My LEGO Nexus Organization

The rain fell heavily over the city. The icy droplets of polluted water mingled with the thick cloud of smog that perpetually covered the city. The sound of the rain hitting the pavement mixed with the honking of car horns and the yelling of pedestrians.
The girl gripped her umbrella more tightly and walked faster, aiming to get out of the cold. A sudden gust of wind blew a piece of paper towards her, and, without any conscious thought, she reached out and grabbed it. It was a flier for some sort of store.
 Black Phoenix Corporation it read. For all your supernatural needs.
Call 555-616-6666. Open from 11:30 PM to 4:30 AM, and by appointment. Address varies. No refunds or returns. Help wanted.
She sighed and tossed the flier away. Some people will believe anything...
She walked off to continue her life, leaving the flier dancing in the breeze...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This is an episodic RPG. Players will come into contact with the Black Phoenix Corporation through a number of means, and will be able to make job requests, perform jobs, or investigate this mysterious group.


===NPCS===
Name: Zachery Trinn
Age: Late Teens/Early 20s
Appearance: Thin, with short black hair that tends to spike up on its own. His eyes are hidden by the crimson goggles he always wears.
Bio: The Phoenix Corporation's self-styled "lab tech", Zachery handles matters of curses and resurrections. Though working at the Phoenix is his main hobby, he works part-time at McDonalds to help put himself for college as well.

Name: Shopkeeper
Age: ??
Appearance: Tall, wrinked, and bony, with long pale-green hair and spectacles that slide down his long, pointed nose. He is always hunched over, and walks with the aid of a knotted walking stick.
Bio: Whenever one enters the doors of the Shop of Dark Wonders, the shopkeeper is there. He's not one for words, but if one needs to speak of supernatural matters, he can always lend a hand...

Name: Ann Viliá
Age: ??
Appearance: A whispy, thin girl who dresses in ragged brown robes. She seems to glide above the ground, and gives off an unearthly aura. Her messy brown hair hangs down, obscuring her face.
Bio: Ann acts as an assistant to the Shopkeeper, showing people around the Shop, and running messages between Zach and the Shopkeeper- since neither of them bother to get up.

Name: Claré Voya
Age: ??
Gender: Female
Appearance:  Average height, with long silver/blonde hair. She wears tan robes, metal "gloves" designed to look like long, thin claws, and her entire face, save for her pure-white eyes, is covered by a featureless white mask.
Bio: Claré is better known as the "wishmaker". She seeks out depressed-looking people, and requests a gift from them. Should they provide her with something (anything at all will do), she will offer to grant a wish for them. However, wishes granted by her tend to become twisted, and most everyone she approaches ends up committing suicide.


Name: Justin Chase
Age: 31
Gender: Male
Appearance:  Tall and thin, yet surprisingly muscular. He hides his shoulder-length brown hair under a fedora, and wears a brown trenchcoat with a black tuxedo underneath. His face is scarred, and his thin mouth is set in a permanent scowl.
Bio: A police officer obsessed with the Black Phoenix. Justin is convinced the Phoenix is plotting something horrible, and is determined to expose it and arrest the members. More than that, however, he also has a personal stake in the downfall of the Phoenix: Revenge.

Name: Fira Cutter
Age: Claims to have been born in 1561 BC.
Gender: Female
Appearance: A red and white striped tube top and extremely short shorts, concealed under a lab coat. The coat is covered with bloodstains and other chemicals. Her reddish-gold hair is tied in a long ponytail, and her blue-black eyes are always masked by her scratched-up lab goggles.
Bio: Dr. Cutter, as she calls herself, claims to be the "world's greatest healer". She has such fine control over her blade that she can cut open a patient and preform complex surgeries, with no anesthetic, without the patient feeling any pain whatsoever. Cutter often brags that her skill is such that she can manually remove every last harmful bacterium from a patient's body, by hand, in under half an hour.
When no patients are available, Cutter entertains herself by performing random surgeries on her own body.


Name: Aki "Princess" None
Gender: Female
Age: 27
Appearance: TBA
Bio: The "Crime Princess", Aki controls all organized crime in the city.


Name: Jewel
Gender: Female
Age: 26
Appearance: TBA
Bio: Kept as a slave by Aki None as proof of her power over the criminal underworld. None treats her extremely cruelly.



====Player Characters===
Template:
Name:
Age:
Appearance:
Bio:

Name: Anna
Age: 22
Gender: Female
Appearance: Waist length wavy blonde hair, grey-blue eyes, pale white-blue shirt, navy-blue skirt knee-length skirt with dark blue bicycle shorts, black socks, and silver running shoes.
Bio: Anna is somewhat spiritually inclined, having had supernatural experiences since she was rather young; including learning at a young age how to effectively astral project herself. She is typically rather calm, and is easy going, but has taught herself how to fight in self defense against those who think she is crazy.

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna sighed, as she spun around in her whirlie chair, waiting for the site she was on to refresh. As it did, she went back, looked, and sighed again, as she hit f5 for the millionth time that day, waiting for a certain topic to be posted in. As she pushed off in a circle again, she brought her legs up to her chest, and grabbed them with her left hand, using her right hand to continue the momentum. Anna yawned, as she slowed herself down. She looked at the clock with a sigh, noticing it was getting rather late.
"Almost time for me to rest, and there's nothing here..." Anna mumbled under her breath, knowing she had her college dorm room to herself, so no-one would hear or care. However, she refreshed once more, and this time, there was actually a reply in the topic she was interested in. Intrigued, Anna clicked onto the topic in question, which was about recently deceased pets.

AlmondPorpoise Posted:
Geez, I hope you're OK...losing a dog is never easy.

Nightflame Posted:
Why be sad? PM me, I can arrange to return your little pet from the beyond.

Master3 Posted:
Not this troll again...

MOD:
That's it, he's banned.

Nightflame:
You think so? No matter. I'm bored of this site. None of you have any interest in the occult.

MOD:
Well duh. This is a site about puppies.

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna chuckled at the thread, but shrugged, as she took the bait.
"Zerohavok Posted:
Well I don't know about you, but I personally have an interest in both the occult and puppies. Probably not the best way to talk about both, but still."
Anna finished typing, as she clicked 'send', wondering what kind of response she would get.

A response happened instantly.

Nightfire: Do tell. Shall we take this conversation to PM, then? Since the moderators seem frustrated with their inability to remove me from this topic.

FrogPickle: Oh look, the two creepy dudes are gonna cyber.

Nightfire: I assure you, I've no interest in dudes.

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna's eyebrow twitched at both responses, for all reasons.
"Zerohavok:
Yeah, no. I'm a girl, you dorks. And I'm not amused with what you're implying, Frog."
Anna leaned back in her chair, fuming at what was said, but then refreshing after she sent her reply, and seeing what happened after.

FrogPickle: And I'm Queen of England.

MasterofPie: Cool story bro.

MOD: Do I have to ban all of you?

Message: You have a private message from Nightfire.
Greetings, Anna.
Tell me, is your interest in the occult genuine?

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna seemed shocked when she saw what Frog had posted.
"Zerohavok:
You are? =O Very nice! Didn't know we had royalty on here!"
Anna seemed impressed when she replied, smiling at the fact that there were famous people on this small website. However, she then noticed the message indicator and raised an eyebrow, but shrugged, as she opened it and read it.
"Message:
Why yes, it is! I practice astral-"
Anna, however, paused as she was in the middle of typing it, and looked back at the original message with a blink, as she frowned.
"... How do you know that name...?"

Mod: OK, topic is getting locked. Everyone go away.

Message from Nightfire:
How indeed? Almost as if I have some supernatural ability. But that certainly isn't something the uncultured dolts on this forum would believe.

So, astral projection? Intriguing. I personally am a purveyor of the art of Resurrection.

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna raised an eyebrow at that.
"Message:
Okay, then tell me, what am I doing right now?" Anna asked, not to be skeptic, but literally out of curiosity, as she stuck out her tongue at the screen.
Okay Anna, you're definitely going crazy now. Anna thought, but knew it was a good test.

-==IC: Anna==-

Okay, that got her attention. She hadn't actually been expecting that, and nearly fell off her chair, but then raised an eyebrow.
"Message:
Hidden camera???"

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna looked around at the things around her room which she had had signed with her name, and then nodded.

-==IC: Anna==-

"Like what?" Anna said, giving up on the actual typing part, since it didn't seem necessary anymore; ignoring the fact that to anyone who actually managed to hear through the walls, they'd hear her talking as if she was on the phone with someone.

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna narrowed her eyes slightly, moving her closed mouth to the left a bit.
"Message:
Alright they, smart aleck, what chair am I in?"
Anna posed the question to Nightfire, tilting her head to the side as if she was skeptical, but it was more something to test him on.

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna seemed amused, as her mouth curled into a slight smile at seemingly having caught him.
"Message:
No, it's a whir- ... ... ... ... ... ..."
Anna paused for a moment, and looked perturbed for a moment, but then chuckled.
"hahahahhahaha, gotcha; I knew it was you, Shelley. should've figured it was you when you mentioned the dude thing. Nice laugh there, really had me fooled for a bit, since you're the only one who knows about all that stuff and that I actually told about this place."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna shrugged, but nodded.
"Message:

Sure; but don't even think of trying anything funny."
Anna replied, as she was intrigued about all this; but counted on her fighting skills to help her out, even if she wasn't entirely impressed with this situation.

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna rolled her eyes, but headed out.

46 minutes later, she got to the cafe, and panted, as she walked over to the counter, and began to order something random; the person at the desk raising an eyebrow at her out at this hour of night, and the fact that she was so out of breath.

A young man with spiky black hair and red-tinted glasses waved at her from a nearby table. He was eating the largest doughnut Anna had ever seen, and for some reason, had covered it with ketchup.

(cafe person): "Miss? Here's your blueberry-pomegranate-cheddar smoothie."

-==IC: Anna==-

"A-yeah, thanks." Anna said, distracted by the sheer oddity of the doughnut the guy was holding, and took a sip of the smoothie, not able to disguise the shudder she had for a moment.
Never order random again.

he cut off a piece of the doughnut with a spoon and ate it.
"So, miss Anna. Are you truly interested in the-" he paused to choke on the doughnut "-occult?"

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna looked at the man with an amused smile.
"That depends, are you truly interested in that doughnut?" Anna asked, not really meaning that it depended, but she had no better retort at that moment.

"Indeed. I'd offer you a bite, but I don't feel like sharing."
His phone rang. His ringtone was "This is Halloween" from Nightmare Before Christmas.
"Ah? Hello? ..No. No. No. I'm sorry, but you have to finish it-Because I am at WORK. I don't care. I did the last assignment for you. if you want an A, you have to EARN it. Goodbye." He hung up and rolled his eyes.

-==IC: Anna==-

"Son?" Anna said, trying and failing to hide her amused smile at her own joke.

"...Classmate. I'm only twenty-two."

-==IC: Anna==-

"Ah, too bad." Anna said, and then raised an eyebrow, looking at him again.
"Where do you shcool, anyway?" ANna said, for lack of a better way to ask.

"Fdvjdgnfkvcvx muphmepj." He mumbled through a mouthful of doughnut.

-==IC: Anna==-

"That sounds like a cool place, Fedvoj... How do you pronounce the rest of it?" Anna said, in a tone that didn't show whether or not she was mocking him or being airheaded again.

"I...What? anyway, I invited you here to discuss the occult, not my pharmacology degree."

-==IC: Anna==-

"alright, I can discuss occult; what do you want to talk about first, spirits? Astral projection? Stuff you think happen but no-one else believes you about?" Anna asked cheerfully, apparently enthusiatic about this.

