spice-and-fire

[spice-and-fire]

That's great! Looking forward to it. I'm sure you'll do amazing!

They're both great in it. I've never really done a mashup before, no! I can definitely show you how it turns out, though.

[spice-and-fire]

Well, most of it is, actually. Just a few miracles here and there. At least I think so. Always a few miracles here and there, right? Speaking of miracles, I hope so. I wouldn't want to give up on them. Not when there's still a sliver of hope. Yeah? That sounds amazing! That's so very nice of you! Especially with the make-up thing. I'm not sure I can accept I definitely want to since there might be more people in more need of it than me but we'll see when the goo settles! Thank you. I'm glad you're very okay, too. Looking forward to it! Stay safe, alright?

Really? At this rate, I thought most of the town would be closed. Good to know though. No, it really isn't. I'm just wondering if all those trapped people are still alive you know? You know, that's a good idea. I mean, there's some things that wouldn't really be appropriate to give away, like the stuff I've worn to awards shows, but I did bring a couple of extra boxes. When the goo settles, come over, I'll give you some makeup samples from my line. I'm glad to hear you're doing okay. And hey, really good call with the clothing drive. I'll have to set something up.

[spice-and-fire]

Well, been there, done that [...] And by that, I mean being desperate for money. Haha! I'm not the best reader out here but I wouldn't say no to more books! Saved a few of my friends' lives before, so it's all good to me. That's fair, tho. Should definitely not risk the books. Would help more people when they're all fine. Worm Row will pull itself back together soon. Somehow. so it wouldn't be that long of a wait. Hopefully.

That would be fine with me! I'll send you a PM if you don't mind?

[pm] My name's Devi Chopra. Here's my number if you need it: [user attaches her mobile number].

I appreciate your optimism! The pop-ups were originally sort of out of desperation- a need to make money with no building to do it in, but I like your view of it much better. Who could be pessimistic about the spread of literature?? Yea, we’re planning on avoiding Worm Row for the time being, unfortunately.

Bummed to say that all of our books on goo went with the fire, unfortunately. But hey- could I take your name down and reach out to you if we get any relevant donations?

[spice-and-fire]

That's very respectful of you. Those will definitely do. Thank you for, well, indulging the cats and their lady. Very appreciated.

Ah, that's very fair. Technically, I've never been in your military either

Surprisingly very resilient. Squishy but resilient.

Yeah, well, at the end of the day, it's the community that counts. Since, you know, it's the community that gets affected directly anyway. I like to think this is just a good opportunity for the community to show its strengths, defy the bad odds, and of course, make sure each and everyone in it feels loved and protected. As a community should. Always.

Okay, well hopefully I can remember them while I'm out. Maybe Admiral and Captain would do?

I didn't think so but like I said I've never been in the military so I wasn't sure. Didn't want to be disrespectful to the people who actually were/are.

Yea [...] yea I'm sure they will. Cats are resilient, right?

That could be a possibility but I'm not sure I believe it wholeheartedly. Those bastards know what's out there and aren't warning the public, can't convince me otherwise. The having each other thing I can get behind though. I think the community is coming together in a great way right now.

[spice-and-fire]

[pm] Creative difference? Whatever floats your boat, I guess. So they don't also float your boat, I take it? Haven't met that many sirens out here, to be honest. Would've loved to make a new friend.

Well, to be fair, trouble always comes and go. Even if you try your best to hide from trouble, trouble will always find a way to find you. If it wants to, of course. Still, that's a pretty decent point. Guess one can only hope to inspire others to take up the shield if the soldier falls. I'm sure you do but we'll see each other in person, right? I wouldn't mind a peek, tho

[pm] Ah, well, that's a [...] thing. Let's just blame creative difference on that and move on. But, no, they are not a siren. At least not the one I know.

I'm sure that's [...] a way of thinking. Putting people first can get you in trouble, you know? And how would you be of use to anyone if you're the first to die? When you could instead survive to make sure those other guys' sacrifices weren't in vain? Or some bullshit like that. I already feel good about myself. Because I look good. I am good. So very good. Wanna peek? ;p

[spice-and-fire]

TIMING: Recent LOCATION: Worm Row PARTIES: @plunderwater x @spice-and-fire SUMMARY: Devi & Shan reunite. For better or for worse. (Probably for the worse.) CONTENT: Alcoholism (someone gets wasted) & vomiting (someone vomits because she gets wasted)

“I don’t suppose any of you would rather settle this over a game of cards,” Devi suggested, stepping on a single Queen of Hearts on the ground as she backed away, having unintentionally dropped a few cards from her personal collection even before she had started speaking. “...a little Black Jack? Maybe a couple of beers, too! First round’s on me, if you’d like?” She was hugging a wall in a dark alley, her back feeling the cold, stiff hardness of the solid surface, as she wiped the spit off her mouth with a thumb. “Hell, I’d even be up for a game of Crazy Eights. I’m not that good at it, but I can manage.”

“No takers, huh?” Her words were met by silence. Devi sneered, shaking her head. “All right, but unfortunately for you…” She reloaded her biceps, prepping for a fight. “...I’ve got you surrounded.” Her bravado wasn’t false, even as she stood her ground, herself all alone against eight other thugs, all of them furious that she had beaten them a few days ago when she was just doing her job, protecting a client from their attempted shakedown. 

