T - Callypso, Blue

[Kitty]

He almost sighed when he put two and two together about the heron's antics. The bird was quite clearly intoxicated and probably didn't even know where he feet were much less where he was in the city. It figured that he'd been following someone who was completely and utterly useless. Had the wolf not been there he would have walked off and continued his search alone, but maybe this newcomer would prove to be a bit more handy. Of course he didn't trust either of them as far as he could throw them, but that was inevitable when you spent as many years distancing yourself from others as he had.

Since this Evan was closer to the heron he assumed the outstretched hand was for the bird, but he did give it a little look with one eyebrow raised. This wasn't one of his students parents, nor one of his superiors at the school that he was supposed to play nice with so he had no intention of taking the hand if it had been offered to him. This day wasn't going well and it had him in a bit of a .... mood.

He was about to give the wolf his name when there was a screeching from the other side of the door that made him cringe ever so slightly and pin his ears back for a moment. Even with a door there it still hurt, and it certainly didn't make him any more amiable.

He turned his attention to the door and made his introduction, since the voice on the other side seemed oh so demanding of it. He felt like being a bit of an ass and threw his title in along with his name.

Maestro Takio Kinsien and I'd appreciate it quite a bit if you took the volume of your voice down a few levels.

His tufted tail twitched a bit before he turned his gaze back to Evan.

As for your question, I'm looking for my daughter.

[[ He's a bit of a snob, and loud noises make him cranky... don't mind him >.>]]

[The Jenn]

((By the power of the Admin, Vanja appears! Nat said he belonged here now. <3))

Drowsiness, concern, and confusion warred in Vanja's mind as he slowly began to regain consciousness. Something was off - very, very off. He was freezing. No robes because it had been time for sleep. Why wasn't he under the blankets?

Why was he... outside?!

Coming more swiftly awake, he twitched and curled into a ball before slowly untucking himself and glancing around. This was very distinctly the outside and not the small room he rented above the shop. Was he still dreaming? It didn't feel like a dream, not really. He experimentally dug a claw into his arm and hissed. Yes. Not asleep.

And there were people talking nearby? He could hear their voices, though so far he hadn't paid much attention to what was being said in his disorientation. Perhaps it was time to stand. He did so, feeling no worse for wear.

With the heavy chill in the air he found himself dearly wishing for his robes. He never went outside without them. It would have been disrespectful and in some ways indecent with his position. Stretching stiff limbs awkwardly, he remained in his animal form with some discomfort and moved slowly in the direction of the voices. A shout made him freeze, one foot raised. But there was really no help for it. He could go backward or foreward. Drawing in a slow and steadying breath, he mouthed a silent prayer and scratched out a rune on the ground. Then he continued towards the commotion.

What an odd collection, and not a welcome one. A madman from Corvistowne, a mix of... what was that? Tulgey demon and... and Villa? He could faintly see the words on the purple patches of fur. And a Josiggy? With who knew what shouting from beyond?

Were the gods testing him in some fashion? He truly wished they weren't...

"Excuse me," he murmured in a quiet voice, slinking forward uncomfortably. "My name is Vanja Lacković. But where... is this place?"


Moderate Ability: Once a day, he is able to "bless" himself against harm. All ranked spells that are 8 and below will cease to affect him for a full half hour after this spell is cast. The spell is begun once he murmurs "Odom, protect me", and scratches out or traces an image of the rune for "love" upon the ground.

[Blue]

Courante moved alongside Iso, and even scampered inside the lab when she did. It was hard to make out just how many voices there were outside. Iso suddenly shrieking like that didn't make matters any better. But he wasn't going to deny that he was a bit frightened. So many awful things had already happened tonight.

He heard one of the Cards speak, answering Iso's frantic questions. Now they at least knew one name, as well as his purpose for being there. He certainly didn't sound like he wanted to do them any harm; the Card sounded genuine when he stated he was looking for his daughter. Courante decided to poke his head around the broken door frame, attempting to look at who was talking to them. He only saw mostly shadow, but the one closest to them was a tall bipedal, with a long tufted tail moving somewhat restlessly behind him.

