Spirit's Resolution: The Invasion of Mana

Nastasia blinked. "Well that was... quick," she murmured, removing the phone from her ear and putting it back in its place. A part of her wanted to sigh––being a hostess would be nothing like what she was used to! She did suppose, however, that it was better than freeloading and it would give her a new perspective. Sure, she never had to worry about her expenses back in Alidaire, but she wasn't there anymore. Here in Lyreth she would have to carve out a new name for herself!

She turned back to Vaughn with a renewed sense of purpose. Nothing in this world was gonna hold her back, she decided. Nothing. "I have to be at North District Avilan Cuisine at two," she informed him with a confident grin, her mind starting to process the interview and her current standings. The first thing that came to mind was her current get up––while she certainly enjoyed it, it might not have been the best thing for her to wear for this. Some shopping and quick preparation would be in order! "Do you think we could stop by a department store so I could pick up some interview clothes?"

The door opened to reveal not a foyer, but an entire grand entrance hall. All the walls and support columns and even the floor were made of polished hardwood. The light from the crystal chandeliers that lined the ceiling danced off of every surface. The entire hall seemed to glimmer in absolute delight. It stretched onwards a ways before branching off to the left and right and then even farther upwards to a grand oak door. The person that opened the door was just as stunning as the entrance hall. She was tall for a woman with a perfect hourglass figure covered with a beautiful red dress that ran down one leg and left the other smooth one uncovered. She was perfectly fine showing off a bit of cleavage, her gorgeous emerald eyes scrutinizing the man standing before her. Her face was smooth and flawless, lips lush and covered in red lipstick. Eye shadow brought out the color of her eyes even more, and the lighted area made them dazzle. Half of her head had hair that was nearly completely shaved off. The other half had long blood red hair that went down to a curved line that was flush with the bottom of her ear, her bangs curving along the side of her face. She made a gesture with her hand, the nails painted alternating black and white.

"So this is the man who is going to watch my humble abode. Why don't you come in? I must say you look the part of a guardian to an extent," she commented in a sly voice, slightly teasing. Her smile was dazzling just like the rest of her and her amazing mansion.

* * *

"Are you searching for a job there? I hear they're pretty tough on their employees but something tells me you can handle it," Vaughn questioned before offering her some insight into her potential employer. "On the plus side they have great food there. I wonder if you'll get a discount." The man let out a hearty chuckle. It ended quickly however as talk of food service reminded him of his own job, but he smiled nonetheless. Vaughn loved his job. He was passionate about the culinary arts, and Star Haven was the best place to work to polish his skills and put them into practice. The head chef there had taken Vaughn under his wing from day one, and Vaughn was immensely thankful. Though he gave up the path of the visual arts, he was still plenty happy with the path that he did wind up taking.

"We have quite a few hours to kill before two. I'll make sure you get there on time. And I also know where to shop for clothes. We'll just go to the Recreational District. The Cranton Woodland Mall is there. It has tons of shops. I love going there with Claire from time to time." He looked down at Netta. "It would mean you'd have to come with us. I don't think I feel comfortable leaving you here by yourself...just because you're not used to this sort of living environment," Vaughn explained. "Maybe if you see more of the city you'll come to understand it more."

"Much obliged, ma'am," Wolfgang nodded, allowing himself into the confines of the woman's home. He didn't pay much attention to the woman's physical features so much as he did the various furnishings that adorned the house, making mental notes of them in order to keep track of their places. Wolfgang considered himself a professional in his work, and when he was on the job he became oblivious to almost all personal affairs or temptations that would leave him in breach of contract. Wolfgang would approach the woman and extended his arm, offering a handshake. "The name's Scargrip. Wolfgang Scargrip. Consider your property safe from home invaders and burglars while I'm around, as I don't take kindly to those that would threaten my clients. I understand confidentiality and discreetness is often preferred by my employers, so I'll get it out of the way that you don't need to tell me why you hired me for this job or why you'll be leaving for the time that you will. As long as you uphold your terms of compensation, you'll only need to tell me how long you'll have my services, to what extent, and any other particular details about this job you feel I should know. I look forward to carrying out this task with the best results I can provide."

Normal? How in the world was any of this normal? Netta shook her head fiercely, her short brown hair whipping about her face as a result. These people just did not understand the world she came from; how could they? If she didn't understand this world that she was unceremoniously shoved into, how would anyone be able to understand her or her struggle? It wasn't a matter of looking around and accepting everything around her was different and okay, that had nothing to do with it! The problem was she was in a place that did not belong to her or anyone like her. She was mentally incapable of accepting or understanding this world, and no amount of time would ever be able to change that.

That was how Netta felt.

"Fine, I'll go with you," Netta agreed. She didn't like it, but Vaughn and Wolfgang had a point. If it was up to her, she'd be in the swamp right now, living off of nuts and berries and whatever she figured couldn't kill her before she killed it. It was stupid that they all worried about her though. She was a hunter. No random monster, no matter how horrid or quick, would ever be able to outwit her. Even if she knew nothing about any of the beasts that roamed in the marsh, she would be safe. Hell, she could hide in plain sight from Nastasia and Wolfgang without even trying, apparently. But those two were horribly unobservant. There was just no comparing them to her mother, who could find Natalia even if the girl couldn't even see herself.

"I'm taking my bow, though," Netta added. She wouldn't budge on this. The stern look on her face made that clear.

"Such an intimidating name, Mr. Scargrip," the woman cooed as she made to close the door and gestured for Wolfgang to follow her. "Save your speech. This job is a little...less normal than you would expect," she spoke enigmatically in that alluring voice of hers. She guided Wolfgang to the intersection of halls and took a right which led to a completely different hall, one that was very bright, but with a natural light. The hall was wider with booths and tables lining the walls against large clean windows revealing the view of what appeared to be an elaborately kept up courtyard garden. Squirrels could be seen in the trimmed trees and bushes, and birds dabbled around the giant stone fountain in the center. There were a couple of gardeners out there today tending to the flowerbeds. The woman decided to sit down at the second booth, for there was already a pot of tea and two cups on saucers waiting there. She poured Wolfgang a cup, watching as the steam rose in the air. She took a sip of her own and let out a contented sigh, her lipstick not smudging in the least bit leaving no residue upon the cup.