Meanwhile, at Harborside, Shan was about to leave her teahouse, which was more modern and…sugary than the traditional fare, than she personally liked, when a small child came stumbling out of the shadows. With an eyebrow raised, she looked around, making sure no one else was there. Once she realized it was just the two of them, the secretive selkie made her way to the street rat, who quietly mumbled something only she could hear before running back toward the shadows. Not the weirdest thing that has happened to her in town. Or anywhere else. She doubted that would change. “What a drag…”

Groaning, Shan rolled her eyes and went back inside the teahouse, Mist Tea Boba, and straight into her makeshift office, which she rarely used outside of official tea shop owner business. She wasted no time in unlocking a drawer with a key that was hidden inside the locket strapped around her neck and immediately rummaged through the papers in that same drawer. Squinting, she could barely make sense of the letters she was skimming through in that terrible lighting. She could’ve turned on the light, sure, but she was in a hurry. When she found what she needed to find, a figurative lightbulb shone brightly above her head and a triumphant smirk conquered her lips. “Things are about to get dicey…”

As they began to move toward her, Devi threw the first punch. Or at least tried to. Seemed the guys knew what they were doing and waited for her to down all those beers at the Wormhole just a few minutes ago. Despite being intoxicated, obviously, she realized she was being followed as soon as she got out of the bar. Not wanting to put anyone else in danger, she had lured her stalkers to this dark alley, failing to realize there were more than three of them. The guy she had tried to punch first easily dodged her attempt and instead struck her in the gut. 

“Oof!” Devi was sent back again, back-first, against the wall behind her. “Haven’t had enough yet, huh?” They descended on her like a pack of wolves. Or maybe more appropriately like a group of sharks, whatever those were called, after drawing first blood. One of them punched her straight in her face, which she tried to dodge but couldn’t. Another kicked her in the back, a cool move to see but a very painful one to experience. A third slammed her back into the wall with a side kick, as if establishing his dominance over a pathetic prey. 

“Little advice?” Devi spat before pulling herself up from the ground. “If you’re going to beat someone down in a dark alley? Make sure you’re not leaving yourselves vulnerable from behind.”

Crack! The guy at the farthest back fell to the ground, having been tapped on the shoulder, only to receive a kick in the face when he turned to see what that was all about. At the commotion, the rest of the thugs turned around, taking a step back, distancing themselves safely from both sides of possible danger. Shan stood tall behind them, grinning from ear to ear, a playful smirk on her luscious lips. “Sweetie, you’re drunk.”

One of the remaining hooligans threw a punch at her, but Shan was nothing if not quick, agile, and she managed to effortlessly dodge the strike, swiftly grabbing the same man’s arm and using his own momentum to whip him toward his friend. “I hope I’m not interrupting anything,” she purred, taking to the other woman’s side. Going back to back might give them a much better chance to survive the attack. Then again, Shan has survived worse on her own. “Something came up at the teahouse, and I needed to make sure — Is this another one of your fancy midnight brawls, Chopra? I know I’m a few hours late, but why do these charming fellows seem…hellbent on seeing you dead?” 

“And you’re late, darling,” Devi did not appreciate being called out like that, but it was what it was. Her occasional employer wasn’t someone she’d agree with on a daily basis, not even on an hourly basis, but she did pay her good money and she was, well, very hot. If there were two things that could always sway the tempered phoenix’s opinion, it was the amount she was getting paid and how attractive her employer was. Doesn’t always work, though. Pitted against each other, money vs. hotness won’t always end the same way. “But I wasn’t going to mention that.” 

Devi heaved a sigh, shaking her head, “Something always comes up.” She threw a punch at an oncoming thug, and despite her intoxication, still managed to make the hit, forcing the unlucky dude to stumble back toward another one of them. Without missing a beat, she then placed her back against Shan’s, readying a standard defense against a numbers advantage. What else could they do? Old her would have set the guys on fire but she’s a much better person now. Still getting into drunken fights in dark alleys but no longer setting folks on fire.

“It was a…misunderstanding,” Devi was technically correct. If these guys actually understood the situation, not to mention the cause of all this, she doubted they’d intentionally offer themselves up as prey for the phoenix. “You got your business, and I got mine.”

She did. Shan had business that was different from that of Devi's and vice versa. While she considered the freelance security girl as a mere blue collar hand with a hidden darkness on the side — after all how would anyone not have that kind of streak with that kind of job — the selkie considered her business much darker and more an acquired taste. Not everyone can survive in her world of secrets and betrayals and, well, disappearances. Devi was a good weapon, but she was just a weapon. Shan was the black heart drenched in the oily globs of often-immoral necessities.

“We’re not having this conversation while you’re drunk,” Shan rolled her eyes as she kicked another thug off of her. The boys after Devi didn’t seem like they were any good at this. If they were, one of the girls would have been on the ground now. But maybe they were just distracted. Maybe they just didn’t expect another pretty face to join in on the fun. Some guys are all talk, all bark, but when presented with more than one woman, they’d falter, only confident against a lone target. Some girls were like that, too. But there were no girls in their opposition at the moment.

“Darling, we haven’t had this conversation…” Devi stopped herself mid-sentence. She felt something brewing deep within her. Not the flames of rage, no. Not an enlightening development, a realization from the divine that could help change something on a much grander scale than anyone would have ever expected. No. What she was giving birth to was not anything positive. It was definitely not something she’d intentionally call forth, even wish for. “Oh...no.”

Now, to be fair, Devi hasn’t lost a drinking game. Not once in recent memory. But, if her memory serves her correctly, she has not drunk so much and then gotten into a fight thereafter. She instinctively puffed her cheeks, turning to Shan with a horrified look. Never mind the still standing thugs still wanting a piece of them. Never mind the threat of physical hurt surrounding the both of them. What could flow out of her right then and there would be worse. So much worse. 

“Don’t you dare!” Shan screamed. Honestly. Not a single attempt to hide her disdain for that possible end. There was no need to. Why would she even try disguising that disgust? Most normal people would hate that, especially when the...explosion would hit them. Shan was especially annoyed, considering she had her favorite fur coat on. At least let the girl take it off before you shower her with…fluids. Even that’s beyond my threshold. 

