World Tree MUSH

Pier 39. Currently host to a lot of tourists watching a series of floating wood and metal flat structures out in the middle of the water scattered here and there with seals. It was one of San Fransisco's local attractions, and so the pier had a bevvy of shops, wandering hawkers, grifters.... and one Eddie Brock taking photos with an honest to God physical camera. OK fine it was electronic and saved all the pictures on a media card.

As he scribbled notes onto a pad hishead was turned by an invisible force towards a shop dedicated to all things chocolate. <Hungry.> venom's voice purred in Eddie's ear. <We always feel better after chocolate.>

"Yea," Eddie nodded while flipping his notes away and smiled. Today was overcast, and breezey, but to him it was comfortable. The article he was asked to write was fairly easy, and he technically already had all the material he needed from location. "Wonder how long it'll take Dan to run that hunch you had."

People who didn't know Eddie might not even pay him much mind, but if they did they might notice a trail of blackvein-likestructures running along his neck in twisted branching patterns. <I am grateful you kept me from hurting him. He has been... helpful for the both of us.>

     Against her better judgment, Diantha has stuck around a bit after her meeting with Eddie. Somehow she avoided being mugged or shot at as she made her way down to the ocean where things felt more open and the air seemed a little cleaner even if it was just the salty air off the water. As she passes a shop which had the most amazing smell, her ears pick up on a familiar voice. She smiles and quickly makes her way toward Eddie, though he'll probably hear her hooves before she gets too close. "Hey there. In this massive city with all these people, how did I randomly run into you again?"

Eddie recognized the voice and turned, smiling at Diantha. "Yea funny how that works. I didn't even really plan on being here either. Just a paper wanting an updated article on the seals over there," He pointed. One of the seals obligingly seemed to wave a flipper at him. Then again another belched, loudly, so... yay recognition?

"Yo Eddie!" Random guy passing through. 

Eddie waved, smiling in a vaguely friendly way. "I have no idea who that guy was." Then a gesture to a less crowded section of the pier. OK calling it a pier is a bit of an oddball classification since technically once upon a time it probably was where ships docked? Now? It was more tourist trap than anything. "Went and did a bit of exploring down that hole those guys popped out of." His destination seemed to be a building topped by an oversized shiny orniment designed to look like a foil wrapped chocolate confection. "Turns out there's an entire city down there and the locals just kinda want to be left alone. Still trying to dig out details but eh." A shrug, "They seemed like nice people.'

<Yes it would be good of us to try finding our way back at some point.> Venom agreed.

"So you go out exploring and come back, or been kinda turned around this whole time? I know where another one of those vine... portal... things popped up at could give you directions if you like."

     Diantha nods and laughs a bit. "Did a little exploring yes, got a little lost again, also yes. It's... kinda nice out here in a way through. Still way too much of concrete and such for my tastes, but at least there's the ocean and some wildlife." She says at the mention of the seals, looking at the creatures which appear rather adorable from here. 

     She follows as Eddie heads toward the building with the giant chocolate kiss on top, and points to the ornamental candy shape as it's shiny form is a bit hard to miss. "What is that building for? Do they sell some sort of precious metal or something?"

"That's like, a giant version of one of these." Eddie pulled a bite sized lump out of one of his pockets, showingthe foil wrapped object to Diantha before unwrapping it revealing a dark chocolate within, which he popped into his mouth. "Venom is like... bigtime into chocolate. I'd tried figuring out what it is about chocolate but working thoery is it's got stuff in it that he needs that he'd otherwise have to... well... eat people to get at." He made a face before holding a door for Diantha. Fortunately the shop within, while busy, had room enough for a woman of Diantha's needs to navigate with only minor difficulty.

The place had candies of all types, mostly chocolates, but a few other things. They even hadsugar free suckers at the counter.

"Don't get me wrong, we still eat more than your average horse from all the stuff we do, but." he gestured, "Can't decide between chocolate covered coffee beans, dark chocolate bars, or pepper infused."

<Yes it is a hard choice to make, each has its merits.> Venom purred in Eddie's head.

     Diantha watches as Venom explains what a Hershey Kiss is, at least on a basic level, and confirms they are edible by eating one right in front of her. She smiles as he opens the door for her, and promptly begins looking around the shop, wondering if she should try some, and if so, what, there were indeed so many choices. 

     "Chocolate huh? I've never had it, but it smells incredible." She admits, choosing to stay clear of the talk about eating people, particularly since they were in a public place around... people.

"Last night was kinda weird since we had another out of towner pop in." Eddie stepped aside for a lady and her kid and made apologetic noises at what might have been her husband before continuing. "Ever heard of Azerath? Ever seen like girl about yay high, purple robes, bodysuit." He gestured Ravens' general height and build, putting the person he was talking about as being somewhat short and very slender. "Said her name was Raven, had this whole bird motif with like... I wanna say light, except opposite? Like could wrap things up in... I guess you could call it shadow, but that's kinda not right either. Could make a giant bird construct thing to poof around with. Any of that mean anything?"

