Slithering Serpent (ended)

[Spiderfly]

(no more than 2 characters please X3 otherwise it'll hurt my head)

She had finally managed to sneak out of the palace. She loved it there, more than anywhere else. With Father, and Papa, and Uncle. But.. she needed some air, and to get away from politics and magic for a while. So when let out from her lessons with Bernard, she slipped into the courtyard, found a nice sized crack in the wall and was on her way to momentary freedom.

It was nice, to see people other than her close and extended family. It was nice to not have to be a Princess, as Papa called her from time to time. Though, he always seemed to say it with a tiny bit of scorn mixed with his pride. She wondered if her limbless form threw him off. Papa was special, a child in his own way, so she forgave him.

A twinkle or two caught her eye in the windows and she took her time meandering down the street. She was unsure if anyone knew who she was, but she did her best to not draw attention. Linda smiled, what a beautiful sunny day.

[Kari Muffin]

Supplies and a visit to one of his patients. Rocco had no idea how he had acquired a patient, but it was something he actually enjoyed. The raccoon trotted down the street, the few supplies in his pack jiggling along with his money. He really had no concern of people stealing his belongs. They were just terrified of a raccoon with four legs and a set of arms.

It really shouldn't be as hilarious as Rocky found it, he should probably be offended, but it was really difficult. It's not like anyone said a word. They just gave him looks. The raccoon found himself in a rather unusual place. Wasn't this street filled with jewelry and such? He wandered down it in dismay.

"Lost again," he muttered to himself. This happened whenever he came to Capital City, on the bright side he didn't end up in the slums again.

He spotted a serpent girl wandering the streets. She didn't seem to give him one of those surprised looks. Maybe she knew where the medical shop was? "Excuse me? Miss? You wouldn't happen to know where Kai's Medical Supplies is?"

[Spiderfly]

Linda was fascinated by a rather intricately shaped piece of gold. Nothing she would wear, but pretty nonetheless. She was surprised however when a voice sounded behind her and she turned to blink up at the corvistownian with a friendly hiss. At least it wasn't one of the palace guards come to drag her back.

"Er ah. . I believe maybe? I'm not one hundred percent but isn't it down the road just to the North?" She blushed slightly. So horrible of her not to know her own area. Though, she supposed, she did pretty well to know anything at all considering the amount of time she got outside.

"Maybe, I'll go with you? That way I can learn too, and if not we can be lost together." She laughed a little, an almost forgotten sound to her. It wasn't that she wasn't happy, that wasn't it at all. It was just that most of the time she was so very serious.

[Kari Muffin]

At least she had a better idea that he did. That was for sure. Rocky grinned down at her, he really didn't expect her to offer to come with him. It was her choice though. He wouldn't object.

"Well, if you really have nothing better to do that might be helpful. I get lost every time I come to Capital City. I just have a horrible memory when it comes directions," Rocky blushed a bit under his fur. "Horrible" was an understatement. If it didn't have something to do with a name, his research or his job he couldn't remember it.

"My name's Rocco, by the way! You can call me Rocky if you like, everyone does." He waved a hand dismissively, Rocky was really what he answered to most of the time. Proper names were for nobles and people who couldn't come up with cute nicknames. "Thank you for your help!"

[Spiderfly]

Linda slithered along down the street beside the rather larger bipedal-type. She found his extra legs fascinating, a bit of magic perhaps? Uncle Bernard hadn't said anything about appendages yet. . Maybe she could get herself legs in snake form? She snickered a little, that would look ridiculous.

"Oh me too!" She chimed in cheerily. "I barely get to come out and take a look around the City so please excuse me if I'm wrong." She laughed a little again, before taking a right to head North up a cobblestone street.

"Oh. . I'm. ." She looked around quickly before saying her name somewhat quieter "Linda." Did she honestly think anyone would know who she was? Was she really that conceited? No. . just paranoid.

She was having fun and meeting new people. People that her parents maybe wouldn't approve of. But Rocky was nice, she just had a sense that he was a good person. She'd always followed her instincts, and they'd always been correct in the past, so why doubt them now?

"OH LOOK!" She hopped .. well she couldn't point she simply STARED at the store. "There it is."

[Kari Muffin]

"Linda's a very pretty name! It's nice to meet you!" Rocky almost sang as he trotted down the way. It was a good thing he never really kept up with royalty. The only names he really knew were from the court of diamonds.

The raccoon's head swiveled in the direction that Linda was hopping at. Having no limbs must have been a horrible hassle. He couldn't imagine what it would be like without... well he had too many didn't he? Well he couldn't imagine life without hands.

