(no subject)

[onblackwings]

who: Sombra & Khisanth
what: a run-in! literally.
when: nowish
where: somewhere in the city, toward the first fence
warnings: n/a

[ Really, Onyx should have worked out a better system for all of this. Something like the swords and skulls, currently magically small and compact about her neck, as a necklace. Why can't the rest of her hoard be so easily transported? Sure, the actual necklaces in the collection were easy enough to manage, but the rest of it...

...is currently scattered across the street, courtesy of the woman she'd met suddenly and violently coming around that corner. Everything from jeweled daggers to useless but shiny trinkets is laid out on display, and she'd only managed to keep ahold of a few things.

She shoots a glare up at the woman, but she doesn't have much time for that. More important that she drops to her knees immediately, beginning to gather up everything she'd dropped, snatching it up with the zealous protectiveness of someone who considers each and every thing here a fine treasure worthy of stealing. It's true in some cases, like the enormous diamond necklace still draped around her neck, but not quite in the case of the flashy but cheap broach of pastes and fake stones. It's fashioned in the shape of a winged serpent, though, so she'd liked it. And no one out here on the street can have it, it's hers. ]

Comments

[onblackwings]

[ Is this sarcasm...... squint. ]

As long as you're helping me, that's true. [ It actually would be pretty nice to have assistance all the way out there... some of these things are small, easy to lose track of. Particularly when she changes shapes. ]

But you might be on your own for the way back.

[doxxing]

[it could be!!]

Sure. I kinda wanna see where this goes, anyway.

[Sombra shrugs.] I guess I got to deal with that. I'll manage, somehow.

[Definitely not scared of that tho]

[onblackwings]

[ Well, fine. Apparently she has company now. She gathers of the last of her scattered belongings, entrusting a little less than half of it to her new buddy. The less valuable (according to her) half. And only as she's finally getting started and heading toward the gate does it occur to her to glance over with a question — ]

What's your name?

[doxxing]

[In one arm, she keeps the bits of junk safely carried. It's safe, really!]

Sombra. [She says, while giving a friendly little salute with two of her free fingers.] What about you?

[onblackwings]

[ Is it safe, though, is it really... She's got a close eye on her, just in case. ]

Onyx. [ She pauses, a little thoughtful. She won't stay human in the jungle, it's dangerous and that's a terrible idea. And if this Sombra is really coming with her, she supposes there's no reason to be coy about herself. So she adds: ] For now.

[doxxing]

[Oh, a code name. She can definitely relate to that.]

Onyx. I like it. Good to meet you.

So I take it you want your little hoard away from prying eyes?

[onblackwings]

Somewhat.

[ Sombra doesn't need to know the reasons for this move, but... Onyx doesn't necessarily mind telling her. Despite a slightly bumpy meeting, the woman has only been pleasant to her so far. Fine, she'll be a little more forthcoming than usual — she can't see any reason not to be. ]

I'm tired of living here, among the others. There was a fire recently, you know. [ She rolls her eyes. ] They can't even be trusted to keep their housing intact, how am I going to trust any of them with my belongings?

[doxxing]

Well, when you put it that way.

[Sombra gives a shrug of a shoulder.] That kind of makes sense. It's good to have a place to call your own outside of what people know. Especially if you're really protective of your stuff.

Which you seem to be. [Although her tone sounds like it might be teasing, she isn't judging whatsoever. All in all, it does make sense to her.]

[onblackwings]

[ Lucky for Sombra, Khisanth interprets everything as teasing and judgmental, and she's quick to narrow her eyes defensively. ]

Why shouldn't I be? It's mine. [ And speaking of... ] And if anything goes missing after this, since you'll be the only one so far familiar with the new lair, I'll know exactly who to blame.

[doxxing]

That's totally fair. Fortunately, you got nothing to worry about, amiga.

[The pair of them make through the jungle just fine and without incident. Not the most fun place to go stomping through; Sombra certainly prefers something with more of a taste of technology. Fortunately, Onyx is just interesting enough to really make this worth it. A woman of mystery and a lot of junk.]

You know. [Sombra grins, tilting her head as they make it to The Hoard.] If you wanted I could help you out setting up a security system so you don't have to worry about intruders.

[onblackwings]

[ Onyx leads the way expertly, like she's come to know this section of the jungle like the back of her hand. Which she has, frankly. It isn't often she makes this trip as a human, but when she's not flying directly in in her own form, she's taken the ground route as a dozen of the fascinating creatures of this world.

