T - Kari, Jenn, Lucca, Greenie

[Kari Muffin]

(( OOC: Gigi and Ez only post. I would like to apologize about Ez but.... he's a diva and he finally just snapped. ))

Gigi watched Mirriam closely. When the girl whispered at her her ears perked. The door was open. That meant they could potentially see Argo. Her eyes shot a quick look at the Wolf. The adults were distracting him, and Mirriam was adding her note of disapproval.

Maybe she could make it under the cot? The girl slowly drew herself to a stand while everyone was talking at the big scary Wolf. She twitched a bit when Morgan said something. Wait? Brothers? Argo was related to the Big Bad Wolf?

Huh.

And Morgan was whining about not getting Argo back. Her nose wrinkled. "Meanie face," she muttered. If Argo was a monster, they were too for what they did to their parents. And considering the way people were looking at her she was fairly certain that was the case.

She was still fairly close to the cot. She lowered her head and went to dash under the cot. She could get to the door and maybe sneak through. Hopefully the adults would keep the wolf distracted long enough. (17).

--

The sparrow watched lamely as the adorable bat girl started speaking. She was so sweet, and he was happy that she was being so defiant, even if he was being interrupted. Then again everyone was interrupting him. Sigh. Oh well.

Ez stared for a long moment when Morgan suddenly started speaking. Why in the name of all the suits had he decided opening his mouth was a good idea? Why did he have to blurt out everything that was on his mind? (rolled a 4 for composure.)

"Shut up!" he snapped sharply in the direction of the antlered canine. "Shut up, Shut up, Shut up! Even the goddamn seven year old knows when to keep her mouth shut, why can't you? This can easily be a life or death situation you idiot." His last word ended in an avian shriek, his diamond charm completely gone as his feathers flared outward.

He realized how stupid he must have looked after a moment. His eyes sliding closed as he tried to regain himself. Oops.

And he was in the front of various members of the Court. A Queen of Hearts and suits only knew what else. Today had been too long. His brother was dead. His sister had disappeared. The Queen was out cold. It was all starting to hit him at once.

"I'm sorry," he muttered.

[/|/afamere]

Sabe could only but watch as all this went on. He wouldn't attempt to open his mouth and say anything for he knew nothing as it was. They seemed to know the person here and he didn't even know what was going on either. SO he just leaned on the wall and watched as the children started to move about on their own. The child of Pale was off looking around and the others... (17) what was she up to? He watched her as she went under the cot once again where the others where moved away from.

What was she up too? He didn't want to say anything since she was off doing her own thing. So it may just be as well that she did it. She was sneaking off in the first place, so let her.

That was when the card known as Ez started yelling. Now that took him off on a surprise. He couldn't help himself but to watch as he went off, mildly smirking at it all.

[Lucca]

There was so much yelling. Apparently the Wolf was actually partners with the Tulgey Snake? That was what it sounded like. Mirriam just wanted everyone to stop saying mean things about Argo. He hadn't done anything bad to them. Well, except pretend to be Gigi's mom. The little Bat frowned at this moral dilemma. But then...Morgan answered her. "His brother?" she whispered, noticing out of the corner of her eye as Gigi moved toward the cot. Good. Mirriam wanted to follow her, but there was too much attention on her right now, and she still wanted an answer from the Wolf. After all, that made it even worse, if they were brothers!

But how did Morgan know that? She turned toward it...and then it started saying Argo couldn't be a Card. Based on how he -looked-. "Morgan, how can you say that?" Mirriam said in a hushed tone, horrified that the child was already exhibiting such prejudice. It was just like its Mom. The thought brought a few tears, but she stubbornly blinked them back. Before she could say anything else...Ez started yelling. Mirriam's ears pulled back to her head and she fluttered over to sit near Morgan, looking a bit miserable. She frowned a bit at Ez. That wasn't the proper way to tell someone they'd done something wrong at all!

But...she didn't feel like she should say anything about it, really. Not after all that. She silently reached out a wing toward Morgan. The poor child was just scared, after all. Adult it may be, but it still had so much to learn. And Mirriam wanted to teach it. But not like this.