Fortunately for Shan, one of the thugs lunged at her again. Taking the opportunity, she threw herself at him, deftly dodging his thrown punch to instead slither around him, over his body, taking him down with a submission hold worthy of the Octagon. Shan was no avid fan of fighting sports, but she’s learned a few things from those folks. While she wasn’t as physically imposing or impressive as Devi, she was more limber and dare she believe a lot more creative. Her attacker found himself on the ground, screaming in pain, while the selkie effortlessly tugged on his vulnerable arm. One wrong move, that arm would go off. Its socket. Literally. 

A thug tried to help free his friend from Shan’s impressive submission hold, but Devi intercepted him with an effortless knockout punch. Stealing a glimpse at the woman on the ground, her limbs wrapped around her prey, the tempered phoenix couldn’t help but grow a little bit envious…of her prey. In fact, Devi took too long staring at them with a devilish smirk that another thug, the only one still standing, hit her with a straight jab in the face, sending her stumbling back in a drunken haze. “Ow! Didn’t your mother ever teach you not to hit a beautiful woman in the face?”

The man mumbled something crude, sexist, and honestly, surprisingly violent. It was one of those gross things a stupid “manly man” liked to throw at a cornered woman, a sample of disgusting verbiage from a deluded self-proclaimed predator when trying to break down a victim, its prey. Unfortunately for this idiot, Devi didn’t like the idea of being seen as a victim. Even if she was, technically, she’d rather be seen as a survivor. That was emphasized by her battle cry, a thunderous roar that spooked the guy when it came out of nowhere and rendered him defenseless to a pair of punches that inevitably ended his night.

“YOU NEVER SPEAK TO A LADY THAT WAY, YOU SORRY EXCUSE FOR A TADPOLE!”

“If I remember correctly, we agreed to meet at the Wormhole,” Shan shook her head, arms crossed, as the last of the thugs were finally vanquished. She had let go of her own victim, kicked him in the face to immediately knock him out, and picked herself off the ground, dusting her clothes and her body for any unwanted gravel or sand. There was a moment when she considered just biting a chunk out of the unruly boy’s neck, a well-deserved fate for someone so eager to muddy up her outfit. But Devi was already screaming in rage, and she thought it better not to add to that display of savagery. “...not some back-alley dumpster filled with hooligans.”

“Unfortunately, there’s nothing new about having to save you from yet another drunken misunderstanding, Devi,” Shan shook her head, helping the intoxicated woman on her feet, as the pair made their way to Devi’s apartment. This wasn’t the first time she had to bail the tempered phoenix out of a misjudged bout, though to be fair, the latter had saved her from a few deathly predicaments as well. It was perhaps one of the reasons why the selkie had a soft spot for her. Another was that she was cute. 

Once they had arrived at D’Arden House, Shan took Devi’s key from inside her pocket, and with the phoenix’s arm still over her neck, brought them both inside, but not before locking the door behind them. Worm Row was not a place to be lax, complacent, and even though Shan didn’t live there, she has had many dealings with the more flexible folks in need of a few bills to pay their rent. One of them, she gracefully deposited on her bed. 

“I was only trying to spice things up,” Devi groaned as she laid on the bed. All alone. Limbs sprawled everywhere and nowhere. Her entire, uncooperative body taking up much of the space. Sweat drenched most of her, the tight contact between her back and the sheets only inspiring them to make her feel even hotter, and not in a good way. Her insides were spinning, not to mention her head. She’s always been better at controlling her alcohol, but the fight and the fact that she had thought Shan had once again stood her up made that less of a priority in the past few hours. 

“You wound me, darling,” Devi groaned again, taking her hand off her head and instead placing a handkerchief over her eyes. She tried to make herself feel better by moving her entire body. Big mistake. She just felt even more nauseated, almost to the point of letting it all go right then and there. “...and slightly nauseate me. Mind holding still for a bit?” If she was in her right mind, she would’ve balked at that imagery herself. This beautiful East Asian woman of mystery? Nauseating? The world has gone to hell, and Devi would have fought herself.

Shan had begun pacing at the foot of Devi’s bed, “And here I was, thinking maybe we could finally have a night to ourselves. Our first in — who even knows how long? I thought we’d finally get a chance to reconnect, to establish a new normal now that we’ve found each other again after all these years. But I guess old habits truly die hard.” She brought her A-game with that monologue, making sure to emphasize that this was all the phoenix’s fault while at the same time not making the effort to hide the fact that it was all a ploy meant to tease her in her current condition.

Once the intoxicated woman made the request, Shan acknowledged and indulged it without outright referencing the matter, instead sitting gracefully on the edge of the same bed, as carefully as she could. “I did warn you about that, sweetie,” she groaned before taking out her purse, water resistant by necessity. “Too much of a good thing, that isn’t me, will only lead to your suffering!”

Devi groaned, stealing a glimpse of Shan from underneath the handkerchief that was over her eyes, “That’s not funny.” It was. At least if she was sober, it would’ve been. But she was feeling all sorts of woozy at the moment, making her sense of humor a bit off, maybe more out like a light than she was thankfully. Shan wasn’t lying, though: They met each other a few years back, lost contact for a while, and were now unexpectedly reunited in this weird, small town. Coincidence? Most likely, but she didn’t count the selkie’s schemes out. Shan always had something up her sleeves. Whether she wore them or not.

“By the way, you said something came up at Mist Tea?” Devi had visited the place only once, under the selkie’s request, but it was mostly for another unrelated job. She promised to visit again, next time outside of work hours, but never did. The place was too swanky for the phoenix, and she was a little embarrassed at the fact that she might not be that financially flexible to visit a sugary sweet tea shop on her own time. Still, she made plans. Still do. “Did something happen?” 

