15[20:35] The shape of a plan has formed and the wheels are in motion to ready it. But the circle finds themselves in one of those quiet periods before the burst of fear and frenzy. Strategicians of the Realm have the aphorism, 'war is a waiting game', and right now that feels right. How do the champions of Nexus spend their hours before the final battle? [20:36] 14Stranger should probably be sleeping full stop, but he'll comply with the letter of his bedrest -- laying down in bed -- while entertaining visitors. [20:41] 13Xia Lan is back in the medical tents, but not for herself. Just hiding away with Tsuka in the days before the war, because it's more relaxing than contemplating grand strategy in the aftermath. How's he look? [20:42] 5Xu Sim slowly charts a course through the field hospital, performing triage, seeing to the Circle's most important allies, and ensuring that the city's mightiest champions will face the final confrontation with the strength they need to conquer Cethleann once and for all. 15[20:43] Tsuka's chest is bound tight with bandages, but he's faring better than when she saw him last. [20:44] 13Well... she's seen worse on both of them. They've got to slow down, after this. 15[20:44] Xu Sim will have to push through the line of visitors coming in and out of Stranger's tent, and beyond that the small crowd of people trying to sneak a glimpse of Xia Lan outside Tsuka's tent. [20:45] 14The work and play of Nexus slows for no one. [20:45] 10Jai's erstwhile superior appears to have made himself scarce, for the moment, although he can't shake the feeling that he's being watched. The next morning is tense: he commandeers a training dummy and hacks it most of the way to splinters, before calling in one of Keldar's men to give him a few tips on the 10proper10 use of the sword. He'd rather have sparred with Keldar himself, but it seems like it consumes all of the [20:45] 10 Dawn Sergeant's time just to get anything done right now. [20:47] 13It's going to have to slow down at least a little. They can't keep this pace up forever. [20:49] 5Xu Sim eyes up the crowds outside of each tent. Petitioners and well-wishers, potent medicine on their own. He makes his way to Xia Lan's tent first, on the assumption that Cathak Tsuka is inside. 15[20:50] Among Stranger's visitors is old Selin, the pauper, who is rare among the procession in not offering Stranger a gift of decorations or trinkets or prayer strips when he arrives. "Interesting idea of bedrest." [20:51] 14Stranger laughs, and winces from the laugh. Ribs are still sore. "I'm supposed to be adjudicating the things they can't take to the big Emissary in the sky while the courts are out, but mainly I'm just accruing more bribes than I know what to do with." 15[20:52] Xu Sim finds Tsuka and Xia Lan together. Tsuka has just attempted to pull himself to a sitting position against the wishes of his cracked ribs and settled back in bed. [20:53] 13She looks up as Xu Sim enters with a quiet smile, then back down to Tsuka with alarm. "Tsuka, don't stress yourself -- and you can call me a hypocrite later, thank you." [20:56] 5Xu Sim gives Xia Lan a rather arch look before moving towards the outwardly wounded man. "Remind me again, how'd you get this?" 5he asks. [20:57] 10Anticipation makes the course of the day feel like turning a pot of honey upside down in winter. After the sword practice, some spear and staff katas that also fail to take the edge off, but draw a bit of a crowd. It's kind of a relief when a runner comes with news that Stranger-Visits-Heaven wants to introduce him to somebody. 15[20:57] Tsuka groans. "It was the Emissary. He was fighting the Mask of Winters and I got too close." 15[20:59] Jai accrues a following of his own as he moves through the undercity. Children - the youngest about six, with no adults attending them - shadow his movements and hide, tittering, when he turns around. [20:59] 5Xu Sim nods. "Ah, the Emissary. Quite a troublemaker," 5he observes. "Noble of you to stand up to him, wouldn't you agree, Xia Lan?" [21:00] 10What in the—  [21:01] 13Xia Lan sighs. "Pointless, now. And I'd still take them over the Mask." 13My fault, my fault... 