[Nathalia]

((At Ez's mention of something going on in the Court of Diamonds, Zacharias seemed to stiffen a little. His shoulders going rigid, and ears flicking back slightly as he tried to distance himself from the idea.
The "children" in that room were disturbing him.
The Puffin's answer to his question was more than certainly not good enough, and he eyed her as she scooted slowly back behind that Crow. "Really? Torquehelm? Somehow...I doubt it."
His eyes roved up to meet those of this"Wulfram" as the man spoke harshly to him, covering the girl with a protective gesture.
"My apologies, good sir...I meant not to frighten your ward."
The Crow's sardonic gaze that indicated he ought not to meddle made him painfully aware of Lucius and Malachoir...he gave the Spade a smile and a curt nod. Given half the chance, he would throttle the Birds. Both of them.
"True, Lucius, you did." The Wolf, responded, turning with a swish of the cloak to face the Snake, lip curling. "You were quite eager, never quite mentioned any specifics, did you? Regardless, I am in the process of attaining your request,but your ah...little group of friends here, may be about to destroy my efforts. I would request that you remove them, perhaps even put them down, if you should like things to go as smoothly as possible."
His attention snapped to the Buck.
"His Highness is most certainly mad." The fact that he had assured the world of this was of little matter. "And he has fled the premises. I'm terribly sorry, but your charge will not find his Father here."
He gave the ugly boy a quick glance up and down while he fiddled with broken coat racks. Eugh, nasty little monster; he wondered briefly what in Wonderland the Hearts King could have spawned with, before the Bat and Buck drew his attention. "Argo is...and associate of mine. I do not work solely alone. Even the best of us must outsource to get a job done cleanly and well, keeping the most important parts under lock and key, of course. I stationed Argo here to keep an eye on things, a task in which he has failed, my punishments were forestalled by this bothersome group here, who seem to have grown attached to him for reasons beyond me." He murmured, gesturing to Ez most prominently, and that Bat.
"I assure you, Lucius, your funds have been put to greater use than you can imagine. Just because you cannot see the full picture yet, does not mean the plan is foiled, simply...extended. It will be just a short while before I can fully implement it. If these idiots would simply leave me be, I could collect my associate and be off to finish the job."

Staring at the Heron, looking for a way to change the subject, he eyed the Kahmden up and down. The Wolf's eyes lingered on his Suit and rank marking with a grimace of mild disgust.
"You, ah...keep some interesting company nowadays, Malachoir. From all your fine talk, I had always expected your friends to be of only the finest quality. Who exactly, is this....interesting fellow. A Queen of Clubs, is he? Hmmm, you wouldn't be Sabe, would you sir? I wonder if you've met an associate of mine, Yarrast?" He inquired. The Donkey mix ought to have made it to the Club court a while ago...
He opened his mouth to speak further when it dawned on him.
The Sparrow had mentioned the Court of Diamonds.
Damn it, if he'd met that damn idiot sex-maniac...

The Bat opened her mouth again, shouting at him.
Ears flicked back and impressive rows of teeth made themselves known as he glared the girl into the floor.
He rather wished he'd simply allowed her to crawl through the door now. If he had done so, he might have been lucky enough to hear her death.
"A stupid reason? You idiotic girl, telling him that he has been located when it would do better to save his life and tell him not to return is considered a stupid reason? Your parents must be desperately sorry to have such an empty headed child. Furthermore, I am not his boss, he is little more than a-"
The Thylacine opened its mouth and horrible things came tumbling out. Yes, Zacharias knew what it was, he would, seeing as-
"You,boy. One more word, and you will wish you had never been born, understood?" He asked, teeth threatening what words could not.
The boy's next words confirmed his worst fears. "You...were...were you? How...how interesting." He watched the boy more closely, yes...Avington and Highland, that made sense. "Tell me, boy, do you remember your, ah...parents?" He asked, now desperately curious.
And then the Sparrow exploded.
Enough.
Zacharias had had enough.
"You could learn a lot from your own speech, Sparrow." He hissed, snapping his fingers to unleash a spell upon the man.

Spell Toll: (Aimed at Ez) Once a week, he is able to focus on another card, snap his fingers, and cause them to feel as though something behind their eyes is beginning to drill into their brain. This spell lasts 10 seconds and is excruciatingly painful.