Devi groaned again, slowly lifting herself out of the bed, forcing her body to settle for a sitting position, determined to hear whatever made the selkie late for their alone time. Despite Shan being sneaky, Devi gave her the benefit of the doubt, specifically that she wanted to hang out with zero strings attached. “Tell me.”

“Funny? I’m not trying to be funny,” Shan raised an eyebrow, continuing to take things out of her purse, mostly papers, also water resistant. She smirked at Devi, also continuing to throw shade at her and at the same time foreshadowing something else, someone else, a familiar face. To both of them. “There’s only one joke in this room.”

“Something will happen,” Shan emphasized the second word in that statement, heaving a sigh as she presented a photo in Devi’s face. “ — and while I have no qualms about interrupting your alleyway brawls — ” The photo was of a man, though it was not a portrait of the man. The photo was taken on higher ground, without the man’s permission, or more importantly, knowledge. “I would not have gotten late if it was not important.”

“For now, I need you to trust me,” Shan removed all other notions on her face, except for dire seriousness. This part? It could not be misconstrued as anything but serious. “I need you to help me get this man. You remember him don’t you?”

Devi squinted. The man was familiar, but how? Why? She tried to rummage through her brain to find the answers to those questions but could barely make sense of the memories that came flooding to her. This is why you should never drink at work. Before work. Something like that. She heaved a sigh, annoyed at herself. Why did she drink so much? Just because she thought Shan had stood her up? They’re not even together. Yet.

But then it all started to make sense to her. Slowly, the man’s face started to reveal itself to Devi, specifically the reason why it was so familiar. She had worked with him before. Helped her get to places she needed to, mostly as another hired help by a previous employer. He had a shop, too, a place where he kept his cars, his tools, not all of them legal, not all of them safe, not all of them…normal. Devi never asked for his name, but he was introduced to her as… “The mechanic?”

“The transporter,” Shan corrected her, even though Devi wasn’t wrong. Ewan Falcone was a mechanic these days, in Worm Row of all places, but he was still semi-active as a transporter of most things barely legal. He used to be a mercenary, too. Among other things. They’ve each had a brush or two with Falcone, if she remembered correctly. The selkie had even hired him before. This time, however, she would not. Could not. “I can’t trust just anyone with this information, Devi.”

“The time has come to take him off the board,” Shan continued, shaking her head. There was no other way to say it, no other way she felt she could get the point across. The man was going to get in the way of their plans, her plans, and Devi was the only person in town she trusted to get the job done. Of course, the selkie could get it done herself, but her association with the man might be too recent — He could remember her before she could get any closer. Like in that botched job with the pretty little thing that betrayed her. “It is imperative that we bring him down.”

“Hold on,” Devi shook her head in confused protest. Big mistake. Doing so only aggravated her throbbing headache. Still, she fought through it, against that annoying pain, as she knew she had more important matters to contend with. “You haven’t even told me what’s going to happen, but you want us to take out this guy?” She yoinked the photo from the selkie’s hands, put it closer to her face so she could squint at it, and then presented the face to the other woman again. Needlessly so. “Is it important now? Or can it be important later?”

Devi heaved a sigh. Normally, she didn’t ask for more information than what was given to her…if by normally, she meant in her old life. As a mercenary. A gun-for-hire. A soldier who took down anyone and everyone for money. But that was all in the past. She wasn’t that girl anymore. These days, she needs more information than a target’s face. Can’t secure a place, or a person, if you don’t know what’s coming for it, them. “This isn't a lot of information, darling. Actually, it’s no information.”

“It’s not that complicated, sweetie,” Shan frowned, placing a hand on Devi’s face. It was genuine. This time. She truly felt like a mother explaining to her daughter a sad or tragic event. But she immediately shook it off, not wanting to be Devi’s mother. That would make things extra weird, especially since she thought she was attractive and thought even more inappropriate things for the two of them. The fact that the phoenix was barely at her best didn’t help. Shan wondered if she had rushed things? Maybe they could take it slow. Even if she wanted to get on top of things right now, Devi was in no state of mind to function efficiently. “Perhaps I can explain later once you’re feeling, thinking much better?”

“I understand that I’m asking for your blind trust in me, Devi,” Shan heaved a sigh. Normally, this whole thing didn’t bother her. She’d just forgo the emotional anchors, easily dupe someone into doing her bidding or helping her at least. But the phoenix was different. She was a friend. Perhaps she was even more than a friend. She had duped her before, yes, but that was before they knew each other, before she’d come to know her. The selkie sincerely pleaded for her close ally’s help. “This matter is delicate, and there is no one I trust more than you. Whatever trust you have left — Please place it in me now.”

Devi squinted at Shan, crossing her arms over her chest. The selkie’s touch was nice, made her feel warm, but the rest of those words were a bit more complicated to her ear and mind. The tempered phoenix took her time, thinking things through. It just wasn’t about trust for her. She’d go over the moon for the selkie. Truth was, it was more about going in blind. Devi has done that, never liked it. But for Shan? Well, she’d go over the moon AND back for her. Even blind as a bat. Simple as that. “Great. Then we need to find the mechanic, transporter, that guy…”

“Anything else you can tell me?” Devi reached out and held her hand, as if pleading for more information than she was given. If you’re going to send a soldier to war, at least give her a weapon, even if it’s just a small knife. Better yet, give her armor, something to make her feel safe and not just another tool, another fodder. There isn't a lot a soldier would ask for, as following orders for the common good is what a soldier's supposed to do, but you could make the blind trust thing a whole lot easier. Without saying those things and more, Devi tried to plead her case to Shan.

