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Martin is heading down a walkway by the sea. Looks like the white stone at Gwynn Gaer. "Yeah?" He answers the trump call warily at first, then smiles.
Martin stops on the walkway, he can be seen up there from the beach. He rests a hand on the railing for a moment peering into nothing, his expression only slightly confused. Fairly quickly he adjusts his brain pattern to fall in with a particular brand of crazy that he's gotten used to over the years. It helps to know how to react. "We can all spin a rhynme, but there's not much time. So what can I do? I can make time for you." He leans back against the wall, sea-breeze wafting through his naturally messy hair lightly.
Martin looks a trifle concerned for a moment, but he otherwise seems relieved to see that she doesn't look hurt at least. "A hair of fresh air, that's the ticket." He decides and extends his hand. "You know where I am and the drill." The Super-Not-So-Secret-military base of course, it's like the Rebman version of Area 51. Everyone kinda knows about it now but no one knows for sure where it is or what is there except the privileged few who've made the vow.
Yvonne shows up clinging to Martin her normal white billowy adventure dress has been shredded down to levels that leave it still Rebman modest, but not much more than a corset, rags, and boots. No longer white, the fabric is coated with dark sand and blood. Her skin is intact. She is mostly silent while getting used to the YadaYada!Vroom!Secret! "This is where all the glue goes." It slips out.
Martin says, "Something like that." He looks here and there and his eyes settle upon a nearby guard to which he orders. "Food, a bath, a nice fluffy robe and a physician to check out my cousin." The pair of them can be seen where they are as he supports Yvonne with one arm and shrugs out of his doublet and drapes it over her shoulders. "We'll get you sorted in no time. Glad you're in one piece." He kisses the top of her forehead gently. "Wave dancer is in port, not sure who's on boad but I'll send a runner to them." As he guides her back down the pathway he also requests a runner to go deliver the message to the wavedancer whereever they are. Perhaps some particularly good food might do the trick here.
Beyond the ships of the Rebma Navy that bob on the gentle swells of the rising tide, there is a disturbance on the glittering surface, a growing blot of shadow. It marks not a descent from above, of course, but an ascent from below, and in the next moment, *bloosh!* there is a monster-grade seahorse poking out of the lagoon. As the water sluices off the ridges and spines, it gleams metal-bronze and its bulging crystal eyeballs sparkle a look of perpetual surprise. Cruising gently across the deep waters, it swivels a bit from side to side, scanning the coastline and the boats flying their Rebman pennants.
When the swimmer reaches the Wave Dancer, she is welcomed aboard and word is sent to the Captain. Soon enough, Maggie's distinctive blend of aurubn and flame colored hair can be seen on the deck. Some sort of conversation follows and the swimmer is sent back with word for Martin. Then, Maggie's gaze turns to watch the Sub move through the other ships. She lifts a wave as it turns it's head her way. Then, she sends someone below to let Mr. Anderson know that she means to go ashore. She also sends word to Shao-san.
Oblivious to what could happen on the other side of the Wave Dancer, or above the waves, or behind him, Shao keeps working on the Wave Dancer's belly, prying off barnacles in his one piece black swimsuit. He works upside down, hanging of a rope he's stopped between his knees and feet. He is also underwater, or else there would not have been a challenge worth his time. He feels a tug at the rope and for the xieth time he does a situp to come for air. This time though, it is Mr. Anderson calling to him, something about Martin? Shao grabs the rope and begin climbing back up. "Let the Captain know I am on my way!" he shouts.
Yvonne is led away giggling and looking back over her shoulder, she knows there is nothing wrong with her food, soap, water, and a lot more food won't cure, but she seems to enjoy the attention. "Will they even dye my eyes to match my gown?" Okay, a lot more food. She needs to pull her head out of her ass, that might be a legit question at the Majestic Palace but super secret oath requiring naval bases aren't big on the eye dying.
Martin takes it in stride, "Not likely." He is used to her of course. With that he bundles her off down the walkway to the keep to eventually find one of the living levels. Naturally the great maproom hasn't got space for a bath but the common room has been cleared out. "Here we are." He tells his dishevelled cousin. "Something will come along shortly for you to get cleaned up on." Martin is sure that the usual uspects will show up sometime soon. "Sit, have a drink." He tells her as he pours her something. "Bath and food will be here shortly."
The seahorse acknowledges the wave with a ponderous nod. Then another, and another. With a strange audible thump that emanates from the waffle-patterned throat of the beast, it unleashes a brief snippet of amplified fanfare into the cove. Brassy, it sounds like the start of a big band number rather than anything stately, just one *Bah-buh bah-buhbah!* and then the head stops wagging and sags sheepishly low. Coming to a full stop off to the sidelines, the vessel's deck rises to sea level and sheds more water from the obsidian glass deck. A minute later, the hatch seal beyond the prow lets go with a pneumatic hiss, and swings open. Merrisol climbs up and out, shouldering a sporty carryall. He looks towards the Wave Dancer to check on the activity there, and hopefully catches a lift via shoreboat to the beach. Then it's off to the fort to hunt down everyone's favourite regent.
Once Shao has climbed to the deck, Maggie orders that self-same shoreboat. She and Shao row on over to the sheepish sub where the boat cozies up to the sub's side while Merrisol and his carryall are squirreled within for the short trip to shore. Once they disembark, Maggie stakes the shorboat to the shore so it won't wander off in search of others of its kind or head back to get better acquainted with the sub. Silly boat. Turning to head up toward the fort after the others, she tucks her hands into her pockets. Thoughts turn toward other vistas and potentials that might include the sort of Jolly Old Town Yvonne's Majestic Palace might occupy. Or, maybe her thoughts are centered on her companions, for she does flicker a fond look first to Merrisol, then to Shao.
Shao follows Maggie in silence, greeting Merrisol with a deep headbow. The seahorse bronze thingboat attracts his gaze relentlessly, without mercy. It is shiny, gaudy, mysterious and weird. Shao keeps the vessel in his sight as long as he can, walking backward or breaking his neck if he has too.
Yvonne drinks up the wine that Martin offers her before her 'bath' on turtle feet arrives. Not overly worried about modesty, Yvonne's ready to strip down and climb inside the magical, sweet soapy-smelling, intricate inverse turtle shell. Perhaps the doctors think they can get a better view of her possible broken bits tucked away behind a modesty screen, so she's forced to wait (noooo...some assembly required). She's only broken on the outside! As if to say, hey-lo...look at me-I-feel-great, even back behind this silly modesty screen...stupid Half-Rebmans! QuarterRebmans, noRebmansatall! She bursts out in her happy adventuring tune soaping and scrubbing (and glurbing once between a verse as water is poured over her head by a helpful aid): "We got married in a fever, hotter than a pepper sprout! We've been talkin' 'bout Rebma, ever since the fire went out. I'm goin' to Rebma, I'm gonna mess around! I'm going to Rebma! Look out Rebma town!"
Martin rubs his forehead. They can easily be directed towards where Martin and Yvonne are. He eyes the 'screen'. "Keep some water in the tub, yeah?" He laughs in spite of it all. "You're going to have to save enough breath to let me know just what the heck you were up to that put you in this state." He hasn't degenerated into the song swap scenario yet and doesn't look like he's about to. Responsibility has been hard on him! Luckily there is a lot of alcohol in the room and food coming soon.
Merrisol isn't mean enough walk out of a thingboat and then leave Shao to wonder. He's just.. distracted.. yeah. He smiles at his boat companions while thoughts gather and rise in anticipation behind green eyes, but they are not to be given voice yet. Instead, he presently notes Shao's rubbernecking from the shore as they head for the forest and that sneaky hairpin turn that accesses the keep. "OH - that's right. Forgive me, Shao-san.. you left on your.." Thingy! "..shortly before it was found," he duhs, with chagrin, and lamely concludes, "We found it, last summer. In Minos, on the seabed, under a ton of bones. The Solar Flare." Where's a good Bah-buh bahbuh-bah! when you need it? "I'll, uh, give you the tour later this evening if you like."
Once they've asked the guards where Martin at, and ascended or descended to the common level, Merrisol, quiet and somber again, pauses at the bathtime splashy sing-song. "That's..." he trails off, and listens again, hearing Martin's remarks. "Go on ahead, I'll catch up," he suggests to the others, so he can dawdle out in the hall until people stop splashing and start toweling and dressing.
Following Merrisol and Shao, Maggie glances back at the Begman Wonder floating out in the bay. She pauses as Merrisol starts to update Shao, then slips around the two to step into the main room. The privacy screen is notes as is the voice coming from behind it, "Yvonne! Hello!" Stepping over a spreading puddle, she moves over to give Martin a hug, then sidles back to the bar. Eyeballing the drinks available, she pours a measure or two of rum into a glass. Taking a sip, she smiles a bit and turns to face the room again, "So. What's up, Martin?" A nod toward the door and she adds, "Kerf and Shao-san are out there too."
Shao nods to Merrisol. "I..." he says, and Maggie goes past them, so he has to be terse about it, "...later." He removes his shoes before entering. Once inside, he bows deep for Martin and once more for Yvonne. "Martin-sama, Yvonne-san. I am happy to meet with you again." And he is: he smiles.
"Oh, my dear, dear friend. I've been doing 'Redheaded' things!" Yvonne calls back. She's standing a short time later. There is a heavy note of lyrical doom and weight imposed on the single word: 'redheaded'. "I was studying at the Library in Pathi. It wasn't where I was, but indirectly why I was was where I was. Sometimes you have to fall up to go down. With no accounting for Dirk. Good morning, Captain Flame! Shao-san, why won't Mr. Merri come inside?" She dances around the puddle and the screan wearing the fluffy robe (a new improved fluffy robe?). Her rapier is looped through the belt and a rubber duckie is in the left hip pocket of the robe. Her hair is wet. Her feet are bare her toe-nails are the same shade of pink as her fingernails. The head physician bringing a report of ~Exceedingly Excellent Health~ to Martin! She's back to the singing and dancing about the base. Responsibility! Just drop the R'..and with any other letter it's not the same!
Then comes all the lyrical exposition he should need: "And if you go chasing rabbits and you know you're going to fall! Tell 'em a hookah smoking caterpillar has given you the call to call Brand... " one.. two..skip a few for dance interlude. "And when the men on the chessboard get up and tell you where to go, and you've just had some kind of MUSHROOM and your mind is moving slow..."
Martin looks ... relieved ...? when Maggie enters with Shao and returns the hug. Merrisol somewhere nearby, yay! He listens to the words that his other cousin speaks as though they make absolute perfect sense and nods. "That explains it." He knocks back some wine. "Too many things, it seems. Yvonne's just back from Pathi... or something....and since she was with people of your side of the family... it'll be a while before we won't have to interpret." He smiles at Shao, "Hello there, good to see you again." He gestures to the bar, "help yourself. Too many things are up. We've got something coming to Rebma I need to make you all aware of."
Maggie listens to Yvonne's song and winks at Martin before she starts a soft-shoe accompaniment to the near song. "Doing Redheaded things is the bomb, Yvonne." Turning around, hands extended to one side at about waist-level, she sidesteps the puddle and ends up placing one hand in Yvonne's to round out a chorus of, "Accounting for Dirk can throw off the whole, or round it to a harmonious union, depending. He is a cuddle monkey in search of a security blanket. Unless he has found one in Sullivan. Much like dad, I guess." The fluffy robe sets off the green and brow of Maggie's pseudo-ensemble. Offering to lead Yvonne to the bar, Maggie adds, "Kerf will be in shortly, I am sure." Martin is given a lifted brow as she passes on the way to get Yvonne an imbibable. "Something? That is ominous, Martin. What sort of something? Is it a good thing that I've recharged the canon? Or is this another under the sea adventure?"
All the way to 'mushroom' Shao has been looking between Martin and Yvonne, trying to figure out her state of mind. His mouth froms a silent 'o' then and he nods, understanding. He gives the entrance a glance. "Merrisol-san is sorry and will join us as soon he can," he offers, covering for his brother in arms. Something? Martin gets more inquisitive staring as Shao goes for the bar. He gets a bottle, uncorks it, smells, picks another and so on.