"My name is Elowyn Darby. Yes, yes, the famous actress," the woman introduced herself as soon as Wolfgang was properly seated. "You're probably wondering why I don't have bodyguards myself that could watch the house and escort me to the next city for my current filming endeavor, but the fact of the matter is simple: I'm quite capable of taking care of myself." She smirked at the man sitting before her, taking another sip of tea and seeming quite content with herself now instead of the beverage. "I will require your services for a month while filming. You will come to the house twice a week to do a thorough check, each visit preferably spread apart. You will check every crevice, nook, and cranny of this place, and you will remain on the premises for the entire day so make sure you choose a day where you have nothing to do. You will spend the night on the days you come to visit and perform a thorough check the following morning before leaving and you will email me on the days you visit so I can monitor that you did through the camera footage and send you your money, which is as stated--70 Coin each day you come. Since I have camera footage of my home, I will also be keeping an eye on it, but I can't look all the time; I will be swamped with work. That's the only reason I need someone physically here, and the gardeners and caretakers don't have...the experience necessary to deal with the....threats to my home."

* * *

Vaughn wasn't surprised that Netta would be reluctant. Something told him that she wasn't going to be happy for as long as she was stuck in this dimension and he couldn't blame her. Should he have found himself in her world suddenly with no explanation and no immediate way back home, he probably would be doomed. His eye flashed with that azure glow for just a moment before he chuckled to himself. No, he was quite sure he'd be able to take care of himself, but he certainly wouldn't like it.

"We should probably get a move on. It's going on ten right now. The mall is on the other side of the city unfortunately. We're going to have to take the subway. It's cheaper than a cab and probably faster at that," Vaughn explained, worried about Netta primarily. There was no way they would be able to walk over to the Recreational District. By the time they got there, it would be about time to head back to the North District for Nastasia's interview. "It's...like a train, only smaller, faster, and runs underground. I...don't know if either of you have trains where you come from, but yeah. That's pretty much the best option," he tacked on his explanation. It would be better for them to see it in person. "Shall we?"

When everyone was ready, he accompanied the girls outside, locking the door behind him. The subway entrance was farther down the boulevard and much closer to the marsh entrance than Vaughn and Claire's townhouse. It was just a staircase leading down into a darkness lit by fluorescence. A steel archway ran overhead, and there was a sign stating it was the subway and which areas it serviced. There were seven subway trains, each one leading through different combinations of districts with routes designated as best for efficiency by the Myridan Department of Transportation. This one would take them straight to the Recreational District and the exit was right near the mall which made it even better for them. He led the duo down the stairs, passing the people heading up and eventually being swallowed by that not-so-dark darkness. Stretching out before them was a large open tunnel with posters on the walls of safety things and schedules. There was a main counter in the center before the subway platform, and self-service ticket kiosks along other parts of the walls, the tickets possessing the ability to give them access through the gates that blocked their path to the platform.

"You guys can wait here a second." Vaughn trundled over to one of the kiosks and took out his wallet which was more of a black leather bag than anything. He retrieved coins from it and put them into the slot on the ticket kiosk. After he verified the amount purchased, three tickets popped out and he returned to the girls, handing each of them a ticket. He pointed in the short distance at the platform where the subway tracks were and the subway itself was apparently waiting and would be for the next five minutes or so. The metal doors had slid open and were welcoming passengers. A robotic female voice went over the PA announcing that the subway would be leaving soon.

"That's it over there. Do you think it's doable? It's pretty fun to ride," he said with a smile.

Truth be told, she hadn't quite felt so incredibly out of touch with this world until they descended to where the train was located. Yes, she had never seen buildings this tall everywhere nor had she ever used a telephone, but Lyreth felt eerily close to her home world. Just a more advanced version of life––one she could sense that Archaea and the rest of Alidaire would reach in enough time. But this subway business... it just felt so wrong! Descending into the depths of the earth where no natural light touched and all these metal structures and tunnels... it felt like a place the Gods themselves would shy away from unless the occasion demanded it or they ruled over the place. Perhaps it was the dizzying feeling of those lights too...

Vaughn quickly gathered the three of them tickets for the mechanical serpent none too far away––Nastasia clutched it tightly in her fist. Her face was paler than usual as she gazed upon it, but her mouth held a firm determination in the thin line of her lips. "I don't like the looks of it," she admitted in a hushed voice, emerald orbs practically burning a hole in the side of the metal monstrosity in their midst. "But I refuse to let that stop me. We're going on it." The manager's eyes suddenly broke off to spare a moment on the huntress by her side. Netta certainly would not like this––the sorceress did not need to look at her to guess that much––but she would have to suck it up. For the sake of blending in they would have to deal with it. "It won't be for long if it's as fast as you say," she added with a slight more cheerful tone, allowing her determination to fade to a calm stoic.

Wolfgang took a single sip of the cup before setting it back down almost instantly back on the saucer, having remembered that he hated tea. The woman was apparently a so-called "famous actress" and Wolfgang figured as much, judging from the luxurious dwellings. A person that lived in Paragon who owned a mansion had to be either be a celebrity, a politician, or a don of a contending mafia. It almost made Wolfgang's shoddy apartment seem like a shoebox to house a rodent, but he never complained. He took whatever work came his way, and he knew all the tricks and routines of the trade. Asking too many questions only attracted answers he would have regretted knowing, and all that mattered was to make enough to feed himself the next day. Off the clock, Wolfgang was a lot more lax and without a care, but as soon as he signed his name on the dotted line of a contract, Wolfgang Scargrip became much colder... taking a darker character.

