TectonicRobot

TSL: Sjakal

Silsila Om

Silsila's mouth opens and stays there, gaping like a fish, before closing shut, golden lips pressed into a thin line. A dark, burning flush rolls over her cheeks, one hand behind her head, the other sheathing her sword. "You could have simply asked!" She says, notes of humiliation and frustration on her voice, mingling with relief, as she turns around and dashes out of the room.

Birsi couldn't have gotten into THAT much trouble, could she?

My Hider

I'm off to rescue Birsi! And tie up some NPCs!

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Birsi
Honor demands her Punishment… Honor requires Sacrifice… Birsi steeled herself in her mind, taking her thoughts and soothing them with a slow exhale that felt like steam leaving a boiling pot. “Ma’am…” Her words leave her mouth with a lack of fire behind them, instead the firmness of steel and order is behind them. “Please think clearly, you may have numbers, but aside from you, I do not think you have the skill to handle both the guards and the Fire Wheels. The weakest link in a chain is the one that breaks, and in the case for your majority, they are the weakest links.” Surely this person would listen to some form of reason, right?

Birsi herself couldn’t understand where this person was coming from… Discontent with the Sultan? How was that even possible, she is the very word and voice of the Almighty, her rule is just and fair, how could someone even think of being a dissenter aimed against her? Surely this was just an overreaction on this woman’s part… She couldn’t allow Usurpers or Rebellion, but she could at least convince this person with logic and reason like any person, right? First she would make her realize that there is too much strength mounted against her view, and then convince her that all is well, a simple process… She hoped.

TSL: Sjakal

Silsila Om

Om's face twitches at this Hai Lin makes another accusation. What--what! Her face scrunched, cheeks hot and red as the woman pushed into the strategist, before abruptly pulling back, stumbling away from her, making distance between the two of them. She panted, her golden eyes wild.

"What do you want me to do, then!?" Her words were hot and harsh, exasperated and earnest, the words of someone sick of having to deal with the expectations of others forced upon her. "I could march straight back to the Heavens now, shoulder my way in, and figure out where Birsi went. Would that show you my power? Would that fix all of this? I could, with gusto!" A hand goes up to run through her hair, her sword down by her feet. Keep your head in the duel, Om!

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Birsi

Honor demands her Punishment… Honor requires Sacrifice… Birsi steeled herself in her mind, taking her thoughts and soothing them with a slow exhale that felt like steam leaving a boiling pot. “Ma’am…” Her words leave her mouth with a lack of fire behind them, instead the firmness of steel and order is behind them. “Please think clearly, you may have numbers, but aside from you, I do not think you have the skill to handle both the guards and the Fire Wheels. The weakest link in a chain is the one that breaks, and in the case for your majority, they are the weakest links.” Surely this person would listen to some form of reason, right?

Birsi herself couldn’t understand where this person was coming from… Discontent with the Sultan? How was that even possible, she is the very word and voice of the Almighty, her rule is just and fair, how could someone even think of being a dissenter aimed against her? Surely this was just an overreaction on this woman’s part… She couldn’t allow Usurpers or Rebellion, but she could at least convince this person with logic and reason like any person, right? First she would make her realize that there is too much strength mounted against her view, and then convince her that all is well, a simple process… She hoped.

TSL: Sjakal

Silsila Om

Silsila removes her own shirt, leaving the buff babe bare, although the Host is less worried about infection and more worried about copying her opponent. Ill-Omened Star is drawn and pointed at the strategist, Om's golden eyes narrowed. "To surrender, agreed." Intones the hulking warrior, before waiting for the start of the duel--and striking first!

Silsila hasn't had a proper fight in some time. Sure, she has drawn her sword and pointed it at people, but those are often more a pretext for flirting or showing off for Merov Ekh Khan--and Merov did so like her games and gimmicks. Silsila's style--Falling Mountain--was not a particularly beautiful style to watch, but it did give the viewer a sense of the warrior's power and control, pivoting and rocking on the feet to send the sword spinning and swinging, stepping forward aggressively and making use of the reach and length of her weapon to bully her opponent and press them hard, forcing them back step by step. It didn't help that she wasn't wearing a vest, and she was very beautiful, her body bouncing and shifting distractingly, muscles flexing and face dangerously beautiful.

Hai Lin's style--what was she using? Brilliant Feather? Tranquil Pond Sword? Maybe a little bit of Plum-Blossom Fist, although that was a primarily unarmed style, but it seemed to fit well into her Hai Lin's style--well, whatever it was, it was obviously very elegant and precise, that sword seemingly in just the right spot to worry Silsila, her footwork impeccable, her judgment sound. She was quite clearly a masterful swordswoman. (One of the few things which Silsila was allowed to do--and enjoy--was voraciously study martial arts style, which she had eagerly memorized and discussed with anyone who would listen.)

