T - Jenn, Nako, Xenon, Bee, Lucca

[Lucca]

Graeme was quite distracted enough that he didn't notice Donnie gave him no reply. He was picking his way down the hill...but somehow, the closer he got to those big machines, the more he disliked them. He couldn't pin point what it was about them, precisely, that put him so on edge. Graeme had always considered himself very innovative. Why, two of his favorite business associates were Corvies, or at least mixes! So he was far from a technophobe. But...he paused partway down the hill, unable or unwilling to go any further. He honestly couldn't he sure which.

The smell of ink and petrol was starting to give him a headache, and he turned to go back to the group...just in time to see the Queen of Spades fall to her knees, coughing. An alarmed cry escaped Graeme, and he used his innate burst of speed to be back at the Queen's side in minutes. Politics didn't mean much to him right then; she could be in danger! "Your Majesty! Your Majesty, what's happened? Are ye all righ'?"

He knelt beside her, gold-orange eyes wide and worried behind his spectacles. There was some sort of odd liquid...something near her chest...he looked down instinctively, and saw...a flash of red near where her Suit and Rank should be. What? That was impossible!...he quickly glanced down at his own Rank, but it was still black as ever. Maybe it had just been a trick of the light...or a bit of blood... "We need tae get ye inside..."

Basic Magical Ability: He can run up to 40mph in sprints and 20mph for up to an hour in extended runs.

[The Jenn]

The second Donnie swallowed the soft, tasty pulp of the little fruit, she knew that she had just done something monumentally stupid. When later asked, she would not be able to give a reason for her decision. The thought had crossed her mind and then the fruit was in her mouth. There was no in-between decision-making process. She just didn't know.

Gasping for air, she fell to the ground and clutched at her chest. Her head was reeling as she lost spells, the knowledge seeping from her mind like water from a sieve. In its place, new knowledge appeared. Charisma. Lie detection. Languages. Flight. Later, she might allow herself a bitter laugh that she finally achieved one childhood dream at the expense of another.

Worried little noises beside her drew her watering eyes to a bright green slithey. Her little Trudy. Her summon - former summon. The creature looked about as confused as she did and pressed up along her calf in fear.

She didn't need to look at her chest. She knew. She knew what had happened. She didn't need to look at it to confirm the change. Oh, fuck. Fuck. NO. Her hands instinctively clutched at the neckline of her human clothing, knowing that she was about to ruin her Court if she changed forms, however comforting biped would have been just then. The Highlander would be the only one to catch a glimpse. "McDuck." Her voice was low, pained, and faintly gasping. "I think you're right. I need to sit down. Thank you..." Rolling her shoulders moved the fabric as best she could to fully conceal her rank marking. She generally tried to wear it more open, but its normal cut served to naturally conceal the place over her heart. That was fine right now. Just. Fine.

Standing, she stood as steady as she could, not meeting anyone's eyes. Hell, hell... time to try this... she activated the charm she felt welling up inside of her where another ability had recently lived. It allowed her an easier posture, a more relaxed expression, and a projection of calmness that she certainly didn't feel. The added inscrutability of human features and the boost of the human form to her magic could only help. She was at ease. She was collected. She was going out of her fucking mind.

With a murmur of assent, she accompanied the group back indoors. Her Look at Sophie and Lyr - the first ones she had dared to give them since plucking that fruit - told them to obey the mayor and leave. Then she had to deal with business while her mind was not only distracted, but in pieces. It took her a few moments after the Mayor confessed his recent findings to even react.

When it finally hit her, she stared at the man incredulously. "I... I beg your pardon. Sir. And you have brought guests into this particular situation why?!" The ability helped transform the panic of her voice into something more akin to outrage.


Basic Magical Ability: She can act charismatic and persuasive at times, whether or not she actually has the natural charm and grace to pull it off.

[Lucca]

Graeme nodded, relieved that the Queen was responsive. She looked utterly terrified, though...could that impossible thing he saw...could she really have just...and then, suddenly...she didn't. Suddenly she looked utterly calm and collected, despite where she'd been only moments before. And that detail, above anything else, confirmed the Duck's horrible suspicions, along with the fact that she clutched at the neckline of her blouse before standing up.

She'd really changed Suits, right in front of him. And, having not seen her pluck the fruit, the Duck had no idea WHY. A confused Tove appeared next to the Queen, and he had to clutch tightly at his cane to keep himself from summoning his Tove, to keep himself from making absolute sure he was still a Spade..."Of course, Your Majesty," he said, appearing mostly unruffled by virtue of practice with plenty of other rather bizarre situations. He probably would have said more, but at that moment the major came back over.