She pushes past a plant of broad, obscuring leaves, and into view comes an enormous tree, with roots twisting high up off of the ground. The tree itself is dead, the insides mostly hollowed out, but between that and its maze of roots, it's practically a cave. Its full depths can't even be seen from out here. She smiles at it fondly. ]

Could you. [ She glances over, an eyebrow cocked. She's starting to feel more at home, more herself, even if she hasn't physically changed yet, and her comfort and confidence shows. ] And what would you ask for a helpful gift like that?

wow i definitely thought i responded to this

[doxxing]

[Really, she likes the confidence; it's a pretty obvious change to her, but it's definitely more endearing to see the shift in Onyx's comfort.

At the question, Sombra puts on an exaggerated thoughtful look.] Hmmm. [She taps a fingertip to her lower lip.

Then she smiles.]

Be my friend. How about that? You seem really interesting. I'd like to know you better.

its ok ive just been staring in your window silently sobbing

[onblackwings]

[ That might be a suspiciously small price to pay if Onyx were just a human, but she likes to think that Sombra doesn't know the deal she's getting. But the woman has been helpful, and pleasant enough company. She's feeling generous. ]

It's a deal.

[ She ducks into the mouth of the cave that the tree makes, setting down her armful of belongings on a dry, flat-topped uprisen root. She gestures for Sombra to do the same, then promptly begins to undress. She does it briskly and casually, stepping out of her shoes first, but clearly intended to get all the way down to nothing. Perfectly not awkward. ]

[doxxing]

[After Sombra follows Onyx's instructions to deposit the goods, she stands back and puts a hand on her hip.]

Well now--

[There are a lot of things that she expects, but it certainly seems like Onyx is keeping Sombra on her toes. She definitely doesn't expect the woman to start undressing. She assumes that if it was a problem to look, Onyx wouldn't have been shy to tell her to look away.

So she does, albeit admittedly she does feel puzzled.]

Now you've lost me a bit.

[onblackwings]

[ She doesn't seem to care in the slightest whether Sombra turns her gaze away or not. She also doesn't seem to care to clear things up at all. She leaves her clothing folded a little less than neatly in one corner of roots, and takes a moment to stretch her arms lazily above her head with a private little smile. She won't miss this body that much.

And then she's changed. It's a swift process, the unfolding of a shadow — in one second the human Onyx stands on the damp ground, and in the next it's Khisanth. Four black scaled talons, a horned head just scraping the ceiling 15 feet up, and leathery wings folded in tight, close to her long body. She fits into the large space under the tree, but she makes it look small and cramped.

Feeling smug and satisfied for her change, she directs a fiery orange eye down to Sombra. ]

You can call me Khisanth now.

[doxxing]

[There are a lot of things that Sombra has witnessed, gained information on, and viewed from afar. Plenty of odds and ends, and even dragons aren't so impossible if Genji's any proof of it -- albeit in a different way.

This, though. There is no way that Sombra could predicted this. At first, all she can think of is holy shit, quite honestly.]

Khisanth. [quick say something else] That's a good name. [nailed it]

I think I just made a really special friend.

[onblackwings]

It looks like you did.

[ She settles herself down with care, a cat readying to relax into the perfect lounge. Her tail curls around her body, forefeet folding over one another, but her head looms overhead still on its long neck. Even lying down, she can't just let a human be taller than her. ]

Let's talk security. I have magic, and I can set up wards. What can you do better than that?

[doxxing]

[Right. Talk shop. She can do this. Sombra doesn't feel particularly intimidated, but she's definitely very much impressed, so that's certainly something.]

Well. [Sombra shrugs, rediscovering her own casualness.] I'm definitely not an expert on magic. I'll give you that, so I don't doubt that you can protect your hoard in your way.

But you can't be too careful, and I'm gonna guess that technology isn't as efficient in your world as it is in mine. I can make security cameras that wouldn't be detectable by the naked eye, silent alarms -- nothing that would look out of place.

We could make it stricter than that, if you wanted, but I don't know how protective you are or how much you just want to scare off strangers. Everyone's got a different priority.

[onblackwings]

[ She's definitely learned a healthy respect for technology in this world — it's essentially magic that anyone can use, as far as she can tell. She is tempted, very tempted, to ask if she can make it lethal to intruders — but really, she would hate to be deprived of the kill herself.

She considers the situation for a few seconds, a few sword-length claws tapping out an idle rhythm against the old wood of the tree, then: ]

I want to be aware of intruders, and I would rather they not know I'm aware. And I only want to be alerted to human presence, not simple beasts. [ Her head sinks a little closer, cocking for a closer look at her visitor. ] Can you arrange that?

[doxxing]

[Sombra smiles and tilts her head.] Oh, I can definitely get that done for you, Khisanth.

I should be able to come up with something for you in a couple of days. I don't have anything else on my plate, so it won't be long.

[onblackwings]

[ That's what she likes to hear. She looks pleased at the news, a few long, white teeth glinting as she smiles. ]

That's good. I think you'll find I can be a very useful ally, as long as you keep up your end of our agreements.