Scene #6206: Tower of Santaga

Owner	Pose
Doctor Strange	Floor 42. It's a floor in the most general sense of the word--in that one must reach it from the floor below, and pass its challenge to progress to the next. But it doesn't look like it's indoors at all, despite the fact that it must be. ...mustn't it? To be precise, the floor seems to be a town in the middle of winter, with Victorian sensibilities. There are people milling about, snow falling and accumulating off the beaten paths. The first thing that one sees upon entering is a patch of dirt in the center of the... well, 'floor' might be as accurate as 'ground.' It's as if someone has torn up a section of the cobblestone, and it appears to be the center of the little town. There are four points of interest besides the DIRT PATCH. The building closest to the dirt patch is the TOWN HALL, which is of fairly normal construction save for its entrance. Rather than one large double door, there are two separate ones. One is red, vibrantly so, bedecked with a green wreath and colorful tinsel. The other is a patchy, flaking green, with a brown and deadened wreath and tinsel that invites comparison to a mangy animal. On a hill overlooking the town, a few minutes' walk away, is a MANSION, which is surrounded by a wrought iron fence somewhat in disarray--it is rusted, sitting unevenly. Judging by the roof, it appears to be abandoned, and has been for some time. Also still visible from the entrance is a BAKERY, from which delicious smells drift. Today is a productive day, as there are a number of people looking to do business there. The fourth, and final point of interest, is a bridge that leads out of town. There is a GUARD posted at this bridge who will not let anyone pass. The sun breaks through the cloud cover here, casting rays of light upon the bridge and the guard.
N'Raha	The Catman Cometh. Well, at least there's no shortage of Stange around the Multiverse. Not that he'd ever doubted that, but... he hadn't busted out of his little shell of Eorzea all that much the last time he was here. This time? Things are going to be different. Though Raha is happy he's wearing his suit and slacks right now, with the chill that swats at his tail and ears. He shuffles around in his Inventory for a knit cap, which goes over the ears, as he starts to look around. "Alright. This is a dungeon, and it can be solved. Beaten. But... How do you beat a town?" He grunts, and shuffles over towards the Bakery first. HIs belly rumbles.
Doctor Strange	An unusual thing happens as N'Raha approaches the bakery. He 'approaches' it. It 'draws near.' But it feels less like he's approaching it, and more like it's being pushed towards him. The ground actually moves beneath him like a treadmill, allowing him to 'walk towards' things without really going anywhere. When he arrives at the bakery, he'll notice people being turned away. The line dwindles when he gets there, and it isn't long before he can make his way inside to the counter. Much like the town outside, the bakery is Victorian in its aesthetic sensibilies. Hardwood floors, everything's hand made. Really, likely not that different from Eorzea, sans the magic. "If you're here for an apple pie," says the baker, a portly woman with strawberry blonde hair tucked into a baker's cap, "You're too late. Just sold me last one!" She pauses, catching that 'adventurer' vibe. N'Raha's probably used to that look. That, 'wait a second, you can do something for me' look. She motions for him to come closer, muttering to him in a conspiratory hush. "...mind, bring enough apples for two and I'll make you one for free. You'll need about six." Where he'd get them is anyone's guess--there doesn't seem to be a market in town. The only place he would have seen any is OUTSIDE, in the TRASH. Even so, those are just the parts you cut out when slicing apples, with the SEEDS in them.
N'Raha	Dammit, this is just like Hot Dog Day. Always gone when you get into line! Though, the Catman does recognize that look. It's far too easy for him to spot these days, though it's much morerefreshing to see it in the eyes of some nice shopkeeper lady, rather than the head of a government. Raha adjusts his tie a bit, and hrms. "Give me a little bit, and I'll see what I can do for you. Thank you for thinking of me, though!" He nods, his ears wiggling a bit under that knit cap, as he shuffles back outside and peers around. He can somehow easily spot the Shiny Things in the Trash that Invite Attention, but... well. No. They're Shiney. He retrieves some of the seedy apple bits, pocketing them for now, as he starts to head for the next point of interest. Town Hall. he looks up at the doors, and hrms, considering things... before heading into the Shabby Door.
