<@Brett> [Date: Tuesday, March 2nd, 8:00 p.m.] <@Brett> [After a lengthy car chase and a leisurely (I'm sure that's terribly mispelled) drive through the country, you re-arrive back at the Count's castle. As you pull up, you notice the gate's closed.] <@Brett> [Start] <@Sonia> (Which isn't really a surprise, Brett, it's a castle. *sighs* Intercom? Guard? Giant knocker?) <@Sonia> (I know that Alysha just told a guy that she would be welcomed in.) (How did we get in last time?) (Oh yeah.) <@Brett> [As you approach, the bald butler limps out of the castle. He greets you wordlessly, opening the gate.] <@Brett> [The gate, she's open!] * @Sonia drives through the gate, muttering lowly, "I could use something to eat." Besides salad, you mean? <@Brett> [Specificly, Sonia finds she craves meat.] Let's get'cha well first, aye? * @Sonia looks over at Montana funny and says, "One, I ain't an all salad girl, and two, yeah." <@Brett> ["Three, you need a shower!" says the Count, who just popped up in the van out of nowhere.] <@Sonia> (BUH) * Gordo starts. "How'd you get in here?" * Nigel looks back at the Count and raises an eyebrow. "If you were always there, we could have used some help during that chase." * Shiho nearly drops her phone, which she'd been reading on, and fumbles for a moment before getting a good grip on it again. <@Brett> [He ignores Gordo in favor of Nigel. "Ah! You are right! I could have counted your enemies!"] <@Brett> ["No matter! I shall count you instead!" He proceeds to do so.] * Nigel shakes his head and waits for them to park. * @Sonia drives up to the door, and parks saying, "Can you count me up some food?" <@Brett> ["An excellent idea! I shall count the food in the kitchens. Ah! Ah! Ah!" He wraps his cape around himself and vanishes.] * Montana fumbles with the cards he nearly dropped. * @Sonia opens up her door and says, "Now we just gotta follow the counting noises." <@Brett> [The butler hobbles up to the door and opens it for you, glaring as he does.] * @Sonia doesn't care if he's glaring! * Nigel jumps out of the van and heads inside and to the kitchen to finish what he was doing. He chops of the mandrake root and takes the other ingredients that he prepped earlier, adding them all to a cauldron and begining to brew the potion. <@Sonia> (So we have food to eat and a ritual to do.) * Shiho stretches once she's out of the van and goes inside to make sure Alysha stayed put. * Gordo is far more sedate as he gets out of the van. "Suppose we should report to the boss." <@Brett> ( Everyone going to the kitchen, stay here! Everyone going to Alysha, join #Alysha ! ) You go ahead. I'm gonna watch the potion-making magic. * Montana heads to the kitchen, since that's where Nigel went! * Gordo nods at Monty and follows Shiho. * @Sonia heads to the kitchen. "Eh. Two for one." She rubs her shoulder idly. <@Brett> [You head to the kitchen! It seems kept in order! Except for a weird fuzzy black ball on the counter. A ball that uncurls and meows in protest as the door is opened. The cat hops off the counter and scampers out of the room, brushing past Sonia as it goes.] * @Sonia trains her eyes on the cat, tracking it as it goes. She watches it go for a moment, before saying, "I know I ain't that hungry. Someone get me something dead to eat." * Montana also watches the cat go. "Uh." He looks around, then starts looking in the fridge and cupboards! <@Brett> [The only dead things Montana discovers is plants! Lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, celery, carrots... It slowly dawns on him that the reason they all got salad for breakfast is because the butler's a total vegan, and as for the Count... Have they ever seen him eat?] ... Yeah okay, so they just got veggies here. * @Sonia looks to Nigel, then Montana. "That ain't gonna do it." <@Sonia> How long this gonna take? * Nigel turns to Sonia. "A couple of minutes. Also, cut yourself. I need your blood." * @Sonia looks over her sunglasses at Nigel for a long moment, then says, "Dammit, boy, can't none of you remember I'm armored?" <@Sonia> How much you need? Just a bit. A drop or two should be fine. <@Brett> [Incidentally, you can hear the Count counting in the store room next door.] * @Sonia sighs and grabs a knife before hopping up on a table and exposing her knee. "Things I do for hocus pocus." She takes the knife and lightly presses up into the back of her knee at a weird angel, gritting her teeth, before pulling the knife back and holding it such that the small bit of blood that's now on it stays on the blade. (angle) <@Sonia> (gracias) (You don't know that! Maybe she has a tattoo of a weird angel. It's possible!) <@Brett> [Louie the toilet angel takes offense at the back of Sonia's knee.] * Nigel takes the blade and drops the blood into