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Cuddle-- Er, Capture that Shadowcat

Scene details

Setting: As Ivo and the lizardfolk clergy prepare to depart on the Romancing SaGa to bear the busted MegaCapo back to Aurita Meloda, his fellow Star Chasers prepare to receive Madam La Crima as a visitor to their humble establishment, when an unexpectedly urgent quest arises-- and a new game mechanic is unlocked. Almost like we're setting up for a new adventure!

Log


 "And... push!"
 The gentle caressing sound of the subtle waves of Lake Gerisia are accompanying by the grunts of lizardfolk clergy throwing their weight against MegaCapo's metal bulk as Ivo exhorts them from the prow of the Romancing SaGa. A makeshift pier has been assembled out back of Time for Crab, where the party's redoubtable magitech speedboat has been moored, and the Cosmopolitan holds the helm steady as the residents of Aurita Meloda struggle to move the currently nonfunctional capybara automaton. After its noble battle with the King Crab, even the effects of Constantin's Heavenly Beetle Crown cannot compel it to rise again.
 "SO... VERY SORRY... FOR THE TROUBLE..."
 But at least the consciousness within persists.
 "Save your strength, MegaCapo," Ivo responds, his tone sincere and soothing. "You've no need to apologize. You and your beetle friend fought well."
 He casts his gaze past Cutini Nak and her cohort back toward the restaurant, where his friends have doubtless busied themselves in preparation for a most honored guest to come.
 "Anna! Got a moment!? We could use a helping hand or two!"
 A flicker of movement seems to catch his eye, drawing his gaze to the shadow of a restaurant annex, an old storage shed constructed by the previous owners before The Capo's foreclosure. It looked to be the whirl of a cloak...
 "Hmm?"
 ...or perhaps the flick of a tail. But now it is gone.

  • Character: Anna
  • 10 months, 2 weeks ago


 Anna has been summoned.
 Emerging from her duties of CRAB BATTLE in the kitchen, she peeks her head out the back door of the restaurant she blinks.
 "Ah?" She spares one glance towards Ivo before looking to the lizardfolk trying to push MegaCapo's mechanical bulk. "Ohhhhhh." She considers for a beat before dusting her hands off and taking off her cooking apron, stained with the blood of a thousand crab foes.
 "I'll help~."


  While Ivo and the residents of Aurita Meloda had been busy getting the massive MegaCapo attached to the Romancing Saga, the young explorer, now dressed in his normal adventuring attire, had been handling the cleaning of the restaurant. Given the near 'brush with doom' and the shenanigans of trying to keep Cutini Nak from curbing the strategic plans of Ivo, Reize has been sweeping the interior.

 There is, of course, a large drape over the massive shell, now decorated like an ornament as to 'blend in' for the scenery and to keep it out of Cutini Nak's eye.

 The explorer is cheerfully smiling, though he looks out to see the others at work. "... Oh right, Ivo will be busy for some time. But that means we can get the place prepared for Lady La Cri---err... 'mother's' visit." There is a thoughtful look as he mentions 'mother', as if acknowledging La Crima as such a figure. A lot of implications.
 

Ruidosa La Crima is without her sister, this is good because it now means she's in charge. She's running the show now! OHohohohoho! Okay she's really bad at it but no one tell Tranquila that. She's also been locked out of the supply closet, so no free crabs for her. ;_;.

She is grouchy about this.

Tranquila is also working on building a basement to house the crab shell and get cultists to worship it somewhere along the way here. Look. Business and business.

Still, Ruidosa is now hanging around Reize and hugging his arm. "Reizeeey." she says.

"I have to buy crab at my ''own restaurant if I want it!" she whines to him. "Life is unfair."


 Ivo, forgetting what he had momentarily glimpsed, grins in evident amusement as the hulking lizardfolk left behind by Cutini Nak for this job respectfully back away from Anna to give her room, bowing their heads in respect, some all gazing in mingled awe and fear at the sign of her countless crimes against crabkind. He opens his mouth to make some quip, but is surprised to find himself preempted by one of Cutini Nak's deputies.
 "O Bearer of the Lights of Rebellion," she intones, "Gasa Dan, Guardian of Aurita Meloda, bid us bring you this token of her esteem." From her simple robes, the junior priestess draws out what appears to be a roughly made necklace of gorgeous seashells, lovely and delicate hues of lavender and cerulean. "Life is returning to the oceans about our storied city thanks to the efforts of you and your companions. These mollusks were some of the first to be found beneath the cliffs."
 "A touching sentiment," Ivo remarks, "and a very cute top."
 "It's not a... top," the priestess corrects. "It is a necklace."
 Ivo, eyes sparkling, grins and spreads his hands in a shrug.
 "I mean, whichever, right?"

> Anna has been given the Meloda Shells.
> Though currently equippable in the Accessory Slot, their slot may be modified in Anna's Crafting Window.

