[mission: hyrypia] hey kid wanna see a dead body

[onemind]

CHARACTERS: EVERYONE
WHERE: The Second Flight
WHEN: DAY :021 - DAY :022
SUMMARY: Leaving the Graze and flying over the Finger Maze. [insert Psycho music cue here]
WARNINGS: Corpses. Will update as necessary. Need a warning added? PM this account please!

HYRYPIA - THE SECOND FLIGHT
DAY :021

I. ALLLL ABOARD
THE SOUND OF HORNS has become familiar in your time on Hyrypia, but the low drone seems out of place here in the great open space of the main hall of the Second’s Flight. The space here is fantastically and beautifully ornate, the pale polished wood floors and rich dark paneling strangely reminiscent of sand and stone, loamy earth and some rich, dense forest not native to the arid lands of this planet. The space seems to dare the sky to claim it, acting out some daring violation of delivering the earth into the heavens. The twin heads of House Tyrisson are equally lavish both in their appearance and welcome. Two brothers, draped in elaborate pastel fabrics and glinting with enough metal accents to put the ornate robes of Seconds to shame, they trade a short speech back and forth between them:

"Once, our ancestors would have travelled the depths and turns of the Finger Maze in an effort to follow the footsteps of the First. Luckily, we don't live in such dangerous times; the gifts of the First and this planet we call home have allowed us to grow up out of our desperation. Consider this comfort our gift to you and enjoy your time on the Second Flight."

A band strikes up the moment the Tyrisson twins take their seats and you are left to your own devices. So much for living simply.

II. A MURDER MOST FOUL
A SCREAM PIERCES THE SILENCE of the saunas. The low sound of gently flowing water and the soft piped music seems to fade to nothing in the wake of the raw, terrified noise. Unsurprisingly, it draws immediate attention as a horrified Descendant practically falls into the arms of the servant that comes to his aid. The outburst is easily forgiven as word travels like lightning through the ship.

There has been a murder - or rather, two murders. Two bodies, damp with humidity and beginning to give of a distinctly unpleasant smell, have been found in one of the hot bath grottos. The mineral water they've been soaking in has reverted from a milky white to a terrible, blood rust brown.

And while it's unlikely that any Carbauschians were sharing the pool with them (robes make for unpleasant waders), the dryer albeit stiflingly hot areas of the conjoined saunas are such a communal meeting places that it wouldn't be out of the realm of imagination that one or two Hosts might be nearby… Regardless, news travels quickly and the chilly atmosphere that descends over the Second Flight is palpable. A horrific hunting accident is one thing, but murder? That's something else altogether.


HYRYPIA - THE SECOND FLIGHT
DAY :022

III. A SORDID AFFAIR
TO SAY that the atmosphere is somewhat tense is an understatement. It seems that everyone has something to say about the murders- but these things are said tersely, in whispers under the breath, with darting eyes and suspicious glances, and security- once hidden, secret- is now easily visible. They can be found at the entrance of each of the broad areas, patrolling down the paths that run alongside the outer walls of the Envoy’s cabins- never intruding, but ever present. Still, there seems to be an insistence that it will be dealt with by a member of the Tyrisson protectorate guard - Detective Savela, a hard-nosed, serious woman who seems not to want any assistance - and that the guests should continue to enjoy themselves. The bands still play, the games are ever present. Of course, those that are enterprising may wish to try poking around, instead.

IV. THE SHOW MUST GO ON
MURDER SCHMURDER-- In what's very clearly an effort to retain some sense of normalcy, an elaborate meal is served late on Day :022. The dishes are so complex that might as well be show pieces of their own, the music has an air of desperation, and the display of technomancy from a pair of Seconds is so delicate and ornate - centering almost entirely on a cloud of small metal coins that shifts shape constantly to illustrate scenes from the famous epic poem The Arion throughout the course of the dinner - that under any other circumstances it might be a singularly memorable moment.

Unfortunately, the palpable sense of suspicion between the envoy factions persists and the temper of the room is anything but celebratory. Late in the evening when most people have retired from the stifling atmosphere, a scuffle breaks out between some Meradan bodyguards and a clutch of Carpathan servants.