"Heh. That last one won't be an issue. I've seen everything, my dear. Corpses rising from the dead, ghosts, psychic readings, curses...Astral projection isn't something I've firsthand experience with, but I have witnessed it before. That's the beauty of my job. It lets me see all sorts of paranormal matters. What most people find fantastic is just a normal day for me."

-==IC: Anna==-

"That sounds amazing!" Anna said, obviously impressed, totally not getting that most of it was an exaggeration.
"What is this job, anyway?" Anna asked, curiously.

"McDonalds."

-==IC: Anna==-

"Ah-" Anna began to say, and then blinked.
"... McDonalds?" Anna asked, confused at that.
"Well, I guess you would see a bunch of paranormal stuff there..." Anna mused with a nod.

"Wait, no, no. McDonalds is my day job. From 11:30 PM to 4:30 AM, I work for the Black Phoenix Corporation, a special group that handles all matters paranormal. We're actually open now if you'd care to see the shop. Pass me that mustard, please."

-==IC: Anna==-

"That'd be cool." anna said, as she indeed passed him the condiment.

He poured the rest of the mustard into his coffee, along with a good amount of salt, and sipped it contentedly.
"well, shall we depart?"

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna blinked, and frowned, gulping down the entire random drink in one gulp, slightly smiling at it, holding back her true reaction to the taste.
"Let's." Anna said, not wanting the guy to one-up her.

A generic thug tried to mug them, because that's what happens when you walk down a dark alley at one in the morning.


Zach sighed. "Miss, please allow me to handle this delinquent."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna didn't actually listen, however, and cheerfully walked over, and then kicked upwards quickly, the wind catching her skirt momentarily.

The thug ran away screaming for his mother.

Zach whistled appreciatively. "Quite a lovely view, my dear. Shall we proceed?"

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna sighed, and shook her head at him.
"See, that's exactly why I wear shorts." Anna said, giving him a dirty look for a moment, as she waited for him to head onward.

He led the way to another dark alley. off to one side, the street dropped off suddenly. A rickety metal staircase led the way down into utter blackness.
"Do watch your step. it's a one-story climb down to the entrance."

-==IC: Anna==-

"Alright!" Anna said, as she ran carelessly down the stairs.

Zach sidestepped quickly. "Do be careful, these stairs are liable to give out under our weight as-is."

-==IC: Anna==-

"Oh, fine." Anna said with a sigh, as she slowed down, shaking her head, as he had a point.

At the base of the stairs was a small rusted door.
Zach opened the door and walked into the dimly lit room beyond.

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna, on the other hand, jsut cheerfully skipped ahead.

Anna skipped right into a large statue of a man with his innards spilling out.

The inside of the building was vastly larger than it had appeared outside, apparently running under several city blocks. It looked much like an old library, but with only a few books. In most of the shelves were dozens of ancient-looking statues, tablets, urns, jewelry, and all sorts of other things.

A bit further in, an elderly man sat at a large oaken desk. He made no sign of having noticed the newcomers.

-==IC: Anna==-

"Cheerful looking place." Anna said, having noticed the statue at the last second, and instead was talking before she pulled herself off the statue.
"What is this place, anyway?" Anna asked, finally asking the important question.

"Welcome...to the BLACK PHOENIX!" Zach said, posing dramatically as flames suddenly appeared from a vase behind him, then faded away. "Aw man, it got ash on my shoes."

-==IC: Anna==-

If crickets were present, they would have chirped, as Anna simply walked by him.
"Sounds like an interesting place." Anna mused, and then whirled around.
"So! What sorta occulty stuff do you do here, 'Nightfire'?" Anna asked, a wide grin on her face.

"I mainly handle resurrections of the dead and curses. And my name isn't Nightfire, that's just a username I choose since sexypony was already taken."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna blinked a couple times.
"Nightfire is better." Anna decided on the spot.
"What is your name, anyway?"

"I AM...THE LORD JESUS CHRIST!" He posed again, but the fire didn't appear. "****, guess it needs to be refilled. Anyway, name's Zach."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna smiled amusedly at his critical failure, but nodded.
"I'd introduce myself, but apparently you know my name already."

"Indeed. And this delightful gentleman here..." He skipped over to the desk and grabbed the old man's shoulder "is the shopkeep."
The shopkeep did not acknowledge either of them.

-==IC; Anna==-

Anna nodded, as she walked over to where Zach walk, close enough to shake his hand or so.
"So, how much do you know about me, anyway?" Anna asked, testing him again.

A slightly-scratchy female voice spoke from directly behind her. "You have cute underwear."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna nodded.
"Why thank yo-" Anna said, finally realizing it wasn't Zach, which was why she wasn't about to slap him in the face, but paused, and turned around, confused.

Standing behind her was a tall, incredibly thin girl with pale skin, sunken cheeks, and stringy hair that covered her eyes. She wore a tattered brown dress, and seemed to move without any motion of her legs. "They're blue."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna blushed slightly, but nodded, and walked up to Ann, looking at her. She then tried to brush the hair out of the other girl's eyes.

Anna woke up several minutes later.
(Zach): "Oh good, she's still alive."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna blinked.
"What exactly happened?" Anna asked, sitting up, confused.

"Nothing to be concerned with, you just fainted."

OOC: Note that Ann is no longer there, just Anna and the Shopkeep.

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna looked around with a frown.
"Where'd that cute girl go?" Anna asked, confused.

"I think she's sitting right there." Zach pointed at Anna.

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna blinked a few moments, and then smiled knowingly.
"Thanks." She said, holding back her own retort simply because she knew how to take a compliment from time to time. There was time to get him back soon enough.

"Now then, I believe we were discussing your underwear?"

-==IC: Anna==-

"And what about them?" Anna asked, testing him once again.

"I believe you were telling us all about them."

-==IC: Anna==-

"Pretty sure you're mistaken." Anna said, not seeming to be entirely impressed about that, and then yawned.
"... ANy beds here or so?"

"My, and here we've only just met! this is truly a lucky day for me, but no, I am waiting for true love to blossom first. But yes, there's a bed down that aisle I use when the coffee  wears off, knock yourself out."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna's vision and face quickly turned red, and she quickly attempted to slap Zach in the face.
"Seriously! I didn't mean it that way, pervert!" Anna said, stepping back two steps quickly, not impressed at all at what had happened.

Zach dodged, then raised an eyebrow as Anna backed into the shopkeep's desk and flipped back over it, landing in a thankfully empty trashcan.

-==IC: Anna==-

"Eek!" Anna said, falling into the trashbin.
"... I'm alright! I'm perfectly fine!" Anna said, as she got out of the can, and then sighed.

"Right..." Zach muttered. "How about I just have my coworker show you to a bed, hmm?"

-==IC: Anna==-

"Probably the best idea." Anna agreed, not entirely pleased with Zach's behaviour at that moment anyway.

Zach walked up the the desk and rang a bell located on it.

(Ann, from directly behind Anna, about half a second later): "You rang?"

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna seemed slightly intrigued, and then nodded with a smile.
"Oh, so you decided to return, huh?"

"I did not. Zach rang the bell, so I came."

-==IC: Anna==-

"I'll have to remember that." Anna said with a nod, as she thought for a moment.
"Alright, I think I'm ready for sleep, so, yeah."

Anna awoke to the sound of muttering voices. A young woman was talking to the Shopkeep, but she couldn't make out what they were saying.

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna's face turned neon red as soon as she woke up forcefully, and then scowled for a moment at the tenacity of Zach; however, when she heard the talking, she seemed curious, and slowly and quietly got out of bed to avoid making sounds, and tried to get closer so she could hear.
I really need to work on the rest of my potential abilities... Anna thought, as she tried to hear what was said.

"Allow me to ask once more." The Shopkeep was saying. "You wish the return of your deceased sister, even at the risk of side effects?"
"I do." The girl said.
"Very well. As form of payment, I require three strands of your hair, five undamaged white lilies, and a crystal flask containing no less than half a liter of sunflower oil. You have until the end of next month to provide payment. If this is not acceptable, the cash price will be fifteen hundred dollars." He rang the bell, and Ann emerged from the darkness behind the girl. "Ann, take our new client to Zachary." Ann nodded and glided farther into the store, through a large brass door.

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna seemed intrigued, and once again went into astral state, this time making sure to not be quite so noticeable.

The Shopkeep seemed to look up as she floated past.

Ann glided through several more rooms of increasingly-disturbing objects. She was oddly difficult for Anna to see in her astral state. As last, she arrived at a large, old elevator. The doors opened without the need for any button pushes, and she led the girl inside.

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna seemed intrigued, and thought for a moment, as she followed inside, taking care to try and stay out of sight as best as possible, hoping no-one actually could see her.

The elevator doors hissed closed, and the lift began to descend.

~~~~~Fifteen Minutes Later~~~~
(Girl): "Uh...how far down does this go?"
(Ann): "Far enough."

The lights in the elevator went out, plunging everything into pure blackness.

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna was intrigued, curious about what happened, as she tried to have her astral eyes adjust.

For an instant, the darkness around her seemed filled with glowing, thousand-legged insects, floating eyeballs, and other things she couldn't describe. Then the lights reactivated, as the elevator went still further down.

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna stayed calm, as she took deep breaths to avoid freaking out in astral state.

The elevator came to a stop. Ann glided out, leading the way down a dark stone hallway. At the end of the hallway was a steel door. Ann took out a key, inserted it in a slot beside the door, and turned it several times. Each time, a rumbling sound could be heard beyond the door.

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna looked intrigued at what happened, but inwardly a thought crossed her mind.
Wait, this isn't the place... Anna thought, and was then suddenly curious, as she tried tofocus on Ann.

Ann was no longer there.

The door opened. Zach's voice echoed from inside...though he was using a badly-faked British accent. "Come in, my dear."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna was now confused at that, and despite Zach talking to the woman, Anna followed in after.

Anna was unable to enter through the door, nor could she see or hear beyond it.

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna blinked in confusion.
What the...? Anna wondered, having never seen anything she couldn't actually enter...
Is that... Anna's eyes widened, as she tried to instantly appear where Zach had been earlier.

She appeared there.

(Shopkeep): *without moving* "Welcome back, young lady."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna ignored that fact, but frowned.
"Ignoring the fact that everyone can see me, where did Zach go?" Anna asked, as obviously they could hear her too.

"He is dealing with a customer right now. He did not permit you entry to respect her privacy. he is resurrecting her deceased sister, after all. I do hope it works out for her, though it rarely does."

-==IC: anna==-

"Rarely does?" Anna asked, confused about that, but nodded.
"That makes sense, though, but a heads up about things like that would be nice." Anna said with a chuckle, but was still confused, as that seemed oddly convenient...

"Indeed. Returning the dead tends to have...side effects."

The elevator door opened, and Zach exited, followed by the customer, and another younger girl.
"Now, remember, she needs to drink at least three glasses a day of the serum. I know it seems disgusting to you, but she won't be able to get enough of it. It'll be her new favorite. Again, that's honey, onions, vinegar, sea salt -not table salt-, pine extract, and a human hair, preferably yours, all blended together. DO NOT allow her to miss a day."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna raised an eyebrow at the concoction's description, inwardly wondering what it tasted like.

Zach ushered the two girls out of the shop, then returned and shut the door behind him. "We'll see how long that works...I doubt they'll last long. Ann, want to help me dress Anna's body up like a circus clown? I'll keep her from reentering it, and I doubt we'll have any more customers tonight."

(Ann): *nod*

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna reached for a nearby object, and threw it at Zach. However, mid-throw, she realized she still could not interact with the physical world, and muttered a string of curses at Zach.

Zach laughed and wandered off.

(Ann): "...So...no clown?"

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna paused,and then sighed.
"Alright; clown's good." Anna said with a shrug, being unable to actually not go along with that with Ann's tone.

(Ann): *deadpan* "yaay."

