[PQ] [RQ] let's get hammered and stoned

so give me your prayers up on your feet
and i'll give you a show, it helps fill the seats

Slowly and surely, Asta starts to fall out of the awkwardness of before – some color returning to his face as he pushes the cart, following after Danta like the good little fyrhund he is. “Ah, I see.” He focuses on that instead of the discomfort slowly ebbing from his gut, and he looks over when Danta speaks once again, noting the marketplace starting to set up.

So he makes sure that the cart can’t run off, straightens his outfit, and steps over toward them, offering them as charming of a smile as he can muster for the moment. “Hello, we’re going to need you to move the marketplace either further in or somewhere else.” He starts to say, gesturing further inward where they won’t be placing the rocks, before he gestures back toward the cart and the Maverick along with it. “It’s for a quest, you see. And besides, you may have better business the closer to the center that you are.” It’s not one of his best explanations, but he hopes it gets the job done.

---

Asta tries to convince the marketplace to move!

Astaroth

so give me your sins, give me your lies
but whisper your love, and i'll whisper mine

Edmund perks up at the opportunity to talk about his guild, "Yes. I'm the Guild Master of the Adventurer's Guild. Our main goal is to explore the different regions of Caido. I'm in the process of relocating the guildhall to the Grounds. I also plan to open a shop in the front of the building for guildmembers to sell items they've collected on their adventures." He's about to ask her if she is looking to join when the allogator appears. Part of the younger Ancient wants to shift into his tiger form and pounce on the creature, but Maea speaks up and nods, "That's a good idea." Rolling his shoulders, he shifts into his own gore crow, taking to the skies with now-practiced ease. Circling the animal, he dives down and mock pecks at its side before swiftly regaining altitude. ~ Edmund shifts into his gore crow form and tries to annoy the allogator into moving. Edmund Reborn In Fire

idealism sits in prison
chivalry fell on his sword

Good news for Maea - the awkwardness of her new shift is the perfect sort of distraction for an allogator looking for an easy meal. (And it's not as if it's hungry, but when isn't an allogator going to take advantage of an easy meal?) Waddling up the shore, it moves quite swiftly out of the way of the two Ancients and their progress. Now, if Edmund had chosen to keep placing down rocks, that would have been one thing.

Alas, as he chooses to also hassle the allogator, now they've got an angry reptile on their hands. And it's likely to pursue them whichever direction they're likely to go. Maybe they'll have to kill it after all, unless they have any brighter ideas?

---

As for Astaroth, as he begins his attempt with we're going to need you to, it doesn't look like he's going to have much luck. However, as the apparent leader of this little marketplace glances over the tall man's shoulder to the Maverick in the background, and the word quest makes its way through his thick head, he grunts a nod. "A'right. But you better buy somethin'".

Provided they comply with this (reasonable?) demand, they are free to proceed.

---

Round 5! Off you go!

Dantalion

I slithered here from Eden
just to sit outside your door

so give me your prayers up on your feet
and i'll give you a show, it helps fill the seats

He fully expects there to be a fight or a scuffle, and there’s a line of tension between his shoulders, hidden by the clothes there that’s nearly asking for such a thing to relieve some of the anxiety that’s rooted there. And then, there’s nothing – a glance back toward the Maverick and their only condition is that he buys something? His shoulders slump just for a second in a momentary lapse as he snorts a little and exhales, internally thinking that’s disappointing.

But if it’s all it takes, he’s willing to step forward, perusing what they have despite not lingering longer than a few minutes. He picks out the second thing he sees – doing his best to sell the point, of course, and waits expectantly to receive the strange new… Paper weight? Maybe? He isn’t sure what it is nor what he’ll even do with it. But the deed is done and he watches like a hawk to make sure they start bringing their stuff in further, or leaving to go somewhere else.

---

Asta picks the second thing he sees to buy, then waits to make sure they move.