"Only two days a week, huh? Any days in particular you want me to come over? If it's all the same to you, I'd much rather not spin a wheel and throw a dart to determine when I work. I take my profession very seriously, Miss Darby, and I'm afraid I can't be held responsible for an incident that might happen on a day I could have shown up but didn't," Wolfgang declared, a trickle of suspicion beginning to brew within him. This Elowyn Darby woman had cameras all over her place as well as workers that could be witness to any threat and yet she still needed someone to look after her home. When taking the whole job at face value, the only enemies an actress could have were stalkers and burglars. A stalker would only seek the actress herself so that was instantly ruled out as Elowyn would not be home during her filming. If the woman was competent enough to be able to take account of all of her belongings, she could simply review her camera footage the moment something was stolen her and reported it to the authorities to get it back. The only kind of people that could get away with a perfect burglary would have to be professionals, perhaps an inside man working longing enough in the home to know where the cameras were. Professionals wouldn't bother going through such an elaborate scheme unless they wanted something in particular. They would never have enough time to rob the woman blind, so there had to be something she had that a threat would want more than anything.

Then there was another possibility. Elowyn had posted up an advertisement in a newspaper for anyone to see, which would make it all too easy for an inside job to happen. Perhaps Elowyn herself was instead the criminal, looking to set up whatever idiot was stupid enough to take the ad and conveniently edit the camera footage to make it seem like they themselves stole something from her as some sort of insurance scam. If that were the case, she must have been staring at Wolfgang the entire time like he was some sort of sucker. Ultimately, it was still unlike Wolfgang to voice his assumptions without evidence, and he always confronted his obstacles as they came. Still, it wouldn't hurt to ask a question if it meant getting some leeway in his speculations... it pertained to his job anyway. "Also, Miss Darby..." he began. "Is there anything in particular you wish for me to watch over?"

Fun? Did he just call that monstrosity fun? Netta had been an obedient little squirrel and followed Vaughn and Nastasia like a hawk, never taking her eyes off either and practically hovering over the two of them. She didn't want to see what was around her. It was bad enough she could pick up every little sound made in this giant city. Her sensitive ears might end up being dulled from the constant noise. Netta actually thought at one point that this was what being deaf was like. But that was dumb, deafness was the total opposite of what she was feeling right now.

She felt jumpy too, like at any moment something would come up behind her that she couldn't hear because of all this noise and surprise her and kill her. She remembered coming across one beast in her forest that screeched like a banshee to distract or frighten its prey so its partner could come and kill and eat it. Netta couldn't even begin to count how many times she'd saved a squirrel or baby rabbit from those beasts. Those things could hunt deer for pity's sake, they shouldn't have been going after the little ones.

Natalia broke out of her own thoughts when she was handed a little slip of thin paper. It smelled weird to her, like watered down soot. It also had strange markings she didn't understand. It definitely was not edible, Netta didn't have to put it in her mouth to know that much. It smelled poisonous to her anyway. She glanced back up at Vaughn, but didn't say anything. She couldn't hear him because of all the background noise. Netta was attuned to being able to hear miles of forest all at once, and all the noise a forest could make did not add up to how much noise she heard in a little section of this place.

"Perceptive. Tuesdays and Fridays are your best bet and what I would prefer," Elowyn replied sharply, taking another sip of her tea. Wolfgang appeared to grow lost in thought and she merely observed him. He was certainly a character--the right one for the job, surely. She had too much to lose at this point. If they came as she was sure they would, she would be prepared. She hated that she had to drag some other unfortunate soul into the situation, but that was just the hand she was dealt. She had to play with the cards she had and hope for the best. Luck would be the key factor from this point onward. Now that her trap was pretty much set, all that was left was to wait. And just in time to scatter her thoughts, Wolfgang posed a question she was hoping he would ask.

"I want you to keep a special eye on Celestine's room...," the actress murmured sadly, casting a sidelong glance out the window, seeing a young girl prancing through the courtyard garden causing trouble for all the caretakers. "She was my daughter, you see, before an unfortunate circumstance caused her to lose her life. Note I avoid using the word accident because I am certain it wasn't. Regardless, I want you to watch her room in particular. Not only do I keep it up because of the sentimental value, but because there is something else of great value hidden in that room. I won't tell you what it is because if it has been taken or tampered with...you will know that it is gone. I can assure you of that much."

* * *

"If you're determined, lets go!" Vaughn exclaimed, enlightened by Nastasia's determination. He made off towards the platform, stepping through the doors of the subway and beckoning them over. Netta had been quiet the whole time. His eye flashed azure for a moment and he smiled. From a different world, through and through. This was sensory overload for her. The discontent was obvious. How was she going to get through this ordeal? He sighed.

Well if she doesn't want to ride this thing, she certainly can't stay there by herself, he thought, waiting for the others to join him. They only had a few minutes before the subway took off so they needed to hurry. He wanted them all to be seated as that would be the easiest way for them to take the ride. He had to stand multiple times on crowded routes and it was not pleasant regardless of how smooth the ride was.

Nastasia did her best to keep up with Vaughn as he boarded the train. While she did not feel as overwhelmed as Netta, she couldn't proclaim that she was at ease. This felt weird. Part of her felt that, at least once the doors closed, everything would feel a weird combination of worse and better. Worse because they would be enclosed in that metal monster, better because they would soon be at their destination. Nastasia closed her eyes and tried to focus on that thought as she took a place next to Vaughn––if she could focus on getting there and getting her clothes that would aid her in nailing this interview she would be much better off!

Yeah, that would do it.

