isleofavalon | NOVEMBER CATCH-ALL

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NOVEMBER CATCH-ALL

🧙 WHO: Susie and you
⚔️️ WHAT: Exploring Camelot and causing trouble, zombie (?) hunting
🕒 WHEN: Throughout early/mid November
🗺️ WHERE: Around Camelot
⚠️ WARNINGS: SUSIE SAID A SWEAR I'M TELLING

1. MISTAKEN IDENTITY
[Since arriving here Susie has been preoccupied exploring Camelot. It's no Cyber City, that's for sure-- more like Ralsei's castle town, but on a larger scale, and presumably with less of a meek little doormat prince for a ruler. Really, it's all just another adventure for her, so she's excited to see what this world has to offer compared to the others. It's not all fun, though; she heard something about a disaster that recently affected two neighbouring cities, leading to an influx in refugees... and that the culprit was a purple dragon.

She's looking at a poster pinned around town with a picture of the dragon, and information on where it was last sighted and the reward offered, when she hears a tiny scream behind her.]

It's-- It's-- a dragon!

[Susie turns around and bares her teeth at the pixie.] So what? Think I'm gonna tear down this city, Susiezilla style? That's not a bad idea!

[The fae squeaks in terror and flits away, yelling something about going to call the city guards. Susie tears the poster off the wall with an annoyed growl, screws it into a ball and flings it after them, although she just succeeds in accidentally hitting a random passerby instead. She's... not doing much to improve her terrible first impression here.]

2. ALMS FOR THE GORE
[What's not fun about zombie hunting? Some of the best movies and video games involve zombie hunting goodness. So Susie brings her axe, ready to bust some skulls and crunch some bones guilt-free. Her keen sense of smell means she notices the creature's foul stench long before she sees it, and she hefts her axe, eyes gleaming in anticipation for combat.]

Bring it, you shitty bag of bones! [What shuffles into view isn't a frightening zombie, though, but an unsettling yet decidedly less threatening creature, shambling along and holding a bowl. She stares in confusion, hesitating, before lowering her axe and addressing her quest partner.]

The hell's it doing? Kinda looks like... it wants something.

3. WILDCARD
[Neither of these prompts appeal? Come up with your own, or plot with me and we can do something else!]

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[ And she's the random passerby! She blinks at the sudden 'assault', catching the rolled up paper as it falls off. She unrolls it to see what it is, before glancing at from whence it came.

... That sure is a purple lizard girl.

All right then! ]

Not a fan of dragons? ... Then again, after what happened, nobody really is now-a-days.

Seems that way.

[Even here where no one knows her, people are scared of her thanks to the apparent similarities. Which would be flattering (and kinda dumb, really) if it weren't annoying. She just got here!

She looks away with a sullen expression.]

Wasn't aiming at you. [...That's about as close to an apology as she's prepared to offer for hitting her.]

[ And she'll take it, no worries. She offers up a smile, and walks over, also offering a friendly hand to shake. ]

I take it you're a newbie? I can show you around if you'd like. Name's Della Duck!

[Well, at least someone around here is friendly. She doesn't shake her hand though, instead stuffing her own into her pockets.]

Susie. You, uh, can if you want.

[ Huh. Well, she supposes hand-shakes are old school now, and just shrugs it off. ]

All right, Susie, I take you got the gist of this place? Other worlds, magic powers, weird fleshy human things?

Hah! Are humans that weird where you're from?

[Sure, there's only one human in Susie's town, but she wouldn't describe them as a 'weird fleshy thing'. (Or maybe she would, but... affectionately.) Still, it's jarring to see this many humans, and so few monsters.]

Yeah, a kid gave me a summary of how things work around here. I thought it might be fun, but it seems like a lot of crap has been going down here lately.

Well, more like non-existent. Except for a while thing with a genie, I never met a human before I came here.

[ ... wait what was that one detail- ]

But yeah, there was a dragon and a golem and oof, bad time for everybody. Whole ruined kingdom that needed to come to our place. But we'll bounce back, we always do. We're all allies!

We're all allies except those damn fairies thinking I'm with the dragon.

[Oh well. She's used to that kind of reaction, so it's whatever.]

One question I should ask you... have you heard anything about a Dark Fountain? [Probably not, but she needs to make absolutely sure.]

[ Eyebrow raise? ]

A dark fountain? That's a new one... can't say I've heard of it. What's it do? Just... spews darkness? Or is like a goth fountain where a bunch of emo kids hang out?

Big pillar of darkness that, uh... [How did Ralsei put it...? Meh, she opts for a simple explanation.] It gives these weird other worlds form. I've been on the lookout for one here, but I guess this place doesn't have anything to do with it.

