[PQ] In My Basement?

Amalia

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stop thinking so much

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The baker barely withholds a laugh as Adam declares her success, dropping down after him into the basement. It is dark, and the girl strains to see the golem through the gloom, calling softly to Jyoti through their shared bond. What she can see is that it is not moving, stomping inadequately upon the ground, and the girl cannot help the way her heart clenches, her head tilting empathetically as she eyes the beast. As Wessex descends the stairs a small whale follows, starlight glittering along her skin, illuminating the room a little better and showing fully that the thing is hurt.

Glancing between Wessex and Lucas, the girl nods slowly, a thoughtful expression on her face. Sunlight will kill it, but is that truly necessary? It is wounded, docile... the girl sighs. "Maybe we should leave it," she murmurs, glancing at Adam with a slight smile. "It doesn't seem to want to hurt anyone. It's probably as good a roommate as Nate." Jyoti coos curiously at the golem, releasing a ball of starlight to try and keep it calm.

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you're breaking your own heart

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Adam

As everyone came down and made their assessments of the situation, Adam leaned back and watched, trying to work out what he thought the right way to proceed was. If he was truly the badass, renegade anti-hero he liked to believe he was, he was sure he'd stroll over to the golem and shoot it. He'd look back at his friends with a confident glint in his eyes that said just try and stop me.

But in reality, Adam knew as soon as he saw the pitiful beast he could not encourage a plan to kill it. It was trapped for God's sake. Such a sad sight: even if it was taking up space in his basement he could not bring himself to hurt it.

"What do you need sunlight for? Can't you just see down here with your weird vampire eyes?" Adam asked, looking at Lucas sideways. When he squinted at the golem, he could see the answer to his second question if he really focused. Behind the golem was the remnants of a tunnel, now blocked up with fallen rocks and debris, the leftovers of a cave in.

Peter asked if it was really a problem and Adam laughed. "Uh, yeah. I only want the headboard of my bed to thump in this house, not my fucking basement every time I move."

Wessex mentioned the sunlight again, making Adam realise it was probably a weapon that could be used against the golem. He looked up to the ceiling. Was there a way to open up the floor and angle sunlight in from the door? But...that was still killing...

"Uh, how about...you see the tunnel behind it? We could try empty that out and see if it'll go back. Maybe it's got...golem...friends that might help it back there. Or we could make a hole in the ceiling for the sunlight to get in. What do you all think?"

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Choose an option!
Any order.

At least everyone is trying, everyone is shining

Everyone deserves the flames but it's such a shame

"I've heard that these creatures don't like the sun," Lucas said with a casual shrug. Don't like, it murders them, po-tay-to po-tah-to, right? Moving aside that the others might join them in the basement, the Ascended folded his arms across his chest and glanced sideways to Adam at his quip about the headboard. A smile might have just made it across his face at that. Maybe. Still, he was not one to do more work than he had to. And digging a tunnel that might go nowhere compared to knocking a hole in the ceiling sounded like a lot of effort. Any hole's a goal," he drawled. "I'm all for not doing any heavy lifting, personally." LUCAS don't you know there ain't no devil it's just god when he's drunk

Peter takes a step to the side as the star whale illuminates it better, eyes searching for the tunnel Adams talking about. For some reason, it a strange feeling in the pit of his stomach to think about killing this thing. It wasn’t hurting anything. ”Tunnel might... might be easier to fix. After.” At least, fixing a hole in a wall sounded easier than fixing one in the roof (floor?). His eyes moved back to the golem. ”Maybe... it’ll help?” Peter try, try your whole life to be righteous and good

Wessex wrinkles her nose. “I’m not sure golems have friends, let alone anyone to help them.” Otherwise this pitiful thing would have been long gone. Not wanting to be the bad guy, but firmly with Lucas on the not doing a lot of work during the day side of things, she shrugs and makes a gesture to the others. “It’s your house. You decide.” Her only experience with golems was the one in Amalia’s basement that basically tried to kill her. She isn’t fond of them, but realizes they’re just stupid magical rock-things and are only acting on their animal instinct. Truly, she is indifferent. Kill or don’t kill, she just won’t be the instigator for this one. WESSEX She whispered back, I am the storm

Amalia

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stop thinking so much

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She wishes there was a way to talk to it, something more than anger that they could inspire. There is pity in her eyes as she looks upon the golem who remains somewhat unperturbed in its place upon the ground. "Sunlight will kill it," she agrees with Lucas, "Though I'm not sure it's... alive, as such. Still." She tilts her head, frowning a little, her dark eyes sad.

Remarkably, everyone seems somewhat amenable to the idea of not killing the golem. Amalia glances between them all, nodding in agreement with the tunnel idea. She is proud of Adam, and her smile says as much, quietly vibrant as she turns to the lad. "We can probably draw it in by making noise... maybe Jyo can keep it calm?" The starwhale trills a note of agreement, projecting another mote into the room, illuminating the golem fully, a soothing song coming from her lungs.

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you're breaking your own heart

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Adam

Perhaps it was unsurprising that Lucas was all for the golem murder (could it really be called murder? Was the thing even alive?), but Adam had to admit he had a good point about the heavy lifting. He'd never been one for anything that sounded too much like hard work himself. Still, when the stakes were this high...