However, being a masterful swordswoman only took you so far against someone with size, weight, power, a big sword, and something to prove. After a vigorous two laps around the room, Silsila saw an opportunity--their blades locked, and the Host stepped forward--locked blades rising in the air, crossguards caught in a lovely, difficult to disentangle snarl--her heavy chest colliding with her foes and pinning Hai Lin to the wall, grunting down at her, all sweat and exertion as she locked eyes with the esteemed strategist. She straightened her back and thrust more firmly, seeking to bury the woman in her bulk and crush to her to the wall.

"I had really hoped... hnfh! You'd be better than Merov Ekh." Silsila grunted out, her inhuman eyes glowering down at Hai Lin. "I guess I'm still too naive."

My Hider

I'm doing a fight, and I rolled an 11! Woo woo!

I'm going to inflict a condition--more with my biting words than anything. Silsila had been hoping that Hai Lin would be a more worthy master than Merov Ekh, and maybe she could transfer over to her command--but after this fiasco, she doesn't think that'd be a net positive at all! Of course, there's a lot of ways she could take it, but some condition, probably.

I'm also going to take a string. I'm aiming for it being a mix of "Wow, she is actually very hot" and "I am getting pressed into by a hot babe and she is smushing me a little oh geeze", but Hai Lin seems pretty put together, so it could also be whatever

Lastly, I'm seizing a superior position. Gonna have to weasel your way free, somehow!

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Birsi
Her senses were painfully dulled by the lack of any prior sensation other than stuffiness, sweat, and discomfort, so the smell of sizzling eggs was the first step to getting herself back into working shape. The second was eyeing up that strange stage… She’d never been in a diner that had a stage built into it, much less one in such questionable condition. It was stained with something that couldn’t be food, it was… She had no idea what it was, just that it wasn’t from the kitchens.

Of course, something does snap her to attention, that being the words Jekkan just uttered. Was… Was this an indirect threat against the Sultan? The very symbol of the law and order in this land? The very thing she was trained to protect?! She kept her breathing regular as she leveled her gaze with the potential Anti-Vulenid, formatting an appropriate response to this in her mind.

“They can handle any threats to the Sultan, but your question brings one from me, a fair trade of conversation… Why do you ask this question, do you feel threatened by the Sultan’s rule?” Her question wasn’t meant to sound as flavored as it did, only coming out that way because she had inadvertently shifted her gaze from the woman’s eyes and down her body, instinctively drawing her closer to that heat and smell… She had to be careful, clearly this woman was more capable than she had thought.

My Hider

Rolled to Figure Out Jekkan. Got a 3 in total, not even spending a string gets me the minimum to ask any questions from that action. Whoo boy.

TSL: Sjakal

Silsila Om!

Silsila grit her golden teeth together, her face hardening in a moment. An insult towards Merov Ekh? Hardly. That was an insult towards Silsila Om, and to hosts everywhere. Hai Lin was prejudiced! Prejudiced and flaunting her authority in front of Silsila! Making threats!

Hai Lin could absolutely not fathom how bad the last few days have been for Om. They've been really rough! Is it too much to ask that someone give her a break?

Silsila glares down at Hai Lin as her fork presses into her skin. This is a threat, obviously, but not one Om can take seriously. A fork cannot pierce her skin. It was just a gesture, so Om would repay it with a gesture in kind.

The air is filled with a noisy snapping as Om's thick, broad hands break the table they were eating at neatly in two, a shower of woodchips and dust spattering the ground as it caves out from under them, even as she glowers almost cross-eyed at the commander. "Strategist Hai Lin of the Vulenid House Guard, you may hide behind your pretty words, but I can see you bearing your fangs at me. I will not be bullied any longer. I challenge you to a duel! If I win, this matter is settled and you will not mention it again." Says she, her golden eyes locked onto Hai Lin's.

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Birsi!

Immediately dropping to her knees was a rather uncomfortable experience, but at least now her arms got to go properly behind her so she wasn’t exerting her shoulders anymore. The best part? She managed to avoid kneeling in the various damp fabrics she had been gagged with earlier, so her pants were dry at the very least. Still, she was a bit surprised by this course of action… And the hand on her ass was not helping that surprise.