Something under the sheet twitched again as Conall lifted the sheet up further.
It slipped with the moving cloth and fell, hitting the boy squarely on the skull and then dropping to the floor with a click, still twitching lightly.
Ticking Mantis: A tiny preying mantis, encased in incredibly thin bronze, twitches with the beat of the heart of whoever is holding it. Once grabbed by someone who wants it, the bronze will shatter, covering the whole of the creature's eyes with a sheet of bronze and melting over them. Their eyes will never be able to be injured, regardless of the magic used, and it does not impeded their vision, merely giving them an oddly glazed look to their visage. Wonder what it does if exposed to Spade Water? It certainly feels magical...))[/color]




~Nathalia

[/|/afamere]

HE couldn't help himself but to smile when he heard the young heart queen scrambled about near the hat racks. He wondered if he found something neat in there, may have seeing as who's room they were occupying. He smiled at the boy, even though he was a heart, he was still a child and got him to smile in these troubling times. Though when the wolf started talking once again he looked up to the man, apparently he was taking to him.

He gave a sigh and moved up off the wall and approached the card, though he stopped short when he heard Ez start to cry out in pain. He ignored the fact because this man seemed to have something to do with the court of clubs. He looked up at him and reached out a hand for the man to shake, "It is a pleasure to meet you, though I fear that I have not met this Yarrest that you speak of." he said and when he gripped his hand in his he made sure to pinch off a bit of fur from his palm (15), with this he would test his new found ability and discreetly place it on his tongue. "Though I question the fact of someone entering the courts that is directly influenced by other outside influences." he said as he gazed up at the man, looking slightly down upon him from his height alone.

---

Tongue Effect: The combination of the flame spell and all of the other damage to Sabe's tongue has caused it to heal itself out of stress...and to change color!?
It's no longer the usual flat salmon color, now it's a bright blue striped with green. Once a week, he can lick anyone's body part or bits of them; a strand of hair or feather or fur, and taste whether or not they mean him harm.

[Kari Muffin]

Wait. Yarrast? He had been working with this man? This man was responsible for everything wasn't he? His feathers puffed out as he opened his eyes. He opened his beak to make a proper apology and an accusation when the wolf snapped his fingers.

And then then there was a sudden pain that exploded behind his eyes. It took a moment for him to process what was happening before he let out an wail of agony. He collapsed onto the floor clutching his face and continuing to scream (5), he wasn't about to get up.

--

Gigi was being completely ignored, and even with all the wailing and screaming she wasn't about to look back. She slipped under the cot, went straight for the door.

She poked her nose in first. "Argo! Argo! Are you in there?" She shouted as she decided to peer into the door fully. Had he run away? And what was up with the shrieking behind her now. Was that... Ez?



--

Devika went wide eyed when the man continued to speak to her. What did he mean by that? How could he know the truth? That was impossible!

"Wulfram," she whimpered as she drew even closer to him. Then things just went down hill very fast. She let out a small chirp as she cowered. There was screaming, and horrible things happening and she didn't like any of it.

And there was nothing she could do.

---

Conall was not expecting something to hit him square on the head, and went it did he let out a terrified yelp followed by a curse. He rubbed the spot that was very quickly growing sore as he eyed the thing that had fallen out from the sheets.

He picked it up with mild curiosity. It twitched. Weird.

He caught snippets of the conversation. Something about the King being mad. Wait. He glanced over to the adults, still clutching the little item. What exactly was going on?

And then there was screaming. He watched in terror as the sparrow started yelling at someone in the room, and then went down rather quickly when the Wolf snapped his fingers. His fur bristled as he watched Malachior.

As long as he was fine, he'd stay back here and be silent.

[Lucca]

Mirriam frowned darkly up at the Wolf. He was speaking over her, as if she and the others weren't here. Did adults really think kids were that stupid as to not know when they were being called such horrible things as bothersome and an idiot? She arched her neck slightly, antlers pointing at the horrid Wolf and his very sharp teeth. At least Gigi was going to go find Argo. It seemed like the Wolf didn't actually care about him, for all that he was apparently his brother.

She let out a angry squeak at the Wolf as he rounded on her and her sibling, and moved in front of Morgan protectively. He certainly wasn't as surprised to hear Morgan had been born that day as he should have been. "You're not very nice, you know. And..." She stood up to her full, gangly teenaged height. "I think you already -know- who its parents were. I think you know what's going on here!" Her brown eyes flashed with accusation, the implication that he was at least partly at fault hard to miss.

"If you raise one claw against my sibling, you'll be sorry!" Mirriam wasn't scared. She was too young and too right to know she should be. Of course, then the Wolf snapped his fingers, and Ez began screaming. Mirriam gasped and turned to look at him in horror. "Ez?" she whispered, ears pinning back against her head. What could she do for him? She looked pleadingly at the other adults in the room. Surely one of them could do something? But to her utter bewilderment, the tall, colorful Heron was...shaking the man's hand? What was the matter with everyone today?