15[21:04] Selin: "I think for some of them it's more like alms than they'd like to admit. Bribing an official just makes you feel like a citizen." [21:04] 14Stranger: "Then I'm glad to have offered them that bureaucratic service. What brings you by?" [21:06] "We might not need to choose, Xia Lan," 5Xu Sim retorts. "As for you, Cathak Tsuka," 5Xu Sim begins his treatment. Unlike other times both Tsuka and Xia Lan have seen him work with preturnatural speed, he takes his time with this treatment. "I suppose I owe you both something of an apology," 5he observes as he begins poking at Tsuka's chest with unguent-tipped acupuncture needles. [21:07] 10After this happens a couple times, Jai gets a bright idea. Shiki's curled up in a nook in his borrowed armor, which was evidently forged for someone with a much broader chest than him. He whispers: "Hang back and follow the kids, okay? I've got to figure out what's so funny." 07Shortly after, a dark shape slips into the gloom.  15[21:07] Tsuka: "Huh?" [21:09] 5Xu Sim: "For malpractice, as a matter of fact. Or possibly," 5he sticks another lengthy needle into the dragonblood's sternum, "you owe me one, for spreading an infection," 5Xu Sim chuckles. [21:09] 13Xia Lan's eyebrows shoot up in alarm. "I'm sorry?" [21:11] 10Jai stops at an intersection and looks to be lost in thought for a moment. [21:11] 5Xu Sim, momentarily satisfied with his progress, turns and begins mixing a pill. "I seem to recall that, some time ago, I diagnosed you both with what many know as a most terrible condition - that being, love." 5He considers beeswax as a bonding agent but decides against it, given the nature of their adversary. [21:13] 5The doctor selects bonemeal, instead. This he combines with three drops of mercury, tincture of laudanum, and perhaps some sage? Where does d'Arte keep the sage? "Love being the sister of death, some say she is a close relative of madness, as well. You may have thought it teasing, but I did not, entirely." 15[21:15] Selin: "I'm here for someone else. The matron of Floodwater tells me Guildsmen have been at householders at the eastern end of the district, where it flows to the Grand Canal. Simple buyouts, threats... now that the canals have been fixed up, they want to be able to buy out the abandoned areas directly from the Assayer. But they're not abandoned yet, y'see?" [21:15] 5Xu Sim: "Regardless, I now realize that it may not be so bad. So, as a responsible professional, I therfore should apologize for my apparent malpractice, and I do so now. My apologies." 15[21:16] Tsuka: "...huh?" [21:16] 13Xia Lan: "...I'm going to be honest, that is not where I saw that going. Things with the Scion of the Sevenfold are going well, I take it?" [21:18] 14Stranger grimaces. "I'll have to step lightly. I swore to the local Guildsmaster that so long as he didn't violate the Dogmas I wouldn't bother him until the city was safe again." [21:19] "That doesn't mean I can't try to tie him up in red tape until after the fighting's over, but...our red tape services are running a bit understaffed at the moment." [21:19] 5Xu SIm: "So far, I like to think so. I may re-evaluate my apology. But, if things go poorly tomorrow, I don't want to leave you with the wrong impression." 5Ah, here is the sage. Xu Sim selects a few more ingredients - powdered centipedes, ginger powder, salt, and begins rolling with aplomb. 