yet as well Riku seems a bit on the tense side of things then Shiki gets all well awkward about Riku being here and she's trying to not look at him. She does seem to have ideas at this point about what might be up with Shiki and Riku.

"Things often get complicated in life in my experience..."

Morrighan Alazne has posed:
Teetering back and forth casually, Morrighan, or rather, Kara listened to Emi's questions intently. The Shard Seekers? ...Well that was easy. "I asked around in Traverse Town after I had met with Avira. People told me about VALKRYI, Clan Gully, and the Shard Seekers..." Turning her blank gaze to the water, she continued to speak.

"I was told that I should go to the Shard Seekers since VALKRI is allegedly just a group of maids, and Clan Gully specializes in taking down dangerous Marks..." Pause. "...What's a Mark? Why is it dangerous?" Having slipped that question in there, Kara raised her head to look at Emi again, considering her second question.

"......"

She stared for a few seconds before gradually, a small smile found it's way onto her face. "...Emi has helped me out a lot despite the fact that I've been causing trouble..." The elf nodded at that, continuing to smile. "...I'd rather nothing bad happened to you...does that mean you're a friend?"

Shiki Misaki has posed:
Shiki Misaki does one of those awkward little semi-waves, where you hold your hand up and wiggle all of your fingers back and forth at once, and then Riku is wandering over oh cripes this is like the first time she's seen him in like six months what do I say what to do well he /is/ asking me a question maybe I should answer it that's a good start.

"/Cactaurs/!"

One finger in the air. Shiki looks at her finger. "/Cactaur/. Singular. Costume of. Costume of a cactuar, it's not exactly perfect because I needed to do something about the legs so they were better articulated and I don't know what this customer wanted it for but they're not going to be able to hold their arms and legs at right angles so I figured it was for the best how are you doing Riku I haven't seen you in a while what's going on?"

/Yeah/.

Angantyr Vespar has posed:
Angantyr pauses...

"What?" He asks, moving to face Alma completely, "Ophelia?" A pause...then.. "Did...kind of <GOOSEHONK>y? Laugh like a villian? Have katana and hits like a truck?" And is a bloody vampire? Well, it's hard to tell if that one got out...and worse the SSs are friendly to a certain Church Mouse.

Angantyr growls...damn it, Avira didn't tell him this...but maybe she was also trying to fight her own battles...but this one might have been brought to her because of him...and that doesn't sit well with him. He'll have to talk with her.

Oy...his life...

"Yes. Complicated. Very. Its...a long story that I won't get into. Scary Armor the greater is part of it.."

That is a funny name for Garland, but nothing about Garland is funny. "...I should leave, I think. I should probably...go back to Traverse."

Royce has posed:
Alicia relaxes against the flat surface of a rock, putting on a small pleasant smile as the conversation starts up. This certainly beats being forced to follow Ivo around all day. While the mental sparring is somewhat engaging, she's started to grow weary of his presence. She has work that needs to be done and being stuck as a 'willing' prisoner due to poor timing isn't something she intends to let continue for much longer.

"You have a rather odd way of describing a family, girl. I've never heard siblings refer to each other as 'entities'. You are human, are you not?"

Alma Hyral has posed:
Alma listens to Angantyr with a feeling of dread about her, and eventually nods, "All of those things. A completely arrogant Ordallian <GOOSEHONK>. Hates everyone from Ivalice, and insults everyone, all the time." Cursing there didn't even make her blush, her experience there with Ophelia was simply that horrible. "And more like eight Katanas? Some absurd number. She put Avira into a chokehold with her legs and was trying to kill her, I'm pretty sure of it. Might have succeeded too if her.. master, Alexander or something.. don't remember his full name, but he was actually a pleasant fellow, stepped in."

She looks over at the exchange going on between Shiki and Riku, then back at Angantyr. "That name.. comes up far too often lately..." Which was entirely upsetting to her, but she tried to keep her tone neutral, not quite succeeding.

Another glance at Shiki, as she dares to ask the question, "Oh um.. what do they need a Cactuar costume for?"

Emi Dennou has posed:
Emi considers how to answer Alicia. Eventually she says, "We are mostly human." She has of course found out more details about her identity just yesterday but she's been hesitant to just accept it. Still, she supposes it explains their original name. "Likewise, we are only partially seperate entities. We do not wish to be deceitful."