HYRYPIA - THE SECOND’S FLIGHT
DAY :023

V. A FAREWELL TO ARMS
THE ENGINES ever-present hum ticking down an octave is the first sign that the Flight has almost reached its destination. By the time the servants are politely knocking on the entrances of the berthings, the new dawn reveals that the cliffs and the winding passages of the Finger Maze have finally fallen behind the ship. The land here consists of rocky, relatively bare hills and is accented only with occasional short, sparse woody tree and straggly clumps of red grass. From somewhere in the distance, salt touches the wind. The Second Flight lands, setting gently down into the trough between two hills. Its now familiar gangplank extends, ready to send the Pilgrims again out onto the road.

---

((OOC Notes: This log covers days :021 and :022 on the Second Flight. A log will be posted for the walk on DAY :023 and the arrival at the Red Coast. Please be sure to review the MISSION: HYRYPIA ooc information to find setting information for the Second Flight. If you have any questions, please hit up either the mission's question thread, the FAQ or MOD CONTACT pages!))

NAVIGATION • GAME CALENDAR • MISSION: HYRYPIA • FAQ • MOD CONTACT • GLOSSARY

( CODE BY WHAMBAM )

Comments

[blooded]

I will neither confirm nor deny, ❰ damon says, though the grin on his face is as good of confirmation as if he'd just said yes in the first place. look, if it's not going to kill her (which sam will definitely not) it'll be fun to watch elena get her butt kicked a little. it's fun, seeing her presented with a challenge she wrestles to the ground and beats at until she stands victorious. ❱

We should get you a sword, too. If Lakshmi ever tries to attack you again, she might go for a blade. It's easier to beat people if you know how to anticipate their movements.

❰ not that he wants to bring up sore spots, but he still doesn't trust lakshmi, and he thinks the only reason she hasn't made a move recently is because the mission takes precedent. when that stops being true... well. who knows? ❱

[otrazhenie]

[ She loves it when he smiles like that, when he's not just pretending but is really smiling. Right then and there she decides to try to make him smile like that every day, because he deserves nothing less. ]

A sword? That... might be kinda cool. But I don't think that Lakshmi is going to attack me again. We... I don't know, I think we've come to a sort of almost understanding.

[blooded]

❰ that merits a more serious conversation, and damon frowns, dropping his arm from around elena so that he can turn to face her. ❱

"An understanding"? With Lakshmi?

❰ he shouldn't be surprised, really. isn't that what he wanted and had been counting on, elena's incredible ability to get people on her side? still, faced with the possibility that the gilbert charm has worked again... he can't bring himself to just trust it. ❱

[otrazhenie]

[ Well, this isn't exactly the conversation she'd thought they'd be having. Leaning back slightly, she reaches for his hand, needing to have some part of him to hold on to. ]

We're not best friends or anything, don't get too excited. It's just that, with everything going on with Gildor, it's like there's a ceasefire between us.

[ It's not the best description of this turbulent calm that's come to their relationship, but it's a start. Nothing about her connection to Lakshmi has been easy to put into words, why should this be any different? ]

[blooded]

And you trust that? This isn't another Elijah situation, is it?

❰ damon is still sort of pissed about elena's faith in elijah — he's honourable until he isn't, and it costs them everything. it costs them stefan, and a chance at killing klaus — sure, without klaus he'd be dead, but elena would be alive and stefan wouldn't have been kidnapped on a blood bender up and down the east coast, so damon knows what he'd choose. ❱

She tried to kill you, Elena. Even if she doesn't want to anymore, she definitely still wants to kill me. Whatever being in her head is making you think about her, forget it.

❰ they don't have the luxury of empathy when their enemy refuses to have any herself. ❱

[otrazhenie]

[ Elena bristles at the mention of Elijah, remembering full well what he's talking about and everything that had resulted from that situation. It puts her a little on edge, and her expression certainly conveys that she isn't thrilled with where this conversation has gone. ]

I know I screwed up with Elijah, Damon, I shouldn't have trusted him. You don't need to point that out to me. And I know that Lakshmi would kill us both in a heartbeat if she could -- but she can't. If I trust anything about this, it's that the symbiote would stop her before she could succeed.

[blooded]

❰ damon isn't entirely thrilled either — it'd started out so nice, after all — but he can't take the chance that elena's compassionate, trusting little self is going to land them both in hot water again. better to impress on her now the importance of never taking lakshmi at her word than avoid a fight which might save their lives later on. ❱

Don't I? That's what you do, Elena, you trust people when you shouldn't, because you're too good to realize that not everybody is as good as you. What if one day the symbiote isn't enough? We can't just trust that that will always be an obstacle to her homicidal tendencies.