Netta watched Vaughn and Nastasia jump onto that monstrosity that smelled even worse than Wolfgang did. She didn't even know what to call the scents she smelled. Some sort of smog was coming from the train, she felt like she was getting poisoned just breathing the air here. She was hardly breathing, too! Netta had long ago slowed the beating of her own heart so she didn't have to breathe so much. How people here survived living with all this poison in the air and the water confused her. Vaughn wanted her to follow. She didn't want to. Her body wouldn't move forward anyway, she was conditioned to run from poison and danger, not go towards it.

Netta's eyes darted to her sides as she felt a cold sweat on the back of her neck. At this point, who gave a damn what Claire said about the marsh. Netta shouldn't have listened in the first place, the marsh would have been much safer for her. Damn the dangers, Netta was a hunter, not some pretty little weakling that dressed up in soft clothes and pretty baubles. She wasn't even pretty. She was rugged and conditioned to live in the wild, free. She should have known better than to trust a human who called filth and a cave home. Natalia looked over her shoulder, that was where the exit was, and quickly shot Vaughn and Nastasia a spare glance.

She ran.

The strain of her muscles stretching out for the first time that day made her slower, but Natalia couldn't think anyone would be able to outrun her. Not with the conditioning she had. She quickly reached the surface and didn't so much as hesitate to leap towards one of the nearby buildings. With no proper foothold, Netta found herself fumbling at the structure before cursing at herself and climbing up anyway. She learned from monkeys how to climb a tree with smooth bark, this was no different. Netta jumped and climbed  the building until she was at the very top of it. The building was about as tall as the other ones nearby, other than the odd twenty-yard drop or climb. Netta could feel the rush of wind against her skin here, and she could finally sigh in a little relief. She still could smell poison in the air, even at this height. She perched on top on a gate that surrounded the outer ring of the building. Odd, why was there a gate here? Were these humans also incompetent of balancing themselves on a flat roof, so they had to protect themselves from falling off? Netta scowled angrily, if they only realized what they were doing to their bodies, what feats of strength they could perform if they just stopped fouling the air! No wonder the beasts in the marsh were so hostile!

Netta glanced up to find the sun and orient herself. If she remembered correctly, the sun warmed her back yesterday during the later hours. So she should warm her face to find it again. She couldn't fix human relations with beasts, but she could hide herself. Netta checked for the nearest building. She could jump to that one, it was only a twenty yard drop. From there a little bit of a climb, and so on. Natalia paused for a moment, then pushed herself off the gate and dropped to the next roof, breaking her fall easily with a simple shoulder roll.

Getting to the marsh would be easy at this point.

Vaughn's eyes went wide with horror. He knew the girl would be averse to boarding the subway, but to think she would run back into the city?! Just as he was about to spring forth, the doors of the subway slammed shut and he was thrown back onto the floor. The people on the subway threw him odd looks but they didn't understand! He scrambled up and pounded his fists on the door as the PA announced that the subway was taking off in 10 seconds and that all passengers needed to either be seated or hanging onto the poles tightly for safety purposes. Vaughn did neither of those things as he watched Netta's form disappear right before his very eyes. The subway took off without much warning; he didn't even realize ten seconds had passed. How quickly. How quickly had everything happened. He backed away from the door and sat down as quickly as he could manage.

"I didn't think she'd run off like that..." Vaughn said, completely distraught. If he didn't find her, Claire was going to eradicate him. That was a solid fact. Luckily for him, locating her would be easy. "Listen, I'm going to drop you off at the mall. After that I'll search. I'll get a subway map for you so you know which one to take to get to the North District. The restaurant is highlighted on your city map. If you have any questions, find a pay phone and call my cell," Vaughn explained calmly. He was taking deep breaths to still his rapid breathing. "I'll be sure to leave you my number."

* * *

Being in the Marsh District of the city, Netta was very fortunate. The marsh was nearby, and as she hopped along from building to building, she could see the visitor center and the gate they had entered through yesterday, the one that would take her to the walkway that went around the marsh and eventually into it. There was the Novarian River, and the riverbed where they had wound up. There was no way Vaughn or Nastasia could catch her now. She was golden. It was up to her to continue on at this point.

>Continue into the marsh
>Think again and turn back

Of course any chance of any of this going well had to be wishful thinking at best! Nastasia's eyes widened in horror as the doors suddenly slam shut and Netta dashed off back up to the city. All the color drained from the manager's face. Her right eye twitched ever so slightly. "Oh Gods," she breathed quietly, gripping a hand rail to keep from falling over instantly. What was the girl thinking? Sure, she didn't seem thrilled to get on the train, but bolting like that was the least rational thing to do! Claire had warned her how dangerous the wild was... not that she necessarily was headed that way. "Nonsense," she muttered out of frustration, shaking her head like the very idea that the girl wouldn't head to the marsh was ludicrous. She would be heading to the marsh––no doubt about it.

"She probably headed into the marsh," she responded as calmly as she could. The hand gripping the rail remained white knuckled. She leaned in to Vaughn, keeping her voice low as she said, "Last night, before we went to bed, she threw a tantrum about staying in a room. She wanted to sleep in the trees, but even after arguing she was pretty dead set on it. Claire had to yell at her to get to agree to stay in her room. I know we can't say for sure, but I doubt she's going to be anywhere in the city..."

Netta landed on another building's roof, not needing to roll on her shoulders this time. Her muscles were finally loosened up, she felt like she could land any kind of jump now. Her heart wasn't even racing from the exercise yet, and already she could see the gates to the marsh. They had gone through those to get to the city, and would have to go through them again in order to get back to the marsh. She paused for a moment, glancing down towards the ground from her perch. Spotting the simplest and fastest way down, Netta swung herself over the ledge and dropped ten feet before catching onto a loose brick. She immediately let go of it, but that momentary stop staggered her fall just enough for her to absorb the rest of the impact with strong leg muscles.

