my friends and i, we got a lot of problems (rp for ihatepuns)

[dagger_dagger_dagger]

The morning after returning to Emon and Vox Machnia is right back where it started. Sort of. They are, thankfully, not still in the Underdark and there's light, real light, spilling in from the window beyond the table and turning the remains of more than a dozen breakfast dishes from silver to gold, but the arguments have started again. Vax really isn't surprised, given the gravity of the situation, the Horn, whether or not they can trust Kima and her people, whether or not they can trust Allura for the same reasons, but they're all going around in circles, now, and anytime someone tries to step up, to say their idea is what they're going with, the end, the others shoot them down in unison. It's the only thing they can seem to agree on, really, and it's getting fucking tedious.

That in mind and despite the fact that he already unofficially excused himself from this conversation long ago, throwing the towel in on trying to be heard over the others, he shoots a sideways glance at Clarota. A glance turns into a thoughtful look, accompanied by a frown, a moment after that, and a moment after that, Vax focuses himself inwards, practically shouting in his own head, even if his only outwards tell is him vaguely tilting in Clarota's direction.

Hey, Noodles. If I think really loud, can you hear me?

Comments

[ihatepuns]

Clarota, too, has withdrawn from the discussion, having said his piece and had it accepted and then apparently dismissed as the argument continued. He's deemed it better to keep out of it, that in mind, in case someone decides he's part of their problem.

He's in disguise again today even though they're just in the keep, not wanting to disturb the staff. It also hides the fact that, when Vax begins thinking at him, there's very little outward reaction besides an increase in tension and a tilt of his head (were they visible, his tentacles would have drawn up some in an actual flinch).

"It does not need to be loud with the few of us here," he returns. "Does your family frequently experience this level of disagreement?"

He's not actually bothered by it or even judging all that much. He knows this is a difficult subject - the horn might not have been the cause of his expulsion from the collective, but it also didn't help him out any. He just wonders how long this is going to go on.

[dagger_dagger_dagger]

Right. Sorry, Vax answers, something like frustration, however vague, coloring his thoughts and for more than just the ongoing argument. He'll never understand how this magic shit works, and yes, Clarota's telepathy falls under that blanket, even if he's not sure that really counts as magic. He could be wrong, though. It's all a giant circle of no clue.

Thankfully, the feeling doesn't persist for long, and when Vax continues, while he's still trying to push his thoughts in Clarota's direction, it's all at a saner volume. But not really? Not like this, anyway. I mean, it takes us awhile to get traction, sometimes, and if Tibs isn't arguing with Burt Reynolds over there -- He glances sideways at Scanlan, who's standing on a chair, talking animatedly, now. -- something's seriously wrong, but this is different.

This is Fate of the World-ish, rather than trying to decide who gets to lay claim to what from their latest kill. He should probably be more involved, that in mind and even if he has no fucking clue what he's doing any more than the rest of them do, but well, there are a lot of buts. Most of which circle back around to them having no idea what they're doing and that they'll probably need help in figuring out what to do with the Horn. Which means unstoning Kima. Which means going to Allura. Much as any of them may or may not want to, short of a miracle, those are their only real options.

[ihatepuns]

The sound of Clarota's laugh filters through Vax's head at the comment on Scanlan. That is at least a relief, he returns, turning serious again a moment later. All of you are strong-willed, some more usefully so than others.

He's not sure some of them aren't just stubborn for the sake of being stubborn.

[dagger_dagger_dagger]

Vax's mouth twitches briefly, as he wars with and eventually wins out against a smile in response to Clarota's laughter. It's more of an effort to not clear his throat once he's settled, again, but he manages that, too.

No argument. A beat. Though, speaking of, sort of ... you any good at that disappearing trick your friends downstairs seemed to have a knack for? The other Illithid, he means.

He can't remember if he ever saw Clarota go invisible, huge swaths of their time spent in the Underdark starting to blur together into a haze of adrenaline and pain and fuck, I had to grow my foot back and relief that it's all mostly over. He figures that if he can, though, it might serve them in sneaking away from this disaster for a little while. No one will really miss them, he thinks, and they can always catch up with them later, when they summon Allura here or make the trip up to her tower in the Cloudtop District.