Astaroth

so give me your sins, give me your lies
but whisper your love, and i'll whisper mine

Edmund's plan backfires. Instead of annoying the allogator into leaving, he's earned its ire. He glances at Maea with a guilty look, as guilty as a gore crow can look, before recalling something from when he splashed in puddles with Ophelia. Using it now was reckless, but it might just work. If nothing else, it should startle the furious reptile. The gore crow dives and begins to shift. Before landing, a molten tiger takes its place and Edmund attempts to body slam and subdue the animal. He really hopes that he doesn't regret this. Maea would never want to go flying with him again. ~ Edmund dives and shifts into his molten tiger form to subdue the allogator via a body slam. Edmund Reborn In Fire

Maea

And from the dark

It almost worked a little too well, didn't it? With the allogator trundling along behind her Maea scampered up the beach, intensely disliking the sensation of having such a large reptile staring her down. It was honestly heartening to have its attention diverted, even if it disrupted the desired effect.

Turning to see what was going on, Maea saw Edmund dive straight at the allogator. When he shifted at the last minute, she followed suit; if being tackled by one tiger wasn't enough, maybe two would dissuade it from pestering them further.

The slight delay was worth it, if they could work in peace.

---

Maea shifts to a Molten Tiger when Edmund does, hoping two tigers will make the allogator up on the pursuit.

Something new will come on through
and rise again

idealism sits in prison
chivalry fell on his sword

Congratulations to Astaroth - he has both succeeded in getting the marketplace to shuffle out of their way, and he is now the proud owner of some weird glass bauble with decorative fish painted throughout it. "Wow, ugly," Danta murmurs for the taller man's ears only as he sidles up next to him. "Let's go then, I guess."

Continuing to drop his pebbles and trusting Asta to pick up the cart again, they are promptly on their way and soon see the Temple in the distance. Things are a little busier here, and whilst people do naturally stay out of their way, the two will need to be careful not to bump into anyone or have their line of stones disturbed!

---

There's such a thing as going overboard, but that's no bad thing, right? Either way, it's the flavour of the day for Edmund and Maea, and the combination of being flattened by a hulk of molten fur and teeth, not to mention a similar shape appearing nearby, has the allogator reconsidering several dozen of its life choices.

It does thrash and roll and try to snap its mighty jaws at Edmund, but at the first opportunity it flees back towards the water. Becoming a sleek and deadly shape the second it's submerged, it won't be bothering them again. But it will be watching.

Now the duo have some time to make up though! They better hurry away from the lake towards the Domiciles!

---

Round 6, let's go!

Dantalion

I slithered here from Eden
just to sit outside your door

Maea

And from the dark

Feeling rather smug, Maea returned to her usual form and watched the rippling water in the fleeing creature's wake with her hands on her hips. It felt good to have solved the issue without bloodshed - though she did look Edmund up and down to check for any injuries.

"Are you alright? That was a bold move, I half thought you were about to land on your head."

Shaking her head at him with a ruefil half smile, Maea went to fetch the cart. Pulling a sack out for herself, she slung it over her shoulder. "Let me help place the stones for a bit - the sooner we get this done the better. If I go on ahead and put down what's in here, then go back for the cart while you move ahead, we might be quicker. Like a relay. What do you think?"

If he agreed she would shift back into the tiger's guise and run ahead, carrying the smaller sack of stones in her mouth like it was prey to be dragged off to safety.

---

Maea suggests they should place the stones in relay to be speedier. She shifts back into the Molten Tiger and heads off to begin further up ahead.

Something new will come on through
and rise again

so give me your prayers up on your feet
and i'll give you a show, it helps fill the seats

He fully intends on getting rid of it as soon as possible, nose wrinkling as it settles in his hand and he sighs, returning back to Dantalion’s own little comment, quiet for his ears only. There’s a brief dip of his chin for the moment, before the marketplace shuffles out of the way and he returns to the cart to start back on their path, pushing it contently for the Maverick to start placing the stones. “I’m almost disappointed it wasn’t more of a fight.” He admits after they’re out of earshot, before he shakes his head with a little laugh.

Soon enough, the Temple is in the distance and visible, and Asta focuses on pushing the cart as carefully as he can to avoid everyone else, gaze drifting between the path they take and behind them to try and ensure there’s nothing getting in their way as well as ensuring the stones are left exactly how they were placed.

---

Asta pushes the cart and is v vigilant of the path forward and checking the stones they’ve already laid down!

Astaroth

so give me your sins, give me your lies
but whisper your love, and i'll whisper mine