15[21:19] Shiki hugs the shadows and darts between crates, able to see and hear without being seen or heard. "I told you it was him!" "No you didn't." "Yes I did, shut up." "You said it was Keldar." "Keldar's got a beard!" "That's what I said." "Shut up." "Yeah, who asked you?" 15[21:20] "I heard he stabbed the Mask of Winters in the heart." "He cut his head off!" "Did he keep the mask...?" [21:20] 5Xu Sim: "It's come to my attention that I don't think she's being accorded the full cooperation of all the other defenders. She is mistrusted, which pains me." [21:21] 13Quietly: "She's been the best of her people. It... took me longer than it should have to see it, but I trust her." [21:22] 10Huh. Wow. Jai… wasn't expecting to be famous. [21:24] 13Happens to all of us. [21:25] 10He keeps on walking, coming up on one of the Undercity exits. Then… a 10really good10 idea strikes [21:25] 5Xu Sim sighs. "I'm glad to hear it. I'm not sure about everyone else..." [21:27] 13Xia Lan: "...anyone in particular need a talking to? I think you've got us, but..." [21:32] 10He approaches the stairwell and pauses. His form blurs and shimmers, he appears to shrink an entire yalm, and even his armor transforms into a loose-fitting robe. Then he whirls around and hollers at the kids in that distinctive accent, "You thought it was Keldar, but it was me, the Oyabun! Better look out for me! Ahahaha!" 10And Jai dashes up the stairs cackling his brains out.  [21:33] 07Shiki follows, chittering in mixed mirth and annoyance. 15[21:34] The children, are awed and dumbfounded, but they simply can't keep up. "The Oyabun" disappears into the dark and his companion soon joins him. [21:35] 5Xu Sim shrugs. "Just keep an ear out, I guess." 5He finishes rolling and takes the pill in hand. It's on the large side. "Alright! Cathak Tsuka, you take one of these and call me in the morning." 15[21:35] Tsuka nods slowly. "Thank you." [21:35] 13She nods. "I will. And I'll make sure he does." [21:36] 10As soon as he's out of sight, Jai rounds a corner and the illusion is gone as swiftly as it came. He grins. If nothing else, that'll make it a tiny bit harder for the man to move unnoticed. Plus… it was fun as hell. [21:36] 5Xu Sim: "And remember, you're in bed for the rest of the day. Xia Lan, once he's asleep, come find me." [21:37] 13She grimaces, but agrees. 15[21:38] Tsuka takes the pill and falls asleep mumbling to himself, holding Xia Lan's hand. [21:38] 5Xu Sim pushes his way out of the tent and through the well-wishers. "Just remember to pray," 5he advises them as he pushes past. 15[21:42] Selin: "Any encouraging words I can pass along?" [21:43] 14Stranger: "Now, if there is a more creative solution I can indulge in, or if all of these tenants happened to have their deeds..." 14He sighs. [21:44] 10The line stretching out from Stranger's tent is daunting. But by now Jai cuts an impressive enough figure that most people people make way for him. The ones that don't try to cajole him to get Stranger to move them up to the front of the line. "No promises, no promises. Doctor's orders, only a limited number of visitors per day." 10It's total bullshit, but the best kind of total bullshit, the kind you can string people along [21:44] 10 with for a while. [21:45] 5Xu Sim pushes along towards Stranger's tent, stopping only if confrotned with a medical emergency... [21:45] 14To Old Selin: "Tell them once the raksha are dealt with, they will have the fullness of my attention." [21:46] "And one way or another, that means two or three days." 15[21:46] Jai and Xu Sim arrive almost simultaneously. [21:46] 14Stranger frowns. "But you might want to stick around for this." [21:47] 5Xu Sim holds the flap for Jai before entering, himself. [21:48] 14Before that, though: "Until then, the most I can do is get you an audience with a relevant Counciler, for whatever that's worth. I expect not much." [21:48] 10Jai: "Pardon the intrusion, I hope we didn't interrupt anything?" 15[21:49] Selin stands to greet them. "Xu Sim, old friend. Haven't seen you in ages, it seems." [21:49] 14Stranger: "Nothing I can act on for a few days, at least." [21:50] "It's been too long, Sifu," 5Xu Sim bows immediately. 15[21:51] After bowing in kind, "And who am I meeting?" [21:52] Selin and Jai might have bumped into each other in the fracas up by the river; Stranger can't recall. [21:52] 14Selin and Jai might have bumped into each other in the fracas up by the river; Stranger can't recall. [21:53] 14Either way, Stranger will take advantage of being injured to be a poor host and let Jai introduce his own damn self. [21:53] 5Xu Sim will step up like a proper pupil: "This is, er, Jai, Chosen of the Sun." [21:53] 13She'll wait a few minutes longer, humming to Tsuka, before leaving and following after Xu Sim. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FapG72ZU5UE She'll have to rewrite some of it before she performs it, of course. The parts about home, namely. That's why it's merely hummed before she quietly slips away. [21:54] 10Jai: "Wow. Is he really your—" 10Oh, right Jai also bows. "I think we may have met briefly, but I don't recall. My professional name is Black Wind Howling. I've been assisting the—" [21:54] 10Jai: "Aw. I thought I was finally going to get to introduce myself to someone with just the one name." [21:55] "Ahem. I've been assisting the defense of Nexus, these past few days." 15[21:55] "Glad to have you, Black Wind. People call me old Selin." 15[21:56] "I am a layabout, of no use to anyone." [21:56] 13She sounds better than she has - well. She hurries with an extra spring in her step when she does finally leave. [21:57] 10Jai: "A pleasure to meet you, Chief Layabout Selin." Jai grins. [21:57] "It is an ancient and honorable profession." [21:58] 14Stranger briefly wishes he'd been reduced to a walking stick so he could rap Selin's shin with it. Instead he grunts out a "Ha!" 14and sits up. There's a stone hotplate/burner set up carefully constructed on his nightstand, and on it, a pot of tea that's just finished steeping. [21:58] 14Stranger briefly wishes he'd been reduced to a walking stick so he could rap Selin's shin with it. Instead he grunts out a "Ha!" 14and sits up. There's a stone hotplate/burner set up carefully constructed on his nightstand, and on it, a pot of tea that's just finished steeping. [21:58] 14Thankfully he thought ahead, and had one of d'Arte's poor medical interns or whatever they call them fetch him a dozen or so cups. [22:01] 5Unstoppable. "We could be plunged into the Wyld, stranded in Hell, lost at sea, or in the middle of utmost Southern wasteland and you'd have a pot steeping," 5Xu Sim observes with some awe. [22:03] 14Stranger waves a hand. "My main annoyance with this summit with Cethleann occurring in the liminal space of the dreaming is that I can't bring tea with me. I served tea before I expelled my first raksha from Creation; I suspect I'll at least try to serve it before I expel my last. It's simply good manners." [22:04] 10Jai sits cross-legged on a mat. "It's good to have a passion, and a hobby. I've been trying to learn the flute, myself." [22:04] 5Xu Sim's eyebrows twitch a bit at Stranger's annoyance. [22:05] 14If it was annoyance, it was annoyance with himself. [22:06] 13Xia Lan slips in a few minutes after Xu Sim and Jai arrive, beaming despite the situation Stranger finds himself in. [22:06] 5Xu Sim: "That's an interesting idea, Stranger-Visits-Heaven..." [22:08] 5Xu Sim sends a runner for Seven and, in a puff of smoke, Grittoth the Erymanthus appears, gnawing on a dried-out cat hide. Xu Sim dispatches the blood-ape to carry a few essential items from his lab. [22:09] 14Stranger arches an eyebrow, but simply begins serving the tea. It's Greengrass; mild and soothing and slightly medicinal in taste, but not in a way that ruins the flavor. Doctor's orders. [22:12] 10Jai takes an experimental sip. Hey, not bad. "That's going to cause a commotion outside." 