"Thank you for flying with us, and have a pleasant stay in Munich." An automated message is fed through the intercom in several different languages, to try and appeal to any foreigners aboard the flight. Yourself included. Your flight has landed. Things aren't too crowded this late at night. A cheap watch on your personage tells you that it's about 9:00 in the evening. Not quite February 13th yet. You let the other passengers go ahead before rising out of your seat and making for the back of your flight. Still in his chair is Wayne, sleeping. But the sight only worries you; it doesn't look like restful sleep. Beads of sweat prick upward from his pores, and his face is a clammy white. As you bend down to wake him your eye gives special scrutiny to the mage's chest. The shallow rises and rapid falls suggest difficulty breathing. Gently you press on his shoulder to wake him. His baggy eyelids slide open, and his unfocused gaze drifts your way. "We there yet?"

"We are."

"Oh, that's good. I was having this really nice dream... something about the moon dropping out of the sky. Heavy stuff." He smiles at his own pun. "Do me a favor, bub. Grab my carry-on?"

You stand back up and wrench a light, awkwardly-long bag out of the space above him as Wayne wriggles out of his seat. You hand it to him and he unzips it, pulling out a sturdy black cane. His free hand slaps the bag back into your hands and he takes the lead towards the exit. "We're just going for the front gate. 'Nother contact's slipping out bags through security. He'll do the hand-off once we're past security."

You reach Aldric's seat, and find her curled up. Her head is tucked between her knees, and you can hear snoring. Wayne props himself against a chair and lifts his cane. "OY!" The shaft swoops down and wallops the girl right in the back of her skull. "No napping! Walky-time, you layabout!"

You wonder if he'd be half as brave around Aldric if you weren't only a few inches away. Indeed, the tear-leaking eyes that peek out from beneath her blonde bangs ooze killing intent.

They soften once they see you, though, and the ball uncurls in a slow, deliberate motion, her arms stretching to the ceiling. A deep yawn rolls out of her open mouth, and her lips smack a few times as she stands. "Are we going now?"

You tell her that, yes, you're getting off the plane. There's a spark in her eyes. "Does that mean we can get more coffee?"

You can't say for certain but going by Wayne's torpid frown you'd guess "No."

"Uh, no offense Miss Killmaimcrush," he says, his shoulders twitching oddly as his pinkie digs into his ear. "But I'm kinda done with airports. Can we--KOFF--just get to the hotel and call it a day?" He rubs his chest a few times, discomfort on his face.

Aldric's hands wrap around your own. Their silky texture and warmth cause a shudder in your body, and suddenly the girl has managed to cuddle up beside you in these tight quarters. Her face is up against your arm, nose flattened against you as her eyes stare up, full of barely-bridled hope. "Pleeeeease?"

>1. Fine. We can get more coffee.
>2. No. Wayne's right, we should pick up the pace.
>3. You go ahead, Wayne. We'll get coffee and catch up outside.
>4. Wayne... maybe we should get you to a hospital?
>5. Something else.

>>30216119
>>4. Wayne... maybe we should get you to a hospital?

>>30216119
>4. Wayne... maybe we should get you to a hospital?

We can grab coffee after we make sure hes not going to keel over.

>>30216651
>>30216749
You shuffle away from the girl clinging to you, and rest a hand on Wayne's shoulder. "Wayne, maybe we should get you to a hospital?"

He shudders, and frowns at you in disgust. "Hospital? I just got out of one of those! Like hell you're putting me back in."

He pulls away from you and starts hobbling towards the exit. You pursue. "It really might be in your best interests. We don't know the extent of your wounds--"

"Yeah, actually. We do." He holds up a finger to enunciate his point. "Basically, the extent of my wounds is 'I'm not dead.' And as an Enforcer, that's healthy enough to keep on trucking." He swivels his head around to flash half a grin your way. "I've lived through worse, pal. Just trust me on this one."

You hope he'll excuse you for not being so relaxed as he is about this. Your three-legged companion leads the way off the airliner and into the tunnel connecting it to the airport proper. Most everyone here is gone, having rounded up their belongings and moved on. You quickly do the same, and depart.