Natalia felt the shock of the impact run up her thighs, shivering from it. She wasn't comfortable rolling larger drops, but her muscles were able to absorb most of the impact from a direct fall. Strict conditioning and muscle development from her early years. But even she couldn't survive the three hundred foot drop from the tops of trees in that forest back home. That just wasn't possible, and there weren't any nearby rivers until the very edge of the forest, and she had been in the thick of it.

Netta tapped the heels of her boots, making sure no blisters were forming on her feet before running off again towards the marsh. She wasn't going to turn back now or ever. She'd be more of a fool than that Vaughn creature she left behind. Netta passed through the open gates, giving no mind to the paved walkway and instead leaping over the side of it and sliding down to the beached area where she first woke up just yesterday. There was a river there as well. But this was too close to the city, still, she didn't want to be found. So she walked alongside the river's edge, keeping a trained eye on her surroundings, searching for useful flora or plants and monster tracks. The water was clean, at least. Netta had to be impressed that it wasn't ruined by these humans that smelled like manure and rotting carcasses.

Vaughn hated to hear what Nastasia said. It was because that meant there was honestly nothing he could do, at least until Claire returned from Cordelia. Not to mention Netta would be in immense danger from the creatures that dwelt within the marsh. "I can see her position within the marsh if I go there, but I can't follow her. I'm not strong enough to handle the creatures deep within, I will admit. All we can do for now is to wait..."

It broke Vaughn inside. Claire trusted him with the well-being of these people and he lost one of them. He had hoped too much and this was the result. The PA announced their imminent arrival to their destination but he didn't even hear it. Even when the subway stopped, he didn't react immediately. The doors slid open and the people funneled out leaving him and Nastasia sitting there, still dumbfounded about what had happened. People began boarding, and that's when Vaughn rose at last. "Come on, we'd better get off before this thing takes off again." He led Nastasia off the subway and up the steps and back into the city. Across the street and just a little ways down was a huge parking lot with a large structure in the center. It was the Cranton Woodland Mall. Three floors of nothing but shopping delight with an amazing food court. Things were far from delightful given the circumstances, but they had to make the most of things.

Vaughn didn't think much, taking Nastasia's hand and guiding her across the street when the walk light was on, and they had to wait at the second light they came to at that same intersection, but after that all they had to do was follow the sidewalk to the parking lot. The day was hot as summer was quickly approaching. Vaughn broke out in a bit of a sweat but it wasn't completely unbearable. There was a nice breeze blowing today. It made the leaves on the trees in the lot dance a bit, the flowers below in their beds following along. Vaughn wound up taking her to Ranzein, a popular and ridiculously huge clothing store. Ranging anywhere from truly casual to strictly professional to even sexy and scandalous, they truly had a selection of everything for both men and women. The automatic doors slid open for them and Vaughn let out a sigh of relief as the air conditioning hit him head on.

"This...is nice," Vaughn said, closing his eyes and taking it in. No matter how relieving it was, it still bore no solace considering the sobering situation they were in with the missing Netta. The marsh was dangerous but if that was where she wanted to be. She was either brave or foolish. "Hey, do you think she'll really be able to take care of herself out there?" he posed the question quite abruptly to Nastasia.

* * *

The day was a scorcher but the breeze was strong near the river, and just the presence of the water itself made things cooler. As Netta followed the path along the river, the walkway disappeared from sight as it had long since penetrated the safer region of the marsh leading to the Conservatorium, a large reserve in the marsh where animals and monsters could live in peace and yet still be welcome to positive human interaction. Negative interaction was usually met with the perpetrator meeting with an Executioner. Those meetings never ended well for the perpetrator, that much was guaranteed. Regardless, the bustling noise of the city was replaced with the sound of the coursing river and the chirping and calls of birds and wild animals. Beautiful water lilies grew in the shallows of the riverbed, small fish swimming about as hummingbirds sipped from nectar above the water.

Things would only be so refreshing for so long, however. Soon the sands of the shore became thick and muddy. The smells became fouler, but naturally so. Marsh grass could be seen growing above the water, and little islands of solid soil would dot the area. The buzzing of insects would grow louder and things would grow cooler beneath the shade of the marsh trees. Things were calm for now. For now.

When Vaughn finally stood to get off the tram, Nastasia felt a pit settle in her stomach. She let go of the pole she had been holding onto and followed him. Netta being lost without a way to find her for now was perhaps the worst possible situation they could find themselves in––no... it was the worst! Nothing could make this worse. Anything else that would further upset them now would be trivial to be perfectly honest. The girl had just ran off––no doubt into the marsh––and could potentially die here. Although they did not come from the same world and Netta was far from someone close to her, Nastasia did not want whoever cared for the huntress in her homeland to worry any longer than they would have had to. If she wasn't alive to return to them though...

Nastasia's thoughts stumbled as Vaughn grabbed her hand. Her emerald eyes shot to his fingers wrapped around her palm. It was such a simple action, but she couldn't help but find it almost metaphoric. He had already lost one of them––he desperately did not want to lose her. A slight flush painted her cheeks at the thought, but she did her best to gulp it down and cool her face in the oncoming summer heat. Now was certainly not the time to let anything become about herself, even if that is what they were going shopping for in the first place! She shifted her hand a little, but not out of discomfort. Without meaning to, she gave him a reassuring squeeze.

They stepped into a giant store with just about every style imaginable! The young manager's eyes went wide with a mixture of wonder and shock as she took in the entire collection of clothing and baubles and– She quickly shook her head to snap herself out of it. Her eyes squeezed tightly shut and she barely heard what Vaughn asked her. She took a moment before responding. The thoughts in her head felt strange to verbalize––after all, she didn't really know Netta. How could she possible assure him and assuage his worries? The sorceress bit back a sigh. "Better than you or I could if we suddenly found ourselves in her world."