"Wot?" Yvonne blinks a few times and then settles into a seat in her fluffy robe. Now that's she's cleaned up she looks a bit more gaunt than normal, she sets about to filling up a tray of food as quickly as she can. "Ah, yes, he Dirk was waiting to be made into a kitten again and is a steady nibble for Sullivan, the Icubus that isn't, more of a VAMPIRE!..." yes she pauses to throw up one hand and make the fang gestures. "But the man on man action wasn't bad. I think Kincaid might have taken issue, but then again, Mr. Frowny Knight apologized about the Desmond thing...I hope he makes up with Desmond soon!" Because Desmond being gone for months at a time is the norm with redheads. "Of course he will, Shao-san. We have all the rum. It's a pleasure to see you again, I never did learn Origami, I got caught up with a half of dozen other seemingly important random projects. Martin, you needn't translate. It's out of my system...for now."
Martin smiles indulgently. "That's good to know, Yvonne. Last Week Lord Shayl of House Dilwen came to me with a concern. He told me that every fifty years or so a travelling ... well, circus for lack of better term, shows up in Rebma. The circus is small and travels under the sea, making rounds to who knows where going as far as the sea will take them. They call themselves The Deep Menagerie. " He eyes Yvonne. "Don't get any ideas, you're not running off and joining the circus." He settles down in a chair and thoughtfully looks between the lot of them. "According to House Dilwen and various records and tales, they capture and showcase...oddities of the sea and host various games of skill and luck and whatnot with prizes." He shakes his head. "I don't know much about them. I don't know if Moire allowed me to attend the last time they set up. In any case, the last time they were here, Lord Shayl's daughter vanished. I looked into it and apparently a couple of other teenagers went missing too, they weren't nobles so no one did anything. There was a hunt for Lady Fioled but she was never found."
Merrisol is in the doorway, listening quietly, with his rucksack hitched over his shoulder like he's just some drifter who moseyed in for a spell and will be on his way after nicking the biscuits and silverware. "I take it the carnival moved on before anyone noticed people were missing."
As she is not taken up on more soft shoeing by Yvonne, Maggie breaks off and finds a place to sit. Rather than claiming a chair, she settles into a comfortable cross-legged seat on the floor. Looking up at Yvonne, Maggie lifts a brow, "Sullivan? He's my brother." As though that answers the man's nature utterly. She might have gone on but Martin starts his explaination of what is heading toward Rebma. The other brow joins the first and she lifts her rum to claim a longish swallow. "I wonder if that is the same bunch that wanders through Minos." Looking up at Merrisol, she lifts a hand toward him, her expression concerned, "I am glad that the kids are at Liya's." By the pricking of my thumbs...
Shao listens, watching Maggie's reaction to Yvonne's recount of her brother. Seeing not harm done asking for repair, he continues his exploration of the bar's exotic essences. He stops his nose on a clear bottle half-filled with ink black juice. He pours himself a tumbler and wets his lips at it. He nods. He half fills another tumbler, this one he brings to Merrisol. "Is there evidence of foul play, Martin-Sama?" he asks.
"All eyes on me in the center of the ring just like a circus," Yvonne sing-songs quickly dancing with her chair once she loses her chance of partner in Maggie--she does dance close enough to be distracting--the fluffy robe stays pretty firmly in place, probably because she was still damp when she climbed into it. She makes a sweeping motion with her plate of food, an expansive gesture that seems like a wave for Mr. Merrisol until she slams it to the table to make a loud sounds. No..shhhs...that's not glass! It's a shell plate, it just kersncthptps. "When I crack that whip, everybody gon' trip just like a circus.." but the reality of Martin's words hits making her settle down and look at her plate for sustenance instead of pure entertainment value. "We might be able to find out more about the missing kids if -someone--...you know, just someone, joined the circus. I guess, not me. Maggie, I bet your brother could do it, he's got odd looks but fetching boy-toy looks. Oh?! Don't forget tea with Mae, we can keep them away from the creepy circus if you like. I told her about Mina, Patrick, Jau Yee, Chester, Sela, Sofi and Gabe."
Martin nods at Merrisol, "That is correct, although we did send scouts to raid them we could not find anything amiss ... and they went on their way." He looks over to Maggie, "I don't know anything about Minos so I couldn't tell you. I know that they only do their thing underwater and they go to the various underwater cities which still exist, collecting, performing or whatever it is they do to get their displays. The sea you know... is vast, easy to hide in." Shao's words draw his attention and he considers the man, "We have no evidence but the coincidence is too much. I've sent a note to Ryika to see if she can't coordinate with you all and whoever else who gets involved." He glances at Yvonne. "I don't know what you'll find... but there are rumors they have truly unique specimens this year. Infiltration is a good idea, though." He sighs, not looking like he likes the idea of what they do. "I'd like to just outlaw what they do and forbid them to come here, but I want to find out what happened to those missing teens. And Merrisol..." He turns to his friend. "One of the specimens is rumored to be a Kelpi. The ringmaster's name is Tallymander One-Eye. He was born with only one eye... so the stories go. House Dilwen has more information as they did the most research and are most willing to lend resources to any efforts."
Merrisol looks at Shao's offering and takes it with his free-er hand. "Thanks, Shao-san." He drifters his gaze around to the rest, and lifts the glass to toast Yvonne and Maggie. "The kids haven't been to Rebma yet," he says simply, "And now would not be the time to start." His regard settles back on Martin and stays there, partly because he is still laying out the details, but mostly in that steady, super serious, We-Must-Talk kind of way that won't be put aside by... "..A Kelpie?" Merri's brow tilts dubiously. "Interesting.. I've come across that name while researching sea horses. It's also called a water horse.. but unlike the former, it is not a fish." He lifts and drops his shoulders as he frowns into his tumbler, as though that's about where he stopped reading. Not a fish? Not interested! Swallowing, he studies Martin again. Damn it, he *is* interested! "Morfilod stages Rodeos, which does involve a number of weeks training and living in pens.. but afterwards the animals are free to return to their pods. Menageries are..." His statement trails off into a murmur, and he subsides into private thought.
Maggie listens to Martin and Yvonne, then Merrisol. Her hand drifts back down to settle in her lap as her eyes lower, "No, now would not be a good time to take the kids to Rebma." Drawing in a breath, she refocuses on the details, "Well. They might not be the same then. The troupe that meanders through Minos certainly perform on land." Lifting her glass, she tosses back the contents entirely and sets the glass on the floor beside her, the clink of its coming into contact with the floor sounding with a faint hint of finality. Concern flares behind her eyes as she looks up once more to focus on Yvonne, "It would be dangerous for a non-Rebman to infultrate the circus. Even a Selkie's kiss has a limited duration and drowing would be a problem." Letting her gaze lift past them to Merrisol, she nods in agreement with her interpretation of his unspoken thought.
Shao is forced to agree with Maggie, even though Merrisol's description of but one of them fantastic marine beasts has aroused his natural curiosity just before. "I fear my talents may be of little help if I am put in direct contact with... " water? "...the cultural differences. I will assist as best as I can, lending my eye and my hands where they can matter." He empties his glass and looks for his pipe. Alas, he has left it with his regular clothes, along with all the things he likes to carry, so after a few pats along his swimsuit, he looks at his hand like the traitor it is.
"It's true that non-Rebman have their limitations," Yvonne frowns. "But Sullivan said that he was dead matter brought back to life, does he need air now? VAMPIRE!" She makes the curlies with her fingers. "Then too, I think I could do more with air arcanis but there might come a problem somewhere along the line when I need to sleep. I should keep studying, but honestly," she lowers her hands and pauses for a time to eat. She swallows the food barely chewing it as if she might have missed a meal or done some healing without eating. "You're right, it would be more suspicious if a non-rebman joined....that is, studying makes my head hurt! I haven't had time for a proper tea with dolls and Mae, Nick..and the my other top advisors. I wouldn't feel comfortable bringing Mae to Rebma even without the creepy circus, I think she's overly attached to Urdail and maybe she's not even real, but what difference does that make? She's real enough for me to love. I was supposed to be getting Lord Vosah to help me but I haven't even talked to him for the past week. Pathi is hard. Who knows what malice the witches have had time to cause in my absense? I hope I don't get back to a big smoking 'vacancy' sign over my Palace."
Concern shows on Shao's brow as he lets Yvonne's word fill all his attention. He refills his glass and sides with her, so the others may continue with their plans without interference. "Lady Yvonne, I came in a hurry and left my tea gear home, my apologies. Did I hear you speak of Pathi? I would like to know if you came across Liyandra and if so, how is she doing? And what of Quinlan? I know they both have history with Pathi..." He glances to assess Yvonne's gaze, to see where her focus is perched on, if any.
Maggie frowns into her lap, then looks up at Yvonne, "I will ask Sullivan for his assistance and verify that he does not need to breath. But, please. He is not actually a vampire. So stop that." She remains focused on Yvonne for a short while, then looks down again. Leaning back, she rests one hand behind her to support her weight on the ground, but does not lift her gaze to the others, letting the conversation flow about her for the time being.
"The top priority here is to ensure that no other teenagers go missing and to find out if the ones who did go missing are still alive and if the Menagerie had anything to do with it." Martin nods. He catches the look from Merrisol and nods to him. "Morfilod's rodeos are vastly different. The Carnival sets up on the outskirts of the city. They don't mingle with the crowd as none of them are Rebman per se. They are peoples of the sea but not from our city." The sea is vast and touches many shadows. "The One-Eye is, however. A commoner I believe orphaned after the kite war, I believe. This is the kind of thing, I think, Shao where all eyes and ears can be used." He looks towards Maggie, "Kids." He nods. "The kids should be alright in Rebma as long as they have sufficient supervision." He seems to recognize the name Sullivan. "I'm supposed to talk with that guy at some point. Sullivan. Kelpies haven't been seen in some time, Merrisol. Actual Kelpies or demon water horses as they are called, if I remember my history lessons right there was a city..." He grumbles "Sorry the actual details escape me. We need to do some research on this, talk to House Dilwen. Sea Horses are different. They haven't been seen in so long that I think we all thought they had died out. So I'm taking this with a grain of salt. If they actually have a Kelpie, it may indeed be the last one."
If Maggie has a score to settle with Yvonne, Shao knows better than to stay inbetween; he sidesteps and places his gaze down, in his glass. The mention of his name by Martin gets his attention. He nods. "I should try my best," he says. At the revelation that keplies are a dying race, Shao's eyebrows arches and he gives Maggie a look. "Everyone has a price, isn't it, Captain."
Maggie glances up as Shao sidesteps and lowers his gaze. She remembers those signs and a sigh escapes. Rather than address the issue, she tilts her head to him, eyebrows arched, "Everyone has a price. That is the saying, yes. But... Martin's right. We need to see if the teenagers are okay and free them. Then... I am sorry... I know that I should not feel like ending someone else's livelyhood, but if they are kidnapping children and mistreating animals? They can find something else to do. We should free the Kelpie." Clearing her throat, she softens her tone a bit, "Martin? I'd rather bring the kids to meet you sometime when a horribly interesting and potentially dangerous circus was not inbound. Gabe and Sofi are both highly curious, intelligent teenagers. Let's keep them out of this for now, okay?" As she speaks, she turns to look up at Merrisol to see if he agrees with that decision.
"As you wish." Martin nods softly. He has another drink and regards them all. "I realize there are other things afoot but I want to be sure that we also keep Rebman priorities in order. We cannot ignore what is happening in Rebma even though there's a general universe crisis happening. The Deep Menagerie will set up in their usual location and we will investigate as we can. I am concerned that if we tell children that they can't go, they will go anyway without supervision. You know how kids can be." He does not look like he's going to argue the point however, "It's really up to you two. As far as the Kelpie goes, I was wondering if we could get some help from Lyandra."
Maggie nods slowly, though her gaze slips again to Merrisol then back again, "Liyandra is a great choice to help with the kelpie and any other animals they may have in captivity." She glances down to her glass, then back up to Martin, "Would you like me to head back to Amber to pick her up? Though... I might have her trump, come to think of it." She lifts her hand to draw her deck from her vest's inner pocket. Flipping through the cards, she pauses on one and nods, "Right. I do."