15[22:12] Seven arrives not long after, still wiping her hands with a rag stained blue-black. She smiles at Xu Sim, then the blood ape, and then the others assembled. [22:12] 13Xia Lan: "Most things we do lately seem to have that effect." [22:12] 14Stranger: "Hopefully the populace has come to accept that demons at all hours are just part of the good doctor's charms." [22:13] 10Jai: "Yeah. I guess I shouldn't talk. I've spent half the day giving people something to gawk at." [22:14] 13Xia Lan smiles at Seven and offers her a quick nod when she arrives. To Jai: "Good work if you can get it." [22:14] 5Xu Sim returns the smile from across the room as the blood ape sets down, not particularly gently, a pair of enormous duffel bags that sound to be full of porcelain and glassware. [22:15] 14Now both of Stranger's eyebrows are raised. Where's he going with this... 15[22:15] Selin: "So, Black Wind, how long have you been in the city?" [22:16] 10Jai: "Yeah, I guess. I just spent so long hiding my light under one bushel or another. Oh, about a week or so, sir." [22:16] 14That gets a hearty chuckle and another grimace from the ribs. "No sirs here, please. We're a circle." [22:17] "If that seems sudden to you, well. Any Chosen of the Sun who stands against the end of Creation with me shall be my brother, no matter how long I've known him. And he'll not call anyone in that brother and sisterhood 'sir.'" [22:18] "I'm going to make you a tea, Stranger, that you can serve in your dreams," 5Xu Sim retorts as he starts digging into the bags and laying out vials, small jugs, jars, bags, bars, and bundles of herbs. [22:18] 14Stranger: "Oh my." [22:19] 10Jai: "All right, I'll try. Way too much trying to keep titles straight in my line of work." 10Reflecting on it, he has been a little overly concerned with forms of address, so far. [22:19] 5Xu Sim keeps working. "Don't let me interrupt." [22:20] 13Xia Lan raises an eyebrow and sips at her tea. "Our names are fine, I think. At least in spaces like this one." [22:26] 5Xu Sim: "We do need to confer about the situation we'll be in, assuming it's not, you know..." 5he trails off as he busies himself with some phials. [22:26] 10Jai relaxes a bit. "Anyway, as I was saying, Selin, it's just been a week, but it's been a busy one. I arrived on the very day of Cethleann's assault." 15[22:27] Selin: "I take it you're not renowned for your luck?" [22:27] 14Stranger closes his eyes and sips his tea. "Yes. Assuming victory on our part -- and there's no reason not to, because we won't be around in the event of defeat to care very much -- the immediate aftermath of this war will involve a lot of...squabbling." [22:27] 5Xu Sim: "Or a Wyld Hunt," 5he points out. 15[22:28] Seven: "From where? Lookshy?" [22:30] 14Stranger shakes his head. "No one has the juice right now to launch a Wyld Hunt. Lookshy is exhausted, and if the Realm is going to push into the Threshold, they'll send armies for Lookshy, not a Hunt for us." [22:30] 10Jai: "I don't believe in luck. I learned to fix a throw of the dice before I could shave. But the picture of the situation I had when I left Thorns was thoroughly incomplete." 15[22:30] Seven: "Excuse me?" [22:31] 14Deadpan: "Sevenfold Scion, please meet Jai, the Black Wind Howling." [22:31] 10Jai: "We've met, briefly." 15[22:31] Seven: "You were in Thorns?" [22:33] 10Jai: "For several months. I was confined strictly to less exciting work." [22:33] 13Xia Lan: "You may need to elaborate on that," 13she cautions mildly. [22:33] 5Xu Sim glances up from his tinkering. [22:35] 10Jai: "Listening post duty, passive surveillance, dead drops. If deathknights ate breakfast, that would have been the kind of reports I wrote. It was BO-RING." 15[22:35] Seven: "Wrote reports... for who?" [22:36] 14Stranger watches in silence. Neither of the Sidereals are his boss, after all. [22:39] 10Jai regards the deathknight for a moment. "I mean, who isn't worried about Thorns?" [22:39] 10Jai: "Half the time I was spying on other spies anyway." [22:41] 14Stranger, carefully: "There are more things in Heaven and Creation, dear, than are accounted for strictly in the lifecycle of man. It should be taken as understood, I suspect, that Jai, in a passive observer's role, did no harm." [22:41] 10Jai "I didn't ask a lot of questions, and as it happens, I don't believe I've ever seen my employer's true face at all." [22:44] 14As long as this conversation doesn't drift into the morality or ethics of the existence of modern Thorns qua modern Thorns, they should be fine. [22:46] 5Xu Sim frowns. "If you don't intend to return then why not say who it was?"