It wasn't the most convincing statement, but it was the best she could offer him. Her gaze fell at the thought of Netta not being alright, however, and she wanted desperately to reassure Vaughn that everything would be okay in the end. There weren't words for it though! She opened her mouth again to speak anyway, but no sounds came forth. Her lips shut tightly into a thin line and mentally swore. Instead of trying to continue, she put her other hand around his and gave another small squeeze. Her eyes drifted to a rack of more professional-but-not-strictly-professional-looking garments for a moment before falling back on him.

"Something tells me you're good at helping people pick out clothes," she declared lightly, trying to keep his mood up even if she couldn't be super positive. She pointed to the rack she had been looking at. "Shall we start there?"

"Tuesdays and Fridays it is," Wolfgang agreed, standing up from his seat. "If that will be all, then I will return when it is time to begin my work. I'll make sure your belongings remain intact on my watch." Now that he had no other business in the manor, Wolfgang excused himself outside. He'd never get used to not seeing the polluted sky of Paragon and its stained streets; it was an entirely new experience to breathe in clean air. Wolfgang tucked his hand beneath his vest and reached into his shirt pocket, only to remember that he did not have his cigarettes on him anymore. Perhaps the local convenience store would have some in stock, if they even had cigarettes in this world.

He was aware there could have been better things to spend the coin Claire gave him on, but the craving was becoming more and more persistent. Wolfgang remembered the other advertisement in the newspaper for Ly-mart, the superstore. He would stop there before making his way back to Claire's home and inform her that he had picked up a job. All the walking made him begin to miss his own car, despite the fact that it was noisy and was on the verge of breaking down completely, as he couldn't afford a high class vehicle as much as he couldn't afford a better apartment. He considered himself lucky to have even met Claire, as she had so generously provided him with a place to stay in this foreign land. Wolfgang made a mental note to pay her back one day when he would finally be able to support himself.

Netta breathed in deeply, clean air scorched by the sun and filling her lungs with warmth. She was used to the shade of trees to protect her from the sun, but her tanned skin was plenty to beat back the heat of the star. She found a spot near the river a little more open and flat,so she slid out of her clothes so she was only in the fur skins across her chest and waist. She didn't need them where she was going. They would only get ripped or dirty in the marsh, so she tore them up and spread them across the grass. The cloth was safe for animals to eat, and birds would likely find the scraps first to use for nests.

Netta dove into the water headfirst, startling the little fish under the water and causing them to dart away from her. One of the fish couldn't make a decision quick enough and Netta considered snatching it to eat it, but instead nudged the fish in a direction and allowed it to swim away. She wasn't in the water to fish. She was there to reset the temperature of her body and get all the grime and muck from the city off her. She would dress herself in mud and leaves, though not literally.

The little hunter returned to the surface of the water and gently swam towards shore again. She shook herself off once out of the water and found her pouch and bow and quiver waiting for her where she left them. The fur she wore and her hair would dry very quickly, thanks to the heat of the sun, so she took her time strapping her pouch loosely on her waist, her quiver across her back, and her bow in her hand. True, she thought what Claire said about the marsh being a death sentence to be naught but hogwash, but there was a danger to any wilderness, especially one that Netta didn't know. She might not seem it, but she was a very clever girl.

Natalia found the marsh, finally, and thought for a moment. Her boots would protect her from most of the wet terrain, though it wouldn't bother her. In order to become a part of the marsh, she had to adopt its scent. Netta dragged her hand through the mud and let it drip for a second before dragging her fingers up her stomach and across her arms and around her neck. The earth would stay damp on her for a little bit, she would have to splash it with bits of water occasionally to keep the scent on her until it stuck.

Hearing the sounds of nature, smelling the clean air, and feeling the heat of the sun on her bare back. These feelings are what Netta remembered. This is what she lived for.

As Netta tried to assimilate herself to the marsh, two Shamblers were roaming nearby and took notice of the stranger in their marsh.  The plant-like creatures hissed in dismay.  Typically, they would hide in the water and rise to attack prey suddenly without warning.  However, they had no time to enact this ploy.  If they were to strike, then they were to do it now.  They made their way through the water unceremoniously, drawing attention to themselves instantly.  Netta's sharp senses would be able to hear them coming amidst the silence from a mile away or more.  Being the adept huntress that she was, she would have enough sense to hide herself causing the Shamblers to look around confused.  Where had their target gone?

Netta gains Element of Surprise! [Starts off under Stealth status][First attack is automatically critical]

Netta's Chapter 00: The Marsh's Dangers

Location: Acuatl Marsh - Marsh Shallows

Objective: Defeat all enemies!

Achievement: Extra Cautious - Avoid getting affected by Acid Trip from a Masked Viper before it has revealed itself. [5 AP]

{~} {~} { } { } { } {~} {~} {~} {~} A
{~} {~} {L} { } { } {~} {~} {~} {~} B
{~} {~} {~} {P} {~} {~} {~} {~} {~} C
{~} {~} {~} {~} {t} {~} {~} {~} {~} D
{~} {~} {~} {~} {~} {~} {~} {~} {~} E
{~} { } { } {~} {~} {~} {~} {~} {~} F
{~} { } {t} {~} {~} {~} {~} { } { } G
{~} { } { } {~} {~} {~} { } { } { } H
{~} {~} {~} {~} {~} { } {t} { } { } I
{~} {~} {~} {~} {~} { } { } { } { } J
-1---2---3---4---5---6---7---8---9

Latel (Marsh Shambler)
HP: 10/10
SE: 15/15
DD: --/--
Atk: 5
Def: 1
Psy: 1
Fai: 1
Evade: 2%
Move: 2 cells

Peren (Marsh Shambler)
HP: 10/10
SE: 15/15
DD: --/--
Atk: 5
Def: 1
Psy: 1
Fai: 1
Evade: 2%
Move: 2 cells

{t} - Marsh Tree
[No Occupy]

{~} - Shallow Water
[Can be waded through]

Players may start in rows I-J in a non-water cell!

