[IC] The Family Business

[Jangel13]

I do believe we are at four now. I am Angelo Ortega" he said to the new girl that came by although she was nice she was ready starting to like Ella. She had a beautiful blush that made Angelo heart skip a beat. It was obvious Angelo was a hopeless romantic but he wanted to take things slow with her and build a relationship.

Although there seemed to be for hero's among them Angelo seemed to be the only guy which was working well in his favor so if things didn't work with Ella he could try again with the two others but Angelo didn't really put much thought into it "so far we are at 4 hero's so who is missing?" Angelo asked the new girl but he turned to Ella and have a wink just as a teaser to let her think my eye was only on her usually that would make a girl blush more knowing that the charming guy was only interested in her. ..

[Dessie777]

Ella smiled at Angelo as he winked. She was surprised he hadn't flirted with the new arrival. "My name is Gabriella. Please, call me Ella." She offered the strangely intimidating girl a hand. Cautiously she eyed the new 'hero'. She seemed more of a villain type to Ella. The new arrivals eyes sent uncomfortable feelings down her spine.
"I don't trust her.. Keep our guard up." Ella spoke to Bri.
"Really? I like this chick's style. Maybe she'd give me a conversation worth having. Unlike the useless dribble I get from you."
Ella was unamused with her other self and pushed her further into her mind, which would surely come back to bite her later. "And you are?"

[Cinderella Man]

Sharon, who had remained quiet during most of the conversation occurring around her, removed her head from between her legs and looked up at the newcomer with nervous eyes. She sighed quietly. She was quite aware that it was socially appropriate to introduce yourself several times in a situation where not everyone would hear it at once, but she hated having to talk so often. It made her feel uncomfortable.

"Sharon..." She mumbled, her head held down and made no eye contact, trying to appear as docile and submissive as possible. She wasn't concerned too much by Angelo or Ella, neither of them seemed as though they would be much issue. But the new woman, everything about her was intimidating, scary even. Sharon felt like she was commanding attention by just...being. She began to shrink into herself with each passing thought, fueled by paranoia and anxiety triggered by almost nothing.

[Art of Fun]

Hero

---

"Ortega, Ella, Sharon. A pleasure to finally make your acquaintance. We are missing two. If they show, you will know who." She took Ella's hand and give it a quick but firm shake, her grip deceptively vice-like, and then broke off from the gesture. She bowed her head in a steady and deliberate manner, hoping to communicate that she meant no harm to them. She was not ignorant of her own...'charm', as it were. People who were not soldiers could easily be uneased by her presentation, even if she was just a recent graduate of a Military Academy. "I am Corporal Elise Sternn, daughter of General Mastricht Sternn." Elise introduced herself as a formality raising her head.

"I'm also the one who arranged for us all to meet, in case you had not assumed that." Her voice was terse, unwilling to waste any more time. Her eyes were momentarily drawn to Sharon once again, making another mental note. Anxiety - a social weakness in her eyes. If she had her way, she'd hammer that dent out... but she'd wait for that. No need to rush. "I believe you three are aware as to why?" Elise asked, raising her brow in an inquisitive manner.

[Jangel13]

yep take down villains and empty out dungeons you know save the world and all that" Angelo said thinking that even the hardest of female generals were still females but what Angelo also knew was that even a negative first impression could lead to a good one in the end so Angelo continued his rain of roses. " I must say corporal you are one hard woman! I must say that you can damn well be as good a general as your father by your very presence sends a shiver up my spine like seeing a tiger on the prowl" Angelo growled a little getting close to her showing he wasn't afraid of her as he put the rose in her hair walking away "Even you with your claws and teeth still have the coat of a beautiful creature" Angelo said grinning moon walking back to Ella still not taking his eyes off her till he was a good distance and relaxed waiting to see her reaction to positive reinforcement of her feminine side

[Dessie777]

"The shards of course. The ones my father mentioned." She replied to Elise as Angelo stepped forward with a speech. Ella watched the scene almost amused as she waited to see the reaction the woman would have to the flirtatious nature of Angelo. As the presumptuous boy placed a flower in the corporals hair Ella turned her head to Sharon. The poor girl seemed to shrink away from the group her eyes cast low.
Determined to help the girl Ella stepped forward whispering so as not to interrupt the fiasco taking place. "Sharon, right?" She smiled as friendly as she could. "Are you alright?" Stepping forward a sharp pain in her head hit like a train and stopped her in her tracks.
"Not now.." Ella moaned cupping her head in her hands a pained look taking over her face.

