In the intervening weeks, Nora has been staying at her sister’s and looking after her. Merlin’s just been planning revenge and having a wank. Ursa has been helping plan the cook-off, and also done a bit of an exorcism to help persuade Strych to attend (this was a little solo side-adventure Sami and I did).
We started with Alkahest inviting the others for dinner at a Death Night at Neutral Grounds (spicy food but not very nutritious!!), where he explained a bit about the chilli cookoff as a concept and explained about the issue with Panacea: Alkahest is very worried that Panacea, his sister, is going to turn up and ‘fuck this up’, since she’s no longer sealed in the Infernomicon. And while he and her can stoke or smother one another’s power, it takes his full concentration to do so. So if he spends all his time doing that, he isn’t going to be a very good host. And the union dies before it even gets made. Meaning he wants to hire them to run security at the event, and can offer them each 500 british pounds for doing so.
Merlin was worried about the fact he might have to talk to demons, and he hates demons. He doesn’t want 500 british pounds. Also he doesn’t have any beach clothes. Alkahest says nice things about Merlin, while Ursa reminds him that he is her best friend and should help her out. Channel his inner Nora.
Ursa takes Merlin shopping for beach clothes.
They’re all going to drive in together, Raoul included. Ella has been invited but at Nora’s advice, goes instead to spend some time with friends she hasn’t been in touch with for a bit. Merlin’s parents were invited too, but Vesper forgot.
There, they arrive to find this world mostly abandoned, and swelteringly hot, with the British Isles all broken up. But that means more beach, baybee! They get everything set up – tables and benches, with a load of crock pots to keep things warm, and a bar in a gazebo, and tents to get changed. Shortly after, Erabu (the third judge) arrives. She’s brought mushy peas for some reason.
After everyone puts on their beach fits, Merlin immediately goes to the bar for some Caribbean Courage. Miasma is manning the bar, and shakes one up for him. She says ‘Say, hon’, you aren’t a demon, what brings you here?’ and he’s like ‘Do I look like a demon?’ before explaining that he’s just stressing out a bit. She pours him a pina colada in a pineapple the size of his torso.
Ursa runs into Rembra, who is fully nude and talking about chopping up a dildo in her chilli, because sex sells. Ursa asks her to cover up a bit, so she puts some shells over her nipples. It’s awful. Ursa’s also able to persuade her to avoid Merlin, and Rembra’s like ‘sure, just make sure Amyll does the same’ And Ursa’s like WHAT and heads off to find her.
Nora is approached by Earnest, also an Institute employee, who offers up a shoulder to cry on re: her Auditor sister. Nora’s too incensed by this to immediately realise that something doesn’t add up, but by then she’s told him to fuck off. She spots Draisine, and goes to chat with him. Draisine tells her he’s excited about the prize – he’s been told it’s an angelic halo by someone who can sense when something big comes into play – but also that the union is looking like maybe a viable option for the little guy, what with the tournament coming up and lots of demons not having a chance in hell.
Merlin is shitfaced. He spots Strych, who is reading a novel, and spoils the novel for them. Then goes ‘Byeeeee’. Earnest approaches him for info on Nora’s predicament, but Merlin just brushes him off.
Ursa’s found Amyll playing volleyball with Phency as a partner, but the two keep winning and it’s winner stays on. She waits patiently as Nora addresses Alkahest re: the halo. Alkahest thinks she means Master Chief, but when she clarifies he’s like ‘Fuck! If people are only here for the prize then we’re screwed. Why would Strych spread a rumour like this!’ (They thought people might not come otherwise).
Everyone convenes at the volleyball, but when Amyll challenges them to volleyball (magic allowed) they refuse. Merlin makes a comment about Benzene, and Amyll almost demands satisfaction, but Ursa’s able to defuse things. Then Phency reveals he’s put a nitroglycerine magic bomb in one of the chillis, as a revenge-against-Alkahest plan. Amyll is mostly just embarrassed by him, and he runs off to ‘steal a speedboat’. He’s basically Beavis at this point. Alkahest is baffled by him.
It’s time to check the chillis for explosives, but Nora goes to threaten Earnest. He doesn’t take her seriously until she gets out her gun and Merlin conjures a shadowblade, and he reveals that he’d gotten some additional info from Dr. Park, and was hoping to get a bit more info to assist her research. He’d been spreading rumours based on a misinterpretation of events that Ella was the one who broke Park’s leg. Nora knocks his chilli into the sand and tells him to shut his god-loving mouth or the hand won’t be the last thing he loses.
His chilli explodes. It was the nitroglycerin one (it smelled of burnt caramel). He promptly leaves the event.
Roll History 