 "See?"
 "...See what?"

  • Character: Anna
  • 10 months, 2 weeks ago


 "Wait why do you have to buy from your own restaurant?" Anna blinks bewildered at Rui, before she's approached by one of the lizardfolk.
 The necklace wrought of delicate and glistening seashells reflecting light with their pearlescent shells pauses he for a long moment, fingers gently running over each shell before she smiles.
 "... Please tell Gasa Dan it is greatly appreciated, I will wear it with pride." She says before gingerly donning the necklace.
 >ANNA HAS EQUIPPED MELODA SHELLS.
 That said though she looks to MegaCapo and stretches her arms over her head, taking a beat to pop her neck and crack her knuckles as she places hands on the mechanical bulk...
 Gritting her teeth, Anna's eyes turn a bloodshot red with her signature rage as she HEAVES with everything she has.


  After sweeping the floor, he puts the broom to the side to admire his handiwork. Hands on his hip, he smiles with a 'sheen' as stars glimmer around him. He turns his head to see Tranquila is working on making a basement. "... That's actually a good idea, Tranquila!"

  As Ruidosa clings to his arm and hugging him, the boy has a large sweatbead on his head. "We... we'll buy some crab later, Rui." He offers a grin, "Your mother will be visiting soon. And she'll probably praise your self-control."

  He takes the time to lead Ruidosa out to meet with Ivo and Anna. He watches Anna pushing and heaving forward on the MegaCapo. "Whoa." He waves a hand out towards Ivo, "Ooooi! Ivo! How long do you think you'll be gone?"
 


  After sweeping the floor, he puts the broom to the side to admire his handiwork. Hands on his hip, he smiles with a 'sheen' as stars glimmer around him.

  As Ruidosa clings to his arm and hugging him, the boy has a large sweatbead on his head. "We... we'll buy some crab later, Rui." He offers a grin, "Your mother will be visiting soon. And she'll probably praise your self-control."

  He takes the time to lead Ruidosa out to meet with Ivo and Anna. He watches Anna pushing and heaving forward on the MegaCapo. "Whoa." He waves a hand out towards Ivo, "Ooooi! Ivo! How long do you think you'll be gone?"
 

Ruidosa La Crima is complaining. Heavily about this and whines to Anna. "Tranqulia is just making my life miserable." she says. "I can't get crab in my own restaurant. For free. What's even the point!?" she whines as she looks to Reize and pouts. Fine. Crab later.

She looks towards Ivo and frowns. "That thing is too heavy you need to get a crane on that ship and make it so it can lift it in the future to take it back there." she whines.

"Why are you making Anna do all the work now, that isn't fair." she complains. Even though she was doing all the crab murdering work moments ago. For her.

She moves over to help. Despite her vampiric strength...she isn't very physically strong. She isn't helping much.

But she's trying!


 Ivo reclines against the helm of the Romancing SaGa, idly continuing to hold the craft steady, as the lizardfolk priestess smiles. At least, it is probably a smile. Reptilian faces can be difficult to read.
 Promptly, one of the other lizardfolk clergy trying to push MegaCapo falls over as Anna exerts her strength and sends the ten-foot tall metal rodent sliding onto the deck of the magitech speedboat. The SaGa dips noticeably toward the waterline.
 "And this vessel will be able to safely bear Gasa Dan's fellow Guardian back to our home?" the junior priestess, seemingly the de facto leader of the group, queries to Ivo. "Human magitech has indeed advanced. It nears the realm of beastkin blasphemy."
 "H-hardly," Ivo manages, blinking a couple times. "There's no blasphemy of any sort here!" He carefully avoids glancing in the direction of the restaurant, lest any attention be called to Reize and Ruidosa's current activities. "I am a mere tinkerer, ha ha. But I have had the great pleasure and privilege of working alongside other great scientific minds, like MegaCapo's creator, and alchemists like our friend Argent."
 "You are too modest, I'm sure."
 Ivo looks pleased, even though it sounds like the junior priestess is just being polite.
 "Well," he says gamely as Anna finishes pushing MegaCapo into place with Ruidosa's help (?), "I have been struck by how even running a restaurant can benefit from some inventiveness. I'm curious to seek new collaborations and extend my purview beyond magitech in the traditional sense."
 "My, how interesting."
 "Oh, yes," Ivo airily replies, "I think it should be *very* interesting." At which point, nodding to the strenuously objecting Ruidosa, he continues: "I assure you, Rui, I have been spending my time developing equipment far more valuable than any crane!"