~~~Half an hour of intense makeup application and clothing changes later~~~

-==IC: Anna==-

"... Well, at least the hair's not touched." Anna said, blushing behind all the makeup, as she turned her body to look in the mirror and examine it.
"Not the worst suggestion Zach could've come up with..." Anna muttered, and chuckled.
"How do I look?" Anna asked slightly cheerfully, knowing that wasn't gonna be a good answer.

"Sexy." Ann said, still deadpan.

-==IC: Anna==-

"I take it you like clowns." Anna said with a chuckle.

"No."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna nodded, and then paused, and then blushed even more.

"Your face is red. You should lie down."

-==IC: Anna==-

"No, no, I think I'm good." Anna said with a nod.

(Shopkeep): "We close in five minutes. You should go home and get some sleep, young lady. And if you wish to make a purchase, now is the time.

(Zach): "Yeah, I'm off. Say, Anna, you need a job?"

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna nodded, as she sadly started to wipe the makeup off, and changed out of the clown costume.
"Yeah, a job would be nice!"

Zach handed her the flier. "We don't pay well, but if you want occult experience, this is the place."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna nodded, and accepted it, as she straightened her shirt, and then smiled widely.

Zach led her out of the building, closing the door behind them.

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna looked at Zach smugly.

"You still have clown makeup on."

-==IC: Anna==-

"No I don't, I wipedit all off already."

Zach reached over to her face and removed a part of the makeup she'd missed.

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna blinked, as she looked at it.
"Huh. Good eyes." Anna said, surprised she had actually missed something.

He chuckled. "Well, I'm off for the night, early morning for me. Return tomorrow at 11:30 PM with your job application and a hair sample if you want the job."

-==IC: Anna==-

"... Hair sample?" Anna asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Blood sample works as well. Have a good night.."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna just stared blankly after him and shook her head.

OOC: Timeskip? To when?

OOC: I don't know. =P

OOC: Well, should she apply for the job or think some more?

OOC: Apply. =P

The door to the Black Phoenix was opened by Ann Viliá.

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna walked in, yawning as she held the application in her hand.

Ann took the application, tore it in half, and threw it away without looking at it. "Come in."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna blinked a couple times, but shrugged and walked in.

Ann shut the door behind her. "Zach is downstairs."

-==IC: Anna==-

"Alright then." Anna said, though that didn't necessarily actually help anything.

Ann just stared at Anna.

-=+IC: Anna==-

"... Where downstairs?" Anna asked, a bead of sweat rolling down the back of her head as she looked at Ann sheepishly.

Ann glided into the back of the room, towards the elevator.

-==IC: Anna==-

Oh, there. Anna said, now very intrigued, as she headed to the elevator, and walked in.

The elevator began to descend.

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna looked around awkwardly, not sure what to do, as she recalled what happened the night before.

The elevator finally reached the base.
Ann glided over to the door and rotated the key several times, then opened the door.

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna gulped, not sure what to expect,but breathed in, held her breath for a good minute or two, nearly passed out, and then released the breath and walked through the door normally.

It was a perfectly normal, if messy, office room. Zach was lounging at the desk.

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna just stared blankly.
"You needed all that security stuff for this?" Anna asked skeptically.

"What security?"

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna motioned behind her to the many locked door.

"Ah. That's not for security, but  rather to ensure you get the right room. If the key isn't turned the right amount of time, you'd just get an empty room."

-==IC: Anna==-

"Oh." Anna said with a nod, finally understanding why she couldn't get in the ngith before. Maybe.

"The secure room is the one back there." He pointed over his shoulder at another door.

"Now, then, you decided to join us? If so, there are three rules you'll have to follow."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna nodded, waiting to hear the rules.

"Rule one: Your dress code is kitty ears, a tank top, and a miniskirt. Rule two: You will make out with Ann on camera for me. Rule three: You will bring us food every Thursday and Sunday."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna just stared at Zach skeptically, most specifically about rule 1.

"I'm willing to compromise on the first two, but food is non-negotiable."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna smirked, but nodded.
"I can handle getting food." She said with a chuckle.

(Ann): "No kiss?"

OOC: Unless otherwise stated, assume everything is in a complete monotone, and her facial expression never changes.

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna turned around with a coy look on her face, mischievously seeming to think about the situation.

Ann stared back at her, expressionless.

(Zach): "If this is happening, let me get my camera."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna smirked, and took a step forward.

Zach pulled out a video camera.
Ann simply looked at Anna.

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna gulped slightly, and stepped forward again.

Ann did not move.

-==IC: Anna==-

By this point, Anna and Ann were standing pretty much face to face, and Anna paused, and then kissed the other girl.

(Zach): "This is going on YouTube."
Ann did not make any effort to return the kiss, but she didn't move away either.

Ann blinked. "No passion."

OOC: Alone reference. :P

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna blushed, but had no clue what else to do.

Zach laughed. "I was joking about kissing Ann, you know. The only actual rule if you work with us is that you have to chip in to buy food. Still, I appreciated the show, almost makes me wish I'd actually turned on the camera."
He spun around on his whirly chair.
"As for actual rules, if you want to work here, they're pretty simple. We accept all jobs from clients, no matter what. Our personal morals don't matter. Don't steal anything from us. Try not to touch anything in the back rooms without proper precautions. Don't discuss any Black Phoenix secrets with non-employees."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna blushed when Zach clarified what he did, but nodded.
"Sounds good to me."

"Great. So, whenever you feel like going out on a job, just talk to the Shopkeep and he'll tell you your options. The rest of the time, just hang out here with us and make sure the customers don't do anything especially stupid."

-==IC: Anna==-

"Anything stupid?"

"Sadly, a lot of people don't believe in the occult. So they'll mess around with the merchandise, thinking it's 'funny'. The results are never pretty."

-==IC: Anna==-

"Ohh... Yeah; I can see how that would be bad." Anna agreed with a nod.

"bad for them, and bad for whichever of us has to clean it."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna nodded, as she thought for a moment.
"What are the jobs usually, anyway?"

"Well, they can be anything. Obtaining an item for our store, retrieving items from customers that broke the rules of their purchase, exorcisms, breaking (or casting) curses, research..."

-==IC: Anna==-

"That sounds like it could be pretty cool." Anna said with a nod.

"Well, like I said, all you need to do is talk to Shopkeep whenever you feel like a job."

OOC: How this works:
the Black Phoenix Corp. building is the "hub". You go on quests by talking to Shopkeep.
Main story quests will happen automatically.
Example quest offerings (much like in Pokemon Mystery Dungeon, non-story quests will have generic titles, along with a difficulty rating):
Current Rank: Unpaid Intern. Point to next rank: 1900.

OOC: Is this Time, Darkness, or Sky? =P

-==IC: Anna==-

"Alright then." Anna said with a nod.

OOC: Gates to Infinity? :P

IC: "So, is there something you wanted to talk about?" He spun around in his chair.
Ann watched them, expressionless.

-==IC: Anna==-

"When'd you get a whirly chair?" Anna asked with a bright smile.

OOC: Can't comment on that. =P

"Found it."

-==IC: Anna==-

"... Found it where...?"

"A sidewalk."

-==IC: Anna==-

"... When?"

"The 47th of Janumay, I think."

(Ann): *even quieter whisper than normal* "When he talks like that, it means his coffee is wearing off."


OOC: I wonder if there's a way to rephrase Ann's line...I don't like her using complete sentences. It feels too wordy for her.

OOC: "When he's like that.... The coffee is gone..."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna nodded, knowing the effects full well.
"Maybe you need sleep." Anna suggested.

OOC: Perfect, thanks.
...would also be a good way to describe Godot (http://tinyurl.com/ld8n8mj)...

IC: "Sleep? Who has time to sleep? I work here from 11 PM to 4:30 AM, then I have to be at school by 7:00 AM, classes last until 5 PM, and I'm flipping burgers from 6:00 PM until 9:30 PM, and then I have homework."

(Ann): "...I sleep a lot...eternal rest..."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna paused and blinked, as she tilted her head at Ann, wondering if she heard that right.

Ann looked at her, expressionless.

(Zach): "So, ready to get to work?"

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna nodded, with a slight yawn.
"Yep!"

"well then, go talk to the Shopkeep."

-==IC: Anna==-

"Alright." Anna said with a nod, as she prepared to follow Zach.

Zach remained seated and did not move. "I'm not doing anywhere. It's YOUR job."

-==IC: Anna==-

"Not doing anywhere? You really do need a nap." Anna teased, and sighed.
"Alright, but if I get lost, I'm blaming you." Anna said, as she walked off.

OOC: Revive Alone next. :P
Did Anna get lost or not?

OOC: Good question. =P

OOC: Decide. :P

OOC: Maybe a bit. =P

Anna found herself in a hallway lined with mirrors...which reflected her as a corpse.

-==IC: Anna==-

"... Okay, that's creepy."

The reflections all turned to look at her.

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna tilted her head, not having expected that.

All the reflections reached out for her.

OOC: She should probably run.

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna backed up and then ran the way she came.

Anna ran into Ann.

-==IC: Anna==-

"Oof." Anna said, as she fell backward, and then blinked.
"Oh, hi Ann." Anna said happily, as she stood up and brushed herself off.

"Breaking a mirror...is seven years...bad luck..."

-==IC: Anna==-

"Good thing I didn't break it!" Anna said happily.

"Yes...Good..." Ann glided away.

-==IC: Anna==-

After that, Anna made her way back to where she was headed in the first place.

The Shopkeep turned to look at her.

-==IC: Anna==-

"I'm here for... Whatever it is I'm suppsoed to do!" Anna said happily.

"ah, you want to see the job listing? as it happens, there's only one job available right now."



Deliver the Package!            Very Easy

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna picked the job.

"Well then. This is a very simple job." He handed her a brown package. "Take this to the address written on the package."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna nodded and looked at the address on the package.

It was the address of an old, run-down motel in a bad part of the city. Room #606.

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna nodded, accepted the package, and happily skipped off to said place.

The motel owner glared at her through a cloud of cigarette smoke. "Whaddya want?! If you're not paying, get outta here."

-==IC: Anna==-

"I'm here to make a delivery!" Anna said happily, as she suppressed a yawn luckily.

"To who? I'm not expectin no deliveries."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna rhymed off the address and room number to confirm.

"Fine, go on up, but don't touch nothin or it'll be your head."

-==IC: Anna==-

"I won't touch anything but the door handles, since I've gotta get in somehow." Anna said happily, as she walked toward where she needed to go.

The door was locked.

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna awkwardly stood there for a moment.
"Hello? I'm here to deliver a package!" Anna called out, hoping someone would answer, since she was told not to touch anything.

No answer.

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna awkwardly stood there, unsure what to do after that.

OOC: She takes "don't touch anything" literally, I see...

OOC: Ditzy. =P

OOC: Well, I can't do anything until she knocks. :P

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna had an inner conflict with herself, and then decided the door was included in what she could touch, and then knocked on the door.

The door opened.
An unshaven, slightly foul-smelling man opened the door. His clothes made it clear he lived on the streets most days. "Muhhh...Whaddya want? You ain't the girl I ordered...yer too young." He spat on the floor.

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna held up the package to show the guy.

"...Wazzat."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna called off the address info to confirm it was indeed the right place to be.

"Wuhh...?"


OOC: Very, very drunk.

-==IC: Anna==-

"..." Anna looked at the door number to make sure it was the right place.

"If ya' arn't the girl I ord'rd, g'way."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna had no clue what to do, as she started to walk away, puzzled.

