Seeking Acceptance (Finito)

[carcinoGeneticist]

When the man stepped out of the bar, he blinked at the landscape. The light had changed a fair bit since he'd arrived earlier in the day, and it was quite a sight. In a strange way, Seth realized, the Glacier was beautiful. When you lived there, you never really got a chance to notice things, like the light from the setting sun casting over the falling snow. It was not at all the kind of sunset he'd gotten used to seeing in the capital and the court of Hearts, but it was a sunset all the same. Seth could appreciate that now that he'd finally gotten some time away from his homeland.

Of course, it didn't take long for him to remember the way that the cold bit at his leaf-shaped nose, and he quickly pulled his long scarf across his face and set after the lanky canine. He had a suspicion that they would be walking for quite some time, and in the Glacier - that was a good thing. The more one's muscles worked, the more heat they produced.

When they finally arrived at the house, Seth gave a small and approving nod. It was a well-put together structure, and it would be nice to get inside. It was sure to be much warmer, and the bat was looking forward to getting his blood flowing into his ears and nose once more. He glanced at the woman when she opened the door, smirking to himself once she finally seemed to notice him. That was a look he knew all too well. "Pleasure to meet you, miss.[/b]" the man said, giving her a small and respectful bow.

He stepped into the house, unwinding his scarf and letting his nose twitch. As the blood flow began again, he rubbed it slightly, eyes still on Jin's mother. "I'm looking for my mother, actually. I'm beginning to think that she doesn't want to be found, however, so your help is greatly appreciated.[/b]" Seth sighed softly, but his ears stood forward, attentive even when the bat appeared to be otherwise engaged. "Her name's Claudia. Wolverine, 9 of Hearts last I saw her, nasty temper.[/b]"

[Bee]

Jin looked at Seth with some surprise, and his mother's features twisted visibly in contemptuous distaste before she could settle it back into a more neutral and polite position. Sana was well-acquainted with Claudia. Jin was less acquainted with the woman herself and more with her legend according to Mother, which was enormous and still growing, and rife with richly embellished (or perhaps not) evil deeds.

"Your mother is a very charming woman," she said, in similar tones to those used when pointing out that a snake is particularly venomous. "Please give her my sincerest regards. I know where she's lurking."

She threw Jin a glance. "I'm sure Jinan would be more than happy to take you there."

"I live to serve."

"I know you do. Claudia's about six miles northeast of here. Keep to the side of the little cliffs most of the way; it's your surest bet not to get lost. I suggest getting a move on, before the weather gets too prohibitive." Sana smiled thinly. "You seem like a nice boy, Seth. I hope you come out on top."

[carcinoGeneticist]

When the canine spoke, Seth could feel some part of himself relax slightly. There was a familiar edge to her voice - the same edge that the bat himself often found his voice taking on whenever he spoke about the wolverine. It was something that he'd often found himself trying to hide when he entered the Glacier - after all, people didn't survive in an environment as hostile as the place she called home without some allies, and he certainly didn't find the thought of getting on the bad side of someone who his mother might call "friend" appealing.

Granted, he seriously doubted that his mother would call anyone friend. Underling seemed a far more appropriate word. Maybe even bitch. Regardless, the bat was relieved to see that Sana's opinion of the woman wasn't high.

"Charming is one way to put it,[/b]" he replied in a relatively similar tone, a slow smirk working its way onto his muzzle. He listened as she gave the pair directions, mentally preparing himself for the kind of physical toll the trip would likely take on him. "Would you like me to send her anything else, since you've been kind enough to direct me to her? I've got a good right arm, I'm sure I can give her my message and one from you and still be able to make it one she'll remember.[/b]"

[Bee]

“If you would like to give my warmest regards to her nose; it’s typically what she turns up. Good luck with your mother. You’re welcome back here anytime, so don’t be a stranger.” Sana’s smile had a very particular kind of friendliness that her son had seen many, many times before.

Jin rolled his eyes. That would be the cue to leave, before this otherwise pleasant meeting mutated horribly into Happy Fornication Hour. Which Jin did not object to, on principle, except that he was in the house, and there was little that was less entertaining than accidentally bearing witness to that.

So, his heavier winter gear gathered (he felt better already, swaddled in warmer layers, though he had to take care that the clothing didn’t greatly impede movement), he said, “I’m sure Seth won’t be able to resist your charms for long. Come on; let’s head out before my mother forces herself on you.”

[carcinoGeneticist]

Seth grinned to himself at Sana's request, he was feeling very glad that the woman had such a sense of humor about the situation. Humor made the cold of the Glacier much more bearable, especially when it was hot and sarcastic humor. There were other things that kept life warm, however, and from the smile on the canine's face Seth guessed that she wasn't thinking about whiskey or vodka.

It was indeed time to go before things got... Awkward.

