isleofavalon | september catch-all

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september catch-all

🧙 WHO: Jade & anyone!
⚔️️ WHAT: Quests, other open prompts.
🕒 WHEN: Early September.
🗺️ WHERE: Various
⚠️ WARNINGS: Sexual themes/content involved in the Hot Knights quest.

i. hot knights

a. undercover
[There had never been any question as to whether or not Jade would take this job. The description alone brought back countless too-vivid memories, the bright reds and golds of the casino at Octagonia still burned deep into her memory, along with the cries of those who had been captured to become food or playthings for monsters— or, in many cases, monsters themselves. Indeed, there is no question about what needs to be done for these Celliwig knights, and while the predicament she had found herself in upon storming Octagonia on her own should give her pause, it doesn’t. Instead, it only fuels her further, driving her to make use of her experiences in that place to get in and get out undetected.

She opts to go undercover. At last, that costume some power had seen fit to have accompany her to Camelot as some kind of cosmic joke will finally be put to good use.

It’s mildly unsettling how quick the establishment is to take on new talent, but Jade has already decided that this is the best way to gather the information necessary to free the captured knights without causing more ruckus than she absolutely has to. And, should things fall apart and the situation ends up requiring a more direct, violent approach— well, win-win for her. She’ll take that, too.

Of course, being undercover means actually having to do the job, though as a new ‘employee,’ she’s fortunate enough to end up waiting tables. She approaches the table she’d been pointed towards by the bartender with a tray of glasses, collecting herself and letting her lips curl into a sly smile as she does so.]

Hey, there. First timer?

[Regular patron, fellow would-be knight-rescuer, familiar face, or some combination of the above? You decide.]

b. rescue
[Once she has the opportunity to break away from the main floor of the club, Jade spends every free moment she has trying to figure out the layout of the building, mapping out escape routes in her head. None of her breaks are long enough for her to make as much progress as she would like, but once her shift is over in the early morning hours, she quickly sets to finding where the Celliwig knights are being kept. Whether the owner of this place means to use them as talent or keep them as pets, it doesn’t matter— she intends to see each and every one of them set free, and any other unwilling souls who have found themselves trapped here, besides.

Why, of all things, must places like this be constants between worlds?

Once the captives are located, she starts making quick work of the bonds holding one particularly despondent-looking knight— he shies away from her when she first approaches, assuming her to be in league with their captor, but she quickly shakes her head as she frees his wrists.]

Keep it down! I’m getting you out of here!

[Here to help out, or maybe a captive yourself? Whichever the case, better get out quick before drawing too much attention.]

c. wildcard
[Maybe you, too, have chosen to go undercover. Maybe you’re among those friends Jade has informed of her whereabouts— just to be safe— and want to make sure she’s not getting in over her head. Perhaps you’ve found yourself in a compromising position in trying to take this job on for yourself, maybe even caught the eye of this establishment’s monster madame while trying to help the captured knights? Whatever it is that’s brought you to this monster-run strip club, it probably won’t be easy to get out alone and unscathed. Time to join forces!]

ii. shear determination

[Jade hadn’t fully appreciated how tall a single foot wasn’t until she saw these sheep in person. Even aside from their fire-breathing abilities, she can see why even experienced sheep-shearers might have trouble with these— a cautious approach was going to be necessary.

She exhales as she collects herself, folding her arms in front of her as she gamely looks to her partner for this particular quest. No time like the present!]

Well, then. Any thoughts on our plan of attack?

[Caution should definitely be at the forefront of their minds, she thinks. If they do well here, it will be well worth it— the pay being offered is nothing to sneeze at.]

iii. national mushroom month

[Normally, Jade is inclined to take the more active sort of odd jobs that pop up throughout Camelot— typically those that require a rather physical solution in the interest of playing to her strengths, but the simplicity of gathering mushrooms for National Mushroom Month had appealed to her in a way she couldn’t quite explain. As a result, she now finds herself at the edge of the Dusklight Woods with whoever else has seen fit to volunteer for this particular task, gathering and sorting mushrooms depending on what’s fit to eat and what’s better off being sent to the apothecary.

She pauses to give one an experimental sniff after picking, looking thoughtful for a moment.]

This one is safe.

