T - Xenon, Nako, Harps, Vyn

[The Jenn]

Uluani hadn't been paying much attention to the interaction between Suvius and the others. She'd met the woman by chance, had been amused by her manner and the woman by hers, and they'd gotten to talking. Quite a talk, too! The woman got a kick out of Juall's input when she bothered to share it and they'd generally had a very entertaining time of things. Much better than the girl's previous, and terrifically boring, stay in the Capital.

But things got weird. Things got crazy. And really, it seemed the wise decision to lay low and wait for some of the madness to cool down.

"Aye," she agreed mildly, more than content for the Benyan to do all of the talking to what looked like a group of misfit lackwits. Or at least, she counter Juall, a group of misfits. "I be helpin' ye with yer business an ye be treatin' me t'the room an' board. I'd be sayin' is a good partnership o'sorts."

[Vyn]

Kaden shifted his weight on the four spider-like limbs a bit. There was a whole lot of talking being done and he was having an awful time paying attention to it all. At least the woman seemed too distracted to notice the Rabbit... Oh, or not? His bright green eyes flicked to the woman and he was awkwardly silent for a beat until the woman opened the door and introduced herself (and her 'partner') properly.

...Monsters?

Hadn't she said nothing weird was going on? Was that not applicable to weird circumstances? Though, apparently the Inn had been safe.

"Just a feisty tyke throwin' a tantrum." He said offhandedly, considerably more preoccupied with the rest of her conversation. "You don't mean like... zombies? Right? ...Squelchy, melting, missing-your-lower-half type monsters?" It couldn't be here too, right? His toe ached, but he knew it was only because he was thinking about it again. If he put it out of his mind then the pain would go away.

[carcinoGeneticist]

There was a bit of a relief in Jordan's eyes when the woman spoke, and then she laughed. She'd been thinking almost the exact same thing, truth be told, and it was a nice change of pace to have something not be completely batshit insane and out there. Having a bipedal doppelganger certainly qualified as batshit, in Jordan's mind.

Really, finding anyone in this damn place would have been a relief, but the sight of another Benyan soothed Jordan's soul in a curious way. She felt herself relax as she listened to the woman speak, trying to place the accent. It wasn't native Benyan, which was curious all on its own. In a way, it made her think of something more backwater. Golfam, perhaps?

"Suvius? Good ta meetcha, ya. Ah! I know yer family, my pops used ta have dealins wit' de Lampoons, way back when.[/b]" If the woman knew the Pike name, she would also know that they dealt in fish. "What kind'a business ya lookin' ta do? De Selkies are makin' it harder den it needs to be.[/b]" She grimaced slightly, regional preference coming through more strongly around another of her own Realm. She didn't have to explain it to someone who already knew, which was a lovely thing.

Then she frowned. "Monsters? Can't say we've seen any'o dem 'round here. Just a stoned maid who gave us all o'dem keys, dere.[/b]" She pointed towards Kendra, who was going down the stairs, then turned her attention to the.... Pallie. A Midori, eh? Interesting. "'lo, dere. Sounds like a good deal ta me.[/b]"

Oh, thank the Suits, someone was coming down to talk to them. Sophie stood just slightly in front of Lyr, sheltering the smaller girl with her bulk. Better to be prepared for the worst and surprised by the best, she figured, and it wouldn't do to have her guest injured while under her protection. Her ears stood as she was met by a girl who looked to be just a bit older than she was, Corvie and pink and feminine. That was good, too.

"There are weird things going on all over," the girl replied in an even tone, glancing up the stairs to where the rest of the group was talking. "My mother is the Queen of Spades. She was having a meeting with the mayor and they told us to go play outside. Maybe they're talking about whatever is happening?" It seemed possible. Usually, children were not privy to important talks. The hybrid chewed her lip, ears slowly falling and feathery crest lowering. "...That would be wonderful. Thank you. What are you looking for? Maybe we can help?"

[Harpsdesire]

The larger of the girls looked at her with an almost relieved expression. "We came from the Capital, and it's no better there. Strange mists, smells..." It gave her the shivers just remembering it. She had come to a distant realm just to get away from the creeping sensation there, and things here were hardly better.

At Sophie's next words, her eyes widened. The daughter of the queen of her suit? And she was in a position to help the girl! It would be in her best interest to do all she could. A Queen had power, influence, connections. Maybe she could help Kendra find the family she was only distantly aware that she had and the home she missed without being aware of it's location or appearance. "I suppose they could be. Is something happening in Selkie Lakes besides the usual?"