She thinks about VALKYRI being a grou of maids. That has come up more than once. "The Network doesn't believe you heard the truth when you were told it was an organization of maids." Who told her that? Emi supposes some mysteries will likely remain as such forever. "There are worse places to be than here, however. The Network just warns that the situation is a bit strange here."

FLASHBACK

Imi pinches Ivo's butt

PRESENT

"Some get used to it faster than others." She adds. She sinks, somewhat, in the water and looks at Kara as she answers. She pinkens faintly, it's totally the heat though not embarrassment.

"...Yes, this one would think so--though it hasn't been trouble--but further, then, if you do remember your past..."

She looks at the water. "...Will you promise not to tease us for being your friend?"

Riku-Proxy has posed:
Riku rubs the back of his head. "Uh.. yeah. I can see that."

Going to? This is awkward city. Population. All of you in the studio audience. There is a tick cross on Riku's head but it becomes smaller and smaller and then poofs out of existence as he stuffs it back into the background noise.

He looks curiously at the costume. "Hmmm.. yeah. I've seen those things before. Why would anyone dress up as something like that?" he chuckles. "Is this what you've been up to?" Nothing but curiosity there. No judgement. "Maybe.. that'd be for the best." He says in Angantyr's direction. "Also... why is there a hairnet.. on your helmet?"

Deelel has posed:
Deelel blinks for a moment at the mention of Cactarus she's head of the creatures but she's never ever seen one before. She looks over the master clothes maker for a moment as she speaks and Ang now is also planning to leave. She may have some things of her own to take care of as well. She's checked in with the seekers everyone is okay too. Though she's listening to Alma's story about Avira and that gets a concerned look. Who is that insane that they could do that to Avira.

"Ophelia? I'll keep myself on guard for someone like that. Also yes what is the need for the costume?"

Shiki Misaki has posed:
Well, now you know what a Cactuar looks like, Deelel. Sort of. Imagine more angular limbs and you're there.

"It's just taken about a week!" Shiki says modestly, almost instinctive. "I don't actually know what the reason for it is. The guy was very technical, but not really one for small talk...? I think it had something to do with uh, Dresspheres, though? I'm not actually sure what one of those is. It sounded interesting though, I just haven't been able to find any, ah, books about it in the Fluorgis libraries..."

"But yeah! That's what I've been doing. I make clothes, repair clothes..."

Riku-Proxy has posed:
"Have you tried an adventurer's guild, maybe somewhere in Traverse? They might have some bestiaries that might help more." Riku focuses on Shiki to keep himself from focusing on /other/ /things/ some of which may get him in trouble, dead or other things he didn't want to be right now. "Anyways. I just dropped in to see how you all were getting along." his smile is sarcastic and bitter and.. something else, maybe a little sad. "See you later, Shiki. I've got to get back." he looks over to Alma as if asking if she was coming as well as he starts to leave the area.

Royce has posed:
"Mostly human. What a curious answer."

The witch leans forward and rests her chin on a hand, peering at the girl with her singular eye. Somehow the absence of its twin makes her gaze seem more intense, as if all of her concentration were focused there for the lack of it. The blood red color of her iris isn't particularly comforting either, though such things are less unusual amid this land of fantasy. Back in Manhattan, she'd been forced to use magic to conceal it.

Alicia visually dissects Emi for several seconds as if trying to figure out what makes her unusual from simply staring at her but ofcourse nothing comes of it. "Consider my interest piqued. What manner of being are you, that you are not completely seperate from your sisters? Golems? Androids? Bound by magic?"

Alma Hyral has posed:
Alma decides to take him on that, primarily because Emi is watching over Kara(?)/Morrighan(?). She has a feeling that Emi won't allow anything /too wild/ to happen to the amnesiac woman. But then again, she has absolutely no shame. Which is probably why Ivo was able to put the moves on her. She has a feeling there's more that Riku wants to say, or wants to do in regards to the Dark Elven woman but.. it wasn't likely to happen in the crowd. He was secretive like that. So she walks over beside him, smiling to Shiki, "Well um, it's good to have met you. Maybe I'll contact you in the future, to do some seamstress work."

Mostly because she didn't want to overload Seloria with requests while she was getting established. Selly had enough problems without her endless fashion questions. And as she's walking out of the Shard Seeker's Headquarters, Alma asks Riku in mischievous tone, "Exactly.. how late, do you mind being?"