     Diantha tries her best to keep out of the way of other customers particularly when they want to get past where she is. She looks back at Eddie though as he begins asking her if she knows anything about this girl named Raven. 

     "Azerath is dangerously close to Azeroth, where I'm from, but no, none of that is familiar to me at all otherwise. Seems like quite an interesting person though, even if this World Tree seems to be full of such people." She says with a bit of a laugh, knowing many likely find her, and certainly Eddie, quite 'interesting' in their own right.

"Shewas fairly helpful in keeping the people down there safe and.. well." He huffed as he absentmindedly slapped a tendrel that was trying to sneak a candybar into his pocket. "Stop that!"

<...But....>

"Stealing. Bad. Put that back." Eddie hissed before nodding as the tendril put the candy back where it had come from. Only then did he look to Diantha, "Basically we kinda got some bad news Venom took pretty poorly to then things kidna got out of hand. Raven basically kept us from going off the rails a bit so I figure whatever else she's nice enough. Seemed kindascolarly but also... wander the worlds to learn' instead of 'burrow into a library and never leave.' if that makes any sense."

     "Oh, well I'm glad to hear she kept you on track, sounds like things could have gotten pretty bad otherwise..." Diantha says with a nod, picking up a bag of assorted Godiva chocolates, her eyes having been drawn to the golden logo of a naked woman riding a horse. She holds onto it as she looks back to Eddie. "I guess I'd like to meet her if she ever comes around again...Wait, I have heard the name Raven before, if it's the same girl, she took classes at one of the worlds I've been to."

"Yea, well we all have off days." Eddie picked up a coupleof the candybars that Venom had tried picking up. "Oh really now?" He sounded genuinely happy at the possibility of Raven having a proper school enviroment. "Story she gave even on a short summary just had this... feel like ther'es a heck of a lot more she's not saying," Eddie looked at the aisle in front of him and frowned, seemingly stuck in indescision between 'hellfire dark' and 'tropical tan' bags of chocolate. "But not like 'she's lying to try hurting' and more 'she's afraid what I'd think of her' kind of lie... if that distinction makes any sesne." He shrugged and picked the spiced chocolates, which got an approving rumble from Venom before turning to go towards the counter. "I could just be overthinking a summary, but. Well, I interview lying scumbags with a lot to hide. She felt diffrent than that.... y'know?"

     Diantha nods as she also moves toward the checkout counter with her bag of chocolates that probably costs more than the buffet dinner she had with Eddie the other night. "Give her time, maybe it's just things she's not comfortable talking about with someone she just met. If it's things she is willing to share with you later when she knows you better, she will." Diantha offers sagely.

Just as Eddie was about to step up to the counter a pair of men in face covering halloween masks walked into the store with sotguns drawn. "Alright you fat saks of humanity. If you're dumb enough to come here you're loaded. Hand everything over and we'll be just another bad memory." The speaker worked the pump of his shotgun for dramatic effect.

Eddie's face twitched, black spidering across it, "Diantha, can you make them go to sleep?" It was a strange combination of Eddie's andVenom's voices that asked the question. "They are too far apart to cacoon without risking bystandards."

Eddie was a foot taller, covered in black as Venom now stood in front of the would-be robbers. "Gentlemen. We would recommend you choose your next actions carefully."

     Diantha's tail twitches a bit as she turns an eye toward the men with guns behind her, those guns did look like they meant business. She had no magic to put humans to sleep, but fortunately one of the robbers apparently never learned that it's a bad idea to stand behind four legged animals with hooves. 

     She aims a solid kick to the man's stomach in hopes that the blow would stun him long enough for her to charge up a little magic. Soon her staff glows a golden yellow like the sun and fires a blast of energy aimed at the man's hands, which should cause a nasty burning feeling and encourage him to drop the gun. Finally, she puts down her chocolates and turns to face the man. "You guys picked the wrong shop to rob."

The man Diantha kicked crumpled and let go of his gun, which was snatched by a tendril shot from Venom's body as another grabbed the gun out of the other would-be Robber's hands before seemingly casually bending the barrels of both weapons and tossing them aside. "We suggest you leave this place."

Both men stood frozen in fear either at Venom, Diantha, or both given one was still doubled over in pain.

Then Eddie's camera rose behind Venom by way of a third tendril to snap a picture of the would be criminal duo before Venom receeded, leaving only Eddie.

Who would place his chocolates on the counter and jerk a thub at Diantha, "Yea put hers on my tab tanks."

"Y-yea... sure." The casher rang the order up, which Eddie paid for, wincing internally as he did so then held a bag up for Diantha. "Cops should be here soon, Pretty sure they're non-threats now."

     Diantha watches as the men scurry away, the one she kicked being a little slower as he's still clutching his stomach, which is likely to have a hoof-shaped bruise later. She smiles knowing no one got hurt, and maybe those thugs learned a lesson, though she isn't about to take any bets on whether they will give up the life of crime. 