Doctor Strange	Something... odd happens when N'Raha enters through the Shabby Door. Opening it, he sees not the inside of the town hall as he might expect, but the town itself. The town... but different. The buildings have more grime upon them, more wear and tear. In spots, the cobblestone has been replaced. The patch of DIRT in the center of the town, visible from the doorway, is still empty. A look towards the end of town with the BAKERY shows it's CLOSED, owing to the time of day being LATER. The BRIDGE is also different, made from stone rather than wood. Finally, the MANSION is simply not there, nor is the disheveled wrought iron fence that surrounded it. The sight of the empty lot sets the Echo off--he receives a vision of a group of citizens in the past, sitting in front of the dilapidated mansion, as goods from the inside are brought out to be auctioned off. It must have been torn down.
N'Raha	Oh jeez. Echo. This was the first time that had every fired offworld and he is lightly stunned by it, staggering to a stop as he walks, still trying to take in the shift in time and place. The double whammy makes him take a moment ot center himself, before continuing. Right. So. He's not dumb. There's answers to things. First things first. "Time travel, right. Or at least, a loop." It looks like he's been in a situation like this before, at least. He scritches at an ear through the hat, and goes back through the Shabby door he just came out of. Right. Got to do things. Like finding a nice place to plant these seeds. That is, if the door indeed takes him back to the 'present'.
Doctor Strange	Heading back through that door does indeed take him back to the present! When he steps through it, just as before, he's back at the ENTRY POINT. From that point, he can see all of the town's points of interest. So, if he's looking for a place to plant the seeds, the patch of DIRT in what could be considered the 'town square' is probably the best. Even in winter, it's dark and soft, and generally 'fertile seeming.' It's the most dirt-looking dirt he's seen all day!
N'Raha	Well. Raha hadn't ever gotten far with the Botanist guild, but he knew his laurels from his yannies, and he can certainly plant seeds. Though. There's a flouish of a hand, and a blue electric swirl of energy summons Bravura to his hand, the broadaxe glowing lightly. He chuckles, and makes a swift downward strike at the dirt to furrow up a deep enough spot ot plant those apple slices, and then moves the dirt back into place. Though there's no one here to hear him, he does chuckle out loud a little bit. "This is the most obtuse quest I've been on." Right, back to the future, to get apples. "This pie better be worth it."
Doctor Strange	As fate would have it, the apple tree which has grown in the future has exactly six apples! It would therefore appear that was the Right Thing to Do. The next thing to do would of course be to take them to the baker in the present, as the Future Bakery is closed owing to it being evening in the future. When the pie is completed, it seems real enough. He can hold it in his hands, smell it (it smells great)... but nothing else seems to change. He could eat it if he wanted to, but he probably knows better than to throw away Quest Items carelessly.
N'Raha	Well, now he's got a Key Item Pie. And Raha refrains from breaking the pie in two to get a Key and an Item Pie. This isn't the place for doing that. That said, there's a dude who looks hangry. Maybe. He saunters over to the Guard, and smiles his smile-iest, even putting some cute fangs and a tail swish or two in there. "Hey, tink you can let me past for a slice of pie, buddy? I've got places to be!"
Doctor Strange	N'Raha doesn't appear to be the Guard's type--the cuteness goes ignored. The Guard sniffs the air, and his eyes water a little. A hand is extended, palm outwards. He shakes his head. "'sat apple pie?" He chuckles, sniffing. "Not me, mate--allergic." There's a pause, and he looks off towards the mansion in the distance. "Worked for Scrooge, before 'e passed," he begins, reminiscing. "Old bugger was fond of them things." With a nod towards the pie, he sniffs again. "Had me breakin' out like this," he gestures towards his reddening skin, "...every time 'e wanted one. Didn't even give me extra pay!" The Guard scoffs. "Bastard." He sighs. "At least then, I could afford t'get me son nice things... I thought Scrooge was a skinflint, 'till I started workin' for the city. Dunno what I'm gonna do for Christmas this year." The Guard sort of trails off, then snaps apologetically back to attention. "Ahem. Anyway, can't let you pass without a toll, sorry."