She put just the tip of one toe into the spilled ink, watching the dark fur there turn darker, then smudged the ink off at a clean corner of the desk's blotter paper. "I'm... just looking for clues about what happened here. I really don't know what to look for, but I was hoping I might find a way to get into one of the rooms, at least, or find a manager." Kendra opened the desk's drawer, finding a few rubber bands, a pen with a broken nib, a possibly-used toothpick and a feather that looked like it could have come from a Selkie avian's wing, along with similar items of dubious value-- the sort of things that accumulated mysteriously in desk drawers. There was also a dried up rose bud that had once been pink, now a shriveled and curled little brownish thing. She picked up, surprised to find a hint of rose scent still in, along with a smell of dust.

"I'm Kendra." She introduced herself belatedly, glancing from one part-yarrow girl to the other to include them both in her words, "I'd be happy to have your help, and to see if we can get to you mother." Although one was far finer-boned than the other, the similar colors and Sophie's protective stance led Kendra to believe the pair were sisters. She thought she might have had a sister, once. Maybe a brother, too. More than one?

The corvie removed her glasses and rubbed at her eyes. She felt a headache coming on that had nothing to do with magic.

The way Alicia was melodramatically sulking in Kaden's arms, hunkered down until the stretch of fur where her rank would be was hidden gave some credence of Kaden's words. The rabbit was happy enough to pass for a card child, undignified as it was, if it meant less of the dreadful creatures interested in her. She squirmed as a child might, not really trying to escape, just making things more difficult for her captor.

[Nathalia]

((Suvius relaxed a little and laughed with Jordan, smiling and waving off any remaining stress.
Someone from her own Realm, with the proper bias.
This group must be all right.
"Come on in, we gots somea th' things from th' kitchen if y'want."
She gestured, leaving the door open in case the people down the stairs wanted in.

The room was large and grand, the two beds in it enormous and plush, rumpled from the pairs nights' in it, and there was trays and bags of goodies obviously heisted from the kitchens.
"Help yerselves, this place's gone to da dogs already, right?"
She gave the Bird an odd look.
"Something' like dat, aye...actually. All black 'n nasty, smell like an oil rig?" She asked, curiosity peaked...had it already spread as far as wherever this lot had come from?

Jordan distracted her, she already liked this "double", a good thing 'n all. She hoped the other Benyan would stay a while.
"Really? Dat's a mess fer your Pops if 'e worked wit' my Gram, she were a right shit at keepin' records."
She gave the woman a sly grin and winked at her little Midori pallie.
"We gots a business to put da Selkies to rights, I promise yous." She snickered, encouraging them to come in and sit down. "It's under wraps until we get it off da ground, ye ken, but den, I'll make sure we broadcast it all over, yeah?"
She sits back down in a leather chair and spins it lightly, looking delighted.

"It's nice ta see not everyone tinks da Selkies are so high an' mighty, bit too proud sometimes, ye ken? My pallie, 'n I though, we got a little market to whip 'em, don't we?" She sits up, seeming to forget about most of the others.
"You wanna see it, Jordan, matey? S'good, y'know. I can take you out dere later tonight iffin' y'want. In th' meantime. What're you all doing here anyway?"
She nods to Kaden.
"You 'ere wit' da kid for a show or what?"))


~Nathalia

[The Jenn]

Ah yeah, their stash. Uluani took a good amount of pride in the assorted foods they had stashed away in the room. She'd nicked a good number herself. Not like there'd been a whole lot of people in the kitchen to content with or anything.

"Mebbe your rank-'n-nasty went swimmin' in an oil rig?" the girl suggested with an apathetic shrug, moving away from the door to hop onto the rumpled bed she'd claimed as hers. Hell of a lot more posh and plush than what she had at home. Mamma treated them just fine, but she wasn't much of one for useless comforts like a hotel-grade matress.

She sprawled comfortably in the tangle of covers, skull floating off above her and making delightfully rude comments about each and every one of the people in the room. How the squirming brat should be drowned before it started squalling, how the bird could use a few feathers plucked as presents for Mamma, how a voodoo doll of Suvius might also work on Jordan... she snorted into a pillow.

"Ooooh, yeh? You showin' it off now? So soon? Bet th'moon be the perfect light fer it. Send those Selkies fer a spin or summat like that." She smirked, privately amused, and snagged a bag of salted snacks from the small table next to her bed.