     She notices that the kid who entered before is looking at both her and Eddie with an awestruck expression. With a smile, she plucks a flower from her hair and hands it to the kid. "If you press that between the pages of a thick book, it'll preserve it if you want to keep it more than a few weeks." She offers as though the flowers in her hair are hardy, they will wither away after being picked like any other flower. It just takes a little longer.

Another kid, more a teenager really, pointed her phone at Eddie and Diantha before taking a picture. Eddie grinned, "C'mon buddy this is your moment."

<You're sure?> Venom sounded doubtful.

"Yea totally c'mon we earned this one." Eddie was almost instnatly covered by Venom, who flexed, and grinned for a few more seconds before stepping away from the counter, most definitively holding the newly purchased chocolate. "That actually felt really nice." The symbiote's voice rumbled thoughtfully. "Eddie seems excited. I... do not know how to feel." It waited for Diantha, using a tendril to hold the door for her. "However we are grateful you decided to extend your stay for a little while."

     The little boy takes the flower but promptly acts shy and goes to hide behind his mother. Diantha looks up as the teen girl takes the picture with her phone, but doesn't pose as she isn't even aware that the phone was taking her picture, or even what a photograph actually is. She smiles as Venom holds the door for her and walks outside, stretching a bit as she is happy to be out in the open air again.

     "I still can't quite believe I'm staying around here any longer than I have to. I'm not sure what made me decide to wander toward the ocean but I'm glad I stayed too. Though after that maybe I should be more careful. Do you think anyone around here would shoot me just for what I look like?"

Venom grunted, "It is possible, but unlikely. For the time being you are an exotic. People are not of a coherent opinion on the multiverse at large." Venom handed Diantha her bag of chocolates before pulling one of the spiced chocolates from his bag and popping it in its mouth. "We are both concerned at some mass event may shift mass opinion into a negative, and at the same time would like to believ people are better able to keep from being lead around by the nose."

<Yea doin good buddy.> Eddie sounded encouraging in Venom's head. <Honest, but don't leave on a sour note.>

"Eddie and I are still trying to figure out the best way to divide our time and how much attention we are-" It glanced over at a family that was staring at the pair and waved back, "are wiling to risk. The Life Foundation is still very active and if they could find a way to recapture us it would end... Poorly, to say nothing of Eddie's thoughts on what the local government would attempt if it meant gaining an army of soldiers bonded as we are." A dismissive snort, "It would end poorly. VERY poorly, but they wouldn't believe it if we just told them."

     Diantha nods, feeling a little safer but would still likely be watching her back more around here and in similar settings. "Hmm, this 'Life Foundation' sounds like they're pretty contradictory to their name. If there is anything I can do to help you both, I will." She offers with a smile, opening her bag of chocolates and reaching inside, pulling out a piece and unwrapping it before tossing it into her mouth. It's a chocolate covered cherry, which brings quite a pleasant surprise when she bites into it. She blinks as she is quiet for a moment. "Oh wow, these chocolate things... are incredible."

Diantha's reaction to chocolate caused Venom, a nine foot tall muscle bound terror with teeth as large as a man's forearm.... to giggle. "Oh yes so many options. So many wonders. It makes us... happy." Venom purred as it walked beside Diantha. "Help would be appreciated but Eddie... wishes to excersize caution. Given how ready he is to rush into things this is concerning, but for now we wil lwatch, and wait."

Venom looked t othe building tops thoughtfully. "We hope the next place you go has wide forests and clean air, and are sorry this place does not have enough of either."

     Diantha nods to both Venom's words about Eddie wanting to be cautious and also about the hope that the next place she visits being much more clean and natural. "Thanks, you are both very kind..." She trails off, getting a rather grim thought. "It occurs to me, I wonder if my own world would be this dense and built up, if the people that inhabit it weren't so incredibly skilled at killing each other..."

As Venom receeded, Eddie gave a soft chuckle. "I dunno. If I had to guesss it'd probably be they have people like you who are the litral embodiment of nature that are out in the world." He shrugged before sidestepping to let somebody through. "After I get this article written going to want to go see if I cant find that underground city again. Raven collapsed the tunnel the diggers were working on and we kidna teleported out." Another chocolate was eaten. Venom's tounge snatching it out of Eddie's hand.

"We'll walk with you til you get to the vine." There was a pause before, "Come to think of it we may need to start exploringmore. Get out, see the sights."

     "True, we dryads, keepers, and our Kaldorei allies have been protecting nature for a very long time on my world, I guess even if the other races weren't always fighting a war, there would be more of them sure, but maybe they wouldn't overtake all of nature." Diantha ponders, walking back her earlier grim notion. 

     She smiles as Venom mentions getting out more after offering to walk her to the vine. "I do recommend it. There are lots of interesting places out there. Including, probably, my home, which I'm not even sure I want to go back to right away at this point."