[Background]

"You can sing? That's great. Sing for me. Anything."

In truth, Catherine didn't need the mood lighting. Or the singing. A simple light spell or two would probably have done the trick. No, she needed his help with the actual spell, and she had been taught that crossdressing men with unnecessarily large sticks are usually wizards. Usually. That was the key-word here. Usually. Her finely-tuned wizard-finding instincts fell flat this time, but damned if she couldn't put him to use.

Regardless of whether or not he did the stupid spinning thing she requested, mostly because it was not actually necessary, she sets the goblet down and crouches beside it. With a quick gesture and a whispered word, the golden candlelight flickered, waxed silver, then sickly green. The light grew darker, bent, congealed, oozing into the cup with an alien grace.

She shivers, exhaling slowly. The candles die down, and the chalice trembles. Once. Twice.

And then it turns into a large, mottled goose.

Catherine presses both palms to her face and sighs, even as the goose honks, flaps its wings, waddles onto her cot, and takes a seat. She takes a few steps back and flops almost bonelessly onto her fancy chair, shaking her head. "Ugh."

[Art of Fun]

Hero

---

Elise did not move an inch beyond her eyes, watching him approach her with a neutral expression. She took the perceived compliments and the rose without issue, appearing to just be waiting for the man to be done. When he finally moved away, she cracked a slight smile - a very kind one, but with hidden intent behind it. Elise reached up and took the rose from her hair, eyeing it before merely placing it down on the ground lightly. She returned her focus to the entire group rather than just Angelo. Her reaction was merely disinterest with no words spared.

"Ella," Elise nodded to the girl, "has the more accurate answer. We have been gathered with the intent to collect and complete the World Heart. If you have any objections with this goal, then voice them." She explained briefly. Ella's sudden indication of pain was not missed on the Corporal, her brow arching. "Are you ill?" She inquired, tilting her head to the side.

[Dessie777]

HERO
"Fine." Ella snapped at the girl. Her voice had changed into something else, something deeper and darker. The pain on her face deepened and her hair began to grow and change to a lighter color. Within seconds her hair was nearly to her ankles and a light blonde. The pain faded from her face and she dropped her hands slowly to reveal a completely different girl than moments before.
"I'm back bottom feeders." With a 'better than thou' smirk she locked her fingers together and rested her hands behind her head. Surveying the group she saw a coward, a kiss up, and the emotionless wonder. "This." Snarling her eyes rested on Angelo. "Is." They shifted to Sharon. "It?" Finally she looked Elise up and down. "Heros my rear end." Scoffing she rolled her eyes sighing heavily. "I'm Bri."

[Jangel13]

Damn girl you feisty!" Angelo growled grinning at the new version of his girl elli which somehow turned into bri....no idea why and couldn't care but Angelo had to work his magic twice on the same girl but this girl was more of the tom boy then anything else. So Angelo had to think of a way to get on this girls good side, with tom boys though it was always a mystery so Angelo decided to try something that he thought would work since a dominant female wont let up unless approached by a more dominant male. "yo bri! you think you can talk about us not being hero's? I got half a mind to show you what a real hero can do, now don't mistake my kind nature to your other half you disrespect me and you get your ass whooped. Although im loving the long hair that comes with this half but you don't get to talk unless you got something to throw down on the table!" Angelo growled with an evil grin knowing this girl either had to put up or shut up now that Angelo called her out about not calling us hero's and if nothing else it would give him respect because he stood up to her regardless and proved he wasn't just a lover but a fighter....

[Art of Fun]

Hero

---

"Unnecessary posturing and pseudo-machismo blowharding aside," Elise began, shaking her head slightly "Bri, was it? Could you do us the honour of explaining what exactly this -," She gestured to Bri's appearance with a hand, up and down. Her eyes had since squinted, taking on a rather unpleasant edge to them. "is, exactly?" Elise's hand returned to her back. The intensity of her gaze faded somewhat as the cogs in her head came to a slow over the whole situation. It'd since been long trained into her head that a level-head was important, it'd take a lot more than something like this to jolt her.

"And yes, this is it so far. Do hope it hasn't disappointed you too much, even though you are as ignorant to our capabilities as anyone else here." Her voice dripped with venom, her smile holding a dangerous feel to it. This girl couldn't put on a genuine fake smile to save her life it seems. She was not so much challenging the girl with her eyes and smile, but more giving out a subtle warning. She had a rough idea as to how this one would behave.