Taking one hell of a chance, he moved out where he could be seen, mechanical tail alert and ready in case he needed to fight anyone off. The rest of his body stayed as relaxed as possible, so he could properly talk with this person.

"Thank you for obliging my partner's request. We've been through a lot tonight, so I apologize if we seem a bit...uh, strained. The name's Courante. Is there any way we can assist you in the search for your daughter?"

Suits, he hoped this decision wasn't the wrong one.

((I hope I'm doing this right! >.>;)

[Callypso]

Iso released a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. With a start, she became aware that her heart was pounding almost audibly in her chest, which was silly as that was physically impossible. Regardless, she still felt uneasy. It was impossible to tell whether the others were trustworthy, though the man with the haughty voice sounded relatively authentic. There was no way to be sure, save for possession of a Diamond ability, which they were sadly lacking. It was disconcerting to be so ill prepared.

Her eyes widened in alarm as her companion sidestepped her to address the party behind the broken door. She became vaguely aware that the ink along her back were waving minute, nervous tendrils in response to her agitation and fear. The flagella-like movements further increased as she registered the substance’s actions. It was unnerving, as though she suddenly had extra appendages that she couldn’t entirely control.

The ferret closed her eyes and mentally shoved the unsettling thoughts aside. This was clearly an unsuitable situation to be exploring the modifications to her person.

A second voice chimed in. It was rife with confusion and a small amount of fear. This resonated with Iso – perhaps Courante and she were not the only ones experiencing an interesting evening. However, if being around Aberforth had taught her anything, it was to always exercise a level of caution. She kept her ability tingling in the back of her mind, sighed deeply, and stepped out from the shadows, her horns casting a frightening shadow in what little light there was.

I’m sorry if my call disturbed you. As Courante has said, tonight has been quite unusual. Please excuse my appearance – I have been physically altered. My name is Dr. Iaso Price. We were about to investigate the burglaries of the surrounding laboratories. There’s something suspect in the manner of these crimes, the strange atmosphere and my transformation. I am not certain whether they are connected, or if the disappearance of your daughter is also related, but please be assured we mean no harm.

At least, not until the others proved themselves otherwise, of course.

[Chou]

Ercole felt a sudden tapping on his shoulder. He had heard the voices others but in his state was not able to locate where they were coming from. This tap came from the darkness behind him. The frightened bird leaped in the air and twisted his body to face the shadow, losing a few feathers in the clumsy maneuver. “T-the state of it? I-I’ve been stuck in an alley all day! One m-minute you’re on your way home and the n-next you’re blinded, sitting in the c-corner of an alleyway.” He didn’t want to let on that he was chasing a large, mobile splatter of…something which led him to the alleyway he had just described. He took the wolf’s hand and shook it. He supposed it was finally time for introductions even though Ercole was steadily becoming more and more convinced that he was stuck in a dream world and that he would wake up in the morning tucked into his warm bed inside his cozy little apartment. Boy, was he wrong.

“T-the name’s Er-Ercole,” he rubbed the backside of the wolf’s hand with the smooth of his beak. Everything seemed so real in his dream world, especially the cards! He knew the world he lived in was a vast one, but he had never seen such…beauty before. He mentally began to start patting himself on the back for thinking up such realistic, and colorful creatures.

“DON’T COME ANY CLOSER! IDENTIFY YOURSELVES!”

The sobering shriek knocked Ercole back away from the door. “Kraaaaaaaaaaaak…h-hit the deck!”

One by one, new cards started to emerge from the door and the streets. The nervous tick in Ercole’s neck was beginning to become more evident due to the newest additions to his “group” and the realization that he was currently out of poison for the time being didn’t help his state much either.

Ercole hopped over to the ferret and studied her face. “I-I’ve seen that substance before,” he said inching closer, practically nose (beak) to nose. He fumbled through his breast feathers only to realize that he must have lost the empty vial he had stowed away and sighed. He wanted to get his hands on the culprit of this whole situation; he wanted to find out what made it move. He didn’t seem to care that the extraction of such material would be extremely rude, he just wanted to play around with it in his lab. “But,w-what are you all t-talking ab…bout? C-crimes…b-burglaries?” The bird quickly turned around towards the wolf, “T-the city has b-been cleared out?”

