Riverside

[Shadowcaller]

A Casual Walk

"Fey names-" The canine looks like it just spat despite no actual saliva coming out of its mouth. "They be emotions, feelings... cannet speak them, cannet write them. Princess be the same I think."

"But we speak not of his deeds." The moose declares as it looks up at the bird with contempt. Or one imagines as skeletons aren't great at conveying emotions. It's words very much are though.

Yet the bird don't seem to be listening and picks up where the canine left off. "When the princess she got her legs turned into hooves wandered the world. Forced ta' obey the whims of the fey. Wasn't long until ol' Leer Eye and the other of e's ilk found out about her situation-"

"SILENCE!" The moose bellows once more, but this time it doesn't help.

"So they all gathered up and had a big ol' gang b-"

"DON'T SPEAK THAT WORD!"

This causes the bird to let out a hoarse laugh so in a way it worked. Though the cat is already out of the bag it seems. Not that Jim couldn't have figured this out himself. Perhaps he had already assumed this to be the case.

[Meowmai]

[Skate Park]

"Yeah, thanks." That seemed like all that needed to be said on this topic, for now at least.

Looking down at Anastasia's shirt though, Atsede felt inclined to agree. "I imagine it's not the most comfortable like that, either. Well, no worries." She holds up the foxes hoodie. "Just take it off and wear this. I mean, nobodies gonna really notice you're shirtless under your hoodie." The changeling says with a nod. It made sense to her.

[Arkhosia]

Skate Park

Anastasia blinks, looking back between Atsede and the blue hoodie she was wearing earlier. "Oh, uh - yeah, that probably makes sense." She takes a step back, wraps her fingers around the hem - and suddenly starts to get very red.

Wait, is she nervous about changing in front of a girl? Hold on, why is she nervous of changing in front of a girl? I mean, she had good reason to be nervous about changing in front of Annie or the other players on her soccer team, but this was different. It was just a shirt... right?

"U-um, sorry," Anastasia says after a moment, swallowing, and then finally hikes the wet cloth up over her shoulders and head. Atsede gets a good chance to glimpse the bra she's wearing and the warm skin underneath as the fox tries to push away this very strange and unexpected new form of shyness she's encountered. She leans over the sink and shoves her balled-up shirt under the faucet to give it a quick soak before wringing it out, then glances back over at Atsede.

"Do uh, d-do you mind handing that over for me?"

[Keeper]

A Casual Walk

Jim had been hoping the event was something more manipulative or emotional. He really should have known better.
He wonders how much a shotgun goes for in Riverside? No, no he can't do that. Not even to scum like that.
"Okay. So yeah. That's pretty bad." he says through gritted teeth. "But I'm not sure what I could do about it. I can't just kill someone. Not that I can kill a fey anyway; they don't stay dead. So what would you have me do?"

[Shadowcaller]

A Casual Walk

The bird let's out a chilling giggle that makes it sound completely deranged because perhaps that's exactly what it is.
"We have so. Many. Ideas."

The moose tilts its head as it looks at Jim. "Please, can't we talk about something more pleasant? Like how the princess granted us life? That's nice."

"So ye' can walk these worlds bearing da't burden?" The canine shakes their head. "Now dat' he knows he cannot walk away."

The moose now turn to look into Jim's eyes. "Jimeus- Jim, please. Vengeance is something to walk away from. It does not make the world better."

"Th' underworld is filled with all an' every idea that has ever been thought of how to harm, humiliate, murder an' destroy others and we-" The birds let's out another short giggle. "-we know em' all!"

Suddenly it lands on Jim's shoulder and if a bird skeleton could grin, this one would right now. "So if yer' ready to listen, wizard, I can sing ye' the true music of th' night."

[Keeper]

A Casual Walk

Jim has to take a deep breath but in the end his better nature prevails.
"I don't murder. And I don't destroy people. I make toys, mostly." Jim says, holding up a hand.
"I don't know why Jaahlyn gave you guys life. I didn't really know she could do that. But I know that she probably wouldn't want me to kill someone in her name without even asking her. So we can take a step back from that, I think."

[Shadowcaller]

A Casual Walk

This doesn't seem to discourage the bird though. "Death?" The bird giggles once more. "Ye' of little faith! We have a much better idea. Give 'im a little taste of es' own medicine. Since surely that's, eh, justice?"

"Dark is the path they speak of, Jim. So don't listen. Instead, let me interest you in our tale. Since it's one of love and memory." The moose nods, seemingly confident that Jim will turn the bird down once more.