Merrisol doesn't have more to say on the subject of the kids, so he merely nods when Maggie looks at him. "Liyandra is.. or was.. Benedict's stablemaster," he says thoughtfully. "That would be greatly helpful, alongside her emotional affinity with critters. You or I should accompany her if the menagerie is on the outskirts, Martin. She doesn't have Salin to confer the Sea's blessing anymore." He leaves the doorway finally and enters to get a drink refill at the bar.
Martin nods. "If she wishes to be involved, yes, please speak with her and have her come down." He frowns slightly at the mention of Benedict but does not elaborate. "I sent a note to Ryika, Merrisol, perhaps you can fill her in with the details and we can develop a plan of action. We've got a few days before they get here to make arrangements." He seems to be doing alright, his modd is normal if not quite is jovial self yet. "I'd like for us to be prepared for them as much as possible. I wish Dilwen had come to me with this sooner."
Maggie nods to Merrisol, then turns to Martin, "Okay. I'll see what she has to say." Rising, she starts toward the hall, "Excuse me a sec." Holding the card, she tucks the rest back into their pocket as she glides out the door to try and raise Liyandra. Once outside, she leans against a wall, the card held up so that she can concentrate on it.
Merrisol doesn't catch the frown, re: Benedict, his gaze lowered while he measures out some liquors into a new glass then tosses in a lime wedge. He tips the glass side the side, then lets it sit while he looks up to nod acknowledgement about Ryika. His gaze follows Maggie briefly as she leaves to trump, then zings back to Martin. "I'll find out what else they know," he says of Dilwen simply, then pauses to lift his drink and move away from the bar. "Martin. Would you be able to give me the pass or fail on the list of names I have gathered?" he asks, approaching.
Yvonne has been quiet for an unusually long time. A very, very long time. Maybe like other redheads she's practicing the art of taking a cat nap when and where she can...or maybe she's unusually reserved after the 'vampire' comment with punctionation. Food and drink does seem to go away when it comes into contact with her, but it could be osmosis. "I'll be more sensitive. I mean, I go making up new vegetables if I want too. Essense of Dirk squash. Flower Bacon." She frowns and ducks her head. "Sorry, grave situations. He is nice and he has useful abilities."
Martin nods, "Of course." To Merrisol. He tries not to eyeroll when Dirk's name is mentioned, he's being good. "Go ahead and yes. Thank you Maggie. We'll try again later." He looks between the three of them. "Question away...' he pours himself another drink.
After trying Liya for a good long while, Maggie pushes from the wall outside the room and slips back in. The card is freturned to her pocket and she folds her arms in front of her after it is stowed. A nod to Yvonne sends ripples through her hair and she offers a faint smile, "Thanks." Then she refocuses on Martin and Merrisol, "Shall I head back to Amber to get her? I don't think she's oathed and so it might not be wise to bring her here anyway. I can check on the kids and send her through to one of you once you are not here, if need be." Her tone is fairly neutral. "Though if you know where the menagerie set up, then I suggest doing a thorough examination of the area and see if there is any advantage to be had by the look. Or, pick the place where you will allow them to set up and be sure that they do so there."
"What if they are good circus people and like most of that name, accident, coincidences and tragedy keeps dogging them when they're on tour?" Leave it to Yvonne to look for an optimistic out for the creepy circus. "Martin you know that it's not unusual for performers to be dogged and hounded. A single bad man can hide in the crowd as easily as a whole troop and might use the circus to cover up a crime."
Merrisol paces up close enough to Martin to pass him a folded paper produced from inside his jacket. Discretion is job one, after all. He pivots a bit to face the rest of the room, at Martin's side, with his focus falling on Maggie for a few moments when she reenters. "Apparently there are a few days yet before they reach Rebma," he points out. "Liya won't have to hurry over. If the contact from House Dilwen has a record of the creatures in the menagerie, she may need the time to do some research on their behavior." He quiets to sip from his new drink, though he stops to listen to Yvonne with a curiously tilted frown.
Martin nods to Yvonne, then Maggie, then Merrisol. "That is true. Yes please, Maggie. And yes we know where they are going to set up and can pre-examine it." He takes something from Merrisol and looks at it, then slides it away and nods to him. "All can be trusted not to cause a panic. That is what we are most concerned about. What we can do now is get the information from House Dilwen and survey the area. We have a little time. 3 days.
Maggie catches Merrisol's gaze as he looks her way. Her own softens a bit and she offers him a faint smile before she slips her gaze to Martin and that folded bit of paper. Just as she looks back up to Martin to nod, Yvonne speaks. She flickers a glance to the other woman and nods, "You have a valid point. It would be a good idea to see if there are other reports of missing teens along their route. But, even if there are, it could be one person rather than the entire group." Yvonne is also given a quick smile before she looks back at Martin, "Tell you what... I'll send Liya a bird to give her a heads up. That way she can start learning about the kelpie anyway. If your Dilwen contact has more information, great. If not, time won't be wasted anyway. Yes?"
Yvonne beams, nothing much keeps her spirits down for long. "Well, the flying monkey's aren't bad by nature it's the golden cap and the Wicked Witch has it." But she's never far from the crazy talk. "It doesn't hurt if you can find someone else to take the fall for your mischief--and, well, hope for the best but if it is a whole circus of miscreants and misbehavers, someone should sort it out."
Merrisol inclines his head wordlessly to acknowledge receipt of Martin's statements. He leans into motion and walks away back to the bar, downing the rest of his drink in order to discard the glass. "I'll be on the SF if anyone wants me," he says then, going for the door. Seems he got what he came for, and it's time to go do stuff with it. Although if Shao wants that tour, he can toddle along with.
** A Day or So Later **
Maggie is sitting on a deck chair under a beach-style umbrella. She has shed her terry cloth beach jacket in favor of just a one piece swim suit. There is the scent of coconut sunscreen in the air and the two women have glasses of a fruity-sweet wine in their hands. Maggie looks serious for a time, her gaze centered on Ryika. Hints of laughter begin, "Well... Bring some back to share!" The laughter fades again and she looks down, then up again, "Oh, well. Yeah, I know. But, whether you and he see others in addition if up to the two of you, right?" The rest? She leans back slightly and taps her wine glass with a fingertip, "Kerf?... Has a duty to Martin and Rebma. Corwin? Threatened war with Rebma. The political ramifications of the Acting Ambassador sleeping with the aggressor? Oh, man. But, he likes you. You've been a good friend. He does not want to hurt you, but won't betray Remba. Won't betray Martin. Nor is he likely to condone that in others. So, it is very much that he does not know what to think. You have to admit that it's really convoluted."
Notified in a roundabout manner by the watchtower sentries that the Wave Dancer has returned to the sheltered cove, Merrisol presently makes it aboard with a light carryall slung over one shoulder. He didn't have to get wet to do it, thanks to assistance from the rowboat of the other tallship currently at anchor in the peaceful waters of the lagoon. On his heels trails a tan fellow in snappy but indifferently tailored grey and silver jacket and pants. His jaunty cropped hair is brown, and his eyes are a tad large and ever so gooey, like big pools of chocolate fondue. They both settle on deck just beyond the ramp to conclude quiet discussion, while one of the crew hustles over to notify Maggie that Captain Merrisol and Lieutenant Nalwin have come aboard. Looks like Mr. Fiver hasn't gotten that memo out that their former first officer shall be known in perpetuity as Our Mister Merrisol.
"It is obnoxiously convoluted, and I can't argue there even a little. I actually half expected to be fired pretty much as soon as it came out we were a couple, exactly /for/ that reason." Ryika wrinkles up her nose a little. "Then again, no one hears the dinner time conversations that include the 'how was your day? It was fine, but the details of it are redacted for security reasons, my dear.'" Ryika twists a half smile. "Which happens on both sides. The joys of /both/ of us having political jobs.. well his is less job and more lifestyle, I suppose. I do totally get it. I dont know what to do about it, save not screw over my home, but I get it." She looks up as a crew member hurries over to notify of fresh arrivals and then glances around to note the change in scenery.
Maggie nods, "Yeah, I am a little surprised that you still have that job. But, I think that in his heart, Martin trusts you." She pauses to glance up at the sailor with the message, then over to Merrisol and Nalwin. Lifting a wave, she nods to the sailor, "Thanks, Kurt." Turning back to Ryika, she nibbles her lower lip, "Well. If it gets to be too hard to function, or you think you might be compromised, you can resign. Don't think that I want you to, but it is an option. Since the other choice would be to leave Corwin and it sounds like you are happy. There is a lot to be said for happy." She does not move to rise immediately, waiting to give Ryika a chance to reply.
Merrisol inclines his head in response as he notices Maggie's wave and Ryika's... well - her hair, at least. He starts over to the sunbathing set-up with Nalwin, and the latter's bold laugh signifies the end of military foo. On to social banter, the juciy gossip, and ze sexy chitchat, yesno? Merri passes his companion a mildly chiding look, because he is serious and boring that way. Nalwin is amused by said look but says no more until they reach the deck chairs.. wherever they be.
Deck chairs are conveniently on deck, in the sunshine, letting both Maggie and Ryika bask in said sunshine, sipping wine and chatting. Light topics, not so light topics, both seem to be on the table and Ryika gestures with her wineglass. "I really am trying not to break that trust, no matter how disconcertingly fond I might be of Corwin. Which is, as best I can tell, about all I can do, all in all. I expect to end up fired before I resign, but that's the paranoia creeping in, as usual."
"Captain Flame, you remember the Lieutenant, I expect. From Recon.."
"Also that delightful party in the Palace courtyard," adds Nalwin animatedly. "I shied poor Merrisol at the wrong Lady, at first. My intel was shaky, I'll admit. But I have since been set right, Captain Flame," he assures Maggie, smiling benignly and bending at the waist to her, hands clasped behind him. He beams, "And I hope we can henceforth put that awkwardness behind us."
Merrisol resumes without skipping a beat, "Ryika, allow me to introduce Nalwin of the Selkies, and a scout in the Special Forces 'Medusae' Unit."
"Dame Ryika ap Ygrayne.. lovely Lady Ambassador, your fame precedes you." Nalwin bows low to the petite woman, raising his shiny peepers at her as he straightens. Then he asides too loudly up to Merrisol, "I just love visiting this ship.. always so many pretties!"
Merri smiles back, tolerantly lifting his brows. "It's purely coincidental, as the Wave Dancer is actually in the business of collecting head trauma cases."
"It's a pleasure, Lieutenant." Ryika smiles warmly, sitting up in her deck chair to better greet Nalwin. "It's true. I am better known for head trauma around here than my purely decorative skills. I have, however, been putting more effort into the decorative thing than further head trauma. Its been /months/ since my last one, I'm utterly overdue for a good head wound at this point. Perhaps a nice poisoning, I haven't had one of those in a while."
Nalwin blinkblinks somehow without splashing anyone with his abundant Natural Tears(tm). He swivels his head to look from Ryika to Merrisol then back again. "That's a difficult decision, Your Ladyship. But if you want to leave a good-looking corpse, avoid the blowfish and ringed octopi. So are you saying there's a direct association between knocks to the melon and beauteous features?" demands he to Merrisol.
Merri headtilts. "Uh. What, like attractive people's heads possess literally magnetic properties? No." Ridiculous... and yet...
Nalwin leans sideways into Merrisol's personal space before he can consider it further. "Anyway, O Captain My Captain, you were about to let on about the heroic service I shall be providing?"
"Right.. yes. The LT has agreed to do some advance scouting, and locate the current whereabouts of the Deep Menagerie. He'll watch their activities, which may very well be different from the public face they would adopt upon arrival for the general populace."
"I will keep that in mind should I have the luxury of choosing how I get poisoned." Ryika notes with a quirk of a smile and then lets the pair of them debate and discuss as she sips from her wine. She ahs softly and nods. "That would be most helpful, certainly. I don't know what the missing woman from Dilwen looks like, but it would be interesting if we had a means of noting if she was part of their numbers these days. Perhaps a little too obvious, but worth considering."