[Cinderella Man]

Sharon quickly realized that this situation was turning hostile fast. At least, in her eyes. She scurried away to the other side of the monument, leaving her stuff behind without a second thought. She leered over the side of the monument, trying to watch the group from afar. "..This..isn't good." Factoring out Angelo, who was a minor annoyance at the time, Elise was enough to try and deal with, her constant gaze judging everyone. Sharon shuddered slightly, hiding away behind the side of the monument once more. She curled up into her ball once more, her chin rested on her knees, and Sharon simply waited.

Waited for what? Anything, really. Someone to kill her, the "argument" to stop, her father to come back from the dead. As several depressing thoughts began to flood themselves into Sharon's mind during her time of silent reflection, she slowly began to wish that she had brought her book with her.

[Dessie777]

HERO

Bri watched Angelo's spurt with an amused look before bursting out laughing. She was laughing almost too hard to hear what Elise had said but her burn sent her into another fit of chuckles. "Wait..What?" Squeezing words in between giggles she nearly doubled over laughing. "Pretty boy over here's got a mouth! I like it!" Straightening up she looked to Elise before giggling again. Once her laughing had subsided she turned to Angelo with a stern look. "Doesn't mean I like you."

Finally being able to keep a straight face she decided to Answer Elise. "I'll let you in on a little secret." She leaned towards the stern woman with a mysterious air. "I'm cursed!' Louder then needed she started to make ghost noises. "OOooOoooO!" wiggling her fingers in front of her face she laughed. "Seriously though. Ask Ella. I'm sure she likes to get into all the serious Mumbo Jumbo about our "personality issues' but I couldn't care less." She made quotation marks with her hands on 'Personality issues'. "All I want is a pint of ale."

After terrorizing Elise she turned a sideways glance at Sharon. She could already tell she would be fun to mess with.

[SuperNinjaMagi]

-------Villain-------
After listening to Robin offer to widen the tunnel followed by Jonnie's comment of it alerting the Koblods we were here Soren sighed. He really couldn't care less either way. Besides crawling through muddy water never hurt anybody. At least as far as he knew.

Once Jonnie and Robin had finished speaking Soren spoke up.
"Glad that's settled then." He said smiling, "Good thing you know a drying spell Robin."
Turning back towards the narrow opening before them he saw Elize and her skeleton quietly waiting for them to sort themselves out.

Walking up the the entrance Soren had to stoop to look down the tunnel.
"Well, it may be dark and cramped, but our future helpers are on the other side so there's no helping it." As he was about to head into the tunnel however he remembered the fact that kobolds were known for there deadly traps. Slowly taking a step back he turned to face the others again.
"Uh, since I doubt any of us like the idea of being impaled or dismembered who votes we send the dead guy in first?" He said raising his hand to show his somewhat obvious opinion on the matter.

[Jangel13]

Dessie777 said
Bri watched Angelo's spurt with an amused look before bursting out laughing. She was laughing almost too hard to hear what Elise had said but her burn sent her into another fit of chuckles. "Wait..What?" Squeezing words in between giggles she nearly doubled over laughing. "Pretty boy over here's got a mouth! I like it!" Straightening up she looked to Elise before giggling again. Once her laughing had subsided she turned to Angelo with a stern look. "Doesn't mean I like you."Finally being able to keep a straight face she decided to Answer Elise. "I'll let you in on a little secret." She leaned towards the stern woman with a mysterious air. "I'm cursed!' Louder then needed she started to make ghost noises. "OOooOoooO!" wiggling her fingers in front of her face she laughed. "Seriously though. Ask Ella. I'm sure she likes to get into all the serious Mumbo Jumbo about our "personality issues' but I couldn't care less." She made quotation marks with her hands on 'Personality issues'. "All I want is a pint of ale." After terrorizing Elise she turned a sideways glance at Sharon. She could already tell she would be fun to mess with.

Don't need you to like me bri, just know you disrespect me or anyone else here I'll put you in your place and say sorry to elli afterwards. I got my skills that will kill easily" Angelo said grinning taking another rose and he went over to bri and he put a flower in her hair like before "bri you can mock me but I still care about you and I like elli. How about for every insult you avoid or not hit me I'll buy you as pint" Angelo said grinning

[Dessie777]

HERO
"Ella." She corrected him in the middle of his sentence but let him continue anyway. Bri's gaze hardened when he had the nerve to say he cared. "Care..? Care about me?" Scoffing her face showed many levels of anger and disbelief. "You just MET me. Don't go spilling some crap about caring for me when you don't know me." Ripping the rose violently out of her hair she threw it to the ground. "If you "Cared" about me you wouldn't be threatening me would you?" Her hand rested uneasily on her sword as she snarled at him.

