682/Totally Awkward

Totally Awkward
Date of Scene:	26 September 2014
Location:	Divided Equestria <DE>
Synopsis:	Ness and Twilight finally recover from their injuries and have a chat.
Cast of Characters:	264, 475

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Eliot Ness (264) has posed:
    So it has been a few days since the attack, and Ness had been resting up pretty hard like Black Snake and told him to. However, he was also guarding Twilight Sparkle, so the middle ground was pretty simple: Crash on her couch until she was up and about again.

    Sometime after the initial attack, someone from his office in Chicago had brought his usual outfit to the barrier, where it had been broguht to him. And he had changed back into (most of) his usual attire before he crashed down for a few days of comatose guardianship while the owner was upstairs.

    Presently, the federal agent is sleeping on his back on the couch. His jacket, suit coat, dress shirt and tie are hanging over a chair. His shoes are off and on the ground next to him. His hat is over his face. He's decent, though! He's wearing his dress pants and suspenders over a white tanktop.

    He's also snoring, faintly.

Magister Twilight (475) has posed:
    Hurt far worse, Twilight spent most of the time in her room... unconscious. Which means she's only now up and about, moving slowly and largely dressed in a loose robe and visible bandages. She even has a staff! Wizards, you know. It's this figure that ends up staring down at Ness with a quirked brow, clearing her throat. "Well, at least someone takes their job seriously."

    A less familiar voice, male and faintly echoing, immediately states, "This human took a stab for you, Twilight. The least you could do is give him a proper thanks."

Eliot Ness (264) has posed:
    Closer inspection on Ness when she's standing over him shows more than a couple bullet holes and even more scars from knife wounds. He's definitely used to being injured. Still, when she managed to sneak up on him, he jerks himself awake, "Ah, apologies. You feelin more on the up and up?" He asks her, taking the hat off his face and moving it atop his head as he sits up.

    He looks around, trying to identify the unknown voice about which he asks, "Who's the fella and where's he speakin' from? Squawk box?" While sitting up, it's easy to spot something no one ever sees because of his usual attire: Across Eliot's bicep is a tattoo of a latin phrase: Bonis nocet quisqus malis perpercit.

Magister Twilight (475) has posed:
    "Reasonably so," Twilight replies. "You shouldn't have gotten in front of me like that. I realize you are in charge of my safety, but I don't pay you enough to take a stabbing for me. I have bodyguards for that." She shuffles over to pour herself a drink... while the voice returns.

    Shimmering into view, the translucent form appears, a youngish man with a short, dark beard. "I am the shade of STARSWIRL THE BEARDED! The greatest unicorn mage to have lived in ancient Equestria! Advisor to Celestia herself! The Archmagister keeps me bound here in the mortal plane, bound in eternal servitude and torture!"

    Twilight coughs on her drink. "Don't be so melodramatic!"

    "It's KIND of like torture," the apparition points out grumpily.

Eliot Ness (264) has posed:
    "You do not have to pay me for it," Ness says seriously, resting his back against the couch as he looks towards her when she shuffles off, "It would be downright unchivalrous to allow a dame to be stabbed on my watch, 'specially a high-class Sally like yourself." He points out, eventually pushing himself to stand up and head over to his shirt.

    As he slips it on, covering up that tattoo in the process, he looks towards the shimmering apparition, "You know, 8 months ago, I woulda been downright bamboozled at this," He sighs a bit tiredly, "Meetin' a ghost. Well, greetins' to ya, Starswirl. Eliot Ness, US Federal Agent. I hav-" He cuts off a bit, looking to Twilight as she chokes on her drink.

    "Servitude and torture?" He asks, looking a bit puzzled as he buttons up his shirt and starts tucking it in.

Magister Twilight (475) has posed:
    Twilight pours Ness a glass as well, carrying it over and offering it out. "He exaggerates. A girl has her secrets, no? Speaking of secrets... you have writing on your body? I never thought you the type for tattoos." She has some, of course... and dressed more lightly as she is, it's clearer that they're all over her body.

    Starswirl chuckles. "The servitude is right. Twilight, for all her faults, does not torture me. She has called me back from beyond the grave as an advisor in this time of need." He pauses, turning to look to Twilight. "Speaking of which, to answer your question... aside from a unicorn, it is possible that a supernatural creature of sufficient power could force their way through, but it would be very messy. The only creature that could move through so cleanly would be one extremely skilled in bypassing wards and barriers of the sort, or possibly an alicorn. Celestia could likely do so."