[Nathalia]

Evan balked, stepping backward at the way the Heron jumped.
"Bloody Corvies!" He hissed, under his breath. Was the man really that nervous naturally? Or was his "interest" focused on seeing if he could jar people into having spontaneous heart-attacks?
"Ercole? Ah, right then, good to meet you...are you feeling all right, mate?" Honestly, the Bird looked as though he'd just emptied a bar-keep out of his stock if you were to ask him...

He'd turned his attention to the rather frightening looking pale Card, who spoke eloquently and...was that...music?
Must be in his head, and nodded in response.
When the shout rang out!
His ears flattening and his neck craning, he didn't notice the Heron backing into him until it was too late and both collapsed backwards with a rough bump!
Ow! Damn, that- what the hell was-"

More Corvies.
More damn Corvies.
He was surrounded by mad doctors who liked making is heart run marathons.
"Hello...m'name's Evan..Evan Timbing, good to ah, meet you, Dr. Courante." He gave the Chipmunk a bemused look and warily stuck out a large hand again, extricating himself from the Heron with a mumbled apology.

Courante...hell if he was going to be rude to a smart Corvie...
Daughter? Who was looking for a- Oh, that Lion fellow.
Something in his head clicked.
"Your daughter wouldn't happen to be a little torque-mix, would she?" He asked, holding a hand down by his waist for height approximation.
"About this tall, big back binding? Name of Kamina?"

If he'd had the luck to already run into her...maybe he could get the man back to that poor girl in the hat shoppe...
If he could find it again.
Ignoring the new horned and drippy Corvie, he turned to give the streets a glance and preformed a rather hilarious double-take.
A Rat had come up right behind him!

"Cives! You're who? Where did you come from?" He asked, obviously spooked and having missed the mans' soft question.

[The Jenn]

As two more from Corvistowne appeared from within the building. Vanja stayed very still, eyes flicking from one person to another. What sort of company had he just fallen into?! Had someone drugged him in his sleep? But surely they would have been paying more attention to his presence if that were the case. Unless they were toying with him. The Tulgey were said to be cruel - and those from Corvistowne were simply mad.

Missing children. Burglaries. Vandalism. Did the realm simply carry this madness with them when they left their godforsaken warren of sin and ventured out into the world? He had taken very great care to avoid the afflicted 'scientists' and 'doctors' during his stay in the Capital thus far. Odom seemed to have a different plan for him. Gods preserve him, he would have to converse with the lot.

Even the demonic horned Corvie mustelid. He almost bit his tongue when the woman stepped out of the doorway and became visible. Evil incarnate. Oh, merciful gods, why?!

Afflicted, the lot of them, from the drunken bird to the... the partway mechanical rodent. He shuddered and averted his eyes from the woman, only to have them land on the Tulgey. When some soft, sinister, whispering music began at the edges of his hearing, his eyes danced off of the lion as well. They skittered manically around, the only part of his paralyzed form to move, until finally they rested on the Josiggy named Evan Timbing.

Who finally seemed to notice him, in a spastic sort of way. He regarded the man like a drowning man might regard a raft.

"My name is Vanja," he repeated, voice holding itself together through sheer force of will. "And I do not know."

[Kitty]

He wasn't particularly fond of Corvies either, but if they could end up being helpful, well, he wasn't about to walk away. Then again, he had a one track mind and if it didn't involve music in any way, shape or form he didn't give a damn ... until it came to his daughter of course. He'd been doing anything he could think of to make her happy and that had meant leaving the Villa more then he was used to. Before the past couple of years he'd maybe made one trip to the capitol every two yeas or so.