[Vyn]

Wulfram inclined his head to Zacharias, satisfaction showing in his gaze but also a little less offense. His hand still rested on the woman-child protectively and he watched the man evenly.

"Quite alright, Sir. It's not e hard thing to do, I'm afraid. I'm guilty ov it myself."

But he'd fall silent after that, allowing him to focus on the attentions of Lucius and Malachior. Lucius certainly seemed pissy, didn't he? Wulfram almost chuckled. Almost.


Lucius took a deep breath, his pale hands clutching the snake-headed staff more tightly. The mention of removing the group made his red eyes strike out, sweeping over the others. Was that what he needed to have a decent, uninterrupted conversation with his associate!?

His scowl could have killed puppies.

It returned to Zacharias as he explained the King's state. Unfortuante. He'd hoped to gain a bit more favor with the Court. Malachior was curtly silent, Lucius heard him offer nothing more than a short 'I see'. Lucius's eyes did not leave Zacharias until the man's attention returned to him.

So this Argo man was important to the completion of his project and Lucius would not see the full results until he was back? Until these... babbling morons stopped interrupting.

Even Zacharias wasn't paying attention. Allowing his attention to shift, to acknowledge the Club. Even the boy who... announced his relationship with Argo. Brothers? Heh. His own brother was mucking things up? No wonder he was so quick to shift the topic and snap at the boy and the Sparrow too. It was almost hilarious, except for that comment about being born recently.

Disturbing. All of it. And Lucius didn't have his answers but things were making sense now.

As Ez collapses in a screaming heap, Lucius slammed his staff down on the floor and let a cold hiss escape him. "Zacharias. I think we need to clarify some things. Now. Before I lose my temper, which would be terribly unfortunate. What exactly are you doing with my money. What exactly do you plan to do to bring the Court of Hearts to Glory?!" One pale hand shot out and snapped on the screaming Diamond and then to the Queen of Clubs. "Did you not say you would also 'take care' of Their Courts, Zacharias? Are you playing me for a FOOL!?" His voice had reached a sharp pitch by the time it hit fool but never rose so much to as a shout, but close. When he spoke again his tone had dropped to a cold hiss. "I want my money back, Zacharias, or I want something of equal value."

The glint in his eyes was terrible, his smile was worse. He dared Zacharias to deny him what was his or for someone else to interrupt him again.


Malachior arched a brow slowly at Zacharias's conviction in this and the knowledge that Conall would not be locating his father. "I see." Was all he said, though something still nagged him as wrong, but he followed the man's gaze back to check on Conall. He was toying with things but at least he wasn't underfoot. He appreciated that.

The nagging feeling didn't fade as Zacharias went on, explaining Argo's purpose, though it did ease ever so slightly. At least his presence made sense...

And then he had to go and make such nasty comments at him. The old Buck's gaze darkened and fell deadpan beneath his glasses. "Now Zacharias," he sneered very slightly, looking quite disappointed. "We've been good enough acquaintances that such comments need not be exchanged between gentleman. I never invited him to my presence and I certainly would not call him company, but he is A Queen and what right would I have, an old King, to deny him his whims?"

And then everything else went so quickly downhill, didn't it? When the Sparrow started screaming and Lucius abruptly snapped, Malachior simply backed away and smiled. Really Zach, he thought to himself, you seem to have brought this upon yourself, old friend. So sad to think that, had Zacharias not made such a deplorable statement in his direction, he might have continued to favor the man over the majority of the company he'd been stuck with. Now... Now he wasn't so sure.

His gaze flicked to Wulfram and found the crow staring back at him with an arched brow. He raised a hand to say 'wait and see' and the Crow motioned to the puffin he'd been sheltering. Malachior nodded. Wulfram would protect him and, in turn, he would protect the girl. It was a fair exchange.


As Ez hit the floor Wulfram gave him a pitying expression. Such a handsome bird, didn't deserve this abuse but there would be other things to protect him just then. Lucius seemed to be making a nice distraction, anyhow. When Devi whimpered, he turned to her and gently cupped her cheek. "I'm sorry, darling, but things are about to get scary again and if they do I'm going to need you to stand behind Mr. Malachior. You can't trust anyone else right now, do you understand?"