Eliot Ness (264) has posed:
    "Oh, that," He says, taking the cup from her and smelling it before taking a sup, "Bonis nocet quisqus malis perpercit." Which, when said aloud, the Translation Effect would point out means 'Whoever spares the bad injures the good'. He smiles politely, "I got that in training. I have another one on my back. Fiat justitia, ruat caelum." 'Let justice be done, even though the heavens fall', "When you work in a corrupt system, you want a reminder of what you fight for."

    "What about your tattoos?" He asks, pointing towards them with a vague wave of his hand. His gaze turns over towards Starswirl, "So the three options are she's a unicorn, she's an alleycorn... or something on that trolley? You made a really powerful enemy, Archmagister."

Magister Twilight (475) has posed:
    Twilight stares at both for a moment... then nods with a sigh. "I see. Yes... yes, it appears I have. It still makes no sense..." She just frowns, rubbing her temples. "That song... it's so familiar. Parts of it, at least. Perhaps I should think of that..."

    Starswirl shakes his head, "I cannot help you there. If you're finished with me, I'll return to the library, Twilight."

    "Yes, yes," Twilight says dismissively. "My tattoos? They help me focus certain spells and magics. I suppose I'm lucky none were damaged, that would be a pain to correct..." She sighs. "Spike must be worried about me..."

Eliot Ness (264) has posed:
    "Lotta people worried about you. Me included," Ness says firmly, rubbing where he got stabbed just a few days prior, "I can not believe I forgot to wear a vest. Shoddy work on my part," he says witha hint of annoyance in his voice. Seems he hates being caught unprepared, at least.

    He looks to Starswirl as he seems to be leaving, "Nice makin' your acquaintance, Mister Starswirl." And then he looks back to the Magister, "From what I've been able to dig up, there's two sects of this cult. The clowns with weapons, Jesters. And these... dead-but-not fellas. Looks like the Assassin is workin' with that second group, so you should focus some effort in rootin' them out and puttin' them down." He reaches out and pats her on the shoulder.

    And then he takes it away and laughs, "Magic. It's so off the pan for me to imagine. I'm just a cop and I'm in the middle of dead fellas and magic just tryin' to do my job right."

Magister Twilight (475) has posed:
    Starswirl looks amused. "You should listen to this one, Twilight. Too bad he's married." The mage drifts off, vanishing into thin air a moment later.

    Twilight doesn't do more than glare after, at first, then she looks to Ness again. "I should look into getting you suitable protection fitting for this world, if you are staying here and getting in the line of fire. You are right, though... I need to look into this further."

Eliot Ness (264) has posed:
    "I wouldn't mind that. I prefer my coat, though, so maybe you could do some of them magicko runes to it and see," He says, pointing over to the jacket in the corner of the office, "Just a rumination."

    "Actually," Ness explains awkwardly after Starswirl vanishes, "The Missus and I are separated. She don't like how dangerous my work is, so she's staying at her mother's," He then hastily moves the topic to a new area, "Do you still want me working out of Hoofington? Or should I move closer to Manehattan or Canterlot?"

Magister Twilight (475) has posed:
    Twilight shakes her head at the last suggestion. "No... no, Hoofington will be fine for now. You are a better set of eyes out there than in here. More valuable. I will simply need to up my security here."

    She turns and considers Ness's coat. "I could give you some enchantments, if you wish. Nothing too strong, but simple ones should be easy."

    Her tone softens somewhat. "As for your wife... you should take a break and visit her. I doubt the Assassin will try again so soon. You have been here far too long. Take a few days off."

Eliot Ness (264) has posed:
    Sadly, history will show that Ness's marriage is a bit doomed due to his workaholic attitude and dangerous job. Still, he smiles at her, "I'll see my daughter, but I think my wife'll be safer where she is. She's never liked my job anyway." He says softly, looking a bit awkward on the topic. And happy to shift it off of his rocky marriage and onto a different one.

    "I will have the jacket left with you sometime soon, then. And continue to work out of Hoofington," He adds, crossing his arms and considering the topic. Then he asks to her, "You likely have a lot of work to catch up on now that you're awake. Should I go?" This is a mixture of formality and pretty blatantly trying to avoid the fact that Starswirl's pairing is semi-viable.

    "You know how to reach both my offices if you need me."

Magister Twilight (475) has posed:
    "Mn..." Twilight frowns, then just nods slightly. "That will be fine. I will see to it personally. I know I am not the easiest pony to get along with, but I do know the meaning of gratitude, Eliot Ness. And I think the we both have loved ones we should visit sooner rather than later."

    She smiles faintly, "My guards will see you safely to the Warpgate. I'll be in touch."