He sees me looking at him. "What, you want me to knock on the door?"
"Do you think that you can convincingly act like John Quinn to people who actually know him?"
I mean, How much of a stuck-up stick-in-the-mud Lawful Good git did John Quinn act like?
Because I can't help but imagine the Demon acting like that. Didn't seem like he had the highest
opinion of Quinn.
He exhales slowly, and then he straightens up out of his customary slouch. His stubble vanishes, his eyes lose a little of their unnatural glow, his hair shortens-.
Seeing him change like this, it's actually a lot more apparent exactly how much he looks like John Quinn. Yes, I thought Quinn looked like an idealised version of John Constantine the first time I saw him but now I'm seeing that it's literally true.
Or maybe the Golden Boy, who was
also clean-shaven, well-kept and heroic-looking.
"How do I look?"
Sanderson smiles, nodding. "You look much better like that. I know it might seen vain, but I think putting a little effort into your appearance helps you get into a positive frame of mind. If you keep looking like a disreputable slob, you're going to start thinking of yourself like that."
Ah, Sandy. Don't let the modern world dampen that
earnestness.
The Demon exhales, then shifts his eyes in my direction.
"Passable. The voice is good, too. Can you fake the Order aura?"
Fake it until you make it. Though with any luck these folk don't see much of him beyond a glowing figure passing overhead on his way to more important things...
"I can make them think I am."
Alan frowns, concerned. "Are you sure about that? If Quinn's made some sort of deal with-."
Anything that could
beat a Constantine's trickery is probably something that would have
noticed you turning up right away...
"Ancient magical powers don't do farm work." Straight-backed, he walks towards the man-sized door in the dormitory barn wall. "He's probably bound a bunch of dryads with chains of order."
I hope that's not the case.
Add it to the list of
presumed things to give him a good kicking in the soft spots for.
The Demon glances back at me as he reaches the door, flashing me a grin that's perfectly in-character for him and not Quinn. What, is he trying to push me into killing john Quinn? Even if he is using dryads as slave labour, that wouldn't push me over the edge. Especially not with Alan here. I'd be angry, yes, but I'm not defined by my anger.
Or is he doing the Constantine thing of putting everyone he can a little off-balance in case he decides to take advantage of their discomportment later? Yes, that sounds more likely.
No, OL, you're defined by your
Wants. That's what
Enlightenment is, to some degree. And
wanting to give Quinn that good kicking if it turns out he
deserves it? Entirely understandable. And if the Demon tries anything, he can
share it.
The Demon raises his right fist and knocks on the door twice. Hopefully, he's using magic to know that's how John Quinn would announce himself. As for the rest of us? Dr. Balewa and Alan are Justice League members. There's no obvious reason why a third party would be surprised at them being inside the Tower of Fate. If that's even where we are. Someone who was told 'allow no one in here' would… Probably accept The Demon's word for it that he was changing his mind. Unless they were bound not to. But we're never going to find out anything-
OL, stop second-guessing things. The Demon's just getting under your skin, isn't he? Guy could start a punch-up in a pacifist's convention.
The doors slowly opens.
-if we're afraid to look.
"Master?"
Well, that's a bad sign, right out of the gates. Could be
innocent, sure, but...
The creature on the other side… Looks like a gnome. A little bigger and the muscles on the torso are a little more pronounced, but it's very clearly from a related species. Worse quality clothes, though, and there are significant amounts of… Hair? Fur? Growing from his forearms and chin. Records of fae creatures aren't detailed, for obvious reasons, but I'm guessing… Brownie?
I can't see any bindings, but brownies are supposed to like helping around the house anyway. Perhaps he just made a direct agreement with this group. Stories in folklore aren't a reliable guide anyway, and generally describe their interactions with people who aren't powerful wizards.
Maybe even a
kobold? After all, the D&D version being
lizard people is not accurate to the old stories. Then again, the 'gnomes' he met while dealing with
Drakul Karfang were more kobold-like... Folklore is
funny like that...