"Why... that... isn't the store I was looking for," Rocky said with great disappointment. It was a medical supply store but it wasn't the one he was looking for. Kai was definitely different than Keri's. The difference in name was slight, but the difference in quality was huge. The raccoon sighed. Where was Kai's? Was he completely off again. "I wish I could use Keri's Medical Supplies, but they aren't that good. Looks like we were both wrong."

At least he wouldn't be the only one lost and puzzled in the city. "Well, maybe there's a place you want to go that I can find?"

[Spiderfly]

Linda was so happy she had found it! She didn't actually think she would but here she had! But. . oh no? Not the right one? She tilted her head and looked up at the raccoon. "Er, I'm so sorry. I guess I got them mixed up?"

In all honesty she had only ever seen this one. She twisted her jaw, snapping it out of place then back in again. It was a gesture she used when thinking and she forgot how it tended to bother others, especially Papa. When she realized what she'd done she blushed profusely.

"I'm sorry Rocky.. I don't really have anywhere to go actually. I just slipped out of. . home." She smiled.

"I wanted a day to myself so I snuck out here, I like looking in the magic shops though. Are you interested?" She watched him, she had a feeling that he maybe would be more interested than most. But by the looks of the wings on his back and his legs, he was a great scientist in other areas. She hesitated a second before saying anything.

"I . . really must say either you're an amazing scientist or rather gifted in magics I've yet to learn. Er, not that it's any of my business to bring it up but I'm guessing the first?" She beamed up at him.

[Kari Muffin]

"No problem! I get mixed up all the time." He said with a dismissive wave. It was true, and no one was perfect. If she wasn't in the city very often he could understand perfectly that she would get confused.

"Magic shops? That would be interesting. I haven't been in one for a while." He tapped his nose thoughtfully. He wasn't phased at all by Linda's jaw popping. She was a snake, and snakes naturally did that right? It could be a weirder habit anyway, but magic shops. He really should take a better interest in magic shouldn't he? It did have its uses, like his language and all of that.

He blinked at her sudden questioning statement. Right! He was a raccoon with wings and extra limbs. "Oh, I'm just a humble scientist. The extra limbs were an accident and the wings were grafted on. I have every intention of being able to fly, despite my weight and extra limbs." Rocky nodded with satisfaction as his wings wiggled in emphasis. "If I were great, my dear, you would have heard my name like the amazing Ophelia. Anyway, I think a magic shop would be a fantastic adventure. I actually know of one!"

He pointed to a faint building in the distance. It stood out from all the others because of it's bright red roof. Hali's Shoppe of Magic or some such name like that was written in golden letters on the door. Rocky couldn't help but notice it when he passed it by one or twice.

[Spiderfly]

Linda blushed a little. He really was a kind enough man, and gracious too. Most would have been mad at getting offered help that went no where. And on top of that it seemed as if he was actually willing to go into the magic shop with her! She had gone in plenty of times with Father before, Papa never really seemed interested. The places Papa was interested bothered Linda honestly.

She tasted the air with her tongue before swaying again. "Well you've done more than most would be able to accomplish, surely. That's quite a feat indeed to get them to reanimate again!" She smiled at him happily as much as her reptilian face allowed, feathers at full mast.

"Oh I've heard the name Ophelia before!" She thought hard as they moved towards the store, unsure where exactly she had heard it before. No matter, she'd remember sooner or later.

"Oh! I've been to this store before with Father. It's quite nice though, things tend to be on shelves. . up high." She said with a bit of apprehension in her voice. Surely this stranger wouldn't carry her so she could read. It was difficult being in a body so low to the ground, with no limbs.

She reached the door and waited, something else she couldn't do. She looked up with an apology in her face at Rocky for making him open the door.

[Kari Muffin]

Rocky really didn't care that she couldn't open the door. She didn't expect her to do anyway. With a hasty hum he opened the door and let her slither inside. It must be a real pain not having proper limbs.

The inside of the shop was filled with various neat and proper books on the shelves, items and such stored in a very orderly way. Rocky blinked a few times in surprise. This was nothing like any of the shops that he had been in before. It was so... clean! Well, perhaps it was mostly because everything was in book form. That would certainly do it. The shopkeeper looked up briefly from reading. A Highlander canine with a set of thick glasses. He raised an eyebrow at the appearance of Rocky. Apparently Corvies didn't frequent his shop.

"If you need any help," Rocky said looking down to Linda, "I'm more than willing to pick you up. I imagine you can't reach the top shelves and all."