[Vyn]

Kaden tilted his head thoughtfully and then shook it. "Oi, no. Not the same thing. This one was a Rotter, smelled like..." He shook his head and briefly sniffed a wing. The smell had faded a great deal. "Like fetid water?" He shrugged but there was a deep thoughtful look in his eyes. Monsters weren't particularly common and to hear that two of them were wandering around? Well that just didn't bode well. Ulani's comment made him grin a bit. "Aye! Could be? Though I don't wanna think about that. Means that thing might be around and it's already claimed a toe off me. Don't plan to give it a bite more."

He filtered in and out of the rest of the groups' conversations. Kendra and whomever was downstairs, Jordan and her body double. He did hear food though and that was potentially alright, so he bobbed his head cheerfully and made his way into the room. Ulani had a fancy skull that spewed insults as if on its own and Kaden's arched a brow at the comment of plucking feathers.

With his bulk and wings momentarily creating a shield, he sets Alicia in a chair in the corner and 'affectionately' bobs her with a pillow. It should cover her lack of rank, if she was good and didn't squirm about. "Now just be good an' sit still a bit, 'kay Alicia? I can get you a snack?" He gave her a good look, hoping she would play along.

The comment from the others drew his attention back. "A show? Nah, just getting out of the City for a bit. Something awfully strange was going on and we'd hoped it'd be different here. Unfortunately it sounds like we're wrong." Kaden was glad to be back on his talons. He flexes them briefly before snapping up a bag of chips for Alicia and himself. He popped them open and set them where both he and the Rabbit could nibble as they pleased.

This wasn't what he'd been hoping to do, but he wasn't sure about the two new comers yet. If they proved trustworthy he'd open up and, if they didn't, there was a convenient exit out of the window behind him.

[carcinoGeneticist]

Such hospitality! Jordan's smile widened and her barbels waved amiably as she stepped into the room, bobbing her head at Suvius. She took a moment to rake through the food offered, pulling out a bagel from the mass and munching on it cheerfully. Reasonable food, but if she had the ability she would have wanted to put some fresh salmon onto it... "Nice setup ya've got.[/b]" She said, giving the beds an appreciative glance-over. "We were plannin' ta find a room like dis one and do the same. Great minds, dey t'ink alike, ya?[/b]"

The woman flopped down to make herself more comfortable, folding her wings in against her sides and letting out a happy little sigh. For how mixed up things had been for a while there, they certainly seemed to be improving. Maybe she'd just... ride out the rest of this trip in the other Benyan's company, business be damned? Certainly sounded like a nicer idea.

Her comfort with the woman increased as she spoke, a wide grin crossing her face. "A bunch o' fat lazy slobs, dey all are. T'inkin' all de water in all'o Wonderlan' is for dem to bottle up and sell, pah![/b]" She spat out the words angrily, the familiar outrage bubbling within her. Then she perked. Knocking them down a peg or two, eh? "Really, now? Dat sounds like a plan I could get m'self behind, ya? I'd love ta see what's up yer sleeve.[/b]"

She showed teeth when she grinned again. It was almost certainly something shady, but then, that was the best way to teach someone high-and-mighty a lesson. Especially with the oil business she'd heard rumors about - she couldn't imagine the kind of pollution the Selkies would certainly unleash upon the rest of the world, believing it wasn't their problem as soon as it was out of their borders.

Arrogant sods.