[Into the growing basket of edible mushrooms it goes. Something about foraging reminds her of some of the warmer moments in her childhood; there hadn’t been many, to be sure, but she and Rab had spent so much time on the road fending for themselves that there had certainly been many instances in which the only thing they had to eat was whatever they could find for themselves in the wild. A faint smile pulls at one side of her mouth as she approaches the next cluster of mushrooms; when she had been small, she’d always hated chores like these, but Rab had managed to spin things by turning foraging into a sort of game, knowing that speaking to her competitive nature always put the princess in better spirits.

Fond memories are interrupted as she investigates the next bunch, recoiling and wrinkling her nose as the scent marks them as clearly not safe to eat.]

Ah— apothecary, for these. [She makes sure to put it in with the appropriate findings, then looks to whoever is gathering alongside her.] I think it’s been an even split so far. Find anything particularly interesting?

iv. shining karaoke

[Jade’s work at Shining Karaoke typically keeps her in the kitchen, but tonight the establishment’s public bar had been a bit short-handed, and with the security portion of her job being typically light given the nature of the business, she had been quick to offer her help. It was good for her to keep busy, especially lately, and over the last few months she’s found herself quite at ease with the bar’s general ambience.

She smiles and approaches any newly-arrived patrons who may head towards the bar, leaning against it with one arm as she inclines her head to greet them.]

Looking to make use of a room, or just here for a drink?

[Either way, she’s happy to help.]

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[As though she would leave him to fight alone! Most of the knights manage to make it through the window without assistance, though some are weak or disoriented enough to need a boost. She does her best to help them through, but sharply turns towards Zidane and joins him by the door as she hears multiple sets of footsteps coming closer at a run.

Clenching her fists and raising them in preparation, she falls back into a defensive position and gives him a sidelong glance.]

Ready for a fight?

[This is the fun part!]

Glad to know I'll be working with professionals.

[There's a note of warmth in her voice as well as her smile, and she gives both women a nod of approval— with three of them on the job, that's more pairs of able hands in addition to more eyes to keep watch. Tifa, she knows, is trustworthy, thus making Aerith so by association. If she had to pick up conspirators on the fly, she's glad it was them who came through the front door.]

I've been trying to get to know the layout of the place during my breaks. It's something of a maze back there, but I've narrowed down their possible locations to a couple of places. There are some storage rooms that are kept locked, but there are also performer dressing rooms that don't belong to anyone at present— yet are being kept under guard on top of being locked.

[She raises both eyebrows.]

Beyond suspicious, I think. Once we have costumes, we could charm our way through— I don't know that naturally would work, no matter how much acting experience we might have among the three of us, but I do have magic that could force the issue. Buy us a little time before security catches on.

Lesson learned, indeed.

[She's already reaching for the knife she keeps tucked in her belt for blood magic when he asks, though the explanation that follows does catch her interest, even as she brandishes her long-bladed dagger with its blue and silver wrappings on the hilt.]

I always carry one— never know when I'm going to need to tap into blood magic, though I aim not to. You can borrow magic?

[She's been so focused on getting a handle on her own, she hasn't given much thought to many of the other types. She presses her lips together in a moment of focus before cutting cleanly through the ties, rendering that second option unnecessary, though should he need it, borrowing magic isn't necessary out of the question.]

You should be able to pull free now. Can you stand?

[It's not like he wouldn't understand if it came to that. Besides, those knights that need help escaping prove that they wouldn't be able to protect themselves.]

[Still, when she joins him by the door, he nods with a grin.]

Always. Let's show them a good time~

[In another sense.]

[She does, albeit subconsciously, keep half an eye on Jade to copy what she's doing as she moves around to her side. Jane does manage to step silently, dredging up old memories of semi-espionage from an alternate reality she had once lived through, and as they step in on either side she's careful to keep her distance from the little creature more or less equal to what the other woman does.

And it looks like it's working. The sheep doesn't look too concerned about being approached... yet.]

Easy does it...

Siphoning, I think it’s called.

[ “Borrowing” works just as well, for his purposes.

The instant his restraints snap away, Juzo brings his hands around and takes a moment to move his arms and roll his shoulders. It doesn’t hurt, but man is being cuffed a pain in the ass. ]

Damn pixie magic knocked me for a loop, but I’ll be okay. How much time do we have until someone comes lookin’ for you?

