[Finished] Small Print [Vyn]

[Bee]

Phaedra thrust out her hand for a firm handshake. "I'm Phaedra," she said, with the weight of importance she always put behind her introductions, because that is how one makes oneself memorable. But it was also friendly, because she was ever so personable. "Don't feel awkward. The written word is, after all, much more durable than speech."

Speaking of durability. She looked at the paper again as a word hit her, and she stewed over it a moment. Rabbit? What the deuce? Now his bag was a rabbit? This was getting more interesting by the moment, if he was making his bookbag out of a semi-mystical creature; that or he was rapidly climbing the ladder of a very quiet kind of crazy. Odd that she had been first interested in the markings on his paper face and was now more fixated on his accessories.

"A rabbit?" she asked, curiously.

[Vyn]

To Phaedra's firm handshake, Imre extended a wing and returned it with as much gusto as a wing could manage. He would, indeed, remember her. He was glad she enjoyed the written word because that was all he had until 4 o' clock and he had no way of knowing when exactly that would be. This worked well enough for now.

Imre could see when Phaedra's attention returned to the paper and the surprise that bubbled up in response to that simple one-worded debate. Perhaps it was his seclusion within The Wood for so many years but he just couldn't help but be amused at the confusion (and, though he didn't quite like to admit it, the fear). The Tulgey mix leaned in, beckoning Phae closer as he began to write.

It's a real rabbit pelt! I found it hanging in a tree out near The Wood. Bet it was The White Rabbit that put it out there! Imre was lying through his teeth. He'd already asked Shashi about The White Rabbit but, despite a few sarcastic remarks, Imre had basically gotten the jist that the rabbit didn't know much at all about the mythical 'monster'.

[Kari Muffin]

The rabbit was slightly annoyed. This not being able to talk to people nonsense was annoying, and Cards were so damn stupid. Wasn't this Esterberry woman supposed to be smart and open minded?

Of course she was a woman, and she was a Card so he should have expected that she didn't have the story straight. Imre hadn't either. He wrinkled his nose as he floated next to Imre, maybe he should have a little fun? There weren't that many people around and he hadn't had a chance to play with people in a long while. Imre was such a sulky person because of that stupid paper mask.

Of course it meant that he couldn't talk back when Shashi made a comment.

The rabbit moved closer to his skin. If he was going to use his little trick he was going to have to make it mildly convincing that the sound was coming from the bag.

First Poltergeist power: Once a week, he is able to make a loud screech that is similar to his death cry. This noise can be heard by anyone in a ten foot area of himself and it is currently his only way to communicate with anyone aside from his chosen haunt.

[Bee]

Phaedra was in the middle of thinking something about how whimsically charming it was that the bird was mentioning the White Rabbit and how very loopy he was even though the idea of a real Rabbit was ever so tempting because she could capitalize on the opportunity to investigate--

Then the shriek. The horrific, terrible noise, like something undergoing torture, having its limbs or its skin ripped off, something deadly awful--then it was gone, and no one else but her seemed to have heard it. It had been coming from the--the--and he had just been talking about a Rabbit, a real Rabbit, in a tree, and--

She composed herself. It took considerable effort. She willed her thudding heart to resume its natural pace. She ceased twitching. She smoothed down her ruffled tail. She adjusted her glasses.

She said, "Your bag has made a rather terrible noise."

[Vyn]

Imre made an awkward noise in the back of his throat as Shashi shrieked and attempted to lean back from his satchel. This had happened plenty, every couple weeks or so, when Shashi was in a particularly foul mood or... well, anytime he really felt like it. The rabbit could be an ass, no matter how much Imre loved his dead friend. If it had been less frequent, Imre's heart might have been pounding but it was his head that was truly protesting the sudden noise.

Right next to my ear, really Shashi!? He grumbled to himself as he shot a pointed look toward where the ghost was hovering. As the sound stopped, however, Imre's gaze darted around the immediate vicinity and then returned to Phae when it was obvious that they were the only ones who had heard.

"Your bag has made a rather terrible noise." Imre shook his head and sighed. Yes, he does that from time to time. As comfortable as he was with teasing people about strange myths, Imre did know the stigma against speaking of ghosts outloud and he didn't particularly want to go into that with Phae just now. He didn't know if he could trust her not to toss him in the looney bin or some crap.