Can't say I've seen one here! And if I did, I definitely would be telling everyone about it - I love finding weird, dangerous stuff!

Heh, nice. Then you'd better show me some other weird, dangerous stuff while you show me around, tour guide.

[Even if this place has nothing to do with what was happening back home, she can have some fun while she's here, right?]

[ She laughs in a good mood, walking and waving for Susie to follow. ]

In that case, you sound like a good partner for quests! Those are always good for a couple of "Huh?!"s.

I'm not sure what it could want, but you might have a point.

[Her companion is a young human teen, just about an adult at this point. His weapon of choice is a giant ornate spear as tall as he is. He pauses for a moment, giving the zombie the once over.]

I think it's...begging? Usually they want money so should I give it some and see what happens?

Hey, why not. Maybe he can spend the money on... skin cream?

[Sure, the quest had asked them to slay the thing, but it looks harmless for now, and Kris and Ralsei had convinced her to do things the nice way and avoid fighting if she doesn't have to.

... She'll let him give the money though, she just got here so she's broke.]

Or maybe it's not as threatening?

[He does have a few coins in his pocket and he throws one into the zombie's alms bowl. He gives a side glance to his partner and kind of waits to see if that was a really good or a really terrible idea.]

[The creature lets out a shuddering grasp and uses what little strength it has to lift the bowl and... tries to eat the coins, evidently mistaking them for food.

Suddenly jealous, Susie turns to Gaius, hand outstretched.]

Hey! I wanna try some too!

You...want to try throwing coins? Well, all right. Here.

[He hands her a few coins. Maybe it would be satisfied if someone else threw them? Hard to say.]

Throwing them? Nah.

[She's copying the fear gorta and... is trying to eat the coins??? Maybe he should stop her. (Or just watch.)]

Wait wait wait, I don't think you need to go THAT far.

[At the very least, her unexpected actions have changed Gaius' usual expression into one of alarm.]

You probably can't digest those.

[With an avid interest in all things undead and spooky, there's no way that Klaudia would let a zombie hunt pass her by--even if it's a zombie hunt with a stranger. In fact, it's even nicer to be around someone that's very pointedly not human, so her spirits (ha) are very buoyed for this excursion.]

[Unlike her companion, she doesn't come with any immediately apparent weapon; but neither does she seem particularly unsettled by the... thing? that's shambling towards them with a bowl. She blinks and looks over at Susie when she remarks on the weird behavior.]

Yeah, I'm getting that impression, too. ...I don't know about you, but I really want to put something in that bowl. [Pause.] That's sort of what bowls are for, right? Holding things? If you see an empty bowl, then you have to put something in it. [Those are basic adventuring and trap-solving rules.]

True, but what? [Susie rummages through her pockets.] Phone, keys, pocket lint, a used tissue, a wrapper...

[She doesn't have anything especially useful besides junk to give the creature, in other words.]

[Klaudia gives a mild snort of amusement.] Gross. [Who keeps a used tissue in their pocket??? This person, apparently.]

What sorts of things do you put in bowls? Money? Soup? Little screws that you don't want to lose? ...Let's be honest, it's probably soup. The client did say they were stealing food, right? I can see why. You could probably break this thing in half like a twig. [There is an indescribable urge to reach out and poke the phantom in the ribs, but she has at least enough sense not to do that. Not to mention it smells really horrible, and she doesn't want that on her hands.]

I could break it in half... [She idly moves to rest her axe on her shoulder.] But maybe we just gotta feed it and it'll go away. I bet there's stuff around here it can eat--

[She's saved a search when she finds something in one of her back pockets with a triumphant 'aha!'. Something... orange... and half melted looking in a wrapper.]

Forgot I was saving this for later. [She unwraps the cheese slice (?) and slaps it into the bowl with a grin.] Warm butt cheese. Eat up, buddy.

[Gods help her. Klaudia wrinkles her nose at... whatever it is that this girl just put into the bowl.]

That's supposed to be cheese? That's not cheese. I'm not even sure that's edible. [Since when does cheese look that color??? Or come wrapped in plastic??? Cheese belongs in a wheel and sliced on the spot, not pulled from the depths of a pocket in some radioactive form.]

[But the undead creature seems to like it??? There's no accounting for taste. Literally. Undead aren't even supposed to eat food, so maybe this one's just confused.]

...Do you think it can eat uncooked food, too? I mean, if it eats that, it'll basically eat anything, right?

Uh, 'course it's cheese? [Why wouldn't it be? Then to Klaudia's second question, she shrugs watching the creature gingerly lifting the bowl to try and eat the cheese slice.]

Cooked, uncooked, if the thing's starving I bet it doesn't give a damn. Go ahead and try it.