“Can be us-...?” She didn’t protest as Jekkan’s hand went over her mouth, knowing when best to shut up at this current moment and just let things play out. Apparently this woman thought she could use Birsi? Odd, but something she could work with, yet the motives still felt off to her…

But it was also hard to think about someone’s deeper motives and what all is at possible stake when she currently had a hand feeling up her oh so sore and probably bruised red backside, especially when most of the thoughts going through a certain disguised guard’s head were about how strong this woman was, how firm her grip was, how dense and sturdy her muscles felt, and what it would feel like to get smacked by that hand… Goodness her face had a pale red flush to it now, what were they talking about again?

TSL: Sjakal

Birsi

Sjakal, her home… She so desperately wanted to say that and not be tied to those plains she knew nothing about besides that the rough and tumble Fire Wheels came from there, but it is her mission, her current duty, to say something else. So answer her question she shall, taking a deep breath to cool her thoughts and speak.

“Sjakal… I didn’t learn much about it. Khan put me in the Palace for the most part and told me to stay around there, and with such expensive wine around there, who was I to complain? Only got moved to Sjakal itself because one of the Palace Guards threw a hissy fit, so I spent my time out drinking. You see where that got me.”

“In short, I know little of Sjakal besides tonight, but…” Oh this next part was a terrible idea, thinking it made her sick to her stomach, but Fire Wheels are like this as far as Birsi knew, so out she said it. “... If everyone here is like you two? I might prefer it here.”

My Hider

Rolled Entice using Heart, trying her best… and she got an 11 in total. Wish I had this luck earlier.

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Silsila Om
"It was, all things considered, a pretty poor fight."

Silsila put a hand behind her head, looking away from Hai Lin, her dark, inhuman not willing to meet hers. A light, sandy blush was on her dark red cheeks.

"I wanted to go in through a side entrance into the Heavens and get the drop on the thief queen, but we must have gotten her attention on the way there, because she was waiting for us with a challenge. Her and two other girls. Nothing special, I thought. I got ready to fight her, when a third crony threw paint on me from above."

"I got... a little mad, and peeled up to take her on. The thief queen followed me up. I lost track of Birsi there, because we were fighting on the roof. I figured she'd beat them down, or escape. It's news to me that she hasn't come back yet."

"...As far as the fight, she threw a smoke bomb and somehow broke the floor under me, then ran off into the Heavens while I was picking myself off the floor. I couldn't catch her, and I didn't see Birsi by the place where we fought, so..."

TSL: Sjakal

Birsi

That… All of that was in her mouth…? Good lord it was literally unidentifiable with how long she’d accidentally been gnawing at it over the course of her punishments, eyes idly darting over the large mass that somehow fit past her lips as she tried to figure out anything about it… It was cloth, and it was soaked. That was all she could glean from it before her attention snapped up to the women speaking to her.

Before she could even speak, she had to move her jaw around, regaining feeling in it, as well as the ability to speak again… Though it did cost her a good few seconds to do that, hopefully not angering those who had her effectively dangling by her arms. This wasn’t just to get feeling though, it was buying time for her to focus herself and create a cover story. Improvise Birsi, use what you know. Deep breaths, Birsi, don’t reveal the mission.

“I was carousing with some other wheels before we were approached by the Khan’s Special Prize, the Host called… I think Home? Memory is a bit foggy on names. She wanted to know if we wanted further fun, and seeing as my current group was starting to pass out, I accepted. I don’t remember how I got in besides just walking inside, and then I couldn’t find that Host anywhere, like she’d just gone and left me there. Started running around looking for her because the Khan would have my head if I lost her, and then… Here we are.” She stopped to dig something out of her teeth with her tongue, before spitting some sand colored fabric onto the mass. She’d woven her lie, now to reinforce it with steel hard truth.

“Why didn’t I fight? Why would I want to cause more trouble for myself? Fire Wheels might be known for blind acts of passion, but I’m not stupid. It wouldn’t be any better for me if I blindly fought everyone there, because it wouldn’t matter how many of you I beat. I was one Fire Wheel staring down the entire 78 Heavens, and no one besides the Khan or his Lapdog could make that seem favorable.” She was quiet for a bit, catching her breath before making a final point. “That and everything smelled of hundreds of different perfumes, very hard to think very straight besides the bare basics.”

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Silsila Om

Ah. Mhm. Hm. Huh.

This was bad.

Silsila briefly weighed her options. Unfortunately, most of them led to her picking a fight with a dozen people who were ostensibly on her side, and getting exiled from Sjakal--or worse. As such, there was only one which made any sense.

Silsila stood up, wobbly after the night, and performed a bow. "As you command, your guardliness."

