Out of all the places you could live, you chose Pelican Town?

[frozentear]

Who: All the Alices, a bunch of monsters...
What: A little town with a big problem.
Where: World Three – Down in the Valley
Warnings: Fighting monsters, probable injury and/or death, who knows what else.

Sebastian wakes up in the hot sun on the sand, and for a moment he wonders if he's back in Ankh's heart. But there were no docks there, and this beach is very familiar. There's a staff next to him, and he picks it up without thinking. As he wanders closer to the docks, it's strange how quickly it becomes overcast and then starts to rain... it's much nicer than the beating sun, though.

Standing at the edge of the docks, he wonders where the others are. He wonders if he's back home for real, even though he knows it's unlikely. However, it's the first chance he's had to be alone for a while... hard to tell how long. As he stands there, he begins to realize something is different. Holding out a hand - focusing for a second - jelly begins to drip down into the water.

Well, that's new.

Comments

Mines - Final Area (Inferno)

[frozentear]

[It's even hotter down here than it was in the beating sun outside. It's positively awful.]

Let's get through here so we can leave.

SPLIT SECTION

[worldkeys]

[ The final area of the mines has a huge split inside that leads to two areas. Both have locked doors with guardians.

The first corridor, the one on the left, is filled with nothing but, oddly, slimes.

The corridor on the right has normal monsters in it and leads deeper inside... ]

FOURTH DOOR

[worldkeys]

[ If you take the right corridor filled with normal monsters and arrive at a locked door, a large skeleton is standing guard in front of a door.

It seemed terribly bored until you approach, at which event it suddenly perks right up. ]

Hey-LO, hot stuff... I want something... warm... and... wet. And... sticky. Care to bring it to me~?

[ You are at least ninety percent sure this skeleton is flirting with you. ]

[zinit]

[An unimpressed look at the skeleton.]

[An unimpressed look back at the people accompanying him.]

[(Maybe his face is a little red.)]

Slime, then.

[worldkeys]

[ If a skeleton could wink, it would. ]

Oh, have some more fun, wouldn't you, you cute thing? I'd accept... substitutes. But sure, go ahead. Slime works too.

[zinit]

['Cute thing.' Lay it on a little thicker, won't you, skeleton man? Qilby actually takes his sole hand and facepalms, forehead resting heavy against the heel of his hand.]

[And then he conjures the big astral hand and double-facepalms with it, too, because one just isn't enough.]

Slime it will be, I'm afraid. Even given your... Current state... I think I'm a bit old for you. [An unsteady laugh. Goddess help him.] Do you know where I might be able to find some?

[worldkeys]

[ The skeleton chortles at him, bones rattling merrily. ]

I'm some old bones, hands. You'd be surprised~! As for where... think of the path less traveled, hmmm? That's my hint for you, now. Shoo shoo. Go on. ... Or stay awhile. I don't mind, it's been positively AGES since I've had suitable company, you know.

[ ... It likes company. ]

[zinit]

I'll be back, don't worry.

[He's just going to leave and get the slime now, using Dimension Door to get the fuck away. Goodbye.]

[... Now, Qilby knows, of course, that he has to go back to the skeleton. He doesn't quite register that he has to go back to the skeleton until he's a few feet off, wondering whether he honestly wants to engage it, or whether he wants to dump the slime in its face and demand it open the door with no further innuendo. He's had enough embarrassment in this place; more isn't necessary.]

[Yet, he must. Hell if any of his other party members will.]

[In a clear voice, almost sing-songy:] I've something I think you will like. [He holds out the hand, dripping with multi-colored slime. May it open the door quickly and save him any further trouble.]

[worldkeys]

[ The skeleton seems ecstatic! ]

Yes, this is wonderful, honey! My bones get so DRY down here, you know, in this HEAT.

[ The huge door slides open. They can now pass. But was it the right door to open...? ]

[frozentear]

[Oh cool, a skeleton. This one even talks!

...That reaction doesn't last long.]

Uh...

[Create Jelly?]

[worldkeys]

[ ... Close, but no cigar. It'll only accept two things. ]

... Well, you tried, but I'm looking for something a little... better, sweetcheeks.

FINAL DOOR

[worldkeys]

[ The left corridor filled with slimes, purple mushrooms growing along the corridor. There are too many slimes. Far too many. Nothing but slimes. At least they're mostly harmless. It leads to, surprise, a larger, huge pink slime guarding a locked door. Well... guarding, in a sense of the word. Maybe it just lives in front of this locked door.

It cannot speak... well, not really. But it seems friendly enough. It looks up at you. ]

Squish... squish...?

[ You're not sure, but you... think it wants you to bring it... something that... grows around here...? At least, that's the feeling you get. There's a damp patch next to it that is empty, and it's gazing longingly at it like it would love more of... something. ]

[zinit]

[Something that grows around here: that's the feeling Qilby gets.]

[He's been paying attention, of course, to the few things that can grow in this inferno hellscape. He's been gathering small samples of any more benign-looking plants and placing them in his pockets, almost hoarding them for future study. When he gets the sense that it wants something to put in that space, he thinks of a few possible things.]

Do you want something to plant here, by chance? [He bends to examine the soil - whether it's rich or thin, whether it's too muddy for something to grow there, what sorts of plants might be good.]

[worldkeys]

[ It gurgles. ]

Squish... squish...

[ That seems to be a yes, Qilby. ]

[zinit]

[How oddly charming.]

[The only thing he can think of would be the mushrooms; he walks a few yards off, takes a few with his 'left hand' (in case they're harmful to touch!), and brings them back. He figures there are probably a few spores lingering...]

How about these?

left!

[zinit]

[Slime time.]

[It's sticky here, and humid, almost like Qilby's skin is itself turning to slime; he nearly gags on the humidity, but still presses forward. Ugh.]

[First, he's going to see if there are any remains of slime he can scoop up. Might as well make this easy on himself, if he can.]

[worldkeys]

[ There was a rather large pile of remaining slime left over and then some. It's your lucky day, Qilby. Put that giant floating hand to use. ]

[zinit]

[It always pays to check!]

[He scoops up some of the slime with the Giant Floating Hand; it's worth noting that this is the first time he's put it to any sort of actual, respectable use. He can almost feel it squidging between the fingers as he walks off. How disgusting.]