Getting arms and meeting new people...

[masterofgunfu]

 Atlanta is a strange city. Anything taller than three floors is ground down by magic wave after magic wave. Electric street signs are busted, missing or replaced by their more primitive kin. The tarmac of the streets is cracked as are the cement of the sidewalks and plant life has gone wild. Yet despite all this, the humans of the city rebuild...except here in Unicorn Lane. Here magic and the wild are the apex predator and not just during the Magic Waves. Things hide and quiver in the shadows. What people live here do so because there is simple no where else in the city that will accept them. It is dangerous. It is unpredictable and it is where Andrea is hoping to buy some guns on the sly.

Point in fact, she's already bought the guns and is currently sitting in what is left of a small city park, or what was once a small city park. Now it's more a mid-sized city jungle complete with unidentifiable and eerie animal sounds. The animal sounds are leaving her alone for now and so she is making sure her purchases (two Glocks and a submachine gun) were worth the effort and cost. She's also got a perfect view of all the windows and doorways to the empty shells of three apartment buildings that surround the park's entrance.

Comments

[venusadept_2]

This is not Milliways.

This is very distinctly not Milliways. The sounds, the smells - though Felix is not usually a very olfactory person - even the quality of the light is wrong.

And, of course, there's the fact that he seems to be in a very abandoned building. He doesn't know of any of those on Milliways' grounds.

Well, the first thing to do in an unfamiliar situation is to gather information. Crouching, Felix makes his way toward a doorway to get a look outside.

[masterofgunfu]

Andrea frowns in disgust; the firing pin on one of the Glocks is chipped, making the gun not only useless but dangerous. TIme to go pay someone a visit. Standing, she catches a slight movement out fo the corner of her eye and turns towards it, her hand moves to the pistol on her hip in warning.

"Whoever's out there, find someone else. I'm not in the mood tonight."

[venusadept_2]

Ah. Someone doesn't seem happy.

Felix slowly steps out to give her a clear view of him, hands open and away from his sides.

"I don't mean any harm," he calls. "I am just... lost."

It's true, and perhaps more importantly it looks true. Or at least, his clothes (rough, loose cotton tunic and pants, well-worn leather boots, and a sword sheathed at his waist - this last clearly the highest-quality part of the outfit, by a huge margin) don't look like they would be from around here.

[masterofgunfu]

The clothes are rougher than most of what she sees on the streets and the sword looks hand forged, though she's no expert, that's Kate's department.

"You picked a hell of a place to get lost in," she replies easing up a bit. As if to punctuate her words, an eerie howl sounds from several blocks over. "I can help with directions if you'd like to tell me where you were heading?"

[OOC: Would you like Andrea to smell of a hint of Milliways on Felix? I'm fine with the awkward way or easy way. ]

[venusadept_2]

Curiously, Felix doesn't seem worried about the howl. Maybe he thinks it's nothing to worry about, or that he can handle whatever is causing it.

"I was trying to find a bar," he starts, trying to decide how much to say. "I have been there before, but not in a while. It's called Milliways."

[masterofgunfu]

"What street is that on?" Andrea asks though she's a little spooked. Her door was supposed to be secure. Of course that's assuming this guy is from that Milliways. Are there more than one Milliways?

Oh there's a comforting thought.

[venusadept_2]

Reading people has never been one of Felix's greatest skills, so he can't tell whether she knows Milliways. Better to play it safe, then. As much as he can without knowing the area, anyway.

"I'm not actually sure, off the top of my head. I usually find it by following landmarks. I must have missed one this time."

[masterofgunfu]

Another howl interrupts them and she turns to watch the direction it came from for a moment or two before turning back. She thinks for another second (if this guy is from Milliways, she should help him get back) before asking, "Is that the bar with all the weird cliental and the mahogany bartop? Firing range out back?"

That should be general enough that any normal bar in Atlanta could pass, though maybe specific enough if he's talking about the magical one.

[venusadept_2]

Aha! "Yes, that sounds right." Just to be sure, he adds, "With the Window."

Like it or not (and he doesn't), that's definitely an identifying feature.

[masterofgunfu]

"That sounds about right," Andrea says, still suspicious. "But I thought my door was secure. Did you follow me threw or something?"

Hey, is that yowling getting closer?

[venusadept_2]

"No," he protests. "I was at home, and I tried to get to Milliways, and ended up in that building instead." He points, probably unnecessarily.

It does sound that way.

[masterofgunfu]

She sighs and pinches the bridge of her nose.

