[closed]

[wroughtiron]

Characters: An NPC (wroughtiron), Annabeth Chase (sophos), Hellboy (histruename), the Doctor (iwaspromisedtea) and Zatanna Zatara (backwordscompatible)
Date: November 25/28th.
Location: The Mainland.
Situation: These characters are tracked down by an NPC and given some information, as well as asked a few things in return. Individual scenarios are in the main body of the post itself.
Warnings/Rating: Shouldn't stray much above pg-13, but if it does I'll let you know.

Comments

[wroughtiron]

If you've got one big enough. Fu dogs aren't your average yappy little thing. Last I checked they're the size of cattle.

[She smiles as Zatanna takes a seat and reaches out for a handshake.]

Name's Eva. I take it you're one of them 'foreigners' too?

[backwordscompatible]

[She hesitates]

Wait, you mean that could actually happen?

[She knew this wasn't an exact science--and wouldn't Wally have a field day if he heard her saying that--but there were times when predictions could potentially go even beyond the realm of possible. She thought.]

It's nice to meet you, Eva. I'm Zatanna.

I take it you're not?

[wroughtiron]

I-- oh, no, no. I mean, Fu dogs are real and all, but I doubt they'd be falling from the skies.

[And polite, too! She's adorable.]

Zatanna, I like that. Unique. And no, not me. I'm your regular old garden variety human. With a few extra options tacked on.

[She winks.]

[backwordscompatible]

[A smile at the wink. She could always appreciate a sense of humor.]

Thanks. I like it too.

What extras?

[wroughtiron]

Oh, a little of this, a little of that.

[She's gesturing haphazardly as she talks, and when she ends on the hard t of 'that' she suddenly has a coin between her index and middle finger. Street magic, little more than illusionary skill, but her smile suggests there's a little more to it than that.]

[backwordscompatible]

[Zatanna catches the trick for what it is instantly, but gives a polite round of applause.]

Not bad.

Do you perform, or is this just a side hobby?

[wroughtiron]

Not really anyone to perform for out here, unless I felt like doing tricks for the llothi and their little friends.

[She shrugs.]

[backwordscompatible]

True.

Have you been here long?

[wroughtiron]

[Oh, that earns a laugh as Eva starts gathering up her fortune telling tiles.]

Does 'all my life' count as long? I was born here. In one of those cities you've no doubt seen.

[backwordscompatible]

[That was a surprise.]

I didn't think anything could live in those places.

...no offense.

[wroughtiron]

They weren't always ruins, girl.

[She's not offended, per se, but she does sound a little indignant.]

[backwordscompatible]

Well, yeah, I knew that. [She pulls back apologetically, realizing she might have said something wrong.] I mean--well, what happened?

[wroughtiron]

Princess Turtlepot blew the damned thing up, that's what.

[She's not Eshai's biggest fan.]

[backwordscompatible]

Princess...Turtlepot? You don't mean the Emperor, do you?

[She's still new. Not accustomed to such terms of endearment for the locals.]

[wroughtiron]

That's exactly who I mean, yes.

[She makes a little 'bingo' gesture with one hand like the firing of a gun.]

[backwordscompatible]

[Zatanna doesn't hide the frown that appears. She's not too surprised by the revelation, though that doesn't make it any less unsettling.]

Why would she bring us to a place that she destroyed? It doesn't make sense.

[wroughtiron]

[Eva stares a moment, and then just shakes her head with a chuckle.]

She may be all mighty and powerful but she doesn't control Tu Vishan. The Great Turtles that make up our continents are billions of years old.

[backwordscompatible]

Hmm. In that case, she must not be happy with our latest detour.

[wroughtiron]

Oh, I expect not. And I hope it's put a right proper bee in her bonnet.

[she drops the plaques into a drawstring bag with some finality and tucks the whole mess away at her belt.]

I can't say it breaks my heart.

[backwordscompatible]

Not a fan?

[She says this completely rhetorically, of course, considering what she'd just learned.]

Do you know much about the Emperor? Aside from the fact that she apparently destroyed your home for some reason.

[wroughtiron]

I've only met her a couple of times, and came off the worse in both. She's a piece of work, that one.

But if you mean in a more... general sense. She's several hundred years old. She's been the acting Emperor of that silly little thing she calls a city now for several hundred years, though you'd never hear her say it outloud, and I bet you wouldn't hear it out of any of the kedan either.

[Brainwashing. It's a thing.]

[backwordscompatible]

[So either the kedan are really, really loyal, or the Emperor was influencing them in some way. Zatanna stored away this information for later.]

Why'd she attack your cities?

[wroughtiron]

Why does anyone in power do anything?

[She lifts a hand, two fingers held up.]

For more power.

[she drops her middle finger.]

Or to keep what they already have.

[She makes a fist.]

[backwordscompatible]

I...don't quite follow.

[Those were fairly generic explanations. What 'more power'? She was the Emperor. What threat could they possibly have been for her to resort to this?]

[wroughtiron]

[... sigh.]

Does your world have... you know, space travel? Airships?