NOW LIVE! Today's the day you meet your new best friend. You don’t have to leave Wolfy behind... In 'Pets & Sidekicks' your companions level up with you!

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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Ilex" data-source="post: 5711783" data-attributes="member: 82687">25x03WEEK 9 | MONDAYAt the end of another long day of practice, Nyoko was finding it hard to summon the mood of spontaneous sensuality required for the Dance of the Sevenfold Secrets. The dance master was not helping matters as he stared at her critically, unmoved by her sinuous movements.  Her rival Unsuku, smirking among a few other onlookers from the room's corner, was merely the clincher. Savina was sitting among the onlookers, too.  She had come to the Adept House today with the goal of seeking secret Alirrian Handmaidens among the Adepts who specialized in … well, in the very arts Nyoko's dance was supposed to be celebrating.  She'd disappeared into the depths of the House for the afternoon, and had now reappeared in the rehearsal room accompanied by a handsome young Adept.As Nyoko twirled past them, she saw that Savina's companion was tracing his finger in soft spirals up and down Savina’s bare arm.  On her second twirl, Nyoko saw Savina whisper giggling into the man's ear and then kiss his earlobe.  She wanted to ask Savina how her day had gone, but when she twirled around again in the dance's last pirouette, she only caught a glimpse of the vanishing couple as Savina led the man out of the room by the hand…  At least her dance was having the desired effect on somebody.  Or else Savina had found herself at least one Handmaiden.  Or both.  TUESDAYAs she walked to the marketplace, Twiggy thought about how odd it was that, as her stratagem for finagling an invitation to the Indulgence party, she’d chosen to pose as a maker of intoxicating substances.  When she’d suggested it, it had seemed natural—her father had taught her about various intoxicating herbs, primarily to warn her away from eating them—but now she realized that at some point she might be expected to partake of such substances.  She’d never done that before, and she wasn’t sure she wanted to.  What if I became intoxicated and said the wrong thing?  Or did something to harm the di Raprezzis?  It was the sort of risk she’d spent her entire life avoiding.But she had started down this road, and she’d see it through.  Plus, she had an idea about mixing arcana with the botany her father had taught her, and she wanted to see if it would work.  She pushed open the door to the apothecary she’d found the week before.  “Welcome back, Lady Twiggy-san,” said the shopkeeper with the knowing smirk.  WEDNESDAY"…so, in sum, I'm asking you to release the wrestler we arrested for cheating."  Kormick, confident that he'd made his case, leaned back, smiled at Mena and Arden, and waited for Chief Inquisitor Yudai to agree with him.  "I thought you served Kettenek yourself, after the heathen fashion," said the austere man from across his austere desk in his austere office."Absolutely," Kormick agreed, not sure where this was going—but sure that his confidence had been premature.  Here comes another round of Sovereign passive-aggression."Then I must be mistaken. It sounded to me like you were asking us to release a known criminal before he has paid for his crime.""As I said, I want to get him released as a goodwill gesture for his bosses in the Eighths.""Is showing goodwill toward a criminal gang standard procedure for honoring Kettenek's aspect as God of Law and Justice, Kormick-san?"Mena's armor began emitting the faintest impatient growl, so soft that Kormick trusted Yudai would never hear it.  When Mena spoke, her voice was simply cool and professorial.  "Inquisitor Yudai-san," she said, "there is a story about two men who wanted to feed their families with fish.  The first caught a small fish, took it home, and his children went to bed hungry. The second caught a small fish, used it as bait to catch a much bigger fish, and his children ate for two days."  Yudai looked thoughtful.  The silence stretched out."In Dame Mena's analogy, the cheating wrestler is the small fish," Kormick clarified."I understand.""The Eighth bosses are the big—""Yes.""Justice is served by catching the big—""Yes, I've grasped that; I'll release the man.""Kettenek and I thank you.""Justice is not served unless this pays off," said Yudai.  "I'll expect results.""We're not leaving Cauldron without results, trust me," Kormick said, and turned to Arden.  "Murder-slave, go tell our friends in the Eighths that I've taken care of the little matter of the wrestler from Ehkt's Judgment.  Sell it."  "Yes, boss," Arden answered mischievously in that flawless fake Undian accent.  I don't care what Savina says, Kormick thought.  Arden's coming to work with me someday.Arden slipped out ahead of them as Kormick turned to Mena.  "Come along, Dame Mena," he said. "Let's go free the perfidious malefactor you pantsed.""So many men who deserve pantsing, so little time," said Mena.  It was either a threat or a promise, Kormick wasn't sure, but he was happy either way.THURSDAYIn his ongoing effort to become recognized as a man of extreme tastes, Tavi steeled his nerves and knocked on the unmarked door before him.  This didn't look much like a restaurant, but that was the point.  He'd decided to focus on food this week, and his earlier inquiries had led him to The Establishment of Great Dining Pleasures, The Oldest and Most Distinguished Restaurant on the Top Ring, and the Eatery of Exquisite Culinary Delights.  While they'd all been delicious enough, they'd also all been elegant and refined.  Phoebe had nearly keeled over with boredom.  Well, that ends tonight, Tavi thought.  Nyoko had helped him get the inside scoop on this place—supposedly a secret to all but the most daring diners in Cauldron.   He wasn't looking forward to it.  This was either going to be boring or painful.  At least, if it's painful, I'll be doing my job right, he reassured himself.  And it'll be so much more interesting!, added Phoebe.Not comforting, Pheebs.A peephole on the door slid open and a forbidding face studied him closely—and then appeared to recognize him.  The door opened and the doorman bowed him forward, saying, "Welcome, honored heathen-san, to the Room of Rare Tastes.  You grace us with your famous presence." Tavi nodded, stepped inside, and instantly felt better about this adventure.  The room was dim and smoky, yet the warm firelight and buzz of conversation radiated friendliness.  The walls were covered over with animal trophies and seals from sake bottles, some of which Tavi recognized from his lessons with Nyoko as very fine indeed.  Chefs were scattered throughout the room, grilling meat over charcoal burners in front of guests at their low tables.  The doorman escorted Tavi to a table of his own and a server asked what he wanted.  "Whatever you've got that was most recently killed in the Ketkath," said Tavi, aiming for exoticism and praying that this didn't turn out like that last exfoliation session at the Adept House.The server grinned.  Not long afterwards, Tavi was sampling rare steak from an electric-antlered blue deer, sipping fantastic sake, sharing his adventures with an admiring crowd, and enjoying himself immensely.  FRIDAYNyoko, covered in sweat and aching in every muscle, wanted nothing more than a warm bath and a body rub.  It had been a grueling rehearsal, but she was approaching the level of precision required by her instructor.  Given a few more weeks, she should have the Dance of the Sevenfold Secrets down cold… assuming that they had a few more weeks before the Indulgence Party.She was about to enter the bathing chamber when Unsuku stepped around a corner right in front of her.  Nyoko jumped.  “I hope this is not a discommodious time,” Unsuku said, with a gracious smile.To anyone but an Adept, it would have seemed only polite inquiry.  But to an Adept, to one so accustomed to reading nuance, every element of Unsuku’s body language was positioned to indicate disrespect, contempt, and condescension.  The tilt of her head, the width of her feet, the curl of her fingers.  In most people, it might be dismissed as carelessness, an unconscious physical expression of buried emotions.  But Unsuku was an Adept.  What’s more, she was a dancer.  The precise carriage of every muscle should be second nature to her. No, this was a calculated insult, designed to be subtle. To force Nyoko off guard and off balance.I’ve really ticked her off, Nyoko mused.Fortunately, they were both Adepts.  They could both play this game.  Nyoko smiled and adopted a poise of perfect courtesy. “Of course not,” she replied. “It is never discommodious to do a favor for a fellow Adept.”  And then she batted her eyes sweetly.This would have appeared utterly innocuous to almost any observer.  