Angantyr Vespar has posed:
Angantyr pauses on his way out...

He mutters...

"If you see a cat named Khaos? Run. Run far far away, never look back, and pray to god he doesn't play chase." he says, muttering. And then he leaves...

He needs to find a decurser.

Morrighan Alazne has posed:
Kara stared at Emi, blinking slowly all the while. "...Are you okay?" She asked after, leaning forward a bit to inspect her face. "Your face is changing color...is that normal?" Unable to resist, she reached out and poked Emi's cheek with a finger out of curiosity. "Oooooh...." Amazing.

At the subject of remember her past and all that, the dark elf paused. "...Why would I make fun of you? You're my friend, aren't you?" She fell silent for a couple seconds after before speaking up again. "...Did you know who I was?" She had suspicions, but it seemed like no one was telling her now. "...Was I bad person?"

Deelel has posed:
Deelel now dos indeed know about the costume and it?s origins and the term Dresssphere is a new one to her. Just what is that anyhow? She'll file that away for later research as she's curious about it.

"You might wish to try further aboard for information or hit a world that still has a functional internet of some sort, it might help with your searches. I really should get some ... clothes from this world shouldn't I."

She waves to Riku as he departs and wonders what's got him going but then again he's got a lot of things likely keeping him busy at this point. She gives Alma a wave before she turns back to Shiki.

"Sorry about vanishing like I did. I got myself into a lot of trouble but ... it worked out. It also got my mind fixed. I'd forgotten most of my life until it was fixed."

That was quite a surprise in user understanding she was several hundred years old.

Emi Dennou has posed:
Emi doesn't seem to be anything but human. Green hair might be considered odd--her hair had been modified for tracking purposes. She thinks about how to answer Royce and eventually admits, "Uncertain. But we are confident in our prior answer. We are not androids or golems, however." She couldn't answer that last one, though.

Morrighan gets most of her attention, though, only reddening more at the poke--though perhaps less than what normal people would expect. "...Possibly. If you were Morrighan, then we did."

Emi smiles faintly at her, though, since she is being pretty much 'the adorable'. "We could not say whether Morrighan was bad or not--we don't like to comment on people like that--but we did not like her. She did not seem to like us either." Emi frowns again. "But we like you."

Morrighan Alazne has posed:
Hmn...that wasn't much of an answer. It would seem like she wouldn't be getting many details from this one. That is, if she was even this Morrighan person in the first place. But all signs were pointing to 'more likely than not'. "I see...Well, that's okay. I don't remember anything anyway, so..." She shook her head at that and scooted over to Emi, pulling her into a hug.

"I like you too. Thanks for being my friend, Emi." Where did she learn this? Oh wait, Ivo. Just earlier. ...Well, it could have been much worse! Maybe.

Royce has posed:
Alicia hums thoughtfully and then sits back, realizing she isn't going to learn anything useful this way. Yet another mystery and one that she doesn't have the time to investigate properly. Despite being immortal she never seems to have enough time to do everything that needs to be done.

The exchange between Emi and Kara holds no interest for her, so the witch closes her eye and relaxes, allowing the warm water to soak up all of the aches and sweat infusing her body. She isn't actually bothered by such things, infact she hardly even notices little bits of unpleasantness like that, but it seems fairly obvious that a place like this would cause discomfort to the average individual so she simply attempts to blend in.

The calm of the bath is agreeable to her as well. No monsters, no angry heretics, and even the book has retracted its talons from her mind for the time being, though she can still feel it lurking in the back of her mind like a sleeping beast waiting to be roused by the slightest change.

Ivo Galvan has posed:
Ivo Galvan knows when to be inconspicuous, believe it or not. Having verified that the bathing pool is sparkling clean, he, in his giddy state, found his wandering eyes settling upon parts of the garden that had gotten unruly in his absence. Scurrying off to the corner, he busied himself unobtrusively while glancing furtively in the direction of the women taking off their clothes.

Unfortunately, because Ivo has the absolutely barest minimum of decency, he averts his eyes when Emi undresses, meaning that by the time he looks back all of them have gotten in the water. /Curses./ Oh, wait, no, now Alicia is reclining on a-- wow-- okay-- wow.