OOC: I notice she hasn't actually shown the package.

OOC: Okay, then let's redo that. =P

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna held up the package to show the guy, still puzzled.

"Whuzzat?"

-==IC: Anna==-

"The package I need to deliver, which is apparently addressed to you?"

"You...you got th' package?"

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna looked at it and then looked back to the guy.
"Definitely seems like it, considering I have it in my hand."

He snatched it out of her hands and slammed the door.

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna frowned, as she double checked the door to make sure it was the right place.

(Ann, directly behind Anna): "Delivery...Complete..."

-==IC: Anna==-

"That answers that question, then." Anna said with a nod, as she began to happily walk out of the hotel, and back to headquarters.

(Shopkeep): "Good work, child. if you want to do any more jobs, just talk to me."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna nodded, as she wondered what to do next.

Ann glided over to Anna. "I want to...comb...your hair..."

-==IC: Anna==-

"Sure!" Anna said happily, as she sat down to let Ann do that.

Ann pulled out a long spiked flail and began using it to comb Anna's hair.

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna blinked, and kept very still.

(Ann): "Your hair is shiny..."

-==IC: Anna==-

"Thanks." Anna said with a smile in response.

Zach walked over, sipping a mug of peppermint-pumpkin-sauerkraut-pickle juice-hot chocolate.
"How'd the job go?"

-==IC: Anna==-

"Pretty good, although a bit weird." Anna admitted with a chuckle.

"Weird?"
He sat down next to Ann. "Let's give her pigtails."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna explained what happened, as they began to work on her hair.

(Zach): "Ah. Yeah, standard delivery job. Don't worry, once we're sure you're trustworthy we'll give you cooler jobs."
(Ann): "Your hair...is silky..I'm...jealous..."

-==IC: Anna==-

"It was pretty cool, I just don't know why I couldn't touch things." Anna said with a slight shrug, and a hint of a blush at the compliment.

"What do you mean, couldn't touch things?"

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna explained.

"I think he just meant 'don't steal anything', Anna." Zach chuckled.

-==IC: Anna==-

"Oh." Anna paused, as that made sense.
"Well, I'll have to remember that for next time, then."

(Ann): "We should...go...clothes shopping...together..."
(Zach): "Right, I remember why I came up here. Shopkeep, that girl come back yet?"
The Shopkeeper shook his head.

-==IC: Anna==-

"Girl?" Anna asked, slightly confused, but she nodded at Ann to agree with it.

"One of my customers. Ann and I have a bet as to if she'll survive the curse long enough to bring me what I need to break it."

-==IC: Anna==-

"Curse?" Anna asked, intrigued by this.

"Yeah, some idiot took her photo with a cursed camera, now she'd doomed. I could free her in like a second if I had the camera, but apparently her brother took it to school and it got stolen. And since she can't afford my deluxe package, she'll die unless she recovers the camera."

-==IC: Anna==-

"... I see...." Anna said, as the wheels in her head began to turn, and then yawned.
"Say, do you mind if I take a quick nap, and maybe look at like a picture of this camera and girl......?" Anna said, as she tried to be subtle about the things and utterly failed.

"You know where the beds are. And the photograph is...um, Ann, where did I leave it?"
(Ann): *Shrugs*

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna thought for a moment, as she tried to figure out how she was gonna handle this.

(Ann): "All...done..."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna, having thought about the other situation, had blanked out, and had no clue what Ann meant.

"Your hair...it's done..."

-==IC: Anna==-

"Oh." Anna said, and looked for a way to see her reflection.

Ann held up one of the distorted corpse-mirrors.

-==Anna==-

"Uhhh...." Anna wasn't quite sure what she was supposed to be seeing here.

"Do you think...it's cute?"

-==Anna==-

"Yeah!" Not sure about the rest of me, though...

"I'm glad...you like it..."

(Zach): "So yeah, feel free to nap whenever you want, we can usually handle this with two people on duty."

-==IC: Anna==-

"Oh yeah?" Anna asked, since she wondered about that.
"Goes for you, too, right?" Anna asked, a slightly amused smile on her face.

"Yeah...when the caffeine wears off I can fall asleep midsentence."

-==IC: Anna==-

"Wanna get a nap now, then?" Anna asked, amused.

"No, I'm caffeinated enough that I think I can see atoms."

(Ann): "He does this every night..."

-==IC: Anna==-

"Heh." Anna seemed amused, and thought.
"Though, I bet you're still rather tired..."

"I'm a college student. I work at McDonalds. I work as a supernatural shop attendant. I'm used to only sleeping for a couple of hours every week." He trailed off and fell on the floor, snoring.

-==IC: Anna==-

"Called it." Anna said with a giggle, as she hefted up the sleeping man, and began to walk to actually let him nap on the bed for once.

(Ann): "He'll wake up in about fifteen minutes...and he'll probably think he's in class."

-==IC: Anna==-

"Hmm... Might have to remember that." Anna said, a mischievous smile forming.

"So...you wanted to see...a picture of the camera?"

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna nodded.

Ann glided over to a drawer and removed a photograph.

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna watched, intrigued.

Ann handed her the photo.

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna looked at the photo in question.

it showed a girl of about 19 years of age posing in front of a building. her face was blurred out completely, and an image of a skull was superimposed over her.

-==IC: Anna==-

"Hmm... Is there one of the camera, though?" Anna asked, frowning at the look of the photograph.

Ann pulled out another picture. It showed an old camera, from when film was still a novel idea.

-==IC: Anna==-

"Hmm..." Anna nodded, as she sighed.
"Is just the camera needed to break that curse, then?"

"That's what..Zach needs..."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna nodded.
"Alright, roger that." Anna said, and then closed her eyes, and focused, as she fell 'asleep'.

Ann shrugged and glided off.

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna opened her eyes in her astral form, and then focused, trying to find where the camera might be.

(Zach): "Looking for something, sweet-cheeks?"

-==IC: Anna==-

"Kinda, yeah, thought you were still sleeping..." Anna said with a sigh.

"I am. This is a sort of telepathy. Of love."

-==IC: Anna==-

"Oh, really now." Anna said, amused slightly, as she crossed her arms, just floating there for the moment.

"Indeed. Your lust for me has synced us."

-==IC: Anna==-

"Uh-huh..." Anna seemed definitely amused now.

"Indeed, my lovely one."

-==IC: Anna==-

"Hmm, I see then." Anna giggled, still amused, as she paused for a second.
"One sec, think I found something." Anna said, as she vanished from her current point, and reappeared close to where she thought the camera might be.

"That's...my lunchbox."

OOC: The camera isn't here. It was lost by a classmate of the cursed girl, remember? :P

OOC: Yeah, she's searching around, trying to find it around the world. =P

-==IC: Anna==-

"I... I knew that." Anna said, as her face turned beet red.

"And that...is my underwear drawer."

-==IC: Anna==-

"Sh-shut up..." Anna said, blushing even further, as she tried to broaden her astral search to outside of the base.

"And those are my chem professor's dentures."

-==IC: Anna==-

"Okay, just, ew."

"Fourth time's the charm, gorgeous."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna didn't say anything, and instead tried again.

She found herself in a small pawn shop. The girl from the photo was pleading desperately with the bored-looking owner.

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna looked intrigued, as she triedto catch a glimpse of her face.

She looked like a normal, average girl, the sort of girl you'd pass on the street and not notice.

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna seemed interested, and looked around for any sign of the camera.

(Pawn Store Owner): "Listen, kid. At this point I'd be willing to give you the **** camera just to get you to shut the hell up, but I don't even HAVE the **** thing anymore! I sold it yesterday!"

-==IC: Anna==-

"Well that sucks." Anna mumbled, and then tried to look for any sign of who the camera might have been sold to.

Anna woke up in the Black Phoenix building.

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna blinked, and then frowned.
"Well... Guess I'm looking for this in person. Got a lead, at least..."

(Zach): *snores*

-==IC: Anna==-

"Well, he wasn't joking about sleeping."

(Zach): *waking up* "OBJECTION!"

-==IC: Anna==-

"Uh-huh. Hiya, 'handsome'." Anna said, still amused about that conversation.

"Wha-Oh, so that wasn't a nightmare. OK then."

-==IC: Anna==-

"I dunno if I'd say it was your nightmare." Anna said, as she rolled her eyes.

"I assure you, it was."

-==IC: Anna==-

"I dunno, since technically I was sleeping too." Anna said, amused.
"Either way, I found a lead on that missing camera." Anna mentioned off hand, as she looked around, prepared to go looking into it further.

"Great. What was it?"

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna proceeded to explain what she had found.

"Hm, interesting...so what do you plan to do next?"

-==IC: Anna==-

"I was thinking of following up on the leads."

"Alright. Where do you plan to go?"

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna explained her plans.

OOC: I need to know what you're planning as well. :P
Since she doesn't have an address for where the camera is.

OOC: Talk to the pawn shop guy. =P

(Pawn Shop Owner): "Come in. Ya lookin' to buy or sell?"

-==IC: Anna==-

"I'm looking for information."

"I sell things, not information. Git."

-==IC: Anna==-

"How about no." Anna said, as she crossed her arms.

"Listen, you little *****, I said get-" His face turned pale, and his eyes widened in terror. He stared in horror at something right behind Anna.

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna frowned, and then whirled around, cautious as she did so, as she dropped into a fighting position just in case.

Ann was standing right behind Anna. "Hi."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna relaxed as she saw that it wasn't a robber or someone, and then turned back around.
"Now, then, you'll tell me what I want to know."

The owner was cowering under the table. "I-I'll tell you any thing! Just k-keep that- that -THING away from me!"

-==IC: Anna==-

"A camera, you sold it to someone; who?" Anna asked, skeptical still.

"Y-yeah. Some old guy, said he was an antique collector."

-==IC: Anna==-

"Got any info on this guy?" Anna asked, frowning slightly.

"I-I-I have his address! H-Here, take it!"

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna nodded, and accepted it the address, and began to walk out of the shop.

The store owned collapsed on the floor sobbing as they left.


(Ann): "That was weird."

-==IC: Anna==-

"Definitely." Anna agreed, as she headed off toward the place the store owner had mentioned.

(Zach): "I didn't know this city even had giant, ominous mansions perches atop perpetually-stormy cliffsides."
(Ann): "You learn something new...every day..."

-==IC: Anna==-

"Let's just go get the camera back; we can't really waste time, after all." Anna said, as she headed toward the place in quetion.

The door opened slowly. The inside of the mansion was pitch-black, lit only by occasional flashes of lightning. The music of a pipe organ filled the air.

-==IC: Anna==-

"What are we gonna find here, Ganondorf at the top?" Anna asked with a raised eyebrow.

(Ann): "Who?"
(Zach): "Yes."
Suits of armor lined the entrance hallway. In the main room, a huge spiral staircase led upwards. Painting of incomprehensibly horrible creatures lines the walls, their eyes following Anna. A half-eaten slice of pie was on a large table in the main room.

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna looked shocked when she saw the pie.
"The horror! Someone left that uneaten!"

(Ann): "I like pie..."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna nodded.
"I've got half a mind to stop this villain just because of that."

Zach gestured to the staircase. "After you, meatsh-er, milady."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna rolled her eyes, but walked forward.

In the topmost floor, an stark-naked elderly man was hopping around a badly-drawn pentagram.
(Oldguy): "Hoopa-woopa-fleepy-flo!"

-==IC: Anna==-

"Is this the guy?" Anna asked, skeptical.

(Oldguy): "Hoopa hoopa HOO-" he noticed them. "Oh, hello. Terribly sorry I didn't notice you earlier. Are you the demons come to drag all reality screaming into the gibbering madness of hell?"