To an Adept, however, it was the physical equivalent to adding a very unkind word to the end of her sentence.Unsuku continued smiling pleasantly, but the twitch of her upper lip appended a similar unkind word.  “I know what you’re doing,” was all she said aloud.“Taking a bath?” Nyoko responded. “I am pleased to know you are familiar with the process.”  Because I had my doubts, she added with her body language.This time Unsuku did not rise to the bait.  Her smile just deepened… and there was a hint of malice attached to it.  “I know you and those heathens are trying to go the Long Way around the Circle,” she hissed.Nyoko’s blood froze, and she strained not to let it show in any aspect of her bearing.  It was vital that their mission remain a secret from the Priesthood.  If word leaked, the Priesthood would apply pressure to the Inquisition and it would all be over…“Why would we do such a thing?” Nyoko asked.“I don’t know and I don’t care.  But I have eyes and I have ears and I have many, many friends.  You and the heathens have been up to any number of strange things.  It’s not hard to put it all together… if anyone was actually interested enough in you to ask the right questions.”Nyoko said nothing, not trusting herself not to give anything away.“You’re obviously targeting the Priesthood,” Unsuku said. “It’s the only thing that makes sense. And since I assume you don’t want me to inform them of your activities, I suggest, with all due respect” (and her body language indicated just how little respect that was) “that you accede to my wishes.”Stay calm, Nyoko thought.  Admit nothing and buy time to confer with the others.“Assuming your silence is of value to me, what would you want?” Harlot, she added physically.“Ten thousand in gold…” Unsuku said. Nyoko’s jaw dropped.  That was practically a Governor’s ransom.  But Unsuku continued.“…and you. Never. Dance. Again.”  And her body language added, you talentless hack.### Nyoko walked to the group's table at the back of the Inn, now wanting nothing more than a stiff drink.  She slid into a chair.  Kormick was holding forth while Savina and Twiggy listened intently."...and I look forward to the day when everyone sees Dar Und as equal to Pol Henna."Savina smiled skeptically. "I think it's lovely that you want to make your home a better place, Jan," she allowed, "but to equal Pol Henna?  How could that be possible?""After all," chimed in Twiggy, "Pol Henna at least has a stable government, strong trade agreements...""Yes, yes," agreed Kormick, unperturbed. "But you're all so obsessed with class and etiquette and rank—almost as bad as these Sovereigns—and so you don't have any individual potential, any freedom of choice.  In Dar Und, it's different, and that's what will make us great.  In Dar Und, you earn your life by your own knife."Savina and Twiggy didn't seem impressed."Or by your own con artistry," Kormick added. "Or your own skills at arson, your own blackmail—"Nyoko leaned forward and cut in.  "Funny you should mention blackmail," she said.  That got their attention."It's Unsuku," Nyoko continued. "The Adept who's angry at me for upstaging her."  Nyoko told them about Unsuku's threats, finding it surprisingly hard to do so dispassionately.  This betrayal felt like it came from her own family, a heartbreaking thought.  As she concluded, her voice even shook a little: "She said she'll expose us if I don't give her ten thousand in gold and—and—""Take your time," said Savina.  Nyoko took a deep breath and rushed the words out.  "—and if I don't stop dancing."  There, she'd said it.  And she hadn't known how much she loved dancing until she found herself near tears now at the thought of losing it."That's—that's terrible!" said Savina."So," added Twiggy wryly, "now we know that Unsuku has no talent and no tact."  Her voice grew serious as she started thinking things through.  "We can't let her get away with this—if the Priesthood learns of our plan too early, it will ruin all our hard work and the Tide might never be stopped.  What are we going to do about it?""Not to worry—we have many choices," said Kormick.  "There's the quiet solution"—he mimed slitting a throat—"and the not-quiet solution"—he mimed bashing a skull with a warhammer. "Jan!" exclaimed Savina."I'm joking, mostly joking…""Whatever we do, it needs to be quick," Nyoko told them, "because if I don't give her what she wants by tomorrow at noon, she's going public."</blockquote>

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