[ He has no idea if she stealthed her way back here or not. No one seems to be chasing her for the moment, so that works out at least. ]

[There isn't time for any further exchange before their 'company' arrives. The first sign of their arrival is a loud thump against the door, followed by another. Jade scoots backwards to give herself room, bracing herself for what's to come— just in time for the door itself to end up kicked off its hinges. Three sturdily built men wearing what seems to be the uniform for security around here— jeans and a black t-shirt— stand before them, along with a woman who's quickly scanning the area with a critical eye, assumed to be appraising the situation, anger becoming apparent as she realizes the knights have been set free.

"What the hell are you two—"

Jade doesn't give the man who speaks any time to continue, letting out a wordless yell as she launches herself forward and grabs hold of a nearby chair to vault herself upwards and kick him square in the chest with both feet, sending him reeling.]

Well, about that—

[Before she can answer in full, there's indistinct shouting in the distance, with the words "She went that way!" managing to carry above the rest.

She clears her throat, lifting her fist to cover her mouth in the process.]

I may have left a bit of a trail fighting my way back here. I got caught earlier and there was a bit of a brawl in the club. I thought I'd bring the party to you, but you, of course, were gone.

[And now here they are.]

Think your head is clear enough to throw a few punches, big guy?

[ Ah. Well. That sure answers that question. He moves to get to his feet, and to his credit, he only wobbles a little bit. Without thinking much of it, he reaches out to rest a hand on her shoulder while he waits for the world to stop tilting funny. ]

Yeah, I can manage. You wanna work on cutting our guys loose?

[ Juzo, in the meantime, is going to poke his head out of the room and move to the unconscious guard Jade left in the hall. He’d rather not borrow magic from an ally if he can help it – this guy is fair game, however. He rests a hand on the guy’s arm and pulls power into himself. All at once, his Extensions flare with familiar strength, and the fog seems to dissipate from his head.

Much better.

And none too soon, because a trio if bouncers round the corner and spot him there. “Hey! What are you doing back here?” ]

Damn, you mean this isn’t the dancefloor? I was hoping you boys would wanna tango.

[ Yeah, he’s fine. ]

[While Hendrik doesn't grimace outright at the idea of calling Jade so plainly by her name, he does make a reluctant sound at the back of his throat. This hierarchy and etiquette were both driven into him for the majority of his life, and the very idea of treating the princess disrespectfully breeds conflict inside him.

So, for now, though he nods at Jade, he knows it is with the thought that he will end up falling back into royal titles before long.]

If not for the threat of fire, I would be tempted to try ensnaring one in the grass. I ... do not think I will have much luck with normal means of catching one out here.

[As if mocking him for even thinking otherwise, two of the tiny sheep scuttle by him before slowing to an amble several feel away.]

Were we in a pen, this would be much easier.

[Or, you know, much more fraught with panicked sheep. One or the other.]

[Their company is about what Zidane expected considering they'd been watching the front and skulking about the floor to keep an eye on customers and the workers, occasionally exchanging notes with one or two. It's the first time that Zidane's seen the actual Madame of the establishment. He doesn't say anything - yet - as Jade throws herself at Security, knocking him back into the other two following, but then Zidane grins.]

Ooooh, sorry, but I think your new employees quit.

[Meanwhile, that chair Jade had launched herself off of? It's gonna go soar through the air and knock the next security guard in the head.]

[Leaning onto her arms, Aerith rests her chin in the palm of her hand as she listens and focuses intently. Truthfully, this is one of the most exciting things she's had a chance to be a part of since her arrival. She only wishes the circumstance could be a little bit different.

Of course, there's also the thought of what might happen if things don't work out. They could be too late. They could much something up pretty badly. This isn't exactly a happy-go-lucky situation. But Aerith is optimistic. They can find a way if they work together and earnestly, she believes this.]

Dressing rooms that aren't being used, but are being guarded for some very suspicious reason. Probably worth checking those out if we can get into them. Not sure how the charm thing will work, though... We might be able to flirt our way past, but that might not work, as you said. Don't suppose we have any magic that might just... knock them out or something? I mean, I guess we could do it without magic, but that sounds messy.

[And loud.]

[Tifa bites down on her lip.]

