Crackerjack isn't sure whether to be impressed or dumbstruck.
He settles for clapping for the man's performance.
Nevi grumbles about the payoff better being worth the singing.
Markus merely shakes his head is disbelief...
The courtier turns his nose up.
"Hmph! To think the princess would associate with such disrespectful vagabonds! You show no respect for the customary musical performance, and you wish to leave me tied up like some sort of prisoner?"
He folds his arms. "No. I will not allow it. I am duty-bound to protect Her Majesty and tend to her every need. I will not leave her side unless she orders it herself."
Crackerjack shrugs.
"Then I'll turn you into a little pile of ash. You'll be easier to hide that way anyway."
He chuckles. "Here I thought you were some kind of genius. What do you think will happen if the security guard who was sent to your room does not come back or respond to his radio? Or..." he pulls out a walkie talkie. ...if he calls for backup himself?"
"Much as I hate to use my drab, former self as a shield, I will do what I must for the princess."
"We have several masters of disguise and know where you need to go. One pf us could impersonate you."
"I doubt you'll use the walkie. That would inconvenience your mistress as much as it would us."
"Now, Ms. Caravelle, are you going to call off your new boytoy or will we have to neutralize him? He makes a poor servant in any case, having the gall to refuse bowing to his betters."
The courtier sneers. It seems like you called his bluff.
"I bow only to the one I serve." Despite his defiant tone, he seems much less confident.
As the glamoured mortal verbally spars with Crackerjack, Markus steps forward;
"As much as I appreciate your servants Mistress Caravelle. They must learn their place..."
The demon's lean vessel eyes the guard in footman's clothing, with a cruel glint in his eyes;
"Poor mortal. You know nothing of the peril you are in..."
Then turns away dimissively;
"It matters not. All will bend their knees in the final days... Let him worship at her feet today..."
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The guard visibly flinches as Markus approaches him. If Crackerjack's taunts threw him a little off-balance, then Markus's threats have shaken him to the core. Perhaps he caught a glimpse of the unspeakable power contained in that human frame. Or maybe he just really hates the smell of sulphur.
In any case, he seems to be done making snide comments, and silently awaits his mistress's orders.
"Oh, there is no need for threats. He is loyal and will do his duty. Now, I need to you to pretend to be subdued. It's a matter of royal security." Seh will take his arma dn bring them around to his back. From there, she will let the others tie him up. "Not everybody is suited for such a crucial role."
His carefree smile returns. "As you wish!"
Now he allows you to tie him up with absolutely no resistance.
"Good luck, all of you! May the East and West Winds guide you to victory!"
"Works for me," she says, "Though you might want to keep the gag in.
Crackerjack scoffs. "He's already told us everything about how to get in the safe. Why exactly do we still need him?"
Markus eyes the glamoured lackey, then casts a baleful eye over his own... companions.
"He has... however his knowledge may yet be useful... Especially should situations unforeseen arise..."
Crackerjack sighs. "Very well. Since you all seem so attached to him, I suppose he can stay. But he can't be following us around in that ridiculous getup."
He points his Creation Beam at the servant, and dresses him in a replica of his security uniform.
The courtier looks utterly dismayed.
"We shall go straight to the elevator and take it all the way down."
You do so, and encounter no problems on the way to the elevator. But as it starts going down, a tinny voice crackles from the guard's hip.
*fzzt* "Hey Jared, everything alright up there?"
He quickly unclips his radio and speaks into it, doing a mediocre impersonation of...himself.
"Ye-yeah, everything's under control."
*fzzt* "Alright, man. Oh, and happy birthday! Stop by when our shift's done, we'll get drinks with the guys!"
"Thanks, that sounds great...uh, bro."
He re-clips the radio, looking a little ashamed.
The demon-wearing-human-skin smiles maliciously at this new information;
"Birthday eh? Many happy returns Jared... I am feeling generous, so in the spirit of your celebration I will left you live."
"Nothing like drinks after escaping death. Good gift."
"Yes, congratulations for being alive while the planet passes an arbitrary point in its orbit!" Crackerjack produces a small box that projects a holographic cake and plays a stock applause sound effect.
"You're all too kind." Jared grumbles.
The elevator approaches the ground level, then continues down as Jared inserts his key into the slot. The doors open, and you step out into a dim, narrow hallway. Your footsteps echo through the corridors as you follow him along a winding path.
Finally, you come to a vault door with a keypad lock.
"This is it. Shall I do the honors?"
Markus nods curtly;
"Please do. Or do you need The Princess to give the order..."
Jared rolls his eyes and punches in the code. You hear several loud mechanical clanks, and as the door slowly opens outward...
Inside, you find several display cases on wheels, each containing a set of diamonds of various sizes and shapes. But more importantly, you see a trio of armed guards at the center of the vault, holding a delicous-looking cake that reads "Happy Birthday Jared!" in blue frosting. They look surprised to see other people down here.
For a moment, there is nothing but awkward silence.
"Jared, who the hell are these guys?"
Jared stammers, completely at a loss for words.
The princess begins singing with them. As she does so, she shows them her full majesty/
Two of the guards - the one holding the cake and the one to his right - are enamored by your aura. Their outfits become similar to the one Jared was wearing when he transformed. They begin singing in a beautiful two-tone melody.
"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you~..."
Meanwhile, the third guard backs away from his former comrades in a panic. With a shaky hand, he grabs his radio.