N'Raha	The first one was worth a shot. Some dudes are into cats. That said, Raha smiles as the guard slides into his accent, his complaints, and just nods. "Right, well. I'll go pay a visit and see what he can do. Stay strong, brother." He snaps off a Maelstrom salute with his free hand, and then considers a moment or two as he starts heading up to the mansion. Right. How to apply pie to this situation. He's sure something will present itself, though, he's guessing he'll be going through the time doors again.
Doctor Strange	The GUARD returns the salute as N'Raha leaves. For some reason, the Maelstrom salute is pretty widely recognized. At the MANSION, things are pretty grim in the present. There's no guard posted at the gate despite the presence of a guardhouse. Even that has fallen into disrepair. Many of the floorboards creak even where they aren't warped out of place. Inside, there's no evidence that anyone still lives here--this must be after the furniture and possessions were auctioned off, but before the place was bulldozed. The roof is so full of holes that, in places, snow rests upon the floor in uneven little piles. Yup--he'll have to pay those TIME DOORS a visit, and given the state of the mansion in the future, there's only one door left to try.
N'Raha	TIME DOORS IT IS! Raha carefully slips the pie into his Inventory, just in case TIME BULLSHIT happens to the pie and it turns into flour and butter and fresh apples as he heads into what he's presuming will be the past.
Doctor Strange	One of N'Raha's assumptions is correct, and the other is not. The pie is fine in his Inventory, should he check on it. No worries there. He's correct about the RED DOOR--it leads to the past. The first and most obvious clue is that, in the center of town, there is no DIRT PATCH, but a STATUE of a young man in period-accurate finery: a frock coat and tailored slacks, with one hand holding a cane, the other held outwards in what's meant to be generosity. The MANSION is guarded by... well, the GUARD. Several years younger, by the look of it. No crow's feet or greying hair, and less of a gut to boot. He seems surprised to see Raha, and that surprise turns to slight annoyance when he discovers what it is the Miqo'te is carrying with him. He hurries up to the mansion to inform his employer, and when he returns, he opens the gate. "Mr. Scrooge will see you now," the GUARD informs him. The mansion proper is warm, very well furnished, and yet at the same time, cold in a figurative sense. It's like being a guest in an Ishgardian noble's home. Scrooge himself is equally cold, regarding Raha with a thin frown and hard eyes like coals in a fire. He is an old man, but the resemblance to the STATUE in town is undeniable. Given that it was torn down after his passing, Raha can probably infer his popularity. His gait is stiff even with the cane, and his voice shrill and grating. "What's the meaning of this?" Asks the old man, tapping against the table he's set the pie upon with his cane. "A bribe? An appeal of some fashion?"
N'Raha	Back to the Past for everyone. Or just Raha. Who knows if he's throwing things out of whack for everyone else. Then again, this place was magic and obeyed its own rules. The catman lets out a breath or two at seeing the Young Guard, but well... that was to be expected at this point, isn't it? He nods though, and tosses off the Salute again, before looking up to the old man and... considers. "Ah, no sir. It's a gift. From your guard's family, actually. He knows how much you like pies, so... Merry..." Eyes widen. What do they call it out here again? It's not Starlight. Uh. Chr. Christmas. "Merry Christmas?" He puts on the winning smile again, and tosses the guard a look, before holding up the pie.
Doctor Strange	Scrooge takes the pie. "Christmas?" He scoffs. "Bah. Humbug." Given that the people of this period use language in a similar (but not identical) way as Eorzeans, Raha knows the meaning of that word. The old man believes the holiday is a fake or a hoax, intended to deceive. He places it in a separate room, and returns with a tin soldier in one hand and a slew of complaints in his mouth. "As if I'm meant to care for his family. Are there no prisons? No workhouses? Huh!" The old man barks a laugh like a shutter blown open by a bitter winter gale, and shoves the toy into Raha's hand. The arms and legs are articulated on ball joints--quite unusual for its time. There's a thin layer of dust upon the toy, but it looks too free of rust to have belonged to this old codger in his youth. "The lad's wife is with child, I hear. Take this wretched thing and begone. Off with you!" Satisfied in doing the bare minimum, Scrooge makes a limpwristed 'shoo' motion with both hands, then disappears further into the mansion.