If it comes down to it, I could figure something out to get past the guards.

[She doesn't like it, but she's willing to put those issues aside if it means finding these knights and getting them out of here. If one of them could charm their way past the guards, then it wouldn't arouse any suspicion that magic or shoving their way through full speed ahead would. And she's had some experience telling men things they want to hear...

And if that doesn't work, then brute force was never off the table. She's just going to need to finish the rest of her drink first, which she does, throwing it down in a single go.]

Let's worry about getting those costumes first. That's the easy part, yeah?

[Before she changes her mind about this whole thing and decides to just punch her way through.]

Damn. Chris manages to keep her disappointment off her face, and instead nods eagerly. "Yeah, business must be booming to be hiring so many people. They barely even looked at my application." Good thing too, since most of her "qualifications" were made up, but at the end of the day, she has a nice body and looks good in a one-piece suit. That's probably the only qualification they actually cared about.

Well, it seems she'll have to try navigating the back area on her own, and hope that if she runs into any trouble, she can make up some excuse. "Listen, I don't want to get you in trouble, but I'm gonna run to the staff washroom really quick and splash some water on my face. Try to get my head clear. I'll be back in a minute or two, okay? Can you wait for me?" She takes a step down the hallway as she says so. "I promise I won't be long."

[Even if it does turn out that they have to punch their way through, Jade is still willing to call that a win— it may not be ideal, but she's angry enough about this situation as a whole that she wouldn't hate having to throw a few punches.

Maybe she will just for the hell of it as they get near the end.

She gives Tifa a nod of agreement, looking between the both of them even as she slides out of the booth and beckons for them to follow.]

I do have magic that might put them to sleep, but I think using it to enhance persuasion might draw less attention. First thing's first, though— costumes.

[Which, in all honesty, is at least a little fun. If the circumstances were different, Jade might actually be enjoying this whole undercover gig.]

Both of you, follow me to the back. If anyone stops us, I'll handle it, but just— act like you're supposed to be there. I bet we won't even get a second look.

[If the situation weren't so dire otherwise, she might actually take a moment to tease him about the fact that he'd managed to touch her without losing his sense of composure— but the moment isn't right for it, and instead she grabs hold of his forearm for just a moment to help steady him before she nods.]

I'll get them free. You just buy me a little time.

[They part ways, but she keeps a close eye on him even as she begins to make her rounds, making short work of the first pair of restraints she comes across and causing the knight within them to fall to his knees afterwards in relief, shaking his wrists loose.

"Thank you, my lady—"]

Save it, you can thank us afterwards. Let's just focus on getting you out of—

["I was hoping you boys would wanna tango."

She can't help grinning to herself as Juzo prepares to square off against their pursuers. Yes, indeed, he's just fine. Making the most of the time he's willing to stall for, she picks up her pace, steadily working her way through the assembled knights one by one.]

[That reluctant sound, faint as it is, is about what she expects. She's heard it countless times before, even if he doesn't remember. Always a work in progress, this one— she doesn't think she'll ever break him of the habit of using titles completely, but she'll take even modest progress at this time.]

No, I think you're quite right. Standard means are out the window, though I don't know that I would call ensnaring one standard.

[The fire could certainly burn through grass, but...]

It may be worth a try, regardless? So long as you're gentle, I don't think they would be too startled, and your magic would be of more use here than mine.

[Dark magic has its uses, but let's be real. She's not going to be charming any sheep with this world's version of a Puff-Puff. Out of the question.]

Something about unfair wages and brutal hours— and, of course, kidnapping!

[Jade tacks onto Zidane's bit of mockery as she slams her elbow into the gut of the security guard that tries to round on her, hoping to get retribution for that kick of hers, but to no avail. He's larger than her, but she's must faster, and her strength isn't to be dismissed, either. He grunts and stumbles backwards, hitting the floor this time, and she swiftly kicks him in the side before moving on to the next.]

Here I thought this was supposed to be a business! Not very professional, if you ask me!

[ He leaves Jade to work on freeing the knights in the other room, stepping over the fallen body of the guard as the three goons rush him. Juzo feels much more at home in his body with magic coursing through him to power his Extensions, and it shows in the way he moves, fluid and quick as he sidesteps the first guy’s attempt to deck him. ]

You got two left feet.