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna thought for a moment.
"Nope, as nice as it might sound sometimes, especially about every month, we aren't."

The old man looked very sad.

(Zach): "So, did you happen to buy a camera lately?"

(Oldguy): "Oh! Oh yes, the Camera Mortis! Yes, yes, it's right here on this shelf."

Zach leaned in to examine the camera. "Yep, that's a camera alright."

Ann glided over as well. "That's it?"

Zach nodded. "Yep. Alright, let's go."

He turned and made to leave, without even making an effort to take, or even carefully inspect, the camera.

-==IC: Anna==-

"Wait, what are you doing?" Anna asked with a frown, not sure why they weren't taking the camera.

"Going to TGI Fridays. My treat."

Ann nodded. "Milkshakes."

OOC: I may be craving a certain restaurant.

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna stared blankly, and then frowned, her lips pursed, as she followed them, knowing not to actually say anything right at that moment, since the creepy dude was present too.

The old guy turned back to his pentagram and began flapping his arms like a chicken. "OOGA OOGA FLOOM!"

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna turned away from the creepy guy in question.

"HOORPA FLOORPA GORP! YIMMA YAMMA FLEEMY FLOO!"

(Zach): *descending the stairs* "What are your thoughts on hot wings, hotlips?"

-==IC: Anna==-

"They sound good." Anna said, and briefly considered leaving the camera topic alone. But then decided against that. "Exactly why did we leave the camera behind, again?"

(Zach): "I'm not the one that's cursed. I just came because I was curious. let that girl find the camera if she wants to save her life. She'll probably die anyway, though."

-==IC: Anna==-

"Right. Save me some wings, would ya?" Anna asked, as she ran out of the building for the moment, and then hid herself for a moment, as she tried to 'sleep'.

(Zach): "She's gonna try to take the camera, huh."
(Ann): "Yeah."
(Zach): "More food for me."
(Ann): "Are you...going to save her...the wings?"
(Zach): "Hell no."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna chose to ignore the comment she'd heard when she woke up in projection form, and instead attempted to find the girl again.

The girl was walking down a long road, trying to shield herself from the rain.

Just around a short curve, a car's brakes failed.

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna frowned, as she tried to focus, and figure out a way to get the girl to pay attention to her... She also scanned the area for potential ideas of where to look, as she had a bad feeling about this.

The car skidded around the bend. The girl dove to the road, and the car passed over her.
She lay on the rainslicked street, soaking wet and trembling.

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna snapped her eyes open, and then quickly ran to where she figured the place was.

Anna arrived half an hour later, soaked from the rain. The girl had crawled into a deserted warehouse in an attempt to get out of the rain. Her clothes were soaked and her eyes vacant.

-==IC: Anna==-

"Are you alright?!" Anna asked, as she approached the girl, slightly worriedly, but glad that nothing seemed to have gone wrong.
Now, we just need to get back and get that camera...

The girl looked up in surprise at Anna. "Y-yeah. H-hey, didn't I see you in the shop?" She could barely speak through her chattering teeth.

Up above her, a loose crate shifted.

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna nodded.
"Well, at least, I'm guessing you did. Phoenix, right?" Anna asked, to make sure she was talking about the same shop, but then paused. "Though, there is something about that." Anna said, not entirely sure how to explain that she'd found the camera, though something made her have a very bad feeling.

The girl buried her head in her knees. "I'm doomed...I can't find that camera, and all this stuff keeps happening, and-"
The crate fell.

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna frowned and then tackled the crate out of the way before it could fall on the girl.

Running headfirst into a 1-ton wooden crate is, of course, painful, but the girl did manage to dodge.

-==IC: Anna==-

"Ow, ow, ow..." Anna winced, as she rubbed her face, which had hit the crate as well, and sighed. "You alright?" Anna asked, as she looked over to the girl.

The girl shuddered. "That keeps happening...Oh god, I'm gonna die."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna smiled.
"No, you aren't... I found the camera; we just have to go get it, since a certain someone is lazy." Anna said, as she held out her hand to help the girl up.

The girl's eyes widened. "Y-you mean it?"

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna nodded.
"Let's go, shall we?"

The girl followed Anna.
After a few near misses, seven and a half of which involving a rubber gorilla and a tuna, they made it back to the Very Ominous Mansion.

-==IC: Anna==-

"Alright, let's go, and let's be careful, okay?" Anna asked, holding onto the girl's hand for the girl's own safety, literally, at this point.

(Oldguy): "EEKEY FREEKY LOOPY LOO! CHUMBA WUMBA GOOBY GOO!"

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna ignored the guy, and simply walked to where the camera had been.

Oldguy accidentally kicked over a candle, which promptly ignited the girl's pants.

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna quickly got out a bottle of water from her backpack and threw it at the girl's pants, used to this by now, as she looked back to grab the camera.

The Camera Mortis was right where they had left it.
(Oldguy): "FLEEPA WEEPA WEEPA!"

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna picked said camera up.

Oldguy clucked like a chicken.

(Girl): "So-so we just take this to the store, then..."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna nodded.

After several incidents with a clown car, a banjo, and Morgan Freeman, Anna and the girl made it back to the Phoenix.

-==IC: Anna==-

"We should have gotten his autograph." Anna insisted, as she sighed, trying to track down where Zach was, now.

(Zach, right behind them): "Boo."

(Girl): *shrieks*

-==IC: ANna==-

"Stop that!!" Anna exclaimed, as she jumped slightly too, and punched Zach.
"That's partly for not saving me any wings, too..."

Zach signed. "Ann, please throw out the plate of wings we saved for Anna."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna simply looked at Zach, as if to say 'well played'.
"... Anyway, I believe there's something to fix?" Anna asked, as she looked back to the girl.

Zach took the camera and turned to the girl. "Now, are you sure you want me to break the curse?"
(Girl): "YES!"

Zach shrugged. "'Kay, I'll do my best. But Anna, you're gonna have to pay whoever wins this bet, because you screwed with the outcome." He walked over to the elevator and descended.

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna nodded, as she felt that was better than just abandoning the poor girl.

Zach returned a few minutes later, looking annoyed. "Curse should be broken. Anna, pay Ann fifty bucks. I'm gonna go pick camera shards out of my hair."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna giggled, and handed Ann the money in question, and then looked over to the girl.

The girl looked nervous. "So...I-I'm going to be OK?"

Ann looked at the money blankly, then threw it in the trash.

-==IC: Anna==-

"Should!" Anna said happily, as she nodded. She made a mental note to retrieve that from the trash later, however.

The girl sighed in relief. "Wow...thanks. I'm-I'm gonna head home, then..."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna nodded, and paused.
"I, um, what's your name...?" Anna asked, as she rubbed the back of her head awkwardly.

"A-Annastasia." She opened the door, and several gallons of water flowed in. "Hm."

(Zach): *returning* "Kinda rainy outside, huh."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna blushed slightly, but nodded.
"Yeah... Wonder why it's raining so much...?" Anna wondered, and she curiously wondered what Anastasia was like, since she seemed pretty nice from what things were like so far.

Zach bowed before Anastasia. "Please, allow me to escort the lovely young lady home."

-==IC: Anna==-

"W-well, I guess, if you think that works..." Anna said, slightly disappointed with that turn of events, but given that she had no clue how to actually have a conversation with the girl in question right then, it wouldn't matter much anyway, whether she argued or not. Besides, at least she saved Anastasia, right? She felt like that was a good choice right there.

(Ann): *looks at Anna* "Are you in love?"

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna blushed, and scratched her head.
"W-well, can't really call it that, now, can I? I barely even know her, after all..." Anna mumbled, knowing that there was very little chance of anything going right there for her, anyway.

"I thought you loved me."

OOC: Ann doesn't care. :P

-==IC: anna==-

"Honestly, I don't even know what I'm feeling, since, well..." Anna trailed off with a deep blush, unsure what she was even thinking, and her troubled face reflected that.

Ann shrugged and glided off.

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna simply sat down where she was, studying the floor to try and get out of dealing with her troubled thoughts.

(Shopkeep): "I'd advise you to get home for the night, young lady. And do note that with the weather as bad as it is, I think I'll be closing up shop for a week or so to get some new drains set up outside."

-==IC: Anna==-

"Ahh... Alright." Anna said with a nod, slightly disappointed that she hadn't helped out more, but slowly stood up with a sigh, as she scratched her head, and looked around, and slowly left, unsure what even to do now, since she didn't really feel like going straight home.

OOC: Just skip to either the following day or the following night. Day for character development, night for plot.

OOC: k. =P

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna walked into the rain, and then headed through town, as she came to a bridge, and then looked up, as the rain hit her face.
"Is this why you always seemed to feel sad, sis...?" Anna wondered out loud, talking to no-one in particular, as she looked down to a bundle of flowers, and then smiled slightly, as they were still intact, and then wandered onward with another sigh, actually heading back to her dorm this time.

OOC: Now, timeskip to dya. =P

OOC: Ooh, backstory. :D

IC: The rain still had not let up. The sky was darker than ever, and many businesses had been shut down due to flooding. The water was over a foot deep in places, and many roads were unusable.


OOC: No, this has nothing to do with the fact that IT HAS BEEN RAINING FOR THREE STRAIGHT DAYS TEXAS IS NOT SUPPOSED TO HAVE THIS WEATHER.

OOC: Figured she needed something, being down in the dumps like that. =P

-==IC: Anna==-

"Sheesh,  so much rain..." Anna frowned, as she looked out the window, unsure of what even to do, with all this rain happening... However, she sighed and headed out the door of her room, figuring it was best to not care about the rain too much.

OOC: xP

The television was still on from when Anna had checked the news the previous night.
"Flood---in three dis---af-f--g----r------------" The lights went out.

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna stopped, and frowned. That seemed too... sketchy of a power outage. Why would things have cut out on the TV first? Anna slowly and cautiously looked around, unsure of what was going on.

OOC: It's called static. It's caused by bad weather. :P

OOC: Still, in a game where supernatural stuff is common... =P

The lights flickered back on, then went off.

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna frowned, and tried to make her way out, while the lights were off.

After walking into the same wall several times, the lights came back on.

-==IC: Anna==-

"... Seriously, how have I not memorized this place yet..." Anna mumbled, as she rubbed her nose.

OOC: What is Anna going to do?

Ooc: Not sure. =P I keep trying to leave, and you keep turning the lights off. =P

OOC: She can leave now.

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna sighed, and tried to leave, again.

It was incredibly stormy outside. The wind nearly slammed the door in her face.

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna blinked, and somehow managed to hold the door open, as she went outside.
Sheesh, good thing I wear those shorts... Anna thought, as she wondered what even to do right now, not expecting anyone to be around...
Though, hm, did he say he was working now...? Anna tried to remember with a frown.

(Lady): "AND WHEN I'M DONE TALKING TO YOUR BOSS YOU'LL NEVER GET TO WORK AGAIN YOU STUPID LITTLE SHITBAG, AND-"

(Zach): "Ma'am, I'm paid less than minimum wage to flip burgers. I had to SWIM here from my house. I really don't care about your stupid problems. Take your burger and go away."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna seemed rather smug, as she heard the swimming comment, but also felt a bit of pity, since Zach didn't deserve to be yelled at, and had half a mind to kick the woman out herself.

Zach looked up and saw her. "Oh geez."

-==IC: Anna==-

"Yo." Anna said, an amused smile on her face, as she looked out the window.
"Kyogre's having a field day, huh?"

Zach sighed. "How, of all the McDonalds' in the city, did you find me."

-==IC: Anna==-

"Ohh, no real method..." Anna said, not mentioning that she'd remembered from a previous time.