> You have unlocked Schematics. By bringing Ivo items, equipment, and materials, he may develop blueprints to complement the crafting skills of other characters.
> Meloda Shell Bikini has been added to Schematics: Anna.
 Ivo grins at Anna and gives her an encouraging thumbs up. The priestess, for some reason, frowns.
 "Not long, chief!" he then replies, shifting his gaze to Reize as the pair emerge, raising his hand in a friendly wave. "We've got a good relationship with the river-keepers at Zerhem, the coast has calmed around Aurita Meloda, and we've got a healthy supply of distilled aether for the engines thanks to our recent business successes. The only trick these days is navigating around the fallen remnants of Arcadios." Whoops. "I should only be a few days at full power. I-- hm?"
 He, and anyone else more perceptive, may notice a flicker in the shadows by the back entrance to the restaurant. But this time, something emerges.
 "A... cat? Wait..."
 His eyes widen. The small and elegant animal, though it otherwise appears to be a normal cat, is blacker than night, almost dark purple in hue. As it calmly proceeds to lick one of its paws, ignoring the party, its outline seems to blur where it makes contact with the surrounding shadows.
 "That's a shadowcat! Like Rui's plushie!" Truly, their greatest prize from Kernunnos's shrine. "What a rare sight... how unusual." Ivo grins again. "Attracted to the scent of crabs, I expect."
 It does seem to be peering at Anna's discarded apron.

Reize Seatlan rolls 1d20>=10.
Comment: Perception Check
Roll(s): 18. Total result is 18. This is a success (by 8).

  • Character: Anna
  • 10 months, 2 weeks ago


 With MegaCapo on the boat, Anna dusts her hands off and huffs, eyes returning to their natural crystal green-blue tone.
 "Oh..." She murmurs as Rui explains why she has to PAY for more crab.
 "I'm sorry to hear that, Rui. Hello, Reize." She asides to Reize as well while huffing from the prior exertion.
 And then. The shadowcat appears.
 "Ah?"


  While listening in at Ivo's explanation, his confidence raises ad he cracks a grin. "Good! We---"

 "..Ah..?" He glances off the corner of his eye as he could had sworn that he saw a cat before it disappeared. His eyes widen, "Oh! It is like Rui's plushie!" He scratches his head, and then he kneels down. He stops briefly, as if remember what he was saying. "We had to return Constatin to the castle since they want to get some lessons in for him. So he's back on his daily duties for a while." He pauses. "However! He did recently take Jimmy Jr with him!"

 He waves a hand to the cat, "Ooi, kitty~!"
 

Ruidosa La Crima rolls 1d20>=9.
Comment: Vampiric Animal Affinity Check!
Roll(s): 8. Total result is 8. This is a failure (by 1).

Ruidosa has a shadowcat plushie. It's adorable, yes.

>Ruidosa remembers the shadowcat plushie.
> Ruidosa's affection for Reize grows to 100 again. <3

SHe looks to Anna as she smiles. "I did my best to help, sorry!" she says.

Then....

"Kittyyyy!" she goes, enamored by the shadowcat. "Here kitty, kitty!" she says, motioning a hand over.


 As the shadowcat proceeds to do what cats do best, ignore anyone and everyone fawning over it and groom itself, Ivo looks with interest to Reize, raising an eyebrow, his smile returning.
 "Oh? That pair has grown close. Well, you all did very well to escort him on your adventures. I'm sure he's the better for it." And if he isn't, at least he has a comfort animal, now. "Who's in charge of the rats while Jimmy's gone?"
 As if on cue, a rat wearing a monocle and a tidy and pristine little apron emerges from the back door, waddling on its hind legs, whiskers twitching as it nods to those gathered with an air of aplomb."
 "Oh, Beauratgard, of course," Ivo says without missing a beat. "How are--"
 The shadowcat sees Beauratgard. Beauratgard sees the shadowcat. And in an instant, the rat's monocle clatters to the back porch as it turns and flees, a cluster of rats shoving the door shut from inside as the cat springs toward the entrance, seeming to dematerialize midair and reappear at the door as though teleporting, but fortunately unable to do more than paw furiously under the door at the narrowly escaped rat second-in-command.
 "I'm sorry, kids," Ivo says. "We can't keep it."
 "Mrroww!"

Ruidosa La Crima rolls 1d20>=15.
Comment: Scoop and Cuddle Attempt. +_+
Roll(s): 10. Total result is 10. This is a failure (by 5).


  Before Reize could properly think of an answer, Reize looks over to the appearance of a rat wearing a monacle and apron waddling into view. He offers a grin and then waves at the rat. All is well, right?

 Cat reacts. Oh no!

  "...Yeah, that's not going to happen." He starts to approach the cat, reaching over to scoop the cat in order to keep it from causing too much chaos any further. "Okay furball, no harassing our staff."
 

Reize Seatlan rolls 1d20>=15.
Comment: Scoop for Time Out
Roll(s): 1. Total result is 1. This is a failure (by 14).

Ruidosa La Crima is enamored with the shadowy cat and how it moves into a teleport and paws at the door and and and it's.