[Nathalia]

((Zacharias very suddenly and very fervently wished he were anywhere but here.
How could he have slipped up so badly? What were his investors doing here? Who were the majority of these people? Why were they here?
Idiots.
He would skin Argo alive when he found him for this.
He snarled curses in his mind and yanked his hand back when the disgusting Club pinched him.
What. The. Hell.
Shaking the hand as though it were covered in dirt, his brows knitted in revolted confusion as the Bid stared down at him and spouted gibberish. "Regardless of whatever you could mean by that, I will admit to myself losing a great amount of patience." He replied curtly, doing his level best as he thought he saw the Heron lick something in his hand.
By Odom, that thing was just as nasty as his Mother had always told him Clubs were.
(Sabe can taste that the Wolf means him grievous harm...)

Ignoring Ez and the "children" completely, the Wolf turned back to Malachoir and Lucius...far more pressing, far more pressing...
The scowl the Tulgey Snake was giving him would have lit him on fire were he not impervious to "deadly glances"...not happy, was he? The staff slamming down and the low hiss were enough to cause the Wolf to realize that things were potentially about to get ugly.
Such a shame, he really hadn't wanted to kill them all.
Too bad Malachoir hadn't at least ushered the children outside.
"Lucius. Dear sir, I'm terribly sorry to inform you that the money has already been spent towards this endeavor. I have none of it left, much less with me." He gave the Serpent a glower of his own, teeth in evidence.
"What, and spoil the surprise, Lucius?" He asked, lip curled in deference to the Snake's threats. "I plan to bring the Hearts glory by bringing the Other Courts to their knees.With preferential treatment to the Spades, of course, Malachoir." He readjusted his cloak, still snarling with suppressed rage.
The Buck chided him and he let the snarl die. True.
"My apologies, Malachoir, I am a trifle upset and it has caused me to misplace my manners, do forgive me, old friend." He gave the Deer a deep bow, and gave the rest of the odd crew a haughty stare.

The Bat spoke again, distracting him with a well-placed line...one of the few things that could have gotten his attention.
"And what?" He asked, voice tinged with an underlying snarl. "Gives you that impression, my dear? Do I look like the type of person who would associate with your parents?" His eyes glinted dangerously.
If she did know.
He would have to kill her.
"You'll do what, exactly?" He asked, hands spread wide. "Chide me? Berate me with your sorrows? It is not my fault your fool parents are dead." He did not seem to notice...that the girl had never mentioned anything about her parents, or her sibling's, being dead...))



~Nathalia

[Vyn]

Had Lucius not been so very furious just then, he may have laughed when Zach was pinched by the filthy Club. Prove him right for ignoring a fellow Heart in favor of a Club.

The Wolf's apology received nothing more than a dirty look from Lucius and a thin hiss of disapproval. Vague explanations, no more than blasted restatements of what he'd been told on their first meeting, and a useless apology. That did not make up for lost money, that did not make him feel any more confident in his abilities. "Terribly sorry? I don't give a damn about surprises and I certainly don't want to hear the same tired story I heard before. I want to know what you did with my money!" He snapped, only for the man to ignore him. Again. Ignored him to make amends with Malachior. Ignored him to wing attitude at the meaningless brat.

If their words meant nothing then don't listen to them!

Lucius could've shrieked, but it was easier to be silent. Zacharias was already distracted after all, why should Lucius have to be polite and get his attention!? Without a word he lifted his cane and swung hard at the back of the man's head. (17... holy snot. ') Before this day was over, he'd have Zacharias on his knees and when the bastard wolf said 'Sorry' again he'd mean it.


Malachior inclined his head slightly to Zacharias as the man apologized to him. He appreciated the gesture, even if he was certain it was far from the thing to do just then. The Tulgey snake's eyes were flashing, pupils turned to nothing more than narrow slits in a sea of red. Malachior offered the Calloo wolf a smile that was not so much forgiving as... accepting. Like someone readying a final farewell.

He didn't expect this to end much better than that.


Wulf had only just given Devi a reassuring pat on the head and nudged her toward Malachior when he turned to see the Tulgey serpent suddenly explode into movement. A strange shiver ran up his spine, a sadistic grin curling at the edge of his beak before he remembered himself and glanced back to Devi.

"Now, darling." He whispered. "Quickly, out ov zhe room vith Malachior. Hopefully zhe others will be along to join you."

Malachior had edged back till he was nearly standing in the door. Wulf met his eyes once more and muttered 'happy babysitting' before returning his attention to shot back to the movement within the room.