"Code red, code red! Metahuman intruders in the vault! Three guards are...compromised! I need backup, now!"
He draws his pistol and points it at Caravalle.
"You're gonna pay for this, you b~$@%!"
Nevidomyy - 31
Lazarus - 22
Jared - 19
Guard - 19
Markus - 18
Caravalle - 18
Guard (transformed) - 11
Guard (transformed) - 7
Crackerjack - 4
Nevi, in a single movement, unfolds the stock of her 93M with a flick, cloaks, and opens fire.
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The guard doesn't even have time to pull the trigger before he's riddled with bullets. He lets out a shaky gasp as his body is sent reeling backwards into a display case, shattering its glass and sending its priceless contents skittering across the floor.
All the while, the newly enchanted servants don't even pause in their chorus. "...dear Jaaaa-reeeeed, happy birthday tooooo yooooou~!"
Just as they finish, an alarm starts blaring. And you won't have to worry about closing the vault, because it quickly slams shut behind you!
she takes a finger and slides it through the frosting before bringing it to her tongue with delight. "Make yourselves useful and start getting my gems together." she tells her lackeys.
"Your wish is our command!" they cry in unison. They quickly get to work, opening the cases and gathering the gems. Jared, in particular, looks happy to finally be working with people who get how things are supposed to be.
Markus watches the ensuing chaos with a smugness playing across his features.
When the vault door slams shut he nods;
"I think it is time to shed this skin..."
He steps back into the shadows, then utters hushed words of ancient origin...
"Lucrum Punice mammon dicitur"
... then steps forth, shrouded in whisps of brimstone and sulpher -
transformed into the huge demonic form of Māmōn.
The imposing infernal scowls at the heavy door;
"At present this is both our bulwark and our prison yes? Best we leave it in place until necessary..."
Crackerjack laughs. "Prison? Only for someone who hasn't mastered the very laws of physics!" He twirls his Multi-Tool around his finger, like a gunslinger's pistol in a spaghetti western. "Once these goons are done collecting the loot, I can portal us a mile away!"
He starts pacing around the vault. "But first...we need to leave a mark. A calling card. Something to fill them with shock and awe as they realize who outsmarted them!"
"Any ideas?"
Nevi picks up the casings from her machine pistol and uncloaks.
"Are not the clowns enough?" She gestures to the... "compromised" guards.
"Mind control victims, when relieved of the source of control, typically regain their wits after about a minute. It's quite baffling, really...even the simplest of minds can easily revert to a state of equilibrium. I should know, with all those 'forced neuroscience' experiments I've done."
"Anyway, I imagine the same is true for Her Majesty's magic. Right after we leave, her puppets will remember themselves, and likely shrug off the transformation, too."
"Sadly, lifetime loyalty is hard to find today." She immediately gets a chorus of denials from her hardworking lackeys.
The response is merely an eye roll.
"Fine, fine...I guess the lackeys can give their story about us."
Crackerjack opens a portal, inviting everyone to step through.
At the same time, you hear a female voice shouting outside the vault.
"You've got nowhere to run! Come out with your hands up, and I might not hurt you!"
"Hmm, is that..."
Crackerjack looks at the wristwatch-like device he created earlier. Then he cracks a mischievous grin.
"Good news, everyone! Gemstar is right outside the vault! I motion to stay here and taunt her with our superiority! All in favor?"
"Oh, wait, I actually don't care who's in favor, because I'm the one with the portal gun!"
The portal closes, and he cackles maniacally.
"Get ready for some fun! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!"
Nevi swears at a few things in particular, cloaks, and holds her weapon at the ready on the door. "What kind of heist is this..."
Lazarus attempts to make himself inconspicuous...
Poorly.
Nevidomyy vanishes.
Jared drags the shot guard into a conveniently placed sack. He twitches and lets out a soft moan. He's still alive, although there is probably no chance of him surviving this...
*PANG-PANG-PANG-PANG-PANG-PANG*
Suddenly, six objects blast through the vault door as if it were made of paper, moving almost as fast as bullets. They embed themselves in the back wall, and you see that they are fist-sized jewels with a blue tint. They were aimed at the door’s hinges, which are now just holes in the thick metal.
The door falls inward with a deafening *CLONNNNNG*, and before you stands Gemstar. She is a blond-haired young woman, wearing a sparkling pink jumpsuit that is covered by plates of translucent armor. She scans the room, looking angry…
The sight of a literal demon doesn’t seem to faze her, but she does see right through Lazarus’s disguise.
”Not only are you a thief, but a coward, too! Prepare to face the shimmering jewels of justice!”
Then you hear a voice shouting from some distance behind her.
”Gemstar! I told you to wait for backup!”
Gemstar turns to respond, looking even angrier.
”And I told you to stop babysitting me, old man! I can handle these clowns!”
About 60 feet behind her, an old man with a cane strides towards you. It seems like the cane may just be for show, as he moves with energy and grace that is unusual for his age.
”Never underestimate your enemy, young lady.”
Gemstar rolls her eyes, and raises her hands, ready to unleash another barrage of gems!
The two other controlled guards rush to either side of their mistress.
Lazarus
Jared
Gemstar
Old Man
Māmōn
Caravalle
Guard
Guard
Crackerjack
Nevi looks at the two targets for a moment before opening fire on both of them.