the cauldron, stirring it in. <@Brett> [The concoction hisses at the blood contact.] * Montana leans against the counter as he watches. "Smells disgusting." <@Brett> [It does! In fact you can all smell it now. It's only getting worse, too.] * @Sonia replies, "Just like all the stories." She stays sitting on the counter, not moving her leg, although she is holding her stomach with her other hand. * Nigel stops stiring and grabs a goblet, scooping the potion into it and handing it to Sonia. "There you are. Bottoms up." * Montana resists the urge to pull his mask over his face by the time Nigel is done. * @Sonia exhales, coughing slightly before she gives Nigel a dangerous, and slightly hungry, eye. "I don't take practical jokes well, boy." She sucks in a breath through her teeth and then goes for the big gulp. * Montana makes a face just seeing Sonia drink that stuff. * @Sonia swallows it and then makes an ugly face of 'this tastes awful' before scrunching her face up much like 'suddenly, sinus pain'. "Nghh..." <@Brett> [Sonia has gained trait: Is no longer a zombie.] Y'alright darlin'? * @Sonia exhales and manages to say, in a croaking voice, "Just great. Like... horseradish grape syrup, but... worse." * Nigel nods "Glad to hear it." * Montana moves to get Sonia some water. <@Brett> [There is water! In fact, that's all there is.] * @Sonia keeps her eyes shut and hands gripping the counter. Shit is still awful. * Shiho enters the kitchen. "Hey guys, how's the antidote coming?" * Gordo 's a few paces behind. "And what is that stench?" * Nigel motions towards the cauldron. "That was the antidote. And it seems to have worked." * @Sonia is sitting on the counter, one of her knees exposed from a pant leg pulled up, and seems to be holding onto the counter tightly with her eyes shut, breathing in a slightly strained manner. Are you sure? She doesn't sound good. No offense, Sonia. * Gordo rubs at his nose. "Remind me to stay out of biting range next time we fight zombies. Phew, I hope it tastes better than it smells Sonia." And then he actually looks at her. "Too much to hope again." * @Sonia shakes her head and reopens her eyes. "Pretty awful, but if it keeps me from wanting to eat cats, great." * Nigel nods at Shiho. "Well, it is not a pleasant process, unfortunately." Well, I've good news to share. Boss lady says we're done here as soon as we can pack up. * Shiho hops up on the counter next to Sonia. * @Sonia takes off her sunglasses and rubs her eyes with the back of her hand. "On to the next crazy deal." * Montana puts basically an entire pitcher of water in front of Sonia. Yeah, there is that - where we goin' next? And can we get something edible on the way? * @Sonia looks over at Montana and takes a quick drink before saying, "We leavin' now?" And then continues drinking. * Nigel nods. "That is some good news. This has been a long deal." ... I didn't ask, but given that we've no stock anymore we need at least a layover back home for a new jet and something to sell, yah? Makes some sense, yeah. I don't think we're leaving just this second, the boss is having fun. And you don't look to be in any shape to be shipping out just yet. * @Sonia puts down the pitcher and takes a gasping breath. "I'm fine." She shakes her head. "But if we ain't, we ain't." * Montana looks Sonia over, checking for gray. <@Brett> ( Montana finds a grey hair! ) 2d6+7 * Dicesuke rolls 2d6+7 for Nigel and gets a natural 6 for a result of 13. Looks like it's workin', at least. * Nigel pauses for a moment. "Oh, right. Alysha wanted me to look at something." He heads out of the kitchen. "Hope you feel better, Sonia." * Shiho swings her legs idly. * @Sonia waves a hand. "If I don't die first, sure." Small pause, then, "Thanks." <@Brett> ( Nigel (and a bot) into #Alysha2 ) (We could just remember to leave the first channel) <@Sonia> (WHATEVER WE DO WHAT WE WANT) <@Brett> ( Eh, already called it, we'll just go with this. ) I've just had a cunning thought, if you don't need another dose o that, can we move to someplace a bit better smelling. No offense to the patient or doc, but I think I can feal my hair melting. * Montana looks to Sonia. Her call. * @Sonia shrugs and then hops off the counter, favoring the exposed leg. "I don't want to be here." She coughs lightly, then says, "Grab something edible for us to go." * Gordo nods and starts poking around the cubbards. "Aye, I can do that." He of course only finds rabbit food. Hope you got better luck with that than I did. <@Brett> [Shortly the butler shows up with a mop, bucket and spray can. He starts spraying the room, grumbling.] * @Sonia looks back to Montana and says, "Yeah, but now I... at least feel like I could stomach some roughage, you know." * @Sonia starts limping off. That's good because