Little has changed while Maggie has been quietly distracted with somethingorother. Merri and the Lt have joined the conversational circle of the deck chairs. Ryika is still mostly lounging and drinking wine, listening as conversation shifts from beaus and cookies on to scouting and carnivals.
Maggie's distraction comes to an end and she blinks a couple of times to bring her awareness back to the here and now. Lowering her glass to her thigh, she smiles a rather sheepishly belated welcome to Merrisol and the Lieutenant. Nodding to the bottle, she silently offers each a glass or a refill. Scouting and carnivals wins a slight frown, though it does not last beyond that fleeting pucker between her brows.
Merrisol nods thoughtfully. "There may be some artistic rendition at the Dilwen estate. Or.. maybe a kind of mirror magic spell could call up a past reflection?" he wonders to Ryika.
"It's possible in mirror magic, yes, although its not something I can do, nor is it something I know anyone who currently /does/ it. I could ask.. my.. aunt.. if there's no artistic rendition." Ryika sounds about as delighted about the prospect of asking her aunt for a favour as most people reserve for colonoscopies and root canals. "Ahh, thanks Maggie." She offers her glass over for a refill at the offer.
Maggie offers a smile to Nalwin to show that his mistaken aim of earlier is forgiven and blush that touches her cheeks is surely from the sun rather than embarassment, right? Right. Looking from Ryika to Merrisol, she tilts her head slightly, curling her legs onto the lower end of the deck chair, "Can you do that with mirrors, Ryika?" Curiosity flashes in her gaze and a smile begins as she hushes to listen. "What about the other missing kids?" Lraning over she refills Ryika's glass, "Welcome." Filling her own, she angles it toward the men, "Be careful, Nalwin, please. I'm sure that you are clever and brave, but they are an unknown quantity and we don't want you to come to harm."
Nalwin looks knowingly delighted by Maggie's caring words on his behalf. He drops his chin to his collar and places a hand over his heart. "I swear I will be clever, brave, and also careful, My Lady Captain of Flames. Farewell for now. Farewell, Dame Enchantress," he adds to Ryika with a genial wink. Then... he's off with a strut to his step! Merrisol goes with him to impart some addendum instructions, and a bonus reminder that he's seen Nalwin sunning his blubber on a rock and scarfing fishheads.
"No.. I've heard of it, but it's not something I can do myself." Ryika shakes her head to Maggie's question and flickers a smile. "Above /my/ pay grade. It might equally be as much myth as reality, I've never actually seen it done, that I remember." She mmms softly. "I know there are others, but I haven't found out who, exactly. Did you get a list, Maggie?"
Maggie nods slowly, "Well. I don't know one way or the other. I don't think I've ever seen mirror magic done at all." Pursing her lips a little, she shakes her head, "No, sadly. I can call Martin on the trump to ask about the kids. Unless you have one, Ryika?" Setting her glass down, she reaches for her beach jacket. Spreading it out, she finds a pocket and dips her fingers in to pull out a slim deck of cards.
"I did some asking around my own House, I can call them and see if they've found anything if you want." Ryika offers with a gesture of her glass. "Not trump, I still have never really gotten past my aversion to trump.. a detail that amuses Corwin to no end."
Maggie nods, "Might as well, Ryika. Thank you." She looks up at the other woman and laughter sparkles unacknowledged in her gaze. It is not a mocking laughter, but a gentle sort used to mark discoveries, "Oh? Really? So, would it bother you if I had a card of you? I won't ask if you would prefer not to have one made of you." Sorting through the cards, she finds Martin's and holds it in one hand, "Do you need privacy? I can take this downstairs to call him if you would rather."
"If you manage to have a card of me, I'd be most impressed, and rather surprised." Ryika points out with a little laugh. "I don't mind if you call him here, or if you head downstairs. I'm just going to make it such that it's not odd to only hear half the conversation. She uncurls from her deck chair, digging a small mirror out of a pocket, the shine sparkling in the sunshine, pushing up to her feet.
Maggie nods to Ryika, "Oh, I don't. But, I had wanted to ask you if I could. But if they give you the willies, I won't." Nodding, she watches the other woman with the mirror, then turns to hold the card in front of her. Concentrating, she breaths in slow, even breaths. The sunlight shimmers on the water and glints on metal around the deck. The card in Maggie's hand picks up some of that light, lending Martin's hair and eyes a special sort of shine.
The conversation in the mirror is as one sided as a trump conversation, but relatively brief. A lot of 'mmm' and 'un unh' from Ryika, much as anyone who calls upan elderly aunt to chat ends up doing. She returns, eventually, to the conversation with Maggie. "Well, nothing about if there's any art of Fioled Dilwen, the Dilwens would have some if there was. There was three of them. Fioled, Sylla and Dafina, who all disappeared. The later two were commoners. The rumour goes, at least amongst Ygrayne, that Fioled was romantically entangled with someone at the carnival, and thats why she left. The three girls were all friends." Ry flashes a half smile. "I have be assured, repeatedly, that I will get used to trumps if I actually use them. I admit, it's not nearly as startling now as it once was. But I should get back to Amber and back to work."
***** Next Day *****
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To: Ryika, Maggie, Shao, Martin, Yvonne, Liyandra
Subject: RE: Selkie Advance Scout Results
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A message upon Merrisol's peculiar kelp parchment with sweet-salty ink (if one licks it!) And perhaps one will not think to question his dedication but no, he did not laboriously pen this letter six times! *cue begmaniacal laughter*
LT Nalwin has successfully completed and safely returned from his mission in the far territory. Knowing the target must have traveled close enough past the Dilwen March to have been reported, he was easily able to follow their trail and discovered the Menagerie camped and food-gathering by the edge of a precarious region of swift currents and deep fissures. Their caravan is comprised of giant snail shells hauled by teams of swordfish. A number of those shells are the lairs of the main attractions, and the creatures are chained within. Some of the labels he read: Afanc the Magnificent, The Amazing Battletoads, The Shy Dobhar-ch, Elephant Koi, and also The Last Kelpie, although he could not get a glimpse beyond the veils over that dwelling.
Nalwin counted approximately 30 workers of various species including Rebman, although he noticed they each had some kind of physical abnormality. That element of 'deformity' would seem to be a requirement for joining the enclave, lending further merit to Yvonne's proposal to bring Sullivan in. Two notables: the Ringmaster, Tylmander One-Eye, a purple-haired Rebman with the single eye in the center of his forehead; and the head creature trainer, a woman going by the name of Nicola, with glowing blue eyes, a propensity for sculpting coral, and a bodysuit of what seemed to be small anenomes.
As far as behind-the-scenes behavior, they seemed appropriately businesslike as one might expect from a wandering troupe, though not much camaraderie was observed. A number of the lesser beasts were let loose to forage off the sea bed, and would appear to be tame. As far as menageries go, this one appears to be on the level.
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Message 99 Date Received: Sat May 3 18:35:10 2014
From: Martin
To: Ryika, Merrisol
Tags: pat-bd
Subject: +sending/PAT-BD: A Seagull with one blue feather
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You each get a note from Martin
The Dilwen Archivests uncovered some information on the menagerie
Nicola: Nicola once worked for the palace and made toys for young children, carved them from bits of coral. She comes from a humble beginning. An orphan of no noble house. Her family was slain during the Kite wars. She has no noble title and seemed to keep out of the way of people because of her deformity. She would look after the animals who lived in the palace. A young seal from House Mairwen was once lost under her care and when the seal's body was found she was dismissed. No one could ever prove she had anything to do with it but she never worked in Rebma again.
Tallymander: He is rumored to be someone's bastard but no one ever stepped forward and he never claimed a house. He was not born in Rebma but came there for work once. He would help purify and prepare food for consumption. Yes, he was a cook, possibly an alchemist. The Dilwens uncovered some notes in the archives about Tallymander being an alchemist who was accused once of causing several young people to get sick durin a party at the palace but nothing stuck. House Dilwen claims he had friends in House Ygrayne. House Ygrayne denies having anything to do with Tallymander.
I'm looking over the site right now. Nothing appears to be out of the ordinary. They have sent in some scouts ahead who are clearing rocks and making preparations. They seemed to be in good spirits.
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Liya has come down to check out the menagerie, as requested. She's actually made her own way, though she wasn't trying to be secretive about it. She is sort of flopped not too far, just watching all the comings and goings and reacquainting herself with being underwater. It's been a while.
Nicola is a tall, athletic woman with tanned skin wears only a very tiny string bikini bottom. That is because her skin is rough green and etched with abstract ink and covered with peculiar silvery anemones that grow out of her. They would make wearing clothing somewhat difficult which would explain the lack of it. Presently she has on a mesh shawl that billoughs about her. Each toe contains a ring and though at first glance the anenomes may make it appear that she has hair, she does not and her eyes are crystal lure. She moves with an easy grace and seems to be picking and choosing who she greets with great care. She is demure and refrains from coming to close to anyone.
Liya moves in a bit closer, ostensibly going to check out the stalls and see what is for sale. She pauses as she catches sight of the tall athletic woman with the shawl, but only just to stay out of the way at the moment.
Merrisol has stayed out of the way while the grounds were prepared and the stalls pitched, just so none of the carnies would take note of him particularly when he wanders over with the general populace during the official open. Many were around the last time the circus came to town, and so disperse readily towards their favoured activities. Merri slows and stands considering the route that winds past the genuine rigged arcades and Guess-Your-Age-Weight-ShoeSize stations, towards the much-touted Menagerie.
Although she is not going up to everyone, Nicola seems to be watching a lot. Her eyes fix on sizing up particular individuals for one reason or other. A soft touch? A mark? One can only wonder. The electric blue bekini is hard to miss and she has to smile in appreciation.
No one expected the Regent to attend the opening as busy as he's been lately, but there he is! Martin is rather hard to miss in his rebman wardrobe during any occasion and this is no different. No one ever understands why it is that he wears vests in Rebma, it's a mystery. Maybe he just needs a pocket for his shades. At any rate, he is there, having salted, pickled 'pearls' which are really just rolled up and decorated muscles. He's talking rather jovially with anyone who comes up to him. There was no official fanfare when he arrived and the Menagerie didn't make an effort to draw attention to his arrival. In fact, they pretty much treat everyone the same regardless of their rank and social network.
Liya catches sight of Martin, certainly, but she leaves him to his own devices. Course, when she catches sight of the big blonde, well, that's another story. She heads over to Merrisol, with a dip and a kick, her swimming skills not so shabby, even if she is an air breather. "Kerf!" she calls out as she nears. "Hey, Kerf, this is - amazing."
The One-Eyed Ringmaster can be seen going between carriages, talking with the crew. He leaves the greeting and welcoming up to Nicola.
The Last Kelpie Shell/Lair is guarded by some of the fish-men. No one is going in or out of that particular caravan yet. It's a daily showing. one show only. The others are always letting people in. The turnout seems meager at first but as the day goes on more and more visitors are coming and the line for the Elephant Koi ride is starting to build.
Martin is in Rebma, at the Menagerie that has come to the city. He finds a spot to answer the call. "Yes?" He inquires warily, then smiles when he sees who it is.
Martin nods, "Ah hello." He does not identify the caller to anyone who might be nearby, and carefully maintains his own countenance. "What is going on?"
Martin looks quite concerned by that indeed. "That would be foolhardy. What is he thinking? That idiot!" Martin growls under his breath. "Lir on a bike, don't they have better things to do?" Wisely, he schools his temper, however. "I will find out what is going on and prepare for it."
Liya is sidetracked on her way to Kerf's side, catching sight of the regent. She waves his way, but sees he appears to be busy, and so she pauses, glancing around, now a bit confused.