TSL: Sjakal

Birsi

Letting go of her arms to stop the pain is not a thought that even crossed her mind, the Guardswoman holding herself together as solid as she could. Like a ship being battered by a storm, she weathered the strikes, the dancing, the humiliation… She had refused to break. Every muffled yelp from her ass being struck hard didn’t count, as the sound helped her to refocus herself and keep from cracking. Besides… This wasn’t as bad as Palace Guard Orientation.

Hell, the night before was less than this. Pinned to the wall, that stranger in strange armor prevented the idea that she was trying to make via a stolen kiss and a hard grasp on the backside, an indignant tactic that bought her captor enough time to bind her rapidly with rope, then… The night was a blur after that, so many scents and sounds assaulted her mind, almost like now. The difference? She had a full night to adapt to this, most of her discomfort being from the strain and exhaustion due to her position.

So when Birsi hears that doorway open up, her eyes don’t shake in fear or sluggishly roll over to the wide hipped figure, they lock onto her with a trained precision. Her breathing picked up a bit, for she’d need the air to help her get through this process. Hearing the question of if she would answer some questions, she would think it over. She could try to use this for leverage, a chance to get back to the Palace and give information back to Hai Lin. With a determined look that tried to salvage as much of her remaining dignity as possible, she nodded a ‘Yes.” to the wide hipped woman.

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Silisla Om

Silsila slowly sits up, one hand going to her forehead. Ugh. Is someone trying to contact her? At this hour? Well, maybe it was reasonable, but not for Silsila. Not after a fire wheel rampage.

Hei Lin's name in her head, Silsila mentally quashed the noise like a meaty fist slamming an alarm. She had topped too many Fire Warriors last night to even think about the palace guards.

...oh, wait, wasn't she doing something with the palace guards last night...?

TSL: Sjakal

Very much Silsila Om again, no fancy crossouts this time

Well, maybe that was a bit presumptuous of the Host. Everything had been so weird! She'd been banking on the fairytale atmosphere to carry Bowlyn into committing to this bizarre dance with her. Maybe she shouldn't have expected so much. It isn't like Silsila had earned anything from anyone.

The towering host raised an arm to guard her eyes, stumbling back a step and falling plumb off the side of the building. For a more deserving hero, a shipment of cushions awaited beneath. At least a cart full of hay. Om got no such luxury, instead slamming into the cold, hard dirt of an unpaved side street, the already condensed dirt cracking under her dense, heavy body. Silsila sat up, vision blurry. Was she seeing... halves? She held her arms up--just two. That brief, wonderful, terrible transformation had ended.

"Yo, Silsila!" Rava Qi called from the sidelines. The host staggered to her feet, clothing disheveled, picking her sword up and looking over at the raven-haired firebrand.
"What?"
"You look terrible! Did you lose a fight? Merov is gonna hate that. You know how she gets it."
"I didn't lose a fight." Silsila snapped back, irritably. "I just fell off a roof. On purpose."
"Who falls off a roof on purpose?"
"I'm going to make you fall off a roof on purpose, after I'm through with you. You'll be hopping at a word from me just for the opportunity to get another touch!"

Hoist! With one bulging, gold covered arm, Silsila hauls Rava up over her shoulder, carting the suddenly squealing Fire Wheel over her shoulder and stomping off into more familiar, less hostile climes. "Where's the other Wheels? What are we doing tonight?"

She needed to think of something else. Anything else.

What a disaster!

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Birsi!

Goodness that perfume felt thick and heavy, how had she not smelt it sneaking up behind her? Probably due to the other cheap perfume smells around the place, the 78 Heavens having plenty of other odors besides Perfume to mask the scents of those inside. While her mind and senses faltered at the smells, she was shoved against that wall and pinned flush against it, forcing her into a flatfooted position. There would not be much room to guard with her sword, much less even swing it, and that was assuming the woman didn’t already have one of her hands on Birsi’s pommel, keeping the blade sheathed even if she did go for it.

Birsi supposed it was time to try and use other skills besides her bladework to get out of this one, that Brutish “Charm” the Fire Wheels claimed to all have could work… Right? Oh goodness could she even do it right? She was a person of Order and Routine, not Boldness and Gracelessness of the Brutes she pretended to be right now! No words escaped her lips, only breaths that grew heavy over time, the internal doubt and insecurity forcing her into a dazed state where all she could do was breathe that cheap, layered perfume that was starting to become more and more overpowering…

My Hider

So… Rolled to Entice her way out, remembered that she can’t use her “Hot Cop” routine without breaking her cover (Also doesn’t have her good gloves to make it work), so she had to roll with Heart rather than Spirit… Got two 1’s on the dice, and with a -1 to Heart and a -1 to Entice from Insecure, that is a flat 0. Hoo Boy…

TSL: Sjakal

Silsila Om!