He's been kneeling with a weed half-pulled out of the ground for about twenty minutes now, but he moves at last when 'Kara' embraces Emi, his eyes slowly narrowing.

"Excellent," he murmurs under his breath.

Despite being on the other side of the garden, he leans toward them.

"Now /kiss/."

Shiki Misaki has posed:
"Man, I didn't even know the internet still existed! If it's a thing, I totally should. I mean, I used to have a tumblr! /And/ a livejournal!"

"Ohh, Dee, if you want clothes you've /got/ to let me help you. We could go to the 104 building! Oh, you'd look /great/ in Jay-oh-tee-em."

"Uhhh, but if the internet doesn't work, I can try! I haven't been back to Traverse in a while. I hear WildKat is really popular these days too."

"Oh... it's nice to know you're doing OK, Riku... I'm sorry we couldn't spend more time together! We really should..."

Shiki looks sad, because it's unfortunate to meet him again and part so soon. But it's time to go! So she waves to Alma, and tosses her a... business card. "Call me!"

She turns back to Deelel. "Wow... everyone else is going on so many different adventures without me knowing about it. I guess we're all really busy, huh? I've mostly been trying to just... train with my staff and keep a steady job to pay the rent on the HQ..."

Then suddenly, Shiki's eye twitches.
"...I just got this weird feeling. Like I need to smack Ivo."

Emi Dennou has posed:
Emi isn't unwilling to provide details, but she doesn't like being rude by saying unpleasant things so her instinct isn't to give any major stories--but she did at least suggest Morrighan may have not exactly excelled at friendmaking--Dennous don't seem especially hard to befriend.

Ivo will be no doubt pleased to see Emi not only get hugged but be /perfectly fine/ with hugging back. It's not unlike a promise, right? If Morrighan /does/ grope her butt at this point in time, she will inquire about it, otherwise she says, "...Thank you, too."

Either way, something draws her attention, her head turns to look /directly in Ivo's direction.

She stares for a moment, as if looking right at him--but either doesn't see him, or doesn't care, as she turns back to Morrighan. "Then it isn't any trouble. I will help you anyway I can, all of us will." She smiles, relieved. Life has been a bit rough lately, with Imi's kidnapping and all of that mess, so it's nice to have some good news.

"Alicia...what brought you here?"

Deelel has posed:
Deelel says "It's functional in Manhattan and sooner or later the Mayor of Transverse Town will likely set up a network of some sort in the city itself." She pauses for a moment. She grins a little bit.

"All right I think I can make an attempt at that, Shiki. Just say when and I should be there. True the network's not huge but there's something up in Manhattan I think the Library and one of the universities has managed to get something up. Either way there is something there."

"You do better than us on that part, and ... you likely do. He's been umm himself today!"

Morrighan Alazne has posed:
The elf suspected of being Morrighan nodded slowly and remained in the hug for a bit longer. "Thank you, Emi. I'm not really sure what's going on still, but I appreciate the help you're giving me." At that moment, one of her hands began to inch lower...and lower...and lower...wait a second, don't me that she was about to do the same exact thing Ivo was-

*squeeze*

...Yep. She learned from the best. ...Or rather, that is to say she learned from the /worst/.

Shiki Misaki has posed:
"Ooooo..."

"Ha ha, awesome! NOTHING stops the internet!" Shiki says, voice giddy with elation because even though it seems small, it's something important to her- communication, and a triumph of people over the isolation the Heartless have inflicted on them.

"Hee hee, aww, that makes me feel a lot better than you'd think, Dee. It's just kinda like-- I'm glad to hear everyone is working together, you know? I love to hear about how everyone helps everyone else out."

"Now, let's go find Ivo, I'm sure he's doing /something/ to deserve a noogie..."

Royce has posed:
The witch's eye slides open slowly and evenly, like a mechanical shutter being raised. She turns to look at Emi once again, still wearing a gentle smile that seems both infused with kindness and caring and yet utterly detached from the emotions it portrays. Something about the way her smile seems not to reach her eye or the fact that she's not yet allowed anything but that same amused grin to show makes it feel disingenuous.

"A boat," she answers with a slight smirk.

Emi Dennou has posed:
*squeeze*

Emi blinks, slowly, distracted from Alicia (though she admits the quip was funny if strange because they are in a desert city?)