Mmm... Doubt. [No evidence in the universe could convince her that's cheese, but Susie is allowed to be wrong! Klaudia can be gracious like that.]

[At Susie's go-ahead, she'll crouch down and make a circular motion on the ground. A little plant with wide oblong leaves sprouts up out of the ground. It looks... pretty firmly planted in the dirt, though; so Klaudia pulls a metal rod from her pocket, giving an engraved sigil a tap to alchemize it into a knife. Which she uses to hack at the ground and dig up... a raw potato.]

Here you go. Potato au gratin~

[She gives the potato a shake and brushes off the rest of the dirt before depositing it in the bowl with the cheese. Stem, leaves, and all.]

[ He's minding his own business, purposefully ignoring the screaming pixies as they shoot past him, when the crumpled up paper pelts him in the back of the head. It doesn't hit him hard, but he's whipping around to scowl in her direction. ]

Watch it.

[ His words are almost drowned out by the loud cackling of the crow perched on top of his head. Sasuke sighs, reaching up to close his familiar's beak with his fingers as he mutters to himself. ]

Tch. Whatever. [ And then, to Susie: ] I wouldn't bother, if I were you. Destroying this place would be more trouble than it's worth.

[Susie's about to answer the scowl with a retort of her own, but the crow's cackling manages to get a fang-baring grin from her instead. Well, at least the familiar (?) has a sense of humour, even if the guy doesn't seem to appreciate it.]

Oh yeah? Sounds like you've given it some thought already.

So what if I have?

[ He hasn't, actually. At least not in any serious capacity. Any thoughts he had of destroying Avalon were done in passing, back when he first got here. ]

Meh, you know. Could be funny to see some wimpy little guy trying to wreck shit. Especially right after you were nearly taken out by a piece of paper!

[She throws her head back and laughs. susie no bulli...]

[A few days after this conversation and after Susie has scraped together all the ingredients she needs, she lets Archer know she's heading over. At first she wonders if this a dumb idea -- who would let some random person on the internet borrow their kitchen? What's the catch? -- but she's already wasted money on the ingredients and, as it turns out, the directions the guy gave her turn out to be genuine.

Now for the second part: dealing with the embarrassment of actually doing the thing. She hesitates outside the restaurant long enough that she soon loses patience with herself and barges in, yelling,]

Hey! Is anyone here?!

[...Only she sounds so aggressive it seems more like a monster is charging in to commit a robbery than bake a pie. Oops.]

[Archer isn't sure who to expect or what to expect of this encounter, but he is willing to give people who want to cook a chance... besides, he's going to be working on some experimental dishes himself at the same time, so it's not really a big deal to watch over someone.

He walks out of the kitchen area to meet up with the person yelling at full volume in his restaurant.

... hmm. Really not what he expected.]

Are you the pie maker or just a random customer with no manners?

Why the hell would a customer show up with a bag full of--?!

[wait. this guy is doing her a favour, she should be nice!! she stops waving the bag of ingredients around and ducks her head sheepishly.]

Uh, I'm the pie maker. I guess.

I was just joking.

[She looks suspicious a little bit, so he had to.]

I'm Archer, one of owners and cooks of this restaurant. I'll also be in the kitchen, doing some experimental dishes.

Oh. [Of course... she knew... he was just joking... She looks sheepish.] I'm Susie. What kind of dishes?

Currently I'm doing different sort of soups in different ways... to give them a little bit of a twist.

[Archer opens the door to the kitchen.] This way.

[Susie happens to fling her projectile just as a young man with wild black hair, mismatched eyes, and no shoes despite having admitted defeat to the chill in other ways, with a thick red hoodie and actual pants. His feet appear to be warm and glowing like embers, for whatever reason, and he's got a large sword strapped to his back.

Just as he rounds the corner, he's pelted with...a rolled-up piece of paper? Huh. He bends down to pick it up and frowns at it.]

Seriously? A bounty? Why can't they just leave it alone? Hasn't there been enough killing?

[Then he looks up to see who threw it and spots Susie, brows going up with interest.]

Oh, hello there. I hope you weren't actually trying to throw this at me, I'd hate to think I'd somehow gotten on your bad side before I even met you. Though it wouldn't be the first time.

[That last bit is a sarcastic mutter.]

[If this was only a short time ago, she would've retorted that she only has a bad side. But she's trying to be nicer! ... Trying, but that response from the fairy has made her grouchy not long after arriving here, so she just shoots him a sheepish glare.]

Maybe you just need to learn to dodge better, nerd.

[Because she's not going to admit her aim was off!!! He actually looks pretty cool now that she gets a better look at him, though.]

Wouldn't a guy like you be after that kind of bounty, anyway? What else is that big sword for?