Munich's airport, in terms of size, doesn't seem to be much worse a slog than the one in Naples. Though your pace is slowed to account for Wayne, you buzz through the foot traffic without any real impediment. The usual bundle of book, souvenir, and tacky gift shops line the halls as you beat a hasty step for the exit. But a tug pulls your arm not far off from your destination. You can see the way out to the exits, but Aldric's all but on her knees begging and pointing to the coffee shop just a few steps away.

You think she might be about to cry.

>1. Give in, and let Wayne go ahead while you get coffee.
>2. Remain steadfast. She can get more later.

>>30217049

>1. Give in, get her some coffee

So... demons run on caffeine? Or something else?

>>30217049
>1. Give in, and let Wayne go ahead while you get coffee.

>>30217146
"Goodness," you say. "Does the coffee mean that much to you?" An enthusiastic nod is the response. "Fine, then. Wayne?"

"Yeah, yeah. Catch up to me later, right?" He never even stopped walking, and is a fair distance away as he waves back at the both of you. "You kids have fun, now."

...

This shop is a different chain than the last one, so the decor is a little different. Everything's either a brown or a steely kind of grey. The menu's not quite the same either, which you have to explain to Aldric when she demands the drink she got before. The barista is patient, to your relief, and works out the price of her decaf drink. You are quite insistent it be decaf.

"Uh, okay, miss. That'll be..." The scrawny kid freezes in the middle of his sentence, mouth agape. Confused, you try to grab his attention, but he only responds of his own accord a few moments later. He takes a few groggy blinks, and slowly says, "Er, never mind. It's on the house."

He turns around and gets to work on Aldric's beverage. You shake just a little, nervous, as your attention moves toward the girl. "What did you do to him?" you whisper. She doesn't answer, her lips curled into a mischievous smile, baring teeth. You think it may just be the lighting... but the color of her eyes seems off.

You sit down with her once she's received her decaf, and let her contentedly sip on its contents. You let her sit there and enjoy her drink in peace.

Or, you would. Something is drawing your undivided attention to her. Something about her body language. She's acting differently, or perhaps you didn't notice her behaving this way before? Her eyes won't stop moving. Very subtle, tiny flits of motion back and forth, taking a moment to wash over every last person in the establishment. Her ears are twitching, moving from one sound to another. You yourself can catch a few snippets of idle conversation. You can only imagine what she's able to hear. She's hardly sipping her drink at all.

>1. Ask Aldric what she's doing.
>2. It's not polite to eavesdrop.
>3. Ask her what she did to the barista.
>4. Tell her not to do whatever she did again.
>5. Say nothing, and leave once she's ready.
>6. Leave now.
>7. Look around the coffee shop.
>8. Something else.

>>30217574
"What are you doing, and can you eat human food?"

>>30217574
>Ask Aldric what she's doing.

>>30217646

Second

maybe try and phrase it differently, as a question what does she derive sustenance from. Meat? Blood? Soul (unlikely, with it being immortal etc)? Emotions? Thoughs? Fear?

Does drinking coffee makes her feel full?

>>30217792
She/He is a big fairy, she gets her energy from the planet. She drinks blood because she likes it.

>>30217646
This depending on the answer or the Implications therin we may find the devils work.

File: 1392328434650.jpg-(106 KB, 359x388, fairy.jpg)

106 KB JPG

>>30217982

>fairy

>>30217646
this but add 3.

>>30217646
>>30217745
>>30217792
"Excuse me."

Aldric doesn't notice you.

"Aldric!"

"Mm?" she hops a little in her seat. She watches you silently, waiting to see what you wanted.

"Oh. Watching." Her explanation is childlike in its simplicity. As if it should be obvious. It's not quite so clear to you, though.

"Watching... what?" you ask for further information. She nods and points behind you. You turn and look. There's a man sitting at a table talking on his phone. The portly guy appears Japanese.

"That man is talking to his wife. They're arguing about what to name their first child. He wants a daughter, and he thinks they should name it Shizuka. The wife wants a son named Junichi."

Wait. "You can understand the language he's speaking?" Aldric nods, looking pleased with herself. "And you can hear the wife?!" She nods again.