"Have you had any problems?"
"No, Master. All of the plants are growing nicely. The crystal harvest is on course."
Well, that confirms this was set up by Quinn. Why? I doubt these guys know.
The maybe-brownie doesn't even look at the rest of us. His attention is wholly on The Demon. His expression… Not fearful or hopeful, just sort of blank. The gnomes are much more inclined to demonstrate emotion through facial expression.
"Is the food alright?"
I suppose Quinn
might be concerned with that. Probably the Demon adding a little familiarity to smooth over the
unusualness of this surprise visit.
"It is filling, but bland and tasteless."
Still no real expression. The situation suggests that he would be afraid, but his body language and facial expression suggests that he doesn't feel strongly about the situation. This isn't how people do things. I edge closer to Dr. Balewa.
Yeah, that's... Not good. Though there are a few ways it could be managed, magically, or...
"Doctor, is the local under any external influence?"
"Perhaps I should get you something better, seeing as how you're doing such a good job."
And Doctor Balewa
can detect most forms of control, I expect, magical or not.
"There is no ongoing spell at work on him. But, his behaviour is not natural."
"As Master wills it."
Not even a hint of excitement? Either this little guy is too
simple to feel desire, or his emotions are being
stilled somehow...
"Thet is now how brownies usually respond. Mister Quinn!" Dr. Balewa walks towards the doorway. The Demon glances at him, apparently indifferent. The brownie doesn't respond. "Might I check on the health of your servants?"
The Demon nods. "I think that would be prudent. You, step outside."
Points for acting in character, at least, for the Demon. Let's hope the little guy not able to feel
suspicious...
The brownie walks out without any particular excitement, and Dr. Balewa raises his hands. I'm going to assume that he's seen brownies before, so he knows what he's-.
There's a sharp intake of breath from Dr. Balewa, white mist rising from his hands.
...Well, things are about to go ploin-shaped, I just know it.
The brownie appears to come slightly out of whatever fugue it was in, focusing on Dr. Balewa. "Oh dear, sir. You shouldn't have done that."
"You poor man."
Oh, wow, that's got to be the
strongest emotion we've ever seen in the Doctor for a while.
"Oh no, sir. His actions were entirely justified."
I.. felt that.
...
Crap. Either it's Black Light
poisoning... Or something more
Tyrannical is involved.
Sanderson looks confused as Alan and I take a step back. "What? What did the little guy say?"
Behind the little guy, I see the other brownies gradually appear, forming a loose blank-faced mob.
Aw, crap. They poked the wasp's nest.
The Demon looks them over without overtly breaking character.
"Stop. All of you, return to your bunks."
Probably a bit past the point that'll work, Demon.
"I'm sorry, Master." His eyes are glowing and that's an Anti-Life infection. "But Anti-Life justifies our actions."
Vines leap from their trellises, flying towards us in defiance of botany! A raised hand from Dr. Balewa causes those coming at him to collapse, but Sanderson is caught flat-footed and is rapidly enveloped!
Oh, hell! Quinn's working with
Apokalips, isn't he?
"Turn to s-"
I form point defence laser constructs while Alan creates a garden mower, the vines coming at us getting burned or shredded.
"-and!"
...I thought he already had? Or did he revert when things seemed fine? Bad instinct, Sandy. You'll have to work on that when you get out of this.
The vines lift him away, crystals glowing with golden light!
"I-I-!"
I think he's about to get a taste of just
how immortal he really is, I think...
Alan takes off after him, construct saw blades trying to slice through vines that are now resisting.
"Sandman! Change!"
Hopefully he'll
listen this time, with Alan's voice of command kicking him in the hind-brain.
The crystals blindingly and then darken, light vanishing from the vine as-
"Get these fuckers off me!"
Okay, when the polite former sidekick starts
swearing, things are definitely going
badly. Unless the Demon is getting dogpiled.