Merri hears his name, already smiling for he is only Kerf to a select few, and turns to greet Liyandra as she swims for him. "Liya! Fair Tide." He drifts forward a step, just to do his part and close a bit more of the diminishing distance, and headtilts slightly, gaze lingering upon Liyandra and wandering about her person. Not rudely, though! He is merely innocently.. hopefully.. searching for a glimpse of rippled tentacle or oddly pulsing colour. Perhaps in her hair.. or around her wrists.. or er.. he presently runs out of hidey spots. Ahem. "It's..." He casts his gaze up and around, searching the terrific facade of the carnival in a more general manner. "It's really a spectacle. Perhaps it will even be entertaining, if we can quickly clear these folk of wrong-doing." Yup.. nope.. Merrisol is On The Job here and that means it's back to Serious Face for now.
Martin nods, "I would appreciate it, and that is understood, of course." He still does not identify the caller by name or by rank. Possibly people nearby who could overhear. After a moment, he nods. "You should go to Gwyn Gaer. It would be a good point for you to work from."
Martin nods, "Understood, just know that the avenue is open to you. Unbelievable." he shakes his head with a sigh. "Thank you for letting me know, I appreciate it."
Liya hears her name and thus she dives back again at Kerf, gleefully. There is no Mimic with her as yet, but perhaps the little scamp is around somewhere. Surely he can spy that electric blue if nothing else. "Fair tide to you as well, Kerf. It's good to see you again." And all that innocent looking of Merri's is totally unnoticed by the Sukhoti woman. "I am most curious about all of this," she says, honestly.
Martin exhales and mutters under his breath for a moment as the contact ends. It was clearly not the news he wanted to hear. "Bloody Idiots." He shakes off the irritation and there it is... smile back in place for the carnival. It takes him a few moments to regain his composure.
Merrisol does hold onto that theory himself, but pointedly doesn't mention Mimic, who has not been spotted in the area for quite some time. Instead, he tips his chin towards Nicola, observing her unusual second(?) skin. "That is the critter handler I wrote about.. Nicola. I've been further informed, by Martin, that she was ostracized from Rebma when a pet seal under her care went missing and turned up dead." He relays the information in a neutral manner, that it's a sad story, but not necessarily unusual. His attention drifts over to notice Martin by the sidelines, and watches in silence while the Regent puts his Regent Face back on.
"Are you unfamiliar with circus events.. or menageries? Uh.. Zoos?" Merri wonders aside to Liya then.
Liya glances over at Martin as Merri mentions him, but she leaves him to his regenty business. Besides, she's not all that happy with him, anyway. So her attention goes to Nicola, curiously. "She certainly is quite noticeable," she remarks, and then she shrugs a bit. "I thought a menagerie was a house of animals such as I have?"
Nicola is approached by a man with only one leg who has a much easier time in Rebma than he would have in Amber and speaks to her in a low urgent voice and gestures over towards the Last Kelpie tent. Nicola frowns faintly. "It's not time yet." she tells the man. "Deal with it, too much is not good for her."
Once he has regained composure, Martin notices Kerf and Liyandra and heads over in that direction. He picks up a couple of sweet and salty candy pouches on the way over and tosses one at each of them as he manages to grin. "Hey, glad to see you both down here. "Seems to be legit." he looks about curiously. "I think I want to go on the Koi ride."
Merrisol ponders. "I suppose you do have a small menagerie.. although I had thought of it as a 'shelter'. In the strictest sense it refers to privately owned collections of captive animals.. so typically attributed to the wealthy and affluent. I... once worked in one, myself. On Minos. Or so the research on my Past indicates." Looking beyond Liyandra a moment, he sees Martin coming at them with snack sacks, and lifts one hand to snag one or both, if Liya isn't paying attention in that direction. He offers one of the bags to Liya. "Legitimate, yes Sire," he nods to Martin. "So far as it is definitely an operating fair. How about we head in then, and see these critters. Koi... those are just fancy carp!" he frowns. Giant fancy carp, though. Renewed interest blooms as he makes to go exploring the enclosures.
Liya even manages to catch the candy tossed her way, with a slight smile. She seems to just naturally turn in time. "Your Highness," she greets Martin somewhat formally, with a dip of her head. "Thank you." She holds the candy bag, and smiles at Merrisol. "I'd like to go in, yes," she says. She does glance around briefly - wait, is that a rolling bit of kelp there? Hope blossoms for a moment on her face, and then she turns her attention to looking at the fair. "I should like to see what all those stands are about. It seems rather odd to me. And - well, I am /not/ rich, at least not in the usual sense."
"I'll..." oh dear, it looks like Martin has another call. "I'll be back shortly. Why don't you both go shopping? I'll meet you at the Koi rides? It looks like there's going to be some kind of demonstration later for the Kelpie. I so far don't see anyone who resembles the girl we're looking for."
Merrisol nods to Liya's statement distinguishing monetary wealth from personal fulfillment with a quiet smile. He looks between Martin and the roller-coaster/funhouse area advertising Koi rides, and nods. "I would be surprised if any of the three girls showed up," he admits. "After 50 years." Fifty! It's more than a lifetime, to him. He drifts off a ways, gesturing out to Liya a moment if they are following their curiosities in a similar direction. A carnie abruptly intervenes however, taking him for a flatlander, and draws him off to a Test Your Strength exhibit, complete with tilt-bell that goes 'ding!'
Liya nods to Martin as he gets called, and then Merri gets sidetracked by showing off his muscles. For her part, she heads off after that bit of kelp, just in case she maybe has discovered where Mimic went off to.
Martin gets done with his trump call and finally wanders back into view nearby the Koi line. Since it's the Regent, people start parting the line for him to get to the front but he refuses to be shown any favoritism and lets others have their place in line with a goodnatured grin. See, that's how you be a King. Looks like the most recent trump call went better than the last.
Liya has been roaming around, checking out the stalls, as she suggested. She ends up back by the coi line, and pauses, somewhat curiously. As she spies Martin, she heads over, offering him some of the candy in the bag he threw her way earlier. "Share?" she offers, as she eyes the line.
Yay, candy! Of course Martin sticks out his hand in a good-natured fashion. He's scored a few points by not pushing himself ahead. "I gotta admit I've not actively tried to see an Elephant Koi before, I mean, I've heard of them but they don't usually come near cities." Lucky for Liya, she could get in right behind him since he is the last in line. The Rebmans who come back out of the ride look rather amused by it but they won't say what it was. It's the unspoken rule of the Carnival. You don't reveal what the ride is like to people who haven't been on it. Someone is watching them, or perhaps the line and it's not Nicola or Tyllmander. This is a man with eyes like a fish and blue scaled skin. He has several piercings and moves a bit disjointedly.
Liya does glance around, her gaze like most everyone's going to that top secret Kelpie area every so often. Does she even note the rippling there? Well, perhaps. Perhaps she does. But her attention is drawn back to Martin, with a brief glance at Fish Eyes. "Is he staring at you or me?" she asks, after a moment, a bit uncomfortable with this little scenario. Electric Blue bikini or not.
Fish-eyes eyes would go wide if they could but they are already as wide as they can possibly be. Another one down and they move forward in line for the ride. "Hard to say." Martin observes. "We're both pretty darn cute." Fish-eyes makes the attempt to get Liya's attention without looking like he's trying to get Liya's attention. He is not good at subtle. "But ... I think it's you he wants. Best be careful, though."
Liya's eyes go wide now, though not as wide as Fish-eyes. She looks a bit startled at Martin, and then over at Fish-eyes. Her head tilts a bit, her brow furrowing slightly. "Must be the tattoos," she says after a moment. Kinda look like scales after all. Sort of. If you squint at them just right. She relaxes a bit, as she examines Fish-eyes, now watching him. She drifts a bit closer towards him. "Hello."
He's won! Shao has who the biggest prize at the Cups and ball's kiosk, even though it is the oldes fraudulous sleight of hand in the book. Beaming, he follows the lead of his leashed golfish, which is the size of a hamster, too taken to notice the path he is taking.
This is how gets to bump into Liyandra and the leash slips off his grasp. "Musashi!" Shao calls, but the goldfish flees, zipping between Martin's legs and vanishes into the crowd. "Sorry, Lady," Shao apologizes to Liyandra on a sad tone. He seems not to have recognized her yet.
Martin eyes the fish as it zips on through. "I think they need to reconsider their prizes." He head shakes and nods at Shao. "Hi. Just waiting in line for the ride..." He looks over to where Liya has gone to a guy who has eyes like a fish and blue-scaled skin. "Mind keeping an eye out?"
Fish-eyes waits for Liya nervously. "He----llll---o---h." He gurgles as though speaking is difficult. "I am Ai." Which of course sounds like I am I... but apparently I his name is. "Is .... M....ahhh...tin?"
Merrisol reappears from the vicinity of the food court with a crazy straw drink and the requisite carnival mustard smear. Didn't he win a prize from the Test-Your-Strength? Must have stashed it somewhere so nobody could accuse him of enjoying himself on the job. He goes over to the middle of the Koi line without getting too close, greeting Shao with a smile. "Good to see you made it." He glances at Martin waiting in line like a schmuck, staring for just an extra moment, then nodding. "Liya's not here yet?" he wonders, just before he catches sight of the woman and her fishy acquaintance.
Liya excuses herself as she is bumped into by Shao, perhaps not recognizing him right away either. And then over to talk to Fish-Eyes. "Hello, Ai," she says. "I am Liya. Nice to meet you." Then she blinks. "Martin? What about him? Did you meet him before?" The black hair billows out around her, noticeable in that it's rare in those crazy Rebmans.
"Martin-sama?" Shao echoes with Liyandra. "Oh, hello." He draws a blank, uncertain he should use a title in for the Lord Regent at this occasion. "And hello, Kerfu-san." Wicks of black hair get before his eye. He gives the lady another glance and his eyebrows arches in confusion, as he recognizes her.
Fish-eyes shakes his head vigorously and suddenly looks very agitated as he stares at Martin and then at Liya. "Oh... Oh the Manager." All his words are slurred and spoken as though he has difficulty saying anything. His eyes go wide with fear. "Ai pay you. Take him somewhere else." his fishy fingers fumble into a pouch and he yanks out a handful of pearls.
Martin grins at them both and certainly doesn't seem to mind waiting in line. He could have gone right to the front!
"Hi, Shao, glad you could make it down there." Martin is chewing on the candy that he'd bummed from Liya's bag. "You win anything yet?" he peers at Merrisol.
Merri side-eyes at Martin, taking a break from watching Liya and the Deep One. Lipreading is not his strong suit, even underwater. But if he's right, Liyandra is involved in an illicit peyote transaction. "May have," he hedges. "Mostly waiting around for the Kelpie exhibition though." He looks over as another couple of visitors exit the Koi ride to the left, with their hair only now relaxing from being corkscrewed by pure funsies. Probably missing a bunch of bling too from their upended pocketeses.
"Take him somewhere else?" Liya asks, sounding confused. "But the ride - " She shakes her head at Fish-Eyes. "What about the manager? We paid - can't we try the ride?" Bewildered flatlander here, right? no mistaking her for a Rebman anyway. "Oh - no, no no. You keep your money," she adds. "Just a ride, right?" She is truly confused, and it shows, no need to even try to act.
"My apologies again, Liyandra-san," Shao uses for greetings, now she seems to have sorted out the enigma that is Ai. Or is it Eye? Or I. "Should I accompany you, Liyandra?" he offers. To Fish-Ai, he bows his head. "Shao Satoshi, honored."
Ai wrings his hands nervously. Is it a him? The voice is pretty generic sounding. "But... The Manager...she.." he looks like he's about to get more agitated when the tall strange woman suddenly shows up almost out of no-where with a sharp snap to her voice.
"Ai." Nicola says the name sharply like the crack of a whip. The fish-man looks terrified and clams right up. The rest of her words are pure honey. "Please do not bother our guests while they wish to enjoy the ride. My deepest apologies, He's somewhat simple minded. Go on now, Ai. It's time to feed the Kelpie. Please, pay him no heed, my Lady. Do enjoy yourself." Nicola smiles also to Shao, "My Lord."
Merrisol shakes his head distractedly to ride-goers who offer to let him join Martin's place in the line. He's watching Nicola and Ai's interaction alertly. After the wayward worker is compelled to go see to Kelpie business, Merri nods to Martin: "Enjoy the ride.." and skirts the line to move off after the fishman.