The bat adjusted his scarf again, pulling it more tightly around his neck and even covering his snout with it, pulling a hat over his ears. It would have been nice to have some extra clothing, but his own thick coat would protect him enough for now. He flashed Sana his most charming of smiles, thanking her for her help before he stepped back into the bitter cold.

"Your mother seems nice,[/b]" he said rather vaguely once they were on the path again, plodding through the snow. The bat glanced down at the bundled-up form of the canine. "So I figure I should warn you well in advance. My mother is a terrible bitch and will likely try to remove my face.[/b]

[Bee]

"I think I'll be okay," Jin said, sportingly, as they made their way along in the snow; bitter chill really wasn't quite so bad when one had decent company and a way to keep your mind off things. "I'll have time to get away while she's ripping your face off, and I've been looking for some genuine flesh lampshades anyway."

He was, in truth, concerned about seeing the woman, given his mother's and Seth's opinions and her reputation as stone bitch, but he felt he could rely on Seth's excellent potential as a meat shield and his own rather formidable survival instincts, if worse came to worst. Not that he had any particular desire to see himself or anyone in his acquaintance get eviscerated. It was just best to think ahead.

And to be prepared: "Any special moves we should be on the lookout for? Other than stone bitchery?"

[carcinoGeneticist]

"I'm sure she'd be happy to make that wish of yours come true if you ask her for my remains after she's finished with the face-ripping,[/b]" the Queen said cheerily, shifting the pack that he carried ever so slightly. He glanced back at the canine thoughtfully, but whatever he was thinking went unsaid. "My only request is that you find a way to incorporate my nose into the design somehow.[/b]" under his scarf, the nose in question twitched. "It might function well as the pull at the end of a lightswitch.[/b]"

Seth wasn't sure what that doodad was really called, but in the middle of the Glacier he just didn't care. If the strangely lithe canine did, that wasn't really his problem in the end. The bat was more focused on the task ahead - making it to his mother's place alive and figuring out a method of leaving there alive - than he was with trying to remember the names of specific household objects.

At the same time, however, he logged it away as something to look at when he got home. If he got home.

The man's ears twitched as he considered Jin's next question, expression hidden as he continued to trudge through the snow. "She's a Heart with a nasty pain ability. Makes it feel like the blood in your veins is freezing solid. And she's physically pretty strong. I'm hoping that it doesn't come to an actual fight, but if it does I'll do my damndest to keep you out of it. After all, it wouldn't do to have my company on the way back killed.[/b]"

The bat grinned at the canine from over his shoulder, lip pulling back over pointed teeth.

[Bee]

“You’re a gentleman,” he said dryly. Jin was pants at moral support (unless encouraging both sides to rip off the limbs of the other could be considered moral support; that had to count somehow), but he was sure he could play dirty and lend a paw if backup was needed at any point. The way things were being discussed, some type of violence seemed inevitable.

The trek through the snow was a long one; fortunately, some of the slanted snowfall was blocked by the cliff-side they were treading next to; visibility was pretty okay for the time being; and, most importantly, they were on course. Two miles seemed to take as many eternities to traverse, but that was basically how all travel operated. And once two were down, it was easy to imagine them halfway there, then mostly there, and then totally there, barring some freak navigational accident.

[carcinoGeneticist]

And they managed to avoid such accidents, for in what couldn't have been too terribly long they were standing several yards away from a small house. It was built in the typical style of the Glacier: squat, with a slanted roof and no windows - after all, keeping heat in and cold out was of vital importance. It was the lack of windows that made Seth pause. In the Capital, it would have been easy to judge if anyone was in from the lights in the windows.

Here, he'd have to just take a chance. He glanced at his companion, quirking an eyebrow and shrugging before taking a few steps toward the house. No point in freezing his balls off out here.

The bat stared at the door before knocking once, ears standing straight up with interest as he waited for a response. There was silence. He knocked once more, ears flattening with irritation. It was nearly night in the Glacier. Where could the bitch be, if not at home? When another minute passed without a sound, Seth turned to Jin, giving him a small shrug. "Guess she's not home.[/b]" he said as he gave the door one last glance. "Sorry to-[/b]"

The bat was cut off as a large furry object slammed itself through the door and pushed him rather violently to the ground in what was not exactly a friendly greeting from mother to child.

[Bee]

Jin jumped back instinctually as something came barreling out of nowhere and took his companion down. His initial what the fuck...? reaction slid quickly into comprehension as he realized that the big furry creature was in fact a wolverine and was in fact almost certainly Seth's mother. He really...should have expected something like this.

He composed himself, the slight twitchy bob of his spaded tail the only outward sign of any kind of apprehension. He figured it was a lot like facing down a wild beast: always best not to show fear.

"Claudia," he said, inclining his head politely, as though the woman had not just knocked his new friend over and had in fact greeted them effusively with warmth and kindness and offers of fresh-baked cookies. He wondered somewhere in the back of his mind if his tail would make an effective weapon if stabbed through thick fur and flesh. "Nice to meet you. I've heard impressive things about you."