* * *

Vaughn was sure that whatever world Netta came from was a harsh one if the girl had to fend for herself in what wilderness she claimed as her habitat.  Maybe she would be able to handle the marsh just fine, as long as she didn't press too deeply into it.  The deeper parts of the marsh were said to house nightmarish creatures like the undead, strong colonies of Shamblers, and hives of vicious insects.  The creatures were supposedly so ruthless that one wrong step in that domain would lead to instant death.  There was no mercy for trespassers.  However, the inner portions of the marsh were foul and disgusting.  The smell alone was enough to turn anyone away.  Netta seemed to crave a more peaceful nature.  The portion around the river would probably be where she was currently exploring.  That wouldn't be so bad at all.

The man sighed in relief before taking notice of the rack that Nastasia did.  It had a lot of formal female wear upon it.  "A lot of the servers there stick to white and black or all black.  I see a lot of women wearing pants but I think a formal skirt would be alluring, even if it is knee-length and not anything more revealing.  Maybe a white blouse to go with it?" Vaughn suggested, looking through some of the clothing on the rack.  All of it was quality clothing, and to be frank, anything would look amazing on Nastasia, but she needed something that could get her the job for now.

* * *

Wolfgang would chance upon a convenience store before Ly-Mart.  It was called Exceed, a place that was highlighted on the city map.  Apparently it was a mass gas station and convenience store chain in the dimension and held a pretty iron grip on the industry, pushing smaller chains to the side in terms of sales and customer service.  "Exceed the competition" was their motto, and boy did they stick to it.  As he entered the store, he could tell that these people were absolute try-hards.  The floor was spotless and even had a bit of a gleam to it.  The black rug in front of the glass doors was a bit dirty from actual use--people actually wiping their feet off vigorously before stepping on the floor.  All the shelves were neatly organized, not a thing out of place even from a careless customer just putting something back wherever instead of its original place.  There was a well-kept cashier handling a small line of customers quickly and efficiently with another person wandering the sales floor suggesting sales to browsing customers.  Wolfgang was greeted by this person as he entered.

"Hi!  Welcome to Exceed where we exceed the competition!"

It was a young woman with long blonde hair that was very straight and rested upon her shoulders, the rest flowing down her back.  She wore the standard uniform: black slacks and the black Exceed shirt with the yellow strip down the side with a couple more horizontal yellow stripes curving around the other side.  The collar itself was yellow as well.  She approached Wolfgang from her position amongst the shelves, staring up at him with her blue eyes.  "Anything I can help you find today, sir?" she inquired with a wide dazzling smile.

Nastasia returned his comment with a light smile and another soft squeeze before letting go of his hand and approaching the rack of skirts. Vaughn had suggested a knee-length so she stuck to those. She pushed the hangers aside methodically, scanning the tags for size as she went. Thank the Gods he knows about the restaurant, she thought to herself as she procured a skirt in her size. The young manager-to-soon-hopefully-be-hostess turned to the a set of blouses. Once again she went about combing through the selection to find one that would fit her. "Thank you," she voiced aloud as she moved to another rack of blouses, continuing to search. "You and Claire both, I suppose," she continued, picking up a blouse in her size, "I'm... or rather we are very lucky to have you two."

Even if one of us ran off, she thought glumly, her gaze dropping once more. She mentally reprimanded herself––she couldn't seem too terribly upset! Worrying about something they couldn't help wouldn't do either of them any good. It was at that moment that she actually looked at her heels and frowned. The outfit she had in her hands would work well, but the shoes would be kind of glaring––so much so that she might stand out in a bad way, possibly come off as tacky. Nastasia's eyes returned to Vaughn. "Can we hit the shoes next? As much as I love these, I don't think they'd make the best first impression," she admitted with a slight chuckle.

"Exceed the competition?" The phrase repeated itself in Wolfgang's mind as he tried not to bust out in laughter. It had to be the corniest slogan he had ever heard and it baffled him how anyone could say it with a straight face. The gas station itself was clean to the extent that it didn't seem like an ordinary gas station; the luster reflecting off the waxed floors was almost blinding. In Paragon, the gas stations were mainly active in the latest hours, as it was common for gang members to stop by and use the nozzles to fill up glass bottles to make Molotov cocktails and loot alcohol from the back. Wolfgang supposed this is what an entire civilization would look like if crime wasn't so prideful as to feel the need to flaunt its vices in the open.

"I'm just looking for a lighter and some cigarettes if you have any," Wolfgang finally answered the woman, his gaze meeting hers as he focused his attention to her. "I'm not too picky on the brand, any kind will do." It was strange to him, as nobody he had met so far this day seemed to point out that he wasn't from Myridan. Chances are they didn't know and Wolfgang blended in more naturally than he had expected, or the locals knew and simply did not care. Nobody had even gone so far as to bat a second glance at him, a man that walked the streets wearing a tactical vest apparently drew no suspicion. For the time being, he would just assume everyone thought he was a policeman.

Netta's Chapter 00: The Marsh's Dangers

Location: Acuatl Marsh - Marsh Shallows

Objective: Defeat all enemies!

Achievement: Extra Cautious - Avoid getting affected by Acid Trip from a Masked Viper before it has revealed itself. [5 AP]

{~} {~} { } { } { } {~} {~} {~} {~} A
{~} {~} {L} { } { } {~} {~} {~} {~} B
{~} {~} {~} {P} {~} {~} {~} {~} {~} C
{~} {~} {~} {~} {t} {~} {~} {~} {~} D
{~} {~} {~} {~} {~} {~} {~} {~} {~} E
{~} { } { } {~} {~} {~} {~} {~} {~} F
{~} { } {t} {~} {~} {~} {~} { } { } G
{~} { } { } {~} {~} {~} { } { } { } H
{~} {~} {~} {~} {~} { } {t} {N} { } I
{~} {~} {~} {~} {~} { } { } { } { } J
-1---2---3---4---5---6---7---8---9

Netta (Artificer) *INVISIBLE* *ELEMENT OF SURPRISE*
HP: 25/25
MP: 20/20
DD: 2/10
Atk: 7
Def: 3
Int: 1
Spr: 5
Evade: 5%
Move: 4 cells

Latel (Marsh Shambler)
HP: 10/10
SE: 15/15
DD: --/--
Atk: 5
Def: 1
Psy: 1
Fai: 1
Evade: 2%
Move: 2 cells

Peren (Marsh Shambler)
HP: 10/10
SE: 15/15
DD: --/--
Atk: 5
Def: 1
Psy: 1
Fai: 1
Evade: 2%
Move: 2 cells

{t} - Marsh Tree
[No Occupy]

{~} - Shallow Water
[Can be waded through]

Player Phase 1!