Liya, immediately diverted, as any guest would be, right. "Did you say it's time to feed the Kelpie?" she asks, eyes widening. "Oh my, that must be quite exciting. Is it something that guests are able to watch?" That asked, her attention turns to Shao. Shao! Blink blink. That is - no wonder she didn't recognize him, and he looked somewhat familiar. There's a promise in her gaze, but it takes only a moment before she looks at Ai and then to Nicola. Expectantly.
Martin gets it! So he pretends not to notice anything is amiss and goes back to his place in line. That's what happens when you are a King, you have people to do things for you. Nicola's words already has Ai moving away without another word. He stuffs the pearls back into his pocket and locked them in. When he moves, it's sort of a 'skitter' through the water really. While he's heading in the direction of the Kelpie's Shell he certainly takes his time about it... as though he wants to go anywhere but there.
"Oh no, My Lady." Nicola's voice is sweeter than honey but as firm as nails."The Kelpie only has one show and does not enjoy eating when people she does not know are about. I do encourage you both..." Her gaze shifts to Shao and slides up and down him provocatively... and returns to Liya. "Do go to watch the Battletoads, I'm sure you'll find them quite distracting. The Kelpie show will be something to behold. I promise you."
Shao follows in quick glances everyone's gazes: Liyandra to Ai, Ai to Nicola, Nicola to Ai, Nicola to himself and Liyandra to himself and the last one, where Liyandra begs to see the feeding. Understanding, he bows his head to Nicola. "My Lady. I come from Jade, from Penglai..." he says, exagerating more or less.
Merrisol looks over the bobbing heads of fair visitors, tracking the goggle-eyed worker as he makes his way after Ai. Any chance a big guy like him won't be intimidating to the gawky carnie.. unless Ai is only afraid of feeler-skinned dominatrices..? If Mimic were here, he could have broken the ice. Sigh. "Ahoy," he says then, coming up to Ai from the side. "Did you want help? You were offering my friend Liyandra payment for.. some assistance?" he guesses, mildly inquisitive.
Liya leaves it at that for a moment, though she does look disappointed. "Oh, alright then," she says. She sighs, obviously disconsolate, and then she looks back at Nicola. "The Battletoads? They put on a good performance? I shall have to go see then. Thank you for the recommendation. What do you think, Shao-San?" Liya is reluctant though, but well, she can't argue with the Manager. Though she does head back towards the end of the line for the coi first. Since it's /right/ there. Battletoads next! Or later anyway.
Shao gives Liyandra his full attention. "I think it would be impolite to refuse a gift, right? If the Lady manager offers a free entry at the Battletoads, we should all go. I am sure she has a lot to tell us about them!" He beams for Nicola.
Ai nearly leaps out of his scales when Merrisol approaches him. He stares up at the blond adonis with a wild gasp. "Aahhhh.... Pp--please. No offense..." he gurgles out agitatedly. "But the Manager... She'll ... she'll be upset if she sees him." It is not immediately clear if by the manager he means Nicola or not. The Kelpie shell is closeby and there's some more rippling in the water around it. Something inside is hungry!
Nicola smiles at both Shao and Liyandra, a sultry calculating smile. "I'm sure you will find much of interest there. Unfortunately, I have many things to attend. Do believe me when I say this... venture not to the Kelpie while she is feeding lest you are known to her."
Martin is the happy-go-lucky Regent who is just a few people away from his turn!
Liya pauses to watch Nicola now, and then her gaze goes to that kelpie shell. Very curiously. "I look forward to the show. And thank you for taking such good care of us," she says, before she heads back over to Martin. "Apparently the Kelpie likes its food raw," she murmurs. "And poor Ai there might be dinner, for all I can tell." Her gaze goes in the direction that Ai was going, and she catches sight of Kerf there, which just brings a grin to her face. "Now then, let me get into line since I wouldn't feel right skipping anyone's turn." Petite she is, and she's obviously an air breather, but she also has manners. She smiles winningly at the folks behind Martin, and then moves to the end of the line.
Merrisol headtilts, but one of the natural challenges of speaking nicely with a boggling fish person is, yep, achieving eye contact. "You mean Tallymander? I don't think Liyandra knows him.. and the one-eye thing wouldn't bother her..." he starts to assure Ai - but that parsed interpretation doesn't feel right at all. She.. sheee. Merri pauses, feeling the vibrations in the water, and stirring restlessly in their wake. He glances at the huge shell enclosure then back to Ai. "Hold on.. start over," he suggests, thinking it out. "Not Liyandra. Your Manager. She.. would be upset to see.. him who?" Darn those unattached pronouns.
Ai exhales nervously as he is cornered by the tall blonde! If only he looked like that... His mouth opens into a little oh as he smacks his lips unintentionally while the gears in his slightly damaged brain shift and attempts to communicate. "The Manager!" He points to a shell-caravan somewhere towards the middle of the encampment. A rather extravagant one compared to the others. Obviously someone important in there. His little beady fish eyes travel up and down the big man in front of him. "She doesn't want Martin to see her the way she is." He clasps his hands together "Please ... make him leave?"
Martin doesn't look like he's going anywhere. He's nearly at the beginning of the line and waves back at Liya! Who's an excited Regent? Maybe he had some drugs before coming to the event today. Who knows? At any rate... Elephant Koi Fish Ride! Who could possibly resist that.
The caravan ripples again... and shakes as something might have butted against it. It's not a terribly violent shake and unless you were looking directly at it.... you may not notice. "Oh nos!" Ai exclaims. "I must hurry!" He speeds off towards the Caravan and pauses at a nearby barrel in an attempt to drag it there.
Liya is now in line for the koi ride. Martin is next up, and Merrisol is over talking to Fish-Ai. Something about the manager (her name's not Ursula, is it?) but Liya can't hear that anyway. She just glances around, letting her senses out to see if she can feel anything. This of course makes her balance a bit off, as she's not really thinking about it, concentrating instead on what she can learn about the place, how natural it is, what's alive, what's not, and what triggers her warning klaxons, so to speak.
Shao gives Merrisol a glance, trying to guess what should be their next move about Ai. Ai leaves in panick and Shao follows the best he can, although chances are good Merrisol will beat him to the barrel first.
Merrisol follows the webbed finger's point with his gaze, sliding it back to the Fishman in bemusement. For gurgling out loud... "This is Martin's city," he starts to reason, "She can't be -that-..." but Ai is already panicking off. Merri casts a glance to the Koi Rides, checking Martin's place in it, noticing Liyandra also waiting for her zoomy-zoom. He looks the other way, and spots Ai wrestling with the barrel. Whip-fwip, his hair flickers to and fro while he decides not to pull Martin out of the line to ask about his mysterious connection to Ms. Manager, and goes instead to help Ai heft the barrel from the ground. Kelpie Foods? "Unf. Where to?"
Ai gapes at Merrisol... His lips make a 'pucking' sound as he tries to figure out what to answer. Merrisol's closer so naturally he had the barrel first, Shao's approach seems to make him a little more nervous. He's in a fix now. If he calls out... he'll get yelled at for letting non-carnies near things they shouldn't be. "But maybe... if they come I can make them listen..." His inside voice is outside and he doesn't even realize it as he's quite the scatterbrain. "Yes. Yes." He nods. "This way." His lips continue to make that little sound, smacking together as he moves around to the other side of the shell and towards a makeshift door. The shell itself is huge! It's the size of a small house and spirals up to the top with lots of little holes in it bubbling upward at careful intervals. He carefully removes a key and starts to jiggle the thick lock. The caravan shudders again and he nearly drops his keys. The barrel Merrisol is carrying isn't exactly quite. It ... slithers. "Be careful!" Ai hisses. He looks at Shao and Merrisol. "Stand back, she doesn't know your scent."
Booyah! Waiting in line paid off, he got to chatter with a young mother who was waiting in line with his son and assured her of various changes that were coming and that it would all be good! Schmoozing with non-nobles is definitely not something that most Regents do, but Martin is just fine with it. He evel let the kid ride on his shoulders for a bit. Ah... finally! The gate to the ride opens, it's a tunnel-like structure with a big open archway shaped like a snake of some kind. He gets past the gate and if you strain a bit above the crowd you can see that the there's a little pull ladder you can use to make your way up to the top of what looks like something brilliant orange. It's hard to tell because the ride itself is inside. There's a "WHOOP!" From inside, Martin's excitement made real then a bit of ruckus floundering... and a surge of bubbles.... Zooooooooom!"Yeeeeeaaaaaahhhhhhhhh!" yep hard to miss that cry. Lots of people have been crying out upon the start of the ride but this is one distinct bellow.
By now, Liya's senses have attuned to being in Rebma once more, and she's got a frown on her face, her fingers rubbing at the side of her head. She shakes that head, and then again. Her gaze goes from left to right, right to left. "Unicorn eating shellfish," she mumbles softly. After a moment, she can't take it any more, and so she heads off in a random direction, needing to take a moment or two. Sometimes being so sensitive is not a blessing! Her hackles are up, her expression is set, and those blue eyes are anything but happy. Ride, never mind the ride, this is just /enough/ to set Liya off. Random direction, of course, but she does aim unintentionally in the direction of the so called kelpie.
Shao nods to Ai and backs off half a dozen paces away. He keeps watch for the tall mean Manager.
Merrisol has the barrel up on his shoulder like any sensible teamster. He notes Shao's approach and tilts his head to welcome. Launching after Ai towards the giant seasnail shell, he falters in mid-bound when his barrel.. moooves.. eww, right beside his head, too. He darts a glance sidelong, searching and seeking comprehension of whatever living thing he holds. Landing nearby the fumbling fishman and rolling the strange burden downwards to the silt, he crouches and sends that same searching gaze to the entrance. "Don't be afraid.. be calm," he says, though not precisely all for Ai's benefit.
Slither, slither, it could put the hairs on the back of the ear to twitching for less hearty souls. Within there is a deep throaty guttural sound, like a wheeze and then a fluttering. Within the shell it is dark... long and dark... for the deepest parts of the sea have no use for light. A little of the green glow above Rebma shines down through the entrance, "What are you....." Wheeze... shudder. The shell quakes a little. The words can only be heard by Merrisol. To others it seems like an odd demonic neighing sound. It's hiding in the shadows, whatever it is. "A God?"
Ai gives a little screech and then whaps his hand over his mouth. "Be...careful!" He urges. "Need to feed it.. Quick...open and dump inside!" He flails his arms at Shao as though he hopes Shao might be able to help convince Merrisol not to make friends.
Martin can't be heard or seen. He's still on the ride which should be over in a few minutes. Woooosh. Mostly Liyandra is ignored... unless she has obvious bling, then she might be tailed.
Liya has a bright bright blue bathing suit. No obvious bling, unless you count the glass knives she's got at her waist. She comes to a stop a bit away from the kelpie shell, sort of out of the way, and concentrates on breathing. That's about all she can do at the moment, since it beats throwing up all over the place, which is her other option. She might even go a little green, which might make her look somewhat Rebman. She takes a few moments to regain control, and then she pauses to look around. That poor koi line up she's been in like 3 times and had to leave all 3? She doesn't go back. Though the sound of Martin's glee brings a ghost of a smile to her face. Instead, she heads over towards the fighting Toadies. or whatever they were called, checking to see if they are doing their thing.
Shao frowns at Ai's semaphore. Curious, he comes closer, in his distinctive dog paddle style. "What is it Mr. Ai?" he asks. He looks past Ai, to Merrisol, just in case. No, nothing wrong there. Behind him, Liyandra goes unseen.
The threatening display of caged energy draws Merri back on his haunches, but he holds up a hand as though shushing Ai's protests. The ominous whinnies have him blinking and open-mouthed for a moment. "I'm a naturalist," he corrects, frowning and peering into the darkness, the keg o' sibilance still resting before him. Nudging it about to face the opening, Nature Boy obliges Ai by reaching over it to pry the cover. "And you are a Kelpie.. Are you the last? How did they catch you?" he wonders, in the meantime. Under his hand, the barrel lid tilts and jumps, as the critters inside jostle and try to squirm their way out.