[ihatepuns]

I can, he replies, head tilting a little as he looks curiously in Vax's direction. This disguise is serving well enough at the moment, though.

He pauses a beat - and then blinks a little when he realizes where Vax was going with that. Oh. You would like for me to use it on the both of us.

[dagger_dagger_dagger]

Or on just yourself. Whichever.

He's pretty sure that, barring literally each and every one of them staring at him, he could sneak away from the rest of the group without issue. If Clarota wants to help make that easier, he really won't complain, but it's his job to be the sneaky one. If he'd rather not, that in mind, that's fine, too. He really doesn't want to wear Clarota out (and if he knows nothing else about magic, he knows that, that it's exhausting after awhile) just because he's decided to be lazy.

Either way, he continues after a beat, I figure they really don't need us for the shouting match and I've got an idea for what we could be doing.

[ihatepuns]

Vex would like to point out she's always going to know when he's not there, but she's only peripherally appearing in this scene at the moment.

It's no more difficult to cast it on both of us, he returns and reassures. Are you ready now?

He doesn't want to just do it out of the blue if Vax has anything else to do first. He's definitely on board with escaping this, though.

[dagger_dagger_dagger]

You don't count, Stubby. You practically are him.

Whenever you are, yeah, Vax answers, offering him the mental equivalent of a shrug. He stays very still otherwise, not wanting to draw attention to himself, again, right as they're about to get out of here.

[ihatepuns]

For a moment, nothing happens as Clarota gathers himself and his magic. And then, subtly, keeping his hand low, he casts the spell - and both he and Vax wink out of view.

Only then does Clarota get to his feet and move away from the table. I will meet you in the keep's entryway.

He figures it'll be easier to find each other out there than stumbling around in here.

[dagger_dagger_dagger]

Be there in a tick, Vax promises. Never mind the fact that, while he gets up quietly from where he's been sitting, he waits a handful of seconds before actually heading for the door. Literally running into Clarota in the doorway on the way out would be just as awkward as flailing for each other here, after all.

Either way, sooner rather than later, he's standing up by the front door, leaning somewhere he figures will be just out of the way of anyone wandering by. And while he knows he's probably going to suffer for it, much as Clarota tolerated the nickname once, earlier, in his head he starts singing what would basically amount to an instant noodles jingle, if they or TV and radio even existed. If nothing else, at least he'll know Clarota is here from the mental slap he's braced for.

[ihatepuns]

The mental slap does come, but there's also the echo of a frustrated - but amused - huff behind it this time. He would still be narrowing his eyes at Vax if they were visible at the moment, though.

Did you have a reason in mind for this escape beyond simply avoiding further argument?

If they're intending on sneaking out of the keep, he'll keep the invisibility up until they're actually outside.

[dagger_dagger_dagger]

Vax makes a small, pained noise despite the bracing. Thankfully, it seems there's no one around to notice, and while his mental tone is strained, there's still something amused to it, too, when he declares, Worth it.

A pause follows, then more seriously, he continues, But yeah, sort of. I've got a friend who owns a shop up on Abadar's Promenade that kind of specializes in magic items. I figured we could go shopping, see if we couldn't find something to help with the disguise that'd take the strain off of you and Tibs. And help make sure that worse won't come to worst, if Tiberius isn't around to refresh the spell when it wears off.

[ihatepuns]

Clarota offers Vax a more suspicious hum this time, in response to his first comment.

He goes a little quieter as Vax goes on, sounding a little doubtful, now. Do you think it wise for me to meet your friends without advance warning?

He's assuming Vax isn't going to immediately announced what's under the illusion spell, but, well. He'd like for his first real trip into their city not to involve a brawl.

[dagger_dagger_dagger]

I trust Shaun, Vax answers immediately, thoughts colored by something warm, not unlike what lurks behind them when he thinks of the rest of Vox Machina, but not entirely the same, either. It dims somewhat but doesn't disappear entirely as he continues. He might take a bit to warm up to you, if only because I'm pretty sure he's never met one of your people in person before, but he's not going to start screaming for the guard.

