The Hidden Door-A Role Play (AKA The Most Dangerous Coffee Shop II)

[FrankieDoodle]

(Sorry I couldn’t resist I’m reading LOTR right now.)
“I’m sure I’m just... suspicious over nothing,” Cam said, not sure how to properly explain her feelings.
Korim paused and stared at something shimmering and bouncing the beams of electricity. “What’s this?” he asked. He had grabbed the intricately carved silver handle of a hand mirror, which looked quite ancient but in perfect condition. The mirror reflected his round face but seemed to have extra dimensions. It sparkled in the spastic light zapping out of Kylan’s hands. It seemed depthless, like a bottomless pit. His grin turned almost thoughful.

Kevin nodded slowly, pulling the ring out of his pocket and twirling it around in his fingers. Maybe she was right, maybe it was cursed. But if it was, wouldn’t something bad have happened to the dragon sooner?
Maybe I should leave it, Kevin thought. Before he could decide, his attention was drawn to the mirror Korim held. That’s strange, he thought, turning away. All of the treasure seemed so foreign to him. Almost magical. Whether it really was, or if it was his imagination, he had yet to decide.
He traveled deeper into the cave, using his magic to light the path. Stopping, he looked back down at the ring. Before he decided against it, he carefully pulled his necklace off and untied the cord. He used his thumb to wipe off some of the mud that collected on the delicate silver ring, frowning. He dropped the new ring on the cord and tied it back around his neck, and then continued to explore the cave.

 

[RiverStorm]

Kevin shook his head, standing up. “I’m glad I could help him,” he said, offering his hand to help Lilith up. “Come, let’s go find the others.” He swung his bag and gun over his torso, holding the strap and walking out of the rain and into the cave.
He abruptly stopped, his jaw dropping at the amount of treasure that scattered the floor. Coins, jewelry, encrusted gold boxes. He had never seen so much gold and silver in the same area.
Kevin blinked a few times, brushing a wet strand of hair out of his face and taking a few steps forward. “Incredible,” he whispered, glancing back at Lilith before heading deeper in.
He stopped in front of a small box, carefully opening it. Inside was a small golden ring, which looked like it had been around for centuries. It was dirty, but once it was clean it would’ve been stunning. He used his thumb to wipe off some of the grime, frowning at the delicately carved cursive words. He knew it was in Portsmouth, and he understood it was some sort of love message. Whoever this ring was intended for must’ve been one lucky person. Kevin thought, tucking it into his pocket. Once he got a chance, he planned to tie it to his necklace with his other ring.
Kevin turned, looking at the deceased dragon. Closing his eyes, he murmured something in Russian, before turning away. It was a shame such an eloquent beast had to be slain in such a way.
Heading further into the cave, he could feel the warmth of the dragon still clinging to the walls. He doubted they would catch a cold, even though they were wet. It didn’t take long to find Kylan’s glowing form, along with Aria and a few people he didn’t remember the names of. “Hey,” he said, jogging to catch up to them.

Phew, she didn’t smite me, Cam thought. But she felt sorry for the girl, who seemed uncomfortable under all the stares. Imagine how insecure you’d be, having a power like that. I got pretty lucky.

“DON’T TOUCH IT!” Cam screamed. “Rings found in caves... bad. You probably just lengthened our journey tenfold. Throw it out!”

“Are you kidding? I could buy a house of my own” Aria grinned rubbing her hands together, “but I’m not weighing myself down with gold. No point”

"Hey Kevin." He greeted with a smile.
Kylan nodded to Aria with a chuckle, looking down at the gold and jewels. Ignoring their frantic and freaked out companions, he grabbed a few coins, flipping them over in his hand that he had ceased the electric in, however the other still lit the room up for them.
The coins sparkled in the golden light, shimmering. He shrugged, reaching his hand back and sticking them in his backpack. "Dunno, maybe I'll keep those and show my mom someday. Or if we ever have to here, we could buy stuff with them if we run into another village. Always good to be prepared in case we need more supplies." He murmured to her.