"Catch me..." The Kelpie's raspy voice is like that of a creature who hasn't breathed the water he is used to in a long time. There's a beating of hooves against ground as it tosses its great mane and the water within the shell lair becomes alive with swirling currents formed by the rippling mane. In a blink, you catch one blood-shot eye, then a small bit more of the beast. You can see an uneven slightly bent horn above its half-eaten perked ear. The beast has a great mane which seems to be an extension of the sea itself and dark green almost black scaled skin. Its soft muzzle is briefly visible too but the teeth within are razor sharp jaws and the tongue long and black as it licks through the air several feet away from the Kelpie. "I am the last!" It stomps it's foot against the floor again and the shadow falls across the beast once more it's full nature not yet revealed. "I am Oshan of It'rla, last of my name. Release me... and all the wealth of the city of It'rla will be yours." It strains against something as though it means to leap towards the writhing barrel and those at the edge of the door. To everyone else, it simply sounds as though whatever inside is really wanting to get out of there... or at least be fed.
Something darts just out of the corner of Liya's eye. It's very... very tiny... about a half a hand in size and it seems to be making off with something sparkly in it's hand. It moves too quickly to actually see what it is. It's fins move as fast as a humming birds does.
Ai wrings his hands. "He must be fed... or he will get loose...." He looks so comically fearful and his knees are trembling so.... "Last time ..." He squeaks a gulp. "He ate three people and killed five of our attractions."
The rest of the carnival is in full swing, so no one has actually noticed yet that non-carnies are interfearing with feeding time. Yet.
Something darts, and Liya glances that way. The little escape artist catching her attention. Which means she focusses on it empathically. "Hey hey," she calls softly. "What are you doing now?" She sends it calm soothing thoughts. Friendly ones. Coaxing ones, seeing if she's found a smarter type little critter or not. She wishes wistfully for Mimic's little cuddlefish presence, she does. And perhaps some of that reflective sadness might leak through.
As Liya tries to communicate with the tiny sylph like creature, she startles it into stopping and turning! Oh so pretty! What a cute little sprite. A dazzling fairy like being no bigger than half a pencil, she simply shimmers. Her little fairy fins just buzzzzzz like a humming birds wings as she hovers there with a pensive puckering lips. Her eyes are brilliant gold and her hair is shimmering sea-green. Tiny glinting scales cover her naughty bits. She has someones jewels clutched in her cute tiny fingers and a completely adorably innocent face.
"Sorry," Shao apologizes as he paddles extra fast past Ai. "Kerfu-san, you must feed him!" he tries to warn Merrisol. "Feed him or he will feed on patrons!"
Crouched and holding the rattling barrel lid mostly shut, Merrisol falls quiet and raptly attentive in the face of those stomps, swirls, and neighs. He digs in as those spun currents lick over him, carrying the scents of the hollow shell interior and the creature within. The way Ai carries on, and the uninterrupted bustle of the fairgrounds in general register dimly with him, and Merri begins to realize nobody else is.. getting.. this spiel. Bargains and promises of riches? That would bring a lot of folks running. "You could flee now," he says thoughtfully. "And yet you don't.. You can't," he guesses, then startles as Shao interjects. "Oh.. right. Yes." He drags his gaze from Shao and eyes the ravening beast for one last moment, before he pulls the lid free. A glut of eeeeels sprays out from the opening and into the enclosure, darting about higgledy-piggledy in their newfound 'freedom'.
Liya frowns at the fairy, as pretty as she is. "You're not right," she says, with a frown. "You're not - " Though she has a sense of impending danger from behind, growing to judge by the hackles at the back of her neck. Kerf and Shao are back there! She looks at the Fairy thing. "Come talk to me," she says, sending that same soothing or trying to, wanting to know more about the little being. The reaction though, is not at all what Liya'd been expecting. "Please." And then she pushes back at high speed, following her feeling, trusting that sense of impending danger. Something. Wicked. This. Way. That way? Well, over there. Hopefully she'll get there in time! "Kerf, Shao, are you okay? There's something dangerous - " Well, she might not be the only one around on a path for a safe spot to lose lunch so hopefully the carnies won't note anything out of the ordinary with her mad dash for safety. Or something.
The release of the eels gets such a sound of relief from Ai and a grateful "Thank you!" to Shao. Any minute now... those currents within the shell might have gotten stronger! Who knows what would have happened had Merrisol not released the live mess within the barrel. Eels try to flee, but the Kelpie's silky mane won't let them. It darts out grabbing them here and there and pulling them into the darkness to devour with a squelching noise as the creatures are sucked and gobbled into the belly of the beast. They will soon be ex eels. The Kelpie has no more interest in Merrisol for the moment as it tears and rips at flesh. The area within becomes a little thick with eel blood and guts. Strangely, it doesn't seep out of the caravan. "He's bound within." Ai says. "The Manager's magic. A curse. If we do not feed him he will break free and slay all of us."
It is a moment of clarity for the fish-man. Danger passed.
Come Talk to Me... doesn't quite work as it probably was meant to. Not so cute anymore... the fishfairy bristles and her cheeks suddenly expand! Fwooosh... A purple miasma spray spits out in Liya's general direction. It hits a passing school of fish and they all instantly fall unconscious. Those poor things... and off the fairy flees with her bling to somewhere within the caravans.
Meanwhile, Martin slides out of the end of the ride, laughing with delight. "That was amazing! Liya you gotta try..." He looks around curiously. What the heck. Where is everyone?!? The Regent scratches his head looking around.
Feeling the pull and expecting fishgut, Shao doubles back toward Ai. He gives the poor thing an impassive look. "We all do what we must, no need to thank me, Ai-san," he counters. He returns his attention onto his friend Merrisol, not knowing what to expect next from the terrible Kelpie.
Ai blinks suddenly, "I shouldn't have told you that..." He looks abashed.
As much as a man with fish eyes can blink and look abashed.
Merrisol spends a moment staring at all the eels that come pouring out of a single barrel, like clowns from a clown car.. er.. boat. Now did they get packed in there in the first place? Another circus secret, no doubt! He rolls the barrel aside while he backs off from the feeding frenzy as well, and looks around at Ai's mournful realization. Poor goggle-eyes... but how to reassure him? His secrets are so not safe with them! "We will say nothing of this to the Manager." That much he can promise. The Regent and the Liya, however..! Merri gestures to Shao, and with a parting nod to Ai, he turns and swims back to the Koi Rides.
"You are not a cuttlefish," Liya calls back to the fleeing fish fairy. Bah. Humbug. Mimic is still cuter! She might even be muttering about that under her breath, after asking Shao and Kerf if they are okay, when they come back towards the koi rides. Hey the whole group gets back together again! Liya still mutters though.
When last we left our heroes Martin had a shit-eating grin on his face after riding the Elephant Koi ride, Merrisol and Shao failed to impress the Demon Kelpie but at least he was fed a barrel of live eels so the terrible sea-horse is still under the curse and not on a murderous rampage through Rebma, Liyandra nimbly dodged sea-sprite spit and the gang left Ai, the fish-eyed freak behind as they all moved back towards the Regent, who looks like he's had quite the amusing time.
Liya is quite bemused by the whole thing, as she moves over to Martin. "How was the ride?" she asks, first, still not sure she should even bother trying to get into line, the way things have been going. She glances towards the Kelpie Shell and then back over to Martin. "I gotta tell you, this place - it keeps making me feel somewhat ill to my stomach. And it has nothing to do with the candy or the rides."
Entering the Menagerie grounds, Maggie swims toward the Regent sort of on a slant from above. She pulls up a bit short, the emerald green scale partial skirt trailing after her swirling around her hips. Sinking from there, she has taken the time to survey the attractions from above while seeming to be watching for her friends. The cloud of flame floating about her head extends gently upward as she sinks. Nearing, she waves, "Hello. I heard that this is the place to be."
Martin puts a hand on Liya's shoulder offering her comfort but his expression remains as friendly as ever and from a distance it is impossible to tell whether or not he has any concerns. "Hi Maggie. It sure is!" He waves at his cousin. "The Koi ride is awesome. I want one of my very own." His eyes twinkle lightly as he reminisces about the ride but like any good carnie goer doesn't give the details away! "As for the Menagerie, these things often are, Liyandra." He explains a bit, but not in a condescending way. "It's a great way for the people to forget that we were just recently preparing for war, though. What is it that you feel, exactly?"
Liya looks around, pausing as there's a familiar voice. "Maggie, hi. Good to see you again. This certainly seems to be the happening place, yes. And I hear the battletoads put on a great show, for while you're waiting on things like the last Kelpie." She takes a breath and then she nods to Martin. "It's - there's a sense of unnaturalness to things. And - mutations are part of nature, and they don't necessarily feel unnatural, if you see what I mean? And yet, every so often, there's a sense that things just aren't what they seem to be, and I get that sick feeling in my stomach, like in Kitezh." A glanc to Maggie with that, as Liya pauses.
Finishing the decent, Maggie catches Martin's infectious grin and has enough sense to keep it in place as Martin and Liyandra speak. Nodding, she looks toward the battletoad enclave then over toward the koi ride. "Hey, Liya. Yes, it does seem to be hopping." Pun utterly intended as she is looking at the toads. Talk of mutations and malignant feelings are almost enough to get her to pause that smile but she does manage to keep it in place, "I might need a kiss, Martin. Merri gave me one in case, but he had to go deal with some stuff." Imagine the audacity of asking her cousin for a kiss. Silly flatlander. Dressing like a Rebman does not make one a Rebman. "I thought I might swoop on over to watch the battletoads. Maybe one of the handlers can be convinced to chat... Have you all had any luck with catching any gossip about the Rebman girls so far?"
Maggie is in a place of caliape music carried in magical bubbles of multicolored shimmers. A sign near her announces that the Koi Ride will be available in 20 minutes and there is a line of impatient, green and blue skinned people stretching behind her. Her hair floats about her, wafted in currents born of fish passing. Her attire is utterly Rebman-esque and she smiles a quick smile as she sees who is calling, "Dad! Hi. Hey, Sullivan."
Maggie glances behind her to look at the ride there, "Um. Sort of? It's a koi ride. But the koi do go up and down and round and round and... I guess it's a rollercoaster thing? I've never been on a rollercoaster, so you'll have to tell me." Someone drifts by near her eating what looks to be candied mussles and another passes eating a roasted slug on a stick. With chili! Maggie drifts a bit toward the ride, but that only means that signs for some of the other attractions start to come into view. Battletoads, this way! Menagerie! And even The Last Kelpie (Off Limits until Show Time)
Maggie says, "Well. It's a koi ride, dad." That sounds so much like it should be followed by 'so what did you expect'? but isn't. Instead, she adds, "Martin was positively beaming when he finished the ride, so it might not be as tame as all that." She drifts a little more, then shrugs, "Might be worth a try." Turning again as Sullivan tries to see something, Maggie of course spins them so that they are looking behind her again. There are booths there with merchants selling all manner of under sea treats, trinkets and treasures, "Um. Yes, that's the one, Sullivan. The show is tomorrow night." Someone passes in front of Maggie and she pauses to purchase what looks like a blowfish on a string like a kite. "Um. Oh. Right. The Menagerie is within the magic of Rebma City, Sullivan. Rebma's magic lets us all breath. It is only outside of Rebma's influence that it's a problem. Would you two like to come through?""
Sullivan's arrival is a bit tangled up. This is because, in a manner that doesn't usually happen, both he and Brand reached for the hand in the trump in the exact same moment -- he materialises with boots coming down from a seated position, arm around the prince, entirely too pleased to be in the middle of mayhem at the moment, hair floating immediately up from his head in a mermaid's vaportrail, if seen in negative.
Brand arrives and is /wet/. He glowers and grumbles. And /sinks/ toward the bottom, despite Sullivan's arm around him. He puts his feet down to stop the downward progress. Bare feet. Bare arms, only wearing an undershirt, but where it's not usually obvious, the bare arms show how very, very thin he is. His brow furrows, and he looks around, muttering softly under his breath. Arcanis, for those who know. When the words fade, his clothing looks dry and doesn't seem to be weighing him down at all. Not that he floats at that point. Nope, he's still solidly on the bottom. He frowns and shakes his head, shifts closer to Sullivan, half leaning against him.