"Kara," She asks. "What are you doing with my butt?"

It should be noted that Emi's butt is /genetic perfection/ with some variance depending on personal tastes in rear ends.

Ivo Galvan has posed:
Ahh, what /is/ Kara doing with Emi's butt!? There's water and steam in the way! Ahhhh!

Such sweet agony.

Shiki Misaki has posed:
"Maybe more than just a noogie," Shiki says to herself.

These are extra words so the scenelogger grabs this! Ohhhh extra words!

Morrighan Alazne has posed:
Kara smiled obliviously at Emi's question, her hand still on Emi's rear end. "Ivo showed me that if you really like someone, that you do this." If one strained their ears, they might be able to hear a crow flying high in the skies above going 'Aho! Aho! Aho!' ...Or maybe not. But it only got much worse from there.

"He also showed me that when you like someone..." She leaned closer then, their faces scant millimeters apart. "...that you do this." And then she attempted to enact the second part of Ivo's terrible example, attempting to kiss Emi. Cue hand shield!?

Royce has posed:
Alicia seems at first confused by the interruption but then grins woflishly as she figures out what's going on. Ivo's nonsense actually worked on someone? Will wonders never cease. But then the confused and clearly impressionable elf doesn't seem like too difficult of a target so perhaps he just lucked out and got the easiest mark ever.

In either case, she's not about to let him win this time. The game never ends, Galvan, and this witch still has a few tricks.

For no reason that seems obvious, Alicia gets to her feet. Her excessively long silver hair, now drenched from soaking in the bath, clings to her back like a cloak but it's heavy and thick enough that it creates a shimmering barrier between the two girls just as Kara closes in for the kiss.

Alicia turns and smirks over her shoulder directly at the peeping tom, waggling a finger back and forth in the air playfully. Not this time, Ivo.

Emi Dennou has posed:
How does Emi keep getting in these situations. She is pretty sure it is entirely Imi's fault.

"This one isn't sure that is the whole of the--"

Oh please like there will be a hand shield. This is Shard Seeker territory, the bar is /way below sea level/. Emi's shoulders shoot up in surprise as--

Smuuuchuuuu

--Emi says, "Ah, well..." pause, then--another one. THIS PERSON SUMMONED THE FIEND OF EARTH MAYBE--She also summoned the fiend of fanservice. Emi says, "Um, well. You are a good kisser, The Network will grab your rear if you want, but The Network is considerably certain that these acts are typically reserved for lovers."

Pause, "But if you are certain, This one will engage in your preferred ritual."

Deelel has posed:
Deelel nods in agrement to Shiki as she moves to follow her firned out.

"We best go deal with him before he gets himself killed."

Ivo Galvan has posed:
At last, the steam clears, and our hero is treated to the sight of a delightful and very damp embrace. Somewhere in the back of the mind of the consummate aesthete there are intertwining the threads of two very different pleasure centers, the Novelty AKA I Can't Believe This is Happening center and the-- well, the more straightforward one, as much as he'd prefer to claim that everything he experiences is based on a conscious choice.

Ivo's grip then tightens upon the remaining roots of the weed half-torn from the ground, his eyes widening as Kara speaks some immortal words and leans in. No, it can't be. It is! Somewhere, Reize's pendant is glowing as a wish is about to be fulfilled. Ivo is about to witness one of the most extraordinary and glorious sights of his career as a mischief-maker, and it's all thanks to his faithful ally Alicia, who--

*rip*

--has utterly betrayed him.

The weed at last tears free of the ground as Ivo glares at her with stony eyes and a flat expression. But as comical as his frustrated visage is, he can't resist her teasing smirk. He grins as she waggles her finger at him, and shrugs nonchalantly, as one caught red-handed does not bother denying their crime. He has to admire her, honestly; her timing was perfect.

Also, when she turns like that, he can kind of see her butt behind her hair.

Yes, 'sweet agony' is the apt phrase.

Morrighan Alazne has posed:
And Morrighan succeeded. On one hand, the fanservice gods must be pleased. On the other, the gods of logic must be facepalming craters into their faces right about now. Parting with Emi, the elf just tilted her head slightly. "...Oh. ...You mean they're not the same?" Combining Alma, Emi, and Ivo's explanations of friends and lovers, it all seemed incredibly similar to the girl. Which would probably explain this fiasco.