Shan heaved a sigh of relief, as if a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She had no doubt Devi would trust her, as there was no reason not to, at least not in this situation. Everything she had said was truthful, genuine, though some things were of course better left unsaid. “I can tell you where to find Ewan Falcone, of course, because I’ll be going with you,” she shrugged, gently caressing the phoenix’s hands. “But you’ll be the one who has to convince him, by any means necessary, considering he may not trust me.”

Falcone had all the right reasons not to trust the selkie. After all, their last job together didn’t exactly endear Shan to the man. Who would, when the job ended miserably, and the selkie bolted to save herself, leaving him to fend for himself, and with a clear disadvantage, having his face exposed and his only way out lost to their hunters. “Falcone…will not blindly follow my…directive...ever again. He may assist us through your call, but he follows his own agenda. And there’s a very good chance…” The best chance indeed. “That he won’t come with us willingly.”

Devi heaved a sigh, crossing her arms over her chest once more. This time, she also closed her eyes, as if that would help as she tried to go over everything that was shared with her. It wasn’t much, it was barely anything, but she did trust Shan, even if she had a reason not to after their past encounter. People change, the tempered phoenix believed in that, so she had no reason to not give Shan the benefit of the doubt. If she didn't, then that would mean she couldn’t do the same for herself, and she was the one who needed that whole thing to be true. People have to change, including her. Especially her. 

“Alright then,” she heaved yet another sigh before opening her eyes, an eyebrow raised at the attractive woman with her. Her lips slowly curled into a playful smirk…before all the bad things rose up from inside her. Fighting after those bottles was not a good idea, and even though she’d vow to herself she’d never do it again, it was the least awful thing that’s happened to her, that she’s experienced, that involved her. “But first, let me take a nap,” Devi plopped backward into the bed, immediately surrendering to slumber. “It’s not like we need to do all that right away, right?”

“Right,” Shan heaved a defeated sigh, a weak smile forming across her lips. A part of her wanted the job to be done right away, so they could quickly move on and do something else. She would never lie about wanting to spend more time with Devi, time that wasn’t spent on the clock in business terms, time that wasn’t always running against them, putting them in danger. Devi could handle danger, she knew that, and she could handle it herself as well, but some days, it just gets too much, and all the selkie just wanted to do was hang out with someone she didn’t need to lie to, to put up defensive barriers again. “Take your nap, Devi. Tomorrow can wait.”

Rising from her seat on the bed, the selkie took a good long look at the sleeping phoenix before making her way to the table with a massive mirror, perfect for doing one’s make-up. Except Shan didn’t need to do her make-up. There was no need to. Instead, while still standing, she looked at her own reflection before taking off her white fur coat, the one that hid her pelt within. It wasn’t as heavy or as thick as most fur coats, instead weighed only by the malfunctioning pelt that was most of it, the fur coat exterior a thin mask to hide the true danger within. 

Shan had the thing made by a spellcaster that traded craftsmanship for magic, and despite her better judgment, she ignored the pelt’s hunger for the long-term investment. Better judgment then, at least. Clearly, the trade worked in her favor. She smiled at the thought, placing the coat over the table’s chair, before crawling into bed next to the unconscious Devi. With a smile, she looked at the other woman, heaving a sigh that felt more like peace than anything else. At least for a few hours, she would have peace. Then the cycle of survival begins anew.

[spice-and-fire]

Describe your character's moral compass. Is there anything that would make them abandon or shift their morality? If so, to what extent? If not, why not?

[meta] Devi is definitely Lawful Good. Or at least she tries to be. After everything she's done in the past, the bad things she regrets, it might be super hard to make her abandon or shift her current alignment. Do good, respect the law, and all that. Still... Hot women can make her reconsider that Lawful part, though the Good may not be so easily bent. After all, lots of Good can still be done with or without being Lawful. She's been there, done that a whole lot more.

[spice-and-fire]

[pm] Huh, my bad then. I just thought [...] since, you know, you said something about birds of the same feathers, that was another thing [...]

[...] was what it was. Good is good, darling. Nothing debatable about that. Put people first, before you, and make sure everyone's hunky dory. That's basically it. You should try it sometimes. Would make you feel a whole lot of good about yourself.

[pm] Mm, sounds exciting. Not a siren, no. What made you think that? Is it the birds of the same feathers thing because that was just a phrase choice

It does, doesn't it? Hmm [...] [user makes a mental note on that feedback] Like I said, I'll make it up to you. You don't have to keep bringing that up! I just needed to survive, and I made a choice, all right? It was what it was. Besides, good is debatable, friends are a distraction in my line of work, and I get plenty of blessings all the same. There are plenty of hot "blessings" in this town alone

[spice-and-fire]

I will! Cap and Miss are two of my faves! Have you done that before? You've got to let me see the end result! That sounds super good!

Came out this weekend! You should totally see it, it's great. Mashing up the costumes is a really cool idea, actually!

[spice-and-fire]

[pm] Same with you, Blackbird. Any time you need me, just let me know, alright? I'll be there before you know it.

[pm] Yeah. Definitely.

[...] Thanks. That feels [...] really good, really nice. You'll be all right, too, Devi. There's no doubt about that.

[spice-and-fire]

Bad and good news, huh? Sorry to hear about the closure but excited at those pop-ups! As much as I want one in Worm Row, that might be a bad idea at the moment. Especially since I don't even read that much. You got books on the goo, tho?

As I'm sure you've heard by now, Fully Booked will be closed until further notice because we're no longer... fully... booked. Due to unforseen and totally unpredictable circumstances, we're unfortunately in need of some major renovations, as well as almost a whole new inventory.

But don't fret, Wicked's Rest! Your literary woes will feel at ease at our various pop-ups throughout town, starting next week. With the inventory we have left, we're still able to serve the community we love. Looking for all the knowledge you can find on Duck Herding? Boy, do we have 150 copies of the book just for you. Head to our website to see where we'll be on which day! How exciting!