[ Breezily, as he lands a blow on the back of the man’s neck, right at the base of his skull, that sends him to the floor in an unconscious heap. The second asshole meets the same fate in much the same way. The third guy has some brains because he tries to blast Juzo with a stream of fire, but Juzo just winks out of existence and reappears behind the bouncer to lay him flat too.

That done, he peers back in on Jade and the knights. ]

You doin’ okay in there?

[Costumes.

Aerith doesn't take very long to remove herself from her side of the booth and as she's waiting for Tifa, she takes another moment to examine their surroundings. The gears are still turning and she's still trying to develop a way to get into what has the potential to become a very large mess without them causing an absolute spectacle about it all. Not that she minds a spectacle personally, but at the same time, she'd like that to be a last resort if possible.

It might very well not be possible when she's considering the situation as a whole.

Jade's input, however, gives her hope.]

Are all the costumes like yours or are there some other ones, too? Like maybe a mascot outfit...?

[Because honestly, when she's thinking about it, the idea of her or Tifa dressed up as something like a moogle sounds equally amazing. Once again, when it comes down to not having to hurt anyone (if they don't have to), Aerith might be enjoying this a touch more than she ought to. But that's the cost of adventure for a girl who's only recently gotten to taste what 'adventure' might be like.]

I'm not picky or anything. I'll wear pretty much anything you give me.

[Famous last words.]

The sheep, from what I know, are a lot larger back home. Even the lambs can be larger than this.

[The sheep does test moving a bit, but once it notices that it can't move, he just lets Jade do what she wants. It should be used to this anyway.]

Perhaps. At least you're a very good person.

Yeah, maybe don't starve your employees or put them through their paces when they're not here of their own consent...!

[Next guard's Zidane's! Just as they've recovered from the chair, he's darting in. And like Jade, he's not physically the strongest person in the room, but he's fast even without his magic. And he's not even attacking - he's dodging, making the guard lose his cool and track of his surroundings. Because both of them can be pretty sure Security shouldn't be punching their employer.]

Ouch! That looked like it hurt!

[Famous last words...

Tifa only makes an unsure noise at Aerith's declaration before she's following Jade, because what kind of outfits are there, she wonders? She isn't the biggest fan of having to wear a bunny suit, never mind anything else that they might find in the back... No sense in worrying about it though, and it will only draw more attention to them, so she'll walk the walk as if she belongs.

And of course, they won't get very far before they're stopped. A large, burly man—that Tifa can only assume is one of the guards—with horns jutting out both sides of his head stomps up and stops in front of Jade, his small, yellow eyes gazing at the new women. He growls under his breath in a vain attempt to intimidate them.]

"Who're these two? Why aren't you in uniform?"

There are all sorts, although most of them do show quite a bit of skin. It varies— I'm sure we can find something you'd both be comfortable in. I'm not sure if there's anything resembling mascots, but...

[She trails off momentarily, pressing her lips together as she considers. There probably is. That has to be someone's kink, and in a place like this, such things are to be capitalized on.

... she'd rather not think about that any further, if she can help it.

She beckons for both women to follow her, but indeed, they don't get terribly far before they're stopped. Jade offers the man in question her sweetest smile, recognizing him as security, and lightly brings her index finger to rest against her chin as she makes an effort to hold his attention.]

They're both new, like me— I'm taking them to get dressed now and show them around. They need a little fixing up before performing! You know how it goes.

[The monstrous guard's stance seems to relax slightly, and he looks between the three of them, curious.

"Lot of new additions lately."]

It's coming along!

[She's moving through the captives as quickly as possible, and while many of them are in poor shape after being kept prisoner, a few seem to have enough fire left in them that they appear to be preparing to fight back rather than run.

Well, that would certainly even out their numbers— though given what she's glimpsed of Juzo's efforts, he's doing quite well for himself.

She looks up as she cuts the last of the knights free, and notes that the hallway behind Juzo sounds suspiciously quiet. Had he really made such short work of them?]

Done already? You really are good at your job.

[Even if they'd run into the hiccup of his getting captured, she's incredibly grateful to have brought him along for additional muscle. He's excellent at what he does.]

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Page 6 of 7

september catch-all

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I, too, desire bubble tea...

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