Graeme's first thought was that they absolute -had- to hide Donnie's change of Suit from the man. His second was that the Mayor looked (and sounded) unaccountably worried. Strange rumors? A slight frown on his bill, Graeme followed the others inside, and if the Queen ever looked to falter, he would offer her his arm...but she seemed to have is all together. Though that could have just been her ability affecting him. He took the offered seat and his frown deepened as the children were sent off. Then this was bad news? A million possibilities rushed through his mind...thieves siphoning off the oil, a leak into one of the Lakes, Corvie machines breaking down...

But none of the momentary flashes of ideas prepared him for the truth.

Grame could only -gape- for a moment, eyes wide behind his spectacles. He moved his bill, but not sound came out, and he grew several shades paler under his white feathers. The Queen spoke, sounding absolute outraged (and why shouldn't she? This was unbelievable!) and he finally found his voice. "WHAT?"

It wasn't eloquent, but it was all he could manage at the moment. The word came out harsh and with a heavy accent. Lakelanders were -dying-? Because of something to do with the oil wells? And he didn't think to investigate this before now? He felt a sort of choking sensation as fear and rage vied for dominance in his heart. After all, one of his business associates...no, one of his dearest and oldest friends...was part Selkie!

[The Jenn]

The shocked disbelief of her traveling companion only served to fuel Donnie's panic, and thus her projected horrified outrage. She cut off anything the Mayor might have said.

"You invite us to your home, take us out to an apparently magically unstable location, expose us to who knows what going on outside, and then think to tell us that you're having a small spot of bother because people are dropping like flies? And have been for weeks, since before you sent me an invitation? Did you ever think that this phenomenon might not be restricted to Lakelanders? And which set of Police are you referencing? Local? Capital? How far has this spread, sir? I brought my daughter with me, trusting that your hospitality was genuine and safe! And now I find out that not only do you have a situation on your hands, a very likely magical situation, but it is in no way under control?"

A thought struck her and her face went from an angry flush to a pale, pasty white. "And you just sent my daughter and her friend outside to play?!" She stood abruptly with every intent of running after the girls.

[Nako]

Mikael had felt that -something- amiss once they'd begun moving back inside. Anxiety… the smell of ink that was so strong it got past his filters. The Mayor's sudden change of demeanor wasn't quite as bad as Donnie's sudden change. And there -was- a change. For a while she merely looked ruffled, perhaps a little pale, and her summon was out and following her around in the most distressed manner. He suppressed a whine, staring up at the Queen though her eyes never seemed to meet his. If anything, they seemed to avoid him. He wouldn't dare ask her what was the matter, not while they were in such important company. To ask her such things would perhaps bring to light any weaknesses she might be feeling. Later though.. he'd be certain to ask.

As things began to unfold.. panic. His tail shot between his legs at the sudden outrage from his Queen. And justifiably so. He leapt to his feet in response to Donnie's sudden movement, heart pounding. The kids were his responsibility. He shouldn't have let them run off. But… he'd been so excited about the job. About the painting. Seemed like that pipedream was about to go up in dirty oil and murder-fueled flames.

"Your Majesty.. should I…?" He glanced toward the door, but would not leave unless he was dismissed.

[Nathalia]

McDuck's outburst, combined with Donnie's quiet speech, caused the Mayor to hold up his hands as though in defense, quailing a little.

"Ah, please, Sir and Madame, I really-"
And then the Queen of Spades continued.

He wanted to shrink into the floor.

"Ah...the Police from the Lakelands and from the um...the Capital." He admitted, unwillingly.
When the Queen began to stand he made a sound almost like a whine, waved a small piece of marble he pulled from a sleeve pocket at the door, and sat back, pulling his glasses off and rubbing his eyes exhaustively.

The doors glowed a solid blue color and sparked, threateningly.

"They'll be taken care of, no one will get by my guards; and no one's dies because of the machinery...not directly, anyway. Please, my friends, I need your help and support for the Lakes economy to not collapse into the loo."
He gave them a desperate look of appeal.
"I'm sure it's just a passing event, as soon as the Police do their job correctly, I'm certain everything will calm back down."

The magic is stable and so long as you're in my care, you're safe, please, I assure you."[/color]
He gave the painter a helpless look and gestured pathetically, unsure what else to say.

[Bee]

Lyr was pretty certain this was her fault. Scratch that, it obviously was. It was a logical train of thought. The imposing Queen had plucked a fruit from her tree and had eaten it and now she was a Diamond. Lyr barely had the presence of mind to feel faintly...violated?...before it was all swallowed up by the terrible premonition that she was going to get slapped until her ears fell off. What if the Queen thought this was all some terrible thought by a tiny secret agent to deprive the Spades Court of its ruling Queen? She would be executed. It was her tree. Her fault.