If you're looking to donate any gently used books to add to our inventory, please message me directly!

[spice-and-fire]

Thanks for this, man. Would really help a lot of our people in Worm Row. Are there any alternatives if valid proofs are unable, say, if a friend's valid proof got goo-ed? Mildred lost her husband to the goo Would have been sad if he wasn't such a prick Can someone vouch for them or something?

For any displaced residents of Worm Row, the Elysium will be offering free fr discounted free free stays. Simply show us any valid proof of residence and we will find a room for you until this 'goo' mess is resolved.

If you do not live in Worm Row and you are displaced from your home then [...] I suppose any proof of 'goo' takeover is acceptable.

[spice-and-fire]

Damn, it's out already? I've been so busy with things here in Worm Row I didn't even know. Was looking forward to that. Love the actresses, especially Larson. Vellani's pretty charming, too, and the rest of the cast is just icing on the cake. You ever think about mashing up costumes? Like Miss Marvel and Captain Marvel for the ultimate Marvel homage?

Anyone up for offering opinions on a couple of cosplays? Because the Marvels had way too many great costumes for me not to get started on them immediately.

[spice-and-fire]

[pm] Exactly. I won't let you. This time. But that does sound very appealing. Are you saying the owner of the Codfather is a siren?

That just sounds messed up, darling. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt [...] this time. Huh, okay, that's [...] okay. Wouldn't say we're the same, especially since I don't abandon my allies in the middle of a fight, but I could see some [...] similarities, sure. How has your style of surviving been to you? Good? Gave you lots of friends and blessings?

[pm] They're dangerous? Don't worry, sweetheart! I won't hurt you. This time. Yes, it is! My treat. I know the owner, you see. We go way back. Birds of the same feathers and what-not!

Because she's dead? I thought that would be a very effective proof of my trustworthiness to you, but I suppose I thought wrong. Nothing is up. Trust me. On my mother's grave. Just wordplay: Things go south, why not east? I do, actually. We all do what we need to do to survive. See? We're pretty much the same, you and I.

[spice-and-fire]

Oh, don't worry, the others in line can always go first. My friends and I can wait. Good things come to those who wait, right? Your sister a business partner or an employee? Also, does your bakeshop need extra security whenever? I might know a gal. She can work for bread. Like, actual bread.

She does work with me, ,she is very good at handling the customers. If there are some left over you are more than welcomed to them. I just ask you keep the others in line in mind while getting what you like.

[spice-and-fire]

PARTIES: @spice-and-fire TIMING: Right at the start of the Overflow plot LOCATION: Worm Row, Wicked’s Rest SUMMARY: Devi, and a few others, help evacuate innocent civilians during the onset of the black goo’s consumption of Worm Row. CONTENT: None

A scream pierced through the night. Devi struggled to make sense of where she was. She had been fast asleep, that’s what she could remember. Dreaming about—what was it? Something about a dog and tacos? She couldn’t quite remember, though she thought nothing of it. She wasn’t big on dreams, and dreams never made the most sense to her. Devi preferred reality over dreams, even though hers wasn’t all that good.

Like at that moment in time, her vision was no good. All she could smell was smoke, and the scream—the screams were giving her a headache. Screams? She looked up, her eyes finding a set of stairs. Who was upstairs? Whose house was she in? While those thoughts tried to muddle her brain, her body didn’t waste a second, didn’t even hesitate, dragging the rest of her up those very same set of stairs. 

When she got to the end, her eyes widened in horror. What greeted her was a house doused in flames. She turned around, looked all over her, realizing she was somehow back outside. Out of the house whose stairs she had just gone up. 

Above her, the night sky that was blanketed with stars was soon besieged by the disgustingly thick smoke emanating from the fiery house. She returned her gaze toward the house as the screaming continued, but it was now nothing more than a burnt frame.

“Penny for your thoughts, soldier?” Kara dragged her back to reality, waking her up from a recurring nightmare with a plate of food. 

Where was she? Where were they? Devi looked around them as she absentmindedly accepted the offered grub, realizing the answers to those questions came much quicker this time. And were one and the same: Ah, yes, a party. Well, sort of. 

They were in a house. Lonely and empty. Apart from them. Her. And Kara, one of the girls staying back at the D’Arden House. And Liesel, another girl residing at their building, this one much grumpier than Kara. And of course Billy, whose father owned this lonely house, where they were now.

All three of them, the girls, were there to try and help Billy convince his stubborn old man to move out of his rackety shack of an aged house to somewhere safer. Liesel had a thing for Billy. It was obvious. So even though she hated the thought of doing something like this, of leaving the comforts of her settled place, she had to. She wanted to. And without even directly asking Kara, the gym girl already said yes, also volunteering Devi because why not? That reality made the tempered phoenix smile.

“Ah, sorry,” Devi winced at Kara, taking the fork on the freely given plate and stuffing her mouth with Billy’s father’s grits. Food was a luxury for her, and good food was almost a dream. “Spaced out there for a bit.”

How long has she been having the same recurring nightmare? Devi couldn’t even tell. When did she have it the first time? She couldn’t remember. Was it after drinks with that geology professor at the Wormhole? Nah, probably before that. Definitely even before that night at the Grit Pit with the grumpy wolf guy. Mmm, that grumpy wolf guy… 

Devi moaned, “This is so good!” She hasn’t had shrimp and grits for a long while, especially not shrimp and grits that good.

“Dad, please,” she could hear Billy groan at his old man. Stealing a glimpse of the living room, she could see him on one knee, pleading to the frowning senior on his wheelchair. Mister…Billy Sr. couldn’t even look his son in the eye. Devi smirked. Just like her late dad. What is it with old men and not listening to their very smart, very attractive kids? “Something’s happening in Worm Row… I need to get you out of here before—”

…that something happened? Well, something is happening now. A frowning Liesel was just about to open her mouth, most likely going to complain about how she should be back at D’Arden House working on her sixth novel attempt, when the ground shook beneath them. Devi dropped her plate, opting to catch the grumpy girl and her grandma-fashion shawl instead. 