"...Did I get it wrong then?" Her blank expression gradually turned to an apologetic one as she retracted her hand from Emi's rear end finally. "...Whoops." And that was the flattest, most emotionless whoops one probably could have heard in a while.

Emi Dennou has posed:
Emi is very logical, she just--again--has no shame. Not too long ago she wasn't much better off than Morrighan is right now. She doesn't see kissing and buttgrabbing to be a big deal.

"No, I think you are quite adept at kissing. And--yes. It is complicated, The Network agrees."

She looks over towards Ivo as he is all redhanded.

She raises a hand and--

--waves at him.

Royce has posed:
Her mission accomplished, Alicia winks at the shameless voyeur. Teasing him just a bit more, she reaches her arms over her head and stretches, turning just far enough to the side to give a hint of her curves around the edges of her body and hair without actually revealing anything, before she sinks back down into the steamy water.

"Quite the show you're putting on," she asides to the other two women as she starts reclines against the rocks once more.

The thick white mist floating on the surface of the bath obscures her body into little more than a dark silhouette from the shoulders down, preventing Ivo from getting a really good look at her plentiful assets, but she does this more to tease him out of some hope that it causes him actual distress than any sense of modesty.

Morrighan Alazne has posed:
That misunderstanding out of the way, Kara just nodded. "...Thank you. You were rather nice to kiss as well." She says openly, as utterly devoid of shame as Emi was. It was left at that though as Emi turned her attention elsewhere. The elf's eyes followed to spot Ivo. "......"

If she was supposed to feel scandalized or obligated to protect her modesty, she certainly didn't. Instead, she just raised a hand a bit and waved to him as well.

Maybe Alma was right. Maybe she did need a babysitter. Today's events only cemented that fact.

Ivo Galvan has posed:
Ivo half-heartedly waves back at Emi and Kara, smiling weakly.

No need for stealth any longer, he supposes.

"Ohh--" he blurts as Alicia stretches seductively, half-rising to his feet just in enthusiasm. You must understand, Ivo Galvan is a lover of beauty, and the bodies of these women are works of art. He is an /artiste/.

It's totally different from being a voyeur.

Overhearing Alicia's rather hypocritical comment, Ivo stands and tosses the weed to the side, thinking perhaps he's missing something, but through the steam it appears that whatever happened, he already missed it. Typical. Still, what Alicia's doing right now is much more on the sweet side than on the agonizing. Actually, considering how much he enjoys being teased, maybe Ivo is less of a voyeur and more of a mas--

"Ahem," he clears his throat, interrupting the narrator and also politely announcing his presence as he approaches the bath, looking away respectfully, not that he was /staring this entire time/. "How're you girls doing? Do you need anything to drink from the icebox? I wouldn't want anyone to faint."

If that happened, they might need to be resuscitated.

...Damn!

Morrighan Alazne has posed:
Kara shook her head at Ivo and rose up out of the water, taking a tower to dry off...right in front of Ivo. At least he was looking away. Once she finished, she grabbed her clothes and began to leave. "...I think I'll be fine. I'm..." She trailed off, pausing to think for a moment. "...going to look around."

And probably pass out in someone's bed.

Maybe Ivo's. Unintentionally.

All the while, she had forgotten to get dressed as she disappeared back into HQ.

...She definitely needed a babysitter.

Emi Dennou has posed:
Emi stands herself up as well, "Alright," She says, "I think we've been in here a bit too long, anyway." She sploshes through the bath, steps out, and reaches for another towel, drying out her hair first and working her way down.

"I could use some water." Emi adds.

Royce has posed:
"I think I'll be staying for a little longer," Alicia chimes in. "Be a dear and bring me some wine, would you?"

Wasn't she supposed to be a prisoner? Since when do jailers offer mini-bar service? Well, since he offered, might as well take advantage of it.

Emi Dennou has posed:
Emi isn't surprised at all. She knows how this works now with the Shard Seekers. Being their prisoner is basically vacation. "Fine tastes." She says, wrapping the towel around herself as she heads to her clothes.

Ivo Galvan has posed:
"With pleasure."

Is he replying to Royce, or watching Kara go?

"Yeah," he murmurs distractedly, "I could use some water too."

He watches the dark retreating figure until she leaves his view.

"A bucket of it."