Lilith had allowed Kevin to help her up, giving him a final smile before stumbling into the cave with Tru at her side.
Her eyes grew wide at the sight of the mounds of treasure, shaking her head a little. "That's, uh... That's a lot of... Stuff." She scoffed in a stunned manner, listening to the others bicker and pick on Kevin about grabbing the ring, to which she rolled her eyes. "Really? Cursed? It's just a ring, cool it." She muttered, having never really been a superstitious person about those sorts of things.
To prove her point, she strolled forward and nonchalantly picked up a golden bracelet twisted to look like it was a branch with leaves, and small emerald looking gems strew across it. She slipped it onto her flesh wrist, before looking at Cam and Ellie, raising her hand and twirling it. "See? If it really was cursed or whatever, wouldn't it like, burn me or something?" She asked, lowering her hand and pulling the sleeve of her hoodie over it.

 

[Amer]

"Hey Kevin." He greeted with a smile.
Kylan nodded to Aria with a chuckle, looking down at the gold and jewels. Ignoring their frantic and freaked out companions, he grabbed a few coins, flipping them over in his hand that he had ceased the electric in, however the other still lit the room up for them.
The coins sparkled in the golden light, shimmering. He shrugged, reaching his hand back and sticking them in his backpack. "Dunno, maybe I'll keep those and show my mom someday. Or if we ever have to here, we could buy stuff with them if we run into another village. Always good to be prepared in case we need more supplies." He murmured to her.

Lilith had allowed Kevin to help her up, giving him a final smile before stumbling into the cave with Tru at her side.
Her eyes grew wide at the sight of the mounds of treasure, shaking her head a little. "That's, uh... That's a lot of... Stuff." She scoffed in a stunned manner, listening to the others bicker and pick on Kevin about grabbing the ring, to which she rolled her eyes. "Really? Cursed? It's just a ring, cool it." She muttered, having never really been a superstitious person about those sorts of things.
To prove her point, she strolled forward and nonchalantly picked up a golden bracelet twisted to look like it was a branch with leaves, and small emerald looking gems strew across it. She slipped it onto her flesh wrist, before looking at Cam and Ellie, raising her hand and twirling it. "See? If it really was cursed or whatever, wouldn't it like, burn me or something?" She asked, lowering her hand and pulling the sleeve of her hoodie over it.

“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” Cam said. She now stared at the shimmering treasure glumly. She shivered, even in the humid warmth of the dragon cave she felt chilly and wet. “You know, I’d trade all of the treasure in Borealis just to be warm and dry and in my own bed right now. Nevermind that there’s still daylight left.” As well as being cold and wet, Cam was scratched up and bone tired. She glanced at Korim’s younger brother’s boots and the shredded and soaked hem of Mallie’s dress. She regretted wearing it for the first march. “I probably look ridiculous right now.”
Kyle and Rylie had stalked up behind them. Kyle stared at the gold and jewelry, apparently unimpressed. He had never cared for that sort of stuff. Gold was too heavy to carry and even the smallest of rings was more fit to be a bracelet on his skinny arms. “I doubt it’s enchanted... but with our luck...” he said.
“What is this then?” Korim asked, waving the mirror. “Magic? A strange word you use... for misunderstood yet totally explicable events.”

 

[Butterscotchbitesfinger]

"Hey Kevin." He greeted with a smile.
Kylan nodded to Aria with a chuckle, looking down at the gold and jewels. Ignoring their frantic and freaked out companions, he grabbed a few coins, flipping them over in his hand that he had ceased the electric in, however the other still lit the room up for them.
The coins sparkled in the golden light, shimmering. He shrugged, reaching his hand back and sticking them in his backpack. "Dunno, maybe I'll keep those and show my mom someday. Or if we ever have to here, we could buy stuff with them if we run into another village. Always good to be prepared in case we need more supplies." He murmured to her.

Lilith had allowed Kevin to help her up, giving him a final smile before stumbling into the cave with Tru at her side.
Her eyes grew wide at the sight of the mounds of treasure, shaking her head a little. "That's, uh... That's a lot of... Stuff." She scoffed in a stunned manner, listening to the others bicker and pick on Kevin about grabbing the ring, to which she rolled her eyes. "Really? Cursed? It's just a ring, cool it." She muttered, having never really been a superstitious person about those sorts of things.
To prove her point, she strolled forward and nonchalantly picked up a golden bracelet twisted to look like it was a branch with leaves, and small emerald looking gems strew across it. She slipped it onto her flesh wrist, before looking at Cam and Ellie, raising her hand and twirling it. "See? If it really was cursed or whatever, wouldn't it like, burn me or something?" She asked, lowering her hand and pulling the sleeve of her hoodie over it.

Aria giggled “as if your mum would believe you!”