As the other two materialize Maggie becomes tangled up in their tangle. She releases their hands and scoots back and up, floating away from them as they sort themselves. Her hair is a cloud of auburn fire, swirling in the water. Her micro-half skirt flutters at either side of her hips, the emerald gauzey material partially opaque in the water. Emerald scales and precisely placed shells complete her clothing, though she wears a fair amount of glittering, sparkling bling to pacify the Rebman nobles who glide about looking vaguely nonplussed at the men who appear dressed in such an unseemly manner. Maggie closes her hands, thumbs on the inside as she waits for her kin to settle. Then, glancing over her shoulder, she motions, "Come on. If we get in line we can go on the next Koi ride." The koi? Giant fish with startled looking eyes and wide, slorping mouths, wait to carry patrons through a predefined course.
Sullivan's face has that excitement remaining, utterly ignoring the turbid looks that are being shot his way for the fuller attire -- but there's something about his eyes as he eases back, landing upon the bottom of the ocean with grace and his hair like enflamed and faintly bloody squid-ink, "It's extremely colourful, I'll give it that..." said as he looks around with that sense of mild wonder on features and a lot of suspicion in his gaze. "Thank you for pulling us through, Maggie..." Very, very close to Brand, his left arm holds the prince like he were an anchor, which it seems, he may well be.
Brand glances about, and nods toward the Elephant Koi. "That is a proximity of rollercoaster," he says softly, the words seeming to be directed mostly toward Sullivan. He, too, ignores the looks for full attire. He's never minded such before. No reason he should know. He utterly ignores Maggie's attire for the moment, clearly distracted. His hair is a cloud of flame too, though it's a lot smaller cloud, because it's cropped fairly short, tending toward less than shoulder length. Brand makes a good anchor. He doesn't float. At all. It would seem that last time at the Rebman court wasn't a fluke afterall. "Koi ride, you say? Sure." He studies Maggie for a moment, and steps over to her, closer, and leans in to murmur something to her. He almost seems to be leaning back against Sullivan. Taking comfort in the proximity. He's probably insane again.
A small sea sprite sidles up toward Maggie as she angles toward the ride. The elephant koi roll their eyes toward the approaching trio, their mouths moving softly in the water. The sprite reaches toward a largeish pearl nestled in Maggie's hair. When Brand moves toward her, the sprite swishes away, startled. It only goes so far before wheeling and spitting brilliant purple ink at the trio. Some of it trails through Maggie's hair, giving her a 'bride of frankenstein' sort of swirl through the red. Well. In reverse. Lifting a hand, Maggie swishes it through the water, but the ink has taken hold. With a sigh, she leans in to listen, then nods and murmers something back.
Sullivan doesn't quite seem to know what to make of what he's being made aware of. Rather suddenly, he tangles one leg in Brand's in order to keep himself anchored and pulls his tunic and shirt up over his head, looking far more like a corsair in an instant, than he did before. Bundling the wet clothing up into a ball, he pulls off a thong from his belt to bundle it in a package, remaining in line bare-chested and... bare chested. Bare... -- man has mandrake blood. Yup. And now fits in a GREAT deal more, as he has the build of a swimmer, to boot -- The bundle of clothing is tied to his belt like a floatation device, red pearls hooping through the binding and all this activity makes for a nice little bubble for him to speak to both redheads. "This place is a myth. Don't ask me how I know, but this is... an dark legend of many a shadow I've looked at in my years. I think I know where your missing teenagers are. They're manning the booths." One now-bare arm once more secures to Brand's waist, fingers curling against his hip and gripping the undershirt.
Brand frowns at the sprite, thieving little thing that it was trying to be. He looks at Maggie and studies the ink now in her hair. "I can remove that for you, if you want," he says. "And if that sprite comes back, I'm going to turn it into a newt for my collection," he says, a little louder, specifically for the sprite's ears. My. Brand is /irritable/. Of course, then there's a Sullivan disrobing and anchored to his leg. His eyes have turned toward the man and he stares for a few moments, then looks away again. He blinks. "Missing teenagers? What missing teenagers?" The question is quietly spoken, but clearly audible to both Maggie and Sullivan. He goes back to leaning against Sullivan once the man's arm is around his waist again. His brow has been, and remains so, since shortly after their arrival. He glowers around them, at the carnival people, mostly.
Maggie was trying to get to the Elephant Koi ride. Honest. But, she has not gone so far ahead that she is not reeled back in as whispers are shared. She does note Sullivan's attire adjustment and offers him a smile. That will help the natives adapt to the flatlanders being there. Turning to Brand, she nods, "Please? I'm not wild about purple hair." Though maybe she would be if it was all over purple rather than stripes. Settling toward the others, she looks at Sullivan, then slowly wheels her attention around to the booths. All of those working the Menagerie are deformed in some fashion or other. Though the deformaties also radiate that thumb-pricking feeling. "Um. Maybe so. But..." That is probably in answer to Sullivan's comment, "But we should talk about it later, yes? Martin, Merri and Liyandra are around somewhere. Maybe Marlene, though I have not seen her yet." In other words... She is urging caution for her friends' sake. Turning to focus on her dad and brother, she adds, "Maybe we should go and return for the Kelpie show tomorrow?"
Sullivan can but nod about the return at a later moment. Looking at the woobly eye of the Koi, he stares the beast down, which is pointless, given that it's got no ability to blink, then looks askance, his hair following him about three seconds after he's moved. "I told you about that," is murmured toward the mage "missing teenagers, carnivale, last kelpie in existence, needing my help and we don't know why or how." -- yes he's saying this where Maggie can plainly hear it -- "We should come back. But I need to think about this too, I'm... sure I know something. I'm absolutely -positive-." But what, he can't tell, it seems. "Sorry to swoop in and swoop out, Maggie..." Promise me you won't get too up to your eyeballs, the follow-up look says.
Brand has started to move again, now, heading toward the elephant koi ride. He walks. Along the bottom. It makes for fairly slow moving, as when one sinks, the swimming thing? Doesn't work overly well. "Alright. Hold still a moment." He mutters, the words likely in arcanis again, and soon, the dye is gone from Maggie's hair, leaving nothing but the vibrant red behind. He sags against Sullivan, and shakes his head a little bit, taking a couple of deep breaths before straightening again. He nods about talking about it later,and again about returning for the Kelpie show tomorrow. "That sounds like a really good idea." He glances to Sullivan and nods as he listens. Then back to Maggie. Around at the carnival, and then back to Sullivan. "Yes. Later."
* * * * * * * * * * *
Miriam is wandering the carnival, looking at this and that. The two guards that trail a bit behind her are both clearly of her own people, and do their best to not hover. They do stare somewhat at anyone getting too near their charge, and moreso if it happens to be someone who usually breaths air.
Also poking around and exploring, Ryika swims along leisurely, nibbling at something gloriously tenticly out of a small bag as she considers the various stalls and games. She smiles, lifting a hand to wave over in Miriam's direction when she spots the Tirian.
Miriam catches sight of Ryika, and smiles to her. There's a wave given back, and then she makes her way in that direction. She doesn't currently have anything to eat, but she does have a drink in one hand. "Having a good time?" she asks when closer.
"We only just got here, really." Ryika pauses as she and Miriam get into chatting distance. "But the rumours don't really do it justice. It's amusing. You? Enjoying yourself so far?"
Miriam nods, looking around them. "I've been very amused. There's lots to see here. Th'visitors are as interesting as th'attractions." She looks back and her expressio nturns curious. "We?" She looks around for whoever Ryika's with.
"Isn't that always the way? People watching at these sorts of things is an event in an of itself." Ryika smiles brightly and then ahs softly. "Corwin came down with me, although he had to do something at the townhouse. I expect he'll come along eventually, unless someting's come up."
Miriam starts to nod, but then Corwin comes up and her expression pretty well freezes. "Oh." She looks around them again. "Well, then. Have a great time." Apparently, she's not a huge fan of the man.
"I shall do my best to, thank you. You as well." Ryika nods at the suggestion to have a good time. She pauses a moment and then notes. "He's not actually /right here/ at the moment. You don't quite need to flee, but yes. He's likely to be here at least at some point."
Miriam spends a moment considering her options. She seems to be weighing heavily on the side of fleeing.
"But if you wish to, don't let me keep you." Ryika smiles gently to Miriam with a little nod of her head.
Miriam considers, but as she doesn't see Corwin right now she looks back to Ryika. "How're diplomacy things going?"
"Things are going rather quietly at the moment, if I'm going to be entirely honest." Ryika offers Miriam a share of her little sack of tenticle treats. "I've had some opportunity to work on some personal projects. Yourself? How are things going with you?"
Miriam nods her thanks, and has a tentacle treat. "Quiet's probably good, in diplomacy. I hope y'don't mind that I'm using th'Rebma Embassy some. When he was king, Prince Benedict gave away m'brother's house to one've his people after he died. That'd been th'Tir Embassy."
"I don't mind at all." Ryika smiles and shakes her head. "It is there to be used, and you are a friend of Rebma. It only makes sense to me." She considers a moment. "Is Random open to the idea of establishing a new Tir Embassy?"
Miriam thinks, then says "I've never asked'm. I guess it'd be mean t'ask him for th'old one back."
"I suppose that depends on what, exactly, the state of the old one is. You said it was given to someone by Prince Benedict.. but is it still in use?" Ryika is thoughtful and then smiles. "Might be worth asking, just to see what the climate is for such a request."
Miriam seems to be weighing that. "It was his own private home. I guess th'woman it was given to's living there now."
"I might argue that as much as the history of having the same location would be lovely, it's probably more relevant to have a location at all, if that's the will of Tir." Ryika picks up a tenticle and pops it in her mouth as they chat.
Miriam nods slowly. "It's probably better t'do that. I guess't just still irks me some, that his house was given away. With everything inside, I guess. I never got t'go in'n clear out his things."
"I can see how that would be irksome, absolutely." Ryika mmms softly, thoughtfully. "Did you ever ask if any of those things were still about? perhaps they got packed into storage.. I know if I moved into a funished house, I'd put most things into storage."
Miriam's expression remains thoughtful. "I... didn't." she admits. "But I will. I doubt he had much besides his Pattern Sword. And that came t'me on't's own when he was killed."
"Pattern swords travel on their own?" Ryika quirks her head, curious on that point, a little furrow of her brow at the notion.
Miriam replies "Unless mine's different. If I really wanted't, it'd come t'me somehow. I let Martin wear it, as Tir's protector. When Artur died, I found't in dreams. It was with me when I woke."
"Hunh. That's really interesting." Ryika thinks on that a moment or two, picking out a chunk of tenticlely goodness and holding it in her fingers as she considers that. "I didn't realize that items could transfer from dreams to waking."
Miriam shrugs slightly, and says "I don't think things like Pattern Swords are exactly like most other things."
Ryika chuckles softly and nods. "And that there is a completely fair point. I can't imagine that anything infused with Pattern is entirely fond of following the rules for lesser objects."
Miriam smiles. "I don't know. I really don't know much about th'Pattern. Th'Sword belongs to Tir, though."
"Most things I dont know much about, tend to make me wish to learn more about it. I'm determining that Pattern is a slippery notion to grasp when one is not part of the family." Ryika considers. "What makes it explictly belonging to Tir? Tradition?
Miriam says "It was m'brother's. Now it's mine. Like Tir, it gives visions. In Tir, it's more powerful."
"Yours, and on loan to Martin." Ryika nods with a slow smile. "I can imagine that it is more powerful in Tir. Visions.. well.. I dont envy anyone who gets visions unexpectedly." She tips her head a little. "But I should probably take my leave, I'm due to meet one of my cousins shortly. I'm certain I will see you again later."
Miriam nods to her, then chuckles on the mention of unexpected omens. "I don't enjoy't much, no. And'm sure you will. Take care."