* * *

Using the information Vaughn provided, Nastasia was able to pick out a lovely outfit that would be sure to impress at the restaurant.  And that would take care of her uniform, all in one go.  When she mentioned shoes, he laughed.  How could he have forgotten?  Waving her along, he meandered through the racks and racks of women's clothes, bypassing the professional and delving into the casual, eventually coming to the wall of shoes available--luckily before the lingerie section.

"Here we have the glorious Wall of Shoes...or at least the female version.  The male version is somewhere else in the store and just as impressive actually," Vaughn explained.  The summer season was blazing hot and there tons of deals on sandals, flip-flops and other open-toe shoes.  They were here to look for something a bit different, however.  "Solid black, clean, and dressy.  Easy to move in, not heels," Vaughn suggested easily, placing his hand on his chin in thought as he scanned the expansive collection, moving over to the section of dress shoes provided.

* * *

"Well, we sell both of those things at the counter, so you're in luck!" the station employee chimed with a wink, gesturing to the line in front of the counter.  "If you're looking for a good brand, get Ten Dens.  Gold pack.  They're really good and not as expensive as other brands like Callous and Deep Breath," she offered.  The man did look like a smoker, but to not have a favorite brand?  That was pretty odd.  Usually her smoking customers would die if the store ran out of the cigarettes that they normally smoked.  It was rare to run into a non-selective smoker.  "If that's all you need, I'll be off, but if you have any more questions please feel free to ask me or my associate behind the counter.  Thank you for shopping at Exceed!" she exclaimed with a giggle before rushing back off amidst the aisles, aiding customers and straightening any untidy products on the shelves.

Wolfgang was free to wait in a line that was actually whittled down quite quickly by the efficient cashier behind the counter.  When it was Wolfgang's turn he was greeted by a wide grin from the man standing behind the counter.  He was a clear-faced youth with a clean shaven face and dazzling green eyes behind black spectacles.  He nodded to Wolfgang.  "What can I get for you today, sir?" he asked.  "Cigarettes?  Lottery tickets?  Gas?"

~Novarian District Exceed~

Front Counter Items:

Gum (Good for chewing.  Mint flavored.  Personal use.) / Coin: 1 / Stock: 10

Professor Nutty's (Peanut butter filled chocolate bar covered in almonds.  Personal use.) / Coin: 2 / Stock: 7

Ten Dens Gold Pack (Filtered standard size cigarettes with good flavor.  Personal use.) / Coin: 4 / Stock: 10

Ten Dens Elite (Non-filtered standard size cigarettes with powerful flavor and more nicotine.  Personal use.) / Coin: 6 / Stock: 8

Callous Dark and Filthy (Non-filtered standard size cigarettes filled with all the bad stuff that'll kill ya but leave you wanting for more.  Personal use.) / Coin: 10 / Stock: 4

Callous Underhanded Shorts (Filtered short cigarettes that are still pretty damn bad for ya.  Personal use.) / Coin: 8 / Stock: 8

Deep Breath Frosty Blues (Filtered menthol standard size cigarettes.  Ice ice baby.  Personal use.) / Coin: 8 / Stock: 4

Lucky 7 (Scratch off lottery ticket.  Get 2 7s in a row on a 3x3 grid and win the amount on the ticket.  Get 3 7s in a row and win 7 TIMES the amount!) / Coin: 2 / Stock: 5

Fast Fire (Match 2 numbers with the number on the card and win the amounts associated with those numbers.  More numbers matched than that and you win double each of the amounts matched!) / Coin: 2 / Stock: 5

Regular Gas (Durr.) / Coin: 2 Coin per gallon. / Stock: --

Boosted Gas (Hurr.) / Coin: 3 Coin per gallon. / Stock: --

Supreme Gas (Herp derp.) / Coin: 4 Coin per gallon. / Stock: --

Diesel (Seriously.) / Coin: 6 Coin per gallon. / Stock: --

Electric Recharge (Charging station for electric or hybrid vehicles.) / Coin: 5 Coin per quarter charge. / Stock: --

Wolfgang froze in his position with a desire to cringe at the eerie smile the cashier gave him. Just why the hell was he so happy to be working a menial job at a gas station? Did his employer force a surgically enhanced smile on him or was he just held here against his will and was being watched? Something was seriously wrong with this picture, and it was only going to drive Wolfgang crazy if he didn't first get his smokes from this disturbing gentleman behind the counter. "Err... hrm," Wolfgang forced a cough into his hand. "I'll just take a lighter and a Ten Dens Gold Pack. I don't need a bag, and I don't need a receipt." After sliding a hand into his pocket and placing the coins needed to make the purchase, Wolfgang decided it would be a good night to unwind after all he had been through. The problem was that he didn't know any popular spots in the city, however if he asked around, surely he would find several places.

Once the transaction was finished, Wolfgang casually walked through the aisles and up the young woman that greeted him earlier. "Say... you said to come to you if I had any more questions, right?" Wolfgang asked for clarification. "Well, I'm sort of new in town, and I was wondering if you'd know any good places to explore this city's nightlife. I never really got that many chances to loosen up back where I'm from."