"'Love an' memory'? More like a mind fracturing in on itself. Promise ye', mate, might not want to hear dis' one either. We're all just n' ol' big pile of stinkin' misery."

[Keeper]

A Casual Walk

The look on Jim's face is probably something that might be funny in different circumstances.
"You better not be suggesting what I think you're suggesting." he sputters. Because if the bird is suggesting that he do something as bad as this satyr did to Jaahlyn it has mistaken him for quite the horrific person indeed.

[Shadowcaller]

A Casual Walk

The moose lets out something that sounds like a sigh, but lets the bird continue for now.

"Not sure what yer' thinking of." They remark innocently, as if they didn't know exactly. "But we wouldn't want ye' to do anything truly horrible. All we ask is of ye'... is to give 'em' something. Something of the princess. Then ye' can turn your back and walk away. Never being burdened with th' knowledge of what comes next. 's a little thing. A vial. That's all."

The other animals are oddly quiet now, but they all seem to know what the bird is talking about.

[Keeper]

A Casual Walk

"That sounds an awful lot like using me as the delivery boy in some mafia hit. It also sounds like you haven't asked her for her opinion on this." Jim replies. He knows this isn't just a vial. The quiet that settled over them tells him everything that he needs to know.

[Meowmai]

Skate Park

Anastasia blinks, looking back between Atsede and the blue hoodie she was wearing earlier. "Oh, uh - yeah, that probably makes sense." She takes a step back, wraps her fingers around the hem - and suddenly starts to get very red.

Wait, is she nervous about changing in front of a girl? Hold on, why is she nervous of changing in front of a girl? I mean, she had good reason to be nervous about changing in front of Annie or the other players on her soccer team, but this was different. It was just a shirt... right?

"U-um, sorry," Anastasia says after a moment, swallowing, and then finally hikes the wet cloth up over her shoulders and head. Atsede gets a good chance to glimpse the bra she's wearing and the warm skin underneath as the fox tries to push away this very strange and unexpected new form of shyness she's encountered. She leans over the sink and shoves her balled-up shirt under the faucet to give it a quick soak before wringing it out, then glances back over at Atsede.

"Do uh, d-do you mind handing that over for me?"

[Skate Park]

Atsede looked at Anastasia, a little confused, as she hesitated while somehow managing to turn redder than before. "Well?" she asked, wondering what the issue was. Was it the trans thing? Was she finding it awkward since she knew Atsede was into girls? Those were perfectly valid, to be fair, but the changeling couldn't hold her laughter in at the sillyness of the whole situation.

"Oh my gosh! See, look at you! A total strawberry right now!" She handed over the hoodie in a fit of giggles.

Atsede though, for all her laughter, did have to fight a little to keep her eyes from prying. I mean, she didn't want to make things super awkward.

[Arkhosia]

Skate Park

It takes a second, but Anastasia somehow manages to get even more red! "Ohmigosh, shut up!" She yanks the hoodie from Atsede and throws it on, zipping it up over herself in an incredibly embarrassed huff. She is, however, definitely smiling a bit - and if the changeling ends up sneaking a glance, Ana doesn't seem to notice.

A few seconds later, the two emerge from the bathrooms. Ana holds the balled-up shirt in one hand and is only mostly not red in the face. When she gets back, she smiles shyly over to Eliseo.

[Gullara]

[Skate Park]

"Oh hey." Eliseo stands up when they get back. "All good now?" He looks down at her hoodie. Yeah that's a good solution. Then he catches sight of the balled up shirt, then his eyes go back to her sweater with more keen interest. Okay, hold on. He pulls his eyes back up to Ana's face.

[Meowmai]

[Skate Park]

Atsede just laughs some more, and follows Anastasia out the bathrooms.

"Think so, yeah. Strawberry here fussed a bit but it was all good." She playfully elbowed the fox with a wide grin. And considering how she gushed about him during their chat, Atsede imagined Eliseo did not have to worry about his girlfriend being upset with him over this incident. That was of course, entirely his fault, and definitely not at least partially set off by herself throwing something at him.

[Arkhosia]

Skate Park

"Y-yeah, stuff's fine now," Anastasia confirms, catching Eliseo's wandering eyes and feeling her face heat up a bit more. Thankfully, Atsede frees Eliseo from any further comments by drawing the fox's focus on her. "H-hey! I didn't fuss!" she protests, looking between the two cocky teens. "I just, needed a moment, that's all!