"You can't, right?" she asks. You don't need to answer to confirm her suspicions. She just points to another man, up on a stool at the bar. "That one is arranging a funeral for his grandfather. It's fascinating. He's been crying a lot. Something about cremation. Bartolomè, do humans bury their dead or burn them?"

"We do both, depending on the person."

"Weird..."

"Er, what do you mean, weird?"

"Humans are weird. You do all these things that don't make sense and pretend that they do. Why destroy a body or get rid of it? You could have eaten it, or let it feed the soil. Why argue about a creature that doesn't exist yet? Why only call it one name? Why not just call it whatever you want? I want to find out why you're so strange."

You're not sure to take that. And you're not sure how to feel about her observations. You certainly don't think humans are strange, but then again, you are human yourself,so maybe you lack the necessary context for confusion. But then again, if Aldric is a vampire, wasn't she human at some point? What does it mean, that she treats humans like baubles to be gawked at? But you don't think Aldric meant any of it as an insult. She just seems... curious.

It's too much to process now. You had a different question. "Is coffee food to you?" you gesture to her drink. "Does it really do anything for you? Is it worth any nutrition?"

She shrugs. "I don't know."

"You don't--" You stop in the middle of your sentence, baffled. "Well, what do you derive your sustenance from, then? Is it meat, or blood, or what?"

She shrugs again. "I don't know. Coffee tastes nice, but it doesn't feel like food to me. Humans kind of look like food. The blood is nice." She licks her lips unconsciously, to your terror. "I don't know if it's really food. It just feels like I'm eating food when I do it. And I don't starve, so I guess it is."

What a wholly unsatisfactory answer. How could she not know what she eats for food? And if you're understanding her right, she eats things because she gets the feeling they're food, not because she's certain they are. This isn't quite like any vampire you heard of in the stories from your youth, that much is certain.

>1. Talk with Aldric about something.
>2. Leave, and go find Wayne.

>>30218522

Well, we do give each other pet names and such, but if we just called each other arbitrarily, how would we know who we're addressing?

>>30218572

Has she eaten a steak tartare before?

>>30218572
1. Ask her what she did to the cashier.
then
>2. Leave, and go find Wayne.

Lets have her completely avoid blood and see if she ever gets hungry.

>>30218878
Twangy guitar plays in the shop, muted by a dozen quiet conversations as you crane your neck to get a look at the barista who served you. He's at the cash register, taking someone else's order dutifully. He doesn't seem to be any worse for wear, but you worry for his sake. You ask Aldric, "Just what did you do to that man?"

Casually, she tells you, "I let him think I should get a drink without giving him money." She takes a victorious sip of her ill-gotten goods.

"LET him think?"

"Well... 'made' him think might be a little closer." She grins, sheepishly. The ability to command with but a glance. It sounds familiar. So familiar your heart beats just a little faster. A ghostly voice in your head claws back from your memory.

"Stop."

You clutch at your chest, cold and frightened, but it is only a memory. Only an illusion. You are healed, and he is dead. Aldric asks if everything is okay. You tell her yes, it is, and that you should be going. With haste in your step you lead her away from the coffee shop and out through security to the terminal entrance.

Out by the door, you see your friend sitting in a chair waiting for you. He's surrounded by your luggage. Cutting through the crowd you approach him, and find he looks just a tad upset. A distinct frown rests on his features as he stands up and hands you your things. "Hey. Everything's taken care of here. Got us a rental car, too." He jingles the keys. "We can head to the hotel right now if you'd like."

>1. All right.
>2. Why do you look upset?
>3. Something else.

>>30219342
>>2. Why do you look upset?

>>30219342
"You alright Wayne?"

Don't push further, if he doesn't want to talk about it then just take the keys and drive. He shouldn't be driving in his condition.

>>30219397
>>30219415

I don't think he likes our company.

>>30219397
>>30219415
"You all right Wayne?"

"Who, me? Hunky-dory. It's just..." He looks down at his feet for a second. "I don't know, something feels off. The contact, the guy who smuggled our luggage past security? I was told it was going to be Clay's sister. Worked with her a few times. Good girl."