"Okay. Sorry," she says finally holding out her hands in a friendly manner. "Both doors I know about on this world are in very secure areas and would piss off a lot of people if it were discovered random people could walk through them. I have a box of matches from the bar if you want to try and summon a door? If there is anywhere that will work it will be here."

And of course now is when the yowling stops. Andrea sniffs and spins to face a darker shadow within the buildings shadow. "We might need to take care of something first."

[venusadept_2]

Felix is about to accept the matches, or ask her why here would be different than elsewhere, but then Andrea notices whatever threat she notices. Felix doesn't have her knowledge of this world, or apparently her sense of smell, but he's willing to follow her lead. Almost too quickly to see, his sword is in his hands - not directly threatening anything, but out and ready.

[masterofgunfu]

He's quick, she thinks, Good. She draws two pistols from shoulder holsters just as quickly. She also stands her ground, hoping whatever is in the shadows will decide they are too much trouble.

"Okay, I'll make this quick. I'm Andrea Nash and welcome to Atlanta, Georgia. That's the city and state by the way. Andrea's World 101 time. Magic and technology are wonky here. If you can do magic, you may not be able to while the magic is down, it comes and goes like tides. Of course we are in what is locally called Unicorn Lane which has it's own rules. There are pockets of magic here that are permanent. There are also lots of monsters and worse here so our friend in the shadow may be something that wants to eat us."

[venusadept_2]

He nods, taking that in. There's a great deal he'd like to know more about, but if they're about to be attacked it isn't a good time to ask.

"I'm Felix. No last name. Anything I should know about the monsters you have here?"

His decade-plus of experience fighting monsters will probably help, but it's nice to know about any peculiarities before they hit him (literally or not).

He's also going to check to see if his magic is available, like Andrea mentioned; if it works, his eyes will start to glow faintly yellow.

[masterofgunfu]

The shadow stops advancing as if to examine the pair. It is large, the size of a pony, and perhaps feline, though there are strange writhing shadows about its shoulders. A low, bass rumble of a growl can be heard.

"Well, that's the trick. Magic isn't too picky about who it listens to. We get all sorts of monsters, from any culture and some even from games people used to play. I've fought vampires, werewolves, sea demons and have even seen a giant brass fish. We'll have to play it by ear."

Felix's magic is there though it might feel weird. ANdrea is watching the alley so misses the slight yellow glow.

[venusadept_2]

"Ah."

Well, one good start in a fight is to divide the opponent's attention. Felix makes some rocks fall in an alley off to the side. Nothing too far away, especially since he's not sure how well his powers will work here, but he should be able to manage enough of an angle that the monster can't look at them and the sound at the same time.

Unless it's a chimera or similar; that has crossed Felix's mind. But even if it is, distracting it and knowing that should be helpful.

[masterofgunfu]

The creature does react to the sound, looking that way and crouching defensively.

"That was you?" Andrea whispers, just in case the shadow can understand them. She steps a few paces away from Felix so they don't make one convient target.

[venusadept_2]

"Yes," Felix whispers back, just as quietly. He begins approaching their opponent, simultaneously stepping away from Andrea.

[masterofgunfu]

Before he gets too far away, she whispers again. "If a magic wave hits, don't be surprised if you get a rush of power." Then, she makes her own way to flanking the creature which has stepped out of the shadows by now. It is big, about the size of a horse, and closely resembles a panther if a panther had two tentacles comes out of its shoulders. It also has black fur and seems to blur about the edges.

"There's no need for a fight. If we stepped into your territory, we're sorry and we'll leave."

[venusadept_2]

Felix nods.

Diplomacy having never been one of his strong points, and certainly not one he's had opportunity to practice on non-humanoids at home, he lets Andrea do the talking. Possibly his sword doesn't make the best counterpoint, but he's not putting it away just yet.

[OOC: Ooh, displacer beast. This is going to be fuuuun.]

[masterofgunfu]

The beast just growls and leaps at Andrea, who dodges forward to roll under the attack and to the side. She comes out in a tripod stance, on knee on the ground and fires twice before a wave of powers hits the world.

"Son of a bitch!" Andrea snarls at her now useless guns. As the magic rises, street lights wink out to be replaced by a dim green glow from enchanted vapor filled glass tubes the locals call fey lanterns.

Andrea shots seem to have either missed or have had no effect on the creature.

[venusadept_2]

Well, that's a startling sensation! Almost by reflex, Felix sends a small earthquake at the creature, only to find that while it's still small, it's considerably more forceful than he intended. Its target may well be flung into the air, and who can say where it'd land?