OOC: I think she'd headed there in a previous astral trip. =P

He sighed. "No discounts, no free food."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna shrugged, and then sat down nearby.
"..." Anna looked at the counter distractedly, as if something was on her mind.

"Something bothering you?"

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna didn't answer for a minute.
"Three years..." Anna said, and smiled ruefully. "Three years ago, there was a similar sorta rainstorm, right? Well, my sister was pretty down in the dumps a bunch of times.... Always overthinking things. The bridge was her favourite place to just cool down and relax. Usually, that'd be fine, she'd just hang out with friends or so..." Anna stopped talking for a minute, and then gulped, as she returned to talking.
"One day, though, it was raining about as hard as it was now... We both had gone there that day... Well, she was running, it was wet, and..." Anna trailed off, focusing on a point on the counter again.

"...I see." He turned off his register. "Let's go talk in the back."

-==IC: Anna==-

"Alright." Anna said with a nod, unsure why she was saying all that anyway...

Zach led her into the back room and sat down on a mop pail. "When I was young, I accidentally killed my puppy. I...I was sad, of course, and I was also afraid of what my parents would do. I...I don't remember exactly how, but I brought him back. My dog...I brought him back to life. And when my grandmother died the following year...I tried to do the same for her. I loved my grandma...more than my parents, actually. I...just wanted to see her again. It...didn't work. Not the way it should have."

-==Anna==-

"The way it should have...?" Anna asked, unsure what he meant. She definitely felt bad for him, however, since it sounded like he'd had a hard time too.

"Resurrections of the dead...they're tricky to pull off. And they never, ever end well."

-==Anna==-

Anna didn't know what he meant by the outcome, but guessed it was bad.
"Hopefully you didn't lose an arm and a younger brother..." Anna attempted a joke, but obviously even she didn't think it worked there. "I'm sorry to hear that things went bad..."

"When my parents left...I was raised by my aunt. But...I'm a magnet for strange things. She...She somehow got cursed. She died, thinking God had abandoned her." She stared at the ceiling. "The Phoenix is the only place for people like me. It's..all I can ever be. I don't need to worry about controlling my powers, or about right and wrong...all that matters is the job. It gives me something to focus on."

-==Anna==-

Anna stayed quiet for a couple minutes.
"You've definitely had a hard time... I'm sorry I punched you yesterday..." Anna said, as her problems definitely didn't compare to Zach's.

"What? No, it's fine. It's just...well, that's...I want to help you. I almost offered to bring her back for you. But..that..it wouldn't end well."

-==Anna==-
Anna smiled, but nodded.
"Yeah... I appreciate the offer, but, I even have the feeling it wouldn't end well... I don't even know if she'd want contact or not." Anna said with a slight shrug.

He sighed. "We're a messed up pair, aren't we."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna giggled, but nodded. Smiling a bit smugly again, and showinv her spirits were up a bit more, she looked over at Zach.
"So, hlw was the walk with miss Anastasia?" Anna teased, and partly was wondering herself.

"Huh? Oh, I just took her home and went to bed. You don't think I seriously made a move on her, do you?"

-==Anna==-

"No, I was more wondering what she'slike..." Anna said, though she seemed a bit off in the response.

"Ah. Well, I didn't really talk to her, I just made sure she got home safely. It's not a good idea to get attached to a customer."

-==Anna==-
"Oh?" Anna asked, wondering what he meant.

"This is just business. It's not a good idea to get emotionally invested.'

-==Anna==-

"Is it a good idea to ever get emotionallyy invested, thogh...?" Anna mumbled nearly inaudibly.

"That is a very good question."

-==Anna==-

Anna looked to the side, not having expected to be heard. At that particular point, she wondered why she'd even gone there, as it basically just made her mood worse.

Zach sighed again. "Sorry, I'm not really a good person to talk to about important stuff..."

-==IC: Anna==-

"Makes sense." Anna said, as she stood up, unsure what to do now.

Zach glanced at her, then closed his eyes. The air in front of her shimmered, and she saw images of her younger self playing with her sister.

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna took a step back in surprise, unsure what was happening.

OOC: Narrate the flashback, please.

OOC: I dunno, you were the one who decided it. =P

OOC: Just do a random "fond memory" of the sister.

OOC: Okay, will do tomorrow. =P

OOC: It's technically tomorrow here. :P

OOC: Blanking on ideas. =P

OOC: Literally anything. Just have them as little kids playing a game. Anything.

OOC: Still not totally sure right now. >>'

OOC: Blade, you have to learn to improvise. just have them play a board game or something. >_>

Serves me right for trying to help you have character development. :P

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna frowned, as she saw a memory play out of a time when her and her sister were experimenting with a Ouija board.
"What's it say, what's it say?" A younger Anna asked, as her sister looked at the board.
"Hmm... It says... 'T... h... a... n... k... y... o... u... f... o... r... r... e... l... e... a... s... i... n... g... m.. e...' Huh. That's an odd phrase..." Anna's sister mumbled, confused as to why it would give such a phrase. Anna looked at the board, and watched as the board spelled out three more words...
"Rainstorm... Anna Belle." Anna read, and then looked at her sister in confusion, as the board moved to the 'gone' position.

"Interesting..." Zach muttered. The image faded.

-==IC: Anna==-

"Interesting?" Anna asked, unsure what Zach meant.

"Ah-it's nothing. Nevermind."

-==IC: Anna==-

"Didn't seem like nothing to me from your reaction." Anna said skeptically.

"It's just...well, the board."

-==IC: Anna==-

"Yeah, I kinda was stupid to try and use that... But it was always just a prank, and I think my sister threw half of that in just to unsettle me." Anna said with a chuckle.

"You...think that? A-ah, well, then."

-==IC: Anna==-

"I... take it that you don't agree..." Anna said, her face showing her own new doubt.

"Er...no, it's nothing, really."

-==IC: Anna==-

"You're not just gonna leave me hanging, spit it out." Anna said, as she put her hand on her hip.

"...you lied about how she died."

-==IC: Anna==-

"Huh?" Anna asked, confused.

"Anna...how did your sister fall?"

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna seemed confused about that, and thought for a moment, and then paused, as her hand wavered for a moment.
"... I... was running too... right..." Anna said, her shoulders sagging a bit, as she realized.
"... I tripped, and sent her tripping instead, when I knocked into her..."

Zach nodded. "I see."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna looked to the side, as he probably thought it was all her fault, now.

"That board..I wonder if you still have it?"

-==IC: Anna==-

"Hmm, dunno; it's been a while since I've seen it." Anna said, unsure.

"Ah...too bad."

-==IC: Anna==-

"Why do you ask?" Anna asked, curiously.
"I mean, it might still be at the family house, but... Haven't been back there since term started."

"Ah, it's just...well, it might make a good item to add to the shop."

-==IC: Anna==-

"Oh yeah?" Anna asked, not certain Zach was telling the whole story again.
"Well, I guess we could look for it, but..."

"Well, it's not that big of a deal."

-==IC: Anna==-

"Spit it out."

"Well...I think that board- never mind." he stood. "I should get back to work. Get home safe."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna grabbed a hold of Zach's  shoulder.
"No, you're not getting off that easily. You're gonna explain on our way to my parent's house."

Zach twisted out of her grip. "I actually DO need to do my job. I shouldn't even be in break."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna just shook her head.
"Whatever, then..." Anna muttered, as she walked out of the room first. The kid annoyed her so much sometimes; and this instance was one particular example, since he just refused to say anything after making it seem like there was something to that ouija board.

OOC: Timeskip to that night?

OOC: If you want. =P

Right as Anna was starting to drift off to sleep, she heard a loud pounding at her door.

-==IC: ANna==-

Anna groaned and opened her eyes in slight annoyance, as she slowly walked out of bed, and opened the door groggily.

Zach and Ann were standing outside.
(Zach): "We're having a movie night. At your house. With your movies."
Ann glided past Anna. "Popcorn."

-==IC: Anna==-

"Ah, cool." Anna said, and then slammed the door in Zach's face once Ann was in.

Zach slid through the door as it closed. "Now that's not very nice."

-==IC: Anna==-

"Earlier wasn't very nice either." Anna said shortly, as she turned her back on him and walked further into the dorm room.

Zach raised his hand. Anna felt as though she were walking through quicksand.
"Anna, listen to me. When you've worked at the Phoenix long enough, hiding things becomes second nature. It's simply not safe for us to say everything we know."

-==IC: Anna==-

"You know, in another situation, that'd probably help. That just makes me wonder what else you're not saying."

he sighed. "I'm...not the best person to tell you what happened. I can examine the Ouija board, make some guesses, but as for what or who caused the..well, that's Ann's area of expertise."

(Ann): "Where is your popcorn?"

-==IC: Anna==-

"You should've said that in the first place." Anna said, as she rolled her eyes, and headed to the kitchen, pulled out a bowl full of popcorn, and brought an old dusty board over to Zach.
"Thought you guys were never gonna show up, I was just about to sleep..."

Ann glided into Anna's kitchen.

-==IC: Anna==-

"But the popcorn..." Anna blinked, and sighed, and then shrugged.

Ann returned with hot chocolate from Anna's kitchen.

==IC: Anna==-

"Oooh, good idea." Anna said with a nod.

Ann looked at Anna. "where do you keep your movies?"

-==IC: Anna==-

"Hmm, what kind, because they're in different places for each..."

(Zach): "Action."
(Ann): *At the same time* "Comedy."
*They look at each other*
(Ann): "Horror."
(Zach): *At the same time* "Romance."
*they look at each other again*
(Zach): "..."
(Ann): "..."
(Zach): "Sci-fi?"
(Ann): *at the same time* "Cartoons."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna smiled in amusement, and took some of the popcorn from Zach's bowl, and then ate it while watching the proceedings.

(Zach): "..."
(Ann): "..."
(Both): "Arglbeleleleblublah."

(Zach): "..."
(Ann): "..."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna sat down on the couch.
"This is more amusing than any movie, I've gotta say."

(Both): "Stay out of this."
(Ann): "..."
(Zach): "..."


(Both): *to Anna* "YOU pick."

-==IC: Anna==-

"Okay, old married couple." Anna snickered, as she got up and picked a random movie.

(Zach): "If we're married, that makes you our-"
(Ann): "-popcorn."

(Zach): "...That doesn't even make any-"
(Ann):" Popcorn."

-==IC: Anna==-

"No, really doesn't make popcorn, Zach, why would you think it did?" Anna asked, still amused by this whole thing.

Zach rolled his eyes. "So you're not angry with me anymore?"

-==IC: Anna==-

"Oh, I am." Anna said, a mischievous smile on her face.
"I just like you digging holes." Anna continued, the smile curling even further.

"Not quite my preferred kind of hole..." he muttered.
Ann idly reached over and started playing with the Ouija board.

-==IC: Anna==-

"Sure that's a good idea?" Anna said skeptically, after what they'd thought caused the incident.

(Ouija board): DEVILDEVILDEVILDEVILDEVILDEVI LDEVILDEVILDEVILDEVILDEVILDEV ILDEVILDEVIL

-==IC: Anna==-

"That doesn't seem good." Anna said with a slight frown.

(Zach): "Actually, that happens with every single Ouija board Ann's ever touched."

-==IC: Anna==-

"Huh, well that's interesting." Anna said with a blink, not having expected that.

Zach shrugged. "You get used to it."
(Ouija Board): AnnViliáisreall-
Ann removed her hand from the board.

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna seemed intrigued by that, but didn't mention it.
"So, any luck?" Anna asked, curious.

(Zach): "With what?"

-==IC: Anna==-

"Whatever is needed."

"needed for what?"