[ihatepuns]

Shaun, Clarota echoes, committing the name to memory. He won't question again whether this is a good idea or not, but he does have some other questions. And he is a magic user?

He's assuming, if he sells magical items.

[dagger_dagger_dagger]

Gilmore, Vax adds, aware of what Clarota might be doing. Shaun Gilmore.

A pause follows, in which he glances towards the doors of the keep, idly, and then -- well, he's not really sure where Clarota is, still, at this point, so he settles on just idly looking around the entrance hall as he continues. But yeah, he is. Not that I'm sure if he's more Allura's type or Tiberius's, but he's definitely not like Pike.

It's definitely arcane magic, not divine, even if he's not sure if Gilmore is a Wizard or a Sorcerer. He knows there's a difference, he's just not sure what it is, exactly. Has he mentioned he has no idea how this magic shit works?

[ihatepuns]

Clarota hesitates a moment, never mind that Vax can't currently see it. He stops moving for a moment, anyway. Does he have a preferred name? I've noticed many of you do.

He knows not everyone assigns nicknames like Vax apparently has - but he's also noticed that they call each other by shortened names, and if he's going to blend in, he needs to learn more social norms.

[dagger_dagger_dagger]

Most of us call him Gilmore? Vax answers. A pause follows, a sense of amusement, albeit not at Clarota's expense, and then he continues, I'm not sure the others even know he has a first name. I only do because we've sort of -- talked at greater lengths a couple of times.

Flirted shamelessly. Gilmore is a very good-looking and, from what he's seen of the equipment he makes, very competent man. Both are definite turn-ons.

[ihatepuns]

You have a romantic interest in him, Clarota returns, and there's something amused in his own tone, now - and he's not laughing at Vax anymore than Vax was laughing at him, but he does think to make an attempt at teasing. It might not be a very good one, but he's trying.

[dagger_dagger_dagger]

What are you, my sister? he shoots back, though he's too pleased that Clarota is trying and amused, himself, to be honestly bothered.

Never mind the fact that both fade after a beat and into something more serious, albeit a touch embarrassed. It's not that he has a problem with his attraction to Gilmore being public knowledge, it's more -- wow, man, could you get any more girl at a slumber party, braiding his hair and asking if he ~likes~ him?

But yeah, Shaun's -- I like him. Like that.

[ihatepuns]

No, I am Clarota, he returns, something in his tone that says he thinks Vax might have been hit in the head one time too many on the party's journey. He's actually joking with that, too, though it comes out dry enough that it might be harder to tell.

And sorry, Vax. He's used to living in a collective where everyone knows everything all the time. There's a reason he realizes he needs to work on social norms - and blurting out embarrassing things is likely going to happen a few more times.

(He does know better than to say that to Gilmore, so don't worry too much about that.)

He also doesn't actually respond to that beyond a hum of acknowledgement.

[dagger_dagger_dagger]

If I knew how to do that mental slap thing, Vax starts after a long moment and once he's decided Clarota is probably joking, I swear I would give you the worst bitchslap of your life, right now.

He's kidding. Mostly. At least Clarota's got being a smart ass down pat. He'll fit in well; they're all assholes here.

[ihatepuns]

Clarota chuckles again, the sound still entirely in Vax's head. He's working on it. That was something of a lucky chance.

So how far is it to your friend's?

[dagger_dagger_dagger]

Not far, Vax promises, slipping back into seriousness, now. Just down the hill and over the river, past the wall into the Promenade and then a few blocks from there. It's a short walk, really, as convoluted as those directions make it seem. Though, we may want to try and find each other now or head out to the river so you can drop the spell or whatever.

While he knows where he's going, Clarota does not, after all, and he doesn't want to lose him on the way over.

[ihatepuns]

I will follow you out of the keep and drop the spell once we are away, he agrees, still hanging back from where he imagines Vax to be. If Vax leads the way outside, he'll follow and close the gate behind them, and then once they're not likely to startle some of the guards into shooting them when they reappear, he'll make them visible again.