[Gullara]

[Skate Park]

Eliseo chuckles a bit. "Well that's good." Eliseo rubs the back of his head. "Sorry about that again." His meek attitude is slightly disrupted by one thing he hears, though. "Strawberry, huh?" Oh now he's curious. watch out, Ana.

[Meowmai]

[Skate Park]

The changelings grin widened. Yeah, she had certainly been exaggerating when she said Anastasia made a fuss, but it was already proving fun to Atsede to provoke a reaction out of her. Not her fault the fox made herself so easy to tease. "Oh y'know... the hair, the milkshake... the fact that she can't stop turning as red as one... felt it suited her." Poor Anastasia could not catch a break it seems.

[Arkhosia]

Skate Park

"No, it's fine, I know you didn't mean it." The girl tries to offer Eliseo a reassuring smile, but then his next question shifts the tone for her. Oh no. Now Atsede's activated her trap card! "M-my hair's not that red," Ana protests, already feeling herself go a little red again. "B-besides, Eliseo blushes way redder than me!"

[Gullara]

[Skate Park]

Eliseo laughs. "On account of the milkshake mention I'm gonna avoid commenting." He holds up his hands in a warding motion. "But I guess you probably wanna get home now eh, Ana?"

[Meowmai]

[Skate Park]

Another laugh. "Does he, now?" Interesting, interesting. She found it a little hard to believe. Eliseo's comment led her to take out her phone and check the time. "Huh. I should probably be heading back too." Any longer and her parents would get mad. Which, they probably already would do, on account of her getting scraped up like this. Sigh. "Before you two go, mind if I getcha numbers? Would be cool to hang out again sometime."

[Arkhosia]

Skate Park

"Oh, yeah, you're probably right. It's getting late, and I should really be home in time to help make supper." It was very important that Anastasia be there to chip in - otherwise, Kitty and Obriane might be swarmed by hungry kids! A thought seems to occur to her though, and she turns to look over at Atsede only for the girl to beat her to it. "I was just thinking that, yeah! I'd love to see you again sometime, I can type both of ours in for you." And presuming Eliseo doesn't protest Ana just volunteering his phone number like that, numbers are exchanged!

[Shadowcaller]

A Casual Walk

"That sounds an awful lot like using me as the delivery boy in some mafia hit. It also sounds like you haven't asked her for her opinion on this." Jim replies. He knows this isn't just a vial. The quiet that settled over them tells him everything that he needs to know.

A Casual Walk

"We don't need to, wizard, since we are her." The bird replies, its voice suddenly resembling Jaahlyn's. "And we, I, know what we want."

This causes the moose to perk up. "That's not strictly true. But it does give me an excuse to tell our story." It moves next to Jim and settles down next to him. "See, we are part of the princess. That much is true. A long time ago. Not long after that dreadful event in fact, the princess was overcome with emotion and sang a song. As she sang the dead animals nearby started to animate to her mournful melody. But instead of just collapsing at the end of the tune we stuck around. However, despite what some might say we're not animals."

"Ye' we are!" The canine protests.

"Can animals speak? They cannot, not like humans can at least. In fact, a death fey like her cannot bring the dead back. Instead they infuse themselves into corpses. Animating them with parts of themselves."

"Yea', and that's why we' do not need to ask since we know what the princess desires, wizard." The bird remarks as it peeks its head into Jim's field of vision. This time it's clear that it's just mimicking Jaahlyn as he can tell the subtle differences after hearing it more than once.

The moose stares back at the bird. "Hmph, then answer this while you are using the princess voice. Why hasn't Jim here heard about 'Leer Eye' before? If the princess was as obsessed with vengeance as you are then surely she would have mentioned it at some point?"

The bird doesn't have an immediate answer so the moose continues.

"Since you like the rest of us are not expressed in her right now. The song of hers animated some of us, like that bird, with the emotions and desires she felt at that time. But others, like me, were animated by different songs which carried different desires and emotions. But just because you feel something don't mean you have to act upon it. So while the bird certainly is a part of the princess and something that she has felt strongly. It is not something she consider a core part of herself."

"That's because she hasn't been able to take vengeance until now." The bird counters, having returned to its old voice. "She rejected us and our memories because we're were too hard to carry. Too great a burden. So of course she doesn't feel it as strongly as us who remember it as if was yesterday." It turns to face Jim. "So please, wizard. If not for us then for ol' Leer Eyes future victims. Ye' could save a lot of people."

[Gullara]

[Skate Park]

"Yeah sure, it's been fun." Eliseo gives Atsede a genuine smile. "We'll be doing more skating, so maybe we can do that again. Or whatever." He shrugs. "See you around in any case."