"And the problem is?"

"Wasn't her. Some yokel I've never seen before. Definitely not an Enforcer; don't even know if they were a mage." His frown intensifies. "I didn't like the look about him." When asked for a description he gives you the following. "He was bald. Least, I think he was bald. Baggy green hoodie, up over his head, hid his eyes. Scraggly teeth; kinda, er, Britty if you catch my drift. Talked like a shark. SMELLED like a shark." He waves a hand in front of his face. "And he asked about you. Wondered where you were."

"I am not sure I see the problem."

Wayne stuffs his hands into his pockets and kicks his heel against the ground. He shakes his head and says, "He shouldn't have known about you, Bart. Clay and his sis are the only two who knew I was bringing you. And they don't squeal."

That's... concerning. "What do you intend to do then?"

"Well, after we get to the hotel and I eat about forty pounds of room service food, I'm going to get into contact with Clay and see what's up. Can't do that til we go, though. We through here? I mean, I guess I wouldn't complain if you bought me a keychain."

>1. Let's go.
>2. Not just yet. (Do something else.)

>>30219971
>2. Not just yet. (Do something else.)

"You get the rental car from this same guy?"

Quick check under the car for any explosives, smell for anything odd, check the trunk for anything odd.

>>30220145

Second

<paranoia intensifies>

>>30220145
I'll support

>>30220145
"Did you get the rental car from this same guy?"

"Well, no, I got it from..." He pauses, takes out the key, and slowly reads off the company's name that's written on the key fob. You ask him who actually rented the car. "Oh! Oh, that's what you meant. Yeah, no, that was all him... What? Did you think I went and rented a car in the same time it took you to down a macchiato?"

At your behest, Wayne leads you out of the airport. The stars are all but blotted out above the intense light of the airport. Standing so close to the building, you could be mistaken for believing it was daytime. You scoot past the travelers around you and make your way to the rental lot, where Wayne shows you to a red 4-seater sedan. Before you get in or place any of your things, you insist that you're allowed to take a look at the vehicle.

Wayne hands you the keys and you get to work. You start in the most obvious place, the trunk. Though there's a spare tire hidden in a small compartment, nothing seems to be out of the ordinary in this fuzzy, brown interior. But only a fool would hide something in an empty trunk. You move to the seats next, and pull them in every direction they'll move as you scour the car for signs of tampering. Again, nothing. Not even popping out the radio reveals anything to you. Next you pull a switch and unlock the hood.

You weren't the richest family in Madrid, to be sure. Your father didn't have the money to go down to the mechanic for every ding or scape his truck got. So, he did most of the repairs himself. And being his eldest child, he passed on a little knowledge to you. If this car were to break down you probably couldn't get it running again to save your life. But you DO have a pretty fair knowledge of its little nooks and crannies. You know where to check if you're intending to hide something.

As sturdy as its components are, an engine is a surprisingly delicate machine. There's not many places you could hide something like a bomb without screwing something up.

And all the places you COULD do such a thing are spotless. You firmly press the hood down and shut it, then get down on your hands and crawl beneath the sedan. You can't afford not to be thorough, but to your ultimate relief it wasn't necessary. This car hasn't been touched, at least not by any hostile party.

"It's clean," you inform the others. Though looking at your blackened, oil-slicked hands you're not so clean yourself. Well, at least you'll be able to take a shower once you're in your room.

"We set to go, Barty?"

>1. Let's go.
>2. Do something else first.

>>30220666
>1. Let's go.

I think we'll be okay, at least for the moment.

>>30220666

Let's go. Although the post numbers fills me with little confidence.

>>30220666
>1. Let's go.

>>30220701
>>30220707
>>30220737
The engine takes a little longer than you'd like on this frigid night to get purring, but the car gets moving without too big of a fuss. Wayne backs your vehicle out of its parking space and puttering off towards the road. From the passenger seat, you reach for the radio. Wayne swats you away, a cassette between his fingers. "Nuh-uh. Brought a mix tape. Buckle up, kids."

...

You never want to hear music again.