SO.

CUTE.

So she attempts to scoop and cuddle the cat as she's told they can't keep it.

"Nooooooo but it's adorable. Maybe mom can keep it at home." she whines.

"I'M NAMING YOU...."

"SOMBRA." she says with stars in her eyes. +_+


 "Everyone!"
 Ivo, suddenly adopting a stern tone, sweeps out his hand like a commanding officer as he witnesses the shadowcat scrabbling at the door.
 "We must protect our staff! Cuddle-- er, capture that shadowcat!"
 The lizardfolk junior priestess, having assembled with her fellow clergy on the deck, glances at Ivo, still frowning from before.
 "Should we not attend to our own mission," she says, "and set sail?"
 "Just a moment," Ivo replies. "This is going to be good."
 As Reize advances toward the shadowcat, which seemingly does not pay attention to him, the boy's shadow falls over the creature. In the case of any other animal, this would be an innocuous fact. But when Reize reaches down to touch the shadowcat, he finds it as insubstantial as smoke, puffing into nonexistence between his fingers. Moments later, a light but firm force will slam against the back of his head as the shadowcat manifests above him, kicking off of his hair antennae as though it were a springboard and sending his face hurtling toward the closed door. In the process, it leaps narrowly past Ruidosa, its trajectory dangerously likely to goad the vampire girl into a dogpile with their fearless leader.
 "Oh, yeah," Ivo says, grinning and nodding. "That's good stuff."
 The lizardfolk priestess narrows her slitted eyes at him.
 "I think, perhaps, you 'tinker' too much."
 "On the contrary," he cheerily replies, "Thanks to my companions' heroic efforts, I'm experiencing renewed inspiration even now!"

> More details on the Shadowcat's abilities are now available in the Bestiary. A corresponding Schematic has been unlocked.
> The Shadowcat Ears Accessory may now be crafted.

 "Yes... it's brilliant!"
 The priestess frowns harder.


  While Ruidosa sought to cuddle with the cat, Reize was more pragmatic in his objective to keep the feline away from their staff. It would come to his surprise, however, when he reaches for the cat, only to find smoke is left in his wake. "...Huh?" His hands only grasp the air, not even feeling anything.

  "HUggagrh!" A strained voice stirs from the boy as his head smashes against the closed door. "gggghhh!" He crumples up, face first on the ground.

  "...Wh---why...?"
 

Ruidosa La Crima is trying to catch the cat. She cannot catch the cat. The cat slips through her hands like butter and in her quest to catch the cat, ends up crashing into Reize. She ends up on top of Reize in a heap. Not just a pile, a heap as she crashes down head first and feet are in the air while her hands flail for anything and just flail in the ear.

"Come back here you adorable little pest!~<3."

> CATS OF A FEATHER HAS BEEN ADDED TO THE OPTIONAL QUESTS JOURNAL.

> Construct Shadowcat Ears for Ruidosa.
> Construct Shadowcat Tail for Ruidosa. (Locked!?)

"Sombra, come bacccck!~<3."


  "Pa..aaaaaiiiiiinn....." complains Reize upon impact of Ruidosa crashing atop him.
 


 As the shadowcat trots away, Ivo's look of amusement fades to be replaced by what, somehow, seems to be a genuinely thoughtful expression. He folds his arms and cups his chin, rubbing it contemplatively.
 "I feel like... I'm on the cusp of another brilliant revelation..."
 He watches the shadowcat's tail swishing.
 "Something like... hm?"
 The lizardfolk junior priestess has lain a cold reptilian hand upon his shoulder and is glowering at him with slitted eyes.
 "I think," she gravely says, "you have invented enough for one day."
 "P... perhaps you're right."

> The next Schematic in the Shadowcat Set will remain locked until more of the Shadowcat entry in the Bestiary is unlocked.

 "Farewell, my friends!" Ivo calls to the collapsed duo. "I'm counting on you all to keep our rat friends safe!" Leaving the challenge of chasing the casually withdrawing feline to the others, the magitechnician starts up the SaGa's engines and, with a low hum, begins to depart by way of Lake Gerisia with MegaCapo and the lizardfolk clergy on deck.
 Yet unbeknownst to him, at that moment, two figures cloaked in subtly patterned black, hoods raised, look down from the restaurant roof at the ongoing chaos.
 "Look at these fools," one musical voice whispers, "no match for our kind. To think that the Keepers feared to confront them... only further proof that our elders' time is long past."
 A low growl rumbles beside the speaker.
 "Oooh la la, Zuna, contain your lust for battle," the first continues, sounding rather delighted. "I have a perfect plan to prepare the stage for you to strike."
 "Sorry," a calm voice replies, "that was my stomach."
 "..."
 "All the crab smells good."
 "...that's true."
 In moments, noticed or not, the pair will slip out of sight.