As for the woman's next question, Jordan sighed. "Ah... Business, like always. I'm t'inking I might be canceling the accounts here. Tired o' working so hard ta keep from gettin' ripped off.[/b]"

~~~

Sophie shifted her weight from one leg to the other, considering what Kendra was saying. "We left from the Capital yesterday. Things had been a little... weird then, too." She searched her memory a bit further back, looking a bit nervous. "...Even back at the Court, there was something going on. That's why I'm here now." It felt odd to admit to it, especially when no one else - not even her mother - had seemed to pick up on it.

Her ears lowered. A lot of what had happened - namely, Lyr's tree - was her fault, wasn't it? If she'd obeyed her mother's wishes and stayed home... She shook herself. Those kind of thoughts wouldn't help anyone.

"By the Mayor's house, they've got these big... machine-things. To help get the oil up." She said, shrugging her shoulders. Belatedly she remembered that she hadn't introduced herself. "I'm Sophie." Short and awkward it was, but that was the girl's style. "There's an attic with a bunch of stuff in it, have you looked there? There might be some kind of a clue there..."

[Bee]

Lyr added her name to the short list of introductions, quietly adding "And I'm Illyria," after Sophie had volunteered her own name. She tracked the little conversation between Sophie and Kendra, forcing herself to focus on the present circumstances and not the Queen's highly likely rage. She could admit to herself logically that her fear made increasingly little sense; but understanding the irrationality of her some of her thoughts only ever served to make them more grating, because they still didn't go away.

She tried to arrange the pieces of information in her head into something cohesive. She thought about the attic, about oil, about this wretched inn and how they had gotten there...She ended up with a jumble of half-ideas. She bit her lip and felt a tiny tendril of paranoia poke at her brain. Maybe something was trying to lead them back here, maybe back to the very attic Sophie had just mentioned, to find something, unravel the whole tangled ball of mystery. But that would require that they had a purpose, and it wasn't in Lyr's nature to ascribe importance or significance of any kind to herself. Maybe they had just been sent here to keep them out of the way, while something big and terrible happened outside, or with the Queen and that businessman...

She bit her lip. "Or we could go back out." The option wasn't particularly appealing; it was as terrible outside as it was inside. But if they could--figure out what was going on, maybe no one would kill her. "I mean, if the only new thing going on here is...is the new oil well, well...The simplest explanation's usually right, right? Maybe they...unearthed something..." She felt suddenly, overwhelmingly stupid. Her face reddened and heated. "But I have no idea where the site is. Forget I said anything."

[Nathalia]

((Suvius jerked her head toward the hall at one point, suspicion etched onto her face, but then seemed to let it go.
If asked, she would just shrug and say "T'ought I heard voices, I did, but we still gots de people comin' up, so it'd be dem wouldn't it now?"

She shrugged, lounging back on the bed and snagging a bag of dried sardines, popping them in her mouth and crunching enjoyably. Her eyes roved to Kaden placing the Highland tot down and giving her a quiet talking-to.
Good, from how sullen the little ass had looked, she needed it.
Leastways he knew how to deal with kids, the Corvie.
"Rotter? Yeh mean a Lowlander? Feckin' scum, aye...s'nasty, took de toe off yeh? Hell, mate, where dis t'ing be?" Honestly intrigued and revolted, she leaned in to hear anything more the Bird said on the subject.
"Ha, good t'ing y'not tryin' t'see a show out here, Kaden. In de Selkie? Be better off watchin' de water weeds grow, aye Jordan?" She ribbed, snickering good-naturedly and handing the Bird some popcorn and fish for the kid.

At Ululani's words, she coughed on her chips, snickering.
"If what we seen's any picture, you're righ' , Pallie!" She chortled, grabbing another handful and nibbling. "S'alittle earlier than I said dat's true, but what's a day, really?" She grinned, sinking back into the chair until she was almost upside down. "We gots de hard part outta de way, didn't we, matey?"
She gave Jordan another smile, glanced around at the group in general, and then got up to stick her head out the door.
"Oy! You lot! Whoever's still down de stairs, come on up, git some food an' introduce yerselves, carn't do nuthin' fer yeh if we don't know who you are, ye ken?"
Pulling it back in, she flopped back on the chair.
"Impatient, I am, sorry. Want to know who we gots in dere 'sides us, eh?"
She grabbed a can of fizzy drink she'd found in the kitchen and fiddled with it until it opened, spitting and spritzing down her hand.
"Oh, I hears yeh. Damn Selkies take all de business jus' cause they gots de closer relationship wit' de Capital, pah! We gots de better stuff anyways, us 'ns could ride dis lake into de ground!"
She tore open more sardines, seeming to revel in the other Marten's company.
"Tell you what, righ'? It'll be dark in 'bout half an hour, let's git t'know who else is in 'ere and we'll take de braver souls fer stroll down by de lakefront. I'll show yeh all a real fun time, eh?" She winked at Jordan and gave Kaden a grin. "Yer an 'andsome bird, yeh all Corvie? Yeh'll like what I've got, s'weird as Hell an' you'll never see ought else like it, ah promise yeh."

She turns back to the rest of the troupe as they come in the door, eager to see what else wandered in.
What's this, though? Kaden seems to have found a little vial next to him on the shelf. It's half-tucked back away, as though someone was trying to hastily hide it...it's not very securely stoppered, though. If he's going to try to pick it up, please roll a die.))



~Nathalia