[masterofgunfu]

The beast does fly into the air, nearly ten feet in fact. It turns in the air trying to find purchase, tail spinning and tentacles writhing, before its feet are pointed in the proper way and it lands in a crouch to spring at Andrea.

Andrea for her part hasn't been staring gap mouthed but dropped her now useless guns and pulled out a crossbow from over her shoulder. She loads arms it just as the beast leaps at her and she dodges to the left while firing.

"I missed?!?" She yells at the clatter of the bolt hitting the wall behind the beast is heard.

[venusadept_2]

As many a monster back home knew - briefly - Felix's most preferred combat technique involves hitting things with swords. As it happens, though, he's a bit out of sword-range of this one. He therefore summons a pile of rocks into the air above it...

...And watches as they clatter to the ground around the beast, producing little more than a clatter. The creature snarls.

[masterofgunfu]

Andrea is too close to load the crossbow again before the creature springs at her, so she ducks and rolls into a kick aimed at the creature's stomach as it sails over her. Her blow hits but barely, bouncing off the ribs. Still, enough force is transferred that the creature lands poorly.

[venusadept_2]

Badly, indeed; one of its paws gets caught in a crack.

Hang on, was that crack there a minute ago? It looks like it's getting bigger. And leaking light...

A bunch of rocks burst out of the crack, spraying upward. A lot of them go right past the beast, but others pummel its underside.

[masterofgunfu]

Mysterious cracks are fine by Andrea...wait that sounded bad.

The creature roars and is knocked up on it's hind legs but it's tentacles shot out to hit Andrea square in the chest. Her face contorted in pain, she grabs one of them with her left hand and yells out, "I think there's some sort of magical distortion field around our kitty her. Messes with your aim."

[venusadept_2]

There would be, wouldn't there? All right, options, options...

Felix sends a burst of healing energy Andrea's way. "Perhaps some way to hit an area instead of aiming at it specifically? Is that something you can do?" Despite her introduction earlier, Felix really has very little idea of Andrea's abilities.

[masterofgunfu]

"'Fraid not. I shot things or beat them up," Andrea replies dodging out of the creatures way again. She catches the expression on the beast's face though and notices something else, a glint of intelligence and amusement. Understanding animal body language does prove useful from time to time.

"I swear it's listening to us," she calls out nervously as she bends to snatch up a rock and throw it at the creature. Now that she knows to alter her aim, she hits it and it yowls.

[venusadept_2]

Felix scowls. This just gets better and better.

Aiming is not really one of his strong points, but rocks are. He points his sword at the beast, his eyes glow briefly, and a lot of rocks fall out of the air above and around it.

Indeed, that's quite a lot of rocks, since Felix is still adjusting to the power-up. Enough that even if the creature survives the pummeling, it'll have trouble finding stable footing until it gets away from where it was.

[masterofgunfu]

It does manage to dodge a majority of the rocks but the collateral effect of the rocks still makes it scramble for footing. Andrea takes the opportunity to load her crossbow and pull out a couple of spare bolts.

She fires, hitting the beast in the chest which makes it roar in protest, and has another bolt loaded.

[venusadept_2]

And while it's having a harder time of dodging...

The world seems to roll up into a ball, about ten or twelve feet across, between the three of them. Felix's touch sets the ball spinning, and then his outstretched hand sends it shooting straight at the beast. And even without the rocks, it's hard to evade something that big going that fast. The ball bursts as it hits, restoring the world around them (such as it is).

(It's a bit of illusion, and a bit of metaphor, and a lot of pain. Not necessarily one of Felix's favorite tactics, but he's getting annoyed.)

[masterofgunfu]

Andrea fires another bolt once the spell has worked itself out but misses as the beast leaps back. It lands much better, though with a limp, and continues to back away, keeping an eye on both Felix and Andrea.

"Keep backing away and this can all be over," Andrea shouts out at it as she loads another bolt. She hates killing animals.

[venusadept_2]

Felix has no particular objection to killing animals, but this thing seems considerably more intelligent than most animals. Besides, he'd just as soon not deal with it and its dodging skills any more.

He lets his eyes flash yellow, although he doesn't actually cast anything, and shouts wordlessly, flinging his arms wide. Hopefully that'll get the beast to just run off.

[masterofgunfu]

The beast does back off, walking slowly and keeping its eyes on both Andrea and felix. When it gets a good hundred feet from them, it turns around and bounds away.

"Well I think that's over," Andrea says with relief. Things could have gone much worse. She reaches into a pocket and pulls out a book of matches with the familiar Milliways logo. "Let's see about getting you on your way now."