She braced herself for yelling and hitting but nothing came. That businessman with the funny accent, he was taking care of it. Lyr mumbled inaudible apologies all the way back to the mansion and didn't need to be told twice to get the hell out of the room. If she never had to look the Queen in the face again it would be too soon. Unless she fixed it. Maybe the Queen could just eat another fruit? Would that change her back? But that would require being in the same room with her. She thought about eavesdropping on the rest of the conversation but...the man at the door...

She led Sophie as far away as she could. She dropped her tone to a panicked whisper. "It's my fault," she said. "I have to fix it. She'll kill me." She had no idea how she was going to accomplish that, but...there was obviously something sketchy going on, something that required Adult Talk, and it made her feel like her entire body was being squished in a vice of dread. "I don't know what to do..."

[The Jenn]

Donnie's spine stiffened in genuine, unadulterated rage as the man locked them inside of his office with a magical barrier. His words were heard but their meaning somewhat overwhelmed by the severity of the man's actions.

She had official business to attend to. She couldn't let her concern for her daughter overwhelm the entire situation, however much it wanted to, especially on top of everything else assaulting her mind just then. "Sir." The word was venemous and held several meanings. "My first impression of you was favorable. If you show me such disrespect again, however, I will be forced to take action."

Her words hung in the air for a moment and she timed one of her tiny abilities deliberately to coincide with the silence, a hideous CRACK! ringing throughout the enclosed office space. For all intents and purposes, it seemed that the marble controller in the Mayor's hand made that noise as a precursor to shattering.

In this instance, she turned her newfound charismatic ability towards channeling her panic, confusion, and fear into hissed words of intimidation. "You are handling this situation like hell. You blundered, you're floundering, and now you are detaining official visitors to your home. Police from the Capital are involved? From all I have heard, sir, they are a competent lot. If they are experiencing problems, likely you are not assisting in making their job any easier. Tell me - what do you expect Spades to do for you? Bluntly, do you expect us to cover your ass? Do you expect my visit to sanction whatever you have going on here? If so, you had best be far more frank and upfront about the situation before we even begin to discuss official support."


Small Ability: Once a week, she is now able to cause marble (only applicable if it's within fifty feet of her) to make a horrible cracking sound, as though it's all about to fall in around her.

[Lucca]

Graeme would have said more, wanted to say more, but not only was he struck speechless by the utter audacity of the situation, but the former Queen of Spades was saying exactly what needed to be said and, McDuck was man enough to admit, far more eloquently than he could. His face paled several more shades at the mention of the children. The poor kids had just come along to see a bit of political action and learn something. This was far beyond anything children of that age could be expected to handle. Graeme didn't even care for children in general, but he hated to think of the danger those two little girls were in.

And this madness had spread to the Capital already? Graeme fall back a little in his chair, eyes wide. Fear was starting to gain the upper hand. And then...then the Mayor did something that made the door crackle and glow an unsettling blue, and rage surged up. Graeme pushed roughly to his feet, eyes glinting dangerously.

The Queen spoke, calling the mayor out on his stupidity and apparently cracking the marble of whatever he was using to control the 'security' on the door. If the Duck were feeling any more rational, it may have worried him. As it was, though, he felt only blinding anger. Not content to let only the Queen call the man out on his utter lunacy in handling the situation, Graeme's bill opened almost as soon as Donnie had said her piece.

"A passing event? Y'DARE t'call this a PASSING EVENT? People are DYING! That's nae somethin' ye can just brush under th'table!" he raged, pushing his hands down onto one of the tables and leaning over it to glare at the Lakelander. "An' no one dies by th'machines, ye say? THEN EXPLAIN HOW THOSE ENGINEERS DIED, THEN? An' don't even start on th'police nae doing their jobs, when it's YER job tae keep th'economy of the Lakes afloat! Nae ours! And yer job tae keep the people under yer care from harm. So it's YE who haven't been doing yer job correctly!"

[Nathalia]

((The Mayor flinched as though he had been physically slapped. Flinging the wand from himself in fright at the sound of the cracking noise and giving the pair an appealing look.))

"There was nothing else I could do! The Police can't help, they've been vanishing too!" He gives McDuck a pleading look. "Good sir, it isn't that I think the people themselves aren't worth investigating, I've done all I can, and the men on the machines were pure Selkie, which none of you are."
He pulls his glasses off, wipes them with shaking hands, and tries to continue.
"We had some Corvies test it, those who have no Selkie in them are not susceptible...we...made sure...
Your Majesty, I assure you that your daughter is in no danger, please."