[Shadowcaller]

[Into the Looking Glass - Meeting the Cast]

"You... didn't see me... but I saw you... and I want more. You want more, don't you? I saw it... I can feel it... we... we want the same thing."

"I know it will, but thanks anyway." Liemuria declares with a confident grin, seemingly having missed that Ana's attention has been completely diverted to the door until Siana is also staring at it.

"You guys okay?" She steps towards the door. "Should I investigate?"

White Pawn raises her hand at this point.

"No need, there's just one of your coworkers in there, miss Ashleaves. Best to not bother them right now. They're just preparing for their performance, as you should be doing."

"Oh yeah, they're all fucking weird." The elf turns to Siana and Ana again. "Probably a spooky ghost in there so don't let them get to you. They feed off that short of shit, y'know?"

[Arkhosia]

[Into the Looking Glass - Meeting the Cast]

► SHOW SPOILER

[Into the Looking Glass - Meeting the Cast]

"Right. Best of luck, Miss Ashleaves." Siana gives the entertainer a polite smile and a little curtsy, wanting to maintain her manners even if the subject turned a little weird there for a moment. She's not a bad person, just... discomforting.

As Siana turns to leave with White Pawn and Ana, she naturally notices when Ana freezes in her tracks, and stops to address her. "...Ana? Are you okay?" She asks. If she doesn't get an answer, she'll follow the foxgirl's gaze to the door and fix it with a glare of her own, as though attempting to stab it with her eyes. "...Ana. We should go." She'll say, a little more forcefully, continuing to shoot the offending ingress a stream of eye-daggers, and tugging at her sleeves just a bit for encouragement.

[Into the Looking Glass - Meeting the Cast]

"You... didn't see me... but I saw you... and I want more. You want more, don't you? I saw it... I can feel it... we... we want the same thing."

"I know it will, but thanks anyway." Liemuria declares with a confident grin, seemingly having missed that Ana's attention has been completely diverted to the door until Siana is also staring at it.

"You guys okay?" She steps towards the door. "Should I investigate?"

White Pawn raises her hand at this point.

"Oh yeah, they're all fucking weird." The elf turns to Siana and Ana again. "Probably a spooky ghost in there so don't let them get to you. They feed off that short of shit, y'know?"

Anastasia doesn't respond immediately here, lingering long enough that Siana has to tug her along - although the dress she's wearing doesn't actually have sleeves, so the strigoi's most likely grabbed her by the arm or a lace-gloved hand. It's only then that she moves to follow with a glance back at Siana and a shiver.

"I- s-sorry, um - I'm fine," Except Ana doesn't look fine, she looks like she's on the verge of panic. Her face is deathly pale, and the fur of her tail is bristled with fear. "P-please, let's - let's get out of this place." Was that - no. No, it couldn't be her. She said she "saw" her, not was her. Was- was it another asith? What was going on?

[Ironsmith]

[Into the Looking Glass]

Siana keeps her cane in her hand as she urges Ana away from the door, not taking her eyes off of it for a second. The toothipede in the other room might have given her a more personal reason to be uneasy, but she's already proven to herself that she can beat it back if needed (only too well). Ana doesn't have that guarantee; clearly, she's afraid of whatever is on the other side of that door.

So if it comes out, Siana is going to give her a good reason not to be. And give that monster a good reason to avoid Ana in the process.

Though if nothing happens, once they're out of the wardrobe, Siana's going to take a minute to give Ana a reassuring pat on the shoulder. They're a little safer out here.

...A little.

Siana also can't help but notice a pattern. The toothipede was something that was clearly meant to freak her out; it popped up when she left the group, and to her knowledge, nobody else here has a connection to thag yokai. Then there's the thing in the room right next to it that was leaving Ana so shaken. If they kept going down the doors, she's sure they'd find things that are out of the General's, Ilpholin's and the King in Rags's nightmares (though there are too many doors for that to be all that's back here). And if White Pawn's comment about them being entertainers meant what she thought it meant, at some point, they're all going to be in the same room.

So there's that to look forward to.

For now, though, the strigoi just helps Ana back up the stairs toward the main dining room, keeping up a series of gentle backpats and reassuring murmurings.

[Keeper]

A Casual Walk

"Don't you manipulate me with her voice." Jim growls. That seems to have really annoyed him.
"If you want me to put a stop to people being hurt that's one thing. But I'm no hitman. And I'm no patsy either." he says slowly.