N'Raha	Welllll that's a thing. Raha contains the urge to barge into the guy's mansion because this is all mummery anyways and who know, it might just actually be plaster and a backstage an no one would be surprised. Instead, the catman shuffles back out into the yard and over towards the guard. "Right uh, here." He hands over the toy. "He says Humbug, but still gave me this. And, hey. It looks like it'll make a nice toy for your kid. Which he also said you were having. So, congratulations? Merry Christmas?" No seriously, the axe is being considered. Not for this poor guy, though.
Doctor Strange	"Yes... yes, he's fond of saying that." He sighs with some annoyance--but upon seeing the gift for his son, the Guard's face lights up. "Really?" He seems almost hesitant to take it, as one would working for a miser like Scrooge. When he figures Raha isn't pranking him, he takes it. "I'll... have to thank him," admits the man with something resembling confusion. Or perhaps disbelief. Straightening up, he clears his throat. "Thank you!" He pockets the toy, smiling warmly. "I owe you one." That should be his pass to cross the bridge... which just might be the last thing he needs.
N'Raha	Raha smiles a bi, and claps the young man on the shoulder a bit. "Not a problem. Though... I'll take you up on that offer, sometime." A wink, and the catman saunters back off into the village itself, heading for the TIME DOORS. Though he stops short of going through the door just yet. He'll play along. No sense in being rude and looking exactly the same 'in the present'. He can be a mummer too. He takes a moment, and switches out his gear. The suit is gone, the tie is gone, and the catman is left in a gleaming suit of mythril scale mail, a shimerry blue. Then he heads out into the the Present and makes his way to the Guard. "Hey! Pal! It's me!' He lifts his visor, and does his level best to look 'older'. Think you can let me past? I've got a quest out there."
Doctor Strange	There's a moment of recognition, and suprise. "Oh--!" The guard then places one hand on his stomach and laughs. "Haven't seen you in years! Yeah, sure, c'mon through." He steps aside. "Hope you'll be here a while--we'd love to have you over for Christmas." When Raha crosses the bridge, everything just vanishes. The buildings in his immediate vicinity sink into the ground, while the guard and the scenery 'further off' begin to dissipate into orange sparks that float upwards and wink out. Even the air and sky itself do this, burning away until there's nothing but an empty, circular room with stairs that lead up... And a disappointed-looking man in a blue tunic and red, pleated high-collar cloak, hovering above the stone floor. "...one guy?" He hovers down to the floor, arms crossed. Sucking his teeth, he shakes his head knowingly. "'Test of wits.' That's what scared 'em off." A sigh, and he begins weaving an intricate pattern of burning orange energy with his gloved hands--the motions may look to the Eorzean like a Monk warming up. "Alright, /here/ we go..." An outward palm thrust, and the strands of energy, formed into an elaborate mandala, coalesce and open a burning ring in the air. A hole in reality, into a plane of endless, freezing could, situated above Raha's hand. Out drops a Candy Cane. He straightens up, and is visibly more serious. "For besting my challenge of wits and spirit, and for..." He looks briefly upward, entertaining some internal debate, head slightly bobbing left and right. "Fostering good will between men, receive of you your Candy Cane."
N'Raha	Raha puffs up a bit. Despite the hand motions, he knows a Thaumaturge when he sees one. Maybe even a proper Mage... of some sorts. That said, the armor fades back into the suit and tie, and the catman pockets the Candy Cane, smiling at the... fellow dapper looking fellow. "And thank you, I suppose, for being the Game Master tonight, sir." He holds out a hand, and smiles. "N'Raha, of the Scions of the Seventh Dawn." A moment, as he considers whether this fellow would know what those are, or not, then he fords onward. "Thansk for not trying to alter the... difficulty too much, given my profession as an Axe-Miq. I know some seem to think you have to be simple to want to take abuse."
Doctor Strange	Strange's handshake is as confident as he can manage--the gloves can't completely hide the tremor. "Doctor Stephen Strange, Sorcerer Supreme," he replies. "It's good to see the Scions out and about again. Come and find me if you guys need help." On the matter of difficulty, Strange simply shrugs. "Anyway," admits the sorcerer as the Miqo'te heads for the stairs. "You didn't have to tell Scrooge the pie was from the guard, or that the toy was from Scrooge, but you did. Kudos." Once the Miqo'te ascends the stairs, Strange is simply... gone.