 

[RiverStorm]

“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” Cam said. She now stared at the shimmering treasure glumly. She shivered, even in the humid warmth of the dragon cave she felt chilly and wet. “You know, I’d trade all of the treasure in Borealis just to be warm and dry and in my own bed right now. Nevermind that there’s still daylight left.” As well as being cold and wet, Cam was scratched up and bone tired. She glanced at Korim’s younger brother’s boots and the shredded and soaked hem of Mallie’s dress. She regretted wearing it for the first march. “I probably look ridiculous right now.”
Kyle and Rylie had stalked up behind them. Kyle stared at the gold and jewelry, apparently unimpressed. He had never cared for that sort of stuff. Gold was too heavy to carry and even the smallest of rings was more fit to be a bracelet on his skinny arms. “I doubt it’s enchanted... but with our luck...” he said.
“What is this then?” Korim asked, waving the mirror. “Magic? A strange word you use... for misunderstood yet totally explicable events.”

Lilith nodded, crossing her arms and shifting her weight as she focused on the girl. "Yeah, me too, me too. Ya'know, at first, I thought this was a fine place. Guess getting changed into little-me and fighting manticores, wolves, a dragon... Has more than changed my mind. My place sucks, but it's sure of a lot better than this." She laughed, shaking her head.
She shrugged at the girl's comment, looking down at herself. Mud was splattered up her legs and stomach, even giving her a complete mud-mask. Her jeans were torn from the wolf attack, and she was soaked. "I've had better looks than this, too."
She raised her camera suddenly, getting a snapshot of the mounds before lowering it.

Aria giggled “as if your mum would believe you!”

Kylan snorted, shaking his head. "Yeah, you're right. This is something only a schizophrenic would dream up. People'd probably just say I'm crazy." He laughed. "Maybe I'll just say I got stuck in a sewer."

 

[Butterscotchbitesfinger]

Lilith nodded, crossing her arms and shifting her weight as she focused on the girl. "Yeah, me too, me too. Ya'know, at first, I thought this was a fine place. Guess getting changed into little-me and fighting manticores, wolves, a dragon... Has more than changed my mind. My place sucks, but it's sure of a lot better than this." She laughed, shaking her head.
She shrugged at the girl's comment, looking down at herself. Mud was splattered up her legs and stomach, even giving her a complete mud-mask. Her jeans were torn from the wolf attack, and she was soaked. "I've had better looks than this, too."
She raised her camera suddenly, getting a snapshot of the mounds before lowering it.

Kylan snorted, shaking his head. "Yeah, you're right. This is something only a schizophrenic would dream up. People'd probably just say I'm crazy." He laughed. "Maybe I'll just say I got stuck in a sewer."

“That’s...actually not a bad idea, if you have sewers near where you live. I however don’t...so....maybe I can say I have been staying at a friends house? Whether they’d vouch for me or not is another question” Aria frowned thoughtfully

 

[HeavensHens88]

Ciro picked his way through the fringes of the roaming group. He'd just realized he hadn't made any real efforts to approach Aella in awhile, let alone talk to her, and that's what this increasing guilt was about...even know he didn't quite understand it. Maybe it was their discovered mutual discernment of the vastly different -yet strangely similar- worlds they lived in that had him feeling obligated to keep her company, or maybe he was completely off about that. Maybe he just...wanted to be close to her.
We're friends, he trumpeted internally, then mentally drooped. Or at least I want us to be. But you don't just forget about and completely ignore people who are your friends for days on end, do you? Even with we-sas and dragons, that seems pretty unforgivable.
He frowned as he carefully thought that over, then hurried ahead anyway with even more purpose than before. What exactly did he have to lose? He'd just have to make it up to her, somehow.
Or would a gesture of reconciliation be too forward?
You want her to be your friend, he firmly reminded that side of himself.
Yes, the whole of Ciro's subconscious concluded, not decisively agreeing on anything.
"That was...interesting," he ventured awkwardly once he'd come within a few meters of Aella. "I hadn't really grasped the full potential of the company we've been keeping until now." That unintentional extra statement also served the dual purpose of reminding him that she was, in fact, a member of said dangerously powered company. But that realization didn't do much for him besides have his contrite smile widen.


To sum up his feelings about the past hour, Colby yelped, "Ayek," or something close to that, and continued as tightly pressed to the eerily warm cave wall as possible. He wouldn't vehemently deny being a bit on edge after everything, but he wasn't going to let on about being petrified, either. So staying away was good.