Ann stood and glided over to the TV. She turned it on.

(TV): "CURSE YOU, PERRY THE PLATYPUS!"

-==IC: Anna==-

"To find out what happened."

"aah. Well, this is definitely a Ouija board. That is my conclusion. As to the nature of the spirit summoned-"
(Ann): "Shush. I can't hear Doofenschmirtz."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna looked at zach as if he had three heads.

(Zach): "What now? I'm fairly certain I remembered to put on pants, so I can't see the purpose for that look."

-==IC: Anna==-

"... Nevermind. What were you saying?"

"That I'm not really qualified to judge the nature of the spirit responsible. You'd need to speak with someone who knows more about spirits, or I'd need to know a good deal more about your sister, your ancestors, and the history of that board."

-==IC: Anna==-

"So... What was the purpose of this?"

"We wanted a move night, and I don't have a TV."

-==IC: Anna==-

"... Oh." Anna said, and then sighed,and motioned to the couch.

Zach made as if to sit in Anna's lap.

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna blushed deeply, not expecting that, and didn't object mostly because of that.

(Ann): *deadpan* "No cuddle for me?"

-==IC: Anna==-

"W-well, y-you two can decide!" Anna said, Ann's words bringing her back to focus for a bit.

Zach moved over as Ann sat next to Anna.

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna's blush lessened a bit, as she wasn't sure what was going on right then at all.

Ann took a sip of hot chocolate. "Warm."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna nodded in response.
"Yeah, it is."

"I like warm things...everything feels cold to me."

-==IC: Anna==-

"Oh?" Anna asked, slightly confused.

Ann nodded. "I usually just feel cold. So warm drinks...even for a short time, I can be warm."

-==IC: Anna==-

"Well, that's always good." Anna said with a chuckle.

Ann nodded. "Yes. Normally all I feel...it's the cold of death."

-==IC: Anna==-

"Oh?" Anna asked, curiously.

Ann contemplated her hot chocolate. "Needs marshmallows."

-==IC: Anna==-

"Well, there were some in the kitchen..."

Ann stood up and glided into the kitchen.

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna looked back over to Zach sharply.

"I didn't even say anything!"

-==IC: Anna==-

"No, but I bet you were about to!"

"What, are you psychic as well now?"

-==IC: Anna==-

"No. Just going off previous experience." Anna said, as she turned her head with a scowl.

"Come now, why are you so angry? You're much more attractive when you smile."

-==IC: Anna==-

"Kiss-up." Anna muttered without turning her head back.

"I prefer kiss-and-MAKE-up."

-==IC: Anna==-

"Oh really now." Anna said, as she turned back, a skeptical and not amused look on her face.

He sighed. "This is absurd."
He stood up. "If you insist on being angry, then there's clearly no need for me to be here."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna sighed.
"Fine, what do you want?"

OOC: Why no Ace Attorney today?

IC: "That's the question I should be asking you."

OOC: Was busy.

-==IC: Anna==-

"Maybe by not giving false hope? That'd be nice."

"I tried to avoid telling you any details specifically BECAUSE I didn't want to give you false hope."
He sighed again. "I tried to be nice and show you a memory of your sister to cheer you up, and now look what's become of it."

-==IC: Anna==-

"You can be such a moron sometimes, you know?" Anna said, as she sighed.
"You just assumed the two things were connected."

"I can't read your mind, you know. That's one power I'm happy not to have."

-==IC: Anna==-

"Probably a good thing." Anna agreed, as she rolled her eyes.
"So, what now?"

"You tell me."

-==IC: Anna==-

"Find out what's happened to Ann?"

"She's probably picking out the marshmallows one at a time. She does that."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna smiled in amusement.
"I can understand that."

"Listen. The Phoenix...are you sure this is what you want? Being part of us?"

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna nodded in response.

"Alright. Don't complain if you come to regret it."

Ann returned with marshmallows.

-==IC: Anna==-

"Doubt I will." Anna said with a smirk.

Zach smiled sadly.
OOC: Tell me when you're ready to timeskip to the next workday(night) at the Phoenix.

-==IC: Anna==-

"So, uh, on a scale of 1 to bad..." Anna started to say, and then turned her head, breaking off into a fit of innocent whistling.

"Depends what we're rating. If you're talking about working here-"

(Ann): "47.3."

-==IC: Anna==-

"Sheesh, that high? Or is it 1-100 scale?" Anna blinked not expecting that, but then paused, and scratched her head.
"Oh. You meant Zach's question. No, no, I mean, uh, whether you could um, show me the general area where Anastasia was......?" Anna said, as her voice turned meeker as the question went on.

Zach blinked. "I'm afraid I don't quite grasp your question."

OOC: And neither do I. :P

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna paused for a moment.
"Where she lives."

(Zach): "What on earth does that have to do with a scale of-I don't want to know."
(Ann): "I know where she lives..."

-==IC: Anna==-

"... I was basing it off your comment earlier." Anna said, shaking her head at Zach.

"You confuse me very much, Anna."

-==IC: Anna==-

"The comment where you basically said not to make friends with any of the customers."

"Ah. I stand by my statement. It's not a good idea to care about your customers. In this business, many of them won't last long."

-==IC: Anna==-

"So, even after things are said and done, basically you don't want me around Anastasia?"

"I'll make no effort to stop you. I was just giving you my personal advice."

-==IC: Anna==-

"But you disapprove."

"Am I your father now? Not that I'd mind you calling me your daddy, of course, but you don't need my approval to go see her."

-==IC: Anna==-

"You know what; you're right, I don't know why I even thought your opinion was worth checking in on, or if you actually had reasons besides simple attachment issues." Anna said, as she rolled her eyes.
"I think you know that I know that very well."

Zach raised an eyebrow. "Seems to me you're the one with attachment issues. Do you want me to declare my undying love and beg you not to see her? My advice is because I've seen what happens to many of our clients. That's all."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna's face turned a bit redder, and she shook her head.
"Whatever. It was a stupid idea to question the advice, and that's that." Anna muttered, though it didn't answer the original question.

Zach smirked.

(Ann): "Just kiss already."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna smirked at that statement, and then stood up, took a breath, and then kissed both Zach and Ann.

(Zach): "I-wha-in-who-why-huh?"

(Ann): *deadpan* "Thanks."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna smirked at Zach's reaction, and then sat down, rather smug.

(Zach): "Well. I don't think anything else is going to top that, so I may as well head home for the night. Ann, you coming? I know you're not supposed to be away from the store for long."
(Ann): *shrugs*

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna giggled, definitely amused by Zach's reaction, but nodded.
"I might as well get sleep, anyway..." Anna said, though she was still interested in that info.

"Right. The city said the water should be out of the roads tomorrow, so make sure you're at work tomorrow night."

(Ann): "Practice your kissing."

-==IC: Anna==-

"Okay, but I have no-one to practice it on..." Anna said with a slight frown.

"Pillow."

-==IC: Anna==-

"But the pillow-" Anna stopped, and then scratched her head.
"Okay, good point, will try that."

OOC: Timeskip?

OOC: SUre. =P

~~~The Black Phoenix~~~~

(Shopkeep): "Welcome back."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna nodded to the shopkeep.
"Good to be back."

"Indeed. I have plenty of jobs for you if you're interested."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna nodded, and checked the board.

Lost And Found           Very Easy
Recovery Job               Very Easy
A Rare Item               Easy
Cleanup                      Very Easy
Sale!                          Easy

OOC: I can do them all, right?=P

OOC: PMD style. I make them up at random, so you pick one and the others disappear only to return with a different name later. :P

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna looked into each job in order before choosing.

OOC: Ugh. You're making me write up descriptions... :P

IC:

Lost And Found           Very Easy
A client has lost what they claim is a cursed ring. Investigate and retrieve the ring.
Recovery Job               Very Easy
A client has violated their contract with us. Retrieve their purchase.
A Rare Item               Easy
An ancient statuette has come up for auction. Ensure we win - without spending any money. A trade is acceptable.
Cleanup                      Very Easy
A client has violated their contract with us. Recover their purchase before the police investigate.
Sale!                          Easy
An antiques shop is going out of business. Check to see if they have anything that could belong in the Phoenix.

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna chose Cleanup!

OOC: Do that natively and I won't make you. =P

"Right. Zach will accompany you on this. The client lives in a small two-room apartment in a bad part of town. They purchased a painting from us, but violated the terms of the contract. You'll have to find the painting and bring it back here."

-==IC: Anna==-

"Right." Anna said with a nod, as she did a few quick stretches, and wondered where Zach would be.

The elevator doors opened and Zach came out. He was carrying a cup of apple cider and mustard in one hand and a tomato-cheese-chocolate sauce-avocado-tuna sandwich in the other.

-==IC: Anna==-

"Mustard in apple cider? Really?" Anna looked at Zach skeptically.

"Don't judge my tastes."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna shrugged, but seemed obviously not as impressed.

Zach sipped his cider.

-==IC: Anna==-

"Right, so, we're ready, then?"

He nodded. "I'll lead the way."


He led Anna into one of the worst parts of town. Many houses had been flooded by the rains, and the roads here were still flooded as well.

(Thug): "Hey! You look too nice to be here. Lemme FIX that!" He lunged at Anna.

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna responded by aiming a very fast kick at the Thug's nose, and then between his legs.

(Zach): "Nicely done."
He led her to one of the more run-down apartment buildings, then to a locked door on the second floor. "You don't throw up easily, right?"

-==IC: Anna==-

"Nope."

He opened the door. A horrid stench rolled out. it was like sewage mixed with rotted meat, and a strangely sweet scent mixed in with the putrid scent of rot.

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna winced, not appreciating the smell, but more of the 'that is a horrid smell' way.
"Let's go."

"Watch your step."
The apartment looked as though it had been hit by a bomb blast. Everything was scattered around, and a thin layer of a strange black/red slime coated everything.

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna frowned, but nodded.
"What even happened...?"

"When someone purchases something from the Phoenix, there's a strict set of rule as to how they use it, store it, and display it. The customer broke the rules."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna nodded, getting an idea about what happened.
"Right, let's get finding this thing, then."

"Right...Well, it's somewhere in this mess, I presume. Unless he stashed it in a hole in the wall or something."

He held out a pair of gloves.

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna scanned the room for the best place, as she took the gloves.

Every possible part of the room was filled with rubble, garbage, and slime.

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna frowned, unsure where to even start, and looked at Zach to see if he had any ideas.

Zach was leaning against a wall flipping through a 'magazine' he'd found.

-==IC: Anna==-

"..." Anna looked over, unamused, as she moved to grab the magazine from his hands.

He dodged. "Now now, if you want to look you need only ask."

-==IC: Anna==-

"We can look at that later, this'll take forever if you don't help." Anna scowled, as she looked around the walls for any sorta sign.

"Heh, alright." he began tapping on the walls. "Hm, sounds hollow here. Give me a hand."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna nodded, and carefully made her way over to where Zach was.

"Here, just find something to smash in the part of the wall." He stepped back.

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna nodded, and then raised her foot.

Zach jumped away as Anna's kick broke through the wall, disturbing a nest of rats.

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna stumbled back in surprise, taking care to step properly, and then shot Zach a dirty glare.

(Zach): "Hm. Well, in an apartment like this I suppose most holes are bound to contain something undesirable. Best be careful. Wouldn't want you catching anything."
He strolled back over and shined a flashlight into the hole. Something rectangular was vaguely visible about six feet in. "Well. This goes back farther than I thought. Must be connected to a crawlspace."

-==IC: Anna==-

"A crawlspace?" Anna asked, as she grabbed one of the rats before it could get covered in the weird stuff, looking at Zach in confusion.

"Yes. You know, for maintenance. Though I doubt any work has been done on this hovel since it was built."

-==IC: Anna==-

"Hm, that makes sense." Anna said with a nod, as she waited for Zach to go get the painting.

"I hope you're not expecting me to go in there. My suit would get dirty. Besides, you're smaller than I am, you're a better fit."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna gave Zach a dirty look again, but sighed, and went into the crawlspace, handing Zach the rat for safe keeping.

At the back was a rather grotesquely horrid painting.
...someone had drawn a mustache on it...

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna looked at it and shook her head, and reached out to take it back.

A rat fell from the floor above and landed on her backside.

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna said nothing, however, her eyebrow twitched, and she picked up the painting, and then proceeded to try and back out of there.

OOC: Steam keeps disconnecting me...

IC: Zach was feeding the rat some crackers he'd had in his pocket. "Hm, who'd have known a rat would like jalapeno artichoke and cream cheese flavored crackers...I think I shall name him Professor Ratigan."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna seemed amused, both at the nickname, and at the food.
"Well, I got it, shall we scram?"

"Hm...I wonder..."

-==IC: Anna==-

"Hm?" Anna looked over at Zach confused, unsure what he was thinking about.

"Ah? Oh, nothing. This place just feels...strange, to me. It's nothing, let's go. Come along, Professor."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna frowned, as she wondered what he meant, but followed with Ratigan.