Wayne hobbles beside you, still managing a spring in his step in his condition. He's still humming a song to himself, some kind of synth-heavy monstrosity that you tuned out. You'll stick to proper instruments, if he doesn't mind. The Cross of Orleans claps against your hip beneath your frock, and the Black Keys you brought along are once again strapped to your body as you drag along your luggage. Aldric brings up the rear, quietly watching passing cars and trying to get a look up in the higher windows of the surrounding buildings. You've pulled into the parking lot of your hotel. A scarce few cars are parked as well, suggesting you've found an unpopular spot. You reach the curb by the front door, and struggle to roll your suitcase up without just picking it up yourself. Aldric walks past you and steps through the door, following Wayne as he enters the lobby. You reach for the door handle to follow.

And then.

"...asta..."

What was that noise? Your head swivels. On the far side of the lot. Plip. Plop. Drops of rain begin to fall. A figure is there. A man is watching you. A baggy hoodie hides his eyes from you. A crooked grin is muttering a stream of curses under his breath. You pick up the words, "...bastard...ain't shit..."

This man...

Something makes your blood boil when you look at him.

>1. Say something to the man.
>2. Approach the man.
>3. Ignore him and go inside.

>>30221247

"Excuse me? Are you talking to me?"

Keep cool head, but get ready to act swiftly if things got hectic.

>>30221247
This >>30221348 sounds alright.

Make sure we have enough distance from him, and a hand subtly ready to draw and throw some Black Keys.

>>30221247
Throw a knife at him, discreetly

>>30221247
>3. Ignore him and go inside.

Then look out of the window to see if he is still watching the place.

>>30221397
This

>>30221348
>>30221397
Your instinct is to assault this man. You are not a violent man, but the action is all you can imagine when you see this strange figure. But your head is stronger than your heart. With a guarded expression you address the man. "Excuse me? Are you talking to me?"

The head of the stranger leans back. It is so dark you cannot see anything under his hood. But something in your head itches as you imagine the vicious eyes he's watching you with. "You? Hah, figure I am. 'Course, can't blame you for being confused." His accent is hard to place. You would guess somewhere from North America. And the rudeness. "I mean, why would anyone be interested in a bastard like you?.." And then he says something under his breath. Something choked out, that you don't think he meant for you to hear.

"Why the fuck did she pick you?"

You don't know what he means. But you feel the desire to learn. In your sleeve, a Black Key is slipping from its strap. It would be simple to let it slide into your hand, and give it a toss...

>1. Throw the Black Key (1d100+15)
>2. Say something to the stranger.
>3. Approach him.
>4. Go inside.
>5. Do something else.

>>30221660
>3. Approach him.

>>30221660

"You have me confused with someone else."

Resist the urge.

>>30221660
>30221660
>4. Go inside.

>>30221693
>>30221785
You step away from the door, and off the curb. You move between a pair of cars and out into the open space of the parking lot, not once taking your eyes off this man. He smiles at you, and you see his crooked teeth well as he approaches, passing beneath a light.

"You have me confused with someone else," you tell him, arms out. "I am not the person you believe me to be."

"Oh, you are," he assures you. "Definitely are. What was the name? Bartholo...Bartolomè?" His wicked smile splits wider. "Fucking Spaniard. I'd know you anywhere. Lemme get a good look at that face..."

Up and down, the eyes you can't see give you a once-over. And he smiles, but it's so fake your skin crawls just looking at it. He's as disgusted as you are. "Shit, man. You're ugly. Some kinda boo-boo there on your face?"

You feel something twitching in your head, as the urge to shut him up rises. But you won't be taunted into losing your head so easily. Stone cold, you watch him continue to posture. "Yeah... typical. Fucking typical. That cryptic whore. Picks a... a fucking spic over me?" He slaps his chest, offended by some memory you don't share with him.

>1. Who are you?
>2. Who's "she"?
>3. Call me that again and you will feel pain.
>4. Attack him. (Choose a weapon and roll.)
>5. Do something else.

>>30222286
>>1. Who are you?
>>2. Who's "she"?

>>30222286
>3. Call me that again and you will feel pain.