Still fuming from Angelo she turned to Elise with a snarl. "Let's.Get.Going." Bri sputtered out through her teeth. An almost visible air of anger surrounded Gabriella's whole body. "Where do we find these stupid shards anyway?"

[Art of Fun]

Hero

---

"I'll be sure to ask Ella about it then." Her smile grew wider momentarily, giving Bri an appreciative nod. "If things go well, you shall get more than your share of ale. An excessive amount even, should that be what you wish." Carrot, meet stick. At least she knew one way to get the more abrasive of the duality to work with her, if needs be. Elise watched and listened as Angelo did his 'thing', earning the ire of Bri. A more than appropriate response from her, if Elise had to be honest. If she were less of a controlled girl, she would have likely acted in the same way to Angelo. Amusing, none the less.

"That's the first hurdle we must leap, Bri. I have my own hypothesis' as to where they might be located, but it is merely that at this point. It is to this end that I suggest we pursue a lead - an acquaintance of the ones who killed our parents." She puffed up a little with pride. She had her head in the game and a guideline to follow for getting the shards back, she deserved that much. "If this sounds like a desirable path to you all, then I will give out some more information." She raised her voice a little, ensuring that Sharon would be able to hear her from the hiding spot she'd taken to.

[Jangel13]

Dessie777 said
"Ella." She corrected him in the middle of his sentence but let him continue anyway. Bri's gaze hardened when he had the nerve to say he cared. "Care..? Care about me?" Scoffing her face showed many levels of anger and disbelief. "You just MET me. Don't go spilling some crap about caring for me when you don't know me." Ripping the rose violently out of her hair she threw it to the ground. "If you "Cared" about me you wouldn't be threatening me would you?" Her hand rested uneasily on her sword as she snarled at him. Still fuming from Angelo she turned to Elise with a snarl. "Let's.Get.Going." Bri sputtered out through her teeth. An almost visible air of anger surrounded Gabriella's whole body. "Where do we find these stupid shards anyway?"

Ah true but I made you laugh didn't I? That's what gives me the largest reward from a girl like you. Even so I do not question Mozart if he was a composer same way you do not doubt the legitimacy of us or me being a hero. I do care but more so to know both you and Ella, your fire and Ella sweet compassion. So during the quest if like you to tell me about you and bet who can kill the most monsters in one dungeon and whoever loses had to buy the other as much ale they can drink" Angelo offered knowing that would get him back on her good side or at least get her hand off her sword and let him near her

[Dessie777]

HERO

"Let's get this show on the road. The sooner we start the sooner we get this over with." She added her hand still curled around the hilt of her sword. "The sooner Sir. Talks a lot is gone." Bri chuckled at her hypocritical comment. "What do you know?" Suddenly the man started talking again producing an annoyed sighed.

Bri watched Angelo while raising an eyebrow. "The only part of that I cared about was Ale. Who the heck is Mozart?" With a disgusted look she looked him up and down. "Tell me he's nothing like you." Although she wouldn't admit it she was half impressed the man was still trying to win her affection.

[Jangel13]

Dessie777 said
"Let's get this show on the road. The sooner we start the sooner we get this over with." She added her hand still curled around the hilt of her sword. "The sooner Sir. Talks a lot is gone." Bri chuckled at her hypocritical comment. "What do you know?" Suddenly the man started talking again producing an annoyed sighed.Bri watched Angelo while raising an eyebrow. "The only part of that I cared about was Ale. Who the heck is Mozart?" With a disgusted look she looked him up and down. "Tell me he's nothing like you." Although she wouldn't admit it she was half impressed the man was still trying to win her affection.

Oh no he's a deaf music composer. Although he was deaf no one ever questioned if his music was the greatest to all ears that listened. Thankfully no he's nothing like me, because nobody could ever make another me like nobody could ever make another you. I wouldn't want to be with anyone but you and that extends to Ella you both are special and I want to know now about the both of you. " Angelo said knowing that even if he wasn't making progress he was slowly chipping down her walls and that makes the challenge even more exciting when Angelo can finally see the doors open up and find a neutral zone where both sides like him for who he is