Predictably Peter said something well-meaning but a bit nonsensical. The tunnel would definitely not be easier, but he counted it as a vote for saving the golem and clearing the rocks. He nodded at the small, shy man to show he had listened, thinking it was important Peter knew someone cared about what he had to say (even if it was kind of useless <3).

Wessex didn't care, which he both appreciated because yes, it was his house, but also resented because it meant he had to make this decision himself. He'd never been good at big, meaningful decisions. Hell, he was divorced and had changed his career several times in his life, as well as never being able to pick an actual permanent home.

With Amalia's heartfelt words, the votes for not killing it came to three of five, with one indifferent and one for murder. He decided that he himself was a fan of not-killing, so he stood forward and pointed to the tunnel.

"Right. We need people to distract it while others move the rocks about. I'm...gonna do some distracting." Because I'm not very strong, he thought, but didn't say. "I need one more person to help me out, then three people could be on moving the rocks." With that said he moved to step in front of the golem, dancing with neat footwork closer and further from it to distract it, the creature trying to grab and thump Adam with it's giant hands.

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Distract or move rocks!
(this is the second to last round!)
Any turn order~

At least everyone is trying, everyone is shining

Everyone deserves the flames but it's such a shame

"I'm one more person, and I would love to help you out," Lucas decided instantly, already very much having stated that he would not be doing any lifting, thank you very much. Was it a bit grim for the two strapping men to be dancing about and distracting a creature while the others did the work? Probably. Did Lucas care? You know the answer. Whilst Adam used his neat footwork to distract the golem, Lucas continued to bait it out by circling around the basement floor and letting his shadows sneak out to try and bat at the creature's other side. Hopefully their combined efforts would thoroughly distract and confuse the golem for long enough that the others could clear the tunnel. Lucas jumps on the opportunity not to lift rocks. LUCAS don't you know there ain't no devil it's just god when he's drunk

Amalia

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stop thinking so much

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Jyoti, too, joins the distracting party, cooing and singing and thinking it all some marvelous game. Unafraid in the face of all danger, the little whale swims jovially through the air, leaving the golem swathed in starlight and easily dodging flailing arms. Something like a laugh is expelled from her blowhole, cosmic clouds and galaxies briefly filling the room. She isn't sure what the idea is, but she is positive the whole thing is a lovely game, Amalia's anxiety be damned.

For her own part the baker sets to work taking up large pieces of stone. Hours of kneading have left her strong, her forearms well toned, lean and wiry despite their slender appearance. Slipping her fingers beneath a rock she rolls it away from the tunnel entrance, trying to widen the space enough for the golem to comfortably slip its way through.

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you're breaking your own heart

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A small part of Peter was thrilled when Adam decided to go the route of the tunnel, and he set to work without complaint, moving stone alongside the others. He was distracted a few times, first by Adam’s footwork (not that he was impressed, just curious about what he was doing, and again by Jyoti’s little light show. He wondered if the woman who had come with the little creature might let him play with it. If he asked. The distractions were only ever momentary, Peter working as quickly as he could to open up the tunnel wider. He was not strong, not really, but he was relentless. Even small loads piled up when they moved quickly. Peter try, try your whole life to be righteous and good

Well, that leaves Wessex to lifting the rocks. Internally scowling that the two men are avoiding lifting duty (nevermind that that’s so very fucking sexist), she nevertheless makes no noise of protestation and lends her daytime-weakened body to physical labor. And then there’s the awkward tension with Amalia. As the Ascended woman reaches out for her first piece of rubble, she comes to the conclusion that there’s some solace in the fact that they don’t have to talk. Taking care to still be wary of the injured golem, Wessex diligently lifts, rolls, and shoves with Amalia and the other guy, trying to clear the tunnel as quickly as possible. WESSEX She whispered back, I am the storm

Adam

Between them, the golem was suitably distracted while the rocks were shifted, and the tunnel opened up behind it, a dark path to things unknown underneath the Domiciles. When it looked like enough space had been cleared, Adam stopped his dance and yelled for everyone to step back, to watch what would happen.

And amazingly, (because it was easy and he never expected anything to be simple) the golem turned to see the open tunnel and began to try and shuffle in that direction, dragging it's stump-leg behind it. The sound of it scraping along the floor, a loud, scratching tone, made Adam grit his teeth. But eventually it was gone, the only hint of it's being there a scrape on the floor and a hole in the wall.

Stacking up enough rocks against the tunnel so it couldn't enter again took a while even with everyone. Eventually it was done and Adam smiled at all his helpful friends. "Right! Who would like a drink?"

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Thanks for being in Adam's PQ!
you can write your chara having a nice beverage in the house with him if you want ;)

At least everyone is trying, everyone is shining

Everyone deserves the flames but it's such a shame

Glad that the golem had shuffled its way back into the network of tunnels beneath the Domiciles (and begrudging the fact that he had to help rebuild the wall), Lucas thought it had been a fairly productive day all in all. "You can count me in," he said heartily, not sparing the others a glance as he moved to head back up and into the house proper. (The house that, now that the golem was dealt with, still needed a good redecorating, not that he would help). Whilst the Ascended couldn't enjoy the drink properly, he was still happy to stay and pass quips and wile away the rest of the evening. LUCAS don't you know there ain't no devil it's just god when he's drunk