“What the hell was that?” Kara voiced her displeasure just behind Devi. It had stopped as abruptly as it came. A minor glitch in the system? A quick reminder of everyone’s mortality? Or a warning shot that should be heeded as soon as possible?

With a nod, Liesel thanked her savior’s effort before picking herself up and turning toward the house, just in time to see Billy and his father holding each other close to the floor. “Billy?” Liesel began to walk toward the house, more concerned than anything this time. “I think you and your dad should get out here now.”

As if on cue, another rumble occurred, this time more violent and not that short-lived. Liesel screamed, instinctively dropping to the ground. So did Devi and Kara. And Billy and his father. But Liesel’s undirected scream didn’t last long. “Billy!” Despite the furious terrain, Liesel ignored the shaking earth, doing the one thing earthquake drills tell you not to do: head inside a house. 

“Get Billy and his dad out of there!” The retired soldier inside of Devi blurted out as she followed right behind her grumpy friend. Kara nodded in agreement behind Devi, even though no one saw her do it. Adrenaline was gushing inside of everyone involved. 

As soon as Liesel could, she grabbed Billy, who was very surprised to see her. “What are you doing here? Stay outside!” 

But it was already too late.

A furious Liesel screamed back at him. “What are you still doing here?! Come outside!”

If Devi had the time to spare, she would’ve enjoyed the scene. Billy and Liesel were two people who would never admit they cared for each other, even though that was obvious beyond the occasional flirting when intoxicated. Unfortunately for Devi, she had other things to worry about. Like whatever the fuck was making that strange sound further inside the old man’s shitty house. “Are those the pipes?”

As if on cue, something gross gushed out of the house’s plumbing. Most of it flooded out of the toilet area. Or at least where Devi assumed the toilet was. She peed at her place before they came here, so she never got the opportunity to check the toilet. But Kara did. “Yep, those are definitely the pipes. Come on!” 

The muscled miss didn’t waste time pondering the strangeness of the liquid that was pouring out of that area. Instead, she grabbed the old man’s wheelchair, with the old man still on it, and yelled at both Billy and Liesel to get the fuck out of her way, knowing the two were more capable of saving themselves than the senior. Devi herself only had a few seconds to steal a glimpse at the invading goo before her more powerful sense of self-preservation dragged her out of there.

The goo. She didn’t know much about it. Only heard and read a few things here and there about the damned thing. For all she knew, it was just a prank. Some sort of viral marketing scheme. A campaign by conservationists against the mining corporation or whatever. Between those two sides, Devi would choose the former, only because her knowledge of both were basic: Nature is good, money from danger is bad. Basic.

What wasn’t basic was what they saw when they finally got out of the old man’s house. More of the goo, the ooze, was dripping from cracks in the ground, potholes, even the crevices that already existed as well as the fissures newly made. “What the fuck is going on?!” Liesel screamed, more pissed off than usual.

Before Devi could throw an uneducated guess at her friend, they heard screaming. The first one came from the right side of the old man’s house. A child. Devi found a mother already outside, being held by an older woman—the mother’s mother? She screamed her daughter’s name, and Devi felt her feet already moving toward their house.

But then a second scream came from the left side of the old man’s house. That of a woman. And the barking of a dog. “Shit,” Kara scowled, her hands already freed of the old man and his wheelchair. Billy was now preoccupied with his father, trying to make sure he was all right. When Kara’s eyes met those of Devi’s, they simply gave each other a nod. Liesel joined in before quickly moving closer to both Billy and his father, holding them together.

Devi wasted no more time. She ran into the house on the right side of Billy's dad’s house while Kara ran into the house on the left side of Billy’s dad’s house, the latter giving Devi an unnecessary salute that the latter didn’t even notice. Not that Kara noticed her gesture went unnoticed. There were more important things to notice.

Like the ooze that was eating most of the first floor of the house that Devi ran into. She hopped her way onto the stairs, narrowly avoiding the gross liquid as it tried to have a lick at her feetsies. Gross. Once on the stairs, Devi steeled herself, grabbing the railing so as not to fall back down, straight into the waiting ooze’s gooey surface. She used her own momentum, from preventing her slip up, to launch herself upward, straight into the second floor. 

“Great,” she mumbled under her breath when she realized the same oozing goo was already spurting into this floor through the toilet’s pipes. “Nothing grosser than getting thicker piss all over you.” It wasn’t piss, of course. Devi knew that. But the disdain was the same, if not worse. She could’ve gone with the word ‘poop’, too, but she was starting to get pissed off, and her brain wasn’t that big. “Where are you, kid?”

The child in question answered her with a scream, pleading for her help. Devi beat the ooze, the goo, to her, but with the stairs already swallowed and the door to the child’s room barely liquid-free, there was only one way out of there. Devi turned the girl around in her arms, making sure their faces met. She needed her to look her in the eye, distract her from everything else. “Listen to me: You like superheroes?” She didn’t wait for the girl to answer. Kids like superheroes. Even the kids who don’t. “Well, we’re going to play superheroes, okay? Just for a bit. When I say ‘close your eyes,’ you close your eyes and imagine Superman flying you off to safety, okay?”

“I hate Superman,” the kid replied despite sobbing like a snot-nosed, ungrateful kid Superman would not hesitate to save.

Devi smirked, “Everyone does… For some reason.” 