Hey, I'm extremely good at dodging, actually!...when I know there's something to dodge. Who walks around expecting paper projectiles being lobbed at them all the time? Though I guess, for all I know, your world is just teeming with crumpled posters flying every which way. In which case, I couldn't fault you for trying to recreate what you know.

[It's teasing, but mild teasing. Her reply reminds him of something Meg would say, except her glare wouldn't be sheepish at all. He's pretty sure he's never seen her look anything like sheepish in all the time he's known her.

He gives her a bit of a defiant look, then.]

Fighting my enemies, not chasing down someone who fled after they were already defeated. I've certainly gotten up to more than my share of violence, but killing mortals isn't something I enjoy.

I don't give a crap one way or the other, but people keep lumping me in with that damn dragon and it's pissing me off.

[Hence... throwing posters around. She's not about to apologise, but at least it's an explanation.]

What do you mean, "mortals", anyway? You're not one?

What? Why? ...well, I suppose I can see the resemblance, sort of, but what does how you look have anything to do with whether you're that dragon's ally?

[He shrugs.]

Not at home, no. Here, I suppose I am. It's a little odd to have to try so hard to avoid death, really. I haven't died in months! Quite the change of pace. I won't say it's not a welcome one. But normally, I kill shades who are already dead and other gods. They'll all come back. Killing creatures or people who won't...that's different.

People are always gonna think whatever the hell they want, no matter what I say.

[As he continues, though, she crosses her arms and squints, like she's trying to figure out if he's serious or not. It's not like he's the first person she's spoken to here who claims to have died, so she simply asks in a flat voice:]

How many times have you died.

That's quite the defeatist attitude you've got there, mate. Have you tried, you know, maybe saying it slightly less aggressively? Most things can be worked out eventually by communicating in good faith. Even if it does sometimes take ages...

[His reply to her question is as casual as anything else he's said so far:]

Oh, er...can't be fewer than 20 or 30 times by now, I think? If you want an exact number, you'd have to ask my buddy Hypnos. He's the one who keeps a tally of everyone who dies and how. He's here in Avalon, so if you're curious, I'm dead certain he'd be only too willing to tell you.

By the way, my name is Zagreus. What's yours?

[There's the longest of pauses, before she blinks and says:] You're messed up, dude.

[That's all she can really make of that. Who the hell dies so many times they lose count!! People here are weird, and that's saying something, given her experiences in the Dark Worlds.]

Susie. Anyway, I'm gonna move it. That fairy prolly called the damn guards or some crap. [She turns to go...... but she also didn't say he couldn't tag along, if he wanted to keep chatting.]

It's not exactly my choice, you know. It isn't my fault that my father is so determined to keep me at home that he sends armies of shades after me every time I try to leave. Or that I usually can't survive on the surface for more than an hour or so.

[He does indeed just start following her as she walks away.]

If she did, I would hope they're not so rash and unreasonable as to try to detain you for literally nothing at all.

[As for the guards, she's not particularly worried, it'd just be a pain to deal with if anything happened. So she just gives an offhand shrug.]

One of my friends has a dad like yours. We kicked his ass. Want me to kick your dad's ass for you too?

[Although she pauses to consider, before adding--] Then again, you're here, so you can do whatever the hell you want now.

[With so many good pie ideas handed to her from the network, Susie might've gotten... a little carried away when she said she was going shopping. When she meets Asriel outside Fortune Panda, she has four heavy-looking bags laden with ingredients for all kinds of recipes she was given. And while she'd been a little embarrassed to have been offered help at first, just seeing the kid's unmistakable resemblance to Ralsei again is enough to put her in good spirits.]

Hey Asriel! What the hell are you standing around for, let's go-- [Her hands are full, so before he can even get a word in edgeways she kicks the door open and marches inside -- no doubt to the bewilderment of some of the customers trying to enjoy a meal -- and into the kitchen. Once they're through, she dumps her bags on the nearest countertop.]

The guy who runs this place had to step out quick, but he said it's fine to use one of the ovens.

Edited 2021-12-03 22:30 (UTC)

( If asked, Asriel would admit that he wasn't completely confident in his pie-making abilities. At the least, he had time to read... well... all the cookbooks in the Underground when he was a flower. He knows a little bit more about baking at this point, even if he didn't have the ability to put any of his knowledge to use...

He blinks a bit at the amount of bags before making his way to her, offering a friendly but uncertain smile. )

Uh, howdy Susie! Is all of this for the pie...?

( It seems like a lot! Was she planning to make more than one? )

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NOVEMBER CATCH-ALL

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THE GREAT SUSIE BAKEOFF - ARCHER

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THE GREAT SUSIE BAKEOFF - ASRIEL

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