>>30222286

Who are you? Who are you talking about?

>Resist violent urges, but get ready to defend yourself. Something tells me we WANTS us to attack first though...

>>30222286
Hmm, I think he's talking about Catarina.

>1. Who are you?

"And why are you in Munich? Awful far from home."

Don't react, keep our face expressionless.

>>30222338
>>30222520
>>30222604
Your head is burning up. This man... you don't even know his name, but you've never been more tempted to commit violence against your fellow man. With what coherent scraps of mind you have, a prayer is whispered to God for strength and restraint. This conflict is wholly internal. To the best of your ability you present a straight face to your tormentor.

You ignore his slur and ask of him. "Who are you? And what are you doing in Munich? You don't sound like you're from here."

He gawks at you a second. Then his rancid mouth opens wide, and he cackles, slapping his knee. "Oh, that's rich! That's rich! He doesn't know--doesn't even fucking know! I suppose you wouldn't. I mean, not like her... to bring up her fucking failures, right?"

A toothy grin that makes you feel nauseous.

"Who are you talking about? Who's 'she'?"

The man in the hoodie just keeps smiling. The rain patters down heavily between the two of you now, and mist has formed that separates your bodies. "Eheheh. Gosh, ain't you a pathetic sight? Denser than rock. You know who I'm talking about. You know." You can only imagine one woman he could mean.

"...Catarina."

"That's right," he says in a soft, mocking coo. "You're her new lap dog, right? So I came to check on you. See what all the fuss is about." He gathers up a wad of spit, loudly, and hacks it onto the ground. "I'm disappointed, Bartholomew! Came expecting a badass. All I get's some one-eyed cunt in a purple dress! I mean, it's sad, really. I feel for ya Bart, I do. How long have you been with her now? Two months, maybe three?" He shakes his head. "And she hasn't told ya a thing. Haven't you asked yourself, Bart: Why you? Did the thought even cross your fat fucking mind, WHY the Angel of fucking Death would take an apprentice? And were you really dense enough to think you were her first choice?!" He grips his sides, and wipes a tear from his cheek. "Oh, god, I kill myself! It's a laugh riot."

You... are through with this man's mockery.

>1. I know why she chose me. To find my father.
>2. Attack him.
>3. You're not making sense. Speak plainly!
>4. Say or do something else.

>>30223333
>4. Say or do something else.
Leave, no good can come from talking to this man. We can ask Cat. herself why she chose us.

>>30223311

"Well if I'm so stupid, why don't you explain it to me in simple words even a spaniard like me can understand?"

He's either trying to provoke us or is genuinely leaking information. Let's not give him what he wants if it's former, and take advantage if it's the latter.

>>30223333
Yeah well fuck you buddy, leave.

>>30223376
>>30223695
Your steely glare slams the stranger, but he is not fazed. He only smiles as you struggle to hold back your boiling anger. But when you close your eyes, and turn around, you get the distinct feeling that the smile shrivels. "Hey. Where are you going?"

You align yourself towards the door and begin to walk. He takes a few steps after you. "Where the fuck do you think you're going? Don't you care?"

It doesn't matter if you do or don't. Either way, he won't be finding out. You can hear a growing shriek in his voice as you distance yourself from him. "Fine, then! I was doing you a favor, you fucking tool! Go back inside, get back your little life and keep on being her BITCH! But maybe when you grow some balls you'll remember what I fucking told you. When you see her again, you ask her about what I told you. See if she'll stick to her little secrets. Or maybe you'll get somewhere I didn't! Maybe she'll be straight with you. Tell you what you're actually FOR!"

You hear nothing else from the stranger. You slam the door behind you and step into the lobby. Three faces turn to look at you. Aldric's, Wayne's, and the receptionist in the red vest. You flash a friendly smile at them. "Ah, s-sorry about that. I had a phone call to take."

"Bart..." Wayne says. "It's 40 degrees out, and it's raining."

You say nothing, and join your companions. "So," the receptionist says. "how many rooms were you planning to book?"

Wayne leans on his cane and gives you a shifty glance. "So, uh, Bart? How exactly were we splitting these rooms up?"