Om prepared herself for the duel. Back into her element. Back into fighting! She'd take this mission thrust upon her and Birsi--she was going to have to fish Birsi out of the Heavens, wasn't she--succeed with flying colors, earn the undying affections of Hai Lin and Ruz and Rosethal, who'd free her from her bindings and make her the mistress of the Fire Wheels, and then she'd rule as a tyrant queen with cute artists like this little painter girl strewn out over her lap. Oh, there was Grace in her fantasy! Tied up and dangling from the ceiling! Hi, Grace! Glad you could swing in!

All she had to do was succeed beautifully, which would be tough, but not impossible. She pointed her massive blade down at Bowlyn, locking her golden eyes with the blade-toting thief queen. Things had gotten a little weird, but it was nothing a little battle clarification couldn't help.

Someone started yelling at her from across the street. Om turned towards her, looking down at a girl she... er... sort of vaguely recognized. "...Foul Spirit?" Om said to herself, sounding somewhat offended, rolling her eyes. "At least it's not `Teapot` or `Kettle` or something like that. I've heard that over and over." She said in Bowlyn's direction, turning back to her. "You first. Her? Maybe later."

And then Soot leapt between them, hands up, preventing the hulking giantess from doing proper battle with the much smaller thief queen. Om's eyebrows shot up, double taking at the sight. Really? Seriously? Truly? That was so stupid. But... it was also... sort of...

Sweet? She was cute. Really cute. Om just couldn't say no to that face. Something shifted inside her, like her foundations were sliding on mud. She was going to have to find out who this girl was. It was suddenly very important to her.

"...Alright. Alright! I won't fight. But I need you to pretend to fight me, and it needs to look good, or everyone will know. I need an excuse, because Merov Ekh won't take 'A really cute girl asked me not too, and I just couldn't resist her charms!' as an answer. So, Thief Queen..." Om reached out, stiffly moving to brush Soot aside, before swinging the slowest, clumsiest, most telegraphed overhead chop of her life, traveling so high that it would probably miss even if Bowlyn didn't even pretend to duck. "...Humor me and your paint-tossing girlfriend, for a minute, at least! And tell me why you're even bothering to try to resist. You can tell you're outclassed, so why the nightly struggling!?"

My Hider

Silsila Om is now Smitten by Soot. Darn cute girls making her feel funny!

Silsila is also going to try to figure out Bowlyn, in her clumsy, rough way. I rolled a 2 and a 3--with a -1 to Wit and a -2 from my condition, that brings me down to... 2. A very dramatic failure, unfortunately.

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Birsi!

Well this was bound to happen sooner or later, but she had expected maybe an angry shopkeeper or one of the City Guards, not this veteran whose looks and armor were so strange to her. Still, Birsi knew better than to underestimate this person, for a smart person knows to be wary and scared of a senior in a profession where people die young. Her best bet was diplomacy…

“Are the heavens supposed to be off limits, or is it supposed to be a suggestion?” She would ask in a genuine, yet still trying to sound tough, tone of voice. She couldn’t let her disguise drop, for if word got out that there was a Palace Guard roaming the 78 Heavens, it could be trouble for more than just her. “And as for how I got in, isn’t it obvious…? I walked inside.” If conversational density could be turned to gold, Birsi would be richer than the Sultan.

TSL: Sjakal

The gravity of the situation was not very good, especially with gravity itself dragging her down several levels of the 78 Heavens, finally stopping after a bit of falling. She just had to give herself a moment to collect her thoughts and start down the path to- Her foot was stuck, and her hands were still bound. “Tsk…” She was annoyed by this, her cheeks still flushed with heat, and now being reminded about how she had dropped the ball on this mission. A deep breath was drawn past narrowed lips, a breathing technique, part of her Host Combat Training, drawing her strength inwards before rushing it to the points it was needed. Throwing her head back and forcing her arms and trapped leg to move, she drew her foot free of the trapping planks without even a scratch on her as her wrists sundered the very restraints binding them together, tattered rope falling to her feet as she began to assess the situation.

She had fallen down several layers of this place, and from her current position, not even her most acrobatic of bounds could get her to the higher levels. Eyes darting around in the dark, quickly readjusting to the new lighting, she could not find any routes up… Drat, she would have to use the innermost passages to get up to the higher floors. Finding her sword dropped down near her, she would scoop it up and sheathe it before hurrying off deeper into the 78 Heavens, muttering quiet insults to herself under her breath as she ran. She had to be quick, she could not fail this mission!