And now here he was, forced to intermingle with what looked like, and sounded like in the case of the wolf, the riff raff. And.... was that that a mechanical hand instead of a tail? Why? He probably didn't want to know. And.... ugh.... what in the name of the Queens happened to that one? He hefted a brow high when the ferret came out. Had she done that to herself for the sake of 'science' or what? Weird, the lot of them were weird and he just wanted to go home.

His ears perked up and his expression brightened for a moment when Evan started to ask him about his little girl.... that wasn't his darling little Sonata. His ears drooped a bit as he shook his head.

The height is about right, however she looks almost entirely Tulgey with a blue tuft and a bit of purple in her coat. Sonata is her name.

He peered around the wold at the rat, what kind of realm was he? He almost looked like a Mid-range-tulgey but.... not quite. and he seemed so.. out of place in the city. He was interesting looking and he couldn't help but stare for a moment .... it helped him keep his eyes off of the ferret anyway.

So you woke up in a strange place with a bit of grogginess as well?

[Callypso]

She was relieved to find that the other Cards were just as disoriented as she. Comforted was not quite the right word, but it was pleasant to know that she hadn’t cracked. It seemed unlikely that any of these people were going to attack her – they, just like her, were piecing together what had happened to them, so she allowed her ability to fade.

The ink along Iso’s back formed several miniature whiplike arms that waved threateningly as the heron stuck his face right in hers. The ferret was still relearning proper Card socialization as she recovered from her addiction, but she was most certain that this closeness was largely inappropriate. Plus his breath reeked of suits knows what.

Her nose wrinkled in distaste – an old habit that was dying hard – and cleared her throat as she stepped back. Was he drunk? No wonder he hadn’t a clue where he was. His comment about seeing the substance before made her think twice about brushing him off, thhough she doubted any of his testimony would be reliable. Perhaps his knowledge could lead her one step closer to discovering what had happened to her - it was worth a query.

Sorry, you said you have seen this substance before? Where??, she asked, waving a paw along her backside. She turned a stony gaze on the others as she noticed their wary, disgusted glances along her visage. I was simply taking a walk through the neighborhood when I began coughing up this substance. A fog descended upon me and I lost consciousness. When I awoke, I found Courante had rescued me, but I had also turned into this.

The ferret peered curiously at the strange rat poking his head out from behind the large Jossigy. What in Spades name sort of coat was that? He looked to be Tulgey, but he had neither pink eyes nor a particular characteristic that most of the Woods seemed to have. Even Aberforth’s hooves echoed as he walked.

She tore her eyes away from the curious creature, then addressed the wolf while gesturing toward the heron, What does he mean by the city being cleared out? By whom and for what reason? I have not had word of an evacuation. Might that be where Mr. Kinsien's daughter has gone? To a shelter?

Iso was babbling, she knew, but it was impossible to keep quiet when so many questions were as yet unanswered.

[Blue]

Courante was very glad that Iso calmed down enough to present herself in front of everyone like he had just done himself. The pair of them seemed to get a lot of stares from the strangers, but that wasn't uncommon. When he wasn't at his home in Corvistowne, he was ogled all the time. He knew it wasn't the vibrant yellow streaks in his fur, as his mechanical arm of a tail moved around, becoming a bit more relaxed now that there was no imminent danger. His third eye wiggled around as well, looking through the back of his skull into the lab. It was too dark to see anything, however, so it swiveled back around to face the front again.

The chipmunk listened as Takio described his daughter. Didn't sound like anyone had seen her yet, unfortunately. He knew he and Iso certainly had not. She would definitely be someone to look out for as they searched for some answers. Hopefully her mostly white coat would stand out in the darkness of the night.

Courante tried to ignore the obviously drunken heron as he reached out a paw to accept Evan's handshake. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Timbing. I wish it were under less stressful circumstances, but I suppose that can't be helped."

When the Josiggy wolf jumped in surprise at the Card behind him, Courante couldn't help but put his focus on the stranger. His name was Vanja...and he didn't know how he had arrived there? That was rather odd. He wasn't from a region he recognized either...that didn't help matters at all. Another mystery to unravel. Fantastic. This night was already full of so many of them, why not add another to the growing pile?