You hadn't thought about that. The receptionist tells you that there are only two beds per room. So you'd save money getting one, but somebody shares a bed or gets the floor. And if you took two rooms... Wayne jabs you with an elbow. "Letting you know right now. Not staying alone with her for a whole night. I like my blood where it is: flowing in my arteries, and strewn across the walls of a nameless Napoli restroom."

>1. Buy one room and share it between the three of you.
>2. Buy two rooms. You and Aldric take one, Wayne the other.
>2. Buy two rooms. You and Wayne take one, Aldric the other.
>3. Buy three rooms, one for each.

Rolled 38 + 22

>>30224423
>1. Buy one room and share it between the three of you.

Gotta save that money. We can take the floor.

>>30224423
>2. Buy two rooms. You and Aldric take one, Wayne the other.
Let hijinks ensue

>>30224423
>2. Buy two rooms. You and Aldric take one, Wayne the other.

>>30224363

two rooms, we bunk with the girl to keep her out of trouble.

>>30224423
>2. Buy two rooms. You and Aldric take one, Wayne the other.

>>30224646
>>30224612
>>30224531
>>30224518
...

Click, goes the door as it swings shut. You've said goodnight to Wayne, promised to talk further on what to do about Kayton over breakfast. But for now, you're thankful for a little rest. The room you're in is relatively spacious. Directly to the right of the door is the bathroom, with all the expected amenities. You reach for it, eager to get clean after a long day.

But the girl is faster. The door slams shut and locks. You sigh in defeat as you hear the hiss of the running shower, and drag your suitcase into the room. Two full-size beds are done up with pleasantly-colored sheets. You take a whiff and find they're just neutral enough to stand sleeping in. You can only imagine what kind of cleaning products have been used to sterilize these sheets so thoroughly. You choose a bed for yourself, and find a tiny chocolate laid out on the bed for you. It's no larger than the digit of your forefinger.

"Classy."

With a heavy sigh you plop down on the end of your bed, glad to be off your feet and relaxing. Though, as it stands, you're not sure what to do...

>1. ?

>>30225180
If there are windows, check them. What kind of landscape surrounds you? How easy would they be for you to escape by them in the event of an emergency or an enemy to breach them?
What about the layout of the building and placement of actual emergency exits?

>>30225180
Go buy some coffee for aldric and do>>30225419 on the way.

>>30225419
>>30225871
Perhaps it's all those nights you spent training with Catarina, but you're not content to sit around and do nothing. What if you come under attack? Would you be able to defend yourself in this place?

You check your windows first. Or, well, window. There's one on the far side. You're on the second floor of a four-story building, not quite on the outskirts of the city, but definitely not downtown. Beyond the rainy mists you see passing cars heading down the freeway. A semi-urban environment, you suppose. If you chose to flee the hotel, you would be near a city.

Jumping out of this wouldn't be easy, if it came to that. Aldric would survive the fall easily, and you MIGHT... but Wayne? Not in his condition, you'd bet.

You decide to walk the halls and learn the layout. It can't hurt to be familiar with such things. Besides, you'll probably need to find the coffee machine. Aldric will be looking for it later. You take careful account of the emergency exits, and where they lead. A map begins to form in your mind. Even if it's a poor battleground, this place is defensible. You are confident. No one will catch you off-guard here.

...

You turn the doorknob with your free hand, tenderly cupping the hot cup of coffee in the other. "Aldric, you'll never guess what I--"

You push the door open, and step inside. The coffee cup slips out of your hand and hits the floor.

Aldric is standing at the window watching the cars go by, and turns her head around when she hears you come in. "Oh, hey, Bartolomè! Hey, I had a question."

Her hand rests on her side, and glides over bare skin.

"Do you have a clean shirt I could borrow?"

Sorry for the short thread, but that's where I have to call it for tonight.

Thank you all for playing! Follow me @Frolloswagendir if you'd like to keep (somewhat) up to date on Quest updates. As always, feel free to ask any questions you have or make any comments on my Twitter or here in the thread.

Looking to this Saturday as a potential play time for the next thread.

>>30226807
C'ya Beatta