all I see are veggies all the wa... No, wait that's an apple. * Shiho hops off the counter and follows Sonia out. * Gordo pulls it out and sets it on the counter. * Montana whirls to look back, dramatically. "Fuck, really! Grab it and run before the guards find out!" * Gordo tosses it to Monty. "That's your job, not mine!" * @Sonia looks back slightly to Shiho as she follows her, and puts her glasses back on. "Didn't really want to have you involved in the run around... not sure how that happened." <@Sonia> Ain't quite like it was a job or nothin'. * Montana snatches it out of the air and does run... all of ten feet to palm it into Sonia's hand. "Gotta devour the evidence, darlin'," he tells her. * Gordo starts a small pile of foods that can be eaten without too much prepwork. The artichokes are right out. Happy to help you out. We're a team, after all. Got to stand strong against zombieism. * @Sonia was, you know, leaving. She gets the palmed apple from Montana, gives him a Look, then sighs slightly and says, "Well, I ain't gonna turn down free help." She takes a big bite of the apple. * Montana grins goofily before nodding to Shiho and then moving along up to his room. <@Brett> [The butler moves right in front of Gordo. "If you would like a proper salad, you simply need to ask."] * Gordo steps back with a nervious laugh. "Ha, sorry could you make enough for us all?" <@Brett> ["It would be my pleasure." He says in a dry voice that indicates it obviously would not. Then he begins preparing salads.] * Gordo backs away. "Right then. Thanks I'll just go check on the walls or Sonia." 2d6+10 * Dicesuke rolls 2d6+10 for Nigel and gets a natural 6 for a result of 16. <@Brett> [You do stuff! .... I'm not really sure where everyone went.] <@Sonia> (There's nothing we're really _doing_ at this point.) <@Brett> ( Welllll yeah ._. ) <@Sonia> (So we're just 'around'. Sonia's eating an apple! We're all going to be fed salads.) (The Count can count them.) 2d6+8 * Dicesuke rolls 2d6+8 for Nigel and gets a natural 7 for a result of 15. (I am le tired! And Montana went to his room to check packing.) (Shiho is just following Sonia around to make sure she's okay.) (Gordo's going to go outside and play with his nifty night vision goggles, because he can) <@Sonia> (Sonia is trying to enjoy that she's not carving people up into meat cuts with her eyes anymore like a looney toons thing.) <@Brett> [It doesn't really matter, because shortly Alysha finds everyone and drags you all to the great hall. The butler also brings you salads!] (Yay salads!) * Montana is dragged, oh no! * @Sonia eats a salad, fairly aggressively now. Wasn't just joking about being hungry, perhaps. <@Brett> [Alysha (who's currently wearing a ragged black dress and has black lipstick and eye-liner) sets up her computer on the table. She grins. "Guys, Nigel just found something big."] * Gordo remebers to take the fork out of his mouth before replying. "Oho?" * Nigel shrugs. "Not really. Alysha found something big. I just made it readable." <@Brett> [Alysha grins wider. "Actually someone sent me something big. Nigel got it open. Anyway, look at this!" She hits a button, and a bunch of Japanese characters pop up on the screen. Which is holographic and enlarged so everyone can see no matter where you're sitting at the table. Yay!] * Montana eats salad. "That's... Japanese?" he guesses. * Gordo turns to Shiho. "Can you read that?" * Nigel nods. "It is, yes." <@Brett> ( OMG how'd you know? ) (I GUESSED) <@Sonia> (you're a monster) <@Brett> [Alysha grins. "Yep! And what's more, it's Zukunft MSE's reports on Sebastian's crew. Their names and powers!"] Yep. What's that last one? * Montana certainly looks more interested now. * Gordo blinks. "Wouldn't that be in German?" <@Brett> [She grins at Gordo. "You'd think. but our benefactor chose to send it in Japanese. That's twice now, which makes me think we're probably dealing with a ninja."] * Shiho points. "Boss, the nonsense at the end? What's that?" (Is it MSE or MES? Because you had it as MES is the other channel) <@Brett> [Then to Shiho, "I think it's corrupted. Still, it means Sebastian's group has ten persons of interest, even if we don't know whoe the 10th is.] <@Brett> ( Ummm... MES I guess. Really I just made it up, so it could be anything :P ) You guys wanna run it by the rest of us? <@Brett> [Alysha grins. "Don't mind if I do." She clicks on name #9: Johann Faustus. A picture of the guy you fought with the zombies shows up, accompanied by some short text that Alysha translates after a pause. "... No known genetic enhancements."] * @Sonia swallows a mouthfull of green, then quips, "Guess it ain't so helpful, huh?" That's not much ta go on. <@Brett> [She then clicks on another name. This time a picture of Brick