"In my experience, the treasure itself isn't cursed," Nat mused thoughtfully, much to herself. "That's usually just the resulting misconception from the uninformed public's perception on the sudden deaths of the hapless adventurers whose egos were too blown up to expect the second lethal guardian."

 

[RiverStorm]

“That’s...actually not a bad idea, if you have sewers near where you live. I however don’t...so....maybe I can say I have been staying at a friends house? Whether they’d vouch for me or not is another question” Aria frowned thoughtfully

"Yeah, we do." Kylan hummed in response, deciding that would be his excuse-- That he and Torin were walking home when somehow some psychopath forced them into one.
He furrowed his brows a bit. "Why wouldn't they?" He asked, but immediately regretted it. Could be a touchy subject for her. He mused internally, glancing down at her.

 

[Butterscotchbitesfinger]

"Yeah, we do." Kylan hummed in response, deciding that would be his excuse-- That he and Torin were walking home when somehow some psychopath forced them into one.
He furrowed his brows a bit. "Why wouldn't they?" He asked, but immediately regretted it. Could be a touchy subject for her. He mused internally, glancing down at her.

She took in a sharp breath, friends had always been a touchy subject for her, she smiled wryly. “Sometimes they back me but not against my parents” Aria smiled sourly she sighed attempting to shake the thought and bring herself back to reality

 

[Amer]

Lilith nodded, crossing her arms and shifting her weight as she focused on the girl. "Yeah, me too, me too. Ya'know, at first, I thought this was a fine place. Guess getting changed into little-me and fighting manticores, wolves, a dragon... Has more than changed my mind. My place sucks, but it's sure of a lot better than this." She laughed, shaking her head.
She shrugged at the girl's comment, looking down at herself. Mud was splattered up her legs and stomach, even giving her a complete mud-mask. Her jeans were torn from the wolf attack, and she was soaked. "I've had better looks than this, too."
She raised her camera suddenly, getting a snapshot of the mounds before lowering it.

Kylan snorted, shaking his head. "Yeah, you're right. This is something only a schizophrenic would dream up. People'd probably just say I'm crazy." He laughed. "Maybe I'll just say I got stuck in a sewer."

Cam gazed at the mounds of gold and a red shiny metal. “Why isn’t there any silver?” she asked. She picked up a red piece that had been hammered into a coin. “But there’s all this red metal.”
Korim smiled and picked up a red coin. It sparkled in Kylan’s light. “Red...” he said. “The color of money... No one would bring silver with them on a journey. It’s much too valuable.”

Ciro picked his way through the fringes of the roaming group. He'd just realized he hadn't made any real efforts to approach Aella in awhile, let alone talk to her, and that's what this increasing guilt was about...even know he didn't quite understand it. Maybe it was their discovered mutual discernment of the vastly different -yet strangely similar- worlds they lived in that had him feeling obligated to keep her company, or maybe he was completely off about that. Maybe he just...wanted to be close to her.
We're friends, he trumpeted internally, then mentally drooped. Or at least I want us to be. But you don't just forget about and completely ignore people who are your friends for days on end, do you? Even with we-sas and dragons, that seems pretty unforgivable.
He frowned as he carefully thought that over, then hurried ahead anyway with even more purpose than before. What exactly did he have to lose? He'd just have to make it up to her, somehow.
Or would a gesture of reconciliation be too forward?
You want her to be your friend, he firmly reminded that side of himself.
Yes, the whole of Ciro's subconscious concluded, not decisively agreeing on anything.
"That was...interesting," he ventured awkwardly once he'd come within a few meters of Aella. "I hadn't really grasped the full potential of the company we've been keeping until now." That unintentional extra statement also served the dual purpose of reminding him that she was, in fact, a member of said dangerously powered company. But that realization didn't do much for him besides have his contrite smile widen.


To sum up his feelings about the past hour, Colby yelped, "Ayek," or something close to that, and continued as tightly pressed to the eerily warm cave wall as possible. He wouldn't vehemently deny being a bit on edge after everything, but he wasn't going to let on about being petrified, either. So staying away was good.

"In my experience, the treasure itself isn't cursed," Nat mused thoughtfully, much to herself. "That's usually just the resulting misconception from the uninformed public's perception on the sudden deaths of the hapless adventurers whose egos were too blown up to expect the second lethal guardian."

“Interesting,” Kyle said, getting a far-off expression as though he could somehow fit that bit of information into his theories about the meaning of life.