[Kari Muffin]

The rabbit burst into laughter at the reactions he got. It was always priceless when there where other people around to watch. The girl had taken it surprisingly well, though she was clearly flustered by the sound.

"Oh that was worth it," The ghost said as he floated upside down, continue his hysterical laughter. It should have been clear to Imre that Shashi was a terrible sort of spirit. He had never been a good sort of person to begin with, and as a spirit he had nothing but hatred for everything. He was, after all, nothing more than a handbag now.

"She might actually be worth talking to considering she didn't run away after that. Apparently Cards aren't as pathetic as we Rabbits seem to make them out to be. Though considering most of you still don't believe we exist you're pretty stupid as a whole."

[Bee]

Phaedra looked at the bag intently despite her rationality telling her that this had to be some sort of trick--some magical ability the bird had, perhaps, or some inherent Tulgey creepiness. But the curiosity ate at her. What if this were truly a Rabbit? There had to be some way to prove that this pelt was neither a small Card or an ordinary animal painted up to look like an Esterberry.

If magic, then Rabbits? Ah, the slippery slope! And of course, if it were really a being, it was clearly dead. Ghosts she had something of a handle on. But ghosts and Rabbits?

And the screaming; periodic, if Imre's note were to be believed...So were there other people who had heard this...handbag? Perhaps she should get names.

"Is he always that bad tempered," she said, trying to keep her tone light, "or does he just want attention?"

[Vyn]

The screeching of the satchel was no trick of Imre's Tulgey nature - that would actually be seen in the tendency for Imre to begin blurring out of view whenever Phae stared too long or hard at the bird - but it definitely added to the creepy, faceless Tulgey thing he had going on.

Overall it made life more fun in general (despite occasionally disrupting study sessions). Today though, Imre had the pleasure of enjoying the Esterberry woman's obvious confusion over what - if anything - she was experiencing and the entertainment of stringing her along with the blatant truth knowing that, no matter what came of this, few cards would ever pursue wandering into The Wood over a rumor of dead rabbits. Not to mention that they'd probably toss her away if she tried to insist on it.

Ah the safety net of insanity.

Her question, though, did make Imre pause. He tilted his head a little, glancing over to Shashi as he did. What was his intention? Definitely both, but there was probably a bit more attention hogging going on.

Both. The crow shrugged. He's probably bored, it's not particularly entertaining being a mute crow's book bag.

[Bee]

"On the contrary," Phaedra said, "he should feel boundlessly enthused that he is useful even in death. Most people can't even say that about themselves while alive."

And now that she was apparently entertaining this argument, that this bag carried an essence of its deceased owner and that it was possibly a Rabbit, more questions sprung up like weeds in the over-watered lawn of her mindscape.

"Though I must wonder what is propelling him to go on existing on this plane in the first place. Does he have some manner of unfinished business you're helping him with?"

Vengeance was the first thing on her mind, given the seeming temperament of the pelt. If the crow was telling her true about where he found it, she couldn't imagine that his death would have been exceptionally peaceful. She had heard and read a lot of things about the Tulgey Wood; very few of them made the place sound inviting. Imre was companionable enough, however, so at least it had produced one good thing.

[Vyn]

Imre made a burbling sound deep in his throat that could have potentially been taken for a great deal of laughter. As the laughter subsided and the crow's talon was steady once more, he returned to the paper.

How true!

Her following question caused him to pause, considering the air that was currently occupied by his ghostly companion. He'd explained a few things of his continued existence but they weren't exactly of the 'unfinished business' sort. A casual shrug of wings concluded his contemplation.

He was skinned alive, and stubbornly refuses to accept death. He's never really expressed a need for vengeance though. The crow glanced toward his companion once more but was given nothing more than a halfhearted shrug. It was terribly hard to guess what the rabbit was thinking sometimes. So I suppose the only purpose I actually serve in his unlife is preventing him from getting too bored. Shashi seemed almost pleased with this answer and so Imre cheerfully continued. He returns the favor, so I think it's a rather good exchange.