pops up. Along with the same characters. Alysha frowns some more. "... No known genetic enhancements." Then again on another: General Branko Marik. "No known genetic enhancements. What the hell." And another! The blond bikini ninja, who's name is apparently Jennifer Kobayashi. "No known genetic enhancements!"] * Shiho eats her salad slowly slowly while watching the screen. <@Brett> ( Also that should be Branko Maric. Oops. ) This is useful. We've names and pictures at least. <@Brett> [She clicks on another. A picture of the spikey-haired man with the open coat and big chin pops up. And some different text. Alysha grins. "Here we go."] <@Sonia> (SPOILER: CHRISTIAN HAS GENETIC MODS) <@Sonia> (ALSO IS A JERKBAG) He's a gene mod? What's it do? <@Sonia> (Sebastian, even.) <@Sonia> (It is funnier that I called him Christian, though.) <@Brett> ["Leonard Warwick. Born in England. He's got a high level of control of fire and can also change his appearance. But it says his powers are unstable, and needs XP-6, a regulating drug, to keep them in check."] ... Hey, that's the firebug I saw when we were trying to save what's-her-name. (....) (I can't remember names, and I'm too tired for Montana to.) <@Sonia> (... how many women have we saved in this campaign? >__>) (I AM TIRED LEAVE ME ALONE) (They made a second Luana. What.) Monty, that narrows it down to every time. <@Brett> [Next up, the woman from the chopper in Milan: Dark haired, wearing a practical white suit. "Julienne Stone. Canadian. High level of psionic powers. Telepathy and mind control."] <@Sonia> (I think we're looking at a theme, dear.) <@Sonia> (And the theme is, 'If you can do it once, you can do it again.') (Next up: Jamie.) <@Brett> ["Also telekinesis." (Totally not a word I forgot!)] (I wonder if theirs is less evil) (Unlikely!) * Montana makes a face. "Ugh, really?" He looks at Nigel. "Do tinfoil hats work?" <@Brett> [Another pick! The black woman with her hair in dreadlocks, her cybernetics so intense that there's too much to skin graft over. "Nyssa T'chal. From Zakanar. Control of computers and mechanical objects." Alysha frowns. "Hmm."] <@Sonia> (There's already a thousahd Jamies.) (THERE SHE IS) * Nigel shakes his head at Montana. "No." Fuck. <@Sonia> (actually they do) <@Sonia> (you just need super special tin foil: russians had them in MC4) ... She gotta max range we can snipe her from outside of? (Really? See? This is what happens when I'm sick and tired) <@Sonia> (You wouldn't have known.) <@Sonia> (Only Keiko had to deal with it.) <@Brett> ( Who the hell was the 10th person? o.O ) (A MYSTERY TO ALL) <@Sonia> (I don't even know who your 10th person is supposed to be!) (The other mind controller?) <@Brett> ( No, I mean my list only has 9. I forgot one somewhere. ) <@Brett> ( Oh well, maybe it'll come to me. ) <@Sonia> (Couldn't say, don't think we've seen them.) * @Sonia frowns, then says, "Hell of a squad. Good coverage." <@Brett> [Alysha clicks on another. Sebastian pops up. "Sebastian Muller." She frowns. "Super speed, enhanced reflexes, can cause disorientation and vertigo..." She frowns. "Enhanced strength. That's new. He didn't have that bef...." She halts, squinting at the image.] Might be able to out range them, but what's the hell thei... You know him? <@Brett> [She points! At his wrist. "Um.... Anyone else notice this?" He seems to be wearing some sort of bracelet.] <@Brett> ( Gimme mind rolls! ) 2d6+7 * Dicesuke rolls 2d6+7 for Nigel and gets a natural 8 for a result of 15. 2d6+5 * Dicesuke rolls 2d6+5 for Gordo and gets a natural 7 for a result of 12. * @Sonia says, "He had super strength last time, uh, I saw him. Cut bots into pieces easy." 2d6+4 * Dicesuke rolls 2d6+4 for Montana and gets a natural 11 for a result of 15. <@Sonia> 2d6+5 * Dicesuke rolls 2d6+5 for Sonia and gets a natural 7 for a result of 12. 2d6+5 * Dicesuke rolls 2d6+5 for Shiho and gets a natural 10 for a result of 15. <@Brett> [All of you notice that the braceR (got the wrong one, sorry, it's late) he's wearing is the same as the one that was in the data cube Alysha got from Michael Rowlins.] <@Brett> ["I know people who worked with him," Alysha says in response to Gordo.] Yeeeah, that's from that jewelry set, right? * Gordo rubs his face. "Think so." <@Brett> [Alysha nods. "And if Sebastian's got it, it can't be good. We're going to have to track these down."] <@Brett> ["Well, one more name on here we can check." She picks the final one. "Cy...." And stops, part way through, mouth open in shock.] * Montana eyes Alysha. "Ma'am?" He looks at Shiho and Nigel, who also can read this stuff. <@Brett> [She shakes her head a bit and recovers. "Cyra Koenig. German. Flight, enhanced eyesight." She pauses, then says... "My aunt, died twenty years ago."] <@Brett> [End!]