[Murkus]

[The Toy Tinker]

"Well, it sounds like dreaming together might be best left to the two of you. Would you like to meet back here, perhaps, once you've tried to gather some of these dream gems? Say tomorrow, perhaps?"

[Ironsmith]

[Eew Showers]

"Sounds like an elemental to me." Or rather, a ghost of a young girl that's possessed garbage, but the implications of that is even more gross than the garbage itself. Though Leah still shudders at the roaches that scurry around Tahara's hand, what kind of sister would kill someone so young? Granted, Leah's understood the desire before with her own sisters but...

Also, Leah's just presuming this 'person's' age by the way she's been acting. It's impossible to know just by looking. The catgirl frowns and kneels down a bit so they're closer to level. "Yeah, I suppose. Still friends. How old are you anyways? If your birthday's coming up, I need to know." Friends get gifts for each other and throw parties.

[Eew Showers]

Her b-birthday?!

Leah's seriously planning for her birthday?!

Squealing isn't a sound normally associated with cockroaches, so Leah might be a little surprised to hear it coming from her trash can. The catgirl really is just too nice!

After the initial excitement wears off, Tahara slowly lifts her head out of the can and gives Leah an embarrassed smile. "Sorry. It's just... nobody's even asked in a long time." She explains, poking her fingers together. "...But, I, um... I don't actually remember. I used to know, but every time my birthday came around and nobody said anything, it just made me really sad, so I tried to forget. I guess I succeeded."

She taps her finger to her chin as she thinks about it, dislodging little droplets of goop that run down her arm. "I can tell you it always snowed on my birthday. Every time. Sometimes a little, sometimes a lot, but always some. I'd usually start seeing a lot of candy wrappers and sappy greeting cards a while later, if that helps. And one time, my sister got me a record that had a nice song on it, as a birthday present... it was kind of sad, and I was too little to really understand it, but I liked the music." She clears her throat (kinda) and hums a few bars; it sounds vaguely jazzy, going by the cadence and the notes she emphasizes, but there's only so much to be gleaned from one voice humming the half-remembered melody of a song from her childhood. "...That's about all I can recall. Even the roaches just say I've been around for as long as any of them can remember. Which, um... isn't very long, I don't know if you knew."

"...Relatedly, it really only seems fair that I ask about your birthday, too." She says, sitting up straight. "I mean... you want something nice done for yours, too, right?"

[Shadowcaller]

A Casual Walk

His growl causes the bird to spread its wings and fly off, landing in a tree nearby. "Craa!" It cries, actually sounding close to an actual bird for once. "We only did it to prove our point! We are a part of her!"

"If ye' truly wish to take on that beast then I will try aiding you in any way I can, mate. I don't think you should follow bird-brains plan though." The canine looks up at the bird. "Won't even tell ye' what this vial he mentioned is. Somethin' of the princess?"

The moose looks up to the bird as well. "Yes, the princess never left us a vial. So you must be talking about our essence, aren't you?"

"Fine, fine, we shall tell you then. Th' vial contain our will, the vengeance we've been brewing all this time. It will reshape 'is body an' cloud 'is mind for a short time. Make 'im appear... attractive to 'em. All we ask is to make 'im drink the vial and then walk away."

The moose tilts its head. "That's the vengeance you've been giggling about?" It's confusion is palpable.

"Nay', nay'... I see where's this be going." The canine remarks thoughtfully after a moment. "And it ain't somewhere pretty." It turns to Jim. "Maybe ye' should just break his leg. Simple 'n effective."

[The Toy Tinker]

Jaahlyn nods to Sticks. "Sounds like a plan to me. Shouldn't be too hard if we know where to look." She then turns to Jim with a wide grin. "So... we-" The satyr glances at Sticks. "-we should try to be close together tonight then." Not that they would need to for dreamwalking but Jaahlyn had suggested that being close could help somewhat. Though in this case she was clearly just looking for an excuse.

[Into the Looking Glass => Return to Wonderland]

White Pawn leads them back up the stairs.

"I'm sorry, miss Ana. Perhaps I could offer you some manna to cheer you up? It always helps against dread."

Now they get back to the dinner table where the rest of the guests are waiting for them.

Nye turns and smiles as the two are guided in. "Ah, there you are. Excellent. Then let the appetizers be served."

She claps her hands and all the pawns, both black and white, starts to carry in wooden trays of food and place them in front of each guest. Each contain something different. A small meal seemingly tailor made for guest it's being served to.
The exact meals are determined in discord.