The tempered phoenix whispered assurance to the girl that she would be safe, told her to close her eyes, and held her head close to her chest. With one final look at the goo, the ooze, that was slowly making its way toward them, Devi clenched her jaw, and carrying the kid with her, crashed out of the room through the window, making sure to fall on her back, the back of her left shoulder, to keep the kid relatively safe. 

The adrenaline wasn’t enough to keep Devi safe, however, and the fact that she had fragile bones, well, both of those things combined to ensure that as soon as she hit the ground, she felt everything hurt and everything faded to black.

“...completely overtaken by the mineral…” 

“...emergency protocols…” 

When Devi came back to consciousness, slower than she would’ve liked, she felt herself being dragged somewhere, through her arms, a pair of hands latched on her pits, as her back and butt felt the scraping lawn try to resist her. 

When Devi looked up, she saw a scowling Liesel grunting, obviously not a fan of all this. The former soldier smirked, and when the unsuccessful novelist noticed her catch was now conscious, she stopped dragging her, mercilessly leaving her on the ground. “You need to lose weight, Devi,” the woman with the scrawny arms callously pointed out. “I can’t save you when you’re this heavy.”

Devi groaned, chuckling, as she pulled herself off the ground. “Where’s the kid?” She looked for her, and it didn’t take her long to notice she was with her mother and grandmother. Kara was with them, and with her, was another older woman carrying a dachshund like it was her baby. 

“She’s fine,” Liesel needlessly answered, going down on her knees and taking out her shawl to try and use it to wipe stuff from Devi’s face. “And so are Kara, Billy, Billy’s annoyingly pigheaded dad, and most importantly, me.”

Liesel went on a rant about everything, but even though Devi had a smile on, mostly because of the fact that everyone was safe and sound, that smile quickly turned into a frown when she slowly noticed the horrors around them. Some of the houses had now been swallowed by the sludge, and worse? There were statues inside of them—on their balconies, through the windows, in their yards—statues that looked like people, statues that were positioned like they had tried to escape but weren’t able to. 

“Liesel… What are those…things?”

Liesel swallowed air. She suddenly couldn’t speak. Devi turned to her, eyes still wide with fear. She had an inkling of what the answer was but couldn’t confirm it for herself. Wouldn’t. “We need to go,” Billy suddenly appeared behind Devi. He then walked closer to Liesel and put a hand on her shoulder, as if to reassure her that everything would be alright.

“N-No…” Devi protested, suddenly feeling the pain all over her body magnified as she forced herself back to her feet. Her shoulder was definitely broken. And if it wasn’t, it sure felt like it. She turned around her, unintentionally spinning in place. “W-we still need to help others… How do we… How do we save the rest of the town?”

“Devi, please,” Liesel held her right arm, pleading. She was almost crying now. Close to, or her eyes were already too tired to pour, no one would’ve been able to tell. “We need to get out of here.”

Devi shook her head, which was still spinning, before freeing herself from Liesel’s grasp. She can’t just go. She still had people to save. She can’t quit now. People need her. But Kara soon joined them, agreeing with the other two. “Talked to everyone else and they’re ready to go. Come on.”

Kara tried to help Devi by holding her arm but the latter pulled away. “No, we still need… There are others left… We need to—”

“We need to regroup, soldier,” Kara interrupted the disoriented soldier with her steely eyes and an even steely pose. “And you need to rest. You just jumped out of the second floor, landed on your ass. You can’t save everyone, not when you’re all banged up.”

Devi tried to protest, to resist, but Billy chimed in. “My dad needs to get checked by a doctor.” He didn’t, but that was a good enough reason for Devi to acquiesce. One life, the life of many… All life is sacred. Her friends were right. They needed to go. They can’t save anyone else, especially not in her current condition.

As they got inside Billy’s car, with the rest of the survivors following behind in their respective vehicles, Devi found herself in a haze. Billy was driving, which meant his old man was beside him, in the passenger’s seat, while the girls were seated together in the back. 

Devi struggled to keep herself awake, her eyes open, but caught glimpses of the Row’s current state, parts of which seemingly inaccessible now, once open alleyways and paths fully consumed by the black goo. There were more statues in places once devoid of them, too. She could hear bits and pieces of alarmed updates and concerned news from the phone conversations in the car: Kara was telling people to get out of the neighborhood while Liesel was checking in on their building’s status. 

“...completely evacuating Worm Row until…” 

“...stabilized.” 

The last thing she heard was Liesel telling everyone in that car that D’Arden House was unscathed. Then everything around her was also consumed by a (less icky) blackness.

Devi found herself back in the dream, the nightmare. Only this time? She was also on fire.

[spice-and-fire]

I don't think so, but I'll ask. Every time I see them, she always refer to her cats by their full names. Annoying sometimes but I love 'em.

Ah, no, I don't think it has to be perfect. Owner's not that great with her posture, and I'm pretty sure she's been doing her salutes wrong, so it should be fine however way you wanna do it. I don't think you can mess up a salute anyway.

Thanks! That means a lot. But don't worry if you don't see them. They'll turn up around somewhere. Hopefully.

That and maybe they don't want to give the public any information that could cause more stress or hurt. Let's have faith on our elected officials and leaders. They'll get us through this, and if not, we have each other. [user is drowning in that kind of koolaid]

That's a very [...] creative name. Does she maybe go by a nickname? A salute, okay, that sounds easy enough. It doesn't have to be perfect, right? I've never been in the military or anything so I'm afraid I'll mess it up.

Again, does she have a nickname? Just seems like a lot to shout when I'm looking around. And I don't think I know that song, at least not well enough to sing it or anything. She is very cute, I will definitely let you know if I see her around but will hopefully be able to return her as well if I do.

Kind of typical though. When major disasters happen it always feels like people want to skirt around the whole truth, not reveal anything until they have their stories straight or something. You think they just want to have all of the information gathered before they give it to the public?