~~~~Mission Complete~~~~
Rewards earned:
$10.
Rat x1.
Coupon for socks x2.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(Zach): "I'll head in first and get this stuff cleaned up. See you back at the Phoenix."


OOC: have Anna stop outside the Phoenix first.

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna nodded, and then began to head back, but then stopped outside, and thought for a moment.
Do we even have a home for Ratigan?

(??): "Excuse me, miss."

-==iC: Anna==-

"Hm?" Anna looked to the voice's source in confusion.

A man was leaning against the wall. He wore a trenchcoat and a fedora that was tipped over his eyes. "The name's Justin Chase. I'm with the police."

-==IC: Anna==-

"You look pretty shady to me." Anna said, eying the outfit.

"Undercover."
He pulled out his wallet and flashed his ID badge.

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna still seemed suspicious of the guy, but nodded.
"Okay, what do you want?"

"I want your help. You're the new employee at the Phoenix, right?"

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna frowned.
"Help with what?" She asked, as she tried to cut to the Chase.

"Listen. I've been trying to take down the Phoenix for five years now. They're criminals. They're evil.
Since they set up shop there have been over 300 unsolved deaths. I know the Phoenix is responsible. But I need EVIDENCE. I need help."

-==IC: Anna==-

"I'm not sure how I can help, sorry." Anna said with a frown, unsure if this guy was nuts or not.

"Please. I'm not asking you to rummage through their belongings or stalk them or anything. Just...keep an eye out. Report anything odd or uncomfortable to me. Tell me the basics of what they do during 'business hours'. That's all I ask."

-==IC: Anna==-

"I'll think about it." Anna said, as she still wasn't sure she entirely trusted the guy.

"That's all I ask."
He turned and walked into the dark night.

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna frowned, as she watched the guy walk off. He wasn't exactly giving off the most trustworthy of impressions, but wondered just what this was all about.

(Zach): "Anna, are you coming?"

-==IC: Anna==-

"Huh? Anna was drawn from her thoughts, and nodded. "Oh, y-yeah!" She said, as she ran to catch up with Zach.

(Zach): "Ann's playing with the Professor. What's up with you?"

-==IC: Anna==-

"Oh,  not too muc-" Anna paused, and looked over at Zach in confusion. "... The Professor?"

"...the rat. Professor Ratigan. You're too young and cute to be going senile, my dear."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna shook her head and blinked. "Sorry. Felt like I was kinda asleep for a while; might've been something that weird guy did."

"What gu-never mind. Just come inside."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna nodded, and followed Zach inside, as she wondered how she could have forgotten about the Professor.

OOC: I forgot about the rat. =P

(Zach): "Any new jobs, Ann?"
*Ann nods* "The princess stopped by....while you were out..."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna nodded and looked between the two of them with an absolutely clueless look on her face, but didn't want to get berated for not remembering something again.

(Zach): "right. You're not too familiar with our city's criminal underworld, are you, Anna?"

-==IC: Anna==-

"Not in the slightest."

"Hm. Then you haven't met the princess of our fair city. Well, apparently I'm to make a delivery to her offices, so you can tag along if you want. If not, I'm certain Ann has plenty of other jobs that need doing."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna thought it over, but nodded cautiously. "What kind of delivery, though?" She seemed a bit confused about that, since she hadn't heard anything about stuff like that before.

"Well, it turns out mob bosses tend to be superstitious. Basically I provide good luck for her various enterprises."

-==IC: Anna==-

"Well, um, that's good I guess?" Anna scratched her head, unsure how to really reply, and offered a sheepish and apologetic smile.

"Well, I'm off to make the delivery. if you want to meet the princess, come with me  - might be good to get in her favor. Otherwise talk to Ann."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna nodded, and followed Zach to where he was going.

Zach led her into what was by far the worst part of the city. Garbage was piled by the street, rats and roaches swarmed everywhere, and even the shady-looking men hiding in dark alleys seemed frightened of something.

He walked over to a solid wall and tapped on it several times. "A delivery from the Phoenix!"

The wall slid open.

"After you."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna frowned slightly, but nodded, as she walked into the... wall.

Picture the fanciest hotel you can imagine, then magnify that by a hundred. It would still be like a rundown shack compared to the inside of the building.

-==IC: Anna==-

"... Wow."

Zach walked over to a group of heavily armed mafia thugs. "I believe I am expected?"

they stepped aside, revealing the entrance to a solid-gold elevator, decked out in all sorts of precious gems. Fine paintings and ancient vases decorated the elevator.

-==IC: Anna==-

If Anna's eyebrows went higher, they would be in space.

The elevator let them out in another hallway.
If the first floor was fancy, this one blew it out of the water.

OOC: This will continue to escalate. :P

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna reached critical hype.

Zach opened the doors at the end of the hall, revealing an extremely opulent lounge. As with the rest of the escalation in the place, the lounge made the hallway look like a hobo's bedroom.

At the far end of the lounge, a young woman was reclining on a luxurious couch. She was holding a metal chain, which was tied to the neck of another girl on the floor.

The woman on the couch waved Anna and Zach in.

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna was so mind blown that she didn't even register the girl on the floor.

"Please, have a seat."

Zach bowed. "You are too generous, Princess Nōne."
He poked Anna. "Introduce yourself."


OOC: Nōne rhymes with phone.

-==IC: Anna==-

"I-I'm Anna..." The poor girl was still overwhelmed by how the place looked.

"Anna, hm? Are you a new member of the Phoenix?"

She yanked on the chain, hauling the other girl to her feet. "Say hi to our guests, you worthless little ****."

(Girl): "H-Hello."

Aki None yanked on the chain again. "LOUDER."

"Hello!"

"Better. Now sit down, you're an eyesore!"
She kicked the girl back down into a sitting position.

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna blinked at the girl, finally noticing her, but still didn't fully register, as she looked back to Aki, still in a bit of shock at the room.

Aki smirked. "Please, sit down, dear guest."

She kicked the girl hard in the stomach. "You're in the way. Move." Zach winced.

Aki looked back to Anna. "Can I offer you anything to drink?"

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna thought for a moment. "Umm... Wine?" She didn't think it could get any worse in terms of her thinking.

Aki Noone chuckled. "There are many varieties of wine. Do you have a preference."

(Zach): "I'll have a soda with mustard."

-==IC: Anna==-

"Strong." Anna said, as she tried to get her mind off the mind-blowing room.

Aki laughed. Within moments both Anna and Zach had their drinks.

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna did the typical 'pre-wine-drinking' routine, and then began to drink said wine.

Aki laughed. "So, are you a new member of the Phoenix?"

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna nodded in response. "Yep!" She said, as she took a sip of the wine. "Joined not all that long ago."

"Interesting. So what brought you to the Phoenix?"

One of her underlings entered the room and whispered something to her.

"Why are you bothering me about this? Kill the guy and his kids, torch the place, and don't interrupt me again."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna took another, longer sip of her wine. "Well, that's a long story and kinda involved a certain geek making fun of my swivel chair."

(Zach): "Whirlie chair."

-==IC: Anna==-

"It's a-" Anna paused. "... Wait, you're right. Nevermind. You still made fun of it."

"Me? Make fun of a lady? Never."

-==IC: Anna==-

"Pretty sure I saved a screenshot of it."

(Aki): "Not to interrupt..."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna blushed slightly, and giggled a bit drunkenly already, as she continued to sip the wine. "Sorry, sorry. My bad there."

"Nothing to worry about." Aki smiled, then glared at the chained girl. "Get your worthless *** out of my way!" She kicked the girl hard in the ribs.

-==IC: Anna==-

"Aww, but she doesn't seem to be in anyone's way." It was obvious Anna had overestimated her tolerancy to alcohol. Big time.

"She's in my general area. She's a worthless lazy eyesore."
None kicked the chained girl again.

-==IC: Anna==-

"Then... Why do you keep her near you...? That seems counter productive." Anna noted, a drunkeningly confused look on her face.

"She's my property. I can do whatever I want with her." She yanked on the chain, pulling the girl to her feet. "Yes, anything I want. Should I break all your fingers? Or maybe your ribs?"

-==IC: Anna==-

"Wouldn't it be better to not hurt her, though? She might not live long if you do that..." Anna mused, not intending to upset anyone, but then again, at that point, she wasn't intending to do much of anything after those drinks.

"Hmph. A worthless little **** like her would be best off dead."

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna looked to the girl, to try and figure out how she could be worthless at all.

The poor girl was covered in bruises and cuts from Aki's abuse.

-==IC: Anna==-

"Do you mind if I made a suggestion?" Anna asked, as she looked up, still looking totally drunk, and tilting her head to the side.

(Aki): "You're talking to the carpet, but by all means continue."

-==IC: Anna==-

"If you didn't, like, hit her, then she might not... seem as worthless...?" She was starting to have trouble phrasing what she meant.

Aki looked down at the girl. "So I shouldn't do...this?"  She kicked the girl in the back, sending her facefirst into the floor.
"m-mistress, please-"
"SHUT UP. I didn't give you permission to speak!" Aki kicked her again.

-==IC: Anna==-

"Why do you do that, though?" Anna seemed curious about that.

"Because" *kick" "I" *kick* "Can." *kick*

-==IC: Anna==-

"But what if you break her too much?"

"then I guess I'll have to buy a new slave. Maybe that one won't be quite such a disappointment!" *series of kicks*

-==IC: Anna==-

"Please, can't you consider a different idea?"

"Why would I do that?"

-==IC: Anna==-

Anna attempted to make a convincing argument why.

Anna was not going to get away with not actually typing some dialog.

-==IC: Anna==-

GM is too strict.

Anna thought for a moment. "Because it's a good thing, and people might actually be more willing to do stuff if you don't abuse them, and they wouldn't be an eyesore if they weren't constantly hurt, and yeah."

"Abuse? Moi?"

She looked at the girl. "Do I abuse you, Jewel?"
(Jewel): "Nuh-no, m-mistress! Y-you are p-perfect in e-every way!"

None smirked. "And don't forget it."

-==IC: Anna==-

"Well, kicking and such."

"My, are you offering to take her place?"

-==IC: Anna==-

"No, I've already got a job, silly!"

*Zach facepalms*

(None): "Then why are you so intent on questioning me?" With each word she yanked on Jewel's hair.

-==IC: Anna==-

"I'm just trying to be helpful!"